bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Voluntary information disclosure and sell-side analyst coverage intensity
Authors: Hamrouni Amal , Benkraiem Ramzi , Karmani Majdi
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether a high level of voluntary disclosure attracts sell-side analysts. In other words, the authors check whether the number of analysts following a given firm increases with the extent of voluntary information that corporate managers provide in annual reports.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper relies on regression analyses to study the relationship between the level of coverage by sell-side analysts and the extent of voluntary disclosure for a sample of 155 non-financial firms listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and members of the SBF 250 index.

Findings

The empirical results show that the number of analysts following a given firm increases with the extent of voluntary disclosure. Consequently, the authors conclude that analysts are interested in the volume of information provided voluntarily by corporate managers. Their interest varies across the voluntary-information categories (strategic, financial, non-financial and governance) disclosed in annual reports.

Originality/value

This study extends previous research by investigating sell-side analysts’ preferences in terms of voluntary-information categories in annual reports. A better understanding of the effects of sub-categories of voluntary information is useful to corporate managers wishing to meet market expectations and attract sell-side analysts. In fact, the authors verify how each category of disclosed information (strategic, financial, non-financial and governance) affects the analyst coverage intensity. In addition, the authors apply our study in the rather interesting empirical setting that is France, which is characterized by a low investor protection and a large number of active analysts.
The win/profit maximization debate: strategic adaptation as the answer?
Authors: Terrien Mickael , Scelles Nicolas , Morrow Stephen , Maltese Lionel , Durand Christophe
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to highlight the heterogeneity of the organizational aims within the professional football teams in Ligue 1. Second, to understand why some teams swing from a win orientation towards a soft budget constraint from year to year, and vice versa.

Design/methodology/approach

Financial data from annual reports for the period 2005/2015 was collected for the 35 Ligue 1 clubs. To define the degree of compliance with the intended strategy for those clubs, an efficiency analysis was conducted thanks to the data envelopment analysis method. This measure of performance was supplemented with the identification of productivity and demand shocks to identify whether clubs suffered from such shock or changed their strategy. It enables to precise the nature of the evolution in the utility function, with regards to the gap between expectation and actual performance.

Findings

The paper suggests that a team can switch from one orientation to another from year to year due to the uncertain nature of the sports industry. The club director’s utility function could also be maximized under inter temporal budget function in order to adjust the weight between win and profit according to the opportunities in the environment.

Originality/value

The paper sheds new light on the win/profit maximization. The theoretical model provides an assessment of the weight between win and profit in Ligue 1 and then identifies a new explanation for persistent losses in the sports industry.
More than pictures: who sets the agenda for sexuality education for people with learning disabilities?
Authors: Olsen Angela
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on Cameron and Matthews’ paper “More than pictures: developing an accessible resource”.

Design/methodology/approach

It reflects on how much people with learning disabilities are involved in research and resource development and how the attitudes of caregivers impact on how people learn about sexuality.

Findings

Most published research is written by people who do not have learning disabilities but people with learning disabilities are taking part in research and they are making changes to the way things happen. Parents, educators and caregivers are often reluctant to discuss sexuality with people with learning disabilities and this affects how much people can understand about it.

Originality/value

This paper argues for greater involvement of people with learning disabilities in research processes.
Commentary on “The NICE guidelines and quality standards on learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges”
Authors: Busk Mary
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary, from a parent carer perspective, on Murphy’s overview of the NICE guidelines and quality standards on learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses the NICE approach, the content of these specific guidelines and quality standards and considers their practical relevance, with a particular focus on families of children and young people with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges.

Findings

Gaps in research affect recommendations in some key areas including around transition and early intervention. Risk factors are not linked to clear recommendations for early identification and prevention. For families, additional work is needed to highlight where these guidelines fit with related national law and policies. Families also need to see how the guidelines can positively influence commissioners to improve life outcomes and avoid crises and deterioration in behaviour. Although NICE guidelines are often condition specific, many of our children and young people have co-existing conditions and so do not fit neatly into just one set of guidelines. That is why data collection is very important to understanding needs and to effective commissioning. There is a need to urgently identify and address the research gaps so that essential interventions are included in future NICE guidelines and standards.

Originality/value

A family carer perspective suggests ways in which implementation of the NICE guidelines can be supported and argues for the importance of the further research that will strengthen future versions of the guidelines.
Understanding disability in Nigeria: a commentary on “Country profile: intellectual and developmental disability in Nigeria”
Authors: McKenzie Judith , Ohajunwa Chioma Ogochukwu
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to respond to the country report about understanding disability in Nigeria by highlighting the important points that it raises and suggesting further areas for exploration.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify the main themes of the paper and situate these within an African context, recognizing the diversity of African countries while at the same time arguing that it is imperative for African countries to look to research from each other in addition to that emanating from the Global North.

