bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simplified and Integrated Management System for Responsible Care (SIMS-RC) in chemical industries
Authors: Muhamad Khair Nur Khairlida , Lee Khai Ern , Mokhtar Mazlin , Goh Choo Ta
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers and challenges faced by chemical industries in Malaysia causing to the low participation in Responsible Care program. Also, this paper aims to propose a solution to address the issues in implementing Responsible Care by introducing a Simplified and Integrated Management System for Responsible Care.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was distributed to 132 Responsible Care signatory companies in Malaysia, and they were given a week to return it via e-mail. Combining the inputs from the survey and document analysis, a Simplified and Integrated Management System for Responsible Care (SIMS-RC) was proposed.

Findings

Responsible Care signatory companies faced barriers in implementing product stewardship code and they also faced challenges in getting employees’ commitment from all levels. Taking the inputs received from Responsible Care signatory companies and document analysis, an SIMS-RC was proposed as a closed-loop process which consists of quality, environmental, health and safety management system.

Research limitations/implications

Some of the chemical companies were unable to share their thoughts in the survey due to the companies’ confidential reason.

Originality/value

Abundant literature has discussed about the limitation of Responsible Care that needs to be improved. Therefore, several elements and procedures of the program need to be revised and innovated to help the signatory companies to continuously improve their performances and encourage more participation in Responsible Care program. The findings will add value to the current body of knowledge and Responsible Care signatory companies which seek to improve Responsible Care implementation through an integrated management system approach. The proposed SIMS-RC is a simple, integrated, holistic and process-oriented management system in which it blends Responsible Care into quality, environmental, health and safety management system.
Marketplace rumor sharing among young consumers: the role of anxiety and arousal
Authors: Sudhir Subin , Unnithan Anandakuttan B.
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This study aims to explore rumor sharing behavior among young consumers by evaluating the role of state anxiety and arousal as fundamental triggers to rumor sharing behavior. This study asserts that young consumers share rumors for emotional regulation and information sharing reasons, and aims to explore rumor sharing dynamics along these factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using established scales, this paper collects data from 394 respondents (age 18-25 years) who are enrolled in engineering or management colleges in India. Using these data, the paper conducts a PLS-SEM-based analysis using SmartPLS 3.0 to establish hypothesized relationships. PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2017) is used in SPSS to assess the role of mediators.

Findings

Major findings of the study indicate that young consumers share rumors for emotional regulation and information sharing. State anxiety and arousal were positively associated to the consumers’ emotional regulation motivation, as well as their information sharing motivations. The findings illustrate that young consumers share rumors for managing their own emotions, as well as to help others who might be in need for such information. This assertion was further established by the mediating effect of these motivations on the relationship between the consumers’ emotions and their intention to share the rumor.

Research limitations/implications

It was observed that that young consumers share rumors for emotional regulation and information sharing purpose. This contribution adds to the current research on motivations of rumor sharing. The paper highlights that rumor sharing is an outcome of emotional experiences, thereby contributing to “why” rumors are spread in the marketplace.

Originality/value

Rumors lack veracity, arise in contexts of uncertainty and influence perceptions, brand credibility and consumer loyalty. Thus it is critical to understand the dynamics of fast propagating rumors in the marketplace. This paper advances the theoretical understanding of the psychological factors driving rumor propagation among young consumers. The paper identifies and establishes the role of fundamental triggers of rumor sharing among young consumers.
A comparison of management adaptations for joined‐up government: Lessons from New Zealand
Authors: Scott Rodney James , Bardach Eugene
Published: October 2018

Despite considerable attention, helping agencies to work more effectively together is one of the most important contemporary challenges of public administration theory and practice. The New Zealand Better Public Services (BPS) Results program has been an unexpected success in this area and provides a positive case study. In 2012, the New Zealand government set targets for solving 11 important social problems where responsibility crossed agency boundaries and has made significant measurable progress in all 11 problems. This paper explores the conditions that may have enabled the most progress and possible management adaptations when these initial conditions are not fully met. In particular, the case demonstrates how goal commitment can be supported where there exist a large number of potential actors and how interagency trust can be built in the absence of existing relationships.
The Everyday Economy: A Reply to Neil McInroy
Authors: Reeves Rachel
Published: October 2018

The outcome of the 2017 general election showed the demand for a break with a failed economic model. However, Labour needs to continue to develop its thinking, especially around questions of ownership, institutional reform, the devolution of power, and about wages and quality of work. The author argues that a focus on the everyday economy—those sectors upon which we depend for healthy, happy lives and communities and which employ many people, but which are all too often characterised by low wages, low productivity and low skill—can expose the failings of our present economic settlement and offer a blueprint for Labour to forge a new one. Central to this are questions of democracy, but more needs to be said about redressing the ‘financialisation’ of the everyday economy.
Changes in the Ki‐67 labeling index between primary breast cancer and metachronous metastatic axillary lymph node: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Ishibashi Naoya , Nishimaki Haruna , Maebayashi Toshiya , Hata Masaharu , Adachi Keita , Sakurai Kenichi , Masuda Shinobu , Okada Masahiro
Published: October 2018

Background

The Ki‐67 labeling index (LI) is a well‐known prognostic factor for primary breast cancer, but its clinical significance for metachronous axillary lymph node (ALN) recurrence has not been well documented.

