bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlations Between the Individual Risk for Glaucoma and RNFL and Optic Disc Morphometrical Evaluations in Ocular Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Colombo Leonardo , Bertuzzi Francesca , Rulli Eliana , Miglior Stefano
Published: June 2015

Purpose:

To assess the correlation between the 5-year risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) [on the basis of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS)-European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS) model] and optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) indices as evaluated by optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT), scanning laser polarimetry (GDx ECC), and confocal laser ophthalmoscopy [Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT) III] in ocular hypertensive (OHT) individuals.

Participants and Methods:

Sixty-eight OHT individuals with the untreated intraocular pressure in both eyes between 22 and 32 mm Hg, an ophthalmoscopically normal optic disc with a cup/disc ratio asymmetry between the 2 eyes of ≤0.2, and a visual field with glaucoma hemifield test within normal limits, and pattern SD within P<0.05 were recruited. A comprehensive glaucoma workup and examination by means of OCT, GDx ECC, and HRT III were performed in all of the patients. The probability of developing POAG in 5 years was calculated by means of the OHTS-EGPS model (risk calculator score-RS), which has been developed by the OHTS-EGPS Collaborative Study Group by taking into account the age and the mean values of the central corneal thickness, the intraocular pressure, the pattern SD, and the cup/disc ratio collected in the 2 eyes. Correlations between the individual RS and OCT, GDx, and HRT parameters were then assessed by regression analysis (exponential and linear), with a statistically significant level of P<0.01.

Results:

The RS of the 68 individuals ranged between 1.5% and 28.6%, with a mean of 10.2% (SD 6.4). Only OCT RNFL-related parameters showed a statistically significant correlation with the RS. The average RNFL thickness had an exponential regression r
2 of 0.21 (P<0.0001) and a linear regression r
2 of 0.14 (P=0.0012); the superior average RNFL thickness had an exponential regression r
2 of 0.26 (P<0.0001) and a linear regression r
2 of 0.23 (P<0.0001); the nasal average RNFL thickness had an exponential regression r
2 of only 0.12 (P=0.0031). Neither GDx RNFL-related parameters nor HRT disc-related parameters showed statistically significant correlations with the RC score.

Conclusions:

This explorative study showed that the individual risk to develop POAG within 5 years in OHT individuals is significantly correlated with OCT RNFL parameters, but not with GDx RNFL parameters or HRT disc parameters. OCT parameters could explain about 20% to 25% of the variability in individual RS. The RS seems to take into account the subclinical RNFL thinning shown by the OCT.
Surgical Outcomes of Additional Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation in Refractory Glaucoma
Authors: Ko Sung Ju , Hwang Young Hoon , Ahn Sang Il , Kim Hwang Ki
Published: June 2015

Purpose:

To evaluate the surgical outcomes of the implantation of an additional Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) into the eyes of patients with refractory glaucoma following previous AGV implantation.

Methods:

This study is a retrospective review of the clinical histories of 23 patients who had undergone a second AGV implantation after a failed initial implantation. Age, sex, prior surgery, glaucoma type, number of medications, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, and surgical complications were analyzed. Surgical success was defined as IOP maintained below 21 mm Hg, with at least a 20% overall reduction in IOP, regardless of the use of IOP-lowering medications.

Results:

Following the implantation of a second AGV, the mean IOP decreased from 39.3 to 18.5 mm Hg (52.9% reduction, P<0.001). The mean number of postoperative IOP-lowering medications administered decreased from 2.8 to 1.7 after the second AGV implantation (P<0.001). The cumulative probability of success for the procedure was 87% after 1 year and 52% after 3 years. Three patients (13.0%) experienced bullous keratopathy after the second AGV implantation. None of the patients showed any evidence of diplopia or ocular movement limitation as a result of the presence of 2 AGVs in the same eye. Prior trabeculectomy was found to be a significant risk factor for failure (P=0.027).

Conclusions:

A second AGV implantation can be a good choice of surgical treatment when the first AGV has failed to control IOP.
Fluctuation of Bacteria on Bleb Surface After Trabeculectomy With Adjunctive Mitomycin C
Authors: Takahashi Nobumichi , Sawada Akira , Mochizuki Kiyofumi , Katada Toshihiko , Yamamoto Tetsuya
Published: June 2015

Purpose:

To determine whether the bacterial and floral patterns on the bleb surface are affected by the season in eyes that had undergone trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C.

Patients and Methods:

Forty-four glaucoma patients who had an avascular or a hypovascular cystic filtering bleb were studied. Swabs of the bleb surface were taken 4 times in 1 year. The samples were cultured, and all organisms isolated were identified and tested for antibiotic sensitivity and resistance.

