bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does splitting a tablet obtain the accurate dose?
Authors: Chaudhri Kanika , Kearney Madeleine , Di Tanna Gian Luca , Day Richard O. , Rodgers Anthony , Atkins Emily R.
Published: October 2019

Background:

Physical manipulation of the manufactured dose form is a common practice, with almost a quarter of all drugs administered in primary care having their dose altered. Splitting a tablet can be advantageous as it facilitates swallowing, allows for dose flexibility and provides cost reductions. However, there are concerns these physical changes can lead to inaccurate portions resulting in significant variations from the prescribed dose. Thus, the review described in this protocol aims to summarise the literature assessing the effect of tablet splitting on dose accuracy.

Methods:

Relevant studies will be identified through electronic searches in databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, from the beginning of databases until January 2020. Studies investigating any drug, where the tablet was split, will be potentially eligible. Two reviewers will independently screen studies and extract data using standardised forms. Data extracted will include general study information, characteristics of the study, intervention characteristics and outcomes. Primary outcome is to assess dose accuracy of a split tablet measured by drug content or weight variability. Assessment of risk of bias will be dependent upon study design. If deemed feasible, meta-analysis will be performed.

Results:

The study described within this protocol will provide a synthesis of current evidence assessing the effect of tablet splitting on dose accuracy.

Conclusion:

The conclusion of our study will provide evidence to judge whether splitting a tablet results in an accurate half dose.

Ethics and dissemination:

Ethics approval was not required for this study. The results of the systematic review described will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Registration details:

PROSPERO CRD42018106252
Effect of local anesthesia with lidocaine on perioperative proinflammatory cytokine levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in cerebral aneurysm patients
Authors: Matas Marijana , Sotošek Vlatka , Kozmar Ana , Likić Robert , Sekulić Ante
Published: October 2019

Background:

Cerebral aneurysm surgery has significant mortality and morbidity rate. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms, their rupture, subarachnoid hemorrhage and neurologic complications. Proinflammatory cytokine level in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an indicator of inflammatory response. Cytokines contribute to secondary brain injury and can worsen the outcome of the treatment. Lidocaine is local anesthetic that can be applied in neurosurgery as regional anesthesia of the scalp and as topical anesthesia of the throat before direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Besides analgesic, lidocaine has systemic anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect.

Primary aim of this trial is to determine the influence of local anesthesia with lidocaine on the perioperative levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in plasma and CSF in cerebral aneurysm patients.

Methods:

We will conduct prospective randomized clinical trial among patients undergoing craniotomy and cerebral aneurysm clipping surgery in general anesthesia. Patients included in the trial will be randomly assigned to the lidocaine group (Group L) or to the control group (Group C). Patients in Group L, following general anesthesia induction, will receive topical anesthesia of the throat before endotracheal intubation and also regional anesthesia of the scalp before Mayfield frame placement, both done with lidocaine. Patients in Group C will have general anesthesia only without any lidocaine administration. The primary outcomes are concentrations of cytokines interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in plasma and CSF, measured at specific timepoints perioperatively. Secondary outcome is incidence of major neurological and infectious complications, as well as treatment outcome in both groups.

Discussion:

Results of the trial could provide insight into influence of lidocaine on local and systemic inflammatory response in cerebrovascular surgery, and might improve future anesthesia practice and treatment outcome.

Trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov:

NCT03823482.
Tai Chi can prevent cardiovascular disease and improve cardiopulmonary function of adults with obesity aged 50 years and older
Authors: Sun Lei , Zhuang Lv-Ping , Li Xiu-Zhu , Zheng Jian , Wu Wei-Fen
Published: October 2019

To research the possible role of Tai Chi in preventing cardiovascular disease and improving cardiopulmonary function in adults with obesity aged 50 years and older.

Between 2007 and 2012, 120 adults with obesity, aged 50 years and older, were divided into a Tai Chi group and a control group, with 60 participants in each group. The 2 groups were evaluated for weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, blood pressure (BP), body mass index, and incidence of chronic disease during follow-up monitoring.

Two- and 6-year follow-up showed that the average BP in the Tai Chi group along with either the systolic or diastolic pressure decreased significantly compared to those in the control group (P < .001). Waist and hip circumference, weight, and body mass index in the Tai Chi group were significantly reduced compared to those in the control group (P < .001). The cardiopulmonary function of the control group and the Tai Chi group changed, with the cardiac index significantly higher in the Tai Chi group than in the control group (P < .05). The Tai Chi group had significantly higher levels of lung function, including vital capacity, maximal oxygen uptake, and total expiratory time, than the control group. The total incidence of complications and mortality in the Tai Chi group were much lower than those in the control group (P < .001). The incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in the Tai Chi group (16.67%) was lower than that in the control group (38.33%).

