bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An updated and expanded assessment of PLS-SEM in information systems research
Authors: Hair Joe , Hollingsworth Carole L. , Randolph Adriane B. , Chong Alain Yee Loong
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Following the call for awareness of accepted reporting practices by Ringle, Sarstedt, and Straub in 2012, the purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in Industrial Management & Data Systems (IMDS) and extend MIS Quarterly (MISQ) applications to include the period 2012-2014.

Design/methodology/approach

Review of PLS-SEM applications in information systems (IS) studies published in IMDS and MISQ for the period 2010-2014 identifying a total of 57 articles reporting the use of or commenting on PLS-SEM.

Findings

The results indicate an increased maturity of the IS field in using PLS-SEM for model complexity and formative measures and not just small sample sizes and non-normal data.

Research limitations/implications

Findings demonstrate the continued use and acceptance of PLS-SEM as an accepted research method within IS. PLS-SEM is discussed as the preferred SEM method when the research objective is prediction.

Practical implications

This update on PLS-SEM use and recent developments will help authors to better understand and apply the method. Researchers are encouraged to engage in complete reporting procedures.

Originality/value

Applications of PLS-SEM for exploratory research and theory development are increasing. IS scholars should continue to exercise sound practice by reporting reasons for using PLS-SEM and recognizing its wider applicability for research. Recommended reporting guidelines following Ringle et al. (2012) and Gefen et al. (2011) are included. Several important methodological updates are included as well.
Controlled autonomy: novice principals’ schema for district control and school autonomy
Authors: Weiner Jennie M. , Woulfin Sarah L.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain insights into how a group of novice principals, all in schools that deployed principles of autonomy as mechanisms for improvement, conceptualized what the authors label “controlled autonomy” – a condition in which school leaders are expected to both make site-based decisions and be accountable to district oversight. The study aims to support more effective interactions between school and district leaders around controlled autonomy to increase performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using schema as a framework to guide the inquiry, this paper uses qualitative methods and interviewing in particular to explore the questions of interest. Seven novice principals were each interviewed three times over the year each interview lasting approximately one hour (n=21). Data were analyzed thematically using both inductive and deductive coding techniques.

Findings

Findings show that principals tended to group potential district supports into four categories: operations, instruction, advocacy, and vision and their perceptions regarding the balance between their and the district’s control over activities in each category was dynamic, varied and dependent on views relating to issues as broad as values alignment to perceptions of bureaucratic efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the small sample size and methodological approach, it may be inappropriate to generalize the findings across all controlled autonomy contexts. Further research in additional settings is encouraged to support the proposed findings.

Practical implications

This paper has a number of implications for districts and school leaders. Among these is the need for districts to better articulate the parameters of controlled autonomy and for school leaders to receive more and more effective training and support to effectively utilize autonomy as a mechanism for reform.

Originality/value

This work fills a gap in the research regarding on how principals conceptualize controlled autonomy or, more specifically, how they view what school autonomy should look like relative to district control and is this paper’s focus. It also provides insights into practice and potential means to enhance a growing, but so far unevenly implemented and under performing reform initiative (i.e. controlled autonomy).
Markov regenerative credit rating model
Authors: Pasricha Puneet , Selvamuthu Dharmaraja , Arunachalam Viswanathan
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Credit ratings serve as an important input in several applications in risk management of the financial firms. The level of credit rating changes from time to time because of random credit risk and, thus, can be modeled by an appropriate stochastic process. Markov chain models have been widely used in the literature to generate credit migration matrices; however, emergent empirical evidences suggest that the Markov property is not appropriate for credit rating dynamics. The purpose of this article is to address the non-Markov behavior of the rating dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a model based on Markov regenerative process (MRGP) with subordinated semi-Markov process (SMP) to obtain the estimates of rating migration probability matrices and default probabilities. Numerical example is given to illustrate the applicability of the proposed model with the help of historical Standard & Poor’s (S&P) credit rating data.

Findings

The proposed model implies that rating of a firm in the future not only depends on its present rating, but also on its previous ratings. If a firm gets a rating lower than its previous ratings, there are higher chances of further downgrades, and the issue is called the rating momentum. The model also addresses the ageing problem of credit rating evolution.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is a more general approach to study the rating dynamics and overcome the issues of inappropriateness of Markov process applied in rating dynamics.
Systemic operational risk
Authors: Kaspereit Thomas , Lopatta Kerstin , Pakhchanyan Suren , Prokop Jörg
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to study the information content of operational loss events occurring at European financial institutions with respect to the announcing bank’s industry rivals from an equity investor’s perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct an event study to identify spillover effects of operational loss events using the Carhart (1997) four-factor model as a benchmark model. In addition, they conduct multiple regression analyses to investigate the extent to which firm-specific factors or the market environment affect abnormal returns.

Findings

They observe significant negative abnormal returns following operational loss announcements exceeding € 50 million for both the announcing firms and their competitors. In addition, they find that stock market reactions occur only within a very small event window around the announcement date, indicating a high degree of market efficiency. Finally, abnormal returns tend to be insignificant for smaller loss amounts.

