bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proximity to broad bond rating change and employee performance
Authors: Miranda-Lopez Jose , Sander James , Sun Li
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the employee performance of firms with a plus or minus specification in their bond credit ratings (i.e. firms near a broad bond rating change) because prior research suggests that these borderline firms demonstrate different behavior, relative to firms that are not near a broad bond rating change.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use regression analysis to test the research question.

Findings

The authors posit and find that employees work harder when their firms are borderline in the context of bond credit ratings. The authors obtain similar results using firms on the Standard and Poor’s CreditWatch list. The authors also find that the results become stronger for firms with higher ability managers or when firms are faced with a more volatile business environment.

Originality/value

The results suggest that managers of these borderline firms have stronger incentives to improve employee performance. The study contributes to the large research stream on bond rating in finance literature and the research stream on employee performance in management and accounting literature. Specifically, our findings not only strengthen the notion in Kisgen (2006) that borderline companies often show different behavior, compared to average companies, but also can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the determinants of employee performance. The study, to the authors’ knowledge, is one of the few empirical studies that directly examine the employee behavior (i.e. performance) when their firms are at the borderline in the context of bond credit ratings.
Research-based teaching or teaching-based research
Authors: Giraud Françoise , Saulpic Olivier
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The relationship between research and teaching – sometimes referred to as the research–teaching nexus – is an important issue in education literature. However, although it is acknowledged that this question is specific to each discipline, it is rarely addressed in the management accounting (MA) literature. Outside MA, the literature focuses on the influence of research on teaching but rarely touches on the influence of teaching on research. This paper has two aims: to enhance the understanding of the research–teaching link in MA and to analyse the link from teaching into research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a reflexive analysis of a case in which the content of a management control course progressively changed over a period of 15 years. The authors structure their description of the case using Dewey’s concept of inquiry.

Findings

This paper first shows that designing the content of this course was a form of research and it produced knowledge. This analysis also suggests that the influence of research on teaching can take other forms than introducing research results or methods into teaching; designing teaching content is nurtured by not only scientific considerations but also pedagogical considerations and lecturers’ values; and linking research and teaching raises different issues dependent on the stance adopted by MA scholars in their research.

Research limitations/implications

The academic community should seriously consider that knowledge can be produced in a teaching context, through the design of a teaching content.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to an inquiry process by documenting how course content is actually designed, which has not yet been done in the MA literature.
Research in market-calibrated option pricing analysis
Authors: Singh Sanjeet , Bhardwaj Nav , Sharma Gagan Deep , Kaya Tuğberk , Mahendru Mandeep , Erkut Burak
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to consolidate and review the literature in the field of market-calibrated option pricing analysis. By doing so, the paper brings out the gaps in the extant literature and makes suggestions for future researchers in the field.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used in this research is inspired by the works of Ferreira et al. (2016), Jabbour (2013), Lage Junior and Godinho Filho (2010), Seuring (2013) and Sharma et al. (2018). A total of 1,500 papers written on the pricing of options globally are collated from the Web of Science ranging across 2010-2018.

Findings

Most of the research papers present mathematical proposals to value options; without calibrating it with real market data points. The authors bring out five important gaps in the extant literature.

Originality/value

This is arguably the first study that consolidates the literature in the field of market calibrated option pricing analysis with a view to suggest directions for future researchers.
Coinheritance of generalized pustular psoriasis and familial Behçet‐like autoinflammatory syndrome with variants in IL36RN and TNFAIP3 in the heterozygous state
Authors: Liang Jianying , Zhang Hui , Guo Yifeng , Yang Kaihua , Ni Cheng , Yu Hong , Kong Xiangsheng , Li Ming , Lu Zhiyong , Yao Zhirong
Published: July 2019

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is now known to be caused by biallelic variants in IL36RN and monoallelic variants in CARD14 and AP1S3. The presence of a modifier locus or oligogenic inheritance have been hypothesized. We report on a patient with a unique coinheritance of pathogenic variants in IL36RN (c.115+6T>C) and TNFAIP3 (c.547C>T, p.R183*) causing the genetic entities GPP and familial Behçet‐like autoinflammatory syndrome (AISBL). The heterozygous variant in IL36RN identified by Sanger sequencing was inherited from his unaffected father, while the heterozygous variant in TNFAIP3 was detected by whole‐exome sequencing and was also identified in the patient's AISBL‐affected maternal relatives. Further functional studies are required to research whether the variant of TNFAIP3 plays a part in the development of GPP or simply causes the Behçet's disease phenotype. However, our data suggest that whole‐exome sequencing for the heterozygous carrier of the IL36RN gene in GPP be used to find the potential second genetic locus.
Using soundscapes to investigate homogenization of tropical forest diversity in selectively logged forests
Authors: Burivalova Zuzana , Purnomo  , Wahyudi Bambang , Boucher Timothy M. , Ellis Peter , Truskinger Anthony , Towsey Michael , Roe Paul , Marthinus Delon , Griscom Bronson , Game Edward T.
Published: July 2019

Selective logging in tropical forests changes the local number of animal species (alpha diversity), but it also likely affects species turnover (beta diversity). Whilst such changes are documented in many ecosystems under different disturbances, they are poorly understood in selectively logged tropical forests.

