bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of audit quality on real earnings management in the UK context
Authors: Chowdhury Syed Numan , Eliwa Yasser
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether audit quality influence real earnings management activities using a sample of UK listed firms that have strong incentives to manage earnings upward through meeting past year’s earnings as a benchmark in the post-adoption period of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of 4,774 firm-year observations of UK listed firms during the period 2005–2018. Univariate and multivariate analyses have been conducted to test the association after controlling for firm characteristics and institutional variables.

Findings

The study reports that the presence of Big 4 auditors is significantly and positively related with greater levels of sales and discretionary expenses manipulation. Though the authors do not find any conclusive evidence on production costs manipulation, the aggregated measure of real earnings management shows a significant positive association with the presence of Big 4 auditors.

Practical implications

The study implies that managers who have incentives to manage earnings upward around the UK firms take advantage of the accounting flexibility in defining policies while reducing information asymmetry among the investors to signal better future performance. The approach to detect earnings manipulation as described in the auditing standards fails to limit the managerial use of real activities due to limited scope and unclear guidance. Thus, due to the significant impact on public policies, the results should, therefore, be of interest to the regulators and standard setters.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that examines the association between audit quality and real earnings management for the UK all-purpose operational firms in sampled data that just meet past year’s earnings as a benchmark in the post-IFRS period.
Artificial intelligence in retail: applications and value creation logics
Authors: Cao Lanlan
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper seeks to answer three questions about how retailers can benefit from AI. (1) What are the main strategies for retailers to improve their AI-related data management? (2) How do retailers use AI to provide solutions in business processes? (3) What are the value creation logics of AI applications in retail?

Design/methodology/approach

Data- and solution-centric perspectives, as well as the concept of value creation logics, serve to build the analytical framework. The grounded theory multiple-case analysis of 54 representative retailers' adoptions and implementations of AI between 2008 and 2018 help to investigate the firm's AI applications and value creation logics.

Findings

This study identifies five main strategies for AI-related data management and reveals 28 AI-powered solutions, changing 14 business processes, with five management areas involved in AI applications to create value via four logics: automation, hyper-personalization, complementarity and innovation.

Research limitations/implications

This paper advances the research into AI applications in business and management by providing research propositions with an integrative framework to understand how firms can use and benefit from AI. However, secondary data and exploratory study still limit the findings.

Practical implications

The findings provide retail managers with an analytical framework that can help them to develop a rationale for their strategic choices and best practices relating to the adoption and implementation of AI.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in its systematic examination of AI applications and value creations in retail. The findings provide managers with guidance, rational strategic choices and best practices to take action to embrace the great business opportunities created by AI technologies.
Retail store environment, store attachment and customer citizenship behaviour
Authors: Gorji Mohammadbagher , Grimmer Louise , Grimmer Martin , Siami Sahar
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of physical and social retail store environment, referred to as “storescape”, retail store attachment and employee citizenship behaviour towards customers on customer citizenship behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employed a descriptive quantitative, cross-sectional design with a self-administered survey. Data were collected through an online research panel provider from 415 customers of department and discount department stores in Australia.

Findings

The findings show social storescape predicts customer citizenship behaviour directly, and that store attachment mediates the effect of both physical and social storescape on this behaviour. Employee citizenship behaviour towards customers was found to moderate the effect of storescape on customer citizenship behaviour. In addition, the effect of both positive physical and social storescape was found to be greater in discount department stores than department stores.

Practical implications

In addition to highlighting the factors that drive customer citizenship behaviour, the study shows that storescape factors and their effect vary for department stores versus discount department stores.

Originality/value

This study shows the effect of storescape on customer citizenship behaviour. Drawing on resource exchange theory, this study is the first-known to identify storescape as both physical and social resources which can influence retail store attachment and customer citizenship behaviour. The study provides new insights into the differential effect of storescape in department versus discount department stores in motivating customers to engage in citizenship behaviour. Further, the study makes an important contribution by demonstrating the moderating role of employee citizenship behaviour towards customers.
Manufacturing excellence using lean systems – a case of an automotive aggregate manufacturing plant in India
Authors: Ojha Ravindra , Venkatesh Umashankar
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The paper aims at fulfilling two purposes: (1) to enrich young production shop floor managers to understand and appreciate the different dimensions of manufacturing excellence and (2) to provide a comprehensive industry-based case study to a faculty involved in the teaching-learning process of Lean systems to the Business school management students.

Design/methodology/approach

Imparting learnings through a real-life case study from a manufacturing industry, which successfully doubled its delivery capacity using the project management and Lean systems approach. Value flow techniques have been utilised in the production shop floor.

