bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sparing a Craniotomy: The Role of Intraoperative Methylene Blue in Management of Midline Dermoid Cysts
Authors: Phelan Alannah L. , Jones Christine M. , Ceschini Ashley S. , Henry Cathy R. , Mackay Donald R. , Samson Thomas D.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Midline nasal dermoid cysts are rare congenital anomalies that extend intracranially in approximately 10 percent of cases. Cysts with intracranial extension require a craniotomy to avoid long-term complications, including meningitis, abscesses, and cavernous sinus thrombosis. Current guidelines recommend preoperative imaging with either magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography to determine appropriate management.

Methods:

Patients who underwent excision of a midline nasal dermoid cyst between January 1995 and September 2016 were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. In cases with equivocal imaging findings or uncertain stalk extent during surgical dissection, methylene blue was used intraoperatively. Demographics, preoperative imaging findings, intraoperative dye findings, surgical approach, and complications were collected.

Results:

A total of 66 midline dermoid cyst excisions were identified; 17 (25.8 percent) had intracranial extension requiring craniotomy. Preoperative imaging showed a subcutaneous cyst in 41 (62.1 percent), intraosseous tracking in three (4.5 percent), and intracranial extension in 15 (22.7 percent). Twelve patients (18.2 percent) had preoperative imaging that was inconsistent with intraoperative findings. Methylene blue was used in 17 cases and indigo carmine was used in one case. Intraoperative dye findings changed management in five cases, and in three cases a craniotomy was avoided without evidence of cyst recurrence.

Conclusions:

This report is the largest published series of midline dermoid cysts with intracranial extension. In almost 20 percent of cases, preoperative imaging was not consistent with intraoperative findings. Given disparate radiographic and intraoperative findings, methylene blue is a valuable tool that can facilitate appropriate, morbidity-sparing management of midline dermoid cysts.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, IV.
Principles of Breast Re-Reduction: A Reappraisal
Authors: Mistry Raakhi M. , MacLennan Susan E. , Hall-Findlay Elizabeth J.
Published: May 2017

Background:

This article examines outcomes following breast re-reduction surgery using a random pattern blood supply to the nipple and vertical scar reduction.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent bilateral breast re-reduction surgery performed by a single surgeon over a 12-year period. Patient demographics, surgical technique, and outcomes were analyzed.

Results:

Ninety patients underwent breast re-reduction surgery. The average interval between primary and secondary surgery was 14 years (range, 0 to 42 years). The majority of patients had previously undergone primary breast reduction using an inferior pedicle [n = 37 (41 percent)]. Breast re-reduction surgery was most commonly performed using a random pattern blood supply, rather than recreating the primary pedicle [n = 77 (86 percent)]. The nipple-areola complex was repositioned in 60 percent of patients (n = 54). The mean volume of tissue resected was 250 g (range, 22 to 758 g) from the right breast and 244 g (range, 15 to 705 g) from the left breast. Liposuction was also used adjunctively in all cases (average, 455 cc; range, 50 to 1750 cc). Two patients experienced unilateral minor partial necrosis of the areolar edge but not of the nipple itself (2 percent).

Conclusions:

Breast re-reduction can be performed safely and predictably, even when the previous technique is not known. Four key principles were developed: (1) the nipple-areola complex can be elevated by deepithelialization rather than recreating or developing a new pedicle; (2) breast tissue is removed where it is in excess, usually inferiorly and laterally; (3) the resection is complemented with liposuction to elevate the bottomed-out inframammary fold; and (4) skin should not be excised horizontally below the inframammary fold.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, IV.
Efficiency of B-mode Ultrasound and Strain Elastography in Differentiating Between Benign and Malignant Cervical Lymph Nodes
Authors: Turgut Eser , Celenk Cetin , Tanrivermis Sayit Asli , Bekci Tumay , Gunbey Hediye Pinar , Aslan Kerim
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of ultrasonography (US), especially when combined with strain elastography (SE), in differentiating between benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes (LNs).

Methods

Forty-one LNs were examined by B-mode US, power Doppler US, and SE. The following imaging features were analyzed: shape, echogenicity, echogenic hilum, calcification, intranodal vascular pattern, elasticity scores (5 categories), and strain ratio. The average strain ratio was calculated as the mean strain of the adjacent sternocleidomastoid muscle divided by the mean strain of the target LN. The results of the US and SE features were compared with the histopathologic findings.

Results

The imaging features that were significantly associated with malignant LNs were an increased short-to-long axis diameter ratio, abnormal or absence of hilum, microcalcification, type 2-3-4 vascularity, 3-4-5 elasticity scores, and a high level of strain ratio (P < 0.05). The cutoff value of the strain index was detected as 1.18. According to this, there was a significant difference (P = 0.004) in the strain index between benign and malignant LNs.