By using soundscape recordings across broad spatial scales, we measured soundscape saturation and dissimilarity of pairs of soundscapes, as a proxy of alpha and beta diversity, respectively, in selectively logged and protected tropical forest in Indonesian Borneo.

Soundscapes of selectively logged forests were more homogeneous than the soundscapes of never logged forest, and that soundscape saturation of protected forest was higher during the day and lower at night in comparison with selective logging concessions.

Synthesis and applications. Selectively logged forests act as an important reservoir of biodiversity. Optimizing such production forests for biodiversity conservation requires the consideration of the total continuous area that is assigned to selective logging, and spatial arrangement of annual cutting blocks, as these could affect beta diversity and its recovery.
Edaphic factors and initial conditions influence successional trajectories of early regenerating tropical dry forests
Authors: Estrada‐Villegas Sergio , Bailón Mario , Hall Jefferson S. , Schnitzer Stefan A. , Turner Benjamin L. , Caughlin Trevor , van Breugel Michiel
Published: July 2019

Edaphic factors and initial conditions can regulate the speed of forest succession. Edaphic factors, which include soil chemistry and topography, determine soil resource availability and can filter species as forests mature. Initial plant cover early in succession can determine the rates at which secondary forests change in structure, richness, biomass and composition over time. While some of the effects of edaphic factors and initial conditions on forest succession have been studied, how they simultaneously modify young regenerating tropical forest has rarely been examined.

We surveyed 22 young forests plots in Panama for 7 years (11, 6 and 3‐year‐old stands when censuses began). We study how tree and liana species composition change early in succession, as well as how edaphic factors (soil nutrients and topography) and initial conditions (initial basal area and forest canopy cover) influence changes in tree and liana abundance, species richness, biomass and composition throughout succession.

We found that edaphic factors and initial conditions explained up to 45% of the variation in the successional trajectories for trees and lianas. Soil nutrients had a significant positive effect on the changes in tree biomass accretion, while topography significantly contributed to community similarity of large lianas over time. Initial basal area had a significant negative effect on the changes in sapling abundance and tree richness over time and a positive marginal effect on tree biomass accretion. Forest canopy cover only had a positive marginal effect on changes in sapling abundance.

Tree abundance, biomass and richness increased over time, while sapling abundance, biomass and richness remained stable or decreased, probably due to community thinning. However, changes over time of small and large lianas diverged, probably due to differential resource availability that affected lianas but not trees.

Synthesis. Soil fertility, topography and initial basal area influence early forest regeneration. Higher soil fertility can allow trees to fix carbon faster, and lianas might show habitat association to ridges and slopes. Basal area can determine how fast saplings and trees change in abundance, richness and biomass over time by possibly affecting space availability for recruitment and light availability for growth.
Innovation in Family Firms: An Agency and Resource‐Based Lens on Contingencies of Generation and Management Diversity
Authors: Hillebrand Sebastian , Teichert Thorsten , Steeger Jonas
Published: July 2019

Family firms are increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous group of businesses with specific strengths and weaknesses that make them either superior or inferior to non‐family firms. Recent research has therefore started shifting away from comparisons between family firms and non‐family firms to comparisons between family firms. This study investigates the influence of two key paramete rs of ‘familiness’ – the generation in control and the (non‐family) management diversity – on family firm innovation. While agency‐based arguments stress the liabilities of these two parameters of family influence, resource‐based arguments highlight their benefits. Conflicting effect hypotheses are derived and tested in the context of German family firms. The empirical results imply that family firms’ generational development and higher management diversity influence their innovation positively and that their benefits outweigh their liabilities in the context of German family firms.
Academic freedom and an invitation to promote its advancement
Authors: Bartel Robyn
Published: July 2019

Academic freedom is under threat internationally. Several high profile incidents suggest that academic freedom is a principle neither well understood nor appreciated by key decision makers and stakeholders whom one might expect to champion it, be they in government or within the academy itself. Among those incidents are the arbitrary exercise of ministerial discretion to override the Australian Research Council expert peer review recommendations for allocation of funding, recent attacks on the credibility of academic publishing internationally, and the atrocious treatment of scholars by authoritarian regimes across the globe. In light of such developments, the membership of the Institute of Australian Geographers recently adopted a resolution that, inter alia, called on the Council of the Institute of Australian Geographers ‘not to be silent on the issue of attacks on critical scholarship, academic freedom and the integrity of academic procedures in higher education, research and publishing’. Given the complexity of the issues, this paper invites further discussion and debate on how Australian geography and geographers might better appreciate and advance academic freedom including via the promotion of scholarship that gives full effect to the principle.
Augmentation of cellular NAD+ by NQO1 enzymatic action improves age‐related hearing impairment
Authors: Kim Hyung‐Jin , Cao Wa , Oh Gi‐Su , Lee SeungHoon , Shen AiHua , Khadka Dipendra , Lee Su‐Bin , Sharma Subham , Kim Seon Young , Choe Seong‐Kyu , Kwak Tae Hwan , Kim Jin‐Man , Park Raekil , So Hong‐Seob
Published: July 2019

