bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child-Turcotte-Pugh Class is Best at Stratifying Risk in Variceal Hemorrhage
Authors: Fortune Brett E. , Garcia-Tsao Guadalupe , Ciarleglio Maria , Deng Yanhong , Fallon Michael B. , Sigal Samuel , Chalasani Naga P. , Lim Joseph K. , Reuben Adrian , Vargas Hugo E. , Abrams Gary , Lewis Michele D. , Hassanein Tarek , Trotter James F. , Sanyal Arun J. , Beavers Kimberly L. , Ganger Daniel , Thuluvath Paul J. , Grace Norman D. , Groszmann Roberto J.
Published: October 2016

Goals/Background:

Data on acute variceal hemorrhage (AVH) in the United States is limited and the best method to stratify risk is not clear. Taking advantage of a prospective US cohort study, we aimed to (1) describe clinical outcomes of AVH and their predictors; (2) compare predictors of 6-week mortality.

Study:

Prospective 15-center US cohort of patients with cirrhosis presenting with endoscopically proven AVH, all of whom received antibiotics, vapreotide (a somatostain analog) infusion and endoscopic band ligation. Patients were enrolled between August 2006 and April 2008. Primary outcome was 6-week mortality. Secondary outcome was 5-day treatment failure. The prognostic value of Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and a recent recalibrated MELD were compared.

Results:

Seventy eligible patient were enrolled; 18 (26%) patients died within 6-weeks of index bleed. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. Multivariate models showed that admission CTP or the MELD score (separately) were independent predictors of survival. The discriminative values of CTP (area under receiver operating characteristic: 0.75) and MELD (area under receiver operating characteristic: 0.79) were good and not significantly different (P=0.27). However, calibration (correlation between observed and predicted mortality) test was significantly better for CTP than for MELD, with the recently described recalibrated MELD model having the worst agreement. Predicted mortality for CTP-A was <10%, CTP-B 10% to 30%; and CTP-C >33%.

Conclusions:

AVH mortality of 26% in the United States is in the upper range limit compared with recent series but may be due to inclusion of patients with more advanced cirrhosis. CTP score has the best overall performance in the prediction of 6-week mortality and is best at stratifying risk.
Causal Evaluation of Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis in Children
Authors: Gariepy Cheryl E. , Heyman Melvin B. , Lowe Mark E. , Pohl John F. , Werlin Steven L. , Wilschanski Michael , Barth Bradley , Fishman Douglas S. , Freedman Steven D. , Giefer Matthew J. , Gonska Tanja , Himes Ryan , Husain Sohail Z. , Morinville Veronique D. , Ooi Chee Y. , Schwarzenberg Sarah J. , Troendle David M. , Yen Elizabeth , Uc Aliye
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

Acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) have been diagnosed in children at increasing rates during the past decade. As pediatric ARP and CP are still relatively rare conditions, little quality evidence is available on which to base the diagnosis and determination of etiology. The aim of the study was to review the current state of the literature regarding the etiology of these disorders and to developed a consensus among a panel of clinically active specialists caring for children with these disorders to help guide the diagnostic evaluation and identify areas most in need of future research.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was performed and scored for quality, followed by consensus statements developed and scored by each individual in the group for level of agreement and strength of the supporting data using a modified Delphi method. Scores were analyzed for the level of consensus achieved by the group.

Results:

The panel reached consensus on 27 statements covering the definitions of pediatric ARP and CP, evaluation for potential etiologies of these disorders, and long‐term monitoring. Statements for which the group reached consensus to make no recommendation or could not reach consensus are discussed.

Conclusions:

This consensus helps define the minimal diagnostic evaluation and monitoring of children with ARP and CP. Even in areas in which we reached consensus, the quality of the evidence is weak, highlighting the need for further research. Improved understanding of the underlying cause will facilitate treatment development and targeting.
TRPV1 antagonist JNJ-39439335 (mavatrep) demonstrates proof of pharmacology in healthy men: a first-in-human, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, sequential group study
Authors: Manitpisitkul Prasarn , Brandt Michael , Flores Christopher M. , Kenigs Velga , Moyer John A. , Romano Gary , Shalayda Kevin , Mayorga Arthur J.
Published: October 2016