Methods

Ki‐67 expression in primary tumors (PTs) and ALN metastases (ALNMs) was evaluated in 21 patients and quantified to investigate the relationship between Ki‐67 LIs in PTs and metachronous ALNMs.

Results

The median Ki‐67 LIs in the PTs and ALNMs were 25.2% (range: 2.3–80.2%) and 70% (range: 10.4–97.4%), respectively. A majority of patients had higher Ki‐67 LIs in ALNMs than in PTs (76.2%, 16/21). Disease‐specific survival was significantly better in patients with a lower‐than‐median ALNM Ki‐67 LI (P = 0.019, log‐rank test). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed a PT Ki‐67 LI of 62.8% as the optimal cutoff value and an ALNM Ki‐67 LI of 65.1%. Accordingly, we divided the patients into four groups: PT Ki‐67 LI lower than 62.8%/ALNM Ki‐67 LI lower than 65.1%, PT Ki‐67 LI lower/ALNM Ki‐67 LI higher, PT Ki‐67 LI higher/ALNM Ki‐67 LI higher, and PT Ki‐67 LI higher/ALNM Ki‐67 LI lower. Disease‐specific survival was significantly better in patients with Ki‐67 LI lower/ALNM Ki‐67 LI lower than in the other groups.

Conclusion

This is the first study to show that the Ki‐67 LI in metachronous ALNM is a prognostic factor for patients with metachronous ALN recurrence of breast cancer.
The Think/No‐Think Alcohol Task: A New Paradigm for Assessing Memory Suppression in Alcohol‐Related Contexts
Authors: López‐Caneda Eduardo , Crego Alberto , Campos Ana D. , González‐Villar Alberto , Sampaio Adriana
Published: October 2018

Background

Research with the Think/No‐Think (TNT) task has shown that voluntary suppression of an unwanted memory may lead to its later forgetting. To date, however, no study has assessed the memory suppression abilities in alcohol‐related contexts despite the potential implications that it might have for alcohol research. With this aim, we developed a new version of the TNT paradigm, the TNT Alcohol (TNTA) task, which consists of 36 neutral pictures paired with 36 alcohol/no‐alcohol images that are instructed to be suppressed or recollected.

Methods

Electroencephalographic activity was recorded from 64 electrodes while 20 young healthy females performed the TNTA task. The event‐related potentials (ERPs) typically involved in memory suppression/recollection were analyzed, namely the fronto‐central N2, the late parietal positivity (LPP), and the frontal slow wave (FSW).

Results

Findings revealed reduced recall for previously learned images that were subsequently instructed to be suppressed (No‐Think) relative to those instructed to be retrieved (Think) and those not cued to be suppressed or retrieved (Baseline). This reduction seemed to be more prominent for alcohol‐related memories. In addition, ERP analysis showed that compared to attempts of recollection, attempts of memory suppression were associated with attenuated LPP amplitude—more pronounced for alcohol‐related memories—(indicating reduced conscious recollection for No‐Think images) as well as with increased FSW (suggesting strategic control aiming at decrease accessibility of unwanted memories).

Conclusions

These results replicate and extend previously reported behavioral and ERP findings in the TNT paradigm and suggest that the TNTA task may be a useful instrument to measure the ability to suppress alcohol‐related memories.
One‐year follow‐up on liraglutide treatment for prediabetes and overweight/obesity in clozapine‐ or olanzapine‐treated patients
Authors: Svensson C. K. , Larsen J. R. , Vedtofte L. , Jakobsen M. S. L. , Jespersen H. R. , Jakobsen M. I. , Koyuncu K. , Schjerning O. , Nielsen J. , Ekstrøm C. T. , Correll C. U. , Vilsbøll T. , Fink‐Jensen A.
Published: October 2018

Objective

Treatment with most antipsychotics is associated with an increased risk of weight gain and metabolic disturbances. In a randomized trial, we previously demonstrated that 16 weeks of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist liraglutide treatment vs. placebo significantly reduced glucometabolic disturbances and body weight in prediabetic, overweight/obese schizophrenia‐spectrum disorder patients treated with clozapine or olanzapine. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the beneficial effects of the 16‐week intervention were sustained beyond the intervention period.

Method

One year after completion of the intervention, we investigated changes in body weight, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, C‐peptide, and lipids comparing 1‐year follow‐up levels to end of treatment (week 16) and baseline (week 0) levels.

Results

From end of treatment to the 1‐year follow‐up, body weight had increased in the liraglutide‐treated group. However, compared to baseline levels, the placebo‐subtracted body weight loss remained significantly reduced (−3.8 kg, 95% CI: −7.3 to −0.2, P = 0.04). Fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, C‐peptide, and lipids had each returned to baseline levels 1 year after stopping liraglutide.

