bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of economic crises on network behavior
Authors: Mandják Tibor , Wimmer Ágnes , Durrieu François
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Following industrial network theory, this paper aims to address network behavior from a focal company’s perspective. Special attention is paid to examining the effect of perceptions of the economic crisis on network behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is built on a quantitative analysis of an empirical database of 300 companies based on a survey completed in 2013 in Hungary. A focal company network behavior model was developed and applied to investigate the link between variables (valuable customer relationships, valuable supplier relationships, relationship strategy and relational outcomes) and the effect of managers’ perceptions about the intensity of the crisis. To obtain a deeper understanding of the effect of the crisis, structural modeling methodology was applied during data analysis.

Findings

How crises are perceived has a moderating influence on companies’ network behavior. In a context in which a crisis is strongly perceived, valuable customer relationships are considered more important than valuable supplier relationships; relationship strategy becomes more intensive; and performance is increasingly focused on operations and less on innovation. The main difference in network behavior is found with the management of the supply side. A different level of attention is paid to supplier relationships in a high crisis-perception context than when a crisis is perceived as being less critical.

Research limitations/implications

Results emphasize the importance of perceptions as a key factor in managerial attitudes, behavior and, ultimately, decision-making. This finding merits more attention from both researchers of business relationships and networks.

Practical implications

From a managerial point of view, the results emphasize the existence of potentially new opportunities in network management. The reinforcement of attention to the customer during a period of crisis implies the importance of the customer orientation, but also suggests that firms may have unexploited opportunities and more potential resources on the supplier side.

Originality/value

The paper combines an analysis of network behavior and perceptions of crisis, helping to explain managerial decisions and attitudes. Analysis was undertaken from a focal firms’ perspective and differences were investigated in attitudes concerning both supplier- and customer-side relations. How crises are perceived is a moderating variable of network behavior.
Organizational structure, innovation performance and customer relationship value in the Greek advertising and media industry
Authors: Dekoulou Paraskevi , Trivellas Panagiotis
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of organizational structure dimensions on innovation performance as well as its implications on business customers’ relationship value and financial performance in the business-to-business (B2B) market of the Greek advertising and media industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 180 executives, who are at the helm of 163 Greek advertising and media organizations, the authors apply the partial least square method to test the association of organizational structure with innovation performance, business customers’ relationship value and financial outcomes.

Findings

Findings have brought to light that training boosts organization’s capacity to innovate, whereas direct supervision as a coordination mechanism significantly restricts this capacity. Innovation performance in the advertising B2B market fosters business customers’ relationship value and financial performance, while financial outcomes are also beneficially affected by profitable relationships with customer relationship value.

Practical implications

Because of the dramatic decline in their profitability caused by the economic crisis in the past five years, Greek advertising and media companies are threatened with extinction; thus, they are required to enhance their effectiveness through the adoption of a more innovation-oriented structure. Thus, managers should facilitate structures supporting training and delimiting direct supervision to foster the development of a competitive advantage built on innovation, creativity and business clients’ relationship.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing relationship marketing literature because it introduced Mintzberg’s typology to measure organizational structure and led to the diagnosis of the associations between different dimensions of organizational structure and various aspects of performance in the media and advertising industry, revealing the partial mediating role of customer relationship value between innovation and financial performance in the B2B market.
The impact of trust and commitment on value creation in asymmetric buyer–seller relationships: the mediation effect of specific asset investments
Authors: Chen Po-Yuan , Chen Kuan-Yang , Wu Lei-Yu
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Previous studies have argued that trust and commitment can create value in cooperative relationships. However, this study observed that, in practice, trust and commitment alone may not ensure value creation in asymmetric relationships. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the mediating role of specific assets in the effects of trust and commitment on value creation in asymmetric buyer–seller relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Contract manufacturers (CMs) in Asia were sampled to validate the argument proposed by this study. Most Taiwanese CMs are partnered with international brands (original equipment manufacturers [OEMs]) that have stronger bargaining power. This cooperative relationship is characteristically asymmetric. A questionnaire method was applied, and structural equation modeling was performed to verify the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Specific asset investment (SAI) was a crucial mediator that explained the effects of trust and commitment on the relationship value of an asymmetric cooperative relationship. Past studies have claimed that power asymmetry results in an unequal distribution of benefits. Nevertheless, regarding the relationship between CMs and OEMs, the study revealed that relationship value could still be increased once the congruent goals have been achieved by both parties. This finding contradicts past theoretical predictions.

Practical implications

Characteristically asymmetric CMs–OEMs (seller–buyer) relationships cannot be maintained merely through trust and commitment, particularly in the context of power and resource imbalances in which the stronger party often possesses a wider selection of prospective partners. The results of this study suggested that the CM should unilaterally invest in specific assets conducive to a cooperative relationship as an expression of faith in the relationship with the stronger firm, thereby creating opportunities for value cocreation.

