bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does eWOM matter to brand extension?
Authors: Liu Xin , Hu Jing , Xu Bing
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to find out how electronic word of mouth (eWOM) may affect evaluations of products with different brand images. In particular, the study explores differential eWOM impacts across several brand types and extension categories.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment with 2 (brand image: prestige/function) × 2 (category similarity: low/high) × 2 (eWOM message type: positive/negative) between-subjects design was used to examine the impacts of eWOM on different types of brand extensions. A total of 268 subjects from a public university in the Southwest participated in the study. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in analyzing the data.

Findings

The findings highlight the differential impact of eWOM on brand extension evaluations with different brand images. First, eWOM is more effective in influencing evaluations of functional brand extensions than prestige brand extensions. Second, whereas negative eWOM does equally bad on both high- and low-similarity brand extensions, positive eWOM is more effective in improving evaluations of high-similarity extensions than low-similarity extensions.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine the impact of eWOM on products with different brand images. This is a critical issue for brand managers who allocate limited marketing resources to monitoring and managing vast amounts of eWOM activities. The findings provide important guidance for managing social media marketing communications.
Personality determinants of need for interaction with a retail employee and its impact on self-service technology (SST) usage intentions
Authors: Lee Hyun-Joo
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was, first, to link interpersonal-hedonic values, intuitive-experiential thinking style, external locus of control (LOC) and sociability to the need for interaction with a retail employee; and, second, to empirically test the moderating effect of the time convenience of self-service technologies (SSTs) on the proposed relationships in the model.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted in a retail setting in which an automated checkout process occurred with the use of self-checkout systems. A self-administered, online survey approach was utilized targeting consumer panel members. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Interpersonal-hedonic values, external LOC and sociability emerged as reliable antecedents of the need for interaction with a retail employee, whereas the intuitive-experiential thinking style did not. This study also showed the inverse relationship between the need for interaction with a retail employee and the intentions to use SSTs. In relation to the moderating role of the time convenience of SSTs, the positive effects of interpersonal-hedonic values, intuitive-experiential thinking style, external LOC and sociability on the need for interaction with a retail employee were shown lesser for consumers with low levels of the time convenience of SSTs. The negative effect of the need for interaction with a retail employee on the intentions to use SSTs was shown to be greater for consumers with low levels of the time convenience of SSTs.

Originality/value

The present study adds to a growing body of literature on SSTs by exploring the causal and hierarchical effects of personality traits that determine the intentions to use SSTs.
Exploring the role of website quality and hedonism in the formation of e-satisfaction and e-loyalty
Authors: Ahmad Asad , Rahman Obaidur , Khan Mohammed Naved
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that help in building e-loyalty towards online retailers. Internet has brought the world market into a single platform. Marketers have started using Internet as a new and innovative way to interact and reach people all around the world. With the increase in the number of Internet users, the number of e-marketers has also increased. In the context of online retailing, the service quality being offered is increasingly being used as a tool for competitive advantage. E-tailers are embracing superior e-services to attract, retain and convert patrons into loyal customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers in the present study have used a research instrument that consists of constructs of the modified eTailQ scale, hedonism and e-satisfaction that together result in the formation of e-loyalty. Researcher-controlled sampling was employed to collect data from 159 student respondents.

Findings

Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were applied for analysing the collected data. The results of the study demonstrate that major factors which help in the formation of e-loyalty are e-satisfaction, customer service, privacy and hedonism.

Originality/value

This study extends the understanding of the role of e-satisfaction, customer service, privacy and hedonism in the formation of loyal consumers. The researchers proposed a model to study the factors impacting the e-loyalty of the Internet shoppers in India. The findings of the study are expected to help both researchers and marketers.
Determinant Factors of Satisfaction with Public Services in Spain
Authors: Alemán Roxana , Gutiérrez‐Sánchez Ramón , Liébana‐Cabanillas Francisco
Published: June 2017

The concept of marketing has evolved significantly, as have its applications in various sectors, including services. Diverse opinions have been expressed for and against the use of marketing techniques in public administration. In this paper, we present a conceptual and methodological review of the main contributions made by marketing to the public sector, measuring variables and related concepts that determine public satisfaction with public services. These elements, termed key drivers of opinion, were measured by reference to the information provided by the Spanish Sociological Research Centre (CIS), and provide an alternative way to display and analyse the data of interest, through perception models and figures using multivariate factor analysis. In this study, the components or factors containing the main drivers of opinion were found to be, on the one hand, commitment to efficient service, and on the other, user convenience.
Mental health among former students with special educational needs who are now in their mid‐30s
Authors: Myklebust Jon , Myklebust Vidar
Published: June 2017

