bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leader personality and employees’ experience of workplace stressors
Authors: Robertson Ivan , P. Healey Mark , P. Hodgkinson Gerard , Flint-Taylor Jill , Jones Fiona
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships between leader personality traits (neuroticism and conscientiousness) and four specific workplace stressors (control; work overload; work-life balance and managerial relationships) experienced by work group members.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors accessed personality data fromN=84 leaders and surveyed members of their respective work groups (N=928) to measure established workplace stressors. Multi-level modelling analyses were conducted to explore relationships between leader neuroticism and conscientiousness and work group members’ perceptions of sources of pressure.

Findings

– The results relate to the general problem of how, and to what extent leaders have an impact on the well-being of members of their workgroups. Although previous research has generally associated conscientiousness with effective leadership, the results suggest that some facets of conscientiousness may be less useful for leadership effectiveness than others. In particular, the results show that leaders’ levels of achievement striving are linked to poor work life balance scores for their workgroups. The results also show that leader neuroticism is not related to work group members’ perceptions of sources of pressure.

Practical implications

– The findings showed that leader personality influences three out of the four employee stressors hypothesized. The idea that the influence of leader personality may be relatively indirect via employee working conditions is potentially important and suggests implications for practice. To the extent that the negative effects of leader personality are mediated via working conditions, it may be feasible to counter, or at least assuage such effects by implementing appropriate regulations or working practices that mitigate leaders’ ability to influence the specific conditions in question.

Originality/value

– Most studies have focused on how employee well-being outcomes are influenced through the direct impacts of leadership styles and behaviours, or contagious emotions. The authors explore an alternative and untested proposition that the leaders’ personality influences the working conditions that are afforded to subordinates. No empirical research to date have examined the relationships between leader personality and workplace stressors. The research also demonstrates the importance of using facet-level personality measures, compared with measures at the broad domain level.
Enhancing mental health literacy in India to reduce stigma: the fountainhead to improve help-seeking behaviour
Authors: Mathur Gaiha Shivani , Ann Sunil Greeshma , Kumar Rajeev , Menon Subhadra
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– Lack of understanding around mental illness and stigma are an overwhelming barrier in help-seeking behaviour for mental health concerns. The purpose of this paper is to examine mental health literacy and social attitudes as instrumental factors in building capacity of the demand-side to support and access mental health care at the community level in India.

Design/methodology/approach

– Knowledge, Attitude and Practice surveys were administered to 521 persons from the general population, distributed equally in the age range of 15-60 years. The study included 52 respondents per district from ten districts across five states in India, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The responses were collected and analysed thematically, keeping in mind the relevance of these findings as contributors to knowledge of mental health and to the construct of stigma.

Findings

– Pervasive socio-cultural factors, especially stigma inhibit access to basic mental health information and care, despite knowledge that mental illness is treatable. Degrading treatment, loss of personal liberty and social exclusion, i.e. compromised human rights at the community level are widespread. Self-reported attitudes when encountering a person with mental illness show that respondents act out of fear and are guided by misinformation and myths. Extant knowledge on mental health is attributed predominantly to informal networks, as a potential resource to be strengthened.

Practical implications

– Realising mental health care, including help-seeking behaviour calls for greater knowledge-sharing, sensitisation and community engagement.

Originality/value

– This paper fulfils an identified need to study current levels of mental health literacy and underlying perceptions that contribute to the persistent treatment gap.
Skimming comprehension in two online document presentation environments
Authors: Lowrance Nathan , Lea Moulaison Heather
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– Readability applications are the software products designed to make online text more readable. Using information foraging theory as a framework, the purpose of this paper is to study the extent, if at all, using a readability application improves skimming comprehension in a low-clutter online environment. It also seeks to identify the perceived benefits or effects of using a readability application for skimming comprehension.

Design/methodology/approach

– Ten participants skimmed two articles each, one in a low-clutter online document presentation environment, the other using an online readability application, as a timed, information foraging exercise. After reading each article, respondents answered true/false comprehension questions and follow up questions.

Findings

– There was little difference in the comprehension of respondents after skimming in the two online documentation presentation environments. The readability environment was the preferred environment.

Practical implications

– This study suggests that since participants claimed to prefer the text presentation of the readability application interface, interface designers may wish to create library interfaces for information seeking that follow the readability application format. Because some of the participants found themselves reading rather than skimming when using the readability application, readability for tasks other than skimming may be enhanced.

