bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Tau Expression Correlates With IDH Mutation in Infiltrating Gliomas and Impairs Cell Migration
Authors: Nakata Satoshi , Price Antionette , Eberhart Charles , Morris Meaghan
Published: March 2020

Although the microtubule-associated protein tau is well studied in human neurodegeneration, the role of tau in neoplastic brain diseases is not well understood. Recently, studies have shown tau mRNA expression is associated with improved survival in human infiltrating gliomas. However, the biologic basis of this association is largely unexplored. Using 2 independent publicly available mRNA databases, we show that high tau mRNA expression is associated with improved patient survival in infiltrating gliomas. Higher tau protein expression is also associated with improved patient prognosis in infiltrating gliomas by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays. This prognostic association is in part due to higher tau mRNA and protein expression in IDH-mutant infiltrating astrocytomas. Expression of tau in an IDH-wildtype glioblastoma cell line selectively impairs cell migration in assays designed to mimic tumor invasion. These findings suggest that tau expression is not only associated with IDH mutation status but also may contribute to improved patient outcomes by impairing tumor invasion.
The Thomas Mans, their Books, and Jesus College Librarianship
Authors: Hanna Ralph
Published: March 2020

On 21 January 1684/5, Thomas Man, a thirty-year-old Fellow, made a substantial donation of manuscripts to Jesus College, Cambridge. These included a substantial number of books from medieval institutional collections, including at least thirty-one from Durham cathedral priory. The essay ascertains the extent of the donation, a discussion intertwined with that of librarianship at Jesus College. It also offers information about the collection activity of Man’s father, also Thomas, who assembled the collection, and points to several Man books now preserved elsewhere.
The Location of the Fullest Manuscript of the Louth Park Abbey Chronicle, Brutus to 1413
Authors: Smith Trevor Russell
Published: March 2020

This note discusses the Louth Park Abbey Chronicle, which survives in three manuscripts in varying levels of completeness, the fullest of which has changed hands several times since the only edition of the text was produced in 1891. Further study of the text and its two additional manuscripts has been impossible, however, as the fullest manuscript has been untraced since 1987, at the latest. This article examines the provenance of this lost manuscript and identifies its current location.
The Triad in Dispute: Johannes Lippius, His Audiences, and the Disputatio Genre
Authors: Mutch Caleb
Published: March 2020

The reception of Johannes Lippius’s path-breaking conception of the triad chiefly relies upon his treatise Synopsis musicae novae. Yet Lippius first published most of his ideas in texts called “disputations,” whose genre-specific peculiarities have been overlooked. By situating Lippius’s writings within the early-modern university system, this essay reveals an important instance of how demands of audience and genre have shaped music theory and offers tantalizing glimpses of how the oral disputation may have encouraged Lippius to clarify his ideas, particularly in his recasting of the analogy between the triad and the Trinity.
Proteins inform survival-based differences in patients with glioblastoma
Authors: Stetson L C , Ostrom Quinn T , Schlatzer Daniela , Liao Peter , Devine Karen , Waite Kristin , Couce Marta E , Harris Peggy L R , Kerstetter-Fogle Amber , Berens Michael E , Sloan Andrew E , Islam Mohammad M , Rajaratnam Vilashini , Mirza Shama P , Chance Mark R , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S
Published: March 2020

Background

Improving the care of patients with glioblastoma (GB) requires accurate and reliable predictors of patient prognosis. Unfortunately, while protein markers are an effective readout of cellular function, proteomics has been underutilized in GB prognostic marker discovery.

Methods

For this study, GB patients were prospectively recruited and proteomics discovery using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS/MS) was performed for 27 patients including 13 short-term survivors (STS) (≤10 months) and 14 long-term survivors (LTS) (≥18 months).

Results

Proteomics discovery identified 11 941 peptides in 2495 unique proteins, with 469 proteins exhibiting significant dysregulation when comparing STS to LTS. We verified the differential abundance of 67 out of these 469 proteins in a small previously published independent dataset. Proteins involved in axon guidance were upregulated in STS compared to LTS, while those involved in p53 signaling were upregulated in LTS. We also assessed the correlation between LS MS/MS data with RNAseq data from the same discovery patients and found a low correlation between protein abundance and mRNA expression. Finally, using LC-MS/MS on a set of 18 samples from 6 patients, we quantified the intratumoral heterogeneity of more than 2256 proteins in the multisample dataset.

