bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Body in Religion: The Spatial Mapping of Valence in Tibetan Practitioners of Bön
Authors: Li Heng , Cao Yu
Published: April 2019

According to the Body‐Specificity Hypothesis (BSH), people implicitly associate positive ideas with the side of space on which they are able to act more fluently with their dominant hand. Though this hypothesis has been rigorously tested across a variety of populations and tasks, the studies thus far have only been conducted in linguistic and cultural communities which favor the right over the left. Here, we tested the effect of handedness on implicit space‐valence mappings in Tibetan practitioners of Bön who show a strong religious preference for the left, in comparison to an English group. Results showed that Bön right‐handers tended to implicitly associate positive valence more strongly with their dominant side of space despite strong explicit associations between the left and goodness in their religion. This pattern of results found in Bön participants was indistinguishable from that found in English speakers. The findings of the present study support the BSH, demonstrating that space‐valence mappings in people's minds are shaped by their bodily experience, which appears to be independent of space‐valence mappings enshrined in cultural conventions.
Restoration priorities to achieve the global protected area target
Authors: Mappin Bonnie , Chauvenet Alienor L.M. , Adams Vanessa M. , Di Marco Moreno , Beyer Hawthorne L. , Venter Oscar , Halpern Benjamin S. , Possingham Hugh P. , Watson James E.M.
Published: April 2019

With much of Earth's surface already heavily impacted by humans, there is a need to understand where restoration is required to achieve global conservation goals. Here, we show that at least 1.9 million km2 of land, spanning 190 (27%) terrestrial ecoregions and 114 countries, needs restoration to achieve the current 17% global protected area target (Aichi Target 11). Restoration targeted on lightly modified land could recover up to two‐thirds of the shortfall, which would have an opportunity cost impact on agriculture of at least $205 million per annum (average of $159/km2). However, 64 (9%) ecoregions, located predominately in Southeast Asia, will require the challenging task of restoring areas that are already heavily modified. These results highlight the need for global conservation strategies to recognize the current level of anthropogenic degradation across many ecoregions and balance bigger protected area targets with more specific restoration goals.
Initial public offering valuation and prior shared experience in the boardroom of threshold ventures: A study of industry effects
Authors: Pérez‐Calero Leticia , Larrañeta Bárbara , Wright Mike
Published: April 2019

Research question/issue

We explore the following question: How do initial public offering (IPO) investors value the existence of prior shared experience (PSE) between the CEO and the board of threshold ventures?

Research findings/insights

Building on the resource provision role of the board, signaling, and the dynamics of decision making within teams literatures, our results show that extensive PSE between the CEO and the board is detrimental to IPO valuation because it augments the perceived risk of overconfidence and myopic decisions sending negative signals to investors. Yet, the industry diversity of that PSE and the level of industry ambiguity mitigate such negative signaling effects.

Theoretical/academic implications

We make three main contributions to the literature. First, we make a specific contribution by advancing that extensive PSE between the CEO and the board is detrimental for IPO value, unless it is mitigated by the diversity of such PSEs across different industries. Our results therefore highlight boundaries within which previously accepted findings about the positive relationship between PSE and new venture performance do not hold. Second, we enrich our understanding of the relationship between board design and industry conditions by showing that investors perceive differently the extensiveness of PSE between the CEO and the board depending on the degree of industry ambiguity. Overall, we move beyond prior research on signaling, which has tended to focus on primary intended and costly signals, exploring signals with potential negative effects at IPO.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

Our research has practical implications for ambitious entrepreneurial ventures trying to achieve high growth by going public in their early stages of development. Board compositions may commonly be transformed ahead of IPOs to send a signal to the potential investors about their effectiveness in meeting the strategic challenges of being in the public arena. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurs, pre‐IPO investors, and their advisors may need to adopt a fine‐grained approach to constructing effective boards at an early stage.
Human dental pulp stem cells regulate allogeneic NK cells’ function via induction of anti‐inflammatory purinergic signalling in activated NK cells
Authors: Yan Fei , Liu Ousheng , Zhang Haixia , Zhou Yueying , Zhou Dian , Zhou Zekun , He Yuhong , Tang Zhangui , Wang Songlin
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could regulate the function of various immune cells. It remains unclear whether MSCs additionally possess immunostimulatory properties. We investigated the impact of human MSCs on the responsiveness of primary natural killer (NK) cells in terms of induction of anti‐inflammatory purinergic signalling.

Material and Methods

We obtained human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers. Activated NK cells were cultured with MSCs. Proliferation assay, apoptosis analysis, activating or inhibitory receptor expression and degranulation assay were used to explore NK cells’ function. High‐performance liquid chromatography was used to investigate the purinergic signalling in activated NK cells.

