bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding IFRS adoption
Authors: Riahi Olfa , Khoufi Walid
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discern the impact of main behavioral factors that could affect the decision of adopting IFRS in developing countries (DCs). In other words, this work looks to identify the different variables that are likely to influence the adoption of IFRS in these countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological orientation of this research is to highlight and analyze the correlation between the cited factors and the IFRS adoption in DCs. Tested models are functions of logistic regression. To assess the parameters of these functions, the commonly used method is not that of ordinary least square but the maximum likelihood technique. In short, this study followed a hypothetical-deductive methodology by referring to the application of a logistic regression for each of the variables presumed to be analyzed. The authors implement this empirical model by using the neo-institutional approach and basing on a sample of 108 DCs.

Findings

The empirical results show that there exists a bidirectional causal relationship between the majority of the developed behavioral variables and the decision of whether adopting or unadopting IFRS by DCs. They also indicate through multivariate analysis that the selection of IFRS by DCs is primarily legitimized by institutional and social pressures (institutional isomorphism).

Research limitations/implications

It is essential to indicate that some limits might be assigned to the study. They are attached principally to the use of a dichotomous dependent variable which presents a restriction in a sense where the robust inequality at the level of the numbers of the countries of sub-samples can relatively weaken the findings. There are also few studies that jointly analyze the behavioral dimensions within a country and the adoption of IFRS. Institutional theory emanated from the research has proved useful in escaping this limit.

Practical implications

These empirical insights are of particular interest to local accounting standard setters of the selected countries since they can provide a better discernment of factors that can encourage the adoption of IFRS. Indeed, the research can be a reference for governments to better identify the economic, political and institutional obstacles that have an impact on behaviors which could compel countries to flee the adoption of IFRS. This paper will also be helpful for future research studying the links between human behavior and accounting in a general way. It should be noted that the results will be significant for future studies looking for real behavioral factors that drive a country to adopt an accounting framework. The studies will be able to use the empirical variables as a starting point and then they can extract new measures to identify the impact of behavior on decisions to adopt any standards.

Originality/value

At the present study, the authors strive to provide input to the literature by focusing on the determinants of the choice of an accounting practice in a DC reverberating to a new dimension which is the behavioral attribute.
Discretionary goodwill impairment losses in Europe
Authors: Gros Marius , Koch Sebastian
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The impairment-only approach to goodwill has regularly been criticized for offering too much discretion to managers and facilitating the manipulation of goodwill impairment losses. Extant research provides mixed results on whether managers exploit their inherent discretion informatively or opportunistically. The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of discretionary goodwill impairment losses in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors divide goodwill impairment losses into economically induced and discretionary parts. Thereafter, the authors examine the determinants of discretionary goodwill impairments.

Findings

The results indicate that discretionary goodwill impairment losses are used opportunistically rather than informatively. The authors find that managers exploit their discretion to “clear the deck” and to meet or beat analysts’ forecasts. However, the opportunistic behavior is constrained by corporate governance and enforcement mechanisms.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to the current discussion on the suitability of the impairment-only approach by introducing inferences on how areas of discretion inherent in goodwill impairment testing are associated with management incentives and governance mechanisms in a European setting.

Practical implications

The results offer enforcers and standard-setters important insights into how mangers exploit discretion in goodwill accounting. These insights can help to identify firms that are likely to infringe upon the applicable accounting standards.

Originality/value

In contrast to prior research, the authors analyze the association among management incentives, governance mechanisms and discretionary goodwill impairment losses rather than the association with total or expected goodwill impairment losses. Moreover, to the best of authors’ knowledge, there is little empirical evidence based on a European (IAS 36) setting.
Associations between the financial and industry expertise of audit committee members and key audit matters within related audit reports
Authors: Velte Patrick
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on audit committees’ financial and industry expertise (FIE) and their impact on the readability of key audit matters (KAMs).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an agency-theoretical framework, analyses are conducted of data from a sample of UK premium listed companies for the fiscal years 2014–2017 (i.e. 1,319 firm-year observations). Correlation and regression analyses are conducted to evaluate possible associations between FIE in audit committees and KAM readability. The author relies on popular readability measures (Flesch Reading Ease and Fog Index).

Findings

Audit committees’ FIE and KAM readability are positively connected. Combined FIE also has a stronger effect than either financial or industry expertise alone.

Research limitations/implications

Companies, regulators and researchers could be significantly affected by the finding that audit committees’ FIE can have a considerable impact on KAM readability.

Originality/value

The analysis of the link between audit committees’ FIE and KAM readability makes a contribution to prior empirical research on KAM.
Fuzzy probabilistic approach for risk assessment of BOT toll roads in Indian context
Authors: Patel Tirth Dineshkumar , Haupt Theo C. , Bhatt Tejas
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The built-transfer and operate (BOT) toll model has been a common approach for highway construction in India. Due to large amount of investment, many stakeholders and long concession period, Indian BOT toll roads become susceptible to different risks. Risk assessment is one of the essential and difficult steps of risk management that enables professionals to quantify and analyze the risks that may hamper the BOT toll project performance in terms of cost, quality, safety and time. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the risk factors by the fuzzy probabilistic model.