This article discusses how psychosocial health in adolescence influences adult mental health among former students with special educational needs in Norway. These individuals have been followed prospectively from their teens and into their mid‐30s. The study is inspired by life course perspectives with an emphasis on cumulative processes. The logistic regression analysis reveals that the risk of suffering from adult mental distress is higher among those with psychosocial difficulties in their juvenile years compared with those without such problems. Our results also show that the mental health of subjects who experienced health problems and received social security benefits in their late 20s is negatively affected when they are 33 to 34 years of age. In addition, the risk of poor adult mental health is considerably higher for females than males. Receiving assistance from teaching assistants in the classroom at upper secondary school does not seem to be conducive to subsequent positive mental health.
Saving Republics by Moving Republicans: Britain, Ireland and ‘New Geneva’ During the Age of Revolutions
Authors: WHATMORE RICHARD
Published: June 2017

In 1783 the British and Irish governments launched an experiment by funding the establishment of a settlement that was expected to become a new city. It was called ‘New Geneva’ and was situated on the site of a village called Passage, just outside the port of Waterford in Ireland. New Geneva was to be peopled by rebels, Genevans who had fled or were ready to flee in the aftermath of the failed revolution of 1782. This article explains that for the main Genevan actors in the Waterford experiment, François d'Ivernois (Sir Francis d'Ivernois from 1796) and his friend Jacques‐Antoine Du Roveray, the exodus from Geneva was part of a greater battle to save Europe's small states, and especially the republics of Europe. The article further reveals that the major supporters of New Geneva were seeking to address Britain's problems both domestically and as an empire. Charles Stanhope, then Lord Mahon (from 1786 3rd earl of Stanhope), and William Petty, then 2nd earl of Shelburne (from 1784 1st marquess of Lansdowne), each hoped that the Genevans would introduce cultures capable of palliating the excessive corruption or ‘mercantile system’ they saw in Britain's commercial society. The history of New Geneva underscored the perilous state of Europe's republics before 1789, the widespread extent of the view that Britain and Ireland were in crisis, and the fact that extreme and cosmopolitan reform projects were in the air before the French Revolution.
The Religious ‘Persecutions’ in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and British Sympathy for Italian Nationalism, 1851–1853
Authors: WRIGHT O. J.
Published: June 2017

The history of British relations with the states of pre‐unification Italy is a neglected field of enquiry. The research that has been undertaken has tended to focus on the generally good relationship Britain shared with the Kingdom of Sardinia, the state which presided over Italy's national unification between 1859 and 1861. By contrast, the extent to which Britain's poor relations with the Papal States, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and the impact that negative perceptions of those countries had upon the development of British sympathy for Italian nationalism, are little understood. This article on British reactions to what the Victorians perceived as religious ‘persecutions’ in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany begins to redress this imbalance. Tuscany was in many respects one of the more progressive states in the Italian peninsula. Its government was moderate compared with those at Naples and Rome, it was affluent and it invested in a modern communications infrastructure. However, during the years following the revolutionary upheaval of 1848–9, the Tuscan state's policy of religious retrenchment led to a sequence of events – some of which involved British subjects – which were perceived as examples of religious ‘persecution’ in Victorian Britain. British reactions to these events illustrate the extent to which religion could affect British foreign policy during the mid‐nineteenth century, and they help to explain the emergence of British sympathy for the Italian nationalist cause during the 1850s.
Reproductive endocrine issues in men with sickle cell anemia
Authors: Huang A. W. , Muneyyirci‐Delale O.
Published: June 2017

In patients with sickle cell anemia, the sickling of red blood cells is known to cause end‐organ damage by infarction. In some men who are affected by sickle cell anemia, the obstruction of venous outflow of the penis causes priapism, which could lead to erectile dysfunction. There is also evidence that the disease is linked to other reproductive issues in men—specifically delayed puberty, low testosterone, and sperm abnormalities—although the causes of these problems are less clear. Treatment of sickle cell anemia can have effects on the reproductive system as well. This review summarizes the findings from various publications pertaining to reproductive endocrinology, along with their conclusions and discrepancies.
Randomised clinical trial: sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in patients with transfusion‐dependent thalassaemia and HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection
Authors: Mangia A. , Sarli R. , Gamberini R. , Piga A. , Cenderello G. , Piazzolla V. , Santoro R. , Caruso V. , Quarta A. , Ganga R. , Copetti M. , Forni G.
Published: June 2017

Background

Patients with thalassaemia major depend on blood transfusions. In Italy, up to 80% of thalassaemia patients bear HCV antibodies due to HCV contaminated transfusions before 1990. Thalassaemia patients with HCV infection have high risk of developing HCC. Treatment based on Pegylated‐IFN (Peg‐IFN) and Ribavirin (RBV) was limited by relevant side effects.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) fixed dose combination for 12 weeks without RBV, in patients with thalassaemia major and HCV Genotype 1 or 4 (GT1/4).

Methods

Open label, historically‐controlled, nationwide multicentre study in thalassaemia patients including naïve with cirrhosis and prior treatment failure without cirrhosis. SOF/LDV single pill was administered for 12 weeks to 100 patients of whom 16% had cirrhosis. The control group included 96 patients with comparable baseline characteristics treated with Peg‐IFN/RBV. The primary end point was sustained virologic response at follow‐up week 12 or 24 after IFN‐free or Peg‐IFN/RBV, respectively.

