bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene oxide–hydroxyapatite nanocomposites effectively deliver HSV-TK suicide gene to inhibit human breast cancer growth
Authors: Cheang Tuck-Yun , Lei Yi-Yan , Zhang Zhan-Qiang , Zhou Hong-Yan , Ye Run-Yi , Lin Ying , Wang Shenming
Published: August 2018

Gene therapy with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSV-TK), which is also known as “suicide” gene therapy, is effective in various tumor models. The lack of a safe and efficient gene delivery system has become a major obstacle to “suicide” gene therapy. In this study, the cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of graphene oxide–hydroxyapatite (GO–Hap) were analyzed by MTS and flow cytometry, respectively. A series of assays were performed to evaluate the effects of GO–HAp/p-HRE/ERE-Sur-TK combined with ganciclovir treatment on growth of human breast normal and cancer cells. The results showed that GO–HAp nanocomposites effectively transfected cells with minimum toxicity. GO–HAp/p-HRE/ERE-Sur-TK combined with ganciclovir treatment inhibited the proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in cancer cells, while the cytotoxic effects are tolerable in normal breast cells. We conclude that the GO–HAp nanocomposites have significant potential as a gene delivery vector for cancer therapy.
Physical properties and biocompatibility effects of doping SiO2 and TiO2 into phosphate-based glass for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Aldaadaa Alaa , Al Qaysi Mustafa , Georgiou George , MA Leeson Rachel , Knowles Jonathan C
Published: August 2018

Phosphate glass is continuing to gain more attention as potential bone substitutes. The ternary (P2O5-CaO-Na2O) is investigated in terms of both physical properties and biocompatibility by doping different percentages of SiO2 and TiO2. Two groups were prepared; the first has different percentages of TiO2 and SiO2, whereas the second group compositions have 5 mol% TiO2 and 5 mol% SiO2 being added to compensate the network-forming oxide P2O5 and the network-modifying oxide CaO. Density, mass loss, pH, DTA, XRD, and cation release experiments were performed to study the physicochemical properties of the compositions, while MG63 and hMS cells were used within in vitro cell culture to study their biocompatibility. Results showed that an increase in TiO2 content correlated with an increase in glass density, decreased mass loss, increased trend of Tg and Tm values, and Na+ and Ca2+ release in group 1. There was no improvement in the MG63 viability or the ability of hMSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts where TiO2 decreased in favour of SiO2. Furthermore, in group 2, 50P2O5–25CaO was less dense than 45P2O5–30CaO, degraded dramatically less, had lower Tg and Tm values and released less Na+ and Ca(2+). The synergistic effect of doping 5 mol% TiO2 and 5 mol% SiO2 increased the MG63 viability in both compositions and was found 45P2O5–30CaO to have promising results in terms of the ability of hMSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts. To conclude, substituting TiO2 in place of SiO2 improved the physical properties and the biocompatibility of (P2O5-CaO-Na2O) glass system, whereas doping 5 mol% SiO2 and 5 mol% TiO2 together in place of P2O5 and CaO had a synergistic effect in controlling their degradation rate and improving their biological responses.
Alginate/poly(amidoamine) injectable hybrid hydrogel for cell delivery
Authors: Patil SS , Nune KC , Misra RDK
Published: August 2018

A covalently cross-linked injectable hybrid hydrogel, namely, alginate/poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM), with the objective of cell delivery was innovatively designed and synthesized using tetra-amino-functional PAMAM dendrimer as the cross-linker. With the increase in percentage of PAMAM cross-linker, the pore size and swelling ratio of hydrogels were in the range of 57 ± 18 μm to 88 ± 25 μm and 110 ± 16 to 157 ± 20, respectively. The study of attachment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay through indirect and direct contact methods indicated a continuous increase in metabolically active live cells with time, implying non-cytotoxicity of the synthesized hydrogel. The live–dead assay showed >95% of live cells for alginate/PAMAM hydrogels, suggesting viability of the encapsulated cells. When the percentage of PAMAM cross-linker in alginate/PAMAM hydrogel was increased from 5 to 25, the percentage degradation rate decreased from 1.1 to 0.29%/day. Given that the poly(ethylene glycol) is commonly used cross-linker for hydrogel syntheses, we compared the behavior with poly(ethylene glycol). The incorporation of poly(ethylene glycol) in alginate/PAMAM hydrogel reduced the activity of MC3T3-E1 cells and their viability compared to the alginate/PAMAM hydrogels. The protonation of amino groups in alginate/PAMAM injectables under physiological conditions led to the formation of cationic hydrogels. These cationic hydrogels showed enhanced cell encapsulation and attachment ability because of electrostatic interaction with negatively charged cell surface as determined by cell adhesion and extensions from scanning electron microscope and vinculin assay and ability of in situ calcium phosphate mineralization. These observations point toward the potential use as an injectable scaffold for cell delivery and tissue engineering applications.
Six-month evaluation of novel bioabsorbable scaffolds composed of poly-L-lactic acid and amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles in porcine coronary arteries
Authors: Dinh Nguyen Thanh , Feng Gaoke , Yi Xin , Lyu Yongnan , Lan Zhiyuan , Xia Jinggang , Wu Tim , Jiang Xuejun
Published: August 2018

