bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness and gender differences in ethical beliefs
Authors: Dhandra Tavleen Kaur , Park Hyun Jung
Published: April 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the ethical beliefs of consumers with regards to their levels of mindfulness. Furthermore, it aims to investigate if mindfulness is related to gender differences among respondents in their ethical beliefs about consumer unethical practices.

Design/methodology/approach

University students in India were surveyed with self-administered questionnaires comprising the consumer ethics scale and mindfulness attention awareness scale. Mediation analysis was conducted to test whether gender differences in ethical judgements are due to the different levels of mindfulness.

Findings

The results indicate that mindfulness is not only a predictor of ethical beliefs but also a mediator of the relationship between gender and ethical beliefs. Individuals with greater mindfulness reported greater acceptance towards the five dimensions of consumer ethics scale. Indian male participants were found to be more mindful and lenient in ethical judgements than female participants.

Originality/value

The present work is a novel attempt in examining the effect of mindfulness on the relationship between gender and ethical beliefs of consumers. The results of this study can have positive implications for organizations, managers, public policy makers and consumers.
Experimental brood enlargement differentially influences the magnitude of the corticosterone stress response in closely related, co‐occurring songbirds
Authors: Hardt Braelei M. , Ardia Daniel R. , Bashaw Meredith J. , Rivers James W.
Published: April 2018

Rearing environments can shape offspring phenotype across taxa, yet little is known about how brood size influences hypothalamic–pituitary axis functioning, whether its expression trades off with growth, and the degree to which these relationships vary between species.

We evaluated how brood size influenced nestling physiological (glucocorticoids) and somatic traits (growth), and the extent to which their relationship differed between two closely related, sympatric songbirds when experiencing identical rearing environments. Specifically, we used a cross‐fostering approach to alter brood size and create an experimental gradient of nestmate competition, and then tested whether experimentally manipulated brood sizes resulted in nestlings with altered concentrations of corticosterone and whether corticosterone responses traded off with growth.

Nestlings of both species experienced elevated concentrations of baseline and stressor‐induced corticosterone when raised in enlarged broods, relative to control and reduced broods, but neither measurement was found to trade off with growth or be linked to survival to fledging.

In contrast, we found divergence in the magnitude of the corticosterone stress response between species across all brood treatments, with greater stressor‐induced corticosterone concentrations found in the Violet‐green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) relative to the closely related Tree Swallow (T. bicolor).

Our study demonstrated that brood size can lead to changes in offspring corticosterone concentrations in swallows and that nestlings of sympatric species, even those that are closely related and ecologically similar, can diverge in their corticosterone stress response when experiencing identical rearing conditions.

We conclude that corticosterone appears to play a key role for balancing energetic demands that arise in the face of nestmate competition inTachycinetaswallows and that elevated concentrations of corticosterone may enhance offspring survival during challenging environmental conditions, such as when brood competition is strong.

Aplain language summaryis available for this article.
Mosaic patterns of B‐vitamin synthesis and utilization in a natural marine microbial community
Authors: Gómez‐Consarnau Laura , Sachdeva Rohan , Gifford Scott M. , Cutter Lynda S. , Fuhrman Jed A. , Sañudo‐Wilhelmy Sergio A. , Moran Mary Ann
Published: April 2018

Aquatic environments contain large communities of microorganisms whose synergistic interactions mediate the cycling of major and trace nutrients, including vitamins. B‐vitamins are essential coenzymes that many organisms cannot synthesize. Thus, their exchange among de novo synthesizers and auxotrophs is expected to play an important role in the microbial consortia and explain some of the temporal and spatial changes observed in diversity. In this study, we analyzed metatranscriptomes of a natural marine microbial community, diel sampled quarterly over one year to try to identify the potential major B‐vitamin synthesizers and consumers. Transcriptomic data showed that the best‐represented taxa dominated the expression of synthesis genes for some B‐vitamins but lacked transcripts for others. For instance, Rhodobacterales dominated the expression of vitamin‐B12 synthesis, but not of vitamin‐B7, whose synthesis transcripts were mainly represented by Flavobacteria. In contrast, bacterial groups that constituted less than 4% of the community (e.g., Verrucomicrobia) accounted for most of the vitamin‐B1 synthesis transcripts. Furthermore, ambient vitamin‐B1 concentrations were higher in samples collected during the day, and were positively correlated with chlorophyll‐a concentrations. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that the mosaic of metabolic interdependencies through B‐vitamin synthesis and exchange are key processes that contribute to shaping microbial communities in nature.
The impact of water scarcity on food, bioenergy and deforestation
Authors: Winchester Niven , Ledvina Kirby , Strzepek Kenneth , Reilly John M.
Published: April 2018

