bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dangers of workplace bullying: evidence from the Caribbean
Authors: Devonish Dwayne
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether person-related bullying, work-related bullying, and physically intimidating bullying predict three forms of job strain: physical exhaustion, work-related depression, and interpersonal counterproductive work behaviour (CWB-P).

Design/methodology/approach

The study surveyed a wide cross-section of employees across a number of private sector organisations in a small developing country in the Caribbean region.

Findings

The prevalence rate of workplace bullying in the current Caribbean sample was 54 per cent. The regression results revealed that person-related bullying and work-related were positively related to work-related depression, whereas physically intimidating bullying and work-related bullying were positively related to CWB-P. None of the three forms of bullying predicted physical exhaustion. When the overall workplace bullying composite was used, all three job strains were significantly predicted.

Research limitations/implications

The study utilised a cross-sectional self-report survey research design which does not permit causal inferences to be made. Common method variance is a possible limitation due to the use of self-report measure but this was ruled out by a Harman’s single factor test. Longitudinal research using a mixture of subjective and objective measures is needed to further investigate these relationships reported here.

Practical implications

First, social and interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence training and development opportunities should be provided to both managers and employees as a means of developing individuals who are socially aware, interpersonally competent, and emotionally intelligent in their interactions with each other at work. Second, a zero-tolerance approach should be communicated throughout the organisation evidenced by clear and explicit organisational policies against these acts. Third, it would be of good practical value to establish health and safety committees to identify, assess and tackle various psychosocial and other hazards at work (e.g. workplace bullying).

Originality/value

The study utilised a three-dimensional model of bullying at work (as well as a composite form of bullying) for predicting three forms of job strains among employees in various Caribbean workplaces.
Examining factors influencing sentencing decisions in school shootings
Authors: McKenzie Sherzine , William Crosby James
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine public perception of factors relevant in sentencing decision making for juvenile school shooters with a history of familial abuse, peer victimization, and school intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the use of school shooting vignettes, 298 college-aged participants were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions which differed based on the inclusion of the independent variables.

Findings

Results revealed no significant differences among the groups on the sentencing recommendations (i.e. psychiatric placement and incarceration). However, correlational analyses indicated that participants’ generally perceived they were influenced by the perpetrator’s history of peer victimization and the level of intervention offered by school personnel when the shooter was bullied. Further regression analyses suggested that participant characteristics such as race, gender, and prior experiences with bullying were among the most powerful predictors of agreement with sentencing recommendations.

Practical implications

Implications of the current findings raise questions as to the influence of peer victimization in civil and criminal court proceedings and its associated impact on the juvenile justice system, the educational system, and society’s desire for justice.

Originality/value

This study ambitiously ventures into exploring and understanding the relevant sociological, academic, and legal factors in addressing acts of school violence.
Sticky cost behavior: evidence from Egypt
Authors: Ibrahim Awad Elsayed Awad , Ezat Amr Nazieh
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide further empirical evidence on the asymmetric cost behavior, cost stickiness, in an emerging country, Egypt, which lacks academic research on this subject.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses multiple regression analysis to analyze the behavior of selling, general, and administrative costs (SG&A) and cost of goods sold (CGS) individually and jointly using total costs (TC) for the period 2004-2011 for Egyptian-listed firms. In addition, the study compares the cost behavior three years prior to and after the application of the corporate governance code in Egypt in 2007.

Findings

The results indicate that asymmetric cost behavior is common among Egyptian-listed firms as their SG&A, CGS, and TC were found to be sticky during the study period. The application of the corporate governance code in Egypt was found to affect the nature of SG&A – the behavior of these costs changed from sticky before the code to anti-sticky after the application of the code. Moreover, the code was found to affect the magnitude of stickiness of both CGS and TC.

Originality/value

Greater awareness about cost behavior is important for emerging markets such as Egypt in order to protect investors’ interests and satisfy their information needs. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to provide evidence on cost stickiness in Egypt. Moreover, this study provides further evidence on the correlation between corporate governance and asymmetric cost behavior.
Audit prices and Big 4 fee premiums: further evidence from Thailand
Authors: Pratoomsuwan Thanyawee
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Because there is mixed evidence regarding Big N fee premiums across countries, the purpose of this paper is to re-examine the phenomenon of audit price differentiations in the market for auditing services in Thailand. Although Hay et al. (2006) and Hay (2013) reviewed over 80 audit fee papers from 20 countries over 25 years, 13 of which were based in emerging economies, the understanding of the market for auditing services in Thailand remains limited. Because the Thai auditing market is also classified as a segmented market – i.e., a market that is less competitive for large-client firms and more competitive for small-client firms – this study tests audit price competition in an emerging audit market using Thailand as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

The traditional audit fee model is used to estimate audit fee premiums for a sample of over 300 non-financial companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2011.

