bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Halal endorsements: stirring controversy or gaining new customers?
Authors: Schlegelmilch Bodo B. , Khan Mubbsher Munawar , Hair Joe F.
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– Halal food endorsements perceived positively by the focal target group may lead to a negative reaction of consumers that harbor animosity against this target group. For such potentially controversial endorsements, in-group animosity against out-group associated product endorsements could lead to a rejection and even an outspoken disapproval of these food products. The purpose of this paper is to explain what drives in-group reactions to Halal endorsements.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use Social Identity Theory and the Social Dominance Theory in explaining animosity toward out-groups and willingness to buy products with Halal endorsements. Specifically, the authors analyze the reaction of more than 800 in-group majority Christians toward out-group minority Muslim directed Halal endorsements. Following the development of hypotheses and a conceptual model, structural equation modeling is used to measure the relationships between the constructs.

Findings

– Constructs based on Social Dominance Theory and Social Identity Theory predict animosity toward out-group endorsements, but the relationship between Social Dominance Theory and animosity is much stronger. Animosity is a mediator between these two constructs and willingness to purchase products with out-group focussed endorsements (Halal).

Research limitations/implications

– The research has been conducted in one particular country (Austria) and focusses on a specific type of controversial endorsement, namely a religious (Halal) endorsement. Other research contexts (i.e. other countries and/or different types of controversial endorsements) should be used to widen the empirical base and validate the findings.

Practical implications

– Marketers should be aware of a possible negative impact of out-group focussed endorsements. In particular, they should be cognizant that racism and ethnocentrism prevailing in a society could reduce the purchase intent of in-groups.

Social implications

– Efforts are required to combat the drivers of animosity between in-groups and out-groups. This paper provides insights on how this may be achieved.

Originality/value

– This study focusses on a hitherto neglected phenomenon, i.e. controversial endorsements. It uses two alternative theories and advances the understanding of the role of animosity in a domestic consumer setting; an issue that has nearly exclusively been discussed with regard to cross-border purchasing.
National habitus: an antidote to the resilience of Hofstede’s “national culture”?
Authors: Touburg Giorgio
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize Geert Hofstede’s conceptualization of national culture and provide an alternative beyond purely constructivist conceptualizations of culture for cross-cultural management scholars and practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach

– Hofstede’s conceptualization of national culture is discussed and criticized. Subsequently, alternatives are being discussed. Eventually, a more feasible alternative is suggested and the ways in which it can be applied are briefly mentioned.

Findings

– Several objections to Hofstede’s idea and measurement of national culture are listed: it assumes people are cultural dopes, it ignores the influence of non-cultural factors, it reifies culture, it assumes internal coherence, it does not account for change, it arbitrarily uses the nation-state as the preferred locus of culture, and it has an in-built Western bias. Several authors have argued for a constructivist conceptualization of culture, which sees culture as a repertoire, from which ideas and possible actions can be selected. The downside, however, is that it has no practical value for managers. In an attempt to solve this, the paper explores the possibilities of using the concept of national habitus, which shows how dispositions are shaped on a national level and how these dispositions change under the influence of other, non-national social forces.

Practical implications

– The paper briefly explores how a national habitus-centered approach can help cross-cultural managers.

Originality/value

– The paper’s added value lies in the use of a relatively recently extended sociological concept for cross-cultural management.
Managing research projects: the rhetoric of judgment as a source of creativity
Authors: Nadal-Burgues Nuria , Bonet Eduard
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present new aspects of the tension between creativity and productivity and improve the understanding on how research can be developed in very restricted environments, such as the context of an organization managed using the methods of Project Management. And more generally, it introduces the rhetoric of judgment as a fundamental aspect involved in the development and specification of projects.

Design/methodology/approach

– The theoretical approach is based on the phenomenological theory of human intentional action developed by Alfred Schutz, in which the notion of mental project is more flexible than that of project management. In it the concepts of subaction and repeated action are considered a combination of similar actions already performed. The Kantian notion of judgment is introduced to outline self-persuasion as a fundamental source of creativity.

Findings

– The introduction of an extended notion of project and routine involving judgment expands the rational, generic and technical notion of project management. And the rhetorical aspect of judgment, at the individual level, establishes the possibility to deliver unexpected outcomes that are considered creative.

Originality/value

– The proposed notions of project and routines mediated through the rhetoric of judgment present theoretical and practical progress in the subject of managing projects.
Time had but effaced his image when the show began
Authors: van Engeldorp Gastelaars Frits
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to outline the background and the plot of the academic career of Slawomir Magala, particularly from the point of view represented by the author who had co-created significant international conference on critical theory and the sciences of management which triggered off the critical management studies in the British and subsequently global academic research networks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The content of the research is based on a mixture of a historical account of a conference on the Frankfurt school of social research, observations and participatory observations, qualitative content analysis and a bibliographical case study.

