bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patients, care partners, and shared access to the patient portal: online practices at an integrated health system
Authors: Wolff Jennifer L , Berger Andrea , Clarke Deserae , Green Jamie A , Stametz Rebecca , Yule Christina , Darer Jonathan D
Published: March 2016

Objective To describe the characteristics and online practices of patients and “care partners” who share explicit access to a patient portal account at a large integrated health system that implemented shared access functionality in 2003.

Materials and Methods Survey of 323 patients and 389 care partners at Geisinger Health System with linked information regarding access and use of patient portal functionality.

Results Few (0.4%) registered adult patient portal users shared access to their account. Patients varied in age (range: 18–102); more than half had a high school education or less (53.6%). Patient motivations for sharing access included: to help manage care (41.9%), for emergency reasons (29.7%), lack of technology experience (18.4%), or care partner request (10.0%). Care partners were parents (39.8%), adult children (27.9%), spouses (26.2%), and other relatives (6.1%). Patients were more likely than care partners to have inadequate health literacy (54.8% versus 8.8%, P < .001) and less confident in their ability to manage their care (53.0% versus 88.1%; P < .001). Care partners were more likely than patients to perform health management activities electronically (95.5% versus 48.4%; P < .001), access the patient portal (89.2% versus 30.3%; P < .001), and use patient portal functionality such as secure messaging (39.6% versus 13.9%; P < .001). Care partners used their own credentials (89.1%) and patient credentials (23.3%) to access the patient portal.

Discussion and Conclusion Shared access is an underused strategy that may bridge patients’ health literacy deficits and lack of technology experience and that helps but does not fully resolve concerns regarding patient and care partner identity credentials.
Developing knowledge resources to support precision medicine: principles from the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC)
Authors: Hoffman James M , Dunnenberger Henry M , Kevin Hicks J , Caudle Kelly E , Whirl Carrillo Michelle , Freimuth Robert R , Williams Marc S , Klein Teri E , Peterson Josh F
Published: March 2016

To move beyond a select few genes/drugs, the successful adoption of pharmacogenomics into routine clinical care requires a curated and machine-readable database of pharmacogenomic knowledge suitable for use in an electronic health record (EHR) with clinical decision support (CDS). Recognizing that EHR vendors do not yet provide a standard set of CDS functions for pharmacogenetics, the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) Informatics Working Group is developing and systematically incorporating a set of EHR-agnostic implementation resources into all CPIC guidelines. These resources illustrate how to integrate pharmacogenomic test results in clinical information systems with CDS to facilitate the use of patient genomic data at the point of care. Based on our collective experience creating existing CPIC resources and implementing pharmacogenomics at our practice sites, we outline principles to define the key features of future knowledge bases and discuss the importance of these knowledge resources for pharmacogenomics and ultimately precision medicine.
CENP-B box, a nucleotide motif involved in centromere formation, occurs in a New World monkey
Authors: Suntronpong Aorarat , Kugou Kazuto , Masumoto Hiroshi , Srikulnath Kornsorn , Ohshima Kazuhiko , Hirai Hirohisa , Koga Akihiko
Published: March 2016

Centromere protein B (CENP-B) is one of the major proteins involved in centromere formation, binding to centromeric repetitive DNA by recognizing a 17 bp motif called the CENP-B box. Hominids (humans and great apes) carry large numbers of CENP-B boxes in alpha satellite DNA (AS, the major centromeric repetitive DNA of simian primates). Only negative results have been reported regarding the presence of the CENP-B box in other primate taxa. Consequently, it is widely believed that the CENP-B box is confined, within primates, to the hominids. We report here that the common marmoset, a New World monkey, contains an abundance of CENP-B boxes in its AS. First, in a long contig sequence we constructed and analysed, we identified the motif in 17 of the 38 alpha satellite repeat units. We then sequenced terminal regions of additional clones and found the motif in many of them. Immunostaining of marmoset cells demonstrated that CENP-B binds to DNA in the centromeric regions of chromosomes. Therefore, functional CENP-B boxes are not confined to hominids. Our results indicate that the efficiency of identification of the CENP-B box may depend largely on the sequencing methods used, and that the CENP-B box in centromeric repetitive DNA may be more common than researchers previously thought.
Temperature effects on virion volume and genome length in dsDNA viruses
Authors: Nifong Rachel L. , Gillooly James F.
Published: March 2016

Heterogeneity in rates of survival, growth and reproduction among viruses is related to virus particle (i.e. virion) size, but we have little understanding of the factors that govern the four to five orders of magnitude in virus size variation. Here, we analyse variation in virion size in 67 double-stranded DNA viruses (i.e. dsDNA) that span all major biomes, and infect organisms ranging from single-celled prokaryotes to multicellular eukaryotes. We find that two metrics of virion size (i.e. virion volume and genome length) decrease by about 55-fold as the temperature of occurrence increases from 0 to 40°C. We also find that gene overlap increases exponentially with temperature, such that smaller viruses have proportionally greater gene overlap at higher temperatures. These results indicate dsDNA virus size increases with environmental temperature in much the same way as the cell or genome size of many host species.
Hummingbirds control turning velocity using body orientation and turning radius using asymmetrical wingbeat kinematics
Authors: Read Tyson J. G. , Segre Paolo S. , Middleton Kevin M. , Altshuler Douglas L.
Published: March 2016

