bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adding value through new public leadership
Authors: Reid Linda
Published: November 2014

Purpose

–The purpose of this paper is to report on doctoral research that is addressing how strategic partnerships are rethinking their approach to tackling domestic abuse in Manchester, UK, and creating a new Public Service Reform Commissioning Framework, involving a significant programme of collaboration across sectors, including local authorities, Greater Manchester Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and voluntary not-for-profit agencies.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodological approach is a case study strategy (Yin, 1994). It is mainly qualitative, with multi-method data collection and analysis. The paper is a commentary on the research, rather than a research paper.

Findings

– The paper explores the extent to which an innovative new public leadership approach (Brookes and Grint, 2010) to the strategy and governance framework has been adopted, and whether the partnership is succeeding in creating create public value (Moore, 1995). It will discuss how a more collaborative approach based on a community model can add greater engagement across the sectors.

Originality/value

– Although there is a substantial body of literature about domestic abuse, there is an absence of research from a business and management perspective. The literature review identified that there is little about leadership approaches in tackling domestic abuse, or analysis of partnership approaches from a business and management perspective.
Four blind alleys of scenario analysis
Authors: Harris Gerald
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– Some scenario projects, especially those that take short cuts, have design flaws that undermine the whole purpose of scenario analysis. This article aims to investigate these.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article is a guide to avoiding four common project flaws.

Findings

– Selecting one desired future and using scenario analysis to promote it to the exclusion of other possibilities is not a wise approach.

Practical implications

– Scenarios that ignore the likelihood of serious competition from fledgling startups, market invaders from other industries, or even the possibility of several companies combining to gain the competencies needed to be a threat, are not addressing the future’s full spectrum of competitive uncertainty.

Originality/value

– By becoming aware of the four “blind alleys” of scenario analysis warned about in this article, practitioners are more likely to use this planning tool effectively to scope out the true outlines of uncertainty or the fallout from discontinuity and prepare their firm to cope with new realities.
Boldly leading with a dual operating network – John Kotter addresses some likely practitioner concerns
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– This interview aims to illuminate some of the implementation issues inherent in a new conceptual approach to managing change offered by John P. Kotter. His very promising and compelling idea is a dual operating system, comprised of a traditional management-driven hierarchy focused on delivering day-to-day performance and a strategic accelerator network focused on innovation and agility.

Design/methodology/approach

– Kotter, a noted change management expert and Harvard professor emeritus, is questioned about his dual operating system concept by veteran strategist and author Brian Leavy.

Findings

– Looking back, at some stage in almost every corporate history, network and hierarchy will be found to have co-existed symbiotically for some period of time before the traditional tendency for the hierarchy to dominate eventually took over. In effect, the network half of the dual operating system mimics “successful enterprises in their entrepreneurial phase,” where initiatives and sub-initiatives typically “coalesce and disband as needed.”

Practical implications

– Kotter’s fieldwork has found that in even the most un-entrepreneurial organizations, there is 5 percent of the workforce that has the energy and desire, if organized correctly, to be an entrepreneurial force.

Originality/value

– By asking Kotter some hard questions about implementation, the interview provides executives with a fuller view about how a dual operating system would address change management in their firm.
Fine root morphology is phylogenetically structured, but nitrogen is related to the plant economics spectrum in temperate trees
Authors: Valverde‐Barrantes Oscar J. , Smemo Kurt A. , Blackwood Christopher B.
Published: December 2014

Plant functional traits have revealed trade‐offs related to life‐history adaptations, geographical distributions, and ecosystem processes. Fine roots are essential in plant resource acquisition and play an important role in soil carbon cycling. Nonetheless, root trait variation is still poorly quantified and rarely related to the rest of the plant.

We examined chemical and morphological traits of 34 temperate arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species, representing three main angiosperm clades (super‐orders asterid, magnoliid and rosid). We tested to what extent fine root chemical and morphological traits were correlated similarly to the leaf economical spectrum (LES) or were structured by ancestral affiliations among species.

Root traits did not display the same trade‐offs as leaves (e.g. specific root length was not correlated with root N, whereas specific leaf area was correlated with leaf N). Moreover, 75% of below‐ground traits were phylogenetically structured according to Pagel's λ and Abouheif's Cmean autocorrelation tests, as opposed to 28% of above‐ground traits. Magnoliids showed thicker, less branched roots than asterids or rosids, but rosid roots exhibited lower N and higher non‐acid‐hydrolysable (e.g. lignin) content than other species. In contrast, leaf traits did not differ significantly among super‐orders. At the whole‐tree level, chemical traits such as nitrogen tissue content and lignin content were correlated between above and below‐ground organs.

