bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond information policy
Authors: Börjesson Lisa
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore and explicate documentation ideals parallel to information policy, and by means of this analysis demonstrate how the concept “documentation ideals” is an analytical tool for engaging with political and institutional contexts of information practices.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a case study of documentation ideals in a debate about quality in archaeological documentation. The methodology draws on idea analysis, and on the science and technology studies’ controversy studies approach.

Findings

– The paper explicates three documentation ideals, how these ideals allocate responsibility for documentation to different actors, how the ideals assign roles to practitioners, and how the ideals point to different beneficiaries of the documentation. Furthermore, the analysis highlights ideas about two different means to reach the documentation ideals.

Research limitations/implications

– The case’s debate reflects opinions of Northern European professionals.

Social implications

– The paper illuminates how documentation ideals tweak and even contest formal information policy in claims on the documentation and on the practitioners doing documentation.

Originality/value

– Documentation ideal analysis is crucial as a complement to formal information policy analysis and to analysis guided by practice theory in attempts to understand the contexts of information practices and documentation, insights central for developing information literacies.
Cross-cultural comparison of Spanish and British “service-with-a-smile” outcomes
Authors: Quinones Cristina , Rodriguez-Carvajal Raquel , Clarke Nicholas , Griffiths Mark D
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– Employees working in the leisure service industry are required to show positive emotions when dealing with customers. However, empirical evidence confirms that faking emotions can lead to burnout. In contrast, employees that try to experience the emotions required by the role (i.e. deep acting (DA)) can lead to healthier outcomes. However, little is known about the process that underpins the link between DA and positive outcomes. Building on Côte’s social interaction model of emotion regulation and evidence linking customer satisfaction and DA, it was hypothesized that DA would be associated with employees’ self-actualization through customer interactions. This, in turn, was expected to explain the influence that DA has on relevant job attitudes (i.e. commitment, efficacy, turnover intentions). The model was tested in two countries with different emotional culture: Spain (i.e. impulsive) and the UK (i.e. institutional). Although UK was expected to report higher levels of effortful DA, the hypothesized process was expected to be the same. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-national design with theme park employees from Spain (n=208) and UK (n=204) was used. Hypotheses were tested with multigroup confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

– The relationship between job commitment and DA was mediated by self-actualization, and commitment partially explained the association between DA and professional efficacy in both countries. The impulsive-oriented country showed lower levels of DA and more positive job attitudes.

Originality/value

– It is concluded that training employees to re-interpret costumer demands in less harming ways is required. The need to attend to cultural values is also discussed.
Organizational and career-oriented commitment and employee development behaviors
Authors: Ok Afife Basak , Vandenberghe Christian
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contrast the foundations of (affective) organizational and career-oriented commitment. Using social exchange theory as a background, organizational commitment is proposed as a mediator between perceived organizational support (POS) and competence development activities and feedback-seeking behavior. Career-oriented commitment, defined as a self-interested orientation toward one’s career, is proposed to mediate a positive relationship between proactive personality and competence development but a negative relationship between proactive personality and feedback-seeking.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 126 employees using one-year time-lagged study in which POS and proactive personality were measured at Time 1, commitment variables at Time 2, and competence development and feedback-seeking at Time 3.

Findings

– Organizational commitment mediated a positive relationship between POS and competence development but not feedback-seeking. Career-oriented commitment mediated a negative relationship between proactive personality and feedback-seeking but did not mediate the relationship to competence development. Proactive personality exerted direct and positive effects on competence development and feedback-seeking, but had a negative effect on feedback-seeking through career-oriented commitment.

Practical implications

– An implication of these findings is that organizations need to reduce the detrimental effects that the proactivity trait exerts on feedback-seeking through career-oriented commitment. One way to do this is to increase the fit between organizational career opportunities and the career expectations of employees with high career-oriented commitment.

Originality/value

– This study indicates that social exchange and self-interest motives act as distinct drivers of organizational and career-oriented commitment, respectively, and that these motives have implications for how individuals learn and socialize in the workplace.
The relationship between person-organization fit and job satisfaction
Authors: Chen Pei , Sparrow Paul , Cooper Cary
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– Drawing upon the theory of conservation of resources to argue the importance of job stress as an important variable that mediates the person-organization (P-O) fit-job satisfaction relationship, and supervisor support as an important moderating variable that moderates the relationship between P-O fit and job stress, the purpose of this paper is to test a moderated mediation model.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 225 employees in 12 catering service organizations in Beijing. An integrated mediation and moderation model was evaluated.

Findings

– The study illustrates both some new mechanisms and the boundary conditions between P-O fit and job satisfaction. Job stress mediates the relationships between P-O fit and job satisfaction; supervisor support moderates the linkage of P-O fit, job stress, and job satisfaction. The corresponding moderated mediation model was supported.