Age‐related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of communication deficit in the elderly population, which remains largely untreated. The development of ARHL is a multifactorial event that includes both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Recent studies suggest that NAD+/NADH ratio may play a critical role in cellular senescence by regulating sirtuins, PARP‐1, and PGC‐1α. Nonetheless, the beneficial effect of direct modulation of cellular NAD+ levels on aging and age‐related diseases has not been studied, and the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Herein, we investigated the effect of β‐lapachone (β‐lap), a known plant‐derived metabolite that modulates cellular NAD+ by conversion of NADH to NAD+ via the enzymatic action of NADH: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) on ARHL in C57BL/6 mice. We elucidated that the reduction of cellular NAD+ during the aging process was an important contributor for ARHL; it facilitated oxidative stress and pro‐inflammatory responses in the cochlear tissue through regulating sirtuins that alter various signaling pathways, such as NF‐κB, p53, and IDH2. However, augmentation of NAD+ by β‐lap effectively prevented ARHL and accompanying deleterious effects through reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, sustaining mitochondrial function, and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis in rodents. These results suggest that direct regulation of cellular NAD+ levels by pharmacological agents may be a tangible therapeutic option for treating various age‐related diseases, including ARHL.
Extra‐short implants in the prosthetic rehabilitation of the posterior maxilla
Authors: Gürlek Ö , Kaval ME , Buduneli N , Nizam N
Published: July 2019

Aim

To compare clinical outcomes of ‘extra‐short' and regular bone level implants in the posterior maxilla for 12 months after loading.

Materials and Methods

Twenty‐three systemically healthy, non‐smoking patients received 30 extra‐short, 24 regular bone level implants. Acrylic stents were fabricated for each patient for correct implant positioning. Implant lengths were 4–6 mm in the test, 8/10 mm in the control group. Radiographic evaluation was performed at baseline, 6, and 12 months after loading. Crestal bone level (CBL), CBL change (CBLC), true crown length (TCL), implant/crown ratio (ICR) and residual bone height (RBH) below maxillary sinus floor were calculated digitally. Data were tested statistically.

Results

Residual bone height was significantly lower, and TCL and ICR were higher in the test than the control group (P < 0.0001). CBL measurements at baseline were 0.19 ± 0.18 mm and 0.31 ± 0.37 mm and at 12 months, 0.24 ± 0.24 mm and 0.41 ± 0.31 mm, respectively in the test and control groups. CBL values at 12 months were significantly lower in the test than the control group (P < 0.05). CBLCs were similar at all times (P > 0.05). No correlation was found between the CBLC and implant/prosthetic parameters.

Conclusion

Extra‐short and regular implants might provide similar clinical outcomes in prosthetic rehabilitation of atrophic maxilla, during 12 months follow‐up.
High‐mobility group box 1 at the time of parturition in women with gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hill Ashley V. , Menon Ramkumar , Perez‐Patron Maria , Carrillo Genny , Xu Xiaohui , Taylor Brandie D.
Published: July 2019

Problem

High‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a danger‐associated molecular pattern marker, may indicate sterile inflammation through innate immune pathways. HMGB1 is implicated in hyperglycemia and excess glucose in trophoblast. Metabolic dysfunction and dyslipidemia are associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but few studies examined associations between HMGB1 and GDM. We determined HMGB1 levels, and the ratio of HMGB1 to innate immune markers, in women with GDM at parturition.

Method of study

This case‐control study of 50 GDM pregnancies and 100 healthy controls utilized data and plasma samples from PeriBank. HMGB1, pentraxin‐3, and interleukin (IL)‐6 were measured by ELISA. Logistic regression calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusting for age, pre‐pregnancy body mass index, and type of labor.

Results

There were no significant associations between HMGB1 and GDM. The ratio of HMGB1 to pentraxin‐3 and IL‐6 did not alter the odds of GDM. There was a significant statistical interaction between HMGB1 and maternal age (P = .02). When associations were examined by age groups, HMGB1 was associated with reduced odds of HMGB1 among women ≤25 (AOR = 0.007 CI 95% <0.001‐0.3). Odds ratios increased as age increased (AOR range 1.2‐3.8) but results were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

High‐mobility group box 1 was not associated with GDM. However, we found evidence that maternal age was a potential effect modifier of the relationship between HMGB1 and GDM. As there is growing evidence that HMGB1 may play important roles in reproduction, future studies should explore maternal factors that may alter HMGB1 levels.
Placental expression of lysophosphatidic acid receptors in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia
Authors: Fujii Tatsuya , Nagamatsu Takeshi , Schust Danny J. , Ichikawa Mayuko , Kumasawa Keiichi , Yabe Shinichiro , Iriyama Takayuki , Hirota Yasushi , Osuga Yutaka , Aoki Junken , Yatomi Yutaka , Fujii Tomoyuki
Published: July 2019

Problem

Recent advances in lipid research have revealed that impairments in lipid mediator signaling can be involved in the pathoetiology of a variety of diseases. We previously reported aberrant expression of autotaxin, a key enzyme for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) production, in placentas from women with preeclampsia. The present study aimed to further explore the involvement of LPA signaling in the pathoetiology of preeclampsia.