The distribution of root traits in woody temperate trees was better explained by shared ancestry than by the nutrient content and structural trade‐offs expected by the LES hypothesis. Root chemistry and morphology differed substantially among species belonging to different super‐orders, suggesting deep divergences in resource acquisition strategies among major angiosperm groups. Although we found partial support for the idea of whole‐plant integration based on corresponding nitrogen content across all organs (i.e. a plant economics spectrum), our study stresses phylogenetic affiliation as the primary driver of root trait distributions among angiosperms, a pattern that could be easily overlooked based solely on above‐ground observations.
Phylogeography of Arabis serrata (Brassicaceae) in the Japanese Archipelago based on chloroplast DNA variations
Authors: Kizawa Ayumi , Maki Masayuki
Published: November 2014

Arabis serrata (Brassicaceae), a perennial plant widely distributed along the Japanese Archipelago, occurs in various habitats: for example, limestone zones, serpentine barrens, volcanic soils, and roadsides. It likely survived by adapting to its surrounding environment, resulting in great morphological and ecological variation. In this study, we performed a phylogeographic analysis to examine past changes in the distribution of A. serrata following climate oscillations during the Pleistocene. To cover most of A. serrata's range, leaves were collected from eight to ten individuals randomly selected from each of 37 populations in the Japanese Archipelago. Two chloroplast noncoding regions of the samples were amplified and sequenced: trnT(GGU)‐psbD and trnH(GUG)‐psbA spacers. Twenty‐five haplotypes were detected and distinguished by 31 substitutions. Four main haplotypes were observed in many populations distributed throughout the Japanese Archipelago. According to the genetic boundaries detected using the Monmonier algorithm, A. serrata is clustered into four groups, each including several populations: Hokkaido Island, northern mainland Honshu, central Japan, and western Japan. The boundaries, however, were not robust because all genetic parameters did not support the differentiation among groups. These results indicate the absence of an obvious geographic structure in the distribution of A. serrata, suggesting that this species has experienced a rapid range expansion in postglacial times.
The Baha'i Faith: Distribution Statistics, 1925–1949
Authors: Smith Peter
Published: November 2014

A survey of Baha'i global distribution statistics from the time of their first appearance in 1925 up to 1949. No official data for actual Baha'i populations was published at that time, and we have to rely on lists of local Baha'i councils (“spiritual assemblies”) and of places where Baha'is resided to get some sense of Baha'i distribution dynamics. Even this limited data enable us to describe a pattern of overall growth, from a presence in twenty‐nine countries and territories in 1925 to ninety‐two in 1949, from at least 573 localities worldwide in which Baha'is resided in 1928 to 2,315 by 1949, and 102 local spiritual assemblies in 1928 to 595 in 1949. Regional differences in distribution are discussed. The data shows a significant increase in distribution during this period but there is no evidence for any major corresponding increase in Baha'i numbers, such as began to occur from the mid‐1950s onwards.
Speculators and Price Overreaction in the Housing Market
Authors: Fu Yuming , Qian Wenlan
Published: November 2014

This paper investigates the role of speculators in the housing market, specifically their contribution to price overreaction through positive feedback trading (or momentum trading). We exploit a unique data set of condominium transactions in a residential real estate market where transaction traits associated with short‐term speculation can be identified. In the cross‐section of housing projects, a 10‐percentage‐point increase in trading activity following a strong short‐run market price rise predicts a negative subsequent monthly price change of 0.5% at the project level. Moreover, the price reversal effect associated with the momentum trading by short‐term speculators is two to three times stronger, and holding such trading constant, momentum trading in general has little additional impact. Our findings further suggest that momentum trading by short‐term speculators contributes to price overreaction largely in submarkets with lower information efficiency.
The Effects of Property Tax Protests on the Assessment Uniformity of Residential Properties
Authors: Plummer Elizabeth
Published: November 2014

This study examines whether the appeals process improves assessment uniformity for residential properties. The sample includes all single‑family residential properties in Harris County, Texas, for 2006–2008. I use a hedonic pricing model and Heckman's two‑stage approach to explain the assessed values of all properties before and after the appeals adjustments. Full sample results suggest that the appeals process increased assessment uniformity and that the value adjustments were appropriate in amount. I also present results across properties of different values (low, medium, high). The first‑stage probit model provides evidence on the factors that affect the likelihood that an owner will protest.
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Quantification of Bovine Interleukin‐8 to Study Infection and Immunity in the Female Genital Tract
Authors: Cronin James G. , Hodges Rebecca , Pedersen Sara , Sheldon Iain M.
Published: November 2014

Problem

The chemokine IL‐8 recruits neutrophils to sites of infection, including the endometrium of the bovine uterus. However, quantification of bovine IL‐8 often yields lower concentrations than for other species, which may reflect impaired innate immune responses by bovine cells or inaccurate measurement of IL‐8 using the current human IL‐8 ELISA method.

Method of Study

An ELISA was developed and validated for detection of bovine IL‐8. Utility of the assay was tested by measuring the response of bovine endometrium and cells to bacteria and pathogen‐associated molecular patterns.

Results

The developed ELISA detected 62.5–2000 pg/mL IL‐8, with minimal cross‐reactivity to other inflammatory mediators. Concentrations of bovine IL‐8 were measured more accurately by the bovine than human IL‐8 ELISA. Bovine endometrial IL‐8 responses to pathogen‐associated molecules were quantitatively similar to other species.

