bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Success factors influencing the selection of the location of international firms
Authors: Al Qur’an Marwan
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore critical success factors contributing to the selection of beneficial foreign markets by Arabian international firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple case study method was adopted in the study, and thus, two rich-information comparative case studies were purposefully selected from Arabian large firms. Additionally, seven international market selection (IMS) decisions were examined through relying on personal interviews and archival data, and field notes as secondary data resources. Two main stages of analysis were undertaken, i.e. within and cross-case analyses.

Findings

The results showed four critical factors contributing to the selection of beneficial international markets by Arabian firms, i.e. international business experience of the selected management team, the market knowledge about the potential international markets, in-house and external consultations with international business experts and identification of a trustworthy and internationally experienced manager for the international operation.

Practical implications

The results have important implications to business managers by improving their foreign market selection behavior. Further, the research’s findings can assist less-experienced firms, willing to internationalize their businesses, in enhancing their decision-making process to arrive at beneficial country for their international operations.

Originally/value

The research findings provide significant theoretical contribution to literature review on the internationalization process of firms through addressing critical success factors in IMS decision process. Further, it provides significant methodological contributions in relation to the effectiveness of the case study approach in capturing elements of the IMS process.
Applicability of belief measures for advertising to sponsorship in sport
Authors: Pyun Do Young , Cho Heetae , Leng Ho Keat
Published: March 2020

Purpose

While advertising and sponsorship are conceptually different, many studies have used the same measures for both constructs. The assumption is that respondents perceive both domains similarly. The purpose of this study was to test the invariance of the belief measures between the advertising and sponsorship measurement models across different consumer segments and to provide empirical justification for the practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Two independent samples were recruited from two different consumer segments: university student consumers (n = 290) and general consumers (n = 324). This study conducted multigroup invariance tests using LISREL 8.80. The measurement and structural invariances were concerned with factor loadings (λ), factor variance and covariance (f) and error variance (θ) metrics.

Findings

The factor patterns of the belief model were generally invariant between the advertising and sponsorship models in both consumer groups. However, the respondents interpreted three items between advertising and sponsorship in different ways: one annoyance/irritation item in the generic consumer group and two falsity/no sense items in the student consumer groups.

Originality/value

While the invariance test reveals three problematic items, the majority of items seem to be invariant, concluding that the advertising belief scale could be applicable to the sponsorship context.
Value co-creation in B-to-B environments
Authors: Berenguer-Contrí Gloria , G. Gallarza Martina , Ruiz-Molina Maria-Eugenia , Gil-Saura Irene
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the way in which B-to-B relationships are built, based on commitment and trust affecting value co-creation (VcC) and resulting in greater or lesser economic and social satisfaction and the manager’s perception of the delivered value (business customer value) moderating these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a means-end approach, a causal model is estimated with PLS using a sample of 268 hotel managers who rate their relationship with their main partner (travel agency or booking center) in Spain.

Findings

VcC is a) dynamic because it is episodic, where VcC is a mediator between the trust–commitment relationship and two types of satisfaction (economic and social) and b) synergetic, because when the hotel delivers higher levels of business customer value, the effects in the linkages of VcC–satisfaction(s) are intensified. These effects are not significantly different on economic versus social satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical paper collects the perception of a single partner (hotel managers) in a single setting (hotels in Spain). The moderating role of business customer value on the VcC–satisfaction(s) relationship should be further analyzed. The paper contributes to the growing literature on B-to-B VcC by translating empirically the theoretical richness of the VcC concept as being dynamic and synergetic.

Originality/value

This paper adds quantitative evidence to theoretical assumptions on VcC as dynamic and synergetic. The quantitative modelling proves VcC as a true mediator, in a chain of variables in a B-to-B setting.
Comparative analysis of environment losses in steel manufacturing supply chain using Taguchi loss function and design of experiments
Authors: Goyal Shishir , Agarwal Aman , Routroy Srikanta
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to compare and evaluate the environmental performance of steel supply chains considering relevant environmental loss factors using Taguchi loss function (TLF) and design of experiments (DOE).

Design/methodology/approach

The different environmental loss factors in steel manufacturing supply chain were studied and the significant factors were identified. Their combined contributions along the significant factors were estimated using TLF and DOEs comparing environment losses at different scenarios.

Findings

The proposed methodology using TLF and DOEs was applied to three Indian steel manufacturing companies (Company A, Company B and Company C). The Company A with minimal average environmental loss score is found to be operating its supply chain with higher efficiency and has better environmental performance compared to the other two companies (B and C).

Research limitations/implications

The results obtained are based on the study carried out in three Indian steel manufacturing companies. Therefore, the results cannot be generalized.

Practical implications

This paper will definitely show the direction for comparative environmental performance assessment of manufacturing industries in general and steel industries in specific considering environmental loss factors and environmental conditions. It determines individual performance across each environmental loss factor and their combined impact.

