bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) enhances hippocampal excitatory and seizure activity through IGF-1 receptor-mediated mechanisms in the epileptic brain
Authors: Jiang Guohui , Wang Wei , Cao Qingqing , Gu Juan , Mi Xiujuan , Wang Kewei , Chen Guojun , Wang Xuefeng 
Published: August 2015

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is known to promote neurogenesis and survival. However, recent studies have suggested that IGF-1 regulates neuronal firing and excitatory neurotransmission. In the present study, focusing on temporal lobe epilepsy, we found that IGF-1 levels and IGF-1 receptor activation are increased in human epileptogenic tissues, and pilocarpine- and pentylenetetrazole-treated rat models. Using an acute model of seizures, we showed that lateral cerebroventricular infusion of IGF-1 elevates IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signalling before pilocarpine application had proconvulsant effects. In vivo electroencephalogram recordings and power spectrogram analysis of local field potential revealed that IGF-1 promotes epileptiform activities. This effect is diminished by co-application of an IGF-1R inhibitor. In an in vitro electrophysiological study, we demonstrated that IGF-1 enhancement of excitatory neurotransmission and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptor- and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated currents is inhibited by IGF-1R inhibitor. Finally, activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)-1/2 and protein kinase B (Akt) in seizures in rats is increased by exogenous IGF-1 and diminished by picropodophyllin. A behavioural study reveals that the ERK1/2 or Akt inhibitor attenuates seizure activity. These results indicate that increased IGF-1 levels after recurrent hippocampal neuronal firings might, in turn, promote seizure activity via IGF-1R-dependent mechanisms. The present study presents a previously unappreciated role of IGF-1R in the development of seizure activity.
Technology of gravity aided inertial navigation system and its trial in South China Sea
Authors: Wang Hubiao , Wu Lin , Chai Hua , Hsu Houtse , Wang Yong 
Published: August 2015

The technology of gravity aided inertial navigation system and its trial in South China Sea is presented in this study. The principle and technology are introduced and the results of its sea trial in South China Sea are illustrated and discussed. The gravity data was measured with marine gravimeter. After data preprocessing, multi‐model Kalman filter iterative algorithm is used to estimate position of the underwater vehicle in the stored gravity reference maps. At last the navigation results were compared with GPS's record, a 1.92 n miles optimal position accuracy of two actual marine trajectories is obtained. Furthermore, two aspects (the accuracy of measurements and gravity reference map, the gravity feature variations) and three key parameters, which influence the position accuracy, are discussed and analysed. The trial results show that the gravity aided inertial navigation system is feasible and effective, and the position accuracy of inertial navigation system can be obviously improved with this proposed navigation approach.
Topological Bloch bands in graphene superlattices
Authors: Song Justin C. W. , Samutpraphoot Polnop , Levitov Leonid S. 
Published: August 2015

Significance
A family of designer topological materials is introduced, comprising stacks of two-dimensional materials which by themselves are not topological, such as graphene. Previously, topological bands in graphene were presumed either impossible or impractical. The designer approach turns graphene into a robust platform with which a host of topological behavior can be realized and explored.
Disruption of hippocampal–prefrontal cortex activity by dopamine D2R-dependent LTD of NMDAR transmission
Authors: Banks Paul James , Burroughs Amelia Caroline , Barker Gareth Robert Isaac , Brown Jon Thomas , Warburton Elizabeth Clea , Bashir Zafar Iqbal 
Published: August 2015