Results:

Of the 176 specimens, 48 tested positive in cultures. Out of the 44 glaucoma eyes that had undergone trabeculectomy, 30 (68.2%) eyes were culture positive. A total of 58 strains were isolated. The organisms isolated were 22 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, 21 strains of Propionibacterium acnes, 8 strains of Corynebacterium sp., 5 strains of Staphylococcus sp., and 1 strain of both Neisseria sp., and Candida parapsilosis. Fifteen eyes had a positive culture ≥2 times, and in 10 of these eyes, the same strain was isolated. There was no resistance to vancomycin by S. epidermidis, P. acnes, and Corynebacterium sp. All of the isolates of S.epidermidis were sensitive to minocycline and amikacin. The rate of bacterial detection in the spring was 13.6%, summer was 20.5%, autumn was 45.5%, and winter was 29.5%. The increase in the incidence of bacterial presence during autumn was significant (P=0.006; the Fisher exact probability test).

Conclusions:

It is not rare to detect the bacterial organisms on the bleb surface in glaucomatous eyes that had undergone trabeculectomy. The prevalence varied with the season and was highest in the autumn.
Stereological Evaluation of the Optic Nerve Volume in Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Kusbeci Tuncay , Kusbeci Ozge Yilmaz , Mas Nuket Gocmen , Karabekir Hamit Selim , Yavas Guliz , Yucel Aylin
Published: June 2015

Optic nerve damage occurs in Alzheimer disease (AD) related to the loss of the retinal ganglion cells that contribute fibers to the optic nerve and reduction of the density of axons of the optic nerve. In this study the authors evaluated optic nerve volume changes and the relation between the cerebrum and optic nerve volumes in AD patients.

The study evaluated the volumetric measurements of optic nerve by applying the stereological method on magnetic resonance images (MRI). It included age-matched study and control groups, which were composed of 20 patients with probable AD and 20 healthy subjects, respectively. MRIs were analyzed by using the point-counting approach holding Cavalieri principle.

There were statistically significant optic nerve volume reduction and cerebral atrophy in AD patients when compared with the age-matched control subjects (P = 0.013, P < 0.001, respectively) but there was no correlation between the optic nerve volume and cerebral volume in AD patients (r = 0.326, P = 0.160).

There was a difference between optic nerve volumes of AD and control subjects. The stereological evaluation of optic nerve volume is of importance for both clinicians and anatomists and it can provide valuable information in the evaluation of morphological changes of AD in vivo.
A Lacrimal Sump Syndrome With a Large Intranasal Ostium
Authors: Qian Zhenbin , Tu Yunhai , Xiao Tianlin , Wu Wencan
Published: June 2015

Lacrimal sump syndrome is an uncommon cause of failed dacryocystorhinostomy. Small osteotomy was reported as the major cause of this syndrome. Here, the authors described the first case of a lacrimal sump syndrome with a large intranasal ostium following endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (EE-DCR). A 51-year-old women patient suffered recurrence of epiphora and dacryocystitis for 8 months following an EE-DCR. Examination showed a large intranasal ostium with a lot of purulent discharge and patent lacrimal irrigation. Lacrimal sump syndrome was diagnosed after passing a probe into the residual lacrimal sac under the aid of an endoscope. The residual sac was reopened and merogel was packed around the wound. The clinical symptoms disappeared after the surgery. It is indicated that lacrimal sump syndrome does happen not only in a small intranasal ostium, but also in a large intranasal ostium. Existing residual sac with bacterial infection may be related to this particular case.
Genome Editing inCaenorhabditis briggsaeusing the CRISPR/Cas9 System
Authors: Culp Elizabeth , Richman Cory , Sharanya Devika , Gupta Bhagwati P
Published: June 2015

Author Summary

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has recently emerged as a powerful tool to engineer the genome of an organism. The system is adopted from bacteria where it confers immunity against invading foreign DNA. This work reports the first successful use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system inC. briggsae, a cousin of the well-known nematodeC. elegans. We used two plasmids, one expressing Cas9 endonuclease and the other an engineered CRISPR RNA corresponding to the DNA sequence to be cleaved. Our approach allows for the generation of loss-of-function mutations inC. briggsaegenes thereby facilitating a comparative study of gene function between nematodes.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is an efficient technique for generating targeted alterations in an organism’s genome. Here we describe a methodology for using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate mutations via non-homologous end joining in the nematodeCaenorhabditis briggsae,a sister species ofC. elegans. Evidence for somatic mutations and off-target mutations are also reported. The use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system inC. briggsaewill greatly facilitate comparative studies toC. elegans.
Governance, inclusion and trust in Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao
Authors: Ho Chiew Siang Bryan
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The contributions in this special issue focus specifically on pertinent issues concerning governance in Asian developmental states – Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao. The purpose of this paper is to provide, first of all, an overview of conceptual issues on governance and its potential application for addressing the rise and development of Asia’s successful developmental states – Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao.

Design/methodology/approach

– This introduction will show the relevance of these contributions theoretically, methodologically, and empirically in relation to the current literature on governance studies.

