bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microbial communities in peatlands along a chronosequence on the Sanjiang Plain, China
Authors: Zhou Xue , Zhang Zhenqing , Tian Lei , Li Xiujun , Tian Chunjie 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMicrobial communities play crucial roles in the global carbon cycle, particularly in peatland ecosystems under climate change. The peatlands of the Sanjiang Plain could be highly vulnerable to global warming because they are mainly located at the southern limit of northern peatlands. In this study, the alpha diversity and composition of bacterial communities in three different minerotrophic fens along a chronosequence were investigated. We captured a rich microbial community that included many rare operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but was dominated by a few bacterial classes that have frequently been detected in other peatland ecosystems. Notably, a large diversity of methanotrophs affiliated with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria was also detected. Bacterial alpha diversity and composition varied as a function of peat depth and its associated physical-chemical properties, such as total carbon, total nitrogen, pH and bulk density. We also found that bacterial community turnover (beta diversity) to be significantly correlated with soil age, whereas bacterial alpha diversity was not.
Evaluating the Potential for a Sex-Balanced Harvest Approach in the Recreational Summer Flounder Fishery
Authors: Morson Jason M. , Munroe Daphne , Harner Ryan , Marshall Rachel 
Published: August 2017

Abstract
Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus support important recreational and commercial fisheries along the northeast and mid-Atlantic coasts of the USA. In the recreational sector, management efforts to constrain harvest below the maximum allowable catch have typically involved increasing the minimum landing size; however, females grow faster than males. Thus, reliance on increased minimum size limits as a management strategy has resulted in approximately 90% of the recent recreational landings being large, female fish. We evaluated the potential for slot limits to produce a sex-balanced harvest in the recreational Summer Flounder fishery. To estimate the size- and sex-specific vulnerability, we sampled the landed and discarded fish (n = 3,290) caught by recreational anglers on select party boats from New Jersey to Rhode Island during the 2016 recreational fishing season. We then examined the performance of a wide array of slot limits to estimate which would have promoted a more sex-balanced harvest while maintaining a fixed fishing mortality given the observed catch composition. We demonstrate that slot limits applied to the recreational Summer Flounder fishery have the potential to simultaneously meet multiple management objectives, including the conservation of female biomass while maintaining a fixed fishing mortality; however, no single slot limit performed best at all sampling locations. Results should therefore be viewed as optimal given the observed catch composition for the year, fishing mode, and locations that were observed, and further evaluation of interannual, spatial, and fishing mode variability is warranted.
Received March 17, 2017; accepted July 26, 2017Published online October 20, 2017
Deconvolution of multiple infections in Plasmodium falciparum from high throughput sequencing data
Authors: Zhu Sha Joe , Almagro-Garcia Jacob , McVean Gil 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Motivation
The presence of multiple infecting strains of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum affects key phenotypic traits, including drug resistance and risk of severe disease. Advances in protocols and sequencing technology have made it possible to obtain high-coverage genome-wide sequencing data from blood samples and blood spots taken in the field. However, analyzing and interpreting such data is challenging because of the high rate of multiple infections present.

Results
We have developed a statistical method and implementation for deconvolving multiple genome sequences present in an individual with mixed infections. The software package DEploid uses haplotype structure within a reference panel of clonal isolates as a prior for haplotypes present in a given sample. It estimates the number of strains, their relative proportions and the haplotypes presented in a sample, allowing researchers to study multiple infection in malaria with an unprecedented level of detail.

Availability and implementation
The open source implementation DEploid is freely available at https://github.com/mcveanlab/DEploid under the conditions of the GPLv3 license. An R version is available at https://github.com/mcveanlab/DEploid-r.

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Enhanced cross-modal activation of sensory cortex in mouse models of autism
Authors: Hattori Ryoma , Südhof Thomas C. , Yamakawa Kazuhiro , Hensch Takao K 
Published: August 2017