Turning in flight requires reorientation of force, which birds, bats and insects accomplish either by shifting body position and total force in concert or by using left–right asymmetries in wingbeat kinematics. Although both mechanisms have been observed in multiple species, it is currently unknown how each is used to control changes in trajectory. We addressed this problem by measuring body and wingbeat kinematics as hummingbirds tracked a revolving feeder, and estimating aerodynamic forces using a quasi-steady model. During arcing turns, hummingbirds symmetrically banked the stroke plane of both wings, and the body, into turns, supporting a body-dependent mechanism. However, several wingbeat asymmetries were present during turning, including a higher and flatter outer wingtip path and a lower more deviated inner wingtip path. A quasi-steady analysis of arcing turns performed with different trajectories revealed that changes in radius were associated with asymmetrical kinematics and forces, and changes in velocity were associated with symmetrical kinematics and forces. Collectively, our results indicate that both body-dependent and -independent force orientation mechanisms are available to hummingbirds, and that these kinematic strategies are used to meet the separate aerodynamic challenges posed by changes in velocity and turning radius.
Selectivity in glycosaminoglycan binding dictates the distribution and diffusion of fibroblast growth factors in the pericellular matrix
Authors: Sun Changye , Marcello Marco , Li Yong , Mason David , Lévy Raphaël , Fernig David G.
Published: March 2016

The range of biological outcomes generated by many signalling proteins in development and homeostasis is increased by their interactions with glycosaminoglycans, particularly heparan sulfate (HS). This interaction controls the localization and movement of these signalling proteins, but whether such control depends on the specificity of the interactions is not known. We used five fibroblast growth factors with an N-terminal HaloTag (Halo-FGFs) for fluorescent labelling, with well-characterized and distinct HS-binding properties, and measured their binding and diffusion in pericellular matrix of fixed rat mammary 27 fibroblasts. Halo-FGF1, Halo-FGF2 and Halo-FGF6 bound to HS, whereas Halo-FGF10 also interacted with chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate, and FGF20 did not bind detectably. The distribution of bound FGFs in the pericellular matrix was not homogeneous, and for FGF10 exhibited striking clusters. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching showed that FGF2 and FGF6 diffused faster, whereas FGF1 diffused more slowly, and FGF10 was immobile. The results demonstrate that the specificity of the interactions of proteins with glycosaminoglycans controls their binding and diffusion. Moreover, cells regulate the spatial distribution of different protein-binding sites in glycosaminoglycans independently of each other, implying that the extracellular matrix has long-range structure.
The role of sarcomere length non-uniformities in residual force enhancement of skeletal muscle myofibrils
Authors: Johnston Kaleena , Jinha Azim , Herzog Walter
Published: March 2016

The sarcomere length non-uniformity theory (SLNT) is a widely accepted explanation for residual force enhancement (RFE). RFE is the increase in steady-state isometric force following active muscle stretching. The SLNT predicts that active stretching of a muscle causes sarcomere lengths (SL) to become non-uniform, with some sarcomeres stretched beyond actin–myosin filament overlap (popping), causing RFE. Despite being widely known, this theory has never been directly tested. We performed experiments on isolated rabbit muscle myofibrils (n = 12) comparing SL non-uniformities for purely isometric reference contractions (I-state) and contractions following active stretch producing RFE (FE-state). Myofibrils were activated isometrically along the descending limb of the force–length relationship (mean ± 1 standard deviation (SD) = 2.8 ± 0.3 µm sarcomere−1). Once the I-state was reached, myofibrils were shortened to an SL on the plateau of the force–length relationship (2.4 µm sarcomere−1), and then were actively stretched to the reference length (2.9 ± 0.3 µm sarcomere−1). We observed RFE in all myofibrils (39 ± 15%), and saw varying amounts of non-uniformity (1 SD = 0.9 ± 0.5 µm) that was not significantly correlated with the amount of RFE, but through pairwise comparisons was found to be significantly greater than the non-uniformity measured for the I-state (0.7 ± 0.4 µm). Three myofibrils exhibited no increase in non-uniformity. Active stretching was accompanied by sarcomere popping in four myofibrils, and seven had popped sarcomeres in the I-state. These results suggest that, while non-uniformities are present with RFE, they are also present in the I-state. Furthermore, non-uniformity is not associated with the magnitude of RFE, and myofibrils that had no increase in non-uniformity with stretch still showed normal RFE. Therefore, it appears that SL non-uniformity is a normal associate of muscle contraction, but does not contribute to RFE following active stretching of isolated skeletal muscle myofibrils.
The shallow shell approach to Pogorelov's problem and the breakdown of ‘mirror buckling’
Authors: Gomez Michael , Moulton Derek E. , Vella Dominic
Published: March 2016