Originality/value

While operational risk is often believed to be strictly firm-specific, the results show that large operational risk events are not purely idiosyncratic; rather, they are systemic in the sense that they have contagious effects on non-event banks. Thus, the authors shed new light on how operational risk affects equity investors’ investment behaviour in an opaque and highly interconnected banking market.
Administration and cross-functional teams in libraries
Authors: Perrin Joy M. , Daniel Justin
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assist library administration in avoiding cross-functional team pitfalls.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports the results of years of cross-fucntiional teams at an academic Library. Reports results of years of cross-functional teams at an academic Library.

Findings

Through shared trial and errors, readers will be able to avoid pitfalls and formulate questions not previously considered for their pursuit of cross-functional teams.

Research limitations/implications

While this is a case study, the lessons learned can be applied at any library where cross-functional teams are considered.

Originality/value

This study provides an account of teams at an academic library spanning a decade. Trials and tribulations are discussed.
Hierarchical influences of prey distribution on patterns of prey capture by a marine predator
Authors: Carroll Gemma , Cox Martin , Harcourt Robert , Pitcher Benjamin J. , Slip David , Jonsen Ian
Published: March 2017

Prey distribution acts at multiple spatial scales to influence foraging success by predators. The overall distribution of prey may shape foraging ranges, the distance between patches may influence the ability of predators to detect and move between profitable areas, and individual patch characteristics may affect prey capture efficiency.

In this study, we assessed relationships between spatially explicit patterns of prey capture by a central place forager, the little penguin (using GPS tracking and accelerometry), and the distribution of aggregations of potential forage fish prey (using boat‐based active acoustics) in eastern Australia. We used complementary resource selection functions to estimate the distribution of both prey captures and aggregations across the study area, based on a suite of habitat characteristics.

We found that 99% of prey captures by penguins occurred in the top 20 m of the water column. The estimated distribution of prey captures across the study area was similar to the distribution of aggregations above 20 m depth, indicating that penguins effectively matched the local distribution of their prey.

The distances between consecutive prey captures followed a bimodal distribution, with means of 8·1 ± 2·2 and 57·4 ± 1·7 m. Based on the length of aggregations and the distances separating aggregations along survey transects, this implies that foraging behaviour occurs on multiple spatial scales corresponding to within‐patch and between‐patch movements respectively.

Morphological characteristics of aggregations above 20 m depth were important for explaining variance in the number of prey caught by penguins in an area, with penguins catching more prey where aggregations were relatively dense, compact and shallow.

These results reveal spatially explicit patterns of prey capture, and provide a framework for understanding how features of prey distribution influence prey intake by predators in patchy environments.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Estimating the benefits of plasticity in ectotherm heat tolerance under natural thermal variability
Authors: Gunderson Alex R. , Dillon Michael E. , Stillman Jonathon H.
Published: March 2017

Plasticity is a near‐ubiquitous feature of the thermal physiology of ectothermic organisms. Understanding the significance of plasticity in evolutionary and ecological contexts requires determining whether observed plasticity is beneficial, and, if so, to what extent plasticity can compensate for environmental change (i.e. is plasticity ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’).

Using site‐specific daily temperature records spanning several decades, we test the ‘beneficial acclimation hypothesis’ by calculating the number of days predicted to exceed the heat tolerance limits of 103 terrestrial ectotherm populations when incorporating observed taxon‐specific plasticity and when plasticity is ignored.

We find that heat tolerance plasticity can reduce the predicted number of overheating events, although the effects are clade specific with plasticity providing greater benefits to amphibians than to reptiles or arthropods. Despite these benefits, heat tolerance plasticity is incomplete; as temperatures rise, plasticity cannot prevent an increase in the risk of overheating. Specifically, we find that a one degree increase in mean maximum temperature leads to approximately one additional day of predicted overheating during the warmest months of the year, on average.

We conducted a broad‐scale analysis of the degree to which plasticity in heat tolerance reduces the probability that ectotherms experience temperatures beyond their physiological heat limits. Our results indicate that plasticity in heat tolerance benefits ectotherms, but, consistent with previous studies, those benefits are inadequate to provide complete compensation for global climate change.
Resource availability and sexual size dimorphism: differential effects of prey abundance on the growth rates of tropical snakes
Authors: Brown Gregory P. , Madsen Thomas R. L. , Shine Rick
Published: March 2017

Broad phylogenetic patterns in sexual size dimorphism (SSD) are shaped by sex differences in net selection pressures (e.g. sexual selection, fecundity selection, survival selection), but environmental and ecological factors can also affect the expression of SSD.

Discussions of proximate ecological influences on SSD have focused on niche divergence; for example, increase in a prey type used by only one sex can elevate growth rates of that sex but not the other. Food limitation also can generate spatial and temporal variation in SSD. Under restricted prey abundance, curtailed growth may mask SSD even if the optimal size is greater for one sex than the other. Because an increase in food availability elicits increased feeding and growth by the sex that benefits more from increased body size, variation in prey abundance can generate variation in SSD.

