bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What sells in a crisis? Determinants of sale probability over a cycle and through a crash
Authors: Scofield David , Devaney Steven
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand what affects the liquidity of individual commercial real estate assets over the course of the economic cycle by exploring a range of variables and a number of time periods to identify key determinants of sale probability.

Design/methodology/approach

Analyzing 12,000 UK commercial real estate transactions (2003 to 2013) the authors use an innovative sampling technique akin to a perpetual inventory approach to generate a sample of held assets for each 12 month interval. Next, the authors use probit models to test how market, owner and property factors affect sale probability in different market environments.

Findings

The types of properties that are most likely to sell changes between strong and weak markets. Office and retail assets were more likely to sell than industrial both overall and in better market conditions, but were less likely to sell than industrial properties during the downturn from mid-2007 to mid-2009. Assets located in the City of London more likely to sell in both strong and weak markets. The behavior of different groups of owners changed over time, and this indicates that the type of owner might have implications for the liquidity of individual assets over and above their physical and locational attributes.

Practical implications

Variation in sale probability over time and across assets has implications for real estate investment management both in terms of asset selection and the ability to rebalance portfolios over the course of the cycle. Results also suggest that sample selection may be an issue for commercial real estate price indices around the globe and imply that indices based on a limited group of owners/sellers might be susceptible to further biases when tracking market performance through time.

Originality/value

The study differs from the existing literature on sale probability as the authors analyzed samples of transactions drawn from all investor types, a significant advantage over studies based on data restricted to samples of domestic institutional investors. As well, information on country of origin for buyers and sellers allows us to explore the influence of foreign ownership on the probability of sale. Finally, the authors not only analyze all transactions together, but the authors also look at transactions in five distinct periods that correspond with different phases of the UK commercial real estate cycle. This paper considers the UK real estate market, but it is likely that many of the findings hold for other major commercial real estate markets.
Clinical efficacy and safety of benzoyl peroxide for acne vulgaris: Comparison between Japanese and Western patients
Authors: Kawashima Makoto , Nagare Toshitaka , Doi Masaharu
Published: August 2017

Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) has been well established as a common medication for acne vulgaris in many countries (e.g. in Europe and the USA), where clinical data have been accumulated over a long time. In Japan, the use of BPO for acne treatment was approved in 2014, and the results of clinical trials in Japanese patients have recently been reported. This review compares clinical study results between Japanese and Western patients. Clinical studies that had been performed in Western countries were searched on the basis of the criteria, double‐blind studies of BPO monotherapy and comparison with a vehicle group. Two reports of Japanese studies were also selected by using the same criteria. Efficacy was assessed by comparing the mean difference between the BPO and the vehicle groups for reduction rate in the number of lesions from baseline, and there were no differences between Japanese and Western patients. Safety assessment also showed that the incidence of adverse events was higher in Japanese patients than in Western patients, but the characteristics of the adverse events were not different. Therefore, we conclude that there are no significant differences in the efficacy and safety of BPO between these patient populations. The efficacy and safety of long‐term use in Japanese patients are also expected to be applicable to those in Western patients.
Salty taste thresholds and preference in patients with chronic kidney disease according to disease stage: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Kim Tae Hee , Kim Young Hoon , Bae Na Yeong , Kang Shin Sook , Lee Jung Bok , Kim Soon Bae
Published: August 2017

Aim

The present study was performed to evaluate the differences in salty taste thresholds among normal controls and non‐dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients according to disease stage and to evaluate the relationship between salty taste thresholds or preferences and mean spot urine sodium concentrations.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study enrolled 436 patients with non‐dialysis CKD and 74 normal controls. We evaluated detection and recognition thresholds, salty taste preferences and salt usage behaviours (through a questionnaire) in CKD patients and normal controls. We averaged the three most recent spot urine sodium concentrations and used this ‘mean spot urine sodium’ value to estimate sodium intake in CKD patients.

Results

Detection thresholds of stages 3 and 5 and recognition thresholds of stage 3 CKD patients were higher than those of normal controls. Salty taste preferences of stage 5 and salt usage behaviour scores of stages 4 and 5 CKD patients were lower than those of normal controls. Univariate analysis showed that estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), salt usage behaviour score, salty taste preference, smoking, gender and zinc level were significantly associated with mean spot urine sodium in CKD patients. Multiple regression analysis showed that the eGFR and salty taste preference were independently correlated with mean spot urine sodium.

