bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An exploration of whether engineers differ from non-engineers in their approach to negotiations
Authors: Goldman Barry , Cooper Dylan A. , Koc Cagatay
Published: June 2019

Purpose

In this investigation, the authors aim to ask whether engineers, as a profession, share distinct characteristics in their attitudes and behaviors relating to negotiations. Based on a review of the literature, the authors answer in the affirmative. Generally speaking, the existing studies on individual differences of engineers conclude that they are more conscientious, more goal-driven, more competitive and less people-oriented than non-engineers. The authors suggest that these differences have significant consequences on how engineers engage in negotiations. In particular, the authors propose that engineers’ approach to negotiation includes differences related to distributive versus integrative negotiation, emotional intelligence, perspective-taking and preferred persuasion techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper involves an integrated literature review, combining research in management, psychology and engineering to investigate whether engineers approach negotiations differently from non-engineers.

Findings

The authors suggest that individual differences between engineers and non-engineers have significant consequences for how engineers engage in negotiations. In particular, the authors propose that engineers’ approach to negotiation includes differences related to distributive versus integrative negotiation, emotional intelligence, perspective-taking and preferred persuasion techniques.

Research limitations/implications

The authors offer 11 research propositions in areas relating to how engineers engage in distributive versus integrative negotiations, emotional intelligence, perspective-taking and their preferred persuasive techniques.

Practical implications

There are important implications for how engineers and their supervisors should be aware of these differences between how engineers and non-engineers view negotiations and how these differences may affect them and their employing organizations. There are also cultural implications, particularly for organizations for which engineers comprise a majority or a minority of the workforce composition.

Social implications

There are important implications for diversity in the engineering profession, especially as it relates to the hiring of women in engineering (as they now comprise a small minority of the profession).

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that investigates how engineers negotiate. Because engineering is a hugely important contributor to society, the results of this have important implications for the society.
Lived experiences of street girls in Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Moss Tamarah , Muriuki Andrew M. , Maposa Sithokozile , Kpebo Denise
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The United Nations continues to identify street children as one of the most vulnerable sub-populations of children and youth globally. The purpose of this paper is to present social and contextual perspectives of 11 girls living on the streets of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Implications with respect to the development and delivery of effective sexual/reproductive and mental health interventions and services are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

Through semi-structured interviews and applied qualitative thematic analysis, this paper aims to achieve in-depth understanding about the lives of 11 girls living on the street. A socio-ecological framework is utilized to interpret the experiences of the girls at the individual (micro), community (mezzo) and structural (macro) levels.

Findings

Six main themes evolved from the thematic analysis of interview transcripts: exposure to violence and abuse before and on the street, exposure to violence and sex work, risk and vulnerability to HIV, substance use and sex work, substance use and physical and reproductive health and ways of coping and future planning.

Originality/value

The interplay of experiences illustrates how girls navigate their lives, and along with an appreciation of intersectionality validates the need for an integrated approach to health and social care related to health and mental health services. Integrated interventions should focus on common issues such as improving access to HIV testing and contraceptives for young girls living on the street.
Verbal tones in sustainability assurance statements
Authors: Hassan Aminu
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine, through the lens of language expectancy theory (LET), how sustainability assurors use optimism and certainty in possible persuasion attempts. The paper also explores a number of explanatory variables that could offer insights into the use of these verbal tones in sustainability assurance reports.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the paper relies on DICTION standard normalised optimism and certainty ranges in conjunction with descriptive statistics to analyse how sustainability assurors use optimism and certainty. Second, the paper uses quantile regression with robust standard errors to investigate the association between the measures of verbal tone used in this study and several possible explanatory variables.

Findings

Consistent with LET, the study documents that sustainability assurors exercise caution in using both certainty and optimism in persuasion attempts. The paper also finds that possible explanatory variables significantly associated with optimism include praise, assurance level, legal system and report location. However, reference to sustainability management control (SMC), status of assurance providers, praise, legal system and financial performance appear to explain the use of certainty.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not, at this stage, claim causality between the two measures of verbal tone, on the one hand, and the possible explanatory variables explored, on the other hand. It rather reports their possible associations. Furthermore, the study only measures reference to management control system and not reliance on it.

Practical implications

The main findings of this study imply that the use of optimism and certainty exhibits likely cautious practice by assurors. Nevertheless, assurors are more likely to use certainty more flexibly and appear more discreet when using optimism.

Social implications

The findings of this paper also indicate how societal expectations play an important role in ensuring cautious persuasive behaviour by sustainability assurors in using verbal tones within sustainability assurance statements. This suggests that stakeholders may place reliance on attestations expressed in these statements.