Conclusions

Strain elastography is useful in differentiating between benign and malignant cervical LNs, thereby informing decisions to perform a biopsy and/or surgery, and facilitating follow-up.
Synthesis of extracellular stable gold nanoparticles byCupriavidus metalliduransCH34 cells (revision)
Authors: Montero-Silva Francisco
Published: May 2017

The biogenic synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is of increasing interest. In this report, synthesis of gold nanoparticles by the model heavy metal-resistant strainCupriavidus metalliduransCH34 andEscherichia colistrain MG1655 was studied. For the synthesis of AuNPs, bacterial cells and secretomes were incubated with Au(III) ions, revealing that only CH34 cells can produce dispersions of AuNPs. Comparative bioinformatic analysis of proteomes from both strains showed potential CH34 proteins that may be electron donors during reduction of extracellular Au(III) ions and for the biosynthesis of gold nuggets in nature. Powder X-ray diffraction demonstrated that biogenic AuNPs are composed of face-centered cubic gold with a crystallinity biased towards {111} planes. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that AuNPs morphology was dominated by triangular and decahedral nanostructures. EDX and FT-IR spectra showed the presence of sulfur and vibrations associated to the biogenic AuNPs. Based on these results, and analyses of previous genomic and proteomic data, a mechanism for extracellular gold reduction and synthesis of AuNPs by strain CH34 is proposed. Average AuNPs diameter was obtained by nanoparticle tracking analysis, dynamic light scattering and analysis of electron microscopy images. DLS studies showed that biogenic AuNPs colloids are stable after exposure to ultrasound, high ionic strength and extreme pH conditions, and revealed the presence of basic groups associated to the AuNPs surface. Electrophoretic and dynamic light scattering indicated that biogenic dispersions of AuNPs are stabilized by a steric mechanism. The AuNPs produced byC. metalliduransCH34 are not cytotoxic towards bacterial cells, in contrast to biogenic AgNPs. These stable non-toxic biogenic AuNPs have potential clinical applications including development of topic delivery formulations and optical biosensors.
Biomod2EZ - An R script suite for visualizing projected niche model ensembles and reporting statistical results
Authors: Sesink Clee Paul R. , Woloszynek Stephen , Gonder Mary Katherine
Published: May 2017

Biomod2EZ is a suite of R scripts to use in conjunction with the Biomod2 R package by Thuiller et al. (2016) that is used to create ensemble ecological niche models using up to 11 different modeling techniques. Biomod2EZ adds to the functionality of Biomod2 (Thuiller et al. 2016) by incorporating a report generation feature, detailed script annotation, and sample dataset/tutorial to ease the transition from ecological niche modeling using a Graphical User Interface to the coding environment of the R framework (R Development Core Team, 2016).
Inferential Pitfalls in Decoding Neural Representations
Authors: Popov Vencislav , Ostarek Markus , Tenison Caitlin
Published: May 2017

A key challenge for cognitive neuroscience is to decipher the representational schemes of the brain. A recent class of decoding algorithms for fMRI data, stimulus-feature-based encoding models, is becoming increasingly popular for inferring the dimensions of neural representational spaces from stimulus-feature spaces. We argue that such inferences are not always valid, because decoding can occur even if the neural representational space and the stimulus-feature space use different representational schemes. This can happen when there is a systematic mapping between them, as shown by two simulations. In one simulation, we successfully decoded the binary representation of numbers from their decimal features. Since binary and decimal number systems use different representations, we cannot conclude that the binary representation encodes decimal features. In the second simulation, we successfully decoded the HSV color representation from the RGB representation of colors, even though these color spaces have different geometries and their dimensions have different interpretations. Detailed analysis of the predicted colors showed systematic deviations from the ground truth despite the high decoding accuracy, indicating that decoding accuracy on its own is not sufficient for making representational inferences. The same argument applies to the decoding of neural patterns from stimulus-feature spaces and we urge caution in inferring the nature of the neural code from such methods. We discuss ways to overcome these inferential limitations.
DIA-Pipe: Identification and Quantification of Post-Translational Modifications using exclusively Data-Independent Acquisition
Authors: Meyer Jesse G. , Mukkamalla Sushanth , D’Souza Alexandria K. , Nesvizhskii Alexey I. , Gibson Bradford W. , Schilling Birgit
Published: May 2017

