bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From providers to primary health organisations: An institutional analysis of nonprofit primary health care governance in New Zealand
Authors: Howell Bronwyn , Cordery Carolyn
Published: December 2017

Policy reforms to primary health care delivery in New Zealand required government-funded firms overseeing care delivery to be constituted as nonprofit entities with governance shared between consumers and producers. This paper examines the consumer and producer interests in these firmsʼ allocation of ownership and control utilising theories of competition. Consistent with pre-reform patterns of ownership and control, provider interests appear to have exerted effective control over these entitiesʼ formation and governance in all but a few cases where community (consumer) control pre-existed. Their ability to do so is implied from the absence of a defined ownership stake and the changes to incentives facing the different stakeholding groups. It appears that the pre-existing patterns will prevail and further intervention will be required if policy-makers are to achieve their underlying aims.
Auditor size and internal control reporting differences in nonprofit healthcare organizations
Authors: López Dennis M. , Rich Kevin T. , Smith Pamela C.
Published: December 2017

We investigate whether auditor size is associated with the disclosure of internal control exceptions among Circular A-133 audits of nonprofit healthcare organizations. Our analysis is motivated by recent growth and transparency concerns within the sector. Using a sample of 1,180 audit reports from 2004 to 2008, we find evidence that audits performed by Big 4 firms are less likely to disclose internal control weaknesses than those performed by smaller firms. Additional analyses indicate this relation only remains statistically significant for a subsample of small organizations, possibly due to greater selectivity or lower efforts by the Big 4 auditors. We discuss the implications of these findings from an audit quality, market dominance, and client size perspective. The results are relevant to hospital financial managers seeking high quality audits at low cost.
Audited financial statements in the us federal government: The question of policy and management utility
Authors: Brook Douglas A.
Published: December 2017

The Chief Financial Officers Act and subsequent legislation require federal agencies to produce corporate-style financial statements. Arguments for financial statements drew on private sector analogies and suggested policy makers and managers would use the information to make better public policy and management decisions and improve accountability for financial management and program performance. Nearly all major government agencies have unqualified audit opinions and improvements in financial management are claimed. But benefits for policy making and management are not yet well understood. This paper examines the question by comparison with the private sector and by examining what agencies say about the uses and users of financial statement information. The emerging challenge in the evolution of federal financial reporting is to develop better government-specific analytical tools and other financial information for policy makers and managers.
Jefferson County, Alabama undertook a series of risky financial maneuvers in 2003 that included issuing large amounts of variable rate and auction rate securities as well as engaging in numerous interest rate swaps in order to lower the burgeoning costs of repairing its sewer system to comply with federal regulations. These complex financial instruments, intended to lower debt service costs on the countyʼs $3 billion in outstanding sewer warrants, led the county to financial bankruptcy in the wake of the financial markets collapse. This paper explores the choice of securities by analyzing the risk of adjustable rate securities and interest rate swaps, examining the Jefferson County case in detail, and providing some lessons for future financial management within the context of unexpected events such as the current recession
Authors: V. Denison Dwight , Bryan Gibson J.
Published: December 2017

Jefferson County, Alabama undertook a series of risky financial maneuvers in 2003 that included issuing large amounts of variable rate and auction rate securities as well as engaging in numerous interest rate swaps in order to lower the burgeoning costs of repairing its sewer system to comply with federal regulations. These complex financial instruments, intended to lower debt service costs on the countyʼs $3 billion in outstanding sewer warrants, led the county to financial bankruptcy in the wake of the financial markets collapse. This paper explores the choice of securities by analyzing the risk of adjustable rate securities and interest rate swaps, examining the Jefferson County case in detail, and providing some lessons for future financial management within the context of unexpected events such as the current recession.
Several popular and academic pieces of late have expressed concerns regarding the sustainability of public defined benefit pension funds. Since the onset of the Great Recession, concern has increased. In this paper recent arguments are analyzed in the context of three related data sets: panel data on public sector pensions spanning 2001-2009, historic asset return data, and business cycle data. Findings generally indicate that while public sector plans have suffered a difficult decade, current anxieties may be somewhat overwrought. Several remedial policies are investigated. Remedial policies, such as improving plan administration, altering portfolio allocations, and increasing both employee and employer contributions, are observed to be more promising than either freezing or closing the funds
Authors: Seligman Jason S.
Published: December 2017

Several popular and academic pieces of late have expressed concerns regarding the sustainability of public defined benefit pension funds. Since the onset of the Great Recession, concern has increased. In this paper recent arguments are analyzed in the context of three related data sets: panel data on public sector pensions spanning 2001-2009, historic asset return data, and business cycle data. Findings generally indicate that while public sector plans have suffered a difficult decade, current anxieties may be somewhat overwrought. Several remedial policies are investigated. Remedial policies, such as improving plan administration, altering portfolio allocations, and increasing both employee and employer contributions, are observed to be more promising than either freezing or closing the funds.
A politico-economic perspective on financial sustainability
Authors: Slembeck Tilman , Jans Armin , Leu Thomas
Published: December 2017

