bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal disease in Canada: An update
Authors: Allen Upton
Published: March 2017

Revised guidelines for the prevention of early-onset group B streptococ-cal (GBS) infection were recently issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in conjunction with experts from relevant disciplines. These guidelines have been endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The CDC recommends one of two prevention strategies. In one strategy, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis is offered to women identified as carriers of GBS through prenatal screening at 35 to 37 weeks’ gestation and to women who develop the premature onset of labour or premature rupture of membranes at less than 37 weeks’ gestation. In the other strategy, intrapartum prophylaxis is offered to women who develop one or more risk factors at the onset of labour or membrane rupture. This document summarizes the revised guidelines and compares and contrasts them with the 1994 Canadian consensus guidelines.
Child health care in Ukraine
Authors: Rieder Michael J
Published: March 2017

Ukraineis a republic formed from someof the former Soviet Union's territory. Primary care for children in Ukraine is delivered by paediatricians in polyclinics. Specialty and tertiary care for children is based at children's hospitals, as is postgraduate training in paediatrics. Many challenges to child health care in Ukraine accompanied the collapse of the Soviet Union, includinga lack of resources devoted topublic health and community care, environmental contamination and a system of medical education and delivery of care that is not suited to meet evolving changes in medical care.
“Citizens but for Papers:” Undocumented Youth Organizations, Anti-Deportation Campaigns, and the Reframing of Citizenship
Authors: Patler Caitlin
Published: March 2017

Scholars have documented strong anti-immigrant bias in mainstream media portrayals and public sentiment, especially associated with notions of “illegality.” Yet certain groups of undocumented immigrants have been able to defend their continued residency. How are undocumented immigrants, as marginalized subjects, able to make claims for legal and social recognition? Through an analysis of 125 anti-deportation campaigns led by undocumented youth organizations in the United States, I show how organizations developed a nationally coordinated model using citizenship frames to challenge deportations and build support for pro-immigrant legislation. Citizenship frames are based in legal and normative ideologies of citizenship that underscore acculturation, civic engagement, and humanitarian concerns. The campaigns highlight undocumented immigrants’ social integration, deservingness, and practice of citizenship, therefore contesting the boundaries between citizen and noncitizen, and between lawful and unlawful. Though citizenship frames are used across cases, campaign tactics vary: students are portrayed as high-achievers who would suffer greatly if deported, while campaigns for non-students emphasize the detrimental effects of deportation on others. Importantly, citizenship frames are bounded by the government’s priorities for immigration enforcement, with potentially negative consequences for those immigrants considered less than model citizens.
Angioedema
Authors: LoVerde Daniel , Files Daniel Clark , Krishnaswamy Guha
Published: March 2017

Objectives:

Angioedema is a potentially life-threatening occurrence that is encountered by critical care providers. The mechanistic understanding of angioedema syndromes has improved in recent years, and novel medications are available that improve outcomes from these syndromes. This clinically focused review will describe the underlying genetics, pathophysiology, classification and treatment of angioedema syndromes, with an emphasis on the novel pharmacologic agents that have recently become available for acute treatment.

Data Sources:

A MEDLINE search was conducted with the MeSH terms angioedema, acquired angioedema, hereditary angioedema type III, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-induced angioedema.

Study Selection:

Selected publications describing angioedema, clinical trials, diagnosis, management, and genetics were retrieved (reviews, guidelines, clinical trials, case series), and their bibliographies were also reviewed to identify relevant publications.

Data Extraction:

Data from the relevant publications were reviewed, summarized and the information synthesized.

Data Synthesis:

The data obtained were used to describe the current state of diagnosis and management of various angioedema syndromes.

Conclusions:

Angioedema is a life-threatening syndrome with multiple subtypes, each with a distinct pathophysiology. We present an evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and suggested management of various subtypes of angioedema. Securing the airway remains the most important intervention, followed by administration of both established and more novel pharmacologic interventions based on disease pathology.
Influence of Extent of Lymph Node Evaluation on Survival for Pathologically Lymph Node Negative Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Becker Daniel J. , Levy Benjamin P. , Gold Heather T. , Sherman Scott E. , Makarov Danil V. , Schreiber David , Wisnivesky Juan P. , Pass Harvey I.
Published: March 2017

Objectives:

Despite previous retrospective reports that the number of lymph nodes resected at curative intent surgery for lung cancer correlates with overall survival (OS), no consensus exists regarding the minimal nor optimal number of lymph nodes to resect at curative lung cancer surgery.

Methods:

We studied subjects in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Database (SEER) diagnosed with non–small cell lung cancer between 2000 and 2011 who underwent either lobectomy or pneumonectomy and had pathologic negative nodal evaluation. We excluded patients with sublobar resection and/or no lymph node evaluation. We examined associations between number of lymph nodes evaluated and OS/lung cancer-specific survival by multivariable Cox regression; and predictors of evaluation of more lymph nodes.

