bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding digital moms: motivations to interact with brands on social networking sites
Authors: Treviño Teresa , Pineda Garelli José Luis
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the motivations of digital moms to develop relationships with brands in the online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a qualitative, interpretative approach, this paper uses several data collection methods such as netnography, focus groups and in-depth interviews to fully understand the motivations of digital moms.

Findings

The results suggest that eight motivations influence consumers to engage with and follow brands on their social networking sites: information, entertainment, knowledge-seeking, social influence, social interaction, brand-relationship maintenance, communication and self-expression. A proposed framework that categorizes these motivations based on the level of engagement, and the type of user is discussed along with the new functions that brands fulfill in the online environment.

Research limitations/implications

These findings have practical implications for managers seeking to design and implement improved branding strategies to develop stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers. The location of participants of this study can be considered as a limitation, as the different life situations or contexts of other Internet users may alter the results.

Originality/value

This study recognizes important changes in consumer behavior elicited by online technologies. Several qualitative data collection methods are used to identify and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the motivations of digital moms to interact with brands online. A major contribution of this research is the establishment of a link between consumer-brand relationship theory and uses and gratifications theory.
Luxury and Twitter: an issue of the right words
Authors: Mazzoli Valentina , Grazzini Laura , Donvito Raffaele , Aiello Gaetano
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to provide scholars and practitioners with an innovative method of analyzing luxury brand associations in social media (i.e. Twitter). To do so, authors investigated the alignment between luxury brand identity and luxury brand image in online communication, taking into consideration firm- and user-generated content (UGC) in the form of bloggers’ contents. This paper introduces new tools that luxury brand managers could use to manage and adapt the way they communicate and interact with their customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative approach based on a content analysis of Twitter posts of six luxury fashion brands (1,334 posts) and the related Twitter electronic word-of-mouth of fashion bloggers (329 tweets).

Findings

The results show a match between luxury brand identity and luxury brand image on Twitter. Specifically, the findings indicate that both brands and bloggers stress the same dimensions of luxury (aesthetic, desirable, symbolic, restricted accessibility and hedonistic experience) confirming that the ways they communicate luxury brands to consumers are aligned. Moreover, the results suggest that luxury brands could reinforce their brand value by making more use of words that are semantically related to luxury.

Originality/value

This study approaches the relationship between social media and luxury brands in a novel way and provides scholars and managers with a tool for monitoring the gap between desired and perceived brand associations.
Consumer engagement on social media: insights from a virtual brand community
Authors: Lima Vitor Moura , Irigaray Hélio Arthur Reis , Lourenco Carlos
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Based on the conceptual model of consumer engagement in a virtual brand community, this study aims to investigate this phenomenon and gauges the validity of the model’s assumptions in the context of a Facebook fan page.

Design/methodology/approach

The interactions between L’Oréal Paris Brazil and the members of its virtual community were collected for three months using a netnographic approach. The data of these interactions were evaluated using content analysis techniques.

Findings

The dimensions, processes and sub-processes of the conceptual model of consumer engagement, as proposed in the literature, were confirmed. Furthermore, the results reinforce the perspective that simple participation or involvement does not presume engagement, which reflects a complex psychological state dependent on the context and requiring previous and subsequent processes to manifest.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were based on an examination of a high-end beauty product brand’s Facebook page. Nevertheless, these findings are not necessarily limited to high-end context consumers. Larger scale research (i.e. involving wider product categories) could endorse the underlying theoretical model of engagement.

Practical implications

The study contributes to understanding the dynamics of how brands build relationships with consumers through social media and confirms the dynamics of the engagement concept and its role as a tool to increase brand value and competitive advantage.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the field by bridging the knowledge gap concerning consumer engagement in a social media context with practical and empirical evidence.
Rheology of F620 solder paste and flux
Authors: Barbosa Flavia V. , Teixeira José C.F. , Teixeira Senhorinha F.C.F. , Lima Rui A.M.M. , Soares Delfim F. , Pinho Diana M.D.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to characterize the rheological properties of the flux media exposed to different levels of solicitation and to determine its influence on the rheology of the solder paste. The data obtained experimentally are fundamental for the development of numerical models that allow the simulation of the printing process of printed circuit boards (PCB).

Design/methodology/approach

Rheological tests were performed using the Malvern rheometer Bohlin CVO. These experiments consist of the analysis of the viscosity, yield stress, thixotropy, elastic and viscous properties through oscillatory tests and the capacity to recover using a creep-recovery experiment. The results obtained from this rheological analysis are compared with the rheological properties of the solder paste F620.

Findings

The results have shown that the flux is viscoelastic in nature and shear thinning. The viscosity does not decrease with increasing solicitations, except in the case where the flow is withdrawn directly from the bottle. Even if the solder paste shows a thixotropic behavior, this is not the case of the flux, meaning that this property is given by the metal particles. Furthermore, the oscillatory tests proved that the flux presents a dominant solid-like behavior, higher than the solder paste, meaning that the cohesive/tacky behavior of the solder paste is given by the flux.

Research limitations/implications

To complement this work, printing tests are required.

