bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gestational Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Moll Matthew , Payne Julie G. , Tukey Melissa H. , Farber Harrison W.
Published: October 2015

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease marked by the irreversible pulmonary vascular changes of vasoconstriction, thrombosis, and proliferation of smooth muscle and endothelial cells. The untreated clinical course is characterized by progressive dyspnea and a median survival of less than 3 years. Many of these patients are of child‐bearing age; however, pregnancy leads to physiologic changes that are particularly poorly tolerated in PAH, conferring a 30%–56% mortality. We present a case of PAH that spontaneously resolved after termination of pregnancy and recurred during each of two subsequent pregnancies. To our knowledge, this case is unique, because no cases of spontaneous resolution of idiopathic PAH have been reported in adults, nor have there been any reports of pulmonary hypertension that is isolated to the gestational period.
DIDA: A curated and annotated digenic diseases database
Authors: Gazzo Andrea M. , Daneels Dorien , Cilia Elisa , Bonduelle Maryse , Abramowicz Marc , Van Dooren Sonia , Smits Guillaume , Lenaerts Tom
Published: October 2015

DIDA (DIgenic diseases DAtabase) is a novel database that provides for the first time detailed information on genes and associated genetic variants involved in digenic diseases, the simplest form of oligogenic inheritance. The database is accessible via http://dida.ibsquare.be and currently includes 213 digenic combinations involved in 44 different digenic diseases. These combinations are composed of 364 distinct variants, which are distributed over 136 distinct genes. The web interface provides browsing and search functionalities, as well as documentation and help pages, general database statistics and references to the original publications from which the data have been collected. The possibility to submit novel digenic data to DIDA is also provided. Creating this new repository was essential as current databases do not allow one to retrieve detailed records regarding digenic combinations. Genes, variants, diseases and digenic combinations in DIDA are annotated with manually curated information and information mined from other online resources. Next to providing a unique resource for the development of new analysis methods, DIDA gives clinical and molecular geneticists a tool to find the most comprehensive information on the digenic nature of their diseases of interest.
The Lexical Foundation of the Big Five Factor Model
Authors: de Raad Boele , Mlačić Boris
Published: October 2015

A dictionary is the tangible repository of the common stock of words, although dictionaries comprise at best 10% of the full lexicon. Part of the lexicon is made up of the words used to describe what people do and what people are like. The psycholexical approach to personality focuses on this subset of words and on its exploitation, or what can be said to be the glossary of personality. This chapter is concerned with the history of the psycholexical approach to personality description, from ancient history to the more recent efforts, albeit focusing in particular on its modern history. Psycholexical taxonomies from around the world will be considered, as well as taxonomies based on nouns, verbs, adverbs, and their combinations. Ongoing controversies, difficulties, and disputes regarding alternative psycholexical personality structures will be considered, as well as recommendations for future research.
Grace and Justification
Authors: Wawrykow Joseph P.
Published: October 2015

This essay explores the Catholic teaching on grace through some of the classic texts and writers. It begins by comparing the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and The Council of Trent’s decree On Justification. Although the two differ in strategy (the latter seeking to differentiate itself from emerging Protestant teaching), the Catechism shows itself to be in great continuity with Trent. The essay then considers the teaching of the two most influential writers in the Catholic tradition of reflection on grace, Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas (and some of his successors). Thomas incorporates much of Augustine’s later teaching, but offers a more expansive account of merit and sees predestination more as a matter of fore-knowledge than God’s causal activity. The essay ends with a treatment of some recent writing on the subject.
Introduction
Authors: Féry Caroline , Ishihara Shinichiro
Published: October 2015

This chapter is an introduction to the Oxford Handbook of Information Structure. After introducing the goals of the handbook and a brief history of information structure studies, this introductory chapter provides the definitions of the key notions of information structure (focus, givenness, and topic) in Krifka (2008), which were used as the baseline for all the chapters of the handbook. The Handbook is organized in four parts: an overview of various linguistic theories of information structure in semantics, pragmatics, morpho-syntax and phonology (Part I); case studies of various information structure-related topics (Part II); the state of the art in the study of information structure from experimental perspectives (Part III); and chapters discussing information structure in selected languages or language families (Part IV). The introduction contains short summaries of each of the chapters in the Handbook.
The Reformation of Liturgy
Authors: Karant-Nunn Susan C.
Published: October 2015

Along with Reformation changes in authorized religious belief came the urgent revision and refinement of ecclesiastical ceremony—the liturgy. Both before and after the Evangelical movement, every act and decorative object within the churches symbolized a point of theological affirmation. Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli led the way in directing a new program, which constituted an aural and visual means of instructing the laity. The transubstantiating priest gave way to the preacher of Scripture, and the sermon now became the centerpiece of organized worship. The Holy Spirit inspired the clergyman in his pulpit. The Lord’s Supper remained a liturgical and theological focal point even though it was not as prominently placed in services as preaching. Across Protestant Europe, new forms of observance inculcated doctrine upon parishioners. Social rituals—marriage, baptism, and penance—were made congregational and not just familial or personal concerns.
Legal Courts
Authors: Harrington Joel F.
Published: October 2015