Research limitations/implications

– The question of causality cannot be determined because of the cross-sectional research design; self-report is a necessary strategy for the assessment of subjects’ appraisals. However, it requires some caution in interpreting the results.

Practical implications

– The findings offer a better understanding of the way P-O fit is able to affect job satisfaction. Actions designed to promote P-O fit may be useful in reducing employees’ stress and result in higher job satisfaction. To enhance the relationships between P-O fit and employees’ job satisfaction through supervisor support, supervisors should develop a positive form of reciprocation by helping employees to solve the real problem they are facing.

Originality/value

– No previous studies have investigated influencing factors of employees’ satisfaction from the perspective of individual and organizational interfaces.
Transforming library enquiry services: anywhere, anytime, any device
Authors: Hockey Julie Michelle
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– The purpose this paper is to outline how the University of South Australia Library transformed its enquiry services by replacing fixed service desks with a blend of virtual and on demand services.

Design/methodology/approach

– Outlines the drivers for change, implementation approach and partnerships developed in order to change practices and use technology to deliver proactive services.

Findings

– The new model enables staffing and workflow efficiencies allowing the service to be delivered sustainably. It is anticipated that it will increase the Library’s visibility and accessibility in the physical and virtual environments and position the Library as an innovator in service delivery.

Practical implications

– The project involved significant change to traditional practices and challenged long held beliefs about library services. It required library staff to be supported and trained to develop new skills and adapt to new practices.

Originality/value

– Provides strategies and lessons learnt for other libraries considering similar changes to service delivery.
Leader beliefs and CSR for employees: the case of telework provision
Authors: Mayo Margarita , Gomez-Mejia Luis , Firfiray Shainaz , Berrone Pascual , Villena Veronica H
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of top leaders beliefs in the importance of work-family balance as a key determinant in explaining the adoption of social practices oriented toward internal stakeholders, focussing on home telework as one of these practices.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of 2,388 top executive officers reported the senior leaders belief favoring work-family balance by completing a new scale developed for this purpose asking how much key decision makers were convinced of the value to employees of supportive family-friendly HR practices, modeled how to balance work and family life, and felt a personal commitment to implement family-friendly practices. They also reported the firm’s provision of telework and organizational characteristics such as industry, multinational status, and firm size.

Findings

– Regression analyses revealed that firm’s provision of telework is more pervasive when its top leaders believe in the importance of work-family balance, even after controlling for firm context (industry, geographical dispersion, and size). More importantly, the authors also find that managerial beliefs augment the positive effect of instrumental factors on the provision of home telework.

Practical implications

– For practitioners, the most important message is that, while contextual and organizational features are important in the choice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices for employees, the conviction of senior leaders is absolutely essential.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the leadership and CSR literature by suggesting that top leaders play a catalyst role in contexts where telework is instrumentally valued. If we conceive CSR for employees as not driven solely by utilitarian logic, it requires a different paradigm that includes leadership motives.
Board of directors and industry determinants of corporate philanthropy
Authors: Cha Wonsuk , Abebe Michael A.
Published: June 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to extend the current research on corporate philanthropy and organizational outcomes by empirically exploring two specific types of antecedents: board of director composition and industry membership.

Design/methodology/approach

– A theoretical framework was developed based on the resource dependence and stakeholder theories which suggest that the extent that firms build relationship with certain stakeholders is closely tied to the personal and social background of board members, in turn influencing the allocation of resources to corporate philanthropy. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis as well as analysis of variance withpost hoccomparisons was conducted using multi-year data philanthropic data from 104 US corporations.

Findings

– The results provided empirical support for a positive relationship between the number of female board directors and the level of corporate philanthropy. In addition, the results showed significant inter-industry variations in the level of corporate philanthropy. This indicated that the rather aggressive role of philanthropy in mitigating reputational challenges associated with product-market dysfunctions. Contrary to the theoretical predictions, the results did not support a positive relationship between the proportion of outside directors and level of philanthropy.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors believe the empirical finding on the relationship between industry membership and corporate philanthropy is a significant contribution to the philanthropy literature. Accordingly, by empirically showing the disproportionately higher level of philanthropy by some prominent industries (such as gas and oil, financial services and chemical) than their counterparts, the authors contribute to the understanding of sector-level determinants of corporate philanthropy.

Practical implications

– Since board of directors have a direct involvement in reviewing and approving major corporate initiatives, the choice of these directors is more likely to influence the amount of resources committed to philanthropic causes. Consistent with other studies in the larger corporate social responsibility research, the authors found that more women directors on the board are associated with greater philanthropic spending. Hence, a major implication of the study is that shareholders and the general corporate community need to pay close attention into who is elected to serve as director of business organizations as these directors’ background and experience could shape major social responsibility initiatives such as corporate philanthropy.

