bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feeding Ecology of Juvenile Yellowfin Tuna from Waters Southwest of Taiwan Inferred from Stomach Contents and Stable Isotope Analysis
Authors: Weng Jinn-Shing , Lee Ming-An , Liu Kwang-Ming , Hsu Ming-Shu , Hung Mine-Kune , Wu Long-Jing
Published: January 2016

The Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares is one of the major fish species caught around subsurface fish aggregation devices (FADs) in the waters southwest of Taiwan. However, how it interacts with other organisms around FADs is poorly known. In this study, the diet and feeding habits of juvenile Yellowfin Tuna were estimated from the analysis of stomach contents from 1,477 specimens with FLs ranging from 24 to 108 cm and stable isotope analysis (202 specimens) collected around FADs in the waters southwest of Taiwan. The analysis of stomach contents indicated that juvenile Yellowfin Tuna with FL < 50 cm mainly feed on larval purpleback flying squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, larval shrimps, and zooplanktonic organisms such as amphipods. Yellowfin Tuna with FL of ∼50 cm switch their diet to teleost fishes such as Japanese Barracudina Lestrolepis japonica, Skinnycheek Lanternfish Benthosema pterotum, and fishes in the families Exocoetidae and Scombridae. Stable isotope analysis indicated that the δ15N values ranged between 6.2‰ and 12.6‰, and the estimated trophic position varied from 3.18 ± 0.24 for tuna with FL < 30 cm, while it reached 4.59 ± 0.50 for those with FL > 50 cm and 4.75 ± 0.06 for those with FL > 90 cm. Based on the distinct diet shift of the juvenile Yellowfin Tuna, demonstrated by both stomach contents and stable isotope analyses, this study concluded that the tuna shift their diet at approximately 50 cm FL.

Received March 31, 2015; accepted September 9, 2015
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Black Sea Bass Sizes and Catches in the Southeastern United States Inferred from Spatially Explicit Nonlinear Models
Authors: Bacheler Nathan M. , Ballenger Joseph C.
Published: January 2016

Temporal and spatial variability in abundance often results from the effects of environmental and landscape variables interacting over multiple spatial scales, and understanding the complex interplay among these variables is key to elucidating the drivers of a species' population dynamics. We used a spatially explicit, variable-coefficient, generalized additive modeling approach with 24 years of fishery-independent trap data (N = 11,726 samples) to elucidate the spatiotemporal dynamics of size and size-specific CPUE of Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata along the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States. Black Sea Bass catch exhibited complex spatial and temporal dynamics that were influenced by environmental, landscape, and sampling effects. Black Sea Bass were more commonly caught inshore than offshore, but were significantly smaller inshore and southward and larger offshore and northward in the study area. Moreover, the spatial distribution of Black Sea Bass changed as abundance varied within and among sampling seasons. Standardized mean length of Black Sea Bass also increased by more than 20% over the study period, from 230 mm TL in the early 1990s to 280 mm TL after 2010. These results elucidate the spatial and temporal dynamics of Black Sea Bass, inform population structure and indices of abundance, and provide an analytical framework that can be easily adapted to other species and systems.

Received October 31, 2014; accepted September 14, 2015
Seasonal group characteristics and occurrence patterns of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Xiamen Bay, Fujian Province, China
Authors: Wang Xianyan , Wu Fuxing , Turvey Samuel T. , Rosso Massimiliano , Zhu Qian
Published: January 2016

Monthly field surveys were conducted between August 2010 and July 2015 to explore seasonal group characteristics and occurrence patterns of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Xiamen Bay, China. Dolphins formed larger groups in winter and spring (dry seasons) than in summer and autumn (wet seasons; U = 1,564.00, P < 0.001). Sighting encounter rates were higher during the wet season than during the dry season (U = 181.00, P < 0.001), while individual encounter rates were not significantly different between seasons (F = 0.494, d.f. = 3, P = 0.688). Dolphin sightings and the foraging events were mainly found in inner harbors (Western Harbour and Tongan Bay) during the dry seasons and in peripheral areas (Jiulong River Estuary, Wuyu, and Dadeng-Xiaodeng) during the wet seasons. Seasonal occurrence patterns may be associated with the seasonal prey shifts between these different environments.
Occurrence of Viruses and Associated Grain Yields of Paired Symptomatic and Nonsymptomatic Tillers in Kansas Winter Wheat Fields
Authors: Rotenberg Dorith , Bockus William W. , Whitfield Anna E. , Hervey Kaylee , Baker Kara D. , Ou Zhining , Laney Alma G. , De Wolf Erick D. , Appel Jon A.
Published: January 2016