Results

Both DPSCs and BMMSCs could impair proliferation and promote apoptosis of activated NK cells. Also, activated NK cells could cause DPSCs to lyse. Furthermore, the expression of activating NK cells’ receptors was decreased, but inhibitory receptors of NK cells were elevated following co‐cultivation. NK cells acquired CD73 expression, while MSCs could release ATP into the extracellular space where nucleotides were converted into adenosine (ADO) following co‐culture system. Under the existence of exogenous 2‐chloroadenosine (CADO), the cytotoxic capacity of NK cells was remarkably depressed in a concentration‐dependent manner.

Conclusions

DPSCs and BMMSCs could depress NK cells’ function by hydrolysing ATP to ADO using CD39 and CD73 enzymatic activity. Our data suggested that DPSCs might represent a new strategy for treating immune‐related diseases by regulating previously unrecognized functions in innate immune responses.
Do the global lung function initiative reference equations reflect a sample of adult Middle Eastern population?
Authors: Al‐Qerem Walid A. , Hammad Alaa M. , AlQirem Rania A. , Ling Jonathan
Published: April 2019

Introduction

The global lung function initiative (GLI) 2012 introduced new multi‐ethnic spirometry reference values for numerous ethnicities.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of the GLI reference values for the adult Jordanian population.

Methods

About 1875 (1029 females and 846 males) healthy non‐smoking adults were enrolled from several locations in Jordan. Spirometry tests were performed. z‐scores and predicted normal values were calculated for each participant using GLI 2012 equations in addition to other local equations from the Middle East.

Results

Our results indicated that none of the GLI 2012 or other regional equations studied produced an acceptable fit to our data.

Conclusion

A need to formulate a specific equation for the Jordanian population is urgently required to better evaluate their respiratory conditions.
Fine needle aspiration cytology of a recurrent hand swelling
Authors: Kapatia Gargi , Peddinti Raja S. , Radotra Bishan D. , Dey Pranab
Published: April 2019

Markel cell tumours are rare. A case is presented with appropriate educational discussion to remind Cytopathologists of the expected features to make a diagnosis on cytology.
Compliance with regulations and codes of conduct at social media accounts of Swedish alcohol brands
Authors: Lindeman Mikaela , Katainen Anu , Svensson Johan , Kauppila Emmi , Hellman Matilda
Published: April 2019

Introduction and Aims

This study has, for the first time, mapped the extent to which alcoholic beverage brands operating on the Swedish market follow national advertising regulations and industry self‐regulating codes in their postings on social media.

Design and Methods

All social media content posted on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by 52 brands operating in the Swedish market was gathered from three sample months in 2014, 2016 and 2017. A content analysis was performed.

Results

An audit of the 1204 posts shows that the brands’ social media content conforms rather well with the industry's own self‐regulation codes. However, the studied beverage brands had alarmingly inadequate age‐gates to social media accounts. Advertisements for alcoholic beverages must be clearly distinguishable from advertisements for non‐alcoholic beverages, according to the Swedish Alcohol Act criteria. These criteria are fulfilled to a varying degree among the posts in the analysed data. Advertisements for non‐alcoholic beverages give companies a greater leeway in terms of shape and content of the post through logotypes, settings and connotations. However, advertisements of non‐alcoholic beverages continue to convey the brand connotations and image to consumers.

Discussion and Conclusions

Regulating alcohol advertising in online milieus can be very difficult because of the complex mixture between quickly evolving techniques and the diverse nature of communication messages targeting consumers. Many countries, including Sweden, are now focusing on how to enforce effective policies. This short report strives to shed some light on the scope and content of commercial messages on Swedish social media platforms.
Using Operational and Stock Analytics to Measure Airline Performance: A Network DEA Approach
Authors: Zhang Qian , Koutmos Dimitrios , Chen Kun , Zhu Joe
Published: April 2019

The majority of extant studies that focus on performance and efficiency benchmarking of firms utilize only operational measures while neglecting to integrate stock market indicators in their methodological frameworks. Such an approach may lead to erroneous or biased conclusions given that operational and stock measures serve to capture different dimensions and attributes of an overall firm's activities, health, and prospects. Thus, we build and implement a two‐stage network data envelopment analysis process that utilizes both operational and stock market indicators in order to evaluate the performance of nine major international airline companies from 2006 until 2016. In our analysis, we show that there is heterogeneity in the performance of all airlines across time. Most notably, during the 2013–2014 European debt crisis and U.S. debt‐ceiling crisis, we find that stock market‐based performance scores declined significantly for all our sampled companies. We also show that while low cost carriers generally maintain higher operational‐based performance scores than their full service counterparts, full service carriers earn higher performance scores based on stock market indicators. This finding lends support to our approach and our general premise that argues that performance evaluation methods can yield more comprehensive conclusions if both operational and stock market indicators are utilized.
Supply Chain Information Integration and Firm Performance: Are Explorative and Exploitative IT Capabilities Complementary or Substitutive?
Authors: Wei Shaobo , Ke Weiling , Liu Hefu , Wei Kwok Kee
Published: April 2019