Findings

Effective implementation of lean thinking can significantly facilitate enhancing plant capacity within the original shop floor area and without hindering the delivery to the customers with growing demand. Outcomes of the plant transformation re-emphasised that effective leadership, a well-constituted project team, project management tools, applied knowledge of lean enablers and its metrics and management's engagement are the critical success factors.

Research limitations/implications

The case has been automotive industry driven.

Practical implications

This real life industry case study is expected to enrich not only the management graduates who would be industry leaders tomorrow but also the practising young shop floor managers who aspire to achieve manufacturing excellence through lean enablers and metrics.

Originality/value

Useful real-life industry-based Lean manufacturing case study to be utilised by the business school faculty members in their class to enrich students/young practising managers.
Simulation and analysis of the effects of room surface reflectance combinations on a proposed retrofit illumination system of an office
Authors: Roy Subarna , Majumder Sudipta , Bhattacharya Sourin , Sardar Imran Hossain
Published: March 2021

Purpose

An indoor office space should not only provide adequate illuminance on horizontal planes but also cater to the physiological and psychological requirements of the occupants. This paper aims to describe a lighting simulation-based work conducted in Kolkata, India which modeled an indoor office to investigate the effects of variation in room surface reflectance combinations on user perception, mean room surface exitance (MRSE), average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity of horizontal illuminance.

Design/methodology/approach

A fluorescent illumination system–based office space was modeled and retrofitted with tubular LED lamps in DIALux. Simulations were conducted for 16 different room surface reflectance combinations and a five-point Likert scale-type survey questionnaire was formulated to conduct a survey with 32 test subjects to assess the subjective preferability of each resultant light scene.

Findings

Simulation results demonstrate that the relationship between average horizontal illuminance and MRSE as well as between average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity of horizontal illuminance, was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In the conducted survey, the resultant light scene arising out of the reflectance combination of wall:ceiling:floor = 60%:90%:20% was the most well-received one with 187 convinced agreements (“agree” and “strongly agree” responses).

Originality/value

This work found strong linear correlation between average horizontal illuminance and MRSE and between average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity. A five-point Likert scale-type survey questionnaire with seven questions was formulated and validated with 32 test subjects (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.9295), which showed that the wall:ceiling:floor reflectance combination of 60%:90%:20% was the most favored choice.
Measuring risk exposure in the banking sectors: evidence from Gulf Cooperation countries
Authors: Al-Gasaymeh Anwar S. , Kaddumi Thair A. , Qasaimeh Ghazi M.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Using capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and the Z-risk index based on weekly data, this study aims to estimate yearly unsystematic, total, three systematic and insolvency risks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for the period 2010–2018. The findings of CAPM show positive systematic market risk exposure in all GCC countries for all years, which support the contribution of stock markets to bank prices and returns. The mixed signs of systematic interest rate and exchange rate risks in GCC countries provide hedging opportunities, diversification strategies and regional cooperation, which help risk managers to hedge and stabilize their portfolios against interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations. Therefore, it is necessary that managers and policymakers develop a monitoring system on factors affecting bank insolvency risks to avoid bankruptcies and insolvencies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the three-factor CAPM and Z-risk index to measure six types of risks. The CAPM uses market information to estimate the sensitivity of banks to the fluctuations of equity markets, debt markets and foreign exchange markets. Sharpe (1964), Lintner (1965) and Treynor (1965) developed a single-factor CAPM and the coefficient of the model was called systematic market risk. The single-factor CAPM highlights stock markets as the only non-diversifiable source of systematic risks, whereas Stone (1974) and Jorion (1990) highlighted interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations as the other types of non-diversifiable systematic risks. The following functional form in equation (1) estimates five types of risks using CAPM.

Findings

The findings of CAPM show positive systematic market risk exposure in all GCC countries for all years, which support the contribution of stock markets to bank prices and returns based on CAPM theory. The mixed signs of systematic interest rate and exchange rate risks in GCC countries support hedging opportunities and diversification strategies which may help risk managers to hedge and stabilize their portfolios against the fluctuations of interest rate and exchange rate. Although, this policy may decrease the profits of banking sectors but at the same time it would stabilize the portfolios and prevent bankruptcies and big losses because of the fluctuations of interest rate. Moreover, a bank has a better chance to have more liquidity position during financial crises because of the diversifications into different regional markets.

Research limitations/implications

Therefore, this study contributes to the existing literature by using risk measurement by a three-factor CAPM and the Z-risk index as discussed further in methodology.

