bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thriving of older workers
Authors: Hennekam Sophie
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on two studies on thriving, the joint experience of vitality and learning, among workers aged 50 or above in the Netherlands.

Design/methodology/approach

The first study draws on the analysis of 920 surveys and links thriving to personality and employability. The second study is qualitative in nature and is based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with 13 interviewees who were all interviewed three times at different points in time as they transitioned from unemployment to employment.

Findings

The study found that neuroticism, extraversion and consciousness were related to thriving, while openness and agreeableness were not. Second, the study tested the link between thriving and self-perceived employability and found that thriving is positively related to employability. The study looked at how thriving changes when unemployed individuals become employed. The findings suggest that thriving does indeed changes when the environment changes.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the dispositional perspective on thriving by examining in what way individuals differ from one another in their predisposition to thrive by the use of the five personality traits. In addition, it adds to the literature by looking at thriving during transition periods. It extends previous research and highlights the importance of contextual features.
Corporate social responsibility disclosure
Authors: Krasodomska Joanna , Cho Charles H.
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the usage of non-financial information related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues from the perspective of sell-side analysts (SSAs) and buy-side analysts (BSAs) employed in Poland-based financial institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a survey among financial analysts with the use of the computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) method and an online questionnaire. The adopted methods included purposeful, quota sampling and snowball sampling.

Findings

Results indicate that financial analysts make use of CSR disclosures very rarely and attribute little importance to such information. Despite the limited use of CSR information and negative assessments of its quality, respondents are in favor of making a more frequent use of CSR disclosures. Finally, except for an analyst’s attitude toward the “comparability in time” information characteristic, results do not indicate any significant differences between SSAs’ and BSAs’ responses.

Research limitations/implications

The limited number of questionnaires prevented the use of more sophisticated statistical methods and the formulation of conclusions that could apply to the entire population. In addition, although the adopted CATI method provides a number of advantages, it also has its limitations – interviews had limited time and the questions along with the answers had to take into account the respondents’ limited perception ability.

Practical implications

The results of this study suggest that CSR disclosures have limited usage for financial analysts, at least in the Polish context. Further, not only do respondents rarely make use of CSR disclosures but they also give low assessments to their quality. This implies that the concept of CSR remains relatively far from becoming a priority; hence, some measures and incentives may be necessary.

Originality/value

The paper adds to a relatively small number of studies that have dealt with the issue of non-financial information and its usefulness for SSAs and BSAs in Central and Eastern Europe.
How to become the preferred client of your supplier
Authors: Poissonnier Hugues
Published: February 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to show that becoming the preferred client of your supplier can be very useful and giving ideas to help doing so.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a historical approach.

Findings

Propositions for choosing modalities of collaboration with suppliers were studied.

Research limitations/implications

Based on Herzberg’s theory, suggestions are given to readers.

Originality/value

This paper shows that to improve value creation potential, buyers have to make their companies become the preferred client of their suppliers. It is a key question to benefit from all the value creation capacity of these suppliers.
Imaging of the temporal bone in children using low‐dose 320‐row area detector computed tomography
Authors: Tada Akihiro , Sato Shuhei , Masaoka Yoshihisa , Kanazawa Susumu
Published: February 2017

Introduction

The aim of this study was to compare the image quality obtained using low‐dose and standard‐dose 320‐row temporal bone computed tomography (CT) in paediatric patients.

Methods

Thirteen low‐dose CT (120 kV/50 mAs) and nine standard‐dose CT (120 kV/100 mAs) images from children up to 5 years of age were compared for their image quality. The noise and signal‐to‐noise ratio for bone, fat and air were measured. Two observers assessed the overall image quality and ability to visualize 14 small anatomic structures using a 5‐point scale, with a score of 3–5 indicating imaging of diagnostic quality.

Results

Noise was significantly higher and the signal‐to‐noise ratio was significantly lower with low‐dose CT. Although the overall image quality and visibility of several structures on low‐dose CT were significantly reduced when compared with standard‐dose CT, all the image quality scores were 3 or >3. The dose‐length products for low‐dose CT and standard‐dose CT were 59.6 mGy·cm and 119.3 mGy·cm, respectively.