Drawing upon organizational information processing theory, we investigate how explorative and exploitative information technology (IT) capabilities independently and interdependently moderate the relationship between supply chain information integration and firm performance. Data collected from 215 firms in China reveal that explorative IT capability positively moderates the relationship between information sharing and firm performance but exerts no moderating effect on the association between collaborative planning and firm performance. By contrast, exploitative IT capability positively moderates the impact of collaborative planning but negatively moderates the influence of information sharing on firm performance. Furthermore, building upon the ambidexterity perspective, we develop and test a three‐way interaction hypothesis that explorative and exploitative IT capabilities would interdependently moderate the relationship between supply chain information integration and firm performance. Our results indicate that explorative and exploitative IT capabilities are complementory in moderating the link between collaborative planning and firm performance but substitutive in moderating the relationship between information sharing and firm performance. By integrating insights from both information systems and operations management, our study thus provides an in‐depth understanding on how and when IT business value can be created in supply chain information integration context.
A Joint Optimal Model of Pricing, Rebate Value, and Redemption Hassle
Authors: Zhang Zelin , Popkowski Leszczyc Peter , Qu Riliang , Joseph Kissan
Published: April 2019

Although rebates are widely employed, redemption is not effort free, and the hassle of redemption is an important decision variable for buyers. The current research examines the impact of hassle cost on optimal rebate strategy. An analytical model is developed that simultaneously determines the supply chain's optimal price, level of rebate value, and rebate‐redemption hassle, while allowing for slippage (as consumers may forget to redeem a rebate), in both a centralized and decentralized supply chain. Results show that the level of rebate‐redemption hassle plays a key role in segmenting the market into rebate and nonrebate purchasers. Although in a centralized supply chain redemption hassle should increase in a convex manner with valuations, no such restrictions exist in a decentralized supply chain. This difference is due to double marginalization, which results in higher retail prices in the decentralized supply chain. Rebates can be used to reduce this double marginalization. Furthermore, a manufacturer in a decentralized supply should offer a more attractive rebate than in a centralized supply chain. We also find that changes in the supply chain's optimal price and rebate strategy are nonlinear and nonmonotonic in both production cost and elasticity for consumers’ disutility for hassle. Finally, findings are all supported by results from numerical analyses. Overall, our work contributes theoretically and managerially to the study of rebates by jointly considering price, rebate value, and redemption hassle.
Asymmetric Pricing and Replenishment Controls for Substitutable Products
Authors: Ceryan Oben
Published: April 2019

We study settings in which a firm offering substitutable products may face restrictions in its ability to either replenish or adjust the prices of some of its products, resulting in asymmetries in the pricing and replenishment controls available for each product. Specifically, we first consider a firm selling two substitutable products, a seasonal and a regular product, which differ in how their inventories are managed over a finite selling horizon. The seasonal product has an initial inventory with no further replenishment opportunities and is dynamically priced throughout the selling horizon, whereas the regular product has a static price but can be replenished periodically subject to a limited capacity. We characterize the firm's optimal replenishment decision for the regular product as well as the dynamic pricing and initial quantity selection decisions for the seasonal product. Through the insights gained by the optimal policy structure, we also develop a simple‐to‐implement and effective heuristic policy. In addition, we investigate profit implications of markdown policies and study how potential differences in quality perceptions between the products impact the optimal policy. Lastly, we consider further types of asymmetries resulting in pricing with partial replenishment or replenishment with partial pricing and provide insights on the value of additional pricing and replenishment flexibilities. Our study helps broaden our understanding of joint pricing and replenishment decisions for substitutable products under circumstances where these decisions may not all be available for all products.
Cerebral palsy prevalence, subtypes, and associated impairments: a population‐based comparison study of adults and children
Authors: Jonsson Ulrica , Eek Meta N , Sunnerhagen Katharina S , Himmelmann Kate
Published: April 2019

Aim

To describe the prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP), subtype distribution, motor and intellectual impairment, and epilepsy in adults with CP compared with children with CP.

Method

CP subtype and impairment data from the population‐based CP register of western Sweden and population data from Statistics Sweden were used to compare surviving adults (n=581; 244 females, 337 males) born between 1959 and 1978, with the same cohort as children (n=723; 307 females, 416 males), and with the most recent cohort, born from 2007 to 2010 (n=205; 84 females, 121 males).

Results

Prevalence of CP in adults born between 1959 and 1978 was 1.14 per 1000. The occurrence of impairments differed between CP subtypes. Motor and intellectual impairment were closely related, regardless of subtype. Subtype distribution among survivors differed significantly from the original cohorts (p=0.002), and the most recent cohort (p<0.01), tetraplegia and dyskinetic CP being less common in survivors. Severe motor impairment, intellectual disability, and epilepsy were less common among survivors than in the original cohorts (p=0.004, p=0.002, p=0.037) and the most recent cohort (p=0.004, p=0.008, p<0.01).

Interpretation

Data on prevalence, subtype distribution, and impairments in children with CP are not applicable to adults with CP. Population‐based studies of adults with CP are needed.

