bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure and function study of the complex that synthesizesS-adenosylmethionine
Authors: Murray Ben , Antonyuk Svetlana V. , Marina Alberto , Van Liempd Sebastiaan M. , Lu Shelly C. , Mato Jose M. , Hasnain S. Samar , Rojas Adriana L.
Published: June 2014

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is the principal methyl donor of the cell and is synthesizedviaan ATP-driven process by methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) enzymes. It is tightly linked with cell proliferation in liver and colon cancer. In humans, there are three genes,mat1A, mat2Aandmat2B, which encode MAT enzymes.mat2Aandmat2Btranscribe MATα2 and MATβ enzyme subunits, respectively, with catalytic and regulatory roles. The MATα2β complex is expressed in nearly all tissues and is thought to be essential in providing the necessary SAMe flux for methylation of DNA and various proteins including histones. In human hepatocellular carcinomamat2Aandmat2Bgenes are upregulated, highlighting the importance of the MATα2β complex in liver disease. The individual subunits have been structurally characterized but the nature of the complex has remained elusive despite its existence having been postulated for more than 20 years and the observation that MATβ is often co-localized with MATα2. Though SAMe can be produced by MAT(α2)4alone, this paper shows that theVmaxof the MATα2β complex is three- to fourfold higher depending on the variants of MATβ that participate in complex formation. Using X-ray crystallography and solution X-ray scattering, the first structures are provided of this 258 kDa functional complex both in crystals and solution with an unexpected stoichiometry of 4α2 and 2βV2 subunits. It is demonstrated that the N-terminal regulates the activity of the complex and it is shown that complex formation takes place surprisinglyviathe C-terminal of MATβV2 that buries itself in a tunnel created at the interface of the MAT(α2)2. The structural data suggest a unique mechanism of regulation and provide a gateway for structure-based drug design in anticancer therapies.
Historiography for accounting
Authors: D. Carnegie Garry
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the historiographic writings for accounting concerned with the craft of researching and writing history, published in the English-language, across a period of 30 years from 1983 to 2012. The study's aim is three-fold: first, to review the literature pertaining to the writing of accounting history and to identify key developments and trends; second, to identify the contributors to this literature and their publication outlets and third, to analyze citations to identify individuals or groups who have gained traction in accounting historiography.

Design/methodology/approach

– An essay focusing on developments in the accounting historiography literature as well as a review of some key thoughts or issues in present-day accounting historiography.

Findings

– The study shows that a key development in the accounting historiography literature during this period has been the advent of new accounting history, which has contributed much theoretical and topical diversity in historical accounting research and an acceptance of the role of oral history as a means of expanding the archive.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study, with its focus on contributions on the craft of researching and writing history, does not itself examine actual research studies which have been undertaken on accounting's past across the same period of time.

Originality/value

– The study may assist in making the contributions examined more generally assessable and comprehensible to researchers to both explore and re-explore and may even contribute to the development of further contributions on accounting historiography to guide the approaches to, and direction of, historical accounting research in future.
Searching for new saving behavior theories
Authors: Eriksson Kent , Hermansson Cecilia
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a model of bank advisor/customer relationships and customer saving behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is a theoretical review and model development of savings behavior and bank advisor/customer relationships. The review is used for the development of a model of bank advisor/customer relationships, and their effect on savings behavior.

Findings

– Findings are a model that distinguishes three kinds of exchange (relational, interimistic, and transaction) in between bank advisor and customer. The three kinds of exchange then influence customer savings behavior.

Research limitations/implications

– The implications of this research is that it points to that relationship marketing theory can be used in the analysis of how bank advisors influence customer savings behavior.

Practical implications

– For regulators and financial services firms, these findings point to how the role of bank advisors for consumer savings behavior can be analyzed. This is important, as much policy work presumes that advisors influence customer savings behavior, but the knowledge base for that presumption needs to be better understood.

Social implications

– The paper contributes toward a better understanding of the social exchange between bank employees and customers as regards savings products.

Originality/value

– This paper is original because it includes many theoretical research fields, and because it connects the bank advisor and customer relationship with the customer's savings behavior.
Violence and the perceived risks of taking antiretroviral therapy in US jails and prisons
Authors: J. Culbert Gabriel
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– About one in five men living with HIV in the USA passes through a correctional center annually. Jails and prisons are seen therefore as key intervention sites to promote HIV treatment as prevention. Almost no research, however, has examined inmates’ perspectives on HIV treatment or their strategies for retaining access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during incarceration. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of an exploratory study examining men's perceptions of and experiences with HIV care and ART during incarceration.

Design/methodology/approach

– Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 HIV positive male and male-to-female transgendered persons recently released from male correctional centers in Illinois, USA.

