bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 up-regulation by PPAR-β/δ prevents lipid-induced endothelial dysfunction
Authors: Toral Marta , Romero Miguel , Jiménez Rosario , Mahmoud Ayman Moawad , Barroso Emma , Gómez-Guzmán Manuel , Sánchez Manuel , Cogolludo Ángel , García-Redondo Ana B. , Briones Ana M. , Vázquez-Carrera Manuel , Pérez-Vizcaíno Francisco , Duarte Juan
Published: August 2015

Fatty acids cause endothelial dysfunction involving increased ROS (reactive oxygen species) and reduced NO (nitric oxide) bioavailability. We show that in MAECs (mouse aortic endothelial cells), the PPARβ/δ (peroxisome- proliferator-activated receptor β/δ) agonist GW0742 prevented the decreased A23187-stimulated NO production, phosphorylation of eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) at Ser1177 and increased intracellular ROS levels caused by exposure to palmitate in vitro. The impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine in mouse aorta induced by palmitate was restored by GW0742. In vivo, GW0742 treatment prevented the reduced aortic relaxation, phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177, and increased ROS production and NADPH oxidase in mice fed on a high-fat diet. The PPARβ/δ antagonist GSK0660 abolished all of these protective effects induced by GW0742. This agonist enhanced the expression of CPT (carnitine palmitoyltransferase)-1. The effects of GW0742 on acetylcholine- induced relaxation in aorta and on NO and ROS production in MAECs exposed to palmitate were abolished by the CPT-1 inhibitor etomoxir or by siRNA targeting CPT-1. GW0742 also inhibited the increase in DAG (diacylglycerol), PKCα/βII (protein kinase Cα/βII) activation, and phosphorylation of eNOS at Thr495 induced by palmitate in MAECs, which were abolished by etomoxir. In conclusion, PPARβ/δ activation restored the lipid-induced endothelial dysfunction by up-regulation of CPT-1, thus reducing DAG accumulation and the subsequent PKC-mediated ROS production and eNOS inhibition.
The Process of Developing an Internet-Based Support System for Audiologists and First-Time Hearing Aid Clients
Authors: Brännström K. Jonas , Öberg Marie , Ingo Elisabeth , Månsson Kristoffer N. T. , Andersson Gerhard , Lunner Thomas , Laplante-Lévesque Ariane
Published: August 2015

Background

In audiologic practice, complementary information sources and access to the clinician between appointments improve information retention and facilitate adjustment behaviors. An Internet-based support system is a novel way to support information sharing and clinician access.

Purpose

This research forum article describes the process of developing an Internet-based support system for audiologists and their first-time hearing aid clients.

Method

The iterative development process, including revisions by 4 research audiologists and 4 clinical audiologists, is described. The final system is exemplified.

Conclusion

An Internet-based support system was successfully developed for audiologic practice.
Assessing Social Communication Abilities of School-Aged Children
Authors: Elleseff Tatyana
Published: August 2015

This article explains the importance of assessing social communication abilities of school-age children. It summarizes the effect of social communication on academic abilities, reviews terminology and definitions relevant to social communication disorders, lists areas of the brain involved in social communication, provides examples of social communication skill development, offers relevant pre-assessment considerations, as well as describes standardized instruments and informal procedures used to determine the presence of social communication deficits in school-age children.
Silicon‐based, low‐g microelectromechanical systems inertial switch for linear acceleration sensing application
Authors: Xiong Zhuang , Zhang Fengtian , Pu Yingdong , Tang Bin , Yang Jie , Wang Chao
Published: August 2015

Most of the microelectromechanical systems inertial switches developed in recent years are intended for shock and impact sensing above 40 g. These switches are fabricated based on non‐silicon surface micromachining with multiple steps of electroplating. In this reported work, a silicon‐based low‐g inertial switch typically used for linear acceleration sensing was conceived, designed and fabricated. The developed inertial switch consists of a high volume proof mass and low stiffness spiral spring, and is fabricated in a specially designed double‐buried layer silicon‐on‐insulator wafer, with standard silicon micromachining. The measurement results show that the threshold value is about 7.42 g and the stiffness is about 1.5 N/m, in accordance with the finite element method calculation.
Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of ultrafine Co3O4 octahedra
Authors: Chen Y. H. , Zhou J. F. , Mullarkey D. , O’Connell R. , Schmitt W. , Venkatesan M. , Coey M. , Zhang H. Z.
Published: August 2015

Octahedral Co3O4 nanoparticles were synthesised in an aqueous ammonia solution using hexagonal β-Co(OH)2 nanoplates as starting materials. Electron microscopy analysis indicates that the Co3O4 particles have diameters of 20-40 nm and adopt a well-crystallized cubic spinel structure. The octahedral habit was verified by high angle annular dark field imaging. High resolution electron microscopy results revealed that the long axis of the octahedral Co3O4 nanoparticles coincides with crystallographic <111> direction and the facets are the {111} planes. Magnetization measurements reveal antiferromagnetic ordering below 10 K, with a paramagnetic Curie temperature of 3 K and a paramagnetic susceptibility that is double that expected for high-spin Co2+. The results show that a substantial fraction of the B-site Co3+ in the nanoparticles is in a high-spin state.
Material degradation of liquid organic semiconductors analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Authors: Fukushima Tatsuya , Yamamoto Junichi , Fukuchi Masashi , Hirata Shuzo , Jung Heo Hyo , Hirata Osamu , Shibano Yuki , Adachi Chihaya , Kaji Hironori
Published: August 2015