What this paper adds

Cerebral palsy (CP) subtypes are differently distributed in adults compared to children.

The prevalence of impairments in adults with CP is related to CP subtype.

Spastic tetraplegia and dyskinetic CP are less common in adults than children.

Severe motor impairment, intellectual disability, and epilepsy are less common in adults.
Body mass index trajectories in pediatric multiple sclerosis
Authors: Brenton J Nicholas , Woolbright Emma , Briscoe‐Abath Christina , Qureshi Asma , Conaway Mark , Goldman Myla D
Published: April 2019

Aim

To characterize growth trajectories of children who develop multiple sclerosis compared to typically developing, regional peers and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) normative values.

Method

This case–control study collected weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in 40 consecutive pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (28 females, 12 males), in addition to 120 typically developing peers (84 females, 36 males), identified and matched for year of birth, sex, ethnicity, and socio‐economic status.BMIvalues were converted to z‐scores based onCDCreference values and were compared with respect to age between our two cohorts and by years relative to multiple sclerosis onset for cases.

Results

Median age for the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis was 15 years.BMIz‐scores are significantly higher for patients with multiple sclerosis compared to typically developing, demographically‐matched peers andCDCstandards. These significant differences inBMIare noted from 4 years of age and onward. Height trajectories were similar among case and control individuals andCDCnormative values.

Interpretation

BMIin pediatric multiple sclerosis is markedly higher, beginning in early childhood, years before the clinical‐onset of the disease.

What this paper adds

Children with multiple sclerosis are significantly more overweight than typically developing peers at the time of diagnosis.

Body mass index trajectories are significantly higher years before the clinical manifestation(s) of multiple sclerosis.
Adults with cerebral palsy: findings from a population‐based register
Authors: Goldsmith Shona
Published: April 2019

This commentary is on the original article by Jonsson et al. on pages 1162‐1167 of this issue.
Carotid artery fibromuscular dysplasia: Ultrasound and CT imaging
Authors: Kerut Christian K. , Sheahan Claudie , Sheahan Malachi
Published: April 2019

An asymptomatic 54‐year‐old Caucasian female was found to have a right carotid bruit located high in the cervical region. Carotid duplex ultrasound revealed carotid intimal disease with increased Doppler flow in the mid‐distal right internal carotid artery (RICA) with color Doppler turbulence in the distal RICA. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed a typical “string‐of‐beads” sign in both distal internal carotid artery (ICAs), diagnostic of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). While often not diagnostic, carotid duplex ultrasound may yield clues as to diagnosis of FMD with elevated Doppler velocity in the distal carotid, turbulent distal carotid flow, and possibly a “string‐of‐beads” sign. An “S‐curve” distal ICA is associated with FMD and may warrant further evaluation. Magnetic resonance angiography and CTA appear to be better for diagnosis of carotid FMD. The typical “string‐of‐beads” may be readily identified. While invasive angiography is considered the “gold standard” for diagnosis of carotid FMD, it is infrequently required. Generally, invasive angiography is performed in symptomatic patients in planning for interventional therapy.
Technology‐enhanced learning in higher education: How to enhance student engagement through blended learning
Authors: Serrano Dolores R. , Dea‐Ayuela Maria Auxiliadora , Gonzalez‐Burgos Elena , Serrano‐Gil Alfonso , Lalatsa Aikaterini
Published: April 2019

Blended learning has risen in popularity in the last two decades as it has been shown to be an effective approach for accommodating an increasingly diverse student population in higher education and enriching the learning environment by incorporating online teaching resources. Blending significant elements of the learning environment such as face‐to‐face, online and self‐paced learning leads to better student experiences and outcomes and more efficient teaching and course management practices if combined appropriately. Hence, an appropriate systematic and dynamic approach of blended learning design is crucial for a positive outcome, starting with planning for integrating blended elements into a course and creating blended activities and implementing them. Evaluating their effectiveness and knowing in which environments they work better and improving the blended activities designed from both the student’s and instructor’s perspective are critical for the next delivery of the course. This article aims to increase awareness of higher education educators about how traditional face‐to‐face learning can be transformed into blended courses so as to develop student engagement with both in‐class and online approaches, whilst being time effective for the instructor.
Hegel's real habits
Authors: Novakovic Andreja
Published: April 2019

Hegel frequently identifies ethical life with a “second nature.” This strategy has puzzled those who assume that second nature represents a deficient appearance of ethical life, one that needs to be overcome, supplemented, or constantly challenged. I argue that Hegel identifies ethical life with a second nature because he thinks that a social order only becomes a candidate for ethical life, if it provides a context conducive to the development of what I call “real habits.” First, I show that a criterion for a real habit can be found in Hegel's Anthropology, namely, that of liberation. Next, I explain how the state, as Hegel analyzes it in the Philosophy of Right, provides such an environment by enabling trust toward and within it. I then consider two literary examples of contexts that fail to be similarly supportive—Coates' Between the World and Me and Atwood's Handmaid's Tale—concluding with reasons for thinking that real habits are an integral part of ethical life.
Elevated CO2 alters the structure of the bacterial community assimilating plant‐derived carbon in the rhizosphere of soya bean
Authors: Wang Y. H. , Yu Z. H. , Li Y. S. , Wang G. H. , Tang C. , Liu X. B. , Liu J. J. , Xie Z. H. , Jin J.
Published: April 2019

