bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of good quality pharmaceutical services common to community pharmacies and dispensing general practices
Authors: Grey Elisabeth , Harris Michael , Rodham Karen , Weiss Marjorie C
Published: March 2016

Background

In the United Kingdom, pharmaceutical services can be delivered by both community pharmacies (CPs) and dispensing doctor practices (DPs). Both must adhere to minimum standards set out in NHS regulations; however, no common framework exists to guide quality improvement. Previous phases of this research had developed a set of characteristics indicative of good pharmaceutical service provision.

Objective

To ask key stakeholders to confirm, and rank the importance of, a set of characteristics of good pharmaceutical service provision.

Methods

A two-round Delphi-type survey was conducted in south-west England and was sent to participants representing three stakeholder groups: DPs, CPs and patients/lay members. Participants were asked to confirm, and rank, the importance of these characteristics as representing good quality pharmaceutical services.

Key Findings

Thirty people were sent the first round survey; 22 participants completed both rounds. Median ratings for the 23 characteristics showed that all were seen to represent important aspects of pharmaceutical service provision. Participants’ comments highlighted potential problems with the practicality of the characteristics. Characteristics relating to patient safety were deemed to be the most important and those relating to public health the least important.

Conclusions

A set of 23 characteristics for providing good pharmaceutical services in CPs and DPs was developed and attained approval from a sample of stakeholders. With further testing and wider discussion, it is hoped that the characteristics will form the basis of a quality improvement tool for CPs and DPs.
Evaluating the importance of randomization in adaptive large neighborhood search
Authors: Hemmati Ahmad , Hvattum Lars Magnus
Published: March 2016

Randomization is common in many implementations of metaheuristics, and is typically a main ingredient while considering adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS). This paper considers a standard implementation of ALNS for maritime pickup and delivery problems, identifies seven randomized components in that implementation, and proposes and analyzes simple nonrandomized alternatives to those components. The results reveal that the randomized alternatives perform slightly better for one of seven components, the deterministic alternatives perform better for one component, while the randomized and deterministic alternatives have similar performance for the remaining five components. When analyzing runs with different initial solutions, there seems to be a larger variance in the results obtained with only randomized components, compared to the results with only deterministic components, even when the average results are similar.
Assessment of the Thermal Shock Resistance Figures of Merit of Al2W3O12, a Low Thermal Expansion Ceramic
Authors: Prisco Luciana P. , Pontón Patricia I. , Guamán Marco V. , Avillez Roberto R. , Romao Carl P. , Johnson Michel B. , White Mary Anne , Marinkovic Bojan A.
Published: March 2016

Zero thermal expansion phases from the A2M3O12 and related thermomiotic (negative thermal expansion) families are natural candidates for applications where high thermal shock resistance is the principal requirement. However, their mechanical properties are largely unknown, as are sintering routes for consolidation into bulk objects. Therefore, a preliminary case study on the effect of microstructure on mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance of Al2W3O12 has been performed. All thermal and mechanical properties necessary for calculation of thermal shock resistance figures of merit have been measured experimentally. Tensile strengths were measured by four‐point flexural test and analyzed by the Weibull method. The microstructure of bulk specimens, conventionally pressureless sintered at 1273 K, was coarse‐grained, containing microcracks, and inhomogeneous with respect to density due to the agglomeration of nanoparticles, and led to low tensile strength. Despite this, thermal shock resistance features evaluated for Al2W3O12 are encouraging. The Hasselman figure of merit for thermal shock resistance for severe heating conditions of Al2W3O12 was 120 K, comparable to sapphire, the state‐of‐the‐art material for some advanced thermal shock resistance applications. This study shows that zero thermal expansion phases from the A2M3O12 family have potential to be transformed into useful engineering ceramics for thermal shock resistance applications.
Bismuth Zinc Niobate Thin Film Multilayer Capacitors with Cu Electrodes Fabricated at Low Temperature by RF Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: He Fan , Ren Wei , Khan Muhammad Saeed , Shi Peng
Published: March 2016

Thin film multilayer capacitors (MLCs) composed of amorphous Bi1.5Zn1.0Nb1.5O7 (BZN) dielectric layers with Cu internal electrodes were fabricated by radio‐frequency magnetron sputtering at a temperature below 150°C. Both BZN thin films and Cu internal electrodes were deposited in situ through a set of steel shadow masks at room temperature and postannealed at 150°C. The BZN dielectric layers used in the MLCs are amorphous and the thickness for each BZN layer is approximately 220 nm. Metallic Cu layer used as the internal electrode is about 50 nm thick. Auger electron spectroscopy analysis indicates that there are no diffusion between BZN films and Cu electrodes, as well as no oxidation of Cu electrodes during the fabrication process owing to room‐temperature deposition and low‐temperature postannealing (150°C). The thin film MLCs with different number of BZN layers were fabricated. The thin film MLCs with five BZN layers exhibit promising properties with dielectric constant of 72, capacitance density of 1600 nF/cm2, and loss tangent of 5.4% at 10 kHz. These results suggest that the BZN thin film MLCs have potential applications for the embedded PCBs.
Effects of GeO2 Addition on Sintering and Properties of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 Ceramics
Authors: Chen Kepi , Zhang Fangli , Jiao Yanlin , Li Dianshan , Tang Jing , Gao Feng , An Linan
Published: March 2016

