bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propranolol for Surgeons in the Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas
Authors: Sinha Shiba , Lloyd Mark Sheldon
Published: November 2019

Introduction:

Beta-blocker (Propanolol or Timolol maleate) treatment of infantile hemangiomas (IH) is a safe and effective treatment in the outpatient setting. The authors report a single surgeon's initial experience with setting up an outpatient service of beta-blocker treatment for head and neck IH at a tertiary children's hospital.

Methods:

A prospective study of children with head and neck IHs commenced in January 2015 with the end point being December 2018. Each child started either oral propranolol (2 mg/kg/day) or topical Timolol 0.5%.

Results:

Thirty-eight patients commenced a beta-blocker during the study duration. The mean age at time of starting therapy was 9 months (range 3 weeks to 116 months). Four patients were older than 12 months at commencement. The mean duration of treatment was 9 months. The response to treatment was excellent or complete in 29% (n = 11), good in 50% (n = 18) and mild in 10% (n = 4). The non response rate was 10% (n = 4). No major adverse effects occurred but 29% (n = 11) experienced minor side effects.

Conclusion:

Low dose propranolol and topical Timolol is been safe and easy to use for surgeons who may not be regular prescribers or unfamiliar with treating children with IHs with beta-blocker therapy. In patient monitoring is unnecessary and parents can be taught easily to recognise side effects. Treating children from the start builds a trusting relationship with the family before the child requesting cosmetic revision of the fibro-fatty remnant.
Upper Fornix Approach to the Superonasal Intraconal Space: An Experience Including a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Vaidya Aric , Sahu Sabin , Kakizaki Hirohiko , Takahashi Yasuhiro
Published: November 2019

In this study, we present 2 patients, including 1 pediatric patient, with orbital tumors in the deep superonasal intraconal space, which were approached with upper fornix technique combined with a superior lateral cantholysis. The first patient was a 1-year-old girl who had presented with left upper eyelid retraction since the age of 2 months. Imaging studies revealed an orbital mass in the left postero-superonasal intraconal space. The second patient was a 71-year-old man who complained of decreased vision after cataract surgery in the left eye. Imaging studies revealed an orbital mass in the left superonasal intraconal space surrounding the optic nerve in the posterior orbit. In both the patients, incisional biopsy of the orbital mass with upper fornix approach was performed under general anesthesia. The diagnoses of congenital upper eyelid retraction caused by fibrosis in patient #1 and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in patient #2 were made, after pathological examinations. No significant intra- or postoperative complications occurred during a follow-up period of 10 months and 2 months, respectively.
Does Postauricular Incision Cause Auricula Protrusion After Tympanoplasty?
Authors: Akgül Gökhan , Özgür Abdulkadir , Yemiş Tuğba , Özdemir Doğukan , Ünal Asude , Çelebi Mehmet , Sancaktar Mehmet Eser
Published: November 2019

Background:

An ear surgery can be performed via transcanal, endaural, or postauricular approach according to the surgeon's desicion. The postauricular one is the most commonly performed approach.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether preferring postauricular approach during ear surgery cause auricular protrusion in over time.

Methods:

Thirty-six patients who underwent tympanoplasty operation with postauricular incision were included in this study. Any patient who was under 18 years of age, those with auricular deformity and patients who underwent tympanoplasty operation with mastoidectomy were excluded from this study. The distances from mastoid area to superior and mid-point of helix were measured preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively.

Results:

A total of 36 patients’ data were analyzed. There were 13 males and 23 females. The mean age was 28.2 ± years (18–59). The preoperative mean distance from mastoid area to superior point of helix was 15.03 ± 2.86 mm, whereas it was 17.92 ± 2.96 mm at mid-helix level. At postoperative 1 year, the same distances were measured 14.67 ± 3.12 mm and 17.25 ± 3.17 mm, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between preoperative and postoperative measures.

Conclusion:

Although the structures that provide the stability of the auricle are cut during postauricular sulcus incision, long-term follow-up of patients did not show any protrusion of auricula.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Technology Innovations to Build Skills and Compensate for Limitations in Adolescent Language
Authors: Holyfield Christine , Caron Jessica
Published: November 2019

Adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who also possess limited speech capabilities often display poor language and academic skills in adolescence. However, as with all adolescents, they have personal goals and should have equal access to participation across facets of life including but not limited to education. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies can support individuals with IDD and limited speech in achieving those goals and experiencing greater participation more like their peers without disabilities in adolescence. Augmentative and alternative communication technologies can be applied in intervention with 2 distinct but complementary guiding priorities. First, technology can be applied to compensate for limitations in language form, content, and/or use to support immediate participation in adolescent pursuits for individuals with IDD. Second, technology can be used as a tool to build skills in language form, content, and/or use that have long-term implications for participation and success in adolescence and adulthood. This article outlines applications of AAC technologies within those guiding priorities. In addition, the article outlines case examples in which adolescents with IDD and limited speech have benefited from AAC technologies to compensate for linguistic difficulties and build their language and communication skills.
Growing Up With Technology
Authors: McCarthy John W. , Boster Jamie B.
Published: November 2019