Originality/value

This work demonstrates the importance of the rheological characterization of the flux in order to understand its influence in the solder paste performance during the stencil printing process.
Vapour phase soldering (VPS) technology: a review
Authors: Illés Balázs , Géczy Attila , Medgyes Bálint , Harsányi Gábor
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present a review of the recent developments in vapour phase soldering (VPS) technology. This study focuses on the following topics: recent developments of the technology, i.e. soft and vacuum VPS; measurement and characterization methods of vapour space, i.e. temperature and pressure; numerical simulation of the VPS soldering process, i.e. condensate layer and solder joint formation; and quality and reliability studies of the solder joints prepared by VPS, i.e. void content and microstructure of the solder joints.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was written according to the results of a wide literature review about the substantial previous works in the past decade and according to the authors’ own results.

Findings

Up to now, a part of the electronics industry believes that the reflow soldering with VPS method is a significant alternative of convection and infrared technologies. The summarized results of the field in this study support this idea.

Research limitations/implications

This literature review provides engineers and researchers with understanding of the limitations and application possibilities of the VPS technology and the current challenges in soldering technology.

Originality/value

This paper summarizes the most important advantages and disadvantages of VPS technology compared to the other reflow soldering methods, as well as points out the necessary further developments and possible research directions.
Boundary Work: Becoming Middle Class in Suburban Dar es Salaam
Authors: Mercer Claire
Published: December 2018

Suburban space provides a useful window onto contemporary class practices in Africa, where it is difficult to identify social classes on the basis of income or occupation. In this article I argue that the middle classes and the suburbs are mutually constitutive in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. Using interviews with residents and local government officials in the city's northern suburbs, I discuss the material and representational practices of middle‐class boundary work in relation to land and landscape. If the middle classes do not presently constitute a coherent political‐economic force, they are nevertheless transforming the city's former northern peri‐urban zones into desirable suburban residential neighbourhoods.
Why ‘Good Governance’ Fails: Lessons from Regional Economic Development in Colombia
Authors: Franz Tobias
Published: December 2018

By critically reviewing different strands of literature on institutional change and development, this essay argues that, in order to fully understand subnational economic development, we need to move away from ‘good governance' explanations in which geography‐specific analyses of power structures and elite interests are largely absent. Using findings for Colombia and insights from economic geography and heterodox political economy theories, this essay gives theoretical and conceptual guidelines and approximations for future studies on regional economic development. The contribution provides a place‐based discussion of how the historically evolved distribution of power balances, context‐specific elite interests, and the interaction between place‐bound actors and place‐less dynamics affect subnational institutional arrangements shaping policies and development outcomes. The conclusions drawn are not limited to Colombia and will prove beneficial to researchers studying regional economic development in subnational contexts elsewhere in the world.
Dietary Amino Acids and the Gut‐Microbiome‐Immune Axis: Physiological Metabolism and Therapeutic Prospects
Authors: Ma Ning , Ma Xi
Published: December 2018

Dietary amino acids (AAs) are not only absorbed and metabolized by enterocytes but also available to the microbiota in the gut in mammals. In addition to serving as the materials for protein synthesis, AAs can act as precursors for numerous metabolic end products in reactions involving the intestinal mucosa and microbiota. After penetrating the epithelial barrier, microbial metabolites can enter and accumulate in the host circulatory system, where they are sensed by immune cells and then elicit a wide range of biological functions via different receptors and mechanisms. Some intestinal bacteria can also synthesize certain AAs, implying that the exchange of AAs between hosts and microorganisms is bidirectional. Changes in AA composition and abundance can affect AA‐metabolizing bacterial communities and modulate macrophages and dendritic cells via toll‐like receptors (TLRs), autoinducer‐2 (AI‐2), and NOD‐like receptors (NLRs), and also regulate the gut‐microbiome‐immune axis via aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), serotonin/5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), and other signaling pathways, all of which play critical roles in regulating the intestinal mucosal immunity and microbiota directly or indirectly, contributing to intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, the current findings of the effects of certain functional AAs on the gut‐microbiome‐immune axis are reviewed, illustrating signaling pathways of tryptophan (Trp), glutamine (Gln), methionine (Met), and branched‐chain AAs (BCAAs) in the intestinal barrier and regarding immunity via crosstalk with their receptors or ligands. These findings have shed light on the clinical applications of dietary AAs in improving gut microbiota and mucosal immunity, therefore benefiting the gut as well as local and systemic health.
Reducing Crime Among Youth at Risk for Gang Involvement
Authors: Thornberry Terence P. , Kearley Brook , Gottfredson Denise C. , Slothower Molly P. , Devlin Deanna N. , Fader Jamie J.
Published: December 2018

Research Summary

No gang prevention or intervention programs meet the standards for effectiveness promulgated by Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development. This randomized controlled trial of a well‐known program—Functional Family Therapy—that was modified to address the needs of gang‐involved adolescents yields two main findings. First, youth at high risk for gang membership and their families engaged with and successfully completed the program at the same level as low‐gang‐risk youth. Second, the effectiveness results varied by gang‐risk status. For youth at high risk for gang membership, the treatment group had significantly lower recidivism rates at the 18‐month follow‐up as compared with a “treatment as usual” control group. For youth at low risk for gang membership, however, no consistent differences were found between the treated and control groups.