Originality/value

The paper represents the first attempt to test LET in sustainability accounting by analysing verbal tones used by sustainability assurance providers. It contributes to the sustainability assurance literature in that it empirically demonstrates how sustainability assurors, as expert communicators, use optimistic tone and verbal certainty in careful persuasion attempts.
Corporate water management systems and incentives to self-discipline
Authors: Zhang Linhan , Tang Qingliang
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Water management is an emerging practice. This paper aims to propose a theoretical model of a corporate water management system (WMS) and empirically explores whether superior water management improves water use performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Our model of WMS consists of 10 structural elements. We draw on self-discipline theory to predict the results and use archival data from the Carbon Disclosure Project to measure and evaluate the overall quality and effectiveness of the water management of our sample companies.

Findings

Companies motivated to adopt self-discipline tend to proactively implement high-quality WMSs. However, further analyses suggest that water management without regulatory sanctions appears insufficient for reducing water usage, at least in the short term. Overall, this study reveals a clear and growing tendency for businesses to manage water risks and a corresponding momentum toward more rigid control of water consumption.

Research limitations/implications

Corporate participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project survey is voluntary. Thus, the data in this paper are subject to self-selection bias, and what the companies claim concerning their behavior may not reflect the reality of their business practices. In addition, the inferences drawn here are based on data from only large firms. Future researchers could investigate whether and how corporate WMS continued to develop or decline in recent years, and how such practices integrate with other aspects of management (including carbon and energy).

Practical implications

This paper responds to water scarcity by exploring how the development of corporate WMS is driven by self-discipline motivation. This study sets out an agenda for the future of water accounting and management which can be used to guide research and stimulate extension in practice. Governments and non-governmental organizations may utilize the results to guide and bind corporations to achieve sustainability.

Social implications

The efficient use of freshwater is essential for sustainability, but limited studies have addressed the issue. The current paper explores this important issue, and our findings suggest regulatory institution is necessary to effectively enhance water usage.

Originality/value

This paper represents an early attempt to model corporate water management practices. A WMS should facilitate resilience in water management, measurement of water performance, and comparability among firms. This study contributes to the conceptualization and empirical assessment of self-discipline in motivated water management and enhances the validity and applicability of the theory of self-disciplining in sustainability research.
Disrupted faces, disrupted identities? Embodiment, life stories and acquired facial ‘disfigurement’
Authors: Martindale Anne‐Marie , Fisher Pamela
Published: June 2019

Questions about the relationship between faces, ‘disfigurement’ and identity intensified following the first facial transplant (2005). Over a decade later, empirical research exploring the influence of acquired facial ‘disfigurement’ on embodied identity disruption and re‐formation remains limited. A common strand of thinking assumes identities are contained within faces. Commentators have suggested that identities can be diminished through ‘disfigurement’ and restored or replaced through reconstruction or transplantation. The authors question this claim and provide a conceptually informed, empirical alternative drawing on the results of a phenomenologically located, narrative study exploring identity shift in British adults following acquired ‘disfigurement’. Findings suggest that faces are important to humans and that identities can be disrupted in the aftermath of facial ‘disfigurement’. Though, the relationship is not simple and cannot be predicted by the degree of corporeal change. Disrupted, liminal and contradictory strands of identity emerged; pre‐existing identities were strengthened, new ones emerged, and other non‐related experiences were also influential. Nuanced relationality was at the heart of participant sense‐making. Consequently, the authors reject the idea that identities are contained within faces and call for the development of a wider social and relational facial phenomenology to more comprehensively explore this fascinating, multifaceted relationship.
Placental growth factor testing for suspected pre‐eclampsia: a cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Duhig KE , Seed PT , Myers JE , Bahl R , Bambridge G , Barnfield S , Ficquet J , Girling JC , Khalil A , Shennan AH , Chappell LC , Hunter RM
Published: June 2019

Objective

To calculate the cost‐effectiveness of implementing PlGF testing alongside a clinical management algorithm in maternity services in the UK, compared with current standard care.

Design

Cost‐effectiveness analysis.

Setting

Eleven maternity units participating in the PARROT stepped‐wedge cluster‐randomised controlled trial.

Population

Women presenting with suspected pre‐eclampsia between 20+0 and 36+6 weeks’ gestation.

Methods

Monte Carlo simulation utilising resource use data and maternal adverse outcomes.

Main outcome measures

Cost per maternal adverse outcome prevented.

Results

Clinical care with PlGF testing costs less than current standard practice and resulted in fewer maternal adverse outcomes. There is a total cost‐saving of UK£149 per patient tested, when including the cost of the test. This represents a potential cost‐saving of UK£2,891,196 each year across the NHS in England.

Conclusions

Clinical care with PlGF testing is associated with the potential for cost‐savings per participant tested when compared with current practice via a reduction in outpatient attendances, and improves maternal outcomes. This economic analysis supports a role for implementation of PlGF testing in antenatal services for the assessment of women with suspected pre‐eclampsia.

