bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformational leadership in teams – the effects of a team leader’s sex and personality
Authors: Brandt Tiina Maria , Edinger Piia
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate whether transformational leadership exists in teams, and if so, whether it is represented in a similar way as in more traditional leadership situations. The study also aims to determine whether a team leader’s sex has an influence on the relationship between personality and team leadership when team members evaluate the leader’s behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

– A quantitative analysis is conducted on input from 104 team leaders and 672 team members from a Finnish university. Data were collected during university courses, and the team leaders’ transformational leadership styles were evaluated by team members at the end of the courses.

Findings

– The results indicate that the transformational leadership questionnaire is applicable when studying team leadership; the Visioning dimension might be absent, but Modelling, Enabling, Challenging and Rewarding dimensions represent transformational leadership in teams. Women tend to be more transformational team leaders than men. Personality seems to influence both sexes, so that extraverted and judging personality types are more transformational leaders than introverted and perceiving ones. In relation to sex, introverted, sensing, thinking and perceiving female leaders are regarded as more transformational than men with similar preferences. Additionally, some personality preferences seem to be sex-neutral in terms of team transformational leadership when rated by team members.

Originality/value

– There is no previous study combining these variables in the academic team context.
Challenging the concept of risk in relation to women’s entrepreneurship
Authors: Humbert Anne Laure , Brindley Clare
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to challenge the myth of risk-averseness among women entrepreneurs and analyses risk in the context of gender. It explores risk perceptions and examines the relationship between the concept of risk and women’s socially attributed roles.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts a qualitative approach, where ten Irish women business owners were interviewed, that encouraged them to talk about their entrepreneurial experiences. The research design aimed to elicit data concerning how gender and the socio-economic context influenced risk.

Findings

– Risk is shown as a gendered concept which needs to be widened to suit the experiences of women entrepreneurs and the influences of the gendered expectations of care dictated by the socio-economic environment.

Practical implications

– Risk as a concept needs to be expanded to go beyond financial risk. The different types of risk encountered by women should be addressed by policy to promote a further growth of women-led enterprises and support those considering self-employment.

Originality/value

– The paper develops an understanding of risk among women entrepreneurs in their socio-economic context. It challenges the viewpoint of seeing women entrepreneurs as risk-averse and thus leading to low-growth prospects for their business ventures.
Organizational culture, structure, technology infrastructure and knowledge sharing
Authors: Islam Md Zahidul , Jasimuddin Sajjid M. , Hasan Ikramul
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine how organizational culture, structure and technology infrastructure influence knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study is based on quantitative research, administered on 90 managerial staff in multinational corporations (MNCs) based in Malaysia.

Findings

– The paper explains the role of organizational cultural and structure on knowledge-sharing processes in MNCs, with the moderating effect of technology infrastructure. Learning and development, top management support and centralization are positively related to knowledge sharing, using technology infrastructure as a moderator.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings will help MNCs to create an appropriate environment of knowledge sharing. However, the research is limited to MNC’s in Penang, Malaysia, only. Furthermore, similar research can be extended to MNCs in other Asian countries with a larger sample which may bring more statistical power and, thereby, increases generalizability.

Practical implications

– The outcome of this research provides useful indications of how organizations can work to ensure knowledge sharing within their work place.

Originality/value

– While the links between organizational culture and knowledge sharing and between organizational structure and knowledge sharing have been examined independently, few studies have investigated the association between the three concepts. This paper examines the nature of this relationship and presents empirical evidence, which suggests that the relationship between organizational culture, organizational structure and knowledge sharing is moderated by the technology infrastructure.
How to measure knowledge management: dimensions and model
Authors: García-Fernández Mariano
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The aims of this paper are: to identify the dimensions of knowledge management (KM), and to propose a model for KM that will be useful for future researchers in carrying out KM measurement.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a literature review of theoretical and empirical contributions to KM.

Findings

– The results obtained show that the creation, transfer and storage, and implementation and use are dimensions of the concept of KM. On the basis of these dimensions, this study proposes a model integrating these dimensions and operationalizes it using selected items, so that future researchers may carry out measurements using the proposed model.

Practical implications

– The study implies that companies and researchers use a smaller time in theoretical checks and can devote to measurements which develop improvements.

Originality/value

– The present model differs from other, previous models in that it integrates various approaches to the study of KM.
Does Higher Spending Improve Survival Outcomes for Myocardial Infarction? Examining the Cost‐Outcomes Relationship Using Time‐Varying Covariates
Authors: Cohen Deborah , Manuel Douglas G. , Tugwell Peter , Sanmartin Claudia , Ramsay Tim
Published: February 2015

Objectives

Previous patient‐level acute myocardial infarction (AMI) research has found higher hospital spending to be associated with improved survival; however, survivor‐treatment selection bias traditionally has been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to examine the AMI cost‐outcome relationship, taking into account this form of bias.