Results:

Among the 33,463 patients in our sample, a median of 7 lymph nodes were evaluated. We found that lung cancer-specific survival and OS improved with increasing lymph node evaluation up to 16 to 18 lymph nodes (hazard ratio, 0.77 [95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.85] and 0.78 [95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.86], respectively). There was little additional improvement in outcomes with evaluation of >16 to 18 lymph nodes. Blacks, Hispanics, females, and patients from distinct geographical regions were less likely to have 16 or more lymph nodes evaluated.

Conclusions:

There was a consistently increasing survival benefit associated with a more extensive lymph node evaluation at lung cancer resection, up to 16 to 18 lymph nodes removed. The median number of nodes evaluated was, however, only 7, suggesting that setting a goal of ≥16 examined lymph nodes may lead to improved survival outcomes, and reduce disparities in care.
Discord Among Radiation Oncologists and Urologists in the Postoperative Management of High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Authors: Kishan Amar U. , Duchesne Gillian , Wang Pin-Chieh , Rwigema Jean-Claude M. , Kishan Arun U. , Saigal Christopher , Rettig Matthew , Steinberg Michael L. , King Christopher R.
Published: March 2017

Objective:

To query specialty-specific differences regarding postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for high-risk prostate cancer.

Materials and Methods:

Electronic mail survey of radiation oncologists (ROs) and urologists. We sought to maximize absolute response number to capture contemporary practice ethos. The outcome of interest was association between response and specialty. Training level/expertise, practice setting, percentage of consultation caseload consisting of high-risk prostate cancer, and nationality were set as effect modifiers for multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

In total, 846 ROs and 407 urologists responded. ROs were more likely to prefer adjuvant radiotherapy (ART). ART or early salvage radiotherapy (SRT, with early SRT defined as that delivered at prostate-specific antigen<0.2), whereas urologists were more likely to prefer early or delayed SRT (P<0.0001). ROs were more likely to prefer lower PSA thresholds for initiating SRT (P<0.0001), and more likely to recommend ART in the setting of adverse pathologic features or node-positive disease (P<0.0001). Significantly more ROs would recommend concurrent androgen deprivation therapy or pelvic nodal RT in the setting of node-positive or Gleason score 8 to 10 disease (P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Specialty-specific differences were readily elucidated with respect to timing and indications for ART and SRT, as well as for indications for androgen deprivation therapy and nodal RT. These differences are likely to create a sense of dissonance for patients, which may in turn explain the underutilization of postoperative RT in general practice.
Locally Recurrent Lentigo Maligna and Lentigo Maligna Melanoma: Characteristics and Time to Recurrence After Surgery
Authors: Connolly Karen L. , Hibler Brian P. , Lee Erica H. , Rossi Anthony M. , Busam Klaus J. , Nehal Kishwer S.
Published: March 2017

BACKGROUND

Various studies have reported local recurrence (LR) rates after surgical treatment of lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM). However, the time to LR of LM/LMM is not currently known, as few studies report time to LR and have long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

To define time to LR in LM/LMM after surgical treatment, and to describe features of observed LR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective single-center study of consecutive patients presenting with locally recurrent LM/LMM.

RESULTS

Six hundred forty-nine cases of LM/LMM were reviewed; 29 (21 LM, and 8 LMM) of 41 locally recurrent cases had original histology reports and were included. The mean time to LR was 57.5 months (range 7–194). For cases presenting as primary LM, LR was also in situ in 14/21 (67%) of cases. Seven of 21 LM recurred as LMM. Of the 8 primary LMM, 3/8 (37.5%) presented with subsequent LMM and all were slightly deeper on re-excision.

CONCLUSION

The mean time to LR of LM/LMM is at least 57.5 months, underscoring the importance of long-term follow-up. Seven of 21 LM recurred as invasive disease, but the lack of development of LMM from LM in most recurrent cases confirms LM is slowly progressive.
Preoperative Computed Tomography Assessment for Perinephric Fat Invasion: Comparison With Pathological Staging
Authors: Landman Jaime , Park Jae Young , Zhao Chenhui , Baker Molly , Hofmann Martin , Helmy Mohammad , Lall Chandana , Bozoghlanian Mari , Okhunov Zhamshid
Published: March 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) imaging in diagnosing perinephric fat (PNF) invasion in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and preoperative CT images of 161 patients (105 men and 56 women) for pT1–pT3a renal cell carcinoma. We analyzed the predictive accuracy of CT criteria for PNF invasion stratified by tumor size. We determined the predictive value of CT findings in diagnosing PNF invasion using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The overall accuracy of perinephric (PN) soft-tissue stranding, peritumoral vascularity, increased density of the PNF, tumoral margin, and contrast-enhancing soft-tissue nodule to predict PNF invasion were 56%, 59%, 35%, 80%, and 87%, respectively. Perinephric soft-tissue stranding and peritumoral vascularity showed high sensitivity but low specificity regardless of tumor size. A contrast-enhancing soft-tissue nodule showed low sensitivity but high specificity in predicting PNF invasion. Among tumors 4 cm or less, PN soft-tissue stranding showed 100% sensitivity and 70% specificity, and tumor margin showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity. Among CT criteria for PNF invasion, PN soft-tissue stranding was chosen as the only significant factor for assessing PNF invasion by logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions

