bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 27-Year-Old Severely Immunosuppressed Female with Misleading Clinical Features of Disseminated Cutaneous Sporotrichosis
Authors: Patel Atiyah , Mudenda Victor , Lakhi Shabir , Ngalamika Owen
Published: January 2016

Sporotrichosis is a subacute or chronic granulomatous mycosis caused by fungus of theSporothrix schenckiicomplex. It is considered to be a rare condition in most parts of the world. It mostly causes cutaneous infection but can also cause multisystemic disease. Unlike most deep cutaneous mycoses which have a primary pulmonary focus, it is usually caused by direct inoculation of the fungus into the skin causing a classical linear, lymphocutaneous nodular eruption. However, atypical presentations of the condition can occur especially in immunosuppressed individuals. We report the case of a severely immunosuppressed female who presented with disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis which was initially diagnosed and treated as disseminated cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Outcomes of Various Interventions for First-Time Perianal Abscesses in Children
Authors: Juth Karlsson Alexander , Salö Martin , Stenström Pernilla
Published: January 2016

Introduction. In children treated surgically for first-time perianal abscesses, discovery and excision of concomitant fistulas may also be warranted.Aim. To evaluate children of varying age after incision and drainage of first-time perianal abscesses, examining recurrences rates with and without search for a fistula.Method. A retrospective review was conducted, analyzing children (ages 0–15 years) treated for first-time perianal abscesses at a tertiary pediatric surgical center, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months.Results. A total of 104 patients subjected to 112 treatments for first-time perianal abscesses were eligible. Surgical procedures constituted 84 (75%) of treatments, searching for fistulas in 49 (58%). In 34 (69%), fistulas were confirmed and treated. In the surgically treated subset, the recurrence rate was higher if no attempt was made to exclude a fistula (46%), as opposed to confirmed absence of a fistula (27%) or concurrent fistulotomy (9%;p=0.02). Younger patients showed a higher recurrence rate (12/26; 46%), compared with older counterparts (11/58; 19%) (p=0.002).Conclusion. In children surgically treated for first-time perianal abscess, recurrence rates appear to be lowered by locating and treating coexisting fistulas.
Rare Case of Methemoglobinemia Complicating Pregnancy
Authors: Verma S. , Sachdeva P. , Gandhi G.
Published: January 2016

A patient at 38 weeks of gestation when taken for emergency cesarean section had her oxygen saturation of 66 to 70% (by saturation probe on monitor) in operation theatre. She was otherwise asymptomatic but her oxygen saturation was persistently low on the monitors. Her arterial blood gas analysis showed all parameters to be normal. Her electrocardiography was normal. Her surgery was imperative but due to her reduced oxygen saturation she became a high-risk case. In presence of senior consultants of anesthesia and gynecology and under high-risk consent she had an uneventful cesarean delivery. Physician and cardiologist opinions were sought thereafter. The outcomes and the results of our efforts to find the etiology of her reduced saturation on monitors despite being clinically asymptomatic lead to the disclosure of this rare hemoglobinopathy. Mother and baby had uneventful course after delivery and were discharged well.
A Mutation inDAOAModifies the Age of Onset inPSEN1E280A Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Vélez Jorge I. , Rivera Dora , Mastronardi Claudio A. , Patel Hardip R. , Tobón Carlos , Villegas Andrés , Cai Yeping , Easteal Simon , Lopera Francisco , Arcos-Burgos Mauricio
Published: January 2016

We previously reported age of onset (AOO) modifier genes in the world’s largest pedigree segregating early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), caused by the p.Glu280Ala (E280A) mutation in thePSEN1gene. Here we report the results of a targeted analysis of functional exonic variants in those AOO modifier genes in sixty individuals withPSEN1E280A AD who were whole-exome genotyped for ~250,000 variants. Standard quality control, filtering, and annotation for functional variants were applied, and common functional variants located in those previously reported as AOO modifier loci were selected. Multiloci linear mixed-effects models were used to test the association between these variants and AOO. An exonic missense mutation in theG72(DAOA) gene (rs2391191,P= 1.94 × 10−4,PFDR= 9.34 × 10−3) was found to modify AOO inPSEN1E280A AD. Nominal associations of missense mutations in theCLUAP1(rs9790,P= 7.63 × 10−3,PFDR= 0.1832) andEXOC2(rs17136239,P= 0.0325,PFDR= 0.391) genes were also found. Previous studies have linked polymorphisms in theDAOAgene with the occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, apathy, aggression, delusions, hallucinations, and psychosis in AD. Our findings strongly suggest that this new conspicuous functional AOO modifier within theG72(DAOA) gene could be pivotal for understanding the genetic basis of AD.
Mitochondrial DNA Repair through OGG1 Activity Attenuates Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis
Authors: Yuzefovych Larysa V. , Kahn Andrea G. , Schuler Michele A. , Eide Lars , Arora Ritu , Wilson Glenn L. , Tan Ming , Rachek Lyudmila I.
Published: January 2016