Objective

Using coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound methods to evaluate the performance of the novel fully bioabsorbable scaffold (NFBS) composed of poly-L-lactic acid/amorphous calcium phosphate (PLLA/ACP) at six-month follow-up by comparing with PLLA scaffolds

Methods

Twelve PLLA/ACP scaffolds and 12 PLLA scaffolds were implanted into the coronary arteries of 12 miniature pigs. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) was used to measure the reference vessel diameter (RVD), mean lumen diameter (MLD) and late lumen loss (LLL). According to IVUS images, we calculated the strut malapposition rate (SMR) at post implantation, strut overlap rate (SOR), reference vessel area (RVA), mean stent area (MSA), mean lumen area (MLA) and luminal patency rate (LPR) at six-month follow-up. The radial strength of the scaffold was evaluated using a catheter tensile testing machine.

Results

QCA results indicated that, at six month, MLD of PLLA/ACP scaffolds was greater than those of PLLA scaffolds (2.47 ± 0.22 mm vs. 2.08 ± 0.25 mm, P < 0.05); LLL of PLLA/ACP scaffolds was less than those of PLLA scaffolds (0.42 ± 0.20 mm vs. 0.75 ± 0.22 mm, P < 0.05). IVUS results showed the SMR and SOR were all significantly less with the PLLA/ACP scaffolds than the PLLA scaffolds (5.84% ± 3.56% vs. 17.72% ± 4.86%, P < 0.05) (6.17% ± 4.63% vs. 17.65% ± 4.29%, P < 0.05). MSA, MLA and LPR of the PLLA/ACP scaffolds were all greater than those of PLLA scaffolds (6.35 ± 0.45 mm2 vs. 5.35 ± 0.51 mm2, P < 0.05) (4.76 ± 0.46 mm2 vs. 3.77 ± 0.46 mm2, P < 0.05) (78.01% ± 12.29% vs. 61.69% ± 9.76%, P < 0.05). Radial strength of PLLA/ACP scaffold at six month was greater than that of PLLA scaffold (76.33 ± 3.14 N vs. 67.67 ± 3.63 N).

Conclusion

The NFBS had less stent recoil, better lumen patency rate and greater radial strength than PLLA scaffolds. The results suggest the NFBS scaffolds can maintain the structural strength and functional performance, which are effective for up to six months when implanted in porcine coronary arteries.
Provoked Narcissistic Aggression: Examining the Role of De-Escalated and Escalated Provocations
Authors: Hart William , Tortoriello Gregory K. , Richardson Kyle
Published: August 2018

Theories have postulated why provocation is particularly likely to incite aggression for narcissists, but key propositions from such theories dealing with psychological process or boundary conditions have seldom been tested. Here, we investigated narcissists’ cognitive, emotional, and motivational experience and aggression following escalated and de-escalated provocation. Participants ( N = 680) completed measures of grandiose narcissism (normal and pathological expressions) and vulnerable narcissism. Next, participants simulated provocation via imagining everyday scenarios in which a provocateur either de-escalates (apologizes and expresses concern) or escalates (makes a spiteful remark) the provocation and then rated anger and humiliation, perceived “narcissistic injury,” goals, and aggression. Expressions of grandiose narcissism, but vulnerable narcissism, more strongly related to aggression following escalated (vs. de-escalated) provocation. Path modeling revealed that perceived narcissistic injury and narcissistic-identity goals explained this relation for pathological grandiose narcissists, and revenge goals and narcissistic-identity goals explained this relation for normal grandiose narcissists. Conversely, vulnerable narcissism related more strongly to anger, perceived narcissistic injury, and narcissistic-identity goals following de-escalated (vs. escalated) provocation. Path modeling revealed that vulnerable narcissists’ enhanced anger-induced aggression is bounded to de-escalated provocation. We discuss the findings in relation to various theories of provoked narcissistic aggression.
The Serious and the Mundane: Reflections on Gamified CSR Communication
Authors: Trittin Hannah , Fieseler Christian , Maltseva Kateryna
Published: August 2018

We debate the strategic application of game elements to corporate messaging regarding societal and ecological concerns. We propose that gamified corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication is potentially well suited to create attention and involvement for corporate CSR initiatives. However, we argue that many gamification applications undermine their purpose and increase stakeholder suspicions about CSR. By debating the potential benefits and risks of gamified CSR communication, we aim to open the scholarly debate on the appropriateness of gamification in CSR.
Exploitative Revenues, Law Enforcement, and the Quality of Government Service
Authors: Goldstein Rebecca , Sances Michael W. , You Hye Young
Published: August 2018