The increasing integration of technology into the daily events and social interactions of our society present incredible opportunities for children with complex communication needs (CCN) who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies. Children with CCN who utilize high-tech AAC options at an early age are essentially growing up with a technology that is inserted into interactions across multiple contexts for communication. An aided system can potentially create additional demands, serve a complementary role, or even be a platform to create a collaborative space for social interaction. This article discusses the impact of technology on contexts for communication and presents a progression from unaided AAC strategies to the use of aided systems for fostering expressive language skills and supporting participation. Augmentative and alternative communication strategies offer many possibilities in terms of access to communication; however, where a device is placed both physically and figuratively can make an important difference.
Dual-site TMS demonstrates causal functional connectivity between the left and right posterior temporal sulci during facial expression recognition
Authors: Sliwinska Magdalena W. , Elson Ryan , Pitcher David
Published: November 2019

Background

Neuroimaging studies suggest that facial expression recognition is processed in the bilateral posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). Our recent repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) study demonstrates that the bilateral pSTS is causally involved in expression recognition, although involvement of the right pSTS is greater than involvement of the left pSTS.

Objective/Hypothesis

In this study, we used a dual-site TMS to investigate whether the left pSTS is functionally connected to the right pSTS during expression recognition. We predicted that if this connection exists, simultaneous TMS disruption of the bilateral pSTS would impair expression recognition to a greater extent than unilateral stimulation of the right pSTS.

Methods

Participants attended two TMS sessions. In Session 1, participants performed an expression recognition task while rTMS was delivered to the face-sensitive right pSTS (experimental site), object-sensitive right lateral occipital complex (control site) or no rTMS was delivered (behavioural control). In Session 2, the same experimental design was used except that continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) was delivered to the left pSTS immediately before behavioural testing. Session order was counter-balanced across participants.

Results

In Session 1, rTMS to the rpSTS impaired performance accuracy compared to the control conditions. Crucially in Session 2, the size of this impairment effect doubled after cTBS was delivered to the left pSTS.

Conclusions

Our results provide evidence for a causal functional connection between the left and right pSTS during expression recognition. In addition, this study further demonstrates the utility of the dual-site TMS for investigating causal functional links between brain regions.
Detecting and visualising the impact of heterogeneous evolutionary processes on phylogenetic estimates
Authors: Jermiin Lars S , Lovell David R , Misof Bernhard , Foster Peter G , Robinson John
Published: November 2019

Most model-based molecular phylogenetic methods assume that the sequences diverged on a tree under homogeneous conditions. If evolution occurred under these conditions, then it is unlikely that the sequences would become compositionally heterogeneous. Conversely, if the sequences are compositionally heterogeneous, then it is unlikely that they have evolved under homogeneous conditions. We present methods to detect and analyse heterogeneous evolution in aligned sequence data and to examine—visually and numerically—its effect on phylogenetic estimates. The methods are implemented in three programs, allowing users to better examine under what conditions their phylogenetic data may have evolved.
A versatile tiling light sheet microscope for cleared tissues imaging
Authors: Chen Yanlu , Li Xiaoliang , Zhang Dongdong , Wang Chunhui , Feng Ruili , Li Xuzhao , Wen Yao , Xu Hao , Zhang Xinyi Shirley , Yang Xiao , Chen Yongyi , Feng Yi , Zhou Bo , Chen Bi-Chang , Lei Kai , Cai Shang , Jia Jie-Min , Gao Liang
Published: November 2019

We present a tiling light sheet microscope compatible with all tissue clearing methods for rapid multicolor 3D imaging of centimeter-scale cleared tissues with micron-scale (4×4×10 μm3) to nanometer-scale (70×70×200 nm3) spatial resolution. The microscope uses tiling light sheets to achieve a more advanced multicolor 3D imaging ability than conventional light sheet microscopes. The illumination light is phase modulated to adjust the 3D imaging ability of the microscope based on the tissue size and the desired spatial resolution and imaging speed, and also to keep the microscope aligned. The ability of the microscope to align via phase modulation alone also makes the microscope reliable and easy to operate. Here we describe the working principle and design of the microscope. We demonstrate its imaging ability by imaging various cleared tissues prepared by different tissue clearing and tissue expansion techniques.
Integrins protect nociceptive neurons in models of paclitaxel-mediated peripheral sensory neuropathy
Authors: Shin Grace Ji-eun , Pero Maria Elena , Hammond Luke A. , Burgos Anita , Galindo Samantha E. , Bartolini Francesca , Grueber Wesley B.
Published: November 2019

Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major side effect from cancer treatment with no known method for prevention or cure in clinics. CIPN primarily affects unmyelinated nociceptive sensory terminals. Despite the high prevalence of CIPN, molecular and cellular mechanisms that lead to CIPN are still poorly understood. Here, we used a genetically tractableDrosophilamodel and primary sensory neurons isolated from adult mouse to examine the mechanisms underlying CIPN and identify protective pathways. We found that chronic treatment ofDrosophilalarvae with paclitaxel caused sensory neuron degeneration, altered the terminal branching pattern of nociceptive neurons, and reduced thermal nociceptive responses. We found that nociceptive neuron-specific overexpression of integrins, which are known to support neuronal maintenance in several systems, conferred protection from paclitaxel-mediated cellular and behavioral phenotypes. Live imaging and superresolution approaches provide evidence that paclitaxel treatment causes cellular changes that are consistent with alterations in endosome-mediated trafficking of integrins. We used primary dorsal root ganglia neuron cultures to test conservation of integrin-mediated protection. We show that overexpression of a human integrin β subunit 1 (ITGB1) also prevented degeneration following paclitaxel treatment. Altogether, our study supports conserved mechanisms of paclitaxel-induced perturbation of integrin trafficking and a therapeutic potential of restoring integrin levels to antagonize paclitaxel-mediated toxicity in sensory neurons.
Experimental Determination of the Force of Malaria Infection Reveals a Non-Linear Relationship to Mosquito Sporozoite Loads
Authors: Aleshnick Maya , Ganusov Vitaly V. , Nasir Gibran , Yenokyan Gayane , Sinnis Photini
Published: November 2019

Plasmodiumsporozoites are the infective stage of the malaria parasite. Though this is a bottleneck for the parasite, the quantitative dynamics of transmission, from mosquito inoculation of sporozoites to patent blood-stage infection in the mammalian host, are poorly understood. Here we utilize a rodent model to determine the probability of malaria infection after infectious mosquito bite, and consider the impact of mosquito parasite load, blood-meal acquisition, probe-time, and probe location, on infection probability. We found that infection likelihood correlates with mosquito sporozoite load and, to a lesser degree, the duration of probing, and is not dependent upon the mosquito’s ability to find blood. The relationship between sporozoite load and infection probability is non-linear and can be described by a set of models that include a threshold, with mosquitoes harboring over 10,000 salivary gland sporozoites being 7.5 times more likely to initiate a malaria infection. Overall, our data suggest that the small subset of highly infected mosquitoes may contribute disproportionally to malaria transmission in the field and that quantifying mosquito sporozoite loads could aid in predicting the force of infection in different transmission settings.

Author Summary

Malaria is a leading cause of death in many parts of the world. Infection is initiated when infected Anopheles mosquitoes inject sporozoites as they look for blood. Though transmission is a bottleneck for the parasite and thus a good point for intervention, many aspects of transmission remain poorly understood. In this study, using a rodent model of malaria, we found that less than 20% of infectious bites result in disease, demonstrating that the majority of infective bites do not result in malaria infection. Furthermore, we found that the bites of mosquitoes with heavy parasite burdens are 7.5 times more likely to result in disease. These data have important implications for designing interventions targeting transmission stages of the malaria parasite as they suggest that reducing parasite loads, even without completely eliminating them, could be effective against disease spread. We also found that mosquitoes that probe but do not succeed in finding blood are equally likely to initiate infection, an important finding for human vaccine trials. Together, this work adds to our understanding of malaria transmission dynamics and our capacity to develop malaria elimination strategies.
High-throughput screening of high protein producer budding yeast using gel microdrop technology
Authors: Fujitani Hirotsugu , Tsuda Soichiro , Ishii Tomoko , Machida Masayuki
Published: November 2019

The need for protein production has been growing over the years in various industries. We here present a high-throughput screening strategy to isolate high producer budding yeast clones from a mutagenized cell population using gel microdrop (GMD) technology. We use a microfluidic water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion method to produce monodisperse GMDs and a microfluidic cell sorter for damage-free sorting of GMDs by fluorescently quantifying secreted proteins. As a result, this high-throughput GMD screening method effectively selects high producer clones and improves protein production up to five-fold. We speculate that this screening strategy can be applied, in principle, to select any types of high producer cells (bacterial, fungal, mammalian, etc.) which produce arbitrary target protein as it does not depend on enzymes to be produced.
A virus hosted in malaria-infected blood protects against T cell-mediated inflammatory diseases by impairing DC function in a type I IFN-dependent manner
Authors: Hassan Ali , Wlodarczyk Myriam F. , Benamar Mehdi , Bassot Emilie , Salvioni Anna , Kassem Sahar , Berry Antoine , Saoudi Abdelhadi , Blanchard Nicolas
Published: November 2019

Co-infections shape the host immune status, thereby influencing the development of inflammatory diseases, which can result in detrimental or beneficial effects. For example, co-infections with concurrent Plasmodium species can alter malaria clinical evolution and malaria infection itself has the ability to modulate autoimmune reactions but, in both cases, the underlying mechanisms remain ill-defined.

