bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating social countermarketing success: resonance of framing strategies in online food quality debates
Authors: Jacobs Sandra Hermina Jacoba , Wonneberger Anke , Hellsten Iina
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Social countermarketing (SCM) aims at influencing existing socio-cultural norms, public policies or political decision-making. Existing empirical accounts of SCM give limited insights into their success. The authors analyze SCM strategies and their public resonance by studying the diagnostic and prognostic frames and responsibility attributions that are used in the debates.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors focus on two online SCM campaigns in the Netherlands that are targeted against over-feeding of chickens for consumption and the selling of low-priced meat. The authors conducted a quantitative content analysis (N = 3,902) of these debates on Twitter for a two-year period (July 2015 to June 2017).

Findings

The results show that citizens play an important role for the amplification of SCM campaigns. Diagnostic and prognostic frames about meat selling practices are among the most popular ones while the importance of mobilization messages differs per case. This can be explained by the proximity of these frames to citizens' daily life experiences.

Practical implications

The apparent willingness of citizens to both tweet and retweet calls for mobilization might give messages by environmental NGOs third-party endorsement. This strengthens their position and visibility in the debates, which are both of strategic value. The analysis of actor responsibility can identify reputational risks for companies in contested industries such as mass meat production.

Originality/value

The findings enhance professional understanding of designing campaign messages and refine SCM success in terms of resonance, since resonance indicates amplification and third-party endorsement.
The impact of audit committee financial expertise on de facto use of IFRS: does external auditor’s size matter?
Authors: Oussii Ahmed Atef , Klibi Mohamed Faker
Published: September 2020

Purpose

De facto use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a particular form of voluntary compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS). It is practiced when an enterprise uses a number (and not all) of international standards as a complement to overcome the unachieved nature of local generally accepted accounting principles. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, at first, whether the financial expertise of Tunisian audit committee’s members is associated with de facto use of IFRS. Second, it explores to what extent and in what direction this association evolves when the factor auditor’s size is introduced as a moderator variable.

Design/methodology/approach

Data spanning a seven-year period (2012–2018) was hand-collected for a sample of 497 firm-year observations. Further, regression analysis was used to test the study’s hypothesis.

Findings

Findings show that the proportion of financial experts who sit on the audit committee is positively associated with the de facto use of IFRS. Besides, the association between audit committee members’ financial expertise and the voluntary use of IFRS is more pronounced when the company is audited by at least one BIG 4 audit firm.

Practical implications

The paper’s findings have implications for regulatory bodies and standards setters who are concerned with the functioning of the audit committee, especially when it comes to enhancing the quality of the financial statements. The results also shed light on the role of financial experts on the audit committee and Big 4 auditors to enforce the de facto use of IFRS.

Originality/value

The findings of this study contain an important message for the drift toward national de jure convergence with IAS.
Identifying and addressing reverse salients in infrastructural change. The case of a small zero emission campus in Southern Norway
Authors: Berker Thomas , Woods Ruth
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance and use of the concept “reverse salient” in ambitious infrastructural change. Thomas Hughes, in his seminal study of socio-technical system building, observed that the elimination of “reverse salients”, i.e. subsystems that because of their limited performance hold back further development, was a central driver for creativity and innovation. It is argued that in sustainable infrastructural transformations, however, reverse salients that resist change are more often neglected than addressed.

Design/methodology/approach

Higher education institution campuses combine laboratory-like conditions and sufficient internal complexity to be used as test-beds for ambitious sustainable change in the built environment. In this article, a neglected barrier to the transformation of a small campus into a zero emission campus is revealed, described and addressed.

Findings

In terms of substantive findings, first, it is demonstrated how parts of infrastructures that – often for good reasons – have been neglected in efforts to reduce climate impacts can be identified with the help of a historical exploration of the site and through close collaboration with local facilities managers. Second, a temporary low-tech intervention is presented that addressed the critical problems related to these “reverse salients”.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of a case study approach apply to this study. Particular caution has to be exercised in terms of generalisation. Moreover, the intervention would benefit greatly from stricter control and additional iterations of the intervention which have not yet been performed.

Practical implications

In addition to technology-focussed, top-down initiatives, which often struggle with actually reaching their ambitious goals in routine operation, neglected parts of campuses can contribute greatly to energy and emissions reductions. Moreover, it is demonstrated that and how local technical personnel has an important part to play in infrastructural transformations.

Originality/value

Concepts developed in the study of socio-technical system building have not yet been applied in the study and practice of sustainable infrastructural transformation. Their contribution is demonstrated. Moreover, living labs are notoriously difficult to evaluate. In this case study, processes and effects of an innovative living lab intervention are described and analysed. This enables a better understanding of restrictions and possibilities of experimenting in real-life settings.
Corporate governance and compliance with AAOIFI governance standards by Islamic banks
Authors: Mnif Yosra , Tahari Marwa
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of the main corporate governance characteristics on compliance with accounting and auditing organisation for Islamic financial institutions’ (AAOIFI) governance standards’ (GSs) disclosure requirements by Islamic banks (IB) that adopt AAOIFIs’ standards in Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Syria, Sudan, Palestine and Yemen.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 486 bank-year observations from 2009 to 2017.