Originality/value

– This is a practical study investigating an existing online readability application and its effects on an existing online reading environment as they pertain to information seeking behavior in general and to information foraging in particular.
Community information portals: content and design issues for information access
Authors: Hider Philip , M. Given Lisa , Scifleet Paul
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an audit of community information (CI) portals to provide an overview of how CI is being organised and presented on the web by aggregating services, and how CI is being shaped and shared in community networks. It also investigates the role that public libraries play in online CI provision.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research sampled CI portals online within the Australian web domain (.au). An audit of 88 portals was undertaken to establish the scope, role and usefulness of the portals. The audit included a comprehensive usability analysis of a sub set of 20 portals evaluated for 20 different heuristics based on Nielsen's heuristic model.

Findings

– The research finds that the challenge facing portals is not a lack of information, it is the need to improve the mediation between the community services and people that CI portals promise useful and usable information for. While public libraries remain integral to the provision of CI in their geographical area, they now form part of a larger online network for CI provision, involving a wide range of organisations.

Originality/value

– The paper discusses the ways CI portals contribute to the provision of information about community services and identifies areas where improvements are needed. In particular, it discusses how these sites function as part of larger CI networks and where more innovative, and more standardised, design could lead to greater levels of engagement and utility.
An integrated-process model of service quality, institutional brand and behavioural intentions
Authors: Sultan Parves , Yin Wong Ho
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an integrated-process model/an index model by incorporating the antecedents and consequences of service quality in a higher education context.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The data from three focus groups, conducted at an Australian University, generated key themes and their interrelationships. The theoretical model was then tested using the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique on a sample of 528 University students.

Findings

– The findings show that information (or marketing communications) and past experience are the antecedents of perceived service quality (PSQ). PSQ is a second order construct and has three dimensions: academic, administrative and facilities. The consequences of PSQ include trust, satisfaction, university-brand (UniBrand) performance and behavioural intentions. Overall, the results suggest a good validity of the model, and the nine path coefficients are found statistically significant.

Originality/value

– The model explains how service quality is formed, and how PSQ affects UniBrand and positive behavioural intentions overtime. This paper develops and validates three new constructs including information, past experience and UniBrand performance. In addition, it improves and validates other constructs including service quality, satisfaction, trust and behavioural intention. The paper also advances service quality literature and validates five hypothesised relationships between constructs that are relatively new in the service quality literature. Finally, this study validates a comprehensive three-tiered “integrated-process” model/an index model that includes antecedents, dimensions and consequences of service quality taking a University as a case. Universities aiming for a sustainable presence in a competitive global market and intending to enhance brand performance and attract and retain students are encouraged to consider this model and its implications.
Transaction convenience in the payment stage: the retailers’ perspective
Authors: Lundberg Heléne , Öhman Peter , Sjödin Ulrika
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to shed light upon how retailers view alternative payment forms and to what extent they are willing to risk offending their customers by imposing payment restrictions.

Design/methodology/approach

– This exploratory study consists of three consecutive parts: first, 100 situations of paying for goods or services; second, interviews with 25 of these 100 retailers; and third, observations at a meeting between retailers and bank representatives on various aspects of card and cash payments.

Findings

– Retailers are unwilling to risk offending their customers and do not normally undertake any actions to affect the customers’ choice of payment form, except for proactively or reactively excluding the use of certain expensive credit cards, and card payments for small amounts. The retailers only take the risk of causing customer dissatisfaction when they feel that the sacrifice for not doing so is too costly, and in these cases the salespersons act very late in the purchase process. Other aspects than payment costs (such as safety, time and environment) seem to have little impact on individual retailers’ actions at the payment stage.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study focuses solely on the retailers’ point of view on the payment stage, implying a need for additional research on customers’ and bank representatives’ views on the same matter.

Practical implications

– Retailers try to nurture their customer relationships also when they are proactive or reactive, i.e. by pointing to the high cost of a particular payment form and/or asking customers to help with small change. Sending signals that invite customers to assist may not only be a way to affect how customers pay, but also foster relationship development.

Social implications

– It seems that environmental costs have not filtered down to the firm level, at least not in an observable way. Any further move towards a “cashless society” has to emanate from other sources.

Originality/value

– No previous study has focused on the way selling companies approach their customers at the payment stage in terms of proactive, reactive and inactive behaviour.
Validating the organizational context measure for collective learning: a managerial action perspective
Authors: Belkhamza Zakariya , Azizi Wafa Syed
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to validate an instrument for the Ghoshal and Bartlett model and operationalize its four attributes into a multidimensionality instrument questionnaire. This study operationalizes the four attributes, namely, discipline, support, trust and stretch, into a multidimensionality instrument questionnaire and tests this instrument's validation using data from 317 Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor-status companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper follows the procedures of building a scale measure. This was carried out in three main stages. The first stage is the generation of scale items. The purpose of this stage is to identify and analyze items based on intensive literature review. The second stage is the assessment of face validity to ensure the correspondence between the individual items and the constructs intended to measure. The final stage is the statistical validation, which includes the assessment of validity and reliability of the introduced instrument.

