bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Firm/product reputation and new-product recalls
Authors: Majid Kashef , Rhee Mooweon
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the rate of recall for new products vs established products and to explore the simultaneous impact of a firm’s reputation and a product’s reputation on the market response to a product recall.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors first use an accelerated hazard model to establish that new products are more vulnerable to damage than established products. Once this is established, the authors use a hierarchical linear model to explore the simultaneous impact of the firm and product reputation on the market response to a product recall.

Findings

The findings indicate that new products have a greater probability of recall over time than existing products and after a product recall a positive firm reputation can negatively impact the firm and hence becomes a liability. However, when the product is first introduced, the product reputation can help offset any negative market response; the product reputation can therefore be an asset.

Research limitations/implications

New products are more flawed than their established counterparts. A positive reputation can be a liability but a positive product reputation can offset the negative impact of the firm reputation and this is especially pertinent to new products.

Originality/value

The majority of prior research has focused on the reputation and assumed that the firm represented the product as well; the findings of this study reveal that the reputation of the product can have contrasting effects to the reputation of the firm.
Art as a strategic element for innovation in gastronomic experiential services
Authors: Hurtado Justiniano Maria Nelly , Valls-Pasola Jaume , Jaria Chacon Natalia
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to evidence the importance of art professionals’ participation in experiential innovation processes, in particular for the gastronomic experiential services, likewise their support to maintain companies at the vanguard in a market of experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected, in the first phase, through an elaborated questionnaire. In the second phase, a list of companies is created, based on the qualification that users give to the category “creative gastronomy”, in different online portals of restoration.

Findings

The authors found that art professionals are a strategic and differentiating element for companies that want to break away from the market and increase their revenues. The third part of the interviewed companies that innovate in services experience processes are conformed by multidisciplinary teams, some of the companies take into account the coalition of art professionals with kitchen professionals. This coalition has allowed the companies to increase its billing, stay at the vanguard of the market and more important to maintain their gastronomic experiences services.

Research limitations/implications

One of the main obstacles for conducting this research was observed when carrying out the surveys, as the concept of “team” in the studied sector is not understood as part of the daily administration.

Practical implications

The teams that have made this coalition type, and those that have teams of other specialized professional profiles, have increased their sales through the creation of gastronomical experiences. However, in this research, it is observed that, the companies that combine their teams and do a co-design work and co-development idea have been able to stay at the vanguard of the service and considerably increase their billing.

Social implications

Human resources, with their respective competitions, abilities, techniques and knowledge, are the fundamental base in this type of service. The creation of strategic relationships with other companies or individuals, for either managerial alliances or recruitment and disposition of multidisciplinary teams at the internal level, could be more natural and generate new business opportunities.

Originality/value

The contribution of the paper focuses on the analysis about art professionals’ (artists) role at the time companies decide to sell sensations and emotions to a new consumer profile.
High‐resolution multi‐component distributed acoustic sensing
Authors: Lim Chen Ning Ivan , Sava Paul
Published: May 2018

Distributed acoustic sensing uses an optical fibre together with an interrogator unit to perform strain measurements. The usage of distributed acoustic sensing in geophysics is attractive due to its dense spatial sampling and low operation cost if the optical fibre is freely accessible. In the borehole environment, optical fibres for distributed acoustic sensing are often readily available as a part of other sensing tools, such as for temperature and pressure. Although the distributed acoustic sensing system promises great potential for reservoir monitoring and surface seismic acquisition, the single axial strain measurement of distributed acoustic sensing along the fibre is inadequate to fully characterise the different wave modes, thus making reservoir characterisation challenging. We propose an acquisition system using five equally spaced helical optical fibres and a straight optical fibre to obtain six different strain projections. This system allows us to reconstruct all components of the 3D strain tensor at any location along the fibre. Analysing the condition number associated with the geometry of the optical fibre, we can systematically search for the optimum design parameters for our configuration. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method to successful reconstruction of the full strain tensor from elastic wavefields of arbitrary complexity.
External validation of the Rapid Assessment Prioritisation and Referral Tool for multidisciplinary teams in medical assessment and planning units
Authors: Sharp Stacey , Palmer Michelle , Dullaway Simone L , Fortnum Kristy , Jane Michelle‐Renee , Kwiecien Inger , Vivanti Angela , McPhail Steven M
Published: May 2018

Objective

The Rapid Assessment Prioritisation and Referral Tool (RAPaRT) was developed for identifying appropriate referrals to allied members of the multidisciplinary team in hospital medical assessment and planning units (MAPUs). This study examined the performance of the RAPaRT for identifying appropriate referrals as well as predicting requirement for admission to hospital and length of stay.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted. The RAPaRT, inclusive of seven mandatory items, was completed by nurses for 195 patients presenting to a hospital ED and assessed in a MAPU external to the instrument development site. Members of the multidisciplinary team (dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work and speech pathology) assessed participants to determine whether a referral to their profession was warranted and this was compared to RAPaRT responses.

