bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conditioned pain modulation as a biomarker of chronic pain: a systematic review of its concurrent validity
Authors: Fernandes Carina , Pidal-Miranda Marina , Samartin-Veiga Noelia , Carrillo-de-la-Peña María T.
Published: July 2019

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is a promising psychophysical biomarker of central pain mechanisms because it significantly discriminates patients with chronic pain from healthy controls. Nevertheless, it is unclear in what extent CPM assessed experimentally is correlated with clinical manifestations of pain. To assess the concurrent validity of CPM, we performed a systematic review of the literature reporting correlations between CPM responses and pain intensity, disability, duration, and area in patients with different chronic pain conditions. We included 32 studies that altogether encompassed data from 1958 patients and provided 62 correlations. The majority of the results (69%) reported nonsignificant correlations between CPM efficiency and clinical manifestations of pain, whereas the remaining results showed a correlation between CPM reduction and worse clinical symptoms of pain. The modality of stimulation, the type of pain, and the stimulation site appear to be critical variables that influenced the pattern of results. Given that most of the studies were conducted with highly heterogeneous methodologies and unclear risk of bias, the findings highlight the need for future studies using standardized measures of clinical and experimental pain before considering CPM as a valid biomarker of pain. We discuss some guidelines to overcome the constraints in this promising line of research.
Spider silk colour covaries with thermal properties but not protein structure
Authors: Blamires Sean J. , Cerexhe Georgia , White Thomas E. , Herberstein Marie E. , Kasumovic Michael M.
Published: July 2019

Understanding how and why animal secretions vary in property has important biomimetic implications as desirable properties might covary. Spider major ampullate (MA) silk, for instance, is a secretion earmarked for biomimetic applications, but many of its properties vary among and between species across environments. Here, we tested the hypothesis that MA silk colour, protein structure and thermal properties covary when protein uptake is manipulated in the spider
Trichonephila plumipes
. We collected silk from adult female spiders maintained on a protein-fed or protein-deprived diet. Based on spectrophotometric quantifications, we classified half the silks as ‘bee visible’ and the other half ‘bee invisible’. Wide angle X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry were then used to assess the silk's protein structure and thermal properties, respectively. We found that although protein structures and thermal properties varied across our treatments only the thermal properties covaried with colour. This ultimately suggests that protein structure alone is not responsible for MA silk thermal properties, nor does it affect silk colours. We speculate that similar ecological factors act on silk colour and thermal properties, which should be uncovered to inform biomimetic programmes.
A neutrally stable shell in a Stokes flow: a rotational Taylor's sheet
Authors: Corsi G. , De Simone A. , Maurini C. , Vidoli S.
Published: July 2019

In a seminal paper published in 1951, Taylor studied the interactions between a viscous fluid and an immersed flat sheet which is subjected to a travelling wave of transversal displacement. The net reaction of the fluid over the sheet turned out to be a force in the direction of the wave phase-speed. This effect is a key mechanism for the swimming of micro-organisms in viscous fluids. Here, we study the interaction between a viscous fluid and a special class of nonlinear morphing shells. We consider pre-stressed shells showing a one-dimensional set of neutrally stable equilibria with almost cylindrical configurations. Their shape can be effectively controlled through embedded active materials, generating a large-amplitude shape-wave associated with precession of the axis of maximal curvature. We show that this shape-wave constitutes the rotational analogue of a Taylor's sheet, where the translational swimming velocity is replaced by an angular velocity. Despite the net force acting on the shell vanishes, the resultant torque does not. A similar mechanism can be used to manoeuver in viscous fluids.
Marangoni convection of a viscous fluid over a vibrating plate
Authors: Celli M. , Kuznetsov A. V.
Published: July 2019

This research presents a new insight into Marangoni convection through investigating, both numerically and analytically, the surface tension driven instability activated by a coupled effect of a vibrating plate and viscous dissipation. A horizontal, thin fluid layer is bounded from below by an impermeable, adiabatic plate that vibrates in the horizontal direction. The upper boundary is modelled by a free surface subject to a thermal boundary condition of the third kind (Robin). The internal heat generation due to viscous dissipation yields a vertical, potentially unstable temperature gradient. The linear stability analysis of the stationary terms of the basic state is performed. The perturbed flow, in the form of plane waves, is superimposed onto the basic state. The obtained system of ordinary differential equations is solved numerically by means of the Runge–Kutta method coupled with the shooting method. For the two limiting cases, the isothermal upper boundary and adiabatic upper boundary, the analytical solutions of the eigenvalue problem are obtained. The values of the critical parameter, which identifies the threshold for the onset of Marangoni convection, are presented.
A new hurdiid radiodont from the Burgess Shale evinces the exploitation of Cambrian infaunal food sources
Authors: Moysiuk J. , Caron J.-B.
Published: July 2019

