bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kauai: Extending a fast-food brand into traditional retail as a growth strategy
Authors: de Reuck Shelley , Bick Geoff
Published: April 2020

Subject area of the teaching case

The case can be used in the subject areas of marketing, strategy, business model innovation in an emerging market. The case introduces a practical example of brand extension as a growth strategy employed by an existing brand to secure additional revenue channels and customer touch points.

Student level

This teaching case is aimed at postgraduate business students such as Master's degrees in Business Administration degrees, postgraduate diplomas, executive education, or specialist Master's degrees.

Brief overview of the teaching case

Kauai is a health restaurant with 150 stores across South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, more than 50% of which are franchise-owned. An acquisition of the original Kauai quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain by Real Foods in 2015 leads to a complete rebrand and overhaul of its product offering and store experience. Since the acquisition, the business operates as a startup with few formal processes and KPIs in place to drive performance. Despite the obvious success the team is battling with the factors that need to be considered to ensure that they can scale adequately to realise full potential. Plus how should they position the existing brand effectively within the FMCG space to maximise the contribution of brand equity to its success?

Expected learning outcomes

–The understanding around the business model of a strong, existing brand entering a highly competitive and price-sensitive FMCG.

–Analysing the marketing strategy and brand identity approaches that could be used.

–An understanding of the brand extension strategy that could be implemented in light of various challenges.

–Understanding how retail marketing works in an emerging market context.
Employee satisfaction, human resource management practices and competitive advantage
Authors: Elrehail Hamzah , Harazneh Ibrahim , Abuhjeeleh Mohammad , Alzghoul Amro , Alnajdawi Sakher , Ibrahim Hussein M. Hussein
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of human resource (HR) management practices on achieving competitive advantage through studying the mediating role of employee satisfaction in the context of five-star hotels in Northern Cyprus.

Design/methodology/approach

To produce numeric data as well as to test the hypothesis, the researchers employed structural equation modeling and AMOS. The testing included (n=439) questionnaires. The model suggested by the authors examined the tourism sector, and in particular, five-star hotels located in Northern Cyprus.

Findings

The main research findings revealed that HR practices had a significant effect on competitive advantage. By comparison, the research findings revealed that the mediator variable had no effect on achieving competitive advantage for five-star hotels in Northern Cyprus.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates originality by responding to the recommendations of prior studies conducted on HR in Northern Cyprus Island. This makes a theoretical contribution to the field, since only Turkey recognizes Northern Cyprus, which makes conducting research on this country a challenge for researchers worldwide. Based on this study’s outcomes, this paper discusses its theoretical and practical implications, as well as recommendations for future research.
CSR in sport sponsorship consumers' perceptions of a sponsoring brand's CSR
Authors: Demirel Apollo
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between sponsorship of professional sport teams and consumers' socially responsible perceptions of a sponsoring brand. More specifically, this research investigates if sponsorship of professional sport teams in itself leads consumers to perceive a sponsoring brand as socially responsible, and what factors may produce CSR perceptions and subsequent consumer response.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental study was conducted to examine the impact of sponsorship of professional sport teams on consumers' CSR perceptions of a sponsoring brand. Further, a field study was used to explore the role of sponsorship fit in generating CSR perceptions.

Findings

The results from the experimental study indicated that brand sponsorship of professional sport teams contributes to the socially responsible image of that brand, and sponsorship fit induces consumers' CSR perceptions of a sponsoring brand. Additionally, the results from the field study identified CSR perceptions as an underlying process driving the effect of sponsorship fit on consumers’ behavioral intentions toward a sponsoring brand. Lastly, the role of team identification was shown as a boundary condition shaping the effects of sponsorship fit.

Practical implications

Brands specifically seeking to create a socially responsible image, thanks to sponsoring a sport team, should consider the importance of perceived fit between their brand and the sponsored sport team as it is a key predictor of CSR perceptions.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence for the sport sponsorship and CSR perceptions link and sheds light on important predictors for consumer response.
Dynamic capabilities in media management research. A literature review
Authors: Murschetz Paul Clemens , Omidi Afshin , Oliver John J. , Kamali Saraji Mahyar , Javed Sameera
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Dynamic capabilities (DCs) help media firms adapt to rapidly changing environments. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive literature review of studies of DCs in strategic management research with a view to understanding its implications for the management of media organizations. Essentially, it fertilizes on the idea that the concept of DC is useful and vital for answering various critical questions regarding the challenges that media organizations are currently facing.

Design/methodology/approach

This study builds on a systematic literature reviewing design as the research methodology. It aims to identify, critically evaluate, and integrate factors, dimensions, and findings on studies of DCs in strategic management research and builds knowledge transfers to the field of strategic management research in the media industry.

Findings

The study shows that the DC framework helps media firms effectively respond to changing environments. The conceptual DC framework has implications for media strategy practice. Results indicate a considerable growth in the number of papers published related to the DCs in media organizations from 2003 to 2018.