Elevated CO2 (eCO2) increases rhizodeposits, which in turn alters the soil microbial community. However, it is not really known how the microbial community metabolizes plant‐derived carbon (C) in the rhizosphere under eCO2, especially in agricultural soils. This study used a 13CO2 labelling technique combined with DNA‐stable isotope probing (SIP) to fractionate the 13C‐DNA and 12C‐DNA from the rhizosphere of soya bean plants (Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Suinong 14) grown for 54 days under ambient CO2 (aCO2) (390 ppm) or eCO2 (550 ppm). The DNA fractions were then subjected to Illumina Miseq sequencing. The results showed that eCO2 decreased the richness and diversity of the 13C‐assimilating bacterial community compared to aCO2 (p < 0.05). Elevated CO2 decreased the abundances of genera, including Pseudarthrobacter, Gaiellales_uncultured, Microlunatus, Gemmatimonas, Gemmatimonadaceae_uncultured, Ramlibacter, Massilia, Luteimonas, Acidobacteriaceae_uncultured, Bryobacter and Candidatus_Solibacter. These genera were probably fast‐growing bacteria and sensitive to labile C. In contrast, eCO2 stimulated the growth of genera Novosphingobium, Acidimicrobiales_uncultured, Bacillus, Flavisolibacter and Schlesneria, which were able to assimilate complex C compounds. Moreover, the increased population of Novosphingobium under eCO2 might have accelerated electron flow from the oxidation of organic C. Correspondingly, eCO2 did not affect the concentration of the dissolved organic C but increased the plant‐derived 13C in the rhizosphere. These results indicated that an eCO2‐induced increase in non‐labile C in rhizodeposits contributed to the increase in population size of a number of the plant‐C‐metabolizing genera that might become the mechanism for the turnover of fresh C in the rhizosphere, modifying the soil C cycle under eCO2 environments.
Effect of reduction of aggregate size on the priming effect in a Mollisol under different soil managements
Authors: You M. , Han X. , Chen X. , Yan J. , Li N. , Zou W. , Lu X. , Li Y. , Horwath W. R.
Published: April 2019

The priming effect (PE) is influenced by the amount and quality of soil organic carbon (SOC) held in different soil aggregates sizes. We examined the PE in Mollisols managed for >30 years as a grassland, farmland and bare fallow with 51, 32 and 27 g of SOC kg−1 soil, respectively, in a 60‐day incubation. Grassland soil contained 75% of aggregates in the macro size fractions >0.25 mm compared to <32% in farmland and bare fallow. Farmland and bare fallow soils contained proportionately more micro size fractions. The effect of aggregate size on the PE was assessed by comparing soils with intact aggregates to those where macroaggregates were reduced to microaggregate size fractions. In the grassland soil, cumulative CO2 mineralization increased by 20% in the reduced aggregate‐size treatment with no effect on farmland or bare fallow soils. Substrate additions to examine the PE included 13C‐glucose and 13C‐alanine (0.4 g C kg−1 dry soil), and inorganic N (2 mg N kg−1 dry soil). The PE was in the order glucose > alanine > (NH4)2SO4 and was most intense at day 3 of the incubation. Aggregate‐size reduction did not affect the PE within soil management treatments regardless of substrate addition. Most of the CO2 produced was derived from SOC rather than substrate addition and peaked at day 3. There was an interaction between microbial biomass C and dissolved organic C on the PE in the grassland soil only. The results suggested that the PE is an intrinsic characteristic of soils that are more affected by available C than the SOC in different aggregate fractions.

Highlights

The priming effect from added C substrates was examined in relation to aggregate size.

Reducing macroaggregates to <0.25 mm increased CO2 production in a grassland but not agricultural Mollisol.

The positive priming effect was proportionately reduced in soil dominated by macroaggregates.

The priming effect is an intrinsic characteristic affected by C additions and less so by aggregate protected C.
Flight initiation distance and escape behavior in the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Authors: Kalb Nadine , Anger Fabian , Randler Christoph
Published: April 2019

There are many anti‐predatory escape strategies in animals. A well‐established method to assess escape behavior is the flight initiation distance (FID), which is the distance between prey and predator at which an animal flees. Previous studies in various species throughout the animal kingdom have shown that group size, urbanization, and distance to refuge and body mass affect FID. In most species, FID increases if body mass, group size or distance to refuge decreases. However, how age and sexual dimorphism affect FID is rather unknown. Here, we assess the escape behavior and FID of the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), a small turdid passerine. When approached by a human, males initiated flights later, that is allowing a closer approach than females. Males of this species are more conspicuous, and therefore, may exhibit aposematism to deter potential predators or are less fearful than females. Additionally, juveniles fled at shorter distances and fled to lower heights than adults. Lastly, concerning escape strategy, black redstarts, unless other passerine birds, fled less often into cover, but rather onto open or elevated spots. Black redstarts are especially prone to predation by ambushing predators that might hide in cover. Hence, this species most likely has a higher chance of escaping by fleeing to an open spot rather than to a potentially risky cover.
A model to predict the survivability of cancer comorbidity through ensemble learning approach
Authors: Naghizadeh Majid , Habibi Narges
Published: April 2019