Label-free quantification using data-independent acquisition (DIA) is a robust method for deep and accurate proteome quantification1,2. However, when lacking a pre-existing spectral library, as is often the case with studies of novel post-translational modifications (PTMs), samples are typically analyzed several times: one or more data dependent acquisitions (DDA) are used to generate a spectral library followed by DIA for quantification. This type of multi-injection analysis results in significant cost with regard to sample consumption and instrument time for each new PTM study, and may not be possible when sample amount is limiting and/or studies require a large number of biological replicates. Recently developed software (e.g. DIA-Umpire) has enabled combined peptide identification and quantification from a data-independent acquisition without any pre-existing spectral library3,4. Still, these tools are designed for protein level quantification. Here we demonstrate a software tool and workflow that extends DIA-Umpire to allow automated identification and quantification of PTM peptides from DIA. We accomplish this using a custom, open-source graphical user interface DIA-Pipe (https://github.com/jgmeyerucsd/PIQEDia/releases/tag/v0.1.2) (figure 1a).
TiSAn: Estimating Tissue Specific Effects of Coding and Noncoding Variants
Authors: Vervier Kévin , Michaelson Jacob J.
Published: May 2017

Measures of general deleteriousness, like CADD or PolyPhen, have become indispensable tools in the interpretation of genetic variants. However, these measures say little about where in the organism these deleterious effects will be most apparent. An additional, complementary measure is needed to link deleterious variants (as determined by e.g., CADD) to tissues in which their effect will be most meaningful. Here, we introduce TiSAn (Tissue Specific Annotation), a tool that predicts how related a genomic position is to a given tissue (http://github.com/kevinVervier/TiSAn). TiSAn uses machine learning on genome-scale, tissue-specific data to discriminate variants relevant to a tissue from those having no bearing on the development or function of that tissue. Predictions are then made genome-wide, and these scores can then be used to contextualize and filter variants of interest in whole genome sequencing or genome wide association studies (GWAS). We demonstrate the accuracy and versatility of TiSAn by introducing predictive models for human heart and human brain, and detecting tissue-relevant variations in large cohorts for autism spectrum disorder (TiSAn-brain) and coronary artery disease (TiSAn-heart). We find that TiSAn is better able to prioritize genetic variants according to their tissue-specific action than the current state of the art method, GenoSkyLine.
Swapping of transmembrane domains in the epithelial calcium channel TRPV6
Authors: Singh Appu K. , Saotome Kei , Sobolevsky Alexander I.
Published: May 2017

Tetrameric ion channels have either swapped or non-swapped arrangements of the S1-S4 and pore domains. Here we show that mutations in the transmembrane domain of TRPV6 can result in conversion from a domain-swapped to non-swapped fold. These results reveal structural determinants of domain swapping and raise the possibility that a single ion channel subtype can fold into either arrangementin vivo, affecting its function in normal or disease states.
Mutations in disordered regions cause disease by creating endocytosis motifs
Authors: Meyer Katrina , Uyar Bora , Kirchner Marieluise , Cheng Jingyuan , Akalin Altuna , Selbach Matthias
Published: May 2017

Mutations in intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins can cause a wide spectrum of diseases. Since IDRs lack a fixed three-dimensional structure, the mechanism by which such mutations cause disease is often unknown. Here, we employ a proteomic screen to investigate the impact of mutations in IDRs on protein-protein interactions. We find that mutations in disordered cytosolic regions of three transmembrane proteins (GLUT1, ITPR1 and CACNA1H) lead to an increased binding of clathrins. In all three cases, the mutation creates a dileucine motif known to mediate clathrin-dependent trafficking. Follow-up experiments on GLUT1 (SLC2A1), a glucose transporter involved in GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, revealed that the mutated protein mislocalizes to intracellular compartments. A systematic analysis of other known disease-causing variants revealed a significant and specific overrepresentation of gained dileucine motifs in cytosolic tails of transmembrane proteins. Dileucine motif gains thus appear to be a recurrent cause of disease.
Alpha oscillations during incidental encoding predict subsequent memory for new “foil” information
Authors: Vogelsang David A. , Gruber Matthias , Bergström Zara M. , Ranganath Charan , Simons Jon S.
Published: May 2017