Production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and integrity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are crucial in breast cancer progression and metastasis. Therefore, we evaluated the role of mtDNA damage in breast cancer by genetically modulating the DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in the PyMT transgenic mouse model of mammary tumorigenesis. We generated mice lacking OGG1 (KO), mice overexpressing human OGG1 subunit 1α in mitochondria (Tg), and mice simultaneously lacking OGG1 and overexpressing human OGG1 subunit 1α in mitochondria (KO/Tg). We found that Tg and KO/Tg mice developed significantly smaller tumors than KO and wild-type (WT) mice after 16 weeks. Histologic analysis revealed a roughly 2-fold decrease in the incidence of lung metastases in Tg mice (33.3%) compared to WT mice (62.5%). Furthermore, lungs from Tg mice exhibited nearly a 15-fold decrease in the average number of metastatic foci compared with WT mice (P ≤ 0.05). Primary tumors isolated from Tg mice also demonstrated reduced total and mitochondrial oxidative stress, diminished mtDNA damage, and increased mitochondrial function. Targeting hOGG1 to the mitochondria protected cells from mtDNA damage, resulting in downregulation of HIF1α and attenuated phosphorylation of Akt. Collectively, we demonstrate proof of concept that mtDNA damage results in breast cancer progression and metastasis in vivo. Moreover, our findings offer new therapeutic strategies for modulating the levels of mtDNA repair enzymes to delay or stall metastatic progression. Cancer Res; 76(1); 30–34. ©2015 AACR.
Tumor Heterogeneity—A ‘Contemporary Concept’ Founded on Historical Insights and Predictions
Authors: Welch Danny R.
Published: January 2016

Heterogeneity is commonplace in all cancer types and at several levels—intrinsic (genetic), epigenetic, positional, and at the population level. The different subpopulations with a tumor mass communicate with each other and influence the behavior of other tumor cells both locally and at a distance. These properties have profound implications regarding the understanding of tumor behavior and how therapies are (or should be) administered. This brief commentary highlights the insightful review of Gloria Heppner and how it has influenced cancer research even three decades after it was published. Cancer Res; 76(1); 4–6. ©2016 AACR.

See related article by Heppner, Cancer Res 1984;44:2259-65.
Coadministration of Trametinib and Palbociclib Radiosensitizes KRAS-Mutant Non–Small Cell Lung Cancers In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Tao Zhen , Le Blanc Justin M. , Wang Chenguang , Zhan Tingting , Zhuang Hongqing , Wang Ping , Yuan Zhiyong , Lu Bo
Published: January 2016

Purpose: To investigate the potential roles that p16 (CDKN2A) and RB activation have in sensitization to MEK inhibitor in resistant KRAS-mutant non–small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo.

Experimental Design: Cell viability was measured with MTS assays. Effects of administration of radiation and combination drug treatments were evaluated by clonogenic assay, flow cytometry, and Western blots. DNA repair was assessed using immunofluorescent analysis. Finally, lung cancer xenografts were used to examine in vivo effects of drug treatment and radiation therapy.

Results: In this study, we showed that sensitivity to MEK inhibitor correlated to the RB/p16/CDK4 pathway and knockdown of RB induced resistance in cell lines sensitive to MEK inhibitor. Also, overexpression of p16 and inhibition of CDK4 had the ability to sensitize normally resistant cell lines. Our data indicated that the MEK inhibitor (trametinib, GSK112012) cooperated with the CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib, PD0332991) to strongly reduce cell viability of KRAS-mutant NSCLCs that were resistant to the MEK inhibitor in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we report for the first time that resistance of KRAS-mutant NSCLCs to MEK inhibitor is, at least partly, due to p16 mutation status, and we described a drug combination that efficiently reactivates the RB tumor suppressor pathway to trigger radiosensitizing effects, apoptosis, and cell-cycle arrest.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that MEK inhibitor in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitor has significant anti-KRAS–mutant NSCLC activity and radiosensitizing effect in preclinical models, potentially providing a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with advanced KRAS-mutant NSCLCs. Clin Cancer Res; 22(1); 122–33. ©2016 AACR.
Long-Term Changes in Drug Craving and Nutritional Status of Opioid Addicts with Nucleus Accumbens Ablative Stereotactic Neurosurgery at Five Years Postoperatively
Authors: Wu He-Ming , Ge Shun-Nan , Dai Hai-Bin , Wang Ling , Chang Chong-Wang , Wang Xue-Lian , Li Nan , Gao Guo-Dong
Published: January 2016

