A consistent treatment of link and writhe for open rods, and their relation to end rotation

We combine and extend the work of Alexander & Antman \cite{alexander.82} and Fuller \cite{fuller.71,fuller.78} to give a framework within which precise definitions can be given of topological and geometrical quantities characterising the contortion of open rods undergoing large deformations under end loading. We use these definitions to examine the extension of known results for closed rods to open rods. In particular, we formulate the analogue of the celebrated formula $Lk=Tw+Wr$ (link equals twist plus writhe) for open rods and propose an end rotation, through which the applied end moment does work, in the form of an integral over the length of the rod. The results serve to promote the variational analysis of boundary-value problems for rods undergoing large deformations.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Do you really want to hurt me? The impact of contextual factors on the moderating role of dark leadership in the relationships between learning climate facilitation, employability and turnover intention in the Netherlands and China

IntroductionBoth the Dutch and Chinese labor markets experience severe shortages of skilled personnel and high turnover rates, being distressing socio-economic factors. At the same time, large cross-cultural studies indicate that these national contexts are highly different from a socio-cultural perspective. When considering issues on employee development and retainment, the public debate opens for negative attributes as dark leadership, wondering if employees accept to be hurt. This study contributes to the employability research and, moreover, it contributes to the call for the ability to contextualize theories and to the convergence/divergence debate. We applied Western theories to investigate possible contextual differences in the relationships between learning climate facilitation and turnover intention, and to investigate whether this relationship is mediated by employability, and whether dark leadership is a possible moderator.MethodsTo test our hypotheses, we collected data from 368 Dutch and 319 Chinese respondents who participate in an executive master’s program, which was analyzed using PLS-Structural Equation Modeling.ResultsEmployees in the Netherlands and China were found to interpret our study variables differently. Separate analyses revealed that, in both contexts, learning climate facilitation was both directly and indirectly, via the balance dimension of employability, negatively related to turnover intention. In addition, in the Dutch sample, dark leadership appeared to weaken the relationship between learning climate facilitation and the corporate sense dimension of employability, but the latter did not seem to be a mediator in the relationship with turnover intention. In the Chinese sample, no moderation effects were found.DiscussionOur results show that both learning climate facilitation and dark leadership are important factors in the development and retainment of personnel and that particularly focusing on ‘balancing group and individual goals’ is important to retain personnel, regardless of national context. The latter may indicate the need for convergence of HR practices. At the same time, however, the different interpretations of the study’s variables may indicate divergence in the meaning of HR concepts. In the discussion section, we elaborate on the study’s implications for HR-researchers and -practitioners in national and global business contexts

Perspectives of patients, relatives and nurses on rooming-in for adult patients: A scoping review of the literature

Aim: To explore the perspectives of patients, their relatives and nurses on rooming-in for adult patients. Background: The practice of having family stay overnight with an adult patient in hospital is quite new. To support rooming-in programs, the perspectives from all stakeholders should be taken into account. Methods: All types of studies on rooming-in in adult healthcare settings were included in this scoping review. Rooming-in has been defined as the practice where ‘family members or trusted others are facilitated to continuously stay with the patient and are provided with facilities to sleep in the patient's room’. Results: Seven studies were included: one randomized controlled trial, three qualitative studies, and three correspondence articles. Generally, patients felt safe in the presence of a family member, but could also feel restricted in their freedom and privacy. Family members saw a benefit for the patient, considered rooming-in a moral duty, and were happy to help. Nonetheless, family members reported rooming-in as physically and emotionally stressful. Nurses described that patients were less anxious and more easily adjusted to the hospital environment. Conclusions: The reviewed studies suggest that patients, family members, and nurses have both positive and negative experiences with rooming-in. The concept

An assay for secologanin in plant tissues based on enzymatic conversion into strictosidine

