bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A formal definition of Big Data based on its essential features
Authors: De Mauro Andrea , Greco Marco , Grimaldi Michele
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the most prominent research areas connected with “Big Data” and propose a thorough definition of the term.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors have analysed a conspicuous corpus of industry and academia articles linked with Big Data to find commonalities among the topics they treated. The authors have also compiled a survey of existing definitions with a view of generating a more solid one that encompasses most of the work happening in the field.

Findings

– The main themes of Big Data are: information, technology, methods and impact. The authors propose a new definition for the term that reads as follows: “Big Data is the Information asset characterized by such a High Volume, Velocity and Variety to require specific Technology and Analytical Methods for its transformation into Value.”

Practical implications

– The formal definition that is proposed can enable a more coherent development of the concept of Big Data, as it solely relies on the essential strands of current state-of-the-art and is coherent with the most popular definitions currently used.

Originality/value

– This is among the first structured attempts of building a convincing definition of Big Data. It also contains an original exploration of the topic in connection with library management.
Camel milk: alternative milk for human consumption and its health benefits
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Verma Akhilesh  K. , Chatli Manish Kumar , Singh Raghvendar , Kumar Pavan , Mehta Nitin , Malav Om Prakash
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Camel as a livestock plays an important role in desert ecosystem and its milk has potential contribution in human nutrition in the hot and arid regions of the world. This milk contains all the essential nutrients as found in other milk. Fresh and fermented camel milk has been used in different regions in the world including India, Russia and Sudan for human consumption as well as for treatment of a series of diseases such as dropsy, jaundice, tuberculosis, asthma and leishmaniasis or kala-azar. The present paper aims to explore the possibility of camel milk as an alternative milk for human consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

– Recently, camel milk and its components were also reported to have other potential therapeutic properties, such as anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and renoprotective potential; and for autism, and has been recommended to be consumed by children who are allergic to bovine milk.

Findings

– It has also been reported to alleviate oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in rats. Camel milk differs from bovine milk in composition. It contains low total solids and fat; however, proteins and lactose are in equal amount but of higher quality than cow milk. Because of the high percentage of β-casein, low percentage of α-casein, deficiency of β-lactoglobulin and similarity of the immunoglobulins, it become safer for persons who are allergic to bovine milk. It contains protective proteins in higher amount which contributes to its functionality. The fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis of camel protein produce different types of bioactive peptides which exerts different activity in in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Originality/value

– Because of its unique quality and functionality, this milk has potential application in management of different diseases and application in food industries.
Analysis of dietary minerals in selected seeds and nuts by using ICP-OES and assessment based on the recommended daily intakes
Authors: Gülfen Mustafa , Özdemir Abdil
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Seeds and nuts include many dietary minerals as well as trace metals. It is very important to determine the nutritional mineral values in seeds and nuts. Many minerals can be analyzed simultaneously in low concentrations by using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. This paper aims to evaluate nutritional values of dietary and trace minerals in selected seeds and nuts.

Design/methodology/approach

– Dietary minerals in the sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus), pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepoL.), peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and corn (Zea maysL.) samples collected from the markets in Sakarya city of Turkey have been analyzed. Two digestion procedures were applied by using hydrochloric acid solution and the mixture of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution.

Findings

– In the evaluation of the mineral contributions of the nuts, the micro-mineral contributions (Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn and Se) were found at higher values than the macro-minerals (Ca, Mg, K and Na). Potassium was determined as the most abundant mineral, and sodium was found at lower levels. The results showed that nuts are trace mineral suppliers and possible Na-K regulator foods in human nutrition.

Social/implications

– The obtained results for the mineral profile and daily intake values provide useful information that could sensitize the people on the consumption of seeds and nuts.

Originality/value

– Findings from the digestion procedures and the assessments based on the recommended daily intakes have got valuable impact.
Leaf photosynthetic, economics and hydraulic traits are decoupled among genotypes of a widespread species of eucalypt grown under ambient and elevatedCO2
Authors: Blackman Chris J. , Aspinwall Michael J. , Resco de Dios Víctor , Smith Renee A. , Tissue David T.
Published: March 2016

Leaf economics and hydraulic traits strongly influence photosynthesis. While the level of coordination among these traits can differ between sets of species, leaf functional trait coordination within species remains poorly understood. Furthermore, elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO2commonly influence the expression of leaf photosynthetic, economics and hydraulic traits in contrasting ways, yet the effect of variable concentrations of atmospheric CO2on patterns of trait coordination within species remains largely untested.

We examined the relationships among key leaf photosynthetic (e.g. net photosynthesis and photosynthetic biochemistry), economics and water‐use (e.g. leaf mass per unit area and stomatal conductance) and hydraulic traits (e.g. vein density) in 14 genotypes ofEucalyptus camaldulensisgrown in ambient (aCO2) and elevated (eCO2) [CO2]. We examined the level of coordination among leaf traits in aCO2and then assessed whether growth in eCO2altered that coordination.

We found that leaf traits related to photosynthetic capacity, economics and water‐use, and hydraulics were decoupled among genotypes grown in aCO2, yet strong relationships were generally observed among suites of traits within each ‘functional group’.

