bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conformational dynamics of Tau in the cell quantified by an intramolecular FRET biosensor in physiological and pathological context
Authors: Di Primio C , Quercioli V , Siano G , Kovacech B , Novak M , Cattaneo A
Published: March 2016

Impaired interactions of Tau protein with microtubules (MT) and Tau misfolding play a key role in Alzheimer disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases collectively named Tauopathies. However, little is known about the molecular conformational changes that underlie Tau misfolding and aggregation in pathological conditions, due to the difficulty of studying structural aspects of this intrinsically unfolded protein, particularly in the context of living cells.

Here we developed a new Conformational-Sensitive Tau sensor (CST), based on human Tau full length protein, to investigate the changes in 3D conformation and aggregation state of Tau upon modulation of its interactions with MTs in living cells, in physiological and pathological conditions. After showing that the CST fully preserves functional Tau activities in living cells, we demonstrated that MT-bound Tau displays a loop-like conformation, while soluble Tau assumes a relaxed conformation.

The imaging readout based on CST allowed to discover new conformational properties of full length Tau in living cells, when challenged with Alzheimer-relevant seeds from different sources, and to learn about different ways to induce the self-aggregation of full length Tau in cells. Furthermore, it allowed to investigate the contribution to the pathology of point mutations known to alter Tau/MTs interaction.

SIGNIFICANCE

The microtubule-associated protein Tau regulates the stability of microtubules (MT) and its alteration and misfolding plays an important role in Alzheimer disease (AD) and in several other neurodegenerative diseases collectively named Tauopathies. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism that modulate the conformational changes of Tau in pathological conditions. Here, we developed a conformational sensitive Tau biosensor providing insights into the 3D conformation of Tau in living cells. This new tool showed that MT-bound Tau displays a loop-like conformation, while soluble Tau assume a relaxed conformation, which might be more prone to aggregation. Furthermore the CST was used to develop an assay to screen molecules and mutations involved in Tau self-aggregation in living cells. Remarkably, the imaging tool developed allowed to demonstrate that Aβ oligomers induced Tau aggregation in living cells.
Sensitive red protein calcium indicators for imaging neural activity
Authors: Dana Hod , Mohar Boaz , Sun Yi , Narayan Sujatha , Gordus Andrew , Hasseman Jeremy P. , Tsegaye Getahun , Holt Graham T. , Hu Amy , Walpita Deepika , Patel Ronak , Macklin John J , Bargmann Cornelia I. , Ahrens Misha B. , Schreiter Eric R. , Jayaraman Vivek , Looger Loren L. , Svoboda Karel , Kim Douglas S.
Published: March 2016

Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) allow measurement of activity in large populations of neurons and in small neuronal compartments, over times of milliseconds to months. Although GFP-based GECIs are widely used forin vivoneurophysiology, GECIs with red-shifted excitation and emission spectra have advantages forin vivoimaging because of reduced scattering and absorption in tissue, and a consequent reduction in phototoxicity. However, current red GECIs are inferior to the state-of-the-art GFP-based GCaMP6 indicators for detecting and quantifying neural activity. Here we present improved red GECIs based on mRuby (jRCaMP1a, b) and mApple (jRGECO1a), with sensitivity comparable to GCaMP6. We characterized the performance of the new red GECIs in cultured neurons and in mouse,Drosophila, zebrafish andC. elegans in vivo. Red GECIs facilitate deep-tissue imaging, dual-color imaging together with GFP-based reporters, and the use of optogenetics in combination with calcium imaging.
Assessment of Circulating Copy Number Variant Detection for Cancer Screening
Authors: Molparia Bhuvan , Nichani Eshaan , Torkamani Ali
Published: March 2016

Current high-sensitivity cancer screening methods suffer from false positive rates that lead to numerous unnecessary procedures and questionable public health benefit overall. Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has the potential to transform cancer screening. Thus far, nearly all ctDNA studies have focused on detection of tumor-specific point mutations. However, ctDNA point mutation detection methods developed to date lack either the scope or sensitivity necessary to be useful for cancer screening, due to the extremely low (<1%) ctDNA fraction derived from early stage tumors. We suggest that tumor-derived copy number variant (CNV) detection is theoretically a superior means of ctDNA-based cancer screening for many tumor types, given that, relative to point mutations, each individual tumor CNV contributes a much larger number of ctDNA fragments to the overall pool of circulating DNA. Here we perform an in silico assessment of the potential for ctDNA CNV-based cancer screening across many common cancers.
Dissecting resistance mechanisms in melanoma combination therapy
Authors: Kim Eunjung , Anderson Alexander
Published: March 2016