Findings

The issues of terminology and lack of demographic detail in the Nigerian context are discussed and suggestions made as to how these might begin to be addressed. Features of the African context which are apparent in Nigeria, such as poverty, a very young population and the effects of forced migration, are amplified with reference to literature from other low-income countries. The significance of family care in this context is highlighted and identified as a focus for future research.

Originality/value

This paper speaks to the need to build an African body of knowledge around disability that is not ignorant of the literature from the Global North but which incorporates this knowledge in a critical way to understand better the African context.
A family’s battle to understand “challenging behaviour”
Authors: Jack David , Jack Jill
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This is about the authors’ son James’ life. The purpose of this paper is to share a story of misfortune and a battle to find answers in which the greatest enemy was ignorance. Such experiences are not uncommon. It is the authors hope that sharing this will make some small contribution to bringing about change.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors discuss the experiences of care placements, and the battle to understand “challenging behaviour”.

Findings

Reflecting upon James’ experiences of the care system, it is clear that the system is fragmented and operates in silos that do not work together. Decision makers were all too often individuals not qualified to assess James’ needs and therefore implement appropriate solutions. The outcome was repeated failure which resulted in the view that he was a lost cause.

Originality/value

Such cruelty as James has experienced should be recognised and banished forever.
Rapid detection and quantification of Ebola Zaire virus by one‐step real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Ro Young‐Tae , Ticer Anysha , Carrion Ricardo , Patterson Jean L.
Published: March 2017

Given that Ebola virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans with mortality rates as high as 90%, rapid and accurate detection of this virus is essential both for controlling infection and preventing further transmission. Here, a one‐step qRT‐PCR assay for rapid and quantitative detection of an Ebola Zaire strain using GP, VP24 or VP40 genes as a target is introduced. Routine assay conditions for hydrolysis probe detection were established from the manufacturer's protocol used in the assays. The analytical specificity and sensitivity of each assay was evaluated using in vitro synthesized viral RNA transcripts. The assays were highly specific for the RNA transcripts, no cross‐reactivity being observed among them. The limits of detection of the assays ranged from 102 to 103 copies per reaction. The assays were also evaluated using viral RNAs extracted from cell culture‐propagated viruses (Ebola Zaire, Sudan and Reston strains), confirming that they are gene‐ and strain‐specific. The RT‐PCR assays detected viral RNAs in blood samples from virus‐infected animal, suggesting that they can be also a useful method for identifying Ebola virus in clinical samples.
Interest Rate Linkages between Offshore and Onshore Renminbi Markets
Authors: Feng Yongqi , Zhang Tianshu
Published: March 2017

We examine the interest rate volatility spillover between the offshore and onshore Renminbi (RMB) markets. The Hong Kong inter‐bank RMB offer rate (CNY HIBOR) and the Shanghai inter‐bank offer rate (SHIBOR) are used, respectively, as the interest rates for the offshore and onshore RMB markets. The results of our research show that there was significant volatility spillover between the offshore and onshore RMB prior to 21 June 2013 and that direction of the spillover from the SHIBOR to the CNY HIBOR is stronger than that from CNY HIBOR to SHIBOR. However, the spillover declined in strength between 21 June 2013 and 20 April 2016. We also find that the interest rate correlations are low and unstable. Our research reveals that the offshore RMB interest rate has been an independent system that is not determined by the onshore market, and that the determination of the offshore RMB interest rate is very complicated. The Hong Kong market is increasingly playing a more important role in the determination of the RMB. This study contributes to our understanding of the interest rate determination in China and has important implications for policy makers in terms of interest rate policies in the offshore and onshore RMB markets.
The Capitalization of School Quality into Renter and Owner Housing
Authors: Beracha Eli , Hardin William G.
Published: March 2017

Residential property amenities including school quality should be capitalized into both rent and property sale prices. Evidence of price and rent premiums for higher school quality is provided. The price premium for school quality for owners exceeds the premium for renters. The premiums paid by renters and owners vary with the likelihood the household directly uses school services, housing market conditions, whether the property is in an urban or suburban area and by the observed school quality in the years leading to the transaction. The larger price premium paid by owners is supported by enhanced liquidity and tempered price volatility for properties located in quality school districts.
Effect of AMP‐activated protein kinase subunit alpha 2 (PRKAA2) genetic polymorphisms on susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy in a Chinese population
Authors: LI Qingchu , Li Cuilin , Li Haoyun , Zeng Liu , Kang Zhiqiang , Mao Yu , Tang Xinyue , Zheng Panpan , He Li , Luo Fang , Li Zhi
Published: March 2017

Background

It is well known that AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key factor affecting the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2746342 in the AMPK alpha 2 subunit gene (PRKAA2) has been found to be associated with susceptibility to T2DM in the Chinese Han population. The present study further investigates the association of PRKAA2 genotypes with susceptibility to T2DM and its complication, diabetic nephropathy.

Methods

The PRKAA2 genotypes of 406 T2DM patients and 214 controls from the Chinese Han population were determined with regard to SNPs rs10789038, rs2796498 and rs2746342. The association between these SNPs and susceptibility to T2DM and diabetic nephropathy was evaluated. The clinical characteristics differed significantly between T2DM patients and controls.

