bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intra‐ and interobserver reliability estimates for identification and grading of upper respiratory tract abnormalities recorded in horses at rest and during overground endoscopy
Authors: McGivney C. L. , Sweeney J. , David F. , O'Leary J. M. , Hill E. W. , Katz L. M.
Published: November 2016

Background

Previous studies support good intra‐ and interobserver agreements for endoscopic evaluation of various upper respiratory tract (URT) diseases in horses. However, these studies mainly assessed resting endoscopic examination videos and/or focussed on a single URT abnormality.

Objectives

To estimate intra‐ and interobserver agreement for identification and grading of all URT abnormalities from resting and overground endoscopy (OGE) videos of Thoroughbreds.

Study design

Blinded, fully crossed design.

Methods

Resting and OGE URT videos for n = 43 Thoroughbreds were retrospectively chosen based on identification of common URT disorders. The videos were randomly evaluated in duplicate by 4 raters blinded to all information including prior URT disorder(s) diagnosis. Abnormalities were graded using well‐described ordinal scales. Intra‐ and interobserver agreements were estimated using Cohen's weighted κ and Krippendorff's α, respectively.

Results

Intraobserver agreement was perfect/nearly perfect for arytenoid symmetry at exercise, epiglottic entrapment and epiglottic retroversion, substantial for arytenoid asymmetry at rest, palatal dysfunction (PD), medial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds (MDAF), pharyngeal mucus and epiglottic grade at exercise and moderate for vocal fold collapse (VFC), ventromedial luxation of the apex of the corniculate process of the arytenoid (VLAC), nasopharyngeal collapse (NPC) and epiglottic grade at rest. Interobserver agreement was substantial for arytenoid symmetry at exercise and PD and moderate for arytenoid asymmetry at rest, MDAF, VLAC and epiglottic entrapment. It was only fair for VFC, epiglottic grade at exercise, epiglottic retroversion, pharyngeal mucus and NPC and poor for epiglottic grade at rest.

Main limitations

Sample size was insufficient to allow assessment of the effect of one abnormality on the grading of another abnormality.

Conclusions

Observers were consistent in grading URT disorders. However, significant disparity in grading existed between observers for some conditions affecting reliability.
The structure of brain glycogen phosphorylase—from allosteric regulation mechanisms to clinical perspectives
Authors: Mathieu Cécile , Dupret Jean‐Marie , Rodrigues Lima Fernando
Published: November 2016

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is the key enzyme that regulates glycogen mobilization in cells. GP is a complex allosteric enzyme that comprises a family of three isozymes: muscle GP (mGP), liver GP (lGP), and brain GP (bGP). Although the three isozymes display high similarity and catalyze the same reaction, they differ in their sensitivity to the allosteric activator adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Moreover, inactivating mutations in mGP and lGP have been known to be associated with glycogen storage diseases (McArdle and Hers disease, respectively). The determination, decades ago, of the structure of mGP and lGP have allowed to better understand the allosteric regulation of these two isoforms and the development of specific inhibitors. Despite its important role in brain glycogen metabolism, the structure of the brain GP had remained elusive. Here, we provide an overview of the human brain GP structure and its relationship with the two other members of this key family of the metabolic enzymes. We also summarize how this structure provides valuable information to understand the regulation of bGP and to design specific ligands of potential pharmacological interest.
Structural snapshots of the β‐barrel assembly machinery
Authors: Bakelar Jeremy , Buchanan Susan K. , Noinaj Nicholas
Published: November 2016

The β‐barrel assembly machinery (BAM) is a multicomponent complex responsible for the biogenesis of β‐barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Gram‐negative bacteria, with conserved systems in both mitochondria and chloroplasts. Given its importance in the integrity of the outer membrane and in the assembly of surface exposed virulence factors, BAM is an attractive therapeutic target against pathogenic bacteria, particularly multidrug‐resistant strains. While the mechanism for how BAM functions remains elusive, previous structural studies have described each of the individual components of BAM, offering only a few clues to how the complex functions. Recently, a number of structures have been reported of complexes, including that of fully assembled BAM in differing conformational states. These studies have provided the molecular blueprint detailing the atomic interactions between the components and have revealed new details about BAM, which suggest a dynamic mechanism that may use conformational changes to assist in the biogenesis of new OMPs.
Integration of a ‘proton antenna’ facilitates transport activity of the monocarboxylate transporter MCT4
Authors: Noor Sina Ibne , Pouyssegur Jacques , Deitmer Joachim W. , Becker Holger M.
Published: November 2016

Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) mediate the proton‐coupled transport of high‐energy metabolites like lactate and pyruvate and are expressed in nearly every mammalian tissue. We have shown previously that transport activity of MCT4 is enhanced by carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), which has been suggested to function as a ‘proton antenna’ for the transporter. In the present study, we tested whether creation of an endogenous proton antenna by introduction of a cluster of histidine residues into the C‐terminal tail of MCT4 (MCT4‐6xHis) could facilitate MCT4 transport activity when heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Our results show that integration of six histidines into the C‐terminal tail does indeed increase transport activity of MCT4 to the same extent as did coexpression of MCT4‐WT with CAII. Transport activity of MCT4‐6xHis could be further enhanced by coexpression with extracellular CAIV, but not with intracellular CAII. Injection of an antibody against the histidine cluster into MCT4‐expressing oocytes decreased transport activity of MCT4‐6xHis, while leaving activity of MCT4‐WT unaltered. Taken together, these findings suggest that transport activity of the proton‐coupled monocarboxylate transporter MCT4 can be facilitated by integration of an endogenous proton antenna into the transporter’s C‐terminal tail.
Saying vs. Doing: A Contradiction in the Professional Development of Foreign Language Teaching Assistants
Authors: Angus Katie
Published: November 2016

Despite the sizeable portion of foreign language (FL) instruction provided by graduate students now as teaching assistants (TAs) and in the future as faculty, few studies have considered TAs’ perspectives on their own professional development. To inform the professional development of FL graduate students as teachers, the present study updated and expanded on Brandl (2000) and Gonglewski and Penningroth (1998), who surveyed FL TAs about their perceptions of professional development opportunities. Using both quantitative and qualitative data from a nationwide online questionnaire completed by TAs (N = 94) and follow‐up Skype interviews (N = 9), the present study gave a voice to TAs by asking them which professional development opportunities they valued and what constraints limited their participation. TAs exhibited an apparent lack of awareness about the possible responsibilities of their future careers and the evaluation criteria used in academia, resulting in a disconnect between the professional development opportunities in which they participated and those that would actually prepare them for the long term. In light of TAs’ perceptions and practices, recommendations are provided to enhance future TA professional development.
Warming of subarctic tundra increases emissions of all three important greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide
Authors: Voigt Carolina , Lamprecht Richard E. , Marushchak Maija E. , Lind Saara E. , Novakovskiy Alexander , Aurela Mika , Martikainen Pertti J. , Biasi Christina
Published: November 2016

Rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic might cause a greater release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. To study the effect of warming on GHG dynamics, we deployed open‐top chambers in a subarctic tundra site in Northeast European Russia. We determined carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes as well as the concentration of those gases, inorganic nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along the soil profile. Studied tundra surfaces ranged from mineral to organic soils and from vegetated to unvegetated areas. As a result of air warming, the seasonal GHG budget of the vegetated tundra surfaces shifted from a GHG sink of −300 to −198 g CO2–eq m−2 to a source of 105 to 144 g CO2–eq m−2. At bare peat surfaces, we observed increased release of all three GHGs. While the positive warming response was dominated by CO2, we provide here the first in situ evidence of increasing N2O emissions from tundra soils with warming. Warming promoted N2O release not only from bare peat, previously identified as a strong N2O source, but also from the abundant, vegetated peat surfaces that do not emit N2O under present climate. At these surfaces, elevated temperatures had an adverse effect on plant growth, resulting in lower plant N uptake and, consequently, better N availability for soil microbes. Although the warming was limited to the soil surface and did not alter thaw depth, it increased concentrations of DOC, CO2, and CH4 in the soil down to the permafrost table. This can be attributed to downward DOC leaching, fueling microbial activity at depth. Taken together, our results emphasize the tight linkages between plant and soil processes, and different soil layers, which need to be taken into account when predicting the climate change feedback of the Arctic.
Climate‐induced glacier and snow loss imperils alpine stream insects
Authors: Giersch J. Joseph , Hotaling Scott , Kovach Ryan P. , Jones Leslie A. , Muhlfeld Clint C.
Published: November 2016

Climate warming is causing rapid loss of glaciers and snowpack in mountainous regions worldwide. These changes are predicted to negatively impact the habitats of many range‐restricted species, particularly endemic, mountaintop species dependent on the unique thermal and hydrologic conditions found only in glacier‐fed and snow melt‐driven alpine streams. Although progress has been made, existing understanding of the status, distribution, and ecology of alpine aquatic species, particularly in North America, is lacking, thereby hindering conservation and management programs. Two aquatic insects – the meltwater stonefly (Lednia tumana) and the glacier stonefly (Zapada glacier) – were recently proposed for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to climate‐change‐induced habitat loss. Using a large dataset (272 streams, 482 total sites) with high‐resolution climate and habitat information, we describe the distribution, status, and key environmental features that limit L. tumana and Z. glacier across the northern Rocky Mountains. Lednia tumana was detected in 113 streams (175 sites) within Glacier National Park (GNP) and surrounding areas. The probability of L. tumana occurrence increased with cold stream temperatures and close proximity to glaciers and permanent snowfields. Similarly, densities of L. tumana declined with increasing distance from stream source. Zapada glacier was only detected in 10 streams (24 sites), six in GNP and four in mountain ranges up to ~600 km southwest. Our results show that both L. tumana and Z. glacier inhabit an extremely narrow distribution, restricted to short sections of cold, alpine streams often below glaciers predicted to disappear over the next two decades. Climate warming‐induced glacier and snow loss clearly imperils the persistence of L. tumana and Z. glacier throughout their ranges, highlighting the role of mountaintop aquatic invertebrates as sentinels of climate change in mid‐latitude regions.
Islamic leaders and the legal geography of family law in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Schenk Christine G.
Published: November 2016

