bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Follow-Up Study on Music and Lexical Tone Perception in Adult Mandarin-Speaking Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Gu Xin , Liu Bo , Liu Ziye , Qi Beier , Wang Shuo , Dong Ruijuan , Chen Xueqing , Zhou Qian
Published: October 2017

Objective:

The aim was to evaluate the development of music and lexical tone perception in Mandarin-speaking adult cochlear implant (CI) users over a period of 1 year.

Study Design:

Prospective patient series.

Setting:

Tertiary hospital and research institute.

Patients:

Twenty five adult CI users, with ages ranging from 19 to 75 years old, participated in a year-long follow-up evaluation. There were also 40 normal hearing adult subjects who participated as a control group to provide the normal value range.

Interventions:

Musical sounds in cochlear implants (Mu.S.I.C.) test battery was undertaken to evaluate music perception ability. Mandarin Tone Identification in Noise Test (M-TINT) was used to assess lexical tone recognition. The tests for CI users were completed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the CI switch-on.

Main Outcomes Measures:

Quantitative and statistical analysis of their results from music and tone perception tests.

Results:

The performance of music perception and tone recognition both demonstrated an overall improvement in outcomes during the entire 1-year follow-up process. The increasing trends were obvious in the early period especially in the first 6 months after switch-on. There was a significant improvement in the melody discrimination (p < 0.01), timbre identification (p < 0.001), tone recognition in quiet (p < 0.0001), and in noise (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Adult Mandarin-speaking CI users show an increasingly improved performance on music and tone perception during the 1-year follow-up. The improvement was the most prominent in the first 6 months of CI use. It is essential to strengthen the rehabilitation training within the first 6 months.
Pediatric cancer genetics
Authors: Dean Sarah J. , Farmer Meagan
Published: October 2017

Purpose of review

The current review will focus on the current knowledge of the contribution of both germline and somatic mutations to the development and management of cancer in pediatric patients.

Recent findings

It has long been thought that genetic mutations in both germline and somatic cells can contribute to the development of cancer in pediatric patients. With the recent advances in genomic technologies, there are now over 500 known cancer predisposition genes. Recent studies have confirmed an 8.5–14% germline mutation rate in cancer predisposition genes in pediatric cancer patients.

The discovery of both germline and somatic cells mutation(s) in pediatric cancer patients not only aids in the management of current disease, but can also have direct implications for future management as well as the medical management of family members.
Enhancing Outcomes for Outpatient Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
Authors: Spruce Kevin , Butler Chondra
Published: October 2017

Purpose and Objectives:

A quality improvement project was conducted to create a sustainable continuum of care for increased volumes of outpatients receiving percutaneous coronary interventions. Dramatic growth exposed system vulnerabilities and left staff overwhelmed. Four postinterventional project objectives included reducing preprocedural preparation times, reducing bleeding complications, reducing hospital length of stay, and collectively increasing patient satisfaction.

Description of the Project:

Amidst creating a specialized postintervention coronary recovery area and acquiring and training existing preregistration and recovery nurses, a fragmented system of care was united. The clinical nurse specialist–led project used a systematic and evidence-based implementation process to harmoniously acclimate perioperative staff. An evaluation process further defined new opportunities to support a growing service line.

Outcomes:

Postimplementation data were collected over a 3-month period. An overall improvement was found in all targeted objectives, despite an upsurge in case volumes. A moderately significant correlation (r[105] = 0.424,P< .001) was found between bleeding occurrences and hospital length of stay.

Conclusion:

The synergy between interdepartmental collaboration and strategic staffing reallocation was shown to be invaluable to alleviate procedural areas of service, such as the cardiac catheterization laboratory. As a project champion, the clinical nurse specialist is an essential catalyst to identify and creatively surmount system-level challenges.
Non–Vaccine-Type Human Papillomavirus Prevalence After Vaccine Introduction: No Evidence for Type Replacement but Evidence for Cross-Protection
Authors: Saccucci Mónica , Franco Eduardo L. , Ding Lili , Bernstein David I. , Brown Darron , Kahn Jessica A.
Published: October 2017

Background

We examined non–vaccine-type human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in a community before and during the first 8 years after vaccine introduction, to assess for (1) type replacement with any non–vaccine-type HPV and (2) cross-protection with non–vaccine types genetically related to vaccine-type HPV.

Methods

Sexually experienced 13- to- 26-year-old women were recruited for 3 cross-sectional studies from 2006 to 2014 (N = 1180). Outcome variables were as follows: (1) prevalence of at least 1 of 32 anogenital non–vaccine-type HPVs and (2) prevalence of at least 1 HPV type genetically related to HPV-16 and HPV-18. We determined changes in proportions of non–vaccine-type HPV prevalence across the study waves using logistic regression with propensity score inverse probability weighting.

