bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Telling business stories as fellowship-tales
Authors: Smith Robert A , Neergaard Helle
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the “Fellowship-Tale” as an alternative tale type for narrating entrepreneur stories. The authors illustrate this by telling the Pilgrim business story. It is common for the deeds of men who founded businesses to be narrated as heroic entrepreneur stories. Such fairy tales are dominant narratives in Western culture but do not resonate with everyone, particularly women. Consequentially, many businesswomen do not engage in the rhetoric of enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

– The qualitative, analytic approaches adopted in this study include narratology, semiotics and aesthetics. This complementary triage helps us appreciate the complexity of entrepreneur stories while unravelling the nuances of the tale. It also permits triangulation of the data gathered from an in-depth interview of the respondent with newspaper and Internet research.

Findings

– The research indicates that “fellowship-tales” provide a viable and credible alternative to the fairy-tale rendition common in entrepreneur and business stories.

Research limitations/implications

– An obvious limitation is that one merely swaps one narrative framework for another, albeit it offers dissenting voices a real choice.

Practical implications

– This study has the potential to be far reaching because at a practical level, it allows disengaged entrepreneurs and significant others the freedom to exercise their individual and collective voices within a framework of nested stories.

Originality/value

– A key contribution is to challenge the hegemony of a dominant and embedded social construct allowing new understandings to emerge via a novel combination of research methodologies.
Use of big data in project evaluations
Authors: Olsson Nils O.E. , Bull-Berg Heidi
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Big Data can be used in project evaluations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on literature research and interviews with 15 professionals in IT, project and asset management and government agencies. The authors discuss and illustrate what data that can be used for project evaluations and discuss potential obstacles.

Findings

– New data is creating new opportunities to analyse a phenomenon based on different types of data. Interesting data categories include: internet traffic, movement-related data, physical environment data and data in organisational internal systems. The authors show how these data categories can be applied in project evaluations.

Research limitations/implications

– Big Data gives an opportunity to add quantitative data in ex post evaluations. Use of Big Data can serve as a step towards a stronger technology focus in evaluations of projects.

Practical implications

– There are major advantages in using Big Data, increasing the opportunities to find indicators that are relevant when a project is evaluated.

Social implications

– Possible problematic issues related to use of Big Data that are addressed in the study include: availability, applicability, relevance, privacy policy, ownership, cost and competence. The study indicates that none of the challenges need to hinder use of Big Data when evaluating projects, provided that the issues are properly managed.

Originality/value

– The study illustrates how Big Data can be applied in project management research.
Constructing legal authority to facilitate multi-level interagency health data sharing in the United States
Authors: Fiedler Beth Ann
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to forward specific policy proposals permitting greater sharing of health data across multi-level government agencies with the purpose of improving rapid identification of bioterrorist attack or disease epidemics while protecting patient privacy.

Design/methodology/approach

– A systematic literature review searched the following keyword phrases: knowledge sharing in the public sector, raw data sharing, interagency information systems, federal data sharing technology network and network theory on five primary databases.

Findings

– The volunteer nature of data sharing must evolve through public health policy to permit interagency data access agreements while minimizing privacy infringement. A multi-level information infrastructure network linking agencies tasked to develop medical countermeasures is recommended.

Originality/value

– This study optimizes the health data collection process to create a medical countermeasure network, demonstrates the utility of operationalizing data metrics for a US federal agency and advances meaningful use of electronic medical records.
Open innovation practices adopted by private stakeholders: perspectives for living labs
Authors: Lapointe Dominic , Guimont David
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the role of private stakeholders in the living lab (LL) ecosystem and the relationship of private stakeholders to open innovation (OI) practices. There is extensive literature on private stakeholders and OI, but seldom mention is made on the specific question of how private stakeholders integrate OI in the context of a LL.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors will analyze qualitatively how private businesses that have participated in ain situopen innovation evaluate and perceived their open innovation practices. Therefore, how they relate to open innovation. Then, the authors will identify a typology of the businesses in relation to OI.

Findings

– The research focused on the relationship of private stakeholders to OI in the context ofin situOI activities. The results obtained are consistent with literature on OI (Chesbrough, 2003). However, there are differences: if the elements mentioned by the respondents are described in literature, their representation of OI and its components allows us to affirm that this practice is not generalised and that it is often open to interpretation. That emphasises the importance of the role LLs can play as intermediaries to accompany private stakeholders in the OI process. Private stakeholders look for a guide to develop their OI know-how and find their way in the OI ecosystem.

Originality/value

– The value of this paper is to bridge the research on OI done with private organisation and the research on LLs. The research literature did not pay much attention to the representation of the private stakeholders in the OI ecosystem. This paper has provided the start to open up that field.
Developing a regional design support service
Authors: Salminen Juho , Rinkinen Satu , Khan Rakhshanda
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine how to support use of design in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by developing a new design support service. Design is emerging as one of the major themes of modern business development. However, most organisations – especially SMEs – view incorporating design as problematic.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents the service development process as a case study and contributes to the discussions on service development projects realised in the Living Lab context and enhancing the use of design among SMEs. The project had two basic assumptions as a starting point: using design is beneficial for SMEs’ business and business advisors are the best channel for reaching these SMEs. The basics of service design process and several tools such as the service design blueprint, the business model canvas and problem interviews were utilised to develop a service concept and to test it among target SMEs.