Tai Chi is not only a suitable exercise for elderly people with obesity, but it can also help to regulate BP, improve heart and lung function in these individuals, as well as reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases, helping to improve their quality of life.
Cumulative evidence for association of sepsis and retinopathy of prematurity
Authors: Huang Jichong , Tang Ying , Zhu Tingting , Li Yafei , Chun Hua , Qu Yi , Mu Dezhi
Published: October 2019

Background:

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal vasoproliferative disease affected by multiple factors such as infection and preterm birth. The role of sepsis in the development of ROP remains controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the impact of sepsis on ROP.

Methods:

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched using terms related to sepsis and ROP. Cohort or case–control studies that reported the association of sepsis and ROP were eligible. The odds ratios (ORs) together with the 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted from the studies or computed by authors if not provided.

Results:

Thirty-four studies were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that sepsis increased the risk for the development of any stage ROP (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.65–2.82). Both early onset (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.97–3.18) and late-onset (OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.22–1.55) sepsis were associated with severe ROP. Furthermore, both bacterial sepsis (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.21–2.50) and fungal sepsis (OR = 2.96; 95% CI: 2.05–4.28) were also found to be associated with severe ROP.

Conclusion:

Sepsis increased the risk of any stage ROP, especially for the severe ROP. Further high-quality clinical studies are needed to eliminate heterogeneity and publication bias to validate these findings.
Is serum total bilirubin a predictor of prognosis in arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease? A meta-analysis
Authors: Lan Yang , Liu Huan , Liu Jinbo , Zhao Hongwei , Wang Hongyu
Published: October 2019

The protective role of serum total bilirubin, a widely recognized antioxidant, has been approved by numerous updating studies. However, regarding the effect of high serum total bilirubin level (STBL) in arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are conflicting in different sources of data. We, therefore, performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the influence of STBL on risk of ASCVD.

Four databases were used to identify the literature with a date of search of January, 2019. Finally, a total of 20 studies had been adopted. ASCVD was defined as acute coronary syndrome, stable angina, coronary revascularization, atherosclerotic stroke or transient ischemic attack, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). All relevant data were collected from studies meeting the inclusion criteria.

A total of 20 published studies (323,891 cases) met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed that, in studies excluding heterogeneity, STBL was significantly positively related to in-hospital cardiovascular mortality (odds ratio [OR] 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83–4.36, Z = 4.69, P < .001) and major adverse cardiac events (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.414–2.491, Z = 4.36, P < .001), also negatively associated with prognosis of acute myocardial infarction, pooled hazard ratio (HR) = 0.804 (95% CI 0.700–0.923, Z = 3.08, P = .002). The correlation similarity was also reflected in terms of patients with stroke (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70–0.88, Z = 4.24, P = .003). Combined analysis revealed that lower STBL was significantly associated with PAD, pooled OR = 0.91 (95% CI 0.85–0.98, Z = 2.39, P = .017). In general analysis, a conclusion can be drawn, that higher STBL was significantly negative correlated with cardiovascular disease, pooled HR = 0.83 (95% CI 0.73–0.94, Z = 3.02, P = .003).

Higher STBL significantly improved the prognosis of ASCVD; furthermore, STBL was an important factor in the long-term prognosis of vascular-related disease prevention and can be used as a predictor in vascular-related disease risk prediction.
Aquaporin 4 regulation by ginsenoside Rb1 intervenes with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced astrocyte injury
Authors: Li Ya-Nan , Gao Zhong-Wen , Li Ran , Zhang Yun-Feng , Zhu Qing-San , Huang Fei
Published: October 2019

Background:

Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCII) is a common complication of spinal surgery as well as thoracic and abdominal surgery. Acute cytotoxic edema is the key pathogenic alteration. Therefore, avoiding or decreasing cellular edema has become the major target for SCII treatment.

Methods:

The antiedema activity of ginsenoside Rb1 on aquaporin (AQP) 4, nerve growth factor (NGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression was detected by western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction under conditions of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in a rat astrocyte model in vitro. In addition, the cellular membrane permeability of AQP4 overexpressing cells or AQP4 small interfering RNA-transfected cells was detected.

Results:

Ginsenoside Rb1 significantly prevented OGD/R-induced AQP4 downregulation in rat astrocytes. In addition, ginsenoside Rb1 treatment or AQP4 overexpression in rat astrocytes significantly attenuated the OGD/R-induced increase of cellular membrane permeability. Moreover, ginsenoside Rb1 obviously prevented the OGD/R-induced decrease of NGF and BDNT expression in rat astrocytes.

