bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The efficacy and safety ofMomordica charantiaL. in animal models of type 2 diabetes mellitus; A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Peter Emanuel L. , Nagendrappa Prakash B. , Kaligirwa Anita , Ogwang Patrick Engeu , Sesaazi Crispin Duncan
Published: June 2019

Background

Momordica charantiaL. (Cucurbitaceae) has been used to control hyperglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asia, South America, and Africa for decades. However, a meta-analysis of clinical trials confirmed very low-quality evidence of its efficacy. To potentially increase the certainty of evidence, we evaluated the effect ofM. charantiaL. in comparison with vehicle on glycemic control in animal models of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

Review authors searched in MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL databases without language restriction through April 2019. Two authors independently evaluated full texts, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted data. We analyzed the influence of study design and evidence of publication bias.

Results

The review included 66 studies involving 1861 animals. They had a follow up between 7 and 90 days. Majority 29 (43.9%) used Wistar albino rats, and 37 (56.1%) used male animals. Thirty-two (48%) used an aqueous extract of fresh fruits.M. charantiaL. reduced fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c in comparison to vehicle control (42 studies, 815 animals; SMD, −6.86 [95% CI; −7.95, −5.77], 3 studies, 59 animals; SMD; −7.76 [95%CI; −12.50, −3.01]) respectively. Magnitude of FPG was large in Wistar albino rat subgroup; SMD; −10.29, [95%CI; −12.55, −8.03]. Publication bias changed FPG to non-significant −2.46 SMD, [95%CI; - 5.10, 0.17]. We downgraded the evidence to moderate quality due to poor methodological quality, high risk of bias, unexplained heterogeneity, suspected publication bias, and lack of standardized dose.

Conclusion

M. charantiaL. lowers elevated plasma glucose level in type 2 diabetes mellitus animal models. Publication bias and poor methodological quality call for future researches to focus on standardizing dose with chemical markers and provide measures to improve preclinical type 2 diabetes mellitus studies.

Systematic review registration CRD42019119181
A wake-active locomotion circuit depolarizes a sleep-active neuron to switch on sleep
Authors: Maluck Elisabeth , Busack Inka , Besseling Judith , Masurat Florentin , Turek Michal , Busch Karl Emanuel , Bringmann Henrik
Published: June 2019

Sleep-active neurons depolarize during sleep to suppress wakefulness circuits. Wake-active wake-promoting neurons in turn shut down sleep-active neurons, thus forming a bipartite flip-flop switch. However, how sleep is switched on is unclear because it is not known how wakefulness is translated into sleep-active neuron depolarization when the system is set to sleep. Using optogenetics in C. elegans, we solved the presynaptic circuit for depolarization of the sleep-active RIS neuron during developmentally-regulated sleep, also known as lethargus. Surprisingly, we found that RIS activation requires neurons that have known roles in wakefulness and locomotion behavior. The RIM interneurons, which are active during and can induce reverse locomotion, play a complex role and can act as inhibitors of RIS when they are strongly depolarized and as activators of RIS when they are modestly depolarized. The PVC command interneurons, which are known to promote forward locomotion during wakefulness, act as major activators of RIS. The properties of these locomotion neurons are modulated during lethargus. The RIMs become less excitable. The PVCs become resistant to inhibition and have an increased capacity to activate RIS. Separate activation of neither the PVCs nor the RIMs appears to be sufficient for sleep induction; instead, our data suggests that they act in concert to activate RIS. Forward and reverse circuit activity is normally mutually exclusive. Our data suggest that RIS may be activated at the transition between forward and reverse locomotion states, perhaps when both reverse (including RIM) and forward (PVC) circuit activity overlaps. While RIS is not strongly activated outside of lethargus, altered activity of the locomotion interneurons during lethargus favors strong RIS activation and thus sleep. The control of sleep-active neurons by locomotion circuits suggests that sleep may have evolved from locomotion quiescence. The flip-flop sleep switch in C. elegans thus requires an additional component, wake-active sleep-promoting neurons that translate wakefulness into the depolarization of a sleep-active neuron when the worm is sleepy. Wake-active sleep-promoting circuits may also be required for sleep state switching in other animals including in mammals.
Decoding task-specific cognitive states with slow, directed functional networks in the human brain
Authors: Sridharan Devarajan , Ajmera Shagun , Jain Hritik , Sundaresan Mali
Published: June 2019