People can employ adaptive strategies to increase the likelihood that previously encoded information will be successfully retrieved. One such strategy is to constrain retrieval towards relevant information by re-implementing the neurocognitive processes that were engaged during encoding. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we examined the temporal dynamics with which constraining retrieval towards semantic versus non-semantic information affects the processing of new “foil” information encountered during a memory test. Time-frequency analysis of EEG data acquired during an initial study phase revealed that semantic compared to non-semantic processing was associated with alpha decreases in a left frontal electrode cluster from around 600ms after stimulus onset. Successful encoding of semantic versus non-semantic foils during a subsequent memory test was related to decreases in alpha oscillatory activity in the same left frontal electrode cluster, which emerged relatively late in the trial at around 1000–1600ms after stimulus onset. Across subjects, left frontal alpha power elicited by semantic processing during the study phase correlated significantly with left frontal alpha power associated with semantic foil encoding during the memory test. Furthermore, larger left frontal alpha power decreases elicited by semantic foil encoding during the memory test predicted better subsequent semantic foil recognition in an additional surprise foil memory test. These findings indicate that constraining retrieval towards semantic information involves re-implementing semantic encoding operations that are mediated by alpha oscillations, and that such re-implementation occurs at a late stage of memory retrieval perhaps reflecting additional monitoring processes.
Rob and MarA alter susceptibility ofEscherichia colito antibiotics in presence of salicylate
Authors: Jain Kirti , Saini Supreet
Published: May 2017

When exposed to stress, bacterial cells launch a diverse response to enhance their chances of survival. This response involves modulation of expression of a large number of proteins which help the cell counter stress. This modulation is facilitated by several transcription factors in bacteria and inE. colithree homologous regulators, MarA, Sox, and Rob are known to launch a coordinated response to combat various stress environments. MarA and SoxS are known to control multiple antibiotic resistance and superoxide regulon respectively. Rob has been observed to control similar downstream targets as MarA and SoxS. However, physiological relevance of Rob in not understood. We show that Rob along with MarA, in presence of inducer salicylate, can help cell survive in presence of lethal concentration of wide range of antibiotics.
Genome-wide sequence and expression analysis of the NAC transcription factor family in polyploid wheat
Authors: Borrill Philippa , Harrington Sophie A. , Uauy Cristobal
Published: May 2017

ARTICLE SUMMARY

Transcription factors are vital in plants to regulate gene expression in response to environmental stimuli and to control developmental processes. In this study, we annotated and classified transcription factors in polyploid bread wheat into gene families and explored the NAC family in detail. We combined phylogenetic analysis and transcriptome analysis, using publicly available RNA-seq data, to characterize the NAC gene family and provide hypotheses for putative functions of many NAC transcription factors. This study lays the groundwork for future studies on transcription factors in wheat which may be of great agronomic relevance.

Many important genes in agriculture correspond to transcription factors which regulate a wide range of pathways from flowering to responses to disease and abiotic stresses. In this study, we identified 5,776 transcription factors in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) and classified them into gene families. We further investigated the NAC family exploring the phylogeny, C-terminal domain conservation and expression profiles across 308 RNA-seq samples. Phylogenetic trees of NAC domains indicated that wheat NACs divided into eight groups similar to rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). C-terminal domain motifs were frequently conserved between wheat, rice and barley within phylogenetic groups, however this conservation was not maintained across phylogenetic groups. We explored gene expression patterns across a wide range of developmental stages, tissues, and abiotic stresses. We found that more phylogenetically related NACs shared more similar expression patterns compared to more distant NACs. However, within each phylogenetic group there were clades with diverse expression profiles. We carried out a co-expression analysis on all wheat genes and identified 37 modules of co-expressed genes of which 23 contained NACs. Using GO term enrichment we obtained putative functions for NACs within co-expressed modules including responses to heat and abiotic stress and responses to water: these NACs may represent targets for breeding or biotechnological applications. This study provides a framework and data for hypothesis generation for future studies on NAC transcription factors in wheat.
Filament Rigidity and Connectivity Tune the Deformation Modes of Active Biopolymer Networks
Authors: Stam Samantha , Freedman Simon L. , Banerjee Shiladitya , Weirich Kimberly L. , Dinner Aaron R. , Gardel Margaret L.
Published: May 2017

Molecular motors embedded within collections of actin and microtubule filaments underlie the dynamic behaviors of cytoskeletal assemblies. Understanding the physics of such motor-filament materials is critical to developing a physical model of the cytoskeleton and the design of biomimetic active materials. Here, we demonstrate through experiments and simulations that the rigidity and connectivity of filaments in active biopolymer networks regulates the anisotropy and the length scale of the underlying deformations, yielding materials with varying contractility. Semi-flexible filaments that can be compressed and bent by motor stresses undergo deformations that are predominantly biaxial. By contrast, rigid filament bundles contract via actomyosin sliding deformations that are predominantly uniaxial. Networks dominated by filament buckling are robustly contractile under a wide range of connectivities, while networks dominated by actomyosin sliding can be tuned from contractile to extensile through reduced connectivity via cross-linking. These results identify physical parameters that control the forces generated within motor-filament arrays, and provide insight into the self-organization and mechanics of cytoskeletal assemblies.
Structure diagnostics of heterostructures and multi-layered systems by X-ray multiple diffraction
Authors: Borcha Mariana , Fodchuk Igor , Solodkyi Mykola , Baidakova Marina
Published: May 2017

