bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A merged approach for modeling qualitative characteristics of agile arena under grey domain
Authors: Sahu Atul Kumar , Naval Deepti , Narang Harendra Kumar , Rajput Mridul Singh
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Agile practices are important for executing business dealings proficiently in today’s scenario, as they thrust on implicating strategies for meeting quick market requirements. These practices are noteworthy from the point of competitiveness and for fulfilling customer’s demands speedily and promptly. The purpose of this paper is to appraise agile supplier selection dilemma based on analytical hierarchy process (AHP), which accompanied grey information. The authors drafted a group of momentous agile supplier selection measures, which can be utilized by the group of industrial and manufacturing industries to measure the status of agile parameters in their partner firms. G-TOPSIS approach to handling the case of agile supplier selection problem is presented by the authors in this work.

Design/methodology/approach

The conception of AHP, grey theory and TOPSIS techniques is fused in this study, under the application arena of agile supply chain management (ASCM). The AHP principals are implicated in the first phase to define the priority importance weights of agile measures and, additionally, grey theory and TOPSIS principals are fused in the second phase to fabricate a significant agile supplier selection model.

Findings

A merged approach accompanying multiple measures is developed for aiding decision making and for modeling qualitative characteristics of agile arena under grey domain. The present work can be utilized to access the agile performance characteristics of the organization and can define the status of their partner suppliers. The technical guidelines of AHP and G-TOPSIS approach are explained in this study to be implicated in distinguish decision fields. An educational podium for dispensing the theoretical knowledge on supply chain management, ASCM and agility is presented in this study.

Originality/value

A second-level hierarchical structure is built by the authors to facilitate the managers in taking effective decision pertaining to agile measure in their organizations. The lists of qualitative characteristics are catalogued from the literature review in this study. The built model can undertake risk associated in defining the nature of agile criterions as grey concept can undertake risk associated with the system. Thus, the authors implicated G-TOPSIS approach to handling the case of agile supplier selection problem in this study. The presented hierarchical structure will capably assist the industrial and manufacturing firms to react toward random and unpredictable market requirements, along with attaining organizations goals and profits.
The role of internet in stock market participation: just a matter of habit?
Authors: Fernández-López Sara , Rey-Ares Lucía , Vivel-Búa Milagros
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to adopt a behavioural approach to explain how the internet use influences stock market participation (SMP) decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the literature on sociability and SMP, this paper analyses whether virtual sociability affects SMP decision in a sample of 34,715 individuals in 14 European countries.

Findings

The results show that internet users are more likely to be stockowners. However, the obtained evidence does not support either an informational effect or a social multiplier effect of the virtual sociability. After controlling by the country’s SMP rates, a positive effect of internet usage on SMP decision remains, suggesting that contextual factors matter rather than internet usageper se. Thus, in countries where individuals are “used” to being stockholders, the habit of using internet increases SMP, but the “breeding ground” is a necessary condition.

Originality/value

The massive use of the internet provides a valuable opportunity to find evidence of the frictional costs which would act as inhibitors of the SMP, as economic theory hypothesised. After some promising results, the differences in the evolution of both the SMP and internet usage rates have not confirmed the initial enthusiasm. In addition, the question of why the SMP rates systematically differ across countries still remains open.
Towards the creation of an emotion lexicon for microblogging
Authors: Kalamatianos Georgios , Symeonidis Symeon , Mallis Dimitrios , Arampatzis Avi
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The rapid growth of social media has rendered opinion and sentiment mining an important area of research with a wide range of applications. This paper aims to focus on the Greek language and the microblogging platform Twitter, investigating methods for extracting emotion of individual tweets as well as population emotion for different subjects (hashtags).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose and investigate the use of emotion lexicon-based methods as a mean of extracting emotion/sentiment information from social media. The authors compare several approaches for measuring the intensity of six emotions: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise. To evaluate the effectiveness of the methods, the authors develop a benchmark dataset of tweets, manually rated by two humans.

Findings

Development of a new sentiment lexicon for use in Web applications. The authors then assess the performance of the methods with the new lexicon and find improved results.

Research limitations/implications

Automated emotion results of research seem promising and correlate to real user emotion. At this point, the authors make some interesting observations about the lexicon-based approach which lead to the need for a new, better, emotion lexicon.

Practical implications

The authors examine the variation of emotion intensity over time for selected hashtags and associate it with real-world events.

Originality/value

The originality in this research is the development of a training set of tweets, manually annotated by two independent raters. The authors “transfer” the sentiment information of these annotated tweets, in a meaningful way, to the set of words that appear in them.
Private investment in transportation infrastructure in Brazil: the effects of state action
Authors: da Rocha Fernando Vinícius , Saes Maria Sylvia Macchione
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impacts of the investment programs created by the Brazilian federal government on private investment in transportation infrastructure (crowding-in effect).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used two quantitative techniques of data analysis: cluster analysis and panel data analysis.

Findings

The results show that the investment programs created by the Brazilian federal government were successful in attracting private agents to invest in transportation infrastructure in the country. This effect is observed even in the cases of programs focused on public investments.