Flexible functional interactions among brain regions mediate critical cognitive functions. Such interactions can be measured from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data with either instantaneous (zero-lag) or lag-based (time-lagged) functional connectivity; only the latter approach permits inferring directed functional interactions. Yet, the fMRI hemodynamic response is slow, and sampled at a timescale (seconds) several orders of magnitude slower than the underlying neural dynamics (milliseconds). It is, therefore, widely held that lag-based fMRI functional connectivity, measured with approaches like as Granger-Geweke causality (GC), provides spurious and unreliable estimates of underlying neural interactions. Experimental verification of this claim has proven challenging because neural ground truth connectivity is often unavailable concurrently with fMRI recordings. We address this challenge by combining machine learning with GC functional connectivity estimation. We estimated instantaneous and lag-based GC functional connectivity networks using fMRI data from 1000 participants, drawn from the Human Connectome Project database. A linear classifier, trained on either instantaneous or lag-based GC, reliably discriminated among seven different task and resting brain states, with over 80% cross-validation accuracy. With network simulations, we demonstrate that instantaneous and lag-based GC exploited interactions at fast and slow timescales, respectively, to achieve robust classification. With human fMRI data, instantaneous and lag-based GC identified distinct, cognitive core networks. Finally, variations in GC connectivity explained inter-individual variations in a variety of cognitive scores. Our findings show that instantaneous and lag-based methods reveal complementary aspects of functional connectivity in the brain, and suggest that slow, directed functional interactions, estimated with fMRI, provide robust markers of behaviorally relevant cognitive states.

Author Summary

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a leading, non-invasive technique for mapping networks in the human brain. Yet, fMRI signals are noisy and sluggish, and fMRI scans are acquired at a timescale of seconds, considerably slower than the timescale of neural spiking (milliseconds). Can fMRI, then, be used to infer dynamic processes in the brain such as the direction of information flow among brain networks? We sought to answer this question by applying machine learning to fMRI scans acquired from 1000 participants in the Human Connectome Project (HCP) database. We show that directed brain networks, estimated with a technique known as Granger-Geweke Causality (GC), accurately predicts individual subjects’ task-specific cognitive states inside the scanner, and also explains variations in a variety of behavioral scores across individuals. We propose that directed functional connectivity, as estimated with fMRI-GC, is relevant for understanding human cognitive function.
Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2mediates dietary regulation of sleep intensity
Authors: Brown Elizabeth B. , Shah Kreesha D. , Faville Richard , Kottler Benjamin , Keene Alex C.
Published: June 2019

Sleep is a nearly universal behavior that is regulated by diverse environmental and physiological stimuli. A defining feature of sleep is a homeostatic rebound following deprivation, where animals compensate for lost sleep by increasing sleep duration and/or sleep depth. Fruit flies exhibit robust recovery sleep following deprivation and represent a powerful model to study neural circuits regulating sleep homeostasis. Numerous neuronal populations have been identified in modulating sleep homeostasis as well as depth, raising the possibility that recovery sleep is differentially regulated by environmental or physiological processes that induce sleep deprivation. Here, we find that unlike most pharmacological and environmental manipulations commonly used to restrict sleep, starvation potently induces sleep loss without a subsequent rebound in sleep duration or depth. We find that both starvation and a sucrose-only diet result in reduced metabolic rate and increased sleep depth, suggesting that dietary yeast protein is essential for normal sleep depth and homeostasis. Finally, we find thatDrosophila insulin like peptide2 (Dilp2) is required for starvation-induced changes in sleep depth without regulating the duration of sleep. Remarkably,Dilp2mutant flies require rebound sleep following sleep deprivation, suggestingDilp2underlies resilience to sleep loss. Together, these findings reveal innate resilience to starvation-induced sleep loss and identify distinct mechanisms that underlie starvation-induced changes in sleep duration and depth.

Author Summary

Sleep is nearly universal throughout the animal kingdom and homeostatic regulation represents a defining feature of sleep, where animals compensate for lost sleep by increasing sleep over subsequent time periods. Despite the robustness of this feature, surprisingly little is known about how recovery-sleep is regulated in response to different types of sleep deprivation. Fruit flies provide a powerful model for investigating the genetic regulation of sleep, and like mammals, display robust recovery sleep following deprivation. Here, we find that unlike most stimuli that suppress sleep, sleep deprivation by starvation does not require a homeostatic rebound. These findings appear to be due to flies engaging in deeper sleep during the period of partial deprivation, suggesting a natural resilience to starvation-induced sleep loss. This unique resilience to starvation-induced sleep loss is dependent onDrosophila insulin-like peptide 2, suggesting a critical role for insulin signaling in regulating interactions between diet and sleep homeostasis.
Recently emerged and diverse lineages of Xanthomonas perforans have independently evolved through plasmid acquisition and homologous recombination originating from multiple Xanthomonas species
Authors: Newberry E. A. , Bhandari R. , Minsavage G.V. , Timilsina S. , Jibrin M. , Kemble J. , Sikora E. , Jones J.B. , Potnis N.
Published: June 2019