This chapter exams the impact of the Protestant Reformation on law and courts in western Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Specifically it addresses the question of continuity and change in legal structures and the subsequent social impact of Protestant courts, particularly in resolving local disputes and promulgating patriarchal notions of authority. It finds considerable conservatism in both law and procedure, yet at the same time a significant increase in litigation and impositions of punishment. Despite this greater activity, this chapter argues that legal courts should not be viewed principally as top-down mechanisms for enforcing religious conformity, but more as arenas for the interactive creation of confessional identity at the communal and individual level.
The Transformation into the Early Middle Ages (Fourth to Eighth Centuries)
Authors: Fehr Hubert
Published: October 2015

This chapter focuses on the transformation of Roman Germany into the early Middle Ages (fourth to eighth centuries). The final collapse of Roman rule in northern Gaul in the middle of the fifth century signalled the de facto end of the three Late Roman provinces: Germania Prima, Germania Secunda, and Maxima Sequanorum. The territories along the western bank of the River Rhine experienced quite different political destinies between the middle of the fifth and the middle of the sixth century. The chapter first looks at how migrations of peoples from Barbaricum into the Roman Empire caused the end of a Roman-style society and economy in former Roman Germany. It then discusses early medieval archaeology in Germany, with particular emphasis on cemeteries and churches. Finally, it analyses methodological developments in late antique and early medieval archaeology, along with the transformation of towns and landscape/rural settlements.
The Limes
Authors: Kemkes Martin
Published: October 2015

This chapter examines some important themes associated with research on the limes in Roman Germany, with particular emphasis on the ‘Upper German-Raetian Limes’ and how the form and function of the outer frontiers of the Roman world were influenced by dynamic evolutionary processes. Before discussing how the limes took on a role as an ‘imperial/barbarian boundary’, the chapter considers the function of boundaries in general and the limes in particular. It then traces historic developments of the limites and their use in erecting frontier installations, watchtowers, and fortlets. It also looks at the crossing points through the limes that have survived in relatively high numbers in Germania Superior and Raetia; the legions as the backbone of frontier defence; and auxiliary troops (auxilia) that occupied the frontier along the Rhine in Germania Inferior and the Upper German-Raetian Limes during the second and third centuries AD.
Shari‘a in Australia
Authors: Saeed Abdullah
Published: October 2015

This article examines the place of “shari‘a law” in Australian society, where Muslims are a minority. It begins by considering a paradox: some aspects of shari‘a are viewed positively, particularly those that have potential financial or economic benefits for Australia, but its other aspects, such as the recognition of Islamic family law, are either ignored or outright rejected as incompatible with the Australian context. It then provides a historical perspective and overview of the development of the discourse on Islam and shari‘a in the Muslim minority context of Australia, along with the emergence of Muslim communities in the country. It explores some key areas of shari‘a in Australia, including family law, Islamic finance, Islamic dress codes, and shari‘a courts. Finally, it discusses some of the key arguments and debates surrounding the practice of shari‘a in Australia.
Understanding the Distribution of Crime Victimization Using “British Crime Survey” Data
Authors: Hope Tim
Published: October 2015

This chapter focuses upon understanding the data-generating process that gives rise to the frequency distribution of crime victimization count data sampled from the British Crime Survey (BCS). Having described the form of this data, it introduces the problem of explaining the overdispersion of the distribution. It discusses and compares various models of the data that make assumptions about the data-generation process, including risk-heterogeneity, state-dependency, conditional probability, the double hurdle model, and the spells model. Its principal conclusion is that the crime victimization frequency distribution found in BCS data is the heterogeneous product of the mixing of two probability distributions: one concerns victim-prevalence, where zero-inflation predominates; the other concerns victimization-frequency, expressing the long-tail of high-frequencies. This conceptualization sheds new light on some persistent difficulties that might point the way towards future progress in understanding and remedying the distribution of crime victimization among citizens.
Affect and Emotion in Greek Literature
Authors: Konstan David
Published: October 2015

This article examines the way the ancient Greeks conceived of the emotions. Special attention is paid to the differences between classical Greek and modern English conceptions, in line with the view that culture plays a significant role in shaping the way emotions are experienced. The analysis draws on ancient Greek literature, from Homer’s Iliad to tragedy, comedy, and lyric poetry, as well as on historical and philosophical works by Aristotle and Xenophon. Also considered are changes in the way the emotions are understood in early Christian and later texts, with occasional reference to Latin adaptations. In particular, the emotions of pity, anger, fear, love, and jealousy are examined in detail.
Legitimate Authority in War
Authors: Benbaji Yitzhak
Published: October 2015