Background: The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been proven to be associated with drug and food craving. NAcc ablative neurosurgery has been suggested to modulate the balance of the brain reward system and thus alleviate drug dependence in patients. It has been hypothesized that it would also alleviate food craving in patients as well as altering their nutritional status. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the effect of NAcc neurosurgery on drug craving and nutritional status in patients with drug dependence at 5 years postoperatively. Methods: The study included 100 patients with NAcc surgery and 92 patients without surgery. Body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BF%) were examined to assess nutritional status, and questionnaires were administered to assess drug craving. Results: Compared with the nonsurgery group and the relapse patients from the surgery group, the nonrelapse patients from the surgery group had higher BMI and BF% but lower drug craving. There were no significant differences between the nonsurgery group and the relapse patients in BMI, but the relapse patients had higher drug craving than the nonsurgery group. Conclusions: Long-term follow-up suggested that NAcc ablative neurosurgery would alleviate drug craving and yield a better nutritional status if individuals sustained abstinence. It would increase drug craving but would not ruin the nutritional status of patients even when individuals relapsed postoperatively.
Neurodevelopmental Outcome at 2 Years of Age according to Patent Ductus Arteriosus Management in Very Preterm Infants
Authors: Bourgoin Laura , Cipierre Cecile , Hauet Quentin , Basset Helene , Gournay Veronique , Rozé Jean-Christophe , Flamant Cyril , Gascoin Geraldine
Published: January 2016

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a condition frequently found in very preterm infants, and its treatment remains a subject of debate. Furthermore, there are only a few studies available that have examined the impact of these treatments on the neurological outcome of the patient. Objective: To evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcome of PDA treatment on preterm infants born between 24+0 and 28+6 weeks of gestation. Methods: We conducted an observational multicentric cohort study (LIFT Cohort). We compared three groups of patients according to their PDA treatment strategy: medical treatment with ibuprofen, surgical ligation, and no treatment. The neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed with a physical examination and cognitive function evaluation at 2 years of age. A propensity score was used to reduce bias in the analysis. Results: Between 2003 and 2011, 857 infants (91.3%) were evaluated at 2 years of corrected age and included in the analysis: 248 received ibuprofen treatment (29%), 104 had PDA surgical ligation (12%), and 505 did not receive any PDA treatment (59%). Surgical ligation of PDA was significantly associated with neurodevelopmental impairment at 2 years of age (adjusted odds ratio = 2.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.4-3.4). Conclusion: We found an association between PDA surgical ligation and a nonoptimal neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age for preterm infants born before 29 weeks of gestation. These results suggest that if surgical ligation is unavoidable, particular attention should be given to the patient's neurodevelopmental follow-up.
Management of Bilateral Carotid Occlusive Disease
Authors: Jadhav Ashutosh P. , Ducruet Andrew F. , Jankowitz Brian T. , Jovin Tudor G.
Published: January 2016

Background: Symptomatic bilateral internal carotid occlusive disease is a rare but potentially devastating entity. Medical therapy alone is associated with high rates of mortality and recurrent stroke. The optimal management of this disease remains poorly understood. Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted for patients who presented with an acute stroke in the setting of bilateral carotid occlusive disease between May and October 2013. Results: We identified 3 patients. The admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ranged from 4 to 7. All patients had small- to moderate-sized infarcts in the anterior circulation on presentation. Angiography confirmed bilateral internal carotid occlusions with collateral filling via the posterior communicating artery and retrograde filling via external carotid artery supply to the ophthalmic artery. All patients were initially managed with permissive hypertension and anticoagulation followed by carotid angioplasty and stenting. At 1-year follow-up, all patients demonstrated a modified Rankin scale score of 0-1. Conclusions: Carotid stenting may be a safe and effective therapy for patients presenting with symptomatic bilateral carotid occlusions.
Environmental Risk Factors and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Umbrella Review and Critical Assessment of Current Evidence from Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies
Authors: Belbasis Lazaros , Bellou Vanesa , Evangelou Evangelos
Published: January 2016

Background: The pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involves both environmental and genetic factors. Our study aimed at summarising the environmental risk factors for ALS, assessing the evidence for diverse biases, and pinpointing risk factors with high epidemiological credibility. Methods: We searched PubMed from inception to August 20, 2015, to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies examining associations between environmental factors and ALS. For each meta-analysis, we estimated the summary effect size by the use of random-effects and fixed-effects models, the 95% CI, the 95% prediction interval (PI), and the between-study heterogeneity. We assessed the evidence of small-study effects and excess significance bias. Results: Sixteen unique meta-analyses of different risk factors and ALS were considered. Of them, 5 were statistically significant at p < 0.001 under the random-effects model. Only one factor presented robust evidence for a convincing association. This association pertained to chronic occupational exposure to lead (random-effects OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.39-2.35). Conclusions: A small number of published meta-analyses on environmental factors and risk of ALS was identified, a phenomenon that could be attributed to the challenges in studying a rare neurological disease. More observational studies with adequate sample size and study design are needed to clarify the environmental component of ALS pathogenesis.
Jules-Auguste Soury (1842-1915): A Centennial Call to Mind
Authors: Triarhou Lazaros C.
Published: January 2016

