bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The need of strategic – based measures for improving academic law libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: a viewpoint
Authors: Khan Ghalib , Bhatti Rubina , Khan Amjid , Jan Rahim
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to suggest strategic-based measures for improving the current situation of academic law libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a survey method, this study attempted to explore a strategic-based measure for improving academic law libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Data were collected from 43 respondents through semi-structured interviews, including library and information science professionals, academicians and administrative officers of the affiliation awarding institutions and principals of the law colleges.

Findings

Based on the interview findings, the study found that most of the law colleges do not pay attention towards the development of their institutional libraries. Outdated collections, scarcity of information and communication technologies and budgetary issues, inactive roles of regulating bodies and professional associations, limited roles of professional library staff, limited access to the Higher Education Commission digital library, absence of proper library setup and moral obligations and responsibilities of institutional administrations towards the development of academic law libraries were the main challenges.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this paper covers Constituent Law College of the University of Peshawar and its 18 affiliated law colleges (Total 19), and the geographical area is restricted to the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The scope of this paper can be extended to additional private and public sector universities in Pakistan, as well as abroad.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind in Pakistan which will help the stockholders of affiliated and affiliation granting institutions to improve the current situation of academic law libraries in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study presents a number of suggestions for the improvement of academic law libraries, which may be of value to the local institutions and developing countries with similar situations.
Economic effects of reorganising an agro-food supply chain: some evidence from Poland
Authors: Falkowski Jan
Published: January 2017

Purpose

– Much has been said about the nature of the agro-food supply chain. Yet, the consequences of reforming supply chain institutions have less often been studied, especially from an empirical perspective. The purpose of this paper is to examine the economic consequences of a radical reorganisation of the system of exchange in the agro-food sector in Central and Eastern Europe, during the process of transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. By considering a historical example from the dairy sector in Poland, the author provides evidence that the disorganisation of vertical linkages between upstream and downstream producers can be very costly. The most conservative estimates suggest that the dislocation of inter-firm relationships accounted for approximately 20 per cent of the drop in milk production observed in the early-transition phase in question.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical approach is based on econometric analyses. The empirical strategy the author adopts is similar in spirit to a standard difference-in-differences method. More specifically, to study the outcomes of the disruptions in supply chain the author adopts an event-study approach. Thus, the author compares the relative changes in milk production in the post-treatment period relative to pre-treatment period between regions more or less exposed to disruptions to supply chain.

Findings

– The most conservative estimates suggest that the dislocation to inter-firm relationships accounted for approximately 20 per cent of the fall in milk production observed in the early-transition phase.

Originality/value

– Two key features distinguish the approach from the previous studies. First, through the use of a more direct measure of problems affecting vertical relationships between farmers and processors the author has access to higher quality proxies for the supply chain disruptions. To this end, the author focuses on the dislocation to milk procurement system that arose in the very early phase of transition, manifesting itself in the break up of vertical linkages between farmers and dairy industry. Second, in contrast to the existing studies which exploit variation between transition countries, the author focus on within-country evidence. To best of the author knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate agricultural output during transition using within country variation.
Opportunities and challenges for multiple-embeddedness through mergers and acquisitions in emerging economies
Authors: Munjal Surender , Pereira Vijay
Published: January 2017

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine opportunities and challenges from multiple-embeddedness of developed countries multinational enterprises (DMNEs) in emerging economies. It further investigates the effect of global financial crisis on the DMNE’s embeddedness strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Utilising POLS regression on secondary data bases, such as World Bank Development Indicators, over two period, first, from 2003 to 2007 (pre global financial crisis period), and second, from 2008 to 2012 (post global financial crisis), this study models the advantages and challenges faced by DMNEs into emerging markets.

Findings

– Findings suggest that challenges in terms of institutional and cultural differences have decreased over time. This may be due to the DMNE’s experience of operating in emerging economies.

Research limitations/implications

– Since the global financial crisis is on-going, further changes in terms of opportunities and challenges are yet to be uncovered. Further investigations using qualitative designs are also warranted because many qualitative phenomena, such as cultural differences, cannot be captured through purely quantitative methods.

Practical implications

– There are two practical implications. First, policy makers can appreciate the change in the economic gravity in the current scenario. Openness of economies may further bring in economic equilibrium in favour of emerging economies. Second, managers of businesses looking to internationalise should pay attention towards changing market conditions and requirements in emerging economies.

Social implications

– This paper portrays the importance emerging economies which consist of a large proportion of the world’s population.