Conclusion

The body weight reduction during 16 weeks of liraglutide treatment was partially sustained 1 year after the intervention was completed. However, the improvements in other metabolic parameters returned to baseline levels.
National survey of routines for intrapartum fetal monitoring in Norway
Authors: Kaasen Anne , Aanstad Kristin J. , Pay Aase S. D. , Økland Inger , Blix Ellen
Published: October 2018

Introduction

This study describes clinical routines for intrapartum fetal monitoring in Norway and compliance with national clinical recommendations.

Material and methods

A national survey of all (n = 48) birth units in Norway, using a self‐reporting questionnaire about fetal monitoring methods and devices available in the birth units, admission cardiotocography (CTG) use, intrapartum fetal monitoring methods for women with and without risk factors, the availability of fetal scalp blood sampling facilities, and umbilical cord blood sampling routines.

Results

All birth units responded. They all had access to Pinard stethoscopes, hand‐held Doppler devices, and CTG. Half of the units used ST waveform analysis (STAN) as an adjunct to CTG. Furthermore, 23 of 48 units analyzed fetal blood samples and 43 of 48 umbilical cord blood gas samples. In 11 units, admission CTG was routinely offered to all women. No units used continuous CTG during labor in low‐risk women. However, three units routinely used intermittent CTG during the first stage of labor. Three units used CTG without having access to fetal blood samples or STAN.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate some deviations from clinical recommendations in the use of intrapartum fetal monitoring in Norway. Three units used intermittent CTG for women without risk factors. Almost one in four units routinely used admission CTG, despite national clinical recommendations. The lack of access to fetal blood samples or STAN in units using CTG is of concern.
On the Accuracy of Hemolysis Models in Couette‐Type Blood Shearing Devices
Authors: Wu Peng , Boehning Fiete , Groß‐Hardt Sascha , Hsu Po‐Lin
Published: October 2018

Hemolysis is one of the most challenging issues faced by blood contacting devices. Empirical hemolysis models often relate hemolysis to shear stress and exposure time. These models were generally derived from the experimental results of Couette‐type blood shearing devices, with assumption of uniform exposure time and shear stress. This assumption is not strictly valid since neither exposure time nor shear stress is uniform. Hence, this study evaluated the influence of the nonuniform exposure time and rotor eccentricity or run‐out on the accuracy of power‐law hemolysis models, using both theoretical and CFD analysis. This work first provided a systematic analysis of the flow regime in a typical Couette shearing device, and showed the axial flow component can be regarded as fully developed laminar plane Poiseuille flow. It was found that the influence of nonuniform exposure time is within 4% for several widely used power‐law models, which were validated by steady CFD simulations. A theoretical relationship was then built between the rotor run‐out and hemolysis. We noticed that the influence of rotor run‐out on hemolysis is within 5% for a moderate rotor run‐out ratio of 0.2. Next, transient CFD simulations were performed to investigate the influence of rotor run‐out on hemolysis with run‐out ratios of 0.1 and 0.2. The results showed negligible effects for a moderate run‐out ratio of 0.1. However, a run‐out ratio of 0.2 led to a significant increase of hemolysis, resulting from back flows induced by the run‐out of the rotor. These findings will be of great importance for the improvement of the hemolysis estimation and blood compatibility design.
Computational analysis of customized cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty restoration of native knee joint biomechanics
Authors: Koh Yong‐Gon , Lee Jin‐Ah , Chung Pill Ku , Kang Kyoung‐Tak
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this study was to verify if customized prosthesis better preserves the native knee joint kinematics and provides lower contact stress on the polyethylene (PE) insert owing to the wider bone preservation than that of standard off‐the‐shelf prosthesis in posterior cruciate‐retaining type total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Validated finite element (FE) models for were developed to evaluate the knee joint kinematics and contact stress on the PE insert after TKA with customized and standard off‐the‐shelf (OTS) prostheses as well as in normal healthy knee through FE analysis under dynamic loading conditions. The contact stresses on the customized prosthesis decreased by 18% and 8% under gait cycle loading conditions, and 24% and 9% under deep‐knee‐bend loading conditions, in the medial and lateral sides of the PE insert, respectively, compared with the standard OTS prosthesis. The anterior‐posterior translation and internal‐external (IE) rotation in customized TKA were more similar to native knee joint behaviors compared with standard OTS TKA under gait loading conditions. The difference from normal knee kinematics was lower for femoral rollback and IE rotation in customized TKA than in standard OTS TKA in the deep‐knee‐bend condition. In general, customized prostheses achieve kinematics that are close to those of the native healthy knee joint and have better contact stresses than standard OTS prostheses in gait and deep‐knee‐bend loading conditions.
Increasing the removal of protein‐bound uremic toxins by liposome‐supported hemodialysis
Authors: Shi Yuanyuan , Wang Yifeng , Ma Shuai , Liu Tingyan , Tian Huajun , Zhu Qiuyu , Wang Wenji , Li Yulin , Ding Feng
Published: October 2018