The secoiridoid glucoside secologanin is the terpenoid building block in the biosynthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids. A method for its determination in plant tissues and in cell suspension cultures has been developed. This assay is based on the condensation of secologanin with tryptamine, yielding strictosidine, in a reaction catalysed by the enzyme strictosidine synthase (STR; E.C. 4.3.3.2). Subsequently, the formation of strictosidine is quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). STR was isolated from transgenic Nicotiana tabacum cells expressing a cDNA-derived gene coding for STR from Catharanthus roseus. The high specificity of STR for secologanin, in combination with a sensitive and selective HPLC system, allows a simple extraction of secologanin from plant tissue. The detection limit of this method is 15 ng secologanin. Using this assay, secologanin contents were determined in tissues of various plant species; Lonicera xylosteum hairy roots were found to contain 1% of secologanin on a dry weight basis. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Failure to decrease HbA1c levels following TB treatment is associated with elevated Th1/Th17 CD4+ responses

Introduction: The rising global burden of metabolic disease impacts the control of endemic tuberculosis (TB) in many regions, as persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) are up to three times more likely to develop active TB than those without DM. Active TB can also promote glucose intolerance during both acute infection and over a longer term, potentially driven by aspects of the immune response. Identifying patients likely to have persistent hyperglycemia following TB treatment would enable closer monitoring and care, and an improved understanding of underlying immunometabolic dysregulation. // Methods: We measured the relationship of plasma cytokine levels, T cell phenotypes and functional responses with the change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) before and after treatment of pulmonary TB in a prospective observational cohort in Durban, South Africa. Participants were stratified based on stable/increased HbA1c (n = 16) versus decreased HbA1c (n = 46) levels from treatment initiation to 12 month follow-up. // Results: CD62 P-selectin was up- (1.5-fold) and IL-10 downregulated (0.85-fold) in plasma among individuals whose HbA1c remained stable/increased during TB treatment. This was accompanied by increased pro-inflammatory TB-specific IL-17 production (Th17). In addition, Th1 responses were upregulated in this group, including TNF-α production and CX3CR1 expression, with decreased IL-4 and IL-13 production. Finally, the TNF-α+ IFNγ+ CD8+ T cells were associated with stable/increased HbA1c. These changes were all significantly different in the stable/increased HbA1c relative to the decreased HbA1c group. // Discussion: Overall, these data suggest that patients with stable/increased HbA1c had an increased pro-inflammatory state. Persistent inflammation and elevated T cell activity in individuals with unresolved dysglycemia following TB treatment may indicate failure to fully resolve infection or may promote persistent dysglycemia in these individuals, and further studies are needed to explore potential mechanisms

Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Molecular Imaging of the Painful Knee

Chronic knee pain is a common condition. Causes of knee pain include trauma, inflammation, and degeneration, but in many patients the pathophysiology remains unknown. Recent developments in advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques and molecular imaging facilitate more in-depth research focused on the pathophysiology of chronic musculoskeletal pain and more specifically inflammation. The forthcoming new insights can help develop better targeted treatment, and some imaging techniques may even serve as imaging biomarkers for predicting and assessing treatment response in the future. This review highlights the latest developments in perfusion MRI, diffusion MRI, and molecular imaging with positron emission tomography/MRI and their application in the painful knee. The primary focus is synovial inflammation, also known as synovitis. Bone perfusion and bone metabolism are also addressed.</p

Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Molecular Imaging of the Painful Knee

Chronic knee pain is a common condition. Causes of knee pain include trauma, inflammation, and degeneration, but in many patients the pathophysiology remains unknown. Recent developments in advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques and molecular imaging facilitate more in-depth research focused on the pathophysiology of chronic musculoskeletal pain and more specifically inflammation. The forthcoming new insights can help develop better targeted treatment, and some imaging techniques may even serve as imaging biomarkers for predicting and assessing treatment response in the future. This review highlights the latest developments in perfusion MRI, diffusion MRI, and molecular imaging with positron emission tomography/MRI and their application in the painful knee. The primary focus is synovial inflammation, also known as synovitis. Bone perfusion and bone metabolism are also addressed.</p

Особливості синтаксичної організації художньої прози Редьярда Кіплінга

Статья посвящена исследованию синтаксических конструкций, с помощью которых в художественной прозе Редьярда Киплинга отображаются особенности английской и индийской культур.Стаття присвячена дослідженню синтаксичних конструкцій, за допомогою яких у художній прозі Редьярда Кіплінга відображено особливості англійської та індійської культур.The article is dedicated to the investigation of the main syntactic constractions with the help of which in the prose of Rudyard Kipling there are depicted the peculiarities of English and Indian cultures