bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 16-Year Experience in Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Gosev Igor , Kaneko Tsuyoshi , McGurk Siobhan , McClure Scott R. , Maloney Ann , Cohn Lawrence H.
Published: April 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with aortic valve disease who had minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (AVR) through upper hemisternotomy.

Methods

From July 1996 to June 2012, a total of 1639 patients underwent minimally invasive aortic valve surgery (AVR). Patient data were extracted from hospital electronic records after institutional review board approval. Outcomes of interest included postoperative complication rates, perioperative mortality, and long-term survival.

Results

The mean age was 67 years (SD, 14 years; range, 22–95 years). Of the total cohort, 211 (13%) underwent reoperative AVR. Postoperatively, 2.3% (37/1639) had reoperations to correct bleeding, 2.7% (44/1639) had strokes, 20.4% (334/1639) had new-onset atrial fibrillation, and 1.5% (24/1639) required permanent pacemakers. Only 34% (571/1639) of the patients received packed red blood cells. The median discharge was on day 6 (5–8), and 72.2% of the patients (1184/1639) were discharged home. Operative mortality was 2.9% (48/1639), and long-term survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 96%, 93%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. Operative mortality was 5.7% (12/208) for the reoperative patients.

Conclusions

The upper hemisternotomy approach for AVR is safe and reliable, especially for patients undergoing reoperations and those older than 80 years.
Six-Month Healing of the Nonocclusive Coronary Anastomotic Connector in an Off-Pump Porcine Bypass Model
Authors: Stecher David , Agostoni Pierfrancesco , Pasterkamp Gerard , Hoefer Imo E. , van Herwerden Lex A. , Buijsrogge Marc P.
Published: April 2014

Objective

This pilot study evaluates the anastomotic healing of the Excimer Laser Assisted Nonocclusive Anastomosis coronary connector at 6 months in a porcine off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) model.

Methods

Left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending coronary artery bypass in two animals and left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending coronary artery and right internal thoracic artery to right coronary artery bypasses in one animal were evaluated intraoperatively and at 6 months. The anastomoses (n = 4) were examined by angiography, intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, scanning electron microscopy, and histology.

Results

At follow-up, all anastomoses (n = 4) were fully patent (FitzGibbon grade A). Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated complete endothelial coverage of the anastomotic surface, and histology showed minimal streamlining intimal hyperplasia. The in vivo intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography acquisitions confirmed histologic findings. Optical coherence tomography demonstrated 0.06-mm intimal coverage of the intraluminal part of the connector along the full circumference of the anastomosis.

Conclusions

In this pilot study, the Excimer Laser Assisted Non-occlusive Anastomosis coronary connector showed an excellent healing response on the long-term in the porcine OPCAB model. Hence, this new concept might be a potential alternative to hand-sutured anastomosis in (minimally invasive) OPCAB surgery.
Aortic Valve Replacement via Right Minithoracotomy versus Median Sternotomy
Authors: Glower Donald D. , Desai Bhargavi S. , Hughes G. Chad , Milano Carmelo A. , Gaca Jeffrey G.
Published: April 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to define the relative role of a right minithoracotomy (RT) versus standard median sternotomy (ST) for open aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed of all 1348 patients undergoing isolated, open AVR at a single institution during a 14-year period. Because relatively few patients were technically suitable for redo AVR with the RT approach (n = 20), all redo patients (n = 209) were excluded, leaving 1139 patients available for analysis. Patients converting from RT to ST approach (n = 15) were analyzed separately.

Results

Relative to ST (n = 672), the RT patients (n = 452) were older with more stenosis but with more recent operation year, lower rate of congestive heart failure, higher ejection fraction, lower rate of endocarditis, and lower rate of renal disease than the ST AVR patients (all P < 0.0001). Right minithoracotomy AVR was associated with longer cardiopulmonary bypass times [157 (25) vs 131 (38), P = 0.0004] and clamp times [103 (20) vs 85 (27), P < 0.0001] but less transfusion (1.4 vs 3.4 U, P = 0.0003), less chest tube output (405 vs 950 mL, P < 0.0001), fewer reoperations for bleeding (0.4% vs 4%, P < 0.0001), shorter length of stay (6 vs 8 days, P = 0.03), and lower rate of atrial fibrillation (15% vs 20%, P = 0.03). Stroke, operative mortality, and survival were not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusions

Given the biases of retrospective propensity-adjusted analysis, these data suggest that RT AVR is a safe alternative to ST AVR in selected patients, with advantages of avoiding sternotomy with associated bleeding, transfusion, and delayed wound healing, at the expense of longer pump and clamp times.
Minimally Invasive Approach to the Supradiaphragmatic Inferior Vena Cava
Authors: Hui Dawn S. , Gill Inderbir S. , Cunningham Mark J.
Published: April 2014