Originality/value

Although there is a need to have comparative performance analysis with respect to environmental losses among steel companies in developing countries such as India, but hardly any study has been reported in this direction. This work will definitely add the value to the supply chain literature in general and environment losses in steel manufacturing supply chain in specific.
The role of supply chain integration in strengthening the performance of not-for-profit organizations: evidence from the food banking industry
Authors: Ataseven Cigdem , Nair Anand , Ferguson Mark
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper investigates the inter-relationships among supply integration, demand integration and internal integration in the context of food banking.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes survey data from managers at 71 different food banks in the US combined with secondary data gathered from Feeding America's website to provide model controls and an objective measure of food bank performance. The performance metric is the amount of food distributed per food insecure individual in the food bank's service area. Theoretically developed hypotheses were tested using seemingly unrelated regression techniques and a Monte Carlo simulation-based mediation analysis.

Findings

While the previous research on integration relationships on for-profit supply chains has shown that managing internal integration forms the foundation for integrating with suppliers and customers, the findings indicate that, for not-for-profit food banks, external integration should precede internal integration and that demand integration has a stronger influence on performance than supply integration.

Research limitations/implications

The heavy reliance of food banks on external partners necessitates an internal integration structure that supplements and builds upon these external relationships. The basic programs thus developed have a direct impact on the amount of food distributed per food insecure individual.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the humanitarian supply chain management literature by analyzing supply chain integration and its performance implications in a slow onset disaster setting.
Enhanced sensitivity of fiber SPR sensor by metal nanoparticle
Authors: Liu Chunlan , Gao Yang , Gao YaChen , Wei Yong , Wu Ping , Su Yudong
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between the performance of the metal nanoparticles and the sensitivity of the fiber surface plasma resonance (SPR) sensor. It proposes modeling the sensing effects of a single-mode fiber SPR sensor with a cone angle structure decorated with metal nanoparticles. This study uses the metal nanoparticles to the realize enhanced sensitivity of refractive index sensing.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper opted for an exploratory study using a simulation approach of finite-difference time-domain (FDTD). Specifically, the effect of size, the material and the shape of the metal nanoparticle on sensing performance are investigated theoretically.

Findings

In conclusion, it is evident that the localized SPR (LSPR) effect weakens as the diameter of the gold nanosphere increases, the SPR effect enhances and the SPR sensitivity increases first and then decreases. The metal nanoparticle with the different materials and different shapes also have different LSPR and SPR sensitivity and wavelength length dynamic range. The investigation shows that, by changing parameters, the reflection spectra of the fiber SPR sensor exhibit an obvious transition from LSPR to SPR characteristics, and enhanced sensitivity of the refractive index is realized.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to study how the sensitivity of the fiber SPR sensor can be enhanced by the metal nanoparticle. After the optimization of parameters, the sensitivity of 5,140 nm/RIU is achieved, which provides a new research direction for sensitivity enhancement of fiber SPR sensor.
Clinical significance of endothelial vasodilatory function evaluated by EndoPAT in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Aozasa Naohiko , Hatano Masaru , Saigusa Ryosuke , Nakamura Kouki , Takahashi Takehiro , Toyama Tetsuo , Sumida Hayakazu , Tamaki Zenshiro , Maki Hisataka , Minatsuki Shun , Komuro Issei , Sato Shinichi , Asano Yoshihide
Published: March 2020

Endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of vasculopathy associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry is a rapid and non‐invasive technique to assess peripheral microvascular endothelial function by measuring changes in digital pulse volume during reactive hyperemia. Low scores of the reactive hyperemia index (RHI) imply an impaired vasodilatory response and, accordingly, impaired endothelial and vascular health. To investigate the clinical significance of the RHI in SSc patients, RHI values were measured in 43 SSc patients and 10 healthy controls. In diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) patients, RHI values were significantly decreased compared with healthy controls, and inversely correlated with disease duration. In total SSc patients, there was a significant inverse correlation between RHI values and skin score, and interstitial lung disease was associated with the decrease in RHI values. Among vascular symptoms, the current and past history of digital ulcers was seen more frequently in patients with decreased RHI values than in those with normal RHI values. Although no SSc patients had pulmonary arterial hypertension, an inverse correlation was evident between RHI values and mean pulmonary arterial pressure measured by right heart catheterization. These results indicate that the decrease in RHI values is associated with skin fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, digital ulcers and pulmonary vascular involvement leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension, supporting the canonical idea that endothelial dysfunction is a critical event underlying the development of tissue fibrosis and vascular complications in SSc.
Introduction: Meritocracy in Perspective. The Rise of the Meritocracy 60 Years On
Authors: Civil David , Himsworth Joseph J.
Published: March 2020