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, sequential group, phase 1 study was designed to assess in healthy men, the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and translational pharmacodynamics of JNJ-39439335 (mavatrep), a transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 antagonist; it was preceded by a translational preclinical study which assessed the ability of JNJ-39439335 to block capsaicin-induced flare in rats, providing predictive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data that informed the subsequent phase 1 clinical study. The clinical study consisted of 2 parts: part 1 assessed pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including heat pain detection threshold and heat pain tolerance, of JNJ-39439335, and part 2 assessed pharmacodynamic effect of JNJ-39439335 on capsaicin-induced flare and sensory testing on naïve and UVB-sensitized skin in humans. Plasma concentrations of JNJ-39439335 peaked at approximately 2 to 4 hours postdose, then declined multiexponentially, with a prolonged terminal phase (half-life: 30–86 hours). Renal clearance of JNJ-39439335 was negligible. JNJ-39439335 treatment resulted in clear, consistent dose-related increases in heat pain detection threshold, heat pain tolerance, and heat pain latency. JNJ-39439335 reduced the capsaicin-induced flare area and flare intensity, with complete blocking observed in the 50-mg dose group at 144 hours postdose. This was consistent with the capsaicin flare results observed with JNJ-39439335 in rats. The most common adverse events observed in the clinical study were related to increases in body temperature after JNJ-39439335 treatment; these were predominately mild to moderate in severity with no evidence of exposure dependence up to 225 mg. JNJ-39439335 was well tolerated at single doses up to 225 mg, recommending its suitability for further clinical development.
The Dairy Fat Paradox
Authors: Key Janna , Cantarero Andrea , Cohen Deborah , Conn Carole , Cerami Jean
Published: October 2016

A systematic literature review of prospective cohort studies was conducted to investigate the association between consumption of fat-free/1% versus reduced- and/or full-fat dairy on the incidence of overweight/obesity, central adiposity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults. Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. No significant relationships between dairy fat intake and cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus were found. The limited research published on the relationship between overweight/obesity, central adiposity, and dairy fat intake makes it difficult to draw generalizable conclusions at this time. Registered dietitian nutritionists should continue to encourage clients to eat calorically balanced, nutrient-dense diets, and engage in regular physical activity.
Climate forcing of an emerging pathogenic fungus across a montane multi-host community
Authors: Clare Frances C. , Halder Julia B. , Daniel Olivia , Bielby Jon , Semenov Mikhail A. , Jombart Thibaut , Loyau Adeline , Schmeller Dirk S. , Cunningham Andrew A. , Rowcliffe Marcus , Garner Trenton W. J. , Bosch Jaime , Fisher Matthew C.
Published: October 2016

Changes in the timings of seasonality as a result of anthropogenic climate change are predicted to occur over the coming decades. While this is expected to have widespread impacts on the dynamics of infectious disease through environmental forcing, empirical data are lacking. Here, we investigated whether seasonality, specifically the timing of spring ice-thaw, affected susceptibility to infection by the emerging pathogenic fungus
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
(
Bd
) across a montane community of amphibians that are suffering declines and extirpations as a consequence of this infection. We found a robust temporal association between the timing of the spring thaw and
Bd
infection in two host species, where we show that an early onset of spring forced high prevalences of infection. A third highly susceptible species (the midwife toad,
Alytes obstetricans
) maintained a high prevalence of infection independent of time of spring thaw. Our data show that perennially overwintering midwife toad larvae may act as a year-round reservoir of infection with variation in time of spring thaw determining the extent to which infection spills over into sympatric species. We used future temperature projections based on global climate models to demonstrate that the timing of spring thaw in this region will advance markedly by the 2050s, indicating that climate change will further force the severity of infection. Our findings on the effect of annual variability on multi-host infection dynamics show that the community-level impact of fungal infectious disease on biodiversity will need to be re-evaluated in the face of climate change.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Phenotypic interactions between tree hosts and invasive forest pathogens in the light of globalization and climate change
Authors: Stenlid Jan , Oliva Jonàs
Published: October 2016

Invasive pathogens can cause considerable damage to forest ecosystems. Lack of coevolution is generally thought to enable invasive pathogens to bypass the defence and/or recognition systems in the host. Although mostly true, this argument fails to predict intermittent outcomes in space and time, underlining the need to include the roles of the environment and the phenotype in host–pathogen interactions when predicting disease impacts. We emphasize the need to consider host–tree imbalances from a phenotypic perspective, considering the lack of coevolutionary and evolutionary history with the pathogen and the environment, respectively. We describe how phenotypic plasticity and plastic responses to environmental shifts may become maladaptive when hosts are faced with novel pathogens. The lack of host–pathogen and environmental coevolution are aligned with two global processes currently driving forest damage: globalization and climate change, respectively. We suggest that globalization and climate change act synergistically, increasing the chances of both genotypic and phenotypic imbalances. Short moves on the same continent are more likely to be in balance than if the move is from another part of the world. We use
Gremmeniella abietina
outbreaks in Sweden to exemplify how host–pathogen phenotypic interactions can help to predict the impacts of specific invasive and emergent diseases.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Emerging oomycete threats to plants and animals
Authors: Derevnina Lida , Petre Benjamin , Kellner Ronny , Dagdas Yasin F. , Sarowar Mohammad Nasif , Giannakopoulou Artemis , De la Concepcion Juan Carlos , Chaparro-Garcia Angela , Pennington Helen G. , van West Pieter , Kamoun Sophien
Published: October 2016