Vector-borne virus diseases of wheat are recurrent in nature and pose significant threats to crop production worldwide. In the spring of 2011 and 2012, a state-wide sampling survey of multiple commercial field sites and university-managed Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station variety performance trial locations spanning all nine crop-reporting regions of the state was conducted to determine the occurrence of Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV (BYDV-PAV), Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV, Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), High plains virus, Soilborne wheat mosaic virus, and Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). As a means of directly coupling tiller infection status with tiller grain yield, multiple pairs of symptomatic and nonsymptomatic plants were selected and individual tillers were tagged for virus species and grain yield determination at the variety performance trial locations. BYDV-PAV and WSMV were the two most prevalent species across the state, often co-occurring within location. Of those BYDV-PAV- or WSMV-positive tillers, 22% and 19%, respectively, were nonsymptomatic, a finding that underscores the importance of sampling criteria to more accurately assess virus occurrence in winter wheat fields. Symptomatic tillers that tested positive for BYDV-PAV produced significantly lower grain yields compared with ELISA-negative tillers in both seasons, as did WSMV-positive tillers in 2012. Nonsymptomatic tillers that tested positive for either of the two viruses in 2011 produced significantly lower grain yields than tillers from nonsymptomatic, ELISA-negative plants, an indication that these tillers were physiologically compromised in the absence of virus-associated symptoms. Overall, the virus survey and tagged paired-tiller sampling strategy revealed effects of virus infection on grain yield of individual tillers of plants grown under field conditions and may provide a complementary approach toward future estimates of the impact of virus incidence on crop health in Kansas.
Giving Context to the Physician Competency Reference Set: Adapting to the Needs of Diverse Populations
Authors: Eckstrand Kristen L. , Potter Jennifer , Bayer Carey Roth , Englander Robert
Published: January 2016

Delineating the requisite competencies of a 21st-century physician is the first step in the paradigm shift to competency-based medical education. Over the past two decades, more than 150 lists of competencies have emerged. In a synthesis of these lists, the Physician Competency Reference Set (PCRS) provided a unifying framework of competencies that define the general physician. The PCRS is not context or population specific; however, competently caring for certain underrepresented populations or specific medical conditions can require more specific context. Previously developed competency lists describing care for these populations have been disconnected from an overarching competency framework, limiting their uptake. To address this gap, the Association of American Medical Colleges Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Development adapted the PCRS by adding context- and content-specific qualifying statements to existing PCRS competencies to better meet the needs of diverse patient populations. This Article describes the committee’s process in developing these qualifiers of competence. To facilitate widespread adoption of the contextualized competencies in U.S. medical schools, the committee used an established competency framework to develop qualifiers of competence to improve the health of individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender; gender nonconforming; or born with differences in sexual development. This process can be applied to other underrepresented populations or medical conditions, ensuring that relevant topics are included in medical education and, ultimately, health care outcomes are improved for all patients inclusive of diversity, background, and ability.
Cognitive Functioning after Surgery in Middle-aged and Elderly Danish Twins
Authors: Dokkedal Unni , Hansen Tom G. , Rasmussen Lars S. , Mengel-From Jonas , Christensen Kaare
Published: January 2016

AbstractAbstract

In a study of 8,503 twins, a negligible but statistically significant decrease in a sensitive composite cognitive score was present in twins with at least one major surgery, but there was no difference by intrapair analysis. There was no clinically significant association of major surgery and anesthesia with long-term cognitive dysfunction, suggesting that factors other than surgery and anesthesia are more important.

Background

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is common, but it remains unclear whether there are long-term adverse cognitive effects of surgery combined with anesthesia. The authors examined the association between exposure to surgery and level of cognitive functioning in a sample of 8,503 middle-aged and elderly twins.

Methods

Results from five cognitive tests were compared in twins exposed to surgery, classified as major, minor, hip and knee replacement, or other, with those of a reference group without surgery using linear regression adjusted for sex and age. Genetic and shared environmental confounding was addressed in intrapair analyses of 87 monozygotic and 124 dizygotic same-sexed twin pairs in whom one had a history of major surgery and the other did not.

Results

Statistically significantly lower composite cognitive score was found in twins with at least one major surgery compared with the reference group (mean difference, −0.27; 95% CI, −0.48 to −0.06), corresponding to one tenth of an SD, that is, a negligible effect size. In the intrapair analysis, the surgery-exposed co-twin had the lower cognitive score in 49% (95% CI, 42 to 56%) of the pairs. None of the other groups differed from the reference group except the knee and hip replacement group that tended to have higher cognitive scores (mean difference, 0.35; 95% CI, −0.18 to 0.87).