Design/methodology/approach

The comprehensive literature review has been carried out for identification of Indian BOT toll roads projects' risk factors. A structured questionnaire was prepared which was then filled by contractors, government officers, academicians, project managers and consultants. For risk assessment, a systematic quantitative-based fuzzy probabilistic model is proposed with the help of lab-view, as a risk assessment technique to simulate the impreciseness of human judgment and to improve the assessment accuracy.

Findings

The risk assessment is one of the difficult tasks because BOT toll roads have complex structure. In this study, total 71 risks have been identified and categorized under 14 risk factors on a basis of case studies of Indian toll roads and literature review. All risks have been assessed by the fuzzy probabilistic model by lab-view. The land acquisition is the most crucial risk of BOT toll roads project which is subsequently followed by construction time and cost over-run. Also, Indian BOT toll roads are facing the traffic shortfalls critically, which became a reason toward declination trend for investment in BOT toll projects by the private players. Other risks like political risks, contractual and social risk badly are affecting the project performance. Early risk identification and assessment can be beneficial for the project, which is required to prepare the risk response strategy before the project commencement.

Originality/value

This study throws light on comprehensive risk assessment and framework modeling of the risk assessment for the BOT toll roads project in India. This comprehensive risk assessor model can be used for BOT toll roads in Indian scenario for prioritization of the critical risk. It is important for the public and private sectors to establish an effective risk assessor model for public–private partnership (PPP) projects to achieve win-win condition for both.
Flow as a mediator between psychological ownership and employees’ subjective happiness
Authors: Fan Hsueh-Liang , Hou Sheng-Tsung , Lin Yu-Hui
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore flow as an underlying mechanism linking psychological ownership (PO) and subjective happiness and identify how flow affects employees’ subjective happiness.

Design/methodology/approach

Two separate samples were used. Sample 1 examined the responses of 120 female spa workers. Sample 2 examined the responses of 334 male logistics technicians. Data were collected through paper-based questionnaires across two time points.

Findings

PO was positively related to employees’ subjective happiness across both samples. Furthermore, PO has distinct impacts on employees’ subjective happiness through two distinct measures of flow: immersion and mastery. The authors found that immersion fully mediates the relationship between PO and employee subjective happiness in Sample 1, and mastery in Sample 2.

Originality/value

This is one of the first empirical studies to examine whether and how PO increases employees’ subjective happiness. The results contribute to the literature by providing a theoretical rationale for and an empirical analysis of a model wherein flow mediates the linkage between employees’ feelings of PO and their subjective happiness.
A model for financial viability of implementation of condition based maintenance for induction motors
Authors: Gugaliya Agam , Naikan V.N.A.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

When induction motors are considered, there is no specific cost model for net savings per year due to condition-based maintenance (CBM) covering various parameters such as downtime, energy, quality, etc. The purpose of this paper is to develop a cost model for the financial viability of the implementation of CBM for induction motors.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review has been carried out to identify the existing failure modes of motor, available condition monitoring techniques, the usefulness of CBM and different maintenance models available. Then, a cost model considering all parameters has been proposed.

Findings

A cost model has been proposed for the maintenance of induction motors. Method for the economic evaluation of the model has also been suggested in the paper. The application of the model has been illustrated through a case study of a steel plant, which suggests that investment in the condition monitoring of induction motors increases the net profit of the organization.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model is specifically designed for induction motors. All the motors under consideration are assumed to be of the same specifications, and fault in any motor is supposed to have the same effect on quality, cost, criticality, etc., of the operation and end product.

Practical implications

This paper will help the maintenance manager in decision making when maintenance action has to be carried out for a given motor under CBM for the better utilization of the equipment and resources. This paper also shows how to compute ROI on CBM investment.

Originality/value

The paper provides a cost model for the economic evaluation of implementing CBM for induction motors which will be useful to researchers and maintenance managers in effective decision making and maintenance planning. The methodology and the cost models are the original contribution of the authors.
Classification of rolling element bearing fault using singular value
Authors: Kumar H.S. , Pai P. Srinivasa , S Sriram N.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to classify different conditions of the rolling element bearing (REB) using vibration signals acquired from a customized bearing test rig.

Design/methodology/approach

An effort has been made to develop health index (HI) based on singular values of the statistical features to classify different conditions of the REB. The vibration signals from the normal bearing (N), bearing with defect on ball (B), bearing with defect on inner race (IR) and bearing with defect on outer race (OR) have been acquired from a customized bearing test rig under variable load and speed conditions. These signals were subjected to “modified kurtosis hybrid thresholding rule” (MKHTR)-based denoising. The denoised signals were decomposed using discrete wavelet transform. A total of 17 statistical features have been extracted from the wavelet coefficients of the decomposed signal.