Significant responses to growth in eCO2were observed for most leaf photosynthetic and economics and water‐use traits, with the magnitude and direction of the response varying among traits. In contrast, leaf hydraulics traits were unaffected by variable growth CO2. Despite this, growth in eCO2did not substantially alter patterns of leaf trait coordination observed in aCO2.

These results suggest suites of leaf traits associated with photosynthetic capacity, economics and water‐use and hydraulics, respectively, can form independent axes of variation among genotypes of a single species, regardless of growth CO2. Although growth in eCO2did not substantially alter patterns of trait coordination, decoupling of leaf functional traits among genotypes may allow genetically distinct populations to produce novel combinations of traits that may be adaptive in response to changes in their local environment.
Patterns of mammalian population decline inform conservation action
Authors: Di Fonzo Martina M. I. , Collen Ben , Chauvenet Aliénor L. M. , Mace Georgina M.
Published: March 2016

Evaluations of wildlife population dynamics have the potential to convey valuable information on the type of pressure affecting a population and could help predict future changes in the population's trajectory. Greater understanding of different patterns of population declines could provide a useful mechanism for assessing decline severity in the wild and identifying those populations that are more likely to exhibit severe declines.

We identified 93 incidences of decline within 75 populations of mammalian species using a time‐series analysis method. These included linear, quadratic convex (accelerating) declines, exponential concave (decelerating) declines and quadratic concave declines (representing recovering populations). Excluding linear declines left a data set of 85 declines to model the relationship between each decline‐curve type and a range of biological, anthropogenic and time‐series descriptor explanatory variables.

None of the decline‐curve types were spatially or phylogenetically clustered. The only characteristic that could be consistently associated with any curve type was the time at which they were more likely to occur within a time series. Quadratic convex declines were more likely to occur at the start of the time series, while recovering curve shapes (quadratic concave declines) were more likely at the end of the time series.

Synthesis and applications. The ability to link certain factors with specific decline dynamics across a number of mammalian populations is useful for management purposes as it provides decision‐makers with potential triggers upon which to base their conservation actions. We propose that the identification of quadratic convex declines could be used as an early‐warning signal of potentially severe decline dynamics. For such a population, increased population monitoring effort should be deployed to diagnose the cause of its decline and avert possible extinctions. Conversely, the presence of a quadratic concave decline suggests that the population has already undergone a period of serious decline but is now in the process of recovery. Such populations will require different types of conservation actions, focussing on enhancing their chances of recovery.
Differential expression of GAS5 in rapamycin‐induced reversion of glucocorticoid resistance
Authors: Lucafò Marianna , Bravin Vanessa , Tommasini Alberto , Martelossi Stefano , Rabach Ingrid , Ventura Alessandro , Decorti Giuliana , De Iudicibus Sara
Published: March 2016

This study evaluates the association between the long noncoding RNA GAS5 levels and the anti‐proliferative effect of the glucocorticoid (GC) methylprednisolone (MP) alone and in combination with rapamycin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy donors. The effect of MP, rapamycin, and MP plus rapamycin was determined in 17 healthy donors by labelling metabolically active cells with [methyl‐3H] thymidine and the expression levels of GAS5 gene were evaluated by real‐time RT‐PCR TaqMan analysis. We confirmed a role for GAS5 in modulating GC response: poor responders presented higher levels of GAS5 in comparison with good responders. Interestingly, when PBMCs were treated with the combination of rapamycin plus MP, the high levels of GAS5 observed for each drug in the MP poor responders group decreased in comparison with rapamycin (P value = 0.0134) or MP alone (P value = 0.0193). GAS5 is involved in GC resistance and co‐treatment of rapamycin with GCs restores GC effectiveness in poor responders through the downregulation of the long noncoding RNA. GAS5 could be considered a biomarker to personalize therapy and a novel therapeutic target useful for the development of new pharmacological approaches to restore GC sensitivity.
‘The Gospel of Health’: American Missionaries and the Transformation of Ottoman/Turkish Women's Bodies, 1890–1932
Authors: Kahlenberg Caroline
Published: March 2016

This article explores an overlooked aspect of American missionary modernisation efforts in the late Ottoman Empire: the attempted transformation of women's bodies. By the late nineteenth century, American missionary women and Ottoman government officials both viewed Ottoman women's bodies as a visible reflection of the empire's weaknesses, yet also as central to its survival and revival. The transformation of women's bodies from ‘uncontrolled’ to ‘robust’, they believed, was a prerequisite for a modern society. Through a close reading of missionary reports, correspondences and student memoirs, this study traces the development of physical education, hygiene and recreational sports at the missionary‐run American College for Girls (ACG) in Istanbul. Over time, the female teachers at the ACG partnered and collaborated with male Ottoman/Turkish government officials to implement these courses at girls’ schools across the region. While the government endorsed physical education as key to national progress and regeneration, the ACG educators framed it as a mode of international, feminist self‐empowerment. In reality, the missionaries continued to assert their own Western superiority and advance Orientalist notions through the education courses. By highlighting the shifts in women's body ideals, curricular development and nationalist rhetoric, I argue that women's bodies must be studied as a crucial site of missionary and republican reform.
War without Terms: George Jackson, Black Power and the American Radical Prison Rights Movement, 1941–1971
Authors: Colley Zoe
Published: March 2016