Radiodonts, a clade of Cambro-Devonian stem group euarthropods, have classically been regarded as nektonic apex predators. However, many aspects of radiodont morphology and ecology have remained unclear because of the typically fragmentary nature of fossil material. Here, we describe a new hurdiid radiodont based on abundant and exceptionally well-preserved fossils from the Burgess Shale (Marble Canyon area, British Columbia, Canada).Cambroraster falcatusgen. et sp. nov.is characterized by an extra-large horseshoe-shaped head carapace, bearing conspicuous posterolateral spinous processes, and partially covering a short trunk with eight pairs of lateral flaps. Each of the pair of frontal appendages possess five mesially curving rake-like endites equipped with a series of anteriorly directed hooked spines, altogether surrounding the oral cone. This feeding apparatus suggests a micro to macrophagous sediment-sifting feeding ecology.Cambrorasterilluminates the evolution of Hurdiidae and evinces the exploitation of the diversifying infauna by these large and specialized nektobenthic carnivores in the aftermath of the Cambrian explosion.
Ribosolve: Rapid determination of three-dimensional RNA-only structures
Authors: Kappel Kalli , Zhang Kaiming , Su Zhaoming , Kladwang Wipapat , Li Shanshan , Pintilie Grigore , Topkar Ved V. , Rangan Ramya , Zheludev Ivan N. , Watkins Andrew M. , Yesselman Joseph D. , Chiu Wah , Das Rhiju
Published: July 2019

The discovery and design of biologically important RNA molecules is dramatically outpacing three-dimensional structural characterization. To address this challenge, we present Ribosolve, a hybrid method integrating moderate-resolution cryo-EM maps, chemical mapping, and Rosetta computational modeling, and demonstrate its application to thirteen previously unknown 119-to 338-nucleotide protein-free RNA-only structures: full-length Tetrahymena ribozyme, hc16 ligase with and without substrate, full-length V. cholerae and F. nucleatum glycine riboswitch aptamers with and without glycine, Mycobacterium SAM-IV riboswitch with and without S-adenosylmethionine, and computer-designed spinach-TTR-3, eterna3D-JR_1, and ATP-TTR-3 with and without AMP. Blind challenges, prospective compensatory mutagenesis, internal controls, and simulation benchmarks validate the Ribosolve models and establish that modeling convergence is quantitatively predictive of model accuracy. These results demonstrate that RNA-only 3D structure determination can be rapid and routine.
Consistency and identifiability of the polymorphism-aware phylogenetic models
Authors: Borges Rui , Kosiol Carolin
Published: July 2019

Polymorphism-aware phylogenetic models (PoMo) constitute an alternative approach for species tree estimation from genome-wide data. PoMo builds on the standard substitution models of DNA evolution but expands the classic alphabet of the four nucleotide bases to include polymorphic states. By doing so, PoMo accounts for ancestral and current intra-population variation, while also accommodating population-level processes ruling the substitution process (e.g. genetic drift, mutations, allelic selection). PoMo has shown to be a valuable tool in several phylogenetic applications but a proof of statistical consistency (and identifiability, a necessary condition for consistency) is lacking. Here, we prove that PoMo is identifiable and, using this result, we further show that the maximuma posteriori(MAP) tree estimator of PoMo is a consistent estimator of the species tree. We complement our theoretical results with a simulated data set mimicking the diversity observed in natural populations exhibiting incomplete lineage sorting. We implemented PoMo in a Bayesian framework and show that the MAP tree easily recovers the true tree for typical numbers of sites that are sampled in genome-wide analyses.
Dynamics of Auxilin1 and GAK in clathrin-mediated traffic
Authors: He Kangmin , Song Eli , Upadhyayula Srigokul , Dang Song , Gaudin Raphael , Skillern Wesley , Bu Kevin , Capraro Benjamin R. , Rapoport Iris , Kusters Ilja , Ma Minghe , Kirchhausen Tom
Published: July 2019

Clathrin coated vesicles formed at the plasma membrane lose their clathrin lattice within seconds of pinching off, through the action of the Hsc70 “uncoating ATPase”. The J-domain containing proteins, auxilin1 (Aux1) and auxilin2/cyclin-G dependent kinase (GAK), recruit Hsc70. Aux1 and GAK are closely related homologs, each with a phosphatase- and tensin-like (PTEN-like) domain, a clathrin-binding region, and a C-terminal J-domain; GAK has an additional, N-terminal Ser/Thr kinase domain. The PTEN-like domain has no phosphatase activity, but it can recognize phosphatidylinositol phosphate head groups. Aux1 and GAK appear on coated vesicles in successive transient bursts, immediately after dynamin mediated membrane scission has released the vesicle from the plasma membrane. We show here that these bursts represent recruitment of a very small number of auxilins such that even 4-6 molecules are sufficient to mediate uncoating. In contrast, we could not detect auxilins in abortive pits or at any time during coated-pit assembly. We have also shown previously that clathrin coated vesicles have a dynamic phosphoinositide landscape, and we have proposed that lipid head group recognition might determine the timing of Aux1 and GAK appearance. We now show that differential recruitment of Aux1 and GAK correlates with temporal variations in phosphoinositide composition, consistent with a lipid-switch timing mechanism.
Serotonergic plasticity in the dorsal raphe nucleus characterizes susceptibility and resilience to anhedonia
Authors: Prakash Nandkishore , Stark Christiana J. , Keisler Maria N. , Luo Lily , Der-Avakian Andre , Dulcis Davide
Published: July 2019