Findings

– The overview section links the theoretical and conceptual considerations with the empirical studies on either single country or a comparison between states.

Originality/value

– The concluding remarks point to the lessons drawn from these contributions and the implication(s) for further research in good governance.
Infrastructure management in Singapore: privatization and government control
Authors: Jones David S.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– Singapore is a small, densely populated city-state, which has become a prosperous global trading, investment and communications hub. In light of this, particular challenges have arisen in the development of its infrastructure to meet its needs. These challenges are met by harnessing private capital in the design, building, management and funding of the infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to examine various arrangements in using private capital within key infrastructure sectors: mass rapid transit, roads, water supply, electricity generation and transmission, maritime ports and airport, ITC services, and industrial infrastructure, and to consider how full privatization, limited privatization (government-linked companies), direct government provision through statutory authorities (relying partly on private borrowing), and a mix of the above arrangements require infrastructure providers, even statutory authorities, to follow business practices.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts an empirical, discursive and critical approach.

Findings

– The Singapore government has continued to see its role as steering the economy into niche sectors where Singapore can acquire a competitive edge, and to overall facilitate economic development through active intervention. This includes, amongst other things, state-sponsored training and education, capital grants to start-ups, trade promotion, various fiscal incentives to businesses, guarantees for bank credit, etc. (Ghesquiere, 2007). This twin-pronged approach has been reflected in the development and management of the infrastructure. In line with the creation of a strong free enterprise economy, privatization and private capital has been a central feature of infrastructure investment and management.

Originality/value

– The paper shows how private capital can be used through privatization and borrowing from the private sector to manage the infrastructure. This may be considered an appropriate means to meet the needs of a densely populated small state which is also a global hub for trade, research, investment and communications. It also shows how the harnessing of private capital can be combined with continued government control to ensure that the infrastructure development reflects public policy and adheres to required standards.
European consumer preference for African dried fruits
Authors: Alphonce Roselyne , Temu Anna , Almli Valerie Lengard
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess European consumer preference and willingness to pay (WTP) for tropical dried fruits from Africa. The paper specifically investigates sensory and credence characteristics driving consumer preferences.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data on sensory descriptive analysis and hedonic evaluation for seven samples representing three fruit types: mango, pineapple and banana, were collected together with data on Country of Origin (COO) preferences and WTP for conventional, organic and fair-trade labelled dried fruits, among Norwegian consumers (n=96).

Findings

– The results show that consumer preferences for a dried fruit are affected significantly by its typical aroma intensity and consumers are willing to pay a premium for both organic and fair-trade products. Two consumer groups expressing distinct COO preferences for tropical dried fruits and a third group with no country preferences are revealed.

Originality/value

– This study provides useful insights for dried fruit producers and market strategists in tropical countries attempting to position value-added products for maximum revenue.
Does packaging matter? Energy consumption of pre-packed salads
Authors: Pagani Marco , Vittuari Matteo , Falasconi Luca
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– Packed salads are popular in many countries of the world. The purpose of this paper is to assess the energy footprint of these products from farm gate to retail gate, compared with unpacked produces distributed by retailers and farmers’ markets in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach

– Life cycle assessment served as methodological background, even if the analysis was focused on direct and indirect energy consumption. Three supply chains were analysed: packed (P-S) and unpacked (U-S) sold in supermarkets, and unpacked produce sold locally (U-L). Energy inputs were accounted for processing, packaging, refrigeration, transport, and distribution. Data were collected from available literature and from interviews with key experts in the transformation, packaging, and retail sectors. Energy inputs were computed for 1 kg of finished edible product (kgp).

Findings

– Packed salads require an elevated energy input ranging from 16 to 37 MJ kgp−1. Input energy is mostly required for packaging and refrigeration. By comparison, the U-L chain requires about one tenth of the energy (1.8-2.6 MJ.kgp−1), but local sold produces attain the best performance with only 0.6-1.2 MJ.kgp−1, since they do not need processing, refrigeration, and disposable packages. Packed products mainly rely on the availability of cheap fossil fuels and all the sector has significantly suffered after the oil shock of 2008. Increasing energy costs may lead the price of the commodity out of the market.

Originality/value

– The paper addresses the subject of energy consumption in a popular sector of processed food to which at present little attention has been paid in the domain of food research.
Market structure analysis of health and wellness food products in India
Authors: Ali Tabassum , Alam Aftab , Ali Jabir
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the market structure and level of competition in health and wellness food products by type, category, prime positioning and distribution networks in India.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is conducted using secondary data from Euromonitor International. Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) has been calculated for analyzing the market trends in terms of type, category and prime positioning and market competition has been analyzed using Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). Analysis of variance has been used for analyzing the statistical difference in market competition.