Xanthomonas perforans is the predominant pathogen responsible for bacterial leaf spot of tomato and X. euvesicatoria of pepper in the southeast United States. Previous studies have indicated significant changes in the X. perforans population collected from Florida tomato fields over the span of two decades including a shift in race, diversification into three genetic groups, and host range expansion to pepper. Recombination originating from X. euvesicatoria was identified as the primary factor driving the diversification of X. perforans in Florida. The aim of this study was to genetically characterize X. perforans strains that were isolated from tomato and pepper plants grown in Alabama and compare them to the previously published genomes available from GenBank. Surprisingly, a maximum likelihood phylogeny coupled with a Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed the presence of two novel genetic groups in Alabama, which each harbored a different transcription activation-like effector (TALE). While one TALE, avrHah1, was associated with adaptation of X. perforans to pepper, the other was identified as a new class within the avrBs3 family, designated here as pthXp1. Examination of patterns of homologous recombination between X. perforans and other closely related Xanthomonas spp. indicated that the lineages identified here emerged in part through recent recombination events originating from xanthomonads associated with diverse hosts of isolation. Our results also suggest that the evolution of pathogenicity to pepper has likely emerged independently within X. perforans and in one lineage, was associated with the recombination-mediated remodeling of the Xps type II secretion and TonB transduction systems.

Importance

The emergence of novel pathogen lineages has important implications in the sustainability of genetic resistance as a disease management tool in agricultural ecosystems. In this study, we identified two novel lineages of X. perforans in Alabama. While one lineage was isolated from symptomatic pepper plants, confirming the host range expansion of X. perforans, the other lineage was isolated from tomato and acquired a novel transcription activation-like effector, pthXp1. Unlike AvrBs4, PthXp1overcomes Bs4-mediated resistance in tomato, indicating the evolution of this novel lineage towards fitness on this host. Our findings also show that different phylogenetic groups of the pathogen have experienced independent recombination events originating from multiple Xanthomonas species. This suggests a continuous gene flux between related xanthomonads associated with diverse plant hosts which results in the emergence of novel pathogen lineages and associated phenotypes, including host range expansion.
Deep Learning Interpretation of Echocardiograms
Authors: Ghorbani Amirata , Ouyang David , Abid Abubakar , He Bryan , Chen Jonathan H. , Harrington Robert A. , Liang David H. , Ashley Euan A. , Zou James Y.
Published: June 2019

Echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to capture high temporal and spatial resolution images of the heart and surrounding structures and is the most common imaging modality in cardiovascular medicine. Using convolutional neural networks on a large new dataset, we show that deep learning applied to echocardiography can identify local cardiac structures, estimate cardiac function, and predict systemic phenotypes that modify cardiovascular risk but not readily identifiable to human interpretation. Our deep learning model, EchoNet, accurately identified the presence of pacemaker leads (AUC = 0.89), enlarged left atrium (AUC = 0.85), normal left ventricular wall thickness (AUC = 0.75), left ventricular end systolic and diastolic volumes(R2= 0.73 andR2= 0.68), and ejection fraction (R2= 0.48) as well as predicted systemic phenotypes of age (R2= 0.46), sex (AUC = 0.88), weight (R2= 0.56), and height (R2= 0.33). Interpretation analysis validates that EchoNet shows appropriate attention to key cardiac structures when performing human-explainable tasks and highlight hypothesis-generating regions of interest when predicting systemic phenotypes difficult for human interpretation. Machine learning on echocardiography images can streamline repetitive tasks in the clinical workflow, standardize interpretation in areas with insufficient qualified cardiologists, and more consistently produce echocardiographic measurements.
What is the test-retest reliability of common task-fMRI measures? New empirical evidence and a meta-analysis
Authors: Elliott Maxwell L. , Knodt Annchen R. , Ireland David , Morris Meriwether L. , Poulton Richie , Ramrakha Sandhya , Sison Maria L. , Moffitt Terrie E. , Caspi Avshalom , Hariri Ahmad R.
Published: June 2019

Identifying brain biomarkers of disease risk is a growing priority in neuroscience. The ability to identify meaningful biomarkers is limited by measurement reliability; unreliable measures are unsuitable for predicting clinical outcomes. Measuring brain activity using task-fMRI is a major focus of biomarker development; however, the reliability of task-fMRI has not been systematically evaluated. We present converging evidence demonstrating poor reliability of task-fMRI measures. First, a meta-analysis of 90 experiments (N=1,008) revealed poor overall reliability (mean ICC=.397). Second, the test-retest reliabilities of activity in a priori regions of interest across 11 common fMRI tasks collected in the context of the Human Connectome Project (N=45) and the Dunedin Study (N=20) were poor (ICCs=.067-.485). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that common task-fMRI measures are not currently suitable for brain biomarker discovery or individual differences research. We review how this state of affairs came to be and highlight avenues for improving task-fMRI reliability.
Decoding of the other’s focus of attention by a temporal cortex module
Authors: Ramezanpour H. , Thier P.
Published: June 2019