Originality/value

It is necessary that managers and policymakers develop a monitoring system on factors affecting bank insolvency risks to avoid bankruptcies and insolvencies.
Clinical and criminal profile of internet offenders with ASD
Authors: Higham Lorraine , Girardi Alessandra , Edwards Holly Victoria
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Autism-specific characteristics have been associated with internet criminal activities. Internet and non-internet offenders differ on a series of demographic, psychological and offending variables. However, the clinical and criminal presentation of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in forensic secure care settings has been underexplored. This paper aims to explore the profiles of internet offenders with ASD admitted to a secure psychiatric unit.

Design/methodology/approach

This study provides the results of a service evaluation of individuals with ASD. The demographic, clinical and criminal characteristics of a small sample of internet offenders with ASD admitted to secure care are described and discussed.

Findings

Internet offenders present in secure care with high rates of comorbid disorders, histories of violence and traumatic experiences, mood disorders and difficulties with relationships. Of the 24 internet offenders discussed, 18 of them committed an offence of a sexual nature involving children.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the potential risks for individuals with ASD in using the internet and the possible difficulties associated with detecting this because of rapid advancements in technology.
Impact of process quality management on firm's operational performance: a mediation analysis of firm's absorptive capacity
Authors: Sahoo Saumyaranjan
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of process quality management (PQM) activities on firm's operational performance (OP) through the mediation of firm's absorptive capacity (AC).

Design/methodology/approach

This research builds on the theory of knowledge-based view to conduct a survey of 294 manufacturing companies in India. With the use of Hayes' PROCESS Macro in SPSS, the collected data were used to analyze the proposed mediating effect of firm's AC and moderating effects of leadership commitment (LC).

Findings

Study results suggest that both PQM and firm's AC contribute to improved OP and should be promoted. The firm's AC was found to partially mediate the impact of PQM on the firm's OP. Results also show that improved firm's AC can have a substantial effect on improvement in OP by stronger support of LC.

Research limitations/implications

The results may lack generalizability due to the selected cross-sectional nature of the current study. Researchers are also encouraged to further test the proposed ideas using a longitudinal design approach.

Practical implications

To translate PQM initiatives into core strategic competencies, manufacturing firms need to develop their AC. Senior managers in the manufacturing sector should concentrate strongly on developing a knowledge-driven working culture to enhance operational efficiency and manufacturing productivity.

Originality/value

Current research study can be considered as one of the very few empirical analyses that investigated the mediating impact of the firm's AC on the PQM-firm's OP relationship. In the operations management (OM) literature, the investigation of the moderating effect of LC on the mediation of the firm's AC between the PQM and OP metrics can be considered to be a noteworthy theoretical addition.
The interplay among management support and factors influencing organizational learning: an applied study
Authors: Al-Tarawneh Ali Ibrahim , Al-Adaileh Raid
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study aims at investigating the impact of some selected organizational and cultural factors on organizational learning (OL). It also attempts to study the moderating role of management support on the influential relationship between these organizational and cultural factors and OL within the context of Jordanian mining sector (JMS).

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive-analytical approach is applied to collect and analyze the data. A survey questionnaire is used as a primary data collection instrument. The study sample includes 400 participants from the seven selected manufacturing companies within the context of JMS. Smart PLS 3 and IBM SPSS version 25 were applied to answer the study questions and to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Organization strategy has a statistical significant impact on OL. Moreover, cultural factors (innovation; teamwork; knowledge sharing) have a significant impact on OL. The results of the moderating variable revealed that the level of management support is not moderating the relationship between organizational factors and OL. Nonetheless, it is revealed that management support is moderating the relationship between organizational culture and OL.

Practical implications

It seems that a continuous management support is an important facilitating feature to motivate a learning culture. Cultural attributes, including innovation, teamwork and knowledge sharing must be taken into consideration as facilitating factors to encourage OL. Gradual changes must be introduced to create innovative, teamwork and knowledge-sharing culture. Additionally, a specific strategic goal should be part of the organizational corporate strategy and action plans must be developed to achieve this goal in a systematic manner.

Originality/value

The inclusion of management support as a moderating factor could add an original contribution to the current body of knowledge concerning OL. Moreover, this study argues that the core concept of learning might be there but a systematic process of learning and the contextual factors influencing this concept still need more concern.
Crisis leadership from the perspective of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Caringal-Go Jaimee Felice , Teng-Calleja Mendiola , Franco Edna P. , Manaois Jason O. , Zantua Rae Mark S.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to identify traits and behaviors of organization leaders that were deemed helpful by employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an exploratory qualitative study that utilized online surveys. Data from 155 participants were subjected to content analysis.

Findings

Several interrelated traits and behaviors of effective crisis leadership were identified. These were clustered into three superordinate themes – attending to the person, taking charge and showing the way forward and sustaining the spirit.