Findings

– The long-term effects of an international networking event are hard to predict and almost never respect the academic borders and gate keepers.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper is a very personal point of view.

Practical implications

– This paper is a case study of academic school emergence.

Social implications

– This paper is a case study of social and political relevance of managerial research.

Originality/value

– The unique selling point of this paper is that it is based on a critical event in uncritical sciences.
Consumer action in response to ethical violations by service operations firms
Authors: Chipulu Max , Ojiako Udechukwu , Marshall Alasdair
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine whether individual demographic and socio-cultural factors affect actions taken by consumers in relation to ethical violations and failure (or perceived ethical violations and failure) by service operations firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data collection was undertaken over a two-year period, from 2011 to 2013, and involved sampling 3,155 respondents from 19 countries. Data analysis was undertaken utilizing hierarchical linear modelling (HLM).

Findings

– Findings suggest that although both individual demographic factors (age and gender) and societal differences do affect ethical actions taken by service consumers, inter-societal cluster variations have a more significant effect on the ethical action than individual demographic differences do.

Originality/value

– For service operations firms, the study findings offer evidence on the need for constant readjustment of service attributes in line with the ethical dispositions of the different demographic and socio-cultural clusters within the consumer base.
Early Old English Foot Structure
Authors: Goering Nelson
Published: February 2016

The variable operation of high vowel deletion in Old English has long been a point of difficulty, both descriptively – a prehistoric form like *hēafudu is attested variably as hēafudu, hēafdu, and hēafod – and theoretically. Recent work, especially by Bermúdez‐Otero (2005b) and Fulk (2010), has indicated that plural forms like hēafudu are most likely original, but accounting for why the medial *u is preserved in this case form, and not in hēafde, the dative singular of the same word, has remained theoretically problematic. These difficulties arise from attempting to describe the prehistoric Old English process of high vowel deletion on the basis of later Old English phonology. At an earlier stage, the nominative‐accusative plural *hēafudu could be exhaustively parsed into two precisely bimoraic feet: *[hēa][.fu.du]. The dative singular historically ended with a long vowel, *hēafudǣ, in which the medial *u could not be accommodated within a bimoraic foot: *[hēa].fu[.dǣ]. High vowel deletion is therefore best characterized as the deletion of unfooted high vowels in early Old English, initially operating while length in unstressed vowels remained contrastive. Both this quantitative system and the preference for precisely bimoraic units receive support from Kaluza's law, an archaic metrical phenomenon in Beowulf which prohibits resolution in secondary metrical ictus if the resulting unit would have more than two moras, and which is sensitive to prehistoric length distinctions. This original system was obscured, linguistically and metrically, in later Old English by the shortening of unstressed long vowels, triggering various morphological reanalyses of the effects of high vowel deletion. A review of these changes suggests that the system of metrical phonology described here provides a more plausible starting point for the reworkings that produced the forms found in later Old English than do alternative accounts such as those of Campbell (1983) or Ringe (2002).
Molecular characterization and expression profiles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Xu Gang , Wu Shun‐Fan , Teng Zi‐Wen , Yao Hong‐Wei , Fang Qi , Huang Jia , Ye Gong‐Yin
Published: February 2016

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are members of the cys‐loop ligand‐gated ion channel (cysLGIC) superfamily, mediating fast synaptic cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system in insects. Insect nAChRs are the molecular targets of economically important insecticides, such as neonicotinoids and spinosad. Identification and characterization of the nAChR gene family in the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, could provide beneficial information about this important receptor gene family and contribute to the investigation of the molecular modes of insecticide action and resistance for current and future chemical control strategies. We searched our C. suppressalis transcriptome database using Bombyx mori nAChR sequences in local BLAST searches and obtained the putative nAChR subunit complementary DNAs (cDNAs) via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends methods. Similar to B. mori, C. suppressalis possesses 12 nAChR subunits, including nine α‐type and three β‐type subunits. Quantitative RT‐PCR analysis revealed the expression profiles of the nAChR subunits in various tissues, including the brain, subesophageal ganglion, thoracic ganglion, abdominal ganglion, hemocytes, fat body, foregut, midgut, hindgut and Malpighian tubules. Developmental expression analyses showed clear differential expression of nAChR subunits throughout the C. suppressalis life cycle. The identification of nAChR subunits in this study will provide a foundation for investigating the diverse roles played by nAChRs in C. suppressalis and for exploring specific target sites for chemicals that control agricultural pests while sparing beneficial species.
Immunity of the greater wax mothGalleria mellonella
Authors: Wojda Iwona
Published: February 2016