Minimally invasive techniques for cardiac operations have evolved in safety and popularity. To our knowledge, a thoracoscopic technique for control of the inferior vena cava (IVC) has not been previously described. We report a case of a right renal cell cancer with tumor extension into the IVC. Total thoracoscopic isolation and occlusion of the IVC were performed. Intraoperative real-time transesophageal echocardiography confirmed complete cessation of caval flow upon cinching the Rummel tourniquet. As extensive intra-abdominal operations are more often being attempted laparoscopically or robotically, video-assisted thoracoscopic IVC occlusion for proximal control for tumors extending into the cava can be achieved to offer a minimally invasive thoracic approach.
Exposure to parasites increases promiscuity in a freshwater snail
Authors: Soper D. M. , King K. C. , Vergara D. , Lively C. M.
Published: April 2014

Under the Red Queen hypothesis, outcrossing can produce genetically variable progeny, which may be more resistant, on average, to locally adapted parasites. Mating with multiple partners may enhance this resistance by further increasing the genetic variation among offspring. We exposed
Potamopyrgus antipodarum
to the eggs of a sterilizing, trematode parasite and tested whether this altered mating behaviour. We found that exposure to parasites increased the number of snail mating pairs and the total number of different mating partners for both males and females. Thus, our results suggest that, in host populations under parasite-mediated selection, exposure to infective propagules increases the rate of mating and the number of mates.
Identification of visual paternity cues in humans
Authors: Alvergne Alexandra , Perreau Fanny , Mazur Allan , Mueller Ulrich , Raymond Michel
Published: April 2014

Understanding how individuals identify their relatives has implications for the evolution of social behaviour. Kinship cues might be based on familiarity, but in the face of paternity uncertainty and costly paternal investment, other mechanisms such as phenotypic matching may have evolved. In humans, paternal recognition of offspring and subsequent discriminative paternal investment have been linked to father–offspring facial phenotypic similarities. However, the extent to which paternity detection is impaired by environmentally induced facial information is unclear. We used 27 portraits of fathers and their adult sons to quantify the level of paternity detection according to experimental treatments that manipulate the location, type and quantity of visible facial information. We found that (i) the lower part of the face, that changes most with development, does not contain paternity cues, (ii) paternity can be detected even if relational information within the face is disrupted and (iii) the signal depends on the presence of specific information rather than their number. Taken together, the results support the view that environmental effects have little influence on the detection of paternity using facial similarities. This suggests that the cognitive dispositions enabling the facial detection of kinship relationships ignore genetic irrelevant facial information.
Antennal lobe organization and pheromone usage in bombycid moths
Authors: Namiki Shigehiro , Daimon Takaaki , Iwatsuki Chika , Shimada Toru , Kanzaki Ryohei
Published: April 2014

We investigated the neuroanatomy of the macroglomerular complex (MGC), which is involved in sex pheromone processing, in five species in the subfamily Bombycinae, including
Ernolatia moorei
,
Trilocha varians
,
Rondotia menciana
,
Bombyx mandarina
and
Bombyx mori
. The glomerulus located at the dorsal-most part of the olfactory centre shows the largest volume in moth species examined to date. Such normal glomerular organization has been observed in
E. moorei
and
T. varians
, which use a two-component mixture and includes the compound bombykal as a mating signal. By contrast, the other three species, which use another component as a single attractant, exhibited a modified arrangement of the MGC. This correlation between pheromone usage and neural organization may be useful for understanding the process of speciation.
Interaction of colloidal nanoparticles with their local environment: the (ionic) nanoenvironment around nanoparticles is different from bulk and determines the physico-chemical properties of the nanoparticles
Authors: Pfeiffer Christian , Rehbock Christoph , Hühn Dominik , Carrillo-Carrion Carolina , de Aberasturi Dorleta Jimenez , Merk Vivian , Barcikowski Stephan , Parak Wolfgang J.
Published: April 2014

The physico-chemical properties of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) are influenced by their local environment, as, in turn, the local environment influences the physico-chemical properties of the NPs. In other words, the local environment around NPs has a profound impact on the NPs, and it is different from bulk due to interaction with the NP surface. So far, this important effect has not been addressed in a comprehensive way in the literature. The vicinity of NPs can be sensitively influenced by local ions and ligands, with effects already occurring at extremely low concentrations. NPs in the Hückel regime are more sensitive to fluctuations in the ionic environment, because of a larger Debye length. The local ion concentration hereby affects the colloidal stability of the NPs, as it is different from bulk owing to Debye Hückel screening caused by the charge of the NPs. This can have subtle effects, now caused by the environment to the performance of the NP, such as for example a buffering effect caused by surface reaction on ultrapure ligand-free nanogold, a size quenching effect in the presence of specific ions and a significant impact on fluorophore-labelled NPs acting as ion sensors. Thus, the aim of this review is to clarify and give an unifying view of the complex interplay between the NP's surface with their nanoenvironment.
Biogenic gradients in algal density affect the emergent properties of spatially self-organized mussel beds
Authors: Liu Quan-Xing , Weerman Ellen J. , Gupta Rohit , Herman Peter M. J. , Olff Han , van de Koppel Johan
Published: April 2014

