bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stakeholder views on the drivers and inhibitors of performance of outsourced information technology employees
Authors: Dibetso Olebogeng Glad , Sutherland Margaret Mary , Scheepers Caren Brenda
Published: April 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically quantify the factors that are perceived to drive or inhibit performance of information technology (IT) outsourced employees from a range of information technology outsourcing (ITO) stakeholders in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The first phase was a qualitative study on 19 stakeholders focussed on the development of the constructs. The second phase was quantitative, with a sample of 116 ITO stakeholders of the largest IT company in South Africa.

Findings

The study revealed that the ITO stakeholders had misaligned perceptions on inhibitors and somewhat congruent perceptions with regards to drivers of performance. Managers and poor performers’ perceptions of inhibiting factors of performance were significantly different. The empirical evidence showed that the key drivers of performance were intrinsic factors and leadership, whilst the inhibiting factors were mainly related to poor leadership.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation was that the population was represented by one large organisation in the South African IT industry and its clients, thereby excluding the rest of the IT industry participants, specifically the medium and small IT companies. The quota sample resulted in a non-probability study, and thus, the results of this study may not necessarily be generalised to other populations. This study’s findings on differences between good and poor performers must be investigated in other industries.

Practical implications

For outsourced employees to perform optimally, some key intrinsic factors must be fulfilled. Passion and pride, aligned to a meaningful job role, will unleash outstanding performance. Organisations need to ensure that there is regular feedback to managers on their performance and subsequent leadership development. Alignment of managers and poor performers’ perceptions on drivers and inhibitors could improve performance.

Social implications

These findings demonstrate the large gap in perceptions about the key drivers and inhibiters of performance.

Originality/value

The study reveals that top performers tend to have higher order and intrinsic motivators, compared to poor performers, who have a mixture of extrinsic and intrinsic needs, and managers have a misaligned expectation of extrinsic motivators.
A fuzzy trust-based routing model for mitigating the misbehaving nodes in mobile ad hoc networks
Authors: Beghriche Abdesselem , Bilami Azeddine
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Security is one of the major challenges in the design and implementation of protocols for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In such systems, the cooperation between nodes is one of the important principles being followed in the current research works to formulate various security protocols. Many existing works assume that mobile nodes will follow prescribed protocols without deviation. However, this is not always the case, because these networks are subjected to a variety of malicious attacks. Since there are various models of attack, trust routing scheme can guarantee security and trust of the network. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel trusted routing model for mitigating attacks in MANETs.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model incorporates the concept of trust into the MANETs and applies grey relational analysis theory combined with fuzzy sets to calculate a node’s trust level based on observations from neighbour nodes’ trust level, these trust levels are then used in the routing decision-making process.

Findings

In order to prove the applicability of the proposed solution, extensive experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model, aiming at improving the network interaction quality, malicious node mitigation and enhancements of the system’s security.

Originality/value

The proposed solution in this paper is a new approach combining the fundamental basics of fuzzy sets with the grey theory, where establishment of trust relationships among participating nodes is critical in order to enable collaborative optimisation of system metrics. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is useful for reducing the effects of malicious nodes and for the enhancements of system’s security.
Integrated model for the stressors, stress, stress-coping behaviour of construction project managers in the UK
Authors: Naoum Shamil George , Herrero Carlos , Egbu Charles , Fong Daniel
Published: April 2018

Purpose

It is axiomatic that construction is a fast-paced and competitive industry, which goes hand in hand with many construction professionals suffering from stress including construction project managers (C-PMs). The role of C-PMs is crucial to achieving project success as they are responsible for planning the project, organising human resources, controlling operations and the budget, and forecasting probable difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal relationships between stressors, stresses, stress-coping behaviours and their impact on the performance of C-PMs.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the relationships between stress and performance among C-PMs, a questionnaire was designed based on the extensive literature, and was sent to 150 C-PMs who had amassed at least five years’ direct working experience in the construction industry. A total of 44 completed questionnaires were returned. Correlation analysis and structural equation modelling were employed to understand the integrated relationships between these factors. Based on the data collected and analysis of the results, an integrated structural equation model of the stresses and performances of C-PMs was developed using AMOS version 22.0.

Findings

The results of structural equation modelling reveal the following: burnout is the type of stress that has the highest impact on the performance of C-PMs, being detrimental to their interpersonal performance (IPP) and positive for their organisational performance (OP), whereas physiological stress worsens the task performance of C-PMs and objective stress improves their IPP. The most active stressor towards the performance of C-PMs is “workgroup cooperation”, which has an impact on the IPP in a positive way but is detrimental to the OP. Career-developing environment, poor organisational structure and role conflict affect both stress and performance together.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the impact of various types of stress on the performances of C-PMs. The result constitutes a significant step towards the stress management of C-PMs in the dynamic and stressful construction industry.
An empirical examination of critical barriers in transitions between technology push and demand pull strategies in manufacturing organizations
Authors: Singla Anuj , Sethi APS , Ahuja Inderpreet Singh
Published: April 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine critical barriers in transitions between technology push (TP) and demand pull (DP) strategies in Indian manufacturing industries for accomplishing sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

The factors that affect the transitions have been extracted and analyzed using factor analysis technique. For the purpose, various critical barriers are grouped together based on their relevance to TP-DP strategies. The responses to critical barriers have been collected from different Indian manufacturing organizations practicing TP-DP strategies, using a well-framed TP-DP questionnaire. Further, the responses are analyzed using factor analysis which improved the data interpretation.