Method of study

Term placentas were obtained from deliveries after uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 18) and those complicated by preeclampsia (n = 24). First‐trimester placental tissues were collected after elective terminations of pregnancy (n = 20). Placental expression of the six identified LPARs (LPAR1‐6) was analyzed at protein and mRNA levels.

Results

In normal pregnancy, the mRNA expression levels of all LPARs except LPAR4 were significantly higher in term. Levels of mRNA encoding LPAR2‐5 were significantly increased in preeclampsia placentas compared with those in the normal term placentas. Using Western immunoblotting, only LPAR3 was noted to be increased at the protein level in placentas from preeclamptic pregnancies. This was validated by immunohistochemistry.

Conclusion

In summary, the placental expression of LPARs, particularly LPAR3, is enhanced in preeclampsia, suggesting that disturbances in placental LPA signaling may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Trends in obesity and impact on obstetric outcomes in a regional hospital in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Ward Madeleine C. , Agarwal Anju , Bish Melanie , James Rachel , Faulks Fiona , Pitson Jennifer , Yuen Nicola , Mnatzaganian George
Published: July 2019

Aims

Obesity‐related complications have been identified across the entire childbearing journey. This study investigated changes in obesity prevalence and their impact on obstetric outcomes in a regional hospital in Victoria, Australia.

Methods

All women delivering during 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016 were eligible to participate. Trends over time and outcomes were assessed on body mass indices (BMI). Incidences of complications were compared by BMI categories. The effect of obesity on hospital length of stay (LoS) was further assessed using the Generalised Estimating Equations approach.

Results

During the study period a total of 6661 women of whom 27.5% were overweight, and 16.1, 7.7, and 5.5% were respectively obese class I, class II, and class III, contributed to 8838 births. An increased trend over time in the prevalence of obesity (BMI > 35.0) (P = 0.041) and a decreased trend for vaginal deliveries for the whole sample (P = 0.003) were found. Multiple adverse outcomes were associated with increasing maternal BMI including increased risk of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, emergency caesarean section, shoulder dystocia, macrosomia, and admission to special care. The multivariable analysis showed no associations between LoS and BMI.

Conclusions

Over a short period of seven years, this study provides evidence of a significant trend toward more obesity and fewer vaginal births in a non‐urban childbearing population, with increasing trends of poorer health outcomes. Assessing needs and risk factors tailored to this population is crucial to ensuring a model of care that safeguards a sustainable and effective regional maternity health service.
Is personal growth initiative associated with later life satisfaction in Chinese college students? A 15‐week prospective analysis
Authors: Chang Edward C. , Yang Hongfei , Yi Shangwen , Xie Fei , Liu Jiting , Ren Haining , Zhang Jiaqi , Zhang Zhuoran , Wu Runzhe , Lin Yijing , Li Mingqi , Wu Kaidi , Ip Ka , Lucas Abigael G. , Chang Olivia D.
Published: July 2019

Personal growth initiative (PGI) is presumed to foster positive change leading to positive psychological adjustment. Accordingly, in this study we examined PGI as a predictor of life satisfaction 15 weeks later in a sample of 152 Chinese college students. Time 1 PGI was found to explain a significant amount of unique variance in Time 2 life satisfaction, even after controlling for Time 1 life satisfaction and Time 2 PGI. Specifically, (lower) intentional behavior and planfulness at baseline emerged as significant predictors of later life satisfaction. No evidence was found indicating that life satisfaction at Time 1 accounted for any significant amount of unique variance in PGI processes at Time 2, after controlling for baseline PGI processes and concurrent life satisfaction. Overall, the present findings are the first to demonstrate the importance of PGI as a prospective predictor of positive psychological adjustment in adults.
Clinical and molecular characterization of Y microdeletions and X‐linked CNV67 implications in male fertility: a 20‐year experience
Authors: Pinho A. , Barros A. , Fernandes S.
Published: July 2019

Background

Approximately 15% of couples worldwide are affected with infertility, attributed to a male co‐factor in about half of the cases. Y chromosome microdeletions are the second most common genetic cause for male infertility, with a global prevalence of 2–10% in infertile men. Recently, CNV67, localized in X chromosome, has emerged as potential contributor to male infertility, with a described frequency of 1.1% in the oligo/azoospermic men.

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence of Y‐linked CNVs in a cohort of Portuguese infertile men and correlate the patients’ phenotypes with a genetic alteration; to investigate the CNV67 deletion in a subset of patients and corroborate the role of this CNV in male infertility.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analysed a database of 4000 Portuguese infertile men for karyotype anomalies and Y microdeletions and selected a cohort of 400 for CNV67 screening analysis by quantitative PCR or single PCR plus/minus.