Conclusion

A bovine‐specific IL‐8 ELISA was developed, which accurately measured IL‐8 secretion from endometrial cells.
Eating the Food of the Gods: Interpretive Dilemmas in Anthropological Analysis
Authors: Toulson Ruth E.
Published: December 2014

In critical opposition to the pathologizing processes of psychiatric diagnosis, anthropologists have interpreted the actions of individuals in psychological pain as forms of resistance. However, I suggest that such analyses often presume rather than trace the connection between the unsettled psyche and social life, in a manner that mirrors the dehumanization of biomedical categorization. In this article I examine events at a temple inSingapore where, in an act others regarded as deeply concerning, a woman climbed over the altar and ate the food left for the gods. My initial analytic strategy was to interpret her actions as a form of taciturn rebellion, as a commentary on the realities of life within a patriarchal family and under an authoritarian state. However, an experience from my own life prompted me to reconsider this reading and to interrogate the ways in which her experience was elided by my original analysis.
Captain John Smith's Indian “Maskarado”
Authors: Huber Margaret Williamson
Published: December 2014

A frequently overlooked bit of seventeenth‐century Powhatan Indian ethnography is Capt. John Smith's enigmatic description of a women's transvestite dance that he witnessed on a visit to the Powhatan principal town, Werowocomoco, in 1608. While he took this to be an impromptu entertainment for his benefit, this paper argues that it was the conclusion of extensive harvest celebrations, and that it ushered in a new year. After Smith's description to contemporaryEnglish culture, this paper offers an analysis of the ritual in Powhatan terms, confirming earlier work relating to Powhatan notions of gender and the significance of women as well as the central importance of Werowocomoco politically and cosmically.
Evaluation of drug–drug interactions for oncology therapies: in vitro–in vivo extrapolation model‐based risk assessment
Authors: Waters Nigel J.
Published: December 2014

Aims

Understanding drug–drug interactions (DDI) is a critical part of the drug development process as polypharmacy has become commonplace in many therapeutic areas including the cancer patient population. The objectives of this study were to investigate cytochrome P450 (CYP)‐mediated DDI profiles available for therapies used in the oncology setting and evaluate how models based on in vitro–in vivo extrapolation performed in predicting CYP‐mediated DDI risk.

Methods

A dataset of 125 oncology therapies was collated using drug label and approval history information, incorporating in vitro and clinical PK data. The predictive accuracy of the basic and net effect mechanistic static models was assessed using this oncology drug dataset, for both victim and perpetrator potential of CYP3A‐mediated DDI.

Results

The incidence of CYP3A‐mediated interaction potential was 47%, 22% and 11% for substrates, inhibitors and inducers, respectively. The basic models for precipitants gave conservative predictions with no false negatives, whilst the mechanistic static models provided reasonable quantitative predictions (2.3–3‐fold error). Further analysis revealed that incorporating DDI at the level of the intestine was in most cases over‐predicting interaction magnitude due to overestimates of the rate and extent of oral absorption of the precipitant. Quantifying victim DDI potential was also demonstrated using fmCYP3A estimates from ketoconazole clinical DDI studies to predict the magnitude of interaction on co‐administration with the CYP3A inducer, rifampicin (1.6–3.3 fold error).

Conclusions

This work illustrates the utility and limitations of current DDI risk assessment approaches applied to a range of contemporary anti‐cancer agents, and discusses the implications for therapeutic combination strategies.
The school website: Facilitating communication engagement and learning
Authors: Taddeo Carmel , Barnes Alan
Published: November 2014

School websites are providing education settings with the opportunity to transform and enhance the schooling experience. However, the perceived importance of school websites and the resources invested in developing and maintaining them varies considerably across settings. There is a need to better understand what constitutes an effective website that provides a school with an avenue for delivering innovation in teaching and learning, and complements how a school operates. This study reviewed school websites, specifically how 30 south Australian schools used their website as a teaching learning portal, to support administrative operations and as a marketing platform. Three key questions framed the research. First, what variables should be examined to establish how schools are using their website. Second, what constitutes an engaging and useful school website, and finally what development framework can be devised to assist schools to map their website's strengths and areas requiring further development. The evaluation criteria addressed website design, purpose, content and technology integration. Indicators of progressive and emergent school websites were identified through a deductive content analysis of the websites, which informed a proposed website development framework. The framework and suggested recommendations promote a holistic approach when developing a website to accurately portray a school's identity and effectively address stakeholders' needs.
Innovations in Practice: Grow2Grow – engaging hard‐to‐reach adolescents through combined mental health and vocational support outside the clinic setting
Authors: Conway Paula , Clatworthy Jane
Published: December 2014

Background

Based on an organic farm and education centre, Grow2Grow offers young people with complex mental health needs both clinical mental health support and vocational opportunities.

Methods

Change in functioning (CGAS), vocational outcomes and client satisfaction were assessed for all young people completing Grow2Grow placements between June 2010 and July 2014.

Results

Twenty‐one young people completed Grow2Grow placements, achieving increased CGAS scores (p < .001) and reporting high levels of satisfaction with the project. Eighty‐one per cent achieved educational and/or employment outcomes.

