bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of traditional and non-traditional career theories to understand the young’s relationship with new technologies
Authors: Veloso Elza Fátima Rosa , Trevisan Leonardo Nelmi , da Silva Rodrigo Cunha , Dutra Joel Souza
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to, which involved 123 students in their last year of an administration course at a private university in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, evaluate the importance of analyzing the pressure from new technologies on the careers of young university students from a career theory perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

From the perspective of traditional theories, the authors used “career anchors,” and from the perspective of non-traditional theories, “intelligent careers,” in which people develop three competency groups that are transferable between organizations: knowing why; knowing how; and knowing whom. The hypotheses the authors raised were analyzed using statistical techniques and the following results were obtained: young people do not see new technologies as a threat to their current job; people who see the “Knowing How” competence as being more developed feel less pressure from new technologies; non-traditional theories show a greater potential to analyze technological pressure than traditional theories; and, finally, the nature of people’s jobs produces different impacts on the pressure of new technologies on their careers, since people who occupy positions involving more human interaction with internal or external clients feel less threatened.

Findings

It was found that the lowest mean among the constructs analyzed was the pressure from technology on career. The correlations between the competencies of intelligent careers and the perception of the pressure from technology on career were weak, but significant, whereas the “Knowing How” competency was negatively correlated with the pressure caused by technology. There was no significant influence of the anchors on the pressure from technology on career. However, incorporating the competencies of intelligent careers improved the statistical model’s fit. In associating job positions with the pressure from technology on career, administrative and operational positions showed higher averages than sales associate and management positions.

Originality/value

Broadly speaking, it can be noted that traditional career theories, especially the vocational counseling approach, are not sufficient to explain the impact of new technologies on careers. At the same time, one way of coping with the pressure brought about by technological advances may be in using technology itself to develop “useful professional skills,” in a manner consistent with “intelligent careers.”
Ten Agile axioms that make conventional managers anxious
Authors: Denning Stephen
Published: September 2018

Purpose

While the principles of Agile management are simple, the implementation of the actual “Laws of Agile” is daunting to managers trained in the traditions and culture of hierarchical management. This article offers a context for the three laws.

Design/methodology/approach

Implementing Agile requires fostering a mindset that is fundamentally different from traditional preoccupations with profit maximization and hierarchical authority.

Findings

Agile is about generating instant, intimate, frictionless, low-risk, incremental value at scale. That’s the new performance requirement.

Practical implications

A growing number of companies, including those that have embraced the Agile mindset, believe the true purpose of a firm is to create customers and establish a sustainable relationship with them.

Originality/value

For leaders and managers this article offers radical insights. In an Agile organization, talent discovers strategic opportunities. Talent drives strategy. When the whole organization truly embraces Agile, instead of a steady state machine, the organization becomes an organic living network of high-performance teams. 10;
Highly stretchable, rapid-response strain sensor based on SWCNTs/CB nanocomposites coated on rubber/latex polymer for human motion tracking
Authors: Huang Ying , Hao Chao , Liu Jian , Guo Xiaohui , Zhang Yangyang , Liu Ping , Liu Caixia , Zhang Yugang , Yang Xiaoming
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a highly stretchable and flexible strain sensor with simple and low cost of fabrication process and excellent dynamic characteristics, which make it suitable for human motion monitoring under large strain and high frequency.

Design/methodology/approach

The strain sensor was fabricated using the rubber/latex polymer as elastic carrier and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/carbon black (CB) as a synergistic conductive network. The rubber/latex polymer was pre-treated in naphtha and then soaked in SWCNTs/CB/silicon rubber composite solution. The strain sensing and other performance of the sensor were measured and human motion tracking applications were tried.

Findings

These strain sensors based on aforementioned materials display high stretchability (500 per cent), excellent flexibility, fast response (approximately 45 ms), low creep (3.1 per cent at 100 per cent strain), temperature and humidity independence, superior stability and reproducibility during approximately 5,000 stretch/release cycles. Furthermore, the authors used these composites as human motion sensors, effectively monitoring joint motion, indicating that the stretchable strain sensor based on the rubber/latex polymer and the synergetic effects of mixed SWCNTs and CB could have promising applications in flexible and wearable devices for human motion tracking.

Originality/value

This paper presents a low-cost and a new type of strain sensor with excellent performance that can open up new fields of applications in flexible, stretchable and wearable electronics, especially in human motion tracking applications where very large strain should be accommodated by the strain sensor.
Antimicrobial and antidiabetic potential of synbiotic fermented milk: A functional dairy product
Authors: Shafi Afshan , Naeem Raja Haider , Farooq Umar , Akram Kashif , Hayat Zafar , Naz Ambreen , Nadeem Hafiz Rehan
Published: September 2018