Conclusion:

These findings demonstrate that ginsenoside Rb1 can relieve spinal cord edema and improve neurological function by increasing AQP4 expression.
Pulmonary vasodilator therapy for patients after Fontan procedure
Authors: Li Dongxu , Zhou Xu , An Qi , Feng Yuan
Published: October 2019

Background:

The Fontan circulation is fragile, which is easily broken down. For now, there is no consensus on the drug treatment for the prevention of failure of the Fontan circulation.

Methods:

Studies comparing pulmonary vasodilator and control in Fontan patients were identified by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Clinical Trials, and the Cochrane Library databases until March 20, 2019. The assessed variables included the change of pulmonary resistance, heart function, exercise capacity, life of quality, mortality, and serials of adverse events before and after drug administration. A random-effect/fixed-effect model was used to summarize the estimates of the mean difference (MD)/risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis stratified by drug was performed.

Results:

This study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Conclusion:

This study will assess the efficacy and safety of pulmonary vasodilators for patients after Fontan procedure, and provide more evidence-based guidance in clinical practice.

PROSPERO registration number:

CRD42019132135.
Predictive Value of Biomechanical Mapping for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery
Authors: Egorov Vladimir , Takacs Peter , Shobeiri S. Abbas , Hoyte Lennox , Lucente Vincent , van Raalte Heather , Sarvazyan Noune
Published: October 2019

Objective

This study examined biomechanical changes in pelvic floor after urogynecological surgery.

Methods

This multisite clinical study was designed to explore changes in tissue elasticity, pelvic support, and certain functions (contractive strength, muscle relaxation speed, muscle motility) after pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery. A biomechanical mapping of the pelvic floor was performed before and 4 to 6 months after the surgery. The biomechanical data for 52 parameters were acquired by vaginal tactile imaging for manually applied deflection pressures to vaginal walls and pelvic muscle contractions. The two-sample t-test (P < 0.05) was used to test the null hypothesis that presurgery data in group 1 (positive parameter change after surgery) and presurgery data in group 2 (negative parameter change after surgery) belonged to the same distribution.

Results

A total of 78 subjects with 255 surgical procedures were analyzed across 5 participating clinical sites. All 52 t-tests for group 1 versus group 2 had P value in the range from 4.0 × 10−10 to 4.3 × 10−2 associating all of the 52 parameter changes after surgery with the presurgical conditions. The P value of before and after surgery correlation ranged from 3.7 × 10−18 to 1.6 × 10−2 for 50 of 52 tests, with Pearson correlation coefficient ranging from −0.79 to −0.27. Thus, vaginal tactile imaging parameters strongly correlated weak pelvic floor presurgery with the positive POP surgery outcome of improved biomechanical properties.

Conclusions

Pelvic organ prolapse surgery, in general, improves the biomechanical conditions and integrity of the weak pelvic floor. The proposed biomechanical parameters can predict changes resulting from POP surgery.
A comprehensive review of topical hemostatic agents: The good, the bad, and the novel
Authors: Tompeck Allison J. , Gajdhar Aniq ur Reham , Dowling Matthew , Johnson Steven B. , Barie Philip S. , Winchell Robert J. , King David , Scalea Thomas M. , Britt L.D. , Narayan Mayur
Published: October 2019

Uncontrolled exsanguination remains the leading cause of death for trauma patients, many of whom die in the pre-hospital setting. Without expedient intervention, trauma-associated hemorrhage induces a host of systemic responses and acute coagulopathy of trauma. For this reason, health care providers and prehospital personal face the challenge of swift and effective hemorrhage control. The utilization of adjuncts to facilitate hemostasis was first recorded in 1886. Commercially available products haves since expanded to include topical hemostats, surgical sealants, and adhesives. The ideal product balances efficacy, with safety practicality and cost-effectiveness. This review of hemostasis provides a guide for successful implementation and simultaneously highlights future opportunities.
Analysis of blunt cerebrovascular injury in pediatric trauma
Authors: Grigorian Areg , Dolich Matthew , Lekawa Michael , Fujitani Roy M. , Kabutey Nii-Kabu , Kuza Catherine M. , Bashir Rame , Nahmias Jeffry
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) occurs in <1% of pediatric patients. The two principal screening criteria for BCVI in children are the Utah and McGovern Score with motor vehicle accident (MVA) considered to be a predictor for BCVI. We sought to confirm previously reported risk factors and identify novel associations with BCVI in pediatric patients.

