bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cherry picking
Authors: Hiilamo Heikki , Kangas Olli
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– In their income inequality theory (IIT), Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett posit that income inequality is at the heart of social “ills”. However, their critics argue that the hypothesis is biased and that “cherry picking” is used and support for the IIT is obtained by selecting a suitable sample of countries. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– With a sample of 127 countries, the authors study to what extent the correlation between income inequality and social “ills” varies among countries sampled by geography, religion and income level.

Findings

– The results of the analysis show that the strength and sometimes the direction of connections between inequality and social “ills” vary according to countries’ cultural background and historical legacies. The IIT is not a universal law. However, it is on a firmer footing than competing explanations.

Originality/value

– The results contribute both to material and methodological debate on consequences of income inequality.
Development of a structural model of environmentally conscious manufacturing drivers
Authors: Kumar Mittal Varinder , Singh Sangwan Kuldip
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Manufacturing firms consume energy and natural resources in highly unsustainable manner and release huge amounts of green house gases leading to many economic, environmental and social problems; from local waste disposal to climate change. Consciousness about these issues has lead to a new manufacturing paradigm of environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECM). There exist many social, legislative, policy, economic, internal, and environmental factors which can motivate and/or force industry to adopt ECM. The purpose of this paper is to identify the drivers for ECM, developing a model of these drivers using statistical analysis and testing the model using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.

Design/methodology/approach

– The basic steps of methodology are ECM driver development, survey instrument development, data collection, model proposition, and model validation. The main data analysis approaches are exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and SEM to develop a model of drivers and validating the same based on the data collected from the manufacturing industry.

Findings

– The reliable, valid, and tested model has three types of drivers – internal, policy, and economic. It has been found through hypothesis testing that internal drivers for the implementation of ECM are positively related to policy and economic drivers; and policy drivers are positively related to economy drivers. This research is expected to help government and industry in developing policies and strategies for the successful implementation of ECM.

Practical implications

– The novelty of this study is that it provides the relationship among the drivers which can be leveraged by the managers to focus on the root drivers for smooth and effective implementation of ECM.

Originality/value

– This paper provides new theoretical insight into the factors motivating the industry to implement ECM systems in the industry with special focus on manufacturing sector of emerging economies.
A method for generating strategy maps using ANP
Authors: Ernesto Quezada and Luis , Ivan Palominos Pedro , E. Galleguillos Rosa , H. Olmedo Alexis
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a method for identifying causal relationships in a strategy map.

Design/methodology/approach

– A strategy map is a visual representation of the strategy of a company, which includes the strategic objectives of a company and the cause-effect relationships between them. Its network structure facilitates its representation as an analytic network process (ANP) model. The proposed method starts with a network with all possible relationships and then it deletes those relationships, which are not important. To do this, it uses the techniques of the ANP approach.

Findings

– It was found that ANP is a good tool for modelling a strategy map and for identifying the important relationships of a strategy map. A study case of a manufacturing is shown to illustrate how the proposed method can be used in practice.

Practical implications

– Normally, the cause-effect relationships between strategic objectives are generated in a subjective way. Even this way of working is widely accepted in practice, some studied have shown that the declared relationships are not necessarily valid. The proposed method provides a quantitative tool to establish the relationships between strategic objectives, which are obtained using a method (ANP) that has a strong conceptual base. This is an indication that the strategy map obtained represents in a better way the strategy of the company.

Originality/value

– ANP is a methodology which is used to estimate the priority of nodes with in a network. In this work ANP is used to estimate the priority of the arcs of the network. The results of application in a company represent a good indication that the method may be implemented in other manufacturing companies.
Green supply chain management
Authors: Drohomeretski Everton , Gouvea da Costa Sergio , Pinheiro de Lima Edson
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the main motivating factors and difficulties in implementing GSCM; and to describe and explain how GSCM is being adopted in the Brazilian automotive industry.

Design/methodology/approach

– To meet the proposed objectives three case studies will be carried out in a Brazilian automotive industry, performing a total of 13 interviews, based on a research protocol. As the data collection instrument, a semi-structured interview was used based on a pre-established script, direct observation and documents from the organization researched. For the analysis of the results, the content analysis method was used, applying a triangle analysis to the research data with the patterns presented in the theoretical reference.

Findings

– The paper orients the companies in the automotive sector to adopt GSCM practices and principally that internal actions of automakers can be transferred throughout the supply chain.

Practical implications

– Contributes in a more practical so that companies evaluate the level of application of their GSCM practices such that they may take more corrective actions to increase the level of GSCM practices.

Originality/value

– Proposition of one classification system to identify the level of adoption of GSCM practices.
The impact of operations and maintenance practices on power plant performance
Authors: Wai Foon Shyong , Terziovski Milé
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of operations and maintenance (O&M) practices, individually and collectively, on power plant performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from more than 100 power plants in Australia and Malaysia. The reliability and validity (content, construct, and criterion) of the practice and performance measures were evaluated.