Originality/value

– By empirically investigating the relationship between board composition and philanthropy, this study extends the scholarly discussion to focus on the role of the board in shaping the level of firm commitment in overall CSR. In addition, this study provides empirical evidence on the role of industry context in the level of commitment in corporate philanthropic activities.
Modelling the drained/undrained transition: effect of the measuring method and the boundary conditions
Authors: Pimienta L. , Borgomano J.V.M. , Fortin J. , Guéguen Y.
Published: June 2016

The dependence of fluid‐saturated rocks' elastic properties to the measuring frequency is related to fluid‐flow phenomena at different scales. In the frequency range of Hz, for fully saturated rocks, two phenomena have been experimentally documented: (i) the drained/undrained transition (i.e., global flow), and (ii) the relaxed/unrelaxed transition (i.e., local flow). When investigating experimentally those effects or comparing different measurements in rocks, one needs to account for both the boundary conditions involved and the method of measurement used. A one‐dimensional poroelastic model is presented, which aims at calculating the expected poroelastic response during an experiment. The model is used to test different sets of boundary conditions, as well as the role of the measuring setup, i.e., local (strain gauges) or global (linear variable differential transformer) strain measurement. Four properties are predicted and compared with the measurements, i.e., bulk modulus, bulk attenuation, pseudo‐Skempton coefficient, and pore pressure phase shift. For the drained/undrained transition, because fluid pressure may not be homogeneous in the sample, local and global measurements are predicted to differ. Furthermore, the existence of a dead volume at both sample's ends is shown to be important. Due to the existence of the dead volume, an interplay between sample's and dead volumes' storage capacity determines both the magnitudes and the frequency dependence of the dispersion/attenuation measurements. The predicted behaviours are shown to be consistent with the measurements recently reported on very compressible and porous sandstone samples.
An efficient and self‐adaptive approach for Q value optimization
Authors: Zhang Gulan , Wang Ximing , He Zhenhua
Published: June 2016

The time‐invariant gain‐limit‐constrained inverse Q‐filter can control the numerical instability of the inverse Q‐filter, but it often suppresses the high frequencies at later times and reduces the seismic resolution. To improve the seismic resolution and obtain high‐quality seismic data, we propose a self‐adaptive approach to optimize the Q value for the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation. The optimized Q value is self‐adaptive to the cutoff frequency of the effective frequency band for the seismic data, the gain limit of the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation, the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation function, and the medium quality factor. In the processing of the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation, the optimized Q value, corresponding gain limit, and amplitude compensation function are used simultaneously; then, the energy in the effective frequency band for the seismic data can be recovered, and the seismic resolution can be enhanced at all times. Furthermore, the small gain limit or time‐variant bandpass filter after the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation is considered to control the signal‐to‐noise ratio, and the time‐variant bandpass filter is based on the cutoff frequency of the effective frequency band for the seismic data. Synthetic and real data examples demonstrate that the self‐adaptive approach for Q value optimization is efficient, and the inverse Q‐filter amplitude compensation with the optimized Q value produces high‐resolution and low‐noise seismic data.
A Complexity Framework for Studying Disaster Response Management
Authors: Bergström Johan , Uhr Christian , Frykmer Tove
Published: June 2016

Guided by complexity theory, in this article, we argue that a complex understanding of disaster response management can be achieved by making multiple, transparent and modest interpretations. We suggest an analytical framework in which multiple system interpretations are constructed, all based on explicit analytical choices according to three aspects: (1) system dimension, (2) system scope and (3) system resolution. We apply the framework to a major Swedish forest fire and conclude that direction and coordination as system properties, emerging at a macro level, are the result of interplay between various patterns of influences. These patterns, we argue, can be constructed and analysed through a complexity framework allowing for the construction, and contrasting, of multiple system interpretations.
Facebook and Twitter in Crisis Communication: A Comparative Study of Crisis Communication Professionals and Citizens
Authors: Eriksson Mats , Olsson Eva‐Karin
Published: June 2016

This mixed‐methods study presents a comparative analysis of the use and perceived usefulness of Facebook and Twitter, among Swedish citizens and crisis communication professionals, as crisis communication tools and information sources. The use and perceived usefulness of Facebook and Twitter are not congruent and consistent between the two different groups, according to the overall study. Communication professionals, for example, report higher levels of perceived usefulness regarding Facebook's potential as a crisis communication tool than do the citizens. Taken together, the results show that researchers (within social media and crisis communication) and crisis managers both need to deal with the fact that social media is not a homogenous phenomenon with a single coherent role in crisis management and communication research and practice.
Disability and Vulnerability: Interpretations of Risk in Everyday Life
Authors: Sparf Jörgen
Published: June 2016