METHODS

The Pediatric Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2014–2016) was queried for patients younger than 16 years presenting after blunt trauma. A multivariable logistic regression was used to determine risk of BCVI.

RESULTS

From 69,149 pediatric patients, 109 (<0.2%) had BCVI. The median age was 13 years, and the median Injury Severity Score was 25. More than half the patients were involved in MVAs (53.2%) and had a skull base fracture (53.2%). Factors independently associated with BCVI include skull base fracture (odds ratio [OR], 3.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.40–6.14; p < 0.001), cervical spine fracture (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.91–5.18; p < 0.001), intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.89–5.14; p < 0.001), Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.33–3.54; p = 0.003), and mandible fracture (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.05–3.84; p = 0.04). Motor vehicle accident was not an independent predictor for BCVI (p = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

In the largest analysis of pediatric BCVI to date, skull base fracture had the strongest association with BCVI. Other associations to pediatric BCVI included cervical spine and mandible fracture. Motor vehicle accident, previously identified to be associated with BCVI, was not an independent risk factor in our analysis. A future multicenter study incorporating newly identified variables in a scoring system to screen for BCVI is warranted.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV (Prognostic/Epidemiologic).
Perceived loss of social support after non‐neurologic injury negatively impacts recovery
Authors: Carr Bryan W. , Severance Sarah E. , Bell Teresa M. , Zarzaur Ben L.
Published: October 2019

BACKGROUND

Traumatic injury is not only physically devastating, but also psychologically isolating, potentially leading to poor quality of life, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Perceived social support (PSS) is associated with better outcomes in some populations. What is not known is if changes in PSS influence long-term outcomes following nonneurologic injury. We hypothesized that a single drop in PSS during recovery would be associated with worse quality of life.

METHODS

This is a post hoc analysis of a prospectively collected database that included patients 18 years or older admitted to a Level I trauma center with Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 10 or higher, and no traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. Demographic and injury data were collected at the initial hospital admission. Screening for depression, PTSD, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Mental Composite Score (MCS) were obtained at the initial hospitalization, 1, 2, 4, and 12 months postinjury. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was obtained at similar time points. Patients with high MSPSS (>5) at baseline were included and grouped by those that ever reported a score ≤5 (DROP), and those that remained high (STABLE). Outcomes were determined at 4 and 12 months.

RESULTS

Four hundred eleven patients were included with 96 meeting DROP criteria at 4 months, and 97 at 1 years. There were no differences in sex, race, or injury mechanism. The DROP patients were more likely to be single (p = 0.012 at 4 months, p = 0.0006 at 1 year) and unemployed (p = 0.016 at 4 months, and p = 0.026 at 1 year) compared with STABLE patients. At 4 months and 1 year, DROP patients were more likely to have PTSD, depression, and a lower MCS (p = 0.0006, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Patients who have a drop in PSS during the first year of recovery have significantly higher odds of poor psychological outcomes. Identifying these socially frail patients provides an opportunity for intervention to positively influence an otherwise poor quality of life.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, Prognostic and Epidemiological, Level III.
An optimized workflow for single-cell transcriptomics and repertoire profiling of purified lymphocytes from clinical samples
Authors: Hanamsagar Richa , Reizis Timothy , Chamberlain Mathew , Marcus Robert , Nestle Frank O. , de Rinaldis Emanuele , Savova Virginia
Published: October 2019

Establishing clinically relevant single-cell (SC) transcriptomic workflows from cryopreserved tissue is essential to move this emerging immune monitoring technology from the bench to the bedside. Improper sample preparation leads to detrimental cascades, resulting in loss of precious time, money and finally compromised data. There is an urgent need to establish protocols specifically designed to overcome the inevitable variations in sample quality resulting from uncontrollable factors in a clinical setting. Here, we explore sample preparation techniques relevant to a range of clinically relevant scenarios, where SC gene expression and repertoire analysis are applied to a cryopreserved sample derived from a small amount of blood, with unknown or partially known preservation history. We compare a total of ten cell-counting, viability-improvement, and lymphocyte-enrichment methods to highlight a number of unexpected findings. Trypan blue-based automated counters, typically recommended for single-cell sample quantitation, consistently overestimate viability. Advanced sample clean-up procedures significantly impact total cell yield, while only modestly increasing viability. Finally, while pre-enrichment of B cells from whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) results in the most reliable BCR repertoire data, comparable T-cell enrichment strategies distort the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ cells. Furthermore, we provide high-resolution analysis of gene expression and clonotype repertoire of different B cell subtypes. Together these observations provide both qualitative and quantitative sample preparation guidelines that increase the chances of obtaining high-quality single-cell transcriptomic and repertoire data from human PBMCs in a variety of clinical settings.
Broad binaural fusion impairs segregation of speech based on voice pitch differences in a ‘cocktail party’ environment
Authors: Oh Yonghee , Hartling Curtis L. , Srinivasan Nirmal Kumar , Eddolls Morgan , Diedesch Anna C. , Gallun Frederick J. , Reiss Lina A. J.
Published: October 2019