Here, we demonstrate that the protective effects of certain rodent malaria strains on T cell-mediated inflammatory pathologies are due to an RNA virus co-hosted in malaria-parasitized blood. We show that live as well as extracts of blood parasitized by P. berghei K173 or P. yoelii 17X YM, confer full protection against Pb ANKA (PbA)-induced Experimental Cerebral Malaria (ECM) and MOG/CFA-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and that this is associated with a strong type I IFN signature. We detected the presence of a viral element, the RNA virus Lactate Dehydrogenase-elevating Virus (LDV), in the protective Plasmodium stabilates and we established that infection with LDV alone recapitulates the protective effects on ECM and EAE. In ECM, we further show that protection results from an IFN-I-mediated reduction in the abundance of splenic conventional dendritic cell and in their ability to produce the Th1-inducing IL-12p70, leading to a decrease in pathogenic CD4+ Th1 responses. In EAE, protection is achieved by IFN-I mediated blunting of IL-12 and IL-23, preventing the differentiation of IFN-γ-, IL-17- and GM-CSF-producing encephalitogenic CD4+ T cells.

Thus, our results identify a virus that is co-hosted in several Plasmodium stabilates across the community and has major consequences on the host immune system. Moreover, our data emphasize the importance of considering concurrent infections for the understanding of autoimmunity and malaria-associated inflammatory complications.
Causes of delay in construction projects: a quantitative analysis
Authors: Viles Elisabeth , Rudeli Natalia Carolina , Santilli Adrian
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to perform a quantitative analysis of the literature in order to determine the main causes of delay in construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of 47 articles from the literature were analyzed, yielding 1,057 different causes of delay. In order to analyze and compare the main causes of delay, their degree of impact was studied statistically. Next, a mention count method was used to determine the primary causes of construction project delays and through the use of Pareto diagrams, the main causes of delays in construction projects were determined.

Findings

It was determined that the three main causes of construction project delay are problems that occur during execution, administrative problems and labor conflicts; together they account for almost 80 percent of the causes found in the literature. Moreover, it was deduced that problems during execution are based on unpredictable events, while administrative problems are rooted in poor cash flow management. In addition, seven sub-groups of delay causes were identified as being major due to the number of mentions detected. These were “Changes during construction,” “Poor construction management,” “Construction errors,” “Economic/Financial,” “Conflict/Relationship” and “Lack of experience.”

Practical implications

This study provides a unique classification method, which was successfully validated, for the causes of construction project delay. Thanks to the classification, designers may use this information as a starting point for designing future construction projects, thereby minimizing the appearance of unforeseen events during construction. Moreover, the results of this study will help project managers be aware of the possible causes of delay that may affect their construction projects. This understanding can help them identify potential risks in the initial phases of the project and allow decisions to be made early before problems arise or the consequences of the deviations become irreparable. The results can also serve as input for the development of future management improvement methodologies that are aimed at reducing costs and ensuring that deadlines are met.

Social implications

Identifying the factors and causes of the delays will allow mitigation actions to be taken in order to avoid delays, which will ultimately allow homes, schools, hospitals and other necessary infrastructure to be delivered on time or even before the planned date.

Originality/value

This study provides a unique classification method that was successfully validated. Thanks to the classification, designers may use this information as a starting point for designing future construction projects, thereby minimizing unforeseen events during construction.
Superfood quinoa: a farmer’s journey into unchartered waters
Authors: Seyyed Fazal Jawad , Butt Moeen Naseer , Malik Osama , Mazhar Rafia
Published: November 2019

Learning outcomes

The purposes of this study included: recognizing the risks and challenges farmers face when growing a new crop, understanding agricultural marketing and its processes and developing a marketing strategy for a specialty agricultural product, such as quinoa.

Case overview/synopsis

The main focus of this case lies in identifying the risks faced by farmers in growing a new specialty crop and selecting the appropriate marketing strategies for targeting, positioning and channelling an agricultural product.

Complexity academic level

This case can be used in intermediate- to advanced-level marketing courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in universities. It can also be used in agriculture and agribusiness–based courses in the undergraduate, graduate or executive level.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Supplementary materials

Rehman, S.U., Selvaraj, M. and Ibrahim, M.S., 2012. Indian Agricultural Marketing-A Review. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2(1), pp.69-75. Kotler, P., Keller, K.L., Ang, S.H., Tan, C.T. and Leong, S.M., 2018. Marketing Management: An Asian Perspective. Pearson.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing
Leading the South African Cuban-trained medical students’ assimilation in the local medical schools
Authors: Zungu Sibongile Brenda , Mathu Kenneth M. , Scheepers Caren Brenda
Published: November 2019

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes are as follows: to identify stakeholder groups in an inter-country training intervention and apply contextual intelligence to a leadership role and to apply the theory of constraints in developing solutions to research constraint environments.