Policy Implications

Modifying and extending evidence‐based delinquency programs to gang‐involved youth seems to be a reasonable strategy for developing a wider array of effective programs to respond to the challenge of street gangs. The differential findings by gang‐risk status suggests that the juvenile justice system should expand the use of evidence‐based community programs to higher risk youth, including those identified as being “at risk” because of their gang involvement.
Restitution Payment and Recidivism
Authors: Ruback R. Barry , Knoth Lauren K. , Gladfelter Andrew S. , Lantz Brendan
Published: December 2018

Research Summary

Restitution is court‐ordered payment by an offender to compensate a crime victim for direct tangible losses resulting from the crime. Making regular restitution payments, it has been argued, may serve as a continual reminder to offenders of the harm they caused and their need to restore justice. In this study, we examined the recidivism of offenders who were delinquent in paying restitution and who had participated in a prior experiment aimed at testing whether receiving monthly letters would increase their payment of restitution. Findings from that experiment revealed that offenders who had received letters containing information about the economic sanctions they had paid and what they still owed paid a significantly larger proportion of the restitution owed and made significantly more monthly payments than did offenders in the other three experimental conditions. Results of the present follow‐up study revealed that even though recidivists (as measured by a new arrest) and nonrecidivists did not differ significantly in the amount of restitution they owed, nonrecidivists were more likely to have paid something toward the restitution they owed and more likely to have made more monthly payments. Statistical tests indicated that payment mediated the relationship between the experimental manipulation of information and observed recidivism, suggesting that the experimental manipulation of information led to more payments that, in turn, led to less recidivism.

Policy Implications

The findings from the prior experiment indicated that offenders who had received information about the economic sanctions they had paid and what they still owed were more likely to make payments. In that study, scholars concluded that giving offenders this information was cost‐effective, in that for every dollar spent, more than $6 in restitution was received. The results of this follow‐up analysis of recidivism demonstrate that the cost‐effectiveness of providing information is greater than previously indicated. At a cost of $64.19 per day for jail in Pennsylvania, the difference of 46.4 days between offenders who received information and those in the other experimental conditions could be as much as $2,978.42 per offender, less the costs of monitoring payments.
Explaining Recent Firm Growth in Dutch Horticulture
Authors: Los Evert , Gardebroek Cornelis , Huirne Ruud
Published: December 2018

Dutch horticultural firms have expanded rapidly in recent decades, both in terms of their production area as well as in number of employees. In particular in the production of fresh fruits and vegetables, a number of very large horticultural firms emerged with often more than 100 employees, operating on tens of hectares of greenhouses. A standard explanation for firm growth is that firms want to benefit from economies of scale, where the increased scale of production would ensure lower average (fixed) production costs. This article however shows that cost reduction due to economies of scale is not the main driver behind the growth in horticultural firm size. In fact, our empirical evaluation shows that larger horticultural firms face higher average production costs compared to smaller firms. However, these higher production costs are compensated by the on average higher and more stable output prices obtained by larger firms. This positive effect of firm size on firm revenues therefore provides a different rationale for the recent growth in average size of Dutch horticultural firms. As a result, our findings demonstrate that revenue‐related aspects are becoming more important in understanding firm growth of primary producers in the horticultural sector.
Impact of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and lymphoid follicle formation on patient survival following surgery for lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Nishihira Morimichi , Nakazato Yoshimasa , Maeda Sumiko , Inoue Takashi , Araki Osamu , Karube Yoko , Chida Masayuki
Published: December 2018

Background

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are known to correlate with the prognosis of patients affected by a variety of cancer types. We evaluated TILs in patients who underwent surgery for lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods

Specimens obtained from patients during resection of lung SCC were examined for TIL density, lymphoid follicle formation, PD‐L1 expression, and the appearance of regulatory T cells (Tregs).

Results

We enrolled 72 patients who underwent surgery for SCC (TIL grades 0, 1, and 2: 29, 18, and 25, respectively). Lymphoid follicles were observed in 13 (18.1%) patients and 8 were positive for Tregs, which were always observed in association with lymphoid follicles (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymphoid follicle formation, the appearance of Tregs, pathological stage, and pleural invasion were independent prognostic factors related to overall survival, whereas TIL density and PD‐L1 expression were not.

