bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Pellicciari Maria Concetta , Miniussi Carlo 
Published: August 2018

Abstract
Cortical excitability modulation and neuroplasticity are considered essential mechanisms for improving clinical and cognitive abilities in neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). In such context, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows great promise for facilitating remodeling of neurosynaptic organization. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of how tDCS is currently used as a neurorehabilitation strategy in some NDDs. We describe results from studies in which tDCS was applied in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and primary progressive aphasia. Currently, findings related to the ability of tDCS to restore cognitive dysfunctions and behavioral impairments in these NDDs do not seem to support the notion that tDCS shows clear therapeutic efficacy in patients with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, and primary progressive aphasia. This is probably because tDCS research in this area is still in its early stages. Methodological concerns, such as differences in tDCS parameters (eg, intensity or duration), target sites, and study design (eg, the relationship between tDCS and the rehabilitation strategy), or the use of underpowered sample sizes may also contribute to these outcomes. Nevertheless, it is important to note that almost no studies have evaluated how the underlying neurophysiological state of patients should guide the application of tDCS. These results should not prevent the use of tDCS in these NDDs, but they should trigger a deeper evaluation of how tDCS should be used. Transcranial direct current stimulation cannot be considered a neurorehabilitation apparatus by itself but should be instead viewed as a method for weakly modulating existing brain excitability. Future studies should aim to improve our understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms that underlie the clinical effects of tDCS with the final goal of designing and performing individualized stimulation protocols that can be tailored for each NDD patient and combined with other appropriate neurorehabilitation strategies.
Bacterial and fungal contributions to delignification and lignocellulose degradation in forest soils with metagenomic and quantitative stable isotope probing
Authors: Wilhelm Roland C. , Singh Rahul , Eltis Lindsay D. , Mohn William W. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDelignification, or lignin-modification, facilitates the decomposition of lignocellulose in woody plant biomass. The extant diversity of lignin-degrading bacteria and fungi is underestimated by culture-dependent methods, limiting our understanding of the functional and ecological traits of decomposers populations. Here, we describe the use of stable isotope probing (SIP) coupled with amplicon and shotgun metagenomics to identify and characterize the functional attributes of lignin-, cellulose-and hemicellulose-degrading fungi and bacteria in coniferous forest soils from across North America. We tested the extent to which catabolic genes partitioned among different decomposer taxa; the relative roles of bacteria and fungi, and whether taxa or catabolic genes correlated with variation in lignocellulolytic activity, measured as the total assimilation of13C-label into DNA and phospholipid fatty acids. We found high overall bacterial degradation of our model lignin substrate, particularly by gram-negative bacteria (Comamonadaceae and Caulobacteraceae), while fungi were more prominent in cellulose-degradation. Very few taxa incorporated13C-label from more than one lignocellulosic polymer, suggesting specialization among decomposers. Collectively, members of Caulobacteraceae could degrade all three lignocellulosic polymers, providing new evidence for their importance in lignocellulose degradation. Variation in lignin-degrading activity was better explained by microbial community properties, such as catabolic gene content and community structure, than cellulose-degrading activity. SIP significantly improved shotgun metagenome assembly resulting in the recovery of several high-quality draft metagenome-assembled genomes and over 7,500 contigs containing unique clusters of carbohydrate-active genes. These results improve understanding of which organisms, conditions and corresponding functional genes contribute to lignocellulose decomposition.
Broad spectrum capture of clinical pathogens using engineered Fc-Mannose-Binding Lectin (FcMBL) enhanced by antibiotic treatment
Authors: Seiler Benjamin T. , Cartwright Mark , Dinis Alexandre L.M. , Duffy Shannon , Lombardo Patrick , Cartwright David , Super Elana H. , Lanzaro Jacqueline , Dugas Kristen , Super Michael , Ingber Donald E. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractFcMBL, an engineered version of the blood opsonin mannose-binding lectin (MBL) that contains the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) and flexible neck regions of MBL fused to the Fc portion of human IgG1, has been shown to bind various microbes and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). FcMBL also has been used to create an enzyme-linked lectin sorbent assay (ELLecSA) for use as a rapid (< 1 hr) diagnostic of bloodstream infections. Here we extended this work by using the ELLecSA to test FcMBL’s ability to bind to more than 200 different isolates from over 100 different pathogen species. FcMBL bound to 86% of the isolates and 110 of the 122 (90%) different pathogen species tested, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. It also bound to PAMPs including, lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and phosphatidylinositol mannoside 6 (PIM6) fromMycobacterium tuberculosis. The efficiency of pathogen detection and variation between binding of different strains of the same species also could be improved by treating the bacteria with antibiotics prior to FcMBL capture to reveal previously concealed binding sites within the bacterial cell wall. As FcMBL can bind to pathogens and PAMPs in urine as well as blood, its broad-binding capability could be leveraged to develop a variety of clinically relevant technologies, including infectious disease diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
Genome-wide association study in two cohorts from a multi-generational mouse advanced intercross line highlights the difficulty of replication
Authors: Zhou Xinzhu , St. Pierre Celine L. , Gonzales Natalia M. , Cheng Riyan , Chitre Apurva , Sokoloff Greta , Palmer Abraham A. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractReplication is considered to be critical for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in humans, but is not routinely performed in model organisms. We explored replication using an advanced intercross line (AIL) which is the simplest possible multigenerational intercross. We re-genotyped a previously published cohort of LG/J x SM/J AIL mice (F34; n=428) using a denser marker set and also genotyped a novel cohort of AIL mice (F39-43; n=600) for the first time. We identified 110 significant loci in the F34cohort, 36 of which were new discoveries attributable to the denser marker set; we also identified 27 novel significant loci in the F39-43cohort. For traits measured in both cohorts (locomotor activity, body weight, and coat color), the genetic correlations were high, although, the F39-43cohort showed systematically lower SNP-heritability estimates. We then attempted to replicate loci identified in either F34or F39-43in the other cohort. Albino coat color was robustly replicated; we observed only partial replication of associations for locomotor activity and body weight. Finally, we performed a mega-analysis of locomotor activity and body weight by combining F34and F39-43cohorts (n=1,028), which identified four novel loci. The incomplete replication was inconsistent with simulations we performed to estimate our power to replicate. This may reflect: 1) false positives errors in the discovery cohort, 2) environmental or genetic heterogeneity between the two samples, or 3) the systematic over estimation of the effect sizes at significant loci (“Winner’s Curse”). Our results demonstrate that it is difficult to replicate GWAS results even when using similarly sized discovery and replication cohorts drawn from the same population.
Avatar and technology assisted platforms in the treatment of co-occurring addiction and IPV among male offenders
Authors: Easton Caroline J. , Berbary Cassandra M. , Crane Cory A. 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the research on the use of technology in mental health and addiction treatment, focusing on the use of technology-assisted treatment. Although initial research investigating technology-assisted treatment for substance use has demonstrated promising results, this paper highlights the need for treatment to address co-occurring substance use and intimate partner violence (IPV). This paper defines the benefits associated with the use of behavioral health avatar coaches in mental health treatment targeting substance use and IPV as well as providing preliminary research results regarding the use of avatar coaches in clinical settings.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of the research relating to the use of technology in mental health and addiction treatment is provided. Additionally, a preliminary study aimed to develop an interactive therapy platform that utilizes virtual avatars as therapy coaches to help clients with substance abuse and IPV is presented. In this preliminary study, male participants were shown videos of various technology-based coaches matched on length, gestures and content. Researchers investigated whether patients preferred a virtual reality health coach, a cartoon health coach or a human health coach; as well as patient satisfaction and preference between two versions of the avatar.

