bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unusually high circumstellar absorption variability around the δ Scuti /λ Boötis star HD 183324
Authors: Montgomery Sharon L. , Welsh Barry Y.
Published: February 2017

We present both archival and new high-spectral resolution visible observations of the δ Scuti/λ Boötis star HD 183324 recorded over the 2009–2013 timeframe. Previous observations of this A0V-type star have hinted at the presence of a circumstellar disc of gas surrounding the star. These new spectral data unequivocally show a remarkably high level of variable absorption activity, whose behaviour is typical of a stellar system in which gas is added to a circumstellar disc on a sporadic basis due to the evaporation of planetesimal-like objects (i.e. ‘exocomets’). This planetesimal material most probably resides in an IR-emitting debris disc of dust and gas, similar to that of the β Pictoris exoplanet system that has recently been shown to harbor an exoplanet.
Hospital-Acquired Respiratory Viral Infections: Incidence, Morbidity, and Mortality in Pediatric and Adult Patients
Authors: Chow Eric J. , Mermel Leonard A.
Published: February 2017

Background

Hospital-acquired respiratory viral infections can result in morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. This study was undertaken to better understand the magnitude of the problem of nosocomial respiratory viral infections in adult and pediatric patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective study at a tertiary care adult and pediatric teaching hospital. Study patients met a priori criteria for definite or possible nosocomial respiratory viral infection.

Results

From April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2016, we identified 40 nosocomial respiratory viral infections in 38 patients involving 14 definite and 3 possible cases in our adult hospital and 18 definite and 5 possible cases in our pediatric hospital. The incidence was 5 cases/10 000 admissions and 44 cases/10 000 admissions to our adult and pediatric hospitals, respectively. Only 6.8% of cases were due to influenza. Although 63% of cases occurred during the fall and winter, such infections were identified throughout the year. Five (13%) nosocomial respiratory viral infections occurred in 2 adult and 3 pediatric patients who died during the hospitalization.

Conclusions

Nosocomial respiratory viral infections are an underappreciated cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized adult and pediatric patients. The incidence was nearly 10-fold higher in our pediatric hospital. We estimate there are approximately 18 955 pediatric and adult cases of nosocomial respiratory viral infections in US acute care hospitals each year.
SPATIAL CLUSTERING OF HODGKIN'S DISEASE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Authors: GLASER SALLY L.
Published: February 2017

Numerous investigations of time-space clustering in Hodgkin's disease, designed to investigate its communicability, have produced equivocal results. Few studies have considered the spatial clustering reflecting a broader range of exposures despite sporadic evidence of such groupings of Hodgkin's disease cases. This project examined spatial (residential) patterns among 741 white Hodgkin's disease cases from the San Francisco-Oakland, California, area using 1969–1977 cancer registry incidence data and 1970 population counts. Two types of distances between cases were evaluated using new statistical methods that adjust for population density. Hodgkin's disease cases lived closer to their nearest case neighbors than expected in four of five study counties. Significant clustering of this type occurred among case subgroups defined by sex, age, and social class. There was little evidence of larger-scale clustering around a single point-source exposure. The small, widely dispersed clusters detected here suggest late exposure to a ubiquitous environmental agent involved in Hodgkin's disease etiology. These case aggregations are consistent both with prior reports of spatial clustering in this lymphoma and with evidence implicating viral or other factors in its pathogenesis.
A PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO CANCER CLUSTERS IN MISSOURI
Authors: DEVIER JANICE R. , BROWNSON ROSS C. , BAGBY JOHN R. , CARLSON GALE M. , CRELLIN JOHN R.
Published: February 2017

A protocol was developed in 1984 by the Missouri Department of Health to provide a systematic method for responding to citizen reports of cancer clusters. This protocol integrates public health and environmental expertise and includes two stages: the preliminary review and the investigation. The preliminary review is focused on problem definition and hypothesis generation. Cancer mortality and incidence data are reviewed. Information is gathered and verified through the efforts of citizens, local health officials, environmental staff, and the cancer program staff. Epidemlologic factors evaluated include type of cancer, temporal and spatial relations, population at risk, community profile, and possible environmental and occupational factors. The investigation is an expanded analytic study. Resources are focused on cancer inquiries that appear most likely to involve manageable common exposures. Program experience and protocol development highlights, including surveillance system improvement and educational programming, are described.
TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF CANCER CLUSTER INVESTIGATIONS AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
Authors: CALDWELL GLYN G.
Published: February 2017

Beginning in 1961, the Centers for Disease Control investigated 108 cancer clusters and reported the findings in Epidemic Aid Reports. The clusters studied were of leukemia (38%), leukemia and lymphoma (30%), leukemia and other cancer combinations (13%), and all other cancer or combinations (19%). These clusters occurred in 29 states and five foreign countries, with the largest numbers from Connecticut (11), California (eight), Illinois (eight), New York (eight), Georgia (seven), Pennsylvania (six), and Iowa (five). All other states reported less than five. Eight different data collection methods were used, often in combinations, and four types of laboratory methods on four different specimen types. Although 14 different categories of associations were reported, no dear cause was found for any cluster. Nonetheless, concern about clusters by the public and media, and the need to investigate them, warrants the development of a uniform approach for use by local health departments.
Electron Spin Resonance of Defect Centres in CaSO4:Dy
Authors: Boas J.F. , Danby R.J. , Young J.G.
Published: February 2017