Findings

– Committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices as part of a total productive maintenance (TPM) philosophy were found to be the main differentiators between high and low performing plants.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is cross-sectional in nature, therefore, it does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. Second, the performance measures are subjective and may be subject to response bias.

Practical implications

– The implication of the research findings for plant managers is that they need to allocate more “softer” resources to the O&M function if they expect high plant availability.

Social implications

– Apart from capacity and fuel cost, operating costs are an important source of differentiation for power plants. The implication is that reduction in operating costs is directly related to the reduction of consumer power bills.

Originality/value

– The reader will learn from this paper that committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices have greater explanatory power in the regression models than employee involvement, customer focus, strategic planning, and knowledge management. This knowledge is important because it emphasises that in addition to quality management practices, which are focussed on the development of the people aspects of the organization, the plant equipment and physical assets should also be given equal emphasis, in order to improve operational performance of power plants.
Brand love in emerging market: a qualitative investigation
Authors: Sarkar Abhigyan
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article to explore the nature of brand love, the antecedents and consequences of brand love and the obstacles to brand love in the context of Asian market. Brand love is an emerging concept in the domain of consumer psychology. It has been regarded as the motivating force behind contemporary hedonic consumption. Yet little qualitative exploration has been done to understand brand love especially in the context of emerging Asian market.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article is grounded in consumers’ everyday experiences of loving particular brands. Semi-structured depth interviews have been conducted.

Findings

– Based on the findings of the depth interviews, a conceptual framework has been developed showing the antecedents and consequences of brand love. This study also throws light on the specific psychological phenomenon of the emerging market consumers. The findings form the basis for a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of brand love in the context of emerging economy.

Originality/value

– Value of this article lies in developing a grounded theory of brand love in the context of emerging Asian market.
Functional neuroimaging applications in marketing: some methodological and statistical considerations
Authors: M. Mostafa Mohamed
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review recent applications of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other neuroimaging techniques in marketing and advertising, and to present some methodological and statistical considerations that should be taken into consideration when applying fMRI to study consumers’ cognitive behavior related to marketing phenomena.

Design/methodology/approach

– A critical approach to investigate three methodological issues related to fMRI applications in marketing is adopted. These issues deal mainly with brain activation regions, event-related fMRI and signal-to-noise ratio. Statistical issues related to fMRI data pre-processing, analyzing and reporting are also investigated.

Findings

– Neuroimaging cognitive techniques have great potential in marketing and advertising. This is because, unlike conventional marketing research methods, neuroimaging data are much less susceptible to social desirability and “interviewer’s” effect. Thus, it is expected that using neuroimaging methods to investigate which areas in a consumer’s brain are activated in response to a specific marketing stimulus can provide a much more honest indicator of their cognition compared to traditional marketing research tools such as focus groups and questionnaires.

Originality/value

– By merging disparate fields, such as marketing, neuroscience and cognitive psychology, this research presents a comprehensive critical review of how neuroscientific methods can be used to test existing marketing theories.
One step closer to the field: visual methods in marketing and consumer research
Authors: Shin Rohani Laila , Aung May , Rohani Khalil
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the use of visual research methods in the area of recent marketing and consumer research.

Design/methodology/approach

– Content analysis was used to investigate visual method in articles from Journal of Consumer Research; Journal of Marketing; Journal of Marketing Research; Journal of Marketing Management; Consumption, Markets, and Culture and Qualitative Market Research. Abstract, key words and methodology sections of all articles published in these six journals from 2002 to 2012 were scanned to identify which of them applied visual methods in their studies. The selected articles were then closely analyzed to discover how visual research methods were used and in what manner did they contribute to the marketing and consumer behavior discipline.

Findings

– This study found that a growing number of marketing and consumer researchers utilized visual methods to achieve their research goals in various approaches such as cultural inventories, projective techniques and social artifacts. Visual method is useful when research deals with children who are not fully developed and able to comprehend text messages and also advantageous when investigating informants’ metaphorical thoughts about a subject or the content of their mind.

Originality/value

– This paper examined how visual methods have assisted marketing and consumer researchers in achieving their goals and suggests when and how researchers can utilize the visual methods for future research.
Behavioural and cognitive processes adults use to change their fruit and vegetable consumption
Authors: Cook Amelia S , O'Leary Fiona , Allman‐Farinelli Margaret
Published: October 2014

Aim

Although the Transtheoretical Model's processes of change have been investigated for improving fruit and vegetable intake in adults, no studies have been conducted in Australia. To help understand what might enable Australian adults to change, we assessed the relationship between stages and processes of change.