This article explores the legal geography of family law in post‐colonial Muslim societies. Drawing on a case study in Aceh, Indonesia, it analyses how diverse Islamic leaders were able to influence a controversial administrative reform of family law in the reconstruction period after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. I argue that while Islamic leaders are important stakeholders in law‐making in Aceh, they are not a unified collective: rather they mobilise a variety of different practices of legal reasoning to bring legal constructions into agreement. Using the case of an administrative reform of marriage registration, a subordinate regulation in family law, I describe how Islamic leaders deliberate about social issues across their different schools and factions in order to address contemporary problems, while at the same time, mobilising interpretations of Islamic texts as a meaningful tradition for law‐making. The analysis builds on ethnographic fieldwork in Aceh, in particular qualitative interviews with civil servants working in the provincial government: Muslim actors, civil rights activists, national experts, international experts, politicians, and diplomats. The article provides impetus to debates in legal geography by illuminating the negotiations of legal reasoning in Muslim societies to make Islamic law, customary law and state‐centric state administration compatible.
Romanticizing bureaucratic leadership? The politics of how elected officials attribute responsibility for performance
Authors: Nielsen Poul A. , Moynihan Donald P.
Published: November 2016

A core task for elected officials is to hold bureaucratic leaders responsible, but how do they determine if public managers actually influence outcomes? We propose that partisan and leadership heuristics affect how politicians apply a logic of individualized responsibility, that is, focus on individual bureaucrats rather than situational factors to explain organizational outcomes. We match survey data of local elected officials in Denmark with individual partisan variables and objective performance data about the schools they oversee. We provide evidence that partisan beliefs matter, with conservative elected officials more willing to pursue a logic of individualized responsibility. We also find that elected officials are more likely to assume that bureaucratic leaders determine organizational outcomes where performance is very high or low, a leadership attribution heuristic previously established in private sector studies. We argue that our findings have important implications for contemporary governance, given the growing reliance on performance metrics to assign responsibility.
Potential of a no‐touch pincer ablation procedure that uses a multipolar radiofrequency ablation system to prevent intrasubsegmental recurrence of small and single hepatocellular carcinomas
Authors: Kawamura Yusuke , Ikeda Kenji , Fujiyama Shunichiro , Hosaka Tetsuya , Kobayashi Masahiro , Saitoh Satoshi , Sezaki Hitomi , Akuta Norio , Suzuki Fumitaka , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Arase Yasuji , Kumada Hiromitsu
Published: November 2016

Objective

The aim of this study was to clarify the usefulness of a no‐touch pincer ablation procedure that uses bipolar electrodes to prevent intrasubsegmental tumor recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We studied 303 consecutive patients with HCC (single nodule and tumor diameter ≤30 mm) who received RFA between January 2005 and April 2015; 268 patients received touch ablation using a monopolar or bipolar RFA device, and 35 received no‐touch ablation using a bipolar RFA device. The pretreatment arterial and portal phase dynamic computed tomography or magnetic resonance images were classified into four enhancement patterns. Type 1 and Type 2 are homogeneous enhancement patterns without or with increased arterial blood flow, respectively. Type 3 is a heterogeneous enhancement pattern with a septum‐like structure, and Type 4 is an irregularly shaped ring structure enhancement pattern.

Results

With regard to intrasubsegmental tumor recurrence, among the 268 patients who underwent the touch ablation procedure, tumors recurred in 52 (19.4%) patients, and among the 35 patients who underwent the no‐touch ablation procedure, tumors recurred in one (2.9%) patient. Cumulative intrasubsegmental tumor recurrence rates tended to be higher with touch ablation (P = 0.083). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that ablation procedure (touch ablation, hazard ratio [HR] 10.32, P = 0.032), type of enhancement pattern (Type 3, HR 3.05, P = 0.006; and Type 4, HR 8.87, P < 0.001) and serum des‐γ‐carboxyprothrombin level (≥100 AU/L; HR 2.73, P = 0.035) were significant predictors for intrasubsegmental recurrence.

Conclusion

The no‐touch pincer ablation procedure has the potential to prevent intrasubsegmental recurrence after RFA for patients with HCC.
Efficacy and safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate rescue therapy for chronic hepatitis B patients who failed other nucleos(t)ide analogs
Authors: Kumada Hiromitsu , Koike Kazuhiko , Suyama Kazuaki , Ito Hiroshi , Itoh Hiroshi , Sugiura Wataru
Published: November 2016

Aim

Acquisition of nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) inhibitor resistance is critical in successful chronic hepatitis B treatment. As the pattern of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) resistance mutations differs from that of other antiviral drugs, we sought to clarify the salvaging potential of TDF in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who are poor responders or resistant to other NAs.