Cancer is one of the most common death causes worldwide. Breast and genital cancers in women and prostate cancer in men constitute three of the most common cancers. Detection and prevention of these types of cancers are critical objectives. Recent findings indicate that some patients suffer from cancer comorbidity. The probability of survival among patients with comorbid condition is lower than those with only one type of cancer. The importance of concomitant chronic illnesses during cancer treatment through the SEER data is assessed through many machine‐learning approaches. In order to improve the accuracy of prediction of survival rates in patients with cancer and comorbidity of cancers, the gradient boosting ensemble method is adopted for feature selection and modelling. This proposed method increases the accuracy rate and reduces the error rate, and exhibits a significant predictive improvement of survival rates in comorbid cancer compared with the previous proposed models.
Predicting repayment of borrows in peer‐to‐peer social lending with deep dense convolutional network
Authors: Kim Ji‐Yoon , Cho Sung‐Bae
Published: April 2019

In peer‐to‐peer lending, it is important to predict the repayment of the borrower to reduce the lender's financial loss. However, it is difficult to design a powerful feature extractor for predicting the repayment as user and transaction data continue to increase. Convolutional neural networks automatically extract useful features from big data, but they use only high‐level features; hence, it is difficult to capture a variety of representations. In this study, we propose a deep dense convolutional network for repayment prediction in social lending, which maintains the borrower's semantic information and obtains a good representation by automatically extracting important low‐ and high‐level features simultaneously. We predict the repayment of the borrower by learning discriminative features depending on the loan status. Experimental results on the Lending Club dataset show that our model is more effective than other methods. A fivefold cross‐validation is performed to run the experiments.
Investigating the effects of loading, mechanical properties and layers geometry on fatigue life of asphalt pavements
Authors: Ziari Hassan , Aliha Mohammad Reza Mohammad , Mojaradi Barat , Jebalbarezi Sarbijan Majid
Published: April 2019

In this paper, fatigue life, crack growth trajectory, and stress intensity factors of top‐down and bottom‐up cracks have been investigated in a multilayered asphalt pavement using numerical method. Finite element models, Paris law, and maximum tangential stress criteria were used to determine the effects of vehicle position, thickness, and stiffness of layers on fatigue life of pavements. The results show that the minimum fatigue life of pavements with top‐down crack occurs when the wheels are symmetrically located relative to the crack plane. On the other side, in pavements with bottom‐up crack, it occurs when the front tire located on top of the crack. Moreover, the result reveals that the top‐down crack grows slower than bottom‐up crack. Also, the surface layer's stiffness has the most effect on fatigue life of pavement.
Effects of acrylonitrile content and hydrogenation on fatigue behaviour of HNBR
Authors: Narynbek Ulu K. , Huneau B. , Verron E. , Béranger A. S. , Heuillet P.
Published: April 2019

The influence of acrylonitrile (ACN) content and hydrogenation on the fatigue properties of HNBR is investigated. HNBR blends consist of different quantities of acrylonitrile (24, 36, and 44 wt%) and per cent hydrogenation (91%, 96%, and 99%), and a composite of two blends of HNBR with 24 and 44 wt% ACN for an average of 36 wt% . A comprehensive experimental campaign is carried out with fatigue life and crack propagation testing at 120°C. Afterwards, fatigue damage is analysed thanks to both optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results of the three experimental approaches demonstrate that HNBR with median ACN content (36 wt%) and median hydrogenation (96%) has the best fatigue resistance. In general, the fatigue resistance decreases in the following order: for ACN—36 to 44 to 24 wt%, and for hydrogenation—96% to 99% to 91%. The composite blend also has lower fatigue resistance than a regular HNBR blend.
Mouse knockout of guanylyl cyclase C: Recognition memory deficits in the absence of activity changes
Authors: Mann Elizabeth A. , Sugimoto Chiho , Williams Michael T. , Vorhees Charles V.
Published: April 2019