Oomycetes, or water moulds, are fungal-like organisms phylogenetically related to algae. They cause devastating diseases in both plants and animals. Here, we describe seven oomycete species that are emerging or re-emerging threats to agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture and natural ecosystems. They include the plant pathogens
Phytophthora infestans
,
Phytophthora palmivora
,
Phytophthora ramorum
,
Plasmopara obducens
, and the animal pathogens
Aphanomyces invadans
,
Saprolegnia parasitica
and
Halioticida noduliformans
. For each species, we describe its pathology, importance and impact, discuss why it is an emerging threat and briefly review current research activities.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Overview of chytrid emergence and impacts on amphibians
Authors: Lips Karen R.
Published: October 2016

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease of amphibians that affects over 700 species on all continents where amphibians occur. The amphibian–chytridiomycosis system is complex, and the response of any amphibian species to chytrid depends on many aspects of the ecology and evolutionary history of the amphibian, the genotype and phenotype of the fungus, and how the biological and physical environment can mediate that interaction. Impacts of chytridiomycosis on amphibians are varied; some species have been driven extinct, populations of others have declined severely, whereas still others have not obviously declined. Understanding patterns and mechanisms of amphibian responses to chytrids is critical for conservation and management. Robust estimates of population numbers are needed to identify species at risk, prioritize taxa for conservation actions, design management strategies for managing populations and species, and to develop effective measures to reduce impacts of chytrids on amphibians.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Minimizing fungal disease deaths will allow the UNAIDS target of reducing annual AIDS deaths below 500 000 by 2020 to be realized
Authors: Denning David W.
Published: October 2016

Deaths from AIDS (1 500 000 in 2013) have been falling more slowly than anticipated with improved access to antiretroviral therapy. Opportunistic infections account for most AIDS-related mortality, with a median age of death in the mid-30s. About 360 000 (24%) of AIDS deaths are attributed to tuberculosis. Fungal infections deaths in AIDS were estimated at more than 700 000 deaths (47%) annually. Rapid diagnostic tools and antifungal agents are available for these diseases and would likely have a major impact in reducing deaths. Scenarios for reduction of avoidable deaths were constructed based on published outcomes of the real-life impact of diagnostics and generic antifungal drugs to 2020. Annual deaths could fall for cryptococcal disease by 70 000,
Pneumocystis
pneumonia by 162 500, disseminated histoplasmosis by 48 000 and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis by 33 500, with approximately 60% coverage of diagnostics and antifungal agents; a total of >1 000 000 lives saved over 5 years. If factored in with the 90–90–90 campaign rollout and its effect, AIDS deaths could fall to 426 000 annually by 2020, with further reductions possible with increased coverage. Action could and should be taken by donors, national and international public health agencies, NGOs and governments to achieve the UNAIDS mortality reduction target, by scaling up capability to detect and treat fungal disease in AIDS.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Secondary metabolite arsenal of an opportunistic pathogenic fungus
Authors: Bignell Elaine , Cairns Timothy C. , Throckmorton Kurt , Nierman William C. , Keller Nancy P.
Published: October 2016

Aspergillus fumigatus
is a versatile fungus able to successfully exploit diverse environments from mammalian lungs to agricultural waste products. Among its many fitness attributes are dozens of genetic loci containing biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) producing bioactive small molecules (often referred to as secondary metabolites or natural products) that provide growth advantages to the fungus dependent on environment. Here we summarize the current knowledge of these BGCs—18 of which can be named to product
—
their expression profiles
in vivo
, and which BGCs may enhance virulence of this opportunistic human pathogen. Furthermore, we find extensive evidence for the presence of many of these BGCs, or similar BGCs, in distantly related genera including the emerging pathogen
Pseudogymnoascus destructans
, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome in bats, and suggest such BGCs may be predictive of pathogenic potential in other fungi.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Global food and fibre security threatened by current inefficiencies in fungal identification
Authors: Crous Pedro W. , Groenewald Johannes Z. , Slippers Bernard , Wingfield Michael J.
Published: October 2016

Fungal pathogens severely impact global food and fibre crop security. Fungal species that cause plant diseases have mostly been recognized based on their morphology. In general, morphological descriptions remain disconnected from crucially important knowledge such as mating types, host specificity, life cycle stages and population structures. The majority of current fungal species descriptions lack even the most basic genetic data that could address at least some of these issues. Such information is essential for accurate fungal identifications, to link critical metadata and to understand the real and potential impact of fungal pathogens on production and natural ecosystems. Because international trade in plant products and introduction of pathogens to new areas is likely to continue, the manner in which fungal pathogens are identified should urgently be reconsidered. The technologies that would provide appropriate information for biosecurity and quarantine already exist, yet the scientific community and the regulatory authorities are slow to embrace them. International agreements are urgently needed to enforce new guidelines for describing plant pathogenic fungi (including key DNA information), to ensure availability of relevant data and to modernize the phytosanitary systems that must deal with the risks relating to trade-associated plant pathogens.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience
Authors: Fisher Matthew C. , Gow Neil A. R. , Gurr Sarah J.
Published: October 2016

