bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Complexities of Productivity Policies in the Finnish Public Sector: Knowing How to Do More with Less?
Authors: Kork Anna‐Aurora , Mänttäri Pietu , Vakkuri Jarmo 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThis paper examines public sector productivity policies as complexities between what is ‘known’ in policy principles and what is ‘done’ in everyday policy practice. Such complexities are explored in two productivity policy cases within Finnish local government: municipal amalgamations, and the low‐threshold concept of healthcare service. Utilising quantitative and qualitative data from Finnish local government the paper demonstrates the tensions between productivity policy principles, interpretations for productivity improvement (‘knowing’) and final outcomes for actually applying (‘doing’) productivity policy. The paper argues in favour of a new understanding for the research and practice of public policy and management.
Influence of streambed substratum composition on stream microbial communities exposed to the fungicide tebuconazole
Authors: Donnadieu Florence , Besse‐Hoggan Pascale , Forestier Christiane , Artigas Joan 
Published: September 2015

Summary

Fungicides reaching stream ecosystems have different capacities to adsorb to benthic substrata and thus cause varying effects on benthic microbial communities. We evaluated the potential of a triazole fungicide, tebuconazole (TBZ), to adsorb to submerged leaves and sand and assessed TBZ effects on sand‐ and leaf‐associated microbial communities.

An indoor stream channel experiment was designed to test TBZ effects slightly above concentrations measured in agricultural streams (10.7 ± 0.3 μg L−1) on the microbial communities associated with either submerged leaves alone, sand alone or a mixed substratum of leaves + sand over 5 weeks. Weekly samples were taken to determine TBZ effects on the biomass and activity (litter breakdown rate, fungal sporulation rate and extracellular enzyme activities) of fungi and bacteria as well as the dissipation of TBZ in stream channels.

TBZ significantly reduced fungal biomass (17–20% relative to controls) but increased bacterial biomass (34–50%) on leaves and sand incubated separately. TBZ also significantly inhibited phenol oxidase activity (36%) in sand but not in leaves. Differences in TBZ effects between leaves and sand communities were not explained by differences between substrata in TBZ adsorption but more likely were related to differences in biomass accrual and structure of the microbial communities.

Mixing leaves+sand tended to attenuate TBZ effects on microbial communities, which was probably explained by a greater surface area available for TBZ adsorption to the substrata. This hypothesis is supported by the greater TBZ dissipation in stream channels receiving both leaves and sand. However, leaf and sand mixtures not only diluted but also modified TBZ effects on sand communities (14% increase in fungal biomass and 82% increase in the sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes). This result suggests that sand could serve as a refuge for fungi during TBZ‐contamination episodes.

