bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived barriers and facilitators to workplace exercise participation
Authors: Hunter Jayden R. , Gordon Brett A. , Bird Stephen R. , Benson Amanda C.
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Workplace exercise programmes have been shown to increase employee participation in physical activities and improve health and fitness in the short-term. However, the limited breadth of employee engagement across organisations combined with declining exercise adherence within individual studies indicates a need for better-informed programmes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate relationships between employee moderate-vigorous physical activity (exercise) participation and their perceived barriers and facilitators to engagement in onsite exercise, to inform the design and implementation of future workplace exercise interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey identified employee demographics, exercise (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), perceived barriers (Corporate Exercise Barriers Scale) and facilitators to exercise at an Australian university.

Findings

Of the 252 full-time employees who responded, most reported meeting (43.7 per cent) or exceeding (42.9 per cent) exercise guidelines over the previous week. A lack of time or reduced motivation (p<0.001), exercise attitude (p<0.05), internal (p<0.01) and external (p<0.01) barriers towards workplace exercise participation were all associated with failure to attain government-recommended volumes of weekly exercise. Personal training (particularly for insufficiently active employees) and group exercise classes were identified as potential exercise facilitators. Walking, gym (fitness centre), swimming and cycling were identified as the preferred modes of exercise training.

Practical implications

Employees not meeting recommended volumes of exercise might require additional support such as individualised gym and cycling programmes with personal supervision to overcome reported exercise barriers to improve exercise participation, health and fitness.

Originality/value

This study identifies specific barriers and facilitators to workplace exercise participation perceived by university employees. These findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of workplace exercise programmes aiming to achieve wider workplace engagement and greater exercise adherence, particularly of less active employees.
Worse-off than others? Abusive supervision’s effects in teams
Authors: Zhao Chen , Gao Zhonghua , Liu Yonghong
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how relative abusive supervision (i.e. team member’s perceived abusive supervision as compared with the team mean) influences team member’s job attitudes through the mediating role of relative leader–member exchange. This study also explores the cross-level moderating roles of team-level abusive supervision and team-level leader–member exchange (LMX) in the process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used two-wave data from 1,479 employees in 145 work teams, and tested a cross-level moderated mediation model using multilevel structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results demonstrate that the negative indirect effects of relative abusive supervision on job satisfaction and team affective commitment through relative LMX are stronger when team-level abusive supervision is low rather than high.

Originality/value

Integrating LMX theory with a relative deprivation perspective, this study conceptualizes and operationalizes relative abusive supervision, develops an individual-within-group model of abusive supervision’s consequences in teams and demonstrates a cross-level moderating effect of team-level abusive supervision in buffering relative abusive supervision’s negative consequences.
Responses of ant communities to disturbance: Five principles for understanding the disturbance dynamics of a globally dominant faunal group
Authors: Andersen Alan N.
Published: October 2018

Ecological disturbance is fundamental to the dynamics of biological communities, yet a conceptual framework for understanding the responses of faunal communities to disturbance remains elusive. Here, I propose five principles for understanding the disturbance dynamics of ants—a globally dominant faunal group that is widely used as bioindicators in land management, which appear to have wide applicability to other taxa.

These principles are as follows: (1) The most important effects of habitat disturbance on ants are typically indirect, through its effects on habitat structure, microclimate, resource availability and competitive interactions; (2) habitat openness is a key driver of variation in ant communities; (3) ant species responses to disturbance are to a large degree determined by their responses to habitat openness; (4) the same disturbance will have different effects on ants in different habitats, because of different impacts on habitat openness; and (5) ant community responses to the same disturbance will vary according to ant functional composition and biogeographical history in relation to habitat openness.

I illustrate these principles using results primarily from studies of ant responses to fire, a dominant agent of disturbance globally, to provide a common disturbance currency for comparative analysis.

I argue that many of the principles also apply to other faunal groups and so can be considered as general ecological “laws.” As is the case for ants, many impacts of habitat disturbance on other faunal groups are fundamentally related to habitat openness, the effects of disturbance on it and the functional composition of species in relation to it.
Explaining the variability in the response of annual eusocial insects to mass‐flowering events
Authors: Hovestadt Thomas , Mitesser Oliver , Poethke Achim , Holzschuh Andrea
Published: October 2018

Empirical studies of annual eusocial insects in agricultural landscapes report contrasting findings with regard to colony responses to mass‐flowering of crops such as oilseed rape. In particular, total sexual production is often unaffected by such events, whereas worker number responds with a prominent increase.

To resolve these conflicting observations, we model—using an established approach—the expected change in worker and sexual numbers in response to an increased worker productivity induced by mass‐flowering events at different times of the season.

We find that the predicted response pattern is mainly shaped by the degree to which individual worker productivity is reduced by an increasing number of workers in the colony. Different environmental conditions and colony characteristics result in different levels of interference of workers, for example, during foraging or nest construction. Reduction in individual productivity is low, when worker interference is negligible (“weak limitation”) and high when an increasing number of workers substantially decreases per‐capita efficiency (“strong limitation”). For weak limitation, any mass‐flowering event that ends before the production of sexuals starts has a strong multiplicative impact on both worker and sexual numbers. The magnitude of the effect is quite independent of the precise timing of such an event. After the onset of sexual production, mass‐flowering has a weaker effect, as the added resource supply is only linearly transferred into production of additional sexuals.