Emerging infections caused by fungi have become a widely recognized global phenomenon. Their notoriety stems from their causing plagues and famines, driving species extinctions, and the difficulty in treating human mycoses alongside the increase of their resistance to antifungal drugs. This special issue comprises a collection of articles resulting from a Royal Society discussion meeting examining why pathogenic fungi are causing more disease now than they did in the past, and how we can tackle this rapidly emerging threat to the health of plants and animals worldwide.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
The demise of the synapse as the locus of memory: A looming paradigm shift?
Authors: Trettenbrein Patrick Christian
Published: October 2016

Synaptic plasticity is widely considered to be the neurobiological basis of learning and memory by neuroscientists and researchers in adjacent fields, though diverging opinions are increasingly being recognised. From the perspective of what we might call “classical cognitive science” it has always been understood that the mind/brain is to be considered a computational-representational system. Proponents of the information-processing approach to cognitive science have long been critical of connectionist or network approaches to (neuro-)cognitive architecture, pointing to the shortcomings of the associative psychology that underlies Hebbian learning as well as to the fact that synapses are practically unfit to implement symbols. Recent work on memory has been adding fuel to the fire and current findings in neuroscience now provide first tentative neurobiological evidence for the cognitive scientists’ doubts about the synapse as the (sole) locus of memory in the brain. This paper briefly considers the history and appeal of synaptic plasticity as a memory mechanism, followed by a summary of the cognitive scientists’ objections regarding these assertions. Next, a variety of tentative neuroscientific evidence that appears to substantiate questioning the idea of the synapse as the locus of memory is presented. On this basis, a novel way of thinking about the role of synaptic plasticity in learning and memory is proposed.
Reconstruction of phylogenetic history to resolve the subspecies anomaly of Pantherine cats
Authors: Das Ranajit , Upadhyai Priyanka
Published: October 2016

All charismatic big cats including tiger (Panthera tigris), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Panthera uncial), and jaguar (Panthera onca) are grouped into the subfamily Pantherinae. Several mitogenomic approaches have been employed to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the Pantherine cats but the phylogeny has remained largely unresolved till date. One of the major reasons for the difficulty in resolving the phylogenetic tree of Pantherine cats is the small sample size. While previous studies included only 5‐10 samples, we have used 43 publically available taxa to reconstruct Pantherine phylogenetic history. Complete mtDNA sequences were used from all individuals excluding the control region (15,489bp). A Bayesian MCMC approach was employed to investigate the divergence times among different Pantherine clades. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogeny generated a dendrogram:Neofelis nebulosa(Panthera tigris(Panthera onca(Panthera uncia(Panthera leo,Panthera pardus)))), grouping lions with leopards and placing snow leopards as an outgroup to this clade. The phylogeny revealed that lions split from their sister species leopard ~3 Mya and the divergence time between snow leopards and the clade including lions and leopards was estimated to be ~5 Mya. Our study revealed that the morphology-based subspecies designation for both lions and tigers is largely not valid. The estimated tMRCA of 2.9 Mya between Barbary lions and Sub-Saharan African lions depicts the restriction of female-mediated gene flow between the lion populations in the backdrop of the habitat fragmentation taking place from late Pliocene to early to mid-Pleistocene creating islands of forest refugia in central Africa.
Phylodynamics on local sexual contact networks
Authors: Rasmussen David A. , Kouyos Roger , Günthard Huldrych F. , Stadler Tanja
Published: October 2016

Phylodynamic models are widely used in infectious disease epidemiology to infer the dynamics and structure of pathogen populations. However, these models generally assume that individual hosts contact one another at random, ignoring the fact that many pathogens spread through highly structured contact networks. We present a new framework for phylodynamics on local contact networks based on pairwise epidemiological models that track the status of pairs of nodes in the network rather than just individuals. Shifting our focus from individuals to pairs leads naturally to coalescent models that describe how lineages move through networks and the rate at which lineages coalesce. These pairwise coalescent models not only consider how network structure directly shapes pathogen phylogenies, but also how the relationship between phylogenies and contact networks changes depending on epidemic dynamics and the fraction of infected hosts sampled. By considering pathogen phylogenies in a probabilistic framework, these coalescent models can also be used to estimate the statistical properties of contact networks directly from phylogenies using likelihood-based inference. We use this framework to explore how much information phylogenies retain about the underlying structure of contact networks and to infer the structure of a sexual contact network underlying a large HIV-1 sub-epidemic in Switzerland.
Death and rebirth of neural activity in sparse inhibitory networks
Authors: Angulo-Garcia David , Luccioli Stefano , Olmi Simona , Torcini Alessandro
Published: October 2016