Results

All health professionals reviewed n = 175/195 (90%) participants, with n = 117/195 (60%) considered appropriate for referral to an allied health professional. At least one positive response to the RAPaRT items was recorded for n = 123 (63%) participants. Patterns of sensitivity and specificity for each item, and the instrument as a whole were consistent with the development study. The RAPaRT also predicted which patients required admission to an acute hospital ward (odds ratio = 1.22; 95% CI 1.01, 1.47) and their length of stay in hospital (coefficient = 0.18; 95% CI 0.14, 0.22).

Conclusion

Findings supported the external validation of the RAPaRT. In addition, this investigation made a novel contribution in demonstrating that positive RAPaRT responses were associated with requirement for admission to an acute hospital ward and length of stay.
Behavioral thermoregulation is highly repeatable and unaffected by digestive status in Agama atra
Authors: Van BERKEL Jenna , CLUSELLA‐TRULLAS Susana
Published: May 2018

The precision and the extent of behavioral thermoregulation are likely to provide fitness benefits to ectotherms. Yet the factors driving variation in selected or preferred body temperature (Tset) and its usefulness as a proxy for optimal physiological temperature (Topt) are still debated. Although Tset is often conserved among closely related species, substantial variation at the individual, population and species level has also been reported. However, the repeatability (calculated as the intra‐class correlation coefficient) of Tset is generally low. One factor that influences Tset is feeding status, with fed reptiles typically showing higher Tset, a process thought to aid meal digestion. Here, using experiments simulating realistic feeding and fasting regimes in Agama atra, a heliothermic lizard from southern Africa, we test if Tset and its repeatability under these 2 states significantly differ. Daily Tset ranged from 33.7 to 38.4 °C, with a mean (± SE) of 36.7 ± 0.1 °C for fed and 36.6 ± 0.1 °C for unfed individuals. Comparisons of repeatability showed that females tend to be more consistent in the selection of body temperature than males, but not significantly so regardless of feeding status. We report some of the highest repeatability estimates of Tset to date (full range: 0.229–0.642), and that the weak positive effects of feeding status on Tset did not increase its repeatability. In conclusion, one of the major prerequisites for natural selection, consistent among‐individual variation, is present, making the adaptive significance of Tset considerably more plausible.
Cold adaptation does not alter ATP homeostasis during cold exposure in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: WILLIAMS Caroline M. , ROCCA James R. , EDISON Arthur S. , ALLISON David B. , MORGAN Theodore J. , HAHN Daniel A.
Published: May 2018

In insects and other ectotherms, cold temperatures cause a coma resulting from loss of neuromuscular function, during which ionic and metabolic homeostasis are progressively lost. Cold adaptation improves homeostasis during cold exposure, but the ultimate targets of selection are still an open question. Cold acclimation and adaptation remodels mitochondrial metabolism in insects, suggesting that aerobic energy production during cold exposure could be a target of selection. Here, we test the hypothesis that cold adaptation improves the ability to maintain rates of aerobic energy production during cold exposure by using 31P NMR on live flies. Using lines of Drosophila melanogaster artificially selected for fast and slow recovery from a cold coma, we show that cold exposure does not lower ATP levels and that cold adaptation does not alter aerobic ATP production during cold exposure. Cold‐hardy and cold‐susceptible lines both experienced a brief transition to anaerobic metabolism during cooling, but this was rapidly reversed during cold exposure, suggesting that oxidative phosphorylation was sufficient to meet energy demands below the critical thermal minimum, even in cold‐susceptible flies. We thus reject the hypothesis that performance under mild low temperatures is set by aerobic ATP supply limitations in D. melanogaster, excluding oxygen and capacity limitation as a weak link in energy supply. This work suggests that the modulations to mitochondrial metabolism resulting from cold acclimation or adaptation may arise from selection on a biosynthetic product(s) of those pathways rather than selection on ATP supply during cold exposure.
Changes in hardness and resilience of i‐gelTM cuffs with temperature: a benchtop study
Authors: Dingley J. , Stephenson J. , Allender V. , Dawson S. , Williams D.
Published: May 2018

The i‐gelTM is a supraglottic airway with a gel‐like thermoplastic cuff. It has been suggested that the seal around the larynx improves following insertion. Perhaps the most intuitive hypothesis proposed for this is that cuff softening occurs during warming from ambient to body temperature. We investigated this using a food industry texture analyser over a wide temperature range. Size 2 and 3 i‐gels were secured to a platform within a temperature‐controlled water bath, which was in turn mounted on a texture analyser test stand. Both water and i‐gel cuff temperatures were recorded. A spherical probe was advanced 4 mm into the surface of each i‐gel at a rate of 1 mm.s−1, then retracted at the same rate while the upward pressure on the probe was recorded. Three runs made at each of the 11 temperatures (10 °C to 60 °C, 5 °C increments) gave 105,864 data points, from which values for hardness (the peak force on the probe at maximum indentation), and resilience (the rate at which the material recovers its original shape) were calculated. Over 10 to 60 °C, the smallest hardness value expressed as a proportion of the largest was 88.2% and 89.8% for size 2 and 3 i‐gels, respectively, and for resilience these were 92.8% and 86.2%, respectively. Over room temperature to body temperature range (21–37.4 °C), hardness decreased by 3.15% and increased by 0.47% for i‐gel sizes 2 and 3, respectively, whereas resilience values decreased by 1.85% and 2.68%, respectively. Cuff hardness and resilience did generally reduce with warming, but the effect was minimal over temperature ranges that may be encountered during clinical use.
Cardiovascular impact of intravenous caffeine in preterm infants
Authors: Huvanandana Jacqueline , Thamrin Cindy , McEwan Alistair L. , Hinder Murray , Tracy Mark B.
Published: May 2018