Conclusions

Education to change salty taste preferences and regular follow up are necessary to decrease salt intake in CKD patients.
A Comparison of Three Federal Datasets for Thermoelectric Water Withdrawals in the United States for 2010
Authors: Harris Melissa A. , Diehl Timothy H.
Published: August 2017

Historically, thermoelectric water withdrawal has been estimated by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) water‐use compilations. Recently, the USGS developed models for estimating withdrawal at thermoelectric plants to provide estimates independent from plant operator‐reported withdrawal data. This article compares three federal datasets of thermoelectric withdrawals for the United States in 2010: one based on the USGS water‐use compilation, another based on EIA data, and the third based on USGS model‐estimated data. The withdrawal data varied widely. Many plants had three different withdrawal values, and for approximately 54% of the plants the largest withdrawal value was twice the smallest, or larger. The causes of discrepancies among withdrawal estimates included definitional differences, definitional noise, and various nondefinitional causes. The uncertainty in national totals can be characterized by the range among the three datasets, from 5,640 m3/s (129 billion gallons per day [bgd]) to 6,954 m3/s (158 bgd), or by the aggregate difference between the smallest and largest values at each plant, from 4,014 m3/s (92 bgd) to 8,590 m3/s (196 bgd). When used to assess the accuracy of reported values, the USGS model estimates identify plants that need to be reviewed.
A 26‐week feasibility study comparing the efficacy and safety of modified‐release prednisone with immediate‐release prednisolone in newly diagnosed cases of giant cell arteritis
Authors: Raine Charles , Stapleton Philip P. , Merinopoulos Dimos , Maw Win Win , Achilleos Katerina , Gayford Dawn , Mapplebeck Sarah , Mackerness Craig , Schofield Paul , Dasgupta Bhaskar
Published: August 2017

Objective

A feasibility study to assess efficacy and safety of modified release (MR) prednisone (Lodotra™) compared to immediate release (IR) prednisolone in patients with newly diagnosed giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods

Twelve patients with new diagnosis of GCA were initially treated with high‐dose prednisolone (40–60 mg) daily for 4 weeks and then randomized to two open arms to continue tapering steroid treatment with either standard IR prednisolone or MR prednisone. Patients were reviewed every 2 weeks either face to face or by telephone, for a total of 26 weeks. Disease activity, steroid‐related side effects, sleep disturbance, fatigue scores and blood tests were systematically monitored. The primary endpoint (efficacy) was defined as the proportion of patients achieving persistent clinical disease control (without features of active disease and remaining flare free at 26 weeks) in each arm.

Results

At 26 weeks, 6/7 patients taking MR prednisone were in persistent control, compared with 4/5 receiving IR prednisone. One patient in each group suffered a disease flare necessitating an increased steroid dose. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of reduction in inflammatory markers, Health Assessment Questionnaire, visual analogue scale, fatigue and improvement in EuroQol 5D scores.

Conclusion

This trial shows that MR prednisone appears to be a safe and effective treatment for GCA with a similar outcome profile to standard IR prednisolone.
Associations of coffee genetic risk scores with consumption of coffee, tea and other beverages in the UK Biobank
Authors: Taylor Amy E. , Davey Smith George , Munafò Marcus R.
Published: August 2017

Aims

To evaluate the utility of coffee‐related genetic variants as proxies for coffee consumption in Mendelian randomization studies, by examining their association with non‐alcoholic beverage consumption (including subtypes of coffee and tea) and a range of socio‐demographic and life‐style factors.

Design

Observational study of the association of genetic risk scores for coffee consumption with different types of non‐alcoholic beverage consumption.

Setting

UK general population.

Participants

Individuals of European ancestry aged 40–73 years from the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010 (n = 114 316).

Measurements

Genetic risk scores were constructed using two, four and eight independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) of coffee consumption. Drinks were self‐reported in a baseline questionnaire (all participants) and in detailed 24 dietary recall questionnaires in a subset (n = 48 692).

Findings

Genetic risk scores explained up to 0.38, 0.19 and 0.76% of the variance in coffee, tea and combined coffee and tea consumption, respectively. Genetic risk scores demonstrated positive associations with both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption, and with most subtypes of coffee consumption, but only with standard tea consumption. There was no clear evidence for positive associations with most other non‐alcoholic beverages, but higher genetic risk for coffee consumption was associated with lower daily water consumption. The genetic risk scores were associated with increased alcohol consumption, but not consistently with other socio‐demographic and life‐style factors.

Conclusions

Coffee‐related genetic risk scores could be used as instruments for combined coffee and tea consumption in Mendelian randomization studies. However, associations observed with alcohol consumption require further investigation to determine whether these are due to causal effects of coffee and tea consumption or biological pleiotropy.
Accounting and Accountability in Fiji: A Review and Synthesis
Authors: Sharma Umesh , An Yi
Published: August 2017

This paper reviews accounting and accountability research in Fiji. The review is based on 47 papers published since 1978 in accounting refereed journals, professional journals, edited book chapters and theses and other refereed journals outside accounting. In addition to categorisation of the reviewed papers according to accounting topics, theories and methods of data collection, some themes to which the papers could be related are discussed. Financial reporting/accountability research is the most popular research in Fiji followed by new public management research, with sustainability accounting research the third most popular. The paper's findings suggest some directions for future accounting research in Fiji and where the data can possibly be sourced for such research. We conclude that more research is needed in the Fijian context that focuses on accounting and the state, performance auditing, indigenous accounting, SMEs and accountability.
Therapeutic alliance, anorexia nervosa and the inpatient setting: A mixed methods study
Authors: Zugai Joel S. , Stein‐Parbury Jane , Roche Michael
Published: August 2017

Aims

The aim of this study was to understand the context of the inpatient setting for the treatment of anorexia nervosa and the implications for the therapeutic alliance between nurses and consumers.

