bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laser treatment of high strength low alloy steel and electrochemical response of the surface
Authors: Yilbas B. S. , Toor Ihsan-ul-Haq , Malik Jahanzaib , Patel F.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the present study is to report the results of the laser treatment of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel surface and corrosion response of the treated surface that was carried out. Metallurgical and morphological changes in the laser-treated layer are also examined. Laser treatment of the alloy surface improves the surface properties; however, development of high thermal stress field in the treated layer can exceed the yielding limit of the alloy lowers, particularly, the corrosion resistance of the resulting surface.

Design/methodology/approach

– Pre-prepared workpiece surfaces are laser-treated and electrochemically tested in an electrolytic solution. Corrosion rate of the resulting surface is analyzed and pit sites are examined.

Findings

– It is found that the presence of nitride compounds and fine grains acts like as a self-protective layer at the laser-treated surface while lowering the corrosion resistance. Consequently, laser gas-assisted treatment provides a positive effect on the corrosion properties of the treated surface through lowering the corrosion current. The pits are shallow and do not form a regular pattern at the workpiece surface. The secondary pitting is prevented by the protective layer formed at the laser-treated surface.

Research limitations/implications

– The study can be extended to include laser treatment including the hard particles, such as carbides, at the surface. However, this extension is left to another study.

Practical implications

– Laser treatment can be used for protection of surfaces from wear and corrosive environments. The findings of this study give insight into the improvement of the surface characteristics for this purpose. It serves to industry for the practical solution of the surface protection from corrosive environments.

Social implications

– The researchers and scientists working in the area get the benefit from the outcome of this work.

Originality/value

– It is an original work and gives insight into the enhancement of the corrosion resistance of HSLA steel after the laser treatment process.
Diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants: the moderating role of product knowledge
Authors: Peng Norman , Chen Annie Huiling
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Consumers dine at luxury restaurants for reasons beyond fulfilling basic needs; however, little is known about the factors that contribute to diners’ loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to examine diners’ luxury restaurant consumption behavior by incorporating product knowledge into a modified Mehrabian-Russell model.

Design/methodology/approach

– Following exploratory qualitative research, 238 consumers who have dined at Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred luxury restaurants were recruited for the main study. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results show that luxury restaurants’ stimuli (i.e. food quality, service quality, and atmospherics) influence diners’ emotions, which in turn affect their brand loyalty. Furthermore, food quality can directly influence diners’ loyalty toward the restaurant. Third, diners’ product knowledge can moderate the relationships between restaurant stimuli and diners’ emotion.

Research limitations/implications

– This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that product knowledge has a role in building brand loyalty and thereby shades both theoretical and managerial understanding of the luxury restaurant consumption process.

Originality/value

– This study is one of the first to conceptualize diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants by examining the influences of restaurants’ stimuli and diners’ knowledge toward luxury restaurants. In addition, this study puts forth some managerial implications for practitioners.
Brand equity, satisfaction, and switching costs
Authors: Biedenbach Galina , Bengtsson Maria , Marell Agneta
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of satisfaction and switching costs on the development of brand equity in the business-to-business (B2B) setting. The study considers the hierarchical effects between brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. Furthermore, the conceptual model examines the direct effect of switching costs on satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural equation modeling was used to analyze 632 responses from the CEOs and CFOs of organizations buying auditing and business consultancy services from one of the Big Four auditing companies.

Findings

– The findings demonstrate the significant impact of satisfaction and switching costs on brand equity in the B2B setting. Furthermore, the findings show the positive effect of switching costs on satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is conducted in the professional services context. Future research can examine whether the observed effects can be found in other B2B settings and considering various B2B services and industrial goods.

Practical implications

– The study contributes to marketing managers’ understanding of how marketing actions aimed to increase satisfaction can affect brand equity. Marketing managers are provided with insights and evidence on how switching costs can impact satisfaction and brand equity.

Originality/value

– The study tests a unique conceptual model focussing on the causal relationships between four dimensions of brand equity, satisfaction and switching costs. The findings provide a strong foundation for further investigation of links between the key marketing concepts: brand equity, satisfaction, and switching costs.
How to support consumer-brand relationships
Authors: Iglesias Oriol , Saleem Fathima Zahara
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the detailed human resource policies and practices that favor the expansion of consumer-brand relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

– Due to the lack of studies in this specific field, this research leans toward adopting an exploratory and interpretative methodology. The data stems from 53 in-depth interviews spanning three case studies in the hotel industry.

Findings

– The main contribution of this research is the identification and description of the human resource management (HRM) policies and practices which enable the development of consumer-brand relationships. The six policies and practices which this research considers key are: recruitment, promotion, training, communication, evaluation and compensation.