Tweetable abstract

Placental growth factor testing for suspected pre‐eclampsia is cost‐saving and improves maternal outcomes.
Correlation of diet, microbiota and metabolite networks in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Weng Yi Jie , Gan Huo Ye , Li Xiang , Huang Yun , Li Zheng Chao , Deng Hui Min , Chen Su Zuan , Zhou Yu , Wang Li Sheng , Han Yan Ping , Tan Ya Fang , Song Ya Jun , Du Zong Min , Liu Yang Yang , Wang Ye , Qin Nan , Bai Yang , Yang Rui Fu , Bi Yu Jing , Zhi Fa Chao
Published: June 2019

Objectives

Microbiota dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been widely reported. The gut microbiota connect diet to the metabolism by producing small molecules via diverse metabolic pathways. In this study we aimed to investigate the dietary preferences of IBD patients, and to explore the interactions among gut microbiota composition, dietary components, and metabolites in relation to IBD.

Methods

Dietary preferences of IBD patients (including those with ulcerative colitis [UC] and Crohn's disease [CD]) and health controls were investigated, and their gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic analyses of fecal and biopsy samples. The metabolite profiles of the samples were then analyzed using gas and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analyses.

Results

The daily intake of folic acid, niacin, vitamins C and D, calcium, and selenium differed significantly between patients with IBD and healthy controls. A decrease in long‐chain (such as arachidic, and oleic acid) and medium‐chain fatty acids (sebacic acid and isocaproic acid) as well as bile acid was observed in patients with IBD. Compared with healthy controls, 22 microbial species (including Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, and Clostridium clostridioforme CAG132) in the UC group and 37 microbial species (such as Bacteroides fragilis and Fusobacterium nucleatum) in the CD group were found to be correlated to diet and metabolites. Bacteroides fragilis was enriched in patients with IBD and associated with multi‐nutrients, and 21 metabolites including 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 and taurolithocholic acid.

Conclusions

This study provides an interaction network to identify key micronutrients, microbiota components and metabolites that contribute to IBD.
Potential benefits of biologics on stroke and mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A nationwide population‐based cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Tang Chao‐Hsiun , Yu Fun , Huang Ching‐Ya , Chen Der‐Yuan
Published: June 2019

Aim

To examine the changes in the risks of death and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with conventional synthetic or biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD or bDMARD) during 1997‐2013.

Methods

Two cohorts of RA patients and their matched controls were identified from the National Health Insurance Research database. There were 1569 patients in the csDMARD cohort who received cyclosporine ≥50 mg/d with concomitant usage of ≥2 csDMARDs during 1997‐2003. There were 1530 patients in the bDMARD cohort if patients had ≥1 claim for bDMARD during 2003‐2011. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the risk of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, were assessed using the Kaplan‐Meier survival curves and the Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Compared with matched cohorts, the incidence of death was higher with csDMARD with a more than 6‐fold increase (csDMARD vs controls: 33% vs 5%); while it only increased with a much smaller magnitude with bDMARD (bDMARD vs controls: 15% vs 11%). In addition, an increase in the reduction of incidence rate of stroke with bDMARD (bDMARD vs controls: 2% vs 5%) than that with csDMARD (csDMARD vs controls: 3% vs 4%) was found. Results from multivariate analysis showed that RA patients receiving bDMARD had a significantly lower increase in the risk of deaths (aHR 1.05; 95% CI 0.84‐1.33) compared with those receiving csDMARD (aHR 8.75; 95% CI 7.43‐10.31). In addition, bDMARD was associated with a higher reduction in the risk of stroke compared with csDMARD (bDMARD: aHR 0.37; 95% CI 0.22‐0.62; csDMARD: aHR 0.73; 95% CI 0.51‐1.05).

Conclusion

Biologics used in RA patients have been shown to have a beneficial impact on improving clinical outcomes, including decreased risks of death and stroke. The economic burden from costs of biologics may be alleviated by improving outcomes.
Sequential innovation, patent policy, and the dynamics of the replacement effect
Authors: Parra Álvaro
Published: June 2019

I study how patent policy—characterized by patent length and forward protection—affects Research and Development (R&D) dynamics, leadership persistence, and market structure. Firms' R&D investments increase as the patent's expiration date approaches. Through forward protection, followers internalize the leader's replacement effect. In protective systems, this internalization is substantial, reversing Arrow's traditional result: followers invest less than leaders at every moment of the patent's life. I study the policy that maximizes innovative activity. Overly protective policies decrease innovation pace through two mechanisms: delaying firms' investments toward the end of the patent's life and decreasing the number of firms performing R&D.
Polygenic risk for alcohol misuse is moderated by romantic partnerships
Authors: Barr Peter B. , Kuo Sally I‐Chun , Aliev Fazil , Latvala Antti , Viken Richard , Rose Richard J. , Kaprio Jaakko , Salvatore Jessica E. , Dick Danielle M.
Published: June 2019

Background and Aims

Previous twin research suggests relationship status can moderate underlying genetic liability towards alcohol misuse. This paper examined: (1) whether genome‐wide polygenic scores (GPS) for alcohol consumption are associated with alcohol misuse; (2) whether these GPS are moderated by romantic relationships (gene–environment interaction; G × E) and (3) whether G × E results are consistent across sex.