Results

Karyotype anomalies were present in 263 patients (6.6%), with Klinefelter syndrome representing the most frequent karyotype anomaly (2.8%). Among the 4000 patients, the prevalence of Yq microdeletions was 4.6%. Ninety microdeletions (10.0%) were found in the azoospermic group, 44 deletions (4.5%) in the severe oligozoospermic group, 1 AZFc partial deletion (0.3%) in the mild–moderate oligozoospermic group and 2 partial AZFc deletions (0.4%) in the normozoospermic group. Complete AZFc deletions represented 56.8% of the Yq microdeletions. The CNV67 deletion frequency was 1.2% in the studied sample.

Conclusions

This study presents one of the largest samples of infertile men worldwide with the main purpose of correlating the Yq microdeletions with sperm count. Our findings are supported by previous reviews with large data and provide a reliable estimation of the prevalence of these anomalies in a Portuguese population. CNV67 was exclusively deleted in patients with spermatogenic impairment, showing a consistent genotype–phenotype correlation and a significant prevalence.
Atrial fibrillation and risk of major arrhythmic events in Brugada syndrome: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Kewcharoen Jakrin , Rattanawong Pattara , Kanitsoraphan Chanavuth , Mekritthikrai Raktham , Prasitlumkum Narut , Putthapiban Prapaipan , Mekraksakit Poemlarp , Pattison Robert J. , Vutthikraivit Wasawat
Published: July 2019

Background

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a common cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD). There is recent evidence that atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased risk of SCD in general population. However, whether AF increases a risk of major arrhythmic events (MAE) in patients with BrS is still unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to explore the effect of AF on MAE in BrS population.

Methods

We searched the databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to March 2019. Included studies were published cohort studies reporting rates of MAE (ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, SCD, or sudden cardiac arrest) in BrS patients, with and without previous documented AF. Data from each study were combined using the random‐effects model.

Results

Six studies from 1,703 patients were included. There was a significant association between AF and an increased risk of MAE in patients with BrS (pooled OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.36–4.13, p‐value = .002, I2 = 40.3%).

Conclusions

Our meta‐analysis demonstrated that AF is associated with an increased risk of MAE in patients with BrS.
On the Role of Habit in Self‐Reported and Observed Hand Hygiene Behavior
Authors: Diefenbacher Svenja , Pfattheicher Stefan , Keller Johannes
Published: July 2019

Background

The present contribution tests the main ideas that (a) hand hygiene behavior is associated with habit, and (b) this association is robust when deliberative constructs (i.e. knowledge and intention) are controlled for, indicating an automatic component in hand hygiene behavior.

Methods

Two correlational studies using different operationalisations of hand hygiene behavior are reported. In Study 1, hand hygiene was assessed in the context of food preparation; data were measured using the Day Reconstruction Method in a sample of the general population. Study 2 considered hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers applying video observation by body cameras and additionally self‐reported behavior. In both studies, habit was assessed using the Self‐Report Behavioral Automaticity Index.

Results

Both studies found the expected positive association between habit and hand hygiene (0.271 < r < 0.570). Habit was further analyzed in combination with knowledge and intention (Study 2), and emerged as a significant predictor of observed hand hygiene, while knowledge and intention were marginally significant. No significant interactions were found.

Conclusions

The present work provides evidence that hand hygiene behavior is reliably related to habit. The findings speak to the notion that addressing the automatic route to hand hygiene behavior when designing interventions can be fruitful.
Reorganization of tree assemblages over the last century in the northern hardwoods of eastern Canada
Authors: Terrail Raphaële , Dupuis Sébastien , Danneyrolles Victor , Fortin Marie‐Josée , Boucher Yan , Arseneault Dominique
Published: July 2019

Question

How has European settlement of Eastern North America modified tree species assemblages?

Location

The northern temperate forests of the Lower St. Lawrence region (Quebec, Canada).

Methods

Changes in relative prevalence of tree taxa were reconstructed with early land survey records (1821–1900) and modern forest inventories (1980–2010). Forest composition reconstructions were then used to analyse changes in tree taxa assemblages at the landscape scale and test for potential landscape homogenization.

Results

Our results show important maple (Acer saccharumandA. rubrum) and poplar (Populus tremuloidesandP. balsamifera) encroachment, shifting from the 6th to the 2nd position of relative prevalence and from the 7th to the 5th position, respectively, resulting in a significant shift in tree assemblage. Maple has spread throughout the whole landscape and tended to become the most abundant taxon in communities where they were already present in pre‐settlement times. Poplar also widely spread throughout the landscape but rarely became the most abundant taxon. Accordingly, deciduous encroachment clearly engendered a spatial homogenization of composition at the landscape scale.