Findings

The findings reveal that compliance with AAOIFIs’ GSs’ disclosure requirements is positively influenced by the audit committee (AC) independence, AC’s accounting and financial expertise and industry expertise, auditor industry specialisation, IB’s size and IB’s listing status. On the other hand, it is negatively influenced by the ownership concentration.

Research limitations/implications

This study has only examined compliance with AAOIFI’s GSs’ disclosure requirements and has focussed on one major sector of the Islamic financial institutions (which is IB).

Practical implications

The findings are useful for various groups of preparers and users of IBs’ annual reports such as academics and researchers, accountants, management of IBs and some organisations.

Originality/value

While the study of the AAOIFIs’ standards has grown contemporary with considerable contributions from scholars, however, the majority of these studies are descriptive in nature. Indeed, the existing literature that has explored the determinants of compliance with AAOIFI’s standards is in the early research stage. To the best of the knowledge, there is a paucity of empirical research testing this issue.
Family firms, banks and firm value: Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Liew Chee Yoong , Devi S. Susela
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper examines the relationship between the number of domestic banks that the firm engages with and firm value and how this relationship is moderated by ownership concentration at low and very high level on a sample of Malaysian family and non-family firms.

Design/methodology/approach

For hypotheses testing, panel data analysis using the fixed effects model (FEM) is used because the FEM can address any endogeneity problems effectively (Chi, 2005). The panel data regression is conducted on both family firms and non-family firms.

Findings

We find that there is a significant negative relationship between the number of domestic banks engaged by family firms, operating in industries where these firms do not have absolute monopoly, and firm value. However, there is no evidence that this significant negative firm value effect is stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms. Furthermore, the significant positive moderating effect of ownership concentration on this relationship within family firms in such industries is evident only at low level of ownership concentration. Interestingly, at very high level of ownership concentration, this significant positive moderating effect becomes negative. There is no evidence that these significant moderating effects are stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms.

Research limitations/implications

This research has focused only on family and non-family firms.

Practical implications

An implication of this research is that there is a need for the capital market regulators to introduce appropriate policies to deter family firms from having a close relationship with domestic banks as well as monitor the number of domestic banks engaged by such firms. There may be policy implications for consideration by the Central Bank of Malaysia as well.

Originality/value

This research provides some insights to both academia and industry regarding the consequences of domestic banking relationship and different levels of concentrated ownership in family firms in an emerging market. These insights can help improve the corporate governance as well as ownership structure of Malaysian public-listed family firms which dominate the capital market. Our findings refute the argument by Peng and Jiang (2010) by demonstrating that corporate reputational effects may be a substitute for institutional deficiencies.
The marketing of concerts in London 1672–1749
Authors: Harbor Catherine
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the nature of the marketing of concerts 1672–1749 examining innovations in the promotion and commodification of music, which are witness to the early development of music as a business.

Design/methodology/approach

The study takes as its basis 4,356 advertisements for concerts in newspapers published in London between 1672 and 1749.

Findings

Musicians instigated a range of marketing strategies in an effort to attract a concert audience, which foreground those found in more recent and current arts marketing practice. They promoted regular concerts with a clear sense of programme planning to appeal to their audience, held a variety of different types of concerts and made use of a variety of pricing strategies. Concerts were held at an increasing number and range of venues with complementary ticket-selling locations.

Originality/value

Whilst there is some literature investigating concert-giving in this period from a musicological perspective (James, 1987; Johnstone, 1997; McVeigh, 2001; Weber, 2001; 2004b; 2004c; Wollenberg, 1981–1982; 2001; Wollenberg and McVeigh, 2004), what research there is that uses marketing as a window onto the musical culture of concert-giving in this period lacks detail (McGuinness, 1988; 2004a; 2004b; McGuinness and Diack Johnstone, 1990; Ogden et al., 2011). This paper illustrates how the development of public commercial concerts made of music a commodity offered to and demanded by a new breed of cultural consumers. Music, thus, participated in the commercialisation of leisure in late 17th- and 18th-century England and laid the foundations of its own development as a business.
The industry engagement ladder
Authors: Rees Dylan , Wang Qiru , Laramee Robert S.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper is a response to a frequently asked question from prospective industry partners searching for opportunities to collaborate with the Computer Science Department of Swansea University, UK. This paper seeks to provide structured guidance in the form of what is titled the Industry Engagement Ladder.

Design/methodology/approach

The Industry Engagement Ladder presents a selection of collaboration opportunities, outlining the possible cooperation mechanisms between an industry partner and the academic institution.

Findings

Opportunities are described and ranked according to the amount of investment required by the industrial partner, and therefore risk, from low to high.

