bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence for subsoil specialization in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Authors: Sosa-Hernández Moisés A. , Roy Julien , Hempel Stefan , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: January 2018

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities are now known to vary with depth in arable land. Here we use two previously published high-throughput Illumina sequencing data sets, and compare a 52 year long chronosequence of recultivated agriculture fields after a topsoil and subsoil mixing event, with a set of undisturbed topsoil and subsoil samples from a similar field. We show that AM taxa identified as subsoil indicators are exclusively present in early stages of the chronosequence, whereas topsoil indicator taxa can be found across the chronosequence, and that similarities from the chronosequence fields to the subsoil communities decrease with time. Our results provide evidence on the ecological specialization of certain AM fungal taxa to deep soil layers.
Measurement of the Persistence Length of Cytoskeletal Filaments using Curvature Distributions
Authors: Wisanpitayakorn Pattipong , Mickolajczyk Keith J. , Hancock William O. , Vidali Luis , Tüzel Erkan
Published: January 2018

Cytoskeletal filaments such as microtubules and actin filaments play important roles in the mechanical integrity of cells and the ability of cells to respond to their environment. Measuring the mechanical properties of cytoskeletal structures is crucial for gaining insight into intracellular mechanical stresses and their role in regulating cellular processes. One of the ways to characterize these mechanical properties is by measuring their persistence length, the average length over which filaments stay straight. There are several approaches in the literature for measuring filament deformations, including Fourier analysis of images obtained using fluorescence microscopy. Here, we show how curvature distributions can be used as an alternative tool to quantify bio-filament deformations, and investigate how the apparent stiffness of filaments depends on the resolution and noise of the imaging system. We present analytical calculations of the scaling curvature distributions as a function of filament discretization, and test our predictions by comparing Monte Carlo simulations to results from existing techniques. We also apply our approach to microtubules and actin filaments obtained fromin vitrogliding assay experiments with high densities of non-functional motors, and calculate the persistence length of these filaments. The presented curvature analysis is significantly more accurate compared to existing approaches for small data sets, and can be readily applied to bothin vitroorin vivofilament data through the use of an ImageJ plugin we provide.
Mind the mindset! The interaction of proactive personality, transformational leadership and growth mindset for engagement at work
Authors: Caniëls Marjolein C.J. , Semeijn Judith H. , Renders Irma H.M.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether and how employees’ proactive personality is related to work engagement. Drawing on job demands-resources theory, the study proposes that this relationship is moderated by a three-way interaction between proactive personality × transformational leadership × growth mindset.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on survey data from 259 employees of an internationally operating high-tech organization in the Netherlands.

Findings

In line with prior studies, support is found for positive significant relationships of proactive personality and transformational leadership with engagement. Additionally, transformational leadership is found to moderate the relationship between proactive personality and work engagement, but only when employees have a growth mindset.

Originality/value

The study advances the literature that investigates the proactive personality-engagement relationship. Specifically, this study is the first to examine a possible three-way interaction that may deepen the insights for how proactive personality, transformational leadership and growth mindset interact in their contribution to work engagement.
When do regulations matter for bank risk-taking? An analysis of the interaction between external regulation and board characteristics
Authors: De Vita Glauco , Luo Yun
Published: January 2018

Purpose

According to previous international studies, the impact of external regulation on bank risk is ambiguous. The purpose of this paper is to ask the question, “When do regulations matter for bank risk-taking?” by reporting the first empirical investigation of how the relation between bank regulations (capital requirements, official supervisory power and market discipline) and bank risk-taking is moderated by board monitoring characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

Using SYS-GMM, the analysis of the interaction between bank-level boards of directors’ attributes (board size, board independence and board gender diversity) and external regulation is based on a sample of 493 banks operating in 54 countries over 2001-2015, accounting for three measures of bank risk-taking.

Findings

Regulations matter for bank risk-taking conditional on board characteristics: board size, board independence and board diversity. With the exception of capital requirements, the market discipline exerted by external private monitoring and greater supervisory power are unable to mitigate the propensity to greater risk-taking by banks resulting from larger board size, higher board independence and greater gender diversity of the board.

Originality/value

The bank risk empirical literature is still silent as to the interaction between board governance and regulation for the purpose of examining banks’ risk-taking. This paper fills this gap, thus making a significant contribution by extending our knowledge of whether and how board governance moderates the relationship between external regulation and bank risk-taking.
The contribution of foresight to improve long-term security planning
Authors: Jore Sissel Haugdal , Utland Inger-Lise Førland , Vatnamo Victoria Hell
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Despite the common focus on studying future events, the study of risk management and foresight have developed as two segmented scientific fields. This study aims to investigate whether current risk management methodology is sufficient for long-term planning against threats from terrorism and other black swan events, and whether perspectives from foresight studies can contribute to more effective long-term security planning.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigates the planning process of the rebuilding of the Norwegian Government Complex destroyed during a terrorist attack in 2011. The study examines whether security risk managers find current security risk management methodology sufficient for dealing with long-term security threats to the Norwegian Government Complex.

