bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of the chaplain in palliative care
Authors: Handzo George , Puchalski Christina
Published: April 2015

Spirituality has been shown to be a key factor in how people understand illness and how they cope with suffering. It is especially important for people who have serious or chronic illness. Standards for palliative care include spiritual care as a required domain of palliative care. Models and recommendations have been developed to facilitate interprofessional spiritual care where all members of the team attend to the spiritual issues of patients with the professional chaplain being the expert in spiritual care in a generalist specialist model of care. Palliative care teams should have a professional chaplain with training in palliative care assigned. This chaplain functions as the spiritual care lead and the spiritual care specialist on the team.
Physiotherapy in palliative care
Authors: English Anne M.
Published: April 2015

This chapter gives an overview of the role of the physiotherapist and some of the conditions they assess and treat. Physiotherapy in the field of oncology and palliative care is a continuously evolving and developing speciality in cancer and other non-malignant disease. Patients with palliative care needs often present with multifaceted problems associated with an increasing range of underlying pathologies. The physiotherapist is involved in the treatment of patients with active and progressive conditions some of which include cancer, neurological, cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal conditions, and lymphoedema. Rehabilitation is now considered a crucial aspect of the patient pathway in which the physiotherapist plays a vital role. Assessment and good communication skills are an essential component when managing challenging and complex problems. This chapter demonstrates the physiotherapist’s valuable contribution to the interdisciplinary team and the importance of the role within palliative care.
Informatics and Literature Search
Authors: Tieman Jennifer J. , Currow David C.
Published: April 2015

Health information technology is changing how health professionals engage with and use knowledge and how health systems organize care. Tools and resources can facilitate access to evidence and enable its application in practice improving outcomes for the individual patient and for the health-care system. However, the quality of these applications relies on the quality and currency of the domain knowledge that is embedded within them and distributed through them. Therefore being able to identify and retrieve palliative care’s evidence base is more critical than ever. Given the complexity of timely, efficient, and effective retrieval of needed knowledge, new approaches are needed to manage the expanding and diffuse knowledge base for palliative care. Such strategies include developing online repositories of clinical knowledge to ensure immediate access and creating search solutions that shortcut access to literature and evidence to support practice, research, and education.
Anaemia, cytopenias, and thrombosis in palliative medicine
Authors: Zhu Nancy Y. , Wu Cynthia
Published: April 2015

Many haematological issues can complicate end-of-life care, including cytopenias and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Anaemia is very common and can significantly impact quality of life; causes include haemorrhage, iron deficiency, nutritional deficiencies, and bone marrow infiltration. Neutropenia from bone marrow failure as a result of disease infiltration or from chemotherapy effects can result in life-threatening infections. Finally, VTE is commonly seen in cancer patients as well as those who require prolonged hospitalization. Symptoms can cause discomfort, mortality is increased, and treatment is associated with major bleeding. Understanding the therapeutic options and their adverse side effects is essential in the management of these complex problems. Despite the presence of effective therapies, it is also important to realize that events such as febrile neutropenia and pulmonary embolism are often seen at the end of life and intervention may not always impact prognosis. The risks of intervention should be weighed against expected benefits when developing appropriate palliative care plans.
Sexual dysfunction: discussing patient sexuality and intimacy in palliative care
Authors: Hordern Amanda
Published: April 2015

Experiencing a life-limiting illness has the potential to radically transform every aspect of a person’s life, including how they feel about themselves, their body, and their sense of self within intimate and sexual relationships. For many terminally ill people, intimate and sexual moments are a vital aspect of their life, providing a sense of connectedness and assisting the person to explore and find meaning to living, death, and dying. Few health professionals view patients in their care as sexual beings and if they do, they struggle to know what and how to raise the topic of sexuality and intimacy within their clinical roles. This chapter defines patient sexuality and intimacy in the context of palliative care, explores the impact of natural ageing and treatment for cancer and chronic illnesses, and provides an introduction to opening communication and providing practical strategies to support the patient through intimate and sexual changes.
Pruritus and sweating in palliative medicine
Authors: Pittelkow Mark R. , Loprinzi Charles L. , Pittelkow Thomas P.
Published: April 2015

Itching (pruritus) and sweating (perspiration, diaphoresis) are physiological functions of the skin that normally serve human existence well. Itching is the sensory input arising from the skin and mucous membranes that alerts man to potentially harmful insults from physical, chemical, and biological sources. The reflex of scratching is closely linked to the perception of itch, and in most situations functions effectively as an aversive motor response to relieve the sensation and protect the skin. Similarly, sweating is a well-developed and finely coordinated sudomotor response designed to regulate body temperature and prevent hyperthermia. However, both pruritus and sweating have the potential to function aberrantly and develop into pathological conditions that create significant suffering and morbidity. This chapter provides a practical overview of the normal function and pathophysiology of pruritus and sweating, and offer a variety of therapeutic options and general comforting measures for patients experiencing these maladies.
Neurological problems in advanced cancer
Authors: Caraceni Augusto , Martini Cinzia , Simonetti Fabio
Published: April 2015