The requirement of legitimate authority—according to which ‘the right of initiating war in a state lies with the sovereign’—was originally introduced in the writings of Augustine, Aquinas, and Pufendorf. This chapter offers a detailed account of the Requirement as it should be understood and an articulation of the moral conviction that underlies it. The chapter then defends the Requirement by addressing the main objection to it: wars are just in virtue of their intrinsic features; it does not matter who fights them. In response to this objection, this chapter shows that Joseph Raz’s ‘normal justification thesis’ supports conferring authority to veto wars on two (usually overlapping) collectives: those on whose behalf the war is fought and those who will bear its costs. The chapter further advances a proceduralist justification of the Requirement arguing that violating it compromises the ideal of fair political participation.
Humanitarian Intervention and the Modern State System
Authors: Emerton Patrick , Handfield Toby
Published: October 2015

This chapter argues that, because humanitarian intervention typically involves the military of one state attempting to overthrow another state’s government, it gives rise to different moral questions from simple cases of interpersonal defensive violence. State sovereignty not only protects institutions within a society that contribute to the satisfaction of individuals’ interests and that cannot be easily restored once overthrown; it also plays a role in the constitution of those interests, which cannot be assumed to be invariant across different forms of social life. As a result, humanitarian intervention will frequently give rise to incommensurability between the pre-intervention and post-intervention states of affairs. The reasons against violating sovereignty, together with reasons for conservativism in action that arise in circumstances of incommensurable value, mean that the threshold for the moral permissibility of humanitarian intervention is high. The chapter concludes by outlining how humanitarian intervention might be internationalized, making it easier to justify.
A Duplex Real-Time RT-PCR System with an Internal Control Offers Sensitive and Reliable Broad-Spectrum Detection of Squash mosaic virus Variants
Authors: Li Rugang , Berendsen Sven , Ling Kai-Shu
Published: October 2015

Squash mosaic virus (SqMV), a seedborne virus, belongs to the genus Comovirus in the subfamily Comovirinae of the family Secoviridae. SqMV has a bipartite single-stranded RNA genome (RNA1 and RNA2) encapsidated separately with two capsid proteins. With the recent identification of a third genotype in SqMV, a greater genetic diversity with only 88 to 89% sequence identity among them are recognized. With the existence of genetic diversity, a previously developed quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) failed to detect isolates in this new genotype. Therefore, it was necessary to create a new qRT-PCR that would react with all SqMV isolates in three different genotypes. From a multiple sequence alignment of the available SqMV sequences in GenBank, a conserved sequence segment in the 3′ untranslated region of RNA2 was identified for primer and probe design. A new qRT-PCR was developed, which provided broad-spectrum reactions to SqMV isolates, including those from the newly recognized third genotype. To improve the reliability in determining the sample quality and result interpretation, an internal amplification control with an endogenous gene sequence (18S ribosomal RNA) was successfully incorporated to develop a duplex qRT-PCR system that was useful for seed health test.
Ursodeoxycholic Acid Inhibits Clostridium difficile Spore Germination and Vegetative Growth, and Prevents the Recurrence of Ileal Pouchitis Associated With the Infection
Authors: Weingarden Alexa R. , Chen Chi , Zhang Ningning , Graiziger Carolyn T. , Dosa Peter I. , Steer Clifford J. , Shaughnessy Megan K. , Johnson James R. , Sadowsky Michael J. , Khoruts Alexander
Published: October 2015

Goals:

To test whether ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is inhibitory to Clostridium difficile and can be used in the treatment of C. difficile-associated ileal pouchitis.

Background:

The restoration of secondary bile metabolism may be the key mechanism for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating recurrent C. difficile infections (RCDI). Therefore, it is possible that exogenous administration of inhibitory bile acids may be used directly as nonantibiotic therapeutics for this indication. The need for such a treatment alternative is especially significant in patients with refractory C. difficile-associated pouchitis, where the efficacy of FMT may be limited.

Study:

We measured the ability of UDCA to suppress the germination and the vegetative growth of 11 clinical isolate strains of C. difficile from patients treated with FMT for RCDI. In addition, we used oral UDCA to treat a patient with RCDI pouchitis that proved refractory to multiple antibiotic treatments and FMT.

Results:

UDCA was found to be inhibitory to the germination and the vegetative growth of all C. difficile strains tested. Fecal concentrations of UDCA from the patient with RCDI pouchitis exceeded levels necessary to inhibit the germination and the growth of C. difficile in vitro. The patient has remained infection free for over 10 months after the initiation of UDCA.

