bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation on the effectiveness of ABC algorithm for hydrothermal energy management considering emission aspects
Authors: Moorthy V , Sangameswararaju P , Ganesan S , Subramanian S
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to solve hydrothermal scheduling (HTS) problem for energy-efficient management by allocating the optimal real power outputs for thermal and hydroelectric generators.

Design/methodology/approach

– HTS can be formulated as a complex and non-linear optimization problem which minimizes the total fuel cost and emissions of thermal generators subject to various physical and operational constraints. As the artificial bee colony algorithm has proven its ability to solve various engineering optimization problems, it has been used as a main optimization tool to solve the fixed-head HTS problem.

Findings

– A meta-heuristic search technique-based algorithm has been implemented for hydrothermal energy management, and the simulation results show that this approach can provide trade-off between conflict objectives and keep a rapid convergence speed.

Originality/value

– The proposed methodology is implemented on the standard test system, and the numerical results comparison indicates a considerable saving in total fuel cost and reduction in emission.
Integrate inconsistent and heterogeneous data based on user feedback
Authors: Lu Lihua , Zhang Hengzhen , Gao Xiao-Zhi
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– Data integration is to combine data residing at different sources and to provide the users with a unified interface of these data. An important issue on data integration is the existence of conflicts among the different data sources. Data sources may conflict with each other at data level, which is defined as data inconsistency. The purpose of this paper is to aim at this problem and propose a solution for data inconsistency in data integration.

Design/methodology/approach

– A relational data model extended with data source quality criteria is first defined. Then based on the proposed data model, a data inconsistency solution strategy is provided. To accomplish the strategy, fuzzy multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) approach based on data source quality criteria is applied to obtain the results. Finally, users feedbacks strategies are proposed to optimize the result of fuzzy MADM approach as the final data inconsistent solution.

Findings

– To evaluate the proposed method, the data obtained from the sensors are extracted. Some experiments are designed and performed to explain the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. The results substantiate that the solution has a better performance than the other methods on correctness, time cost and stability indicators.

Practical implications

– Since the inconsistent data collected from the sensors are pervasive, the proposed method can solve this problem and correct the wrong choice to some extent.

Originality/value

– In this paper, for the first time the authors study the effect of users feedbacks on integration results aiming at the inconsistent data.
Perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of elementary school mathematics coaches
Authors: Polly Drew , Algozzine Robert , Martin Christie Sullivan , Mraz Maryann
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– In the USA, school districts are funding mathematics coaching positions to provide school-level support to teachers. The purpose of this paper is to survey school personnel whose job responsibilities included mathematics coaching in order to examine their job responsibilities and what they felt that their job responsibilities should be.

Design/methodology/approach

– In all, 67 elementary school mathematics coaches completed a survey that included 30 aspects of the job of elementary school mathematics leaders.

Findings

– Quantitative analyses indicated that there were statistically significant differences between their actual roles and their preferred roles on 24 of the 30 items. This means that coaches reported that the aspects of their current role did not align to what they thought their job should be.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings indicate a need to collect further information in a longitudinal study, potentially from a combination of surveys, interviews, and observations, about elementary mathematics coaches’ job responsibilities and the impact that coaches have on both teachers and students.

Practical implications

– The findings indicate a need for school leaders, mathematics leaders (coaches), and classroom teachers to work together to utilize mathematics leaders more effectively so as to best support teachers’ instruction and students’ learning.

Originality/value

– While some research has been published on literacy coaching, the research base on mathematics coaching is scant. This study contributes to the knowledge base about the roles and duties of coaches in elementary school settings.
Personality predictors for the use of multiple internet functions
Authors: Kim Yeolib , Jeong Jae Seon
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Big-Five model of personality traits relates to the use of multiple internet functions and test if the relationship differs by gender, age, and education.

Design/methodology/approach

– To test the research questions, this study uses data from a large-scale survey of 9,479 Korean media users. Poisson’s regression is applied to model the count data, which accounts for the number of internet functions used. In the regression models, the first block entered is socio-demographics followed by a second block including personality traits.

Findings

– Results indicate that openness to experience and conscientiousness are positively related to using multiple internet functions, whereas emotional stability has a negative relationship. The findings differed depending on age and education. The younger age cohort, with higher levels of conscientiousness and extraversion, are likely to use more internet functions. In addition, the relationship between conscientiousness and using multiple internet functions is relevant for users with higher education levels.

Originality/value

– The present paper is the first that uses multiple internet functions as a critical variable to study individual difference factors. Overall, this study provides evidence that individual difference factors such as socio-demographics and personality traits have a strong role to play in internet research.
Business knowledge requirements and onsite offshore work division in Indian software outsourcing projects
Authors: Mishra Debasisha , Mahanty Biswajit
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to find out the knowledge requirements and its effect on both onsite and offshore project work division for development, re-engineering and maintenance projects in Indian outsourcing software industry in different phases of software development.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study employs an expert interview approach in Indian software industry to find out knowledge requirement for project execution and division of work between onsite and offshore locations. The requisite data were collected through expert interviews and direct observations.