Findings

– Interpersonal violence, a lack of safety, and perceived threats to privacy were frequently cited barriers to one's willingness and ability to access and adhere to treatment. Over 60 percent of study participants reported missed doses or sustained treatment interruption (greater than two weeks) because of failure to disclose their HIV status, delayed prescribing, intermittent dosing and out-of-stock medications, confiscation of medications, and medication strikes.

Research limitations/implications

– Substantial improvements in ART access and adherence are likely to follow organizational changes that make incarcerated men feel safer, facilitate HIV status disclosure, and better protect the confidentiality of inmates receiving ART.

Originality/value

– This study identified novel causes of ART non-adherence among prisoners and provides first-hand information about how violence, stigma, and the pursuit of social support influence prisoner's decisions to disclose their HIV status or accept ART during incarceration.
An assistive household robot – doing more than just cleaning
Authors: Kantorovitch Julia , Väre Janne , Pehkonen Vesa , Laikari Arto , Seppälä Heikki
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to create new ideas for assistive technology products at home, especially products utilizing robotic consumer appliances available in the homes of elderly people. The work was founded on a reported increase in household robots as well as an ageing population in the industrialized world.

Design/methodology/approach

– Technology should be something that is perceived as belonging to our own world that fits our daily practices. Earlier studies show that in addition to cleaning functions, new household robots could change home routines and people's relationship to them. Taking the previous studies as a starting point, the paper proposes a vacuum cleaner robot as a platform for developing pervasive safety services and describe implementation of a conceptual prototype which brings the feeling of safety to an older person and their relatives by assisting in case of accidents. Moreover, the results are presented of an empirical evaluation of the prototype with end-users.

Findings

– It is proved that reasonably priced off-the-shelf components can be used to build the safety product demonstration model. The initial evaluation results, as well as referenced studies show that the acceptance rate of a household robot-based product is high, which is encouraging for further research in this domain. Also the paper could pinpoint areas that will require further work.

Research limitations/implications

– To add more practicality to the research and move towards product development, a strong industrial partner involved in household robotics would be needed. For increased reliability and robustness, more research is required in areas of advanced sensing technology and decision algorithms.

Originality/value

– A novel concept of a safety product for elderly care based on a vacuum cleaner robot is presented and an attempt is made to increase awareness that there will be a demand for such products.
Moving forward
Authors: G. Wang Greg , Zhang Yichi , Lamond David , Ke Jie
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to review the current status of theJournal of Chinese Human Resource Management(JCHRM) in this initial stage and present a number of emerging unique Chinese phenomena for scholarly attention in relation to JCHRM entering its fifth year.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a review of JCHRM's status, we further reviewed literature and media reports to identify new research opportunities for indigenous Chinese human resource management (HRM) research.

Findings

– JCHRM has demonstrated its strength and uniqueness in contributing to management knowledge production and dissemination in the first four years, thanks to enthusiastic support from the worldwide research community. Moving forward, we identify a number of intriguing indigenous phenomena, including distinctive social political contexts in state-owned enterprises, emerging trends in embracing the Party Branches (dang zhi bu, Fixed graphic 1) by multinational corporations (MNCs) in China and the indigenous Chinese suzhi (Fixed graphic 2) phenomenon, for new opportunities in Chinese HRM research.

Research limitations/implications

– The three indigenous phenomena constitute only a few samples. Developing a theoretical understanding of Chinese HRM phenomena has a long way to go. Continued inquiries in this area will not only help build local knowledge on complex organizational dynamics but also enrich the overall management knowledge base.

Originality/value

– We review the status of JCHRM in its first four years and bring a sample of intriguing indigenous Chinese phenomena to the attention of the worldwide scholarly community for future research.
Personal characteristics, business relationships and entrepreneurial performance
Authors: Carlos Pinho Jose , Sampaio de Sá Elisabete
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of individual and relational factors on new ventures’ performance. Particular emphasis is given to entrepreneurs’ personal attributes and business relationships (both social and institutional).

Design/methodology/approach

– Drawn upon a quantitative methodological approach, the current study relies on a survey questionnaire applied to a sample of entrepreneurial firms which were set up in the last four to five years in different industries.

Findings

– This study found that support from central government, from sector associations and from a financial institution evidenced a difference of means along three categories of entrepreneurial performance (low, moderate and high). The same result was found in the case of the entrepreneur's family support, previous knowledge about potential customers and previous experience in business. Influence from entrepreneur's personal characteristics, such as personal qualities; intuition that he/she is in the presence of an innovative and unique business and need for self-achievement, was also observed.

Practical implications

– Since entrepreneurial activity is considered an important driver of a country's economic development and growth, it is hoped that governments and sector associations put in place suitable policies and incentives to develop an entrepreneurial culture and mainly reduce the burden of bureaucracy for new ventures.