Findings

– The paper introduces 23 multidimensional questionnaire items, which contribute to organizational context dimensions. The statistical analysis that followed the conceptual development shows that the presented instrument has good psychometric properties. The validity and reliability of the scale were presented and discussed.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper suggests that these organizational context dimensions can be investigated with a high degree of confidence, especially when applied to organizations with different climate. To improve the robustness of the model, additional testing in different contexts and cultures may be necessary. Future research may also test the validity of the instrument using larger sample data.

Practical implications

– The measure offers researchers a comprehensive and flexible approach to the assessment of organizational context and collective learning from a managerial action perspective. This measure may be useful for a broad range of research interests, enabling researchers to investigate some theoretical propositions related to managerial action, such as the relationship between organizational climate and organizational performance. The measure also helps to establish the relationship between organizational context and collective learning in the organization.

Originality/value

– This study helps to fill the gap in the development of the organizational climate through both conceptual and empirical work. There is therefore a need for a measured, testable instrument to facilitate the empirical evaluation by the modern organization. This measure also contributes toward a better understanding of the managerial role. This managerial role has an imperative role in crafting the behavior of the organization’s members, developing collective learning through distributed initiatives and mutual cooperation.
Exploring the relationship between the knowledge creation process and intellectual capital in the pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Mehralian Gholamhossein , A. Nazari Jamal , Akhavan Peyman , Reza Rasekh Hamid
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the relationship between knowledge creation and intellectual capital (IC) through an empirical study in the pharmaceutical industry. In the current economy, knowledge and IC are considered as the most important organizational assets and are the key resources in gaining competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization (SECI) model to examine the format of knowledge creation processes (KCP) and uses a model to demonstrate the relationship between KCP and IC and its components in the pharmaceutical industry. A valid instrument was adopted to collect the required data on KCP and and IC dimensions. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the measurement model and to test the research hypotheses using the data collected from 470 completed questionnaires.

Findings

– The results supported the research model and revealed that KCP has significant influence on the accumulation of human capital. The performance of human capital manifests significant impact on structural capital and relational capital.

Practical limitations/implications

– Given the strong association between KCP and IC, managers should define their own robust operations for knowledge creation to improve their IC accumulation.

Originality/value

– This research departs from the earlier research on KCP–IC by adopting the SECI model and a research model that facilitates the exploration of the relationship between KCP and IC dimensions in the pharmaceutical industry. The research results provided strong support for the KCP–IC relationship.
Exploring individual-level and group-level levers for inter-organizational knowledge transfer
Authors: Merok Paulsen Jan , Brynjulf Hjertø Kjell
Published: September 2014

Purpose

– This purpose of this article is to contribute to the research on the role of individual and group-level autonomy and absorptive capacity for inter-organizational knowledge transfer.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study investigated a field sample of 274 individual participants in 82 groups who were taking part in a large-scale benchmarking project in the Norwegian public sector. Hypotheses were developed and tested by using multiple regression, structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling and included an empirical test of moderator effects.

Findings

– The findings suggest that individual and group autonomy, along with individual experiences of absorptive capacity, supports complementarily inter-organizational knowledge transfer.

Research limitations/implications

– The study reinforces the idea that individual and group autonomy are enabling conditions for knowledge transfer from project settings to parent organizations. Absorptive capacity, in line with more recent theorizing, is conceived of and measured as an organizational meta-routine, and we recommend replication of this study in various multi-level settings using longitudinal designs.

Practical implications

– The study encourages managers to focus on distributing powers to individual facilitation and boundary-spanning roles and on creating cross-functional venues that promote the sharing of knowledge across different organizational units. The study also recommends that practitioners pay attention to the prominent role of autonomy at both the individual and group levels to support the dissemination of knowledge across boundaries.

Originality/value

– The study provides empirical evidence regarding the simultaneous role of individual autonomy, group autonomy and absorptive capacity that together provide the explanatory power required for knowledge transfer in inter-organizational settings.
Chemical Constituents of Gold‐red Apple and Their α‐Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities
Authors: He Qian‐Qian , Yang Liu , Zhang Jia‐Yu , Ma Jian‐Nan , Ma Chao‐Mei
Published: September 2014