Originality/value

This concise paper provides a quick reference for perspective industry academia collaboration opportunities, the risks involved with each, the possible funding available to help foster these partnerships and the benefits to industry. These collaborative activities (and variations thereof) can be incorporated by any university department. The manuscript offers an ideal starting point for industry–university collaboration.
Investigative interviewing skills in policing: examining the transfer of training into workplace practices
Authors: Mount David , Mazerolle Lorraine
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Police invest significant time, energy and resources to equip officers with the skills required to conduct effective investigative interviews. However, transferring those skills acquired or developed in a training environment for application in the police workplace is a journey fraught with impediments and diversions. Invariably, the quality and amount of skills transferred and applied on the job represent a paltry return on resource investment. This research explores the factors that impact the transfer of investigative interviewing skills from the training environment to the police workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews with 40 officers, both uniformed and plain-clothes, were conducted to explore the influences on and impediments to effective skill transfer. Data were inductively analysed and thematically pattern-matched with existing research findings in the adult training domain.

Findings

Results indicate that trainee motivation, perceptions of training relevance, perceptions of training quality and preparedness to conduct the task as trained directly and indirectly influence the degree to which investigative interviewing skills transfer from the training environment to the police workplace.

Originality/value

This is original research in a domain that has previously received limited academic attention. An awareness of the factors that negatively impact on the transfer of acquired skills and ways to mitigate or ameliorate the detrimental effects are likely to assist police trainers and workplace managers to improve transfer rates and get more outcome value for the money, time and effort invested in training regimes.
Human activity detection using machine learning methods from wearable sensors
Authors: Randhawa Princy , Shanthagiri Vijay , Kumar Ajay , Yadav Vinod
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The paper aims to develop a novel method for the classification of different physical activities of a human being, using fabric sensors. This method focuses mainly on classifying the physical activity between normal action and violent attack on a victim and verifies its validity.

Design/methodology/approach

The system is realized as a protective jacket that can be worn by the subject. Stretch sensors, pressure sensors and a 9 degree of freedom accelerometer are strategically woven on the jacket. The jacket has an internal bus system made of conductive fabric that connects the sensors to the Flora chip, which acts as the data acquisition unit for the data generated. Different activities such as still, standing up, walking, twist-jump-turn, dancing and violent action are performed. The jacket in this study is worn by a healthy subject. The main phases which describe the activity recognition method undertaken in this study are the placement of sensors, pre-processing of data and deploying machine learning models for classification.

Findings

The effectiveness of the method was validated in a controlled environment. Certain challenges are also faced in building the experimental setup for the collection of data from the hardware. The most tedious challenge is to collect the data without noise and error, created by voltage fluctuations when stretched. The results show that the support vector machine classifier can classify different activities and is able to differentiate normal action and violent attacks with an accuracy of 98.8%, which is superior to other methods and algorithms.

Practical implications

This study leads to an understanding of human physical movement under violent activity. The results show that data compared with normal physical motion, which includes even a form of dance is quite different from the data collected during violent physical motion. This jacket construction with woven sensors can capture every dimension of the physical motion adding features to the data on which the machine learning model will be built.

Originality/value

Unlike other studies, where sensors are placed on isolated parts of the body, in this study, the fabric sensors are woven into the fabric itself to collect the data and to achieve maximum accuracy instead of using isolated wearable sensors. This method, together with a fabric pressure and stretch sensors, can provide key data and accurate feedback information when the victim is being attacked or is in a normal state of action.
Carve‐out plan financial requirements associated with national behavioral health parity
Authors: Friedman Sarah , Xu Haiyong , Azocar Francisca , Ettner Susan L.
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To examine changes in carve‐out financial requirements (copayments, coinsurance, use of deductibles, and out‐of‐pocket maxima) following the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

Data Source/Study Setting

Specialty mental health benefit design information for employer‐sponsored carve‐out plans from a national managed behavioral health organization's claims processing engine (2008‐2013).

Study Design

This pre‐post study reports linear and logistic regression as the main analysis.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

NA.

Principal Findings

Copayments for in‐network emergency room (−$44.9, 95% CI: −78.3, −11.5; preparity mean: $56.2), outpatient services (eg, individual psychotherapy: −$7.4, 95% CI: −10.5, −4.2; preparity mean: $17.8), and out‐of‐network coinsurance for emergency room (−11 percentage points, 95% CI: −16.7, −5.4; preparity mean: 38.8 percent) and outpatient (eg, individual psychotherapy: −5.8 percentage points, 95% CI: −10.0, −1.6; preparity mean 41.0 percent) decreased. Probability of family OOP maxima use (29 percentage points, 95% CI: 19.3, 38.6; preparity mean: 36 percent) increased. In‐network outpatient coinsurance increased (eg, individual psychotherapy: 4.5 percentage points, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.9; preparity mean: 2.7 percent), as did probability of use of family deductibles (15 percentage points, 95% CI: 6.1, 23.3; preparity mean: 38 percent).