Findings
A review of the relevant literature suggests that a majority of research has focused on using technology to replace face-to-face therapy with little research focusing on technology-assisted or augmented mental health and addiction treatment. Although initial research investigating avatar-assisted treatment for substance use has demonstrated promising results, research suggests a high prevalence of co-occurring substance use and IPV, suggesting the need for treatment to address co-occurring substance use and IPV. A preliminary research study was conducted to obtain patient feedback for personalizing avatar development into behavioral health interventions that target addiction and IPV.

Research limitations/implications
Although results of the preliminary study combined with previous research on avatar-assisted treatment for substance use has demonstrated promising results, theory-based research needs to be expanded to focus on randomized controlled trials of avatar-assisted treatment for co-occurring substance use and IPV.

Practical implications
This paper provides an overview of the use of technology-assisted treatment for co-occurring substance use and IPV. The preliminary results regarding patient satisfaction led to the development of additional avatars for use in interactive therapy.

Originality/value
This paper is one of the first to explore the use of avatar-assisted treatment for male offenders with co-morbid substance use and IPV.
Promoting value addition among farmers in the cassava food value chain in Nigeria
Authors: Donkor Emmanuel , Onakuse Stephen , Bogue Joe , de los Rios Carmenado Ignacio 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of the determinants of farmer participation in value addition through cassava processing in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach
This study employs the probit model to analyse the determinants of farmer participation in value addition whereas the Tobit model is used to investigate the determinants of the extent of producer’s involvement in value addition using a data set of 400 cassava farmers drawn from the Oyo State of Nigeria.