Findings

– It is difficult to find SMEs that need design and are not yet served by the current regional or national service offerings. The findings demonstrate the importance of user involvement in the beginning of service design process.

Research limitations/implications

– Limited sample size may impact the generalisability of the results. Increasing the sample size of companies might provide new insights not yet discovered in this study.

Originality/value

– Policymakers can benefit from the insights on design support service development when designing new services for SMEs. Co-design processes that are elemental to the Living Lab approach could also benefit the development of public business-to-business (B2B) services.
How to keep a living lab alive?
Authors: Mastelic Joëlle , Sahakian Marlyne , Bonazzi Riccardo
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore how Living Labs might be evaluated, building on the current efforts of the European Network of Living Lab (ENoLL) to encourage new members, and complementing their existing criteria with elements from business model development strategies – specifically the Business Model Canvas (BMC) (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2010).

Design/methodology/approach

– First, it is explored how Living Labs have emerged, at the intersection of transition management, open innovation and collaborative consumption. It is then suggested that the BMC could be a complementary tool in Living Lab evaluation.

Findings

– This tool helped identify three important elements missing from current ENoLL evaluation criteria: identification of the cost structure, customer segments and the revenue stream. The case study of an Energy Living Lab created in Western Switzerland is used to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of different evaluation criteria; this paper is then concluded with some ideas on how future research might contribute to further strengthening Living Lab evaluation process towards long-term “sustainability”.

Originality/value

– This article will be of value for ENoLL to refine their evaluation criteria for the next “wave” of application. It could as well help living labs to reflect on how to keep a living lab alive.
No time for quality
Authors: Myszewski Jan M.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This investigation focusses on the mechanisms that obstruct an organization’s ability to develop. The purpose of this paper is to focus on short-term phenomena, which occurs during an organization’s general development process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The key resources in the development process include time and knowledge availability. The amount of the resources is one of basic factors of development effectiveness. From the “problems cleaner” equation, it follows that effectiveness depends on time, within which tasks are to be completed.

Findings

– There are a set of generic circumstances that produce specific organizational behaviors, referred to as the “culture of hurrying.” These circumstances are based on the natural expectation that organizational function is recovered as soon as possible after a failure occurs. The pathology begins when hurrying becomes a basic way to compensate for the effects of the failure, without eliminating its mechanisms. The culture of hurrying affects the organization’s ability to develop. Consequently, the conditions that stimulate the “culture of hurrying” to grow are formulated.

Originality/value

– Organizations managed by objectives provide examples of the culture of hurrying. On the other hand, organizations that adopt lean management illustrate how to escape from the culture of hurrying. This investigation shows that attitudes in favor of the culture of hurrying are related to the organization’s strategy.
Soil bacterial diversity patterns and drivers along an elevational gradient on Shennongjia Mountain, China
Authors: Zhang Yuguang , Cong Jing , Lu Hui , Li Guangliang , Xue Yadong , Deng Ye , Li Hui , Zhou Jizhong , Li Diqiang
Published: May 2015

Understanding biological diversity elevational pattern and the driver factors are indispensable to develop the ecological theories. Elevational gradient may minimize the impact of environmental factors and is the ideal places to study soil microbial elevational patterns. In this study, we selected four typical vegetation types from 1000 to 2800 m above the sea level on the northern slope of Shennongjia Mountain in central China, and analysed the soil bacterial community composition, elevational patterns and the relationship between soil bacterial diversity and environmental factors by using the 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and multivariate statistical analysis. The results revealed that the dominant bacterial phyla were Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, which accounted for over 75% of the bacterial sequences obtained from tested samples, and the soil bacterial operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness was a significant monotonous decreasing (P < 0.01) trend with the elevational increasing. The similarity of soil bacterial population composition decreased significantly (P < 0.01) with elevational distance increased as measured by the Jaccard and Bray–Curtis index. Canonical correspondence analysis and Mantel test analysis indicated that plant diversity and soil pH were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the soil bacterial community. Therefore, the soil bacterial diversity on Shennongjia Mountain had a significant and different elevational pattern, and plant diversity and soil pH may be the key factors in shaping the soil bacterial spatial pattern.
Postdetoxification Factors Predicting Alcohol‐Related Emergency Room Visits 12 to 24 Months After Discharge: Results from a Prospective Study of Patients with Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Constant Aymery , Le Gruyer Antonia , Le Lan Caroline , Riou Francoise , Moirand Romain
Published: May 2015

Background

Relapse is common in patients with alcohol dependence, even after detoxification. The aims of this prospective study were to investigate changes affecting patients during the first 6 months after discharge from hospitalization for detoxification and to determine the influence of these changes on the likelihood of alcohol‐related emergency room (ER) visits in the following 18‐month period.

