bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Naked Mole-Rat Cells are Susceptible to Malignant Transformation bySV40LTand Oncogenic Ras
Authors: Hadi Fazal , Kulaberoglu Yavuz , Lazarus Kyren A. , Beattie Paul , Smith Ewan St. John , Khaled Walid T.
Published: August 2018

The Naked Mole-Rat,Hetercephalus glaber, is a mouse-sized subterranean rodent native to East Africa. Research on NMRs is intensifying in an effort to gain leverage from their unusual physiology, long-life span and cancer resistance. Few studies have attempted to explain the reasons behind NMRs cancer resistance, but most prominently Tian et al. reported that NMR cells produce high-molecular weight hyaluronan as a potential cause for the NMR’s cancer resistance. Tian et al. have shown that NMR cells are resistant to transformation by SV40 Large T Antigen (SV40LT) and oncogenic HRAS (HRASG12V), a combination of oncogenes sufficient to transform mouse and rat fibroblasts. We have developed a single lentiviral vector to deliver both these oncogenes and generated multiple cell lines from five different tissues and nine different NMRs, and report here that contrary to Tian et al.’s observation, NMR cells are susceptible to oncogenic transformation bySV40LTandHRAS. Our data thus point to a non-cell autonomous mechanism underlying the remarkable cancer resistance of NMRs. Identifying these non-cell autonomous mechanisms could have implications on our understanding of human cancer development.
Credit access and technical efficiency of smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana
Authors: Nkegbe Paul Kwame
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between credit access and technical efficiency of smallholder crop farmers in northern Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a random sample of 445 farming households in the three northern regions of Ghana. The two-stage double bootstrap DEA approach was used to consistently estimate technical efficiency scores as well as the determinants.

Findings

The results revealed that, given the current technology, there is substantial yield or productivity gap among the sample of producers in northern Ghana used for the study. This is because producers can reduce input use by over 50.0 percent while still achieving the same output levels. It is further revealed that proportion of household income from off-farm activities, distance of farm from homestead, location and credit access are significant determinants of technical efficiency.

Originality/value

The current study differs from previous studies in two basic ways. First, it takes into account the fact that smallholder farmers practise mixed or inter-cropping by using value of output so that various crops on a given plot of the farmer can be aggregated; and second, a nonparametric approach is adopted so that the inherent inconsistencies in using the two-step model within a parametric framework can be avoided.
The impact of types of trust in the public sector – a case study approach
Authors: Höglund Linda , Mårtensson Maria , Safari Aswo
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study how different types of trust develop and change over time in the collaboration between an organization and its board.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a response to a recent call to apply the concept of trust in understanding the collaboration between a public organization, its board, and other stakeholders. Here, the authors study a single case, and based on a longitudinal in-depth case study method covering the period of 2003–2015, the authors have conducted 27 interviews, including the CEO and all the board members.

Findings

The authors introduce and advance the concept of trust in the public sector literature on board work. This paper shows that trust is complex and multidimensional at different units of analysis. The types of trust discussed in this paper are cognitive, affective, contractual, competence, and goodwill. Different types of trust are developed to make the collaboration between a governed organization and its board to work.

Research limitations/implications

Because this paper uses the case study method and only studies one single case, the findings of this paper might be questioned on the issue of generalization.

Originality/value

The authors conceptualize and adopt trust as a multidimensional, dynamic concept, and with different units of analyses, capture the nature of the collaboration between a public organization and its board, and its complexity.
Performance measurement design: a contingency perspective from the Italian regional healthcare services
Authors: Spanò Rosanna , Cicellin Mariavittoria , Scuotto Adriana
Published: August 2018

Purpose

In the last few decades, the effectiveness of the evaluation of human resources and their performances has become a crucial theme in the debates of the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to analyze key design characteristics of performance management system (PMS) that may be effectively adopted and deployed by management to enable the assessment for a health system improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper falls under the field of studies that focuses on the design and implementation of PMS in the healthcare sector. This research adopted a qualitative approach across the case study method to understand the role of different contextual factors and their impact upon the design of PMS. Mainly drawing on previous studies on the Italian regional health systems, a target region has been selected for these purposes.

Findings

As a result, the new PMS was effectively working and was structured with a balanced focus on the region and the single healthcare organizations. The need for improving the information systems within the healthcare organizations was strongly emphasized. The crucial element of the new PMS was the transparency about the assessment procedures.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the debate on factors that can influence the design of PMS in healthcare. Relying on a contingent approach, the authors put forward the need of a more comprehensive and integrated frameworks encompassing organic conception of PMSs, as well as of the interdependencies among their components.
Determinants of elite athletes’ extrinsic and intrinsic career success
Authors: Hallmann Kirstin , Breuer Christoph , Ilgner Michael , Giel Thomas , Rossi Lea
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants of success of elite athletes by applying the concept of career success to a sporting context. The concept of career success includes extrinsic (i.e. tangible) career accomplishments like medals as well as intrinsic factors referring to subjective judgements about career attainments. Thereby, a holistic perspective is taken which has not been studied extensively before.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on previous literature, a theoretical model was derived outlining how human capital, motivation, organisational characteristics and socio-demographics affect both intrinsic and extrinsic career success. To measure the impact of these factors, primary (n=1,249) and secondary data of elite athletes were collected. Regression analyses indicated that all factors included in the theoretical model were associated with extrinsic and intrinsic success.