Background

The nature of the therapeutic alliance is dependent on the contextual factors that influence interactions. The inpatient setting for the treatment of anorexia nervosa is one such setting where the therapeutic alliance is operative, yet challenging and poorly understood.

Design

A two‐phase explanatory sequential design was employed. Descriptive statistics from phase one informed phase two interviews. Phase two data were analysed through thematic analysis.

Methods

A convenience sample of nurses and consumers were recruited from six wards, in five hospitals. Phase one involved the completion of a survey (N = 128) that measured the strength of the therapeutic alliance, as well as other elements of ward context. Phase two interviews (N = 54) were focused on the therapeutic alliance between nurses and consumers and the implications of the inpatient setting. Data collection occurred between May 2014 ‐ February 2015.

Results

Anorexia nervosa as an illness carries destructive implications for the quality of the therapeutic alliance. Nurses’ intimate position in the inpatient setting and interpersonal capacity is influential in overcoming the obstacles that impede the therapeutic alliance.

Conclusion

Nurses’ capacity for developing therapeutic alliances is in part dependent on a supportive ward organization and the adequacy of resources to permit meaningful interactions with consumers with anorexia nervosa. Understanding the contextual factors specific to the inpatient setting enhances nurses’ ability to develop therapeutic alliances.
Blue mould decay of stored onion bulbs caused by Penicillium polonicum, P. glabrum and P. expansum
Authors: Duduk Nataša , Lazarević Marina , Žebeljan Aleksandra , Vasić Miljan , Vico Ivana
Published: August 2017

Onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.) can be stored for up to 12 months to ensure their availability all year, but one of the limiting factors is decay caused by blue mould fungi. Postharvest development of blue mould is not only economically important, but also poses a health hazard due to mycotoxin contamination. Onion bulbs of different yellow and red cultivars with blue mould symptoms were collected from three storage facilities in Serbia. Pathogenic isolates were identified and characterized based on their molecular (partial β‐tubulin gene), morphological (micro‐ and macromorphology, and colony growth) and biochemical properties (analyses of indole metabolites via Ehrlich test). Three Penicillium species were identified: P. polonicum, P. glabrum and P. expansum. Virulence on inoculated onion bulbs varied significantly within isolates of P. glabrum, but the most virulent isolate of P. polonicum and P. glabrum did not differ, nor did they differ from an isolate of P. expansum. Variability in virulence of individual P. glabrum isolates corresponded to differences in their molecular and macromorphological characters. P. glabrum and P. expansum were identified for the first time as causal agents of onion bulb decay in Serbia. Data from this investigation provide insight into diversity of economically important and possibly toxigenic blue mould fungi which brings attention to their presence in storage facilities and therefore the necessity of the application of prevention measures.
Vertical gradients in species richness and community composition across the twilight zone in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
Authors: Sommer Stephanie A. , Van Woudenberg Lauren , Lenz Petra H. , Cepeda Georgina , Goetze Erica
Published: August 2017

Although metazoan animals in the mesopelagic zone play critical roles in deep pelagic food webs and in the attenuation of carbon in midwaters, the diversity of these assemblages is not fully known. A metabarcoding survey of mesozooplankton diversity across the epipelagic, mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic zones (0–1500 m) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre revealed far higher estimates of species richness than expected given prior morphology‐based studies in the region (4,024OTUs, 10‐fold increase), despite conservative bioinformatic processing. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness of the full assemblage peaked at lower epipelagic–upper mesopelagic depths (100–300 m), with slight shoaling of maximal richness at night due to diel vertical migration, in contrast to expectations of a deep mesopelagic diversity maximum as reported for several plankton groups in early systematic and zoogeographic studies. Four distinct depth‐stratified species assemblages were identified, with faunal transitions occurring at 100 m, 300 m and 500 m. Highest diversity occurred in the smallest zooplankton size fractions (0.2–0.5 mm), which had significantly lower %OTUs classified due to poor representation in reference databases, suggesting a deep reservoir of poorly understood diversity in the smallest metazoan animals. A diverse meroplankton assemblage also was detected (350OTUs), including larvae of both shallow and deep living benthic species. Our results provide some of the first insights into the hidden diversity present in zooplankton assemblages in midwaters, and a molecular reappraisal of vertical gradients in species richness, depth distributions and community composition for the full zooplankton assemblage across the epipelagic, mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic zones.
Wastewater pollution differently affects the antibiotic resistance gene pool and biofilm bacterial communities across streambed compartments
Authors: Subirats Jèssica , Triadó‐Margarit Xavier , Mandaric Ladislav , Acuña Vicenç , Balcázar José Luis , Sabater Sergi , Borrego Carles M.
Published: August 2017