Originality/value

– This is the first research that identifies and describes the HRM policies and practices which enable the development of consumer-brand relationships.
Drug information seeking behaviours of health care professionals in Iran
Authors: Tahamtan Iman , Tavassoli Farahi Mina , Afshar Askar Safipour , Baradaran Hamid R
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to list the resources that Iranian health-care professionals used to access drug-related information, to know the features and types of drug information resources which were much more important for health-care professionals, the problems they encountered in seeking drug information and the way they organized and re-found the information that they had retrieved. Drug-related queries are one of the most common types of questions in medical settings.

Design/methodology/approach

– This was a descriptive-analytical study conducted in Iran during 2014. The data collection tool was a self-designed questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to analyse the data and examine the research hypothesis.

Findings

– Participants used books, drug manuals, search engines and medical databases more frequently, and less than half of them consulted colleagues to acquire drug-related information for clinical, educational and research purposes. Handheld computers were used by most participants to access and store drug information. Lack of access to drug information and lack of enough time were the main obstacles in seeking drug information. A significant association (p value = 0.024) was detected between organizing and re-finding information for future uses.

Originality/value

– This study investigated drug information-seeking behaviours of health-care professionals and the way they managed this information in a developing country that lacks necessary information technology infrastructures. Training programmes are required to help health-care professionals to find and access reliable and up-to-date drug information resources and to more easily re-find the found drug information for future uses.
Early plant recruitment stages set the template for the development of vegetation patterns along a hydrological gradient
Authors: Fraaije Rob G. A. , ter Braak Cajo J. F. , Verduyn Betty , Breeman Leonieke B. S. , Verhoeven Jos T. A. , Soons Merel B.
Published: March 2015

Recruitment processes are critical components of a plant's life cycle. However, in comparison with later stages in the plant life cycle (e.g. competition among adults), relatively little is known about their contribution to the regulation of plant species distribution. Particularly, little is known about the individual contributions of the three main recruitment processes – germination, seedling survival and seedling growth – to community assembly, while quantitative information on these contributions is essential for a more mechanistic understanding of the regulation of plant species distribution and biodiversity.

Riparian zones along streams provide a globally‐relevant case study for evaluating the importance of the different stages of plant recruitment. The natural hydrological gradients of stream riparian zones are currently being restored after a period of world‐wide habitat degradation. To identify how recruitment contributes to vegetation patterns and biodiversity in riparian zones, we carried out field experiments at restored lowland streams. We quantified the germination of introduced seeds, and survival and growth of introduced seedlings of 17 riparian plant species across a gradient from the stream channel to upland.

The hydrological gradient of riparian zones acted as a strong environmental filter on all three recruitment processes, through imposing an abiotic limitation (excess water) at low elevations and a resource limitation (water shortage) at higher elevations. Other variables, such as soil organic matter content and nutrient availability, only affected recruitment marginally.

Species‐specific patterns of environmental filtering initiated niche segregation along the riparian gradient during all three recruitment processes, but particularly during germination and seedling growth. These recruitment niches appeared strongly related to indicator values for adult distribution optima, suggesting that at least some riparian plant species may have evolutionary adaptations that promote recruitment under favourable hydrological conditions for adult growth and reproduction.

Our results suggest that strong environmental filtering during germination and seedling growth plays an important role in determining later adult distributions, by forming the spatial template on which all subsequent processes operate. In addition to well‐known mechanisms, such as competitive exclusion at the adult stage, environmental filtering during early recruitment stages already strongly affect plant distribution and diversity.
Cleavages – Dead and Gone? An Analysis of Cleavage Structure and Party Choice in Contemporary Finland
Authors: Westinen Jussi
Published: March 2015

In cleavage research in political science, few studies have tested the applicability of a threefold cleavage strategy when analysing national cleavage structures. This study, which has contemporary Finland as a test case, makes two contributions in evaluating the continued relevance of cleavage research. First, it assesses both old and new social structural positions simultaneously in order to explore how they are reflected in the values and attitudes in the electorate. Second, it analyses how these cleavage elements are manifested in party choice and discovers whether value/attitudinal dimensions act as intermediate variables between social structural position and the vote. The statistical analyses are conducted with data from the Finnish National Election Studies from 2003–11. The results show that threefold cleavage definition is not satisfactory for identifying the dynamics in the party‐voter‐ties despite Finland often being regarded as the epitome of a cleavage‐based system. The effect of social structural position on value/attitudinal dimensions is fairly weak and the effect of the social structural position on party choice is mediated through values and attitudes only in some cases. Even though the remnants of cleavage politics remain in Finland, with conflicts based on native language and type of residential area best fulfilling the cleavage criteria, the threefold cleavage does not serve to describe the whole complex set of political conflicts. Since Finland has had an archetypical status as a system of cleavage‐based party support, further elaborations on cleavages are needed to understand the complexity of present conflict structures in any established Western democracy.
All Votes are Equal? Significant Legislation and Party Competition in the Danish Folketing
Authors: Hansen Martin Ejnar , Fazekas Zoltán
Published: March 2015