We evaluate the impact of explicitly representing irrigated land and water scarcity in an economy‐wide model with and without a global carbon policy. The analysis develops supply functions of irrigable land from a water resource model for 282 river basins and applies them within a global economy‐wide model. The analysis reveals two key findings. First, explicitly representing irrigated land has a small impact on global food, bioenergy and deforestation outcomes. This is because this modification allows irrigated and rainfed land to expand in different proportions, which counters the effect of rising marginal costs for the expansion of irrigated land. Second, changes in water availability have small impacts on global food prices, bioenergy production, land use change and the overall economy, even with large‐scale (c. 150 exajoules) bioenergy production, due in part to endogenous irrigation and storage responses. However, representing water scarcity and changes in water availability can be important regionally, with relatively arid areas and/or areas with rapidly growing populations fully exhausting our estimated maximum irrigation capacity that allows for improved irrigation efficiency, lining of canals to limit water loss, and expanding storage to fully capture average annual water flows.
Funny Evidence: Female Comics are the New Policy Entrepreneurs
Authors: Pepin‐Neff Christopher L. , Caporale Kristin
Published: April 2018

The last decade has seen on‐going issues of gender inequity as well as arguably the golden age of female comics. From Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's renditions of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton in 2008, to Amy Schumer's critique of US college rape culture, this is an extraordinary time to consider the role of female comics in policy making. This article will examine this period by locating these comedic skills within the policy entrepreneur literature. First, it will review policy entrepreneurship elements; secondly it will propose a framework for policy entrepreneurship that builds on intersectional feminist principles. Lastly, it will apply the framework to female comic's influence on political issues. In all, we argue that female comics can serve as policy entrepreneurs in public administration by using their identity to locate themselves as relevant actors, attaching solutions to problems, biasing political outcomes, benefiting from their engagement, and introducing narratives that change the emotional habitus of an audience and influence the broader public.
Global Best Practice or Regulating Fiction? Street Vending, Zero Tolerance and Conflicts Over Public Space in New York, 1980–2000
Authors: Thomas Devlin Ryan
Published: April 2018

In global urban studies, different cities often serve as stand‐ins for various policy approaches. New York is closely associated with zero tolerance/quality of life policing—specifically the ways this crime‐fighting technique was used to manage and regulate public space in support of broader urban redevelopment goals. Whether celebrated or criticized, the image of New York as a city that was successful in ‘cleaning up’ public space has been exported across the globe, and has been invoked by a number of cities as they embark on their own projects to clear street vendors and other unwanted actors from public space. This article will challenge this established narrative through an examination of struggles over street vending and public space in New York during the 1980s and 1990s. It will show how the revanchist project of public space management was challenged and ultimately limited by vendors using discourses of free market populism and entrepreneurship. It demonstrates the ways in which the image of New York as a city of settled and well‐regulated public space does not tell the complete story, and how New York, like many other ordinary cities across the globe, is a city of contested spaces and uncertain regulatory effectiveness.
Mandatory and Voluntary Disclosures: Dynamic Interactions
Authors: CIANCIARUSO DAVIDE , SRIDHAR SRI S.
Published: April 2018

Firms sometimes obtain soft private information about growth prospects along with hard information about current or past performance. In this environment, we find that optimizing disclosures over multiple periods yields nonlinear stock price reactions following both voluntary and mandatory disclosures. Further, we derive several predictions about distinct short‐run and long‐run effects of disclosures and nondisclosures on security prices. Under specified conditions, when the volatility of the firm's earnings increases, the average contemporaneous and prospective post‐mandatory‐disclosure market premia (for voluntary disclosures over nondisclosures) rise, while farther‐in‐future market discounts (for such voluntary disclosures) also become larger. Our analysis moreover predicts that both the disclosure probability and the information content of nondisclosures can increase in the persistence of earnings.
Testing a new form to document ‘Goals‐of‐Care’ discussions regarding plans for end‐of‐life care for patients in an Australian emergency department
Authors: Mills Amber C , Levinson Michele , Dunlop William A , Cheong Edward , Cowan Timothy , Hanning Jennifer , O’Callaghan Erin , Walker Katherine J
Published: April 2018

Objective

There is limited literature to inform the content and format of Goals‐of‐Care forms, for use by doctors when they are undertaking these important conversations.

Methods

This was a prospective, qualitative and quantitative study evaluating the utility of a new ‘Goals‐of‐Care’ form to doctors in a private, tertiary ED, used from December 2016 to February 2017 at Cabrini, Melbourne. A Goals‐of‐Care form was designed, incorporating medical aims of therapy and patient values and preferences. Doctors wishing to complete a Not‐for‐CPR form were also supplied with the trial Goals‐of‐Care form. Form use, content and patient progress were followed. Doctors completing a form were invited to interview.

Results

Forms were used in 3% of attendances, 120 forms were taken for use and 108 were analysed. The median patient age was 91, 81% were Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) positive and patients had a 48% 6‐month mortality. A total of 34 doctors completed the forms, 16 were interviewed (two ED trainees, 11 senior ED doctors and three others). Theme saturation was only achieved for the senior doctors interviewed. Having a Goals‐of‐Care form was valued by 88% of doctors. The frequency of section use was: Aims‐of‐Care 91%; Quality‐of‐Life 75% (the term was polarising); Functional Impairments 35%; and Outcomes of Value 29%. Opinions regarding the ideal content and format varied. Some doctors liked free‐text space and others tick‐boxes. The median duration of the conversation and documentation was 10 min (interquartile range 6–20 min).