Conclusion

Considering that both red maple and trembling aspen are opportunist early‐successional species, the increased relative prevalence of both species, as well as the consequent reorganization of tree taxon assemblages and landscape homogenization, probably resulted from the regional convergence toward an early‐successional state. Along with the restoration of long‐lived shade‐tolerant conifer populations, land and forest managers should aim to increase the heterogeneity of forest stand composition to improve forests resilience to future global changes.
Population pharmacokinetics of pevonedistat alone or in combination with standard of care in patients with solid tumours or haematological malignancies
Authors: Faessel Hélène M. , Mould Diane R. , Zhou Xiaofei , Faller Douglas V. , Sedarati Farhad , Venkatakrishnan Karthik
Published: July 2019

Aims

A population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis was conducted to quantify the impact of patient‐specific and concurrent medication factors on pevonedistat PK.

Methods

Data were pooled from 6 clinical studies consisting of 335 patients with solid tumours or haematological malignancies administered pevonedistat alone or in combination with azacitidine, docetaxel, carboplatin + paclitaxel, or gemcitabine. Model development and covariate analysis followed standard methods. Parameters and bootstrap 95% confidence intervals were estimated using nonlinear mixed‐effects modelling. The final model was evaluated using visual predictive checks and other goodness‐of‐fit criteria.

Results

A linear 2‐compartment model best described pevonedistat PK. The final model included the effect of body surface area (BSA) on clearance (CL and Q) and volume of distribution of pevonedistat, effect of concomitantly administered carboplatin + paclitaxel on CL, and effect of albumin on Q. Race, sex, age, tumour type (haematological vs solid), mild or moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance ≥30 mL/min), or mild hepatic impairment, had no impact on pevonedistat PK.

Conclusions

The clinical PK profile of pevonedistat is comparable in patients with solid tumours or haematological malignancies. All PK parameters exhibited ≥20% change over the observed BSA range (1.38–3 m2) with CL ranging from 75.5 to 208% of the reference value, with simulations supporting BSA‐based dosing to minimize interindividual variability in drug exposures. Concurrent administration of carboplatin + paclitaxel decreased pevonedistat CL by approximately 44%, while coadministration with azacitidine, gemcitabine or docetaxel did not alter pevonedistat CL. No other factors were identified as influencing pevonedistat PK.
Small vessel disease pathological changes in neurodegenerative and vascular dementias concomitant with autonomic dysfunction
Authors: Hase Yoshiki , Polvikoski Tuomo M. , Firbank Michael J. , Craggs Lucinda J. L. , Hawthorne Emily , Platten Charlotte , Stevenson William , Deramecourt Vincent , Ballard Clive , Kenny Rose Anne , Perry Robert H. , Ince Paul , Carare Roxana O. , Allan Louise M. , Horsburgh Karen , Kalaria Raj N.
Published: July 2019

We performed a clinicopathological study to assess the burden of small vessel disease (SVD) type of pathological changes in elderly demented subjects, who had clinical evidence of autonomic dysfunction, either carotid sinus hypersensitivity or orthostatic hypotension or both or had exhibited unexpected repeated falls. Clinical and neuropathological diagnoses in 112 demented subjects comprised dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Mixed dementia (mostly AD‐DLB) and vascular dementia (VaD). Of these, 12 DLB subjects had no recorded unexpected falls in life and therefore no evidence of concomitant autonomic dysfunction. A further 17 subjects were assessed as aging controls without significant pathology or signs of autonomic dysfunction. We quantified brain vascular pathological changes and determined severities of neurodegenerative lesions including α‐synuclein pathology. We found moderate‐severe vascular changes and high‐vascular pathology scores (P < 0.01) in all neurodegenerative dementias and as expected in VaD compared to similar age controls. Arteriolosclerosis, perivascular spacing and microinfarcts were frequent in the basal ganglia and frontal white matter (WM) across all dementias, whereas small infarcts (<5 mm) were restricted to VaD. In a sub‐set of demented subjects, we found that vascular pathology scores were correlated with WM hyperintensity volumes determined by MRI in life (P < 0.02). Sclerotic index values were increased by ~50% in both the WM and neocortex in all dementias compared to similar age controls. We found no evidence for increased α‐synuclein deposition in subjects with autonomic dysfunction. Our findings suggest greater SVD pathological changes occur in the elderly diagnosed with neurodegenerative dementias including DLB and who develop autonomic dysfunction. SVD changes may not necessarily manifest in clinically overt symptoms but they likely confound motor or cognitive dysfunction. We propose dysautonomia promotes chronic cerebral hypoperfusion to impact upon aging‐related neurodegenerative disorders and characterize their end‐stage clinical syndromes.
A global phylogeny of Stegnogramma ferns (Thelypteridaceae): generic and sectional revision, historical biogeography and evolution of leaf architecture
Authors: Kuo Li‐Yaung , Chang Yi‐Hang , Huang Yu‐Hsuan , Testo Weston , Ebihara Atsushi , Rouhan Germinal , Quintanilla Luis G. , Watkins James E. , Huang Yao‐Moan , Li Fay‐Wei
Published: July 2019