The current study was based on evaluation of the therapeutic potential (antimicrobial and antidiabetic) of a synbiotic fermented milk product developed by optimising levels of the prebiotic ingredients (fructooligosaccharide and isomaltooligosaccharide). The maximum growth rate (0.27 ± 0.21a cfu/mL) of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC® 4357™ was observed with 2.345–2.445% of fructooligosaccharide and 2.53–2.62% of isomaltooligosaccharide. Significant antimicrobial potential of the synbiotic fermented milk was observed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the addition of prebiotics. Similarly, the final product also showed 62.9%, 71.5% and 57.0% reduction in blood glucose, urea and creatinine levels, respectively, of diabetic rabbits, when supplemented with 6% of the synbiotic fermented milk. A synbiotic fermented milk product with significant therapeutic potential could be developed using fructooligosaccharide and isomaltooligosaccharide as prebiotic ingredients.
Novel frameshift mutation in the insulin (INS) gene in a family with maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY)
Authors: Xiao Xiaoyu , Liu Lili , Xiao Yang , Xie Zhiguo , Li Long , Zhou Houde , Tang Weili , Liu Shiping , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: September 2018

Highlights

This study reports a novel frameshift mutation c.212dupG (p.Gly73fs) in the insulin (INS) gene causing maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) 10, one of the rare types of MODY, identified in seven family members.

Screening for mutations in identified MODY genes is warranted in patients who require insulin, are negative for autoantibodies but have a family history of diabetes.
Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Major, Trace and Rare Earth Elements in Sediments of the Hypersaline Urmia Salt Lake, Iran
Authors: ALIPOUR Samad , MOSAVI ONLAGHI Khadije
Published: September 2018

Urmia Salt Lake (USL) is a hypersaline lake located at the NW corner of the Iran platform. The lake area is estimated to have been over 5000 km2 at one point, but has now decreased to <1000 km2 in the last two decades. It contains 4.6×109 tons of halite and other detrital and evaporative minerals such as calcite, aragonite, dolomite, quartz, feldspars, augite and sylvite. This study examined the mineralogy and geochemistry of bed sediments along the mid‐east toward NE bank sediments collected from 1.5 meters depth and nearby augite placer. Due to the diverse lithology of the surrounding geology, bed sediments vary from felsic in the mid‐east to mafic in the northeast. Weathering of tephrite and adakite rocks of the Islamic Island at the immediate boundary has produced a large volume of augite placer over a 40 km length, parallel to the shoreline. Based on the study result, weathering increases from south to north and the geochemistry of the sediments shows enrichment of MgO, CaO, Sr and Ba associated with Sr deployment in all samples. Rare earth elements (REE) patterns normalized to the upper continental crust (UCC) indicated LREEs enrichment compared to HREEs with an elevated anomaly of Eu, possibly due to surface absorbance of Mn and Fe minerals, associated with Sr elevation originating from adakites in the lake basin vicinity.
Integrated Rock Typing of the Grainstone Facies in a Sequence Framework: a Case from the Jurassic Arab Formation in the Persian Gulf
Authors: ASSADI Ali , RAHIMPOUR‐BONAB Hossain , KADKHODAIE‐ILKHCHI Rahim
Published: September 2018

The late Jurassic Arab Formation, a significant carbonate‐evaporite reservoir rock in the Persian Gulf, is characterized by frequent grainstone facies. For rock type identification and reservoir characterization, core description, petrographic studies and pore system evaluation are integrated for Balal oil field in the Persian Gulf. The grainstone facies are developed into three shoal subenvironments on a carbonate ramp platform: leeward, central and seaward. Compaction, dissolution, cementation, anhydrite mineralization and dolomitization are the main diagenetic processes affecting the depositional pore system. Considering depositional and diagenetic features and pore types, the grainstones are classified into six rock types (RT 1 to RT6). Rock types 1, 2 and 5 have large pore throat sizes with intergranular and touching vug pore types. In rock type 3, moldic pores lead to high porosity and low permeability. Rock types 4 and 6 are cemented by anhydrite, calcite and dolomite. Generally, RTs 1, 2, 3 and 5 are related to late Transgressive systems tract (TST) and early Highstand systems tracts (HST) and show fair to good reservoir quality. In contrast, RTs 4 and 6 of late HST system tract show lower poroperm values, due to evaporite mineralization. Characterization of the grainstone facies provides a comprehensive understanding of the reservoir zones of the Arab Formation.
Diagenetic and Depositional Impacts on the Reservoir Quality of the Upper Jurassic Arab Formation in the Balal Oilfield, Offshore Iran
Authors: EBRAHIM Sfidari , ABDOLHOSSIEN Amini , ALI Kadkhodaie , MOHSEN Sayedali , SEYED MOHAMMAD Zamanzadeh
Published: September 2018