Methods

The study included 88 patients hospitalized for participation in a detoxification program in the addiction department of a university hospital in Rennes, France. Alcohol consumption, psychiatric symptoms, and life events were investigated by addiction specialists during hospitalization and 6 months afterward. For each patient, the number of alcohol‐related ER visits in the last 6 months was prospectively recorded at the hospital 12, 18, and 24 months after hospitalization. The rate ratios of ER visits as a function of sociodemographic variables and changes observed 6 months after discharge were estimated using Poisson regression with autoregressive errors.

Results

Nearly half of the patients (47.7%) had ER visits in the 12‐ to 24‐month period following discharge. The likelihood of ER visits was higher for patients living with friends/parents and for those with aggravated psychiatric symptoms, negative changes in their family life, and who had a medical follow‐up in the 6 months after discharge. In contrast, the likelihood of ER visits was lower for patients living with children and those with improved psychiatric morbidity. Alcohol consumption and psychiatric symptoms at baseline had no significant effect.

Conclusions

Monitoring changes in psychiatric symptoms and family life early after a detoxification program may help identify patients who are vulnerable to relapse in the subsequent 18‐month period. Systematic screening for these changes as early as possible, in combination with appropriate treatment and the establishment of a social support system, could be fundamental in avoiding further relapses and ER visits.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Mailed Personalized Feedback for Risky Drinkers in the Emergency Department: The Impact on Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol‐Related Injuries, and Repeat Emergency Department Presentations
Authors: Havard Alys , Shakeshaft Anthony P. , Conigrave Katherine M.
Published: May 2015

Background

Due to the difficulty encountered in disseminating resource‐intensive emergency department (ED)‐based brief alcohol interventions into real‐world settings, this study evaluated the effect of a mailed personalized feedback intervention for problem drinking ED patients. At 6‐week follow‐up, this intervention was associated with a statistically significant reduction in alcohol consumption among patients with alcohol‐involved ED presentations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of this intervention over time.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted among problem drinking ED patients, defined as those scoring 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Participants in the intervention group received mailed personalized feedback regarding their alcohol consumption. The control group received no feedback. Follow‐up interviews were conducted over the phone, postal survey, or email survey 6 weeks and 6 months after baseline screening, and repeat ED presentations over 12‐month follow‐up were ascertained via linked ED records.

Results

Six‐month follow‐up interviews were completed with 210 participants (69%), and linked ED records were obtained for 286 participants (94%). The intervention had no effect on alcohol consumption, while findings regarding alcohol‐related injuries and repeat ED presentations remain inconclusive.

Conclusions

Further research in which the receipt of feedback is improved and a booster intervention is provided is recommended.
Intensive care practices in brain death diagnosis and organ donation
Authors: Escudero D. , Valentín M. O. , Escalante J. L. , Sanmartín A. , Perez‐Basterrechea M. , de Gea J. , Martín M. , Velasco J. , Pont T. , Masnou N. , de la Calle B. , Marcelo B. , Lebrón M. , Pérez J. M. , Burgos M. , Gimeno R. , Kot P. , Yus S. , Sancho I. , Zabalegui A. , Arroyo M. , Miñambres E. , Elizalde J. , Montejo J. C. , Domínguez‐Gil B. , Matesanz R.
Published: May 2015

We conducted a multicentre study of 1844 patients from 42 Spanish intensive care units, and analysed the clinical characteristics of brain death, the use of ancillary testing, and the clinical decisions taken after the diagnosis of brain death. The main cause of brain death was intracerebral haemorrhage (769/1844, 42%), followed by traumatic brain injury (343/1844, 19%) and subarachnoid haemorrhage (257/1844, 14%). The diagnosis of brain death was made rapidly (50% in the first 24 h). Of those patients who went on to die, the Glasgow Coma Scale on admission was ≤ 8/15 in 1146/1261 (91%) of patients with intracerebral haemorrhage, traumatic brain injury or anoxic encephalopathy; the Hunt and Hess Scale was 4–5 in 207/251 (83%) of patients following subarachnoid haemorrhage; and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was ≥ 15 in 114/129 (89%) of patients with strokes. Brain death was diagnosed exclusively by clinical examination in 92/1844 (5%) of cases. Electroencephalography was the most frequently used ancillary test (1303/1752, 70.7%), followed by transcranial Doppler (652/1752, 37%). Organ donation took place in 70% of patients (1291/1844), with medical unsuitability (267/553, 48%) and family refusal (244/553, 13%) the main reasons for loss of potential donors. All life‐sustaining measures were withdrawn in 413/553 of non‐donors (75%).
CGRP as a neuropeptide in migraine: lessons from mice
Authors: Russo Andrew F.
Published: May 2015