We present a compartment model that explains melanoma cell response and resistance to mono and combination therapies. Model parameters were estimated by utilizing an optimization algorithm to identify parameters that minimized the difference between predicted cell populations and experimentally measured cell numbers. The model was then validated within vitroexperimental data. Our simulations show that although a specific timing of the combination therapy is effective in controlling tumor cell populations over an extended period of time, the treatment eventually fails. We subsequently predict a more optimal combination therapy that incorporates an additional drug at the right moment.
Vcfanno: fast, flexible annotation of genetic variants
Authors: Pedersen Brent S. , Layer Ryan M. , Quinlan Aaron R.
Published: March 2016

Background

The integration of genome annotations and reference databases is critical to the identification of genetic variants that may be of interest in studies of disease or other traits. However, comprehensive variant annotation with diverse file formats is difficult with existing methods.

Results

We have developedvcfannoas a flexible toolset that simplifies the annotation of genetic variants in VCF format.Vcfannocan extract and summarize multiple attributes from one or more annotation files and append the resulting annotations to the INFO field of the original VCF file.Vcfannoalso integrates the lua scripting language so that users can easily develop custom annotations and metrics. By leveraging a new parallel “chromosome sweeping” algorithm, it enables rapid annotation of both whole-exome and whole-genome datasets. We demonstrate this performance by annotating over 85.3 million variants in less than 17 minutes (>85,000 variants per second) with 50 attributes from 17 commonly used genome annotation resources.

Conclusions

Vcfannois a flexible software package that provides researchers with the ability to annotate genetic variation with a wide range of datasets and reference databases in diverse genomic formats.

Availability

Thevcfannosource code is available athttps://github.com/brentp/vcfannounder the MIT license, and platform-specific binaries are available athttps://github.com/brentp/vcfanno/releases. Detailed documentation is available athttp://brentp.github.io/vcfanno/, and the code underlying the analyses presented can be found athttps://github.com/brentp/vcfanno/tree/master/scripts/paper.
Evidence for selective attention in the insect brain
Authors: de Bivort Benjamin L. , van Swinderen Bruno
Published: March 2016

The capacity for selective attention appears to be required for any animal responding to an environment containing multiple objects, although this has been difficult to study in smaller animals such as insects. Clear operational characteristics of attention however make study of this crucial brain function accessible to any animal model. Whereas earlier approaches have relied on freely behaving paradigms placed in an ecologically relevant context, recent tethered preparations have focused on brain imaging and electrophysiology in virtual reality environments. Insight into brain activity during attention-like behavior has revealed key elements of attention in the insect brain. Surprisingly, a variety of brain structures appear to be involved, suggesting that even in the smallest brains attention might involve widespread coordination of neural activity.

Highlights

Insect behavior shows attention-like filtering and allows concurrent neural recording

Recent work finds compelling correlates of visual attention in the central complex

Putative goal-directed stimulus-filtering is present in neuropils across the brain
16K Fractionation of 3T3-L1 Adipocytes to Produce a Crude GLUT4-Containing Vesicle Fraction
Authors: Sadler Jessica B.A. , Lamb Christopher A. , Gould Gwyn W. , Bryant Nia J.
Published: March 2016

The insulin-sensitive pool of glucose transporter isoform 4 (GLUT4) can be isolated from total cell membranes using the 16K fractionation protocol, described here. This method produces a light membrane–containing supernatant that includes the insulin-sensitive pool of GLUT4 in GLUT4 storage vesicles. The 16K pellet fraction contains the heavy membranes (including the plasma membrane, mitochondria, nuclei, Golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum). The distribution of proteins between the two fractions is determined via immunoblotting. By subjecting insulin-stimulated versus unstimulated cells to this protocol, the mobilization of proteins out of the insulin-sensitive GLUT4 pool can be assessed.
Enrichment of Modified Peptides via Immunoaffinity Precipitation with Modification-Specific Antibodies
Authors: Swaney Danielle L. , Villén Judit
Published: March 2016

Immunoaffinity precipitation is an effective method of purifying select protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) for proteomic analysis via mass spectrometry. Peptides containing a modification of interest are isolated directly from protease-digested cellular protein extracts using an antibody with specificity against the modification, and the modified peptides are analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. Antibodies now exist with specificity for a variety of individual PTMs, such as phosphotyrosine, acetyl-lysine, methyl-arginine, ubiquitylation (i.e., diglycyl-lysine affinity), etc. Here we outline a generalized protocol for the purification of modified peptides by immunoaffinity precipitation. The main restriction for using this protocol is the availability of an antibody against the modification of interest. To purify modified peptides, antibodies are first conjugated to a solid support, such as agarose beads. The beads are then incubated with a complex peptide mixture, derived from a cellular lysate, under neutral pH to facilitate binding of modified peptides. The incubation time can vary from 30 min to overnight, depending upon the antibody used and the complexity of the peptide sample. Finally, acidic buffer conditions are used to elute the PTM-enriched bound peptides for mass spectrometry analysis.
Single Guide RNA Library Design and Construction
Authors: Wang Tim , Lander Eric S. , Sabatini David M.
Published: March 2016