Design

Linear mixed‐effects models were used to test associations between genome‐wide polygenic scores, relationship status and alcohol use/misuse.

Setting

Finnish twins born between 1983 and 1987 identified through Finland's central population registry.

Participants

An intensively studied subset of Finnish Twin Study (FinnTwin12) during the young adult phase (aged 20–26 years). The analytical sample includes those with complete interview and genetic data (n = 1201).

Measurements

Key measurements included involvement in a romantic partnership, drinking frequency, intoxication frequency and DSM‐IV alcohol dependence (AD) symptoms. Genome‐wide polygenic scores (GPS) were created from available summary statistics from a large genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of drinks per week.

Results

GPS predicted drinking frequency [b = 0.109; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.050, 0.168], intoxication frequency (b = 0.111; 95% CI = 0.054, 0.168) and AD symptoms (b = 0.123; 95% CI = 0.064, 0.182). Having a romantic relationship negatively influenced the association between GPS and drinking frequency (b = −0.105; 95% CI = −0.211, −0.001), intoxication frequency (b = −0.118; 95% CI = −0.220, −0.016) and AD symptoms (b = −0.119; 95% CI = −0.229, −0.009). There was a three‐way interaction between sex, relationship status and GPS for intoxication frequency (b = 0.223; 95% CI = 0.013, 0.433), such that the reduced association between GPS and intoxication frequency for those in a relationship was only apparent in males. We found no evidence of three‐way interactions for drinking frequency or AD symptoms.

Conclusions

Being in a romantic relationship reduced the association between genetic predisposition and drinking, high‐risk drinking and alcohol problems. However, for high‐risk drinking the protective effect was limited to males, mapping onto earlier findings suggesting that males benefit more from romantic partnerships.
Exposure to pictures of natural landscapes may reduce cigarette smoking
Authors: Wu Wen‐Hsiung , Chiou Wen‐Bin
Published: June 2019

Background and aims

Reducing temporal discounting may help smokers to reduce their smoking by improving inhibitory control. This study aimed to assess whether viewing pictures of natural versus urban scenes would cause participants to smoke fewer cigarettes mediated by lower temporal discounting.

Design

A single‐factor (natural scene, urban scene and control) between‐subjects design was employed.

Setting

Laboratory at Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.

Participants

A community sample of 93 daily smokers.

Intervention and comparator

Participants were exposed to pictures of natural or urban scenes or no images (control).

Measurements

The discounting measure was implemented after the landscape exposure manipulation. Participants expressed their preferences related to winning a lottery by answering a series of nine binary choice questions, opting either to receive a certain amount of money immediately or varying amounts of money 1 year in the future. The dependent measure was cigarette consumption during an ostensible survey.

Findings

Participants exposed to pictures of natural scenes smoked fewer cigarettes [mean = 1.1 cigarettes, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.7, 1.6] than did those exposed to pictures of urban scenes (mean = 2.1 cigarettes, 95% CI = 1.7, 2.6, 0.002) and control participants (mean = 1.8 cigarettes, 95% CI = 1.4, 2.3, 0.029). The discounting rate mediated the association between exposure to nature and the amount of smoking (B = −0.62, 95% CI = −1.07, −0.20, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Exposing smokers to pictures of natural landscapes may lead to reduced smoking by lowering temporal discounting.
Cytisine for nicotine addiction treatment: a review of pharmacology, therapeutics and an update of clinical trial evidence for smoking cessation
Authors: Tutka Piotr , Vinnikov Denis , Courtney Ryan J. , Benowitz Neal L.
Published: June 2019

Aims

To review cytisine's history of use, pre‐clinical evidence, clinical pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse reactions (ARs) and safety for smoking cessation.

Methods

A synoptic review of the use of cytisine as a smoking cessation medication, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics and safety. Relevant literature on data included in these sections were identified through a search of 11 databases with additional literature obtained from reports and monographs. Three databases (PubMed, EMBASE and www.elibrary.ru) were systematically searched for studies published from 2012 to August 2018 in any language to provide an updated meta‐analysis of cytisine's efficacy and ARs for smoking cessation compared with placebo. We pooled the relative risks (RR) of abstinence in the efficacy analysis and RR of ARs, either reported by the authors or calculated from the reports.