Results

Vaccine initiation rates increased from 0% to 71.3%. Logistic regression demonstrated that from 2006 to 2014, there was no increase in non–vaccine-type HPV among vaccinated women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73–1.42), but an increase among unvaccinated women (AOR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.16–3.04). Conversely, there was a decrease in types genetically related to HPV-16 among vaccinated (AOR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38–0.88) but not unvaccinated women (AOR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.81–2.17).

Conclusions

We did not find evidence of type replacement, but did find evidence of cross-protection against types genetically related to HPV-16. These findings have implications for cost-effectiveness analyses, which may impact vaccine-related policies, and provide information to assess the differential risk for cervical cancer in unvaccinated and vaccinated women, which may influence clinical screening recommendations. The findings also have implications for public health programs, such as health messaging for adolescents, parents, and clinicians about HPV vaccination.
Case Report: In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Appearance of Corneal Argyrosis
Authors: Wu Mengliang , Wang Xiaochun , Shao Tingting , Wang Yan
Published: October 2017

SIGNIFICANCE

This report details the natural history of corneal argyrosis over 3 years using in vivo confocal microscopy to document regression of hyperreflective deposits, as well as effects on corneal nerves and endothelial cell morphology.

PURPOSE

To report the in vivo confocal microscopic features and clinical characteristics of a case of bilateral corneal argyrosis.

CASE REPORT

A 52-year-old man referred to us 3 months following cautery of the palpebral conjunctiva of both eyes with a silver nitrate stick was observed over the course of 3 years, during which slit-lamp photography and in vivo confocal microscopy were performed. At the first visit, slit-lamp examination showed a light blue-green discoloration and a thick, yellow, oval discoloration in the right and left cornea, respectively. One year later, under slit-lamp examination, the right cornea appeared nearly transparent, and the discoloration in the left cornea had remarkably regressed. In vivo confocal microscopy done at that time showed highly reflective deposits in Descemet membrane of the right cornea and throughout Bowman layer, the stroma, and Descemet membrane of the left cornea. Three years later, no accumulation of silver was observed during slit-lamp examination of either eye. In vivo confocal microscopy of the right cornea did not reveal any silver deposits, and the corneal structure appeared normal. In the left cornea, some silver deposits were still evident in Descemet membrane, and alterations of corneal nerve and endothelial cell morphology were also evident.

CONCLUSIONS

This report reviews the 3-year natural history of a patient with corneal argyrosis. In vivo confocal microscopy demonstrates that over time the corneal argyrosis gradually resolves without any treatment. However, the presence of silver in the cornea may impact the corneal nerves and endothelial cells.
Raising the Yellow Flag: State Variation in Quarantine Laws
Authors: Katz Rebecca , Vaught Andrea , Formentos Adrienne , Capizola Jordan
Published: October 2017

Quarantine is an important but often misused tool of public health. An effective quarantine requires a process that inspires trust in government, only punishes noncompliance, and promotes a culture of social responsibility. Accomplishing successful quarantine requires incentives and enabling factors, payments, job security, and a tiered enforcement plan. In this article, we examine the variation in state-level quarantine laws and assess the effectiveness of these laws and regulations. We find that most states allow for an individual to have a hearing (63%) and to have a voice in burial and cremation procedures (71%), yet are weak on all other individual rights measures. Only 20% of states have provisions to protect employment when an individual is under quarantine, and less than half have plans for safe and humane quarantines. Decision makers at the state and local levels must make a concerted effort to revise and update quarantine laws and regulations. Ideally, these laws and regulations should be harmonized so as to avoid confusion and disruption between states, and public health officials should work with populations to identify and address the factors that will support successful quarantines if they are ever required.
The Issue of Gadolinium Retained in Tissues
Authors: Di Gregorio Enza , Ferrauto Giuseppe , Furlan Chiara , Lanzardo Stefania , Nuzzi Raffaele , Gianolio Eliana , Aime Silvio
Published: October 2017

Objectives

The aim of the study was to explore the role of the stability of metal complexes in the processes that lead to the metal retention in the brain and other tissues of mice administered with lanthanides-based contrast agents. This issue was tackled by the simultaneous injection of gadolinium (Gd)-diethylentriamminopentaacetate (DTPA) and lanthanum-DTPA, which have the same charge and structure but differ in their thermodynamic stability by 3 orders of magnitude.

