bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Getting on board: the business case for improving on-campus transportation at NAU
Authors: Anderson Joe , Hilliard James I. , Williams Josh , Williams Susan K.
Published: October 2017

Synopsis

Josh Williams is a Student at the NAU who has driven buses on campus and wants to improve the transportation on campus. He is convinced that purchasing a new type of bus that is more fuel efficient, has larger capacity, better designed for boarding, and has a longer life is worth the higher purchase cost. He sets out to prove it by creating a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. Since many of the estimates for the DCF analysis are uncertain, he decides to perform a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) analysis. Students are asked to step into Josh’s role and perform the analysis.

Research methodology

Josh Williams was a Student in the authors’ MBA program. Both authors teach in this program and one author was the Advisor for Net Impact and worked with Josh to present his idea to the university administration. The authors have changed a name or two but otherwise, the case describes a real situation in a real organization without disguise.

Relevant courses and levels

The authors have used this case in a first semester MBA-Applied Management course, Decision Modeling and Simulation. Students already have experience with DCF analysis and have been introduced to MCS. With this case, students apply MCS at the conclusion of a three-week module on predictive analytics. Students have run at least two MCS models and have become comfortable with the software. The case would also be appropriate for a senior-level undergraduate course such as business analytics or management science. It might also be useful for other courses that include the MCS modeling technique learning objectives such as project management.

Theoretical bases

This case provides an opportunity for students to perform an MCS analysis. MCS is useful when many of the inputs to a DCF analysis (or any model) have been estimated and the modeler is concerned that the estimates are uncertain and could perhaps be a range of values. MCS can be used to understand the effect of this uncertainty on NPV which in turn may affect the decision. The case could also be used without MCS focusing just on the DCF analysis with deterministic sensitivity analysis.
Organizational commitment in family SMEs and its influence on contextual performance
Authors: Franco Mário , Franco Solange
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether organizational commitment in small and medium-sized family enterprises (FSMEs) is associated with their employees’ contextual performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative and exploratory research approach was adopted focusing on FSMEs based in an inland region of Portugal. These were considered family firms, being owned exclusively by one or a small number of families. The data-collecting instrument was based on a questionnaire, with the final sample being composed of 101 employees.

Findings

The results obtained allow the conclusion that in FSMEs, affective commitment has a positive influence on contextual performance, as employees in this firm segment have an emotional connection in the context in which they are situated.

Practical implications

The authors can point out the fact that the strong association between affective commitment and employees’ contextual performance has a relevant role in FSMEs. Therefore, these firms must be aware of this type of organizational commitment, as affective commitment increasingly influences their employees’ and teams’ performance.

Originality/value

The study contributes to advancing theory regarding the relationship between organizational commitment and contextual performance in small and medium-sized enterprises with a family structure. A new dimension of organizational commitment (Imperative) was considered in the family firm context.
Networks in professional groups: a matter of connection or self-exile?
Authors: Boros Smaranda , Van Gorp Lore
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Integrating predictions of social exchange theory and implicit social cognition, this paper aims to investigate mechanisms of co-evolution between professional and personal support networks in a professional, non-hierarchical setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The study covers simultaneously people’s behaviours and their subjective interpretations of them in a cross-lagged network design in a group of 65 MBA students.

Findings

Results show that people build on their professional support network to develop personal support relations. People who have a high status in the professional support network appear to be afraid to lose them by asking too many others for personal support and people with a low status in the professional support network seem also be reluctant to ask many others for personal support.

Practical implications

Although personal support is a key social mechanism facilitating individual well-being and organizational success, support in the workplace often remains limited to professional topics. This research shows why people hesitate to expand their networks in professional settings and to what extent their fears have a basis in reality.

Originality/value

It goes beyond predictions of social exchange theory which inform most network evolution studies and tap into implicit social cognition predictions to expand the explanatory power of the hypotheses. The study’s network analysis takes into account both behaviours and social perceptions. The sample is a non-hierarchical professional group which allows a more ecological observation of how hierarchies are born in social groups.
Of mammals and bacteria in a rainforest: Temporal dynamics of soil bacteria in response to simulated N pulse from mammalian urine
Authors: Buscardo Erika , Geml József , Schmidt Steven K. , Silva Artur L. C. , Ramos Rommel T. J. , Barbosa Silvanira M. R. , Andrade Soraya S. , Dalla Costa Ricardo , Souza Anete P. , Freitas Helena , Cunha Hillândia B. , Nagy Laszlo
Published: October 2017

Pulse‐type perturbation through excreta by animals creates a mosaic of short‐term high nutrient‐load patches in the soil. How this affects microbial community composition and how long these impacts last are important for microbial community dynamics and nutrient cycling.

Our study focused on the short‐term responses to N by bacterial communities and ‘functional groups’ associated with the N cycle in a lowland evergreen tropical rainforest. We applied a single urea pulse, equivalent to urine‐N deposition by medium‐sized mammals to simulate N enrichment and changes in soil N availability, and analysed soil bacterial communities using molecular methods, before and after urea application.

