bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of managerial and institutional ownership on corporate social responsibility disclosure
Authors: Nurleni Nurleni , Bandang Agus , Darmawati Darmawati , Amiruddin Amiruddin
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the effect of ownership structure that consists of managerial ownership and institutional ownership of the extensive of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure.

Design/methodology/approach

The population in this study is manufacturing companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI), as the manufacturing companies are considered to have great potential on environmental damage (Mathews, 2000). The selected sample were the companies which meet certain criteria (purposive sampling) which published the complete annual financial statements from 2011 to 2015. This study used an analysis method using partial least square (WarpPLS) to assess the effect of the structure of ownership consists of managerial ownership and institutional ownership on the extent of the CSR disclosure.

Findings

The results showed that there is a direct effect of a negative and significant correlation between managerial ownership on CSR disclosure, and there is a direct effect of a positive and significant correlation between institutional ownership on CSR disclosure.

Originality/value

Originality of this paper shows PLS (WarpPLS) that applied to determine the effect between variables managerial and institutional ownership on CSR disclosure. This research is collected data financial statements and annual reports of manufacturing companies obtained from the Indonesia Capital Market Reference Center (PRPM), which is located in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), which there has not been research by the methods and the same location.
A numerical and experimental study on the dynamical behavior of 3D-Panel Wall on Piloti RC Frame
Authors: Kabir Mohammad Zaman , Shadan Parisa , Kabir Hossein
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dynamical behavior of a combined three-story building with a 3D panel wall system including a soft story irregularity at the very first floor by doing a shaking table test. The upper two stories of the model were made out of the 3D panel system, while the first story was constructed only with moment-resisting RC frames.

Design/methodology/approach

Besides the experimental program, the numerical finite element method was implemented for the verification of the experimental results. In the experimental study, the building responses including the floors’ accelerations and drifts were considered, and the seismically vulnerable zones were reported and compared with that provided by the implemented FEM-based program.

Findings

After the shaking table test, the major cracks appeared at the end of each column and beam-column connections. Some negligible cracks were also visible around the beam-panel connections. However, no crack was seen in the upper stories. The lateral deformation of the studied building was investigated under the applied ELC25 and NGH135 earthquakes. Under the both aforementioned ground motion records, the first story drift was larger than two upper stories, since the moment-resisting frame was a soft story. The hysteretic relation between the shear and displacement for each story was studied. Under the applied ELC25 earthquake, the system remains linear and the stiffness of each story is obtainable as well.

Originality/value

This is the first time when the dynamical behavior of a combined system is studied and tested experimentally and numerically for data validation. Regarding the response of the assumed combined structure, the 3D panel system has a remarkable rigidity with respect to the conventional RC frames, also 3D panels have less weight than the moment-resisting frames.
Gaps in customer satisfaction with digital wallets: challenge for sustainability
Authors: Bagla Ramesh Kumar , Sancheti Vivek
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors responsible for growing popularity of digital wallets in India and sustainibility challenges faced by this innovative product on account of gaps between expectations of the users and their satisfaction level with leading wallet brands like Paytm, Freecharge, Mobikwik and Oxigen.

Design/methodology/approach

The descriptive research is based on primary data collected with the help of a structured questionnaire from 313 respondents in National Capital Region of Delhi chosen through non-probability convenience sampling. The collected data were converted into data matrix using SPSS 23.0 software and inferential analysis was done.

Findings

Attractive cashback and rewards, ease of use, instant money transfer without using cash, relatively higher transaction security as compared to credit/debit cards and absence of any transaction fee are the factors responsible for growing use of digital wallets. However, there are gaps between customers’ expectations and the satisfaction level which pose a challenge for sustainibility of digital wallets.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to National Capital Region of Delhi for a specified set of factors considered important for customers’ satisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper offers fresh insights into the gaps between Indian customers’ expectations their satisfaction level with the leading digital wallet brands operating in India, which can be used to bridge these gaps for ensuring their long-term sustainability in a competitive environment.
Global citizenship education and diversity (GCEDS)
Authors: Aydin Hasan , Cinkaya Muhammed
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The aspects of global citizenship, education and diversity are framing a paradigm that encapsulates how education can develop the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes of learners needed for securing a world which is more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable. The determination of students’ attitudes toward global citizenship education and diversity is a phenomenal issue of the past several decades. This study aims to develop an attitude scale to quantify the attitudes of students, the content of courses and instructors toward global citizenship education and diversity.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the factor structure and internal consistency of “Global Citizenship Education and Diversity Scale” (GCEDS) were analyzed, and validity and reliability of the scale were assessed. Two sample groups of participants were used in the assessment of the scale. The first sample group (exploratory factor analysis group) was composed of 147, and the second group (confirmatory factor analysis [CFA] group) was composed of 257 undergraduate students from three different large public universities in Turkey.