Findings

– The study found that the development projects require higher level of domain, strategic, business process and operation process knowledge in comparison to re-engineering and maintenance projects. So there is a need of higher onsite presence in development projects. The maintenance work is taken up at the offshore location in a phase-wise manner.

Research limitations/implications

– The implication of the study is in the development of a broad framework of knowledge requirements and work division in on-shore and offshore locations for Indian software outsourcing projects. As the study is based on expert opinion in the context of India, it cannot be generalized for outsourcing scenarios elsewhere.

Practical implications

– The software project manager can use the findings to get more insight into the project and divide the software team between onsite and offshore location.

Originality/value

– The study is novel, as there is little attempt at finding the knowledge requirement to execute various kinds of business software development in outsourcing environment in the context of India.
The key to carving out a high corporate reputation based on innovation: corporate social responsibility
Authors: Mattera Marina , Baena Veronica
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to analyze how corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects a firm’s value added. Specifically, through a combination of Stakeholder Theory and specific concept within the Innovation Theory framework (called Social Innovation Capital), this work explores the relation between effective stakeholder management and how marketable innovation production affects a company’s possibility of achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. By doing so, new insights on CSR management to gain competitive advantage are provided.

Design/methodology/approach

– The present study analyzes the role of a firm’s international presence, and the company’s social commitment initiatives as drivers of the enterprise’s corporate intangible assets. A company’s reputation has also been considered as a control variable. To achieve this goal, the Spanish market was analyzed. Specifically, those Spanish companies who had the highest reputation in the global reputation pulse and showed the highest level of brand awareness, according to the latest report published by the Forum of Leading Spanish Brands, were considered.

Findings

– Findings show that companies including their stakeholders’ interests in the knowledge-creation and innovation process are able to enhance their intangible assets and thus the capitalization of such knowledge. Similarly, firms with international presence have a large number of global stakeholders, which also evidences a positive relation with its intangible assets. By honoring the social contract, firms benefit from stakeholders while contributing to social welfare, creating a win–win situation.

Originality/value

– This study categorizes how intangible assets can be increased through stakeholder’s involvement and firm’s international presence. Consequently, researchers studying business strategy can incorporate these variables as key elements in strategic planning. Scholars in fields of information systems, operations management, knowledge or supply chain management can also evaluate the inclusion of corporate social responsibility into their studies to evaluate how it reflects on tangible assets, production process, supply chain management or the knowledge production life cycle. Moreover, this work illustrates the convenience of using Innovation Theory in conjunction with the Stakeholder Theory to analyze a firm’s intangible assets enhancement.
Understanding the role of the broker in business non-profit collaboration
Authors: Lee Louise
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the contribution of brokers to business non-profit collaborations, in the context of employee volunteering. It investigates the roles brokers play and ways they contribute to value creation within social alliances.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research focusses on a case study of a UK employee volunteering broker programme run by a local volunteer centre. A combined qualitative methodology involved document analysis and interviews, with brokers and business, community and government partners involved in employee volunteering collaborations.

Findings

– Brokers play three key roles in business non-profit collaboration as connectors, facilitators/co-designers and learning catalysts. These roles help stimulate manifestations of associational value, transferred resource value, interaction value and synergistic value.

Research limitations/implications

– Results indicate brokers play an important part in nurturing conditions underpinning innovation and value co-creation, key characteristics of transformational forms of business non-profit collaboration. This study was based on a single case study. Future research could explore broker contributions within a variety of business non-profit settings.

Practical implications

– For managers implementing business non-profit collaborations, this paper provides a framework depicting key broker roles and ways brokers enable collaborative value that may be useful when assessing whether to use the services of a broker.

Originality/value

– This paper enriches the understanding of business non-profit collaboration and the role of individual actors in affecting value creation, an under-researched area in the social alliance literature. It provides a framework for assessing broker contributions in business non-profit collaborations.
The effect of corporate social responsibility on firm risk
Authors: Nguyen Pascal , Nguyen Anna
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and risk for a sample of US firms rated by KLD.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors’ approach involves three distinctive features. First, the authors use individual indicators of CSR to highlight which CSR dimension matters most for a firm’s risk. Second, the authors distinguish CSR strengths and concerns to reveal potentially nonlinear relationships. Third, the authors use a measure of risk that takes into account the predictable changes in a firm’s performance and that does not collapse the panel data into a single cross-section. This allows the CSR–risk relationship to be estimated by the variation within each firm and the variation across firms.

Findings

– Consistent with existing results, the authors find that CSR concerns relating to diversity, employee relations and corporate governance increase the risk to shareholders. More interestingly, the authors show that CSR strengths relating to diversity and employee relations are also associated with higher risk. The positive influence of both CSR strengths and concerns on a firm’s risk is confirmed using aggregate CSR indicators.

Research limitations/implications

– The results confirm that CSR strengths and concerns represent distinct constructs that should not be aggregated into a single measure. The effect of poor CSR on firm risk is more significant than what would appear to be the case using an aggregate index.

