bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reducing Elevated Heart Rates in Patients with Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome with The I f (Funny Channel Current) Inhibitor Ivabradine
Authors: Nuding Sebastian , Schröder Jochen , Presek Peter , Wienke Andreas , Müller-Werdan Ursula , Ebelt Henning , Werdan Karl 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
A heart rate higher than 90 beats/min indicates an unfavorable prognosis for patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). We sought to investigate the effect of the pacemaker current (I
f) inhibitor ivabradine on heart rate, hemodynamics, and disease severity among patients with MODS.

Patients and Methods:
In this prospective, controlled, randomized, open-label, two-arm phase II trial, 70 patients with MODS, a sinus rhythm of at least 90 beats/min, and contraindications to β-blocker therapy were randomly assigned to receive the standard treatment ± ivabradine (5 mg twice daily) for 96 h via the enteral route. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with a heart rate reduction of at least 10 beats/min after 96 h. Secondary outcomes included the effect of ivabradine on hemodynamics, disease severity, vasopressor use, mortality, and adverse events.

Results:
There were no significant differences in the primary outcome between the ivabradine and control groups (P = 0.147). After 96 h, the daily median heart rate was reduced by 7 beats/min in the control group and by 16 beats/min in the ivabradine group (P = 0.014). No differences in secondary outcomes were observed.

Conclusions:
The number of critically ill patients with MODS and a sinus rhythm of at least 90 beats/min that experienced a heart rate reduction of at least 10 beats/min after oral ivabradine treatment did not differ significantly between groups. The moderate but significant reduction of heart rate by 7 beats/min did not affect hemodynamics or disease severity.
Red supergiants as supernova progenitors
Authors: Davies Ben 
Published: September 2017

It is now well-established from pre-explosion imaging that red supergiants (RSGs) are the direct progenitors of Type-IIP supernovae. These images have been used to infer the physical properties of the exploding stars, yielding some surprising results. In particular, the differences between the observed and predicted mass spectrum has provided a challenge to our view of stellar evolutionary theory. However, turning what is typically a small number of pre-explosion photometric points into the physical quantities of stellar luminosity and mass requires a number of assumptions about the spectral appearance of RSGs, as well as their evolution in the last few years of life. Here I will review what we know about RSGs, with a few recent updates on how they look and how their appearance changes as they approach supernova.
This article is part of the themed issue ‘Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae’.
Understanding short-term interactions between arousal and attention in infants and children: applying the Aston-Jones framework
Authors: Wass Sam V. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractDifferential Susceptibility Theory explains long-term associations between neurobiological sensitivity and cognitive outcomes, but no comparable theoretical framework exists to understand how neurobiological sensitivity and cognitive performance inter-relate on shorter time-frames. Here, we evaluate a framework proposed by Aston-Jones and colleagues, building on the Yerkes-Dodson model, to understand these associations. The framework describes how slow-moving (tonic) changes in autonomic arousal relate to fast (phasic) changes, as observed for example relative to experimenter-determined events, and how phasic changes relate to attention. Larger phasic changes, which associate with better selective attention, are most likely at mid-level tonic arousal. Smaller phasic changes, and worse selective attention, are observed at hypo-and hyper-arousal. We review the fit of this model to typical and atypical development, during infancy and childhood.
Association between alcohol consumption and Alzheimer’s disease: A Mendelian randomization Study
Authors: Andrews Shea J. , Goate Alison , Anstey Kaarin J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractINTRODUCTIONObservational studies have suggested that light-moderate alcohol consumptions decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but it is unclear if this association is causal.METHODSTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to examine whether alcohol consumption, alcohol dependence or Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) scores were causally associated with the risk of Late Onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) or Alzheimer’s disease age of onset survival (AAOS). Additionally, γ-glutamyltransferase levels were included as a positive control.RESULTSThere was no evidence of a causal association between alcohol consumption, alcohol dependence or AUDIT and LOAD. Alcohol consumption was associated with an earlier AAOS and increased γ-glutamyltransferase blood concentrations. Alcohol dependence was associated with a delayed AAOS.DISCUSSIONMR found robust evidence of a causal association between alcohol consumption and an earlier AAOS, but not alcohol intake and LOAD risk. The protective effect of alcohol dependence is potentially due to survivor bias.Research in ContextSystematic ReviewThe authors reviewed the literature using online databases (e.g. PubMed). Previous research links light-moderate alcohol consumption to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), however, prior studies based on observational study designs may be biased due to unmeasured confounders influencing both alcohol consumption and AD risk.InterpretationWe used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to evaluated the causal relationship between alcohol intake and AD. MR uses genetic variants as proxies for environmental exposures to provide an estimate of the causal association between an intermediate exposure and a disease outcome. MR found evidence of a causal association between alcohol consumption and an earlier AD age of onset, suggesting that light-moderate alcohol consumption does not reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease.Future DirectionsFuture studies should use alterative study designs and account for additional confounders when evaluating the causal relationship between alcohol consumption and AD.HighlightsWe evaluated causal relationships between alcohol intake and Alzheimer’s diseaseAlcohol consumption is causally associated with an earlier Alzheimer’s age of onsetNo evidence of causal assocations between alcohol intake and Alzheimer’s risk
Deciphering cell lineage specification during male sex determination with single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Stévant Isabelle , Neirjinck Yasmine , Borel Christelle , Escoffier Jessica , Smith Lee B. , Antonarakis Stylianos E. , Dermitzakis Emmanouil T. , Nef Serge 
Published: September 2017