In the normal auditory system, central auditory neurons are sharply tuned to the same frequency ranges for each ear. This precise tuning is mirrored behaviorally as the binaural fusion of tones evoking similar pitches across ears. In contrast, hearing-impaired listeners exhibit abnormally broad tuning of binaural pitch fusion, fusing sounds with pitches differing by up to 3-4 octaves across ears into a single object. Here we present evidence that such broad fusion may similarly impair the segregation and recognition of speech based on voice pitch differences in a ‘cocktail party’ environment. Speech recognition performance in a multi-talker environment was measured in four groups of adult subjects: normal-hearing (NH) listeners and hearing-impaired listeners with bilateral hearing aids (HAs), bimodal cochlear implant (CI) worn with a contralateral HA, or bilateral CIs. Performance was measured as the threshold target-to-masker ratio needed to understand a target talker in the presence of masker talkers either co-located or symmetrically spatially separated from the target. Binaural pitch fusion was also measured. Voice pitch differences between target and masker talkers improved speech recognition performance for the NH, bilateral HA, and bimodal CI groups, but not the bilateral CI group. Spatial separation only improved performance for the NH group, indicating an inability of the hearing-impaired groups to benefit from spatial release from masking. A moderate to strong negative correlation was observed between the benefit from voice pitch differences and the breadth of binaural pitch fusion in all groups except the bilateral CI group in the co-located spatial condition. Hence, tuning of binaural pitch fusion predicts the ability to segregate voices based on pitch when acoustic cues are available. The findings suggest that obligatory binaural fusion, with a concomitant loss of information from individual streams, may occur at a level of processing before auditory object formation and segregation.
Dalbavancin and wound healing: new evidences/insights in a mouse model of skin infection
Authors: Simonetti Oriana , Lucarini Guendalina , Morroni Gianluca , Orlando Fiorenza , Lazzarini Raffaella , Zizzi Antonio , Brescini Lucia , Provinciali Mauro , Giacometti Andrea , Offidani Annamaria , Cirioni Oscar
Published: October 2019

Dalbavancin is an effective antibiotic widely used to treat skin infection. Our aim was to determinate the effects of dalbavancin administration on wound healing compared to vancomycin, and to elucidate if EGFR, MMP-1, MMP-9 and VEGF could be involved in its therapeutic mechanism.

A mouse model of MRSA skin infection was established. Mice were treated daily with vancomycin (10mg/kg) and weekly with dalbavancin, at day 1 (20 mg/kg) and day 8 (10 mg/kg). After 14 days wounds were excised and bacterial counts were perfomed. Wound healing was assessed by histological and immunohistochemical staining, followed by protein extraction and immunoblotting. Our microbiological results confirmed that both dalbanvancin and vancomycin are effective in reducing the bacterial load in wounds. Dalbavancin had a strong effect compared with infected untreated animals and vancomycin treated group. The wounds treated with dalbavancin showed robust epidermal coverage with a reconstitution of the regular and keratinized epidermal lining and a well-organized granulation tissue with numerous blood vessels, although slightly less than in the uninfected group, while in vancomycin treated group the epithelium appeared in general still hypertrophic, the granulation tissue appears even less organized.

We observed elevated EGFR and VEGF expression in both treated groups, although it was higher in dalbavancin treated mice. MMP-1 and MMP-9 were decreased in uninfected and in both treated tissue when compared with untreatd infected wounds.

This study showed faster healing with dalbavancin treatment that might be associated with a higher EGFR and VEGF levels.
Computational approach to identifying universal macrophage biomarker
Authors: Dang Dharanidhar , Taheri Sahar , Das Soumita , Ghosh Pradipta , Prince Lawrence S. , Sahoo Debashis
Published: October 2019

Macrophages are a type of white blood cell, of the immune system, that engulfs and digests cellular debris, cancer cells, and anything else that does not have the type of proteins specific to healthy body cells on its surface. Understanding gene expression dynamics in macrophages are crucial for studying human diseases. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies have enabled the collection of immense amounts of biological data. A reliable marker of macrophage is essential to study their function. Traditional approaches use a number of markers that may have tissue specific expression patterns. To identify universal biomarker of macrophage, we used a previously published computational approach called BECC (Boolean Equivalent Correlated Clusters) that was originally used to identify universal cell cycle genes. We performed BECC analysis on a seed gene CD14, a known macrophage marker. FCER1G and TYROBP were among the top candidates which were validated as strong candidates for universal biomarkers for macrophages in human and mouse tissues. To our knowledge, such a finding is first of its kind.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD

We have developed a computational approach to identify universal biomarkers of different entities in a biological system. We applied this approach to study macrophages and identified universal biomarkers of this particular cell type. FCER1G and TYROBP were among the top candidates which were validated as strong candidates for universal biomarkers for macrophages in human and mouse tissues. The expression patterns of TYROBP and FCER1G are found to be more homogeneous compared to currently used biomarkers such as ITGAM, EMR1 (F4/80), and CD68. Further, we demonstrated that this homogeneity extends to all the tissues currently profiled in the public domain in multiple species including human and mouse. FCER1G and TYROBP expression patterns were also found to be extremely specific to macrophages found in various tissues. They are strongly co-expressed together. We believe that these two genes are the most reliable candidates of universal biomarker for macrophages.
Germline POLE mutation in a child with hypermutated medulloblastoma and features of constitutional mismatch repair deficiency
Authors: Lindsay Holly , Scollon Sarah , Reuther Jacquelyn , Voicu Horatiu , Rednam Surya P. , Lin Frank Y. , Fisher Kevin E. , Chintagumpala Murali , Adesina Adekunle M. , Parsons D. Will , Plon Sharon E. , Roy Angshumoy
Published: October 2019

Ultra-hypermutation (>100 mutations/Mb) is rare in childhood cancer genomes and has been primarily reported in patients with constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) caused by biallelic germline mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations. We report a 5-yr-old child with classic clinical features of CMMRD and an ultra-hypermutated medulloblastoma with retained MMR protein expression and absence of germline MMR mutations. Mutational signature analysis of tumor panel sequencing data revealed a canonical DNA polymerase-deficiency-associated signature, prompting further genetic testing that uncovered a germline POLE p.A456P missense variant, which has previously been reported as a recurrent somatic driver mutation in cancers. This represents the earliest known onset of malignancy in a patient with a germline mutation in the POLE proofreading polymerase. The clinical features in this child, virtually indistinguishable from those of CMMRD, suggest that polymerase-proofreading deficiency should be considered in the differential diagnosis of CMMRD patients with retained MMR function.
Suppressing risk propagation in R&D networks: the role of government intervention
Authors: Song Yue , Yang Naiding , Zhang Yanlu , Wang Jingbei
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore what factors influence the possibility of internal and external risk propagation in R&D networks and investigate how government intervention moderates the associations between the influencing factors and risk propagation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors divided government intervention into directive and facilitative intervention and adopted an empirical research approach in this study. They collected 228 questionnaires from managers and R&D personnel participating in R&D projects in Shanghai and Jiangsu province through e-mail and in person. The data were used to carry out multiple regression analysis to test hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that the probability and consequence of risks positively affect the possibility of internal and external risk propagation; risk perception and transformation ability negatively influence the possibility of internal and external risk propagation; both directive and facilitative intervention weaken the relationship between the probability of risks and internal risk propagation when they are high than low the association between transformation ability and internal risk propagation is weaker when directive intervention is high than low, whereas facilitative intervention presents the insignificant moderation effect on the relationships between risk perception ability and internal and external risk propagation.

Originality/value

This study provides a distinctive theoretical perspective for risk conduction theory, government intervention theory and risk management. It also offered managers and the government a clear understanding of how to reduce or avoid risk propagation by leveraging directive and facilitative government intervention.
A moderated mediation model of workplace ostracism and task performance
Authors: Zhao Yiran , Wang Xingchao , Chen Chen , Shi Kan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Ostracism within organizations may pose communication challenges and reduce opportunities for interactions, potentially affecting coworker knowledge sharing and subsequent performance outcomes. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether knowledge sharing mediates the association between workplace ostracism and employees’ task performance, and whether the mediating effect is moderated by task interdependence.

Design/methodology/approach

Matched data were collected from a two-wave survey among 210 employees and their direct supervisors who work in two Chinese enterprises.

Findings

Results indicate that workplace ostracism is negatively associated with task performance and that knowledge sharing mediates this relation. Further, task interdependence exacerbated the main effect of workplace ostracism and the indirect effect of knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

This paper offers an alternative perspective (i.e. pragmatic impacts of workplace ostracism) to understand how workplace ostracism undermines employees’ task performance. Moreover, the findings emphasize that contextual factors may strengthen the detrimental effects of workplace ostracism in the practical domain.
Understanding subnational conflicts in Myanmar
Authors: Gangopadhyay Partha , Jain Siddharth
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the interrelationships between subnational conflicts in Myanmar and other variables of interests from the following four major domains: economic, human security and vulnerability of people, aggressiveness or militancy of the armed forces and global and regional climates.