Methods

A prospective, multicenter, single‐arm, open‐label study was carried out from December 2011 to October 2014. Poor responders defined as subjects with serum HBV‐DNA levels >4 log10 copies/mL were enrolled. Subjects receiving lamivudine (LAM) + adefovir pivoxil (ADV) before the initiation of the study were switched to LAM + TDF. Subjects on entecavir hydrate (ETV) with or without ADV were switched to ETV + TDF. The primary efficacy end‐point was the proportion of subjects achieving HBV‐DNA <2.1 log10 copies/mL (LLQ) at week 24. The secondary efficacy end‐points were the proportion of subjects with LLQ at weeks 48 and 96, serum alanine aminotransferase normalization, hepatitis B envelope antigen/antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen/antibody seroconversion.

Results

Thirty‐four subjects were enrolled, 21 subjects were switched to ETV + TDF, and 13 subjects were switched to LAM + TDF. Drug resistance mutations were determined in 85% of the subjects at the time of the enrolment. The proportion of subjects who achieved LLQ was 59%, 62%, and 71% at weeks 24, 48, and 96, respectively. No serious adverse event related to TDF was reported.

Conclusion

Our study clearly showed that TDF containing regimens were effective in salvaging poor responders and/or those who are drug‐resistant to other NAs. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01475851) and the GSK Clinical Study Register (GSK LOC115912).
Pregnancies in older women living with HIV in the UK and Ireland
Authors: Townsend CL , de Ruiter A , Peters H , Nelson‐Piercy C , Tookey P , Thorne C
Published: November 2016

Objectives

The aim of the study was to compare maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in women aged < 40 years and ≥ 40 years in a large unselected population of HIV‐positive women delivering in the UK and Ireland between 2000 and 2014.

Methods

Comprehensive population‐based surveillance data on all HIV‐positive pregnant women and their children seen for care in the UK and Ireland are collected through the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood. All singleton and multiple pregnancies reported by the end of June 2015 resulting in live birth or stillbirth to women diagnosed with HIV infection before delivery and delivering in 2000−2014 were included. Logistic regression models were fitted in analyses examining the association between older maternal age and specific outcomes (preterm delivery and stillbirth).

Results

Among 15 501 pregnancies in HIV‐positive women, the proportion in older women (≥ 40 years) increased from 2.1% (73 of 3419) in 2000−2004 to 8.9% (510 of 5748) in 2010−2014 (P < 0.001). Compared with pregnancies in younger women, those in older women were more likely to result in multiple birth (3.0 vs. 1.9% in younger women; P = 0.03), stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio 2.39; P = 0.004) or an infant with a chromosomal abnormality (1.6 vs. 0.2%, respectively; P < 0.001). However, there was no increased risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight or mother‐to‐child HIV transmission among older mothers.

Conclusions

There has been a significant increase over time in the proportion of deliveries to women living with HIV aged ≥ 40 years, which has implications for pregnancy management, given their increased risk of multiple births, stillbirth and chromosomal anomalies, as also apparent in the general population.
DYNAMIC CONTRACTS WITH WORKER MOBILITY VIA DIRECTED ON‐THE‐JOB SEARCH
Authors: Tsuyuhara Kunio
Published: November 2016

This article proposes a model with dynamic incentive contracts and on‐the‐job search in a frictional labor market. The optimal long‐term contract exhibits an increasing wage–tenure profile. With increasing wages, worker effort also increases with tenure. These two features imply that the probabilities of both voluntary and involuntary job separation decrease with both job tenure and the duration of employment. Given these results, workers experience differing labor market transitions—between employment, unemployment, and across different employers—and the equilibrium generates endogenous heterogeneity among ex ante homogeneous workers.
Consumer Behaviour and Order Fulfilment in Online Retailing: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nguyen Dung H. , de Leeuw Sander , Dullaert Wout E.H.
Published: November 2016

This paper provides a systematic review of consumer behaviour and order fulfilment in online retailing. The objective of this review is threefold: first, to identify elements of order‐fulfilment operations that are relevant to online consumer behaviour (purchase, repurchase, product return); second, to understand the relationship between order‐fulfilment performance and consumer behaviour; and third, to inspire future research on developing consumer service strategies that takes account of these behavioural responses to order‐fulfilment performance outcomes. The paper is based on a systematic review of literature on online consumer behaviour and order‐fulfilment operations, mainly in the fields of marketing and operations, published in international peer‐reviewed journals between 2000 and September 2015. This study indicates that the current literature on online consumer behaviour focuses mainly on the use of marketing tools to improve consumer service levels. Very little research has been conducted on the use of consumer service instruments to steer consumer behaviour or, consequently, to manage related order‐fulfilment activities better. The study culminates in a framework that encompasses elements of order‐fulfilment operations and their relationship to online consumer behaviour. This paper is the first comprehensive review of online consumer behaviour that takes aspects of order‐fulfilment operations into account from both marketing and operations perspectives.
Influence of maternal physical activity on infant's body composition
Authors: Bisson M. , Tremblay F. , St‐Onge O. , Robitaille J. , Pronovost E. , Simonyan D. , Marc I.
Published: November 2016

Background

Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy might contribute to reduce neonatal adiposity, a predictor of metabolic disturbances.