Our study points to the importance of substratum heterogeneity for the ecotoxicological effects of TBZ on agricultural streams and highlights the contrasting responses of fungi and bacteria to contamination by a widespread fungicide.
Disjunct populations of European vascular plant species keep the same climatic niches
Authors: Wasof Safaa , Lenoir Jonathan , Aarrestad Per Arild , Alsos Inger Greve , Armbruster W. Scott , Austrheim Gunnar , Bakkestuen Vegar , Birks H. John B. , Bråthen Kari Anne , Broennimann Olivier , Brunet Jörg , Bruun Hans Henrik , Dahlberg Carl Johan , Diekmann Martin , Dullinger Stefan , Dynesius Mats , Ejrnæs Rasmus , Gégout Jean‐Claude , Graae Bente Jessen , Grytnes John‐Arvid , Guisan Antoine , Hylander Kristoffer , Jónsdóttir Ingibjörg S. , Kapfer Jutta , Klanderud Kari , Luoto Miska , Milbau Ann , Moora Mari , Nygaard Bettina , Odland Arvid , Pauli Harald , Ravolainen Virve , Reinhardt Stefanie , Sandvik Sylvi Marlen , Schei Fride Høistad , Speed James D. M. , Svenning Jens‐Christian , Thuiller Wilfried , Tveraabak Liv Unn , Vandvik Vigdis , Velle Liv Guri , Virtanen Risto , Vittoz Pascal , Willner Wolfgang , Wohlgemuth Thomas , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Zobel Martin , Decocq Guillaume 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAimPrevious research on how climatic niches vary across species ranges has focused on a limited number of species, mostly invasive, and has not, to date, been very conclusive. Here we assess the degree of niche conservatism between distant populations of native alpine plant species that have been separated for thousands of years.LocationEuropean Alps and Fennoscandia.MethodsOf the studied pool of 888 terrestrial vascular plant species occurring in both the Alps and Fennoscandia, we used two complementary approaches to test and quantify climatic‐niche shifts for 31 species having strictly disjunct populations and 358 species having either a contiguous or a patchy distribution with distant populations. First, we used species distribution modelling to test for a region effect on each species' climatic niche. Second, we quantified niche overlap and shifts in niche width (i.e. ecological amplitude) and position (i.e. ecological optimum) within a bi‐dimensional climatic space.ResultsOnly one species (3%) of the 31 species with strictly disjunct populations and 58 species (16%) of the 358 species with distant populations showed a region effect on their climatic niche. Niche overlap was higher for species with strictly disjunct populations than for species with distant populations and highest for arctic–alpine species. Climatic niches were, on average, wider and located towards warmer and wetter conditions in the Alps.Main conclusionClimatic niches seem to be generally conserved between populations that are separated between the Alps and Fennoscandia and have probably been so for 10,000–15,000 years. Therefore, the basic assumption of species distribution models that a species' climatic niche is constant in space and time – at least on time scales 104 years or less – seems to be largely valid for arctic–alpine plants.
UK Tax Policy 2010–15: An Assessment
Authors: Adam Stuart , Roantree Barra 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe UK's coalition government implemented £64 billion of tax rises and £48 billion of tax cuts during its term of office from 2010 to 2015. This paper assesses the design of the individual reforms and what they imply for the coherence of the tax system as a whole. The reforms included some significant structural changes to the way savings and pensions are taxed, but for the most part reforms involved simply changing rates and thresholds, with little attempt to address the fundamental structural deficiencies of the tax system. All in all, the coalition's changes represent a missed opportunity to improve the tax system, leaving its successor with numerous challenges to address.
High plant endemism in China is partially linked to reduced glacial‐interglacial climate change
Authors: Feng Gang , Mao Lingfeng , Sandel Brody , Swenson Nathan G. , Svenning Jens‐Christian 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAimEndemic species are hypothesized to particularly occur in areas with relatively stable climates during the Quaternary glacial‐interglacial oscillations (orbitally forced species' range dynamics hypothesis). This hypothesis has received support in global studies and studies from regions highly affected by glaciations. Here, we test its applicability to Chinese endemic species, thereby testing it in a region that was relatively mildly affected by glaciations.LocationChina.MethodsWe tested for associations between endemic species richness and Quaternary climate change, current climate and topography. Changes in mean annual temperature (MAT) and annual precipitation (MAP) between the Last Glacial Maximum and present were used to describe Quaternary climate change. We used simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models to account for spatial autocorrelation in predictors, and Random Forest modelling to deal with non‐linear relationships and better handle multicollinearity among predictor variables. To get a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved we also performed analyses based on growth‐form (woody versus herbaceous plants) and species age (palaeo‐ and neoendemics).ResultsSingle‐predictor SAR models showed that glacial‐interglacial MAT velocity always has higher explanatory power than current climate (with a pseudo r2 difference of 0.581–0.604 between the best palaeoclimate and current climate predictors for models for all endemic plants). Model selection on multivariate SAR models (based on Akaike weights) and Random Forest modelling (based on correlations between predicted and observed species richness) always included at least one variable representing Quaternary climate change as well as one or more current climate variables. Quaternary climate‐change variables were generally of similar strength to the current climate predictors. Notably, the summed Akaike weight across all models in the relevant model set was always 1 for glacial‐interglacial MAT velocity. There were no clear differences with respect to growth forms or species age in the estimated importance of Quaternary climate change.Main conclusionsThe consistent association between long‐term climatic stability and high plant endemism in China provides strong evidence for the importance of Quaternary glacial‐interglacial climate changes in shaping the distribution of endemic species, even in regions relatively mildly affected by glaciations. Hence, even moderate climate changes may have strong, long‐term effects on species diversity patterns.
Effects of Husk and Harvesting Time on Provitamin A Activity and Sensory Properties of Boiled Fresh Orange Maize Hybrids
Authors: Alamu Emmanuel Oladeji , Maziya‐Dixon Bussie , Menkir Abebe , Olaofe Olorunfemi 
Published: September 2015

AbstractBoiled fresh maize on the cob is a nutritious food staple among Nigerians. This study evaluated the effect of husk and harvesting time on the β‐carotene, provitamin A (PVA) activity and sensory properties of boiled orange maize hybrids. Eight freshly harvested cobs of orange maize hybrids were boiled with and without husk using an atmospheric cooking method and evaluated for PVA carotenoids. Sensory evaluation was carried out on the boiled samples within 24 h after harvesting. Husk and harvesting time had highly significant effects (P ≤ 0.001) on the carotenoid components. The best harvesting time to boil fresh orange hybrids for higher β‐carotene and PVA is 20 days after pollination (DAP) for boiled maize with husk and 27 DAP for boiled maize without husk. Hybrid variety and harvesting time were very important factors in rating sensory properties of boiled orange maize hybrids, and the sensory properties that determined the acceptance/likeness were found to be aroma, chewiness and taste.Practical ApplicationsThe use of orange maize hybrids with enhanced provitamin A levels will be of value in reducing incidence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) for low‐income communities in developing countries. The information obtained from this study will not only increase the understanding of the level of retention of these antioxidant phytochemicals after processing but will also help breeders to adjust their germplasm development activities for high content of such phytochemicals. This information can also help researchers in choosing proper cooking methods to increase the retention of high levels of carotenoids in orange maize that can be delivered to consumers through nutrition education.
The effect of phosphorylation on arrestin–rhodopsin interaction in the squid visual system
Authors: Robinson Kelly A. , Ou Wei‐Lin , Guan Xinyu , Sugamori Kim S. , Bandyopadhyay Abhishek , Ernst Oliver P. , Mitchell Jane 
Published: September 2015