Conclusions

MHPAEA was associated with increased generosity in most financial requirements observed here. However, increased use of deductibles may have reduced generosity for some patients.
Unmet social needs among low‐income adults in the United States: Associations with health care access and quality
Authors: Cole Megan B. , Nguyen Kevin H.
Published: September 2020

Objective

To describe social needs among low‐income adults and estimate the relationship between level of unmet social needs and key indicators of health care access and quality.

Data Source

National survey data from 12 states from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which added a “Social Determinants of Health” Module in 2017.

Study Design

We examined differences in eight measures of health care access and quality (eg, check‐up in last 12 months, inability to see doctor due to cost, receipt of eye examination for diabetics) for low‐income adults with 0, 1, 2‐3, and 4+ unmet social needs based on 7 social needs measures. We used adjusted logistic regression models to estimate the association between level of unmet need and each outcome.

Principal Findings

Most common unmet social needs included not having enough money for balanced meals (33 percent) or food (32 percent). After adjusting for observable characteristics, higher levels of unmet social need were associated with poorer access and quality. Compared to those with no reported unmet needs, having 4+ unmet needs was significantly associated with reduced probability of having a yearly check‐up (65 percent vs 78 percent, adjusted difference = −7.1 percentage points (PP)), receiving a flu vaccine (33 percent vs 42 percent, adjusted difference = −5.4 PP), having a personal doctor (74 percent vs 80 percent, adjusted difference = −3.1 PP), and having a foot (63 percent vs 80 percent, adjusted difference = −12.8 PP) or eye examination (61 percent vs 73 percent, adjusted difference = −12.6 PP) for diabetic patients, and increased probability of being unable to see a doctor due to cost (44 percent vs 9 percent, adjusted difference = 27.9 PP) and having diabetes affect the eyes (22 percent vs 19 percent, adjusted difference = 8.0 PP) at α = 0.05.

Conclusions

Higher levels of unmet social needs were associated with poorer access to and quality of care among low‐income adults. Addressing social needs both inside and outside of health care settings may help mitigate these negative effects. Additional research on if and how to effectively do so is critical.
Changes in vegetable and fruit intakes and effects on anthropometric outcomes in males and females
Authors: Clarke Erin D. , Rollo Megan E. , Collins Clare E. , Wood Lisa , Callister Robin , Schumacher Tracy , Haslam Rebecca L.
Published: September 2020

Aim

To investigate associations between changes in vegetable and fruit (V&F) intakes and anthropometric indices (weight, BMI, % body fat, waist circumference), including differences by sex, during a dietary weight‐loss intervention.

Methods

Adults (18‐45 years) with overweight/obesity (BMI 25‐35 kg/m2) entered a 10‐week pre‐post study, receiving individualised consults with an Accredited Practising Dietitian targeting increased V&F intakes. Dietary intake was assessed using 24‐hour recalls and food frequency questionnaires. Linear mixed models were used to examine how much of the changes in anthropometric indices were explained by changes in V&F intakes. Sex differences were assessed by Wilcoxon rank sum tests.

Results

Of the 43 participants enrolled, 34 completed the study (53% female). Significant differences in energy intake and anthropometric indices were observed between males and females at baseline. After 10 weeks, females significantly reduced their weight (−2.9%, P < .01), BMI (−0.82 kg/m2, P < .01), waist circumference (−1.70 cm, P < .01), energy intake (−824 kJ/day, P = .01) and improved diet quality (−14.0% energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods, P < .01). Males significantly reduced weight (−2.5%, P = .04), BMI (−0.76 kg/m2, P = .03), waist circumference (−2.40 cm, P = .02), energy intake (−2875 kJ/day, P < .01), increased fruit intake (+0.89 serves/day, P = .02) and improved diet quality (−6% energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods, P < .01). Compared to the other sex, greater reductions were observed in energy intake in males and energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods in females. Linear mixed models identified that changes in V&F intakes did not explain the variation in anthropometric measures.

Conclusion

Future interventions may benefit from trialling sex tailored messages to enhance effects on anthropometric changes.
Mining for novel antibiotics in the age of antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Udaondo Zulema , Matilla Miguel A.
Published: September 2020

The misuse of antimicrobials is causing an alarming increase in the appearance of antibiotic‐resistant microorganisms. In this context, the identification of novel antibiotics against new targets and with low rates of resistance development is a major global challenge. In this article, we highlight a number of recent articles that exploit a variety of in vitro, in vivo and in silico state‐of‐the‐art approaches to identify and develop new antimicrobials. Rapid progress in this research field will be crucial to combating a global health problem, antimicrobial resistance, that is expected to be the leading cause of death by 2050.
Patterns of disease progression to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in patients with stage IV non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Attia Christina G , Fei Naomi , Almubarak Mohammed , Ma Patrick C , Mattes Malcolm D
Published: September 2020

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to assess patterns of disease progression for patients with metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy.