Objective

The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between maternal PA intensity and neonatal body composition.

Methods

Maternal PA measured by accelerometry and nutrition were documented during pregnancy, as well as neonatal body composition by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry following delivery. Associations between PA at 17 and 36 weeks (time spent in moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA) status and their interaction) and neonatal body composition were addressed by multivariate regression analyses.

Results

From 104 women, 50 (48%) and 16 (18%) performed VPA at 17 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Performing VPA at either time was associated with a decreased birthweight (BW), while only VPA at 17 weeks decreased neonatal adiposity (fat percentage: −2.3 ± 0.8%, p = 0.003). MPA at 36 weeks was associated with an increased lean mass (2.0 ± 0.8 g per min day−1, p = 0.012). Significant interactions were found for BW and bone mineral content (BMC). MPA at 17 weeks tended to increase BW, but not BMC, in the no VPA strata. By contrast, high levels of MPA (≥112 min d−1) combined with VPA at 17 weeks reduced neonatal BMC and BW compared with no VPA (BMC: −5.4 ± 2.0 g, p = 0.008, BW: −302.8 ± 83.7 g, p = 0.0003). Differences were not significant with low MPA levels.

Conclusions

Exercise intensity modulates neonatal body composition. The long‐term significance of a reduced BW, adiposity and BMC with VPA requires further study.
Mechanisms of obesity in Prader–Willi syndrome
Authors: Khan M. J. , Gerasimidis K. , Edwards C. A. , Shaikh M. G.
Published: November 2016

Obesity is the most common cause of metabolic complications and poor quality of life in Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). Hyperphagia and obesity develop after an initial phase of poor feeding and failure to thrive. Several mechanisms for the aetiology of obesity in PWS are proposed, which include disruption in hypothalamic pathways of satiety control resulting in hyperphagia, aberration in hormones regulating food intake, reduced energy expenditure because of hypotonia and altered behaviour with features of autism spectrum disorder. Profound muscular hypotonia prevents PWS patients from becoming physically active, causing reduced muscle movements and hence reduced energy expenditure. In a quest for the aetiology of obesity, recent evidence has focused on several appetite‐regulating hormones, growth hormone, thyroid hormones and plasma adipocytokines. However, despite advancement in understanding of the genetic basis of PWS, there are contradictory data on the role of satiety hormones in hyperphagia and data regarding dietary intake are limited. Mechanistic studies on the aetiology of obesity and its relationship with disease pathogenesis in PWS are required. . In this review, we focused on the available evidence regarding mechanisms of obesity and potential new areas that could be explored to help unravel obesity pathogenesis in PWS.
Effects of g‐Loading and Time Lag on Retesting in Job Selection
Authors: Olenick Jeffrey , Bhatia Sarena , Ryan Ann Marie
Published: November 2016

Understanding influence on and effects of retesting is important to the selection practitioner. This article examines retesting effects on a series of selection measures for mechanically related positions to extend research that has been conducted in more controlled environments. While validity was not significantly different on retesting, time between test attempts and score increase on Spatial Reasoning were positively related, indicating the possibility of learning effects. Lower score increases were found for highly g‐loaded measures, and individuals who showed an increase scored more highly on average on their first attempt. Men tended to increase their scores more than women. We close with a discussion of the practical implications of our findings and how to build on them with future research.
Organizational Justice Dimensions: Validation of an Arabic Measure
Authors: Alkhadher Othman , Gadelrab Hesham F.
Published: November 2016

There is a continued debate regarding the dimensions of organizational justice. The present project investigated the dimensionality of organizational justice and the validity of an Arabic measure of organizational justice for a Kuwaiti samples. The first study sample consisted of 1,184 Kuwaitis (619 males and 565 females) from two groups: 728 employees and 456 teachers working in the public sector. The second study sample consisted of 373 participants (190 employees and 183 teachers). The instrument items were based on a careful review of the organizational justice literature to ensure relevance to the sample culture. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) using WLSMV estimator is used. WLSMV method is more appropriate for our data because variables are measured on an ordinal scale. WLSMV is considered a less bias estimator compared with the standard maximum likelihood in case of ordinal data. CFA analyses identified the four distinctive factors of distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational organizational justice. The four‐factor model fit the data significantly better than one‐, two‐ or three‐factor models. Moreover, the study revealed that these four dimensions of organizational justice were significantly correlated with the four relevant outcomes of instrumentality, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and collective esteem. Using the Arabic version of Colquitt's () instrument (Fischer et al., ), the second study presented an evidence of concurrent validity of the new Arabic scale. The present study confirmed the four‐factor dimensionality of organizational justice. Results of the current study may raise the issue of development of scales versus translation of well‐ developed ones. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Mental health nursing students’ views on their readiness to address the physical health needs of service users on registration
Authors: Ramluggun Pras , Anjoyeb Mahmood , D'Cruz Gibson
Published: November 2016