Research limitations/implications

Advancing the research area that seeks to assess the impact of public policies is the main practical and social implications of the papers. As a research limitation we can highlight that need for a comparison to other country investment’s public policies.

Practical implications

Performance of public policies.

Social implications

Economic development.

Originality/Value

The paper discusses the effects of the Brazilian Federal Government programs for infrastructure investment in the private investment in the country (investment in transportation infrastructure). The issue is relevant for policies makers.
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with immunoglobulin A lambda monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: A case report and review of previously reported cases
Authors: Umemura Hiroshi , Yamasaki Osamu , Iwatsuki Keiji
Published: May 2018

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis is often associated with immunoglobulin (Ig)A deposition on the vascular walls. IgA‐associated leukocytoclastic vasculitis comprises various underlying diseases. Hematological disorders that can be minor triggers include multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Here, we present the case of a 78‐year‐old woman with leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance of the IgA lambda chain. Oral steroid administration initially showed remission of vasculitis; however, the condition recurred after four attempts of treatment withdrawal. We also reviewed previous reports of 14 cases of IgA‐associated leukocytoclastic vasculitis, of which 11 were associated with multiple myeloma and three with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
Utility of electrical velocimetry‐based noninvasive stroke volume variation in predicting fluid responsiveness under different ventilation modes in anaesthetized dogs
Authors: Sasaki Kazumasu , Mutoh Tatsushi , Yamamoto Shuzo , Taki Yasuyuki , Kawashima Ryuta
Published: May 2018

We evaluated the utility of noninvasive stroke volume variation (SVV) as a functional haemodynamic predictor for fluid responsiveness under different ventilation modes (assist control [A/C], synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation [SIMV], and continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP]) in 45 anaesthetized dogs, using an electrical velocimetry device. Receiver operating curve analysis confirmed the best predictive value duringSVVA/C(12.5% of cut‐off value; 75% sensitivity and 86% specificity) followed bySVVSIMV(13.5% of cut‐off value; 75% sensitivity and 75% specificity), while no statistical significance was detected duringSVVCPAP(P > .05). These data suggest thatSVVis useful for the prediction of fluid responsiveness in laboratory dogs during A/C andSIMV, while its reliability duringCPAPis poor.
Optimal Timing of Physician Visits after Hospital Discharge to Reduce Readmission
Authors: Riverin Bruno D. , Strumpf Erin C. , Naimi Ashley I. , Li Patricia
Published: May 2018

Objective

To identify the optimal timing of in‐person physician visit after hospital discharge to yield the largest reduction in readmission among elderly or chronically ill patients.

Data Sources/Study Setting/Extraction Methods

We extracted insurance billing data on 620,656 admissions for any cause from 2002 to 2009 in Quebec, Canada.

Study Design

We used flexible survival models to estimate inverse probability weights for the precise timing (days) of in‐person physician visit after discharge and weighted competing risk outcome models.

Principal Findings

Readmission reduction associated with in‐person physician visits (compared to none) was seen early after discharge, with 67.8 fewer readmissions per 1,000 discharges if physician visit occurred within 7 days (95 percent CI: 66.7–69.0), and 110.0 fewer readmissions within 21 days (95 percent CI: 108.2–111.7). The period of largest contribution to readmission reduction was seen in the first 10 days, while physician visits occurring later than 21 days after discharge did not further contribute to reducing hospital readmissions. Larger risk reductions were observed among patients in the highest morbidity level and for in‐person follow‐up with a primary care physician rather than a medical specialist.

Conclusions

When provided promptly, postdischarge in‐person physician visit can prevent many readmissions. The benefits appear optimal when such visit occurs within the first 10 days, or at least within the first 21 days of discharge.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Reports of Fatal Cases
Authors: Nourbakhsh Mahra , Miller Angela , Gofton Jeff , Jones Graham , Adeagbo Bamidele
Published: May 2018

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is one of the more clinically challenging effects of cannabis consumption. It is characterized by cyclic attacks of nausea and vomiting in chronic cannabinoid users and learned behavior of compulsive hot bathing. The deaths of a 27‐year‐old female, a 27‐year‐old male, and a 31‐year‐old male with a history of CHS are reported. The decedents had a history of cyclical nausea and vomiting, chronic cannabinoid use and negative laboratory, radiological and endoscopic findings. All presented to the emergency department with nausea and vomiting in the days preceding death and were treated symptomatically. Toxicological analysis revealed tetrahydrocannabinol in postmortem blood. The cause of death of two of the three cases was attributed to CHS. CHS was appreciated in the third case but was not the cause of death. These three cases demonstrate the importance of recognizing CHS as a potential cause or contributing factor to death in cannabinoid user.
Differences between Homicides Committed by Lone and Multiple Offenders in Korea
Authors: Park Jisun , Cho Joon Tag
Published: May 2018