In nearly all studies on legislative party competition, all votes are treated equally. It is argued in this article that the cooperation between parties varies substantively depending on the type of legislation analysed. However, establishing a measure of the relative significance of votes has challenged legislative studies for decades. A novel measure for legislative significance is therefore proposed: length of debate. Using parliamentary votes from 23 legislative periods in the Danish parliament from 1953 to 2003 and debate length as measurement for bill significance, analyses are presented that focus on between‐party voting patterns on significant and non‐significant legislation and the presence, extent and features of legislative cartels is discussed. The results suggest that looking only at significant legislation reveals more clearly the legislative cartels within the legislature. These findings challenge the traditional assumption of treating parliamentary votes equally, and they allow for a better understanding of legislative cartels in the Folketing.
The Relationship between Local Economic Conditions and Acute Myocardial Infarction Hospital Utilization by Adults and Seniors in the United States, 1995–2011
Authors: Carls Ginger Smith , Henke Rachel Mosher , Karaca Zeynal , Marder William D. , Wong Herbert S.
Published: March 2015

Objective

To assess the association between aggregate unemployment and hospital discharges for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among adults and seniors, 1995–2011.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Community hospital discharge data from states collected for the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID) and economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1995–2011.

Study Design

Quarterly time series study of unemployment and aggregate hospital discharges in local areas using fixed effects to control for differences between local areas.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Secondary data on inpatient stays and unemployment rates aggregated to micropolitan and metropolitan areas.

Principal Findings

For both adults and seniors, a 1 percentage point increase in the contemporaneous unemployment rate was associated with a statistically significant 0.80 percent (adults) to 0.96 percent (seniors) decline in AMI hospitalization during the first half of the study but was unrelated to the economic cycle in the second half of the study period.

Conclusions

The study found evidence that the aggregate relationship between health and the economy may be shifting for cardiovascular events, paralleling recent research that has shown a similar shift for some types of mortality (Ruhm 2013), self‐reported health, and inpatient use among seniors (McInerney and Mellor 2012).
Physical Therapy or Advanced Imaging as First Management Strategy Following a New Consultation for Low Back Pain in Primary Care: Associations with Future Health Care Utilization and Charges
Authors: Fritz Julie M. , Brennan Gerard P. , Hunter Stephen J.
Published: March 2015

Objective

Compare health care utilization and charges for low‐back‐pain (LBP) patients receiving advanced imaging or physical therapy as a first management strategy following a new primary care consultation.

Data Source

Electronic medical record (EMR) and insurance claims data.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of propensity‐matched groups.

Data Collection/Extraction

Claims and EMR data were used. Utilization and LBP‐related charges over a 1‐year period were extracted from claims data.

Principal Findings

In the propensity‐matched sample (n = 406), advanced imaging recipients had higher odds of all utilization outcomes. Charges were higher with advanced imaging by an average $4,793 (95 percent CI: $3,676, $5,910).

Conclusions

For patients with LBP whom newly consulted primary care referred for additional management, advanced imaging as a first management was associated with higher health care utilization and charges than physical therapy.
Evaluating the Accuracy of Cranial Indices in Ancestry Estimation Among South African Groups
Authors: Liebenberg Leandi , Stull Kyra E. , L'Abbé Ericka N. , Botha Deona
Published: March 2015

Historically, population differences were quantified using cranial indices. Even though the application of indices is associated with numerous statistical and methodological problems, the use of cranial indices to estimate ancestry persists as demonstrated by its inclusion in several recent papers and conference presentations. The purpose of this study was to classify 207 South African crania and compare the results of five standard cranial indices to linear discriminant analysis (LDA). New sectioning points were created to contend with low classification accuracies (40–79%) and possible secular trends. Although the accuracies of the new sectioning points increased (66–87%), the accuracies associated with the stepwise LDA were higher (84%) and could classify the crania into one of the three South African groups. The results of the study demonstrate that indices cannot compete with multivariate techniques and should not be used in forensic anthropological analyses for ancestry estimation.
Long‐term efficacy of glycerine‐processed amniotic membrane transplantation in patients with corneal ulcer
Authors: Uhlig Constantin E. , Frings Charlotte , Rohloff Nadine , Harmsen‐Aasman Christel , Schmitz Ralf , Kiesel Ludwig , Eter Nicole , Busse Holger , Alex Anne F.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the long‐term treatment efficacy of glycerine‐preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation in patients suffering from corneal ulcers.