Findings

Singular values of the statistical features can be effectively used for REB classification.

Practical implications

REB are critical components of rotary machinery right across the industrial sectors. It is a well-known fact that critical bearing failures causes major breakdowns resulting in untold and most expensive downtimes that should be avoided at all costs. Hence, intelligently based bearing failure diagnosis and prognosis should be an integral part of the asset maintenance and management activity in any industry using rotary machines.

Originality/value

It is found that singular values of the statistical features exhibit a constant value and accordingly can be assigned to each type of bearing fault and can be used for fault characterization in practical applications. The effectiveness of this index has been established by applying this to data from Case Western Reserve University data base which is a standard bench mark data for this application. HIs minimizes the computation time when compared to fault diagnosis using soft computing techniques.
An exploration of the choice to comply voluntarily with SOX section 404(b)
Authors: Blankley Alan , Hurtt David , MacGregor Jason
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Central to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act was a requirement that every company have an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. However, there were concerns that this requirement was overly burdensome, from a financial perspective, for small businesses. This concern promoted several delays in enforcing the law for small companies and ultimately caused congress to permanently exempt small businesses. Yet, there are some small companies that voluntarily elect to comply with the law. The purpose of this paper is to explore why these companies elect to incur these costly audits.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 5,834 non-accelerator US firms, this paper uses a robust logistic regression model to examine why some firms comply voluntary with SOX Section 404(b).

Findings

This study shows that small companies getting audits of internal controls may be doing so to restore investor confidence after reporting failures, to appear credible prior to raising funds, as a response to organizational changes, or in anticipation of being required to comply.

Practical implications

This study provides regulators with an improved understanding of when it is necessary to implement mandatory rather than voluntary guidance.

Originality/value

This study is the first to document why a client would voluntarily comply with SOX Section 404 (b).
Auditing and credit granting to SMEs: an integrative perceptual model
Authors: Palazuelos Estefanía , Herrero Crespo Ángel , Montoya del Corte Javier
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop an integrative model of credit granting to small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) incorporating the loan officers’ perceptual factors about SMEs (risk and trust) and accounting information (quality and usefulness). Moreover, the role of auditing on credit granting has been studied.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation modelling (SEM) approach is used to test the joint effect of explanatory variables. Empirical evidence is obtained from a questionnaire administered to 471 bank loan officers in Spain. The questions are asked for both audited and not-audited firms.

Findings

The results obtained confirm that perceived risk and trust have a significant influence on the probability that SMEs can get access to credit and obtain better financing conditions. Additionally, this research supports the relevance of presenting high-quality accounting information, as it increases information usefulness for loan officers, which improves the perceived risk and trust on SMEs and leads to better credit granting. There are no significant differences on the model between the sub-groups of audited and not-audited SMEs, although the valuations are significantly better for the former.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows the need to consider subjective variables to understand properly the cognitive process underlying credit-granting decisions.

Practical implications

This research has relevant implications for the management of relationships between SMEs and banks.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the previous literature by proposing an integrative model of the variables that affect loan officers’ lending decision to SMEs, considering the influence of perceptual variables such as risk and trust, as well as the evaluation of the information available.
Diverting young men from gangs: a qualitative evaluation
Authors: Boulton Laura Jane , Phythian Rebecca , Kirby Stuart
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Serious organised crime (SOC) costs the UK billions of pounds every year and is associated with significant negative health, social and well-being outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether young people can be diverted from involvement in SOC using preventive intervention approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data collected from semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved in a six-month intervention which specifically aimed to divert “at risk” young people away from SOC involvement.

Findings

Themes arising from the analysis are: risk and vulnerability factors associated with young people involved in organised crime; what worked well during this intervention; what outcomes, both hard and soft, were generated; as well as, the specific challenges to the success of preventive programmes’ success.

Practical implications

Overall, the study highlights the problematic nature of diverting “at risk” youths from SOC and provides recommendations for future preventive intervention work in the field of SOC. Specifically, it suggests that longer-term interventions, targeted at younger children, may generate better behavioural outcomes if they focus on building trusting relationships with credible support workers (i.e. have lived experience of SOC).