Results

Cytisine has been in use since 1964 and is currently marketed in 18 countries. Systemic bioavailability from oral ingestion is high and clearance is primarily renal, with minimal or no metabolism. Brain uptake in animal models is moderate. The plasma half‐life averages 4.8 hours. Eight studies were included for meta‐analysis of efficacy. With heterogeneous results, the overall RR versus placebo of successful continuous abstinence at the longest follow‐up was 1.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.38–2.19]. Nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, upper abdominal pain and dry mouth that were mild or moderate were the most common ARs, with RR versus placebo 1.10 (95% CI = 0.95–1.28). The cost of cytisine in eastern and central Europe is several‐fold less than that of other smoking cessation medications.

Conclusions

Cytisine is a low‐cost medication found to increase the likelihood of smoking cessation. The most frequently reported ARs of cytisine involve gastrointestinal symptoms that are mostly reported as either mild or moderate in severity.
Quality of life in children with severe forms of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in stable remission—A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Roussel Aphaia , Delbet Jean‐Daniel , Micheland Laurianne , Deschênes Georges , Decramer Stephane , Ulinski Tim
Published: June 2019

Aim

Severe forms of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) require immunosuppressive therapy: oral treatment or intravenous therapy (rituximab, RTX). The main objective was to describe quality of life (QOL) in these specific patients.

Methods

Cross‐sectional, multicentre, observational study analysed QOL using a standardised questionnaire in children from 7 to 17 years, with a steroid‐dependent or steroid‐resistant INS in stable remission. The questionnaire consisted of 30 questions concerning physical and emotional well‐being, self‐esteem, family, friends, school and disease resulting in a global score of 0‐100.

Results

A total of 110 patients with a mean age of 11.6 years from three French paediatric nephrology centres were included. A total of 71 patients had oral immunosuppressive treatment, 27 had RTX, and 12 had both. 13.6% of patients had a steroid‐resistant INS. The mean number of relapses was 5.8. Seventy‐eight patients answered the questionnaire. The global score in the whole study population was 74.7; 72.6 in the RTX group, 76.2 in the oral drugs group, (P = 0.49). The results of sub‐dimension ‘school’ were statistically lower in RTX group (61.6 ± 19.5) compared with oral drugs group (71.4 ± 16; P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Global QOL score was high in ‘difficult‐to‐treat’ patients with INS in stable remission on oral immunosuppressive or RTX treatment.
Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis treated with laparoscopic subtotal colectomy: A case report
Authors: Takahashi Jun , Miyakura Yasuyuki , Maemoto Ryo , Takayama Noriya , Fukuda Rintaro , Tamaki Sawako , Ishikawa Hideki , Tsujinaka Shingo , Lefor Alan K. , Rikiyama Toshiki
Published: June 2019

Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis is a rare entity characterized by chronic intestinal ischemia due to calcification and obstruction of the mesenteric veins. Here, we report a patient with idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis treated with laparoscopic subtotal colectomy after evaluation by imaging studies. The patient was a 68‐year‐old Japanese woman with recurrent abdominal pain who had taken a Chinese herbal medicine for more than 20 years. Abdominal CT showed wall thickening of the right colon with calcification of branches of the superior mesenteric vein. Colonoscopy showed cyanotic mucosa from the cecum to the sigmoid colon. The affected area seen on colonoscopy extended to the distal colon. Despite discontinuation of the herbal medicine, her symptoms did not improve. Laparoscopic subtotal colectomy was performed. This report highlights the importance of appropriately evaluating the extent of the affected preoperatively area based on findings from colonoscopy, CT, and contrast enema.
Leveraging multidimensional heterogeneity in resource selection to define movement tactics of animals
Authors: Bastille‐Rousseau Guillaume , Wittemyer George
Published: June 2019

Increasing interest in the complexity, variation and drivers of movement‐related behaviours promise new insight into fundamental components of ecology. Resolving the multidimensionality of spatially explicit behaviour remains a challenge for investigating tactics and their relation to niche construction, but high‐resolution movement data are providing unprecedented understanding of the diversity of spatially explicit behaviours. We introduce a framework for investigating individual variation in movement‐defined resource selection that integrates the behavioural and ecological niche concepts. We apply it to long‐term tracking data of 115 African elephants (Loxodonta africana), illustrating how a behavioural hypervolume can be defined based on differences between individuals and their ecological settings, and applied to explore population heterogeneity. While normative movement behaviour is frequently used to characterise population behaviour, we demonstrate the value of leveraging heterogeneity in the behaviour to gain greater insight into population structure and the mechanisms driving space‐use tactics.
Sensitive skin is a neuropathic disorder
Authors: Huet Flavien , Misery Laurent
Published: June 2019