For colonies under strong limitation, the predicted impact of mass‐flowering events is generally weaker, especially on the production of sexuals, and the timing of mass‐flowering events becomes more influential: Production of sexuals profits more from late than from early mass‐flowering events. Consequently, early mass‐flowering events are predicted to have a prominent effect on worker numbers but a negligible one on the output of sexuals.

The model presented provides a mechanistic explanation of why increased worker abundances do not necessarily translate into increased production of sexuals. The model is also applicable to other eusocial insects such as paper wasps whenever brief pulses of massive resource availability shortly elevate resource intake rates above the “normal” levels.
Enzymatic extract from flowers of Algerian spontaneous Cynara cardunculus: Milk‐clotting properties and use in the manufacture of a Camembert‐type cheese
Authors: Zikiou Abdellah , Zidoune Mohammed Nasreddine
Published: October 2018

The aim of this study was to assess the coagulant properties of crude extract from cardoon flowers (CECF) as a replacement for the imported coagulants used in the local Algerian cheese factories. Optimal coagulation activity of the extract was observed at pH 5 and 60 °C with a CaCl2 concentration of 0.02 M. The electrophoretic pattern revealed that the crude extract contains mainly cardosins A and B. The study of interactions involved in the formation of milk gel coagulated by CECF showed that hydrogen forces, hydrophobic interactions and calcium bridges contributed highly to the formation of milk gel. Camembert‐type cheese obtained by CECF was judged by trained panellists and was found to be in agreement with standard specifications. The present study highlights the possibility of using Algerian CECF as a promising plant coagulant in cheesemaking for the dairy industry.
Socialized reflexivity and self‐exertion: Mandala Model of Self and its role in mental health
Authors: Shiah Yung‐Jong , Hwang Kwang‐Kuo
Published: October 2018

The Mandala Model of Self (MMS) refers to the well‐functioning self leading to ultimate happiness in various cultures. This research provides the first empirical examination of the role of MMS in mental health in Confucian societies. The MMS Scale (MMSS) was developed, and its psychometric properties are described. A correlational study demonstrated that the MMSS, along with its two factors—socialized reflexivity and self‐exertion—validly measures certain mental health constructs. A quasi‐experimental study reliably distinguished persons engaged in the cultivation of the Mandala self from those who had not. Finally, a study with adolescents demonstrated that the scores of the MMSS are a better predictor of resilience than is extroversion or neuroticism. The present research provides empirical support for the theory underlying the MMS and its key contribution to mental health.
Migration patterns, family functioning, and life satisfaction among migrant children in China: A mediation model
Authors: Yuan Xiaojiao , Zhuo Ran , Li Gendao
Published: October 2018

There are three distinct patterns of migration among Chinese migrant children: whole‐family, single‐parent‐first, and both‐parents‐first migration. This study investigated the life satisfaction of children who migrated under the different migration patterns and examined the mediating role of family functioning in the relationship between the children's migration patterns and their life satisfaction. Participants consisted of migrant children (N = 703) from primary and junior middle schools in Chengdu, China. The results showed that (a) migrant children from the whole‐family and single‐parent‐first patterns of migration reported greater life satisfaction than did those from the both‐parents‐first pattern, and (b) family functioning partially mediated the association between migration patterns and life satisfaction. The present study highlights the importance of avoiding separation of children from both parents during migration and the need to develop interventions for migrant children's psychological adaptation by improving their families’ functioning.
The vitreopapillary interface in healthy and glaucoma: posterior vitreous detachment in the vitreopapillary interface study
Authors: Willekens Koen , Abegão Pinto Luìs , Lemmens Sophie , Bataillie Sophie , Somers Alix , Vandewalle Evelien , Stalmans Peter , Stalmans Ingeborg
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To investigate the vitreopapillary interface (VPI) in health and glaucoma according to the different stages of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) formation.

Methods

Prospective single centre study including healthy subjects and glaucoma patients. PVD staging was performed with spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Gender, age, lens status and refractive error were assessed in both groups. Glaucoma patients additionally had a comprehensive ophthalmological investigation including intraocular pressure measurement, visual field testing and confocal imaging of the optic nerve head.

Results

Data on 523 subjects (993 eyes) were included from the VPI study (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02290795) database (493 eyes of 258 healthy subjects and 500 eyes of 265 glaucoma patients). Healthy subjects were significantly younger than primary open angle glaucoma patients (59.7 ± 14.81 versus 70.0 ± 10.78 years, p < 0.001), but were otherwise matched for refractive error and gender. Significantly more glaucomatous eyes were pseudophakic (26.6% versus 5.1%). Including only phakic nonoperated eyes from subjects between 50 and 80 years old decreased the age difference between healthy and open angle glaucoma (64.1 ± 8.0 versus 65.9 ± 6.7 years, p = 0.051). Comparing these subgroups rendered similar average ages for PVD stages 0 and 4, in contrast to the significant older age for the glaucoma subgroup in stage 1 (64.1 ± 6.01 versus 61.4 ± 8.38 years, p < 0.001) and a trend towards significance in stage 3 (70.8 ± 69.8 versus 67.5 ± 5.92 years, p = 0.051).