Lead‐free (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) piezoelectric ceramics doped with different amounts of GeO2 were prepared and characterized. GeO2 was found to effectively improve the sinterability and piezoelectric properties of the material. The improvement in the sinterability is ascribed to the formation of a liquid phase, which decreased the sintering temperature from 1080°C to 1010°C. The improvement in the properties is attributed to the replacement of Nb5+ with Ge4+ to form acceptor dopants. The following optimized properties were obtained from the KNN ceramic with 0.75 wt% GeO2: piezoelectric constant (d33) = 126 pC/N, planar electromechanical coupling coefficient (kp) = 42.8%, mechanical quality factor (Qm) = 140, and dielectric loss (tanδ) = 3.8%.
Single‐Step Carbothermal Synthesis of High‐Purity MAX Phase Powders
Authors: Cuskelly Dylan T. , Kisi Erich H.
Published: March 2016

The Mn+1AXn phases Cr2GeC and Cr2GaC were synthesized with high phase‐purity directly from Cr2O3; Ge or Ga; and C using a single‐step carbothermal reduction. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope analysis of the materials shows them to be >99 mol% Cr2GeC and 92 mol% Cr2GaC, respectively. Extension to non‐Cr systems is briefly demonstrated by applying the method to the synthesis of V2GeC.
Fabrication of MgAl2O4 Spinel Scaffolds and Sonochemical Synthesis and Deposition of Hydroxyapatite Nanorods
Authors: Biswas Papiya , Sharma Anu , Krishnan Manu , Johnson Roy , Mohan Mantravadi Krishna
Published: March 2016

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is one of the most emerging biocompatible ceramic widely used as scaffolds in various biomedical applications such as orthopedics and dentistry. In spite of the superior properties for biomedical applications, they exhibit poor mechanical properties. This has lead to the concept of fabricating composite out of bioactive and bioinert material to derive bioactivity in combination with desirable mechanical properties. In this study, bioinert magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel scaffolds are prepared through polymeric foam replication process followed by sintering. Sintered foams have exhibited good structural integrity and the stress–strain curves recorded during the uniaxial compression have shown a plateau indicating high‐energy absorption capability. Sonochemical process has been employed for the simultaneous synthesis and deposition of HAp formulation from the stoichiometric solution of precursors on the spinel scaffolds. Sonochemical process has resulted in the formation of phase pure HAp with unique morphology of nanorods coated throughout the three‐dimensional foam structures. Cytotoxicity evaluation of this new scaffold material has not shown any alteration in the viability, growth, and morphology of the cells. The new scaffold material thus developed is expected to have high potential for biomedical applications.
Selection against abdominal fat percentage may increase intramuscular fat content in broilers
Authors: Leng L. , Zhang H. , Dong J.Q. , Wang Z.P. , Zhang X.Y. , Wang S.Z. , Cao Z.P. , Li Y.M. , Li H.
Published: March 2016

Excessive abdominal fat content (AFC) has negative impacts on feed efficiency and carcass quality. Unlike AFC, intramuscular fat content (IMFC) could be a favourable trait, which has a positive impact on meat quality. To meet consumers' needs, a long‐term goal of broiler breeders is to decrease AFC and improve the IMFC simultaneously. The current study was designed to investigate the relationship between AFC and IMFC and to compare IMFC, including the pectoral major muscle fat content (PIMFC) and intramuscular fat content of leg muscle (LIMFC), between two broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat percentage over 17 generations. The results showed that there was a significant difference in PIMFC and LIMFC between the two lines in all five generation populations used. The birds in the lean line had significantly lower AFC but higher PIMFC and LIMFC than the birds in the fat line. We also detected differences in the liver fat content (LFC) between the two lines and the results showed that birds in the fat line had significant higher LFC than birds in the lean line. Our results indicated that a desirable broiler line with higher IMFC but lower AFC could be obtained by genetic selection.
Territoriality in the tompot blenny Parablennius gattorugine from photographic records
Authors: Naylor P. , Jacoby D. M. P.
Published: March 2016

The behaviour of the tompot blenny Parablennius gattorugine was studied from a long‐term underwater photographic record from two sites on the south‐west coast of the U.K. Repeated observations of individually identifiable P. gattorugine during 112 dives revealed that male P. gattorugine may guard eggs in a particular crevice over subsequent breeding seasons, reside in the same location for up to 4 years and recover from injuries received in disputes over territory. Further observations included resident males wiping eggs with greatly expanded anal glands, adult‐type fighting between juveniles and unusual behaviour where a large male manipulated an empty mollusc shell for the attention of two smaller conspecifics.
Use of streambed substrate as refuge by steelhead or rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss during simulated freshets
Authors: Ligon F. K. , Nakamoto R. J. , Harvey B. C. , Baker P. F.
Published: March 2016