Findings

Although the market for auditing services in Thailand is consistent with that described in Ferguson et al. (2013) – in which Big N audit firms dominate only the large-client segment – the results show that Big N auditors charge higher audit fees and earn higher fee premiums compared with non-Big N auditors in both the small- and large-client segments of the audit market.

Research limitations/implications

The evidence from this study reveals the existence of Big N fee premiums across market segmentations. Audit price differentials between Big N and non-Big N firms in both small- and large-client market segments might concern regulators regarding competition in the audit market with respect to whether the Big N firms are charging uncompetitive audit fees. These findings also imply that audit pricing varies across countries and the Big N price deferential is typically larger in emerging markets than in more developed audit markets and that it might be inadequate to study single-country audit pricing. However, the question whether the Big N fee premium results from Big N product differentiation is not directly investigated in this study.

Originality/value

Because earlier studies focusing on audit fee premiums have been conducted using data from the USA and Australia, the findings add to the limited evidence regarding audit fee premiums in an emerging country such as Thailand.
A study on the mediating role ofhalalperception: determinants and consequence reflections
Authors: Ishak Suraiya , Awang Abd Hair , Hussain Mohd Yusof , Ramli Zaimah , Md Sum Sarmila , Saad Suhana , Abd Manaf Azima
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine potential determinants ofhalalperception and to validate the mediating model ofhalalperception on purchasing decision of Malaysian consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a survey to obtain the relevant data. The survey involved self-administration of questionnaires to 420 consumers and 96 per cent responded. The questionnaire consists of four sections designed to obtain information on demography,halalperception, determinants ofhalalperception and purchase decision.

Findings

The main finding reiterates the role of credible signals in credence items purchased as suggested by the signaling theory.Halalperception has association with respondents’ purchase decision. Thus, it highlights thathalalperception is the mediating variable that intervenes in the relationship of a few independent variables and the purchase decision trends. The independent variables such as manufacturer identity, product label, physical product and packaging as well country of origin are considered to be important extrinsic cues that deliver messages regarding thehalalof certain food products. The association of the four variables withhalalperception is also found to be significant.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in its attempt to explore the role ofhalalperception in the marketing of food products especially within the scope of a Muslim’s market. Besides, this study attempts to investigate thehalalissue based on a specific model that includes potential variables and the intervening role ofhalalperception.
Measuring halal brand association (HalBA) for Islamic banks
Authors: Maulan Suharni , Omar Nor Asiah , Ahmad Maisarah
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable and valid scale for measuring halal brand association (HalBA) for Islamic banks. Brand association is a core dimension of brand equity that Islamic bank managers need to develop to maintain competitiveness. Using the process proposed by Churchill for developing measures of marketing constructs, an instrument to assess HalBA for Islamic bank is formulated.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology consists of developing the scale based on a literature review and qualitative method. The proposed scale is then purified and validated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Findings

Based on the EFA and CFA, the result reveals that HalBA for Islamic banks contains 15 attributes which can be categorized into three dimensions: Shari’ah-compliant association, God-consciousness association and corporate social responsibility association.

Practical implications

The scale developed could assist practitioners in further understanding the dimensions and measurement of halal bank association, particularly in Islamic banking institutions. Knowledge of the dimensions of HalBA that customers seek from an Islamic bank can help managers and marketers to design branding strategies that better meet the needs of consumers, thereby increasing their satisfaction and loyalty.

Originality/value

The concept of brand association has been explored primarily from a conventional marketing perspective. This study offers a new dimension of HalBA in the context of Islamic banks.
Union recognition and union security
Authors: Colley Linda
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Union membership has declined in many countries reducing union capacity to bargain and contribute to economic equality. This paper aims to explore a more hopeful case in an Australian state, where the dramatic anti-union strategies of conservative governments have been reversed by Labor governments.

Design/methodology/approach

The research frames union recognition and union security in an international context, highlighting differences between US, Canadian, UK and Australian approaches. The research focuses on the Australian state of Queensland, providing an historical account of changes to union recognition and union preference provisions, drawing on legislation, major public service agreements, newspapers and parliamentary transcripts.

Findings

Conservative governments in Australia have implemented anti-union strategies, and Labor governments have often failed to restore union-friendly provisions when re-elected. In contrast, the Queensland study demonstrates a substantial restoration of union security provisions when Labor governments are re-elected, rebuilding political capital with unions and potentially supporting union membership. This difference is due to unique political and institutional factors that provide governments with unfettered powers to legislate their industrial relations agenda, whether in support or otherwise of unions, and has led to the more distinctive pendulum swings to the right and left than occurred elsewhere in Australia.