Conclusion

The VPI study is a large clinical trial investigating the VPI in health and glaucoma. A subset of glaucoma patients seems to experience stages 1–3 of PVD formation at older age compared to healthy subjects.
Visual acuity and amblyopia prevalence in 11‐ to 12‐year‐old Danish children from the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000
Authors: Hansen Mathias Hvidtfelt , Munch Inger Christine , Li Xiao Qiang , Skovgaard Anne Mette , Olsen Else Marie , Larsen Michael , Kessel Line
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the prevalence of amblyopia and associated biometric factors in Danish children.

Methods

Determination of best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts, non‐cycloplegic subjective refractioning guided by automated refractometry, axial length and corneal curvature, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 1335 children from the population‐based Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 (CCC2000) Eye Study. Birth data were obtained from the Danish Medical Birth Registry.

Results

The mean (±SD) age of children was 11.7 (±0.4) years, and 47% were boys. Amblyopia prevalence was 1.5 (95% CL 0.8–2.2) %. Unilateral amblyopic eyes [BCVA < 80 ETDRS letters (0.8 snellen) and ≥2 lines difference between the eyes] was 0.6 (95% CL 0.3–1.0) mm shorter, 1.34 (95% CL 0.30–2.37) D more hyperopic and had 0.79 (95% CL 0.14–1.44) D more astigmatism compared with fellow eyes. Compared with the right eyes of the non‐amblyopic children, unilateral amblyopic eyes were 1.0 (95% CL 0.5–1.6) mm shorter, 2.48 (95% CL 1.11–3.86) D more hyperopic, 1.09 (95% CL 0.43–1.75) D more astigmatic and had a 47 (95% CL 13–81) μm thicker subfoveal choroid.

Conclusion

Amblyopia was found in 1.5% of Danish children born 22 years after the inception of the nationwide preschool visual screening programme. Amblyopia was associated with anisometropia, astigmatism, a thicker subfoveal choroid and a history of childhood strabismus.
Laser pointer maculopathy – on the rise?
Authors: Torp‐Pedersen Tobias , Welinder Lotte , Justesen Birgitte , Christensen Ulrik Correll , Solborg Bjerrum Søren , La Cour Morten , Saunte Jon Peiter
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To report symptoms and ocular pathology in 13 patients exposed to light from laser pointers.

Methods

We conducted a multi‐centre consecutive case series from eight ophthalmology departments.

Results

Eleven boys aged 9–15 years and two girls aged 7 (sister of one of the aforementioned boys) and 12 years, respectively, were included. Laser wavelengths were 572 nm (green), 450 nm (blue), and red laser of unknown wavelength. Output powers were between 5 and 5000 mW. Evaluation included slit lamp examination, colour fundus photography (CFP), and optical coherence tomography (OCT). All subjects complained of unilateral vision loss. Initial visual acuities in exposed eyes ranged from 0.05 to 1.0 Snellen equivalent or better. Nine subjects showed pathology on CFP and OCT abnormalities. One subject had a macular hole, which closed after vitrectomy. Long‐term visual acuity ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 Snellen equivalent or better.

Conclusion

High‐powered laser pointers have become readily available on the internet, and they have the potential to induce lasting visual loss. More than half of the published laser pointer maculopathy cases since the first incidence in 1999 have been published in 2014–2017. We suspect that incidence of exposure and subsequent visual loss is rising, and we encourage national legislators to regulate this market.
Correlation between retinal vein occlusion and cancer – a nationwide Danish cohort study
Authors: Toft‐Petersen Anne Pernille , Muttuvelu Danson V. , Heegaard Steffen , Torp‐Pedersen Christian
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To explore the association between retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and incident cancer.

Methods

All Danish citizens with a first‐time diagnosis of RVO and no previous diagnosis of cancer in the period from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2014 were included. Five likewise cancer‐free, age‐ and gender‐matched controls were included in a control cohort. All were followed up for 5 years or until either first diagnosis of cancer or death. Proportional hazards models with adjustment for age, gender, year of diagnosis and covariates and death as competing risk were used to estimate the risk of being diagnosed with cancer.

Results

There were 7963 RVO patients without cancer at the time of diagnosis, and all could be matched to likewise cancer‐free controls. Half of RVO patients were male, and the median age at RVO diagnosis was 70 years (61–79). The control cohort was similar in terms of gender and age. The risk of cancer within 1 year was 1.8 among RVO patients and 1.5 among controls. The crude risk of cancer was 1.22 (1.11;1.34) and upon full adjustment 1.15 (1.05;1.27). No time dependency was detected, and the types of cancer developed in RVO patients and controls were similar.