Liquid organic light-emitting diodes (liquid OLEDs) are unique devices consisting only of liquid organic semiconductors in the active layer, and the device performances have been investigated recently. However, the device degradation, especially, the origin has been unknown. In this study, we show that material degradation occurs in liquid OLEDs, whose active layer is composed of carbazole with an ethylene glycol chain. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments clearly exhibit that the dimerization reaction of carbazole moiety occurs in the liquid OLEDs during driving the devices. In contrast, cleavages of the ethylene glycol chain are not detected within experimental error. The dimerization reaction is considered to be related to the device degradation.
Prevalence of Marijuana and other Substance use before and after Washington State's Change from Legal Medical Marijuana to Legal Medical and Nonmedical Marijuana: Cohort Comparisons in a Sample of Adolescents
Authors: Mason W. Alex , Fleming Charles B. , Ringle Jay L. , Hanson Koren , Gross Thomas J. , Haggerty Kevin P.
Published: August 2015

Background

A growing number of states have new legislation extending prior legalization of medical marijuana by allowing nonmedical marijuana use for adults. The potential influence of this change in legislation on adolescent marijuana and other substance use (e.g., spillover or substitution effects) is uncertain. We capitalize on an ongoing study to explore the prevalence of marijuana and other substance use in 2 cohorts of adolescents who experienced the nonmedical marijuana law change in Washington State at different ages.

Methods

Participants were 8th graders enrolled in targeted Tacoma, Washington public schools and recruited in 2 consecutive annual cohorts. The analysis sample was 238 students who completed a baseline survey in the 8th grade and a follow-up survey after the 9th grade. Between the 2 assessments, the second cohort experienced the Washington State nonmedical marijuana law change, whereas the first cohort did not. Self-report survey data on lifetime and past-month marijuana, cigarette, and alcohol use were collected.

Results

Multivariate multilevel modeling showed that cohort differences in the likelihood of marijuana use were significantly different from those for cigarette and alcohol use at follow-up (adjusting for baseline substance initiation). Marijuana use was higher for the second cohort than the first cohort, but this difference was not statistically significant. Rates of cigarette and alcohol use were slightly lower in the second cohort than in the first cohort.

Conclusions

This exploratory study found that marijuana use was more prevalent among teens shortly after the transition from medical marijuana legalization only to medical and nonmedical marijuana legalization, although the difference between cohorts was not statistically significant. The findings also provided some evidence of substitution effects. The analytic technique used here may be useful for examining potential long-term effects of nonmedical marijuana laws on adolescent marijuana use and substitution or spillover effects in future studies.
Spiritual leadership in the work of public administrators
Authors: Fairholm Matthew R. , Gronau Taylor W.
Published: August 2015

This article focuses on the leadership practices of local public administrators that display elements of spiritual leadership in the workplace. It explores empirical research about municipal managers that suggests organizational leadership based on the notion of someone’s spirit,
rather than merely someone’s bundle of workplace skills and abilities, is not only valid, but fairly common. The results illustrate that public administrators doing public administration admit that spiritual values, or a focus on the whole-soul of people, impact how they view leadership
in their jobs and the public work they do every day. Potential elements of spiritual leadership culled from the research and leadership and Public Administration literature are shaped into a nascent model that serves to both describe and prescribe spiritual leadership perspectives, behaviors,
and approaches to followers.
Manifestations of Cow's‐Milk Protein Intolerance in Preterm Infants
Authors: Cordova Jonathan , Sriram Sudhir , Patton Tiffany , Jericho Hillary , Gokhale Ranjana , Weinstein Dana , Sentongo Timothy
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

Cow's‐milk protein intolerance (CMPI) is poorly recognized in preterm infants. This study examined the clinical events that preceded the diagnosis of CMPI in preterm infants.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study of infants in a level‐III neonatal intensive care unit of those who received parenteral nutrition (PN) support during a 12‐month period. Parameters assessed included birth weight (g), diagnosis, duration and frequency on PN, type of enteral feeds at initiation, and achievement of enteral autonomy. CMPI was diagnosed based on persistent feeding intolerance that resolved after change of feeds from intact protein to a protein hydrolysate or crystalline amino acid formula.

Results:

Three hundred forty‐eight infants with birth weight (median/range) 1618 g (425–5110) received PN. Fifty‐one (14%) infants required multiple courses of PN, and 19 of 348 (5%) were diagnosed with CMPI. The requirement for multiple courses on PN versus single course was associated with a high likelihood of CMPI: 14 of 51 versus 5 of 297, P < 0.001. Nine of the 14 infants identified with CMPI were initially diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after a median duration of 22 days (19–57) on intact protein feeds. After recovery from NEC, they had persistent feeding intolerance including recurrence of “NEC‐like illness” (N = 3) that resolved after change of feeds to a protein hydrolysate or crystalline amino acid formula.