Protein‐bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) accumulate at high plasma levels and cause various deleterious effects in end‐stage renal disease patients because their removal by conventional hemodialysis is severely limited by their low free‐fraction levels in plasma. Here, we assessed the extent to which solute removal can be increased by adding liposomes to the dialysate. The uptake of liposomes by direct incubation in vitro showed an obvious dose‐response relationship for p‐cresyl sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) but not for hippuric acid (HA). The percent removal of both PCS and IS but not of HA was gradually increased with the increased concentration of liposomes in a rapid equilibrium dialysis setup. In vitro closed circulation showed that adding liposomes to the dialysate markedly increased the dialysances of PBUTs without greatly altering that of urea and creatinine. In vivo experiments in uremic rats demonstrated that adding liposomes to the dialysate resulted in higher reduction ratios (RRs) and more total solute removal (TSR) for several PBUTs compared to the conventional dialysate, which was approximately similar to the addition of bovine serum albumin to the dialysate. These findings highlight that as an adjunct to conventional hemodialysis, addition of liposomes to the dialysate could significantly improve the removal of protein‐bound uremic solutes without greatly altering the removal of small, water‐soluble solutes.
Fatty acid taste quality information via GPR120 in the anterior tongue of mice
Authors: Yasumatsu Keiko , Iwata Shusuke , Inoue Mayuko , Ninomiya Yuzo
Published: October 2018

Aim

To elucidate whether fatty acid taste has a quality that does not overlap with other primary qualities, we investigated potential neuron types coding fatty acid information and how GPR120 is involved.

Methods

Single fibre recordings in the chorda tympani (CT) nerve and behavioural response measurements using a conditioned taste aversion paradigm were performed in GPR120‐knockout (KO) and wild‐type (WT) mice.

Results

Single fibres can be classified into fatty acid (F)‐, S‐, M‐, electrolyte (E)‐, Q‐, and N‐type groups according to the maximal response among oleic acid, sucrose, monopotassium glutamate (MPG), HCl, quinine hydrochloride, and NaCl respectively. Among fibres, 4.0% in GPR120‐KO and 17.9% in WT mice showed a maximal response to oleic acid (F‐type). Furthermore, half or more of S‐ and M‐type fibres showed responses to fatty acids in both mouse strains, although the thresholds in KO mice were significantly higher and impulse frequencies lower than those in WT mice. GPR120‐KO mice conditioned to avoid linoleic acid showed generalized stimulus avoidances for MPG, indicating qualitative similarity between linoleic acid and MPG. The KO mice showed a higher generalization threshold for linoleic acid than that of WT mice.

Conclusion

Fatty acid taste is suggested to have a unique quality owing to the discovery of F‐type fibres, with GPR120 involved in neural information pathways for a unique quality and palatable taste qualities in the mouse CT nerve. GPR120 plays roles in distinguishing fatty acid taste from other primary tastes and the detection of low linoleic acid concentrations.
Does Reducing Male Domination in Teams Attenuate or Intensify the Harmful Effects of Perceived Discrimination on Women's Job Satisfaction? A Test of Competing Hypotheses
Authors: Sawyer Katina , Young Stephen F. , Thoroughgood Christian , Dominguez Kizzy M.
Published: October 2018

This study tested competing theoretical predictions surrounding the moderating effect of male domination in teams on the relation between women's perceptions of gender discrimination and their job satisfaction. Using archival data from an all‐female sample of active military personnel (n = 3,015) comprising 321 work teams, which fell on a continuum from less male dominated to more male dominated, we found that the extent to which teams were male dominated moderated the negative link between perceived gender discrimination and job satisfaction, such that perceptions of discrimination were more negatively related to job satisfaction for women working in teams that were less male dominated than for those working in teams that were more male‐dominated. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for research and practice and highlight several avenues for future research.
Letter: faecal calprotectin, clinical indices and the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Al Sulais Eman , AlAmeel Turki
Published: October 2018

Linked Content

This article is linked to Walker et al paper. To view these article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14563.
Comparison of microridges in juvenile and adult sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus
Authors: DePasquale Joseph A.
Published: October 2018

Microridges are F‐actin‐based surface protrusions of the superficial layer cells of fish epidermis. Microridge patterns progress in complexity during fish embryogenesis, often transitioning from abundant surface microvilli to the classical fingerprint arrangement. This progression suggests pattern changes may also occur during later stages of fish development. Fluorescent labelling of F‐actin and morphometric analysis were therefore used to assess changes in epidermal microridge patterns in juvenile and adult sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus). The microridge patterns found in adult pumpkinseed were similar to that described for many fishes, consisting of whorls or complex multi‐branched ridges. The microridge patterns of the scales from three different‐sized groups of juvenile pumpkinseed were distinctly different from that of adult, however, and were present mainly as unbranched concentric or nearly concentric rings in the two larger juvenile groups. In the smallest juveniles, microridges were often apparent as fragmented ridges with abundant actin puncta. Larger juveniles sometimes displayed mixed patterns, with some microridges similar to that of both adult and juvenile patterns. The results show a transition from simple microridge patterns in juvenile pumpkinseeds to distinctly different, diverse and more complex patterns in adults. The different pattern types may reflect particular microridge functions relevant to fish size and age.
School attitude and perceived teacher acceptance: Developmental trajectories, temporal relations, and gender differences
Authors: Arens A. Katrin , Niepel Christoph
Published: October 2018

Background

Positive school attitudes defined as students’ school liking and school attachment are positively related to many desirable outcomes. Student–teacher relations have often been considered to be an important determinant of school attitudes.