Materials and Methods

A total of 20 healthy BALB/c mice were administered by a single intravenous injection with a dose consisting of 0.6 mmol La-DTPA/kg and 0.6 mmol Gd-DTPA/kg. Then the animals were killed at different time points: 4, 24, 48, and 96 hours (5 mice each group).

In an additional protocol, 5 mice were administered with 9 doses of 0.3 mmol La-DTPA/kg and 0.3 mmol of Gd-DTPA/kg every 2 days over a period of 3 weeks. The sacrifice time was set to 3 weeks after the last administration. After sacrifice, the Gd and La content in liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, cerebrum, cerebellum, bone, eye, skin, blood, and urine was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Results

A general decrease in the content of both the lanthanides was observed upon delaying the sacrifice time. At relatively short times after the injection (up to 96 hours), in the spleen, kidney, muscle, skin, and eye, almost the same content of La and Gd was detected, whereas in the cerebrum, cerebellum, bones, and liver, the amount of retained La decreased much slower than that of Gd, yielding a progressive increase in La/Gd ratio. The amount of retained La in the various tissues 21 days after the last of 9 administrations of La-DTPA and Gd-DTPA was always significantly higher than that of Gd. The concentration of both La and Gd decreased rapidly both in blood and in urine samples.

Discussion

The departure from the 1:1 ratio in the amounts of La and Gd determined in the investigated tissues has been used to gain information on the role of the complex stability and “wash-out” kinetics. The behavior of the less s` La-DTPA highlights processes occurring for Gd-DTPA at a slower rate.

The herein obtained results support the view that most of the La/Gd retained in the brain arises from the intact chelate that has extravasated immediately after the intravenous administration. Long-term deposition of metal ions from internal reservoirs seems particularly relevant for liver and spleen.
The pitfalls of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta: Risk factors and mitigation strategies
Authors: Davidson Anders J. , Russo Rachel M. , Reva Viktor A. , Brenner Megan L. , Moore Laura J. , Ball Chad , Bulger Eileen , Fox Charles J. , DuBose Joseph J. , Moore Ernest E. , Rasmussen Todd E.
Published: October 2017

Despite technological advancements, REBOA is associated with significant risks due to complications of vascular access and ischemia-reperfusion. The inherent morbidity and mortality of REBOA is often compounded by coexisting injury and hemorrhagic shock. Additionally, the potential for REBOA-related injuries is exaggerated due to the growing number of interventions being performed by providers who have limited experience in endovascular techniques, inadequate resources, minimal training in the technique, and who are performing this maneuver in emergency situations. In an effort to ultimately improve outcomes with REBOA, we sought to compile a list of complications that may be encountered during REBOA usage. To address the current knowledge gap, we assembled a list of anecdotal complications from high-volume REBOA users internationally. More importantly, through a consensus model, we identify contributory factors that may lead to complications and deliberate on how to recognize, mitigate, and manage such events. An understanding of the pitfalls of REBOA and strategies to mitigate their occurrence is of vital importance to optimize patient outcomes.
The promises of immunotherapy in gliomas
Authors: Mildenberger Iris , Bunse Lukas , Ochs Katharina , Platten Michael
Published: October 2017

Purpose of review

Also owing to the limited efficacy of targeted therapies, there has been a renewed interest in targeting gliomas with immunotherapy. But despite considerable efforts using sophisticated approaches, proof of efficacy beyond case studies is still lacking. The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss current immunotherapeutic approaches and efforts to understand mechanisms of response and resistance.

Recent findings

The recent failure of large randomized clinical trials using targeted vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors to improve clinical outcome have underlined the grand challenges in this therapeutic arena and illustrated the necessity to understand the biology of immunotherapeutic interventions before conducting large randomized studies. However, these failures should not distract us from continuing to optimize immunotherapeutic concepts. The recent developments in transgenic T cell technologies and personalized vaccines but also rational combinatorial approaches offer tremendous opportunities and should be exploited carefully in early scientifically driven clinical trials.