This article focuses upon the work of prison author and activist George Jackson and his work with the Black Panther Party. Thus far, historians’ emphasis upon Jackson's relationship with Bay Area radicals has eclipsed the importance of his work on behalf of African American prisoners and especially his role within the Black Panther Party. In focusing so heavily upon events outside California's prisons, they have failed to explain his evolution from a petty criminal to political activist; we do not yet understand the wider historical context within which he emerged as a spokesperson for the most oppressed and vilified group of the 1960s and 1970s: African American prisoners. This article therefore offers a more expansive view of Jackson's life and situates him within the wider social and political milieu of California's penal system during the 1960s and 1970s. It is only by exploring the environment in which Jackson lived that we can start fully to appreciate the origins and significance of his revolutionary ideology, as well as his relationship with black activism inside and outside the prison walls.
Henry VIII: ‘Catholicism without the Pope?’
Authors: BERNARD G. W.
Published: March 2016

That Henry VIII's religious policy after the break with Rome was ‘catholicism without the pope’ is a common characterization. Yet while it is fair to insist that he consistently rejected the teachings of Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli and never considered introducing a protestant reformation, Henry's attitudes to purgatory, to pilgrimage, to the intercession of saints, and to the monasteries were nonetheless a significant departure from straightforwardly orthodox catholicism. Desiderius Erasmus's ideas were the greatest influence on Henry whose reservations about aspects of ‘traditional religion’ were sharpened by his difficulties in securing his divorce and by the rebellions in 1536. The Church he then remade amounted not to ‘catholicism without the pope’ but was an idiosyncratic hybrid. If there were few committed Henricians, nonetheless the legacy of Henry's reformation would be felt in Elizabeth's reign and beyond.
The challenges of editorship: a reflection on editing the Jung‐Neumann correspondence
Authors: Liebscher Martin
Published: March 2016

The complete correspondence between C.G. Jung and Erich Neumann was published in 2015. This article attempts to provide insight into the practical task, as well as the theoretical background, of the editing process. The advantages and possibilities of an unabridged edition with an extensive historical contextualization are demonstrated, and compared to the approach of the editors of the Jung Letters and their selection therein of Jung's letters to Neumann. The practical points under consideration include the establishment of the letter corpus, the ascertainment of dates and the chronological arrangement of the letter exchange, as well as the deciphering of handwritten letters. Theoretical aspects under discussion involve the question of the merits of a critical contextualisation and the position of the editor vis‐à‐vis the research object. The example of the selecting and editing of Jung's letters to Neumann by Aniela Jaffé and Gerhard Adler reveals how drastically the close ties of those editors with Jung, Neumann, and members of the Zurich analytical circles compromised their editorial work at times. The advantage for an editor being able to work from an historical distance is appreciated.
Methods to induce labour: a systematic review, network meta‐analysis and cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Alfirevic Z , Keeney E , Dowswell T , Welton NJ , Medley N , Dias S , Jones LV , Caldwell DM
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To compare the clinical effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of labour induction methods.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of randomised trials comparing interventions for third‐trimester labour induction (search date: March 2014). Network meta‐analysis was possible for six of nine prespecified key outcomes: vaginal delivery within 24 hours (VD24), caesarean section, uterine hyperstimulation, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, instrumental delivery and infant Apgar scores. We developed a decision‐tree model from a UK NHS perspective and calculated incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios, expected costs, utilities and net benefit, and cost‐effectiveness acceptability curves.

Main results

In all, 611 studies comparing 31 active interventions were included. Intravenous oxytocin with amniotomy and vaginal misoprostol (≥50 μg) were most likely to achieve VD24. Titrated low‐dose oral misoprostol achieved the lowest odds of caesarean section, but there was considerable uncertainty in ranking estimates. Vaginal (≥50 μg) and buccal/sublingual misoprostol were most likely to increase uterine hyperstimulation with high uncertainty in ranking estimates. Compared with placebo, extra‐amniotic prostaglandin E2 reduced NICU admissions. There were insufficient data to conduct analyses for maternal and neonatal mortality and serious morbidity or maternal satisfaction. Conclusions were robust after exclusion of studies at high risk of bias. Due to poor reporting of VD24, the cost‐effectiveness analysis compared a subset of 20 interventions. There was considerable uncertainty in estimates, but buccal/sublingual and titrated (low‐dose) misoprostol showed the highest probability of being most cost‐effective.

Conclusions

Future trials should be designed and powered to detect a method that is more cost‐effective than low‐dose titrated oral misoprostol.