Conclusions

These proteomic datasets and noted protein variations present a beneficial resource for better predicting patient outcome and investigating potential therapeutic targets.
Multi-Trait Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Loci Associated with Maize Inflorescence and Leaf Architecture
Authors: Rice Brian R , Fernandes Samuel B , Lipka Alexander E
Published: March 2020

Maize inflorescence is a complex phenotype that involves the physical and developmental interplay of multiple traits. Given the evidence that genes could pleiotropically contribute to several of these traits, we used publicly available maize data to assess the ability of multivariate genome-wide association study (GWAS) approaches to identify pleiotropic quantitative trait loci (pQTL). Our analysis of 23 publicly available inflorescence and leaf-related traits in a diversity panel of n = 281 maize lines genotyped with 376,336 markers revealed that the two multivariate GWAS approaches we tested were capable of identifying pQTL in genomic regions coinciding with similar associations found in previous studies. We then conducted a parallel simulation study on the same individuals, where it was shown that multivariate GWAS approaches yielded a higher true-positive quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) detection rate than comparable univariate approaches for all evaluated simulation settings except for when the correlated simulated traits had a heritability of 0.9. We therefore conclude that the implementation of state-of-the-art multivariate GWAS approaches is a useful tool for dissecting pleiotropy and their more widespread implementation could facilitate the discovery of genes and other biological mechanisms underlying maize inflorescence.
NICE public health guidance update
Authors: Fryer Ben , McGuire Hugh , Elliott Lise , Desai Monica , Richardson Judith
Published: March 2020

This article covers recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance relevant to public health, with a focus on indoor air quality. It introduces the evidence behind this guideline, and the actions that need to be taken by a wide range of stakeholders to implement the guidance and help people to achieve good air quality in their homes. It also highlights the inequalities in exposure to poor quality indoor air and identifies groups that are more vulnerable to health impacts.
Influence of Megasphaera elsdenii and feeding strategies on feedlot performance, compositional growth, and carcass parameters of early weaned, beef calves
Authors: DeClerck Jonathan C , Wade Zain E , Reeves Nathan R , Miller Mark F , Johnson Brad J , Ducharme Gary A , Rathmann Ryan J
Published: March 2020

Simmental–Angus calves [n = 135; 72 steers and 63 heifers; body weight (BW) = 212.4 kg ± 36.1] were early weaned (~5 mo) to evaluate multiple feeding regimens (conventional vs. aggressive energy diets ± Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB 41125 (M. elsdenii culture (MEC); Lactipro Advance; MS Biotec Inc., Wamego, KS) in order to elucidate the optimal development strategy. Objectives were measured by tracking the effects of caloric density and oral drenching of growing phase performance and subsequent carcass traits. The 72-d experiment featured three groups: 1) control (CON), fed exclusively a 35% roughage diet; 2) aggressive (AGR), fed a blend of a 10% and 35% roughage diets; 3) MEC, fed the same diet as AGR and drenched with 50 mL of M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 on day 1. A subset of calves (n = 45) was equipped with wireless rumination tags (Allflex Flex Tag; SCR Engineers, Ltd; Netanya, Israel), which logged daily rumination and general activity. Skeletal growth variables were assessed by measuring wither and hip height pretrial and posttrial. Ultrasonography provided additional resolution concerning growing phase compositional gain, which was later verified by carcass data collection. Data were analyzed as a nested analysis of variance with BW and gender serving as blocking factors. The increased caloric density of the diets administered to MEC and AGR calves resulted in greater average daily gain and gain:feed values compared with CON even during the first 21 d of diet acclimation (P ≤ 0.05). Additional fiber concentration of CON diets led to increased rumination times in 9 of the 10 wk of trial (P ≤ 0.10). No differences amongst treatments were detected for skeletal variables or ultrasound 12th rib fat. Cattle fed CON diets posted 3.4% inferior BW at the end of the growing period trial and a 3.8% reduction in hot carcass weight (HCW), reinforcing the theory that intensifying caloric intake during the growing phase does not compromise future feedlot performance. Ultrasound marbling scores for MEC-treated cattle were 19° greater than AGR treated cattle (P ≤ 0.05) at the end of the growing phase trial. Nearly the exact same advantage (22°) was observed in the cooler 5 mo later (P = 0.42). Implying MEC metabolically imprinted cattle to favor marbling development. It appears that maximizing dietary caloric density in light-weight calves does not adversely affect the growth curve, while oral dosing of MEC during the growing period may be a precursor for enhanced quality grade.
The energy requirements of performance horses in training
Authors: Ebert Mark , Moore-Colyer Meriel J S
Published: March 2020