The Kimmeridgian‐Tithonian aged Arab Formation, as the main reservoir of the Jurassic succession in the Balal oilfield, located in the offshore region of the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf, is investigated in this study. The formation is composed of dolomites and limestones with anhydrite interbeds. Based on detailed petrographic studies, six microfacies are recognized, which are classified in four sub‐environments including supratidal, intertidal, lagoonal and the high energy shoal of a homoclinal carbonate ramp. The main diagenetic features of the studied succession include dolomitization, anhydritization, cementation, micritization, fracturing and compaction. Based on stable isotope data, dolomitization of the upper Arab carbonates is related to sabkha settings (i.e. evaporative type). In terms of sequence stratigraphy, three shallowing‐upward sequences are recognized, based on core and wireline log data from four wells of the studied field. Considering depositional and diagenetic effects on the reservoir quality, the studied facies are classified into eight reservoir rock types (RRT) with distinct reservoir qualities. Dolomitization has played a major role in reservoir quality enhancement, whereas anhydritization, carbonate cementation, and compaction have damaged the pore throat network. Distribution of the recognized RRTs in time and space are discussed within the context of a sequence stratigraphic framework.
Fluid Inclusions in Surface‐temperature Halite: Sample Preparation and Application
Authors: WANG Mingquan , ZHAO Yanjun , LI Wenxia , LIU Chenglin
Published: September 2018

Paleo‐temperature and paleo‐environment can be interpreted from measuring homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions within halite. In order to conduct such measurements, vapor bubbles within low‐temperature fluid inclusion often need to be created through cooling process by using cooling stage or freezer. Proper cooling is critical for interpreting measured temperature data. We tested two common cooling methods, using heating/freezing stage and freezer, for studying fluid inclusions in halite precipitated in laboratory at conrtolled temperature of 25°C. While using the heating/freezing stage, halite samples were kept at –18°C for 40–50 min; whereas for freezer, samples were stored at –18°C for 1, 10, 20 and 40 days, respectively. By comparing the homogenization temperatures of the two cooling processes, we explored the detailed experimental processes and developed an optimal cooling nucleation procedure for homogenization temperature analyses of fluid inclusions within surface‐temperature halite. The results show that the maximum homogenization temperatures from both methods approximate the actual brine temperature of 25°C. However, extended refrigeration time has noticeable influence on the results. The refrigeration time of the experiment can be shortened to meet requirements.
New drug candidates for depression – a nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Kessing L.V. , Rytgaard H. C. , Gerds T. A. , Berk M. , Ekstrøm C. T. , Andersen P. K.
Published: September 2018

Objective

To investigate whether continued use of non‐aspirin NSAID, low‐dose aspirin, high‐dose aspirin, statins, allopurinol and angiotensin agents decreases the rate of incident depression using Danish nationwide population‐based registers.

Methods

All persons in Denmark who purchased the exposure medications of interest between 1995 and 2015 and a random sample of 30% of the Danish population was included in the study. Two different outcome measures were included, (i) a diagnosis of depressive disorder at a psychiatric hospital as in‐patient or out‐patient and (ii) a combined measure of a diagnosis of depression or use of antidepressants.

Results

A total of 1 576 253 subjects were exposed to one of the six drugs of interest during the exposure period from 2005 to 2015. Continued use of low‐dose aspirin, statins, allopurinol and angiotensin agents was associated with a decreased rate of incident depression according to both outcome measures. Continued uses of non‐aspirin NSAIDs as well as high‐dose aspirin were associated with an increased rate of incident depression.

Conclusion

The findings support the potential of agents acting on inflammation and the stress response system in depression as well as the potential of population‐based registers to systematically identify drugs with repurposing potential.
Real‐world benefits of allergen immunotherapy for birch pollen‐associated allergic rhinitis and asthma
Authors: Wahn Ulrich , Bachert Claus , Heinrich Joachim , Richter Hartmut , Zielen Stefan
Published: September 2018

Background

Real‐world evidence is sparse on the benefits of allergen immunotherapy [AIT; subcutaneous/sublingual immunotherapy (SCIT/SLIT)], the only disease‐modifying intervention for allergic rhinitis (AR) with long‐term efficacy. This real‐life study evaluated the effect of six AITs (native pollen SLIT/SCIT, four allergoid SCITs) vs symptomatic medication use, on AR symptoms and asthma symptoms/onset, in patients with birch pollen‐associated AR and/or asthma.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort analysis of a German longitudinal prescription database, AIT patients received ≥2 successive seasonal treatment cycles; non‐AIT patients had ≥3 AR prescriptions in three seasons or previous month. Patients were matched for: index year, age, gender, main indication at index, number of seasonal cycles within treatment period, baseline AR/asthma treatment prescriptions. Multiple regression analysis compared prescription data in AIT and non‐AIT groups as proxy for clinical status/disease progression.

Results

Up to 6 years of follow‐up, significantly more AIT (65.4%) vs non‐AIT (47.4%) patients were AR medication‐free; odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.51 [(0.48‐0.54); P < 0.001] (28.6% covariate‐adjusted reduction vs non‐AIT; P < 0.001), and significantly more AIT (49.1%) vs non‐AIT (35.1%) patients were asthma medication‐free [OR (95% CI): 0.59 (0.55‐0.65); P < 0.001] (32% reduction vs non‐AIT; P < 0.001), or reduced existing asthma medication use (32% covariate‐adjusted reduction vs non‐AIT; P < 0.001). During treatment, new‐onset asthma risk was significantly reduced in the AIT vs non‐AIT group (OR: 0.83; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Birch pollen AIT demonstrated real‐world benefits up to 6 years post‐treatment cessation through significantly reduced AR and asthma medication intake, and significantly decreased risk of new‐onset asthma medication use on‐treatment.
Illegitimate authorship and flawed procedures: Fundamental, formal criticisms of the Declaration of Helsinki
Authors: Ehni Hans‐Joerg , Wiesing Urban
Published: September 2018