Results

After adjustment for age, sex and body mass index, there was an obvious relationship between T2DM and both rs10789038 (odds ratio [OR] 1.634; P = 0.015) and rs2796498 (OR 0.656; P = 0.030), but not rs2746342. There was haplotype association of PRKAA2 rs10789038–rs2796498–rs2746342 with T2DM susceptibility. In addition, rs2796498 was found to be related to the susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy.

Conclusions

Polymorphisms in rs10789038 and rs2796498 are associated with the susceptibility to T2DM, and rs2796498 may be related to diabetic nephropathy.
Characteristics of Short‐stay Critical Care Admissions From Emergency Departments in Maryland
Authors: Chidi Obiora O. , Perman Sarah M. , Ginde Adit A.
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Critical care is an expensive and limited resource, and short‐stay critical care admissions may be treated in alternate, less costly settings. This study objective was to determine the proportion of critical care admissions with a short critical care length of stay (LOS) and identify the clinical characteristics and diagnoses associated with high and low rates of short‐stay critical care admissions.

Methods

This study was a secondary analysis of the 2011 Maryland State Inpatient Database. The study included adult emergency department (ED) visits admitted to a critical care unit. We compared clinical data and discharge diagnoses for short‐ (≤1 day) versus longer‐ (≥2 days) stay critical care admissions.

Results

A total of 30,212 critical care admissions were eligible, of which 11,494 (38.0%) were short stay. There were significant differences in age, insurance, and comorbidities between the short‐stay and the longer‐stay critical care admissions. Of short‐stay critical care admissions, 3,404 (29.6%) also had a 1‐day overall hospital LOS. The diagnoses with the highest proportion of short‐stay critical care admissions were nonspecific chest pain (87.9%), syncope (70.6%), and transient cerebral ischemia (67.6%) and the lowest proportion were respiratory failure (17.9%), sepsis (19.4%), and aspiration pneumonitis (19.8%).

Conclusions

Over one‐third of critical care admissions were short stay. Alternate strategies to manage these patients, including ED‐based critical care units or other venues of inpatient care, may be more cost‐efficient for selected patients.
Alcohol‐Related Blackouts, Negative Alcohol‐Related Consequences, and Motivations for Drinking Reported by Newly Matriculating Transgender College Students
Authors: Tupler Larry A. , Zapp Daniel , DeJong William , Ali Maryam , O'Rourke Sarah , Looney John , Swartzwelder H. Scott
Published: March 2017

Background

Many transgender college students struggle with identity formation and other emotional, social, and developmental challenges associated with emerging adulthood. A potential maladaptive coping strategy employed by such students is heavy drinking. Prior literature has suggested greater consumption and negative alcohol‐related consequences (ARCs) in transgender students compared with their cisgender peers, but little is known about their differing experiences with alcohol‐related blackouts (ARBs). We examined the level of alcohol consumption, the frequency of ARBs and other ARCs, and motivations for drinking reported by the largest sample of transgender college students to date.

Methods

A Web survey from an alcohol‐prevention program, AlcoholEdu for College™, assessed student demographics and drinking‐related behaviors, experiences, and motivations of newly matriculating first‐year college students. A self‐reported drinking calendar was used to examine each of the following measures over the previous 14 days: number of drinking days, total number of drinks, and maximum number of drinks on any single day. A 7‐point Likert scale was used to measure ARCs, ARBs, and drinking motivations. Transgender students of both sexes were compared with their cisgender peers.

Results

A total of 989 of 422,906 students (0.2%) identified as transgender. Over a 14‐day period, transgender compared with cisgender students were more likely to consume alcohol over more days, more total drinks, and a greater number of maximum drinks on a single day. Transgender students (36%) were more likely to report an ARB than cisgender students (25%) as well as more negative academic, confrontation‐related, social, and sexual ARCs. Transgender respondents more often cited stress reduction, social anxiety, self‐esteem issues, and the inherent properties of alcohol as motivations for drinking. For nearly all measures, higher values were yielded by male‐to‐female than female‐to‐male transgender students.

Conclusions

Transgender compared with cisgender first‐year students engage in higher‐risk drinking patterns and experience more ARBs and other negative ARCs. Broad institutional efforts are required to address the unique circumstances of transgender men and women and to reduce negative ARCs in college students, regardless of their sex or gender identity.
Beyond the dyadic perspective: 10 Reasons for using social network analysis in intergroup contact research
Authors: Wölfer Ralf , Hewstone Miles
Published: March 2017

This article presents 10 reasons why social network analysis, a novel but still surprisingly underused approach in social psychology, can advance the analysis of intergroup contact. Although intergroup contact has been shown to improve intergroup relations, conventional methods leave some questions unanswered regarding the underlying social mechanisms that facilitate social cohesion between different groups in increasingly diverse societies. We will therefore explain the largely unknown conceptual and methodological advantages of social network analysis for studying intergroup contact in naturally existing groups, which are likely to help contact researchers to gain a better understanding of intergroup relations and guide attempts to overcome segregation, prejudice, discrimination, and intergroup conflict.
Motivations for Growth Revolts: Discretion and Pretext as Sources of Development Conflict
Authors: Manville Michael , Osman Taner
Published: March 2017