A flume was used to estimate the carrying capacity of streambed substrates for juvenile steelhead or rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss seeking refuge from simulated freshets. The simulated freshets had mean water column velocities of c. 1·1 m s−1. The number of O. mykiss finding cover within the interstices of the substrate was documented for different substrate sizes and levels of embeddedness. The availability of suitable refuges determined the carrying capacity of the substrate for O. mykiss. For the size of the O. mykiss tested [mean ± s.d. fork length (LF) = 122 ± 12·6 mm], the number of interstices with depths ≥200 mm measured with a 14·0 mm diameter flexible plastic tube was the best predictor of the number of O. mykiss able to find cover (r2 = 0·75). Oncorhynchus mykiss seeking refuge from freshets may need deeper interstices than those seeking concealment at autumn or winter base flows. The availability of interstices suitable as refuge from high flows may determine autumn and winter carrying capacity.
A Meta‐Analysis of Parent–Adolescent Conflict: Disagreement, Hostility, and Youth Maladjustment
Authors: Weymouth Bridget B. , Buehler Cheryl , Zhou Nan , Henson Robert A.
Published: March 2016

Parent–adolescent conflict is a normative characteristic of adolescence. However, research findings have been inconsistent, and the relative contributions of specific dimensions of parent–adolescent conflict (disagreement and hostility) to youth maladjustment are unknown. This meta‐analysis synthesized the literature on parent–adolescent conflict and distinguished disagreement, hostility, and composite measures of disagreement and hostility. A multilevel model was utilized to analyze 401 effects from 52 studies. Results indicate that parent–adolescent conflict is positively associated with youth maladjustment. The strength of this association varied as a function of youth maladjustment dimensions but not conflict dimensions. The association between parent–adolescent conflict and youth maladjustment also varied by youth gender and by longitudinal versus cross‐sectional design. Results suggest that both disagreement and hostility in parent–adolescent relationships have negative effects on youth development.
Employee share ownership, psychological ownership, and work attitudes and behaviours: A phenomenological analysis
Authors: McConville David , Arnold John , Smith Alison
Published: March 2016

This study uses qualitative data to explore how employees perceive the relationships between employee share ownership (ESO) scheme participation, their attitudes and behaviours at work, and their feelings of psychological ownership (PO). We contribute to two areas of (largely quantitative) research literature. First, we advance understanding of PO by examining participants’ explanations of how they feel their sense of PO is affected by participating in a company ESO scheme. Second, we examine the role of PO in employees’ explanations of the attitudinal and behavioural changes they feel they have experienced as a consequence of participating in an ESO scheme. To explore the subjective meaning of ESO participation and its PO impact, 37 semi‐structured interviews were conducted in nine companies with participants in three tax‐advantaged ESO schemes in the United Kingdom: SIP, SAYE, and EMI. Data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Participants perceived little effect of ESO schemes on PO or on the organizational features anticipated to give rise to these feelings. In turn, PO was found to play little or no part in employees’ explanations of how share schemes had, or did not have, an attitudinal or behavioural impact.

Practitioner points

Interviewees reflected on their experiences of joining employee share ownership (ESO) schemes, holding options, exercising options, and owning shares in the company. There was very little evidence that employees felt that any of these stages of ESO participation had any noticeable effect on their feelings of psychological ownership (PO). Other factors seemed to satisfy PO routes before, and possibly better than, ESO.

Psychological ownership played little or no part in employees’ explanations of how the ESO scheme impacted upon their attitudes or behaviours.

The findings contrast with the conventional wisdom, that participating in an ESO scheme inevitably causes employees to feel a sense of ownership over the company.

We find that ESO had very little to do with ownership in the minds of employees. Instead, it was much more about investment. ESO was not seen as a mechanism for employees to have a sense of ownership over the company and employees did not appear to regard ESO as providing experiences of the three ownership rights, or the routes to PO which parallel these.
Opening School‐Based Health Centers in a Rural Setting: Effects on Emergency Department Use
Authors: Schwartz Katherine E. , Monie Daphne , Scribani Melissa B. , Krupa Nicole L. , Jenkins Paul , Leinhart August , Kjolhede Chris L.
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of urban school‐based health centers (SBHCs) have shown that SBHCs decrease emergency department (ED) utilization. This study seeks to evaluate the effect of SBHCs on ED utilization in a rural setting.

METHODS

This retrospective, controlled, quasi‐experimental study used an ED patient data set from the Bassett Healthcare Network in rural New York to compare ED visits between school‐aged children from 12 SBHC schools before and after the SBHC opening. Time series analysis was used to determine trends in SBHC schools and 2 control schools without SBHCs over the 18‐year study period.

RESULTS

ED visit incidence densities for all 12 school districts combined showed a significant increase in ED visits post‐SBHC (Rate ratio (RR) = 1.15; p < .0001). This increase may, in part, be explained by the upward trend of ED visits in the region, as seen in the small, but significant, positive slope (RR = 0.0033, p < .0001) for control schools. There was variation in the change in incidence density post‐SBHC among school districts, with increases in 78% of schools.