A profound understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of response and resistance to immunotherapy to be gained from these thoroughly designed clinical trials will be essential to carve out successful strategies in selected patient populations.
Nonsurgical Management of Retained Needlefish Jaw
Authors: Kum Clarissa , Chang Jessica R. , Gruener Anna M. , McCulley Timothy J.
Published: October 2017

While scuba diving, the left medial canthus of a 53-year-old man was pierced by a needlefish. He immediately lost vision in his left eye. An orbital computed tomographic scan showed the needlefish jaw in the left optic canal. The left medial orbit was explored surgically but no foreign object was removed. One month later, MRI confirmed the presence of the retained needlefish jaw. A conservative approach was taken and the patient remained stable over 3 months of follow-up.
Genome-wide CRISPR screens in T helper cells reveal pervasive cross-talk between activation and differentiation
Authors: Henriksson Johan , Chen Xi , Gomes Tomás , Ullah Ubaid , Meyer Kerstin B , Miragaia Ricardo , Duddy Graham , Pramanik Jhuma , Yusa Kosuke , Lahesmaa Riitta , Teichmann Sarah A
Published: October 2017

T helper type 2 (Th2) cells are important regulators of mammalian adaptive immunity and have relevance for infection, auto-immunity and tumour immunology. Using a newly developed, genome-wide retroviral CRISPR knock-out (KO) library, combined with RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq, we have dissected the regulatory circuitry governing activation (including proliferation) and differentiation of these cells. Our experiments distinguish cell activationversusdifferentiation in a quantitative framework. We demonstrate that these two processes are tightly coupled and are jointly controlled by many transcription factors, metabolic genes and cytokine/receptor pairs. There is only a small number of genes regulating differentiation without any role in activation. Our study provides an atlas for the T helper cell regulatory network, pinpointing key players of Th2 differentiation and demonstrating remarkable plasticity between the diverse T helper cell fates. We provide an online resource for interactive data querying at:http://data.teichlab.org.
Improved management facilitates return of an iconic fish species
Authors: MacKenzie Brian R. , Aarestrup Kim , Birnie-Gauvin Kim , Cardinale Massimiliano , Christoffersen Mads , Lund Henrik S. , Onandia Iñigo , Quilez-Badia Gemma , Payne Mark R. , Sundelöf Andreas , Sørensen Claus , Casini Michele
Published: October 2017

Species declines and losses of biota are often associated with shifting baselines in perceived historical abundances, and/or neglect or abandonment of recovery actions aimed at ecological restoration. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in the geographical distribution of the species, with associated negative ecological impacts and diminishing socio-economic benefits. Here we show using citizen science and other data that after 50-60 years of near total absence, the iconic top predator and highly migratory species bluefin tuna,Thunnus thynnus, returned by the hundreds if not thousands in waters near Denmark, Norway and Sweden during August-October 2015-2017. The re-utilisation of this former habitat is part of a geographically more widespread expansion of the summer foraging area to the northern part of the northeast Atlantic Ocean, encompassing waters from east Greenland to west Sweden. The remarkable return to the Skagerrak, Kattegat and North Sea has been facilitated by improved fishery management for bluefin tuna and its prey. Bluefin tuna biomass in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean has been increasing since a recovery plan was implemented in the late 2000s, and biomasses of two key prey species (herring,Clupea harengus; mackerel,Scomber scombrus) recovered during the late 1980s-1990s. The reappearance of bluefin tuna in the Skagerrak-Kattegat and other waters of northern Europe, despite a recent history of mismanagement and illegal fishing in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean which led to a critical population decline, offers hope that other marine ecological recoveries are possible under improved management of fisheries and ecosystems.

One Sentence Summary

Improved management promotes the return of an ocean icon to northern Europe.

Significance Statement

Commercial fisheries are often perceived being in a state of decline and collapse, putting food and economic security at risk. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in stock distribution, negative ecological impacts and diminishing socio-economic benefits. Here we present an example based on one of the world’s most valuable and iconic fish species, bluefin tuna, which demonstrates that effective management of both bluefin tuna and its prey has been a key factor leading to a remarkable reoccupation of formerly lost habitat. This reappearance, following decades of absence, occurred despite the bluefin tuna stock having had a recent, long history of unsustainable and illegal exploitation. Marine ecological recovery actions can be successful, even in situations which may initially appear intractable.
Functional connectivity-based subtypes of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Easson Amanda K. , Fatima Zainab , McIntosh Anthony R.
Published: October 2017

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviours. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns of functional connectivity (FC) in ASD, with no clear consensus on brain-behaviour relationships or shared patterns of FC with typically developing controls. Here, we used k-means clustering and multivariate statistical analyses to characterize distinct FC patterns and FC-behaviour relationships in participants with and without ASD. Two FC subtypes were identified by the clustering analysis. One subtype was defined by increased FC within resting-state networks and decreased FC across networks compared to the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls, particularly within default mode, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor, and occipital networks. There was no significant interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups. Finally, analysis of FC patterns with behavioural measures of IQ, social responsiveness and ASD severity showed unique brain-behaviour relations in each subtype, and a continuum of brain-behavior relations from ASD to controls within one subtype. These results demonstrate that distinct clusters of FC patterns exist in both ASD and controls, and that FC subtypes can reveal unique information about brain-behaviour relationships.