We present a detailed asymptotic analysis of the point indentation of an unpressurized, spherical elastic shell. Previous analyses of this classic problem have assumed that for sufficiently large indentation depths, such a shell deforms by ‘mirror buckling’—a portion of the shell inverts to become a spherical cap with equal but opposite curvature to the undeformed shell. The energy of deformation is then localized in a ridge in which the deformed and undeformed portions of the shell join together, commonly referred to as Pogorelov's ridge. Rather than using an energy formulation, we revisit this problem from the point of view of the shallow shell equations and perform an asymptotic analysis that exploits the largeness of the indentation depth. This reveals first that the stress profile associated with mirror buckling is singular as the indenter is approached. This consequence of point indentation means that mirror buckling must be modified to incorporate the shell's bending stiffness close to the indenter and gives rise to an intricate asymptotic structure with seven different spatial regions. This is in contrast with the three regions (mirror-buckled, ridge and undeformed) that are usually assumed and yields new insight into the large compressive hoop stress that ultimately causes the secondary buckling of the shell.
Do community-weighted mean functional traits reflect optimal strategies?
Authors: Muscarella Robert , Uriarte María
Published: March 2016

The notion that relationships between community-weighted mean (CWM) traits (i.e. plot-level trait values weighted by species abundances) and environmental conditions reflect selection towards locally optimal phenotypes is challenged by the large amount of interspecific trait variation typically found within ecological communities. Reconciling these contrasting patterns is a key to advancing predictive theories of functional community ecology. We combined data on geographical distributions and three traits (wood density, leaf mass per area and maximum height) of 173 tree species in Puerto Rico. We tested the hypothesis that species are more likely to occur where their trait values are more similar to the local CWM trait values (the
‘
CWM-optimality’ hypothesis) by comparing species occurrence patterns (as a proxy for fitness) with the functional composition of forest plots across a precipitation gradient. While 70% of the species supported CWM-optimality for at least one trait, nearly 25% significantly opposed it for at least one trait, thereby contributing to local functional diversity. The majority (85%) of species that opposed CWM-optimality did so only for one trait and few species opposed CWM-optimality in multivariate trait space. Our study suggests that constraints to local functional variation act more strongly on multivariate phenotypes than on univariate traits.
Oceanic dispersal, vicariance and human introduction shaped the modern distribution of the termitesReticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermes
Authors: Bourguignon Thomas , Lo Nathan , Šobotník Jan , Sillam-Dussès David , Roisin Yves , Evans Theodore A.
Published: March 2016

Reticulitermes,HeterotermesandCoptotermesform a small termite clade with partly overlapping distributions. Although native species occur across all continents, the factors influencing their distribution are poorly known. Here, we reconstructed the historical biogeography of these termites using mitochondrial genomes of species collected on six continents. Our analyses showed thatReticulitermessplit fromHeterotermes+Coptotermesat 59.5 Ma (49.9–69.5 Ma 95% CI), yet the oldest split withinReticulitermes(Eurasia and North America) is 16.1 Ma (13.4–19.5 Ma) and the oldest split withinHeterotermes+Coptotermesis 36.0 Ma (33.9–40.5 Ma). We detected 14 disjunctions between biogeographical realms, all of which occurred within the last 34 Ma, not only after the break-up of Pangaea, but also with the continents in similar to current positions. Land dispersal over land bridges explained four disjunctions, oceanic dispersal by wood rafting explained eight disjunctions, and human introduction was the source of two recent disjunctions. These wood-eating termites, therefore, appear to have acquired their modern worldwide distribution through multiple dispersal processes, with oceanic dispersal and human introduction favoured by the ecological traits of nesting in wood and producing replacement reproductives.
PhredEM: A Phred-Score-Informed Genotype-Calling Approach for Next-Generation Sequencing Studies
Authors: Liao Peizhou , Satten Glen A. , Hu Yi-juan
Published: March 2016

