bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modeling the intracellular organization of calcium signaling
Authors: Dupont Geneviève 
Published: March 2014

Calcium (Ca2+) is a key signaling ion that plays a fundamental role in many cellular processes in most types of tissues and organisms. The versatility of this signaling pathway is remarkable. Depending on the cell type and the stimulus, intracellular Ca2+ increases can last over different periods, as short spikes or more sustained signals. From a spatial point of view, they can be localized or invade the whole cell. Such a richness of behaviors is possible thanks to numerous exchange processes with the external medium or internal Ca2+ pools, mainly the endoplasmic or sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. These fluxes are also highly regulated. In order to get an accurate description of the spatiotemporal organization of Ca2+ signaling, it is useful to resort to modeling. Thus, each flux can be described by an appropriate kinetic expression. Ca2+ dynamics in a given cell type can then be simulated by a modular approach, consisting of the assembly of computational descriptions of the appropriate fluxes and regulations. Modeling can also be used to get insight into the mechanisms of decoding of the Ca2+ signals responsible for cellular responses. Cells can use frequency or amplitude coding, as well as take profit of Ca2+ oscillations to increase their sensitivity to small average Ca2+ increases.This article is categorized under:

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Cellular Models
Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling
Design, Optimization and Fabrication of a 28.3 THz Nano-Rectenna for Infrared Detection and Rectification
Authors: Gadalla M. N. , Abdel-Rahman M. , Shamim Atif 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThe increasing energy demands of the world's population and the quickly diminishing fossil fuel reserves together suggest the urgent need to secure long-lasting alternative and renewable energy resources. Here, we present a THz antenna integrated with a rectifier (rectenna) for harvesting infrared energy. We demonstrate a resonant bowtie antenna that has been optimized to produce highly enhanced localized fields at the bow tip. To benefit from this enhancement, the rectifier is realized between the overlapped antenna's arms using a 0.7 nm copper oxide. The thin film diode offers low zero bias resistance of 500 Ω, thus improving the impedance matching with the antenna. In addition, the rectenna prototype demonstrates high zero bias responsivity (4 A/W), which is critical in producing DC current directly from THz signals without the application of an external electric source, particularly for energy harvesting applications.
Graduate students' perceptions of supply chain skills for supply chain managers
Authors: Rahman Shams , Qing Nie 
Published: March 2014

Purpose– The aim of this research is to identify the relevant skills and their relative importance, required by supply chain managers, and to suggest the key skill items that require improvement.Design/methodology/approach– Using a survey questionnaire, data were collected against 41 supply chain management skills. Using expert opinion, these skill items were then grouped to create four higher level supply chain skill-categories. These are supply chain general management (SCG) skill-category, supply chain analytical (SCA) skill-category, supply chain information technology (SCIT) skill-category, and supply chain environmental-related (SCE) skill-category. Subsequently, the importance-performance matrix (IPM) analysis was conducted to these higher level skill-categories to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the offered skills as perceived by the respondents.Findings– The analysis revealed that in order to prepare supply chain managers to face up to the future challenges educational institutions are required to devote their attention on areas such as warehousing management, distribution planning, demand forecasting, negotiation skill, cross-functional coordination skill, and knowledge of environmental issues in supply chains.Originality/value– This research provided insight into skills need for supply chain managers using IPM analysis. The results of the study could be adopted to upgrade the existing logistics and supply chain management program or design new logistics education and training programs to meet the current and future needs.
Leanness estimation procedural hierarchy using interval-valued fuzzy sets (IVFS)
Authors: Ram Matawale Chhabi , Datta Saurav , Sankar Mahapatra Siba 
Published: March 2014

Purpose– Lean manufacturing is an operational strategy oriented toward achieving the shortest possible cycle time by eliminating waste. It is derived from the Toyota Production System and its key thrust is to increase the value-added work by eliminating waste and reducing incidental work. In today's competitive global marketplace, the concept of lean manufacturing has gained vital consciousness to all manufacturing sectors, their supply chains, and hence a logical measurement index system is indeed required in implementing leanness in practice. Such leanness estimation can help the enterprises to assess their existing leanness level and can compare different industries who are adapting this lean concept. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– The present work exhibits an efficient fuzzy-based leanness assessment system using generalized interval-valued (IV) trapezoidal fuzzy numbers set. The concept of “degree of similarity” between two IV fuzzy numbers has been explored here to identify ill-performing areas towards lean achievement.Findings– The methodology described here has been found fruitful while applying for a particular industry, in India, as a case study. Apart from estimating overall lean performance metric, the model presented here can identify ill-performing areas towards lean achievement.Originality/value– The major contributions of this work have been summarized as follows: development and implementation of an efficient decision-making procedural hierarchy to support leanness extent evaluation. An overall lean performance index evaluation platform has been introduced. Concept of generalized IV trapezoidal fuzzy numbers has been efficiently explored to facilitate this decision-making. The appraisement index system has been extended with the capability to search ill-performing areas which require future progress.
Employee's attitude towards adoption of IT-based banking services
Authors: Murari Krishna , Tater Bindiya 
Published: March 2014

Purpose
– The main aim of carrying out this study was to measure the attitude of employees towards the adoption of information technology (IT)-based banking services among private sector banks of India.