Computed tomography does not seem to reliably predict PNF invasion. However, PN soft-tissue stranding was shown to be the only significant factor for predicting PNF invasion, which showed good accuracy with high sensitivity and high specificity in tumors 4 cm or less.
Computed Tomography Perfusion Following Transarterial Chemoembolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Feasibility Study in the Early Period
Authors: Wimmer Thomas , Steiner Juergen , Talakic Emina , Stauber Rudolf , Quehenberger Franz , Portugaller Rupert Horst , Schoellnast Helmut
Published: March 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of computed tomography (CT) perfusion in early follow-up after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Fifteen patients with a total of 16 HCC who were referred to our institution for TACE were included in the study. Computed tomography perfusion was performed within 1 to 3 days before and 4 to 7 days after TACE. Multiphase contrast-enhanced CT was performed 35 (SD, 20) days after TACE. Hepatic arterial blood flow and portal venous blood flow, as well as the perfusion index (PI), were calculated for each HCC using the dual input maximum slope method. Visual grading of the PI and visual grading of the amount of deposition of embolic material within the HCC were performed using a 6-step scale. Differences in perfusion before and after TACE and correlation of perfusion before TACE with the amount of embolization material depositions 1 week and 1 month after TACE were tested.

Results

No statistically significant correlation was found between pre-TACE perfusion parameters and the amount of embolization material deposition in the post-TACE studies. There was no statistically significant difference between pre- and post-TACE arterial blood flow and portal venous blood flow, whereas PI was significantly lower after TACE. Congruently, visual grading of PI was statistically significantly lower after TACE. There was no statistically significant difference in quantitative pre-TACE and post-TACE PI between tumors, which showed hypervascularization in the multiphase follow-up CT and tumors that did not show hypervascularization. However, tumors that showed hypervascularization in the multiphase follow-up CT had significantly higher visual grading of PI after TACE than tumors that did not show hypervascularization.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that visual interpretation of the PI of HCC derived from dual-input maximum slope CT perfusion may be an early predictor of response to TACE.
Learning and robustness to catch-and-release fishing in a shark social network
Authors: Mourier Johann , Brown Culum , Planes Serge
Published: March 2017

Individuals can play different roles in maintaining connectivity and social cohesion in animal populations and thereby influence population robustness to perturbations. We performed a social network analysis in a reef shark population to assess the vulnerability of the global network to node removal under different scenarios. We found that the network was generally robust to the removal of nodes with high centrality. The network appeared also highly robust to experimental fishing. Individual shark catchability decreased as a function of experience, as revealed by comparing capture frequency and site presence. Altogether, these features suggest that individuals learnt to avoid capture, which ultimately increased network robustness to experimental catch-and-release. Our results also suggest that some caution must be taken when using capture–recapture models often used to assess population size as assumptions (such as equal probabilities of capture and recapture) may be violated by individual learning to escape recapture.
Crime and hypnosis in
fin-de-siècle
Germany: the Czynski case
Authors: Wolffram Heather
Published: March 2017

Lurid tales of the criminal use of hypnosis captured both popular and scholarly attention across Europe during the closing decades of the nineteenth century, culminating not only in the invention of fictional characters such as du Maurier's Svengali but also in heated debates between physicians over the possibilities of hypnotic crime and the application of hypnosis for forensic purposes. The scholarly literature and expert advice that emerged on this topic at the turn of the century highlighted the transnational nature of research into hypnosis and the struggle of physicians in a large number of countries to prise hypnotism from the hands of showmen and amateurs once and for all. Making use of the 1894 Czynski trial, in which a Baroness was putatively hypnotically seduced by a magnetic healer, this paper will examine the scientific, popular and forensic tensions that existed around hypnotism in the German context. Focusing, in particular, on the expert testimony about hypnosis and hypnotic crime during this case, the paper will show that, while such trials offered opportunities to criminalize and pathologize lay hypnosis, they did not always provide the ideal forum for settling scientific questions or disputes.
Trade-offs in an ant–plant–fungus mutualism
Authors: Orivel Jérôme , Malé Pierre-Jean , Lauth Jérémie , Roux Olivier , Petitclerc Frédéric , Dejean Alain , Leroy Céline
Published: March 2017