The aim of this study was to estimate the energy requirements of performance horses in active, variable training in the field. Sixty horses in England and Switzerland were measured over 2-wk periods and, for 15 of these, the measurement period was extended, ranging from 21 to 42 wk. Energy intake was estimated by measuring daily feed consumption. Energy output was measured using heart rate (HR) monitors during 608 training sessions, relating HR to volume of oxygen (VO₂) and converting VO₂ to energy. Field maintenance requirements were calculated by deducting the marginal energy cost of training from energy input. The mean field maintenance expenditure for performance horses with a normal temperament was found to be 0.118 MJ of metabolizable energy (ME) per kilogram of body weight (BW) per day (SD = 0.008, CI = 0.005, n = 60 horses). This result is between 1.9% (P = 0.086) and 20.9% (P < 0.001) greater than the official guidance found in the United States, France, Germany, and Holland. Heart rate monitoring of training revealed a mean energy expenditure (EE) per ridden session of 0.023 MJ ME (SD = 0.001, CI = 0.001, n = 175 training sessions). The mean daily EE for exercise based on a full week’s training was 0.018 MJ ME/kg BW/d (SD = 0.005, CI = 0.001, n = 60 horses), representing a multiple of maintenance of 15.3%. This implies that the official guidance in the United States and France may overstate expenditure for exercise by 111% and 15%, respectively (P < 0.01). Daily EE between countries and within disciplines was consistent, allowing for the creation of user-friendly tables that can be used in budgeting the energy component of diets.
Opportunities to improve the accuracy of the United States Department of Agriculture beef yield grade equation through precision agriculture1
Authors: Jaborek Jerad R , Relling Alejandro E , Fluharty Francis L , Moeller Steven J , Zerby Henry N
Published: March 2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) yield grade (YG) equation is used to predict the retail yield of beef carcasses, which facilitates a more accurate payment for cattle when they are sold on a grid pricing system that considers carcass composition instead of body weight alone. The current USDA YG equation was developed over 50 yr ago. Arguably, the population of cattle used to develop the YG equation is different than the current diverse U.S. beef cattle supply today. The objectives of this manuscript are to promote the adoption and use of precision agriculture technologies (i.e., camera grading and electronic animal identification) throughout the U.S. beef supply chain as a means to enhance the ability of the USDA YG equation to more accurately predict the retail yield across the population of cattle that contributes to the current U.S. beef supply. Camera grading has improved the accuracy of determining beef carcass retail yield; however, the use of electronic animal identification would allow for additional information to be passed back and forth between the packer, cattle feeder, and producer. Information, such as sex, genetics, medical treatment history, diets consumed, and growth promotant administration, as well as other information could be used to create additional variables for a new augmented USDA YG equation. Herein, fabrication yields demonstrated a 5.6 USDA YG and 12.8% boneless closely trimmed retail cut difference between actual cutout measurements and calculated values from the USDA YG equation for Jersey-influenced cattle. Evidence of such disparities between calculated and actual values warrants a reevaluation of the USDA YG system and consideration for implementing advancements in precision agriculture to improve the prediction of beef carcass retail yield to more accurately account for the large amount of variation in beef carcass retail yield from the cattle in the United States.
Does salinity affect lifestyle switching in the plant pathogen Fusarium solani?
Authors: Eydoux Louise , Farrer Emily C.
Published: March 2020

Symbiotic microbes that live within plant hosts can exhibit a range in function from mutualistic to pathogenic, but the reason for this lifestyle switching remains largely unknown. Here we tested whether environmental stress, specifically salinity, is a factor that can trigger lifestyle switching in a fungus mainly known as a pathogen, Fusarium solani. F. solani was isolated from roots of Phragmites australis (common reed) in saline coastal marshes of Louisiana, USA, and we used Oryza sativa (rice) as a model organism from wetland environments to test the symbiont lifestyle. We plated rice seeds on control plates or plates with F. solani at three levels of salinity (0, 8 and 16 p.p.t.), then assessed germination and seedling growth after 20 days. Salinity strongly reduced percentage germination, slowed the timing of germination and reduced growth of rice. F. solani slowed germination, and it also caused a minor increase in root growth at medium salinity and a minor decrease in root growth at high salinity. Overall, despite being a common pathogen in other crop species (peas, beans, potatoes and many types of cucurbits), we found little evidence that F. solani has a strong pathogenic lifestyle in rice and we found weak evidence that pathogenicity may increase slightly with elevated salinity. These results have implications for both crops and native plant health in the future as soil salinization increases worldwide.
Use of artificial intelligence and neural network algorithms to predict arterial blood gas items in trauma victims
Authors: Shayan Milad , Sabouri Mohammad , Shayan Leila , Paydar Shahram
Published: March 2020

Background

Trauma is the third leading cause of death in the world and the first cause of death among people younger than 44 years. In traumatic patients, especially those who are injured early in the day, arterial blood gas (ABG) is considered a golden standard because it can provide physicians with important information such as detecting the extent of internal injury, especially in the lung. However, measuring these gases by laboratory methods is a time-consuming task in addition to the difficulty of sampling the patient. The equipment needed to measure these gases is also expensive, which is why most hospitals do not have this equipment. Therefore, estimating these gases without clinical trials can save the lives of traumatic patients and accelerate their recovery.

Methods

In this study, a method based on artificial neural networks for the aim of estimation and prediction of arterial blood gas is presented by collecting information about 2280 traumatic patients. In the proposed method, by training a feed-forward backpropagation neural network (FBPNN), the neural network can only predict the amount of these gases from the patient’s initial information. The proposed method has been implemented in MATLAB software, and the collected data have tested its accuracy, and its results are presented.

Results

The results show 87.92% accuracy in predicting arterial blood gas. The predicted arterial blood gases included PH, PCO2, and HCO3, which reported accuracy of 99.06%, 80.27%, and 84.43%, respectively. Therefore, the proposed method has relatively good accuracy in predicting arterial blood gas.