Jules-Auguste Soury (1842-1915), a Parisian theorist and historian of science, was the author of ‘The Central Nervous System', one of the most comprehensive and original accounts, until 1900, of the history of brain research. A contemporary of Jules Déjerine (1849-1917), Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934), and other pioneers of neurology, with whom he maintained contact, Soury is a rare case of a French philosopher with solid foundations in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. A quaint savant, Soury has been depicted as a strange hybrid produced by nature. His odd personality was coupled with an elegance, solidity and thoroughness in his neurological works. His prodigious facility for assimilating and discoursing the ideas of others has been somewhat clouded by his lamentable ideological tenets. Nevertheless, in his neurological writings, he bequeathed a unique anatomical and physiological history of intelligence, a natural history of the human mind or, as he conceived it, a neurophilosophical sketch of the universe considered a cerebral phenomenon.
Real Imagined Communities: National Narratives and the Globalization of Design History
Authors: Fallan Kjetil , Lees-Maffei Grace
Published: January 2016

Contemporary design is global. Along with international developments in higher education, the influence of post-colonial theory, and intellectual endeavours like ‘world history’, design historians are now writing Global Design History (to use the title of a 2011 edited collection). While the nation state is no longer the only socio-cultural or political-economic unit forming our identities and experiences—if it ever were—this article examines the value of national frameworks in writing design history and asks whether moves to discard them are premature. Are national histories of design dependent upon outmoded generalisations and stereotypes? Or do they demonstrate cogent frameworks for the discussion of common socio-economic and cultural conditions and shared identities? Globalizing design history involves writing new histories of neglected regions and nations and revisionist histories informed by the findings and methods of new comparative and global histories, of celebrated industrial nations.
The first description of the larvae of the Chinese species Paraleuctra tianmushana Li & Yang (Plecoptera: Leuctridae)
Authors: LI WEIHAI , LI KEFAN , WANG RONGFENG , YANG DING
Published: January 2016

The pharate larval stage of Paraleuctra tianmushana Li & Yang is described for the first time. The yellowish-brown larvae of this species are characterized by a slender abdomen lacking setae and a unique pattern of dark pigmentation on the head, pronotum, and abdominal terga. Additionally, vestigial cervical gills in this species are present, a character not present in known Nearctic species.
Two new species of the genus Deltophora Janse, 1950 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)
Authors: LI HOUHUN , WANG ZHIBO , SATTLER KLAUS
Published: January 2016

Two Chinese species of the genus Deltophora Janse (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), both in obligate mutualism with the plant genus Phyllanthus L. (Phyllanthaceae), are newly described: Deltophora phyllanthicella Li et Sattler sp. n., from Hainan, a pollinator of its larval host Phyllanthus rheophyticus Gilbert et Li; Deltophora polliniferens Li et Sattler sp. n., from Guangdong, a pollinator of its larval host Phyllanthus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. The adults and the male and female genital structures of both species are described and illustrated. The presence of a fully developed 1st instar larva in the female abdomen of Deltophora phyllanthicella is recorded as the first such case in Gelechiidae.
A new record of the freshwater polychaete Namanereis hummelincki
(Polychaeta: Nereididae) from epigean waters of Montserrat
Authors: SHOOBS NATHANIEL F. , SCHMIDT ROBERT E. , McMULLIN ERIN R.
Published: January 2016

The presence of the freshwater polychaete, Namanereis hummelincki (Augener), on Montserrat is documented for the first time. Although collected in the sediment of a freshwater stream, this subterranean species most likely lives in groundwater aquifers. A mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence obtained from this material supports assignment to the genus Namanereis Chamberlin, and morphological analysis supports identification as N. hummelincki. Differences in jaw morphology observed in the Montserrat specimens may indicate long-term separation from other Caribbean island populations.
A new genus of Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India with remarkable head ornamentation
Authors: RANJITH A.P. , NASSER M. , RAJMOHANA K. , QUICKE D. L. J.
Published: January 2016

A new braconine genus, Stephanobracon Ranjith & Quicke (type-species: Stephanobracon narendrani Ranjith & Quicke sp. nov.) from south India is described and illustrated. It belongs to the tribe Braconini and it displays autapomorphic characters of having two pairs of sharp protuberances near to the antennal sockets and corrugated protuberances on the lateral part of the frons. Its possible relationship to other braconine genera, notably Dolabraulax Quicke, Simra Quicke and Syntomernus Enderlein, is discussed.
Taxonomy of the genus Phymatura J. Sahlberg (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) in the Korean Peninsula
Authors: KIM YOON-HO , AHN KEE-JEONG
Published: January 2016

A taxonomic study of Korean Phymatura J. Sahlberg is presented. Three species are recognized, one of which, P. bigranipennis (Bernhauer) comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Atheta Thomson. Pseudatheta gonggaensis (Pace) is restored to the genus Phymatura. Phymatura bigranipennis and P. gonggaensis are identified for the first time in the Korean Peninsula. A key, redescriptions and illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided.
Intraseasonal Variability of the Zonal-Mean Extratropical Tropopause: The Role of Changes in Polar Vortex Strength and Upper-Troposphere Wave Breaking
Authors: Barroso Jesús Á. , Zurita-Gotor Pablo
Published: January 2016