Theoretical models highlight that spatially self-organized patterns can have important emergent effects on the functioning of ecosystems, for instance by increasing productivity and affecting the vulnerability to catastrophic shifts. However, most theoretical studies presume idealized homogeneous conditions, which are rarely met in real ecosystems. Using self-organized mussel beds as a case study, we reveal that spatial heterogeneity, resulting from the large-scale effects of mussel beds on their environment, significantly alters the emergent properties predicted by idealized self-organization models that assume homogeneous conditions. The proposed model explicitly considers that the suspended algae, the prime food for the mussels, are supplied by water flow from the seaward boundary of the bed, which causes in combination with consumption a gradual depletion of algae over the simulated domain. Predictions of the model are consistent with properties of natural mussel patterns observed in the field, featuring a decline in mussel biomass and a change in patterning. Model analyses reveal a fundamental change in ecosystem functioning when this self-induced algal depletion gradient is included in the model. First, no enhancement of secondary productivity of the mussels comparing with non-patterns states is predicted, irrespective of parameter setting; the equilibrium amount of mussels is entirely set by the input of algae. Second, alternate stable states, potentially present in the original (no algal gradient) model, are absent when gradual depletion of algae in the overflowing water layer is allowed. Our findings stress the importance of including sufficiently realistic environmental conditions when assessing the emergent properties of self-organized ecosystems.
Spacing and shape of random peaks in non-parametric spectrum estimates
Authors: Thomson D. J. , Haley C. L.
Published: April 2014

In this paper, expressions are derived for the expected number of spurious peaks in a spectrum estimate, that is, crossings above a given significance level per frequency unit, as well as the expected width of these peaks. In numerous scientific applications, spectrum estimates are used for the purpose of identifying sinusoidal or modal components, often thinning large sets of candidate frequencies with coincidence detection. Because one always expects numerous false peaks in a spectrum estimate, knowing the expected rate of false peaks helps to decide whether the number observed is abnormal and hence determine the true nature of the process. An example using solar wind data from the Advanced Composition Explorer is given where spectra display pathological numbers of significant peaks, while temporally permuted versions of the data possess spectra with the number expected for a white, Gaussian process. The permutation test is a valuable diagnostic for processes suspected to contain many line components.
On signals of phase transitions in salmon population dynamics
Authors: Krkošek Martin , Drake John M.
Published: April 2014

Critical slowing down (CSD) reflects the decline in resilience of equilibria near a bifurcation and may reveal early warning signals (EWS) of ecological phase transitions. We studied CSD in the recruitment dynamics of 120 stocks of three Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchusspp.) species in relation to critical transitions in fishery models. Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) exhibited increased variability and autocorrelation in populations that had a growth parameter,r, close to zero, consistent with EWS of extinction. However, models and data for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) indicate that portfolio effects from heterogeneity in age-at-maturity may obscure EWS. Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) show intermediate results. The data do not reveal EWS of Ricker-type bifurcations that cause oscillations and chaos at highr. These results not only provide empirical support for CSD in some ecological systems, but also indicate that portfolio effects of age structure may conceal EWS of some critical transitions.
Heterostyly accelerates diversification via reduced extinction in primroses
Authors: de Vos Jurriaan M. , Hughes Colin E. , Schneeweiss Gerald M. , Moore Brian R. , Conti Elena
Published: April 2014

The exceptional species diversity of flowering plants, exceeding that of their sister group more than 250-fold, is especially evident in floral innovations, interactions with pollinators and sexual systems. Multiple theories, emphasizing flower–pollinator interactions, genetic effects of mating systems or high evolvability, predict that floral evolution profoundly affects angiosperm diversification. However, consequences for speciation and extinction dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate trajectories of species diversification focusing on heterostyly, a remarkable floral syndrome where outcrossing is enforced via cross-compatible floral morphs differing in placement of their respective sexual organs. Heterostyly evolved at least 20 times independently in angiosperms. Using Darwin's model for heterostyly, the primrose family, we show that heterostyly accelerates species diversification via decreasing extinction rates rather than increasing speciation rates, probably owing to avoidance of the negative genetic effects of selfing. However, impact of heterostyly appears to differ over short and long evolutionary time-scales: the accelerating effect of heterostyly on lineage diversification is manifest only over long evolutionary time-scales, whereas recent losses of heterostyly may prompt ephemeral bursts of speciation. Our results suggest that temporal or clade-specific conditions may ultimately determine the net effects of specific traits on patterns of species diversification.
Cultural transmission of tool use by Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiopssp.) provides access to a novel foraging niche
Authors: Krützen Michael , Kreicker Sina , MacLeod Colin D. , Learmonth Jennifer , Kopps Anna M. , Walsham Pamela , Allen Simon J.
Published: April 2014

