bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the reactivity of nickel(ii) in hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) by β-hydrogenation of porphyrinoid ligands
Authors: Wu Zhuo-Yan , Wang Teng , Meng Yin-Shan , Rao Yu , Wang Bing-Wu , Zheng Jie , Gao Song , Zhang Jun-Long
Published: June 2017

β-Hydrogenation of porphyrin remarkably enhances (ca. 24 fold) the electrocatalytic HER reactivity of Ni(ii) complexes.
Novel optical and magnetic properties of Li-doped quasi-2D manganate Ca3Mn2O7particles
Authors: Zhang Xiongnan , Liu Weifang , Han Yuling , Huang Cong , Wu Ping , Zhou Wei , Gao Ju , Rao Guanghui , Wang Shouyu
Published: June 2017

Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) structural Li2xCa3−2xMn2O7(x= 0–0.05) particles were successfully synthesizedviaa citrate sol–gel method. Li doping was investigated to have a positive influence on enhancing the magnetism of the system.
Phonological Working Memory for Words and Nonwords in Cerebral Cortex
Authors: Perrachione Tyler K. , Ghosh Satrajit S. , Ostrovskaya Irina , Gabrieli John D. E. , Kovelman Ioulia
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the brain bases of phonological working memory (the short-term maintenance of speech sounds) using behavioral tasks analogous to clinically sensitive assessments of nonword repetition. The secondary purpose of the study was to identify how individual differences in brain activation were related to participants' nonword repetition abilities.

Method

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure neurophysiological response during a nonword discrimination task derived from standard clinical assessments of phonological working memory. Healthy adult control participants (
N
= 16) discriminated pairs of real words or nonwords under varying phonological working memory load, which we manipulated by parametrically varying the number of syllables in target (non)words. Participants' cognitive and phonological abilities were also measured using standardized assessments.

Results

Neurophysiological responses in bilateral superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and supplementary motor area increased with greater phonological working memory load. Activation in left superior temporal gyrus during nonword discrimination correlated with participants' performance on standard clinical nonword repetition tests.

Conclusion

These results suggest that phonological working memory is related to the function of cortical structures that canonically underlie speech perception and production.
Bone Tunnel Enlargement after ACL Reconstruction with Hamstring Autograft Is Dependent on Original Bone Tunnel Diameter
Authors: Sauer Steffen , Lind Martin
Published: June 2017

Background Bone tunnel enlargement is a well-established phenomenon following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and is related to soft tissue grafts, suspension fixation devices, and absorbable implants. Severe tunnel enlargement can lead to reconstruction failure. The correlation between bone tunnel enlargement following ACL reconstruction and original bone tunnel diameter has not been elucidated.

Purpose To determine whether bone tunnel enlargement after ACL reconstruction with hamstring autograft is dependent on original tunnel diameter established during primary ACL reconstruction.

Materials and Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 56 patients scheduled for ACL revision surgery who had undergone computed tomography (CT) scanning as part of their preoperative evaluation. All patients had undergone previous hamstring ACL reconstruction. Original femoral and tibial bone tunnel diameters were extracted from operative reports, and femoral and tibial bone tunnel enlargement was assessed on CT serial sections. The correlation between original tunnel diameter and bone tunnel enlargement was investigated using regression analysis.

Results Mean tibial bone tunnel enlargement was significantly and inversely dependent on the original tibial bone tunnel diameter with a correlation coefficient of −0.55 per unit (7 mm = +1.93 mm, 8 mm = +1.43 mm, 9 mm = 0.83 mm, p = 0.007). Thus, every additional increase (mm) in diameter of the original tibial bone tunnel reduces the extend of tunnel widening by 0.55 mm.

Conclusions The results of this study indicate that tibial bone tunnel enlargement following ACL reconstruction is dependent on original tibial bone tunnel diameter with smaller diameter tunnels developing more tunnel enlargement than larger tunnels. The contributing factors remain unclear and need to be further investigated.
Expanding Phenotype of De Novo Mutations in GNAO1: Four New Cases and Review of Literature
Authors: Dietel Tobias , Evers Christina , Hinderhofer Katrin , Korinthenberg Rudolf , Ezzo Daniel , Bönnemann Carsten , Kirschner Janbernd , Schorling David
Published: June 2017

Mutations in GNAO1 (guanine nucleotide-binding protein, alpha-activating activity polypeptide O) were recently identified as being causative for early epileptic encephalopathy. Since then approximately 27 patients with severe developmental delay and different neurological phenotypes for epilepsy and involuntary movement disorder have been reported. We report four additional patients with mutations in GNAO1 including a report of siblings of different sex harboring the same de novo mutation (c.736G > A, p.Glu246Lys) but showing differences in phenotype with pronounced dystonia in the boy and epilepsy in his sister. Another de novo mutation in GNAO1 (c.607G > A, p.Gly203Arg) was identified in two unrelated girls with severe epilepsy. Both girls later also developed severe dystonia with severe nonepileptic spasms. An extensive review of published cases revealed that epilepsy was reported in only one male patient so far. Thus it appears possible that epilepsy is a sex-dependent phenotypic feature of GNAO1-related diseases.
Use of Magill Forceps to Remove Foreign Bodies in Children
Authors: Oncel Murat , Sunam Guven , Elsurer Cagdas , Yildiran Huseyin
Published: June 2017

Introduction Esophageal foreign body (FB) in all age groups can cause serious morbidity or mortality. The study aims to report our experience retrieving FBs from the upper esophagus in children using Magill forceps.