Species engaged in multiple, simultaneous mutualisms are subject to trade-offs in their mutualistic investment if the traits involved in each interaction are overlapping, which can lead to conflicts and affect the longevity of these associations. We investigate this issue via a tripartite mutualism involving an ant plant, two competing ant species and a fungus the ants cultivate to build galleries under the stems of their host plant to capture insect prey. The use of the galleries represents an innovative prey capture strategy compared with the more typical strategy of foraging on leaves. However, because of a limited worker force in their colonies, the prey capture behaviour of the ants results in a trade-off between plant protection (i.e. the ants patrol the foliage and attack intruders including herbivores) and ambushing prey in the galleries, which has a cascading effect on the fitness of all of the partners. The quantification of partners' traits and effects showed that the two ant species differed in their mutualistic investment. Less investment in the galleries (i.e. in fungal cultivation) translated into more benefits for the plant in terms of less herbivory and higher growth rates and vice versa. However, the greater vegetative growth of the plants did not produce a positive fitness effect for the better mutualistic ant species in terms of colony size and production of sexuals nor was the mutualist compensated by the wider dispersal of its queens. As a consequence, although the better ant mutualist is the one that provides more benefits to its host plant, its lower host–plant exploitation does not give this ant species a competitive advantage. The local coexistence of the ant species is thus fleeting and should eventually lead to the exclusion of the less competitive species.
The influence of slavemaking lifestyle, caste and sex on chemical profiles in
Temnothorax
ants: insights into the evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons
Authors: Kleeberg Isabelle , Menzel Florian , Foitzik Susanne
Published: March 2017

Chemical communication is central for the formation and maintenance of insect societies. Generally, social insects only allow nest-mates into their colony, which are recognized by their cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). Social parasites, which exploit insect societies, are selected to circumvent host recognition. Here, we studied whether chemical strategies to reduce recognition evolved convergently in slavemaking ants, and whether they extend to workers, queens and males alike. We studied CHCs of three social parasites and their related hosts to investigate whether the parasitic lifestyle selects for specific chemical traits that reduce host recognition. Slavemaker profiles were characterized by shorter-chained hydrocarbons and a shift from methyl-branched alkanes to
n
-alkanes, presumably to reduce recognition cue quantity. These shifts were consistent across independent origins of slavery and were found in isolated ants and those emerging in their mother colony. Lifestyle influenced profiles of workers most profoundly, with little effect on virgin queen profiles. We detected an across-species caste signal, with workers, for which nest-mate recognition is particularly important, carrying more and longer-chained hydrocarbons and males exhibiting a larger fraction of
n
-alkanes. This comprehensive study of CHCs across castes and species reveals how lifestyle-specific selection can result in convergent evolution of chemical phenotypes.
Distinctive fungal communities in an obligate African ant-plant mutualism
Authors: Baker Christopher C. M. , Martins Dino J. , Pelaez Julianne N. , Billen Johan P. J. , Pringle Anne , Frederickson Megan E. , Pierce Naomi E.
Published: March 2017

Three ant species nest obligately in the swollen-thorn domatia of the African ant-plantVachellia(Acacia)drepanolobium, a model system for the study of ant-defence mutualisms and species coexistence. Here we report on the characteristic fungal communities generated by these ant species in their domatia. First, we describe behavioural differences between the ant species when presented with a cultured fungal isolate in the laboratory. Second, we use DNA metabarcoding to show that each ant species has a distinctive fungal community in its domatia, and that these communities remain characteristic of the ant species over two Kenyan sampling locations separated by 190 km. Third, we find that DNA extracted from female alates ofTetraponera penzigiandCrematogaster nigricepscontained matches for most of the fungal metabarcodes from those ant species' domatia, respectively. Fungal hyphae and other debris are also visible in sections of these alates' infrabuccal pockets. Collectively, our results indicate that domatium fungal communities are associated with the ant species occupying the tree. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of such ant-specific fungal community-level differences on the same myrmecophytic host species. These differences may be shaped by ant behaviour in the domatia, and by ants vectoring fungi when they disperse to establish new colonies. The roles of the fungi with respect to the ants and their host plant remain to be determined.
Community analysis of microbial sharing and specialization in a Costa Rican ant–plant–hemipteran symbiosis
Authors: Pringle Elizabeth G. , Moreau Corrie S.
Published: March 2017