Conclusions

Given that this is the first study to predict arterial blood gas using initial patient information(systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse rate (PR), respiratory rate (RR), and age), and based on the results, the proposed method could be a useful tool in assisting hospital and laboratory specialists, to be used.
Gsx2 is involved in specification of neurons in the inferior olivary nuclei from Ptf1a-expressing neuronal progenitors in zebrafish
Authors: Itoh Tsubasa , Takeuchi Miki , Sakagami Marina , Asakawa Kazuhide , Kawakami Koichi , Shimizu Takashi , Hibi Masahiko
Published: March 2020

Neurons in the inferior olivary nuclei (IO neurons) send climbing fibers to Purkinje cells to elicit functions of the cerebellum. IO neurons and Purkinje cells are derived from neural progenitors expressing the proneural geneptf1a. In this study, we found that the homeobox genegsx2was co-expressed withptf1ain IO progenitors in zebrafish. Bothgsx2andptf1azebrafish mutants showed a strong reduction or loss of IO neurons. The expression ofptf1awas not affected ingsx2mutants andvice versa. In IO progenitors, theptf1amutation increased apoptosis whereas thegsx2mutation did not, suggesting thatptf1aandgsx2are independently regulated and have distinct roles. The fibroblast growth factors (Fgf) 3/8a and retinoic acid signals negatively and positively, respectively, regulatedgsx2expression and thereby the development of IO neurons.mafbaandhoxgenes are at least partly involved in the Fgf- and retinoic acid-dependent regulation of IO neuronal development. Our results indicate thatgsx2mediates the rostro-caudal positional signals to specify the identity of IO neurons fromptf1a-expressing neural progenitors.

The homeobox genegsx2mediates rostro-caudal positional signaling to specify the identify of neurons in the inferior olivary nuclei from neural progenitors expressing the proneural geneptf1a.
7-Chloro-3-(4-methylbenzenesulfonyl)pyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine
Authors: Narayan Easha , Fu Liangfeng , Gribble Gordon W. , Kaur Manpreet , Jasinski Jerry P.
Published: March 2020

In the title compound, C14H11ClN2O2S, the dihedral angle between the pyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine ring system (r.m.s. deviation = 0.008 Å) and the benzene ring is 80.2 (9)°. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of C—H...O interactions generate R
2
2(16) loops. Several aromatic π–π stacking interactions between the pyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine rings, as well as separately between the pyrrolo and pyrimidine groups [shortest centroid–centroid separation = 3.5758 (14) Å], help to consolidate the packing.
Manual spray painting process optimization using Taguchi robust design
Authors: Almansoori Noura , Aldulaijan Samah , Althani Sara , Hassan Noha M. , Ndiaye Malick , Awad Mahmoud
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Researchers heavily investigated the use of industrial robots to enhance the quality of spray-painted surfaces. Despite its advantages, automating process is not always economically feasible. The manual process, on the other hand, is cheaper, but its quality is prone to the mental and physical conditions of the worker making it difficult to operate consistently. This research proposes a mathematical cost model that integrates human factors in determining optimal process settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Taguchi's robust design is used to investigate the effect of fatigue, stability of worker's hand and speed on paint consumption, surface quality, and processing time. A crossed array experimental design is deployed. Regression analysis is then used to model response variables and formulate cost model, followed by a multi-response optimization.

Findings

Results reveal that noise factors have a significant influence on painting quality, time, and cost of the painted surface. As a result, a noise management strategy should be implemented to reduce their impact and obtain better quality and productivity results. The cost model can be used to determine optimal setting for different applications by product and by industry.

Originality/value

Hardly any research considered the influence of human factors. Most focused on robot trajectory and its effect on paint uniformity. In proposed research, both cost and quality are integrated into a single objective. Quality is measured in terms of uniformity, smoothness, and surface defects. The interaction between trajectory and flow rate is investigated here for the first time. A unique approach integrating quality management, statistical analysis, and optimization is used.
Information and contemplation: a call for reflection and action
Authors: Latham Kiersten F. , Hartel Jenna , Gorichanaz Tim
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Americans increasingly feel a sense of wonder at the universe; meditation and yoga are on the rise; and a field known as Contemplative Studies has emerged. These indicators, among others, suggest a groundswell of interest in contemplative practice and contemplative experience and raise intriguing questions for information and Information Studies. Against this backdrop, this paper asks: How might Information Studies contribute to these developments? What is the relationship between information and contemplation? What can be explored on this research frontier?

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper is based upon a synthesis of recent writings from the field of Contemplative Studies as well as conceptual analysis of selected papers and themes in Information Studies. It draws from discussion that occurred at a Session for Interaction and Engagement at the 2018 iConference, entitled “Contemplating Information in the Pleasurable and the Profound” (Latham et al., 2018). The authors' creative thinking and personal contemplative practices also infuse and fortify the work.

