bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research Network position paper on the role of hypotensive resuscitation as part of remote damage control resuscitation
Authors: Woolley Thomas , Thompson Patrick , Kirkman Emrys , Reed Richard , Ausset Sylvain , Beckett Andrew , Bjerkvig Christopher , Cap Andrew P. , Coats Tim , Cohen Mitchell , Despasquale Marc , Dorlac Warren , Doughty Heidi , Dutton Richard , Eastridge Brian , Glassberg Elon , Hudson Anthony , Jenkins Donald , Keenan Sean , Martinaud Christophe , Miles Ethan , Moore Ernest , Nordmann Giles , Prat Nicolas , Rappold Joseph , Reade Michael C. , Rees Paul , Rickard Rory , Schreiber Martin , Shackelford Stacy , Skogran Eliassen Håkon , Smith Jason , Smith Mike , Spinella Philip , Strandenes Geir , Ward Kevin , Watts Sarah , White Nathan , Williams Steve
Published: February 2018

The Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research (THOR) Network has developed a consensus statement on the role of permissive hypotension in remote damage control resuscitation (RDCR). A summary of the evidence on permissive hypotension follows the THOR Network position on the topic. In RDCR, the burden of time in the care of the patients suffering from noncompressible hemorrhage affects outcomes. Despite the lack of published evidence, and based on clinical experience and expertise, it is the THOR Network’s opinion that the increase in prehospital time leads to an increased burden of shock, which poses a greater risk to the patient than the risk of rebleeding due to slightly increased blood pressure, especially when blood products are available as part of prehospital resuscitation.

The THOR Network’s consensus statement is, “In a casualty with life-threatening hemorrhage, shock should be reversed as soon as possible using a blood-based HR fluid. Whole blood is preferred to blood components. As a part of this HR, the initial systolic blood pressure target should be 100 mm Hg. In RDCR, it is vital for higher echelon care providers to receive a casualty with sufficient physiologic reserve to survive definitive surgical hemostasis and aggressive resuscitation. The combined use of blood-based resuscitation and limiting systolic blood pressure is believed to be effective in promoting hemostasis and reversing shock”
Somatic aberrations of BRCA1 gene are associated with progressive and stem cell-like phenotype of prostate cancer
Authors: Omari Aleksandra , Nastały Paulina , Bałabas Aneta , Dąbrowska Michalina , Bielińska Beata , Huss Sebastian , Pantel Klaus , Semjonow Axel , Eltze Elke , Brandt Burkhard , Bednarz-Knoll Natalia
Published: February 2018

Background

BRCA1 is a pivotal tumor suppressor. Its dysfunction is known to play a role in different tumor entities. Among others, BRCA1 germline mutations account for higher risk and more aggressive course of prostate cancer (PCa). In addition, somatic BRCA1 gene loss was demonstrated to be a signature of PCa dissemination to regional lymph nodes and peripheral blood, and indicate worse clinical outcome. In order to substantiate the data for BRCA1 gene loss in PCa and to reveal its phenotypical background, BRCA1 gene status was assessed in a large cohort of PCa patients and compared to different molecular factors.

Methods

BRCA1 gene dosage was assessed in 2398 tumor samples from 1199 PCa patients using fluorescent in situ hybridization. It was compared to clinic-pathological parameters, patients’ outcome as well as selected proteins (Ki-67, apoptosis marker, cytokeratins, vimentin, E- and N-cadherin, ALDH1 and EGFR) examined by immunohistcohemistry.

Results

BRCA1 losses were found in 10%, whereas gains appeared in 7% of 603 informative PCa patients. BRCA1 losses correlated to higher T status (p=0.027), Gleason score (p=0.039), shorter time to biochemical recurrence in patients with Gleason score >7 independently of other factors (multivariate analysis, p=0.005) as well as expression of proteins regulating stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition i.e. ALDH1 (p=0.021) and EGFR (p=0.011), respectively. BRCA1 gains correlated to shorter time to metastasis (p=0.012) and expression of ALDH1 (p=0.014).

Conclusions

The presented results support the assumption that BRCA1 gene losses contribute to a progressive and stem cell-like phenotype of PCa. Furthermore, they reveal that also BRCA1 gain might mark more invasive tumors.
bpRNA: Large-scale Automated Annotation and Analysis of RNA Secondary Structure
Authors: Danaee Padideh , Rouches Mason , Wiley Michelle , Deng Dezhong , Huang Liang , Hendrix David
Published: February 2018