Originality/value

– In the current economic scenario, this paper seeks to highlight the opportunities and challenges for multiple embeddedness through mergers and acquisitions in emerging economies, which is seen to be timely and topical and at the same time advances the theoretical knowledge and practical implications.
Determination of minimum biofilm eradication concentrations of orbifloxacin for canine bacterial uropathogens over different treatment periods
Authors: Shimizu Takae , Harada Kazuki
Published: January 2017

Biofilm formation can cause refractory urinary tract infections (UTIs) in dogs; however, minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) of veterinary drugs against canine uropathogens remain to be investigated. In this study, the MBECs of orbifloxacin (OBFX), trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (TMS) and amoxicillin/clavulanate (ACV) over different time periods for treatment of canine uropathogenic Escherichia coli (n = 10) were determined. The MBECs of OBFX for other bacterial uropathogens, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (n = 5), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 5) and Proteus mirabilis (n = 5) were also determined. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were identified for all strains by broth microdilution, and MBECs were determined at 24, 72, and 168 hr using the Calgary biofilm method. The 24 hr MBECs of OBFX, TMS and ACV for the E. coli strains were significantly higher than the MICs (P < 0.05), and the 72 and 168 hr MBECs were significantly lower than those at 24 hr (P < 0.05). In addition, the 24 hr OBFX MBECs for the four other uropathogens were significantly higher than the corresponding MICs (P < 0.05). The 72 and/or 168 hr OBFX MBECs for S. pseudintermedius, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis were significantly lower than the 24 hr concentrations (P < 0.05), whereas for P. aeruginosa, no significant difference was found between any of the MBECs (P > 0.05). These data indicate that the administration period and uropathogenic bacterial species are important factors affecting the efficacy of OBFX treatment of biofilm‐related UTIs in dogs.
Bill size mediates behavioural thermoregulation in birds
Authors: Ryeland Julia , Weston Michael A. , Symonds Matthew R.E.
Published: January 2017

Bird bills have been the subject of classic evolutionary studies that demonstrate how morphological adaptations are driven by foraging ecology. As significant areas of heat loss, bills are also under selection with respect to thermoregulation, yet the ecological consequences of this function have been largely ignored until recently.

Given the role of bills in thermoregulation is important, we predict that birds should behave to minimise heat loss through their bills at lower ambient temperatures by attempting to insulate their bill in their plumage.

Our second prediction is that this thermoregulatory behaviour should be utilised more by species with relatively larger bills, because they will be more prone to heat loss.

We demonstrate both these predictions to be correct using field observations and a comparative analysis of nine shorebird species. First, the placement of the bill within the back plumage while roosting (‘back rest’ behaviour), which insulates the bill, becomes more frequent at cooler temperatures. Second, species with large bills relative to their body size do indeed use back rest behaviour more frequently across a range of temperatures.

Our findings show that behavioural thermoregulation can be mediated by bill size, and that bill morphology is not only relevant to foraging ecology but also influences behavioural adaptations to climate.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Paid Parental Leave and Child Health in Australia
Authors: Broadway Barbara , Kalb Guyonne , Kuehnle Daniel , Maeder Miriam
Published: January 2017

Providing mothers with access to paid parental leave may be an important public policy to improve child and maternal health. Using extensive information from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, we estimate how paid parental leave entitlements influence children's health up to age 7. Exploiting detailed information on children's health, family background, mothers’ pre‐birth work histories and mothers’ health behaviours during pregnancy, we show that paid parental leave entitlements go together with a reduced probability of a child having multiple ongoing health conditions, but show no significant correlation with any single condition. We find that the reduction in multiple conditions is strongest for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Our study implies that the provision of paid parental leave for short periods is unlikely to substantially improve child health on average, but may potentially benefit the health of more disadvantaged children.
Climate, female traits and population features as drivers of breeding timing in Mediterranean red deer populations
Authors: PELÁEZ Marta , SAN MIGUEL Alfonso , RODRÍGUEZ‐VIGAL Carlos , PEREA Ramón
Published: January 2017

Understanding the factors that lead to variation in the timing of breeding in widespread species such as red deer (Cervus elaphus) is crucial to predict possible responses of wild populations to different climate scenarios. Here, we sought to further understand the causes of inter‐annual variation in the reproduction timing of female deer in Mediterranean environments. An integrative approach was used to identify the relative importance of individual, population and climate traits in the date of conception of free‐ranging deer, based on a dataset of 829 hinds culled during 12 years. We found that a population trait, density, was the most important factor explaining the variation in conception dates, with greater densities causing later conception dates. Body mass was the second in importance, with heavier females conceiving earlier than lighter ones. Almost equally important was the spring real bioclimatic index, a measure of plant productivity, causing later conception dates in the least productive springs (drier and hotter). Another climatic component, the end of summer drought, showed that the sooner the autumn arrives (greater rainfalls and cooler temperatures) the earlier the conception dates. Interestingly, age class was found to be a minor factor in determining conception date. Only older females (≥10 years old) conceived significantly later, suggesting reproductive senescence. This study highlights not only the importance of population and individual traits but also the influence of climatic parameters on the deer reproductive cycle in Mediterranean environments, giving valuable insight into how reproductive phenology may respond to seasonality and global climate changes.
Taxonomic research on deep‐sea macrofauna in the South China Sea using the Chinese deep‐sea submersible Jiaolong
Authors: LI Xinzheng
Published: January 2017