Conclusions

A history of major surgery was associated with a negligibly lower level of cognitive functioning. The supplementary analyses suggest that preoperative cognitive functioning and underlying diseases were more important for cognitive functioning in mid- and late life than surgery and anesthesia.
Plica Mediana Dorsalis
Authors: Ginosar Yehuda , Davidson Elyad M.
Published: January 2016

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.
The Impact of Prehospital Intubation With and Without Sedation on Outcome in Trauma Patients With a GCS of 8 or Less
Authors: Hoffmann Michael , Czorlich Patrick , Lehmann Wolfgang , Spiro Alexander S. , Rueger Johannes M. , Lefering Rolf
Published: January 2016

Background:

Although unconsciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] 3 to 8) necessitates intubation according national guidelines, there is a notable lack of evidence to support this approach. This study evaluates the impact on outcome of prehospital intubation with and without sedation in trauma patients with a GCS of ≤8.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort analysis of severely injured trauma patients registered in the TraumaRegister DGU of the German Trauma Society (DGU) from 2002 to 2013 was conducted. Only directly admitted patients alive on admission and with a GCS of ≤8 at the scene were included. The observed outcome was matched with the expected outcome deriving from the Revised Injury Severity Classification, version II (RISC-II). Furthermore, a Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) was calculated for various subgroups. Early neurological outcome was classified using the Glasgow Outcome Scale.

Results:

A total of 21,242 patients fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. A total of 18,975 patients (89.3%) received prehospital intubation. Intubation rates were continuously increasing with decreasing GCS score values. Difference between observed and expected mortality was lower in intubated patients (42.2% [95% confidence interval (CI), 41.5%-42.9%]; RISC-II prognosis 41.4%; SMR 1.020 [95% CI, 1.003-1.037]) compared with nonintubated (30.0% [95% CI, 28.1-31.9%] RISC-II prognosis 26.6% and SMR 1.128 [95% CI, 1.057-1.199]). Patients being sedated before intubation presented significant (P<0.001) lower observed mortality (37.7% [95% CI, 36.7-38.7%], RISC-II prognosis 39.0%, SMR 0.967 [95% CI, 0.951-0.983]) associated with a less poor early neurological outcome compared with those being intubated without sedation.

Conclusions:

Observed outcome of prehospital intubated patients with a GCS of ≤8 seems less poor than predicted compared with nonintubated patients. Sedation before intubation might potentially decrease mortality and improve early neurological outcome. Further studies are required to clarify this issue.
Quantitative histopathology identifies patients with thin melanomas who are at risk for metastases
Authors: Glazer Evan S. , Bartels Peter H. , Lian Fangru , Kha Stephanie T. , Morgan Sherif S. , da Silva Vinicius D. , Yozwiak Michael L. , Bartels Hubert G. , Cranmer Lee D. , de Oliveira Jefferson K. , Alberts David S. , Warneke James A. , Krouse Robert S.
Published: January 2016

This small exploratory study was designed to test the hypothesis that thin melanoma lesions contain nuclei of two similar phenotypes, in different proportions. In lesions likely to progress to metastatic disease, one of these phenotypes predominates. Histopathological sections from 18 cases of thin melanomas which did not progress to metastasis, and from 10 cases which did progress were imaged and digitized at high resolution, with a total of 2084 and 1148 nuclei, respectively, recorded. Five karyometric features were used to discriminate between nuclei from indolent and from potentially metastatic lesions. For each case, the percentage of nuclei classified by the discriminant function as having come from a potentially metastatic lesion was determined and termed as case classification criterion. Standard histopathological criteria, such as ulceration and high mitotic index, indicated in this material the need for intensive therapy for only one of the 10 participants, as compared with 7/10 identified correctly by the karyometric measure. Using a case classification criterion threshold of 40%, the overall accuracy was 86% in the test set. The proportion of nuclei of an aggressive phenotype may lend itself as an effective prognostic clue for thin melanoma lesions. The algorithm developed in this training set appears to identify those patients at high risk for metastatic disease, and demonstrates a basis for a further study to assess the utility of prognostic clues for thin melanomas.
Glaucoma and the Origins of Its Name
Authors: Laios Konstantinos , Moschos Marilita M. , Androutsos George
Published: January 2016

Purpose:

To identify the origins of the name of the disease Glaucoma.

Methods:

Ancient Greek medical literature, Homeric poems, and ancient Greek religion and art were examined.

Results:

The roots of the name Glaucoma could be traced back to Homeric times. Ancient Greek physicians following the Hippocratic tradition preferred the use of the terms Hypochysis or Hypochyma for the same disease. This fact indicates that the older term Glaucoma did not fulfill strict medical criteria, but had a long history connected to superstition, which the rational ancient Greek physician tried to overcome using terms derived from their fundamental principal of humoral pathology.