Findings

Popular and academic contemplative movements are afoot, and Information Studies has an opportunity to participate or be left behind. The field of Contemplative Studies has established the foundational concepts that can serve as contextual material for information research into contemplation. Upon closer inspection, Information Studies has already broached the topic of contemplation at various points in its history, theory, institutional practices, and information behavior research. The conceptual points of departure for a research frontier are articulated.

Originality/value

Beyond data, information, and knowledge are deeper and more profound aims, such as wisdom, which is related to contemplation. This paper supplies a rationale, scholarly community, conceptual resources, historical precedents, and guiding questions for bridging information and contemplation.
Towards better implementation of the European Union’s anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism framework
Authors: Koster Harold
Published: March 2020

Purpose

On 24 July 2019, the European Commission adopted a Communication to the European Parliament and the Council towards better implementation of the European Union’s (EU) anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) framework. This Communication was accompanied by four reports. This papers aims to investigate these reports.

Design/methodology/approach

Review of EU developments and reports.

Findings

The European Commission continues to work on eliminating the vulnerabilities of the current AML and CFT system. As the reports show, there are still many issues regarding the EU’s AML and CFT framework. The reports offer useful insights into weaknesses and failures and provide a good basis for further discussions with relevant stakeholders, for certain amendments to the current rulebook and enforcement as well as for stronger mechanisms regarding supervision and supporting cross-border cooperation.

Originality/value

This article discusses important relevant EU developments.
Consumer responses to strategic customer extensions
Authors: Preiksaitis Kimberley D. , Dacin Peter A.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine how brands attempt to extend their customer set not through the typical route of adding brands, but through the strategic extension or enlargement of their target customer set. Building on theories from both reference group perceptions and brand identification, this research explores the impact of strategic customer extensions on current target market consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Two scenario-based experiments explore strategic customer extensions for a packaged goods brand and a well-known retail brand. The analysis involves both analysis of variance and SEM methods.

Findings

Current target market consumers’ evaluations of strategic customer extensions are informed by reference group perceptions relating to the proposed customer extension. When current target market consumers perceive strategic customer extensions as potentially attracting a dissociative reference group, consumers have weaker evaluations and brand identification measures and, subsequently, weaker future intentions towards the brand.

Originality/value

The brand identification literature is augmented by incorporating theories from the reference group literature to demonstrate how to reference group perceptions drive a current target market consumers’ evaluations of strategic customer extensions to affect the strength of the identification that current target market consumers have with a brand. Brand identification is also demonstrated as mediator customer evaluations and subsequent intentions towards the brand.
High-performance organization: a literature review
Authors: Do Thanh Tung , Mai Ngoc Khuong
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to review and synthesize notable literature on high-performance organization (HPO), from which future research directions can be recommended.

Design/methodology/approach

This narrative literature review analyzes major HPO literature in popular books and peer-reviewed articles published in English in the period between 1982 and 2019.

Findings

The review revealed that HPO literature has evolved multiple times, illustrating the complex and multifaceted nature of this phenomenon. In particular, literature on HPO has evolved in four phases: (1) definitions and conceptual development of HPO; (2) exploration of approaches to achieve HPO; (3) empirical validation of HPO framework; and (4) complicated research models and designs on HPO. Several research gaps were identified, which definitely hold varying research value and can be seen as potential opportunities for future research.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of this review is on HPO literature published in English rather than cover all existing literature.

Originality/value

It is among the first studies to review the HPO literature and its evolution. This review also recommends constructive areas for future research on HPO to focus on.
Perceived information pollution: conceptualization, measurement, and nomological validity
Authors: Iqbal Qaisar , Ahmad Noor Hazlina , Nawaz Rashid
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Currently, employees are facing information explosion in the presence of disruptive information and communication technologies of industry 4.0. With the prevalent nature of information pollution, employees are suffering to process large volume of information in order to access quality information. The objective of present study is to develop a measurement scale of perceived information pollution in the context of workplace. Furthermore, this study aims to assess the nomological validity of the proposed construct.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has employed a sequential exploratory mixed-method design to develop and validate the measurement scale of perceived information pollution. The population of the present study comprised of the employees who work in the operations and credit department of banking sector. The present study has used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to analyze data in AMOS.

Findings

The present study has developed the second-order measurement scale of perceived information pollution. The perceived information pollution comprises of five dimensions – accessible, intrinsic, contextual, representational, and distractive information pollution. This study has also confirmed the nomological validity of the information pollution in relation to employee's job satisfaction, work effort, and learning effort.

Research limitations/implications

Management may employ the five dimensions as a benchmark in revealing polluted information as well as enhancing information quality through information processing.