This paper reviews the taxonomic and biodiversity studies of deep‐sea invertebrates in the South China Sea based on the samples collected by the Chinese manned deep‐sea submersible Jiaolong. To date, 6 new species have been described, including the sponges Lophophysema eversa, Saccocalyx microhexactin and Semperella jiaolongae as well as the crustaceans Uroptychus jiaolongae, Uroptychus spinulosus and Globospongicola jiaolongi; some newly recorded species from the South China Sea have also been reported. The Bathymodiolus platifrons–Shinkaia crosnieri deep‐sea cold seep community has been reported by Li (2015), as has the mitochondrial genome of the glass sponge L. eversa by Zhang et al. (2016). The population structures of two dominant species, the shrimp Shinkaia crosnieri and the mussel Bathymodiolus platifrons, from the cold seep Bathymodiolus platifrons–Shinkaia crosnieri community in the South China Sea and the hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough, were compared using molecular analysis. The systematic position of the shrimp genus Globospongicola was discussed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences.
New species of the giant deep‐sea isopod genus Bathynomus (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from Hainan Island, South China Sea
Authors: KOU Qi , CHEN Jun , LI Xinzheng , HE Lisheng , WANG Yong
Published: January 2017

Several specimens of the giant deep‐sea isopod genus Bathynomus were collected by a deep‐sea lander at a depth of 898 m near Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea. After careful examination, this material and the specimens collected from the Gulf of Aden, north‐western Indian Ocean, previously reported as Bathynomus sp., were identified to be the same as a new species to the genus. Bathynomus jamesi sp. nov. can be distinguished from the congeners by: the distal margin of pleotelson with 11 or 13 short straight spines and central spine not bifid; uropodal endopod and exopod with distolateral corner slightly pronounced; clypeus with lateral margins concave; and antennal flagellum extending when extended posteriorly reaches the pereonite 3. In addition, Bathynomus jamesi sp. nov. is also supported by molecular analyses based on mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The distribution range of the new species includes the western Pacific and north‐western Indian Ocean.
Vitamin D insufficiency in the first 6 months of infancy and challenge‐proven IgE‐mediated food allergy at 1 year of age: a case‐cohort study
Authors: Molloy J. , Koplin J. J. , Allen K. J. , Tang M. L. K. , Collier F. , Carlin J. B. , Saffery R. , Burgner D. , Ranganathan S. , Dwyer T. , Ward A. C. , Moreno‐Betancur M. , Clarke M. , Ponsonby A. L. , Vuillermin P. ,   the BIS Investigator Group
Published: January 2017

Background

Ecological evidence suggests vitamin D insufficiency (VDI) due to lower ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may be a risk factor for IgE‐mediated food allergy. However, there are no studies relating directly measured VDI during early infancy to subsequent challenge‐proven food allergy.

Objective

To prospectively investigate the association between VDI during infancy and challenge‐proven food allergy at 1 year.

Methods

In a birth cohort (n = 1074), we used a case‐cohort design to compare 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) levels among infants with food allergy vs a random subcohort (n = 274). The primary exposures were VDI (25(OH)D3 <50 nM) at birth and 6 months of age. Ambient UVR and time in the sun were combined to estimate UVR exposure dose. IgE‐mediated food allergy status at 1 year was determined by formal challenge. Binomial regression was used to examine associations between VDI, UVR exposure dose and food allergy and investigate potential confounding.

Results

Within the random subcohort, VDI was present in 45% (105/233) of newborns and 24% (55/227) of infants at 6 months. Food allergy prevalence at 1 year was 7.7% (61/786), and 6.5% (53/808) were egg‐allergic. There was no evidence of an association between VDI at either birth (aRR 1.25, 95% CI 0.70–2.22) or 6 months (aRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.41–2.14) and food allergy at 1 year.