Data Sources

Hospital Discharge Abstract data tracked costs for AMI hospitalizations. Ontario Vital Statistics data tracked patient mortality.

Study Design

A standard Cox survival model was compared to an extended Cox model using hospital costs as a time‐varying covariate to examine the impact of cost on 1‐year survival in a cohort of 30,939 first‐time AMI patients in Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2010.

Principal Findings

Higher patient‐level AMI spending decreased the hazard of dying (Standard Model: log‐cost hazard ratio: 0.513, 95 percent CI: 0.479–0.549; Extended Model: log‐cost hazard ratio: 0.700, 95 percent CI: 0.645–0.758); however, the protective effect was overestimated by 62 percent when survivor‐treatment bias was overlooked. In the extended model, a 10 percent increase in spending was associated with a 3.6 percent decrease in hazard of death.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that if survivor‐treatment bias is overlooked, future research may materially overstate the protective effect of patient‐level spending on outcomes.
Patterns and causes of geographic variation in bat echolocation pulses
Authors: JIANG Tinglei , WU Hui , FENG Jiang
Published: February 2015

Evolutionary biologists have a long‐standing interest in how acoustic signals in animals vary geographically, because divergent ecology and sensory perception play an important role in speciation. Geographic comparisons are valuable in determining the factors that influence divergence of acoustic signals. Bats are social mammals and they depend mainly on echolocation pulses to locate prey, to navigate and to communicate. Mounting evidence shows that geographic variation of bat echolocation pulses is common, with a mean 5–10 kHz differences in peak frequency, and a high level of individual variation may be nested in this geographical variation. However, understanding the geographic variation of echolocation pulses in bats is very difficult, because of differences in sample and statistical analysis techniques as well as the variety of factors shaping the vocal geographic evolution. Geographic differences in echolocation pulses of bats generally lack latitudinal, longitudinal and elevational patterns, and little is known about vocal dialects. Evidence is accumulating to support the fact that geographic variation in echolocation pulses of bats may be caused by genetic drift, cultural drift, ecological selection, sexual selection and social selection. Future studies could relate geographic differences in echolocation pulses to social adaptation, vocal learning strategies and patterns of dispersal. In addition, new statistical techniques and acoustic playback experiments may help to illustrate the causes and consequences of the geographic evolution of echolocation pulse in bats.
Refining Measures of Alcohol Problems for General Population Surveys
Authors: Karriker‐Jaffe Katherine J. , Witbrodt Jane , Greenfield Thomas K.
Published: February 2015

Background

There is a need to improve classification of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in general population surveys. We developed and tested follow‐up questions for 2 commonly reported symptom domains (withdrawal and larger/longer) to assess effects on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual‐5 AUD classification.

Methods

Telephone interviews recontacted a selective follow‐up sample of respondents under age 46 from the 2010 National Alcohol Survey with at least 1 lifetime AUD symptom (n = 244). Items included detailed questions about past‐year AUD symptoms. Three items (vomiting, sweating, irritability) were recoded as acute intoxication rather than withdrawal if they most recently occurred within 8 hours of stopping drinking. The larger/longer criterion was recoded as socially motivated if respondents endorsed “got caught up in drinking with a group of friends” and not “feel compelled to drink and just can't stop” as a reason for drinking more than intended.

Results

Of 225 current drinkers, 11% reported past‐year withdrawal, with 28% of those reporting acute intoxication instead of physical withdrawal. Adjusting past‐year withdrawal classification reduced AUD prevalence by 6%. A minority (12%) reported the past‐year larger/longer criterion. Of those, 50% indicated social reasons for drinking more than intended, rather than compulsion to drink. Adjusting the past‐year larger/longer criterion reduced AUD prevalence by 8%. Accounting for both adjustments reduced AUD prevalence by 13%. Cases that met AUD criteria after both adjustments were substantially heavier drinkers than those that were reclassified.

Conclusions

Follow‐up items could be implemented in epidemiologic studies with minimal response burden and may help reduce misclassification of AUD.
Developmental progression to early adult binge drinking and marijuana use from worsening versus stable trajectories of adolescent attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and delinquency
Authors: Howard Andrea L. , Molina Brooke S. G. , Swanson James M. , Hinshaw Stephen P. , Belendiuk Katherine A. , Harty Seth C. , Arnold L. Eugene , Abikoff Howard B. , Hechtman Lily , Stehli Annamarie , Greenhill Laurence L. , Newcorn Jeffrey H. , Wigal Timothy
Published: February 2015

Aims

To examine the association between developmental trajectories of inattention, hyperactivity–impulsivity and delinquency through childhood and adolescence (ages 8–16 years) and subsequent binge drinking and marijuana use in early adulthood (age 21 years).

Design

Prospective naturalistic follow‐up of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) previously enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Treatment‐phase assessments occurred at 3, 9 and 14 months after randomization; follow‐up assessments occurred at 24 months, 36 months, and 6, 8 and 12 years after randomization.