Findings

Current security risk management methodology for long-term security planning is insufficient to capture black swan events. Foresight perspectives could contribute by engaging tools to mitigate the risk of these events. This could lead to more robust security planning.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is to investigate whether perspectives and methodology from foresight studies can improve current security risk management methodology for long-term planning and look for cross-fertilization between foresight and risk studies. A framework for scenario development based on security risk management methodology and foresight methodology is proposed that can help bridge the gap.
Knowledge intensive business services: ambiguities and continuities
Authors: Miles Ian Douglas , Belousova Veronika , Chichkanov Nikolay
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The substantial growth in literature on knowledge-intensive business services (KIBSs) has thrown light on their contributions to innovation and innovation systems. This paper is the first of a set that examines major debates and conclusions to have emerged from this growing body of evidence.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a review essay, which also presents relevant statistics. It addresses definitional issues and controversies, and sets out basic trends and characteristics of the KIBS industries. The focus is mainly on KIBS firms, though the production of similar services in other types of organisation is also considered.

Findings

Many of the conclusions of an earlier (2005) review in this journal remain valid, though difficulties in capturing these activities in official statistics mean that there are many issues that demand closer inspection. Understanding the role and future prospects of KIBS will also require looking beyond the literature that focuses just on KIBS industries.

Research limitations/implications

This study involves literature review and statistical analysis. Future work would benefit from involvement of practitioners and users of KIBS.

Practical implications

More explicit consideration of KIBS in statistical frameworks is still required, and novel approaches to data conceptualisation and production should be explored.

Originality/value

The growing literature on KIBS, and its implications for understanding the roles and future development of the firms and their relationships to innovation systems, requires systematic analysis. Available statistics have been brought together, and this paper also reflects critically on the trajectories of research on these topics.
Exploring work-family interface for Indian women entrepreneurs
Authors: Khandelwal Preetam , Sehgal Aakanksha
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the nature of work-family interface for urban Indian women entrepreneurs (WEs), in terms of not only conflict but also enrichment. It also endeavours to examine the coping and support mechanisms that are used by the WEs.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has adopted a qualitative design, employing in-depth interviews to gain an insight into the research questions.

Findings

Though seen to experience work-family conflict extensively, WEs effectively utilized various flexible work and time management techniques as coping mechanisms. More importantly, they were seen to establish a “buy-in” for their work, thereby eliciting support from diverse sources in the home environment. Furthermore, work-to-family enrichment (WFE) was seen to facilitate a stronger bond with family members as well as increase the subjective well-being of the WE. Finally, family-to-work enrichment (FWE) enabled the WEs to obtain various kinds of resources from the family domain to benefit their businesses, thereby affecting venture-level outcomes positively.

Research limitations/implications

As the findings of the study map reasonably well to prior theoretical research, the present study serves as a starting point for future research examining the relevance of work-family dynamics for WEs across cultures.

Practical implications

The results of the study positively contribute to the discussion on work-family interface for WEs in the cultural context of India.

Originality/value

The study offers qualitative insights into the work-family dynamics of Indian WEs, especially focusing on the key advantages that they derive by capitalizing on positive spill-over from one domain to the other.
The six “P” model: principles of coaching for inclusion coaches
Authors: Gallagher Tiffany L. , Bennett Sheila M.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify a set of principles that are necessary to overcome the challenges that inclusion coaches encounter with teachers as they transition into an inclusive service delivery model.

Design/methodology/approach

Online written reflections of 13 inclusion coaches (K-12) who were a part of a larger, mixed-methods research design are the primary data source. For the two years of the project, the inclusion coaches provided bi-annual reflections, each with 7-11 entries. The reflections were downloaded, coded, collapsed, and thematically presented as the inclusion coaches’ perspectives for supporting teachers’ inclusive classroom practices.

Findings

The findings are presented as six principles for the process of coaching teachers for inclusion: pre-requisite: teachers’ receptivity; process: from building trust to collaborating and reflecting; precipice: tension between knowledge and beliefs; promotion: administrative support; proof: evidence of change, impact, and capacity building; and promise: future of the role.

Practical implications

These six principles of coaching for inclusion offer considerations, conditions, and guides for inclusion coaches that are striving for fully inclusive classrooms in their jurisdictions. With a view to future practice, the six principles are reiterative as they should be revisited each time a coaching interaction is initiated in a school site and with a classroom teacher.