Findings

Four latent factors were extracted from critical barriers and revealed that the manufacturing organizations face these barriers in transitions between TP-DP strategies. The recognition of the outcomes of critical barriers has been perceived to be substantial in the present context.

Originality/value

The research concludes that TP-DP strategies in Indian manufacturing industries encounter relevant critical barriers for accomplishing sustainable development. The outcomes of the study will help TP-DP practitioners, HR executives and organizational managers in manufacturing companies to develop clear understanding about the significant TP-DP strategies to be followed comprehensively for realization of sustainable development. The manufacturing organizations will be able to formulate and express their policies and issues in a more pertinent manner. Hence, the knowledge obtained from the empirical examination of critical barriers in transitions between TP and DP strategies will be helpful in improving the overall performance of manufacturing industries involved in the present study.
The prevalence and potential determinants of dysmenorrhoea and other pelvic pain in women: a prospective study
Authors: Righarts A , Osborne L , Connor J , Gillett W
Published: April 2018

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of pelvic pain and model associations with potential demographic, obstetric, gynaecological and psychosocial determinants.

Design, setting and sample

A cohort study of women born between 1972 and 1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand, most recently assessed when aged 38 years (95% of survivors retained); 429 women were eligible for analysis.

Methods

Women self‐completed reproductive health questionnaires at ages 21, 26, 32 and 38 years, with questions on dysmenorrhoea at ages 13 and 15, and on all pelvic pain at age 38. Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and Poisson regression used to model associations.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence of pain and adjusted relative risks (ARR) for potential explanatory factors.

Results

Over half (54.5%, 95% CI 49.7–59.3%) of women experienced pelvic pain in the past 12 months at age 38. Dysmenorrhoea was reported by 46.2% (41.3–51.3%), dyspareunia by 11.6% (8.7–15.2%) and other pelvic pain (OPP) by 17.3% (13.8–21.2%). After adjusting for multiple factors, pregnancy (ARR 0.60, 95% CI 0.32–1.13) and childbirth (ARR 0.52, 95% CI 0.25–1.09) were borderline protective for dyspareunia and OPP, respectively. However, childbirth was not associated with dysmenorrhoea (ARR 0.97, 95% CI 0.74–1.28). Dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia were strongly associated, and both were associated with endometriosis.

Conclusions

Our data confirm that female pelvic pain is common, and suggest common gynaecological and obstetric causal pathways, but there was no strong evidence supporting a benefit of childbirth for dysmenorrhoea. Further research on obstetric events and pelvic pain is needed, with both being common experiences.

Tweetable abstract

Pelvic pain was common at age 38, especially dysmenorrhoea (46.2%), and no improvement was detected following childbirth.
Does taxation lose its role in contemporary democratisation? State revenue production revisited in the third wave of democratisation
Authors: KATO JUNKO , TANAKA SEIKI
Published: April 2018

Echoing the call for ‘no taxation without representation’, the development of modern taxation went hand‐in‐hand with Western democratisation. However, taxation appears to have lost its role in the third wave of democratisation. Unlike early democratisers, contemporary autocracies tend to introduce a ready‐made modern taxation system before democratisation. With advice from international organisations, the value added tax (VAT), which mature democracies innovated, has been adopted for economic adjustment and development in globalised markets. Despite these divergences, it is argued in this article that a fundamental relationship between taxation and representation remains. Taxation inherently involves a social contract between revenue‐seeking rulers and citizens, and thus involves their bargaining over representation. Therefore, the production of state revenue intervenes in contemporary democratisation as well. By factoring in the effect of the VAT in 143 developing countries between 1960 and 2007, an entropy‐balancing analysis has confirmed its important role in contemporary democratisation. The taxation‐democratisation linkage has travelled from early to contemporary democratisation.
The President's Commission and Sentencing, Then and Now
Authors: Tonry Michael
Published: April 2018