CONCLUSIONS

The opening of SBHCs in rural settings results in a slight, but significant, increase in ED use, which is contrary to previous cross‐sectional studies in urban settings.
A Bibliometric Review of Open Innovation: Setting a Research Agenda
Authors: Randhawa Krithika , Wilden Ralf , Hohberger Jan
Published: March 2016

Through an objective, systematic, and comprehensive review of the literature on open innovation (OI), this article identifies gaps in existing research, and provides recommendations on how hitherto unused or underused organizational, management, and marketing theories can be applied to advance the field. This study adopts a novel approach by combining two complementary bibliometric methods of co‐citation analysis and text mining of 321 journal articles on OI that enables a robust empirical analysis of the intellectual streams and key concepts underpinning OI. Results reveal that researchers do not sufficiently draw on theoretical perspectives external to the field to examine multiple facets of OI. Research also seems confined to innovation‐specific journals with its focus restricted to a select few OI issues, thereby exerting limited influence on the wider business community. This study reveals three distinct areas within OI research: (1) firm‐centric aspects of OI, (2) management of OI networks, and (3) role of users and communities in OI. Thus far, studies have predominantly investigated the firm‐centric aspects of OI, with a particular focus on the role of knowledge, technology, and R&D from the innovating firm's perspective, while the other two areas remain relatively under‐researched. Further gaps in the literature emerge that present avenues for future research, namely to: (1) develop a more comprehensive understanding of OI by including diverse perspectives (users, networks, and communities), (2) direct increased attention to OI strategy formulation and implementation, and (3) enhance focus on customer co‐creation and conceptualize “open service innovation.” Marketing (e.g., service‐dominant logic), organizational behavior (e.g., communities of practice), and management (e.g., dynamic capabilities) offer suitable theoretical lenses and/or concepts to address these gaps.
On the use of high‐throughput sequencing for the study of cyanobacterial diversity in Antarctic aquatic mats
Authors: Pessi Igor Stelmach , Maalouf Pedro De Carvalho , Laughinghouse Haywood Dail , Baurain Denis , Wilmotte Annick
Published: March 2016

The study of Antarctic cyanobacterial diversity has been mostly limited to morphological identification and traditional molecular techniques. High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) allows a much better understanding of microbial distribution in the environment, but its application is hampered by several methodological and analytical challenges. In this work, we explored the use of HTS as a tool for the study of cyanobacterial diversity in Antarctic aquatic mats. Our results highlight the importance of using artificial communities to validate the parameters of the bioinformatics procedure used to analyze natural communities, since pipeline‐dependent biases had a strong effect on the observed community structures. Analysis of microbial mats from five Antarctic lakes and an aquatic biofilm from the Sub‐Antarctic showed that HTS is a valuable tool for the assessment of cyanobacterial diversity. The majority of the operational taxonomic units retrieved were related to filamentous taxa such as Leptolyngbya and Phormidium, which are common genera in Antarctic lacustrine microbial mats. However, other phylotypes related to different taxa such as Geitlerinema, Pseudanabaena, Synechococcus, Chamaesiphon, Calothrix, and Coleodesmium were also found. Results revealed a much higher diversity than what had been reported using traditional methods and also highlighted remarkable differences between the cyanobacterial communities of the studied lakes. The aquatic biofilm from the Sub‐Antarctic had a distinct cyanobacterial community from the Antarctic lakes, which in turn displayed a salinity‐dependent community structure at the phylotype level.
Investigation of the Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) proteome response to nitrogen limitation
Authors: Naidoo Rene K. , Rafudeen Muhammad S. , Coyne Vernon E.
Published: March 2016

Inorganic nitrogen has been identified as the major growth‐limiting nutritional factor affecting Gracilaria gracilis populations in South Africa. Although the physiological mechanisms implemented by G. gracilis for adaption to low nitrogen environments have been investigated, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of these adaptions. This study provides the first investigation of G. gracilis proteome changes in response to nitrogen limitation and subsequent recovery. A differential proteomics approach employing two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to investigate G. gracilis proteome changes in response to nitrogen limitation and recovery. The putative identity of 22 proteins that changed significantly (P < 0.05) in abundance in response to nitrogen limitation and recovery was determined. The identified proteins function in a range of biological processes including glycolysis, photosynthesis, ATP synthesis, galactose metabolism, protein‐refolding and biosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism and cytoskeleton remodeling. The identity of fructose 1,6 biphosphate (FBP) aldolase was confirmed by western blot analysis and the decreased abundance of FBP aldolase observed with two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis was validated by enzyme assays and western blots. The identification of key proteins and pathways involved in the G. gracilis nitrogen stress response provide a better understanding of G. gracilis proteome responses to varying degrees of nitrogen limitation and is the first step in the identification of biomarkers for monitoring the nitrogen status of cultivated G. gracilis populations.
Influence of a triclosan toothpaste on periodontopathic bacteria and periodontitis progression in cardiovascular patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Seymour G. J. , Palmer J. E. , Leishman S. J. , Do H. L. , Westerman B. , Carle A. D. , Faddy M. J. , West M. J. , Cullinan M. P.
Published: March 2016

