bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crisis management: the spiritual aspects of victim recovery in serious crime
Authors: Afful Irene , Williams Alexander
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore crisis management in terms of the spiritual aspects of victim recovery. The paper focuses, in particular, on victims of serious crime.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews the available literature on crisis management, serious crime, spirituality and pastoral support to determine their impact on trauma recovery. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a number of police chaplains and a hospital chaplain, in addition to police family liaison officers and witness care officers, who have in-depth involvement with victims of serious crime, to explore the support available and identify gaps against existing theory.

Findings

– Spiritual/pastoral support is available to police officers in the form of police chaplains. Their support is reported to be valuable in the crisis recovery process. Hospital patients report such support as integral to mental and emotional well-being and recovery. Victims of serious crime are not offered such pastoral services through the criminal justice system, though other more practical needs are provided for. This gap could have implications for the effectiveness of the criminal justice process.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is an exploratory study and seeks to open up debate in this arena. The research is localised to a specific region and may not generalise nationally/internationally.

Practical implications

– The paper evaluates the role and import of spiritual support in trauma recovery, makes a number of recommendations to plug the gap in current provision to victims of serious crime and suggests directions for further research in this area.

Social implications

– There are limited social implications.

Originality/value

– There has been very limited research conducted in this specific area and this paper seeks to redress this gap and suggests opportunities for further research to enhance victim crisis recovery and participation in the criminal justice process.
Capturing the citizen perspective in crisis management exercises: possibilities and challenges
Authors: Scott David , Brandow Carina , Hobbins Jennifer , Nilsson Sofia , Enander Ann
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Supporting and communicating with citizens is a vital part of societal crisis management. Training exercises may offer an opportunity to develop capabilities among managers in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to examine this potential in an analysis of how citizens were portrayed and perceived by participants in a major crisis management exercise.

Design/methodology/approach

– Observation, document analysis and short interviews during the exercise were used as data collection methods. Data were subjected to thematic analysis to capture core themes in relation to the research aim.

Findings

– Patterns in how citizens’ reactions were portrayed in the exercise were identified to form a citizen behaviour typology. Observations during the exercise also demonstrated some of the challenges in incorporating the citizen perspective. However, findings regarding the perception of the citizen perspective also demonstrate the ability of exercise participants to meet and respond to public behaviours with respect and seriousness.

Originality/value

– Variation is an important condition for learning in exercises, and the identified typology is suggested as a starting point for achieving this in incorporation of the citizen perspective in training scenarios. The results of the study are discussed in terms of a learning framework with the aim of explicitly developing crisis managers’ ability to interact and communicate with citizens in crisis situations.
Challenges in the deployment of LSS in the higher education sector
Authors: Antony Jiju
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Although Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been widely accepted today by more than 70 per cent Fortune 500 companies, its applications in the public sector are not widely observed and reported due to a number of challenges. The purpose of this paper is to present some of the fundamental challenges in the deployment of LSS within the higher education (HE) context.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author uses primary data in the form of opinions or viewpoints from leading academics and parishioners around the world. The viewpoints were collected carefully to have a good balance between the leading academics and the LSS practitioners.

Findings

– The challenges of LSS implementation in HE can be classified into three categories: organisational, technical and individual challenges. Lack of visionary leadership for LSS journey from top management team in the HE sector makes the deployment a total failure. The difficulty of defining and measuring quality in a HE setting along with collecting relevant and accurate data can be an immense technical challenge in any university sector. Moreover the lack of staff engagement, full academic freedom and autonomy will be a personal challenge for those who are involved in the business process improvement initiative such as LSS.

Research limitations/implications

– Due to limited time constraints, the number of people participated in the study was relatively small. However, the author argues that this study can provide a good foundation to various researchers and practitioners in further exploring the challenges in the implementation and deployment of LSS in any HE setting.

Practical implications

– The findings of the study can be very useful to those who get involved in the application of LSS principles for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of HE processes.

Originality/value

– This paper makes an attempt to reveal some of the rudimentary challenges in the deployment of LSS within the HE setting. These challenges should be taken into account when any HE sector embarks on the LSS initiative.
Problems and prospects of providing library and information services to the prisoners in Nigeria
Authors: Eze Jacintha Ukamaka
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purposes of this paper were to find out the problematic factors in providing library and information services to Nigeria prisoners and the strategies for solving them, thereby enhancing adequate provision of the required services to these prisoners.

Design/methodology/approach

– Seven main prisons were used for the study with a population of about 6,430 prisoners and 21 prison library/welfare workers. The sample size was 1,322 prisoners and the whole 21 workers. Questionnaires and focus group discussion (FGD) were the main instruments used for data collection. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using frequencies and mean scores while data from FGD were analyzed descriptively.