Setting

Secondary analysis of data from the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA), a multi‐site RCT comparing the effects of careful medication management, intensive behavior therapy, their combination, and referral to usual community care.

Participants

A total of 579 children with DSM‐IV ADHD combined type, aged 7.0 and 9.9 years at baseline (mean = 8.5, SD = 0.80).

Measurements

Ratings of inattention, hyperactivity–impulsivity and delinquency were collected from multiple informants at baseline and through the 8‐year follow‐up. Self‐reports of binge drinking and marijuana use were collected at the 12‐year follow‐up (mean age 21 years).

Findings

Trajectories of worsening inattention symptoms and delinquency (and less apparent improvement in hyperactivity–impulsivity) were associated with higher rates of early adult binge drinking and marijuana use, compared with trajectories of stable or improving symptoms and delinquency (of 24 comparisons, all P‐values <0.05), even when symptom levels in stable trajectories were high.

Conclusions

Worsening inattention symptoms and delinquency during adolescence are were associated with higher levels of early adult substance use; this pattern may reflect a developmental course of vulnerability to elevated substance use in early adulthood.
New reference charts for testicular volume in Dutch children and adolescents allow the calculation of standard deviation scores
Authors: Joustra Sjoerd D. , van der Plas Evelyn M. , Goede Joery , Oostdijk Wilma , Delemarre‐van de Waal Henriette A. , Hack Wilfried W.M. , van Buuren Stef , Wit Jan M.
Published: February 2015

Aim

Accurate calculations of testicular volume standard deviation (SD) scores are not currently available. We constructed LMS‐smoothed age‐reference charts for testicular volume in healthy boys.

Methods

The LMS method was used to calculate reference data, based on testicular volumes from ultrasonography and Prader orchidometer of 769 healthy Dutch boys aged 6 months to 19 years. We also explored the association between testicular growth and pubic hair development, and data were compared to orchidometric testicular volumes from the 1997 Dutch nationwide growth study.

Results

The LMS‐smoothed reference charts showed that no revision of the definition of normal onset of male puberty – from nine to 14 years of age – was warranted. In healthy boys, the pubic hair stage SD scores corresponded with testicular volume SD scores (r = 0.394). However, testes were relatively small for pubic hair stage in Klinefelter's syndrome and relatively large in immunoglobulin superfamily member 1 deficiency syndrome.

Conclusion

The age‐corrected SD scores for testicular volume will aid in the diagnosis and follow‐up of abnormalities in the timing and progression of male puberty and in research evaluations. The SD scores can be compared with pubic hair SD scores to identify discrepancies between cell functions that result in relative microorchidism or macroorchidism.
GOVERNANCE OF NON‐PROFIT AND NON‐GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS – WITHIN‐ AND BETWEEN‐ ORGANIZATION ANALYSES: AN INTRODUCTION
Authors: ALDASHEV Gani , MARINI Marco , VERDIER Thierry
Published: February 2015

Despite the fact that nonprofit organizations play a large role in the production and distribution of goods and services in modern economies, and the rising role of non‐governmental organizations in carrying out projects in developing countries, our knowledge of their governance, and of its’ implications for their behaviour and performance, is limited. This special issue tries to uncover some of the mechanisms and institutions that characterize the governance of non‐profits and NGOs, as well as its implications. In particular, the papers focus on: (i) the determinants of NGO governance and its implications for reducing poverty in developing countries, (ii) the governance of non‐profit organizations, (iii) the impact of governance characteristics on the performance of non‐profit organizations, and (iv) the effect of non‐profit governance on the interaction between the non‐profit and for‐profit sectors.
WHY PAY NGOs TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY?
Authors: BURGER Ronelle , DASGUPTA Indraneel , OWENS Trudy
Published: February 2015

We examine the case for donors providing financial incentives to, i.e. subsidizing, NGOs to increase community participation. We show that the introduction of such a ‘participation subsidy’ may reduce beneficiary welfare. Thus, eliminating community participation from the set of conditions for funding an NGO may in fact benefit target communities. We show how our theoretical analysis may be operationalized by applying it to data from the NGO sector in Uganda. Our empirical findings appear to reject the case for providing a participation subsidy in that context.
WHO HAD THE IDEA TO BUILD UP A VILLAGE ORGANIZATION? SOME EVIDENCE FROM SENEGAL AND BURKINA FASO
Authors: NAVARRA Cecilia , VALLINO Elena
Published: February 2015