Findings

Institutional support was an important driver for intrinsic career success while financial support affected extrinsic career success. There was no significant influence of extrinsic career success on intrinsic career success.

Practical implications

These findings imply that policy makers should offer enhanced dual career options, such as mentoring programmes, aspects like sport-psychological support and nutrition counselling, and long-term, stable financial support for athletes to maximise career success.

Originality/value

This paper applies the construct of career success to sports. A focus on the athletes’ intrinsic career success is placed as this area has been neglected in past research.
MicroRNA‐92a inhibits macrophage antiviral response by targeting retinoic acid inducible gene‐I
Authors: Sheng Yuanjian , Wang Yong , Lu Wei , Zhou Yunlian , Dong Guijuan , Ge Xiaoxing , Song Yinjing , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: August 2018

MicroRNAs are short, non‐coding RNAs that have been shown to regulate a wide range of biological processes, including host antiviral immune responses. In the present study, microRNA‐92a (miR‐92a) was identified as a negative regulator in macrophage‐mediated antiviral responses. Overexpression of miR‐92a decreases vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)‐induced production of type‐I IFNs and facilitates viral replication in macrophages. The mechanism is that miR‐92a directly targets RIG‐I and reduces its expression, thereby attenuating VSV‐triggered activation of TBK‐binding kinase 1 and IRF3, both of which are crucial for initiating transcription of type‐I IFN genes. Our results demonstrate for the first time the novel role of miR‐92a in suppressing antiviral innate immunity.
The smallest ssDNA phage infecting a marine bacterium
Authors: Zhan Yuanchao , Chen Feng
Published: August 2018

In the marine environment, only a few lytic single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) phages have been isolated and characterized, despite the fact that diverse ssDNA bacteriophages have been discovered via metagenomic studies. In this study, we isolated and characterized a new ssDNA phage, vB_RpoMi‐Mini, which infects a marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS‐3. With a genome size of 4248 bp and only four putative open reading frames (ORF), vB_RpoMi‐Mini becomes the smallest ssDNA phage among the known ssDNA phage isolates and represents the DNA bacteriophage with the least number of ORFs. Genome‐wide analysis reveals that bacteriophage Mini is distantly related to the known ssDNA phages and belongs to an unclassified ssDNA phage within the Microviridae family. The presence of peptidase in vB_RpoMi‐Mini genome further implies that horizontal gene transfer could be an important driving force in the evolution of ssDNA phages. Bacteriophage Mini seems to have lost the spike protein commonly seen in ssDNA phages, suggesting that ssDNA phage can be more diverse than previously thought. Metagenomic analysis indicates that Mini‐like phages are widely distributed in the environments. The discovery of vB_RpoMi‐Mini expands our understanding of ssDNA phages in nature, and also indicates our dearth of knowledge regarding of ssDNA phages.
Do Poor Citizens Vote for Redistribution, Against Immigration or Against the Establishment? A Conjoint Experiment in Denmark
Authors: Marx Paul , Schumacher Gijs
Published: August 2018

What is the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and vote choice? The literature on this question is fragmented and points to motivations based on welfare policy, immigration policy or anti‐establishment sentiments. To test which of these motives explains differences in voting behaviour between classes, a conjoint experiment in which fictitious candidates present randomly assigned positions was designed. The experiment evaluated the relative importance of the position on welfare, immigration and anti‐establishment as well as candidates’ occupational background. By splitting the analyses into lower, middle‐ and upper class voters, it was found that lower class voters are most distinct from other voters in their preferences for anti‐establishment candidates. Strikingly, lower class voters even support welfare retrenchment, as long as it is an anti‐establishment candidate proposing it. The experiment also found a general tendency to vote against career politicians across classes and remarkably few differences regarding immigration preferences.
A transcription factor, MrMsn2, in the dimorphic fungus Metarhizium rileyi is essential for dimorphism transition, aggravated pigmentation, conidiation and microsclerotia formation
Authors: Song Zhangyong , Yang Jie , Xin Caiyan , Xing Xiaorui , Yuan Qing , Yin Youping , Wang Zhongkang
Published: August 2018