Findings

CFA confirmed the structure that emerged in the explanatory factor analysis. In this context, “GCEDS” is a valid and reliable scale.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in libraries and museums
Authors: Oyelude Adetoun A.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This edition of this study aims to focus on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in libraries and museums, as seen from the internet cyber sphere including blogs. It takes a look at the first quarter of 2018 and analyzes the trending issues within the period, highlighting examples of some institutions that make use of VR and AR. The advantages of the use of VR, AR and sometimes mixed reality are also pointed out.

Design/methodology/approach

Libraries, archives and museums are increasingly using AR/VR technologies in their service delivery because it is trending. The year 2018 is expected to be huge for VR technology.

Findings

Facebook is the largest investor in AR and VR, and because Facebook is also extremely popular, many are opportune to have a go at VR and AR through the use of the Facebook social media platform.

Originality/value

VR “involves using 3D graphics and advanced interactions to immerse a real-world user in a simulated environment”, by the description of the University of Indiana University, Bloomington’s Blogspot. AR stands for extended reality and actually, in technical terms, means a combination of virtual and real reality (UWS, 2018). Both VR and AR, 3D printing and other technologies have altered how people live and work.
Landscape composition, configuration, and trophic interactions shape arthropod communities in rice agroecosystems
Authors: Dominik Christophe , Seppelt Ralf , Horgan Finbarr G. , Settele Josef , Václavík Tomáš
Published: June 2018

Increasing landscape heterogeneity of agroecosystems can enhance natural enemy populations and promote biological control. However, little is known about the multiscale effects of landscape heterogeneity on arthropod communities in rice agroecosystems, especially in combination with trophic interactions.

We examined for the first time how landscape heterogeneity, measured by four independent metrics of landscape composition and configuration at three spatial scales, affected species abundance and species richness of rice arthropods within four functional groups and the abundance of the most common species at 28 sites in the Philippines. We additionally examined the influence of trophic interactions among these functional groups.

We found that both the compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity in combination with trophic interactions determined the structure of rice‐arthropod communities. Herbivore abundance decreased with increasing landscape diversity. The abundance of parasitoids and species richness of both parasitoids and predators increased with the structural connectivity of rice bunds. Fragmentation of the rice landscape had a clear negative effect on most arthropod groups, except for highly mobile predatory arthropods. Abundance of common predators and detritivore species decreased with increasing complexity in the shape of rice patches.

Trophic interactions, measured as the abundance of prey, outweighed the importance of landscape heterogeneity for predators. In contrast, parasitoids responded positively to configurational landscape heterogeneity but were unaffected by prey abundance.

Synthesis and applications. Our research shows how landscape heterogeneity and trophic interactions have different effects on different functional groups. While predator abundance was solely driven by the availability of prey, all other functional groups in the rice‐arthropod community were significantly affected by the composition and configuration of surrounding landscape features. Landscape management aiming to improve biodiversity and biological control in rice agroecosystems should promote a diversity of land uses and habitat types within 100–300 m radii to reduce the presence of pests. Management practices should also focus on maintaining smaller rice patches and the structural connectivity of rice bunds to enhance populations of the natural enemies of rice pests. Future research should focus on the temporal and spatial manipulation of rice fields to maximize the effects of biological control.
Marginal Analysis of Income Mobility Effects by Income Source with an Application to the Agricultural Policy Mix
Authors: Allanson Paul
Published: June 2018

The Note makes novel use of a decomposition of the Shorrocks mobility index by income source to identify the impact on farm income mobility of a marginal change in each component of income. An empirical application shows that a revenue‐neutral change in the balance of agricultural protection between market‐based support and direct payments would not have reduced the variability of relative farm incomes in Scottish agriculture.
Option Trading and REIT Returns
Authors: Cashman George D. , Harrison David M. , Sheng Hainan
Published: June 2018

This article examines the relation between option trading volume and real estate investment trust (REIT) market performance. Specifically, we find that option volume increases are followed by decreases in returns. Furthermore, the portion of option volume that is orthogonal to REIT characteristics drives the observed return predictability relation, thereby suggesting that the return predictability of option trading is (at least partially) attributable to information‐based explanations. Finally, consistent with informed traders favoring option market activities due to short‐sale costs and/or constraints, we find option based return predictability is more evident within REITs than non‐REITs, even though firms within this industry are generally viewed as informationally transparent.
Streamflow Depletion Modeling: Methods for an Adaptable and Conjunctive Water Management Decision Support Tool
Authors: Huggins Xander , Gleeson Tom , Eckstrand Hailey , Kerr Ben
Published: June 2018