In this paper we deal with the relationship between external donors and village organizations (VOs) in Western Sub‐Saharan Africa. We utilize a large dataset of village organizations in rural areas of Senegal and Burkina Faso. We argue that the kind of relationship established with northern donors may have effects on the governance mechanisms of the village organization. We investigate to what extent differences in the foundation of the VO and of the partnership with the external donor can partially explain outcomes and membership structures of the VO itself. Our results go in the direction of possible diverging effects of a donor intervention in the village organization, according to the degree of proactivity and initiative that the VO displays.
EXPLORING BOARD INTERLOCKING BEHAVIOUR BETWEEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: WILLEMS Jurgen , VAN PUYVELDE Stijn , JEGERS Marc , VANTILBORGH Tim , BIDEE Jemima , PEPERMANS Roland
Published: February 2015

Directors on boards of nonprofit organizations can have additional director positions in other nonprofit organizations. When several of these interlocking directors exist for a group of nonprofit organizations, a board network is formed. We investigate to what extent similarity between organizations in terms of size, funding structure and operational activities relates to the presence of shared board members between organizations. For a network of 610 organizations we test and confirm that board networks are not formed at random, but that similarity of organizational characteristics explains interlocking behaviour, and that clusters of similar organizations exist within the overall nonprofit sector. Given this observation we propose three areas for further research. In particular we discuss opportunities regarding potential effects of network clustering, the causal direction of the relationship found, and the complementarity of the board network to other social networks in the nonprofit sector.
Labour Market Governance and the Creation of Outsiders
Authors: Crouch Colin
Published: February 2015

Using case‐study data, the article examines the contention that protective labour market policies and trade union action are responsible for growing divisions between labour market ‘insiders and outsiders’. Case studies are reported on developments in collective bargaining in the hospitals and engineering sectors from seven western and central European countries. The article finds that managerial strategies, and interactions between management and unions, have to be considered to give a full account of the growth of precarious employment.
Submarine sediment and landform record of a palaeo‐ice stream within the British−Irish Ice Sheet
Authors: Bradwell Tom , Stoker Martyn S.
Published: February 2015

This paper examines marine geophysical and geological data, and new multibeam bathymetry data to describe the Pleistocene sediment and landform record of a large ice‐stream system that drained ∼3% of the entire British−Irish Ice Sheet at its maximum extent. Starting on the outer continental shelf NW of Scotland we describe: the ice‐stream terminus environment and depocentre on the outer shelf and continental slope; sediment architecture and subglacial landforms on the mid‐shelf and in a large marine embayment (the Minch); moraines and grounding line features on the inner shelf and in the fjordic zone. We identify new soft‐bed (sediment) and hard‐bed (bedrock) subglacial landform assemblages in the central and inner parts of the Minch that confirm the spatial distribution, coherence and trajectory of a grounded fast‐flowing ice‐sheet corridor. These include strongly streamlined bedrock forms and megagrooves indicating a high degree of ice‐bed coupling in a zone of flow convergence associated with ice‐stream onset; and a downstream bedform evolution (short drumlins to km‐scale glacial lineations) suggesting an ice‐flow velocity transition associated with a bed substrate and roughness change in the ice‐stream trunk. Chronology is still lacking for the timing of ice‐stream demise; however, the seismic stratigraphy, absence of moraines or grounding‐line features, and presence of well‐preserved subglacial bedforms and iceberg scours, combined with the landward deepening bathymetry, all suggest that frontal retreat in the Minch was probably rapid, via widespread calving, before stabilization in the nearshore zone. Large moraine complexes recording a coherent, apparently long‐lived, ice‐sheet margin position only 5–15 km offshore strongly support this model. Reconstructed ice‐discharge values for the Minch ice stream (12–20 Gt a−1) are comparable to high mass‐flux ice streams today, underlining it as an excellent palaeo‐analogue for recent rapid change at the margins of the Greenland and West Antarctic Ice Sheets.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition is regulated at post‐transcriptional levels by transforming growth factor‐β signaling during tumor progression
Authors: Saitoh Masao
Published: February 2015

Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β acts as a tumor suppressor during cancer initiation, but as a tumor promoter during tumor progression. It has become increasingly clear that TGF‐β plays fundamental roles in multiple steps of tumor progression, including epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). The EMT, first described by developmental biologists at the beginning of the 1980s, plays crucial roles in appropriate embryonic development, but also functions in adults during wound healing, organ fibrosis, and tumor progression. During EMT, epithelial cells lose their epithelial polarity and acquire mesenchymal phenotypes, endowing them with migratory and invasive properties. Many secreted polypeptides are implicated in this process, and act in a sequential or cooperative manner. TGF‐β induces EMT by propagating intracellular signaling pathways and activating transcriptional factors. Here, I discuss new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying induction of EMT by TGF‐β in cooperation with Ras or growth factors, along with the signals that induce EMT through transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation.
Income‐related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services in Finland after a major subsidization reform
Authors: Raittio Eero , Kiiskinen Urpo , Helminen Sari , Aromaa Arpo , Suominen Anna Liisa
Published: February 2015

Objectives

In Finland, a major oral healthcare reform (OHCR), implemented during 2001–2002, opened the public dental services (PDS) and extended subsidies for private dental services to entire adult population. Before the reform, adults born earlier than 1956 were not entitled to use PDS nor did they receive any reimbursements for their private dental costs. We aimed to examine changes in the income‐related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services among the adult Finns after the reform.