Aims

Students’ perceived teacher acceptance was used as an indicator for student–teacher relations. Using a longitudinal data set, we examined the developmental trajectories of school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance. In addition, we studied the temporal relations between both constructs.. We also examined gender differences in the mean levels, mean level development, and relations of school attitudes and teacher acceptance.

Sample

The sample consisted of 2,376 German elementary school students.

Methods

The students rated their school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance three times across grade levels 3–4. Latent growth curve models were used to examine the developmental trajectories of both constructs. Cross‐lagged panel models were used to examine the temporal relations between both constructs.

Results

Positive school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance declined across time. School attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance were positively and reciprocally related across the three waves. Boys and girls did not differ in their temporal relations between school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance and in the developmental trajectories of both constructs. Girls were found to display higher mean levels of school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance.

Conclusions

Research and practice should seek for effective means to counteract the decline of students’ positive school attitudes and perceived teacher acceptance. Interventions to foster students’ school attitudes might benefit from enhancing student–teacher relations, and vice versa.
Scaffolding learner autonomy in a wiki‐supported knowledge building community and its implications for mindset change
Authors: Lin Chun‐Yi , Reigeluth Charles M.
Published: October 2018

Prior research has revealed resistance against wiki collaboration in higher education classrooms. Compared with small‐group projects, whole‐class knowledge building (KB) on a wiki is difficult, given students’ lack of similar experiences, which requires scaffolding intersubjectivity and transfer of responsibility. This paper focuses on the second cycle of a design‐based research study to develop learner autonomy in wiki‐supported KB. A learner autonomy framework guided the re‐design of the instructional theory with content from the relevant literature. The theory was implemented in an undergraduate design course to validate and refine the theory. We analyzed the data from observations, wiki content, interviews with the expert instructor and two other instructors and a focus‐group interview with students. We found that the KB principles helped students understand KB; and the self‐regulation and meta‐cognition strategies increased motivation and confidence in KB. From the success of this case, we propose that scaffolding learner autonomy for a wiki‐supported KB calls for a change in students’ learning mindsets and requires careful instructional design to support the cognitive, behavioral and affective aspects of change to reduce resistance.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about this topic

Knowledge building (KB) should be practiced to enhance students’ competency in innovating and improving ideas collaboratively for societal progress.

Wiki‐supported whole‐class KB is more difficult than wiki‐supported small‐group projects owing to students’ lack of experience in KB.

What this paper adds

An instructional theory designed to foster learner autonomy in KB on a class wiki.

Success in fostering KB on a class wiki validates the instructional methods and suggests refinements to help students understand KB and increase their motivation and confidence in doing so.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Autonomy in KB requires scaffolding in the behavioral, cognitive and affective aspects.

Although wiki‐supported KB challenges students who have a teacher‐centered mindset of learning or have been immersed in a culture of competition, it brings an opportunity to change students’ mindset to favor co‐constructed learning and create a culture of sharing in the process of adopting it.
Holocene floristic diversity and richness in northeast Norway revealed by sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) and pollen
Authors: Clarke Charlotte L. , Edwards Mary E. , Brown Antony G. , Gielly Ludovic , Lammers Youri , Heintzman Peter D. , Ancin‐Murguzur Francisco Javier , Bråthen Kari‐Anne , Goslar Tomasz , Alsos Inger G.
Published: October 2018

We present a Holocene record of floristic diversity and environmental change for the central Varanger Peninsula, Finnmark, based on ancient DNA extracted from the sediments of a small lake (sedaDNA). The record covers the period c. 10 700 to 3300 cal. a BP and is complemented by pollen data. Measures of species richness, sample evenness and beta diversity were calculated based on sedaDNA sampling intervals and 1000‐year time windows. We identified 101 vascular plant and 17 bryophyte taxa, a high proportion (86%) of which are still growing within the region today. The high species richness (>60 taxa) observed in the Early Holocene, including representatives from all important plant functional groups, shows that modern shrub‐tundra communities, and much of their species complement, were in place as early as c. 10 700 cal. a BP. We infer that postglacial colonization of the area occurred prior to the full Holocene, during the Pleistocene‐Holocene transition, Younger Dryas stadial or earlier. Abundant DNA of the extra‐limital aquatic plant Callitriche hermaphroditica suggests it expanded its range northward between c. 10 200 and 9600 cal. a BP, when summers were warmer than present. High values of Pinus DNA occur throughout the record, but we cannot say with certainty if they represent prior local presence; however, pollen influx values >500 grains cm−2 a−1 between c. 8000 and 7300 cal. a BP strongly suggest the presence of pine woodland during this period. As the site lies beyond the modern tree limit of pine, it is likely that this expansion also reflects a response to warmer Early Holocene summers.
2′‐Hydroxycinnamaldehyde inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 inactivation and reactive oxygen species generation
Authors: Yoon Yae Jin , Kim Young‐Hwan , Lee Yu‐Jin , Choi Jiyeon , Kim Cheol‐Hee , Han Dong Cho , Kwon Byoung‐Mog
Published: October 2018