Conclusions

There was no evidence that VDI during the first 6 months of infancy is a risk factor for food allergy at 1 year of age. These findings primarily relate to egg allergy, and larger studies are required.
The difficulties of systematic reviews
Authors: Westgate Martin J. , Lindenmayer David B.
Published: January 2017

The need for robust evidence to support conservation actions has driven the adoption of systematic approaches to research synthesis in ecology. However, applying systematic review to complex or open questions remains challenging, and this task is becoming more difficult as the quantity of scientific literature increases. We drew on the science of linguistics for guidance as to why the process of identifying and sorting information during systematic review remains so labor intensive, and to provide potential solutions. Several linguistic properties of peer‐reviewed corpora—including nonrandom selection of review topics, small‐world properties of semantic networks, and spatiotemporal variation in word meaning—greatly increase the effort needed to complete the systematic review process. Conversely, the resolution of these semantic complexities is a common motivation for narrative reviews, but this process is rarely enacted with the rigor applied during linguistic analysis. Therefore, linguistics provides a unifying framework for understanding some key challenges of systematic review and highlights 2 useful directions for future research. First, in cases where semantic complexity generates barriers to synthesis, ecologists should consider drawing on existing methods—such as natural language processing or the construction of research thesauri and ontologies—that provide tools for mapping and resolving that complexity. These tools could help individual researchers classify research material in a more robust manner and provide valuable guidance for future researchers on that topic. Second, a linguistic perspective highlights that scientific writing is a rich resource worthy of detailed study, an observation that can sometimes be lost during the search for data during systematic review or meta‐analysis. For example, mapping semantic networks can reveal redundancy and complementarity among scientific concepts, leading to new insights and research questions. Consequently, wider adoption of linguistic approaches may facilitate improved rigor and richness in research synthesis.
The genetic basis of cerebral palsy
Authors: Fahey Michael C , Maclennan Alastair H , Kretzschmar Doris , Gecz Jozef , Kruer Michael C
Published: January 2017

Although prematurity and hypoxic–ischaemic injury are well‐recognized contributors to the pathogenesis of cerebral palsy (CP), as many as one‐third of children with CP may lack traditional risk factors. For many of these children, a genetic basis to their condition is suspected. Recent findings have implicated copy number variants and mutations in single genes in children with CP. Current studies are limited by relatively small patient numbers, the underlying genetic heterogeneity identified, and the paucity of validation studies that have been performed. However, several genes mapping to intersecting pathways controlling neurodevelopment and neuronal connectivity have been identified. Analogous to other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and intellectual disability, the genomic architecture of CP is likely to be highly complex. Although we are just beginning to understand genetic contributions to CP, new insights are anticipated to serve as a unique window into the neurobiology of CP and suggest new targets for intervention.
Health care and risk of early death for people with learning disabilities
Authors: Harding Celia
Published: January 2017

This commentary is on the original article by Amin et al. on pages 612–617 of this issue.
Monte Carlo decision curve analysis using aggregate data
Authors: Hozo Iztok , Tsalatsanis Athanasios , Djulbegovic Benjamin
Published: January 2017

Background

Decision curve analysis (DCA) is an increasingly used method for evaluating diagnostic tests and predictive models, but its application requires individual patient data. The Monte Carlo (MC) method can be used to simulate probabilities and outcomes of individual patients and offers an attractive option for application of DCA.

Materials and methods

We constructed a MC decision model to simulate individual probabilities of outcomes of interest. These probabilities were contrasted against the threshold probability at which a decision‐maker is indifferent between key management strategies: treat all, treat none or use predictive model to guide treatment. We compared the results of DCA with MC simulated data against the results of DCA based on actual individual patient data for three decision models published in the literature: (i) statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, (ii) hospice referral for terminally ill patients and (iii) prostate cancer surgery.

Results

The results of MC DCA and patient data DCA were identical. To the extent that patient data DCA were used to inform decisions about statin use, referral to hospice or prostate surgery, the results indicate that MC DCA could have also been used. As long as the aggregate parameters on distribution of the probability of outcomes and treatment effects are accurately described in the published reports, the MC DCA will generate indistinguishable results from individual patient data DCA.

Conclusions

We provide a simple, easy‐to‐use model, which can facilitate wider use of DCA and better evaluation of diagnostic tests and predictive models that rely only on aggregate data reported in the literature.
Geochemically distinct carbon isotope distributions in Allochromatium vinosum DSM 180T grown photoautotrophically and photoheterotrophically
Authors: Tang T. , Mohr W. , Sattin S. R. , Rogers D. R. , Girguis P. R. , Pearson A.
Published: January 2017