Research limitations/implications

Findings from this paper can be furthered by conducting quantitative studies to validate themes and/or test a conceptual model of effective crisis leadership. Gathering data from other populations at different points in time during the COVID-19 pandemic may also be useful.

Practical implications

A review of leadership development programs and organization norms and values is recommended in order to ensure that they are consistent with crisis leadership competencies.

Originality/value

This paper helps address the gap on follower-centered perspectives about organizational leadership responses to crises and highlights the importance of care and compassion in leading employees during difficult times.
An empirical approach to understanding users' fake news identification on social media
Authors: Aoun Barakat Karine , Dabbous Amal , Tarhini Abbas
Published: March 2021

Purpose

During the past few years, the rise in social media use for information purposes in the absence of adequate control mechanisms has led to growing concerns about the reliability of the information in circulation and increased the presence of fake news. While this topic has recently gained researchers' attention, very little is known about users' fake news identification behavior. Hence, the purpose of this study is to understand the factors that contribute to individuals' identification of fake news on social media.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a quantitative approach and proposes a behavioral model that explores the factors influencing users' identification of fake news on social media. It relies on data collected from a sample of 211 social media users which is tested using SEM.

Findings

The findings show that expertise in social media use and verification behavior have a positive impact on fake news identification, while trust in social media as an information channel decreases this identification behavior. Furthermore, results establish the mediating role of social media information trust and verification behavior.

Originality/value

The present study enhances our understanding of social media users' fake news identification by presenting a behavioral model. It is one of the few that focuses on the individual and argues that by identifying the factors that reinforce users' fake news identification behavior on social media, this type of misinformation can be reduced. It offers several theoretical and practical contributions.
Ownership concentration, foreign ownership and auditing: evidence from SMEs in Latin America
Authors: Zhang Dengjun , Cang Yuquan
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of ownership concentration of the largest shareholder and foreign ownership on the demand for an external audit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in six Latin American countries. In particular, the authors test whether foreign-owned firms (compared with domestic private-owned firms) and domestic firms with minority foreign shareholders are more likely engaged in audit assurance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied the logit model to estimate the impact of ownership concentration and owner/shareholder type on audit demand, using a sample of 4,609 SMEs. The probabilities of being audited for firms in these countries are then calculated from the estimation results.

Findings

The empirical results suggest an inverse relationship between ownership concentration and audit demand only for Uruguay and Peru. However, foreign-owned firms and domestic private-owned firms with minority foreign ownership have a high probability of being audited for all sample countries.

Research limitations/implications

Policymakers in developing countries may promote foreign investments in domestic private-owned firms to improve their corporate transparency and governance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing literature on the impact of ownership on audit demand by particularly focusing on foreign owners and foreign minority shareholders. The findings indicate that foreign ownership (either majority or minority) contributes to corporate transparency and business environments in emerging countries.
Transcriptional control of 2,4‐dinitrotoluene degradation in Burkholderia sp. R34 bears a regulatory patch that eases pathway evolution
Authors: Pérez‐Pantoja Danilo , Nikel Pablo I. , Chavarría Max , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: March 2021

The dnt pathway of Burkholderia sp. R34 is in the midst of an evolutionary journey from its ancestral, natural substrate (naphthalene) towards a new xenobiotic one [2,4‐dinitrotoluene (DNT)]. The gene cluster encoding the leading multicomponent ring dioxygenase (DntA) has activity on the old and the new substrate, but it is induced by neither. Instead, the transcriptional factor encoded by the adjacent gene (dntR) activates expression of the dnt cluster upon addition of salicylate, one degradation intermediate of the ancestral naphthalene route but not any longer a substrate/product of the evolved DntA enzyme. Fluorescence of cells bearing dntA‐gfp fusions revealed that induction of the dnt genes by salicylate was enhanced upon exposure to bona fide DntA substrates, i.e., naphthalene or DNT. Such amplification was dependent on effective dioxygenation of these pathway‐specific head compounds, which thereby fostered expression of the cognate catabolic operon. The phenomenon seems to happen not through direct binding to a cognate transcriptional factor but through the interplay of a non‐specific regulator with a substrate‐specific enzyme. This regulatory scenario may ease transition of complete catabolic operons (i.e. enzymes plus regulatory devices) from one substrate to another without loss of fitness during the evolutionary roadmap between two optimal specificities.
Electromagnetic properties of crayfish and its responses of temperature and moisture under microwave field
Authors: Fan Hailong , Huang Jianlian , Zhao Jianxin , Yan Bowen , Ma Shenyan , Zhou Wenguo , Zhang Hao , Fan Daming
Published: March 2021