Urea addition increased mineral N availability and changed bacterial community composition, from phylum to operational taxonomic unit levels, however, taxon richness and diversity were unaffected. Taxa involved in the physiologically “narrow” processes of nitrification (e.g. Nitrosospira) and denitrification (e.g. Phyllobacteriaceae, Xanthomonadaceae and Comamonadaceae) increased their relative abundance, while N2‐fixers (e.g. Rhodospirillales, and Rhizobiales) decreased after treatment. While a temporal legacy on both community composition and functional group profile was observable 58 and 159 days after treatment, at the latter date bacterial communities were already tending towards pre‐treatment composition.

We suggest that pulse‐type perturbation by mammal urine that occurs on a daily basis has strong short‐term effects on patch dynamics of soil microbiota and N availability. Such a spatio‐temporally dynamic soil environment enhances overall microbial richness and diversity, and contributes to the apparent temporal resilience of community composition.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Genetic variation in the progesterone receptor gene and susceptibility to recurrent pregnancy loss: a case–control study
Authors: Bahia W , Finan RR , Al‐Mutawa M , Haddad A , Soua A , Janhani F , Mahjoub T , Almawi WY
Published: October 2017

Objective

To investigate the association of progesterone receptor (PGR) gene variants with susceptibility to recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

Design

Retrospective case–control study.

Setting

Outpatient obstetrics and gynaecology clinics.

Population

Women withRPL(396), defined as three or more consecutive miscarriages of unknown aetiology, and 361 women used as controls.

Methods

PGRgenotyping was performed by the allelic exclusion method (real‐time polymerase chain reaction).

Main outcome measures

PGRsingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the distribution of their alleles, genotypes and haplotypes.

Results

Higher minor allele frequencies (MAFs) for rs590688, rs10895068, and rs1942836 were seen inRPLcases than in controls, which remained significant after controlling for multiple comparisons. Significantly higher frequencies of heterozygous (1/2) rs608995, along with heterozygous (1/2) and homozygous (2/2) rs590688, rs10895068, and rs1942836 genotype carriers, were seen betweenRPLcases versus controls, respectively, which persisted after controlling for age, body mass index (BMI), and menarche. The increased risk ofRPLassociated with rs590688 and rs1942836 was dependent on the number of minor alleles, thus suggesting a ‘dose‐dependent’ effect associated with both variants. Varied linkage disequilibrium (LD) was noted between rs590688, rs10895068, rs608995, and rs1942836PGRvariants associated withRPL. Haplotypes with an increased frequency ofCGTCand reduced frequency ofGGATwere noted in women withRPL, compared with controls, thereby indicating these haplotypes asRPL‐susceptible andRPL‐protective, respectively. This association persisted after controlling for multiple comparisons, and after adjusting for covariates.

Conclusions

We have confirmed a positive association of specificPGRvariants (rs590688, rs10895068, and rs1942836) andPGRhaplotypes (ATGCCGTCandATTCGGTC) with an increased risk ofRPL, thereby supporting a role forPGRas anRPLcandidate locus.

Tweetable abstract

Genetic variants in progesterone receptor gene are associated with increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss.
Novel joint selection methods can reduce sample size for rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials with ultrasound endpoints
Authors: Allen John C. , Thumboo Julian , Lye Weng Kit , Conaghan Philip G. , Chew Li‐Ching , Tan York Kiat
Published: October 2017

Objectives

To determine whether novel methods of selecting joints through (i) ultrasonography (individualized‐ultrasound [IUS] method), or (ii) ultrasonography and clinical examination (individualized‐composite‐ultrasound [ICUS] method) translate into smaller rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trial sample sizes when compared to existing methods utilizing predetermined joint sites for ultrasonography.

Methods

Cohen's effect size (ES) was estimated () and a 95% CI (, ) calculated on a mean change in 3‐month total inflammatory score for each method. Corresponding 95% CIs [, ] were obtained on a post hoc sample size reflecting the uncertainty in . Sample size calculations were based on a one‐sample t‐test as the patient numbers needed to provide 80% power at α = 0.05 to reject a null hypothesis H0: ES = 0 versus alternative hypotheses H1: ES = , ES = and ES = . We aimed to provide point and interval estimates on projected sample sizes for future studies reflecting the uncertainty in our study .

Results

Twenty‐four treated RA patients were followed up for 3 months. Utilizing the 12‐joint approach and existing methods, the post hoc sample size (95% CI) was 22 (10–245). Corresponding sample sizes using ICUS and IUS were 11 (7–40) and 11 (6–38), respectively. Utilizing a seven‐joint approach, the corresponding sample sizes using ICUS and IUS methods were nine (6–24) and 11 (6–35), respectively.