Inhibition of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway is a novel therapeutic strategy to treat human cancers with constitutively active STAT3. During the screening of natural products to find STAT3 inhibitors, we identified 2′‐hydroxycinnamaldehyde (HCA) as a STAT3 inhibitor, which was isolated from the stem bark of Cinnamomum cassia. In this study, we found that HCA inhibited constitutive and inducible STAT3 activation in STAT3‐activated DU145 prostate cancer cells. HCA selectively inhibited the STAT3 activity by direct binding to STAT3, which was confirmed by biochemical methods, including a pull‐down assay with biotin‐conjugated HCA, a drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) experiment and a cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA). HCA inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation at the tyrosine 705 residue, dimer formation, and nuclear translocation in DU145 cells, which led to a downregulation of STAT3 target genes. The downregulation of cell cycle progression and antiapoptosis‐related gene expression by HCA induced the accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and then induced apoptosis. We also found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in the HCA‐induced inhibition of STAT3 activation and cell proliferation because the suppressed p‐STAT3 level was rescued by glutathione or N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine treatment, which are general ROS inhibitors. These results suggest that HCA could be a potent anticancer agent targeting STAT3‐activated tumor cells.
A Mathematical Model of How People Solve Most Variants of the Number‐Line Task
Authors: Cohen Dale J. , Blanc‐Goldhammer Daryn , Quinlan Philip T.
Published: October 2018

Current understanding of the development of quantity representations is based primarily on performance in the number‐line task. We posit that the data from number‐line tasks reflect the observer's underlying representation of quantity, together with the cognitive strategies and skills required to equate line length and quantity. Here, we specify a unified theory linking the underlying psychological representation of quantity and the associated strategies in four variations of the number‐line task: the production and estimation variations of the bounded and unbounded number‐line tasks. Comparison of performance in the bounded and unbounded number‐line tasks provides a unique and direct way to assess the role of strategy in number‐line completion. Each task produces a distinct pattern of data, yet each pattern is hypothesized to arise, at least in part, from the same underlying psychological representation of quantity. Our model predicts that the estimated biases from each task should be equivalent if the different completion strategies are modeled appropriately and no other influences are at play. We test this equivalence hypothesis in two experiments. The data reveal all variations of the number‐line task produce equivalent biases except for one: the estimation variation of the bounded number‐line task. We discuss the important implications of these findings.
Echocardiographic right ventricular strain from multiple apical views is superior for assessment of right ventricular systolic function
Authors: Werther Evaldsson A. , Ingvarsson A. , Smith J. G. , Rådegran G. , Roijer A. , Waktare J. , Ostenfeld E. , Meurling C.
Published: October 2018

Background

Right ventricular (RV) systolic function is an important determinant of outcome in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Conventional echocardiographic measures of RV are mainly based on longitudinal contractility. Recently, measurement of RV global longitudinal strain derived from multiple windows (RVGLS) has emerged as an option but has not been well evaluated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate which echocardiographic RV function parameter correlates best with RV ejection fraction derived from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (RVEFCMR).

Methods and results

Fifty‐five patients evaluated for PH underwent RV assessment with echocardiography and CMR. Conventional echocardiographic parameters of RV function including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid annular systolic velocity (S′), RV fractional area change (RVFAC) and RV index of myocardial performance (RIMP). RVGLS was measured from three separate apical views using a 17‐segment model and strain from the lateral free wall was calculated separately (RVfree). The study included 55 patients, whereas assessment of RVGLS could be obtained in 29 patients. The Pearson correlation coefficient with RVEFCMR was strong for RVGLS (r = 0·814, P<0·001) and RVfree (r = 0·778, P<0·001), modest for RVFAC (r = 0·681, P<0·001), TAPSE (r = 0·592, P<0·001) and RIMP (r=−0·521, P<0·01), and weak for S′ (r = 0·385, P<0·01).

Conclusion

The echocardiographic RV measures, RVGLS and RVfree correlated well with RVEFCMR, whereas correlation with TAPSE, RIMP and S′ was unsatisfactory. Our findings suggest that RVGLS and RVfree are the preferred echocardiographic methods for clinical practice. RVfree is easiest to perform but RVGLS could provide incremental value in selected patients.
Diagnostic accuracy of bicuspid aortic valve by echocardiography
Authors: Jain Renuka , Ammar Khawaja Afzal , Kalvin Lindsey , Ignatowski Denise , Olet Susan , Tajik A. Jamil , Khandheria Bijoy K.
Published: October 2018

Background

Echocardiography is regarded as the gold standard for diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), yet diagnostic accuracy has been evaluated previously only in single‐center studies. We systematically evaluated the accuracy of BAV diagnosis in a large healthcare system of multiple echocardiography laboratories.