Aim

To evaluate the acute effect of intravenous caffeine on heart rate and blood pressure variability in preterm infants.

Methods

We extracted and compared linear and nonlinear features of heart rate and blood pressure variability at two time points: prior to and in the two hours following a loading dose of 10 mg/kg caffeine base.

Results

We studied 31 preterm infants with arterial blood pressure data and 25 with electrocardiogram data, and compared extracted features prior to and following caffeine administration. We observed a reduction in both scaling exponents (α1, α2) of mean arterial pressure from detrended fluctuation analysis and an increase in the ratio of short‐ (SD1) and long‐term (SD2) variability from Poincare analysis (SD1/SD2). Heart rate variability analyses showed a reduction in α1 (mean (SD) of 0.92 (0.21) to 0.86 (0.21), p < 0.01), consistent with increased vagal tone. Following caffeine, beat‐to‐beat pulse pressure variability (SD) also increased (2.1 (0.64) to 2.5 (0.65) mmHg, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study highlights potential elevation in autonomic nervous system responsiveness following caffeine administration reflected in both heart rate and blood pressure systems. The observed increase in pulse pressure variability may have implications for caffeine administration to infants with potentially impaired cerebral autoregulation.
A humidifier in the invasive mode during noninvasive respiratory support could increase condensation and thereby impair airway patency
Authors: Flink Rutger C. , van Kaam Anton H. , de Jongh Frans H.
Published: May 2018

Aim

Humidifying noninvasively ventilated preterm infants is critical to prevent dehydration of respiratory mucosa, but over‐humidification can result in impaired airway patency and lung mechanics. This neonatal bench study investigated the humidity delivered using invasive and noninvasive humidification modes during nasal continuous positive airway pressure.

Methods

The study was conducted at the neonatal intensive care unit of Emma Children's Hospital, the Netherlands, in March 2014. A mannequin was connected to a CareFusion Infant Flow SiPAP system, combined with a Fisher & Paykel MR850 humidifier and a Carefusion Infant Flow LP Generator. We measured the temperature, relative humidity and absolute humidity at the humidification chamber's expiratory port and at the patient's mask.

Results

The absolute humidity at the mask was 35–40 mg H2O/L at 38–39°C (relative humidity 74–80%) for the invasive mode of the humidifier and 23–27 mg H2O/L at 34–35°C (relative humidity 63–70%) for the noninvasive mode. The absolute humidities exceeded the recommended values for the invasive mode of the humidifier, but not the noninvasive mode, and could be associated with increased condensation.

Conclusion

The absolute humidity delivered by the humidifier in invasive mode could be associated with increased condensation, which has been associated with airway impairment.
Manikin study showed that counting inflation breaths out loud improved the speed of resuming chest compressions during two‐person paediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Authors: Lee Jang Hee , Na Ji Ung , Shin Dong Hyuk , Han Sang Kuk , Choi Pil Cho , Cho Jun Hwi
Published: May 2018

Aim

We investigated whether counting inflation breaths out loud during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) led to an earlier resumption of chest compressions.

Methods

In this randomised controlled manikin simulation study, conducted from February 2015 to April 2015, 32 fourth‐year Korean medical students, equally divided into study and control groups, performed 10 cycles of 15:2 CPR while administering inflation breaths using a bag mask. The first study participant counted the number of inflation breaths out loud, and the second study participant was told to perform chest compressions as soon as they heard their colleague say two. The control group did not count out loud. The groups were blinded to the study outcomes and put in separate rooms.

Results

The median chest compression interruption time was shorter in the study group than the control group (40 vs 46 seconds, p < 0.01, r = 0.70), and the median chest compression fraction (CCF) was higher (68 vs 62%, p < 0.01, r = 0.71). Other quality outcomes related chest compressions and ventilation did not differ between the groups.

