bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing globally responsible leaders in business schools
Authors: Muff Katrin
Published: May 2013

Purpose

It is 50 years since the Gordon/Howell and Pierson reports substantially influenced and shaped management education. “Vision 50+20” offers an alternative future in management education for the next 20 years. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the suggested new purpose of business schools as role models in providing responsible leadership for a sustainable world. The article proposes a model of implementation of the vision in the domain of teaching and learning, with concrete best practice examples collected from around the world. The evolution of teaching and learning in business education is briefly reviewed in light of newly proposed “collaborator” method, hopefully launching a debate and further research in this important domain.

Design/methodology/approach

The 50+20 vision of management education for the world resulted from an 18‐month collective creative visioning and back‐casting process, looking into the future and based on explicitly normative assumptions about the need to change business education. The vision was thus primarily developed deductively from a vision of the future, rather than inductively from existing literature and theory. The scholarly assessments of business schools and business school education were used as a starting point for a normative approach, but cannot explain the vision which spans a broad area of topics and fields both within management and beyond. The author complements the vision with examples from around the world to illustrate the emergence of this vision and suggests a model for considering the implementation of vision 50+20.

Findings

Business schools need to fundamentally transform their purpose to serve society by providing responsible leadership for a sustainable world, embracing three relevant roles and becoming themselves a role model and a showcase for transformation.

Practical implications

The paper summarizes the result of the global co‐creative visioning process of project 50+20 offering an alternative vision of management education for the world. More importantly, the paper also suggests a model on how to implement the vision in the domain of teaching and learning by providing concrete applications and leading examples from around the world. As such, it provides a visionary guide for any business and management scholar interested in engaging the future of management education.

Originality/value

The paper summarizes the 50+20 vision and introduces a practical perspective for implementing a meaningful new approach to teaching and learning.
The emergence of risk‐based regulation in higher education
Authors: Hommel Ulrich , King Roger
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Business schools are increasingly positioning themselves as entrepreneurial risk‐takers. In doing so, they are front‐runners of a marketization trend affecting the entire higher education sector. In response, governments have begun to subject higher education sectors to systems of risk‐based regulation. The purpose of this paper is to study the likely impact of regulatory change on business school behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The article focuses on the financial dimension of institutional performance and draws on the corporate risk management literature to derive general design principles for managing risk‐taking in business schools. These are matched with a review of the regulation literature to evaluate regulatory effectiveness.

Findings

Business schools are facing a double‐hurdle test when managing their risk position. They need to protect their financial solvency with the maintenance of properly functioning risk management systems. At the same time, they will increasingly be subjected to regulatory scrutiny with regulatory shortcomings likely to be mapped into binding but sub‐optimal behavioural constraints. The article offers initial reflections as to how business schools can cope with this double‐hurdle.

Originality/value

Risk management in higher education, here with a specific reference to business schools, has so far been under‐theorized from a financial perspective and, as a consequence, the debate on risk‐based regulation lacks a proper foundation. The article addresses this shortcoming.
Stock price volatility and informational efficiency following the mandatory adoption of IFRS in Europe
Authors: Lambertides Neophytos , Mazouz Khelifa
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of mandatory International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on the informational efficiency, market stability, and price adjustment of underlying stocks in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines 1,187 stocks from 20 European countries to assess the impact of the mandatory adoption of IFRS on certain aspects of the market quality of the adopting firms.

Findings

The observed decrease in the first order autocorrelation and the permanent component of the conditional variance indicates that the mandatory IFRS adoption enhances informational efficiency and contributes to the market stability of the underlying stocks. The authors find no evidence that IFRS adoption affects the role old news has in determining the conditional variance of adopting firms. The effects of IFRS adoption on the equity cost of capital are shown to depend on the country‐specific characteristics. Specifically, IFRS adoption is more likely to increase (decrease) the betas of stocks that are listed in the common (civil) law countries.

Research limitations/implications

Like any empirical event‐study, the validity of the results depends on the absence of confounding events.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to use GARCH type models to empirically examine the effects of mandatory IFRS adoption on the informational efficiency and market stability of adopting firms.
The research enterprise
Authors: Fox Robert
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This column seeks to examine the relationship between the modern digital library and academic research entities; and to explore briefly the services that can be provided by information professionals on behalf of investigative teams.

Design/methodology/approach:

A literature review was conducted in order to find out what the recent views were relating to this subject. The remainder of the content is based upon the author's experience.

Findings

This is an exploratory column proposing that modern academic libraries need to have embedded services that are a part of the research workflow of the university. This column focuses on the digital aspects of research, what the apparent needs are in that context, and suggests the central role that libraries can play in that context.

Originality/value

As the field of information science evolves and libraries recast their vision so that they can support the core mission of modern universities, research support services are central to that effort. The column shows that there are many ways in which the digitally oriented library can fill in the gaps for investigative teams.
Have link resolvers helped or hurt? The relationship between ILL and OpenURL at a non‐SFX library
Authors: Munson Doris M. , Otto Justin L.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

This paper's purpose is to describe an investigation of whether the addition of an interlibrary loan link as an option in the OpenURL link resolver menu has an effect on interlibrary loan requests for articles.