Conclusion

This innovative approach to working with hard‐to‐reach young people is achieving high levels of engagement and positive vocational and mental health outcomes.
Phloroglucinol suppresses metastatic ability of breast cancer cells by inhibition of epithelial‐mesenchymal cell transition
Authors: Kim Rae‐Kwon , Suh Yongjoon , Yoo Ki‐Chun , Cui Yan‐Hong , Hwang Eunji , Kim Hyun‐Jin , Kang Ju‐Seop , Kim Min‐Jung , Lee Young Yiul , Lee Su‐Jae
Published: December 2014

Metastasis is a challenging clinical problem and the primary cause of death in breast cancer patients. However, there is no therapeutic agent against metastasis of breast cancer cells. Here we report that phloroglucinol, a natural phlorotannin component of brown algae suppresses metastatic ability of breast cancer cells. Treatment with phloroglucinol effectively inhibited mesenchymal phenotypes of basal type breast cancer cells through downregulation of SLUG without causing a cytotoxic effect. Importantly, phloroglucinol decreased SLUG through inhibition of PI3K/AKT and RAS/RAF‐1/ERK signaling. In agreement with in vitro data, phloroglucinol was also effective against in vivo metastasis of breast cancer cells, drastically suppressing their metastatic ability to lungs, and extending the survival time of mice. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a novel anticancer activity of phloroglucinol against metastasis of breast cancer cells, implicating its clinical relevance.
A novel resist technique based on secondary amines for the printing of cotton with reactive dyes
Authors: Lewis David M , Broadbent Peter J
Published: November 2014

In an earlier paper we have described sulphite‐based resist printing using ink‐jet procedures. This paper describes an alternative approach to sulphite inactivation of vinylsulphone dyes by using secondary amines to inactivate fluoro‐s‐triazine dyes while maintaining the reactivity of the vinylsulphone dyes. Monofluoro‐s‐triazine reactive dyes are padded onto cotton fabrics and then deactivated by ink‐jet printing with a suitable secondary amine formulation to produce a white image on a solid ground colour after appropriate fixation and soap‐off procedures have been undertaken. A coloured image can be achieved by overprinting the resist‐printed areas with a coloured ink formulation containing a β‐sulphatoethylsulphone‐type reactive dye; such dyes form a β‐bis‐alkylaminoethylsulphone dye via reaction with the secondary amine. This latter dye ‘unblocks’ during a mildly acidic steaming process to form the reactive vinylsulphone dye, and so, unlike the monofluoro‐s‐triazine dye, is not deactivated towards subsequent covalent reaction with the cotton substrate.
Total costs and clinical outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adults with leukemia: comparison between reduced‐intensity and myeloablative conditioning
Authors: Suh Koung Jin , Kim Inho , Lim Jin , Ha Hyerim , Park Seongyeol , Koh Youngil , Yoon Sung‐Soo , Park Seonyang
Published: November 2014

The total cost of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as well as the financial impact of HSCT on the house holds of patients have been elusive. Between 2005 and 2012, we analyzed 191 HSCT in adult patients with leukemia with reduced‐intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen (n = 79) and with myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimen (n = 112). The direct medical costs were calculated from healthcare claims obtained from the Seoul National University Hospital, and the direct non‐medical and the indirect costs were calculated from national statistics. The mean direct medical cost was $55 039, direct non‐medical cost was $6394, and indirect cost was $7503 from transplantation to one yr after transplantation in the RIC group and $72 916, $6993, and $9057 in the MAC group, respectively, based on the exchange rate of Korean won 1060 = US$1. The total costs for one yr were $68 938 and $88 967, constituting for 273% and 357% of the per capita income, respectively. The total costs, direct medical costs, and indirect costs showed statistically significant differences (p = 0.006, p = 0.007, and p = 0.017). No significant differences were found for leukemia‐free survival and overall survival. RIC‐HSCT provides lower costs within the first year of transplantation with comparable long‐term clinical outcomes.
Primary cutaneous CD8+ cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma involving the epidermis and subcutis in a young child
Authors: Wang Lei , Gao Tianwen , Wang Gang
Published: December 2014

CD8+ cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma involving the skin represents a heterogeneous group of diseases that include subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma, and ‘type D’ lymphomatoid papulosis. In this report, we describe a case of CD8+ cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma involving both the epidermis and subcutis. The patient was a 6‐year‐old girl who presented with a 3‐year history of multiple plaques on her trunk and legs. The lesions had relapsed twice but responded well to prednisone. Histopathologic examination showed the proliferation of atypical lymphocytes in the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. On immunohistochemical analysis, the atypical lymphocytes were positive for βF1, CD3, CD8, perforin, granzyme B and TIA‐1, but negative for T‐cell receptor (TCR) γ, CD4, CD30 and CD56. It was difficult to classify this tumor in terms of the known types of cutaneous lymphoma, and this case should be differentiated with subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma and primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T‐cell lymphoma.
Environmental Protection, Rare Disasters and Discount Rates
Authors: Barro Robert J.
Published: November 2014