SUMMARYSynesthesia is a condition wherein one sense is evoked by another. Recent studies suggested a higher incidence of synesthesia among people with autism. However, the underlying circuit mechanism of the comorbidity remains unknown partly due to lack of animal models. Here, we measured auditory response of primary visual cortex (V1) in mouse models to estimate the mixture level of their senses. We found that the V1 auditory response exhibits bidirectional cross-modal plasticity and depends on the level of GABA-mediated inhibition. Analysis of the V1 auditory response in autistic BTBR strain revealed its contralateral bias as in primary auditory cortex, and the auditory evoked field potential was enhanced at gamma range. Furthermore, early sound-driven spike modulation of V1 was commonly shifted toward enhancement in three different autism models (BTBR, NL3 R451C, SCN1A R1407X). Disruption of excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) circuit balance is prevalent among autistic people and mouse models. Thus, our results suggest that E/I imbalance may be the common circuit dysfunction for both autism and synesthesia.
Awake fMRI Reveals Brain Regions for Novel Word Detection in Dogs
Authors: Prichard Ashley , Cook Peter F. , Spivak Mark , Chhibber Raveena , Berns Gregory S. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractHow do dogs understand human words? At a basic level, understanding would require the discrimination of words from non-words. To determine the mechanisms of such a discrimination, we trained 12 dogs to retrieve two objects based on object names, then probed the neural basis for these auditory discriminations using awake-fMRI. We compared the neural response to these trained words relative to “oddball” pseudowords the dogs had not heard before. Consistent with novelty detection, we found greater activation for pseudowords relative to trained words bilaterally in the parietotemporal cortex. To probe the neural basis for representations of trained words, searchlight multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed that a subset of dogs had clusters of informative voxels that discriminated between the two trained words. These clusters included the left temporal cortex and amygdala, left caudate nucleus, and thalamus. These results demonstrate that dogs’ processing of human words utilizes basic processes like novelty detection, and for some dogs, may also include auditory and hedonic representations.
Trajectories of Alcohol Use Initiation and Risk to Develop an Alcohol Use Disorder During Adolescence: A Role for Stress and Amygdala Activity
Authors: Elsayed Nourhan M. , Justin Kim M. , Fields Kristina M. , Olvera Rene L. , Hariri Ahmad R. , Williamson Douglas E. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractEarly alcohol use initiation predicts onset of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in adulthood. However, little is known about developmental trajectories of alcohol use initiation or their putative biological and environmental correlates. Here we report the results of latent class analyses identifying two trajectories of alcohol use initiation in a prospective study of adolescents selected for the presence or absence of familial risk for depression at baseline. The latent class analyses identified two distinct patterns of initiation: early initiators (EI; n=32) who reported greater baseline alcohol use (M = 1.12, SE = .35) and exhibited a more rapid rate of change in use between baseline and each follow up wave (M = 4.43, SE = .94); and in contrast, late initiators (LI; n=298) who reported lower baseline use (M = .23, SE = .03) and exhibited a slower rate of change between baseline and each of the subsequent follow up waves (M = .12, SE = .03). Early initiators had more positive expectancies regarding alcohol (p = .002 – p = .005) and reported higher levels of stressful life events during the year prior to baseline assessment (p = .001). Additionally, fMRI analyses revealed that EI displayed heightened threat-related amygdala activity at baseline compared to LI (p = .001), but no differences in reward-related ventral striatum activity. Lastly survival analyses revealed that EI initiators were 6.7 times more likely to develop an AUD by age 19 when compared to the LI (p = .005). These patterns, which were independent of broad familial risk for depression, suggest that early initiation of alcohol use during adolescence associated with later risk for AUD is reflected in both higher levels of stressful life events and higher neural reactivity to threat, the combination of which may inform ongoing efforts to prevent persistent dysfunction.
Evolution of dispersal syndrome and its corresponding metabolomic changes