Investigation of insect immune mechanisms provides important information concerning innate immunity, which in many aspects is conserved in animals. This is one of the reasons why insects serve as model organisms to study virulence mechanisms of human pathogens. From the evolutionary point of view, we also learn a lot about host–pathogen interaction and adaptation of organisms to conditions of life. Additionally, insect‐derived antibacterial and antifungal peptides and proteins are considered for their potential to be applied as alternatives to antibiotics. WhileDrosophila melanogasteris used to study the genetic aspect of insect immunity,Galleria mellonellaserves as a good model for biochemical research. Given the size of the insect, it is possible to obtain easily hemolymph and other tissues as a source of many immune‐relevant polypeptides. This review article summarizes our knowledge concerningG. mellonellaimmunity. The best‐characterized immune‐related proteins and peptides are recalled and their short characteristic is given. Some other proteins identified at the mRNA level are also mentioned. The infectious routes used byGallerianatural pathogens such asBacillus thuringiensisandBeauveria bassianaare also described in the context of host–pathogen interaction. Finally, the plasticity ofG. mellonellaimmune response influenced by abiotic and biotic factors is described.
Seed handling by primary frugivores differentially influence post‐dispersal seed removal of Chinese yew by ground‐dwelling animals
Authors: PAN Yang , BAI Bing , XIONG Tianshi , SHI Peijian , LU Changhu
Published: February 2016

Seed handling by primary frugivores can influence secondary dispersal and/or predation of post‐dispersal seeds by attracting different guilds of ground‐dwelling animals. Many studies have focused on seeds embedded in feces of mammals or birds; however, less is known about how ground‐dwelling animals treat seeds regurgitated by birds (without pulp and not embedded in feces). To compare the effect of differential seed handling by primary dispersers on secondary seed removal of Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis var. mairei), we conducted a series of exclosure experiments to determine the relative impact of animals on the removal of defecated seeds (handled by masked palm civet), regurgitated seeds (handled by birds) and intact fruits. All types of yew seeds were consistently removed at a higher rate by rodents than by ants. Regurgitated seeds had the highest removal percentage and were only removed by rodents. These seeds were probably eaten in situ without being secondarily dispersed. Defecated seeds were removed by both rodents and ants; only ants might act as secondary dispersers of defecated seeds, whereas rodents ate most of them. We inferred that seeds regurgitated by birds were subjected to the highest rates of predation, whereas those dispersed in the feces of masked palm civets probably had a higher likelihood of secondary dispersal. Seeds from feces attracted ants, which were likely to transport seeds and potentially provided a means by which the seeds could escape predation by rodents. Our study highlighted that primary dispersal by birds might not always facilitate secondary dispersal and establishment of plant populations.
Plant‐pollinator interactions in a biodiverse meadow are rather stable and tight for 3 consecutive years
Authors: FANG Qiang , HUANG Shuangquan
Published: February 2016

Plant–pollinator interactions can be highly variable across years in natural communities. Although variation in the species composition and its basic structure has been investigated to understand the dynamic nature of pollination networks, little is known about the temporal dynamic of interaction strength between the same plant and pollinator species in any natural community. Pollinator‐mediated selection on the evolution of floral traits could be diminished if plant–pollinator interactions vary temporally. To quantify the temporal variation in plant–pollinator interactions and the interaction strength (observed visits), we compared weighted networks between plants and pollinators in a biodiverse alpine meadow in Shangri‐La, southwest China for 3 consecutive years. Although plant–pollinator interactions were highly dynamic such that identical interactions only accounted for 10.7% of the total between pair years, the diversity of interactions was stable. These identical interactions contributed 41.2% of total visits and were similar in strength and weighted nestedness. For plant species, 72.6% of species were visited by identical pollinator species between pair years, accounting for over half of the total visits and three‐quarters at the functional group level. More generalized pollinators contributed more connectiveness and were more central in networks across years. However, there was no similar or even opposite trend for plant species, which suggested that specialized plant species may also be central in pollinator networks. The variation in pollinator composition decreased as pollinator species numbers increased, suggesting that generalized plants experienced stable pollinator partition. The stable, tight interactions between generalized pollinators and specialized plants represent cornerstones of the studied community.
The Calculating Boluses on Multiple Daily Injections (CBMDI) study: A randomized controlled trial on the effect on metabolic control of adding a bolus calculator to multiple daily injections in people with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Vallejo‐Mora María del Rosario , Carreira‐Soler Mónica , Linares‐Parrado Francisca , Olveira Gabriel , Rojo‐Martínez Gemma , Domínguez‐López Marta , Ruiz‐de‐Adana‐Navas María Soledad , González‐Romero María Stella
Published: February 2016

Background

Although the insulin bolus calculator is increasingly being used by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) on multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy, few studies have investigated its effects on glycemic control. The aim of this study was to determine whether adding this device to therapeutic intensification could further improve metabolic control.

Methods

A 4‐month randomized controlled clinical trial was performed comparing subjects undergoing therapeutic intensification and either using the bolus calculator (Cb group) or not (active control [Co] group). Metabolic control, fear of hypoglycemia, and treatment acceptance were evaluated.