A growing body of evidence indicates that local police departments are being used to provide revenue for municipalities by imposing and collecting fees, fines, and asset forfeitures. We examine whether revenue collection activities compromise the criminal investigation functions of local police departments. We find that police departments in cities that collect a greater share of their revenue from fees solve violent and property crimes at significantly lower rates. The effect on violent crime clearance is more salient in smaller cities where police officers’ assignments tend not to be highly specialized. We find that this relationship is robust to a variety of empirical strategies, including instrumenting for fines revenue using commuting time. Our results suggest that institutional changes—such as decreasing municipal government reliance on fines and fees for revenue—are important for changing police behavior and improving the provision of public safety.
Gender Dysphoria in looked-after and adopted young people in a gender identity development service
Authors: Matthews Tom , Holt Victoria , Sahin Senem , Taylor Amelia , Griksaitis David
Published: August 2018

This research investigated the prevalence of looked-after and adopted young people within a case file review of 185 young people referred to a UK gender identity development service over a 2-year period (1 April 2009 to 1 April 2011). Data were extracted from referral letters, clinical notes and clinician letters. Looked-after young people were found to represent 4.9% of referrals in this cohort, which is significantly higher than within the English general population (0.58%). Adopted young people represented 3.8% of referrals. In addition, the findings showed that looked-after young people were less likely to receive a diagnosis of gender dysphoria compared with young people living within their birth family. There were no statistically significant differences in the gender ratio or age of first gender dysphoric experience between groups. Looked-after and adopted young people were also not found to be experiencing greater impairment in overall functioning compared to other young people referred to the gender identity development service. In conclusion, there are a substantial proportion of referrals pertaining to looked-after or adopted young people, and it appears the referral route and process through the service may be distinct, particularly for looked-after young people. This may be understood by considering the possible complexities in the presentation of these groups, alongside the established higher levels of complexity generally for those experiencing feelings of gender dysphoria.
The effect of body dissatisfaction on disordered eating: The mediating role of self-esteem and negative affect in male and female adolescents
Authors: Cruz-Sáez Soledad , Pascual Aitziber , Wlodarczyk Anna , Echeburúa Enrique
Published: August 2018

This study aimed to determine whether self-esteem and negative affect sequentially mediate the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. A total of 806 adolescents (61.8% females) completed the Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, and Body Dissatisfaction subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Anxiety and Depression subscales of the General Health Questionnaire-28, and the Negative Self-beliefs subscale of the Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire. Mediational analyses showed that body dissatisfaction had both direct and indirect effects through self-esteem and negative affect on disordered eating. It was also observed that negative self-esteem mediated—completely in boys and partially in girls—the relationship between body dissatisfaction and negative affect.
Psychological distress in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: The role of hostility and coping self-efficacy
Authors: Timkova Vladimira , Nagyova Iveta , Reijneveld Sijmen A , Tkacova Ruzena , van Dijk Jitse P , Bültmann Ute
Published: August 2018

We aimed to assess whether hostility and coping self-efficacy are associated with psychological distress in obstructive sleep apnoea patients. Furthermore, we examined whether coping self-efficacy mediates the association between hostility and psychological distress. We included 150 obstructive sleep apnoea patients (Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index ⩾5; 68% male; mean age: 48.9 ± 9.5 years). Regression models showed that hostility and poor coping self-efficacy were strongly associated with psychological distress in obstructive sleep apnoea patients. All assessed coping self-efficacy dimensions mediated the association between hostility and psychological distress. Coping self-efficacy for stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts showed the strongest association with a lower level of psychological distress.
Reaching consensus promotes the internalization of commitment to social change
Authors: Thomas Emma F. , McGarty Craig , Stuart Avelie , Smith Laura G. E. , Bourgeois Luc
Published: August 2018

Solving the world’s most pressing problems (climate change, global poverty) will require the commitment of large numbers of people. The current research draws upon the joint insights of self-determination theory and the social identity perspective to consider the mechanisms through which social interaction engenders commitment to social change. Participants ( N = 137) engaged in a small group discussion to plan strategies for providing safe drinking water to people in developing countries. The degree of consensus within the interaction (regarding desired change and action to achieve that change) was measured. Multilevel path analysis showed that communication of consensus allows motives to become internalized, giving rise to new identities and commitment to social change. These results suggest that to understand how to promote commitment to social change, we need to understand the social forces that promote the formation and internalization of meaningful social identities.
From hybrid space to dislocated space: Mobile virtual reality and a third stage of mobile media theory
Authors: Saker Michael , Frith Jordan
Published: August 2018

Research in the field of mobile communication studies (MCS) has generally moved away from focusing on how mobile phones distract users from their physical environment to considering how the experience of space and place can be enhanced by locative smartphone applications. This article argues that trajectory may be complicated by the emergence of a new type of mobile technology: mobile virtual reality (MVR). While an increasing number of handsets are specifically developed with MVR in mind, there is little to no research that situates this phenomenon within the continuum of MCS. The intention of this paper is accordingly twofold. First, the article conceptualizes MVR as a connective tissue between the two sequential tropes of MCS: physical distraction and spatial enhancement. Second, the article introduces the concept of ‘dislocated space’ as a way of understanding the embodied space MVR might configure.
Sparse recovery of multiple dispersive guided-wave modes for defect localization using a Bayesian approach
Authors: Wu Biao , Li Hui , Huang Yong
Published: August 2018