Guanylyl cyclase C (GC‐C) is found in brain regions where dopamine is expressed. We characterized a mouse in which GC‐C was knocked out (KO) that was reported to be a model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We re‐examined this model and controlled for litter effects, used 16 to 23 mice per genotype per sex and assessed an array of behavioral and neurochemical outcomes. GC‐C KO mice showed no phenotypic differences from wild‐type mice on most behavioral tests, or on striatal or hippocampal monoamines, and notably no evidence of an ADHD‐like phenotype. KO mice were impaired on novel object recognition, had decreased tactile startle but not acoustic startle, and females had increased latency on cued training trials in the Morris water maze, but not hidden platform spatial learning trials. Open‐field activity showed small differences in females but not males. The data indicate that the GC‐C KO mouse with proper controls and sample sizes has a moderate cognitive and startle phenotype but has no ADHD‐like phenotype.
Characteristics of pathogens and mortality predictors of older Chinese patients with nosocomial urinary tract infections
Authors: Hu Wenxue , Xie Shaoling , Yu Feng , Hao Wenke
Published: April 2019

Aim

The aim of the present study was to investigate predominant pathogens and predictors of 28‐day mortality of older Chinese patients with nosocomial urinary tract infections (NUTI).

Methods

We retrospectively studied 1122 older patients (aged ≥60 years) with culture‐positive NUTI in Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China, from January 2009 to December 2014. The clinical features, microbial distributions and outcomes of these patients were recorded and compared between survival and death patients. Multivariate logistic regression was carried out to identify independent predictors of 28‐day mortality.

Results

The present results showed the all‐cause mortality was 8.3%, and NUTI mortality was 1.43%. The proportions of Candida albicans (P = 0.004), Acinetobacter baumannii (P = 0.045) and Candida tropicalis (P < 0.001) in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group. Multivariate analysis showed two novel risk factors for mortality of older patients with NUTI, which were higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (odds ratio [OR] 1.205, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.088–1.334] and lower level of serum prealbumin (OR 0.995, 95% CI 0.990–0.999). Furthermore, previous use of antibiotics (OR 1.984, 95% CI 1.106–3.559), inappropriate antimicrobial therapy (OR 1.883, 95% CI 1.144–3.098), intensive care unit stay (OR 4.082, 95% CI 2.469–6.749) and higher concentration of serum C‐reactive protein (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.001–1.010) were independent prognostic factors for 28‐day mortality in older patients with NUTI.

Conclusions

NUTI is associated with a high 28‐day in‐hospital mortality rate in older patients. We should evaluate the comorbidity, nutritional status, inflammatory markers, department staying and drug sensitivity test, and choose systematic therapy strategies for these older patients with NUTI. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 541–546.
Five‐year incidence of common comorbidities, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer, in older Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Mochizuki Takeshi , Ikari Katsunori , Yano Koichiro , Okazaki Ken
Published: April 2019

Aim

To estimate the 5‐year incidence of common comorbidities, including lifestyle‐associated diseases, in older Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

We enrolled 129 consecutive patients with RA aged ≥65 years in this study. We examined all patients for the presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer at baseline (in 2013) and 5 years later (in 2018) using clinical records, self‐reported questionnaires, interviews and medication records.

Results

At baseline, hypertension was prevalent in 37.2% of the patients, dyslipidemia in 18.6%, diabetes mellitus in 9.3%, cardiovascular disease in 14.7%, cerebrovascular disease in 10.1% and cancer in 10.1%. Furthermore, the change of prevalence after 5 years from baseline of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer was 4.6%, 3.9%, 0.8%, 4.7%, 2.3% and 1.5%, respectively. The factors associated at baseline and/or after 5 years of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancer included disease duration and body mass index, body mass index and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, corticosteroid use, body mass index, and male and disease duration, respectively.

Conclusions

The Japanese population is aging and so is the population of patients with RA. In older patients with RA, hypertension and cardiovascular disease should be particularly considered. Therefore, although the therapeutic agents for RA have improved, a better understanding of the comorbidities in older patients with RA should impact the treatment of RA. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 577–581.
Dermatological diseases in the geriatric age group: Retrospective analysis of 7092 patients
Authors: Yaldiz Mahizer
Published: April 2019

Aim

The aim of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the dermatological diseases seen in geriatric patients, and their distribution according to age, sex and season, making a significant contribution to the few previous prevalence studies.

Methods

Data from 7092 geriatric patients examined at our dermatology clinic from 1 January to 31 December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The data were analyzed according to age, sex and seasons.

Results

The seven most frequently occurring diseases were eczematous dermatitis, fungal infections, pruritus, precancerous and malignant neoplasm, xerosis cutis, benign neoplasms, and papulosquamous diseases, respectively. In the youngest group, the most frequent disease was eczematous dermatitis, whereas in the older group it was precancerous and malignant neoplasms. The most common disease for both men and women was eczematous dermatitis. Eczematous dermatitis, pruritus, xerosis cutis, rash and general drug eruptions, and papulosquamous diseases were most frequent in the winter, but less in the summer (P < 0.01). Fungal diseases were frequent in the spring and summer (P < 0.01). Pigmentation disorders were frequent in the summer (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The present study, which is the largest prevalence study in the literature with 7092 geriatric patients, will raise awareness regarding the pattern and nature of dermatological diseases in geriatric patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 582–585.
This Sporting Life: The intersection of hegemonic masculinities, space and emotions among rugby players
Authors: Giazitzoglu Andreas
Published: April 2019