Ten compounds were isolated and purified from the peels of gold‐red apple (Malus domestica) for the 1st time. The identified compounds are 3β, 20β‐dihydroxyursan‐28‐oic acid (1), 2α‐hydroxyoleanolic acid (2), euscaphic acid (3), 3‐O‐p‐coumaroyl tormentic acid (4), ursolic acid (5), 2α‐hydroxyursolic acid (6), oleanolic acid (7), betulinic acid (8), linolic acid (9), and α‐linolenic acid (10). Their structures were determined by interpreting their nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra, and by comparison with literature data. Compound 1 is new, and compound 2 is herein reported for the 1st time for the genus Malus. α‐Glucosidase inhibition assay revealed 6 of the triterpenoid isolates as remarkable α‐glucosidase inhibitors, with betulinic acid showing the strongest inhibition (IC50 = 15.19 μM). Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization MS analysis of the fruit peels, pomace, flesh, and juice revealed that the peels and pomace contained high levels of triterpenes, suggesting that wastes from the fruit juice industry could serve as rich sources of bioactive triterpenes.
Effects of Different Organic Weed Management Strategies on the Physicochemical, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties of Machine‐Harvested Blackberry Fruits
Authors: Cavender George , Liu Mingyang , Hobbs Deborah , Frei Balz , Strik Bernadine , Zhao Yanyun
Published: September 2014

The effect of 3 different weed management strategies, nonweeding, hand weeding, and weed mat, were examined on physicochemical, sugar profile, and antioxidant properties of 2 cultivars of blackberry (Rubus spp), “Marion” and “Black Diamond” harvested at 3 time intervals during the 2012 season. Sensory analysis on flavor intensity of 6 different descriptors by an experienced panel was also performed on “Black Diamond” berries harvested at the same interval during the 2013 season. While weed management had no effect on pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids of either cultivar (P > 0.05), it showed a marked effect on total phenolics (5.65 to 7.80 mg GAE/g FW), total monomeric anthocyanins (1.07 to 2.85 mg/g FW), ORAC (271.51 to 644.97 μMol TE/g FW), FRAP (408.56 to 719.10 μMol Fe2+/g FW), sugar profile, and flavor intensity. Hand‐weeding resulted in fruit antioxidant content and capacity as much as 30% greater, though the effect was not seen in the late harvest, where the nonweeded samples tended to have higher values. Overall, weed mat samples had the lowest antioxidant content and capacity in all harvests. Sugar profiling exhibited a greater variability based on cultivar and harvest, but overall, weed mat samples had lower sugar levels than fruit from the other 2 methods. Interestingly, the intensity of sensory attributes for “Black Diamond” appear to possibly be inversely related to phenolic and anthocyanin content, with the weed mat management strategy resulting in the highest values for virtually all sensory attributes. This study provided valuable information about the impact of organic production method on the quality of blackberries.
Combination of platelet to lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is a useful prognostic factor in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Wu Guannan , Yao Yanwen , Bai Cuiqing , Zeng Junli , Shi Donghong , Gu Xiaoling , Shi Xuefei , Song Yong
Published: September 2014

Background

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was recently shown to be a remarkable prognostic factor in tumors. Moreover, some studies have indicated that the combination of NLR and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) could be a better prognostic factor. As the combined prognostic value of NLR and PLR in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not clear, we conducted this study to explore this further.

Methods

A total of 366 primary NSCLC patients with stage III or IV were finally included. The neutrophil, platelet, and lymphocyte counts were recorded before treatment was initiated. NLR and PLR were calculated and NLR > 2.68 or PLR > 119.50 was defined as elevated. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted to test their prognostic value.

Results

The median of NLR and PLR were 3.14 and 152.63, respectively, in all patients. It was indicated that PLR is linearly associated with NLR. PLR is associated with survival, but is not an independent prognostic factor. Removing NLR, PLR is an independent prognostic factor (overall survival [OS]: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.918, P = 0.003; progression‐free survival [PFS]: HR = 1.822, P = 0.007 in condition of NLR ≤ 2.68). It was also indicated that elevated NLR is an independent prognostic factor (OS: HR = 1.778, P = 0.009; PFS: HR = 1.535, P = 0.022) in all patients.

Conclusions

PLR is a useful complement of NLR, thus, advanced NSCLC patients could be divided into three prognostic groups prior to treatment: poor: NLR > 2.68; moderate: NLR ≤ 2.68 and PLR > 119.50; and good: NLR ≤ 2.68 and PLR ≤ 119.50.
Post‐ranching tree–grass interactions in secondary Acacia zanzibarica woodlands in coastal Tanzania – an experimental study
Authors: Cochard Roland , Edwards Peter J. , Weber Ewald
Published: September 2014

Questions

We studied a humid savanna rangeland, abandoned in 2000, where intensive cattle grazing had led to widespread encroachment by Acacia zanzibarica. We asked whether the acacia trees were able to regenerate in the absence of domestic livestock, either beneath acacia canopies or in artificial clearings.

Location

Tropical coastal Tanzania (former Mkwaja Ranch, now in Saadani National Park).