Methods and Results

Aurora Health Care is a multihospital, multi‐clinic system across the state of Wisconsin encompassing 33 inpatient and outpatient echocardiography laboratories with 39 cardiologist readers and 72 sonographers. As all laboratories store echocardiograms in one database, we queried all patients with “bicuspid aortic valve” diagnosis on echocardiography. Echocardiograms were classified as “BAV” or “possible BAV” based on initial reader confidence. An expert review panel categorized each as BAV, no BAV, or Indeterminate. Of the 745 cases identified, 589 (79.1%, initial reader interpretation: n = 494 “BAV,” n = 95 “possible”) were BAV. A high level of agreement (84%) was present in BAV diagnosis. There were 156 (20.9%) echocardiograms that were no BAV (8.4%) or Indeterminate (12.4%). We identified three common reasons for misdiagnosis: poor image quality (n = 70, 44.9%), leaflet calcium (n = 44, 28.2%), and oblique axis imaging (n = 33, 21.1%). A clear reason for misclassification was not elucidated in nine cases (n = 9, 5.7%).

Conclusions

This is the first study to evaluate BAV accuracy across a community health system with multiple echocardiography laboratories and a heterogeneous group of readers and sonographers. We establish a high degree of accuracy of echocardiography in BAV diagnosis and draw attention to common echocardiographic pitfalls that lead to BAV misclassification, highlighting opportunities for education and quality improvement.
Exports, jobs, growth! Congressional hearings on US trade agreements
Authors: Lee Jieun , Osgood Iain
Published: October 2018

Who testifies on US trade agreements before Congress and what do they say? We examine the content of Congressional testimony on US trade agreements, and the selection process which determines who testifies in the first place. We find that testimony is systematically tilted toward a sunny view of trade's positive economic effects, while import competition and offshoring are generally downplayed. We argue that trade's supporters strategically frame their motives for supporting trade agreements, and that pro‐trade committee chairs’ decisions on who testifies further skew testimony away from the distributive consequences of globalization within the United States. Congressional hearings on trade agreements therefore represent a key site where the influence of dominant pro‐trade interests is both revealed and reinforced.
Presence and viability of Ceratocystis lukuohia in ambrosia beetle frass from Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death‐affected Metrosideros polymorpha trees on Hawaiʻi Island
Authors: Roy Kylle , Ewing Curtis P. , Hughes Marc A. , Keith Lisa , Bennett Gordon M.
Published: October 2018

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) is a fungal disease of ʻōhiʻa lehua (Myrtaceae: Metrosideros polymorpha) caused by Ceratocystis lukuohia and C. huliohia. ROD is the aetiological agent of widespread mortality of this important tree on Hawaiʻi Island, but its epidemiology remains unclear. We investigated the prevalence and viability of C. lukuohia in ambrosia beetle frass in ROD‐affected ʻōhiʻa trees. A total of 200 frass traps were placed onto C. lukuohia‐infected ʻōhiʻa at four locations on the east side of Hawaiʻi Island. Frass was collected and screened for the presence of C. lukuohia DNA using a diagnostic qPCR assay. In addition, frass samples were screened for viability by carrot baiting. All trapped beetles were of the genus Xyleborus, with the majority being the non‐native X. ferrugineus. Of the frass samples tested, 62% contained C. lukuohia DNA and 17% of carrot baits were positive for the fungus. These results indicate that ambrosia beetle frass releases C. lukuohia into the environment. We discuss the potential role infested frass could play in the ROD pathosystem.
Tumour deposits are a significant prognostic factor in gastric cancer – a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Graham Martínez Cristina , Knijn Nikki , Verheij Marcel , Nagtegaal Iris D , van der Post Rachel S
Published: October 2018

Aims

Tumour deposits (TDs) are clusters of cancer cells in the soft tissue that are discontinuous from the primary tumour. In this review we are exploring their relevance for prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Methods and results

A literature search was performed to identify studies providing data on TDs and prognosis in gastric cancer patients. Eight papers were included in the meta‐analysis, which was carried out in terms of risk ratios (RR) and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Of 7445 patients, 1551 had TDs (20.9%). TDs were associated with a decreased overall survival (OS) in univariate (HR = 2.82, 95% CI = 1.9–4.3) and multivariate analyses (HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.3–2.1). TDs were also associated with known prognostic factors such as synchronous metastatic disease (RR = 9.5), invasion depth (RR = 1.8), lymph node metastasis (RR = 1.7), lymphatic invasion (RR = 1.7), vascular invasion (RR = 2.6) and poor differentiation (RR = 1.2).