Neurological complications are frequent in populations with advanced cancer. An adequate neurological assessment is always important in addressing pain, cognitive symptoms, and peripheral and central nervous system complications. This chapter discusses a variety of neurological problems found in advanced cancer together with their clinical aspects and management, including some suggested regimens for pharmacological therapy. Complications that are discussed include intracranial hypertension, seizures in patients with advanced illness (including a suggested algorithm for the management of status epilepticus), delirium, brain metastases, spinal cord compression (including an algorithm for the evaluation of back pain), leptomeningeal metastases, base of the skull and cranial nerve syndromes, and paraneoplastic neurological syndromes.
HIV/AIDS
Authors: Pahuja Meera , Merlin Jessica S. , Selwyn Peter A.
Published: April 2015

In less than two decades, AIDS has been transformed from a rapidly fatal, untreatable illness to a manageable chronic disease. Early in the AIDS epidemic, HIV care and palliative care were inseparable; over time, these two treatment paradigms diverged. In the developed world, and to a lesser but increasing extent in the developing world, decreasing mortality rates have resulted in growing numbers of HIV-infected patients living with the disease for many years. As this long-surviving population increases, the challenges of chronic disease management, an expanding range of co-morbidities, and a process that has been described as ‘accelerated ageing’, have all emerged to present new needs and opportunities for palliative care expertise. Earlier in the epidemic, palliative care for AIDS focused primarily on end-of-life care and pain and symptom management related to the manifestations of AIDS-specific opportunistic infections and malignancies. Currently, pain and symptoms may be related to these as well as other co-morbid chronic diseases which commonly occur in HIV-infected patients, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, metabolic, and neurocognitive complications. Attention to these symptoms, quality of life issues, and psychosocial problems in long-surviving patients over many years will be increasingly important to support engagement with care and effective adherence with antiretroviral therapy over time. End-of-life care, while less frequent, also remains important, as patients may still die from AIDS, or even more commonly, from end-organ failure, non-AIDS defining malignancies, and/or other complications of ageing and chronic co-morbid disease. All these converging factors have now resulted in a new need for the re-integration of HIV care and palliative care, both to help HIV-infected patients live better and longer, as well as manage late-stage and end-of-life issues when they emerge.
Neurological disorders other than dementia
Authors: Voltz Raymond , Lorenzl Stefan , Nübling Georg
Published: April 2015

The significance of a palliative care approach for patients with neurological disorders other than dementia is increasingly recognized. Whereas the care for these patients, for example, those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or motor neuron disease, had been incorporated in the initial concept by Dame Cicely Saunders, recent scientific evidence supports this position. The need for palliative care in these patients is underpinned by their frequent wish for hastening death. This chapter describes palliative care approaches for a number of neurological disorders other than dementia. For ALS, palliative care management including specific issues such as respiratory insufficiency or malnutrition are fairly well established. Also, in parkinsonian syndromes, a lot of palliative care needs can be recognized and managed effectively. For patients with multiple sclerosis, the first randomized controlled trial showed clearly positive effects on symptoms as well as usage of health-care resources. The chapter also summarizes the drug use for specific symptom management, accounting for alternative application routes.
End-stage kidney disease
Authors: Murtagh Fliss E. M.
Published: April 2015

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) accounts for 1-2% of all deaths. Ageing populations means that this proportion will grow steadily over the coming years. Symptom burden in ESKD exceeds advanced cancer, with added renal-specific symptoms, such as itch and restless legs. Pain and depression are also more prevalent. Many renal symptoms go under-recognized and under-treated, especially as they arise from co-morbid conditions, rather than the renal disease itself. The most useful intervention to address symptoms is regular assessment of symptoms, using a valid and reliable global symptom score. Pharmacological interventions to alleviate symptoms need to take account of the severe constraints on using renally cleared drugs, and the high risk of toxicity from accumulation of parent compound or metabolites. The population with ESKD has extensive palliative care needs, and need significant medical, nursing, psychological, and social care to address these as their illness advances towards the end of life.
Coping in palliative medicine
Authors: Wein Simon , Baider Lea
Published: April 2015

Coping is a universal experience. Anxiety, existential distress, physical discomfort, depression, anger, and the wish to die are some of the stressors that patients have to cope with in palliative medicine. Coping strategies can be beneficial or detrimental. Earlier concepts emphasized coping as a way to control and manage the stressors. Recent literature has raised the idea that ‘just coping’ might not be good enough, but aiming to grow psychologically as a response to the stress could be preferable. There are several theories about the nature of coping and therapies include narrative life review, meaning therapy, dignity therapy, hope, courage, positive psychology, fighting spirit, and mobilizing social supports and personal relationships. Spiritual care and chaplaincy have also emerged as important resources for some patients. Most people use life-long coping styles that they bring to the illness and support is best directed to embellishing the good coping traits and dis-encouraging the bad ones.
Delirium
Authors: Agar Meera , Alici Yesne , Breitbart William S.
Published: April 2015