Originality/value

With a growing body of evidence suggesting that young people are being increasingly exploited for organised criminal purposes, an approach which prevents involvement in SOC makes theoretical and economic sense. However, little research has empirically tested its utility in practice. This study seeks to address this gap.
Probiotic Bifidobacterium bifidum G9‐1 ameliorates phytohemagglutinin‐induced diarrhea caused by intestinal dysbiosis
Authors: Makizaki Yutaka , Maeda Ayako , Oikawa Yosuke , Tamura Saya , Tanaka Yoshiki , Nakajima Shunji , Ohno Hiroshi , Yamamura Hideki
Published: September 2019

Diarrhea is largely caused by dysbiosis accompanying the hyperproliferation of Escherichia coli (E. coli). While current treatments can resolve the symptoms, they cannot suppress the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. Probiotics have numerous beneficial effects on host health, including restoring the balance of the intestinal microbiota. This study investigated the effect of the probiotic Bifidobacterium bifidum G9‐1 (BBG9‐1), which is active in intestinal dysbiosis, in the incidence of diarrhea, in the composition of the intestinal microbiota, and in the intestinal tissue of a rat model of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐induced diarrhea. The rats were treated with PHA, with and without BBG9‐1, and the microbiota composition throughout the intestine and stool was examined using high‐throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. In line with previous reports, PHA administration caused diarrhea as well as dysbiosis due to E. coli hyperproliferation. Histological findings indicated that the jejunal villus length was shortened. Rats that received BBG9‐1 showed clear improvements in dysbiosis, diarrhea symptoms, and jejunal villus length. Principal coordinates analysis demonstrated the microbiota profile to be more similar between the BBG9‐1 and normal groups than between the PHA and normal groups. These results indicated that BBG9‐1 suppresses the hyperproliferation of E. coli and restores the jejunal villus length, thereby improving dysbiosis, and in turn, alleviating the symptoms of diarrhea.
Council type and the determinants of municipal expenditure: A semiparametric analysis of South Australian local government
Authors: Tran Carolyn‐Dung Thi Thanh , Dollery Brian
Published: September 2019

Despite the ongoing failure of ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ policies in the realm of local government policymaking worldwide, such as municipal mergers, public policymakers across Australian local government, including South Australia (SA), remain committed to uniform policy prescriptions that do not take into account the characteristics of different categories of local authorities. Furthermore, although a substantial body of empirical work exists on municipal expenditure, the vast bulk of research effort has been directed at (a) determining whether council size by population systematically affects average costs and (b) ascertaining whether scale economies exist in specific categories of municipal service provision, especially in waste collection and water services. However, this empirical literature has largely ignored the question of whether the characteristics of specific categories of municipality systematically affect outlays, especially non‐discretionary environmental factors. This paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by examining empirically how council type influences the determinants of municipal expenditure in SA. We find that there is a significant difference in per household expenditures between the different categories of SA local authorities in terms of the various types of municipal outlays. Moreover, environmental factors have a differential impact on the various kinds of per household expenditures of each category of local councils.
Complications after pelvic floor repair surgery (with and without mesh): short‐term incidence after 1873 inclusions in the French VIGI‐MESH registry
Authors: Fritel X , Campagne‐Loiseau S , Cosson M , Ferry P , Saussine C , Lucot J‐P , Salet‐Lizee D , Barussaud M‐L , Boisramé T , Carlier‐Guérin C , Charles T , Debodinance P , Deffieux X , Pizzoferrato A‐C , Curinier S , Ragot S , Ringa V , de Tayrac R , Fauconnier A
Published: September 2019

Objective

To assess the short‐term incidence of serious complications of surgery for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.

Design

Prospective longitudinal cohort study using a surgical registry.

Setting

Thirteen public hospitals in France.

Population

A cohort of 1873 women undergoing surgery between February 2017 and August 2018.

Methods

Preliminary analysis of serious complications after a mean follow‐up of 7 months (0–18 months), according to type of surgery. Surgeons reported procedures and complications, which were verified by the hospitals’ information systems.

Main outcome measures

Serious complication requiring discontinuation of the procedure or subsequent surgical intervention, life‐threatening complication requiring resuscitation, or death.

Results

Fifty‐two women (2.8%, 95% CI 2.1–3.6%) experienced a serious complication either during surgery, requiring the discontinuation of the procedure, or during the first months of follow‐up, necessitating a subsequent reoperation. One woman also required resuscitation; no women died. Of 811 midurethral slings (MUSs), 11 were removed in part or totally (1.4%, 0.7–2.3%), as were two of 391 transvaginal meshes (0.5%, 0.1–1.6%), and four of 611 laparoscopically placed mesh implants (0.7%, 0.2–1.5%). The incidence of serious complications 6 months after the surgical procedure was estimated to be around 3.5% (2.0–5.0%) after MUS alone, 7.0% (2.8–11.3%) after MUS with prolapse surgery, 1.7% (0.0–3.8%) after vaginal native tissue repair, 2.8% (0.9–4.6%) after transvaginal mesh, and 1.0% (0.1–1.9%) after laparoscopy with mesh.

Conclusions

Early serious complications are relatively rare. Monitoring must be continued and expanded to assess the long‐term risk associated with mesh use and to identify its risk factors.