Methods

This single centre, retrospective study included all patients diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC from 2015 to 2019 who received at least 2 cycles of immunotherapy, with or without concurrent chemotherapy. Immune RECIST criteria were used to assess patterns of disease progression, and progression‐free survival (PFS), excluding irradiated tumours. The chi‐square and log‐rank tests assessed for associations between baseline clinical characteristics and progressive disease in initial sites only (vs. new or combined sites), and PFS, respectively.

Results

Among 143 eligible patients with a median follow‐up of 11 months, 97 (68%) developed disease progression. Of these, 67 patients (69.1%) progressed only at initial disease site(s), 10 patients (10.3%) progressed only at new disease site(s), and 20 patients (20.6%) progressed in both initial and new sites. Rates of disease progression based on tumour location were higher for liver (64%) and lung metastases (61%) than for other metastatic sites (33–36%) or the primary tumour (24%). Only higher PD‐L1 expression (P = 0.002) and absence of lung metastasis (P = 0.048) at baseline were associated with improved PFS. No baseline characteristics significantly impacted the probability of initial disease site‐only progression, though a trend was observed for untreated primary tumour (72% vs. 56%, P = 0.169).

Conclusions

The dominant pattern of disease progression is in the initial sites of disease alone, suggesting a potential role for local radiation therapy as a complementary treatment modality to immunotherapy.
EEF1A2 and ERN2 could potentially discriminate metastatic status of mediastinal lymph node in lung adenocarcinomas harboring EGFR 19Del/L858R mutations
Authors: Xia Lei , Wang Hui , Xiao He , Lan Baohua , Liu Jie , Yang Zhenzhou
Published: September 2020

Background

Early data has indicated that EGFR 19Del mutation and EGFR L585R mutation are two different types of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, how the different molecular mechanisms participate in the process of mediastinal lymph node metastasis (MLNM) in lung adenocarcinoma (LA) harboring EGFR 19Del and EGFR L858R mutation remains unknown. We thus explored the genes responsible for MLNM in LA with EGFR 19Del or L858R mutation.

Methods

We performed transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis from 10 patients with LA resection specimens of primary tumors. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was used to validate gene expressions.

Results

There were 69 mRNAs upregulated and 100 mRNAs downregulated in five samples with MLNM compared with samples without MLN metastasis. EEF1A2 and ERN2 were observed exhibiting different expression patterns in EGFR 19Del and EGFR L858R samples with MLNM. In samples harboring EGFR 19Del mutation, the expression of EEF1A2 gene in samples with MLNM was significantly lower compared with samples without MLN metastasis, and in samples with EGFR L858R, it was significantly higher in samples with MLNM. The expression pattern of ERN2 was opposite to EEF1A2. In addition, several other genes including SLC6A11, IGHV3‐48, IGHV3‐43, DUSP9, and HOXA9 were also shown to be associated with invasion and metastasis and exhibited an expression pattern similar to EEF1A2 and ERN2 in EGRF 19Del and L858R mutation tumors.

Conclusions

EEF1A2 and ERN2 were for the first time observed exhibiting distinct expression patterns in MLNM in lung adenocarcinomas harboring EGFR 19Del and EGFR L858R mutation by interindividual DEGs analysis.

Key points

Significant findings of the study

In our study, we focused on the mechanisms of metastasis and invasion that different EGFR mutations conferred and identified two critical genes separately involved in this process in EGFR 19Del and L858R mutation tumors.

What this study adds

Our findings not only reinforced theoretical foundations that the EGFR 19Del and L858R mutation tumors should be considered as two kinds of diseases, but also laid the fundamentals for precise determination of the mediastinal lymph node radiation field and improvement of clinical outcome.
Effect of expertise on TF adaptive system instrumentation quality in simulated mandibular molar canals
Authors: Verdelis Kostas , Chaudhry Shilpa S. , Madoori Manasa , Hasselbach Robert , Chong Rong , Peters Ove A. , Vasdekis Vassilios , Ray Herbert L.
Published: September 2020

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of operator experience on the quality of instrumentation of molar canals using the TF Adaptive file system (SybronEndo, Orange, CA) on a 3D‐printed molar replica model. Three novice and two expert operators instrumented the root canals of three replicas each and resulting pre‐ and postinstrumentation 12 micron voxel size‐microCT volumes of each replica were digitally registered. Relative modified canal wall surface fraction and canal transportation (1–9 mm from the apex) were calculated and analysed by anova. Instrumentation by expert operators resulted in overall higher (P = 0.002) modified wall surface fraction in the distal but not the mesial and higher (P = 0.002) combined from all canal level transportation in the mesiobuccal canals but not the mesiolingual and distal canals. Instrumentation efficiency but also transportation using the TF Adaptive file system can be higher among expert, compared to novice, operators, depending on the canal type.
Zealastoa Quicke & Ward, gen. nov., a new basal cyclostome braconid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from New Zealand
Authors: Quicke Donald L J , Ward Darren F , Belokobylskij Sergey A , Butcher Buntika A
Published: September 2020