Findings

– Major findings showed that problems like funding, censorship of reading materials, restrictions due to prison policy and staffing hinder to a high extent the provision of library and information services for these prisoners. Also, improved funding of the prisons and prison libraries, services and resource sharing with other libraries, NGOs and other information providers were all seen as strategies to enhance adequate library and information services provision to the prisoners.

Originality/value

– Library and information services are needed by everybody in today’s society. Prisoners, although incarcerated, will find useful a variety of library and information services provided to them. This paper delved into the problems of providing library and information services to Nigeria prisoners. The results of the study, if adhered to by the Nigerian prison authorities, will help a great deal in making the prisoners better citizens after release.
Firm characteristics, board diversity and corporate social responsibility
Authors: Muttakin Mohammad Badrul , Khan Arifur , Subramaniam Nava
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to purport to investigate the relationship between firm size, profitability, board diversity (namely, director gender and nationality) and the extent of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures within a developing nation context.

Design/methodology/approach

– The dataset comprises 116 listed Bangladeshi non-financial companies for the period of 2005-2009. A CSR disclosure checklist was used to measure the extent of CSR disclosures in the annual reports and a multiple regression analysis to examine its association with firm characteristics and two board diversity features – female and foreign directorship.

Findings

– Results indicate that large and more profitable firms provide more CSR disclosures. It was also found that female directorship has a negative association with CSR disclosures, while foreign directorship has a positive impact on such disclosures. This paper documents that CSR disclosures decrease further when family ownership is higher and there are more female directors on the board.

Originality/value

– This study extends empirical evidence on the association between firm characteristics, board diversity and CSR disclosure practices from a developing nation context. Furthermore, this study also reveals that female directors’ impact on firm disclosures may differ between developing and developed nations, and somewhat impeded in the latter. This paper also provides empirical evidence on the importance of appointment of foreign nationals on the boards of developing countries to influence CSR practices.
Engaging fans through social media: implications for team identification
Authors: Meng Matthew D. , Stavros Constantino , Westberg Kate
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The ubiquity of social media provides sport organizations with opportunities to communicate with fans and as a result, potentially strengthen team identification. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to emerging research on the nature of social media use by sport organizations by examining the platforms adopted over a three-year period by National Basketball Association (NBA) teams and the way in which social media is used to communicate and engage with fans.

Design/methodology/approach

– A content analysis was used to examine online comments posted by all 30 teams in the NBA on Facebook and Twitter during the off-season.

Findings

– The results demonstrate that NBA teams have embraced social media, primarily using four different types of communication to engage fans: Informing, Marketing, Personalizing and Activating.

Practical implications

– The authors establish that social media is an effective vehicle for sport organizations to engage with fans and to enhance team identification. The data suggests that teams should make a concerted effort in their communications, where possible, to personalize communications, genuinely inform and involve fans and provide relevant marketing communications, all of which can be effectively implemented within existing marketing efforts.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to examine the direct use of social media by sport organizations and its potential for enhancing team identification.
East Asian college consumer decision-making styles for sport products
Authors: Bae John , Lu-Anderson Doris , Fujimoto Junya , Richelieu Andre
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– Purchasing behaviors have been studied in various countries. Previous studies involving consumer decision-making styles for sport products have only been seen in one country in order to either identify factors of Purchase Style Inventory for Sport Products (PSISP) or classify consumer shopping behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to identify consumers’ decision-making styles (shopping styles) for sport products from Japanese, Singaporean, and Taiwanese college-aged consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The scale of PSISP was adapted to measure consumer decision-making styles (shopping styles) for sport products. This instrument is composed of 35 items under nine dimensions. CFA, 3 (Nationality) × 2 (Gender) MANOVA and ANOVA were employed.

Findings

– According to the results of this study, there were significant different decision-making styles among three different countries in East Asia. Overall, Japanese male and female college-aged students exhibited higher brand consciousness than Singaporean and Taiwanese males and females.

Research limitations/implications

– As consumers from different countries show different lifestyle, education, economic, religion, and culture, they might have their unique shopping styles. Therefore, the dimensions related to decision-making styles need to be explored, and the scale needs to be validated using a substantial sport industry sample in the future study.

Practical implications

– This study helps East Asian advertisers or markets to rethink and develop appropriate marketing strategies as well as to understand the different decision-making styles of local consumers and better approach new and existing consumer markets.

Originality/value

– This paper is important for international sports marketers to predict consumer shopping patterns and maintain proper inventory levels, particularly when marketing in global markets.
Groundwater salinization intensifies drought impacts in forests and reduces refuge capacity
Authors: Kath Jarrod , Powell Sue , Reardon‐Smith Kathryn , El Sawah Sondoss , Jakeman Anthony J. , Croke Barry F. W. , Dyer Fiona J.
Published: July 2015

Shallow groundwater aquifers regularly support drought refuges for water‐dependent ecosystems. However, many aquifers are impacted by over‐extraction and pollution, potentially degrading their ability to support groundwater‐fed drought refuges.