Faces attract the observer’s attention towards objects and locations of interest for the other, thereby allowing the two agents to establish joint attention. Previous work has delineated a network of cortical “patches” in the macaque cortex, processing faces, eventually also extracting information on the other’s gaze direction. Yet, the neural mechanism that links information on gaze direction, guiding the observer’s attention to the relevant object has remained elusive. Here we present electrophysiological evidence for the existence of a distinct “gaze-following patch (GFP)” with neurons that establish this linkage in a highly flexible manner. The other’s gaze and the object, singled out by the gaze, are linked only if this linkage is pertinent within the prevailing social context. The properties of these neurons establish the GFP as a key switch in controlling social interactions based on the other’s gaze.

One Sentence Summary

Neurons in a “gaze-following patch” in the posterior temporal cortex orchestrate the flexible linkage between the other’s gaze and objects of interest to both, the other and the observer.
Activity-Based Ratiometric FRET Probe Reveals Oncogene-Driven Changes in Labile Copper Pools Induced by Altered Glutathione Metabolism
Authors: Chung Clive Yik-Sham , Posimo Jessica M. , Lee Sumin , Tsang Tiffany , Davis Julianne M. , Brady Donita C. , Chang Christopher J.
Published: June 2019

Copper is essential for life, and beyond its well-established ability to serve as a tightly-bound, redox-active active site cofactor for enzyme function, emerging data suggest that cellular copper also exists in labile pools, defined as loosely bound to low molecular weight ligands, which can regulate diverse transition metal signaling processes spanning neural communication and olfaction, lipolysis, rest-activity cycles, and kinase pathways critical for oncogenic signaling. To help decipher this growing biology, we report a first-generation ratiometric fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) copper probe, FCP-1, for activity-based sensing of labile Cu(I) pools in live cells. FCP-1 links fluorescein and rhodamine dyes through a tris[(2-pyridyl)methyl]amine (TPA) bridge. Bioinspired Cu(I)-induced oxidative cleavage decreases FRET between fluorescein donor and rhodamine acceptor. FCP-1 responds to Cu(I) with high metal selectivity and oxidation-state specificity and facilitates ratiometric measurements that minimize potential interferences arising from variations in sample thickness, dye concentration, and light intensity. FCP-1 enables imaging of dynamic changes in labile Cu(I) pools in live cells in response to copper supplementation/depletion, differential expression of the copper importer CTR1, and redox stress induced by manipulating intracellular glutathione levels and GSH/GSSG ratios. FCP-1 imaging reveals a labile Cu(I) deficiency induced by oncogene-driven cellular transformation that promotes fluctuations in glutathione metabolism, where lower GSH/GSSG ratios decrease labile Cu(I) availability without affecting total copper levels. By connecting copper dysregulation and glutathione stress in cancer, this work provides a valuable starting point to study broader crosstalk between metal and redox pathways in health and disease with activity-based probes.

Significance

Copper is a required metal nutrient for life, yet its altered homeostasis is associated with many diseases. Thus, to develop new methods to help decipher copper biology, we present an activity-based ratiometric FRET probe that exploits a biomimetic, copper(I)-dependent cleavage reaction to enable imaging of loosely-bound, labile copper pools in cells with metal and oxidation state selectivity and a self-calibrating ratiometric response. Application of this technology to cellular models of cancer reveals that oncogene-driven changes in the metabolism of glutathione, a major cellular redox buffer, leads to a labile copper(I) deficiency. This work establishes the relevance of copper dysregulation to cancer metabolism and presages further opportunities for activity-based sensing in studies of metal biology.
Crystal structure of hexa-μ-chlorido-μ4-oxido-tetrakis{[1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole-κN
3]copper(II)} containing short NO2...NO2 contacts
Authors: Wu Ja-Shin , Shlian Daniel G. , Palmer Joshua H. , Upmacis Rita K.
Published: June 2019

The title tetranuclear copper complex, [Cu4Cl6O(C6H9N3O3)4] or [Cu4Cl6O(MET)4] [MET is 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole or metronidazole], contains a tetrahedral arrangement of copper(II) ions. Each copper atom is also linked to the other three copper atoms in the tetrahedron via bridging chloride ions. A fifth coordination position on each metal atom is occupied by a nitrogen atom of the monodentate MET ligand. The result is a distorted CuCl3NO trigonal–bipyramidal coordination polyhedron with the axial positions occupied by oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The extended structure displays O—H...O hydrogen bonding, as well as unusual short O...N interactions [2.775 (4) Å] between the nitro groups of adjacent clusters that are oriented perpendicular to each other. The scattering contribution of disordered water and methanol solvent molecules was removed using the SQUEEZE procedure [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–16] in PLATON [Spek (2009). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155].
GLIDARC reactor power supply with ignition improvement
Authors: Krupski Piotr , Stryczewska Henryka Danuta
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The research purpose of this paper is to confirm that internal overvoltages in the push–pull power inverter can be used to improve the discharge ignition in the gliding arc discharge (GAD) plasma reactor.