Microsclerotia (MS) are pseudoparenchymatous aggregations of hyphae of fungi that can be induced in liquid culture for biocontrol applications. Previously, we determined that the high‐osmolarity glycerol (HOG) signalling pathway was involved in regulating MS development in the dimorphic insect pathogen Metarhizium rileyi. To further investigate the mechanisms by which the signalling pathway is regulated, we characterized the transcriptional factor MrMsn2, a homologue of the yeast C2H2 transcriptional factor Msn2, which is predicted to function downstream of the HOG pathway in M. rileyi. Compared with wild‐type and complemented strains, disruption of MrMsn2 increased the yeast‐to‐hypha transition rate, enhanced conidiation capacity and aggravated pigmentation in M. rileyi. The ▵MrMsn2 mutants were sensitive to stress, produced morphologically abnormal clones and had significantly reduced MS formation and decreased virulence levels. Digital expression profiling revealed that genes involved in antioxidation, pigment biosynthesis and ion transport and storage were regulated by MrMsn2 during conidia and MS development. Taken together, our findings confirm that MrMsn2 controlled the yeast‐to‐hypha transition, conidia and MS formation, and virulence.
Comparison between computed tomography‐guided percutaneous microwave ablation and thoracoscopic lobectomy for stage I non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Wang Yongzheng , Liu Bin , Cao Pikun , Wang Wujie , Wang Wei , Chang Haiyang , Li Dong , Li Xiao , Zhao Xiaogang , Li Yuliang
Published: August 2018

Background

The study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness and cost of computed tomography (CT)‐guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) and thoracoscopic lobectomy for stage I non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 46 and 85 patients with stage I NSCLC treated with CT‐guided percutaneous MWA or thoracoscopic lobectomy, respectively, at our center from July 2013 to June 2015. Overall survival (OS), disease‐free survival (DFS), local control rate, hospital stay, and cost were evaluated. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test.

Results

The one and two‐year OS rates were 97.82% and 91.30% and 97.65% and 90.59% in the MWA and lobectomy groups, respectively. The one and two‐year DFS rates were 95.65% and 76.09% and 95.29% and 75.29%, respectively. No significant differences were observed in log‐rank analysis between the groups (P = 0.169). The hospital stays in the MWA and lobectomy groups were 6.62 ± 2.31 and 9.57 ± 3.19 days, respectively. The costs of MWA and lobectomy were US$3274.50 ± US$233.91 and US$4678.87 ± US$155.96, respectively. The differences were all significant (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

MWA and thoracoscopic lobectomy for stage I NSCLC demonstrate similar one and two‐year OS and DFS, with no significant differences between the two groups. MWA involved a shorter hospital stay and lower cost, thus should be considered a better option for patients with severe cardiopulmonary comorbidity and patients unwilling to undergo surgery.
Low skeletal muscle mass in stented esophageal cancer predicts poor survival: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Järvinen Tommi , Ilonen Ilkka , Kauppi Juha , Volmonen Kirsi , Salo Jarmo , Räsänen Jari
Published: August 2018

Background

In esophageal cancer, nutritional challenges are extremely common. Malignant obstruction resulting from esophageal cancer (EC) is often treated by the insertion of expandable stents, but little is known as to the role and evolution of sarcopenia in this patient population. The aim of this article was to determine the effects of body mass parameters on survival of advanced EC patients who received a stent for palliation of malignant obstruction.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of 238 EC patients who had a stent inserted for palliation of malignant obstruction between 2005 and 2013. Skeletal muscle mass was calculated from abdominal computed tomography scans, and the patients were divided into sarcopenic and non‐sarcopenic groups. A follow‐up computed tomography scan was available in 118 patients. The primary outcome was survival, and complication rates and the need for an alternative enteral feeding route were secondary outcomes.

Results

Sarcopenia occurred in 199 (85%) patients. Median survival was 146 (range: 76–226) days in the sarcopenia group and 152 (range: 71–249) days in the non‐sarcopenic group (P = 0.61). Complication rates between the groups were not significantly different (P = 0.85). In Cox regression analysis, the skeletal muscle index was inversely correlated with overall survival (hazard ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.97–0.99; P = 0.033).

Conclusions

Sarcopenia, defined by consensus thresholds, at the time of stent insertion cannot effectively predict poor survival in this patient cohort, but a lower skeletal muscle index correlates with poor prognosis as a continuous variable.
Nebulized Terbutaline and Ipratropium Bromide Versus Terbutaline Alone in Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Requiring Noninvasive Ventilation: A Randomized Double‐blind Controlled Trial
Authors: Beltaief Kaouthar , Msolli Mohamed Amine , Zorgati Asma , Sekma Adel , Fakhfakh Marwen , Marzouk Maryem Ben , Boubaker Hamdi , Grissa Mohamed Habib , Methamem Mehdi , Boukef Riadh , Belguith Asma , Bouida Wahid , Nouira Semir
Published: August 2018

Background

Short‐acting β2‐agonists are the mainstay of treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in the emergency department (ED). It is still unclear whether the addition of short‐acting anticholinergics is clinically more effective care compared to treatment with β2‐agonists alone in patients with hypercapnic AECOPD.

Objective

The objective was to evaluate whether combining ipratropium bromide (IB) to terbutaline reduces hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates compared to terbutaline alone in AECOPD hypercapnic patients.

Methods

In this double‐blind controlled trial, patients who were admitted to the ED for AECOPD requiring noninvasive ventilation (NIV) were randomized to receive either 5 mg of nebulized terbutaline combined to 0.5 mg of IB (terbutaline/IB group, n = 115) or 5 mg of terbutaline sulfate (terbutaline group, n = 117). Nebulization was repeated every 20 minutes for the first hour and every 4 hours within the first day. Primary outcomes were the rate of hospital admission and need for endotracheal intubation within the first 24 hours of the start of the experimental treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes from baseline of dyspnea, physiologic variables, length of hospital stay, ICU admission rate, and 7‐day mortality.