Design/methodology/approach

Four years of link resolver clickthrough data were analyzed in conjunction with ten years of interlibrary loan article request data.

Findings

The data showed that requests to ILL increased at first, then fell, and then rose again. There is a correlation between link resolver clickthroughs and ILL requests.

Research limitations/implications

This paper employed data gathered over a longer time period than previous research on this topic and thus provides a broader exploration of the effect of providing links to ILL through a link resolver. While most OpenURL clickthrough data employed in research are gathered from the SFX OpenURL resolver, here the authors used WebBridge.

Originality/value

This paper offers an example of how non‐SFX institutions can employ clickthrough data to explore issues such as user behavior with regard to ILL.
Customer‐driven benchmarking
Authors: Shamma Hamed , Hassan Salah
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Most benchmarking methods are based on comparing financial and operational indicators with that of the leader in the market. Financial and operational indicators may not be sustainable in facing the speed and competitiveness of today's marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to propose a dynamic customer‐driven benchmarking approach that captures changes in customer perceptions and expectations and subsequent changes in service standards set by experienced customers as best practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on examining the current literature on benchmarking and suggesting a new approach for benchmarking that puts the experienced customer as the standard for benchmarking. The customer‐driven benchmarking approach is one that will ensure that companies are continuously improving and advancing their values to meet the needs of the sophisticated and demanding customers.

Findings

The use of customer‐driven benchmarking will not only provide a clear direction and methods for learning from customers by initiating value‐added services that exceed their expectation, but moreover, help to sustain a company's performance and competitiveness in the long‐term.

Originality/value

Benchmarking performance against competitors on the basis of financial and operational indicators may not guarantee a sustainable competitive edge. This paper highlights the importance of customer‐driven benchmarking as a strategic approach for a sustainable market performance, emphasizing the standards set by “experienced customers as best practices”.
Benchmarking QFD application for developing packaging products
Authors: Augusto Cauchick Miguel Paulo
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report case studies conducted in a company in Italy that produces packaging systems, in comparison with a Brazilian company within a similar industrial sector. The paper compares those two cases in terms of quality function deployment (QFD) usage and discusses the lessons learned from the cases.

Design/methodology/approach

Case‐based research was employed. Data were mostly gathered through semi‐structured interviews with engineers and managers involved with product development. Direct observation and archival data were also used to extract more evidence towards triangulation. Then, the aggregation of results was done a posteriori.

Findings

QFD implementation process was found to be similar in both companies but with some differences in terms of managerial aspects of product development, e.g. gathering the voice of customer and a more extensive use of other matrices besides the “house of quality”.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited in two companies. Although one of the purposes was to analyse if there are contextual differences between those two cases, this study was unable of verifying the context of QFD application. In addition, the study findings are not generalisable to other similar plants.

Practical implications

The research shows the importance of QFD implementation and similarities between the cases, in addition to contributing to application by identifying relevant aspects of its introduction. It enables practitioners to use the findings on factors that should be taken into consideration when applying QFD.

Originality/value

Besides the comparison between two companies, the paper discusses the innovation on QFD projects in one of the companies. In addition, the empirical results found grounding in existing theory to some extent.
Peer mentoring: enhancing social cohesion in Pakistani universities
Authors: Rachel Naseem Nosheen
Published: May 2013

Purpose

University education in developing countries is often restricted to students from privileged backgrounds. However, in Pakistan, access to Higher Education, while competitive, is more broadly based. State universities in particular recruit students from diverse backgrounds. With the aim of introducing peer mentoring as a complementary support for students in Pakistani Universities, a project was undertaken to explore the impact of peer mentoring on the learning culture in universities in Pakistan to see if students involved in peer mentoring can transform learning in the institution and promote skills for lifelong learning and increased social cohesion. The aim of this paper is to investigate introducing peer mentoring in universities in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

A social action research framework was designed to introduce structured peer mentoring as a support mechanism for students in two universities in Lahore, Pakistan.

Findings

Results demonstrated the beneficial impact of introducing mentoring, not only in improvement in the conventional measures of mentoring schemes – improved results, progression, retention – but also in enhancing peer‐support between the diverse groups within the university.

Social implications

The possibility is raised that such schemes could provide a lever for social change in Pakistan. Universities could provide a model for change in other institutions in Pakistan.

Originality/value

In Pakistan, the benefits of wider access, and the introduction of peer‐assisted learning, are constrained by a teacher‐centred approach, limiting the development of cross‐society learning networks. Structured peer‐assisted learning for university students was non‐existent before this project. The impact of positive results has been significant, with one university introducing a version for all first year students. A similar scheme was introduced for new teachers in one education authority.
A checkered history of combating official corruption
Authors: Caiden Gerald
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Official corruption has always plagued the conduct of public affairs and taxed every generation to keep it within reasonable bounds. Concerned governments have tried to apply whatever available remedies came to hand with varying success. Yet whenever one of corruption's many manifestations seemed to diminish, so another would demand attention. Combating it was and remains a tireless affair requiring continual vigilance and experimentation. This paper seeks to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper studies the history of official corruption and efforts to combat it.

