bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peronaeusparese bei akuter diabetischer Mononeuropathie mit vollständiger Erholung nach chirurgischer Dekompression – Ein Fallbericht und
Literaturübersicht
Authors: Kolbenschlag Jonas , Daigeler Adrien , Hernekamp Jochen-Frederik , Goertz Ole
Published: October 2018

Der Fall eines 47-jährigen Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus assoziierter Monoparese des N. peronaeus wird vorgestellt. Hieran wird die Prädisposition von Nerven
für eine Kompression an präexistenten Engstellen im Rahmen der Grunderkrankung dargestellt. Diagnostik, Therapie und Verlauf werden beschrieben und im Kontext
der Literatur diskutiert.
Trump, celebrity and the merchant imaginary
Authors: King Barry
Published: October 2018

This article explores the social ontological basis of Trumpism as a form of populism, historically defined as government by personal rule. For many commentators, the key feature of Trump’s presidency is its fundamental irrationality. The President has variously described as ‘dumb’, ‘greedy’, ‘psychotic’, a ‘narcissist’ in the grandiose mode, and an ‘egotist’ unfit for public office. This article does not aim to dissent from these kinds of conclusions but suggests that they partake more of the statement of effects or consequences rather than causes. Indeed, if they are considered as causes they lead to confusion, a kind of ‘attention-deficit disorder’ (which, ironically, some accuse the tweeting President of being a sufferer). Rather this paper suggests that a more systematic examination of the President’s persona reveals it as emerging from a conflation of the discourse of the American family and a merchant imaginary.
Laser-driven ion acceleration from thin foils heated by CW laser
Authors: Safronov K. V. , Gorokhov S. A. , Flegentov V. A. , Potapov A. V. , Gavrilov D. S. , Kakshin A. G. , Loboda E. A. , Vikhlyaev D. A.
Published: October 2018

To increase the efficiency of laser-driven ion acceleration, a method for in-situ target cleaning by heating action of the continuous wave (CW) laser was developed. On a 20 TW picosecond laser facility, experiments on ion acceleration from heated Ti and Ta targets of 1 μm thickness were conducted. CW laser cleaning allowed an increase in carbon and oxygen ion energies by 2.5 times up to 65 MeV. Ta ions with energies of up to 47 MeV were registered in experiments. Their linear energy transfer exceeds 35 MeV·cm2/mg, thus making these particles suitable for the investigation of single event effects in microelectronic devices induced by protons from solar flares.
Probing the thermal runaway triggering process within a lithium-ion battery cell with local heating
Authors: Xu X. M. , Li R. Z. , Zhao L. , Hu D. H. , Wang J.
Published: October 2018

Thermal runaway is the most important safety problem of the lithium ion battery. A thermal model combined five side reactions is established to analyze the high temperature distribution change of the separator during the local thermal runaway process of a lithium-ion battery cell with local heating terminals in this paper. The results show that thermal runaway will not be triggered inside a battery cell if a balance of the heat convection between the battery cell and the air forms when a single terminal is heated with 423.15 K. And local thermal runaway can be triggered when the both terminals of the battery cell are heated with 473.15 K and 423.15 K. In addition, the temperature distribution of the separator layer shows an extension trend along the horizontal direction firstly and then along the vertical direction, and local heating makes a big temperature difference inside a battery cell.
Influence of charge accumulation at the grain boundary on the electrical behavior of a ferroelectric field-effect transistor
Authors: Guo W. X. , Tan P. F. , Ouyang X. P. , Li B. , Guo H. X. , Zhong X. L. , Wang J. B. , Wang F.
Published: October 2018

A phase field method was used to investigate the influence of charge accumulation at the grain boundary on the electrical behavior of a ferroelectric field-effect transistor containing a polycrystalline gate. Both the domain structure and the electrical behavior of the ferroelectric field-effect transistor were found to depend on the coefficient χ, which represents the charge accumulation at the grain boundary. With increasing χ, both the width of the memory window of the capacitance–voltage curves and the on-state source–drain current decreased, while the off-state source–drain current increased. This can be explained in terms of the weakening polarization effect in the grain interior owing to the presence of a built-in electric field caused by the accumulated charge at the grain boundary.
The passage of bubbles rising through a confining rectangular geometry
Authors: Soltani Hirad , Sabbagh Reza , Nobes David S.
Published: October 2018