The proposals made in 1967 by the U.S. President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice on sentencing were sensible, humane, well informed, and ambitious. They were premised on an assumption that indeterminate sentencing, then ubiquitous, would long continue, and sought to remedy its weaknesses and build on its strengths. That assumption proved wrong. Within a decade, indeterminate sentencing and its rehabilitative aspirations lost credibility and legitimacy. Within two decades, American policies incorporated features such as determinate sentences, lengthy prison terms, and mandatory minimum sentence laws that the Commission explicitly repudiated. The Commission's influence is evident in successful sentencing reform initiatives of the 1970s and early 1980s, some of which survive in a few places in compromised forms. Many of the Commission's proposals to make sentencing fairer, more consistent, and less vulnerable to influence by political considerations and public emotion are as germane today as they were in 1967.
Modulation of allergic responses by mitochondrial STAT3 inhibitors
Authors: Erlich T. H. , Sharkia I. , Landolina N. , Assayag M. , Goldberger O. , Berkman N. , Levi‐Schaffer F. , Razin E.
Published: April 2018

Background

Recently, we have shown that mast cell mitochondrial STAT3 could serve as a new target for the regulation of the allergic response as it plays an essential role in immunologically mediated degranulation of mast cells. In the present work, we explored how two recently developed mitochondrial STAT3 inhibitors (Mitocur‐1 and Mitocur‐3) modulate the allergic response.

Methods

Experiments were performed both in vitro in cultured human/mouse mast cells and with rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells and also in vivo in mice. The effect of mitochondrial STAT3 inhibition on mast cell function was determined via checking degranulation and several cytokines secretion levels.

Results

Here, we show that treatment of rodent and human cultured mast cells with low concentrations of mitochondrial STAT3 inhibitors had no effect on STAT3 target gene expression. However, these inhibitors caused a significant reduction in mast cell exocytosis and cytokine release, due to a decrease in OXPHOS activity and STAT3 serine 727 phosphorylation. It was also observed in an OVA mouse model of allergic asthma that one of the inhibitors used significantly reduced eosinophilia and neutrophilia compared to the control mice group. Furthermore, it was observed that treatment with this inhibitor resulted in a significant reduction in blood histamine levels in mice after IgE‐Ag challenge.

Conclusion

The present data strongly suggest that the development of mitochondrial STAT3 inhibitors could serve as a potential treatment for allergy‐associated diseases.
‘This is not for Tears: Thinking’ ‐ Poetry and Psychoanalysis in Orbit
Authors: Edwards Judith
Published: April 2018

This paper has been five years in the making, since I have run a series of seminars about poetry and psychoanalysis at the Tavistock Clinic for non‐clinical students. The title comes from a poem by John Berryman (1914–72), ‘Dream Song 29’ (, p. 77), and it sums up how in this seminar we have tried both to feel what we feel in an authentic way when reading a poem, and think about the links it may have with the central core of the students’ study, which is psychoanalysis. Are the two disciplines in any way complementary? Can unconscious phantasy be tapped into via the medium of poetry? In this paper I hope to show that while there are profound differences between poetry and psychoanalysis there are also similarities, as the work with students has highlighted. I also include three brief clinical vignettes.
Placental inflammation in pre-eclampsia by Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP)3 inflammasome activation in trophoblasts
Authors: Stødle G S , Silva G B , Tangerås L H , Gierman L M , Nervik I , Dahlberg U E , Sun C , Aune M H , Thomsen L C V , Bjørge L , Iversen A-C
Published: April 2018

Pre-eclampsia is associated with increased levels of cholesterol and uric acid and an inflamed placenta expressing danger-sensing pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Crystalline cholesterol and uric acid activate the PRR Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP)3 inflammasome to release interleukin (IL)-1β and result in vigorous inflammation. We aimed to characterize crystal-induced NLRP3 activation in placental inflammation and examine its role in pre-eclampsia. We confirmed that serum total cholesterol and uric acid were elevated in pre-eclamptic compared to healthy pregnancies and correlated positively to high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and the pre-eclampsia marker soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1). The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway components (NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β) and priming factors [complement component 5a (C5a) and terminal complement complex (TCC)] were co-expressed by the syncytiotrophoblast layer which covers the placental surface and interacts with maternal blood. The expression of IL-1β and TCC was increased significantly and C5a-positive regions in the syncytiotrophoblast layer appeared more frequent in pre-eclamptic compared to normal pregnancies. In-vitro activation of placental explants and trophoblasts confirmed NLRP3 inflammasome pathway functionality by complement-primed crystal-induced release of IL-1β. This study confirms crystal-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation located at the syncytiotrophoblast layer as a mechanism of placental inflammation and suggests contribution of enhanced NLRP3 activation to the harmful placental inflammation in pre-eclampsia.
Medical crowdfunding for organ transplantation
Authors: Durand Wesley M. , Peters Jillian L. , Eltorai Adam E. M. , Kalagara Saisanjana , Osband Adena J. , Daniels Alan H.
Published: April 2018