Conclusions

Having a Goals‐of‐Care form in emergency medicine is supported; the ideal contents of the form was not determined.
Static, Kinetic, and Isotherm Adsorption Performances of Macroporous Adsorbent Resins for Recovery and Enrichment of Bioactive Procyanidins from Cranberry Pomace
Authors: Gao Chi , Zhao Shaomin , Yagiz Yavuz , Gu Liwei
Published: April 2018

This study examined the ability of five Amberlite resins coupled with ultrasound‐assisted water extraction for the recovery and enrichment of bioactive procyanidins and total phenolics from cranberry pomace. Static adsorption showed that XAD‐7HP had the highest adsorption capacity for procyanidins (52.2 mg/g resin) and total phenolics (99.1 mg/g resin) whereas XAD‐761 had the lowest. Adsorption of procyanidins fitted better to pseudo‐second‐order kinetics than pseudo‐first‐order kinetics. Isotherm adsorption on XAD‐7HP suggested that Langmuir isotherm was a better model to describe the adsorption of procyanidins while Kemkin–Pyzhev equation was better for total phenolics based on higher coefficient of determinations (R2). Dynamic tests on XAD‐7HP suggested that the flow rate of 7 and 8 mL/min were the optimum conditions for adsorption and desorption of procyanidins, respectively. Measurements using HPLC revealed that adsorption increased the contents of procyanidins and total phenolics by 4.57‐ and 4.73‐folds, respectively, compared to the initial extracts. This research showed that Amberlite XAD‐7HP resin adsorption coupled with ultrasound‐assisted water extraction is an efficient method to separate and concentrate procyanidins from cranberry pomace.
Accelerated executive functions decline and gray matter structural changes in middle‐aged type 1 diabetes mellitus patients with proliferative retinopathy
Authors: van Duinkerken Eelco , Steenwijk Martijn D. , Klein Martin , Barkhof Frederik , Mograbi Daniel C. , Diamant Michaela , Snoek Frank J. , Ijzerman Richard G.
Published: April 2018

Background

The aim of the present study was to determine trajectories of cognitive and cortical changes over time in middle‐aged patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and proliferative retinopathy.

Methods

Twenty‐five patients and 25 controls underwent neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging twice in a mean (±SD) of 3.56 ± 0.65 and 3.94 ± 0.91 years, respectively (P = 0.098). Cognitive assessment included the domains of general cognitive ability, memory, information processing speed, executive functions, attention, and motor and psychomotor speed. Symmetrized percentage change in local cortical thickness, surface area, and volume was determined using the FreeSurfer 6 vertex‐wise general linear model method. Analyses were performed uncorrected and corrected for baseline systolic blood pressure and depressive symptoms.

Results

In patients versus controls, accelerated executive function decline was accompanied by, but not related to, lower left frontal and temporal surface area, left parietal and right frontal thickness, and bilateral frontal and right posterior cingulate volume (family‐wise error [FWE]‐corrected P < 0.05 for all). In patients, lower executive performance was related to loss of right precuneus surface area (PFWE = 0.005). Higher HbA1c during follow‐up was related to executive function decline (r = −0.509, P = 0.016) and loss of left hemisphere surface area (rcorrected analysis = −0.555, P = 0.007).

Conclusions

After 3.5 years of follow‐up, middle‐aged T1DM patients with proliferative retinopathy, mild focal changes in executive functions, and cortical structure were found, which may indicate accelerated aging.
Forced fluid removal in intensive care patients with acute kidney injury: The randomised FFAKI feasibility trial
Authors: Berthelsen R. E. , Perner A. , Jensen A. K. , Rasmussen B. S. , Jensen J. U. , Wiis J. , Behzadi M. T. , Bestle M. H.
Published: April 2018

Background

Accumulation of fluids is frequent in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute kidney injury and may be associated with increased mortality and decreased renal recovery. We present the results of a pilot trial assessing the feasibility of forced fluid removal in ICU patients with acute kidney injury and fluid accumulation of more than 10% ideal bodyweight.

Methods

The FFAKI‐trial was a pilot trial of forced fluid removal vs standard care in adult ICU patients with moderate to high risk acute kidney injury and 10% fluid accumulation. Fluid removal was done with furosemide and/or continuous renal replacement therapy aiming at net negative fluid balance > 1 mL/kg ideal body weight/hour until cumulative fluid balance calculated from ICU admission reached less than 1000 mL.

Results

After 20 months, we stopped the trial prematurely due to a low inclusion rate with 23 (2%) included patients out of the 1144 screened. Despite the reduced sample size, we observed a marked reduction in cumulative fluid balance 5 days after randomisation (mean difference −5814 mL, 95% CI −2063 to −9565, P = .003) with forced fluid removal compared to standard care. While the trial was underpowered for clinical endpoints, no point estimates suggested harm from forced fluid removal.

Conclusions

Forced fluid removal aiming at 1 mL/kg ideal body weight/hour may be an effective treatment of fluid accumulation in ICU patients with acute kidney injury. A definitive trial using our inclusion criteria seems less feasible based on our inclusion rate of only 2%.
Validation of the Pediatric NEXUS II Head Computed Tomography Decision Instrument for Selective Imaging of Pediatric Patients with Blunt Head Trauma
Authors: Gupta Malkeet , Mower William R. , Rodriguez Robert M. , Hendey Gregory W.
Published: April 2018

Background

Data suggest that clinicians, when evaluating pediatric patients with blunt head trauma, may be overordering head computed tomography (CT). Prior decision instruments (DIs) aimed at aiding clinicians in safely forgoing CTs may be paradoxically increasing CT utilization. This study evaluated a novel DI that aims for high sensitivity while also improving specificity over prior instruments.