Author Summary

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, with high variation in the types of severity of impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviours. Neuroimaging studies have shown complex patterns of communication between brain regions, or functional connectivity (FC), in ASD. Here, we defined two distinct FC patterns and relationships between FC and behaviour in participants with and without ASD. One subtype was defined by increased FC within distinct networks of brain regions, and decreased FC between networks compared to the other subtype. A separate FC pattern distinguished ASD from controls. The interaction between subtypes and diagnostic groups was not significant. Analysis of FC patterns with behavioural measures revealed unique information about brain-behaviour relations in each subtype.
Dual spindle formation in zygotes keeps parental genomes apart in early mammalian embryos
Authors: Reichmann Judith , Nijmeijer Bianca , Hossain M. Julius , Eguren Manuel , Schneider Isabell , Politi Antonio Z. , Roberti Maria J. , Hufnagel Lars , Hiiragi Takashi , Ellenberg Jan
Published: October 2017

At the beginning of mammalian life the genetic material from each parent meets when the fertilized egg divides. It was previously thought that a single microtubule spindle is responsible to spatially combine the two genomes and then segregate them to create the two-cell embryo. Utilizing light-sheet microscopy, we showed that two bipolar spindles form in the zygote, that independently congress the maternal and paternal genomes. These two spindles aligned their poles prior to anaphase but kept the parental genomes apart during the first cleavage. This spindle assembly mechanism provides a rationale for erroneous divisions into more than two blastomeric nuclei observed in mammalian zygotes and reveals the mechanism behind the observation that parental genomes occupy separate nuclear compartments in the two-cell embryo.

One Sentence Summary:After fertilization, two spindles form around pro-nuclei in mammalian zygotes and keep the parental genomes apart during the first division.
The Object Space Task shows cumulative memory expression in both mice and rats
Authors: Genzel Lisa , Schut Evelien , Schröder Tim , Eichler Ronny , Gomez Angela , Lobato Irene Navarro , Battaglia Francesco
Published: October 2017

Declarative memory encompasses representations of specific events as well as knowledge extracted by accumulation over multiple episodes. To investigate how these different sorts of memories are created, we developed a new behavioral task in rodents. The task consists of three distinct conditions (stable, overlapping, random). Rodents are exposed to multiple sample trials, in which they explore objects in specific spatial arrangements. In thestablecondition, the locations are constant during all sample trials; in the test trial, one object’s location is changed. In therandomcondition, object locations are presented in the sample phase without a specific spatial pattern. In theoverlappingcondition, one location is shared (overlapping) between all trials while the other location changes during sample trials. We show that in theoverlappingcondition, instead of only remembering the last sample trial, rodents form a cumulative memory of the sample trials.

Here we could show that both mice and rats can accumulate information across multiple trials and express a long-term abstracted memory.
ECM cross-linking regulates invadopodia dynamics
Authors: Esmaeili Kamyar , Bergman Aviv , Gligorijevic Bojana
Published: October 2017

InvadopodiInvadopodia are membrane protrusions dynamically assembled by invasive cancer cells in contact with extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadopodia are enriched for the structural proteins actin and cortactin, as well as metalloproteases such as MT1-MMP, whose function is to degrade the surrounding ECM. During metastasis, invadopodia are necessary for cancer cell intravasation and extravasation. While signaling pathways involved in the assembly and function of invadopodia are well studied, few studies address invadopodia dynamics and how the cell-ECM interactions contribute to cell invasion. Using iterative analysis based on time-lapse microscopy and mathematical modeling of invasive cancer cells, we found that cells oscillate between invadopodia presence and cell stasis, termed Invadopodia state and invadopodia absence during cell translocation, termed Migration state. Our data suggests that β1-integrin-ECM binding and ECM cross-linking control the duration of each of the two states. By changing the concentration of cross-linkers in 2D and 3D cultures, we generate ECM where 0-0.92 of total lysine residues are cross-linked. Using ECM with a range of cross-linking degrees we demonstrate that the dynamics of invadopodia-related functions have a biphasic relationship to ECM cross-linking. At intermediate levels of ECM cross-linking (0.39), cells exhibit rapid invadopodia protrusion-retraction cycles and rapid calcium spikes, which lead to more frequent MT1-MMP delivery, causing maximal invadopodia-mediated ECM degradation. In contrast, both extremely high or low levels of cross-linking lead to slower invadopodia-related dynamics and lower ECM degradation. Additionally, β1-integrin inhibition modifies dynamics of invadopodia-related functions, as well as the length of time cells spend in either of the states. Collectively, these data suggest that β1-integrin-ECM binding non-linearly translates small physical differences in extracellular environment to differences in the dynamics of cancer cell behaviors. Understanding conditions under which invadopodia can be reduced by subtle environment-targeting treatments may lead to combination therapies for preventing metastatic spread.
Methods in Description and Validation of Local Metagenetic Microbial Communities
Authors: Molik David , Pfrender Michael E. , Emrich Scott
Published: October 2017