We investigated the response of groundwater‐connected riverine forests to a drought considered equivalent in intensity to those predicted under severe climate change for 2030. The drought's impact was investigated in an area where shallow groundwater resources are heavily exploited and polluted by salinization.

We used remotely sensed vegetation productivity (enhanced vegetation index) data from a long‐term data set (2000–2011) at 475 riverine forest sites in the Campaspe catchment, south‐eastern Australia. Generalized additive mixed models and boosted regression trees were used to model the relationship between groundwater and other environmental covariates with forest change during drought.

Models explained up to 44% of the variation in forest change during drought. Forests underwent the greatest declines in areas of high salinity (>6000 μS cm−1) associated with shallow groundwater depths (0–5 m). Conversely, forests in areas of lowest salinity (<2000 μS cm−1) and groundwater depths of more than 7·5 m showed the least decline during drought.

In landscapes where groundwater quality is not compromised, previous studies have shown that shallow groundwater provides important drought refuges and refugia. Here, we show that when groundwater salinization has occurred, forests connected to shallow groundwater are more vulnerable to drought. In effect, salinization reduces the capacity of groundwater‐connected habitats to function as drought refuges.

Synthesis and applications. Currently, there is an emphasis on managing environmental flows to support freshwater ecosystems and associated forests under water stress. However, delivery of environmental water is restricted to areas within a linear stream network and there is often limited capacity to deliver environmental flows during drought. Alternatively, a focus on drought refuges and refugia and processes important for maintaining groundwater quality (e.g. catchment revegetation to reduce shallow groundwater salinization) may better allow drought effects to be managed across a catchment, without directly focusing on highly contested surface water resources.
‘Rule your condition, don't let it rule you’: young adults’ sense of mastery in their accounts of growing up with a chronic illness
Authors: Heaton Janet , Räisänen Ulla , Salinas Maria
Published: July 2015

Poor control of chronic illness is often attributed to patients’ non‐adherence to medical advice and treatment. Policy and practice has traditionally focused on improving adherence, assuming that the more patients comply, the better their control and outcomes will be. Drawing on complexity theory, we question this logic in a secondary analysis of qualitative data from studies of young adults’ experiences of growing up with a chronic illness. Examining their sense of mastery of their condition, we found they valued both being in medical control of their condition and having autonomy but had different ideas about how to achieve these goals. While some young adults mostly shared the traditional medical view that achieving good control was the key to retaining their autonomy, others saw control and autonomy as independent, non‐linear and potentially conflicting goals. The latter endeavoured to achieve both goals by striking a balance, variously adopting strategies of engagement with and resistance to their regime in the changing social contexts of their lives. We suggest that policy and practice needs to do more to promote autonomy and adaptive capacity, rather than simply maximising adherence and control, recognising the mundane complexity of living with and managing a chronic illness.
Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab Bacillus thuringiensis proteins
Authors: Oyediran Isaac O. , Matthews Phillip , Palekar Narendra , French Wade , Conville Jared , Burd Tony
Published: July 2015

The susceptibility of the northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Smith & Lawrence) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was determined using a diet bioassay. Northern corn rootworm neonates were exposed to different concentrations of mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab, incorporated into artificial diet. Larval mortality was evaluated after 7 d. The mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins were found to be toxic to the northern corn rootworm larvae. The LC50 and LC99 values for mCry3A were 5.13 and 2482.31 μg/mL, respectively. For eCry3.1Ab, the LC50 and LC99 values were 0.49 and 213.01 μg/mL. Based on the estimated lethal concentrations, eCry3.1Ab protein was more efficacious to northern corn rootworm larvae than mCry3A. These lethal concentration values will be used as diagnostic doses for routine annual monitoring for change in susceptibility of field collected northern corn rootworm to mCry3A, and eCry3.1Ab toxins.
Recombinant pediocin in Lactococcus lactis: increased production by propeptide fusion and improved potency by co‐production with PedC
Authors: Back Alexandre , Borges Frédéric , Mangavel Cécile , Paris Cédric , Rondags Emmanuel , Kapel Romain , Aymes Arnaud , Rogniaux Hélène , Pavlović Marija , van Heel Auke J. , Kuipers Oscar P. , Revol‐Junelles Anne‐Marie , Cailliez‐Grimal Catherine
Published: July 2015