Some of the recent criticisms published during and after the last revision process of the Declaration of Helsinki are directed at its basic legitimacy. In this article we want to have a closer look at the two criticisms we consider to be the most fundamental. The first criticism questions the legitimate authorship of the World Medical Association to publish a document such as the Declaration. The second fundamental criticism we want to examine argues that the last revision process failed to meet the standards for fair, democratic procedures. Although both criticisms deny the formal legitimacy of the Declaration in the most fundamental way, they have never been addressed in detail in a single article. We refute most of the related arguments. However, acknowledging some of the points made, improvements for future revision processes and versions of the Declaration of Helsinki are outlined.
In vitro gametogenesis and reproductive cloning: Can we allow one while banning the other?
Authors: Segers Seppe , Pennings Guido , Dondorp Wybo , de Wert Guido , Mertes Heidi
Published: September 2018

In vitro gametogenesis (IVG) is believed to be the next big breakthrough in reproductive medicine. The prima facie acceptance of this possible future technology is notable when compared to the general prohibition on human reproductive cloning. After all, if safety is the main reason for not allowing reproductive cloning, one might expect a similar conclusion for the reproductive application of IVG, since both technologies hold considerable and comparable risks. However, safety concerns may be overcome, and are presumably not the sole reason why cloning is being condemned. We therefore assess the non‐safety arguments against reproductive cloning, yet most of these can also be held against IVG. The few arguments that cannot be used against IVG are defective. We conclude from this that it will be hard to defend a ban on reproductive cloning while accepting the reproductive use of IVG.
An open‐label phase 2 trial of entospletinib in indolent non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Andorsky David J. , Kolibaba Kathryn S. , Assouline Sarit , Forero‐Torres Andres , Jones Vicky , Klein Leonard M. , Patel‐Donnelly Dipti , Smith Mitchell , Ye Wei , Shi Wen , Yasenchak Christopher A. , Sharman Jeff P.
Published: September 2018

Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) mediates B‐cell receptor signalling in normal and malignant B cells. Entospletinib is an oral, selective Syk inhibitor. Entospletinib monotherapy was evaluated in a multicentre, phase 2 study of patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non‐Hodgkin lymphoma or mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Subjects received 800 mg entospletinib twice daily. Forty‐one follicular lymphoma (FL), 17 lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (LPL/WM), 17 marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and 39 MCL patients were evaluated. The primary endpoint was a progression‐free survival (PFS) rate (defined as not experiencing progression or death) at 16 weeks for patients with MCL and at 24 weeks for patients with FL, LPL/WM and MZL. The most common treatment‐emergent adverse events were fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache and cough. Common laboratory abnormalities were anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia; aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total bilirubin and serum creatinine were all increased. PFS at 16 weeks in the MCL cohort was 63·9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 45–77·8%]; PFS at 24 weeks in the FL, LPL/WM, MCL and MZL cohorts was 51·5% (95% CI 32·8–67·4%), 69·8% (95% CI 31·8–89·4%), 56·6% (95% CI 37·5–71·8%) and 46·2% (95% CI 18·5–70·2%), respectively. Entospletinib had limited single‐agent activity with manageable toxicity in these patient populations.
“I'm Kind of a Feminist”: Using Master Narratives to Analyze Gender Identity in Middle Childhood
Authors: Rogers Leoandra Onnie
Published: September 2018

A robust literature documents the significance of gender in children's development, but gaps remain in understanding how developing gender identities link to gender inequalities. This article uses master narratives to analyze the ways that children's gender narratives reinforce or disrupt gender inequality. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 233 Black, White, mixed‐ and other‐race minority children (7–12 years old; Mage = 9.92; 61% girls) in racially diverse schools in the Pacific Northwest. Four narrative types were identified: two “master narratives” that reinforced gender inequality and two “alternative narratives” that disrupted it. Analyses revealed that 5th/6th‐graders (vs. 2nd–4th graders) and girls (vs. boys) were more likely to tell alternative narratives. The contributions of master narratives for understanding gender identity, development, and inequality are discussed.
LncRNA B4GALT1‐AS1 recruits HuR to promote osteosarcoma cells stemness and migration via enhancing YAP transcriptional activity
Authors: Li Zhikun , Wang Yi , Hu Ruixi , Xu Ruijun , Xu Wei
Published: September 2018

Objectives

This study aims to reveal the roles and related mechanisms of LncRNA B4GALT1‐AS1 in osteosarcoma (OS) cells stemness and migration.

Materials and methods

Real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) was used to detect the expression of several LncRNAs in OS tissues and normal adjacent tissues and in OS mammospheres and cells. Cell viability, transwell migration, tumour spheres formation and in vivo tumour formation assays were used to examine the effects of LncRNA B4GALT1‐AS1 on OS progression. In addition, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and Luciferase reporter assays were performed to determine the binding site of RNA‐binding protein HuR on B4GALT1‐AS1 and transcriptional factor YAP. Immunofluorescence analysis was used to examine YAP nuclear‐cytoplasm translocation.