Significance
Synaptic transmission between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is required for many executive cognitive functions. It is believed that disruption of this communication contributes to symptoms observed in psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Hyperdopaminergic tone and hypofunction of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamate transmission are distinctive elements of schizophrenia. Here we demonstrate that activation of low-affinity D2-like dopamine receptors leads to a lasting depression of NMDA receptors at the hippocampal–prefrontal projection of juvenile rats, leading to a marked disruption of synaptic transmission. These data demonstrate a link between dopamine and hypofunction of NMDA receptor-mediated transmission with potential implications for psychiatric disease.
Propagation of prions causing synucleinopathies in cultured cells
Authors: Woerman Amanda L. , Stöhr Jan , Aoyagi Atsushi , Rampersaud Ryan , Krejciova Zuzana , Watts Joel C. , Ohyama Takao , Patel Smita , Widjaja Kartika , Oehler Abby , Sanders David W. , Diamond Marc I. , Seeley William W. , Middleton Lefkos T. , Gentleman Steve M. , Mordes Daniel A. , Südhof Thomas C. , Giles Kurt , Prusiner Stanley B. 
Published: August 2015

SignificanceProgressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are neurodegenerative diseases caused by tau and α-synuclein prions, respectively. Prions, purified from human brains of deceased patients with PSP and MSA using phosphotungstic acid, were applied to cultured cell models that selectively form aggregates in the presence of tau or α-synuclein prions, respectively. Whereas brain homogenates prepared from two PSP and six MSA patients infected cultured cells, the same approach was unsuccessful with brain samples from three Parkinson’s disease patients. Our findings provide compelling evidence that PSP and MSA are prion diseases, and that MSA is caused by several distinct prion strains.
Protective properties of ginsenoside Rb3 against UV-B radiation-induced oxidative stress in HaCaT keratinocytes
Authors: Oh Sun-Joo , Oh Yuri , Ryu In Wang , Kim Kyunghoon , Lim Chang-Jin 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThis work aimed to evaluate the skin anti-photoaging properties of ginsenoside Rb3 (Rb3), one of the main protopanaxdiol-type ginsenosides from ginseng, in HaCaT keratinocytes. The skin anti-photoaging activity was assessed by analyzing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), pro-matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2), pro-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (proMMP-9), total glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as well as cell viability in HaCaT keratinocytes under UV-B irradiation. When HaCaT keratinocytes were exposed to Rb3 prior to UV-B irradiation, Rb3 exhibited suppressive activities on UV-B-induced ROS, proMMP-2, and proMMP-9 enhancements. On the contrary, Rb3 displayed enhancing activities on UV-B-reduced total GSH and SOD activity levels. Rb3 could not interfere with cell viabilities in UV-B-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Rb3 plays a protective role against UV-B-induced oxidative stress in human HaCaT keratinocytes, proposing its potential skin anti-photoaging properties.
Frequent users of the emergency department services in the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands: a 5-year report
Authors: Bertoli-Avella Aida M. , Haagsma Juanita A. , Van Tiel Sofie , Erasmus Vicki , Polinder Suzanne , Van Beeck Ed , Patka Peter , Rood Pleunie P.M. 
Published: August 2015

Objective
To investigate the demographic and service characteristics, motive for consultation, and disposition of adult frequent users (FUs) of the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands over a 5-year period.

Patients and methods
This retrospective study included all patients aged 18 years and older visiting the emergency department (ED) during a 5-year period (2009–2013). Frequent ED use was defined as having four or more visits to the ED during a year. Patient and service characteristics, motive for consultation, and disposition were explored.

Results
Frequent ED users represented 2% of all patients who visited the ED during 2009–2013 (8% of all ED consultations). On average, each FU visited the ED five times per year. Compared with nonfrequent users (NFUs), FUs were significantly less often self-referred, less frequently transported to the hospital by ambulance, received a lower urgency code upon arrival to the ED, and more often admitted to hospital than NFUs. Complaints related to the digestive system (19%), general complaints such as fever (18%), respiratory (10%), or cardiovascular problems (10%) were the main motive for consultations of the frequent ED users. Two percent of the FUs were serial FUs (FUs during 3 or more consecutive years).