The aim of this study was to differentiate between homicides committed by multiple offenders and homicides committed by lone offenders. Using data on homicide incidents that occurred in South Korea between 1985 and 2008, we compared 134 homicides committed by multiple offenders, with 369 homicides committed by lone offenders. A greater proportion of homicides committed by multiple offenders involved injuries to the victim's head compared to homicides by lone offenders. Homicides committed by multiple offenders were more likely to involve blunt instruments and ligatures, whereas homicides by lone offenders were more likely to involve sharp instruments. In addition, a majority of the homicides committed by multiple offenders were planned. The results of this study have practical implications for homicide investigations, as well as theoretical implications for homicide research on the difference in offense behaviors based on the number of offenders.
Albumin Apheresis for Artificial Liver Support: In Vitro Testing of a Novel Filter
Authors: Piatek Tomasz , Giebultowicz Joanna , Rüth Marieke , Lemke Horst‐Dieter , Bonn Florian , Wroczynski Piotr , Hrenczuk Marta , Malkowski Piotr , Rozga Jacek
Published: May 2018

Currently there is no direct therapy for liver failure. We have previously described selective plasma exchange therapy using a hemofilter permeable to substances that have a molecular mass of up to 100 kDa. The proof‐of‐concept studies and a Phase I study in patients with decompensated cirrhosis demonstrated that hemofiltration using an albumin‐leaking membrane is safe and effective in removing target molecules, alleviating severe encephalopathy and improving blood chemistry. In this study a novel large‐pore filter for similar clinical application is described. The performance of the filter was studied in vitro; it was found to effectively remove a wide spectrum of pathogenic factors implicated in the pathophysiology of hepatic failure, including protein bound toxins and defective forms of circulating albumin. Data on mass transport characteristics and functionality using various modes of filtration and dialysis provide rationale for clinical evaluation of the filter for artificial liver support using albumin apheresis.
Increased chewing reduces energy intake, but not postprandial glucose and insulin, in healthy weight and overweight young adults
Authors: Borvornparadorn Montinee , Sapampai Vasana , Champakerdsap Chunya , Kurupakorn Wipawee , Sapwarobol Suwimol
Published: May 2018

Aim

This randomised cross‐over design study aimed to investigate different chewing activities between healthy weight and overweight individuals and to determine the effect of chewing on energy intake and postprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations.

Methods

Forty‐one participants were classified into healthy weight and overweight groups according to body mass index (BMI). In Phase I, bite size (g/bite), bite rate (bites/minutes), chewing frequency (chews/minutes) and chews (chews/g food) were recorded after a sandwich breakfast. In Phase II, the mass of a sandwich consumed after 15 and 50 chews per bite (results of Phase I) was recorded. Postprandial plasma glucose and insulin were also examined at 0 (baseline), 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes.

Results

The results showed that the number of chews per bite was higher in lean participants as compared to overweight participants. Energy intake was highest in overweight participants who chewed 15 times per bite. Additionally, participants consumed less energy after 50 chews regardless of their BMI status. The results also demonstrated that 50 chews per bite insignificantly increased plasma insulin concentrations at every time point in both lean and obese subjects. Insulin concentrations were not significantly changed at each time point regardless of the number of chews.

Conclusions

Overweight participants chewed less and ingested more calories. Chewing 50 times per bite could reduce caloric intake regardless of weight status, suggesting that slow eating via increased chewing may help to reduce energy intake during meals. However, chewing did not affect postprandial plasma glucose and insulin levels in healthy young adults.
Strategic leadership will be essential for dietitian eHealth readiness: A qualitative study exploring dietitian perspectives of eHealth readiness
Authors: Maunder Kirsty , Walton Karen , Williams Peter , Ferguson Maree , Beck Eleanor
Published: May 2018

Aim

To explore dietitians' perspectives on the eHealth readiness of Australian dietitians, and to identify strategies to improve eHealth readiness of the profession.

Methods

Dietitians who met the criteria for nutrition informatics experts participated in semi‐structured interviews between June 2016 and March 2017. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis using coding was undertaken until consensus was reached by the researchers regarding key themes, topics and exemplar quotes.

Results

Interviews with 10 nutrition informatics experts revealed 25 discussion topics grouped into four main themes: benefits of eHealth for dietitians; risks of dietitians not being involved in eHealth; dietitians are not ready for eHealth; and strategies to improve eHealth readiness. The strategies identified for improving eHealth readiness included: collaboration and representation, education, offering of incentives and mentoring, as well as development of a national strategy, organisational leaders, nutrition informatics champions and a supportive environment.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that dietitians may not be ready for eHealth. Strategic leadership and the actioning of other identified strategies will be imperative to preparing dietitians for eHealth to ensure the profession can practice effectively in the digital age, optimise nutrition care and support research for eHealth. If dietitians do not engage in eHealth, others may take their place, or dietitians may be forced to use eHealth in ways that are not the most effective for practice or maximising patient outcomes.
Real world study of regimen containing bevacizumab as first‐line therapy in Chinese patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xing Puyuan , Mu Yuxin , Wang Yan , Hao Xuezhi , Zhu Yixiang , Hu Xingsheng , Wang Hongyu , Liu Peng , Lin Lin , Wang Zhijie , Li Junling
Published: May 2018

Background

Large scale randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that the use of bevacizumab in addition to chemotherapy in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) conveys significant survival benefits. We explored the clinical impact of a first‐line regimen containing bevacizumab (B+) versus a non‐bevacizumab regimen (non‐B) in advanced non‐squamous NSCLC (NS‐NSCLC) patients in a real world setting.