Definitions and assessments of social vulnerability are commonly based on systemic relations and processes on a macrolevel. There is a danger of ascribing vulnerability to someone, regardless of their individual circumstances; thus, microlevel information regarding everyday life is also needed. Experiences of risk and attitudes towards vulnerability were explored in five group interviews. Related to instrumental aids, bodily endurance and external causes, vulnerability was found to be a ubiquitous primer in everyday decision‐making. The disabled individual's interpretative framework for risk and vulnerability is shaped by objectifying his/her own body, and by being accustomed to everything taking a long time. The interpretative framework helps in decision‐making and in managing any ‘contextual inertia’ involved in stressful situations.
Flood Response Using Complementary Early Warning Information
Authors: Persson Erik Stig
Published: June 2016

The objective of this comparative case study was to investigate and compare how Swedish municipalities gather and use warning information from official and unofficial sources at the municipal level, as well as the circumstances under which that process has a chance to succeed. The overall conclusions of the study are that official and unofficial warnings have the potential to play complementary roles for municipalities making decisions about flood response, giving the municipalities a wider perspective and better opportunity to assess risk and to act appropriately. The required resources for using official warnings and getting access to unofficial warning sources are not evenly distributed among municipalities, and a lack of systematization of access to warning information hinders the flood response potential.
Relationships between nutrient patterns and geodemographic characteristics in Korea
Authors: Kang Kiyeon , Sohn So Young
Published: June 2016

Aim

It is important to identify differences in nutrient patterns by region so that local governments can be better equipped to design effective public health plans in their administrative areas. The aim of this study was to identify the nutrient patterns of Korean adults living in various regions with different dietary cultures. We explored if there are regional associations with nutritional patterns along with other socio‐demographic characteristics.

Methods

We utilised data for 17 415 adults who participated in the 2010–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V). First, we reduced 18 nutrient intake variables to nutrient patterns via exploratory factor analysis. Next, we used multiple linear regression analysis to identify the associations between nutrient patterns and geodemographic characteristics.

Results

Five nutrient patterns were identified: ‘Meat‐Related Nutrients', ‘Minerals', ‘Fibre/Vitamin C', ‘Vitamin A' and ‘Retinol'. Nutrient patterns in the Honam and Jeju region were significantly different from those in the Capital region. Age, gender, household income, education level and number of family members were significantly associated with the identified nutrient patterns.

Conclusions

We confirmed that there are differences in nutrient patterns by region. Our results suggest that the Honam and Jeju region should implement different regional public health plans from those in the Capital region.
Continuous infusion of high‐dose ulinastatin during surgery does not improve early postoperative clinical outcomes in patients undergoing radical lung cancer surgery: A pilot study
Authors: Zhou Leng , Lan Haidan , Zhou Qinghua , Tang Xiao Jun , Zhu Daxing , Yue Jianming , Liu Bin
Published: June 2016

Background

Ulinastatin can prevent the perioperative increase in proinflammatory cytokines for lung resection surgery; however, its impact on early clinical outcomes remains unknown.

Methods

The study enrolled 108 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who were randomly allocated into two groups: ulinastatin (group U) and control (group C). Patients in group U (
n
= 52) were continuously intravenously infused with ulinastatin at a rate of 20 000 U/kg/hour for the first hour after anesthesia induction, and then at a rate of 5000 U/kg/hour until the conclusion of surgery. Patients in group C (
n
= 56) received an equivalent volume of normal saline. The primary outcome was to record the postoperative pulmonary complications that occurred during hospital stay. Other clinical courses, such as hospital mortality, blood loss, respiratory parameters, postoperative chest drainage, and duration of intensive care unit and postoperative hospital stay, were also observed and analyzed.

Results

There were no significant differences between the two groups in early postoperative pulmonary complications, hospital mortality, blood loss, or other perioperative laboratory values, except for the duration of postoperative chest drainage and serum creatinine level. The frequency of pulmonary complications was lower in patients treated with ulinastatin compared with the control (38.46% in group U vs. 48.21% in group C).

Conclusion

Administration of high‐dose ulinastatin during surgery did not reduce postoperative pulmonary complications, hospital mortality, or hospital stay for patients undergoing lung radical thoracotomy. However, a protective trend of ulinastatin was observed.
Perturbation analysis of transient population dynamics using matrix projection models
Authors: Stott Iain
Published: June 2016

Non‐stable populations exhibit short‐term transient dynamics: size, growth and structure that are unlike predicted long‐term asymptotic stable, stationary or equilibrium dynamics. Understanding transient dynamics of non‐stable populations is important for designing effective population management strategies, predicting the responses of populations to environmental change or disturbance, and understanding population processes and life‐history evolution in variable environments.

Transient perturbation analyses are vital tools for achieving these aims. They assess how transient dynamics are affected by changes to vital rates, population structure, or underlying variables that affect these. These changes could be imposed deliberately by population managers, or driven by environmental variables. Methodological approaches to transient perturbation analysis are diverse, and different methods are suited to different applications: choosing a method to use may be challenging.