This article suggests that “ballot box growth revolts”—instances where citizens use direct democracy to curb development—may be caused by local governments’ use of discretionary development approvals. We further suggest that growth revolts themselves provide a useful window into discretionary approvals, and illustrate how discretion can create conflict. Discretion is appealing to fiscally constrained cities because it lets them bargain with developers over building permissions, and thus helps cities finance public amenities. But it also gives cities incentives to regulate more heavily than they otherwise might, and to regulate pretextually: to write rules primarily for the purpose of bargaining them away. In sum, zoning's increasing use as a tool of fiscal policy can undermine its traditional role of providing assurance about future land use policy. We use various examples to illustrate our argument, including five growth revolts in Southern California.
HIV‐1 susceptibility of transgenic rat‐derived primary macrophage/T cells and a T cell line that express human receptors, CyclinT1 and CRM1 genes
Authors: Shida Hisatoshi , Okada Hiroyuki , Suzuki Hajime , Zhang Xianfeng , Chen Jing , Tsunetsugu‐Yokota Yasuko , Tanaka Yuetsu , Yakushiji Fumika , Hayashi Yoshio
Published: March 2017

We developed transgenic (Tg) rats that express human CD4, CCR5, CXCR4, CyclinT1, and CRM1 genes. Tg rat macrophages were efficiently infected with HIV‐1 and supported production of infectious progeny virus. By contrast, both rat primary CD4+ T cells and established T cell lines expressing human CD4, CCR5, CyclinT1, and CRM1 genes were infected inefficiently, but this was ameliorated by inhibition of cyclophilin A. The infectivity of rat T cell‐derived virus was lower than that of human T cell‐derived virus.
Trade union participation in CSR deliberation: an evaluation
Authors: Harvey Geraint , Hodder Andy , Brammer Stephen
Published: March 2017

Whereas there has been considerable interest in the concept of political corporate social responsibility (CSR), trade unions have been largely omitted from such scholarly discussion. This article explores the potential of trade unions as the other in political CSR and the contribution of trade unions to deliberative democracy with the firm. We discuss the importance both of the legitimacy and the efficacy of the other in political CSR. We proceed to assess trade unions as legitimate and effective deliberative partners with the firm towards CSR, evaluating the contribution of trade unions to deliberative democracy and also the potential outcomes for trade unions in adopting this role.
Flexible institutional arrangements and labour productivity: the case of transit industry in the United States
Authors: Smirnova Olga V.
Published: March 2017

Using the US National Transit Database 1994–2006, the manuscript empirically tests the influence of several institutional arrangements on labour productivity. The main finding of the paper is that not all flexible institutional arrangements may translate into labour productivity gains in the mass transit. While partial contracting may increase labour productivity in the US transit sector during the study period, the special governance actually decreases labour productivity. The potential implications for improvements in labour productivity are discussed.
The V2 receptor antagonist tolvaptan raises cytosolic calcium and prevents AQP2 trafficking and function: an in vitro and in vivo assessment
Authors: Tamma Grazia , Di Mise Annarita , Ranieri Marianna , Geller Ari , Tamma Roberto , Zallone Alberta , Valenti Giovanna
Published: March 2017

Tolvaptan, a selective vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, is a new generation diuretic. Its clinical efficacy is in principle due to impaired vasopressin‐regulated water reabsorption via aquaporin‐2 (AQP2). Nevertheless, no direct in vitro evidence that tolvaptan prevents AQP2‐mediated water transport, nor that this pathway is targeted in vivo in patients with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) has been provided. The effects of tolvaptan on the vasopressin–cAMP/PKA signalling cascade were investigated in MDCK cells expressing endogenous V2R and in mouse kidney. In MDCK, tolvaptan prevented dDAVP‐induced increase in ser256‐AQP2 and osmotic water permeability. A similar effect on ser256‐AQP2 was found in V1aR −/− mice, thus confirming the V2R selectively. Of note, calcium calibration in MDCK showed that tolvaptan per se caused calcium mobilization from the endoplasmic reticulum resulting in a significant increase in basal intracellular calcium. This effect was only observed in cells expressing the V2R, indicating that it requires the tolvaptan–V2R interaction. Consistent with this finding, tolvaptan partially reduced the increase in ser256‐AQP2 and the water permeability in response to forskolin, a direct activator of adenylyl cyclase (AC), suggesting that the increase in intracellular calcium is associated with an inhibition of the calcium‐inhibitable AC type VI. Furthermore, tolvaptan treatment reduced AQP2 excretion in two SIAD patients and normalized plasma sodium concentration. These data represent the first detailed demonstration of the central role of AQP2 blockade in the aquaretic effect of tolvaptan and underscore a novel effect in raising intracellular calcium that can be of significant clinical relevance.
Efficacy of ixekizumab compared to etanercept and placebo in patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis and non‐pustular palmoplantar involvement: results from three phase 3 trials (UNCOVER‐1, UNCOVER‐2 and UNCOVER‐3)
Authors: Menter A. , Warren R.B. , Langley R.G. , Merola J.F. , Kerr L.N. , Dennehy E.B. , Shrom D. , Amato D. , Okubo Y. , Reich K.
Published: March 2017