Methods

This was a retrospective, non‐controlled, monocentric analysis. Included were patients with corneal ulcers that were non‐responsive to ointment or contact lenses and had been treated by amniotic membrane transplantation with either the overlay or sandwich procedure. Analysis parameters were visual acuity before and following treatment, recurrence rate and subjective comfort at the last follow‐up.

Results

Of the 371 amniotic membrane transplantations that were conducted, 135 surgical treatments in 108 patients (51.9% male, 48.1% female; mean age 63.7 years) met the inclusion criteria. In total, 99 overlay and 36 multilayer amniotic membrane transplantations were performed. The follow‐up period was 47.5 ± 66.7 weeks (mean ± SD). The recurrence rate at the last follow‐up was 47.8% with overlay membranes and 51.8% with the sandwich technique. There was no significant change in best‐corrected visual acuity following treatment with overlays (p = 0.219) or sandwich procedure (p = 0.703). At the last follow‐up, 72.1% (overlay) and 78.3% (sandwich) of the patients reported either no pain or increased comfort.

Conclusion

The recurrence rates and changes in visual acuity following overlay or sandwich amniotic membrane transplantation in patients suffering from corneal ulcer were lower than reported elsewhere in the literature. More than half of the patients profited from each of the amniotic membrane transplantation techniques with respect to recurrence and postoperative comfort.
On the power of the test for cluster bias
Authors: Jak Suzanne , Oort Frans J.
Published: March 2015

Cluster bias refers to measurement bias with respect to the clustering variable in multilevel data. The absence of cluster bias implies absence of bias with respect to any cluster‐level (level 2) variable. The variables that possibly cause the bias do not have to be measured to test for cluster bias. Therefore, the test for cluster bias serves as a global test of measurement bias with respect to any level 2 variable. However, the validity of the global test depends on the Type I and Type II error rates of the test. We compare the performance of the test for cluster bias with the restricted factor analysis (RFA) test, which can be used if the variable that leads to measurement bias is measured. It appeared that the RFA test has considerably more power than the test for cluster bias. However, the false positive rates of the test for cluster bias were generally around the expected values, while the RFA test showed unacceptably high false positive rates in some conditions. We conclude that if no significant cluster bias is found, still significant bias with respect to a level 2 violator can be detected with an RFA model. Although the test for cluster bias is less powerful, an advantage of the test is that the cause of the bias does not need to be measured, or even known.
Human Development and Decent Work: Why some Concepts Succeed and Others Fail to Make an Impact
Authors: Sehnbruch Kirsten , Burchell Brendan , Agloni Nurjk , Piasna Agnieszka
Published: March 2015

This article examines the impact of the International Labour Organization's concept of Decent Work on development thinking and the academic literature. We attempt to answer the question of what makes a development initiative successful by comparing the decent work approach to the United Nation Development Programme's Human Development concept (in conjunction with the human development indicator). We consider that the latter has been one of the most successful development concepts ever to have been launched, while the impact of decent work by comparison has been limited. Our hypothesis relating to the question of what makes a development initiative successful has three fundamental components: first, a solid theoretical foundation has to justify the launch of a development concept. A second vital factor is the availability of sufficient national and internationally comparable data that enables researchers and policy makers alike to apply the concept, preferably by means of a synthetic indicator. Third, the political will and institutional structure of the development institution that launches a concept is a key factor, particularly if data availability is limited as countries then have to be persuaded to generate new data.
Long‐term treatment with empagliflozin as add‐on to oral antidiabetes therapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Araki E. , Tanizawa Y. , Tanaka Y. , Taniguchi A. , Koiwai K. , Kim G. , Salsali A. , Woerle H. J. , Broedl U. C.
Published: March 2015

Aims

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin for 52 weeks as add‐on to one other oral antidiabetes therapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Patients on biguanide (n = 133), thiazolidinedione (n = 273), α‐glucosidase inhibitor (n = 139), dipeptidyl‐peptidase‐4 inhibitor (n = 139) or glinide (n = 140) were randomized 1 : 1 to receive empagliflozin 10 or 25 mg double‐blind as add‐on therapy for 52 weeks. Patients on sulphonylurea (SU; n = 336) were randomized 2 : 2 : 1 to receive empagliflozin 10 or 25 mg double‐blind or open‐label metformin as add‐on therapy for 52 weeks. The primary objective was to evaluate safety. Change from baseline in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at week 52 was a secondary endpoint.

Results

Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 67.6–84.6% of patients receiving empagliflozin. Confirmed hypoglycaemic AEs (plasma glucose ≤70 mg/dl and/or requiring assistance) were reported in 4.4 and 6.6%, respectively, of patients receiving empagliflozin 10 and 25 mg as add‐on to SU and in 0.0 to 2.9%, respectively, of patients receiving empagliflozin 10 and 25 mg as add‐on to other therapies. Baseline mean ± standard deviation HbA1c ranged from 7.51 ± 0.73 to 8.06 ± 0.76% across background therapy groups. At week 52, adjusted mean ± standard error changes from baseline in HbA1c ranged from −0.77 ± 0.06 to −1.00 ± 0.06% in patients receiving empagliflozin.