Conclusions

Our pilot study suggests that sample size for RA clinical trials with ultrasound endpoints may be reduced using the novel methods, providing justification for larger studies to confirm these observations.
Concurrent ROS1 gene rearrangement and KRAS mutation in lung adenocarcinoma: A case report and literature review
Authors: Zhu You‐cai , Lin Xue‐ping , Li Xiao‐feng , Wu Li‐xin , Chen Hua‐fei , Wang Wen‐xian , Xu Chun‐wei , Shen Jian‐fa , Wei Jian‐guo , Du Kai‐qi
Published: October 2017

Lung adenocarcinomas with gene rearrangement in the receptor tyrosine kinase ROS1 have emerged as a rare molecular subtype. Although these lung adenocarcinomas respond to ROS1tyrosine kinase inhibitors, many patients ultimately acquire resistance. ROS1gene rearrangement is generally mutually exclusive with other driver genomic alterations, such as those in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK, thus multiple genomic alterations are extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of a 42‐year‐old man diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma positive for a SDC4‐ROS1 fusion, who was treated with crizotinib followed by three cycles of chemotherapy. A biopsy acquired after disease progression revealed the original SDC4‐ROS1 fusion along with a KRAS point mutation (p.G12D).We reviewed the related literature to determine the frequency of gene mutations in non‐small cell lung cancer patients. A better understanding of the molecular biology of non‐small cell lung cancer with multiple driver genomic aberrations will assist in determining optimal treatment.
Testing determinants of the annual individual fitness: An overall mean mixture model for de‐lifing data
Authors: Dupont Pierre , Allainé Dominique , Cohas Aurélie , Pradel Roger
Published: October 2017

The de‐lifing method (Coulson et al., 2006, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 273, 547), though very promising for studying ecological and evolutionary changes, has been scarcely used to identify factors influential on fitness.

Through simulations representative of a variety of iteroparous species, we establish that a two‐component normal mixture usually provides a much better representation of de‐lifing data than the single normal distribution assumed in classical linear models.

To test determinants of the annual individual fitness, we propose the overall mean mixture model (O3M), a mixture model parameterised in terms of the overall mean of the mixture distribution.

We examine the gain in performance and accuracy when using the O3M over classical linear models and bootstrap methods on simulated finite normal mixture distributions for different regression shapes and variance structure, and apply it to a real dataset to study how the annual individual fitness varies with age in alpine marmots.

The O3M improves considerably the precision of the estimates and hence the power of the analysis. We discuss the adaptation of the O3M model to more complex distributions and advise on its use.
Cancer/testis antigen SPATA19 is frequently expressed in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer
Authors: Wong Kah Keng , Hussain Faezahtul Arbaeyah , Loo Suet Kee , López José I.
Published: October 2017

Spermatogenesis‐associated 19 (SPATA19) is a cancer/testis antigen overexpressed in various cancers. However, its protein expression profile in malignant or non‐malignant tissues remains unknown. Thus, in this study, we investigated SPATA19 protein expression patterns in a panel of non‐malignant human samples and primary prostate cancer (PCa) with or without benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues. SPATA19 was absent in all non‐malignant tissues investigated (n=14) except testis and prostate tissues. In terms of malignancies, all PCa cases were positive for SPATA19 exhibiting frequency between 20 and 100% (median 85%) with 63 (52.5%) and 57 (47.5%) cases demonstrating weak/moderate and strong intensities, respectively. Thirty‐nine PCa cases (32.5%) contained BPH, and all BPH glands were SPATA19 positive (frequency between 20 and 100%; median 90%) with 13 (33.3%) demonstrating strong SPATA19 expression. Higher SPATA19 expression (higher frequency, intensity, or H‐score) was not associated with overall survival or disease‐specific survival (DFS) in all PCa cases. However, biochemical recurrence (BR) was associated with worse DFS (p = 0.005) in this cohort of 120 patients, and cases with strong SPATA19 intensity were associated with BR (p = 0.020). In conclusion, we showed that SPATA19 protein was frequently expressed in both BPH and PCa glands, and this warrants future investigations on its pathogenic roles in the disease.
Linkages between the formal and informal sectors in a Canadian housing market: Vancouver and its secondary suite rentals
Authors: Mendez Pablo
Published: October 2017

Key Messages

The market in unauthorized secondary suite rentals in Vancouver represents an instance of market informality practiced by middle‐class households in the global north.

This informal market enacts a series of backward linkages with formal markets related to consumption goods, labour, land, and finance.

Institutional mechanisms at the federal and local government levels shape these linkages in ways that tend to benefit homeowner‐landlords of secondary suites more than renters.
New bone formation and trabecular bone microarchitecture of highly porous tantalum compared to titanium implant threads: A pilot canine study
Authors: Lee Jin Whan , Wen Hai Bo , Gubbi Prabhu , Romanos Georgios E.
Published: October 2017

Aim

This study evaluated new bone formation activities and trabecular bone microarchitecture within the highly porous region of Trabecular Metal™ Dental Implants (TM) and between the threads of Tapered Screw‐Vent® Dental Implants (TSV) in fresh canine extraction sockets.

