bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of regular school closure on seasonal influenza epidemics: a data-driven spatial transmission model for Belgium
Authors: De Luca Giancarlo , Van Kerckhove Kim , Coletti Pietro , Poletto Chiara , Bossuyt Nathalie , Hens Niel , Colizza Vittoria
Published: December 2017

School closure is often considered as an option to mitigate influenza epidemics because of its potential to reduce transmission in children and then in the community. The policy is still however highly debated because of controversial evidence. Moreover, the specific mechanisms leading to mitigation are not clearly identified.

We introduced a stochastic spatial age-specific metapopulation model to assess the role of holiday-associated behavioral changes and how they affect seasonal influenza dynamics. The model is applied to Belgium, parameterized with country-specific data on social mixing and travel, and calibrated to the 2008/2009 influenza season. It includes behavioral changes occurring during weekend vs. weekday, and holiday vs. school-term. Several experimental scenarios are explored to identify the relevant social and behavioral mechanisms.

Stochastic numerical simulations show that holidays considerably delay the peak of the season and mitigate its impact. Changes in mixing patterns are responsible for the observed effects, whereas changes in travel behavior do not alter the epidemic. Weekends are important in slowing down the season by periodically dampening transmission. Christmas holidays have the largest impact on the epidemic, however later school breaks may help in reducing the epidemic size, stressing the importance of considering the full calendar. An extension of the Christmas holiday of 1 week may further mitigate the epidemic.

Changes in the way individuals establish contacts during holidays are the key ingredient explaining the mitigating effect of regular school closure. Our findings highlight the need to quantify these changes in different demographic and epidemic contexts in order to provide accurate and reliable evaluations of closure effectiveness. They also suggest strategic policies in the distribution of holiday periods to minimize the epidemic impact.
Low-frequency alternating current stimulation rhythmically suppresses stimulus-induced gamma-band oscillations in visual cortex and impairs perceptual performance
Authors: Herring Jim D. , Esterer Sophie , Marshall Tom R. , Jensen Ole , Bergmann Til O.
Published: December 2017

Alpha oscillations (8-12 Hz) are hypothesized to rhythmically gate sensory processing, reflected by activity in the 40-100 Hz gamma band, via the mechanism of pulsed inhibition. We applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS) at individual alpha frequency (IAF) and flanking frequencies (IAF-4 Hz, IAF+4 Hz) to the occipital cortex of healthy human volunteers during concurrent magnetoencephalography (MEG), while participants performed a visual detection task inducing strong gamma-band responses. Occipital (but not frontal) TACS phasically suppressed stimulus-induced gamma oscillations in the visual cortex and impaired target detection, with stronger phase-to-amplitude coupling predicting behavioral impairments. Frontal control TACS ruled out retino-thalamo-cortical entrainment resulting from (subthreshold) retinal stimulation. All TACS frequencies tested were effective, suggesting that visual gamma-band responses can be modulated by a range of low frequency oscillations. We propose that TACS-induced cortical excitability fluctuations mimic the mechanism of pulsed inhibition, which mediates the function of alpha oscillations in gating sensory processing.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis LprE enhances bacterial persistence by inhibiting cathelicidin and autophagy in macrophages
Authors: Padhi Avinash , Bhagyaraj Ella , Zahoor Khan Mehak , Biswas Mainak , Sengupta Srabasti , Ganguli Geetanjali , Jagadev Manaswini , Behera Ananyaashree , Pattanaik Kaliprasad , Das Ishani , Gupta Pawan , Nandicoori Vinay Kumar , Sonawane Avinash
Published: December 2017

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)lipoproteins are known to facilitate bacterial survival by manipulating the host immune responses. Here, we have characterized a novelMtblipoprotein LprE(LprEMtb), and demonstrated its role in mycobacterial survival. LprEMtbacts by down-regulating the expression of cathelicidin, Cyp27B1, VDR and p38-MAPK via TLR-2 signaling pathway. Deletion oflprEMtbresulted in induction of cathelicidin and decreased survival in the host. Interestingly, LprEMtbwas also found to inhibit autophagy mechanism to dampen host immune response. Episomal expression of LprEMtbin non-pathogenicMycobacterium smegmatis(Msm) increased bacillary persistence by down-regulating the expression of cathelicidin and autophagy, while deletion of LprEMtborthologue inMsm, had no effect on cathelicidin and autophagy expression. Moreover, LprEMtbblocked phago-lysosome fusion by suppressing the expression of EEA1, Rab7 and LAMP-1 endosomal markers by down-regulating IL-12 and IL-22 cytokines. Our results indicate that LprEMtbplays an important role in mycobacterial pathogenesis in the context of innate immunity.
A role for the Tgf-β/Bmp co-receptor Endoglin in the molecular oscillator that regulates the hair follicle cycle
Authors: Calvo-Sánchez María I. , Carrasco Elisa , Fernández-Martos Sandra , Moreno Gema , Bernabeu Carmelo , Quintanilla Miguel , Espada Jesús
Published: December 2017