Originality/value

The study qualifies the relevance and validity of the DC framework in strategic management research for the field of strategic media management. It explores a research agenda in this domain by precisely explaining the significant trends in the theory of DC to shape managerial strategies in the media industry.
Toll‐interacting protein in the freshwater fish Labeo rohita exhibits conserved structural motifs of higher eukaryotes and is distinctly expressed in pathogen‐associated molecular pattern stimulations and bacterial infections
Authors: Mohanty Arpita , Sadangi Sushmita , Paichha Mahismita , Saha Ashis , Das Surajit , Samanta Mrinal
Published: April 2020

Toll‐interacting protein (Tollip) is a critical regulator of TOLL‐ like receptor (TLR)‐signaling pathway. It is predominantly associated with TLR2 and TLR4 during acute inflammatory conditions and inhibits the TLR‐mediated nuclear factor‐kappa activation by suppressing the autophosphorylation of interleukin‐1 receptor‐associated kinase and its kinase activity. This article describes the Tollip of Labeo rohita (LrTollip), a highly valuable freshwater fish from the Indian subcontinent. The full‐length LrTollip complementary DNA (1412 nucleotides) encodes a 276‐amino acid (aa) protein, depicting a highly conserved target of the Myb1 (Tom1)‐binding domain (TBD; 1–53 aa), conserved core domain 2 (C2; 54–151 aa), and coupling of ubiquitin to endoplasmic reticulum degradation (CUE; 231–273 aa) domains of mouse and human counterparts. The key amino acids exerting the critical functions of Tollip, such as phospholipids recognition and ubiquitination, are present in the C2 and CUE domains of LrTollip, respectively. LrTollip is widely expressed in the kidneys, gills, spleen, liver, and blood, and among these tested tissues, the highest expression is observed in blood. In response to TLR ligands and NOD‐like receptor (NLR) ligands stimulations and Aeromonas hydrophila, Edwardsiella tarda, and Bacillus subtilis infections, LrTollip gene expression is induced in various organs/tissues with remarkable difference in their kinetics. These data together suggest the important role of LrTollip in TLR‐ and NLR‐signal transduction pathways and immune‐related diseases in fish.
N, P and K stoichiometry and resorption efficiency of nine dominant shrub species in the deserts of Xinjiang, China
Authors: Luo Yan , Peng Qingwen , He Maosong , Zhang Meixia , Liu Yanyan , Gong Yanming , Eziz Anwar , Li Kaihui , Han Wenxuan
Published: April 2020

Plant nutrient stoichiometry and resorption efficiency are important functional traits related to plant nutrient status and biogeochemical cycling. Such traits are not well documented for desert shrubs. We studied how the stoichiometry and resorption efficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) varied among nine dominant desert shrub species through systematically investigating their concentrations in green and senesced leaves (or assimilation branches) of desert plants at 24 sites across Xinjiang, China. We hypothesized that desert shrubs should have low leaf N and P but high leaf K concentrations; and have high leaf N and P but low K resorption efficiency, given the low N and P but high K availability in this arid region. These shrubs had a mean leaf N concentration of 18.9 mg g−1, and lower leaf P but higher leaf K concentration (1.2 and 17.0 mg g−1, respectively) than desert plants at national and global levels. The mean (± SE) resorption efficiencies of leaf N, P and K in the desert shrubs were 51.0 ± 2.4%, 54.9 ± 2.0% and 46.3 ± 3.5%, respectively, lower than in the woody plants globally. The higher green‐leaf N:P (17.2 ± 0.8) and K:P (15.3 ± 1.0) relative to the corresponding critical ratios, and the higher P resorption efficiency (54.9%) relative to N (51.0%) and K (46.3%) resorption efficiency, suggested that the dominant desert shrubs in Xinjiang generally suffer from P (or both P and N) deficiency. Additionally, our results showed little evidence of higher resorption relative to their counterparts in most other ecosystems.
Heart rate variability monitoring for the detection of delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Bjerkne Wenneberg Sandra , Löwhagen Hendén Pia M. , Oras Jonatan , Naredi Silvana , Block Linda , Ljungqvist Johan , Odenstedt Hergès Helena
Published: April 2020

Background

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a major cause of impaired outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoidal hemorrhage (aSAH). In this observational cohort study we investigated whether changes in heart rate variability (HRV) that precede DCI could be detected.

Methods

Sixty‐four patients with aSAH were included. HRV data were collected for up to 10 days and analyzed offline. Correlation with clinical status and/or radiologic findings was investigated. A linear mixed model was used for the evaluation of HRV parameters over time in patients with and without DCI. Extended Glasgow outcome scale score was assessed after 1 year.

Results

In 55 patients HRV data could be analyzed. Fifteen patients developed DCI. No changes in HRV parameters were observed 24 hours before onset of DCI. Mean of the HRV parameters in the first 48 hours did not correlate with the development of DCI. Low/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio increased more in patients developing DCI (β −0.07 (95% confidence interval, 0.12‐0.01); P = .012). Lower STDRR (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (root mean square of the successive differences between adjacent RR intervals), and total power (P = .003, P = .007 and P = .004 respectively) in the first 48 hours were seen in patients who died within 1 year.