Materials and methods

Eight partially edentulated dogs received four implants (4.1 mmD × 13 mmL) bilaterally in mandibular fresh extraction sockets (32TM, 32TSVimplants), and allowed to heal for 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Calcein was administered to label mineralizing bone at 11 and 4 days before euthanasia for dogs undergoing all four healing periods. Biopsies taken at each time interval were examined histologically. Histomorphometric assay was conducted for 64 unstained and 64 stained slides at the region of interest (ROI) (6 mm long × 0.35 mm deep) in the midsections of the implants. Topographical and chemical analyses were also performed.

Results

Histomorphometry revealed significantly more new bone in theTMthan in theTSVimplants at each healing time (p = .0014, .0084, .0218, and .0251). Calcein‐labeled data showed more newly mineralized bone in theTMgroup than in theTSVgroup at 2, 8, and 12 weeks (p = .045, .028, .002, respectively) but not at 4 weeks (p = .081). HistologicallyTMimplants exhibited more bone growth and dominant new immature woven bone at an earlier time point thanTSVimplants. The parameters representing trabecular bone microarchitecture corroborated faster new bone formation in theTMimplants when compared to theTSVimplants.TMexhibited an irregular faceted topography compared to a relatively uniform microtextured surface forTSV. Chemical analysis showed peaks associated with each implant's composition material, andTSValso showed peaks reflecting the elements of the calcium phosphate blasting media.

Conclusions and clinical implications

Results suggest that the healing pathway associated with the highly porous midsection ofTMdental implant could enable faster and stronger secondary implant stability than conventional osseointegration alone; however, prospective clinical studies are needed to confirm these potential benefits in patients with low bone density, compromised healing, or prior implant failure.
Effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) after acute stroke: A one‐year longitudinal randomized trial
Authors: Guan Yu‐Zhou , Li Jing , Zhang Xue‐Wei , Wu Shuang , Du Hua , Cui Li‐Ying , Zhang Wei‐Hong
Published: October 2017

Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on motor recovery after stroke using a prospective, double‐blind, randomized, sham‐controlled study.

Methods

Patients with unilateral subcortical infarction in the middle cerebral artery territory within 1 week after onset were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into an rTMS treatment group and a sham group. We performed high‐frequency rTMS or sham rTMS on the two groups. Motor functional scores were assessed pre‐ and post‐rTMS/sham rTMS and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after stroke onset. The scores included the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI), Fugl‐Meyer Assessment Upper Limb/Lower Limb (FMA‐UL/LL), modified Rank Score (mRS), and the resting motor threshold (RMT) of the hemiplegic limb.

Results

At baseline, no significant differences were found between the two groups for motor functional scores. On the second day after rTMS treatment, score improvements of the NIHSS, BI, FMA‐UL in the real treatment group were more significant than those in the sham group. In addition, similar results were obtained at 1 month. However, at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after onset, no significant differences in improvement were observed between the two groups, except for the FMA‐UL score improvement.

Conclusion

rTMS facilitates motor recovery of acute stroke patients, and the effect can last to 1 month, except the function improvement on upper extremities could last for 1 year. A single course of rTMS in the acute stage may induce the improvement of upper extremities function lasted for 1 year.
Solar energy forecasting based on hybrid neural network and improved metaheuristic algorithm
Authors: Abedinia Oveis , Amjady Nima , Ghadimi Noradin
Published: October 2017

Prediction of solar power involves the knowledge of the sun, atmosphere and other parameters, and the scattering processes and the specifications of a solar energy plant that employs the sun's energy to generate solar power. This prediction result is essential for an efficient use of the solar power plant, the management of the electricity grid, and solar energy trading. However, because of nonlinear and nonstationary behavior of solar power time series, an efficient forecasting model is needed to predict it. Accordingly, in this paper, we propose a new forecast approach based on combination of a neural network with a metaheuristic algorithm as the hybrid forecasting engine. The metaheuristic algorithm optimizes the free parameters of the neural network. This approach also includes a 2‐stage feature selection filter based on the information‐theoretic criteria of mutual information and interaction gain, which filters out the ineffective input features. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed forecast approach, it is implemented on a real‐world engineering test case. Obtained results illustrate the superiority of the proposed approach in comparison with other prediction methods.
Motor system plasticity after unilateral injury in the developing brain
Authors: Williams Preston T J A , Jiang Yu‐Qiu , Martin John H
Published: October 2017

In maturity, motor skills depend on the corticospinal tract (CST) and brainstem pathways that together synapse on interneurons and motoneurons in the spinal cord. Descending signals to spinal neurons that mediate voluntary control can be distinguished from peripheral sensory signals, primarily for feedback control. These motor system circuits depend initially on developmental genetic mechanisms to establish their connections and neural activity‐ and use‐dependent synaptic refinement during the early postnatal period to enable motor skills to develop. In this review we consider four key activity‐dependent developmental mechanisms that provide insights into how the motor systems establish the proper connections for skilled movement control and how the same mechanisms also inform the mechanisms of motor impairments and developmental plasticity after corticospinal system injury: (1) synaptic competition between the CSTs from each hemisphere; (2) interactions between the CST and spinal cord neurons; (3) synaptic competition between the CST and proprioceptive sensory fibres; and (4) interactions between the developing corticospinal motor system and the rubrospinal tract. Our findings suggest that the corticospinal motor system effectively ‘oversees’ development of its subcortical targets through synaptic competition and trophic‐like interactions and this has important implications for motor impairments after perinatal cortical stroke.