Materials and Methods In this study, 88 patients (45 males [51.1%] and 43 females [48.9%]) were presented with suspected FB ingestion. FB ingestion was determined via endoscopic analysis, or lateral and posterior–anterior radiographies, including oropharynx, neck, chest, and abdomen. Cases were classified into seven groups, according to history, diagnostic method, and postintervention findings, as follows: (1) coins, (2) toys, (3) metals, (4) bones, (5) battery, (6) glass, and (7) food. A laryngoscope was used to elevate the larynx and expose the esophageal entrance. Magill forceps were advanced into the esophagus and opened to observe and extract the FB.

Results All 88 patients who underwent endoscopic examination due to suspected FB ingestion were confirmed to have ingested a FB. Median age was 12 years; 15 patients were aged < 5 years; 63 (71.5%) were diagnosed based on routine radiographic findings, and others were diagnosed based on physical findings and history. The most common type of FB was coins (n = 51 [57.9%]). Mean surgical duration was 20 minutes.

Conclusion FBs located at cervical esophageal level are usually the most difficult to remove. Magill forceps should be used before other methods.
Präzise Befundung mit der OCT-Angiografie – Artefakte erkennen und ausschließen
Authors: Lang Gabriele , Enders Christian , Loidl Max , Lang Gerhard , Werner Jens
Published: June 2017

Hintergrund Die optische Kohärenztomografie-Angiografie (OCTA) ermöglicht nicht invasiv eine hochaufgelöste und tiefenselektive Visualisierung des Mikrogefäßsystems von Netzhaut und Aderhaut. Allerdings können auch Bildartefakte auftreten, die eine Befundung erschweren. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, im Zusammenhang mit OCTA-Aufnahmen auftretende Artefakte zu beschreiben und eine Nomenklatur vorzustellen.

Methoden Es wurden OCTA-Untersuchungen mit der AngioPlex™-OCTA-Technologie sowie auch mit dem Plex Elite 9000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, USA) in Kombination mit dem CIRRUS HD-OCT 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, USA) durchgeführt. Beispielhaft werden typische, in den OCTA-Aufnahmen auftretende Artefakte beschrieben und deren Ursachen erläutert.

Ergebnisse Es können 3 Gruppen von Artefakten unterschieden werden: (a) systemimmanente Artefakte, die unabhängig vom eingesetzten Gerätetyp auftreten (Projektions- und Abschattungsartefakte, Fenstereffekte und der Verlust des Scanfokus); (b) Artefakte, die durch Algorithmen zur Datenverarbeitung und Bildprozessierung hervorgerufen werden und deren Häufigkeit bzw. Ausprägung vom eingesetzten Gerätetyp abhängt und variieren kann (Segmentierungsartefakte, Duplikationen von Gefäßen); (c) Bewegungsartefakte, die je nach eingesetztem Gerätetyp in unterschiedlicher Häufigkeit und Ausprägung auftreten, da je nach Gerät unterschiedliche Methoden (z. B. leistungsfähiger Eye-Tracker) eingesetzt werden, um diese zu reduzieren. Das Auftreten von Artefakten ist außerdem auch abhängig von der Kooperation der Patienten, der Klarheit der optischen Medien und der Pathologie der Netzhaut.

Schlussfolgerung Bei der OCTA treten wie bei jedem anderen bildgebenden Verfahren auch Artefakte auf. Dennoch lassen sich die OCTA-Aufnahmen qualitativ fast immer gut auswerten und liefern unverzichtbare Erkenntnisse zu Morphologie und Perfusionsstatus von Aderhaut und Netzhaut. Bei guter Kenntnis möglicher Artefakte und entsprechender kritischer Datenanalyse ist eine korrekte Bewertung der OCTA-Aufnahmen möglich, um eine korrekte klinische Diagnose zu stellen.
Investigation of air-assisted sprays submitted to high frequency transverse acoustic fields: Droplet clustering
Authors: Ficuciello A. , Blaisot J. B. , Richard C. , Baillot F.
Published: June 2017