Conclusions:

UDCA can be considered as a therapeutic option in patients with C. difficile-associated pouchitis. Further studies need to be conducted to define the optimal dose and duration of such a treatment. In addition, bile acid derivatives inhibitory to C. difficile that are able to achieve high intracolonic concentrations may be developed as therapeutics for RCDI colitis.
Chest compression using the foot or hand method: a prospective, randomized, controlled manikin study with school children
Authors: Kherbeche Habib , Exer Nicole , Schuhwerk Wolfram , Ummenhofer Wolfgang , Osterwalder Joseph
Published: October 2015

Objective

Maintaining a chest compression depth of 5 cm or more as specified by resuscitation guidelines is difficult. Historical studies have shown an advantage of the foot method (FM) over the hand method (HM) in participants weighing less than 50 kg. Because of the fact that the importance of chest compression is increasing from guideline to guideline, the FM technique had not been evaluated conclusively and worldwide resuscitation is taught to school children, we investigated whether school children achieved a higher quality of chest compression with the FM than with the HM.

Methods

A total of 105 school children, aged 12 to 15 years, were randomized to an FM or an HM resuscitation group. After a 3 min training video, 5 min of practice, and a 5 min latent time, the participants performed a 2 min sequence of chest compressions, which was recorded on a PC and evaluated later.

Results

The mean percentage of correct chest compression depth (primary endpoint) was low in both groups (HM 45%, FM 47%, P=0.76). This was also found for those weighing less than 50 kg and at least 50 kg in both groups (FM 23%, HM 34%, P=0.2; FM 62%, HM 56%, P=0.57). However, the HM group was better in frequency (98 vs. 86% in FM, P=0.03) and complete decompression (99 vs. 91% in FM, P≤0.001).

Conclusion

The FM of applying chest compression did not result in a more accurately delivered compression depth compared with the HM for children and adolescents, irrespective of body weight.
Fecal Incontinence in Adolescents Is Associated With Child Abuse, Somatization, and Poor Health‐related Quality of Life
Authors: Rajindrajith Shaman , Devanarayana Niranga Manjuri , Benninga Marc Alexander
Published: October 2015

Background:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fecal incontinence (FI), child abuse, somatization, and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents.

Methods:

Adolescents (ages 13–18 years) were selected from 4 semi‐urban schools in the Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. A validated, self‐administered questionnaire was used for data collection. FI was defined as at least 1 episode of leakage of feces per month.

Results:

A total of 1807 adolescents were analyzed (boys 973 [53.8%], mean age 14.4 years, standard deviation [SD] 1.4 years). A total of 47 (2.6%) had FI. Prevalence of sexual abuse (17% vs 2.3% in controls, P < 0.0001), emotional abuse (40.4% vs 22.7%, P < 0.0001), and physical abuse (51% vs 24.3%, P < 0.0001) was significantly higher in children with FI. Adolescents with FI had higher mean somatization scores [mean 20.1, (SD 14.5) vs mean 9.3, (SD 9.2)] compared with those without FI (P < 0.0001). Those with FI also had lower HRQoL scores for physical functioning, social functioning, emotional functioning domains, and performances at school, together with a lower overall HRQoL score compared with those without FI (74.6 vs 87.1, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

There is a significant association between FI and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. They also have a higher somatization score and a poor HRQoL score in physical, emotional, social, and school functioning domains compared with those without FI.
Three-dimensional characterization of grain boundaries in pure nickel by serial sectioningviamechanical polishing
Authors: Pirgazi Hadi , Glowinski Krzysztof , Morawiec Adam , Kestens Leo A. I.
Published: October 2015

Five macroscopic boundary parameters can be extracted from three-dimensional orientation maps. Serial sectioning, which includes consecutive steps of material removal, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurement were employed to extract a stack of two-dimensional sections of a pure nickel sample. The EBSD patterns were collected from large millimetre scale areas and mechanical polishing was applied to prepare the sections. The three-dimensional microstructure was then reconstructed from these sections. A new alignment algorithm based on the minimization of misorientation between two adjacent sections has been developed to accurately align the sections. Differently from the conventional alignment methods, the new algorithm corrects not only the translational misalignment but also rotational and plane parallelity misalignments. The aligned three-dimensional microstructure exhibits smooth grain boundary planes and continuous orientation gradients inside the grains as experimental scatter induced by misalignment was largely removed. Grain boundaries were reconstructed from the aligned three-dimensional map, and the distribution of boundaries in the domain of five macroscopic boundary parameters was computed using kernel density estimation. Methods for estimating the reliability of the distributions are demonstrated. This distribution is compared with the distributions obtained previously for other face-centered cubic materials, including a different pure nickel sample.
Is enterprise education relevant to social enterprise?
Authors: Bridge Simon
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– Both enterprise education and social enterprise have become fashionable but what, if any, should be the connections between them? The purpose of this paper is to explore those connections and to reflect on what relevance the two concepts might have for each other.