Methods

The medical records of patients with advanced NS‐NSCLC who received first‐line therapy with or without bevacizumab were retrospectively collected. The primary outcome was progression‐free survival (PFS), with secondary objectives of objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety. Exploratory analysis of EGFR and ALK status was conducted in subgroup.

Results

One hundred and forty‐nine patients met the selection criteria: 62 in the B+ and 87 in the non‐B group. The baseline characteristics were well balanced. In the overall population, the median PFS was significantly longer in the B+ than in the non‐B group (9.7 vs. 7.0 months, hazard ratio [HR] 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30–0.91; P = 0.0184). Improved trends in both ORR and DCR were observed in the B+ group. In wild‐type patients, the median PFS of the B+ was 11.3 compared to 5.5 months in the non‐B group (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20–0.91; P = 0.0234). In wild type and unknown populations, the median PFS was 11.3 (B+) compared to 6.0 months (non‐B) (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.28–1.02; P = 0.0520). The safety profile was acceptable in both groups and no unexpected findings were observed.

Conclusion

Our analysis confirmed that a first‐line regimen containing bevacizumab showed superior clinical benefits over a non‐bevacizumab regimen in Chinese patients with advanced NS‐NSCLC in a real world setting.
Effect of childhood adversities on alcohol problems is mainly mediated by depression
Authors: Salokangas Raimo K. R. , From Tiina , Luutonen Sinikka , Salokangas Henri R. W. , Hietala Jarmo
Published: May 2018

Background and Objectives

We aimed to study how five childhood adversities and trauma (CAT) core domains: emotional abuse (EmoAb), physical abuse (PhyAb), sexual abuse (SexAb), emotional neglect (EmoNeg), physical neglect (PhyNeg), associate with alcohol problems (APs), and whether there are any gender differences in these associations.

Methods

Altogether, 690 adult participants drawn from the general population completed a mailed questionnaire, including the trauma and distress scale, as an indicator of CAT, and questions concerning sociodemographic background, depressive symptoms, and APs.

Results

In univariate analyses, male gender, middle age, divorced/separated marital status and lower education, frequency of use of alcohol, previous treatment for mental problems, as well as depressive symptoms and CAT domain scores were associated with APs. Of the CAT domains, females reported more EmoAb and SexAb than males, but there was no gender difference in other CAT domains and depressive symptoms. In multivariate analyses, when the effects of background characteristics were controlled, CAT sum and all its domains had indirect effects via depressive symptoms on APs with no significant direct effect except in females, in whom PhyAb and SexAb associated directly with APs even when the effects of other CAT domains were taken into account.

Conclusions and Scientific Significance

All CAT domains associate extensively with APs. Generally, their effect on APs is mainly mediated via depressive symptoms. In females, PhyAb and SexAb also have a considerable direct effect on APs. In treating individuals with CAT experiences and alcohol problems, treatment of depression is also important. (Am J Addict 2018;27:391–399)
Effect of neurological monitoring in postoperative 5–15 days residual thyroidectomy after primary thyroid cancer surgery
Authors: Long Miao‐yun , Diao Fei‐yu , Peng Li‐na , Tan Lang‐ping , Zhu Yue , Huang Kai , Li Hong‐hao
Published: May 2018

Aim

To explore the application of intraoperative neurological monitoring in residual thyroidectomy 5–15 days after thyroid cancer operation and the influence on postoperative serum thyroglobulin (Tg), recurrent laryngeal nerve and function of parathyroid glands.

Methods

Material of patients receiving thyroid surgery from January 2010 to December 2016 was retrospectively analyzed. Cases meeting with standards were enrolled for analysis and the patients were divided into neurological monitoring group and non‐neurological monitoring group in line with the use of neurological monitoring during the operation. Recurrent laryngeal nerve‐injured hoarseness, hypoparathyroidism and concentration of serum Tg before and after the surgery were collected and analyzed.

Results

Four‐hundred and thirty‐five patients met with standards, among which 227 from neurological monitoring group and 208 from non‐neurological monitoring group. Temporary hoarseness rate of non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 8.67% and 2.2%. Permanent hoarseness rate of non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 1.92% and 0.44%. Temporary hypoparathyroidism rate of non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 18.75% and 7.48%. Permanent hypoparathyroidism rate of non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 1.92% and 0.88%. Average Tg concentration 1 month after the surgery in non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 2.82 and 1.37 ng/mL, respectively. Rate of average Tg concentration less than 1 ng/mL 1 month after the surgery in non‐neurological monitoring group and neurological monitoring group was 45.06% and 67.4%.