Culturally transmitted tool use has important ecological and evolutionary consequences and has been proposed as a significant driver of human evolution. Such evidence is still scarce in other animals. In cetaceans, tool use has been inferred using indirect evidence in one population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiopssp.), where particular dolphins (‘spongers’) use marine sponges during foraging. To date, evidence of whether this foraging tactic actually provides access to novel food items is lacking. We used fatty acid (FA) signature analysis to identify dietary differences between spongers and non-spongers, analysing data from 11 spongers and 27 non-spongers from two different study sites. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in FA profiles between spongers and non-spongers between and within study sites. Moreover, FA profiles differed significantly between spongers and non-spongers foraging within the same deep channel habitat, whereas the profiles of non-spongers from deep channel and shallow habitats at this site could not be distinguished. Our results indicate that sponge use by bottlenose dolphins is linked to significant differences in diet. It appears that cultural transmission of tool use in dolphins, as in humans, allows the exploitation of an otherwise unused niche.
Menstrual cycle phase alters women's sexual preferences for composers of more complex music
Authors: Charlton Benjamin D.
Published: April 2014

Over 140 years ago Charles Darwin first argued that birdsong and human music, having no clear survival benefit, were obvious candidates for sexual selection. Whereas the first contention is now universally accepted, his theory that music is a product of sexual selection through mate choice has largely been neglected. Here, I provide the first, to my knowledge, empirical support for the sexual selection hypothesis of music evolution by showing that women have sexual preferences during peak conception times for men that are able to create more complex music. Two-alternative forced-choice experiments revealed that woman only preferred composers of more complex music as short-term sexual partners when conception risk was highest. No preferences were displayed when women chose which composer they would prefer as a long-term partner in a committed relationship, and control experiments failed to reveal an effect of conception risk on women's preferences for visual artists. These results suggest that women may acquire genetic benefits for offspring by selecting musicians able to create more complex music as sexual partners, and provide compelling support for Darwin's assertion ‘that musical notes and rhythm were first acquired by the male or female progenitors of mankind for the sake of charming the opposite sex’.
Contrasting Roles of the Apoplastic Aspartyl Protease APOPLASTIC, ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1-DEPENDENT1 and LEGUME LECTIN-LIKE PROTEIN1 in Arabidopsis Systemic Acquired Resistance
,
Authors: Breitenbach Heiko H. , Wenig Marion , Wittek Finni , Jordá Lucia , Maldonado-Alconada Ana M. , Sarioglu Hakan , Colby Thomas , Knappe Claudia , Bichlmeier Marlies , Pabst Elisabeth , Mackey David , Parker Jane E. , Vlot A. Corina
Published: April 2014

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is an inducible immune response that depends on ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (EDS1). Here, we show that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) EDS1 is required for both SAR signal generation in primary infected leaves and SAR signal perception in systemic uninfected tissues. In contrast to SAR signal generation, local resistance remains intact in eds1 mutant plants in response to Pseudomonas syringae delivering the effector protein AvrRpm1. We utilized the SAR-specific phenotype of the eds1 mutant to identify new SAR regulatory proteins in plants conditionally expressing AvrRpm1. Comparative proteomic analysis of apoplast-enriched extracts from AvrRpm1-expressing wild-type and eds1 mutant plants led to the identification of 12 APOPLASTIC, EDS1-DEPENDENT (AED) proteins. The genes encoding AED1, a predicted aspartyl protease, and another AED, LEGUME LECTIN-LIKE PROTEIN1 (LLP1), were induced locally and systemically during SAR signaling and locally by salicylic acid (SA) or its functional analog, benzo 1,2,3-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester. Because conditional overaccumulation of AED1-hemagglutinin inhibited SA-induced resistance and SAR but not local resistance, the data suggest that AED1 is part of a homeostatic feedback mechanism regulating systemic immunity. In llp1 mutant plants, SAR was compromised, whereas the local resistance that is normally associated with EDS1 and SA as well as responses to exogenous SA appeared largely unaffected. Together, these data indicate that LLP1 promotes systemic rather than local immunity, possibly in parallel with SA. Our analysis reveals new positive and negative components of SAR and reinforces the notion that SAR represents a distinct phase of plant immunity beyond local resistance.
Clathrin and Membrane Microdomains Cooperatively Regulate RbohD Dynamics and Activity in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hao Huaiqing , Fan Lusheng , Chen Tong , Li Ruili , Li Xiaojuan , He Qihua , Botella Miguel A. , Lin Jinxing
Published: April 2014