Inhibition is a key aspect of neural dynamics playing a fundamental role for the emergence of neural rhythms and the implementation of various information coding strategies. Inhibitory populations are present in several brain structures and the comprehension of their dynamics is strategical for the understanding of neural processing. In this paper, we clarify the mechanisms underlying a general phenomenon present in pulse-coupled heterogeneous inhibitory networks: inhibition can induce not only suppression of the neural activity, as expected, but it can also promote neural reactivation. In particular, for globally coupled systems, the number of firing neurons monotonically reduces upon increasing the strength of inhibition (neurons’ death). However, the random pruning of the connections is able to reverse the action of inhibition, i.e. in a sparse network a sufficiently strong synaptic strength can surprisingly promote, rather than depress, the activity of the neurons (neurons’ rebirth). Thus the number of firing neurons reveals a minimum at some intermediate synaptic strength. We show that this minimum signals a transition from a regime dominated by the neurons with higher firing activity to a phase where all neurons are effectively sub-threshold and their irregular firing is driven by current fluctuations. We explain the origin of the transition by deriving an analytic mean field formulation of the problem able to provide the fraction of active neurons as well as the first two moments of their firing statistics. The introduction of a synaptic time scale does not modify the main aspects of the reported phenomenon. However, for sufficiently slow synapses the transition becomes dramatic, the system passes from a perfectly regular evolution to an irregular bursting dynamics. In this latter regime the model provides predictions consistent with experimental findings for a specific class of neurons, namely the medium spiny neurons in the striatum.
Lineage structure ofStreptococcus pneumoniaeis driven by immune selection on the groEL heat-shock protein
Authors: Lourenço José , Watkins Eleanor R. , Obolski Uri , Peacock Samuel J. , Morris Callum , Maiden Martin C. J. , Gupta Sunetra
Published: October 2016

Populations ofStreptococcus pneumoniae(SP) are typically structured into groups of closely related organisms or lineages, but it is not clear whether they are maintained by selection or neutral processes. Here, we attempt to address this question by applying a machine learning technique to SP whole genomes. Our results indicate that lineages evolved through immune selection on the groEL chaperone protein. The groEL protein is part of thegroESLoperon and enables a large range of proteins to fold correctly within the physical environment of the nasopharynx, thereby explaining why lineage structure is so stable within SP despite high levels of genetic transfer. SP is also antigenically diverse, exhibiting a variety of distinct capsular serotypes. Associations exist between lineage and capsular serotype but these can be easily perturbed, such as by vaccination. Overall, our analyses indicate that the evolution of SP can be conceptualized as the rearrangement of modular functional units occurring on several different timescales under different pressures: some patterns have locked in early (such as the epistatic interactions betweengroESLand a constellation of other genes) and preserve the differentiation of lineages, while others (such as the associations between capsular serotype and lineage) remain in continuous flux.
Automated remote focusing, drift correction, and photostimulation to evaluate structural plasticity in dendritic spines
Authors: Smirnov Michael S , Evans Paul R , Garrett Tavita R , Yan Long , Yasuda Ryohei
Published: October 2016

Long-term structural plasticity of dendritic spines plays a key role in synaptic plasticity, the cellular basis for learning and memory. The biochemical step is mediated by a complex network of signaling proteins in spines. Two-photon imaging techniques combined with two-photon glutamate uncaging allows researchers to induce and quantify structural plasticity in single dendritic spines. However, this method is laborious and slow, making it unsuitable for high throughput screening of factors necessary for structural plasticity. Here we introduce a MATLAB-based module built for Scanimage to automatically track, image, and stimulate multiple dendritic spines. We implemented an electrically tunable lens in combination with a drift correction algorithm to rapidly and continuously track targeted spines and correct sample movements. With a straightforward user interface to design custom multi-position experiments, we were able to adequately image and produce targeted plasticity in multiple dendritic spines using glutamate uncaging. Our methods are inexpensive, open source, and provides up to a five-fold increase in throughput for quantifying structural plasticity of dendritic spines.
Crystal structure of di-μ-chlorido-bis[chloridobis(1,2-dimethyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole-κN
3)copper(II)] acetonitrile disolvate
Authors: Quinlivan Patrick J. , Upmacis Rita K.
Published: October 2016