Originality/value

– The present study suggests that entrepreneurial performance is the result of a combination of personal and context-based factors and neither can be explained by a single set of entrepreneurial personal characteristics nor a set of more or less institutional relationships.
Initial temperature of seed germination as related to species occurrence along a temperature gradient
Authors: Rosbakh Sergey , Poschlod Peter
Published: June 2014

Reproductive stages of life cycle are important for the explanation of distribution patterns of plant species at different scales, due to their extreme vulnerability to environmental conditions. Despite reported evidences that seed germination is related to habitat macroclimatic characteristics such as mean annual temperature (MAT) and precipitation, the role of this trait in controlling plant species distribution is not systematically and quantitatively evaluated yet.

Using the data on seed germination along a temperature gradient for 49 species originating from contrasting climatic conditions, we test here whether initial temperature of seed germination (Tmin) is a direct correlate for predicting species distribution ranges along the temperature gradient.

Our study reveals thatTminis strongly negatively correlated with habitat temperature; among the studied species,Tminclearly increased with decreasingMAT(r2 = 0·57,P < 0·001). Considering phylogenetic biases, co‐evolution of seed traits as well as precipitation along with microclimatic factors did not affect the strength of this relationship.

The results suggest that theTmin–MATrelation can provide insights particularly into species distribution patterns, vegetation dynamics and community assembly rules along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. We argue that including theTminin species distribution models may help to improve the accuracy and specificity of predictions of vegetation shifts under global change scenarios.
Meteorological conditions influence short‐term survival and dispersal in a reinforced bird population
Authors: Hardouin Loïc A. , Robert Alexandre , Nevoux Marie , Gimenez Olivier , Lacroix Frederic , Hingrat Yves
Published: June 2014

A high immediate mortality rate of released animals is an important cause of translocation failure (‘release cost’). Post‐release dispersal (i.e. the movements from the release site to the first breeding site) has recently been identified as another source of local translocation failure. In spite of their potential effects on conservation program outcomes, little is known about the quantitative effects of these two sources of translocation failure and their interactions with environmental factors and management designs.

Based on long‐term monitoring data of captive‐bred North African houbara bustardsChlamydotis undulata undulata(hereafter, houbara) over large spatial scales, we investigated the relative effects of release (e.g. release group size, period of release), individual (e.g. sex and body condition) and meteorological (e.g. temperature and rainfall) conditions on post‐release survival (n = 957 individuals) and dispersal (n = 436 individuals).

We found that (i) rainfall and ambient air temperature had, respectively, a negative and a positive effect on houbara post‐release dispersal distance; (ii) in interaction with the release period, harsh meteorological conditions had negative impact on the survival of houbara; (iii) density‐dependent processes influenced the pattern of departure from the release site; and (iv) post‐release dispersal distance was male‐biased, as natal dispersal of wild birds (although the dispersal patterns and movements may be influenced by different processes in captive‐bred and in wild birds).

Synthesis and applications. Our results demonstrate that post‐release dispersal and mortality costs in translocated species may be mediated by meteorological factors, which in turn can be buffered by the release method. As the consequences of translocation programs on population dynamics depend primarily upon release costs and colonization process, we suggest that their potential interactions with meteorological conditions must be carefully addressed in future programs (i) through monitoring of short‐term post‐release mortality to understand its link with environmental conditions, (ii) by carefully choosing the season of release to minimize exposition of inexperienced individuals to harsh conditions and (iii) by generalizing the use of long‐term weather forecast to adapt release effort and staggering releases over several years to buffer meteorological effects.
Do human activities influence survival and orientation abilities of larval fishes in the ocean?
Authors: SIEBECK Ulrike E. , O'CONNOR Jack , BRAUN Christoph , LEIS Jeffrey M.
Published: June 2014

The larval stages of most marine fishes spend days to weeks in the pelagic environment, where they must find food and avoid predators in order to survive. Some fish only spend part of their life history in the pelagic environment before returning to their adult habitat, for example, a coral reef. The sensory systems of larval fish develop rapidly during the first few days of their lives, and here we concentrate on the various sensory cues the fish have available to them for survival in the pelagic environment. We focus on the larvae of reef fishes because most is known about them. We also review the major threats caused by human activities that have been identified to have worldwide impact and evaluate how these threats may impact larval‐fish survival and orientation abilities. Many human activities negatively affect larval‐fish sensory systems or the cues the fish need to detect. Ultimately, this could lead to decreased numbers of larvae surviving to settlement, and, therefore, to decreased abundance of adult fishes. Although we focus on species wherein the larvae and adults occupy different habitats (pelagic and demersal, respectively), it is important to acknowledge that the potential anthropogenic effects we identify may also apply to larvae of species like tuna and herring, where both larvae and adults are pelagic.
Function of lateral line canal morphology
Authors: KLEIN Adrian , BLECKMANN Horst
Published: June 2014