An experimental investigation of the effects of a high amplitude transverse acoustic field on coaxial jets is presented in this paper. Water and air are used as working fluids at ambient pressure. The coaxial injectors are placed on the top of a semi-open resonant cavity where the acoustic pressure fluctuations of the standing wave can reach a maximum peak-to-peak amplitude of 12 kPa at the forcing frequency of 1 kHz. Several test conditions are considered in order to quantify the influence of injection conditions, acoustic field amplitude, and injector position with respect to the standing wave acoustic field. A high speed back-light visualization technique is used to characterize the jet response. Image processing is used to obtain valuable information about the jet behavior. It is shown that the acoustic field drastically affects the atomization process for all atomization regimes. The position of the injector in the acoustic field determines the jet response, and a droplet-clustering phenomenon is highlighted in multi-point injection conditions and quantified by determining discrete droplet location distributions. A theoretical model based on nonlinear acoustics related to the spatial distribution of the radiation pressure exerted on an object explains the behavior observed.
Spectral line shapes in linear absorption and two-dimensional spectroscopy with skewed frequency distributions
Authors: Farag Marwa H. , Hoenders Bernhard J. , Knoester Jasper , Jansen Thomas L. C.
Published: June 2017

The effect of Gaussian dynamics on the line shapes in linear absorption and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy is well understood as the second-order cumulant expansion provides exact spectra. Gaussian solvent dynamics can be well analyzed using slope line analysis of two-dimensional correlation spectra as a function of the waiting time between pump and probe fields. Non-Gaussian effects are not as well understood, even though these effects are common in nature. The interpretation of the spectra, thus far, relies on complex case to case analysis. We investigate spectra resulting from two physical mechanisms for non-Gaussian dynamics, one relying on the anharmonicity of the bath and the other on non-linear couplings between bath coordinates. These results are compared with outcomes from a simpler log-normal dynamics model. We find that the skewed spectral line shapes in all cases can be analyzed in terms of the log-normal model, with a minimal number of free parameters. The effect of log-normal dynamics on the spectral line shapes is analyzed in terms of frequency correlation functions, maxline slope analysis, and anti-diagonal linewidths. A triangular line shape is a telltale signature of the skewness induced by log-normal dynamics. We find that maxline slope analysis, as for Gaussian dynamics, is a good measure of the solvent dynamics for log-normal dynamics.
High-pressure phase transition of alkali metal–transition metal deuteride Li2PdD2
Authors: Yao Yansun , Stavrou Elissaios , Goncharov Alexander F. , Majumdar Arnab , Wang Hui , Prakapenka Vitali B. , Epshteyn Albert , Purdy Andrew P.
Published: June 2017

A combined theoretical and experimental study of lithium palladium deuteride (Li2PdD2) subjected to pressures up to 50 GPa reveals one structural phase transition near 10 GPa, detected by synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction, and metadynamics simulations. The ambient-pressure tetragonal phase of Li2PdD2 transforms into a monoclinic C2/m phase that is distinct from all known structures of alkali metal–transition metal hydrides/deuterides. The structure of the high-pressure phase was characterized using ab initio computational techniques and from refinement of the powder x-ray diffraction data. In the high-pressure phase, the PdD2 complexes lose molecular integrity and are fused to extended [PdD2]∞ chains. The discovered phase transition and new structure are relevant to the possible hydrogen storage application of Li2PdD2 and alkali metal–transition metal hydrides in general.
An oil-free compact X-pinch plasma radiation source: Design and radiation performance
Authors: Shapovalov Roman V. , Spielman Rick B. , Imel George R.
Published: June 2017

This paper describes a new, high-current, X-pinch radiation source recently developed and tested at Idaho State University. Our design is based on two linear transformer driver (LTD) bricks arranged in side-by-side geometry and directly coupled with an X-pinch load. The salient features of our 2-LTD-bricks are its simplicity, compactness, and portability: there is no oil, no water, and no SF6. It can be easily relocated to any place where a compact X-pinch radiation source is wanted. The driver can store up to 2.8 kJ of initial energy and can deliver more than 200-kA peak-current with less than 200-ns, 10%-90%, rise time into a short-circuit load. When the driver is coupled with an X-pinch load, it generates a very fast and bright radiation pulse. Source size measurements indicate that this radiation originates from a very small dense plasma, known as a “hot spot.”
Stability of a general delayed virus dynamics model with humoral immunity and cellular infection
Authors: Elaiw A. M. , Raezah A. A. , Alofi A. S.
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we investigate the dynamical behavior of a general nonlinear model for virus dynamics with virus-target and infected-target incidences. The model incorporates humoral immune response and distributed time delays. The model is a four dimensional system of delay differential equations where the production and removal rates of the virus and cells are given by general nonlinear functions. We derive the basic reproduction parameter R̃0G and the humoral immune response activation number R̃1G and establish a set of conditions on the general functions which are sufficient to determine the global dynamics of the models. We use suitable Lyapunov functionals and apply LaSalle’s invariance principle to prove the global asymptotic stability of the all equilibria of the model. We confirm the theoretical results by numerical simulations.
Beneficial effects of melatonin on in vitro embryo production from juvenile goat oocytes
Authors: Soto-Heras Sandra , Roura Montserrat , Catalá Maria G. , Menéndez-Blanco Irene , Izquierdo Dolors , Fouladi-Nashta Ali A. , Paramio Maria T.
Published: June 2017