1,2-Dimethyl-5-nitroimidazole (dimetridazole, dimet) is a compound that belongs to a class of nitroimidazole drugs that are effective at inhibiting the activity of certain parasites and bacteria. However, there are few reports that describe structures of compounds that feature metals complexed by dimet. Therefore, we report here that dimet reacts with CuCl2·H2O to yield a chloride-bridged copper(II) dimer, [Cu2Cl4(C5H7N3O2)4] or [Cu(μ-Cl)Cl(dimet)2]2. In this molecule, the CuII ions are coordinated in an approximately trigonal–bipyramidal manner, and the molecule lies across an inversion center. The dihedral angle between the imidazole rings in the asymmetric unit is 4.28 (7)°. Compared to metronidazole, dimetridazole lacks the hydroxyethyl group, and thus cannot form intermolecular O...H hydrogen-bonding interactions. Instead, [Cu(μ-Cl)Cl(dimet)2]2 exhibits weak intermolecular interactions between the hydrogen atoms of C—H groups and (i) oxygen in the nitro groups, and (ii) the terminal and bridging chloride ligands. The unit cell contains four disordered acetonitrile molecules. These were modeled as providing a diffuse contribution to the overall scattering by SQUEEZE [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18], which identified two voids, each with a volume of 163 Å3 and a count of 46 electrons, indicative of a total of four acetonitrile molecules. These acetonitrile molecules are included in the chemical formula to give the expected calculated density and F(000).
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-{[2,8-bis(trifluoromethyl)quinolin-4-yl](hydroxy)methyl}piperidin-1-ium 2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetate hemihydrate
Authors: Wardell James L. , Jotani Mukesh M. , Tiekink Edward R. T.
Published: October 2016

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, C17H17F6N2O+·C8H7O3
−·0.5H2O, comprises a pair of pseudo-enantiomeric (i.e. related by a non-crystallographic centre of symmetry) piperidin-1-ium cations, two carboxylate anions and a water molecule of crystallization. The cations have similar conformations approximating to a letter, L: one of them shows disorder of its –CF3 group over two sets of sites in a 0.775 (3):0.225 (3) ratio. Distinctive conformations are found for the anions, one with the carboxylate group lying to one side of the plane through the phenyl ring and the other where the oxygen atoms lie to either side of the plane. In the latter, an intramolecular hydroxy-O—H...O(carboxylate) charge-assisted hydrogen bond is found. The packing features extensive O—H...O,N hydrogen bonding, often charge-assisted; C—H...π interactions are also formed. The hydrogen bonding results in the formation of five distinctive supramolecular synthons and assembles molecules in the ac plane. The quinolinyl rings lie to either side of the layer and inter-digitate with layers on either side, are approximately parallel to the b axis and are connected by π–π [inter-centroid separation = 3.6904 (18) Å] as well as C—F...π(quinolinyl) interactions to consolidate the three-dimensional crystal. The dominance of the conventional hydrogen bonding in the molecular packing is confirmed by an analysis of the Hirshfeld surface.
Crystal structure of the 1:2 co-crystal of 1,3,6,8-tetraazatricyclo[4.3.1.13,8]undecane (TATU) and 4-chlorophenol (1/2)
Authors: Rivera Augusto , Rojas Jicli José , Osorio Héctor Jairo , Ríos-Motta Jaime , Bolte Michael
Published: October 2016

In the title compound, C7H14N4·2C6H5ClO, which crystallized with two crystallographically independent 4-chlorophenol molecules and one 1,3,6,8-tetraazatricyclo[4.3.1.13,8]undecane (TATU) molecule in the asymmetric unit, the independent components are linked by two O—H...N hydrogen bonds. The hydrogen-bond acceptor sites are two non-equivalent N atoms from the aminal cage structure, and the tricyclic system distorts by changing the C—N bond lengths. In the crystal, these hydrogen-bonded aggregates are linked into chains along the c axis by C—H...N hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure also features C—H...π contacts.
Business models in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer worlds – what can each world learn from the other?
Authors: Stott Ryan Neill , Stone Merlin , Fae Jane
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to identify how managers can apply the results of academic research into the concept of business models for creating and evaluating possible models for their businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the literature is followed by two case studies, from the airline and logistics industries, followed by recommendations based on both.

Findings

The findings are that there is relatively weak consensus among academics as to the definition and meaning of a business model and its components, and that the notion of generic business model applies better within rather than between industries, but that the discussion is a very fertile one for developing recommendations for managers.

Practical implications

The managerial implications of the study are that in their planning and strategizing, managers should factor in a proper analysis of the business model they currently use and one that they could use.

Originality/value

The study provides a useful addition to the literature on the practical implications of business models.
The impact of social media on the B2B CMO
Authors: Bernard Mike
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The commentary paper aims to delve into how social media are being used by chief marketing officers (CMOs) and shows that while many in business-to-customer have understood how to use social media already, their CMO counterparts in business-to-business (B2B) have not made up their minds. So some key questions are raised about B2B CMOs’ readiness to use social media, what this accomplishes and resulting effects upon the role of the CMO within an organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research paper involves use of case studies drawn from IBM experience with social media.

Findings

B2B CMOs are not ready to make use of social media. Even those who are actively engaging are expressing concern that they are pioneering and have not yet put in place a strategy that they are satisfied with. In addition, social media can be used for after-sales service, getting sales leads, engaging with key influencers, building the company’s reputation and enhancing the industry status of key individuals. B2B firms need to exploit the capabilities of processing massive amounts of data to get the most from social media.