Authors: Tung Sudipta , Mishra Abhishek , Gogna Navdeep , Sadiq Mohammed Aamir , Shreenidhi P.M. , Sruti V.R. Shree , Dorai Kavita , Dey Sutirth 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDispersal is one of the strategies for organisms to deal with climate change and habitat degradation. Therefore, investigating the effects of dispersal evolution on natural populations is of considerable interest to ecologists and conservation biologists. Although it is known that dispersal itself can evolve due to selection, the behavioral, life-history and metabolic consequences of dispersal evolution are not well understood. Here we explore these issues by subjecting four outbred laboratory populations ofDrosophila melanogasterto selection for increased dispersal. The dispersal-selected populations had similar values of body size, fecundity and longevity as the non-selected lines (controls), but evolved significantly greater locomotor activity, exploratory tendency, and aggression. Untargeted metabolomic fingerprinting through NMR spectroscopy suggested that the selected flies evolved elevated cellular respiration characterized by greater amounts of glucose, AMP and NAD. Concurrent evolution of higher level of Octopamine and other neurotransmitters indicate a possible mechanism for the behavioural changes in the selected lines. We discuss the generalizability of our findings in the context of observations from natural populations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the evolution of metabolome due to selection for dispersal and its connection to dispersal syndrome evolution.
Flax latitudinal adaptation atLuTFL1altered architecture and promoted fiber production
Authors: Gutaker Rafal M , Zaidem Maricris , Fu Yong-Bi , Diederichsen Axel , Smith Oliver , Ware Roselyn , Allaby Robin G 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAfter domestication in the Near East around 10,000 years ago several founder crops, flax included, spread to European latitudes. On reaching northerly latitudes the architecture of domesticated flax became more suitable to fiber production over oil, with longer stems, smaller seeds and fewer axillary branches. Latitudinal adaptations in crops typically result in changes in flowering time, often involving the PEBP family of genes that also have the potential to influence plant architecture. Two PEBP family genes in the flax genome,LuTFL1andLuTFL2, vary in wild and cultivated flax over latitudinal range with cultivated flax receivingLuTFL1alleles from northerly wild flax populations. Compared to a background of population structure of flaxes over latitude, theLuTFL1alleles display a level of differentiation that is consistent with selection for an allele III in the north. We demonstrate through heterologous expression inArabidopsis thalianathatLuTFL1is a functional homolog ofTFL1inA. thalianacapable of changing both flowering time and plant architecture. We conclude that specialized fiber flax types could have formed as a consequence of a natural adaptation of cultivated flax to higher latitudes.
A systematic approach to investigating how information security and privacy can be achieved in BYOD environments
Authors: Bello Abubakar Garba , Murray David , Armarego Jocelyn 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThis paper’s purpose is to provide a current best practice approach that can be used to identify and manage bring your own device (BYOD) security and privacy risks faced by organisations that use mobile devices as part of their business strategy. While BYOD deployment can provide work flexibility, boost employees’ productivity and be cost cutting for organisations, there are also many information security and privacy issues, with some widely recognised, and others less understood. This paper focuses on BYOD adoption, and its associated risks and mitigation strategies, investigating how both information security and privacy can be effectively achieved in BYOD environments.Design/methodology/approachThis research paper used a qualitative research methodology, applying the case study approach to understand both organisational and employee views, thoughts, opinions and actions in BYOD environments.FindingsThis paper identifies and understands BYOD risks, threats and influences, and determines effective controls and procedures for managing organisational and personal information resources in BYOD.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of this paper is limited to the inquiry and findings from organisations operating in Australia. This paper also suggests key implications that lie within the ability of organisations to adequately develop and deploy successful BYOD management and practices.Originality/valueThis paper expands previous research investigating BYOD practices, and also provides a current best practice approach that can be used by organisations to systematically investigate and understand how to manage security and privacy risks in BYOD environments.
A service-oriented application creation process in ubiquitous environments
Authors: Taktak Hajer , Moussa Faouzi 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
Many features constitute an adaptive system such as user model, interface specification, business functionalities and service implementation. Context awareness is an important facet of service oriented application creation dealing with the gathering, use and representation of context information. Generally, user interfaces and services communities work separately on the adaptation process and do not converge. The aim of this work is to manage the system’s functionalities and the user interface that delivers data to the relevant consumer early since the design phase until the code generation.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors discuss how a unified method based on a model-driven architecture for adaptive user interface and pervasive service creation eases the work of designers and developers, limits incompatibility issues and supports dynamic generation of systems adapted to different contexts of use.