While RNA secondary structure prediction from sequence data has made remarkable progress, there is a need for improved strategies for annotating the features of RNA secondary structures. Here we present bpRNA, a novel annotation tool capable of parsing RNA structures, including complex pseudoknot-containing RNAs, to yield an objective, precise, compact, unambiguous, easily-interpretable description of all loops, stems, and pseudoknots, along with the positions, sequence, and flanking base pairs of each such structural feature. We also introduce several new informative representations of RNA structure types to improve structure visualization and interpretation. We have further used bpRNA to generate a web-accessible meta-database, “bpRNA-1m”, of over 100,000 single-molecule, known secondary structures; this is both more fully and accurately annotated and over 20-times larger than existing databases. We use a subset of the database with highly similar (≥90% identical) sequences filtered out to report on statistical trends in sequence, flanking base pairs, and length. Both the bpRNA method and the bpRNA-1m database will be valuable resources both for specific analysis of individual RNA molecules and large-scale analyses such as are useful for updating RNA energy parameters for computational thermodynamic predictions, improving machine learning models for structure prediction, and for benchmarking structure-prediction algorithms.
Oxygen diffusion in ellipsoidal tumour spheroids
Authors: Grimes David Robert , Currell Frederick J.
Published: February 2018

Oxygen plays a central role in cellular metabolism, in both healthy and tumour tissue. The presence and concentration of molecular oxygen in tumours has a substantial effect on both radiotherapy response and tumour evolution, and as a result the oxygen micro-environment is an area of intense research interest. Multicellular tumour spheroids closely mimic real avascular tumours, and in particular they exhibit physiologically relevant heterogeneous oxygen distribution. This property has made them a vital part of in vitro experimentation. For ideal spheroids, their heterogeneous oxygen distributions can be predicted from theory, allowing determination of cellular oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and anoxic extent. However, experimental tumour spheroids often depart markedly from perfect sphericity. There has been little consideration of this reality. To date, the question of how far an ellipsoid can diverge from perfect sphericity before spherical assumptions breakdown remains unanswered. In this work we derive equations governing oxygen distribution (and more generally, nutrient and drug distribution) in both prolate and oblate tumour ellipsoids, and quantify the theoretical limits of the assumption that the spheroid is a perfect sphere. Results of this analysis yield new methods for quantifying OCR in ellipsoidal spheroids, and how this can be applied to markedly increase experimental throughput and quality.

Author summary

Multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS) are an increasingly important tool in cancer research, exhibiting non-homogeneous oxygen distributions and central necrosis. These are more similar to in situ avascular tumours than conventional 2D biology, rendering them exceptionally useful experimental models. Analysis of spheroids can yield vital information about cellular oxygen consumption rates, and the heterogeneous oxygen contribution. However, such analysis pivots on the assumption of perfect sphericity, when in reality spheroids often depart from such an ideal. In this work, we construct a theoretical oxygen diffusion model for ellipsoidal tumour spheroids in both prolate and oblate geometries. With these models established, we quantify the limits of the spherical assumption, and illustrate the effect of this assumption breaking down. Methods of circumventing this breakdown are also presented, and the analysis here suggests new methods for expanding experimental throughput to also include ellipsoidal data.
Conserved Methyltransferase Spb1 Targets mRNAs for Regulated Modification with 2′-O-Methyl Ribose
Authors: Bartoli Kristen M. , Schaening Cassandra , Carlile Thomas M. , Gilbert Wendy V.
Published: February 2018

Non-coding RNAs contain dozens of chemically distinct modifications, of which only a few have been identified in mRNAs. The recent discovery that certain tRNA modifying enzymes also target mRNAs suggests the potential for many additional mRNA modifications. Here, we show that conserved tRNA 2′-O-methyltransferases Trm3, 7,13 and 44, and rRNA 2′-O-methyltransferase Spb1, interact with specific mRNA sites in yeast by crosslinking immunoprecipitation and sequencing (CLIP-seq). We developed sequencing of methylation at two prime hydroxyls (MeTH-seq) for transcriptome-wide mapping of 2′-O-methyl ribose (Nm) with single-nucleotide resolution, and discover thousands of potential Nm sites in mRNAs. Genetic analysis identified hundreds of mRNA targets for the Spb1 methyltransferase, which can target both mRNA and non-coding RNA for environmentally regulated modification. Our work identifies Nm as a prevalent mRNA modification that is likely to be conserved and provides methods to investigate its distribution and regulation.

HIGHLIGHTS

MeTH-seq identifies 2′-O-methylribose genome-wide at single-nucleotide resolution

Five conserved methyltransferases interact with yeast mRNA

Spb1 is a major mRNA 2′-O-methyltransferase, and targets most ribosomal protein mRNAs

SPB1 expression is required to maintain normal levels of Spb1 target mRNAs
Ratiometric assays of autophagic flux in zebrafish for analysis of familial Alzheimer’s disease-like mutations
Authors: Jiang Haowei , Newman Morgan , Ratnayake Dhanushika , Lardelli Michael
Published: February 2018