Conclusion

Low‐dose CT of the temporal bone using 320‐row CT provides images of diagnostic quality for assessment of middle and inner ear anatomy, similar to that provided by the standard‐dose protocol, in spite of increased image noise.
Characteristics of snags and forest structure in southern mistbelt forests of the Amatole region, South Africa
Authors: Wilson Amy‐Leigh , Bowker Meyrick , Shuttleworth Adam , Downs Colleen T.
Published: February 2017

Standing dead trees (or snags) are an important component of forest ecosystems, especially for tree cavity‐nesting vertebrate species, but their prevalence in South African forests remains under studied. Consequently, we investigated forest structure, and the presence and abundance of snags in six southern mistbelt forests in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. These forests have had varying levels of timber extraction over the past 150 years or more. We found snags were relatively rare in all six forests (<4.3% of trees sampled). Mean diameter at breast height (dbh) of snags ranged from 52 to 82 cm across the forests, with smaller snags in Kologha Forest and larger snags in Tyume Forest. A bimodal distribution of snag successional stages was found, with frequencies peaking at early and late stages, and few in the intermediate stages. Tree species diversity in the forests was relatively low (twelve–nineteen species across forests; only 28 species in total). There was no significant difference in dbh of trees between forests, with most occurring in the 20–29‐cm dbh size class. Future studies are required to identify trees that most likely support suitable cavities for tree cavity‐nesting bird species, and to determine cavity‐nester assemblage requirements in southern African forests.
Clinical and mutational spectrum of Japanese patients with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease caused by GDAP1 variants
Authors: Yoshimura A. , Yuan J.‐H. , Hashiguchi A. , Hiramatsu Y. , Ando M. , Higuchi Y. , Nakamura T. , Okamoto Y. , Matsumura K. , Hamano T. , Sawaura N. , Shimatani Y. , Kumada S. , Okumura Y. , Miyahara J. , Yamaguchi Y. , Kitamura S. , Haginoya K. , Mitsui J. , Ishiura H. , Tsuji S. , Takashima H.
Published: February 2017

Background

Mutations in GDAP1 are responsible for heterogeneous clinical and electrophysiological phenotypes of Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT), with autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance pattern. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical and mutational spectrum of CMT patients with GDAP1 variants in Japan.

Materials and Methods

From April 2007 to October 2014, using three state‐of‐art technologies, we conducted gene panel sequencing in a cohort of 1,030 patients with inherited peripheral neuropathies (IPNs), and 398 mutation‐negative cases were further analyzed with whole‐exome sequencing.

Results

We identified GDAP1 variants from 10 patients clinically diagnosed with CMT. The most frequent recessive variant in our cohort (5/10), c.740C>T (p.A247V), was verified to be associated with a founder event. We also detected three novel likely pathogenic variants: c.928C>T (p.R310W) and c.546delA (p.E183Kfs*23) in Case 2 and c.376G>A (p.E126K) in Case 8. Nerve conduction study or sural nerve biopsy of all 10 patients indicated axonal type peripheral neuropathy.

Conclusion

We identified GDAP1 variants in approximately 1% of our cohort with IPNs, and established a founder mutation in half of these patients. Our study originally described the mutational spectrum and clinical features of GDAP1‐related CMT patients in Japan.
Late latent mucinous syphilis mimicking connective tissue disease
Authors: Gottesman Silvija P. , Schoenling Yuliya S. , Culpepper Keliegh S.
Published: February 2017

As evidenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics, syphilis is yet again on the rise. It is known as the great mimicker because of its variable symptoms and how frequently it can be confused with other diseases. The different stages of syphilis (primary, secondary, latent, late latent and tertiary) are discussed. We describe a new histopathologic pattern of syphilis, one that mimics connective tissue disease and can represent a diagnostic pitfall. In this time and age, when syphilis is rising especially among the men who have sex with men subgroup, it is important to keep a high index of suspicion of syphilis even when clinically and histopathologically the findings on first glance may not appear characteristic.
State‐led industrial development, structural transformation and elite‐led plunder: Angola (2002–2013) as a developmental state
Authors: Salah Ovadia Jesse
Published: February 2017

From 2002 to 2013, Angola engaged in large‐scale state‐led reconstruction and development alongside an elite‐led appropriation and seizure of national assets. Until the oil price shock, Angola had been succeeding in promoting rapid economic growth, and possibly even significant social development, alongside a massive grab of wealth and power by local elites. Today, though an economic crisis has taken hold, frequent predictions of the country's imminent collapse have yet to be fulfilled. This article reviews the state's development planning and expenditure with a focus on public investment and industrial development to determine to what extent Angola during this period might be considered a developmental or petro‐developmental state. It is argued that, while more significant than generally thought, petro‐developmental outcomes were and are limited by the autocratic and neopatrimonial tendencies of the Angolan elite. Nevertheless, limited success with structural transformation may have lasting effects. Following its long civil war, the conditions existed for Angola to follow a new path of state‐led development. Though it may now be more difficult, structural transformation and economic diversification remain the only path to economic and social development.
How many fish use mangroves? The 75% rule an ill‐defined and poorly validated concept
Authors: Sheaves Marcus
Published: February 2017