Migraine is a neurological disorder that is far more than just a bad headache. A hallmark of migraine is altered sensory perception. A likely contributor to this altered perception is the neuropeptide calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP). Over the past decade, CGRP has become firmly established as a key player in migraine. Although the mechanisms and sites of action by which CGRP might trigger migraine remain speculative, recent advances with mouse models provide some hints. This brief review focuses on how CGRP might act as both a central and peripheral neuromodulator to contribute to the migraine‐like symptom of light aversive behaviour in mice.
The use of help options in multimedia listening environments to aid language learning: A review
Authors: Mohsen Mohammed Ali
Published: May 2015

This paper provides a comprehensive review on the use of help options (HOs) in the multimedia listening context to aid listening comprehension (LC) and improve incidental vocabulary learning. The paper also aims to synthesize the research findings obtained from the use of HOs in Computer‐Assisted Language Learning (CALL) literature and reveals the theoretical framework that has guided multimedia listening studies. The term HOs refers to any form of assistance, such as visual, auditory (ie, variety of pronunciations) or textual, that is displayed synchronously or asynchronously on the computer screen to facilitate language learning. The paper analyzes the potentials of HO techniques and reveals how these techniques are utilized in CALL literature. The paper then summarizes the overall gain in the use of HOs, highlights their limitations in LC tasks and recommends directions for future research.
Fish faunal provinces of the conterminous United States of America reflect historical geography and familial composition
Authors: Matamoros Wilfredo A. , Hoagstrom Christopher W. , Schaefer Jacob F. , Kreiser Brian R.
Published: May 2015

Although the conterminous USA has a long history of ichthyological exploration, the description of biogeographical provinces has been ad hoc. In this study we quantitatively determined fish faunal provinces and interpreted them in the context of the geological history of North America. We also evaluated influences of major river basin occupancy and contemporary environmental factors on provincial patterns. Our data set comprised 794 native fishes, which we used to generate a presence and absence matrix for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) four‐digit hydrologic units. Three nested data sets were analysed separately: primary freshwater families, continental freshwater families (including primary and secondary families) and all freshwater families (including primary, secondary and peripheral families). We used clustering analysis to delimit faunal breaks and one‐way analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) to determine significance among clusters (i.e. provinces). We used an indicator‐species analysis to identify species that contributed most to province delineations and a similarity‐percentage (SIMPER) analysis to describe the relative influence of representatives from each category (i.e. primary, secondary, peripheral) on provincial boundaries. Lastly, we used a parsimony redundancy analysis to determine the roles of historical (i.e. major river basin) and contemporary environmental factors in shaping provinces. Analysis of the nested data sets revealed lessening provincial structure with inclusion of more families. There were 10 primary freshwater provinces, 9 continental freshwater provinces and 7 all freshwater provinces. Major basin occupancy, but not contemporary environmental factors, explained substantial variance in faunal similarities among provinces. However, provincial boundaries did not conform strictly to modern river basins, but reflected river‐drainage connections of the Quaternary. Provinces represent broad‐scale patterns of endemism and provide a starting point for future studies. Relative malleability of province boundaries in the continental interior highlights this region as biogeographically diverse and dynamic. Interior‐core provinces of this region (Central Gulf Coastal Plains, Northern Interior) have not been recognized previously and warrant further study.
Inhibition of indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 expression alters immune response in colon tumor microenvironment in mice
Authors: Takamatsu Manabu , Hirata Akihiro , Ohtaki Hirofumi , Hoshi Masato , Ando Tatsuya , Ito Hiroyasu , Hatano Yuichiro , Tomita Hiroyuki , Kuno Toshiya , Saito Kuniaki , Seishima Mitsuru , Hara Akira
Published: May 2015

Indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme that degrades the essential amino acid l‐tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway, exerts immunomodulatory effects in a number of diseases. IDO expression is increased in tumor tissue and in draining lymph nodes; this increase is thought to play a role in tumor evasion by suppressing the immune response. A competitive inhibitor of IDO is currently being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed or refractory solid tumors, but the efficacy of IDO inhibition in colorectal tumors remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effect of IDO deficiency on colon tumorigenesis in mice by genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition. Ido1‐deficient(−/−) mice were crossed with ApcMin/+ mice or were administered azoxymethane with or without dextran sodium sulfate. Ido1 deficiency did not lead to significant differences in the size and number of colon tumors. Similarly, the pharmacological inhibition of IDO using 1‐methyltryptophan (1‐mT) also resulted in no significant differences in tumor size and number in ApcMin/+ mice. However, Ido1 deficiency altered the immune response in the tumor microenvironment, showing a significant increase in mRNA expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and a significant decrease in the number of Foxp3‐positive regulatory T cells in the colon tumors of Ido1(−/−) mice. Importantly, 1‐mT treatment also significantly altered cytokine expression in the colon tumor tissues. These results suggest that IDO inhibition alone cannot sufficiently suppress colon cancer development in mice despite its immunomodulatory activity in the tumor microenvironment.
Undiagnosed severe sleep apnoea and diabetic foot ulceration – a case series based hypothesis: a hitherto under emphasized factor in failure to heal
Authors: Vas P. R. J. , Ahluwalia R. , Manas A. B. , Manu C. A. , Kavarthapu V. , Edmonds M. E.
Published: May 2015

Background

Although great progress has been made in managing diabetic foot disease, it continues to carry significant morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and diabetes frequently coexist and recent studies suggest significant under‐recognition of OSA in those with diabetes. There are no current reports on the direct clinical impact of OSA on acute or chronic diabetic foot ulcer healing.