Findings

This checkered history of anti‐corruption efforts shows how the repertoire of techniques expands and how the corrupt evade their application. This everlasting battle of wits depends much on how seriously people and governments take the challenge of corruption, the nature of how public power is exercised, the triumph in governance of self‐interest over the general public interest, the level of personal integrity particularly at the apex of society, and fortune in selection of right targets. Nothing succeeds like success which, given institutional and human weaknesses in local cultures, is so difficult to achieve.

Originality/value

The paper provides an original study of the history of official corruption, efforts to fight it and the problems that are encountered.
Implementation of the INTERGROWTH‐21st Project in Brazil
Authors: Silveira MF , Barros FC , Sclowitz IKT , Domingues MR , Mota DM , Fonseca SS , Mitidieri A , Leston AR , Knight HE , Cheikh Ismail L ,   for the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21 Century (INTERGROWTH‐21)
Published: May 2013

Please cite this paper as: Silveira M, Barros F, Sclowitz I, Domingues M, Mota D, Fonseca S, Mitidieri A, Leston A, Knight H, Cheikh Ismail L, for the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH‐21st). Implementation of the INTERGROWTH‐21st Project in Brazil. BJOG 2013; 120 (Suppl. 2): 81–86.

The Latin American site in the INTERGROWTH‐21st Project was Pelotas, Brazil, with approximately 4000 births per year. The sample for the Newborn Cross‐Sectional Study (NCSS) was drawn from four hospitals, covering 99% of births in the city. The Fetal Growth Longitudinal Study (FGLS) sample was recruited from one of the largest private ultrasound clinics in the city and 30 smaller, private, antenatal clinics serving middle to high socio‐economic status women. Among this site’s major challenges was the recruitment of women for FGLS from numerous different clinics. Several public relations activities were conducted to improve collaborative efforts between the research team and obstetricians, paediatricians and community leaders in Pelotas.
Standardisation of crown–rump length measurement
Authors: Ioannou C , Sarris I , Hoch L , Salomon LJ , Papageorghiou AT ,   for the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21 Century (INTERGROWTH‐21)
Published: May 2013

Correct estimation of gestational age is essential for any study of ultrasound biometry and for everyday clinical practice. However, inconsistency in pregnancy dating may occur through differences in measurement methods or errors during measurement. In the INTERGROWTH‐21st Project, pregnancies are dated by the last menstrual period, provided that it is certain and associated with a regular menstrual cycle, and the gestational age by dates concurs with a first‐trimester ultrasound crown–rump length (CRL) estimation. Hence, there was a need to standardise CRL measurement methodology across the study sites in this international, multicentre project to avoid systematic differences in dating. To achieve uniformity we undertook the following steps: the ultrasound technique was standardised by disseminating an illustrated, operating manual describing CRL plane landmarks and calliper application, and posters describing the correct acquisition technique were disseminated for quick reference. To ensure that all ultrasonographers understood the methodology, they forwarded a log‐book to the INTERGROWTH‐21st Ultrasound Coordinating Unit, containing the answers to a written test on the manual material and five images of a correctly acquired CRL. Interpretation of CRL was also standardised by ensuring that the same CRL regression formula was used across all study sites. These methods should minimise potential systematic errors in dating associated with pooling data from different health institutions, and represent a model for standardising CRL measurement in future studies.
Managing data for the international, multicentre INTERGROWTH‐21st Project
Authors: Ohuma EO , Hoch L , Cosgrove C , Knight HE , Cheikh Ismail L , Juodvirsiene L , Papageorghiou AT , Al‐Jabri H , Domingues M , Gilli P , Kunnawar N , Musee N , Roseman F , Carter A , Wu M , Altman DG ,   for the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21 Century (INTERGROWTH‐21)
Published: May 2013

The INTERGROWTH‐21st Project data management was structured incorporating both a centralised and decentralised system for the eight study centres, which all used the same database and standardised data collection instruments, manuals and processes. Each centre was responsible for the entry and validation of their country‐specific data, which were entered onto a centralised system maintained by the Data Coordinating Unit in Oxford. A comprehensive data management system was designed to handle the very large volumes of data. It contained internal validations to prevent incorrect and inconsistent values being captured, and allowed online data entry by local Data Management Units, as well as real‐time management of recruitment and data collection by the Data Coordinating Unit in Oxford. To maintain data integrity, only the Data Coordinating Unit in Oxford had access to all the eight centres' data, which were continually monitored. All queries identified were raised with the relevant local data manager for verification and correction, if necessary. The system automatically logged an audit trail of all updates to the database with the date and name of the person who made the changes. These rigorous processes ensured that the data collected in the INTERGROWTH‐21st Project were of exceptionally high quality.
mtDNAprofiler: A Web Application for the Nomenclature and Comparison of Human Mitochondrial DNA Sequences,
Authors: Yang In Seok , Lee Hwan Young , Yang Woo Ick , Shin Kyoung‐Jin
Published: May 2013