Groundwater pumping depletes streamflow, which can have significant ecological impacts depending on the magnitude of depletion relative to environmental flow needs. Streamflow depletion estimates from groundwater pumping have been quantified using both analytical and numerical methods, but are not routinely compared to environmental flow needs or used in practical water management tools. Decision support tools that incorporate groundwater dynamics are becoming increasingly necessary for water managers as groundwater regulations become more important in environmental policy, particularly concerning the preservation of environmental flow needs. We develop and apply methods for a web‐based decision support tool for conjunctive groundwater and surface water management, demonstrated using a case study watershed in British Columbia, Canada. Open‐source data are analyzed with a combination of spatial algorithms and previously developed analytical models, such that the tool can be applied to other regions. Streamflow depletion estimates are calculated in four regions in the largely undeveloped Bulkley Valley, British Columbia. Our transparent methodology has geographic and data input flexibility which is a significant improvement on currently existing water management tool methods.
Comparison of sample preparation techniques and data analysis for the LC‐MS/MS‐based identification of proteins in human follicular fluid
Authors: Lehmann Roland , Schmidt André , Pastuschek Jana , Müller Mario M. , Fritzsche Andreas , Dieterle Stefan , Greb Robert R. , Markert Udo R. , Slevogt Hortense
Published: June 2018

The proteomic analysis of complex body fluids by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) analysis requires the selection of suitable sample preparation techniques and optimal parameter settings in data analysis software packages to obtain reliable results. Proteomic analysis of follicular fluid, as a representative of a complex body fluid similar to serum or plasma, is difficult as it contains a vast amount of high abundant proteins and a variety of proteins with different concentrations. However, the accessibility of this complex body fluid for LC‐MS/MS analysis is an opportunity to gain insights into the status, the composition of fertility‐relevant proteins including immunological factors or for the discovery of new diagnostic and prognostic markers for, for example, the treatment of infertility. In this study, we compared different sample preparation methods (FASP, eFASP and in‐solution digestion) and three different data analysis software packages (Proteome Discoverer with SEQUEST, Mascot and MaxQuant with Andromeda) combined with semi‐ and full‐tryptic databank search options to obtain a maximum coverage of the follicular fluid proteome. We found that the most comprehensive proteome coverage is achieved by the eFASP sample preparation method using SDS in the initial denaturing step and the SEQUEST‐based semi‐tryptic data analysis. In conclusion, we have developed a fractionation‐free methodical workflow for in depth LC‐MS/MS‐based analysis for the standardized investigation of human follicle fluid as an important representative of a complex body fluid. Taken together, we were able to identify a total of 1392 proteins in follicular fluid.
Fragmented QRS and mortality in patients undergoing percutaneous intervention for ST‐elevation myocardial infarction: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kanjanahattakij Napatt , Rattanawong Pattara , Riangwiwat Tanawan , Prasitlumkum Narut , Limpruttidham Nath , Chongsathidkiet Pakawat , Vutthikraivit Wasawat , Crossey Erin
Published: June 2018

Background

Fragmented QRS reflects disturbances in the myocardium predisposing the heart to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Recent studies suggest that fragmented QRS (fQRS) is associated with mortality in ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the literature has not been done. We assessed the association between fQRS and overall mortality in STEMI patients who subsequently underwent PCI by a systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Methods

We comprehensively searched the databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to September 2017. Studies included in our analysis were published cohort (prospective or retrospective) and case–control studies that compared overall mortality among STEMI patient with and without fQRS who underwent PCI. Data from each study were combined using the random‐effects, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian, and Laird to calculate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Six studies from 2014 to 2017 were included in this meta‐analysis involving 2,516 subjects with STEMI who underwent PCI (888 fQRS and 1,628 non‐fQRS). Fragmented QRS was associated with overall mortality in STEMI patients who underwent PCI (pooled risk ratio = 3.87; 95% CI 1.96–7.66, I2 = 43%).

Conclusion

Fragmented QRS was associated with increased overall mortality up to threefold. Our study suggests that fQRS could be an important tool for risk assessment in STEMI patients who underwent PCI.
Evolution of Social Identity Terms in Lay and Academic Sources: Implications for Research and Public Policy
Authors: Moadel‐Attie Roxanne , Levy Sheri R. , London Bonita , Al‐Rfou Rami
Published: June 2018

Increasingly, individuals identify with two or more racial or cultural, yet are sometimes externally misclassified, contributing to experiences of invisibility within U.S. society. Using computational techniques, we examined the transmission of cultural identity terms through time, providing some evidence for the changing representation of social identity. We examined the usage patterns of identity terms with the prefixes (mono‐, bi‐, multi‐), modifying the social identity terms: culture, ethnicity, and race (e.g., comparing monocultural, monoethnic, and monoracial). For bicultural and multicultural terms, those with ‐racial suffixes were the earliest used terms, while those with ‐cultural and ‐ethnic suffixes gained more popularity in recent years. We examined the evolution of the higher frequency social identity terms in lay sources (the NY Times, Reddit), and found that interracial and multicultural were the most popular over time, peaking recently. We examined the potential time lag in the sequence of identity terms among academic (PsycINFO, NIH, and NSF Databases), lay (the NY Times), and mixed sources (Google Books N‐Grams), demonstrating that newer terms (e.g., multicultural) are first used and gain prevalence in lay sources, then mixed sources, and eventually academic sources. The implications of these findings for research, public policy, and psychosocial experiences of individuals are discussed.
A randomized controlled trial of MoodSwings 2.0: An internet‐based self‐management program for bipolar disorder
Authors: Gliddon Emma , Cosgrove Victoria , Berk Lesley , Lauder Sue , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , Grimm David , Dodd Seetal , Coulson Carolyn , Raju Karishma , Suppes Trisha , Berk Michael
Published: June 2018