Results

The two groups were similar regarding baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. Hospital admission was observed in 70 patients (59.8%) in the terbutaline/IB group and in 75 patients (65.2%) in the terbutaline group (respiratory rate [RR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.93 to 1.27, p = 0.39). ICU admission was required in 37 (32.2%) patients in the terbutaline/IB group and 30 patients (25.6%) in terbutaline group (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.54, p = 0.27). There were no significant differences in dyspnea score, blood gas parameters changes, vital signs improvement, and 7‐day death rate between both groups.

Conclusion

In patients admitted to the ED for AECOPD requiring NIV, combination of nebulized IB and terbutaline did not reduce hospital admission and need to ICU care.
Determinants of seeking advice within defined contribution retirement savings schemes
Authors: Clark Gordon L. , Fiaschetti Maurizio , Gerrans Paul
Published: August 2018

We report results from a study of superannuation member advice‐seeking within their plan, explaining observed patterns by member age, gender, issue salience and size‐of‐bet effect. Inquiry mode, frequency and volume of contact with the advice‐provider, and sensitivity of members to legislative change and macroeconomic events are considered. Results show that gender (female more likely than male), age (older rather than younger), balance (larger rather than smaller) and experience (longer rather than shorter) are the strongest advice‐seeking predictors, consistent over time. Findings suggest member engagement around retirement planning may be more effective when considering the factors affecting advice‐seeking behaviour in general.
Substance use disorders and their effect on the psychiatric and justice systems
Authors: Schmidt Kristen A. , Lamoureux Ian C. , Schak Kathryn M. , Lachner Christian , Burton Mary Caroline , Larrabee Beth R. , Rummans Teresa A.
Published: August 2018

Background and Objectives

A high proportion of persons in institutionalized settings such as the criminal justice system and psychiatric hospitals have substance use disorders (SUDs). We explored the association between substance use, demographics, and criminal justice involvement in a population of patients placed on involuntary 72‐h holds in a psychiatric facility.

Methods

We retrospectively identified patients aged 18 through 57 years who had been placed on 72‐h holds during an acute psychiatric hospitalization during a 1‐year period. Data were analyzed with standard descriptive statistics, and data collection was reviewed by 2 randomly assigned psychiatrists.

Results

We identified 336 patients placed on 72‐h holds during an acute psychiatric stay. Of these, more than two‐thirds (68.5%; n = 230) had an SUD. Compared with patients not using substances, those with SUDs were significantly more likely to be younger (p = .003), male (p = .005), and unmarried (p < .001) and to have criminal justice involvement before (p < .001) and after hospitalization (p < .001). The rate of unemployment was similarly high in both users (67.4%) and nonusers (69.2%).

Discussion and Conclusions

Most patients on involuntary psychiatric holds have comorbid SUDs. These patients are more likely to have interacted with the criminal justice system and less likely to have social support in the form of marriage. Unemployment was common among all patients.

Scientific Significance

When SUDs are not treated by the criminal justice or mental health system, rehospitalization and criminal recidivism may result. (Am J Addict 2018;27:574–577)
Cooperative Autocracies: Leader Survival, Creditworthiness, and Bilateral Investment Treaties*
Authors: Arias Eric , Hollyer James R. , Rosendorff B. Peter
Published: August 2018

Capital accumulation is essential for economic development, but investors face risk when putting their capital to productive use. Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) commit leaders to limiting their takings of foreign assets and the revenues they generate. We offer theory and evidence that BITs enhance leader survival more in autocracies than democracies. BITs improve the “investment climate” in signatory states, and they do so by more in autocratic polities. Hazard models offer supporting evidence of improved autocratic leader survival. The improvement in the investment climate is evidenced by improvement of creditworthiness scores and higher sovereign bond prices, again with greater effect in autocratic states. Autocratic leaders have the most to gain from importing property rights–enhancing institutions.
Outcomes following emergency laparotomy in Australian public hospitals
Authors: Burmas Melinda , Aitken R. James , Broughton Katherine J.
Published: August 2018

Background

International studies reporting outcomes following emergency laparotomies have consistently demonstrated wide inter‐hospital variation and a 30‐day mortality in excess of 10%. The UK then prioritized the funding of the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit. In a prospective Western Australian audit there was minimal inter‐hospital variation and a 6.6% 30‐day mortality. In the absence of any multi‐hospital Australian data the aim of the present study was to compare national administrative data with that previously reported.

Methods

Data on emergency laparotomies performed in Australian public hospitals during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 were extracted from admitted patient activity and costing data sets collated by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority. The data sets, containing episode‐level data relating to admitted acute and sub‐acute care patients, included administrative, demographic and clinical information such as patient age, cost, length of stay, in‐hospital mortality, diagnosis and surgical procedure details.