Tweetable abstract

New study ranks methods to induce labour in pregnant women on effectiveness and cost.
Consumer Acceptance of Bars and Gummies with Unencapsulated and Encapsulated Resveratrol
Authors: Koga Clarissa C. , Lee Soo‐Yeun , Lee Youngsoo
Published: March 2016

The addition of resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine and peanuts, to food products would help to provide the health benefits associated with the compound to the consumer in a wide array of food matrices. The bitterness of resveratrol and instability of its bioactive form in light are 2 major challenges with the incorporation of the compound into food products. Microencapsulation in a sodium caseinate matrix was utilized as a strategy to overcome these challenges. The objective of this research was to show the application of the resveratrol microcapsules in easy‐to‐consume foods. Consumer acceptance was evaluated for gummies and bars with encapsulated resveratrol in comparison to the controls. Four different controls were used: 1) without any resveratrol OR protein (Plain), 2) unencapsulated resveratrol (Resv), 3) sodium caseinate and unencapsulated resveratrol just mixed without encapsulation (P + R), and 4) sodium caseinate only (PRO). Two concentrations of resveratrol that have been shown to offer therapeutic effects in humans were tested (10 and 40 mg/d). The overall liking, evaluated using a 9‐point scale, of bars with 10 mg of encapsulated resveratrol did not differ significantly from the control without any added resveratrol and protein (Plain) or from the controls with equivalent protein and/or resveratrol concentrations. For gummies, the samples with the resveratrol microcapsules had a significantly lower overall liking than the controls with the same protein and/or resveratrol content. This research demonstrated application of resveratrol microcapsules into easy‐to‐consume food products in order to deliver the health benefits to the consumer.
Revisiting the ichthyodiversity of Java and Bali through DNA barcodes: taxonomic coverage, identification accuracy, cryptic diversity and identification of exotic species
Authors: Dahruddin Hadi , Hutama Aditya , Busson Frédéric , Sauri Sopian , Hanner Robert , Keith Philippe , Hadiaty Renny , Hubert Nicolas
Published: March 2016

Among the 899 species of freshwater fishes reported from Sundaland biodiversity hotspot, nearly 50% are endemics. The functional integrity of aquatic ecosystems is currently jeopardized by human activities, and landscape conversion led to the decline of fish populations in several part of Sundaland, particularly in Java. The inventory of the Javanese ichthyofauna has been discontinuous, and the taxonomic knowledge is scattered in the literature. This study provides a DNA barcode reference library for the inland fishes of Java and Bali with the aim to streamline the inventory of fishes in this part of Sundaland. Owing to the lack of available checklist for estimating the taxonomic coverage of this study, a checklist was compiled based on online catalogues. A total of 95 sites were visited, and a library including 1046 DNA barcodes for 159 species was assembled. Nearest neighbour distance was 28‐fold higher than maximum intraspecific distance on average, and a DNA barcoding gap was observed. The list of species with DNA barcodes displayed large discrepancies with the checklist compiled here as only 36% (i.e. 77 species) and 60% (i.e. 24 species) of the known species were sampled in Java and Bali, respectively. This result was contrasted by a high number of new occurrences and the ceiling of the accumulation curves for both species and genera. These results highlight the poor taxonomic knowledge of this ichthyofauna, and the apparent discrepancy between present and historical occurrence data is to be attributed to species extirpations, synonymy and misidentifications in previous studies.
The Market's Assessment of the Probability of Meeting or Beating the Consensus
Authors: Ma Guang , Markov Stanimir
Published: March 2016

We investigate to what extent the market uses information that is predictive of whether earnings will meet or beat the analyst consensus forecast of earnings (MBE henceforth): measures of a firm's incentives to engage in MBE behavior, measures of constraints on MBE, measures of past MBE practices by firm and industry, and other variables. Using the Mishkin test framework and Bonferroni‐adjusted p‐values, we document that of a total of 21 variables, the market inefficiently uses information in one difficulty measure and four other predictors, suggesting that strong empirically and theoretically grounded relationships concerning MBE behavior are more likely to be unraveled by the market. We further show that a portfolio based on the difference between the objective MBE probability and the market‐assessed MBE probability generates significant abnormal returns. The documented return anomaly is distinct from other known anomalies and cannot be fully explained by arbitrage risk or transaction costs.
ctmm: anrpackage for analyzing animal relocation data as a continuous‐time stochastic process
Authors: Calabrese Justin M. , Fleming Chris H. , Gurarie Eliezer
Published: March 2016

Movement ecology has developed rapidly over the past decade, driven by advances in tracking technology that have largely removed data limitations. Development of rigorous analytical tools has lagged behind empirical progress, and as a result, relocation data sets have been underutilized.

Discrete‐time correlated random walk models (CRW) have long served as the foundation for analyzing relocation data. Unfortunately,CRWs confound the sampling and movement processes.CRWparameter estimates thus depend sensitively on the sampling schedule, which makes it difficult to draw sampling‐independent inferences about the underlying movement process. Furthermore,CRWs cannot accommodate the multiscale autocorrelations that typify modern, finely sampled relocation data sets.