Originality/value

The paper brings insights to the challenges facing CMOs of B2B firms when using social media. It provides a better understanding of what should be the role of CMOs in the use of social media. The CMO must be the voice of the customer as well as the custodian of the values that enable effective use of social media. Effective collaboration within the boardroom is essential and if the CMO is not a board member, then the company should consider making that change.
Understanding the strain of inter-personal relationships on employees
Authors: Robson Julie , Sekhon Yasmin , Ning Haomin Simon
Published: October 2016

Purpose

Using role theory, this paper aims to focus on business-to-business inter-personal relationships and the strain such relationships can have on the individual. How is this strain expressed, and what are the implications for the future of these relationships?

Design/methodology/approach

Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with experienced account managers. The relationship under scrutiny was the inter-personal relationship that exists between the account managers of UK insurance brokers and their business customers.

Findings

The study found account managers use a range of resources to support their inter-personal relationships. Where there was a mismatch in the perception of relationship closeness, this did result in role strain for the account managers. In particular, resentment was expressed over time being taken from their working day and their personal life and the impact this had on their work–life balance.

Practical implications

Identification and an understanding of role strain in inter-personal relationships enables firms to provide support, guidance and training to their employees on how best to manage such relationships. Identifying when and in what ways strain can occur enables firms to identify and take steps to avoid relationship disintegration.

Originality/value

This is one of a few papers to provide empirical evidence of the role strain in inter-personal relationship from an individual employee’s perspective. Identification of the personal resources used in inter-personal relationships may prove useful for other researchers working in this under-researched area. In addition, the in-depth interviews highlighted the often overlooked subtleties within relationships and issues that can trigger relationship strain.
Second-class, cash strapped, antiquated institutions
Authors: Waymer Damion , Street Joshua
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine The Chronicle of Higher Education, a leading site for higher education news and politics, and its representation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Design/methodology/approach

Frames are strong discursive tools that can help social actors achieve the following: define and solve problems, shape public opinion, increase the productivity of interpersonal negotiations and “serve as a foundation of public discourse, such as negotiation, on a mass-communication level”. As such, this research is guided by both higher education literature of HBCUs and media framing theories and methods in an attempt to identify potential problems and opportunities for improvement of the presentation of HBCUs nationally in the USA.

Findings

This study reveals that when the frames are viewed in concert-funding challenges at HBCUs, status differential between predominantly white institutions vs HBCUs, questionable leadership practices at HBCUs and achievement success, what one sees is an unflattering picture depicted in the Chronicle of Higher Education of HBCUs, as second-hand universities that are poorly managed, outdated and are a drain on the economy. Any one of these themes, alone, is not problematic, but when taken as a whole, their entirety represents a troubling picture – one that is inaccurate because HBCUs have and continue to serve an important role in society: educating African Americans.

Originality/value

This paper concludes with pragmatic implications of the negative findings about HBCUs as well as discusses tactics proponents HBCUs should use to combat the negative depictions.
Effect of calcium and vitamin D2 fortification on quality characteristics of dahi
Authors: Kaushik Ravinder , Sachdeva Bhawana , Arora Sumit
Published: October 2016

Two levels (500 and 600 ppm) of calcium (calcium phosphate and calcium citrate) along with vitamin D2 (600 IU/L) were fortified in milk for dahi preparation. pH, water‐holding capacity and syneresis of fortified dahi were not affected significantly (P > 0.05). However, acetaldehyde content decreased and setting time increased upon fortification. Microbial count significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in calcium phosphate‐fortified dahi, whereas no difference was observed in calcium citrate‐fortified dahi. Firmness and viscosity decreased in calcium phosphate‐fortified dahi, whereas it increased in calcium citrate‐fortified dahi as compared to control. All dahi samples showed good sensory acceptability.
Testing the Replicability of a Successful Care Management Program: Results from a Randomized Trial and Likely Explanations for Why Impacts Did Not Replicate
Authors: Peterson G. Greg , Zurovac Jelena , Brown Randall S. , Coburn Kenneth D. , Markovich Patricia A. , Marcantonio Sherry A. , Clark William D. , Mutti Anne , Stepanczuk Cara
Published: October 2016

Objectives

To test whether a care management program could replicate its success in an earlier trial and determine likely explanations for why it did not.

Data Sources/Setting

Medicare claims and nurse contact data for Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries with chronic illnesses enrolled in the trial in eastern Pennsylvania (N = 483).

Study Design

A randomized trial with half of enrollees receiving intensive care management services and half receiving usual care. We developed and tested hypotheses for why impacts declined.

Data Extraction

All outcomes and covariates were derived from claims and the nurse contact data.

Principal Findings

From 2010 to 2014, the program did not reduce hospitalizations or generate Medicare savings to offset program fees that averaged $260 per beneficiary per month. These estimates are statistically different (p < .05) from the large reductions in hospitalizations and spending in the first trial (2002–2010). The treatment–control differences in the second trial disappeared because the control group's risk‐adjusted hospitalization rate improved, not because the treatment group's outcomes worsened.