Here, I review existing methods for prospective transient perturbation analysis, and identify a number of key considerations for ecologists when choosing a method. These include the approach taken in calculating the perturbation, the type of model being analysed, the perturbation structure, the population response of interest, nonlinear response to perturbation, standardization for asymptotic dynamics, the initial population structure, and the time frame of interest. I discuss these with reference to the application of transient perturbation analyses in both population management and comparative analysis.

The diversity of transient perturbation analyses available means that existing approaches are applicable to a wide range of population management and comparative analysis scenarios. It is important, however, for ecologists using these methods to know exactly what is being measured. Despite a wealth of existing methods, I identify some areas that would benefit from further development.
The Contribution of Wheat to Australian Agriculture from 1861 to 1939
Authors: Banerjee Rajabrata , Shanahan Martin
Published: June 2016

The influence of agriculture on Australia's nineteenth and twentieth century economic development is well known. While wool's contribution is rightly celebrated, the contribution of agricultural crops has received less attention. This paper focuses on one major staple, wheat, from 1861 to 1939. Both patent data and a new measure of technological progress, the cumulative number of wheat varieties tested for local adoption, are used to quantify the contribution of agricultural innovation to growth. We find innovation in this sector made an important contribution to the growth of total factor productivity over the period.
Pregnancy is a model for tumors, not transplantation
Authors: Beaman Kenneth D. , Jaiswal Mukesh K. , Katara Gajendra K. , Kulshreshta Arpita , Pamarthy Sahithi , Ibrahim Safaa , Kwak‐Kim Joanne , Gilman‐Sachs Alice
Published: June 2016

Nearly 65 years have passed since Peter Medawar posed the following question: “How does the pregnant mother contrive to nourish within itself, for many weeks or months, a fetus that is an antigenically foreign body.” Now, understanding of reproductive immunology has demonstrated that the HLA antigens in the placenta are non‐classical and do not induce rejection. In the placenta and in tumors, 50% or more of the cells are cells of the immune system and were once thought to be primed and ready for killing tumors or the “fetal transplant” but these cells are not potential killers but abet the growth of either the tumor or the placenta. We believe that these cells are there to create an environment, which enhances either placental or tumor growth. By examining the similarities of the placenta's and tumor's immune cells, novel mechanisms to cause tumors to be eliminated can be devised.
Introduction of peanuts in younger siblings of children with peanut allergy: a prospective, double‐blinded assessment of risk, of diagnostic tests, and an analysis of patient preferences
Authors: Bégin P. , Graham F. , Killer K. , Paradis J. , Paradis L. , Des Roches A.
Published: June 2016

Background

The prevalence of peanut allergy in younger siblings of children with peanut allergy has been reported between 7% and 8.5%, but the anaphylactic risk at the time of introduction is currently unknown, which limits our ability to best counsel parents on this issue.

Objective

To determine the risk of anaphylaxis and working parameters of allergy testing in this context.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐four peanut‐naïve younger siblings of peanut‐allergic children underwent double‐blinded skin testing, followed by parent‐led peanut introduction. Questionnaires were dispensed to parents to investigate preferences with regard to peanut introduction in this subgroup.

Results

Eight participants (5.2%) presented unequivocal IgE‐mediated reactions to peanut upon introduction, including five anaphylaxes. These participants were significantly older compared to the rest of the cohort (median 4.0 vs 1.9 years, P = 0.04). The negative predictive value of skin prick test with peanut extract and peanut butter and of specific IgE was 99%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Six peanut‐tolerant participants had positive peanut allergy tests. The option of introducing at home without prior skin testing was associated with high levels of anxiety (median 8.4 on 10‐point Likert scale) when compared to supervised introduction (median 3.8, P < 0.0001) or home introduction after negative skin test (median 4.3, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

There is an increased risk of anaphylaxis upon peanut introduction in siblings of children with peanut allergy, and parents are reluctant to introduce at home without testing. Allergy testing prior to introduction is negative in over 90% of cases and carries a high negative predictive value.
Disposable Labor, Repurposed: Outsourcing Deportees in the Call Center Industry
Authors: Rodkey Evin
Published: June 2016

In this article, I draw on ethnographic research with deportees in the Dominican Republic who work in call centers that serve U.S. businesses, exploring the relationship between deportation from the United States and U.S. labor practices abroad. I argue that the globalized call center industry harnesses the labor of long‐term U.S. residents expelled from the country—people deemed unfit to live within the borders of the United States, but whose labor is desired by U.S. companies abroad—to cultivate a flexible and culturally suitable labor pool. I also show how deportees, who are stigmatized and considered unemployable in most industries, rely on the call centers for both employment and cultural connections to their long‐term home—the United States. This research contributes to anthropological understandings of criminalization and the role of displaced labor in the globalized economy. Specifically, I offer an alternative to the popular idea of “disposability” of the marginalized and argue that, under the circumstances of deportation, the labor of many deportees is more accurately characterized as “repurposed.”
Short‐ and long‐term outcomes of AL amyloidosis patients admitted into intensive care units
Authors: Guinault Damien , Canet Emmanuel , Huart Antoine , Jaccard Arnaud , Ribes David , Lavayssiere Laurence , Venot Marion , Cointault Olivier , Roussel Murielle , Nogier Marie‐Béatrice , Pichereau Claire , Lemiale Virginie , Arnulf Bertrand , Attal Michel , Chauveau Dominique , Azoulay Elie , Faguer Stanislas
Published: June 2016