Objectives

MoodSwings 2.0 is an online self‐guided intervention for bipolar disorder that includes educational modules, interactive tools, and discussion forums. The primary aim of the study was to determine if participation in MoodSwings 2.0 would result in decreased symptoms of depression and mania compared to the control condition. Secondary aims were to identify improvements in core depression symptoms, quality of life, medication adherence, functioning, and time to relapse.

Methods

This was a three‐arm randomized controlled trial that compared two intervention arms against a peer support control group (forum). A total of 304 adults aged 21 to 65 years with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder were assigned to a forum‐only control group (Group 1; n = 102), a forum plus modules treatment group (Group 2; n = 102), or a forum, modules, and tools treatment group (Group 3; n = 100), in addition to usual care.

Results

There was a significant intervention impact showing improvement on the primary outcome of depression for Group 2 compared to Group 1 (P = .05) with effect sizes (Cohen's d) ranging from 0.17 to 0.43. There was also a significant intervention impact showing improvement on the secondary outcome of core depression for Group 2 (P = .02) and Group 3 (P = .05), but worse physical functioning for Group 3 (P = .01), compared to Group 1.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of the efficacy of internet‐based psychoeducation interventions for bipolar disorder in reducing depressive symptoms. Further investigation is needed to assess effectiveness in a public program.
Emerging areas of opioid pharmacology
Authors: Kelly Eamonn , Henderson Graeme , Bailey Chris P
Published: June 2018

This themed section of the British Journal of Pharmacology stems from an International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC) meeting held in July 2016 at The Assembly Rooms in Bath, UK.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Areas of Opioid Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.14/issuetoc
Development of the Khat Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception Scale
Authors: Nakajima Motohiro , Hoffman Richard , Alsameai Abed , Khalil Najat Sayim , al'Absi Mustafa
Published: June 2018

Introduction and Aims

Khat (Catha edulis) is a stimulant plant widely used in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Tobacco is often co‐used with khat and its use has expanded to other parts of the world. Chronic khat use is associated with negative health consequences. There is a lack of research to develop a tool to assess attitudes toward khat use. This study aimed to develop a brief tool to assess attitude and perception related to khat (i.e. the Khat Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception Scale).

Design and Methods

Four‐hundred and three participants in Yemen (151 concurrent users of khat and tobacco, 141 khat‐only users and 92 non‐users of khat and tobacco) were asked about knowledge and attitudes related to khat. A principle component analysis with Promax rotation, Scree‐plot and Cronbach's α coefficients was performed to examine psychometric properties of the Khat Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception Scale.

Results

Principle component analysis revealed five factors: negative beliefs, positive beliefs, idleness, weight control and family issues. Internal consistency of items in negative beliefs, positive beliefs, idleness, weight control and family issues were 0.88, 0.62, 0.62, 0.72 and 0.53, respectively. Greater negative beliefs was inversely correlated with positive beliefs but positively associated with idleness, weight control and family issues. Concurrent users and khat‐only users had lower scores on negative beliefs than non‐users. Concurrent users had higher scores on positive beliefs than khat‐only and non‐users.

Discussion and Conclusions

These results provide initial support of the usefulness of the Khat Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception Scale.
Correlations between plasma strontium concentration, components of calcium and phosphate metabolism and renal function in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: van den Berkhof Yvette Sophie , Gant Christina Maria , Maatman Ronald , De Graaf Albert , Navis Gerjan J. , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Laverman Gozewijn Dirk
Published: June 2018

Background

Renal function decline in diabetic kidney disease is accompanied by calcium and phosphate metabolism alterations. Whereas strontium (Sr2+) has many similarities with calcium, little is known about Sr2+ in this respect. We studied the association of plasma Sr2+ concentration and parameters associated with an altered calcium and phosphate metabolism in diabetic kidney disease.

Materials and methods

Plasma Sr2+ concentration was measured in 450 patients included in the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente‐1. Patients were classified based on chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages: stages 1‐2, stage 3 and stages 4‐5 (estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥60 mL·min−1·1.73 m−2, 30‐59 mL·min−1·1.73 m−2 and ≤29 mL·min−1·1.73 m−2, respectively). The associations between log‐transformed plasma Sr2+ concentration and parameters of calcium and phosphate metabolism were studied using multivariate linear regression analysis.