Conclusion

Impaired HRV correlated with 1‐year mortality and LF/HF ratio increased more in patients developing DCI. Even though DCI could not be detected by the intermittent analysis of HRV used in this study, continuous HRV monitoring may have potential in the detection of DCI after aSAH using different methods of analysis.
First trimester inflammatory mediators in women with chronic hypertension
Authors: Nzelu Diane , Dumitrascu‐Biris Dan , Karampitsakos Theodoros , Nicolaides Kypros K. , Kametas Nikos A.
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Chronic hypertension complicates 1%‐2% of pregnancies and is one of the most significant risk factors for the development of preeclampsia. Inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) and endothelin have been implicated in the endothelial dysfunction that is pathognomonic of preeclampsia and may serve as useful first trimester biomarkers for the prediction of preeclampsia. The objectives of this study are: first, to investigate differences in serum levels of IL‐6, TNF‐α, VCAM and endothelin at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks’ gestation in women with chronic hypertension who developed superimposed preeclampsia with those who did not and normotensive controls and, second, to evaluate the performance of these biomarkers in the prediction of preeclampsia.

Material and methods

The study population was comprised of 650 women with chronic hypertension, including 202 who developed superimposed preeclampsia and 448 who did not, and 142 normotensive controls matched to the chronic hypertension group for storage time and racial origin. Serum concentrations of IL‐6, TNF‐α, VCAM and endothelin were measured and the values were converted into multiples of the expected median using multivariate regression analysis in the control group. The multiples of the median values of the biomarkers between the two groups of women with chronic hypertension and the controls were compared, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to assess the performance of these variables for the prediction of preeclampsia.

Results

In women with chronic hypertension, compared with the normotensive controls, there was a significantly higher first trimester median concentration of endothelin but not of VCAM, IL‐6 or TNF‐α. Within the cohort of women with chronic hypertension, those who developed superimposed preeclampsia, compared with those who did not, had higher first trimester serum concentration of VCAM but not of endothelin, IL‐6 or TNF‐α. However, serum VCAM provided a poor prediction of superimposed preeclampsia (area under the ROC curve 0.537, 95% CI 0.487‐0.587).

Conclusions

Women with chronic hypertension have increased serum endothelin in the first trimester of pregnancy and those who develop superimposed preeclampsia have higher levels of VCAM. None of the inflammatory mediators performed well in the first trimester in the prediction of preeclampsia.
Returns to education among the informally employed in Thailand
Authors: Vivatsurakit Tanthaka , Vechbanyongratana Jessica
Published: April 2020

Thailand experienced rapid economic development and made significant investments in education over the past four decades; however, more than half of Thai workers remain informally employed. Despite the prevalence and persistence of informal work in Thailand, little is known about the returns to investments in formal education among informal workers. Using individual‐level data from the 2011, 2013, and 2015 Thailand Household Socio‐economic Surveys, this study estimates the wage returns to years of education for informal workers using an instrumental variable (IV) approach to correct for potentially biased coefficient estimates on years of education due to unobserved ability. Contrary to expectations, informally employed Thai workers find substantial returns to investments in formal education. The results under the IV approach indicate that the return to an additional year of education for the informally employed is 11–12 per cent, compared to almost 15 per cent for formally employed private firm workers.
Comparison of postoperative plasma D‐dimer levels between patients undergoing laparoscopic resection and conventional open resection for colorectal cancer
Authors: Kubota Yawara , Okuyama Takashi , Oi Haruka , Takeshita Emiko , Mitsui Takashi , Noro Takuji , Sameshima Shinichi , Noie Tamaki , Oya Masatoshi
Published: April 2020

Introduction

D‐dimer is widely used in clinical pretests for venous thromboembolism exclusion, and its elevation suggests the presence of thrombus. The extent of hypercoagulability after colorectal surgery has not been systematically compared between patients who have undergone laparoscopic surgery and open surgery. The present study measured D‐dimer levels sequentially in patients undergoing colorectal surgery and compared the extent of hypercoagulability between laparoscopic surgery and open surgery.

Methods

A prospective cohort study involving 169 patients who underwent resection of colorectal cancer at Saitama Medical Center, Dokkyo Medical University, was conducted between January 2013 and September 2014. To measure D‐dimer level, peripheral blood was obtained on postoperative day (POD) 1, POD4, and POD7. Enoxaparin sodium was administered twice daily as the routine prophylactic anticoagulant therapy on POD2 to 7.

Results

D‐dimer levels on POD1, POD4, and POD7 were significantly higher after open surgery than after laparoscopic surgery. Older age, pathologically advanced stage cancer, greater intraoperative blood loss and higher preoperative D‐dimer levels were significantly associated with higher D‐dimer levels on POD1, POD4, and POD7. Patients who completed the course of postoperative enoxaparin injections had significantly lower D‐dimer levels on POD7 than those who did not receive postoperative enoxaparin injections. Multiple regression analyses of postoperative D‐dimer level showed that laparoscopic surgery was a significant and independent factor affecting D‐dimer level on POD4 and POD7.