Originality/value

The analysis of the relevance of relationship quality in the context of asymmetric cooperative relationships confirmed the mediating influences of SAI on ensuring value creation and the maintenance of the relationships. Relationship value could still be created despite the highly asymmetry power relationship. The CMs’ SAI is the key mechanism for this achievement.
Improving performance and curtailing opportunism: the role of contractual issue inclusiveness and obligatoriness in channel relationships
Authors: Yang Pianpian , Qian Liping , Zheng Songyue
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of the role of contracts in channel relationships. Treating contracts as a multidimensional construct, this study examines the effects of contractual issue inclusiveness and contractual obligatoriness on performance and opportunism, as well as the moderating effects of relational norms on the above relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the data of 206 samples collected from distributors of house furnishing, computer and computer components, moderated regression is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The empirical test generally supports the conceptual model and provides three findings. First, contractual issue inclusiveness is more profound in enhancing relationship performance than contractual obligatoriness, and contractual obligatoriness is more statistically powerful in mitigating opportunism than contractual issue inclusiveness. Second, relational norms can enhance the positive effect of contractual issue inclusiveness but not contractual obligatoriness on performance. Third, relational norms can strengthen the negative effect of contractual obligatoriness but not contractual issue inclusiveness on opportunism.

Research limitations/implications

First, this study investigates only contractual issue inclusiveness and contractual obligatoriness, and future studies should consider other dimensions of contracts. Second, the influence of external environment is not considered in the model. Third, data from Chinese distributors limit the generalization of conclusions. Finally, data come only from buyers, and suppliers’ viewpoints are not included.

Practical implications

The results provide a framework for managers to use contracts and relational norms. Managers should pay attention to the alignment between contractual dimensions and firm objectives because various dimensions of contracts have different impacts on channel relationships.

Originality/value

Prior research has documented contracts’ role in coordinating channel relationships but has not achieved consistent conclusions on contracts’ effectiveness. Furthermore, extant research indicates that channel members will use contracts and relational norms simultaneously but has conflicting views on the combined effects of these two control mechanisms. The study contributes by addressing these issues.
An ISM-based approach analyzing interactions among variables of reverse logistics in automobile industries
Authors: Ravi V. , Shankar Ravi
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the interaction among the major variables of reverse logistics seen in automobile industries.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) has been used to understand mutual influences among identified variables of reverse logistics. The advantage of the ISM methodology is that variables can be categorized depending upon their driving power and dependence.

Findings

Regulations make it mandatory for automobile companies to own responsibility of products manufactured throughout their life cycle by collecting and reusing products, reducing volume of waste generated, increasing the use of recycled materials, etc. For example, End-of-Life Vehicle Directive had directed manufacturers to take back their vehicles at the end of their usefulness and responsibly dispose them. In this research, regulation has appeared at bottom of the ISM model, indicating that it has high driving power to influence other variables. Also, financial limitations are a significant inhibitor faced by the top management for implementing reverse logistics programs.

Research limitations/implications

The ISM methodology relies upon expert opinions for developing contextual relation among identified variables. Thus, an expert’s knowledge, his familiarity with industry and its operations may have affected the final results of the ISM model. One of research implications of this study is that variables identified in this ISM model are quite generic, and thus, with marginal adjustments, these can be used in the context of any other supply chain for increasing its productivity and performance.

Practical implications

The ISM model reveals that regulations affect a significant number of enabler variables of reverse logistics like support of policy entrepreneurs, green purchasing by companies, information and communication technologies that are seen at the upper level of ISM. This indicates that regulations force companies to be proactive towards product recovery actions that lead to initiation of reverse logistics programs by them.

Originality/value

This research has tried to analyze the interaction among the major variables of reverse logistics typically seen in automobile industries which could be useful to logistics managers for taking strategic-level decisions.
Management practices and modeling the seasonal variation in health care waste
Authors: Thakur Vikas , Anbanandam Ramesh
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Management of hazardous waste is a big challenge to a common biomedical waste treatment facility (CBWTF) because of variations in the amount of different kinds of waste collected and treated from various health-care facilities (HCFs). Hence, prediction of health-care waste (HCW) will be very helpful for the CBWTF in allocation of resources, transportation, storage and disposal of medical waste (MW). This study aims to focus on the current MW handling and disposal practices at CBWTF in Uttarakhand, India. The study also models the seasonal variation in the HCW quantities collected and treated in CBWTF at Uttarakhand (India).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected for two years (2013 and 2014) from CBWTF, and polynomial regression models were used to represent the complex nonlinear relationship among the variables.