Conclusions

In Japanese patients with T2DM, empagliflozin 10 and 25 mg as add‐on to one other oral antidiabetes therapy for 52 weeks were well tolerated and were associated with clinically meaningful reductions in HbA1c.
Tracing dietary origins of aphids and the predatory beetle Propylea japonica in agricultural systems using stable isotope analyses
Authors: Ouyang Fang , Cao Jing , Liu Xianghui , Men Xingyuan , Zhang Yongsheng , Zhao Zihua , Ge Feng
Published: March 2015

Tracing dietary origins of the predatory beetle Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) aids understanding their roles in the food web and provides information to develop strategies for effective conservation in agroecosystems comprised of wheat [Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae)], cotton [Hirsutum spp. (Malvaceae)], and maize [Zea mays L. (Poaceae)]. Intrinsic markers of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in P. japonica need to be developed to ascertain the source(s) of diet. Experiments were carried out to examine the changes of δ13C and δ15N among the three crops, pests (wheat, cotton, and maize aphids; all Hemiptera: Aphididae), and P. japonica fed on aphids of each of the three crops. Results indicated that δ13C values in P. japonica fed on wheat, cotton, and maize aphids were −27.2 to −26.5‰, −24.2 to −23.9‰, and −11.0 to −10.7‰, respectively, whereas their δ15N values were 1.1 to 2.9‰, 6.0 to 7.4‰, and −0.6 to 0.1‰, respectively. δ13C and δ15N plots clearly identify the three crops, the dietary origins of the aphids, and the host origins of the aphid prey consumed by the ladybird beetles, as each pathway displays a non‐overlapping pattern. Based on the values of δ13C and δ15N of the three food webs, dietary origins can be traced in the predatory beetle P. japonica derived from wheat, cotton, and maize crops.
Spawning success and early life history of longnose suckers in Great Lakes tributaries
Authors: Childress Evan S. , Papke Rebecca , McIntyre Peter B.
Published: March 2015

Fish eggs and larvae are often subject to very high mortality, and variation in early life survival can be important for population dynamics. Although longnose suckers (Catostomus catostomus) are widespread in northern North America, little is known about their early life history. We examined fecundity and early larval survivorship during sucker spawning events in three small Lake Michigan tributaries. Although egg deposition varied 25% among spawning events, estimated larval export to the lake varied over 25,000‐fold from around 1000 to 26 million. Based on variation in environmental conditions across years, it appears that spring flow and temperature may be important determinants of egg survival to larval outmigration. Larval age data suggest that most individuals that survived to outmigration hatched during a 2‐day period despite adult spawning across at least 10 days. Most larvae spent <2 weeks in the stream and emigrated around the time of transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding before substantial growth occurred. In two of three cases, larvae drifted exclusively at night; however, high drift rates occurred during both day and night in the case where larvae were very abundant, suggesting density‐dependent drift behaviour. Our results indicate that survival in tributary streams from egg deposition to larval export is highly variable in longnose suckers. These large differences in early life survival may translate into variability in recruitment, thereby influencing population structure and dynamics.
Distress in relation to attenuated psychotic symptoms in the ultra‐high‐risk population is not associated with increased risk of psychotic disorder
Authors: Power Lucy , Polari Andrea R. , Yung Alison R. , McGorry Patrick D. , Nelson Barnaby
Published: March 2015

Aim

The ‘ultra‐high‐risk’ criteria identify a clinical population at substantially increased risk for progressing to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Although a number of clinical variables predictive of transition to psychotic disorder have been identified within this population, the predictive value of the level of distress associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms has not yet been examined. This was the aim of the present study.

Method

The level of distress (0–100) associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms was recorded for 70 ultra‐high‐risk (UHR) patients using the Comprehensive Assessment of At‐Risk Mental State (CAARMS). Transition to psychosis was assessed over a 16‐month follow‐up period.

Results

Of the 70 UHR patients, 15 transitioned to psychosis (21.4%). Of the four CAARMS subscales measuring attenuated positive symptoms, Perceptual Abnormalities was rated as the most distressing. There were no differences in CAARMS scales rated as the most distressing between those who transitioned to psychosis and those who did not. There was also no association between higher levels of distress associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms and transition to psychosis.