Design/methodology/approach

Investigations are based on the acquisition of voltage changes that occur together with the development of the discharge column and the imaging the GAD with the use of a high-speed camera.

Findings

The power supply has the distinctive feature of not having the switching overvoltages completely extinguished, as it is in typical push–pull inverters. The overvoltages still exist but only dangerous peaks are cut off. The remaining ones, of a dumped resonance character (Figure 3), are transferred to the secondary coil of the transformer. Correctly shaped overvoltages are used for ignition improvement in the GAD reactor.

Practical implications

GAD plasma reactors have many applications for pollution control, disinfection and sterilization of surfaces and for plasma deposition, surface functionalization, as well as in agricultural and medical treatment. Investigations prove the push–pull inverter’s advantages in comparison with the transformer-type power supply. Properly configured push–pull inverters have good ignition properties and control options, allowing to generate, desirable for many applications, homogeneous non-thermal plasma.

Originality/value

The idea of using switching overvoltages in transistors of push–pull switching-mode power supplies is new and has not been previously used to improve discharges ignition in a non-thermal plasma reactor.
Brand authenticity leads to perceived value and brand trust
Authors: Hernandez-Fernandez Asuncion , Lewis Mathieu Collin
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper investigates consumer perceptions of brand authenticity (BA), perceived value (PV) and brand trust (BT) into the context of craft beer market. The purpose of this paper is to examine the statistical associations between these constructs as well as the three antecedents of BA: individuality, consistency and continuity.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey, delivered in an online format, was completed by 749 respondents from the USA. These respondents were gained through a basic simple random sampling technique. After conducting data analysis techniques such as reliability, correlation and regression, all five research hypotheses were accepted.

Findings

All three antecedents of BA were found to have significant influence on the first-order construct. Also, BA was shown to have a substantial effect on both PV and BT. The relationship between brand individuality and BA was the most significant of the five, while the association between BA and PV was found to be the least significant.

Originality/value

Prior research on BA, the majority of which has involved a qualitative approach, has been severely limited. The authors’ work deepens the study of the effects of BA, or its various antecedents, on PV and BT, enhancing the research with an empirical, quantitative analysis. In addition to the shortage of investigation related to these factors, there has been a nearly complete absence of the application of these variables to the craft beer market.
An extended time-dependent KdV6 equation
Authors: Wazwaz Abdul-Majid , Xu Gui-Qiong
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new time-dependent KdV6 equation. The authors derive multiple soliton solutions and multiple complex soliton solutions for a time-dependent equation.

Design/methodology/approach

The newly developed time-dependent model has been handled by using the Hirota’s direct method. The authors also use the complex Hirota’s criteria for deriving multiple complex soliton solutions.

Findings

The examined extension of the KdV6 model exhibits complete integrability for any analytic time-dependent coefficient.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents a new efficient algorithm for constructing extended models which give a variety of multiple real and complex soliton solutions.

Practical implications

The paper introduced a new time-dependent KdV6 equation, where integrability is emphasized for any analytic time-dependent function.

Social implications

The findings are new and promising. Multiple real and multiple complex soliton solutions were formally derived.

Originality/value

This is an entirely new work where a new time-dependent KdV6 equation is established. This is the first time that the KdV6 equation is examined as a time-dependent equation. Moreover, the complete integrability of this newly developed equation is emphasized via using Painlevé test.
Investigating the influences of pressure-equalizing grooves on characteristics of aerostatic bearings based on CFD
Authors: Yan Ruzhong , Wang Liaoyuan , Wang Shengze
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to reveal the influence law of pressure-equalizing grooves on aerostatic bearings and improve the static performance of bearings by optimizing the distribution form of grooves.

Design/methodology/approach

In view of two kinds of common restrictor distribution forms on the thrust surface, the linear and the rectangular, six kinds of pressure-equalizing groove schemes were proposed – the line-shape, the extended-shape, the S-shape, the oblong-shape, the X-shape and the reticular-shape. Based on the analysis of lubrication theory of the orifice-type aerostatic bearing, the numerical simulations of different bearings were carried out. The pressure distributions and static characteristic curves of different bearings were obtained.

Findings

The study reveals that the adoption of the pressure-equalizing grooves can substantially improve the load capacity and static stiffness of the bearing and make the bearing maintain a uniform stress, which enhances operating accuracy and life of the bearing. The superior function of the reticular-shape groove is highlighted.