Fish perceive water motions and pressure gradients with their lateral line. Lateral line information is used for prey detection, spatial orientation, predator avoidance, schooling behavior, intraspecific communication and station holding. The lateral line of most fishes consists of superficial neuromasts (SNs) and canal neuromasts (CNs). The distribution of SNs and CNs shows a high degree of variation among fishes. Researchers have speculated for decades about the functional significance of this diversity, often without any conclusive answers. Klein et al. () examined how tubules, pore number and pore patterns affect the filter properties of lateral line canals in a marine teleost, the black prickleback (Xiphister atropurpureus). A preliminary mathematical model was formulated and biomimetic sensors were built. For the present study the mathematical model was extended to understand the major underlying principle of how canal dimensions influence the filter properties of the lateral line. Both the extended mathematical model and the sensor experiments show that the number and distribution of pores determine the spatial filter properties of the lateral line. In an environment with little hydrodynamic noise, simple and complex lateral line canals have comparable response properties. However, if exposed to highly turbulent conditions, canals with numerous widely spaced pores increase the signal to noise ratio significantly.
Neural basis of the stress response in a pufferfish, Takifugu obscurus
Authors: WANG Xiaojie , ZHAO Shuang , LI Chao , LIU Xin , SONG Jiakun
Published: June 2014

When faced with danger, pufferfish react with both a fast‐start escape response and inflation behavior. The neural basis of these stress responses in the pufferfish has not been described. The present study reveals that during inflation behavior, the buccal cavity expands and compresses as a pump to control the direction of water flow and draws water in and out. The inflation involves a series of major anatomical modifications of the head. The greatly enlarged first branchiostegal ray and its associated hyohyoideus abductor muscle are the key mechanisms responsible for this behavior. The nerve branch innervating the hyohyoideus abductor muscle is highly developed, and its central origin at the motor nucleus of the VIIth cranial nerve was revealed by tract‐tracing using the carbocyanine dye DiI. The central connections from its origin were found to be several motor nuclei in the medulla and the spinal cord, the nuclei of cranial nerve III and IV in the mesencephalon, and the pretectalis superficialis and periventricular preoptic nuclei in the diencephalon. Both the sympathetic cells and the parvocellular part of the periventricular preoptic nucleus might play a neuro‐endocrine role in the rapid movement of the buccal cavity during puffing behavior in this species of pufferfish. The central circuit revealed by this study is hypothesized to mediate the C‐start escape behavior and puffing behavior.
Effects of break crops, and of wheat volunteers growing in break crops or in set‐aside or conservation covers, all following crops of winter wheat, on the development of take‐all (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici) in succeeding crops of winter wheat
Authors: Jenkyn J.F. , Gutteridge R.J. , White R.P.
Published: June 2014

Experiments on the Rothamsted and Woburn Experimental Farms studied the effects on take‐all of different break crops and of set‐aside/conservation covers that interrupted sequences of winter wheat. There was no evidence for different effects on take‐all of the break crops per se but the presence of volunteers, in crops of oilseed rape, increased the amounts of take‐all in the following wheat. Severity of take‐all was closely related to the numbers of volunteers in the preceding break crops and covers, and was affected by the date of their destruction. Early destruction of set‐aside/conservation covers was usually effective in preventing damaging take‐all in the following wheat except, sometimes, when populations of volunteers were very large. The experiments were not designed to test the effects of sowing dates but different amounts of take‐all in the first wheats after breaks or covers apparently affected the severity of take‐all in the following (second) wheats only where the latter were relatively late sown. In earlier‐sown second wheats, take‐all was consistently severe and unrelated to the severity of the disease in the preceding (first) wheats. Results from two very simple experiments suggested that substituting set‐aside/conservation covers for winter wheat, for 1 year only, did not seriously interfere with the development of take‐all disease or with the development or maintenance of take‐all decline (TAD). With further research, it might be possible for growers wishing to exploit TAD to incorporate set‐aside/conservation covers into their cropping strategies, and especially to avoid the worst effects of the disease on grain yield during the early stages of epidemics.
Chronic hypoxia increases arterial blood pressure and reduces adenosine and ATP induced vasodilatation in skeletal muscle in healthy humans
Authors: Calbet J. A. L. , Boushel R. , Robach P. , Hellsten Y. , Saltin B. , Lundby C.
Published: June 2014

Aims

To determine the role played by adenosine, ATP and chemoreflex activation on the regulation of vascular conductance in chronic hypoxia.