Results

In all, 70 people completed the study (42 in the Cb group, 28 in the Co group). There was a significant decrease in HbA1c in both the Cb and Co groups (−7 mmol/mol [−0.7 %] vs −4 mmol/mol [−0.4 %], respectively). There were no significant differences in HbA1c at baseline or the end of the study, or in the decrease in HbA1c, glycemia, or changes in blood glucose levels at the end of the study between the two groups. There was a significant increase in the number of participants with good metabolic control (HbA1c <58 mmol/mol [7.5 %]) in the Cb group (from 16.7 % to 40.5 %), but not in the Co group. The incidence of hypoglycemic events was reduced slightly but significantly only in the Cb group. There was no change in the fear of hypoglycemia at the end of the study. The bolus calculator was well accepted.

Conclusions

In T1D, adding a bolus calculator to intensive MDI resulted in a significant improvement in metabolic control and slightly decreased the number of hypoglycemic episodes. Metabolic control also improved in the Co group.
Urinary α1‐microglobulin and albumin excretion in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Saif Aasem , Soliman Neveen
Published: February 2016

Background

The present study investigated the correlation between urinary α1‐microglobulin as a marker of tubular dysfunction and albumin excretion in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods

Ninety‐two Egyptian patients with T1D were included in the study (mean [± SD] age 14.14 ± 5.13 years). The duration of diabetes in all patients was >5 years (mean [± SD] duration 8.28 ± 2.62 years) and all had normal renal function. Forty healthy subjects were also included as a control group. Urinary albumin excretion was assessed in all patients and urinary α1‐microglobulin was measured in both patients and control in the morning urine specimen.

Results

Analysis of the results showed that patients had significantly higher levels of urinary α1‐microglobulin than the controls (P < 0.01). Among the patients, there was a strong positive correlation between urinary α1‐microglobulin and urinary albumin excretion (P < 0.01). Positive correlations were also found between urinary α1‐microglobulin and duration of diabetes (P < 0.01), HbA1c (P < 0.05), and fasting and postprandial blood glucose (P < 0.05 for both).

Conclusion

The present study shows that urinary α1‐microglobulin is strongly correlated with urinary albumin excretion in children and adolescents with T1D. In addition, it demonstrates the importance of tubular dysfunction as an early and integral component of diabetic nephropathy syndrome in these patients. The results of the present study emphasize the value of tight glycemic control in slowing the progression of tubular dysfunction, especially in patients with a longer duration of diabetes.
Fine‐tuning for the tropics: application of eDNA technology for invasive fish detection in tropical freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Robson Heather L. A. , Noble Tansyn H. , Saunders Richard J. , Robson Simon K. A. , Burrows Damien W. , Jerry Dean R.
Published: February 2016

Invasive species pose a major threat to aquatic ecosystems. Their impact can be particularly severe in tropical regions, like those in northern Australia, where >20 invasive fish species are recorded. In temperate regions, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology is gaining momentum as a tool to detect aquatic pests, but the technology's effectiveness has not been fully explored in tropical systems with their unique climatic challenges (i.e. high turbidity, temperatures and ultraviolet light). In this study, we modified conventional eDNA protocols for use in tropical environments using the invasive fish, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) as a detection model. We evaluated the effects of high water temperatures and fish density on the detection of tilapia eDNA, using filters with larger pores to facilitate filtration. Large‐pore filters (20 μm) were effective in filtering turbid waters and retaining sufficient eDNA, whilst achieving filtration times of 2–3 min per 2‐L sample. High water temperatures, often experienced in the tropics (23, 29, 35 °C), did not affect eDNA degradation rates, although high temperatures (35 °C) did significantly increase fish eDNA shedding rates. We established a minimum detection limit for tilapia (1 fish/0.4 megalitres/after 4 days) and found that low water flow (3.17 L/s) into ponds with high fish density (>16 fish/0.4 megalitres) did not affect eDNA detection. These results demonstrate that eDNA technology can be effectively used in tropical ecosystems to detect invasive fish species.
Optimization of AFLP for extremely large genomes over 70 Gb
Authors: Veselá Petra , Volařík Daniel , Mráček Jaroslav
Published: February 2016

Here, we present an improved amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) protocol using restriction enzymes (AscI and SbfI) that recognize 8‐base pair sequences to provide alternative optimization suitable for species with a genome size over 70 Gb. This cost‐effective optimization massively reduces the number of amplified fragments using only +3 selective bases per primer during selective amplification. We demonstrate the effects of the number of fragments and genome size on the appearance of nonidentical comigrating fragments (size homoplasy), which has a negative impact on the informative value of AFLP genotypes. We also present various reaction conditions and their effects on reproducibility and the band intensity of the extremely large genome of Viscum album. The reproducibility of this octo‐cutter protocol was calculated using several species with genome sizes ranging from 1 Gb (Carex panicea) to 76 Gb (V. album). The improved protocol also succeeded in detecting high intraspecific variability in species with large genomes (V. album, Galanthus nivalis and Pinus pumila).
Discussion of “The Effect of Information on Uncertainty and the Cost of Capital”
Authors: Plumlee Marlene A.
Published: February 2016