Design/methodology/approach

Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach has been applied on annual data from 1960-2017, to deal with the problems of autocorrelation and non-stationarity of key variables.

Findings

First, an increase in crop yield, cereal productivity, food productivity and per capita availability of arable land unequivocally and significantly lower the severity of conflict in Myanmar in the long run. Second, the authors uncover strong evidence that the intensity of conflicts bears a positive relationship with the vulnerability of the people of Myanmar. Third, the authors detect that both regional and global climate variables have limited and rather inconsistent impacts on subnational conflicts in Myanmar. Finally, the authors find that the aggressiveness (militancy index) of the armed forces has significant impacts upon subnational conflicts and economic variables of Myanmar in the long run.

Originality/value

This paper is completely data-driven and explains the long-term dynamics of the intensity of the civil war in Myanmar. ARDL bounds testing approach has been used to examine the interrelationships between subnational conflicts in Myanmar and other variables of interests. It is a novel approach, which overcomes the problems of autocorrelation and nonstationarity and offers reliable results.
Integration of DeLone and McLean and self-determination theory in internet banking continuance intention context
Authors: Rahi Samar , Abd.Ghani Mazuri
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The proliferation of information technology has changed the banking system globally. Internet technology has not only allowed banks to offer products and services but also improved their ability to retain customers. This study aims to examine internet banking user’s continuance intention by integrating two well-known theories DeLone and McLean information system success model (D&M) and self-determination theory (SDT).

Design/methodology/approach

The research model was tested using survey data from 398 customers of commercial banks. The respondents were internet banking users. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results revealed that internet banking user continuance intention is jointly determined by information quality (INFQ), service quality, satisfaction, introjected regulation, external regulation, intrinsic regulation and identified regulation. The integrated model explained 75.4 per cent variation in customer’s continuance intention to use internet banking. The results suggested that intrinsic regulation and identified regulation were the most important human motivation factors that drive customer’s intention toward continue use of internet banking.

Practical implications

The findings imply that managers seeking user satisfaction should focus on INFQ and service quality to enhance user continuance intention. Policymakers should focus on intrinsic and identified regulation of internet banking users. Some of the ways banks can do this is to develop enjoyable internet banking website with kind of reward system, activities that have the charm of novelty, challenge or aesthetic significance will help to improve user’s intention to continue use of internet banking.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by integrating D&M and SDT in continuance intention and different from several traditional studies that had investigated the initial acceptance of internet banking users.
The impact of corporate social and environmental practices on the cost of equity capital: UK evidence
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed H. , Eliwa Yasser , Power David M.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

There has been an ongoing call from various groups of stakeholders for social and environmental practices to be integrated into companies’ operations. A number of companies have responded by engaging in socially and environmentally responsible activities, while others choose not to participate in these activities, which incur additional costs. The absence of consensus regarding the economic implications of social and environmental practices provides the impetus for this paper. This study aims to examine the association between corporate social and environmental practices (CSEP) and the cost of equity capital measured by fourex antemeasures using a sample of UK listed companies.

Design/methodology/approach

First, we undertake a review of the extant literature on CSEP. Second, using a sample of 236 companies surveyed in “Britain’s most admired companies” in terms of “community and environmental responsibility” during the period 2010-2014, we estimate four implied a cost of equity capital proxies. The relationship between a companies’ cost of equity capital and its CSEP is then calculated.

Findings

The authors find evidence that companies with higher levels of CSEP have a lower cost of equity capital. This finding determines the significant role played by CSEP in helping users to make useful decisions. Also, it supports arguments that firms with socially responsible practices have lower risk and higher valuation.