Amyloidosis is a rare and threatening condition that may require intensive care because of amyloid deposit‐related organ dysfunction or therapy‐related adverse events. Although new multiple myeloma drugs have dramatically improved outcomes in AL amyloidosis, the outcomes of AL patients admitted into intensive care units (ICUs) remain largely unknown. Admission has been often restricted to patients with low Mayo Clinic staging and/or with a complete or very good immunological response at admission. In a retrospective multicentre cohort of 66 adult AL (n = 52) or AA (n = 14) amyloidosis patients, with similar causes of admission to an ICU, the 28‐d and 6‐month survival rates of AA patients were significantly higher compared to AL patients (93% vs. 60%, P = 0·03; 71% vs. 45%, P = 0·02, respectively). In AL patients, the simplified Index of Gravity Score (IGS2) was the only independent predictive factor for death by day 28, whereas the Mayo‐Clinic classification stage had no influence. In Cox's multivariate regression model, only cardiac arrest and on‐going chemotherapy at ICU admission significantly predicted death at 6 months. Short‐term outcomes of AL patients admitted into an ICU were mainly related to the severity of the acute medical condition, whereas on‐going chemotherapy for active amyloidosis impacted on long‐term outcomes.
Disease characteristics and outcomes in younger adults with primary and secondary myelofibrosis
Authors: Beauverd Yan , Alimam Samah , McLornan Donal P. , Radia Deepti H. , Harrison Claire N.
Published: June 2016

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare haematopoietic disorder, commonly diagnosed in the 6th decade: less than 20% are diagnosed before the age of 50 years. In this retrospective study we included all patients given a diagnosis of World Health Organization‐defined primary or secondary MF when aged ≤50 years. Forty‐three patients with a median age of 43 years were included. Median follow up was 44 months. Twenty‐two (51%) harboured the JAK2 V617F mutation, 18/43 (42%) CALR, 0/43 (0%) MPL mutations and 3/43 (7%) were ‘Triple Negative’ (TN). At the time of diagnosis, no significant differences existed in haematological and clinical phenotypes between JAK2, CALR and TN patients. The frequency of splenomegaly was greater (P = 0·047) in the JAK2‐mutated group compared to CALR‐mutated patients. In the whole cohort, the 5‐year probability of developing anaemia, thrombocytopenia and marked leucocytosis was 24%, 10% and 13% respectively. Finally, the cumulative incidence of thrombotic events and progression to acute myeloid leukaemia was 1% and 0·5% patient‐year respectively. No death was reported during the follow‐up. These findings suggest that MF in younger patients may have a more indolent course when compared to older patients.
Multiple myeloma: practice patterns across Europe
Authors: Raab Marc S. , Cavo Michele , Delforge Michel , Driessen Christoph , Fink Leah , Flinois Alain , Gonzalez‐McQuire Sebastian , Safaei Reza , Karlin Lionel , Mateos Maria‐Victoria , Schoen Paul , Yong Kwee
Published: June 2016

Real‐world data describing management of patients with multiple myeloma are limited. A European (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UK) observational chart review was conducted to address this. Physicians completed questionnaires for every patient seen during a 2–4‐week observation period, regardless of treatment status. A total of 435 physicians completed 7635 cross‐sectional chart reviews. Overall, 47% of patients were undergoing anti‐tumour drug treatment, 42% had previously received ≥1 line of treatment and 12% had never received anti‐tumour drug treatment. Of the patients treated by oncologists, onco‐haematologists or internists, 95% received, or were expected to receive, at least one line of anti‐tumour drug treatment, 61% received ≥2 lines of therapy and 38% received ≥3 lines. Except in the UK, the most commonly used induction therapies contained bortezomib (48%); lenalidomide was the most commonly used first‐line maintenance therapy (45%) and second‐ and third‐line agent overall (60% and 52% of patients at those lines, respectively). Bortezomib retreatment was used in 47% of patients who received it first line. Treatment patterns became more diverse with subsequent treatment lines. This study provides insight into real‐world treatment patterns in Europe. While treatment practices are broadly similar across countries, some notable differences in the agents used exist.
Health‐related impairments in young children with ADHD: a community‐based study
Authors: Sciberras E. , Bisset M. , Hazell P. , Nicholson J. M. , Anderson V. , Lycett K. , Jongeling B. , Efron D.
Published: June 2016

Background

We aimed to examine health‐related impairments in young children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and non‐ADHD controls and explore differences in children with ADHD by gender, ADHD subtype and mental health co‐morbidity status.