Guided wave (GW) testing has become one of the most important nondestructive tools for evaluation of structural in-service degradation. Although GW testing was widely used to inspect and screen many engineering structures, there are still challenges associated with its applications, which mostly originate from the dispersive and multi-mode nature of GW signals as well as noise contamination. To deal with these challenges, an effective GW signal processing technique is introduced that enables one to accurately recover multiple modes from noisy dispersive GW signals for defect localization. To characterize the dispersion phenomenon, the chirp model is introduced first, which is derived from GW dispersion characteristics. Based on this model, an over-complete dictionary is designed by considering all possible defect locations (by discretization) and the propagation paths of GW modes caused by these defects. Then the prior knowledge that structural defects or damage typically occur in localized areas and correspondingly only a small number of modes are included in the GW signals is exploited by a robust sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) framework to reduce the ill-conditioning in the inverse problem. During the implementation of the robust SBL algorithm, irrelevant basis vectors in the dictionary are pruned out and the posterior probabilities of the small number nonzero basis coefficients corresponding to those “active” GW modes are established. After sparse representation of the GW signal, the information of propagation paths and group delays of GW modes are used to identify each GW mode and then localize defects. Illustrative results from numerical simulations and experiment studies on plate structures are presented to demonstrate the capability of the proposed method.
Energy efficiency for condition-based maintenance decision-making: Application to a manufacturing platform
Authors: Do Phuc , Hoang Anh , Iung Benoit , Vu Hai-Canh
Published: August 2018

Condition-based maintenance has been developed and successfully applied in various industrial systems to preventively maintain the correct equipment at the right time with regard to its current health “condition” such as oil temperature, harmonics data, and vibration. The monitoring of these conventional indicators may however be costly. Moreover, energy efficiency addressed by sustainability requirements has been recently considered as an emerging key performance indicator to be controlled. Nevertheless, this emerging key performance indicator is not yet integrated in condition-based maintenance decision-making. To face these issues, the main objective of this article is to investigate the interests to use energy efficiency for condition-based maintenance decision-making. The first original contribution of this article is to propose a new energy efficiency–based condition-based maintenance model using energy efficiency indicator which is defined as the amount of energy consumption to produce one useful output unit. The proposed model leads to consider not only the maintenance cost but also energy and useful output performance in the condition-based maintenance optimization process. The second contribution concerns an investigation of the proposed energy efficiency–based condition-based maintenance model for the case study of the TELMA platform. The performance of the proposed model is verified by comparing to an extended traditional one. The obtained results allow to highlight the impacts of energy efficiency on existing condition-based maintenance strategies and to conclude on the interest of a new energy efficiency indicator–based condition-based maintenance practice in terms of both cost and efficiency.
Condition-based selective maintenance for stochastically degrading multi-component systems under periodic inspection and imperfect maintenance
Authors: Khatab Abdelhakim , Diallo Claver , Aghezzaf El-Houssaine , Venkatadri Uday
Published: August 2018

This article proposes a novel condition-based selective maintenance model for a multi-component system running multiple missions interspersed with scheduled intermission breaks. Each component in the system degrades according to a time-dependent stochastic process and fails whenever its degradation level reaches a prespecified threshold. Failures of system components are revealed only through periodic inspections performed during a mission. The decision to repair components found in a failed state is made at the beginning of the following break. However, a penalty cost proportional to the expected component downtime is incurred. To improve the probability of the system successfully completing its next mission, maintenance activities are carried out on its components during the breaks. Each component can be imperfectly maintained or replaced. The level at which maintenance is performed determines the improvement degree in the component health. Cost and time structures are developed to take into account the trade-offs between the cost of an imperfect maintenance action and its resulting health improvement. Given the limited duration of the break and the required reliability target for the next mission, the condition-based selective maintenance problem aims at finding an optimal subset of maintenance actions to be performed on the selected components to minimize the total expected cost which is the sum of the total expected maintenance, inspection and penalty costs. All parameters and components of this nonlinear selective maintenance optimization problem are developed and thoroughly discussed. Numerical experiments are provided to illustrate the modelling steps and show the validity of the proposed approach.
Criticality analysis for preventive maintenance optimization purposes in gas network infrastructures
Authors: Serra Parajes Javier , Crespo Márquez Adolfo , Sola Rosique Antonio
Published: August 2018