Background

Palmoplantar psoriasis has significant physical and emotional impact on patients and can be difficult to treat.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of ixekizumab in the treatment of patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis and moderate‐to‐severe non‐pustular palmoplantar involvement.

Methods

In three phase 3, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials, patients with moderate‐to‐severe non‐pustular plaque psoriasis [UNCOVER‐1 (N = 1296), UNCOVER‐2 (N = 1224), UNCOVER‐3 (N = 1346)] were randomized to subcutaneous 80 mg ixekizumab every 2 or 4 weeks (Q2W, Q4W), after a 160‐mg starting dose, or placebo through week 12. Additional UNCOVER‐2 and UNCOVER‐3 cohorts were randomized to 50 mg etanercept biweekly. Patients entering the open‐label long‐term extension (UNCOVER‐3) received ixekizumab Q4W weeks 12–60. Moderate‐to‐severe palmoplantar involvement was defined as Palmoplantar Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PPASI) ≥8.

Results

Twenty‐eight percent of UNCOVER‐1, UNCOVER‐2 and UNCOVER‐3 patients had baseline palmoplantar involvement (PPASI ≥0, n = 1092) and 9.1% (n = 350) had moderate‐to‐severe involvement, with mean baseline PPASI ~20, PASI ~24, and most (>60%) had static Physician's Global Assessment ≥4. Higher percentages of patients treated with ixekizumab vs. placebo or etanercept achieved PPASI 50 (approximately 80% vs. 32.9%, 67.8%; ixekizumab, placebo, etanercept, respectively) and PPASI 75 (approximately 70% vs. 18.8%, 44.1%; ixekizumab, placebo, etanercept, respectively) at week 12 (all P < 0.05). PPASI 100 was achieved by higher percentages of ixekizumab‐treated patients vs. placebo (approximately 50% vs. 8.2%, P < 0.001) and ixekizumab Q2W‐treated patients vs. etanercept (51.8% vs. 32.2%, P < 0.05). Outcomes were maintained or improved in patients continuing on ixekizumab Q4W through week 60. Differences between ixekizumab and placebo or etanercept were statistically significant as early as week 1.

Conclusion

In a subpopulation analysis of patients from phase 3 trials with moderate‐to‐severe non‐pustular palmoplantar involvement and moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis, ixekizumab treatment resulted in greater and more rapid improvements than placebo and etanercept at week 12; improvements were sustained with continued treatment.
Common Drug Side Effects and Drug‐Drug Interactions in Elderly Adults in Primary Care
Authors: Merel Susan E. , Paauw Douglas S.
Published: March 2017

Prescribing medications, recognizing and managing medication side effects and drug interactions, and avoiding polypharmacy are all essential skills in the care of older adults in primary care. Important side effects of medications commonly prescribed in older adults (statins, proton pump inhibitors, trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, zolpidem, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors) were reviewed. Important drug interactions with four agents or classes (statins, warfarin, factor Xa inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers) are discussed.
Biogenesis, assembly and trafficking of acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Rotundo Richard L.
Published: March 2017

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is expressed as several homomeric and heterooligomeric forms in a wide variety of tissues such as neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems and their targets including skeletal muscle, endocrine and exocrine glands. In addition, glycolipid‐anchored forms are expressed in erythropoietic and lymphopoietic cells. While transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation is important for determining which AChE oligomeric forms are expressed in a given tissue, translational and post‐translational regulatory mechanisms at the level of protein folding, assembly and sorting play equally important roles in assuring that the AChE molecules reach their intended sites on the cell surface in the appropriate numbers. This brief review will focus on the latter events in the cell with the goal of providing novel therapeutic interventional strategies for the treatment of organophosphate and carbamate pesticide and nerve agent exposure.

This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.