Originality/value

This study has contributed to the literature of information management by providing a five-dimensional scale of perceived information pollution and confirming its nomological validity.
Mandatory CSR expenditure and firm performance
Authors: Garg Arunesh , Gupta Pradeep Kumar
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study, based on the instrumental approach of the stakeholder theory, examines the firm performance of public and private sector firms in the mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure regime in India. CSR was legislated in India in the year 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

The study hypothesizes that firms which fulfill the mandatory CSR expenditure requirement will have a higher firm performance and uses one-way ANOVA and post-hoc test for analysis. Firm performance is examined with respect to firm value and market performance.

Findings

The instrumental approach of the stakeholder theory is not supported in the mandatory CSR expenditure regime in India. The public sector firms that comply with the mandatory CSR expenditure requirement have a lower firm performance. Further, the private sector firms that meet the mandatory CSR expenditure criterion do not have a significantly different firm performance than the private sector firms that do not fulfill this criterion.

Practical implications

The study indicates as to why some firms fail to meet the CSR expenditure compliance. It also gives suggestions on how regulators and government agencies can solicit the participation of the Indian firms to undertake CSR initiatives. The study further suggests how firms may reap maximum benefit from the CSR expenditure.

Originality/value

Since CSR expenditure has been made mandatory only in the year 2014 in India, hardly any study has examined firm performance in the mandatory CSR expenditure regime in India.
Essential ingredients for the implementation of Quality 4.0
Authors: Sony Michael , Antony Jiju , Douglas Jacqueline Ann
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Quality 4.0 is concerned with managing quality in the Industry 4.0 era. Specifically, its focus is on which digital tools are used to enhance an organization’s ability to reliably give customers high-quality products. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key ingredients for the effective implementation of Quality 4.0.

Design/methodology/approach

A narrative literature review was conducted on the extant works to collate and analyse previous studies in this relatively new field.

Findings

The study revealed eight key ingredients for the effective implementation of Quality 4.0 in organizations, namely: (1) handling big data, (2) improving prescriptive analytics, (3) using Quality 4.0 for effective vertical, horizontal and end-to-end integration, (4) using Quality 4.0 for strategic advantage, (5) leadership in Quality 4.0, (6) training in Quality 4.0, (7) organizational culture for Quality 4.0 and, lastly, (8) top management support for Quality 4.0. These findings have provided a steer for the future research agenda of Quality 4.0.

Practical implications

Organizations can use the eight ingredients to perform a self-assessment on the current state of each element within their own organization. When implementing Quality 4.0, each ingredient should be effectively analysed, and measures taken so that the implementation of Quality 4.0 is effective.

Originality/value

The paper makes the first attempt to present the key ingredients an organization should possess to effectively implement Quality 4.0.
Systematic forest inventory plots and their contribution to plant distribution and climate change impact studies in Thailand
Authors: Trisurat Yongyut , Eiadthong Wichan , Khunrattanasiri Weeraphart , Saengnin Somyot , Chitechote Auschada , Maneerat Sompoch
Published: March 2020

Thailand is recognized as having high species richness both flora and fauna. The systematic plant taxonomy and collection was initiated in 1957–1958. However, the distribution of specimen collections is uneven and mainly located near road networks. The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has since 2001 initiated the systematic uniformly fixed grids of 20 km × 20 km for measuring trees and their environments with the financial and technical support from the International Tropical Timber Organization. After the reorganization of the RFD in 2002, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand, which then was separated from the RFD, has carried on this project and added the uniformly fixed grids ranging from 2.5 km × 2.5 km to 10 km × 10 km over the entire protected areas in Thailand. Throughout three project phases (2001–present), there are over 3,150 plots collected from 59 provinces, while the remaining 18 provinces do not have monitoring plots because of either the security issue or no forest covers. There were, based on altogether 24,605 occurrence records of trees with a diameter greater than 4.5 cm at breath high level from 363 species from 81 families and 222 genera. Trees belong to Dipterocarpaceae, Lamiaceae, Burseraceae, Phyllanthaceae, Malvaceae and Fabaceae families are dominant. Besides for simple estimation of tree density and volume, the data were used for bio‐geographical and climate change impact studies.

The complete data set for this abstract published in the Data Paper section of the journal is available in electronic format in MetaCat in JaLTER at http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/ERDP-2020-05.1/jalter-en. [Correction added on 7 September 2020, after first online publication: JaLTER URL has been updated.]
RR v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Empowering Tribunals to Enforce the Human Rights Act 1998
Authors: Tomlinson Joe , Sinclair Alexandra
Published: March 2020

In RR v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – follow‐on litigation from the high‐profile bedroom tax cases – the Supreme Court handed down a judgment which has significant implications for social security law, the interpretation of the Human Rights Act, the tribunals system, the judicial control of delegated legislation, and access to justice. Central, however, was the issue of the enforceability of human rights. We argue that the Supreme Court was not only justified in its interpretation of the Human Rights Act but that it has made the protections of the Act more easily enforceable.
Critical Reflections on the Proposal for a Mediation Act for Scotland
Authors: Ahmed Masood
Published: March 2020

This article critically analyses the recent proposal to introduce a Mediation (Scotland) Bill. The proposed Bill aims to introduce a novel process of court‐initiated mediation that will oblige litigating parties to attend a mandatory Mediation Information Session. Adopting a comparative approach with the English and Irish civil justice systems, this article analyses the key elements of the proposed Bill and makes proposals to improve it.
Informing diversion strategy: A comparison of parent and general practitioner‐referred paediatric patients presenting to a metropolitan hospital
Authors: Millar Robert , Palmer Bethany , Chiappazzo Amelia
Published: March 2020

Objective

To determine whether the characteristics and outcomes of parent‐referred children differ substantially from general practitioner (GP)‐referred children attending a metropolitan ED.