Delirium is the most common and serious neuropsychiatric complication in palliative care settings. It is a source of significant morbidity in patients, and often distresses family members and staff. Delirium is often a harbinger of impending death and can significantly interfere with pain and symptom control. Unfortunately delirium is often under-recognized or misdiagnosed in the terminally ill, and even when recognized, it frequently goes untreated or is inappropriately treated. Clinicians who care for patients with advanced illness must be able to diagnose delirium accurately, undertake appropriate assessment of aetiologies, and understand the risks and benefits of the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions currently available for managing delirium. Symptomatic treatment with antipsychotics or sedative medications is often necessary for the delirious patient with advanced illness to minimize distress to patients, families, and staff.
The family perspective
Authors: Lethborg Carrie , Kissane David W.
Published: April 2015

In considering cancer as an illness that affects not only the patient but their entire family, this chapter offers a model of family-centred care to encourage an understanding of the impact of illness on the family, the family in the caregiver role, and the needs of family-based caregivers. From a clinical perspective, the authors offer a guide for assessing these families for interventions, including the use of open communication and information provision, the recognition of past patterns of relating, the encouragement of acceptance of support, discussions with the family as a whole, and support during unpreventable emotional suffering that families experience. Specific interventions described include preventive and supportive interventions, interventions that challenge dysfunction, and interventions with the family when a patient is dying. Family-centred care is challenging as a paradigm but a useful harness to improved quality of life, one that warrants the effort involved to ease the suffering of all.
Quality of life in palliative care: principles and practice
Authors: Kaasa Stein , Loge Jon Håvard
Published: April 2015

To improve or sustain patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is the main goal of palliative care. In health care, HRQOL encompasses a range of components that are measurable and related to health, disease, illness, and medical interventions. Another term, patient-reported outcome (PRO), is used and understood as any measure that collects responses directly from the patients and measures any aspect of patients’ health status that is reported by the patients without any interpretation by health-care providers or family members. The selection of PRO-instruments (questionnaires) is recommended to follow a sequential approach. Define overall aim(s), define the research question(s), agree upon the key outcome(s), and select the appropriate set of questions/questionnaires guided by the primary and secondary outcomes. In general, it is recommended to use a HRQOL measure of generic or disease-specific character and supplement it with domain-specific measure(s) (such as measurement of fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, etc.) reflecting the purpose(s) of the data collection.
Palliation of nausea and vomiting
Authors: Hardy Janet R. , Glare Paul , Yates Patsy , Mannix Kathryn A.
Published: April 2015

Nausea and vomiting (NV) are unpleasant symptoms reported as highly distressing by sufferers and have a significant impact on activities of daily living. The prevalence of nausea is 6-68% in people with advanced cancer, 17-48% in heart disease, 30-43% in renal disease, and 43-49% in people with AIDS and is not always associated with vomiting. Several multifactorial clinical syndromes can contribute to NV in patients with advanced illness. Two strategies have been proposed for the management of nausea and vomiting: the mechanistic and the empirical approach. Most of the evidence supporting the use of antiemetic drugs in palliative care has been extrapolated from trials of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced NV. An ideal measurement tool for the assessment of NV and retching has yet to be developed. Inherent in the management of NV is to maximize treatment of those symptoms commonly associated with NV.
Clinical psychology in palliative care
Authors: Mehnert Anja
Published: April 2015

The psychosocial implications of disease progression result in a range of challenges for both the patient and the caregiver. The consequences of advanced disease can comprise emotional states such as anxiety, distress and depressive episodes, fear of being a burden to others, loss of control, anger, loss of sense of dignity, uncertainty, and changes in close relationships and social roles. Adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and the demoralization syndrome represent common disorders and phenomena among patients with advanced cancer. Moreover, uncontrollable pain and high unrelieved physical symptom burden, depression, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, delirium, and low family support are major factors in the desire for thoughts of suicide and the desire for hastened death. Caregivers play an important and challenging role, providing emotional and social support for the patient, helping with medical needs, and meeting increasingly complex instrumental needs such as running the household and work.
The contribution of the clinical pharmacist in palliative care
Authors: Gibbs Margaret
Published: April 2015

The inclusion of a pharmacist in the palliative care team is becoming appreciated and widespread. Effective medicines management can improve patient outcomes and have financial benefits for organizations. Most patients prefer to spend as much time as possible at home so pharmacist input in the community is especially crucial in ensuring they receive their medicines and have information to support them in taking them. Palliative care normally involves using strong opioids and the legal requirements surrounding their use can be complex. Pharmacists have detailed knowledge in this area so can advise services how to use them safely and legally. It is common practice to use medicines outside their licence in palliative care, for other indications and routes than originally designed and also when mixing them in syringes for continuous infusion. Information on these practices can be best provided by pharmacists.
Integrative oncology in palliative medicine
Authors: Deng Gary , Cassileth Barrie
Published: April 2015