Chronic stress induces anhedonia in susceptible, but not resilient individuals, a phenomenon observed in humans as well as animal models, but the molecular mechanisms underlying susceptibility and resilience are not well understood. We hypothesized that the serotonergic system, which is implicated in stress, reward and antidepressant therapy, may play a role. We found that plasticity of the serotonergic system contributes to the differential vulnerability to stress displayed by susceptible and resilient animals. Stress-induced anhedonia was assessed in adult male rats using social defeat and intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS), while changes in serotonergic phenotype were investigated using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Susceptible, but not resilient, rats displayed an increased number of neurons expressing the biosynthetic enzyme for serotonin, tryptophan-hydroxylase-2 (TPH2), in the ventral subnucleus of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRv). Further, a decrease in the number of DRv glutamatergic neurons was observed in all stressed animals. This neurotransmitter plasticity is dependent on DR activity, as was revealed by chemogenetic manipulation of the central amygdala, a stress-sensitive nucleus that forms a major input to the DR. Activation of amygdalar corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)+ neurons abolished the increase in DRv TPH2+ neurons and ameliorated stress-induced anhedonia in susceptible animals. These findings show that activation of amygdalar projections induces resilience, and suppresses the gain of serotonergic phenotype in the DR that is characteristic of susceptible animals. This molecular signature of vulnerability to stress-induced anhedonia and the active nature of resilience could be a target of new treatments for stress-related disorders like depression.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Depression and other mental disorders can be induced by chronic or traumatic stressors. However, some individuals are resilient and do not develop depression in response to chronic stress. A complete picture of the molecular differences between susceptible and resilient individuals is necessary to understand how plasticity of limbic circuits is associated with the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Using a rodent model, our study identifies a novel molecular marker of susceptibility to stress-induced anhedonia, a core symptom of depression, and a means to modulate it. These findings will guide further investigation into cellular and circuit mechanisms of resilience, and the development of new treatments for depression.
CRMP2 mediates Sema3F-dependent axon pruning and dendritic spine remodeling
Authors: Ziak Jakub , Weissova Romana , Jeřábková Kateřina , Janikova Martina , Maimon Roy , Petrasek Tomas , Pukajova Barbora , Wang Mengzhe , Brill Monika S. , Kleisnerova Marie , Kasparek Petr , Zhou Xunlei , Alvarez-Bolado Gonzalo , Sedlacek Radislav , Misgeld Thomas , Stuchlik Ales , Perlson Eran , Balastik Martin
Published: July 2019

Regulation of axon guidance and pruning of inappropriate synapses by class 3 semaphorins is key to development of neural circuits. Collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) has been shown to regulate axon guidance by mediating Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) signaling and its dysfunction has been linked to schizophrenia, however, nothing is known about its role in the synapse pruning. Here, using newly generatedcrmp2−/−mice we demonstrate that while CRMP2 has only a moderate effect on Sema3A-dependent axon guidancein vivo, it is essential for Sema3F-dependent axon pruning and dendritic spine remodeling. We first demonstrate that CRMP2 deficiency interferes with Sema3A signaling in compartmentalized neuron cultures and leads to a mild defect in axon guidance in peripheral nerves and corpus callosum. Strikingly, we show thatcrmp2−/−mice display more prominent defects in dendritic spine pruning and stereotyped axon pruning in hippocampus and visual cortex consistent with impaired Sema3F signaling and with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-rather than schizophrenia-like phenotype. Indeed, we demonstrate that CRMP2 mediates Sema3F-induced axon retraction in primary neurons and thatcrmp2−/−mice display early postnatal behavioral changes linked to ASD. In conclusion, we demonstrate that CRMP2 is an essential mediator of Sema3F-dependent synapse pruning and its dysfunction in early postnatal stages shares histological and behavioral features of ASD.
Limits and constraints on mechanisms of cell-cycle regulation imposed by cell sizehomeostasis measurements
Authors: Willis Lisa , Jönsson Henrik , Huang Kerwyn Casey
Published: July 2019

High-throughput imaging has led to an explosion of observations regarding cell-size homeostasis across the kingdoms of life. Among bacteria, “adder” behavior in which a constant size appears to be added during each cell cycle is ubiquitous, while various eukaryotes show other size-homeostasis behaviors. Since interactions between cell-cycle progression and growth ultimately determine size-homeostasis behaviors, we developed a general model of cell proliferation to: 1) discover how the requirement of cell-size homeostasis limits mechanisms of cell-cycle control; 2) predict how features of cell-cycle control translate into size-homeostasis measurements. Our analyses revealed plausible cell-cycle control scenarios that nevertheless fail to regulate cell size, conditions that generate apparent adder behavior without underlying adder mechanisms, cell-cycle features that play unintuitive roles in causing deviations from adder, and distinguishing predictions for extended size-homeostasis statistics according to the underlying control mechanism. The model thus provides holistic insight into the mechanistic implications of cell-size homeostasis measurements.
Inefficient ZAP70-Signaling Blunts Antigen Detection by CAR-T-Cells
Authors: Gudipati Venugopal , Rydzek Julian , Perez Iago Doel , Scharf Lydia , Königsberger Sebastian , Einsele Hermann , Stockinger Hannes , Hudecek Michael , Huppa Johannes B.
Published: July 2019