Results

In the study group, sustained virological response (SVR) was reported in 98% of patients (95% CI 95.3%‐100%). Cirrhotic as well as prior treatment failure achieved 100% SVR. In the control group, SVR was 47.9% (95% CI 37.9%‐57.9%). Adverse events including fatigue, headache, nausea, decrease in haemoglobin or increase in ferritin levels were rare and significantly less common in the study than in the historical control group.

Conclusions

In conclusion, SOF/LDV for 12 weeks provides simple, highly effective and safe Peg‐IFN/RBV‐free treatment for HCV GT1/4 thalassaemia patients. EUDRACT number 2015‐002401‐1.
Comparative safety of pioglitazone versus clinically meaningful treatment alternatives concerning the risk of bladder cancer in older US adults with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Garry Elizabeth M. , Buse John B. , Lund Jennifer L. , Pate Virginia , Stürmer Til
Published: June 2017

Aims

To compare bladder cancer incidence between patients initiating pioglitazone treatment and patients initiating treatment with dipeptidyl‐peptidase‐4 inhibitors [DPP‐4s] or sulfonylureas.

Methods

We identified Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 years who initiated treatment with pioglitazone (N = 38 700), DPP‐4s (N = 82 552) or sulfonylureas (N = 126 104) between 2007 and 2014 after at least 6 months without prescriptions for these drug classes. Patients were followed from second prescription until bladder cancer outcome (2 claims within 60 days) using a 6‐month induction/latency period, censoring for treatment change, death or end of 2014. We used propensity score‐weighted Cox proportional‐hazards models to obtain adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and their 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Overall mean age of participants was 75 years and 41% were men. Over a median of 1.2 treatment years, 727 beneficiaries developed bladder cancer. Pioglitazone initiators had an increased incidence of bladder cancer (308 vs 204 [DPP‐4s] or 231 [sulfonylureas] per 100 000 person‐years; aHR, 1.57 [1.23‐2.00] vs DPP‐4s and 1.32 [1.02‐1.70] vs sulfonylureas). The increased risk emerged within the first 2 years of treatment (aHR, 1.63 [1.22‐2.17] vs DPP‐4s and 1.32 [0.98‐1.78] vs sulfonylureas). If treatment was discontinued within the first 2 years, the risk after 2 years post initiation was attenuated (aHR, 0.89 [0.61‐1.28]) compared with patients treated for more than 2 years (aHR, 1.45 [0.93‐2.26]) both vs DPP‐4s. Findings were consistent across secondary and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Pioglitazone was associated with an elevated risk of bladder cancer compared with DPP‐4s and sulfonylureas. The elevated risk emerged within the first 2 years of treatment and was attenuated after discontinuing. Pioglitazone's relative effectiveness should be weighed against a small absolute increase in risk of bladder cancer.
Self‐administration of methamphetamine alters gut biomarkers of toxicity
Authors: Flack Amanda , Persons Amanda L. , Kousik Sharanya M. , Celeste Napier T. , Moszczynska Anna
Published: June 2017

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly abused psychostimulant that is associated with an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD). This enhanced vulnerability likely relates to the toxic effects of METH that overlap with PD pathology, for example, aberrant functioning of α‐synuclein and parkin. In PD, peripheral factors are thought to contribute to central nervous system (CNS) degeneration. For example, α‐synuclein levels in the enteric nervous system (ENS) are elevated, and this precedes the onset of motor symptoms. It remains unclear whether neurons of the ENS, particularly catecholaminergic neurons, exhibit signs of METH‐induced toxicity as seen in the CNS. The aim of this study was to determine whether self‐administered METH altered the levels of α‐synuclein, parkin, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase (DβH) in the myenteric plexus of the distal colon ENS. Young adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats self‐administered METH for 3 h per day for 14 days and controls were saline‐yoked. Distal colon tissue was collected at 1, 14, or 56 days after the last operant session. Levels of α‐synuclein were increased, while levels of parkin, TH, and DβH were decreased in the myenteric plexus in the METH‐exposed rats at 1 day following the last operant session and returned to the control levels after 14 or 56 days of forced abstinence. The changes were not confined to neurofilament‐positive neurons. These results suggest that colon biomarkers may provide early indications of METH‐induced neurotoxicity, particularly in young chronic METH users who may be more susceptible to progression to PD later in life.
The posterior thigh flap for defect coverage of ischial pressure sores – a critical single‐centre analysis
Authors: Djedovic Gabriel , Morandi Evi M , Metzler Julia , Wirthmann Anna , Matiasek Johannes , Bauer Thomas , Rieger Ulrich M
Published: June 2017

The development of pressure sores is still not only an enormous economical but also a medical burden. Especially in the ischial region, the local defect coverage remains demanding as it is the main weight‐bearing area in wheelchair‐mobilised patients and is prone to high mobility. The purpose of our study was to report our long‐time experience with the reconstruction of ischial pressure ulcers with the medially based posterior thigh flap.