Originality/value

As a conclusion, a conceptual model is offered. This spiraling staircase displays the conditions that exist prior to coaching and during coaching interactions and considerations for coaching sustainability.
The role of the mentor in professional knowledge development across four professions
Authors: Peiser Gillian , Ambrose John , Burke Beverley , Davenport Jackie
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Against a British policy backdrop, which places an ever- increasing emphasis on workplace learning in pre-service professional programmes, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of the mentor to professional knowledge development in nursing, paramedicine, social work and teaching.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking the form of a literature review, it explores the influence of policy, professional and theoretical conceptualisations of the mentor role, and structural factors influencing the mentor’s contribution to professional knowledge.

Findings

Where there are clearly delineated policy obligations for the mentor to “teach”, mentors are more likely to make connections between theoretical and practical knowledge. When this responsibility is absent or informal, they are inclined to attend to the development of contextual knowledge with a consequent disconnect between theory and practice. In all four professions, mentors face significant challenges, especially with regard to the conflict between supporting and assessor roles, and the need to attend to heavy contractual workloads, performance targets and mentoring roles in tandem.

Practical implications

The authors argue first for the need for more attention to the pedagogy of mentoring, and second for structural changes to workload allocations, career progression and mentoring education. In order to develop more coherent and interconnected professional knowledge between different domains, and the reconciliation of different perspectives, it would be useful to underpin mentoring pedagogy with Bhabba’s notion of “third space”.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution to the field since it considers new obligations incumbent on mentors to assist mentees in reconciling theoretical and practical knowledge by the consequence of policy and also takes a multi-professional perspective.
Monitoring multinomial logistic profiles in Phase I using log-linear models
Authors: Izadbakhsh Hamidreza , Noorossana Rassoul , Niaki Seyed Taghi Akhavan
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply Poisson generalized linear model (PGLM) with log link instead of multinomial logistic regression to monitor multinomial logistic profiles in Phase I. Hence, estimating the coefficients becomes easier and more accurate.

Design/methodology/approach

Simulation technique is used to assess the performance of the proposed algorithm using four different control charts for monitoring.

Findings

The proposed algorithm is faster and more accurate than the previous algorithms. Simulation results also indicate that the likelihood ratio test method is able to detect out-of-control parameters more efficiently.

Originality/value

The PGLM with log link has not been used to monitor multinomial profiles in Phase I.
Personality characteristics and Six Sigma: a review
Authors: Witt Phillip Wilson , Baker Timothy
Published: January 2018

Purpose

From two bodies of literature, the purpose of this paper is to generate theory for an updated conceptual model of drivers of Six Sigma project success by integrating extant psychology theory and empirical general team project results with a history of eight recent Six Sigma projects and extant Six Sigma literature. The new theory emphasizes the need for project leads to process information simultaneously, as well as develop prioritization abilities. Also, the new theory reverses the relations of three existing theories from general team composition theory. The new theory suggests that Six Sigma belt trainers should focus more on soft skill development.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review of the two bodies of literature previously mentioned.

Findings

Eight new propositions related to the success of Six Sigma projects are developed. Further, two new constructs, “project leader simultaneity of thought” and “prioritization ability” are suggested for further investigation.

Originality/value

The authors suggest a few practical implications: first a greater emphasis on soft skill training would be beneficial in Six Sigma belt training. A second new point of emphasis in belt training is developing greater internal locus of control in belt candidates. Third, the authors suggest that during the team member selection process a diversity of backgrounds would be beneficial to Six Sigma project success.
Empirical investigation of contributions of 5S practice for realizing improved competitive dimensions
Authors: Randhawa Jugraj Singh , Ahuja Inderpreet Singh
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the capabilities of 5S program to meliorate the different competitive dimensions of manufacturing organizations and extracts the various significant factors which influence its successful implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper involves empirical study of responses collected from various manufacturing organizations to investigate the inter-relationships between various 5S implementation success factors and competitive dimensions parameters through different statistical techniques. The study deploys Bonferroni post hoc test to establish the statistical significance of competitive dimensions improvements, progressively accrued over a reasonable period of time, through holistic 5S implementation.

Findings

The study validates the contributions of 5S program toward realization of significant improvements of various competitive dimensions such as overall organizational achievements, production achievements, quality and continuous improvement achievements, cost optimization achievements, employee-related achievements, effective workplace utilization and safety enhancement achievements accrued by Indian manufacturing organizations. Finally the discriminant validity test has been used in the study for classifying highly successful and moderately successful organizations.