This protocol describes how to generate a single guide RNA (sgRNA) library for use in genetic screens. There are many online tools available for predicting sgRNA sequences with high target specificity and/or cleavage activity. Here, we refer the user to genome-wide sgRNA sequence predictions that we have developed for both the human and mouse and that are available from the Broad Institute website. Once a set of target genes and corresponding sgRNA sequences has been identified, customized oligonucleotide pools can be rapidly synthesized by a number of commercial vendors. Thereafter, as described here, the oligonucleotides can be efficiently cloned into an appropriate lentiviral expression vector backbone. The resulting plasmid pool can then be packaged into lentiviral particles and used to generate knockouts in any cell line of choice.
Growth and the Environment of Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Petersen Janni , Russell Paul
Published: March 2016

Here, we summarize the composition and uses of Schizosaccharomyces pombe media and discuss key issues for consideration in the generation of S. pombe cultures. We discuss the concept of “culture memory,” in which the growth state and stress experienced by a strain during storage, propagation, and starter culture preparation can alter experimental outcomes at later stages. We also describe the triggers that are widely used to manipulate signaling through the environment sensing pathways.
FIT2D: a multi-purpose data reduction, analysis and visualization program
Authors: Hammersley A. P.
Published: March 2016

FIT2D is one of the principal area detector data reduction, analysis and visualization programs used at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and is also used by more than 400 research groups worldwide, including many other synchrotron radiation facilities. It has been developed for X-ray science, but is applicable to other structural techniques and is used in analysing electron diffraction data and microscopy, and neutron diffraction and scattering data.FIT2D works for both interactive and `batch'-style data processing. Calibration and correction of detector distortions, integration of two-dimensional data to a variety of one-dimensional scans, and one- and two-dimensional model fitting are the main uses. Many other general-purpose image processing and image visualization operations are available. Commands are available through a `graphical user interface' and operations common to certain types of analysis are grouped within `interfaces'. Executable versions for most workstation and personal computer systems, and web page documentation, are available at http://www.esrf.eu/computing/scientific/FIT2D.
Interlaced X-ray diffraction computed tomography
Authors: Vamvakeros Antonios , Jacques Simon D. M. , Di Michiel Marco , Senecal Pierre , Middelkoop Vesna , Cernik Robert J. , Beale Andrew M.
Published: March 2016

An X-ray diffraction computed tomography data-collection strategy that allows, post experiment, a choice between temporal and spatial resolution is reported. This strategy enables time-resolved studies on comparatively short timescales, or alternatively allows for improved spatial resolution if the system under study, or components within it, appear to be unchanging. The application of the method for studying an Mn–Na–W/SiO2fixed-bed reactorin situis demonstrated. Additionally, the opportunities to improve the data-collection strategy further, enabling post-collection tuning between statistical, temporal and spatial resolutions, are discussed. In principle, the interlaced scanning approach can also be applied to other pencil-beam tomographic techniques, like X-ray fluorescence computed tomography, X-ray absorption fine structure computed tomography, pair distribution function computed tomography and tomographic scanning transmission X-ray microscopy.
(E)-4-Chloro-N′-(2,4,5-trifluorobenzylidene)benzohydrazide
Authors: Maheswari R. , Manjula J. , Gunasekaran B.
Published: March 2016

The title compound, C14H8ClF3N2O, is approximately planar, with a dihedral angle of 4.73 (6)° between the planes of the chlorophenyl and trifluorobenzylidene rings. In the crystal, molecules are stacked in a column along thebaxis through π–π interactions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.7097 (12) and 3.7191 (12) Å].
(5-Hydroxy-3-methyl-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanone
Authors: Avezov Kuvondik G. , Umarov Bako B. , Talipov Samat A. , Kunafiev Rishad J. , Ibragimov Bakhtiyar T.
Published: March 2016

In the title compound, C12H11F3N2O3, the hydroxyphenyl ring is twisted by 35.42 (11)° from the plane of the pyrazoline ring. The keto O atom is involved in two intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds, which generateS(6) loops. As result, a weak intramolecular C—H...N contact is formed, which generates anS(7) ring motif. In the crystal, pairs of O—H...O hydrogen bonds link molecules into inversion dimers with anR22(16) motif. The dimers are linked by parallel-slipped π–π interactions [intercentroid distance = 3.8438 (19) Å], forming columns along thec-axis direction.
A web-based design support system for fashion technical sketches
Authors: Xu Jie , Mok P.Y. , Yuen C.W.M. , Yee R.W.Y.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– To better respond to today’s volatile and changing fashion market, the purpose of this paper is to develop a web-based design support system that enables users to design realistic and interesting skirts in the form of technical sketches over the internet.