Wastewater discharges introduce antibiotic residues and antibiotic‐resistant bacteria (ARB) into surface waters. Both inputs directly affect the streambed resistome, either by exerting a selective pressure that favour the proliferation of resistant phenotypes or by enriching the resident communities with wastewater‐associated ARB. Here, we investigated the impact of raw and treated urban wastewater discharges on epilithic (growing on rocks) and epipsammic (growing on sandy substrata) streambed biofilms. The effects were assessed by comparing control and impact sites (i) on the composition of bacterial communities; (ii) on the abundance of twelve antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) encoding resistance to β‐lactams, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides and vancomycin, as well as the class 1 integron‐integrase gene (intI1); (iii) on the occurrence of wastewater‐associated bacteria, including putative pathogens, and their potential linkage to target ARGs. We measured more pronounced effects of raw sewage than treated wastewater at the three studied levels. This effect was especially noticeable in epilithic biofilms, which showed a higher contribution of wastewater‐associated bacteria and ARB than in epipsammic biofilms. Comparison of correlation coefficients obtained between the relative abundance of both target ARGs and operational taxonomic units classified as either potential pathogens or nonpathogens yielded significant higher correlations between the former category and genes intI1, sul1, sul2 and ermB. Altogether, these results indicate that wastewater‐associated micro‐organisms, including potential pathogens, contribute to maintain the streambed resistome and that epilithic biofilms appear as sensitive biosensors of the effect of wastewater pollution in surface waters.
Speciation as a sieve for ancestral polymorphism
Authors: Guerrero Rafael F. , Hahn Matthew W.
Published: August 2017

Because they are considered rare, balanced polymorphisms are often discounted as crucial constituents of genome‐wide variation in sequence diversity. Despite its perceived rarity, however, long‐term balancing selection can elevate genetic diversity and significantly affect observed divergence between species. Here, we discuss how ancestral balanced polymorphisms can be “sieved” by the speciation process, which sorts them unequally across descendant lineages. After speciation, ancestral balancing selection is revealed by genomic regions of high divergence between species. This signature, which resembles that of other evolutionary processes, can potentially confound genomic studies of population divergence and inferences of “islands of speciation.”
Functional trajectories of older patients admitted to an Acute Care Unit for Elders
Authors: D'Onofrio Andreina , Büla Christophe , Rubli Eve , Butrogno Fabiana , Morin Diane
Published: August 2017

Aims and objectives

To describe the functional trajectories of older medical inpatients and to identify factors associated with overall and in‐hospital functional decline.

Background

Functional decline during a hospital stay is an important clinical outcome because independence remains a major determinant of older persons’ quality of life and health care demands.

Design and methods

Participants (n = 189) were admitted to the Acute Care Unit for Elders of a Swiss academic hospital and were aged 65 years and older. Performance in basic activities of daily living at home (self‐reported), at hospital admission (observed) and at discharge (observed) was collected. Differences in scores for basic activities daily living between baseline and admission, between admission and discharge, and between baseline and discharge were used to define pre‐admission, in‐hospital and overall functional decline. Predictors of in‐hospital and overall decline were identified using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results

Pre‐admission, in‐hospital and overall functional decline occurred in 56.1%, 17.5% and 43.4% of the participants, respectively. In contrast, in‐hospital functional improvement occurred in 40.2% of the participants. No predictors of pre‐admission decline were identified, whereas pre‐admission performance in instrumental activities of daily living was associated with in‐hospital decline. Male gender and in‐hospital delirium were associated with overall functional decline.

Conclusions

Most older inpatients experienced functional decline before their hospital admission, but only a minority experienced decline during their stay. Importantly, delirium was a strong predictor of overall functional decline.

Implications for practice

Low performance in instrumental activities of daily living prior to admission and delirium occurrence identified older patients at higher risk for in‐hospital and overall functional decline. Gerontological nurses should play a key role in identifying these patients to provide preventative interventions and recovery care to preserve or restore their functional independence.
Differences between resource control types revisited: A short term longitudinal study
Authors: Reijntjes Albert , Vermande Marjolijn , Olthof Tjeert , Goossens Frits A. , Vink Gerko , Aleva Liesbeth , van der Meulen Matty
Published: August 2017

Hawley's influential resource control theory (RCT) posits that both coercive and prosocial strategies may yield social dominance, as indexed by resource control. Based on differences in youths’ relative use of these strategies, RCT a priori defines five distinct subtypes. Several studies by Hawley and colleagues have revealed substantial differences between subtypes in terms of obtained resource control and various social characteristics (e.g., agreeableness). The present longitudinal study (N = 394; Mage = 10.3; SD = 0.5) expands on previous work. Firstly, because several items used to assess strategies in RCT appear to confound strategy use with the resulting benefits (resource control), we disentangled between strategy use as such and obtained resource control. Secondly whereas previous work has been exclusively cross‐sectional, the present study was longitudinal. ANOVAs comparing subgroups provided support for some core tenets of RCT, but not for others. For instance, bistrategic children scored high on both resource control and perceived popularity. However, bistrategics engaged in elevated bullying, and whereas Hawley asserts that they are proficient in balancing ‘getting ahead’ with ‘getting along’, their behavior appeared to evoke clear negative reactions in the peer group at large. Findings also showed that non‐controllers did not experience more negative outcomes than their peers across all domains.
Heterogeneous firms, financial constraints and export behaviour: A firm‐level investigation for China
Authors: Huang Xiaobing , Liu Xiaolian , Görg Holger
Published: August 2017