Case overview/synopsis

On 10 September 2018, the Director-General (DG) of South African National Department of Health (NDOH) Ms Precious Matsoso pondered over the scheduled meeting that afternoon with the South African Committee of Medical Deans in Pretoria. She was leading the initiative of the integration of the South African Cuban-trained medical students into the local medical schools for the final phase of their studies. She needed to streamline the assimilation process. The case highlights the dilemma to identify actions to improve the level of integration of these students.

Complexity academic level

MBA M Phil in Healthcare Management

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available upon request for educators only. These teaching notes should be shared solely with the instructor and students should not have access to. Please contact your library to gain login or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 10: Public Sector Management
Human migration: managing its increasing complexity
Authors: Erdelen Walter R. , Richardson Jacques G.
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the history of human migration till the present day.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze the human movement from pre-hominid times, forming patterns of existence. Thus, ambient sun and water, weather and climate extremes, shelter, food supply, natural or human-made disasters gave rise to Homo sapiens’ wanderlust.

Findings

Despite obstacles, formidable barriers and even perilous deterrents, the species explored and exploited new soils and waters, whether beneficial or destructive of nature’s ample providence.

Originality/value

The authors treat societal as well as individual action, cultural behavior and the emergence of economic anthropology. Migratory legislation and regulation now risk transformation into resentment and then xenophobia.
Time lag analysis of FDI spillover effect
Authors: Zhang Yilin , Cheng Zhenyu , He Qingsong
Published: November 2019

Purpose

For the developing countries involving in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China as the main source of foreign development investment (FDI) and development as the top priority, it appears to attract more and more attention on how to make the best use of China’s outward foreign development investment. However, the contradictory evidence in the previous studies of FDI spillover effect and the remarkable time-lag feature of spillovers motivate us to analyze the mechanism of FDI spillover effect. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The mechanism of FDI spillovers and the unavoidable lag effect in this process are empirically analyzed. Based on the panel data from the Belt and Road developing countries (BRDCs) and China’s direct investments (CDIs) from 2003 to 2017, the authors establish a panel vector autoregressive model, employing impulse response function and variance decomposition analysis, together with Granger causality test.

Findings

Results suggest a dynamic interactive causality mechanism. First, CDI promotes the economic growth of BRDCs through technical efficiency, human capital and institutional transition with combined lags of five, nine and eight years. Second, improvements in the technical efficiency and institutional quality promote economic growth by facilitating the human capital with integrated delays of six and eight years. Third, China’s investment directly affects the economic growth of BRDCs, with a time lag of six years. The average time lag is about eight years.

Originality/value

Based on the analysis on the mechanism and time lag of FDI spillovers, the authors have shown that many previous articles using one-year lagged FDI to examine the spillover effect have systematic biases, which contributes to the research on the FDI spillover mechanism. It provides new views for host countries on how to make more effective use of FDI, especially for BRDCs using CDIs.
Cause-related marketing, brand loyalty and corporate social responsibility
Authors: Santoro Gabriele , Bresciani Stefano , Bertoldi Bernardo , Liu Yipeng
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer’s attitude towards cause-related marketing (CRM). In detail, it aims to assess the relationship between CRM and consumer’s brand loyalty, and whether this relationship is moderated by consumer’s perception of corporate social behaviours. Moreover, the research looks for differences in the above relationship on two samples of consumers born and living in different countries and therefore with different cultural backgrounds.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a quantitative methodology using a survey conducted among Italian and Japanese consumers. Ordinary least square regressions models are developed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings of this paper indicate a positive relationship between the consumers’ perception of CRM and their brand loyalty perception, regardless the country of origin. Accordingly, the authors found a similar pattern of CRM perception among Italian and Japanese consumers. In addition, the authors found that CRM and the consumers’ perception of corporate social behaviours are not complementary, in the sense their joint effect does not affect consumer’s brand loyalty.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies addressing the issue concerning the CRM perception of people with in different cultures. In this regard, this study suggests that CRM impacts on brand loyalty regardless the country of origin (Italy and Japan), and consumers’ characteristics such as age, gender, background. In addition, the study indicates that the perceived corporate social responsibility does not increase the effect of CRM on brand loyalty.
Classifying online corporate reputation with machine learning: a study in the banking domain
Authors: Rantanen Anette , Salminen Joni , Ginter Filip , Jansen Bernard J.
Published: November 2019

Purpose

User-generated social media comments can be a useful source of information for understanding online corporate reputation. However, the manual classification of these comments is challenging due to their high volume and unstructured nature. The purpose of this paper is to develop a classification framework and machine learning model to overcome these limitations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors create a multi-dimensional classification framework for the online corporate reputation that includes six main dimensions synthesized from prior literature: quality, reliability, responsibility, successfulness, pleasantness and innovativeness. To evaluate the classification framework’s performance on real data, the authors retrieve 19,991 social media comments about two Finnish banks and use a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify automatically the comments based on manually annotated training data.