Originality/value

The research contributes to debates about the factors related to declining union membership and highlights a case where unions have achieved restoration of many provisions that increase their influence and potentially their membership.
Drivers of brand equity of television news channels: evidences from emerging market
Authors: Bakshi Madhupa , Mishra Prashant
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to map the variables that affect the customer-based brand equity (CBBE) of media channels (television news) in an emerging market context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted structural equation modelling (SEM) to investigate the causal relationships between CBBE and the variables that affect brand equity for television news channels.

Findings

The analysis revealed that localization, ideology, credibility and entertainment are the variables that influence CBBE of television news channels (media brands). Subsequent analysis using SEM indicated that apart from the sole negative impact of entertainment, all the variables had positive impact on brand equity.

Research limitations/implications

This study is confined to one of the metros of emerging market hence it cannot be generalized. Also the variables that indicate brand equity have been tested only for television news channels hence they may not hold true for other form of television stations.

Practical implications

For marketers of news channels this study identifies the factors that they need to focus on if they want to garner the equity of the brand in an emerging market scenario.

Social implications

The content factors identified that influence television news brand equity are reflections of the social requirements of an emerging market. It indicates what the audiences in such markets expect from their television news channels and is part of the social discussion.

Originality/value

The study contributes to brand equity literature by finding the antecedents that can influence any media brand in the emerging market scenario.
Purchasing organic products: role of social context and consumer innovativeness
Authors: Persaud Ajax , Schillo Sandra R.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual innovativeness and social factors shape consumers’ purchase decisions of organic products.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an online survey of 988 Canadian participants. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationships between social identity, social influence, perceived value and purchase intention within a multi-group framework to show the moderating effect of consumer innovativeness.

Findings

The results show that the two social dimensions – social identity and social influence – influence purchase intention and the perceived value of organic products partially mediates these relationships. Further, the personal characteristic, “consumer innovativeness”, moderates these relationships.

Research limitations/implications

Although the sample consists of a higher proportion of younger participants, the results are consistent with theoretical arguments and empirical evidence, which underscores the importance of generational differences in organic product purchases.

Practical implications

Managers need to develop a more nuanced understanding of how social influence and social identity play different roles in the purchase intentions of consumer innovators vs later adopters. This knowledge can guide practical segmentation, targeting, positioning and promotion strategies.

Originality/value

This study complements the individual innovativeness predispositions literature by showing that the consideration of social factors leads to a more nuanced understanding of consumers’ purchase intention than either set of factors separately. It also contributes to the literature on adoption of organic products by introducing consumer innovativeness dimension as a key factor.
Comparison of Medicaid Payments Relative to Medicare Using Inpatient Acute Care Claims from the Medicaid Program: Fiscal Year 2010–Fiscal Year 2011
Authors: Stone Devin A. , Dickensheets Bridget A. , Poisal John A.
Published: January 2017

Objective

To compare Medicaid fee‐for‐service (FFS) inpatient hospital payments to expected Medicare payments.

Data Sources

Medicaid and Medicare claims data, Medicare's MS‐DRG grouper and inpatient prospective payment system pricer (IPPS pricer).

Study Design

Medicaid FFS inpatient hospital claims were run through Medicare's MS‐DRG grouper and IPPS pricer to compare Medicaid's actual payment against what Medicare would have paid for the same claim.

Principal Findings

Average inpatient hospital claim payments for Medicaid were 68.8 percent of what Medicare would have paid in fiscal year 2010, and 69.8 percent in fiscal year 2011. Including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH), graduate medical education (GME), and supplemental payments reduces a substantial proportion of the gap between Medicaid and Medicare payments.

Conclusions

Medicaid payments relative to expected Medicare payments tend to be lower and vary by state Medicaid program, length of stay, and whether payments made outside of the Medicaid claims process are included.
Review article: dose optimisation of infliximab for acute severe ulcerative colitis
Authors: Hindryckx P. , Novak G. , Vande Casteele N. , Laukens D. , Parker C. , Shackelton L. M , Narula N. , Khanna R. , Dulai P. , Levesque B. G , Sandborn W. J , D'Haens G. , Feagan B. G. , Jairath V.
Published: January 2017

Background

Although optimal medical management of acute severe ulcerative colitis (UC) is ill‐defined, infliximab has become a standard of care. Accumulating evidence suggests an increased rate of infliximab clearance in patients with acute severe UC and a reduced colectomy rate with an intensified infliximab induction regimen.