SummaryThe gonad is a unique biological system for studying cell fate decisions. However, major questions remain regarding the identity of somatic progenitor cells and the transcriptional events driving cell differentiation. Using time course single cell RNA sequencing on XY mouse gonads during sex determination, we identified a single population of somatic progenitor cells prior sex determination. A subset of these progenitors differentiate into Sertoli cells, a process characterized by a highly dynamic genetic program consisting of sequential waves of gene expression. Another subset of multipotent cells maintains their progenitor state but undergo significant transcriptional changes that restrict their competence towards a steroidogenic fate required for the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells. These results question the dogma of the existence of two distinct somatic cell lineages at the onset of sex determination and propose a new model of lineage specification from a unique progenitor cell population.
Effect of vertical slit turbulence on metabolism and swimming behavior of juvenile grass carp (ctenopharyngodon idella)
Authors: Xi Yuan , Qing Jiang , Meng Xu , Zhi-ying Tu , Yi-hong Zhou , Ying-ping Huang 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBaffles were incorporated into the swim chamber of a flume-type swimming respirometer, and the effect of vertical slit turbulence on the swimming behavior and metabolism of juvenile grass carp were investigated. Results showed a significant lowerTBFin turbulent flow than in laminar flow (p< 0.05). However, differences inTBFat different inlet velocities were not significant (p> 0.05), whether the fish passed through the baffles or not. In turbulent flow, the residence time ratios of test fish at different flow zone were low water velocity > medium velocity > high velocity. Oxygen consumption rate (MO2) increased with flow velocity and was higher in turbulent flow than in laminar flow. Further, the speed exponent c, in turbulent flow, was significantly higher than in laminar flow, indicated a decrease swimming efficiency. This study of fish swimming in turbulent flow extends knowledge of fish ecology and provides data for guiding the design of hydrokinetic turbulent where needed, so preventing ecological impacts.
Identifying structural variants using linked-read sequencing data
Authors: Elyanow Rebecca , Wu Hsin-Ta , Raphael Benjamin J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractStructural variation, including large deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations, and other rearrangements, is common in human and cancer genomes. A number of methods have been developed to identify structural variants from Illumina short-read sequencing data. However, reliable identification of structural variants remains challenging because many variants have breakpoints in repetitive regions of the genome and thus are difficult to identify with short reads. The recently developed linked-read sequencing technology from 10X Genomics combines a novel barcoding strategy with Illumina sequencing. This technology labels all reads that originate from a small number (~5-10) DNA molecules ~50Kbp in length with the same molecular barcode. These barcoded reads contain long-range sequence information that is advantageous for identification of structural variants. We present Novel Adjacency Identification with Barcoded Reads (NAIBR), an algorithm to identify structural variants in linked-read sequencing data. NAIBR predicts novel adjacencies in a individual genome resulting from structural variants using a probabilistic model that combines multiple signals in barcoded reads. We show that NAIBR outperforms several existing methods for structural variant identification – including two recent methods that also analyze linked-reads – on simulated sequencing data and 10X whole-genome sequencing data from the NA12878 human genome and the HCC1954 breast cancer cell line. Several of the novel somatic structural variants identified in HCC1954 overlap known cancer genes.
Receptor-mediated Drp1 oligomerization on endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Ji Wei-Ke , Chakrabarti Rajarshi , Fan Xintao , Schoenfeld Lori , Strack Stefan , Higgs Henry N. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractDrpl is a dynamin GTPase important for mitochondrial and peroxisomal division. Drp1 oligomerization and mitochondrial recruitment are regulated by multiple factors, including interaction with mitochondrial receptors such as Mff, MiD49, MiD51 and Fis. In addition, both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and actin filaments play positive roles in mitochondrial division, but mechanisms for their roles are poorly defined. Here, we find that a population of Drp1 oligomers is ER-associated in mammalian cells, and is distinct from mitochondrial or peroxisomal Drp1 populations. Sub-populations of Mff and Fis1, which are tail-anchored proteins, also localize to ER. Drp1 oligomers assemble on ER, from which they can transfer to mitochondria. Suppression of Mff or inhibition of actin polymerization through the formin INF2 significantly reduces all Drp1 oligomer populations (mitochondrial, peroxisomal, ER-bound) and mitochondrial division, while Mff targeting to ER has a stimulatory effect on division. Our results suggest that ER can function as a platform for Drp1 oligomerization, and that ER-associated Drp1 contributes to mitochondrial division.SummaryAssembly of the dynamin GTPase Drp1 into constriction-competent oligomers is a key event in mitochondrial division. Here, Jiet alshow that Drp1 oligomerization can occur on endoplasmic reticulum through an ER-bound population of the tail-anchored protein Mff.Abbreviations used in this paper: Drp1, dynamin-related protein 1; Fis1, mitochondrial fission 1 protein; INF2, inverted formin 2; KD, siRNA-mediated knock down; KI, CRISPR-mediated knock in; KO, CRISPR-mediated knock out; LatA, Latrunculin A; MDV, mitochondrially-derived vesicle; Mff, mitochondrial fission factor; MiD49 and MiD51, mitochondrial dynamics protein of 49 and 51 kDa; OMM, outer mitochondrial membrane; TA, tail-anchored.
Crystal structure of the OH-dominant gadolinite-(Y) analogue (Y,Ca)2(Fe,□)Be2Si2O8(OH,O)2 from Heftetjern pegmatite, Norway
Authors: Chukanov Nikita V. , Aksenov Sergey M. , Rastsvetaeva Ramiza K. , Kristiansen Roy , Pekov Igor V. , Belakovskiy Dmitriy I. , Van Konstantin V. , Bychkova Yana V. , Britvin Sergey N. 
Published: September 2017