Identification and quantification of cost and value of industrial assets is a field in which much terminology has been developed. When we try to analyze the importance of an asset for our business, the discussion about its costs should not be separated from the value provided by the asset. Most of the time, managers use the term “cost” because it seems to be more objective. The concept of value is more subjective and more difficult to define. However, we shall henceforth use definitions as amortization, inflation, or replacement value in order to simplify the concept of “value” to improve our decisions. The economic retribution of the facilities is based on a legal normative for regulated companies, so the concept of “cost” may turn out to be quite useless. Therefore, it is important to use a methodology that allows us to estimate the value of our assets. We have developed a criticality analysis of our infrastructure in order to assess the relative value of these items for the company. The target is to optimize the operation and maintenance strategies at a corporate level. This must have a relevant impact on the OPEX of our company, and there may also be an impact on future CAPEX. This article is a case study of the methodology and presents clear examples of how operation and maintenance strategy is transformed according to criticality assessments.
Adverse drug reaction reporting in a large tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia: results of an incentive strategy
Authors: Ali Sheraz , Egunsola Oluwaseun , Al-Dossari Dalal Salem , Al-Zaagi Ibrahim Abdulaziz
Published: August 2018

Background:

Underreporting is a common problem with spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting. In this study, we aim to describe the reporting of ADRs in a tertiary hospital and determine the effect of incentives to healthcare professionals on ADR reporting.

Methods:

In this interventional study, a time series analysis was used to determine the effect of incentives on ADR reporting in a tertiary hospital between 2015 and 2016. The incentive strategy included public commendation of health care providers and nomination for a monthly award.

Results:

A total of 967 ADRs were reported over a 2-year period. After the introduction of incentives in January 2016, the number of ADR reports per month increased by 40.6 (95% confidence interval: 26.1–55.1). The proportion of serious ADRs reported was significantly higher in 2016 (39/800) than 2015 (0/167) ( p < 0.001). In 2016, there was a significant association between profession and serious ADR reporting ( p < 0.001). A total of 14/21 ADRs (66.7%) reported by physicians in 2016 were serious compared with 20/700 (2.9%) reported by clinical pharmacists and 5/72 (6.9%) by nurses.

Conclusions:

ADR reporting was improved by providing incentives, including commendation and reward, to healthcare professionals.
Differences in clinical features between optic neuritis in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Srikajon Jindapa , Siritho Sasitorn , Ngamsombat Chanon , Prayoonwiwat Naraporn , Chirapapaisan Niphon ,   Siriraj Neuroimmunology Research Group
Published: August 2018

Background

Optic neuritis (ON) is one of the common manifestations both in neuromyelitis-optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives

The objective of this paper is to compare clinical presentations, laboratories and imaging findings in ON associated with MS and NMOSD.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed in patients presenting with ON in 59 NMOSD patients with 72 eyes’ involvement and 163 ON attacks, and 20 MS patients with 23 eyes’ involvement and 36 ON attacks.

Results

ON-NMOSD patients had recurrent ON more often and tended to have simultaneous bilateral ON involvement at their first ON attack. Individuals with ON-NMOSD revealed worse visual acuity at first ON attacks and also had poorer long-term visual outcome than those with ON-MS, with nearly half of ON-NMOSD patients still having LogMAR visual acuity ≥1 at their last follow-up ( p = 0.035). Significant thinner average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was found in the ON-NMOSD group. We found no significant differences in segmentation location of the optic nerve lesions and the length of involvement between the two groups.

Conclusions

It was difficult to completely differentiate ON-NMOSD from ON-MS. ON-NMOSD patients, however, tended to have simultaneous bilateral ON involvement and poorer long-term visual outcome than individuals with ON-MS.
Analysis of social capital and political development in Iran under the Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad governments
Authors: Aghdaci Ali AbolAli , Mayeli Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2018

Cohesion and solidarity in the trust relationship network play an important role in determining the identity and legitimacy of a political system. In a society where people have relations based on trust and solidarity, the possibility of public participation in decision-making, its beginnings, and consolidation of democracy is perhaps the most important characteristic of the greater political development. In this article, we seek to answer the question of the role of social capital in the political development of the Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad governments in Iran. Following in-depth assessments, it is concluded that not only have the Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad governments failed to strengthen social capital in society, but also a decline of social capital in society can be discerned.
Characterization and high-efficiency secreted expression in Bacillus subtilis of a thermo-alkaline β-mannanase from an alkaliphilic Bacillus clausii strain S10
Authors: Zhou Cheng , Xue Yanfen , Ma Yanhe
Published: August 2018

Background

β-Mannanase catalyzes the cleavage of β-1,4-linked internal linkages of mannan backbone randomly to produce new chain ends. Alkaline and thermostable β-mannanases provide obvious advantages for many applications in biobleaching of pulp and paper, detergent industry, oil grilling operation and enzymatic production of mannooligosaccharides. However, only a few of them are commercially exploited as wild or recombinant enzymes, and none heterologous and secretory expression of alkaline β-mannanase in Bacillus subtilis expression system was reported. Alkaliphilic Bacillus clausii S10 showed high β-mannanase activity at alkaline condition. In this study, this β-mannanase was cloned, purified and characterized. The high-level secretory expression in B. subtilis was also studied.