Arabidopsis thaliana respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (RbohD) functions as an essential regulator of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, our understanding of the regulation of RbohD remains limited. By variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that green fluorescent protein (GFP)-RbohD organizes into dynamic spots at the plasma membrane. These RbohD spots have heterogeneous diffusion coefficients and oligomerization states, as measured by photobleaching techniques. Stimulation with ionomycin and calyculin A, which activate the ROS-producing enzymatic activity of RbohD, increases the diffusion and oligomerization of RbohD. Abscisic acid and flg22 treatments also increase the diffusion coefficient and clustering of GFP-RbohD. Single-particle analysis in clathrin heavy chain2 mutants and a Flotillin1 artificial microRNA line demonstrated that clathrin- and microdomain-dependent endocytic pathways cooperatively regulate RbohD dynamics. Under salt stress, GFP-RbohD assembles into clusters and then internalizes into the cytoplasm. Dual-color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy analysis further showed that salt stress stimulates RbohD endocytosis via membrane microdomains. We demonstrate that microdomain-associated RbohD spots diffuse at the membrane with high heterogeneity, and these dynamics closely relate to RbohD activity. Our results provide insight into the regulation of RbohD activity by clustering and endocytosis, which facilitate the activation of redox signaling pathways.
The Rice Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor TDR INTERACTING PROTEIN2 Is a Central Switch in Early Anther Development
Authors: Fu Zhenzhen , Yu Jing , Cheng Xiaowei , Zong Xu , Xu Jie , Chen Mingjiao , Li Zongyun , Zhang Dabing , Liang Wanqi
Published: April 2014

In male reproductive development in plants, meristemoid precursor cells possessing transient, stem cell–like features undergo cell divisions and differentiation to produce the anther, the male reproductive organ. The anther contains centrally positioned microsporocytes surrounded by four distinct layers of wall: the epidermis, endothecium, middle layer, and tapetum. Here, we report that the rice (Oryza sativa) basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein TDR INTERACTING PROTEIN2 (TIP2) functions as a crucial switch in the meristemoid transition and differentiation during early anther development. The tip2 mutants display undifferentiated inner three anther wall layers and abort tapetal programmed cell death, causing complete male sterility. TIP2 has two paralogs in rice, TDR and EAT1, which are key regulators of tapetal programmed cell death. We revealed that TIP2 acts upstream of TDR and EAT1 and directly regulates the expression of TDR and EAT1. In addition, TIP2 can interact with TDR, indicating a role of TIP2 in later anther development. Our findings suggest that the bHLH proteins TIP2, TDR, and EAT1 play a central role in regulating differentiation, morphogenesis, and degradation of anther somatic cell layers, highlighting the role of paralogous bHLH proteins in regulating distinct steps of plant cell–type determination.
The benefit of the European User Community from transnational access to national radiation facilities
Authors: Barrier Elise , Braz Fernandes Francisco Manuel , Bujan Maya , Feiters Martin C. , Froideval Annick , Ghijsen Jacques , Hase Thomas , Hough Michael A. , Jergel Matej , Jimenez Ignacio , Kajander Tommi , Kikas Arvo , Kokkinidis Michael , Kover Laszlo , Larsen Helge B. , Lawson David Mark , Lawniczak-Jablonska Krystyna , Mariani Carlo , Mikulik Petr , Monnier Judith , Morera Solange , McGuinness Cormac , Müller-Buschbaum Peter , Meedom Nielson Martin , Pietsch Ullrich , Tromp Moniek , Simon Marc , Stangl Julian , Zanotti Giuseppe
Published: April 2014

Transnational access (TNA) to national radiation sources is presently providedviaprogrammes of the European Commission by BIOSTRUCT-X and CALIPSO with a major benefit for scientists from European countries. Entirely based on scientific merit, TNA allows all European scientists to realise synchrotron radiation experiments for addressing the Societal Challenges promoted in HORIZON2020. In addition, by TNA all European users directly take part in the development of the research infrastructure of facilities. The mutual interconnection of users and facilities is a strong prerequisite for future development of the research infrastructure of photon science. Taking into account the present programme structure of HORIZON2020, the European Synchrotron User Organization (ESUO) sees considerable dangers for the continuation of this successful collaboration in the future.
Zn/Mn–MOFs with `S-shaped' packing modes
Authors: Fan Hong-Jie , Xu Qian-Qian , Ren Tie-Zhen , Xing Xiang-Ying , Christensen Kirsten E.
Published: April 2014

Two novel polymers exhibiting metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been synthesized by the combination of a metal ion with a benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate ligand (BTC) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) under hydrothermal conditions. The first compound, poly[[(μ4-benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylato-κ4
O:O′:O′′:O′′′)(μ-hydroxido-κ2
O:O)bis(1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)dizinc(II)] 0.32-hydrate], {[Zn2(C9H3O6)(OH)(C12H8N2)2]·0.32H2O}
n
, denoted Zn–MOF, forms a two-dimensional network in which a binuclear Zn2 cluster serves as a 3-connecting node; the BTC trianion also acts as a 3-connecting centre. The overall topology is that of a 63 net. The phen ligands serve as appendages to the network and interdigitate with phen ligands belonging to adjacent parallel sheets. The second compound, poly[[(μ6-benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylato-κ7
O
1,O
1′:O
1:O
3:O
3′:O
5:O
5′)(μ3-hydroxido-κ2
O:O:O)(1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)dimanganese(II)] 1.26-hydrate], {[Mn2(C9H3O6)(OH)(C12H8N2)]·1.26H2O}
n
, denoted Mn–MOF, exists as a three-dimensional network in which an Mn4 cluster serves as a 6-connecting unit, while the BTC trianion again plays the role of a 3-connecting centre. The overall topology is that of the rutile net. Phen ligands act as appendages to the network and form the `S-shaped' packing mode.
Two crown-ether-coordinated caesium halogen salts
Authors: Well Natalija van , Klein Christian , Ritter Franz , Assmus Wolf , Krellner Cornelius , Bolte Michael
Published: April 2014