Johnstone (2016) provides a theoretical analysis of how information might increase uncertainty and a firm's cost of equity capital (COEC). The author's analysis serves to highlight outcomes that he suggests receive limited attention in prior studies. He focuses on how more information might result in greater, rather than less, uncertainty and whether a decrease in uncertainty leads to a lower COEC. I discuss how his study provides an incremental contribution to the theoretical literature and ways in which future work in this area might provide a richer framework for empirical studies.
Discussion of “Target's Tax Shelter Participation and Takeover Premiums”
Authors: Shevlin Terry
Published: February 2016

Chow, Klassen, and Liu (), hereafter CKL, examine whether M&A bidding firms are willing to pay more for target firms that disclose they have not participated in a “tax shelter” sometime in the past. My discussion provides an overview of the past and current tax literature in accounting and places CKL within this expanding literature. I then provide a critique of this interesting and well‐executed study that exploits an unusual disclosure to examine tax shelter participation effects.
Role of α1D‐adrenoceptors in vascular wall hypertrophy during angiotensin II‐induced hypertension
Authors: Gallardo‐Ortíz I. A. , Rodríguez‐Hernández S. N. , López‐Guerrero J. J. , Del Valle‐Mondragón L. , López‐Sánchez P. , Touyz R. M. , Villalobos‐Molina R.
Published: February 2016

The in vivo effect of continuous angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion on arterial blood pressure, vascular hypertrophy and α1‐adrenoceptors (α1‐ARs) expression was explored.

Alzet® minipumps filled with Ang II (200 ng kg−1 min−1) were subcutaneously implanted in male Wistar rats (3 months‐old). Groups of rats were also treated with losartan, an AT1R antagonist, or with BMY 7378, a selective α1D‐AR antagonist. Blood pressure was measured by tail‐cuff; after 2 or 4 weeks of treatment, vessels were isolated for functional and structural analyses.

Angiotensin II increased systolic blood pressure. Phenylephrine‐induced contraction in aorta was greater (40% higher) in Ang II‐treated rats than in the controls, and similar effect occurred with KCl 80 mm. Responses in tail arteries were not significantly different among the different groups.

Angiotensin II decreased α1D‐ARs without modifying the other α1‐ARs and induced an increase in media thickness (hypertrophy) in aorta, while no structural change occurred in tail artery. Losartan prevented and reversed hypertension and hypertrophy, while BMY 7378 prevented and reversed the aorta's hypertrophic response, without preventing or reversing hypertension. Findings indicate that Ang II‐induced aortic hypertrophic response involves Ang II‐AT1Rs and α1D‐ARs. Angiotensin II‐induced α1D‐AR‐mediated vascular remodeling occurs independently of hypertension.

Findings identify a α1D‐AR‐mediated process whereby Ang II influences aortic hypertrophy independently of blood pressure elevation.
Verification of endotracheal tube placement using electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the endotracheal tube cuff
Authors: Heo T. , Lee S.‐M. , Kim H.‐S. , Choi S.‐S. , Jung Y.‐H. , Lee D.‐H. , Cho Y.‐S. , Lee B.‐K. , Jeung K.‐W.
Published: February 2016

Background

Current methods for verification of endotracheal intubation can fail, particularly in emergency settings. We investigated whether a verification method using electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the endotracheal tube cuff could distinguish endotracheal and esophageal intubations in an experimental setting.

Methods

During three sequential sessions simulating emergency intubation without paralysis, rapid sequence intubation (RSI) with neuromuscular blockade, and intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, eight pigs were intubated with an endotracheal tube fitted with two electrodes exposed on the cuff of the tube, first in the esophagus and next in the trachea or in reverse sequence. Cuff pressure was monitored during a 5‐s electrical stimulation (20 mA, 80 Hz, 500 μs), and delta pressure was calculated as the difference between baseline cuff pressure and maximum cuff pressure during the electrical stimulation.

Results

Delta pressure was significantly higher in esophageal than in tracheal placements in all three sequential sessions (86.0 [78.3–89.7] vs. 6.5 [2.0–7.9] mmHg, P = 0.001; 16.6 [13.2–22.8] vs. 0.8 [0.3–2.6] mmHg, P = 0.004; 66.1 [60.0–84.7] vs. 2.7 [0.7–9.7] mmHg, P = 0.001). The delta pressure did not overlap between tracheal and esophageal intubations except for the session simulating RSI with neuromuscular blockade, in which one of eight esophageal placements showed a delta pressure within the delta pressure range of tracheal placements.