Originality/value

The research results can effectively guide the optimization design of aerostatic bearings and provide a crucial technical reference for application of ultra-precision aerostatic supporting system.
Access to finance and entrepreneurial intention
Authors: Urban Boris , Ratsimanetrimanana Fenosoa
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Appreciating the need to foster entrepreneurship in Madagascan rural areas and acknowledging that many unanswered questions remain regards testing the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the study aims to apply and extend the TPB model by investigating the moderating effect of access to finance (A2F) on entrepreneurial intentions (EI).

Design

Based on survey data (n = 1,456) collected across several regions in Madagascar, hypotheses are statically tested using regression analyses.

Findings

A significant moderating effect is revealed on the TPB-EI relationship in terms of attitude towards behaviour and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, levels of education and gender differences also influence this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Policy directives for the Madagascan Government and other private institutions include fostering support systems for those who intend to enter into entrepreneurship. On a practical level, Malagasy policymakers and decision makers at financial institutions need to pay particular attention to the TPB antecedents.

Originality

The paper makes a contribution to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the moderating role of A2F on the TPB-EI link, while also explaining how individual-level variables influence this relationship in an under-researched developing country context – Madagascar.
PROMETHEE-based ranking of project managers based on the five personality traits
Authors: Aretoulis Georgios N. , Papathanasiou Jason , Antoniou Fani
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to rank and identify the most efficient project managers (PMs) based on personality traits, using Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed methodology relies on the five personality traits. These were used as the selection criteria. A questionnaire survey among 82 experienced engineers was used to estimate the required weights per personality trait. A second two-part questionnaire survey aimed at recording the PMs profile and assess the performance of personality traits per PM. PMs with the most years of experience are selected to be ranked through Visual PROMETHEE.

Findings

The findings suggest that a competent PM is the one that scores low on the “Neuroticism” trait and high especially on the “Conscientiousness” trait.

Research limitations/implications

The research applied a psychometric test specifically designed for Greek people. Furthermore, the proposed methodology is based on the personality characteristics to rank the PMs and does not consider the technical skills. Furthermore, the type of project is not considered in the process of ranking PMs.

Practical implications

The findings could contribute in the selection of the best PM that maximizes the project team’s performance.

Social implications

Improved project team communication and collaboration leading to improved project performance through better communication and collaboration. This is an additional benefit for the society, especially in the delivery of public infrastructure projects. A lot of public infrastructure projects deviate largely as far as cost and schedule is concerned and this is an additional burden for public and society. Proper project management through efficient PMs would save people’s money and time.

Originality/value

Identification of the best PMbased on a combination of multicriteria decision-making and psychometric tests, which focus on personality traits.
Islamist parties and social movements: cases of Egypt and Tunisia
Authors: Medhat Abdelkader Nora
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to shed light on the previous ideological stands of the newly established Islamist parties in terms of the idea of party formation, and different models of their relations with the social movements from which they emanated through focusing on some case studies, namely, Egypt and Tunisia, with an attempt to study their impact on the parties’ paths by concentrating on two dimensions: the decision-making process and alliances’ building.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is written according to the comparative case studies approach and Huntington’s new institutionalism.

Findings

The research findings proved that, in the light of the two case studies, there are two different models of relations exist between the Islamist political parties and the social movements they emanated from, and despite that both parties had come out from social movements or took the form of a movement in their beginnings and were established within the same context, they showed different perspectives in dealing later on with the new institutional and political context and their rising challenges. These perspectives affected the parties’ decision-making process and alliances’ building, as well as their institutional legitimacy and determined their political future.

Originality/value

In the end, this paper attempts to deal with the degree of institutionalization these parties enjoyed, based on how the movements they emanated from had dealt with the dilemma of party building and the party-movement relations.
Should social enterprises complement or supplement public health provision?
Authors: Poveda Sammia , Gill Melinda , Junio Don Rodney , Thinyane Hannah , Catan Vanessa
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how stable employment, company culture and tailored health, digital and core skills training provided by a social enterprise (SE) in the Philippines affect survivors of exploitation. Research shows survivors experience adverse social conditions and physical and mental health outcomes caused by their exploitative experience. Stable, decent employment has been identified as critical to their recovery and reintegration. This paper discusses the SE’s impact on the employees’ physical, mental and social health and behaviour. Based on our findings, the authors discuss the contribution of SE in improving health outcomes and providing health services and conclude that SEs should not replace but complement public health government programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses mixed methods, presenting data from a longitudinal survey (household income, mental health and social well-being) and a follow-up qualitative study, which uses in-depth interviews and participatory videos to explore survey findings.