Results

LncRNA B4GALT1‐AS1 expression was significantly increased in OS tissues and cells spheres. Knockdown of B4GALT1‐AS1 inhibited OS cells proliferation, migration, stemness and chemotherapeutic sensitivity. Mechanistically, B4GALT1‐AS1 recruited HuR to enhance YAP mRNA stability and thus its transcriptional activity.

Conclusions

We indicate that lncRNA B4GALT1‐AS1 promotes OS cells stemness and migration via recruiting HuR to enhance YAP activity.
CDR1as is overexpressed in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma to promote the tumour’s progression via miR‐7 signals
Authors: Zhang Jianzhong , Hu Huayong , Zhao Yaoxin , Zhao Yulin
Published: September 2018

Objectives

To investigate the roles played by the circular RNA (circRNA) molecule ciRS‑7 (CDR1as) and tumour suppressor miRNA‐7 (miR‐7) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods

Specimens of LSCC tissue (n = 30) and corresponding relative normal tissue (n = 30) were collected to determine their levels and clinical significance of CDR1as/mir‐7 expression. The CDR1as and miR‐7 were overexpressed in LSCC cells to investigate its function and mechanism in vitro and in vivo.

Results

Patients with high TNM stages, poorly differentiated tumours, lymph node metastases and poor prognosis had high CDR1as levels but low miR‐7 levels. CDR1 expression was negatively associated with miR‐7 expression in LSCC. Overexpression of CDR1as in vitro enhanced cell vitality, and promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of two LSCC cell lines (Hep2 and AMC‐HN‐8.) However, these effects could be abrogated by knockdown of CDR1as or the forced expression of miR‐7. Mechanistically, overexpressed CDR1 molecules functioned as miR‐7 sponges and upregulated the key targets of miR‐7, CCNE1, and PIK3CD in Hep2 and AMC‐HN‐8 cells. In vivo studies demonstrated the tumourigenic role of CDR1as. Overexpression of CDR1as alone promoted tumour growth and increased expression of the proliferation indices ki‐67, CCNE1, and PIK3CD. Although the tumour suppressor miR‐7 effectively inhibited the tumour growth, this effect could be counteracted by co‐treatment with CDR1as in vivo.

Conclusion

CDR1as is an oncogene that promotes LSCC progression by regulating miR‐7 signals.
Withstanding the test of time: Multisensory cues improve the delayed retention of incidental learning
Authors: Broadbent Hannah J. , Osborne Tamsin , Mareschal Denis , Kirkham Natasha Z.
Published: September 2018

Multisensory tools are commonly employed within educational settings (e.g. Carter & Stephenson, ), and there is a growing body of literature advocating the benefits of presenting children with multisensory information over unisensory cues for learning (Baker & Jordan, ; Jordan & Baker, ). This is even the case when the informative cues are only arbitrarily related (Broadbent, White, Mareschal, & Kirkham, ). However, the delayed retention of learning following exposure to multisensory compared to unisensory cues has not been evaluated, and has important implications for the utility of multisensory educational tools. This study examined the retention of incidental categorical learning in 5‐, 7‐ and 9‐year‐olds (N = 181) using either unisensory or multisensory cues. Results found significantly greater retention of learning following multisensory cue exposure than with unisensory information when category knowledge was tested following a 24‐hour period of delay. No age‐related changes were found, suggesting that multisensory information can facilitate the retention of learning across this age range.
“Whatever I Have to Do That's Right:” Culture and the Precariousness of Personhood in a Poor Urban Neighborhood
Authors: Lowe Edward D.
Published: September 2018

This article presents a person‐centered case study of one woman's struggles to realize a meaningful sense of personhood in a low‐income urban neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An analysis of longitudinal ethnographic data for this case reveals how everyday aspirations toward a morally resonant lived‐sense of personhood were informed by a core assemblage of three cultural models: “providing” and “being there” as a parent and doing so within a framework of “defensive individualism.” This assemblage of cultural models was particularly compelling because of a combination of the embodied residue of childhood experiences and moments of “moral breakdown” in adult life. The experiences of moral breakdown were particularly meaningful because recurrent episodes of material hardship constantly threatening to upend past efforts to realize a meaningful sense of personhood in everyday life, in turn, generated a constant effort to reclaim and repair the symbolic markers of an achieved personhood that had been lost. These observations point to a precariousness of personhood that seemed to further motivate an investment in a self‐definition in terms of this combination of cultural models.
DNA recognition by Arabidopsis transcription factors ABI3 and NGA1
Authors: Sasnauskas Giedrius , Manakova Elena , Lapėnas Kęstutis , Kauneckaitė Kotryna , Siksnys Virginijus
Published: September 2018