Conclusion

Counting the number of inflation breaths out loud was a simple method that improved the speed of resuming chest compressions and increased CCFs in 15:2 CPR.
Useful maneuvers for precise laparoscopic liver resection
Authors: Chanwat Rawisak
Published: May 2018

Laparoscopic liver resection has evolved over the past decade and nearly replaced open exploration. This procedure not only provides comparable oncological outcomes, but it also has improved recovery after surgery. Many of the challenges presented by limitations of instruments and techniques have been overcome through adaptations and new developments, and it is possible that the remaining obstacles will be overcome within a few years. Moreover, as surgeons continue to gain experience, their technical knowledge has supported further improvement in minimally invasive approaches. This review examines every important procedures in performing a precise laparoscopic liver resection.
The World Has Become More Selfish: Remembering a New Past in the West Indies
Authors: BRITTAIN ANN
Published: May 2018

Anthropologists view the concept of ‘tradition’ with suspicion, but it is a useful tool for ordering one's understanding of the present. As rapid cultural change brings greater disparities in wealth, the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines remember a past in which sharing was more widespread. While not a motive for personal action, this remembered past provides a way to understand the contrast between one's own accomplishments and the success of others: others' relative prosperity is a violation of a traditional way of life rather than a demonstration of one's own personal failing; ‘the world has become more selfish’.
The role of uncertainty, sentiment and cross‐country interactions in G7 output dynamics
Authors: Garratt Anthony , Lee Kevin , Shields Kalvinder
Published: May 2018

Output fluctuations in the G7 are characterized using a VAR model of countries’ actual and expected outputs and uncertainty over these. New measures are developed to quantify the relative importance of economic prospects‐versus‐uncertainty, global‐versus‐national effects and fundamentals‐versus‐sentiment for countries’ persistent output movements. National and global contributions are found to be equally important across the G7 although considerable differences exist between countries. Uncertainty, and especially cross‐country uncertainty, is important in propagating the effects of shocks and generates around 20% of countries’ persistent output movements on average. Fundamentals dominate output movements although, with an 80:20 split, sentiment plays a non‐negligible role.

Le rôle de l’incertitude, du sentiment, et des interactions entre pays dans la dynamique de production du G7. Les fluctuations du produit agrégé dans le G7 sont caractérisées par un modèle vectoriel autorégressif des produits observés et anticipés des pays, ainsi que de l’incertitude qui entoure ces mesures. De nouvelles mesures sont développées pour quantifier l’importance relative des perspectives‐versus‐l’incertitude, des effets globaux‐versus‐nationaux, et des fondamentaux‐versus‐croyances et sentiments dans l’explication des mouvements persistants dans la production des pays. Il appert que les contributions des dimensions globales et nationales sont également importantes à travers le G7, même si des différences considérables existent entre pays. L’incertitude, et particulièrement l’incertitude entre pays, est importante dans le processus de propagation des effets des chocs, et génère environ 20 % en moyenne des mouvements de production persistants des pays. Les fondamentaux dominent les mouvements de la production, mais avec un rapport 80–20, le sentiment joue un rôle non‐négligeable.
Domestic patent rights, access to technologies and the structure of exports
Authors: Maskus Keith E. , Yang Lei
Published: May 2018

Recent years have seen major reforms in patent laws around the world. We study the effects of variations over time and across countries in the strength of domestic patent rights (PRs) on exports in high‐R&D goods. Adopting a generalized factor‐proportions framework, we interact industry research intensity with national PRs. Countries with stronger PRs have significantly greater exports in research‐intensive sectors. These effects are positive in emerging and developing economies but smaller than in developed economies. The sensitivity of high‐R&D exports to PRs rises with inward flows of patent applications, FDI employment and intra‐firm trade with multinational firms.

Droits de brevet domestiques, accès aux technologies, et structure des exportations. Au cours des années récentes, on a vu des réformes majeures du droit des brevets autour du monde. On étudie les effets de variations (dans le temps et entre pays) dans la robustesse des droits de brevet domestiques (DBs) sur les exportations des biens à forte intensité de R&D. À l’aide d’un cadre de référence généralisé axé sur les proportions de facteurs, on étudie les interactions entre l’intensité en recherche des industries et les DBs nationaux. Les pays dotés de DBs plus robustes ont des exportations plus grandes de manière significative dans les secteurs à forte intensité de recherche. Ces effets sont positifs dans les pays en émergence et en voie de développement, mais plus faibles dans les pays développés. La sensibilité des exportations de biens à forte intensité de R&D aux régimes de DBs s’accroît à proportion que s’accroissent les flux d’applications de brevets en provenance de l’extérieur, l’emploi attaché aux flux d’investissements direct de l’étranger, et le volume du commerce intra‐firme avec les firmes plurinationales.
EAST/SeSAME syndrome: Review of the literature and introduction of four new Latvian patients
Authors: Celmina M. , Micule I. , Inashkina I. , Audere M. , Kuske S. , Pereca J. , Stavusis J. , Pelnena D. , Strautmanis J.
Published: May 2018