Conclusion

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of being diagnosed with cancer. This risk is likely to reflect shared risk factors rather than a causal association.
Evaluation of vision screening in five‐ to eight‐year‐old children living in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden – a prospective multicentre study
Authors: Gyllencreutz Emelie , Chouliara Anna , Alibakhshi Afsaneh , Tjörnvik Mathias , Aring Eva , Andersson GröZ Marita
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the current vision screening criteria regarding amblyopia and refractive errors, with emphasis on screening limits and retesting, in Region Västra Götaland (VGR), Sweden. Visual acuity (VA) screening is performed by nurses at primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in 4‐year‐old children and at school in 6‐ or 7‐year‐old children. Children with VA <0.65 (>0.19 logMAR) at either eye are referred. If VA is 0.65 in one or both eyes, a retest is performed by nurses at PHCs and schools, the children are then referred if VA is <0.8 (>0.10 logMAR).

Methods

We included all children aged ≥5 and <8 years referred between October 2014 and June 2015 from PHCs and schools to the four eye clinics in VGR, with VA ≥0.65 in one or both eyes. At the eye clinic, children underwent assessment of VA, refraction in cycloplegia, eye motility, cover test, stereo test and a slit lamp examination.

Results

Among the 259/295 children (139 female) participating, median age was 5.7 years (5.0–7.8 years) at referral. Glasses were prescribed due to subnormal VA with refractive errors in 20% of the children, 22% displayed heterophoria, none had heterotropia and one younger child had amblyopia. Accurate retesting gave fewer false‐positive referrals.

Conclusion

Our results showed that a vision screening referral cut‐off limit of VA <0.65 would leave undetected refractive errors. Residual amblyopia was uncommon. Accurate referral criteria, retesting and training of those performing the screening as well as re‐evaluation of the screening programme are all important.
A comparative study of ammonia transport across ruminal epithelia from Bos indicus crossbreds versus Bos taurus
Authors: Rabbani Imtiaz , Braun Hannah‐Sophie , Akhtar Tasneem , Liebe Franziska , Rosendahl Julia , Grunau Martin , Tietjen Uwe , Masood Saima , Kaessmeyer Sabine , Günzel Dorothee , Rehman Habib , Stumpff Friederike
Published: October 2018

Absorption of ammonia from the rumen of cattle decreases nitrogen availability for fermentational protein synthesis, leading to increased competition of cattle with humans for protein and enhancing the release of toxic nitrogenous compounds into the environment. Given that differences in feeding and breeding might induce differences in ruminal ammonia transport, we compared electrophysiological, histological, and molecular biological characteristics of ruminal epithelia of Bos indicus crossbreds (Sahiwal‐Mix, SWM) with those of Bos taurus (Holstein‐Friesian, HF). As in HF, the stratified cornified epithelium of SWM expressed claudin 1 and 4. Measurements of ammonia flux (HF) and serosal pH (both breeds) suggested that at a mucosal pH of 6.4, net transport primarily occurred as NH4+. As shown previously for HF, NH4+ induced a concentration‐dependent rise in short circuit current (Isc) in SWM that could be further stimulated by the TRP channel agonist menthol. Relative mRNA expression levels for TRPV3, TRPV4, TRPM6, and TRPM7 were significantly lower in SWM than in HF, with TRPA1 expression near the limit of detection. We conclude that uptake of ammonia from the rumen of both breeds occurs electrogenically as NH4+ with functional and molecular biological evidence pointing towards involvement of TRPV3 and TRPV4.
Culture follows design: Code design as an antecedent of the ethical culture
Authors: Stöber Thomas , Kotzian Peter , Weißenberger Barbara E.
Published: October 2018

Codes of ethics are directly aimed at behavioral control, but they also affect a company’s ethical culture, which in turn concerns compliance and ethical behavior. To positively influence a company’s ethical culture, employees must be familiar with its code of ethics, perceive that top management is committed to the code, and believe that their peers also comply with the code. The evidence on whether a code’s design affects a company’s ethical culture is limited. This study’s factorial survey experiment contributes to this gap in two ways: first, it investigates whether a code’s design affects how easily the code can be learned and, therefore, contributes to code familiarity. Second, it examines how a code can convey expectations regarding top management’s commitment and peers’ behavior, both of which are part of ethical culture. The results indicate that a positive tone increases code familiarity, and a code signed by top managers sends a strong signal of their commitment to the code. Finally, various implications of the results for research and practice are discussed.
Complex effects of laminopathy mutations on nuclear structure and function
Authors: Ho Rosettia , Hegele Robert A.
Published: October 2018

The nuclear lamins are important members of the intermediate filament (IF) family of proteins, involved in structural support and regulation of the nuclear lamina. Different mutations in various members of these type V IF proteins produce a staggering range of human disease phenotypes, which collectively have been termed “laminopathies.” Compelling examples are the wide range of inherited disorders that result from rare variants in LMNA encoding lamin A/C. These laminopathies include skeletal and cardiac muscle disorders, neuropathies, multisystem progeroid disorders, and lipodystrophies, of which the latter are associated with several metabolic complications. Functions of lamin A/C that have been shown to be compromised by distinct mutations in LMNA include loss of nuclear structural integrity, altered interaction with transcription factors, and changes to post‐translational processing of pre‐lamins. Recently, evidence has emerged that certain LMNA mutations, such as those causing partial lipodystrophy, alter the interaction between chromatin and lamin A, in turn affecting the spatial orientation and distribution of chromatin within the nucleus. Because chromatin organization is exquisitely tied to global patterns of gene expression, the findings suggest a novel mechanism to explain the tissue‐specific impact of a subset of laminopathy‐associated LMNA mutations.
Dental implants‐associated release of titanium particles: A systematic review
Authors: Suárez‐López del Amo Fernando , Garaicoa‐Pazmiño Carlos , Fretwurst Tobias , Castilho Rogerio M. , Squarize Cristiane H.
Published: October 2018