Methods

The vascular conductance response to low and high doses of adenosine and ATP was assessed in ten healthy men. Vasodilators were infused into the femoral artery at sea level and then after 8–12 days of residence at 4559 m above sea level. At sea level, the infusions were carried out while the subjects breathed room air, acute hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.11) and hyperoxia (FIO2 = 1); and at altitude (FIO2 = 0.21 and 1). Skeletal muscle P2Y2 receptor protein expression was determined in muscle biopsies after 4 weeks at 3454 m by Western blot.

Results

At altitude, mean arterial blood pressure was 13% higher (91 ± 2 vs. 102 ± 3 mmHg, P < 0.05) than at sea level and was unaltered by hyperoxic breathing. Baseline leg vascular conductance was 25% lower at altitude than at sea level (P < 0.05). At altitude, the high doses of adenosine and ATP reduced mean arterial blood pressure by 9–12%, independently of FIO2. The change in vascular conductance in response to ATP was lower at altitude than at sea level by 24 and 38%, during the low and high ATP doses respectively (P < 0.05), and by 22% during the infusion with high adenosine doses. Hyperoxic breathing did not modify the response to vasodilators at sea level or at altitude. P2Y2 receptor expression remained unchanged with altitude residence.

Conclusions

Short‐term residence at altitude increases arterial blood pressure and reduces the vasodilatory responses to adenosine and ATP.
Analysis of Adult Cerebral Cortex and Hippocampus Transcriptomes Reveals Unique Molecular Changes in the Ts1Cje Mouse Model of Down Syndrome
Authors: Guedj Faycal , Pennings Jeroen L. A. , Wick Heather C. , Bianchi Diana W.
Published: June 2014

We investigated gene expression and functional differences between Ts1Cje mice and wild‐type (WT) littermates in adult cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These two brain regions are affected in people with Down syndrome, but have not been previously molecularly characterized in Ts1Cje mice. Total RNA was prepared from the brains of 8–10‐week‐old Ts1Cje mice (n = 6) and WT littermates (n = 5) and hybridized to Affymetrix 1.0 ST gene mouse arrays. Differentially regulated genes were identified and used to perform in silico functional analyses to better characterize dysregulated pathways in both brain regions. Hippocampus had more significantly differentially expressed genes compared with cortex (30 vs. 7 at a Benjamini‐Hochberg false discovery rate of 20%). We identified novel genes that were differentially regulated in adult brains, including Cyb5r1, Fsbp, Vmn2r110, Snd1 and Zhx2. Functional analyses in Ts1Cje mice highlighted the importance of NFAT signaling, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and olfactory perception via G‐protein signaling. In a comparison of adult Ts1Cje and WT brains, we identified new genes and pathway differences in the cortex and hippocampus. Our analyses identified physiologically relevant pathways that can serve as targets for the development of future treatments to improve neurocognition in Down syndrome.
The ecology of the planktonic diatom Cyclotella and its implications for global environmental change studies
Authors: Saros J. E. , Anderson N. J.
Published: June 2014

The fossil record of diatoms in lake sediments can be used to assess the effects of climate variability on lake ecosystems if ecological relationships between diatom community structure and environmental parameters are well understood. Cyclotella sensu lato taxa are a key group of diatoms that are frequently dominant members of phytoplankton communities in low‐ to moderate‐productivity lakes. Their relative abundances have fluctuated significantly in palaeolimnological records spanning over a century in arctic, alpine, boreal and temperate lakes. This suggests that these species are sensitive to environmental change and may serve as early indicators of ecosystem effects of global change. Yet patterns of change in Cyclotella species are not synchronous or unidirectional across, or even within, regions, raising the question of how to interpret these widespread changes in diatom community structure. We suggest that the path forward in resolving seemingly disparate records is to identify clearly the autecology of Cyclotella species, notably the role of nutrients, dissolved organic carbon and light, coupled with better consideration of both the mechanisms controlling lake thermal stratification processes and the resulting effects of changing lake thermal regimes on light and nutrients. Here we begin by reviewing the literature on the resource requirements of common Cyclotella taxa, illustrating that many studies reveal the importance of light, nitrogen, phosphorus, and interactions among these resources in controlling relative abundances. We then discuss how these resource requirements can be linked to shifts in limnological processes driven by environmental change, including climate‐driven change in lakewater temperature, thermal stratification and nutrient loading, as well as acidification‐driven shifts in nutrients and water clarity. We examine three case studies, each involving two lakes from the same region that have disparate trends in the relative abundances of the same species, and illustrate how the mechanisms by which these species abundances are changing can be deciphered. Ultimately, changes in resource availability and water clarity are key factors leading to shifts in Cyclotella abundances. Tighter integration of the autecology of this important group of diatoms with environmental change and subsequent alterations in limnological processes will improve interpretations of palaeolimnological records, and clarify the drivers of seemingly disparate patterns in fossil records showing widespread and rapid changes across the northern hemisphere.
Local architecture of the vastus intermedius is a better predictor of knee extension force than that of the other quadriceps femoris muscle heads
Authors: Ando Ryosuke , Saito Akira , Umemura Yoshihisa , Akima Hiroshi
Published: June 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the muscle architecture of each head of the quadriceps femoris (QF) at multiple regions can be used to predict knee extension force. Muscle thickness and pennation angle were measured using sonographic images from multiple regions on each muscle of the QF with the knee flexed to 90°. The fascicle lengths of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus intermedius (VI) muscles were estimated based on sonographic images taken along the length of the thigh. The muscle architecture of the vastus intermedius was determined in two separate locations using sonographic images of the anterior (ant‐VI) and lateral portions (lat‐VI). The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was measured during isometric knee extension at a knee joint angle of 90°. The relationship between MVC force and muscle architecture was examined using a stepwise linear regression analysis with MVC force as the dependent variable. The muscle thickness of the ant‐VI was selected as an independent variable in the first step of the linear regression analysis (R2 = 0·66, P<0·01). In the second step, pennation angle of the lat‐VI was added to the model (R2 = 0·91, P<0·01). These results suggest that among the four muscles that make up the QF, the muscle architecture of the VI is the best predictor of knee extension force.
Split distance: a key landscape metric shaping amphibian populations and communities in forest fragments
Authors: Lion Marília Bruzzi , Garda Adrian Antonio , Fonseca Carlos Roberto
Published: June 2014