Findings

– Consumer purchase behavior for food is significantly changing across the world and consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the health enhancing properties of food. With growing incidences of problems like obesity, diabetes, coronary heart diseases and foodborne diseases, consumers are becoming aware of the role of food in ensuring health and well-being. There have been significant structural changes in the health and wellness food market compositions and India has huge market potential for health and wellness food products with a market size of Rs. 435 billion in 2013 and growing at a significantly high annual growth rate of about 13.8 percent during 2002-2013. HHI results clearly indicate that there is significant competition in the health and wellness food market with average HHI of 0.19. However, the structure of market competition shows a varied trend across the types, categories, prime-positioning and distribution channels of health and wellness food products.

Practical implications

– Results of the study provide a better understanding of temporal as well as intra-category changes in market size of health and wellness food products and the competitiveness of the health and wellness food market, providing valuable insights to the companies involved in producing and marketing of health and wellness food products in India.

Originality/value

– Health and wellness food market is an emerging area for the marketer and there are limited analysis on market structure and competition.
Assessing the comparative performance of banking branches
Authors: Balfour Ryan , Joo Seong-Jong , Whited Hsin-hui I. H. , Lin Jerry W.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to measure the performance and relative operating efficiency of mini branches of a commercial bank for internal benchmarking.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors employ data envelopment analysis (DEA) for measuring the relative efficiency of mini bank branches in a region of a state in the USA. In addition, the authors use Tobit regression analysis for finding determinants of the efficiency.

Findings

– The authors identified efficient and inefficient branches using pertinent variables along with potential improvements for the inefficient branches. Among the variables, the authors confirmed that number of full-time employees and service charges were statistically significant for explaining the efficiency of bank branches.

Research limitations/implications

– The major limitation of this study is the one time measure of efficiency using observations for a month and selected variables. To improve this study: first, the authors need to test other variables related to, but not limited to, assets, bad loans, and number of new account opened; second, it is necessary to measure the efficiency of the branches over time.

Originality/value

– The contributions of this study include an application of DEA for measuring and benchmarking the performance of bank branches, especially mini branches located in grocery stores and the use of internal data, which is rarely available to the public.
Multicriteria analysis for benchmarking sustainability development
Authors: Deng Hepu
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to formulate the process of measuring and benchmarking the performance of sustainability development of organizations as a multi-criteria analysis problem and presents an objective approach for solving the problem in a simple manner.

Design/methodology/approach

– An objective approach is developed for benchmarking the sustainability development performance of individual organizations in the context of multi-criteria analysis. The relative importance of the sustainability indicators is determined independent of the subjective preferences of the decision maker using the concept of information entropy. A modified technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solutions is used for effectively incorporating the objective indicator weights into the process of determining the overall performance of sustainability development of each organization. As a result, an unbiased overall ranking of individual organizations on the performance of their sustainability development can be obtained.

Findings

– The proposed approach is applicable for measuring and benchmarking the performance of organizational sustainability development through the presentation of an example.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper is on the development of the objective approach within the context of multi-criteria analysis for measuring and benchmarking the performance of sustainability development of individual organizations.
An introduction to Monte Carlo simulations in criminal psychology: applications in evaluating biased estimators for recidivism
Authors: Hunt Priscillia , Miles Jeremy N.V
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– Studies in criminal psychology are inevitably undertaken in a context of uncertainty. One class of methods addressing such uncertainties is Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to MC simulation for representing uncertainty and focusses on likely uses in studies of criminology and psychology. In addition to describing the method and providing a step-by-step guide to implementing a MC simulation, this paper provides examples using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Survey data. Results show MC simulations can be a useful technique to test biased estimators and to evaluate the effect of bias on power for statistical tests.

Design/methodology/approach

– After describing MC simulation methods in detail, this paper provides a step-by-step guide to conducting a simulation. Then, a series of examples are provided. First, the authors present a brief example of how to generate data using MC simulation and the implications of alternative probability distribution assumptions. The second example uses actual data to evaluate the impact that omitted variable bias can have on least squares estimators. A third example evaluates the impact this form of heteroskedasticity can have on the power of statistical tests.

Findings

– This study shows MC simulated variable means are very similar to the actual data, but the standard deviations are considerably less in MC simulation-generated data. Using actual data on criminal convictions and income of fathers, the authors demonstrate the impact of omitted variable bias on the standard errors of the least squares estimator. Lastly, the authors show thep-values are systematically larger and the rejection frequencies correspondingly smaller in heteroskedastic error models compared to a model with homoskedastic errors.

Originality/value

– The aim of this paper is to provide a better understanding of what MC simulation methods are and what can be achieved with them. A key value of this paper is that the authors focus on understanding the concepts of MC simulation for researchers of statistics and psychology in particular. Furthermore, the authors provide a step-by-step description of the MC simulation approach and provide examples using real survey data on criminal convictions and economic characteristics of fathers in large US cities.
Development of value stream map for an Indian automotive components manufacturing organization
Authors: Vinodh S. , Selvaraj T. , Chintha Suresh Kumar , K E K Vimal
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to apply Value Stream Mapping (VSM) for enabling leanness in an Indian automotive components manufacturing organization.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was initiated with the selection of product line, construction of current state map, identification of various wastes and the development of future state map. The improvement proposals were subjected to implementation and performance measures were quantified.