Findings
The proposed approach is able to support a semi-automatic ubiquitous application generation with service, behavior, presentation and content adaptation.

Originality/value
In this paper, the authors tackle context-awareness at two levels: system functionalities and user interface generation. The authors also tackle adaptation at the specification and implementation levels.
FinTechs in China – with a special focus on peer to peer lending
Authors: Stern Caroline , Makinen Mikko , Qian Zongxin 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
China is a country with the most number of operating peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms (approximately 2,000) worldwide. This study aims to provide an overview on FinTechs in China. It was examined why payment services and P2P lending are so popular in China and what are the determinants for the emergence of P2P lending platforms in different provinces in China.

Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a descriptive analysis of P2P lending in China and an empirical analysis of determinants of P2P lending in China.

Findings
This descriptive analysis shows that the surge in the number of the P2P platforms in China follows an inverted U-shaped phenomenon. However, the outstanding balances of P2P lenders is still increasing, while average yields of P2P lenders have sharply plunged. The empirical findings indicate that P2P lending is more extensive in the region with more mobile phone subscriptions; outstanding balance of P2P lenders in region is negatively associated with the size of traditional banking sector; and the number of the P2P platforms in negatively related to the fixed assets investments in region, whereas average yield is positively associated with the fixed assets investments.

Originality/value
Currently, almost no research papers with empirical analysis of FinTechs, especially P2P lenders, exist. This study estimates a simple model to find determinants of P2P lending.
Exploring health work: a critical-action perspective
Authors: Hassard John , Hyde Paula , Wolfram Cox Julie , Granter Edward , McCann Leo 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a hybrid approach to the research developed during a multi-researcher, ethnographic study of NHS management in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThis methodological paper elaborates a hybrid approach to the sociological analysis – the critical-action theory – and indicates how it can contribute to the critical health management studies.FindingsAfter exploring the various theoretical, methodological and philosophical options available, the paper discusses the main research issues that influenced the development of this perspective and the process by which the critical-action perspective was applied to the studies of managerial work in four health service sectors – acute hospitals, ambulance services, community services and mental healthcare.Research limitations/implicationsThis methodological perspective enabled a critical analysis of health service organisation that considered macro, meso and micro effects, in particular and in this case, how new public management drained power from clinicians through managerialist discourses and practices.Practical implicationsHealthcare organisations are often responding to the decisions that lie outside of their control and may have to enact changes that make little sense locally. In order to make sense of these effects, micro-, meso- and macro-level analyses are necessary.Originality/valueThe critical-action perspective is presented as an adjunct to traditional approaches that have been taken to the study of health service organisation and delivery.
Critical healthcare management studies: green shoots
Authors: Kitchener Martin , McDermott Aoife M. , Cooper Simon 
Published: August 2017

PurposeWhile critical approaches have enriched research in proximate fields, their impact has been less marked in studies of healthcare management. In response, the 2016 Organizational Behaviour in Health Care Conference hosted its first-ever session dedicated to the emergent field of critical healthcare management studies (CHMSs). The purpose of this paper is to present five papers selected from that conference.Design/methodology/approachIn this introductory paper, the authors frame the contributions as “green shoots” in a field of CHMS which contains four main furrows of activity: questioning the taken-for-granted; moving beyond instrumentalism; reflexivity and meanings in research; and challenging structures of domination (Kitchener and Thomas, 2016). The authors conclude by presenting an agenda for further cultivating the field of CHMS.FindingsThe papers evidence the value of CHMS, and provide insight into the benefits of broadening theoretical and methodological approaches in pursuit of critical insights.Research limitations/implicationsCHMS works to explicate the multiple and competing ideologies and interests inherent in healthcare. As pragmatic imperatives push the provision of health and social care out of the organisational contexts and into private space, there is a particular need to simultaneously understand, and critically interrogate, the implications of new, as well as existing, forms of care.Practical implicationsThis paper reviews, frames and details practical next steps in developing CHMS. These include: enhanced engagement with a wider range of actors than is currently the norm in mainstream healthcare management research; a broadening of theoretical and methodological lenses; support for critical approaches among editors and reviewers; and enhanced communication of critical research via its incorporation into education and training programmes.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to an emerging stream of CHMS research, and works to consolidate next steps for the field.
Making history critical
Authors: Learmonth Mark 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore a possible discursive history of National Health Service (NHS) “management” (with management, for reasons that will become evident, very much in scare quotes). Such a history is offered as a complement, as well as a counterpoint, to the more traditional approaches that have already been taken to the history of the issue.

Design/methodology/approach
Document analysis and interviews with UK NHS trust chief executives.

Findings
After explicating the assumptions of the method it suggests, through a range of empirical sources that the NHS has undergone an era of administration, an era of management and an era of leadership.

Research limitations/implications
The paper enables a recasting of the history of the NHS; in particular, the potential for such a discursive history to highlight the interests supported and denied by different representational practices.

Practical implications
Today’s so-called leaders are leaders because of conventional representational practices – not because of some essence about what they really are.

Social implications
New ideas about the nature of management.

Originality/value
The value of thinking in terms of what language does – rather than what it might represent.
Is the MRCPsych fit for purpose?
Authors: Watkins Lance Vincent 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether the current Royal College of Psychiatrists Membership (MRCPsych) written examination is a suitable assessment tool to distinguish between candidates in a high-stakes examination.Design/methodology/approachReview of current educational theory and evidence in relation to the use of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) as an assessment form.FindingsWhen MCQ’s are constructed correctly they provide an efficient and objective assessment tool. However, when developing assessment tools for high-stakes scenarios, it is important that MCQs are used alongside other tests that may scrutinize other aspects of competence. It may be argued that written assessment can only satisfy the first stage of Miller’s pyramid. The evidence outlined demonstrates that this may not be the case and higher order thinking and problem solving can be assessed with appropriately constructed questions. MCQs or any other singular assessment alone, cannot demonstrate clinical competence or mastery.Originality/valueIncreasingly, the MRCPsych examination is used around the world to establish levels of competency and expertise in psychiatry. It is therefore essential that the Royal College of Psychiatrists lead the way in innovation of assessment procedures which are linked to current educational theory. The author has evidenced how the current MRCPsych, may at least in part, hold inherent biases which are not related to a candidate’s competency.