Conclusion

Electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the endotracheal tube cuff produced remarkably greater increases in cuff pressure in esophageal intubations than in tracheal intubations in an experimental setting.
Discussion of ‘An evaluation of asset impairments by Australian firms and whether they were impacted by AASB 136’
Authors: Zhuang Zili
Published: February 2016

This article discusses the paper by Bond, Govendir, and Wells (2016). The comments focus on four issues: (i) the evaluation of the book to market ratio of equity as an impairment indicator; (ii) the managerial discretion on realized impairments; (iii) the interpretation of the increase in asset impairment after transition to IFRS; and (iv) the role of cross‐sectional analysis in investigating asset impairments.
Evaluation of Health Disparity in Bacterial Vaginosis and the Implications for HIV‐1 Acquisition in African American Women
Authors: Alcendor Donald J.
Published: February 2016

There is a health disparity for both bacterial vaginosis (BV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infection in African American women that may be linked. The evidence that BV predisposes women to higher risk for HIV infection is well documented. The underlying mechanisms to support the epidemiological connections will require further investigations. This review explores the risk factors for BV disease with implications for HIV‐1 acquisition in the context of race as a potential driver of the 20‐fold increase in HIV‐1 acquisition for African American women compared to white women. Specifically, it explores (i) disparities for BV in African American women, (ii) racial disparity for HIV‐1 acquisition in African American women, (iii) common factors associated with BV and HIV acquisition in African American women, and (iv) potential mechanisms of the enhancement of HIV‐1 transmission by BV.
Maternal ‘near miss’ at Royal Darwin Hospital: An analysis of severe maternal morbidity at an Australian regional tertiary maternity unit
Authors: Jayaratnam Skandarupan , Burton Alice , Connan Kirsten Fiona , de Costa Caroline
Published: February 2016

Background

Assessment of severe maternal morbidity using World Health Organization (WHO) ‘near‐miss’ criteria is gaining in importance as a valuable tool in the assessment of maternity care of women. Identification of cases allows an understanding of aetiology of severe morbidity and factors contributing to poor maternal outcomes.

Aim

The aim of this study is to determine the rate of maternal ‘near miss’ at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) and the utility of theWHOnear‐miss criteria as a tool for data collection in a regional Australian context.

Methods and Materials

Cases of maternal ‘near miss’ and deaths were prospectively identified over a period of 12 months using theWHOcriteria.

Results

During the audit period, there were 2080 live births at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH): 10 women presented with a ‘near miss’ and there was one maternal death. The maternal mortality ratio for the hospital was 48/100 000 live births, the maternal ‘near‐miss’ index ratio was 4.8/1000 live births, and the combination of maternal deaths and near misses gave a severe maternal outcome (SMO) ratio of 5.3/1000 live births. The main cause of obstetric ‘near miss’ was obstetric haemorrhage. Indigenous women and women from remote areas comprised a significant portion of ‘near‐miss’ cases.

Conclusion

The rates of maternal ‘near miss’ atRDHare consistent with other studies in the developed world. TheWHOmaternal ‘near‐miss’ audit tool helps health professionals understand and anticipate severe maternal morbidities, with the aim of improving maternal and perinatal outcomes.
Anogenital distance as a marker of androgen exposure in humans
Authors: Thankamony A. , Pasterski V. , Ong K. K. , Acerini C. L. , Hughes I. A.
Published: February 2016

Abnormal foetal testis development has been proposed to underlie common disorders of the male reproductive system such as cryptorchidism, hypospadias, reduced semen quality and testicular germ cell tumour, which are regarded as components of a ‘testicular dysgenesis syndrome’. The increasing trends and geographical variation in their incidence have been suggested to result from in utero exposure to environmental chemicals acting as endocrine disruptors. In rodents, the anogenital distance (AGD), measured from the anus to the base of genital tubercle, is a sensitive biomarker of androgen exposure during a critical embryonic window of testis development. In humans, several epidemiological studies have shown alterations in AGD associated with prenatal exposure to several chemicals with potential endocrine disrupting activity. However, the link between AGD and androgen exposure in humans is not well‐defined. This review focuses on the current evidence for such a relationship. As in rodents, a clear gender difference is detected during foetal development of the AGD in humans which is maintained thereafter. Reduced AGD in association with clinically relevant outcomes of potential environmental exposures, such as cryptorchidism or hypospadias, is in keeping with AGD as a marker of foetal testicular function. Furthermore, AGD may reflect variations in prenatal androgen exposure in healthy children as shorter AGD at birth is associated with reduced masculine play behaviour in preschool boys. Several studies provide evidence linking shorter AGD with lower fertility, semen quality and testosterone levels in selected groups of adults attending andrology clinics. Overall, the observational data in humans are consistent with experimental studies in animals and support the use of AGD as a biomarker of foetal androgen exposure. Future studies evaluating AGD in relation to reproductive hormones in both infants and adults, and to gene polymorphisms, will help to further delineate the effect of prenatal and postnatal androgen exposures on AGD.
Making Space for Energy: Wasteland Development, Enclosures, and Energy Dispossessions
Authors: Baka Jennifer
Published: February 2016