Conclusion

Although the findings require replication, they indicate that the degree of distress associated with attenuated psychotic symptoms should not be used as a criterion for enriching UHR samples for risk of frank psychotic disorder.
Plasma cell leukemia: from biology to treatment
Authors: Jelinek Tomas , Kryukov Fedor , Rihova Lucie , Hajek Roman
Published: March 2015

Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a very aggressive and rare form of malignant monoclonal gammopathy characterized by the presence of plasmocytes in peripheral blood. It is classified as primary PCL occuring ‘de novo’, or as secondary PCL in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Primary PCL is a distinct clinicopathological entity from myeloma with different cytogenetic abnormalities and molecular findings, which are usually found only in advanced multiple myeloma. The clinical course is aggressive with short remissions and reduced overall survival. The diagnostic criteria are based on the percentage (>20%) and absolute number (2 × 109/L) of plasma cells in peripheral blood. After establishing diagnosis, induction therapy should begin promptly which is aimed to rapid disease control and to minimize the risk of early death. Intensive chemotherapy regimens and bortezomib‐based regimens, followed by high‐dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation, are recommended. Allogeneic transplantation can be considered in younger patients. This article reviews recent knowledge of this hematological malignancy that is associated with a very poor prognosis.
Tracheal necrosis as a fatal complication of endotracheal intubation
Authors: Wylie C. E. , Foote A. K. , Rasotto R. , Cameron I. J. , Greet T. R. C.
Published: March 2015

This case report describes the death of a yearling Thoroughbred colt due to segmental severe necrotising tracheitis with stenosis of the tracheal lumen, 19 days after endotracheal intubation for elective endoscopic surgery. The stenosis of the trachea leading to asphyxiation was caused by an inflammatory process accompanied by massive accumulation of necrotic material, fibrinous inflammatory exudate, oedema and granulation tissue. The cause of this inflammation was likely to be a bacterial infection secondary to traumatic damage of the tracheal mucosa. Given the clinical history and location of the lesion, the endotracheal tube used for general anaesthesia was hypothesised to be responsible for this damage. Delayed tracheal necrosis as a fatal complication of endotracheal intubation has not previously been described in the horse and should be considered as a potential catastrophic consequence following relatively innocuous clinical signs.
Exploratory Evaluation and Initial Adaptation of a Parent Training Program for Hispanic Families of Children with Autism
Authors: Buzhardt Jay , Rusinko Lisa , Heitzman‐Powell Linda , Trevino‐Maack Sylvia , McGrath Ashley
Published: March 2015

The present paper takes a translational approach in applying the themes of the current special section to prevention and intervention science in Latino families. The paper reviews the current literature on cultural processes in prevention and intervention research with Latino families. Overall, many prevention and intervention programs have either been developed specifically for Latino families or have been modified for Latino families with great attention paid to the socio‐cultural needs of these families. Nevertheless, few studies have tested the role of cultural values or acculturation processes on outcomes. We make recommendations based on findings within basic science and in particular this special section on the incorporation of these values and processes into prevention and intervention science with Latino families.
Inhibitory effects of interferon‐β on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 via Akt/STAT phosphorylation
Authors: Ethiraj Purushoth , Veerappan Karpagam , Samuel Shila , Sivapatham Sundaresan
Published: March 2015

Conventional chemotherapy fails to cure metastatic hepatoma mainly due to its high hepatotoxicity. Currently, doxorubicin is the most widely used drug against liver cancer either as single agent or in combination with other chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin. It is limited due to their severe toxicity on normal hepatocytes. Therefore, alternative therapeutic agents without or with low hepatotoxicity are highly desirable. Interferons are a family of cytokines that potently demonstrate antiviral, immunomodulatory, and antiproliferative activities. It also exerts direct cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxicity of interferon‐β on HepG2 cells. We revealed the presence of binding receptor of interferon‐β in HepG2 cells. The dose‐dependent inhibition on cell proliferation was observed. We demonstrated that IFN‐β exhibited significant cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells mainly through phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 2. The activation of Akt was suppressed. The stimulation of pro‐apoptotic protein expression of Bax, inhibition of anti‐apoptotic protein expression of Bcl‐2, activation of cleaved caspases 9 and 3 was found at increasing concentrations. In conclusion, our results suggest that interferon‐β has potential to inhibit cell proliferation dose dependently. Increased concentrations of interferon‐β influenced apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway through inhibition of p‐Akt.
Evaluation of angler reporting accuracy in an off‐site survey to estimate statewide steelhead harvest
Authors: McCormick J. L. , Whitney D. , Schill D. J. , Quist M. C.
Published: March 2015