Findings
The findings further indicate that among other factors, human capital factors including farmer age and location variable tend to reduce farmer participation in value addition through processing whereas experience and record keeping promote farmer participation in cassava processing. Institutional variables, notably membership of farmer association, extension access and credit access, enhance farmer participation in value addition. Finally, ownership of a radio set, a television set and access to electricity strengthen the value-adding capacity of farmers.

Research limitations/implications
This study only considers the determinants of producers’ participation in cassava processing but does not explicitly analyse the impact of value addition on their profit margin. This issue would form a basis for future research to enhance knowledge in the extant literature.

Practical implications
The study suggests that if the value-adding capacity of farmers is strengthened, rural economy is likely to be improved upon through the proliferation of rural food processing enterprises.

Originality/value
Despite the relevance of developing food value chains in Africa and integrating farmers in them, there are limited studies on promoting value addition among farmers. This study contributes to narrowing this knowledge gap.
Optimization of processing conditions of milk “coagulum” rings and the effect of incorporation of extenders on their quality and storage stability under ambient temperature conditions
Authors: Lalawmpuii H. , Chauhan Geeta , Mendiratta Sanjod K. , Singh Tarun Pal , Singh Bhanu Pratap , Kumar Dhananjay , Jaiswal Rohit Kumar 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to optimize the processing conditions of ready-to-eat (RTE) milk “coagulum” rings.

Design/methodology/approach
Milk “coagulum” rings were prepared from milk coagulum. Milk at four different level of milk fat (0.1, 1.5, 3 and 4.5 percent) were used to obtain milk coagulum of four different fat level for preparing milk “coagulum” rings. Unripe banana powder (UPB) and banana peel powder (BPP) were incorporated at three different levels separately. The incorporation levels were also optimized to be 11 percent for UPB and 6 percent for BPP on the basis of sensory evaluation.

Findings
The yield, ash, moisture and total dietary fiber content of products with optimized level of UPB and BPP were significantly higher as compared to control while the protein and fat contents were lower. Incorporation of extenders resulted in a significant reduction in the color value of the treated products. The water activity was highest for T2 and lowest for control at the end of 42 days. TBARS as lipid oxidation parameter was highest for control and the microbial count was comparable in T1 and T2 where as it was higher in control. The sensory scores of the control was higher than the two treated products during the entire storage period.

Originality/value
The shelf stable RTE milk coagulum-based snack using 1.5 percent fat can provide a nutritious, palatable and healthy product to the consumers.
3D modelling of electric field in vicinity of 400 kV power line
Authors: Iatcheva Ilona , Dimitrova Malina , Petkova Nikolina 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to model the electric field distribution in 3D in the vicinity of 400 kV power line to determine the field impact on the environment and on the human body depending on the person location and presence of other objects.

Design/methodology/approach
The real 3D geometry of the three-phase line because of the line sag presence and existence of additional objects in its vicinity is considered. The time-harmonic electric field has been modeled, taking into account 1,200 phase shifting between the three-phase, 50 Hz currents. The study has been carried out using the finite element method (FEM) and COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2 software package. Special attention was paid to the field at a height of 2 m from the ground, to estimate the field influence on the located human body in the studied area (in relation to the limits for permissible electric field values).

Findings
3D map of electric field in the line vicinity and the electric field strength distribution along the observation surface (2 m from the ground) are determined for several region configurations: without additional objects, human presence just under the line, human at a certain distance from the line and presence of human and a tree. The simulation model was validated on the basis of comparison with computed and experimental data presented in the literature.

Originality/value
3D FEM modeling makes it possible to consider the real environment configuration, presence of line sag and additional objects with different material properties and obtaining of field quantities at any point of observation.
Reversing the endowment effect by empowering buyers and sellers
Authors: Chan Eugene , Saqib Najam 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The endowment effect is well-established in economics, psychology and marketing where sellers place a higher value on a good than buyers. One potential moderator, namely, power is explored. The authors predicted that feeling powerful can reverse the effect, making buyers place a higher value on a good than sellers.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors manipulated power to assess the effects on the valuation of three different products (keychain, gift card and iPhone case). They also assessed participants’ focus on parting with the good (money), which is a loss, and receiving money (the good), which is a gain, for sellers (buyers).

Findings
Feelings of power reduced sellers’ prices but they increased buyers’. Crucially, the authors observed the endowment effect, but only under conditions of low power. When participants had high power, the effect reversed, with buyers placing a higher value on the good under transaction than sellers. Process data indicated that powerful buyers and sellers focused on what they gained and less on what they lost, compared to powerless buyers and sellers.