The hair follicle is a biological oscillator that alternates growth, regression and rest phases driven by the sequential activation of the proliferation/differentiation programs of resident stem cell populations. The activation of hair follicle stem cell niches and subsequent entry into the growing phase is mainly regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signalling, while regression and resting phases are mainly regulated by Tgf-β/Bmp/Smad activity. A major question still unresolved is the nature of the molecular switch that dictates the coordinated transition between both signalling pathways. Here we have focused on the role of Endoglin (Eng), a key coreceptor for members of the Tgf-β/Bmp family of growth factors.

Using anEnghaploinsufficient mouse model we report thatEngis required to maintain a correct follicle cycling pattern and for an adequate stimulation of hair follicle stem cell niches. We further report that β-catenin binds to theEngpromoter depending on Bmp signalling. Moreover, we show that β-catenin interacts with Smad4 in a Bmp/Eng dependent context and both proteins act synergistically to activateEngpromoter transcription. These observations point to the existence of a growth/rest switching mechanism in the hair follicle that is based on an Eng-dependent feedback crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin and Bmp/Smad signals.
Tuning Spatial Profiles of Selection Pressure to Modulate the Evolution of Resistance
Authors: De Jong Maxwell G. , Wood Kevin B.
Published: December 2017

Spatial heterogeneity plays an important role in the evolution of drug resistance. While recent studies have indicated that spatial gradients of selection pressure can accelerate resistance evolution, much less is known about evolution in more complex spatial profiles. Here we use a stochastic toy model of drug resistance to investigate how different spatial profiles of selection pressure impact the time to fixation of a resistant allele. Using mean first passage time calculations, we show that spatial heterogeneity accelerates resistance evolution when the rate of spatial migration is sufficiently large relative to mutation but slows fixation for small migration rates. Interestingly, there exists an intermediate regime—characterized by comparable rates of migration and mutation—in which the rate of fixation can be either accelerated or decelerated depending on the spatial profile, even when spatially averaged selection pressure remains constant. Finally, we demonstrate that optimal tuning of the spatial profile can dramatically slow the spread and fixation of resistant subpopulations, even in the absence of a fitness cost for resistance. Our results may lay the groundwork for optimized, spatially-resolved drug dosing strategies for mitigating the effects of drug resistance.
The Poisson process is the universal law of cancer development: driver mutations accumulate randomly, silently, at constant average rate and for many decades, likely in stem cells
Authors: Belikov Aleksey V. , Vyatkin Alexey D. , Leonov Sergey V.
Published: December 2017

Background

It is assumed that cancers develop upon acquiring a particular number of (epi)mutations in driver genes, but the law governing the kinetics of this process is not known. We have recently shown that the age distribution of incidence for 20 most prevalent cancers of old age is best approximated by the Erlang probability distribution. The Erlang distribution describes the probability of several successive random events occurring by the given time according to the Poisson process, which allows to predict the number of critical driver events.

Results

Here we show that the Erlang distribution is the only classical probability distribution that can adequately model the age distribution of incidence for all studied childhood and young adulthood cancers, in addition to cancers of old age.

Conclusions

This validates the Poisson process as the universal law describing cancer development at any age and the Erlang distribution as a useful tool to predict the number of driver events for any cancer type. The Poisson process signifies the fundamentally random timing of driver events and their constant average rate. As waiting times for the occurrence of the required number of driver events are counted in decades, it suggests that driver mutations accumulate silently in the longest-living dividing cells in the body - the stem cells.
Systems biology analysis of mitogen activated protein kinase inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma
Authors: Zecena Helma , Tveit Daniel , Wang Zi , Farhat Ahmed , Panchal Parvita , Liu Jing , Singh Simar J. , Sanghera Amandeep , Bainiwal Ajay , Teo Shuan Y. , Meyskens Frank L , Liu-Smith Feng , Filipp Fabian V.
Published: December 2017