A retrospective analysis of all primary pressure sores grade III–IV in the ischial area, which were covered with a medially based posterior thigh flap between January 2008 and December 2014, at our department was conducted.

A total of 28 patients underwent defect coverage of an ischial pressure sore with the aforementioned flap. The subgroup with complications showed a statistically significant longer hospital stay. A statistically significant correlation between age and the coincidence of comorbidities could be seen. Older patients showed significantly higher grades of pressure sores.

The medially based posterior thigh flap is a safe and reliable flap design. Complication rates are comparable to other flaps. Nevertheless, in case of complications, a significantly longer duration of hospitalisation has to be taken into account.
Bluffing in the forest: Neotropical Neomorphus ground‐cuckoos and peccaries in a possible case of acoustic mimicry
Authors: Amaral Fabio Raposo do , Macedo Gabriel , Maldonado‐Coelho Marcos , de Piacentini Vitor Q. , Keuroghlian Alexine , Biondo Cibele
Published: June 2017

Acoustic communication is particularly important in environments such as dense tropical forests, where the dim light constrains the efficacy of visual signals. In these environments, complex species interactions could promote the evolution of acoustic signals and result in intriguing patterns of mimicry and convergence. In the Neotropical region, Neomorphus ground‐cuckoos frequently associate with herds of collared peccaries and white‐lipped peccaries. Bill clacking behavior in ground‐cuckoos closely resembles the sound of teeth clacking in peccaries and these acoustic signals are used in agonistic and foraging contexts in both species. Here we demonstrate that the acoustic characteristics of bill clacking in ground‐cuckoos are more similar to teeth clacking of peccaries than to bill clacking of the more closely related Geococcyx roadrunner. We propose that two hypotheses may explain the evolution of the clacking behavior in these taxa. First, because peccaries are known to successfully ward off attacks from large predators to defend their herds, mimicking their clacking can deceive predators, either by triggering clacking from nearby peccaries, or making it appear to the predators that peccaries are present when they are not. Second, ground‐cuckoos and peccaries could mutually benefit from the use of similar signals to alert each other of the presence of predators. In this context, ground‐cuckoos could serve as sentinels while peccaries could confer protection. We also discuss alternative explanations for this striking acoustic resemblance. Ground‐cuckoos and peccaries provide an interesting opportunity to study how an ecological association could foster the evolution of acoustic mimicry.
Effects of white light‐emitting diode (LED) exposure on retinal pigment epithelium in vivo
Authors: Jaadane Imene , Villalpando Rodriguez Gloria Elisa , Boulenguez Pierre , Chahory Sabine , Carré Samuel , Savoldelli Michèle , Jonet Laurent , Behar‐Cohen Francine , Martinsons Christophe , Torriglia Alicia
Published: June 2017

Ageing and alteration of the functions of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are at the origin of lost of vision seen in age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). The RPE is known to be vulnerable to high‐energy blue light. The white light‐emitting diodes (LED) commercially available have relatively high content of blue light, a feature that suggest that they could be deleterious for this retinal cell layer. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of “white LED” exposure on RPE. For this, commercially available white LEDs were used for exposure experiments on Wistar rats. Immunohistochemical stain on RPE flat mount, transmission electron microscopy and Western blot were used to exam the RPE. LED‐induced RPE damage was evaluated by studying oxidative stress, stress response pathways and cell death pathways as well as the integrity of the outer blood–retinal barrier (BRB). We show that white LED light caused structural alterations leading to the disruption of the outer blood–retinal barrier. We observed an increase in oxidized molecules, disturbance of basal autophagy and cell death by necrosis. We conclude that white LEDs induced strong damages in rat RPE characterized by the breakdown of the BRB and the induction of necrotic cell death.
Age, Emotion Regulation, and Affect in Adulthood: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Reappraisal
Authors: Nakagawa Takeshi , Gondo Yasuyuki , Ishioka Yoshiko , Masui Yukie
Published: June 2017

Evidence indicates that older adults experience high levels of emotional well‐being. However, little is known empirically about the underlying mechanism of this state. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether emotion regulation mediates the link between age and affect in adulthood. The sample consisted of 516 Japanese participants aged 30 (±1), 50 (±1), and 70 (±1) years, who were registered with an Internet survey company. Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression were measured as emotion regulation strategies. Positive and negative affect were assessed. Older participants reported lower negative affect than younger participants, while positive affect was not correlated with age. Cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the relationship between age and affect, whereas expressive suppression did not. The results suggested that age‐related increase in cognitive reappraisal could contribute to improvements in affect, but that another adaptive form of emotion regulation may mediate the relationship between age and affect. Our study thus indicates that developments in emotion regulation could explain the mechanism of stable everyday affect throughout adulthood, and that researchers should further explore another form of adaptive emotion regulation.
Serum thyroxine and thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentration in hyperthyroid cats that develop azotaemia after radioiodine therapy
Authors: Peterson M. E. , Nichols R. , Rishniw M.
Published: June 2017

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine which serum thyroid hormone test best identifies iatrogenic hypothyroidism in cats that develop azotaemia after radioiodine treatment and to determine which thyroid test best differentiates these azotaemic, hypothyroid cats from azotaemic, radioiodine‐treated euthyroid cats, as well as from azotaemic cats with chronic kidney disease and no history of thyroid disease.