What this paper adds

Neural activity‐dependent processes inform the brain and spinal cord response to injury.

The corticospinal motor system may ‘oversee’ development of its downstream subcortical targets through activity, trophic‐like interactions, and synaptic competition.
Rostro‐caudal maturation of glial cells in the accessory olfactory system during development: involvement in outgrowth of GnRH neurites
Authors: Geller Sarah , Lomet Didier , Caraty Alain , Tillet Yves , Duittoz Anne , Vaudin Pascal
Published: October 2017

During mammalian embryonic development, GnRH neurones differentiate from the nasal placode and migrate through the nasal septum towards the forebrain. We previously showed that a category of glial cells, the olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC), forms the microenvironment of migrating GnRH neurones. Here, to characterize the quantitative and qualitative importance of this glial, we investigated the spatiotemporal maturation of glial cells in situ and the role of maturing glia in GnRH neurones development ex vivo. More than 90% of migrating GnRH neurones were found to be associated with glial cells. There was no change in the cellular microenvironment of GnRH neurones in the regions crossed during embryonic development as glial cells formed the main microenvironment of these neurones (53.4%). However, the phenotype of OEC associated with GnRH neurones changed across regions. The OEC progenitors immunoreactive to brain lipid binding protein formed the microenvironment of migrating GnRH neurones from the vomeronasal organ to the telencephalon and were also present in the diencephalon. However, during GnRH neurone migration, maturation of OEC to [GFAP+] state (glial fibrillary acid protein) was only observed in the nasal septum. Inducing depletion of OEC in maturation, using transgenic mice expressing herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase driven by the GFAP promoter, had no impact on neurogenesis or on triggering GnRH neurones migration in nasal explant culture. Nevertheless, depletion of [GFAP+] cells decreased GnRH neurites outgrowth by 57.4%. This study suggests that specific maturation of OEC in the nasal septum plays a role in morphological differentiation of GnRH neurones.
On the fatigue damage micromechanisms in Si‐solution–strengthened spheroidal graphite cast iron
Authors: Sujakhu S. , Castagne S. , Sakaguchi M. , Kasvayee K.A. , Ghassemali E. , Jarfors A.E.W. , Wang W.
Published: October 2017

Graphite nodules in spheroidal graphite cast iron (SGI) play a vital role in fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Graphite nodules growth morphology can go through transitions to form degenerated graphite elements other than spheroidal graphite nodules in SGI microstructure. These graphite particles significantly influence damage micromechanisms in SGI and could act differently than spheroidal graphite nodules. Most of the damage mechanism studies on SGI focused on the role of spheroidal graphite nodules on the stable crack propagation region. The role of degenerated graphite elements on SGI damage mechanisms has not been frequently studied. In this work, fatigue crack initiation and propagation tests were conducted on EN‐GJS‐500‐14 and observed under scanning electron microscope to understand the damage mechanisms for different graphite shapes. Crack initiation tests showed a dominant influence of degenerated graphite elements where early cracks initiated in the microstructure. Most of the spheroidal graphite nodules were unaffected at the early crack initiation stage, but few of them showed decohesion from the ferrite matrix and internal cracking. In the crack propagation region, graphite/ferrite matrix decohesion was the frequent damage mechanism observed with noticeable crack branching around graphite nodules and the crack passing through degenerated graphite elements. Finally, graphite nodules after decohesion acted like voids which grew and coalesced to form microcracks eventually causing rapid fracture of the remaining section.
Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir for untreated HCV genotype 1 infection in end stage renal disease patients: A prospective observational study
Authors: Surendra Mandarapu , Raju Sree Bhushan , Sridhar Nimmagadda , Vijay Kiran Bangillapati , Rajesh Goli , Anvesh Golla , Raju Nallagasu
Published: October 2017

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in end stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with increased mortality. Recently, numerous directly acting antiviral agents have been approved for the management of HCV. Ledipasvir along with Sofosbuvir has been approved for management of genotype 1 infection in patients with eGFR ≥30 mL/min. However, there is paucity of data regarding its role in the management of patients on dialysis.

Material and Methods: This is a single center prospective open label observational study to assess the safety and efficacy of Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir in hemodialysis (HD) patients who were diagnosed with HCV genotype 1 infection. Eligibility criteria were treatment naive HD patients with normal liver histology. We administered Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir combination tablet on alternate days for a period of 12 weeks. Primary efficacy end point was the assessment of sustained virological response (SVR12), and the safety end point was the discontinuation of therapy secondary to adverse drug effects.

Results: A total of 21 patients were treated with this regimen. Two patients expired during the study period and are not related to the therapy. SVR12 was achieved in all the 19 patients. None of the patients in our study discontinued the therapy or had severe adverse drug effects. One patient had head ache and another patient had giddiness which were managed symptomatically.