We describe the impact of two propeptides and PedC on the production yield and the potency of recombinant pediocins produced in Lactococcus lactis. On the one hand, the sequences encoding the propeptides SD or LEISSTCDA were inserted between the sequence encoding the signal peptide of Usp45 and the structural gene of the mature pediocin PA‐1. On the other hand, the putative thiol‐disulfide oxidoreductase PedC was coexpressed with pediocin. The concentration of recombinant pediocins produced in supernatants was determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The potency of recombinant pediocins was investigated by measuring the minimal inhibitory concentration by agar well diffusion assay. The results show that propeptides SD or LEISSTCDA lead to an improved secretion of recombinant pediocins with apparently no effect on the antibacterial potency and that PedC increases the potency of recombinant pediocin. To our knowledge, this study reveals for the first time that pediocin tolerates fusions at the N‐terminal end. Furthermore, it reveals that only expressing the pediocin structural gene in a heterologous host is not sufficient to get an optimal potency and requires the accessory protein PedC. In addition, it can be speculated that PedC catalyses the correct formation of disulfide bonds in pediocin.
Manganese is an additional cation that enhances colonial phase variation of Vibrio vulnificus
Authors: Kaluskar Zelam M. , Garrison‐Schilling Katherine L. , McCarter Kevin S. , Lambert Bliss , Simar Shelby R. , Pettis Gregg S.
Published: July 2015

Vibrio vulnificus, an inhabitant of marine and estuarine environments around the world, is the leading cause of reported seafood‐related deaths in the United States. Disease is caused by opaque colony‐forming strains that produce capsular polysaccharide, loss of which results in an unencapsulated translucent phenotype with diminished virulence potential. Rugose is a third phenotypic variant of V. vulnificus, and produces a separate exopolysaccharide that results in a dry, wrinkled appearance and the ability to form profuse biofilms. Phase variation among these three phenotypes is influenced by several environmental factors, including the presence of calcium in the medium (Garrison‐Schilling et al.). In this study, we have identified a second cation, manganese, which substantially increases the propensity of opaque V. vulnificus strains to switch to translucent or rugose phenotypes. In comparative studies, manganese and calcium promoted switching to the same phenotype for some strains but to different phenotypes for others, results of which indicate that the two cations do not always promote the same changes in underlying gene expression. The data here provide further evidence that exposure of V. vulnificus to select cations results in phenotypic changes that impact both virulence capacity and ecology of the organism.
EpiRADseq: scalable analysis of genomewide patterns of methylation using next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Schield Drew R. , Walsh Matthew R. , Card Daren C. , Andrew Audra L. , Adams Richard H. , Castoe Todd A.
Published: July 2015

Research addressing the role of epigenetics in a diversity of experimental and natural systems is rapidly accumulating. Diverse methods have been developed to study epigenetic states, including bisulphite sequencing and AFLP‐based approaches. However, existing methods are sometimes difficult to apply to non‐traditional model organisms that lack genomic resources (bisulphite sequencing), and can fail to be economical and readily scalable to diverse research questions because of reliance on traditional Sanger sequencing (AFLP approaches).

Here we develop a reduced‐representation library‐based approach that is scalable and economical to quantitatively compare patterns of genomewide methylation. This approach shares substantial similarity to the now widely used double digest restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing‐based method (ddRADseq), except that it utilizes a methylation‐sensitive restriction enzyme. This method therefore identifies changes in the genomic methylation state of cytosine (to 5‐methylcytosine; 5mC) by sampling loci (via next‐generation sequencing) that are not methylated within a sample. We test this method to identify shifts in the epigenome of clonal water fleas (Daphnia ambigua) in response to exposure to fish predator cues, which are known to induce transgenerational changes in life‐history traits.

We found evidence for differential transgenerational responses (inferred via significant shifts in the methylation state of sampled loci) to predator cues among our treatment groups and remarkably consistent responses within treatment groups. Our results demonstrate that this method is capable of producing highly repeatable results even without the use of a reference genome.

Applications of this general method are broad and diverse and include the analysis of epigenetic shifts in both experimental and natural study systems.
A Review of the History of Attitudes Toward Drinking in Pregnancy
Authors: Warren Kenneth R.
Published: July 2015

Background

It is now well accepted in pediatrics and obstetrics that prenatal alcohol is a teratogenic agent and the primary causative factor underlying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), although for the majority of the 20th century that knowledge was either unknown or ignored. At least 2 factors contributed to the delay in recognizing alcohol's role in teratogenicity: the rejection of earlier evidence pertaining to alcohol and pregnancy following the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, Canada, and several European countries; and misinterpretation of earlier research findings in a eugenic rather than toxicological context. The pervasive belief held well into the 1970s that there was no risk to either mother or fetus from prenatal alcohol posed a major challenge to changing physician and public attitudes on alcohol and pregnancy. This review provides insight on key events that occurred in changing physician and public understanding of the risks posed by prenatal alcohol use in pregnancy.

Methods

Historical review of events primarily in the U.S. federal government, found in referenced documents.