Sensitive skin is defined by the occurrence of unpleasant sensations such as tingling, burning, tautness, itching or pain. Mechanisms explaining sensitive skin are controversial, and many hypotheses have been proposed. Because sensitive skin is primarily characterized by a wide variety of neuropathic‐like symptoms, it is highly likely that neurosensory dysfunction in the skin represents one of the pathological mechanisms of sensitive skin. This hypothesis does not exclude other explanations like role of keratinocyte, transient receptor potential channels, vasculature or environmental factors. Nevertheless, the role of the nervous system in the development of sensitive skin is crucial, and growing evidence supports this hypothesis. Pain and pruritus described by patients with sensitive skin correspond to neuropathic component, and its assessment shows an increase in neuropathic measures (DN‐4, Douleur Neuropathique 4) compared with control. These sensations are similar to the sensations observed in small‐fibre neuropathy (SFN), which is a group of disorders that affect thin nerve fibres. One study on the pathophysiology of sensitive skin demonstrated that intra‐epidermal nerve fibre density, especially of peptidergic C‐fibres, was lower in the sensitive skin group. A recent study showed a modification in heat‐pain detection threshold in patients with sensitive skin. All these results indicate that C‐fibre damage can help explain sensitive skin. Consequently, the role of the nervous system is increasingly obvious. Nevertheless, keratinocytes and other epidermal cells closely participate in sensory transduction. Therefore, the results of neurophysiological studies should be interpreted in the light of this information that the whole epidermis represents a huge polymodal nociceptor.
The accuracy of single‐tooth implants placed using fully digital‐guided surgery and freehand implant surgery
Authors: Smitkarn Palita , Subbalekha Keskanya , Mattheos Nikos , Pimkhaokham Atiphan
Published: June 2019

Aim

This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) aimed to compare the accuracy of implant positions between static computer‐assisted implant surgery (CAIS) and freehand implant surgery in a single edentulous space.

Materials and methods

Sites with single edentulous spaces and neighbouring natural teeth were randomized into static CAIS or freehand implant surgery groups. In both groups, digital implant planning was performed using data from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and surface scans. In the static CAIS group, a surgical guide was produced and used for fully guided implant surgery, while in the freehand group, the implants were placed in a freehand manner. Postoperative CBCT was used for nine measurements representing the deviations in angles, implant shoulders and apexes between planned and actual implant positions.

Results

Fifty‐two patients received 60 single implants. The median (IQR) deviations in angles, shoulders and apexes were 2.8 (2.6)°, 0.9 (0.8) mm and 1.2 (0.9) mm, respectively, in the static CAIS group, and 7.0 (7.0)°, 1.3 (0.7) mm and 2.2 (1.2) mm, respectively, in the freehand group. Statistically significant differences were found in 6 out of nine measured parameters using Mann–Whitney U test (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Static CAIS provided more accuracy in implant positions than freehand placement in a single edentulous space.
Short‐term outcomes of staged lateral alveolar ridge augmentation using autogenous tooth roots. A prospective controlled clinical study
Authors: Schwarz Frank , Hazar Didem , Becker Kathrin , Parvini Puria , Sader Robert , Becker Jürgen
Published: June 2019

Objectives

To assess the short‐term clinical outcomes of lateral alveolar ridge augmentation using autogenous tooth roots (TR) and autogenous bone blocks (AB).

Material and Methods

A total of n = 23 patients (23 implants) were available for the analysis. Each subject was allocated to lateral ridge augmentation using either (a) healthy autogenous tooth roots (e.g., retained wisdom or impacted teeth; n = 13) or (b) cortical autogenous bone blocks harvested from the retromolar area (n = 10). Clinical parameters (e.g., bleeding on probing—BOP, probing pocket depth—PD, mucosal recession—MR, clinical attachment level—CAL) were recorded at (V8) and after 26 ± 4 weeks (V9) of implant loading.

Results

TR and AB groups were associated with comparable (p > 0.05) changes in mean BOP (−23.0 ± 34.3%; −11.75 ± 24.9%), PD (−0.03 ± 0.14 mm; −0.1 ± 0.29 mm), MR (0.0 ± 0.0 mm; 0.0 ± 0.0 mm) and CAL (−0.03 ± 0.14 mm; −0.1 ± 0.29 mm) values. The regression analysis failed to reveal any significant correlations between changes in BOP and PD values and the initial as well as the ridge width measured at 26 weeks.

Conclusions

TR and AB were associated with comparable clinical short‐term outcomes.
Mothers in same‐sex relationships—Striving for equal parenthood: A grounded theory study
Authors: Appelgren Engström Heléne , Häggström‐Nordin Elisabet , Borneskog Catrin , Almqvist Anna‐Lena
Published: June 2019

Aims and objectives

To get a deeper understanding of how mothers in same‐sex relationships think and reason about their parenthood in terms of gender equality, and how they experience early parental support from child healthcare professionals.

Background

There is an increasing amount of research on how women in same‐sex relationships experience healthcare services when forming a family. Yet there is limited knowledge of what kind of early parental support these women may request.

Design

Grounded theory. Follows guidelines for qualitative research (COREQ).