EAST (Epilepsy, Ataxia, Sensorineural deafness, Tubulopathy) or SeSAME (Seizures, Sensorineural deafness, Ataxia, Mental retardation, and Electrolyte imbalance) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome first described in 2009 independently by Bockenhauer and Scholl. It is caused by mutations in KCNJ10, which encodes Kir4.1, an inwardly rectifying K+ channel found in the brain, inner ear, kidney and eye. To date, 16 mutations and at least 28 patients have been reported. In this paper, we review mutations causing EAST/SeSAME syndrome, clinical manifestations in detail, and efficacy of treatment in previously reported patients. We also report a new Latvian kindred with 4 patients. In contrast to the majority of previous reports, we found a progressive course of the disorder in terms of hearing impairment and neurologic deficit. The treatment is based on antiepileptic drugs, electrolyte replacement, hearing aids and mobility devices. Future research should concentrate on recognizing the lesions in the central nervous system to evaluate new potential diagnostic criteria and on formally evaluating intellectual disability.
Breast cancer intratumour heterogeneity: current status and clinical implications
Authors: Joseph Chitra , Papadaki Athanasia , Althobiti Maryam , Alsaleem Mansour , Aleskandarany Mohammed A , Rakha Emad A
Published: May 2018

Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease that varies in presentation, morphological features, behaviour, and response to therapy. High‐throughput molecular profiling studies have revolutionised our understanding of BC heterogeneity, and have demonstrated that molecular profiles of tumours are variable not only between tumours, but also within individual tumours. Current evidence indicates that spatial and temporal intratumour heterogeneity of BC exists at levels beyond what are commonly expected. Intratumour heterogeneity poses critical challenges in the diagnosis, prediction of behaviour and management of BC. For instance, heterogeneous expression of oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 can be seen not only in primary tumours between different regions, but also between primary tumours and their corresponding metastatic/recurrent lesions. The demonstration of molecularly distinct subclones within individual tumours may explain, at least in part, the mechanisms controlling the variable behaviour of BC, and may change our approach to BC sampling and treatment. In this review, BC intratumour heterogeneity is highlighted, with a special emphasis on the current knowledge pertaining to the relationship between intratumour heterogeneity and BC pathogenesis, evolution, and progression, with consideration of its impact on disease diagnosis, management, and the emergence of novel therapeutic targets. The key role of high‐throughput molecular and imaging techniques is also addressed.
Chronic periodontitis is associated with erectile dysfunction. A case–control study in european population
Authors: Martín Amada , Bravo Manuel , Arrabal Miguel , Magán‐Fernández Antonio , Mesa Francisco
Published: May 2018

Aim

To determine the association between chronic periodontitis and erectile dysfunction adjusting for biochemical markers and other comorbidities.

Methods

A case–control study was conducted on 158 male patients; 80 cases with erectile dysfunction according to the International Index of Erectile Function and 78 controls. Sociodemographic data were gathered, and a periodontal examination was performed. Testosterone, lipid profile, C‐reactive protein and glycaemic parameters were assessed. All variables were compared between groups, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

74% of the cases were diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. Number of sites with pocket probing depth 4‐6 mm (p = 0.05) and number of sites with clinical attachment loss >3 mm (p < 0.01) were higher in the cases. Triglycerides (p < 0.01), C‐reactive protein (p = 0.02) and glycosylated haemoglobin (p = 0.04) were also higher in the cases. Logistic regression showed that patients with chronic periodontitis were more likely to have erectile dysfunction (OR=2.17; 95% CI (1.06–4.43); p = 0.03) independently of other confounders.

Conclusion

Patients with erectile dysfunction showed worse periodontal condition. Chronic periodontitis seems to play a key role as a risk factor in the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction independently of other morbidities.
Neighborhood Physical Disorder and Early Delinquency Among Urban Children
Authors: Gold Sarah , Nepomnyaschy Lenna
Published: May 2018

The neighborhoods in which children grow up have consequences for their short‐ and long‐term well‐being. Although most neighborhood research measures disadvantage at the census tract level, more proximate physical characteristics of neighborhoods may be more relevant indicators of neighborhood quality for the well‐being of young children. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this study explores the association between these more proximate indicators of neighborhood physical disorder measured across childhood (ages 3 to 9) and early delinquency at age 9. Descriptive results (N = 2,989) indicate that exposure to neighborhood physical disorder across childhood is common among children in urban areas. Multivariate analyses suggest that exposure to neighborhood physical disorder, particularly for older children, is strongly associated with a higher likelihood of engagement in early delinquent behaviors, over and above family and census tract‐level measures of disadvantage. Associations remain robust to numerous supplementary analyses and alternate specifications.
Effects of harvesting mediated by dispersal traits
Authors: Cantrell R. S. , Cosner C.
Published: May 2018

Trait‐mediated behavioral responses to other species, especially predators, can have important effects on the dynamics of populations. One effect is to modify dispersal patterns, which in turn can modify population dynamics and species interactions. We model a situation where a focal population responds to disturbances created by the harvesting of another population by increasing the rate of random dispersal by individuals. The model shows that in some situations this effect can result in the extinction of the focal population, even if it is not itself subject to harvesting. This observation suggests that it may be desirable to consider trait‐mediated effects when assessing the possible impacts of harvesting on conservation.

Recommendations for Resource Managers

Be aware that harvesting a given crop or population can affect other populations because of their behavioral responses to the harvesting activity, even if it does not directly impose mortality on those populations or change their interactions with other species.