We used mark‐recapture methods to study growth rates relative to prey (frog) abundance in two species of sexually dimorphic colubrid snake species in tropical Australia.

In slatey‐grey snakes (Stegonotus cucullatus), a species in which larger body size enhances reproductive output in both sexes (because larger males win combat bouts, and larger females produce more/heavier eggs), increased abundance of frogs caused equivalent increases in growth rates in both sexes and hence did not affect SSD. In keelbacks (Tropidonophis mairii), a species in which larger size enhances reproductive output in females more than males (reflecting a lack of male–male combat), increased abundance of frogs elicited higher growth rates of females only. Thus, SSD in keelbacks was modified by prey abundance.

Our results show that the magnitude of sex differences in adult body size can be influenced by proximate environmental factors and support the hypothesis of sex‐specific targets for maximum feeding rates.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Experimental Infrastructure: Experiences in Bicycling in Quito, Ecuador
Authors: Gamble Julie
Published: March 2017

Bicycling infrastructure has flourished across Latin American cities as urban activists who cycle have pressed municipalities to grant space on the streets. This article analyzes the ways urban cyclists use and create bicycling infrastructure in the city of Quito, Ecuador. It uses an ethnographic approach to understand how infrastructure is systematically produced through various relationships with human actors and non‐human phenomena. The article starts from the perspective of the ethnographer moving within the assemblage of the feminist bicycle collective Carishina en Bici. The ethnographer drew on feminist science and technology studies (STS) approaches to cultivate everyday relationships of ‘care' to become a moving part of an infrastructural assemblage. The study of infrastructure entails carefully choosing research relationships that result in intra‐action, or the coming together of the subjects and objects of a study to produce infrastructure. The article uses the term experimental infrastructure to reveal the procedures of studying and analyzing the political dynamics that result from bicycling infrastructure. It draws on 15 months of fieldwork in Quito, Ecuador, and participatory photo travel diaries of cyclists to demonstrate how bicycling infrastructure is a point of intersection as well as an active site for making democratic claims to the Andean city.
Ginger Extract Suppresses Inflammatory Response and Maintains Barrier Function in Human Colonic Epithelial Caco‐2 Cells Exposed to Inflammatory Mediators
Authors: Kim Yunyoung , Kim Dong‐Min , Kim Ji Yeon
Published: March 2017

The beneficial effects of ginger in the management of gastrointestinal disturbances have been reported. In this study, the anti‐inflammatory potential of ginger extract was assessed in a cellular model of gut inflammation. In addition, the effects of ginger extract and its major active compounds on intestinal barrier function were evaluated. The response of Caco‐2 cells following exposure to a mixture of inflammatory mediators [interleukin [IL]‐1β, 25 ng/mL; lipopolysaccharides [LPS], 10 ng/mL; tumor necrosis factor [TNF]‐α, 50 ng/mL; and interferon [INF]‐γ, 50 ng/mL] were assessed by measuring the levels of secreted IL‐6 and IL‐8. In addition, the mRNA levels of cyclooxygenase‐2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were measured. Moreover, the degree of nuclear factor (NF)‐κB inhibition was examined, and the intestinal barrier function was determined by measuring the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)‐dextran transfer. It was observed that ginger extract and its constituents improved inflammatory responses by decreasing the levels of nitrite, PGE2, IL‐6, and IL‐8 via NF‐κB inhibition. The ginger extract also increased the TEER and decreased the transfer of FITC‐dextran from the apical side of the epithelium to the basolateral side. Taken together, these results show that ginger extract may be developed as a functional food for the maintenance of gastrointestinal health.
Imaging biological surface topography in situ and in vivo
Authors: Wainwright Dylan K. , Lauder George V. , Weaver James C.
Published: March 2017

The creation of accurate three‐dimensional reconstructions of biological surfaces is often challenging due to several inherent limitations of current imaging technologies. These include the inability to image living material, requirements for extensive specimen preparation and/or long image acquisition times, and the inability to image at length scales that are relevant for the study of interfacial phenomena that occur between the organism and its environment.

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of a new imaging approach that combines the benefits of optical and contact profilometry to image organismal surfaces quickly and without the need for any kind of specimen preparation, thus permitting three‐dimensional visualization in situ.

As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the utility of this approach by imaging the surfaces of a wide range of live and preserved fish and other species, imaging wet, mucus‐covered surfaces, and presenting quantitative metrics of surface roughness in a variety of natural and engineered materials.

Given the numerous wet, sticky, and slimy surfaces that abound in nature and the importance of the interface between species and their environments for the study of numerous biophysical phenomena, we believe this approach holds considerable promise for providing new insights into surface structural complexity in biological systems.
Insula and amygdala resting‐state functional connectivity differentiate bipolar from unipolar depression
Authors: Ambrosi E. , Arciniegas D. B. , Madan A. , Curtis K. N. , Patriquin M. A. , Jorge R. E. , Spalletta G. , Fowler J. C. , Frueh B. C. , Salas R.
Published: March 2017

Objective

Distinguishing depressive episodes due to bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) solely on clinical grounds is challenging. We aimed at comparing resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) of regions subserving emotional regulation in similarly depressed BD and MDD.