Conclusion

Intraoperative neurological monitoring can be adopted in residual thyroidectomy in postoperative 5–15 days after primary thyroid cancer surgery, as to reduce incidence rate of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism and to enhance thorough removal of thyroid tissues and cancer tissues.
Prospective short‐term feasibility study of perioperative suprapubic catheters in laparoscopic colectomy
Authors: Nagao Sayaka , Saida Yoshihisa , Enomoto Toshiyuki , Takahashi Asako , Higuchi Tadashi , Moriyama Hodaka , Niituma Toru , Watanabe Manabu , Asai Koji , Kusachi Shinya
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Here we report a prospective study on whether a temporary suprapubic catheter (SPC) can be safely inserted as a substitute for transurethral balloon catheterization during laparoscopy‐assisted colectomy.

Methods

Our subjects included 52 cases who gave informed consent to have an SPC inserted. These subjects were selected from cases who underwent laparoscopy‐assisted surgery for primary colorectal cancer from October 2014 to August 2015.

Results

An SPC was inserted into 45 of the original 52 cases. The median surgical duration was 220 min (range, 11–438 min), and the SPC insertion was performed at a median of 133 min (range, 9–384 min) after the start of surgery. Insertion required a median duration of 116 s. In one case (2.2%), the bladder was perforated by the paracentesis needle, and in two cases (4.4%), hematuria was observed at the time of insertion; however, surgery was completed without any incident in these three cases. Six of the remaining 42 cases (13.3%) demonstrated neither micturition desire nor independent urination on the day the catheter was clamped. In these cases, the clamp was released two to four times, and draining of an average of 586‐mL urine, micturition desire, and independent urination were confirmed 2–4 days later.

Conclusion

Transurethral balloon catheterization is a simple procedure that is commonly used on surgical patients, but it can cause pain, discomfort, and infection. In contrast, SPC insertion is a procedure that avoids crossing the urethra and its associated disadvantages. Here we were able to demonstrate that the procedure can be safely used in laparoscopic surgery patients.
Study of the effect of genotype–environment interaction on age at first calving and production traits in Nellore cattle using multi‐trait reaction norms and Bayesian inference
Authors: de Araujo Neto Francisco Ribeiro , Pegolo Newton Tamassia , Aspilcueta‐Borquis Rusbel Raul , Pessoa Matilde Conceição , Bonifácio Alexandre , Lobo Raysildo Barbosa , de Oliveira Henrique Nunes
Published: May 2018

This study investigated the effects of genotype–environment interaction on yearling weight, age at first calving and post‐weaning weight gain in Nellore cattle using multi‐trait reaction norm models. The environmental gradient was defined as a function of the mean yearling weight of the contemporary groups. A first‐order random regression sire model with four classes of residual variance was used in the analyses and Bayesian methods were applied to estimate the (co)variance components. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.284 to 0.547, 0.222 to 0.316 and 0.256 to 0.522 for yearling weight, age at first calving and post‐weaning weight gain, respectively. The lowest genetic correlations between environment groups for each trait were 0.38, 0.02 and 0.04 for yearling weight, age at first calving and post‐weaning weight gain, respectively. Differences in the correlation estimates were observed between traits in the same environments, with the magnitude of the estimates tending toward zero as the environment improved. The results highlight the importance of including genotype–environment interactions in genetic evaluation programs considering the differences observed between environmental groups not only in terms of heritability, but also of genetic correlations.
Hydrogen sulfide pathway and skeletal muscle: an introductory review
Authors: Vellecco Valentina , Armogida Chiara , Bucci Mariarosaria
Published: May 2018

The presence of the H2S pathway in skeletal muscle (SKM) has recently been established. SKM expresses the three constitutive H2S‐generating enzymes in animals and humans, and it actively produces H2S. The main, recognized molecular targets of H2S, that is, potassium channels and PDEs, have been evaluated in SKM physiology in order to hypothesize a role for H2S signalling. SKM dysfunctions, including muscular dystrophy and malignant hyperthermia, have also been evaluated as conditions in which the H2S and transsulfuration pathways have been suggested to be involved. The intrinsic complexity of the molecular mechanisms involved in excitation‐contraction (E‐C) coupling together with the scarcity of preclinical models of SKM‐related disorders have hampered any advances in the knowledge of SKM function. Here, we have addressed the role of the H2S pathway in E‐C coupling and the relative importance of cystathionine β‐synthase, cistathionine γ‐lyase and 3‐mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase in SKM diseases.
Routine Language: Speech Directed to Infants During Home Activities
Authors: Tamis‐LeMonda Catherine S. , Custode Stephanie , Kuchirko Yana , Escobar Kelly , Lo Tiffany
Published: May 2018