Results

Ninety‐nine public hospitals undertaking at least 50 emergency laparotomies performed 20 388 procedures over the 2 years. The overall in‐hospital mortality was 5.2%. There was a wide interstate and inter‐hospital variation in risk‐adjusted in‐hospital mortality (4.8–6.6% and 0–9.3%, respectively), length of stay (12.5–16.8 days and 5.8–18.9 days, respectively) and intensive care unit admissions (24.5–40.2% and 0–75.7%, respectively).

Conclusion

This data suggest the wide variation in outcomes and care process observed overseas exist in Australia. However, administrative data has considerable limitations and is not a substitute for high quality prospective data. Minimizing variations through prospective quality improvement processes will improve patient outcomes.
Music Data Analysis: Foundations and Applications. Edited By C.Weihs,D.Jannach, I.Vatolkin and G.Rudolph. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. 2017. 675 pages. AUD$94.99 (hardback). ISBN978‐1‐4987‐1956‐8.
Authors: Bulger David
Published: August 2018

Review of an edited volume covering computational statistical methods in music production, processing, analysis and classification.
Hybrid pairwise‐likelihood estimation methods for incomplete longitudinal binary data
Authors: Li Haocheng , Zhang Yukun
Published: August 2018

In longitudinal data, missing observations occur commonly with incomplete responses and covariates. Missing data can have a ‘missing not at random’ mechanism, a non‐monotone missing pattern, and moreover response and covariates can be missing not simultaneously. To avoid complexities in both modelling and computation, a two‐stage estimation method and a pairwise‐likelihood method are proposed. The two‐stage estimation method enjoys simplicities in computation, but incurs more severe efficiency loss. On the other hand, the pairwise approach leads to estimators with better efficiency, but can be cumbersome in computation. In this paper, we develop a compromise method using a hybrid pairwise‐likelihood framework. Our proposed approach has better efficiency than the two‐stage method, but its computational cost is still reasonable compared to the pairwise approach. The performance of the methods is evaluated empirically by means of simulation studies. Our methods are used to analyse longitudinal data obtained from the National Population Health Study.
Healing of autologous conjunctival grafts in pterygium surgery
Authors: Ghoz Noha , Elalfy Mohamed , Said Dalia , Dua Harminder
Published: August 2018

Purpose

To temporally study the healing of conjunctival autografts in consecutive patients following pterygium surgery.

Methods

A case‐cohort observational study. Thirty‐two eyes of 28 patients who underwent pterygium surgery were included. All eyes had pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts. Twenty‐seven eyes of 24 patients underwent excision of primary pterygium while five eyes of four patients had surgery for recurrent pterygium. All grafts were attached using fibrin glue. Mitomycin‐C 0.04% was used intraoperatively in 25 eyes. All eyes were followed up at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Photographs were taken at each visit to monitor graft vessels, re‐perfusion and healing. Main outcome measures were graft loss; re‐perfusion of grafts and appearance and resolution of oedema, transudation and haemorrhage; approximation of graft edges to host bed and changes at donor site.

Results

No graft tissue was lost. In all eyes, healing of autografts started with graft swelling due to oedema and transudation followed by re‐perfusion injury, which manifested as swelling, variable vessels calibre, patchy or diffuse haemorrhage occurring within first week and resolving by fourth postoperative week. Graft vessels anastomose with vessels in surrounding conjunctiva and underlying episclera to re‐establish blood circulation. Retraction of graft edges from surrounding conjunctiva was uncommon with rapid epithelialization of exposed (epi)sclera.

Conclusion

Conjunctival autografts in pterygium surgery follow a consistent healing pattern dominated by re‐perfusion injury in early postoperative days. This produces dramatic changes in the autograft for which patients should be counselled before surgery. Conjunctival autografts are not at risk of falling off, losing epithelial cover or undergoing necrosis.
FINANCE, DISTRIBUTION AND THE ECONOMIC OBJECTIVE OF FINANCIAL COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS
Authors: KHAFAGY Amr
Published: August 2018

This paper proposes a model where the structure rather than the size of the financial sector explains its influence on income distribution. Because of information asymmetries, a financial sector dominated solely by profit‐maximizing financial intermediaries will increase income and wealth inequality as it gives preferential access to credit for high‐income agents, whereas a diversified inclusive financial sector with alternative models of finance, like cooperatives, will reduce the inequality gap. No full convergence in income distribution can be realized through finance only and there is still a need for redistribution policies. Accordingly, an objective function for cooperative financial institutions should define a desired pricing behaviour that can increase the income of members at a rate higher than the average growth rate of the economy.
COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES AND CONVENTIONAL FIRMS IN A SAMPLE OF QUASI‐TWIN COMPANIES
Authors: BRANDANO Maria Giovanna , DETOTTO Claudio , VANNINI Marco
Published: August 2018