Conclusion
Frequent use of the ED has been depicted as inappropriate use of these services. However, our study shows that FUs consist of a relatively small number of patients and that FUs suffer from chronic, and often, severe somatic illnesses that require specialized medical care.
An extensive comparison of species-abundance distribution models
Authors: Baldridge Elita , Harris David J. , Xiao Xiao , White Ethan P. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA number of different models have been proposed as descriptions of the species-abundance distribution (SAD). Most evaluations of these models use only one or two models, focus only a single ecosystem or taxonomic group, or fail to use appropriate statistical methods. We use likelihood and AIC to compare the fit of four of the most widely used models to data on over 16,000 communities from a diverse array of taxonomic groups and ecosystems. Across all datasets combined the log-series, Poisson lognormal, and negative binomial all yield similar overall fits to the data. Therefore, when correcting for differences in the number of parameters the log-series generally provides the best fit to data. Within individual datasets some other distributions performed nearly as well as the log-series even after correcting for the number of parameters. The Zipf distribution is generally a poor characterization of the SAD.
WMP: A novel comprehensive wheat miRNA database, including related bioinformatics software
Authors: Remita Mohamed Amine , Lord Etienne , Agharbaoui Zahra , Leclercq Mickael , Badawi Mohamed A. , Makarenkov Vladirmir , Sarhan Fathey , Diallo Abdoulaye Baniré 
Published: August 2015