Objectives

The presence of titanium (Ti) particles around dental implants has been reported in the literature for decades. The prospective presence of Ti debris on soft tissues surrounding dental implants has not been systematically investigated and remains to be explored. Hence, this review aimed to evaluate the origin, presence, characteristics, and location of Ti particles in relation to dental implants.

Material and methods

Literature searches were conducted by two reviewers independently based on the PRISMA guidelines. The systematic review identified studies on Ti particles derived from dental implants. We evaluated several parameters, including anatomical location, and the suspected methods of Ti particles release.

Results

The search resulted in 141 articles, of which 26 were eligible and included in the systematic review of the literature. The investigations reported Ti and metal‐like particles in the soft (i.e., epithelial cells, connective tissue, and inflammatory cells) and hard (bone crest and bone marrow) tissues around the dental implants. Shape and size of the particles varied. The current literature reported a size range from 100 nm to 54 µm identified by multiple particles identification methods.

Conclusion

Ti particles surrounding peri‐implant tissues are a common finding. Peri‐implantitis sites presented a higher number of particles compared to healthy implants. The particles were mostly around the implants and inside epithelial cells, connective tissue, macrophages, and bone. Various mechanisms were described as causes of Ti release, including friction during implant insertion, corrosion of the implant surface, friction at the implant–abutment interface, implantoplasty, and several methods used for implant surface detoxification.
Factors associated with false‐negative pathologic diagnosis of calciphylaxis
Authors: Williams Erik A. , Moy Andrea P. , Cipriani Nicole A. , Nigwekar Sagar U. , Nazarian Rosalynn M.
Published: October 2018

Background

Calciphylaxis is a rare, painful, and debilitating disorder of vascular calcification and skin necrosis that typically affects patients with advanced kidney disease. During our routine pathology practice, we noted several missed diagnoses on calciphylaxis consultation cases originating from outside institutions and sought to explore factors associated with false‐negative pathologic diagnosis of calciphylaxis.

Methods

The pathology database of a large tertiary academic medical center was retrospectively searched for “calciphylaxis” in inside reports on outside surgical consultation cases between 2007 and 2017. Inside and outside pathology reports were compared and medical records were searched for calciphylaxis clinical diagnosis and risk factors.

Results

Twenty‐four calciphylaxis patients were identified, with median age of 63.5 years. Seven of 24 (29%) of specimens were inadequate (e.g., lack of subcutaneous adipose tissue for evaluation). Eight of 17 (47%) of adequate specimens had a first false‐negative pathologic diagnosis of calciphylaxis. Histochemical staining for calcium significantly correlated with true‐positive diagnosis (93% vs 55%, P = 0.004). Dermatopathology fellowship training significantly correlated with true‐positive diagnosis (82% vs 38%, P = 0.047).

Conclusions

Adequate sampling, dermatopathology training, and use of histochemical stains to identify calcium associate with decreased false‐negative rate for calciphylaxis diagnosis. These findings need further evaluation in larger prospective studies.
Keratosis pilaris rubra with mucin deposition
Authors: Hosking Anna‐Marie , Elsensohn Ashley , Makdisi Joy , Grando Sergei , de Feraudy Sebastien
Published: October 2018

Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a benign cutaneous disorder characterized by folliculocentric hyperkeratotic papules most often occurring on the proximal extremities. Erythema is usually limited to perifollicular skin, but when keratosis pilaris presents on a background of confluent erythema, the term keratosis pilaris rubra (KPR) is used. The histological findings associated with KP have not been well described in the literature. Herein, we present a case of a 14‐year‐old male with a 7‐year history of erythema and follicular‐based papules over his bilateral cheeks, consistent with KPR. Histological examination revealed abundant mucin, keratotic follicular plugging, and periadnexal lymphocytosis. Our novel finding of abundant dermal mucin expands the histopathologic description of KPR.
Converting temperate long‐term arable land into semi‐natural grassland: decadal‐scale changes in topsoil C, N, 13C and 15N contents
Authors: Hu T. , Taghizadeh‐Toosi A. , Olesen J. E. , Jensen M. L. , Sørensen P. , Christensen B. T.
Published: October 2018