Findings

The fixed trends in the waste generated in two years represent the seasonal variations and illness patterns. The load of approximately 527 kg/day biomedical waste, including all the three categories (red, yellow and blue), was estimated at CBWTF at Uttarakhand, India. The composition of the total waste was calculated as: yellow category (327 kg/day, 62.23 per cent), red category (190 kg/day, 36.66 per cent) and blue category (10 kg/day, 1.44 per cent). CBWTF needs to run an incinerator for 3.30 h, autoclaving machine for 4 h and shredder for 20 min daily as per the calculated load.

Research limitations/implications

This study is focused on only one CBWTF in Uttarakhand, so the model needs to be validated considering other facilities.

Practical implications

The model will help the CBWTF to plan its capacity and allocate resources.

Social implications

Infectious waste coming out from HCFs can be managed in a proper way.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind conducted for CBWTF, Uttarakhand, India.
Energy consumption flow and regional economic development: evidence from 25 economies
Authors: Tang Bao-jun , Gong Pi-qin , Xiao Yu-chong , Wang Huai-yu
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to figure out the relationship between energy consumption flow from a new perspective of embodied energy inventory index (EEII) and regional economic growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The input-output approach has been applied to calculate embodied energy inventory (EEI) and EEII using the data of 25 economies. Meanwhile, cluster analysis and panel data modeling were applied to carry out detailed research.

Findings

The results of cluster analysis show that there is a roughly negative relationship between EEII and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, although there are some exceptions, such as Russia and Taiwan (Province of China). Panel data model results provide further evidence that there is a negative relationship between EEII and GDP per capita. Population is an important productive factor in the regional economic development. The study showed a positive relationship between EEII and population. Therefore, energy consumption flow is closely related to regional economic development.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is to use EEI and EEII to comprehensively clarify the energy consumption flow. The advantage of EEII is that it can reflect the energy embodied in fixed assets and infrastructure.
The Sherifs’ contributions to management research
Authors: Gur Furkan Amil , McLarty Benjamin D. , Muldoon Jeff
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Muzafer and Carolyn Wood Sherif are among the founders of social psychology. Their theoretical and empirical findings made important contributions to the management literature. This paper aims to attempt to underline these contributions and highlights the Sherifs’ interdisciplinary work and their impact on management research specifically.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a citation content analysis, the influence of the Sherifs on management research is detailed by examining how their work has contributed to research published in top management journals.

Findings

The Sherifs’ work has influenced numerous research streams related to organisational groups, social norms, assimilation contrast theory and a combination of various other topics. Additionally, these works helped originate team and workgroup research in organisation theory.

Originality/value

This is the first manuscript of its type to examine the influence of the Sherifs on management research. Their story is a testament to the impact that social psychology researchers have had in developing modern thought about organisational issues. This work also addresses potential areas for future research building on the Sherifs’ work.
Competition and niche separation of pelagic bacteria in freshwater habitats
Authors: Pernthaler Jakob
Published: March 2017

Freshwater bacterioplankton assemblages are composed of sympatric populations that can be delineated, for example, by ribosomal RNA gene relatedness and that differ in key ecophysiological properties. They may be free‐living or attached, specialized for particular concentrations or subsets of substrates, or invest a variable amount of their resources in defence traits against protistan predators and viruses. Some may be motile and tactic whereas others are not, with far‐reaching implications for their respective life styles and niche partitioning. The co‐occurrence of competitors with overlapping growth requirements has profound consequences for the stability of community functions; it can to some extent be explained by habitat factors such as the microscale complexity and spatiotemporal variability of the lacustrine environments. On the other hand, the composition and diversity of freshwater microbial assemblages also reflects non‐equilibrium states, dispersal and the stochasticity of community assembly processes. This review synoptically discusses the competition and niche separation of heterotrophic bacterial populations (defined at various levels of phylogenetic resolution) in the pelagic zone of inland surface waters from a variety of angles, focusing on habitat heterogeneity and the resulting biogeographic distribution patterns, the ecophysiological adaptations to the substrate field and the interactions of prokaryotes with predators and viruses.
Emergency Department Attendance after Telephone Triage: A Population‐Based Data Linkage Study
Authors: Gibson Amy , Randall Deborah , Tran Duong T. , Byrne Mary , Lawler Anthony , Havard Alys , Robinson Maureen , Jorm Louisa R.
Published: March 2017

Objective

To investigate compliance with telephone helpline advice to attend an emergency department (ED) and the acuity of patients who presented to ED following a call.

Data Sources/Collection Methods

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 2009–2012, all (1.04 million) calls to a telephone triage service, ED presentations, hospital admissions and death registrations, linked using probabilistic data linkage.