Methods

We conducted a planned secondary analysis of the NEXUS Head CT DI among patients less than 18 years old. The rule required patients satisfy seven criteria to achieve “low‐risk” classification. Patients were assigned “high‐risk” status if they fail to meet one or more criteria. Our primary outcome was the ability of the rule to identify all patients requiring neurosurgical intervention.

Results

The study enrolled 1,018 blunt head injury pediatric patients. The DI assigned high‐risk status to 27 of 27 patients requiring neurosurgical intervention (sensitivity = 100.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 87.2%–100%]). The instrument assigned low‐risk status to 330 of 991 patients who did not require neurosurgical intervention (specificity = 33.3%, 95% CI = 30.3%–36.3%). None of the 991 low‐risk patients required neurosurgical intervention (negative predictive value [NPV] = 100%, 95% CI = 99.6%–100%). The DI correctly assigned high‐risk status to 48 of the 49 patients with significant intracranial injuries, yielding a sensitivity of 98.0% (95% CI = 89.1%–99.9%). The instrument assigned low‐risk status to 329 of 969 patients who did not have significant injuries to yield a specificity of 34.0% (95% CI = 31.0%–37.0%). Significant injuries were absent in 329 of the 330 patients assigned low‐risk status to yield a NPV of 99.7% (95% CI = 98.3%–100%).

Conclusions

The Pediatric NEXUS Head CT DI reliably identifies blunt trauma patients who require head CT imaging and could significantly reduce the use of CT imaging.
Developmental stability of foraging behavior: evaluating suitability of captive giant pandas for translocation
Authors: Swaisgood R. R. , Martin‐Wintle M. S. , Owen M. A. , Zhou X. , Zhang H.
Published: April 2018

The behavioral competence of captive‐bred individuals – an important source population for translocation programs – may differ from that of wild‐born individuals and these differences may influence post‐release survival. Some behaviors will be more robust, or developmentally stable, than others in the face of the environmental novelties of captivity. Here, we investigated developmental stability of foraging behavior by quantifying bamboo feeding behavior in captive‐bred and wild‐born giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanleuca. As an energy‐limited species adapted to a low‐nutrition diet, any reductions in feeding efficiency may compromise post‐release survival. Using video of 22 captive pandas, we measured several components of the panda's elaborate bamboo feeding behavior repertoire. We found that captive‐born and wild‐born pandas displayed the same repertoire of feeding behaviors, suggesting developmental stability in these motor patterns, but that they employed them differently with different parts of the bamboo. Captive‐born pandas devoted less time and effort to handling and chewing leaves while allocating more effort to the consumption of large culms than did wild‐born pandas. Captive‐born pandas also handled small culm and stripped small culms to prepare them for consumption less often than did wild‐born pandas. All of these behavioral differences indicate that wild‐born pandas in captivity behave in a manner more similar to wild pandas, and focus their behavioral effort on more nutritious bamboo. Thus, these aspects of captive‐born panda feeding behavior may be compromised, and were not developmentally stable in the captive environment. These behavioral differences are cause for concern and should be the subject of future study to determine whether they forecast compromised fitness in translocations. Evaluating developmental stability and behavioral competence should be a key component of captive‐release translocation programs, serving to guide pre‐release training and selection of individuals to be released.
Tobacco cessation in low‐ and middle‐income countries: some challenges and opportunities
Authors: Peer Nasheeta , Kengne Andre‐Pascal
Published: April 2018

Commentary to: Evaluating clinical stop-smoking services globally: towards a minimum data set
68Ga‐PSMA‐PET/CT staging prior to definitive radiation treatment for prostate cancer
Authors: Hruby George , Eade Thomas , Emmett Louise , Ho Bao , Hsiao Ed , Schembri Geoff , Guo Linxin , Kwong Carolyn , Hunter Julia , Byrne Keelan , Kneebone Andrew
Published: April 2018

Aim

To explore the utility of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)‐positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in addition to conventional imaging prior to definitive external beam radiation treatment (EBRT) for prostate cancer.

Methods

All men undergoing PSMA‐PET/CT prior to definitive EBRT for intermediate and high‐risk prostate cancer were included in our ethics approved prospective database. For each patient, clinical and pathological results, in addition to scan results including site of PSMA positive disease and number of lesions, were recorded. Results of conventional imaging (bone scan, CT and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) were reviewed and included.

Results

One hundred nine men underwent staging PSMA‐PET/CT between May 2015 and June 2017; all patients had national comprehensive cancer network (NCCN) intermediate or high‐risk prostate cancer and 87% had Gleason score (GS) 4 + 3 or higher. There was positive uptake corresponding to the primary in 108, equivocal in one. All patients with image detected nodal or bony lesions had GS 4 + 3 or more disease. Compared to conventional imaging with bone scan, CT and multiparametric MRI, PSMA‐PET/CT upstaged an additional 7 patients (6.4%) from M0 to M1, 16 from N0M0 to N1M0 (14.7%) and downstaged 3 (2.8%) from M1 to M0 disease.