Anoxygenic, photosynthetic bacteria are common at redox boundaries. They are of interest in microbial ecology and geosciences through their role in linking the carbon, sulfur, and iron cycles, yet much remains unknown about how their flexible carbon metabolism—permitting either autotrophic or heterotrophic growth—is recorded in the bulk sedimentary and lipid biomarker records. Here, we investigated patterns of carbon isotope fractionation in a model photosynthetic sulfur‐oxidizing bacterium, Allochromatium vinosum DSM180T. In one treatment, A. vinosum was grown with CO2 as the sole carbon source, while in a second treatment, it was grown on acetate. Different intracellular isotope patterns were observed for fatty acids, phytol, individual amino acids, intact proteins, and total RNA between the two experiments. Photoautotrophic CO2 fixation yielded typical isotopic ordering for the lipid biomarkers: δ13C values of phytol > n‐alkyl lipids. In contrast, growth on acetate greatly suppressed intracellular isotopic heterogeneity across all molecular classes, except for a marked 13C‐depletion in phytol. This caused isotopic “inversion” in the lipids (δ13C values of phytol < n‐alkyl lipids). The finding suggests that inverse δ13C patterns of n‐alkanes and pristane/phytane in the geologic record may be at least in part a signal for photoheterotrophy. In both experimental scenarios, the relative isotope distributions could be predicted from an isotope flux‐balance model, demonstrating that microbial carbon metabolisms can be interrogated by combining compound‐specific stable isotope analysis with metabolic modeling. Isotopic differences among molecular classes may be a means of fingerprinting microbial carbon metabolism, both in the modern environment and the geologic record.
Effects of amphibian phylogeny, climate and human impact on the occurrence of the amphibian‐killing chytrid fungus
Authors: Bacigalupe Leonardo D. , Soto‐Azat Claudio , García‐Vera Cristobal , Barría‐Oyarzo Ismael , Rezende Enrico L.
Published: January 2017

Chytridiomycosis, due to the fungusBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Bd), has been associated with the alarming decline and extinction crisis of amphibians worldwide. Because conservation programs are implemented locally, it is essential to understand how the complex interactions among host species, climate and human activities contribute toBdoccurrence at regional scales. Using weighted phylogenetic regressions and model selection, we investigated geographic patterns ofBdoccurrence along a latitudinal gradient of 1500 km within a biodiversity hot spot in Chile (1845 individuals sampled from 253 sites and representing 24 species), and its association with climatic, socio‐demographic and economic variables. Analyses show thatBdprevalence decreases with latitude although it has increased by almost 10% between 2008 and 2013, possibly reflecting an ongoing spread ofBdfollowing the introduction ofXenopus laevis. Occurrence ofBdwas higher in regions with high gross domestic product (particularly near developed centers) and with a high variability in rainfall regimes, whereas models including other bioclimatic or geographic variables, including temperature, exhibited substantially lower fit and virtually no support based on Akaike weights. In addition,Bdprevalence exhibited a strong phylogenetic signal, with five species having high numbers of infected individuals and higher prevalence than the average of 13.3% across all species. Taken together, our results highlight thatBdin Chile might still be spreading south, facilitated by a subset of species that seem to play an important epidemiological role maintaining this pathogen in the communities, in combination with climatic and human factors affecting the availability and quality of amphibian breeding sites. This information may be employed to design conservation strategies and mitigate the impacts ofBdin the biodiversity hot spot of southern Chile, and similar studies may prove useful to disentangle the role of different factors contributing to the emergence and spread of this catastrophic disease.
Moving forward socio‐economically focused models of deforestation
Authors: Dezécache Camille , Salles Jean‐Michel , Vieilledent Ghislain , Hérault Bruno
Published: January 2017

Whilst high‐resolution spatial variables contribute to a good fit of spatially explicit deforestation models, socio‐economic processes are often beyond the scope of these models. Such a low level of interest in the socio‐economic dimension of deforestation limits the relevancy of these models for decision‐making and may be the cause of their failure to accurately predict observed deforestation trends in the medium term. This study aims to propose a flexible methodology for taking into account multiple drivers of deforestation in tropical forested areas, where the intensity of deforestation is explicitly predicted based on socio‐economic variables. By coupling a model of deforestation location based on spatial environmental variables with several sub‐models of deforestation intensity based on socio‐economic variables, we were able to create a map of predicted deforestation over the period 2001–2014 in French Guiana. This map was compared to a reference map for accuracy assessment, not only at the pixel scale but also over cells ranging from 1 to approximately 600 sq. km. Highly significant relationships were explicitly established between deforestation intensity and several socio‐economic variables: population growth, the amount of agricultural subsidies, gold and wood production. Such a precise characterization of socio‐economic processes allows to avoid overestimation biases in high deforestation areas, suggesting a better integration of socio‐economic processes in the models. Whilst considering deforestation as a purely geographical process contributes to the creation of conservative models unable to effectively assess changes in the socio‐economic and political contexts influencing deforestation trends, this explicit characterization of the socio‐economic dimension of deforestation is critical for the creation of deforestation scenarios in REDD+ projects.
Detection of the MYD88 mutation by the combination of the allele‐specific PCR and quenching probe methods
Authors: Nogami S. , Kawaguchi‐Ihara N. , Shiratori E. , Ohtaka M. , Itoh M. , Tohda S.
Published: January 2017

Introduction

The MYD88 missense mutation c.794T>C, p.Leu265Pro, is found in patients with Waldenstörm's macroglobulinemia and lymphoma. Direct sequencing, allele‐specific PCR (AS‐PCR), PCR‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP), and high‐resolution melting analysis (HRM) are currently used to detect the mutation; however, they are either time‐consuming or have low detection sensitivity. Here, we developed a novel highly sensitive and rapid detection method based on the quenching probe (QP) technique and AS‐PCR.