Aim

Habitat split isolates forest fragments where terrestrial adults of many amphibian species live from aquatic‐breeding sites where their larvae develop, causing population declines and shifts in community structure. In contrast to most fragmentation theoretical frameworks which point to the relevance of fragment area and isolation, a recent theoretical model predicts that split distance, defined as the shortest distance between a forest fragment edge and the nearby stream, should affect negatively the abundance and occurrence probability of populations in forest fragments and, consequently, their total abundance and species richness. The model further predicts that the quality of the matrix between the two habitats, called split matrix, will modulate such responses. Here, we provide the first test of these theoretical predictions.

Location

Atlantic Forest, Brazil.

Methods

Split distance was estimated for all fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a highly disturbed biodiversity hotspot. Then, we selected 23 forest fragments, within a 1166‐km2 landscape, in a design that insured orthogonality between split distance (0–2000 m) and fragment size (1.7–30 ha). Split matrix quality (SMQ) and proximity, a measure of the availability of forest around the focal fragment, were estimated and controlled for in the analyses. Using multiple regression analyses with control for spatial autocorrelation, and AIC multimodel inference, we evaluated the relative importance of split distance, SMQ, fragment size and proximity to determine amphibian community and population attributes.

Results

Most Atlantic Forest fragments were affected by habitat split. Consistent with the theoretical predictions, species richness, abundance and the occurrence probability of many species declined with split distance and increased with SMQ, even when controlling for fragment size and isolation.

Main conclusions

Split distance can be used as a surrogate for conservation value of forest fragments for aquatic‐breeding amphibians in landscape planning and restoration enterprises.
The Controversy Over Controversies: A Plea for Flexibility and for “Soft‐Directive” Teaching
Authors: Warnick Bryan R. , Spencer Smith D.
Published: June 2014

A controversy rages over the question of how should controversial topics be taught. Recent work has advanced the “epistemic criterion” as the resolution to this controversy. According to the epistemic criterion, a matter should be taught as controversial when contrary views can be entertained on the matter without the views being contrary to reason. When an issue is noncontroversial, according to the epistemic criterion, the correct position can be taught “directively,” with the teacher endorsing that position. When there is a legitimate controversy, the view should be taught “nondirectively,” with the teacher remaining neutral. In response, Bryan Warnick and Spencer Smith argue that the proponents of the epistemic criterion fail to recognize the multidimensional nature of what it means to learn to be rational. Recognizing this complexity undermines the link between the epistemic status of the controversy and directiveness of one's teaching, suggesting more flexibility in how teachers approach controversial issues. It also implies the need for a new category of teaching, which Warnick and Smith call “soft‐directive” teaching.
The local strain energy density approach applied to pre‐stressed components subjected to cyclic load
Authors: Ferro P.
Published: June 2014

Ahead of sharp V‐notches, residual stresses, arising from the solidification of a fusion zone, have the same asymptotic nature of the stress field induced by mechanical loads. This stress field significantly affects the engineering properties of structural components, notably fatigue life and corrosion resistance of welded joints. Tensile residual stresses can reduce the fatigue strength of welded joints particularly in the high‐cycle regime, where no stress redistribution due to local plasticity phenomena is expected to be present. The aim of this work is to analyse, by means of the numerical simulation, the residual stress redistribution near a V‐notch tip induced by cyclic loads and to propose a method, based on the local strain energy approach, for the fatigue resistance estimation of pre‐stressed components. The numerical solutions of the problem were carried out under the hypothesis of generalized plane strain conditions by means of SYSWELD and SYSTUS codes.
Factors influencing root canal retreatment strategies by general practitioners and specialists in Australia
Authors: Wenteler G. L. , Sathorn C. , Parashos P.
Published: June 2014

Aim

To evaluate the effect of tooth radiographic features on root canal retreatment strategies used by general dental practitioners and dental specialists in Australia.