Method

Twenty women ranging from 25 to 42 years of age participated in semi‐structured interviews. Data collection and analysis took place in parallel, as recommended in grounded theory methodology.

Results

The results are described by the core category Same‐sex mothers request professional support to achieve equal parenthood, which includes five categories: (a) equality in everyday life, (b) diversity in mother and child attachment, (c) justification of the family structure, (d) ambivalent thoughts about their child's future and (e) a special need for networking and request for professional support. These findings provide a deeper understanding of how same‐sex mothers experience their parenthood and the parental support that is offered.

Conclusion

Child healthcare professionals need to be sensitive and recognise both mothers as equal parents and offer early parenting groups where two‐mother families feel included and supported.

Relevance to clinical practice

Healthcare professionals need to be aware of diverse family formations and meet each parent as a unique individual without heteronormative assumptions. Same‐sex mothers must be treated as equal parents and acknowledged as mothers. Healthcare professionals should offer inclusive and supportive parental groups to same‐sex families. They should also inform and support nonbirth mothers about the possibility to breastfeed.
The health‐related quality of life among patients on maintenance haemodialysis: Evaluation using the “EQ‐5D”
Authors: Yuan Huaihong , Yang Yujie , Zhang Yinjun , Xue Guifang , Chen Lin
Published: June 2019

Purpose

We conducted a cross‐sectional investigation of health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients, and determined important predictive factors of HRQOL in these patients.

Methods

Psychological factors were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the General Self‐Efficacy Scale (GSES). HRQOL was evaluated with the EQ‐5D. Laboratory data (albumin, haemoglobin and C‐reactive protein) were collected for medical evaluation. We also collected participants’ demographic data, including gender, age, et al. This study was in compliance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist.

Results

The mean EQ‐5D score was 0.86 ± 0.12, mean HADS‐anxiety score was 5.27 ± 3.41, mean HADS‐depression score was 5.29 ± 3.58, mean PSQI score was 7.00 ± 4.23 and mean GSES score was 6.86 ± 2.03. Participants’ mean haemoglobin was 108.18 ± 16.45 g/L, mean albumin was 41.80 ± 4.61 g/L and mean C‐reactive protein was 8.88 ± 18.50 mg/L. HRQOL was negatively correlated with HADS‐anxiety (r = −0.390, p < 0.001), HADS‐depression (r = −0.385, p < 0.001), PSQI (r = −0.285, p < 0.001) and C‐reactive protein (r = −0.198, p = 0.034). HRQOL was positively correlated with GSES (r = 0.205, p = 0.007). Age (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.002), and postdialysis unemployment (p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for HRQOL.

Conclusion

Different health interventions should be implemented to improve patients’ HRQOL.

Relevance to clinical practice

The results will provide evidence for establishing healthcare interventions to maintain or improve HRQOL among this patient population.
Potentially inappropriate medication use and frailty phenotype among community‐dwelling older adults: A population‐based study
Authors: Bolina Alisson Fernandes , Gomes Nayara Cândida , Marchiori Gianna Fiori , Pegorari Maycon Sousa , Tavares Darlene Mara dos Santos
Published: June 2019

Aims and objectives

To investigate the association between potentially inappropriate medication use and frailty phenotype among community‐dwelling older adults and to identify factors associated with the use of these drugs according to frailty condition.

Background

There is insufficient evidence about the association between inappropriate medication use and the condition of frailty, particularly among community‐dwelling older adults. Therefore, data obtained from population surveys should be made available in order to support the development of clinical guidelines about the prevention of frailty.

Design

This was a cross‐sectional study conducted according to the STROBE Checklist.

Methods

This population‐based study was conducted on 1,607 older adults. Potentially inappropriate medication use was assessed according to Beers criteria and frailty syndrome was determined according to the phenotype proposed by Fried and colleagues. Data were analysed statistically using multinomial or binary logistic regression models.

Results

About 13.6% of the subjects were frail, and 36.8% used at least one inappropriate medication. The adjusted model indicated that, the more potentially inappropriate medication use, the higher the prevalence of frailty, prefrailty and the walking slowness component. Female gender, one or more years of schooling, five or more reported morbidities, and instrumental dependence regarding daily life activities were factors associated with potentially inappropriate medication use in the nonfrail group.

Conclusion

Inappropriate medication use was prevalent among community‐living older adults, and its presence was associated with the occurrence of frailty.