A fundamental challenge in analyzing next-generation sequencing data is to determine an individual’s genotype correctly as the accuracy of the inferred genotype is essential to downstream analyses. Some genotype callers, such as GATK and SAMtools, directly calculate the base-calling error rates fromphredscores or recalibrated base quality scores. Others, such as SeqEM, estimate error rates from the read data without using any quality scores. It is also a common quality control procedure to filter out reads with lowphredscores. However, choosing an appropriatephredscore threshold is problematic as a too-high threshold may lose data while a too-low threshold may introduce errors. We propose a new likelihood-based genotype-calling approach that exploits all reads and estimates the per-base error rates by incorporatingphredscores through a logistic regression model. The algorithm, which we call PhredEM, uses the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm to obtain consistent estimates of genotype frequencies and logistic regression parameters. We also develop a simple, computationally efficient screening algorithm to identify loci that are estimated to be monomorphic, so that only loci estimated to be non-monomorphic require application of the EM algorithm. We evaluate the performance of PhredEM using both simulated data and real sequencing data from the UK10K project. The results demonstrate that PhredEM is an improved, robust and widely applicable genotype-calling approach for next-generation sequencing studies. The relevant software is freely available.
dupRadar: a Bioconductor package for the assessment of PCR artifacts in RNA-Seq data
Authors: Sayols Sergi , Scherzinger Denise , Klein Holger
Published: March 2016

Background

PCR clonal artefacts originating from NGS library preparation can affect both genomic as well as RNA-Seq applications when protocols are pushed to their limits. In RNA-Seq however the artifactual reads are not easy to tell apart from normal read duplication due to natural over-sequencing of highly expressed genes. Especially when working with little input material or single cells assessing the fraction of duplicate reads is an important quality control step for NGS data sets. Up to now there are only tools to calculate the global duplication rates that do not take into account the effect of gene expression levels which leaves them of limited use for RNA-Seq data.

Results

Here we present the tool dupRadar, which provides an easy means to distinguish artefactual from natural duplicate reads in RNA-Seq data. dupRadar assesses the fraction of duplicate reads per gene dependent on the expression level. Apart from the Bioconductor package dupRadar we provide shell scripts for easy integration into processing pipelines.

Conclusions

The Bioconductor package dupRadar offers straight-forward methods to assess RNA-Seq datasets for quality issues with PCR duplicates. It is aimed towards simple integration into standard analysis pipelines as a default QC metric that is especially useful for low-input and single cell RNA-Seq data sets.
Computer simulations of X-ray six-beam diffraction in a perfect silicon crystal. I
Authors: Kohn V. G. , Khikhlukha D. R.
Published: March 2016

This paper reports computer simulations of the transmitted-beam intensity distribution for the case of six-beam (000, 220, 242, 044, −224, −202) diffraction of X-rays in a perfect silicon crystal of thickness 1 mm. Both the plane-wave angular dependence and the six-beam section topographs, which are usually obtained in experiments with a restricted beam (two-dimensional slit), are calculated. The angular dependence is calculated in accordance with Ewald's theory. The section topographs are calculated from the angular dependence by means of the fast Fourier transformation procedure. This approach allows one to consider, for the first time, the transformation of the topograph's structure due to the two-dimensional slit sizes and the distance between the slit and the detector. The results are in good agreement with the results of other works and with the experimental data. This method of calculation does not require a supercomputer and it was performed on a standard laptop. A detailed explanation of the main features of the diffraction patterns at different distances between the slit and the detector is presented.
Symmetry-adapted digital modeling II. The double-helix B-DNA
Authors: Janner A.
Published: March 2016

The positions of phosphorus in B-DNA have the remarkable property of occurring (in axial projection) at well defined points in the three-dimensional space of a projected five-dimensional decagonal lattice, subdividing according to the golden mean ratio τ:1:τ [with τ = (1+\sqrt {5})/2] the edges of an enclosing decagon. The corresponding planar integral indicesn1,n2,n3,n4(which are lattice point coordinates) are extended to include the axial indexn5as well, defined for each P position of the double helix with respect to the single decagonal lattice ΛP(aP,cP) withaP= 2.222 Å andcP= 0.676 Å. A finer decagonal lattice Λ(a,c), witha=aP/6 andc=cP, together with a selection of lattice points for each nucleotide with a given indexed P position (so as to define a discrete set in three dimensions) permits the indexing of the atomic positions of the B-DNA d(AGTCAGTCAG) derived by M. J. P. van Dongen. This is done for both DNA strands and the single lattice Λ. Considered first is the sugar–phosphate subsystem, and then each nucleobase guanine, adenine, cytosine and thymine. One gets in this way a digital modeling of d(AGTCAGTCAG) in a one-to-one correspondence between atomic and indexed positions and a maximal deviation of about 0.6 Å (for the value of the lattice parameters given above). It is shown how to get a digital modeling of the B-DNA double helix for any given code. Finally, a short discussion indicates how this procedure can be extended to derive coarse-grained B-DNA models. An example is given with a reduction factor of about 2 in the number of atomic positions. A few remarks about the wider interest of this investigation and possible future developments conclude the paper.
Estimating the difference between structure-factor amplitudes using multivariate Bayesian inference
Authors: Katona Gergely , Garcia-Bonete Maria-José , Lundholm Ida V.
Published: March 2016