The thelypteroid fern genus Stegnogramma s.l. contains around 18–35 species and has a global, cross‐continental distribution ranging from tropical to temperate regions. Several genera and infrageneric sections have been recognized previously in Stegnogramma s.l., but their phylogenetic relationships are still unclear. In this study, we present a global phylogeny of Stegnogramma s.l. with the most comprehensive sampling to date and aim to pinpoint the phylogenetic positions of biogeographically and taxonomically important taxa. Based on the reconstructed historical biogeography and character evolution, we propose a new (infra)generic classification and discuss the diversification of Stegnogramma s.l. in a biogeographical context. New names or combinations are made for 12 (infra)species, including transferring the monotypic species of Craspedosorus to Leptogramma. Finally, we discuss a possible link between leaf architecture and ecological adaptation, and hypothesize that the increase in leaf dissection and free‐vein proportion is an adaptive feature to cool climates in Stegnogramma s.l.
Endoscopic type I tympanoplasty is as effective as microscopic type I tympanoplasty but less invasive—A meta‐analysis
Authors: Pap István , Tóth István , Gede Noémi , Hegyi Péter , Szakács Zsolt , Koukkoullis Alexandros , Révész Péter , Harmat Kinga , Németh Adrienne , Lujber László , Gerlinger Imre , Bocskai Tímea , Varga Gábor , Szanyi István
Published: July 2019

Background

Endoscopic type I tympanoplasty was originally introduced in the 1990s, and the extensive spread of this practice can be easily observed. The conventional technique performed involves the repair of a tympanic membrane perforation, and is defined as microscopic type I tympanoplasty.

Objective of Review

The aim of this study was the comparison of postoperative outcomes of both the endoscopic and the microscopic type I tympanoplasty.

Type of Review

We conducted a meta‐analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.

Search Strategy

A systematic literature search was performed in the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Clarivate Analytics‐Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, World Health Organization Library, and Scopus by inserting, ‘myringoplasty OR (tympanoplasty AND perforation)’ into the search query. We applied only a ‘human’ filter. We excluded non‐English studies. Additional records were identified by checking the references of relevant studies.

Evaluation Method

Comparative studies were included in our analysis. We calculated the pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% CI for continuous outcomes. Additionally, we assessed the risk of bias and estimated the quality of evidence for each outcome.

Results

Our systematic search yielded 16 studies (involving 1179 interventions), eligible for analysis. The pooled graft uptake rate (OR: 1.21, CI: 0.82‐1.77; I2 = 0.0%), the postoperative hearing results (WMD = −1.13; 95% CI: −2.72‐0.45; I2 = 78.1%) and the operation time (WMD = −21.11; 95% CI: −42.60‐0.38; I2 = 99.3%), were all comparable amongst the two techniques. In contrast, the endoscopic type I tympanoplasty outperforms when regarding the pooled canaloplasty rate (OR = 7.96; 95% CI: 4.30‐14.76; I2 = 0.0%, P = 1.000) and features an increase in desirable cosmetic results (OR = 19.29; 95% CI: 11.37‐32.73; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.839), when compared with the microscopic approach.

Conclusions

Based on our meta‐analysis, the surgical outcomes of endoscopic type I tympanoplasty in terms of graft uptake rate, postoperative hearing results and operation time were comparable to the microscopic type I tympanoplasty. In regards to cosmetics, an increase in desirable results was achieved in the endoscopic group, particularly the incidence of canaloplasty which proved to be significantly lower.
Selective central vascular ligation (D3 lymphadenectomy) in patients undergoing minimally invasive complete mesocolic excision for colon cancer: optimizing the risk–benefit equation
Authors: Sammour T. , Malakorn S. , Thampy R. , Kaur H. , Bednarski B. K. , Messick C. A. , Taggart M. , Chang G. J. , You Y. N.
Published: July 2019

Aim

Complete mesocolic excision (CME) with central vascular ligation (CVL) has been advocated for right colon adenocarcinoma (RC), but the radicality of vascular dissection remains controversial. Our aim is to report outcomes of selective CVL (D3 lymphadenectomy) during minimally invasive CME for RC.

Method

A prospective database identified patients who were treated for RC between 2009 and 2016. Minimally invasive CME was standard. The radicality of lymphadenectomy was defined as high ligation (HL) versus CVL based on operative reports and videos. Two blinded radiologists independently evaluated the pre‐ and postoperative CT scans for radiographically abnormal nodes.

Results

Of 197 patients who underwent CME, HL was performed in 56 (28%) and CVL in 141 (72%). There were no baseline differences in age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score or pathological staging, and there were no major intra‐operative complications in either group (including no major vascular injuries). The median total number of nodes retrieved was 27 and 31 (P = 0.011) in HL and CVL groups, resepctively, with pathologically positive nodes identified in 33.9% and 39.8% (P = 0.704), respectively. Preoperative imaging identified abnormal cN3 nodes in 1.5% of patients; all of whom underwent CVL. No abnormal cN2 or cN3 nodes remained on postoperative imaging. The 60‐day mortality was 0.5%, and major morbidity was 4%. One patient (0.5%) had an anastomotic recurrence after a median follow‐up of 22 months.