Results

Overall, median plasma Sr2+ concentration was in normal range, 269 nmol/L, but was progressively higher in patients with lower renal function, that is 246 nmol/L (CKD 1‐2), 347 nmol/L (CKD 3) and 419 nmol/L (CKD 4‐5). In multivariate analysis, independent associations were found between plasma Sr2+ concentration and both eGFR (β = −0.401, P < 0.001) and plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentration (β = 0.087, P = 0.04).

Conclusions

We found an independent inverse association between eGFR and plasma Sr2+ concentration and an independent association between plasma Sr2+ concentration and plasma FGF23 concentration, a marker of deranged calcium and phosphate metabolism. Further research is needed to determine the mechanisms behind these associations and the impact of an elevation in plasma Sr2+ concentration on bone mineralization and calcification.
Status epilepticus due to acute encephalitis: NORSE does not necessarily mean worse
Authors: Holzer F. J. , Rossetti A. O.
Published: June 2018

Click here to view the accompanying paper in this volume.
Trigeminal trophic syndrome: an updated review
Authors: Khan Ayesha U. , Khachemoune Amor
Published: June 2018

Trigeminal trophic syndrome (TTS) is a rare disease process that is thought to occur after insult to the trigeminal nerve. The earliest descriptions of this condition were provided in the early 20th century, yet it remains relatively unknown, with approximately 200 cases since described. Most commonly seen in older women, TTS characteristically involves persistent facial ulceration with loss of sensation and paresthesia along the distribution of the trigeminal dermatome. Ulceration often occurs in the alar region, following self‐manipulation in response to paresthesias. Time of onset of TTS after trigeminal insult may vary from weeks to decades, and emergence of ulceration may be associated with psychiatric disorders. Diagnosis is clinical and made by exclusion of similarly presenting conditions. Histology is nonspecific yet necessary to exclude other causes of facial ulceration. Although there is not yet a standard management strategy, a number of successful approaches have been reported including pharmaceutical and surgical interventions, installation of a protector, and transcutaneous nerve stimulation. However, because of the self‐inflicted manifestations of this disorder, behavioral modifications remain of the utmost importance. This review serves to address the history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, histology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and management options for TTS.
Clinicopathological profile of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria clone‐positive aplastic anaemia paediatric patients—A single centre study from North India
Authors: Rahman K. , Mittal N. , Gupta R. , Kumar S. , Gupta T. , Gupta A. , Nityanand S.
Published: June 2018

Introduction

There is a paucity of literature related to the prevalence of Paroxysmal Nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) clones in paediatric aplastic anaemia (AA) patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis over a period of 42 months to study the prevalence of PNH clones in paediatric (age less than 18 years) AA cases, using Fluorescein‐labelled proaerolysin‐based flow cytometric screening and analysed their clinico‐pathological features.

Results

PNH clone was identified in 100 (33.2%) of the 301 patients screened. These were comprised of 51 cases of non‐severe AA, 33 cases of severe AA and 16 cases of very severe AA. The median age was 13 years with an M:F ratio of 2.5:1. The median clone size (taken as the proportion of PNH‐positive neutrophils) was 2.15% (range: 0.05%‐93.1%). Although a majority of patients (n = 77) had a clone size of less than 10%, a significant proportion (n = 23) did harbour a clone size of more than 10%. Evidence of haemolysis was observed in 3 patients, all of them having a clone size of more than 10%. Interestingly, 1 patient with dural sinus thrombosis harboured a clone size of 1.25% only. Chromosomal breakage analysis was performed in 61 patients, none of which was positive. Complete and partial response to immunosuppressive therapy was found in 55.1% patients (16/29).

Conclusion

There is a high prevalence of PNH clones in paediatric AA patients, which in a majority of cases are of small clone sizes. The use of immunosuppressive therapy does not show a better outcome as compared to PNH‐negative cases.
Counterintuitive migration patterns by Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts in a large lake
Authors: Honkanen Hannele M. , Rodger Jessica R. , Stephen Alastair , Adams Keith , Freeman James , Adams Colin E.
Published: June 2018

What little is known about the seaward migration of Salmo salar smolt migration through standing waters indicates that it is both slow and results in high mortality rates, compared with riverine migration. This may be partly because smolts in lakes need to swim more actively and require more complex directional cues than they do in rivers. In this telemetry study of smolt migration through Loch Lomond, S. salar smolts made repeated movements in directions away from the outflowing river, which considerably increased migration time.
In silico analysis, temporal expression and gonadotropic regulation of receptors for follicle‐stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in testis of spotted snakehead Channa punctata
Authors: Basak Reetuparna , Roy Alivia , Rai Umesh
Published: June 2018