Although mangroves are known to play a critical part in the lives and life histories of many fish species, these values have rarely been definitively quantified. Despite this, claims such as “an estimated 75% of commercially caught fish depend directly on mangroves” are common across a range of government and non‐government documents from around the world, to the extent that the idea that 75% or more of fish depend on mangroves has become a truism widely used to support the value of mangroves. I investigated the basis for these claims that I summarize as the “75% rule.” The “75% rule” is imprecisely defined, and invariably cannot be traced back to definitive scientific data. Moreover, the claim is illogical because we simply do not have adequate knowledge of how many fish occupy different habitats or even how many species of fish there actually are. Moreover, even when the simplest proposition, of how many species use mangroves, is tested using global data bases, the best estimates fall far short of 75%. Clearly, the “75% rule” is wildly inaccurate, unsubstantiated and, at least give our current knowledge and methods, impossible to substantiate. Mangroves are critical to many species but using an indefensible pseudoscientific paradigm such as this to support conservation efforts, management actions and legal decisions, greatly weakens any arguments that build upon it, putting at risk outcomes that rely on the integrity of the claim.
A comparative and evolutionary approach to oxidative stress in fish: A review
Authors: Birnie‐Gauvin Kim , Costantini David , Cooke Steven J , Willmore William G
Published: February 2017

Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the antioxidants defences, in favour of the former. In recent years, the association between oxidative processes, environmental change and life histories has received much attention. However, most studies have focused on avian and mammalian taxonomic groups, with less attention given to fish, despite their ecological and socio‐economic relevance. Here we present a review of the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence oxidative processes in fish, using a comparative and evolutionary approach. We demonstrate that oxidative stress plays a key role in shaping fish's responses to environmental change as well as life history strategies. We focus on representative examples to compare and contrast how levels of oxidative stress respond to changes in temperature, salinity and oxygen availability. Furthermore, we describe how emerging threats (i.e. pollution) affect oxidative stress parameters in fish. Oxidative stress indicators are increasingly being used as biomarkers to understand the mechanisms of various human‐induced stressors, but also to understand the physiological consequences of how animals are distributed in space and time and influenced by different life stages. Despite the expansion of the field of ecological oxidative stress, we are only beginning to understand the complex ways in which oxidative stress may interact with both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in fish. We conclude with a research agenda for oxidative research on fish and note that there is need for further research particularly in the area of life history strategies and ecological implications of oxidative status, as this type of research has the potential to help us understand patterns and dynamics relevant to fish conservation.
Non‐additive effects of simulated heat waves and predators on prey phenotype and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity
Authors: Sentis Arnaud , Hemptinne Jean‐Louis , Brodeur Jacques
Published: February 2017

Understanding the effects of extreme climatic events on species and their interactions is of paramount importance for predicting and mitigating the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems. However, the joint effects of extreme climatic events and species interactions on the behaviour and phenotype of organisms remain poorly understood, leaving a substantial gap in our knowledge on the impacts of climatic change on ecological communities. Using an aphid–ladybeetle system, we experimentally investigated the effects of predators and heat shocks on prey body size, microhabitat use, and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity (i.e., the asexual production of winged offspring by unwinged mothers). We found that (i) aphids were smaller in the presence of predators but larger when exposed to frequent heat shocks; (ii) frequent heat shocks shifted aphid distribution towards the plant's apex, but the presence of predators had the opposite effect and dampened the heat‐shock effects; and (iii) aphids responded to predators by producing winged offspring, but heat shocks strongly inhibited this transgenerational response to predation. Overall, our experimental results show that heat shocks inhibit phenotypic and behavioural responses to predation (and vice versa) and that such changes may alter trophic interactions, and have important consequences on the dynamics and stability of ecological communities. We conclude that the effects of extreme climatic events on the phenotype and behaviour of interacting species should be considered to understand the effects of climate change on species interactions and communities.
The histone‐like protein HU has a role in gene expression during the acid adaptation response in Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Álvarez Alhejandra , Toledo Héctor
Published: February 2017

Background

Gastritis, ulcers, and gastric malignancy have been linked to human gastric epithelial colonization by Helicobacter pylori. Characterization of the mechanisms by which H. pylori adapts to the human stomach environment is of crucial importance to understand H. pylori pathogenesis.

Material and Methods

In an effort to extend our knowledge of these mechanisms, we used proteomic analysis and qRT‐PCR to characterize the role of the histone‐like protein HU in the response of H. pylori to low pH.

Results

Proteomic analysis revealed that genes involved in chemotaxis, oxidative stress, or metabolism are under control of the HU protein. Also, expression of the virulence factors Ggt and NapA is affected by the null mutation of hup gene both at neutral and acid pH, as evidenced by qRT‐PCR analysis.