TheStern Review's evaluation of environmental protection stresses low discount rates and uncertainty about environmental effects. An appropriate model for analysing this uncertainty and the associated discount rates requires sufficient risk aversion and fat‐tailed uncertainty to account for the observed equity premium. Calibrations based on Epstein–Zin preferences and existing analyses of rare macroeconomic disasters suggest that optimal environmental investment can be a significant share of GDP even with reasonable rates of time preference. Optimal environmental investment increases with risk aversion and the probability and typical size of environmental disasters, but decreases with uncertainty about policy effectiveness.
Measured and modeled interactive effects of potassium deficiency and water deficit on gross primary productivity and light‐use efficiency in Eucalyptus grandis plantations
Authors: Christina Mathias , Le Maire Guerric , Battie‐Laclau Patricia , Nouvellon Yann , Bouillet Jean‐Pierre , Jourdan Christophe , de Moraes Gonçalves José Leonardo , Laclau Jean‐Paul
Published: November 2014

Global climate change is expected to increase the length of drought periods in many tropical regions. Although large amounts of potassium (K) are applied in tropical crops and planted forests, little is known about the interaction between K nutrition and water deficit on the physiological mechanisms governing plant growth. A process‐based model (MAESPA) parameterized in a split‐plot experiment in Brazil was used to gain insight into the combined effects of K deficiency and water deficit on absorbed radiation (aPAR), gross primary productivity (GPP), and light‐use efficiency for carbon assimilation and stem biomass production (LUEC and LUEs) in Eucalyptus grandis plantations. The main‐plot factor was the water supply (undisturbed rainfall vs. 37% of throughfall excluded) and the subplot factor was the K supply (with or without 0.45 mol K m−2 K addition). Mean GPP was 28% lower without K addition over the first 3 years after planting whether throughfall was partly excluded or not. K deficiency reduced aPAR by 20% and LUEC by 10% over the whole period of growth. With K addition, throughfall exclusion decreased GPP by 25%, resulting from a 21% decrease in LUEC at the end of the study period. The effect of the combination of K deficiency and water deficit was less severe than the sum of the effects of K deficiency and water deficit individually, leading to a reduction in stem biomass production, gross primary productivity and LUE similar to K deficiency on its own. The modeling approach showed that K nutrition and water deficit influenced absorbed radiation essentially through changes in leaf area index and tree height. The changes in gross primary productivity and light‐use efficiency were, however, driven by a more complex set of tree parameters, especially those controlling water uptake by roots and leaf photosynthetic capacities.
Genetic determinants of immunogenicity to factor IX during the treatment of haemophilia B
Authors: Saini S. , Hamasaki‐Katagiri N. , Pandey G. S. , Yanover C. , Guelcher C. , Simhadri V. L. , Dandekar S. , Guerrera M. F. , Kimchi‐Sarfaty C. , Sauna Z. E.
Published: December 2014

Inhibitors are an impediment to the effective management of haemophilia B (HB), but there is limited understanding of the underlying genetic risk factors. In this study we aim to understand the role of F9 gene mutations on inhibitor development in patients with HB. Mutations in the F9 gene were identified and HLA typing performed for five boys with severe HB. Data from the CDC Haemophilia B Mutation Project (CHBMP) database were used to assess association between F9 gene mutation type and inhibitor development. Analysis of the CHBMP database showed that larger disruptions in the F9 gene are associated with a higher life‐time prevalence of inhibitors. We detected the following mutations in the five subjects, including four novel mutations: Nonsense in three patients (c.223 C>T; p.Arg75* in two siblings, c.553 C>T; p.Glu185*); Splice site in two patients (c.723 + 1 G>A, c.278‐27 A>G); Missense in one patient (c.580 A>G, p.Thr194Ala; c.723 G>T; p.Gln241His). Of the two siblings only one responded to immune tolerance induction (ITI). These siblings have identical F9 gene mutations but differ with respect to the HLA alleles. Interestingly, an analysis of peptide‐MHC binding affinities shows a significantly higher (one‐sided unpaired t‐test, P = 0.0018) median affinity for FIX‐derived peptides in the sibling that responded to ITI. We conclude that the nature of the F9 gene mutation may be an important risk factor for the development of inhibitors. In addition, the HLA alleles of the individual patients, in conjunction with the mutation type, could be a predictor for the development of inhibitors as well as the response to ITI.
Asynchronous glands in secretory pattern endometrium: clinical associations and immunohistological changes
Authors: Stewart Colin J R , Bharat Chrianna , Leake Robyn
Published: November 2014

Aims

The significance and pathogenesis of irregular or asynchronous maturation within endometrial glands remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in epithelial hormone receptor immunoreactivity and stromal cell calretinin, CD34 and p16 expression in morphologically normal secretory endometrium and in asynchronous (non‐secretory) endometrial glands (AEGs).