A principal component analysis of the Northern Hemisphere extratropical zonal-mean tropopause variability at intraseasonal time scales is presented in this work. Wavy deformations of the tropopause dominate this variability and explain significantly more variance than changes in the extratropical-mean tropopause height. The first mode is well correlated with the zonal index. Analysis of the dynamical evolution of the modes shows that tropopause deformations are caused by anomalous wave breaking at the tropopause level occurring in a preexisting anomalous stratospheric polar vortex. Specifically, an intense (weak) polar vortex is associated with a rising (sinking) of the polar tropopause, while anomalous wave breaking in the midlatitudes produces a dipolar tropopause change that is consistent with the anomalous meridional eddy flux of quasigeostrophic potential vorticity. These two forcings operate on different time scales and can be separated when the data are filtered at high or low frequency. Baroclinic equilibration seems to play a small role in the extratropical internal tropopause variability and the impact of tropospheric and stratospheric dynamics is quantitatively similar. A similar analysis for the Southern Hemisphere extratropics displays the same qualitative behavior.
Agent-Based Modeling
Authors: Nicholls Sarah , Amelung Bas , Student Jillian
Published: January 2016

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a way of representing complex systems of autonomous agents or actors, and of simulating the multiple potential outcomes of these agents’ behaviors and interactions in the form of a range of alternatives or futures. Despite the complexity of the tourism system, and the power and flexibility of ABM to overcome the assumptions such as homogeneity, linearity, equilibrium, and rationality typical of traditional modeling techniques, ABM has received little attention from tourism researchers and practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to introduce ABM to a wider tourism audience. Specifically, the appropriateness of tourism as a phenomenon to be subjected to ABM is established; the power and benefits of ABM as an alternative scientific mechanism are illuminated; the few existing applications of ABM in the tourism arena are summarized; and, a range of potential applications in the areas of tourism planning, development, marketing and management is proposed.
Employee Mobility and Organizational Outcomes
Authors: Mawdsley John K. , Somaya Deepak
Published: January 2016

A large and growing literature spanning multiple fields has identified employee mobility as a critical influence on several important organizational outcomes. However, extant research on the topic is highly fragmented and lacks a unifying theoretical framework, impeding the development of a cumulative conceptually integrated body of research. We seek to remedy this situation by undertaking a review of research on employee mobility and its organizational impacts and casting it within a novel integrative conceptual framework. As a critical foundation for this framework, we highlight how the various organizational impacts of employee mobility are ultimately engendered by different dimensions of human and/or relational capital that are conveyed by mobile individuals. Building on this foundation, we describe how multilevel contextual factors—characterized as attributes of the employee, source and destination firms, and environmental conditions—may moderate the transfer and utilization of human and relational capital held by mobile individuals. Finally, we review how constraining factors, such as labor market imperfections on both demand and supply sides, can impede employee mobility and also how alternative competing channels—for example, alliances, networks and geographic spillovers, and acquisitions—may be used for effectuating the same organizational impacts as mobility events. These constraints and competing channels are important because they circumscribe the conditions under which employee mobility can be a critical influence on organizational outcomes. We seek to provide a rich integrative theoretical understanding of employee mobility and spur future research on important unanswered research questions.
Contemplating Mindfulness at Work
Authors: Good Darren J. , Lyddy Christopher J. , Glomb Theresa M. , Bono Joyce E. , Brown Kirk Warren , Duffy Michelle K. , Baer Ruth A. , Brewer Judson A. , Lazar Sara W.
Published: January 2016

Mindfulness research activity is surging within organizational science. Emerging evidence across multiple fields suggests that mindfulness is fundamentally connected to many aspects of workplace functioning, but this knowledge base has not been systematically integrated to date. This review coalesces the burgeoning body of mindfulness scholarship into a framework to guide mainstream management research investigating a broad range of constructs. The framework identifies how mindfulness influences attention, with downstream effects on functional domains of cognition, emotion, behavior, and physiology. Ultimately, these domains impact key workplace outcomes, including performance, relationships, and well-being. Consideration of the evidence on mindfulness at work stimulates important questions and challenges key assumptions within management science, generating an agenda for future research.
Anomalous Price Behaviour around Open Market Stock Repurchase Announcements in India
Authors: Chatterjee Chanchal , Dutta Paromita
Published: January 2016

Executive Summary

This article examines the impact of open market share repurchase announcements on stock returns in the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The main objective is to examine whether share repurchase announcements under the open market route have any significant impact on the returns of the stocks traded in the BSE. The article covers the period from 2009 to 2013. For sample selection, two criteria were used: first, the firm should have been listed in the BSE for at least 28 trading days before the repurchase announcement date, and second, the firm should have all relevant data required by this study. A total of 95 repurchase announcements fulfilled these criteria. The analysis period extended from –28 to +28 trading days relative to the repurchase announcement date ( t = 0). The findings of the study will help us to understand how the market responds to share repurchase announcements in India and whether a firm actually benefits by repurchasing its own shares from the market.