Design/methodology/approach

– The proposed system mainly consists of a sketch representation and composing method (SRCM), a graphic user interface (GUI) and a controller. The SRCM is implemented at the server end that generates technical sketches according to user defined parameters and features via the web-based GUI at the client side. The controller manages the workflows between the server and the clients.

Findings

– To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system, a survey was conducted by inviting 30 subjects (professional designers or undergraduate students studying fashion design) to have trial run of the system in Hong Kong and in the USA. Positive comments and feedbacks were received, and valuable suggestions were also obtained in regard to the prototype system.

Originality/value

– Compared with traditional computer-aided design (CAD) systems, the proposed system is more effective and easier to operate as users can create technical sketches in accurate proportions with simple computer operations in a few mouse clicks. Besides, the output sketches are fully compatible with most commercial CAD software. The system is developed based on web technologies, thus fashion sketches can be easily designed using any computer connected to the internet; it can be implemented on Android or iOS platform in the future.
Classifying male upper lateral somatotypes using space vectors
Authors: Yoon Mi Kyung , Nam Yun Ja , Kim Woong
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for defining and categorizing upper lateral somatotypes for clothing size systems used for clothing pattern creation based on directional angles of 3D space vectors.

Design/methodology/approach

– 3D data for 317 men in their twenties obtained from the fifth Size Korea survey were used in this study. Standard landmarks and surfaces were set on the 3D shapes, and six space vector angles of the lateral form were defined and measured. Relationships among the measurement results were clarified, and the results were compared with those obtained using existing classifying methods.

Findings

– The measurement of the defined directional angles indicated that the swayback type and bend-forward type had the two extreme values, and the straight type was between the two values. The analysis of the correlation between six directional angles indicated that some points in the lower area of the upper body had a high correlation with other points in the lower area.

Researchlimitations/implications

– The subjects of this study were limited to lateral somatotypes, and there is a need for future studies that focus on frontal somatotypes. This research is confined to the upper lateral somatotypes of men in their twenties. Further study is needed to extend the results of this study to other body types such as those of elderly and overweight persons.

Practical implications

– Major angle measurements quantified by the somatotypes can be specifically reflect in developing and revised to the right patterns which is spread body shell replica or individual pattern for MTM.

Social implications

– This objective somatotype analysis method can be involved in determining individual body somatotype of ordermade clothes or can provided the accurate information interactively to MTM automatic customized pattern making system.

Originality/value

– Accurate measurements of size, shape, and posture were applied and characterized to realize the process. Accuracy was improved compared to existing 2D analysis methods through three-dimensional analysis using directional space vector angles based on 3D forms.
Event-related potentials technique using in affective fashion design
Authors: Lü Jia , Chen Dongsheng , Sui Yue
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to utilize the spontaneous brain potentials as an index to quantifying the consumers’ inner emotions, and propose an objective method to obtain the clothing recognitions of consumers by only monitoring brain activities.

Design/methodology/approach

– Different styles of men’s casual jacket were studied as a case. The research included four phases: first, stimuli samples were constructed by clustering algorithm. Second, self-report for the perception of stimuli samples were recorded by self-assessment manikin. Third, real-time brain potentials while viewing stimuli samples were recorded and analyzed. Finally, the output data were compared with the classical research achievements of visual evoked emotional ERPs to examine the effectiveness.

Findings

– The results indicated significant difference in main effect of different emotional categories which was identified a corresponding relationship between the emotional trigger and the emotional reaction, of which the early components were the typical components that provided the major physiology characteristics for emotional fashion design. The middle components could be used as the assist reference indexes. The negative stimuli were first noticed because its shorter processing times and larger amplitudes. The comparison confirmed that the proposed method was capable of quantifying cognitive activities of consumers by only monitoring brain activities and then transferred the analyzed data to the design references.

Originality/value

– The results quantifying the qualities of consumers’ emotional preference for men’ casual jackets based on the neural mechanism of human brain, which could eliminate the systematic biases associated with the uses of words and semantic comprehension in self-report methods. The proposed method may help to enrich and complete the sentimental fashion design for the cognitive experience of consumer oriented. Moreover, it also could be beneficial to optimize design process and improve efficiency and core competitiveness for clothing producers.
Quantifying the appearance of jackets with adhesive interlinings
Authors: Kim KyoungOk , Sonehara Sho , Takatera Masayuki
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the effect of adhesive interlining on the appearance of tailored jackets with different rigidity.