Methods

A convenience sample of university students and employees (n = 105; female = 77) aged 18–60 years participated in this cross‐sectional study. Validated questionnaires that measure stages and processes of change for fruit and vegetable consumption were completed. The process of change questionnaire used 40 items, with responses on a 5‐point Likert scale ranging from ‘never’ to ‘repeatedly’.

Results

Ninety‐eight per cent of the sample was in the precontemplation, preparation or maintenance stage. Most differences in process use occurred between precontemplation and the combined contemplation/preparation stages. This latter displayed higher cognitive (P = 0.001) and behavioural process use (P = 0.01). Individual processes predominantly responsible for these differences were consciousness raising, dramatic relief, self re‐evaluation and self liberation.

Conclusions

While there are limitations regarding study design and population, the results suggest that when designing a program to increase fruit and vegetable intake, targeting these processes may assist participants' progression from precontemplation to preparation. Additional research is necessary to critically examine process use between preparation and maintenance stages.
Bias correction in species distribution models: pooling survey and collection data for multiple species
Authors: Fithian William , Elith Jane , Hastie Trevor , Keith David A.
Published: October 2014

Presence‐only records may provide data on the distributions of rare species, but commonly suffer from large, unknown biases due to their typically haphazard collection schemes. Presence–absence or count data collected in systematic, planned surveys are more reliable but typically less abundant.

We proposed a probabilistic model to allow for joint analysis of presence‐only and survey data to exploit their complementary strengths. Our method pools presence‐only and presence–absence data for many species and maximizes a joint likelihood, simultaneously estimating and adjusting for the sampling bias affecting the presence‐only data. By assuming that the sampling bias is the same for all species, we can borrow strength across species to efficiently estimate the bias and improve our inference from presence‐only data.

We evaluate our model's performance on data for 36 eucalypt species in south‐eastern Australia. We find that presence‐only records exhibit a strong sampling bias towards the coast and towards Sydney, the largest city. Our data‐pooling technique substantially improves the out‐of‐sample predictive performance of our model when the amount of available presence–absence data for a given species is scarce

If we have only presence‐only data and no presence–absence data for a given species, but both types of data for several other species that suffer from the same spatial sampling bias, then our method can obtain an unbiased estimate of the first species' geographic range.
Dehydration and fluid volume kinetics before major open abdominal surgery
Authors: HAHN R. G. , BAHLMANN H. , NILSSON L.
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Assessment of dehydration in the preoperative setting is of potential clinical value. The present study uses urine analysis and plasma volume kinetics, which have both been validated against induced changes in body water in volunteers, to study the incidence and severity of dehydration before open abdominal surgery begins.

Methods

Thirty patients (mean age 64 years) had their urine analysed before major elective open abdominal surgery for colour, specific weight, osmolality and creatinine. The results were scored and the mean taken to represent a ‘dehydration index’. Thereafter, the patients received an infusion of 5 ml/kg of Ringer's acetate intravenously for over 15 min. Blood was sampled for 70 min and the blood haemoglobin concentration used to estimate the plasma volume kinetics.

Results

Distribution of fluid occurred more slowly (P < 0.01) and the elimination half‐life was twice as long (median 40 min, not significant) in the 11 patients (37%) diagnosed to be moderately dehydrated as compared with euhydrated patients. The dehydration index indicated that the fluid deficit in these patients corresponded to 2.5% of the body weight, whereas the deficit in the others was 1%. In contrast, the 11 patients who later developed postoperative nausea and vomiting had a very short elimination half‐life, only 9 min (median, P < 0.01). These patients were usually euhydrated but had microalbuminuria (P < 0.03) and higher natriuresis (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The degree of dehydration before major surgery was modest as evidenced both by urine sampling and volume kinetic analysis.
Emergency Medical Services Naloxone Access: A National Systematic Legal Review
Authors: Davis Corey S. , Southwell Jessica K. , Niehaus Virginia Radford , Walley Alexander Y. , Dailey Michael W.
Published: October 2014

Objectives

Fatal opioid overdose in the United States is at epidemic levels. Naloxone, an effective opioid antidote, is commonly administered by advanced emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in the prehospital setting. While states are rapidly moving to increase access to naloxone for community bystanders, the EMS system remains the primary source for out‐of‐hospital naloxone access. Many communities have limited advanced EMS response capability and therefore may not have prehospital access to the medication indicated for opioid overdose reversal. The goal of this research was to determine the authority of different levels of EMS personnel to administer naloxone for the reversal of opioid overdose in the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Methods

The authors systematically reviewed the scope of practice of EMS personnel regarding administration of naloxone for the reversal of opioid overdose. All relevant laws, regulations, and policies from the 50 U. S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico in effect in November 2013 were identified, reviewed, and coded to determine the authority of EMS personnel at four levels (in increasing order of training: emergency medical responders [EMRs], emergency medical technicians [EMTs], intermediate/advanced EMTs, and paramedics) to administer naloxone. Where available, protocols governing route and dose of administration were also identified and analyzed.