Results

A thermo-alkaline β-mannanase (BcManA) gene encoding a 317-amino acid protein from alkaliphilic Bacillus clausii strain was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified mature BcManA exhibited maximum activity at pH 9.5 and 75 °C with good stability at pH 7.0–11.5 and below 80 °C. BcManA demonstrated high cleavage capability on polysaccharides containing β-1,4-mannosidic linkages, such as konjac glucomannan, locust bean gum, guar gum and sesbania gum. The highest specific activity of 2366.2 U mg−1 was observed on konjac glucomannan with the Km and kcat value of 0.62 g l−1 and 1238.9 s−1, respectively. The hydrolysis products were mainly oligosaccharides with a higher degree of polymerization than biose. BcManA also cleaved manno-oligosaccharides with polymerization degree more than 3 without transglycosylation. Furthermore, six signal peptides and two strong promoters were used for efficiently secreted expression optimization in B. subtilis WB600 and the highest extracellular activity of 2374 U ml−1 with secretory rate of 98.5% was obtained using SPlipA and P43 after 72 h cultivation in 2 × SR medium. By medium optimization using cheap nitrogen and carbon source of peanut meal and glucose, the extracellular activity reached 6041 U ml−1 after 72 h cultivation with 6% inoculum size by shake flask fermentation.

Conclusions

The thermo-alkaline β-mannanase BcManA showed good thermal and pH stability and high catalytic efficiency towards konjac glucomannan and locust bean gum, which distinguished from other reported β-mannanases and was a promising thermo-alkaline β-mannanase for potential industrial application. The extracellular BcManA yield of 6041 U ml−1, which was to date the highest reported yield by flask shake, was obtained in B. subtilis with constitutive expression vector. This is the first report for secretory expression of alkaline β-mannanase in B. subtilis protein expression system, which would significantly cut down the production cost of this enzyme. Also this research would be helpful for secretory expression of other β-mannanases in B. subtilis.
K284-6111 prevents the amyloid beta-induced neuroinflammation and impairment of recognition memory through inhibition of NF-κB-mediated CHI3L1 expression
Authors: Choi Ji Yeon , Yeo In Jun , Kim Ki Cheon , Choi Won Rack , Jung Jae-Kyung , Han Sang-Bae , Hong Jin Tae
Published: August 2018

Background

Alzheimer’s disease, which is pathologically characterized by an excessive accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) fibrils, is a degenerative brain disease and the most common cause of dementia. In a previous study, it was reported that an increased level of CHI3L1 in plasma was found in AD patients. We investigated the inhibitory effect of 2-({3-[2-(1-cyclohexen-1-yl)ethyl]-6,7-dimethoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-quinazolinyl}sulfanyl)-N-(4-ethylphenyl)butanamide (K284-6111), an inhibitor of chitinase 3 like 1 (CHI3L1), on memory impairment in Aβ1–42-infused mice, and microglial BV-2 cells and astrocytes.

Methods

We examined whether K284-6111 (3 mg/kg given orally for 4 weeks) prevents amyloidogenesis and memory loss in Aβ1–42-induced AD mice model. After intracerebroventrical (ICV) infusion of Aβ1–42 for 14 days, the cognitive function was assessed by the Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test. K284-6111 treatment was found to reduce Aβ1–42-induced memory loss.

Results

A memory recovery effect was found to be associated with the reduction of Aβ1–42-induced expression of inflammatory proteins (iNOS, COX-2, GFAP, and Iba-1) and the suppression of CHI3L1 expression in the brain. Additionally, K284-6111 reduced Aβ1–42-induced β-secretase activity and Aβ generation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced (1 μg/mL) expression of inflammatory (COX-2, iNOS, GFAP, Iba-1) and amyloidogenic proteins (APP, BACE1) were decreased in microglial BV-2 cells and cultured astrocytes by the K284-6111 treatment (0.5, 1, and 2 μM). Moreover, K284-6111 treatment suppressed p50 and p65 translocation into the nucleus, and phosphorylation of IκB in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusion

These results suggest that CHI3L1 inhibitor could be an applicable intervention drug in amyloidogenesis and neuroinflammation, thereby preventing memory dysfunction via inhibition of NF-κB.
News Analysis
Authors: Learner Sue
Published: August 2018

Following the exposure of high-profile abuse cases in care homes, the call to install CCTV has intensified. Not everyone is convinced this will improve things.
Stoma-related complications and treatments
Authors: Burch Jennie
Published: August 2018

A number of care home residents live with a stoma. This can sometimes lead to complications, but these can often be remedied easily by nurses in the home. Jennie Burch discusses the most common complications and how to treat them.
Understanding aphasia and improving communication
Authors: Ager Kate , Little Lorena
Published: August 2018

Residents often live with various cognitive impairments. One condition that has a profound impact on people's quality of life is aphasia. Kate Ager and Lorena Little explain how to communicate effectively with residents living with this condition.
Dementia-slowing medication: latest developments
Authors: Mendes Aysha , Palmer Sarah
Published: August 2018