Methods

Children with ADHD (n = 177) and controls (n = 212) aged 6–8 years were recruited across 43 schools in Melbourne, Australia following a screening (Conners 3 ADHD Index) and case confirmation procedure (Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV). Direct and blinded assessments of height and weight were used to calculate body mass index z‐score and to identify overweight/obesity. Parents reported on child global health, sleep problems and physical injuries. Unadjusted and adjusted (socio‐demographic factors and co‐morbidities) logistic and linear regression were conducted to compare health‐related impairments between (1) children with and without ADHD; (2) boys and girls with ADHD; (3) children with ADHD‐inattentive and ADHD‐combined types; and (4) children with ADHD by internalizing and externalizing disorder status.

Results

Children with ADHD had poorer global health than controls when adjusted for socio‐demographic characteristics (OR: 2.0; 95% CI 1.1, 3.9); however, this attenuated after adjusting for co‐morbidities. In adjusted analyses, children with ADHD had increased odds of moderate/large sleep problems (OR: 3.1; 95% CI 1.4, 6.8), compared with controls. There were no differences between children with and without ADHD in terms of physical injuries or overweight/obesity. Findings were similar when excluding children taking ADHD medication, and health‐related impairments did not differ between boys and girls with ADHD. Children with ADHD‐combined type had higher BMI z‐scores than controls in adjusted analyses (P = 0.04). Children with ADHD and co‐occurring internalizing and externalizing co‐morbidities were particularly vulnerable to health‐related impairments.

Conclusion

Young children with ADHD experience a number of health‐related impairments, which are exacerbated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing co‐morbidities. Clinicians should consider the broader health of children with ADHD in clinical consultations.
The use of left grafts with a replaced or accessory left hepatic artery in adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation: analyses of donor and recipient outcomes
Authors: Uchiyama Hideaki , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Ikegami Toru , Harimoto Norifumi , Itoh Shinji , Okabe Hirohisa , Kimura Koichi , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: June 2016

In living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), a left hepatic graft occasionally includes a replaced or accessory left hepatic artery (LHA). The procuring of such grafts requires extensive dissection along the lesser curvature of the stomach to elongate the replaced or accessory LHA on the donor side. On the recipient side, complicated arterial reconstruction is often necessary to use such grafts. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 206 adult recipients who underwent LDLT and their respective donors. The recipients and donors were divided into two groups according to the presence of the replaced or accessory LHA. Twenty‐five grafts included a replaced or accessory LHA. Only one hepatic artery‐related complication was observed in the current series, in which a pseudoaneurysm arose at the site of anastomosis between the donor accessory LHA and the recipient LHA. There was no increase in the incidence of postoperative complications in the donors with a replaced or accessory LHA in comparison with the donors without these arteries. The use of left hepatic grafts that included a replaced LHA or accessory LHA did not have any negative impact on the outcomes on either the donor or the recipient side.
Pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients: the role of image‐guided fine needle aspiration cytology
Authors: Sharma S. , Gupta P. , Gupta N. , Lal A. , Behera D. , Rajwanshi A.
Published: June 2016

Objective

To evaluate the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients and to identify the imaging pattern of infections on computed tomography (CT).

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective study of 42 immunocompromised patients who underwent FNAC under image guidance owing to a clinical pulmonary infection. Each patient was evaluated for an underlying immunocompromised condition, cytological diagnosis, CT findings and complications.

Results

The most common predisposing condition was diabetes mellitus (n = 11), renal transplant status (n = 11) followed by connective tissue disorders (n = 6) and malignancy (n = 5). There were four patients with renal disease and three had a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The most common cytological diagnosis was mucormycosis (n = 13) followed by nocardiosis (n = 8) and necrotising inflammation (n = 7), tuberculosis (n = 6), cryptococcosis (n = 2), aspergillosis(n = 2), histoplasmosis(n = 1) and atypical mycobacterial infection (n = 1). Mucormycosis presented as a pulmonary nodule (n = 7), mass lesion (n = 5) or consolidation (n = 4). The patients with nocardiosis had lung nodules with associated consolidation and cavitation. None of the patients had any major complication.