Method

A lymphoma cell line heterozygous for the MYD88 mutation, two wild‐type cell lines, and two samples from Waldenstörm's macroglobulinemia patients were analyzed by AS‐PCR, PCR‐RFLP, HRM, and QP, and their detection sensitivity was examined using the mixtures of the mutant and wild‐type DNA.

Results

For mutation‐carrying heterozygous samples, the QP method produced W‐shaped melting profiles presenting curves derived from the wild‐type and mutant alleles. The QP analysis was performed in 2 h and demonstrated the detection limit of 5%, which was similar to that of the other methods. However, the combination of AS‐PCR and QP (AS‐QP) improved the sensitivity to 0.62% of the mutant allele.

Conclusion

The AS‐QP analysis is rapid and minimally improves detection sensitivity compared to the AS‐PCR.
The influence of Sb on glass‐forming ability of Ga‐containing As2Se3 glasses
Authors: Shpotyuk Yaroslav , Boussard‐Pledel Catherine , Nazabal Virginie , Bureau Bruno
Published: January 2017

Effect of As to Sb substitution on glass‐forming ability of As2Se3 glass under Ga additions was comprehensively studied using optical spectroscopy in visible and IR regions, differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction as well as Raman scattering techniques. The crystallization processes enhanced by Ga additions to As2Se3 glass were significantly suppressed under such As to Sb substitution. Following conventional synthesis, it was possible to substitute up to 50% of As by Sb within Gay(As0.40−xSbxSe0.60)100−y cut‐section without essential impact on glassy state, thus improving optical properties in the IR region by lowering the phonon energy. In the case of Gay(As0.28Sb0.12Se0.60)100−y cut‐section, up to 8 at.% of Ga can be introduced without crystallization, whereas in case of Gay(As0.40Se0.60)100−y system, glass‐forming ability is limited just up to 3 at.% of Ga. The prepared Ga5(As0.28Sb0.12Se0.60)95 glass composition was shown to be the richest in Ga keeping its vitreous state, good optical and thermodynamic properties allowing further rare‐earth doping and fiber drawing.
Biogeography and molecular diversity of coral symbionts in the genus Symbiodinium around the Arabian Peninsula
Authors: Ziegler Maren , Arif Chatchanit , Burt John A. , Dobretsov Sergey , Roder Cornelia , LaJeunesse Todd C. , Voolstra Christian R.
Published: January 2017

Aim

Coral reefs rely on the symbiosis between scleractinian corals and intracellular, photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium making the assessment of symbiont diversity critical to our understanding of ecological resilience of these ecosystems. This study characterizes Symbiodinium diversity around the Arabian Peninsula, which contains some of the most thermally diverse and understudied reefs on Earth.

Location

Shallow water coral reefs throughout the Red Sea (RS), Sea of Oman (SO), and Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG).

Methods

Next‐generation sequencing of the ITS2 marker gene was used to assess Symbiodinium community composition and diversity comprising 892 samples from 46 hard and soft coral genera.

Results

Corals were associated with a large diversity of Symbiodinium, which usually consisted of one or two prevalent symbiont types and many types at low abundance. Symbiodinium communities were strongly structured according to geographical region and to a lesser extent by coral host identity. Overall symbiont communities were composed primarily of species from clade A and C in the RS, clade A, C, and D in the SO, and clade C and D in the PAG, representing a gradual shift from C‐ to D‐dominated coral hosts. The analysis of symbiont diversity in an Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU)‐based framework allowed the identification of differences in symbiont taxon richness over geographical regions and host genera.

Main conclusions

Our study represents a comprehensive overview over biogeography and molecular diversity of Symbiodinium in the Arabian Seas, where coral reefs thrive in one of the most extreme environmental settings on the planet. As such our data will serve as a baseline for further exploration into the effects of environmental change on host–symbiont pairings and the identification and ecological significance of Symbiodinium types from regions already experiencing ‘Future Ocean’ conditions.
Source evaluation of domain experts and novices during Web search
Authors: Brand‐Gruwel S. , Kammerer Y. , van Meeuwen L. , van Gog T.
Published: January 2017

Nowadays, almost everyone uses the World Wide Web (WWW) to search for information of any kind. In education, students frequently use the WWW for selecting information to accomplish assignments such as writing an essay or preparing a presentation. The evaluation of sources and information is an important sub‐skill in this process. But many students have not yet optimally developed this skill. On the basis of verbal reports, eye‐tracking data and navigation logs, this study investigated how novices in the domain of psychology evaluate Internet sources as compared to domain experts. In addition, two different verbal reporting techniques, namely thinking aloud and cued retrospective reporting, were compared in order to examine students' evaluation behaviour. Results revealed that domain expertise has an impact on individuals' evaluation behaviour during Web search, such that domain experts showed a more sophisticated use of evaluation criteria to judge the reliability of sources and information and selected more reliable information than domain novices. Furthermore, the different verbal reporting techniques did not lead to different conclusions on criteria use in relation to domain expertise, although in general more utterances concerning evaluation of sources and information were expressed during cued retrospective reporting.