To reveal the application potential of microwave heating in the thermal processing of crayfish, this work explored the electromagnetic properties of different parts of crayfish and the patterns of temperature and moisture responses in crayfish during microwave heating. The results of electromagnetic analysis demonstrated that the electromagnetic properties of different parts of crayfish were different, and the tail had higher dielectric properties and reflective loss than other parts, but the maximum thickness of each part of crayfish was almost within their heating depth of microwave. The visual imaging and numerical simulation of temperature and moisture responses showed there were nonuniform temperature and moisture distributions in crayfish during microwave heating. The crayfish tail was selectively heated and rapidly cooked, but its moisture loss was far less than the mass loss of whole crayfish. Furthermore, the immobilized water in crayfish tail meat was continuously converted to free water, while the bound water was relatively stable during microwave heating. This work provided the theoretical references for the assumption that cooking the crayfish by microwave to overcome the shortcomings of boiling.

Practical Application

In this work, we innovatively applied microwave heating to the heat processing of crayfish, and analyzed the electromagnetic properties of different parts in crayfish and explored its temperature and moisture responses under microwave field. Although this is a basic research, which provided some theoretical references for the assumption that microwave heating of crayfish (Procambarus clarkia) may be a clean and efficient means of overcoming the shortcomings associated with boiling. In particular, the simulation model of crayfish was established according to its real size and shape, which provided an option for the prediction of temperature response of crayfish in the microwave field.
Development and Validation of the Oral Health Values Scale
Authors: Edwards Cierra B. , Randall Cameron L. , McNeil Daniel W.
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Oral health values, the degree to which one places importance on or demonstrates investment in improving or maintaining one's dental status, are believed to vary across individuals. Research on this construct is in its infancy, so a new Oral Health Values Scale (OHVS) was developed and validated. The aim was to create a multidimensional measure of oral health values that could be used in future epidemiological or behavioural investigations involving determinants of dental treatment‐seeking behaviour and/or oral health.

Methods

The OHVS was developed in three cross‐sectional phases. A 45‐item pool was developed, and 12 expert raters from various oral health professions rated the items for their representativeness and relevance, as well as specificity and clarity. Based on the expert feedback, an initial 30‐item scale was subsequently established and administered to a developmental sample (N = 306) using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The scale was further refined to be 12 items and its structure was confirmed in a validation sample (N = 308), also using MTurk. Correlations among OHVS scores and other oral health‐related constructs were examined in the developmental and validation samples.

Results

Expert review of items for the oral health values construct and the OHVS provided initial evidence of content validity. The final 12‐item scale exhibited a four‐factor structure with good internal consistency, α = 0.84. The psychometric properties of the final scale were confirmed in a second sample using confirmatory factor analysis, although evidence for the OHVS's four‐factor structure was mixed. Overall, OHVS scores were consistently related to other oral health constructs in anticipated ways, providing evidence of construct validity.

Conclusions

The OHVS demonstrated content validity, internal consistency, and construct validity. Results suggest that the OHVS is a psychometrically sound instrument.
Giving “prescriptions” for paediatric weight management follow‐up in primary care
Authors: Kharofa Roohi Y. , Khalsa Amrik Singh , Zeller Meg H. , Modi Avani C. , Ollberding Nicholas J. , Copeland Kristen A.
Published: March 2021

The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that primary care paediatricians “prescribe” follow‐up for weight management between well child checks. We sought to describe rates and predictors of prescribed and actual clinic attendance for weight management in primary care in a predominantly low‐income population. A chart review was performed at a large, hospital‐based, primary care clinic, where a treatment algorithm for obesity exists. Eligible children were 6 to 12 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) ≥85th percentile and seen for a well child check in 2014. Primary outcomes were the physician prescribing follow‐up in primary care and the patient returning for weight management. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of prescribing follow‐up and predictors of return. Participants included 1339 patients: mean age 9 years (SD: 1.8 years); 53% female; 79% Black; 89% Medicaid‐insured; 56% with an obese BMI (vs overweight). Twenty‐seven percent of patients were prescribed follow‐up in primary care, of which 13% returned (only 4% of the original sample). The odds of the physician prescribing follow‐up were greater if the child had obesity (vs overweight), was older, female or non‐Medicaid insured. Older and non‐Black patients had greater odds of returning. Patients prescribed follow‐up within 2 months or less (vs 3‐6 months) were also more likely to return (aOR 2.66; CI: 1.34, 5.26). Rates of prescription for weight management in primary care are low and few patients return, even when follow‐up is prescribed. Prescribing follow‐up at shorter intervals from the index visit (≤ 2 months) may improve patient return.
Obesity and overweight among children and adolescents with bipolar disorder from the general population: A review of the scientific literature and a meta‐analysis
Authors: Girela‐Serrano Braulio M. , Guerrero‐Jiménez Margarita , Spiers Alexander D. V. , Gutiérrez‐Rojas Luis
Published: March 2021