Findings

– The expected outcomes of the study include the quantification of wastes, improvement in manpower productivity, quality improvement and throughput time reduction.

Research limitations/implications

– The implementation study has been conducted in only one manufacturing organization. The experiences gained by the conduct of this implementation study are feasible and deployable in similar manufacturing organizations.

Practical implications

– The results of the study indicated that significant improvement in lean characteristics is possible as a result of the implementation of VSM.

Originality/value

– The paper reports a real-time study conducted in an automotive components manufacturing organization. Hence, the contributions are original.
Design and implementation of a directly cooled PV/T
Authors: Mtunzi Busiso , Meyer Edson L.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to design and implement a directly cooled photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) hybrid system.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research design subjects, instruments and methods that were used to collect data are as detailed in the paper. Two polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) modules were used in this study.

Findings

– The directly water-cooled PV module (PV/T) was found to operate better as compared to a naturally cooled module for the first three months. The PV/T initially operated at a higher electrical efficiency for 87 per cent of the day. The monthly energy-saving efficiency of the PV/T was found to be approximately 61 per cent, while the solar utilisation of the naturally cooled PV module M1 was found to be 8.79 per cent and that of M2 was 47.93 per cent.

Research limitations/implications

– The major limitation was the continued drop in efficiency after the first three months of the PV/T placed outdoors. The fall in the efficiency was attributed to water ingress.

Practical implications

– Direct water cooling of PV modules is possible, only that a better sealing is needed to prevent water ingress.

Originality/value

– PV air cooling has been researched on. Use of water as a cooling medium has been carried out using serpentine pipes or riser tube, and no direct water cooling on the back of the module has been researched on.
Concept of dependent joints in functional reconfigurable robots
Authors: Mekid Samir , Shang M.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss an example of modelling with experiments of robot prototype with dependent joint concept, including a full description of related functionalities. Reduction in active degrees of freedom in a machine can lead to improved accuracy, improved reliability and lower cost. The reconfiguration of machines and systems is a key technology for future responsive manufacturing systems. The concept of dependent joints helps to implement much specified sub-workspaces depending on functional needs in the machine.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is inherently made possible using smart mechanical concepts having embedded sensors and reconfigurable control systems. This paper introduces structural reconfiguration systems and discusses a sample approach to functional reconfiguration.

Findings

– A successful manipulator design with extended features when considering reduction in active degrees of freedom in a machine would lead to specific sub-workspace with improved accuracy, improved reliability and lower cost.

Research limitations/implications

– Reduction in active degrees of freedom in a machine can lead not only towards a dedicated functional workspace but also towards improved accuracy, improved reliability and lower cost.

Originality/value

– This paper is of value to engineers and researchers developing robotic manipulators for use in various aspects of industry.
Currency risk impact on the financial performance of multilateral banks
Authors: Kamau Philip , Inanga Eno L. , Rwegasira Kami
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of currency risks on the financial performance of multilateral banks (MBs). Financial performance is measured here by after-tax accounting profitability or losses.

Design/methodology/approach

– Quantitative hypothesis regarding the impact of currency risks on the financial performance of MBs was tested by a two-tailed t test for significance of the b regression coefficient.

Findings

– A regression analysis was done on the total currency risk and financial performance of MBs after taking into account currency risk over eight years. The analysis of variance of the regression of the b coefficient led to non-rejection of the null hypothesis of no association, F(1, 6) = 0.77, p
>
0.05. The results of the two-tailed t test on the b regression coefficient suggest that the relationship between currency risk and financial performance is statistically insignificant. Therefore, it was concluded that there is no significant impact of currency risk on the financial performance of MBs.

Research limitations/implications

– The results of the study can be generalized only for MBs given their peculiar characteristics as wholesale banks, which are owned mainly by governments and are generally not listed on stock exchanges.