Aim

To assess the strength of the current evidence for the relationship between infliximab pharmacokinetics, dosing strategies and disease behaviour in patients with acute severe UC.

Methods

We systematically searched MEDLINE and conference proceedings from 2000 to 2016 for relevant articles describing the pharmacokinetics of infliximab in acute severe UC and/or infliximab dose intensification strategies in acute severe UC. Eligible articles described randomised controlled trials, and cohort, cross‐sectional, and case–controlled studies.

Results

Of 400 citations identified, 76 studies were eligible. Increased infliximab clearance occurs in patients with acute severe UC, and is driven by the total inflammatory burden and leakage of drug into the colonic lumen. Several cohort studies suggest that infliximab dose intensification is beneficial to at least 50% of acute severe UC patients and the results of case–controlled studies indicate that an intensified infliximab dosing regimen with 1–2 additional infusions in the first 3 weeks of treatment could reduce the early (3‐month) colectomy rate by up to 80%, although these data require prospective validation.

Conclusions

Uncontrolled studies suggest a benefit for infliximab dose optimisation in patients with acute severe UC. A randomised controlled trial in acute severe UC patients comparing a personalised infliximab dose‐optimisation strategy with conventional dosing is a research priority.
Estimating Varying Coefficients for Partial Differential Equation Models
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Cao Jiguo , Carroll Raymond J.
Published: January 2017

Partial differential equations (PDEs) are used to model complex dynamical systems in multiple dimensions, and their parameters often have important scientific interpretations. In some applications, PDE parameters are not constant but can change depending on the values of covariates, a feature that we call varying coefficients. We propose a parameter cascading method to estimate varying coefficients in PDE models from noisy data. Our estimates of the varying coefficients are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normally distributed. The performance of our method is evaluated by a simulation study and by an empirical study estimating three varying coefficients in a PDE model arising from LIDAR data.
Same but different: Comparative modes of information processing are implicated in the construction of perceptions of autonomy support
Authors: Lee Rebecca Rachael , Chatzisarantis Nikos L. D.
Published: January 2017

An implicit assumption behind tenets of self‐determination theory is that perceptions of autonomy support are a function of absolute modes of information processing. In this study, we examined whether comparative modes of information processing were implicated in the construction of perceptions of autonomy support. In an experimental study, we demonstrated that participants employed comparative modes of information processing in evaluating receipt of small, but not large, amounts of autonomy support. In addition, we found that social comparison processes influenced a number of outcomes that are empirically related to perceived autonomy support such as sense of autonomy, positive affect, perceived usefulness, and effort. Findings shed new light upon the processes underpinning construction of perceptions related to autonomy support and yield new insights into how to increase the predictive validity of models that use autonomy support as a determinant of motivation and psychological well‐being.
Quantifying severe urinary complications after radical prostatectomy: the development and validation of a surgical performance indicator using hospital administrative data
Authors: Sujenthiran Arunan , Charman Susan C. , Parry Matthew , Nossiter Julie , Aggarwal Ajay , Dasgupta Prokar , Payne Heather , Clarke Noel W. , Cathcart Paul , van der Meulen Jan
Published: January 2017

Objectives

To develop and validate a surgical performance indicator based on severe urinary complications that require an intervention within 2 years of radical prostatectomy (RP), identified in hospital administrative data.

Patients and Methods

Men who underwent RP between 2008 and 2012 in England were identified using hospital administrative data. A transparent coding framework based on procedure codes was developed to identify severe urinary complications which were grouped into ‘stricture’, ‘incontinence’ and ‘other’. Their validity as a performance indicator was assessed by evaluating the consistency with diagnosis codes and association with patient and surgical characteristics. Kaplan–Meier methods were used to assess time to first occurrence and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for patient and surgical characteristics.

Results

A total of 17 299 men were included, of whom 2695 (15.6%) experienced at least one severe urinary complication within 2 years. High proportions of men with a complication had relevant diagnosis codes: 86% for strictures and 93% for incontinence. Urinary complications were more common in men from poorer socio‐economic backgrounds (OR comparing lowest with highest quintile: 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26–1.67) and in those with prolonged length of hospital stay (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.40–1.69), and were less common in men who underwent robot‐assisted surgery (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.58–0.74).