There is substantial evidence of the high prevalence of obesity (OB) and overweight (OW) and their association with increased medical and psychiatric burden among adults with bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known regarding its prevalence among young people with BD, other than the risk from psychotropic medication, which has been the focus of research in this population. We present a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the literature on prevalence and correlates of OB and OW children and adolescents with BD using a different perspective than impact of medication. Four studies met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of OB in children and adolescents with BD was 15% (95% CI 11–20%). We observed a higher prevalence of OB in comparison to the general population. Different studies found significant associations between OB, OW, and BD in young populations including non‐Caucasian race, physical abuse, suicide attempts, self‐injurious behaviours, psychotropic medication, and psychiatric hospitalizations.
Conventional chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia in older adults: Impact on nutritional, cognitive, and functional status
Authors: Jouzier Claire , Hamel Jean‐François , Dumas Pierre‐Yves , Delaunay Jacques , Bonmati Caroline , Guièze Romain , Hunault Mathilde , Banos Anne , Lioure Bruno , Béné Marie‐Christine , Ianotto Jean‐Christophe , Ojeda‐Uribe Mario , Paul Franciane , Bernard Marc , Jourdan Eric , Zerazhi Hacène , Vey Norbert , Ifrah Norbert , Recher Christian , Pigneux Arnaud , Cahn Jean‐Yves ,   the French Innovative Leukemia Organization
Published: March 2021

Objectives

The impact of conventional treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on the nutritional, cognitive, and functional status of elderly patients is seldom studied. This assessment was performed in the context of the LAMSA 2007 trial.

Methods

The trial enrolled 424 patients with de novo AML. Among them, 316 benefited from geriatric assessment (GA) including nutritional, cognitive, and functional status and were scored according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and sorror for the prediction of treatment toxicity, morbidity, and mortality. Patients were investigated at diagnosis for three times during follow‐up.

Results

This study showed that AML and its treatment have no impact on cognitive (P = .554) nor functional status (P = .842 for Activity of Daily Living and P = .087 for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living). The nutritional status improved over time (P = .041). None of these three parameters at baseline, associated or not with ECOG and sorror scores, impacted survivals or toxicities.

Conclusions

The cognitive, functional, and nutritional status had no impact in this cohort of fit elderly AML patients without unfavorable cytogenetics. The GA tools used provided no additional information compared with ECOG and sorror scores, to predict toxicity, morbidity, or mortality due to intensive chemotherapy.
Moral blame and rational criticism
Authors: Strandberg Caj
Published: March 2021

A central issue in practical philosophy concerns the relation between moral blameworthiness and normative reasons. As there has been little of direct exchange between the debate on reasons and the debate on blameworthiness, this topic has not received the attention it deserves. In this paper, I consider two notions about blameworthiness and reasons that are fundamental in respective field. The two notions might seem incontrovertible when considered individually, but I argue that they together entail claims that are highly contentious. In particular, I maintain that they entail unreasonable and contradictory claims since the practices of moral blame and rational criticism diverge with regard to three dimensions: justification, response, and function. Thus, we need to give up one of the principal notions. The solutions to this puzzle suggest that the connection between reasons and rationality is weaker than standardly presumed in metaethics.
Defining the latent period of epileptogenesis and epileptogenic zone in a focal cortical dysplasia type II (FCDII) rat model
Authors: Kao Hsin‐Yi , Hu Shuntong , Mihaylova Temenuzhka , Ziobro Julie , Ahn EunSeon , Fine Carli , Brang David , Watson Brendon O. , Wang Yu
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Focal cortical dysplasia type II (FCDII) is one of the most common underlying pathologies in patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy. However, mechanistic understanding of FCDII fails to keep pace with genetic discoveries, primarily due to the significant challenge in developing a clinically relevant animal model. Conceptually and clinically important questions, such as the unknown latent period of epileptogenesis and the controversial epileptogenic zone, remain unknown in all experimental FCDII animal models, making it even more challenging to investigate the underlying epileptogenic mechanisms.

Methods

In this study, we used continuous video‐electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring to detect the earliest interictal and ictal events in a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)‐in utero electroporation (IUE) FCDII rat model that shares genetic, pathological, and electroclinical signatures with those observed in humans. We then took advantage of in vivo local field potential (LFP) recordings to localize the epileptogenic zone in these animals.

Results

To the best of our knowledge, we showed for the first time that epileptiform discharges emerged during the third postnatal week, and that the first seizure occurred as early as during the fourth postnatal week. We also showed that both interictal and ictal discharges are localized within the dysplastic cortex, concordant with human clinical data.