Conclusions:

In ancient Greek medical literature, Glaucoma had a significant place among ocular diseases. The origin of its name could be traced back to Homeric times and could be connected to the ancient belief of a primitive folk about the apotropaic role of animals against diseases, which in this case is represented by the superstitious role of the owl.
New and Emerging Antibiotics for Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections
Authors: Durand Cheryl R. , Alsharhan Mohammad , Willett Kristine C.
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolozane/tazobactam in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI), and review eravacycline and other agents in the pipeline for management of cIAI. The increasing incidence of multidrug resistant strains of bacteria has led to the need for additional antibiotics with activity against these organisms. There are 2 newly approved antibiotics, ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolazane/tazobactam for treatment of cIAI. Both agents have been shown to exert activity against resistant bacteria, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing organisms. Several other antibiotics are currently under investigation for this indication. Included in the pipeline of agents is a new tetracycline, an aminoglycoside, 2 new fluroquinolones, and 2 new beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations with carbapenems. Although the mechanisms for these new agents are not novel, promising data have shown their ability to overcome class resistance. The passing of the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Act has led to an increasing number of fast tracked antibiotic approvals. In addition to recent approval of ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolazane/tazobactam, several other emerging antibiotics are under investigation which will aid in the management of resistant cIAI.
Determinants of disease-specific health-related quality of life in Turkish stroke survivors
Authors: Safaz İsmail , Kesikburun Serdar , Adigüzel Emre , Yilmaz Bilge
Published: January 2016

Stroke is a worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality that affects health-related quality of life. In this study, our objective was to identify determinants of disease-specific health-related quality of life in Turkish stroke survivors. A total of 114 consecutive patients who experienced a stroke at least 6 months earlier were studied. Health-related quality of life was measured using Stroke-specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) consisting of 12 domains. Demographic and clinical data were collected, including age, sex, marital status, years of education, time since stroke, whether the patient received rehabilitation before enrollment, stroke etiology, whether the dominant hand was affected or not, presence of vision defect, neglect, aphasia, and dysarthria. The patients were assessed by the functional independence measure (FIM) and the Mini-Mental State Examination. A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out using a stepwise method to determine the predictors of 12 domains and the total score of the SS-QoL. The domains of work, social roles, mobility, and self-care had the lowest SS-QoL scores, whereas the highest scores were for the domains of personality, thinking, language, and vision. The total SS-QoL score was explained by the total FIM and Mini-Mental State Examination. Among the 12 domains, the mobility domain was explained the best (R
2=0.50) by motor FIM, previously received rehabilitation, and age, followed by the language domain (R
2=0.37) explained by the presence of aphasia and dysarthria, and previously received rehabilitation. The domains of mood (R
2=0.13) and upper extremity (R
2=0.19) were explained the worst. The results indicated that functional independence, age, cognitive status, and receiving a rehabilitation program were the primary determinants of the SS-QoL.
Reducing Patient Clinical Management Errors Using Structured Content and Electronic Nursing Handover
Authors: Johnson Maree , Sanchez Paula , Zheng Catherine
Published: January 2016

We examined whether an integrated nursing handover system—structured content and an electronic tool within the patient clinical information system with bedside delivery—would improve the quality of information delivered at nursing handover and reduce adverse patient outcomes. Using a pre/posttest evaluative design, improvements in the transfer of critical patient information and reductions in nursing clinical management incidents were demonstrated. No changes in falls or medication incident rates were identified.
Chart It to Stop It
Authors: Gillespie Gordon Lee , Leming-Lee Treasa (Susie) , Crutcher Terri , Mattei Jennifer
Published: January 2016

A multicomponent intervention was attempted in a pediatric emergency department to increase reporting of workplace aggression committed by patients and visitors. Overall reporting decreased from 53% to 47% (P = .06). Reasons for reporting were severity of incident and being asked to report. Reasons for not reporting were incidents being too minor and no action would be taken. Future change efforts need to consider multiple modes of communication to promote adoption of reporting and inclusion of administrators in efforts to improve reporting.
Three-Dimensional Topographic Surface Changes in Response to Compartmental Volumization of the Medial Cheek: Defining a Malar Augmentation Zone
Authors: Stern Carrie S. , Schreiber Jillian E. , Surek Chris C. , Garfein Evan S. , Jelks Elizabeth B. , Jelks Glenn W. , Tepper Oren M.
Published: January 2016

Background:

Given the widespread use of facial fillers and recent identification of distinct facial fat compartments, a better understanding of three-dimensional surface changes in response to volume augmentation is needed. Advances in three-dimensional imaging technology now afford an opportunity to elucidate these morphologic changes for the first time.

Methods:

A cadaver study was undertaken in which volumization of the deep medial cheek compartment was performed at intervals up to 4 cc (n = 4). Three-dimensional photographs were taken after each injection to analyze the topographic surface changes, which the authors define as the “augmentation zone.” Perimeter, diameter, and projection were studied. The arcus marginalis of the inferior orbit consistently represented a fixed boundary of the augmentation zone, and additional cadavers underwent similar volumization following surgical release of this portion of the arcus marginalis (n = 4). Repeated three-dimensional computer analysis was performed comparing the augmentation zone with and without arcus marginalis release.