1. We propose MinHash (as implemented by MASH) and NMF as alternative methods to estimate similarity between metagenetic samples. We further describe these results with cluster analysis and correlations with independent ecological metadata.

2. Using sample to sample similarities based on MinHash similarities we use hierarchal clustering to generate clusters, simultaneously we generate groups based on NMF, and we compare groups generated from the MinHash similarity derived clusters and from NMF to those determined by the environment, looking to Silhouette Width for an assessment of the quality of the cluster.

3. We analyze existing data from the Atacama Desert to determine the relationship between ecological factors and group membership, and using the generated groups from MASH and NMF we run an ANOVA to uncover links between metagenetic samples and known environmental variables such as pH and Soil Conductivity.
Where to engage in CSR? The influence of social cause proximity on attitude toward small-sized (vs large-sized) sporting goods retailers
Authors: Kulczycki Wojciech , Mikas Santosh , Koenigstorfer Joerg
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether consumers’ attitude toward sporting goods retailers depends on who engages in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and where CSR takes place. The study aims to replicate previous findings on football teams (Kulczycki and Koenigstorfer, 2016) for for-profit sporting goods retailers by looking at how organization size and proximity of the supported cause to the retailers’ headquarters interact with consumers’ motive attributions for CSR (philanthropic vs profit).

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 200 participants took part in the experimental study. The study applied a between-participant design manipulating both the proximity of the supported social cause (local vs distant CSR) and the size of the organization (small- vs large-sized organization) and measured perceived motives for CSR as independent variables. Attitude toward retailers was the dependent variable.

Findings

The results of regression analyses showed that perceived philanthropic motives increased attitude toward retailers. This relationship became stronger for large-sized sporting goods retailers, in particular when they engaged in CSR activities at distant locations. For small-sized retailers, the proximity of CSR did not impact on the relationship between motive attribution and attitude toward the retailer.

Practical implications

Large-sized retailers are encouraged to take particular care that consumers perceive CSR activities as philanthropy-driven, especially when supporting social causes at distant locations.

Originality/value

The study replicates previous findings and shows that not only for sports teams, but also for sporting good retailers, CSR can increase consumer attitudes even when the consumer population at the organization headquarters’ location does not directly benefit from CSR.
Tourism and recurring sport events
Authors: Kwiatkowski Grzegorz , Könecke Thomas
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Both groups are profiled in terms of travel-related and socio-demographic characteristics. Furthermore, the purpose of this paper is to address determinants of spending for each spectator group. Data collection was conducted using an on-site questionnaire. Analysis of variance between profile characteristics is based on χ2 and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests, whereas the analysis of determinants of spending builds on the Tobit model.

Design/methodology/approach

Recurring sport events that do not count among the mega sport event category have become a popular means of attracting tourists to a destination. Thus, research on different spectator groups attending such events is very relevant, yet surprisingly scarce. This study helps filling this void by a comparative analysis of two types of spectators present at the Professional Windsurf Association Windsurf World Cup on the German island of Sylt: travellers who come to Sylt solely for the event (event tourists) and travellers whose motivation to visit the island was not primarily driven by the event (regular tourists).

Findings

The results show that the two examined groups are clearly distinguishable, both in terms of profile characteristics and determinants of spending. This indicates that specific strategies seem advisable for sport event and tourism destination managers at mature tourist destinations.

Originality/value

The study’s major contribution to both tourism and event management literature is that it exposes key characteristics of and differences between both groups within a specific setting at a non-mega sport event at a mature tourist destination.
The moderating effect of Lean supply chain management on the impact of Lean shop floor practices on quality and inventory
Authors: Marodin Giuliano Almeida , Tortorella Guilherme Luz , Frank Alejandro Germán , Godinho Filho Moacir
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between the implementation of Lean shop floor (LSF) practices and Lean supply chain management, and their effect on quality and inventory turnover.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey-based research method was conducted and data were collected from 110 plants located in Brazil. The research constructs were validated through rigorous procedures (unidimensionality and discriminant validity and reliability) through confirmatory factor analysis and two hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square regression.