Through an ethnographic study of rugby players, this research shows how when men enter a physical space, they are bound by codes that define what sort of masculinities and emotions they ‘should' perform in order to denote cultural legitimacy. The article investigates how different spaces on and off the rugby field influence how different masculinities are performed. Rugby players enact fleeting and relative masculinities as they move in and out of the multiple hyper‐masculine spaces they encounter on game day. The codes of masculinity dictated by these different spaces are manifest in the men's bodies and in their emotions.
Recent Insights in Migraine With Aura: A Narrative Review of Advanced Neuroimaging
Authors: Russo Antonio , Silvestro Marcello , Tessitore Alessandro , Tedeschi Gioacchino
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder characterized by severe headaches associated with a plethora of sensory hypersensitivity and neurovegetative symptoms. In about one‐third of the cases, a set of fully reversible focal neurological symptoms, the aura, accompanies the headache. In the last decades, advanced neuroimaging investigations allowed identification of structural, microstructural, and functional abnormalities characterizing the brain of patients with migraine with aura (MwA). However, mechanisms underlying the aura phenomena are still a matter of debate.

Aims

This article reviews the most significant findings from advanced neuroimaging studies in patients with MwA both to provide a unifying physiopathological model of the aura phenomena and to clarify the potential impact of advanced neuroimaging investigation in the clinical field.

Methods

A comprehensive review of PubMed citations was conducted by entering the key words “magnetic resonance imaging” combined with “migraine” AND “aura.” Other key words included “grey matter” OR “white matter,” “structural” OR “functional.” The only restriction was to English‐language publications. The abstracts of all articles published between 1997 and 2018 meeting these criteria were reviewed, and the full texts were examined for relevance to the topic.

Conclusion

Although several advanced neuroimaging studies have been conducted to investigate the neural correlates of aura phenomena, they have failed in identifying underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in their entirety. Nevertheless, functional and structural neuroimaging findings concerning the extrastriate visual cortex are characterized by a high level of reproducibility, so much so that they could be applied, in a not so far future, as diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic biomarkers for MwA.
Impact factors that modulate gastric cancer risk in Helicobacter pylori‐infected rodent models
Authors: Peng Chao , Li Nian‐Shuang , Hu Yi , Lu Nong‐Hua
Published: April 2019

Gastric cancer causes a large social and economic burden to humans. Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection is a major risk factor for distal gastric cancer. Detailed elucidation of H pylori pathogenesis is significant for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer. Animal models of H pylori‐induced gastric cancer have provided an invaluable resource to help elucidate the mechanisms of H pylori‐induced carcinogenesis as well as the interaction between host and the bacterium. Rodent models are commonly used to study H pylori infection because H pylori‐induced pathological processes in the stomachs of rodents are similar to those in the stomachs of humans. The risk of gastric cancer in H pylori‐infected animal models is greatly dependent on host factors, bacterial determinants, environmental factors, and microbiota. However, the related mechanisms and the effects of the interactions among these impact factors on gastric carcinogenesis remain unclear. In this review, we summarize the impact factors mediating gastric cancer risk when establishing H pylori‐infected animal models. Clarifying these factors and their potential interactions will provide insights to construct animal models of gastric cancer and investigate the in‐depth mechanisms of H pylori pathogenesis, which might contribute to the management of H pylori‐associated gastric diseases.
Correlation among fecal indicator bacteria and physicochemical parameters with the presence of Helicobacter pylori DNA in raw and drinking water from Bogotá, Colombia
Authors: Vesga Fidson‐Juarismy , Moreno Yolanda , Ferrús María Antonia , Ledesma‐Gaitan Lina María , Campos Claudia , Trespalacios Alba Alicia
Published: April 2019

Background

The quality of raw and drinking water is a matter of considerable concern due to the possibility of fecal contamination. To assess the quality and public health risk of different types of water, the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) are used. However, some pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori, may be present in water when FIB cannot be found. H pylori is recognized as the causative agent of chronic gastritis, peptic and duodenal ulcers, and gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships among physicochemical parameters, FIB concentrations, and the presence of H pylori DNA in raw and drinking water from Bogotá, Colombia.

Materials and Methods

A total of 310 water samples were collected 1 day per week from July 2015 to August 2016, and physicochemical parameters (pH, turbidity, conductivity, and residual free chlorine) were measured. Presence of H pylori DNA was determined and quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Fecal indicator bacteria (total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and spores of sulfite‐reducing Clostridia) were enumerated by using standard culture techniques.

Results

Thirty of 155 (31%) raw water samples and forty‐eight of 155 (38.7%) drinking water samples were positive for the presence of H pylori. No statistically significant relationships were found between physicochemical parameters or FIB with the presence or absence of H pylori in any sample (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of the presence of H pylori DNA in raw and drinking water in Bogotá, and shows that the detection and enumeration of FIB and physicochemical parameters in water do not correlate with the risk of contamination with H pylori.