Originality/value

The research aims to empirically test the relationships among various 5S implementation constructs and competitive dimensions parameters constructs in manufacturing organizations. The research work establishes that 5S initiatives have effectively contributed for realization of significant competitive dimensions, progressively from introduction to maturity phases. The research highlights the key significant implications for manufacturing managers.
Mahalanobis-Taguchi system: state of the art
Authors: Mota-Gutiérrez Cecilia Guadalupe , Reséndiz-Flores Edgar Omar , Reyes-Carlos Yadira Iracema
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show a bibliographical review of the applications of the MTS throughout the time and the different fields.

Design/methodology/approach

The Mahalanobis-Taguchi system (MTS) is an analytical method used for the diagnosis and/or pattern recognition of multivariate data for quantitative decision making.

Findings

Its scope is very broad, ranging from engineering, medicine, education, and manufacturing, among others. This work presents a classification of the literature in the following areas of the MTS: introduction of the method, cases of study/application, comparison with other methods, integration and development of the MTS with other methods, construction of Mahalanobis space, dimensional reduction and threshold establishment. It realized a wide search of the publications in magazines and congresses.

Originality/value

This paper is a summary of the main applications, contributions and changes to MTS.
Digital preservation at Big Data scales: proposing a step-change in preservation system architectures
Authors: Gerrard David Maynard , Mooney James Edward , Thompson Dave
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider how digital preservation system architectures will support business analysis of large-scale collections of preserved resources, and the use of Big Data analyses by future researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews the architecture of existing systems, then discusses experimental surveys of large digital collections using existing digital preservation tools at Big Data scales. Finally, it introduces the design of a proposed new architecture to work with Big Data volumes of preserved digital resources – also based upon experience of managing a collection of 30 million digital images.

Findings

Modern visualisation tools enable business analyses based on file-related metadata, but most currently available systems need more of this functionality “out-of-the-box”. Scalability of preservation architecture to Big Data volumes depends upon the ability to run preservation processes in parallel, so indexes that enable effective sub-division of collections are vital. Not all processes scale easily: those that do not require complex management.

Practical implications

The complexities caused by scaling up to Big Data volumes can be seen as being at odds with preservation, where simplicity matters. However, the sustainability of preservation systems relates directly to their usefulness, and maintaining usefulness will increasingly depend upon being able to process digital resources at Big Data volumes. An effective balance between these conflicting situations must be struck.

Originality/value

Preservation systems are at a step-change as they move to Big Data scale architectures and respond to more technical research processes. This paper is a timely illustration of the state of play at this pivotal moment.
Effect of combined epidural anaesthesia on tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes in lung adenocarcinoma: a prospective exploratory sub‐analysis
Authors: Li M.‐H. , Xu Z.‐Z. , Huang S.‐M. , Li T. , Li X.‐Y. , Wang D.‐X.
Published: January 2018

Background

Regional anaesthesia may have advantages in preserving immune function. Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are considered indicators of immune response in the tumor microenvironment and used as a prognostic marker in patients after cancer surgery. This study investigated the effects of combined epidural anaesthesia on the number of TILs in patients undergoing surgery for lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Patients undergoing radical resection for primary lung cancer were randomized to receive either combined epidural‐general anaesthesia (Epi‐GA) or general anaesthesia (GA) in an ongoing randomized controlled trial (ChiCTR‐TRC‐14004136). Excised adenocarcinoma specimens from patients enrolled between 1 June 2015 and 30 November 2015 were selected for immunohistochemical staining of CD8 and FOXP3 molecules. The numbers of positive lymphocytes were counted and expressed as the number of cells per mm2 tumor area.

Results

One hundred and twenty‐eight patients were recruited and randomized; 64 patients were included in immunohistochemistry analysis (37 received Epi‐GA vs. 27 received GA). The number of CD8+ T cells was higher in the Epi‐GA group than in the GA group (median [interquartile range]: 292.8 [198.0–418.3] vs. 204.7 [131.1–305.8], P = 0.036); whereas the number of FOXP3+ T cells was less in the Epi‐GA group than in the GA group (37.6 [14.7–92.3] vs. 99.8 [68.9–168.3], P < 0.001).