Method

We enrolled 76 in‐patients (BD, n = 36; MDD, n = 40) and 40 healthy controls (HC). A seed‐based approach was used to identify regions showing different rsFC with the insula and the amygdala. Insular and amygdalar parcellations were then performed along with diagnostic accuracy of the main findings.

Results

Lower rsFC between the left insula and the left mid‐dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and between bilateral insula and right frontopolar prefrontal cortex (FPPFC) was observed in BD compared to MDD and HC. These results were driven by the dorsal anterior and posterior insula (PI). Lower rsFC between the right amygdala and the left anterior hippocampus was observed in MDD compared to BD and HC. These results were driven by the centromedial and laterobasal amygdala. Left PI/right FPPC rsFC showed 78% accuracy differentiating BD and MDD.

Conclusion

rsFC of amygdala and insula distinguished between depressed BD and MDD. The observed differences suggest the possibility of differential pathophysiological mechanisms of emotional dysfunction in bipolar and unipolar depression.
Impact of childhood trauma on course of panic disorder: contribution of clinical and personality characteristics
Authors: De Venter M. , Van Den Eede F. , Pattyn T. , Wouters K. , Veltman D. J. , Penninx B. W. J. H. , Sabbe B. G.
Published: March 2017

Objective

To investigate the impact of childhood trauma on the clinical course of panic disorder and possible contributing factors.

Method

Longitudinal data of 539 participants with a current panic disorder were collected from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Childhood trauma was assessed with a structured interview and clinical course after 2 years with a DSM‐IV‐based diagnostic interview and the Life Chart Interview.

Results

At baseline, 54.5% reported childhood trauma, but this was not predictive of persistence of panic disorder. Emotional neglect and psychological abuse were associated with higher occurrence of anxiety disorders other than panic disorder (social phobia) and with higher chronicity of general anxiety symptoms (anxiety attacks or episodes and avoidance). Baseline clinical features (duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms) and personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) accounted for roughly 30–60% of the total effect of childhood trauma on chronicity of anxiety symptoms and on occurrence of other anxiety disorders.

Conclusion

After two years, childhood trauma is associated with chronicity of anxiety symptoms and occurrence of social phobia, rather than persistence of panic disorder. These relationships are partially accounted for by duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and neuroticism and extraversion.
Prevalence of substance misuse among US veterans in the general population
Authors: Hoggatt Katherine J. , Lehavot Keren , Krenek Marketa , Schweizer Catherine Amanda , Simpson Tracy
Published: March 2017

Background and Objectives

Epidemiologic data on substance misuse prevalence among US Veterans are crucial to plan for Veterans’ future healthcare needs. We estimated US Veterans’ age‐specific, overall, and age‐adjusted prevalence of substance misuse, assessed whether prevalence differed between Veterans and civilians, and examined temporal trends in prevalence.

Methods

Substance‐related measures were obtained from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 2002–2012 (N = 24,210 Veterans; 338,556 civilians).

Results

Among women and men Veterans overall, past‐month heavy episodic drinking and daily cigarette smoking were the most prevalent types of substance misuse. For Veteran women and men ages 18–25, the prevalence of past‐year illicit drug use was 29% and 38%, which was comparable to the prevalence of past‐month daily cigarette smoking, and the prevalence of past‐year prescription drug misuse was 14% and 18%. For men ages 18–25, heavy episodic drinking, daily cigarette smoking, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and substance use disorder were more prevalent among Veterans than civilians. For women, the age‐specific, overall, and age‐adjusted prevalence of daily cigarette smoking was generally greater among Veterans than civilians. There was a decreasing temporal trend in overall AUD prevalence among Veteran men, reflecting a decreasing trend in age‐specific prevalence among Veteran men ages 35–49.

Discussion and Conclusions

Young Veterans’ high prevalence of substance misuse, and the generally high prevalence of daily smoking among Veterans, underscore the need for evidence‐based assessments and treatment options that are accessible and effective for Veterans.

Scientific Significance

This study provides foundational information on the epidemiology of substance misuse among Veterans. (Am J Addict 2017;26:357–365)
Comorbidity, physical and mental health among cancer patients and survivors: An Australian population‐based study
Authors: Ng Huah Shin , Roder David , Koczwara Bogda , Vitry Agnes
Published: March 2017

Aim

To assess the prevalence of comorbidities and measures of physical and mental health among the cancer patients and survivors compared with the general population.

Methods

Data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics from 2011–2012 National Health Survey were utilized for this cross‐sectional study. Comparisons were made between adults aged 25 years and over with history of cancer (n = 2170) and those respondents who did not report having had a cancer (n = 11 592) using logistic regression models. Analyses were repeated according to cancer status (current cancer vs. cancer survivor).