Study Design

Population‐based, observational cohort study measuring ED presentations within 24 hours of a call in patients (1) with dispositions to attend ED (compliance) and (2) low‐urgency dispositions (self‐referral), triage categories on ED presentation.

Principal Findings

A total of 66.5 percent of patients were compliant with dispositions to attend an ED. A total of 6.2 percent of patients with low‐urgency dispositions self‐referred to the ED within 24 hours. After age adjustment, healthdirect compliant patients were significantly less likely (7.8 percent) to receive the least urgent ED triage category compared to the general NSW ED population (16.9 percent).

Conclusions

This large population‐based data linkage study provides precise estimates of ED attendance following calls to a telephone triage service and details the predictors of ED attendance. Patients who attend an ED compliant with a healthdirect helpline disposition are significantly less likely than the general ED population to receive the lowest urgency triage category on arrival.
Gendering Resilience: Myths and Stereotypes in the Discourse on Climate‐induced Migration
Authors: Rothe Delf
Published: March 2017

The research article critically investigates recent European policy proposals that promote migration as an adaptation strategy to increase the resilience of communities vulnerable to the environmental crisis. Such proposals have been welcomed for breaking with alarmist discourses that framed climate‐induced migration as a threat to national or international security. The present article seeks to contribute to this ongoing debate by bringing in a fresh perspective that has so far been neglected: the perspective of gender. Drawing on a poststructuralist perspective on gender the article reveals that policy debates on climate‐induced migration take place within highly gendered discourses. Applying this perspective to recent policy reports on climate change, migration and resilience, the article helps to paint a more nuanced picture of the highly criticized notion of resilience. The analysis shows that, on the one hand, resilience thinking helped overcoming a masculinized discourse of security as control. On the other hand, it reproduces a series of ‘gender myths’ about the role of women in the so‐called Global South.
Age at sexual maturity of male and female banana weevils, Cosmopolites sordidus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Uzakah Richard P.
Published: March 2017

This study was to determine the age at sexual maturity and the relationships between age and internal reproductive organs of Cosmopolites sordidus. Male banana weevils become sexually mature 18 days after emergence (DAE), that is after 2 weeks of adult eclosion, in spite of the fact that spermatogenesis is completed at emergence. A positive correlation exists between age and male internal organs, for example for mean testis diameter (r = .849, p ≤ .001), mean seminal vesicle diameter (r = .679, p ≤ .001), mean accessory gland length (r = .561, p ≤ .01) and mean accessory gland diameter (r = .498, p ≤ .05), respectively. Significant differences were recorded between sexually mature and immature weevils with respect to mean testis diameter (T = 4.471, p ≤ .001) and mean seminal vesicle diameter (T = 3.939, p ≤ .001), but not with mean accessory gland length and mean accessory gland diameter (T = 1.899 and 1.661). Male internal organs were visibly underdeveloped at emergence but became significantly enlarged and developed on attainment of sexual maturity. Female C. sordidus, on the other hand, are sexually mature at 5 DAE. There was also a strong, positive correlation between age of females and mean ovariole length (r = .656, p ≤ .001), and significant differences existed between mean ovariole lengths of sexually mature and immature females (T = 4.306, p ≤ .001). Increasing age of females witnessed progressive increases in ovariole lengths and developmental changes within female ovarioles and calyces. The findings made here may be helpful in Musa germplasm screening works, as weevils bred on susceptible cultivars may reveal similar results, while those bred on resistant ones may experience possible delays in their reproductive developments.
Mortgage‐backed Securitization and SME Lending During the Financial and Economic Crisis: Evidence from the Italian Cooperative Banking System
Authors: Castellani Davide
Published: March 2017

I investigate the determinants of the securitization activities of Italian cooperative banks during the financial and economic crisis (2007–2014) and the impact of securitization on the supply of loans to SMEs. The less deposit‐funded, less profitable and less capitalized cooperative banks are, the more likely they are to securitize and the more likely it is that they will securitize to a larger extent. Furthermore, I find that securitization has not directly affected the supply of new SME loans. However, there is strong evidence of a risk‐rebalancing effect of securitization on the balance sheet, especially in the period 2010–2014.
Mountain metacommunities: climate and spatial connectivity shape ant diversity in a complex landscape
Authors: Liu Cong , Dudley Kenneth L. , Xu Zheng‐Hui , Economo Evan P.
Published: March 2017