Everyday activities are replete with contextual cues for infants to exploit in the service of learning words. Nelson's (1985) script theory guided the hypothesis that infants participate in a set of predictable activities over the course of a day that provide them with opportunities to hear unique language functions and forms. Mothers and their firstborn 13‐month‐old infants (N = 40) were video‐recorded during everyday activities at home. Transcriptions and coding of mothers’ speech to infants—time‐locked to activities of feeding, grooming, booksharing, object play, and transition—revealed that the amount, diversity, pragmatic functions, and semantic content of maternal language systematically differed by activity. The activities of everyday life shape language inputs to infants in ways that highlight word meaning.
Collaborating with parents during intervention with parental agreement: Practitioner perspectives on procedural justice
Authors: Venables Jemma , Healy Karen
Published: May 2018

With growing concerns about the efficacy and costs of intrusive child protection interventions and increasing recognition of citizen rights to participation in governance, jurisdictions are looking to collaborative alternatives that divert families from the courts and out‐of‐home care. In Queensland (Australia), “intervention with parental agreement” (IPA) is one such response. Under IPA, the statutory child protection authority can work collaboratively with families, without a court order, to respond to children assessed as “in need of protection.” In this paper, we use procedural justice theory as a lens to explore how IPA policy is enacted in practice. Procedural justice relates to the quality of treatment a person receives and the fairness of the process than an authority uses during decision‐making (Tyler, ). It is associated with voluntary cooperation and compliance; key practice concerns when working to address child maltreatment via parental agreement rather than court ordered intervention. We report on a qualitative study that utilized semistructured, in‐depth interviews to capture the perceptions of 30 practitioners regarding the factors that shape the extent to which they enact IPA policy in a procedurally fair manner. Strategies for enhancing procedurally just enactment of IPA policy in practice are discussed.
Risk communication in genetic counseling: Exploring uptake and perception of recurrence numbers, and their impact on patient outcomes
Authors: Borle K. , Morris E. , Inglis A. , Austin J.
Published: May 2018

Providing recurrence numbers is often considered a fundamental component of genetic counseling. We sought to fill knowledge gaps regarding how often patients actively seek recurrence numbers, and how they impact patient outcomes. We conducted a retrospective chart review at a clinic where patients routinely complete the Genetic Counseling Outcomes Scale (GCOS, measuring empowerment) pre (T1)/post (T2) appointment. Using analysis of covariance, we evaluated the effect on T2 GCOS score of: (1) receiving recurrence numbers and (2) patient perception of recurrence numbers. Recurrence numbers were a primary indication for 134/300 patients (45%). After counseling about etiology and risk‐reducing strategies, 116 patients (39%) opted to receive recurrence numbers, with most (n = 64, 55%) perceiving the number to be lower than expected. There was no difference in T2 GCOS scores between those who: (1) received recurrence numbers vs those who did not, or (2) perceived the number to be lower than expected vs those with other perceptions. However, a subset of patients who did not receive recurrence numbers had larger increases in GCOS scores. Our data provide impetus to question the assumption that recurrence numbers should be routinely provided in genetic counseling, and show that in naturalistic practice, optimal patient outcomes are not contingent on receipt of recurrence numbers.
Addressing transboundary conservation challenges through marine spatial prioritization
Authors: Gissi Elena , McGowan Jennifer , Venier Chiara , Carlo Davide Di , Musco Francesco , Menegon Stefano , Mackelworth Peter , Agardy Tundi , Possingham Hugh
Published: May 2018

The Adriatic and Ionian Region is an important area for both strategic maritime development and biodiversity conservation in the European Union (EU). However, given that both EU and non‐EU countries border the sea, multiple legal and regulatory frameworks operate at different scales, which can hinder the coordinated long‐term sustainable development of the region. Transboundary marine spatial planning can help overcome these challenges by building consensus on planning objectives and making the trade‐offs between biodiversity conservation and its influence on economically important sectors more explicit. We address this challenge by developing and testing 4 spatial prioritization strategies with the decision‐support tool Marxan, which meets targets for biodiversity conservation while minimizing impacts to users. We evaluated these strategies in terms of how priority areas shift under different scales of target setting (e.g., regional vs. country level). We also examined the trade‐off between cost‐efficiency and how equally solutions represent countries and maritime industries (n= 14) operating in the region with the protection‐equality metric. We found negligible differences in where priority conservation areas were located when we set targets for biodiversity at the regional versus country scale. Conversely, the prospective impacts on industries, when considered as costs to be minimized, were highly divergent across scenarios and biased the placement of protection toward industries located in isolation or where there were few other industries. We recommend underpinning future marine spatial planning efforts in the region through identification of areas of national significance, transboundary areas requiring cooperation between countries, and areas where impacts on maritime industries require careful consideration of the trade‐off between biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic objectives.
Innovation at the Intersection of Clinical Trials and Real‐World Data Science to Advance Patient Care
Authors: Swift Brandon , Jain Lokesh , White Craig , Chandrasekaran Vasu , Bhandari Aman , Hughes Dyfrig A. , Jadhav Pravin R.
Published: May 2018