Conclusions

For patients undergoing surgery for lung adenocarcinoma under general anesthesia, use of epidural anaesthesia increased CD8+ T cells infiltration but decreased FOXP3+ T cells accumulation in tumor tissues. Epidural anaesthesia may affect TILs in a manner that preserves immune function.
Leader Influence and Reputation Formation in World Politics
Authors: Renshon Jonathan , Dafoe Allan , Huth Paul
Published: January 2018

The study of reputation is one of the foundational topics of modern international relations. However, fundamental questions remain, including the question of to whom reputations adhere: states, leaders, or both? We offer a theory ofinfluence‐specificreputations (ISR) that unifies competing accounts of reputation formation. We theorize that reputations will adhere more to actors who are more influential in the relevant decision‐making process. We employ two survey experiments, one abstract and one richly detailed involving a U.S.‐Iran conflict, to evaluate ISR. We find evidence of large country‐specific reputations and moderately sized leader‐specific reputations. Consistent with the theory of influence‐specific reputations, leader‐specific reputations are more important when leaders are more influential.
The Public Cost of Unilateral Action
Authors: Reeves Andrew , Rogowski Jon C.
Published: January 2018

Scholarship on democratic responsiveness focuses on whether political outcomes reflect public opinion but overlooks attitudes toward how power is used to achieve those policies. We argue that public attitudes toward unilateral action lead to negative evaluations of presidents who exercise unilateral powers and policies achieved through their use. Evidence from two studies supports our argument. In three nationally representative survey experiments conducted across a range of policy domains, we find that the public reacts negatively when policies are achieved through unilateral powers instead of through legislation passed by Congress. We further show these costs are greatest among respondents who support the president's policy goals. In an observational study, we show that attitudes toward unilateral action in the abstract affect how respondents evaluate policies achieved through unilateral action by presidents from Lincoln to Obama. Our results suggest that public opinion may constrain presidents' use of unilateral powers.
The Financialisation of Rental Housing 2.0: Releasing Housing into the Privatised Mainstream of Capital Accumulation
Authors: Wijburg Gertjan , Aalbers Manuel B. , Heeg Susanne
Published: January 2018

This article presents two cases of listed real estate companies that operate in the Ruhr metropolitan region of Germany. The first is Immeo Wohnen, a subsidiary of the French real estate investment trust (REIT) Foncière des Régions that was previously owned by a US hedge fund. The second is Vonovia, Germany's largest real estate company, originally a subsidiary of a British private equity firm. Both examples embody what we call the shift from financialisation 1.0 to financialisation 2.0, i.e. the transition from pure speculation to long‐term investment. We show that long‐term investment strategies are used by REITs and listed funds in order to release housing into the privatised mainstream of capital accumulation. With the advent of the financialisation of rental housing 2.0, the long‐term investment focus of these funds paradoxically enables a short‐term investment focus by buying and selling shares in these funds on the stock exchange.
Use of social media is associated with short sleep duration in a dose–response manner in students aged 11 to 20 years
Authors: Sampasa‐Kanyinga Hugues , Hamilton Hayley A , Chaput Jean‐Philippe
Published: January 2018

Aim

This study examined the association between social media and sleep duration among Canadian students aged 11–20.

Methods

Data from 5242 students were obtained from the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province‐wide, school‐based survey that has been conducted every two years since 1977. We measured the respondents’ sleep duration against the recommended ranges of 9–11 h per night at 11–13 years of age, 8–10 h at 14–17 and 7–9 h per night for those aged 18 years or more.

Results

Overall, 36.4% of students met or exceeded the recommended sleep duration and 63.6% slept less than recommended, with 73.4% of students reporting that they used social media for at least one hour per day. After adjusting for various covariates, the use of social media was associated with greater odds of short sleep duration in a dose–response manner (p for linear trend <0.001). Odds ratios ranged from 1.82 for social media use of at least one hour per day to 2.98 for at least five hours per day.

Conclusion

Greater use of social media was associated with shorter sleep duration in a dose–response fashion among Canadian students aged 11–20.
Expression of activating natural killer‐cell receptors is a hallmark of the innate‐like T‐cell neoplasm in peripheral T‐cell lymphomas
Authors: Uemura Yu , Isobe Yasushi , Uchida Akiko , Asano Junko , Nishio Yuji , Sakai Hirotaka , Hoshikawa Masahiro , Takagi Masayuki , Nakamura Naoya , Miura Ikuo
Published: January 2018