Tweetable abstract

Short‐term serious complications are rare after surgery for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse, even with mesh.
Peanut Oil Body Composition and Stability
Authors: Zhou Long‐zheng , Chen Fu‐sheng , Hao Li‐hua , Du Yan , Liu Chen
Published: September 2019

This study was aimed to assess the effect of membrane structure on the stability of peanut oil bodies extracted by enzyme‐assisted extraction. The influence of pH, NaCl concentration, and temperature on the physicochemical properties of peanut oil bodies was characterized using ζ‐potential and particle size. The results indicated that the peanut oil bodies had strong stability (ζ‐potential, >20 mV) at pH values away from the isoelectric point (pH 4.8), at a low salt concentration (NaCl concentration, <10 mM), and in a certain temperature range (35 to 55 °C). The stable structure of the oil body was closely related to its structure. Phospholipids, along with membrane proteins, were major components of the oil body membrane. Therefore, the phospholipid composition and content were measured and the types of membrane proteins of the oil bodies were identified. The results showed that phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine were major components of the oil body phospholipids. Two‐dimensional electrophoresis showed that the oil bodies contained both intrinsic proteins and extrinsic proteins, which might play an important role in the stability of oil bodies during enzyme‐assisted extraction processing.
Identification and Antibiotic Resistance Assessment of Ensifer adhaerens YX1, a Vitamin B12‐Producing Strain Used as a Food and Feed Additive
Authors: Zhao Ting , Cheng Kun , Cao Yan‐hua , Ouwehand Arthur C. , Jiao Cui‐feng , Yao Su
Published: September 2019

This study provides phenotypic and molecular analyses of the antibiotic resistance of Ensifer adhaerens strain YX1 (CICC 11008s), a strain that was identified using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. The antibiotic resistance profile of E. adhaerens YX1 was assessed using the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Inst. (CLSI) method. The strain was susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, imipenem, and ceftazidime, and resistant to kanamycin, streptomycin, fosfomycin, and nitrofurantoin. The antibiotic resistance genes nsfA, nsfB, fosA, aph, and aadA1 were not detected in E. adhaerens YX1 via PCR using gene‐specific primers. Subsequently, the genome sequence of E. adhaerens was screened for antibiotic genes. Although no antibiotic resistance genes were identified using the ResFinder database, five genes copies of one resistance gene, adeF, were detected using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD). The results of this study will be useful for understanding the phenotypic and genotypic aspects of E. adhaerens antibiotic resistance. No safety issues were identified for E. adhaerens YX1 in terms of antibiotic resistance. Performing similar studies will be conducive to the safety assessment and control of the use of E. adhaerens in the food and feed industry.

Practical Application

Few relevant reports are currently available regarding antibiotic resistance assessments or other safety evaluations for Ensifer adhaerens. Because of a lack of relevant information on the safety of this bacterium, including the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance in the production strain, it has not been recommended for use in the “qualified presumption of safety” (QPS) list and subsequent updated lists. The current study shows no safety issue of E. adhaerens YX1 in terms of its antibiotic resistance. These results are important as they provide an initial basis for an understanding of the antibiotic resistance/susceptibility of E. adhaerens YX1 (CICC 11008s), which produces vitamin B12 and is widely used in the food and feed industry.
Effects of Visual Cues on Consumer Expectation, Emotion and Wellness Responses, and Purchase Intent of Red Chili Powders
Authors: Ngoenchai Phurit , Alonso Jose Ramon , Suwonsichon Thongchai , Suwonsichon Suntaree , Prinyawiwatkul Witoon
Published: September 2019

The effects of visual cues on familiarity, expected heat intensity, liking of appearance, emotional and wellness responses, and purchase intent (PI) before and after disclosing information associated with red chili powders were determined using a 3‐point scale, a 15‐cm line scale, a 9‐point hedonic scale, a 15‐cm line scale, and a binomial scale, respectively. In this study, consumers only visually evaluated red chili powder samples without sniffing nor tasting. Eight chili powders were prepared according to a 23 factorial design: roasted (Ro) compared with unroasted (Un); whole pod with seeds (Wh) compared with seedless (Sl); coarsely (Cr) compared with finely ground (Gr). Thai consumers (N = 230) were generally more familiar with samples having coarse particles and more reddish color (lower hue angle and higher a* values) than samples having finely ground particles and less reddish/more yellowish color (higher hue angle and lower a* values). The expected heat intensity and liking scores for appearance were lower for samples with higher hue values, particularly RoWhGr and RoSIGr samples. All scores for emotion/wellness terms, except curious, were generally higher for samples with lower hue angle and higher a* values (redness). The consumer familiarity to the appearance of the samples influenced expected heat intensity, liking of appearance, and emotion/wellness responses. PI increased by >10% after presenting “organic,” “aflatoxin free,” and “organic and aflatoxin free” product statements to consumers. Results showed that familiarity, overall liking of appearance, color liking, fine particles liking, and healthy as well as wild terms were significant predictors for PI (odds ratio = 1.282, 1.519, 1.314, 1.158, 1.056, and 0.939, respectively) of red chili powders.