In experimental research referencing two or more measurements to one another is a powerful tool to reduce the effect of systematic errors between different sets of measurements. The interesting quantity is usually derived from two measurements on the same sample under different conditions. While an elaborate experimental design is essential for improving the estimate, the data analysis should also maximally exploit the covariance between the measurements. In X-ray crystallography the difference between structure-factor amplitudes carries important information to solve experimental phasing problems or to determine time-dependent structural changes in pump–probe experiments. Here a multivariate Bayesian method was used to analyse intensity measurement pairs to determine their underlying structure-factor amplitudes and their differences. The posterior distribution of the model parameter was approximated with a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The described merging method is shown to be especially advantageous when systematic and random errors result in recording negative intensity measurements.
Phase improvementviathePhantom Derivativetechnique: ancils that are related to the target structure
Authors: Carrozzini Benedetta , Cascarano Giovanni Luca , Giacovazzo Carmelo
Published: March 2016

Density modification is a general standard technique which may be used to improve electron density derived from experimental phasing and also to refine densities obtained byab initioapproaches. Here, a novel method to expand density modification is presented, termed thePhantom derivativetechnique, which is based on non-existent structure factors and is of particular interest in molecular replacement. ThePhantom derivativeapproach uses randomly generated ancil structures with the same unit cell as the target structure to create non-existent derivatives of the target structure, called phantom derivatives, which may be used forab initiophasing or for refining the available target structure model. In this paper, it is supposed that a model electron density is available: it is shown that ancil structures related to the target obtained by shifting the target by origin-permissible translations may be employed to refine model phases. The method enlarges the concept of the ancil, is as efficient as the canonical approach using random ancils and significantly reduces the CPU refinement time. The results from many real test cases show that the proposed methods can substantially improve the quality of electron-density maps from molecular-replacement-based phases.
A pipeline for structure determination ofin vivo-grown crystals usingin cellulodiffraction
Authors: Boudes Marion , Garriga Damià , Fryga Andrew , Caradoc-Davies Tom , Coulibaly Fasséli
Published: March 2016

While structure determination from micrometre-sized crystals used to represent a challenge, serial X-ray crystallography on microfocus beamlines at synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities greatly facilitates this process today for microcrystals and nanocrystals. In addition to typical microcrystals of purified recombinant protein, these advances have enabled the analysis of microcrystals produced inside living cells. Here, a pipeline where crystals are grown in insect cells, sorted by flow cytometry and directly analysed by X-ray diffraction is presented and applied toin vivo-grown crystals of the recombinant CPV1 polyhedrin. When compared with the analysis of purified crystals,in cellulodiffraction produces data of better quality and a gain of ∼0.35 Å in resolution for comparable beamtime usage. Importantly, crystals within cells are readily derivatized with gold and iodine compounds through the cellular membrane. Using the multiple isomorphous replacement method, a near-complete model was autobuilt from 2.7 Å resolution data. Thus, in favourable cases, anin cellulopipeline can replace the complete workflow of structure determination without compromising the quality of the resulting model. In addition to its efficiency, this approach maintains the protein in a cellular context throughout the analysis, which reduces the risk of disrupting transient or labile interactions in protein–protein or protein–ligand complexes.
N-(3-{[(Z)-(3-Hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)imino]methyl}pyridin-2-yl)pivalamide
Authors: Atalay Şehriman , Gerçeker Semra , Eserci Hande , Ağar Erbil
Published: March 2016

The molecular structure of the title compound, C18H21N3O2, contains pivalamide, pyridin and hydroxy-methylphenyl moieties. The whole molecule is not planar, the dihedral angle between the benzene rings being 34.84 (7)°. The molecular conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, molecules are linked by O—H...O, O—H...N and C—H...O hydrogen bonds. The C and H atoms of thetert-butyl group disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.692 (5):0.308 (5).
A review of recommendations for medical undergraduate intellectual disability psychiatry teaching from UK reports
Authors: Spackman Ross , Qureshi Adnan , Rai Dheeraj
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to amalgamate recommendations from contemporary national reports on healthcare provision and needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The paper combines these with recommendations for undergraduate curricula of medical students from the GMC and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych).

Design/methodology/approach

– National reports from Mencap, Department of Health, Disability rights commission, NHS Executive, the GMC and RCPsych were searched for relevant recommendations to undergraduate medical education in ID psychiatry. Recommendations were collated and grouped to form a single list for use when planning future curricula or auditing existing teaching.

Findings

– In total, 13 relevant recommendations were identified in nine groups. These included that people with intellectual disabilities and their carers should be involved in the teaching. That teaching should include the ethical, moral and legal obligations and should include the mental capacity act and equality act. Institutional and individual discrimination should be highlighted as a problem and diagnostic overshadowing should be covered.