Patients under palliative care, facing poor prognoses and a heavy symptom burden, often seek health-care practices and agents outside of mainstream medicine. Collectively these modalities often are termed ‘complementary and alternative medicine’ (CAM), to describe a diverse group of therapies that range from unproved alternative ‘cures’ offering false hope, to adjunctive complementary therapies that provide legitimate supportive care and that comprise integrative oncology. Although complementary therapies and alternative approaches are sometimes discussed under the single umbrella of CAM, it is clinically and conceptually necessary to distinguish between complementary and ‘alternative’ because they are profoundly different, and because there are no viable ‘alternatives’ to mainstream cancer care. The acronym is an easy but incorrect and counterproductive conflation of two unrelated approaches. This chapter summarizes the state of integrative medicine and medical oncology in the current health-care system. It discusses helpful complementary therapies applicable to palliative medicine and also describes the unproven alternatives that are widely proffered to patients and families internationally.
Secondary changes after damage of the central nervous system: significance of spastic muscle tone in rehabilitation
Authors: Dietz Volker , Sinkjaer Thomas
Published: April 2015

The relationship between clinical spasticity and spastic movement disorder in human adultsis covered in this chapter. Signs of exaggerated tendon tap reflexes with muscle hypertonia are the consequence of central nervous system lesions. Most antispastic treatments are directed at the reduction of reflex activity. In recent years, a discrepancy between spasticity as measured in the clinic and movement disorder was noticed. Central motor lesions are associated with a loss of supraspinal drive and defective use of afferent input. These changes lead to paresis and maladaptation of the movement pattern. Secondary changes in mechanical muscle fibre and collagen tissue result in spastic muscle tone, which in part compensates for paresis and allows functional movements on a simpler level of organization. In mobile patients functional training should be applied to improve both function and spasticity. Antispastic drugs can accentuate paresis and should primarily only be applied in non-ambulatory subjects.
Animal models of damage, repair, and plasticity in the spinal cord
Authors: Edgerton V. Reggie , Roy Roland R. , Lu Daniel C. , Gerasimenko Yury
Published: April 2015

Sensorimotor function can improve for years, even after a spinal cord injury (SCI). We also know that an effective intervention that can improve motor function is re-engagement of the spinal neural networks and that this regularity in re-engagement is fundamental to learning within the activated sensorimotor circuits. Several interventions have been developed allowing individuals with a SCI to re-engage sensorimotor circuits. These interventions enable spinal neural circuits to neuromodulatethe level of excitability closer to a near motor threshold state.This is because of the built-in level of automaticity within the spinal circuits that then is translated into motor commands specified by the sensory input. Another increasingly apparent feature of the spinal circuitry is the highly integrated nature of multiple physiological systems linked to load bearing sensory input. Thus it is clear that multiple physiological systems are highly responsive to activity-dependent interventions after a severe SCI and that this responsiveness can persist for years post-injury.
Enhancement of neuroplasticity by cortical stimulation
Authors: Swayne Orlando , Rothwell John
Published: April 2015

There is evidence that behavioural gains made by patients undergoing neurorehabilitation depend at least in part on training-induced synaptic plasticity. Non-invasive cortical stimulation induces changes in synaptic strength in healthy humans which outlast the period of stimulation, and therefore may interact with and potentially enhance the process of rehabilitation in patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can reduce motor cortex excitability at low frequencies or increase it at high frequencies. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation can increase excitability while cathodal stimulation can reduce it.. Brain stimulation has mainly been examined in patients with stroke, aiming to increase excitability in the stroke hemisphere or reduce it in the contralesional hemisphere. Beneficial effects have been reported but it has proved difficult to reproduce results with greater numbers. This likely reflects a lack of understanding of stimulation mechanisms, high response variability with current protocols, and the diversity of protocols tested.These issues must be resolved before brain stimulation can enter clinical practice.
Overview of the Nervous System
Authors: Marcus Elliott M. , Jacobson Stanley , Sabin Thomas D.
Published: April 2015

This chapter consists of the spinal cord and brain. The brain is encased in the skull, while the spinal cord is found within the 32 vertebrae. The brain consists of the brain stem, cerebellum, diencephalon, and cerebrum. The axons that form the peripheral nervous originate from the 32 segments of the spinal cord and the 12 cranial nerves associated with the brain. The principal functional cell in the brain is the neuron, which is supported by glial cells. The brain is enwrapped by the meninges and provided with an arterial blood supply by the first major arterial branches from the heart, ensuring that over 20% of the entire blood supply of oxygenated blood flows directly into the brain.
Case History Problem Solving
Authors: Marcus Elliott M. , Jacobson Stanley , Sabin Thomas D.
Published: April 2015