Findings

After parameter optimization, the neural network achieves an accuracy between 52.7 and 65.2 percent on real-world data, which is reasonable given the high number of classes. The findings also indicate that prior work has not captured all the facets of online corporate reputation.

Practical implications

For practical purposes, the authors provide a comprehensive classification framework for online corporate reputation, which companies and organizations operating in various domains can use. Moreover, the authors demonstrate that using a limited amount of training data can yield a satisfactory multiclass classifier when using CNN.

Originality/value

This is the first attempt at automatically classifying online corporate reputation using an online-specific classification framework.
Partnering to address rural health workforce challenges in Western NSW
Authors: Ramsden Robyn , Colbran Richard , Linehan Tricia , Edwards Michael , Varinli Hilal , Ripper Carolyn , Kerr Angela , Harvey Andrew , Naden Phil , McLachlan Scott , Rodwell Stephen
Published: November 2019

Purpose

While one-third of Australians live outside major cities, there are ongoing challenges in providing accessible, sustainable, and appropriate primary health care services in rural and remote communities. The purpose of this paper is to explore a partnership approach to understanding and addressing complex primary health workforce issues in the western region of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors describe how a collaboration of five organisations worked together to engage a broader group of stakeholders and secure commitment and resources for a regional approach to address workforce challenges in Western NSW. A literature review and formal interviews with stakeholders gathered knowledge, identified issues and informed the overarching approach, including the development of the Western NSW Partnership Model and Primary Health Workforce Planning Framework. A stakeholder forum tested the proposed approach and gained endorsement for a collaborative priority action plan.

Findings

The Western NSW Partnership Model successfully engaged regional stakeholders and guided the development of a collaborative approach to building a sustainable primary health workforce for the future.

Originality/value

Given the scarcity of literature about effective partnerships approaches to address rural health workforce challenges, this paper contributes to an understanding of how to build sustainable partnerships to positively impact on the rural health workforce. This approach is replicable and potentially valuable elsewhere in NSW, other parts of Australia and internationally.
Managing the Second “A” in Alcoholics Anonymous
Authors: Kang Katie Kyungwon
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how hidden organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) manages the dialectical tension between concealment and revelation. Despite research on AA’s successes and failures across disciplines, scholars have not thoroughly uncovered how AA communicates internally and externally to maintain the desired level of the organizational visibility. AA’s visibility management is critical in terms of achieving the organizational goals of AA.

Design/methodology/approach

To capture how AA communicatively manages the visibility of the organization, the author attended and observed the World Meeting of AA. As a participant-observer, the author did ethnographic fieldwork at the World Meeting.

Findings

During the convention, various types of communication strategies AA used to maintain the dialectical tension of concealment/revelation as well as celebrate its international convention became apparent. In particular, AA responded the tension strategically by choosing segmentation, denial and education at the World Meeting.

Originality/value

The author’s observation was suitable to describe AA’s anonymous communication practices. Its empirical finding was valuable for future research.
Do Client Bankruptcies Preceded by Clean Audit Opinions Damage Auditor Reputation?*
Authors: Berglund Nathan R.
Published: November 2019

There is a maintained assumption within the accounting literature that client bankruptcies preceded by clean audit opinions (Type II going concern opinion (GCO) errors) damage an auditor's reputation. Consistent with this view, the PCAOB proposes that stakeholders may use Type II GCO errors as indicators of low audit quality. This study examines audit committee and investor responses to Type II GCO errors. I find no evidence that audit offices with Type II GCOs are more likely to be dismissed, have lower subsequent audit fees, or have a lower likelihood of being selected for new audit engagements. These findings are consistent with audit committees not using Type II GCO errors as indicators of low auditor quality. Using event study analysis, I find evidence of modest incremental negative investor responses for clients of audit offices with Type II GCO errors. However, these negative investor responses are found only during the financial crisis period of 2008–2010 and are observed only within windows of 30 days or less. Given this limited evidence that stakeholders do respond to Type II GCO errors, I examine whether stakeholders should respond to Type II GCO errors. I find that audit office Type II GCO errors are positively associated with subsequent restatements, an established measure of low audit quality. Taking the results as a whole, I do not find that audit offices incur substantial reputational costs for Type II GCO errors. However, the negative investor response and the positive association with restatements provide some evidence that Type II GCO errors may serve as indicators of low audit quality.
Psychometric Validation of the Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment in an Adult Community Sample
Authors: Levitt Emily E. , Oshri Assaf , Clifton Allan , Stout Robert , Costello Mary Jean , VanDellen Michelle , Kelly John F. , MacKillop James
Published: November 2019

Background

Individuals’ social networks exert a strong influence on alcohol use, but valid assessment of network drinking behavior is typically lengthy and high in participant burden. The aim of this study was to validate the Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment (BASDA), an efficient measure of perceived alcohol use within a person’s social network, in a sample of adult drinkers from the general community. Specifically, the convergent, criterion‐related, incremental validity and internal validity were investigated by examining the BASDA in relation to other established measures of drinking motives, weekly drinking level, and severity of involvement.