Research limitations/implications
The authors link the construct of power with the endowment effect, showing that the former can moderate the latter. Certainly, the endowment effect is well-established, but there are moderators and boundary conditions that warrant consideration.

Practical implications
The results suggest a case where the market may clear, where buyers value a consumer product more than sellers, and thus buyers would likely accept the offer made by sellers.

Originality/value
The authors are the first to link the power literature with the endowment effect. They also show a possible moderator for the well-established endowment effect.
Historical perspective of climate change in sustainable livelihoods of coastal areas of the Red River Delta, Nam Dinh, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Thi Kieu Van , Elahi Ehsan , Zhang Liqin , Magsi Habibullah , Pham Quang Trung , Hoang Tuan Minh 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to estimate a recent trend in climate change and its impact on livelihood of community living in Nam Dinh province, Vietnam. Further, it aims to increase the government attention for adaptation measures by providing awareness of climate change and its negative impacts on livelihood.

Design/methodology/approach
For study purpose, cross-sectional and secondary data sets were used. The community perceptions about climate change were recorded by face-to-face interviews of 500 respondents from Nam Dinh province, Vietnam in April 2015 by using a well-structured questionnaire, whereas secondary data were collected from the statistical yearbook of General Statistics Office of Vietnam. To accomplish the study objectives, Cobb–Douglas production function and Likert scale were used to estimate the community perceptions of climate change and impact of climate change on livelihood, respectively.

Findings
Results depict that climate change negatively impacted on the productivity of rice and livestock. Particularly, frequently occurring of droughts, floods and salinity intrusion negatively impacted on rice productivity, while livestock productivity is decreased by frequent occurring of flood storms in study area.

Originality/value
The study results suggest a government support is essential to achieve sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities living in the Red River Delta, particularly some adaptation measures in the context of climate change are required in study area.
The effect of partner buffering on the risk of unemployment in Finland
Authors: Krutova Oxana , Koistinen Pertti , Nummi Tapio 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the study to determine whether the dual earner model better offsets the actual risk of unemployment compared to other household models.Design/methodology/approachThe authors linked the partner effect (household type) with macroeconomic institutional settings, such as employment protection, the active labour market policy, economic growth rate and globalisation, to study how these micro- and macro-level factors influence the unemployment risk of individuals.FindingsUsing European Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) microdata for Finland from 2005 to 2013 and a multilevel modelling technique, the authors found that the partner effect is an important regulator of unemployment risks, but the effect is modified by institutional factors. Dual earners and breadwinners experience a less significant effect from employment protection legislation regulation and other external factors on the increase or decrease in unemployment risk compared to singles. The authors also found that unemployed singles are more exposed and vulnerable to fluctuations caused by economic events.Originality/valueIn this way, this paper contributes to the sociological theory of labour markets and a better understanding of how different household types buffer and mediate the risks of unemployment. The authors used the EU-LFS and novel multilevel analysis statistical solutions to determine the impact of macro- and micro-level factors. The case of Finland may also be of broader interest to researchers and policy-makers because of the long and strong tradition of the dual earner employment pattern and strong macro-economic fluctuations.
Simulation of the characteristics of the water-lubricated journal bearing in twin-screw air compressor
Authors: Wang Chuang , Xing Ziwen , Pan Xi , He Zhilong 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The well-operating condition of journal bearing is the assurance to keep superior performance of water-lubricated twin-screw compressor. To design the journal bearing more reasonably for this type of compressor, this paper aims to study the effects of rotating speed and design parameters on bearing characteristics, considering surface roughness and bending deformation of the shaft at the same time.

Design/methodology/approach
The average Reynolds equation considering the effect of surface roughness is adopted and solved by finite difference method and successive over-relaxation method to calculate pressure distribution with real bearing shapes and boundary conditions. The bending deformation of the shaft is calculated using simply supported beam model of variable cross-section.

Findings
The dynamic lubrication characteristics of four water-lubricated journal bearings in twin-screw air compressor are calculated and analyzed. In addition, the static characteristics of journal bearing including friction coefficient, film thickness ratio distribution and water film pressure distribution are calculated numerically with different rotating speed and design parameters. Moreover, some design principles of water-lubricated bearing for twin-screw compressor are put forward.

Originality/value
The lubrication characteristics of the water-lubricated journal bearing in twin-screw air compressor are calculated considering surface roughness and bending deformation of the shaft at the same time. The paper’s results may provide design guidelines for journal bearing in this kind of twin-screw compressor.