Accuracy of angler‐reported data on steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), harvest in Idaho, USA, was quantified by comparing data recorded on angler harvest permits to the numbers that the same group of anglers reported in an off‐site survey. Anglers could respond to the off‐site survey using mail or Internet; if they did not respond using these methods, they were called on the telephone. A majority of anglers responded through the mail, and the probability of responding by Internet decreased with increasing age of the respondent. The actual number of steelhead harvested did not appear to influence the response type. Anglers in the autumn 2012 survey overreported harvest by 24%, whereas anglers in the spring 2013 survey under‐reported steelhead harvest by 16%. The direction of reporting bias may have been a function of actual harvest, where anglers harvested on average 2.6 times more fish during the spring fishery than the autumn. Reporting bias that is a function of actual harvest can have substantial management and conservation implications because the fishery will be perceived to be performing better at lower harvest rates and worse when harvest rates are higher. Thus, these findings warrant consideration when designing surveys and evaluating management actions.
Landing profiles of Portuguese fisheries: assessing the state of stocks
Authors: Leitão F.
Published: March 2015

Long‐term trends in Portuguese fisheries landing profiles of biodiversity, assemblage composition, trophic groups and marine trophic index (1950–2009) were studied to understand the evolution of the fisheries from an ecological viewpoint and evaluate the effects of fisheries on stocks. The number of species landed has increased considerably since the 1980s. This indicates an expansion of the fisheries and also a better use of the marine biodiversity for redistributing effort. Changes in the ecological composition of fisheries catches have occurred since the 1950s, with a significant shift in the middle 1980s (anchor point). Deep‐sea resources and higher trophic levels (cephalopods, large benthopelagics, flatfishes, demersal invertebrates, small‐medium and large rays, medium bathydemersal, shrimps, small benthopelagics large sharks) have increased while traditional commercial species captured by nearshore fisheries (medium and small pelagics) have decreased. Despite the decreasing trend in catches since 1988, the marine trophic index (MTI = 3.04) increased by approximately 0.2 units per decade (MTI in 2009 = 3.46). The number of collapsed, overexploited and fully exploited stocks has increased considerably over the last 20 years (>50%). Overall, the data indicate that redistributing fishing effort and targeting of deep‐sea resources may have been driven by depletion of inshore fishery stocks, which signals concern for the fishery. Marine biodiversity indexes and ecological structure of landings profiles should be considered by fishery managers when redefining new marine fisheries policy.
Lack of replication for the myosin‐18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts
Authors: Pettigrew K. A. , Fajutrao Valles S. F. , Moll K. , Northstone K. , Ring S. , Pennell C. , Wang C. , Leavett R. , Hayiou‐Thomas M. E. , Thompson P. , Simpson N. H. , Fisher S. E. ,   The SLI Consortium, Whitehouse A. J. O. , Snowling M. J. , Newbury D. F. , Paracchini S.
Published: March 2015

Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular level. Recently, a coding variant (rs133885) in the myosin‐18B gene was shown to be associated with mathematical abilities with a specific effect among children with dyslexia. This association represents one of the most significant genetic associations reported to date for mathematical abilities and the only one reaching genome‐wide statistical significance. We conducted a replication study in different cohorts to assess the effect of rs133885 maths‐related measures. The study was conducted primarily using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), (N = 3819). We tested additional cohorts including the York Cohort, the Specific Language Impairment Consortium (SLIC) cohort and the Raine Cohort, and stratified them for a definition of dyslexia whenever possible. We did not observe any associations between rs133885 in myosin‐18B and mathematical abilities among individuals with dyslexia or in the general population. Our results suggest that the myosin‐18B variant is unlikely to be a main factor contributing to mathematical abilities.
Comovements of ethanol‐related prices: evidence from Brazil and the USA
Authors: Kristoufek Ladislav , Janda Karel , Zilberman David
Published: March 2015

We use the wavelet coherence methodology to investigate the relations between prices of ethanol and its feedstocks. Our continuous wavelet framework allows for discovering price connections and their evolution in both time and frequency domain in the most important ethanol markets – Brazil and the USA. For both of these markets, we show that the long‐run relationship between prices of ethanol and corn (in the USA) or sugar (in Brazil) is positive, strong and stable in time. Importantly, we show that the prices of feedstock lead the prices of ethanol and not the other way around. The price lead of feedstock is documented for both short‐ and long‐run horizons. Our qualitative results hold true even when the influence of crude oil prices is accounted for by utilizing partial wavelet coherence approach.
Killing from a Distance: A Christian Ethical Evaluation of CIA Targeted Drone Killings
Authors: Vorster Nico
Published: March 2015

This article provides an ethical evaluation of the CIA's use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) to target so‐called terror suspects and insurgents. It utilises Christian informed deontological and virtue‐ethical criteria to assess this practise. These criteria include just intent, charity, proportionality, moral consistency, truthfulness, mercy, courage and prudence. The article concludes that the UAV target programme is morally problematic. The United States’ ‘kill not capture’ policy as exemplified in the use of ‘signature’ strikes defies the virtues at stake. By using UAV's as tools for preventive warfare, utilising armed UAV's that are weapons of war outside areas of armed conflict and disregarding the principles of transparency, last resort and proportionality, the United States is employing UAV's in a morally illegitimate and imprudent way, and is setting precedents that might have dire consequences for global peace and the security of future generations.
Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with solid organ malignancies
Authors: Shahi Varun , Wetter David A.
Published: March 2015

Background

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) can be associated with systemic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory arthritis, and hematologic malignancy. Previous literature exploring the rare association between PG and solid organ malignancy is predominantly limited to single case reports.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of five patients with PG and solid organ malignancies at our institution between 1996 and 2013.