Conclusion

These results show that severe urinary complications identified in administrative data provide a medium‐term performance indicator after RP. They can be used for research assessing outcomes of treatment methods and for service evaluation comparing performance of prostate cancer surgery providers.
Prognostic value of tissue‐based biomarker signature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Haddad Ahmed Q. , Luo Jun‐Hang , Krabbe Laura‐Maria , Darwish Oussama , Gayed Bishoy , Youssef Ramy , Kapur Payal , Rakheja Dinesh , Lotan Yair , Sagalowsky Arthur , Margulis Vitaly
Published: January 2017

Objective

To improve risk stratification for recurrence prognostication in patients with localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Patients and Methods

In all, 367 patients with non‐metastatic ccRCC were included. The cohort was divided into a training and validation set. Using tissue microarrays, immunostaining was performed for 24 biomarkers representative of key pathways in ccRCC. Using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression, we identified several markers that were used to construct a risk classifier for risk of disease recurrence.

Results

The median (interquartile range) follow‐up was 63.5 (24.0–85.3) months. Five out of 24 markers were selected by LASSO Cox regression for the risk classifier: N‐cadherin, E‐cadherin, Ki67, cyclin D1 and phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein‐1 (p‐4EBP1). Patients were classified as either low, intermediate or high risk of disease recurrence by tertiles of risk score. The 5‐year recurrence‐free survival (RFS) was 93.8%, 87.7% and 70% for patients with low‐, intermediate‐ and high‐risk scores, respectively (P < 0.001). Patients with a high marker score had worse RFS on multivariate analysis adjusted for age, gender, race and the Mayo Clinic Stage, Size, Grade, and Necrosis (SSIGN) score (hazard ratio 3.66, 95% confidence interval 1.58–8.49, P = 0.003 for high vs low marker score in the overall cohort). The five‐marker classifier increased the concordance index of the clinical model in both the training and validation sets.

Conclusion

We developed a five‐marker‐based prognostic tool that can effectively classify patients with ccRCC according to risk of disease recurrence after surgery. This tool, if prospectively validated, could provide individualised risk estimation for patients with ccRCC.
A recognizable type of syndromic short stature with arthrogryposis caused by bi‐allelic SEMA3A loss‐of‐function variants
Authors: Baumann M. , Steichen‐Gersdorf E. , Krabichler B. , Müller T. , Janecke A.R.
Published: January 2017

The semaphorins constitute a large family of secreted and membrane‐associated proteins that regulate many developmental processes, including neural circuit assembly, bone formation and angiogenesis. Recently, bi‐allelic loss‐of‐function variants in
SEMA3A
(semaphorin 3A) were identified in a single patient with a particular pattern of multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). Using homozygosity mapping combined with exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous
SEMA3A
variant causing a premature stop codon in an 8 year old boy with the same pattern of MCA. The phenotype of these patients is characterized by postnatal short stature, skeletal anomalies of the thorax, a minor congenital heart or vascular defect, camptodactyly, micropenis, and variable additional anomalies. Motor development is delayed in both patients, and intellectual development is delayed in one patient. Our observation of a second case supports the notion that bi‐allelic mutations in
SEMA3A
cause an autosomal recessive type of syndromic short stature.
The impact of Type 2 diabetes prevention programmes based on risk‐identification and lifestyle intervention intensity strategies: a cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Breeze P. R. , Thomas C. , Squires H. , Brennan A. , Greaves C. , Diggle P. J. , Brunner E. , Tabak A. , Preston L. , Chilcott J.
Published: January 2017

Aims

To develop a cost‐effectiveness model to compare Type 2 diabetes prevention programmes targeting different at‐risk population subgroups with a lifestyle intervention of varying intensity.

Methods

An individual patient simulation model was constructed to simulate the development of diabetes in a representative sample of adults without diabetes from the UK population. The model incorporates trajectories for HbA1c, 2‐h glucose, fasting plasma glucose, BMI, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Patients can be diagnosed with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, microvascular complications of diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis and depression, or can die. The model collects costs and utilities over a lifetime horizon. The perspective is the UK National Health Service and personal social services. We used the model to evaluate the population‐wide impact of targeting a lifestyle intervention of varying intensity to six population subgroups defined as high risk for diabetes.

Results

The intervention produces 0.0003 to 0.0009 incremental quality‐adjusted life years and saves up to £1.04 per person in the general population, depending upon the subgroup targeted. Cost‐effectiveness increases with intervention intensity. The most cost‐effective options are to target individuals with HbA1c > 42 mmol/mol (6%) or with a high Finnish Diabetes Risk (FINDRISC) probability score (> 0.1).