A hydroxyl-dominant analogue of gadolinite-(Y) (OH-Gad) has been discovered in the Heftetjern granitic pegmatite, southern Norway, in association with late-stage rare-earth-element containing minerals. The empirical formula, based on ten O atoms per formula unit, is (Y1.285Ca0.55Ce0.07La0.04Nd0.01)Σ1.955(Fe2+
0.57□0.43)Be2.02Si1.995O8.48(OH)1.52. The mineral is monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 4.7514 (10), b = 7.5719 (16), c = 9.9414 (2) Å, β = 90.015 (4)°, V = 357.663 (3) Å3 and Z = 2. The density calculated using the empirical formula is 3.903 g cm−3. The crystal structure was refined to R = 0.0217 for 776 reflections with I > 2σ(I). OH-Gad is isostructural with gadolinite-(Y) and it is characterized by the predominance of OH− over O2− at the anionic Ø-site. The refined crystal-chemical formula is:
A
(Y1.25Ca0.55Ce0.2)
X
(Fe2+
0.57□0.43)
Z
Be2

T
Si2O8
Ø[(OH)0.86O0.59(OH)*0.55] (Z = 2). The possible orientation and local environment of the hydroxyl group were suggested based on bond-valence sum calculations and geometrical analysis of the crystal structure. The infrared spectrum confirms disordering of H atoms. OH-Gad seems to be a potentially new mineral, the first simultaneously hydroxyl- and iron-dominant member of the gadolinite subgroup. It is an OH-analogue of gadolinite-(Y) and an Fe2+-analogue of hingganite-(Y).
The online examinations at Universitas Terbuka: an innovation diffusion viewpoint
Authors: Sugilar Sugilar 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the students’ adoption rate of the online examinations at Universitas Terbuka (UT), which is a hotbed of technological innovation in higher education, by analyzing the students’ adoption rate of the online examinations related to their academic factors (program of study, GPA, credit earned), socioeconomic status (age, sex, marital status, employment status), and residential factor.

Design/methodology/approach
This is an in-depth case study of 1,540 first-year students for the period ranging from the start of the second semester of 2013 to the first semester of 2016 at Bengkulu Regional Office of UT. During the term, quantitative data were set up with ordinal regression to measure the extent to which the adoption rate categories were influenced by such demographic characteristics as academic attainment, personal background, and current residence.

Findings
The results showed that while the program of study, grade point average, credits earned, sex, and residence had systematic effects on adopter categories, employment and marital status did not. The highlights of the results were that students with GPA less than or equal to 2.9 were 2.02 times likely to fall into a higher adopter category as compared to those with GPA above 2.9, and students residing in city were 2.50 times more likely to hit the higher levels of adopter category, compared to those residing outside city.