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as important post tran-scriptional regulators that may regulate key plant genes responsible for agronomic traits such as grain yield and stress tolerance. Several studies identified species and clades specific miRNA families associated with plant stress regulated genes. Here, we propose a novel resource that provides data related to the expression of abiotic stress responsive miRNAs in wheat, one of the most important staple food crops. This database allows the query of small RNA libraries, includingin silicopredicted wheat miRNA sequences and the expression profiles of small RNAs identified from those libraries. Our database also provides a direct access to online miRNA prediction software tuned tode novomiRNA detection in wheat, in monocotyledon clades, as well as in other plant species. These data and software will facilitate multiple comparative analyses and reproducible studies on small RNAs and miRNA families in plants. Our web-portal is available at:http://wheat.bioinfo.uqam.ca.
A resurrection experiment finds evidence of both reduced genetic diversity and potential adaptive evolution in the agricultural weedIpomoea purpurea
Authors: Kuester Adam , Wilson Ariana , Chang Shu-mei , Baucom Regina S. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractDespite the negative economic and ecological impact of weeds, relatively little is known about the evolutionary mechanisms that influence their persistence in agricultural fields. Here, we use a resurrection ecology approach and compare the genetic and phenotypic divergence of temporally sampled seed progenies ofIpomoeapurpurea, an agricultural weed that is resistant to glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in current-day agriculture. We found striking reductions in allelic diversity between cohorts sampled nine years apart (2003 vs 2012), suggesting that populations of this species sampled from agricultural fields have experienced genetic bottleneck events that have led to lower neutral genetic diversity. Heterozygosity excess tests indicate that this bottleneck may have occurred prior to 2003. Further, a greenhouse assay of individuals sampled from the field as seed found that populations of this species, on average, exhibited modest increases in herbicide resistance over time. Our results show that populations of this noxious weed, capable of adapting to strong selection imparted by herbicide application, may lose genetic variation as a result of this or other environmental factors. We likely uncovered only modest increases in resistance between sampling cohorts due to a strong and previously identified fitness cost of resistance in this species, along with the potential that non-resistant migrants germinate from the seed bank.
Genomic and gene-expression comparisons among phage-resistant type-IV pilus mutants ofPseudomonas syringaepathovarphaseolicola
Authors: Sistrom Mark , Park Derek , O’Brien Heath E. , Wang Zheng , Guttman David S. , Townsend Jeffrey P. , Turner Paul E. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractPseudomonas syringaepv.phaseolicola(Pph) is a significant bacterial pathogen of agricultural crops, and phage ϕ6 and other members of the dsRNA virus familyCystoviridaeundergo lytic (virulent) infection of Pph, using the type IV pilus as the initial site of cellular attachment. Despite the popularity of Pph/phage ϕ6 as a model system in evolutionary biology, Pph resistance to phage ϕ6 remains poorly characterized. To investigate differences between phage ϕ6 resistant Pph strains, we examined genomic and gene expression variation among three bacterial genotypes that differ in the number of type IV pili expressed per cell: ordinary (wild-type), non-piliated, and super-piliated. Genome sequencing of non-piliated and super-piliated Pph identified few mutations that separate these genotypes from wild type Pph – and none present in genes known to be directly involved in type IV pilus expression. Expression analysis revealed that 81.1% of GO terms up-regulated in the non-piliated strain were down-regulated in the super-piliated strain. This differential expression is particularly prevalent in genes associated with respiration — specifically genes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle, aerobic respiration, and acetyl-CoA metabolism. The expression patterns of the TCA pathway appear to be generally up and down-regulated, in non-piliated and super-piliated Pph respectively. As pilus retraction is mediated by an ATP motor, loss of retraction ability might lead to a lower energy draw on the bacterial cell, leading to a different energy balance than wild type. The lower metabolic rate of the super-piliated strain is potentially a result of its loss of ability to retract.
Reporting human resources in annual reports
Authors: Kansal Monika , Joshi Mahesh 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent of corporate disclosure on human resources (HR) in the annual reports of top performing Indian companies.Design/methodology/approach– The paper explores the extent to which top 82 companies from India present information about HR in their annual reports. This study examines the annual reports of each of the top Indian firms listed on the Bombay stock exchange, using the “content analysis” method. Statistical tests have been performed to analyse the difference between the HR disclosure score across public and private sectors and disclosure variations among various industrial sectors.Findings– In-house training programmes has been noticed to be the favourite item of disclosure followed by safety awards/certifications and statements regarding cordial relations with the employees/unions. A majority of the Indian firms have ignored significant HR issues such as employee welfare fund, maternity/paternity leaves, holiday benefits, employee loans and adopting old age homes, etc. Overall, the study reflects low HR related disclosures. No statistically significant difference has been found between the mean HR disclosure from one industry to another and disclosure practices of the private and the public sector companies.Practical implications– The disclosure pattern of the Indian companies suggests that they only a few companies are concerned about employees’ welfare than the rest. This may motivate a change of the disclosure policy of the rest of the firms who may follow the reporting pattern of the most disclosing ones.Originality/value– This is first study on the disclosure of HR by the Indian corporate sector in the CSR domain with a disclosure analysis for a period of nine years . This research provides new directions for the literature in this area and may promote comparative studies on HR-based studies from different perspectives.
E-training adoption in the Nigerian civil service
Authors: Zainab Bello , Bhatti Muhammad Awais , Pangil Faizuniah Bt , Battour Mohamed Mohamed 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to highlight the factors that aid e-training adoption in the Nigerian civil service.Design/methodology/approach– This paper is based on a review of past literature from databases, reports, newspapers, magazines, etc. The literature recognised the role of perceived cost, computer self-efficacy, availability of resources and perceived support in e-training adoption. Using technology acceptance model (TAM), this paper explained the importance of these variables in e-training adoption in developing country context.Findings– The authors found that the combined role of perceived cost, computer self-efficacy, technological infrastructure, Internet facilities, power supply, organisational support, technical support and government support is critical for e-training adoption in developing countries, particularly in Nigeria. Thus, the authors proposed the combination of these variables which would encourage future research on the use of TAM in technology adoption.Research limitations/implications– This paper gives an elaboration of the role of computer self-efficacy, perceived cost, availability of resources and perceived support with TAM as base of the framework. This provides researchers the opportunity to test the proposed framework empirically and further suggest other variables that can aid e-training adoption in the context of developing country.Practical implications– The result of this paper can serve as a guide to managers and policymakers to have a better understanding of the requirements for e-training adoption, especially in developing countries. This will go a long way towards designing good policies that could maximise e-training results.Originality/value– This paper adds to the existing literature on e-training and TAM with the suggestion of proposed variables.
Exploring the family effect on firm performance
Authors: Mani Yosra , Lakhal Lassaad 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how internal social capital – as a part of the familiness resources– affects family firm performance. The social capital theory states that internal social capital within family businesses is composed of three dimensions: the structural dimension, the relational dimension, and the cognitive dimension. The aim of the paper is to study the relationship between each dimension of internal social capital and family firm performance.Design/methodology/approach– The paper employs an empirical investigation which is based on a sample of 114 Tunisian family firms.Findings– Results demonstrate that the structural and relational dimensions are positively associated with financial and non-financial family firm’s performance. However, the cognitive dimension has a significant positive effect on financial performance but not on non-financial family firm performance.Originality/value– The proposed model aims to test the direct effect of internal social capital dimensions on financial and non-financial family firm’s performance. Besides, there is a lack of empirical evidence aiming at understanding the impact of structural, cognitive and relational social capital on the performance of family firms.
The development, content validity and inter‐rater reliability of the SMART‐Goal Evaluation Method: A standardised method for evaluating clinical goals
Authors: Bowman Julia , Mogensen Lise , Marsland Elisabeth , Lannin Natasha 
Published: August 2015