Understanding what drives biodiversity patterns across scales is a central goal of ecology. Both environmental gradients and spatial landscape structure have been found to be important factors influencing species distributions and community composition, and partly reflect the balance of underlying deterministic and stochastic community processes. In some systems, environmental gradients and spatial connectivity are intertwined in that steep environmental gradients serve as boundaries on species movements and impose environment‐derived complex spatial structure to metacommunities. Mountainous landscapes are prime examples of this, and recent theory has linked principles of geomorphology, environmental gradients, and spatial structure to make predictions for resulting community patterns. In this context, we examine variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic ant diversity patterns along a geographic transect spanning > 5000 m in elevational range in the Hengduan mountains of southern China. We found that environmental gradients dominate variation in both alpha and beta diversity in this landscape, with alpha diversity strongly declining with elevation and beta diversity driven by elevational differences. However, within an elevational band spatial connectivity predicts beta diversity better than geographic distance. Our findings deviate from theoretical predictions in several ways, notably alpha diversity is monotonically declining and within‐band beta diversity is invariant with increasing elevation. The discrepancies between theory and observation may be explained by differences in the Hengduan landscape from idealized fluvial landscapes, such as a lack of a mid‐elevation peak in connectivity, as well as evolutionary limits on the source pool of species available to populate metacommunities at different elevations. The latter is supported by variation in phylogenetic community structure with elevation. Our results demonstrate the power of conceptual, statistical, and theoretical frameworks that integrate the roles of environment and spatial structure in metacommunities, but that additional work is needed to bridge the gap between abstract theory and real systems.
Influence of pineapple, apple and melon by‐products on cookies: physicochemical and sensory aspects
Authors: de Toledo Nataly Maria Viva , Nunes Larissa Peixoto , da Silva Paula Porrelli Moreira , Spoto Marta Helena Fillet , Canniatti‐Brazaca Solange Guidolin
Published: March 2017

Physicochemical and sensory effects were investigated regarding the partial substitution of wheat flour in cookies with flours made of pineapple, apple and melon by‐products, in the concentrations 5%, 10% and 15%. Cookies with 15% of melon flour were prominent in relation to the nutritional aspects, especially about the contents of fibres (4.67–6.46%) and ash (1.74–2.25%). The use of these by‐products resulted in slightly darker cookies, with variations in diameter and in the expansion factor. There was a positive influence of the use of the pineapple by‐product concerning consumers' preference. Additionally, the cookies with 15% of pineapple by‐product presented the highest acceptance rate (97%) and buying intention (53%). Therefore, the use of fruit by‐products in the development of cookies is a viable alternative which can be explored for nutritional, technological and sensory purposes by the food industry.
Does the Fama and French Five‐Factor Model Work Well in Japan?
Authors: Kubota Keiichi , Takehara Hitoshi
Published: March 2017

In this study, we investigate whether the five‐factor model by Fama and French (2015) explains well the pricing structure of stocks with long‐run data for Japan. We conduct standard cross‐section asset pricing tests and examine the additional explanatory power of the new Fama and French factors; robust‐minus‐weak profitability factor and conservative‐minus‐aggressive investment factor. We find that robust‐minus‐weak and the conservative‐minus‐aggressive factors are not statistically significant when we conduct generalized method of moments (GMM) tests with the Hansen–Jagannathan distance measure. Thus, we conclude that the original version of the Fama and French five‐factor model is not the best benchmark pricing model for Japanese data during our sampling period from the year 1978 to the year 2014.
Effect of pressure on TiO2 crystallization kinetics using in‐situ high‐temperature synchrotron radiation diffraction
Authors: Albetran H. M. , O'Connor B. H. , Low I. M.
Published: March 2017

The phase transformation behavior of TiO2 sol‐gel synthesized nanopowder heated in a sealed quartz capillary from room temperature to 800°C was studied using in‐situ synchrotron radiation diffraction (SRD). Sealing of the capillary resulted in an increase in capillary gas pressure with temperature. The pressures inside the sealed capillary were calculated using Gay‐Lussac's Law, and they reached 0.36 MPa at 800°C. The as‐synthesized material was entirely amorphous at room temperature, with crystalline anatase first appearing by 200°C (24 wt% absolute), then increasing rapidly in concentration to 89 wt% by 300°C and then increasing more slowly to 97 wt% by 800°C, with there being no indication of the anatase‐to‐rutile transformation up to 800°C. The best estimate of activation energy for the amorphous‐to‐anatase transformation from the SRD data was 10(2) kJ/mol, which is much lower than that observed when heating the material under atmospheric pressure in a laboratory XRD experiment, 38(5) kJ/mol. For the experiment under atmospheric pressure, the anatase crystallization temperature was delayed by ~200°C, first appearing after heating the sample to 400°C, after which crystalline rutile was first observed after heating to 600°C. The estimated activation energy for the anatase‐to‐rutile transformation was 120(18) kJ/mol, which agrees with estimates for titania nanofibers heated under atmospheric pressure. Thus, heating the nanopowders material under pressure promoted the amorphous‐to‐anatase transformation, but retarded the anatase‐to‐rutile transformation. This behavior is believed to occur in an oxygen‐rich environment and interstitial titanium is also expected to form when the material is heated under high gas pressure. This suggests that atmospheric oxygen appears to accelerate the amorphous‐to‐anatase transformation, whereas interstitial titanium inhibits TiO2 structure relaxation, which is required for the anatase‐to‐rutile transformation.
Enhanced visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic activities of LiInO2 by Mo6+‐doping strategy
Authors: Zhang Xiangchao , Xu Difa , Huang Duan , Liu Fang , Xu Kaiqiang , Wang Hongxia , Zhang Shiying
Published: March 2017