Electron spin resonance measurements in the temperature range 2.7 to 20K have shown that the Dy3+ ions in the dysprosium doped CaSO4 occupy a number of different lattice sites. Both the temperature and orientation dependences of the CaSO4:Dy3+ electron spin resonance spectra are complex. It is not clear at this stage whether a dominant orthorhombic rare earth site, such as those found in CaSO4:Eu3+ and CaSO4:Gd3+, is present in CaSO4:Dy3+.
Crystal structure of a CoIIcoordination polymer:catena-poly[[μ-aqua-bis(μ-2-methylpropanoato)-κ2O:O′;κ2O:O-cobalt(II)] monohydrate]
Authors: Fischer Andrei I. , Gurzhiy Vladislav V. , Aleksandrova Julia V. , Pakina Maria I.
Published: February 2017

In the title cobalt(II) coordination polymer with isobutyrate ligands, {[Co{CH(CH3)2CO2}2(H2O)]·H2O}n, the Co2+ion is hexacoordinated in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination environment defined by two O atoms from two bridging water molecules and four O atoms from four bridging carboxylate ligands. The carboxylates adopt two different coordination modes, μ-(κ2O:O′) and μ-(κ2O:O), forming a one-dimensional polymeric chain extending along [010]. The intra-chain cobalt...cobalt separation is 3.2029 (2) Å. The polymeric chains are linked by hydrogen bonds involving the water molecules of solvation, giving a two-dimensional network structure lying parallel to (100).
3-Hydroxy-3-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-3-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-2-one
Authors: Mague Joel T. , Mohamed Shaaban K. , Akkurt Mehmet , Adam Mohamed Shaker S. , Hawaiz Farouq E.
Published: February 2017

The conformation of the title molecule, C16H12N2O3, is partly determined by an intramolecular C=O...π interaction between one carbonyl group and the five-membered ring of the other indolinone moiety. The crystal packing consists of layers parallel to (001) formed by a combination of N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking interactions. Both the N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds generate inversion dimers.
Dichlorido(o-phenylenediamine)palladium(II)
Authors: Konno Yosuke , Matsushita Nobuyuki
Published: February 2017

The PdIIatom in the title compound, [PdCl2{(C6H4)(NH2)2}], lies on a twofold rotation axis and has a square-planar coordination environment defined by two N atoms of ano-phenylenediamine ligand and two Cl−ions. In the crystal, the planar Pd complex molecules are stacked parallel to thecaxis, resulting in a columnar structure. In the column, an infinite almost straight Pd chain is formed, suggesting weak metal–metal interactions. The crystal packing is stabilized by a three-dimensional N—H...Cl hydrogen-bonding network between the amino groups and the Cl ligands of adjacent molecules.
3-[(3,5-Dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl]-4-(4-methylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-thione
Authors: Mague Joel T. , Mohamed Shaaban K. , Akkurt Mehmet , Marzouk Adel A. , Hawaiz Farouq E. , Abdel-Rahman Hamdy M.
Published: February 2017

With the pyrazolyl andp-tolyl groups lying to one side of the plane through the linking 1,2,4-triazole-5-thione residue [forming dihedral angles of 87.05 (8) and 81.41 (7)°, respectively], the title molecule, C15H17N5S, adopts a `pincer' conformation stabilized in part by two intramolecular C—H...π(ring) interactions. A three-dimensional network structure is generated by a combination of intermolecular N—H...N and C—H...S hydrogen bonds, as well as C—H...π(ring) interactions.
Combining actor-network theory with interventionist research: present state and future potential
Authors: Lukka Kari , Vinnari Eija
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the philosophical and practical compatibility of actor-network theory (ANT) and interventionist research (IVR) and search for explanations for their scant combined use. The scope of investigation is limited to accounting, management and organization studies (MOS), but the findings are believed to be applicable in other social sciences as well.

Design/methodology/approach

An analysis is conducted of accounting and MOS research in addition to interviewing eight accounting scholars who have applied IVR and/or ANT in their research.

Findings

A comparison of the philosophical and other features of ANT and IVR suggests that they should be relatively easily combinable in studies. Based on interview material, three types of barriers to combining ANT and IVR are identified: perceived epistemological incompatibility, fear of going native or losing neutrality and academic tribes. However, subsequent analysis indicates that none of these forms an insurmountable obstacle to the combination.

Research limitations/implications

The combined application of ANT and IVR could benefit both IVR and ANT researchers in management accounting as it would enable them to conduct theoretically grounded studies on dynamic processes, such as the emergence and implementation of accounting innovations, to pose original research questions and to find new perspectives to accounting phenomena.