We study the impact of access to finance on exports using Chinese firm‐level data. We distinguish two modes of external finance, namely bank loans and issuing stocks to shareholders. We not only consider the impact either of these has individually on export behaviour, but also their interaction. We build the two external sources, as well as internal finance, into a heterogeneous firm‐type model, which allows us to investigate the relationship between financial constraints and firms’ exports. We examine the model's predictions empirically using a comprehensive longitudinal firm‐level data set from China. Our empirical results are consistent with the theoretical predictions. Firms who have more interest expenditure or can issue stocks to their shareholders have higher propensity to export and export more. Moreover, the more financial options a firm has, the better a firm performs in terms of export volume and export propensity.
Pulmonary vasculature in dogs assessed by three‐dimensional fractal analysis and chemometrics
Authors: Müller Anna V. , Marschner Clara B. , Kristensen Annemarie T. , Wiinberg Bo , Sato Amy F. , Rubio Jose M. A. , McEvoy Fintan J.
Published: August 2017

Fractal analysis of canine pulmonary vessels could allow quantification of their space‐filling properties. Aims of this prospective, analytical, cross‐sectional study were to describe methods for reconstructing three dimensional pulmonary arterial vascular trees from computed tomographic pulmonary angiogram, applying fractal analyses of these vascular trees in dogs with and without diseases that are known to predispose to thromboembolism, and testing the hypothesis that diseased dogs would have a different fractal dimension than healthy dogs. A total of 34 dogs were sampled. Based on computed tomographic pulmonary angiograms findings, dogs were divided in three groups: diseased with pulmonary thromboembolism (n = 7), diseased but without pulmonary thromboembolism (n = 21), and healthy (n = 6). An observer who was aware of group status created three‐dimensional pulmonary artery vascular trees for each dog using a semiautomated segmentation technique. Vascular three‐dimensional reconstructions were then evaluated using fractal analysis. Fractal dimensions were analyzed, by group, using analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Fractal dimensions were significantly different among the three groups taken together (P = 0.001), but not between the diseased dogs alone (P = 0.203). The principal component analysis showed a tendency of separation between healthy control and diseased groups, but not between groups of dogs with and without pulmonary thromboembolism. Findings indicated that computed tomographic pulmonary angiogram images can be used to reconstruct three‐dimensional pulmonary arterial vascular trees in dogs and that fractal analysis of these three‐dimensional vascular trees is a feasible method for quantifying the spatial relationships of pulmonary arteries. These methods could be applied in further research studies on pulmonary and vascular diseases in dogs.
Irish English in the Anglophone world
Authors: HICKEY RAYMOND
Published: August 2017

The English language in Ireland can look back on a history of several centuries during which it developed various forms, from urban varieties, especially in Dublin, to rural varieties which arose during the language shift from Irish to English, above all in the nineteenth century. In addition, divergent forms of English arose in the North of Ireland, chiefly as a result of significant immigration from Scotland and the North of England during the seventeenth century. Contemporary English in Ireland evinces a wide range of varieties determined by a number of factors, including strongly localised forms of English as well as supra‐regional varieties, which show the greatest degree and rate of change, given the sensitivity of their speakers to both developments of English outside Ireland and their reactions to local forms of English in their surroundings.
Analysis of Bridge Player Profiles According to Their Intelligence Areas
Authors: Bilir Fatma Pervin , Sirin Yeliz
Published: August 2017

The aim of this study is to figure out profiles of bridge players and analyzing them according to their intelligence areas. The sample of the study is consist of 100 volunteers out of 200 bridge players who have attended "Çukurova open double bridge championship" in Adana, Turkey at February 2016. Data have been collected via "Personal Information Form" and "Multiple Intelligence Areas Assessment Scale" developed by Gülşen (2015). Data have been analyzed not only via descriptive statistics but also Mann Whitney U test was used for double comparison and Kruskal Wallis H test for multiple comparison. The profile of the players contributed to the study is; 30% women, 70% men, 25% of the population is between 51 and 60 years age, 67% is married, 71% has bachelor degree, 57% is working for government sector and 33% for private sector. Most of the players are working as teacher, engineer, or medical doctor and 50% of the population is performing a physical activity like walking, football and basketball. It is found that players' internal intelligence area is the highest among all intelligence areas; additionally the lowest one is found as the rhythmic intelligence. It is determined that the players' from different business sectors have significant differences among internal, analytic, interpersonal, physical/kinesthetic intelligence areas, and significant difference is determined for the physical/kinesthetic intelligence among the players who perform physical activities and who do not.
Comparative Genomics of
Bacillus thuringiensis
Reveals a Path to Specialized Exploitation of Multiple Invertebrate Hosts
Authors: Zheng Jinshui , Gao Qiuling , Liu Linlin , Liu Hualin , Wang Yueying , Peng Donghai , Ruan Lifang , Raymond Ben , Sun Ming
Published: August 2017