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a valuable tool in the fields of forensic, population, and medical genetics. However, recording and comparing mtDNA control region or entire genome sequences would be difficult if researchers are not familiar with mtDNA nomenclature conventions. Therefore, mtDNAprofiler, a Web application, was designed for the analysis and comparison of mtDNA sequences in a string format or as a list of mtDNA single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs). mtDNAprofiler which comprises four mtDNA sequence‐analysis tools (mtDNA nomenclature, mtDNA assembly, mtSNP conversion, and mtSNP concordance‐check) supports not only the accurate analysis of mtDNA sequences via an automated nomenclature function, but also consistent management of mtSNP data via direct comparison and validity‐check functions. Since mtDNAprofiler consists of four tools that are associated with key steps of mtDNA sequence analysis, mtDNAprofiler will be helpful for researchers working with mtDNA. mtDNAprofiler is freely available at http://mtprofiler.yonsei.ac.kr.
Direct Analyte‐Probed Nanoextraction Coupled to Nanospray Ionization–Mass Spectrometry of Drug Residues from Latent Fingerprints
Authors: Clemons Kristina , Wiley Rachel , Waverka Kristin , Fox James , Dziekonski Eric , Verbeck Guido F.
Published: May 2013

Here, we present a method of extracting drug residues from fingerprints via Direct Analyte‐Probed Nanoextraction coupled to nanospray ionization–mass spectrometry (DAPNe‐NSI‐MS). This instrumental technique provides higher selectivity and lower detection limits over current methods, greatly reducing sample preparation, and does not compromise the integrity of latent fingerprints. This coupled to Raman microscopy is an advantageous supplement for location and identification of trace particles. DAPNe uses a nanomanipulator for extraction and differing microscopies for localization of chemicals of interest. A capillary tip with solvent of choice is placed in a nanopositioner. The surface to be analyzed is placed under a microscope, and a particle of interest is located. Using a pressure injector, the solvent is injected onto the surface where it dissolves the analyte, and then extracted back into the capillary tip. The solution is then directly analyzed via NSI‐MS. Analyses of caffeine, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and ecstasy have been performed successfully.
A Comparison of DNA Extraction Using AutoMate Express™ and EZ1 Advanced XL from Liquid Blood, Bloodstains, and Semen Stains
Authors: Fujii Koji , Inokuchi Shota , Kitayama Tetsushi , Nakahara Hiroaki , Mizuno Natsuko , Sekiguchi Kazumasa
Published: May 2013

In this study, DNA was extracted using an AutoMate Express™ and an EZ1 Advanced XL from liquid blood, fresh and aged bloodstains, and fresh and aged semen stains. Extracted DNA was quantified by real‐time PCR using the D17Z1 locus. Short tandem repeat typing was performed using an AmpFℓSTR® Identifiler kit. The yields of DNA obtained by the AutoMate Express™ were higher from fresh bloodstains and fresh semen stains, almost the same from aged bloodstains and aged semen stains, but slightly lower from liquid blood compared with those obtained by the EZ1 Advanced XL. The addition of dithiothreitol or the use of PrepFiler™ lysis buffer improved the EZ1 Advanced XL results from fresh bloodstains, but not for liquid blood and aged bloodstains. Our results demonstrated that the PrepFiler™ lysis buffer is the main contributor to the higher DNA yields of the AutoMate Express™ for fresh bloodstains.
Is default risk the hidden factor in momentum returns? Some empirical results
Authors: Abinzano Isabel , Muga Luis , Santamaria Rafael
Published: May 2013

This paper analyzes the role of default risk in the momentum effect focusing on data from four developed European stock markets (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom). Using a market‐based measure of default risk, we show that it is not the hidden factor behind this effect. While the loser portfolio is characterized by high default risk, small size, high book‐to‐market and illiquidity, characterization of the winner portfolio is somewhat more complex. Given that the momentum strategy is the return differential between the winners and the losers, factors such as the stock market cycle or the evolution of momentum portfolios against their reference point make momentum profits difficult to forecast.
The role of certificate issuer on consumers’ willingness‐to‐pay for milk traceability in China
Authors: Bai Junfei , Zhang Caiping , Jiang Jing
Published: May 2013