This chapter includes problem solving with illustrations to label and cases to solve from brain stem and cranial nerves.
Motor Systems
Authors: Marcus Elliott M. , Jacobson Stanley , Sabin Thomas D.
Published: April 2015

The basal ganglia consist of the corpus striatum/caudate and putamen, globus pallidus, and also associated nuclei—the substantia nigra, subthalamic nuclei, and ventral tegmental area. The functions of this region are to modulate cortical functions especially as regards to movement. There is an overlap functionally with the cerebellar input onto ventroanterior and ventrolateral nuclei of the thalamus. The dopaminergic system plays a major role in all the functions of this region, as noted by the major common dysfunction of this system leading to Parkinson’s’ disease.
A new transcription factor for mitosis: inSchizosaccharomyces pombe, the RFX transcription factor Sak1 works with forkhead factors to regulate mitotic expression
Authors: Garg Angad , Futcher Bruce , Leatherwood Janet
Published: April 2015

Mitotic genes are one of the most strongly oscillating groups of genes in the eukaryotic cell cycle. Understanding the regulation of mitotic gene expression is a key issue in cell cycle control but is poorly understood in most organisms. Here, we find a new mitotic transcription factor, Sak1, in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Sak1 belongs to the RFX family of transcription factors, which have not previously been connected to cell cycle control. Sak1 binds upstream of mitotic genes in close proximity to Fkh2, a forkhead transcription factor previously implicated in regulation of mitotic genes. We show that Sak1 is the major activator of mitotic gene expression and also confirm the role of Fkh2 as the opposing repressor. Sep1, another forkhead transcription factor, is an activator for a small subset of mitotic genes involved in septation. From yeasts to humans, forkhead transcription factors are involved in mitotic gene expression and it will be interesting to see whether RFX transcription factors may also be involved in other organisms.
Plasmon-induced artificial photosynthesis
Authors: Ueno Kosei , Oshikiri Tomoya , Shi Xu , Zhong Yuqing , Misawa Hiroaki
Published: April 2015

We have successfully developed a plasmon-induced artificial photosynthesis system that uses a gold nanoparticle-loaded oxide semiconductor electrode to produce useful chemical energy as hydrogen and ammonia. The most important feature of this system is that both sides of a strontium titanate single-crystal substrate are used without an electrochemical apparatus. Plasmon-induced water splitting occurred even with a minimum chemical bias of 0.23 V owing to the plasmonic effects based on the efficient oxidation of water and the use of platinum as a co-catalyst for reduction. Photocurrent measurements were performed to determine the electron transfer between the gold nanoparticles and the oxide semiconductor. The efficiency of water oxidation was determined through spectroelectrochemical experiments aimed at elucidating the electron density in the gold nanoparticles. A set-up similar to the water-splitting system was used to synthesize ammonia via nitrogen fixation using ruthenium instead of platinum as a co-catalyst.
Sustainable fuel, food, fertilizer and ecosystems through a global artificial photosynthetic system: overcoming anticompetitive barriers
Authors: Bruce Alex , Faunce Thomas
Published: April 2015

This article discusses challenges that artificial photosynthetic (AP) systems will face when entering and competing in a global market characterized by established fossil fuel technology. It provides a perspective on the neoliberal principles underpinning much policy entrenching such environmentally destructive technology and outlines how competition law could aid overcoming these hurdles for AP development. In particular, it critiques the potential for competition law to promote a global AP initiative with greater emphasis on atmospheric carbon dioxide and nitrogen fixation (as well as solar-driven water splitting) to produce an equitable, globally distributed source of human food, fertilizer and biosphere sustainability, as well as hydrogen-based fuel. Some relevant strategies of competition law evaluated in this context include greater citizen–consumer involvement in shaping market values, legal requirements to factor services from the natural environment (i.e. provision of clean air, water, soil pollution degradation) into corporate costs, reform of corporate taxation and requirements to balance maximization of shareholder profit with contribution to a nominated public good, a global financial transactions tax, as well as prohibiting horizontal cartels, vertical agreements and unilateral misuse of market power.
Elephantid genomes reveal the molecular bases of Woolly Mammoth adaptations to the arctic
Authors: Lynch Vincent , Bedoya-Reina Oscar C. , Ratan Aakrosh , Sulak Michael , Drautz-Moses Daniela I. , Perry George H. , Miller Webb , Schuster Stephan C.
Published: April 2015