Methods and results

Nineteen consecutive endometrial specimens showing AEGs were examined. The mean age of the patients was 42.8 years, and the most common presenting symptom was menorrhagia. Immunohistological expression of oestrogen receptor (ER) α, of ERβ and of progesterone receptor (PR) were compared in normal secretory glands and in AEGs. Stromal cell expression of calretinin, CD34 and p16 was also investigated. In contrast to normal secretory glands, the epithelial cells lining AEGs were usually ERα/PR‐positive and showed significantly increased ERβ expression. Altered calretinin and CD34 expression within functional layer stromal cells was seen in five and two cases, respectively, but there were no differences in stromal cell immunoreactivity around AEGs.

Conclusions

The most common clinical symptom associated with AEGs in this study was menorrhagia. Aberrant hormone receptor expression in AEGs suggests a localized, possibly clonal, defect in epithelial maturation. There were no immunophenotypic changes to suggest that AEGs are related to a primary endometrial stromal deficiency.
Identity reconstruction as shiduers: Narratives from Chinese older adults who lost their only child
Authors: Zheng Yongqiang , Lawson Thomas R.
Published: November 2014

The purpose of this qualitative study was to illustrate how the identity of Chinese older adults who lost their only child changed after the traumatic event in the context of unique culture and policy settings. The individuals studied were 14 adults over the age of 50. Each respondent was interviewed concerning his or her post‐loss experiences. Results indicated that these bereaved parents are not only deeply impacted by the loss of the most loved one, but are also stigmatized by the culture and victimized by the one‐child policy. The collective identity as shiduer is defined not only by personal grief but also by cultural uniqueness and the unintended consequences of the one‐child policy.
Nomograms incorporating serum C‐reactive protein effectively predict mortality before and after surgical treatment of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Hsiao Wayland , Herrel Lindsey A , Yu Changhong , Kattan Michael W , Canter Daniel J , Carthon Bradley C , Ogan Kenneth , Master Viraj A
Published: November 2014

Objectives

To incorporate C‐reactive protein into nomograms estimating survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

Patients undergoing surgery for renal cell carcinoma from 2005–2012 were studied retrospectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and competing risks regression models including stage, grade, C‐reactive protein levels and presence of metastatic disease were constructed. Outcomes analyzed include overall mortality overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma‐specific mortality.

Results

The cohort included 516 patients with a mean follow up of 1.7 years (SD 1.4 years). One‐ and 3‐year renal cell carcinoma‐specific mortality was 8.8% and 13.5%, respectively. Four nomograms were generated using overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma‐specific mortality as end‐points, two each for pre‐ and postoperative counseling. The factor with the largest effect on all nomograms was preoperative C‐reactive protein. Based on the internal validation with bootstrapping, the concordance indices for renal cell carcinoma‐specific mortality in the preoperative nomogram, postoperative nomogram, and the Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis score were 0.889, 0.893, and 0.832, respectively (P = 0.005 and 0.002 comparing with stage, size, grade and necrosis scores for preoperative or postoperative nomograms). For overall mortality, the preoperative nomogram, postoperative nomogram, and stage, size, grade and necrosis score showed concordance indices of 0.866, 0.897, and 0.828, respectively (P = 0.123 and 0.008 compared with stage, size, grade and necrosis score for preoperative or postoperative nomograms).

Conclusions

We have generated nomograms incorporating serum C‐reactive protein levels that effectively predict overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma specific mortality. Our findings warrant external validation.
Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) Genotypes for Adaptation to Drought Stress
Authors: Alghamdi S. S. , Al‐Shameri A. M. , Migdadi H. M. , Ammar M. H. , El‐Harty E. H. , Khan M. A. , Farooq M.
Published: November 2014

Faba bean (Vicia fabaL.) is one of the most important and drought sensitive grain legumes. Drought stress is thus one of major constraints in global faba bean production. In this study, twenty local and exotic faba bean genotypes were characterized on physiological and molecular basis. Seeds of faba bean genotypes (six per pot) were sown in poly venyl chloride pots. After seedling emergence, soil moisture was maintained at 100%, 50% and 25% of field capacity designated as well watered, moderate drought and severe drought, respectively. Drought stress significantly influenced the leaf area, leaf temperature, stomatal conductance, relative leaf water contents, grain yield and water‐use efficiency. Faba bean genotypes also differed for the leaf area, leaf temperature, relative leaf water contents, grain yield and water‐use efficiency. Faba bean genotypes Kamline and L.4 were better equipped to curtail water loss, maintain tissue water status, produce stable grain yield and had better water‐use efficiency under mild and severe drought stress, and may be used in breeding programmes. Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers showed high potential in detecting polymorphism and estimating genetic diversity among faba bean genotypes. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean cluster analysis of the genotypes illustrated considerable association between molecular diversity, genetic background and geographic origin. In crux, high polymorphic rate and polymorphism information content values, together with the low genetic similarity observed among tested genotypes suggests a high level of heterogeneity, which may be used in breeding programmes to assemble different drought tolerance mechanisms in one genotype.
The Effects of Microstructure and Confinement on the Compressive Fragmentation of an Advanced Ceramic
Authors: Hogan James D. , Farbaniec Lukasz , Shaeffer Matt , Ramesh K. T.
Published: November 2014