Results

The transition in physician and public understanding of the risks posed by prenatal alcohol use was aided by the existence of National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) which was created in 1971. This government agency was able to support research on alcohol and pregnancy immediately following the 1973 published clinical reports calling attention to a proposed fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). These early research studies provided the foundation for the first government health advisory on alcohol and pregnancy, issued by NIAAA in 1977. Subsequently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used this new knowledge on FAS in their effort to add alcoholic beverages to the range of products with ingredient and consumer information labeling. The ensuing hearings and actions resulted in a new health advisory under the auspices of the Surgeon General, encouraging avoidance of alcohol consumption in pregnancy. In subsequent years, Congressional attention to the FAS issue resulted in the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Law.

Conclusions

The pace at which understanding of the risks of prenatal alcohol moved forward from a total misunderstanding to acceptance was aided by both the efforts of the NIAAA in its support of research, and the FDA in its efforts to improve consumer information. Today, many women in the United States as well as other countries continue to ignore advisories on avoiding alcohol consumption in pregnancy, emphasizing the need for persistence in education on these health risks.
Inflammation, neurotrophism and oxidative stress and childhood psychopathology in a large community sample
Authors: Cunha G. R. , Asevedo E. , Mansur R. B. , Zugman A. , Pan P. M. , Gadelha A. , Belangero S. I. , Rizzo L. B. , Coelho R. , Stertz L. , Cogo‐Moreira H. , Grassi‐Oliveira R. , Teixeira A. L. , Kauer‐Sant'Anna M. , Mari J. J. , Miguel E. C. , Bressan R. A. , Brietzke E.
Published: July 2015

Objective

To investigate the association between peripheral biomarkers and child psychopathology in a large community sample.

Method

A total of 625 aged 6‐ to 13‐year old subjects were recruited from a community school‐based study. Psychopathology was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Psychiatric diagnosis was evaluated using the Development and Well‐Being Assessment. The following biomarkers were examined in peripheral blood: brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, cytokines (IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐10, IL‐17, IFN‐g, and TNF‐α), chemokines (eotaxin/CCL11, IP‐10, MCP‐1), cytokine receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2), and the oxidative stress marker TBARS.

Results

We found significant associations between sTNFR2, eotaxin/CCL11 and CBCL total score, as well as with specific dimensions of psychopathology. There were different patterns of association between these biomarkers and psychological and behavioural symptoms in children with and without a mental disorder. TBARS, IL‐6 and MCP‐1 were more specific to some clusters of symptoms in children with a psychiatric diagnosis.

Conclusion

Our data support the potential use of biomarkers, especially those involved in immune–inflammatory pathways, in investigating neurodevelopmental psychopathology. Their association with different dimensions of symptoms might be of useful when analyzing illness severity and clusters of symptoms within specific disorders.
Structural brain aberrations associated with the dissociative subtype of post‐traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Daniels J. K. , Frewen P. , Theberge J. , Lanius R. A.
Published: July 2015

Objective

One factor potentially contributing to the heterogeneity of previous results on structural grey matter alterations in adult participants suffering from post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the varying levels of dissociative symptomatology. The aim of this study was therefore to test whether the recently defined dissociative subtype of PTSD characterized by symptoms of depersonalization and derealization is characterized by specific differences in volumetric brain morphology.

Method

Whole‐brain MRI data were acquired for 59 patients with PTSD. Voxel‐based morphometry was carried out to test for group differences between patients classified as belonging (n = 15) vs. not belonging (n = 44) to the dissociative subtype of PTSD. The correlation between dissociation (depersonalization/derealization) severity and grey matter volume was computed.

Results

Patients with PTSD classified as belonging to the dissociative subtype exhibited greater grey matter volume in the right precentral and fusiform gyri as well as less volume in the right inferior temporal gyrus. Greater dissociation severity was associated with greater volume in the right middle frontal gyrus.

Conclusion

The results of this first whole‐brain investigation of specific grey matter volume in dissociative subtype PTSD indentified structural aberrations in regions subserving the processing and regulation of emotional arousal. These might constitute characteristic biomarkers for the dissociative subtype PTSD.
Contemporary trends in urinary tract stone surgery, a regional perspective: Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Acland George , Zargar‐Shoshtari Kamran , Rice Michael
Published: July 2015

Background

The aim of the study is to assess the contemporary patterns of utilization of various therapeutic options for the management of nephrolithiasis in our tertiary referral institution in Auckland, New Zealand.

Methods

A retrospective audit was conducted for all urinary stone procedures between January 2007 and December 2013. Procedure‐related information was collected for each year. All elective and emergency procedures were included. Data were collected on the elective waiting lists for each procedure.

Results

A total of 5512 stone‐related cases were performed during the study period. Six hundred and fifty‐three cases were performed in 2007 compared with 945 in 2013. Total number of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNLs) performed, as well as the proportion of PCNL cases, demonstrated a significant decline from 84 (12.9%) in 2007 to 67 (7.1%) in 2013. While the annual numbers of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWLs) have increased, the percentage of ESWLs performed relative to total stone procedures has declined from 33% to 23% over the last 4 years of this audit. There has been a significant rise in the numbers of rigid and flexible ureteroscopies, with these now being the most utilized procedure. The number of patients awaiting elective procedures declined over the duration of this audit, with an associated improvement in meeting annual demand for treatment of nephrolithiasis from 78% in 2007 to 91% in 2013.