Practical implications

– Although lack of CSR engagement may not affect (and may even benefit) a firm’s current performance, it may seriously damage its performance in the future. Firms should be aware of this risk.

Originality/value

– The positive relationship found between CSR and firm risk underscores the inherent conflict between the interests of employees and those of shareholders. By committing to a more favorable treatment of their employees, firms incur a fixed cost that inevitably transfers more risk to their shareholders.
Close correlation of herpes zoster‐induced voiding dysfunction with severity of zoster‐related pain: A single faculty retrospective study
Authors: Fujii Mizue , Takahashi Ichiro , Honma Masaru , Ishida‐Yamamoto Akemi
Published: May 2015

Herpes zoster (HZ), a common vesiculo‐erythematous skin disease associated with reactivation of varicella zoster virus in the cranial nerve, dorsal root, and autonomic ganglia, is accompanied by several related symptoms represented by postherpetic neuralgia. Among them, involvement of vesicorectal dysfunction is relatively rare. The vesicorectal symptom can usually be recovered in transient course, but is quite important in terms of impaired quality of life. Male individuals affected with HZ and skin lesions on sacral dermatome have been reported as independent risk factors of zoster‐related voiding dysfunction. In this study, urinary symptoms were focused upon and six patients with zoster‐related voiding dysfunction at a single faculty of dermatology in Japan from 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients showed HZ lesions on the sacral area and the urinary symptom recovered in approximately 2 months (14 days to 7 months). The term of treatment for zoster‐associated urinary dysfunction was positively correlated with that for zoster‐related pain without significance (r = 0.661, P = 0.153). Average treatment term for pain relief of sacral HZ accompanied by voiding dysfunction (91.3 ± 76.44 days) was significantly longer than that of sacral HZ without urinary symptom (18.9 ± 20.42 days) (P = 0.032). These results suggested that zoster‐related voiding dysfunction would mainly be involved in sacral HZ and closely associated with severity of zoster‐related pain. Dermatologists should be aware that severe zoster‐related pain accompanied by sacral HZ, which is related to prolonged treatment of pain relief, can be a predictive factor of voiding dysfunction.
‘It was maendeleo that removed them’: disturbing burials and reciprocal knowledge production in a context of collaborative archaeology
Authors: Straight Bilinda , Lane Paul J. , Hilton Charles E. , Letua Musa
Published: May 2015

Recent decades have witnessed a growth in approaches to research and writing across anthropology's four fields that emphasize the need to respect alternative narratives and constructions of history, and to engage with anthropology's ‘publics’. These developments have generated more ethically responsible research and more inclusive writing practices. Nevertheless, the actual doing of cross‐cultural collaboration and knowledge production remains a challenge. In this three‐field (cultural, biological, and archaeological anthropology) study, we aim to capture, in writing, a process of collaborative fieldwork with Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya that experimentally integrated ethnographic self‐scrutiny with a bio‐archaeological excavation involving human remains. In the process, we highlight the reciprocal knowledge production that this cross‐subdisciplinary, transcultural fieldwork produced.
Positive hepatitis B surface antibody is associated with reduced risk of diabetes mellitus in retired female Chinese workers
Authors: Li Ming , Zhou Hui , Guan Yufeng , Peng Haiying , Wang Shunyu , Zhang Ping , Su Benli
Published: May 2015

Background

To study the relationship between positivity for hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) and the risk of diabetes mellitus in the retired Chinese population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional analysis was conducted in 900 retired Chinese workers attending a health check‐up program. HBsAb, hepatitis B surface antigen, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting plasma glucose (FBG), 2‐h plasma glucose 2hBG, and insulin levels were collected.

Results

Participants positive for HBsAb were younger, with lower blood pressure, lower FBG and 2hBG serum uric acid, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase than those who were HbsAb negative. There were 306 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and 121 with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the present cohort. Using Chi‐squared analysis to assess the risk of diabetes, women positive for HBsAb had a lower prevalence of T2D than those negative for HBsAb (15.7% vs 26.5%, respectively; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed family history of diabetes, age, and waist circumference were independently associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes, and that HBsAb positivity was independently associated with a lower prevalence of diabetes (odds ratio 0.579; 95% confidence interval 0.388–0.918) when adjusted for sex, family history of hypertension and dyslipidemia, and body mass index.