Conclusion

This study showed that postoperative D‐dimer levels were lower after laparoscopic surgery than after open surgery. The limited invasiveness of laparoscopic surgery may be beneficial to reduce the risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis.
Scenarios of climate change and natural resource development: Complexity and uncertainty in the Nechako Watershed
Authors: Picketts Ian M. , Déry Stephen J. , Parkes Margot W. , Sharma Aseem R. , Matthews Carling A.
Published: April 2020

Climate change and resource development interact to have significant impacts on both natural and human systems within watersheds. It is, however, difficult to conceptualize and communicate these intersections, as climate change and resource development are each independently uncertain and complex. We facilitated a process whereby stakeholders created plausible future scenarios for the Nechako Watershed in British Columbia, Canada. This region is reliant upon, and has been significantly affected by, many types of resource exploitation. During a full‐day workshop, 32 stakeholders created scenarios for 2050 envisioning high and low levels of both resource development and climate change. The high and low levels of climate change were based on downscaled projections from global emissions scenarios, and the resource development levels were determined at the beginning of the workshop by the participants. The exercise was educational, and motivated stakeholders to conceptualize plausible future changes and their impacts, and the outcomes should motivate stakeholders to work towards realizing a more desired future. All scenarios (even low‐low) were deemed to have significant negative impacts, suggesting that the Nechako Watershed is in a vulnerable state. The complexity of the exercise suggests that more capacity building may be necessary.
Gemeinde transformata semper transformanda evangelio: Theological education for what?
Authors: Brondos David A.
Published: April 2020

Two factors loom large in the crisis that the church and our institutions of theological education are facing today. The first is that the traditional formulations of the gospel that we have inherited are highly problematic from both a theological and a biblical perspective. The second is a model of church that in many ways no longer responds to our present‐day realities. By defining the gospel in terms of transformation and healing and embracing new forms of community, we can enable more people to be immersed in the gospel in the context of communities that are both transformed and transforming.
Profile of hospital admissions for adults with cerebral palsy: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Morgan Prue , Enticott Joanne , Nikam Rujuta , Tracy Jane
Published: April 2020

Aim

To retrospectively profile acute hospital admissions for a defined cohort of adults with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

Five years of health service data were interrogated to identify acute health service use by adults with CP. Admission types were described, admission reasons categorized using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes, and length of stay (LOS) calculated. Any differences between paediatric and adult subsets were explored.

Results

Individuals with CP constituted 2922 admissions. Of these, 850 (29%) were adult admissions. There were significant differences between admission reasons for paediatric and adult cohorts, with adults predominantly seeking hospital admission for emergency rather than planned care (emergency reason: adults 62.1%, paediatrics 25.2%; p<0.001). The median adult admission LOS was longer than that of children (p<0.001). The primary diagnosis admission reason in the adult data set was respiratory illness (20%) followed closely by gastrostomy dysfunction (19%).

Interpretation

Adults with CP predominantly access acute hospital services for emergency health care. A high frequency of admissions is associated with respiratory illness and gastrostomy dysfunction in adults with CP.

What this paper adds

Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) access acute inpatient services for emergency health care.

Hospital admissions are predominantly because of respiratory illness and gastrostomy dysfunction.

Admission length of stay is longer for adults than children.

Many adults with CP require hospitalization more than once a year.
Habit learning in hierarchical cortex–basal ganglia loops
Authors: Baladron Javier , Hamker Fred H.
Published: April 2020

How do the multiple cortico‐basal ganglia‐thalamo‐cortical loops interact? Are they parallel and fully independent or controlled by an arbitrator, or are they hierarchically organized? We introduce here a set of four key concepts, integrated and evaluated by means of a neuro‐computational model, that bring together current ideas regarding cortex–basal ganglia interactions in the context of habit learning. According to key concept 1, each loop learns to select an intermediate objective at a different abstraction level, moving from goals in the ventral striatum to motor in the putamen. Key concept 2 proposes that the cortex integrates the basal ganglia selection with environmental information regarding the achieved objective. Key concept 3 claims shortcuts between loops, and key concept 4 predicts that loops compute their own prediction error signal for learning. Computational benefits of the key concepts are demonstrated. Contrasting with former concepts of habit learning, the loops collaborate to select goal‐directed actions while training slower shortcuts develops habitual responses.
Changes in skin temperature of ovariectomized rats under different incubation temperatures
Authors: Sun Yanrong , Yang Qiyue , Bai Wenpei , Wang Wenjuan , Li Yao , Luo Xiaofeng , Wang Sinan , Jia Jing , Wang Ke , Qin Lihua
Published: April 2020

Aim

This study aimed to investigate changes in skin temperature in the main body regions of ovariectomized rats under different incubation temperatures to identify regions that are similar to hot flashes experienced by menopausal women.

Methods

A total of 96 adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham, ovariectomized and ovariectomized with estrogen treatment groups, with treatment lasting for 4 weeks. After 3 weeks of treatment, each group was randomly divided into five subgroups and placed in separate incubators set at 4, 15, 25, and 37°C. Changes in the skin temperature in seven main regions (head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, tail, and paws) for four time intervals (0–3 min, 3–5 min, 5–10 min and 10–15 min) were monitored using infrared thermography.