Practical implications

Employing ANT and IVR in combination could increase organizational interest in management accounting research.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the discussion on the compatibility of different research approaches and highlights ways in which researchers could benefit from combining ANT and IVR.
Microfinance regulation and effective corporate governance in Nigeria and Zambia
Authors: Okoye Ngozi , Siwale Juliana
Published: February 2017

Purpose

There have been various forms of regulatory intervention by the central banks of countries to streamline microfinance activities and ensure effective corporate governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs). Considering the limited amount of research in this area and the need to ensure regulatory effectiveness, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of regulatory provisions on the attainment of effective corporate governance in MFIs in Nigeria and Zambia.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with regulators at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Zambia, directors and executive management officers of MFIs and executives of apex associations of MFIs in both countries.

Findings

The paper presents five significant findings which are that the regulations have enabled negative outcomes in areas such as board composition, the ownership requirements in the regulations have resulted in differing governance implications, the certification requirements for board members are problematic in practice, supervision by regulators is ineffective and has impacts on risk management and the principle of consultation with stakeholders is inadequate in both countries.

Practical implications

Regulatory provisions must be robust and fit for purpose to ensure the microfinance initiative in emerging economies achieves the objectives of enhancing financial inclusion and economic development of the society.

Originality/value

The paper addresses an area of limited research and provides empirical findings in relation to regulation and corporate governance in developing economies, which would help to ensure regulatory effectiveness.
Drivers of organizational performance in state owned enterprises
Authors: Mbo Mbako , Adjasi Charles
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirical evidence on factors that influence performance of state owned enterprises (SOEs). With a focus on power utilities, the paper investigates how such several factors interact with each other to influence ultimate performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on the SOEs constituting the sample is predominantly obtained from the audited annual financial statements and other publicized reports of entities for a 20-year period spanning from 1994 to 2013. The audited annual financial statements provide quantitative data whilst the rest of qualitative information is available from narratives in the annual reports. The study takes liquidity, board strength, extent of stakeholder presentation on board and government’s involvement in pricing as proxy variables for resource-based agency, stakeholder and public choice theories, respectively. Using performance as the dependent variable, the study variables are modeled in a regression model.

Findings

The paper finds that good SOE performance could be explained in terms of the agency and resource-based theories, where the authors found strong boards and good liquidity profiles to be positively related to good performance. A wider stakeholder representation on SOE boards correlates negatively with performance. Similarly, the higher the level of government involvement in the tariff setting process the weaker the performance results. Based on the results, the paper concludes that SOEs performance is underpinned by a plethora of organizational issues: agency, public policy, stakeholder and resource-based issues. These issues must therefore inform the appointment of SOE management and also their performance contracts.

Practical implications

The study suggests that SOE governance structures should be centered around four main unifying themes; agency, stakeholders, resources and shareholder engagement. From an agency perspective, board appointments should first be based on merit and stakeholder representation comes in as a subset. Resources availability should be paired with objective imperatives and engagement with political leadership should be limited to matters of policy through a regulatory and legal framework.

Originality/value

This study provides some practical insights from both an administration and policy perspective. First, it reveals the importance of and a linkage between both adequate resources and strong boards, but also the need to find the right balance in managing stakeholder interests SOEs face. The study does not necessarily support the popular view of completely eliminating government interference in SOE affairs, but rather advances optimal political influence through regulatory and legal frameworks without giving up ownership rights.
Evaluating the sustainable performance of corporate boards: the balanced scorecard approach
Authors: Aly Ahmed Hussein , Mansour Mohamed Elsayed
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for evaluating the sustainable performance of corporate boards using the balanced scorecard approach. Also, the paper aims to determine the need and relevance of the proposed method in the evaluation process by testing the differences in the relative importance of the proposed method measures on a sample of the Egyptian manufacturing companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a questionnaire list and personal interviews with three different population samples: board members, managers of manufacturing companies and financial analysts in brokerage firms. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to test the degree of approval on the related questions, and the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to test the differences among the responses of the three samples.

Findings

The results of the statistical analysis indicate that there is a need for companies to have an effective tool to evaluate the board performance, and that the proposed method is a suitable tool for the evaluation. Also, the results indicate that there are differences in the relative importance of the performance measures among the three samples.

Research limitations/implications

The exploratory study focused on a sample of manufacturing companies only. Accordingly, service companies and financial institutions are outside the scope of this research. There was difficulty in accessing a sample of shareholders; instead, this sample was replaced by a group of financial analysts in brokerage firms.

Practical implications

The proposed method adds to the performance evaluation literature with regard to measuring and evaluating the performance of boards. The study provides an empirical evidence of the need to use the balanced scorecard in the board evaluation and its relevance for the evaluation process. It provides a short guide to the most important performance measures to be used in the evaluation process of the company’s board of directors.