Findings

The results indicate that: Lean supplier relationship positively moderates the effect of LSF practices on inventory turnover; Lean customer relationship negatively moderates the effect of LSF practices on inventory turnover; and Lean supplier relationship positively moderates the effect of LSF practices on quality.

Originality/value

From a theoretical perspective, the results of this study provide evidences supporting the importance of understanding the systemic relationships between Lean implementation at the shop floor and the firm’s relationships with supply chain partners, that was not tested before. As managerial implications, the results suggest that managers should take a decision to foster a Lean supply chain management depending on which performance metrics they need to improve: quality or inventory turnover.
Non‐invasive physiological markers demonstrate link between habitat quality, adult sex ratio and poor population growth rate in a vulnerable species, the Cape mountain zebra
Authors: Lea Jessica M. D. , Walker Susan L. , Kerley Graham I. H. , Jackson John , Matevich Shelby C. , Shultz Susanne
Published: October 2017

Effective conservation and species management require an understanding of the causes of poor population growth. Conservation physiology uses biomarkers to identify factors that contribute to low individual fitness and population declines. Building on this, macrophysiology can use the same markers to assess how individual physiology varies with different ecological or demographic factors over large temporal and spatial scales.

Here, we use a macrophysiological approach to identify the ecological and demographic correlates of poor population growth rates in the Cape mountain zebra metapopulation. We use two non‐invasive biomarkers: faecal glucocorticoids as a measure of chronic stress, and faecal androgens as an indicator of male physiological status.

We found that faecal glucocorticoid concentrations were highest in the spring prior to summer rainfall, and were elevated in individuals from populations associated with low‐quality habitat (lower grass abundance). In addition, faecal androgen concentrations were higher in populations with a high proportion of non‐breeding stallions (where male:female adult sex ratios exceed 2:1) suggesting sex ratio imbalances may intensify male competition. Finally, population growth rate was negatively associated with faecal glucocorticoid concentrations and female fecundity was negatively associated with faecal androgens, indicating a relationship between hormone profiles and fitness.

Together, our results provide cross‐population evidence for how poor population growth rates in Cape mountain zebra can be linked to individual physiological biomarkers. More broadly, we advocate physiological biomarkers as indicators of population viability, and as a way to evaluate the impact of variable ecological and demographic factors. In addition, conservation physiology can be used to assess the efficacy of management interventions for this subspecies, and this approach could inform models of species’ responses to future environmental change.

A plain language summary
is available for this article.
Embryonic alternatives amid London's housing crisis
Authors: Wilde Matt
Published: October 2017

One of the hallmarks of the austerity agenda in the UK has been the discursive prevalence of both scarcity and individual responsibility as justifications for drastic cuts to public services. In the context of London's housing crisis, cuts to welfare for low‐income tenants have resulted in an alarming rise in evictions and homelessness within a wider context of displacement and gentrification in the city. This article explores how embryonic resistance to these processes, as well as to deeper histories of dispossession, is undertaken by housing activists through a set of ethical practices that promote collectivized care and mutual support among those faced with housing precarity. Although these emergent networks are fragile, it argues that a nascent housing movement in London offers some compelling glimpses of a more hopeful politics that may lie just beneath the surface of the present moment.
The price of austerity: Vital politics and the struggle for public water in southern Italy
Authors: Muehlebach Andrea
Published: October 2017

This article approaches austerity from the vantage point of its alter ego, financialization, in so far as the radical depletion of public funds creates the conditions for private investment in public goods – including water. It tracks the intense volatilities generated out of the financialization of water by exploring the Italian water movement’s campaign of ‘civil obedience’ – an attempt on the part of citizens to stabilize and thus render just the volatile price of a vital good. It argues that these ‘vital politics’ of citizen price‐setting are a form of valuation emerging from below, an anti‐financialization emerging in our era of predatory finance.
Body weight, perceived weight stigma and mental health among women at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status: insights from the modified labelling approach
Authors: Ciciurkaite Gabriele , Perry Brea L.
Published: October 2017