This study in spotted snakehead Channa punctata was aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of testicular gonadotropin receptors, from their sequence characterization, temporal expression to gonadotropic regulation, in seasonally breeding teleosts. A single form of follicle‐stimulating hormone receptor (cpfshra) and luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (cplhcgr), was identified from testicular transcriptome data of C. punctata. Although deduced full‐length protein sequence for cpFshra (694 amino acids) and cpLhcgr (691 amino acids) showed homology with their counterparts of other vertebrates, multiple insertion–deletion–substitution of residues suggest marked alterations in their structure and ligand specificity. The absolute quantification of testicular cpfshra and cplhcgr was estimated along the reproductive cycle following real‐time PCR. The temporal expression profile showed highest testicular expression of both the gonadotropin receptors during resting phase. Their expression progressively decreased during preparatory and spawning phases concomitant with spermatogonial proliferation and differentiation and spermiogenesis. However, levels of cpfshra and cplhcgr sharply increased during post‐spawning when seminiferous lobules were largely devoid of germ cells. To explore gonadotropic regulation of testicular cpfshra and cplhcgr, one group of fish of resting phase was administered with single dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 5,000 IU/kg body mass) on day 0 and sacrificed on day 3 and day 5, while another group receiving two injections of hCG (day 0 and day 7) was sacrificed on day 14. The expression pattern of testicular gonadotropin receptors in hCG‐treated fish sacrificed after 3, 5 and 14 days was similar to that of preparatory, spawning and postspawning phases, respectively. Likewise, testicular histology of hCG‐treated fish sacrificed on day 3, day 5 and day 14 was comparable with that of preparatory, early spawning and late spawning phases, respectively. In light of the fact that gonadotropin receptors are largely expressed on somatic cells, an apparent decrease in testicular cpfshra and cplhcgr levels during preparatory and spawning phases or after 3 and 5 days from first hCG injection might not be due to downregulation of their expression. Rather, this could be due to dilution of somatic cell mRNA by large amount of germ cell mRNA. To verify this assumption, effect of hCG on plasma level of androgens was investigated employing enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. A marked increase in plasma level of testosterone and 11‐ketotestosterone was observed after hCG treatment in C. punctata. This would have been possible only when hCG upregulated the expression of testicular gonadotropin receptors.
Disease Severity and Health‐Related Quality of Life Across Different Chronic Conditions
Authors: Ferrucci Luigi , Baldasseroni Samuele , Bandinelli Stefania , De Alfieri Walter , Cartei Alessandro , Calvani Donatella , Baldini Alessio , Masotti Giulio , Marchionni Niccolò
Published: June 2018

OBJECTIVES

Measurements of health‐related quality of life (HRQL) are an essential component in overall assessment of health status, particularly in older patients. Nevertheless, how measures of HRQL relate to measures of disease severity is largely unexplored. This study was carried out to explore the relationship between a measure of HRQL and measures of severity of ischemic stroke, Parkinson's diseases (PD), or chronic coronary heart disease (CHD).

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross‐sectional analysis of three groups (54 subjects each) of patients aged ≥ 65 years consecutively referred to outpatient clinics for stroke, PD, or CHD, excluding those with cognitive impairment and severe comorbidity.

MEASUREMENTS

Severity of stroke, PD, and CHD assessed by Fugl‐Meyer Scale (FMS), Webster Rating Scale (WBRS), and total work capacity (TWC, from graded exercise test), respectively. HRQL was determined by the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP).

RESULTS

In PD, WBRS correlated linearly with SIP global score, whereas a significant linear relationship between measures of disease severity and SIP score was limited to the least severely diseased stroke (FMS score>160) and the most severely diseased CHD (TWC <700 Kg∙m) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In some disease, the relationship between clinical measures of disease severity and HRQL is nonlinear. Thus, depending on initial severity, similar changes in disease severity may have different impacts on HRQL. These findings may help in identifying patients most likely to improve their SIP score substantially, after even small changes in disease severity. However, studies examining the metric properties of SIP across the whole score range are needed to verify whether such improvement really translates into a better HRQL.
VENTURE CAPITAL INTERNATIONALIZATION: SYNTHESIS AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
Authors: Devigne David , Manigart Sophie , Vanacker Tom , Mulier Klaas
Published: June 2018

Research on venture capital (VC) internationalization has expanded rapidly over the last decade. This paper reviews the extant literature on VC internationalization and highlights gaps in our knowledge. We identify three major research streams within this literature, which revolve around the following questions: (1) which VC firms invest across borders and what countries do they target; (2) how do VC firms address liabilities of foreign investing; and (3) what are the real effects of international VC investments? We provide an overview of the contributions in these research streams, discuss the role of public policy, and suggest avenues for future research. Specifically, we call for a deeper understanding of: (1) the functioning and impact of VC firms’ modes of internationalization; (2) micro‐level processes such as the functioning and decision making of international investment committees, or the development of international human and social capital; (3) the role of country institutions in VC internationalization and its real effects; and (4) the interplay of international VC with alternative financing sources.
Enclosing sutures technique for control of local bleeding in a case of placenta increta
Authors: Takeda Jun , Makino Shintaro , Matsumura Yuko , Itakura Atsuo , Takeda Satoru
Published: June 2018