Conclusions

An HBsAb‐positive status is associated with a low rate of diabetes and better metabolic status. A prospective study of patients with known vaccination records is needed to investigate whether hepatitis B virus vaccination could protect against the development of diabetes.
Quantification of mesocosm fish and amphibian species diversity via environmental DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Evans Nathan T. , Olds Brett P. , Renshaw Mark A. , Turner Cameron R. , Li Yiyuan , Jerde Christopher L. , Mahon Andrew R. , Pfrender Michael E. , Lamberti Gary A. , Lodge David M.
Published: May 2015

Freshwater fauna are particularly sensitive to environmental change and disturbance. Management agencies frequently use fish and amphibian biodiversity as indicators of ecosystem health and a way to prioritize and assess management strategies. Traditional aquatic bioassessment that relies on capture of organisms via nets, traps and electrofishing gear typically has low detection probabilities for rare species and can injure individuals of protected species. Our objective was to determine whether environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and metabarcoding analysis can be used to accurately measure species diversity in aquatic assemblages with differing structures. We manipulated the density and relative abundance of eight fish and one amphibian species in replicated 206‐L mesocosms. Environmental DNA was filtered from water samples, and six mitochondrial gene fragments were Illumina‐sequenced to measure species diversity in each mesocosm. Metabarcoding detected all nine species in all treatment replicates. Additionally, we found a modest, but positive relationship between species abundance and sequencing read abundance. Our results illustrate the potential for eDNA sampling and metabarcoding approaches to improve quantification of aquatic species diversity in natural environments and point the way towards using eDNA metabarcoding as an index of macrofaunal species abundance.
Ovarian responses of dairy buffalo cows to timed artificial insemination protocol, using new or used progesterone devices, during the breeding season (autumn–winter)
Authors: Monteiro Bruno Moura , de Souza Diego Cavalcante , Vasconcellos Guilherme Souza Floriano Machado , Corrêa Thalita Bueno , Vecchio Domenico , de Sá Filho Manoel Francisco , de Carvalho Nelcio Antonio Tonizza , Baruselli Pietro Sampaio
Published: May 2015

This study evaluated the effect of new or used P4 devices on the ovarian responses of dairy buffalo that were administered an estradiol (E2) plus progesterone (P4)‐based timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol during the breeding season. On the first day of the TAI protocol, 142 cows were randomly assigned to receive one of the following: a new device (New; 1.0 g of P4; n = 48); a device that had previously been used for 9 days (Used1x, n = 47); or a device that had previously been used for 18 days (Used2x, n = 47). Ultrasound was used to evaluate the following: the presence of a corpus luteum (CL); the diameter of the dominant follicle (ØDF) during protocol; ovulatory response; and pregnancies per AI (P/AI). Despite similar responses among the treatments, there was a significant positive association of the ØDF during TAI protocol with ovulatory responses and number of pregnancies. In conclusion, satisfactory ovarian responses and a satisfactory pregnancy rate were achieved when grazing dairy buffalo were subjected to the TAI protocol in breeding season, independent of whether a new or used P4 device was used. Furthermore, the presence of the larger follicle was associated with a higher ovulation rate and higher P/AI following TAI.
Family functioning in paediatric obsessive compulsive and related disorders
Authors: Murphy Yolanda E. , Flessner Christopher A.
Published: May 2015

Objective

Research among youths with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has shown a significant relationship between illness severity, treatment outcome, and the family environment yet little work has been undertaken among the broader class of obsessive compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) – Trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), skin picking disorder (SPD), and hoarding. The aim of this study was to (1) review the family functioning literature among paediatric OCRDs, (2) address limitations to previous studies, and (3) highlight areas in need of further research.

Methods

A review of the literature was conducted using several databases (i.e., Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect) and employing key search terms (e.g., ‘family functioning’, ‘paediatric OCD’). The resultant articles examined several domains subsumed under the broader heading of family environment including parental mental health, parenting practices, family dynamics, family involvement with symptoms, and family emotional climate.

Results

The literature reviewed demonstrated a strong relationship between paediatric OCD and adverse family functioning (e.g., parental symptoms of anxiety and depression, family accommodation, family strain and stress, parental guilt and fear) in all identified domains. While family functioning research in paediatric HPD was relatively scant, research suggested similar familial dysfunction (e.g., limited independence, low family cohesion, family violence). Collectively, only 1 article, examining BDD, assessed family functioning within other OCRDs.

Conclusions

This review supports the need for further research in the OCRDs. Limitations to the available literature and targeted suggestions for future research are discussed.

Practitioner points

The domains of family environment in this study indicate specific family functioning deficits that may serve as aetiological and/or maintenance factors in paediatric OCRDs, possibly contributing to the understanding of these complex disorders.

The recognition of family deficits in paediatric OCRDs may prove beneficial in developing or bolstering preventative and/or therapeutic interventions.

Insufficient number of articles pertaining to family functioning in some paediatric OCRDs (i.e., hoarding, skin picking) inhibits formal conclusions.