Originality/value

Few studies have focused on evaluating the performance of the board of directors using the balanced scorecard. This study is an important attempt to evaluate the sustainable performance of the board of directors using the balanced scorecard by taking into consideration the corporate social responsibility perspective. The proposed board’s balanced scorecard provides a useful tool to evaluate the performance of boards using objective, specific and clear measures.
Sing Hosanna for the brands: the process of substituting religion with brand
Authors: Sarkar Abhigyan , Sarkar Juhi Gahlot
Published: February 2017

Purpose

Extant research shows that individual’s relationship with brand can be structurally similar to both interpersonal love relationship and religious relationship. A stream of consumer research states that individual can love a brand like a person loves another person. Another stream of consumer research postulates that individual can perceive brand equivalent to religion, and even substitute religion with brand. Research is scarce connecting these two different paradigms of brand relationship, given that interpersonal relationship is not necessarily as devotional as religious relationship. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the psychological process through which an individual can substitute his/her religion with brand. The basic theoretical premise of this substitution behaviour is the proposition that brand meanings can be perceived as equivalent to religious meanings.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has conducted an integrative review of selected extant research related to individual-brand relationships, interpersonal relationships and religiosity.

Findings

This paper develops a consumer response hierarchy model showing the inter-related psychological processes through which an individual can substitute his/her religion with brand. The model forms the basis for the discussion of theoretical contributions and managerial implications.

Originality/value

The value of this conceptual paper lies in developing a process model for the first time in the area of consumer-brand relationship domain explaining the stage-wise psychological processes through which individual can move from mere cognitive brand satisfaction towards perceiving brand as substitute of religion.
biomass: an r package for estimating above‐ground biomass and its uncertainty in tropical forests
Authors: Réjou‐Méchain Maxime , Tanguy Ariane , Piponiot Camille , Chave Jérôme , Hérault Bruno
Published: February 2017

Estimating forest above‐ground biomass (AGB), or carbon (AGC), in tropical forests has become a major concern for scientists and stakeholders. However, AGB assessment procedures are not fully standardized and even more importantly, the uncertainty associated with AGB estimates is seldom assessed.

Here, we present an r package designed to compute both AGB/AGC estimate and its associated uncertainty from forest plot datasets, using a Bayesian inference procedure. The package builds upon previous work on pantropical and regional biomass allometric equations and published datasets by default, but it can also integrate unpublished or complementary datasets in many steps.

BIOMASS performs a number of standard tasks on input forest tree inventories: (i) tree species identification, if available, is automatically corrected; (ii) wood density is estimated from tree species identity; (iii) if height data are available, a local height–diameter allometry may be built; else height is inferred from pantropical or regional models; (iv) finally, AGB/AGC are estimated by propagating the errors associated with all the calculation steps up to the final estimate. R code is given in the paper and in the appendix for the purpose of illustration.

The BIOMASS package should contribute to improved standards for AGB calculation for tropical forest stands, and will encourage users to report the uncertainties associated with stand‐level AGB/AGC estimates in future studies.
The results of local excision with or without postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for early rectal cancer among patients choosing to avoid radical surgery
Authors: Balyasnikova S. , Read J. , Tait D. , Wotherspoon A. , Swift I. , Cunningham D. , Tekkis P. , Brown G.
Published: February 2017

Aim

The study aimed to establish the oncological outcome of patients who opted for close surveillance with or without adjuvant chemoradiotherapy rather than radical surgery after local excision (LE) of early rectal cancer.

Method

The Royal Marsden Hospital Rectal Cancer database was used to identify rectal cancer patients treated by primary LE from 2006 to 2015. All patients were entered in an intensive surveillance programme.

Results

Twenty‐eight of 34 analysed patients had a high or very high risk of residual disease predicted by adverse histopathological features for which the recommendation had been radical surgery. Eighteen (52%) of the 34 had received radiotherapy following LE. Three‐year disease‐free survival for the 34 patients was 85% (95% CI 78.8%–91.2%) and overall survival was 100%. Twenty‐two of 24 patients with a low tumour which would have required total rectal excision have so far avoided radical surgery and remain disease free at a median follow‐up of 3.2 years.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that with modern MRI and clinical surveillance radical surgery can be avoided in patients following initial LE of a histopathologically defined high risk early rectal cancer. These findings are comparable with those obtained after major radical resection and warrant further prospective investigation as a treatment arm in larger prospective trials.
Diagnostic efficacy of liquid‐based cytology for solid pancreatic lesion samples obtained with endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration: Propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Hashimoto Shinichi , Taguchi Hiroki , Higashi Michiyo , Hatanaka Kazuhito , Fujita Toshihiro , Iwaya Hiromichi , Nakazawa Junichi , Arima Shiho , Iwashita Yuji , Sasaki Fumisato , Nasu Yuichiro , Kanmura Shuji , Ido Akio
Published: February 2017

Background and Aim

There is a paucity of data on the diagnostic efficacy of liquid‐based cytology (LBC) for pancreatic samples obtained by endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA). Using propensity score matching, we retrospectively analyzed the additional diagnostic value of LBC compared to a conventional Papanicolaou smear (CPS) for samples of solid pancreatic lesions obtained by EUS‐FNA.

Methods

This cohort study included 126 matched patients who underwent initial EUS‐FNA for solid pancreatic lesions between January 2009 and August 2014. CPS was used for cytology of EUS‐FNA samples obtained until May 2012 (63 patients). Subsequently, LBC was used for cytological analysis (63 patients). Diagnostic yields of CPS and LBC for malignancy were compared. Risk factors for cytological misdiagnosis with LBC were investigated.