Conclusion

PSMA‐PET/CT identified the primary in 99% of patients, and altered staging in 21% of men with intermediate or high‐risk prostate cancer referred for definitive EBRT compared to CT, bone scan and multiparametric MRI. Following this audit, we recommend the routine use of PSMA‐PET/CT prior to EBRT in this patient group.
Ethnic Ties in US Venture Capital Stage Financing
Authors: Ding Na
Published: April 2018

This paper examines the effect of ethnic ties on venture capital (VC) stage financing in the US market. After dealing with the endogeneity problem, the paper shows that VC investors who share ethnicity with an entrepreneur tend to finance the company using a smaller number of rounds, longer durations between successive rounds, and a larger amount in each round. The effect is more pronounced when the startup company and the VC firm are not located in the same city or the VCs lack industry‐specific expertise. My findings also suggest that such trust due to co‐ethnicity leads to bad investment performance.
Maternal deaths from hypertensive disorders: lessons learnt
Authors: Nyfløt Lill T. , Ellingsen Liv , Yli Branka M. , Øian Pål , Vangen Siri
Published: April 2018

Introduction

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy have been the most frequent cause of maternal death in Norway since 1996 and are strongly associated with substandard care. In the UK, the number of maternal deaths due to hypertensive disorders has decreased drastically due to the implementation of updated guidelines, indicating a potential for reducing the number of deaths in other countries as well. Through audits of maternal deaths, we aim to prevent future deaths from hypertensive disorders in pregnancy by identifying suboptimal factors in treatment.

Material and methods

Maternal deaths in Norway from 1996 to 2014 were identified through linked registries. The Norwegian Maternal Mortality Audit Group performed all case assessments included in this study, classified the cause of death, evaluated the treatment, and identified suboptimal factors to care in each case. Emphasis was placed on antihypertensive treatment, timing of delivery, stabilization before delivery, and quality of care. Learning points were prepared to improve the treatment of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Results

We identified 74 maternal deaths. The maternal mortality rate was 6.5 deaths per 100 000 live births. The most common cause of death was hypertensive disorders (n = 16 deaths). In 14 of these deaths (87%), the audit group concluded that improvements to care could have made a difference to the outcome.

Conclusions

In 1996–2014, hypertensive disorders were the most common cause of maternal death in Norway. Our study indicates that such deaths can be prevented by improvements in antihypertensive treatment and the timing of delivery.
Taking an Interest in Taking the Lead: The Influence of Vocational Interests, Leadership Experience and Success on the Motivation to Lead
Authors: Bergner Sabine , Kanape Anna , Rybnicek Robert
Published: April 2018

Motivation plays a crucial role in leadership, particularly when facing difficult situations and decisions. This long‐term study investigates whether vocational interests predict an individual's motivation to lead (MtL). Moreover, it examines whether the link between vocational interests and MtL is mediated by the extent and success of prior leadership experiences. To this end, 471 participants (291 male, 180 female, Mage = 22.65, SDage = 7.95) provided information on their vocational interests. Two years later, participants rated their MtL and provided information on both the extent of their prior leadership experiences and the respective success gained from these. Results show that enterprising and conventional interests positively affect MtL two years later. Additionally, enterprising and social interests also indirectly influence a person's motivation to lead through the extent and success of prior leadership experiences: people with higher enterprising and social interests report more prior experience in leading. This experience is linked to more self‐perceived leadership success, which consequently enhances these persons' motivation to take on leading roles. These findings enrich theory on the antecedents and malleability of MtL. From a practitioner's view, the findings equip recruiters with information on how to search for motivated leaders and how to maintain their motivation.
Generic velpatasvir plus sofosbuvir for hepatitis C virus infection in patients with or without human immunodeficiency virus coinfection
Authors: Liu C.‐H. , Sun H.‐Y. , Liu C.‐J. , Sheng W.‐H. , Hsieh S.‐M. , Lo Y.‐C. , Liu W.‐C. , Su T.‐H. , Yang H.‐C. , Hong C.‐M. , Tseng T.‐C. , Chen P.‐J. , Chen D.‐S. , Hung C.‐C. , Kao J.‐H.
Published: April 2018

Background

Data are limited regarding the effectiveness and safety of generic velpatasvir plus sofosbuvir (VEL/SOF) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection.

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of generic VEL/SOF‐based therapy for HCV infection in patients with or without HIV coinfection in Taiwan.

Methods

Sixty‐nine HIV/HCV‐coinfected and 159 HCV‐monoinfected patients receiving 12 weeks of generic VEL/SOF with or without ribavirin (RBV) for HCV were prospectively enrolled. The anti‐viral responses and the adverse events (AEs) were compared between the two groups. The characteristics potentially related to sustained virological response 12 weeks off therapy (SVR12) were analysed.