Methods

We set out a total of 48 plots on four sites in November 2001, and assigned them to three treatments: trees felled (FN), trees felled and the stumps poisoned (FP) with Triclopyr, and no intervention (controls, NN). We analysed soils of plots for texture and nutrients. In two wet (July 2002 and 2003) and one dry (February 2003) seasons we assessed grass and tree leaf biomass and transpiration rates, and counted acacia seedlings and resprouts. The effects of treatments (controlled for site and other co‐variables) on grass growth and acacia recruitment were determined statistically using general linear models (GLM).

Results

Acacia leaves had a much higher stomatal conductance than grasses, with the consequence that total evapotranspiration in woodland was higher than in clearings. In the wet seasons, grass biomass and seedling densities were significantly higher in clearings than in control plots, which we attributed to more favourable moisture conditions. In the dry season, by contrast, we found no differences, and all seedlings had died. On FN plots, 71% of stumps, and on FP plots, 11% resprouted (coppicing), but only a quarter of these shoots survived until July 2003. Root suckering occurred spontaneously at low densities. No root suckers or resprouts grew beyond the grass layer.

Conclusions

Acacia woodlands do not regenerate in the absence of cattle grazing, and tree cutting – in combination with appropriate fire management – could potentially accelerate re‐establishment of open grassland. However, regeneration might occur in the future due to the increasing wildlife populations within the new national park.
Safety of intravenous β‐adrenoceptor blockers for computed tomographic coronary angiography
Authors: Clayton Benjamin , Raju Vikram , Roobottom Carl , Morgan‐Hughes Gareth
Published: September 2014

Aims

To assess the safety of our clinical practice using off‐label intravenous metoprolol to facilitate computed tomographic (CT) coronary angiography.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of scan reports and hospital admissions data was conducted to identify adverse events occurring following CT coronary angiography in patients who had received intravenous metoprolol prior to the scan.

Results

A total of 3098 patients were included, of whom 1871 received intravenous metoprolol. Nine hundred and one patients received more than 15 mg and 129 patients received metoprolol despite a resting heart rate <65 beats min−1. There was a single adverse incident, comprising transient loss of consciousness.

Conclusions

The use of intravenous metoprolol to facilitate cardiac CT scanning appears safe. Dose limits recommended for other indications, generally in acutely unwell patients, may not need to be as stringent in this population.
Psychological drivers in the adoption of morally controversial innovations: the moderating role of ethical self‐identity
Authors: Peluso Alessandro M.
Published: September 2014

The present article conceptualizes morally controversial innovations as a category of innovations that raise ethical issues due to their potentially undesirable long‐term consequences on society or the natural environment. Then, it analyzes the case of biofuel crops by applying an extended version of the theory of planned behavior, which includes moral norm (i.e. the personal convictions of what is wrong or right for society) and ethical self‐identity (i.e. the extent to which one perceives himself/herself as an ethical person). The obtained results show that attitude and subjective norms are positively related to farmers' intention to grow biofuel crops. Yet the intention of those farmers with a higher ethical self‐identity is also influenced by perceived behavioral control and moral norm. In particular, moral norm negatively affects their intention to grow biofuel crops, thus restraining the adoption of this innovation. Implications for theory, as well as for policymakers interested in promoting the diffusion of morally controversial innovations, are discussed.
Tapping generalized essentialism to predict outgroup prejudices
Authors: Hodson Gordon , Skorska Malvina N.
Published: September 2014

Psychological essentialism, the perception that groups possess inherent properties binding them and differentiating them from others, is theoretically relevant to predicting prejudice. Recent developments isolate two key dimensions: essentialistic entitativity (EE; groups as unitary, whole, entity‐like) and essentialistic naturalness (EN; groups as fixed and immutable). We introduce a novel question: does tapping the covariance between EE and EN, rather than pitting them against each other, boost prejudice prediction? In Study 1 (re‐analysis of Roets & Van Hiel, 2011b, Samples 1–3, in Belgium) and Study 2 (new Canadian data) their common/shared variance, modelled as generalized essentialism, doubles the predictive power relative to regression‐based approaches with regard to racism (but not anti‐gay or ‐schizophrenic prejudices). Theoretical implications are discussed.
Olfactory Pathology in Central Nervous System Demyelinating Diseases
Authors: DeLuca Gabriele C. , Joseph Albert , George Jithin , Yates Richard L. , Hamard Marie , Hofer Monika , Esiri Margaret M.
Published: September 2014