The resilience of cooperatives and their positive contribution to employment in times of crisis is well established. However, their overall economic performance relative to conventional firms is still controversial, casting doubt on the ability of this alternative organizational form to govern the fundamental drivers of productivity. To shed new light on the issue, we study the comparative technical efficiency of agricultural cooperatives (ACs) and conventional firms (CFs), drawing on a unique data set comprising all wine‐producing companies in Sardinia (Italy) from 2004 to 2009. Due to the similarity of the habitats in which the firms operate and the careful measurement of several key inputs, the observed units are ‘twins’ in all non‐organizational respects, providing an ideal setting for comparison. Having generated efficiency scores through Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), we regressed the scores on external covariates and ownership type using a pooled truncated maximum likelihood formulation. Our findings, which survive correction for spatial correlations, indicate that cooperatives are less technically efficient than their capitalist counterparts and struggle more to adapt to extreme weather fluctuations. Both results are particularly worrying in light of the main challenges facing the wine industry in the near future: liberalization of EU planting rights and climate change.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR STATE‐OWNED ENTERPRISES AS A MEANS TO MITIGATE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO SWISS STATE‐OWNED ENTERPRISES
Authors: LIECHTI Fabian , FINGER Matthias
Published: August 2018

When governments act as owners of state‐owned enterprises (SOEs), they are both principal and agent at the same time. The literature on steering SOEs has mainly focused on the government as the principal that must control SOEs. However, the government is also an agent, vis‐à‐vis the parliament, because democratic constitutions stipulate some form of parliamentary oversight of the government. This oversight includes checks on how the government steers SOEs. However, this oversight function gives the parliament the power and opportunity to interfere into steering SOEs, which may lead to parliamentary interventions that are not coherent with governmental steering. We draw on principal–agent literature and public‐accountability literature to show that arbitrary and hands‐on parliamentary interference pose problems for steering SOEs. We analyze whether strategic objectives for SOEs, as recommended by public corporate governance guidelines, are appropriate to minimize parliamentary interference. We hypothesize that the Swiss government avoids or mitigates parliamentary interference by mid‐term strategic objectives for SOEs, which counteract short‐term parliamentary requests. We find that the Swiss government uses mid‐term strategic objectives, particularly financial ones, to reject parliamentary demands for more intervention into SOE activities.
CREDIT UNION MEMBER GROUP DOMINATION UNDER HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: MERCER Antonio Carlos , PÓVOA Angela , PICCOLI Pedro
Published: August 2018

Theoretical models for credit unions advocate that such organizations should pursue a neutral orientation in order to accommodate the conflicting interests of borrower members, who seek lower interest rates, and saver members, who look for higher returns on their savings. However, there is a lack of empirical support for such neutrality in high interest rate environments. This is because under such conditions, credit unions could accomplish their social mission by providing microcredit at a lower interest rate to local communities, thus becoming more borrower‐dominated. This paper investigates the member group domination of credit unions in Brazil, a country known for its high interest rates, and finds that the majority of credit unions (78.34%) are borrower‐dominated. This behavior becomes more pronounced when local interest rates rise, contradicting the predictions of neutrality‐seeking models. A percentage increase in the interest rate, increases about 5 times the likelihood of a CU becoming extreme borrower‐dominated. Besides interest rates, age, lower size, capital and lower efficiency of the credit unions are the main determinants of borrower domination.
Primary and secondary mucosal melanoma of the small intestine – a clinical, pathological, and genetic nationwide survey of Danish patients between 1980 and 2014
Authors: Tingsgaard Jakob Koefoed , Henriksen Amalie , Mikkelsen Lauge Hjorth , Behrendt Nille , Melchior Linea Cecilie , Svendsen Lars Bo , Heegaard Steffen
Published: August 2018

The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology, symptomatology, pathology, genetics, and treatment of primary and metastatic small intestine melanoma in a national Danish cohort. All Danish patients diagnosed with small intestinal melanoma during the period 1980–2014 were included. For each patient, clinical data along with available pathology report and tissue was registered. Targeted next‐generation sequencing (NGS) of known hotspots in 50 oncogenic genes was performed. Twenty patients with small intestinal melanoma were retrieved. Eight of these were primary melanomas. The median age was 66 years for primary melanoma patients and 58 years for secondary melanoma patients. The male/female ratio (M/F) was 3:1 for primary melanoma and 1:1 for secondary melanoma. The median time of survival was 3.5 months and 9 months for primary and secondary melanoma patients, respectively. NGS of primary tumours showed polymorphisms in the HRAS, PI3KCA, and JAK3 genes. Primary mucosal melanoma of the small intestines is a very rare disease, with an incidence of 0.04 cases/million/year in Denmark. Patients aged 59–70 years with abdominal symptoms should make the clinician consider a small bowel melanoma as a differential diagnosis. The prognosis ranged from less than a month to 183.6 months.
Social capital in a crisis: NGO responses to the 2015 Nepalese earthquakes
Authors: Hillig Zoe , Connell John
Published: August 2018