Results

The SVR12 was achieved in 67 HIV/HCV‐coinfected patients (97.1%; 95% CI: 90.0%‐99.2%) and in 156 HCV‐monoinfected patients (98.1%; 95% CI: 94.6%‐99.4%) receiving VEL/SOF‐based therapy, respectively. The SVR12 rates were comparable between HIV/HCV‐coinfected and HCV‐monoinfected patients, regardless of pre‐specified baseline characteristics. One hundred twenty‐two (53.5%) and seven (3.1%) patients had baseline resistance‐associated substitutions (RASs) in HCV NS5A and NS5B regions, but the SVR12 rates were not affected by the presence or absence of RASs. One (1.4%) and five (3.1%) patients in the HIV/HCV‐coinfected and HCV‐monoinfected groups had serious AEs. No patient died or discontinued treatment due to AEs. The eGFR remained stable throughout the course of treatment in HIV/HCV‐coinfected patients receiving anti‐retroviral therapy containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

Conclusions

Generic VEL/SOF‐based therapy is well‐tolerated and provides comparably high SVR12 rates for HCV infection in patients with and without HIV coinfection.
Relational ageing: On intra‐gender and generational dynamism among ageing Latvian women
Authors: Lulle Aija
Published: April 2018

In this paper I conceptualise relational ageing in spatial and comparative terms by comparing the life stories and practices of Latvian women who migrated with those who did not. By counterposing the literatures on global care and gender contracts, I make a plea for a time‐space attentive geographical approach to ageing migrants, their pre‐migration experiences and ongoing relations between migrants and non‐migrants. First, I present some lesser‐known dynamics of women‐to‐women (intra‐gender) relations in these two groups. Second, I nuance relational effects in contexts when women are ageing but the man is absent from care responsibilities. And third, I focus on cross‐generational relations narrated and practised by ageing women abroad and those who stayed in Latvia throughout their lives.
Discovery, characterization and clinical utility of prostaglandin agonists for the treatment of glaucoma
Authors: Klimko Peter G , Sharif Najam A
Published: April 2018

Topical ophthalmic formulations of analogues of the endogenous arachidonic acid cyclooxygenase metabolite, PGF2α, are the standard of care treatment for the blinding disease glaucoma. These are the most potent and efficacious medical therapies for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP), the most important risk factor identified for disease progression. They have few side effects and offer the convenience of once‐a‐day dosing. It was initially believed that endogenous PGs raised IOP and caused substantial ocular surface adverse effects. However, carefully designed experiments demonstrated that esterification of the carboxylic acid afforded potent and efficacious topical ocular hypotensive activity. The final hurdle to be overcome was improvement of the side effect profile. A hypothesis was advanced that the IOP‐lowering effect of PGF2α isopropyl ester was due to activation of its cognate PG‐FP receptor, while side effects were largely due to promiscuous interaction with other PG receptors. This hypothesis was validated by modification of the ω chain (carbons 13–20) to a phenyl group. This provided the first marketed FP‐class PG agonist analogue (FP‐PGA) ocular hypotensive agent, latanoprost. Since the introduction of latanoprost into clinical medicine to lower and control IOP, a number of additional FP‐PGAs have been discovered, characterized and marketed, including travoprost, tafluprost, unoprostone isopropyl ester and bimatoprost (an amide).

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Eicosanoids 35 years from the 1982 Nobel: where are we now? To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.8/issuetoc
Analogue synthesis reveals decoupling of antibiofilm and β‐lactam potentiation activities of a lead 2‐aminoimidazole adjuvant against Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Martin Sara E. , Nguyen Catherine M. , Basaraba Randall J. , Melander Christian
Published: April 2018

Biofilm formation is one of the many mechanisms bacteria utilize to survive antibiotic treatment. It has been demonstrated that when Mycobacterium tuberculosis exists in a biofilm in vitro, it expresses phenotypic resistance to antimicrobial drugs. As the in vivo survival of M. tuberculosis following drug treatment is potentially linked to a biofilm‐like expression of drug tolerance, it is hypothesized that biofilm dispersion should increase antibiotic susceptibility and reduce the duration of the current antibiotic treatment regimen. Previously, we have identified a 2‐aminoimidazole (2‐AI) compound capable of dispersing and inhibiting M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis biofilms in vitro. Additionally, this compound potentiated the activity of carbenicillin against M. tuberculosis and, to a lesser degree, M. smegmatis. Here, we describe a SAR study on this compound evaluating each derivative for biofilm dispersion and β‐lactam potentiation capabilities against M. smegmatis. This study identified a compound that improved upon the biofilm dispersion capabilities of the lead compound. Interestingly, a different compound was identified with an increased ability to potentiate a subset of β‐lactam antibiotics. These compounds indicate that biofilm dispersion and potentiation capabilities may not be associated.
Opportunities for Neurodevelopmental Plasticity From Infancy Through Early Adulthood
Authors: Guyer Amanda E. , Pérez‐Edgar Koraly , Crone Eveline A.
Published: April 2018