Case report

We describe three cases with Type 2 diabetes and a mean BMI of 50 kg/m2 in whom we believe undiagnosed severe OSA may have impeded the rate of recovery of acutely infected foot ulcers. Despite standard care whilst in hospital with optimization of glycaemia, daily wound care, ulcer offloading techniques including casting, it was difficult to achieve satisfactory granulation in the first two cases with previously unrecognized and hence untreated severe OSA (Apnoea–Hypopnea Index > 30) until correction had been achieved through continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP). In the third case, despite all optimization techniques, healing has not been achieved and individuals’ reluctance to consider CPAP may be one possible factor.

Discussion

We observe in three severely obese individuals with diabetes that untreated severe OSA may have contributed to delayed wound healing. We also observed an improvement in two individuals after institution of CPAP therapy. Clinicians managing the diabetic foot should consider investigating the presence of OSA in non‐healing or slowly progressive foot ulcers when all other factors have been fully optimized.
Killer immunoglobulin receptor genes and their HLA–C ligand are associated with Type 1 diabetes in an Eastern Indian population
Authors: Sanjeevi S. , Sun C. , Kanungo A. , Sanjeevi C. B.
Published: May 2015

Aim

Killer immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIRs) and their interaction with HLA class I ligands have been shown to be associated with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of KIR genes and their HLA–C ligands for susceptibility to Type 1 diabetes in patients from Eastern India.

Methods

A total of 135 patients with Type 1 diabetes and 98 healthy subjects from Eastern India were typed for KIR genes and HLA–C ligands using PCR‐based genotyping. The frequencies of these genes were compared between patients and controls.

Results

Comparison of KIR genes between Type 1 diabetes patients and healthy subjects revealed significantly different frequencies of KIRs 2DL2 and 2DS4. The presence of HLA–C1 was negatively associated with disease. The presence of both HLA–C1 and ‐C2 showed a negative association with Type 1 diabetes, whereas the absence of C1 and presence of C2 was positively associated with disease. Stratification analysis of HLA–C ligands and KIRs showed significant associations between Type 1 diabetes and 2DL2+/C1−, 2DL2−/C1+, 2DL3+/C1+, 2DL3+/C1− and 2DS2+/C1−.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the interaction of KIRs with HLA–C ligands are significant and certain combinations contribute to susceptibility to and protection against Type 1 diabetes.
Effectiveness of tailored support for people with Type 2 diabetes after a first acute coronary event: a multicentre randomized controlled trial (the Diacourse‐ACE study)
Authors: Kasteleyn M. J. , Vos R. C. , Rijken M. , Schellevis F. G. , Rutten G. E. H. M.
Published: May 2015

Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored, supportive intervention strategy in influencing diabetes‐related distress, health status, well‐being and clinical outcomes in people with Type 2 diabetes shortly after a first acute coronary event.

Methods

People with Type 2 diabetes and a recent first acute coronary event (n = 201) were randomized to the intervention group (three home visits by a diabetes nurse) or the attention control group (one telephone consultation). Outcomes were measured after discharge (baseline) and at 5 months (follow‐up) using validated questionnaires for diabetes‐related distress (Problem Areas in Diabetes), well‐being (WHO Well‐Being Index) and health status (Euroqol 5 Dimensions; Euroqol Visual Analogue Scale). ancova was used to analyse change‐over‐time differences between groups.

Results

Follow‐up data were available for 81 participants in the intervention group (66.0 ± 9.3 years, 76% male) and 80 in the control group (65.6 ± 9.4 years, 75% male) participants. Mean diabetes‐related distress was low after hospital discharge (intervention group: 8.2 ± 10.1; control group: 9.2 ± 12.4) and did not change after 5 months (intervention group: 9.2 ± 12.4; control group: 9.0 ± 11.2). Baseline well‐being was less favourable but improved significantly in the intervention group (baseline: 58.5 ± 28.0; follow‐up: 65.5 ± 23.7; P = 0.005), but not in the control group (baseline: 57.5 ± 25.2; follow‐up: 59.6 ± 24.4; P = 0.481). Health status also improved in the intervention group (baseline: 69.9 ± 17.3; follow‐up: 76.8 ± 15.6; P < 0.001) but not in the control group (baseline: 68.6 ± 15.9; follow‐up: 69.9 ± 16.7; P = 0.470). A significant group effect was found for health status (F = 7.9; P = 0.006).