Melatonin is a universal antioxidant that improves in vitro embryo production in several species. The aims of this study were to determine the melatonin concentration in the ovarian follicular fluid (FF) of juvenile goats and the effect of melatonin during in vitro maturation (IVM) on embryo development. The FF melatonin concentration was 0.57­–1.07 × 10−9 M, increasing with follicular diameter. Oocytes were matured, fertilised and cultured under conventional conditions. Blastocyst development, embryo quality and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione were assessed. In Experiment 1 different melatonin concentrations (10−3, 10−7, 10−9, 10−11 M) were added to the IVM medium, which contained cysteamine as antioxidant, and no differences were observed. In Experiment 2, melatonin (10−7 M) was tested in the presence or absence of cysteamine (experimental groups: melatonin, cysteamine, melatonin + cysteamine, non-antioxidant). The melatonin group presented a higher blastocyst rate than the non-antioxidant group (28.9 vs 11.7%; P < 0.01) and a higher total cell number than the cysteamine group (225.1 vs 129.0; P < 0.05). Oocytes from the melatonin and cysteamine groups had lower ROS levels than those from the non-antioxidant group. This study shows that melatonin is an interesting tool for improving oocyte competence in juvenile goats as it increases embryo production and quality.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis, text constellations, and interdisciplinary discourse
Authors: Thompson Paul , Hunston Susan , Murakami Akira , Vajn Dominik
Published: June 2017

Multi-Dimensional Analysis (MDA) has been widely used to explore register variation. This paper reports on a project using MDA to explore the features of an interdisciplinary academic domain. Six dimensions of variation are identified in a corpus of 11,000 journal articles in environmental studies. We then focus on articles in one interdisciplinary journal, Global Environmental Change (GEC). It is expected that these articles will diverge sufficiently to produce differences that are analogous to register differences. Instead of identifying these “registers” on external criteria, we use the dimensional profiles of individual texts to identify ‘constellations’ of texts sharing combinations of features. Six such constellations are derived, consisting of texts with commonalities in their approaches to research: the development of predictive models; quantitative research; discussions of theory and policy; and human-environment studies focusing on individual voices. The identification of these constellations could not have been achieved through an a priori categorisation of texts.
Lexical bundles in spoken academic ELF
Authors: Wang Ying
Published: June 2017

This corpus-based study explored the effects of two factors – genre (i.e. speech event type) and disciplinary variation – on spoken academic ELF, from the perspective of lexical bundles (i.e. recurrent word combinations). The material was drawn from a corpus of transcribed spoken academic lingua franca English (ELFA). The investigation involved a quantitative analysis of the use of four-word bundles, in terms of frequency, form, and function, across a range of genres (academic lectures and seminars) and disciplines (Medicine, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences). A qualitative analysis was also carried out to give an in-depth account of functional variations associated with one particular lexical bundleI don’t know if. The results demonstrated that genre and discipline are two important factors that cannot be ignored in understanding academic ELF communication and idiomaticity, and lexical bundles provide useful glimpses on genre and disciplinary variation that are worth following up.
Commercial fisheries interactions with oil and gas pipelines in the North Sea: considerations for decommissioning
Authors: Rouse Sally , Kafas Andronikos , Catarino Rui , Peter Hayes
Published: June 2017

Commercial fisheries and oil and gas extraction are both spatially extensive industries in the North Sea (NS), and inevitably there is physical interaction where the two activities coincide. Regular contact between fishing gear and pipelines may risk pipeline integrity and could lead to gear snagging. It is also known, anecdotally, that some vessels target pipelines, potentially benefiting from local artificial reef effects. The impacts of pipeline decommissioning options (removal vs. in situ) on commercial fisheries must be evaluated as part of the consenting process, but the degree of interaction between the two is presently unknown in the NS. Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data for the Scottish demersal fleet were analysed with spatial data on pipelines. Approximately one-third (36.1%) of trips fished within 200 m of a pipeline over a 5-year period, suggesting that pipelines are subjected to regular interaction with fishing gear. The fishing effort (in hours) associated with pipelines was 2.52% of the total effort, compared to 1.33% in an equivalent area of seabed 1 km away, implying modest aggregation of fishing around pipelines. Only a small percentage (0.93%) of fishing trips actively targeted pipelines as fishing grounds. The highest level of fishing around pipelines occurred in the northeast NS. Pipeline sections with >100 h of fishing were typically larger diameter pipelines. The results suggest that pipeline decommissioning may have both negative (displacement of aggregated effort) and positive (reduced snagging potential) outcomes for commercial fisheries. It is recommended that where there is little or no fishing activity associated with pipelines, receptors other than fishing should be prioritized when selecting decommissioning strategies. Additionally, the intensity of fishing around pipelines should be used to inform the frequency of post-decommissioning integrity monitoring for any pipelines left in situ.
Imprints of the super-Eddington accretion on the quasar clustering
Authors: Oogi Taira , Enoki Motohiro , Ishiyama Tomoaki , Kobayashi Masakazu A. R. , Makiya Ryu , Nagashima Masahiro , Okamoto Takashi , Shirakata Hikari
Published: June 2017