Results

All rats showed rapid changes in skin temperature followed by a gradual slowdown under different incubation temperatures. However, changes in ovariectomized rats were significantly different from that in normal rats, and changes on the back, tail and paws were more rapid and lasted longer. Estrogen treatment effectively controlled these abnormalities of ovariectomized rats.

Conclusions

Temperature responses in the back, tail and paws in ovariectomized rats might be similar to the face, neck and upper chest in menopausal women, where the symptoms of hot flashes are most obvious, which suggests that the back, tail and paws could be regarded as the focus of research on hot flashes, and offer theoretical foundations for mechanisms behind the occurrence of hot flashes in specific regions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; ••: ••–••.
Helicobacter pylori infection in children with celiac disease: Multi‐center, cross‐sectional study
Authors: Bayrak Nevzat Aykut , Tutar Engin , Volkan Burcu , Sahin Akkelle Bilge , Polat Esra , Kutluk Gunsel , Ertem Deniz
Published: April 2020

Background

An inverse association has been suggested between celiac disease (CD) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in children; however, there are inconsistent data. The purpose of this multi‐center study is to evaluate the association between Hp and CD in childhood.

Methods

Children who underwent endoscopy between July 2016 and November 2017 in four pediatric gastroenterology centers were included in the study. Patients with a history of previous Hp eradication, antibiotic or acid‐suppressive drug therapy in the last 4 weeks, and any underlying chronic disease were excluded. The presence of Hp infection was confirmed by both histopathology and the rapid urease test. The ones who had the diagnosis of CD were compared with the children who underwent endoscopy during the same period and had another diagnosis. Duodenal histopathology of children with CD was categorized according to the modified Marsh classification.

Results

Of 3056 endoscopies performed in the study period, 2484 cases were eligible for the study. A total of 482 CD patients (mean age: 9.71 ± 4.63 years, 58.5% girls) and 2060 controls (mean age: 9.92 ± 4.66 years, 54.6% girls) were included in the study. The rate of Hp infection was significantly lower in CD group (26.3% vs 50.1%, P < .01). The difference was prominent even in children younger than 6 years old (P < .01). There was no correlation between Hp infection and the modified Marsh scores in CD (P > .05).

Conclusion

In this cross‐sectional study, where Hp infection is common even in the pediatric population, the frequency of Hp infection was significantly lower in children with CD compared with the controls. Systematic cohort studies are necessary to clarify causal association between Hp infection and the development of celiac disease.
Prognostic impact of hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at admission and discharge in heart failure patients with preserved, mid‐range and reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Vicent Lourdes , Alvarez‐Garcia Jesús , Gonzalez‐Juanatey José Ramón , Rivera Miguel , Segovia Javier , Worner Fernando , Bover Ramón , Pascual‐Figal Domingo , Vázquez Rafael , Cinca Juan , Fernandez‐Aviles Francisco , Martinez‐Sellés Manuel
Published: April 2020

Background

Hyponatraemia is common in patients with acute heart failure (HF). Aims: To determine the impact of sodium disturbances on mortality and readmissions in HF with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF), preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and mid‐range ejection fraction (HFmrEF).

Methods

This study was a prospective multicentre consecutive registry in 20 hospitals, including patients admitted due to acute HF in cardiology departments. Sodium <135 mmol/L was considered hyponatraemia, >145 mmol/L hypernatraemia and 135–145 mmol/L normal.

Results

A total of 1309 patients was included. Mean age was 72.0 ± 11.9 years, and 810 (61.9%) were male. Mean serum sodium level was 138.6 ± 4.7 mmol/L at hospital admission and 138.1 ± 4.1 mmol/L at discharge. The evolution of sodium levels was: normal‐at‐admission/normal‐at‐discharge 941 (71.9%), abnormal‐at‐admission/normal‐at‐discharge 127 (9.7%), normal‐at‐admission/abnormal‐at‐discharge 155 (11.8%) and abnormal‐at‐admission/abnormal‐at‐discharge 86 (6.6%). Hyponatraemia at discharge was more common in HFrEF (109 (20.7%)) than in HFpEF (79 (13.9%)) and HFmrEF (27 (12%)), P = 0.003. The prevalence of hypernatraemia at discharge was similar in the three groups: HFrEF (10 (1.9%)), HFpEF (12 (2.1%)) and HFmrEF (4 (1.9%)), P = 0.96. In multivariate analysis, abnormal sodium concentrations at hospital admission (hazard ratio (HR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–1.76, P = 0.001) and discharge (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08–1.64, P = 0.007) were both independently associated with increased mortality and readmissions at 12 months.

Conclusions

Hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at admission and discharge predict a poor outcome in patients with acute HF regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction. Hyponatraemia at discharge is more frequent in HFrEF than in the other groups.
Risk factors for pregnancy outcomes in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Seah Jas‐mine , Kam Ning M. , Wong Lydia , Tanner Cara , Shub Alexis , Houlihan Christine , Ekinci Elif I.
Published: April 2020

Background

Understanding the risk factors and pregnancy outcomes in women affected by Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is important for pre‐pregnancy counselling.