Financial sustainability requires governments to run sufficiently large primary surpluses going forward to cover the cost of servicing its debt budgets to balance in the long run. In democracies, politicians who strive for reelection often tend to systematically violate this tenet. This paper discusses two types of “anchors” that may be used to cope with this problem by limiting the room for new and excessive public debt. First, we analyze national constitutional safeguards on the basis of the “debt brake” in Switzerland and Germany. Second, we discuss international institutions to maintain financial discipline, referring to the Maastricht-criteria. These anchors are designed to allow policymakers to commit to policies that provide long term financial stability and sustainability of public finances. However, as the recent crises have shown, the problem of time inconsistency in policy making remains, especially when anchors are weak. Therefore, the paper discusses the circumstances under which institutional anchors may help to restrict politician behavior to promote sustainability of public finances. We conclude by indentifying three conditions required for the proper functioning of collective anchors in the context of public finances.
The global financial crisis reveals consolidation and guarantees to be key issues for financial sustainability
Authors: Bergmann Andreas
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates the accounting and reporting of government interventions during the most recent global financial crisis. It shows that governments do not report all their interventions as required by accounting standards. The incompleteness of information may systematically lead to erroneous decisions and therefore jeopardize financial sustainability. Particularly relevant are shortcomings in the field of consolidation and the presentation of financial guarantees.
Voluntary adoption of the consolidated financial statement and fair value accounting by italian local governments
Authors: Gardini Silvia , Grossi Giuseppe
Published: December 2017

The paper focuses on the potential benefits of fair value accounting (FVA) in the public sector and the shift towards the entity theory of consolidation supported by international accounting standards. The analysis of the Italian cases shows neither adjustments of the assets to their fair value, nor any recognition of intangibles other than goodwill in consolidated financial statement (CFS), maintaining the configuration of a municipal corporate group based on historical costs. These findings suggest a lack of focus on FVA by local governments (LGs), which is in contrast with international accounting standards. Using a combination of sources (such as annual reports and interviews), part of this paper is based on multiple-case studies of Italian LGs on the voluntary adoption of CFS.
Using archival data sources to conduct nonprofit accounting research
Authors: Feng Nancy Chun , Ling Qianhua (Q.) , Neely Daniel Gordon , Roberts Andrea Alston
Published: December 2017

Research in nonprofit accounting is steadily increasing as more data is available. In an effort to broaden the awareness of the data sources and ensure the quality of nonprofit research, we discuss archival data sources available to nonprofit researchers, data issues, and potential resolutions to those problems. Overall, our paper should raise awareness of data sources in the nonprofit area, increase production, and enhance the quality of nonprofit research.
Are governmental accounting measures value relevant to the citizenry?
Authors: Copley Paul A. , Douthett, Edward B.
Published: December 2017

We examine the relevance of governmental accounting information to the citizenry by analyzing the association between various financial and non-financial measures of local government performance and residential property values. The link between government performance measures and residential property values is based on a model of housing value capitalization developed by Yinger (1982). Using a model of firstdifferences, we find that changes in housing values are associated with government financial measures, including reported surplus and changes in outstanding debt. Further, we find that changes in housing values are also associated with non-financial measures of performance by county schools. Overall our results suggest that both financial and non-financial government performance measures are economically relevant to citizen property owners.
State budget periodicity and general expenditure volatility: an empirical analysis
Authors: Kim Soojin , Wang Qiushi
Published: December 2017

This article aims to examine empirically the relationship between budget periodicity and expenditure volatility in state governments. Using a large panel dataset for fifty states over the years 1960-2012, after controlling for institutional, economic, and political factors, we find general expenditure of biennial states has been significantly less volatile than that of annual states. The finding suggests that a choice between annual and biennial budget period can emerge as a feasible and effective countercyclical strategy to overcome fiscal difficulties in the short run and promote fiscal stability in the long run.
Return of money or return on money? Analyzing asset concentration of local government investment pool portfolios
Authors: Kim Jeongwoo
Published: December 2017

The recent financial crisis provides an opportunity to examine the management of local government investment pools (LGIPs). This study examines asset concentration of current LGIPs to find if investment practices of LGIPs are consistent with the objective of prudent management of public funds. Using cross-sectional data of 72 LGIP portfolios, exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Findings suggest that there are five underlying factors that describe the investment practices of current LGIP portfolios. The findings also suggest that LGIP investment managers considered return on investment when they chose investment instruments. However, LGIP managers put more focus on the safety of investment when they allocated assets in their portfolio.
Applying farmer’s lenses: Two illustrations
Authors: Barth Tom
Published: December 2017