Woolly mammoths and the living elephants are characterized by major phenotypic differences that allowed them to live in very different environments. To identify the genetic changes that underlie the suite of adaptations in woolly mammoths to life in extreme cold, we sequenced the nuclear genome from three Asian elephants and two woolly mammoths, identified and functionally annotated genetic changes unique to the woolly mammoth lineage. We find that genes with mammoth specific amino acid changes are enriched in functions related to circadian biology, skin and hair development and physiology, lipid metabolism, adipose development and physiology, and temperature sensation. Finally we resurrect and functionally test the mammoth and ancestral elephant TRPV3 gene, which encodes a temperature sensitive transient receptor potential (thermoTRP) channel involved in thermal sensation and hair growth, and show that a single mammoth-specific amino acid substitution in an otherwise highly conserved region of the TRPV3 channel strongly affected its temperature sensitivity. Our results have identified a set of genetic changes that likely played important roles in the adaptation of woolly mammoths to life in the high artic.
Tah1 helix-swap dimerization prevents mixed Hsp90 co-chaperone complexes
Authors: Morgan Rhodri M. L. , Pal Mohinder , Roe S. Mark , Pearl Laurence H. , Prodromou Chrisostomos
Published: April 2015

Specific co-chaperone adaptors facilitate the recruitment of client proteins to the Hsp90 system. Tah1 binds the C-terminal conserved MEEVD motif of Hsp90, thus linking an eclectic set of client proteins to the R2TP complex for their assembly and regulation by Hsp90. Rather than the normal complement of seven α-helices seen in other tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains, Tah1 unusually consists of the first five only. Consequently, the methionine of the MEEVD peptide remains exposed to solvent when bound by Tah1. In solution Tah1 appears to be predominantly monomeric, and recent structures have failed to explain how Tah1 appears to prevent the formation of mixed TPR domain-containing complexes such as Cpr6–(Hsp90)2–Tah1. To understand this further, the crystal structure of Tah1 in complex with the MEEVD peptide of Hsp90 was determined, which shows a helix swap involving the fifth α-helix between two adjacently bound Tah1 molecules. Dimerization of Tah1 restores the normal binding environment of the bound Hsp90 methionine residue by reconstituting a TPR binding site similar to that in seven-helix-containing TPR domain proteins. Dimerization also explains how other monomeric TPR-domain proteins are excluded from forming inappropriate mixed co-chaperone complexes.
Differential ultracentrifugation coupled to small-angle X-ray scattering on macromolecular complexes
Authors: Hynson Robert M. G. , Duff Anthony P. , Kirby Nigel , Mudie Stephan , Lee Lawrence K.
Published: April 2015

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) can provide accurate structural information and low-resolution shapes of macromolecules in solution. The technique is particularly amenable to large protein assemblies, which produce a strong scattering signal. Hence, SAXS can be a powerful tool to elucidate quaternary structure, especially when used in combination with high-resolution structural techniques such as X-ray crystallography and NMR. Sample requirements for SAXS experiments are stringent and only monodispersed samples can be satisfactorily analysed. Often, it is not possible to obtain a stable monodispersed sample of the protein of interest, in particular for multi-subunit protein complexes. In these circumstances, when the complex is less than approximately 1 MDa, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with SAXS (SEC-SAXS) can facilitate the separation of monodispersed protein from a polydispersed sample for a sufficient amount of time to collect useful SAXS data. However, many very large multi-subunit macromolecular assemblies have not been successfully purified with SEC, and hence despite being well suited to SAXS there is often no way to produce sample of sufficient quality. Rather than SEC, differential ultracentrifugation (DU) is the method of choice for the final step in the purification of large macromolecular protein complexes. Here, a new method is described for collecting SAXS data on samples directly from the fractionated elution of ultracentrifuge tubes after DU. It is demonstrated using apoferritin as a model protein that, like SEC-SAXS, DU-coupled SAXS can facilitate simultaneous purification and data collection. It is envisaged that this new method will enable high-quality SAXS data to be collected on a host of large macromolecular protein complex assemblies for the first time.
Unbiased crystal structure prediction of NiSi under high pressure
Authors: Gavryushkin Pavel N. , Popov Zakhar I. , Litasov Konstantin D. , Gavryushkin Alex
Published: April 2015

On the basis of an unbiased structure prediction, it is shown that the stable form of NiSi under pressures of 100 and 200 GPa is the Pmmn structure. Furthermore, a new stable phase has been discovered: the deformed tetragonal CsCl-type structure with a = 2.174 Å and c = 2.69 Å at 400 GPa. Specifically, the sequence of high-pressure phase transitions is the following: the Pmmn structure below 213 GPa, the tetragonal CsCl type in the range 213–522 GPa, and cubic CsCl higher than 522 GPa. As the CsCl-type structure is considered as the model structure of the FeSi compound at the conditions of the Earth's core, this result implies restrictions on the Fe–Ni isomorphic miscibility in FeSi.
Sustainable development and social responsibility (SDSR)
Authors: Baronet Jacques , Tremblay Solange
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate large Canadian companies’ communication behaviour about SDSR on their websites, the authors’ goal being to analyse the evolution of what they communicate about those issues on their websites, over a period of eight years.