Protein aggregates such as those formed in neurodegenerative diseases can be degraded via autophagy. To assess changes in autophagic flux in zebrafish models of familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD) mutations, we first developed a transgene, polyQ80-GFP-v2A-GFP, expressing equimolar amounts of aggregating polyQ80-GFP and a free GFP internal control in zebrafish embryos and larvae. This assay detects changes in autophagic flux by comparing the relative strength of polyQ80-GFP and free GFP moiety signals on western immunoblots probed with an antibody detecting GFP. However, the assay’s application is limited by the toxicity of polyQ80-GFP, and because aggregation of this protein may, itself, induce autophagy. To overcome these issues, we subsequently developed a similar ratiometric assay where expression of a GFP-Lc3a-GFP transgene generates initially equimolar amounts of GFP-Lc3a (directed to autophagic degradation) and a free GFP internal control. The sensitivity of this latter assay is reduced by a cellular protease activity that separates Lc3a from GFP-Lc3a, thus contributing to the apparent free GFP signal and somewhat masking decreases in autophagic flux. Nevertheless, the assay demonstrates significantly decreased autophagic flux in zebrafish lacking presenilin2 gene activity supporting that the Presenilin2 protein, like human PRESENILIN1, plays a role(s) in autophagy. Zebrafish heterozygous for a typical fAD-like, reading-frame-preserving mutation in psen1 show decreased autophagic flux consistent with observations in mammalian systems. Unexpectedly, a zebrafish model of the only confirmed reading-frame-truncating fAD mutation in a human PRESENILIN gene, the K115Efs mutation of human PSEN2, shows possibly increased autophagic flux in young zebrafish (larvae).
Improved sgRNA design in bacteria via genome-wide activity profiling
Authors: Guo Jiahui , Wang Tianmin , Guan Changge , Liu Bing , Luo Cheng , Xie Zhen , Zhang Chong , Xing Xin-Hui
Published: February 2018

CRISPR/Cas9 is a promising tool in prokaryotic genome engineering, but its success is limited by the widely varying on-target activity of single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Based on the association of CRISPR/Cas9-induced DNA cleavage with cellular lethality, we systematically profiled sgRNA activity by co-expressing a genome-scale library (~70,000 sgRNAs) with Cas9 or its specificity-improved mutant in E. coli. Based on this large-scale dataset, we constructed a comprehensive and high-density sgRNA activity map, which enables selecting highly active sgRNAs for any locus across the genome in this model organism. We also identified ‘resistant’ genomic loci with respect to CRISPR/Cas9 activity, notwithstanding the highly accessible DNA in bacterial cells. Moreover, we found that previous sgRNA activity prediction models that were trained on mammalian cell datasets were inadequate when coping with our results, highlighting the key limitations and biases of previous models. We hence developed an integrated algorithm to accurately predict highly effective sgRNAs, aiming to facilitate the design of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome engineering or screenings in bacteria. We also isolated the important sgRNA features that contribute to DNA cleavage and characterized their key differences among wild type Cas9 and its mutant, shedding light on the biophysical mechanisms of the CRISPR/Cas9 system.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the anhydrous form of the nucleoside analogue entecavir
Authors: Wang Xiaojuan , Xu Hai-Jiang , Jia Xue-Dong , Yang Yan-Tao , Zhang Xiao-Jian
Published: February 2018

The nucleoside analogue entecavir {systematic name: 2-amino-9-[(1S,3R,4S)-4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-2-methylenecyclopentyl]-1,9-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one}, C12H15N5O3, is an antihepatitis B virus drug that has been approved in the US, EU and several countries worldwide. We report here the single-crystal structure of the anhydrous form and compare it with that of the previously reported monohydrate form [Jiang & Liu (2009).Acta Cryst.E65, o2232]. Hirshfeld surface analysis has been employed to understand and visualize the subtle packing differences between the two crystalline forms. The results show that, compared to the previously reported hydrated form, the anhydrous crystal has significantly different intermolecular interactions and packing patterns.
Numerical solutions for the Robin time-fractional partial differential equations of heat and fluid flows based on the reproducing kernel algorithm
Authors: Abu Arqub Omar
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to introduce the reproducing kernel algorithm for treating classes of time-fractional partial differential equations subject to Robin boundary conditions with parameters derivative arising in fluid flows, fluid dynamics, groundwater hydrology, conservation of energy, heat conduction and electric circuit.

Design/methodology/approach

The method provides appropriate representation of the solutions in convergent series formula with accurately computable components. This representation is given in the W(Ω) and H(Ω) inner product spaces, while the computation of the required grid points relies on the R(y,s) (x, t) and r(y,s) (x, t) reproducing kernel functions.

Findings

Numerical simulation with different order derivatives degree is done including linear and nonlinear terms that are acquired by interrupting the n-term of the exact solutions. Computational results showed that the proposed algorithm is competitive in terms of the quality of the solutions found and is very valid for solving such time-fractional models.

Research limitations/implications

Future work includes the application of the reproducing kernel algorithm to highly nonlinear time-fractional partial differential equations such as those arising in single and multiphase flows. The results will be published in forthcoming papers.