Kinase inhibition in the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a standard therapy for cancer patients with activating BRAF mutations. However, the anti-tumorigenic effect and clinical benefit are only transient, and tumors are prone to treatment resistance and relapse. To elucidate mechanistic insights into drug resistance, we have established an in vitro cellular model of MAPK inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma. The cellular model evolved in response to clinical dosage of BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, PLX4032. We conducted transcriptomic expression profiling using RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR arrays. Pathways of melanogenesis, MAPK signaling, cell cycle, and metabolism were significantly enriched among the set of differentially expressed genes of vemurafenib-resistant cells vs control. The underlying mechanism of treatment resistance and pathway rewiring based on non-genomic adaptation was validated in two distinct melanoma models, SK-MEL-28 and A375. Both cell lines have activating BRAF mutations and display metastatic potential. Downregulation of tumor suppressors and negative MAPK regulators, dual specific phosphatases, reengages mitogenic signaling. Upregulation of growth factors or cytokine receptors triggers signaling pathways circumventing BRAF blockage. Changes in amino acid and one-carbon metabolism support cellular proliferation despite MAPK inhibitor treatment. In addition, an upregulation of pigmentation in inhibitor resistant melanoma cells was observed. Cellular pathways utilized during inhibitor resistance promoted melanogenesis, a pathway which partially overlaps with MAPK signaling. Upstream regulator analysis suggested gene expression changes of forkhead box and hypoxia inducible factor family transcription factors. The established cellular models offer mechanistic insight into cellular changes and therapeutic targets under inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma. At a systems biology level, the MAPK pathway undergoes major rewiring while acquiring inhibitor resistance. The outcome of this transcriptional plasticity is selection for a set of transcriptional master regulators, which circumvent upstream targeted kinases and provide alternative routes of mitogenic activation. A fine-woven network of redundant signals maintains similar effector genes allowing for tumor cell survival and malignant progression in therapy resistant cancer.
Net income risk, crop insurance and hedging
Authors: Walters Cory , Preston Richard
Published: December 2017

Purpose

At the beginning of the production year producers face a complex risk management decision environment given by risks specific to their operation, multiple crop insurance contracts and hedging opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to provide a producer-level framework for risk management decision making, focusing on the interaction between crop insurance and hedging.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop a Monte Carlo simulation model that generates a producer’s net income (NI) distribution that incorporates historical producer risk, price-yield correlation via a copula, price risk, and production costs. The authors evaluate the NI distribution through a modified Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) decision framework. The authors use the modified MPT decision framework to explore tradeoffs between expected NI and farm ruin (defined as 1 or 5 percent expected shortfall) from different crop insurance contracts and pre-harvest hedging options.

Findings

Only revenue protection and the highest two levels of coverage level exist on the efficient frontier. The level of hedging on the efficient frontier ranges from 0 to 55 percent of Actual Production History. The authors find that increasing coverage level 5 percent (from 80 to 85 percent) negatively impacts the optimal hedging amount by 26 percentage points (from 35 to 9 percent).

Originality/value

The model provides the precise identification of financial benefits from different risk management strategies by incorporating producer-level historical yield data, using a copula to capture yield-price dependency structure and producer production cost in generating the NI distribution. This model can be applied to any producer’s characteristics and data.
Of stories that matter
Authors: Espia Juhn Chris , Salvador Alma Maria
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The recent shift in the Philippine Government’s emphasis from response to a more proactive approach came with the recognition that different stakeholders play important roles in the governance of disaster risk. The purpose of this paper is to look beyond the question as to whether all stakeholders are involved in disaster risk management planning and examines the extent by which the narratives of risk of actors at the margins shape how risk is framed in municipal DRM planning in Antique, Philippines.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a field study carried out in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique Province, Philippines. Data were gathered through key informant interviews and focus group discussions as well as a review of archival records and documents.

Findings

The narratives of CSOs and communities, which revolve around livelihoods and community life are conspicuously absent from the plans whereas that of government actors occupy a central position in the risk discourse. The study highlights the power-saturated process of defining and addressing risk to disasters, where knowledge is intimately linked to power as some voices shape plans and policies, whereas, others are excluded because their knowledge is socially constructed as less reliable and therefore irrelevant.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of studies that examine disaster risk as social constructions in the context of planning in the Philippines and in other disaster-prone countries.
When is green a purchase motive? Different answers from different selves
Authors: Martenson Rita
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide new ways of thinking about what motivates consumers to choose the green alternative, ideas that will be helpful in reducing the unsatisfactory green attitude-behaviour gap. Consumers have many self-aspects. This paper shows why it is necessary to activate consumers’ pragmatic selves if we want to predict purchase behaviour. The pragmatic self is concerned with costs and reference prices. When researchers activate consumers’ idealistic selves, they get idealistic answers which deviate from actual behaviour. The study also distinguishes between green alternatives with desirable green or non-green self-benefits, and green alternatives with other-benefits that are difficult to comprehend.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a consumer survey and the data is analysed with structural equation modelling. The concept environmental colour is introduced to understand purchase differences between different consumer segments on the market.

Findings

This study shows that consumers buy benefits, which is why dark brown consumers choose the green alternative when it has a competitive advantage. It also shows that the propensity to choose the green alternative is highest among consumers who in addition see green as a benefit and have the habit of buying other green products. Another result is that the green consumers have higher self-awareness than brown consumers and are very cost conscious.

Practical implications

Good decisions are based on what consumers actually do, not what they say they would like to do. This paper offers practical help on understanding consumers’ purchase criteria and how to activate their pragmatic selves. Much more could be done to promote the pro-self and pro-social benefits of making sustainable choices.