Conclusions:

The requirement for multiple courses of PN because of persistent feeding intolerance after recovery from NEC and recurrence of “NEC‐like illness” may be a manifestation of CMPI in preterm infants.
Factors Determining Optimal Fatty Acid Absorption in Preterm Infants
Authors: Martin Camilia R. , Cheesman Antonio , Brown Joanne , Makda Meher , Kutner Allison J. , DaSilva Deborah , Zaman Munir , Freedman Steven D.
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to quantify absorption coefficients of specific fatty acids in preterm infants as a function of diet, formula or breast milk (BM), and postnatal age; to identify the fatty acid structural characteristics that determine optimal fatty acid absorption.

Methods:

Fatty acids from dietary and fecal samples were extracted and quantified by gas chromatography‐mass spectroscopy. Fatty acid absorption coefficients (FA‐CFAs) were calculated by comparing the total amount of fatty acids supplied by the diet to the amount quantified in the total fecal output during a 3‐day period.

Results:

A total of 18 infants (BM 8, formula 10) were studied at 2 weeks of age, and 20 infants (BM 10, formula 10) were studied at 6 weeks of age. FA‐CFAs decreased with increasing carbon length in formula‐fed infants at 2 and 6 weeks. Results were similar but less in magnitude in BM‐fed infants at 2 weeks with no difference at 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

Preterm infants fed formula demonstrated lower FA‐CFAs as a function of increasing carbon length. This is consistent with limited pancreatic lipase production and with lipase being present in BM but not in formula. The fact that this pattern was seen in BM‐fed infants at 2 weeks but not 6 weeks of age suggests that intestinal immaturity may also play a role in impaired fatty acid absorption. These data highlight principles that need to be considered to optimize delivery and absorption of dietary long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in preterm infants.
Clinical Features of Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency
Authors: Burton Barbara K. , Deegan Patrick B. , Enns Gregory M. , Guardamagna Ornella , Horslen Simon , Hovingh Gerard K. , Lobritto Steve J. , Malinova Vera , McLin Valerie A. , Raiman Julian , Di Rocco Maja , Santra Saikat , Sharma Reena , Sykut‐Cegielska Jolanta , Whitley Chester B. , Eckert Stephen , Valayannopoulos Vassili , Quinn Anthony G.
Published: August 2015

Objective:

The aim of this study was to characterize key clinical manifestations of lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL D) in children and adults.

Methods:

Investigators reviewed medical records of LAL D patients ages ≥5 years, extracted historical data, and obtained prospective laboratory and imaging data on living patients to develop a longitudinal dataset.

Results:

A total of 49 patients were enrolled; 48 had confirmed LAL D. Mean age at first disease‐related abnormality was 9.0 years (range 0–42); mean age at diagnosis was 15.2 years (range 1–46). Twenty‐nine (60%) were male patients, and 27 (56%) were <20 years of age at the time of consent/assent. Serum transaminases were elevated in most patients with 458 of 499 (92%) of alanine aminotransferase values and 265 of 448 (59%) of aspartate aminotransferase values above the upper limit of normal. Most patients had elevated low‐density lipoprotein (64% patients) and total cholesterol (63%) at baseline despite most being on lipid‐lowering therapies, and 44% had high‐density lipoprotein levels below the lower limit of normal. More than half of the patients with liver biopsies (n = 31, mean age 13 years) had documented evidence of steatosis (87%) and/or fibrosis (52%). Imaging assessments revealed that the median liver volume was ~1.15 multiples of normal (MN) and median spleen volume was ~2.2 MN. Six (13%) patients had undergone a liver transplant (ages 9–43.5 years).

Conclusion:

This study provides the largest longitudinal case review of patients with LAL D and confirms that LAL D is predominantly a pediatric disease causing early and progressive hepatic dysfunction associated with dyslipidemia that often leads to liver failure and transplantation.
Decreased transcription factor binding levels nearby primate pseudogenes suggests regulatory degeneration
Authors: Douglas Gavin M. , Wilson Michael D. , Moses Alan M.
Published: August 2015

Characteristics of pseudogene degeneration at the coding level are well-known, such as a shift towards neutral rates of nonsynonymous substitutions and gain of frameshift mutations. In contrast, degeneration of pseudogene transcriptional regulation is not well understood. Here, we test two predictions of regulatory degeneration along the pseudogenized lineage: (1) decreased transcription factor binding and (2) accelerated evolution in putative cis-regulatory regions.