AbstractInvertebrate visual opsins are G protein‐coupled receptors coupled to retinoid chromophores that isomerize reversibly between inactive rhodopsin and active metarhodopsin upon absorption of photons of light. The squid visual system has an arrestin protein that binds to metarhodopsin to block signaling to Gq and activation of phospholipase C. Squid rhodopsin kinase (SQRK) can phosphorylate both metarhodopsin and arrestin, a dual role that is unique among the G protein‐coupled receptor kinases. The sites and role of arrestin phosphorylation by SQRK were investigated here using recombinant proteins. Arrestin was phosphorylated on serine 392 and serine 397 in the C‐terminus. Unphosphorylated arrestin bound to metarhodopsin and phosphorylated metarhodopsin with similar high affinities (Kd 33 and 21 nM respectively), while phosphorylation of arrestin reduced the affinity 3‐ to 5‐fold (Kd 104 nM). Phosphorylation of metarhodopsin slightly increased the dissociation of arrestin observed during a 1 hour incubation. Together these studies suggest a unique role for SQRK in phosphorylating both receptor and arrestin and inhibiting the binding of these two proteins in the squid visual system.image
Invertebrate visual systems are inactivated by arrestin binding to metarhodopsin that does not require receptor phosphorylation. Here we show that squid rhodopsin kinase phosphorylates arrestin on two serines (S392,S397) in the C‐terminus and phosphorylation decreases the affinity of arrestin for squid metarhodopsin. Metarhodopsin phosphorylation has very little effect on arrestin binding but does increase arrestin dissociation.
Leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 interacts with p21‐activated kinase 6 to control neurite complexity in mammalian brain
Authors: Civiero Laura , Cirnaru Maria Daniela , Beilina Alexandra , Rodella Umberto , Russo Isabella , Belluzzi Elisa , Lobbestael Evy , Reyniers Lauran , Hondhamuni Geshanthi , Lewis Patrick A. , Van den Haute Chris , Baekelandt Veerle , Bandopadhyay Rina , Bubacco Luigi , Piccoli Giovanni , Cookson Mark R. , Taymans Jean‐Marc , Greggio Elisa 
Published: September 2015

AbstractLeucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a causative gene for Parkinson's disease, but the physiological function and the mechanism(s) by which the cellular activity of LRRK2 is regulated are poorly understood. Here, we identified p21‐activated kinase 6 (PAK6) as a novel interactor of the GTPase/ROC domain of LRRK2. p21‐activated kinases are serine‐threonine kinases that serve as targets for the small GTP binding proteins Cdc42 and Rac1 and have been implicated in different morphogenetic processes through remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton such as synapse formation and neuritogenesis. Using an in vivo neuromorphology assay, we show that PAK6 is a positive regulator of neurite outgrowth and that LRRK2 is required for this function. Analyses of post‐mortem brain tissue from idiopathic and LRRK2 G2019S carriers reveal an increase in PAK6 activation state, whereas knock‐out LRRK2 mice display reduced PAK6 activation and phosphorylation of PAK6 substrates. Taken together, these results support a critical role of LRRK2 GTPase domain in cytoskeletal dynamics in vivo through the novel interactor PAK6, and provide a valuable platform to unravel the mechanism underlying LRRK2‐mediated pathophysiology.
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We propose p21‐activated kinase 6 (PAK6) as a novel interactor of leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), a kinase involved in Parkinson's disease (PD). In health, PAK6 regulates neurite complexity in the brain and LRRK2 is required for its function, (a) whereas PAK6 is aberrantly activated in LRRK2‐linked PD brain (b) suggesting that LRRK2 toxicity is mediated by PAK6.
Consumer participation in early detection of the deteriorating patient and call activation to rapid response systems: a literature review
Authors: Vorwerk Jane , King Lindy 
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectivesThis review investigated the impact of consumer participation in recognition of patient deterioration and response through call activation in rapid response systems.BackgroundNurses and doctors have taken the main role in recognition and response to patient deterioration through hospital rapid response systems. Yet patients and visitors (consumers) have appeared well placed to notice early signs of deterioration. In response, many hospitals have sought to partner health professionals with consumers in detection and response to early deterioration. However, to date, there have been no published research‐based reviews to establish the impact of introducing consumer involvement into rapid response systems.DesignA critical research‐based review was undertaken.MethodsA comprehensive search of databases from 2006–2014 identified 11 studies. Critical appraisal of these studies was undertaken and thematic analysis of the findings revealed four major themes.ResultsFollowing implementation of the consumer activation programmes, the number of calls made by the consumers following detection of deterioration increased. Interestingly, the number of staff calls also increased. Importantly, mortality numbers were found to decrease in one major study following the introduction of consumer call activation. Consumer and staff knowledge and satisfaction with the new programmes indicated mixed results. Initial concerns of the staff over consumer involvement overwhelming the rapid response systems did not eventuate. Evaluation of successful consumer‐activated programmes indicated the importance of: effective staff education and training; ongoing consumer education by nurses and clear educational materials.ConclusionsFindings indicated positive patient outcomes following introduction of consumer call activation programmes within rapid response systems. Effective consumer programmes included information that was readily accessible, easy‐to‐understand and available in a range of multimedia materials accompanied by the explanation and support of health professionals.Relevance to clinical practiceIntroduction of consumer‐activated programmes within rapid response systems appears likely to improve outcomes for patients experiencing deterioration.
Understanding skill acquisition among registered nurses: the ‘perpetual novice’ phenomenon
Authors: Wilson Barbara , Harwood Lori , Oudshoorn Abe 
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectivesTo determine whether the perpetual novice phenomenon exists beyond nephrology nursing where it was first described.BackgroundThe perpetual novice is a state in which nurses are unable to progress from a novice to an expert in one or more essential clinical skills which are used in their practice area. Maintaining clinical competence is essential to quality patient care outcomes.DesignAn exploratory, sequential, mixed methods design was used, comprised of a quantitative component followed by in‐depth interviews.MethodsRegistered nurses employed in one of four roles were recruited from two university‐affiliated hospitals in London, Ontario, Canada: Clinical Educator, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Advanced Practice Nurse and Nurse Practitioner. Participants were first asked to complete and return a survey and demographic questionnaire. Following the return of the completed surveys, ten participants were interviewed to enhance the results of the surveys.ResultsThe results of the surveys confirmed that the perpetual novice phenomenon exists across multiple nursing care areas. Four contributing factors, both personal and structural in nature, emerged from the interviews: (1) opportunities for education, (2) the context of learning, (3) personal motivation and initiative to learn and (4) the culture of the units where nurses worked.ConclusionThe perpetual novice phenomenon exists due to a combination of both personal factors as well as contextual factors in the work environment.Relevance to clinical practiceThe results assist in directing future educational interventions and provide nursing leaders with the information necessary to create work environments that best enable practicing nurses to acquire and maintain clinical competence.
Has bioscience reconciled mind and body?
Authors: Davies Carmel , Redmond Catherine , Toole Sinead O , Coughlan Barbara 
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectivesThe aim of this discursive paper is to explore the question ‘has biological science reconciled mind and body?’.BackgroundThis paper has been inspired by the recognition that bioscience has a historical reputation for privileging the body over the mind. The disregard for the mind (emotions and behaviour) cast bioscience within a ‘mind–body problem’ paradigm. It has also led to inherent limitations in its capacity to contribute to understanding the complex nature of health.DesignThis is a discursive paper.MethodsLiterature from the history and sociology of science and psychoneuroimmunology (1975–2015) inform the arguments in this paper. The historical and sociological literature provides the basis for a socio‐cultural debate on mind–body considerations in science since the 1970s. The psychoneuroimmunology literature draws on mind–body bioscientific theory as a way to demonstrate how science is reconciling mind and body and advancing its understanding of the interconnections between emotions, behaviour and health.ResultsUsing sociological and biological evidence, this paper demonstrates how bioscience is embracing and advancing its understanding of mind–body interconnectedness. It does this by demonstrating the emotional and behavioural alterations that are caused by two common phenomena; prolonged, chronic peripheral inflammation and prolonged psychological stress. The evidence and arguments provided has global currency that advances understanding of the inter‐relationship between emotions, behaviour and health.ConclusionsThis paper shows how bioscience has reconciled mind and body. In doing so, it has advanced an understanding of science's contribution to the inter‐relationship between emotions, behaviour and health.Relevance to clinical practiceThe biological evidence supporting mind–body science has relevance to clinical practice for nurses and other healthcare professions. This paper discusses how this evidence can inform and enhance clinical practice directly and through research, education and policy.