An increasing number of patients and families are utilizing online crowdfunding to support their medical expenses related to organ transplantation. The factors influencing the success of crowdfunding campaigns are poorly understood. Crowdfunding campaigns were abstracted from a popular crowdfunding web site. Campaigns were included if they were actively accepting donations to fund medical expenses related to transplantation of selected organs. The primary outcome measure was total amount raised among successful campaigns receiving at least one donation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed on various campaign characteristics. A total of 850 campaigns were analyzed. Kidney transplant campaigns were most common (40.5%), followed by liver (33.3%), lung (12.2%), heart (11.3%), and multiorgan (2.7%). 69.1% of campaigns received any donation, and among these, the mean amount raised was $3664 (median $1175). The following factors were significantly associated with amount raised: more positive emotional sentiment in the campaign description (+2.6% per AFINN unit, P < .001), longer campaign description length (+2.4% per 100 characters, P = .001), higher goal amount (+0.6% per $1000 of goal amount, P = .004), and third‐person description perspective (+131% vs first person, P < .001). Physicians will likely encounter medical crowdfunding with increasing frequency as it continues to grow in popularity among their patients.
Outcome of patients with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis undergoing simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation. Comparative study
Authors: Marcacuzco Alberto , Jiménez‐Romero Carlos , Manrique Alejandro , Calvo Jorge , Cambra Félix , Caso Óscar , García‐Sesma Álvaro , Nutu Anisa , Justo Iago
Published: April 2018

Background

Controversy remains with regard to the higher risk of intra‐abdominal infections and lower patient and graft survival when peritoneal dialysis (PD) rather than hemodialysis (HD) is used in simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation (SPKT).

Methods

From March 1995 to December 2015, we performed 165 SPKTs. Prior to transplant, patients received hemodialysis (group HD; n = 98) or peritoneal dialysis (group PD; n = 67). A comparison was made to analyze post‐transplant complications and patient, pancreas, and kidney graft survivals.

Results

Donor, pretransplant, and perioperative recipient variables were similar in both groups. Overall rates of infections (69.4% in HD vs 73.1% in PD; P = .50) and intra‐abdominal infections (31.6% in HD vs 35.8 in PD; P = .57) were similar in both groups. The rates of pancreatitis, hemorrhage or thrombosis of the graft, duodenal graft leak, relaparotomy, transplantectomy, pancreas rejection, and retransplantation were similar in both groups. Patient survival at 1, 3, and 5 years (95.9%, 93.9%, and 93.9% in HD vs 95.5%, 92.2%, and 90.4% in PD; P = .54) and pancreas graft survival (83.6%, 78.0%, and 71.8% in HD vs 79.2%, 77.4%, and 71.0% in PD; P = .8) were similar in both groups. Kidney graft survival was similar in both groups. Pancreas graft thrombosis, rejection, and relaparotomy for intra‐abdominal complications were independent predictors of lower pancreas graft survival, but dialysis modality did not influence patient or graft survival.

Conclusions

Pre‐SPKT modality of dialysis does not significantly influence overall or intra‐abdominal infection and patient, pancreas, or kidney graft survivals.
Proximal‐type epithelioid sarcoma of the vulva: Cytopathological diagnosis of a rare neoplasm
Authors: Sundaram A. , Elangovan A. , Rajwanshi A. , Srinivasan R. , Kapoor R.
Published: April 2018

Proximal‐type Epithelioid Sarcoma [PES] of the vulva is a rare neoplasm which can be diagnosed on cytology supported by immunocytochemistry showing loss of INI1.
Mining Formalization at the Margins of the State: Small‐scale Miners and State Governance in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Damonte Gerardo Hector
Published: April 2018

This article analyses the Peruvian government's quest to formalize small‐scale mining in the Amazon as a political process which shows how state governance problems are reproduced in the margins of the state. It asks why the central state is unable to govern mining activities in the Madre de Dios region, and examines how small‐scale miners have reacted to state attempts to formalize their activities. The author argues that, through political agency and the reproduction of ‘hybrid’ formal and informal institutions, small‐scale miners have learned to contest, reinterpret and build alternatives to central state governance. The article contributes to the literature on development policies by showing how difficulties in implementing regulatory policies may be analysed as governance problems, particularly in regions like the Amazon, where the state apparatus is not well established.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with congenital heart disease: the role of perioperative neuroimaging
Authors: Hoskote Aparna
Published: April 2018

This commentary is on the original article by Claessens et al. on pages 1052–1058 of this issue.
Rac‐GTPases and Rac‐GEFs in neutrophil adhesion, migration and recruitment
Authors: Pantarelli Chiara , Welch Heidi C. E.
Published: April 2018

Rac‐GTPases and their Rac‐GEF activators play important roles in the recruitment and host defence functions of neutrophils. These proteins control the activation of adhesion molecules and the cytoskeletal dynamics that enable the adhesion, migration and tissue recruitment of neutrophils. They also regulate the effector functions that allow neutrophils to kill bacterial and fungal pathogens, and to clear debris. This review focuses on the roles of Rac‐GTPases and Rac‐GEFs in neutrophil adhesion, migration and recruitment.
Fifth‐year dental students’ visions of leadership—A qualitative study
Authors: Taipale H. , Tuononen T. A. , Suominen A. L.
Published: April 2018

Introduction

Leadership skills are important in dentists’ work. Leadership education already in undergraduate curriculum is noteworthy. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe dental students’ visions of leadership: how they imagined they end up in leadership position, factors supporting either staying in or leaving the position and their future views.