Conclusion

The model indicates that diabetes prevention interventions are likely to be cost‐effective and may be cost‐saving over a lifetime. In the model, the criteria for selecting at‐risk individuals differentially impact upon diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes, and on the timing of benefits. These findings have implications for deciding who should be targeted for diabetes prevention interventions.
Development time and fitness: is there an adaptive development delay in the Rhodnius prolixus fifth nymphal stage?
Authors: Aldana Elis , Medone Paula , Pineda Daniela , Menu Frédéric , Rabinovich Jorge
Published: January 2017

Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, the etiological agent of Chagas's disease. They display pre‐adult development delay – that is, a development time much longer than on average – which usually has been considered as a maladaptive trait. However, this hypothesis has not been tested. We carried out an experiment under controlled laboratory conditions to (1) test whether a development delay exists in the fifth nymphal stage of Rhodnius prolixus Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, Rhodniini), and (2) measure any fitness cost related to such delay by estimating the relationship between individual development time and other life‐history traits. We analyzed the development time with various continuous statistical distributions (normal, log‐normal, Weibull, gamma, Pareto, Burr, and log‐logistic). Using goodness‐of‐fit tests, the best fit was obtained with asymmetrical distributions, with the Burr distribution showing the best fit to the data. We concluded that a development delay exists in stage five of R. prolixus without fitness cost. The combination of our results and previous work suggests that such a delay could be viewed as an adaptive response to environmental stochasticity and/or density‐dependence rather than as a maladaptive trait. We propose further investigations to provide a conclusive test of adaptive delay in triatomines.
Multitarget selection of catalytic antibodies with β‐lactamase activity using phage display
Authors: Shahsavarian Melody A. , Chaaya Nancy , Costa Narciso , Boquet Didier , Atkinson Alexandre , Offmann Bernard , Kaveri Srini V. , Lacroix‐Desmazes Sébastien , Friboulet Alain , Avalle Bérangère , Padiolleau‐Lefèvre Séverine
Published: January 2017

β‐lactamase enzymes responsible for bacterial resistance to antibiotics are among the most important health threats to the human population today. Understanding the increasingly vast structural motifs responsible for the catalytic mechanism of β‐lactamases will help improve the future design of new generation antibiotics and mechanism‐based inhibitors of these enzymes. Here we report the construction of a large murine single chain fragment variable (scFv) phage display library of size 2.7 × 109 with extended diversity by combining different mouse models. We have used two molecularly different inhibitors of the R‐TEM β‐lactamase as targets for selection of catalytic antibodies with β‐lactamase activity. This novel methodology has led to the isolation of five antibody fragments, which are all capable of hydrolyzing the β‐lactam ring. Structural modeling of the selected scFv has revealed the presence of different motifs in each of the antibody fragments potentially responsible for their catalytic activity. Our results confirm (a) the validity of using our two target inhibitors for the in vitro selection of catalytic antibodies endowed with β‐lactamase activity, and (b) the plasticity of the β‐lactamase active site responsible for the wide resistance of these enzymes to clinically available inhibitors and antibiotics.
Fecal total iron concentration is inversely associated with fecalLactobacillusin preschool children
Authors: Kalipatnapu Sasank , Kuppuswamy Sivaraman , Venugopal Giriprasad , Kaliaperumal Venkatesh , Ramadass Balamurugan
Published: January 2017

Background and Aim

Iron deficiency is associated with stunting and poor performance in children. Oral iron supplementation is widely promoted to correct iron deficiency. However, excess iron may be toxic to beneficial luminal gut bacteria and could support growth of pathobionts. The aim of this study is to analyze the fecal total iron concentration and fecalLactobacilluslevels in a cohort of stunted and normal children.

Methods

The study was undertaken in two different locations. One of them is a rural area, and the other is a semi‐urban‐slum area; both areas are located in the Vellore district of Tamilnadu state. Twenty children (10 stunted and 10 normal growth) aged 2 to 5 years from each area were recruited. Both groups were nearly identical demographically. Fecal samples were collected. Fecal total iron was estimated, and fecal DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rDNA‐targeted real‐time PCR to determine the relative predominance ofLactobacillusandEscherichia coli.

Results

The fecal total iron concentration in rural children (3656 μg/g wet wt. of feces) was significantly higher when compared with semi‐urban‐slum children (114.9 μg/g wet wt. of feces,P < 0.005). Inversely, fecalLactobacillusin rural children (median 3.18 × 10−3relative difference compared with total bacteria) was significantly lower when compared with semi‐urban‐slum children (median 59.33 × 10−3,p < 0.005). There was no significant change observed between normal and stunted children.E. colilevels remained unaffected.