Ants have long been renowned for their intimate mutualisms with trophobionts and plants and more recently appreciated for their widespread and diverse interactions with microbes. An open question in symbiosis research is the extent to which environmental influence, including the exchange of microbes between interacting macroorganisms, affects the composition and function of symbiotic microbial communities. Here we approached this question by investigating symbiosis within symbiosis. Ant–plant–hemipteran symbioses are hallmarks of tropical ecosystems that produce persistent close contact among the macroorganism partners, which then have substantial opportunity to exchange symbiotic microbes. We used metabarcoding and quantitative PCR to examine community structure of both bacteria and fungi in a Neotropical ant–plant–scale-insect symbiosis. Both phloem-feeding scale insects and honeydew-feeding ants make use of microbial symbionts to subsist on phloem-derived diets of suboptimal nutritional quality. Among the insects examined here,
Cephalotes
ants and pseudococcid scale insects had the most specialized bacterial symbionts, whereas
Azteca
ants appeared to consume or associate with more fungi than bacteria, and coccid scale insects were associated with unusually diverse bacterial communities. Despite these differences, we also identified apparent sharing of microbes among the macro-partners. How microbial exchanges affect the consumer-resource interactions that shape the evolution of ant–plant–hemipteran symbioses is an exciting question that awaits further research.
Exact firing time statistics of neurons driven by discrete inhibitory noise
Authors: Olmi Simona , Angulo-Garcia David , Imparato Alberto , Torcini Alessandro
Published: March 2017

Neurons in the intact brain receive a continuous and irregular synaptic bombardment from excitatory and inhibitory presynaptic neurons, which determines the firing activity of the stimulated neuron. In orderto investigate the influence of inhibitory stimulation on the firing time statistics, we consider Leaky Integrate-and-Fire neurons subject to inhibitory instantaneous postsynaptic potentials. In particular, we report exact results for the firing rate, the coefficient of variation and the spike train spectrum for various synaptic weight distributions. Our results are not limited to stimulations of infinitesimal amplitude, but they apply as well to finite amplitude post-synaptic potentials, thus being able to capture the effect of rare and large spikes. The developed methods are able to reproduce also the average firing properties of heterogeneous neuronal populations.
Information Theory and Stem Cell Biology
Authors: Smith Rosanna C. G. , MacArthur Ben D.
Published: March 2017

Purpose of Review

To outline how ideas from Information Theory may be used to analyze single cell data and better understand stem cell behaviour.

Recent findings

Recent technological breakthroughs in single cell profiling have made it possible to interrogate cell-to-cell variability in a multitude of contexts, including the role it plays in stem cell dynamics. Here we review how measures from information theory are being used to extract biological meaning from the complex, high-dimensional and noisy datasets that arise from single cell profiling experiments. We also discuss how concepts linking information theory and statistical mechanics are being used to provide insight into cellular identity, variability and dynamics.

We provide a brief introduction to some basic notions from information theory and how they may be used to understand stem cell identities at the single cell level. We also discuss how work in this area might develop in the near future.
Process and performance of electroless nickel plating on AZ91D magnesium alloy
Authors: Shao Zhongcai , Zhang Feifei , Cai Zhiqiang , Hu Rong
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of the investigation was to research the best process of electroless nickel (EN) plating on AZ91D magnesium alloy and the performance of EN plating coating.

Design/methodology/approach

Through single factor test and orthogonal test, EN plating on AZ91D magnesium alloy was researched. The plating rate and porosity were analyzed. The coating appearance of EN plating coating and magnesium alloy substrate was evaluated. The electrochemical properties of EN plating coating and substrate were researched using electrochemical workstation, and their compositions and structure were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.

Findings

The results made by combination of experimental and orthogonal test showed that the best formula of EN plating was 8.8 g·L−1 nickel ion, 25 g·L−1 lactic acid, 28 g·L−1 reducing agent, 1.8 ml·L−1 corrosion inhibitor, 1 mg·L−1 stabilizer, temperature at 85°C and pH value at 5.5. The plating was uniform, dense and with no cracks. The electrochemical tests showed that the corrosion resistance of EN plating was better than that of magnesium alloy substrate.

Originality/value

The results indicated that the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy improved markedly after EN plating at the best formula and the plating covered magnesium alloy completely.
Accounting conservatism, corporate governance and political connections
Authors: Mohammed Nor Farizal , Ahmed Kamran , Ji Xu-Dong
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between accounting conservatism, corporate governance and political connection in listed firms in Malaysia where political influence plays a significant role in the capital market and in many business dealings.

Design/methodology/approach

By utilizing 824 firm-year observations comprising large listed companies over a period of four years from 2004, this study uses ordinary least squares regression models to investigate the relationship between accounting conservatism, corporate governance and political connections in Malaysia. Multiple measures of conservatism developed by Basu (1997) and Khan and Watts (2009) are employed.

Findings

The results show evidence of accounting conservatism (bad news being recognized earlier than good news) in Malaysia. Further, the results reveal that better corporate governance structure in terms of board independence is positively associated with accounting conservatism while management ownership is negatively associated with it. However, political connection has a negative moderating effect on the positive relationship between accounting conservatism and board independence. The results also suggest political connections have a positive association with firm’s future performance.