Conclusions

Those results showed that H. pylori gene expression is altered by shift to low pH, thus confirming that acid exposure leads to profound changes in genomic expression, and suggest that the HU protein is a regulator that may help the bacterium adapt to the acid stress. In accordance with previous reports, we found that the HU protein participates in gene expression regulation when the microorganism is exposed to acid stress. Such transcriptional regulation underlies protein accumulation in the H. pylori cell.
Delivering information skills training at a health professionals continuing professional development conference: an evaluation
Authors: Lawton Aoife , Manning Padraig , Lawler Fiona
Published: February 2017

In this feature, guest writer Aoife Lawton discusses the outcomes of an information skills workshop delivered at a continuing professional development conference for health and social care professionals in Ireland. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate perceptions of the effectiveness of the workshop. The study provides details of how, through collaborative partnership, the workshop was developed and delivered. Application of an adapted version of the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation is presented alongside details of what impact the event had on the attendees both immediately after the workshop and 3 months post‐workshop. The authors also reflect on the benefits delivery of the workshops had for professional health library practice and service improvement.

H. S.
The role of information therapy in reducing anxiety in patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation treatment
Authors: Ahmadizadeh Sara , Bozorgi Ashraf Sadat , Kashani Ladan
Published: February 2017

This article is the first in the feature to come from Iran. The lead author, Sara Ahmadizadeh, manages the Library at Arash Women's Hospital and was awarded an MA in Information Science and Knowledge and Librarianship from Tehran Azad University in July 2015. Her MA dissertation was innovative and ambitious in that it looked at the impact of information therapy on levels of anxiety amongst women undergoing IVF treatment. Her study demonstrated that quality information sessions, delivered in a structured way, can have a positive impact on patients’ awareness of their condition and can reduce anxiety.

A. M.
Playing with class: Middle‐class intensive mothering and the consumption of children's toys in Vietnam
Authors: Le‐Phuong Nguyen Khanh , Harman Vicki , Cappellini Benedetta
Published: February 2017

This article explores the way in which Vietnamese mothers purchase, gift and share toys with their children. The study utilises a qualitative design comprising semi‐structured interviews with 10 Vietnamese middle‐class professional working mothers of children aged between 5 and 9. This research highlights the way in which toys defined as “good” by mothers need to fulfil a number of important practical and social functions: they act as an investment in the child's future, as a reward, and as a means for mothers to buy time for themselves. The findings illustrate how these functions are influenced by Confucian and Western discourses of intensive mothering, generating a localized style of middle‐class intensive mothering, characterized by what we have called the ideal of the triple excellent and intensive mother.
Neutrophil dysregulation during sepsis: an overview and update
Authors: Shen Xiao‐Fei , Cao Ke , Jiang Jin‐peng , Guan Wen‐Xian , Du Jun‐Feng
Published: February 2017

Sepsis remains a leading cause of death worldwide, despite advances in critical care, and understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment strategies. No specific therapy or drugs are available for sepsis. Neutrophils play a critical role in controlling infection under normal conditions, and it is suggested that their migration and antimicrobial activity are impaired during sepsis which contribute to the dysregulation of immune responses. Recent studies further demonstrated that interruption or reversal of the impaired migration and antimicrobial function of neutrophils improves the outcome of sepsis in animal models. In this review, we provide an overview of the associated mediators and signal pathways involved which govern the survival, migration and antimicrobial function of neutrophils in sepsis, and discuss the potential of neutrophils as a target to specifically diagnose and/or predict the outcome of sepsis.
Why Implement without a Tangible Threat? The Effect of a Soft Instrument on National Migrant Integration Policies
Authors: Van Wolleghem Pierre Georges
Published: February 2017

A significant amount of scholarly attention has focused on explaining variation in implementation of EU outputs. Most studies have concentrated either on the factors determining compliance with Directives or on the processes leading Member States to applying soft law provisions. Little attention has however been paid to the determinants of the implementation of soft law. Hence the focus of this paper: why do Member States implement EU outputs if they have no legal obligation to do so? The present study delves into the implementation of a soft instrument, the European fund for the integration of foreigners, and explains Member States' response to it through a policy‐specific mechanism. I show that when there is little possibility of oversight from above, government preferences are not constrained by Commission but by public opinion and organized civil society. Empirical evidence is drawn from the application of time‐series‐cross‐section methods to an original dataset.
Italian guidelines on the systemic treatments of moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis
Authors: Gisondi P. , Altomare G. , Ayala F. , Bardazzi F. , Bianchi L. , Chiricozzi A. , Costanzo A. , Conti A. , Dapavo P. , De Simone C. , Foti C. , Naldi L. , Offidani A. , Parodi A. , Piaserico S. , Prignano F. , Rongioletti F. , Stingeni L. , Talamonti M. , Girolomoni G.
Published: February 2017