A novel visible‐light‐driven photocatalyst of Mo‐doped LiInO2 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized through a sol‐gel method. The effect of Mo‐doping concentrations on the microstructures and properties of LiInO2 was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectra. The photocatalytic properties of the as‐prepared samples were evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible‐light irradiation. The results demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of 6% Mo‐LiInO2 reached to 98.6%, which was much higher than that of the undoped photocatalyst LiInO2 (only 46.8%). The enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to Mo‐doping strategy. The holes play an important role in the process of the photodegradation of MB. The superior photocatalytic activity of the as‐prepared Mo‐LiInO2 nanocomposites suggests a potential application for organic dye degradation of wastewater remediation. This work provides a further understanding on tailoring the band structure of semiconductor photocatalyst for enhancing visible‐light absorption and promoting electron‐hole separation by Mo‐doping strategy.
Mortality Effect of ICD in Primary Prevention of Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: LUNI FARAZ KHAN , SINGH HEMINDERMEET , KHAN ABDUR R. , MALIK SONIA A. , KHAWAJA OWAIS , RIAZ HARIS , LEE WADE , KABOUR AMEER , RICHARDS MARK , AASBO JOHAN
Published: March 2017

ICD in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction

Implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is controversial in view of the recent DANISH trial which suggested no benefit with ICD for primary prevention in patients with non‐ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICMP).

Methods

We conducted a meta‐analysis of randomized control trials studying the role of ICD in primary prevention of SCD in patients with NICMP. Only six studies were identified after the application of inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Results

Pooling of these randomized trials showed a statistically significant benefit of using ICDs in patients with NICMP [OR 0.76 (0.64 – 0.91), I2 = 0%]. Sensitivity analysis did not show a statistically significant mortality benefit of ICD in NICMP in trials which had adequate beta blocker, ACE/ARB and aldosterone receptor blocker (ALD‐RB) use [OR 0.70 (0.41, 1.19), I2 = 70%].

Conclusion

The DANISH trial's failure to show mortality benefit may be due to the significant number of patients who had CRT. Our meta‐analysis studied the independent effect of ICDs and showed them to be associated with net mortality benefits in patients who are not on optimal guideline directed medical therapy; especially the patients not on ALD‐RB.
The blood–brain barrier and protein‐mediated fatty acid uptake: role of the blood–brain barrier as a metabolic barrier
Authors: Murphy Eric J.
Published: March 2017

Read the commented article ‘The blood-brain barrier fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1/SLC27A1) supplies docosahexaenoic acid to the brain, and insulin facilitates transport’ on page 400.
Does Product Platforming Pay Off?
Authors: Meyer Marc H. , Osiyevskyy Oleksiy , Libaers Dirk , van Hugten Marcel
Published: March 2017

Product platforming—a specific approach to new product development utilizing common technology components or subsystems deployed across multiple products or product lines—has been argued to bring numerous valuable organizational outcomes (e.g., effectiveness of R&D process, superior postlaunch product commercial performance, and ultimately sustained competitive advantage). Yet, large‐scale longitudinal empirical examinations of the mechanisms linking product platforming to firm performance are scarce. Drawing on the concepts of architectural leverage and product life cycle flexibility, the article presents the development and empirical test of a set of hypotheses regarding the commercial outcomes of platforming at the product level using a unique dataset comprising all products developed and sold by a large, global LED lighting manufacturer in 2010–2015. The results suggest that platformed products demonstrate significantly higher sales and gross profit margins aggregated over their product life cycle (PLC), vis‐à‐vis the comparable group of nonplatformed, individually developed products. In addition, the findings demonstrate that a product platforming development approach appears to extend the PLC relative to nonplatformed products based on an integral, nonmodular product architecture.
Plasma Symmetric Dimethylarginine Concentration in Dogs with Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Dahlem D.P. , Neiger R. , Schweighauser A. , Francey T. , Yerramilli M. , Obare E. , Steinbach S.M.L.
Published: March 2017

Background

Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is considered a biomarker for early detection of renal dysfunction in human patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). At present, no studies exist analyzing the relevance of SDMA in dogs with AKI.