Design/methodology/approach

– A longitudinal content analysis of the top 100 Canadian firms’ web-based communication practices was performed over a period of eight years, between 2006 and 2013. A conceptual method was applied to establish the presence/absence of SDSR concepts and related questions in the communication data available on corporations’ websites.

Findings

– Data analysis showed that over this period, an increasing number of firms had: a dedicated section on their website about SDSR, a more accurate definition of SDSR, an enhanced accessibility and an eagerness to improve their information by adding complimentary SDSR documents.

Research limitations/implications

– The results in this study are representative of very large and probably resource-rich Canadian firms and may not apply to all types and sizes of companies.

Practical implications

– The increasingly positive behaviour of large firms about SDSR communication on their websites demonstrates a continuous interest to enhance their communication positioning about these new values, moreover, shaping a new paradigm with the creation of a new pattern of communication on the web.

Originality/value

– The study is one of the very few longitudinal studies of SDSR communication practices by large firms in one Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country. Given the scope of activities of these companies at the global scale, this study also contributes to provide a first sketch of the communication profile of multinational corporations about their SDSR web practices.
The non-sense of organizational morality
Authors: Gentile Gian-Claudio , Wetzel Ralf , Wolf Patricia
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– Companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities tend to be regarded with suspicion: Taking managerial decision about engaging in CSR or communicating, this decision does not constitute the actual execution of this decision itself. A gulf can exist between deciding, speaking and doing. In fact, this gap between speaking and doing has longed fuelled the discussion about the risks, benefits and pitfalls of CSR, mainly for one reason: It remains unknown what happens to CSR concepts when they are transformed from formal decisions at the top of the hierarchy to concrete action in the rest of the organization. This paper explores this internal transformation process by combining the macro- and micro-levels of observation.

Design/methodology/approach

– From a macro-perspective, the authors use Nils Brunsson’s notion of organizational hypocrisy to elucidate the societal conditions of the intraorganizational enforcement of CSR. Second, the authors combine this framework with Karl Weick’s organizational sensemaking approach to understand better how employee generate meaning and actions from contradictory expectations on the micro-level of the organization. By combining these two streams of theory, the authors provide a clear understanding of the internal sensemaking mechanisms brought about by contradicting societal norms. This approach and its usefulness is illustrated by means of an empirical case study.

Findings

– The paper illustrates the characteristics of the unavoidable difference between organizational talk and action, the contradictions employees face on the shop floor when executing CSR and the challenges CSR execution has to overcome.

Research limitations/implications

– Given the combination of theoretical and empirical reflection, the paper remains explorative.

Practical implications

– The moral dilemmas of employees become much clearer, as much as the organizational hypocrisy which CSR drives companies into. That can help managers to better deal with employees’ and the public’s reaction to own CSR efforts.

Originality/value

– Combining Nils Brunsson (hypocrisy) with Karl Weick (sensemaking) in the context of CSR has not been undertaken. Accordingly, the insights are unique.
Consumer values of corporate and celebrity brand associations
Authors: Ilicic Jasmina , Webster Cynthia M.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to explore consumer brand associations and values derived from a corporate brand and a celebrity brand endorser prior to their endorsement.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses both hierarchical value mapping and brand concept mapping (BCM) to identify brand attributes that translate to personal meaning for consumers and then to identify whether these attributes are encompassed by a specific brand.

Findings

– Results from brand concept maps and hierarchical value maps show consumers value accessibility and customer service in financial corporate brands. Consumers value expertise in celebrity brands and respect success in both corporate and celebrity brands. A central finding is the importance of brand authenticity. Corporate brand authenticity establishes a sense of security and assists in the development of brand relationships. Celebrity brand authenticity creates consumer attention and enhances celebrity trustworthiness aiding in the development of a consumer – celebrity brand relationship.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings have implications for corporate brands utilizing celebrity endorsers. In terms of strategic positioning, corporate brands need to center their marketing communications on desired brand associations at the core of both the corporate and celebrity brand that translate to personal meaning for consumers.

Originality/value

– This study uses a combined theoretical and methodological approach, drawing on associative network theory and means-end chain theory, and BCM and hierarchical value mapping methods, respectively, to understand and uncover personal meaning or value derived from brand associations.
Novel homozygous mutation, c.400C>T (p.Arg134*), in the PVRL1 gene underlies cleft lip/palate‐ectodermal dysplasia syndrome in an Asian patient
Authors: Yoshida Kazue , Hayashi Ryota , Fujita Hideki , Kubota Masaya , Kondo Mai , Shimomura Yutaka , Niizeki Hironori
Published: April 2015