Conclusion

SCC patients with lymphoid follicle formation accompanied by Tregs show poor survival following lung resection surgery.
Female XX sex chromosomes increase survival and extend lifespan in aging mice
Authors: Davis Emily J. , Lobach Iryna , Dubal Dena B.
Published: December 2018

Female longevity is observed in humans and much of the animal kingdom, but its causes remain elusive. Using a genetic manipulation that generates XX and XY mice, each with either ovaries or testes, we show that the female XX sex chromosome complement increases survival during aging in male and female mice. In combination with ovaries, it also extends lifespan. Understanding causes of sex‐based differences in aging could lead to new pathways to counter age‐induced decline in both sexes.
Mitigating bycatch of threatened seabirds: the effectiveness of branch line weighting in pelagic longline fisheries
Authors: Jiménez S. , Domingo A. , Forselledo R. , Sullivan B. J. , Yates O.
Published: December 2018

Substantial numbers of seabirds are bycaught each year in pelagic longline fisheries. Increasing the sink rate of baited hooks by reducing the distance between the hook and the weight of the branch lines (leader length) has enormous potential to mitigate this bycatch. Here, we test the effect of reducing the leader length on seabird attacks on baited hooks and bycatch rates plus the effect on fish catch rates on the Uruguayan slope. Two branch line configurations were tested: a control treatment (CT) of the standard branch lines used in the Uruguayan fishery, with 75 g swivels on 4.5 m leaders; and two experimental treatments (ET) consisting of branch lines with either a 60 g or 65 g weight on 1 m leaders. Seabird attacks were assessed during 34 daylight longline sets (100–150 hooks each) without a bird scaring line (BSL) comparing two treatments: CT versus 65 g ET. The fish catch was assessed during 224 paired sections (75 vs. 75 hooks) from 109 fishing sets deployed mostly during the night and with a BSL, comprising 77 pairs of CT versus 60 g ET and 147 pairs of CT versus 65 g ET. The number of primary (231 vs. 91) and multiple (50 vs. 14) attacks were significantly higher in the CT compared with the 65 g ET respectively. The seabird bycatch rate was 42.5% lower in the 65 g ET than in the CT. The use of branch lines with short leaders did not affect the catch of target species. This study conducted in an area of high bycatch risk provides strong experimental support for the use of branch line weighting to reduce seabird bycatch. Based on the observed bycatch rates, this measure should be implemented in combination with other mitigation measures. The simultaneous use of branch line weighting, a BSL and night setting resulted in zero seabird bycatch.
How high‐dose alcohol intoxication affects the interplay of automatic and controlled processes
Authors: Chmielewski Witold X. , Zink Nicolas , Chmielewski Keluf Ylva , Beste Christian , Stock Ann‐Kathrin
Published: December 2018

Binge drinking is an increasingly prevalent pattern of alcohol consumption that impairs top‐down cognitive control to a much stronger degree than automatic response generation. Even though an imbalance of those two antagonistic processes fosters the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), it has never been directly investigated how binge drinking affects the interaction of those two processes. We therefore assessed a sample of n = 35 healthy young men who were asked to perform a newly developed Simon Nogo paradigm once sober and once intoxicated (~1.2‰) in a balanced within‐subject design. Additionally, an EEG was recorded to dissociate controlled and automatic cognitive subprocesses. The results demonstrate that alcohol seems to reduce top‐down cognitive control. This control impairment was associated with changes in S‐R mapping (reflected by a reduced parietal P3 amplitude), top‐down response selection (reflected by modulations of lateralized readiness potentials), and (the evaluation of) response inhibition (reflected by modulations of the Nogo P3). In sharp contrast to this, automatic processing does not seem to be equally altered, as we found neither increases nor decreases in this domain. Most importantly, we also found that the interaction between control and automatisms might be less impaired by alcohol than control alone, which may help to overcome alcohol‐induced response inhibition deficits. These “carryover” effects of control from one domain to the other could potentially prove beneficial in AUDs.
Dysfunctional approach behavior triggered by alcohol‐unrelated Pavlovian cues predicts long‐term relapse in alcohol dependence
Authors: Sommer Christian , Birkenstock Julian , Garbusow Maria , Obst Elisabeth , Schad Daniel J. , Bernhardt Nadine , Huys Quentin M. , Wurst Friedrich M. , Weinmann Wolfgang , Heinz Andreas , Smolka Michael N. , Zimmermann Ulrich S.
Published: December 2018

Pavlovian conditioned cues (CSs) can drive instrumental behavior in alcohol‐dependent patients. However, it remains unclear if the influence of Pavlovian CSs might also promote maladaptive decisions that can increase the risk of relapse. We studied 109 abstinent alcohol‐dependent patients and 93 controls who completed a Pavlovian‐to‐instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm, and assessed patients' subsequent relapse status during a 1‐year follow‐up. In our PIT task, participants had to collect “good shells” (instrumental approach) or leave “bad shells” (instrumental inhibition) during the presence of money‐related Pavlovian CSs or drink‐related pictures in the background. Pavlovian CSs indicated either a monetary gain (ie, 1€, 2€), a monetary loss (ie, ‐1€, −2€) or a neutral stimulus (0€). Drink‐related background pictures were either pictures of participants' favorite alcoholic drink or pictures of water. We found that the influence of money‐related Pavlovian CSs on instrumental behavior (ie, the PIT effect) was more pronounced in future relapsers compared with abstainers and controls. Relapsers particularly failed to correctly perform in trials where the instrumental stimulus required inhibition while a Pavlovian background CS indicated a monetary gain. Under that condition, relapsers approached the instrumental stimulus, independent of the expected punishment. In contrast, we found no difference in PIT between relapsers and abstainers when drink‐related background pictures were presented. The failure of inhibiting an aversive stimulus in favor of approaching an appetitive non‐alcohol‐related context cue might reflect dysfunctional altered learning mechanisms in relapsers. A possible relation to maladaptive decision making that can lead to high‐risk situations for relapse is discussed.
The Emergence of Shell Valuable Exchange in the New Guinea Highlands
Authors: Gaffney Dylan , Summerhayes Glenn R. , Szabo Katherine , Koppel Brent
Published: December 2018