We investigate the rate‐dependent compressive failure and fragmentation of a hot‐pressed boron carbide, under both uniaxial and confined biaxial compression, using quantitative fragment analysis coupled with quantitative microstructural analysis. Two distinct fragmentation regimes are observed, one of which appears to be more sensitive to the microstructural length scales in the material, while the second is more sensitive to the structural character and boundary conditions of the compressed sample. The first regime, which we refer to as “microstructure‐dependent,” appears to be associated with smaller fragments arising from the coalescence of fractures initiating from graphitic inclusions. This regime appears to become more dominant as the strain rate is increased and as the stress‐state becomes more confined. The second regime generates larger fragments with the resulting fragment size distribution dependent on the specific structural mechanisms that are activated during macroscopic failure (e.g., buckling of local columns developed during the compression). The average fragment size in the latter regime appears to be reasonably predicted by current fragmentation models. This improved understanding of the effects of microstructure and confinement on fragmentation then provides new insights into prior ballistic studies involving boron carbide.
Domain Structure of Poled (K0.50Na0.50)1−xLixNbO3 Ceramics with Different Stabilities
Authors: Zhang Jialiang , Tian Xing , Gao Yong , Yao Weizeng , Qin Yalin , Su Wenbin
Published: November 2014

Domain structure of several poled (K0.50Na0.50)1−xLixNbO3 ceramics (with chemical compositions of x = 0.03, 0.065, and 0.08, respectively) was investigated by means of observing the domain patterns with an acid‐etching technique. Among the three ceramics, the one with x = 0.03 is of orthorhombic phase and the other two are of tetragonal phase at room temperature. It was found that these ceramics possess distinctly different features of domain patterns and show a large difference in the time‐aging stability of piezoelectric properties. For the ceramic with x = 0.03, domain patterns consist of simply one single set or a few sets of parallel stripes inside the polycrystalline grains. In contrast, for those with x = 0.065 or 0.08, herringbone‐type patterns and a large number of watermarks are additionally observed. Furthermore, the ceramic with x = 0.03 was confirmed to have a much better time‐aging stability of piezoelectric properties than the other two. The results indicate that domain structure is more stable in orthorhombic phase than in tetragonal phase.
The Role of Al in Cross‐Linking of Alkali‐Activated Slag Cements
Authors: Myers Rupert J. , Bernal Susan A. , Gehman John D. , van Deventer Jannie S.J. , Provis John L.
Published: November 2014

The structural development of a calcium (sodium) aluminosilicate hydrate (C–(N‐)A–S–H) gel system, obtained through the reaction of sodium metasilicate and ground granulated blast furnace slag, is assessed by high‐resolution 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy during the first 2 yr after mixing. The cements formed primarily consist of C–(N‐)A–S–H gels, with hydrotalcite and disordered alkali aluminosilicate gels also identified in the solid product assemblages. Deconvolution of the 27Al MAS NMR spectra enables the identification of three distinct tetrahedral Al sites, consistent with the 29Si MAS NMR data, where Q3(1Al), Q4(3Al), and Q4(4Al) silicate sites are identified. These results suggest significant levels of cross‐linking in the C–(N‐)A–S–H gel and the presence of an additional highly polymerized aluminosilicate product. The mean chain length, extent of cross‐linking, and Al/Si ratio of the C–(N‐)A–S–H gel decrease slightly over time. The de‐cross‐linking effect is explained by the key role of Al in mixed cross‐linked/non‐cross‐linked C–(N‐)A–S–H gels, because the cross‐linked components have much lower Al‐binding capacities than the noncross‐linked components. These results show that the aluminosilicate chain lengths and chemical compositions of the fundamental structural components in C–(N‐)A–S–H gels vary in a way that is not immediately evident from the overall bulk chemistry.
Northern Hemisphere origins of the amphi‐Pacific tropical plant family Symplocaceae
Authors: Fritsch Peter W. , Manchester Steven R. , Stone R. D. , Cruz Boni C. , Almeda Frank
Published: November 2014

Aim

We sought to reconstruct the historical biogeography of the amphi‐Pacific tropical disjunct plant family Symplocaceae in the context of competing Northern Hemisphere (boreotropical) versus Southern Hemisphere (West Gondwanan) hypotheses for its origin and spread.

Location

Americas, western Pacific Rim, fossil localities in Europe.

Methods

We derived a dated phylogeny using a relaxed clock on a data set of 114 terminals, four genic regions (three plastid regions and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region) and six fossil calibrations. We inferred ancestral geographical ranges with maximum likelihood under a dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis model, with the probability of dispersal constrained by areal distance and palaeogeography.

Results

We inferred a Eurasian origin for crown‐node Symplocaceae at c. 52 Ma, followed by dispersal to North America (including Mesoamerica) at c. 52–38 Ma. Most of the highest likelihood intra‐American dispersals recovered in the analysis trended from north to south, with none from south to north. Six intra‐American dispersals were inferred to have originated in North America, with lineages either terminating in the Antilles or migrating to South America at various times. One additional North American lineage emigrated back to Eurasia in the late Miocene.