Olfactory dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). Olfactory bulb and tract pathology in MS and other demyelinating diseases remain unexplored. A human autopsy cohort of pathologically confirmed cases encompassing the spectrum of demyelinating disease (MS; n = 17), neuromyelitis optica [(NMO); n = 3] and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis [(ADEM); n = 7] was compared to neuroinflammatory [herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE); n = 3], neurodegenerative [Alzheimer's disease (AD); n = 4] and non‐neurologic (n = 8) controls. For each case, olfactory bulbs and/or tracts were stained for myelin, axons and inflammation. Inferior frontal cortex and hippocampus were stained for myelin in a subset of MS and ADEM cases. Olfactory bulb/tract demyelination was frequent in all demyelinating diseases [MS 12/17 (70.6%); ADEM 3/7 (42.9%); NMO 2/3 (66.7%)] but was absent in HSE, AD and non‐neurologic controls. Inflammation was greater in the demyelinating diseases compared to non‐neurologic controls. Olfactory bulb/tract axonal loss was most severe in MS where it correlated significantly with the extent of demyelination (r = 0.610, P = 0.009) and parenchymal inflammation (r = 0.681, P = 0.003). The extent of olfactory bulb/tract demyelination correlated with that found in the adjacent inferior frontal cortex but not hippocampus. We provide unequivocal evidence that olfactory bulb/tract demyelination is frequent, can occur early and is highly inflammatory, and is specific to demyelinating disease.
Intratumoral androgen metabolism and actions in invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast
Authors: Yoda Tomomi , McNamara Keely May , Miki Yasuhiro , Takagi Mayu , Rai Yoshiaki , Ohi Yasuyo , Sagara Yasuaki , Tamaki Kentaro , Hirakawa Hisashi , Ishida Takanori , Suzuki Takashi , Ohuchi Noriaki , Sasano Hironobu
Published: September 2014

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for approximately 10% of all breast carcinomas and is characterized by higher levels of androgen receptor (AR) compared to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Despite this potentially androgen‐responsive environment, the combined importance of AR and androgen metabolism in non‐neoplastic lobules and lobular carcinoma remains unknown. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the status of pivotal androgen‐producing enzymes 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 (17βHSD5) and 5α‐reductase type 1 (5αRed1) in 178 cases of ILC and surrounding histologically non‐neoplastic lobular tissue using immunohistochemistry. Androgen receptor prevalence was higher but androgenic enzymes lower in ILC than non‐neoplastic lobules. In ILC cases the status of 5αRed1 and 17βHSD5 was inversely correlated with tumor size (P = 0.0053) and nuclear grade (P = 0.0290), and significantly associated with better overall survival of the patients (P = 0.0059). Based on these findings, we hypothesized that androgen signaling could act as a tumor suppressor. As previous studies suggested that androgens might partially act by increasing levels of the estrogen inactivating enzyme 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (17βHSD2) in IDC tissues, this was reasonably considered a potential mechanism of androgen actions. Significantly positive correlation was detected between the status of androgenic enzymes and 17βHSD2 (P < 0.0001) and intratumoral 17βHSD2 was inversely correlated with tumor size in ILC (P = 0.0075). These correlations suggest one protective mode of androgen action could be through modulation of estrogen metabolism. Results of our present study indicated that androgen‐producing enzymes could play pivotal protective roles in AR‐enriched ILC cases.
Expression of galectin‐1 in carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts promotes gastric cancer cell invasion through upregulation of integrin β1
Authors: He Xu‐Jun , Tao Hou‐Quan , Hu Zhi‐Ming , Ma Ying‐Yu , Xu Ji , Wang Hui‐Ju , Xia Ying‐Jie , Li Li , Fei Bao‐Ying , Li Ya‐Qing , Chen Jian‐Zhong
Published: September 2014

Increased expression of galectin‐1 (Gal‐1) in carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) has been reported to correlate with progression and prognosis in many cancers. However, rarely have reports sought to determine whether high Gal‐1 expression in CAFs in gastric cancer is involved in the tumor process, and the specific mechanism by which it promotes the evolution of gastric cancer is still unknown. In this study, we cultured gastric cancer CAFs, which showed strong expression of Gal‐1, and established a co‐culture system of CAFs with gastric cancer cells. Specific siRNA and in vitro migration and invasion assays were used to explore the effects of the interaction between Gal‐1 expression of CAFs and gastric cancer cells on cell migration and invasion. We found that the overexpression of Gal‐1 in CAFs enhanced gastric cancer cell migration and invasion, and these stimulatory effects could be blocked by specific siRNA which reduced the Gal‐1 expression level. A set of cancer invasion‐associated genes were then chosen to identify the possible mechanism of Gal‐1‐induced cell invasion. Among these genes, integrin β1 expression in cancer cells was considered to be associated with Gal‐1 expression. Pre‐blocking of the integrin β1 expression in gastric cancer cells with siRNA could interrupt the invasion‐promoting effect of CAFs with high Gal‐1 expression. Furthermore, immunohistochemical assay confirmed a positive correlation between Gal‐1 and integrin β1 expression. Our results showed that high expression of Gal‐1 in CAFs might facilitate gastric cancer cell migration and invasion by upregulating integrin β1 expression in gastric cancer.
Impact of lifestyle factors on caries experience in three different age groups: 9, 15, and 21‐year‐olds
Authors: Dusseldorp Elise , Kamphuis Mascha , Schuller Annemarie
Published: September 2014

Objectives

To study the impact of lifestyle factors on dental caries experiences in addition to the effect of demographic characteristics at the ages of 9, 15, and 21 years.