Shell valuable exchange in the New Guinea Highlands has been a key interest in anthropology, providing insight into economics, aesthetics, and social stratification among banded communities. This article describes how shell exchange at ethnographic present reflects deeper historical processes. We trace the origins and subsequent changes in shell use from the terminal Pleistocene to the Late Holocene at the site of Kiowa in Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea. Zooarchaeological and technological analyses of Kiowa's shell artifacts indicates riverine mussel was procured locally from the terminal Pleistocene (9,500–10,000 years ago) and featured as a minor component in the diet into the recent precolonial period. In contrast, evidence for marine shell valuables only appears in the Late Holocene in the form of Trochus armbands andTegillarca granosaandPolymesodacf.erosamultifunctional tools. This challenges ideas that associate the gradual dispersal of marine shell into the highlands with the spread of agriculture around the Wahgi Valley at the start of the Holocene and supports punctuated pulses of coastal contact. In doing so, we formulate a testable model for the development of shell exchange into the highlands, with implications for the emergence of stratification and the conduits between the interior and coast. [shell valuables, trade and exchange, coastal contact, stratification, New Guinea Highlands]
Cytokine profiles of phakic and pseudophakic eyes with primary retinal detachment
Authors: Garweg Justus G. , Zandi Souska , Pfister Isabel , Rieben Robert , Skowronska Magdalena , Tappeiner Christoph
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To compare the cytokine profiles of phakic (p) and pseudophakic (ps) eyes with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) to eyes with macular holes (MH) and to identify differences in the specific cytokine profiles.

Methods

Aqueous humour (AH) and vitreous fluid (VF) were obtained from patients with primary RD without proliferative vitreoretinopathy undergoing vitrectomy. AH and VF of patients with macular holes (MH) served as controls. Forty‐three different cytokines were quantified using multiplex cytokine analysis. Intergroup and intragroup comparisons were performed. To control for multiple comparisons, Holm's correction was applied.

Results

VF and AH samples of 71 eyes with RD (pRD N = 38; psRD N = 33) and 26 eyes with MH were included. Cytokine levels in psRD and pRD were similar (none with >10‐fold difference). The levels of 39 of 43 cytokines in the VF were significantly higher in eyes with RD than in those with MH (>10‐fold: CXLC5, CCL26, CCL1, IL‐6, CXCL11, CCL7, CCL13, MIG/CXCL9, CCL19 and TGF‐β1). In the AH, 23 of 43 cytokines were significantly higher compared to MH (>10‐fold: CXCL5, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8/CXCL8 and CCL7).

Conclusion

A complex, but nonspecific cytokine environmental response seems to initiate immunological and profibrotic processes following RD. Relevant differences in the cytokine profiles of eyes with pRD and psRD were not identified, whereas cytokine differences between AH and VF in RD could be explained by upregulation in the vitreous, a higher turn around in the anterior chamber, or differences in inflammatory cascades in both compartments.
Central retinal thickness following panretinal photocoagulation using a multispot semi‐automated pattern‐scanning laser to treat ischaemic diabetic retinopathy: Treatment in one session compared with four monthly sessions
Authors: Gabrielle Pierre‐Henry , Massin Pascale , Kodjikian Laurent , Erginay Ali , Pallot Charlotte , Jonval Lysiane , Soudry Agnès , Couturier Aude , Vardanian‐Vartin Cristina , Bron Alain M. , Creuzot‐Garcher Catherine
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To compare central retinal thickness (CRT) after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) with a multispot semi‐automated PAttern‐SCAnning Laser (PASCAL) in one session (SS‐PRP) versus four monthly sessions (MS‐PRP) in diabetic retinopathy.

Methods

Multicentre, prospective, randomized, single‐blinded, controlled trial evaluating the noninferiority of SS‐PRP versus MS‐PRP for CRT measured with macular spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT), with a 9‐month follow‐up in patients presenting severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) or mild proliferative DR without macular oedema (ME) at baseline.

Results

Ninety‐seven eyes of 97 participants with a mean age of 57.0 ± 14.2 years were included. The mean change of CRT from baseline to 9 months was not statistically different in SS‐PRP or in MS‐PRP: +16.9 ± 28.3 μm versus +24.7 ± 31.8 μm, respectively (p = 0.224). The variation in mean best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to 9 months was similar in both groups: −1.1 ± 6.5 letters versus −0.6 ± 6.2 letters (p = 0.684). The number of patients with stabilization of DR was not statistically different between the two groups. No severe complication was recorded in either group.