Background and Objective

Triclosan/copolymer toothpaste is effective in controlling plaque and gingivitis and in slowing the progression of periodontitis. This study describes its influence on microbiological and clinical outcomes, over a 5‐year period, in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Material and Methods

Four‐hundred and thirty‐eight patients were recruited from the Cardiovascular Unit at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, and randomized to triclosan or placebo groups. Six sites per tooth were examined annually for probing pocket depth and loss of attachment. These outcomes were analysed, using generalized linear modelling, in 381 patients who had measurements from consecutive examinations. Concurrent load of the periodontal pathogens Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia and Porphyromonas gingivalis was determined, using quantitative real‐time PCR, in 437 patients with baseline plaque samples. Group comparisons were expressed as geometric means. The chi‐square test was used to test for differences between the two groups of patients with regard to the proportion of patients with different numbers of bacterial species.

Results

There was no difference in general health or periodontal status between the groups at baseline. There was a significant reduction in the number of interproximal sites showing loss of attachment between examinations, by 21% on average (p < 0.01), in the triclosan group compared with the placebo group. The prevalence of patients with F. nucleatum and A. actinomycetemcomitans was high and remained relatively constant throughout the 5 years of the study. In contrast, the prevalence of T. forsythia and P. gingivalis showed more variability; however, there was no significant difference between the groups, at any time point, in the prevalence of any organism. A significant difference in the geometric means for P. gingivalis (p = 0.01) was seen at years 1 and 4, and for F. nucleatum (p = 0.01) and in the total bacterial load (p = 0.03) at year 2; however, these differences were not statistically significant following a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. There was no difference between the groups in the geometric means for each organism at year 5.

Conclusion

Within the limitations of the study, these data suggest that the use of triclosan/copolymer toothpaste significantly slowed the progression of periodontitis in patients with CVD but that it had little influence on key subgingival periodontopathic bacteria in these patients over the 5 years of the study.
Canine versus human epilepsy: are we up to date?
Authors: Uriarte A. , Maestro Saiz I.
Published: March 2016

In this paper we analyse and compare features of canine and human epilepsy and we suggest new tools for better future understanding of canine epilepsy. The prevalence of epileptic seizures in dogs ranges between 0.5% and 5.7% and between 1% and 3% in the human population. Studies on human epilepsy provide a ready‐made format for classification, diagnosis and treatment in veterinary epilepsy. Human studies highlight the value of a thorough seizure classification. Nevertheless, a matter of concern in canine epilepsy is the limited information regarding seizure description and classification because of the lack of EEG‐video recording. Establishment of a consensus protocol for ambulatory home video‐recording in dogs who suffer from epilepsy, mainly considering indications, duration of monitoring, the sufficient essential training for an optimal interpretation of ictal semiology and the methodology of recordings is needed. The ultimate goal is that the information gathered by these videos will be analysed to describe the epileptic seizures thoroughly, recognize patterns and move towards a better understanding and therefore classification of canine epileptic seizures.
Evaluation of capsule endoscopy to detect mucosal lesions associated with gastrointestinal bleeding in dogs
Authors: Davignon D. L. , Lee A. C. Y. , Johnston A. N. , Bowman D. D. , Simpson K. W.
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the utility of capsule endoscopy to detect mucosal abnormalities in dogs with gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

METHODS

Capsules were administered to 2 healthy controls and 8 patients with gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Images were evaluated for quality, gastric emptying time, small intestinal transit time and presence of lesions.

RESULTS

There were no adverse effects of capsule endoscopy in dogs weighing from 7·7 to 58 kg. The capsule traversed the entire gastrointestinal tract in 5 of 8 patients, with high quality images obtained in the stomach and small intestine. Gastric emptying time and small intestinal transit time ranged from 1 to 270 and 15 to 180 minutes, respectively. In 3 of 8 patients, the capsule remained in the stomach despite pro‐kinetics. Gastric lesions included mild haemorrhage and pinpoint erosion (4 of 8), a mass (1) and thickened bleeding pyloric mucosa (2). Two of 3 dogs with capsule retention had gastric lesions. Intestinal lesions included a healing duodenal ulcer, abnormal villi, ileal ulceration and colonic bleeding. Lesions identified by capsule endoscopy were considered a significant source of haemorrhage in 4 of 7 dogs with active bleeding. The relevance of pinpoint gastric mucosal erosions to blood loss is unclear.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Capsule endoscopy can enable the non‐invasive detection of gastric and small intestinal mucosal lesions in dogs presenting for evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Obligations in the shade: the application of fiduciary directors' duties to shadow directors
Authors: Moore Colin R.
Published: March 2016