This article reflects on how Farmer’s writing on the use of multiple lenses informs two writing projects, one on values-based decision making and the other on lessons from intensive community engagement activities. Farmer’s use of the business, ethical, critical theory and feminist lenses are found to be particularly relevant and useful to these writing projects, providing a deeper understanding of organizational theory and practice than reliance on any single lens.
State budget shortfalls and budget balancing strategies during and after the great recession of 2008
Authors: Shi Yu
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates how state governments used budget balancing strategies to cope with budget shortfalls in the fiscal years between 2009 and 2013. Using data from the Fiscal Survey reports and Comprehensive Annual Financial Statements (CAFRs) covering all fifty states, the paper summarizes and analyzes several types of strategies such as state savings, federal aid, revenue enhancement and expenditure cutting in response to budget shortfalls during and after the Great Recession of 2008. In addition, findings from the three case studies in New York, Texas and Washington show distinct patterns in these states’ choices of balancing strategies to cope with budget shortfalls. New York adopted a more balanced approach between revenue increasing and expenditure cutting strategies, whereas Washington and Texas implemented more severe expenditure cutting strategies to address budget shortfalls.
Civic crowd-funding: a potential test of the voluntary theory of public finance for public capital goods
Authors: Hummel Daniel
Published: December 2017

There have been many innovations in public finance in the 21st century to address increasing budget constraints and increasing demands from government. One innovation has been civic crowd-funding which began in 2009. This is predicated on the voluntary commitment of funds by individual and institutional donors and investors for specific projects. This paper explores this new approach to funding capital projects and grounds it within a discussion of the Voluntary Theory of Public Finance. There is a lack of research on civic crowd-funding and a lack of theoretical approaches to it. This paper draws these connections and develops future directions of research that includes the continuing application of this approach, the increasing engagement of citizens in the administrative process of government and increasing budget constraints.
Applying punctuated equilibrium theory to municipal and county operating and capital budgets
Authors: Kovari John
Published: December 2017

Although punctuated equilibrium theory (PET) is widely hailed as the dominant theory regarding public policy and budgets, little research has extended PET to the local government arena or to capital expenditures. This article utilizes a panel dataset of public expenditures from Wisconsin counties, cities, villages, and towns from 1990-2009 to show that local operating and capital budgets fit the contemporary PET framework. However, the article also offers some discussion about methodological problems in assessing PET for local governments, and highlights the importance of differentiating between expenditure types (e.g. capital versus operating spending) as well as institutional differences between counties, cities, villages, and towns.
Financial condition of enterprise activities: an exploration of seaports
Authors: Topinka John
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this research is to examine fiscal health of a specific local enterprise operation: seaports. Seaports provide unique local services while spending and borrowing billions of dollars. Decision makers should be aware of the fiscal health of these enterprises in part to assess the potential risks to the fiscal health of the government at large or public authority. Using eight stock and flow fiscal indicators appropriate for enterprise activities, this research examines eight seaports to compare fiscal health by geographic location and governing structure as well as the connection between long-term and short-term fiscal measures. Descriptive measures suggest that western and public authority ports exhibit better fiscal health than southern and departmental ports with some evidence showing a modest link between long-term and short-term fiscal health.
A hybrid PCA-AHP-Multi-grade Fuzzy approach to assess marketing-based flexibility
Authors: Mishra Ruchi , Mishra Onkar Nath
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel hybrid approach to assess marketing-based flexibility with respect to its source factors, enablers and attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study demonstrates an application of a hybrid principal component analysis (PCA)-analytical hierarchical process (AHP)-multi-grade fuzzy approach (MFA) to measure marketing-based flexibility. Using PCA method, attributes, enablers and source factors of marketing-based flexibility were identified and a conceptual model was developed. AHP and MFA were used to compute marketing-based flexibility index.

Findings

The proposed approach measures existing level of marketing-based flexibility and therefore it identifies weak areas that should be taken care to improve flexibility.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the study is limited to plant level. The validity of the proposed approach is shown using a case study. For generalisation point of view, the application of this proposed approach should be investigated in a large number of firms in different industrial settings.

Practical implications

The study gives a reliable and valid method, which combines both statistical and MCDM techniques to measure existing level of flexibility and identify weak areas for flexibility improvement.

Originality/value

The findings provide insight into factors that should be worked upon to improve flexibility.
Oak habitat recovery on California's largest islands: Scenarios for the role of corvid seed dispersal
Authors: Pesendorfer Mario B. , Baker Christopher M. , Stringer Martin , McDonald‐Madden Eve , Bode Michael , McEachern A. Kathryn , Morrison Scott A. , Sillett T. Scott
Published: December 2017

Seed dispersal by birds is central to the passive restoration of many tree communities. Reintroduction of extinct seed dispersers can therefore restore degraded forests and woodlands. To test this, we constructed a spatially explicit simulation model, parameterized with field data, to consider the effect of different seed dispersal scenarios on the extent of oak populations. We applied the model to two islands in California's Channel Islands National Park (USA), one of which has lost a key seed disperser.