Recent developments in modelling movement as a continuous‐time stochastic process (CTSP) solve these problems, but the mathematical difficulty of usingCTSPs has limited their adoption in ecology. To remove this roadblock, we introduce thectmmpackage for the R statistical computing environment.ctmmimplements all of theCTSPs currently in use in the ecological literature and couples them with powerful statistical methods for autocorrelated data adapted from geostatistics and signal processing, including variograms, periodograms and non‐Markovian maximum likelihood estimation.

ctmmis built around a standard workflow that begins with visual diagnostics, proceeds to candidate model identification, and then to maximum likelihood fitting andAIC‐based model selection. Once an accurateCTSPfor the data has been fitted and selected, analyses that require such a model, such as quantifying home range areas via autocorrelated kernel density estimation or estimating occurrence distributions via time‐series Kriging, can then be performed.

We use a case study with African buffalo to demonstrate the capabilities ofctmmand highlight the steps of a typicalCTSPmovement analysis workflow.
Kappa opioid receptor antagonism and chronic antidepressant treatment have beneficial activities on social interactions and grooming deficits during heroin abstinence
Authors: Lalanne L. , Ayranci G. , Filliol D. , Gavériaux‐Ruff C. , Befort K. , Kieffer B. L. , Lutz P‐E
Published: March 2016

Addiction is a chronic brain disorder that progressively invades all aspects of personal life. Accordingly, addiction to opiates severely impairs interpersonal relationships, and the resulting social isolation strongly contributes to the severity and chronicity of the disease. Uncovering new therapeutic strategies that address this aspect of addiction is therefore of great clinical relevance. We recently established a mouse model of heroin addiction in which, following chronic heroin exposure, ‘abstinent’ mice progressively develop a strong and long‐lasting social avoidance phenotype. Here, we explored and compared the efficacy of two pharmacological interventions in this mouse model. Because clinical studies indicate some efficacy of antidepressants on emotional dysfunction associated with addiction, we first used a chronic 4‐week treatment with the serotonergic antidepressant fluoxetine, as a reference. In addition, considering prodepressant effects recently associated with kappa opioid receptor signaling, we also investigated the kappa opioid receptor antagonist norbinaltorphimine (norBNI). Finally, we assessed whether fluoxetine and norBNI could reverse abstinence‐induced social avoidance after it has established. Altogether, our results show that two interspaced norBNI administrations are sufficient both to prevent and to reverse social impairment in heroin abstinent animals. Therefore, kappa opioid receptor antagonism may represent a useful approach to alleviate social dysfunction in addicted individuals.
Sex differences in substance use disorders: focus on side effects
Authors: Agabio Roberta , Campesi Ilaria , Pisanu Claudia , Gessa Gian Luigi , Franconi Flavia
Published: March 2016

Although sex differences in several aspects of substance use disorders (SUDs) have been identified, less is known about the importance of possible sex differences in side effects induced by substances of abuse or by medications used to treat SUDs. In the SUD field, the perception of certain subjective effects are actively sought, while all other manifestations might operationally be considered side effects. This article was aimed at reviewing sex differences in side effects induced by alcohol, nicotine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine and by medications approved for alcohol, nicotine and heroin use disorders. A large body of evidence suggests that women are at higher risk of alcohol‐induced injury, liver disease, cardiomyopathy, myopathy, brain damages and mortality. The risk of tobacco‐induced coronary heart disease, lung disease and health problems is higher for women than for men. Women also experience greater exposure to side effects induced by heroin, marijuana and cocaine. In addition, women appear to be more vulnerable to the side effects induced by medications used to treat SUDs. Patients with SUDs should be advised that the risk of developing health problems may be higher for women than for men after consumption of the same amount of substances of abuse. Doses of medications for SUD women should be adjusted at least according to body weight. The sex differences observed also indicate an urgent need to recruit adequate numbers of female subjects in pre‐clinical and clinical studies to improve our knowledge about SUDs in women.
Problem gambling and the five‐factor model of personality: a large population‐based study
Authors: Brunborg Geir Scott , Hanss Daniel , Mentzoni Rune Aune , Molde Helge , Pallesen Ståle
Published: March 2016

Background and aims

Knowledge of the personality characteristics of individuals who develop gambling problems is important for designing targeted prevention efforts. Previous studies of the relationship between the five‐factor model of personality and gambling problems were based on small samples not representative of the general population. We estimated differences in neuroticism, extroversion, intellect, agreeableness and conscientiousness between non‐problem gamblers and individuals with low, moderate and severe gambling problems.

Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Setting

Norway.

Participants

A total of 10 081 (51.5% female) individuals aged 16–74 years (mean age 46.5 years).

Measures

The Problem Gambling Severity Index, The Mini‐International Personality Item Pool and demographic variables. Differences between groups of gamblers were analysed by ordinary least‐squares regression models separately for each personality trait adjusting for gender, age, cohabitation, level of education and work status.

Findings

Gamblers with low, moderate and severe levels of gambling problems differed significantly from non‐problem gamblers in neuroticism (b = 0.16, 0.34 and 0.66, respectively, all P < 0.001) and conscientiousness (b = −0.13, −0.28 and −0.44, respectively, all P < 0.001). Moderate and severe problem gamblers differed from non‐problem gamblers in agreeableness (b = −0.21, P < 0.001 and b = −0.20, P = 0.028, respectively). In addition, gambling problems were much more prevalent among men than women, and more prevalent among those who live alone, individuals without tertiary education and among those who are unemployed or on disability pension.