Relevance to clinical practice

Primary care nurses are the professionals with the greatest contact with the older adults in the community. Thus, the results support the inclusion of the assessment of potentially inappropriate medication use in the routine of nursing consultation. In case of a positive screening, the older person should be referred to geriatric evaluation in order to optimise drug treatment for the prevention of frailty.
Convolutional neural network‐based wind‐induced response estimation model for tall buildings
Authors: Oh Byung Kwan , Glisic Branko , Kim Yousok , Park Hyo Seon
Published: June 2019

This study presents a convolutional neural network (CNN)‐based response estimation model for structural health monitoring (SHM) of tall buildings subject to wind loads. In this model, the wind‐induced responses are estimated by CNN trained with previously measured sensor signals; this enables the SHM system to operate stably even when a sensor fault or data loss occurs. In the presented model, top‐level wind‐induced displacement in the time and frequency domains, and wind data in the frequency domain are configured into the input map of the CNN to reflect the resisting capacity of a tall building, the change in the dynamic characteristics of the building due to wind loads, and the relationship between wind load and the building. To evaluate stress, which is used as a safety indicator for structural members in the building, the maximum and minimum strains of columns are set as the output layer of the CNN. The CNN is trained using measured wind and wind response data to predict the column strains during a future wind load. The presented model is validated using data from a wind tunnel test of a building model. The performance of the presented model is verified through strain estimation with data that were not used in the CNN training. To assess the validity of the presented input map configuration, the estimation performance is compared with a CNN that considered only the time domain responses as input. Furthermore, the effects of the variations in the configuration of the CNN on the wind response estimation performance are examined.
Medication Use and Pain Management in Pregnancy: A Critical Review
Authors: Black Eleanor , Khor Kok Eng , Kennedy Debra , Chutatape Anuntapon , Sharma Swapnil , Vancaillie Thierry , Demirkol Apo
Published: June 2019

Background

Pain during pregnancy is common, and its management is complex. Certain analgesics may increase the risk for adverse fetal and pregnancy outcomes, while poorly managed pain can result in adverse maternal outcomes such as depression and hypertension. Guidelines to assist clinicians in assessing risks and benefits of exposure to analgesics for the mother and unborn infant are lacking, necessitating evidence‐based recommendations for managing pain in pregnancy.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted to assess pregnancy safety data for pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management methods. Relevant clinical trials and observational studies were identified using multiple medical databases, and included studies were evaluated for quality and possible biases.

Results

Paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are appropriate for mild to moderate pain, but NSAIDs should be avoided in the third trimester due to established risks. Short courses of weaker opioids are generally safe in pregnancy, although neonatal abstinence syndrome must be monitored following third trimester exposure. Limited safety data for pregabalin and gabapentin indicate that these are unlikely to be major teratogens, and tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin‐norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors have limited but overall reassuring safety data. Many of the included studies were limited by methodological issues.

Conclusions

Findings from this review can guide clinicians in their decision to prescribe analgesics for pregnant women. Treatment should be tailored to the lowest therapeutic dose and shortest possible duration, and management should involve a discussion of risks and benefits and monitoring for response. Further research is required to better understand the safety profile of various analgesics in pregnancy.
Neural anticipatory mechanisms predict faster reaction times and higher fluid intelligence
Authors: McKinney Ty L. , Euler Matthew J.
Published: June 2019

Higher cognitive ability is reliably linked to better performance on chronometric tasks (i.e., faster reaction times, RT), yet the neural basis of these effects remains unclear. Anticipatory processes represent compelling yet understudied potential mechanisms of these effects, which may facilitate performance through reducing the uncertainty surrounding the temporal onset of stimuli (temporal uncertainty) and/or facilitating motor readiness despite uncertainty about impending target locations (target uncertainty). Specifically, the contingent negative variation (CNV) represents a compelling candidate mechanism of anticipatory motor planning, while the alpha oscillation is thought to be sensitive to temporal contingencies in perceptual systems. The current study undertook a secondary analysis of a large data set (n = 91) containing choice RT, cognitive ability, and EEG measurements to help clarify these issues. Single‐trial EEG analysis in conjunction with mixed‐effects modeling revealed that higher fluid intelligence corresponded to faster RT on average. When considered together, temporal and target uncertainty moderated the RT‐ability relationship, with higher ability being associated with greater resilience to both types of uncertainty. Target uncertainty attenuated the amplitude of the CNV for all participants, but higher ability individuals were more resilient to this effect. Similarly, only higher ability individuals showed increased prestimulus alpha power (at left‐lateralized sites) during longer, more easily anticipated interstimulus intervals. Collectively, these findings emphasize top‐down anticipatory processes as likely contributors to chronometry‐ability correlations.
Innovation responses of Japanese firms to Chinese import competition
Authors: Yamashita Nobuaki , Yamauchi Isamu
Published: June 2019

This paper examines innovation responses of a panel of Japanese firms to the intensified import competition from China in the period 1995–2005. We build a comprehensive firm‐level dataset linking patents and R&D merged to cross‐industry measures of Chinese import competition. Accounting for a simultaneity bias between innovation and importing and the possible heterogeneous effects across firms, we found that patenting has increased in response to an influx of Chinese imports, but it has adversely affected the quality of innovation, measured by forward citations received. These effects are only observed for globally engaged firms, not for firms focusing on the domestic market.