Social implications

To get a sustainable world, it is urgent to understand what motivates consumers to pay extra for environmentally friendly alternatives.

Originality/value

This paper offers new theoretical insights on how researchers can reduce the green gap.
Recent budgetary reforms in singapore
Authors: Jones David Seth
Published: December 2017

The article examines recent reforms in the financial and resource management of government administration in Singapore. The aim of these reforms is to bring the financial and resource management of the public service more into line with practices of large business organizations and broadly correspond with the so-called “managerialist” reforms adopted by government administration in other countries. The reforms include financial delegation, target setting and performance measurement, accrual accounting, output-linked budgeting, the creation of self-managing agencies in government ministries, and periodic zero-based and financial control reviews. In conclusion the article considers the aims of and reasons for these reforms.
Hospital affiliation and capital structure: how will capital markets guide health care restructuring?
Authors: Wedig Gerard J. , Hassan Mahmud , Van Horn R. Lawrence , Morrisey Michael A.
Published: December 2017

In this paper we discuss the potential role capital markets will play in health care restructuring. According to theory, agency costs, asymmetric information and strategic interactions cause the cost of capital for nonprofit entities to slope upward. Freestanding nonprofits are particularly disadvantaged in this regard. We conclude that some organizational forms will be less viable due to problems of capital access. Empirical work examines the capital structure of nonprofit entities. Our results indicate that chain hospitals are able to access more debt, both taxable and tax-exempt, than freestanding hospitals. Capital markets also associate for profit market presence with capital risk. We conclude that freestanding hospitals are at a relative disadvantage is accessing capital markets.
Managing public resources: budget execution
Authors: Hackbart Merl , Ramsey Jim
Published: December 2017

Much of the budgeting literature has focused on the questions of “how” budgets are prepared and “how” budget decisions are made. Minimal attention has been directed to “how” budgets are executed. This paper focuses on this issue with special emphasis on state government budget execution processes. The paper provides an overview of the similarities and differences of state and federal budget execution follows by an assessment of how state balanced budget requirements place special responsibilities on state budget offices to monitor “within” budget execution year expenditures and revenues. Actions which may be taken to insure that state budgets are balanced are discussed. These actions are enumerated and analyzed in terms of legislative and executive branch authority and responsibility shifts.
A predictive model of fiscal distress in local governments
Authors: Trussel John M. , Patrick Patricia A.
Published: December 2017

This paper investigates the financial risk factors associated with fiscal distress in local governments. We hypothesize that fiscal distress is positively correlated with revenue concentration and debt usage, while negatively correlated with administrative costs and entity resources. The regression model results in a prediction of the likelihood of fiscal distress, which correctly classifies up to 91% of the sample as fiscally distressed or not. The model also allows for an analysis of the impact of a change in a risk factor on the likelihood of fiscal distress. A decrease in intergovernmental revenues as a percent of total revenues and an increase in administrative expenditures as a percent of total expenditures have the biggest influences on reducing the likelihood of fiscal distress.
The Uncertain Future Of Accountability Reporting
Authors: McCall Sam M. , Klay William Earle
Published: December 2017

If governments do not report accomplishments relative to costs, citizens will be uninformed. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is encouraging Service Efforts and Accomplishments reporting but it is being opposed by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and others. Analysis, reported here, of performance reports submitted to the Association of Government Accountants for peer review indicates participating governments are effectively addressing most, but not all, of the concerns raised by the GFOA. Future research and innovative practice are needed to facilitate better linking of costs to performance and finding practicable ways to independently validate cost and performance claims.
Seven habits of unsustainable budget building: A state policy perspective
Authors: LaPlante Josephine M.
Published: December 2017

The magnitude and immediacy of threats to the sustainability of state government programs call for significant changes in how we think about and make policies that influence the public budget. The Great Recession's prolonged battering of state budgets exhausted cutback strategies and has left policy makers with few options, producing a decision gridlock that is inescapable using traditional functional and line-item budget perspectives and embedded practices. Transforming state budgets requires an uncommon view. This paper identifies and describes seven overarching and pervasive habits in state policy making that contribute to unsustainable budgets. Although the applicability and commonness of each habit will vary by state, both individually and as a set the seven habits impart important handles for gaining greater control over a state's fiscal directions and fortunes.
Estimating the capital gap for small businesses in New York city
Authors: Servon Lisa J. , Visser M. Anne , Fairlie Robert W.
Published: December 2017