Sixty years after its publication, Michael Young’s The Rise of the Meritocracy remains one of the most important texts for understanding the changing intellectual politics of postwar Britain. Young’s fictional vision of a meritocratic society explores the consequences of a society where each citizen is judged according to the formula ‘I.Q. + Effort = Merit’. The successful meritocrats hoard ever‐greater rewards for themselves, crystallising into a rigid and repressive elite who rule over an increasingly powerless and depressed underclass. While the concept has evolved and adapted, the language of meritocracy is one of the great survivors of postwar British politics. In an age characterised by the rise of populist leaders and movements, as well as a backlash against educated ‘liberal elites’, revisiting, reinterpreting and re‐evaluating Young’s influential satire and the central place the concept of meritocracy occupies in the history of postwar Britain has never been more important.
A Proposal for Simultaneous Reform of the House of Commons and House of Lords
Authors: Dennison James
Published: March 2020

The disproportional electoral system of the House of Commons is increasingly contested, while the undemocratic composition of the House of Lords has been criticised for a century. I first argue that simultaneous reform of both chambers creates the opportunity for far more optimal outcomes than possible under attempts to reform just one chamber. I then argue that bicameralism should continue so that the UK can be represented in two, currently convoluted, ways: as a singular polity in partisan terms and as both an aggregate of constituencies and union of nations, in geographic terms. The former would best take place in a reformed House of Commons, responsible for government formation, and composed of around 300 MPs elected by ‘pure’ proportional representation. The latter would best take place in a reformed House of Lords of around 300 peers, elected by plurality voting from single‐member constituencies. Together, these reforms would improve governance, representation, legitimacy, accountability and the robustness of the union, while retaining celebrated facets of the status quo such as simplicity and the direct constituency link.
The clinical and financial implications of a decade of prostate biopsies in the NHS: analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data 2008–2019
Authors: Tamhankar Ashwin Sunil , El‐Taji Omar , Vasdev Nikhil , Foley Charlotte , Popert Rick , Adshead Jim
Published: March 2020

Objective

To evaluate the clinical and financial implications of a decade of prostate biopsies performed in the UK National Health Service (NHS) through the transrectal (TR) vs the transperineal (TP) route.

Methods

We conducted an evaluation of the TR vs the TP biopsy approach in the context of 28 days post‐procedure complications and readmissions. A secondary evaluation of burden of expenditure in NHS hospitals over the entire decade (2008–2019) was conducted through examination of national Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data.

Results

In this dataset of 486 467 prostate biopsies (387 879 TR and 98 588 TP biopsies), rates of infection and sepsis were higher for the TR compared to the TP cohort (0.53% vs 0.31%; P < 0.001, confidence interval 99% ). Rates of sepsis have more than doubled for TR biopsies in the last 2 years compared to the previous decade (1.12% vs 0.53%). Infective complications were the main reasons for readmissions in the TR cohort, whereas urinary retention was the predominant reason for readmission in the TP cohort. Over the last decade, non‐elective (NEL) readmissions seem higher for the TP group; however, in the last 2 years these have reduced compared to the TR group (3.54% vs 3.74%). The cost estimates for NEL readmissions for the entire decade were £33,589,527.00 and £7,179,926.00 respectively, for TR and TP cohorts (P < 0.001). Estimated costs per patient readmission were £2,225.00 and £1,758.00 in the TR and TP groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Evaluation of nearly half a million prostate biopsies in the NHS over the entire decade gives sufficient evidence for the distinct advantages of the TP route over the TR route in terms of reduced infections and burden of expenditure. In addition, there is a potential for savings both in upstream and downstream costs if biopsy is performed under a local anaesthetic.
The genetics of evolutionary radiations
Authors: Naciri Yamama , Linder H. Peter
Published: March 2020

With the realization that much of the biological diversity on Earth has been generated by discrete evolutionary radiations, there has been a rapid increase in research into the biotic (key innovations) and abiotic (key environments) circumstances in which such radiations took place. Here we focus on the potential importance of population genetic structure and trait genetic architecture in explaining radiations. We propose a verbal model describing the stages of an evolutionary radiation: first invading a suitable adaptive zone and expanding both spatially and ecologically through this zone; secondly, diverging genetically into numerous distinct populations; and, finally, speciating. There are numerous examples of the first stage; the difficulty, however, is explaining how genetic diversification can take place from the establishment of a, presumably, genetically depauperate population in a new adaptive zone. We explore the potential roles of epigenetics and transposable elements (TEs), of neutral process such as genetic drift in combination with trait genetic architecture, of gene flow limitation through isolation by distance (IBD), isolation by ecology and isolation by colonization, the possible role of intra‐specific competition, and that of admixture and hybridization in increasing the genetic diversity of the founding populations. We show that many of the predictions of this model are corroborated. Most radiations occur in complex adaptive zones, which facilitate the establishment of many small populations exposed to genetic drift and divergent selection. We also show that many radiations (especially those resulting from long‐distance dispersal) were established by polyploid lineages, and that many radiating lineages have small genome sizes. However, there are several other predictions which are not (yet) possible to test: that epigenetics has played a role in radiations, that radiations occur more frequently in clades with small gene flow distances, or that the ancestors of radiations had large fundamental niches. At least some of these may be testable in the future as more genome and epigenome data become available. The implication of this model is that many radiations may be hard polytomies because the genetic divergence leading to speciation happens within a very short time, and that the divergence history may be further obscured by hybridization. Furthermore, it suggests that only lineages with the appropriate genetic architecture will be able to radiate, and that such a radiation will happen in a meta‐population environment. Understanding the genetic architecture of a lineage may be an essential part of accounting for why some lineages radiate, and some do not.
Gamification of Entrepreneurship Education
Authors: Isabelle Diane A.
Published: March 2020