In response to increasing concerns about domestic food safety issues, establishing tracking systems in the food industry is mandatorily required under newly launched food safety laws. However, the kinds of monitoring and certification systems that should be set up to ensure practical adoption and the effectiveness of the regulation remain unclear. This study aims to analyze consumers’ preferences for milk traceability, with particular interest in investigating how consumers’ preferences could be affected by monitoring and certification systems of the regarding system. Survey data from a choice‐based conjoint (CBC) experiment are used to achieve this objective. In the experiment, milk is defined by a set of attributes in which we assume that milk traceability can be certified by three entities: the government, an industrial association, and a third party. The CBC data are then analyzed by using the alternative‐specific form of a conditional Logit (McFadden's Choice) model. We found that urban Chinese consumers have a strong desire for traceable milk, but their preference for traceable milk is significantly related to the associated certificate issuers. Currently, the highest willingness‐to‐pay goes to government certificated traceable milk, followed by industrial association certificated and third‐party certificated milks. In the future, however, consumers are likely to give more credit to third‐party certification with rising income and knowledge.
Towards an indigenous psychology of religious terrorism with global implications: Introduction to AJSP's Special Issue on Islamist terrorism in Indonesia
Authors: Liu James H. , Woodward Mark
Published: May 2013

While Islamist forms of terrorism have received a great deal of attention from scholars, insider accounts by indigenous scholars are still under‐represented. This Special Issue of the Asian Journal of Social Psychology brings together three articles on religious terrorism and sacred violence in Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic state. They bring together qualitative methods, including interviews with terrorist members of KOMPAK and Jemaah Islamiyah (including the Bali Bombers), with quantitative methods using structural equation modelling to explain a national representative sample's attitudes towards sacred violence. The articles converge towards an indigenous theory of Islamist terrorism for Indonesia involving three steps: (i) existential threat (triggered by violence inflicted on Muslims, nationally or internationally, and perceptions of the impurity of the secular Indonesian government), (ii) self‐categorization of the world into infidels and believers (thus arguing that the current situation is a state of war where violence against non‐combatants is justified), and (iii) jihadi ideology as the trigger for turning existential threat into religious violence. It is the interpretation of scripture offered by trusted leaders, often reinforced by oaths of obedience, rather than scripture itself that fuels the indigenous psychology of violent (lesser) jihad presented here.
Ethnography and “Postconflict” Violence in the Irish Free State
Authors: French Brigittine M.
Published: May 2013

Here I offer a reengagement with Conrad Arensberg and Solon Kimball's (Arensberg 1968[1937]; Arensberg and Kimball 1940) canonical ethnographies of rural western Ireland along with a new consideration of data the ethnographers never analyzed in their publications. I argue that epistemological debates and commitments in U.S. anthropology fueled Arensberg and Kimball's structural‐functionalist orientation because of the ways this theory became emblematic of a scientific, value‐free perspective to which these scholars were committed in ways that precluded analysis of state governmentality and violence. The new analysis of Arensberg and Kimball's unpublished ethnographic materials shows how local social life was shaped by the persistence of political violence in the “postconflict” democratic Irish Free State well after the war was officially over. I focus particularly on the nascent district court system to show how the judiciary and its participants were key agents in establishing and contesting the legitimacy of the postwar political system.
Linguistic Anthropology in 2012: Language Matter(s)
Authors: Black Steven P.
Published: May 2013

In this article, I discuss the accomplishments of scholars of language and culture in 2012 and the questions raised by those accomplishments. I review matters of language—expansions and refinements of existing research topics, including linguistic relativity, language socialization, sociolinguistic variation, and language ideologies. I then consider a trend of research on topics of embodiment, materiality, and the senses, discussing the matter (in the physics sense) of language. I then use the termengagementto comment on developments in research on language endangerment, language circulation and shift, language and health, language and education, and language and social justice. This is rooted in the notion that language makes a difference (or matters) in cultural practice. I conclude with a brief discussion of the ontology of language, the epistemology of linguistic anthropology, and the roles of scholars of language and culture in anthropology as a whole.
Tadalafil once daily in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men without erectile dysfunction
Authors: Brock Gerald , Broderick Gregory , Roehrborn Claus G. , Xu Lei , Wong David , Viktrup Lars
Published: May 2013

Objectives

To assess the safety and efficacy of tadalafil once daily on lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH‐LUTS) in men without erectile dysfunction (ED).

To compare these with effects in men with ED.

Patients and Methods

After a 4‐week washout period and 4‐week placebo run‐in period, 1089 men without ED (n = 338) and with ED (n = 751) were randomly assigned to placebo or tadalafil 5 mg once daily for 12 weeks in three global clinical studies with similar designs.

In the pooled dataset, post hoc analyses of covariance assessed the impact and severity of BPH‐LUTS using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the BPH Impact Index (BII) and IPSS quality‐of‐life (IPSS‐QoL) subscores.

Safety was assessed using treatment‐emergent adverse events.

The treatment‐by‐ED‐status interaction was used to assess efficacy differences between the with/without ED subgroups.

Results

Men without ED were similar in BPH‐LUTS severity/previous therapy to men with ED.

Tadalafil significantly reduced BPH‐LUTS from baseline when compared with placebo in men without ED (IPSS −5.4 vs −3.3, P < 0.01; IPSS voiding subscore −3.5 vs −2.0, P < 0.01; IPSS storage subscore −1.9 vs −1.3, P < 0.05).