The crystal structures of two crown-ether-coordinated caesium halogen salt hydrates, namely di-μ-bromido-bis[aqua(1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane)caesium(I)] dihydrate, [Cs2Br2(C12H24O6)2(H2O)2]·2H2O, (I), and poly[[diaquadi-μ-chlorido-μ-(1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane)dicaesium(I)] dihydrate], {[Cs2Cl2(C12H24O6)(H2O)2]·2H2O}
n
, (II), are reported. In (I), all atoms are located on general positions. In (II), the Cs+ cation is located on a mirror plane perpendicular to the a axis, the chloride anion is located on a mirror plane perpendicular to the c axis and the crown-ether ring is located around a special position with site symmetry 2/m, with two opposite O atoms exactly on the mirror plane perpendicular to the a axis; of one water molecule, only the O atom is located on a mirror plane perpendicular on the a axis, while the other water molecule is completely located on a mirror plane perpendicular to the c axis. Whereas in (I), hydrogen bonds between bromide ligands and water molecules lead to one-dimensional chains running along the b axis, in (II) two-dimensional sheets of water molecules and chloride ligands are formed which combine with the polymeric caesium–crown polymer to give a three-dimensional network. Although both compounds have a similar composition, i.e. a Cs+ cation with a halogen, an 18-crown-6 ether and a water ligand, the crystal structures are rather different. On the other hand, it is remarkable that (I) is isomorphous with the already published iodide compound.
Phase transitions and twinned low-temperature structures of tetraethylammonium tetrachloridoferrate(III)
Authors: Lutz Martin , Huang Yuxing , Moret Marc-Etienne , Klein Gebbink Robertus J. M.
Published: April 2014

The title compound, [(C2H5)4N][FeCl4], has at room temperature a disordered structure in the high-hexagonal space group P63
mc. At 230 K, the structure is merohedrally twinned in the low-hexagonal space group P63. The volume has increased by a factor of 9 with respect to the room-temperature structure. At 170 and 110 K, the structure is identical in the orthorhombic space group Pca21 and twinned by reticular pseudomerohedry. The volume has doubled with respect to the room-temperature structure. All three space groups, viz. P63
mc, P63 and Pca21, are polar and the direction of the polar axis is not affected by the twinning. In the P63 and Pca21 structures, all cations and anions are well ordered.
CdIIand CoIIcoordination polymers constructed from benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid and 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-benzimidazole ligands
Authors: Chen Xiao-Hua , Huang Hua , Yang Ming-Xing , Chen Li-Juan , Lin Shen
Published: April 2014

In poly[aqua(μ3-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ5O1,O1′:O1:O4,O4′)[2-(pyridin-3-yl-κN)-1H-benzimidazole]cadmium(II)], [Cd(C8H4O4)(C12H9N3)(H2O)]n, (I), each CdIIion is seven-coordinated by the pyridine N atom from a 2-(pyridin-3-yl)benzimidazole (3-PyBIm) ligand, five O atoms from three benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate (1,4-bdc) ligands and one O atom from a coordinated water molecule. The complex forms an extended two-dimensional carboxylate layer structure, which is further extended into a three-dimensional network by hydrogen-bonding interactions. Incatena-poly[[diaquabis[2-(pyridin-3-yl-κN)-1H-benzimidazole]cobalt(II)]-μ2-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ2O1:O4], [Co(C8H4O4)(C12H9N3)2(H2O)2]n, (II), each CoIIion is six-coordinated by two pyridine N atoms from two 3-PyBIm ligands, two O atoms from two 1,4-bdc ligands and two O atoms from two coordinated water molecules. The complex forms a one-dimensional chain-like coordination polymer and is further assembled by hydrogen-bonding interactions to form a three-dimensional network.
Tris(2,2′-bipyridine)iron(II) bis(1,1,3,3-tetracyano-2-ethoxypropenide) dihydrate: chiral hydrogen-bonded frameworks interpenetrate in three dimensions
Authors: Setifi Zouaoui , Setifi Fatima , Boughzala Habib , Beghidja Adel , Glidewell Christopher
Published: April 2014

In the title compound, [Fe(C10H8N2)3](C9H5N4O)2·2H2O, the chiral cations lie across twofold rotation axes in the space group C2/c. The anions and the water molecules are linked by two independent O—H...N hydrogen bonds to form C
2
2(8) chains, and these chains are linked by the cations via C—H...N and C—H...O hydrogen bonds to form two interpenetrating three-dimensional frameworks, each of which contains only one enantiomeric form of the chiral cation.
Academic-related stress among private secondary school students in India
Authors: Deb Sibnath , Strodl Esben , Sun Jiandong
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of academic stress and exam anxiety among private secondary school students in India as well as the associations with socio-economic and study-related factors.