Rising bubble systems are used and investigated in a wide variety of industrial applications. However, the influence of strong confinement in rectangular flow regions has received little attention. An experimental study is undertaken here on a flow channel that allows the passage of bubbles from a region that can be modelled as two parallel plates into a region of rectangular confinement. The effect of a co-flow of a water/glycerol mixture on bubble size and rising velocity in the two confined regions for a wide variety of size ranges is investigated using particle shadow velocimetry. In the parallel plate region, as bubbles become larger in size, their terminal velocity increases due to the relatively higher buoyancy force and negligible effects of the confining geometry, compared to smaller bubble sizes. On entering the rectangular confinement, however, bubbles of relatively large size decelerate to a much lower terminal velocity due to the drag force expressed by the confining walls. Available models in the literature for predicting bubble terminal velocity through circular tubes and parallel plates were evaluated and showed poor predictive performance. To address this gap, a semi-empirical model for the bubble terminal velocity in a rectangular geometry is developed, based on the experimental data, to predict this motion. This model includes the effect of bubble size, fluid medium properties, net co-flow, and confinement geometry. The curious phenomenon of the threshold size of a bubble, which maintains a constant velocity through both geometries, is then predicted using the model.
Hydrochemistry and carbonate sediment characterisation of Bacalar Lagoon, Mexican Caribbean
Authors: Tobón Velázquez Nidia I. , Rebolledo Vieyra Mario , Paytan Adina , Broach Kyle H. , Hernández Terrones Laura M.
Published: October 2018

The aim of the study is to determine the distribution of trace and major elements in the water and in the sediments of the south part of the Bacalar Lagoon and to identify the sources of the trace elements and their changes over time. The western part of the lagoon water column is characterised by high concentrations of Ca2+, HCO3– and Sr2+, derived from groundwater input. In contrast, the eastern part of the lagoon is characterised by high concentrations of Mg2+, Na+ and Cl–. The lagoon is not affected by present-day seawater intrusion. Water column and sediment geochemical analyses performed in Bacalar Lagoon show clear spatial distribution of different parameters. The saturation index of the water column indicates three main groups: (1) a zone oversaturated with regard to aragonite, calcite and dolomite; (2) an undersaturated area where all three minerals are dissolving; and (3) an area with calcite equilibrium and undersaturation with regard to the other minerals. Herein we present the first measurements of trace element (Ba2+, Mn2+, K+, Ni2+, Zn2+) concentrations in carbonates obtained from sediments in Bacalar Lagoon. In order to evaluate whether the trace elements are derived from natural or anthropogenic sources, four pollution indices were calculated. The results confirmed that Bacalar Lagoon sediments are not contaminated with Ni2+, K+, Mn2+ and Ba2+, and that the Zn2+ seems to have a predominantly anthropogenic origin.
Factors effecting the germination and emergence of a rangeland weed; European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum L.)
Authors: Humphries Talia , Graz Friedrich F. , Florentine Singarayer K.
Published: October 2018

European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum L.) is an important weed in semiarid and arid Australia, due to its toxicity to livestock and its ability to out-compete crops for water and soil nutrients. It is an ephemeral species; populations appear in high densities when conditions are favourable, but seeds remain dormant in the soil seedbank for extended periods of time. This study aimed to identify environmental factors that promoted the germination of this weed and factors that de-vitalise seeds. Seeds were collected from the Australian semiarid zone, at Nanya Research Station, New South Wales. The effects on seed germination and seedling emergence of H. europaeum of alternating temperature, photoperiod, drought, salinity, pH range, heat shock combined with smoke exposure, and burial depth were investigated. The highest germination rate was observed under the highest temperature regime, 30/20°C, under a photoperiod of 12h light and 12h dark. The weed germinated under moderate osmotic stress, but the highest germination occurred in the control treatment (no osmotic stress). The effect of salinity and pH on percentage germination was not significant. The effect of the heat shock and smoke treatment significantly reduced seed germination, with germination inhibited when seeds were exposed to 100°C for 3min. Burial depth had a significant effect on seedling emergence, with a burial depth of 0.5cm reducing the germination by ~20%. It is recommended that further research into using fire and tillage interventions for H. europaeum be explored, as these may be used to reduce the viable seedbank of this weed, allowing long-term control to be achieved.
Evaluation of nutrient uptake of selected cover crops and biochar on the yield advantage of two taro (Colocasia esculenta) cultivars in Samoa
Authors: Anand Sanjay
Published: October 2018

A study was conducted in three agro ecological zones of Samoa to compare the dry matter yields and nutrient uptake of selected tropical cover crops and biochar application on different Samoan inceptisols. Subsequent improvements in corm yield of the two taro cultivars, (Samoa 1 and Samoa 2), under these fallow systems were also determined. The split-plot arrangement with main plots as cover crops and subplots as the cultivars was used, with four replications. The evaluated cover crops included: a reference – grass fallow treatment (farmers practice), Mucuna pruriens, Erythrina subumbrans, Mucuna pruriens + 200 kg of NPK fertiliser (12-5-20), farmer’s reference practice + 400 kg of NPK fertiliser (12-5-20), and biochar produced from coconut shells. The biomass samples were collected after the six month of fallow duration. Plant tissue analyses revealed that the nitrogen and the phosphorus contents of erythrina was higher than corresponding mucuna cover across all three sites. However, as a result of higher biomass production, Mucuna pruriens showed the highest nutrient accrual over the six month fallow duration. The general yield trend under different fallow practices across all the sites indicates that mucuna with modest supplementation of complete fertilisers can help maintain optimum taro yields. However, it appears that the yield responses of the taro crop to fallow treatments are site-specific.
Organic amendments increased sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) yield in a calcareous sandy soil of Samoa
Authors: Siose Taniela K. , Guinto Danilo F. , Kader Mohammed A.
Published: October 2018