Materials and Methods

A total of 42 hyperthyroid cats that developed azotaemia (serum creatinine ê220 µmol/L) after radioiodine treatment had serum concentrations of thyroxine and free thyroxine by dialysis and thyroid‐stimulating hormone measured at 3, 6 and 12 months. Iatrogenic hypothyroidism was confirmed (n=28) or excluded (n=14) on the basis of thyroid scintigraphy. A total of 14 cats with chronic kidney disease and 166 clinically normal cats underwent similar serum thyroid testing and scintigraphy.

Results

Concentrations of thyroxine and free thyroxine were lower and thyroid‐stimulating hormone higher in hypothyroid cats than in all three groups of euthyroid cats (P<0·0001). Of the hypothyroid cats, thyroxine and free thyroxine concentrations were low in 15 (53·6%) and seven (25%), respectively. Low serum thyroxine and free thyroxine concentrations were also detected in seven (50%) and two (14·3%) of the cats with chronic kidney disease. Thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentrations were elevated in all hypothyroid cats but remained within the reference interval in all three groups of euthyroid cats. Serum thyroid‐stimulating hormone had a higher test sensitivity and specificity than either thyroxine or free thyroxine concentration.

Clinical Significance

The finding of high serum thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentrations best identifies feline iatrogenic hypothyroidism and differentiates it from non‐thyroidal illness syndrome in cats that develop azotaemia after treatment.
The Processing of English Derived Words by Chinese‐English Bilinguals
Authors: Li Junmin , Taft Marcus , Xu Joe
Published: June 2017

This study examined the sensitivity of Chinese‐English bilinguals to derivational word structure in English. In the first experiment, English monolinguals showed masked priming effects for prime‐target pairs related both transparently (e.g., hunter‐HUNT) and opaquely (e.g., corner‐CORN) but not for those related purely in terms of form (e.g., freeze‐FREE), whereas bilinguals showed priming in all three conditions. Furthermore, stronger form priming was found for bilinguals who were less experienced in English. A second experiment showed that bilingual participants found it harder to identify items as nonwords when the words possessed a suffix (e.g., animalful) than when they did not (e.g., animalfil), and this was true in terms of accuracy even for bilinguals with less exposure to English. Overall, these findings suggest that Chinese‐English bilinguals, regardless of proficiency, have some sensitivity to morphological structure and that greater proficiency leads to priming effects that tend to pattern more like those of monolinguals.
Coordinated mineralogical and isotopic analyses of a cosmic symplectite discovered in a comet 81P/Wild 2 sample
Authors: Nguyen Ann N. , Berger Eve L. , Nakamura‐Messenger Keiko , Messenger Scott , Keller Lindsay P.
Published: June 2017

We have discovered in a Stardust mission terminal particle a unique mineralogical assemblage of symplectically intergrown pentlandite ((Fe,Ni)9S8) and nanocrystalline maghemite (γ‐Fe2O3). Mineralogically similar cosmic symplectites (COS) have only been found in the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094 and are believed to have formed by aqueous alteration. The O and S isotopic compositions of the Wild 2 COS are indistinguishable from terrestrial values. The metal and sulfide precursors were thus oxidized by an isotopically equilibrated aqueous reservoir either inside the snow line, in the Wild 2 comet, or in a larger Kuiper Belt object. Close association of the Stardust COS with a Kool mineral assemblage (kosmochloric Ca‐rich pyroxene, FeO‐rich olivine, and albite) that likely originated in the solar nebula suggests the COS precursors also had a nebular origin and were transported from the inner solar system to the comet‐forming region after they were altered.
Zygomaticomaxillary suture maturation: Part II—The influence of sutural maturation on the response to maxillary protraction
Authors: Angelieri F. , Ruellas A. C. , Yatabe M. S. , Cevidanes L. H. S. , Franchi L. , Toyama‐Hino C. , De Clerck H. J. , Nguyen T. , McNamara J. A.
Published: June 2017

Structured Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the influence of the maturational stages of zygomaticomaxillary sutures (ZMS) on the response to maxillary protraction.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 40 Class III patients were treated retrospectively with either a combination of rapid maxillary expansion and facial mask (RME/FM) or bone‐anchored maxillary protraction (BAMP). The RME/FM group consisted of 18 patients (mean age 8.3 years), while the BAMP group was comprised of 22 patients (mean age 11.8 years). The initial CBCT images (T1) of the ZMSs were classified blindly. 3D models from CBCT images at the start and at the end of orthopaedic treatment were registered on the anterior cranial base, and corresponding structures were measured on colour‐coded maps and semitransparent overlays. The amounts of protraction of the maxilla, zygoma, orbitale and maxillary first molars for both groups were analysed with two‐way ANOVA with Holm‐Sidak post hoc test for multiple comparisons.