This article presents the results of research on multi-layered heterostructures by a modified calculation technique of multiple X-ray diffraction. The Al
x
In1−x
Sb heterostructure and a Zn(Mn)Se/GaAs(001) multi-layered system were used as models to specify conditions for cases of coincidental coplanar three-beam or coincidental noncoplanar four-beam X-ray diffraction. These conditions provide the means for a high-precision determination of lattice parameters and strain anisotropy in layers.
Policy support for own-brand innovation in China’s auto industry: panacea or placebo?
Authors: Yang Dongjin , Tachia Chin , Ren-huai Liu , Yao Zuowei
Published: May 2017

Purpose

China has become the world’s largest vehicle market, because of the strong governmental support to boost car sales and particularly because of the establishment of joint ventures between state-owned enterprises and world-class automakers. However, because many Sino-foreign joint ventures have performed unsatisfactorily in terms of creating indigenous brands, the purpose of this paper is to explore the cause-and-effect relationships among governmental policy support, Sino-foreign joint ventures and own-brand innovation in China’s passenger-car industry.

Design/methodology/approach

After briefly introducing the development history of the Chinese auto industry and reviewing relevant literature, first, the analytic hierarchy process method is used to create a unique, context-specific equation to measure the degree of policy support in China. This paper then uses the hierarchical multiple regression method to process the 2014 public data set.

Findings

The findings show that the degree of policy support increases the preference of the firms for producing foreign-brand cars, while such a relationship is fully mediated by the establishment of Sino-foreign joint ventures.

Research limitations/implications

The research brings greater and deeper insights into the interplay among governmental policy, the conduct of own-brand strategy and international joint ventures in China’s auto market, showing that policy support may not always be beneficial, but sometimes be detrimental to indigenous innovation.

Originality/value

This paper can be seen as an exciting step that adds to a better understanding of the role of political support in shaping the strategic choices of firms in terms of brand innovation in the Chinese automobile industry. The proposed novel, context-specific approach for evaluating the degree of policy support embodies the distinctive institutional complexity and intricate social network embedded in the local car market during the period of China’s socio-economic transformation – an approach that is original in this field.
The performance effect of micro-innovation in SMEs: evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Qing , Fang Gang , Yang Wei , Wu Yun , Ren Liqin
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to theoretically and empirically analyze the impact of the types of micro-innovation on innovation performance and the choice of micro-innovation strategies in different contexts on the basis of an examination of the basis and standards of micro-innovation categorization.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected and analyzed 206 survey samples from the Zhejiang Province in China; there were 68, 63 and 75 enterprises at inception, high growth and maturity stages, respectively, and there were, in total, 53, 90 and 63 low-tech manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), technology-intensive manufacturing SMEs and service-oriented SMEs, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The analysis results suggest that SMEs at the embryonic stage should choose strategies of imitative innovation, whereas SMEs at growth stage should use continued micro-innovation and independent micro-innovation as the optimal choices; it is better for the SMEs at the mature stage to resort to independent micro-innovation. Low-tech manufacturing SMEs should opt for the continued micro-innovation strategy, and technology-intensive manufacturing SMEs should adopt independent micro-innovation, whereas service-oriented SMEs should choose both continued and independent micro-innovation strategies.

Originality/value

This study sets up a classification framework of micro-innovation and addresses its category and sources, thus extending the micro-innovation research results. The conclusion also supports and enriches the view of open innovation in the innovation theory. Hidden behind the phenomenon that internal and external factors play vital roles, it is a basic rule that innovation activities must be subject to various related factors.
Bridging the gap: reflections on theorizing with managers
Authors: Leeflang Peter S.H.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on Nenonen et al.’s paper on theorizing with managers. This paper discusses differences between marketing science and marketing practice and gives suggestions to reduce the theory–praxis gap. It gives examples of quantitative studies that have been performed with practioners and use the choices proposed by Nenonen et al. to draw conclusions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on personal experience of the author, which is supported by a substantial number of empirical studies.

Findings

Cooperation with marketing managers/decision-makers is most successful when the initiator is the practitioner. Public policy and litigation are the most promising areas for cooperation. It is difficult to publish the outcomes of these “joint” studies in top journals.

Originality/value

This study extends and continues the results of the study by Nenonen et al.
The impact of regulatory focus and word of mouth valence on search and experience attribute evaluation
Authors: Roy Rajat , Naidoo Vik
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the direct and interactive effects of regulatory focus (promotion versus prevention), attribute type (search versus experience) and word of mouth valence (positive versus negative) on consumption decision for a service and a product.