Design/methodology/approach

– Four tailored jackets having the same pattern and fabric and three different adhesive interlinings or no adhesive interlining were prepared as experimental samples. Criteria and characteristics for assessing jacket appearance were investigated in sensory tests. A paired comparison of the jacket appearance was conducted using a ranking method. Smoothness and constriction values were proposed and obtained using three-dimensional shape data. The smoothness value refers to the degree of wrinkling on the jacket surface and the constriction value refers to the degree of constriction of the waistline. A quantitative assessment model of jacket appearance was proposed using multiple regression analysis.

Findings

– The sensory test reveals that the number of wrinkles, acceptability of wrinkling and degree of constriction of the waist are important criteria in the assessment of jacket appearance. The smoothness value for the front body and the constriction value of the waist partially agreed with the normal scores of sensory test results. Sensory evaluation values for the entire jacket appearance were estimated employing multiple regression analysis with the constriction and smoothness values. The values of jacket appearance estimated using multiple regression analysis were in good agreement with the sensory test results.

Originality/value

– Criteria and characteristics to be used in the assessment of the appearance of a jacket with adhesive interlining were clarified. Employing the proposed methodology, it is possible to predict jacket appearance for different adhesive interlinings, quantitatively.
Using lean manufacturing as service quality benchmark evaluation measure
Authors: Abdelhadi Abdelhakim
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– A lean manufacturing metric called Takt time is used as a benchmark evaluation measure to evaluate service quality at fast food restaurants. The metric is applied to find the relative efficiency between three fast food restaurants belonging to different chains. The purpose of this paper is to help guide management through ways to improve customer service and increase performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The customer lead time (the time taken by a customer from arrival at the service queue until their order is fulfilled) is the focus of this study. Takt time is used to find the relative efficiency of service time between three fast food restaurants.

Findings

– It is shown that Takt time can be used effectively to measure the level of efficiency of the services provided. It measures the relative efficiency and identifies bottlenecks among different entities providing the same services.

Practical implications

– The results can be used as a guide to rank the efficiency of the length of service time of different entities by taking the whole system into consideration rather than just measuring and comparing the service time itself between the entities. The results show the effectiveness of using lean manufacturing practices in pinpointing the relative inefficiencies between different service provider facilities.

Originality/value

– This research presents a procedure to measure relative efficiency between different service providers to enhance their services. It can be applied to any service management systems that deal directly with walk-in customers.
Research on the prediction model of micro-milling surface roughness of Inconel718 based on SVM
Authors: Lu Xiaohong , Hu Xiaochen , Wang Hua , Si Likun , Liu Yongyun , Gao Lusi
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to establish a roughness prediction model of micro-milling Inconel718 with high precision.

Design/methodology/approach

– A prediction model of micro-milling surface roughness of Inconel718 is established by SVM (support vector machine) in this paper. Three cutting parameters are involved in the model (spindle speed, cutting depth and feed speed). Experiments are carried out to verify the accuracy of the model.

Findings

– The results show that the built SVM prediction model has high prediction accuracy and can predict the surface roughness value and variation law of micro-milling Inconel718.

Practical implication

– Inconel718 with high strength and high hardness under high temperature is the suitable material for manufacturing micro parts which need a high strength at high temperature. Surface roughness is an important performance indication for micro-milling processing. Establishing a roughness prediction model with high precision is helpful to select the cutting parameters for micro-milling Inconel718.

Originality/value

– The built SVM prediction model of micro-milling surface roughness of Inconel718 is verified by experiment for the first time. The test results show that the surface roughness prediction model can be used to predict the surface roughness during micro-milling Inconel718, and to provide a reference for selection of cutting parameters of micro-milling Inconel718.
Study on temperature rise in the screw pair under high frequent oscillation
Authors: Xizhi Ma , Gang Wang
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to study the mechanism of heat generation in a screw, and investigates the heat flux in the connection screw pair under high frequent oscillation along the axial direction. Heat generated in the screw under high frequent oscillation could be observed in a lot of situations and was significant, and it could cause damage of screw joining and transmission.

Design/methodology/approach

– A heat flux model in a screw pair under high frequent oscillation along the axial direction is established. Bulk temperature field in the connected parts is calculated by means of finite element methods. A testing device aimed to temperature rise measurement in a thread pair under high frequent oscillation is built. Temperature rises under different operation conditions are measured.

Findings

– The heat flux generated in the screw pair because of friction between the contact surfaces of the screw thread is obtained. The effects of oscillating amplitude and frequency on heat flux are obtained. It is found that amplitude and frequency have a significant influence on the heat generated under high frequent oscillation. The numerical results show good agreement with the numerical results.