Converting arable land to permanent grassland remains an efficient option for increased carbon (C) storage in agricultural land. We quantified changes in C and nitrogen (N) in topsoil from the Sandmarken experiment (initiated in 1894 in Denmark) before and after its conversion to semi‐natural grassland in 1998. Because of different fertilizer application in the arable phase, the grass was established on soils with different initial fertility. Archived soils sampled during 1942–2012 from plots subjected to different treatments in the arable phase were analysed for C, N, 13C and 15N. With crop yields, topsoil C contents and the C‐TOOL model, we estimated mean C inputs in the arable phase of 0.4, 1.4 and 1.7 Mg C ha−1 year−1 for unmanured, mineral‐fertilized and animal‐manured plots, respectively, and C inputs in the grassland phase of 3.2–3.8 Mg C ha−1 year−1. In the arable phase, topsoil showed mean losses of 0.10 Mg C and 0.012 Mg N ha−1 year−1, whereas δ13C increased by 0.002‰ and δ15N by 0.013‰. Grassland establishment reverted losses of C and N to gains of 0.29 Mg C and 0.017 Mg N ha−1 year−1; δ13C now decreased by 0.065‰ and δ15N by 0.074‰. Fertilizer history did not affect these changes markedly. Converting this low‐yielding sandy soil from arable to grassland use provided an overall annual gain of 0.39 Mg C and 0.029 Mg N ha−1 in the topsoil. Changes in δ13C and δ15N indicated a reduced rate of C turnover and a less leaky N cycle under grassland.

Highlights

Assessed change in C and N storage with change in land use from arable to semi‐natural grassland

Overall soil C sequestration was 0.39 Mg C ha−1 year−1 because C loss was avoided from continued arable use

Soil δ13C and δ15N decreased when arable land was converted into grassland

In the grassland phase, the modelled C input was not affected by fertilizer history
Endogenous Financial Constraint and Investment‐Cash‐Flow Sensitivity
Authors: Li Rui
Published: October 2018

This paper studies a dynamic investment model with moral hazard. The moral hazard problem implies an endogenous financial constraint on investment that makes the firm's investment sensitive to cash flows. I show that the production technology and the severity of the moral hazard problem substantially affect the dependence of the investment‐cash‐flow sensitivity on the financial constraint. Specifically, if the production technology exhibits almost constant returns to scale in capital or the moral hazard problem is relatively severe, the dependence is negative. Otherwise, the pattern is reversed to some extent. Moreover, the calibrated benchmark model can quantitatively account for the negative dependence of investment and Tobin's Q on size and age observed in the data.
Why decentralize decision making? English local actors' viewpoints
Authors: Richardson Liz , Durose Catherine , Dean Rikki J.
Published: October 2018

Decentralized decision making has created restructuring from larger to smaller administrative units, but in many places, strays little from existing arrangements. Moves toward decentralization from central government to city‐regions, and in some areas, below city‐region scale to neighborhoods, reflect a mandate for reform. What is the nature and extent of desired reforms? Using an institutionalist lens, homogeneity and heterogeneity in local narratives about possible future reform can be surfaced. This article emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of local actors' narratives in shaping decentralized institutions. This article uses the findings from a Q‐methodology study to identify and interrogate distinctive local viewpoints on attempts to decentralize decision making in England. In a systematic empirical analysis, local actors' narratives were largely in favor of relatively minor modifications to the status quo. The findings question a conflation of decentralization with participation in decision making.
When did the Middle East become Muslim? Trends in the study of Islam's “age of conversions”
Authors: Carlson Thomas A.
Published: October 2018

Through conversion, Islam became the religion of the majority of the population in the medieval Middle East, but the process took centuries and remains poorly understood. Scholarship on demographic Islamization has postulated an “age of conversions,” during which the majority of the population converted relatively rapidly. Historians over the past century have continually pushed the Middle East's “age of conversions” later in time. A partial exception is Egypt, for which Wiet's early model still finds some supporters despite being based on misinterpreted evidence. I propose that even this continual revision fails to correct sufficiently for the elite bias of the surviving literary sources, which virtually ignore the agrarian population base of society. Common structures and cultural dynamics in agrarian societies suggest that even the current state of scholarship presumes too rapid a pace of conversion for the majority of the population in the Middle East.
Generation and characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with enhanced cancer stem cell potential
Authors: Muenzner Julienne K. , Kunze Philipp , Lindner Pablo , Polaschek Sandra , Menke Kira , Eckstein Markus , Geppert Carol I. , Chanvorachote Pithi , Baeuerle Tobias , Hartmann Arndt , Schneider‐Stock Regine
Published: October 2018

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes for cancer‐related death worldwide with rapidly increasing incidence and mortality rates. As for other types of cancers, also inHCCcancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible for tumour initiation, progression and therapy failure. However, as rare subpopulations of tumour tissue,CSCs are difficult to isolate, thus making the development of suitable and reliable model systems necessary. In our study, we generated HepG2 subclones with enrichedCSCpotential by application of the spheroid formation method and subsequent single‐cell cloning. Analyses in several 2D and 3D cell culture systems as well as a panel of functional assays both in vitro and in vivo revealed that the generated subclones displayed characteristic and sustained features of tumour initiating cells as well as highly aggressive properties related to tumour progression and metastasis. These characteristics could clearly be correlated with the expression ofCSCmarkers that might have prognostic value in the clinicalHCCsetting. Therefore, we conclude that ourCSCenriched HepG2 clones certainly represent suitable model systems to study the role ofCSCs duringHCCinitiation, progression and drug resistance.
Construction of a risk prediction model of vancomycin‐associated nephrotoxicity to be used at the time of initial therapeutic drug monitoring: A data mining analysis using a decision tree model
Authors: Imai Shungo , Yamada Takehiro , Kasashi Kumiko , Niinuma Yusuke , Kobayashi Masaki , Iseki Ken
Published: October 2018

Objectives

In our previous study, we built a risk prediction model of vancomycin (VCM)‐associated nephrotoxicity using decision tree (DT) analysis. However, this has several limitations in clinical applications. Our objective here was to construct a clinically applicable risk prediction model to be used at the time of initial therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), in patients with uncomplicated infections.