Design/methodology/approach

Three empirical studies (two laboratories and a field experiment) using “university” and “mobile phone” as the research setting were used to test the key hypotheses.

Findings

Promotion (prevention)-focused subjects preferred experience (search) attributes over their counterparts while making consumption decision. This preference was further reinforced for both promotion and prevention-focused people under positive word of mouth. Under negative word of mouth, in comparison to their counterparts, promotion-focused people still retained their preference for experience attributes, whereas prevention-focused subjects reversed their preference and maintained status quo.

Research limitations/implications

Future research may validate and extend authors’ findings by looking into the underlying process or studying additional word of mouth variables that may moderate the current findings.

Practical implications

The findings will help managers devise a range of marketing strategies in the areas of advertising and product positioning, especially for products/services that are showcased in terms of experience and search attributes.

Originality/value

The current research is novel as no prior research has proposed and tested the two-way interaction between regulatory focus and search/experience attributes, or its further moderation by word of mouth valence.
Being the first entrant and getting stuck in the middle
Authors: Montaguti Elisa , Zammit Alessandra
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how pioneering advantage interacts with the compromise effect generated by new product entries. Building on prior work on pioneering advantage and extreme aversion, this research moves toward understanding how the choice share of a pioneer realigns as a consequence of new product entries generating compromise-like scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors run three experiments to test their propositions. The authors present one study which documents the effect. The second study provides process evidence. The third study suggests how brands can neutralize the adverse effect on their share generated by the followers’ entry/positioning.

Findings

In three studies, the authors showed that when a pioneering product becomes intermediate in a choice set, its share is more adversely affected than when it becomes extreme. The authors show that this depends on consumers’ propensity to use non-compensatory decision rules in the presence of a pioneering alternative. The authors also document that the relative disadvantage of the intermediate pioneer can be overcome when the reasons for selecting an intermediate alternative based on a compensatory decision rule are restored.

Practical implications

The research provides guidelines for managers wanting to enter product categories where a pioneer already exists. The authors show that opting for an extreme position that renders the pioneer intermediate can be rewarding. In contrast, being the second extreme player in a market where the pioneer becomes extreme reduces the expected share of this last entrant.

Originality/value

The authors’ contribution is in showing that this decision strategy can clash with the rule consumers generally use in a compromise setting and that this clash generates two different effects when the pioneer becomes intermediate or extreme.
The effect of specialization on operational performance
Authors: Halkjær Søren , Lueg Rainer
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how specialization in hospitals affects operational performance, measured by the length of stay and readmission rate. The authors assess a public policy change in the Danish healthcare sector from 2011 which required that some hospital services had to be centralized leading to specialization within the merged departments.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking an institutional theory perspective, the authors conduct a natural experiment. The data include 24,694 observations of urological patient treatments from 2010 to 2012.

Findings

The econometric difference-in-difference analysis finds that the readmission rate decreases by approximately four percentage points in the departments affected by the policy change. Contrary to expectations, the length of stay increases by 0.38 days. The authors complement the natural experiment with a mixed-methods approach that includes proprietary data from the management control system of the hospital, public documentation on the policy change, as well as interviews with key informants. These data suggest that operational deficiency is related to the fact that specialization was externally enforced through the public policy change. The authors illustrate how the hospital staff struggle for legitimacy after this policy change, and how cost savings obstructed the specialized department in achieving its goals.

Originality/value

The authors conclude that the usual economies-of-scales-based logic of (higher)volume-(better)outcome studies cannot easily be transferred to specialization in hospitals, unless one accounts for the institutional reason of the specialization.
Do corporate boards affect firm performance? New evidence from an emerging economy
Authors: Yasser Qaiser Rafique , Mamun Abdullah Al , Seamer Michael
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine an association between board demographics and corporate performance using a sample of Pakistani firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange in the 2014 year.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is unique in that corporate performance is examined using a mixture of performance measures: accounting-based measures (return on assets), market-based measures (Tobin’sQ, earnings per share, and total return) and economic profit measures (economic value added).

Findings

The results of this research show a significant positive relationship between board size, minority representation on the board and the appointment of a family director and enhanced firm performance. However, contrary to expectations, the authors also find that instead of adding value, the appointment of independent directors to Pakistani firm boards negatively impacts firm value.

Originality/value

This study adds to a growing body of empirical evidence that suggests that agency theory-based corporate governance recommendations adopted in developed economies may not be relevant to emerging economy firms.
Principles of performance dialogue in public administration
Authors: Laihonen Harri , Mäntylä Sari
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The literature acknowledges the importance of interpretative processes, discussion, and organizational learning in public performance management, but a knowledge gap remains concerning the mechanism of performance dialogue. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to study the principles of performance dialogue and collaborative performance management in public administration.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a longitudinal research setting and analyzes the evolution of performance management practices in one city organization in Finland.