We find evidence for decreased TF binding levels nearby two primate pseudogenes compared to functional liver genes. We also find evidence for pseudogene-lineage-specific relaxation of sequence constraint on a fragment of the promoter of the primate pseudogene urate oxidase (Uox) and a nearby cis-regulatory module (CRM). However, the majority of TF-bound sequences nearby pseudogenes do not show evidence for lineage-specific accelerated rates of evolution. We conclude that decreases in TF binding level could be a marker for regulatory degeneration, while sequence degeneration in most CRMs may be obscured by background rates of TF binding site turnover.
ALS mutations in TLS/FUS disrupt target gene expression
Authors: Coady Tristan H. , Manley James L.
Published: August 2015

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by mutations in a number of genes, including the gene encoding the RNA/DNA-binding protein translocated in liposarcoma or fused in sarcoma (TLS/FUS or FUS). Previously, we identified a number of FUS target genes, among them MECP2. To investigate how ALS mutations in FUS might impact target gene expression, we examined the effects of several FUS derivatives harboring ALS mutations, such as R521C (FUSC), on MECP2 expression in transfected human U87 cells. Strikingly, FUSC and other mutants not only altered MECP2 alternative splicing but also markedly increased mRNA abundance, which we show resulted from sharply elevated stability. Paradoxically, however, MeCP2 protein levels were significantly reduced in cells expressing ALS mutant derivatives. Providing a parsimonious explanation for these results, biochemical fractionation and in vivo localization studies revealed that MECP2 mRNA colocalized with cytoplasmic FUSC in insoluble aggregates, which are characteristic of ALS mutant proteins. Together, our results establish that ALS mutations in FUS can strongly impact target gene expression, reflecting a dominant effect of FUS-containing aggregates.
Motivating teachers’ commitment to change through transformational school leadership in Chinese urban upper secondary schools
Authors: Liu Peng
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of transformational school leadership on teachers’ commitment to change and the effects of organizational and teachers’ factors on teachers’ perception of transformational school leadership in the Chinese urban upper secondary school context.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper mainly uses quantitative methods to explore the relationships between different constructs. The author asks: to what extent can transformational school leadership practices in the urban upper secondary schools of a particular Chinese city explain the variation in teachers’ commitment to change during curriculum reform? What are the effects of organizational and teachers’ factors on teachers’ perceptions of transformational school leadership?

Findings

– The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the effect of transformational school leadership was moderate when transformational school leadership and teachers’ commitment to change were treated as single variables. Four dimensions of transformational leadership practice together explained the moderate effects on four dimensions of teachers’ commitment to change, among which the effect of managing the instructional program was the most prominent. The results of multiple regression analysis also revealed that variables like culture, strategy, environment, and teachers’ age had significant relationships with teachers’ perceptions of transformational school leadership. Culture, environment, strategy, structure, and teachers’ factors such as age and grade taught had moderate effects on different dimensions of teachers’ perceptions of transformational school leadership.

Originality/value

– This study is one of the first to explore the effects of transformational school leadership on teachers’ commitment to change in the Chinese urban upper secondary school context. The findings contribute to educational management in China and similar contexts, and this study advances knowledge and furthers the understandings of the transferability of theories to different contexts.
The development of entrepreneurial potential among higher education students
Authors: Varamäki Elina , Joensuu Sanna , Tornikoski Erno , Viljamaa Anmari
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of how entrepreneurial potential is developed among young people. Changes in individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions and the antecedents of intentions are investigated, as well as the impact of entrepreneurship education on the changes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is applied. Longitudinal data from 197 HE students, in their first and third year of studies, is examined using path analysis.

Findings

– Overall the entrepreneurial intentions of HE students decreased over time. Intentions decreased particularly for those with high initial level of intentions, whereas the group with increasing intentions rose from low to neutral level of intentions. Changes in attitudes and perceived behavioral control have a significant positive impact. Versatile entrepreneurship courses have direct effect on changes in attitudes. Changes in attitudes have a dual role, as they influence change in both intentions and perceived behavioral control. The developed model explains 19 percent of the variance among women and 28 percent among men, suggesting gender differences in development of intentions.

Research limitations/implications

– Only one way of developing entrepreneurial potential in young people (i.e. education) is covered. The empirical sample is limited to one university.

Practical implications

– The results suggest versatile methods of entrepreneurship education are more effective in developing intentions than perhaps purely active modes. Gender differences should be considered when designing interventions to foster entrepreneurial potential.

Originality/value

– The research confirms with longitudinal individual-level data the applicability of TPB on entrepreneurial intentions and demonstrates the mediated impact of versatile entrepreneurship courses on changes in intentions.
Revisiting control aversion: the role of financiers in connecting entrepreneurs to the marketplace
Authors: Silver Lars , Lundahl Nicolaus , Berggren Björn
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of small business entrepreneurs’ relinquishment of control aversion and the impact of their interaction with external financiers on market connection.

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaires were sent to the chief executive officers of small businesses in the manufacturing and professional services sectors. A total of 459 valid responses were analyzed in a structural equation model.

Findings

– The attitude of small business entrepreneurs in relying on financiers’ advice is marked by control aversion. This fear of losing control creates information asymmetry, which in itself leads to decreased financing opportunities for small business entrepreneurs. The results of the study suggest that small firms seeking the aid of financiers will be provided with substantial additional information about the market. Issues pertaining to supply seem to be less relevant than those relating to demand, thus indicating that greater focus should be placed on the investment readiness of small businesses.