Multiple and rapid changes in brain development occur in infancy and early childhood that undergird behavioral development in core domains. The period of adolescence also carries a second influx of growth and change in the brain to support the unique developmental tasks of adolescence. This special section documents two core conclusions from multiple studies. First, evidence for change in brain‐based metrics that underlie cognitive and behavioral functions are not limited to narrow windows in development, but are evident from infancy into early adulthood. Second, the specific evident changes are unique to challenges and goals that are salient for a respective developmental period. These brain‐based changes interface with environmental inputs, whether from the child's broader ecology or at an individual level.
Proteomic analysis of serum and sputum analytes distinguishes controlled and poorly controlled asthmatics
Authors: Kasaian M. T. , Lee J. , Brennan A. , Danto S. I. , Black K. E. , Fitz L. , Dixon A. E.
Published: April 2018

Background

A major goal of asthma therapy is to achieve disease control, with maintenance of lung function, reduced need for rescue medication, and prevention of exacerbation. Despite current standard of care, up to 70% of patients with asthma remain poorly controlled. Analysis of serum and sputum biomarkers could offer insights into parameters associated with poor asthma control.

Objective

To identify signatures as determinants of asthma disease control, we performed proteomics using Olink proximity extension analysis.

Methods

Up to 3 longitudinal serum samples were collected from 23 controlled and 25 poorly controlled asthmatics. Nine of the controlled and 8 of the poorly controlled subjects also provided 2 longitudinal sputum samples. The study included an additional cohort of 9 subjects whose serum was collected within 48 hours of asthma exacerbation. Two separate pre‐defined Proseek Multiplex panels (INF and CVDIII) were run to quantify 181 separate protein analytes in serum and sputum.

Results

Panels consisting of 9 markers in serum (CCL19, CCL25, CDCP1, CCL11, FGF21, FGF23, Flt3L, IL‐10Rβ, IL‐6) and 16 markers in sputum (tPA, KLK6, RETN, ADA, MMP9, Chit1, GRN, PGLYRP1, MPO, HGF, PRTN3, DNER, PI3, Chi3L1, AZU1, and OPG) distinguished controlled and poorly controlled asthmatics. The sputum analytes were consistent with a pattern of neutrophil activation associated with poor asthma control. The serum analyte profile of the exacerbation cohort resembled that of the controlled group rather than that of the poorly controlled asthmatics, possibly reflecting a therapeutic response to systemic corticosteroids.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Proteomic profiles in serum and sputum distinguished controlled and poorly controlled asthmatics, and were maintained over time. Findings support a link between sputum neutrophil markers and loss of asthma control.
Testicular choriocarcinoma with cutaneous metastasis in a 19‐year‐old man
Authors: Toberer Ferdinand , Enk Alexander , Hartschuh Wolfgang , Grüllich Carsten
Published: April 2018

A 19‐year‐old man suffering from testicular choriocarcinoma presented to the dermatology department with a cutaneous metastasis on his head. This metastasis was the first sign of disease that led to medical consultation. Histopathology revealed cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts, the later expressing human chorionic gonadotropin antigen. Whole body computed tomography showed multiple metastases of the brain, lung, liver, bone, paraaortic lymph nodes and left uvea; the primary was found in the left testicle. Despite neurosurgical intervention and chemotherapy the patient died 9 days after the biopsy of the cutaneous metastasis. Cutaneous metastases of testicular choriocarcinoma are exceptionally rare, with fewer than a dozen cases reported in the English‐language literature. The present case highlights that testicular choriocarcinoma metastatic to the skin should be included in the differential of cutaneous scalp tumors.
Transmedia Storytelling and Its Natural Application in Museums. The Case of the Bosch Project at the Museo Nacional del Prado
Authors: Mateos‐Rusillo Santos M. , Gifreu‐Castells Arnau
Published: April 2018

In the last decade, transmedia storytelling has burst into the fiction and nonfiction worlds. Stories are now told and expanded through different media and platforms, both analogue and digital. Although museums do not as yet use the adjective ‘transmedia’ to describe their stories, they have been applying the concept naturally for decades. Here we reflect on the traditional modus operandis of museums and determine how close it is to the dictates of transmedia storytelling by analysing the Bosch project of the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid (Spain).
Coordinated regulation of the dorsal‐ventral and anterior‐posterior patterning of Xenopus embryos by the BTB/POZ zinc finger protein Zbtb14
Authors: Takebayashi‐Suzuki Kimiko , Konishi Hidenori , Miyamoto Tatsuo , Nagata Tomoko , Uchida Misa , Suzuki Atsushi
Published: April 2018

During early vertebrate embryogenesis, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belonging to the transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) family of growth factors play a central role in dorsal–ventral (DV) patterning of embryos, while other growth factors such as Wnt and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family members regulate formation of the anterior–posterior (AP) axis. Although the establishment of body plan is thought to require coordinated formation of the DV and AP axes, the mechanistic details underlying this coordination are not well understood. Here, we show that a Xenopus homologue of zbtb14 plays an essential role in the regulation of both DV and AP patterning during early Xenopus development. We show that overexpression of Zbtb14 promotes neural induction and inhibits epidermal differentiation, thereby regulating DV patterning. In addition, Zbtb14 promotes the formation of posterior neural tissue and suppresses anterior neural development. Consistent with this, knock‐down experiments show that Zbtb14 is required for neural development, especially for the formation of posterior neural tissues. Mechanistically, Zbtb14 reduces the levels of phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 to suppress BMP signaling and induces an accumulation of β‐Catenin to promote Wnt signaling. Collectively, these results suggest that Zbtb14 plays a crucial role in the formation of DV and AP axes by regulating both the BMP and Wnt signaling pathways during early Xenopus embryogenesis.
THE ROLE OF REGULATORY ARBITRAGE IN U.S. BANKS' INTERNATIONAL FLOWS: BANK‐LEVEL EVIDENCE
Authors: Temesvary Judit
Published: April 2018