Conclusion: Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir combination therapy on alternate days, is effective even in ESRD patients, with excellent SVR12 rates, and it is as safe as in other population groups, without any major adverse reactions.
Feasibility of sustained low efficiency dialysis in critically sick pediatric patients: A multicentric retrospective study
Authors: Sethi Sidharth K. , Sinha Rajiv , Jha Pranaw , Wadhwani Nikita , Raghunathan Veena , Dhaliwal Maninder , Bansal Shyam B. , Kher Vijay , Lobo Valentine , Sharma Jyoti , Raina Rupesh
Published: October 2017

Introduction: Sustained low‐efficiency dialysis (SLED) has emerged as a cost effective alternative to Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in the management of hemodynamically unstable adult patients with acute kidney injury. The objective of the study was to document the SLED practices in these centers, and to look at the feasibility, and tolerability of SLED in critically sick pediatric patients.

Methods: It was a retrospective record review from January 2010 to June 2016 done in four tertiary pediatric nephrology centers in India. All pediatric patients undergoing SLED in the collaborating centers were included in the study. Basic demographic data, prescription parameters and outcomes of patients were recorded.

Findings: During the study period a total of 68 children received 211 sessions of SLED. PRISM score at admission in patients was 13.33 ± 9.15. Fifty‐seven patients were ventilated (84%). Most of the patients had one or more organ system involved in addition to renal (n = 64; 94%). Heparin free sessions were achievable in 153 sessions (72%). Out of 211 sessions, 148 sessions were on at least one inotrope (70.1%). Overall premature terminations had to be done in 27 sessions (13% of all sessions), out of which 7 sessions had to be terminated due to circuit clotting (3.3%). Intradialytic hypotension or need for inotrope escalation was seen in 31 (15%) sessions but termination of the session for drop in BP was required in only 20 (9%) sessions.

Conclusion: SLED is a feasible method of providing renal replacement in critically ill pediatric patients.
Rules Infants Look By: Testing the Assumption of Transitivity in Visual Salience
Authors: Kibbe Melissa M. , Kàldy Zsuzsa , Blaser Erik
Published: October 2017

What drives infants’ attention in complex visual scenes? Early models of infant attention suggested that the degree to which different visual features were detectable determines their attentional priority. Here, we tested this by asking whether two targets—defined by different features, but each equally salient when evaluated independently—would drive attention equally when pitted head‐to‐head. In Experiment 1, we presented 6‐month‐old infants with an array of Gabor patches in which a target region varied either in color or spatial frequency from the background. Using a forced‐choice preferential‐looking method, we measured how readily infants fixated the target as its featural difference from the background was parametrically increased. Then, in Experiment 2, we used these psychometric preference functions to choose values for color and spatial frequency targets that were equally salient (preferred), and pitted them against each other within the same display. We reasoned that if salience is transitive, then the stimuli should be iso‐salient and infants should therefore show no systematic preference for either stimulus. On the contrary, we found that infants consistently preferred the color‐defined stimulus. This suggests that computing visual salience in more complex scenes needs to include factors above and beyond local salience values.
The working hours of unpaid child workers in the handloom industry in India
Authors: Pal Jadab Kumar , Chakraborty Sonali , Tewari Hare Ram , Chandra Vinod
Published: October 2017

This paper investigates the effects of socio‐economic factors on the allocation of working time of unpaid child workers in the handloom industry. Based on regression and other statistical analysis of primary data collected from a field survey of 327 households engaged in the family‐based handloom industry of Ramna Etbar Nagar of Domkal Block, a village of Murshidabad district within the state of West Bengal, India, the results show that allocation of working hours depends on many of the socio‐economic factors of the household. The Lorenz curve shows that there is an unequal distribution in allocation of working hours among the working children, and boys work more compared to girls for a higher schedule of work. It has also been found that the larger the size of the households, the higher the number of looms, and the higher the allocation of working hours of children.
Trends in acquisitions of physician practices and subsequent clinical integration: A mixed methods study
Authors: West Jacob , Johnson Garret , Jha Ashish K.
Published: October 2017

Rationale, aims, and objectives

The US health care system is marked by a high degree of fragmentation in both delivery and financing. Some evidence suggests that attempts to reduce fragmentation have led to significant provider consolidation, including hospital acquisitions of physician groups, or “vertical integration.” The objective was to use time‐series data to quantify trends in and characteristics of hospital acquisitions of physician practices. A secondary objective was to use case studies to determine the motivations for these acquisitions and to identify what integration results from these transactions.

Methods

Data on annual hospital acquisition of physician practices was used to quantify trends and characteristics of acquiring hospitals between 2006 and 2013. Four in‐depth case studies, including structured interviews with hospital leadership, were then conducted of recent hospital acquisitions of primary care practices.