This paper analyzes why and how wasteland development narratives persist through an evaluation of wasteland development policies in India from 1970 to present. Integrating critical scholarship on environmental narratives and enclosures, I find that narratives of wastelands as “empty” spaces available for “improvement” continue because they are metaphors for entrenched struggles between the government's shifting visions of “improvement” and communities whose land use practices contradict these logics. Since the 1970s, “improvement” has meant establishing different types of tree plantations on wastelands to ostensibly provide energy security. These projects have dispossessed land users by enclosing common property lands and by providing forms of energy incommensurate with local needs, a trend I term “energy dispossessions”. Factors enabling energy dispossessions include the government's increased attempts to establish public–private partnerships to carry out “improvement” and a “field of observation” constructed to obscure local livelihoods. Unveiling these logics will help to problematize and contest future iterations of wasteland development.
Problematic Internet use was more common in Turkish adolescents with major depressive disorders than controls
Authors: Alpaslan Ahmet Hamdi , Soylu Nusret , Kocak Ugur , Guzel Halil Ibrahim
Published: February 2016

Aim

This study compared problematic Internet use (PIU) rates in 12‐ to 18‐year‐olds with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls and explored potential links between PIU and suicide among patients with MDD.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 120 patients with MDD (62.5% girls) and 100 controls (58% girls) with a mean age of 15. Suicide ideation and suicide attempts were evaluated, and sociodemographic data were collected. In addition, the Children's Depression Inventory, Young Internet Addiction Test and Suicide Probability Scale were applied.

Results

The results showed that PIU rates were significantly higher in the MDD cases than the controls (p < 0.001). The analysis of covariance results showed that there was no relationship between potential suicide and the Young Internet Addiction Test score in MDD cases. However, the hopelessness subscale scores of the MDD patients with PIU were significantly higher than the scores of those without PIU.

Conclusion

Our results show that PIU was higher in adolescents with MDD and hopelessness was more prevalent among MDD patients with PIU, but no links with potential suicide were found. As this study was a cross‐sectional one, it did not allow us to infer a causality relationship between PIU and MDD.
Retracted: ADHD Symptoms and Entrepreneurial Orientation of Small Firm Owners
Authors: Thurik Roy , Khedhaouria Anis , Torrès Olivier , Verheul Ingrid
Published: February 2016

This study investigates the link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and entrepreneurial orientation (EO). EO is known to be a crucial factor for small firm survival and growth, conceptualised as a business characteristic but influenced by the personality of the small business owner and measured at her individual level. There is ample anecdotal evidence claiming that ADHD symptoms have helped entrepreneurs in their careers. Using a data set of French small firm owners, we are the first to go beyond the anecdotal level in linking ADHD symptoms and EO. Our study contributes to our understanding of entrepreneurship, particularly the determinants of EO, and to “destigmatising” ADHD, which is considered solely a clinical disorder that should be treated.
Review article: sarcopenia in cirrhosis – aetiology, implications and potential therapeutic interventions
Authors: Sinclair M. , Gow P. J. , Grossmann M. , Angus P. W.
Published: February 2016

Background

Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) is common in cirrhosis and is associated with poor outcomes. Current teaching recommends the use of protein supplementation and exercise, however, this fails to address many other factors which contribute to muscle loss in this setting.

Aims

To summarise existing knowledge regarding the aetiology of sarcopenia in cirrhosis, diagnostic modalities and the clinical significance of this condition. In addition to discuss recent research findings that may allow the development of more effective treatments.

Methods

We conducted a Medline and PubMed search using the search terms ‘sarcopenia’, ‘muscle’, ‘body composition’, ‘cirrhosis’, ‘liver’ and ‘malnutrition’ from inception to October 2015.

Results

Cirrhotic patients with sarcopenia have reduced survival, experience increased rates of infection and have worse outcomes following liver transplantation. The aetiology of this condition is more complex than simple protein and calorie malnutrition. Cirrhosis also results in depleted glycogen stores and metabolic alterations that cause excessive protein catabolism, increased activation of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and inappropriate muscle autophagy. Satellite cell differentiation and proliferation is also reduced due to a combination of elevated myostatin levels, reducedIGF‐1 and hypogonadism. Although there is some evidence supporting the use of late evening snacks, branched chain amino acid supplementation and high protein/high calorie diets, well designed clinical trials addressing the effects of treatment on body composition in cirrhosis are lacking.