The Mesostoinae are an almost entirely Gondwanan subfamily of Braconidae, known from Australia, New Zealand and South America (extending into MesoAmerica). They are morphologically and biologically diverse and, together with Aphidiinae and Maxfischeriinae, are the sister group to all other extant cyclostome braconids. Here we describe and illustrate a new genus, Zealastoa Quicke & Ward, gen. nov., and three new species: Z. waitakerensis Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., Z. hirta Belokobylskij, Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., and Z. multiarticulata Belokobylskij, Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., all from New Zealand. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on combined nuclear 28S rDNA D2‐D3 expansion region and the barcoding region of mitochondrial COI strongly support a monophyletic clade comprising the endemic New Zealand genera (Doryctomorpha Ashmead, Metaspathius Brues, Rhyssaloides and Zealastoa gen. nov.) as being the sister group to all other members of the subfamily.
Description of Emeryus Zacca, Mielke & Casagrande gen. nov. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to accommodate three species formerly placed in Paryphthimoides Forster, 1964
Authors: Zacca Thamara , Casagrande Mirna M. , Mielke Olaf H. H. , Huertas Blanca , Barbosa Eduardo P. , Freitas André V. L. , Willmott Keith R.
Published: September 2020

A new genus of Euptychiina, Emeryus Zacca, Casagrande & Mielke, gen. nov., is herein described using an integrative taxonomic approach to accommodate three species previously placed in Paryphthimoides Forster, 1964: Emeryus argulus argulus (Godart, [1824]), comb. nov. (type species), Emeryus difficilis (Forster, 1964), comb. nov. and Emeryus numeria (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), comb. nov. Additionally, a new taxon Emeryus argulus magnum Zacca, Casagrande & Mielke, ssp. nov. from Venezuela (Aragua and Bolívar) and Brazil (Roraima), is described. A neotype is designated for Satyrus argulus Godart, [1824], and lectotypes are designated for Euptychia huebneri Butler, 1867, Euptychia ambigua Butler, 1867 and Neonympha numeria C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867. Female genitalia are described and illustrated for the first time for all of the above taxa. A Maximum Likelihood analysis using combined nuclear and mitochondrial genes supports the monophyly of the new genus. No DNA sequences could be obtained for E. numeria, but its inclusion in the genus is supported by morphological evidence. The genitalic morphology of both sexes of Emeryus species is helpful in distinguishing this genus from the other Euptychiina, although the male genitalia structures are highly conserved among congeners.
Systematics of the Neotropical species of the crabronid wasp genus Psenulus Kohl, 1897 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), with a contribution to the worldwide phylogeny of the genus
Authors: Rosa Brunno B , Melo Gabriel A R
Published: September 2020

The genus Psenulus Kohl, 1897 is the largest in Pemphredoninae, with about 161 described species. In contrast to several groups of Crabronidae, especially to other Pemphredoninae, Psenulus is underrepresented in the Neotropical region, with only three described species: Psenulus aztecus Bohart & Grissell, 1969, P. improvisus van Lith, 1978 and P. mayorum Bohart & Grissell, 1969. The Neotropical species of Psenulus are revised, and nine new species are described: P. amazonicus sp. nov., P. auropilosus sp. nov., P. brasiliensis sp. nov., P. dispar sp. nov., P. flavipes sp. nov., P. mexicanus sp. nov., P. rafaeli sp. nov., P. silveirai sp. nov. and P. similis sp. nov. We also provide an identification key, descriptions of new species, redescriptions of previously described species, distribution maps and illustrations of external morphology. The first phylogenetic study of the genus Psenulus is based on 23 terminals (4 Psenini outgroup and 19 Psenulus species) and 55 morphological characters. Two monophyletic groups were recovered: a Nearctic + Palearctic clade and a Neotropical clade. Additionally, a closer relationship between the Neotropical clade and the Afrotropical and Oriental species included in this analysis is recognized.
IL‐12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes of MPS‐resistant pigs
Authors: Sakuma Akiko , Sugawara Shizuka , Hidaka Hikaru , Nakajo Mitsuru , Suda Yoshihito , Shimazu Tomoyuki , Rose Michael T. , Urakawa Megumi , Zhuang Tao , Zhao Guoqi , Watanabe Kouichi , Nochi Tomonori , Kitazawa Haruki , Katoh Kazuo , Suzuki Keiichi , Aso Hisashi
Published: September 2020