Significance

Together, our work identified the temporal and spatial frame of epileptogenesis in a highly clinically relevant FCDII animal model, paving the way for mechanistic studies at molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels.
First‐line antiepileptic drug treatment in glioma patients with epilepsy: Levetiracetam vs valproic acid
Authors: van der Meer Pim B. , Dirven Linda , Fiocco Marta , Vos Maaike J. , Kouwenhoven Mathilde C. M. , van den Bent Martin J. , Taphoorn Martin J. B. , Koekkoek Johan A. F.
Published: March 2021

Objective

This study aimed at estimating the cumulative incidence of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment failure of first‐line monotherapy levetiracetam vs valproic acid in glioma patients with epilepsy.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, a competing risks model was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of treatment failure, from AED treatment initiation, for the two AEDs with death as a competing event. Patients were matched on baseline covariates potentially related to treatment assignment and outcomes of interest according to the nearest neighbor propensity score matching technique. Maximum duration of follow‐up was 36 months.

Results

In total, 776 patients using levetiracetam and 659 using valproic acid were identified. Matching resulted in two equal groups of 429 patients, with similar covariate distribution. The cumulative incidence of treatment failure for any reason was significantly lower for levetiracetam compared to valproic acid (12 months: 33% [95% confidence interval (CI) 29%–38%] vs 50% [95% CI 45%–55%]; P < .001). When looking at specific reasons of treatment failure, treatment failure due to uncontrolled seizures was significantly lower for levetiracetam compared to valproic acid (12 months: 16% [95% CI 12%–19%] vs 28% [95% CI 23%–32%]; P < 0.001), but no differences were found for treatment failure due to adverse effects (12 months: 14% [95% CI 11%–18%] vs 15% [95% CI 11%–18%]; P = .636).

Significance

Our results suggest that levetiracetam may have favorable efficacy compared to valproic acid, whereas level of toxicity seems similar. Therefore, levetiracetam seems to be the preferred choice for first‐line AED treatment in patients with glioma.
Circulating tumor DNA by high‐throughput sequencing of T cell receptor monitored treatment response and predicted treatment failure in T cell lymphomas
Authors: Zhang Wei , Wang Wei , Han Xiao , Gan Yulai , Qian Long , Zhang Yan , Zhang Chunliu , Wang Yuqi , Guan Yanfang , Yang Ling , Zhou Daobin
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS)‐based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection is a promising monitoring tool for lymphoid malignancies. Studies for T cell lymphoma are limited.

Methods

We explored whether this technology is applicable to T cell lymphoma with different subtypes and assessed its performance in clinical settings.

Results

Thirty tumor and 74 blood samples were analyzed in our study. Malignant clone was identified in 23 of the 30 (76.7%) tumor samples through high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) combined with PCR. We detected the same tumor clone in plasma in 18out of the 23 (78.3%) patients. Circulating tumor DNA fraction correlated with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (r = .52, P = .017), high level of ctDNA predicted treatment failure (P = .0003) and there was a trend patients with high ctDNA burden would have poorer PFS Furthermore, ctDNA changed in concordance with clinical outcome and was more sensitive than PET/CT. Also, recurrence of ctDNA was an important clue for relapse.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our study indicated that ctDNA monitoring was suitable for T cell lymphoma. High level of pretreatment ctDNA was a poor prognosis factor and changes of ctDNA correlated well with clinical courses and was sensitive to find early relapse.
Whole‐genome resequencing reveals persistence of forest‐associated mammals in Late Pleistocene refugia along North America’s North Pacific Coast
Authors: Colella Jocelyn P. , Lan Tianying , Talbot Sandra L. , Lindqvist Charlotte , Cook Joseph A.
Published: March 2021

Aim

Numerous glacial refugia have been hypothesized along North America's North Pacific Coast that may have increased divergence of refugial taxa, leading to elevated endemism and subsequently clustered hybrid zones following deglaciation. The locations and community composition of these ice‐free areas remains controversial, but whole‐genome sequences now enable detailed analysis of the demographic and evolutionary histories of refugial taxa. Here, we use genomic data to test spatial and temporal processes of diversification among martens with respect to the Coastal Refugium Hypothesis, to understand the role of climate cycling in shaping diversity across complex landscapes.

Location

North America and North Pacific Coast archipelagos.

Taxon

North American martens (Martes).

Methods

Short‐read whole‐genome resequencing data were generated for 11 martens: fourM. americana, fourM. caurina, two hybrids, and one outgroup (Martes zibellina). Sampling was representative of known genetic clades within New World martens, including sampling within insular and continental hybrid zones and along the North Pacific Coast (five island populations).ADMIXTURE, F‐statistics, andD‐statistics (ABBA‐BABA) were used to identify introgression and infer directionality. Heterozygosity densities, estimated via PSMC, were used to characterize historical demography at and below the species level to infer refugial and colonization processes.