Research limitations/implications

– This study has some limitations; for example, the friction coefficient and the relative sliding displacement between the thread surfaces need further accurate research.

Practical implications

– Heat generated in a screw under high frequent oscillation is very rarely mentioned in previous research papers. The methods used in this paper could be used to evaluate the heat flux and temperature under high frequent oscillations. The temperature could be used to calculate the thermal stress and expansion in the screw thread under high frequent oscillation. The screw connections need to be protected from the damage because of heat stress and from getting loose because of heat expansion of the connected parts.

Originality/value

– The mechanisms of heat generation in the screw pair under high frequent oscillation are studied. The model of heat flux in the screw under high frequency oscillation is established, and it could be used to calculate the heat flux under different operating conditions. The transient temperature field of the connected parts is given. A test facility was built and the experiment to measure the temperatures of the bolt and nut was carried out. The results had good agreement.
Effects of piston design parameters on skirt-liner dynamic behavior
Authors: Mazouzi Ridha , Kellaci Ahmed , Karas Abdelkader
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to study the effect of piston skirt design parameters on the dynamic characteristics of a piston–cylinder contact.

Design/methodology/pproach

– This paper focuses on an analysis of the piston dynamic response. The oil-film pressure and the structural deformation were approximated, respectively, by finite difference method and finite element method.

Findings

– The results show that the design parameters such as clearance, offset and the axial location of piston pin have a great influence on the dynamics of the piston and hence on the piston slap phenomenon and the frictional power loss.

Originality/value

– All the results mainly focus on the slap noise of the engine and can be used in the piston–liner development at the development of the engine.
The factors that determine shopping centre rent in Wuhan, China
Authors: Ke Qiulin , Wang Wencan
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that affect the retail rent of shopping centres in Wuhan, an important city in central China.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study uses a data set of 68 shopping centres in urban Wuhan. A regression model is constructed to estimate the impact on retail rent of a composite range of variables that would capture the physical characteristics, spatial characteristics, potential attractiveness of shopping centres and market condition.

Findings

– The empirical findings suggest the ceiling height, closeness to metro line station, being situated in commercial central area, vacancy rate and income have significant impact on rental level. Unexpected, the retail mix has a significant negative impact on rent. The impact of the more determining factors found in Western research – size, age, parking space and anchor tenant – is not supported in the Wuhan study.

Practical implications

– While 68 shopping centres are included in the test, the sample size is relatively small. The comparatively short history of retail market in Wuhan would not allow to test the rent adjustment process.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper to investigate retail rent determinants in a second-tier city in China. The results of the study give designers, developers and investors critical insights into the determinants of retail rent in an emerging market.
Investment risk scoring model for commercial properties in India
Authors: Gupta Ashish , Tiwari Piyush
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– There is significant research related to risk and uncertainty in valuation. Risk, in valuation, is mostly communicated to investors in qualitative terms. There has been some research in developed markets to communicate risk quantitatively to clients through property risk scores. However there is paucity of research on communicating risk in emerging markets where the valuation profession is still evolving. Indian property markets have emerged as one the fastest growing markets in the last five years. With the growth in Indian economy and the emergence of indirect property investment market, it is likely that domestic and international passive investors would play an important role in property investment in India. Valuation of assets in portfolio and communication of risk in appropriate way would gain utmost importance. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses analytical hierarchical process method to quantitatively assess risk to value for office properties in India. This study focuses on identifying principal elements of risk as perceived by key market players in an emerging economy like India. It identifies fundamentals of market, property and lease to determine valuation risk. It may be highlighted here that the risk that this paper is analysing is not the risk that is associated with the valuation for valuer who is conducting valuation but systematic and non-systematic risk associated with property. A two round of survey has been conducted to find various principal elements of valuation risk and sub criteria’s through an online survey conducted through survey monkey.

Findings

– The study found that in an emerging market like India there are limited exit option for developers and investors due to absence of exit vehicle like REITs for office property. Principal element of risk considered is the resale of property, i.e. exit from an investment, followed by tenant and lease specific elements to be other principal elements of risk in the order tenant risk, lock-in duration, functional obsolescence and lease duration. Other market risks like yield movement, rental movement, occupier demand were not considered principal elements of risk.

Research limitations/implications

– The study could be expanded further by increasing the sample size and as this study demonstrates present market sentiments. Study needs to be updated periodically to retain its practical importance and relevance to the industry.