Results

Overall rate of malignancy was 86% after matching. LBC had higher diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy than CPS (96.6% vs 84.0%, P = 0.03; and 96.8% vs 87.3%, P = 0.05). LBC was significantly more sensitive for diagnosing pancreatic head lesions (96.4% vs 78.1%, P = 0.04). The sensitivity for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with LBC was higher (98.1% vs 83.0%, P = 0.009). Multivariate analysis revealed that malignant tumors other than PDAC (P = 0.004) and lesion size ≤20 mm (P = 0.046) were risk factors for LBC misdiagnosis in all participants.

Conclusions

For solid pancreatic lesions, LBC of EUS‐FNA samples contributes to the diagnosis of malignancy. Malignant tumors other than PDAC and small tumors are difficult to diagnose using EUS‐FNA and LBC.
The Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale is the first quality of life tool developed for clinical use and validated in patients with follicular lymphoma
Authors: Davies Joanna M. , Osborne Thomas R. , Edmonds Polly M. , Schey Steve A. , Devereux Steve , Higginson Irene J. , Ramsenthaler Christina
Published: February 2017

Objectives

The development of novel agents and an ageing population has led to an increasing number of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) living longer with their disease. Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) is a priority for patients and should guide clinical decisions. The Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale (MyPOS), originally developed for myeloma, was validated in a cross‐sectional survey recruiting 124 FL patients.

Methods

Content and construct validity, structural validity using confirmatory factor analyses, reliability and acceptability were evaluated.

Results

Three subscales were indicated: symptoms and function, emotional response, and healthcare support. MyPOS symptom and function scores were higher (worse) in participants with poorer ECOG performance status (F=26.2, P<.000) and discriminated between patients on and off treatment. Good convergent and discriminant validity in comparison to the EORTC‐QLQ‐C30 and FACT‐Lym were demonstrated. Internal consistency was good; α coefficient 0.70‐0.95 for the total MyPOS score and subscales.

Conclusion

The MyPOS is valid, reliable and acceptable, and can be used to support clinical care of FL patients. This is the first measurement tool developed specially for use in clinical practice that has been validated for use in people with FL. Further longitudinal validation is now required to support its use in outcome measurement.
Interaction rewiring and the rapid turnover of plant–pollinator networks
Authors: CaraDonna Paul J. , Petry William K. , Brennan Ross M. , Cunningham James L. , Bronstein Judith L. , Waser Nickolas M. , Sanders Nathan J.
Published: February 2017

Whether species interactions are static or change over time has wide‐reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, species interaction networks are typically constructed from temporally aggregated interaction data, thereby implicitly assuming that interactions are fixed. This approach has advanced our understanding of communities, but it obscures the timescale at which interactions form (or dissolve) and the drivers and consequences of such dynamics. We address this knowledge gap by quantifying the within‐season turnover of plant–pollinator interactions from weekly censuses across 3 years in a subalpine ecosystem. Week‐to‐week turnover of interactions (1) was high, (2) followed a consistent seasonal progression in all years of study and (3) was dominated by interaction rewiring (the reassembly of interactions among species). Simulation models revealed that species’ phenologies and relative abundances constrained both total interaction turnover and rewiring. Our findings reveal the diversity of species interactions that may be missed when the temporal dynamics of networks are ignored.
Dickkopf‐1 is involved in dexamethasone‐mediated hair follicle regression
Authors: Kwack Mi Hee , Lee Jun Ho , Seo Chang Hoon , Kim Jung Chul , Kim Moon Kyu , Sung Young Kwan
Published: February 2017

The stress‐related neurohormones including glucocorticoids (GCs) are secreted by hair follicles (HFs), and GCs suppress murine hair growth in vivo. In this study, we found that dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic GC, increased the expression of dickkopf‐1 (DKK1), a known catagen inducer, in dermal papilla (DP) cells, but not in follicular keratinocytes. The neutralizing DKK1 antibody significantly attenuated the Dex‐induced inhibition of human hair shaft elongation. In addition, the neutralizing Dkk1 antibody delayed Dex‐induced catagen in mice. Collectively, our data strongly suggest that stress‐related neurohormones cause DP cells to secrete DKK1, thereby leading to stress‐associated disturbances in hair growth.
Loss of cutaneous microbial diversity during first 3 weeks of life in very low birthweight infants
Authors: Salava Alexander , Aho Velma , Lybeck Emilia , Pereira Pedro , Paulin Lars , Nupponen Irmeli , Ranki Annamari , Auvinen Petri , Andersson Sture , Lauerma Antti
Published: February 2017

Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a frequent problem in neonatal intensive care, especially in preterm and very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. The objective of the study was to characterize the cutaneous bacterial microbiome in VLBW infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Non‐invasive skin microbiome specimens were taken repeatedly from 12 VLBW infants during treatment in NICU starting on the first day of life. All infants received benzylpenicillin and netilmicin during the first 1‐5 postnatal days. Samples were also collected from incubators. High cutaneous microbial diversity was present at birth in 11 of 12 of the infants, but the diversity decreased substantially after the first weeks of life in all infants regardless of their infection status. After the loss of diversity, one Staphylococcus operational taxonomic unit dominated the skin microbiome. Recovery of microbial diversity was seen in six of 12 neonates. The microbiome of incubators showed typical environmental bacterial genera. Maternal antibiotic treatment, the aetiology of the preterm birth or being born by C‐section did not appear to affect the diversity of skin microbiota at birth, and no correlation was found between cutaneous microbiome and NS.
Clinical Phenotype of Musladin‐Lueke Syndrome in 2 Beagles
Authors: Packer R.A. , Logan M.A. , Guo L.T. , Apte S.S. , Bader H. , O'Brien D.P. , Johnson G. , Shelton G.D.
Published: February 2017

Musladin‐Lueke syndrome (MLS), previously termed Chinese Beagle syndrome, is an autosomal‐recessive connective tissue disorder characterized by extensive fibrosis of the skin and joints that was first identified in Beagles in the 1970s. Recent research identified a founder mutation (c.660C>T; p.R221C) in theADAMTSL2gene in Beagles withMLS. Here, we report the detailed clinical phenotype and laboratory findings in 2 Beagles affected withMLS. We discuss these findings in relation to the human disorder geleophysic dysplasia (GD), which also arises from recessiveADAMTSL2mutations, and recent findings inAdamtsl2‐deficient mice.
A phosphoinositide‐specific phospholipase C pathway elicits stress‐induced Ca2+ signals and confers salt tolerance to rice
Authors: Li Li , Wang Fawei , Yan Peiwen , Jing Wen , Zhang Chunxia , Kudla Jörg , Zhang Wenhua
Published: February 2017

In animal cells, phospholipase C (PLC) isoforms predominantly hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐biphosphates [PtdIns(4,5)P2] into the second messengers diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] to regulate diverse biological processes. By contrast, the molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of PLC signaling in plants still awaits full elucidation. Here, we identified a rice (Oryza sativa cv) PI‐PLC, OsPLC1, which preferred to hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol‐4‐phosphate (PtdIns4P) and elicited stress‐induced Ca2+ signals regulating salt tolerance.

Analysis by ion chromatography revealed that the concentration of PtdIns4P was c. 28 times of that of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in shoots. OsPLC1 not only converted PtdIns(4,5)P2 but also – and even more efficiently – converted PtdIns4P into DAG and Ins(1,4,5)P3 in vitro and in vivo.

Salt stress induced the recruitment of OsPLC1 from cytoplasm to plasma membrane, where it hydrolyzed PtdIns4P. The stress‐induced Ca2+ signaling was dependent on OsPLC1, and the PLC‐mediated Ca2+ signaling was essential for controlling Na+ accumulation in leaf blades, thus establishing whole plant salt tolerance.

Our work identifies a conversion pathway and physiological function for PtdIns4P pools in rice and reveals the connection between phosphoinositides and Ca2+ signals mediated by PLC during salt stress responses.
Phospholipase Dα1‐mediated phosphatidic acid change is a key determinant of desiccation‐induced viability loss in seeds
Authors: Chen Hongying , Yu Xiaomei , Zhang Xudong , Yang Lan , Huang Xing , Zhang Jie , Pritchard Hugh W. , Li Weiqi
Published: February 2017

High sensitivity of seeds to water loss is a widespread phenomenon in the world's plant species. The molecular basis of this trait is poorly understood but thought to be associated with critical changes in membrane function. We profiled membrane lipids of seeds in eight species with varying levels of desiccation tolerance and found a close association between reducing seed viability and increasing phosphatidic acid (PA). We applied hydration–dehydration cycles to Arabidopsis seeds, which are normally desiccation tolerant, to mimic the onset of desiccation sensitivity with progression towards germination and examined the role of phospholipase D (PLD) in desiccation stress‐induced production of PA. We found that PLDα1 became more abundant and migrated from the cytosol to the membrane during desiccation, whereas PLDδ did not change, and that all desiccation‐induced PA was derived from PLDα1 hydrolysis. When PLDα1 was suppressed, the germination level after each hydration–dehydration cycle improved significantly. We further demonstrated that PLDα1‐mediated PA formation modulates desiccation sensitivity as applying its inhibitor improved seed desiccation tolerance and its suppression in protoplasts enhanced survival under dehydration. The insights provided by comparative lipidomics enable us to propose a new membrane‐based model for seed desiccation stress and survival.
Globalization of pediatric transplantation: The risk of tuberculosis or not tuberculosis
Authors: McCulloch Mignon , Lin Philana Ling
Published: February 2017

The risk of TB among pediatric SOT recipients increases as the globalization of medical care continues to broaden. Unlike adults, children and especially infants are more susceptible to TB as a complication after transplantation. Little data exist regarding the true incidence of TB and the optimal risk‐based management of this very vulnerable population. Here, we highlight the theoretical and practical issues that complicate the management of these patients and pose some questions that should be addressed when managing these patients. More data are needed to provide optimal guidance of the best diagnostic and management practices to this unique population.
AtbHLH68 transcription factor contributes to the regulation of ABA homeostasis and drought stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Le Hir Rozenn , Castelain Mathieu , Chakraborti Dipankar , Moritz Thomas , Dinant Sylvie , Bellini Catherine
Published: February 2017

Basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factors are involved in a wide range of developmental processes and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. They represent one of the biggest families of transcription factors but only few of them have been functionally characterized. Here we report the characterization of AtbHLH68 and show that, although the knock out mutant did not have an obvious development phenotype, it was slightly more sensitive to drought stress than the Col‐0, and AtbHLH68 overexpressing lines displayed defects in lateral root (LR) formation and a significant increased tolerance to drought stress, likely related to an enhanced sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and/or increased ABA content. AtbHLH68 was expressed in the vascular system of Arabidopsis and its expression was modulated by exogenously applied ABA in an organ‐specific manner. We showed that the expression of genes involved in ABA metabolism [AtAAO3 (AtALDEHYDE OXIDASE 3) and AtCYP707A3 (AtABSCISIC ACID 8′HYDROXYLASE 3)], in ABA‐related response to drought‐stress (AtMYC2, AtbHLH122 and AtRD29A) or during LRs development (AtMYC2 and AtABI3) was de‐regulated in the overexpressing lines. We propose that AtbHLH68 has a function in the regulation of LR elongation, and in the response to drought stress, likely through an ABA‐dependent pathway by regulating directly or indirectly components of ABA signaling and/or metabolism.
Draft Genome Sequence of Deep-Sea
Alteromonas
sp. Strain V450 Isolated from the Marine Sponge
Leiodermatium
sp
Authors: Wang Guojun , Barrett Nolan H. , McCarthy Peter J.
Published: February 2017

The proteobacterium
Alteromonas
sp. strain V450 was isolated from the Atlantic deep-sea sponge
Leiodermatium
sp. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, with a genome size of approx. 4.39 Mb and a G+C content of 44.01%. The results will aid deep-sea microbial ecology, evolution, and sponge-microbe association studies.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Flavobacteriales
Bacterium Strain UJ101 Isolated from a Xanthid Crab
Authors: Yang Jhung-Ahn , Kwon Kae Kyoung , Oh Hyun-Myung
Published: February 2017

Flavobacteriales
bacterium strain UJ101 was isolated from a xanthid crab species collected from the East Sea of Korea. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain UJ101 for the study of major metabolic pathways related to microbial species from marine invertebrate species.
Fungal Enzymes and Yeasts for Conversion of Plant Biomass to Bioenergy and High-Value Products
Authors: Lange Lene
Published: February 2017

Fungi and fungal enzymes play important roles in the new bioeconomy. Enzymes from filamentous fungi can unlock the potential of recalcitrant lignocellulose structures of plant cell walls as a new resource, and fungi such as yeast can produce bioethanol from the sugars released after enzyme treatment. Such processes reflect inherent characteristics of the fungal way of life, namely, that fungi as heterotrophic organisms must break down complex carbon structures of organic materials to satisfy their need for carbon and nitrogen for growth and reproduction. This chapter describes major steps in the conversion of plant biomass to value-added products. These products provide a basis for substituting fossil-derived fuels, chemicals, and materials, as well as unlocking the biomass potential of the agricultural harvest to yield more food and feed. This article focuses on the mycological basis for the fungal contribution to biorefinery processes, which are instrumental for improved resource efficiency and central to the new bioeconomy. Which types of processes, inherent to fungal physiology and activities in nature, are exploited in the new industrial processes? Which families of the fungal kingdom and which types of fungal habitats and ecological specializations are hot spots for fungal biomass conversion? How can the best fungal enzymes be found and optimized for industrial use? How can they be produced most efficiently—in fungal expression hosts? How have industrial biotechnology and biomass conversion research contributed to mycology and environmental research? Future perspectives and approaches are listed, highlighting the importance of fungi in development of the bioeconomy.
Development, validity and reliability testing of the East Midlands Evaluation Tool (EMET) for measuring impacts on trainees’ confidence and competence following end of life care training
Authors: Whittaker B , Parry R , Bird L , Watson S , Faull C
Published: February 2017

Objectives

To develop, test and validate a versatile questionnaire, the East Midlands Evaluation Tool (EMET), for measuring effects of end of life care training events on trainees’ self-reported confidence and competence.

Methods

A paper-based questionnaire was designed on the basis of the English Department of Health's core competences for end of life care, with sections for completion pretraining, immediately post-training and also for longer term follow-up. Preliminary versions were field tested at 55 training events delivered by 13 organisations to 1793 trainees working in diverse health and social care backgrounds. Iterative rounds of development aimed to maximise relevance to events and trainees. Internal consistency was assessed by calculating interitem correlations on questionnaire responses during field testing. Content validity was assessed via qualitative content analysis of (1) responses to questionnaires completed by field tester trainers and (2) field notes from a workshop with a separate cohort of experienced trainers. Test–retest reliability was assessed via repeat administration to a cohort of student nurses.