Gamification—the use of gameplay mechanics for nongame applications—enables learning by doing, yet questions abound about its effectiveness for education. This teaching brief reports on the gamification of an entrepreneurship course using a stand‐alone gamification platform integrated with Shopify, a global e‐commerce platform for online stores. Students experienced the entire entrepreneurship process from ideation to launch of a real business and beyond. A live leaderboard allows tracking of team performance and provides a competitive element to the experiential learning. The gamification involved the creation and operation of online ventures by 269 undergraduate students during a trimester‐long undergraduate entrepreneurship course. The assessment of student learning outcomes shows that the gamified approach enhanced students’ experience, engagement, and entrepreneurial self‐efficacy. I conclude with pedagogical observations to assist instructors in implementing a gamified approach.
Relationships among catalpol sequestration, metabolism and nutritional efficiencies of the catalpa sphinx, Ceratomia catalpae (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)
Authors: Lampert Evan C.
Published: March 2020

Sequestration of defensive compounds acquired from the environment can be costly to herbivorous insects. The catalpa sphinx, Ceratomia catalpae Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) sequesters the iridoid glycoside catalpol, which it acquires from Catalpa spp. (Lamiales: Bignoniaceae) host plants, at concentrations above those in host plant leaves. Previous research has shown that C. catalpae larvae are avoided by predatory arthropods; however, catalpol sequestration is negatively associated with the larval immune response, suggesting a cost to sequestration. By measuring the mass of C. catalpae larvae, their frass, and their diet, as well as respiration rate and catalpol sequestration, this study aimed to determine whether sequestration is also associated with reduced growth and nutritional efficiency. I found that respiration rate was negatively correlated with the amount of catalpol sequestered and positively correlated with the concentration, or proportion dry mass of catalpol sequestered, and that the amount of catalpol sequestered was positively correlated with three of four measures of nutritional efficiency. Larger larvae that were closer to pupation sequestered very low proportions dry mass of catalpol and had a reduced respiratory rate per unit mass. These results suggest that sequestration has some costs for expenditure of energy, but is positively correlated with several growth and nutrition‐related processes. Instead, the immunological cost of sequestration measured in previous studies could be due to direct effects on immune system components. Further research on the potential metabolic costs of chemical defense in other specialist species is recommended.
Policy conflict: The influence of fiscal targets on reform of New Zealand's natural disaster fund
Authors: Newberry Susan
Published: March 2020

The new public management combination of macro‐level fiscal targets and micro‐level restructuring can prompt enduring policy conflict. Via analysis of archival materials using the economies of worth framework, this case study of reform to New Zealand's Natural Disaster Fund identifies several reform design features that sustain policy conflict. Key among these is a governmental entity design structure that contains within the accounting boundary for whole of government, a further accounting boundary for determination of fiscal measures, and the imposition of antagonistic truces. Placement of some entities outside the boundary for fiscal measures but inside the whole of government boundary means fiscal measures may be improved by withholding or withdrawing funds from those entities. Antagonistic truces provide a means to continue these practices, at least temporarily. The findings extend understanding of the known tensions between individual entity accountability and whole of government accountability.
Hospitals as professional organizations and the perception of distances
Authors: Solstad Elsa , Pettersen Inger Johanne , Robbins Geraldine
Published: March 2020

Management at a distance is increasingly employed to organize hospital resources, of which professionally skilled staff is the key component. Mergers often imply distant management. The study examines the internal management aspects for two hospitals in two consecutive mergers, 5 years apart. We focus on how geographical and cognitive distances are experienced by middle managers and their followers. We find that the concept of distance plays significant and different roles in managing units in an organization with distant top management teams. Our findings indicate that hospital professionals’ positive perception of their relationship with top managers, as measured by cognitive distance, can outweigh the possible negative effects of large geographical distances between hospital units and top management teams. Our study also indicates that information systems and communication mechanisms may mitigate the possible perceived negative effects of distance. Our findings imply that politicians, policymakers, and National Health Service’ management should be aware of the effects of distances in implementing new collaborative management arrangements. We recognize that our study is limited in context, time, and scale. We welcome further research on comparative analyses of the complex interplay between physical and cognitive distances in other hospitals and also other types of organizations.
The smelters and the tree—an environmental story
Authors: Eby Nelson
Published: March 2020