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Dietary Protein and Lipid Requirements for Juvenile Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides
Authors: Huang Di , Wu Yubo , Lin Yayun , Chen Jianming , Karrow Niel , Ren Xing , Wang Yan
Published: March 2017

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate dietary protein and lipid requirements for juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. A 4 × 2‐factorial layout included four protein (420, 450, 480, and 510 g/kg) and two lipid (80 and 120 g/kg) levels. Fish (initial weight 8.7 g) were fed the test diets for 8 wk. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, hepatosomatic index, and body composition were dependent on dietary protein level. Nitrogen retention efficiency was independent of dietary protein level, lipid level, and their interaction. Weight gain was higher in fish fed the diet containing 480–510 g/kg crude protein than in fish fed the diet containing 420–450 g/kg crude protein at two dietary lipid levels. The feed intake and weight gain were higher in fish fed the diet containing 484 g/kg crude protein and 115 g/kg crude lipid than in fish fed the diet containing 478 g/kg crude protein and 77 g/kg crude lipid. This study indicated that the suitable dietary protein and lipid levels for largemouth bass are 480–510 g/kg and 120 g/kg, respectively.
Occurrence patterns of alien freshwater turtles in a large urban pond ‘Archipelago’ (Rome, Italy): Suggesting hypotheses on root causes
Authors: Di Santo Maria Paola , Vignoli Leonardo , Carpaneto Giuseppe M. , Battisti Corrado
Published: March 2017

The patterns of the occurrence and distribution of alien freshwater turtle species in an urban pond archipelago (Rome, Italy) were analysed, with the aim of exploring the role of a set of factors (type of ponds, landscape context, size area, distance from the nearest road) with a generalized linear model approach. A total of 311 ponds subdivided in three types (fountains, small basins, lakes) embedded in different landscape contexts (public parks, private parks, urban areas) at differing distances from the nearest road were sampled. Six non‐native freshwater turtle species in 31 sites were recorded (9.97%). Lakes exhibited the highest occurrence rates of alien freshwater turtles, compared to small basins and fountains. Freshwater turtle species in urbanized areas were only observed in parks (both public and private). In both the public and private parks, the lakes exhibited the highest percentage of occupied sites, with fountains being the lowest. A direct and significant relationship was observed between pond size and species richness. The distance from the nearest road did not appear to affect species richness. A first interpretation of the data from this study facilitated the postulation of two a posteriori hypotheses that should be tested, as follows: (i) the causal process of turtle release is random, and the rate of extinction (and recapture) is higher in smaller ponds, thus producing the observed pattern; and (ii) the turtle release is not random, and people actively select the ponds they consider more suitable for their pet animals. In this study, it appears the lakes were perceived by those who abandon their pets as the most ecologically suitable habitats among other pond types to accommodate the different species of turtles. Knowledge of people's attitudes in regard to releasing pet animals also might assist managers of public green spaces to develop strategies aimed to preserve local biodiversity, and to educate the public about the conservation issue represented by the alien species.
The challenges of platform capitalism: Understanding the logic of a new business model
Authors: Srnicek Nick
Published: March 2017

The platform business model is predicated upon a voracious appetite for data that can only be sated by disregard for privacy (and often workers' rights), and constant outward expansion. As they become ever more central to the global economy, Nick Srnicek argues that it's incumbent on us to understand how they function.
Macrocyclization by asparaginyl endopeptidases
Authors: James Amy M. , Haywood Joel , Mylne Joshua S.
Published: March 2017

Contents

Summary
923

I.
Introduction
923

II.
Plant AEPs with macrocyclizing ability
924

III.
Mechanism of macrocyclization by AEPs
925

IV.
Conclusions
927

Acknowledgements
927

References
927

Plant asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) are important for the post‐translational processing of seed storage proteins via cleavage of precursor proteins. Some AEPs also function as peptide bond‐makers during the biosynthesis of several unrelated classes of cyclic peptides, namely the kalata‐type cyclic peptides, PawS‐Derived Peptides and cyclic knottins. These three families of gene‐encoded peptides have different evolutionary origins, but all have recruited AEPs for their maturation. In the last few years, the field has advanced rapidly, with the biochemical characterization of three plant AEPs capable of peptide macrocyclization, and insights have been gained from the first AEP crystal structures, albeit mammalian ones. Although the biochemical studies have improved our understanding of the mechanism of action, the focus now is to understand what changes in AEP sequence and structure enable some plant AEPs to perform macrocyclization reactions.
Insights on the evolutionary origin of Detarioideae, a clade of ecologically dominant tropical African trees
Authors: de la Estrella Manuel , Forest Félix , Wieringa Jan J. , Fougère‐Danezan Marie , Bruneau Anne
Published: March 2017

African tropical forests are generally considered less diverse than their Neotropical and Asian counterparts. By contrast, the Detarioideae is much more diverse in Africa than in South America and Asia. To better understand the evolution of this contrasting diversity pattern, we investigated the biogeographical and ecological origin of this subfamily, testing whether they originated in dry biomes surrounding the Tethys Seaway as currently hypothesized for many groups of Leguminosae.

We constructed the largest time‐calibrated phylogeny for the subfamily to date, reconstructed ancestral states for geography and biome/habitat, estimated diversification and extinction rates, and evaluated biome/habitat and geographic shifts in Detarioideae.

The ancestral habitat of Detarioideae is postulated to be a primary forest (terra firme) originated in Africa–South America, in the early Palaeocene, after which several biome/habitat and geographic shifts occurred.