Results

A significant association was found between the early maturation stages of the ZMSs and the amount of maxillary protraction, regardless of the protraction method used. Class III patients with ZMS stages A and B showed greater maxillary protraction than patients at stage C.

Conclusion

The maturational stages of ZMS are associated with the response maxillary protraction.
Policy Externalism
Authors: Drucker Daniel
Published: June 2017

I develop and argue for a kind of externalism about certain kinds of non‐doxastic attitudes that I call policy externalism. Policy externalism about a given type of attitude is the view that all the reasonable policies for having attitudes of that type will not involve the agent's beliefs that some relevant conditions obtain. My defense primarily involves attitudes like hatred, regret, and admiration, and has two parts: a direct deductive argument and an indirect linguistic argument, an inference to the best explanation of some strange ways we use certain conditionals. The main thought throughout is that attitudes we reason with, like belief, are very different from attitudes we don't reason with, in a way that constrains the former but not the latter. Finally, I investigate some consequences of policy externalism, including that it secures the possibility of genuine conditional apologies.
Show Who the Money? Teacher Sorting Patterns and Performance Pay across U.S. School Districts
Authors: Jones Michael , Hartney Michael T.
Published: June 2017

Pay for performance (PFP) remains one of the most controversial policy debates in the New Public Management reform era. Skepticism about PFP in the public sector is often grounded in theories of public service motivation that suggest a misalignment between PFP's focus on extrinsic market‐based pay incentives and intrinsically motivated government workers. Frequently missing from this analysis, however, is any consideration for whether PFP leads to positive “sorting” effects on the composition of a government agency's workforce through attraction, selection, and attrition processes. Using data from two waves of the Schools and Staffing Survey, the authors examine whether PFP influences the sorting patterns of K–12 public schoolteachers across U.S. school districts. Findings show that, on average, school districts that adopted PFP secured new teacher hires who had graduated from colleges and universities with average SAT scores that were about 30 points higher than the new teacher cohorts hired by districts that did not adopt PFP.
Specific repair by discerning macrophages
Authors: Bouchery Tiffany , Harris Nicola L.
Published: June 2017

Immune cells recognize organ-specific cues during repair processes
The Nucleocapsid Protein and Nonstructural Protein 10 of Highly Pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Enhance CD83 Production via NF-κB and Sp1 Signaling Pathways
Authors: Chen Xi , Zhang Qiaoya , Bai Juan , Zhao Yongxiang , Wang Xianwei , Wang Haiyan , Jiang Ping
Published: June 2017

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, caused by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), is a panzootic disease that is one of the most economically costly diseases to the swine industry. A key aspect of PRRSV virulence is that the virus suppresses the innate immune response and induces persistent infection, although the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The dendritic cell (DC) marker CD83 belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily and is associated with DC activation and immunosuppression of T cell proliferation when expressed as soluble CD83 (sCD83). In this study, we show that PRRSV infection strongly stimulates CD83 expression in porcine monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) and that the nucleocapsid (N) protein and nonstructural protein 10 (nsp10) of PRRSV enhance CD83 promoter activity via the NF-κB and Sp1 signaling pathways. R43A and K44A amino acid substitution mutants of the N protein suppress the N protein-mediated increase of CD83 promoter activity. Similarly, P192-5A and G214-3A mutants of nsp10 (with 5 and 3 alanine substitutions beginning at residues P192 and G214, respectively) abolish the nsp10-mediated induction of the CD83 promoter. Using reverse genetics, four mutant viruses (rR43A, rK44A, rP192-5A, and rG214-3A) and four revertants [rR43A(R), rK44A(R), rP192-5A(R), and rG214-3A(R)] were generated. Decreased induction of CD83 in MoDCs was observed after infection by mutants rR43A, rK44A, rP192-5A, and rG214-3A, in contrast to the results obtained using rR43A(R), rK44A(R), rP192-5A(R), and rG214-3A(R). These findings suggest that PRRSV N and nsp10 play important roles in modulating CD83 signaling and shed light on the mechanism by which PRRSV modulates host immunity.