Findings

The quantitative analysis demonstrates positive, but gradual, changes in sexual and reproductive health behaviour; personal empowerment; and trauma, anxiety and depressive symptoms. The qualitative findings show how improvements in executive functioning, self-regulation and self-esteem occur incrementally over time. As their self-efficacy improves, employees need to avoid being overly dependent on the SE, to support their autonomy; therefore, access to complementary public health services is fundamental.

Originality/value

This paper focusses, to the authors’ knowledge, on a unique SE, which hires survivors of exploitation, without losing their competitiveness in the market.
Janus kinase inhibitors: An innovative treatment for alopecia areata
Authors: Park Hyunsun , Yu Da‐Ae , Kwon Ohsang
Published: June 2019

Alopecia areata (AA) is a relatively common disease, but no satisfactory treatment has yet been developed. Recently, research progress has been made in the pathogenesis of AA, revealing that autoreactive cytotoxic T cells are important and that the Janus kinase (JAK) pathway is involved. Therefore, the potential of JAK inhibitors as therapeutic agents for AA is attracting attention. Several single‐arm clinical trials and retrospective studies demonstrated that oral JAK inhibitors are effective and tolerable treatments for moderate to severe AA. Although JAK inhibitors are emerging as an innovative treatment for AA, further placebo‐controlled clinical trials are required to confirm their efficacy and long‐term safety.
Targeted prey fields determine foraging effort thresholds of a marine diver: Important cues for the sustainable management of fisheries
Authors: McInnes Alistair M. , Ryan Peter G. , Lacerda Miguel , Pichegru Lorien
Published: June 2019

Understanding functional relationships between seabirds and prey can play an important role in the sustainable management of fisheries that compete for the same resources yet data linking the foraging performance of seabirds directly with concurrent information on prey supplies remain limited.

We assess the influence of prey availability on the foraging performance of breeding African penguins Spheniscus demersus using data from instrumented birds during 14 pelagic fish surveys carried out over 3 years around their two largest breeding colonies, St Croix and Bird islands in Algoa Bay. Characteristics of prey fields targeted by African penguins were identified by assessing the response of foraging birds to the acoustically determined distribution of small pelagic fish. Path‐ and dive‐derived foraging performance metrics were modelled as a response to overall and targeted prey abundance estimates to assess potential nonlinear functional relationships between penguin foraging effort and prey availability.

African penguins displayed marked spatial heterogeneity in their selection of foraging sites, but birds from both colonies invariably foraged on fish schools <40 m deep.

Generalized additive model fits improved for all foraging performance responses when using targeted prey abundance (i.e. only fish in areas frequented by penguins and at depths <40 m, as opposed to estimates using all prey). Models for trip duration (r2 = 0.45) and foraging path length (r2 = 0.44) showed a negative nonlinear form in their response to targeted prey abundance, with significant improvement in penguin foraging effort when prey abundance was greater than 45% of the maximum prey biomass recorded.

Synthesis and applications. Functional relationships between seabird foraging performance and prey supplies have the potential to inform the sustainable management of fisheries that compete for the same prey. Our findings highlight the importance of quantifying prey that is available to seabirds when assessing critical thresholds in prey abundance below which seabird foraging performance is adversely affected. These findings can be integrated into dynamic ocean management strategies to mitigate resource competition around seabird colonies. A framework for flexible, colony‐centred closures is proposed as a more dynamic alternative to time/area closures with the potential to respond to prevailing habitat conditions in near real‐time.
The Utility of Skeletal and Surgical Features for the Personal Identification Process: A Pilot Study
Authors: Cappella Annalisa , Gibelli Daniele , Obertová Zuzana , Cummaudo Marco , Castoldi Elisa , De Angelis Danilo , Sforza Chiarella , Cattaneo Cristina
Published: June 2019

This pilot study provides a conceptual framework for the application of the anthropological analysis of skeletal features and surgical interventions for the purpose of identification in cases of unknown deceased individuals with unavailable fingerprint, genetic or odontological antemortem data. The study sample includes 276 individuals with known demographic and clinical information from the Italian CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. In the sample, 124 (45%) individuals showed one or more skeletal features that may be potentially individualizing. Of these, 79% showed two and more features, which occurred in a multitude of different combinations. Skeletal findings may provide useful postmortem information that can be compared with antemortem witness statements and clinical imaging. However, more research into the utility of dry bone findings and the availability of comparative material, including imaging, and epidemiological data needs to be undertaken before skeletal features can be implemented into identification protocols and databases.
Complexity of care processes in a radiation oncology service and its implications concerning the distribution of work and associated costs
Authors: Alia Ramos Avelino , Cobos‐Campos Raquel , Poza De Celis Raul
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Among several different instruments developed to compare the complexity of healthcare processes, relative value units (RVUs) are among the most well‐known and widely used in hospitals, but despite being a recognized management tool, in our setting, the few studies published have been based on theoretical assumptions. Our objective was to assess the level of complexity of each process in our service and to determine the RVUs generated, in order to relate complexity and costs.