There are many studies being carried out to find an effective medication to treat dementia. Researchers trial new medications as well as existing ones that are used for other conditions. Aysha Mendes and Sarah Palmer discuss the latest findings in this area.
Challenges of advance care planning for those with dementia
Authors: Russell Sarah
Published: August 2018

Advance care planning has many benefits for both patients and carers, therefore it is important to know how and when to start. Sarah Russell explains how to enable those living with dementia to express and document their wishes for the end of life
How to deal with succession in family-run care homes
Authors: Bernstein Adam
Published: August 2018

Many of the UK's care homes are family-run businesses. This means that succession when an owner decides to leave the business, retires or dies can be a difficult subject. Adam Bernstein advises on how to manage the main issues around family succession.
Drawing a line: is it possible to ban family from visiting?
Authors: Bontoft Holly
Published: August 2018

Sometimes it is in a resident's best interest to not allow certain people to visit. This is only justified when there is a genuine concern for a resident's wellbeing and not when a family member complains about the care their loved one receives. Holly Bontoft advises.
Driving improvement: individuals making a difference
Authors: Frankova Helena
Published: August 2018

The way a care home works is largely based on its staff. A staff member making an exceptional contribution can make a real change to residents' lives. Helena Frankova talks about staff singled out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for their work.
Key points in choosing a home for a family member
Authors: Ashurst Adrian
Published: August 2018

It can be an overwhelming experience to choose a care home for a loved one and making a decision can feel confusing. Adrian Ashurst reviews Hazelwell home in Heswall and advises on the key points to keep in mind when choosing a home.
Using the production of welfare framework to measure the success of a short-term marketing campaign: a case study
Authors: Caranante Giuliana , Williams Sean D.
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a case study of a small non-profit organisation in the United States and how it employed the production of welfare (POW) framework to assess the success of a short-term marketing campaign. The paper offers a brief introduction to the challenges of measuring marketing in the voluntary sector and an introduction to the production of welfare concept, and then analyses the case according to the POW framework. Viewed from the POW perspective, the short-term marketing campaign was a success even though it raised less money for the organisation in 2016 than in 2015 because it was more efficient and more effective and it increased participation by the community. We conclude by arguing that other non-profit organisations should consider adopting the POW framework for their own assessment and reporting efforts.
What is ‘good timing’ in parenthood? Young mothers’ accounts of parenthood and its timing
Authors: Wissö Therése
Published: August 2018

This article explores how young mothers negotiate the timing of parenthood in relation to Swedish family policy. Drawing on qualitative interviews with individuals who became parents at the ages of 17 to 23 in Sweden, the findings reveal that although the Swedish parental benefits system stipulates that parenthood should follow establishing oneself in the labour market, becoming a parent before getting a job is still counted as good timing by the young parents in this study. The findings suggest that guidelines and state policies do not work as incentives in the way policy-makers suggest, since certain groups develop their own logics as to how and when parenthood should be entered into. However, the study points out a risk for gendered trajectories as the parent’s decision regarding paid work and care for children appears to be in line with structures of gender and generations, and family negotiations tend to be asymmetrical.
The imprint of trauma on family relationships: an enquiry into what may trouble a ‘troubled family’ and its implications for whole-family services
Authors: Tew Jerry
Published: August 2018

For some families facing complex difficulties, an underlying issue can be the impact of traumatic experiences, such as child abuse or domestic violence. While the impact of trauma on individuals is relatively well understood, its impact on the functioning of family or relational systems is less well theorised. This article takes forward the development of an original theoretical framework by which to understand both the impact of trauma at a collective level and the resources that people may need in order for them to overcome its legacy – building principally building on concepts of family schema and recovery capital. This discussion is grounded in the practice context of whole-family support and decision-making services, and is explored through an analysis of narrative data obtained as part of a wider national study into whole-family approaches.
Marx: alienation, commodity fetishism and the world of contemporary social work
Authors: Lavalette Michael , Ferguson Iain
Published: August 2018

This article offers an outline of Marx’s concept of alienation and his later related concept of commodity fetishism. Building on previously published work on this topic, we argue that the lack of control over our lives and creative activity that, for Marx, defined alienation and that he saw as being more extreme under capitalism than under any previous mode of production has actually intensified during the era of neoliberalism. Through an examination of the areas of work, sexuality and health, we examine the terrible toll that the lack of control and greatly increased commodification is having on our health and relationships. Finally, we point to some ways in which an understanding of alienation can contribute to a radical social work theory and practice.
Evaluation of Bacterial Population in the Saliva of Drug Addicts
Authors: Zahoor Muhammad , Uddin Jalal
Published: August 2018

Background:
The human mouth harbors over 700 microbial genera. The large number of them is normal bacteria; few of them are opportunistic pathogens.

Objective:
The study was aimed to evaluate the bacterial population of drug addicted persons and compare it to that of a normal healthy person.