Cleft lip/palate‐ectodermal dysplasia syndrome is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous loss‐of‐function mutations of the poliovirus receptor‐like 1 (PVRL1) gene encoding nectin‐1. Nectin‐1 is a cell–cell adhesion molecule that is important for the initial step in the formation of adherens junctions and tight junctions; it is expressed in keratinocytes, neurons, and the developing face and palate. Clinical manifestations comprise a unique facial appearance with cleft lip/palate, ectodermal dysplasia, cutaneous syndactyly of the fingers and/or toes, and in some cases, mental retardation. We present the first report, to our knowledge, of an Asian individual with cleft lip/palate‐ectodermal dysplasia syndrome with a novel PVRL1 mutation. A 7‐year‐old Japanese boy, the first child of a consanguineous marriage, showed hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with sparse, brittle, fine, dry hair and hypodontia, the unique facial appearance with cleft lip/palate, cutaneous syndactyly of the fingers and mild mental retardation. Scanning electron microscopic examination of the hair demonstrated pili torti and pili trianguli et canaliculi. Mutation analysis of exon 2 of PVRL1 revealed a novel homozygous nonsense mutation, c.400C>T (p.Arg134*). His parents were heterozygous for the mutant alleles. All four PVRL1 mutations identified in cleft lip/palate‐ectodermal dysplasia syndrome to date, including this study, resulted in truncated proteins that lack the transmembrane domain and intracellular domain of nectin‐1, which is necessary to initiate the cell–cell adhesion process.
Cutaneous Penicillium marneffei infection in a patient with idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia
Authors: Xia Xiu‐Jiao , Shen Hong , Xu Ai‐e
Published: April 2015

We describe a case of cutaneous Penicillium marneffei infection in a non‐HIV‐infected male patient with idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia (ICL). The cutaneous lesions were cured after the treatment of itraconazole combined with interleukin‐2.
Failing to Forecast Low Inflation and Phillips Curve Instability: A Euro‐Area Perspective
Authors: Riggi Marianna , Venditti Fabrizio
Published: April 2015

Professional forecasters failed to anticipate the sharp fall in inflation in the euro area in 2013–2014. We investigate whether this forecasting failure can be partly attributed to a break in the elasticity of inflation to the output gap. Using structural break tests and time‐varying parameter models, we find that this elasticity has indeed increased substantially in the past 2 years. We offer two (observationally equivalent) interpretations of this result. The first is that the increase in the cyclicality of inflation has stemmed from lower nominal rigidities or weaker strategic complementarities in price setting. A second possibility is that current output gap estimates are understating the amount of spare capacity in the economy. We estimate that, in order to reconcile the observed fall in inflation with the historical correlation between consumer prices and the business cycle, the output gap should be wider by around one third.
Food Price Pass‐Through and the Role of Domestic Margin Services
Authors: Yang Fan , Bekkers Eddy , Brockmeier Martina , Francois Joseph
Published: April 2015

The recent volatility in international agricultural markets has drawn attention to the impact of rising international agricultural prices and the induced price‐insulating measures on consumer food prices. Analyses based on simulation models on this topic typically ignore the role of domestic margin services. We extend the standard Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model to allow for variations in the share of domestic margin services in consumed food across countries. This approach enables us to differentiate consumer prices from producer prices. Following the extension, the results show that domestic margin services reduce the consumer food price volatility for all countries, especially in high‐income countries, where the share of domestic margin services in final food consumption is higher. The effect of price‐insulating border policies is also reduced in the extended model. We find that our extension of the GTAP model greatly improves simulations of the 2007 surge in international agricultural prices. We validate our extension of the GTAP model by showing that the econometrically estimated food price pass‐through is decreasing with income and thus, is smaller in high‐income countries.
Knockout of the adp gene related with colonization in Bacillus nematocida B16 using customized transcription activator‐like effectors nucleases
Authors: Niu Qiuhong , Zheng Haoying , Zhang Lin , Qin Fujun , Facemire Loryn , Zhang Guo , Cao Feng , Zhang Ke‐qin , Huang Xiaowei , Yang Jianwei , He Lei , Liu Chanjuan
Published: April 2015

Bacillus nematocida B16 is able to dominate in the intestines of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans in ‘Trojan horse’ pathogenic mechanism. The adp is one candidate gene which potentially play a vital role in the colonization from our previous random mutagenesis screening results. To analyse the functional role of this gene, we constructed the adp knockout mutant through customized transcription activator‐like effectors nucleases (TALEN), which has been successfully used in yeasts, nematodes, zebrafish and human pluripotent cells. Here, we first time report this knockout method in bacteria on this paper. Bioassay experiments demonstrated that the adp knockout mutant of B16 showed considerably lower colonization activity, reduced numbers of intestines and less than 80% nematocidal activity compared with the wild‐type strain when infected for 48 h. However, no obvious change on proteolytic activity was observed in the mutant. Conversely, the complementation of adp gene restored most of the above deficient phenotypes. These results indicated that the adp gene was involved in surface adhesion and played a comparatively important role in colonizing host nematodes. Moreover, TALENs successfully disrupt target genes in bacteria.