Practical Application

This study showed that consumer familiarity to the appearance (visual cues) of red chili powder affected expected heat intensity, liking of appearance, and emotion/wellness responses, which, in turn, affected purchase intent (PI). Samples with more reddish color and coarse particles were perceived to be more familiar than those with more yellowish color and finer particles. Familiarity, overall liking of appearance, color liking, fine particles liking, and healthy and wild terms were significant predictors for PI of chili power. The results demonstrated the importance of visual cues on the consumers’ expectation and PI of red chili powder, thus offering valuable information for manufacturers.
Characteristics of retinal layer thickness in acute anterior uveitis: an optical coherence tomography study
Authors: Lee Min‐Woo , Lee Taek‐Hoon , Won Yeo‐Kyoung , Shin Yong‐Il , Kim Jung‐Yeul
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To determine the changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular and ganglion cell‐inner plexiform layer (GC‐IPL) thicknesses in patients with acute anterior uveitis (AAU).

Methods

Patients diagnosed with unilateral non‐infectious AAU and normal control were enrolled retrospectively. Optical coherence tomography scans were performed during the initial active phase and inactive phase of AAU. Patients were followed for at least 3 months after resolution of inflammatory activity.

Results

Thirty‐seven AAU patients and 40 controls were included. The average RNFL and central macular thickness (CMT) showed significant differences between patients and control groups during active phase (p < 0.001 and p = 0.022, respectively). The average pRNFL thicknesses of affected eyes and fellow eyes during the active phase were 109.4 ± 12.5 μm and 96.5 ± 8.0 μm, respectively (p < 0.001). During the inactive phase, the average thicknesses were 99.3 ± 8.9 μm and 97.0 ± 7.5, respectively; they were not significantly different (p = 0.236). The CMTs of affected and fellow eyes during the active phase were 261.6 ± 24.7 μm and 251.5 ± 17.3 μm, respectively; the difference was significant (p = 0.047). The average GC‐IPL thicknesses of affected and fellow eyes were not significantly different (p = 0.061).

Conclusions

The pRNFL and central macula thickened during the active phase of AAU and decreased to a similar degree with fellow eyes during the inactive phase. Additionally, pRNFL thickness showed a sensitive response to the degree of inflammation in AAU. This suggests that pRNFL thickness may be useful in assessing disease activity.
Retinal vascular fractal dimension and cerebral blood flow, a pilot study
Authors: Nadal Jeremy , Deverdun Jeremy , de Champfleur Nicolas Menjot , Carriere Isabelle , Creuzot‐Garcher Catherine , Delcourt Cécile , Chiquet Christophe , Kawasaki Ryo , Villain Max , Ritchie Karen , Le Bars Emmanuelle , Daien Vincent
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Ocular and brain microcirculation share embryological and histological similarities. The retinal vascular fractal dimension (FD) is a marker of retinal vascular complexity of the vascular tree. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between cerebral blood flow (CBF), retinal vascular FD and other retinal vascular markers.

Methods

Cross‐sectional analysis comprising 26 individuals ≥65 years old from the Cognitive REServe and Clinical ENDOphenotype (CRESCENDO) cohort of relative healthy older adults. Retinal vascular FD was measured from fundus photographs by using the semi‐automated Singapore Eye Vessel Assessment (SIVA) software. CBF was estimated using a 2D pulsed ASL MRI sequence. Associations between blood flow and retinal parameters were analysed using linear regression models adjusted for age and sex.

Results

Cerebral blood flow was positively associated with venular FD (R2 = 0.32, p = 0.03). This association was stronger in the anterior versus posterior brain territories (R2 = 0.35 [p = 0.001] versus R2 = 0.16 [p = 0.07], respectively). Global CBF was correlated with arteriolar branching angle (R2 = 0.23, p = 0.01) and tortuosity (R2 = 0.20, p = 0.02). Global CBF was not correlated with other SIVA parameters.

Conclusions

Retinal venular complexity summarized by the FD was associated with cerebral blood flow as well as retinal arteriolar tortuosity and branching angle. Larger prospective clinical studies are needed to confirm these results.
ESSENCE‐Q obtained in routine Japanese public child health check‐ups may be a valuable tool in neurodevelopmental screening
Authors: Hatakenaka Yuhei , Maeda Masato , Ninomiya Hitoshi , Hachiya Koutarou , Fernell Elisabeth , Gillberg Christopher
Published: September 2019

Aim

Our aim was to extend the validity of a questionnaire developed for screening and identifying early symptomatic syndromes eliciting neurodevelopmental clinical examinations‐questionnaire (ESSENCE‐Q) in young children.