There is substantial evidence that people (service users) living with a serious mental illness experience poorer physical health than the general population and die prematurely from life‐threatening illnesses. Mental health nurses are best placed to address the physical health needs of service users but evidence points to numerous challenges, including a deficit in their proficiency to meet these needs. Nurse education and mental health services are being reshaped to better equip nurses with the skill set to meet the care needs of service users. The aim of the present study was to gain an in‐depth insight into final‐year mental health nursing students’ views (MHNS) of their preparation to address the physical health needs of service users. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, the views of final‐year MHNS learning experiences of physical care were explored through a focus group and in‐depth interviews. The focus group generated broad issues, which were then explored in semistructured, individual interviews. The transcribed audio‐taped data were analysed using a framework approach to identify the emerging key themes. The themes identified were the comprehensiveness of physical care content, delivery and method of teaching, exposure to physical care in practice, and confidence to address physical health needs. The findings of the present study indicate that there is a need to enhance both the theoretical and practical components of preregistration education for MHNS on physical care.
Rethinking the concept of the IS organization
Authors: Peppard Joe
Published: November 2016

Do conceptualizations of the information systems (IS) organization reflect findings from research studying requirements for successfully harnessing information, systems and technology to achieve operational and strategic objectives? This paper addresses this question, reporting on an analysis of articles published in leading academic and practitioner journals. It describes how the IS organization is portrayed in these studies and examines the results of this analysis through a sensitizing lens constructed from research that has studied how organizations generate business value from IS. The lens depicts this objective as a quest to harness knowledge that is distributed enterprise wide. The analysis suggests that conceptualisations of the IS organization used by researchers do not reflect the requirements for generating business value from information technology that have been identified in the literature. Whilst highlighting that definitions are vague or more often absent, it challenges the dominant orthodoxy of the IS organization as a separate organizational unit suggesting that it is a more pervasive construct. The implications of this conclusion for practice, research and teaching are considered.
Phylogenetic distribution of regeneration and asexual reproduction in Annelida: regeneration is ancestral and fission evolves in regenerative clades
Authors: Zattara Eduardo E. , Bely Alexandra E.
Published: November 2016

Regeneration, the ability to replace lost body structures, and agametic asexual reproduction, such as fission and budding, are post‐embryonic developmental capabilities widely distributed yet highly variable across animals. Regeneration capabilities vary dramatically both within and across phyla, but the evolution of regeneration ability has rarely been reconstructed in an explicitly phylogenetic context. Agametic reproduction appears strongly associated with high regenerative abilities, and there are also extensive developmental similarities between these two processes, suggesting that the two are evolutionarily related. However, the directionality leading to this relationship remains unclear: while it has been proposed that regeneration precedes asexual reproduction, the reverse hypothesis has also been put forward. Here, we use phylogenetically explicit methods to reconstruct broad patterns of regeneration evolution and formally test these hypotheses about the evolution of fission in the phylum Annelida (segmented worms). We compiled from the literature a large dataset of information on anterior regeneration, posterior regeneration, and fission abilities for 401 species and mapped this information onto a phylogenetic tree based on recent molecular studies. We used Markovian maximum likelihood and Bayesian MCMC methods to evaluate different models for the evolution of regeneration and fission and to estimate the likelihood of each of these traits being present at each node of the tree. Our results strongly support anterior and posterior regeneration ability being present at the basal node of the annelid tree and being lost 18 and 5 times, respectively, but never regained. By contrast, the ability to fission is reconstructed as being absent at the basal node and being gained at least 19 times, with several possible losses. Models assuming independent evolution of regeneration and fission yield significantly lower likelihoods. Our findings suggest that anterior and posterior regeneration are ancestral for Annelida and are consistent with the hypothesis that regenerative ability is required to evolve fission.
Influence of visitors on the behaviour of Yellow‐breasted capuchins Sapajus xanthosternos at Belo Horizonte Zoo (BH Zoo), Brazil
Authors: Rodrigues N. S. S. O. , Azevedo C. S.
Published: November 2016

Visitors, especially in large noisy crowds, have the potential to influence the life of animals in zoological institutions, the so‐called visitor effect. This study aimed to evaluate the effect visitors had on four Yellow‐breasted capuchins Sapajus xanthosternos at Belo Horizonte Zoo (BH Zoo), Brazil. The study comprised 60 hours of behavioural observations: 30 with and 30 without visitors in front of the monkeys’ enclosure. Data on the behaviour of capuchins were collected from March to June 2011 using focal sampling with instantaneous recording of behaviour every minute. Results showed that the responses to visitors varied between individuals for almost all behaviours; undesirable behaviours decreased for two capuchins when public were present but increased for one female. Behaviours such as ‘self‐grooming’ and ‘social interactions’ (e.g. fights, allogrooming) increased, showing that the behaviour of the capuchins altered in the presence of visitors. At BH Zoo the public often interacted with the capuchins. Whether the visitors were acting as enrichment factors or stressors for the capuchins is inconclusive, because the overall behavioural responses of the capuchins varied. In conclusion, to reduce visitor‐induced stress responses for the individuals affected by them, a public‐education programme, to reduce human–capuchin interactions, should be introduced at BH Zoo.
Baseline blood pressure control in Hispanics: characteristics of Hispanics in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial
Authors: Rodriguez Carlos J. , Still Carolyn H. , Garcia Katelyn R. , Wagenknecht Lynne , White Suzanne , Bates Jeffrey T. , Del Cid Margareth V. , Lioudis Michael , Lopez Barrera Nieves , Moreyra Abel , Punzi Henry , Ringer Robert J. , Cushman William C. , Contreras Gabriel , Servilla Karen , Rocco Michael ,   the SPRINT Research Group
Published: November 2016