We used an ensemble modelling approach to simulate island scrub oak (Quercus pacifica) demography. The model was developed and trained to recreate known population changes over a 20‐year period on 250‐km2 Santa Cruz Island, and incorporated acorn dispersal by island scrub‐jays (Aphelocoma insularis), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and gravity, as well as seed predation. We applied the trained model to 215‐km2 Santa Rosa Island to examine how reintroducing island scrub‐jays would affect the rate and pattern of oak population expansion. Oak habitat on Santa Rosa Island has been greatly reduced from its historical extent due to past grazing by introduced ungulates, the last of which were removed by 2011.

Our simulation model predicts that a seed dispersal scenario including island scrub‐jays would increase the extent of the island scrub oak population on Santa Rosa Island by 281% over 100 years, and by 544% over 200 years. Scenarios without jays would result in little expansion. Simulated long‐distance seed dispersal by jays also facilitates establishment of discontinuous patches of oaks, and increases their elevational distribution.

Synthesis and applications. Scenario planning provides powerful decision support for conservation managers. We used ensemble modelling of plant demographic and seed dispersal processes to investigate whether the reintroduction of seed dispersers could provide cost‐effective means of achieving broader ecosystem restoration goals on California's second‐largest island. The simulation model, extensively parameterized with field data, suggests that re‐establishing the mutualism with seed‐hoarding jays would accelerate the expansion of island scrub oak, which could benefit myriad species of conservation concern.
Do time of birth, unit volume, and staff seniority affect neonatal outcome in deliveries at ≥34+0 weeks of gestation?
Authors: Reif P , Pichler G , Griesbacher A , Lehner G , Schöll W , Lang U , Hofmann H , Ulrich D
Published: December 2017

Objective

We investigated whether time of birth, unit volume, and staff seniority affect neonatal outcome in neonates born at ≥34+0 weeks of gestation.

Design

Population‐based prospective cohort study.

Setting

Ten public hospitals in the Austrian province of Styria.

Sample

A total of 87 065 neonates delivered in the period 2004–2015.

Methods

Based on short‐term outcome data, generalised linear mixed models were used to calculate the risk for adverse and severely adverse neonatal outcomes according to time of birth, unit volume, and staff seniority.

Main outcome measures

Neonatal composite adverse and severely adverse outcome measures.

Results

The odds ratio for severely adverse events during the night‐time (22:01–07:29 hours) compared with the daytime (07:30–15:00 hours) was 1.35 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI 1.13–1.61). There were no significant differences in neonatal outcome comparing weekdays and weekends, and comparing office hours and shifts. Units with 500–1000 deliveries per year had the lowest risk for adverse events. Adverse and severely adverse neonatal outcomes were least common for midwife‐guided deliveries, and became more frequent with the level of experience of the doctors attending the delivery. With increasing pregnancy risks, senior staff attending delivery and delivering in a tertiary centre reduce the odds ratio for adverse events.

Conclusions

Different times of delivery were associated with increased adverse neonatal outcomes. The management of uncomplicated deliveries by less experienced staff showed no negative impact on perinatal outcome. In contrast, riskier pregnancies delivered by senior staff in a tertiary centre favour a better outcome. Achieving a better balance in the total number of labour ward staff during the day and the night appears to be a greater priority than increasing the continuous presence of senior obstetrical staff on the labour ward during the out‐of‐hours period.

Tweetable abstract

Deliveries during night time lead to a greater number of neonates experiencing severely adverse events.
Subsequent reproductive outcome among women with peripartum cardiomyopathy: a nationwide study
Authors: Guldbrandt Hauge M , Johansen M , Vejlstrup N , Gustafsson F , Damm P , Ersbøll AS
Published: December 2017

Objective

To describe the subsequent reproductive outcome for a Danish nationwide cohort of women with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Design

Nationwide historic cohort study.

Setting

Secondary and tertiary centres across Denmark.

Sample

Women with PPCM.

Methods

Sixty‐one women with PPCM during 2005–2014 were identified in a nationwide, registry‐based study and the diagnosis was validated through audit of patient records. A new search for subsequent reproductive outcome in this cohort from 2005–2016 was conducted in the Danish National Birth Registry and the Danish National Patient Registry. Detailed clinical data were obtained from patient records.

Main outcome measures

Sterilisations and subsequent reproductive outcomes after PPCM, including all pregnancies, miscarriages, terminations and deliveries.

Results

Of 61 women with PPCM, 13 (21%) had a total of 16 subsequent pregnancies resulting in one miscarriage, seven early terminations, one ectopic pregnancy and seven liveborn children. There were no maternal deaths or significant cardiac events during pregnancy, but one woman, who gave birth to a liveborn child, had a relapse of PPCM 7 weeks postpartum. None of the six women who had a first trimester termination, experienced relapse of PPCM. Of the 13 women with a subsequent pregnancy, 62% had prior to this been advised against a new pregnancy due to the risk of recurrent PPCM. A total of four women (6.6%) were sterilised.