Results:

Volumization of the deep medial cheek led to unique topographic changes of the malar region defined by distinct boundaries. Interestingly, the cephalic border of the augmentation zone was consistently noted to be at the level of the arcus marginalis in all specimens. When surgical release of the arcus marginalis was performed, the cephalic border of the augmentation zone was no longer restricted.

Conclusions:

Using advances in three-dimensional photography and computer analysis, the authors demonstrate characteristic surface anatomy changes in response to volume augmentation of facial compartments. This novel concept of the augmentation zone can be applied to volumization of other distinct facial regions.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, V.
How Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Make Decisions Regarding Hand Reconstruction: A Qualitative Study from the Silicone Arthroplasty in Rheumatoid Arthritis Project
Authors: Mathews Alexandra L. , Burns Patricia B. , Chung Kevin C.
Published: January 2016

Background:

Previous studies have determined specific factors influencing patients with rheumatoid arthritis to choose to undergo reconstructive hand surgery. However, little is known about how rheumatoid arthritis patients are counseled by physicians regarding surgical options and the concerns that cause patients to decide not to undergo hand surgery reconstruction. The authors conducted a qualitative study to investigate the decision-making process rheumatoid arthritis patients undergo when deciding about surgical treatment, including the specific involvement from their physicians in the decision.

Methods:

Participants were recruited from the ongoing international collaborative Silicone Arthroplasty in Rheumatoid Arthritis study. Twenty semistructured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology.

Results:

Eight of the 11 participants that underwent metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty indicated that improving hand function was the primary reason they chose to undergo surgery. Four of these participants were concerned about the aesthetics of their hands, whereas five of the eight participants who discussed their reasoning for not undergoing surgery felt aesthetics was not a good enough reason to undergo surgery. Three participants indicated that a negative perception of hand surgery by their rheumatologists discouraged them from the procedure. Finally, most (14 of 18) participants chose to make the final decision about surgery without involvement from their physician.

Conclusions:

The decision of whether or not to undergo surgery can be personal, and patients may prefer to make the final decision independently. It is important that rheumatoid arthritis patients receive collaborative counseling from their rheumatologists and hand surgeons to ensure they are making a knowledgeable decision.
Primary versus Flap Closure of Perineal Defects following Oncologic Resection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Devulapalli Chris , Jia Wei Anne Tong , DiBiagio Jennifer R. , Baez Marcelo L. , Baltodano Pablo A. , Seal Stella M. , Sacks Justin M. , Cooney Carisa M. , Rosson Gedge D.
Published: January 2016

Background:

Abdominoperineal resection and pelvic exenteration for resection of malignancies can lead to large perineal defects with significant surgical-site morbidity. Myocutaneous flaps have been proposed in place of primary closure to improve wound healing. A systematic review was conducted to compare primary closure with myocutaneous flap reconstruction of perineal defects following abdominoperineal resection or pelvic exenteration with regard to surgical-site complications.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases. After data extraction from included studies, meta-analysis was performed to compare outcome parameters defining surgical-site complications of flap and primary closure.

Results:

Our systematic review yielded 10 eligible studies (one randomized controlled trial and nine retrospective studies) involving 566 patients (226 flaps and 340 primary closures). Eight studies described rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps and two studies used gracilis flaps. In meta-analysis, primary closure was more than twice as likely to be associated with total perineal wound complications compared with flap closure (OR, 2.17; 95 percent CI, 1.34 to 3.14; p = 0.001). Rates of major perineal wound complications were also significantly higher in the primary closure group (OR, 3.64; 95 percent CI, 1.43 to 7.79; p = 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference between primary and flap closure for minor perineal wound complications, abdominal hernias, length of stay, or reoperation rate.

Conclusions:

This is the first systematic review with meta-analysis comparing primary closure with myocutaneous flap closure for pelvic reconstruction. The authors’ results have validated the use of myocutaneous flaps for reducing perineal morbidity following abdominoperineal resection or pelvic exenteration.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, II.
JMJ24 targets CHROMOMETHYLASE3 for proteasomal degradation inArabidopsis
Authors: Deng Shulin , Jang In-Cheol , Su Linlin , Xu Jun , Chua Nam-Hai
Published: January 2016

H3K9 methylation is usually associated with DNA methylation, and together they symbolize transcriptionally silenced heterochromatin. A number of proteins involved in epigenetic processes have been characterized. However, how the stability of these proteins is regulated at the post-translational level is largely unknown. Here, we show that anArabidopsisJmjC domain protein, JMJ24, possesses ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. JMJ24 directly targets a DNA methyltransferase, CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 (CMT3), for proteasomal degradation to initiate destabilization of the heterochromatic state of endogenous silenced loci. Our results uncover an additional connection between two conserved epigenetic modifications: histone modification and DNA methylation.
A-type lamins bind both hetero- and euchromatin, the latter being regulated by lamina-associated polypeptide 2 alpha
Authors: Gesson Kevin , Rescheneder Philipp , Skoruppa Michael P. , von Haeseler Arndt , Dechat Thomas , Foisner Roland
Published: January 2016