Research limitations/implications
As this is a case study of the students enrolled in the second semester of 2013 and because there has been a rapid change in the way people access information technology, further work should be done, in particular on the sample of students who have enrolled lately.

Practical implications
The institution of open and distance learning (ODL) should accelerate the introduction of new learning resources based on diffusion of innovation modeling.

Social implications
It is also recommended to especially encourage the new students of ODL to have a feeling of easiness and self-confidence regarding online examinations, and understand their importance. To achieve this objective, regional office staffs can guide the students to try out the online examination in the orientation study activities for new students.

Originality/value
Despite the extensive research on diffusion model for the past decades, this field of study has much more to offer in terms of describing and incorporating such current innovation as an online examination in ODL platforms with which to associate students’ academic and demographic profiles.
Quality assurance in learning material development at OUM
Authors: Ahmad Zabidi Nazrai , Woo Tai Kwan , Rajesh Kumar P. , Fadzil Mansor , Syed Husain Syarifah Hidayatul 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the stages involved in the module development process at the Open University Malaysia (OUM), to make them “print ready,” and how this has evolved over the years with various quality assurance (QA) mechanisms in place.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper builds upon the 12 quality control checks in the various stages of module development from pre-development to actual development and finally to post-development process. This is in line with the QA continuous improvement process of PDCA or Plan, Do, Check and Act.

Findings
Change, through the fine-tuning of QA processes and open door communication, is the key toward achieving quality modules, and hence meeting learners’ expectations.

Research limitations/implications
This paper highlights the experiences of only the Centre for Instructional Design and Technology, OUM in the development of quality learning material for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) learners.

Originality/value
This paper outlines the step-by-step process in module development, from print to print-ready material, to assist the ODL universities in their mission to provide quality learning material to learners.
Student characteristics and knowledge on ODL concepts at first registration
Authors: Kuruppuarachchi K.A.J.M. , Karunanayake K.O.L.C 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify socio-economic/demographic characteristics and to evaluate the knowledge on different open distance learning (ODL) concepts of BSc undergraduates of The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) at first registration.

Design/methodology/approach
The surveying technique was adapted with a piloted structured questionnaire consisting of two components. The structured component was used to evaluate personal, socio-economic and demographic data. The open ended component evaluated the student’s perception on ODL concepts. The questionnaire was randomly adapted to 456 (35 percent Colombo Regional Centre (CRC) registrants) prospective BSc undergraduates at first registration time at the CRC in 2014. Data collected from the structured component were frequency tabulated and cross-tabulated with the SPSS computer software. Responses of the open ended part were examined, categorized and the frequency percentages of each response category were calculated.

Findings
The structured component recognized that the majority of BSc undergraduates of the OUSL represent employed (53 percent), late adolescents (92 percent below age 27) who reside in rural or semi-urban areas (75 percent). They belong mostly to the lower middle class and 69 percent are from families which have a monthly family income below SLR30,000/(USD208). Answers of the open ended component on ODL concepts recognized that, prior knowledge on ODL concepts were developed by most BSc undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent of respondents perceived OUSL as an institute which facilitates working people by conducting part time-based or distance mode education with self-learning features. In total, 56.9 percent students perceived the role of an ODL teacher correctly as a facilitator or a guide. The educational process was perceived correctly as an ODL system by 52 percent, while the remainder also identified the system to be a more self-study and student centered flexible learning system. However, the role of a BSc student at OUSL was recognized as self-independent learners by only 36.7 percent and the majority had no clear perception of the role they have to play as an ODL student. Hence, more attention should be paid to make students recognize the role they have to play in an ODL system in order to succeed at OUSL.

Originality/value
Although research has been carried out periodically on the process of ODL education system at OUSL, on the graduate (output) and dropouts, etc., not many have focused on the nature of input such as characteristic features of first registrant and their prior knowledge on ODL. As the output invariably depends on the input and the process, this type of survey is timely and novel.
Effective material logistics in urban construction sites: a structural equation model
Authors: Spillane John P. , Oyedele Lukumon O. 
Published: September 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify best practice relating to the effective management of materials in an urban, confined construction site, using structural equation modelling.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature review, case study analysis and questionnaire survey are used, with the results scrutinised using confirmatory factor analysis in the form of structural equation modelling.

Findings
The following are the leading strategies in the management of materials in a confined urban site environment: consult and review the project programme, effective communication and delivery, implement site safety management plans and proactive spatial monitoring and control.

Research limitations/implication
With the relentless expansion of urban centres and the increasing high cost of materials, any potential savings made on-site would translate into significant monetary concessions on completion of a project.

Originality/value
As on-site project management professionals successfully identify and implement the various strategies in the management of plant and materials on a confined urban site, successful resource management in this restrictive environment is attainable.