Methods

A descriptive survey study comprising a web‐based questionnaire was sent to general dental practitioners and specialists. The questionnaire diagrammatically represented six different clinical scenarios with variables including type of coronal restoration, quality of root filling and the size and presence of a periapical radiolucency. Treatment options included no treatment, orthograde retreatment, periapical surgery and replacement with an implant. For each of the six scenarios, the participant was asked to select a minimum size cut‐off point where treatment would be initiated and also indicate the preferred treatment option.

Results

A total of 639 questionnaires were submitted online. In teeth without a cast core restoration, the quality of root filling influenced the selection of no treatment as an option (P < 0.001). The presence of a cast post/core restoration influenced both the treatment cut‐off point and treatment option, with more practitioners selecting larger lesions as cut‐off points (P < 0.001) and more treatment options involving both implant placement (P < 0.001) and periapical surgery (P < 0.001). With more complex treatment planning (i.e. cast post/core restorations and inadequate root filling), general practitioners proposed implant placement more readily compared with specialists (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

General practitioners and specialists vary their root canal retreatment strategies according to quality of root filling and type of coronal restoration. Whilst all clinical scenarios could be managed by contemporary endodontic techniques, teeth were still treatment planned for extraction and replacement with an implant. This may be due to the fact that implants are heavily marketed by the dental industry and with more stringent outcome criteria applied to the assessment of root canal treatment compared with implant placement, evidence‐based decision‐making may be distorted. Future emphasis should be placed on changing practitioners' attitudes towards the retention of salvageable teeth by contemporary endodontic measures.
Associations of I148M variant in PNPLA3 gene with plasma ALT levels during 2‐year follow‐up in normal weight and overweight children: the PANIC Study
Authors: Viitasalo A. , Pihlajamaki J. , Lindi V. , Atalay M. , Kaminska D. , Joro R. , Lakka T. A.
Published: June 2014

Objectives

PNPLA3 I148M polymorphism (rs738409) has been strongly associated with liver fat content and plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in obese adults and children, but little is known about these relationships in normal weight individuals. We studied the associations and interactions of overweight and the PNPLA3 I148M polymorphism with plasma ALT levels during 2‐year follow‐up in children.

Methods

Subjects were a population sample of 481 Caucasian children aged 6–8 years examined at baseline and 419 children re‐examined after 2‐year follow‐up. Altogether, 58 (12%) of 481 children at baseline and 71 (17%) of 419 children after 2‐year follow‐up were overweight. We assessed plasma ALT levels and other cardiometabolic risk factors and genotyped the PNPLA3 I148M polymorphism.

Results

Being overweight and carrying PNPLA3 148M allele were associated with increased ALT levels at baseline (P = 0.002; P = 0.033) and after 2‐year follow‐up (P < 0.001; P = 0.001). Being overweight (P < 0.001) and carrying PNPLA3 148M allele (P = 0.001) were also associated with increase in ALT levels during 2‐year follow‐up. PNPLA3 148M allele carriers had increased ALT levels at baseline (P = 0.024 for interaction) and after 2‐year follow‐up (P = 0.002 for interaction) as well as a larger increase in ALT levels during 2‐year follow‐up (P = 0.002 for interaction) if they were overweight but not if they were normal weight. Further adjustment for clinical puberty, dietary factors, physical activity or sedentary behaviour had little or no effect on these associations.

Conclusion

PNPLA3 148M allele carriers had higher plasma ALT levels and larger increase in ALT levels during follow‐up than non‐carriers only among overweight children.
The role of exclusive breastfeeding and sugar‐sweetened beverage consumption on preschool children's weight gain
Authors: Silveira J. A. C. , Colugnati F. A. B. , Poblacion A. P. , Taddei J. A. A. C.
Published: June 2014

Background

Sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) and breastfeeding practices have been recognized as important factors linked to children's weight status. However, no other studies have simultaneously investigated the role of each factor on children's conditional weight gain (CWG).

Objective

To evaluate the role of exclusive breastfeeding (EB) and the SSBs consumption on CWG from birth to the survey date among Brazilian preschool children (24–59 months old).

Methods

A nationally represented cross‐sectional survey with complex probability sampling (n = 2421) was conducted. The outcome variable – CWG – represents how much an individual has deviated from its expected weight gain, given his or her prior weight. The multivariate linear regression to analyse the effects of EB and the consumption of SSBs on CWG were adjusted for economic status and maternal variables.