Lamins are components of the peripheral nuclear lamina and interact with heterochromatic genomic regions, termed lamina-associated domains (LADs). In contrast to lamin B1 being primarily present at the nuclear periphery, lamin A/C also localizes throughout the nucleus, where it associates with the chromatin-binding protein lamina-associated polypeptide (LAP) 2 alpha. Here, we show that lamin A/C also interacts with euchromatin, as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation of euchromatin- and heterochromatin-enriched samples. By way of contrast, lamin B1 was only found associated with heterochromatin. Euchromatic regions occupied by lamin A/C overlap with those bound by LAP2alpha, and lack of LAP2alpha in LAP2alpha-deficient cells shifts binding of lamin A/C toward more heterochromatic regions. These alterations in lamin A/C-chromatin interactions correlate with changes in epigenetic histone marks in euchromatin but do not significantly affect gene expression. Loss of lamin A/C in heterochromatic regions in LAP2alpha-deficient cells, however, correlated with increased gene expression. Our data show a novel role of nucleoplasmic lamin A/C and LAP2alpha in regulating euchromatin.
Redefining “Employability” as something to be achieved
Authors: Reid James
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute a broader understanding of the complexity in relationships of power and responsibility in employability in higher education contexts and posits a conceptual framework for employability as a process, something to be achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

– This conceptual paper arises from experience of and research into placement practices and draws upon Joan Tronto’s feminist epistemology (1993, 2012) to argue for a critical understanding of employability.

Findings

– There is little in the literature that discusses employability as a process involving moral and political work. The conceptual framework offers a process of five phases to provide a foundation for understanding employability that moves beyond a focus on skills and attributes.

Research limitations/implications

– The conceptual framework enables all employability professionals, including researchers, to think beyond skills and attributes for employment to explore the implications of the relations that shape the need for employability within and outside their sphere.

Practical implications

– Developing a conceptual framework enables employability professionals to evaluate their practices and assess: if practices are inclusive or excluding; the implications of power and responsibility; the tensions arising from the diverse nature of need in employability work.

Originality/value

– This paper posits a conceptual framework for understanding the process of employability work as something to be achieved.
Ecologies of practice in tertiary art and design: a review of two cases
Authors: Rourke Arianne Jennifer , Snepvangers Kim
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to re-orientate assessment tasks in tertiary art and design, arguing the important role ecologies of practice and work-place learning play in professional identity formation. Linking coursework design with dilemmas and self-regulatory tasks which move beyond compliance and static content in isolated courses.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two purposive case studies were selected from one academic year across two programs. Student feedback data demonstrated how the first blog journal case provided a metacognitive structure for postgraduates’ while working in the arts industry. The second eportfolio case illustrates ecologies supporting undergraduate “practice architectures” during pre-service practicum.

Findings

– Ecologies of practice reveal complexity and inform professional judgment by allowing unsettling issues and concerns to be addressed. Changing commitment through future orientation counteracts institutional requirements for self-portrayal by fostering greater participation by learners.

Research limitations/implications

– Survey data limitations are addressed through peer-review, emergent trends and longevity of the learning design. Guidelines on how to provide critical and constructive feedback within collaborative cohorts, prioritizes intrinsic motivation, indeterminacy and authentic principles in career related pathways.

Practical implications

– Assessment, course and program re-design engaged with ecologies of practice produced student qualitative commentary giving “voice” and evidence of teleo (purpose) and affective (commitment) in ways not typically known in academic programs.

Social implications

– Students self-regulate learning and utilize technology within a “safe” learning space. Social connectedness through articulated encounters powerfully impacts personal awareness, confidence and resilience.

Originality/value

– This research has provided critical guidelines for how to scaffold feedback in professional learning. The case studies show how reflective environments engaged with unresolved critical incidents build professional knowledge and identity across time.
Implementation of quality initiatives in Indian public and private sector organizations
Authors: Krishnan Archana
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse and compare the implementation of quality initiatives in banking, insurance and tele-communication industry under public and private sectors in India.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study comprised of a descriptive research with a cross-sectional design. Preliminary interviews and extensive literature review was done to identify the quality initiatives to be considered for the study. Data were gathered through a questionnaire comprising of items on a five-point Likert’s scale. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviations and inferential statistics such as paired t-test and correlation were used for analysing the data.

Findings

– The results depict that although both the sectors are trying to outsmart each other by the various quality initiatives undertaken, the private sector is still ahead in quality implementation. It is also worth witnessing a major overhaul in the public sector operations to service the end customer with utmost commitment good enough to match its private counterparts.