Rational design of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) with optimized anti-cancer performance mandates detailed knowledge of how CARs engage tumor antigens and how antigen-engagement triggers activation. We analyzed CAR-mediated antigen recognition via quantitative single molecule live-cell imaging and found the sensitivity of CAR-T-cells towards antigen approximately 1000-times reduced when compared to T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)-mediated recognition of nominal peptide/MHC complexes. While CARs outperformed TCRs with regard to antigen binding within the immunological synapse, proximal signaling was significantly attenuated due to inefficient recruitment of the tyrosine-kinase ZAP70 to ligated CARs and its reduced concomitant activation and subsequent release. Our study exposes signaling deficiencies of state-of-the-art CAR-designs, which limit at present the efficacy of CAR-T-cell therapies to target tumors with diminished antigen expression.
Estrogen-independent molecular actions of mutant estrogen receptor 1 in endometrial cancer
Authors: Blanchard Zannel , Vahrenkamp Jeffery M. , Berrett Kristofer C. , Arnesen Spencer , Gertz Jason
Published: July 2019

Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) mutations have been identified in hormone therapy–resistant breast cancer and primary endometrial cancer. Analyses in breast cancer suggest that mutant ESR1 exhibits estrogen-independent activity. In endometrial cancer, ESR1 mutations are associated with worse outcomes and less obesity, however, experimental investigation of these mutations has not been performed. Using a unique CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we introduced the D538G mutation, a common endometrial cancer mutation that alters the ligand binding domain of ESR1, while epitope tagging the endogenous locus. We discovered estrogen-independent mutant ESR1 genomic binding that is significantly altered from wild-type ESR1. The D538G mutation impacted expression, including a large set of nonestrogen-regulated genes, and chromatin accessibility, with most affected loci bound by mutant ESR1. Mutant ESR1 is distinct from constitutive ESR1 activity because mutant-specific changes are not recapitulated with prolonged estrogen exposure. Overall, the D538G mutant ESR1 confers estrogen-independent activity while causing additional regulatory changes in endometrial cancer cells that are distinct from breast cancer cells.
Determining factors of tourists’ loyalty to beach tourism destinations: a structural model
Authors: Hasan Md. Kamrul , Abdullah Shamsul Kamariah , Lew Tek Yew , Islam MD. Faridul
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and develop an integrated theoretical relationship by including destination image and attitudes into the quality-value-satisfaction-loyalty paradigm in the context of beach tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

A personal-administered survey was conducted using a convenient sampling technique to collect data from 601 tourists who had visited popular beach destinations in Bangladesh. Then, the structural relationships between the factors likely to affect tourist attitudes and loyalty were examined.

Findings

The findings reveal that both service quality and perceived values have a direct effect on destination image, tourist attitudes and satisfaction. Additionally, destination image and satisfaction significantly affect tourist attitudes and loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The direct relationship of perceived service quality and perceived value with tourist loyalty was ignored in the model due to reporting consecutive indirect relationship between them in prior studies.

Practical implications

These findings contribute to the extension of theoretical and managerial knowledge, especially in a beach tourism setting, where little research has been done to investigate the proposed relationships.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in providing theoretical and empirical evidence regarding the effect of service quality and perceived value, especially on destination image and tourist attitude to behaviour in the loyalty model, which has been scarcely examined in the prior tourism literature.
Leveraging the technology acceptance model for mobile commerce adoption under distinct stages of adoption
Authors: Pipitwanichakarn Tanikan , Wongtada Nittaya
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of trust and perceived enjoyment in the technology acceptance model by distinguishing distinct stages of adoption among street vendors (initial and advanced adoption stage).

Design/methodology/approach

Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were conducted with 430 street vendors in Bangkok; 415 usable surveys were analyzed. By applying K-means cluster analysis, two segments were found with 200 initial and 215 advanced adopters. A multi-group analysis was employed to investigate differences of relationships between the two groups.

Findings

The findings reveal significant similarities and dissimilarities between the two groups of vendors. Both initial and advanced adopters emphasize trust of service providers. The first group relies more on perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment in motivating m-commerce adoption but depends less on perceived usefulness. On the contrary, for the latter group, the influence of perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment significantly decreases, but the effect of perceived usefulness significantly increases.

Practical implications

This study sheds light on the managerial implications related to how service providers can tailor their marketing strategies to target vendors in disparate diffusion stages, and it encourages building trust between partners over time.

Originality/value

Due to the lack of theoretical and managerial understanding of factors that drive m-commerce adoption for micro businesses, this study identifies distinct adoption stages and offers valuable insights into the similarities and differences among initial and advanced adopters.
Analysis of heat transfer and fluid flow of a slot jet impinging on a confined concave surface with various curvature and small jet to target spacing
Authors: Qiu Dandan , Luo Lei , Wang Songtao , Sunden Bengt Ake , Zhang Xinhong
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the surface curvature, jet to target spacing and jet Reynolds number effects on the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a slot jet impinging on a confined concave target surface at constant jet to target spacing.