Findings

The study suggests that performance dialogue needs to be integrated with management practices and explains how this can be done. Three guiding principles of performance dialogue and collaborative performance management are derived. These underline the role of “referees of the information game”, a supportive and encouraging environment and a focus on the use of performance information.

Practical implications

Performance information is too often provided as a back-office function, and dialogue with information users is either completely lacking or somehow disturbed. The performance dialogue provides a platform for collaborative sense making and helps managers to better understand the complex phenomena and processes they are responsible for.

Originality/value

The literature dealing specifically with the change from centralized and vertical performance management practices toward decentralized and horizontal practices is still scarce. This paper provides a new perspective on management control and organizational learning in public administration based on performance dialogue.
Mixed messages, mixed outcomes: the effects of reconciliation and retaliation story endings on aggression
Authors: Ridge Robert D. , Dresden Brooke E. , Farley Felicia L. , Hawk Christopher E.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of reconciliation and retaliation story endings on subsequent aggressive affect and behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants took part in two ostensibly unrelated studies. The first involved reading a violent story, attributed to a biblical or secular source, which ended in either brutal retaliation or peaceful reconciliation. They then took part in a second study in which they completed measures of aggressive affect and behavior.

Findings

Participants told that their stories came from a secular source experienced a more aggressive affect than those told that their stories came from a biblical source. In terms of behavioral aggression, a significant difference in effect of the story ending on males and females emerged. Females who read the reconciliation ending had lower levels of behavioral aggression than females who read the retaliation ending. Conversely, males who read the reconciliation ending had higher levels of behavioral aggression than males who read the retaliation ending.

Research limitations/implications

These findings suggest that media depictions of prosocial reactions to unprovoked aggression may not reduce aggression in men.

Practical implications

Results are discussed in terms of moral values espoused by women and men and suggest that anti-violence messages may be strengthened to the extent they address the values important to both.

Originality/value

This study extends research on violent media exposure to a burgeoning literature on reading violent content.
Information and knowledge processes as a knowledge management framework in health care
Authors: Känsäkoski Helena
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Effective knowledge management (KM) enables the health care organisations to reach their goals. In modern health care the empowered patients are active partners, whose preferences, needs and values should be taken into account. Shared decision making (SDM) aims at involving the patient and the health professionals as equal partners in care. The purpose of this paper is to present a new model of health care information and knowledge processes (IKPs) as a KM framework. The aim is to scrutinise what types of knowing can be identified the IKPs and how do the knowledge processes support SDM. The role of patients in the IKPs is discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative case study was conducted in two Finnish university hospital districts in integrated care pathways of childhood obesity. In total, 30 professionals and three mothers and children were interviewed 2009-2011 and the findings were supported with a survey (n=13) and document material.

Findings

The findings indicate that the patients and families involvement in the IKPs is modest. This implies that SDM is not completely fulfilled which may affect the families commitment to positive lifestyle changes.

Research limitations/implications

The data of the patients and families were limited due to the challenges with recruitment.

Practical implications

The detailed IKP model enables the health organisations to scrutinise their own IKPs and to identify the shortages in order to change practices.

Originality/value

This paper presents a new model of health care KM which recognises the patients as active partners.
Affect account of disposition effect and consequences for stock prices
Authors: Gärling Tommy , Blomman Mary , Carle Tim Alexander
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an affect account that identifies emotions driving sell preferences in stock markets that result in the disposition effect (winning stocks hold too short and losing stocks too long) and to specify how stock prices are influenced.

Design/methodology/approach

The affect account is derived based on analyses of previous research showing the disposition effect, proposed explanations of the effect, and basic emotion research. An individual-level analysis is performed of the consequences for stock market prices.

Findings

The main proposal is that investors prefer to sell when price increases make the increasing balance of hope and fear equal to a faster increasingly balance of anticipated elation and disappointment, and when price decreases make the faster increasingly negative hope-fear balance equal to the increasing negative elation-disappointment balance. Steepness in slope of the negative hope-fear balance accounts for whether a loser is never sold (an extreme disposition effect), sold later than a winning stock (the usually observed disposition effect), or sold earlier than a winning stock (a reverse disposition effect). The individual-level analysis suggests that the affect-driven disposition effect would intensify or attenuate trends in stock prices depending on the demand-supply balance.