Aim

To explore differences in pregnancy outcomes between women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and healthy controls, and to examine the relationships between potential adverse risk factors and pregnancy outcomes in this cohort of women.

Methods

This is a 10‐year retrospective study of women with Type 1 diabetes (n = 92), Type 2 diabetes (n = 106) and healthy women without diabetes (controls) (n = 119) from a tertiary obstetric centre. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes were determined and related to major obstetric outcomes using univariate analysis.

Results

Women with pre‐existing diabetes had higher adverse pregnancy outcomes (preeclampsia, emergency caesarean section, preterm birth <32 and 37 weeks, large for gestational age, neonatal jaundice, Apgar score < 7 at 5 min, neonatal intensive care admission and neonatal hypoglycaemia) compared to controls. A higher birth weight gestational centile (97.4% vs 72.4%, P = 0.001) and large for gestational age rate (63.4% vs 35.8%, P = 0.001) were observed in Type 1 diabetes compared to Type 2 diabetes. There were no differences in other outcomes between women with Type 1 and 2 diabetes.

Conclusion

In this exploratory study, risk factors for maternal adverse outcomes differ between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Maternal and foetal adverse outcomes were higher in pregnancies affected by diabetes compared to healthy women but occurred with similar frequency in women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Genomic selection strategies to improve maternal traits in Norwegian White Sheep
Authors: Lillehammer Marie , Sonesson Anna K. , Klemetsdal Gunnar , Blichfeldt Thor , Meuwissen Theo H. E.
Published: April 2020

This study tested and compared different implementation strategies for genomic selection for Norwegian White Sheep, aiming to increase genetic gain for maternal traits. These strategies were evaluated for their genetic gain ingrowth, carcass and maternal traits, total genetic gain, a weighted sum of the gain in each trait and rates of inbreeding through a full‐scale stochastic simulation. Results showed genomic selection schemes to increase genetic gain for maternal traits but reduced genetic gain for other traits. This could also be obtained by selecting rams for artificial selection at a higher age. Implementation of genomic selection in the current breeding structure increased genetic gain for maternal traits up to 57%, outcompeted by reducing the generation interval for artificial insemination rams from current 3 to 2 years. Then, total genetic gain for maternal traits increased by 65%–77% and total genetic gain by18%–20%, but at increased rates of inbreeding.
For the Love of Petra
Authors: Cattell Alec
Published: April 2020

This essay examines the portrayal of a cognitive, age‐related disability in Norbert Scheuer’s novel Peehs Liebe (2012) vis‐à‐vis recent developments in cultural and literary disability studies. I argue that this disability text departs from reductive tropes and challenges the notion that selfhood is rooted in cognitive abilities. Scheuer presents an affirming alternative paradigm through the story of a disabled protagonist and his caregiver via engagement with concepts of love and the relational self, supported by quotes from Hölderlin’s epistolary novel Hyperion. This meditation on the possibility of narrative representation in the context of cognitive and age‐related disability grapples with the struggle for meaning that surrounds words and the characters’ emotional experience between reality and language. The analysis illuminates the novel’s deployment of the rhetorics of pseilos and apate, which underscore the importance of storytelling for people with age‐related disabilities and those who care for them.
Is experimentalist governance self‐limiting or self‐reinforcing? Strategic uncertainty and recursive rulemaking in European Union electricity regulation
Authors: Rangoni Bernardo , Zeitlin Jonathan
Published: April 2020

Is experimentalist governance (XG) self‐limiting or self‐reinforcing by virtue of its relationship to strategic uncertainty as an essential scope condition? This article tackles this important but understudied question by elaborating a series of idealtypical pathways for the temporal evolution of XG in specific policy domains, ranging from reversion to hierarchical governance through endogenous reduction of strategic uncertainty at one extreme to institutionalization of experimentalism as a multipurpose governance architecture at the other. It then goes on to test the empirical validity of these contrasting theoretical expectations about the long‐term relationship between XG and strategic uncertainty through a process‐tracing analysis of electricity regulation in the European Union over a series of policy cycles since the 1990s. Building on and extending previous research in this domain, this article's findings strengthen empirical confidence in the theoretical expectation that XG is self‐reinforcing, while diminishing confidence in the claim that it is self‐limiting.
From Osler to personalized medicine in obstructive airways disease
Authors: Kearns Nethmi , Kearns Ciléin , Beasley Richard
Published: April 2020

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Evaluating the value of ecological water considering water quality and quantity simultaneously
Authors: Liu Jiyao , Zhao Minjuan , Yao Liuyang , Liu Wenxin , Fan Gongyuan
Published: April 2020