IMPORTANCE
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most economically costly pathogens affecting the swine industry. It is unclear how PRRSV inhibits the host's immune response and induces persistent infection. The dendritic cell (DC) marker CD83 belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily and has previously been associated with DC activation and immunosuppression of T cell proliferation and differentiation when expressed as soluble CD83 (sCD83). In this study, we found that PRRSV infection induces sCD83 expression in porcine MoDCs via the NF-κB and Sp1 signaling pathways. The viral nucleocapsid protein, nonstructural protein 1 (nsp1), and nsp10 were shown to enhance CD83 promoter activity. Amino acids R43 and K44 of the N protein, as well as residues 192 to 196 (P192-5) and 214 to 216 (G214-3) of nsp10, play important roles in CD83 promoter activation. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of immune suppression by PRRSV.
Filamentous Fungi
Authors: Powers-Fletcher Margaret V. , Kendall Brian A. , Griffin Allen T. , Hanson Kimberly E.
Published: June 2017

Filamentous mycoses are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment are essential for good clinical outcomes in immunocompromised patients. The host immune response plays an essential role in determining the course of exposure to potential fungal pathogens. Depending on the effectiveness of immune response and the burden of organism exposure, fungi can either be cleared or infection can occur and progress to a potentially fatal invasive disease. Nonspecific cellular immunity (i.e., neutrophils, natural killer [NK] cells, and macrophages) combined with T-cell responses are the main immunologic mechanisms of protection. The most common potential mold pathogens include certain hyaline hyphomycetes, endemic fungi, theMucorales, and some dematiaceous fungi. Laboratory diagnostics aimed at detecting and differentiating these organisms are crucial to helping clinicians make informed decisions about treatment. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the medically important fungal pathogens, as well as to discuss the patient characteristics, antifungal-therapy considerations, and laboratory tests used in current clinical practice for the immunocompromised host.
Enteroviruses and Parechoviruses
Authors: Dunn James J.
Published: June 2017

Infections with enteroviruses and human parechoviruses are highly prevalent, particularly in neonates, where they may cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Individuals with B-cell-related immunodeficiencies are at risk for severe enteroviral infections, usually a chronic and fatal meningoencephalitis. In transplant recipients and patients with malignancy, enterovirus infections typically involve the respiratory tract, but cases of severe, disseminated infection have been described. The mainstay of diagnosis for enterovirus and human parechovirus infections involves the use of molecular diagnostic techniques. However, routine nucleic acid-detection methods for enteroviruses will not detect human parechoviruses. Laboratory diagnosis of these viral infections is important in determining a patient’s prognosis and guiding clinical management.
Epstein-Barr Virus
Authors: Nowalk Andrew , Green Michael
Published: June 2017

This review covers relevant clinical and laboratory information relating to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections in immunocompromised hosts. It describes the epidemiology and clinical manifestations with a primary focus on disease in solid organ and stem cell transplant recipients. The review pays particular attention to diagnostic approaches, including serologic testing and imaging, with an expanded discussion on the role of measuring the EBV load in peripheral blood, identifying both strengths and limitations of this assay. Additional attention is paid to potential additional strategies of immunologic monitoring that may enhance the performance of EBV load monitoring.
Central Nervous System Infections
Authors: Zimmer Andrea J. , Burke Victoria E. , Bloch Karen C.
Published: June 2017

This chapter provides an overview of infectious syndromes, pathogens, and diagnostic testing modalities for central nervous system infections in the immunocompromised host.
Herpes Simplex Virus and Varicella-Zoster Virus
Authors: Levin Myron J. , Weinberg Adriana , Schmid D. Scott
Published: June 2017

The most common specimens from immunocompromised patients that are analyzed for detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are from skin lesions. Many types of assays are applicable to these samples, but some, such as virus isolation and direct fluorescent antibody testing, are useful only in the early phases of the lesions. In contrast, nucleic acid (NA) detection methods, which generally have superior sensitivity and specificity, can be applied to skin lesions at any stage of progression. NA methods are also the best choice, and sometimes the only choice, for detecting HSV or VZV in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous or vitreous humor, and from mucosal surfaces. NA methods provide the best performance when reliability and speed (within 24 hours) are considered together. They readily distinguish the type of HSV detected or the source of VZV detected (wild type or vaccine strain). Nucleic acid detection methods are constantly being improved with respect to speed and ease of performance. Broader applications are under study, such as the use of quantitative results of viral load for prognosis and to assess the efficacy of antiviral therapy.
Differential Antagonism of Human Innate Immune Responses by Tick-Borne
Phlebovirus
Nonstructural Proteins
Authors: Rezelj Veronica V. , Li Ping , Chaudhary Vidyanath , Elliott Richard M. , Jin Dong-Yan , Brennan Benjamin
Published: June 2017

Since 2011, there has been a large expansion in the number of emerging tick-borne viruses that have been assigned to the
Phlebovirus
genus. Heartland virus (HRTV) and SFTS virus (SFTSV) were found to cause severe disease in humans, unlike other documented tick-borne phleboviruses such as Uukuniemi virus (UUKV). Phleboviruses encode nonstructural proteins (NSs) that enable them to counteract the human innate antiviral defenses. We assessed how these proteins interacted with the innate immune system. We found that UUKV NSs engaged with innate immune factors only weakly, at one early step. However, the viruses that cause more-severe disease efficiently disabled the antiviral response by targeting multiple components at several stages across the innate immune induction and signaling pathways. Our results suggest a correlation between the efficiency of the virus protein/host interaction and severity of disease.
Large prostatic stones with staghorn renal calculus in a 61-year-old man: an unusual presentation of uncommon disease
Authors: Hajji Fouad , Lmezguidi Khalid , Janane Abdellatif , Ameur Ahmed
Published: June 2017