Conclusion

Peripartum cardiomyopathy affects women's reproduction with few subsequent pregnancies resulting in a liveborn child. The finding of a 1/7 relapse among women with recovered LVEF is in accordance with most previous studies.

Tweetable abstract

Outcome in pregnancies after peripartum cardiomyopathy: results from the first nationwide study.
Continuous traits and speciation rates: Alternatives to state‐dependent diversification models
Authors: Harvey Michael G. , Rabosky Daniel L.
Published: December 2017

Many quantitative traits, for example body size, have been hypothesized to influence the diversification dynamics of lineages over macroevolutionary time‐scales. The Quantitative State Speciation‐Extinction (QuaSSE) model and related methods provide an elegant framework for jointly modelling the relationship between change in continuous traits and diversification. However, model misspecification and phylogenetic pseudoreplication can result in elevated false discovery rates in this and other state‐dependent speciation‐extinction models.

Here, we evaluate alternative trait‐dependent diversification methods that do not formally model the relationship between traits and diversification, but instead test for correlations between summary statistics of phylogenetic branching patterns and trait variation at the tips of a phylogenetic tree (hereafter tip‐rate correlations or TRCs). We compare alternative branching pattern statistics and significance tests, and we evaluate their performance relative to QuaSSE under a range of evolutionary scenarios.

We found that a simple statistic derived from branch lengths (inverse equal splits) can detect trait‐associated rate variation, and that a simulation‐based method performs better than phylogenetic generalized least squares for testing the significance of trait‐rate correlations. This test (ES‐sim) had better power to detect trait‐dependent diversification than other TRCs. By testing the approach across a diverse set of simulation scenarios, we found that ES‐sim is similar to QuaSSE in statistical power. However, the approach rarely led to false inferences of trait‐dependent diversification, even under conditions that are problematic for formal state‐dependent models. We illustrate the application of ES‐sim to real data by re‐assessing the relationship between dispersal ability and diversification in Furnariid birds.

We conclude that simple, semi‐parametric tests like ES‐sim represent a promising approach for trait‐dependent diversification analyses in groups with heterogeneous diversification histories and provide a useful alternative or complement to formal state‐dependent speciation‐extinction models.
Development and internal validation of the Simplified Mortality Score for the Intensive Care Unit (SMS‐ICU)
Authors: Granholm A. , Perner A. , Krag M. , Hjortrup P. B. , Haase N. , Holst L. B. , Marker S. , Collet M. O. , Jensen A. K. G. , Møller M. H.
Published: December 2017

Background

Intensive care unit (ICU) mortality prediction scores deteriorate over time, and their complexity decreases clinical applicability and commonly causes problems with missing data. We aimed to develop and internally validate a new and simple score that predicts 90‐day mortality in adults upon acute admission to the ICU: the Simplified Mortality Score for the Intensive Care Unit (SMS‐ICU).

Methods

We used data from an international cohort of 2139 patients acutely admitted to the ICU and 1947 ICU patients with severe sepsis/septic shock from 2009 to 2016. We performed multiple imputations for missing data and used binary logistic regression analysis with variable selection by backward elimination, followed by conversion to a simple point‐based score. We assessed the apparent performance and validated the score internally using bootstrapping to present optimism‐corrected performance estimates.

Results

The SMS‐ICU comprises seven variables available in 99.5% of the patients: two numeric variables: age and lowest systolic blood pressure, and five dichotomous variables: haematologic malignancy/metastatic cancer, acute surgical admission and use of vasopressors/inotropes, respiratory support and renal replacement therapy. Discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.71–0.74), overall performance (Nagelkerke's R2) was 0.19 and calibration (intercept and slope) was 0.00 and 0.99, respectively. Optimism‐corrected performance was similar to apparent performance.

Conclusions

The SMS‐ICU predicted 90‐day mortality with reasonable and stable performance. If performance remains adequate after external validation, the SMS‐ICU could prove a valuable tool for ICU clinicians and researchers because of its simplicity and expected very low number of missing values.
A comparison of DSM‐5 and ICD‐11 PTSD prevalence, comorbidity and disability: an analysis of the Ukrainian Internally Displaced Person's Mental Health Survey
Authors: Shevlin M. , Hyland P. , Vallières F. , Bisson J. , Makhashvili N. , Javakhishvili J. , Shpiker M. , Roberts B.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association (DSM‐5) and the World Health Organization (ICD‐11) have both revised their formulation of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary aim of this study was to compare DSM‐5 and ICD‐11 PTSD prevalence and comorbidity rates, as well as the level of disability associated with each diagnosis.