Conclusion

FNA is a relatively reliable, safe and quick method of diagnosing pulmonary infection in immunocompromised patients. Cytomorphological features, when aided by special stains, can accurately detect the specific infection which is potentially treatable. Specific infections may be suggested based on specific imaging patterns.
Childhood motor stereotypies: questions of definition and management
Authors: Hedderly Tammy
Published: June 2016

This commentary is on the original article by Specht et al. on pages 168–173 of this issue.
Whole otolith elemental analysis reveals feeding migration patterns causing growth rate differences in anadromous whitefish from the Baltic Sea
Authors: Hägerstrand Henry , Heimbrand Yvette , von Numers Mikael , Lill Jan‐Olof , Jokikokko Erkki , Huhmarniemi Alpo
Published: June 2016

Impact of feeding migration pattern on growth rate of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) from River Kemijoki was investigated. River Kemijoki is located in the northernmost Gulf of Bothnia (Baltic Sea). Whitefish ascending the river to spawn show major growth rate variations. To study whether these variations are related to different feeding areas (migratory connectivity), whole otoliths from fast‐growing (FASTG) whitefish (n = 9, age 4 years, average weight 790 g) and slowly growing (SLOWLYG) whitefish (n = 9, age 8 years, average weight 600 g) were analysed for elemental (Ba, Sr, Mg, Zn, Mn, Ca) concentrations by inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry. Results showed that the FASTG whitefish had much lower otolith Ba concentration (~45%, p ≤ .01) than SLOWLYG whitefish, revealing that FASTG whitefish have spent more time in water of higher salinity/lower latitude, that is at feeding grounds in the southern Gulf of Bothnia. Otoliths of the FASTG whitefish had also higher Mg (~25%, p ≤ .001) and Zn (~20%, p ≤ .05) concentrations, but lower Ca (~5%, p ≤ .01) concentrations, than the otoliths from SLOWLYG whitefish. These results further reveal that FASTG and SLOWLYG whitefish have been spatially separated. In conclusion, bulk otolith elemental analysis revealed spatial separation and migration differences in river‐spawning whitefish subpopulations in the Gulf of Bothnia, which apparently lead to differences in fish growth rate. Our results increase the understanding of river‐spawning whitefish biology and its population structure and dynamics and may contribute to a sustainable management of river‐spawning whitefish stocks.
The Consequences of Predation Risk on the Male Territorial Behavior in a Solitary Bee
Authors: Oliveira Reisla , R. Pereira Christiane , A. F. D. Pimentel Ana Laura , Schlindwein Clemens
Published: June 2016

Territorial males may adopt a mating tactic that yields greater reproductive success but that at the same time increases the risk of predation. Plasticity in reproductive behavior can reflect a balance between sexual selection and natural selection. In this study, we sought to verify the effect of predation risk on territorial behavior of males of the solitary bee Ptilothrix fructifera (Apidae). Males of the species employ alternative mating tactics and can be territorial in defense of larval food sources. By manipulating predator models in the field, we tested whether (1) males avoid perch flowers containing predator models; (2) males alternate between mating tactics when their territory is associated with a predation risk; and (3) female foraging on flowers in a territory is altered in the presence of a predator model. We measured the responses of males and females in flowers containing and not containing a model of a spider or a stuffed bird. The results show that territorial males of P. fructifera alter their territorial behavior when faced with a high risk of predation. They do not abandon their territory or change to a non‐territorial mating tactic, but instead change the use of their territory, avoiding flowers containing predator models or perching on other flowers when the previous flower presented a potential predation risk. Female P. fructifera decreases the frequency of their visits to flowers and the length of time spent there in the presence of a spider model. In short, in the face of predation risk, females and males alter their behaviors at the cost of less efficient foraging and searching for partners, respectively.
Congenital macrothrombocytopenia is a heterogeneous disorder in India
Authors: Ali S. , Ghosh K. , Daly M. E. , Hampshire D. J. , Makris M. , Ghosh M. , Mukherjee L. , Bhattacharya M. , Shetty S.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Inherited macrothrombocytopenia represents a heterogeneous group of disorders which are characterized by the presence of a reduced number of abnormally large platelets in the circulation, which may or may not be associated with a bleeding tendency. In spite of several causative genes having been identified, the underlying genetic defects remain to be identified in approximately half of the cases.

Aims

To understand the molecular pathology of isolated giant platelet disorder from India.

Materials and methods

We studied 112 cases that were referred for investigation of macrothrombocytopenia. Agonist induced platelet aggregation and platelet GP1b/IX/V receptor expression were investigated to assess GP1b/IX/V receptor expression and the GP1BA, GP1BB, GP9, ABCG5, ABCG8, TUBB1 and MYH9 genes were analysed to identify candidate gene defects.

Results

Twenty‐three candidate gene defects were identified in 48 of 112 cases, 20 of which were novel. Of the candidate defects identified, 91% were missense and 9% were nonsense variations. The missense variations were in GP9 (9), ABCG5 (4), GP1BB (3), GP1BA (3) and MYH9 (2), while the nonsense defects occurred in MYH9 (1) and GP1BA (1).

Conclusions

This study increases the understanding of the molecular basis of an isolated giant platelet disorder, a common heterogeneous condition prevalent in north and eastern India.