Understanding the genetic basis of host shifts is a key genomic question for pathogen and parasite biology. The
Bacillus cereus
group, which encompasses
Bacillus thuringiensis
and
Bacillus anthracis
, contains pathogens that can infect insects, nematodes, and vertebrates. Since the target range of the essential virulence factors (Cry toxins) and many isolates is well known, this group presents a powerful system for investigating how pathogens can diversify and adapt to phylogenetically distant hosts. Specialization to exploit insects occurs at the level of the major clade and is associated with substantial changes in the core genome, and host switching between insect orders has occurred repeatedly within subclades. The transfer of plasmids with linked
cry
genes may account for much of the adaptation to particular insect orders, and network analysis implies that host specialization has produced strong associations between key toxin genes with similar targets. Analysis of the distribution of plasmid minireplicons shows that plasmids with
orf156
and
orf157
, which carry genes encoding toxins against Lepidoptera or Diptera, were contained only by
B. thuringiensis
in the specialized insect clade (clade 2), indicating that tight genome/plasmid associations have been important in adaptation to invertebrate hosts. Moreover, the accumulation of multiple virulence factors on transposable elements suggests that cotransfer of diverse virulence factors is advantageous in terms of expanding the insecticidal spectrum, overcoming insect resistance, or through gains in pathogenicity via synergistic interactions between toxins.

IMPORTANCE
Population genomics have provided many new insights into the formation, evolution, and dynamics of bacterial pathogens of humans and other higher animals, but these pathogens usually have very narrow host ranges. As a pathogen of insects and nematodes,
Bacillus thuringiensis
, which produces toxins showing toxicity to many orders of insects and other invertebrates, can be used as a model to study the evolution of pathogens with wide host ranges. Phylogenomic analysis revealed that host specialization and switching occur at the level of the major clade and subclade, respectively. A toxin gene co-occurrence network indicates that multiple toxins with similar targets were accumulated by the same cell in the whole species. This accumulation may be one of the strategies that
B. thuringiensis
has used to fight against host resistance. This kind of formation and evolution of pathogens represents a different path used against multiple invertebrate hosts from that used against higher animals.
Impact of nutritional index on the association between phosphorus concentrations and mortality in haemodialysis patients: a cohort study from dialysis outcomes and practice pattern study in Japan
Authors: Fukuma Shingo , Ikenoue Tatsuyoshi , Akizawa Tadao , Fukuhara Shunichi
Published: August 2017

Objectives

While maintenance of both phosphorus concentration and nutritional status is a major concern in managing haemodialysis patients, the interaction between these parameters is not well understood. The aim of this study was to assess whether or not nutritional index influences the association between phosphorus concentration and all-cause mortality.

Design

A cohort study.

Setting

The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study, which included 99 representative dialysis facilities in Japan between 1997 and 2010.

Participants

A total of 6230 adult haemodialysis patients who had spent at least 6 months on haemodialysis.

Main predictors

Six categories based on time-averaged factors of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI; the lowest two and highest tertiles) and phosphorus concentration (<3.5, 3.5 to <6 and ≥6 mg/dL).

Primary outcome measure

All-cause mortality rate.

Analysis

Time-dependent Cox regression adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

During the follow-up period (12 294 person-years), we noted 561 deaths (4.6 per 100 person-years), and both high phosphorus concentrations and low-middle GNRI were separately associated with all-cause mortality. The harmful effect of high phosphorus concentrations on all-cause mortality was stronger in patients with high GNRI than in those with low-middle GNRI. On the other hand, the harmful effect of low phosphorus concentrations was stronger in those with low-middle GNRI than in those with high GNRI. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) between high phosphorus concentrations and low-middle GNRI was −0.57, indicating an antagonistic interaction. We also observed a significant statistical multiplicative interaction between phosphorus concentrations and GNRI (p=0.05 by likelihood ratio test).