A way that harvesting activity can affect nonharvested populations is to increase their dispersal rate. Managers should be aware that this has the potential to cause extinction in some situations even if no other effects of harvesting are present.

For some populations, harvesting resources with which they interact or share an environment could in principle cause both direct and indirect effects, which could combine to have a different, perhaps greater, impact than either one would have separately.
Triarabinosylation is required for nodulation‐suppressive CLE peptides to systemically inhibit nodulation in Pisum sativum
Authors: Hastwell April H. , Corcilius Leo , Williams James T. , Gresshoff Peter M. , Payne Richard J. , Ferguson Brett J.
Published: May 2018

Legumes form root nodules to house beneficial nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia bacteria. However, nodulation is resource demanding; hence, legumes evolved a systemic signalling mechanism called autoregulation of nodulation (AON) to control nodule numbers. AON begins with the production of CLE peptides in the root, which are predicted to be glycosylated, transported to the shoot, and perceived. We synthesized variants of nodulation‐suppressing CLE peptides to test their activity using petiole feeding to introduce CLE peptides into the shoot. Hydroxylated, monoarabinosylated, and triarabinosylated variants of soybean GmRIC1a and GmRIC2a were chemically synthesized and fed into recipient Pisum sativum (pea) plants, which were used due to the availability of key AON pathway mutants unavailable in soybean. Triarabinosylated GmRIC1a and GmRIC2a suppressed nodulation of wild‐type pea, whereas no other peptide variant tested had this ability. Suppression also occurred in the supernodulating hydroxyproline O‐arabinosyltransferase mutant, Psnod3, but not in the supernodulating receptor mutants, Pssym29, and to some extent, Pssym28. During our study, bioinformatic resources for pea became available and our analyses identified 40 CLE peptide‐encoding genes, including orthologues of nodulation‐suppressive CLE peptides. Collectively, we demonstrated that soybean nodulation‐suppressive CLE peptides can function interspecifically in the AON pathway of pea and require arabinosylation for their activity.
Fulminant group A streptococcal infection without gangrene in the extremities: Analysis of five autopsy cases
Authors: Kato Shu , Yanazaki Motoi , Hayashi Kino , Satoh Fumiko , Isobe Ichiro , Tsutsumi Yutaka
Published: May 2018

Five autopsy cases of fulminant group A streptococcal infection without gangrene in the extremities are presented. Clinical course of the fulminant illness was short (2–4 days). One pathological autopsy case was aged (86‐years‐old), and hemorrhagic cystitis was observed. The other four forensic autopsy cases were young (24–38 years‐old) with the mean age of 32, and the primary infective lesions were located in the postpartum endometrium, tonsil and bronchus (2 cases). Systemic coccal dissemination with poor neutrophilic reaction was seen in two of five cases. Bilateral renal cortical necrosis was noted in three cases (including two with bacterial embolism). Hemophagocytosis, probably resulting from hypercytokinemia, was characteristic in three cases without bacterial embolism. Gram‐positive cocci colonizing the hemorrhagic and necrotizing lesions were consistently immunoreactive for streptococcal antigens and Strep A (a carbohydrate antigen on group A streptococci). Neutrophilic reaction was mild in the primary infected foci. Clinicians should note that fulminant streptococcal infection (streptococcal toxic shock syndrome) in young and immunocompetent patients may not be associated with gangrene in the extremities. Autopsy prosecutors (diagnostic and forensic pathologists) must recognize the difficulty in making an appropriate autopsy diagnosis, particularly when bacterial embolism is not associated.
Increasing Supply Chain Robustness through Process Flexibility and Inventory
Authors: Simchi‐Levi David , Wang He , Wei Yehua
Published: May 2018

We study a hybrid strategy that uses both process flexibility and finished goods inventory for supply chain risk mitigation. The interplay between process flexibility and inventory is modeled as a two‐stage robust optimization problem. In the first stage, the firm allocates inventory before disruption happens; in the second stage, after a disruption happens, the firm determines production quantities at each plant to minimize demand loss. Our robust optimization model can be solved efficiently using constraint generation, and under some stylized assumptions, can be solved in closed form. For a canonical family of flexibility designs known as the K‐chains, we provide an analytical expression for the optimal inventory solution, which allows us to study the effectiveness of different degrees of flexibilities. Moreover, we find that firms should allocate more inventory to high variability products when its level of flexibility is low, but as flexibility increases, the inventory allocation pattern “flips” and firms should allocate more inventory to low variability products. These observations are further verified through a numerical case study of an automobile supply chain. Finally, we extend our robust optimization model to the time‐to‐survive metric, a metric that computes the longest time a supply chain can guarantee a predetermined service level under disruption.
Call Center Arrivals: When to Jointly Forecast Multiple Streams?
Authors: Ye Han , Luedtke James , Shen Haipeng
Published: May 2018