Results

The EMET comprises 27 items with Likert-scaled responses supplemented with questions seeking free-text responses. It measures changes in self-assessed confidence and competence on 5 subscales: communication skills; assessment and care planning; symptom management; advance care planning; overarching values and knowledge. Test–retest reliability was found to be good, as was internal consistency: the questions successfully assess different aspects of the same underlying concept.

Conclusions

The EMET provides a time-efficient, reliable and flexible means of evaluating effects of training on self-reported confidence and competence in the key elements of end of life care.
Intrinsic compression behavior of remolded sand–clay mixture
Authors: Chu Chengfu , Wu Zilong , Deng Yongfeng , Chen Yonggui , Wang Qiong
Published: February 2017

A series of incremental loading oedometer tests was conducted on pure clays and sand–clay mixtures with various sand/clay ratios and clay mineral compositions. The void indexes Ivand IvHwere introduced to evaluate their intrinsic compressibility. Test results revealed that Ivwas more suitable for depicting the compression behavior of pure clays than IvH; whereas, for the compressibility of sand–clay mixtures, the normalized compression line by using Ivwas obviously different from that of pure clays and traditional soils due to the presence of sand particles. Therefore, a four-phase analysis framework of sand–clay mixtures was introduced to unify the intrinsic compression behavior of soils with and without sands. It was found that the updated clay void index Ivcparameter was effective to unify the soil’s compression behavior by excluding the influence of sand particles in clays before the sand skeleton formation. After the formation of the sand skeleton, the cluster particles change the stress distribution of mixtures, leading to less stress being applied on the clay matrix and thus the bifurcation of the intrinsic compression behavior.
Taxonomic and cytogenetic studies in Opuntia ser. Armatae (Cactaceae)
Authors: Las Peñas M. Laura , Oakley Luis , Moreno Natalia C. , Bernardello Gabriel
Published: February 2017

Opuntia series Armatae is evaluated considering morphological (vegetative, floral, and carpological) and cytogenetical (diploid number, presence of heterochromatin, and physical localization of ribosomal genes) features to shed light on their systematics and evolution. Three complexes (named O. elata, O. megapotamica, and O. monacantha) are proposed to accommodate seven species according to the tepal, fruit, stigma, and seed aril traits. Additional systematic conclusions include the following: (i) O. stenarthra, O. assumptionis, O. cognata, and O. subsphaerocarpa are synonyms; (ii) O. elata is a variable species with two varieties (var. cardiosperma and var. obovata); (iii) O. rioplatense is a synonym of O. elata var. obovata; and (iv) O. megapotamica is a polymorphic species with two varieties (one newly described and a new combination). All species had small similar-sized symmetrical chromosomes and were tetraploid (2n = 44), except for a population of O. arechavaletae and O. monacantha (2n = 22). All showed one or two pairs with CMA+/DAPI− NOR associated bands. The 18–5.8–26S rDNA loci seem to coincide with CMA+/DAPI−/NOR blocks. The number of 5S signals detected was proportional to the ploidy level of the species. A combination of cytogenetic and morphological features helped to differentiate the complexes, species, and varieties of Opuntia ser. Armatae.
DFT study of hydrogen and helium defects at the (112̄1) twin boundary in hcp scandium
Authors: Fan Kaimin , Tang Jing , Yang Li , Hu Yongqing , Sun Qingqiang , Zu Xiaotao
Published: February 2017

We have investigated the grain boundary energy of ([Formula: see text]) twin boundaries, the formation energies of hydrogen (H) and helium (He) defects in tetrahedral (T) and octahedral (O) interstitial sites at the ([Formula: see text]) twin boundary in hcp scandium (Sc) by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. It is found that the formation energies of the tetrahedral and octahedral interstices H, and tetrahedral interstice He increase significantly towards the ([Formula: see text]) twin boundary plane, while the formation energy of the octahedral interstice He atom near the ([Formula: see text]) twin boundary plane decreases. To analyze these results, we present the electronic densities of states (DOSs) of H, He and their nearest-neighbor Sc (NN-Sc) atoms in several tetrahedral and octahedral configurations. We have also calculated the formation energies of He-vacancy clusters (He[Formula: see text]V) in the Sc grain boundary, which indicates the stabilities of He[Formula: see text]V clusters depend on the variations of the relaxed vacancy volume near the ([Formula: see text]) twin boundary plane.
AN APPROACH TO COMPUTE FRACTAL DIMENSION OF COLOR IMAGES
Authors: ZHAO XIN , WANG XING-YUAN
Published: February 2017

The analysis of fractal patterns has grown during the past years, mainly due to the wide range of applications to diverse scientific areas where fractals have been explored. It turns out that the key tool to study the complexity of a given system is the Fractal Dimension (FD), since this is its main invariant which throws quite useful information about the complexity that it presents when being examined with enough level of detail. In the proposed method, we adopt a hyper-surface partition method which considers the hyper-surface as continuous and divides the image into non-overlapped blocks. We present a novel counting method in the RGB color domain. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method shows its robustness and it can be performed as a reliable FD estimation approach for the color images. The running time of the proposed method is much shorter than that of other algorithms.