Methods

Early symptomatic syndromes eliciting neurodevelopmental clinical examinations‐questionnaire data for 207 children, living in Aki City, Japan, in 2014‐2015, were obtained from mothers, public health nurses and psychologists at 20‐ and 40‐month routine check‐ups at child healthcare centres. These were checked against subsequent ESSENCE diagnoses made by physicians. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed, and the area under the curves was compared. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPVs) and negative predictive values were calculated at optimal cut‐off values. The clinical utility index was also calculated.

Results

When the ESSENCE‐Q was used by public health nurses, it demonstrated good validity, in terms of high sensitivity and high NPVs, at the 20‐month check‐up, but not at 40 months. Psychologists demonstrated good validity at both ages, but mothers did not. Good negative utility indexes, indicating screening accuracy, were obtained from the psychologists at both check‐ups and from nurses at 20 months.

Conclusion

The ESSENCE‐Q results used by nurses and psychologists showed good validity. Future studies should confirm the effectiveness of this tool to identify children in need of clinical detailed neurodevelopmental assessment.
Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, was never “storyless,” despite UNESCO label
Authors: Berger Antony
Published: September 2019

Vannini and Vannini (AREA 2019, 1–10) criticise UNESCO for identifying Gros Morne National Park as a Natural World Heritage site because that label implies an absence of human relations and social life: it is a “storyless space.” Far from being without stories, both human and geological, the area full of the tales of past visitors, including indigenous peoples who left their artefacts to tell their stories, and settlers over two centuries whose lives have been recorded in many publications and repeated in local gatherings today. I challenge the notion that UNESCO's label in any way renders these stories as “irrelevant and silent.”
The recovery rates of secondary savannas in abandoned pastures are poorly explained by environmental and landscape factors
Authors: Cava Mário G.B. , Pilon Natashi A.L. , Priante Camila F. , Ribeiro Milton Cezar , Durigan Giselda
Published: September 2019

Question

Assessing the natural regeneration potential of degraded savannas is a crucial step in restoration planning, since that assessment will define the need for and costs of active intervention. Predicting natural regeneration, however, depends on the mechanistic understanding of ecosystem resilience. Here, we searched for the factors modulating plant communities spontaneously regenerating in abandoned pastures.

Location

Tropical savanna (cerrado), Brazil.

Methods

Over two years, we quantified changes in the structure, richness and species composition of plant communities in 29 secondary savannas resulting from pasture abandonment. We then investigated the influence of soil and landscape attributes, exotic grass cover and time since pasture abandonment on the recovery rate and species composition of these communities.

Results

The wide variation among sites was not explained by time since abandonment or distance to the nearest remnant native vegetation. Soil attributes, exotic grasses and native vegetation cover around a pasture explained a small fraction of the variation in the recovery rate. We did not find an isolated factor or a robust set of factors explaining the variation in the recovery rate for all vegetation attributes. Species composition was slightly influenced by exotic grasses, soil penetration resistance, proportion of fine soil particles and time since abandonment. Colonization and resprouting by savanna specialists over the two‐year period were hindered by exotic grasses.

Conclusion

The use of predictive models based on soil properties, exotic grasses, landscape attributes or time since abandonment is unfeasible for inferring the recovery rate of savanna structure and richness after pasture abandonment. Case‐by‐case monitoring is required to support decisions on restoration intervention. Other factors, which are almost impossible to obtain, such as land‐use practices and history and the taxonomic or functional composition of pre‐existing vegetation, can potentially influence the recovery rate. Exotic grasses must be controlled to favour colonization and resprouting by savanna specialists.
Analysis of secondary phenotypes in multigroup association studies
Authors: Zhou Fan , Zhou Haibo , Li Tengfei , Zhu Hongtu
Published: September 2019

Although case‐control association studies have been widely used, they are insufficient for many complex diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and breast cancer, since these diseases may have multiple subtypes with distinct morphologies and clinical implications. Many multigroup studies, such as the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), have been undertaken by recruiting subjects based on their multiclass primary disease status, while extensive secondary outcomes have been collected. The aim of this paper is to develop a general regression framework for the analysis of secondary phenotypes collected in multigroup association studies. Our regression framework is built on a conditional model for the secondary outcome given the multigroup status and covariates and its relationship with the population regression of interest of the secondary outcome given the covariates. Then, we develop generalized estimation equations to estimate the parameters of interest. We use both simulations and a large‐scale imaging genetic data analysis from the ADNI to evaluate the effect of the multigroup sampling scheme on standard genome‐wide association analyses based on linear regression methods, while comparing it with our statistical methods that appropriately adjust for the multigroup sampling scheme. Data used in preparation of this article were obtained from the ADNI database.
Laryngeal dyskinesia in a horse
Authors: Kühnle C. , Kümmerle J. M. , Parente E. J. , Weishaupt M. A.
Published: September 2019