Originality/value

– The study is of value to those interested in the multilateral banking industry. To the authors’ knowledge it is the first study providing empirical evidence on currency risk impact on MBs financial performance. The study finds that the currency risk impact on the financial performance of MBs is insignificant. The results are also useful to managers of MBs in terms of benchmarking their effectiveness in managing currency risk compared to their peers and learn from better performers. It has also policy implications in terms of justifying the current self-regulatory status, shareholder monitoring and governance of MBs as they are not significantly impacted by currency risk as it appears to be effectively managed.
High‐density lipoprotein acts as an opsonin to enhance phagocytosis of group A streptococcus by U937 cells
Authors: Liu Ling , Zhou Lulei , Li Yuxin , Bai Wencheng , Liu Na , Li Wenlong , Gao Yumin , Liu Zhi , Han Runlin
Published: June 2015

We have previously demonstrated that high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) can specifically bind to streptococcal collagen‐like protein 1 (Scl1) of M41‐type group A Streptococcus (GAS). However, the pathological or physiological significance of Scl1−HDL interaction is unknown. Here, the hypothesis that HDL acts as an opsonin to enhance phagocytosis of HDL‐bound GAS by monocytes given that some scavenger receptors can mediate the endocytosis of HDL was tested by using FITC‐labeled bacteria, human U937 monocytes and HDL for phagocytic assays. HDL (10 µg/mL) was found to significantly enhance internalization of M41‐type (ATCC 12373) GAS by U937 cells after 60 min incubation, compared with an HDL‐free group. The internalized GAS were dead after 60 min incubation with U937 cells regardless of presence and absence of HDL. Although very‐low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) could specifically bind to ATCC 12373 strain, it did not promote phagocytosis of GAS. Additionally, LDL, HDL and VLDL did not enhance phagocytosis of CMCC 32198 strain because this strain did not bind to these lipoproteins. A physiological concentration of HDL (1000 µg/mL) had a similar effect. Anti‐CD36 antibody completely abolished opsonic phagocytosis whereas anti‐CD4 antibody did not, indicating that CD36 is the major scavenger receptor mediating the uptake of HDL‐opsonized GAS by U937 cells. Furthermore, because rScl1 competitively blocked the interaction of ATCC 12373 strain with HDL recombinant Scl1 (rScl1) derived from M41‐type GAS, it significantly decreased opsonophagocytosis of ATCC 12373 strain but not of CMCC 32198 strain. Therefore, our findings suggest that HDL may be an opsonin that enhances CD36‐dependent opsonophagocytosis of GAS by U937 cells.
ER stress‐induced autophagy in melanoma
Authors: Meng Xiao‐Xiao , Yao Mu , Zhang Xu Dong , Xu Hong‐Xi , Dong Qihan
Published: June 2015

The activation of RAF‐MEK–extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascade by v‐raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF)V600E mutation is a key alteration in melanoma. Although BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) has achieved remarkable clinical success, the positive response to BRAFi is not sustainable, and the initial clinical benefit is eventually barred by the development of resistance to BRAFi. There is growing evidence to suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress‐induced autophagy could be a potential pro‐survival mechanism that contributes to genesis of melanoma and to the resistance to BRAFi. ER stress‐induced autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved membrane process. By degrading and recycling proteins and organelles via the formation of autophagous vesicles and their fusion with lysosomes, the autophagy plays a key role in homeostasis as well as pathological processes. In this review, we examine the autophagy phenomenon in melanocytic nevus, primary and metastatic melanoma, and its significance in BRAFi‐resistant melanoma.
Development and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for Neolitsea sericea using Illumina paired‐end draft sequencing data
Authors: Moriguchi Yoshinari , Yamanaka Haruna , Ohdan Takashi , Fuji Shin‐ichi
Published: June 2015

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed and characterized for Neolitsea sericea (Bl.) Koidz. (Lauraceae). Out of 196 designed primer pairs, a total of 144 pairs showed amplification, of which 44 had clear and stable chromatograms. Polymorphism of these 44 loci was tested using 32 individuals sampled from a single population of N. sericea. The number of alleles and the polymorphism information content varied from 3 to 12 and 0.271 to 0.853, respectively. A significant departure from the Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium was observed in one of the 44 loci. These SSR markers are useful for population genetic studies and parentage analysis in N. sericea, which is one of the most common evergreen species in coastal Pinus thunbergii forests in central‐western Japan.
Why do women seek ultrasound scans from commercial providers during pregnancy?
Authors: Roberts Julie , Griffiths Frances E. , Verran Alice , Ayre Catherine
Published: June 2015

The commercial availability of ultrasound scans for pregnant women has been controversial yet little is known about why women make use of such services. This article reports on semi‐structured interviews with women in the UK who have booked a commercial scan, focusing on the reasons women gave for booking commercially provided ultrasound during a low‐risk pregnancy. Participants’ reasons for booking a scan are presented in five categories: finding out the sex of the foetus; reassurance; seeing the baby; acquiring keepsakes and facilitating bonding. Our analysis demonstrates that women's reasons for booking commercial scans are often multiple and are shaped by experiences of antenatal care as well as powerful cultural discourses related to ‘good’ parenting and the use of technology in pregnancy. Sociological and public debate about the availability of commercial ultrasound and its social and personal impacts should consider the wider sociocultural context that structures women's choices to make use of such services.
Effects of generalist herbivory on resistance and resource allocation by the invasive plant, Phytolacca americana
Authors: Huang Wei , Ding Jianqing
Published: June 2015