I study the prevalence and profitability of regulatory arbitrage in U.S. banks' foreign activities. I analyze a publicly available bank‐level data set on bilateral lending flows to 75 countries over 2003–2013. U.S. banks' affiliates lend less to borrowers in host countries with stricter bank capital regulations, and are less likely to maintain affiliates in such countries. Banks substitute from (host‐regulated) affiliate toward (U.S.‐regulated) cross‐border lending in hosts with strict bank capital rules. This is particularly so for low‐capitalized banks with lower foreign ownership shares. Banks that reduce their exposure to stricter host capital rules are more profitable in foreign activities. (JEL F3, F4, G2)
Bitcoin: The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Promises
Authors: Vogiazas Sofoklis , Alexiou Constantinos
Published: April 2018

In this paper, by using econometric techniques we provide evidence that bitcoin exhibited the formation of speculative bubble in 2017. To conceptually rationalize the results, we delve into the extant theoretical approaches developed by Kindleberger's (1978) speculative bubbles and Minsky's (1992) financial instability hypothesis. Certainly, bitcoin has spurred a revolution in payment technology that, if treated cautiously can facilitate financial intermediation and inclusion. Ultimately, whether or not bitcoin constitutes a bubble is a decision for investors as the road to hell is paved with good promises.
Human periodontal fibroblasts viability stored in Custodiol®, coconut water, and propolis. An ex vivo study
Authors: Awawdeh Lama , Haimour Rana Naman , Al‐Jundi Suhad Hussein , Al‐Qaoud Khaled
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims

Successful replantation of an avulsed tooth depends on the regeneration of periodontal ligament (PDL) attachment which is affected by the transport medium, dry time, and storage time. Various storage media have been studied but the search for the optimum storage medium is still needed to determine the ideal material and storage time to maintainPDLcells. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of Custodiol®, coconut water (CW) from different stages of maturity, and propolis as storage media for avulsed teeth by evaluating the viability ofPDLcells for different time intervals.

Materials and Methods

PDLcultures were subjected to Cutodiol®, immature, half mature, and mature coconut water, and different concentrations of propolis in Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM). Culture plates with the tested media were incubated for 1, 2, 6, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hour.PDLfibroblast cell viability was assessed byMTTassay.

Results

CW showed significantly higher viability of cells than other groups at 6 hour with half mature CW being superior. Propolis at 6.25 mg/mLinDMEMresulted in 138% viablePDLand it was able to preservePDLcells for up to 168 hour.

Conclusions

Half mature and mature CW are superior storage media if replantation of avulsed teeth is within 6 hour. Propolis inDMEMcould be a potential storage media for prolonged storage intervals up to 48 hour.
Use of negative pressure wound therapy in three horses with open, infected olecranon bursitis
Authors: Elce Y. A. , Ruzickova P. , Almeida da Silveira E. , Laverty S.
Published: April 2018

This article describes the clinical use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in three horses with an open and infected subcutaneous olecranon bursa, in which prior surgical excision followed by primary closure was unsuccessful. The wounds filled in rapidly with granulation tissue and contracted during therapy. All wounds subsequently went on to heal without complications. The use of NPWT was well tolerated in all three horses and facilitated healing in a difficult area.
Contracting for care – the construction of the farrier role in supporting horse owners to prevent laminitis
Authors: Lynden J. , Ogden J. , Hollands T.
Published: April 2018

Background

Emerging research highlights how, due to demographic changes in horse owner populations in Western societies, complex owner–horse relationships are leading to inappropriate horse care, including overnutrition, which in turn can lead to laminitis. Farriers, due to their regular visits, may be in a position to support owners in dealing with this problem.

Objectives

This study explored whether UK farriers have a role in working with horse owners to support horse welfare and prevent laminitis.

Study design

Grounded theory analysis, a qualitative methodology.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 farriers and 11 horse owners. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and systematically analysed, using an inductive coding approach.

Results

The analysis of the farrier and horse owner interview data revealed farriers and horse owners undertake a contracting process leading to either a task‐focussed or holistic care‐focussed approach. Either approach can be satisfactory, but the evidence from this study suggests that when horses are at risk of laminitis, a task‐focussed approach misses important opportunities to prevent it.

Main limitations

This analysis, based on a small sample of participants, was not able to identify the frequency of farriers or horse owners orientating towards different approaches in a way that can be generalised to a wider population. However, the power of grounded theory lies in its inductive design to develop new theory, which can be subsequently tested.

Conclusions

Farriers are in a perfect position to support horse owners to prevent laminitis through providing feedback, guidance and advice. However, not all farriers adopt this role and it is not necessary in all contexts. The evidence presented in this study has implications for equine veterinarians and welfare officers in educating horse owners about the value of holistic care‐focussed farriery.