Originality/value

This study is the first in investigating the effect of political connections on accounting conservatism in Malaysian context and how political connections negatively affect the monitoring role of the corporate boards. By directly measuring political connection and controlling for various corporate governance mechanisms and firm-specific attributes, this study contributes to enhance the authors’ understanding of the political influence in financial reporting quality and firm performance in an emerging market setting.
And Now The Hard Part: Role-Plays
Authors: Davidson Martin N. , Yemen Gerry
Published: March 2017

“The diversity lady has a label on her forehead and talks about the standard message,” one senior executive at a large corporation said. “It's the same message we got 20 years ago. We do it annually but employees never get any of that. I've never had a diversity talk to my staff.” Traditional diversity initiatives generally focus on specific dimensions of difference such as gender, race, sexual orientation, able-bodiedness, or religion. This material involves role-plays among a diverse group of players that encourage inclusion of a broader scope of social-identity differences such as diversity of problem-solving styles and emotional intelligence differences.
Buckeye Power & Light Company
Authors: Frey Sherwood C. , Carraway Robert L.
Published: March 2017

This case describes the coal-procurement process of a small electric utility. The manager of the production fuel department must decide how much coal to purchase from each vendor and how to allocate the purchased coal among the utility's three coal-burning plants. The situation can be modeled and solved as a linear program. Sensitivity analysis can be used to help formulate a strategy for negotiating with the vendors and to address other special issues.
EMI Group PLC
Authors: Schill Michael J. , Shumadine Elizabeth
Published: March 2017

This case examines the April 2007 decision of British music company EMI to suspend its annual dividend as the company struggled to respond to the effect of digital audio distribution on its core business. The EMI case is intended to serve as an engaging introduction to corporate financial policy and themes in managing the right side of the balance sheet. The case contrasts EMI's storied success with artists such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Norah Jones with its recent inability to succeed in financial markets. In light of takeover threats and restructuring costs, EMI's CFO Martin Stewart must recommend EMI's dividend policy.
Fingerhut's Price Strategy
Authors: West June A. , Kalsow Gretchen A. , Fennel Lee , Mead Jenny
Published: March 2017

Fingerhut, based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is a direct-marketing company that sells a smorgasbord of consumer goods through an array of specially targeted catalogs. In November 1996, an article in the Star Tribune, a major Minneapolis newspaper, drew attention to a class-action lawsuit pending against Fingerhut that suggests the firm made its profits by exploiting the poor. Several civil rights groups rallied around the suit and submitted amicus curiae in favor of the litigation. The case illustrates issues in ethics and management communication. Discussions focus on the constituencies. Is Fingerhut exploiting its customers or providing them with an affordable method of obtaining valued consumer goods on credit? Do retailers have a duty to offer products at reasonable prices? Are the high interest rates reasonable given the risk? What are the options: pawn shops, rent-to-own? What is the profile of the typical Fingerhut customer? Discussions also focus on the issues communicating to the constituencies. How much damage will the lawsuit do to Fingerhut's image as an ethical, socially conscious company? What communication strategies can the firm employ? Should it react to the lawsuit? What should it tell its employees?
Husk Power Systems: Scaling Up a Start-Up
Authors: Chao Raul O. , Sinha Manoj , Goldberg Rebecca
Published: March 2017

Husk Power Systems (HPS) provides technologies that generate and distribute electrical power to rural villages in India. Since 2007, HPS has installed 60 mini power plants that power 25,000 households in more than 250 villages, impacting the lives of approximately 150,000 people in rural India. This case details the operational and strategic challenges associated with scaling up HPS, and provides details related to technology development, suppliers, operational capabilities, costs, and market adoption.
Purinex, Inc.
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Carr Sean
Published: March 2017

In June 2004 Purinex, Inc., a pharmaceutical company with several clinically and commercially promising drugs in development, expected to secure a partnership with a major pharmaceutical company sometime in the next four to 12 months. That partnership, if secured, would enable Purinex to develop one of its leading compounds as a drug. The company, however, had no sales or earnings and only 11 months of cash on hand. The student must assess whether the company should attempt to secure financing now or wait until it consummated a partnership deal. The tasks for the student include evaluating the probabilities that collaboration with a pharmaceutical company would actually happen; determining whether the company stay above water until such occurred; and analyzing the other risks to the company under these circumstances.
Remington, Inc.: Instant Insights for Financial Ratios
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

Traditional financial-ratio analysis is a popular after-the-fact look at financial and managerial performance. This case introduces a means for incorporating rates of improvement, growth, or change into traditional financial-ratio analysis. Indeed, the Delta Factor tables presented in the case easily transform financial-ratio analysis into a forward-looking planning tool.
Rural Credit Cooperatives in India
Authors: Li Wei , Parmar Bidhan L.
Published: March 2017