Methods

Participants were 903 (56% female) adults who reported drinking in the last year and who completed the BASDA, the Drinking Motives Questionnaire, the Daily Drinking Questionnaire, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).

Results

Significant positive correlations were found between the BASDA and drinking motives, drinking quantity, and the AUDIT (rs = 0.21 to 0.51, ps < 0.001), providing support for convergent validity. There was a significantly higher BASDA score for those scoring at or above an AUDIT cutoff for hazardous drinking (p < 0.001), providing support for criterion‐related validity. Finally, beyond motives and covariates, the BASDA was significantly associated with total AUDIT score (ΔR2 = 0.09, p < 0.001), indicating its additive contribution and providing support for incremental validity. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed excellent fit, and all items significantly loaded onto a single factor (p < 0.0001), providing evidence of internal validity. The resulting alcohol social density latent variable was significantly and robustly associated with drinks per week and AUDIT total score.

Conclusions

These findings provide further support for the BASDA as a valid and efficient measure of social network alcohol density for understanding social influences on alcohol misuse.
A relatively higher intraocular pressure set at the end of vitrectomy is associated with a more stable and rapid visual recovery for patients with vitreous haemorrhage
Authors: Zhou Chuandi , Zhang Zhenzhen , Luo Dawei , Gu Chufeng , Lahm Tashi , Draga Deji , Qiu Qinghua
Published: November 2019

Purpose

To compare structural and functional improvements in patients with vitreous haemorrhage (VH) with different IOPs re‐established at the end of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV).

Methods

It is a prospective, randomized, comparative, interventional study. Ninety‐five patients with nonclearing VH were randomized to receive PPV with normalized IOPs of 15 mmHg (Group I: 32 eyes), 25 mmHg (Group II: 32 eyes) and 35 mmHg (Group III: 31 eyes) at the end of surgery. The grade of vitreous opacity and best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on postoperative day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3 were compared with a mixed model for repeated measures analysis.

Results

All 3 groups achieved significant improvement on postoperatively in BCVA (p < 0.01) and vitreous opacity (p < 0.01) compared with the baseline. The group difference was significant at the end of week 1 and showed a trend of higher IOP set at the end of PPV with better anatomical (p < 0.01) and visual recovery (p < 0.01). However, at postoperative month 1 and month 3, equivalent anatomical (month 1: p = 0.56; month 3: p = 0.36) and visual outcomes (month 1: p = 0.16; month 3: p = 0.88) were obtained in the 3 groups. The average effect of IOP on BCVA (group II versus group III: effect size (ES): 0.41, p < 0.01; group I versus group III: ES: 0.66, p < 0.01) and vitreous opacity (group II versus group III: ES: 0.70, p < 0.01; group I versus group III: ES:1.09, p < 0.01) over the course of the study period was statistically significant. The only postoperative complication was recurrent VH in two patients allocating in group I and II, respectively.

Conclusions

A relatively higher IOP set at the end of vitrectomy resulted in a more stable and rapid recovery with fewer complications in patients with non‐complex VH.
Integrating complement into the molecular pathogenesis of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Authors: Grand David , Navrazhina Kristina , Frew John W.
Published: November 2019

Complement inhibition has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for multiple inflammatory disorders including Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). It is currently unclear how complement integrates into our current model of molecular pathogenesis in HS and whether it represents a central component of pathogenesis, or a neutrophil‐associated bystander. Levels of C5a in serum and tissue correlate with disease activity and degree of neutrophilic infiltrates in HS. C5a has been associated with Th17 immune axis activation in psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease with strong similarities to TH17 activation in HS. Porphyromonas species (which are identified in the HS microbiome) are able to cleave inactive C5 into C5a implicating the cutaneous microbiome as an activator of complement. C3a and C5a are associated with activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, implicated in the inflammatory drive in HS. Complement receptors are present upon dendritic cells, monocytes, fibroblasts and adipocytes, which may broaden the potential contribution of complement to multiple aspects of HS pathogenesis. Dysregulation of complement receptor pathways has been documented in obesity, insulin resistance and polycystic ovarian syndrome leading to the possibility that complement may explain the epidemiological associations between these conditions and HS. The therapeutic potential of complement inhibitors in HS may be related to the therapeutic target (complement receptor or complement subunit) and the presence of alternate receptors (such as C5aR2) or ligands (including C3a, PAMPs and DAMPs). Integrating complement into the known pathogenesis of HS may aid in explaining the contradictory results between Phase 2 studies of C5a antagonists. It also allows for the identification of existing knowledge gaps to target further clinical investigation and research.
Early‐life determinants of excess weight in children born heavy
Authors: Goetz Amy R. , Rybak Tiffany M. , Peugh James L. , Stark Lori J.
Published: November 2019