Conclusions

Although the intervention had no effect on diabetes‐related distress, this might be at least partially attributable to very low levels of diabetes‐related distress at baseline. Interestingly, health status scores and well‐being, which were less favourable at baseline, both improved after the tailored support intervention.
Safety of intra‐arterial treatment in acute ischaemic stroke patients on oral anticoagulants. A cohort study and systematic review
Authors: Rozeman A. D. , Wermer M. J. H. , Lycklama à Nijeholt G. J. , Dippel D. W. J. , Schonewille W. J. , Boiten J. , Algra A. ,   the MR CLEAN pre‐trial study group
Published: May 2015

Background and purpose

An elevated international normalized ratio (INR) of >1.7 is a contraindication for the use of intravenous thrombolytics in acute ischaemic stroke. Local intra‐arterial therapy (IAT) is considered a safe alternative. The safety and outcome of IAT were investigated in patients with acute ischaemic stroke using oral anticoagulants (OACs).

Methods

Data were obtained from a large national Dutch database on IAT in acute stroke patients. Patients were categorized according to the INR: >1.7 and ≤1.7. Primary outcome was symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), defined as deterioration in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥4 and ICH on brain imaging. Secondary outcomes were clinical outcome at discharge and 3 months. Occurrence of outcomes was compared with risk ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Further, a systematic review and meta‐analysis on sICH risk in acute stroke patients on OACs treated with IAT was performed.

Results

Four hundred and fifty‐six patients were included. Eighteen patients had an INR > 1.7 with a median INR of 2.4 (range 1.8–4.1). One patient (6%) in the INR > 1.7 group developed a sICH compared with 53 patients (12%) in the INR ≤ 1.7 group (risk ratio 0.49, 95% confidence interval 0.07–3.13). Clinical outcomes did not differ between the two groups. Our meta‐analysis showed a first week sICH risk of 8.1% (95% confidence interval 3.9%–17.1%) in stroke patients with elevated INR treated with IAT.

Conclusion

The use of OACs, leading to an INR > 1.7, did not seem to increase the risk of an sICH in patients with an acute stroke treated with IAT.
The expanding field of IgG4‐mediated neurological autoimmune disorders
Authors: Huijbers M. G. , Querol L. A. , Niks E. H. , Plomp J. J. , van der Maarel S. M. , Graus F. , Dalmau J. , Illa I. , Verschuuren J. J.
Published: May 2015

At least 13 different disease entities affecting the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and connective tissue of the skin or kidneys are associated with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) immune reactivity. IgG4 has always been considered a benign, non‐inflammatory subclass of IgG, in contrast to the well‐known complement‐activating pro‐inflammatory IgG1 subclass. A comprehensive review of these IgG4 autoimmune disorders reveals striking similarities in epitope binding and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations. Mechanical interference of extracellular ligand−receptor interactions by the associated IgG4 antibodies seems to be the common/converging disease mechanism in these disorders.
Perineuronal net degradation in epilepsy
Authors: Rankin‐Gee Elyse K. , McRae Paulette A. , Baranov Esther , Rogers Stephanie , Wandrey Luke , Porter Brenda E.
Published: May 2015

Objective

We previously reported loss of perineuronal net (PN) immunohistochemical staining around parvalbumin‐positive interneurons in the hippocampus of rats after an episode of status epilepticus (SE). We hypothesized that the loss of thePNcould alter seizure susceptibility and that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were candidates for degradation of thePNfollowingSE.

Methods

The pilocarpine chemoconvulsant rodent epilepsy model was used to characterize the degradation of the aggrecan component of thePNin the hippocampus following SE. ChondroitinaseABC(ChABC) was used to degrade thePNin mice. Onset, number, and duration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)–induced seizures were assessed.

Results

The loss of thePNin the hippocampus followingSEis at least partially related to degradation of the aggrecanPNcomponent byMMPactivity. Forty‐eight hours afterSE, a neoepitope created byMMPcleavage of aggrecan was present and concentrated around parvalbumin‐positive interneurons. The increase in aggrecan cleavage products was found at 48 h, 1 week, and 2 months afterSE, with different fragments predominating over time. We demonstrate ongoing aggrecan proteolysis and fragment accumulation in the hippocampus of adult control rats, as well as inSE‐treated animals. Degradation of thePNalters the seizure response toPTZ. ChABC treatment caused an increase in myoclonic seizures followingPTZadministration, a delayed onset of Racine stage 4/5 seizure, and a decreased duration of Racine stage 4/5 seizure.