Results

Acquisitions of physician practices have been increasing over the last decade and peaked in 2011. Most acquisitions were of small primary care, multi‐specialty, or cardiology practices. The case studies revealed that the primary motivation for hospital acquisitions was to increase referrals and negotiate higher payment rates. These transactions resulted in very limited clinical integration, while all acquiring hospitals sought to integrate health information systems.

Conclusions

Among 4 case‐studies of hospital acquisition of physician practices, the primary motivation was financial and competitive motivations. This suggests that policymakers should be mindful of the potential negative effects of these acquisitions on health care costs, as well as the uncertainty of clinical benefits. Policymakers may need supplementary strategies to deliver the goals of reduced costs and improved quality of care.
Gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps associated with increased risk of colorectal adenoma in men
Authors: Liu Yen‐Ling , Wu Jin‐Shang , Yang Yi‐Ching , Lu Feng‐Hwa , Lee Chih‐Ting , Lin Wan‐Ju , Chang Chih‐Jen
Published: October 2017

Background and Aims

Most cases of colorectal cancer develop via an adenoma to carcinoma sequence. Gallbladder polyps share some risk factors with colorectal polyps. Little is known about the relationship between gallbladder diseases and different status of colorectal polyps by gender. This study was to investigate the association of gallbladder stones and polyps with colorectal adenomas by gender in a Taiwanese population.

Methods

A total of 7066 eligible subjects who underwent a total colonoscopy as a part of health check‐up between January 2001 and August 2009 were recruited. Colonoscopic findings were classified into polyp‐free, non‐neoplastic polyps and colorectal adenomas. Gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps were diagnosed based on ultrasonographic findings.

Results

There was a significant difference in the status of colon polyps between subjects with and without gallbladder polyps. However, the status of colon polyps was not significantly different between subjects with or without gallbladder stones. After adjusting obesity, fasting plasma glucose, and other variables, there was a positive relationship between gallbladder polyps and colorectal adenomas (odds ratio [OR]: 1.396, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.115–1.747) but not non‐neoplastic polyps in all subjects. In men, gallbladder polyps (OR: 1.560, 95% CI: 1.204–2.019) and gallbladder stones (OR: 1.465, 95% CI 1.081–1.984) were positively associated with colorectal adenomas. In women, neither gallbladder polyps nor gallbladder stones were significantly related to colon polyps.

Conclusions

Both gallbladder polyps and gallbladder stones were associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenomas in men but not in women. Gender difference was significant for the association between gallbladder lesions and colorectal polyps.
Transmission electron microscopy of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade laser structures
Authors: WALTHER T. , KRYSA A.B.
Published: October 2017

Quantum cascade lasers can be efficient infrared radiation sources and consist of several hundreds of very thin layers arranged in stacks that are repeated periodically. Both the thicknesses of the individual layers as well as the period lengths need to be monitored to high precision. Different transmission electron microscopy methods have been combined to analyse AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade laser structures in cross‐section. We found a small parabolic variation of the growth rate during deposition, affecting the stack periodicity and a reduced aluminium content of the AlGaAs barriers, whereas their widths as well as those of the GaAs quantum wells agreed with the nominal values within one atomic layer. Growth on an offcut substrate led to facets and steps at the interfaces.
Two cases of liver lobe torsion in a white‐lipped tamarin (Saguinus labiatus) and an Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis)
Authors: Silvetti S. , Kubiak M. , Justice W.S.M. , Stidworthy M.F.
Published: October 2017

This paper describes liver lobe torsion in a white‐lipped tamarin (Saguinus labiatus) and an Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis). Both animals had a history of acute collapse, and diagnosis was made post‐mortem. To the authors’ knowledge, these are the first reported cases of this pathology in non‐human primates.
HETERODOX THEORIES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION: A PARTIAL SURVEY
Authors: Dutt Amitava Krishna
Published: October 2017

Heterodox theories of economic growth and income distribution are surveyed, focusing on major theories and recent contributions. First, a general framework for examining growth and distribution is discussed, in terms of which classical‐Marxian and post‐Keynesian–Kaleckian and other theories are presented. Since this framework examines how variables are determined in equilibrium, second, dynamics behind equilibria are examined, focusing on goods market and labor market changes. Third, the framework is extended in a variety of ways to examine additional models addressing productivity growth and technical change, money and inflation, finance and debt, additional distributional considerations, multisector issues, open economy questions, and the environment. It is concluded that the literature on heterodox theories of growth and distribution is vibrant, large, and growing, and addresses many issues that are ignored or neglected in orthodox theories, including power, unemployment, and aggregate demand.
Robust optical tracking of individual ejecta particles in hypervelocity impact experiments
Authors: Gulde Max , Kortmann Lukas , Ebert Matthias , Watson Erkai , Wilk Jakob , Schäfer Frank
Published: October 2017