Design/methodology/approach

– Both enterprise education and social enterprise have a number of different interpretations. Therefore those ranges of interpretation are first considered and then compared to see what there might be in common between the two concepts and to identify the desirability and practicability of linking them.

Findings

– If enterprise education focuses on a narrow, private sector, business-creation interpretation of enterprise, and if the advocates of social enterprise insist on clearly separating it from other enterprises, then there will be little connection between the two. But if enterprise education takes a wider view of enterprise as part of life skills, and if social enterprise is seen as essentially enterprise, albeit with social objectives, then there is a clear case for linking the two and including social enterprise in enterprise training.

Practical implications

– The implications of these conclusions are that, while some interpretations of enterprise education and social enterprise may suggest that they have little common ground, interpretations which link the two, and therefore the deliberate adoption of such interpretations, may actually be beneficial for the practice of both.

Originality/value

– Little of the existing literature on enterprise education and social enterprise links the two concepts. This paper seeks to rectify that.
Determinants of entrepreneurial intentions
Authors: Buli Bereket Mamo , Yesuf Wasihun Mohammed
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that could explain the difference in entrepreneurial intention (EI) among technical-vocational education and training (TVET) program students. Centered on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the paper aims to contribute to the understanding of factors that affect EIs of students and offer some important insight into unique aspects of TVETs to empower youth and adults to actively engage in entrepreneurial initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey with a sample size of 107 TEVT students, taking part in four key programs, participated in this study using Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaires. Linear and hierarchical regression were applied to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The findings indicate that the two most predictable variables of EI were personal attitude toward behavior and perceived behavioral control. Hence, it was suggested that proper care should be taken in the way curricula and content are designed. It is also highlighted that the educational practice needs adjustment to include course contents like decision making, effective communication, entrepreneurial negotiation, leadership, effective and efficient use of sources, new product development, creativity and critical thinking, and service-based and technological innovation.

Practical implications

– Policy makers in developing countries are trying to address the critical developmental concerns of unemployment, rural-urban imbalance, industrialization, capital formation, and labor utilization. Vocational education is seen as a policy instrument to promote economic and social progress using entrepreneurship education. However, in order for institutions to play this key role, their skill formation process needs to be geared toward enhancing and developing traits associated with entrepreneurial success. This study has confirmed that TVET programs are required to reach a balanced spectrum of delivering entrepreneurial skills through intensive engagement with partners and effective mobilization of interest groups if they are to boost economic and social change.

Originality/value

– This study applies the TPB in an effort to understand determinants of EI on technical and vocational education. It invites academics and policy makers to rethink the approach adopted in entrepreneurship education in the vocational set up. It questions TVET programs’ roles in preparing students for self-employment, networking or partnership efforts, and the design of curricula as a process and entrepreneurial skill as an outcome of entrepreneurial education.
Students’ perception of entrepreneurship and enterprise education in Oman
Authors: Belwal Rakesh , Al Balushi Hanan , Belwal Shweta
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– Universities and other higher educational institutions play an increasingly important role in providing entrepreneurship education, training, and technical assistance to existing and potential entrepreneurs. The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship and the role of universities in developing enterprise education in Oman, focusing on the case of Sohar University.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research used a questionnaire based survey to collect primary data. From the total population of 3,633 students registered across different faculties during the academic year 2012-2013, a sample size of 200 was drawn using convenience sampling and the proportional allocation method.

Findings

– The research outcomes revealed that the majority of the university students were optimistic and interested in starting their own business, but lacked knowledge about how to start a business. The students’ willingness to run a business and their sociable, go-getter attitude, confidence, and effective connections with established entrepreneurs were observed as enablers. Fear of failure and unwillingness to take risks were the major obstacles facing university students in treading an entrepreneurial path.

Practical implications

– Overall, the study indicated a need for enterprise education, at programme and course levels, to nurture entrepreneurship among students in Oman.

Social implications

– Currently, Omani society is affected by a high level of unemployment. The research outcomes will help policy makers in assessing the potential of enterprise education. The promotion of entrepreneurship among women will enable more women to work shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts in building Oman’s economy. In a region where even today large numbers of women would never remove the face veil in front of male non-family members, these developments are very significant.

Originality/value

– Very few studies have examined university students’ attitude to entrepreneurship and enterprise education in Oman. This study helps in bridging that gap.
Better to be flexible than to have flunked
Authors: Lin Chieh-Peng , Joe Sheng-Wuu , Chen Shih-Chih , Wang Huei-Jyuan
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– High team performance helps achieve several organizational benefits, such as strengthened competitive advantages, enhanced productivity, and higher profits and market share. For these reasons, the purpose of this paper is to propose a model based on the framework of proactive motivation and the theory of collectivism to analyze the formation of service flexibility and team performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– To test the hypotheses, this study conducts a survey of service staff in teams from high-tech firms in a well-known industrial zone in Northern Taiwan. These teams provide service for their industrial customers. From the survey, this study confirms the full mediating mechanism of service flexibility among the teams.