Significance

Status epilepticus increasesMMPproteolysis of aggrecan, pointing toMMPactivity as one mechanism ofPNdegradation post‐SE. There is accumulation of aggrecan fragments in adult rat hippocampus of both control andSE‐exposed animals. Loss of thePNwas associated with increased numbers of myoclonic seizures; it also, delayed and shortened the duration of Racine stage 4/5 seizures, suggesting a complex relationship between thePNand seizure susceptibility.
Colour and Escape Behaviour in Polymorphic Populations of an Aposematic Poison Frog
Authors: Dugas Matthew B. , Halbrook Susannah R. , Killius Allison M. , del Sol Jillian F. , Richards‐Zawacki Corinne L.
Published: May 2015

The phenomenon of aposematism, or the pairing of antipredator defence with conspicuous or distinctive signals, serves as an excellent example of how traits act in concert to shape fitness. Not only does this complex phenotype require the integration of multiple traits, it alters the fitness pay‐offs of yet others. The protection offered by aposematism may, for example, reduce the costs associated with foraging or sexual display. Thus, well‐protected aposematic lineages should be bolder, more active and less likely to respond to perceived threats of predation than more cryptic lineages. Comparisons of differently coloured morphs of the polytypic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) have supported the predicted behavioural correlates of aposematism, with the exception of those regarding responsiveness to simulated predators. We tested the key prediction that aposematic coloration will be associated with reduced sensitivity to predators in two polymorphic O. pumilio populations. The novel approach of studying polymorphic populations allowed us to assess the effect of colour in the absence of potentially confounding habitat differences. We found that colour was associated with the probability that a frog would attempt escape and the distance at which it fled, but only in one population, and not in the predicted direction. An overall comparison of the two populations superficially supported our predictions, but this pattern actually arose because frogs occupying higher perches were less likely to respond, a pattern that may reflect the value of high perches and the costs associated with returning to them after attempted escape. These results highlight the complexity of the relationship between predators and prey, the challenges associated with understanding how and why traits are correlated, and the intimate ties between behaviour and morphological evolution.
Discovery and characterization of thermophilic limonene‐1,2‐epoxide hydrolases from hot spring metagenomic libraries
Authors: Ferrandi Erica Elisa , Sayer Christopher , Isupov Michail N. , Annovazzi Celeste , Marchesi Carlotta , Iacobone Gianluca , Peng Xu , Bonch‐Osmolovskaya Elizaveta , Wohlgemuth Roland , Littlechild Jennifer A. , Monti Daniela
Published: May 2015

The epoxide hydrolases (EHs) represent an attractive option for the synthesis of chiral epoxides and 1,2‐diols which are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of several pharmaceutical compounds. A metagenomic approach has been used to identify two new members of the atypical EH limonene‐1,2‐epoxide hydrolase (LEH) family of enzymes. These two LEHs (Tomsk‐LEH and CH55‐LEH) show EH activities towards different epoxide substrates, differing in most cases from those previously identified for Rhodococcus erythropolis (Re‐LEH) in terms of stereoselectivity. Tomsk‐LEH and CH55‐LEH, both from thermophilic sources, have higher optimal temperatures and apparent melting temperatures than Re‐LEH. The new LEH enzymes have been crystallized and their structures solved to high resolution in the native form and in complex with the inhibitor valpromide for Tomsk‐LEH and poly(ethylene glycol) for CH55‐LEH. The structural analysis has provided insights into the LEH mechanism, substrate specificity and stereoselectivity of these new LEH enzymes, which has been supported by mutagenesis studies.

Database

The atomic coordinates and structure factors of the crystal structures have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank with the codes 5AIF (Tomsk‐LEH native structure), 5AIG (Tomsk‐LEH valpromide complex), 5AIH (CH55‐LEH native structure) and 5AII (CH55‐LEH PEG complex). Nucleotide sequence data are available in the GenBank databases under the accession numbers KP765711 (Tomsk‐LEH) and KP765710 (CH55‐LEH).
Silicon‐based quantum dots induce inflammation in human lung cells and disrupt extracellular matrix homeostasis
Authors: Stan Miruna‐Silvia , Sima Cornelia , Cinteza Ludmila Otilia , Dinischiotu Anca
Published: May 2015

Quantum dots (QDs) are nanocrystalline semiconductor materials that have been tested for biological applications such as cancer therapy, cellular imaging and drug delivery, despite the serious lack of information of their effects on mammalian cells. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of Si/SiO2 QDs to induce an inflammatory response in MRC‐5 human lung fibroblasts. Cells were exposed to different concentrations of Si/SiO2 QDs (25–200 μg·mL−1) for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The results obtained showed that uptake of QDs was dependent on biocorona formation and the stability of nanoparticles in various biological media (minimum essential medium without or with 10% fetal bovine serum). The cell membrane damage indicated by the increase in lactate dehydrogenase release after exposure to QDs was dose‐ and time‐dependent. The level of lysosomes increased proportionally with the concentration of QDs, whereas an accumulation of autophagosomes was also observed. Cellular morphology was affected, as shown by the disruption of actin filaments. The enhanced release of nitric oxide and the increase in interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8 protein expression suggested that nanoparticles triggered an inflammatory response in MRC‐5 cells. QDs decreased the protein expression and enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 and MMP‐9 and also MMP‐1 caseinase activity, whereas the protein levels of MMP‐1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 increased. The present study reveals for the first time that silicon‐based QDs are able to generate inflammation in lung cells and cause an imbalance in extracellular matrix turnover through a differential regulation of MMPs and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 protein expression.
The influence of feedstock supply risk on location of stover‐based bio‐gasoline plants
Authors: Sesmero Juan , Sun Xin
Published: May 2015