Results

All 53 jurisdictions license or certify EMS personnel at the paramedic level, and all permit paramedics to administer naloxone. Of the 48 jurisdictions with intermediate‐level EMS personnel, all but one authorized those personnel to administer naloxone as of November 2013. Twelve jurisdictions explicitly permitted EMTs and two permitted EMRs to administer naloxone. At least five jurisdictions modified law or policy to expand EMT access to naloxone in 2013. There is wide variation between states regarding EMS naloxone dosing protocol and route of administration.

Conclusions

Naloxone administration is standard for paramedic and intermediate‐level EMS personnel, but most states do not allow basic life support (BLS) personnel to administer this medication. Standards consistent with available medical evidence for naloxone administration, dosing, and route of administration should be implemented at each EMS level of certification.
Effect of a Checklist on Advanced Trauma Life Support Task Performance During Pediatric Trauma Resuscitation
Authors: Kelleher Deirdre C. , Carter Elizabeth A. , Waterhouse Lauren J. , Parsons Samantha E. , Fritzeen Jennifer L. , Burd Randall S.
Published: October 2014

Objectives

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) has been shown to improve outcomes related to trauma resuscitation; however, omissions from this protocol persist. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a trauma resuscitation checklist on performance of ATLS tasks.

Methods

Video recordings of resuscitations of children sustaining blunt or penetrating injuries at a Level I pediatric trauma center were reviewed for completion and timeliness of ATLS primary and secondary survey tasks, with and without checklist use. Patient and resuscitation characteristics were obtained from the trauma registry. Data were collected during two 4‐month periods before (n = 222) and after (n = 213) checklist implementation. The checklist contained 50 items and included four sections: prearrival, primary survey, secondary survey, and departure plan.

Results

Five primary survey ATLS tasks (cervical spine immobilization, oxygen administration, palpating pulses, assessing neurologic status, and exposing the patient) and nine secondary survey ATLS tasks were performed more frequently (p ≤ 0.01 for all) and vital sign measurements were obtained faster (p ≤ 0.01 for all) after the checklist was implemented. When controlling for patient and event‐specific characteristics, primary and secondary survey tasks overall were more likely to be completed (odds ratio [OR] = 2.66, primary survey; OR = 2.47, secondary survey; p < 0.001 for both) and primary survey tasks were performed faster (p < 0.001) after the checklist was implemented.

Conclusions

Implementation of a trauma checklist was associated with greater ATLS task performance and with increased frequency and speed of primary and secondary survey task completion.
Methotrexate‐related lymphoproliferative disorder arising in the gingiva of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Horie N , Kawano R , Kaneko T , Shimoyama T
Published: October 2014

Methotrexate (MTX) is the primary drug used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases. MTX is a strong immunosuppressive agent and has been reported to cause iatrogenic immunodeficiency‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs). Stomatitis caused by MTX‐related cytotoxicity may occur, but gingival MTX‐related LPDs are rare. In this article we present a case of gingival MTX‐related LPD in a 60‐year‐old male with RA. The local findings of the gingival ulceration and alveolar bone exposure were similar to those of bisphosphonate‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw. However, he had never received bisphosphonate therapy. The biopsy specimen of the gingival lesion was diagnosed as diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma with Epstein‐Barr virus positivity. Immediate withdrawal of MTX resulted in marked remission of the LPD.
Responses of foliage‐living spider assemblage composition and traits to a climatic gradient inThemedagrasslands
Authors: Gibb H. , Muscat D. , Binns M. R. , Silvey C. J. , Peters R. A. , Warton D. I. , Andrew N. R.
Published: October 2014

For speciose, but poorly known groups, such as terrestrial arthropods, functional traits present a potential avenue to assist in predicting responses to environmental change. Species turnover is common along environmental gradients, but it is unclear how this is reflected in species traits. Community‐level change in arthropod traits, other than body size, has rarely been explored across spatial scales comparable to those examined here. We hypothesized that the composition and morphological traits of spider assemblages would differ across a gradient of climate and habitat structure. We examined foliage‐living spider assemblages associated withThemeda triandragrasslands along a 900 km climatic gradient in south‐eastern Australia. We used sweep‐netting to collectT. triandra‐associated spiders and counted juveniles and identified adults. We also measured morphological traits of adult spiders and noted their hunting mode. Associations with measures of habitat structure were less consistent than relationships with climate. Both juvenile and adult spiders were more abundant in warmer sites, although species richness was not affected by temperature. We found distinct turnover in species composition along the climatic gradient, with hunting spiders, particularly crab spiders (Thomisidae), making up a greater proportion of assemblages in warmer climates. A range of traits of spiders correlated with the climatic gradient. For example, larger spider species and species that were active hunters were more common in warmer climates. Changes in morphological traits across species, rather than within species drove the morphology‐climate relationship. Strong climate‐trait correlations suggest that it may be possible to predict changes in functional traits of assemblages in response to anthropogenic disturbances such as climate change.
Two missense mutations in exon 9 of caprine PRLR gene were associated with litter size
Authors: Hou J. X. , An X. P. , Han P. , Peng J. Y. , Cao B. Y.
Published: October 2014