Conclusion

The present study documents an inverse relationship between fecal iron concentration and fecalLactobacillusconcentration in children belonging to two different localities independent of their nutritional status.
Differences in Access to and Use of Electronic Personal Health Information Between Rural and Urban Residents in the United States
Authors: Greenberg Alexandra J. , Haney Danielle , Blake Kelly D. , Moser Richard P. , Hesse Bradford W.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The increase in use of health information technologies (HIT) presents new opportunities for patient engagement and self‐management. Patients in rural areas stand to benefit especially from increased access to health care tools and electronic communication with providers. We assessed the adoption of 4 HIT tools over time by rural or urban residency.

Methods

Analyses were conducted using data from 7 iterations of the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS; 2003‐2014). Rural/urban residency was based on the USDA's 2003 Rural‐Urban Continuum Codes. Outcomes of interest included managing personal health information online; whether providers maintain electronic health records (EHRs); e‐mailing health care providers; and purchasing medicine online. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were used to assess relationships between geography and outcomes, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Findings

In total, 6,043 (17.6%, weighted) of the 33,749 respondents across the 7 administrations of HINTS lived in rural areas. Rural participants were less likely to report regular access to Internet (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.61‐0.80). Rural respondents were neither more nor less likely to report that their health care providers maintained EHRs than were urban respondents; however, they had decreased odds of managing personal health information online (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40‐0.78) and e‐mailing health care providers (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.49‐0.77).

Conclusions

The digital divide between rural and urban residents extends to HIT. Additional investigation is needed to determine whether the decreased use of HIT may be due to lack of Internet connectivity or awareness of these tools.
Antibody and cytokine levels in humans fed on by the common bedbug, Cimex lectularius L
Authors: Sheele J. M. , Ridge G. E. , Coppolino K. , Bonfield T. , Young A. B. , Gaines S. L. , McCormick T. S.
Published: January 2017

Little is known about cimicosis, the resultant dermal reaction from feeding activity by the common bedbug, Cimex lectularius L. We fed C. lectularius on human study subjects four times over four weeks and measured serum cytokine and antibody levels, and subjects recorded any cimicosis. The average time for subjects to develop cimicosis decreased with each feeding from 8.4, to 2.1, 1.5 and 1.3 days, respectively. There were no significant changes in total IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG4 or IgE levels between the first and fourth bedbug feedings, but there was a significant decrease in total IgG3 levels (P<.001). IgG4 was not required for cimicosis. Higher IgG2 and IgG4 levels at study visit 4 were associated with an increased duration of cimicosis (P=.04) and lower pruritis (P=.03), respectively. There were no significant changes in serum TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐10, IFN‐γ and IL‐17A levels before and one hour after the C. lectularius feeding. Lower post‐C. lectularius feeding IL‐6 levels were associated with increased pruritis (P=.001) and the time to maximum pruritis (P=.04), respectively. Higher post‐C. lectularius feeding IL‐5 levels were associated with a longer duration of pruritis (P=.05).
Leaf emergence (phyllochron index) and leaf expansion response to soil drying in cowpea genotypes
Authors: Manandhar Anju , Sinclair Thomas R. , Rufty Thomas W. , Ghanem Michel E.
Published: January 2017

Drought can result in severely decreased leaf area development, which impacts plant growth and yield. However, rarely is leaf emergence or leaf expansion separated to resolve the relative sensitivity to water‐deficit of these two processes. Experiments were undertaken to impose drought over approximately 2 weeks for eight cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) genotypes grown in pots under controlled environmental conditions. Daily measures of phyllochron index (PI, leaf emergence) and leaf area increase (leaf expansion) were obtained. Each of these measures was referenced against volumetric soil water content, i.e. fraction transpirable soil water. Although there was no clear difference between leaf emergence and leaf expansion in sensitivity to drying soil, both processes were more sensitive to soil drying than plant transpiration rate. Genotypic differences in the soil water content at the initiation of the decline in PI were identified. However, no consistent difference in sensitivity to water‐deficit in leaf expansion was found. The difference in leaf emergence among genotypes in sensitivity to soil drying can now be exploited to provide guidance for plant improvement and crop yield increase.
Computed tomographic evaluation of dynamic alteration of the canine lumbosacral intervertebral neurovascular foramina
Authors: Worth Andrew J. , Hartman Angela , Bridges Janis P. , Jones Boyd R. , Mayhew Joe I. G.
Published: January 2017

Objective

To develop a computed tomographic (CT) method to measure the volume of the lumbosacral intervertebral neurovascular foramina (IVF) in dogs, and determine the effect of the range of motion of the lumbosacral (LS) junction on this measurement in German shepherd dogs (GSDs) with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS) compared to unaffected controls.

Study Design

In vivo analysis and retrospective case series.