Materials and methods

The data were gathered after participants, fifth‐year dental students, attended a “Dentist as a Leader” study module. A method of empathy‐based stories was utilised. Based on contrasting frame stories, students were divided into two groups and wrote essays about an imagined situation in which they either enjoyed their leadership position (“Stayers”) or considered leaving it (“Leavers”). The data were analysed using the content analysis method.

Results

The reasons for ending up in a leadership position were similar in the two groups: accidentally drifting into or intentionally heading for it. Factors supporting staying or leaving the leadership position were more diverse and were divided into personal and working community levels. These factors were common and group‐specific. Clinical work, personal life and the ability to improve the organisations were common factors. Good working community was a “Stayer”‐specific factor. “Leaver”‐specific factors included loneliness, stress and lack of public sector resources. Future career plans were similar in both groups emphasising clinical work.

Conclusions

After having attended leadership training, dental students were able to describe their future careers and list factors supporting either staying or leaving an imagined leadership position. These factors can be utilised by organisations to develop better working environments for future dentist leaders. By recognising the factors, students themselves are able to plan their future career choices and prepare to become leaders.
The role of transforming growth factor β in T helper 17 differentiation
Authors: Zhang Song
Published: April 2018

T helper 17 (Th17) cells play critical roles in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The lineage‐specific transcription factor RORγt is the key regulator for Th17 cell fate commitment. A substantial number of studies have established the importance of transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) ‐dependent pathways in inducing RORγt expression and Th17 differentiation. TGF‐β superfamily members TGF‐β1, TGF‐β3 or activin A, in concert with interleukin‐6 or interleukin‐21, differentiate naive T cells into Th17 cells. Alternatively, Th17 differentiation can occur through TGF‐β‐independent pathways. However, the mechanism of how TGF‐β‐dependent and TGF‐β‐independent pathways control Th17 differentiation remains controversial. This review focuses on the perplexing role of TGF‐β in Th17 differentiation, depicts the requirement of TGF‐β for Th17 development, and underscores the multiple mechanisms underlying TGF‐β‐promoted Th17 generation, pathogenicity and plasticity. With new insights and comprehension from recent findings, this review specifically tackles the involvement of the canonical TGF‐β signalling components, SMAD2, SMAD3 and SMAD4, summarizes diverse SMAD‐independent mechanisms, and highlights the importance of TGF‐β signalling in balancing the reciprocal conversion of Th17 and regulatory T cells. Finally, this review includes discussions and perspectives and raises important mechanistic questions about the role of TGF‐β in Th17 generation and function.
Genital ulcers as diagnostic clue for acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Schröder Sina D , Krause Stefan W , Erfurt‐Berge Cornelia
Published: April 2018

Acute myeloid leukaemia is a myeloid neoplasm with an extremely varying clinical appearance. Skin lesions are common for specific subtypes of acute myeloid leukaemia but are often misinterpreted. Here, we present a case of acute myeloid leukaemia in a young woman exhibiting genital ulcerations and gingival erosions.
Muddling up Political Systems? When Regionalization Blurs Democracy: Decentralization and Attribution of Responsibility
Authors: León Sandra
Published: April 2018

The rise of regional governments in Europe has been often espoused on democratic grounds. Yet the democratic promise of political decentralization should be evaluated in light of its potential undermining effects upon the essential mechanism to make accountability work: citizens’ capacity to assign responsibility for policy outcomes. People may get it wrong when assigning responsibility because they are not sure who is responsible for policy outcomes when powers are vertically fragmented between different levels of government and/or simply because their responsibility judgements are biased by political beliefs, which act as lenses through which attribution is filtered. How can we then make electoral accountability work in decentralized systems? This paper will explore this question by delving into the most important theoretical and empirical challenges in the study of attribution of responsibility and electoral accountability in decentralized contexts. At the theoretical level, there is still need of a better understanding of the relationship between federal institutional conditions and individuals’ use of cognitive bias to cope with institutional complexity when assigning responsibility. The empirical challenge is to overcome the lack of comparable individual‐level data on responsibility attribution for a broad range of country cases.
Index of Healthy Aging in Chinese Older Adults: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wu Chenkai , Newman Anne B. , Dong Bi‐Rong , Odden Michelle C.
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To characterize the distribution of an index of healthy aging—the Chinese Healthy Aging Index (CHAI)—in Chinese adults aged 60 and older according to sociodemographic characteristics and geographic region and to examine the association between the CHAI and mortality, disability, and functional limitation over 4 years.

Design

Nationally representative cohort study.

Setting

China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Participants

Chinese adults aged 60 and older (N=3,740).