A five-month field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of organic amendments on yields of two sweetpotato cultivars in a calcareous sandy soil of Samoa. The treatments consisted of three organic amendments; gliricidia, gliricidia + biochar, poultry litter, and a control, and two improved sweetpotato cultivars (IB/PH/03 and IB/PR/13). All amendments were applied at equivalent rate of 100 kg N ha–1 while biochar at 5 t ha–1. Plots were arranged in a RCB design with four replicates. Results showed that all organic amendments significantly increased total storage root and marketable storage root yields, compared to yields of the control. Total marketable root yield was increased by 134, 118, and 294% over control in response to gliricidia, poultry litter, and gliricidia + biochar treatments. The highest yield, yield attributing parameters and nutrient uptake by storage root were recorded in gliricidia + biochar treatment, which appears to synergistically influence crop yield relative to organic amendments applied singly; a potential amendment for improving sweetpotato productivity in sandy calcareous soil. Cultivar IB/PH/03 performed better than IB/PR/13 on all measured crop parameters except for fresh weight of non-marketable root and percent dry matter content showing better potentiality for promotion under similar agro-environmental conditions.
Mastocytosis-derived extracellular vesicles exhibit a mast cell signature, transfer KIT to stellate cells, and promote their activation
Authors: Kim Do-Kyun , Cho Young-Eun , Komarow Hirsh D. , Bandara Geethani , Song Byoung-Joon , Olivera Ana , Metcalfe Dean D.
Published: October 2018

Significance

Pathological findings in systemic mastocytosis (SM) are generally attributed to an increase in the mast cell burden and associated production of mast cell mediators. We now describe that serum from patients with SM contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a mast cell signature and that their concentrations correlate with surrogate markers of disease. These SM-EVs have the ability to alter hepatic stellate cell function including promoting a fibrotic phenotype, partly through the introduction of activated KIT. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors used to treat SM reversed these effects. These observations provide additional insight into how mast cells influence other organ systems in mastocytosis and suggest that targeting the release and/or effects of EVs might be of value in conjunction with existing therapeutic approaches.
Immersions and translation structures I: The space of structures on the pointed disk
Authors: Hooper W.
Published: October 2018

We define a moduli space of translation structures on the open topological disk with a basepoint and endow it with a locally-compact metrizable topology. We call this the immersive topology, because it is defined using the concept of immersions: continuous maps between subsets of translation surfaces that respect the basepoints and the translation structures. Immersions induce a partial ordering on the moduli space, and we prove the ordering is nearly a complete lattice in the sense of order theory; the space is only missing a minimal element. Subsequent articles will uncover more structure and develop a topology on the space of all translation structures.
Historical separation and present-day structure of common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) populations in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Maggio Teresa , Allegra Alessandro , Andaloro Franco , Pedro Barreiros João , Battaglia Pietro , Butler Christopher M , Cuttitta Angela , Fontes Miguel Rodrigues Jorge , Freitas Rui , Gatt Mark , Karakulak F Saadet , Macias David , Nicosia Aldo , Oxenford Hazel A , Saber Samar , Vasco Rodrigues Nuno , Yildiz Taner , Sinopoli Mauro
Published: October 2018

The common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is an epipelagic, mid-trophic level, highly migratory species distributed throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans in waters greater than 20°C. Life-history variables, migratory behaviour, and genetic markers have been used to define major stocks in the central Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Here, we used the mitochondrial DNA gene NADH subunit 1 (688 bp) to test for differences between population groups. A total of 103 haplotypes were detected among 203 fish. Gene diversities in samples were large and similar among populations (mean h = 0.932; range 0.894–0.987), but nucleotide diversities varied widely among samples (range π = 0.004–0.034) and appear to reflect population histories. Principal component analysis revealed two large populations groups, and the analysis of molecular variation and pairwise values of ΦST resolved population structure within these groups. Populations in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean showed the largest amounts of divergence from one another (ΦCT = 0.331). Adult movement and biophysical barriers to larval dispersal may explain contemporary differences between stocks, but the divergent populations in the Mediterranean Sea are likely due to isolations by cold temperature barriers during Pleistocene glaciations. The geographically large stock groupings require international cooperation in the harvest management and conservation of local dolphinfish populations.
Abatacept initiation in rheumatoid arthritis and the risk of cancer: a population-based comparative cohort study
Authors: Montastruc François , Renoux Christel , Dell’Aniello Sophie , Simon Teresa A , Azoulay Laurent , Hudson Marie , Suissa Samy
Published: October 2018

Objective

To assess whether abatacept as initial biological DMARD (bDMARD) in the treatment of RA, when compared with other bDMARDs, is associated with an increased risk of cancer overall and by specific cancer sites (breast, lung, lymphoma, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer).