Successful invasions by exotic plants are often attributed to a loss of co‐evolved specialists and a re‐allocation of resources from defense to growth and reproduction. However, invasive plants are rarely completely released from insect herbivory because they are frequently attacked by generalists in their introduced ranges. The novel generalist community may also affect the invasive plant's defensive strategies and resource allocation. Here, we tested this hypothesis using American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L.), a species that has become invasive in China, which is native to North America. We examined resistance, tolerance, growth and reproduction of plant populations from both China and the USA when plants were exposed to natural generalist herbivores in China. We found that leaf damage was greater for invasive populations than for native populations, indicating that plants from invasive ranges had lower resistance to herbivory than those from native ranges. A regression of the percentage of leaf damage against mass showed that there was no significant difference in tolerance between invasive and native populations, even though the shoot, root, fruit and total mass were larger for invasive populations than for native populations. These results suggest that generalist herbivores are important drivers mediating the defensive strategies and resource allocation of the invasive American pokeweed.
Mixed grain containing giant embryonic brown rice improves postprandial glycaemic response in healthy subjects
Authors: Park Eun‐Ock , Oh Mi‐Ra , Choi Eun‐Kyung , Shin Dong‐Hwa , Doo Jae‐Kyun , Kim Young‐Soo , Park Young‐Min , Jung Eun‐Soo , Park Byung‐Hyun , Chae Soo‐Wan
Published: June 2015

Aim

Mixed grain, which contributes to lowered glycaemic responses, has been shown to be effective in dietary management of patients with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes.

Methods

The present study determined the postprandial blood glucose response of 20 healthy volunteers to mixed grains containing giant embryonic rice (MG‐GER) or giant embryonic brown rice (MG‐GEBR) compared with white rice (WR) in a randomised crossover design. Plasma glucose and serum insulin at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes were measured, and glycaemic index (GI) and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were calculated.

Results

The GIs for WR, MG‐GER and MG‐GEBR were 86.75 ± 5.78, 76.09 ± 7.01 and 69.33 ± 6.54, respectively. The 120‐minute iAUCs after administration of MG‐GER or MG‐GEBR were significantly lower than that of WR. In addition, the MG‐GEBR diet group had a significantly lower C‐peptide concentration at the 120‐minute time point when compared to the WR group.

Conclusions

These results suggest that consumption of MG‐GER or MG‐GEBR instead of WR is more effective to reduce postprandial glucose levels without increasing insulin secretion.
Improved Weather Generator Algorithm for Multisite Simulation of Precipitation and Temperature
Authors: King Leanna M. , McLeod A. Ian , Simonovic Slobodan P.
Published: June 2015

The KnnCAD Version 4 weather generator algorithm for nonparametric, multisite simulations of temperature and precipitation data is presented. The K‐nearest neighbor weather generator essentially reshuffles the historical data, with replacement. In KnnCAD Version 4, a block resampling scheme is introduced to preserve the temporal correlation structure in temperature data. Perturbation of the reshuffled variable data is also added to enhance the generation of extreme values. The Upper Thames River Basin in Ontario, Canada is used as a case study and the model is shown to simulate effectively the historical characteristics at the site. The KnnCAD Version 4 approach is shown to improve on the previous versions of the model and offers a major advantage over many parametric and semiparametric weather generators in that multisite use can be easily achieved without making statistical assumptions dealing with the spatial correlations and probability distributions of each variable.
Musculoskeletal desmoid tumours: Pre‐ and post‐treatment radiological appearances
Authors: Liu Daniel , Perera Warren , Schlicht Stephen , Choong Peter , Slavin John , Pianta Marcus
Published: June 2015

This study was aimed to illustrate the pre‐ and post‐treatment imaging findings of musculoskeletal desmoid tumours and describe current treatment methods. Imaging of histologically proven cases of desmoid tumours at St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, were obtained via picture archiving communication system (PACS) and then assessed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Suitable imaging both pre‐ and post‐treatment were then obtained from PACS. All imaging chosen were de‐identified. Ninety‐two patients were found to have histologically proven cases of desmoid tumours between January 2000 and December 2013. Six patients with extra‐abdominal tumours were selected, where pre‐ and post‐treatment imaging was available. Desmoid tumours can occur in many areas of the body. Treatment of desmoids are varied. Although wide‐margin surgery has been the traditional form of treatment, it still cannot guarantee absence of tumour recurrence despite microscopically tumour‐free margins. Other forms of treatment such as non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and also the conservative ‘watch and wait’ approach have been suggested, which show varying results.
Identification ofNorthSea molluscs withDNAbarcoding
Authors: Barco Andrea , Raupach Michael J. , Laakmann Silke , Neumann Hermann , Knebelsberger Thomas
Published: June 2015