We consider call centers that have multiple (potentially inter‐dependent) demand arrival streams. Workforce management of such labor intensive service systems starts with forecasting future arrival demand. We investigate the question of whether and when to jointly forecast future arrivals of the multiple streams. We first develop a general statistical model to simultaneously forecast multi‐stream arrival rates. The model takes into account three types of inter‐stream dependence. We then show with analytical and simulation studies how the forecasting benefits of the multi‐stream forecasting model vary by the type, direction, and strength of inter‐stream dependence. In particular, we find that it is beneficial to simultaneously forecast multi‐stream arrivals (instead of separately forecasting each stream), when there exists inter‐stream lag dependence among daily arrival rates. Empirical studies, using two real call center datasets further demonstrate our findings, and provide operational insights into how one chooses forecasting models for multi‐stream arrivals.
The Domino Effect: An Empirical Exposition of Systemic Risk Across Project Networks
Authors: Ellinas Christos
Published: May 2018

Activity network analysis is a widely used tool for managing project risk. Traditionally, this type of analysis is used to evaluate task criticality by assuming linear cause‐and‐effect phenomena, where the size of a local failure (e.g., task delay) dictates its possible global impact (e.g., project delay). Motivated by the question of whether activity networks are subject to nonlinear cause‐and‐effect phenomena, a computational framework is developed and applied to real‐world project data to evaluate project systemic risk. Specifically, project systemic risk is viewed as the result of a cascading process which unravels across an activity network, where the failure of a single task can consequently affect its immediate, downstream task(s). As a result, we demonstrate that local failures are capable of triggering failure cascades of intermittent sizes. In turn, a modest local disruption can fuel exceedingly large, systemic failures. In addition, the probability for this to happen is much higher than anticipated. A systematic examination of why this is the case is subsequently performed, with results attributing the emergence of large‐scale failures to topological and temporal features of activity networks. Finally, local mitigation is assessed in terms of containing these failures cascades – results illustrate that this form of mitigation is both ineffective and insufficient. Given the ubiquity of our findings, our work has the potential of deepening our current theoretical understanding on the causal mechanisms responsible for large‐scale project failures.
Systematic Review and Quality Appraisal of Practice Guidelines for Self‐Harm in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Courtney Darren B. , Duda Stephanie , Szatmari Peter , Henderson Joanna , Bennett Kathryn
Published: May 2018

This study aimed to systematically identify and appraise clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) relating to the assessment and management of suicide risk and self‐harm in children and adolescents. Our research question is as follows: For young people (under 18 years old) presenting to clinical care with suicide ideation or a history of self‐harm, what is the quality of up‐to‐date CPGs? Using the PRISMA format, we systematically identified CPGs meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subsequently, two independent raters conducted appraisals of the eligible CPGs using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument. CPGs were then classified as “poor quality,” “minimum quality,” and “high quality” using operationally defined criteria developed a priori. We identified 10 eligible CPGs published or renewed between 2005 and May 2017. Only the long‐term management of self‐harm CPGs produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence met “high‐quality” criteria. Despite multiple options of CPGs published to choose from, only one was identified as “high quality,” where bias is adequately minimized. Clinicians are advised to direct resources to implementing the “high‐quality” CPG.
In vivo confocal microscopy characteristics of equine epithelial and subepithelial nonulcerative keratomycosis
Authors: Ledbetter Eric C. , Irby Nita L. , Teixeira Leandro B.C.
Published: May 2018

Objective

To describe the in vivo confocal microscopy features of horses with epithelial and subepithelial nonulcerative keratomycosis.

Animals studied

Four horses with a clinical diagnosis of epithelial or subepithelial keratomycosis.

Procedures

Horses were examined on one or more occasions by in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy of the cornea. Confocal microscopic examination characteristics were correlated with clinical, cytological, and histopathological findings for the horses.

Results

All horses had an irregular corneal epithelial surface during slit‐lamp biomicroscopy examination. Epithelial or subepithelial corneal opacities were present in multifocal or diffuse patterns. Positive rose bengal corneal staining was present focally or diffusely in all cases. Fungal hyphae were detected in cytological or histopathological corneal samples from all horses.Aspergillus,Fusarium, andPenicilliumspp. were cultured from corneal samples. Confocal microscopy detected hyphae diffusely distributed over the axial cornea in horses with epithelial clinical disease. Fungal hyphae were present in all layers of the corneal epithelium and associated with disorganized and sloughing epithelial cells with minimal leukocytes. Subepithelial keratomycosis was correlated with focal, dense accumulations of hyphae in the immediate subepithelial anterior stroma that were surrounded by moderate numbers of leukocytes. Two horses were examined by confocal microscopy on multiple occasions during the course of medical therapy, and fungal hyphae were observed to migrate from the epithelium into the subepithelial stroma as the clinical corneal disease progressed.