Originality/value

– This study emphasizes the importance of the role of attitudes among SMEs in understanding capital market failure and credit rationing.
Entrepreneurship and poetry: analyzing an aesthetic dimension
Authors: Smith Robert
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the aesthetic dimension of entrepreneur poems. The notion of the entrepreneur as storyteller, and the entrepreneur story as cultural genres have become so firmly entrenched in the collective social consciousness that little consideration is given to the existence of other narrative genres, such as business poetry as expressions, or manifestations of enterprising behaviour and indeed identities. Poetry, like art, possesses aesthetic dimensions which make it difficult to theorize and analyze. Indeed, as a genre, poetry seldom features as a heuristic device for better understanding entrepreneurial behaviour or learning. This is surprising because poetry in particular is a wonderfully creative and expressive narrative medium and accordingly, many entrepreneurs engage in writing poetry as a form of creative expression.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study the author considers the entrepreneur as poet and from a reading of the literatures of entrepreneurship and aesthetics develops an aesthetic framework for analysing entrepreneur poetry which is used to analyze six poems written by entrepreneurs or about entrepreneurs.

Findings

– That poetry has value in terms of entrepreneurial learning because of its atheoretical nature it permits listeners to experience the emotion and passion of lived entrepreneurial experiences and to relive these vicariously. In particular entrepreneur poems are a variant form of entrepreneur story devoid of the usual cliché.

Research limitations/implications

– There are obvious limitations to the study in that the analysis of six poems can merely scratch the surface and that aesthetic analysis is by its very nature subjective and open to interpretation. The study opens up possibilities for further research into entrepreneur poems, the aesthetics of other non-standard entrepreneur narratives and consideration of the aesthetic elements of entrepreneurshipper se. Poetics and aesthetics are areas of narrative understanding ripe for further empirical research.

Originality/value

– The paper is original in terms of creating an aesthetic framework used to analyze entrepreneur poems. Indeed, little consideration had previously been given to the topic.
Using great works of literature in an interdisciplinary, political economy framework
Authors: Mearman Andrew , Snow Steve G.
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the effectiveness of teaching in economics.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper provides as a case study, the authors’ reflections on a first-year “learning community” at a US liberal arts college, which combined courses on political science and economics to explore issues of political economy, including poverty and social mobility.

Findings

– The authors argue that, compared with standard delivery, using literature allows increased student access to and, thus, greater engagement with certain theoretical concepts. More specifically, literature can open avenues for critical thought, and challenge pre-existing views, when it illuminates controversial questions without providing obvious answers. It is this open-ended aspect of literature that seems to provide the best opportunity for increased student engagement and critical thinking.

Research limitations/implications

– The arguments in this paper are based on authors’ reflections and would benefit from other empirical analysis. This method of teaching only offers pedagogical opportunities, and learning gains do not occur automatically. Several features of the course design and assessment, and the interaction between disciplines, made the use of literature more likely to be successful.

Practical implications

– These authors also reflect more broadly on their use of literature in other courses, and provide some suggestions for specific works that might be used in further teaching and research.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to current debate on teaching practice in economics, and will be of use to those seeking to challenge student viewpoints in a subtle yet effective manner.
Ideographic use of economic terms
Authors: Avsar Rojhat Berdan
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to challenge the claim that economics is of neutral value and unveil common value judgments underlying the standard policy positions in economics. These value judgments are communicated through the economic lexicon.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author uses discourse analysis and focuses on certain authoritative economic terms, most of which are metaphors, functioning like arguments. The author calls such terms as “deadweight loss” ideographs in the sense McGee (1980) used the term.

Findings

– Economic language is not neutral. Certain terms that are treated as common sense mask the normative commitments to which economists often are subscribed, consciously or not.

Originality/value

– The author treats economics as a particular welfare ideology whose normative commitments are communicated by its vocabulary. The critical approach used here is not common in economics. The author argues that implicit biases built in the discipline are reinforced by the particular economic-language awareness, which is vital to maintaining economics as a pluralist discipline.
Eating words: a discourse historical analysis of the public debate over India’s 2013 National Food Security Act
Authors: Kotwal Ashok , Power Kate
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide a situated critical discourse analysis of the public debate around India’s 2013 National Food Security Act (NFSA), describing its rhetorical characteristics and the context within which it has taken place.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using Wodak’s (2001) Discourse Historical Approach (DHA), the authors examine media coverage of the NFSA, attending to perspectivization, intensification and mitigation and representational and argumentational strategies. The authors also consider this coverage in light of its intratextual, intertextual, situational and wider socio-political and economic contexts. The corpus consists of 29 English-language Indian newspaper and magazine articles, published in print and online between 2011 and 2014.

Findings

– This paper explains the rhetorical purchase of the term “food security” in contemporary Indian public policy debates by comparing the leftist, right wing and centrist arguments.