Practical implications

The study included a description of fundamental reproducing kernel algorithm and the concepts of convergence, and error behavior for the reproducing kernel algorithm solvers. Results obtained by the proposed algorithm are found to outperform in terms of accuracy, generality and applicability.

Social implications

Developing analytical and numerical methods for the solutions of time-fractional partial differential equations is a very important task owing to their practical interest.

Originality/value

This study, for the first time, presents reproducing kernel algorithm for obtaining the numerical solutions of some certain classes of Robin time-fractional partial differential equations. An efficient construction is provided to obtain the numerical solutions for the equations, along with an existence proof of the exact solutions based upon the reproducing kernel theory.
Developing fraud prevention model in regional public hospital in West Sulawesi Province
Authors: Kartini Kartini
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to reveal the empirical facts of pressure, rationalization, effect on opportunity and fraud prevention and accountability to fraud prevention in Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah (RSUD; local public hospitals in English) in West Sulawesi Province.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is explanatory in nature, with a time horizon from January to July 2016. The research objects were selected from local public hospitals (RSUD) in West Sulawesi Province. The population in this study is employees working at regional general hospitals in West Sulawesi Province. While sample is determined based on cluster sampling technique, the analysis tool used is structural equation modeling.

Findings

The variables of pressure and rationalization are found to have a positive and significant effect on opportunity, so improvements in the variables pressure and rationalization will create improvements in the variable opportunity. Pressure, rationalization and opportunity variables have a positive and significant effect on fraud prevention, so improvements in pressure, rationalization and opportunity variables will create improvements in variable fraud prevention. Accountability variables have a negative and significant effect on fraud prevention, so a high value of accountability will decrease the value of fraud prevention.

Originality/value

Originality of this paper shows built developing fraud prevention model in regional public hospital in West Sulawesi Province with five variables, namely, pressure, rationalization, opportunity, accountability and fraud prevention.
Corporate governance code comparison for South Asian emerging economies
Authors: Qurashi Mubashir Hassan
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the corporate governance (CG) codes of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh with the CG guide of United Nations (UN) and to identify the similar points of these codes with the requirements of Combined Code (CC) that are not included in the CG guide of UN.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the qualitative data, while content analysis is used for the analysis. For this exploratory research, different documents have been reviewed and consulted and qualitative data are collected from those. A multiple case study approach is adopted because the codes of three countries (four CG codes used for the analysis) have been reviewed.

Findings

This study has presented that the Pakistani and Bangladeshi (issued by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute) CG code has approximately 77 per cent convergence (40 out of 52), Indian CG code has 50 per cent convergence (26 out of 52), whereas the Bangladeshi (issued by Bangladesh Security and Exchange Commission) CG code has approximately 41 per cent convergence (21 out of 52) to CG guide of UN. Seven similar points to CC have been found out in all four or few of the codes that were used in this study.

Originality/value

This study has explored the convergence of CG codes of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India with the CG guide of UN. Furthermore, this study has highlighting the similar mechanisms presented in CC and the codes of selected countries so international investors get clear information about the quality of these codes and take informed investment decision.
The factors affecting the implementation of OpenFreedom information policy and public service performance
Authors: Hutahaen John Fresly , Gani Abdul Yuli Andi , Saleh Choirul , Sarwono Sarwono
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This study aims to examine and explain the effect of the influence of public leadership role through the implementation of open information disclosure on the performance of public services in the Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta or Capital Special Region of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta) Provincial Government which is divided into five areas of the administrative city and one administrative district.

Design/methodology/approach

The population is the entire community in Jakarta, which already have ID cards is as much as 6,980,584 people with a sample of 228 respondents. The duration for this research is January-March 2017. Methods of data analysis in this research using descriptive analysis and inferential statistical analysis using the structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The role of the public leaders influences the implementation of education but has no direct influence on the public service performance but indirectly through the implementation of OpenFreedom of information.

Originality/value

Originality in this research shows that never been testing this kind of relation in Jakarta, Indonesian.
An analysis of the supply chain principle for the UK’s overseas companies
Authors: Hossain Md Sazzad
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the liabilities arise in the UK-based parent company for wrongdoings of its overseas subsidiaries, especially under law of tort.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative methods have been used in this paper, using both primary and secondary data, i.e. Books, case Laws, legislations, international laws and journal articles.

Findings

The English Courts are, now, more broadly accepting the allegations against the UK-based parent companies for the actions of its subsidiaries, especially by improving the access to the remedy in the UK for foreign victims of corporate related harms, though concern remains in the case of criminal liabilities. Additionally, in case of the civil litigations, the early settlement of a dispute is also causing pressure to the victim by liming the wider deterrent effect.