Originality/value

A conceptual contribution to research of emotion influences on stock trading and specifically to explanations of the disposition effect on sell decisions by less sophisticated and experienced investors.
Quantifying Sexual Dimorphism in the Human Cranium: A Preliminary Analysis of a Novel Method
Authors: Casado Ana M.
Published: May 2017

In forensic anthropology, sexually dimorphic cranial features are traditionally visually assessed and scored using an ordinal scale, which is highly subjective. This study quantifies six cranial features using original three‐dimensional coordinate measurements to provide greater accuracy in sex estimation. Cranial features include supraorbital ridges, glabella, external occipital protuberance, nuchal protuberances, mastoid processes, and frontal bosses. Measurements were taken using coordinate calipers from 158 White and Black male and female crania from the Maxwell Documented Collection at University of New Mexico and Tennessee's Bass Collection. Overall, 72.2% of the crania were correctly classified. Males were correctly classified 69.9% of the time, while females were correctly classified 74.7% of the time. The overall value is similar to the results from traditional methods and suggests this method may be just as reliable as established visual sex estimation techniques.
Influenza‐associated delays in patient throughput and premature patient departure in emergency departments in New South Wales, Australia: A time series analysis
Authors: Muscatello David J , Bein Kendall J , Dinh Michael M
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Influenza outbreaks cause overcrowding in EDs. We aimed to quantify the impact of influenza on the National Emergency Access Targets and premature patient departure in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of 11 million presentations to 115 hospitals during 2010–2014, using routinely collected administrative records. A time series generalised additive regression model was used to assess the correlation between weekly influenza activity and the weekly proportion of patients leaving the ED in >4 h and the proportion that departed before commencing or completing treatment (‘did not wait’), after controlling for background winter and holiday effects.

Results

During 2011–2014, peak annual circulating influenza was associated with the peak weekly proportion of presentations that left in >4 h. The maximum estimated absolute weekly change in that proportion was 3.88 (95% confidence interval 3.02–4.74) percentage points in 2014. For presentations that did not wait, influenza circulation was associated with statistically significant increases in all years, with a maximum weekly value of 2.68 (95% confidence interval 2.31–3.06) percentage points in 2012.

Conclusions

Circulating influenza was associated with sustained increases and peaks in delayed patient throughput and premature patient departures. Influenza surveillance information may assist with development of health system and hospital workforce planning and bed management activities.
Protective role of physical activity on type 2 diabetes: Analysis of effect modification by race–ethnicity
Authors: Boyer William R. , Churilla James R. , Ehrlich Samantha F. , Crouter Scott E. , Hornbuckle Lyndsey M. , Fitzhugh Eugene C.
Published: May 2017

Background

It is well known physical activity (PA) plays a role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the extent to which PA may affect T2D risk among different race–ethnic groups is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to systematically examine the effect modification of race–ethnicity on PA and T2D.

Methods

The PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched through June 2016. Study assessment for inclusion was conducted in three phases: title review (n = 13 022), abstract review (n = 2200), and full text review (n = 265). In all, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria and were used in the analysis. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and analyzed using Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis software. All analyses used a random‐effects model.

Results

A significant protective summary RR, comparing the most active group with the least active PA group, was found for non‐Hispanic White (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.60–0.85), Asians (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67–0.85), Hispanics (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64–0.89), and American Indians (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.60–0.88). The summary effect for non‐Hispanic Blacks (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.76–1.08) was not significant.

Conclusions

The results of the present study indicate that PA (comparing most to least active groups) provides significant protection from T2D, with the exception of non‐Hispanic Blacks. The results also indicate a need for race–ethnicity‐specific reporting of RRs in prospective cohort studies that incorporate multiethnic samples.
PipeCraft: Flexible open‐source toolkit for bioinformatics analysis of custom high‐throughput amplicon sequencing data
Authors: Anslan Sten , Bahram Mohammad , Hiiesalu Indrek , Tedersoo Leho
Published: May 2017

High‐throughput sequencing methods have become a routine analysis tool in environmental sciences as well as in public and private sector. These methods provide vast amount of data, which need to be analysed in several steps. Although the bioinformatics may be applied using several public tools, many analytical pipelines allow too few options for the optimal analysis for more complicated or customized designs. Here, we introduce PipeCraft, a flexible and handy bioinformatics pipeline with a user‐friendly graphical interface that links several public tools for analysing amplicon sequencing data. Users are able to customize the pipeline by selecting the most suitable tools and options to process raw sequences from Illumina, Pacific Biosciences, Ion Torrent and Roche 454 sequencing platforms. We described the design and options of PipeCraft and evaluated its performance by analysing the data sets from three different sequencing platforms. We demonstrated that PipeCraft is able to process large data sets within 24 hr. The graphical user interface and the automated links between various bioinformatics tools enable easy customization of the workflow. All analytical steps and options are recorded in log files and are easily traceable.