Super-Eddington mass accretion has been suggested as an efficient mechanism to grow supermassive black holes. We investigate the imprint left by the radiative efficiency of the super-Eddington accretion process on the clustering of quasars using a new semi-analytic model of galaxy and quasar formation based on large-volume cosmological N-body simulations. Our model includes a simple model for the radiative efficiency of a quasar, which imitates the effect of photon trapping for a high mass accretion rate. We find that the model of radiative efficiency affects the relation between the quasar luminosity and the quasar host halo mass. The quasar host halo mass has only weak dependence on quasar luminosity when there is no upper limit for quasar luminosity. On the other hand, it has significant dependence on quasar luminosity when the quasar luminosity is limited by its Eddington luminosity. In the latter case, the quasar bias also depends on the quasar luminosity, and the quasar bias of bright quasars is in agreement with observations. Our results suggest that the quasar clustering studies can provide a constraint on the accretion disc model.
Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Peramivir Compared With Oseltamivir in High-Risk Patients Infected With Influenza A and B Viruses: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Nakamura Shigeki , Miyazaki Taiga , Izumikawa Koichi , Kakeya Hiroshi , Saisho Yutaka , Yanagihara Katsunori , Miyazaki Yoshitsugu , Mukae Hiroshi , Kohno Shigeru
Published: June 2017

Background

Clinical studies comparing the different neuraminidase inhibitors for treatment of at-risk patients with influenza have not been performed. To optimize such treatments, we assessed the efficacy and safety of intravenous peramivir compared with oral oseltamivir in treating seasonal influenza A or B virus infection.

Methods

A multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted from December 2012 to May 2014 in high-risk patients infected with seasonal influenza. A total of 92 adult inpatients and outpatients with high risk factors (HRFs) were treated by either a single intravenous infusion of peramivir (600 mg) or oral administration of oseltamivir (75 mg, twice per day for 5 days).

Results

The median times to clinical stability (time to reach <37°C) were 40.0 hours (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.3–64.5) and 37.8 hours (95% CI = 26.3–45.3) in the peramivir and oseltamivir groups, respectively; these values did not reveal a significant difference. The virus titer and change of mean total symptom scores decreased similarly with both treatments. Results of step-wise regression suggested that virus type was a significantly effective prognostic factor with respect to illness resolution. Adverse events (AEs) with peramivir and oseltamivir occurred in 2.2% (n = 1/46) and 13.0% (n = 6/46) of patients, respectively. The severity of AEs was mild in all cases except 2 patients who showed pneumonia or COPD aggravation; both were in the oseltamivir group.

Conclusions

Intravenous peramivir was effective based on the result of direct comparison with oral oseltamivir. Thus our data show that peramivir is a useful option for the treatment of influenza-infected patients with HRFs.
The value of DNA methylation profiling in characterizing preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Wilson Samantha L , Leavey Katherine , Cox Brian , Robinson Wendy P
Published: June 2017

Placental health is a key component to healthy pregnancy. Placental insufficiency (PI), inadequate nutrient delivery to the fetus, is associated with preeclampsia (PE), a maternal hypertensive disorder, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), pathologically poor fetal growth. PI is more common in early-onset PE (EOPE) than late-onset PE (LOPE). However, the relationship between these disorders remains unclear. While DNA methylation (DNAm) alterations have been identified in PE and IUGR, these entities can overlap and few studies have analyzed these separately. This study aims to identify altered DNAm in EOPE, LOPE, and normotensive IUGR, validate these alterations, and use them to better understand the relationships between these related disorders.

Placental samples from a discovery cohort (43 controls, 22 EOPE, 18 LOPE, 11 IUGR) and validation cohort (15 controls, 22 EOPE, 11 LOPE) were evaluated using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array. To minimize gestational age (GA) effects, EOPE samples were compared to pre-term controls (GA <37 weeks), while LOPE and IUGR were compared to term controls (GA >37 weeks). There were 1703 differentially methylated (DM) sites (FDR<0.05, Δβ>0.1) in EOPE, 5 in LOPE, and 0 in IUGR. Of the 1703 EOPE sites, 599 were validated in the second cohort. These sites cluster samples from both cohorts into 3 distinct methylation clusters. Interestingly, LOPE samples diagnosed between 34-36 weeks with co-occurring IUGR clustered with the EOPE methylation cluster. DNAm profiling may provide an independent tool to refine clinical diagnoses into subgroups with more uniform pathology. The challenges in reproducing genome-wide DNAm studies are also discussed.
Photosynthesis is heavily chlororespiration-sensitive under fluctuating light conditions
Authors: Nawrocki Wojciech J. , Buchert Felix , Joliot Pierre , Rappaport Fabrice , Bailleul Benjamin , Wollman Francis-André
Published: June 2017