Originality/value

– This paper has collated in a single document the combined recommendations of multiple reports. These are relevant to medical undergraduate teaching and may also be of use to other undergraduate healthcare courses. They are a useful template for others wishing to examine or benchmark the content of their medical undergraduate ID psychiatry teaching against an amalgamated list.
Making older workers happy to carry on
Authors: Beal Brian
Published: March 2016

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the influences of the competencies, social skills and continuous learning ability on career success and career satisfaction among workers aged 50 and over.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods approach consisted of 920 surveys and 11 semi-structured interviews with working individuals aged 50 or above, registered at a job agency specialized in older employees in The Netherlands. Multiple regression and content analysis were used to analyze the findings.

Findings

The survey showed a positive relationship between the competencies and career success and career satisfaction. However, the interviews revealed that not all older workers perceived the need to continuously stay up-to-date as positive, pushing them into retirement.

Originality/value

The influence of competencies on career success and career satisfaction of older workers has received only little attention from researchers.
Taking the outsider route to learning
Authors: Cole Graham
Published: March 2016

Findings

When it comes to identifying key factors to organizational success, leadership is invariably uppermost in many minds. It is thus hardly surprising that firms afford leadership development as the top priority. Expert in the field Morgan McCall perfectly articulated its importance when commenting on the imprudence of leaving leadership development to chance. Leadership development comes in an array of shapes and sizes. Mentoring, action learning, case studies, job assignments and experiential learning are just some of the methodologies commonly utilized. Transfer of knowledge, team building, raising self-awareness and increasing the ability to interact with others are core objectives typically pursued.
Investigating a best practice model of microfinance for poverty alleviation
Authors: Toindepi Joseph
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to establish what constitutes best practice models of microfinance for poverty alleviation. It argues that the new microfinance phenomenon characterized by two camps; commercial and developmental players should be recognized as legitimate separate microfinance approaches with different aims and motives. This paper aims to establish strong foundational argument for developing parallel thinking and separate best practice models for effective engagement with each approach.

Design/methodology/approach

– Rapid evidence assessment methodology was used to systematically identify and analyze a comprehensive list of relevant literature on best practice models of microfinance for poverty alleviation from both online and offline publications. Over 40 publications on microfinance best practice were critically reviewed with a specific attention to how the two approaches to microfinance (commercial and developmental) were dealt with in relation to impact on poverty and best practice approaches.

Findings

– The paper argues that, business priorities of commercial microfinance providers differ significantly to those of development microfinance providers and this impacts on the program design which means clients of each regardless of coming from the same target group may have different experiences. The microfinance concept evolved far beyond any single philosophical or ideological confinement that there is now need for formal recognition and acknowledgment that commercial and developmental microfinance paradigms are parallel models of approaches whose continuous evolution is less likely to converge in the near future, so should be treated separately.

Research limitations/implications

– Because the purpose, challenges and requirements of commercial and developmental microfinance approaches are different, continued lack of purposeful distinction between the two will continue to cause confusion and lack of precision in policy response on specific sector challenges. Further work and discourse on the impact of both commercial and developmental approach to microfinance on service delivery to the poor is required to test the implications on best practice.

Originality/value

– The paper highlights the fundamental flaw in the current perspective of microfinance sector which fails to recognize irreconcilable parallel approaches underpinned by different motives.
A compact stair-climbing wheelchair with two 3-DOF legs and a 1-DOF base
Authors: Lee Chang-Hyuk , Lee Kyung-min , Yoo Jehong , Kim In-su , Bang Young-bong
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe a compact wheelchair, which has two 3-degrees of freedom (DOF) legs and a 1-DOF base (the total DOF of the leg system is 7) for stair-climbing, and wheels for flat surface driving.

Design/methodology/approach

– The proposed wheelchair climbs stairs using the two 3-DOF legs with boomerang-shaped feet. The leg mechanisms are folded into the compact wheelchair body when the wheelchair moves over flat surfaces. The authors also propose a simple estimation method of stair shape using laser distance sensors, and a dual motor driving system to increase joint power.

Findings

– The proposed wheelchair can climb arbitrary height and width stairs by itself, even when they are slightly curved. During climbing, the trajectory of the seat position is linear to guarantee the comfort of rider, and the wheelchair always keeps a stable condition to ensure the stability in an emergency stop.

Originality/value

– The wheelchair mechanism with foldable legs and driving wheels enables smooth stair climbing, efficient flat surface driving and additional useful motions such as standing and tilting.
A complementary examination of author characteristics of finance journals
Authors: Chan Kam C. , Wong Annie , Wong Hannah
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a complementary analysis of finance journals that are often being overlooked in prior studies. Specifically, the authors examine the Australian Business Dean Council’s (ABDC’s) C-ranked journals in terms of their authors’ affiliations with US colleges, US colleges with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditations, and US colleges with AACSB doctoral program accreditations.