Over the past 150 years a chestnut oak growing on a ridge above the Palmerton zinc smelters, Pennsylvania, USA, has recorded environmental changes. Changes in chemistry measured in a tree‐ring core from this chestnut oak signal the start of smelting in the late 1800s, the change in ore feed during the 1920s and 1930s, and the positive impact of pollution abatement efforts. Since the cessation of smelting in the 1980s, many of the metal concentrations have returned to pre‐smelter backgrounds. As evidenced by the Palmerton study, tree ring records can be used as a tool for environmental forensics.
Pathotype and SSR variation in Phytophthora sojae from the Argentinean Pampas
Authors: Grijalba Pablo E. , Martínez María C. , Guillin Eduardo
Published: March 2020

Genetic variation in Phytophthora sojae was compared between northern (NPS) and southern (SPS) Pampeana sub‐regions, in the core soya bean region of Argentina. Ninety‐three isolates from plants and soil were evaluated in the present study. The pathotype for each isolate was determined using the hypocotyl technique on a set of eight differentials. For neutral genetic diversity evaluation, eight SSRs markers were utilized. Thirty pathotypes were determined, including 19 in SPS and 23 in NPS. The number of isolates for each locality and region was unevenly distributed. Pathotype variation was high for P. sojae samples compared among fields and within isolates from single fields. SSR variation studies resulted in an elevated haplotype composition, partitioned at all, but the regional levels. P. sojae populations from Argentina have evolved towards a complex epidemiological scenario, with no evidence of geographic correlation at the pathotypic nor the neutral genetic level. It is likely that future works aiming at elucidating the evolution of pathogenesis in this species will need to include non‐neutral markers, specifically associated to avr loci. The results of the present work are considered a useful contribution to the adequate and sustainable management of this pathogen in the main soya bean area of Argentina.
Oversight or Representation? Public Opinion and Impeachment Resolutions in Argentina and Brazil
Authors: Llanos Mariana , Pérez‐Liñán Aníbal
Published: March 2020

Why do legislators introduce impeachment resolutions against the president, even though most of these resolutions never succeed? We explore two possible answers to this puzzle, which are linked to the legislative functions of oversight and representation. First, legislators initiate impeachment procedures to expose (real or alleged) presidential misdeeds, an action that may weaken the president’s approval rates, even if an impeachment process remains unlikely. Second, legislators introduce impeachment resolutions to express their constituents’ outrage in the context of corruption scandals or poor economic performance—that is, in response to an exogenous decline in presidential approval. To test these hypotheses, we analyze 274 impeachment resolutions introduced against the presidents of Argentina and Brazil since the transition to democracy. We estimate models predicting presidential approval and impeachment resolutions using time‐series and simultaneous equations estimators. Our results strongly support the representation hypothesis.
Intramuscular aminotetrazole cobinamide as a treatment for inhaled hydrogen sulfide poisoning in a large swine model
Authors: Hendry‐Hofer Tara B. , Ng Patrick C. , McGrath Alison M. , Mukai David , Brenner Matthew , Mahon Sari , Maddry Joseph K. , Boss Gerry R. , Bebarta Vikhyat S.
Published: March 2020

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a high‐threat chemical agent, occurs naturally in a variety of settings. Despite multiple incidents of exposures and deaths, no FDA‐approved antidote exists. A rapid‐acting, easy to administer antidote is needed. We conducted a randomized control trial in swine comparing intramuscular administration of aminotetrazole cobinamide (2.9 mL, 18 mg/kg) to no treatment following inhalation of H2S gas. We found that aminotetrazole cobinamide administered 2 min after the onset of respiratory depression—defined as a tidal volume of less than 3 mL/kg for 2 consecutive minutes—yielded 100% survival, while all control animals died. Respiratory depression resolved in the treatment group within 3.6 ± 1.5 min (mean ± SD) of cobinamide administration, whereas control animals had intermittent gasping until death. Blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation (SO2) returned to baseline values within 5 and 10 min, respectively, of cobinamide treatment, and plasma lactate concentration decreased to less than 50% of the highest value by the end of the experiment. In control animals, plasma lactate rose continuously until death. We conclude that intramuscular aminotetrazole cobinamide is effective in a large animal, inhalational model of acute, severe H2S poisoning.
Alleviation of methyl isocyanate−induced airway obstruction and mortality by tissue plasminogen activator
Authors: Nick Heidi J. , Rioux Jacqueline S. , Veress Livia A. , Bratcher Preston E. , Bloomquist Leslie A. , Anantharam Poojya , Croutch Claire R. , Tuttle Richard S. , Peters Eric , Sosna William , White Carl W.
Published: March 2020