Methods

We performed a population-based cohort study among patients newly treated with bDMARDs within the US-based Truven MarketScan population and Supplemental US Medicare from 2007 to 2014. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs of any cancer (and specific cancers) associated with initiation of abatacept, compared with initiation of other bDMARDs, adjusted for age and deciles of the propensity score.

Results

The cohort included 4328 patients on abatacept and 59 860 on other bDMARDs, of whom 409 and 4197 were diagnosed with any cancer during follow-up (incidence rates 4.76 per 100 per year and 3.41 per 100 per year, respectively). Compared with other bDMARDs, the use of abatacept was associated with an increased incidence of cancer overall (hazard ratioadjusted 1.17; 95% CI 1.06, 1.30). Analyses by specific cancer sites showed a significantly increased incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (hazard ratioadjusted 1.20; 95% CI 1.03, 1.39), but no significant difference for other specific cancer sites.

Conclusion

The use of abatacept as first bDMARD in the treatment of RA was associated with a slight increased risk of cancer overall and particularly non-melanoma skin cancer, compared with other bDMARDs. This potential signal needs to be replicated in other settings.
Corrections for Academic Medicine: The Importance of Using Person-First Language for Individuals Who Have Experienced Incarceration
Authors: Bedell Precious S. , So Marvin , Morse Diane S. , Kinner Stuart A. , Ferguson Warren J. , Spaulding Anne C.
Published: October 2018

This Invited Commentary addresses the use of labels and their impact on people involved in the criminal justice system. There are 2.2 million adults incarcerated in the United States and close to 6.6 million under correctional supervision on any day. Many of these people experience health inequalities and inadequate health care both in and out of correctional facilities. These numbers are reason enough to raise alarm among health care providers and criminal justice researchers about the need to conceptualize better ways to administer health care for these individuals. Using terms like “convict,” “prisoner,” “parolee,” and “offender” to describe these individuals increases the stigma that they already face. The authors propose that employing person-first language for justice-involved individuals would help to reduce the stigma they face during incarceration and after they are released. Coordinated, dignified, and multidisciplinary care is essential for this population given the high rates of morbidity and mortality they experience both in and out of custody and the many barriers that impede their successful integration with families and communities. Academic medicine can begin to address the mistrust that formerly incarcerated individuals often have toward the health care system by using the humanizing labels recommended in this Invited Commentary.
Dietary patterns and their association with menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Soleymani Mahshid , Siassi Fereydoun , Qorbani Mostafa , Khosravi Shahla , Aslany Zahra , Abshirini Maryam , Zolfaghari Ghazal , Sotoudeh Gity
Published: October 2018

Objective:

Although menopause is a natural event in a woman's life, some of its symptoms can be severe enough to adversely affect her health. There is some evidence to suggest that diet has an influence on menopausal symptoms, but less attention has been paid to dietary patterns. The purpose of this study is to determine the association of dietary patterns with physical, mental, and genitourinary menopausal symptoms.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study design was applied using a sample of 400 postmenopausal women who attended health centers in the south of Tehran, Iran. The menopausal symptoms were assessed by a Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire; a 147-item, semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary information, and major dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between menopausal symptoms and dietary patterns.

Results:

Three major dietary patterns were identified: vegetables and fruits (VF); mayonnaise, liquid oils, sweets, and desserts (MLSD); and solid fats and snacks (SFS). It has been found that the VF dietary pattern is inversely associated with general (β = −1.37; SE = 1.08; P for trend <0.001), physical (β = −1.54; SE = 1.09; P for trend <0.001), and mental (β = −1.58; SE = 1.11; P for trend <0.001) symptoms. A stronger adherence to the MLSD dietary pattern was directly associated with general (β = 1.15; SE = 1.08; P for trend <0.001) and genitourinary symptoms (β = 1.54; SE = 1.1; P for trend <0.001). Moreover, the SFS dietary pattern was directly related to the general (β = 1.23; SE = 1.09; P for trend = 0.01), physical (β = 1.24; SE = 1.09; P for trend = 0.04), and mental (β = 1.29; SE = 1.12; P for trend < 0.001) symptoms.

Conclusion:

The present study demonstrated that there is an inverse association between VF dietary pattern and menopausal symptoms. In contrast, the MLSD and SFS dietary patterns were correlated to an increased risk of these symptoms.
Origins of Lifetime Health Around the Time of Conception: Causes and Consequences
Authors: Fleming Tom P. , Watkins Adam J. , Velazquez Miguel A. , Mathers John C. , Prentice Andrew M. , Stephenson Judith , Barker Mary , Saffery Richard , Yajnik Chittaranjan S. , Eckert Judith J. , Hanson Mark A. , Forrester Terrence , Gluckman Peter D. , Godfrey Keith M.
Published: October 2018

(Abstracted from Lancet 2018;391:1842–1852)