Results

People with history of cancer had significantly higher odds of reporting mental and behavioral problems (overall cancer group adjusted odds ratio 1.36, 95 percent confidence interval 1.20–1.54; current cancer 2.53, 1.97–3.27; cancer survivor 1.20, 1.05–1.38), circulatory conditions (overall cancer group 1.25, 1.12–1.39; current cancer 1.38, 1.08–1.76; cancer survivor 1.22, 1.09–1.38), musculoskeletal conditions (overall cancer group 1.37, 1.24–1.52; current cancer 1.66, 1.30–2.12; cancer survivor 1.33, 1.19–1.48) and endocrine system disorders (overall cancer group 1.19, 1.06–1.34; current cancer 1.29, 1.00–1.66; cancer survivor 1.17, 1.04–1.33) compared with the noncancer group. Cancer patients and survivors were more likely to report poor health status, a higher level of distress, and a greater number of chronic conditions compared with the noncancer group.

Conclusion

Poor health and comorbidity is more prevalent among cancer patients and survivors than the noncancer population. Our results further support the need to develop models of care that effectively address multiple chronic conditions experienced by the cancer population.
Effects of Nano‐Graphene Oxide on Testis, Epididymis and Fertility of Wistar Rats
Authors: Nirmal Naresh Kumar , Awasthi Kumud Kant , John Placheril Joseph
Published: March 2017

Nanoscale graphene oxide (NGO) has great potential in biomedicine by the virtue of its facile functionalization and tunable characteristics. Toxicity assessments have therefore become essential prior to its biomedical applications. This study examined the effects of NGO exposure on male reproductive function of adult Wistar rats. Rats were exposed intraperitoneally to three increasing doses, namely low‐dose (0.4 mg/kg BW), mid‐dose (2.0 mg/kg BW) and high‐dose (10.0 mg/kg BW) of NGO. Repeated exposure of NGO for 15 and 30 days resulted in decreased epididymal sperm counts and elevated sperm abnormalities. Percentage of motile sperms was also significantly reduced due to the exposure. Activities of SOD, GPx and malondialdehyde concentration in the testes increased in a dose‐specific manner. Results of the study demonstrated that high‐dose of NGO resulted in considerable histological damage to testicular tissue which included atrophy of seminiferous tubules with reduction in germinal epithelium, germ cell loss and vacuolization. Low and mid‐doses of NGO were not associated with sperm dysfunction or testis damage. Withdrawal of treatment for 30 days demonstrated significant recovery potential. Histology of epididymis and male fertility potential were not affected due to the NGO exposure. These findings are important for assessment of the risk involved in manufacturing, use and processing of the graphene oxide‐based materials towards male reproductive function.
Corporate volunteering: A bibliometric analysis from 1990 to 2015
Authors: Dreesbach‐Bundy Suska , Scheck Barbara
Published: March 2017

This article describes a quantitative examination of corporate volunteering research in the form of a bibliometric analysis. Using author, journal, geography, epistemological, and industry data from 115 refereed and 445 non‐refereed publications published during 1990–2015, we identify corporate volunteering as a rather young research field. Although the field has progressively developed, it is still limited in magnitude, with recent signs of stagnation. The current state is characterized by moderate publication and author activity rates, with a shift toward more peer‐reviewed publications conducted in coauthorship, mostly in the disciplines of business, management, and ethics; a focus on financial services as well as the professional service sector; few high‐impact studies; and a narrow geographic spread, with North America as the market leader and a rising interest in Western European countries. Findings on the field's prevalent research orientation further indicate a strong employee‐centered focus emphasizing the underlying business case. However, in contrast to the overarching concept of corporate social responsibility research, a relatively large share of the corporate volunteering literature also addresses society‐related issues, namely, corporates' relationship with non‐profits.
Second-Order Quasi-Likelihood for Spatial Point Processes
Authors: Deng Chong , Guan Yongtao , Waagepetersen Rasmus P. , Zhang Jingfei
Published: March 2017

Applications of spatial point processes for large and complex data sets with inhomogeneities as encountered, example, in tropical rain forest ecology call for estimation methods that are both statistically and computationally efficient. We propose a novel second-order quasi-likelihood procedure to estimate the parameters for a second-order intensity reweighted stationary spatial point process. Our approach is to derive first- and second-order estimating functions and then combine them linearly using appropriate weight functions. In the stationary case, we argue that the asymptotically optimal weight functions are respectively a constant and a function of lags between distinct locations in the observation window. This leads to a considerable gain in computational efficiency. We further exploit this simplification in the nonstationary case. Simulations show that, when compared with several existing approaches, our method can achieve significant gains in statistical efficiency. An application to a tropical rain forest data set further illustrates the advantages of our procedure.
Prostate cancer family history and eligibility for active surveillance: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Telang Jaya M. , Lane Brian R. , Cher Michael L. , Miller David C. , Dupree James M.
Published: March 2017