Conclusions

A proportional decline in PCNL and ESWL utilization with a significant increase in flexible and rigid ureteroscopic procedures has been observed over this time and this pattern has been associated with improved adherence to surgical targets despite an increasing number of cases.
Contralateral neck failure in lateralized oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Habib Miriam , Murgasen Jothi , Gao Kan , Ashford Bruce , Shannon Kerwin , Ebrahimi Ardalan , Clark Jonathan R.
Published: July 2015

Background

Elective treatment of the contralateral clinically node‐negative (cN0) neck is not routinely recommended for lateralized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We sought to determine the failure rate in the untreated contralateral neck in patients with lateralized oral SCC undergoing treatment of the primary and ipsilateral neck and to identify any features placing patients at sufficient risk of contralateral regional failure to justify elective treatment.

Methods

We identified 688 patients with oral SCC undergoing curative surgery ± adjuvant therapy between 1985 and 2012 from a prospectively collected database. Patients with midline primaries and those undergoing bilateral neck treatment were excluded. The primary endpoint was isolated contralateral neck failure.

Results

Of 481 patients, 14 (2.9%) developed isolated contralateral neck recurrence, with median time to recurrence of 8 months. Patients with poorly differentiated tumours or pathologically proven ipsilateral nodal metastases were at significantly higher risk of contralateral failure (hazard ratio (HR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–11.9, P = 0.037 and HR 4.6, 95% CI 1.5–13.8, P = 0.006 respectively). Presence of both of these factors conferred a 10% risk of contralateral failure.

Conclusion

Patients with lateralized oral SCC undergoing treatment of the primary tumour and ipsilateral neck have a low rate of isolated contralateral neck failure. Although poorly differentiated primaries and ipsilateral nodal metastases were predictors of contralateral recurrence, the risk remains relatively modest in this subset of patients suggesting close observation may be more appropriate than elective treatment. Our results support current recommendations for observation of the cN0 contralateral neck in lateralized oral SCC.
The calcium‐activated potassium channel KCa3.1 plays a central role in the chemotactic response of mammalian neutrophils
Authors: Henríquez C. , Riquelme T. T. , Vera D. , Julio‐Kalajzić F. , Ehrenfeld P. , Melvin J. E. , Figueroa C. D. , Sarmiento J. , Flores C. A.
Published: July 2015

Aim

Neutrophils are the first cells to arrive at sites of injury. Nevertheless, many inflammatory diseases are characterized by an uncontrolled infiltration and action of these cells. Cell migration depends on volume changes that are governed by ion channel activity, but potassium channels in neutrophil have not been clearly identified. We aim to test whether KCa3.1 participates in neutrophil migration and other relevant functions of the cell.

Methods

Cytometer and confocal measurements to determine changes in cell volume were used. Cells isolated from human, mouse and horse were tested for KCa3.1‐dependent chemotaxis. Chemokinetics, calcium handling and release of reactive oxygen species were measured to determine the role of KCa3.1 in those processes. A mouse model was used to test for neutrophil recruitment after acute lung injury in vivo.

Results

We show for the first time that KCa3.1 is expressed in mammalian neutrophils. When the channel is inhibited by a pharmacological blocker or by genetic silencing, it profoundly affects cell volume regulation, and chemotactic and chemokinetic properties of the cells. We also demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of KCa3.1 did not affect calcium entry or reactive oxygen species production in neutrophils. Using a mouse model of acute lung injury, we observed that Kca3.1−/− mice are significantly less effective at recruiting neutrophils into the site of inflammation.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that KCa3.1 channels are key actors in the migration capacity of neutrophils, and its inhibition did not affect other relevant cellular functions.
Age‐specific neuromuscular interaction during elderly habitual running
Authors: Sano K. , Akiyama M. , Hoffrén‐Mikkola M. , Ito A. , Komi P. V. , Ishikawa M.
Published: July 2015

Aim

It has been reported that advancing age causes tendons to become more compliant and fascicles length shorter. This could then lead to enhancement of movement efficiency provided that the elderly adults can activate their muscles in the same way as the younger adults (YOUNG) during dynamic movements. This study was designed to examine the age‐specific behaviour of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) fascicles and tendinous tissues together with lower‐leg muscle activities when the well‐trained elderly runners ran on the treadmill at preferred speeds.

Methods

The well‐trained 11 elderly subjects (ELD) who have running experiences and 11 YOUNG were recruited as subjects. While ELD were running on the treadmill at their preferred speed, the lengths of the MG fascicles and tendinous tissues (Lfa and LTT respectively) were measured by ultrasonography together with kinematics and lower‐leg muscle activities.