Recently, the Indian Congress asked a distinguished committee of experts to analyze and make policy recommendations about India's Cooperative Financial Institutions (CFIs), which included organizations such as credit unions and cooperative banks. One committee member, Mohan R. Narayan, a leading economist at a prestigious Indian university, was enthusiastic about the job; it was an opportunity to help millions of rural poor and to have a positive effect on the country. Some poor farmers, deeply in debts to money-lenders, had been reported to resort to committing suicide when they faced with draught or other catastrophes and saw little reason to continue living. Well-functioning CFIs would certainly help restore hope and boost income for the rural poor. But he knew the system had a long history of overregulation, financial laxity, and corruption. Creating an actionable and clear strategy would be no easy task. The case, written at the invitation of the World Bank to study the challenges of building inclusive financial system in emerging countries, invites students to discuss 1) The roles and responsibilities of financial institutions in poverty-reduction and economic development, 2) the benefits and risks of using public versus private institutions to aid development, and more specifically, 3) the economics of credit cooperatives—in particular how they function in an emerging market setting.
The Buyout of AMC Entertainment
Authors: Chaplinsky Susan , Oppenheimer Stephan , Patra Vikram
Published: March 2017

In July 2004, J.P. Morgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co., was in the midst of formulating the final terms of a public-to-private buyout proposal for AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMCE), a publicly traded movie theater company.
At Ford, Turnaround Is Job One
Authors: Shein James B. , Bell Matt
Published: March 2017

The case opens with the Ford Motor Company seemingly on the path toward bankruptcy. Ford had been bleeding red ink for more than ten years when it decided in 2006 that continuing the same turnaround attempts was not going to right the ship. The company was facing significant external challenges, such as intense competition and changing consumer preferences, as well as internal challenges, such as quality and design issues and a stifling level of corporate complexity. As the case begins, CEO Bill Ford has taken the unusual step of hiring an auto industry outsider as his replacement. Alan Mulally, a thirty-seven-year Boeing veteran and principal architect of the venerable airplane manufacturer's own massive and successful turnaround, wasted little time in getting about the business of remaking Ford. He developed a plan to: focus on the Ford brand and divest the numerous other brands the company had acquired over the years; simplify and streamline the company's manufacturing operations; and remake the corporate culture from one of fiefdoms and false optimism to collaboration and facing reality. With an ardent belief in the plan's viability, Mulally raised nearly $24 billion and began to put his plan into motion. The case explores the many causes of this once-great company's decline and the steps it took to beat the odds and get back on the path of profitability.

This case demonstrates that internal issues alone can derail a company and emphasizes the importance of leadership in fostering the right corporate culture to turn a company around. Students will identify the key internal and external factors that can contribute to a company's decline and learn the importance of diagnosing issues within each of three major aspects of a company-strategy, operations, and financials-in order to develop a successful turnaround plan.
Doug Cook: Acquiring a Business (A)
Authors: Rogers Steven , Whitaker Scott T.
Published: March 2017

Doug Cook, an MBA graduate, was wrestling with one of the most important career decisions of his life: Which one of three seemingly promising businesses should he acquire? Each acquisition was a viable opportunity, and each had potential to be a successful business. Cook, however, had heard numerous disconcerting stories about other entrepreneurs going through this process. He realized that until this time the biggest purchase he had made in his life was a $250,000 condominium in downtown Chicago. Acquiring one of these companies would require a financial and personal commitment greater than anything he had ever attempted. He felt a window of opportunity was closing. If he did not act now, he might find himself in the corporate world forever. Cook began by writing up a personal criteria list for his acquisition, then researching online and media sources for businesses for sale. Frustrated with that process, he hired a business broker. With the broker's help, Cook found three promising candidates from which to choose: Luxury Tassels, Inc.; Feldco Windows and Doors, Inc.; and Coyote Consulting Company. The (A) case includes income statements, pro forma forecasts, balance sheets, and organization charts for each company, in addition to Cook's financial analyses and valuation of each company. The (B) case features the letter of intent that Cook gave the owner of the company he selected. Ultimately he did purchase the company, and in the (C) case, Cook examines pathways to growing his newly acquired company.

How to be entrepreneurial through acquiring a business The importance of establishing their own decision criteria regarding the type of company they would like to acquire How to research businesses for sale The issues in working with a business broker How to analyze financial statement in the context of buying the company How to make decisions and use financial analysis to support their decisions
Green Fields Investments: Evaluating Biofuels Investment Options
Authors: Kiesling Lynne , Hunnewell Jeremy
Published: March 2017

Green Fields Investments is a socially responsible investment firm. The student is faced with the management decision of whether or not to invest in a new ethanol plant being built. The pros and cons of ethanol as a fuel source and the production process are presented, and alternatives are considered. The student is expected to perform a cost/benefit analysis to inform their decision, but due to the intangible and indirect costs, much of the learning should come from simply quantifying the elements that go into the decision, rather than the go/no go decision that is the outcome of the analysis.