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) is caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hp) and is a common chronic respiratory disease of pigs. Recently, a genetically selected variant of the Landrace pig (Miyagino L2) has a lower incidence of pulmonary MPS lesions. We investigated the pathological and immunological characteristics of MPS resistance in these pigs (n = 24) by comparing with the normal landrace pig (control: n = 24). The pathological MPS lung lesion score in MPS‐selected landrace pigs was significantly lower than in the control. The gene expression of interleukin (IL)‐12p40, which acts as a chemoattractant and a component of the bioactive cytokines IL‐12 and IL‐23, was significantly higher at the hilar lymph nodes, lung, and spleen in MPS‐selected landrace pigs than in control landrace pigs, and these were negatively correlated with the macroscopic MPS lung lesion score. In summary, we demonstrate that resistance against MPS in Miyagino L2 pigs is associated with IL‐12p40 up‐regulation, in comparison with normal landrace pigs without the MPS vaccine. In addition, a comparative study of macroscopic MPS lung lesions and IL‐12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes may lead to beneficial selection traits for the genetic selection for MPS resistance in pigs.
Approaching sites of action of drugs in clinical pharmacology: New analytical options and their challenges
Authors: Longuespée Rémi , Theile Dirk , Fresnais Margaux , Burhenne Jürgen , Weiss Johanna , Haefeli Walter E.
Published: September 2020

Clinical pharmacology is an important discipline for drug development aiming to define pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and optimum exposure to drugs, i.e. the concentration–response relationship and its modulators. For this purpose, information on drug concentrations at the anatomical, cellular and molecular sites of action is particularly valuable. In pharmacological assays, the limited accessibility of target cells in readily available samples (i.e. blood) often hampers mass spectrometry‐based monitoring of the absolute quantity of a compound and the determination of its molecular action at the cellular level. Recently, new sample collection methods have been developed for the specific capture of rare circulating cells, especially for the diagnosis of circulating tumour cells. In parallel, new advances and developments in mass spectrometric instrumentation now allow analyses to be scaled down to the cellular level. Together, these developments may permit the monitoring of minute drug quantities and show their effect at the cellular level. In turn, such PK/PD associations on a cellular level would not only enrich our pharmacological knowledge of a given compound but also expand the basis for PK/PD simulations. In this review, we describe novel concepts supporting clinical pharmacology at the anatomical, cellular and molecular sites of action, and highlight the new challenges in mass spectrometry‐based monitoring. Moreover, we present methods to tackle these challenges and define future needs.
99mTc‐labeled Duramycin for detecting and monitoring cardiomyocyte death and assessing atorvastatin cardioprotection in acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Tan Hui , Abudupataer Mieradilijiang , Qiu Lin , Mao Wujian , Xiao Jie , Cheng Dengfeng , Shi Hongcheng
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to dynamically monitor myocardial cell death using 99mTc‐Duramycin single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (micro‐SPECT/CT) imaging in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the anti‐apoptosis effect of atorvastatin for cardioprotection. Mice were randomized into three groups: AMI group, AMI with atorvastatin treatment (T‐AMI) group, and sham group. Three groups of model mice were randomly selected at day 1 (D1), day 3 (D3), and day 7 (D7) day after surgery with 99mTc‐Duramycin micro‐SPECT/CT imaging. The lesion‐to‐normal myocardial tissue ratio (L/N) average values were 2.62 on D1, 3.89 on D3, and 1.20 on D7 for the uptake of 99mTc‐duramycin in the infarcted region in the AMI group. The sham group presented no positive imaging in myocardium, and the L/N average values were 1.09, 1.14, and 1.10 on D1, D3, and D7, respectively. Meanwhile, 99mTc‐linear‐duramycin imaging showed no radioactive uptake in the infarction region. The T‐AMI group imaging showed tracer uptake decreased obviously compared to the uptake in the infarcted region in AMI mice. 99mTc‐Duramycin SPECT/CT imaging allowed non‐invasive monitoring of myocardial cell death in a mouse model of AMI and an assessment of atorvastatin anti‐apoptosis effect for cardioprotection by in vivo molecular imaging.
Adoptive Gay Father Families: A Longitudinal Study of Children’s Adjustment at Early Adolescence
Authors: McConnachie Anja L. , Ayed Nadia , Foley Sarah , Lamb Michael E. , Jadva Vasanti , Tasker Fiona , Golombok Susan
Published: September 2020

Findings are presented from the second phase of a UK longitudinal study of 33 gay father, 35 lesbian mother, and 43 heterosexual parent families when their adopted children reached early adolescence. Participants predominantly lived in urban/suburban areas and were mostly white and well‐educated. Standardized interviews, observations, and questionnaires of parental mental health, parent–child relationships, and adolescent adjustment were administered to parents, children, and teachers between 2016 and 2018. There were few differences between family types. However, adjustment problems had increased in all family types, with better parenting quality and parental mental health associated with fewer adjustment problems. The findings contribute to adoption policy and practice, and to theoretical understanding of the role of parental gender in child development.
Group recommendation with noisy subjective preferences
Authors: Salehi‐Abari Amirali , Larson Kate
Published: September 2020