Magnitudes of family functioning effects were not calculated; therefore, future research should consider meta‐analytic analyses.
Phase I study of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, vorinostat, and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma
Authors: Vesole David H. , Bilotti Elizabeth , Richter Joshua R. , McNeill Ann , McBride Laura , Raucci Laura , Anand Palka , Bednarz Urszula , Ivanovski Kristin , Smith Judith , Batra Veena , Aleman Adolfo , Sims Taliah , Guerrero Laura , Mato Anthony , Siegel David S.
Published: May 2015

Research has shown that proteasome inhibitors (e.g., carfilzomib), immunomodulatory agents (e.g., lenalidomide), histone deacetylase inhibitors (e.g., vorinostat) and corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone) have synergistic anti‐multiple myeloma (MM) activity. This phase I dose‐escalation study evaluated a regimen combining carfilzomib, lenalidomide, vorinostat and dexamethasone (QUAD) in patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM. Seventeen patients received carfilzomib (15, 20, or 20/27 mg/m2; 30‐min infusion; days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16), lenalidomide (15 or 25 mg; days 1–21), vorinostat (300 or 400 mg; days 1–7, 15–21), and dexamethasone (40 mg; days 1, 8, 15, 22) in 28‐d cycles. No dose‐limiting toxicities were observed; the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. The maximum administered dose was carfilzomib 20/27 mg/m2, lenalidomide 25 mg, vorinostat 400 mg, and dexamethasone 40 mg. Common grade ≥3 adverse events included neutropenia (53%), thrombocytopenia (53%) and anaemia (41%). The overall response rate was 53%: 12% of patients achieved a very good partial response (PR) and 41% of patients achieved a PR. At a median follow‐up of 10 months, median progression‐free survival was 12 months and median overall survival was not reached. Treatment with QUAD was feasible and had encouraging activity in patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM.
Four‐year incidence and predictors of coronal caries in south Brazilian elderly
Authors: De Marchi Renato José , dos Santos Camila Mello , Martins Aline Blaya , Hugo Fernando Neves , Hilgert Juliana Balbinot , Padilha Dalva Maria
Published: May 2015

Objectives

To determine the incidence and predictors of coronal caries among community‐dwelling elderly in a southern Brazilian city.

Methods

A cohort study was conducted using a simple random sample of persons aged 60 years or older in Carlos Barbosa city, southern Brazil. Interviews and oral examinations were conducted among 388 dentate individuals at baseline and among 273 at 4‐year follow‐up. The incidence of coronal caries was modeled by means of negative binomial regression.

Results

Some 184 (76.7%) participants presented with new coronal caries lesions or restorations, whose mean number was 2.2 ± 2.1, whereas the 4‐year mean coronal caries incidence rate was 0.28 ± 0.29. In the multivariate model that controlled for baseline predictors, older age, male gender, living in a rural area, current smoking, and negative self‐perception of oral health were associated with coronal caries incidence. Among clinical variables, the use of partial dentures was a predictor, whereas higher saliva flow rate was a protective factor for the outcome.

Conclusions

Demographic factors, primary determinants of health, behavioral, and clinical variables were predictors of the incidence of coronal caries. As people enter old age, even stronger emphasis should be put on preventive strategies.
Aflibercept for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma
Authors: SooHoo Jeffrey R , Seibold Leonard K , Pantcheva Mina B , Kahook Malik Y
Published: May 2015

Background

Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a potentially blinding disease associated with ocular ischaemia. Use of an anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor agent has been reported as a treatment option for NVG. The purpose of this study was to investigate initial results regarding the treatment of NVG with intravitreal aflibercept.

Design

This study employed a prospective, interventional case series study design.

Participants

Patients with newly diagnosed stage 1 or 2 neovascular glaucoma were eligible to participate in this study.

Methods

Four patients with newly diagnosed stage 1 or 2 NVG were treated with intravitreal aflibercept at the time of diagnosis, with planned repeat injection at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and then every 8 weeks thereafter up until 52 weeks after study initiation.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcomes were regression of neovascularization of the iris and angle (NVI, NVA). Secondary outcome measurements included visual acuity and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Results

Intravitreal aflibercept resulted in rapid regression of NVI and NVA. IOP was stable or reduced in all patients at the 52‐week study visit.

Conclusions

These results suggest that intravitreal aflibercept may be an effective treatment for stage 1 and 2 NVG, resulting in rapid and sustained regression of NVI and NVA as well as control of IOP. Further research is needed to determine the full duration of effect and the optimal dose and timing of administration.
DRUG POLICY AND INTERGENERATIONAL INCOME MOBILITY IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Thompson Owen
Published: May 2015

A conviction for drug possession blocks some of the most common pathways through which individuals from low income families achieve upward economic mobility in the United States, such as access to higher education, entry‐level employment, and military service. These considerations are of growing importance because the number of drug‐related arrests have nearly quadrupled since 1980. This article estimates the effect of a conviction for drug possession on earnings mobility using a sample of individuals born between 1980 and 1984, some of the first cohorts to come of age in the context of intensive U.S. drug criminalization and enforcement. To distinguish the effect of a drug conviction from the effect of drug use or general criminality, I compare mobility among individuals with drug convictions to control groups who self‐report significant drug use and who have had interactions with the criminal justice system that did not lead to a drug conviction. I find that relative to these groups, a drug conviction reduces the probability of transitioning upward from various points in the lower half of the income distribution by 10–15 percentage points, or as much as 50%, and that these effects are substantially stronger for non‐whites than for whites. These findings suggest that a policy of decriminalizing nonviolent drug possession would substantially increase intergenerational mobility among low income populations, and this effect should be weighed alongside more conventional costs and benefits in formulating optimal drug policy. (JEL J38, J15, K42)
Wirksamkeit einer Adapalen‐/Benzoylperoxid ‐Kombinationstherapie bei mittelschwerer entzündlicher Akne und ihr Einfluss auf die Therapietreue der behandelten Patienten
Authors: Gollnick Harald , Funke Gisela , Kors Christian , Titzmann Thomas , Jöstingmeyer Petra , Jäckel Andreas
Published: May 2015