Method

This study was based on a representative sample of adult Ukrainian internally displaced persons (IDPs: N = 2203). Post‐traumatic stress disorder prevalence was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 and the International Trauma Questionnaire (ICD‐11). Anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire‐Depression. Disability was measured using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.

Results

The prevalence of DSM‐5 PTSD (27.4%) was significantly higher than ICD‐11 PTSD (21.0%), and PTSD rates for females were significantly higher using both criteria. ICD‐11 PTSD was associated with significantly higher levels of disability and comorbidity.

Conclusion

The ICD‐11 diagnosis of PTSD appears to be particularly well suited to identifying those with clinically relevant levels of disability.
Effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in protecting Iberian endemic fauna
Authors: Rosso A. , Aragón P. , Acevedo F. , Doadrio I. , García‐Barros E. , Lobo J. M. , Munguira M. L. , Monserrat V. J. , Palomo J. , Pleguezuelos J. M. , Romo H. , Triviño V. , Sánchez‐Fernández D.
Published: December 2017

The Iberian Peninsula is a major European region of biodiversity, as it harbours more than 30% of European endemic species. Despite a number of studies having evaluated the ability of nature reserves to protect certain taxa, there is still a lack of knowledge on how Iberian endemic fauna are represented in these reserves. We detected biodiversity hotspots of Iberian endemicity and evaluated the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network (N2000) in representing 249 endemic species from eight animal taxonomic groups (amphibians, mammals, freshwater fishes, reptiles, water beetles, butterflies, lacewings and dung beetles). We found that only the 10% of these Iberian endemic species are considered species of community interest (i.e. species included in the Annexes of the Habitats Directive). We conducted gap analyses and null models of representativeness in N2000. Generally, N2000 is effective in its representation of Iberian endemic fauna, although we detected species and few hotspots of endemism that were still not represented. It is necessary to declare a few new protected areas, thus enhancing N2000's effectiveness in the conservation of the Iberian endemic fauna. Although the aim of N2000 is to protect species listed in the Birds and Habitats Directives, the conservation status of endemic species from one of the most important areas of Europe in terms of biodiversity, could be also a concern for the European Union. Our results are useful in the context of the recent European Commission mandate calling for a ‘fitness check’ of the Birds and Habitats Directives. This approach could be also applicable to other regions with high value of endemicity.
Radiography of the distal extremity of the manus in the donkey foal: Normal images and quantitative characterization from birth to 2 years of age: A pilot study
Authors: Van Thielen B. , Willekens I. , Van der Schicht A. , Pestieau P. , Verhelle F. , Goossens P. , Decoster R. , Jacqmot O. , Delperdange P. , Busoni V. , De Mol G. , Buls N. , Provyn S. , Kichouh M. , de Mey J. , Murray R.
Published: December 2017

This study describes a radiographic survey of the anatomical development of the distal extremity of the manus in the donkey from 0 to 2 years of age. The right distal limb of 10 donkey foals, born in the spring of 2012, underwent radiographs every month for the first 6 months of age and every 3 months during the following 18 months. Latero‐medial radiographs with and without barium marker at the coronary band and dorso‐palmar radiographs with both front feet in weight bearing were obtained. The distal physis of the third metacarpal bone and the proximal physis of the proximal phalanx (phalanx proximalis) were closed at the mean age of 18.6 months. The distal physis of the proximal phalanx appeared as a clear radiolucent line at 2 weeks of age and was still subtly visible in some donkeys at 24 months. The proximal physis of the middle phalanx (phalanx media) was closed at the mean age of 16.7 months. The distal physis of this phalanx was visible at birth, but closed at 4 days. The distal phalanx (phalanx distalis) was triangular at birth. At the age of 20–21 months, the palmar processes (processus palmares) were both developed. The navicular bone (os sesamoideum distalis) was developed at the mean age of 9 months. The proximal sesamoid bones (ossa sesamoidea proximalia) were seen in continuously development during the 24 months. It seems that the physes in the distal extremity of the manus in the donkey close at an older age than the physes in the horse.
Does mean arterial blood pressure scale with body mass in mammals? Effects of measurement of blood pressure
Authors: Poulsen C. B. , Wang T. , Assersen K. , Iversen N. K. , Damkjær M.
Published: December 2017