This review and meta-analysis discusses periconceptional environmental exposures that have been shown to adversely affect humans and animal models and discusses mechanistic causes and consequences. The researchers also report on the relative contributions of maternal and paternal factors on long-term periconceptional influences, in an established low-protein diet (LPD) model of parental undernutrition.
Predictive Value of FDG PET/CT Versus Bone Marrow Biopsy in Pediatric Lymphoma
Authors: Badr Salma , Kotb Magdy , Elahmadawy Mai Amr , Moustafa Hosna
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The aim of this study was to explore the positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FDG PET/CT. The prognostic impact of tumor burden of bone marrow infiltrates was diagnosed by FDG PET/CT at initial presentation.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 140 pediatric patients with pathologically proven lymphoma (113 Hodgkin disease and 27 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma). All patients had pretherapy FDG PET/CT. Bone marrow biopsy (BMB), clinical, radiological, and follow-up data were also collected. The skeleton was divided into 8 segments, and a 5-point scoring system was used for assessment of BM infiltration burden.

Results

Among the 140 lymphoma patients, FDG PET/CT revealed positive BM involvement in 41 patients; 2 of them were false-positive with negative BMB and regional MRI results. Positive predictive value was 95.1% for PET/CT compared with 100% with BMB. All patients diagnosed with positive BMI by BMB were detected by FDG PET/CT. On the contrary, BMB missed 25 patients (17.9%) with statistically significant difference. Negative predictive value was 100% for PET/CT compared with 80.2% for BMB (P < 0.05). FDG PET/CT upstaged 17.9% of the enrolled patients. Bone marrow involvement based on the 5-point scoring system was assessed. No significant difference was demonstrated in therapy outcome between patient with focal BMI (score 2) and extensive BMI (score 5; P = 0.06).

Conclusions

FDG PET/CT has optimum negative predictive value compared with BMB in detection of bone marrow infiltrations in pediatric lymphoma with upstaging cases missed with BMB. Prognostic impact of BMI based on the 5-point scoring system reveals that the main influence is presence or absence of BMI rather than its tumor burden.
Transcriptional dynamics following freezing stress reveal selection for mechanisms of freeze tolerance at the poleward range margin in the cold water intertidal barnacleSemibalanus balanoides
Authors: Marshall Katie E. , Dowle Eddy J. , Petrunina Alexandra , Kolbasov Gregory , Chan Benny K. K.
Published: October 2018

The ability to survive freezing has repeatedly evolved across multiple phyla. This suggests that the mechanisms of freeze tolerance must be readily evolvable from basal physiological traits. While several biochemical correlates to freeze tolerance have been described, the mechanism that confers freeze tolerance is still not well understood. To understand both the basic biochemical mechanisms of freeze tolerance as well as their role in local adaptation at the poleward range edge, we conducted a transcriptomic study on two populations (one from the poleward range margin in the White Sea, Russia, and one from the central coast of British Columbia, Canada) of the cold water acorn barnacleSemibalanus balanoideson a time series following a freezing event. We found that the British Columbia population (at the equatorward range margin) was significantly less freeze tolerant than the White Sea population (at the poleward range margin). After assembling and annotating ade novotranscriptome forS. balanoides, we found that the patterns of differential transcript expression following freezing were almost entirely non-overlapping between the two populations, with the White Sea population expressing a series of heat shock proteins in response to freezing stress as well as several aquaporins, while the British Columbia population expressed a series of proteases instead, indicating severe protein damage. We found strong evidence of purifying selection on the significantly upregulated transcripts in the White Sea population, suggesting local adaptation to freezing threat. Taken together, this shows the importance of freeze tolerance to population survival at the poleward range margin, and highlights the central roles of aquaporins and heat shock proteins to the trait of freeze tolerance across taxa.
Look4TRs: A de-novo tool for detecting simple tandem repeats using self-supervised hidden Markov models
Authors: Velasco Alfredo , James Benjamin T. , Wells Vincent D. , Girgis Hani Z.
Published: October 2018

Simple tandem repeats, microsatellites in particular, have regulatory functions, links to several diseases, and applications in biotechnology. Sequences of thousands of species will be available soon. There is immediate need for an accurate tool for detecting microsatellites in the new genomes. The current available tools have limitations. As a remedy, we proposed Look4TRs, which is the first application of self-supervised hidden Markov models to discovering microsatellites. It adapts itself to the input genomes, balancing high sensitivity and low false positive rate. It auto-calibrates itself, freeing the user from adjusting the parameters manually, leading to consistent results across different studies. We evaluated Look4TRs on eight genomes. Based on F-measure, which combines sensitivity and false positive rate, Look4TRs outperformed TRF and MISA — the most widely-used tools — by 106% and 82%. Look4TRs outperformed the second best tool, MsDetector or Tantan, by 11%. Look4TRs represents technical advances in the annotation of microsatellites.
A simulation-based approach to improve decoded neurofeedback performance
Authors: Oblak Ethan , Sulzer James , Lewis-Peacock Jarrod
Published: October 2018