Hypothesis/objectives

SDMA would correctly identify dogs with renal disease but would not be able to differentiate between AKI and CKD.

Animals

Eighteen healthy control dogs, 48 dogs with AKI, and 29 dogs with CKD.

Methods

Prospective study. Dogs with kidney disease were categorized as having AKI or CKD according to the history, clinical signs, laboratory findings, and results of diagnostic imaging. Plasma SDMA concentration was measured by IDEXX Laboratories. SDMA/creatinine ratio was calculated in dogs with AKI or CKD.

Results

Median SDMA concentrations were 8.5 μg/dL (6–12 μg/dL), 39.5 μg/dL (8–>100 μg/dL), and 35 μg/dL (12–>100 μg/dL), in healthy, AKI, and CKD, respectively. SDMA concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with AKI (P < .0001) or CKD (P < .0001) in comparison with healthy dogs. Median SDMA/creatinine ratio in dogs with AKI and CKD was 6.5 (1.7–20.9) and 10 (2.4–33.9) (P = .0004), respectively. Although there was overlap of the SDMA/creatinine ratio in dogs with AKI or CKD, it was significantly higher in dogs with CKD compared to dogs with AKI (P = .0004).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

In this population, SDMA was suitable for identifying dogs affected by AKI or CKD, but could not differentiate between them.
Old and new treatments for primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Chascsa David , Carey Elizabeth J. , Lindor Keith D.
Published: March 2017

Primary biliary cholangitis (formerly primary biliary cirrhosis) is a rare progressive cholestatic liver disease, whose hallmark features include a persistently elevated alkaline phosphatase level, presence of anti‐mitochondrial antibodies and characteristic histology. Since 1998, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a bile acid, has been the only available therapeutic agent. Primary biliary cholangitis is associated with the development of end‐stage liver disease, increased morbidity and mortality. UDCA has been shown to improve serum biochemistries, histology and delay the need for liver transplantation. The clinical issue is that approximately 25%‐40% of patients do not respond to this standard therapy. In recent years, many trials have investigated alternative and adjunctive treatments, leading to the recent approval of obeticholic acid, an analogue of chenodeoxycholic acid, which has shown significant and sustained reductions in alkaline phosphatase levels in combination with UDCA. Obeticholic acid has rapidly been embraced as a new agent to improve the biochemical profile in refractory patients, in addition to being approved for use as monotherapy in patients who cannot tolerate UDCA. There are several other studies and targets which are being investigated. This review is intended to highlight the benefits of UDCA, educate the reader on the newly available obeticholic acid, and to summarize the many ongoing trials and therapeutic targets being investigated in attempts to control and cure primary biliary cholangitis.
Inducer exclusion in Firmicutes: insights into the regulation of a carbohydrate ATP binding cassette transporter from Lactobacillus casei BL23 by the signal transducing protein P‐Ser46‐HPr
Authors: Homburg Constanze , Bommer Martin , Wuttge Steven , Hobe Carolin , Beck Sebastian , Dobbek Holger , Deutscher Josef , Licht Anke , Schneider Erwin
Published: March 2017

Catabolite repression is a mechanism that enables bacteria to control carbon utilization. As part of this global regulatory network, components of the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system inhibit the uptake of less favorable sugars when a preferred carbon source such as glucose is available. This process is termed inducer exclusion. In bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes, HPr, phosphorylated at serine 46 (P‐Ser46‐HPr) is the key player but its mode of action is elusive. To address this question at the level of purified protein components, we have chosen a homolog of the Escherichia coli maltose/maltodextrin ATP‐binding cassette transporter from Lactobacillus casei (MalE1‐MalF1G1K12) as a model system. We show that the solute binding protein, MalE1, binds linear and cyclic maltodextrins but not maltose. Crystal structures of MalE1 complexed with these sugars provide a clue why maltose is not a substrate. P‐Ser46‐HPr inhibited MalE1/maltotetraose‐stimulated ATPase activity of the transporter incorporated in proteoliposomes. Furthermore, cross‐linking experiments revealed that P‐Ser46‐HPr contacts the nucleotide‐binding subunit, MalK1, in proximity to the Walker A motif. However, P‐Ser46‐HPr did not block binding of ATP to MalK1. Together, our findings provide first biochemical evidence that P‐Ser‐HPr arrests the transport cycle by preventing ATP hydrolysis at the MalK1 subunits of the transporter.
Condom use among Swedes while traveling internationally: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Lejelind Eva , Westerling Ragnar , Sjögren Fugl‐Meyer Kerstin , Larsson Kjerstin
Published: March 2017