Active surveillance (AS) is an increasingly prevalent treatment choice for low grade prostate cancer. Eligibility criteria for AS are varied and it is unclear if family history of prostate cancer should be used as an exclusion criterion when considering men for AS. To determine whether family history plays a significant role in the progression of prostate cancer for men undergoing active surveillance, PubMed searches of ‘family history and prostate cancer’, ‘family history and prostate cancer progression’ and ‘factors of prostate cancer progression’ were used to identify research publications about the relationship between family history and prostate cancer progression. These searches generated 536 papers that were screened and reviewed. Six publications were ultimately included in this analysis. Review of the six publications suggests that family history does not increase the risk of prostate cancer progression, whilst a subgroup analysis in one study found that family history increases the risk of prostate cancer progression only in African‐Americans. A family history of prostate cancer does not appear to increase a patient's risk of having more aggressive prostate cancer and is therefore unlikely to be an important factor in determining eligibility for AS. Further studies are needed to better understand the relationship between race, family history, and eligibility for AS.
New alkenyl derivative from Piper malacophyllum and analogues: Antiparasitic activity against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum
Authors: Varela Marina T. , Lima Marta L. , Galuppo Mariana K. , Tempone Andre G. , de Oliveira Alberto , Lago João Henrique G. , Fernandes João Paulo S.
Published: March 2017

Alkylphenols isolated from Piper malacophyllum (Piperaceae), gibbilimbols A and B, showed interesting activity against the parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum. In continuation to our previous work, a new natural product from the essential oil of the leaves of P. malacophyllum was isolated, the 5‐[(3E)‐oct‐3‐en‐1‐il]‐1,3‐benzodioxole, and also a new set of five compounds was prepared. The antiparasitic activity of the natural product was evaluated in vitro against these parasites, indicating potential against the promastigote/trypomastigote/amastigote forms (IC50 32–83 μm) of the parasites and low toxicity (CC50 > 200 μm) to mammalian cells. The results obtained to the synthetic compounds indicated that the new derivatives maintained the promising antiparasitic activity, but the cytotoxicity was considerably lowered. The amine derivative LINS03011 displayed the most potent IC50 values (13.3 and 16.7 μm) against amastigotes of T. cruzi and L. infantum, respectively, indicating comparable activity to the phenolic prototype LINS03003, with threefold decreased (CC50 73.5 μm) cytotoxicity, leading the selectivity index (SI) towards the parasites up to 24.5. In counterpart, LINS03011 has not shown membrane disruptor activity in SYTOX Green model. In summary, this new set showed the hydroxyl is not essential for the antiparasitic activity, and its substitution could decrease the toxicity to mammalian cells.
Reprofiling of full‐length phosphonated carbocyclic 2′‐oxa‐3′‐aza‐nucleosides toward antiproliferative agents: Synthesis, antiproliferative activity, and molecular docking study
Authors: Bkhaitan Majdi M. , Mirza Agha Zeeshan , Abdalla Ashraf N. , Shamshad Hina , Ul‐Haq Zaheer , Alarjah Mohammed , Piperno Anna
Published: March 2017

A series of phosphonated carbocyclic 2′‐oxa‐3′‐aza‐nucleosides were synthesized via 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition and evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against the growth of cancer cell lines (MCF‐7, A2780, HCT116) and normal non‐transformed fibroblast (MRC5) using MTT assay. Synthesized compounds exhibited antiproliferative activity in the micromolar range. Compounds 11b showed the highest activity against MCF‐7 cells (IC50 of 0.2344 μm). Cell cycle analysis was performed for compound 11b on MCF7 cells showing arrest of cells in the S phase. Molecular docking of synthesized compounds confirmed high affinity of these compounds to two different receptors for anticancer nucleosides on dCK, namely the 1P5Z and 2ZIA, showing scores higher than the cognate ligand for all tested compounds. All synthesized compounds were evaluated according to the Lipinski, Veber, and Opera rules, and all of them passed the evaluation showing excellent features, superior to reference drugs. In addition, ADME for all the synthesized compounds was predicted through a theoretical kinetic study using the discovery studio 3.1 software.
Novel antimicrobial peptide CPF‐C1 analogs with superior stabilities and activities against multidrug‐resistant bacteria
Authors: Xie Junqiu , Zhao Qian , Li Sisi , Yan Zhibin , Li Jing , Li Yao , Mou Lingyun , Zhang Bangzhi , Yang Wenle , Miao Xiaokang , Jiang Xianxing , Wang Rui
Published: March 2017