Method

A retrospective study was conducted at Hokkaido University Hospital. Subjects that had received VCM were extracted between November 2011 and April 2017. Nephrotoxicity was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of 0.5 mg/dL or 50% or higher from baseline. The additional inclusion criteria in this study were as follows: (1) the target trough level of VCM was set to 10 to 15 mg/L, and (2) the duration of therapy was 7 to 14 days. Patients were assumed to have uncomplicated infections. Risk factors for nephrotoxicity were evaluated, which could be extracted at the initial TDM. In the DT analysis, a chi‐squared automatic interaction detection algorithm was constructed.

Results

A total of 402 patients were enrolled, and 56 (13.9%) patients developed nephrotoxicity. In the DT analysis, concomitant medications (furosemide, piperacillin‐tazobactam, and vasopressor drugs) and an initial VCM trough concentration ≥ 15.0 mg/L were extracted as predictive variables by which patients were divided into six subgroups. The incidence of nephrotoxicity was 5.2% to 70.0%, with subgroups classified as low to high risk of nephrotoxicity. The accuracy of DT model was favourable (87.1%).

Conclusion

We propose that the DT model built in this study is applicable to clinical practice.
An inclusive, online Delphi process for setting targets for best practice implementation for spinal cord injury
Authors: Wolfe Dalton L. , Hsieh Jane T.C. , Kras‐Dupuis Anna , Riopelle Richard J. , Walia Saagar , Guy Stacey , Gillis Katie
Published: October 2018

Rationale, aims, and objectives

The Spinal Cord Injury Knowledge Mobilization Network is a pan‐Canadian community of practice composed of seven rehabilitation hospitals. The goal of this network is to utilize implementation science processes to facilitate the adoption of best practice in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation. In addition to selecting specific practices for implementation, a key aspect of effective implementation is the engagement of stakeholders in decision‐making processes. To achieve this, the network utilized a Delphi process to reach consensus on two pressure ulcer prevention and management practices to be implemented in SCI inpatient rehabilitation. A diverse, multidisciplinary panel of clinicians, researchers, sponsoring agency representatives, and persons with SCI participated in this process.

Method

An online Delphi process was conducted in order to prioritize pressure ulcer prevention and management best practice recommendations and performance indicators for implementation. The process was conducted in six stages: (1) steering committee selection; (2) identification and selection of evidence; (3) participant selection and recruitment; (4) survey development; (5) identification of voting criteria; and (6) five rounds of voting.

Results

The Delphi process resulted in the selection of two best practices: (1) comprehensive risk assessment and (2) education for pressure ulcer prevention and management in persons with SCI.

Conclusions

In this Delphi process, a large expert panel achieved consensus on best practice recommendations and associated performance indicators for implementation. This process was undertaken as a first step towards optimization of service delivery and outcomes for persons with SCI across Canada.
The efficacy of non‐assisted reproductive technology treatment might be limited in infertile patients with advanced endometriosis in their 30s
Authors: Isono Wataru , Wada‐Hiraike Osamu , Akino Nana , Terao Hiromi , Harada Miyuki , Hirata Tetsuya , Hirota Yasushi , Koga Kaori , Fujii Tomoyuki , Osuga Yutaka
Published: October 2018

Aim

To determine the efficacious treatment for infertile couples, we assessed the impact of infertility factors including endometriosis on assisted reproductive technology (ART) and non‐ART treatment, and the effect of age in infertility treatment outcomes was also investigated.

Methods

The medical records of 1864 females, infertile patients from January 2000 to December 2015 at our hospital, were retrospectively reviewed under the approval of the Institutional Review Board. We extracted 10 representative factors and calculated the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in these patients. Multivariate analysis of ART and non‐ART treatment was performed to assess the impact of infertility factors, and the age‐related decline in cumulative live birth rate was calculated by creating eight age‐stratified subgroups.

Results

In total, 21.9% and 49.4% of the patients conceived after being treated with non‐ART and ART, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that age > 35, advanced endometriosis defined by the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification system stages III to IV, and the past history or current presence of uterine fibroid had significantly negative impact on the outcome of non‐ART. Age stratification revealed that advanced endometriosis adversely affected the outcome of non‐ART, especially for patients in their 30s. Assisted reproductive technology treatment for patients with advanced endometriosis was shown to be efficacious because the negative impact had been diminished.