For at least the last 30 years, it has been discussed whether mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) is independent of body mass or whether it increases in accordance with the vertical height between the heart and the brain. The debate has centred on the most appropriate mathematical models for analysing allometric scaling and phylogenetic relationships; there has been previously little focus on evaluating the validity of underlying physiological data. Currently, the 2 most comprehensive scaling analyses are based on data from 47 species of mammals, based on 114 references. We reviewed all available references to determine under which physiological conditions MAP had been recorded. In 44 (38.6%) of the cited references, MAP was measured in anaesthetized animals. Data from conscious animals were reported in 59 (51.8%) of references; of these, 3 (2.6%) were radiotelemetric studies. In 5 species, data were reported from both anaesthetized and conscious animals, and the mean difference in the MAP between these settings was 20 ± 29 mm Hg. From a literature search, we identified MAP measurements performed by radiotelemetry in 11 of the 47 species included in the meta‐analyses. A Bland‐Altman analysis showed a bias of 1 mm Hg with 95% confidence interval (from −35 to 36 mm Hg); that is, the limits of agreement between radiotelemetric studies and studies in restrained animals were double the supposed difference in the MAP between the mouse and elephant. In conclusion, the existing literature does not provide evidence for either a positive or neutral scaling of arterial pressure to body mass across taxa.
Data Quality from Crowdsourced Surveys: A Mixed Method Inquiry into Perceptions of Amazon's Mechanical Turk Masters
Authors: Lovett Matt , Bajaba Saleh , Lovett Myra , Simmering Marcia J.
Published: December 2017

Researchers in the social sciences are increasingly turning to online data collection panels for research purposes. While there is evidence that crowdsourcing platforms such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk can produce data as reliable as more traditional survey collection methods, little is known about Amazon's Mechanical Turk's most experienced respondents, their perceptions of crowdsourced data, and the degree to which these affect data quality. The current study utilises both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate Amazon's Mechanical Turk Masters' perceptions and attitudes related to the data quality (e.g. inattention). Recommendations for researchers using crowdsourcing data are provided.
Regional gastrointestinal contractility parameters using the wireless motility capsule: inter‐observer reproducibility and influence of age, gender and study country
Authors: Farmer A. D. , Wegeberg A.‐M. L. , Brock B. , Hobson A. R. , Mohammed S. D. , Scott S. M. , Bruckner‐Holt C. E. , Semler J. R. , Hasler W. L. , Hellström P. M. , Drewes A. M. , Brock C.
Published: December 2017

Background

The wireless motility capsule concurrently measures temperature, pH and pressure as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract.

Aims

To describe normative values for motility/contractility parameters across age, gender and testing centres.

Methods

Healthy participants underwent a standardised wireless motility capsule assessment following an overnight fast and consumption of a meal of known nutritional content. Traces were divided into regions of interest and analysed using 2 software packages (MotiliGI and GIMS Data Viewer). Inter‐observer agreement was independently assessed by 2 investigators.

Results

Normative data for motility/contractility parameters (maximum amplitude, mean peak amplitude, contraction frequency and motility index) are presented for 107 individuals (62 male, median age 40 years, range 18‐78). MotiliGI‐Gastric, small bowel and colonic maximal contraction amplitude correlated with age (r = .24, P = .01; r = .22, P = .02; and r = .2, P = .04 respectively). Small bowel motility index was higher in females than males (150.4 ± 12 vs 122 ± 7.6, P = .04). Inter‐observer agreement was excellent for transit times, pH and contractility/motility parameters. GIMS Data viewer‐Gastric, small bowel and colonic loge motility index correlated with the respective area under the contraction curve, total contractions, sum of amplitudes and contraction frequency (all r>.35, P < .0003) but not with transit times.

Conclusions

Our analysis provides normative data for motility/contractility parameters. Log motility index summarises a number of measures. In future, the measurement of contractile activity with the wireless motility capsule may potentially aid in the diagnosis of disease states such as visceral myopathic disorders.
Infliximab trough concentrations during maintenance therapy are associated with endoscopic and histologic healing in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Papamichael K. , Rakowsky S. , Rivera C. , Cheifetz A. S. , Osterman M. T.
Published: December 2017

Background

Endoscopic and histologic healing are emerging as new therapeutic goals in ulcerative colitis (UC), as these endpoints are associated with less relapse, hospitalization and colectomy.

Aim

To investigate the association of serum infliximab trough concentrations during maintenance therapy with endoscopic or histologic healing in UC.

Methods

In this multi‐center retrospective cohort study, we included consecutive patients with moderate‐to‐severe UC on infliximab maintenance therapy who had an endoscopic evaluation and underwent therapeutic drug monitoring within three months of the colonoscopy, between February 2008 and March 2016. Per event analysis was performed. Endoscopic healing was defined as Mayo endoscopic sub‐score of ≤1. Histologic healing was defined as no or only focal mild active inflammation.