This paper argues that shadow directors, as defined in English law, ought to owe the full range of directors' duties, both fiduciary and non-fiduciary, enacted in the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006), ss 171–177, to the relevant company under their influence. Following the enactment of the recent Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act (SBEEA) 2015, these general duties are likely to apply to shadow directors, although there is still a case to be made as to why shadow directors should owe fiduciary duties to the relevant company. It is argued here that such a relationship is fiduciary in nature, but the current approach deployed in the English courts, based upon the application of Finn's originally formulated ‘undertaking’ test alone, is inadequate. Given these inadequacies, it is proposed that the Canadian ‘power and discretion’ test be deployed alongside the ‘undertaking’ test, in order to provide a far more comprehensive justification for the application of fiduciary obligations to shadow directors. This position is supported by establishing a theoretical basis for the ‘power and discretion’ test, via Paul Miller's ‘fiduciary powers theory’, as well as considering the application of such a test to shadow directors.
Strengthening health services to deliver nutrition education to promote complementary feeding and healthy growth of infants and young children: formative research for a successful intervention in peri‐urban Trujillo, Peru
Authors: Robert Rebecca C. , Creed‐Kanashiro Hilary M. , Villasante Ruben , Narro M. Rocio , Penny Mary E.
Published: March 2016

Formative research is critical for developing effective nutrition‐specific interventions to improve infant and young child (IYC) feeding practices and promote healthy growth. Health workers interact with caregivers during health facility visits, yet there is limited research about how to optimize delivery of such interventions during these visits. The extensive reach of IYC health services globally calls for research to address this gap. In Trujillo, Peru, formative research was conducted to explore complementary feeding practices with caregivers as well as health worker routines and interactions with caregivers related to feeding and healthy growth; results informed the development and delivery of an educational intervention. Multiple qualitative methods were used to collect data on a purposive sample of health workers and caregivers from three health facilities and communities: household trials followed. Complementary feeding messages with doable behaviours were developed, and three were selected as key to promote based on their nutritional impact and cultural acceptability. In the health facilities, medical consultation, well‐child visits and nutrition consultation all dealt with aspects of IYC nutrition/growth during their interactions with caregivers but were independent and inconsistent in approach. A nutrition education strategy was developed based on consistency, quality and coverage in the IYC health services. We conclude that formative research undertaken in the community and IYC health services was critical to developing a successful and culturally relevant intervention to promote optimal complementary feeding practices and healthy growth during interactions between health workers and caregivers at routine health facility visits. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Suppression of a deletion mutation in the gene encoding essential PBP2b reveals a new lytic transglycosylase involved in peripheral peptidoglycan synthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39
Authors: Tsui Ho‐Ching Tiffany , Zheng Jiaqi J. , Magallon Ariel N. , Ryan John D. , Yunck Rachel , Rued Britta E. , Bernhardt Thomas G. , Winkler Malcolm E.
Published: March 2016

In ellipsoid‐shaped ovococcus bacteria, such as the pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), side‐wall (peripheral) peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis emanates from midcells and is catalyzed by the essential class B penicillin‐binding protein PBP2b transpeptidase (TP). We report that mutations that inactivate the pneumococcal YceG‐domain protein, Spd_1346 (renamed MltG), remove the requirement for PBP2b. ΔmltG mutants in unencapsulated strains accumulate inactivation mutations of class A PBP1a, which possesses TP and transglycosylase (TG) activities. The ‘synthetic viable’ genetic relationship between Δpbp1a and ΔmltG mutations extends to essential ΔmreCD and ΔrodZ mutations that misregulate peripheral PG synthesis. Remarkably, the single MltG(Y488D) change suppresses the requirement for PBP2b, MreCD, RodZ and RodA. Structural modeling and comparisons, catalytic‐site changes and an interspecies chimera indicate that pneumococcal MltG is the functional homologue of the recently reported MltG endo‐lytic transglycosylase of Escherichia coli. Depletion of pneumococcal MltG or mltG(Y488D) increases sphericity of cells, and MltG localizes with peripheral PG synthesis proteins during division. Finally, growth of Δpbp1a ΔmltG or mltG(Y488D) mutants depends on induction of expression of the WalRK TCS regulon of PG hydrolases. These results fit a model in which MltG releases anchored PG glycan strands synthesized by PBP1a for crosslinking by a PBP2b:RodA complex in peripheral PG synthesis.
Genotyping‐by‐sequencing‐based genome‐wide association studies on Verticillium wilt resistance in autotetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.)
Authors: Yu Long‐Xi , Zheng Ping , Zhang Tiejun , Rodringuez Jonas , Main Dorrie
Published: March 2016