Conclusion

This study showed the noninferiority of PRP performed in one session versus four monthly sessions with a PASCAL concerning central retinal thickness for treating mild proliferative or severe nonproliferative DR without ME at baseline.
Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure for inguinal hernia in infants younger than 6 months: A comparison with conventional open repair
Authors: Zenitani Masahiro , Saka Ryuta , Sasaki Takashi , Takama Yuichi , Tani Gakuto , Tanaka Natsumi , Ueno Takehisa , Tazuke Yuko , Oue Takaharu , Okuyama Hiroomi
Published: December 2018

Introduction

This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) and conventional open repair (OR) for inguinal hernia in infants younger than 6 months.

Methods

The medical records of 202 patients who had undergone LPEC or OR at an age younger than 6 months between 2010 and 2016 were reviewed. Patient characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between LPEC and OR.

Results

In total, there were 120 LPEC (76 males, 44 females) and 83 OR (76 males, 7 females) cases. There were no differences in median age, median bodyweight, and presence of incarceration between the two groups (LPEC group: 3 months (range, 0–5 months), 5.7 kg (range, 2.3–9.6 kg), and 13.3%; OR group: 3 months (range, 1–5 months), 5.5 kg (range, 2.1–9.0 kg), and 12.0%). LPEC was completed in all cases without any intraoperative complications or open conversions. In the LPEC group, 60.0% of unilateral hernia patients had a contralateral patent processus vaginalis and underwent prophylactic closure. The incidence of metachronous contralateral hernia was significantly lower in the LPEC group than in the OR group (0% vs 10.0%, P < 0.01). Operative time was significantly shorter during LPEC than during OR (P < 0.01) for male patients. The recurrence rate was lower in the LPEC group (0.83%) than in the OR group (2.4%), but the difference was not significant.

Conclusion

The present data indicate that LPEC is comparable to OR in terms of safety and efficacy in infants younger than 6 months. Moreover, among the LPEC group, there were fewer incidences of metachronous contralateral hernia, and the procedure had a shorter operative time.
Effect of storage temperatures and duration on quality of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin
Authors: Lu Qing , Sun Jingxin , Huang Ming , Guo Yuchen , Memon Arif
Published: December 2018

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage temperatures and time on discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin. Freshly prepared chicken breast containing paprika oleoresin was stored at −2, −10, −18°C, and an oscillating temperature between −10 and −18°C (−10/−18°C). A significant decrease in redness was detected at −2, −10, and −10/−18°C. The lowest TBARS values and carbonyl contents were observed in the samples stored at −18°C for 5 weeks. Also, the values of sulfhydryl groups gradually decreased with the increase in storage temperatures and duration. The results suggest a positive correlation between the loss of redness and oxidation in all samples. The findings indicated that the discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast added with paprika oleoresin were inhibited significantly when stored at −18°C.
Causes of bruising in carcasses of beef cattle during farm, transport, and slaughterhouse handling in Brazil
Authors: Mendonça Fábio S. , Vaz Ricardo Z. , Vaz Fabiano N. , Leal Willian S. , Silveira Isabella D. B. , Restle João , Boligon Arione A. , Cardoso Fernando F.
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to assess preslaughter factors responsible for the occurrence of bruises to front, rib, loin, hip, and round sites of cattle carcasses. Data from the slaughter of 148 loads of cattle were assessed, totaling 4,611 carcasses. Evaluated bruising factor variables were animal gender, journey distance (km), vehicle type (m²), journey time (hours), load density (kg/m2), handling and facilities conditions (optimal, acceptable, and unacceptable), and unloading waiting time (min). Gender had the strongest influence on carcass bruising, being the first variable to enter in the majority of models related to the carcass sites. Female carcasses displayed higher bruising in all sites. Densities above 401 kg/m² caused more bruising. With the exception of the loin, unacceptable, and acceptable conditions assigned to farm facilities and handling resulted in higher average bruising. Articulated vehicles with a greater load capacity were more likely to cause bruising. The effects of variables causing bruises act differently in the various carcass sites. In this sense, the results of this study suggested possible management practices for specific problems during the preslaughter period to minimize losses by bruising to different carcass sites.
Behind the ‘Miracle’: Non‐Traditional Agro‐Exports and Water Stress in Marginalised Areas of Ica, Peru
Authors: Williams Peter , Murray Warwick E.
Published: December 2018

Expansion in the non‐traditional agricultural export sector following neoliberal reform has precipitated an economic transformation in Peru. Non‐traditional agricultural export growth has brought environmental, social and distributive costs. This article critically examines the Peruvian asparagus boom and the impact of this on water availability among marginal groups. Based on primary case study fieldwork, the paper asserts that the agro‐export model is causing the over‐exploitation of important groundwater supplies in the Ica Valley where almost all of Peru's fresh asparagus is produced. This reveals wider issues concerning neoliberal development and the political economy of natural resource allocation in Latin America.
Nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 antioxidative response mitigates cytoplasmic radiation‐induced DNA double‐strand breaks
Authors: Wang Jun , Konishi Teruaki
Published: December 2018