Two major earthquakes hit Nepal in April and May 2015 causing widespread devastation. Many NGOs, including CARE Nepal, International Nepal Fellowship and Richa Bajimaya Memorial Foundation, responded to the crisis in diverse ways. In the relief phase, the three NGOs faced many challenges as a result of inadequate planning for a large‐scale disaster, including access to information, coordination and inaccessibility. NGOs were able to partly overcome these problems through their ability to draw on social capital, networks and trust, values typical of Nepalese society, which is largely structured by informal social relations. Bonding and bridging social capital, and necessary linking social capital at a different scale, all posed certain problems for equity and efficiency. Although using social networks enabled a more rapid response, this could not easily combat inaccessibility and emphasised uneven development.
Big babies: Neoliberalism, adult male breastfeeding and the marketised maternal
Authors: Nast Heidi J.
Published: August 2018

This paper takes a preliminary look at a commoditised form of caregiving that emerged in the first decade of the new millennium in the USA, China and Japan: adult male breastfeeding (AMBF). I argue that AMBF is emblematic of both the changing geography of industrial production since the 1973 oil crisis and how consumption has since come to be the most important economic task of those within privileged nations and enclaves. AMBF emphasises how marketing forces today have deployed what are increasingly maternalistic imaginaries to emphasise the degree to which a product or service dyadically recognises, affirms and cares for its consuming subjects. The marketised maternal is rooted in the racialised reproductive savings of those long given privileged access to the superior productivity of the Machine, which compelled smaller family size. It is these savings that have allowed for new dyadic intimacies to be fashioned between the maternalised “market‐and‐me.” The flipside of this is that privileged consumers are increasingly infantilised, even as its dependencies are supported by a workforce largely procreated by racially diminished other‐mothers (ROMs). Infantilism, in turn, psychically shields consumers from the planetary devastations that have made privileged consumption possible. AMBF holds theoretical promise by making the unconscious nature of desire‐for the maternal (as a dyadic site of caregiving) explicit along with the latter's revolutionary potential.
Sweet potato vines in diets for growing rabbits on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality
Authors: Klinger Ana Carolina Kohlrausch , Picolli da Silva Leila , de Toledo Geni Salete Pinto , Falcone Diuly Bortoluzzi , Goulart Fernanda Rodrigues
Published: August 2018

The use of residues as substitutes for conventional ingredients in animal feed is a promising alternative able to reduce both costs and environmental pollution. This study aimed to evaluate the viability of using sweet potato vines (SPV) as a replacement for alfalfa hay in diets for growing rabbits. The performance, carcass characteristics, meat composition and metabolic parameters of the liver were evaluated in 30 New Zealand rabbits weaned at 35 days old and an average weight of 900 g. The animals were allotted into three dietary groups: 0SPV, control diet without SPV; 50SPV, diet with 50% replacement of alfalfa hay by SPV; 100SPV, diet with 100% replacement of alfalfa hay by SPV. The animals were slaughtered at 77 days of age. The liver was collected for analysis of glucose and hepatic glycogen and meat samples were collected for analysis of the chemical composition. The data obtained were statistically compared by analysis of variance followed by the Tukey test (0.05). None of the analyzed variables presented differences. It can be concluded, therefore, that SPV may be used as a substitute for alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for rabbits without impairing the performance and meat composition.
Low sensitivity of a test for anti‐Mullerian hormone to assess presence of ovaries in prepubertal bitches
Authors: Hill JR , Wilkinson J , Mallyon J , Anderson ST
Published: August 2018

Background

Anti‐Mullerian hormone (AMH) is currently used in several species as an indicator of the number of antral and pre‐antral follicles within the ovaries. Currently, there is some uncertainty on the precision of a single AMH test for detecting the presence of ovarian tissue in prepubertal, pubertal and spayed bitches. The purpose of this study was to investigate the specificity of AMH levels determined using the Gen II AMH ELISA to detect the presence or absence of ovarian tissue in bitches of varying ages.

Methods

From a large cohort of dogs located at an animal shelter, 36 bitches were assigned to three age groups (< 6 months; 6–18 months and > 2 years of age) plus a group of six spayed bitches.

Results

AMH was below the detectable limit for each spayed bitch (< 0.010 ng/mL) and for 9/10 intact bitches aged less than 6 months. AMH levels were therefore significantly different for these two groups compared with older intact bitches (6–18 months, 0.302 ± 0.135 ng/mL; > 2 years, 0.237 ± 0.210 ng/mL). AMH was undetectable in two intact bitches aged > 2 years of age, which gave a sensitivity of 82% in that group. Overall, the sensitivity of the test was 90% for all bitches aged over 6 months, which highlights that a small percentage of intact females will be incorrectly diagnosed as having no ovarian tissue.

Conclusion

AMH testing had very low sensitivity in bitches aged less than 6 months and thus it is advisable to delay testing in very young bitches.
Additional evidence for a therapeutic effect of dextromethorphan/quinidine on bulbar motor function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A quantitative speech analysis
Authors: Green Jordan R. , Allison Kristen M. , Cordella Claire , Richburg Brian D. , Pattee Gary L. , Berry James D. , Macklin Eric A. , Pioro Erik P. , Smith Richard A.
Published: August 2018

Aims

A recent double‐blind placebo‐controlled crossover 70‐day trial demonstrated that a fixed combination of dextromethorphan and quinidine (DM/Q) improves speech and swallowing function in most patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this study, a subset of participants, many of whom did not substantially improve while on DM/Q, were re‐evaluated using computer‐based speech analyses and expert clinician ratings of the overall severity of speech impairment.