Lay Description

What is already known about this topic:

When searching the Web, students assess the reliability of information and sources in a spontaneous manner.

Students tend to use superficial criteria when judging the trustworthiness of web‐based information and sources.

Little is known about the differences between domain experts and novices in terms of the ways they spontaneously evaluate web‐based information and sources.

What this paper adds:

Domain knowledge influences evaluation behaviour, with greater domain knowledge leading to more reliable selection of sources.

A comparison of techniques for measuring evaluation behaviour when searching the Web for information reveals that different techniques, such as thinking aloud and cued retrospective reporting, have different pros and cons whose implications depend on the research questions being addressed.

Implications for practice and/or policy:

In formal education, more attention should be paid to equipping students with the requisite skills in searching for and evaluating web‐based information. Embedded process‐oriented instructional designs are needed that foster the appropriate evaluation behaviours.
Linking amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy through RNA‐transcriptome homeostasis: a genomics perspective
Authors: Gama‐Carvalho Margarida , L. Garcia‐Vaquero Marina , R. Pinto Francisco , Besse Florence , Weis Joachim , Voigt Aaron , Schulz Jörg B. , De Las Rivas Javier
Published: January 2017

In this review, we present our most recent understanding of key biomolecular processes that underlie two motor neuron degenerative disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and spinal muscular atrophy. We focus on the role of four multifunctional proteins involved in RNA metabolism (TDP‐43, FUS, SMN, and Senataxin) that play a causal role in these diseases. Recent results have led to a novel scenario of intricate connections between these four proteins, bringing transcriptome homeostasis into the spotlight as a common theme in motor neuron degeneration. We review reported functional and physical interactions between these four proteins, highlighting their common association with nuclear bodies and small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle biogenesis and function. We discuss how these interactions are turning out to be particularly relevant for the control of transcription and chromatin homeostasis, including the recent identification of an association between SMN and Senataxin required to ensure the resolution of DNA‐RNA hybrid formation and proper termination by RNA polymerase II. These connections strongly support the existence of common pathways underlying the spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotype. We also discuss the potential of genome‐wide expression profiling, in particular RNA sequencing derived data, to contribute to unravelling the underlying mechanisms. We provide a review of publicly available datasets that have addressed both diseases using these approaches, and highlight the value of investing in cross‐disease studies to promote our understanding of the pathways leading to neurodegeneration.

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Fingolimod confers neuroprotection through activation of Rac1 after experimental germinal matrix hemorrhage in rat pups
Authors: Rolland William B. , Krafft Paul R. , Lekic Tim , Klebe Damon , LeGrand Julia , Weldon Abby Jones , Xu Liang , Zhang John H.
Published: January 2017

Fingolimod, a sphingosine‐1‐phosphate receptor (S1PR) agonist, is clinically available to treat multiple sclerosis and is showing promise in treating stroke. We investigated if fingolimod provides long‐term protection from experimental neonatal germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH), aiming to support a potential mechanism of acute fingolimod‐induced protection. GMH was induced in P7 rats by infusion of collagenase (0.3 U) into the right ganglionic eminence. Animals killed at 4 weeks post‐GMH received low‐ or high‐dose fingolimod (0.25 or 1.0 mg/kg) or vehicle, and underwent neurocognitive testing before histopathological evaluation. Subsequently, a cohort of animals killed at 72 h post‐GMH received 1.0 mg/kg fingolimod; the specific S1PR1 agonist, SEW2871; or fingolimod co‐administered with the S1PR1/3/4 inhibitor, VPC23019, or the Rac1 inhibitor, EHT1864. All drugs were injected intraperitoneally 1, 24, and 48 h post‐surgery. At 72 h post‐GMH, brain water content, extravasated Evans blue dye, and hemoglobin were measured as well as the expression levels of phospho‐Akt, Akt, GTP‐Rac1, Total‐Rac1, ZO1, occludin, and claudin‐3 determined. Fingolimod significantly improved long‐term neurocognitive performance and ameliorated brain tissue loss. At 72 h post‐GMH, fingolimod reduced brain water content and Evans blue dye extravasation as well as reversed GMH‐induced loss of tight junctional proteins. S1PR1 agonism showed similar protection, whereas S1PR or Rac1 inhibition abolished the protective effect of fingolimod. Fingolimod treatment improved functional and morphological outcomes after GMH, in part, by tempering acute post‐hemorrhagic blood–brain barrier disruption via the activation of the S1PR1/Akt/Rac1 pathway.