Methods

Representative data from Finnish adults born in 1970 or earlier were gathered from three identical postal surveys concerning the use of dental services and subjective perceptions of oral health. Those surveys were conducted before the OHCR in 2001 (n = 1907) and after the OHCR in 2004 (n = 1629) and 2007 (n = 1509). We used concentration index and its decomposition to analyse income‐related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services and factors associated with them.

Results

Results showed that pro‐rich inequality and inequity in the overall use of dental services narrowed from 2001 to 2004. However, between 2004 and 2007, pro‐rich inequality and inequity widened, so it returned to a rather similar level in 2007 as it had been in 2001. Most of the pro‐rich inequality and inequity were related to regular dental visiting habit and income level. While there was pro‐poor inequality and inequity in the use of PDS, there was pro‐rich inequality and inequity in the use of private dental services throughout the study years.

Conclusion

It seems that income‐related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services narrowed only temporarily after the reform.
Socially unequal improvements in dental caries levels in Brazilian adolescents between 2003 and 2010
Authors: Roncalli Angelo G. , Sheiham Aubrey , Tsakos Georgios , Watt Richard G.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

Although there are numerous reports on socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries, few studies have focused on whether improvements in dental status have been accompanied by changes in socioeconomic inequalities in caries. The objective of this study was to assess whether declines in caries between 2003 and 2010 were associated with reductions in inequalities in dental caries in adolescents.

Methods

Data on dental caries in adolescents aged 15–19 were used from the Brazilian National Oral Health surveys conducted in 2003 (n = 16 833) and 2010 (n = 5445). The dependent variables were Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and the percentage caries free. Household income and educational level were independent variables. Differences between surveys for DMFT and caries free were calculated, and measurement of inequality was performed using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and Relative Index of Inequality (RII).

Results

Both DMFT and percentage caries free showed significant differences in absolute (SII) and relative (RII) inequalities between the two surveys for both education and income. The SII for DMFT rose from 0.54 to 2.01 and from 1.44 to 3.67 for income and education, respectively. For caries free, these values were 3.64–19.40 and 5.06–22.93. Regarding to RII, a similar trend has been found.

Conclusions

Despite the overall reduction in DMFT and an increase in caries free, there were increases in both income and education‐related inequalities in caries in Brazilian adolescents. The findings on caries differ from those for other health conditions in Brazil, where there have been reductions in inequalities.
Differential TLR‐induced cytokine production by human mast cells is amplified by FcɛRI triggering
Authors: Suurmond J. , Dorjée A. L. , Knol E. F. , Huizinga T. W. J. , Toes R. E. M.
Published: February 2015

Background

Mast cells are mainly present in strategic locations, where they may have a role in defence against parasites and bacteria. These pathogens can be recognized by mast cells via Toll‐like receptors (TLR). Allergic symptoms are often increased in the presence of pathogens at the site of allergen exposure, but it is unknown which cytokines can mediate such an effect.

Objective

To study whether an interaction between IgE‐ and TLR‐mediated activation of human mast cells can contribute to exacerbated inflammatory responses.

Methods

Peripheral blood‐derived mast cells were stimulated with TLR ligands, in the presence or absence of anti‐IgE triggering, after which degranulation was measured using flow cytometry and cytokine production was evaluated by multiplex assays, and ELISA. For evaluation of allergen‐specific responses, mast cells were sensitized with serum of allergic individuals or controls, after which they were stimulated using allergens in combination with TLR ligands.

Results

Simultaneous triggering of mast cells via IgE and TLR ligands greatly enhanced cytokine production but not IgE‐induced degranulation. Different TLR ligands specifically enhanced the differential production of cytokines in conjunction with FcεRI triggering. Importantly, only TLR‐4 and TLR‐6 were able to induce robust production of IL‐13, an important molecule in allergic reactions.

Conclusions & Clinical Relevance

These results indicate that the simultaneous presence of pathogen‐ or danger‐associated signals and FcεRI triggering via specific IgE can significantly modify mast cell‐mediated allergic reactions via synergistic production of cytokines and inflammatory mediators and provide an explanation of augmented allergic symptoms during infection.
Basal metabolic rate in women with PCOS compared to eumenorrheic controls
Authors: Churchill Sara J. , Wang Erica T. , Bhasin Gaisu , Alexander Carolyn , Bresee Catherine , Pall Marita , Azziz Ricardo , Mathur Ruchi , Pisarska Margareta D.
Published: February 2015

Objective

PCOS is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Efforts have focused on whether an abnormal energy homeostasis contributes to the development of obesity in these patients. There are conflicting results in the literature regarding whether women with PCOS have an altered basal metabolic rate (BMR), thereby leading to difficulties in weight loss. The objective of this study is to compare basal metabolic rate (BMR) in women with PCOS and controls.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Patients

One hundred and twenty‐eight PCOS patients diagnosed by original NIH consensus criteria and 72 eumenorrheic, non‐hirsute controls were recruited from an academic medical centre.