B3 transcription factors constitute a large plant‐specific protein superfamily, which plays a central role in plant life. Family members are characterized by the presence of B3 DNA‐binding domains (DBDs). To date, only a few B3 DBDs were structurally characterized; therefore, the DNA recognition mechanism of other family members remains to be elucidated. Here, we analyze DNA recognition mechanism of two structurally uncharacterized B3 transcription factors, ABI3 and NGA1. Guided by the structure of the DNA‐bound B3 domain of Arabidopsis transcriptional repressor VAL1, we have performed mutational analysis of the ABI3 B3 domain. We demonstrate that both VAL1‐B3 and ABI3‐B3 recognize the Sph/RY DNA sequence 5′‐TGCATG‐3′ via a conserved set of base‐specific contacts. We have also solved a 1.8 Å apo‐structure of NGA1‐B3, DBD of Arabidopsis transcription factor NGA1. We show that NGA1‐B3, like the structurally related RAV1‐B3 domain, is specific for the 5′‐CACCTG‐3′ DNA sequence, albeit tolerates single base pair substitutions at the 5′‐terminal half of the recognition site. Employing distance‐dependent fluorophore quenching, we show that NGA1‐B3 binds the asymmetric recognition site in a defined orientation, with the ‘N‐arm’ and ‘C‐arm’ structural elements interacting with the 5′‐ and 3′‐terminal nucleotides of the 5′‐CACCTG‐3′ sequence, respectively. Mutational analysis guided by the model of DNA‐bound NGA1‐B3 helped us identify NGA1‐B3 residues involved in base‐specific and DNA backbone contacts, providing new insights into the mechanism of DNA recognition by plant B3 domains of RAV and REM families.

Databases

RCSB Protein Data Bank, accession number 5OS9.
Pervasive effects of drought on tree growth across a wide climatic gradient in the temperate forests of the Caucasus
Authors: Martin‐Benito Dario , Pederson Neil , Köse Nesibe , Doğan Mehmet , Bugmann Harald , Mosulishvili Marine , Bigler Christof
Published: September 2018

Aim

The Caucasus is a global biodiversity hotspot that includes a wide diversity of temperate forests, from xeric to mesic and rain forest. Little is known about their vulnerability to climate change. We aimed to identify the major climate constraints on tree growth.

Location

Western Caucasus of Georgia, Russia and Turkey (40–43° N, 41–43° E).

Time period

Twentieth century.

Major taxa studied

Trees, angiosperms and gymnosperms.

Methods

We used a new network of 35 tree‐ring width chronologies from four angiosperm and four gymnosperm species across an elevational gradient of > 2,000 m. We used correlations to identify the major climate factors (temperature, precipitation and drought) at monthly and seasonal scales affecting tree growth and to assess whether their effects change over time. To explore common response patterns among species, we used self‐organizing maps, a type of artificial neural network.

Results

Spring or summer drought reduced radial growth of most tree species, despite large differences in elevation. As expected, drought was particularly detrimental at warm, low‐elevation sites. Besides drought, growth of conifers at high elevations was also limited by cold winters and summers. Important species‐specific climate–growth responses were also evident. In general, climate–growth relationships were stable over time, except at some cold‐limited sites, where positive responses to summer and winter temperatures have diminished over the last few decades.

Main conclusion

Growth responses to precipitation and drought among species were more similar than they were to temperature, even at humid sites, providing further evidence of drought vulnerability in mesic forests. The productivity of high‐elevation conifer forests, limited by summer drought and low temperatures, will depend on the balance between temperature and precipitation. Given that climate change is expected to induce larger climatic gradients in the region, the potential reduction of forest cover at a regional scale would make the conservation of these mesic forests more essential.
Public funding of higher education: Who gains, who loses?
Authors: Reis Ana Balcão
Published: September 2018

This paper analyses the effects of public funding of higher education on individuals’ welfare, taking into account the hierarchical nature of the education system and the fact that parents may complement basic public education with private tutoring. Although public funding financed by a proportional income tax increases access to higher education, some of the agents who gain access lose in welfare terms. Moreover, it is shown that the marginal agent regarding access to higher education would always prefer a pure private funding system in which he would not send his offspring to higher education but would also not pay tuition fees or pay taxes.
Towards improving the nutrition and health of the aged: the role of sprouted grains and encapsulation of bioactive compounds in functional bread – a review
Authors: Amoah Isaac , Cairncross Carolyn , Sturny Arno , Rush Elaine
Published: September 2018

Aging reduces the absorption of nutrients. Literature related to functional bread processing techniques including sprouting of grains and the application of encapsulation technology and the bioavailability of bioactives was reviewed. Functional ingredients including sprouted/germinated grain particularly brown rice and wheat flours enhance the bioactive properties of functional bread. Ingredients with high polyphenol content such as lavender and melissa by‐products, tea‐extracts and aronia powder enhance the bioactive content and appear to have a favourable effect on the shelf‐life of bread and antioxidant status of consumers. Incorporation of encapsulated bioactive compounds into bread have a huge potential to improve the bread quality and increase the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds including polyphenols. More investigations and new areas of research should focus on sprouted grain flours and the application of encapsulation technologies especially nanoencapsulation to optimize the bioactivity, storage, bioavailability and nutritional profile of bread to improve nutrition and health with aging.
Tudor knockdown disrupts ovary development in Bactrocera dorsalis
Authors: Xie Y.‐F. , Shang F. , Ding B.‐Y. , Wu Y.‐B. , Niu J.‐Z. , Wei D. , Dou W. , Christiaens O. , Smagghe G. , Wang J.‐J.
Published: September 2018