Practical implications

– The paper provides insights to young managers and researchers about the level of implementation of quality practices in public and private sector organisations and strategies for improvement.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to theory and practice as little empirical research is available to understand the differences between the two sectors on the basis of quality initiatives. Also there is dearth of such a research in industries other than banking.
The moderating effects of environmental risk of the industry on the relationship between corporate environmental and financial performance
Authors: Semenova Natalia , Hassel Lars G.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Industries differ in their environmental impacts, such as emissions, water and energy use, fuel consumption and hazardous wastes, which will have implications for how environmental performance translates to operating performance and market value at company level. By incorporating industry-specific differences of environmental impacts, this paper includes industry-level environmental risk as a moderating factor on the relationship between two indicators of corporate environmental performance (CEP) (management and policy) and corporate financial performance (profitability and market value). The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using panel data of US companies across all industries, the paper empirically tests a regression model, which includes an interaction effect representing both the form and strength of dependency of CEP on the environmental risk of the industry. The paper adopts the natural resource based theory to argue that financial returns are a decreasing function of CEP in high environmental impact industries, where environmental spending beyond compliance is costly and there is not much opportunity for consumer orientation.

Findings

– The results show that environmental management has different impacts on operating performance at high and low environmental risk of the industry (form of relationship) while environmental policy (reporting) has a stronger signal on market premium in industries with low rather than high environmental risk (strength of relationship). Differences in both form and strength of moderating effects are demonstrated.

Research limitations/implications

– Further research can introduce other industry-specific moderating factors, such as the disclosure maturity of the industry and the institutionalization of environmental disclosures across boarders in the industries, in order to explore the complexity of the relationship.

Practical implications

– The results of the paper are relevant to investors, company managers and a broad group of stakeholders when considering both industry- and company-level environmental risks.

Originality/value

– Previous studies have relied on controlling for industry membership. This paper uses an industry-specific environmental variable, environmental risk of the industry, to examine the form and strength of moderating effects.
Modelling of hardwood forest in Quebec under dynamic disturbance regimes: a time‐inhomogeneous Markov chain approach
Authors: Liénard Jean F. , Strigul Nikolay S.
Published: January 2016

We investigate the consequences of global warming scenarios in Quebec forests using an inhomogeneous Markov chain model. This allows us to unify predictions from climate change models and mechanistic models of forest disturbance and growth and allows predicting the potential impacts of climate change on Quebec forests. The model predicts changes in fire rate in Quebec hardwood forests as well as possible growth enhancements due to increasingand temperature.

Our original method consists of three steps. (i) We estimate biomass transition matrices from forest inventories using the Bayesian method. (ii) We incorporate dynamic disturbance and forest growth scenarios, and (iii) we simulate transient dynamics and stationary states. This modelling approach allows for sensitivity analysis and quantitative assessment effects of variability of climate change scenarios.

We have considered published climate change scenarios for Quebec and conducted simulations for the most extreme predictions (the smallest and largest predicted changes). None of the considered scenarios is able to counterbalance the currently observed trend of increasing biomass in the next 40 years. By the beginning of 2090, the extreme scenarios diverge within about ±5% mean biomass.

Synthesis. In this work, we have developed an original modelling approach incorporating time‐ inhomogeneous effects within the Markov chain framework. We applied this approach to examine effects of climate change in Quebec's forests. The results demonstrate that the current trend of increase in forest biomass is robust with respect to a broad range of climate change scenarios. This study was not possible with previously employed homogeneous Markov chain models. The model can also be extended to include different harvesting methods and land‐use practices, enabling better long‐term management of Quebec's forest.
Development and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers in Rhododendron simsii (Ericaceae)
Authors: Wang Shuzhen , Li Zhiliang , Jin Weibin , Xiang Fu , Xiang Jun , Fang Yuanping
Published: January 2016

A set of 14 polymorphic microsatellite markers has been developed and characterized using FIASCO (fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats) methods for the garden plant, Rhododendron simsii Planch. Forty‐one R. simsii individuals showing large morphological differences were used to identify these markers. The total number of alleles for each locus ranged from 2 to 6, with an average value of 3.643. The expected heterozygosities and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.137 to 0.778 and 0.000 to 0.769, respectively. Eight loci exhibited significant deviations from Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium. Among these microsatellites, seven could successfully be transferred to four related species (R. pulchrum, R. hybrida, R. alutaceum and R. molle (Blume) G. Don). These novel microsatellite markers could be further used for assessment of genetic diversity and population structure, phylogeographic analysis and marker‐assisted selection for R. simsii and other Rhododendron species.
The effects of pollinators and seed predators (Bruchidius koenigi Schilsky) on the breeding biology of Hedysarum criniferum Boiss
Authors: Shahbazi Atefeh , Matinkhah SayedHamid , Khajeali Jahangir , Bashari Hossein , Tarkesh Esfahani Mostafa
Published: January 2016