It has been reported that DNA double‐strand breaks (DSB) can be induced by cytoplasm irradiation, and that both reactive free radicals and mitochondria are involved in DSB formation. However, the cellular antioxidative responses that are stimulated and the biological consequences of cytoplasmic irradiation remain unknown. Using the Single Particle Irradiation system to Cell (SPICE) proton microbeam facility at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences ([NIRS] Japan), the response of nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (NRF2) antioxidative signaling to cytoplasmic irradiation was studied in normal human lung fibroblast WI‐38 cells. Cytoplasmic irradiation stimulated the localization of NRF2 to the nucleus and the expression of its target protein, heme oxygenase 1. Activation of NRF2 by tert‐butylhydroquinone mitigated the levels of DSB induced by cytoplasmic irradiation. Mitochondrial fragmentation was also promoted by cytoplasmic irradiation, and treatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi‐1) suppressed cytoplasmic irradiation‐induced NRF2 activation and aggravated DSB formation. Furthermore, p53 contributed to the induction of mitochondrial fragmentation and activation of NRF2, although the expression of p53 was significantly downregulated by cytoplasmic irradiation. Finally, mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) production was enhanced under cytoplasmic irradiation, and use of the MitoSOX scavenger mitoTEMPOL indicated that MitoSOX caused alterations in p53 expression, mitochondrial dynamics, and NRF2 activation. Overall, NRF2 antioxidative response is suggested to play a key role against genomic DNA damage under cytoplasmic irradiation. Additionally, the upstream regulators of NRF2 provide new clues on cytoplasmic irradiation‐induced biological processes and prevention of radiation risks.
Enzymatic synthesis of novel purine nucleosides bearing a chiral benzoxazine fragment
Authors: Eletskaya Barbara Z. , Gruzdev Dmitry A. , Krasnov Victor P. , Levit Galina L. , Kostromina Maria A. , Paramonov Alexander S. , Kayushin Alexei L. , Muzyka Inessa S. , Muravyova Tatyana I. , Esipov Roman S. , Andronova Valeria L. , Galegov Georgiy A. , Charushin Valery N. , Miroshnikov Anatoly I. , Konstantinova Irina D.
Published: December 2018

A series of ribo‐ and deoxyribonucleosides bearing 2‐aminopurine as a nucleobase with 7,8‐difluoro‐ 3,4‐dihydro‐3‐methyl‐2H‐[1,4]benzoxazine (conjugated directly or through an aminohexanoyl spacer) was synthesized using an enzymatic transglycosylation reaction. Nucleosides 3‐6 were resistant to deamination under action of adenosine deaminase (ADA) Escherichia coli and ADA from calf intestine. The antiviral activity of the modified nucleosides was evaluated against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1, strain L2). It has been shown that at sub‐toxic concentrations, nucleoside (S)‐4‐[2‐amino‐9‐(β‐D‐ribofuranosyl)‐purin‐6‐yl]‐7,8‐difluoro‐3,4‐dihydro‐3‐methyl‐2H‐[1,4]benzoxazine exhibit significant antiviral activity (SI > 32) on the model of HSV‐1 in vitro, including an acyclovir‐resistant virus strain (HSV‐1, strain L2/R).
Cross‐sectional associations of sex hormones with leucocyte telomere length, a marker of biological age, in a community‐based cohort of older men
Authors: Yeap Bu B. , Hui Jennie , Knuiman Matthew W. , Handelsman David J. , Flicker Leon , Divitini Mark L. , Arscott Gillian M. , McLennan Susan V. , Twigg Stephen M. , Almeida Osvaldo P. , Hankey Graeme J. , Golledge Jonathan , Norman Paul E. , Beilby John P.
Published: December 2018

Context

Telomeres protect chromosomes from damage, and shorter leucocyte telomere length (LTL) is a marker of advancing biological age. The association between testosterone (T) and its bioactive metabolites, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and oestradiol (E2) with telomere length, particularly in older men, is uncertain. The study aimed to clarify associations of sex hormones with LTL in older men.

Participants and methods

We used cross‐sectional data from 2913 men aged 76.7 ± 3.2 years with morning blood samples assayed for T, DHT, E2 (mass spectrometry), and sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG, immunoassay), to correlate sex hormones with LTL measured using PCR and expressed as T/S ratio in multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular disease history.

Results

Average difference per decade of age was T −0.46 nmol/L, DHT −0.11 nmol/L, E2 −7.5 pmol/L, SHBG +10.2 nmol/L and LTL (T/S ratio) −0.065. E2 correlated with T/S ratio (r = 0.038, P = 0.039) and SHBG was inversely correlated (r = −0.053, P = 0.004). After multivariable adjustment, E2 was associated with T/S ratio (per 1 SD increase E2: coefficient 0.011, P = 0.043), T and DHT were not associated. When E2 and SHBG were simultaneously included, E2 remained positively (coefficient 0.014, P = 0.014) and SHBG inversely (coefficient −0.013, P = 0.037) associated with T/S ratio.