Results

For the five patients identified, PG and solid organ malignancy occurred within three months of each other. Mean age at onset of PG was 55.6 years, and four patients were women. Three patients had breast carcinoma (one was recurrent), and two had gastrointestinal carcinoma. PG occurred before (n = 2), after (n = 2), or synchronously with (n = 1) the malignancy. In one patient with a history of PG and quiescent inflammatory bowel disease, recurrent PG developed synchronously with a new diagnosis of metastatic rectosigmoid carcinoma. Three patients had partial or complete response of PG with treatment of PG alone.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, our study is the first to report that the onset of PG can herald a recurrence of a solid organ malignancy and that recurrent PG can be associated with solid organ malignancy. A possible association of solid organ malignancy and PG should be considered in patients with PG of unknown etiology or with a history of malignancy.
Solitaire™ with the Intention for Thrombectomy as Primary Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke (SWIFT PRIME) Trial: Protocol for a Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Study Comparing the Solitaire Revascularization Device with IV tPA with IV tPA Alone in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Saver Jeffrey L. , Goyal Mayank , Bonafe Alain , Diener Hans-Christoph , Levy Elad I. , Pereira Vitor M. , Albers Gregory W. , Cognard Christophe , Cohen David J. , Hacke Werner , Jansen Olav , Jovin Tudor G. , Mattle Heinrich P. , Nogueira Raul G. , Siddiqui Adnan H. , Yavagal Dileep R. , Devlin Thomas G. , Lopes Demetrius K. , Reddy Vivek , de Rochemont Richard du Mesnil , Jahan Reza ,   for the SWIFT PRIME Investigators
Published: March 2015

Rationale

Early reperfusion in patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke is critical, especially for patients with large vessel occlusion who have poor prognosis without revascularization. Solitaire™ stent retriever devices have been shown to immediately restore vascular perfusion safely, rapidly, and effectively in acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusions.

Aim

The aim of the study was to demonstrate that, among patients with large vessel, anterior circulation occlusion who have received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, treatment with Solitaire revascularization devices reduces degree of disability 3 months post stroke.

Design

The study is a global multicenter, two-arm, prospective, randomized, open, blinded end-point trial comparing functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients who are treated with either intravenous tissue plasminogen activator alone or intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in combination with the Solitaire device. Up to 833 patients will be enrolled.

Procedures

Patients who have received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator are randomized to either continue with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator alone or additionally proceed to neurothrombectomy using the Solitaire device within six-hours of symptom onset.

Study Outcomes

The primary end-point is 90-day global disability, assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Secondary outcomes include mortality at 90 days, functional independence (mRS ≤ 2) at 90 days, change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 27 h, reperfusion at 27 h, and thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b/3 flow at the end of the procedure.

Analysis

Statistical analysis will be conducted using simultaneous success criteria on the overall distribution of modified Rankin Scale (Rankin shift) and proportions of subjects achieving functional independence (mRS 0–2).
Nursing staff induced repositionings and immobile patients' spontaneous movements in nursing care
Authors: Källman Ulrika , Bergstrand Sara , Ek Anna‐Christina , Engström Maria , Lindgren Margareta
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate nursing staff induced repositionings and the patients' spontaneous movements during the day and night among older immobile patients in nursing care. Furthermore, the aim was to identify factors associated with the nursing staff induced repositionings and the patients' spontaneous movement frequency. An observational cross‐sectional design was used. Spontaneous movements among patients (n = 52) were registered continuously using the MovinSense monitoring system. The nursing staff documented each time they repositioned the patient. Patients spontaneous movements were compared with nursing staff induced repositionings. There were large variations in the patients' spontaneous repositioning frequency during both days and nights, which shows that, although immobilised, some patients frequently reposition themselves. Analgesics were positively related to the movement frequency and psycholeptics were negatively related. The nursing staff more often repositioned the patients who were assessed as high risk than those assessed as low risk, but the patients' spontaneous movement frequency was not correlated to the risk score. This may be important when planning repositioning schedules. A monitoring system may be useful in decision making with regard to planning repositioning and positions used in the prevention of pressure ulcers among elderly immobile patients.