Conclusion

Considering that non‐ART treatment had limited role in patients with advanced endometriosis, prompt initiation of ART in these patients aged as young as 30 years can be recommended to achieve conception.
Contribution of different rumen microbial groups to gas, short‐chain fatty acid and ammonium production from different diets—an approach in an in vitro fermentation system
Authors: Mobashar Mohammad , Hummel Jürgen , Blank Ralf , Südekum Karl‐Heinz
Published: October 2018

In this study, the relative contribution of different microbial groups to ruminal metabolism was investigated for different diets. The rumen microbial cultures included whole rumen fluid, fungi + protozoa, bacteria + protozoa, protozoa and bacteria + fungi and were established by physical and chemical methods. Gas production, short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) and ammonium production were measured at 24 hr in in vitro incubations using the Hohenheim gas test (HGT) procedure. Seven donor animal diets with different concentrate‐to‐roughage ratios (C:R: 10:90, 30:70, 50:50, 70:30, 70:30BC (BC = NaHCO3), 90:10 and 90:10BC) and five HGT diets (C:R: 10:90, 30:70, 50:50, 70:30 and 90:10) were formulated. Incubations in the HGT were always based on inoculum from sheep diets with the respective C:R ratio. Gas and ammonium production increased (p < 0.001) as a result of a gradual increase in concentrate proportion of the diets. In general, SCFA production followed the same trend. Whole rumen fluid and bacteria + fungi produced approximately 50% higher gas volume than protozoa and fungi + protozoa fractions, whereas gas production with bacteria + protozoa was at an intermediate level. Coculture of protozoa either with bacteria or with fungi produced more ammonium. Populations without bacteria were characterized by a particularly high acetate/propionate ratio. Although an interaction between microbial group and diet was observed for several variables, no clear direction could be established. Manipulating rumen fluid by selectively suppressing specific rumen microbial groups may be a helpful tool in elucidating their role in nutrient degradation and turnover in vitro.
Case series and systematic review of acquired diaphragmatic hernia after liver transplantation
Authors: Emamaullee Juliet A. , Nekrasov Victor , Gilmour Susan , Kneteman Norman , Yanni George , Kohli Rohit , Thomas Daniel , Genyk Yuri
Published: October 2018

Background

ADH is a rare and potentially fatal complication following LT. In this study, a systematic review was completed to identify risk factors which may contribute to ADH.

Methods

Transplant databases at three LT programs were reviewed. Four pediatric and zero adult cases were identified. Next, a systematic review was completed. Fourteen studies describing 41 patients with ADH were identified. Patient demographics, transplant characteristics, and features of ADH diagnosis were examined.

Results

The majority (90.2%) of ADH were in children. In pediatric LT, 95.1% received a segmental allograft. ADH occurred in the right P diaphragm 92.7% of the time, and 87.8% were repaired primarily. Patient demographics, post‐transplant complications, and immunosuppression regimens were broad and failed to predict ADH. Most patients presented with either respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms. There were two pediatric deaths related to undiagnosed ADH. The combined worldwide incidence of ADH in pediatric LT is 1.5% (34/2319 patients).

Conclusion

ADH is a rare complication post‐LT that primarily occurs in pediatric recipients. When diagnosed early, ADH can be repaired primarily with good outcomes.
The contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ecological restoration
Authors: Reyes‐García Victoria , Fernández‐Llamazares Álvaro , McElwee Pamela , Molnár Zsolt , Öllerer Kinga , Wilson Sarah J. , Brondizio Eduardo S.
Published: October 2018

Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC) are affected by global environmental change because they directly rely on their immediate environment for meeting basic livelihood needs. Therefore, safeguarding and restoring ecosystem resilience is critical to support their well‐being. Based on examples from the literature, we illustrate how IPLC participate in restoration activities maintaining traditional practices, restoring land degraded by outsiders, and joining outside groups seeking to restore ecosystems. Our review also provides examples of how Indigenous and Local Knowledge can be incorporated in the planning, execution, and monitoring of restoration activities. However, not all restoration initiatives engaging IPLC are beneficial or successful, and the factors that lead to success are not fully known. While local involvement in restoration projects is often mentioned as an element of success, this is primarily associated to projects that actively involve IPLC in codesigning restoration activities affecting their territories, ensure both short‐term direct benefits to IPLC and long‐term support of the maintenance of restored areas, and recognize IPLC local traditions and customary institutions. Based on these examples, we argue that IPLC should be a more important focus in any post‐2020 CBD agenda on restoration.
Can Starving Start‐ups Beat Fat Labs? A Bandit Model of Innovation with Endogenous Financing Constraint*
Authors: Spiganti Alessandro
Published: October 2018

Is there any such thing as too much capital when it comes to the financing of innovative projects? We study a principal–agent model in which the principal chooses the scale of the experiment, and the agent privately observes the outcome realizations and can privately choose the novelty of the project. When the agent has private access to a safe but non‐innovative project, the principal starves the agent of funds to incentivize risk‐taking. The principal quickly scales up after early successes, and can tolerate early failures. If the principal is equally informed about the outcome, then the agent is well‐resourced, resembling a large research and development department.
Experiences of women living with infertility in Africa: a qualitative systematic review protocol
Authors: Tanywe Asahngwa , Matchawe Chelea , Fernandez Ritin , Lapkin Samuel
Published: October 2018

Review question:

What are the experiences of women living with infertility in Africa?