Results

There was a significantly protective effect of EB duration during the first year of life on CWG from birth to the survey date (−0.02 [−0.03; 0.00 95% confidence interval]); however, the SSBs intake promoted an effect on the weight gain that was 2.5‐fold higher (0.05 [0.02; 0.08 95% confidence interval]) than the EB.

Conclusion

As hypothesized, the exposure variables acted in opposite directions, but the harmful effect of SSBs intake had greater magnitude than the beneficial effect of EB on children's CWG.
The pallet loading problem: a review of solution methods and computational experiments
Authors: Silva Elsa , Oliveira José F. , Wäscher Gerhard
Published: June 2014

The manufacturer's pallet loading problem (MPLP) has been widely studied during the past 50 years. It consists of placing a maximum number of identical rectangular boxes onto a single rectangular pallet. In this paper, we have reviewed the methods that have been proposed for the solution of this problem. Furthermore, the various problem instances and data sets are analyzed that have been used in computational experiments for the evaluation of these methods. The most challenging and yet unsolved methods are identified. By doing so, areas of future research concerning the MPLP can be highlighted.
The EU's Interpretation of the ‘Arab Uprisings’: Understanding the Different Visions about Democratic Change in EU‐MENA Relations
Authors: Pace Michelle
Published: June 2014

This article focuses on how the EU has interpreted the Arab uprisings as they unfolded in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) since December 2010. EU actors have long acknowledged limits in the EU's strategy towards its southern neighbourhood, which largely bypasses the demands of local populations. The article analyzes the EU's efforts at recreating an ‘enhanced’ framework of support for political reforms in the south. It concludes that the EU and local partners in the south still have different ‘visions’ regarding democratic change, which shows the limitations of the EU's understanding of the MENA region.
Distributions and Biomass of Benthic Ciliates, Foraminifera and Amoeboid Protists in Marine, Brackish, and Freshwater Sediments
Authors: Lei Yan‐Li , Stumm Karen , Wickham Stephen A. , Berninger Ulrike‐G.
Published: June 2014

The quantitative importance of ciliates, foraminifers, and amoebae was investigated in marine, brackish, and freshwater sediments from 15 littoral stations. Total protozoan communities were usually dominated by ciliates in term of abundance, while amoebae often dominated in terms of biomass. Applying the biomass‐metabolic rate equation, ciliates, amoebae, and foraminifera were estimated to contribute 66% of the total abundance and 33% of the biomass, but up to 55% of the combined metabolic rate to the micro‐ and meiobenthos in the 15 sediments. Statistical analyses using ciliate data demonstrated: (1) species composition and community structures represented significant differences between freshwater and marine/brackish sediments, and subsequently between temperate and arctic sampling sites; (2) the occurrence of dominant ciliates and their allocation to feeding types indicated that herbivory was the most common feeding strategy in these sediments; (3) multivariate analyses showed all of the tested environmental factors (temperature, salinity, silt/clay, carbon, nitrogen, and chlorophyll a) to be important to varying degrees, but especially the combination of salinity, temperature, and silt/clay. Multiple factor effects or comprehensive influences might be important in regulating the distribution of protozoa in sediments. The importance of protozoa in sediment systems and the potential ecological significance of cysts are discussed.
STRATEGIC CREDIT LINE USAGE AND PERFORMANCE
Authors: Kizilaslan Atay , Manakyan Mathers Ani
Published: June 2014

The existing literature views credit line drawdowns as a quick, low‐cost way for a firm to access cash for immediate needs when facing a liquidity shock. We investigate whether firms use credit lines strategically to accumulate precautionary balances in anticipation of performance declines. We show that unexpected drawdowns, measured as the residual from a predictive regression of drawdowns, predict increases in cash balances, future cash flow declines, and future covenant violations. Firms with unexpected drawdowns see less favorable terms in renegotiations than firms without unexpected drawdowns but they are better able to finance future capital expenditures following a covenant violation.
A Systematic Approach to Definitive Planning and Designing Single and Multiple Unit Implant Abutments
Authors: Karunagaran Sanjay , Markose Sony , Paprocki Gregory , Wicks Russell
Published: June 2014

With an increase in the availability of implant restorative components, the selection of an appropriate implant abutment for a given clinical situation has become more challenging. This article describes a systematic protocol to help the practitioner more thoughtfully select abutments for single and multiple unit fixed implant prostheses. The article examines the evaluation, planning, design, and fabrication processes for the definitive restoration. It includes an assessment of a variety of factors, namely restorative space, soft and hard tissues, the location of the implant platform, the type of platform connection, platform switching indications, tissue collar heights, emergence profile, implant angulation, and finally the design and esthetic options for the final implant abutment.