Methyl isocyanate (MIC, “Bhopal agent”) is a highly reactive, toxic industrial chemical. Inhalation of high levels (500–1000 ppm) of MIC vapor is almost uniformly fatal. No therapeutic interventions other than supportive care have been described that can delay the onset of illness or death due to MIC. Recently, we found that inhalation of MIC caused the appearance of activated tissue factor in circulation with subsequent activation of the coagulation cascade. Herein, we report that MIC exposure (500 ppm for 30 min, nose‐only) caused deposition of fibrin‐rich casts in the conducting airways resulting in respiratory failure and death within 24 h in a rat model (LC90−100). We thus investigated the effect of airway delivery of the fibrinolytic agent tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) on mortality and morbidity in this model. Intratracheal administration of tPA was initiated 11 h post MIC exposure and repeated every 4 h for the duration of the study. Treatment with tPA afforded nearly 60% survival at 24 h post MIC exposure and was associated with decreased airway fibrin casts, stabilization of hypoxemia and respiratory distress, and improved acidosis. This work supports the potential of airway‐delivered tPA therapy as a useful countermeasure in stabilizing victims of high‐level MIC exposure.
Last Interglacial changes in sea level on Aldabra, western Indian Ocean
Authors: Braithwaite Colin J. R.
Published: March 2020

The Pleistocene limestones on the island of Aldabra in the western Indian Ocean preserve a detailed record of the Last Interglacial interval. Sedimentological analysis has revealed that this interval, formerly regarded as reflecting rapid sea‐level rise, during global warming, followed by a more gradual fall towards the low sea level of the Last Glacial Maximum, in fact shows much greater variation. Although data do not support an accurate chronology, there is evidence that reversals in sea‐level trend caused both pauses in deposition and concurrent erosion during sea‐level rise, and both stillstands and erosion during sea‐level fall. Data include sea‐level related variations in coral morphology, discontinuities and boundaries within depositional sequences, and changes in biofacies. These may explain inconsistencies in the radiometric ages of deposits within the unit, but question the nature of the interglacial cycle, the mechanisms driving it and, in particular, whether comparable variation occurred elsewhere.
Harnessing spatio‐temporal patterns in data for nominal attribute imputation
Authors: Chittor Sundaram Rajesh , Naghizade Elham , Borovica‐Gajic Renata , Tomko Martin
Published: March 2020

Missing data in Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) are an unavoidable consequence of data collection by non‐experts, guided by only vague and informal mapping guidelines. While various Missing Value Imputation (MVI) techniques have been proposed as data cleansing strategies, they have primarily targeted numerical data attributes in non‐spatial databases. There remains a significant gap in methods for imputing nominal attribute values (e.g., Street Name) in map databases. Here, we present an imputation algorithm called the Membership Imputation Algorithm (MIA), targeting spatial databases and enabling imputation of nominal values in spatially referenced records. By targeting membership classes of spatial objects, MIA harnesses spatio‐temporal characteristics of data and proposes efficient heuristics to impute the class name (i.e., a membership). Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is able to impute the membership with high levels of accuracy (over 94%) when assigning Street Name(s), across highly diverse regional contexts. MIA is effective in challenging spatial contexts such as street intersections. Our research serves as a first step in highlighting the effectiveness of spatio‐temporal measures as a key driver for nominal imputation techniques.
Experimental Identification of Steady-State Turbomachinery Heat Transfer Using Nondimensional Groups
Authors: Baumann Markus , Koch Christian , Staudacher Stephan
Published: March 2020

Diabatic performance modeling is a prerequisite for engine condition monitoring based on nonsteady-state data points (e.g., Putz et al. 2017, “Jet Engine Gas Path Analysis Based on Takeoff Performance Snapshots,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 139(11), p. 111201.). The importance of diabatic effects increases with decreasing engine size. Steady-state diabatic modeling of turbomachinery components is presented using nondimensional parameters derived from a dimensional analysis. The resulting heat transfer maps are approximated using the analytic solution for a pipe. Experimental identification of the maps requires the measurement of casing and gas path temperatures. This approach is demonstrated successfully using a small turboshaft engine as a test vehicle. A limited amount of measurements was needed to generate a steady-state heat transfer map which is valid for a wide range of operating points.
“It Was the Worst Time in My Life”: The Effects of Emotionally Abusive Coaching on Female Canadian National Team Athletes
Authors: Kerr Gretchen , Willson Erin , Stirling Ashley
Published: March 2020