Social choice theory provides a principled framework for the aggregation of individuals' preferences in support of group decision‐making and recommendation. Much of this work, however, either assumes that individuals' subjective preferences (and thus, their votes) are correctly specified by the individuals themselves, or alternatively that the votes of individuals are noisy estimates of some underlying ground truth over rankings of alternatives. We argue that neither model appropriately addresses some of the issues which arise in the context of group‐recommendation domains where individuals have subjective preferences but for some reason (eg, the high cognitive burden, concerns about privacy, etc.) may instead vote using a noisy estimate of their subjective preference rankings. In this paper, we propose a general probabilistic framework for modeling noisy subjective preferences, and explore the accuracy and reliability of four well‐studied voting rules under various noise models. Our results demonstrate that there is no single reliable method amongst the examined methods. Specifically, we observe the change in noise distribution can flip one method from being the most reliable to the least.
The Potential of Low Molecular Weight Heparin to Mitigate Cytokine Storm in Severe COVID‐19 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Shi Chen , Wang Cong , Wang Hanxiang , Yang Chao , Cai Fei , Zeng Fang , Cheng Fang , Liu Yihui , Zhou Taotao , Deng Bin , Vlodavsky Israel , Li Jin‐Ping , Zhang Yu
Published: September 2020

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared its assessment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) as a global pandemic. However, specific anti‐severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) drugs are still under development, and patients are managed by multiple complementary treatments. We performed a retrospective analysis to compare and evaluate the effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) treatment on disease progression. For this purpose, the clinical records and laboratory indicators were extracted from electronic medical records of 42 patients with COVID‐19 (21 of whom were treated with LMWH, and 21 without LMWH) hospitalized (Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology) from February 1 to March 15, 2020. Changes in the percentage of lymphocytes before and after LMWH treatment were significantly different from those in the control group (P = 0.011). Likewise, changes in the levels of D‐dimer and fibrinogen degradation products in the LMWH group before and after treatment were significantly different from those in the control group (P = 0.035). Remarkably, IL‐6 levels were significantly reduced after LMWH treatment (P = 0.006), indicating that, besides other beneficial properties, LMWH may exert an anti‐inflammatory effect and attenuate in part the “cytokine storm” induced by the virus. Our results support the use of LMWH as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID‐19, paving the way for a subsequent well‐controlled clinical study.
Early word‐learning skills: A missing link in understanding the vocabulary gap?
Authors: Shavlik Margaret , Davis‐Kean Pamela E. , Schwab Jessica F. , Booth Amy E.
Published: September 2020

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been repeatedly linked to the developmental trajectory of vocabulary acquisition in young children. However, the nature of this relationship remains underspecified. In particular, despite an extensive literature documenting young children's reliance on a host of skills and strategies to learn new words, little attention has been paid to whether and how these skills relate to measures of SES and vocabulary acquisition. To evaluate these relationships, we conducted two studies. In Study 1, 205 2.5‐ to 3.5‐year‐old children from widely varying socioeconomic backgrounds were tested on a broad range of word‐learning skills that tap their ability to resolve cases of ambiguous reference and to extend words appropriately. Children's executive functioning and phonological memory skills were also assessed. In Study 2, 77 of those children returned for a follow‐up session several months later, at which time two additional measures of vocabulary were obtained. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and multivariate regression, we provide evidence of the mediating role of word‐learning skills on the relationship between SES and vocabulary skill over the course of early development.
Differential early predictive factors for upper and lower extremity motor recovery after ischaemic stroke
Authors: Lee J. , Kim H. , Kim J. , Lee H.‐J. , Chang W. H. , Kim Y.‐H.
Published: September 2020

Background and purpose

Various clinical and neuroimaging predictive factors have been identified for the recovery of upper extremity (UE) motor function after stroke. However, few studies have addressed factors related to the recovery of lower extremity (LE) motor function after stroke or performed direct comparisons of UE and LE motor recovery in the same set of patients. In this study, predictive factors for UE and LE motor recovery after stroke were investigated using clinical and neuroimaging characteristics.

Methods

Forty‐two subacute ischaemic stroke patients underwent structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquisition and cognitive/behavioral assessments using the Fugl–Meyer assessment, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) 2 weeks after stroke onset. Neuroimaging factors, including corticospinal tract (CST) fractional anisotropy, lesion volume, CST lesion load and interhemispheric homotopic functional connectivity, were extracted. The outcome of motor function was assessed by Fugl–Meyer assessment scores 3 months after onset.

Results

Early clinical and neuroimaging factors for predicting motor recovery were noticeably different for UE and LE. UE motor function recovery was related to age, NIHSS, MMSE, CST lesion load, lesion volume, ipsilesional CST integrity and interhemispheric homotopic functional connectivity. In contrast, LE motor recovery was related to ipsilesional and contralesional CST integrity and MMSE. Specifically, LE recovery showed a strong relationship to the preservation of cognitive function compared with motor impairment.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that different mechanisms underlie UE and LE motor recovery after stroke. LE motor recovery seems to be more intensively modulated by cognitive functions than UE.