Design/methodology/approach

– A list of C-ranked journals is downloaded from the ABDC’s website. Full-text articles of these journals are downloaded from library databases for the five-year period of 2009-2013. Author affiliations are collected from the corresponding articles. Journal histories, journal editor locations, Cabell’s journal rankings, and acceptance rates are collected from the ABDC’s database, Cabell’s Directory, journal websites, and library databases. The final sample consists of 28 finance journals.

Findings

– The authors find that these journals have a substantial number and percentage of authors from US colleges. Among the US authors, about 92 percent of them are from AACSB accredited schools and most of them are from AACSB accredited schools with doctoral programs. The findings support the notion that these journals are important publication outlets for US researchers. The authors also find that journals with longer histories and US-based editors have a higher percentage of US authors. In addition, journals with better Cabell’s journal rankings and higher rejection rates have higher percentage of US authors from AACSB accredited schools with doctoral programs.

Originality/value

– C-ranked journals are often neglected in prior studies on journal characteristics because they are less well-known and less likely to be cited. However, these journals constitute as many as half of all finance journals in the ABDC database and can be important publication outlets for finance researchers. This study contributes to the literature by examining the author characteristics of these journals, namely, the proportions of authors who come from US colleges and authors who come from AACSB accredited US programs. Such an analysis will provide valuable insight into the value of these journals.
University students vary their use of textese in digital messages to suit the recipient
Authors: Kemp Nenagh , Clayton Jennifer
Published: March 2016

Background

The casual, abbreviated writing style sometimes known as ‘textese’ (e.g., sorry im late ☹) has become widespread with the rise of digital communication. We explored Australian university students' views on, and use of, textese across three modalities (text message, Facebook post, email) and three recipient types (friends, peers, lecturers).

Methods

In Study 1, 51 undergraduates composed messages across the three modalities to the three recipient types. They also rated the appropriateness of messages written with high, medium and no textese, across modality and recipient types. In Study 2, 37 additional students provided examples of their own sent messages across modalities and recipients.

Results

Overall, participants rated textese use as more appropriate, and used significantly more textese, in messages to friends, than to peers, than to lecturers.

Conclusions

Undergraduates are sensitive to when and where it is appropriate to use textese and vary their use (and opinions) of written language as a function of the recipient.
Association of EPHB1 rs11918092 and EFNB2 rs9520087 with psychopathological symptoms of schizophrenia in Chinese Zhuang and Han populations
Authors: Su Li , Ling Weijun , Jiang Juan , Hu Jing , Fan Jingyuan , Guo Xiaojing , Huang Guifeng , Xie Xinfeng , Long Jianxiong
Published: March 2016

Two single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs11918092 and rs9520087) were genotyped in Chinese Zhuang and Han populations. Symptoms of schizophrenic patients were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. No association of any SNP with schizophrenic susceptibility was found. However, associations of rs9520087 with the total scale score (P = 0.014), positive scale score (P = 0.013), negative scale score (P = 0.032), and general psychopathology scale score (P = 0.031) were found in Zhuang patients. Additionally, rs11918092 was associated with positive scale score (P = 0.035) in Han patients. The two SNPs might influence symptoms of schizophrenia.
Pacemaker lead perforation of the right ventricle associated with Moraxella phenylpyruvica infection in a dog
Authors: Ciavarella A , Nimmo J , Hambrook L
Published: March 2016

Case description

A 13‐year‐old neutered male Border Collie was presented with acute onset syncope, weakness and anorexia 10 months after transvenous pacemaker implantation. The patient was laterally recumbent, bradycardic (36 beats/min) and febrile (40.7°C) on presentation. An electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed recurrence of third‐degree atrioventricular block with a ventricular escape rhythm. Fluoroscopy identified migration of the pacemaker tip through the apex of the right ventricle. Echocardiography failed to reveal any evidence of pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade. Full postmortem was performed after euthanasia. The pacemaker lead had perforated the apex of the right ventricle and lodged in the right pleural space. Culture of blood (taken antemortem), pericardial sac, right ventricular wall (surrounding pacemaker lead), pacemaker lead tip and pericardial fluid revealed a pure growth of Moraxella phenylpyruvica.

Conclusion

Bacteraemia associated with M. phenylpyruvica has never been reported in the dog, but sporadic cases are reported in humans. Infection could have resulted from either pre‐existing myocarditis or opportunistic infection and bacteraemia post pacemaker implantation. Evaluation of the pacemaker function at regular intervals would allow early detection of poor pacemaker‐to‐myocardium contact, which would prompt further investigation of pacemaker lead abnormalities such as perforation.
Rigid removable cover for dorsal wound protection and tube fixation in pigs
Authors: Stynes GD , Kiroff GK , Morrison WA , Edwards GA , Page RS , Kirkland MA
Published: March 2016

Objective

To report the design and benefits of a rigid polyethylene cover ‘shell’ for the protection of dorsal torso wounds and tube fixation in pigs.