This study sought to explore the long-term effects of emotionally abusive coaching on female athletes. Although the long-term effects of childhood emotional abuse are well-documented in the child abuse literature, this question has not been explored empirically in the domain of sport, an environment in which emotionally abusive coaching practices are known to be common. In various prevalence studies of athlete maltreatment in sport internationally, emotional abuse is the most frequently experienced form and yet the long-term implications of these experiences are not well-understood. This study involved interviews of eight retired, elite, female Canadian National Team members. The findings revealed that athletes reportedly experienced different effects depending on whether they were in their competitive careers, in the retirement transition, or in post-transition life. All of the athletes required professional psychological assistance to help them recover from their emotionally abusive experiences; for some, this process continued for six years post-retirement. The effects described by the athletes resembled the symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder suggesting an important line of future research. Until coaching practices become abuse-free, these findings also indicate a clear need for the provision of psychological supports and resources for athletes during and post-athletic career.
The Panther Fusion System with Open Access Functionality for Laboratory-Developed Tests for Influenza A Virus Subtyping
Authors: Stellrecht Kathleen A. , Cimino Jesse L. , Maceira Vincente P.
Published: March 2020

Nucleic acid amplification tests, such as PCR, are the method of choice for respiratory virus testing, due to their superior diagnostic accuracy and fast turnaround time. The Panther Fusion (Fusion; Hologic) system has an array of highly sensitive
in vitro
diagnostic (IVD) real-time PCR assays for respiratory viruses, including an assay for influenza A (FluA) virus, influenza B (FluB) virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (FFABR assay). The Fusion system has Open Access functionality to perform laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) alongside IVD assays.
Evaluation of Nucleocapsid and Spike Protein-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays for Detecting Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Liu Wanbing , Liu Lei , Kou Guomei , Zheng Yaqiong , Ding Yinjuan , Ni Wenxu , Wang Qiongshu , Tan Li , Wu Wanlei , Tang Shi , Xiong Zhou , Zheng Shangen
Published: March 2020

At present, PCR-based nucleic acid detection cannot meet the demands for coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) diagnosis. Two hundred fourteen confirmed COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in the General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army between 18 January and 26 February 2020 were recruited. Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits based on recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid protein (rN) and spike protein (rS) were used for detecting IgM and IgG antibodies, and their diagnostic feasibility was evaluated.
Multicenter Evaluation of QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel V2 for Detection of Viral and Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens
Authors: Boers Stefan A. , Melchers Willem J. G. , Peters Cas J. A. , Toonen Marga , McHugh Martin P. , Templeton Kate E. , Claas Eric C. J.
Published: March 2020

QIAstat-Dx Respiratory Panel V2 (RP) is a novel molecular-method-based syndromic test for the simultaneous and rapid (∼70-min) detection of 18 viral and 3 bacterial pathogens causing respiratory infections. This report describes the first multicenter retrospective comparison of the performance of the QIAstat-Dx RP assay to the established ePlex Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP) assay, for which we used 287 respiratory samples from patients suspected with respiratory infections. The QIAstat-Dx RP assay detected 312 (92%) of the 338 respiratory targets that were detected by the ePlex RPP assay.
LamB, OmpC, and the Core Lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli K-12 Function as Receptors of Bacteriophage Bp7
Authors: Chen Peipei , Sun Huzhi , Ren Huiying , Liu Wenhua , Li Guimei , Zhang Can
Published: March 2020

The RBPs of T4-like phages are gp37 and gp38. The interaction between phage T4 RBP gp37 and its receptors has been clarified by many reports. However, the interaction between gp38 and its receptors during phage adsorption is still not completely understood. Here, we identified phage Bp7, which uses gp38 as an RBP, and provided a good model to study the phage-host interaction mechanisms in an enterobacteriophage. Our study revealed that gp38 of phage Bp7 recognizes the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) LamB and OmpC of
E. coli
K-12 as specific receptors and binds with them reversibly. HepI of the inner-core oligosaccharide is the second receptor and binds with phage Bp7 irreversibly to begin the infection process. Determining the interaction between the phage and its receptors will help elucidate the mechanisms of phage with a broad host range and help increase understanding of the phage infection mechanism based on gp38.
Deformation along the roof of a fossil subduction interface in the transition zone below seismogenic coupling: The Austroalpine case and new insights from the Malenco Massif (Central Alps)
Authors: Ioannidi Paraskevi Io , Angiboust Samuel , Oncken Onno , Agard Philippe , Glodny Johannes , Sudo Masafumi
Published: March 2020