Design/methodology/approach

Numerical simulations are used in this research. Jet to target spacing, H/B is varying from 1.0 to 2.2, B is the slot width. The jet Reynolds number, Rej, varies from 8,000 to 40,000, and the surface curvature, R2/B, varies from 4 to 20. Results of the target surface heat transfer, flow parameters and fluid flow in the concave channel are performed.

Findings

It is found that an obvious backflow occurs near the upper wall. Both the local and averaged Nusselt numbers considered in the defined region respond positively to the Rej. The surface curvature plays a positive role in increasing the averaged Nusselt number for smaller surface curvature (4-15) but affects little as the surface curvature is large enough (> 15). The thermal performance is larger for smaller surface curvature and changes little as the surface curvature is larger than 15. The jet to target spacing shows a negative effect in heat transfer enhancement and thermal performance.

Originality/value

The surface curvature effects are conducted by verifying the concave surface with constant jet size. The flow characteristics are first obtained for the confined impingement cases. Then confined and unconfined slot jet impingements are compared. An ineffective point for surface curvature effects on heat transfer and thermal performance is obtained.
Chemical reaction effectiveness in non-Darcian nanofluid radiated flow considering entropy generation
Authors: Kiyani M.Z. , Hayat Tasawar , Ahmad I. , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the entropy generation in magnetohydrodynamics stagnation point mixed convection flow of Carreau nanofluid through porous medium.

Design/methodology/approach

The system is solved using the homotopy scheme.

Findings

Minimizing radiation, magnetic, permeability and temperature difference parameters responds to minimizing entropy production.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no such analysis has yet been reported.
Chinese writing development of Kindergarten students over 12 months
Authors: Li Lijuan , Mok Magdalena Mo Ching , Wu Weidong
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the writing development of Hong Kong kindergarten students over 12 months. They attended 18 kindergartens territory-wide and were followed from June 2002 to June 2003 for the collection of three waves of teacher-rated data at six-month intervals.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the construct validity of the translated and culturally adapted version of Morrow’s (2012) checklist which assesses writing development was confirmed, considering that the students attended Hong Kong kindergartens who wrote in the Chinese language. The multilevel analysis, which employed corrected measures captured through Wolfe and Chiu’s (1999a, 1999b) five-step Rasch scaling method for a common frame of reference, estimated the effects of the factors, namely, student age, gender, class level and schools.

Findings

The children’s progress over the second six months was also apparently much smaller than the first SIX months for this cohort. The dramatic slow-down in the second six-month period for both cohorts might be partly attributed to the peculiar arrangement of schooling at that time.

Research limitations/implications

The recommendation from this study is that random sampling and student test scores on writing need to be taken for the identification of the general trend of young children’s writing development in Hong Kong, as well as other Chinese communities alike.

Originality/value

The profile of the student’s emergent writing development at each six-month follow-up and over the 12 months was explored. Differences between the groups based on age, gender, class level and school in terms of student writing development on average were statistically significant.
Framework to support personalized learning in complex systems
Authors: Tadesse Aklilu Tilahun , Davidsen Pål Ingebrigt
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Numerous studies document that students struggle to comprehend complex dynamic systems (CDS). The purpose of this paper is to describe a design framework applied to the creation of a personalized and adaptive online interactive learning environment (OILE) to support students in their study of CDS.

Design/methodology/approach

A holistic instructional design is applied in five steps to create the OILE. The OILE has the following characteristics: first, it presents a complex, dynamic problem that learners should address in its entirety. It then allows learners to progress through a sequence of learning tasks from easy to complex. Second, after completion of each learning task, the OILE provides learners with supportive information based on their individual performance. The support fades away as learners gain expertise. Third, the OILE tracks and collects information on learners’ progress and generates learning analytics. The OILE was tested on 57 system dynamics students.

Findings

This paper provides evidence that supports the theoretical design framework from the literature. It also provides a sample from students’ progress logs to demonstrate how the OILE practically facilitated students’ cognitive development. In addition, it provides empirical evidence regarding students’ attitudes toward the OILE that was obtained from administering two questionnaires.

Originality/value

In light of supportive evidence from the literature, students’ progress in the cognitive domain, and confirmative response in the affective domain, the use of personalized and adaptive OILE to support learning about CDS is considered promising.
Investigating energy consumption and economic growth for BRICS-T countries
Authors: Yıldırım Durmuş Çağrı , Yıldırım Seda , Demirtas Isıl
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth for Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and Turkey (BRICS-T) countries. In this context, this study investigates energy consumption and real output in BRICS-T countries through panel cointegration.

Design/methodology/approach

The data include energy consumption and real output for BRICS-T countries and period of 1990–2014. The variables are transformed into natural logarithm. To analyze these data, this study employed Pedroni cointegration test, the second-generation panel cointegration test, Westerlund and Edgerton (2008) test and FMOLS test.

Findings

Results indicate that there is a bi-directional causality relationship between energy consumption and economic growth for BRICS-T countries. An increase in GDP leads to an increase in energy consumption and an increase in energy consumption leads to an increase in GDP.