Conclusions

The association between time-averaged serum phosphorus concentration and all-cause mortality differs across the nutritional index. Accordingly, nutritional index should be considered when the impact of phosphorus concentration on mortality in haemodialysis patients is evaluated.
Differential inhibition of rat and mouse microsome heme oxygenase by derivatives of imidazole and benzimidazole
Authors: Hum Maaike , McLaughlin Brian E. , Kong Xianqi , Vlahakis Jason Z. , Vukomanovic Dragic , Szarek Walter A. , Nakatsu Kanji
Published: August 2017

Metalloporphyrin heme oxygenase (HO) inhibitors have made an important contribution to elucidating the role of HO in physiological processes. Nevertheless, their off-target effects have drawn substantial criticism, which prompted us to develop non-porphyrin, azole-based inhibitors of HO. These second-generation HO inhibitors were evaluated using spleen and brain microsomes from rats as native sources of HO-1 and HO-2, respectively. Recently, the use of azole-based inhibitors of HO has been extended to other mammalian species and, as a consequence, it will be important to characterize the inhibitors in these species. The goal of this study was to compare the inhibitory profile of imidazole- and benzimidazole-based inhibitors of HO in a breast-cancer-implanted mouse to that of an untreated rat. For spleen and brain microsomes from both species, HO protein expression was determined by Western blotting and concentration–response curves for imidazole- and benzimidazole-derivative inhibition of HO activity were determined using a headspace gas-chromatographic assay. It was found that the effects on HO activity by imidazole and benzimidazole derivatives were different between the 2 species and were not explained by differences in HO expression. Thus, the HO inhibitory profile should be determined for azole derivatives before they are used in mammalian species other than rats.
Limbic-motor integration by neural excitations and inhibitions in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Morrison Sara E. , McGinty Vincent B. , du Hoffmann Johann , Nicola Saleem M.
Published: August 2017

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) has often been described as a “limbic-motor interface,” implying that the NAc integrates the value of expected rewards with the motor planning required to obtain them. However, there is little direct evidence that the signaling of individual NAc neurons combines information about predicted reward and behavioral response. We report that cue-evoked neural responses in the NAc form a likely physiological substrate for its limbic-motor integration function. Across task contexts, individual NAc neurons in behaving rats robustly encode the reward-predictive qualities of a cue, as well as the probability of behavioral response to the cue, as coexisting components of the neural signal. In addition, cue-evoked activity encodes spatial and locomotor aspects of the behavioral response, including proximity to a reward-associated target and the latency and speed of approach to the target. Notably, there are important limits to the ability of NAc neurons to integrate motivational information into behavior: in particular, updating of predicted reward value appears to occur on a relatively long timescale, since NAc neurons fail to discriminate between cues with reward associations that change frequently. Overall, these findings suggest that NAc cue-evoked signals, including inhibition of firing (as noted here for the first time), provide a mechanism for linking reward prediction and other motivationally relevant factors, such as spatial proximity, to the probability and vigor of a reward-seeking behavioral response.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is thought to link expected rewards and action planning, but evidence for this idea remains sparse. We show that, across contexts, both excitatory and inhibitory cue-evoked activity in the NAc jointly encode reward prediction and probability of behavioral responding to the cue, as well as spatial and locomotor properties of the response. Interestingly, although spatial information in the NAc is updated quickly, fine-grained updating of reward value occurs over a longer timescale.
Stoichiometry Calculation in BaxSr1−xTiO3 Solid Solution Thin Films, Prepared by RF Cosputtering, Using X-Ray Diffraction Peak Positions and Boltzmann Sigmoidal Modelling
Authors: Reséndiz-Muñoz J. , Fernández-Muñoz J. L. , Corona-Rivera M. A. , Zapata-Torres M. , Márquez-Herrera A. , Meléndez-Lira M. , Caballero-Briones F. , Chale-Lara F. , Zelaya-Ángel O.
Published: August 2017

A novel procedure based on the use of the Boltzmann equation to model the x parameter, the film deposition rate, and the optical band gap of BaxSr1−xTiO3 thin films is proposed. The BaxSr1−xTiO3 films were prepared by RF cosputtering from BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 targets changing the power applied to each magnetron to obtain different Ba/Sr contents. The method to calculate x consisted of fitting the angular shift of (110), (111), and (211) diffraction peaks observed as the density of substitutional Ba2+ increases in the solid solution when the applied RF power increases, followed by a scale transformation from applied power to x parameter using the Boltzmann equation. The Ba/Sr ratio was obtained from X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; the comparison with the X-ray diffraction derived composition shows a remarkable coincidence while the discrepancies offer a valuable diagnosis on the sputtering flux and phase composition. The proposed method allows a quick setup of the RF cosputtering system to control film composition providing a versatile tool to optimization of the process.
The Use of Numbers as an Editing Device in Rabbinic Literature
Authors: Pasternak Ariel Ram , Yona Shamir
Published: August 2017

In the first part of this paper (Review of Rabbinic Literature 19:2, pp. 202–244) we followed the use of numbers from the Bible and Ancient Near Eastern literatures through the book of Ben-Sira and ultimately into Rabbinic literature. We showed that the Rabbis were familiar with the Biblical use of numbers as a rhetoric device and used numbers in similar ways. In this conclusion of our paper we will show how the Rabbis used numbers as an editing device in the Mishnah, Tosefta and Babylonian Talmud. This use of the rhetorical device in question is only rarely attested in the Hebrew Bible.
China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative and the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage
Authors: Guo Ran
Published: August 2017