Tadalafil also significantly improved quality of life from baseline when compared with placebo in men without ED (IPSS‐QoL −1.0 vs −0.7, BII −1.4 vs −1.0; both P < 0.05).

Between‐ED‐subgroup interactions were not significant (all P > 0.68).

Tadalafil was safe and well tolerated.

Conclusion

Tadalafil 5 mg once daily improved BPH‐LUTS in men without ED by a magnitude similar to that observed in men with ED.

The adverse event profile in men without ED was consistent with that observed in men with ED.
Impact of diabetes duration on hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin glargine or NPH insulin
Authors: Dailey G. E. , Gao L. , Aurand L. , Garg S. K.
Published: May 2013

Aim

To compare the impact of diabetes duration on hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with insulin glargine or NPH insulin.

Methods

A pooled analysis of 24‐week patient level data from randomized controlled studies comparing once‐daily insulin glargine with once‐daily NPH insulin in insulin‐naïve adult patients with T2DM was performed, stratifying patients into quartiles by duration of diabetes: <5.8 years; 5.8 to <9.2 years; 9.2 to <14 years and ≥14 years. Daytime and nocturnal hypoglycaemia events were evaluated.

Results

Data from 2330 patients in four randomized controlled trials were included in the analysis; 1258 treated with insulin glargine and 1072 with NPH insulin. The rates of daytime hypoglycaemia were similar for insulin glargine and NPH insulin, irrespective of disease duration. Patients with longer T2DM duration treated with glargine experienced greater glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reductions. Rates of severe nocturnal hypoglycaemia and nocturnal hypoglycaemia [self‐monitored blood glucose < 70 mg/dl (3.89 mmol/l) and < 50 mg/dl (2.78 mmol/l)] were all significantly and positively correlated with the duration of diabetes for patients treated with NPH insulin but not with insulin glargine. Despite improvements in HbA1c, rates of symptomatic nocturnal hypoglycaemia were significantly lower with insulin glargine than with NPH insulin in patients with longer T2DM duration.

Conclusion

There is a lower risk for nocturnal hypoglycaemia with insulin glargine than with NPH insulin. When considering diabetes duration, insulin glargine (compared to NPH insulin) may be particularly beneficial in patients with a longer duration of T2DM.
Liraglutide suppresses postprandial triglyceride and apolipoprotein B48 elevations after a fat‐rich meal in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over trial
Authors: Hermansen K. , Bækdal T. A. , Düring M. , Pietraszek A. , Mortensen L. S. , Jørgensen H. , Flint A.
Published: May 2013

Aims

Postprandial triglyceridaemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study investigated the effects of steady‐state liraglutide 1.8 mg versus placebo on postprandial plasma lipid concentrations after 3 weeks of treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

In a cross‐over trial, patients with T2DM (n = 20, 18–75 years, BMI 18.5–40 kg/m2) were randomized to once‐daily subcutaneous liraglutide (weekly dose escalation from 0.6 to 1.8 mg) and placebo. After each 3‐week period, a standardized fat‐rich meal was provided, and the effects of liraglutide on triglyceride (primary endpoint AUC0–8h), apolipoprotein B48, non‐esterified fatty acids, glycaemic responses and gastric emptying were assessed. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00993304. Funding: Novo Nordisk A/S.

Results

After 3 weeks, mean postprandial triglyceride (AUC0–8h liraglutide/placebo treatment‐ratio 0.72, 95% CI [0.62–0.83], p = 0.0004) and apolipoprotein B48 (AUC0–8h ratio 0.65 [0.58–0.73], p < 0.0001) significantly decreased with liraglutide 1.8 mg versus placebo, as did iAUC0–8h and Cmax (p < 0.001). No significant treatment differences were observed for non‐esterified fatty acids. Mean postprandial glucose and glucagon AUC0–8h and Cmax were significantly reduced with liraglutide versus placebo. Postprandial gastric emptying rate [assessed by paracetamol absorption (liquid phase) and the 13C‐octanoate breath test (solid phase)] displayed no treatment differences. Mean low‐density lipoprotein and total cholesterol decreased significantly with liraglutide versus placebo.

Conclusions

Liraglutide treatment in patients with T2DM significantly reduced postprandial excursions of triglyceride and apolipoprotein B48 after a fat‐rich meal, independently of gastric emptying. Results indicate liraglutide's potential to reduce CVD risk via improvement of postprandial lipaemia.
A comparison of the assessment and management of cardiometabolic risk in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus in Canadian primary care
Authors: Teoh H. , Després J.‐P. , Dufour R. , Fitchett D. H. , Goldin L. , Goodman S. G. , Harris S. B. , Langer A. , Lau D. C. W. , Lonn E. M. , Mancini G. B. J. , McFarlane P. A. , Poirier P. , Rabasa‐Lhoret R. , Tan M. K. , Leiter L. A.
Published: May 2013

Aim

To investigate the cardiometabolic risk (CMR) assessment and management patterns for individuals with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Canadian primary care practices.