This study applies a choice experiment to evaluate the value of ecological water and investigate public preferences in the Shiyang River Basin, which is an ecologically fragile region in China. The four ecological attributes were ecological water quantity in the upper sub‐basin, ecological water quantity in the middle sub‐basin, ecological water quantity in the lower sub‐basin, water quality in Hongyashan Reservoir. The results show that water quality was the most preferred attribute among all the chosen attributes, and public prefer the increase of the ecological water quantity in the lower sub‐basin. In addition, it was concluded that increases of 40 million m3 and 60 million m3 of the ecological water quantity in the middle and lower sub‐basins, respectively, with the ecological water quality improved from Class IV to III, would be worth 2.82 billion RMB. The research findings are expected to support strategies for regional water resources allocation as well as help to understand public support for the policy.
Quantum effects in the brain: A review
Authors: Adams Betony , Petruccione Francesco
Published: April 2020

In the mid-1990s, it was proposed that quantum effects in proteins known as microtubules play a role in the nature of consciousness. The theory was largely dismissed due to the fact that quantum effects were thought unlikely to occur in biological systems, which are warm and wet and subject to decoherence. However, the development of quantum biology now suggests otherwise. Quantum effects have been implicated in photosynthesis, a process fundamental to life on earth. They are also possibly at play in other biological processes such as avian migration and olfaction. The microtubule mechanism of quantum consciousness has been joined by other theories of quantum cognition. It has been proposed that general anesthetic, which switches off consciousness, does this through quantum means, measured by changes in electron spin. The tunneling hypothesis developed in the context of olfaction has been applied to the action of neurotransmitters. A recent theory outlines how quantum entanglement between phosphorus nuclei might influence the firing of neurons. These, and other theories, have contributed to a growing field of research that investigates whether quantum effects might contribute to neural processing. This review aims to investigate the current state of this research and how fully the theory is supported by convincing experimental evidence. It also aims to clarify the biological sites of these proposed quantum effects and how progress made in the wider field of quantum biology might be relevant to the specific case of the brain.
Examining Program Quality in a National Junior Golf Development Program
Authors: Kramers Sara , Camiré Martin , Bean Corliss
Published: April 2020

Golf Canada recently restructured its national junior golf development program, Learn to Play, going from an original curriculum that focused on teaching golf skills to an updated curriculum that integrates the teaching of golf and life skills. The purpose of the study was to examine whether there were differences in program quality through implementation of the original program compared with the updated program. Five coaches using the original program and nine coaches using the updated program took part in the study over an entire summer golf season. The 14 coaches (Mage = 40 years) were each systematically observed on three occasions (i.e., total of 42 observations) and completed an end-of-season program quality questionnaire. The data were subjected to descriptive statistical analyses. Results demonstrated that (a) coaches who implemented the updated program were observed fostering higher levels of program quality than coaches who implemented the original program and (b) researcher observation scores were significantly lower than coach questionnaire scores of program quality. Results are discussed to situate the influence of the updated program on markers of quality. Practical implications for coach education and explicit life skills curricula are discussed.
Inhibition of protective immunity against
Staphylococcus aureus
infection by MHC-restricted immunodominance is overcome by vaccination
Authors: Si Youhui , Zhao Fan , Beesetty Pavani , Weiskopf Daniela , Li Zhaotao , Tian Qiaomu , Alegre Maria-Luisa , Sette Alessandro , Chong Anita S. , Montgomery Christopher P.
Published: April 2020

MHC restriction determines whether
S. aureus
infection elicits protection, but vaccine efficacy is unconstrained by MHC haplotype.
Virus-host coexistence in phytoplankton through the genomic lens
Authors: Yau Sheree , Krasovec Marc , Benites L. Felipe , Rombauts Stephane , Groussin Mathieu , Vancaester Emmelien , Aury Jean-Marc , Derelle Evelyne , Desdevises Yves , Escande Marie-Line , Grimsley Nigel , Guy Julie , Moreau Hervé , Sanchez-Brosseau Sophie , Van de Peer Yves , Vandepoele Klaas , Gourbiere Sebastien , Piganeau Gwenael
Published: April 2020

A dynamic accordion chromosome may promote sustained production of giant viruses by the smallest photosynthetic eukaryote.
A chemically unmodified agonistic DNA with growth factor functionality for in vivo therapeutic application
Authors: Ueki Ryosuke , Uchida Satoshi , Kanda Naoto , Yamada Naoki , Ueki Ayaka , Akiyama Momoko , Toh Kazuko , Cabral Horacio , Sando Shinsuke
Published: April 2020

This study identifies an oligonucleotide that activates a growth factor receptor and exerts its antiapoptotic activity in vivo.
Force-induced gene up-regulation does not follow the weak power law but depends on H3K9 demethylation
Authors: Sun Jian , Chen Junwei , Mohagheghian Erfan , Wang Ning
Published: April 2020

Rapid up-regulation of endogenous mechanoresponsive genes by force depends on demethylation of histone H3 lysine-9 trimethylation.
Biomechanical simulations reveal a trade-off between adaptation to glacial climate and dietary niche versatility in European cave bears
Authors: Pérez-Ramos Alejandro , Tseng Z. Jack , Grandal-D’Anglade Aurora , Rabeder Gernot , Pastor Francisco J. , Figueirido Borja
Published: April 2020