Originality/value

This paper will help the lawyers and academic in the field of international corporate law, especially in the tortious claim of an overseas victim in the UK Court. Moreover, this paper identifies the lack of proper legislative guidance in this field.
Hiring discrimination, ethnic origin and employment status
Authors: Pierné Guillaume
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the findings of a correspondence testing in order to assess the hiring effects of foreign-origin and employment status in the French construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

To empirically test these features, the author constructs four applications, each representing a particular profile with respect to ethnic origin and employment status. The author sends 1,204 résumés in reply to 301 job vacancies advertised from mid-April to mid-September 2011 in the Paris area.

Findings

While being employed increases the performance for applicants of foreign origin, this is not the case for native applicants. However, the benefit of being employed does not fully overcome the penalty created by foreign origin. Hence, the study does not allow to affirm that employed applicants of foreign origin are less penalized than unemployed ones.

Originality/value

This paper improves the knowledge of the effects of employment status on employability. The quantification of these effects remains an important issue. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first time correspondence testing has been used to measure the influence of ethnic origin on employability, conditional on employment status.
A knowledge-based innovation assessment system for small- and medium-sized enterprises: adding value with cognitive mapping and MCDA
Authors: Grillo Catarina , Ferreira Fernando A.F. , Marques Carla S.E. , Ferreira João J.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The 2008 global financial crisis showed that the ability to innovate is a key management skill and that approaches to assessing the innovation capability of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to be as realistic as possible. This study aims to address the latter practical need through a sociotechnical approach.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a combined use of cognitive mapping and the Decision EXpert (DEX) technique, and grounded on the insights generated by a panel of SME managers and entrepreneurs in two intensive group meetings, a knowledge-based assessment system for evaluating SMEs’ innovation capability was created, tested and validated.

Findings

The knowledge-based assessment system identified the most innovative SMEs in a sample of companies. The “plus-minus-1” and dominance analyses carried out provided further support for the results.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed system is extremely versatile but process-oriented and idiosyncratic in nature, meaning that extrapolations to other contexts need to be done with due caution.

Practical implications

The panel of SME decision makers agreed that the system improves the current methods used to evaluate SMEs’ innovation capability, contributing to a more informed perspective on management issues. The panel members also noted that the proposed system functions as a learning mechanism, facilitating the development of well-focused suggestions for improvements SMEs can make.

Originality/value

The integrated use of cognitive maps and rule-base decisions contributes to a better understanding of how to assess SMEs’ innovation capability. No prior work reporting the integrated use of these two techniques in this study context has been found.
Auditor choice in private firms: a stakeholders perspective
Authors: Corten Maarten , Steijvers Tensie , Lybaert Nadine
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether a private firm’s demand for a Big4 auditor is influenced by the auditor choice of its main supplier, customer and competitor. The authors rely on institutional theory to explain this stakeholders’ influence. The authors also examine whether the extent to which the firm’s board of directors engages in networking moderates this influence.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaire data are combined with archival data of 210 Belgian private firms with a statutory audit requirement. Logistic regression analysis is applied to examine to what extent firms follow their main competitor, customer and supplier in hiring a Big4 auditor.

Findings

The results reveal a positive association between the firm’s choice of a Big4 auditor and its main supplier being audited by a Big4 auditor, supporting the conformance effect (isomorphism) toward suppliers as hypothesized by institutional theory. The extent of board networking, however, seems to weaken this effect. Toward competitors, a divergence effect instead of a conformance effect is found, which indicates the existence of competitive differentiation regarding auditor choice.

Research limitations/implications

While prior studies mainly focus on the agency relationships between shareholders, debtholders and managers to explain auditor choice, this study also takes into account the firm’s other main stakeholders by relying on institutional theory. Both the conformance effect toward suppliers as well as the divergence effect toward competitors provide interesting additional perspectives on why auditors are demanded, leading to interesting future research opportunities.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to consider additional theories in explaining audit outcomes.
Usefulness of enterprise risk management in two banks
Authors: Liff Roy , Wahlstrom Gunnar
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the management control system, the bank’s control package, influences opinion about the usefulness of risk measurement (RM) in different control contexts before and after a financial crisis, to understand what influences the usefulness of enterprise risk management (ERM) manifested in RM.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on semi-structured interviews in 2000-2010, with senior bank managers of two international banks (Bank A and Bank B) – both ranking among the top 100 in the world but differing structurally and culturally.

Findings

The two banks took opposite trajectories. Bank A went from high to low expectations of usefulness; Bank B went from low to high expectations. The different attitudes toward RM exhibited by Bank A and Bank B are explained by differences in their control packages, manifested by technocratic control and socio-ideology.

Originality/value

This study reveals that there are not merely different degrees of RM usage in the two banks but that they also show two diverting trajectories. Given this finding, the significance of the organization structure and its control packages (especially the alignment between these two factors) is analyzed to find a plausible explanation for the different experiences of senior managers toward the usefulness of RM. This study contributes to ERM research and to the contingency theory of management accounting.
Thesis consultation: a review
Authors: Robinson Karlene Patricia , Nelson Karlene Saundria , Lewis Jessica Claire
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative merits of thesis consultation with a librarian prior to graduate submission and to explore whether thesis consultation has a significant impact on the quality of the theses submitted by postgraduate students.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative case study approach. The total number of thesis scrutiny reports written by librarians between 2009 and 2014 has been reviewed for errors found in theses. Errors have been classified as referencing errors and formatting errors. These have been compiled in a spreadsheet and analyzed using the SPSS statistical package.