Previous research suggests that inefficiencies in the small business market exist surrounding the availability of capital by Small and Microenterprises (SMMEs). Using data from the 1992 Characteristics of Business Owners Survey (CBO), the 2002 Survey of Business Owners (SBO), and the 2003 Survey of Small Business Finance (SSBF) this paper empirically estimates the "capital gap"- that is the unmet capital demand for business by SMMEs. We find that there is in fact a capital gap as the supply of capital available in the SMME market is not large enough to meet market demand. Given the importance of small businesses to economic vitality, growth, and recovery of the United States economy, the research provides critical and timely findings for policymakers and public finance managers seeking economic development and recovery
Budget priorities and community perceptions of service quality and importance
Authors: Nollenberger Karl , Maher Craig , Beach Paul , Kevin McGee M.
Published: December 2017

The increasingly important issues of transparency and citizen involvement have challenged public administrators in the budget process. This paper adopts a contingent valuation approach, surveying citizens in the city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on their preferred allocations of both a large city budgetary increase and a large city budget reduction. The results are then used to examine how citizen assessment of service quality and importance are related to their desired changes in net budget allocations. We believe that this is a major improvement in the contingent value approach, and can serve as a useful tool to public administrators for identifying the public’s budget priorities.
The sheriff of nottingham𡀙s favorite tax: How local option sales taxes exacerbate budgetary inequalities between local governments
Authors: McHugh Patrick J. , Jason Jolley G.
Published: December 2017

This paper tests the theory that local option sales taxes (LOST) work to the disadvantage of poorer localities, particularly rural areas, where many residents commute to shop and work. We also hypothesize that LOST systems hurt struggling communities more than they help prospering ones. The LOST system is examined using multiple years of data from North Carolina, a state whose tax structure favors such an analysis. The results indicate that LOST systems exacerbate inequality between local communities by actively moving revenue from poorer communities to more wealthy ones. We find evidence that LOST systems cost poorer counties a greater percentage of their total budgets than is gained by the wealthy counties that attract retail activity.
Developments and challenges in public sector accounting
Authors: García Félix Madrid
Published: December 2017

What could be dubbed traditional public sector accounting was adequate for the public sector as it existed up to the late 1980s. When it became evident that this type of accounting no longer sufficed, attention turned to seeking a role model in business accounting that differed significantly from public sector accounting. Despite the move of public sector accounting towards business accounting practices, some issues still remain unresolved. The accounting treatment of fixed assets is the question which has perhaps generated the most literature. Today much ground has been covered; however, to be modern and effective, public sector accounting has still to grapple with three important challenges: standardisation and accounting convergence; consolidation of financial statements; and management indicators and additional information for disclosure.
The role Of citizen advisory boards during times Of fiscal stress
Authors: Franklin Aimee L. , Rickard Victoria A.
Published: December 2017

When added together, there are currently 1000 federal advisory committees with over 60,000 participants. In one U.S. city of more than one million people there are over 700 citizens serving on advisory boards. Yet, this form of citizen participation receives scant attention in the public administration literature (Lavertu & Weimer, 2010). We use the foil of the 2008 recession to reduce the gap in our knowledge. Advisory boards offer the potential for giving citizens power since they provide direct input into decision-making. Results from interviews of 25 citizen advisory board members suggest this does occur. However, the way in which the board leverages its power is novel. The experiences of citizen advisory board members can inform attempts to increase the legitimacy of participation, especially during fiscal stress.
Entrepreneurship education and training as facilitators of regional development
Authors: Galvão Anderson , Ferreira Joao J. , Marques Carla
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide insights of a systematic literature review (SLR) of the entrepreneurship education and training as facilitators of regional development. Current and future trends in the field are identified.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper offers an SLR on the entrepreneurship education and training and advances through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis comprising the period 1973-2016. To collect data, only articles published in scientific journals were used in the SCOPUS database.

Findings

The results highlight that both training and entrepreneurship education can be a strong strategic tool for regional development, and that it is important for entities such as academia, government and business to cooperate towards the same goal in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial intention of society. Findings reveal three clusters as trends of literature: entrepreneurial universities, entrepreneurial spirit and process of business creation.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to fill the gap in terms of SLR on the importance of entrepreneurship education and training for regional development conducted by a bibliometric analysis.
Positive emotion in workplace impact
Authors: Wall Tony , Russell Jayne , Moore Neil
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role of positive emotions in generating workplace impacts and examine it through the application of an adapted appreciative inquiry process in the context of a work-based project aimed at promoting integrated working under challenging organisational circumstances.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a case study methodology which highlights how an organisation facing difficult circumstances (such as austerity measures, siloed cultures, constant threats of reorganisation, and requirement to work across occupational boundaries) adapted an appreciative inquiry intervention/method.

Findings

This paper found, first, that the utilisation of appreciative inquiry in the context of an adapted work-based project in difficult organisational circumstances generated positive emotions manifest through a compelling vision and action plans, second, that the impacts (such as a vision) can become entangled and therefore part of the wider ecological context which promotes pathways to such impact, but that, third, there are a various cultural and climate features which may limit the implementation of actions or the continuation of psychological states beyond the time-bound nature of the work-based project.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates how an organisation adapted a form of appreciative inquiry to facilitate organisational change and generated outcomes which were meaningful to the various occupational groupings involved.