Hintergrund und Zielsetzung

Adapalen 0,1 %/Benzoylperoxid (BPO) 2.5 % (Epiduo®) ist das erste topische Kombinationsgel mit festgesetzter Dosierung, welches für die einmal tägliche Behandlung von Akne entwickelt wurde. Die Zielsetzung dieser Beobachtungsstudie war es, bei einer großen Zahl junger Erwachsener und Jugendlichen (12 bis 20 Jahre) mit mittelschwerer entzündlicher Akne die Wirksamkeit und Therapietreue der Patienten im klinischen Alltag zu beurteilen.

Patienten und Methoden

Insgesamt wurden in dieser multizentrischen, unverblindeten, prospektiven nicht‐interventionellen Beobachtungsstudie 2780 mit Adapalen/BPO behandelte Patienten untersucht. Pro Patient betrug die Observationszeit etwa 12 Wochen. Zu den Bewertungsparametern zählten Veränderungen im Schweregrad der Akne, Behandlungserfolg, Sicherheit und Therapieadhärenz.

Ergebnisse

Nach 12 Wochen zeigte sich bei der Mehrheit der Patienten (91,5 %) eine Verbesserung der Akne nach Behandlung mit Adapalen/BPO; erste therapeutische Reaktionen waren nach einer mittleren Zeit von 14 Tagen zu beobachten. Insgesamt zeigten 21,8 % der Teilnehmer eine vollständige Auflösung der sichtbaren Akneläsionen. Die Therapietreue wurde bei 63,2 % der Patienten als gut beurteilt. Meist wurde (69,5 %) keine oder nur eine leichte lokale Hautirritation bemerkt. Im Lauf der Studie wurde von keinen schwerwiegenden unerwünschten Arzneimittelwirkungen (UAW)/Nebenwirkungen berichtet.

Schlussfolgerungen

Bei der Behandlung von mittelschwerer entzündlicher Akne ist Adapalen/BPO als wirksam und sicher einzustufen. Die Kombination mit festgesetzter Dosierung und die einfache Anwendung vereinfacht die Behandlung und führte bei den meisten Patienten zu einer guten Therapieadhärenz.
Gütegeschaltete Nd:YAG‐Laserbehandlung labialer Lentigines bei Peutz‐Jeghers‐Syndrom
Authors: Ge Yiping , Jia Gaorong , Lin Tong
Published: May 2015

Hintergrund und Ziel

Labiale Lentigines beim Peutz‐Jeghers‐Syndrom sind kosmetisch entstellend und belastend. Wenngleich verschiedene Behandlungsansätze wie gütegeschaltete (Q‐switched) Rubin‐Laser und gütegeschaltete Alexandrit‐Laser vorgeschlagen wurden, gibt es bisher keine Erfahrungen mit dem gütegeschalteten Nd:YAG‐Laser. Ziel dieser Studie war die retrospektive Auswertung von Effizienz und Sicherheit des gütegeschalteten Nd:YAG‐Lasers (532 nm) bei labialen Lentigines bei Peutz‐Jeghers‐Syndrom.

Patienten und Methodik

Es wurden demographische und klinische Daten von 11 ­Patienten mit Peutz‐Jeghers‐Syndrom anhand eines Bewertungssystems nach Quartilen ausgewertet. Alle Patienten wurden mit einem gütegeschalteten Nd:YAG‐Laser mit folgenden Parametern behandelt: Wellenlänge 532 nm, Spotgröße 3 mm, Impulsdauer 5–20 ns, Fluenz 1,8–2,2 J/cm2.

Ergebnisse

Nach zwei bis sechs (Mittelwert 3,6) Behandlungen konnte ein Durchschnittswert von 3,73 erreicht werden. Acht Patienten (72,7 %) zeigten ein exzellentes Ansprechen mit einem mehr als 75%‐igen Rückgang der Läsionen; drei Patienten (27,3 %) zeigten eine gute Reaktion. Wiederholte Behandlungen verbesserten die ­Beseitigung der labialen Lentigines. Statistisch konnte kein Zusammenhang zwischen Alter, Geschlecht und Hauttyp nach Fitzpatrick mit der Effizienz der ersten Behandlung festgestellt werden. Es wurden weder Rezidive an behandelten Stellen noch ­signifikante Komplikationen beobachtet.