Conclusions

A higher level of problem gambling severity appears to be associated with higher scores on neuroticism, and with lower scores on conscientiousness and agreeableness in the Mini‐International Personality Item Pool.
Anterior cingulum white matter is altered in tobacco smokers
Authors: Baeza‐Loya Selina , Velasquez Kenia Marisela , Molfese David Lucas , Viswanath Humsini , Curtis Kaylah Nicole , Thompson‐Lake Daisy Gemma Yan , Baldwin Philip Rupert , Ellmore Timothy Michael , De La Garza Richard , Salas Ramiro
Published: March 2016

Background and Objectives

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is hypothesized to be involved in decision making and emotion regulation. Previous observations of drug dependent individuals indicate that substance dependence may be associated with cingulum white matter abnormalities. The present study evaluated cingulum white matter in cigarette smokers.

Methods

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in adult tobacco smokers and healthy non‐smoker controls (total N = 70) was performed in a 3T Siemens Trio MRI scanner.

Results

Analyses of DTI tractography of the cingulum in tobacco‐smoking individuals and controls indicated that tobacco abusers have significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right cingulum. In addition, FA in the left cingulum white matter was negatively associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, a self‐report measure of tobacco dependence severity.

Conclusions

The white matter of the cingulum is altered in a non‐symmetrical way in tobacco smokers. An inverse relationship between FA and reported number of cigarettes per day was observed. Previous studies have also noted altered neural connectivity in cigarette smokers using similar methods. Similar white matter differences in the cingulum have been observed in methamphetamine dependent individuals and patients with dementia, which suggests that the cingulum may be altered by mechanisms not specific to tobacco exposure.

Scientific Significance

By better understanding the effects of tobacco abuse on the brain, we hope to gain insight into how drug dependence influences the neurological foundations of behavior. (Am J Addict 2016;25:210–214)
Outcome of cervix uteri cancer patients: Clinical treatment results and toxicity profile in a retrospective study from Saudi Arabia
Authors: El Sayed Mohamed E , Bahadur Yasir A , Hassouna Ashraf H , Fawzy Ehab E , Nasr Azza M , Sadiq Bakr B , Dada Reyad , Sait Khalid H , Anfinan Nisrin M
Published: March 2016

Aim

This study evaluated the survival outcome, pattern of failure and prognostic factors in cervix uteri cancer patients.

Methods

We reviewed the data of 60 patients with stages IB‐IVA cancer who were treated between January 2004 and December 2010.

Results

Most patients (n= 50; 83%) had squamous cell carcinoma. Stage IIB was the most common presentation (n= 41; 68%). Forty‐seven patients (78%) received Cisplatin concurrent with radiotherapy (CRT). The 2‐ and 4‐year overall survival (OS) was 82% and 79%, respectively. Prolongation of the overall treatment time (OAT) for greater than 56 days, advanced stage and pretreatment hemoglobin (Hb) levels (<10 g/dL) negatively predicted OS (P= 0.039,P= 0.044 andP= 0.008, respectively). The 2‐ and 4‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) rates were 80% and 69%, respectively. Vaginal infiltration and brachytherapy (orthogonal versus CT‐based planning) were significant factors for the prediction of relapse (P= 0.048 andP= 0.049, respectively). The 2‐ and 4‐year loco‐regional control (LRC) rates were 78% and 70%, respectively, and the distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS) rates were 82% and 79%, respectively. Vaginal infiltration was the only negative predictive factor for LRC (P= 0.045), and pathological tumor grade was the only factor indicative of distant metastases (P= 0.037). Grade 3 or 4 late rectal reactions were reported in two patients (3%), and no patients developed grade 3 or 4 urinary reactions.

Conclusion

The treatment results in our cervix uteri cancer patients and the prognostic factors are comparable to those of previous reports. Orthogonal brachytherapy planning and vaginal infiltration negatively predicted relapse.
Primary cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia takedensis with pulmonary dissemination in an immunosuppressed patient
Authors: Benzaquen Michael , Belenotti Pauline , Lebowitz Dan , Drancourt Michel , Serratrice Jacques
Published: March 2016

We present a remarkable case of primary cutaneous nocardiosis with pulmonary dissemination due to Nocardia takedensis in a 76‐year‐old man suffering from marginal zone lymphoma and hypogammaglobulinaemia. We also discuss an alternative treatment to trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole, which could be contraindicated due to haematological and cutaneous toxicities. This case report is of interest due to the emergence of cutaneous nocardiosis in dermatology.
Cheilitis in acne vulgaris patients with no previous use of systemic retinoid products
Authors: Balighi Kamran , Daneshpazhooh Maryam , Lajevardi Vahideh , Talebi Shahin , Azizpour Arghavan
Published: March 2016

Background/Objectives

Isotretinoin is commonly used in the treatment of acne vulgaris. While one of the more common side–effects is cheilitis, we have observed an increased incidence of cheilitis prior to the commencement of systemic isotretinoin. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of cheilitis among acne vulgaris patients.