Verticillium wilt (VW) is a fungal disease that causes severe yield losses in alfalfa. The most effective method to control the disease is through the development and use of resistant varieties. The identification of marker loci linked to VW resistance can facilitate breeding for disease‐resistant alfalfa. In the present investigation, we applied an integrated framework of genome‐wide association with genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) to identify VW resistance loci in a panel of elite alfalfa breeding lines. Phenotyping was performed by manual inoculation of the pathogen to healthy seedlings, and scoring for disease resistance was carried out according to the standard test of the North America Alfalfa Improvement Conference (NAAIC). Marker–trait association by linkage disequilibrium identified 10 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers significantly associated with VW resistance. Alignment of the SNP marker sequences to theM. truncatulagenome revealed multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Three, two, one and five markers were located on chromosomes 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively. Resistance loci found on chromosomes 7 and 8 in the present study co‐localized with the QTLs reported previously. A pairwise alignment (blastn) using the flanking sequences of the resistance loci against theM. truncatulagenome identified potential candidate genes with putative disease resistance function. With further investigation, these markers may be implemented into breeding programmes using marker‐assisted selection, ultimately leading to improved VW resistance in alfalfa.
Diversity and origins of Indian multi‐triazole resistant strains of Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Chang Howard , Ashu Eta , Sharma Cheshta , Kathuria Shallu , Chowdhary Anuradha , Xu Jianping
Published: March 2016

Aspergillus fumigatus is a widespread opportunistic fungal pathogen causing an alarmingly high mortality rate in immunocompromised patients. Nosocomial infections by drug‐resistant A. fumigatus strains are of particular concern, and there is a pressing need to understand the origin, dispersal and long‐term evolution of drug resistance in this organism. The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity and putative origins of triazole resistance of A. fumigatus from India. Eighty‐nine isolates, including 51 multiple triazole resistant (MTR) isolates and 38 azole‐susceptible isolates, were genotyped using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), mating typing and PCR fingerprinting. MLST resolved the 51 MTR isolates into three genotypes, two of which have susceptible counterparts, suggesting that MTR isolates originated multiple times in India. The multiple‐origin hypothesis was further supported by the diversity of sequences at the triazole target gene CYP51A among the MTR isolates, and by PCR fingerprints. Interestingly, there is abundant evidence for mating and recombination in natural population of A. fumigatus in India, suggesting that sexual spread of TR34/L98H, the dominant MTR allele, is possible. Our results call for greater attention to MTR in A. fumigatus and for better management of antifungal drug use.
Adjuvant antifungal therapy using tissue tolerable plasma on oral mucosa and removable dentures in oral candidiasis patients: a randomised double‐blinded split‐mouth pilot study
Authors: Preissner Saskia , Kastner Isabell , Schütte Eyke , Hartwig Stefan , Schmidt‐Westhausen Andrea Maria , Paris Sebastian , Preissner Robert , Hertel Moritz
Published: March 2016

Extended use of antimycotics in oral candidiasis therapy gives rise to problems related to fungal drug resistance. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy of tissue tolerable plasma (TTP) in denture stomatitis patients. It was hypothesised that (I): erythema and (IIa): complaint remission would be accelerated and (IIb): colony forming unit (CFU) reduction would be improved. The halves of the upper jaws of eight patients were randomly assigned to control (nystatin, chlorhexidine and placebo treatment) and test sides (nystatin, chlorhexidine and TTP administered six times each 7 days). The patients and the investigators, who were different from the therapists, were both blinded. Compared to the control sides, the erythema surface was reduced significantly more extensively on the test sides between 2 and 6 weeks of antifungal therapy (P ≤ 0.05). Visual analogue scale values and the frequency of moderate or heavy growth of Candida post‐treatment did not differ significantly between both sides (P > 0.05). The primary hypothesis was confirmed, which may be interpreted as an accelerated remission. As drug therapy is usually limited to the time in which signs of infection are present, TTP might help reducing antifungal use. Even though the secondary hypotheses were not confirmed, persistence of Candida might be only colonisation.
Whole‐genome duplications followed by tandem duplications drive diversification of the protein modifier SUMO in Angiosperms
Authors: Hammoudi Valentin , Vlachakis Georgios , Schranz M. Eric , van den Burg Harrold A.
Published: March 2016

The ubiquitin‐like modifier (UBL) SUMO (Small Ubiquitin‐Like Modifier) regulates protein function. Structural rather than sequence homology typifies UBL families. However, individual UBL types, such as SUMO, show remarkable sequence conservation. Selection pressure also operates at the SUMO gene copy number, as increased SUMO levels activate immunity and alter flowering time in Arabidopsis.

We show how, despite this selection pressure, the SUMO family has diversified into eight paralogues in Arabidopsis. Relationships between the paralogues were investigated using genome collinearity and gene tree analysis. We show that palaeopolyploidy followed by tandem duplications allowed expansion and then diversification of the SUMO genes.

For example, Arabidopsis SUMO5 evolved from the pan‐eudicot palaeohexaploidy event (gamma), which yielded three SUMO copies. Two gamma copies were preserved as archetype SUMOs, suggesting subfunctionalization, whereas the third copy served as a hotspot for SUMO diversification.