Sequence‐based specimen identification, known asDNAbarcoding, is a common method complementing traditional morphology‐based taxonomic assignments. The fundamental resource inDNAbarcoding is the availability of a taxonomically reliable sequence database to use as a reference for sequence comparisons. Here, we provide a reference library including 579 sequences of the mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunitIfor 113NorthSea mollusc species. We tested the efficacy of this library by simulating a sequence‐based specimen identification scenario usingBestMatch, BestCloseMatch (BCM) and AllSpeciesBarcode (ASB) criteria with three different threshold values. Each identification result was compared with our prior morphology‐based taxonomic assignments. Our simulation resulted in 87.7% congruent identifications (93.8% when excluding singletons). The highest number of congruent identifications was obtained withBCMandASBand a 0.05 threshold. We also compared identifications with genetic clustering (BarcodeIndexNumbers,BINs) computed by theBarcode ofLifeDatasystem (BOLD). About 68% of our morphological identifications were congruent withBINs created byBOLD. Forty‐nine sequences were clustered in 16 discordantBINs, and these were divided in two classes: sequences from different species clustered in a singleBINand conspecific sequences divided in moreBINs. Whereas former incongruences were probably caused byBOLDentries in need of a taxonomic update, the latter incongruences regarded taxa requiring further investigations. These include species with amphi‐Atlantic distribution, whose genetic structure should be evaluated over their entire range to produce a reliable sequence‐based identification system.
Can An “Indigenous Employment Program” Work? A Case Study of National Australia Bank
Authors: Daly Anne , Gebremedhin Tesfaye A.
Published: June 2015

This article reports the results of a study of participants in the National Australia Bank (NAB) Indigenous Employment Program who have become permanent NAB employees. It presents evidence that a voluntary Affirmative Action program such as the Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) developed through Reconciliation Australia can have a positive effect on career and personal outcomes for the people involved. They can also be beneficial for the sponsoring organisation by encouraging a greater understanding by employees of Indigenous culture. The positive incentives for high profile organisations such as NAB to engage with the RAP program provide additional incentives for organisations to actively promote the position of Indigenous Australians.
Improvements to bronchoscopic brushing with a manual mapping method: A three‐year experience of 1143 cases
Authors: Zhang Lei , Tong Run , Wang Jianwei , Li Meng , He Shun , Cheng Shujun , Wang Guiqi
Published: June 2015

Background

Conventional bronchoscopy with brushing alone for diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) is of low sensitivity. A manual mapping method was introduced and evaluated in this study, which could be routinely applied with bronchoscopic brushing to improve the sensitivity for malignant PPLs.

Methods

This mapping method involves the bronchoscopist drawing the route with a series of bronchial opening sketches and marking the leading bronchus at every bifurcation point based on thin‐section computed tomography. This map is then used to guide bronchoscope insertion for brushing. A cross‐sectional study on the evaluation of this method for the diagnosis of malignant PPLs was conducted on patients from July 2010 to June 2013.

Results

The sensitivity for malignant PPLs of conventional brushing, conventional brushing with mapping on a portion of patients, and conventional brushing with mapping method increased from 17.0% to 25.8% to 31.5% (P < 0.001), respectively. For lesion sizes over 3 cm, the rate of these three groups increased from 25.1% to 38.6% to 50.9% (P < 0.001), respectively. The sensitivity of this mapping method for malignant PPLs was statistically associated with lesion size, lesion character, relationship between the lesion and the leading bronchus, linear distance between the targeted bronchus and the opening of the lobe bronchus, and accessibility (P < 0.001, P = 0.039, P < 0.001, P = 0.031, and P = 0.020, respectively).

Conclusions

The manual mapping method greatly increased the bronchoscopic brushing sensitivity for malignant PPLs compared to the conventional brushing method. During routine clinical work, it is economical and convenient for guiding bronchoscope insertion.
Identification of novel microtubule‐binding proteins by taxol‐mediated microtubule stabilization and mass spectrometry analysis
Authors: He Xianfei , Liu Zhu , He Qianqian , Qin Juan , Liu Ningning , Zhang Linlin , Li Dengwen , Zhou Jun , Shui Wenqing , Liu Min
Published: June 2015

Microtubule‐binding proteins (MBPs) are structurally and functionally diverse regulators of microtubule‐mediated cellular processes. Alteration of MBPs has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human diseases, including cancer. MBPs can stabilize or destabilize microtubules or move along microtubules to transport various cargoes. In addition, MBPs can control microtubule dynamics through direct interaction with microtubules or coordination with other proteins. To better understand microtubule structure and function, it is necessary to identify additional MBPs. In this study, we isolated microtubules and MBPs from mammalian cells by a taxol‐based method and then profiled a panel of MBPs by mass spectrometry. We discovered a number of previously uncharacterized MBPs, including several membrane‐associated proteins and proteins involved in post‐translational modifications, in addition to several structural components. These results support the notion that microtubules have a wide range of functions and may undergo more exquisite regulation than previously recognized.