This study uses a standard event methodology based on an ordinary least squares market model with the aim of finding out whether repurchase announcements generate any abnormal return around the repurchase announcement date. While applying the market model for estimating the abnormal returns, the regression is estimated based on the stock return of the firm and market return of the previous 120 trading days. So, here the estimation window takes into account 120 observations. Using this, the expected returns are generated and then the abnormal returns are derived for the event window, 28 days prior to the event date and 28 days after the event date.

The findings of the study indicate that share repurchase announcements do not necessarily generate abnormal stock returns in the Indian equity market unlike developed economies like the US, Canada, and Australia. The whole sample is further divided into various subsamples on the basis of firm size and size of repurchase. The subsample analyses reveal that smaller firms do not necessarily experience higher abnormal stock returns following repurchase announcements than that of the larger firms. The findings weakly support the view that larger repurchase size generates greater abnormal stock returns than the smaller ones.
Endogenous development and institutions: Challenges for local development initiatives
Authors: Vázquez-Barquero Antonio , Rodríguez-Cohard Juan C
Published: January 2016

This paper discusses the relevance of local development policy as an instrument for regional development. Endogenous development strives to obtain self-sustained development in urban and rural areas and argues that institutions that facilitate the introduction of innovations leading to diversification of productive activities and market access are key to the process. The efficiency of local initiatives depends on the agreement between local actors on strategies and goals, as well as local communities’ participation in the management and control of development initiatives. The effectiveness of local initiatives confronts important challenges, such as compatibility of goals, interaction of the forces of development, and strengthening of institutions. Therefore, endogenous development is always a slow process that demands the evolution of institutions and requires specific local initiatives and actions for each territory.
Inflammatory markers and suicidal attempts in depressed patients: A review
Authors: Marini Stefano , Vellante Federica , Matarazzo Ilaria , De Berardis Domenico , Serroni Nicola , Gianfelice Daniela , Olivieri Luigi , Di Renzo Fulvia , Di Marco Anna , Fornaro Michele , Orsolini Laura , Valchera Alessandro , Iasevoli Felice , Mazza Monica , Perna Giampaolo , Martinotti Giovanni , Di Giannantonio Massimo
Published: January 2016

Major depressive disorder is a chronic and invalidating psychiatric illness and is associated with a greater risk of suicidal behaviors. In recent decades many data have supported a biological link between depressive states and inflammation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines have been found to rise, first of all TNF-α and IL-6. Suicidal behaviors have been consistently associated with increased levels of IL-6 and decreased levels of IL-2. The aim of this review is to investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers in depressed patients with or without suicidal attempts compared to healthy controls.
Corporate Board Structure in the United States and India: A Comparative View
Authors: Mehrotra Shweta
Published: January 2016

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge concerning corporate governance practices by examining the corporate board and governance structures of American and Indian listed companies in a comparative study. Two hundred companies have been considered out of which 100 companies are listed on NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and 100 companies are listed on BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange). T-test has been used for comparison between sample means from the two data sets (United States and India). To measure the year-wise variation in the mean values of variables, one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) has been applied.

Results of the study demonstrates that boards of US listed companies are relatively larger with majority of independent directors on board, prominence of combined board leadership structure and relatively more gender diverse as compared to Indian boards. The paper can be quite useful to academics and policy makers in terms of understanding developed and developing country corporate governance structures.
Comparing Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Khoury Jennifer E. , Milligan Karen
Published: January 2016

Objective: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are associated with a range of neurocognitive impairments. Executive functioning deficits are a hallmark feature of both disorders. Method: The present meta-analysis was undertaken to disentangle the behavioral phenotype of FASD and ADHD by quantitatively differentiating executive functioning differences between these two groups. The current meta-analysis reviews 15 studies comparing children and adolescents with FASD and ADHD to typically developing (TD) samples, on a variety of executive function measures. Results: Results indicate that when compared with TD samples, FASD and ADHD samples demonstrate significant executive function deficits ( d = 0.82 and d = 0.55, respectively). In addition, FASD samples experience significantly greater deficits when compared with ADHD samples ( d = 0.25). Results were moderated by IQ and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: These findings further our understanding of the cognitive differences between FASD and ADHD samples and have the potential to influence future basic research, assessment, and intervention.
Pyometra in the queen
Authors: Hollinshead Fiona , Krekeler Natali
Published: January 2016

Practical relevance:

Pyometra is a commonly occurring uterine disease in cats that often leads to loss of breeding potential and, in some cases, can be life threatening. An increased incidence of cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) and pyometra is seen with age. Most queens present with uterine lesions after 5–7 years of age (average 7.6 years, range 1–20 years). Clinical signs most commonly occur within 4 weeks of the onset of oestrus in queens that are either mated, spontaneously ovulate or are induced to ovulate (mechanical stimulation or hormone induction). The disease is most often observed in dioestrus.