Photosynthesis needs to adjust to dynamically changing light intensities in order to maximize its efficiency, notably by the employment of alternative electron pathways. One of them is chlororespiration - initially described inChlamydomonas reinhardtii. This electron transfer pathway, found in all photosynthetic lineages, consists of a reduction of plastoquinone (PQ) through an NAD(P)H:PQ oxidoreductase and quinol (PQH2) oxidation by Plastid Terminal Oxidase, PTOX. Hence, chlororespiration constitutes an electron pathway potentially antagonistic to the linear photosynthetic electron flow from H2O to CO2. However, the limited flow chlororespiratory enzymes can sustain suggests that their relative contribution, at least in the light and in steady-state conditions, is insubstantial. Here, we focused on the involvement of PTOX inChlamydomonas reinhardtiiduring transitions from dark to light and vice versa. We show that the kinetics of redox relaxation of the chloroplast in the dark was greatly affected when PTOX2, the major plastoquinol oxidase inChlamydomonas, is lacking. Importantly, we show that this has a direct physiological relevance, as the growth of a PTOX2-lacking mutant is markedly slower in intermittent light. The latter can be rationalized in terms of a decreased flux sustained by photosystem II due to a redox limitation at the acceptor side of the PSI during the illumination periods. We finally show that the long-term regulation of cyclic electron flow around PSI is strongly affected in the PTOX2 mutant, substantiating an important role of chlororespiration in the maintenance of chloroplast redox balance.
Dual role of E-cadherin in the regulation of invasive collective migration of mammary carcinoma cells
Authors: Elisha Yair , Kalchenko Vyacheslav , Kuznetsov Yuri , Geiger Benjamin
Published: June 2017

In this article, we explore a non-canonical form of collective cell migration, displayed by the metastatic murine mammary carcinoma cell line 4T1. We show here that in sparsely plated 4T1 cells, E-cadherin levels are moderately reduced (~50%), leading to the development of collective migration, whereby cells translocate in loose clusters, interconnected by thin membrane tethers. Knocking down E-cadherin blocked tether formation in these cells, leading to enhancement of migration rate and, at the same time, to suppression of lung metastases formationin vivo,and inhibition of infiltration into fibroblast monolayersex vivo. These findings suggest that the moderate E-cadherin levels, present in wild-type 4T1 cells, play a key role in promoting cancer invasion and metastasis.
Language and cognitive impairment associated to a novel p.Cys63Arg change in the MED13L gene
Authors: Jiménez-Romero Ma Salud , Carrasco-Salas Pilar , Benítez-Burraco Antonio
Published: June 2017

Mutations of theMED13Lgene, which encodes a subunit of a transcriptional regulatory complex, result in a complex phenotype entailing physical and cognitive anomalies. Deep language impairment has been reported, mostly in patients with CNV.Case presentation.We report on a child who presents with a non-synonymous change p.Cys63Arg inMED13L(Chr12:116675396A>G, GRCh37) and who exhibits profound language impairment in the expressive domain, cognitive delay, behavioral disturbances, and some autistic features.Conclusions.Because of the brain areas in whichMED13Lis expressed and because of the functional links between MED13L and the products of some candidate genes for language disorders, the proband’s linguistic phenotype may result from changes in a functional network important for language development.
Does the hiring of chief risk officers align with the COSO/ISO enterprise risk management frameworks?
Authors: Karanja Erastus
Published: June 2017

Purpose

There are two main industry-sanctioned enterprise risk management (ERM) models, that is, COSO 2004 and ISO 31000:2009, that firms refer to when implementing ERM programs. Taken together, the two ERM models specify that firms should implement ERM programs to meet a strategic need, improve operations and reporting or to comply with government regulations or industry best practices. In addition, the focus of ERM implementation should be either the subsidiary, business unit, division, firm/entity or global level. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether firms are aligning their ERM implementations with these tenets: strategy, operations, reporting, compliance and the level of implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The proxy for ERM implementation is the hiring of a Chief Risk Officer (CRO). The research data come from a sample of 122 US firms that issued a press release following the hiring of a CRO between 2010 and 2014. The press releases were retrieved and aggregated through content analysis in LexisNexis Academic.

Findings

The results reveal that many ERM implementations are occurring at the firm/entity level, and with the exception of reporting, firms consider ERM to be a strategic firm resource capable of improving business operations and compliance initiatives.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of research studies specifically investigating whether ERM programs adopted by firms are aligned with the specification of COSO 2004 and ISO 31000:2009 frameworks. The apparent lack of a clear understanding of the alignment between the firm ERM programs and the industry’s ERM frameworks may limit the development and implementation of ERM and the eventual realization of the benefits associated with a successful ERM implementation.
Ownership structure and tax aggressiveness of Chinese listed companies
Authors: Ying Tingting , Wright Brian , Huang Wei
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of state shareholding and control versus institutional investors on tax aggressiveness of Chinese listed firms.

Design/methodology/approach

By exploring recently available tax reconciliation data required under 2006 Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises on a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms, the authors calculate a direct measure of tax aggressiveness and investigate the influence of firm ownership structure on their tax aggressiveness.

Findings

The authors find that state ownership and control are positively associated with corporate tax aggressiveness. A positive link between the collective shareholding by the top ten shareholders and firm tax aggressiveness is also found. In contrast, institutional share ownership is negatively associated with corporate tax aggressiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that political connections and ownership concentration empower firms to pursue aggressive tax planning, whereas institutional investors partially mitigate such influences.