Practical implications

– Findings of this study could be used by valuers and investors investing in office properties in India.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper on risk scoring for commercial properties in the Indian market. It has high importance as Indian market for office space will grow significantly with introduction of REITs.
British Abortion Law: Speaking from the Past to Govern the Future
Authors: Sheldon Sally
Published: March 2016

This paper analyses the poor alignment of the aging statutory framework and modern understandings of medical best practice in the context of abortion services. With a particular focus on medical abortion, it assesses the significant challenges that the gulf between the two poses for clinicians, service providers, regulators and the courts. Law is said to be at its most effective where there is a shared regulatory community that accepts and endorses the values that underpin it. It is suggested that the example of abortion law provides a marked example of what happens when legal norms once justified by broadly shared moral understandings, concerns for patient safety and requirements of best practice are now either unsupported by or, indeed, sit in opposition to such concerns.
Low dose aspirin and pregnancy: how important is aspirin resistance?
Authors: Navaratnam K , Alfirevic A , Alfirevic Z
Published: March 2016

Antiplatelet agents are pivotal for prevention of coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease worldwide. Individual patient data meta‐analysis indicates that low‐dose aspirin causes a 10% risk reduction in pre‐eclampsia for women at high individual risk. However, in the last 15 years it has emerged that a significant proportion of aspirin‐treated individuals exhibit suboptimal platelet response, determined biochemically and clinically, termed ‘aspirin non‐responsiveness’, ‘aspirin resistance’ and ‘aspirin treatment failure’. More recently, investigation of aspirin responsiveness has begun in pregnant women. This review explores the history and clinical relevance of ‘aspirin resistance’ applied to high‐risk obstetric populations.

Tweetable abstract

Is ‘aspirin resistance’ clinically relevant in high‐risk obstetrics?
Preventive Dental Care and Long‐Term Dental Outcomes among ALL Kids Enrollees
Authors: Sen Bisakha , Blackburn Justin , Kilgore Meredith L. , Morrisey Michael A. , Becker David J. , Caldwell Cathy , Menachemi Nir
Published: March 2016

Objective

To investigate whether early or regular preventive dental visit (PDV) reduces restorative or emergency dental care and costs for low‐income children.

Study Setting

Enrollees during 1998–2012 in the Alabama CHIP program, ALL Kids.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study using claims data for children continuously enrolled in ALL Kids for at least 4 years. Analyses are conducted separately for children 0–4 years, 4–9 years, and >9 years. For 0–4 years, the intervention of interest is whether they have at least one PDV before age 3. For the other two age groups, interventions of interest are if they have regular PDVs during each of the first 3 years, and if they have claims for a sealant in the first 3 years. Outcomes—namely restorative and emergency dental service and costs—are measured in the fourth year. To account for selection into PDV, a high‐dimensional propensity scores approach is utilized.

Data Extraction

Claims data were obtained from ALL Kids.

Principal Findings

Only sealants are associated with a reduced likelihood of using restorative and emergency services and costs.

Conclusions

Whether PDVs without sealants actually reduce restorative/emergency pediatric dental services is questionable. Further research into benefits of PDV is needed.
Modeling the Effects of Input Market Reforms on Fertiliser Demand and Maize Production: A Case Study from Kenya
Authors: Sheahan Megan , Ariga Joshua , Jayne T. S.
Published: March 2016

Kenya is one of the few countries in Sub‐Saharan Africa to experience an impressive rise in fertiliser use following a series of input market reforms in the early 1990s. Two major consequences of these reforms were declining fertiliser marketing margins and distances between farmers and fertiliser dealers. We quantify the effects of these changes on commercial fertiliser use and maize production in Kenya by estimating fertiliser demand and maize supply response functions using nationwide household survey data. Our results indicate that between 1997 and 2010, the estimated 27% reduction in real fertiliser prices that can be attributed to falling marketing margins associated with market reforms led to a 36% increase in nitrogen use on maize fields and a 9% increase in maize production resulting from both yield and acreage effects. On the other hand, decreasing distances to fertiliser retailers from the perspective of a given household did not appear to raise fertiliser use or maize supply, although a comparison across households using average distances over the panel indicate that those closer to retailers do apply more fertiliser on their maize fields.
Art and Science behind Modified Starch Edible Films and Coatings: A Review
Authors: Shah Umar , Naqash Farah , Gani Adil , Masoodi F. A.
Published: March 2016

Technological advances have led to increased constraints regarding food packaging, mainly due to environmental issues, consumer health concerns, and economic restrictions associated therewith. Hence, food scientists and technologists are now more focused on developing biopolymer packages. Starch satisfies all the principal aspects making it a promising raw material for edible coatings/films. Modified starch has grabbed much attention, both at the academic as well as at the industrial level, because these films exhibit dramatic improvement in filming properties without involving any significant increase in cost of production. Various methods, additives used, and recent advances in the field of starch film production are discussed in detail in this review, which also provides an overview of the available information along with recent advances in modified starch film packaging.
Biologically Active Compounds from Hops and Prospects for Their Use
Authors: Karabín Marcel , Hudcová Tereza , Jelínek Lukáš , Dostálek Pavel
Published: March 2016