A 3‐year‐old Warmblood gelding was evaluated for intermittent respiratory distress and an inspiratory noise. These signs were mainly observed at exercise but sometimes occurred at rest as well. At the age of 2 months, a severe episode of respiratory distress had necessitated a temporary tracheotomy, which had then healed uneventfully. Examination of the patient and resting endoscopy revealed no structural laryngeal alterations. Exercise endoscopy revealed episodes of active bilateral laryngeal adduction during inspiration. Spirometrically, a corresponding impairment of inspiratory airflow was identified. These abnormalities were most pronounced at the trot but they occurred at magnitudes of inspiratory airflow lower than those inducing dynamic arytenoid collapse in horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. Therefore, the diagnosis of a laryngeal dyskinesia characterised by an active bilateral arytenoid adduction during inspiration was made. No specific treatment was implemented. Three years later, the owner reported that the condition was markedly improved and the horse was used for pleasure riding.
Simvastatin increases temozolomide‐induced cell death by targeting the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes
Authors: Shojaei Shahla , Koleini Navid , Samiei Ehsan , Aghaei Mahmoud , Cole Laura K. , Alizadeh Javad , Islam Md Imamul , Vosoughi Amir‐reza , Albokashy Mohammed , Butterfield Yaron , Marzban Hassan , Xu Fred , Thliveris James , Kardami Elissavet , Hatch Grant M. , Eftekharpour Eftekhar , Akbari Mohsen , Hombach‐Klonisch Sabine , Klonisch Thomas , Ghavami Saeid
Published: September 2019

Temozolomide (TMZ) is a chemotherapy agent used to treat Grade IV astrocytoma, also known as glioblastoma (GBM). TMZ treatment causes DNA damage that results in tumor cell apoptosis and increases the survival rate of GBM patients. However, chemoresistance as a result of TMZ‐induced autophagy significantly reduces this anticancer effects over time. Statins are competitive inhibitors of HMG‐CoA reductase, the rate‐limiting enzyme of the mevalonate (MEV) cascade. Statins are best known for their cholesterol (CH)‐lowering effect. Long‐term consumption of statins, prior to and in parallel with other cancer therapeutic approaches, has been reported to increase the survival rate of patients with various forms of cancers. In this study, we investigated the potentiation of TMZ‐induced apoptosis by simvastatin (Simva) in human GBM cell lines and patient GBM cells, using cell monolayers and three‐dimensional cell culture systems. The incubation of cells with a combination of Simva and TMZ resulted in a significant increase in apoptotic cells compared to cells treated with TMZ alone. Incubation of cells with CH or MEV cascade intermediates failed to compensate the decrease in cell viability induced by the combined Simva and TMZ treatment. Simva treatment inhibited the autophagy flux induced by TMZ by blocking autophago‐lysosome formation. Our results suggest that Simva sensitizes GBM cells to TMZ‐induced cell death in a MEV cascade‐independent manner and identifies the inhibition of autophagosome‐lysosome fusion as a promising therapeutic strategy in the treatment of GBM.
The modular structure of α/β‐hydrolases
Authors: Bauer Tabea L. , Buchholz Patrick C. F. , Pleiss Jürgen
Published: September 2019

The α/β‐hydrolase fold family is highly diverse in sequence, structure and biochemical function. To investigate the sequence–structure–function relationships, the Lipase Engineering Database (https://led.biocatnet.de) was updated. Overall, 280 638 protein sequences and 1557 protein structures were analysed. All α/β‐hydrolases consist of the catalytically active core domain, but they might also contain additional structural modules, resulting in 12 different architectures: core domain only, additional lids at three different positions, three different caps, additional N‐ or C‐terminal domains and combinations of N‐ and C‐terminal domains with caps and lids respectively. In addition, the α/β‐hydrolases were distinguished by their oxyanion hole signature (GX‐, GGGX‐ and Y‐types). The N‐terminal domains show two different folds, the Rossmann fold or the β‐propeller fold. The C‐terminal domains show a β‐sandwich fold. The N‐terminal β‐propeller domain and the C‐terminal β‐sandwich domain are structurally similar to carbohydrate‐binding proteins such as lectins. The classification was applied to the newly discovered polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐degrading PETases and MHETases, which are core domain α/β‐hydrolases of the GX‐ and the GGGX‐type respectively. To investigate evolutionary relationships, sequence networks were analysed. The degree distribution followed a power law with a scaling exponent γ = 1.4, indicating a highly inhomogeneous network which consists of a few hubs and a large number of less connected sequences. The hub sequences have many functional neighbours and therefore are expected to be robust toward possible deleterious effects of mutations. The cluster size distribution followed a power law with an extrapolated scaling exponent τ = 2.6, which strongly supports the connectedness of the sequence space of α/β‐hydrolases.

Database

Supporting data about domains from other proteins with structural similarity to the N‐ or C‐terminal domains of α/β‐hydrolases are available in Data Repository of the University of Stuttgart (DaRUS) under doi: https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-458.