Schlussfolgerung

Der gütegeschaltete Nd:YAG‐Laser ist eine effiziente und sichere Behandlungsmöglichkeit bei labialen Lentigines bei Peutz‐Jeghers‐Syndrom.
Pädiatrische Dermatohistopathologie – Histologie von Dermatosen im Neugeborenen‐ und Säuglingsalter
Authors: Wobser Marion , Ernestus Karen , Hamm Henning
Published: May 2015

Während die Physiologie der Neugeborenen‐ und Säuglingshaut in den letzten Jahren mittels nichtinvasiver Techniken eingehend untersucht worden ist, liegen bisher nur wenige systematische Untersuchungen und Übersichten zur Histologie und Histopathologie der Haut in den ersten Lebensmonaten vor. Auch wenn sich das histologische Muster frühkindlicher Dermatosen häufig nicht von demjenigen des Erwachsenenalters unterscheidet, können gute Kenntnisse über die embryofetale Entwicklung des Hautorgans und die mikroanatomische Struktur der frühkindlichen Haut doch zum besseren Verständnis einiger kindlicher Hauterkrankungen beitragen. In dieser Übersicht stellen wir in einem ersten Abschnitt die Histopathologie von solchen Hauterkrankungen dar, welche zwar insgesamt selten sind, sich jedoch aufgrund struktureller oder entwicklungsphysiologischer Besonderheiten der Neugeborenenhaut nahezu ausschließlich in dieser Zeit manifestieren. In einem weiteren Abschnitt besprechen wir die Histopathologie einiger klassischer Dermatosen des Neugeborenen‐ und Säuglingsalters.
Recent clinical management of antithrombotic agents for gastrointestinal endoscopy after revision of guidelines in Japan
Authors: Ono Satoshi , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro , Ikeda Yuichi , Komuro Issei , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: May 2015

In 2012, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES) revised guidelines for the management of gastrointestinal endoscopy for patients using antithrombotic agents. The conventional guidelines emphasized reducing the bleeding risk that accompanies gastrointestinal endoscopy, but the present guidelines prioritize reduction of thromboembolism risk during discontinuation of antithrombotic agents, which is consistent with Western guidelines. When the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, the guidelines permit endoscopic biopsy and high‐bleeding‐risk procedures without discontinuation of selected antithrombotic agents. These guidelines created a paradigm shift that has slowly, but surely, changed clinical daily practice in Japan. As a result, endoscopic biopsy without discontinuation of antithrombotic agents has been widely accepted, although solid evidence for its support is still lacking. Additionally, feasibility of high‐bleeding‐risk procedures without discontinuation of selected antithrombotic agents is also controversial because evidence newly acquired after publication of the present guidelines is low in evidence level. Consequently, clinical studies with a high evidence level, including randomized controlled studies, are mandatory to establish reliable upcoming guidelines. At the same time, under the present guidelines, the accomplishment of such studies in Japan is expected.
Biscogniauxia nummularia infecting beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees and sympatric plants of the sedge Carex brevicollis
Authors: Zabalgogeazcoa I. , Pedro J. , Canals R. M.
Published: May 2015

Biscogniauxia nummularia is known for its association with beech (Fagus sylvatica), on which it occurs as a saprotroph and a pathogen causing strip cankers following water stress. This fungus has also been reported as a dominant endophytic species in plants of the sedge Carex brevicollis growing in the understory of beech forests and adjacent grasslands in Sierra de Urbasa (Navarre, Spain). In this area, stromata of B. nummularia were observed in dead and living wood of beech trees at several locations where plants of C. brevicollis also contained the fungus as an endophyte. Pure cultures obtained from stromata of B. nummularia on F. sylvatica trees were compared to endophytic isolates from symptomless C. brevicollis. Culture morphology and micromorphology as well as rDNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were identical, suggesting that B. nummularia from beech can also live endophytically in C. brevicollis. It is unknown whether the endophytic strains of Carex might have a role as an inoculum source for the infection of beech trees, or whether they represent a dead end in the life cycle of the fungus.
Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection and RAS mutation in sporadic keratoacanthoma
Authors: Roh Mi Ryung , Kim Jee Hung , Lee Sang Hee , Oh Seung Joon , Park Kyu Hyun , Chung Kee Yang , Rha Sun Young
Published: May 2015

Background

RAS gene activation and its association with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have been extensively studied in various cancers. However, the correlation between RAS mutations and HPV in keratoacanthoma (KA) has not yet been investigated.

Methods

Detection of HPV DNA was performed by nested polymerase chain reaction in 28 KA specimens. Molecular analysis was also performed to identify oncogenic mutations (HRAS, KRAS, NRAS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Fisher's exact tests.

Results

HPV DNA was detected in eight (28.6%) of the 28 samples, and RAS mutations were detected in eight (28.6%). Six samples had an HRAS mutation, and two showed the NRAS mutation. The presence of an RAS mutation was significantly correlated with a history of chronic sun damage (P = 0.005). However, no significant correlation was observed between HPV infection and RAS mutation.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that mutational activation of the RAS gene is a common event in KA. However, RAS oncogene activation and HPV infection seem to represent two independent factors in the development of KA.
Clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors in patients with non‐cutaneous malignant melanoma: a single‐center retrospective study of 71 cases
Authors: Zhu Hong , Dong Dandan , Li Fanghua , Liu Dandan , Wang Lei , Fu Jing , Song Linhong , Xu Gang
Published: May 2015

Objectives

This retrospective study was carried out to define the clinical features and prognostic differences in non‐cutaneous malignant melanoma (non‐CMM) originating from different anatomic sites.