Methods

The data were obtained from the study ‘Oral health in children and adolescents in the Netherlands’. Data were collected through questionnaires and a clinical oral examination. Because the DMFS count data were highly skewed with a peak at zero, the negative binomial hurdle model was used for the analyses. The first part of the hurdle predicted the probability of having caries experience or not, and the second part predicted the degree of caries experience.

Results

For the 9‐ and 15‐year‐old age groups, the breakfast frequency per week was related with having caries experience, while the frequency of brushing teeth per day was related with the degree of caries experience. In addition, the number of food and drinks consumed per day was important for the younger age group. These relations were not found in the 21‐year‐olds age group.

Conclusions

Findings of this study suggest that components to promote structure and regularity, including having breakfast and the number of food and drink moments, may be important to include in programs to prevent dental caries in children.
Systemic gene transfer of binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) prevents disease progression in murine collagen-induced arthritis
Authors: Shields A M , Klavinskis L S , Antoniou M , Wooley P H , Collins H L , Panayi G S , Thompson S J , Corrigall V M
Published: September 2014

Summary

Recombinant human binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) has previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in multiple models of inflammatory arthritis. We investigated whether these immunoregulatory properties could be exploited using gene therapy techniques. A single intraperitoneal injection of lentiviral vector containing the murine BiP (Lenti-mBiP) or green fluorescent protein (Lenti-GFP) transgene was administered in low- or high-dose studies during early arthritis. Disease activity was assessed by visual scoring, histology, serum cytokine and antibody production measured by cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and ELISA, respectively. Lentiviral vector treatment caused significant induction of interferon (IFN)-γ responses regardless of the transgene; however, further specific effects were directly attributable to the BiP transgene. In both studies Lenti-mBiP suppressed clinical arthritis significantly. Histological examination showed that low-dose Lenti-mBiP suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration, cartilage destruction and significantly reduced pathogenic anti-type II collagen (CII) antibodies. Lenti-mBiP treatment caused significant up-regulation of soluble cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (sCTLA-4) serum levels and down-regulation of interleukin (IL)-17A production in response to CII cell restimulation. In-vitro studies confirmed that Lenti-mBiP spleen cells could significantly suppress the release of IL-17A from CII primed responder cells following CII restimulation in vitro, and this suppression was associated with increased IL-10 production. Neutralization of CTLA-4 in further co-culture experiments demonstrated inverse regulation of IL-17A production. In conclusion, these data demonstrate proof of principle for the therapeutic potential of systemic lentiviral vector delivery of the BiP transgene leading to immunoregulation of arthritis by induction of soluble CTLA-4 and suppression of IL-17A production.
miR‐101 Acts as a Tumor Suppressor by Targeting Kruppel‐like Factor 6 in Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Authors: Yao Yi‐Long , Ma Jun , Wang Ping , Xue Yi‐Xue , Li Zhen , Zhao Li‐Ni , Li Zhi‐Qing , Feng Tian‐Da , Liu Yun‐Hui
Published: September 2014

Background and aims

Great interest persists in useful therapeutic targets in glioblastoma (GBM). Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) expression has been associated with cancer formation through alterations in gene targets. In this study, we reported the role of miR‐101 in human glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) and the potential mechanisms.

Methods and results

Quantitative real‐time PCR showed that miR‐101 expression was decreased in GSCs. Overexpression of miR‐101 reduced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted apoptosis of GSCs. One direct target of miR‐101, the transcription factor Kruppel‐like factor 6 (KLF6), was identified using the Dual‐Luciferase Reporter Assay System, which mediated the tumor suppressor activity of miR‐101. This process was coincided with the reduced expression of Chitinase‐3‐like protein 1 (CHI3L1) whose promoter could be bound with and be promoted by KLF6 demonstrated by luciferase assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The downregulation of CHI3L1 led to the inactivation of MEK1/2 and PI3K signal pathways. Furthermore, nude mice carrying the tumors of overexpressed miR‐101 combined with knockdown of KLF6 produced the smallest tumors and showed the highest survival rate.