Findings

This paper highlights that thesis consultation has had a positive impact on the quality of the theses students submitted for examination at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. Thesis consultation with a strong focus on referencing clearly assisted students learning and applying different citation styles. There was a decrease in the number of referencing errors over time. Not much difference was seen in terms of formatting errors. Further tests showed that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between thesis consultation and the number of referencing errors made by graduate students.

Practical implications

This study may have implications for the engagement of academic libraries with their graduate communities. With thesis consultation, a librarian may scrutinize the same thesis more than once. Although this may increase the workload of librarians, thesis consultation/scrutiny will have a positive impact on the quality of research produced by graduate students.

Originality/value

This study shows that students benefited from thesis consultation and there was a significant reduction in citation errors. In reviewing the literature, it has been noted that research done in the area of thesis consultation was very limited; hence, this study significantly contributes to the body of knowledge that presently exists.
An efficient method for exploded view generation through assembly coherence data and precedence relations
Authors: Bahubalendruni M.V.A. Raju
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Three-dimensional exploded view is a schematic representation of a product anticipated for performing assembly or disassembly operations. Exploded view is found in many applications, such as product instructional materials, repair and maintenance handbooks. This paper aims to propose an efficient exploded view generation technique based on assembly coherence data and disassembly feasibility testing, and illustrate it on various configurations of assemblies.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed methodology extracts the assembly contact information between the constituent parts and geometric feasibility relation matrix based on the common mating surface of part pairs in liaison and assembly collision detection. These data are further used for exploded view generation.

Findings

The proposed exploded view generation method determines the possible disassembly sequences and simplifies the procedure in determining the number of disassembly levels.

Research limitations/implications

The procedure consumes more time for the products with large number of part counts having numerous non-ruled surfaces.

Originality/value

The proposed method is effectively used to solve assemblies, where parts are assembled through oblique orientations. The method is found successful in generating exploded view for products with large number of parts through collision-free paths.
Chitosan-smectite composite on the urea adsorption–desorption study for slow-release fertilizer application
Authors: Fatimah Is , Rubiyanto Dwiarso , Yudha Septian Perwira , Pratiwi Gunarti , Puspita Ayu
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to prepare composite of chitosan-modified smectite clays consisting of montmorillonite and saponite clay minerals and their urea adsorption–desorption study. Prepared materials were designed for slow-release fertilizer application.

Design/methodology/approach

Preparation of the composites was conducted by a simple intercalation of chitosan solution and clay suspension followed by hydrogel beads formation. Physicochemical characterization of materials was performed by X-ray diffraction, gas sorption analysis by using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas and pore volume, water absorbency and Fourier transform-infrared. Urea adsorption and desorption studies of prepared materials were conducted by using batch method, and the adsorbed and desorbed urea content was analyzed by using high-performance liquid chromatography method.

Findings

The results revealed that the composites have higher absorptivity and lower absorptivity toward urea from and into water solution compared to raw clay minerals. Adsorption capacity and slow desorption rate of urea from the composites suggested the potential application of the composites as slow urea-releasing agent.

Originality/value

There are many papers that study the formation of chitosan-clay composites, but the study on the urea adsorption–desorption properties based on chitosan-smectite minerals have not been reported. Intensive study related to physicochemical properties and its related kinetics study is an important basic finding for further applications.
Simpson's paradox: A statistician's case study
Authors: Chu Kevin H , Brown Nathan J , Pelecanos Anita , Brown Anthony FT
Published: February 2018

Gender equality and workforce diversity has recently been in the forefront of College discussions. Reasons for the difference between various groups may not be as they initially appeared. The results of comparing the outcome between two groups can sometimes be confounded and even reversed by an unrecognised third variable. This concept is known as Simpson's Paradox, and is illustrated here using a renowned case study on potential gender bias for acceptance to Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley.

 The investigation showed that males were 1.8 times more likely to be admitted to Graduate School than females in 1973. Initially it appeared that women were discriminated against in the selection process. However, when admissions were re‐examined at individual Departments of the School, admission tended to be better for women than men in four of six Departments. This contradiction or paradox tells us that the association between admission and gender was dependent upon on Department.

 The confounding effect of Department was defined by two characteristics. Firstly, a strong association between Department and admission: some Departments admitted much smaller percentages of applicants than others. Secondly, a strong association between Department and gender: females tended to apply to Departments with lower admission rates.