Peripheral T‐ or natural killer (NK)‐cell lymphomas are rare and difficult‐to‐recognize diseases. It remains arduous to distinguish between NK cell‐ and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphomas through routine histological evaluation. To clarify the cells of origin, we focused on NK‐cell receptors and examined the expression using immunohistochemistry in 22 cases with T‐ and NK‐cell neoplasms comprising angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐positive and ‐negative anaplastic large‐cell lymphomas, extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type, monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma, aggressive NK‐cell leukemia, and other peripheral T‐cell lymphomas. Inhibitory receptor leukocyte immunoglobulin‐like receptor subfamily B member 1 (LILRB1) was detected in 14 (64%) cases, whereas activating receptors DNAM1, NKp46, and NKG2D were expressed in 7 (32%), 9 (41%), and 5 (23%) cases, respectively. Although LILRB1 was detected regardless of the disease entity, the activating NK‐cell receptors were expressed predominantly in TIA‐1‐positive neoplasms (DNAM1, 49%; NKp46, 69%; and NKG2D, 38%). In addition, NKp46 and NKG2D were detected only in NK‐cell neoplasms and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphomas including monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma. One Epstein‐Barr virus‐harboring cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐derived lymphoma mimicking extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type lacked these NK‐cell receptors, indicating different cell origin from NK and innate‐like T cells. Furthermore, NKG2D expression showed a negative impact on survival among the 22 examined cases, which mainly received the standard chemotherapy regimen (log‐rank test, P = .024). We propose that the presence of activating NK‐cell receptors may provide new insights into understanding peripheral T‐cell lymphomas and characterizing them as innate‐like T‐cell neoplasm.
E7777 in Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory peripheral and cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma: A phase I study
Authors: Ohmachi Ken , Ando Kiyoshi , Ogura Michinori , Uchida Toshiki , Tobinai Kensei , Maruyama Dai , Namiki Masayuki , Nakanishi Tadashi
Published: January 2018

E7777, a recombinant cytotoxic fusion protein comprising diphtheria toxin fragments A and B and human interleukin‐2, shares an amino acid sequence with denileukin diftitox but has improved purity and an increased percentage of active protein monomer species. A phase I study was carried out to evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of E7777 in Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory peripheral and cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. E7777 (6, 12, and expanded 9 μg/kg/day) was given to 13 patients by i.v. infusion on five consecutive days per 21‐day cycle. Dose‐limiting toxicities, including increased alanine aminotransferase, hyponatremia (n = 2), hypokalemia, lymphopenia, fatigue, hypoalbuminemia, rash, and increased lipase (n = 1), were observed in all three patients in the 12 μg/kg/day cohort, whereas two of six patients in the 9 μg/kg/day cohort showed decreased appetite or fatigue. The maximum tolerated and recommended dose of E7777 was 9 μg/kg/day for five consecutive days per 21‐day cycle. The objective response rate was 38% (5/13) and did not appear to depend on tumor expression of CD25. E7777 was well tolerated, assuming careful management of adverse events during treatment, and preliminary but clinically meaningful antitumor activity was observed. Subsequent studies of E7777 for T‐cell lymphomas are warranted. This study was registered with www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT1401530).
Serum microRNA signatures and metabolomics have high diagnostic value in colorectal cancer using two novel methods
Authors: Liu Hai‐Ning , Liu Tao‐Tao , Wu Hao , Chen Yan‐Jie , Tseng Yu‐Jen , Yao Can , Weng Shu‐Qiang , Dong Ling , Shen Xi‐Zhong
Published: January 2018

Recently, many new diagnostic biomarkers have been developed for colorectal cancer. We chose 2 methods with high diagnostic efficiency, the detection of serum microRNA and metabolomics based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and aimed to establish appropriate models. We reviewed the diagnostic value of all microRNA identified by previous diagnostic tests. We selected appropriate microRNA to validate their diagnostic efficiency, and determined the optimal combination. We included 85 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and 78 healthy controls (HC) and detected the expression of the microRNA. GC/MS analysis was conducted, and we used 3 multivariate statistical methods to establish diagnostic models. The concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9) were detected for comparison with the novel models. Ultimately, 62 published studies and 63 microRNA were included in this review. MiR‐21, miR‐29a, miR‐92a, miR‐125b and miR‐223 were selected to further validate their diagnostic value. The serum levels of the 5 microRNA in CRC patients were significantly higher than those in the HC. The combination of miR‐21, miR‐29a, miR‐92a and miR‐125b had the highest area under the curve (AUC) at 0.952, with a sensitivity of 84.7% and a specificity of 98.7%. The GC/MS analysis exhibited an excellent diagnostic value and the AUC reached 1.0. With regard to traditional biomarkers, the AUC of CEA and CA19‐9 were 0.808 and 0.705, respectively. The application prospects are good for microRNA and metabolomics as new diagnostic methods because of their high diagnostic value compared with traditional biomarkers.
In silico identification, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel tetrazole inhibitors of MurB
Authors: Hrast Martina , Jukič Marko , Patin Delphine , Tod Julie , Dowson Christopher G. , Roper David I. , Barreteau Hélène , Gobec Stanislav
Published: January 2018