Design/methodology/approach
– Descriptive research methodology is used to accomplish the study using convenience sampling technique. The study is conducted in four private sector banks of India from Bikaner and Jaipur regions of Rajasthan. A questionnaire was developed based on five parameters, i.e. relative advantage, complexity, potential risk, strategic advantage in decision-making process and innovation and development to ascertain the attitude of the employees. The data are collected from 180 bank employees (executive, manager, officer) through structured questionnaire method out of which 129 employees replied to the questionnaire. Frequency percentage and ANOVA test is adopted as the statistical measure.

Findings
– The study revealed that IT has led to increased customer satisfaction, improved operational efficiency, reduced transaction time, and gives the bank a competitive edge in reducing the running cost by quick responses in delivery of services.

Research limitations/implications
– A sample of only four private sector banks is taken into consideration.

Practical implications
– The study is useful for the banking policy makers in terms of application of IT for spreading the reach of banking services to the mass.

Originality/value
– This paper explores the use of IT-based banking services for research purposes on private banking. It will be of great value for researchers and professionals involved in IT-based banking services.
Psychological capital, Big Five traits, and employee outcomes
Authors: Choi Yongduk , Lee Dongseop 
Published: March 2014

Purpose– The aim of this paper was to examine the incremental validity of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) in predicting several important employee outcomes while controlling for a full range of personality traits.Design/methodology/approach– Using a cross-sectional field study design, the authors collected data from 373 employees in South Korea.Findings– Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that employees' PsyCap is related to their perceived performance, turnover intention, work happiness, and subjective well-being, even after controlling for the Big Five personality traits.Research limitations/implications– By controlling for the Big Five traits, this study was able to evaluate the role of PsyCap more precisely. However, as the data were collected from the same source at one point in time, common method variance is a potential issue.Practical implications– The findings suggest that managers need to focus on developing employees' PsyCap, given its unique effect on the outcome variables.Social implications– By developing employees' PsyCap, organizations could turn work into a significant source of happiness and life satisfaction for their employees.Originality/value– This study identified the broad and unique effect of PsyCap on work and life outcomes beyond personality traits.
A model for predicting small firm performance
Authors: E. Halabí Claudia , N. Lussier Robert 
Published: March 2014

Purpose
– This study aims to develop an ordered probit model to explain and predict small business relative performance in Chile, South America.

Design/methodology/approach
– The design is survey research. The sample includes 403 small businesses classified as 158 failed firms, 101 mediocre firms and 144 successful firms within all economic sectors. The model variables are: internet, starting with adequate working capital, managing good financial and accounting records, planning, owner formal education, professional advice, having partners, parents owning a business, and marketing efforts.

Findings
– The eight-variable model, tested with ordered probit, is a significant predictor of the level of performance at the 0.000 level. Also, six of the eight variables are significant predictors at the 0.05 level: internet, starting with adequate working capital, managing good financial and accounting records, owner, professional advice, having partners, parents owning a business, and marketing efforts. Two of the variables – i.e. planning and formal education – were not significant. ANOVA test of differences were run for each of the eight variables based on the level of performance were also run and results reported.

Practical implications
– The model does in fact predict relative performance, so the model can be used to improve the probability of success. Thus, an entrepreneur can use the model to gain a better understanding of which resources are needed to increase the probability of success, and those who advise entrepreneurs can help them use the model. Investors and creditors can use the model to better assess a firm's potential for success. There is an extensive public policy implications discussion regarding how to use the model to assist entrepreneurial ventures so that society can benefit in direct and indirect ways via the allocation of limited resources toward higher potential businesses. Entrepreneurs and small business educators can use the model's variables to influence future business leaders, public policy makers, and their practices.