Results

Although the behaviour of the MG muscle–tendon unit did not show any significant differences between both groups during the contact, our results showed significant differences in fascicle–tendinous tissue behaviour as well as muscle activities. The LTT during the entire contact phase was greater in ELD than in YOUNG (P < 0.001). Co‐activation of lower‐leg muscles from pre‐activation to braking phases was higher in ELD than in YOUNG (P < 0.01). The changes of the Lfa during contact were less, and the LTT shortening was greater in ELD than in YOUNG (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

These results imply that ELD cannot activate their muscles similar to YOUNG during running, and those different activities may modify the Lfa to utilize the tendon elasticity effectively.
Frequency and time to onset of community‐acquired respiratory tract infections in patients receiving esomeprazole: a retrospective analysis of patient‐level data in placebo‐controlled studies
Authors: Estborn L. , Joelson S.
Published: July 2015

Background

Debate continues on whether a causal association exists between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the risk of respiratory tract infections, in particular pneumonia.

Aim

To investigate the occurrence of community‐acquired respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia, in patients receiving esomeprazole.

Method

A retrospective investigation of pooled data on adverse events related to respiratory tract infections, originally reported in 24 randomised, double‐blind clinical studies, was conducted. The frequencies of respiratory tract infections and their relative risks were calculated retrospectively for the total patient population (9602 patients receiving esomeprazole and 5500 receiving placebo) and for sub‐populations defined according to sex, age, esomeprazole dose, indication and geographical region. The cumulative frequency of first occurrence of events was calculated over 180 days.

Results

Frequencies of respiratory tract infections were similar in patients receiving esomeprazole and in those receiving placebo (any respiratory tract infection or signs/symptoms potentially indicating an respiratory tract infection, 0.278 and 0.296 patients per patient‐year; lower respiratory tract infections, 0.048 and 0.058 per patient‐year; pneumonia, 0.006 and 0.009 per patient‐year, respectively). The relative risk for any respiratory tract infection in patients receiving esomeprazole compared with placebo was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86–1.04). For lower respiratory tract infections, the relative risk was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65–1.03) and for pneumonia, 0.66 (95% CI, 0.36–1.22). Sub‐analyses by demographics, dose and indication yielded similar results to the overall analysis. The occurrence of respiratory tract infections was evenly distributed over time and similar in the esomeprazole and placebo groups.

Conclusion

There is no causal association between treatment with esomeprazole and the occurrence of community‐acquired respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia.
Consecutive monitoring of faecal calprotectin during mesalazine suppository therapy for active rectal inflammation in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Yamamoto T. , Shimoyama T. , Matsumoto K.
Published: July 2015

Background

No studies have monitored the levels of faecal calprotectin (FC) during mesalazine suppository therapy for proctitis in ulcerative colitis (UC).

Aims

To evaluate the value of consecutive monitoring of FC in patients with UC during mesalazine suppository therapy.

Methods

One hundred and sixty patients with active inflammation limited to the rectum were treated with mesalazine 1 g suppository once daily for 8 weeks. Patients who achieved clinical remission were advised to maintain the treatment, and were followed up for further 40 weeks. FC levels were measured every 8 weeks during the study.

Results

At week 8, 118 patients (74%) went into clinical remission, of whom 88 achieved endoscopic healing. The median FC level significantly decreased in patients with clinical and endoscopic remission (both P < 0.0001), while it did not change significantly in those without remission. Eighty (68%) of the 118 patients with remission continued the treatment. Twenty‐four patients (30%) relapsed during the 40‐week follow‐up. In patients with clinical relapse, the median FC level elevated already 8 weeks before the diagnosis of relapse. In contrast, in patients who maintained remission it remained at a low level and did not significantly change during the follow‐up. Elevated FC level (≥55 μg/g) was useful for the early diagnosis of relapse (88% sensitivity and 80% specificity).

Conclusions

Faecal calprotectin may represent a useful biomarker for the assessment of disease activity in UC patients treated with mesalazine suppositories. Serial monitoring of faecal calprotectin appears to be valuable for the prediction and early diagnosis of relapse during maintenance therapy.
Population pharmacokinetics and dosing optimization of teicoplanin in children with malignant haematological disease
Authors: Zhao Wei , Zhang Daolun , Storme Thomas , Baruchel André , Declèves Xavier , Jacqz‐Aigrain Evelyne
Published: July 2015

Aim

Children with haematological malignancy represent an identified subgroup of the paediatric population with specific pharmacokinetic parameters. In these patients, inadequate empirical antibacterial therapy may result in infection‐related morbidity and increased mortality, making optimization of the dosing regimen essential. As paediatric data are limited, our aim was to evaluate the population pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin in order to define the appropriate dosing regimen in this high risk population.

Methods

The current dose of teicoplanin was evaluated in children with haematological malignancy. Population pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin were analyzed using nonmem software. The dosing regimen was optimized based on the final model.