China’s 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative urges the protection of underwater cultural heritage on the Maritime Silk Road, which demands China’s effort as much as that of international community. The Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (unesco Convention) provides an international legal framework for China to protect underwater cultural heritage and facilitate cooperation with other State Parties. China’s concerns over ratifying the unesco Convention mainly relate to its jurisdiction, ownership and international obligations on the issue, which can be solved with the basic principles and a revision of Chinese laws. China’s ratification will ensure the international protection of underwater cultural heritage on the Maritime Silk Road; and more importantly, it will provide an opportunity for the joint development in the South China Sea, thus breaking the bottleneck of the Maritime Silk Road Initiative. Therefore, China should ratify the unesco Convention.
Between Theory(-ies) and Practice(-s): Legal Devices (Ḥiyal) in Classical Islamic Law
Authors: Cattelan Valentino
Published: August 2017

By assuming a disconnection between jurists’ doctrines and the reality of social life, Joseph Schacht interpreted ḥiyal (legal devices) in classical Islamic law as ‘the maximum that custom could concede, and the minimum (that is to say, formal acknowledgment) that the theory had to demand’. Challenging this interpretation, this article argues that ḥiyal were not exclusively the product of commercial customs that were unrelated to the jurists’ ideal law. In actual fact, the diverging contractual theories of the Sunni maḏāhib contributed to the development of diverse ḥiyal practices, whose social acceptance in medieval trade was correspondingly fostered (or rejected) by underlying fiqh doctrines.
Review of the Paratydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), with description of three new species
Authors: KHAUSTOV ALEXANDER A.
Published: August 2017

The family Paratydeidae is reviewed. The genera Paratydeus, Sacotydeus and Walytydeus are considered as junior synonyms of Scolotydaeus, but Neotydeus is confirmed as a distinct genus. Five species are redescribed: Neotydeus ardisanneae Baker, 1950, Scolotydaeus alexanderi (Baker, 1949) comb. nov. (from Paratydeus) , S. lootsi (Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov. (from Sacotydeus), S. tauricus (Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov. (from Walytydeus), Tanytydeus simplex (Delfinado and Baker, 1974) comb. nov. (from Scolotydaeus). Tanytydeus cf. aegyptiacus (Soliman, 1974) is described from Crimea, and three new species are described: Scolotydaeus uralensis sp. nov. from Russia, Tanytydeus cubanus sp. nov. from Cuba, and T. kethleyi sp. nov. from the USA. All developmental stages are described for the first time for Scolotydaeus and Tanytydeus. Keys to life stages, genera and species of Paratydeidae are provided.
Investigation of three-dimensional moisture diffusion modeling and mechanical degradation of carbon/bismaleimide composites under seawater conditioning
Authors: Huo Z , Anandan S , Xu M , Chandrashekhara K
Published: August 2017

The effect of moisture diffusion on the mechanical properties of carbon/bismaleimide composites exposed to seawater conditioning at elevated temperatures was investigated in this study. Carbon/bismaleimide composites with two stacking sequences (unidirectional and cross-ply) were fabricated using out-of-autoclave process. Testing coupons were immersed in the seawater at two elevated temperatures (50℃ and 90℃) for approximately 3 months. Moisture diffusivities and solubility for each type of carbon/bismaleimide specimen were characterized using the experimental data. A three-dimensional dynamic finite element model was developed using these parameters to predict the moisture diffusion behavior in the carbon/bismaleimide laminates. The degradation of mechanical properties due to hygrothermal aging was assessed by short-beam shear and three-point bending tests. It was found that flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength reductions are higher at 90℃ aging than that at 50℃ aging. The reduction in mechanical properties for bismaleimide laminates can be attributed to the fiber/matrix interfacial cracks observed by scanning electron microscopy.
Czech Adaption of the Collett–Lester Fear of Death Scale in a Sample of Nursing Students
Authors: Bužgová Radka , Janíková Eva
Published: August 2017

The use of multidimensional scales for assessing fear of death among nursing students can assist in teaching and evaluating the effectiveness of targeted training in thanatology. Research has demonstrated good psychometric characteristics of the Czech version of the Collett–Lester Fear of Death Scale (CL-FODS). It was applied to nursing students ( N = 256), who reported as their biggest fear the process of their own dying. Greater fear of death and dying was found in students who had no experience of the dying and death of a loved one. Good internal consistency was achieved for the four subscales of the Czech CL-FODS.
Predictors of Community of Inquiry in a Flipped Classroom Model
Authors: Karaoglan Yilmaz Fatma Gizem
Published: August 2017

The aim of this study is to investigate structural relationships between community of inquiry, transactional distance perception, and motivation. The research was conducted with 109 students using flipped classroom environment utilized within the scope of a course. The data of the study were obtained from the answers given in community of inquiry (CoI) scale, transactional distance (TD) scale, and motivation scale. To test the hypotheses of the study, structured equality modeling was applied. Path analysis results show that TD affects CoI positively, and motivation does not affect CoI.