Psoriasis is a common disease, which has a considerable impact on the healthcare system. Therefore, appropriate use of therapeutic resources is very important. Management of psoriasis in daily clinical practice is highly variable because many issues are still debated and not definitely addressed by the evidence‐based medicine. Moreover, the different availability and reimbursability of drugs in each country justifies national guidelines. Expert consensus can provide helpful guidelines for optimizing patient care. A total of 20 dermatologists from different areas of Italy and with large experience in the treatment of psoriasis agreed to participate in the guidelines expert panel who aimed to reach consensus on the factors influencing psoriasis severity, the indications for systemic treatments, the parameters to be considered in the choice of treatment, and the factors to be considered in the choice of biological treatment. The recommendations for the use, screening and monitoring of systemic therapies were based on the 2015 S3 European Dermatology Forum/European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology psoriasis guidelines. Recommendations on the treatment of psoriasis in special patient populations were also agreed. The final document was discussed in a meeting moderated by a facilitator with participation of the entire group and adopting a nominal group technique to reach consensus. A statement was regarded as consented when agreement was achieved by at least 75% of the voting experts according to the Delphi procedure.
Re‐challenging FODMAPs: the low FODMAP diet phase two
Authors: Tuck Caroline , Barrett Jacqueline
Published: February 2017

The low fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet has good evidence for use in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Importantly, patients are encouraged not to remain on a strict low FODMAP diet long‐term, and many patients maintain symptom improvement with a relaxed, moderate FODMAP restriction. The re‐challenge phase is crucial to assist patients in identifying specific dietary triggers, reduce the level of dietary restriction required, and increase prebiotic intake. Limited evidence is available to guide best practice, but, in practice, beneficial outcomes can be seen through strategic food reintroductions. Here, we set out some practical recommendations based on clinical experience. Dietitians should tailor the challenge process to the individual patient and their needs. Food challenges should aim to improve dietary variety and nutritional adequacy while considering specific food preferences and usual dietary habits. Identifying FODMAP subgroups that are well tolerated is helpful, allowing the reintroduction of some moderate to high FODMAP foods back into the diet without symptom induction. FODMAP subtypes that are less well tolerated may also be reintroduced, but dosage and frequency of consumption need to be individualized.

Additional challenges that face dietitians include consideration of patients with multiple dietary restrictions such as in vegetarians or patients with diabetes who are simultaneously following a low FODMAP diet. Ensuring nutritional adequacy is essential. The outcome of the re‐challenge process aims to find a balance between good symptom control and expansion of the diet.
How do FODMAPs work?
Authors: Spiller Robin
Published: February 2017

Many patients report symptoms come on after eating, and experience with exclusion diets suggests that certainly poorly absorbed but rapidly fermentable carbohydrates may be responsible. While monomeric and short chain carbohydrate polymers exert osmotic forces and trap water in the small bowel with acceleration of transit, the longer polymer polymers such as inulin pass through the small bowel unaltered but are fermented in the colon where they may cause distension and symptoms. Recent developments in magnetic resonance imaging confirm the importance of fructose in stimulating small bowel water secretion and its negation by the presence of glucose. Fructans have no impact on the small intestine but cause colonic distension and symptoms including bloating.
Adapting the low FODMAP diet to special populations: infants and children
Authors: Iacovou Marina
Published: February 2017

Management of gut‐related symptoms in the pediatric population can be challenging. Many factors need to be taken into consideration including psychological, behavioral, social and family environments, and growth and developmental requirements. This review focuses on two issues: potential dietary therapies that are thought to relieve the symptoms of infantile colic, a condition that is believed to be gastrointestinal in nature; and the evidence and dietary considerations surrounding children with irritable bowel syndrome.
Relationship between swallowing functions and health‐related quality of life among community‐dwelling dependent older individuals
Authors: Morisaki Naoko
Published: February 2017

Aim

This study analyzed the association between swallowing function levels and health‐related quality of life (QOL) among community‐dwelling dependent older persons in Japan.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of a purposive sample of community‐dwelling dependent older individuals in Japan was conducted. Two swallowing functions (tongue pressure and lip‐closure force), the risk of dysphagia, and health‐related QOL (SF‐8) were surveyed.

Results

There were 86 (38.2%) men and 139 (61.8%) women, with a mean age of 81.6 ± 7.4 years. The activities of daily living‐20 evaluation yielded a total score of 46.39 ± 10.18. The elderly participants had decreased swallowing functions. The risk‐of‐dysphagia score demonstrated a significant negative correlation with respect to the SF‐8 subcategory scores. Moreover, the multiple regression analyses indicated that three variables exhibited significant negative differences: general health perceptions, mental health (SF‐8 subarea), and activities of daily living.