Measurements

Assessment of BMR using the InBody portable bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device and insulin resistance by HOMA‐IR indices.

Results

PCOS women were younger than controls. As expected, PCOS subjects had higher body mass index (BMI), serum androgens and estimated insulin resistance. After adjusting for age and BMI, there was no significant difference in BMR between PCOS subjects (adjusted mean 5807 kJ/day, 95% CI 5715–5899) and controls (adjusted mean 5916 kJ/day, 95% CI 5786–6046) (P = 0·193). BMR was also comparable in a secondary analysis comparing PCOS women with and without insulin resistance.

Conclusions

After adjusting for age and BMI, there was no difference in BMR between PCOS women and controls.
Evolution of Paget's disease of bone in adults inheriting SQSTM1 mutations
Authors: Cundy Tim , Rutland Michael D. , Naot Dorit , Bolland Mark
Published: February 2015

Context

The cause of Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is unknown, but genetic factors, particularly SQSTM1 mutations, and environmental factors are important.

Objective

To investigate the development of PDB in asymptomatic relatives carrying SQSTM1 mutations to determine whether a secular trend towards a less severe phenotype is evident, and to estimate prospectively the rate at which PDB emerged in this genetically susceptible population.

Design

We recruited first‐degree relatives of patients with PDB [33 adult offspring (mean age 45) and 1 sibling] with a familial SQSTM1 mutation. We determined the presence of PDB with skeletal scintiscans and confirmatory radiographs. Those negative for PDB on the initial scan were investigated again a mean 5·1 years later.

Results

The initial skeletal scintiscan demonstrated PDB in six subjects; 26 of the remaining 28 unaffected subjects had a second scintiscan, with two new cases of monostotic PDB diagnosed in 134 patient‐years of follow‐up. In the total eight adult offspring diagnosed with PDB, the age of diagnosis was greater, by at least 10 years, than that in the 21 probands with clinically identified PDB (P = 0·005). In adult offspring who were older at the time of skeletal scintigraphy than their affected parents were at the time of clinical diagnosis, the difference was even more marked (P < 0·001). In adult offspring with PDB, the disease was significantly less extensive than in their affected parent, as judged by alkaline phosphatase and disease extent (P < 0·003).

Conclusion

These findings suggest a substantial gene–environment interaction: the emergence of PDB in offspring inheriting SQSTM1 mutations is delayed by at least a decade, has a substantially attenuated phenotype and occurs at a low rate between the (mean) ages of 45 and 50 years. The nature of the environmental factor is unknown.
The associations between triglyceride to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios and the risks of gestational diabetes mellitus and large‐for‐gestational‐age infant
Authors: Wang Dongyu , Xu Shuqia , Chen Haitian , Zhong Lieqiang , Wang Zilian
Published: February 2015

Objective

To evaluate the associations between triglyceride to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL‐C) ratios and the risks of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and delivering large‐for‐gestational‐age (LGA) infant.

Design

This was a single‐centre prospective observational study.

Patients

Six hundred and thirty‐six women with a singleton pregnancy were recruited.

Measurements

Lipids profile, HbA1c and glucose were measured at the time of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) during 24–28 gestational weeks. TG/HDL‐C ratios were calculated and clinical data including perinatal parameters were analysed.

Results

The prevalence of GDM was 17·30% (n = 110) and LGA was 3·93% (n = 25) in this study. TG/HDL‐C ratios were found to be significantly higher in GDM group (P < 0·01) and LGA group (P = 0·045) compared with those in non‐GDM group and non‐LGA group, respectively. TG/HDL‐C ratios were independently associated with the risks of GDM (OR = 1·64, P = 0·02) and LGA (OR = 2·87, P < 0·01). The area under the combined ROC curve of TG/HDL‐C ratio and HbA1c to detect GDM was 0·705 (95% CI, 0·637–0·772). Furthermore, the area under the ROC curve of TG/HDL‐C ratio combined with HbA1c and prepregnancy BMI to detect LGA was 0·806 (95% CI, 0·719–0·893).