 The explanation of differences between groups can be multifactorial. A search for possible confounders will assist in this understanding. This could apply whenever two groups initially appear to differ, but on closer analysis this difference is either unfounded, or even reversed by reference to a third, confounding variable.
Effects of combination of sotalol and verapamil on initiation, maintenance, and termination of ventricular fibrillation in swine hearts
Authors: Jin Qi , Wu Liqun , Dosdall Derek J. , Li Li , Rogers Jack M. , Ideker Raymond E. , Huang Jian
Published: February 2018

Introduction

Sotalol and verapamil alone reduce reentry incidence during ventricular fibrillation (VF). We tested whether the combination of these two drugs had a synergistic effect on initiation, maintenance, and termination of VF.

Methods

Six open‐chest pigs received intravenous sotalol (1.5 mg/kg) followed by verapamil (0.136 mg/kg). VF threshold (VFT) was determined by a burst pacing protocol. Two 20 seconds episodes of VF were recorded from a 21 × 24 unipolar electrode plaque on the lateral posterior left ventricular epicardium before and after each drug. VF activation patterns were quantified. The duration of long duration VF (LDVF) maintenance was compared to our previously published data.

Results

Sotalol alone and combined with verapamil significantly increased the VFT from 12.3 ± 4.1 to 20.3 ± 7.1 and 26.7 ± 8.6 mA compared with baseline (P < .05). Sotalol decreased the number of wavefronts by 20%, VF activation rate by 17% and conduction velocity 11%, while the addition of verapamil neutralized these effects. Addition of verapamil to sotalol further decreased the fractionation incidence from 14% to 29% and multiplicity from 24% to 31% compared with baseline. The combination of the two drugs increased the VF cycle length, decreased synchronicity, increased regularity index and shortened the duration of LDVF maintenance compared with our previous data of verapamil alone or no drug. Synchronicity index was lower and regularity index was higher in animals in which VF spontaneously terminated earlier than 10 minutes than in animals in which VF terminated longer than 10 minutes.

Conclusion

The combination of sotalol and verapamil increased VFT but accelerated LDVF termination.
Crustal Uplift in the Longmen Shan Mountains Revealed by Isostatic Gravity Anomalies along the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: LI Yong , YAN Zhaokun , ZHOU Rongjun , YAN Liang , DONG Shunli , SHAO Chongjian , LAURENCE Svirchev
Published: February 2018

This study examines the relationship between high positive isostatic gravity anomalies (IGA), steep topography and lower crustal extrusion at the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. IGA data has revealed uplift and extrusion of lower crustal flow in the Longmen Shan Mountains (the LMS). Firstly, The high positive IGA zone corresponds to the LMS orogenic belt. It is shown that abrupt changes in IGA correspond to zones of abrupt change of topography, crustal thickness and rock density along the LMS. Secondly, on the basis of the Airy isostasy theory, simulations and inversions of the positive IGA were conducted using three‐dimensional bodies. The results indicated that the LMS lacks a mountain root, and that the top surface of the lower crust has been elevated by 11 km, leading to positive IGA, tectonic load and density load. Thirdly, according to Watts's flexural isostasy model, elastic deflection occurs, suggesting that the limited (i.e. narrow) tectonic and density load driven by lower crustal flow in the LMS have led to asymmetric flexural subsidence in the foreland basin and lifting of the forebulge. Finally, based on the correspondence between zones of extremely high positive IGA and the presence of the Precambrian Pengguan‐Baoxing complexes in the LMS, the first appearance of erosion gravels from the complexes in the Dayi Conglomerate layer of the Chengdu Basin suggest that positive IGA and lower crustal flow in the LMS took place at 3.6 Ma or slightly earlier.
Petroleum Distribution Characteristics of the Americas and the Exploration Prospect Analysis
Authors: HAO Qingqing , LI Lintao , ZUO Yinhui , CHEN Weijun , WU Lei , YI Junjie
Published: February 2018

The world's present demand for oil and gas is still in a rapid growth period, and traditional oil and gas resources account for more than 60% of the global oil and gas supply. The Americas is the world's second largest production and consumption center of liquid fuel, and is also the world's largest natural gas producer. In 2016, the Americas had 85.3 billion tons of proven oil reserves and 18.7 trillion m3 of proven natural gas reserves, which account for 35.4% and 10.0% of world's total reserves, respectively. It produced 1267.1 Mt of oil and 1125.4 billion m3 of natural gas, which account for 28.9% and 31.7% of the world's total production, respectively. The crude oil and natural gas reserves are mainly distributed in the U.S., Canada and Venezuela. The U.S. is the earliest and most successful country in shale gas exploration and development, and its shale gas is concentrated in the southern, central and eastern U.S., including the Marcellcus shale, Barnett shale, EagleFord shale, Bakken shale, Fayettevis shale, Haynsvill shale, Woodford shale and Monterey/Santos shale. The potential oil and gas resources in the Americas are mainly concentrated in the anticline and stratigraphic traps in the Middle‐Upper Jurassic slope deposition of the North Slope Basin, the Paleozoic Madsion group dolomite and limestone in the Williston Basin, dominant stratigraphic traps and few structural traps in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, the Eocene structural‐stratigraphic hydrocarbon combination, structural‐unconformity traps and structural hydrocarbon combination, and the Upper Miocene stratigraphic‐structural hydrocarbon combination in the Maracaibo Basin of Venezuela, the stratigraphic‐structural traps and fault horst, tilting faulted blocks and anticlines related to subsalt structure and basement activity in the Campos Basin, the subsalt central low‐uplift belt and supra‐salt central low‐uplift belt in the Santos Basin of Brazil, and the structural‐stratigraphic traps in the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. In addition, the breakthrough of seismic subsalt imaging technology makes the subsalt deepwater sea area of eastern Barzil an important oil and gas potential area.
A colourimetric evaluation of the effect of bacterial contamination on teeth stained with blood in vitro: Evaluation of the efficacy of two different bleaching regimes
Authors: Wang S , Cathro P , Heithersay G , Briggs N , Ratnayake J , Zilm P
Published: February 2018