The origin of Detarioideae is older than previous estimates, which postulated a dry (succulent) biome origin according to the Tethys Seaway hypothesis, and instead we reveal a post Gondwana and terra firme origin for this early branching clade of legumes. Detarioideae include some of the most dominant trees in evergreen forests and have likely played a pivotal role in shaping continental African forest diversity.
Dissection of genetic architecture for oil content in soybean seed using two backcross populations
Authors: Xia Ning , Wu Depeng , Zhan Yuhang , Liu Yang , Sun Mengyang , Zhao Xue , Teng Weili , Han Yingpeng
Published: March 2017

Soybean seed oil was valued in foods, animal feed and some industrial applications. Molecular marker‐assisted selection (MAS) for high‐oil‐content cultivars was an important method for soybean breeders. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and epistatic QTL underlying the seed oil content of soybeans across two backcross (BC) populations (with one common male parent ‘Dongnong47’) and two different environments. Two molecular genetic maps were constructed. They encompassed 1046.8 cM [with an average distance of 6.75 cM in the ‘Dongnong47’ × ‘Jiyu89’ (DJ) population] and 846.10 cM [with an average distance of 5.76 cM in the ‘Dongnong47’ × ‘Zaoshu18’ (DZ) population]. Nine and seven QTL were identified to be associated with oil content in the DJ and DZ populations, respectively. The phenotypic variation explained by most of the QTL was usually less than 10%. Among the identified QTL, those stable ones across multiple environments and populations often had stronger additive effects. In addition, three stable QTL in the DZ populations were identified in the similar genomic region of the three QTL in the DJ population [qDJE and qDZE‐1 were located near Satt151 of Chromosome 15 (Chr15), qDJA1 and qDZA1 were located near Satt200 of Chr15 (LG A1), and qDJD2‐1 and qDZD2‐1 were located near Sat365 of Chr17]. In conclusion, MAS will be able more effectively to combine beneficial alleles of the different donors to design new genotypes with higher soybean seed oil content using the BC populations.
Flexible parasympathetic responses to sadness facilitate spontaneous affect regulation
Authors: Stange Jonathan P. , Hamilton Jessica L. , Fresco David M. , Alloy Lauren B.
Published: March 2017

The ability of the parasympathetic nervous system to flexibly adapt to changes in environmental context is thought to serve as a physiological indicator of self‐regulatory capacity, and deficits in parasympathetic flexibility appear to characterize affective disorders such as depression. However, whether parasympathetic flexibility (vagal withdrawal to emotional or environmental challenges such as sadness, and vagal augmentation during recovery from sadness) could facilitate the effectiveness of adaptive affect regulation strategies is not known. In a study of 178 undergraduate students, we evaluated whether parasympathetic flexibility in response to a sad film involving loss would enhance the effectiveness of regulatory strategies (reappraisal, distraction, and suppression) spontaneously employed to reduce negative affect during a 2‐min uninstructed recovery period following the induction. Parasympathetic reactivity and recovery were indexed by fluctuations in respiratory sinus arrhythmia and high‐frequency heart rate variability. Cognitive reappraisal and distraction were more effective in attenuating negative affect among individuals with more parasympathetic flexibility, particularly greater vagal augmentation during recovery, relative to individuals with less parasympathetic flexibility. In contrast, suppression was associated with less attenuation of negative affect, but only among individuals who also had less vagal withdrawal during the sad film. Alternative models provided partial support for reversed directionality, with reappraisal predicting greater parasympathetic recovery, but only when individuals also experienced greater reductions in negative affect. These results suggest that contextually appropriate parasympathetic reactivity and recovery may facilitate the success of affect regulation. Impairments in parasympathetic flexibility could confer risk for affective disorders due to attenuated capacity for effective self‐regulation.
Effect of selenium and vitamin E addition to the extender on liquid stored capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) semen quality
Authors: Kowalczyk AM , Klećkowska‐Nawrot J , Łukaszewicz ET
Published: March 2017

Contents

Captive breeding has become an important tool in species conservations programmes, maintaining genetic diversity and restoring wild, endangered populations. In order to improve the reproductive efficiency of captive kept capercaillie, the purpose of the study was to determine the effect of selenium and vitamin E addition to semen extender on sperm characteristic during short‐term storage. Ejaculates collected individually from four capercaillie were divided into two parts, diluted threefold with basicEKextender andEKenriched with 1 mg/mlof organic selenium and 8 mg/mlof vitamin E (EK+Se+E) and stored 24 hr at temp. +4°C. Spermatozoa morphology, motility and motility parameter were evaluated in net, diluted and stored semen samples. Significant (p < .05) differences between individual males were stated in relation to the majority of traits evaluated in the freshly collected semen. Comparing to the fresh semen, a significant (p < .05) decrease in percentage of live sperm in total (by 3.8% points on average) has been observed in samples diluted byEKextender, while in semen diluted withEK+Se+E extender this decrease was lower (1.5%pts on average) and not significant. Also per cent of motile sperm inEK+Se+E extender was higher (p < .05) then inEK(71.6% vs. 58.9%), but taking into account the values of individual males, both extender and male effect on liquid semen storage become apparent. Obtained data allow concluding that selenium and vitamin E addition toEKextender had positive effect on morphology and motility of capercaillie semen stored 24 hr at 4°C and can be recommended for similar studies carried out on otherGalliformesspecies.
Cardiac Imaging in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Raggi Paolo , Alexopoulos Nikolaos
Published: March 2017