Antagonists and mutualists both play important roles in a plant's reproductive fitness. In the present study, seed predator and pollinator effects were studied simultaneously in a patchily distributed legume, Hedysarum criniferum, in its natural habitat in the Irano‐Turanian region. This experiment examined whether a relationship existed between seed predator and pollinator effects on H. criniferum seed production, and the degree to which each of them impacts the plant's seed survival. To achieve this goal, the effects of seed predators and pollinators in an exclosure were separately and simultaneously evaluated, using a 2 × 2 factorial design, with 16–20 plants per treatment (n = 70) in four replications. The results show that the pollinators caused a 40‐fold increment in loments, a 59.3‐fold greater production in seeds and a 14‐fold increment in gross fecundity compared with their absence. Moreover, the seed predators infected on average 23% of the seeds. It was also observed that seed abortion, as well as the interaction of seed predator × pollinator effects on seed production, was insignificant. Despite the loss of some seeds caused by seed predators, the healthy seeds were sufficient to guarantee plant survival. Consequently, seed predators seem not to be the main factor in the patchy distribution of H. criniferum and, therefore, to develop plant habitats by seeds, it is more important to protect the pollinators than to devise any intervention to remove the predators. Bruchidius koenigi Schilsky and a description of its host plant are reported here for the first time from Iran.
Relating therapeutically in family therapy: pragmatics and intangibles
Authors: Flaskas Carmel
Published: January 2016

This paper offers a set of theory reflections on the challenges of relating therapeutically and holding a therapeutic position in family therapy. The context is the relational space of family therapy, which shapes the possibilities and limits of therapeutic relating. Pragmatics unfold in the doing of therapy within this space, and processes of engagement, empathy and the therapist's capacities for resonance and reactivities are all considered as part of the pragmatics of therapeutic relating in family therapy. Yet these processes and the therapist's involvement of self are not simply pragmatic. The exploration turns to ideas that attempt to meet the intangibles of the intersubjective space of therapeutic relationships. Ideas from contemporary family therapy discussions drawing on psychoanalytic ideas are placed side‐by‐side ideas of dialogical therapy as a way of opening out different understandings of the intangibles of the space between in therapeutic relating.

Practitioner points

The relational space of family therapy shapes the possibilities and limits of therapeutic relating

Practices in relation to engagement, empathy and the therapist's involvement of self unfold as part of the pragmatics of therapeutic relating within this relational space

Complexities of the therapist's involvement and use of self, and the richness and potentials of the therapeutic relationship, also lie in the intangibles of the space between

Ideas from psychoanalytic thinking and dialogical therapy offer understandings of the intangibles of the intersubjective space of therapeutic relating.
Accountability across the Continuum: The Participation of Postacute Care Providers in Accountable Care Organizations
Authors: Colla Carrie H. , Lewis Valerie A. , Bergquist Savannah L. , Shortell Stephen M.
Published: January 2016

Objective

To examine the extent to which accountable care organizations (ACOs) formally incorporate postacute care providers.

Data Sources

The National Survey of ACOs (N = 269, response rate 66 percent).

Study Design

We report statistics on ACOs' formal inclusion of postacute care providers and the organizational characteristics and clinical capabilities of ACOs that have postacute care.

Principal Findings

Half of ACOs formally include at least one postacute service, with inclusion at higher rates in ACOs with commercial (64 percent) and Medicaid contracts (70 percent) compared to ACOs with Medicare contracts only (45 percent). ACOs that have a formal relationship with a postacute provider are more likely to have advanced transition management, end of life planning, readmission prevention, and care management capabilities.

Conclusions

Many ACOs have not formally engaged postacute care, which may leave room to improve service integration and care management.
The Effect of the 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations on Mammography Rates
Authors: Gray Natallia , Picone Gabriel
Published: January 2016

Objective

To examine the effect of a change in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening guidelines on mammography rates in the United States.

Principal Findings

In 2010, the year following the change in guidelines, 12‐month mammography prevalence among women aged 40–49 years fell by 2.09 percentage points (95 percent confidence interval [CI]: −2.87 to −1.31) from 54.63 percent in 2008. For women aged 50–74 years, and aged 75 years and older, 12‐month screening rates were 2.21 (95 percent CI: −2.65 to −1.77) and 3.60 (95 percent CI: −4.48 to −2.70) percentage points lower than those in 2008. In 2012, for women aged 40–49 years, 12‐month prevalence fell to 52.51 percent, a decline of 2.12 percentage points (95 percent CI: −2.79 to −1.32) relative to screening rates prior the USPSTF announcement. For women aged 50–74 years and aged 75 years and older screening rates were 2.45 (95 percent CI: −2.96 to −2.07) and 5.71 (95 percent CI: −6.61 to −4.81) percentage points lower, respectively, in 2012 than in 2008.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates an immediate and lasting reduction in the rates of breast cancer screening among women of all age groups after the 2009 revision of screening guidelines by the USPSTF.