Methods

Between April 2011 and March 2012, physicians from 9 primary care teams and 88 traditional non‐team practices completed a practice assessment on the management of 2461 patients >40 years old with no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease and diagnosed with at least one of the following risk factor—T2DM, dyslipidaemia or hypertension.

Results

There were 1304 individuals with T2DM and 1157 without. Pharmacotherapy to manage hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension was widely prescribed. Fifty‐eight percent of individuals with T2DM had a glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≤7.0%. Amongst individuals with dyslipidaemia, median low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) was 1.8 mmol/l for those with T2DM and 2.8 mmol/l for those without. Amongst individuals with hypertension, 30% of those with T2DM achieved the <130/80 mmHg target, whereas 60% of those without met the <140/90 mmHg target. The composite glycaemic, LDL‐C and blood pressure (BP) target outcome was achieved by 12% of individuals with T2DM. Only 17% of individuals with T2DM and 11% without were advised to increase their physical activity. Dietary modifications were recommended to 32 and 10% of those with and without T2DM, respectively.

Conclusions

Patients at elevated CMR were suboptimally managed in the primary care practices surveyed. There was low attainment of recommended therapeutic glycaemic, lipid and BP targets. Advice on healthy lifestyle changes was infrequently dispensed, representing a missed opportunity to educate patients on the long‐term benefits of lifestyle modification.
Diabetes and gout: efficacy and safety of febuxostat and allopurinol
Authors: Becker M. A. , MacDonald P. A. , Hunt B. J. , Jackson R. L.
Published: May 2013

Aim

Assess influences of demographics and co‐morbidities of gout patients with or without diabetes on safety and efficacy of urate‐lowering agents.

Methods

Post‐hoc analysis of 312 diabetic and 1957 non‐diabetic gout patients [baseline serum urate levels (sUA) ≥8.0 mg/dl] enrolled in a 6‐month randomized controlled trial comparing urate‐lowering efficacy (ULE) and safety of daily xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOIs) febuxostat (40 mg or 80 mg) and allopurinol (200 mg or 300 mg). We compared baseline demographic, gout and co‐morbid characteristics, ULE, and safety of XOI treatment in diabetic and non‐diabetic gout patients. ULE was measured by the proportion of diabetic and non‐diabetic patients in each treatment group achieving final visit sUA < 6.0 mg/dl. Safety was monitored throughout the trial.

Results

Diabetic gout patients were older, more frequently female, and had longer gout duration. Co‐morbidities were more frequent among diabetic patients: cardiovascular disease; impaired renal function; hyperlipidemia; and obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m2) (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Febuxostat 80 mg ULE exceeded that of febuxostat 40 mg or allopurinol (p < 0.050) at all levels of renal function, achieving sUA goal range in the majority of diabetic and non‐diabetic patients. Diabetics and non‐diabetics reported self‐limiting diarrhoea and URIs as the most common adverse events.

Conclusions

Despite higher co‐morbidity rates in diabetic patients, febuxostat and allopurinol were safe in both groups at the doses tested. Febuxostat 80 mg achieved sUA <6.0 mg/dl more often than febuxostat 40 mg or allopurinol at commonly prescribed doses.
Safety and efficacy of splenectomy in over 65‐yrs‐old patients with immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Gonzalez‐Porras Jose R. , Escalante Fernando , Pardal Emilia , Sierra Magdalena , Garcia‐Frade Luis J. , Redondo Santiago , Arefi Maryam , Aguilar Carlos , Ortega Fernando , de Cabo Erik , Fisac Rosa M. , Sanz Oscar , Esteban Carmen , Alberca Ignacio , Sanchez‐Barba Mercedes , Santos Maria T. , Fernandez Abel , Gonzalez‐Lopez Tomas J. ,   representing the Grupo de Trombosis y Hemostasia de Castilla y León
Published: May 2013

Aim

Few studies specifically focus on elderly splenectomized immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients. Older patients with ITP and excellent health are often excluded from surgery splenectomy. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of splenectomy in elderly and non‐elderly ITP patients and to examine the effect of age on therapeutic response.

Material and methods

We carried out a retrospective analysis of a series of 218 patients who had undergone splenectomy for ITP. We compared the data from the elderly group (≥65 yrs, 57 patients) with the young group (<65 yrs, 162 patients).

Results

Surgical technique (laparoscopy or open laparotomy splenectomy) was comparable between the two age groups. The adjusted risk of major bleeding following splenectomy for elderly patients was three times that for young patients (OR 3.05, 95% CI: 1.44–6.52). The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was longer for elderly than for young patients (8 d vs. 4 d, P < 0.001). However, we identified a subgroup of elderly ITP patients, those aged between 65 and 70 yrs who had undergone laparoscopic splenectomy, with a low risk of postoperative complications. Of the 218 patients, 89% achieved a favorable response to splenectomy. A favorable response was significantly less common in elderly than in young people (79% vs. 92%, P = 0.005). However, we observed an acceptable long‐term control of ITP in the elderly group, in which the probability of maintaining response for 14 yrs after splenectomy was 56%.