This study models and quantifies spatially referenced probability distributions of corn residue cost and assesses their influence on comparative advantages of different areas of the Corn Belt to attract biofuel plants. Results suggest that irrigated areas of the Corn Belt, despite their relatively low planting density, may result more attractive than some of their rainfed counterparts in the eastern Corn Belt due to low risk in feedstock cost resulting from stability of yields. Therefore, agricultural districts in the Great Plains of the US may not need to pay high subsidies to compete with those in the eastern Corn Belt to attract biofuel firms. Policy restrictions on irrigation due to concerns over groundwater depletion may, however, diminish the relative comparative advantage of the irrigated Corn Belt for biofuel production.
DNA double‐strand breaks induce the expression of flavin‐containing monooxygenase and reduce root meristem size in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Chen Poyu , Umeda Masaaki
Published: May 2015

Plants use various mechanisms to cope with environmental stresses, which often threaten genome integrity. In Arabidopsis, DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) reduce root meristem size in a SOG1‐dependent manner. SOG1 is a key transcription factor controlling the response to DNA damage. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that treatment with the DSB inducer zeocin increased the accumulation of H2O2 in root tips. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that SOG1 directly binds to the promoter of FMO1, which encodes a flavin‐containing monooxygenase and is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), H2O2 in particular. Indeed, zeocin induced the expression of FMO1 in a SOG1‐dependent manner, and neither the sog1 nor the fmo1 knockout mutant exhibited higher H2O2 accumulation in root tips. Consequently, both sog1 and fmo1 could tolerate exposure to zeocin, in terms of root growth and the maintenance of the meristem size. However, transgenic plants over‐expressing FMO1 also accumulated H2O2 in response to zeocin exposure, suggesting that other ROS‐synthesis genes are also involved in the regulation of ROS production. We conclude that SOG1‐mediated regulation of ROS homeostasis plays a key role in the reduction of root meristem size under DNA stress conditions.
The effect of physically applied alpha hydroxyl acids on the skin pore and comedone
Authors: Kim S. J. , Baek J. H. , Koh J. S. , Bae M. I. , Lee S. J. , Shin M. K.
Published: May 2015

Objective

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) have been recognized as commonly used therapy for acne. Our studies examined whether an additional effect of physical treatment using chemical peeling combined with negative pressure and compared with AHA treatment only occurs in acne‐prone subjects.

Methods

The chemical peeling agent used 4% of an AHA solution (mixture of 1000 mL of carbonated water, 20 mL of glycolic acid and 20 mL of lactic acid). All subjects’ faces were randomly divided into test and control groups. The test group was treated with chemical peeling combined with a physical effect, and the control group applied chemical peeling alone. For the 23 healthy females (average age: 30.17 ± 5.06 year), we measured sebum output level by light transmission, pore area and number by optical image analyser, and comedone counting before treatment and at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after a single treatment.

Results

Compared to the before treatment, whiteheads and blackheads were significantly decreased at 1, 2 and 4 weeks in the test group (P < 0.05), but for the control group, whiteheads and blackheads showed a tendency to decrease at 1, 2 and 4 weeks. Also at 1 week, whiteheads and blackheads of the test group significantly decreased compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Pore area and number significantly decreased at 1 week (P < 0.05), and the sebum output level was significantly decreased at 4 weeks (P < 0.05) only in the test group, which did not show any significant group difference for individual parameters.

Conclusion

4% AHA solution combined with a physical effect had rapidly improving effects on whiteheads and blackheads synergistically. Combined physical therapy may have more impact on pore size and seborrhoea.
Renin–angiotensin system blockade: Its contribution and controversy
Authors: Miyajima Akira , Kosaka Takeo , Kikuchi Eiji , Oya Mototsugu
Published: May 2015

Angiotensin II is a key biological peptide in the renin–angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure and renal hemodynamics, and extensive experimental studies have shown that angiotensin II promotes diverse fibrotic changes and induces neovascularization in several inflammatory diseases. It is known that angiotensin II can be controlled using renin–angiotensin system blockade when angiotensin II is the main factor inducing a particular disease, and renin–angiotensin system blockade has assumed a central role in the treatment of inflammatory nephritis, cardiovascular disorders and retinopathy. In contrast, renin–angiotensin system blockade was found to have not only these effects but also other functions, such as inhibition of cancer growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Numerous studies have sought to elucidate the mechanisms and support these antitumor effects. However, a recent meta‐analysis showed that renin–angiotensin system blockade use might in fact increase the incidence of cancer, so renin–angiotensin system blockade use has become somewhat controversial. Although the renin–angiotensin system has most certainly made great contributions to experimental models and clinical practice, some issues still need to be resolved. The present review discusses the contribution and controversy surrounding the renin–angiotensin system up to the present time.