Findings

– The test results reveal that service flexibility fully mediates the relationship between team performance and its exogenous factors. Whereas collectivism negatively moderates the relationship between team efficacy and service flexibility, it does not moderate the relationship between service recovery and service flexibility. Furthermore, collectivism positively moderates the relationship between service flexibility and team performance.

Originality/value

– This study provides important findings that complement previous literature by examining three fresh antecedents for explaining how team performance is motivated by the mediating role of service flexibility and how some of the study’s model paths are moderated by collectivism. The mediating role of service flexibility indicates that managers can apply service flexibility as a firewall that calibrates a team’s input and output. Managers should encourage the application of agile solutions and advanced technology for facilitating team flexibility, consequently improving team performance.
Global biogeochemical impacts of phytoplankton: a trait‐based perspective
Authors: Litchman Elena , de Tezanos Pinto Paula , Edwards Kyle F. , Klausmeier Christopher A. , Kremer Colin T. , Thomas Mridul K.
Published: October 2015

Phytoplankton are key players in the global carbon cycle, contributing about half of global primary productivity. Within the phytoplankton, functional groups (characterized by distinct traits) have impacts on other major biogeochemical cycles, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and silica. Changes in phytoplankton community structure, resulting from the unique environmental sensitivities of these groups, may significantly alter elemental cycling from local to global scales.

We review key traits that distinguish major phytoplankton functional groups, how they affect biogeochemistry and how the links between community structure and biogeochemical cycles are modelled.

Finally, we explore how global environmental change will affect phytoplankton communities, from the traits of individual species to the relative abundance of functional groups, and how that, in turn, may alter biogeochemical cycles.

Synthesis. We can increase our mechanistic understanding of the links between the community structure of primary producers and biogeochemistry by focusing on traits determining functional group responses to the environment (response traits) and their biogeochemical functions (effect traits). Identifying trade‐offs including allometric and phylogenetic constraints among traits will help parameterize predictive biogeochemical models, enhancing our ability to anticipate the consequences of global change.
Interactions among roots, mycorrhizas and free‐living microbial communities differentially impact soil carbon processes
Authors: Moore Jessica A. M. , Jiang Jiang , Patterson Courtney M. , Mayes Melanie A. , Wang Gangsheng , Classen Aimée T.
Published: October 2015

Plant roots, their associated microbial community and free‐living soil microbes interact to regulate the movement of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere, one of the most important and least understood fluxes of terrestrial carbon. Our inadequate understanding of how plant–microbial interactions alter soil carbon decomposition may lead to poor model predictions of terrestrial carbon feedbacks to the atmosphere.

Roots, mycorrhizal fungi and free‐living soil microbes can alter soil carbon decomposition through exudation of carbon into soil. Exudates of simple carbon compounds can increase microbial activity because microbes are typically carbon limited. When both roots and mycorrhizal fungi are present in the soil, they may additively increase carbon decomposition. However, when mycorrhizas are isolated from roots, they may limit soil carbon decomposition by competing with free‐living decomposers for resources.

We manipulated the access of roots and mycorrhizal fungi to soilin situin a temperate mixed deciduous forest. We added13C‐labelled substrate to trace metabolized carbon in respiration and measured carbon‐degrading microbial extracellular enzyme activity and soil carbon pools. We used our data in a mechanistic soil carbon decomposition model to simulate and compare the effects of root and mycorrhizal fungal presence on soil carbon dynamics over longer time periods.

Contrary to what we predicted, root and mycorrhizal biomass did not interact to additively increase microbial activity and soil carbon degradation. The metabolism of13C‐labelled starch was highest when root biomass was high and mycorrhizal biomass was low. These results suggest that mycorrhizas may negatively interact with the free‐living microbial community to influence soil carbon dynamics, a hypothesis supported by our enzyme results. Our steady‐state model simulations suggested that root presence increased mineral‐associated and particulate organic carbon pools, while mycorrhizal fungal presence had a greater influence on particulate than mineral‐associated organic carbon pools.

Synthesis. Our results suggest that the activity of enzymes involved in organic matter decomposition was contingent upon root–mycorrhizal–microbial interactions. Using our experimental data in a decomposition simulation model, we show that root–mycorrhizal–microbial interactions may have longer‐term legacy effects on soil carbon sequestration. Overall, our study suggests that roots stimulate microbial activity in the short term, but contribute to soil carbon storage over longer periods of time.
Clinical indication and timing of antenatal corticosteroid administration at a single centre
Authors: Levin HI , Ananth CV , Benjamin‐Boamah C , Siddiq Z , Son M , Friedman AM
Published: October 2015

Objective

To determine how well antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) were timed, based on the indication for administration for women delivering preterm.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary medical centre.