Methods

A non‐interventional cross‐sectional study of patients with acne vulgaris. Patients with previous use of systemic retinoids were excluded. The patients were examined for signs and symptoms of cheilitis.

Results

Of a total of 400 patients, 134 (34%) had evidence of cheilitis at initial presentation. Two‐thirds (63%) were female (P < 0.001). The distribution of the cheilitis was as follows; 55% on the lower lip, 30% on both lips, and 16% on the upper lip. Over a quarter (27%) of patients with cheilitis had acne excorie, compared with only 8% of patients with no signs of cheilitis.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that cheilitis is quite common among acne vulgaris patients even before treatment with isotretinoin.
Anxious Neighbour: Australian Opposition to Japanese Labour in New Caledonia, 1945 to 1960
Authors: Henningham Stephen
Published: March 2016

In the late 1940s and the 1950s, in the context of the White Australia policy and strong anti‐Japanese sentiment, Australia mounted a successful diplomatic campaign against the use of Japanese contract labour in New Caledonia. Australia also campaigned, but with only partial success, against the use of Japanese labour in the nearby New Hebrides. These initiatives further illustrate Australia's traditional assertiveness, when it saw its interests threatened, in the South Pacific. Blocking the use of Japanese labour probably contributed, as Alan Ward has argued, to increased permanent migration to New Caledonia from the other French South Pacific territories and France, shifting the population and voting balance against the indigenous Melanesian nationalist movement which later emerged. But Ward overstates his case: immigration of this kind would have happened anyway, especially from resource‐poor and over‐populated Wallis and Futuna. In its campaign on the Japanese labour issue Australia profited from its strong relationship with France, which resulted from comradeship in the two world wars, and from the lack of contentious bilateral issues.
Joh for PM: the Inside Story of an Extraordinary Political Drama
Authors: Wear Rae
Published: March 2016

Joh for PM: the Inside Story of an Extraordinary Political Drama. By Paul Davey (Sydney: New South, 2015), pp.311, AU$29.99 (pb).
Britain, Ireland and the Italian Risorgimento
Authors: Finaldi Giuseppe
Published: March 2016

Britain, Ireland and the Italian Risorgimento. Edited by Nick Carter (London: Palgrave, 2015), £60.00 (cloth).
Endotypes of pollen‐food syndrome in children with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: a molecular classification
Authors: Mastrorilli C. , Tripodi S. , Caffarelli C. , Perna S. , Di Rienzo‐Businco A. , Sfika I. , Asero R. , Dondi A. , Bianchi A. , Povesi Dascola C. , Ricci G. , Cipriani F. , Maiello N. , Miraglia Del Giudice M. , Frediani T. , Frediani S. , Macrì F. , Pistoletti C. , Dello Iacono I. , Patria M. F. , Varin E. , Peroni D. , Comberiati P. , Chini L. , Moschese V. , Lucarelli S. , Bernardini R. , Pingitore G. , Pelosi U. , Olcese R. , Moretti M. , Cirisano A. , Faggian D. , Travaglini A. , Plebani M. , Verga M. C. , Calvani M. , Giordani P. , Matricardi P. M. ,   the Italian Pediatric Allergy Network (I‐PAN)
Published: March 2016

Background

Pollen‐food syndrome (PFS) is heterogeneous with regard to triggers, severity, natural history, comorbidities, and response to treatment. Our study aimed to classify different endotypes of PFS based on IgE sensitization to panallergens.

Methods

We examined 1271 Italian children (age 4–18 years) with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR). Foods triggering PFS were acquired by questionnaire. Skin prick tests were performed with commercial pollen extracts. IgE to panallergens Phl p 12 (profilin), Bet v 1 (PR‐10), and Pru p 3 (nsLTP) were tested by ImmunoCAP FEIA. An unsupervised hierarchical agglomerative clustering method was applied within PFS population.

Results

PFS was observed in 300/1271 children (24%). Cluster analysis identified five PFS endotypes linked to panallergen IgE sensitization: (i) cosensitization to ≥2 panallergens (‘multi‐panallergen PFS’); (ii–iv) sensitization to either profilin, or nsLTP, or PR‐10 (‘mono‐panallergen PFS’); (v) no sensitization to panallergens (‘no‐panallergen PFS’). These endotypes showed peculiar characteristics: (i) ‘multi‐panallergen PFS’: severe disease with frequent allergic comorbidities and multiple offending foods; (ii) ‘profilin PFS’: oral allergy syndrome (OAS) triggered by Cucurbitaceae; (iii) ‘LTP PFS’: living in Southern Italy, OAS triggered by hazelnut and peanut; (iv) ‘PR‐10 PFS’: OAS triggered by Rosaceae; and (v) ‘no‐panallergen PFS’: mild disease and OAS triggered by kiwifruit.