Background

Tooth discolouration could occur due to bacterial contamination in traumatized teeth. Hydrogen peroxide is the commonly used bleaching agent. However, due to concerns over safety, alternative bleaching regimes such as sodium perborate (S) and thiourea‐hydrogen peroxide (T) have been investigated.

Methods

Apices resected and pulp extirpated 99 premolars were divided into two groups. Group 1 and 2 was injected with blood and blood/bacteria, stored anaerobically for 35 days. The two groups were treated by bleaching with water, S or T. Teeth were rebleached after 7 days. Colourimetric evaluation was assessed using digital imaging, CasMatch standardization and CIE L*a*b colour system preoperatively, 35 days of staining and 7 and 14 of bleaching. A linear mixed model with fixed effects of time, group and bleach was used to examine colour difference.

Results

Blood‐stained teeth were significantly redder and darker on day 35 compared with blood/bacteria‐stained teeth. After bleaching, blood‐stained teeth retained significant redness compared with blood/bacteria‐stained teeth using either S or T. T produced a significantly whiter shade in both the groups after 14 days.

Conclusions

Blood‐stained teeth were significantly darker and red compared with blood/bacteria‐stained teeth. T bleaching regime was more effective than S.
The Developmental Origins of the Perception and Production of Musical Rhythm
Authors: Hannon Erin E. , Nave‐Blodgett Jessica E. , Nave Karli M.
Published: February 2018

In recent years, interest has grown in potential links between abilities in musical rhythm and the development of language and reading, as well as in using music lessons as an intervention or diagnostic tool for individuals at risk for language and reading delays. Nevertheless, the development of abilities in musical rhythm is a relatively new area of study. In this article, we review knowledge about the development of musical rhythm, highlighting key musical structures of rhythm, beat, and meter, and suggesting areas of inquiry. Further research is needed to understand how children acquire the perceptual and cognitive underpinnings of universal musical behaviors such as dancing, clapping, and singing in time with music.
The unfolding of plant growth form‐defence syndromes along elevation gradients
Authors: Defossez Emmanuel , Pellissier Loïc , Rasmann Sergio
Published: February 2018

Understanding the functional economics that drives plant investment of resources requires investigating the interface between plant phenotypes and the variation in ecological conditions. While allocation to defence represents a large portion of the carbon budget, this axis is usually neglected in the study of plant economic spectrum. Using a novel geometrical approach, we analysed the co‐variation in a comprehensive set of functional traits related to plant growth strategies, as well as chemical defences against herbivores on all 15Cardaminespecies present in the Swiss Alps. By extracting geometrical information of the functional space, we observed clustering of plants into three main syndromes. Those different strategies of growth form and defence were also distributed within distinct elevational bands demonstrating an association between the functional space and the ecological conditions. We conclude that plant strategies converge into clear syndromes that trade off abiotic tolerance, growth and defence within each elevation zone.
Daphnia females adjust sex allocation in response to current sex ratio and density
Authors: Booksmythe Isobel , Gerber Nina , Ebert Dieter , Kokko Hanna
Published: February 2018

Cyclical parthenogenesis presents an interesting challenge for the study of sex allocation, as individuals’ allocation decisions involve both the choice between sexual and asexual reproduction, and the choice between sons and daughters. Male production is therefore expected to depend on ecological and evolutionary drivers of overall investment in sex, and those influencing male reproductive value during sexual periods. We manipulated experimental populations, and made repeated observations of natural populations over their growing season, to disentangle effects of population density and the timing of sex from effects of adult sex ratio on sex allocation in cyclically parthenogenetic Daphnia magna. Male production increased with population density, the major ecological driver of sexual reproduction; however, this response was dampened when the population sex ratio was more male‐biased. Thus, in line with sex ratio theory, we show that D. magna adjust offspring sex allocation in response to the current population sex ratio.