Design/methodology/approach

– Participants were 400 adolescent students (52 percent male) from five private secondary schools in Kolkata who were studying in grades 10 and 12. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique and were assessed using a study-specific questionnaire.

Findings

– Findings revealed that 35 and 37 percent reported high or very high levels of academic stress and exam anxiety respectively. All students reported high levels of academic stress, but those who had lower grades reported higher levels of stress than those with higher grades. Students who engaged in extra-curricula activities were more likely to report exam anxiety than those who did not engage in extra-curricula activities.

Practical implications

– Private high school students in India report high levels of academic stress and exam anxiety. As such there is a need to develop effective interventions to help these students better manage their stress and anxiety.

Originality/value

– This is the first study the authors are aware of that explores the academic stress levels of private secondary school students in India. The study identifies factors that may be associated with the experience of high levels of stress that need to be explored further in future research.
Service-orientation and teaching quality: business degree students’ expectations of effective teaching
Authors: Kashif Muhammad , Ting Hiram
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Higher education teaching is analogous to delivering services in various business sectors. Students are regarded as customers of universities having specific needs and wants, which, if well recognized, can lead to creating delightful student experiences. This paper aims to identify the core ideas about excellent teaching in business schools which faculty members may notice in order to achieve excellence in teaching.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is epistemologically framed to focus on interpretivism. The qualitative data have been collected from 30 business degree students, following a naturalistic paradigm. The case study method has been employed to conduct face-to-face interviews.

Findings

– The results revealed five core themes pertaining to teaching excellence in business education. These include; communication style, knowledge, positive attitude, creative work, and courtesy of the instructor as postulated by the students.

Originality/value

– The insights are purposeful and contribute substantially to theory development in the area of service-oriented teaching delivery in business education.
An empirical study on the determinants of information disclosure of Malaysian non-profit organizations
Authors: Zainon S. , Atan R. , Bee Wah Y.
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of the extent of disclosure by non-profit organizations (NPOs) in Malaysia due to the growing interest in the disclosure practice studies of NPOs and given the importance of disclosure to ensure accountability and transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study involves three phases. First, the paper identifies information items NPOs need to disclose. Second, the paper conducts an online survey to determine the ratings of importance for the disclosure items. Third, the paper measures the extent of disclosure from the annual returns of 101 Malaysian NPOs for the year 2009. The paper uses hierarchical regression analysis to determine the significant determinants of information disclosure.

Findings

– The key determinants are establishment of an external audit, financial performance and government support in terms of grants. The results show that the presence of external auditors promotes better reporting practice. Malaysian NPOs that receive funding and those with better financial standing disclose more information.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample only covers NPOs with tax-exempt status in the state of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan in Malaysia. The sample size of 101 registered NPOs limits the generalization of the results. Inclusion and analyses of additional NPOs may offer generalizable results.

Practical implications

– This study provides empirical evidence concerning the establishment of external audit for better information disclosure. It also provides 88 items that are important and required by stakeholders.

Originality/value

– The study is based on 88 items of information according to the needs of stakeholders for information. The NPOs reporting index can assist the preparers of charity reporting in fulfilling the stakeholders’ requirements. The reporting index can also be used to assess the information disclosure of NPOs in Malaysia.
The expectation-performance gap in generic skills in accounting graduates
Authors: Abayadeera Nadana , Watty Kim
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the generic skills that are important for the career success of accounting graduates in Sri Lanka from the perspectives of university educators and employers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Bui and Porter's (2010) expectation-performance gap framework was modified to match with the context of the current study. Data collected via questionnaire survey was analysed for non-parametric tests: the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney test, using SPSS version 20, and quantified the expectation-performance gap and its components.

Findings

– The major finding of this research is that the main cause for the expectation-performance gap, as identified in the analysis of the constraint gap is university educators’ low confidence in teaching the required generic skills for career success of graduates. However, university educators are aware of the employer expectations of graduate accountants in terms of generic skills. Employers indicated that many of the generic skills are not achieved by the accounting graduates.

Practical implications

– Findings of this study reflect the importance of expanding the accounting curricula by embedding and assessing generic skill development activities. In addition, it is vital to develop the capacities of university educators in terms of teaching and assessing generic skills in accounting degree programmes.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the literature as one of few studies that investigate the generic skills development of accounting graduates in Asia, particularly in Sri Lanka.
Public disclosure and bank loan contracting: evidence from emerging markets
Authors: Hasan Iftekhar , Song Liang
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to fill this void in the existing literature and investigate how firms’ disclosure policies influence bank loan contracting in emerging markets after controlling for the influence of borrowers’ private information obtained by banks. Furthermore, the paper examines how firms’ disclosure and non-disclosure governance interact to affect financial contracts.