While efficacy and safety data collected from randomized clinical trials are the evidentiary standard for determining market authorization, this alone may no longer be sufficient to address the needs of key stakeholders (regulators, providers, and payers) and guarantee long‐term success of pharmaceutical products. There is a heightened interest from stakeholders on understanding the use of real‐world evidence (RWE) to substantiate benefit–risk assessment and support the value of a new drug. This review provides an overview of real‐world data (RWD) and related advances in the regulatory framework, and discusses their impact on clinical research and development. A framework for linking drug development decisions with the value proposition of the drug, utilizing pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic–pharmacoeconomic models, is introduced. The summary presented here is based on the presentations and discussion at the symposium entitled Innovation at the Intersection of Clinical Trials and Real‐World Data to Advance Patient Care at the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) 2017 Annual Meeting.
The ideal strategy for cervical cancer screening in Japan: Result from the Fukui Cervical Cancer Screening Study
Authors: Kurokawa T. , Onuma T. , Shinagawa A. , Chino Y. , Kobayashi M. , Yoshida Y.
Published: May 2018

Introduction

The aims of the Fukui Cervical Cancer Screening (FCCS) study are to determine the frequency of women with high‐risk HPV (hrHPV), whether HPV16 or HPV18 (HPV16/18), in the Japanese cancer screening population for the first time and to identify the best strategy for cervical cancer screening in Japan.

Methods

This study enrolled 7584 women aged ≥25 years who were undergoing routine screening. All women underwent LBC and cobas HPV tests. Women with abnormal cytology, whether hrHPV positive or negative; women with hrHPV positivity with either normal or abnormal cytology; and women randomly selected from women with normal cytology and negative hrHPV negative were referred for colposcopy.

Results

The prevalences of hrHPV positivity and HPV16/18 positivity were 6.8% and 1.7%, respectively. The baseline data from the FCCS study showed that the combination of HPV tests and cytology was more sensitive than cytology with respect to the detection of intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse. However, the specificity (94.1%) of the co‐testing strategy that required all women with abnormal cytology or hrHPV positivity to be referred for colposcopy was much lower than that (97.8%) of cytology. The sensitivity and specificity of the co‐testing strategy that required only women with abnormal cytology or HPV16/18 positivity to undergo colposcopy were 85.5% and 97.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

The baseline data from the FCCS study suggest that a cervical cancer screening strategy in which only women with abnormal cytology or HPV16/18 positivity undergo colposcopy offers a more balanced sensitivity and specificity than other strategies.
A retrospective observational study of people with Type 1 diabetes with self‐reported severe hypoglycaemia reveals high level of ambulance attendance but low levels of therapy change and specialist intervention
Authors: Field B. C. T. , Nayar R. , Kilvert A. , Baxter M. , Hickey J. , Cummings M. , Bain S. C.
Published: May 2018

Aim

To evaluate the impact of severe hypoglycaemia on NHS resources and overall glycaemic control in adults with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods

An observational, retrospective study of adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with Type 1 diabetes reporting one or more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia during the preceding 24 months in 10 NHS hospital diabetes centres in England and Wales. The primary outcome was healthcare resource utilization associated with severe hypoglycaemia. Secondary outcomes included demographic and clinical characteristics, diabetes control and pathway of care.

Results

Some 140 episodes of severe hypoglycaemia were reported by 85 people during the 2‐year observation period. Ambulances were called in 99 of 140 (71%) episodes and Accident and Emergency attendance occurred in 26 of 140 (19%) episodes, whereas 29 of 140 (21%) episode required no immediate help from healthcare providers. Participants attended a median of 5 (range 0–58) diabetes clinic consultations during the observation period; 13% (70 of 552) of all consultations were severe hypoglycaemia‐related. Of the HbA1c measurements recorded closest prior to severe hypoglycaemia (n = 119), only 7 of 119 measurements were < 48 mmol/mol (< 6.5%) and mean HbA1c was 70 (sd 19) mmol/mol (8.5%, sd 1.7%). Some 119 changes to diabetes treatment were recorded during the observation period (median/person 0;, range 0–11), of which 52 of 119 changes (44%) followed severe hypoglycaemic events.

Conclusions

We observed a high level of ambulance service intervention but surprisingly low levels of hypoglycaemia follow‐up, therapy change and specialist intervention in people self‐reporting severe hypoglycaemia. These results suggest there may be important gaps in care pathways for people with Type 1 diabetes self‐reporting severe hypoglycaemia.
Empagliflozin as adjunct to insulin in Japanese participants with type 1 diabetes: Results of a 4‐week, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled phase 2 trial
Authors: Shimada Akira , Hanafusa Toshiaki , Yasui Atsutaka , Lee Ganghyuck , Taneda Yusuke , Sarashina Akiko , Shiki Kosuke , George Jyothis , Soleymanlou Nima , Marquard Jan
Published: May 2018

Aims

This phase 2, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02702011) with 4 sites in Japan investigated the pharmacodynamics (PD), pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety profile of empagliflozin in Japanese participants with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) as adjunctive therapy to insulin.