Originality/value

This paper offers new evidence and insight into the adaptation of appreciative inquiry under challenging circumstances in the context of a work-based learning project. It also provides a richer picture of how positive emotion can manifest in ways which are meaningful to a localised context.
Re/searching for “impact”
Authors: Poole Simon Ellis
Published: December 2017

Purpose

As an exploration of how “impact” might be reconsidered, the purpose of this paper is to suggest that current contemporary understandings of “impact” fail practice and research by obscuring the space for reflexive criticality that is crucial for an individual or organisation to flourish. That it thus leads to an already predefined enculturated understanding of “impact”.

Design/methodology/approach

Offering some interrogation and folkloristic analogy of the meaning of “impact”, three brief expositions of differing arts-based práxes concerned mainly with reflection and connection, are then discussed through the lens of Ricœur’set al.(1978) conflation of the hermeneutical process with phenomenology.

Findings

It is suggested that the implications of restoring, refreshing, or representing “impact” give license to a personal/professional revitalisation, and that reformulating an understanding of “impact” through re/search might offer a potential pedagogic tool, and alternative organising feature.

Originality/value

Through the introduction of inter-disciplinary thinking and práxes, the paper offers novel autoethnographic arts-based methods for personal, professional and organisational development and growth.
Investment considerations and impressions of integrated reporting
Authors: Hsiao Pei-Chi Kelly , Kelly Martin
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Integrated reporting (IR) aims to improve the quality of information available to capital providers. While IR is associated with decreases in investor uncertainty and increases in firm value, it is unclear how IR information directly influences investment decisions. This paper aims to investigate the investment considerations of Taiwanese investors and their initial impressions of the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRC Framework). In doing so, this study examines the relationships between investment considerations and the IIRC Framework’s concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 16 investors in Taiwan. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected.

Findings

In addition to economic and financial outlook, competitive advantages and ownership structure, Taiwanese investors emphasise management credibility as an important factor that influences investment decisions. Investors are reliant on private information sources and quantitative data. Sustainability disclosures and sustainability performance beyond legal requirements are often not considered. Taiwanese investors lack awareness of the IIRC Framework and are sceptical about the premise that integrated reports can provide information material to investment appraisal. The assertion that integrated reports reduce information asymmetry and influence investment decisions has to be treated with caution.

Research limitations/implications

Self-selection bias and a potential lack of transferability in the findings are issues inherent in the research method and sample used.

Practical implications

IR information needs to be frequently updated rather than disclosed in a periodic report. Furthermore, integrated reports need to demonstrate a direct link between non-financial performance and financial value creation.

Social implications

Mandating the supply of integrated reports is unlikely to influence investors’ capital allocation decisions unless investor demand is a driver of the regulation.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few to investigate IR from the investor’s perspective. Observations from this preliminary study warrant further investigations into the relevance of IR to investment communities globally.
Traditional and molecular chromosomal abnormality analysis of products of conception in spontaneous and recurrent miscarriage
Authors: Zhang T , Sun Y , Chen Z , Li T
Published: December 2017

Chromosome abnormalities account for half of the recorded miscarriages. Data from cytogenetic analysis of the products of conception (POC) in miscarriages are reviewed in the paper. Genetic analysis of POC allows patients to be given prognostic information. Molecular genetic techniques can overcome the pitfalls of conventional karyotyping, such as culture failure and trace submicroscopic abnormalities. We compare the pros and cons when these technologies are applied to the analysis of POC after miscarriage. Guidance is also provided for future clinical applications. The objective of the review is to help clinicians understand the limitations and to optimise the usefulness of genetic analysis of POC.

Tweetable abstract

Genetics and POC of miscarriage.
Invasive cordgrass (Spartina spp.) in south‐eastern Australia induces island formation, salt marsh development, and carbon storage
Authors: Kennedy David M. , Konlechner Teresa , Zavadil Elisa , Mariani Michela , Wong Vanessa , Ierodiaconou Daniel , Macreadie Peter
Published: December 2017