Population

Six hundred and thirty women who had singleton preterm births between 24 and 34 weeks’ gestational age.

Methods

Charts from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed for indications for ACS administration, which included premature rupture of membranes, threatened preterm labour, risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth such as short ultrasound cervical length, positive fetal fibronectin, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Charts were reviewed for timing of ACS administration in relation to delivery.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was optimal timing, defined as administration of ACS ≥24 hours to ≤7 days prior to delivery.

Results

Of 630 women who delivered preterm, 589 (93%) received ACS prior to delivery. ACS timing was optimal in 40% (238 of 589) of cases. Women with hypertensive disorders were most likely to have steroids optimally timed (62%). Asymptomatic women at increased risk for preterm delivery were less likely to receive optimally timed ACS (12%). The majority of women who received steroids >2 weeks prior to delivery (57%) received a second course.

Conclusion

A majority of women who delivered preterm did not receive optimally timed ACS. Diagnostic tools that identified women at risk for preterm birth were not able to identify patients for appropriate steroid timing. Given the range of clinical scenarios in which patients are at increased risk for preterm delivery, further research is needed to assist clinicians in optimising steroid administration.

Tweetable abstract

Optimal timing of antenatal steroids prior to delivery does not occur in most cases.
A Multistate Model Predicting Mortality, Length of Stay, and Readmission for Surgical Patients
Authors: Clark David E. , Ostrander Kaitlin R. , Cushing Brad M.
Published: October 2015

Objective

Simultaneously evaluate postoperative mortality, length of stay (LOS), and readmission.

Data Source

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP).

Design

Retrospective cohort.

Methods

Data from elective general surgical patients were obtained from the 2012 NSQIP Participant Use File. For each postoperative day, each patient's state was classified as index hospitalization, discharged home, discharged to long‐term care (LTC), readmitted, or dead. Transition rates were estimated using exponential regression, assuming constant rates for specified time periods. These estimates were combined into a multistate model, simulated results of which were compared to observed outcomes.

Findings

Age, comorbidities, more complex procedures, and longer index LOS were associated with lower rates of discharge home and higher rates of death, discharge to LTC, and readmission. The longer patients had been discharged, the less likely they were to die or be readmitted. The model predicted 30‐day mortality 0.38 percent (95 percent CI: 0.36–0.41), index LOS 2.85 days (95 percent CI: 2.83–2.86), LTC discharge 2.76 percent (95 percent CI: 2.69–2.82), and readmissions 5.53 percent (95 percent CI: 5.43–5.62); observed values were 0.39 percent, 2.82 days, 2.87 percent, and 5.70 percent, respectively.

Conclusions

Multistate models can simultaneously predict postoperative mortality, LOS, discharge destination, and readmissions, which allows multidimensional comparison of surgical outcomes.
Hospital Readmission Rates in U.S. States: Are Readmissions Higher Where More Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions Cluster?
Authors: Basu Jayasree , Avila Rosa , Ricciardi Richard
Published: October 2015

Research Objective

This study examines small area variations in readmission rates to assess whether higher readmission rate in an area is associated with higher clusters of patients with multiple chronic conditions.

Study Design

The study uses hospital discharge data of adult (18+) patients in 6 U.S. states for 2009 from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, linked to contextual and provider data from Health Resources and Services Administration. A multivariate cross sectional design at primary care service area (PCSA) level is used.

Principal Findings

Adjusting for area characteristics, the readmission rates were significantly higher in PCSAs having higher proportions of patients with 2–3 chronic conditions and those with 4+ chronic conditions, compared with areas with a higher concentration of patients with 0–1 chronic conditions.

Conclusions

Using small area analysis, the study shows that areas with higher concentration of patients with increased comorbid conditions are more likely to have higher readmission rates.
Adulteration of Dietary Supplements by the Illegal Addition of Synthetic Drugs: A Review
Authors: Rocha Tiago , Amaral Joana S. , Oliveira Maria Beatriz P.P.
Published: October 2015