Methods

During 2014, data were retrospectively collected for 840 cancer patients from the Radiation Oncology Department, Araba University Hospital. Activity times and costs were subsequently assigned to calculate RVUs for each activity, cancer subtype and treatment option.

Results

The activity associated with the lowest cost, assigned an RVU of 1, was simulation (phase changes) in treatment, with an annual cost of €9933, while that with the highest cost, assigned the greatest number of RVUs, was administration of treatment by radiotherapy technicians (RTTs) (€633,754 and 63.80 RVUs). The care process that consumed the most resources was adjuvant treatment of breast cancer (€998,070), equivalent to 364.62 RVUs compared to the cheapest subtype of adjuvant treatments or 2440 RVUs compared to the care process that used the fewest resources overall.

Conclusion

The most expensive activities are those which are the most complex or consume the most resources. Knowledge of RVUs may be employed to analyse our activity and assess the possibility of increasing the efficiency of our service without prejudicing quality.
CT‐guided transthoracic needle biopsy for evaluation of PD‐L1 expression: Comparison of 22C3 and SP263 assays
Authors: Beck Kyongmin S. , Kim Seung Joon , Kang Jin Hyoung , Han Dae Hee , Jung Jung Im , Lee Kyo Young
Published: June 2019

Background

Although there have been several studies on concordance of different assays testing programmed cell death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) expression using surgical specimens, studies using real‐world biopsy specimens are scarce. However, many of the non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases requiring immunotherapy and thus PD‐L1 testing are unresectable having to rely on small biopsy results. Therefore, we sought to assess the concordance of two diagnostic assays (22C3 and SP263) in evaluating PD‐L1 expression using specimens from CT‐guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) specimens in a routine clinical setting.

Methods

A total of 202 NSCLC cases that underwent CT‐guided TNB from April 2017 to February 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Biopsy specimens tested with both 22C3 and SP263 assays were included. Concordance of PD‐L1 expression levels determined by two assays was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient, and the agreement of dichotomized values at various cutoffs (1%, 25%, and 50%) were assessed using Cohen's κ coefficient of agreement.

Results

A total of 80 patients (M:F = 47:33, mean age: 68.0 years) were included in the study. Concordance of PD‐L1 expression levels was high (intraclass coefficient: 0.892) between 22C3 and SP263 assays. Agreements at cutoff levels of 1%, 25%, and 50% were also good, with κ values of 0.878, 0.698, and 0.790, respectively. Positive percent agreement was 93.2%, 100.0%, and 95.2% for agreements at 1%, 25%, and 50%.

Conclusion

There is a high concordance of PD‐L1 expression evaluated with 22C3 and SP263 assays using CT‐guided TNB specimens.
Persistent near real‐time passive acoustic monitoring for baleen whales from a moored buoy: System description and evaluation
Authors: Baumgartner Mark F. , Bonnell Julianne , Van Parijs Sofie M. , Corkeron Peter J. , Hotchkin Cara , Ball Keenan , Pelletier Léo‐Paul , Partan Jim , Peters Don , Kemp John , Pietro Jeff , Newhall Kris , Stokes Andrew , Cole Tim V. N. , Quintana Ester , Kraus Scott D.
Published: June 2019

Managing interactions between human activities and marine mammals often relies on an understanding of the real‐time distribution or occurrence of animals. Visual surveys typically cannot provide persistent monitoring because of expense and weather limitations, and while passive acoustic recorders can monitor continuously, the data they collect are often not accessible until the recorder is recovered.

We have developed a moored passive acoustic monitoring system that provides near real‐time occurrence estimates for humpback, sei, fin and North Atlantic right whales from a single site for a year, and makes those occurrence estimates available via a publicly accessible website, email and text messages, a smartphone/tablet app and the U.S. Coast Guard's maritime domain awareness software. We evaluated this system using a buoy deployed off the coast of Massachusetts during 2015–2016 and redeployed again during 2016–2017. Near real‐time estimates of whale occurrence were compared to simultaneously collected archived audio as well as whale sightings collected near the buoy by aerial surveys.

False detection rates for right, humpback and sei whales were 0% and nearly 0% for fin whales, whereas missed detection rates at daily time scales were modest (12%–42%). Missed detections were significantly associated with low calling rates for all species. We observed strong associations between right whale visual sightings and near real‐time acoustic detections over a monitoring range 30–40 km and temporal scales of 24–48 hr, suggesting that silent animals were not especially problematic for estimating occurrence of right whales in the study area. There was no association between acoustic detections and visual sightings of humpback whales.

The moored buoy has been used to reduce the risk of ship strikes for right whales in a U.S. Coast Guard gunnery range, and can be applied to other mitigation applications.