Research limitations/implications

– Owing to the detailed qualitative analysis presented here, the corpus is necessarily limited in size. Newspaper articles contributed by one of the authors were omitted from the study.

Originality/value

– The DHA claims to be an interdisciplinary framework, but relatively few studies involve true cross-disciplinary research. By contrast, this study relies on close collaboration by scholars active in economics and applied linguistics – thus, demonstrating both the potential for, and the value of, working coherently across academic disciplines. Also, unlike most DHA studies, which interrogate dominant discourses, this paper compares diverse discourses competing for influence.
Distracted driving impairs police patrol officer driving performance
Authors: James Stephen M.
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– Most US states exempt police officers from restrictive distracted laws, and most agencies require officers to use mobile data computers while driving. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a text-based distraction task on officer driving performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Experienced police patrol officers (n=80) participated in controlled laboratory experiments during which they drove a high-fidelity driving simulator on four separate occasions; twice immediately following five consecutive 10:40 hour patrol shifts (fatigued condition) and again 72 hours after completing the last shift in a cycle (rested condition). In each condition, officers drove identical, counterbalanced 15-minute courses with and without distraction tasks. The research used a within- and between-subjects design.

Findings

– A generalized linear mixed-model analysis of driving performance showed that officers’ distracted driving performance had significantly greater lane deviation (F=88.58, df=1,308, p
<
0.001), instances of unintentionally leaving assigned driving lane (F=64.76, df=1,308, p
<
0.001), and braking latency (F=200.82, df=1,308, p
<
0.001) than during non-distracted drives. These measures are leading indicators for collision risk.

Research limitations/implications

– Simulated driving tasks presented were generally less challenging than patrol driving and likely underestimate the impact of distraction on police driving.

Originality/value

– Police officers appear to drive significantly worse while distracted, and their routine experience with using text-based communication devices while driving does not mitigate the risks associated with doing so. Study results suggest that policing organizations should modify policies, practices, training, and technologies to reduce the impact of distraction on officers’ driving. Failing to do so exposes officers and the communities they serve to unnecessary hazards and legal liabilities.
Office‐Based Tools and Primary Care Visit Communication, Length, and Preventive Service Delivery
Authors: Lafata Jennifer Elston , Shay L. Aubree , Brown Richard , Street Richard L.
Published: August 2015

Background

The use of physician office‐based tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), health risk appraisal (HRA) instruments, and written patient reminder lists is encouraged to support efficient, high‐quality, patient‐centered care. We evaluate the association of exam room use of EHRs, HRA instruments, and self‐generated written patient reminder lists with patient–physician communication behaviors, recommended preventive health service delivery, and visit length.

Research Methods

Observational study of 485 office visits with 64 primary care physicians practicing in a health system serving the Detroit metropolitan area. Study data were obtained from patient surveys, direct observation, office visit audio‐recordings, and automated health system records. Outcome measures included visit length in minutes, patient use of active communication behaviors, physician use of supportive talk and partnership‐building communication behaviors, and percentage of delivered guideline‐recommended preventive health services for which patients are eligible and due. Simultaneous linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between tool use and outcomes. Adjusted models controlled for patient characteristics, physician characteristics, characteristics of the relationship between the patient and physician, and characteristics of the environment in which the visit took place.

Results

Prior to adjusting for other factors, visits in which the EHR was used on average were significantly (p < .05) longer (27.6 vs. 23.8 minutes) and contained fewer preventive services for which patients were eligible and due (56.5 percent vs. 62.7 percent) compared to those without EHR use. Patient written reminder lists were also significantly associated with longer visits (30.0 vs. 26.5 minutes), and less use of physician communication behaviors facilitating patient involvement (2.1 vs. 2.6 occurrences), but more use of active patient communication behaviors (4.4 vs. 2.6). Likewise, HRA use was significantly associated with increased preventive services delivery (62.1 percent vs. 57.0 percent). All relationships remained significant (p > .05) in adjusted models with the exception of that between HRA use and preventive service delivery.

Dissemination and Implementation Implications

Office‐based tools intended to facilitate the implementation of desired primary care practice redesign are associated with both positive and negative cost and quality outcomes. Findings highlight the need for monitoring both intended and unintended consequences of office‐based tools commonly used in primary care practice redesign.
When Children are the Least Vulnerable to False Memories: A True Report or a Case of Autosuggestion?
Authors: Brackmann Nathalie , Otgaar Henry , Sauerland Melanie , Jelicic Marko
Published: August 2015

In this case report, a legal case revolving around the reliability of statements given by a 6‐year‐old girl is described. She claimed to have witnessed her mother being murdered by her father. Two psychological experts provided diametrically opposed opinions about the reliability of her statements. One expert, a clinician, opined that the girl's statements were based on autosuggestion whereas the other expert, a memory researcher, stated that autosuggestion was unlikely to have played a role. This case and the analysis of the experts' opinions illustrate what may happen when experts in court are unaware of the recent literature on (false) memory. That is, recent studies show that autosuggestion is less likely to occur in young children than in older children and adults. The current case stresses the importance and implications of relying on memory experts in cases concerning the reliability of eyewitness statements.
Using admixture analysis to examine birth‐cohort effects on age at onset of bipolar disorder
Authors: Golmard J.‐L. , Scott J. , Etain B. , Preisig M. , Aubry J.‐M. , Henry C. , Jamain S. , Azorin J.‐M. , Leboyer M. , Bellivier F.
Published: August 2015

Objective

It is suggested that age at onset (AAO) of bipolar I disorder (BP‐I) is decreasing. We tested for a birth‐cohort effect on AAO using admixture analysis.