Practical implications

The finding encourages companies to be more socially and environmentally responsible. Furthermore, it provides up-to-date evidence of the economic consequences of CSEP. The results should, therefore, be of interest to managers, regulators and standard-setters charged with developing regulations to control CSEP, as these practices are still undertaken on a voluntary basis by companies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the association between CSEP of British companies and their cost of equity capital. The study complements Ghoulet al.(2011), who examine the relationship between CSR and the cost of equity capital of the US sample. The authors extend Ghoulet al.(2011) by using a sample of the UK market after applying International Financial Reporting Standards.
Application of a robust data envelopment analysis model for performance evaluation of electricity distribution companies
Authors: Fallahi Alireza , Fallahi Fatemeh , Sarhadi Hassan , Ghaderi S.F. , Ebrahimi Reza
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This study evaluates the efficiency and productivity change of 39 electricity distribution companies in Iran over the period 2005-2014. For purposes of electricity management and utilization of scarce resources, Iran’s 33 provinces have been classified into five regions by the Ministry of the Interior. Analyzing the efficiency of distribution companies across these regions yields significant understanding of these resources and helps policymakers to generate more informed decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method of this study develops nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) with the consideration of geographic classification, size and type of company. At the first stage, a DEA model is used to estimate the relative technical efficiency and productivity change of these companies. At the second stage, distributions of efficiency improvements are examined based on geographic classification, size and type of the company type. A stability test is also conducted to verify the proposed model’s robustness.

Findings

The results demonstrate that the average technical efficiency of the companies increased during the years 2006-2009, but decreased during 2010-2014. The productivity measurement reveals that low efficiency change was the largest contributor to the small increase in productivity change rather than technology change. In addition, testing the hypothesis that the large and small companies have statistically the same efficiency scores revealed no statistical difference among them. Moreover, another test did not detect a difference among companies at the urban and provincial levels.

Practical implications

By applying this approach, policymakers and practitioners in the power industry at the country and corporate level can effectively compare the efficiency and productivity changes among electricity distribution companies, and therefore generate more informed decisions.

Originality/value

The paper’s novel concept applies DEA to Iran’s electricity distribution companies and analyzes them by examining geographic classification, size and the type of the companies. In addition, a stability test is conducted and productivity changes are estimated.
Reclaiming history: dehumanization and the failure of decolonization
Authors: Boucher David
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show, with reference to the writings of important decolonization theorists and liberationists, how Nazism in Europe and the establishment of the UN had a significant impetus in awakening the sense of injustice in colonised peoples in Africa and the Lesser Antilles. Colonized peoples were denied human rights through a process of dehumanization, which involved seizing “native” histories and representing them as backward, depraved and savage, awaiting the arrival of European civilization. Marxism, further supported this narrative by denying that “primitive” peoples had histories, and being unable to account for race and racism because of its emphasis on class. Colonization evolved, not into decolonization, but neo-colonialism because of the complicity of “native” bourgeois elites.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology combines historical narrative with theoretical insight from the point of view of the colonised, such as Fanon, Cabral, Mimmi, Ceasare, Nkrumah, etc. It is hermeneutic in its methodology.

Findings

Peoples of the Lesser Antilles and Africans were dehumanized; denied human rights; and dehistoricized. Prominent liberation theorists develop these themes and reject elements of Marxism in order to reflect the unique experiences of the colonised. Colonization gets under the skin of the colonised and persists in contemporary societies. Colonization was replaced by neo-colonialism, not decolonization.

Research limitations/implications

The implications are to bring to the fore the importance of colonialism in relation to western practises of anti-Fascism and the promotion of human rights, while perpetrating Fascist modes of behaviour and denying human rights in colonised countries. Far from being simply an historical phenomenon the insidious implications persist.

Social implications

The demonstration of how deep the roots of colonialism go, and how difficult the task of decolonization has become as a consequence of systematic western “penetration”.

Originality/value

It looks at colonialism and its widespread injustices through the activists who suffered at the hands of a system of rule based exploitation and dehumanization effected not only by seizing their land, but also their history language and culture, ensuring that decolonization became transformed into neo-colonialism.
Community-sport service provision, participant satisfaction, and participation
Authors: Zhou Liangjun , Wang Jerred Junqi , Chen Xiaoying , Cianfrone Beth , Pifer Nathan David
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Since 2014, “sport for all” has been promoted as a new national strategy in China, which injects powerful dynamism and vitality for its development in numerous aspects. However, there has been very little feedback on sport service provision in community, and the satisfaction level of community participants is largely unmeasured. To promote physical and mental health of residents and form a stronger foundation of sport culture, more attention should be directed to community sports. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of community-sport service provisions on participants’ satisfaction and, in turn, on their sport participation behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Community-sport program participants in China (n=576) responded to a survey measuring the proposed concepts.

Findings

Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that community-sport services in the areas of sport facility, grassroots sport organizations and sport activity programs had strong influences on participant satisfaction and, in turn, their desire for participation, which highlighted the demand for high-quality sport service provision by community.

Originality/value

The study contributed to the literature by proposing two clear dimensions (core sport service and peripheral sport service) for the measurement of public sport service provision in community sports. A second theoretical contribution of the study relates to the clarification of the relationship between the two dimensions of community-sport service provision (both core and peripheral services) and community participants’ satisfaction levels.