Antepartum diagnosis of uterine placenta increta is difficult, thus considering a counterplan during placental delivery is obliged. Uterine compression suture is one of the choices of hemostatic surgical techniques for postpartum hemorrhage. However, uterine synechiae/ischemia are known for the complications. To avoid these complications, we performed a novel hemostatic suture with a contrivance for a case of uterine posterior placenta increta. A nullipara with a history of multiple intrauterine operation underwent cesarean delivery. She was diagnosed as placental increta, and most of the placenta was removed manually. Because continuous bleeding from attachment site was observed even with a balloon tamponade test, four single sutures pierced only the uterine posterior wall with deliberate gaps to each knot were placed to enclose bleeding area. Hemostasis was accomplished without blood transfusion or hysterectomy. This novel hemostatic technique has the potential to control local bleeding without excessively reducing uterine blood flow.
Proximity and economic activity: An analysis of vendor‐university transactions
Authors: Goldschlag Nathan , Lane Julia , Weinberg Bruce A. , Zolas Nikolas
Published: June 2018

This paper uses transaction‐based data to provide new insights into the link between the geographic proximity of businesses and associated economic activity. It develops two new measures of, and a set of stylized facts about, the distances between observed transactions between customers and vendors for a research intensive sector. Spending on research inputs is more likely with businesses physically closer to universities than those further away. Firms supplying a university project in one year are more likely to subsequently open an establishment near that university. Vendors who have supplied a project, are subsequently more likely to be a vendor on the same or related project.
Scholarship and Activism Diverge: Responding to MLK's Call with Theory and Research on Diversity, Political Action, and Resistance to Oppression
Authors: Stewart Andrew L. , Sweetman Joseph
Published: June 2018

In this introduction to the special issue, we examine the rift between psychological scholarship on race and racism in the academy and the critical theories embraced by activists and other social sciences. While Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) called on psychologists to “tell it like it is” by illuminating the reality of oppression and racism in its many forms, very little work in the (ideological) psychological literatures has examined this diversity of oppression, including neoliberalism and capitalist structures and how incremental engagement with the political system may do little to actually improve oppressed people's lives. We argue that psychological scholarship and activism on race and racism have diverged. Whereas, activists and nonpsychological social scientists have embraced critical perspectives (e.g., intersectionality and critical race theory), psychologists have not, likely distracted by a move toward more internal and cognitive analyses of prejudice and bias. The articles in this special issue attempt to demonstrate new ways to answer MLK's call in the areas of diversity and leadership, the efficacy of political action, and resistance to oppression.
When Similarities are More Important than Differences: “Politically Black” Union Members’ Experiences of Racism and Participation in Union Leadership
Authors: Sweetman Joseph
Published: June 2018

Employing survey data from the largest (known) sample of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic staff in British higher and further education, I respond to King's call to examine minority leadership within trade unions. Drawing on theoretical insights from the psychology of social movements, I examine how perceptions/experiences of racism, exclusion, bullying, and barriers to promotion impact on minority union leadership through different types of union involvement (e.g., attending local meetings, seeking union help, etc.) The findings suggest that perceptions of racism and experiences of bullying have a positive indirect effect on minorities taking up union leadership through attending union meetings and raising issues of racism with the union, but not through other forms of union involvement. In line with theory, this pattern of results suggests that union efforts to increase attendance and positive contact at local group meetings, along with efforts to build trust in the union's position on racism, may be important for increasing the representativeness of union leadership. As an ancillary goal (not explicitly stated in King's call), I test various intersectional accounts of experiences of racism across ethnicity and gender and find commonality across difference. Employing appropriate (Bayesian) methods offers intersectional researchers with the opportunity to examine such similarities across social categories that may form the basis for action against common systems of oppression–echoing King's own practice of intersectional solidarity.
Is there evidence for stopping anticoagulation therapy before endoscopic variceal ligation?
Authors: Guillaume Maeva , Bureau Christophe , Plessier Aurélie
Published: June 2018

See Article on Page 1253
Open arms or a clenched fist
Authors: Reynolds Sile
Published: June 2018

What kind of welcome will Brexit Britain offer to refugees?
Pacemaker memory in post‐TAVI patients: Who should benefit from permanent pacemaker implantation?
Authors: Mirolo Adrian , Viart Guillaume , Durand Eric , Savouré Arnaud , Godin Bénédicte , Auquier Nathanaël , Raitière Olivier , Eltchaninoff Hélène , Anselme Frédéric
Published: June 2018

Background

One of the most frequent complications of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is the occurrence of atrioventricular (AV) conduction disorders secondary to AV node or His bundle injury leading to permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI). The objective was to quantify the rate of ventricular pacing (VP), according to post‐TAVI indication for PPI using recorded pacemaker memory.