Biomechanical simulations show a “trade-off” between hibernation length and a restricted herbivorous diet for European cave bears.
Cg
Cmk1 Activates
Cg
Rds2 To Resist Low-pH Stress in Candida glabrata
Authors: Wu Chengjin , Zhu Guoxing , Ding Qiang , Zhou Pei , Liu Liming , Chen Xiulai
Published: April 2020

An acidic environment is the main problem in the production of organic acids in
C. glabrata
. The present study reports that the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase
Cg
Cmk1 positively regulates
Cg
Rds2 to increase intracellular ATP content, membrane permeability, and resistance to low-pH stress. Hence, the transcription factor
Cg
Rds2 may be a potential target for improving the acid stress tolerance of
C. glabrata
during the fermentation of organic acids. The present study also establishes a new link between the calcium signaling pathway and energy metabolism.
Draft Genome Sequences of Four Microcystis aeruginosa Strains (NIES-3787, NIES-3804, NIES-3806, and NIES-3807) Isolated from Lake Kasumigaura, Japan
Authors: Yamaguchi Haruyo , Suzuki Shigekatsu , Kawachi Masanobu
Published: April 2020

Microcystis aeruginosa
is a bloom-forming cyanobacterium found in freshwater environments. The draft genomes of the
M. aeruginosa
strains NIES-3787, NIES-3804, NIES-3806, and NIES-3807, which were isolated from Lake Kasumigaura, Japan, were sequenced. The genome sizes of NIES-3787, NIES-3804, NIES-3806, and NIES-3807 were 4,524,637, 4,522,701, 4,370,004, and 4,378,226 bp, respectively.
Draft Genome Sequence of Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus DSM 3380, a Psychrotolerant Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium
Authors: Bertran Emma , Ward Lewis M. , Johnston David T.
Published: April 2020

Here, we describe the genome of
Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus
DSM 3380, a bacterium that belongs to the
Desulfobacterales
. The genome of this strictly anaerobic bacterium capable of sulfate reduction expands our understanding of microbial sulfate reduction in a wide range of environmental conditions.
Draft Genome Sequence of an Adomavirus Associated with Raised Mucoid Skin Lesions on Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
Authors: Iwanowicz Luke R. , Young Kelsey T. , Adams Cynthia R. , Blazer Vicki S. , Smith Geoffrey D. , Cornman R. Scott
Published: April 2020

Raised mucoid skin lesions have been observed on smallmouth bass (
Micropterus dolomieu
) for years. Here, we report the draft genome of a novel adomavirus (
Micropterus dolomieu
adomavirus 2) associated with this disease. The circular genome is 17,561 bp and most similar to that of alpha-adomaviruses.
Transcriptome RNA Sequencing Data Set of Gene Expression in Moraxella catarrhalis On- and Off-Phase Variants of the Type III DNA Methyltransferase ModM3
Authors: Blakeway Luke V. , Tan Aimee , Peak Ian R. , Atack John M. , Seib Kate L.
Published: April 2020

Moraxella catarrhalis
is a leading bacterial cause of otitis media and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here, we announce a transcriptome RNA sequencing data set detailing global gene expression in two
M. catarrhalis
CCRI-195ME variants with expression of the DNA methyltransferase ModM3 phase varied either on or off.
Defining tumor resistance to PD-1 pathway blockade: recommendations from the first meeting of the SITC Immunotherapy Resistance Taskforce
Authors: Kluger Harriet M. , Tawbi Hussein A. , Ascierto Maria L. , Bowden Michaela , Callahan Margaret K. , Cha Edward , Chen Helen X. , Drake Charles G. , Feltquate David M. , Ferris Robert L. , Gulley James L. , Gupta Shilpa , Humphrey Rachel W. , LaVallee Theresa M. , Le Dung T. , Hubbard-Lucey Vanessa M. , Papadimitrakopoulou Vassiliki A. , Postow Michael A. , Rubin Eric H. , Sharon Elad , Taube Janis M. , Topalian Suzanne L. , Zappasodi Roberta , Sznol Mario , Sullivan Ryan J.
Published: April 2020

As the field of cancer immunotherapy continues to advance at a fast pace, treatment approaches and drug development are evolving rapidly to maximize patient benefit. New agents are commonly evaluated for activity in patients who had previously received a programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor as standard of care or in an investigational study. However, because of the kinetics and patterns of response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, and the lack of consistency in the clinical definitions of resistance to therapy, the design of clinical trials of new agents and interpretation of results remains an important challenge. To address this unmet need, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer convened a multistakeholder taskforce—consisting of experts in cancer immunotherapy from academia, industry, and government—to generate consensus clinical definitions for resistance to PD-(L)1 inhibitors in three distinct scenarios: primary resistance, secondary resistance, and progression after treatment discontinuation. The taskforce generated consensus on several key issues such as the timeframes that delineate each type of resistance, the necessity for confirmatory scans, and identified caveats for each specific resistance classification. The goal of this effort is to provide guidance for clinical trial design and to support analyses of emerging molecular and cellular data surrounding mechanisms of resistance.