One of the main functions of the piwi‐interacting RNA pathway is the post‐transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in the germline of many species. In insects, proteins belonging to the Tudor superfamily proteins belonging to the Tudor superfamily play an important role in to play an important role in this mechanism. In this study, we identified the tudor gene in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, investigated the spatiotemporal expressional profile of the gene, and performed a functional analysis using RNA interference. We identified one transcript for a tudor homologue in the B. dorsalis transcriptome, which encodes a protein containing the typical 10 Tudor domains and an Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase delta subunit signature. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the identity of this transcript as a tudor homologue in this species. The expression profile indicated a much higher expression in the adult and pupal stages compared to the larval stages (up to a 60‐fold increase), and that the gene was mostly expressed in the ovaries, Malpighian tubules and fat body. Finally, gene knockdown of tudor in B. dorsalis led to clearly underdeveloped ovaries in the female adult and reductions in copulation rate and amount of oviposition, indicating its important role in reproduction. The results of this study shed more light on the role of tudor in ovary development and reproduction.
What if I cannot choose wisely? Addressing suboptimal health literacy in our patients to reduce over‐diagnosis and overtreatment
Authors: Jessup Rebecca L. , Buchbinder Rachelle
Published: September 2018

The Choosing Wisely initiative aims to reduce wasteful and harmful healthcare by encouraging clinicians and patients to discuss explicitly the healthcare that is really needed as well as that which is of low or no value. While low health literacy has been found to be associated with under‐diagnosis and under‐treatment, its potential role as a driver of over‐diagnosis and overtreatment has received less attention. This article describes how low health literacy might lead to too much medicine. It then provides an overview of an evidence‐based method of communication that might assist with identifying and addressing low health literacy in patients.
sRANKL and its correlation with metabolic syndrome parameters in children
Authors: Serrano‐Piña Rodrigo , Trujillo‐Güiza Martha Liliana , Scougall Vilchis Rogelio J. , Layton‐Tovar Cristian F. , Mendieta‐Zerón Hugo
Published: September 2018

Background

Activating receptor ligand for nuclear factor (RANKL) has been identified as a ligand attached to the cell membrane of osteoblasts and odontoclasts.

Aim

To determine a possible association of sRANKL in saliva and serum with the parameters of metabolic syndrome (MS) in paediatric population aged 8‐12 years.

Design

This was a clinical, analytical and comparative study. Students between 6 and 12 years with good oral hygiene were included. Anthropometry, clinical analysis, dentobacterial plaque registration were registered as well as sRANKL in total saliva and serum through the ELISA technique.

Results

A total of 43 children were enrolled, with a mean age of 9.7 (±0.8 years). Contrasting the groups by the presence or absence of the waist circumference above the normal limit, the difference in serum sRANKL concentration was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). A negative statistical significance was found in the correlation between serum sRANKL and HDLc (r2 = −0.310, P = 0.046). Saliva sRANKL did not show statistical difference between neither gender nor body mass index and was not correlated with any parameter of the MS.

Conclusions

A good oral hygiene seems to avoid the effects of MS on the oral cavity.
Nonpharmacological treatment for individuals with intellectual disability and “personality disorder”
Authors: Williams Emma M. , Rose John
Published: September 2018

Background

Research exploring nonpharmacological interventions for individuals with intellectual disability and personality disorder was reviewed. This should prove valuable to services and professionals contemplating how to offer interventions for these individuals.

Method

A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted. Articles were considered for inclusion according to criteria based on the PICOS model. The quality of the research was assessed utilizing the evaluative method for determining evidence‐based practice.

Results

Eleven studies were reviewed with quality assessment indicating that all provided weak research evidence. Consistent flaws included insufficient description of participants and lack of control groups.

Conclusions

The research base exploring nonpharmacological interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities and personality disorder includes many methodological flaws but reveals some useful information regarding the characteristics of these individuals and components of interventions to support them. Further research is needed to identify the differential effectiveness of interventions over and above other confounding factors.
Flow rate of depuration system has minimal impact on Vibrio parahaemolyticus decontamination in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)
Authors: Ming Ziwen , Su Yi‐Cheng , DeWitt Christina M. , Waite‐Cusic Joy
Published: September 2018

Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections in the United States have been linked to consumption of raw oysters. Depuration has the potential to reduce contamination in live oysters after harvest. This study investigated the impact of depuration flow rate to reduce V. parahaemolyticus in raw oysters. Pacific oysters (n = 35 per trial) were inoculated with a cocktail of V. parahaemolyticus (10290, 10292, 10293, BE 98‐2029, and 027‐1c1) in freshly prepared artificial seawater (70 L). The inoculated oysters were depurated with flow rates of 15, 20, 25, and 35 L/min at 12.5 °C for up to 5 days and V. parahaemolyticus contamination was determined using a three‐tube most probable number (MPN) method. V. parahaemolyticus reductions were as flow rate moderately increased from 15 L/min (2.39 log MPN/g reduction in 5 days) to 35 L/min (3.39 log MPN/g reduction). These results suggest that depuration efficacy can be enhanced by increasing depuration flow rate to 35 L/min.