Sample Population: Twenty‐four working Police GSDs, 12 diagnosed with DLSS and 12 unaffected by DLSS were compared to 10 Greyhounds without DLSS.

Methods

Three‐dimensional renderings of CT data were used to measure the lumbosacral foraminal volume of dogs positioned in dorsal recumbency with the LS junction alternately positioned in extension, neutral position, and flexion.

Results

Volumetric analysis of the IVF was found repeatable for the extended and neutral positions (interclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 and 0.8, respectively).

The mean lumbosacral IVF volume was decreased by 74% between LS flexion and extension in Greyhounds, compared to 79 and 85% reductions in GSDs unaffected and affected by DLSS, respectively. The lumbosacral IVF volume was decreased by 23% when comparing extended to neutral LS positions in Greyhounds, 29% in unaffected GSDs, and 31% in affected GSDs. IVF volumes were smaller in affected GSDs compared to unaffected GSDs (P < .05) and Greyhounds (P < .01).

Conclusions

Positioning the LS junction in full extension decreases the volume of the lumbosacral IVF. This dynamic narrowing was more pronounced in GSDs with signs of DLSS than in GSDs not overtly affected by DLSS.
Deficit Policy within the Framework of the Stability and Growth Pact: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Afflatet Nicolas
Published: January 2017

It has become common to criticize Germany and France for having broken the Stability and Growth Pact in 2003, supposedly giving way for higher deficits thereafter. However, this question has not yet been answered by the economic literature. It is closely related to the issue whether the Stability and Growth Pact had any disciplining effect on European Monetary Union member countries or not. This article examines the question whether joining the European Monetary Union or the breach of the Stability and Growth Pact in 2003 had an impact on deficits of member states. The empirical analysis shows no evidence for higher deficits after having joined the Eurozone or after having breached the Pact in 2003. These results are robust to different testing methods and when using different data samples. They can be explained with the fact that the Pact was undermined from its beginning and only had a limited disciplining effect henceforth. Otherwise the breakout of the ongoing debt crisis would hardly have been possible.
Tune into the rhythm of your bugs
Authors: Kashyap Purna
Published: January 2017

Diurnal changes in gut microbiota localization and function alter host physiology through circadian epigenetic and transcriptional changes.
The Assimilation of Diazotroph-Derived Nitrogen by Scleractinian Corals Depends on Their Metabolic Status
Authors: Bednarz Vanessa N. , Grover Renaud , Maguer Jean-François , Fine Maoz , Ferrier-Pagès Christine
Published: January 2017

Tropical corals are associated with a diverse community of dinitrogen (N
2
)-fixing prokaryotes (diazotrophs) providing the coral an additional source of bioavailable nitrogen (N) in oligotrophic waters. The overall activity of these diazotrophs changes depending on the current environmental conditions, but to what extent it affects the assimilation of diazotroph-derived N (DDN) by corals is still unknown. Here, in a series of
15
N
2
tracer experiments, we directly quantified DDN assimilation by scleractinian corals from the Red Sea exposed to different environmental conditions. We show that DDN assimilation strongly varied with the corals’ metabolic status or with phosphate availability in the water. The very autotrophic shallow-water (~5 m) corals showed low or no DDN assimilation, which significantly increased under elevated phosphate availability (3 µM). Corals that depended more on heterotrophy (i.e., bleached and deep-water [~45 m] corals) assimilated significantly more DDN, which contributed up to 15% of the corals’ N demand (compared to 1% in shallow corals). Furthermore, we demonstrate that a substantial part of the DDN assimilated by deep corals was likely obtained from heterotrophic feeding on fixed N compounds and/or diazotrophic cells in the mucus. Conversely, in shallow corals, the net release of mucus, rich in organic carbon compounds, likely enhanced diazotroph abundance and activity and thereby the release of fixed N to the pelagic and benthic reef community. Overall, our results suggest that DDN assimilation by corals varies according to the environmental conditions and is likely linked to the capacity of the coral to acquire nutrients from seawater.

IMPORTANCE
Tropical corals are associated with specialized bacteria (i.e., diazotrophs) able to transform dinitrogen (N
2
) gas into a bioavailable form of nitrogen, but how much of this diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) is assimilated by corals under different environmental conditions is still unknown. Here, we used
15
N
2
labeling to trace the fate of DDN within the coral symbiosis. We show that DDN is assimilated by both the animal host and the endosymbiotic algae. In addition, the amount of assimilated DDN was significantly greater in mesophotic, bleached, or phosphorus-enriched corals than in surface corals, which almost did not take up this nitrogen form. DDN can thus be of particular importance for the nutrient budget of corals whenever they are limited by the availability of other forms of dissolved nutrients.