Conclusion

An increasing risk of dysphagia can lead to a deterioration in the health‐related QOL among community‐dwelling dependent older individuals. This implies that homecare interventions that address the deterioration of swallowing and the risk of dysphagia could be in high demand in the future.
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of catecholamines and its metabolites in Parkinson's disease: effect of l‐DOPA treatment and changes in levodopa‐induced dyskinesia
Authors: Andersen Andreas Dammann , Blaabjerg Morten , Binzer Michael , Kamal Akram , Thagesen Helle , Kjaer Troels Wesenberg , Stenager Egon , Gramsbergen Jan Bert Paul
Published: February 2017

Levodopa (l‐DOPA, l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine) is the most effective drug in the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), but chronic use initiates a maladaptive process leading to l‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia (LID). Risk factors for early onset LID include younger age, more severe disease at baseline and higher daily l‐DOPA dose, but biomarkers to predict the risk of motor complications are not yet available. Here, we investigated whether CSF levels of catecholamines and its metabolites are altered in PD patients with LID [PD‐LID, n = 8)] as compared to non‐dyskinetic PD patients receiving l‐DOPA (PD‐L, n = 6), or not receiving l‐DOPA (PD‐N, n = 7) as well as non‐PD controls (n = 16). PD patients were clinically assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale and CSF was collected after overnight fasting and 1–2 h after oral intake of l‐DOPA or other anti‐Parkinson medication. CSF catecholamines and its metabolites were analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical detection. We observed (i) decreased levels of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid in PD patients not receiving l‐DOPA (ii) higher dopamine (DA) levels in PD‐LID as compared to controls (iii) higher DA/l‐DOPA and lower DOPAC/DA ratio's in PD‐LID as compared to PD‐L and (iv) an age‐dependent increase of DA and decrease of DOPAC/DA ratio in controls. These results suggest increased DA release from non‐DA cells and deficient DA re‐uptake in PD‐LID. Monitoring DA and DOPAC in CSF of l‐DOPA‐treated PD patients may help identify patients at risk of developing LID.

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Influence of culture on pain comorbidity in women with and without temporomandibular disorder‐pain
Authors: Al‐Harthy M. , Michelotti A. , List T. , Ohrbach R.
Published: February 2017

Evidence on cultural differences in prevalence and impact of common chronic pain conditions, comparing individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) versus individuals without TMD, is limited. The aim was to assess cross‐cultural comorbid pain conditions in women with chronic TMD pain. Consecutive women patients (n = 122) with the index condition of chronic TMD pain diagnosed per the research diagnostic criteria for TMD and TMD‐free controls (n = 121) matched for age were recruited in Saudi Arabia, Italy and Sweden. Self‐report questionnaires assessed back, chest, stomach and head pain for prevalence, pain intensity and interference with daily activities. Logistic regression was used for binary variables, and ancova was used for parametric data analysis, adjusting for age and education. Back pain was the only comorbid condition with a different prevalence across cultures; Swedes reported a lower prevalence compared to Saudis (P < 0·01). Saudis reported higher prevalence of work reduced >50% due to back pain compared to Italians or Swedes (P < 0·01). Headache was the most common comorbid condition in all three cultures. The total number of comorbid conditions did not differ cross‐culturally but were reported more by TMD‐pain cases than TMD‐free controls (P < 0·01). For both back and head pain, higher average pain intensities (P < 0·01) and interference with daily activities (P < 0·01) were reported by TMD‐pain cases, compared to TMD‐free controls. Among TMD‐pain cases, Italians reported the highest pain‐related disability (P < 0·01). Culture influences the associated comorbidity of common pain conditions. The cultural influence on pain expression is reflected in different patterns of physical representation.
Does It Pay to Be Innovation and Imitation Oriented? An Examination of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation and Imitation Orientations
Authors: Lee Ruby P. , Tang Xinlin
Published: February 2017

Although innovation orientation has been documented as the primary strategy to support a firm's growth, imitation orientation, which represents an alternative strategic and cultural focus, has begun to receive attention. However, empirical evidence as to how each orientation is shaped by environmental turbulence and whether it is fruitful to adopt both orientations simultaneously is lacking. This study attempts to close such an important research gap by surveying 294 managers at 147 firms in China. Results indicate that dysfunctional competition and technological turbulence, two critical environmental forces in emerging economies, influence the extent to which a firm adopts these two strategic orientations. The results also suggest that firms should stay focused on one strategic orientation rather than both to optimize their performance outcomes.
Algal light sensing and photoacclimation in aquatic environments
Authors: Duanmu Deqiang , Rockwell Nathan C. , Lagarias J. Clark
Published: February 2017

Anoxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes arose in ancient oceans ~3.5 billion years ago. The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis by cyanobacteria followed soon after, enabling eukaryogenesis and the evolution of complex life. The Archaeplastida lineage dates back ~1.5 billion years to the domestication of a cyanobacterium. Eukaryotic algae have subsequently radiated throughout oceanic/freshwater/terrestrial environments, adopting distinctive morphological and developmental strategies for adaptation to diverse light environments. Descendants of the ancestral photosynthetic alga remain challenged by a typical diurnally fluctuating light supply ranging from ~0 to ~2000 μE m−2 s−1. Such extreme changes in light intensity and variations in light quality have driven the evolution of novel photoreceptors, light‐harvesting complexes and photoprotective mechanisms in photosynthetic eukaryotes. This minireview focuses on algal light sensors, highlighting the unexpected roles for linear tetrapyrroles (bilins) in the maintenance of functional chloroplasts in chlorophytes, sister species to streptophyte algae and land plants.
NO3−, PO43− and SO42− deprivation reduced LKT1‐mediated low‐affinity K+ uptake and SKOR‐mediated K+ translocation in tomato and Arabidopsis plants
Authors: Ródenas Reyes , García‐Legaz Manuel Francisco , López‐Gómez Elvira , Martínez Vicente , Rubio Francisco , Ángeles Botella M.
Published: February 2017