As numerous clinical isolates are resistant to most conventional antibiotics, infections caused by multidrug‐resistant bacteria are associated with a higher death rate. Antimicrobial peptides show great potential as new antibiotics. However, a major obstacle to the development of these peptides as useful drugs is their low stability. To overcome the problem of the natural antimicrobial peptide CPF‐C1, we designed and synthesized a series of analogs. Our results indicated that by introducing lysine, which could increase the number of positive charges, and by introducing tryptophan, which could increase the hydrophobicity, we could improve the antimicrobial activity of the peptides against multidrug‐resistant strains. The introduction of d‐amino acids significantly improved stability. Certain analogs demonstrated antibiofilm activities. In mechanistic studies, the analogs eradicated bacteria not just by interrupting the bacterial membranes, but also by linking to DNA, which was not impacted by known mechanisms of resistance. In a mouse model, certain analogs were able to significantly reduce the bacterial load. Among the analogs, CPF‐9 was notable due to its greater antimicrobial potency in vitro and in vivo and its superior stability, lower hemolytic activity, and higher antibiofilm activity. This analog is a potential antibiotic candidate for treating infections induced by multidrug‐resistant bacteria.
Historical spatial reconstruction of a spawning‐aggregation fishery
Authors: Buckley Sarah M. , Thurstan Ruth H. , Tobin Andrew , Pandolfi John M.
Published: March 2017

Aggregations of individual animals that form for breeding purposes are a critical ecological process for many species, yet these aggregations are inherently vulnerable to exploitation. Studies of the decline of exploited populations that form breeding aggregations tend to focus on catch rate and thus often overlook reductions in geographic range. We tested the hypothesis that catch rate and site occupancy of exploited fish‐spawning aggregations (FSAs) decline in synchrony over time. We used the Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) spawning‐aggregation fishery in the Great Barrier Reef as a case study. Data were compiled from historical newspaper archives, fisher knowledge, and contemporary fishery logbooks to reconstruct catch rates and exploitation trends from the inception of the fishery. Our fine‐scale analysis of catch and effort data spanned 103 years (1911–2013) and revealed a spatial expansion of fishing effort. Effort shifted offshore at a rate of 9.4 nm/decade, and 2.9 newly targeted FSAs were reported/decade. Spatial expansion of effort masked the sequential exploitation, commercial extinction, and loss of 70% of exploited FSAs. After standardizing for improvements in technological innovations, average catch rates declined by 90.5% from 1934 to 2011 (from 119.4 to 11.41 fish/vessel/trip). Mean catch rate of Spanish mackerel and occupancy of exploited mackerel FSAs were not significantly related. Our study revealed a special kind of shifting spatial baseline in which a contraction in exploited FSAs occurred undetected. Knowledge of temporally and spatially explicit information on FSAs can be relevant for the conservation and management of FSA species.
Raised intracranial pressure and retinal haemorrhages in childhood encephalopathies
Authors: Minns Robert A , Jones Patricia A , Tandon Anamika , Fleck Brian W , Mulvihill Alan O , Minns Fiona C
Published: March 2017

Aim

To explore the relationship between raised intracranial pressure (RICP) and retinal haemorrhages in traumatic and non‐traumatic childhood encephalopathies.

Method

A prospective study of 112 children (35 females and 77 males, age range 0.01mo–17y 8.3mo; mean 5y 8.6mo, median 4y 5.6mo) included 57 accidental traumatic brain injuries (ATBIs), 21 inflicted traumatic brain injuries (ITBIs), and 34 non‐traumatic encephalopathy cases. Measurements included intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure, pressure‐time index of ICP, and number, zone, and layer of retinal haemorrhages on retinal imaging.

Results

Group I had measured elevated ICP (n=42), Group II had clinical and/or radiological signs of RICP (n=21), and Group III had normal ICP (n=49). In the combined Groups I and II, 38% had retinal haemorrhages. Multiple logistic regression confirmed that the presence of retinal haemorrhages was significantly related to the presence of RICP independent of age and aetiology; however, the occurrence and overall numbers were not significantly related to the specific ICP level. The numbers of intraretinal (nerve‐fibre layer and dot blot) retinal haemorrhages were significantly greater in those with RICP. The ITBI population was significantly different from the other combined aetiological categories.

Interpretation

The study results indicate a complex RICP/retinal haemorrhage relationship. There was no evidence of existing retinal haemorrhages being exacerbated or new retinal haemorrhages developing during periods of confirmed RICP.
Spatial distribution, total length frequencies and otolith morphometry as tools to analyse the effects of a flash flood on populations of roach (Rutilus rutilus)
Authors: Morat Fabien , Gibert Pierre , Reynaud Nathalie , Testi Baptiste , Favriou Pierre , Raymond Virginie , Carrel Georges , Maire Anthony
Published: March 2017

Floods are known to be the major source of natural variability and disturbance in stream ecosystems. However, the management and channelisation of large rivers have impacted the fluvial geomorphology and disconnected the main channel and floodplains used as nurseries by many species of fish. This study examines the influence of a first autumnal flood event of the Ardèche River on the roach population, Rutilus rutilus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the Caderousse reach on the Rhône River. This influence was evaluated through an analysis of the spatial distribution for the abundance and size of juvenile roach and an analysis of otolith shape. Juvenile roach from the three sections of the reach formed well‐defined local populations before and after the flood event. Juvenile roach were always more abundant in the less modified section (BPS) of the river than in the other sections (RES and TAIL). While the original primary river channel was directly impacted by the flash flood, no significant difference in otolith shape was observed before or after the flash flood. Our results suggest that this part of the reach provides refuge habitats used by fish during high flow events.
Land cover diversity increases predator aggregation and consumption of prey
Authors: Penn Hannah J. , Athey Kacie J. , Lee Brian D.
Published: March 2017