Methods:
Five different samples of human saliva; alcohol drunken person, oral moist snuff user, cigarette, hashish and shisha smoker were investigated the involvement of bacteria in them. One sample was collected from normal non-addict person. The bacterial population in drug addictive persons were compared that on normal non-addictive person.

Results:
The bacteria observed were: Gram negative cocci, mono cocci, streptococci, vibrio, gram negative rod, gram positive staphylococcus, gram positive streptococci and gram-positive rod.

Conclusion:
The order of bacterial population was; alcohol drunken person<oral moist snuff user ˂ cigarette smoker ˂ hashish smoker ˂ shisha smoker˂ normal non addictive person. From the findings in this study it is concluded that all these drugs have some antibacterial activities.
Managing Overweight and Obesity in Ghana from a Cultural Lens: The Complementary Role of Behaviour Modification
Authors: John Elvis Hagan Jnr. , Christiana Nsiah-Asamoah, , Thomas Hormenu, , Dietmar Pollmann, , Thomas Schack,
Published: August 2018

Extant epidemiological and social diagnosis information shows an alarming upsurge in the prevalence of overweight and obesity over the last decade in developing countries including Ghana. Despite literature on the dangers and associated risk factors of these two health related constructs is well-written and documented, there seems to be a distinct knowledge gap on cultural influences that may trigger the onset of overweight and obesity, and related comorbidities. This review paper provides a general overview on overweight and obesity, and presents a supportive evidence of their rising prevalence as well as associated overall implications on public health in Ghana. Additionally, the paper explores how indigenous cultural perceptions, beliefs and norms impact on dietary and physical activity behaviours of the people. Based on available evidence, the complementary role of behaviour modification towards the management of overweight and obesity is suggested. The PEN-3 model as an appropriate cultural framework is proposed for future empirical investigations. This would afford programme planners to assess how to design culturally underpinned appropriate intervention programmes that would positively influence long term behavioural practices of the local people.
Neck, Shoulder and Low Back Musculoskeletal Pain in Greek Physical Education University Students: A Series of Three Cross-Sectional Studies
Authors: Emmanouil Analina A. , Rousanoglou Elissavet N. , Boudolos Konstantinos D.
Published: August 2018

Several studies examine the musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in university students sustaining physical load as part of their compulsory learning. However, only two somewhat outdated cross-sectional studies examine the physical education teacher (PET) students. This study aimed to explore the neck, shoulder and low back MSP prevalence in Greek PET students in a series of academic years. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to record the past 12-month neck, shoulder and, low back pain, across three academic years (n = 479). The year association to MSP prevalence was examined with the cross-tabulation analysis (using the column proportion test for the year comparison) and, the gender association to MSP prevalence with the χ2 test (SPSS 22.0, p ≤ 0.05). The year association to MSP prevalence was not significant (p > 0.05). The overall prevalence was 67.6%, with multiple pain at 25.7% and, the low back presenting the highest prevalence (40.9%). Women reported a higher prevalence of neck (36%) and low back (47%) pain (p ≤ 0.05). The majority of pain and time loss duration was 1-7 days. The low back required higher medical attention (19.0%) than the neck (9.2%) and the shoulder (12.9%). The recurrent pain was at 30%, with the previous injury/accident rate at 5.8%, 14.4% and 14.6% for the neck, shoulder and low back. Our PET students present an alarming MSP prevalence. Due to their distinct work demands as PE teachers, entering working life with the healthiest possible musculoskeletal system is of critical importance. Thus, university authorities should consider strategies for the prevention of MSP risk.
Psychosocial Determinants of Marijuana Utilization among Selected Junior High School Students in the Central Region of Ghana
Authors: Hormenu Thomas , John Elvis Hagan Jnr. , Thomas Schack , Dietmar Pollmann
Published: August 2018

Marijuana utilization among school aged adolescents is major public and mental health concern in Ghana and other developing countries, with the rate of usage soaring high among school going adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of marijuana utilization among selected Junior High School (JHS) students in the Central Region of Ghana and explore the relative impact of psychosocial factors accounting for its usage. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design with the Global School Based Survey GSHS questionnaire, a sample of 1400 school going adolescents students were drawn using multistage sampling procedure. Frequencies, percentages and binary logistic regression results indicated marijuana utilization prevalence of 9% (n = 122). Statistically, gender (OR = 0.52, 95% CI= 0.35 - .765, p = 0.001), religious affiliation (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.95, p = 0.034), socioeconomic background (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.33 - 1.23, p = 0.004) and geographical location (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31 - .886, p = 0.016) significantly predicted marijuana utilization among school aged adolescents. No statistically significant variations were found in the odds of students’ marijuana usage for age (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.69 - 1.88, p = 0.590), parental communication (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.56 - 1.23, p = 0.348) and academic performance (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.66 -1.80, p = 0.744). Findings suggest that school based research should reﬂect and perhaps replicate existing prevalence, patterns of marijuana and other drug use through multiple school surveys nationwide. This pathway may provide useful information towards the design, evaluation and implementation of drug prevention cognitive-behavioural interventions and the development of stringent drug regulative standards.