Guanzhong (n = 321) and Boer (n = 191) goat breeds were used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding regions of the prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene by DNA sequencing and PCR‐RFLP. Two SNPs (c.1457G>A and c.1645G>A) were identified that caused amino acid variations p.Ser485Asn and p.Val548Met respectively. Statistical results indicated that the c.1457G>A and c.1645G>A SNPs were significantly associated with litter size in Boer and Guanzhong goat breeds. Further analysis revealed that combined genotype C4 (GGGG) and haplotype G‐G were better than the others for litter size in both goat breeds. These results might contribute to goat genetic resources and breeding.
Effectiveness of a heparinoid‐containing moisturiser to treat senile xerosis
Authors: Hayama Koremasa , Takano Yusaku , Tamura Jin , Tagami Hachiro , Terui Tadashi
Published: October 2014

Background and Objectives

With the increasing elderly population in Japan, skin problems have become a greater concern. A heparinoid‐containing moisturiser is frequently used in Japan, but there is a lack of evidence for its efficacy in treating senile xerosis. To determine whether there is a correlation between age and the hydration state of the stratum corneum (SC) assessed by skin capacitance, and to evaluate the efficiency of a heparinoid‐containing moisturiser and a bed bath to treat senile xerosis.

Methods

We recruited 73 individuals to assess the hydration state of the SC on their flexor forearm by measuring their skin capacitance. To evaluate the efficacy of a heparinoid‐containing moisturiser on senile xerosis, we recruited seven inpatients with an inactive daily life (IDL) who had senile xerosis. They were treated with the moisturiser in addition to a bed bath in two different protocols, and we measured the skin capacitance on their flexor forearms on days 0, 7 and 14.

Results

There was a weak negative correlation (−0.3854, P < 0.01) between skin capacitance and age. Following the moisturiser treatments, the seven inpatients had increased hydration of both arms on days 7 and 14. The skin capacitance of the right forearm slightly decreased on day 14, even though it was significantly different from day 0 (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These findings indicate that treatment with a heparinoid‐containing moisturiser together with a bed bath is an effective method for treating patients who have senile xerosis and IDL.
Phototherapy for the treatment of cutaneous graft versus host disease
Authors: Garbutcheon‐Singh Kieran B. , Fernández‐Peñas Pablo
Published: October 2014

Graft versus host disease (GvHD) occurs in half the patients who receive allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and is a major contributor for the morbidity and mortality in these patients. Immunosuppressant therapy cannot suppress all the manifestations of GvHD and new ways of treating the condition are needed. The focus of this review is the treatment of cutaneous GvHD through phototherapy. Of the six acute and ten chronic cutaneous GvHD case series examined the overall trend was that phototherapy was able to reduce the presence of cutaneous lesions of GvHD and, as a consequence, steroid use could be reduced. This provides a positive outlook for phototherapy as a treatment for cutaneous GvHD but there is a need for future studies to include larger numbers of patients in order to obtain more data.
Dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy and histopathology of a melanoma in situ from an individual homozygous for GSTP1*105Val/MC1R*92Met
Authors: Banan Parastoo , Lee Katie J , McClenahan Phil , Jagirdar Kasturee , Sturm Richard A , Soyer H Peter
Published: October 2014

Glutathione S‐transferase 1 is an enzyme involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and the rs1695*Val polymorphism has been proposed as a melanoma‐associated variant with significant effect. We report a case of malignant melanoma in an individual homozygous for the rs1695*Val variant and discuss the non‐invasive and histopathological tools used in diagnosis.
A case of secondary erythromelalgia with perivascular and intramural mucin
Authors: Blake Tristan , Mortimore Rohan , De Ambrosis Kathryn
Published: October 2014

We present a 49‐year‐old man with type I erythromelalgia, demonstrating a newly reported histological feature of striking perivascular mucin. There is a single previously reported case in the literature describing these histological features. This patient had a comorbid history of primary myelofibrosis diagnosed 2 years prior to his presentation.
The impact of autonomic dysfunction on peri‐operative cardiovascular complications
Authors: Lankhorst S. , Keet S. W. M. , Bulte C. S. E. , Boer C.
Published: October 2014