Conclusions

Our findings provided a comprehensive analysis of miR‐101 and further defining it as a potential therapeutic candidate for GBM.
Training and practice of cytotechnologists: a discussion forum focused on Europe
Authors: Herbert A. , Anic V. , Cochand‐Priollet B. , Dina R. , Ehya H. , Eide M.‐L. , Fabre M. , Field A. , Kapila K. , Kardum‐Skelin I. , Oliveira M. H. , Olszewski W. , Önal B. , Nasioutziki M. , Nayar R. , Nielsen K. , Shabalova I. , Schmitt F. , Tötsch M. , Wilson A. , Vass L. , Zeppa P.
Published: September 2014

Objectives

To discuss the role and training of cytotechnologists (CTs) in Europe, to identify areas of good practice and to provide an informed opinion to those providing guidelines for training and practice in Europe.

Methods

All members of the Editorial Advisory Board ofCytopathologywere invited to take part in a ‘discussion forum’ for which six topics were circulated in advance concerning the roles ofCTs with regard to: (1) pre‐screening slides; (2) ‘signing out’ reports; (3) carrying out ancillary techniques; (4) supervising laboratory staff; (5) taking part in rapid on‐site evaluation (ROSE) of fine needle aspirates (FNAs); and (6) whetherCTs were trained specifically in cytopathology or in general histopathology. Notes of the meeting were circulated by email and a final report was agreed by 22 participants from 17 predominantly European countries.

Results

Training forCTs throughout Europe was variable, especially for non‐gynaecological cytology, which was inconsistent with the range of activities required. The participants recommended graduate entry, preliminary training in general laboratory technology, and subsequent training to take account of the probability and, in some centres, the reality of primary cervical cancer screening changing from cytology to human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. They further recommended thatCTs should performHPVtests and take part inROSEforFNAs, and they supported the European Federation of Cytology Societies developing guidelines for training and practice.

Conclusion

WithCTtraining added to a university‐based education in laboratory or biomedical science, a career in cytotechnology should be an attractive option involving a diverse range of laboratory and clinically based activities.
Whose idea is it anyway? The importance of reputation in acknowledgement
Authors: Shaw Alex , Olson Kristina
Published: September 2014

Six‐year‐old children negatively evaluate plagiarizers just as adults do (Olson & Shaw, 2011), but why do they dislike plagiarizers? Children may think plagiarism is wrong because plagiarizing negatively impacts other people's reputations. We investigated this possibility by having 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children evaluate people who shared their own or other people's ideas (stories). In Experiment 1, we found that children consider it acceptable to retell someone else's story if the source is given credit for their story (improving the source's reputation), but not if the reteller claims credit for the story (steals credit away from someone else). Experiments 2 and 3 showed that children do not consider it bad to lie by giving someone else credit for one's own good story (improving someone else's reputation), but do consider it bad to give someone else credit for one's own bad story (improving one's own reputation at the expense of someone else's). Experiment 4 demonstrated that children think it is equally bad to take credit for someone else's idea for oneself as it is to take someone else's idea and give credit to someone else, suggesting that children dislike when others take credit away from someone else, regardless of whether or not it improves the plagiarizer's reputation. Our results suggest that children dislike plagiarism because it negatively affects others' reputations by taking credit away from them.
Partitioning the variation in African vertebrate distributions into environmental and spatial components – exploring the link between ecology and biogeography
Authors: Buschke Falko T. , De Meester Luc , Brendonck Luc , Vanschoenwinkel Bram
Published: September 2014

There has been a proliferation of studies aimed at predicting the distributions of species from environmental variables despite evidence that spatial interpolation or spatially‐constrained mechanistic models have comparable explanatory power. Moreover, the processes behind environmental and spatial correlations – and their interactions – remain elusive. Here, we examined geographic patterns in the amount of variation explained by environmental correlation and exogenous or endogenous spatial autocorrelation for 4423 terrestrial vertebrate species in Africa using variation partitioning analysis. We also tested the effects of range size and taxonomic class on the relative importance of environmental and spatial correlations, and contrasted empirical patterns to two environmentally‐neutral models to identify potential underlying environmental and spatial mechanisms. Results showed that geographic range size was associated with environmental and spatial variation components in ways that where qualitatively indistinguishable from environmentally‐neutral species with constrained dispersal, suggesting that proportions of variation are due to range cohesiveness rather than other ecological processes. As a consequence, large‐scale patterns of biodiversity should be studied cautiously due to the difficulty of obtaining evidence of causal mechanistic links between species distributions and spatio‐environmental gradients. However, we also uncovered ecologically‐meaningful patterns in the residuals of the relationship between range size and the respective variation components, which differed among vertebrate classes. Moreover, these patterns coincided with contemporary biogeographical regions. This study, therefore, demonstrates that it is possible to extract meaningful environmental and spatial associations that potentially link ecological and biogeographical processes.