Research limitations/implications

This study used data that include the period of 1990–2014 for BRICS-T countries. So, further studies can use different periods of data or different countries.

Originality/value

This study provides important evidence that countries with strong growth performance need to follow bi-directional energy policies to increase both energy investments and ensure energy savings.
Usefulness and limitations of thermal performance curves in predicting ectotherm development under climatic variability
Authors: Khelifa Rassim , Blanckenhorn Wolf U. , Roy Jeannine , Rohner Patrick T. , Mahdjoub Hayat
Published: July 2019

Thermal performance curves (TPCs) have been estimated in multiple ectotherm species to understand their thermal plasticity and adaptation and to predict the effect of global warming. However, TPCs are typically assessed under constant temperature regimes, so their reliability for predicting thermal responses in the wild where temperature fluctuates diurnally and seasonally remains poorly documented.

Here, we use distant latitudinal populations of five species of sepsid flies (Diptera: Sepsidae) from the temperate region (Europe, North Africa, North America) to compare estimates derived from constant TPCs with observed development rate under fluctuating temperatures in laboratory and field conditions.

TPCs changed across gradients in that flies originating from higher latitudes showed accelerated development at higher temperatures, an adaptive response. TPCs were then used to predict development rates observed under fluctuating temperatures; these predictions were relatively accurate in the laboratory but not the field. Interestingly, the precision of TPC predictions depended not only on the resolution of temperature data, with daily and overall temperature summing performing better than hourly temperature summing, but also on the frequency of temperatures falling below the estimated critical minimum temperature. Hourly temperature resolution most strongly underestimated actual development rates, because flies apparently either did not stop growing when temperatures dropped below this threshold, or they sped up their growth when the temperature rose again, thus most severely reflecting this error.

We conclude that when flies do not encounter cold temperatures, TPC predictions based on constant temperatures can accurately reflect performance under fluctuating temperatures if adequately adjusted for nonlinearities, but when encountering cold temperatures, this method is more error‐prone.

Our study emphasizes the importance of the resolution of temperature data and cold temperatures in shaping thermal reaction norms.
Urea, Uric Acid, and Creatinine in Postmortem Blood, Vitreous Humor, and Synovial Fluid: A Comparative and Correlation Study,
Authors: Srettabunjong Supawon , Thongphap Wantawanop , Chittamma Anchalee
Published: July 2019

Urea, uric acid, and creatinine have been demonstrated to be relatively stable in postmortem blood (BL), thus being useful for diagnostic purposes. However, no studies have explored their levels in BL, vitreous humor (VH), and synovial fluid (SF) concurrently. Therefore, we measured and compared their levels in these fluids. We also determined the effects of various factors on their levels. The results indicated that BL urea, uric acid, and creatinine levels were significantly higher than VH and SF levels. VH and SF urea levels and SF creatinine levels had a strong correlation with BL urea and creatinine levels, respectively. BL creatinine levels were higher in men than in women. BL and SF creatinine levels were negatively correlated with age. SF uric acid and BL, VH, and SF creatinine levels exhibited a positive correlation with weight. Only VH creatinine levels were positively correlated with body mass index. None of urea, uric acid, and creatinine levels were correlated with postmortem interval.
Idiosyncratic deals and work‐to‐family conflict and enrichment: The mediating roles of fit perceptions and efficacy beliefs
Authors: Wang Peng , Wang Shuhong , Yao Xiang , Hsu I‐Chieh , Lawler John
Published: July 2019

Idiosyncratic deals (i‐deals), which involve personalised work arrangements negotiated between employees and their managers, offer a promising approach to accommodating the demands of a diverse workforce. In contrast with the traditional social exchange theory perspective, we integrate the theories of person–environment fit and self‐efficacy to examine the effect of flexibility i‐deals on both work‐to‐family conflict and enrichment. We specifically consider two mediating mechanisms: needs–supplies (N‐S) fit and family‐role efficacy. Results from two Chinese samples reveal that supervisor‐rated flexibility i‐deals relate positively with employees' family‐role efficacy and N‐S fit. These, in turn, relate to work‐to‐family conflict negatively and to work‐to‐family enrichment positively. Monte Carlo bootstrapping analyses confirm the indirect effects of N‐S fit and family‐role efficacy. By using an alternative theoretical perspective, we add to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the i‐deals effect. This study expands existing i‐deals research to an empirically underrepresented area: work–family enrichment. Our findings also confirm the work–family benefits of i‐deals and strengthen managers' confidence regarding the merits of implementing i‐deals in the workplace.
Systemische Sklerodermie – die dermatologische Sicht
Authors: Sticherling Michael
Published: July 2019

Die systemische Sklerodermie oder Systemsklerose gehört in die Gruppe der entzündlichen Bindegewebserkrankungen und tritt im Wesentlichen mit zwei unterschiedlichen Verläufen, der akral limitierten und der diffusen Sklerodermie, auf. Beide sind durch eine Raynaud‐Symptomatik, eine anfallsweise Weißverfärbung der Akren, charakterisiert. Der Verlauf der diffusen Sklerodermie ist jedoch wesentlich schneller und geht mit einer frühzeitigen und prognosebestimmenden Organbeteiligung einher. Die ursachenorientierte Therapie der Erkrankung ist schwierig und beruht neben allgemeinen Maßnahmen der Lebensführung auf einer Verbesserung der rheologischen Situation sowie dem Einsatz von Immunmodulatoren und Immunsuppressiva, deren Effekte jedoch allenfalls krankheitsverlangsamend sind.
Taking Care into Account: Leveraging India's MGNREGA for Women's Empowerment
Authors: Chopra Deepta
Published: July 2019