The neural correlates of specific brain functions such as visual orientation tuning and individual finger movements can be revealed using multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI data. Neurofeedback based on these distributed patterns of brain activity presents a unique ability for precise neuromodulation. Recent applications of this technique, known as decoded neurofeedback, have manipulated fear conditioning, visual perception, confidence judgements and facial preference. However, there has yet to be an empirical justification of the timing and data processing parameters of these experiments. Suboptimal parameter settings could impact the efficacy of neurofeedback learning and contribute to the ‘non-responder’ effect. The goal of this study was to investigate how design parameters of decoded neurofeedback experiments affect decoding accuracy and neurofeedback performance. Subjects participated in three fMRI sessions: two ‘finger localizer’ sessions to identify the fMRI patterns associated with each of the four fingers of the right hand, and one ‘finger finding’ neurofeedback session to assess neurofeedback performance. Using only the localizer data, we show that real-time decoding can be degraded by poor experiment timing or ROI selection. To set key parameters for the neurofeedback session, we used offline simulations of decoded neurofeedback using data from the localizer sessions to predict neurofeedback performance. We show that these predictions align with real neurofeedback performance at the group level and can also explain individual differences in neurofeedback success. Overall, this work demonstrates the usefulness of offline simulation to improve the success of real-time decoded neurofeedback experiments.
Influence of nutritional tyrosine on cognition and functional connectivity in healthy old humans
Authors: Hensel Christian , Becker Maxi , Düzel Sandra , Demuth Ilja , Norman Kristina , Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth , Gallinat Jürgen , Lindenberger Ulman , Kühn Simone
Published: October 2018

Tyrosine is precursor for monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA), which is one of the key neurotransmitters in the frontostriatal network and of crucial relevance for mental disorders. Recent research reported that high dose tyrosine application resulted in increased brain DA synthesis, which is consistent with the observation of positive associations between daily tyrosine intake and cognitive test performance. In the present study, we investigated the associations between working memory (WM) dependent tasks and self-reported nutritional tyrosine intake within a large group of healthy elderly humans (286 subjects) by additionally including brain functional data. We observed a negative correlation between tyrosine intake and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the striatum (putamen) and the prefrontal cortex. That is to say, we found higher rsFC in individuals consuming less tyrosine per day. At the same time, this increased rsFC or hyperconnectivity was associated with lower WM performance. These findings suggest that lower or insufficient supply of tyrosine might result in dysfunctional connectivity between striatal and frontal regions leading to lower WM capacity in healthy elderly humans.
The dynamic and structural properties of axonemal tubulins support the high length stability of cilia
Authors: Orbach Ron , Howard Jonthon
Published: October 2018

Cilia and flagella, which play essential roles in cell motility, sensing and development, contain at their core a microtubule-based structure called axoneme. The axoneme, which contains nine doublet and two central microtubules, is highly stable and its length is precisely-controlled. We have asked whether the axonemal tubulins contribute to this length stability. Towards this end, we used a novel procedure to differentially extract the tubulins from the different axoneme components, and characterized their dynamic properties and post-translational modifications (PTMs). We found that their dynamic properties are consistent with the greater stability of axonemes. Despite the differences in PTMs between the axonemal components, we found no significant differences in their dynamic properties. Unexpectedly, the reconstituted ciliary microtubules exhibit curved protofilaments at their growing tip, that may correspond to the fluctuating GTP-cap hypothesized to exist. Thus, our study provides new insights into the growth, stability and the role of PTMs of ciliary tubulin.
LEM domain proteins control the efficiency of adaptation through copy number variation
Authors: Colombi Paolo , King Diane E. , Williams Jessica F. , Lusk C. Patrick , King Megan C.
Published: October 2018

While loss of genome integrity is at the basis of numerous pathologies, including cancer, genome plasticity is necessary to adapt to a changing environment and thus is essential for long-term organismal success. Here we present data supporting a targeted mechanism that promotes adaptation to environmental stress by driving site-specific genome instability tied to transcriptional induction and the formation of RNA-DNA hybrids. Using anin vitroevolution assay we observe that the inner nuclear membrane LEM domain proteins Heh1 and Heh2 play antagonistic roles in inhibiting or promoting adaptation through copy number expansion, respectively, which is also reflected in their genetic interaction networks with genes responsible for transcription-dependent genome instability. Taken together, our data suggest the existence of a LEM domain protein-mediated mechanism by which an immediate transcriptional response to a changing environment drives targeted genome instability to promote increased variation on which selection can act to support long-term adaptation.
Translational control of cardiac fibrosis
Authors: Chothani Sonia , Schafer Sebastian , Adami Eleonora , Viswanathan Sivakumar , Widjaja Anissa A , Langley Sarah R , Tan Jessie , Pua Chee Jian , D’Agostino Giuseppe , van Heesch Sebastiaan , Witte Franziska , Felkin Leanne E , Christodoulou Eleni G. , Dong Jinrui , Blachut Susanne , Patone Giannino , Barton Paul JR , Hubner Norbert , Cook Stuart A , Rackham Owen JL
Published: October 2018

Background

Fibrosis is a common pathology in many cardiac disorders and is driven by the activation of resident fibroblasts. The global post-transcriptional mechanisms underlying fibroblast-to-myofibroblast conversion in the heart have not been explored.