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is frequently observed in patients with diabetes mellitus. As anaesthesia has a marked effect on peri‐operative autonomic function, the interplay between diabetic neuropathy and anaesthesia may result in unexpected haemodynamic instability during surgery. The objective of this literature review was to examine the association of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy with peri‐operative cardiovascular complications. We searched PubMed for articles with search elements of autonomic dysfunction [MeSH] AND anaesthesia [MeSH] AND complications [MeSH]. Depending on the type of anaesthesia, the presence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in surgical patients can markedly affect peri‐operative haemodynamics and postoperative recovery. Pre‐operative testing of the extent of autonomic dysfunction in particular populations, like diabetics, may contribute to a reduction in haemodynamic instability and cardiovascular complications. Non‐invasive diagnostic methods assessing autonomic function may be an important tool during pre‐operative risk assessment.
Is internal fixation alone advantageous in selected B2 periprosthetic fractures?
Authors: Solomon Lucian B. , Hussenbocus Saleem M. , Carbone Tania A. , Callary Stuart A. , Howie Donald W.
Published: October 2014

Background

Revision surgery is currently the recommended treatment for Vancouver B2 femoral periprosthetic fractures, but isolated open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) might be an effective treatment for these fractures around cemented collarless polished tapered (CCPT) stems, as these stems can re‐engage in the cement mantle, regaining stability following internal fixation. The aim of this study was to determine the operative risks, post‐operative complications, and radiographic and functional outcomes in two cohorts of Vancouver B2 femoral fractures around CCPT stems treated either by ORIF alone or revision surgery.

Methods

The results of 12 patients with B2 periprosthetic fractures around a CCPT stems treated by ORIF alone (median follow‐up 67 months) were compared with those of nine patients with a similar fracture treated by revision surgery (median follow‐up 59 months).

Results

All fractures treated by ORIF alone healed and all stems restabilized and remained stable within their original cement mantle. These patients had significantly shorter overall operating room times (P = 0.002), surgical times (P = 0.002) and required fewer units of blood transfusion (P = 0.008) than patients in the revision cohort. In the ORIF cohort, one patient had two dislocations. In the revision cohort, one patient had delayed wound healing, a second patient had delayed wound healing and two dislocations, and a third patient had two dislocations.

Conclusion

Although further studies with larger numbers are required, treatment of these fractures with ORIF alone may be a viable alternative to revision surgery as it reduces the operative risks involved.
Pharmacodynamics of cytarabine induced leucopenia: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Shepshelovich Daniel , Edel Yonatan , Goldvaser Hadar , Dujovny Tal , Wolach Ofir , Raanani Pia
Published: October 2014

Aims

Cytarabine is a pyrimidine analogue used to treat a variety of haematological malignancies. There are few data regarding the pharmacodynamics of cytarabine. The only publications regarding this issue cite a biphasic pattern of decline in white blood cell (WBC) counts following low and intermediate doses, in patients with various malignancies, most of them non‐haematological. Our purpose was to establish the pharmacodynamics of cytarabine induced leucopenia in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients treated with contemporary cytarabine containing protocols.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study, including 56 patients with AML in complete remission who had received 89 cycles of intermediate or high dose cytarabine. Daily counts for WBCs and neutrophils (ANC) were collected during the first 15 days after the initiation of cytarabine administration and pharmacodynamics were analyzed. Further analysis was carried out to correlate between WBC and ANC pharmacodynamics and different cytarabine protocols [high dose cytarabine (HiDAC) vs. intermediate dose cytarabine (IDAC)].

Results

Analysis of blood counts demonstrated a monophasic decline of WBCs and ANCs, unlike a previous depiction of a biphasic pattern. HiDAC was associated with a significantly sharper decline of WBCs than IDAC.

Conclusions

Our data support a monophasic decline pattern of WBCs and ANCs following contemporary cytarabine protocols. The decline rate is steeper for patients receiving HiDAC than for those receiving IDAC. These results might help form evidence based guidelines regarding patient monitoring intensity, timing of prophylactic antibacterial and antifungal treatment as well as growth factors' support following cytarabine based consolidation for AML.
A retrospective observational study of leucoreductive strategies to manage patients with acute myeloid leukaemia presenting with hyperleucocytosis
Authors: Kuo Kevin H. M. , Callum Jeannie L. , Panzarella Tony , Jacks Lindsay M. , Brandwein Joseph , Crump Michael , Curtis John E. , Gupta Vikas , Lipton Jeffrey H. , Minden Mark D. , Sher Graham D. , Schimmer Aaron D. , Schuh Andre C. , Yee Karen W. L. , Keating Armand , Messner Hans A.
Published: October 2014