Methods

From October 2009 to January 2017‚ all patients who had PPI following TAVI performed at Rouen University Hospital were included. Indications for PPI were: ≥ 1 episode of complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) or 2:1 atrioventricular block, and new‐onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP‐LBBB) with either prolonged PR interval (> 200 ms) or HV interval (>70 ms). The primary endpoint was VP percentage at the first pacemaker interrogation (a VP percentage ≥ 1% was considered as significant).

Results

Out of 936 TAVI patients (Sapien‐3‚ n = 379 [Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA]; Sapien‐XT‚ n = 513; CoreValve‚ n = 44, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), 87 (9.3%) had PPI. Eighty of these 87 patients were followed‐up and analyzed. At the first pacemaker interrogation, a significant VP percentage was observed in 60/80 followed‐up patients (75%), in 46/51 patients (90.2%) implanted for CAVB, and 12/23 patients (52.2%) implanted for NOP‐LBBB associated with either prolonged PR or HV interval. No clinical predictive factor of significant VP percentage was found.

Conclusion

In the post‐TAVI period, our data support PPI in patients with CAVB even if paroxysmal. Our data also suggest PPI may be considered in patients with NOP‐LBBB associated with either prolonged PR or HV interval.
Absence of late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in ventricular fibrillation and nonischemic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Voskoboinik Aleksandr , Wong Michael C. G. , Elliott Jessica K. , Costello Benedict T. , Prabhu Sandeep , Mariani Justin A. , Kalman Jonathan M. , Kistler Peter M. , Taylor Andrew J. , Morton Joseph B.
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)‐identified late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), representing regional fibrosis, is often used to predict ventricular arrhythmia risk in nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). However, LGE is more closely correlated with sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) than ventricular fibrillation (VF). We characterized CMR findings of ventricular LGE in VF survivors.

Methods

We examined consecutively resuscitated VF survivors undergoing contrast‐enhanced 1.5T CMR between 9/2007 and 7/2016. We excluded coronary artery disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, amyloid, sarcoid, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and channelopathy. Preexisting implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) was a CMR contraindication. VF patients were divided into three groups: (1) NICM, (2) left ventricular (LV) dilatation with normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and (3) normal LV size and LVEF. Two groups of NICM patients with and without SMVT were examined for comparison.

Results

We analyzed 87 VF patients, and found that LGE was seen in 8/22 (36%) with NICM (LVEF 38 ± 11%, LV end‐diastolic volume index [LVEDVI] 134 ± 68 mL/BSA), 11/40 (28%) with LV dilatation and normal LVEF (LVEDVI 103 ± 17 mL/BSA), 4/25 (16%) with normal LV size and LVEF. Incidence of LGE in NICM patients without prior ventricular tachycardia/VF (LVEF 36 ± 12%, LVEDVI 141 ± 46 mL/body surface area [BSA]) was 117/277 and was not lower than those with VF and NICM (42% vs 36%; P = 0.59). By contrast, 22/37 NICM patients with SMVT (LVEF 42 ± 11%, LVEDVI 123 ± 48 mL/BSA) were LGE‐positive (59% NICM‐SMVT vs 36% NICM‐VF; P = 0.04).

Conclusion

Most VF survivors with a diagnosis of NICM did not have LGE on CMR and would not have met primary prevention ICD criteria based on LVEF. Absence of LGE may not portend a benign prognosis in NICM. Novel strategies for determining SCD risk in this cohort are required.
Variable effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on physiological and molecular measures of root and stomatal conductance of diverse Medicago truncatula accessions
Authors: Watts‐Williams Stephanie J. , Cavagnaro Timothy R. , Tyerman Stephen D.
Published: June 2018

Association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can impact on plant water relations; mycorrhizal plants can exhibit increased stomatal conductance (gs) and root hydraulic conductance (normalized to root dry weight, Lo), and altered expression of aquaporins (AQP). Many factors regulate such responses; however, plant intraspecific diversity effects have yet to be explored. Twenty geographically diverse accessions of Medicago truncatula were inoculated with the AMF Funneliformis mosseae or mock‐inoculated, and grown under well‐watered conditions. Biomass, gs, shoot nutrient concentrations and mycorrhizal colonization were measured in all accessions, and Lo and gene expression in five accessions. The diverse accessions varied in physiology and gene expression; some accessions were also larger or had higher gs when colonized by F. mosseae. In the five accessions, Lo was higher in two accessions when colonized by AMF and also maintained within a much smaller range than the mock‐inoculated plants. Expression of MtPIP1 correlated with both gs and Lo, and when plants were more than 3% colonized, mycorrhizal colonization correlated with Lo. Accession and AMF treatments had profound effects on M. truncatula, including several measures of plant water relations. Correlations between response variables, especially between molecular and physiological variables, across genotypes, highlight the findings of this study.