IntroductionGoal setting is a complex skill. The use of formal goal writing procedures (including the use of the SMART goal model) has been advocated. However, a standardised method of writing and evaluating SMART goals is currently lacking. This study comprised of two phases. The aims of phase one was to (i) develop the SMART Goal Evaluation Method (SMART‐GEM) based on a SMART goal model; and (ii) investigate the content validity of the SMART‐GEM. The aim of phase two of the study was to test the inter‐rater reliability of the SMART‐GEM.MethodsDevelopment of the SMART‐ GEM involved defining and constructing evaluation criteria suitable for auditing goal statements. A content validity assessment was conducted using an expert panel of Occupational Therapists (n = 10). Inter‐rater reliability of the SMART‐GEM was examined using a purposive sample of multiple raters (n = 24).ResultsThe SMART‐ GEM was rated as having good content validity (individual items CVI ranged from 0.90 to 1.00; total SMART‐ GEM CVI = 0.99, ρ = 0.05). Agreement between raters on individual items ranged from poor (κ = 0.254) to excellent (κ = 0.965) and agreement of overall grades was fair to good (κ = 0.582). Inter‐rater agreement on total scores was found to be very good (ICC = 0.895, 95% CI = 0.743 to 0.986, ρ = 0.001) with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.995).ConclusionThe SMART‐GEM demonstrated good construct validity and very good inter‐rater reliability on total score and shows promise as a standardised method to writing and evaluating clinical goals.
Private benefits and metabolic conflicts shape the emergence of microbial interdependencies
Authors: Estrela Sylvie , Morris J. Jeffrey , Kerr Benjamin 
Published: August 2015

SummaryMicrobes perform many costly biological functions that benefit themselves, and may also benefit neighbouring cells. Losing the ability to perform such functions can be advantageous due to cost savings, but when they are essential for growth, organisms become dependent on ecological partners to compensate for those losses. When multiple functions may be lost, the ecological outcomes are potentially diverse, including independent organisms only; one‐way dependency, where one partner performs all functions and others none; or mutual interdependency where partners perform complementary essential functions. What drives these different outcomes? We develop a model where organisms perform ‘leaky’ functions that provide both private and public benefits to explore the consequences of privatization level, costs and essentiality on influencing these outcomes. We show that mutual interdependency is favoured at intermediate levels of privatization for a broad range of conditions. One‐way dependency, in contrast, is only favoured when privatization is low and loss‐of‐function benefits are accelerating. Our results suggest an interplay between privatization level and shape of benefits from loss in driving microbial dependencies. Given the ubiquity of microbial functions that are inevitably leaked and the ease of mutational inactivation, our findings may help to explain why microbial interdependencies are common in nature.