Results

Seventy colonoscopies from 56 patients were evaluated. Infliximab trough concentrations (median [interquartile range]) were significantly higher in patients with endoscopic (11.3 [7.6‐14.5] vs 6.3 [0‐9.8] μg/mL, P < .001) or histologic (11.1 [6.7‐14.5] vs 6.7 [0‐9.9] μg/mL, P = .002) healing, respectively, compared to patients without healing. Receiver‐operating characteristic analyses identified infliximab trough concentration thresholds of 7.5 (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.758) and 10.5 (AUC: 0.721) μg/mL to be associated with endoscopic and histologic healing, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified infliximab trough concentration ≥7.5 (P = .013; odds ratio [OR]: 4.3; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.4‐13.3) and ≥10.5 μg/mL (P = .013; OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.3‐11) as independent factors associated with endoscopic and histologic healing, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that infliximab trough concentrations during maintenance therapy are associated with endoscopic and histologic healing in patients with UC.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are important risk factors underlying previously undiagnosed cirrhosis in general practice: a cross‐sectional study using transient elastography
Authors: Harman D. J. , Ryder S. D. , James M. W. , Wilkes E. A. , Card T. R. , Aithal G. P. , Guha I. N.
Published: December 2017

Background

Rising cirrhosis incidence and mortality in the United Kingdom has been attributed predominantly to excess alcohol consumption. However, metabolic risk factors such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity may also be important.

Aim

To screen at‐risk individuals in general practice for undetected cirrhosis using transient elastography and study the risk factors underlying these cases.

Methods

The study was undertaken in 4 general practices (adult patient population 20 868) between February 2012 and September 2014. Patients with defined risk factors for chronic liver disease (hazardous alcohol use and/or Type 2 diabetes) were identified from the General Practice electronic records and invited for transient elastography. Elevated liver stiffness was defined as ≥8 kPa. Cirrhosis was confirmed by established histological, radiological and biochemical methods.

Results

Two thousand three hundred and sixty eight patients were invited for transient elastography and 899/919 who attended (97.8%) had valid measurements. Of these 230 patients had elevated liver stiffness (25.6%) and 27 had cirrhosis (2.9%). Risk factors for new cirrhosis diagnoses were obesity and/or Type 2 diabetes in 16 patients (59.3%), alcohol alone in 3 (11.1%) and both alcohol and obesity and/or diabetes in eight (29.6%). Presence of cirrhosis was significantly increased in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes or hazardous alcohol use compared to non‐obese (odds ratio 9.4 [95% CI 2.2‐40.9] and 5.6 [95% CI 1.6‐19.7] respectively).

Conclusions

The number of new cases of cirrhosis diagnosed clearly demonstrates that existing estimates of prevalence are likely to be gross underestimates. Obesity was an important risk factor for cirrhosis within both alcohol users and diabetics.
Targeted vs systematic robot‐assisted transperineal magnetic resonance imaging‐transrectal ultrasonography fusion prostate biopsy
Authors: Mischinger Johannes , Kaufmann Sascha , Russo Giorgio I. , Harland Niklas , Rausch Steffen , Amend Bastian , Scharpf Marcus , Loewe Lorenz , Todenhoefer Tilman , Notohamiprodjo Mike , Nikolaou Konstantin , Stenzl Arnulf , Bedke Jens , Kruck Stephan
Published: December 2017

Objective

To evaluate the performance of transperineal robot‐assisted (RA) targeted (TB) and systematic (SB) prostate biopsy in primary and repeat biopsy settings.

Patients and Methods

Patients underwent RA biopsy between 2014 and 2016. Before RA‐TB, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) was performed. Prostate lesions were scored (Prostate Imaging, Reporting and Data System, version 2) and used for RA‐TB planning. In addition, RA‐SB was performed. Available, whole‐gland pathology was analysed.

Results

In all, 130 patients were biopsy naive and 72 had had a previous negative transrectal ultrasonography‐guided biopsy. In total, 202 patients had suspicious mpMRI lesions. Clinically significant prostate cancer was found in 85% of all prostate cancer cases (n = 123). Total and clinically significant prostate cancer detection rates for RA‐TB vs RA‐SB were not significantly different at 77% vs 84% and 80% vs 82%, respectively. RA‐TB demonstrated a better sampling performance compared to RA‐SB (26.4% vs 13.9%; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Transperineal RA‐TB and ‐SB showed similar clinically significant prostate cancer detection rates in primary and repeat biopsy settings. However, RA‐TB offered a 50% reduction in biopsy cores. Omitting RA‐SB is associated with a significant risk of missing clinically significant prostate cancer.
Outsourcing creativity: An abductive study of open innovation using corporate accelerators
Authors: Richter Nancy , Jackson Paul , Schildhauer Thomas
Published: December 2017

Corporate accelerators are organizational devices designed to bring together innovative new ventures and startups with specialist knowledge and creativity with the experience and funding of established companies. The main goal for the use of an accelerator program by an established corporation is to open up the innovation process and actively profit from the innovative capacity of new ventures. However, until now there has been little empirical investigation of the characteristics of this particular model of “open innovation”. This paper outlines the key features of corporate accelerator programs and presents empirical data on their characteristics. The existing literature generally reflects positive results from this form of innovation but displays a lack of empirically and theoretically grounded research of how accelerator programs work. Using a standard, holistic taxonomy for programs, covering such components as strategy, resources, roles and structure, we analyzed and assessed data from stakeholders engaged in this approach to innovation in order to understand the expectations and reasoning behind these programs.