Conclusion

Even if demonstrated in a randomized trial, successful results from one test may not replicate in other settings or time periods. Assessing whether gaps in care that the original program filled exist in other settings can help identify where earlier success is likely to replicate.
Composition, Taste, Aroma, and Antioxidant Activity of Solidified Noncentrifugal Brown Sugars Prepared from Whole Stalk and Separated Pith of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)
Authors: Takahashi Makoto , Ishmael Mutanda , Asikin Yonathan , Hirose Naoto , Mizu Masami , Shikanai Takesi , Tamaki Hajime , Wada Koji
Published: October 2016

In this study, 2 types of solidified noncentrifugal brown sugars (W‐NCS and P‐NCS) were prepared from the whole stalk and separated pith, respectively, of raw sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). These products were discriminated in terms of their quality attributes, including color, sugars and minerals composition, taste, aroma, and antioxidant activity. The brown color of P‐NCS was clearly different compared with that of W‐NCS with a color difference value (ΔE*) of 9.36. There was no difference in the sugars and minerals composition between the 2 types of sugar, which led to very similar taste profiles. However, P‐NCS had a weaker aroma intensity than W‐NCS did. Moreover, P‐NCS retained more than 60% of the antioxidant activity of W‐NCS. The information gleaned from this study might be used to select appropriate end‐uses for these 2 types of sugars.
Intestinal fatty acid binding protein Ala54Thr polymorphism is associated with peripheral atherosclerosis combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Khattab Salma A. , Abo‐Elmatty Dina M. , Ghattas Maivel H. , Mesbah Noha M. , Mehanna Eman T.
Published: October 2016

Background

Intestinal fatty acid‐binding protein 2 (FABP2) is expressed in enterocytes and binds saturated and unsaturated long‐chain fatty acids. The
FABP2 Ala54Thr polymorphism has been reported to effect lipid metabolism. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between this polymorphism and peripheral atherosclerosis combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in an Egyptian population.

Methods

The study was performed on 100 T2DM patients with peripheral atherosclerosis and 100 control subjects. The Ala54Thr polymorphism was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism, whereas serum FABP2 levels were determined using ELISA. Fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin concentrations, HbA1c, lipid profile, body mass index (BMI) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) were determined.

Results

There was a higher frequency of the Thr54 allele among the patient group (P = 0.002). In Ala54/Thr54 heterozygotes and carriers of the rare Thr54/Thr54 genotype, there were significant increases in BMI and FABP2. Those with the Thr54/Thr54 genotype had significantly decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) concentrations; in addition, those with the Thr54/Thr54 genotype had significantly higher SBP and DBP than subjects with the Ala54/Ala54 and Ala54/Thr54 genotypes. There was a positive correlation between FABP2 levels and BMI, SBP and DBP, and a negative correlation with HDL‐C.

Conclusions

The Thr54 allele of the FABP2 Ala54Thr polymorphism was associated with an increased incidence of peripheral atherosclerosis combined with T2DM in the population studied.
Diabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing in South Asians but is stable in Chinese living in Singapore and Mauritius
Authors: Tan Kristin H.X. , Barr Elizabeth L.M. , Koshkina Vira , Ma Stefan , Kowlessur Sudhir , Magliano Dianna J. , Söderberg Stefan , Chia Kee Seng , Zimmet Paul , Lim Wei‐Yen
Published: October 2016

Background

Asia is experiencing a type 2 diabetes epidemic, but prevalence differs by ethnicity and level of socioeconomic development. Singapore and Mauritius have implemented comprehensive campaigns to address this public health problem. We compared diabetes and obesity prevalence trends among Chinese and South Asians living in Singapore and Mauritius to determine the contribution of ethnicity and economic development to diabetes.

Methods

Age‐specific data from serial national population‐based surveys in Singapore and Mauritius between 1987 and 2010 were used to estimate age‐standardized diabetes and obesity prevalence. Modified Breslow–Cox proportional hazard models were used to obtain rate ratios for diabetes risk factors.

Results

In Singapore, the age‐standardized prevalence of diabetes remained stable for Chinese (men: 14% in 1992, 13% in 2010; women: 12% in 1992, 10% in 2010), but increases were observed for South Asians (men: 20% in 1992, 26% in 2010; women: 18% in 1992, 20% in 2010). There were similar patterns in Mauritius. In both countries, obesity prevalence trends were stable for Chinese women, but increased for Chinese men and South Asians. Associations between obesity and diabetes were stronger in Chinese than South Asians regardless of country.

Conclusions

Despite different socioeconomic settings in Singapore and Mauritius, we observed rising diabetes prevalence among South Asians but stable prevalence in Chinese in both countries. This provides further evidence that ethnicity contributes to the development of diabetes, and that there should be an increased emphasis on future prevention strategies targeting South Asian populations in these countries.