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Reflection imaging of China ink‐perfused brain vasculature using confocal laser‐scanning microscopy after clarification of brain tissue by the Spalteholz method
Authors: Gutierre R. C. , Vannucci Campos D. , Mortara R. A. , Coppi A. A. , Arida R. M.
Published: January 2017

Confocal laser‐scanning microscopy is a useful tool for visualizing neurons and glia in transparent preparations of brain tissue from laboratory animals. Currently, imaging capillaries and venules in transparent brain tissues requires the use of fluorescent proteins. Here, we show that vessels can be imaged by confocal laser‐scanning microscopy in transparent cortical, hippocampal and cerebellar preparations after clarification of China ink‐injected specimens by the Spalteholz method. This method may be suitable for global, three‐dimensional, quantitative analyses of vessels, including stereological estimations of total volume and length and of surface area of vessels, which constitute indirect approaches to investigate angiogenesis.
‘Betwixt and between health and illness’ – women's narratives following acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Smith Rita , Frazer Kate , Hall Patricia , Hyde Abbey , O'Connor Laserina
Published: January 2017

Aims and Objectives

This study investigated experiences of women with a primary diagnosis of ACS (NSTEMI and Unstable Angina) in the 6–8 week period following discharge from hospital. The aim was to report the experience of the mediating impact of a newly‐diagnosed disease.

Background

Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of mortality in women. Treatment modalities have improved health outcomes and survival rates, however, quality of life and ongoing morbidity after discharge is not clearly understood from a gender specific perspective.

Design

A naturalistic case study design guided this study.

Methods

Thirty women participated (n = 30); a within‐case followed by a cross‐case analysis provided meticulous knowledge of each case. Data collection included participant diaries and face to face interviews. Data were analysed using modified analytic induction which allowed the emergence of theoretical insights. The theoretical concepts, liminality and transitioning were used to inform the analysis. Within‐methods triangulation captured the depth and breadth of the women's experiences.

Results

The data provide an insight into women's experiences following ACS and highlight a need for support structures and services after discharge. Many women reported a period of disrupted normality following discharge from hospital. While a number of women had transitioned towards recovery, many remained in a liminal space ‘betwixt and between’ health and illness. Cardiac rehabilitation was reported as a positive experience for those who were attending.

Conclusions

The findings provide a platform for a wider discourse on the needs of women with ACS in the immediate period after discharge from hospital. Women may benefit from gender‐specific, appropriately timed, and targeted interventions to facilitate recovery and adaptation to living with CHD.

Relevance to clinical practice

It is essential that secondary prevention services are modelled and tailored to meet the needs of women and evaluated appropriately to ensure positive outcomes. Nursing could have a key role to play in managing and providing this support.
Impact of nursing diagnoses on patient and organisational outcomes: a systematic literature review
Authors: Sanson Gianfranco , Vellone Ercole , Kangasniemi Mari , Alvaro Rosaria , D'Agostino Fabio
Published: January 2017

Aims and objectives

To investigate the impact of nursing diagnoses on patient and organisational outcomes in any field of health care where nurses are involved.

Background

In healthcare systems, descriptions of patient complexity and outcomes and payment criteria are primarily based on medical diagnoses and procedures. Other aspects of patient care are rarely considered. Nursing diagnoses are believed to be related to healthcare outcomes, but comprehensive evidence for this association is missing.

Design

Systematic literature review.

Methods

The search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus databases without year or language limitations. The studies were categorised according to their methodological quality (low, good or high) and classified based on their levels of evidence on a scale of 1 (strongest evidence) to 5 (weakest evidence).

Results

Seventeen of 3426 potentially relevant studies met the eligibility criteria. Eleven studies were classified as low, five as good and one as high quality. The levels of evidence were rated as 2 for one study, three for two studies, four for nine studies and five for five studies. Nursing diagnoses were found to predict patient (quality of life, mortality) and organisational (length of hospital stay, hospital charges, amount of nursing care, discharge dispositions) outcomes. Patient care plans based on nursing diagnoses improved sleep quality, quality of life and glycaemic control. When added to information from disease‐based classification systems (e.g. diagnosis‐related groups), nursing diagnoses improved the predictions of the above outcomes.

Conclusions

Nursing diagnoses have a great potential to predict patient and organisational outcomes. High‐quality research is required to better investigate the existence and strength of these relationships.

Relevance to clinical practice

The systematic use of nursing diagnoses in clinical practice, as well as the sharing of high‐quality nursing data in large databases, may provide a considerable boost to the contribution of nursing to healthcare outcomes.