Methods

Prospective cross‐sectional observational study of consecutive patients aged less than 16 years of age attending a mixed adult and paediatric metropolitan teaching hospital ED in Melbourne. Data collected included patient characteristics (age, sex, arrival mode and triage category) and outcomes (admission, specialty consultation, treatment time >1 h, intravenous or nasogastric therapy, procedural sedation, procedures, imaging studies and pathology collection).

Results

The outcome data of 4580 patients was analysed. Patients brought by parents directly to the ED did not differ from patients referred by their GP in age, sex, or triage category, but were more likely to arrive by ambulance (13%vs2%,P < 0.01). Low‐urgency GP‐referred children were more likely to require a procedure (22%vs15%, risk difference [RD] 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02–0.13) and pathology tests (13%vs8%, RD 0.05, 95% CI 0.01–0.1) than parent‐referred children, but were similar for other outcomes. The proportion of low‐urgency children who had no ED‐specific care interventions was not significantly different between the groups (27%vs32%, RD −0.06, 95% CI −0.11 to 0).

Conclusions

Children brought to ED directly by their parents or carers did not differ substantially from GP‐referred children in their characteristics or outcomes. The use of referral source and triage categories to determine patient suitability for diversion to general practice may need to be reconsidered.
Circ_0038467 regulates lipopolysaccharide‐induced inflammatory injury in human bronchial epithelial cells through sponging miR‐338‐3p
Authors: Liu Guangming , Wan Qiufeng , Li Jingwen , Hu Xinying , Gu Xingli , Xu Sicheng
Published: March 2020

Background

Pneumonia is a common acute lower respiratory infection in children and elders. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently been uncovered to play important roles in pneumonia. However, the function and mechanism of circ_0038467 in pneumonia remain elusive.

Methods

Cell viability and apoptosis were determined using the Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of interleukin 6 (IL‐6), IL‐8 and IL‐1β were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot analysis was performed to assess the expression of related proteins. Circ_0038467 was characterized by Ribonuclease R (RNase) digestion and subcellular localization assays. The levels of circ_0038467 and miR‐338‐3p were evaluated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). The direct interaction between circ_0038467 and miR‐338‐3p was validated by the dual‐luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays.

Results

Our data indicated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced an inflammatory injury in 16HBE cells by repressing cell viability and enhancing cell apoptosis and proinflammatory cytokines production. Circ_0038467 was upregulated and miR‐338‐3p was downregulated in LPS‐treated 16HBE cells. Circ_0038467 knockdown or miR‐338‐3p overexpression attenuated LPS‐induced 16HBE cell inflammatory injury. Moreover, circ_0038467 acted as a sponge of miR‐338‐3p in 16HBE cells. MiR‐338‐3p mediated the alleviated effect of circ_0038467 knockdown on LPS‐induced 16HBE cell inflammatory injury. Additionally, the Janus kinase/ signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) signaling pathway was involved in the circ_0038467/miR‐338‐3p axis‐mediated regulation in LPS‐induced 16HBE cell inflammatory injury.

Conclusions

The current work had led to the identification of circ_0038467 knockdown that alleviated LPS‐induced inflammatory injury in 16HBE cells at least partly through sponging miR‐338‐3p and regulating JAK/STAT3 pathway, highlighting novel molecular targets for the treatment of pneumonia.
Pericardial tamponade during pembrolizumab treatment in a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Harada Kazuaki , Ogasawara Makoto , Shido Akane , Meno Akimitsu , Oda Soichiro , Yoshida Shota , Yoshida Sonoe , Yoshikawa Ayumu , Ebata Ko , Abiko Satoshi , Kawagishi Naoki , Sano Itsuki , Oda Hisashi , Miyagishima Takuto
Published: March 2020

Several studies have demonstrated increased pericardial effusion during anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy, and treatment in patients who have developed pericardial tamponade is controversial. In this study, we describe a 63‐year‐old woman with stage IVA lung adenocarcinoma given pembrolizumab as a first‐line therapy. After four cycles of pembrolizumab treatment, the patient suddenly developed a pericardial tamponade. Although pericardial effusion was increased, her tumor lesions were reduced. After an emergency pericardiocentesis, she continued the pembrolizumab therapy without recurrent pericardial effusions for three months until the primary tumor and lymph node metastasis progressed. Nine months after the pericardiocentesis, the patient died of progressive lung cancer, but pericardial effusion did not recur throughout the treatment course. This case study suggests that pembrolizumab therapy can be continued with a strict follow‐up in some patients with pembrolizumab‐induced pericardial tamponade.