Methods

Clinical and follow‐up data for 71 patients with non‐CMM were collected and reviewed.

Results

Of the 71 non‐CMM patients, 59 were diagnosed with mucosal malignant melanoma (MMM) and 12 with ocular malignant melanoma (OMM). In the 59 MMM patients, the nasal cavity was the most common anatomic site (n = 31, 43.7% of all non‐CMM), followed by the oral cavity (n = 9, 12.7%), the genitourinary tract (n = 9, 12.7%), the anorectum (n = 8, 11.3%), and the gastrointestinal tract (n = 2, 2.8%). In the 12 patients with OMM, anatomic sites included the choroid (n = 8, 11.3% of all non‐CMM) and the conjunctiva (n = 4, 5.6%). The survival outcome of patients with OMM was much better than that of patients with MMM (P < 0.001). In MMM patients, anorectal melanoma was associated with a worse survival outcome. Age of ≥ 70 years (P < 0.001) and tumor size of > 2 cm (P = 0.02) were significantly poor prognostic factors in MMM. Age (relative risk [RR] 1.068, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.006–1.133; P = 0.03) and tumor size (RR 1.410, 95% CI 1.038–1.915; P = 0.028) were independent predictors for the postoperative survival of MMM patients. Patients with these two risk factors had a higher risk for recurrence or death (RR 3.107, 95% CI 1.627–5.595).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that prognoses differ in patients with different anatomic sites of primary non‐CMM. Advanced age and larger tumor size are the main factors affecting prognosis. Patients with poor risk factors should be treated differently to improve their survival outcome.
Internet aggression in online communities: a contemporary deterrence perspective
Authors: Xu Bo , Xu Zhengchuan , Li Dahui
Published: May 2015

Internet users' activities are critical to the development and success of Web 2.0 systems, such as online communities. Within the community's participation, knowledge sharing, and communications, users may conduct aggressive behaviors that would have a negative impact on that online community. This study investigates factors that affect Chinese users' aggression intention in online communities. Research findings show that online aggression can be inhibited by internal deterrents of face saving and moral beliefs, which may be enhanced through implementation of consequences from an effective community policy and peer pressure among community members. Differences in the effects of the deterrence measures exist between younger and older users. This paper contributes theoretically and empirically to Web 2.0 research and has practical implications for virtual community management.
Novel insights into maladaptive behaviours in Prader–Willi syndrome: serendipitous findings from an open trial of vagus nerve stimulation
Authors: Manning K. E. , McAllister C. J. , Ring H. A. , Finer N. , Kelly C. L. , Sylvester K. P. , Fletcher P. C. , Morrell N. W. , Garnett M. R. , Manford M. R. A. , Holland A. J.
Published: May 2015

Background

We report striking and unanticipated improvements in maladaptive behaviours in Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) during a trial of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) initially designed to investigate effects on the overeating behaviour. PWS is a genetically determined neurodevelopmental disorder associated with mild–moderate intellectual disability (ID) and social and behavioural difficulties, alongside a characteristic and severe hyperphagia.

Methods

Three individuals with PWS underwent surgery to implant the VNS device. VNS was switched on 3 months post‐implantation, with an initial 0.25 mA output current incrementally increased to a maximum of 1.5 mA as tolerated by each individual. Participants were followed up monthly.

Results

Vagal nerve stimulation in these individuals with PWS, within the stimulation parameters used here, was safe and acceptable. However, changes in eating behaviour were equivocal. Intriguingly, unanticipated, although consistent, beneficial effects were reported by two participants and their carers in maladaptive behaviour, temperament and social functioning. These improvements and associated effects on food‐seeking behaviour, but not weight, indicate that VNS may have potential as a novel treatment for such behaviours.

Conclusions

We propose that these changes are mediated through afferent and efferent vagal projections and their effects on specific neural networks and functioning of the autonomic nervous system and provide new insights into the mechanisms that underpin what are serious and common problems affecting people with IDs more generally.
Monetary Policy and Asset Prices: A Mechanism Design Approach
Authors: HU TAI‐WEI , ROCHETEAU GUILLAUME
Published: May 2015

We investigate the effects of monetary policy on asset prices in economies where assets are traded periodically in bilateral meetings. The trading mechanism is designed to maximize social welfare taking as given the frictions in the environment and monetary policy. We show that asset price “bubbles” emerge in a constrained‐efficient monetary equilibrium only if liquidity is abundant and the first‐best allocation is implementable. In contrast, if liquidity is scarce, assets are priced at their fundamental value in any constrained‐efficient monetary equilibrium, in which case an increase in inflation has no effect on asset prices, but it reduces output and welfare.