Invasive vegetation species can lead to major changes in the geomorphology of coastal systems. Within temperate estuaries in the southern hemisphere, especially Australia and New Zealand, the cordgrass Spartina spp. has become established. These species are highly invasive, and their prolific growth leads to the development of supratidal environments in formerly intertidal and subtidal environments. Here, we quantified the impact of Spartina invasion on the geomorphology and sequestration capacity of carbon in the sediments of Anderson Inlet, Victoria, Australia. Spartina was first introduced to the area in the 1930s to aid in land reclamation and control coastal erosion associated with coastal development. We found that Spartina now dominates the intertidal areas of the Inlet and promotes accretion (18 mm/year) causing the formation of over 108 ha of supratidal islands over the past 100 years. These newly formed islands are calculated to potentially contain over 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent carbon. Future management of the inlet and other Spartina‐dominated environments within Australian presents a dilemma for resource managers; on the one hand, Spartina is highly invasive and can outcompete native tidal marshes, thereby warranting its eradication, but on the other hand it is likely more resilient to rising sea levels and has the potential for carbon sequestration. Whether or not the potential advantages outweigh the significant habitat change that is anticipated, any management strategies will likely require additional research into costs and benefits of all ecosystem services provided by Spartina including in relation to nutrient cycling, shoreline stabilisation, and biodiversity as well as in response to the longevity of carbon found within the sediments.
Partial Two‐Way Mirror: International Organization Budget Transparency
Authors: Moloney Kim , Stoycheva Rayna
Published: December 2017

This paper evaluates the budget transparency of international organizations. Building on IMF, OECD, IPSAS, and Open Budget Survey standards for sovereign‐state budget transparency, we create a 93‐item budget transparency measure reflective of international organization characteristics. International organizations are important global dispensers of accumulated knowledge. This includes the purveying of advice on member state budget transparency. Despite this role, we find only partial budget transparency among our surveyed international organizations. Nonetheless, the international organization financial management and accountability practices were more transparent than their budget process or budget disclosures.
Surgery or in vitro fertilization: The simplicity of this question belies its complexity
Authors: Yazdani Anusch
Published: December 2017

Unlike surgery, assisted reproduction, particularly in vitro fertilisation (IVF), requires a low skill base, is largely practitioner independent, is highly effective, quality controlled, reproducible and consistent in the management of endometriosis‐associated infertility. Ultimately, however, the decision to proceed to IVF or surgery is dependent on the woman, her reproductive expectations, her specific disease pattern, her support and family network and the resources available in a given health care setting.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sublingual sufentanil for postoperative pain management
Authors: van de Donk T. , Ward S. , Langford R. , Dahan A.
Published: December 2017

Achieving successful treatment of postoperative pain remains a challenge. Recently, a sufentanil sublingual tablet system has been developed for treatment of moderate‐to‐severe postoperative pain. The phenylpiperidine sufentanil is a potent analgesic that rapidly crosses the blood–brain barrier and selectively activates central μ‐opioid receptors. The system makes use of a hand‐held dispenser system, which contains forty 15‐μg sufentanil sublingual micro‐tablets. The patient can release one tablet at 20‐min intervals using a unique radiofrequency adhesive tag, which is wrapped around the patient's thumb. In this review, the authors discuss the pharmacology of sublingual sufentanil with reference to its suitability in the treatment of postoperative pain, the current evidence for the sublingual sufentanil system in postoperative pain treatment, and advantages and limitations of the sublingual system. We conclude that sufentanil is suited for the transmucosal route due to its pharmacokinetic profile, including rapid onset, absence of active metabolites and low tissue accumulation. The efficacy and safety of the sufentanil sublingual tablet system has been shown in over 600 patients in a limited set of studies; further independent studies are required to determine the position of the system among other forms of postoperative pain treatment. We conclude that the sublingual sufentanil tablet system allows effective pain relief, and allows patients to control their own pain relief and early postoperative mobility.
Improving the detection of unusual observations in high‐dimensional settings
Authors: Ullah Insha , Pawley Matthew D.M. , Smith Adam N.H. , Jones Beatrix
Published: December 2017

Multivariate control charts are used to monitor stochastic processes for changes and unusual observations. Hotelling's T2 statistic is calculated for each new observation and an out‐of‐control signal is issued if it goes beyond the control limits. However, this classical approach becomes unreliable as the number of variables p approaches the number of observations n, and impossible when p exceeds n. In this paper, we devise an improvement to the monitoring procedure in high‐dimensional settings. We regularise the covariance matrix to estimate the baseline parameter and incorporate a leave‐one‐out re‐sampling approach to estimate the empirical distribution of future observations. An extensive simulation study demonstrates that the new method outperforms the classical Hotelling T2 approach in power, and maintains appropriate false positive rates. We demonstrate the utility of the method using a set of quality control samples collected to monitor a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry apparatus over a period of 67 days.
Treat‐and‐extend versus every‐other‐month regimens with aflibercept in age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Haga Akira , Kawaji Takahiro , Ideta Ryuichi , Inomata Yasuya , Tanihara Hidenobu
Published: December 2017

Purpose

To compare the 1‐year outcomes of treat‐and‐extend (TAE) and every‐other‐month (2M) regimens with intravitreal aflibercept in Japanese wet age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) patients.