Clinical challenges:

Queens with pyometra often go undiagnosed as there may be few or only very mild clinical signs and laboratory changes. For example, the classic sign of mucopurulent bloody vulvar discharge often goes unnoticed. Abdominal ultrasound is the best tool for diagnosis of pyometra and for monitoring response to therapy.

Patient group:

Classically, middle-aged/older nulliparous intact queens present with pyometra. However, so-called ‘stump pyometra’ can occur if ovarian tissue is left behind during ovariectomy or ovariohysterectomy (ovarian remnant syndrome). Queens treated with exogenous steroid hormones such as high doses of megestrol acetate or medroxyprogesterone acetate for oestrus prevention can also develop CEH and pyometra.

Evidence base:

There has been little published to date on CEH, endometritis and pyometra in the queen and most of the currently available information has been extrapolated from studies carried out in the bitch. The queen and the bitch have very different reproductive physiology; thus, further research and investigation into the precise aetiopathogenesis of these disease processes of the uterus in the queen is warranted.

Audience:

This review is aimed at clinicians working in small animal practice, especially those in countries where surgical sterilisation is not practised as commonly as in the United States, Canada or Australasia, and who will therefore see a greater proportion of intact queens.
A survey of direct-to-consumer teledermatology services available to US patients: Explosive growth, opportunities and controversy
Authors: Fogel Alexander L , Sarin Kavita Y
Published: January 2016

Introduction

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) teledermatology is radically changing the way patients obtain dermatological care. Now, with a few clicks, patients can obtain dermatological consultations and prescription medications without a prior physician-patient relationship. To analyse all DTC teledermatology services available to US patients.

Methods

We performed Internet searches to identify DTC teledermatology services available through Internet webpages or through smartphone applications. For each service, the scope of care provided, cost, wait times, prescription policies and other relevant information were recorded.

Results

Twenty-two DTC teledermatology services are available to US patients in 45 states. Six (27%) services offer care from international physicians. Sixteen (73%) services allow patients to seek care for any reason, while six (27%) limit care to acne or anti-aging. The median reported response time for DTC teledermatology services is 48 hours from the time of patient request. The median consultation fee for companies providing care from US board-certified physicians is US$59. Across all services, consultation fees range from US$1.59 to US$250.

Conclusions

DTC teledermatology services are readily available to patients in most states. These services may reduce the cost of patient visits, expand access to care and increase patient convenience. However, the presence of services staffed by physicians who are not US board-certified, as well as the use of incautious language regarding prescription medications, is concerning.
Can social protection address both poverty and inequality in principle and practice?
Authors: Plagerson Sophie , Ulriksen Marianne S
Published: January 2016

The recent expansion of social protection in the Global South has focused on practice (the how) and not on principles (the why). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) endorse social protection as a means of addressing both poverty and inequality. In this article, which contributes to the Special Issue on ‘ The principles and practice of social protection’, we focus on the principles that (often implicitly) underlie four types of social protection responses to poverty and inequality. The analysis of moral, economic, political and social arguments shows a convergence on the need to alleviate poverty, but the principled agreement to tackle inequality is weaker as it requires a broader mandate and more extensive state intervention. Regardless of strong moral/social arguments, dominant economic/political arguments are less inclined to accept the type of social protection required to address inequalities.
Mathematical modeling and analysis of a dark money network
Authors: Couch Christopher , Fox William P , Everton Sean F
Published: January 2016

In this article, the authors present background and analysis on a dark money network. An AHP/TOPSIS (analytical hierarchy process/technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution) hybrid model is used to find the key nodes of the network. The analysis of the key nodes leads to improved targeting strategies against the network. Game theory applications using kinetic versus non-kinetic strategies in dealing with the network are developed after using AHP to obtain cardinal utility from the ordinal ranking originally provided. These methods provide an additional metric that can be employed when dealing with and analyzing any dark network.
Klebsiella pneumoniae Liver Abscess and Metastatic Endophthalmitis
Authors: Wells Jason T. , Lewis Catherine R. , Danner Omar K. , Wilson Kenneth L. , Matthews L. Ray
Published: January 2016

Introduction. Klebsiella pneumoniae is a well-known cause of liver abscess. Higher rates of liver abscess associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae are seen in Taiwan. Metastatic endophthalmitis is a common complication associated with a poor prognosis despite aggressive therapy. Case Report. We report a case of a 67-year-old Korean female with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess. The patient developed metastatic endophthalmitis and ultimately succumbed to her disease despite aggressive medical and surgical treatment. Conclusion. Dissemination of Klebsiella pneumoniae is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Liver abscesses preferably should be treated with percutaneous drainage, but surgical treatment is needed in some cases. Metastatic spread to the eye is a common complication that must be treated aggressively with intravenous antibiotics and surgical intervention if necessary.
ChainRank, a chain prioritisation method for contextualisation of biological networks
Authors: Tényi Ákos , de Atauri Pedro , Gomez-Cabrero David , Cano Isaac , Clarke Kim , Falciani Francesco , Cascante Marta , Roca Josep , Maier Dieter
Published: January 2016

Background

Advances in high throughput technologies and growth of biomedical knowledge have contributed to an exponential increase in associative data. These data can be represented in the form of complex networks of biological associations, which are suitable for systems analyses. However, these networks usually lack both, context specificity in time and space as well as the distinctive borders, which are usually assigned in the classical pathway view of molecular events (e.g. signal transduction). This complexity and high interconnectedness call for automated techniques that can identify smaller targeted subnetworks specific to a given research context (e.g. a disease scenario).