In the context of antibacterial drug discovery resurgence, novel therapeutic targets and new compounds with alternative mechanisms of action are of paramount importance. We focused on UDP‐N‐acetylenolpyruvylglucosamine reductase (i.e. MurB), an underexploited target enzyme that is involved in early steps of bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis. On the basis of the recently reported crystal structure of MurB in complex with NADP+, a pharmacophore model was generated and used in a virtual screening campaign with combined structure‐based and ligand‐based approaches. To explore chemical space around hit compounds, further similarity search and organic synthesis were employed to obtain several compounds with micromolar IC50 values on MurB. The best inhibitors in the reported series of 5‐substituted tetrazol‐2‐yl acetamides were compounds 13, 26 and 30 with IC50 values of 34, 28 and 25 μm, respectively. None of the reported compounds possessed in vitro antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
Effects of a physical activity programme in the school setting on physical fitness in preschool children
Authors: Latorre‐Román P. A. , Mora‐López D. , García‐Pinillos F.
Published: January 2018

Aim

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 10‐week aerobic games programme on physical fitness.

Methods

One hundred eleven children, aged 3 to 6 years, participated in this study; 60 children were male (age: 4.28 ± 0.61 years old), and 51 were female (age 4.59 ± 0.49 years old). Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n = 56) and a control group (CG; n = 55). A fitness test battery previously validated for preschoolers was used. The children in the EG performed 3 weekly training sessions of physical activity in a classroom during a 10‐week period. Every EG session lasted about 30 min.

Results

There were no significant differences in any variable in the pretest between groups. In the posttest, the EG achieved better results in horizontal jump and sprint. In relation to posttest–pretest differences, the EG showed a greater increase in horizontal jump, sprint, and endurance.

Conclusion

An aerobic games programme in the school setting improved physical fitness in preschool children.
Assessing relative cost of complications following orthotopic liver transplant
Authors: Bhutiani Neal , Jones Christopher M. , Cannon Robert M. , Wei David , Goldstein Laura , Roy Sanjoy , Philips Prejesh , Scoggins Charles R. , McMasters Kelly M. , Martin Robert C. G.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Perioperative complications impose both a clinical and financial burden on patients and the healthcare system. This study sought to identify the frequency and economic impact of complications following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Methods

The Premier Perspective® Hospital Database was queried for patients undergoing OLT between 2008 and 2015. Complications were identified by ICD‐9 code and grouped by complication type. Complication frequency as well as impact on clinical and economic outcomes was calculated. Complication frequency and effect on cost were combined to determine the annual impact of each complication type on perioperative OLT cost.

Results

Among 2747 OLT patients, the most common groups of complications following OLT were pulmonary, bleeding, and infectious. The complications with the greatest average effect on treatment‐related costs were infectious, neurologic, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus, and hepatic arterial thrombosis. Infectious, pulmonary, and bleeding complications had the greatest annual effect on perioperative OLT cost.

Conclusions

Efforts focused on preventing coagulopathic bleeding, improving post‐operative pulmonary toilet, and minimizing sources of infection can help improve the cost‐effectiveness of OLT. Additionally, the combination of these cost data and systematized protocols can help insurers construct bundled payments for OLT that more accurately reflect the cost of perioperative transplant care.
Financialization and Economic Development: A Debate on the Social Efficiency of Modern Finance
Authors: Storm Servaas
Published: January 2018

The shift in financial intermediation from banks to financial markets, and the introduction of financial market logic into areas and domains where it was previously absent, have not just led to negative developmental impacts, but also changed the ‘rules of the game’ and facilitated rent‐seeking practices of a self‐serving global elite. Establishment (financial) economics has helped to depoliticize and legitimize this financialized mode of social regulation by invoking Hayek's epistemological claim that (financial) markets are the only legitimate, reliably welfare‐enhancing foundation for a stable social order and economic progress. This article forms the Introduction to a set of 10 articles which assess the logic and consequences of ‘financialization’ across a range of geographic, economic and social scales, and confront Hayek's grotesque claim — deep down, at the level of ‘ideas’, but also by providing ‘knock‐out evidence’ on the social inefficiency of a capitalism ‘without compulsions’ for finance. The authors in the Debate challenge the ‘ruling ideas’ and expose how establishment economics has been hiding its reactionary political agenda behind the pretence of scientific neutrality. The financial emperor wears no clothes.
Adapting and Pilot Testing a Parenting Intervention for Homeless Families in Transitional Housing
Authors: Holtrop Kendal , Holcomb Jamila E.
Published: January 2018