Design/methodology/approach

– The key variables Disclosure and Firm Governance are based on a survey by Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia (CLSA) in 2000. The paper hand-merges CLSA disclosure and governance data with the Dealscan database and Worldscope database by firm names. The paper conducts a multivariate analysis to investigate how firms’ disclosure policies influence bank loan contracting and how firms’ disclosure and non-disclosure governance interact to affect financial contracts.

Findings

– The authors found that firms with superior disclosure policies obtain bank loans with more favorable loan contracting terms, such as larger amounts, longer maturity, and lower spread. In addition, the effects of disclosure on bank loan contracting are more pronounced for borrowers with superior firm-level non-disclosure governance or firms located in a country with better country-level governance.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a more comprehensive view of the effects of corporate disclosure has on financial contracts in emerging economies.
Conceptualizing communicative leadership
Authors: Johansson Catrin , D. Miller Vernon , Hamrin Solange
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The concept of “communicative leadership” is used in organisations that analyse and develop leaders' communication competence. A scholarly definition of this concept is lacking, and the implications of leaders' communication and the development of communication competence for organisations are rarely discussed. The purpose of this paper is to create a theoretical framework around the concept of “communicative leadership”, which can contribute to future research and development of leaders' communication competence.

Design/methodology/approach

– Three research questions were addressed: what communicative behaviours are central to leaders? How can “communicative leaders” be characterised? What is a “communicative leader”? Literature from the leadership and communication research fields was reviewed and related to these questions.

Findings

– Four central communicative behaviours of leaders (i.e. structuring, facilitating, relating, and representing), eight principles of communicative leadership, and a tentative definition are presented. A communicative leader is defined as someone who engages employees in dialogue, actively shares and seeks feedback, practices participative decision making, and is perceived as open and involved.

Practical implications

– A theoretical foundation to the practice of analysing and developing leaders' communication competence is provided, which is related to employee engagement and organisational performance.

Originality/value

– Communicative leadership is a concept emerging from organisational needs, articulated by corporate and public organisation leaders. This article links its core constructs to academic quantitative and qualitative research in an integrated framework, which can guide further research and the development of leaders' communication competence.
Mixed-methods: measurement and evaluation among investor relations officers
Authors: W. Ragas Matthew , V. Laskin Alexander
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– While investor relations have become an established corporate function, research into how investor relations officers (IROs) practice measurement and evaluation is limited. The purpose of this paper is to examine which approaches and metrics IROs use to gauge their success.

Design/methodology/approach

– To address this gap in the literature, this study surveyed (n=384) the corporate membership of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), the world's largest investor relations association, on the topic of measurement and evaluation.

Findings

– The results indicate that IROs strongly (80 percent) believe that mixed-methods (i.e. both quantitative and qualitative methods) should be used to measure the success of investor relations. Mixed-methods advocates place significantly more importance on measurement than IROs that prefer quantitative- or qualitative-only approaches.

Research limitations/implications

– The results of this survey indicate that IROs typically place the most value on metrics that are qualitative, non-financial and relationship-oriented. These findings suggest that IROs believe they should be evaluated in large part on their competency at relationship management.

Practical implications

– From a benchmarking perspective, these findings suggest that IROs looking to align with their peers should use a mix of both quantitative and qualitative evaluation measures that are non-financial and relationship management-focused.

Originality/value

– These findings contribute to recent efforts to explicate a general theory of investor relations. While investor relations scholarship has grown in recent years, up until this point, little attention had been paid to measurement and evaluation.
Private equity and corporate governance: managing Brazilian SMEs
Authors: Teixeira Latini Estêvão , Rubens Fontes-Filho Joaquim , L. Chambers Eric
Published: April 2014

Purpose

–This paper aims to identify the effectiveness of private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) funds in promoting best practices of corporate governance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) committed to PE/VC partnerships, in an institutional environment characterized by ownership concentration, lack of support for minorities' shareholder rights, and limited outside sources of finance for SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

–Based on the literature related to similar work and context as in Eastern Europe and South Africa and best corporate governance practices developed for Brazil, the authors developed a list of aspects associated to practices related to SMEs. This list was submitted to 15 specialists, and the resulting compilation produced a list of 49 items that were submitted to a sample of 78 respondents to evaluate the relative importance of each item. Finally, a survey comprised of 70 entrepreneurs and managers of SMEs with investments from PE/VC funds evaluated the situation of their companies before and after forming a partnership with the fund.

Findings

–The study provides evidence that PE/VC funds play an important role in promoting best practices of corporate governance in invested SMEs, which contributes to development of the institutional environment and SMEs access to outside sources of finance.

Originality/value

–The study contributes empirical evidence to the role played by PE/VC funds and their influence on corporate governance practices.