Methods

Speech samples were recorded from the subset of 10 patients at four visits made at approximately 30‐day intervals. The recordings were analysed by automated computer‐based analysis of speech pausing patterns. Severity of speech impairment was rated by three experienced speech‐language pathologists using direct magnitude estimation. Scores on patient‐reported and clinician‐administered scales of bulbar motor involvement were obtained at each visit.

Results

The effects of DM/Q were detected on several of the objective speech measures, including total pause duration (s) (Cohen's d = 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) –1.70, 0.24), pause time (%) (d = 0.77, 95% CI –1.75, 0.21), and mean speech event duration (s) (d = 0.52, 95% CI –0.44, 1.47), but not on clinician ratings of speech or the speech components of the self‐report or clinician‐administered scales.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that even patients with modest improvement while on DM/Q may experience quantifiable improvements in speech when assessed using sensitive and objective measures. This study provides additional evidence of the positive impact of DM/Q on one or more of the neural systems that control bulbar motor function and production of speech.
Compulsory moral bioenhancement should be covert
Authors: Crutchfield Parker
Published: August 2018

Some theorists argue that moral bioenhancement ought to be compulsory. I take this argument one step further, arguing that if moral bioenhancement ought to be compulsory, then its administration ought to be covert rather than overt. This is to say that it is morally preferable for compulsory moral bioenhancement to be administered without the recipients knowing that they are receiving the enhancement. My argument for this is that if moral bioenhancement ought to be compulsory, then its administration is a matter of public health, and for this reason should be governed by public health ethics. I argue that the covert administration of a compulsory moral bioenhancement program better conforms to public health ethics than does an overt compulsory program. In particular, a covert compulsory program promotes values such as liberty, utility, equality, and autonomy better than an overt program does. Thus, a covert compulsory moral bioenhancement program is morally preferable to an overt moral bioenhancement program.
NADPH‐oxidase‐derived ROS alters cell migration by modulating adhesions dynamics
Authors: Tamborindeguy Maurício Tavares , Matte Bibiana Franzen , Ramos Grasieli de Oliveira , Alves Alessandro Menna , Bernardi Lisiane , Lamers Marcelo Lazzaron
Published: August 2018

Background Information

Cell migration requires the coordinated activation of structural and signalling molecules, such as the RhoGTPase Rac1. It is known that the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase complex assembly, which generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the cell membrane, also relies on Rac1 activation, indicating a possible effect of ROS during cell migration. In this study, we evaluated the effect of NADPH‐oxidase‐derived ROS on the migration process.

Results

Using time‐lapse videos of CHO.K1 cells plated on fibronectin (2 μg/ml) or collagen (5 μg/cm2), we observed that depletion of ROS by N‐acetyl‐cysteine (NAC, 10 mM), an unspecific antioxidant, or diphenyliodonium (DPI, 10 μM), a NADPH‐oxidase inhibitor, induced a ∼50% decrease in migration speed and severely impacted migration directionality. Then, we analysed the effects of NADPH oxidase on three migratory events: protrusion rate, adhesion process and signalling pathways related to cell migration. DPI induced an increase of ∼3 protrusion/cell, which were 2× faster but had a ∼50% retraction when compared with control. By pull‐down assay, we observed no changes on Rac1 activation, indicating that ROS‐mediated effects were related to downstream molecules, such as adhesion‐related molecules. A reduction of the adhesion marker FAK‐Y397 levels in cells treated with NAC and DPI was observed. In order to analyse adhesion dynamics, CHO.K1 cells transfected with paxillin‐GFP analysed with total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) indicated that DPI (5 μM) induced larger adhesions when compared with control.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the local generation of NADPH‐oxidase‐derived ROS can modulate cell migration due to changes on adhesion dynamics and signalling.

Significance

This study highlights the physiological requirement of ROS for cell migration and the potential use of these molecules as targets to modulate the cell migration process at different diseases.
Cross‐border freight movements in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region, with insights from passive GPS data
Authors: Anderson William P. , Maoh Hanna F. , Gingerich Kevin
Published: August 2018

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence binational region is one of the most significant concentrations of industrial production on earth and contains the most active corridors for goods movements in the Canada‐United States trade relationship. The history of industrial development in this region involves the exploitation of coal and iron ore for steel production, the development of the railroads and the expansion of commercial agriculture, and the growth of the automotive and other high value‐added manufacturing industries. Canadian and American industrial complexes became increasingly integrated with the support of trade agreements in the latter decades of the 20th century. Development of cross‐border supply chains led to massive international flows of intermediate goods. In this context, the performance of a few key border crossings is of critical economic importance. New information drawn from very large datasets of Global Positioning System records generated by cross‐border truck movements sheds new light on both the spatial patterns of cross‐border goods movement and the performance of border crossings.