This study explores factors influencing condom use among Swedish women and men who visited a sexual health clinic after unprotected sex during international travel. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 25 women and 25 men. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. The informants' narratives were categorized as strategies and barriers. Strategies found were: risk assessment, testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. The barriers were characterized as technical and personal or emotional. The findings indicate that sexual behavior may be different while traveling internationally, and that a release of social constraints and increased alcohol consumption were risk factors for practicing unprotected sex. Some of the strategies may be appropriate for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, but several strategies and most barriers were used to explain why unprotected sex was practiced. Thus, people need the opportunity to reconsider strategies and strengthen confidence in their ability to use condoms. An individual‐based approach employed within routine health care may support the practice of safer sex and prevent further transmission of sexually transmitted infections.
Esophageal sensitivity to acid in patients with Barrett's esophagus is not related to preserved esophageal mucosal integrity
Authors: Weijenborg P. W. , Smout A. J. P. M. , Krishnadath K. K. , Bergman J. G. H. M. , Verheij J. , Bredenoord A. J.
Published: March 2017

Background

Patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) usually have severe gastroesophageal reflux. However, they often have surprisingly few reflux symptoms. We hypothesized that BE patients are less sensitive to acid than gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients without Barrett and that this is due to an unusual preservation of mucosal integrity of the squamous epithelium prohibiting transepithelial acid diffusion.

Methods

We prospectively analyzed esophageal sensitivity and esophageal mucosal integrity in GERD patients with and without BE and healthy subjects. An acid perfusion test was performed and mucosal integrity was assessed in vivo by electrical tissue impedance spectroscopy and ex vivo by Ussing chamber experiments with biopsy specimens.

Key Results

Gastroesophageal reflux disease patients with BE were less sensitive to acid than GERD patients without BE, but more sensitive to acid than healthy controls (time to perception Barrett's 14.0 minutes, GERD 4.6 minutes, controls 17.5 minutes). However, extracellular impedance (6.2 and 5.7 vs 8.4×103 Ω/m) and transepithelial resistance (94.0 and 89 vs 118 Ω/cm2) was similar in BE and GERD patients and significantly lower than in healthy subjects. Transepithelial fluorescein flux was equally increased in GERD patients with and without BE (1.6 and 1.7×103 vs 0.6×103 nmol/cm2/h).

Conclusions & Inferences

Esophageal hypersensitivity to acid is less pronounced in BE patients than in GERD patients without Barrett. However, mucosal integrity of the squamous epithelium is equally impaired in GERD patients with and without Barrett, indicating that factors other than esophageal mucosal barrier integrity explain the difference in acid sensitivity between those with BE and those without.
Differences in retinal shape between East Asian and Caucasian eyes
Authors: Verkicharla Pavan K. , Suheimat Marwan , Schmid Katrina L. , Atchison David A.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To investigate whether retinal shape is different between East Asians and Caucasians.

Methods

There were 36 East Asian and 40 Caucasian young adults, with refractions between +0.75D and −5.50D. Peripheral eye lengths were obtained after pupil dilation using the Lenstar partial coherence interferometer. Measurements were obtained along the horizontal and vertical meridians of the visual field out to ±35° and ±30°, respectively, in 5° steps. Retinal co‐ordinates were estimated using a validated method from the peripheral eye length measurements and ray‐tracing through a modified Le Grand full theoretical eye. Rays were directed normally towards the anterior cornea. Retinal shapes were described in terms of vertex radius of curvature (Rv), asphericity (Q) and equivalent radius of curvature (REq) along both horizontal and vertical meridians.

Results

Rv was smaller in East Asian than in Caucasians (mean difference ± 95% CI −0.7 ± 0.5 mm), along the horizontal meridian than the vertical meridian (−1.2 ± 0.6 mm), and in myopia than in emmetropia (−1.0 ± 0.6 mm). Rv along the horizontal meridian, but not along the vertical meridian, became smaller as myopia increased. Q did not vary significantly with meridian, refraction group or race. The same pattern of results occurred for REq as for Rv. The percentage differences of heights under the estimated retinal surfaces showed steeper retinas in East Asians than in Caucasians; the differences between East Asian and Caucasian emmetropes were 2.5% and <1% along horizontal and vertical meridians, respectively, and corresponding differences for myopes were 4.6% and 1.8%.

Conclusion

East Asians had steeper retinas than Caucasians. The horizontal meridian had steeper retinas than the vertical meridian. Myopes had steeper retinas than emmetropes. Racial differences in retinal shape in both emmetropes and myopes, combined with the high prevalence of myopia in East Asia, suggest that retinal shape may play a role in myopia development.