Conclusions

TG/HDL‐C ratios in combination with HbA1c and prepregnancy BMI can be good markers to predict the risks of GDM and delivering LGA infant.
Separable Subsurface Scattering
Authors: Jimenez Jorge , Zsolnai Károly , Jarabo Adrian , Freude Christian , Auzinger Thomas , Wu Xian‐Chun , von der Pahlen Javier , Wimmer Michael , Gutierrez Diego
Published: February 2015

In this paper, we propose two real‐time models for simulating subsurface scattering for a large variety of translucent materials, which need under 0.5 ms per frame to execute. This makes them a practical option for real‐time production scenarios. Current state‐of‐the‐art, real‐time approaches simulate subsurface light transport by approximating the radially symmetric non‐separable diffusion kernel with a sum of separable Gaussians, which requires multiple (up to 12) 1D convolutions. In this work we relax the requirement of radial symmetry to approximate a 2D diffuse reflectance profile by a single separable kernel. We first show that low‐rank approximations based on matrix factorization outperform previous approaches, but they still need several passes to get good results. To solve this, we present two different separable models: the first one yields a high‐quality diffusion simulation, while the second one offers an attractive trade‐off between physical accuracy and artistic control. Both allow rendering of subsurface scattering using only two 1D convolutions, reducing both execution time and memory consumption, while delivering results comparable to techniques with higher cost. Using our importance‐sampling and jittering strategies, only seven samples per pixel are required. Our methods can be implemented as simple post‐processing steps without intrusive changes to existing rendering pipelines.
Socioeconomic status and executive function: developmental trajectories and mediation
Authors: Hackman Daniel A. , Gallop Robert , Evans Gary W. , Farah Martha J.
Published: February 2015

Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) predicts executive function (EF), but fundamental aspects of this relation remain unknown: the developmental course of theSESdisparity, its continued sensitivity toSESchanges during that course, and the features of childhood experience responsible for theSES–EFrelation. Regarding course, early disparities would be expected to grow during development if caused by accumulating stressors at a given constant level ofSES. Alternatively, they would narrow if schooling partly compensates for the effects of earlier deprivation, allowing lower‐SESchildren to ‘catch up’. The potential for later childhoodSESchange to affectEFis also unknown. Regarding mediating factors, previous analyses produced mixed answers, possibly due to correlation amongst candidate mediators. We address these issues with measures ofSES, working memory and planning, along with multiple candidate mediators, from theNICHDStudy of Early Childcare (n= 1009). Early family income‐to‐needs and maternal education predicted planning by first grade, and income‐to‐needs predicted working memory performance at 54 months. Effects of earlySESremained consistent through middle childhood, indicating that the relation between early indicators ofSESandEFemerges in childhood and persists without narrowing or widening across early and middle childhood. Changes in family income‐to‐needs were associated with significant changes in planning and trend‐level changes in working memory. Mediation analyses supported the role of early childhood home characteristics in explaining the association betweenSESandEF, while early childhood maternal sensitivity was specifically implicated in the association between maternal education and planning. Early emerging and persistentSES‐related differences inEF, partially explained by characteristics of the home and family environment, are thus a potential source of socioeconomic disparities in achievement and health across development.
Presence of conspecifics triggers host searching behavior in an egg parasitoid wasp
Authors: Hirayama Hiroyuki , So Takayuki , Kasuya Eiiti
Published: February 2015

Parasitoids and predators compete for host or prey species. The efficiency of obtaining prey or host items is reduced by intraspecific competition. As the optimal search behavior depends on the intensity of competition, it is important for the parasitoid or predator to obtain information on this intensity. Previous studies have shown that parasitoids can obtain information regarding competition from encounters with already parasitized hosts. They then change their host searching behavior accordingly. However, whether parasitoids obtain the information directly from observing the presence of conspecifics remains unclear. We used Tiphodytes gerriphagus (Marchal) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), the solitary egg parasitoid of water striders, for testing the effect of density of conspecifics on host searching behavior. Females of T. gerriphagus dive into the water to search for hosts and sometimes they dive without hosts present. Thus, we investigated whether T. gerriphagus changed underwater activities in response to the density of conspecifics in the absence of hosts. Four densities (1, 2, 4, and 8 female T. gerriphagus) were investigated. Females in competitive situations (groups of 2, 4, and 8 females) displayed host searching behavior, but the solitary females did not. This indicates that the presence of conspecifics triggers host searching behavior and that T. gerriphagus females obtain information on competition directly from conspecifics and use it for modifying their behavior.
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Elia A. E. , Lalli S. , Monsurrò M. R. , Sagnelli A. , Taiello A. C. , Reggiori B. , La Bella V. , Tedeschi G. , Albanese A.
Published: February 2015

Background and purpose

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a hydrophilic bile acid that is produced in the liver and used for treatment of chronic cholestatic liver diseases. Experimental studies suggest that TUDCA may have cytoprotective and anti‐apoptotic action, with potential neuroprotective activity. A proof of principle approach was adopted to provide preliminary data regarding the efficacy and tolerability of TUDCA in a series of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods

As a proof of principle, using a double‐blind placebo controlled design, 34 ALS patients under treatment with riluzole who were randomized to placebo or TUDCA (1 g twice daily for 54 weeks) were evaluated after a lead‐in period of 3 months. The patients were examined every 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of responders [those subjects with improvement of at least 15% in the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale Revised (ALSFRS‐R) slope during the treatment period compared to the lead‐in phase]. Secondary outcomes included between‐treatment comparison of ALSFRS‐R at study end, comparison of the linear regression slopes for ALSFFRS‐R mean scores and the occurrence of adverse events.