Conclusions

Patients aged ≥65 yrs experienced negative effects on safety and efficacy outcomes of splenectomy for ITP, but further studies are needed to identify predictors of postsplenectomy outcomes in this group.
Range expansion through fragmented landscapes under a variable climate
Authors: Bennie Jonathan , Hodgson Jenny A. , Lawson Callum R. , Holloway Crispin T.R. , Roy David B. , Brereton Tom , Thomas Chris D. , Wilson Robert J.
Published: May 2013

Ecological responses to climate change may depend on complex patterns of variability in weather and local microclimate that overlay global increases in mean temperature. Here, we show that high‐resolution temporal and spatial variability in temperature drives the dynamics of range expansion for an exemplar species, the butterfly Hesperia comma. Using fine‐resolution (5 m) models of vegetation surface microclimate, we estimate the thermal suitability of 906 habitat patches at the species' range margin for 27 years. Population and metapopulation models that incorporate this dynamic microclimate surface improve predictions of observed annual changes to population density and patch occupancy dynamics during the species' range expansion from 1982 to 2009. Our findings reveal how fine‐scale, short‐term environmental variability drives rates and patterns of range expansion through spatially localised, intermittent episodes of expansion and contraction. Incorporating dynamic microclimates can thus improve models of species range shifts at spatial and temporal scales relevant to conservation interventions.
Urinary profile of catecholamines and metabolites in Parkinson patients with deep brain stimulation
Authors: Guimarães J. , Vieira‐Coelho M. A. , Moura E. , Afonso J. , Rosas M. J. , Vaz R. , Garrett C.
Published: May 2013

Background and purpose

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (DBS‐STN) is thought to continuously alter the activity of STN neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). A chronic decrease in the levodopa dose with continuous STN stimulation may induce plastic neuronal changes.

Objective

The objective of this work was to study urinary excretion of catecholamines in patients with PD before and after DBS‐STN.

Methods

Twenty‐three patients were submitted to DBS‐STN, and evaluated before and after surgery with respect to catecholamines and metabolites in 24‐h urine measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Results

Of the 23 patients evaluated, a significant decrease of about 60% in the urinary excretion of l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (l‐DOPA; in nmol/mg creatinine/24 h) was observed 1 week after DBS‐STN. Moreover, in 17 patients with a follow‐up of 8 weeks after surgery, there was a further 50% decrease in urinary l‐DOPA levels, dropping to about 75% of the values before surgery. There was also a significant decrease in dopamine (DA) and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels 1 week after DBS‐STN that was no longer present 8 weeks after. A significant increase in the DA/l‐DOPA ratio was observed 1 week after surgery, with a further increase 8 weeks after surgery.

Conclusion

After DBS‐STN, the DA/l‐DOPA ratio, an indirect measure of DA synthesis, increased. These results show that DBS‐STN may improve the efficacy of oral levodopa.
The outcome of the movement disorder in methcathinone abusers: clinical,MRIand manganesemia changes, and neuropathology
Authors: Stepens A. , Groma V. , Skuja S. , Platkājis A. , Aldiņš P. , Ekšteina I. , Mārtiņsone I. , Bricis R. , Donaghy M.
Published: May 2013

Background and purpose

There is limited knowledge regarding the long‐term outcome of the methcathinone/manganese‐induced movement disorder. Our purpose was to define prognosis in intravenous methcathinone abusers affected by this distinctive disorder attributed to manganese (Mn) toxicity. Also, neuropathology from a globus pallidus region biopsy from a former user is reported.

Methods

Eighteen methcathinone abusers were categorized as active (five), discontinued (four) or former (nine) users. They were reassessed after a median of 32.5 months (range 3.4–59.6) clinically, on rating scales, and withMRIand bloodMn levels. The biopsy was examined ultrastructurally.

Results

Overall the group showed a slight tendency to deterioration at follow‐up on clinical assessment of motor functioning, especially the active users. No significant change occurred on parkinsonian rating scale reassessment. Significant reduction inMn levels occurred in former users, and decreasedT1‐weighted hyperintensity on basal gangliaMRIoccurred in 3 of 4 former and 2 of 3 discontinued users, despite lack of clinical improvement. The biopsy consisted of white matter showing decompacted myelin sheaths and frequent abnormalities of mitochondria.

Conclusions

No improvement in thisMn‐induced movement disorder occurs after cessation of methcathinone abuse despite improvement ofMn blood levels and/orMRIabnormalities. Ultrastructural abnormalities in a former user confirm structural damage to white matter is associated with the disorder. Methcathinone/Mn toxicity is an important, disabling and permanent medical sequel of intravenous drug abuse in the former Soviet Union.