The Brassicaceae‐specific alpha duplication then caused the duplication of one archetype gamma copy, which, by subfunctionalization, allowed the retention of both SUMO1 and SUMO2. The other archetype gamma copy was simultaneously pseudogenized (SUMO4/6). A tandem duplication of SUMO2 subsequently yielded SUMO3 in the Brassicaceae crown group. SUMO3 potentially neofunctionalized in Arabidopsis, but it is lost in many Brassicaceae. Our advanced methodology allows the study of the birth and fixation of other paralogues in plants.
A bacterial‐biofilm‐induced oral osteolytic infection can be successfully treated by immuno‐targeting an extracellular nucleoid‐associated protein
Authors: Freire M.O. , Devaraj A. , Young A. , Navarro J.B. , Downey J.S. , Chen C. , Bakaletz L.O. , Zadeh H.H. , Goodman S.D.
Published: March 2016

Periodontal disease exemplifies a chronic and recurrent infection with a necessary biofilm component. Mucosal inflammation is a hallmark response of the host seen in chronic diseases, such as colitis, gingivitis, and periodontitis (and the related disorder peri‐implantitis). We have taken advantage of our recently developed rat model of human peri‐implantitis that recapitulates osteolysis, the requirement of biofilm formation, and the perpetuation of the bona fide disease state, to test a new therapeutic modality with two novel components. First we used hyperimmune antiserum directed against the DNABII family of proteins, now known to be a critical component of the extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms. Second we delivered the antiserum as cargo in biodegradable microspheres to the site of the biofilm infection. We demonstrated that delivery of a single dose of anti‐DNABII in poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres induced significant resolution of experimental peri‐implantitis, including marked reduction of inflammation. These data support the continued development of a DNABII protein‐targeted therapeutic for peri‐implantitis and other chronic inflammatory pathologies of the oral cavity in animals and humans.
Genetic evaluation and selection index in tetraploidBrachiaria ruziziensis
Authors: Simeão Rosangela , Silva Adriane , Valle Cacilda , Resende Marcos Deon , Medeiros Sérgio
Published: March 2016

Half‐sib progenies of congo signal grass (Brachiaria ruziziensisGermain & Evrard, syn.:B. eminii,Urochloa ruziziensis) were analysed using a mixed model methodology. The objective was to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters, predict individual genetic values, estimate correlations between characters associated with biomass production and forage nutritive value and use this information to determine the economic weights to compare three multiplicative selection indices. Individual narrow‐sense heritabilities corrected for inbreeding varied from 0.14 to 0.91 for characters associated with biomass production and from 0.04 a 0.24 for nutritional value characters. The correlations among characters associated with annual biomass production were of high magnitude. In contrast, biomass production characters were negatively correlated with crude protein, acid detergent fibre and lignin. Total dry matter yield, crude protein and regrowth ability were weighted separately in evaluations during wet and dry season or annually in selection indices. Index that considered characters annually resulted in better distribution of forage production along the year than indices that separated wet and dry season production.
ZY‐3 Block adjustment supported by glas laser altimetry data
Authors: Li Guoyuan , Tang Xinming , Gao Xiaoming , Wang Huabin , Wang Yu
Published: March 2016

ZY‐3 is the first Chinese civilian high‐resolution stereo‐mapping satellite, designed for 1:50 000 scale mapping. Although ZY‐3 has a very high accuracy for direct image geolocation without ground control points (GCPs), the use of some GCPs is still indispensable for stereo mapping. A novel method is proposed whereby spaceborne Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) laser altimetry datasets are viewed as generalised height control points to support a ZY‐3 block adjustment. This method separates planimetric and height control, integrating the latter with GLAS data such that, without other GCPs, the vertical accuracy of ZY‐3 images can be improved significantly. Both flat and mountainous terrain were selected to evaluate the proposed method. The results show that by adding two GLAS height control points for a single image, or spaced every 50 km in the along‐track (orbital) direction for block images, the vertical accuracy can satisfy the requirements of 1:50 000 scale mapping, thus reducing the need for field surveying. Additionally, the method will be valuable for integrating spaceborne laser altimetry data and optical images for global mapping without any GCPs.
The origin and future of oxidative stress pathology: From the recognition of carcinogenesis as an iron addiction with ferroptosis‐resistance to non‐thermal plasma therapy
Authors: Toyokuni Shinya
Published: March 2016

Helmut Sies established the concept of oxidative stress in 1985. However, it took some time to introduce this concept into pathology, where investigators count on formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue sections. I sought out antigens for this purpose based on an oxidative stress‐induced rat renal carcinogenesis model, which revealed that 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine and 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal‐modified proteins are ideal. These two monoclonal antibodies successfully revealed the involvement of oxidative stress in numerous human diseases, including carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis. Shigeru Okada established the aforementioned ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe‐NTA)‐induced rat renal carcinogenesis model, which thus far has answered many questions regarding the presence of target genes in oxidative stress‐induced carcinogenesis and the sites that are susceptible to oxidative stress in the genome. Particularly, the similarity of genomic alterations between Fe‐NTA‐induced renal cancer and human cancers suggests that excess iron plays a role also in human carcinogenesis. Furthermore, excess iron is a major pathology in asbestos‐induced mesothelioma, including chrysotile. Despite an analogy to asbestos, multi‐wall carbon nanotubes were distinct in that diameter is another responsible factor for mesothelial carcinogenesis. Recently, non‐thermal plasma emerged as a candidate for medical intervention for wounds and cancers via manipulating oxidative stress. Counteracting excess iron is a promising preventive strategy for major diseases.