Students will conduct an NPV analysis of an investment decision, taking into account a number of direct and indirect costs, especially those that pertain to environmental sustainability.
Old Spice: Repeating Success in the Face of Competitive Threat
Authors: Rucker Derek D. , O'Connell Mauricio
Published: March 2017

In 2009–2010 Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice brand had to respond to two important challenges. First, after a successful rebranding of the Glacial Falls scent into Swagger (see Kellogg Case #5-411-752), Old Spice’s core brand team had to determine its next step in advertising. The options being considered included continuing to advertise Swagger, switching to advertising a different scent, advertising the umbrella brand, or placing an emphasis on body wash instead of on deodorant. This decision also involved proposing both the messaging and the media buy for the option selected. Second, in conjunction with this issue, the brand team had to decide whether the messaging of its advertising should respond to competitor Unilever’s new advertising for Dove for Men, which would be kicked off in an upcoming Super Bowl spot. Students will step into the shoes of Mauricio O’Connell—one of the assistant brand managers of Old Spice—as he and his team brainstorm how to position the brand for another big success.

After reading, analyzing, and discussing the case, students should be able to:

Ask critical questions to help decide among multiple advertising strategies

Describe issues for a brand that relate to managing advertising across its portfolio

Understand how competitive behavior can affect a brand's decision
Ontela PicDeck (A): Customer Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning
Authors: Sawhney Mohanbir , Grayson Kent , Duprss Patrick , Hsu Christine , Metzger Ryan , Obuchi Fuminari , Sundaram Arun , Wilson Kari
Published: March 2017

Ontela, a technology start-up company, has introduced an innovative service called PicDeck that improves the mobile imaging experience for wireless subscribers. Ontela sells PicDeck to wireless carriers, who in turn private-label the service to their subscribers. Ontela must decide which customer segments it should target for the service and how to create a positioning strategy and a marketing communication plan to promote it. It must also consider the value proposition of the PicDeck service for wireless carriers (its direct customers), who need to be convinced that the service will lead to higher monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) and/or increased subscriber loyalty. Part A of the case provides qualitative information on customer personae that represent different customer segments. Students are asked to develop a targeting and positioning strategy based on this qualitative information. Part B provides quantitative data on customer preferences that can be used to identify response-based customer segments, as well as demographic and media habits information that can be used to profile the segments. Students are asked to revise their recommendations based on the additional quantitative data.

The case reinforces the principles of data-driven customer segmentation, discusses the appropriate criteria for selecting segments, and provides a deeper understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches to identifying and evaluating segments. The case illustrates how the results of data-driven segmentation may run counter to approaches that rely on “gut feel” or qualitative information alone.
Shilling & Smith Acquisition of Xteria Inc.: Data Center Technology Leasing
Authors: Jeffery Mark , Shield Cassidy , Ekici H. Nevin , Conley Mike
Published: March 2017

The case centers on Shilling & Smith's acquisition of Xteria Inc. and the resulting need to quickly scale the company's IT infrastructure to accommodate the acquisition. The case is based on a real leasing problem faced by a major retail firm in the Chicago area when it purchased a small credit card processing firm and scaled the operations to handle the retail firm's credit card transactions. The CIO of Shilling & Smith needs to determine which lease option is the best means of providing the technical infrastructure needed to support the firm after the acquisition of Xteria. Several issues will drive this decision, including the value and useful life of the equipment, as well as the strategic context of the firm. This case examines how to evaluate different lease options when acquiring data center information technology infrastructure. Specifically, the case addresses software vs. hardware leasing, different lease terms, and choosing between different lease structures depending on the strategy and needs of a company. This case enables students to understand the different types of technology leases and in which situations these leases would be employed.

The Shilling & Smith case examines how to evaluate different lease options when acquiring data center information technology infrastructure. Specifically, students learn software vs. hardware leasing, different lease terms, and how to choose between different lease structures depending on the strategy and needs of the company. A secondary objective of the case is to teach students the important components and relative costs of information technology infrastructure.
Sony Targets Laptop Consumers in China: Segment Global or Local?
Authors: Grayson Kent , Waikar Sachin
Published: March 2017

The manager of the Sony VAIO personal computer in China has been given two segmentation studies. One study is country-specific and product-specific. The other is a global segmentation study, which covers all regions and all of Sony's many consumer electronics. Which segmentation study should the manager rely on---or is there a way to rely on both? After deciding which study is best, which consumer should the manager target, and with what position?

To provide a basis for students (with the help of their lecturer or professor) to answer the following questions: What are the general purposes of a market segmentation study, and what are some of the associated challenges? Is it better for a segmentation study to provide information about the likelihood of category purchase or the likelihood of brand purchase? What are the plusses and minuses of a global versus local segmentation study, and what are the marketing implications of each?
Star Machining Services, Inc.
Authors: Ward John L.
Published: March 2017

Six siblings with equal ownership conflict with each other depending on their roles as owners and/or owner managers.

Learn to clarify roles of ownership in terms of active/inactive in the business.