Conclusions

With in vivo confocal microscopy, both epithelial and subepithelial keratomycosis appear as unique clinical entities. Equine epithelial keratomycosis is a potential precursor to subepithelial keratomycosis.
Australian Football Athletes Lack Awareness of Current Sport Nutrition Guidelines
Authors: Trakman Gina L. , Forsyth Adrienne , Middleton Kane , Hoye Russell , Jenner Sarah , Keenan Stephen , Belski Regina
Published: May 2018

Sports nutrition is an evolving field, but there is a lack of data on Australian athletes’ knowledge of current sports nutrition guidelines. Additionally, several tools used to assess nutrition knowledge (NK) have not undergone adequate validation. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the sports NK of elite and nonelite Australian football (AF) athletes using a newly validated questionnaire—The Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire. Elite AF players (n = 46) were recruited directly from their club dietitian and nonelite AF players (n = 53) were invited to participate via e-mail from their club president or secretary. The mean NK score of elite and nonelite AF players was 46 ± 16% and 51 ± 11%, respectively (p = .041). In both groups, knowledge of macronutrients, weight management, and alcohol was better than knowledge of supplements, micronutrients, and sports nutrition. Nonelite athletes achieved statistically significantly higher scores on the questionnaire subsections testing weight management (elite: 48 ± 18; nonelite: 57 ± 19, p = .019), micronutrients (elite: 39 ± 19; nonelite: 50 ± 16, p = .004), and alcohol (elite: 52 ± 13; nonelite: 71 ± 17, p = .002). While overall NK of Australian athletes was poor, scores varied greatly among individuals (range: 10–70%) and across the six subsections (topics) being assessed. Professionals working with athletes should undertake an assessment of the athletes’ NK so that they can provide targeted education programs.
Mental Health in Equestrian Sport
Authors: Butler-Coyne Hannah , Shanmuganathan-Felton Vaithehy , Taylor Jamie
Published: May 2018

Equestrian media is showing an increasing interest in the impact of mental health on performance and general wellbeing of equestrian athletes. This study explores the awareness of mental health difficulties and psychological wellbeing within equestrian sport from the perspectives of equestrian athletes, instructors/coaches and parents. The exploratory nature of the research offered opportunity to use a dual approach including e-surveys and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the qualitative data identified five key themes (Emotional Wellbeing in Balance; Emotional Wellbeing Imbalance; Wellbeing Imbalance—Impact on Equestrian Sportspeople; Impact of Equestrian Sport on Wellbeing; Regaining Balance) and 22 sub-themes. The findings determine a compelling need for education, promotion of sharing experiences, facilitation of specialist (clinical and sport) professional training and intervention as well as a review of regulations from equestrian Governing Bodies.
Europe moves to compete in global AI arms race
Authors: Rabesandratana Tania
Published: May 2018

With €1.5 billion for artificial intelligence, European Commission pins hopes on ethics.
How to pay for saving biodiversity
Authors: Barbier Edward B. , Burgess Joanne C. , Dean Thomas J.
Published: May 2018

Can private sector involvement in a global agreement help to conserve global biodiversity?
NtrC Adds a New Node to the Complex Regulatory Network of Biofilm Formation and
vps
Expression in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Cheng Andrew T. , Zamorano-Sánchez David , Teschler Jennifer K. , Wu Daniel , Yildiz Fitnat H.
Published: May 2018

Biofilms play an important role in the
Vibrio cholerae
life cycle, contributing to both environmental survival and transmission to a human host. Identifying key regulators of
V. cholerae
biofilm formation is necessary to fully understand how this important growth mode is modulated in response to various signals encountered in the environment and the host. In this study, we characterized the role of RRs that function as coactivators of RpoN in regulating biofilm formation and identified new components in the
V. cholerae
biofilm regulatory circuitry.
Antimicrobial Resistance in
Acinetobacter
spp. and
Pseudomonas
spp
Authors: Lupo Agnese , Haenni Marisa , Madec Jean-Yves
Published: May 2018

The nonfermenting bacteria belonging to
Acinetobacter
spp. and
Pseudomonas
spp. are capable of colonizing both humans and animals and can also be opportunistic pathogens. More specifically, the species
Acinetobacter baumannii
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
have been recurrently reported as multidrug-resistant and even pandrug-resistant in clinical isolates. Both species were categorized among the ESKAPE pathogens, ESKAPE standing for
Enterococcus faecium
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
,
A. baumannii
,
P. aeruginosa
, and
Enterobacter
species. These six pathogens are the major cause of nosocomial infections in the United States and are a threat all over the world because of their capacity to become increasingly resistant to all available antibiotics.
A. baumannii
and
P. aeruginosa
are both intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics due to complementary mechanisms, the main ones being the low permeability of their outer membrane, the production of the AmpC beta-lactamase, and the production of several efflux systems belonging to the resistance-nodulation-cell division family. In addition, they are both capable of acquiring multiple resistance determinants, such as beta-lactamases or carbapenemases. Even if such enzymes have rarely been identified in bacteria of animal origin, they may sooner or later spread to this reservoir. The goal of this article is to give an overview of the resistance phenotypes described in these pathogens and to provide a comprehensive analysis of all data that have been reported on
Acinetobacter
spp. and
Pseudomonas
spp. from animal hosts.