Originality/value

This paper complements recent studies on tax aggressiveness in the USA by analyzing tax planning activities of Chinese listed firms. The authors highlight firm ownership and control factors that encourage aggressive tax planning in China. This paper has important implications for both public policy and corporate governance in emerging markets similar to China.
Earnings management using revenue classification shifting – evidence from the IFRS adoption period
Authors: Noh Minyoung , Moon Doocheol , Parte Laura
Published: June 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to provide evidence of an unintended observable consequence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption by examining opportunistic use of earnings management through revenue as well as expense items classification shifting in the year of transition.

Design/methodology/approach

To document classification shifting, the authors take advantage of the Korean mandatory IFRS adoption in 2011, when broad discretion was given to publicly traded companies’ managers to present operating profits.

Findings

It is found that companies strategically use both revenues and expenses to manage core earnings at the time of transition by shifting other income as a common tactic to improve their operating performance and special expenses just to meet or beat earnings targets.

Originality/value

Given the concerns of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about classification shifting behavior and the debate over whether the SEC should mandate the use of IFRS for US companies, the findings of this study are timely and contribute to authors’ understanding of the unintended consequences of mandatory IFRS adoption.
A leadership framework for distributed self-organized scrum teams
Authors: Srivastava Pallavi , Jain Shilpi
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Scrum, an agile software development method, has gained major interest among software development organizations. The scrum master should be well equipped with specific leadership traits and exhibit leadership behavior to effectively manage his/her team. However, in a distributed team, which is spread across geographies, having scrum master to lead the project team at each location is not viable. Therefore, every member in the team is expected to have the capability to become one. This paper aims to explore the leadership mechanisms desired for effective functioning of distributed self-organized scrum team members, leading to project success and overall customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research methodology with an open-ended questionnaire is followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews. The unit of analysis is a scrum master.

Findings

The qualitative findings unearth the kind of leadership mechanisms required for scrum masters and the team members in a self-organizing scrum team, leading to their project success and customer satisfaction. It includes a set of leadership approaches and behaviors explicitly related to the role of scrum masters. Both inductive and deductive approaches are used to develop a leadership framework applicable for distributed self-organized scrum teams.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework can be empirically tested with a large number of teams and more software organizations.

Practical implications

Organizations can use these identified specific leadership approaches and behaviors as parameters for identifying and selecting the potential scrum masters. They can be further trained on them to be an effective scrum master.

Originality/value

There is scant literature on the leadership mechanisms necessary for distributed scrum teams and their impact on project performance. This paper addresses this gap.
Pygmalion going international
Authors: Bachkirov Alexandre Anatolievich
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The paper presents an empirical account of self-fulfilling prophecy in a multicultural expatriate context of the Arabian Gulf (Sultanate of Oman). The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between managerial expectations of the effects of cultural diversity and workgroup performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study uses a qualitative interpretive approach based on the data collected through semi-structured interviews. The participants were Omani managers in charge of multicultural expatriate workgroups.

Findings

Managerial expectations of the effects of multiculturalism on workgroup dynamics are linked to three dimensions of performance effectiveness, including the production function, the member support function and the group wellbeing function. The Pygmalion process, as applied to the multicultural expatriate context of this study, emerged as an integral part of positive organizational scholarship.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected in one country only, which limits the conclusions about the universal applicability of the Pygmalion theory. The boundary conditions were defined by the cultural characteristics of the research setting: collectivism, high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, moderate masculinity/femininity.

Practical implications

For managers in charge of multicultural workgroups, the study provides motivation to project positive and affirmative expectations of multiculturalism, which is likely to lead to enhanced workgroup performance.

Originality/value

In examining the self-fulfilling prophecy phenomenon, this study transcends Western educational, military and industrial research contexts to investigate the Pygmalion process in a non-Western multicultural expatriate environment. The study contributes to unraveling the inconsistencies in findings on the relationship between cultural diversity and workgroup performance by highlighting the role of managerial expectations of multiculturalism.
Interactions in engaged work teams: a qualitative study
Authors: Costa Patrícia Lopes , Passos Ana Margarida , Bakker Arnold B. , Romana Rafael , Ferrão Cláudia
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The aim of this study is to describe work-engaged teams in terms of interpersonal interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Six teams (N = 31 individuals) were videotaped during a decision-making task, for one hour. Based on a priori defined categories, the authors coded the videos in terms of the degree of interaction between team members, the physical distance between members, the degree of team’s activation and the valence of their interaction. The videos were also coded in terms of motivational and affective processes. Team work engagement was assessed using questionnaires.

Findings

Highly engaged team members work physically close and have an increment on their interactions up until the task’s temporal midpoint. They have an initial peak of activation and show more positive emotional valence in the first and the last moments of the task. The most interpersonal processes used are affective. The worst performing team had the highest initial interaction levels followed by an abrupt decrease both in their levels of interaction and in their levels of activation. Simultaneously, they present higher peaks of positive emotional valence.