Measurements

Six CHAI components (systolic blood pressure, peak expiratory flow, Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, estimated glomerular filtration rate, fasting glucose, C‐reactive protein) were scored 0 (healthiest), 1, and 2 (unhealthiest) according to sex‐specific tertiles or clinically relevant cut‐points and summed to construct the CHAI (range 0–12).

Results

Mean CHAI score was 5.6; 5.7% had a score of 0 to 2 (healthiest), 23.0% a score of 3 or 4, 37.5% a score of 5 or 6, and 33.8% a score of 7 to 12 (unhealthiest). Participants who were younger, more educated, and married were much more likely to have an ideal CHAI profile (score 0–2). Age‐adjusted prevalence of an ideal CHAI profile ranged from 1.7% in the south to 8.1% in the north. After multivariable adjustment, persons with a CHAI score of 3 to 12 had substantially higher odds of mortality, disability, and functional limitation than those with a score of 0 to 2. The CHAI further stratified outcomes for persons with no clinically recognizable comorbidities.

Conclusion

Substantial variation exists in the CHAI according to sociodemographic characteristics and geographic regions. The CHAI could identify Chinese elderly adults with low risk of adverse outcomes and provide incremental value for risk prediction beyond clinically diagnosed comorbidities.
Prosocial vs antisocial coping and general life satisfaction of youth with mild intellectual disability
Authors: Kurtek P.
Published: April 2018

Background

The purpose of this study was to find differences in general life satisfaction in adolescents with mild intellectual disability (MID) with respect to exhibiting a prosocial or an antisocial coping style. According to the ecological approach, using the antisocial style in a competitive school environment (a zero‐sum game) may increase personal satisfaction, while in the family, which operates on the principles of ‘common good’ or ‘common failure’ (a non‐zero‐sum game), the antisocial style may reduce general satisfaction of the individual. However, according to the self‐regulatory approach, antisocial coping in interactions with parents and teachers in adolescence may increase life satisfaction as it heightens the individual's sense of autonomy. The differences between the two approaches in the hypothesised influence of a particular coping style on life satisfaction led us to conduct empirical research.

Method

A total of 151 students with MID were qualified for the final study (75 females and 76 males). The age of the examined group varied from 18 to 22 years. The study was conducted using the R‐PDPI test, which is based on the Strategic Approach to Coping Scale by Hobfoll (). The test measures coping with domination and humiliation from parents and teachers as well as isolation and humiliation from peers (Kurtek ). Next, the Index of General Affect by Campbell et al. () was used to assess general life satisfaction.

Results

Generally, a positive relationship between the indirect prosocial style and life satisfaction was found. Also, the results indicate that using the prosocial coping style to deal with humiliating acts of the mother and dominant acts of the father was connected with increased general life satisfaction, whereas the antisocial coping style employed in these situations – with a lower level of satisfaction. Moreover, it was found that general life satisfaction was positively related to passive and suppressive coping styles but negatively correlated with the antisocial coping style in situations of isolation and humiliation from peers. The paper ends with the discussion and interpretation of the results.
Integrative Systemic Therapy: Lessons on Collaboration and Training for the 21st Century
Authors: Hardy Nathan R. , Brosi Matthew W. , Gallus Kami L.
Published: April 2018

The field of couple, marital, and family therapy (CMFT) is at an important juncture of identity development and synthesis. Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) is a problem‐centered metaframeworks approach that meets the growing needs of family therapists working with diverse and complex family systems and restores the field to its original focus on collaboration. This paper describes the process by whichISTdeveloped featuring anecdotes from live interviews with the founders. We briefly outlineIST's theoretical pillars and the essential wayISTpractitioners deliver treatment including a blueprint for therapy. Finally, we propose thatISTis a comprehensive, systemic guide uniquely beneficial toCMFTtraining and discuss our approach to integratingISTinto our training of students in aCOAMFTEaccredited program.
Comparative study of the efficacy of Platelet‐rich plasma combined with carboxytherapy vs its use with fractional carbon dioxide laser in atrophic acne scars
Authors: Al Taweel Abdul‐Aziz Ibrahim , Al Refae Abdul‐Aziz Abdul‐Salam , Hamed Ahmed Mohamed , Kamal Asmaa Mostafa
Published: April 2018

Background

Acne scars are a major concerning problem to all acne patients affecting their quality of life. Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) and fractional CO2 laser are innovative treatment modalities for acne scars. Carboxytherapy can also be used to improve scar tissue through the increase in collagen deposition and reorganization, and the improvement in skin texture and tone.

Aims

The aim of this work was to compare the efficacy, safety, and complications of the intradermal injection of PRP combined with carboxytherapy and PRP combined with fractional CO2 laser, in the treatment of atrophic acne scars.

Patients and Methods

Forty patients with atrophic acne scars were divided into 2 groups. Group A included 20 patients and was subjected to three fractional CO2 laser sessions combined with PRP injection. Group B included 20 patients and was subjected to three sessions of carboxytherapy combined with PRP injection.