Main conclusions

The predominantly southwards American migrations inferred here for the Symplocaceae conform to the boreotropics hypothesis, apparently driven by cooling and drying climates in the later Cenozoic. The inferred Eurasian origin for the family corroborates a more specific European origin, as suggested independently by its fossil fruit record. Of the lineages ultimately arriving in South America from North America, two are inferred to have migrated through the Antilles (by island‐hopping) and three through Mesoamerica. The timing of one of the Mesoamerican events, inferred to be between 8.9 and 7.5 Ma, implies over‐water dispersal under the prevailing model of Isthmus of Panama formation, but also accords with overland migration under a model of earlier formation.
Unearthing the historical biogeography of Mediterranean earthworms (Annelida: Hormogastridae)
Authors: Novo Marta , Fernández Rosa , Fernández Marchán Daniel , Trigo Dolores , Díaz Cosín Darío J. , Giribet Gonzalo
Published: November 2014

Aim

The genetic diversity and distribution of earthworm species in the Mediterranean Basin has been influenced by their low vagility, as well as by the basin's complex geological and climatic history. Within this context, our objective was to evaluate the evolutionary history of hormogastrid earthworms by exploring their phylogeny, reconstructing ancestral areas and identifying potential vicariance and dispersal events.

Location

Western Mediterranean region, encompassing the geographical range of the family Hormogastridae (four genera, 30 species and subspecies).

Methods

We sampled the easternmost area of the hormogastrid range and integrated 606 new sequences with all the molecular data available from previous studies on the westernmost area. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers were amplified and sequenced, and the hormogastrid phylogeny (using Bayesian and likelihood methods) and networks were investigated. Ancestral‐area reconstructions were implemented inrasp.

Results

Ancestral‐area reconstructions provided similar results for alternative phylogenetic hypotheses, placing the origin of Hormogastridae between southern France and the north‐eastern Iberian Peninsula, and highlighting north–central Sardinia as a key ancestral area for diversification of eastern Hormogastridae (Hormogaster rediiandH. samnitica). Multiple vicariance and dispersal events were detected, indicating a complex evolutionary history. Sardinian populations ofH. samniticaandH. rediiwere not monophyletic but were related to populations from other areas, suggesting that Sardinia is a more complex biogeographical region than anticipated. Our results identified a phylogenetic relationship between the southern Sardinian fauna and that of Sicily, as well as relationships between the fauna of north‐eastern Sardinia and those of the Italian Peninsula and the Tuscan Archipelago.

Main conclusions

Our results suggest a complex evolutionary history for hormogastrid earthworms, showing the possibility of many dispersal and vicariance events and multiple faunal interchanges between land‐masses, which may reflect the biogeographical complexity of the Mediterranean Basin.
Managerial Commitment to Sustainable Supply Chain Management Projects
Authors: Gattiker Thomas F. , Carter Craig R. , Huang Xiaowen , Tate Wendy L.
Published: November 2014

Most companies are under pressure to improve the environmental sustainability of their supply chains. However, there is considerable variance in companies' ability to successfully deploy environmental management projects. One important factor, according to articles in the academic and business press, is the ability of champions of sustainable supply chain management (SCM) projects within organizations to gain the commitment of colleagues (e.g., other managers from a variety of functions) to help these projects succeed. Therefore, this paper examines variables that affect a project champion's ability to gain this commitment from colleagues. In particular, building on existing research, this research employs a video‐based experimental design to examine the effect of the influence approach that the project champion employs, the values of the person the champion is trying to influence, and the organizational climate. The results suggest that organizational climate and certain individual values directly affect commitment. There are also interactions between values and influence tactics. The research adds to the field's growing knowledge on the antecedents of sustainableSCMwithin companies while providing valuable guidance for environmental champions and for top managers.
Supply Chain Collaboration, Integration, and Relational Technology: How Complex Operant Resources Increase Performance Outcomes
Authors: Adams Frank G. , Richey Robert Glenn , Autry Chad W. , Morgan Tyler R. , Gabler Colin B.
Published: November 2014

How firms coordinate efforts to collectively compete as supply chains is a key concern of supply chain management scholars and practitioners. One avenue, the development of collaborative relational capabilities that support supply chain integration, offers promise. However, the effectiveness of collaboration as a supply chain resource has been questioned due to concerns associated with collaborative technologies, and thus prior research has called for a deeper examination of the role that technologies play in facilitating integration. Employing a Service‐Dominant Logic view of hierarchical resources, grounded in Resource Advantage Theory, this research tests a model subsuming relationships between collaboration, integration, and interfirm coordination technologies, and their associated performance outcomes. A sample of 282 supply chain managers from a variety of industries were surveyed, with proposed relationships examined employing structural equation modeling. Test results indicate that collaboration and integration interact to form higher order resources that collectively influence firm performance outcomes through interfirm coordination technologies.