Practical implications

Although engaged teams are essentially characterized by the presence of positive interactions, it is fundamental to alternate more “exited” and fun moments with more task focused ones and collective interaction moments with individual work.

Originality/value

This study answers to Kozlowski and Chao’s (2012) call for studying emergence in a more direct way, using qualitative analysis of video data.
Looking at past domestication to secure ecosystem services of future croplands
Authors: Milla Ruben , García‐Palacios Pablo , Matesanz Silvia
Published: June 2017

Food security faces challenges that must be addressed from multiple perspectives. Ecology and agronomy contribute to that endeavour, allowing improvement in management practices. However, not only management affects food provision but also crop traits modulate key ecosystem services (ESs), including sustained yields.

Here we highlight that understanding how crop traits evolved under domestication, affecting ESs delivery, should help to breed future crops. We address the effects of crop evolution (from initial domestication to current times) on crop traits and key ESs: crop yield and its stability over time, soil carbon sequestration, soil nitrogen retention and water provision.

Synthesis. There is evidence that crop domestication affects the delivery of ESs. However, most of these evolutionary effects are understudied. Accordingly, we identify research gaps and necessary actions, including (i) assessing whether performance in polyculture is lower for modern crop mixtures than for mixtures of wild progenitors, and breeding for more efficient crop polycultures; and (ii) investigating how crop evolution impacted on plant effects on soil carbon sequestration and nitrogen retention, and how such effects contribute to yield stability. The provision of cropland ESs, and thus food security, will benefit from exploring those avenues from an ecological perspective.
Comparison of management regimens following ultrasound diagnosis of nontubal ectopic pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ramkrishna J , Kan GR , Reidy KL , Ang WC , Palma‐Dias R
Published: June 2017

Objective

To review management options for nontubal ectopic pregnancies.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Population

A total of 100 nontubal pregnancies: 1 abdominal, 32 caesarean scar, 14 cervical, 41 cornual–interstitial, 12 ovarian.

Methods

Cases were classified according to ectopic site. Management categories were medical, surgical, combination or expectant. Use of minimally invasive approaches (ultrasound‐guided intra‐sac injections or selective surgical techniques) was identified. Primary management was considered to be successful if no further unplanned interventions were required.

Main outcome measures

Success of primary management and frequency of unplanned interventions.

Results

A high rate of success (82%) was demonstrated for all management regimens, with minimal morbidity and no deaths occurring. A high success rate was shown when the primary management regimen was systemic methotrexate or ultrasound‐guided intra‐sac injection (88%). The success rate for primary surgical management was 57%. High success rates were reported for both primary management with ultrasound‐guided injections or in combination with systemic methotrexate (94%) and for primary management with systemic methotrexate alone (81%). Seventy‐five per cent of women managed with minimally invasive surgical approaches avoided the need for more extensive surgery, but required longer follow up and additional interventions.

Conclusion

Minimally invasive approaches were found to be safe and effective treatment for women desiring to conserve fertility. Ultrasound‐guided intra‐sac injection and laparoscopic ectopic removal procedures aimed at preserving reproductive organs should be included as minimally invasive primary management tools in addition to the well‐recognised option of systemic methotrexate.

Tweetable abstract

Nontubal ectopics: minimally invasive procedures a safe alternative to surgery in selected cases.
The Campaign for a Free Parliament, 1659–60
Authors: Worden Blair
Published: June 2017

The clamour for ‘a free parliament’ in the winter of 1659–60, the most widely articulated public demand since the outbreak of civil war, has not received attention proportionate to its significance. Here the contours and chronology of the movement are reconstructed. Its goal was the summoning of an assembly which, through the restoration of parliamentary representation and the emancipation of the electorate from voting restrictions and military interference, would possess the authority to speak for the nation and secure a national settlement. The outcome was that essential instrument in the peaceful return of the monarchy, the Convention. The term ‘a free parliament’ was a slogan, used for a variety of political ends. Yet it was a unifying phrase which allowed the two parties opposed to the republic, the royalists (who had been denied parliamentary representation in 1642) and the presbyterians (who had been forcibly removed from parliament in 1648) to suspend their differences. The movement also connected national politicians of both parties to intense grievances in the regions. Local sentiment was voiced in a cascade of manifestos, published in the names of counties and towns, which illustrate the hold of parliament on public feeling.
RES PUBLICA, FORMA REI PUBLICAE, AND SPQR
Authors: MOATTI CLAUDIA
Published: June 2017

The goal of this article is to study the process of formalization of the res publica from the second to the first century bc. The first part analyzes the uncertainty of the res, defining it as the result of the interaction between citizens. The second part studies a shift in the description of the res publica: the passage from a division into partes to an approach in terms of formae. This evolution, which led to a reduction of its elements and a rationalization of its working, also reveals a will to put an end to conflicts. The mixed constitution and the ideological need for consensus became the new model for part of the elite. This process of reduction of the res publica ended with the Augustan invention of the SPQR.