Results

Both fractional CO2 laser and carboxytherapy combined with PRP showed improvement in acne scars and patients’ satisfaction but the improvement with fractional CO2 laser was significantly better than carboxytherapy but with more side effects.

Conclusions

Improvement of acne scars was noted in both treatment modalities with obvious higher and statistically significant results in favor of fractional CO2 laser but with more side effects. Carboxytherapy is a promising tool in treatment of acne scars with less complication.
Age‐Specific Associations Between Violence Exposure and Past 30‐Day Marijuana and Alcohol Use
Authors: Goldstick Jason E. , Heinze Justin E. , Stoddard Sarah A. , Cunningham Rebecca M. , Zimmerman Marc A.
Published: April 2018

Using data from a cohort study of students at risk for high school dropout, we examined associations between violence exposure and past 30‐day alcohol and marijuana use. We used varying‐coefficient regression with person‐level fixed effects to estimate how those associations changed within‐person across ages approximately 14–23. Generally, violence perpetration was most strongly associated with substance use, within‐person. Substance use became increasingly associated with both observed violence and violence perpetration during early/middle adolescence; this increase continued longer into development (age 18+) for alcohol use. Across most of the age range studied here, violence victimization was minimally associated with within‐person changes in substance use. Results indicate age‐specific associations between violence exposure and alcohol and other drug use, which may be useful for informing prevention strategies.
The effect of pomegranate seed oil and grapeseed oil on cis‐9, trans‐11 CLA (rumenic acid), n‐3 and n‐6 fatty acids deposition in selected tissues of chickens
Authors: Białek A. , Białek M. , Lepionka T. , Kaszperuk K. , Banaszkiewicz T. , Tokarz A.
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study was to determine whether diet modification with different doses of grapeseed oil or pomegranate seed oil will improve the nutritive value of poultry meat in terms of n‐3 and n‐6 fatty acids, as well as rumenic acid (cis‐9, trans‐11 conjugated linoleic acid) content in tissues diversified in lipid composition and roles in lipid metabolism. To evaluate the influence of applied diet modification comprehensively, two chemometric methods were used. Results of cluster analysis demonstrated that pomegranate seed oil modifies fatty acids profile in the most potent way, mainly by an increase in rumenic acid content. Principal component analysis showed that regardless of type of tissue first principal component is strongly associated with type of deposited fatty acid, while second principal component enables identification of place of deposition—type of tissue. Pomegranate seed oil seems to be a valuable feed additive in chickens’ feeding.
Testosterone and Repression in Non‐Democracies: Evidence from a Sample of Russian Governors
Authors: Kozlov Vladimir , Libman Alexander , Schultz André
Published: April 2018

The paper examines the role of testosterone‐driven aggressive behavior in the politics of non‐democratic regimes and, in particular, its influence on the extent of repressiveness of these regimes. To measure testosterone exposure, we apply the facial width‐to‐height metric (fWHR) – a standard proxy widely used in the psychological literature – and look at a sample of Russian regional governors. We find a positive relationship between the fWHR of the governor and the level of repression in his region. Testosterone‐related behavior is, however, more widespread among younger governors and among governors with shorter tenure in office. Thus, the paper contributes to the recent trend of integrating insights of behavioral economics in political economics research.
In situ warming in the Antarctic: effects on growth and photosynthesis in Antarctic vascular plants
Authors: Sáez Patricia L. , Cavieres Lohengrin A. , Galmés Jeroni , Gil‐Pelegrín Eustaquio , Peguero‐Pina José Javier , Sancho‐Knapik Domingo , Vivas Mercedes , Sanhueza Carolina , Ramírez Constanza F. , Rivera Betsy K. , Corcuera Luis J. , Bravo León A.
Published: April 2018

The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid warming in the last decades. Although recent climatic evidence supports a new tendency towards stabilization of temperatures, the impacts on the biosphere, and specifically on Antarctic plant species, remain unclear.

We evaluated the in situ warming effects on photosynthesis, including the underlying diffusive, biochemical and anatomical determinants, and the relative growth of two Antarctic vascular species, Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica, using open top chambers (OTCs) and gas exchange measurements in the field.

In C. quitensis, the photosynthetic response to warming relied on specific adjustments in the anatomical determinants of the leaf CO2 transfer, which enhanced mesophyll conductance and photosynthetic assimilation, thereby promoting higher leaf carbon gain and plant growth. These changes were accompanied by alterations in the leaf chemical composition. By contrast, D. antarctica showed no response to warming, with a lack of significant differences between plants grown inside OTCs and plants grown in the open field.