Method

A clinical sample of 3896 BP‐I cases was analysed using two approaches: (i) in a subsample with untruncated AAO × birth year distribution (n = 1865), we compared the best‐fitting model for the observed AAO in patients born ≤1960 and >1960, (ii) to control for potential confounders, two separate subsamples born ≤1960 and >1960 were matched for age at interview (n = 250), and a further admixture analysis was undertaken.

Results

The two approaches indicated that the proportion of cases in the early AAO category was significantly greater in cases born >1960; manic onsets were also more frequent in the early onset BP‐I cases born >1960.

Conclusion

The decrease in AAO of BP‐I in recent birth‐cohorts appears to be associated with an increase in the proportion of cases in the early onset subgroup; not with a decrease in the mean AAO in each putative subgroup. This could indicate temporal changes in exposure to risk factors for mania.
Measures of Association and Visualization of Log Odds Ratio Structure for a Two Way Contingency Table
Authors: Sarnacchiaro Pasquale , D'Ambra Luigi , Camminatiello Ida
Published: August 2015

The odds ratio (OR) is a measure of association used for analysing an I × J contingency table. The total number of ORs to check grows with I and J. Several statistical methods have been developed for summarising them. These methods begin from two different starting points, the I × J contingency table and the two‐way table composed by the ORs. In this paper we focus our attention on the relationship between these methods and point out that, for an exhaustive analysis of association through log ORs, it is necessary to consider all the outcomes of these methods. We also introduce some new methodological and graphical features. In order to illustrate previously used methodologies, we consider a data table of the cross‐classification of the colour of eyes and hair of 5387 children from Scotland. We point out how, through the log OR analysis, it is possible to extract useful information about the association between variables.
Optimal breastfeeding practices and infant and child mortality: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sankar Mari Jeeva , Sinha Bireshwar , Chowdhury Ranadip , Bhandari Nita , Taneja Sunita , Martines Jose , Bahl Rajiv
Published: August 2015

Aim

To synthesise the evidence for effects of optimal breastfeeding on all‐cause and infection‐related mortality in infants and children aged 0–23 months.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to compare the effect of predominant, partial or nonbreastfeeding versus exclusive breastfeeding on mortality rates in the first six months of life and effect of no versus any breastfeeding on mortality rates between 6 and 23 months of age. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL and CABI.

Results

The risk of all‐cause mortality was higher in predominantly (RR 1.5), partially (RR 4.8) and nonbreastfed (RR14.4) infants compared to exclusively breastfed infants 0–5 months of age. Children 6–11 and 12–23 months of age who were not breastfed had 1.8‐ and 2.0‐fold higher risk of mortality, respectively, when compared to those who were breastfed. Risk of infection‐related mortality in 0–5 months was higher in predominantly (RR 1.7), partially (RR 4.56) and nonbreastfed (RR 8.66) infants compared to exclusive breastfed infants. The risk was twofold higher in nonbreastfed children when compared to breastfed children aged 6–23 months.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the importance of optimal breastfeeding practices during infancy and early childhood.
Allelic frequencies and association with carcass traits of six genes in local subpopulations of Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Nishimaki Takahiro , Ibi Takayuki , Siqintuya  , Kobayashi Naohiko , Matsuhashi Tamako , Akiyama Takayuki , Yoshida Emi , Imai Kazumi , Matsui Mayu , Uemura Keiichi , Eto Hisayoshi , Watanabe Naoto , Fujita Tatsuo , Saito Yosuke , Komatsu Tomohiko , Hoshiba Hiroshi , Mannen Hideyuki , Sasazaki Shinji , Kunieda Tetsuo
Published: August 2015

Marker‐assisted selection (MAS) is expected to accelerate the genetic improvement of Japanese Black cattle. However, verification of the effects of the genes for MAS in different subpopulations is required prior to the application of MAS. In this study, we investigated the allelic frequencies and genotypic effects for carcass traits of six genes, which can be used in MAS, in eight local subpopulations. These genes are SCD, FASN and SREBP1, which are associated with the fatty acid composition of meat, and NCAPG, MC1R and F11, which are associated with carcass weight, coat color and blood coagulation abnormality, respectively. The frequencies of desirable alleles of SCD and FASN were relatively high and that of NCAPG was relatively low, and NCAPG was significantly associated with several carcass traits, including carcass weight. The proportions of genotypic variance explained by NCAPG to phenotypic variance were 4.83 for carcass weight. We thus confirmed that NCAPG is a useful marker for selection of carcass traits in these subpopulations. In addition, we found that the desirable alleles of six genes showed no negative effects on carcass traits. Therefore, selection using these genes to improve target traits should not have negative impacts on carcass traits.
Novel somatic mutations in primary hyperaldosteronism are related to the clinical, radiological and pathological phenotype
Authors: Scholl Ute I. , Healy James M. , Thiel Anne , Fonseca Annabelle L. , Brown Taylor C. , Kunstman John W. , Horne Matthew J. , Dietrich Dimo , Riemer Jasmin , Kücükköylü Seher , Reimer Esther N. , Reis Anna‐Carinna , Goh Gerald , Kristiansen Glen , Mahajan Amit , Korah Reju , Lifton Richard P. , Prasad Manju L. , Carling Tobias
Published: August 2015