Key points

• Significant findings of the study

Our patient developed pericardial tamponade during pembrolizumab treatment but continued pembrolizumab treatment after emergency pericardiocentesis without recurrent pericardial effusions.

• What this study adds

Pembrolizumab treatments may be resumed with a strict follow‐up in some patients with treatment‐related pericardial tamponade.
Rewiring of gene networks underlying mite allergen‐induced CD4 + Th‐cell responses during immunotherapy
Authors: Jones Anya C. , Anderson Denise , Troy Niamh M. , Mallon Dominic , Hartmann Rochelle , Serralha Michael , Holt Barbara , Bosco Anthony , Holt Patrick G.
Published: March 2020

Background

Multiple regulatory mechanisms have been identified employing conventional hypothesis‐driven approaches as contributing to allergen‐specific immunotherapy outcomes, but understanding of how these integrate to maintain immunological homeostasis is incomplete.

Objective

To explore the potential for unbiased systems‐level gene co‐expression network analysis to advance understanding of immunotherapy mechanisms.

Methods

We profiled genome‐wide allergen‐induced Th‐cell responses prospectively during 24 months subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in 25 rhinitis, documenting changes in immunoinflammatory pathways and associated co‐expression networks and their relationships to symptom scores out to 36 months.

Results

Prior to immunotherapy, mite‐induced Th‐cell response networks involved multiple discrete co‐expression modules including those related to Th2‐, type1 IFN‐, inflammation‐ and FOXP3/IL2‐associated signalling. A signature comprising 109 genes correlated with symptom scores, and these mapped to cytokine signalling/T‐cell activation‐associated pathways, with upstream drivers including hallmark Th1/Th2‐ and inflammation‐associated genes. Reanalysis after 3.5 months SCIT updosing detected minimal changes to pathway/upstream regulator profiles despite 32.5% symptom reduction; however, network analysis revealed underlying merging of FOXP3/IL2—with inflammation—and Th2‐associated modules. By 12 months SCIT, symptoms had reduced by 41% without further significant changes to pathway/upstream regulator or network profiles. Continuing SCIT to 24 months stabilized symptoms at 47% of baseline, accompanied by upregulation of the type1 IFN‐associated network module and its merging into the Th2/FOXP3/IL2/inflammation module.

Conclusions

Subcutaneous immunotherapy stimulates progressive integration of mite‐induced Th cell–associated Th2‐, FOXP3/IL2‐, inflammation‐ and finally type1 IFN‐signalling subnetworks, forming a single highly integrated co‐expression network module, maximizing potential for stable homeostatic control of allergen‐induced Th2 responses via cross‐regulation. Th2‐antagonistic type1 IFN signalling may play a key role in stabilizing clinical effects of SCIT.
Transfer and loss of allergen‐specific responses via stem cell transplantation: A prospective observational study
Authors: Debiasi Markus , Pichler Herbert , Klinglmüller Florian , Boztug Heidrun , Schmidthaler Klara , Rech Jonas , Scherer David , Lupinek Christian , Valenta Rudolf , Kacinska‐Pfaller Ewa , Geyeregger Rene , Fritsch Gerhard , Haas Oskar A. , Peters Christina , Lion Thomas , Akdis Mübeccel , Matthes Susanne , Akdis Cezmi A. , Szépfalusi Zsolt , Eiwegger Thomas
Published: March 2020

Background

Currently, no estimates can be made on the impact of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on allergy transfer or cure of the disease. By using component‐resolved diagnosis, we prospectively investigated 50 donor‐recipient pairs undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. This allowed calculating the rate of transfer or maintenance of allergen‐specific responses in the context of stem cell transplantation.

Methods

Allergen‐specific IgE and IgG to 156 allergens was measured pretransplantation in 50 donors and recipients and at 6, 12 and 24 months in recipients post‐transplantation by allergen microarray. Based on a mixed effects model, we determined risks of transfer of allergen‐specific IgE or IgG responses 24 months post‐transplantation.

Results

After undergoing stem cell transplantation, 94% of allergen‐specific IgE responses were lost. Two years post‐transplantation, recipients' allergen‐specific IgE was significantly linked to the pretransplantation donor or recipient status. The estimated risk to transfer and maintain individual IgE responses to allergens by stem cell transplantation was 1.7% and 2.3%, respectively. Allergen‐specific IgG, which served as a surrogate marker of maintaining protective IgG responses, was highly associated with the donor's (31.6%) or the recipient's (28%) pretransplantation response.

Conclusion

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation profoundly reduces allergen‐specific IgE responses but also comes with a considerable risk to transfer allergen‐specific immune responses. These findings facilitate clinical decision‐making regarding allergic diseases in the context of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In addition, it provides prospective data to estimate the risk of transmitting allergen‐specific responses via hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.