The potential of India's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for women's empowerment is immense. Studies examining gender‐related issues in MGNREGA have attested to the high levels of participation of women on worksites, and their positive experiences of working in MGNREGA. This article argues, however, that an exclusive focus on increased participation of women does not serve an agenda of promoting ‘women's empowerment’. By ignoring the dynamics and processes of unpaid care work, both the making and the implementation of the Act fall short of the goal of women's empowerment. The author argues that this invisibilizing of care arises from the gendered nature of the interactions of formal and informal institutions that have shaped MGNREGA. The article examines the gendered debates during the formulation of the Act and analyses the gendered nature of its implementation. It concludes that a true focus on women's empowerment requires that women's lived experiences are taken into account, especially those relating to their unpaid care responsibilities. MGNREGA's potential for women's empowerment can only be achieved through adequate implementation and monitoring of its gender provisions, which in turn depend on changing the formal and informal institutions that underpin policy processes.
Psychometric assessment and application of the Chinese version of the Compliance with Annual Diabetic Eye Exams Survey in people with diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Zhu X. , Xu Y. , Xu X. , Zhu J. , He X. , Lu L. , Zou H.
Published: July 2019

Aim

To translate the Compliance with Annual Diabetic Eye Exams Survey (CADEES) into Chinese, allowing assessment of its reliability and validity, and to identify variables that predict attendance at annual eye examinations.

Methods

People with vision‐threatening diabetic retinopathy were recruited from the Shanghai Diabetic Eye Study. The study involved three phases: (1) translation and cross‐cultural adaptation, (2) a pilot study (n = 496) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese‐CADEES, and (3) a primary cross‐sectional survey (n = 3818) to assess self‐reported attendance at annual eye examinations. Factors related to non‐attendance were identified using univariate analysis, and then a multiple logistic regression model. Finally, a component model and individual item models were built to predict attendance.

Results

The Chinese‐CADEES had satisfactory reliability and validity. The issue of low attendance at annual eye examinations was serious. In addition to 13 health belief items, living in semi‐urban suburban areas, shorter duration of diabetes, poor glucose control, lower education level, better presenting visual acuity and milder diabetic retinopathy diagnosis were significantly related to non‐attendance. The multivariate predictive model was able to predict, with 64.7% accuracy, whether or not participants were going to attend annual eye examinations and explained ~ 11.3% of the variance in attendance.

Conclusions

The Chinese‐CADEES showed good reliability and validity for predicting attendance at annual eye examinations in people with diabetic retinopathy. Clinicians and researchers can improve attendance by addressing modifiable characteristics and increasing education on diabetic retinopathy and the importance of eye health in people with diabetes.
Infection approach of Diplodia sapinea, the causal agent of tip blight of Pinus tabulaeformis in China
Authors: Li Xuewei , Liu Bingxiang , Ren Xiaojing , Cui Jianzhou , Li Huiping
Published: July 2019

To clarify the infection approach of Diplodia sapinea, a pathogen that causes tip blight of Pinus tabulaeformis, the infection process of the pathogen in needles was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the disease incidence on branches damaged by Aphrophora flavipes (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) and Dioryctria splendidella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in the forest was also investigated. Then, branches and needles of P. tabulaeformis were inoculated using the D. sapinea spore suspension under indoor and field conditions. The results showed that the damage caused by A. flavipes could aggravate the occurrence of tip blight of P. tabulaeformis to some extent. Moreover, the pathogen could also penetrate 1‐, 2‐ and 3‐year‐old pine needles through stomata in the field. The pathogen infected the 1‐year‐old branches first and then gradually spread to 2‐ and 3‐year‐old branches.
Pest species of a fungus gnat genus Bradysia Winnertz (Diptera: Sciaridae) injuring agricultural and forestry products in Japan, with a review on taxonomy of allied species
Authors: Sueyoshi Masahiro , Yoshimatsu Shin‐Ichi
Published: July 2019

Agricultural and forestry pest species of the Bradysia tilicola group from Japan were revised taxonomically after examination of the type specimens. A sciarid pest of Welsh onion occurred from northern Saitama, Japan since 2014 and later from south‐eastern Gunma, Japan, was identified as B. odoriphaga Yang & Zhang, 1985, sp. rev. It was removed from synonymy of B. cellarum Frey, 1948, being the first record of the species from Japan. Bradysia agrestis Sasakawa, 1978, was assigned to be a junior synonym of B. impatiens (Johannsen, 1912). Bradysia paupera Tuomikoski, 1960, sp. rev., was removed from synonymy of B. impatiens and was recognized as a distinct species. We also compiled their host plants and fungi hitherto reported from Japan. Bradysia impatiens was here recorded from an indoor facility of cloud ear fungus, Auricularia polytricha (Montagne) Sacc., for the first time. At least 19 cultural crops belonging to 12 plant and fungal families were reported as actual and potential hosts of B. impatiens. We suggested that B. impatiens and B. paupera might have been confused in studies of mushroom production in Japan. Further survey of distribution of B. paupera in Japan needs to be done.
Carbon isotopic heterogeneity of coenzyme F430 and membrane lipids in methane‐oxidizing archaea
Authors: Bird Laurence R. , Dawson Katherine S. , Chadwick Grayson L. , Fulton James M. , Orphan Victoria J. , Freeman Katherine H.
Published: July 2019