The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) tested whether a systolic blood pressure (SBP) value <120 mm Hg reduces adverse clinical outcomes compared with the goal of <140 mm Hg. Here the authors describe the baseline characteristics of Hispanic participants in SPRINT. Nondiabetic hypertensive patients 50 years and older with SBP 130–180 mm Hg taking zero to four blood pressure (BP) medications were enrolled from the mainland United States and Puerto Rico. Cross‐sectional, bivariate analysis was employed comparing sociodemographic and clinical factors in Hispanics vs non‐Hispanics. Multivariable logistic regression models restricted to Hispanics were used to identify factors associated with achieved BP control (SBP <140 mm Hg and diastolic BP <90 mm Hg) at baseline. Eleven percent (n=984) of SPRINT participants were Hispanic; 56% (n=549) of Hispanics were living in Puerto Rico and the remainder were living on the US mainland. Hispanics overall were younger, more often female, less likely to live alone, and more likely to have lower education and be uninsured, although just as likely to be employed compared with non‐Hispanics. BP control was not different between Hispanics vs non‐Hispanics at baseline. However, a significantly higher percentage of Hispanics on the US mainland (compared with Hispanics in Puerto Rico) had controlled BP. BP control was independently associated with cardiovascular disease history and functional status among Hispanics, specifically those living in Puerto Rico, whereas functional status was the only independent predictor of BP control identified among mainland Hispanics. These findings highlight the diversity of the SPRINT population. It remains to be seen whether factors identified among Hispanics impact intervention goals and subsequent clinical outcomes.
NCAPG2 promotes tumour proliferation by regulating G2/M phase and associates with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhan Ping , Xi Guang‐min , Zhang Bin , Wu Ying , Liu Hong‐bing , Liu Ya‐fang , Xu Wu‐jian , Zhu Qingqing , Cai Feng , Zhou Ze‐jun , Miu Ying‐ying , Wang Xiao‐xia , Jin Jia‐jia , Li Qian , Lv Tang‐feng , Song Yong
Published: November 2016

NCAPG2 is a component of the condensin II complex and contributes to chromosome segregation via microtubule–kinetochore attachment during mitosis. It is well known that NCAPG2 plays a critical role in cell mitosis; however, the role of altered NCAPG2 expression and its transcriptional regulatory function in cancer development remains mostly unknown. Here, for the first time we reported that NCAPG2 was evidently increased in non‐small cell lung cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal lung tissues. Clinicopathological data analysis showed that NCAPG2 overexpression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and pathologic‐Tumour Nodes Metastasen stages, and was an independent prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Moreover, siRNA‐mediated knockdown of NCAPG2 could inhibit tumour cell growth of lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549 and H1299) in vitro and could significantly lead to cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase. Furthermore, we found that NCAPG2 silencing significantly decreased the expression levels of G2/M phase cell cycle‐related protein expressions (Cyclin B1, Cdc2) and increased the expression levels of p27 and p21 through Western blot analysis. Taken together, we demonstrated that increased NCAPG2 expression could regulate cell proliferation and identified as a poor prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma.
Leprosy reactions in postelimination stage: the Bangladesh experience
Authors: Mowla M.R. , Ara S. , Mizanur Rahman A.F.M. , Tripura S.P. , Paul S.
Published: November 2016

Background

Leprosy reactions are immunologically mediated conditions and a major cause of disability before, during and after multidrug therapy (MDT). Little data have been published on the epidemiology of leprosy reactions in Bangladesh.

Objectives

To describe the pattern and prevalence of leprosy reactions in the postelimination stage.

Methods

A descriptive retrospective cross‐sectional study was carried out in Chittagong Medical College Hospital using the registered records of patients in the period between 2004 and 2013.

Results

Of the 670 patients with leprosy, 488 (73.38%) were males and 182 (27.37%) were females. The prevalence of reaction was in 300 (44.78%) patients with a male:female ratio of 3.55 : 1. The age‐specific cumulative reaction cases at >40 years were 115 (38.33%) among all age groups. The prevalence of reaction was found to be in 166 (55.33%) patients for the reversal reaction, 49 (16.57%) for the erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) and 85 (28.33%) for the neuritis. Borderline tuberculoid was most common (106, 35.33%)in the reversal reaction group, while lepromatous leprosy was most common (37, 12.33%) in ENL group. More than half of the patients (169, 56.33%) had reactions at the time of presentations, while 85 (28.33%) and 46 (15.33%) patients developed reaction during and after MDT, respectively. The reversal reaction group presented with ≥six skin lesions in 96 (57.83%) patients and ≥two nerve function impairments (NFIs) in 107 (64.46%) patients. The ENL was present chiefly as papulo‐nodular lesions in 45 (91.84%) patients followed by pustule‐necrotic lesions in four (8.16%), neuritis in 33 (67.35%), fever in 24 (48.98%), lymphadenitis in six (12.24%), arthritis in five (10.20%) and iritis in two (4.08%). Bacterial index ≥3 had been demonstrated in 34 (60.71%) patients in ENL group.