Overall, the present results are the first reporting a contrasting effect of in situ warming on photosynthesis and its underlying determinants, of the two unique Antarctic vascular plant species, which could have direct consequences on their ecological success under future climate conditions.
Comparing different instructed‐refreshing schedules: evidence for cumulative, forward‐order refreshing of verbal lists?
Authors: Vergauwe Evie
Published: April 2018

Refreshing is one of the mechanisms proposed to maintain information in human working memory. The mechanism is assumed to operate serially, boosting the items of a memory list one after the other. In the current study, we test the most straightforward implementation of serial refreshing, by which refreshing spontaneously reproduces the order of presentation, starting with the first memory item and cycling through the list in a forward fashion, to support short‐term memory of a list. Therefore, we examined verbal serial recall performance under different instructed‐refreshing schedules that varied in their similarity to cumulative, forward‐order refreshing. This was done by manipulating whether instructed refreshing started with the first memory item, and whether instructed refreshing proceeded in forward order through the list. We expected recall performance to be poorer as participants were required to think of the list items in a way that was more dissimilar to what they would have done spontaneously. However, across four experiments, we observed that recall performance was not drastically affected by the nature of instructed refreshing and thus, we did not find any evidence that cumulative, forward‐order refreshing supports serial verbal WM performance.
Characterization of a Vivid Homolog in Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Foley Brandon J. , Stutts Haley , Schmitt Sydney L. , Lokhandwala Jameela , Nagar Aditi , Zoltowski Brian D.
Published: April 2018

Blue light‐signaling pathways regulated by members of the light–oxygen–voltage (LOV) domain family integrate stress responses, circadian rhythms and pathogenesis in fungi. The canonical signaling mechanism involves two LOV‐containing proteins that maintain homology to Neurospora crassa Vivid (NcVVD) and White Collar 1 (NcWC1). These proteins engage in homo‐ and heterodimerization events that modulate gene transcription in response to light. Here, we clone and characterize the VVD homolog in Botrytis cinerea (BcVVD). BcVVD retains divergent photocycle kinetics and is incapable of LOV mediated homodimerization, indicating modification of the classical hetero/homodimerization mechanism of photoadaptation in fungi.
Relationship between the flavonoid composition and flower colour variation in Victoria
Authors: Wu Q. , Li P.‐C. , Zhang H.‐J. , Feng C.‐Y. , Li S.‐S. , Yin D.‐D. , Tian J. , Xu W.‐Z. , Wang L.‐S.
Published: April 2018

Victoria (Nymphaeaceae), an annual or perennial aquatic plant genus, contains only two species: V. amazonica (Poepp.) J. C. Sowerby and V. cruziana A. D. Orb. Both species have large floating leaves and variable flower colour. Both Victoria species are night bloomers, which have white petals on the first blooming night that then turn pink or ruby red on the second blooming day. The mechanism of the colour change of Victoria petals during anthesis is still unclear.

In this study, flavonoids in Victoria petals of both species were evaluated and quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC‐DAD) and by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) for the first time.

In total, 14 flavonoids were detected in Victoria petals, including 4 anthocyanins and 10 flavonols. The flavonoid compositions differed across the two species, resulting in different colours between the inner and outer petals. With increased anthocyanin content across blooming days, the colour of Victoria flowers changed over time.

The results of this study will improve understanding of the chemical mechanism of colour formation and lay the foundation for selective colour breeding in Victoria.
Outcomes of cryptococcosis in renal transplant recipients in a less‐resourced health care system
Authors: Ponzio Vinicius , Camargo Luis Fernando , Medina‐Pestana José , Perfect John Robert , Colombo Arnaldo Lopes
Published: April 2018

Background

Cryptococcosis is the second most common cause of invasive fungal infections in renal transplant recipients in many countries, and data on graft outcome after treatment for this infection is lacking in less‐resourced health care settings.

Methods

Data from 47 renal transplant recipients were retrospectively collected at a single institution during a period of 13 years. Graft dysfunction, graft loss, and mortality rates were evaluated. Predictors of mortality and graft loss were estimated.

Results

A total of 38 (97.4%) patients treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AMBd) showed graft dysfunction after antifungal initiation and 8 (18.2%) had kidney graft loss. Graft loss within 30 days after cryptococcosis onset was significantly associated with disseminated infection, greater baseline creatinine levels, and graft dysfunction concomitant to AMBd therapy and an additional nephrotoxic condition. The 30‐day mortality rate was 19.2% and it was significantly associated with disseminated and pulmonary infections, somnolence at admission, high CSF opening pressure, positive CSF India ink, creatinine levels greater than 2.0 mg/dL at admission, graft dysfunction in patients treated with AMBd and an additional nephrotoxic condition and graft loss within 30 days.

Conclusion

Graft dysfunction was common in renal transplant recipients with cryptococcosis treated with AMBd. The rate of graft loss rate was high, most frequently in patients with concomitant nephrotoxic conditions. Therefore, the clinical focus should be on the use of less nephrotoxic lipid formulations of amphotericin B in this specific population requiring a polyene induction regimen for treatment of severe cryptococcosis in all health care systems caring for transplantation recipients.