Materials and methods

Participants using multiple daily injections of insulin for ≥12 months, with HbA1c of 7.5%‐10.0%, entered a 2‐week, open‐label, placebo run‐in period, followed by a 4‐week, double‐blind period during which participants were randomized 1:1:1:1 to receive empagliflozin 2.5 mg (n = 13), empagliflozin 10 mg (n = 12), empagliflozin 25 mg (n = 12) or placebo (n = 11). The primary objective was to assess the effect of empagliflozin vs placebo on urinary glucose excretion (UGE) after 7 days of treatment.

Results

PD: Empagliflozin resulted in a dose‐dependent significant increase in 24‐hour UGE compared with placebo (UGE placebo‐corrected mean [95% confidence interval] change from baseline: 2.5 mg, 65.10 [43.29, 86.90] g/24 h; 10 mg, 81.19 [58.80, 103.58] g/24 h; 25 mg, 98.11 [75.91, 120.31] g/24 h). After 4 weeks of treatment, UGE increase was associated with improved glycaemic control, reduced body weight and decreased insulin needs. Empagliflozin treatment also resulted in dose‐dependent increases in serum ketone bodies and free fatty acids. PK: Plasma empagliflozin levels increased in a dose‐dependent manner and peaked at 1.5 hours. In this short study, empagliflozin was well tolerated, with no increase in rate of hypoglycaemia and no diabetic ketoacidosis events reported.

Conclusions

Based on this short‐duration phase 2 study, the PK/PD profile of empagliflozin in Japanese participants with T1DM is comparable to that of non‐Japanese participants.
Automatic change detection and spatial attention: a visual mismatch negativity study
Authors: File Domonkos , Sulykos István , Czigler István
Published: May 2018

Visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) is the electrophysiological correlate of automatic detection of unattended changes in the visual environment. However, vMMNs’ relatedness to spatial attention has not been explicitly tested. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of spatial attention on the vMMN event‐related potential component. To this end, participants were instructed to fixate and attend to task‐related stimuli. In an oddball sequence, offset stimuli were applied, i.e., from time‐to time, the two sides of permanently presented objects disappeared. Distance between the task‐related and unrelated events resulted in the typical finding of spatial attention; the amplitude of the N1 component was larger at the shorter distance between the two kinds of events. VMMN was elicited by the deviant vanishing parts, with no reliable effect of distance between the task‐field and vMMN‐related stimuli. In terms of the difference potentials, vMMN was followed by a positive posterior component in the 270–330 ms range. This positivity was much larger when the task‐field was close to vMMN‐related stimuli. The reappearance of the vanishing parts was also investigated. The reappearance of the whole objects after a deviant offset elicited vMMN but only when the task‐field was close to the oddball sequence. We concluded that infrequently vanishing parts of objects are detected automatically. However, these deviant events initiate orientation only if the objects are close to the field of task‐relevant events. Similarly, automatic registration of the rare but expected events are registered only in the visual field close to the focus of attention.
Rapid detection of alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oil‐contaminated soil with visible near‐infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Douglas R. K. , Nawar S. , Alamar M. C. , Coulon F. , Mouazen A. M.
Published: May 2018

Recent developments and applications of rapid measurement tools (RMTs) such as visible near‐infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy confirmed that these technologies can provide ‘fit for purpose’ and cost‐effective data for risk assessment and management of oil‐contaminated sites. Although vis–NIR spectroscopy has been used frequently to predict total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), it has had limited use for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and there has been none for alkanes. In the present study, the potential of vis–NIR spectroscopy (350–2500 nm) to measure PAHs and alkanes in 85 fresh (wet, unprocessed) oil‐contaminated soil samples collected from three sites in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, was evaluated. The vis–NIR signal and alkanes and PAHs measured in the laboratory by sequential ultrasonic solvent extraction followed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) were then used to develop calibration models using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and random forest (RF) modelling tools. Prior to model development, the pre‐processed spectra were divided into calibration (75%) and prediction (25%) sets. Results showed that the prediction performance of RF calibration models for both alkanes (a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.58, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 53.95 mg kg−1 and a residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 1.59) and PAHs (R2 = 0.71, RMSEP = 0.99 mg kg−1 and RPD = 1.99) outperformed PLSR (R2 = 0.36, RMSEP = 66.66 mg kg−1 and RPD = 1.29, and R2 = 0.56, RMSEP = 1.21 mg kg−1 and RPD = 1.55, respectively). The RF modelling approach accounted for nonlinearity of the soil spectral responses and therefore resulted in considerably greater prediction accuracy than the linear PLSR. Adoption of vis–NIR spectroscopy coupled with RF is recommended for rapid and cost‐effective assessment of PAHs and alkanes in contaminated soil.

Highlights

We evaluated the potential of vis–NIR to estimate alkanes and PAHs in oil‐contaminated soil.

The prediction performance of RF models was better than PLSR models for both alkanes and PAHs.

The spectral response to alkanes and PAHs in soil embodies considerable non‐linearity.

Results suggest that RF‐vis–NIR is a promising tool for rapid in situ assessment of soil alkanes and PAHs.