Regulation of essential macronutrients acquisition by plants in response to their availability is a key process for plant adaptation to changing environments. Here we show in tomato and Arabidopsis plants that when they are subjected to NO3−, PO43− and SO42− deprivation, low‐affinity K+ uptake and K+ translocation to the shoot are reduced. In parallel, these nutritional deficiencies produce reductions in the messenger levels of the genes encoding the main systems for low‐affinity K+ uptake and K+ translocation, i.e. AKT1 and SKOR in Arabidopsis and LKT1 and the tomato homolog of SKOR, SlSKOR in tomato, respectively. The results suggest that the shortage of one nutrient produces a general downregulation of the acquisition of other nutrients. In the case of K+ nutrient, one of the mechanisms for such a response resides in the transcriptional repression of the genes encoding the systems for K+ uptake and translocation.
The Role of Affect in Attitude Formation toward New Technologies: The Case of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection
Authors: Merk Christine , Pönitzsch Gert
Published: February 2017

This article analyzes determinants of technology acceptance and their interdependence. It highlights the role of affect in attitude formation toward new technologies and examines how it mediates the influence of stable psychological variables on the technology's acceptability. Based on theory and previous empirical evidence, we develop an analytical framework of attitude formation. We test this framework using survey data on attitudes toward stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), a technology that could be used to counteract global warming. We show that affect is more important than risk and benefit perception in forming judgment about SAI. Negative and positive affect directly alter the perception of risks and benefits of SAI and its acceptability. Furthermore, affect is an important mediator between stable psychological variables—such as trust in governmental institutions, values, and attitudes—and acceptability. A person's affective response is thus guided by her general attitudes and values.
Joint Non-Parametric Correction Estimator for Excess Relative Risk Regression in Survival Analysis with Exposure Measurement Error
Authors: Wang Ching-Yun , Cullings Harry , Song Xiao , Kopecky Kenneth J.
Published: February 2017

Observational epidemiological studies often confront the problem of estimating exposure–disease relationships when the exposure is not measured exactly. We investigate exposure measurement error in excess relative risk regression, which is a widely used model in radiation exposure effect research. In the study cohort, a surrogate variable is available for the true unobserved exposure variable. The surrogate variable satisfies a generalized version of the classical additive measurement error model, but it may or may not have repeated measurements. In addition, an instrumental variable is available for individuals in a subset of the whole cohort. We develop a non-parametric correction estimator by using data from the subcohort and further propose a joint non-parametric correction estimator using all observed data to adjust for exposure measurement error. An optimal linear combination estimator of the joint non-parametric correction and non-parametric correction is further developed. The estimators proposed are non-parametric, which are consistent without imposing a covariate or error distribution, and are robust to heteroscedastic errors. Finite sample performance is examined via a simulation study. We apply the developed methods to data from the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, in which chromosome aberration is used to adjust for the effects of radiation dose measurement error on the estimation of radiation dose responses.
Spectral Stability for Classical Periodic Waves of the Ostrovsky and Short Pulse Models
Authors: Hakkaev S. , Stanislavova M. , Stefanov A.
Published: February 2017

We consider the Ostrovsky and short pulse models in a symmetric spatial interval, subject to periodic boundary conditions. For the Ostrovsky case, we rederive the formulas for the classical periodic traveling waves, while for the short pulse model, we explicitly construct traveling waves in terms of Jacobi elliptic functions. In both cases, we show spectral stability, for all values of the parameters. This is achieved by studying the nonstandard eigenvalue problems in the form , where is a Hill operator.
Effects of eIFiso4G1 mutation on seed oil biosynthesis
Authors: Li Qiang , Shen Wenyun , Zheng Qian , Tan Yifang , Gao Jie , Shen Jinxiong , Wei Yangdou , Kunst Ljerka , Zou Jitao
Published: February 2017