Results

Eighty‐five children (age range 0.5 to 16.9 years) were included. Therapeutic drug monitoring and opportunistic samples (n = 143) were available for analysis. With the current recommended dose of 10 mg kg–1 day–1, 41 children (48%) had sub‐therapeutic steady‐state trough concentrations (Css,min<10 mg l–1). A two compartment pharmacokinetic model with first order elimination was developed. Systematic covariate analysis identified that bodyweight (size) and creatinine clearance significantly influenced teicoplanin clearance. The model was validated internally. Its predictive performance was further confirmed in an external validation. In order to reach the target AUC of 750 mg l–1 h 18 mg kg–1 was required for infants, 14 mg kg–1 for children and 12 mg kg–1 for adolescents. A patient‐tailored dose regimen was further developed and reduced variability in AUC and Css,min values compared with the mg kg–1 basis dose, making the modelling approach an important tool for dosing individualization.

Conclusions

This first population pharmacokinetic study of teicoplanin in children with haematological malignancy provided evidence‐based support to individualize teicoplanin therapy in this vulnerable population.
The mediating roles of coping and adjustment in the relationship between personality and academic achievement
Authors: Perera Harsha N. , McIlveen Peter , Oliver Mark E.
Published: July 2015

Background

Existing literature has documented relationships between personality traits and academic achievement as well as some of the mechanisms underlying these links. However, the pathways by which personality traits are associated with achievement during stressful educational circumstances require further investigation.

Aims

This study examined a model of the roles of conscientiousness and neuroticism in achievement during the typically stressful university transition, with a focus on coping strategies and academic adjustment to university as mediators in the putative chain of events linking the dispositional traits with achievement.

Sample

The sample comprised 498 first‐year students attending a metropolitan university in Australia.

Methods

A multiwave design was used with measures of the personality traits administered at the beginning of the semester, measures of coping administered 4 weeks thereafter, and data on academic adjustment collected mid‐semester. Students’ GPA data were retrieved at the end of the semester.

Results

In structural equations analyses, conscientiousness was associated with greater primary control engagement coping and lesser narrow disengagement coping, whereas the opposite was found for neuroticism. Furthermore, conscientiousness and neuroticism were indirectly associated with academic adjustment via the coping strategies, and the personality factors were also indirectly associated with achievement via the coping strategies and academic adjustment linked serially in three‐path mediated sequences.

Conclusions

The findings of this study replicate existing data concerning the direct and indirect relationships of personality with coping and adjustment, and extend these data by elucidating the pathways through which conscientiousness and neuroticism are linked with achievement during a typically stressful educational event.
A novel insulinotropic mechanism of whole grain‐derived γ‐oryzanol via the suppression of local dopamine D2 receptor signalling in mouse islet
Authors: Kozuka Chisayo , Sunagawa Sumito , Ueda Rei , Higa Moritake , Ohshiro Yuzuru , Tanaka Hideaki , Shimizu‐Okabe Chigusa , Takayama Chitoshi , Matsushita Masayuki , Tsutsui Masato , Ishiuchi Shogo , Nakata Masanori , Yada Toshihiko , Miyazaki Jun‐ichi , Oyadomari Seiichi , Shimabukuro Michio , Masuzaki Hiroaki
Published: July 2015

Background and Purpose

γ‐Oryzanol, derived from unrefined rice, attenuated the preference for dietary fat in mice, by decreasing hypothalamic endoplasmic reticulum stress. However, no peripheral mechanisms, whereby γ‐oryzanol could ameliorate glucose dyshomeostasis were explored. Dopamine D2 receptor signalling locally attenuates insulin secretion in pancreatic islets, presumably via decreased levels of intracellular cAMP. We therefore hypothesized that γ‐oryzanol would improve high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced dysfunction of islets through the suppression of local D2 receptor signalling.

Experimental Approach

Glucose metabolism and regulation of molecules involved in D2 receptor signalling in pancreatic islets were investigated in male C57BL/6J mice, fed HFD and treated with γ‐oryzanol . In isolated murine islets and the beta cell line, MIN6 , the effects of γ‐oryzanol on glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was analysed using siRNA for D2 receptors and a variety of compounds which alter D2 receptor signalling.

Key Results

In islets, γ‐oryzanol enhanced GSIS via the activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway. Expression of molecules involved in D2 receptor signalling was increased in islets from HFD‐fed mice, which were reciprocally decreased by γ‐oryzanol. Experiments with siRNA for D2 receptors and D2 receptor ligands in vitro suggest that γ‐oryzanol suppressed D2 receptor signalling and augmented GSIS.

Conclusions and Implications

γ‐Oryzanol exhibited unique anti‐diabetic properties. The unexpected effects of γ‐oryzanol on D2 receptor signalling in islets may provide a novel; natural food‐based, approach to anti‐diabetic therapy.