Conclusion

Sarcopenia in cirrhosis has a complex pathogenesis and simple dietary interventions are insufficient. Improved understanding of the multiple mechanisms involved should allow the development of more effective therapies, which target the specific underlying metabolic derangements.
Estimation of Sparse Directed Acyclic Graphs for Multivariate Counts Data
Authors: Han Sung Won , Zhong Hua
Published: February 2016

The next-generation sequencing data, called high-throughput sequencing data, are recorded as count data, which are generally far from normal distribution. Under the assumption that the count data follow the Poisson -normal distribution, this article provides an -penalized likelihood framework and an efficient search algorithm to estimate the structure of sparse directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for multivariate counts data. In searching for the solution, we use iterative optimization procedures to estimate the adjacency matrix and the variance matrix of the latent variables. The simulation result shows that our proposed method outperforms the approach which assumes multivariate normal distributions, and the -transformation approach. It also shows that the proposed method outperforms the rank-based PC method under sparse network or hub network structures. As a real data example, we demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in estimating the gene regulatory networks of the ovarian cancer study.
The outcome of Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients with 97% IGHV gene identity to germline is distinct from cases with <97% identity and similar to those with 98% identity
Authors: Davis Zadie , Forconi Francesco , Parker Anton , Gardiner Anne , Thomas Peter , Catovsky Daniel , Rose‐Zerilli Matthew , Strefford Jonathan C , Oscier David
Published: February 2016

IGHV gene mutational status has prognostic significance in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) but the percentage of mutations that correlates best with clinical outcome remains controversial. We initially studied 558 patients from diagnosis and found significant differences in median time to first treatment (TTFT) among Stage A patients and in overall survival (OS) for the whole cohort, between cases with <97% and 97–98·99% identity and between cases with 97–98·99% and ≥99% identity, when cases from the IGHV3‐21 Stereotype Subset #2 were excluded. A significant difference in progression‐free survival (PFS) and OS between those with <97% and 97–98·99% identity, but not between those with 97–98·99% and ≥99% identity was also observed in a validation cohort comprising 460 patients in the UK CLL4 trial. Cox Regression analyses in the Stage A cohort revealed that a model which incorporated <97%, 97–98·99% and ≥99% identity as subgroups, was a better predictor of TTFT in CLL than using the 98% cut‐off. Multivariate analysis selected the three mutational subgroups as independent predictors of TTFT in Stage A patients, and of OS in the diagnostic cohort. This study highlights that cases with 97% identity should not be considered to have the same prognosis as other cases with mutated IGHV genes defined as <98% identity to germline.
Lenalidomide in combination with R‐ESHAP in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma: a phase 1b study from GELTAMO group
Authors: Martín Alejandro , Redondo Alba M. , Dlouhy Iván , Salar Antonio , González‐Barca Eva , Canales Miguel , Montes‐Moreno Santiago , Ocio Enrique M. , López‐Guillermo Armando , Caballero Dolores ,   the Grupo Español de Linfomas y Trasplante Autólogo de Médula Ósea (GELTAMO)
Published: February 2016

Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients failing rituximab‐containing therapy have a poor outcome with the current salvage regimens. We conducted a phase 1b trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of lenalidomide in combination with R‐ESHAP (rituximab, etoposide, cisplatin, cytarabine, methylprednisolone) (LR‐ESHAP) in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL. Efficacy data were collected as a secondary objective. Subjects received 3 cycles of lenalidomide at escalating doses (5, 10 or 15 mg) given on days 1–14 of every 21‐day cycle, in combination with R‐ESHAP. Responding patients received BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) followed by autologous stem‐cell transplantation. Lenalidomide 10 mg/d was identified as the MTD because, in the 15 mg cohort, one patient experienced dose‐limiting toxicity (grade 3 angioedema) and two patients had mobilization failure. A total of 19 patients (3, 12 and 4 in the 5, 10 and 15 mg cohorts, respectively) were evaluable. All toxicities occurring during LR‐ESHAP cycles resolved appropriately and no grade 4–5 non‐haematological toxicities were observed. The complete remission and overall response rates were 47·4% and 78·9%, respectively. With a median follow‐up of 24·6 (17·4–38·2) months, the 2‐year progression‐free survival and overall survival were 44% and 63%, respectively. In conclusion, the LR‐ESHAP regimen is feasible and yields encouraging outcomes.
Relationships among multiple aspects of agriculture's environmental impact and productivity: a meta‐analysis to guide sustainable agriculture
Authors: German Richard N. , Thompson Catherine E. , Benton Tim G.
Published: February 2016

Given the pressures on land to produce ever more food, doing it ‘sustainably’ is growing in importance. However, ‘sustainable agriculture’ is complex to define, not least because agriculture impacts in many different ways and it is not clear how different aspects of sustainability may be in synergy or trade off against each other. We conducted a meta‐analysis to assess the relationships between multiple measures of sustainability using novel analytical methods, based around defining the efficiency frontier in the relationship between variables, as well as using correlation analysis. We define 20 grouped variables of agriculture's impact (e.g. on soil, greenhouse gas, water, biodiversity) and find evidence of both strong positive and negative correlations between them. Analysis based on the efficiency frontier suggests that trade‐offs can be ‘softened’ by exploiting the natural between‐study variation that arises from a combination of farming best practice and context. Nonetheless, the literature provides strong evidence of the relationship between yields and the negative externalities created by farming across a range of measures.