Infants born heavy are vulnerable to later obesity, but it is unknown whether obesity‐related risk factors present between conception and delivery predict their postnatal weight trajectory. We modelled the weight trajectories of infants born high birth weight (HBW, greater than or equal to 4000 g) and/or large for gestational age (LGA, greater than 90th percentile) using data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (N = 371). A high percentage of infants were both HBW and LGA, but the trajectories were modelled separately. Weight of infants born heavy begins high, gradually decreases, and then levels off by 12 months. Delivery method was the only predictor of weight. Caesarean‐delivered HBW infants were heavier than vaginally‐delivered HBW infants although this effect disappeared by 12 months. Findings indicate that early‐life influences are not necessarily deterministic of the postnatal weight trajectory of infants born heavy. Future research is needed to examine postnatal behaviours that may be implicated in the relationship between large size at birth and later obesity.
Privileged Groups and Obligation: Engineering Bad Concepts
Authors: Podosky Paul‐Mikhail Catapang
Published: November 2019

Assuming that there is an obligation to combat structural injustice, what does it look like? I suggest that discerning what this obligation is, and on whom it falls, first requires being sensitive to facts about social structure. Importantly, we need to know how social structure is constituted, and the ways in which it can be disrupted. I argue that since social structure is constituted, in part, by concepts that undergird social practices, then our critical attention should be focused on those concepts that undergird oppressive social practices. In the end, I suggest that the obligation to combat structural injustice falls on privileged social groups to significantly aid in the processes that give rise to conceptual change.
Self‐perceived oral health among institutionalized older adults in Taubate, Brazil
Authors: Mendes Mariana S. S. , Chester Leandro Notari , Fernandes dos Santos Jarbas Francisco , Chen Xi , Caplan Daniel J. , Marchini Leonardo
Published: November 2019

Purpose/Aim

To assess self‐perception of oral health among institutionalized older adults in Taubate, Brazil.

Method and Materials

Demographics, oral, and systemic health data were collected from a sample of 89 institutionalized older adults. The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was applied to assess their self‐perception of oral health. A linear regression model using GOHAI scores and considering age, BMI, gender, race, dry mouth, denture status, number of teeth, number of comorbid conditions, and number of medications as independent variables was generated.

Results

Fifty‐five percent were male, with an average age of 75.9 years (±9.1), 43.8% identified as mixed race, and 42.7% as white. The average BMI was 23.9 (±3.8), the average number of comorbid condition was 1.8 (±1.4), and the average number of daily medications was 6.2 (±3.6). The average number of teeth was 3.9 (±7.4), and 57.3% of the participants reported dry mouth sensation; 8.9% presented oral lesions, with denture stomatitis as the most common oral lesion (5.6%). The average GOHAI score was 31.1 (±3.7). Regression analysis showed a negative correlation between BMI and GOHAI scores (P = .032, R2 = 7.2%).

Conclusions

Self‐perception of oral health was good and negatively correlated with BMI.
Maximal Lactate Steady State Versus the 20-Minute Functional Threshold Power Test in Well-Trained Individuals: “Watts” the Big Deal?
Authors: Inglis Erin Calaine , Iannetta Danilo , Passfield Louis , Murias Juan M.
Published: November 2019

Purpose: To (1) compare the power output (PO) for both the 20-minute functional threshold power (FTP20) field test and the calculated 95% (FTP95%) with PO at maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and (2) evaluate the sensitivity of FTP95% and MLSS to training-induced changes. Methods: Eighteen participants (12 males: 37 [6] y and 6 females: 28 [6] y) performed a ramp-incremental cycling test to exhaustion, 2 to 3 constant-load MLSS trials, and an FTP20 test. A total of 10 participants returned to repeat the test series after 7 months of training. Results: The PO at FTP20 and FTP95% was greater than that at MLSS (P = .00), with the PO at MLSS representing 88.5% (4.8%) and 93.1% (5.1%) of FTP and FTP95%, respectively. MLSS was greater at POST compared with PRE training (12 [8] W) (P = .002). No increase was observed in mean PO at FTP20 and FTP95% (P = .75). Conclusions: The results indicate that the PO at FTP95% is different to MLSS, and that changes in the PO at MLSS after training were not reflected by FTP95%. Even when using an adjusted percentage (ie, 88% rather than 95% of FTP20), the large variability in the data is such that it would not be advisable to use this as a representation of MLSS.