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients with hyperleucocytosis have higher early mortality, lower complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS). Whether different pre‐induction leucoreduction strategies can improve outcome is unknown. A single centre retrospective cohort study was conducted on AML patients with a white blood cell count (WBC) >100 × 109/l between 1987 and 1997, and on all AML patients between 1998 and 2006, to determine (a) the effect of four different leucoreductive strategies (leukapheresis, hydroxycarbamide, leukapheresis and hydroxycarbamide or no pre‐induction leucoreduction) on early (day 28) mortality, CR, and OS; and (b) whether a high presenting WBC remains a negative predictor of OS in patients surviving induction (first 28 d). In the 1998‐2006 cohort (n = 702), higher WBC was associated with higher early mortality and lower OS but its effects were greatly diminished in patients who survived the first 28 d (Hazard Ratio 1·094 vs. 1·002). A WBC of 34·1 × 109/l had the highest sensitivity (75·6%) and specificity (67·4%) for early mortality. None of the four leucoreduction strategies differed significantly in early mortality, CR, or OS in patients with WBC>100 × 109/l (n = 166). The number of leucostatic signs was a significant predictor of early mortality (P < 0·0001) and OS (P = 0·0007). The results suggest that AML patients with hyperleucocytosis should be induced, if eligible, without pre‐induction leucoreduction.
Volume of white matter hyperintensities is an independent predictor of intelligence quotient and processing speed in children with sickle cell disease
Authors: van der Land Veronica , Hijmans Channa T. , de Ruiter Marieke , Mutsaerts Henri J. M. M. , Cnossen Marjon H. , Engelen Marc , Majoie Charles B. L. M. , Nederveen Aart J. , Grootenhuis Martha A. , Fijnvandraat Karin
Published: October 2014

Sickle cell disease can be complicated by cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), which are associated with diminished neurocognitive functioning. The influence of the total volume of WMHs on the degree of neurocognitive dysfunction has not yet been characterized. In our study of 38 patients (mean age 12·5 years) we demonstrated that a higher volume of WMHs was associated with lower full‐scale intelligence quotient (IQ), verbal IQ, Processing Speed Index and more fatigue. Our results suggest that volume of WMHs is an additional parameter to take into account when planning individual diagnostic and treatment options.
p62 Deficiency Enhances α‐Synuclein Pathology in Mice
Authors: Tanji Kunikazu , Odagiri Saori , Miki Yasuo , Maruyama Atsushi , Nikaido Yoshikazu , Mimura Junsei , Mori Fumiaki , Warabi Eiji , Yanagawa Toru , Ueno Shinya , Itoh Ken , Wakabayashi Koichi
Published: October 2014

In Lewy body disease (LBD) such as dementia with LBs and Parkinson's disease, several lines of evidence show that disrupted proteolysis occurs. p62/SQSTM1 (p62) is highly involved with intracellular proteolysis and is a component of ubiquitin‐positive inclusions in various neurodegenerative disorders. However, it is not clear whether p62 deficiency affects inclusion formation and abnormal protein accumulation. To answer this question, we used a mouse model of LBD that lacks p62, and found that LB‐like inclusions were observed in transgenic mice that overexpressed α‐synuclein (Tg mice) with or without the p62 protein. p62 deficiency enhanced α‐synuclein pathology with regard to the number of inclusions and staining intensity compared with Tg mice that expressed p62. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with the loss of p62 in Tg mice, we assessed the mRNA and protein levels of several molecules, and found that the neighbor of the brca1 gene (NBr1), which is functionally and structurally similar to p62, is increased in Tg mice without p62 compared with control Tg mice. These findings suggest that p62 and NBR1 affect the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases through the cooperative modulation of α‐synuclein aggregation.
Physiological, pharmacological and toxicological considerations of drug‐induced structural cardiac injury
Authors: Cross M J , Berridge B R , Clements P J M , Cove‐Smith L , Force T L , Hoffmann P , Holbrook M , Lyon A R , Mellor H R , Norris A A , Pirmohamed M , Tugwood J D , Sidaway J E , Park B K
Published: October 2014

The incidence of drug‐induced structural cardiotoxicity, which may lead to heart failure, has been recognized in association with the use of anthracycline anti‐cancer drugs for many years, but has also been shown to occur following treatment with the new generation of targeted anti‐cancer agents that inhibit one or more receptor or non‐receptor tyrosine kinases, serine/threonine kinases as well as several classes of non‐oncology agents. A workshop organized by the Medical Research Council Centre for Drug Safety Science (University of Liverpool) on 5 September 2013 and attended by industry, academia and regulatory representatives, was designed to gain a better understanding of the gaps in the field of structural cardiotoxicity that can be addressed through collaborative efforts. Specific recommendations from the workshop for future collaborative activities included: greater efforts to identify predictive (i) preclinical; and (ii) clinical biomarkers of early cardiovascular injury; (iii) improved understanding of comparative physiology/pathophysiology and the clinical predictivity of current preclinical in vivo models; (iv) the identification and use of a set of cardiotoxic reference compounds for comparative profiling in improved animal and human cellular models; (v) more sharing of data (through publication/consortia arrangements) on target‐related toxicities; (vi) strategies to develop cardio‐protective agents; and (vii) closer interactions between preclinical scientists and clinicians to help ensure best translational efforts.
Parsing Heuristic and Forward Search in First‐Graders' Game‐Play Behavior
Authors: Paz Luciano , Goldin Andrea P. , Diuk Carlos , Sigman Mariano
Published: October 2014