Conclusions

In a Mediterranean country characterized by multiple pollen exposures, PFS is a complex and frequent complication of childhood SAR, with five distinct endotypes marked by peculiar profiles of IgE sensitization to panallergens. Prospective studies in cohorts of patients with PFS are now required to test whether this novel classification may be useful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the clinical practice.
Burden of disease and costs of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in the European Union: an updated analysis
Authors: Trasande L. , Zoeller R. T. , Hass U. , Kortenkamp A. , Grandjean P. , Myers J. P. , DiGangi J. , Hunt P. M. , Rudel R. , Sathyanarayana S. , Bellanger M. , Hauser R. , Legler J. , Skakkebaek N. E. , Heindel J. J.
Published: March 2016

A previous report documented that endocrine disrupting chemicals contribute substantially to certain forms of disease and disability. In the present analysis, our main objective was to update a range of health and economic costs that can be reasonably attributed to endocrine disrupting chemical exposures in the European Union, leveraging new burden and disease cost estimates of female reproductive conditions from accompanying report. Expert panels evaluated the epidemiologic evidence, using adapted criteria from the WHO Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Working Group, and evaluated laboratory and animal evidence of endocrine disruption using definitions recently promulgated by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The Delphi method was used to make decisions on the strength of the data. Expert panels consensus was achieved for probable (>20%) endocrine disrupting chemical causation for IQ loss and associated intellectual disability; autism; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; endometriosis; fibroids; childhood obesity; adult obesity; adult diabetes; cryptorchidism; male infertility, and mortality associated with reduced testosterone. Accounting for probability of causation, and using the midpoint of each range for probability of causation, Monte Carlo simulations produced a median annual cost of €163 billion (1.28% of EU Gross Domestic Product) across 1000 simulations. We conclude that endocrine disrupting chemical exposures in the EU are likely to contribute substantially to disease and dysfunction across the life course with costs in the hundreds of billions of Euros per year. These estimates represent only those endocrine disrupting chemicals with the highest probability of causation; a broader analysis would have produced greater estimates of burden of disease and costs.
An Investigation into the Potential Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards in the United States: Implications and Implementation
Authors: Tan Aldys , Chatterjee Bikram , Wise Victoria , Hossain Mahmud
Published: March 2016

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have been adopted by most of the G20 countries. Given the broad worldwide acceptance of IFRS and significance of attaining comparability to facilitate free flow of capital, the US standard setter, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) made a commitment to jointly work with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) to explore the possibilities of convergence of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) with IFRS. In 2007, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) eliminated the requirement that foreign companies listed on the US stock exchanges reconcile their IFRS‐based financial statements with the US GAAP. In the same year the US SEC issued a concept release to the public requesting comments on a proposal to allow US issuers to prepare financial statements in accordance with IFRS. Following these initiatives by the FASB and SEC, the aim of the present study is to investigate the implications of a potential full adoption of IFRS by the US. The present study details the challenges and benefits of adoption and outlines the steps required for a successful outcome of this process.
To What Extent do United Kingdom Companies Provide Oil and Gas Reserves Information Sufficient to Satisfy Statement of Recommended Practice Requirements?
Authors: Odo Cosmas , Ani Wilson , Obialor Philip , Ugwunta David
Published: March 2016

The uncertainty surrounding oil and gas reserves estimation and the cost of gathering reserves data discourage firms from disclosing sufficient data to satisfy SORP (statement of recommended practice) requirements, especially where oil and gas reserves disclosure is discretionary. However, the need to reduce agency cost and signal to stakeholders induces firms to disclose oil and gas reserves. The contrasting views on the rationale guiding the extent of disclosure were examined in this study. A sample was drawn from 83 United Kingdom (UK) oil and gas exploration and production companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Appropriate statistical tools were used to investigate the extent of oil and gas reserves disclosure. The findings provide mixed results about the extent of disclosure to meet SORP's requirements. There was no particular evidence that UK oil and gas companies provide qualitatively acceptable oil and gas reserves quantity information. The observed varying degrees of disclosure in the market could be attributed to a discretionary regime that allows firms to determine how and when to disclose. Policy makers and industry regulators could find the results useful in assessing the current extent of disclosure compliance.
Evidence of Avoiding Working Capital Deficits in Australia
Authors: Jiang Wei , Lu Meiting , Shan Yaowen , Zhu Tingting
Published: March 2016

This study examines the incidence of managerial interventions in Australian firms to avoid reporting working capital deficits. We document a significant discontinuity in the distribution of current ratios at 1.0. We also find that the propensity of Australian firms to avoid working capital deficits is largely determined by the costs and benefits of management interventions. Firms with short‐term or long‐term debt are less likely to engage in accounts manipulation, while firms paying dividends are more likely to do so. Further examination of the components of current assets and current liabilities reveals that, to avoid working capital deficits, Australian firms tend to undertake actions to overstate accounts receivable rather than overstate inventory or understate current liabilities. The results provide practical guidance and implications for shareholders, auditors and regulators in identifying accounting irregularities.
Evaluating the genotypes and neuropsychiatric phenotypes in Darier disease
Authors: Kamijo M.
Published: March 2016

Linked Article:  Dodiuk-Gad et al. Br J Dermatol 2016; 174:562–568.