Archaeal ANaerobic MEthanotrophs (ANME) facilitate the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), a process that is believed to proceed via the reversal of the methanogenesis pathway. Carbon isotopic composition studies indicate that ANME are metabolically diverse and able to assimilate metabolites including methane, methanol, acetate, and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Our data support the interpretation that ANME in marine sediments at methane seeps assimilate both methane and DIC, and the carbon isotopic compositions of the tetrapyrrole coenzyme F430 and the membrane lipids archaeol and hydroxy‐archaeol reflect their relative proportions of carbon from these substrates. Methane is assimilated via the methyl group of CH3‐tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT) and DIC from carboxylation reactions that incorporate free intracellular DIC. F430 was enriched in 13C (mean δ13C = −27‰ for Hydrate Ridge and −80‰ for the Santa Monica Basin) compared to the archaeal lipids (mean δ13C = −97‰ for Hydrate Ridge and −122‰ for the Santa Monica Basin). We propose that depending on the side of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle used to synthesize F430, its carbon was derived from 76% DIC and 24% methane via the reductive side or 57% DIC and 43% methane via the oxidative side. ANME lipids are predicted to contain 42% DIC and 58% methane, reflecting the amount of each assimilated into acetyl‐CoA. With isotope models that include variable fractionation during biosynthesis for different carbon substrates, we show the estimated amounts of DIC and methane can result in carbon isotopic compositions of − 73‰ to − 77‰ for F430 and − 105‰ for archaeal lipids, values close to those for Santa Monica Basin. The F430 δ13C value for Hydrate Ridge was 13C‐enriched compared with the modeled value, suggesting there is divergence from the predicted two carbon source models.
Morphology and nutritive value of perennial ryegrass cultivars at different phenological stages
Authors: Chen Ao , Bryant Racheal H. , Edwards Grant R.
Published: July 2019

Eight perennial ryegrass cultivars (representing the variations in ploidy, heading date and water‐soluble carbohydrates concentration) were investigated for morphology and nutritive value at three phenological stages: pre‐heading vegetative, reproductive and post‐flowering vegetative stages. Chemical compositions and digestibility of morphological components (lamina, pseudostem and reproductive stem) from each perennial ryegrass cultivar were analysed in a split‐plot design. At the vegetative stages, perennial ryegrass cultivars differed significantly in the proportions of lamina and pseudostem. Tetraploid cultivars, Base and Bealey, always had the greatest lamina proportion (51.8% and 53.2% at the pre‐heading and post‐flowering vegetative stages respectively). At the reproductive stage, the emergence of seed heads diminished the differences in morphology among cultivars. Perennial ryegrass cultivars also had distinct nutritive value throughout three phenological stages. The high‐sugar cultivar, AberMagic, had high WSC concentrations (276, 227 and 90 g/kg DM at the pre‐heading vegetative, reproductive and post‐flowering vegetative stages respectively); the intermediate‐heading cultivars, Kamo and Commando, generally had a lower organic matter digestibility in dry matter than the late‐heading cultivars at the pre‐heading vegetative (70.7% vs. 74.4%) and reproductive stage (63.9% vs. 68.2%). However, although the morphological components were different in nutritive value consistently, the differences in morphology did not account for the variation in nutritive value among perennial ryegrass cultivars.
Involvement of the centrosomal protein 55 (cep55) gene in zebrafish head formation
Authors: Yanagi Kanoko , Sone Ryota , Ohga Rie , Kawahara Atsuo
Published: July 2019

Mammalian CEP55 (centrosomal protein 55 kDa) is a coiled‐coil protein localized to the centrosome in interphase cells and is required for cytokinesis. A homozygous non‐sense mutation in human CEP55 has been recently identified in perinatal lethal MARCH (multinucleated neurons, anhydramnios, renal dysplasia, cerebellar hypoplasia and hydranencephaly) syndrome. We have isolated zebrafish cep55 mutants defective in head morphology. The zebrafish cep55 gene was expressed in the head including the retina and the pectoral fin at 1 day post‐fertilization (dpf), and extensive cell death was widely observed in the head and tail of the cep55 mutant. In the cep55 mutant, the anterior–posterior distance of the ventral pharyngeal arches was short, and retinal lamination was disorganized. Neural cells, such as islet1‐positive cells and pax2‐positive cells, and fli1b‐positive vascular cells were reduced in the head of the cep55 mutant. Thus, we propose that the zebrafish cep55 mutant is a model organism for human MARCH syndrome.