Conclusions

We found a strong indication that TDs are independent predictors of prognosis in patients with gastric cancer; hence, TDs should be included in the staging of gastric cancers.
Expression of odorant‐binding proteins in mouthpart palps of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria
Authors: Pregitzer P. , Zielonka M. , Eichhorn A.‐S. , Jiang X. , Krieger J. , Breer H.
Published: October 2018

Odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) are essential molecular elements of the insect chemosensory system, which is composed of the antennae and the mouthpart palps (maxillary and labial). In this study, we have analysed the expression and the sensilla specificity of 14 OBP subtypes in the palps of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. The locust palps comprise only a low number of sensilla basiconica but a high number of sensilla chaetica. Employing a variety of approaches, we found that only a subset of the antennal OBP repertoire was expressed in both palp types. These OBPs were previously shown to be expressed either in sensilla basiconica or sensilla chaetica of the antennae. Comparing the expression pattern in the two chemosensory organs revealed similarities and differences; most remarkably, two OBP subtypes, OBP6 and OBP8, were found in both sensilla types on palps, whereas on the antennae they were solely expressed in one sensillum type. Together, the data indicate a differential, but partly overlapping, expression of OBPs in the two sensilla types of the palps. The differences in the expression pattern of OBP subtypes between antennae and palps might be indicative for distinct functions of the OBPs in the two chemosensory organs.
Early Symptom Measurement of Post‐Stroke Depression: Development and validation of a new short version
Authors: Li Jufang , Li Yun , Li Ping , Ye Maiyun
Published: October 2018

Aims

The aim of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Early Symptom Measurement of Post‐Stroke Depression‐Short Form (ESMPSD‐SF).

Background

The ESMPSD is a specific measurement tool designed to detect early depressive symptoms in acute stroke patients, but it is too long for use in busy clinical settings.

Design

A psychometric study was conducted.

Methods

Five hundred and twenty‐one post‐stroke patients completed two questionnaires, the demographic and the ESMPSD questionnaire, over a period of 10 months, from July 2016–April 2017. The item reduction process was used to reduce the number of items in the ESMPSD questionnaire and consisted of item analysis, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

The item reduction process resulted in a 12‐item short version questionnaire with evidence of acceptable construct validity and internal reliability. Four factors explaining high total variance were extracted: “low,” “guilt,” “emotional,” and “wakefulness”. Estimates of all confirmatory model fit indices met the standard criteria. All standardized factor loading estimates of the 12 items met the standard criteria and the variances explained by the items were acceptable. Moreover, internal reliability estimates of the 12‐item questionnaire were acceptable, and the corrected item‐total correlation and item‐subscale correlation also demonstrated evidence of acceptable reliability of the short form questionnaire.

Conclusions

The ESMPSD‐SF demonstrates evidence of acceptable reliability and validity to screen early depressive symptoms in acute stroke patients in busy clinical settings.
Nausea intensity as a reflector of early physical recovery after surgery
Authors: Eriksson Kerstin , Årestedt Kristofer , Broström Anders , Wikström Lotta
Published: October 2018

Aim

To compare different levels of self‐rated average nausea intensity with early physical recovery and determine if nausea can reflect recovery in patients undergoing general or orthopaedic surgery.

Background

Nausea has been found to influence postoperative physical recovery. Despite the incidence of nausea in postoperative care, there is a knowledge gap about the possibility of using average nausea intensity to reflect recovery, motivating further investigation.

Design

An observational design with repeated measures.

Methods

General and orthopaedic patients answered a questionnaire (October 2012–January 2015) about nausea and impact on recovery on postoperative days 1 (N = 479) and 2 (N = 441). Questions about average nausea intensity at rest and during activity were answered based on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) (0–10). Impact on recovery was evaluated using three dimensions from the postoperative recovery profile tool.

Results

About one‐fifth of the patients reported nausea intensity as moderate to severe on days 1 and 2. Nausea intensity was associated with eight of nine aspects of recovery on postoperative day 1. Nausea intensity on day 1 also reflected four of nine aspects of recovery on day 2. About reflecting physical recovery, the association was strongest between nausea intensity and appetite changes.

Conclusions

As postoperative nausea is common, regular assessments by healthcare professionals are needed. Assessment of nausea is of importance since it reflects physical recovery. This also shows the importance of treating nausea without delay. Using the NRS to measure nausea intensity is a simple method that is easy to use in clinic.
Intentional rounding – An integrative literature review
Authors: Ryan Liz , Jackson Debra , Woods Cindy , Usher Kim
Published: October 2018

Aims

To establish current knowledge about the efficacy and acceptance of intentional rounding in current practice, from the perspective of nurses, patients, patient satisfaction and safety indicators.

Background

Intentional rounding is a formal means of nursing staff checking care needs of patients in hospital settings on a regular basis.

Design

An integrative literature review conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute manual.

Data sources

A literature search from 2000 – 2017 was conducted using the following electronic databases: The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ProQuest, PubMed, Informit, Sage and Scopus.

Review methods

Articles were assessed for quality and rigor using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool and the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment tool for Quantitative Studies. A sequential explanatory mixed studies approach was used to combine qualitative and quantitative evidence in a single review. In‐depth parallel reviews of the quantitative and qualitative evidence were undertaken, and then a synthesis of the combined qualitative and quantitative evidence conducted.

Results

Intentional rounding has positive outcomes on patient satisfaction and safety. Nurses perceive benefits related to intentional rounding; however, some nurses perceive it as an additional, unnecessary task. The effectiveness of intentional rounding is influenced by external factors including leadership and formal rounding education, workload, ward layout, staffing and experience level.

Conclusion

Intentional rounding is a positive intervention in patient safety and satisfaction generally, but needs further research and consideration about actual impact, staff delegation, education and engagement, student nurse involvement, documentation and specializing the structure of intentional rounding.