Methods

Genome-wide changes of RNA transcription and translation during human cardiac fibroblast activation were monitored with RNA sequencing and ribosome profiling. We then used miRNA-and RNA-binding protein-based analyses to identify translational regulators of fibrogenic genes. To reveal post-transcriptional mechanisms in the human fibrotic heart, we then integrated our findings with cardiac ribosome occupancy levels of 30 dilated cardiomyopathy patients.

Results

We generated nucleotide-resolution translatome data during the TGFβ1-driven cellular transition of human cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. This identified dynamic changes of RNA transcription and translation at several time points during the fibrotic response, revealing transient and early-responder genes. Remarkably, about one-third of all changes in gene expression in activated fibroblasts are subject to translational regulation and dynamic variation in ribosome occupancy affects protein abundance independent of RNA levels. Targets of RNA-binding proteins were strongly enriched in post-transcriptionally regulated genes, suggesting genes such as MBNL2 can act as translational activators or repressors. Ribosome occupancy in the hearts of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy suggested an extensive post-transcriptional regulatory network underlying cardiac fibrosis. Key network hubs include RNA-binding proteins such as PUM2 and QKI that work in concert to regulate the translation of target transcripts in human diseased hearts.

Conclusions

We reveal widespread translational effects of TGFβ1 and define novel post-transcriptional events that control the fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition. Regulatory networks that affect ribosome occupancy in fibroblasts are paralleled in human heart disease. Our findings show the central importance of translational control in fibrosis and highlight novel pathogenic mechanisms in heart failure.
Characterisation of a type II functionally-deficient variant of alpha-1-antitrypsin discovered in the general population
Authors: Laffranchi Mattia , Elliston Emma L. K. , Gangemi Fabrizio , Berardelli Romina , Lomas David A. , Irving James A. , Fra Annamaria
Published: October 2018

Lung disease in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) results from dysregulated proteolytic activity, mainly by neutrophil elastase (HNE), in the lung parenchyma. This is the result of a substantial reduction of circulating alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) and the presence in the plasma of inactive polymers of AAT. Moreover, some AAT mutants have reduced intrinsic activity toward HNE, as demonstrated for the common Z mutant, as well as for other rarer variants. Here we report the identification and characterisation of the novel AAT reactive centre loop variant Gly349Arg (p.G373R) present in the ExAC database. This AAT variant is secreted at normal levels in cellular models of AATD but shows a severe reduction in anti-HNE activity. Biochemical and molecular dynamics studies suggest it exhibits unfavourable RCL presentation to cognate proteases and compromised insertion of the RCL into β-sheet A. Identification of a fully dysfunctional AAT mutant that does not show a secretory defect underlines the importance of accurate genotyping of patients with pulmonary AATD manifestations regardless of the presence of normal levels of AAT in the circulation. This subtype of disease is reminiscent of dysfunctional phenotypes in antithrombin and C1-inibitor deficiencies so, accordingly, we classify this variant as the first pure functionally-deficient (type II) AATD mutant.
Tunable Transcriptional Interference at the Endogenous Alcohol Dehydrogenase Gene Locus inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Jorgensen Victoria , Chen Jingxun , Wende Helen Vander , Harris Devon , Wong-Deyrup Siu Wah , Chen Yuzhang , Rangan Prashanth , Brar Gloria Ann , Sawyer Eric M. , Chan Leon , Ünal Elçin
Published: October 2018

Neighboring sequences of a gene can influence its expression. In the phenomenon known as transcriptional interference, transcription at one region in the genome can repress transcription at a nearby region incis. Transcriptional interference occurs at a number of eukaryotic loci, including the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) gene inDrosophila melanogaster. Adhis regulated by two promoters, which are distinct in their developmental timing of activation. It has been shown using transgene insertion that when the promoter distal from theAdhstart codon is deleted, transcription from the proximal promoter becomes de-regulated. As a result, theAdhproximal promoter, which is normally active only during the early larval stages, becomes abnormally activated in adults. Whether this type of regulation occurs in the endogenousAdhcontext, however, remains unclear. Here, we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit the endogenousAdhlocus and found that removal of the distal promoter does also result in the untimely expression of the proximal promoter-driven mRNA isoform in adults, albeit at lower levels than previously reported. Importantly, we show that transcription from the distal promoter is sufficient to repress proximal transcription in larvae and that the degree of this repression depends on the degree of distal promoter activity. Finally, repression of the endogenousAdhproximal promoter is associated with the enrichment of histone 3 lysine 36 trimethylation (H3K36me3), a chromatin mark necessary for transcription-coupled gene repression in yeast. We conclude that the endogenousAdhlocus is developmentally regulated by transcriptional interference in a tunable manner.
Corporate governance and innovation: a theoretical review
Authors: Asensio-López Diego , Cabeza-García Laura , González-Álvarez Nuria
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the literature on two lines of research, corporate governance and innovation, explaining how different internal corporate governance mechanisms may be determinants of business innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

It explores the theoretical background and the empirical evidence regarding the influence of both ownership structure and the board of directors on company innovation. Then, conclusions are drawn and possible future research lines are presented.