Aldosterone‐producing adenomas (APAs) and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia are important causes of secondary hypertension. Somatic mutations in KCNJ5, CACNA1D, ATP1A1, ATP2B3 and CTNNB1 have been described in APAs.

Objective

To characterize clinical–pathological features in APAs and unilateral adrenal hyperplasia, and correlate them with genotypes.

Design

Retrospective study.

Subjects and Measurements

Clinical and pathological characteristics of 90 APAs and seven diffusely or focally hyperplastic adrenal glands were reviewed, and samples were examined for mutations in known disease genes by Sanger or exome sequencing.

Results

Mutation frequencies were as follows: KCNJ5, 37·1%; CACNA1D, 10·3%; ATP1A1, 8·2%; ATP2B3, 3·1%; and CTNNB1, 2·1%. Previously unidentified mutations included I157K, F154C and two insertions (I150_G151insM and I144_E145insAI) in KCNJ5, all close to the selectivity filter, V426G_V427Q_A428_L433del in ATP2B3 and A39Efs*3 in CTNNB1. Mutations in KCNJ5 were associated with female and other mutations with male gender (P = 0·007). On computed tomography, KCNJ5‐mutant tumours displayed significantly greater diameter (P = 0·023), calculated area (P = 0·002) and lower precontrast Hounsfield units (P = 0·0002) vs tumours with mutations in other genes. Accordingly, KCNJ5‐mutant tumours were predominantly comprised of lipid‐rich fasciculata‐like clear cells, whereas other tumours were heterogeneous (P = 5 × 10−6 vs non‐KCNJ5 mutant and P = 0·0003 vs wild‐type tumours, respectively). CACNA1D mutations were present in two samples with hyperplasia without adenoma.

Conclusions

KCNJ5‐mutant tumours appear to be associated with fasciculata‐like clear cell predominant histology and tend to be larger with a characteristic imaging phenotype. Novel somatic KCNJ5 variants likely cause adenomas by loss of potassium selectivity, similar to previously described mutations.
Spatial patterns and predictors of trophic control in marine ecosystems
Authors: Boyce Daniel G. , Frank Kenneth T. , Worm Boris , Leggett William C.
Published: August 2015

A key question in ecology is under which conditions ecosystem structure tends to be controlled by resource availability vs. consumer pressure. Several hypotheses derived from theory, experiments and observational field studies have been advanced, yet a unified explanation remains elusive. Here, we identify common predictors of trophic control in a synthetic analysis of 52 observational field studies conducted within marine ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere and published between 1951 and 2014. Spatial regression analysis of 45 candidate variables revealed temperature to be the dominant predictor, with unimodal effects on trophic control operating both directly (r2 = 0.32; P < 0.0001) and indirectly through influences on turnover rate and quality of primary production, biodiversity and omnivory. These findings indicate that temperature is an overarching determinant of the trophic dynamics of marine ecosystems, and that variation in ocean temperature will affect the trophic structure of marine ecosystems through both direct and indirect mechanisms.
Photosynthetic innovation broadens the niche within a single species
Authors: Lundgren Marjorie R. , Besnard Guillaume , Ripley Brad S. , Lehmann Caroline E. R. , Chatelet David S. , Kynast Ralf G. , Namaganda Mary , Vorontsova Maria S. , Hall Russell C. , Elia John , Osborne Colin P. , Christin Pascal‐Antoine
Published: August 2015

Adaptation to changing environments often requires novel traits, but how such traits directly affect the ecological niche remains poorly understood. Multiple plant lineages have evolved C4 photosynthesis, a combination of anatomical and biochemical novelties predicted to increase productivity in warm and arid conditions. Here, we infer the dispersal history across geographical and environmental space in the only known species with both C4 and non‐C4 genotypes, the grass Alloteropsis semialata. While non‐C4 individuals remained confined to a limited geographic area and restricted ecological conditions, C4 individuals dispersed across three continents and into an expanded range of environments, encompassing the ancestral one. This first intraspecific investigation of C4 evolutionary ecology shows that, in otherwise similar plants, C4 photosynthesis does not shift the ecological niche, but broadens it, allowing dispersal into diverse conditions and over long distances. Over macroevolutionary timescales, this immediate effect can be blurred by subsequent specialisation towards more extreme niches.