Originality/value
– This study improves the Lussier 15 variable success versus failure prediction model by adding the use of the internet and taking out highly correlated variables. While Lussier and others ran logistic regression with only two levels of performance, this study uses the more robust ordered probit model with three levels of performance. It presents public policy with implications for Chilean institutions to promote entrepreneurship. Finally, it contributes to the literature because, to date, no empirical success versus failure studies have been found that were conducted in Chile or any small, open economies in Latin America
The Impact of Recognition Versus Disclosure on Financial Information: A Preparer's Perspective
Authors: CLOR‐PROELL SHANA M. , MAINES LAUREEN A. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACTWe investigate whether recognition on the face of the financial statements versus disclosure in the footnotes influences the amount that financial managers report for a contingent liability. Using an experiment with corporate controllers and chief financial officers, we find that financial managers in public companies expend more cognitive effort and exhibit less strategic bias under recognition than disclosure. This difference appears to be associated with capital market pressures experienced by public company managers as we find that both the cognitive effort and bias exhibited by private company managers are unaffected by placement. As a result, public company managers make higher liability estimates for recognized versus disclosed liabilities. Their liability estimates are similar to those of private company managers for recognition but lower than private company managers’ estimates for disclosure. Our results have implications for auditors and financial statement users in evaluating recognized versus disclosed information for public and private companies.
JAK2/STAT5/Bcl‐xL signalling is essential for erythropoietin‐mediated protection against apoptosis induced in PC12 cells by the amyloid β−peptide Aβ25–35
Authors: Ma Rong , Hu Jing , Huang Chengfang , Wang Min , Xiang Jizhou , Li Gang 
Published: March 2014

Background and PurposeErythropoietin (EPO) exerts neuroprotective actions in the CNS, including protection against apoptosis induced by the amyloid β−peptide Aβ25–35. However, it remains unclear which signalling pathway activated by EPO is involved in this neuroprotection. Here, we have investigated whether JAK2/STAT5/Bcl‐xL and ERK1/2 signalling pathways are essential for EPO‐mediated protection against apoptosis induced by Aβ25–35.Experimental ApproachEPO was added to cultures of PC12 cells, 1 h before Aβ25–35. For kinase inhibitor studies, AG490 and PD98059 were added to PC12 cells, 0.5 h before the addition of EPO. Transfection with siRNA was used to knockdown STAT5. Activation of JAK2/STAT5/Bcl‐xL and ERK1/2 signalling pathways were investigated by Western blotting. Cell viability was measured by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl) 2,5‐diphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide assay and apoptosis was detected by TUNEL and acridine orange–ethidium bromide double staining.Key ResultsEPO increased phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5 in PC12 cells treated with Aβ25–35. Furthermore, EPO modulated the nuclear translocation of phospho‐STAT5, which increased expression of Bcl‐xL and decreased levels of caspase‐3. These beneficial effects were blocked by the JAK2 inhibitor, AG490 or STAT5 knockdown. However, the ERK1/2 pathway did not play a crucial role in our model.Conclusions and ImplicationsEPO protected PC12 cells against Aβ25–35‐induced neurotoxicity. Activation of JAK2/STAT5/Bcl‐xL pathway was important in EPO‐mediated neuroprotection. EPO may serve as a novel protective agent against Aβ25–35‐induced cytotoxicity in, for instance, Alzheimer's disease.
β‐Arrestin‐2 knockout prevents development of cellular μ‐opioid receptor tolerance but does not affect opioid‐withdrawal‐related adaptations in single PAG neurons
Authors: Connor M , Bagley E E , Chieng B C , Christie M J 
Published: March 2014

Background and PurposeTolerance to the behavioural effects of morphine is blunted in β‐arrestin‐2 knockout mice, but opioid withdrawal is largely unaffected. The cellular mechanisms of tolerance have been studied in some neurons from β‐arrestin‐2 knockouts, but tolerance and withdrawal mechanisms have not been examined at the cellular level in periaqueductal grey (PAG) neurons, which are crucial for central tolerance and withdrawal phenomena.Experimental Approachμ‐Opioid receptor (MOPr) inhibition of voltage‐gated calcium channel currents (ICa) was examined by patch‐clamp recordings from acutely dissociated PAG neurons from wild‐type and β‐arrestin‐2 knockout mice treated chronically with morphine (CMT) or vehicle. Opioid withdrawal‐induced activation of GABA transporter type 1 (GAT‐1) currents was determined using perforated patch recordings from PAG neurons in brain slices.Key ResultsMOPr inhibition of ICa in PAG neurons was unaffected by β‐arrestin‐2 deletion. CMT impaired coupling of MOPrs to ICa in PAG neurons from wild‐type mice, but this cellular tolerance was not observed in neurons from CMT β‐arrestin‐2 knockouts. However, β‐arrestin‐2 knockouts displayed similar opioid‐withdrawal‐induced activation of GAT‐1 currents as wild‐type PAG neurons.Conclusions and ImplicationsIn β‐arrestin‐2 knockout mice, the central neurons involved in the anti‐nociceptive actions of opioids also fail to develop cellular tolerance to opioids following chronic morphine. The results also provide the first cellular physiological evidence that opioid withdrawal is not disrupted by β‐arrestin‐2 deletion. However, the unaffected basal sensitivity to opioids in PAG neurons provides further evidence that changes in basal MOPr sensitivity cannot account for the enhanced acute nociceptive response to morphine reported in β‐arrestin‐2 knockouts.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2
Do the Effects of Head Start Vary by Parental Preacademic Stimulation?
Authors: Miller Elizabeth B. , Farkas George , Vandell Deborah Lowe , Duncan Greg J. 
Published: March 2014