Results

Our method, named ChainRank, finds relevant subnetworks by identifying and scoring chains of interactions that link specific network components. Scores can be generated from integrating multiple general and context specific measures (e.g. experimental molecular data from expression to proteomics and metabolomics, literature evidence, network topology). The performance of the novel ChainRank method was evaluated on recreating selected signalling pathways from a human protein interaction network. Specifically, we recreated skeletal muscle specific signaling networks in healthy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contexts. The analysis showed that ChainRank can identify main mediators of context specific molecular signalling. An improvement of up to factor 2.5 was shown in the precision of finding proteins of the recreated pathways compared to random simulation.

Conclusions

ChainRank provides a framework, which can integrate several user-defined scores and evaluate their combined effect on ranking interaction chains linking input data sets. It can be used to contextualise networks, identify signaling and regulatory path amongst targeted genes or to analyse synthetic lethality in the context of anticancer therapy. ChainRank is implemented in R programming language and freely available at https://github.com/atenyi/ChainRank.
Molecular adsorbent recirculating system and single-pass albumin dialysis in liver failure – a prospective, randomised crossover study
Authors: Sponholz Christoph , Matthes Katja , Rupp Dina , Backaus Wolf , Klammt Sebastian , Karailieva Diana , Bauschke Astrid , Settmacher Utz , Kohl Matthias , Clemens Mark G. , Mitzner Steffen , Bauer Michael , Kortgen Andreas
Published: January 2016

Background

The aim of extracorporeal albumin dialysis (ECAD) is to reduce endogenous toxins accumulating in liver failure. To date, ECAD is conducted mainly with the Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS). However, single-pass albumin dialysis (SPAD) has been proposed as an alternative. The aim of this study was to compare the two devices with a prospective, single-centre, non-inferiority crossover study design with particular focus on reduction of bilirubin levels (primary endpoint) and influence on paraclinical and clinical parameters (secondary endpoints) associated with liver failure.

Methods

Patients presenting with liver failure were screened for eligibility and after inclusion were randomly assigned to be started on either conventional MARS or SPAD (with 4 % albumin and a dialysis flow rate of 700 ml/h). Statistical analyses were based on a linear mixed-effects model.

Results

Sixty-nine crossover cycles of ECAD in 32 patients were completed. Both systems significantly reduced plasma bilirubin levels to a similar extent (MARS: median −68 μmol/L, interquartile range [IQR] −107.5 to −33.5,p = 0.001; SPAD: −59 μmol/L, −84.5 to +36.5,p = 0.001). However, bile acids (MARS: −39 μmol/L, −105.6 to −8.3,p < 0.001; SPAD: −9 μmol/L, −36.9 to +11.4,p = 0.131), creatinine (MARS: −24 μmol/L, −46.5 to −8.0,p < 0.001; SPAD: −2 μmol/L, −9.0 to +7.0/L,p = 0.314) and urea (MARS: −0.9 mmol/L, −1.93 to −0.10,p = 0.024; SPAD: −0.1 mmol/L, −1.0 to +0.68,p = 0.523) were reduced and albumin-binding capacity was increased (MARS: +10 %, −0.8 to +20.9 %,p < 0.001; SPAD: +7 %, −7.5 to +15.5 %,p = 0.137) only by MARS. Cytokine levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 and hepatic encephalopathy were altered by neither MARS nor SPAD.

Conclusions

Both procedures were safe for temporary extracorporeal liver support. While in clinical practice routinely assessed plasma bilirubin levels were reduced by both systems, only MARS affected other paraclinical parameters (i.e., serum bile acids, albumin-binding capacity, and creatinine and urea levels). Caution should be taken with regard to metabolic derangements and electrolyte disturbances, particularly in SPAD using regional citrate anti-coagulation.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (www.drks.de)DRKS00000371. Registered 8 April 2010.
Extensions of almost-F and F-Suzuki contractions with graph and some applications to fractional calculus
Authors: Budhia Lokesh Budhia , Kumam Poom , Martínez-Moreno Juan , Gopal Dhananjay
Published: January 2016

In this paper, we introduce the two new concepts of an α-type almost-F-contraction and an α-type F Suzuki contraction and prove some fixed point theorems for such mappings in a complete metric space. Some examples and an application to a nonlinear fractional differential equation are given to illustrate the usability of the new theory.