Conclusion

The incidence of leprosy reaction seemed to be more than three times common in borderline tuberculoid (52.33%) group than in lepromatous leprosy (14%) group. Reactions with NFI and disability still occur among multibacillary patients during and after MDT. Early detection and management of leprosy reaction are very important in preventing disability and deformity, and patients should be educated to undergo regular follow‐up examinations. Developing reinforced new therapies to curb leprosy reactions is crucial for improving leprosy healthcare services.
S2k guideline for treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus – guided by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) in cooperation with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)
Authors: Kuhn A. , Aberer E. , Bata‐Csörgő Z. , Caproni M. , Dreher A. , Frances C. , Gläser R. , Klötgen H.‐W. , Landmann A. , Marinovic B. , Nyberg F. , Olteanu R. , Ranki A. , Szepietowski J.C. , Volc‐Platzer B.
Published: November 2016

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a rare inflammatory autoimmune disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations. To date, no therapeutic agents have been licensed specifically for patients with this disease entity, and topical and systemic drugs are mostly used ‘off‐label’. The aim of the present guideline was to achieve a broad consensus on treatment strategies for patients with CLE by a European subcommittee, guided by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and supported by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV). In total, 16 European participants were included in this project and agreed on all recommendations. Topical corticosteroids remain the mainstay of treatment for localized CLE, and further topical agents, such as calcineurin inhibitors, are listed as alternative first‐line or second‐line topical therapeutic option. Antimalarials are recommended as first‐line and long‐term systemic treatment in all CLE patients with severe and/or widespread skin lesions, particularly in patients with a high risk of scarring and/or the development of systemic disease. In addition to antimalarials, systemic corticosteroids are recommended as first‐line treatment in highly active and/or severe CLE. Second‐ and third‐line systemic treatments include methotrexate, retinoids, dapsone and mycophenolate mofetil or mycophenolate acid, respectively. Thalidomide should only be used in selected therapy‐refractory CLE patients, preferably in addition to antimalarials. Several new therapeutic options, such as B‐cell‐ or interferon α‐targeted agents, need to be further evaluated in clinical trials to assess their efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with CLE.
Correlated paternity measures mate monopolization and scales with the magnitude of sexual selection
Authors: Dorken M. E. , Perry L. E.
Published: November 2016

Indirect measures of sexual selection have been criticized because they can overestimate the magnitude of selection. In particular, they do not account for the degree to which mating opportunities can be monopolized by individuals of the sex that compete for mates. We introduce a measure of mate monopolization (m) based on the magnitude of correlated paternity and evaluate its ability to track changes in the magnitude of sexual selection. Simulation models were used to compare how well m tracked changes in the selection differential (s) for a trait regulating mating success. We further evaluated the association between m and s using ten replicate mating arrays of Sagittaria latifolia in which plants with contrasting alleles at microsatellite loci competed for siring opportunities. The computer models and mating arrays both demonstrated a positive linear association between m and s, supporting the utility of m as an index of sexual selection. Commonly used measures of sexual selection are not easily applied to organisms, such as the flowering plants, for which mating events are difficult to observe. The measure of mate monopolization introduced here could prove to be a useful addition to studies of sexual selection in these organisms.
Single‐incision versus conventional three‐incision laparoscopic appendectomy: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Deng Lihui , Xiong Junjie , Xia Qing
Published: November 2016

Background

Conventional three‐incision laparoscopic appendectomy (CTLA) is considered the new golden standard for the treatment of acute appendicitis. However, single‐incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) can further reduce the number of abdominal incisions and visible scars.

Methods

Major databases were researched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing SILA and CTLA for acute appendicitis from January 1983 and to March 2015. The technical feasibility, effectiveness, and safety between SILA and CTLA were compared. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using fixed‐ or random‐effects models.

Results

In total, 11 RCTs with 1489 patients were analyzed. The patients in the SILA group had a significantly shorter hospital duration (WMD: –0.63; 95% CI: –1.04, –0.21; P = 0.003) and return to activity (WMD: –2.91; 95% CI: –5.45, –0.37; P = 0.02) but experienced a longer operating time (WMD: 6.56; 95% CI: 3.55, 9.58; P < 0.0001) and higher rate of conversion (OR: 6.82; 95% CI: 3.14, 14.79; P < 0.00001). There were no differences between the two groups in visual analog pain scores, doses of analgesics, overall complication rates, wound infection, or cosmesis (all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

SILA is a safer and more effective than CTLA in both pediatric and adult patients.