Intervention adaptation is a promising approach for extending the reach of evidence‐based interventions to underserved families. One highly relevant population in need of services are homeless families. In particular, homeless families with children constitute more than one third of the total homeless population in the United States and face several unique challenges to parenting. The purpose of this study was to adapt and pilot test a parenting intervention for homeless families in transitional housing. An established adaptation model was used to guide this process. The systematic adaptation efforts included: (a) examining the theory of change in the original intervention, (b) identifying population differences relevant to homeless families in transitional housing, (c) adapting the content of the intervention, and (d) adapting the evaluation strategy. Next, a pilot test of the adapted intervention was conducted to examine implementation feasibility and acceptability. Feasibility data indicate an intervention spanning several weeks may be difficult to implement in the context of transitional housing. Yet, acceptability of the adapted intervention among participants was consistently high. The findings of this pilot work suggest several implications for informing continued parenting intervention research and practice with homeless families in transitional housing.
Numerical Modeling of Methane Leakage from a Faulty Natural Gas Well into Fractured Tight Formations
Authors: Moortgat Joachim , Schwartz Franklin W. , Darrah Thomas H.
Published: January 2018

Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enabled hydrocarbon recovery from unconventional reservoirs, but led to natural gas contamination of shallow groundwaters. We describe and apply numerical models of gas‐phase migration associated with leaking natural gas wells. Three leakage scenarios are simulated: (1) high‐pressure natural gas pulse released into a fractured aquifer; (2) continuous slow leakage into a tilted fractured formation; and (3) continuous slow leakage into an unfractured aquifer with fluvial channels, to facilitate a generalized evaluation of natural gas transport from faulty natural gas wells. High‐pressure pulses of gas leakage into sparsely fractured media are needed to produce the extensive and rapid lateral spreading of free gas previously observed in field studies. Transport in fractures explains how methane can travel vastly different distances and directions laterally away from a leaking well, which leads to variable levels of methane contamination in nearby groundwater wells. Lower rates of methane leakage (≤1 Mcf/day) produce shorter length scales of gas transport than determined by the high‐pressure scenario or field studies, unless aquifers have low vertical permeabilities (≤1 millidarcy) and fractures and bedding planes have sufficient tilt (∼10°) to allow a lateral buoyancy component. Similarly, in fractured rock aquifers or where permeability is controlled by channelized fluvial deposits, lateral flow is not sufficiently developed to explain fast‐developing gas contamination (0‐3 months) or large length scales (∼1 km) documented in field studies. Thus, current efforts to evaluate the frequency, mechanism, and impacts of natural gas leakage from faulty natural gas wells likely underestimate contributions from small‐volume, low‐pressure leakage events.
Modulation of electrostriction and strain response in bismuth sodium titanate‐based ceramics
Authors: Zhang Yuxing , Yin Jie , Zhao Chunlin , Wu Bo , Wu Jiagang
Published: January 2018

The electrostriction and strain response of lead‐free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–BaTiO3 piezoceramics with La and Nb [(Bi0.47Na0.47Ba0.06)1−xLaxTi1−yNbyO3] were modified by optimizing the depolarization temperature. The influences of La and Nb on their phase structure and electrical properties were systematically investigated. All the ceramics exhibited a pseudocubic phase, which is independent of the addition of La and Nb. The strain values increased gradually with the addition of La, and a high strain of ~0.5% (80 kV/cm) was attained without any remnant strain when the compositions had a value of x = 0.015. Instead, the piezoelectric constant d33 dropped down ~20 pC/N due to the shift of the Td (or Tf−r) to room temperature. Interestingly, by establishing the relationship between Td and strain values, it should be feasible to optimize the strain property of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT)‐based ceramics by regulating Td to ambient temperature. In addition, a very high electrostriction coefficient Q33 of ~0.0758 m4 C−2 can be found under high temperatures of 125 and 150°C. We believe that the strain and electrostriction behavior of BNT‐based ceramics can be well modified by the modulation of depolarization temperature.
Use of antibiotic envelopes to prevent cardiac implantable electronic device infections: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Koerber Scott M. , Turagam Mohit K. , Winterfield Jeffery , Gautam Sandeep , Gold Michael R.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

The rates of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections have risen over the past decade and are associated with increased hospitalizations and mortality. A number of preventative strategies have been developed including an antibiotic coated envelope, but it has yet to gain widespread use.

Methods

A meta‐analysis was performed on controlled studies of the antibiotic envelope. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies comparing infection rates with and without the use of an antibiotic envelope. Studies including both new implants and pulse generator replacements were included in the analysis.

Results

Five studies were included in the meta‐analysis. A total of 4,490 patients underwent CIED implantation, 1,798 with an antibiotic envelope and 2,692 without an envelope. In the pooled cohort, the envelope was associated with a 69% relative risk reduction in CIED infection (0.31 [0.17, 0.58] 95% CI, P = 0.0002). Propensity matched data from three studies were analyzed to ensure accurate comparison. In the risk‐matched cohort, infections were significantly lower in the envelope group (3 vs. 26, P < 0.0003).

Conclusion

The use of antibiotic envelopes in CIED implant is associated with a significantly lower rate of infection.