Conclusion

With imperfect preoperative clinical nodal staging, and in the absence of randomized data, the low morbidity and oncological outcomes observed support the approach of CME with HL as a minimum standard, with CVL (D3 lymphadenectomy) in selected cases.
The association of post–lung transplant acute kidney injury with mortality is independent of primary graft dysfunction: A cohort study
Authors: Shashaty Michael G. S. , Forker Caitlin M. , Miano Todd A. , Wu Qufei , Yang Wei , Oyster Michelle L. , Porteous Mary K. , Cantu Edward E. , Diamond Joshua M. , Christie Jason D.
Published: July 2019

Background

Prior studies of post–lung transplant acute kidney injury (AKI) have not accounted for confounding effects of primary graft dysfunction (PGD). We sought to test the impact of PGD on AKI risk factors and on the association of AKI with mortality.

Methods

We included patients transplanted at the University of Pennsylvania from 2005‐12, defined AKI using consensus criteria during transplant hospitalization, and defined PGD as grade 3 at 48‐72 hours. We used multivariable logistic regression to test the impact of PGD on AKI risk factors and Cox models to test association of AKI with one‐year mortality adjusting for PGD and other confounders.

Results

Of 299 patients, 188 (62.9%) developed AKI with 142 (75%) cases occurring by postoperative day 4. In multivariable models, PGD was strongly associated with AKI (OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.72‐8.19,P = .001) but minimally changed associations of other risk factors with AKI. Both AKI (HR 3.64, 95% CI 1.68‐7.88,P = .001) and PGD (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.40‐4.64,P = .002) were independently associated with one‐year mortality.

Conclusions

Post–lung transplant AKI risk factors and association of AKI with mortality were independent of PGD. AKI may therefore be a target for improving lung transplant mortality rather than simply an epiphenomenon of PGD.
Sonic Accessibility: Increasing Social Equity Through the Inclusive Design of Sound in Museums and Heritage Sites
Authors: Renel William
Published: July 2019

Sound and hearing effect everyone, they are not niche issues. Within the inherently multimodal experience of a museum, sound plays a crucial role in defining whether an environment is inclusive or exclusive. Yet sonic accessibility ‐ the multiplicity of ways that sound influences accessibility and social equity ‐ remains under researched in design and narrowly represented in access legislation. This paper charts the contours of sonic exclusion in museums and other heritage sites around three central themes. The first considers the existing relationship between Inclusive Design and sound and introduces the emerging paradigm of ‘auraldiversity’. The second considers the structural sonic barriers that operate outside of the individual in their experience of the museum environment. The final theme attends to the psycho‐emotional sonic disablement experienced by many d/Deaf and disabled people within cultural institutions. The paper serves as a furthering of opportunity to reverse the hegemony of auditory norms within museums and other heritage sites and positions sonic accessibility as a critical pillar in the expanding understanding of the multimodal museum.
Sounds Unheard: Reading a Sound Art Exhibition Catalog
Authors: Fryberger Annelies
Published: July 2019

This paper proposes a case study of the exhibition “Sonic Process: A New Geography of Sounds,” (2002–2003), comprised of installations designed by electronic musicians, most paired with visual artists for this occasion. The main question this case study addresses is the following: what role does the catalog play in the legacy left by this exhibition of sound art? The works themselves are conspicuous in their absence after the time of the exhibit has passed. The essayists in the catalog engage in a fascinating debate on the “death of the author” trope, often discussed in the context of sample‐based musics. In this case study, I look at how this discussion influences the way these works and artists themselves are integrated (or not) into the contemporary art world. I see attributing or denying author status as a form of boundary work, which influences both the place of electronic musicians within this world and the identity of the museum itself.
Maternal characteristics, home environment, and other factors associated with traumatic dental injuries in preschool children
Authors: Bonfadini Inaiá , Pereira Joanna Tatith , Knorst Jessica Klöckner , Luz Patrícia Blaya , Scapinello Monique , Hugo Fernando Neves , de Araujo Fernando Borba , Hilgert Juliana Balbinot
Published: July 2019

Background/Aims

The importance of external factors such as maternal and home characteristics on traumatic dental injuries needs to be investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between maternal and home characteristics and dental trauma in preschool children.

Material and Methods

This cross‐sectional study using a cluster random sample evaluated children between 3 and 4 years of age from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Mothers completed the Brazilian version of the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories (BDI and BAI). They answered questions about sociodemographics, maternal behaviors, and home characteristics. Dental trauma was assessed by the Children's Dental Health Survey criteria. Malocclusion and deleterious habits were also assessed. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to investigate the association of exploratory variables with different categories of dental trauma. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

Results

A total of 163 pairs of children and mothers agreed to participate (78.4% response rate). The prevalence of dental trauma was 49.8%. Mother's work outside the home, overjet, and anterior crossbite were associated with the occurrence of enamel trauma, while having a younger mother, families having more siblings, and having a mother with university education were associated with increased odds of dentin/pulp trauma.

Conclusion

Depression and anxiety in the mothers were not associated with dental trauma, while malocclusion characteristics were more relevant for less severe, enamel trauma. Socioeconomic and home environment characteristics played a role in more severe, dentin/pulp trauma.