Prostatic parenchymal calculi are common in ageing men who are evaluated for benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer. Giant prostatic calculi are very rare, usually associated with local predisposing factors for urinary stasis and infections, and traditionally managed by open surgery. We present the first case of its kind to be associated with a concurrent staghorn nephrolithiasis, and removed successfully by endoscopic approach using an access sheath through the urethra.
Prevalence ofMycobacterium aviumsubspeciesparatuberculosisand hepatitis E in New World camelids in Austria
Authors: Stanitznig A. , Khol J. L. , Lambacher B. , Franz S. , Kralik P. , Slana I. , Vasickova P. , Wittek T.
Published: June 2017

Mycobacterium aviumsubspeciesparatuberculosis(MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis in domestic ruminants and New World Camelids (NWC). Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important public health concern worldwide. The virus has been identified in several species, some of them serving as a reservoir for zoonotic HEV strains. Husbandry and breeding of llamas and alpacas have increased in Austria in recent years. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of MAP and HEV in NWC in Austria. Altogether 445 animals, originating from 78 farms were enrolled in the study. Of the animals sampled, 184 (41.35%) were llamas and 261 (58.65%) were alpacas. 443 blood samples for MAP‐ELISA and 399 faecal samples for quantitative PCR (qPCR) and culture for MAP as well as for HEV detection by RT‐qPCR have been collected. All of the 399 animals tested for shedding of MAP were negative by faecal solid culture. Using qPCR, 15 (3.8%) of the animals were MAP positive and 384 (96.2%) negative. Out of the 443 serum samples examined for specific antibodies against MAP by ELISA, 6 (1.4%) were positive, 1 (0.2%) was questionable and 436 (98.4%) samples were negative. All faecal samples were tested negative for HEV.
Efficacy and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine on the Modulation of Myocardial Autophagy in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Li Yue-Ying , Zhao Yong-Hua
Published: June 2017

Autophagy refers to the process in which the cellular lysosome degrades the cell’s own damaged organelles and related macromolecule substances. It plays important roles in the homeostasis of organs, cell survival, and stable development. Previous studies indicate that the process of cardiopathology is closely associated with autophagy and some of Chinese medicines (active compounds and formulae) are found to have beneficial effects on injured cardiomyocytes via the modulation of autophagy. This review highlights the efficacy of the action of Chinese medicine on the regulation of myocardial autophagy and summarizes the related molecular and signal mechanisms. Our study discovers that some active compounds and formulae of Chinese medicines react on the specific targets of autophagy in related signal pathways to exert protective effects in the processes of ischemia and reperfusion, as well as, in other cardiopathological models. Parts of these compounds even have the characteristics of multiple targets in autophagic signal pathways and dual-directional regulated actions on autophagy, suggesting that Chinese medicines, which possess the ability to modulate autophagy, might improve effective cardio protection in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Electro-Acupuncture is Beneficial for Knee Osteoarthritis: The Evidence from Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chen Na , Wang Jing , Mucelli Attilio , Zhang Xu , Wang Changqing
Published: June 2017

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic degenerative disease of the elderly. Electro-acupuncture (EA) is considered as a beneficial treatment for KOA, but the conclusion is controversial. This systematic review compiled the evidence from 11 randomized controlled trials to objectively assess the effectiveness and safety of EA for KOA. Eight databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Clinic trials, Foreign Medical Literature Retrial Service (FMRS), Science Direct, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Data were extensively searched up to 5 July 2016. The outcomes included the evaluation of effectiveness, pain and physical function. Risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Eleven RCTs with 695 participants were included. Meta-analysis indicated that EA was more effective than pharmacological treatment (RR [Formula: see text] 1.14; 95% CI [Formula: see text] 1.01,1.28; [Formula: see text]) and manual acupuncture (RR [Formula: see text] 1.12; 95% CI [Formula: see text] 1.02,1.22; [Formula: see text]). Also, EA had a more significant effect in reducing the pain intensity (SMD [Formula: see text]; 95% CI [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) and improving the physical function in the perspective of WOMAC (MD [Formula: see text]; 95% CI [Formula: see text], 5.56; [Formula: see text]) and LKSS (pharmacological treatment: MD [Formula: see text]; 95% CI [Formula: see text], 6.64; [Formula: see text]). Furthermore, these studies implied that EA should be performed for at least 4 weeks. Conclusively, the results indicate that EA is a great opportunity to remarkably alleviate the pain and improve the physical function of KOA patients with a low risk of adverse reaction. Therefore, more high quality RCTs with rigorous methods of design, measurement and evaluation are needed to confirm the long-term effects of EA for KOA.