Findings

No consensus was observed regarding the relation between corporate governance and innovation, with both positive and negative arguments being found, and with empirical evidence not always pointing in the same direction. Thus, new studies trying to clarify this relationship are needed.

Originality/value

Over recent years, interest has grown in the influence of governance mechanisms on innovation decisions taken by the management. Innovation efforts and results depend on factors that are influenced by corporate governance, such as ownership structure or the functioning of the board of directors. Thus, the paper shows an updated state of the art in this field proposing future lines for empirical research.
Implementing connectivism by semantic technologies for self-directed learning
Authors: Vas Réka , Weber Christian , Gkoumas Dimitris
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Connectivism has been proposed to explain the impact of new technologies on learning. According to this approach, learning may occur even outside the individual within an organization or a system. Learning objectives are not defined in advance and learning requires the ability to form connections and use networks to find the required knowledge. The connections by which individuals can learn are more important than what they currently know. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if a measure, rating the importance of concepts, can be derived from a network representation of the learning domain and if highly connected concepts – with high importance value – can describe whether information is explored in such ways as assumed by connectivism.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors empirically examined if the proposed measure can provide insight on the role of connections in learning and explain the reasons behind passing certain parts of a test using a linear regression model.

Findings

The results are twofold. First, an implementation of the information exploration principle of connectivism has been introduced, applying semantic technologies and the importance measure. Second, although no significant effects could be isolated, trends in performance improvement concerning highly important concepts were identified.

Originality/value

However, connectivism has been known since 2005, it is still lacking for successful implementations. The presented approach of a concept importance measure is a promising starting point by providing means of connected learning, enabling individuals to effectively improve their personal abilities to better fit job demand.
What constitutes successful African enterprises? A survey of performance variations in 210 African food processors
Authors: Hansen Michael Wendelboe , Ishengoma Esther K. , Upadhyaya Radha
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To understand African small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) performance and its antecedents is essential, both from a strategic management and an industrial development perspective. While a substantial literature on African SMEs has emerged in recent years, studies of their performance specifically are few and inconclusive. The purpose of this paper is to address this lacuna in the literature by examining variations in performance of 210 East African SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs OLS and logistic regression and Classify k-means test to analyze performance variations in a unique data set of 210 food processing enterprises in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia.

Findings

Three generic types of African SMEs are identified based on performance: laggards, followers and gazelles. The gazelles are typically medium-sized, skill-intensive companies selling relatively differentiated products in niche markets. The laggards are typically small, capital-intensive companies involved in grain milling that adopt a cost differentiation strategy. A key driver of variation in performance is found to be the quality of the external business environment (in particular the quality of intermediary markets), and also capability factors such as the strength of management. Strategy factors such as differentiation and political strategies explain performance variations.

Practical implications

Among the policy implications are that African industrial policy should focus on improving the functioning of intermediary markets, e.g. by reducing the transaction costs of inter-firm collaboration. Moreover, rather than focusing industrial policy on SMEsper se, policymakers should focus on those types of enterprises that are capable of generating high performance, e.g. skill-intensive enterprises with strong managerial capabilities, engaged in differentiation strategies.

Originality/value

The paper integrates the extant literature on African SME performance, develops an analytical framework for studying it and presents novel empirical insights based on one of the most detailed surveys of SME performance in the continent to date. The findings have important and tangible implications for literature, as well as for industrial policy.
Industry structure, macroeconomic fundamentals and return on equity
Authors: Ndlovu Chiedza , Alagidede Paul
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of industry structure and macroeconomic indicators on return on equity (ROE) of listed financial services firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Herfindahl–Hirschman Index concentration scales were used to categorise industries into competitive, moderate and concentrated segments, while Arbitrage Pricing Model principles were used to capture the effect of macroeconomic fundamentals on ROE. Generalised method of moments estimator was used to model random effects which were supported by the Hausman test.

Findings

Findings suggest that the influence of macroeconomic fundamentals on ROE deteriorates as one moves from competitive to concentrated industries. ROE is volatile in concentrated markets and less volatile in competitive markets. Concentrated markets generally enjoy monopoly profits. Gross domestic product and interest rates have a positive impact on ROE, while inflation, unemployment and exchange rates have a negative effect.

Originality/value

This study highlights the need to apply appropriate business strategies and policies depending on the structure of the industry. Competitive advantage strategies may assist in sustaining profits of firms in competitive markets. Regulators need to be proactive and stress test the impact of a policy on industry performance before implementation because competitive and concentrated markets react differently to external shocks. Risk tolerant investors may invest in volatile markets such as Russia and South Africa, while risk-averse investors may prefer to invest in less volatile markets such as India and China.