Results

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid was well tolerated; there were no between‐group differences for adverse events. The proportion of responders was higher under TUDCA (87%) than under placebo (P = 0.021; 43%). At study end baseline‐adjusted ALSFRS‐R was significantly higher (P = 0.007) in TUDCA than in placebo groups. Comparison of the slopes of regression analysis showed slower progression in the TUDCA than in the placebo group (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

This pilot study provides preliminary clinical data indicating that TUDCA is safe and may be effective in ALS.
Ocean's eleven: a critical evaluation of the role of population, evolutionary and molecular genetics in the management of wild fisheries
Authors: Ovenden Jennifer R , Berry Oliver , Welch David J , Buckworth Rik C , Dichmont Catherine M
Published: February 2015

Significant changes have occurred in the well‐established partnership between fisheries managers and geneticists over the last 50 years. It is therefore timely to review and recalibrate the ways in which genetic technologies can assist the fishing industry to maintain productive and sustainable harvests. Our objective is to contribute to the mutual understanding of all stakeholders in the genetics–management partnership. Genetic technologies that are relevant to fisheries management are grouped into eleven themes, which are described in plain language for a non‐specialist audience. The role that the genetic information plays in fisheries management is explained, along with an assessment of the challenges and barriers that may be preventing the uptake of the information into the fisheries management process. The compelling conclusion is that genetics offers a diverse collection of versatile and useful tools for informing fisheries managers about issues that have a biological basis. Presently, mainstream use of genetic tools focuses on a narrow set of fisheries management issues, but the diversity of genetic tools and the novel issues they can address indicates that uptake will grow, particularly as communication between geneticists and end‐users improves.
Dental procedures in patients treated with antiplatelet or oral anticoagulation therapy – an anonymous survey
Authors: Ringel Reingard , Maas Renke
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate how German dentists adhere to recommendations regarding dental treatment of patients taking antiplatelet or oral anticoagulation therapy for cardiovascular protection.

Background

Discontinuation of antiplatelet or oral anticoagulation therapy prior to dental procedures is usually not recommended because the risk of thromboembolic events is higher than that of significant procedure‐related bleeding.

Materials and methods

An anonymous questionnaire regarding the handling of and experiences with patients taking aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) or vitamin‐K‐antagonists (phenprocoumon) was distributed to approximately 4500 dentists attending the national German Dentists Day 2011.

Results

Of 146 dentists who completed the questionnaire 77.4% and 27.6% stated that they perform tooth extractions under continued therapy with aspirin or vitamin‐K‐antagonists, respectively. When asked regarding the INR or Quick values, they require for tooth extractions in patients taking oral anticoagulants 29.5% of the dentists provided values that were outside the safe range (INR ≤1.5 or ≥3.5) and 90.7% accepted values too old to be clinically reliable. For pain relief after dental procedures, 71.2% of the dentists recommended ibuprofen notwithstanding the fact that it attenuates protective effects of aspirin and 10.2% would discontinue aspirin and prescribe ibuprofen or paracetamol (acetaminophen).

Conclusion

Despite similar recommendations the majority of dentists perform tooth extractions in patients taking aspirin but not in patients taking vitamin‐K‐antagonists. Moreover, a potentially unfavourable drug interaction of aspirin and ibuprofen is frequently not considered. In patients taking vitamin‐K‐antagonists too many dentists rely on laboratory values that are too old or outside the recommended range.
The impact of oral health on body image and social interactions among elders in long‐term care
Authors: Donnelly Leeann R. , Clarke Laura Hurd , Phinney Alison , MacEntee Michael I.
Published: February 2015

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore how social interactions and body image are influenced by perceived oral health among older people who live in long‐term care facilities.

Background

Social interactions among frail elders in long‐term care (LTC) facilities are limited, but to what extent body image and oral health influence their social relations is poorly understood. A positive body image and the perception of adequate oral health are linked to increased social contacts, as well as improved health and well‐being irrespective of age. However, as frailty increases, it is unclear whether appearance and oral health priorities remain stable.

Materials and Methods

Open‐ended interviews were conducted with a purposefully selected group of cognitively intact, older men and women who exhibited varying degrees of frailty, social engagement and oral health conditions and lived in one of seven long‐term care facilities. The interviews were analysed using a constant comparative technique, and a second interview with participants checked the trustworthiness of the analysis.

Results

Three major categories were expressed by the participants: (1) My mouth is fine; (2) It depends; and (3) Not that important. Within each category, there were several contributing and influencing factors.

Conclusions

Social interactions among residents in LTC may be negatively impacted by poor oral health, but only if other personal and social issues are less bothersome than conditions with the mouth.