Fatty acid biosynthesis is a primary metabolic pathway that occurs in plastids, whereas the formation of glycerolipid molecules for the majority of cellular membrane systems and the deposition of storage lipid in seeds takes place in the cytosolic compartment. In this report, we present a study of an Arabidopsis mutant, ar21, with a novel seed fatty acid phenotype showing higher contents of eicosanoic acid (20:1) and oleic acid (18:1) and a reduced level of α‐linolenic acid (18:3). A combination of map‐based cloning and whole‐genome sequencing identified the genetic basis underlying the fatty acid phenotype as a lesion in the plant‐specific eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIFiso4G1. Transcriptome analysis on developing seeds revealed a reduced level of plastid‐encoded genes. Specifically, decreases in both transcript and protein levels of an enzyme involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, the β‐subunit of the plastidic heteromeric acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (htACCase) encoded by accD, were evident in the mutant. Biochemical assays showed that the developing seeds of the mutant possessed a decreased htACCase activity in the plastid but an elevated activity of homomeric acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (hmACCase). These results suggested that the increased 20:1 was attributable at least in part to the enhanced cytosolic hmACCase activity. We also detected a significant repression of FATTY ACID DESATURASE 3 (FAD3) during seed development, which correlated with a decreased 18:3 level in seed oil. Together, our study on a mutant of eIFiso4G1 uncovered multifaceted interactions between the cytosolic and plastidic compartments in seed lipid biosynthesis that impact major seed oil traits.
Cascade of chromosomal rearrangements caused by a heterogeneous T‐DNA integration supports the double‐stranded break repair model for T‐DNA integration
Authors: Hu Yufei , Chen Zhiyu , Zhuang Chuxiong , Huang Jilei
Published: February 2017

Transferred DNA (T‐DNA) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be integrated into the plant genome. The double‐stranded break repair (DSBR) pathway is a major model for T‐DNA integration. From this model, we expect that two ends of a T‐DNA molecule would invade into a single DNA double‐stranded break (DSB) or independent DSBs in the plant genome. We call the later phenomenon a heterogeneous T‐DNA integration, which has never been observed. In this work, we demonstrated it in an Arabidopsis T‐DNA insertion mutant seb19. To resolve the chromosomal structural changes caused by T‐DNA integration at both the nucleotide and chromosome levels, we performed inverse PCR, genome resequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and linkage analysis. We found, in seb19, a single T‐DNA connected two different chromosomal loci and caused complex chromosomal rearrangements. The specific break‐junction pattern in seb19 is consistent with the result of heterogeneous T‐DNA integration but not of recombination between two T‐DNA insertions. We demonstrated that, in seb19, heterogeneous T‐DNA integration evoked a cascade of incorrect repair of seven DSBs on chromosomes 4 and 5, and then produced translocation, inversion, duplication and deletion. Heterogeneous T‐DNA integration supports the DSBR model and suggests that two ends of a T‐DNA molecule could be integrated into the plant genome independently. Our results also show a new origin of chromosomal abnormalities.
Test Method Development and Determination of Three-Dimensional Strength and Failure Modes of Polyvinyl Chloride Structural Foams
Authors: Miyase Akira , Wang Su Su
Published: February 2017

A comprehensive study has been conducted to develop proper test methods for accurate determination of failure strengths along different material directions of closed-cell polymer-based structural foams under different loading modes. The test methods developed are used to evaluate strengths and failure modes of commonly used H80 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam. The foam's out-of-plane anisotropic and in-plane isotropic cell microstructures are considered in the test methodology development. The effect of test specimen geometry on compressive deformation and failure properties is addressed, especially the aspect ratio of the specimen gauge section. Foam nonlinear constitutive relationships, strength and failure modes along both in-plane and out-of-plane (rise) directions are obtained in different loading modes. Experimental results reveal strong transversely isotropic characteristics of foam microstructure and strength properties. Compressive damage initiation and progression prior to failure are investigated in an incremental loading–unloading experiment. To evaluate foam in-plane and out-of-plane shear strengths, a scaled shear test method is also developed. Shear loading and unloading experiments are carried out to identify the causes of observed large shear damage and failure modes. The complex damage and failure modes in H80 PVC foam under different loading modes are examined, both macroscopically and microscopically.
Investigation of thin InN/GaN heterostructures with in situ SiNx dielectric grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Zervos Christos , Adikimenakis Adam , Beleniotis Petros , Kostopoulos Athanasios , Androulidaki Maria , Tsagaraki Katerina , Kayambaki Maria , Konstantinidis George , Georgakilas Alexandros
Published: February 2017

The effects of InN layer thickness (4/7/10 nm) in metal–insulator–semiconductor Ni/SiNx/InN structures have been evaluated. The 7 nm thick SiNx layer is deposited in situ, by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy, on the surface of InN grown on GaN (0001) buffer layers. Metal–insulator–semiconductor capacitors (MISCAPs) and InN channel field-effect transistors (MISFETs) were fabricated and the electrical characteristics of the devices were studied and discussed. Room temperature current versus voltage analysis of the MISCAPs suggested ohmic conduction by hopping at low electric fields, while field emission was prevailed for high electric fields with an extracted trap barrier height in the range of 1.1–1.3 eV for all the structures. The output characteristics of the fabricated MISFETs showed modulation of the drain–source current with the highest current density of 0.8 A/mm for the 10 nm InN layer, but the channel could not fully pinch-off.