Data from the Head Start Impact Study (N = 3,185, age = 3–4 years) were used to determine whether 1 year of Head Start differentially benefited children from homes with high, middle, and low levels of parental preacademic stimulation on three academic outcome domains—early math, early literacy, and receptive vocabulary. Results from residualized growth models showed positive impacts of random assignment to Head Start on all three outcomes, and positive associations between parental preacademic stimulation and academic performance. Two moderated effects were also found. Head start boosted early math skills the most for children receiving low parental preacademic stimulation. Effects of Head Start on early literacy skills were largest for children receiving moderate levels of parental preacademic stimulation. Implications for Head Start are discussed.
Autochthonous production in shallow littoral zones of five floodplain rivers: effects of flow, turbidity and nutrients
Authors: Roach Katherine A. , Winemiller Kirk O. , Davis Stephen E. 
Published: March 2014

Summary

Comparative research and generalisations in lotic ecology are challenged by the dynamic hydrology of fluvial systems. The aim of this study was to understand more fully how factors such as light, nutrients and flow can predict variation in autochthonous production and algal biomass.

We measured seasonal changes in percent bankfull discharge, inorganic nutrient concentrations, turbidity, instream primary production, respiration and algal biomass in the littoral zone of five floodplain rivers in one temperate and two tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere. The Brazos, Guadalupe and Neches rivers are in Texas, while the Tambopata River is in Peru and the Cinaruco River in Venezuela. Our study rivers represented a range of hydrological regimes, turbidity levels and nutrient concentrations.

Flooding patterns were more seasonal in the tropical rivers than in the (temperate) Texas rivers. Inorganic nutrient concentrations were higher in the temperate rivers, probably due to anthropogenic nutrient loading. Turbidity was higher following periods of high flow in the Brazos, Tambopata and Guadalupe rivers than in the Neches and Cinaruco rivers. Littoral zones in the sediment‐laden Brazos and Tambopata rivers became heterotrophic during periods of high discharge, while littoral zones in the Guadalupe, Neches and Cinaruco rivers were consistently autotrophic. Regression tree analysis suggested that algal production and biomass in the water column responded more strongly to seasonal changes in nutrients and temperature than to turbidity, while benthic algae responded more strongly to turbidity.

Our findings suggest that during periods of high flow and turbidity in rivers containing fine sediments, autochthonous production is limited and terrestrial‐based organic matter may assume greater importance in the aquatic food web.
Use of herbal medicine for treating psychiatric disorders in Japan
Authors: KANDA SHIGENOBU , KAZUOYAMADA  , MIZUSHIMA HIROKO , ASAI MASAHIRO 
Published: March 2014

AbstractAlongside the Western pharmacotherapy that is now the major medical modality in Japan, we continue to offer a number of traditional remedies. We prefer to allow patients to choose between these two approaches, after explaining the advantages and potential adverse effects of each. Research into the traditional treatments continues, and we now have a number of studies available concerning the efficacy of oriental herbal medicine (Kampo medicine) in Japan. There are about 120 different prescriptions available for treatment. Herbs are believed to affect both the psyche and soma, and Kampo medicine does not differentiate between them. Improvement brought about by herbal medicine is usually mild and slow, but sometimes very drastic. Side effects are rare. Those that do occur are mostly allergic reactions to natural substances. Therefore, herbal medicine is especially useful for elderly patients and patients with physical complications. Prescription is traditionally selected by judging Sho of a patient. Sho is equivalent to a syndrome, but comprises psycho and somatic symptoms and signs obtained by traditional physical examination that focuses constitution, general physical condition, pulse, abdominal signs, and examination of the tang. However, currently modern diagnoses are also applied to deciding upon the prescription. Western physicians can select the appropriate preparation without having a special knowledge of Oriental medicine.