A lower diversity of land cover types is purported to decrease arthropod diversity in agroecosystems and is dependent on patterns of land use and fragmentation. Ants, important providers of ecosystem services such as biological control, are susceptible to landscape‐level changes. We determined the relationships between land cover diversity and fragmentation on the within‐field spatial associations of ants to pests and resulting predation events by combining mapping and molecular tools. Increased land cover diversity and decreased fragmentation increased ant abundance, spatial association to pests and predation. Land cover diversity and fragmentation were more explanatory than land cover types. Even so, specific land cover types, such as deciduous forest, influenced ant and pest diversity more so than abundance. These results indicate that geospatial techniques and molecular gut content analysis can be combined to determine the role of land use in influencing predator–prey interactions and resulting predation events in agroecosystems.
Facilitators and barriers influencing the readiness to receive dental implants in a geriatric institutionalised population—A randomized non‐invasive interventional study
Authors: Merz Miriam A. , Terheyden Hendrik , Huber Christian G. , Seixas Azizi A. , Schoetzau Andreas , Schneeberger Andres R.
Published: March 2017

Objective

Although elderly people have many serious dental issues and are in need of prosthesis, few opt for dental implants. The aim of this study was to investigate barriers that prevent elderly people from receiving dental implants. Specifically, we examined (i) whether the message was delivered before or after the interview had an impact, and (ii) whether it did matter who delivered the message.

Materials and Methods

Sixty‐six residents from seven residential homes in the Canton of Grisons, Switzerland were included. The sample was randomized to a treatment group that received comprehensive education about dental implants before the interview and a control group that received education after completing the questionnaire.

Results

The sample consisted of 54 women (81.8%) and 12 males (18.2%) with an average age of 86.2 years. Education before the interview did not show any impact on the attitude towards dental implants. Main reasons for a negative attitude towards implants were old age and high costs. Participants who received information about implants from their relatives and their own dentist and not from the study dentist were significantly more willing to receive implants.

Conclusion

Providing an adequate education about benefits and risks of receiving dental implants does not change the attitude towards dental implants. The source of information/messenger does influence attitudes towards implants. If the person delivering the education and information is a relative or a known medical person, the person's attitude is more likely to change as compared to people receiving the information from an unrelated person.
The Likelihood of Coliform Bacteria in NJ Domestic Wells Based on Precipitation and Other Factors
Authors: Procopio Nicholas A. , Atherholt Thomas B. , Goodrow Sandra M. , Lester Lori A.
Published: March 2017

The influence of precipitation on coliform bacteria detection rates in domestic wells was investigated using data collected through the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act. Measured precipitation data from the National Weather Service (NWS) monitoring stations was compared to estimated data from the Multisensor Precipitation Estimate (MPE) in order to determine which source of data to include in the analyses. A strong concordance existed between these two precipitations datasets; therefore, MPE data was utilized as it is geographically more specific to individual wells. Statewide, 10 days of cumulative precipitation prior to testing was found to be an optimal period influencing the likelihood of coliform detections in wells. A logistic regression model was developed to predict the likelihood of coliform occurrence in wells from 10 days of cumulative precipitation data and other predictive variables including geology, season, coliform bacteria analysis method, pH, and nitrate concentration. Total coliform (TC) and fecal coliform or Escherichia coli (FC/EC) were detected more frequently when the preceding 10 days of cumulative precipitation exceeded 34.5 and 54 mm, respectively. Furthermore, the likelihood of coliform detection was highest in wells located in the bedrock region, during summer and autumn, analyzed with the enzyme substrate method, with pH between 5 and 6.99, and (for FC/EC but not TC) nitrate greater than 10 mg/L. Thus, the likelihood of coliform presence in domestic wells can be predicted from readily available environmental factors including timing and magnitude of precipitation, offering outreach opportunities and potential changes to coliform testing recommendations.
Discourses on Non‐conforming Marriages: Love in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Hong‐Zen , Chen Mei‐Hua
Published: March 2017

In contemporary Taiwan, arranged marriage seems a remote legend. However, the mainstream ideology of romantic love and marriage is a recent phenomenon that started only half a century ago. The debate on love and marriage that took place a hundred years ago has been reopened in current Taiwanese society on transnational marriage and same‐sex marriage debates, which are regarded as non‐conforming marriages in a specific historical period. We argue that the hegemonic ideology of romantic love has produced a powerful exclusionary effect on cross‐border marriages based on ethnic and class discrimination, but also an inclusive effect on same‐sex marriage in present Taiwan society, which underscores the power of the discourse of love in modern Taiwanese social life. The love discourse can be progressive in a specific historical conjuncture, but it can also be regressive by excluding other forms of intimacy.