Conclusions

In older men, neither T nor DHT is associated with LTL while E2 is independently associated with LTL and SHBG is inversely associated, thus relating sex hormone exposure to lower biological age. Further research is needed to determine causality and clarify the role of sex hormones in male ageing.
Multiobjective computation offloading for workflow management in cloudlet‐based mobile cloud using NSGA‐II
Authors: Xu Xiaolong , Fu Shucun , Yuan Yuan , Luo Yun , Qi Lianyong , Lin Wenmin , Dou Wanchun
Published: December 2018

Cloudlet is a novel computing paradigm, introduced to the mobile cloud service framework, which moves the computing resources closer to the mobile users, aiming to alleviate the communication delay between the mobile devices and the cloud platform and optimize the energy consumption for mobile devices. Currently, the mobile applications, modeled by the workflows, tend to be complicated and computation‐intensive. Such workflows are required to be offloaded to the cloudlet or the remote cloud platform for execution. However, it is still a key challenge to determine the offloading resolvent for the deadline‐constrained workflows in the cloudlet‐based mobile cloud, since a cloudlet often has limited resources. In this paper, a multiobjective computation offloading method, named MCO, is proposed to address the above challenge. Technically, an energy consumption model for the mobile devices is established in the cloudlet‐based mobile cloud. Then, a corresponding computation offloading method, by improving Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II, is designed to achieve the goal of energy saving for all the mobile device while satisfying the deadline constraints of the workflows. Finally, extensive experimental evaluations are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed method.
Pleura revisited: From histology and pathophysiology to pathology and molecular biology
Authors: Karpathiou Georgia , Peoc’h Michel
Published: December 2018

Pleural cavity has an interesting physiology that when impaired gives rise to pleural effusions a rather frequent problem in respiratory medicine practice. Their aetiology varies widely producing distinct pathological lesions with different prognosis and treatment. The basic morphological features of pleural diseases, neoplastic and non‐neoplastic, will be analysed in this review with an emphasis to their pathophysiology, differential diagnosis and clinicopathological correlations.
Decadal effects of landscape‐wide enrichment of dead wood on saproxylic organisms in beech forests of different historic management intensity
Authors: Roth Nicolas , Doerfler Inken , Bässler Claus , Blaschke Markus , Bussler Heinz , Gossner Martin M. , Heideroth Antje , Thorn Simon , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Müller Jörg
Published: December 2018

Aim

European temperate forests have lost dead wood and the associated biodiversity owing to intensive management over centuries. Nowadays, some of these forests are being restored by enrichment with dead wood, but mostly only at stand scales. Here, we investigated effects of a seminal dead‐wood enrichment strategy on saproxylic organisms at the landscape scale.

Location

Temperate European beech forest in southern Germany.

Methods

In a before–after control–impact design, we compared assemblages and gamma diversities of saproxylic organisms in strictly protected old‐growth forest areas (reserves) and historically moderately and intensively managed forest areas before and a decade after starting a landscape‐wide strategy of dead‐wood enrichment.

Results

Before enrichment with dead wood, the gamma diversity of saproxylic organisms in historically intensively managed forest stands was significantly lower than in reserves and historically moderately managed forest stands; this difference disappeared after 10 years of dead‐wood enrichment. The species composition of beetles in forest stands of the three historical management intensities differed before the enrichment strategy, but a decade thereafter, the species compositions of previously intensively logged and forest reserve plots were similar. However, the differences in fungal species composition between historical management categories before and after 10 years of enrichment persisted.

Main conclusions

Our results demonstrate that intentional enrichment of dead wood at the landscape scale is a powerful tool for rapidly restoring saproxylic beetle communities and for restoring wood‐inhabiting fungal communities, which need longer than a decade for complete restoration. We propose that a strategy of area‐wide active restoration combined with some permanent strict refuges is a promising means of promoting the biodiversity of age‐long intensively managed Central European beech forests.
Coase Lecture ‐ The Inverted‐U Relationship Between Credit Access and Productivity Growth
Authors: Aghion Philippe , Bergeaud Antonin , Cette Gilbert , Lecat Rémy , Maghin Hélène
Published: December 2018

We identify two counteracting effects of credit access on productivity growth: on the one hand, better access to credit makes it easier for entrepreneurs to innovate; on the other hand, better credit access allows less efficient incumbent firms to remain longer on the market, thereby discouraging entry of new and potentially more efficient innovators. We first develop a simple model of firm dynamics and innovation‐based growth with credit constraints, where the above two counteracting effects generate an inverted‐U relationship between credit access and productivity growth. Then we test our theory on a comprehensive French manufacturing firm‐level dataset. We first show evidence of an inverted‐U relationship between credit constraints and productivity growth when we aggregate our data at the sectoral level. We then move to firm‐level analysis, and show that incumbent firms with easier access to credit experience higher productivity growth, but that they also experience lower exit rates, particularly the least productive firms among them. To support these findings, we exploit the 2012 Eurosystem's Additional Credit Claims programme as a quasi‐experiment that generated an exogenous extra supply of credits for a subset of incumbent firms.