Cardiovascular disease is highly prevalent and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The implementation of various imaging modalities may help to risk stratify these patients with a potential ease on the burden of complications and the rising costs of care. In this article we review some of the modern imaging techniques to diagnose cardiac disease in patients affected by CKD.
‘Census Towns’ in India and what it means to be ‘urban’: Competing epistemologies and potential new approaches
Authors: Sircar Srilata
Published: March 2017

The classification of 2 532 new settlements in the Census of India 2011 as ‘urban’, and specifically as ‘Census Towns’, has brought small and emerging urban centres back into the purview of urban studies and urban development in India. Taking this to be a point of entry, this article seeks to explore how the urban has been framed and approached from different and competing epistemological standpoints in the Indian context. First, it attempts to outline the different epistemologies of the urban in India, which may be seen as competing traditions because of the unequal stakes they have claimed so far in public and policy discourse. Then, it presents two brief case studies of Census Towns from the state of West Bengal to put forth new questions in this regard. The case studies illustrate significant gaps and discrepancies between the lived experience of the urban and its representation in dominant epistemological frameworks such as the official census. I argue that the historical development of various settlement systems, which constitutes the core narrative of urbanization in India, cannot be understood in all its complexity through mere census extracts or aerial images, but requires engagement with rich, embedded epistemologies that have taken shape within these settlements.
Compassion‐Based Meditation in African Americans: Self‐Criticism Mediates Changes in Depression
Authors: Johnson Suzanne B. , Goodnight Bradley L. , Zhang Huaiyu , Daboin Irene , Patterson Bobbi , Kaslow Nadine J.
Published: March 2017

This study examines self‐criticism as a mechanism through which compassion meditation reduces depressive symptoms in low‐income African American men and women (N = 59) who had recently attempted suicide. After completing several measures, including the Levels of Self‐Criticism Scale and Beck Depression Inventory‐II, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a six‐session compassion meditation (CM) group (Grady Compassion and Meditation Program) or a six‐session support group. As predicted, path analysis results showed that treatment condition led to changes in self‐criticism from pre‐ to posttreatment, with those receiving CM showing greater reductions in levels of self‐criticism than those randomized to the support group. Path analyses also revealed that changes in self‐criticism fully mediated the link between condition and changes in depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance and value of targeting levels of self‐criticism in compassion‐based interventions to reduce the depressive symptoms of suicidal African Americans.
A State‐centred Explanation of the Finance‐Pension Nexus: New Zealand's Pension Reforms as a Typical Case
Authors: Trampusch Christine
Published: March 2017

This study analyses the decision‐making processes that led to the introduction of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund (a public pension reserve and investment fund), as well as the KiwiSaver Scheme, which is New Zealand's first soft‐compulsory private pension scheme. Why and how are governments engaged in the development of funded pensions? These are the questions this study addresses. In analyzing the finance‐pension nexus in New Zealand, this article adopts a state‐centric approach. It argues that pension funding reforms are shaped by state officials who pursue their own motives because policymakers frame funded pensions as an instrument for achieving broader fiscal, economic and financial policy outcomes. Because New Zealand is a typical case of a state‐centric explanation, a study of its pension funding reforms helps in finding causal links between finance and pensions.
From Legal Theory to Practical Application: A How‐To for Performing Vote Dilution Analyses*
Authors: Hood M. V. , Morrison Peter A. , Bryan Thomas M.
Published: March 2017

Objectives

The Supreme Court opinion inThornburg v. Ginglesthree decades ago established a three‐prong test whereby a vote dilution claim can be substantiated. This article provides practitioners and social scientists with a working understanding of the operational steps involved in analyzing a vote dilution claim.

Methods

A brief primer is offered on how to translate theGinglespreconditions into a set of practical, real‐world tests. At each stage, we buttress these explanations with examples from actual court proceedings.

Results

This primer furnishes readers with the basic knowledge necessary to carry out a vote dilution analysis under the current legal standard.

Conclusion

While the generic process for conducting a test of vote dilution has been well‐defined by decades of case law, practitioners should be mindful that some aspects of these procedures will continue to be affected by future court proceedings.
Minimal pronouns, logophoricity and long‐distance reflexivisation in Avar
Authors: Rudnev Pavel
Published: March 2017

This paper discusses two morphologically related anaphoric pronouns in Avar (Avar‐Andic, Nakh‐Daghestanian) and proposes that one of them should be treated as a minimal pronoun that receives its interpretation from a λ‐operator situated on a phasal head whereas the other is a logophoric pronoun denoting the author of the reported event.