Methods

Prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of eyes in which the best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was maintained at week 52 [with a loss of <0.3 logarithm of minimum angular of resolution (logMAR) units]. The secondary outcome measures were the mean change from baseline in the central retinal thickness (CRT) and the number of injections.

Results

Forty‐one patients were enrolled. The mean changes in the BCVA from baseline in the TAE and 2M were −0.32 ± 0.27 and −0.26 ± 0.30 logMAR units (p = 0.46). The TAE group was noninferior to the 2M group in BCVA maintenance. The mean CRT changes from baseline in the TAE and 2M were −161 ± 133 and −157 ± 90 μm (p = 0.73). The mean number of injections in the TAE and 2M were 7.5 ± 1.2 (range, 7–12) and 8.0 ± 0.0 (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Treat‐and‐extend (TAE) regimen with aflibercept improved the BCVA and CRT to the same extent as 2M regimen, with a reduced number of injections.
Anterior surface breakdown and implant extrusion following secondary alloplastic orbital implantation surgery
Authors: Axmann Shadi , Paridaens Dion
Published: December 2017

Background

Secondary orbital implantation surgery can be complex due to scarring of the orbital tissues and can be complicated by implant exposure and extrusion.

Purpose

To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of implant exposure and extrusion following secondary alloplastic orbital implantation surgery in anophthalmic patients.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients who underwent secondary placement of an alloplastic orbital implant by one surgeon between 2001 and 2016 in the Rotterdam Eye Hospital. Outcome parameters: implant exposure or extrusion. Other complications.

Results

Sixty‐three patients underwent secondary orbital placement of scleral‐wrapped acrylic (60) or silicone (three) spherical implants. A subset of 25 patients had undergone earlier secondary orbital implant placement (by other surgeons) with exposure/extrusion necessitating additional implant surgery. Two patients were excluded due to lack of follow‐up (<3 months). Mean age was 49 years (range: 1–84.5 years). The mean follow‐up was 4.1 years (range: 0.25–13, 6 years). Implant exposure or extrusion occurred in six of 18 (33%) patients in whom no muscle had been reattached during secondary orbital implantation and in five of 43 (12%) patients in whom the extraocular recti muscles had been attached, but the follow‐up time was shorter for the latter group. Surgical treatment for implant exposure/extrusion was required in eleven of 61 patients (18%). Other complications included postoperative volume deficiency despite optimal prosthesis (five of 61, 8%), inclusion cysts (four of 61, 7%) and conjunctivitis sicca (two of 61, 3%). Seven of 61 (11%) patients required fornix deepening and seven (11%) blepharoptosis correction.

Conclusion

Secondary orbital implantation of sclera‐wrapped alloplastic implants was complicated by implant extrusion or exposure in 12% of cases in which the extraocular muscles were attached to the implant.
Paediatric breath‐holding spells are associated with autonomic dysfunction and iron deficiency may play a role
Authors: Tomoum H , Habeeb N , Elagouza I , Mobarez H
Published: December 2017

Aim

This study assessed cardiac performance and iron in subjects aged 12–36 months with breath‐holding spells (BHSs).

Methods

We consecutively recruited 40 subjects (55% male) experiencing BHSs from the general paediatric outpatients department at the Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University, Egypt, from 2015 to 2016. The 20 matched comparisons were mainly healthy siblings. The workup included iron levels and electrocardiograms.

Results

The age at the onset of BHSs was 5–24 months with a median monthly frequency of 13. Almost two‐thirds of the patients had cyanotic spells, and one‐third had pallid spells, lasting 25–90 seconds. Lower serum iron levels and higher QT dispersion and T‐wave dispersion were recorded in patients than the comparison group, and 4.8% had dysrhythmia and bradycardia. We observed higher durations of bradycardia during attacks and higher occurrences of dysrhythmia during cyanotic spells, which were more frequent in patients with prolonged or frequent BHSs.

Conclusion

Our study of patients aged 12–13 months supported the theory of autonomic dysfunction in BHSs. The ECG findings, especially in patients with prolonged or frequent spells, need to be studied further to evaluate the risk of life‐threatening events. Iron deficiency may play a role in autonomic dysfunction in patients with BHSs.
Learning to Individuate: The Specificity of Labels Differentially Impacts Infant Visual Attention
Authors: Pickron Charisse B. , Iyer Arjun , Fava Eswen , Scott Lisa S.
Published: December 2017

This study examined differences in visual attention as a function of label learning from 6 to 9 months of age. Before and after 3 months of parent‐directed storybook training with computer‐generated novel objects, event‐related potentials and visual fixations were recorded while infants viewed trained and untrained images (n = 23). Relative to a pretraining, a no‐training control group (n = 11), and to infants trained with category‐level labels (e.g., all labeled “Hitchel”), infants trained with individual‐level labels (e.g., “Boris,” “Jamar”) displayed increased visual attention and neural differentiation of objects after training.