Although female cones of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus) are known primarily as raw material supplying characteristic bitterness and aroma to beer, their equally significant health‐promoting effects have been known to mankind for several thousand years and hop is a plant traditionally utilized in folk medicine. This paper summarizes the scientific knowledge on the effects of all 3 major groups of secondary metabolites of hops; polyphenols, essential oils, and resins. Because of their chemical diversity, it is no coincidence that these compounds exhibit a wide range of pharmacologically important properties. In addition to antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer‐related properties, particular attention is being paid to prenylflavonoids that occur almost exclusively in hops and are considered to be some of the most active phytoestrogens known. Hop oils and resins are well known for their sedative and other neuropharmacological properties, but in addition, these compounds exhibit antibacterial and antifungal effects. Recently, alpha bitter acids have been shown to block the development of a number of complex lifestyle diseases that are referred to by the collective name “metabolic syndrome.” Information presented in this review confirms the significant potential for the use of hops in the pharmaceutical industry and provides an understanding of beer as a natural drink that, although moderately consumed, may become a source of many health‐promoting compounds.
The Predictive Value of Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio in Hemodialysis Patients With Erythropoietin Resistance
Authors: Taymez Dilek Güven , Ucar Esma , Turkmen Kultigin , Ucar Ramazan , Afsar Baris , Gaipov Abduzhappar , Turk Suleyman
Published: March 2016

The most important cause of anemia in CKD is relative deficiency of erythropoietin (EPO) secretion from the diseased kidney and EPO therapy has become the standard treatment for anemia of CKD. However, some patients do not respond well to erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA), so‐called ESA resistance. One of the most important causes of ESA resistance is chronic inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients. ESA hyporesponsiveness index (EHRI), calculated as the weekly dose of EPO divided by kilograms of body weight divided by the hemoglobin level, and has been considered useful to assess the EPO resistance. Neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR) ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were also found to be associated with inflammation in HD patients. However, the relationship between NLR, PLR and EHRI has not been investigated before. HD patients underwent medical history taking, physical examination, calculation of dialysis adequacy and biochemical analysis and calculation of EHRI. Logarithmically converted EHRI (logEHRI) was correlated only with hemoglobin (r –0.381, P < 0.0001) and PLR (r = 0.227, P = 0.021) but not with NLR. Comparison of PLR among 25th, 50th and 75th percentile of EHRI showed that PLR levels increased going from the 25th to 75th percentile (P = 0.032). Posthoc analysis revealed that 25–75th percentile (P = 0.014) and 50–75th percentile (P = 0.033) were different with respect to PLR. In linear regression analysis, PLR (standardized β = 0.296, confidence interval: 0.000–0.001, P = 0.003) was independently associated with logEHRI. We found that PLR was independently associated with EHRI in HD patients. PLR, which is quite a simple and cheap method, may guide clinicians for detecting EPO resistance.
Cryptic diversity revealed by DNA barcoding in Colombian illegally traded bird species
Authors: Mendoza Ángela María , Torres María Fernanda , Paz Andrea , Trujillo‐Arias Natalia , López‐Alvarez Diana , Sierra Socorro , Forero Fernando , Gonzalez Mailyn A.
Published: March 2016

Colombia is the country with the largest number of bird species worldwide, yet its avifauna is seriously threatened by habitat degradation and poaching. We built a DNA barcode library of nearly half of the bird species listed in the CITES appendices for Colombia, thereby constructing a species identification reference that will help in global efforts for controlling illegal species trade. We obtained the COI barcode sequence of 151 species based on 281 samples, representing 46% of CITES bird species registered for Colombia. The species analysed belong to nine families, where Trochilidae and Psittacidae are the most abundant ones. We sequenced for the first time the DNA barcode of 47 species, mainly hummingbirds endemic of the Northern Andes region. We found a correct match between morphological and genetic identification for 86–92% of the species analysed, depending on the cluster analysis performed (BIN, ABGD and TaxonDNA). Additionally, we identified eleven cases of high intraspecific divergence based on K2P genetic distances (up to 14.61%) that could reflect cryptic diversity. In these cases, the specimens were collected in geographically distant sites such as different mountain systems, opposite flanks of the mountain or different elevations. Likewise, we found two cases of possible hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. This survey constitutes the first attempt to build the DNA barcode library of endangered bird species in Colombia establishing as a reference for management programs of illegal species trade, and providing major insights of phylogeographic structure that can guide future taxonomic research.