Practical applications

Vibrio parahaemolyticus can contaminate raw shellfish, including oysters, during their production and lead to outbreaks of foodborne illness. Depuration, a post‐harvest process, may be used by the shellfish industry to reduce the persistence of V. parahaemolyticus. Previous studies have demonstrated that the depuration process can reduce V. parahaemolyticus in oysters; however, further optimization of the process is necessary to achieve US Food Drug Administration's targeted reduction goal (>3.52 log MPN/g). This study evaluated the impact of depuration flow rate on the reduction of V. parahaemolyticus in Pacific oysters. Increasing flow rates (15–35 L/min) during depuration enhanced the clearance of V. parahaemolyticus in these oysters; however, these conditions were unable to consistently achieve the target of >3.52 log MPN/g reduction. This study provides a reference for the industry on the variability of V. parahaemolyticus in individual oysters and demonstrates that practical modifications (i.e., flow rate) can be implemented in depuration systems to maximize bacterial clearance.
Cardiovascular Morbidity and Risk Factors in Holocaust Survivors in Israel
Authors: Zamstein Omri , Biderman Aya , Sherf Michael , David Ran Ben , Dreiher Jacob
Published: September 2018

Objectives

To compare the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors in Holocaust survivors with that of Jewish immigrants from Europe and America.

Design

Population‐based, cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Clalit, a large Israeli healthcare provider.

Participants

Holocaust survivors (n=83,971) and a comparison group of Jewish individuals born in North or South America or European countries not under Nazi occupation or who immigrated to Israel before 1939 (n=16,058) (mean age 84±7, 61% female)

Measurements

Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors. Matching the comparison group to Holocaust Survivors on propensity scores for exposure.

Results

The prevalence of ischemic heart disease (38.7% vs 31.3%), congestive heart failure (10.9% vs 9.1%), past stroke (15.7% vs 13.4%), and peripheral vascular disease (9.5% vs 7.9%) was higher in Holocaust survivors (p<.001 for all comparisons). Similar results were found for cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes mellitus (14.4% vs 13.6%), hypertension (89.3% vs 86.4%), dyslipidemia (75.9% vs 74.0%) (p<.001 for all comparisons). In multivariable analysis, matched on propensity scores and controlled for confounders, odds ratios for men and women were higher for diabetes (1.23, 1.55), dyslipidemia (1.53, 1.51), hypertension (1.56 , 1.94), stroke (1.18, 1.17), and ischemic heart disease (1.18, 1,40), but not congestive heart failure (0.95, 1.02). A Positive association was noted for peripheral vascular disease in males (1.20) but not females (0.96).

Conclusion

Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors was higher in Holocaust survivors. These associations were stronger in women in most cases.
Altered excitability and exocytosis in chromaffin cells from the R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease is linked to over‐expression of mutated huntingtin
Authors: Martínez‐Ramírez Carmen , Baraibar Andrés M. , Nanclares Carmen , Méndez‐López Iago , Gómez Ana , Muñoz Mᵃ Paz , de Diego Antonio M. G. , Gandía Luis , Casarejos María José , García Antonio G.
Published: September 2018

As the peripheral sympathoadrenal axis is tightly controlled by the cortex via hypothalamus and brain stem, the central pathological features of Hunting's disease, (HD) that is, deposition of mutated huntingtin and synaptic dysfunctions, could also be expressed in adrenal chromaffin cells. To test this hypothesis we here present a thorough investigation on the pathological and functional changes undergone by chromaffin cells (CCs) from 2‐month (2 m) to 7‐month (7 m) aged wild‐type (WT) and R6/1 mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD), stimulated with acetylcholine (ACh) or high [K+] (K+). In order to do this, we used different techniques such as inmunohistochemistry, patch‐clamp, and amperometric recording. With respect to WT cells, some of the changes next summarized were already observed in HD mice at a pre‐disease stage (2 m); however, they were more pronounced at 7 m when motor deficits were clearly established, as follows: (i) huntingtin over‐expression as nuclear aggregates in CCs; (ii) smaller CC size with decreased dopamine β‐hydroxylase expression, indicating lesser number of chromaffin secretory vesicles; (iii) reduced adrenal tissue catecholamine content; (iv) reduced Na+ currents with (v) membrane hyperpolarization and reduced ACh‐evoked action potentials; (v) reduced [Ca2+]c transients with faster Ca2+ clearance; (vi) diminished quantal secretion with smaller vesicle quantal size; (vii) faster kinetics of the exocytotic fusion pore, pore expansion, and closure. On the basis of these data, the hypothesis is here raised in the sense that nuclear deposition of mutated huntingtin in adrenal CCs of R6/1 mice could be primarily responsible for poorer Na+ channel expression and function, giving rise to profound depression of cell excitability, altered Ca2+ handling and exocytosis.

Open Practices

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Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14201.