Methods

Open C‐shaped polyethylene shells were designed to protect wounds and dressings on the dorsum of pigs used in research into negative pressure dressing‐assisted wound healing. The shells were designed to resist trauma and contamination, to be comfortable and expansible, and to facilitate tube fixation and management. Strap fixation was optimised during experimentation. Efficacy was assessed by direct observation of dressing and wound protection, tube integrity and by macroscopic and microscopic assessments of wound healing.

Results

The shells effectively protected the wounds against blunt and sharp trauma, were simple to remove and reapply, were well tolerated and allowed for growth of the pigs. Circumferential neck straps attached by lateral straps to the shells proved critical. There was no wound infection or inflammation underlying the shells. Porting tubing via mid‐dorsal holes in the shells and affixing the tubing just cranial to these holes prevented tube damage and traction, permitted tube management from outside the cages and allowed the pigs to move freely without becoming entangled.

Conclusion

These shells effectively protected dorsal skin wounds and dressings, prevented tube damage and facilitated tube management in pigs. Similar systems may be useful for other production animals for wound management and for tube management with negative pressure wound healing, drain tubes or the delivery of nutrition, fluids or medications.
Analysis of bipolar maintenance treatment with lithium versus olanzapine utilizing Multi‐state Outcome Analysis of Treatments (MOAT)
Authors: Tohen Mauricio , Mintz Jim , Bowden Charles L
Published: March 2016

Objectives

Survival analysis has superseded most other analytic techniques for maintenance treatment studies over recent decades, despite providing results based solely on a single time‐point predefined event. The aim of the present study was to develop the Multi‐state Outcome Analysis of Treatments (MOAT), to provide more pragmatic information for clinicians and investigators in guiding maintenance treatment decisions. The present study was one of two published studies on the development of MOAT procedures, involving a one‐year comparison of olanzapine versus lithium in recently manic patients.

Methods

MOAT partitions total survival time into clinically distinct periods that are operationally defined by cut points on established rating scales. For bipolar disorders, the clinical states are remission, subsyndromal and syndromal mania, mixed states, and subsyndromal and syndromal depression.

Results

MOAT re‐analyses of the clinical trial revealed clinically important findings not identified when utilizing Kaplan–Meier survival analyses. Compared to patients treated with lithium, patients taking olanzapine experienced significantly more time in subsyndromal depression. Patients taking lithium spent significantly more time in mixed states than did patients taking olanzapine.

Conclusions

MOAT provided detailed information on treatment outcomes that was not provided by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Its capability to identify and aggregate time in different clinical states of bipolar disorder may aid in identifying drug effects that are important in selecting and conducting maintenance treatment.
Princesses and Superheroes: Social‐Cognitive Influences on Early Gender Rigidity
Authors: Halim May Ling D.
Published: March 2016

In this article, I review evidence showing that early childhood is a normative time for gender rigidity across many domains, including appearance, play, peer preferences, and intergroup gender attitudes. Gender rigidity can be seen in children's adherence to what society deems appropriate, or avoidance of what society deems inappropriate, for their gender. Many aspects of gender typing show an intriguing curvilinear pattern of increasing rigidity followed by flexibility. I offer an explanation for this pattern, focusing on children's growing awareness, knowledge, and understanding of gender. These developing cognitions are theorized to motivate children to engage in active self‐socialization as they strive to adhere to gender norms. I suggest how we can understand variation in early gender rigidity and whether gender rigidity has implications for well‐being and achievement in life.
Evaluation of the cross‐reactivity of antigens in Glupearl 19S and other hydrolysed wheat proteins in cosmetics
Authors: Nakamura Masashi , Yagami Akiko , Hara Kazuhiro , Sano‐Nagai Akiyo , Kobayashi Tsukane , Matsunaga Kayoko
Published: March 2016

Background

In Japan, over 2000 users of a facial soap containing Glupearl 19S (GP19S), a hydrolysed wheat protein (HWP), developed immediate‐type systemic wheat allergy (HWP‐IWA), and ∼70% of them developed associated contact urticaria.

Objectives

We investigated whether HWP‐IWA patients cross‐react with other HWPs, and analysed HWP antigenic characteristics.

Methods

We used 10 types of HWP that are commercially available as cosmetic ingredients, and 16 subjects with HWP‐IWA. We performed an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to evaluate the reactivity to each HWP, and western blotting to evaluate the characteristics of the antigens by using HWP‐IWA patients' serum IgE antibodies. We also performed prick tests with the HWPs.

Results

The patients reacted to four other HWPs in addition to GP19S, according to ELISA, and this was confirmed by strong reactions in the prick tests to the same four types of HWP. Smears of antigens with molecular weights ranging from the high range to the low range were seen on western blotting with the four HWPs that showed strong reactions in the ELISA and prick tests.

Conclusions

HWP‐IWA patients cross‐react with other HWPs. The antigens that they cross‐reacted to had a molecular weight distribution similar to that of GP19S present in the HWPs.