Seventy‐three children between 6 and 7 years of age were presented with a problem having ambiguous subgoal ordering. Performance in this task showed reliable fingerprints: (a) a non‐monotonic dependence of performance as a function of the distance between the beginning and the end‐states of the problem, (b) very high levels of performance when the first move was correct, and (c) states in which accuracy of the first move was significantly below chance. These features are consistent with a non‐Markov planning agent, with an inherently inertial decision process, and that uses heuristics and partial problem knowledge to plan its actions. We applied a statistical framework to fit and test the quality of a proposed planning model (Monte Carlo Tree Search). Our framework allows us to parse out independent contributions to problem‐solving based on the construction of the value function and on general mechanisms of the search process in the tree of solutions. We show that the latter are correlated with children's performance on an independent measure of planning, while the former is highly domain specific.
State‐Trace Analysis: Dissociable Processes in a Connectionist Network?
Authors: Yeates Fayme , Wills Andy J. , Jones Fergal W. , McLaren Ian P. L.
Published: October 2014

Some argue the common practice of inferring multiple processes or systems from a dissociation is flawed (Dunn, 2003). One proposed solution is state‐trace analysis (Bamber, 1979), which involves plotting, across two or more conditions of interest, performance measured by either two dependent variables, or two conditions of the same dependent measure. The resulting analysis is considered to provide evidence that either (a) a single process underlies performance (one function is produced) or (b) there is evidence for more than one process (more than one function is produced). This article reports simulations using the simple recurrent network (SRN; Elman, 1990) in which changes to the learning rate produced state‐trace plots with multiple functions. We also report simulations using a single‐layer error‐correcting network that generate plots with a single function. We argue that the presence of different functions on a state‐trace plot does not necessarily support a dual‐system account, at least as typically defined (e.g. two separate autonomous systems competing to control responding); it can also indicate variation in a single parameter within theories generally considered to be single‐system accounts.
Middle hepatic vein allocation in adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Zhijun Zhu , Wei Gao , Lin Wei , Zhigui Zeng , Tao Yang , Liying Sun , Wei Qu , Jisan Sun , Yi Lv
Published: October 2014

Introduction

When adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using the right lobe is carried out, there is disagreement between different centers as to whether the middle hepatic vein (MHV) is included or retained by the donor.

Methods

Ninety‐two cases of adult‐to‐adult LDLT were performed between January 2007 and December 2010 using a right lobe graft. A protocol for MHV allocation was applied according to the donor's remnant liver volume, overall graft/recipient weight ratio (GRWR), and anatomic characteristics of the hepatic vein. Among these cases, there were 44 cases with MHV and 48 cases without MHV. No blood products were used during donor operations, and there was no occurrence of death or small‐for‐size syndrome after operations.

Results

There were statistical differences between Groups I and II according to the ages of the recipients, the actual GRWR, the weights of grafts, the cold storage time of grafts, etc. All patients recovered smoothly; one‐, three‐, and five‐yr survival rates of patients were 96.7%, 92.4%, and 92.4% and of grafts were 95.7%, 91.3%, and 91.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

With a reasonable allocation protocol and precise evaluation, either MHV harvested or MHV retained to the donor during adult‐to‐adult LDLT using the right lobe can achieve good outcome.
Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of stroke post‐transplantation in patients receiving a steroid sparing immunosuppression protocol
Authors: Willicombe Michelle , Kumar Nicola , Goodall Dawn , Clarke Candice , McLean Adam G. , Power Albert , Taube David
Published: October 2014

Corticosteroid use after transplantation is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events and death. Cerebrovascular disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality post‐renal transplantation; however, a dedicated analysis of cerebrovascular disease in recipients of a steroid sparing protocol has not been reported. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of CVA in transplant recipients receiving a steroid sparing protocol. We retrospectively analyzed 1237 patients who received a kidney alone or a simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) transplant. Fifty‐six of 1237 (4.53%) patients had a CVA post‐transplant. All‐cause mortality was significantly higher in the CVA group compared with the non‐CVA group, OR: 3.4 (1.7–7.0), p < 0.001. Factors found to be associated with increased risk of CVA by multivariate analysis were older age, HR: 1.07 (1.04–1.09), p < 0.001; diabetes at the time of transplantation, HR: 2.83 (1.42–5.64), p = 0.003; corticosteroid use pre‐transplant, HR: 3.27 (1.29–8.27), p = 0.013 and recipients of a SPK, HR: 4.03 (1.85–8.79), p < 0.001. This study has identified subgroups of patients who are at increased risk of CVA post‐transplant in patients otherwise receiving a steroid sparing immunosuppression protocol.