Results

Forest‐associated Pacific martens (M. caurina) are divided into distinct insular and continental clades consistent with the Coastal Refugium Hypothesis. There was no evidence of introgression on islands that received historical translocations of American pine martens (M. americana), but introgression was detected in two active zones of secondary contact: one insular and one continental. Only early‐generational hybrids were identified across multiple hybrid zones, a pattern consistent with potential genetic swamping ofM. caurinabyM. americana.

Main conclusions

Despite an incomplete fossil record, genomic evidence supports the persistence of forest‐associated martens, likely the insular Pacific marten lineage, along the western edges of the Alexander Archipelago during the Last Glacial Maximum. This discovery informs our understanding of refugial paleoenvironments, critical to interpreting refugial timing, duration, and community composition. Genomic reevaluations of other taxa along North America's North Pacific Coast may yield new and deeper perspectives on the history of refugial forest communities and the role of dynamic climate shifts in shaping high‐latitude diversity across complex insular landscapes.
S100A9 induces nucleus pulposus cell degeneration through activation of the NF‐κB signaling pathway
Authors: Guo Song , Su Qihang , Wen Junxiang , Zhu Kai , Tan Jun , Fu Qiang , Sun Guixin
Published: March 2021

Oxidative stress in the lumbar disc leads to the degeneration of nucleus pulposus (NP). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. In this study, we delineated a key calcium‐binding protein, S100A9, which was induced by oxidative stress and was highly expressed in the degenerative NP. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting revealed that S100A9 induced NP cell apoptosis in vitro by up‐regulating the expression of pro‐apoptotic markers, including cleaved caspase‐3, cytochrome c and Bax. Moreover, RT‐PCR analyses revealed that the expression of S100A9 caused NP matrix degradation by up‐regulating the expression of matrix degradation enzymes and increased the inflammatory response by up‐regulating cytokine expression. Therefore, S100A9 induced NP cell degeneration by exerting pro‐apoptotic, pro‐degradation and pro‐inflammatory effects. The detailed mechanism underlying S100A9‐induced NP degeneration was explored by administering SC75741, a specific NF‐κB inhibitor in vitro. We concluded that S100A9 induced NP cell apoptosis, caused matrix degradation and amplified the inflammatory response through the activation of the NF‐κB signalling pathway. Inhibition of these pro‐apoptotic, pro‐degradation and pro‐inflammatory effects induced by S100A9 in NP may be a favourable therapeutic strategy to slow lumbar disc degeneration.
Phylogenetic relationships and ecological niche conservatism in killifish (Profundulidae) in Mesoamerica
Authors: Calixto‐Rojas Miguel , Lira‐Noriega Andrés , Rubio‐Godoy Miguel , Pérez‐Ponce de León Gerardo , Pinacho‐Pinacho Carlos D.
Published: March 2021

The family Profundulidae is a group of small‐sized fish species distributed between southern Mexico and Honduras, where they are frequently the only fish representatives at higher elevations in the basins where they occur. We characterized their ecological niche using different methods and metrics drawn from niche modelling and by re‐examining phylogenetic relationships of a recently published molecular phylogeny of this family to gain a better understanding of its biogeographic and evolutionary history. We assessed both lines of evidence from the perspective of niche conservatism to set a foundation for discussing hypotheses about the processes underlying the distribution and evolution of the group. In fish clades where the species composition is not clear, we examined whether niche classification could be informative to discriminate groups geographically and ecologically consistent with any of the different hypotheses of valid species. The characterization of the ecological niche was carried out using the Maxent algorithm under different parameterizations and the projection of the presence on the main components of the most relevant environmental coverage, and the niche comparison was calculated with two indices (D and I), both in environmental space and in that projected geographically. With the molecular data, a species tree was generated using the *BEAST method. The comparison of these data was calculated with an age‐overlap correlation test. Based on the molecular phylogeny and on niche overlap analyses, we uncovered strong evidence to support the idea that ecologically similar species are not necessarily sister species. The correlation analysis for genetic distance and niche overlap was not significant (P > 0.05). In clades with taxonomic conflicts, we only identified Profundulus oaxacae as a geographically and ecologically distinct group from P. punctatus. All the evidence considered leads us to propose that Profundulidae do not show evidence of niche conservatism and that there are reasons to consider P. oaxacae as a valid species. Our study suggests that niche divergence is a driving evolutionary force that caused the diversification and speciation processes of the Profundulidae, along with the geological and climatic events that promoted the expansion or contraction of suitable environments.