In the last few years, the consumption of dietary supplements, especially those having plants as ingredients, has been increasing due to the common idea that they are natural products posing no risks to human health. In the European Union and the United States, dietary supplements are legally considered as foods/special category of foods, thus are not being submitted to any safety assessment prior to their commercialization. Among the issues that can affect safety, adulteration by the illegal addition of pharmaceutical substances or their analogs is of major concern since unscrupulous producers can falsify these products to provide for quick effects and to increase sales. This review discusses the various classes of synthetic drugs most frequently described as being illegally added to dietary supplements marketed for weight loss, muscle building/sport performance and sexual performance enhancement. Information regarding regulation and consumption is also presented. Finally, several conventional and advanced analytical techniques used to detect and identify different adulterants in dietary supplements and therefore also in foods, with particular emphasis on plant food supplements, are critically described. This review demonstrates that dietary supplement adulteration is an emerging food safety problem and that an effective control by food regulatory authorities is needed to safeguard consumers.
Effects of Long‐Term Erythropoiesis‐Stimulating Agents on Iron Metabolism in Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Onuma Shoko , Honda Hirokazu , Kobayashi Yasuna , Yamamoto Toshinori , Michihata Tetsuo , Shibagaki Keigo , Yuza Toshitaka , Hirao Keiichi , Tomosugi Naohisa , Shibata Takanori
Published: October 2015

Continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (CERA) and darbepoetin‐α (DA) might differently affect iron metabolism and erythropoiesis in patients on hemodialysis (HD). This prospective study examined a cohort of patients on HD who had received either intravenous CERA every 2 or 4 weeks (N = 25) or DA once each week (N = 47). Blood was sampled before HD sessions on days 0, 2, 4, 7 and 14, and on days 0, 3, 5, 7 and 14 from patients who were injected with ESA at the beginning and end of the dialysis week, respectively. Changes in factors indicating erythropoiesis and biomarkers of iron metabolism were examined. Hemoglobin levels were maintained in the target range between 10.0 and 11.0 g/dL and ferritin levels at baseline and during the study period were similar between the DA and CERA groups. Levels of hepcidin 25 decreased from days 2–3 to day 5 and returned to the baseline at day 7 in the DA group, whereas those and transferrin saturation were serially suppressed from days 2–3 to day 14 in the CERA group. Levels of soluble transferrin receptor and reticulocyte counts were significantly elevated from days 4–5 to day 14 by CERA. Both DA and CERA stabilized erythropoiesis, but CERA might mobilize iron from body stores more effectively than DA in patients on HD.
Ursodeoxycholic Acid for Treatment of Enlarged Polycystic Liver
Authors: Iijima Takashi , Hoshino Junichi , Suwabe Tatsuya , Sumida Keiichi , Mise Koki , Kawada Masahiro , Imafuku Aya , Hayami Noriko , Hiramatsu Rikako , Hasegawa Eiko , Sawa Naoki , Takaichi Kenmei , Ubara Yoshifumi
Published: October 2015

Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and polycystic liver disease (PLD) often have elevated serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is used to treat biliary tract diseases, but its effect on PLD remains unclear. UDCA was administered for 1 year at a dose of 300 mg daily to seven PLD patients with elevated ALP or GGT levels who were selected for this treatment by experienced clinicians. Laboratory data and liver volumes were compared among three time points: 1 year before UDCA treatment, at the start of UDCA therapy, and 1 year after the start of therapy. Median GGT did not show a significant change between 1 year before UDCA (180 IU/L) and the start of UDCA therapy (209 IU/L), but it decreased significantly to 98 IU/L after 1 year of UDCA therapy (P = 0.015 vs. the start of therapy). ALP showed a significant increase from 1 year before UDCA (456 IU/L) to the start of UDCA therapy (561 IU/L), and then decreased significantly after 1 year of UDCA therapy (364 IU/L). Median liver volume did not show any significant changes among these three time points of assessment. UDCA may be effective for reducing biliary enzyme levels and inhibiting the growth of liver cysts in patients with PLD.
Clinical and laboratory 2‐year outcome of oral immunotherapy in patients with cow's milk allergy
Authors: Elizur A. , Appel M. Y. , Goldberg M. R. , Yichie T. , Levy M. B. , Nachshon L. , Katz Y.
Published: October 2015

Studies examining the long‐term effect of oral immunotherapy in food‐allergic patients are limited. We investigated cow's milk‐allergic patients, >6 months after the completion of oral immunotherapy (n = 197). Questionnaires, skin prick tests, and basophil activation assays were performed. Of the 195 patients contacted, 180 (92.3%) were consuming milk protein regularly. Half experienced adverse reactions, mostly mild. Thirteen patients (6.7%) required injectable epinephrine. Higher reaction rate after immunotherapy was associated with more anaphylactic episodes before treatment and a lower starting dose (OR = 2.1, P = 0.035 and OR = 2.3, P = 0.035, respectively). Reaction rate in patients who were 6–15 months, 15–30 months, or >30 months post‐treatment decreased from 0.28/month to 0.21/month to 0.15/month, respectively (P < 0.01). Milk‐induced %CD63 and %CD203c expression was significantly lower in patients >24 months vs in patients <24 months post‐treatment (P = 0.038 and P = 0.047, respectively). In conclusion, many patients experience mild adverse reactions after completing oral immunotherapy and some require injectable epinephrine. Progressive desensitization, both clinically and in basophil reactivity, occurs over time.