A network of fossil subduction plate interfaces preserved in the Central Alps (Val Malenco, N Italy) is herein used as a proxy to study deformation processes related to subduction and subsequent underplating of continental slices (in particular the Margna and Sella nappes) at depths reported to in the former brittle-ductile transition. Field observations, microfabrics, and mapping revealed a network of shear zones comprising mostly mylonites and schists but also rare foliated cataclasites. These shear zones are either located at the contacts of the two nappes or within the boundaries of the Sella unit. Microprobe results point to two different white mica generations, with higher-pressure (Si-rich) phengites rimming lower-pressure (Si-poor) phengites. Garnet is locally observed overgrowing resorbed pre-Alpine cores. Pressure-temperature estimates based on pseudosection modeling point to peak burial deformation conditions of ∼0.9 GPa and 350–400 °C, at ∼30 km depth. Rb/Sr geochronology on marbles deformed during the Alpine event yields an age of 48.9 ± 0.9 Ma, whereas due to incomplete recrystallization, a wide range of both Rb/Sr and 40Ar/39Ar apparent ages is obtained from deformed orthogneisses and micaschists embracing 87–44 Ma.

Based on our pressure-temperature, structural and geochronological observations, the studied shear zones last equilibrated at depths downdip of the seismogenic zone in an active subduction zone setting. We integrate these new results in the frame of previous studies on other segments of the same Alpine paleosubduction interface, and we propose that this system of shear zones represents deformation conditions along the subduction interface(s) in the transition zone below the seismogenic zone during active subduction.
When thyroid labs do not add up, physicians should ask patients about biotin supplements
Authors: Lundin Michael S , Alratroot Ahmad , Abu Rous Fawzi , Aldasouqi Saleh
Published: March 2020

A 69-year-old woman with a remote history of Graves’ disease treated with radioactive iodine ablation, who was maintained on a stable dose of levothyroxine for 15 years, presented with abnormal and fluctuating thyroid function tests which were confusing. After extensive evaluation, no diagnosis could be made, and it became difficult to optimise the levothyroxine dose, until we became aware of the recently recognised biotin-induced lab interference. It was then noticed that her medication list included biotin 10 mg two times per day. After holding the biotin and repeating the thyroid function tests, the labs made more sense, and the patient was easily made euthyroid with appropriate dose adjustment. We also investigated our own laboratory, and identified the thyroid labs that are performed with biotin-containing assays and developed strategies to increase the awareness about this lab artefact in our clinics.
Management of coexistent choroidal neovascular membrane and macular hole with serous detachment in a case of pathological myopia: challenges and dilemmas
Authors: Kannan Naresh Babu , Sen Sagnik , Ramachandran Obuli , Ramasamy Kim
Published: March 2020

Coexistent choroidal neovascular membrane and macular hole with serous retinal detachment in pathological myopia is a rare entity and may be quite challenging to manage. We present such a case managed with bevacizumab injection and vitrectomy. Although the retina was attached at the final follow-up, the visual outcome was poor, due to non-closure of hole.
Opioid agonist treatment and risk of mortality during opioid overdose public health emergency: population based retrospective cohort study
Authors: Pearce Lindsay A , Min Jeong Eun , Piske Micah , Zhou Haoxuan , Homayra Fahmida , Slaunwhite Amanda , Irvine Mike , McGowan Gina , Nosyk Bohdan
Published: March 2020

Objective

To compare the risk of mortality among people with opioid use disorder on and off opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in a setting with a high prevalence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids in the illicit drug supply.

Design

Population based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Individual level linkage of five health administrative datasets capturing drug dispensations, hospital admissions, physician billing records, ambulatory care reports, and deaths in British Columbia, Canada.

Participants

55 347 people with opioid use disorder who received OAT between 1 January 1996 and 30 September 2018.

Main outcome measures

All cause and cause specific crude mortality rates (per 1000 person years) to determine absolute risk of mortality and all cause age and sex standardised mortality ratios to determine relative risk of mortality compared with the general population. Mortality risk was calculated according to treatment status (on OAT, off OAT), time since starting and stopping treatment (1, 2, 3-4, 5-12, >12 weeks), and medication type (methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone). Adjusted risk ratios compared the relative risk of mortality on and off OAT over time as fentanyl became more prevalent in the illicit drug supply.

Results

7030 (12.7%) of 55 347 OAT recipients died during follow-up. The all cause standardised mortality ratio was substantially lower on OAT (4.6, 95% confidence interval 4.4 to 4.8) than off OAT (9.7, 9.5 to 10.0). In a period of increasing prevalence of fentanyl, the relative risk of mortality off OAT was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.8 to 2.4) times higher than on OAT before the introduction of fentanyl, increasing to 3.4 (2.8 to 4.3) at the end of the study period (65% increase in relative risk).

Conclusions

Retention on OAT is associated with substantial reductions in the risk of mortality for people with opioid use disorder. The protective effect of OAT on mortality increased as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids became common in the illicit drug supply, whereas the risk of mortality remained high off OAT. As fentanyl becomes more widespread globally, these findings highlight the importance of interventions that improve retention on opioid agonist treatment and prevent recipients from stopping treatment.