New insights into the kinematics of ejecta clouds and the dynamics of crater formation are gained from the introduction of an approach to track individual particles ejected from a horizontal hypervelocity impact of a 2 mm aluminum sphere at 6.3 km s−1 into vertically aligned Carrara marble. Particle trajectories are determined with 500 ns temporal resolution inside a 1–2 mm thick laser light sheet illuminating a single plane within the ejecta plume. In contrast to optical flow analysis, the methodology presented here enables us to track individual particles instead of relying on field‐averaged information. This is realized by correlating particles not via their geometric shape but through their trajectory directly. It robustly identifies even partially obscured or strongly tumbling particles, allowing for a comprehensive physical description of the highly dynamical excavation process based on the precise determination of position, time, and ejection velocity of each individual particle. Specifically, we find ejecta particles launched in a short window of about 0–25 μs after impact and up to a radial distance of 10 mm from the impact location. During this time interval, the transient crater radius grows from 2 ± 1 mm to 6 ± 2 mm. Velocities between 70 m s−1 and 1 km s−1 are observed and reveal a substantial steepening of the ejecta curtain within 15 μs after the impact. We additionally determine the particle size and find a μ‐parameter of 0.6 for Carrara marble which is consistent with theoretical predictions for nonporous materials.
Embryonated chicken eggs: An experimental model for Pythium insidiosum infection
Authors: Verdi Camila M. , Jesus Francielli P. K. , Kommers Glaucia , Ledur Pauline C. , Azevedo Maria I. , Loreto Erico S. , Tondolo Juliana S. M. , Andrade Eduardo N. C. , Schlemmer Karine B. , Alves Sydney H. , Santurio Janio M.
Published: October 2017

Pythiosis is a severe disease caused by Pythium insidiosum. Currently, the research on the treatment of pythiosis uses rabbits as an experimental infection model. To reduce the use of animals in scientific experimentation, alternative models are increasingly necessary options. The objective of this study was to establish a new experimental infection model for pythiosis using embryonated chicken eggs. First, we tested the inoculation of 4 zoospore concentrations into the egg allantoic cavity at 3 embryonic days. We observed that increased zoospore concentration causes a decrease in survival time, and at a later embryonic day (the 14th) of infection, embryos showed delayed mortality. To confirm the reproducibility of the model, we chose the 14th embryonic day for the inoculation of 50 zoospores/egg, and the experiment was repeated twice. Mortality began with 30% embryos 48 hours after inoculation, and 95% embryos died within 72 hours. There was no mortality in the uninfected control group. The infection was confirmed by culture, PCR and histopathology. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of hyphae in blood vessels in the umbilical cords in 95% of embryos and only 1 liver (5%). Our results suggest that embryonated eggs can be a very useful alternative infection model to study pythiosis.
Phenotype variability and histopathological findings in patients with a novel DNM2 mutation
Authors: Chen Shuyun , Huang Ping , Qiu Yusen , Zhou Qian , Li Xiaobing , Zhu Min , Hong Daojun
Published: October 2017

Mutations of Dynamin 2 (DNM2) are responsible for several forms of neuromuscular disorder such as centronuclear myopathy, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) dominant intermediate type B, CMT 2M, and lethal congenital contracture syndrome 5. We describe a young man manifesting as length‐dependent sensorimotor neuropathy with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but his mother only had very mild symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. The electrophysiological data meet the criteria of intermediate CMT. The main pathological findings of sural nerve biopsy reveal a severe loss of large myelinating fibers and some clusters of regenerative fibers in fascicles, which are consistent with an axonal neuropathy. However, myopathological changes show a chronic myopathy‐like pattern characterized by great variations of fiber size, increased connective tissue, rimmed vacuoles and predominance of type 2 fibers. A novel DNM2 mutation (p.G359D) in the middle domain is identified, which is highly evolutionarily conserved. DNM2‐related CMT disease is phenotypically heterogeneous in age at onset, clinical features and electrophysiological changes. The histopathological findings indicate the coexistence of typical axonal neuropathy and chronic myopathy in DNM2‐related neuromuscular diseases.
Corydalis pseudohemsleyana sp. nov. (Papaveraceae) from Hubei, China
Authors: Wang Dong
Published: October 2017

Corydalis pseudohemsleyana (Papaveraceae), a new species from western Hubei, central China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to C. hemsleyana, but differs by its racemes 13–26‐flowered (vs 4–8‐flowered), outer petals truncate to emarginate at apex, with a short mucro in notch (vs obtuse to subacute), and the spurs cylindric (vs conical).
Studies on Homalomeneae (Araceae) of Borneo XX: Homalomena lambirensis sp. nov. from Sarawak with well‐recorded pollination biology
Authors: Wong Sin Yeng , Boyce Peter C.
Published: October 2017

Homalomena lambirensis S. Y. Wong & P. C. Boyce is described and illustrated as a new species of the Homalomena Hanneae complex [Cyrtocladon clade] from Lambir Hills National Park, northeast Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo to where it is endemic. Comparison with the described Bornean species of the Hanneae complex is made and an identification key to species is provided. Homalomena lambirensis has previously been the subject of detailed pollination biology studies under the erroneous identity Homalomena propinqua Schott (= H. rostrata Griff.). Recognition of H. lambirensis takes to 10 the total of described species for the Hanneae complex.