With increasing rates of obesity in the United States, attention to life chances and psychological consequences associated with weight stigma and weight‐based discrimination has also intensified. While research has demonstrated the negative effects of weight‐based discrimination on mental health, little is known about whether different social groups are disproportionately vulnerable to these experiences. Drawing on the modified labelling theory, the focus of this paper is to investigate the psychological correlates of body weight and self‐perceived weight‐based discrimination among American women at the intersection of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). Analyses use data from the National Health Measurement Study (NHMS), a national multi‐stage probability sample of non‐institutional, English‐speaking adults, ages 35 to 89 in 2005–2006. Our findings demonstrate that the effect of weight‐based discrimination on psychological well‐being is highly contingent on social status. Specifically, the psychological consequences of discrimination on Hispanic women and women in the lowest household income group is significantly greater relative to White women and women with higher household income, controlling for obesity status and self‐rated health. These results suggest that higher social status has a buffering effect of weight stigma on psychological well‐being.
Characterization and functional analysis of hsp18.3 gene in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Xie Jia , Hu Xing‐Xing , Zhai Meng‐Fan , Yu Xiao‐Juan , Song Xiao‐Wen , Gao Shan‐Shan , Wu Wei , Li Bin
Published: October 2017

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are diverse and mainly function as molecular chaperones to protect organisms and cells from various stresses. In this study, hsp18.3, one Tribolium castaneum species‐specific shsp, has been identified. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction illustrated that Tchsp18.3 is expressed in all developmental stages, and is highly expressed at early pupal and late adult stages, while it is highly expressed in ovary and fat body at the adult period. Moreover, it was up‐regulated 4532 ± 396‐fold in response to enhanced heat stress but not to cold stress; meanwhile the lifespan of adults in ds‐Tchsp18.3 group reduced by 15.8% from control group under starvation. Laval RNA interference (RNAi) of Tchsp18.3 caused 86.1% ± 4.5% arrested pupal eclosion and revealed that Tchsp18.3 played an important role in insect development. In addition, parental RNAi of Tchsp18.3 reduced the oviposition amount by 94.7%. These results suggest that Tchsp18.3 is not only essential for the resistance to heat and starvation stress, but also is critical for normal development and reproduction in T. castaneum.
Cryopreservation of artificial gut microbiota produced with in vitro fermentation technology
Authors: Bircher Lea , Schwab Clarissa , Geirnaert Annelies , Lacroix Christophe
Published: October 2017

Interest in faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has increased as therapy for intestinal diseases, but safety issues limit its widespread use. Intestinal fermentation technology (IFT) can produce controlled, diverse and metabolically active ‘artificial’ colonic microbiota as potential alternative to common FMT. However, suitable processing technology to store this artificial microbiota is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the two cryoprotectives, glycerol (15% v/v) and inulin (5% w/v) alone and in combination, in preserving short‐chain fatty acid formation and recovery of major butyrate‐producing bacteria in three artificial microbiota during cryopreservation for 3 months at −80°C. After 24 h anaerobic fermentation of the preserved microbiota, butyrate and propionate production were maintained when glycerol was used as cryoprotectant, while acetate and butyrate were formed more rapidly with glycerol in combination with inulin. Glycerol supported cryopreservation of the Roseburia spp./Eubacterium rectale group, while inulin improved the recovery of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Eubacterium hallii growth was affected minimally by cryopreservation. Our data indicate that butyrate producers, which are key organisms for gut health, can be well preserved with glycerol and inulin during frozen storage. This is of high importance if artificially produced colonic microbiota is considered for therapeutic purposes.
Variation in SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Complex Proteins is Associated with Alcohol Dependence and Antisocial Behavior in Human Populations
Authors: Mathies Laura D. , Aliev Fazil ,   COGA Investigators, Davies Andrew G. , Dick Danielle M. , Bettinger Jill C.
Published: October 2017

Background

Testing for direct gene or single nucleotide polymorphism replication of association across studies may not capture the true importance of a candidate locus; rather, we suggest that relevant replication across studies may be found at the level of a biological process. We previously observed that variation in 2 members of the switching defective/sucrose nonfermenting (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex is associated with alcohol dependence (AD) in the Irish Affected Sib Pair Study for Alcohol Dependence. Here, we tested for association with alcohol‐related outcomes using a set of genes functioning in the SWI/SNF complex in 2 independent samples.

Methods

We used a set‐based analysis to examine the 29 genes of the SWI/SNF complex for evidence of association with (i) AD in the adult Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) case‐control sample and (ii) antisocial behavior, hypothesized to be a genetically related developmental precursor, in a younger population sample (Spit for Science [S4S]).

Results

We found evidence for association of the SWI/SNF complex with AD in COGA (p = 0.0435) and more general antisocial behavior in S4S (p = 0.00026). The genes that contributed most strongly to the signal in COGA were SS18L1, SMARCD1, BRD7, BCL7B, SMARCB1, and BCL11A. In the S4S sample, ACTB, ARID2, BCL11A, BCL11B, BCL7B, BCL7C, DPF2, and DPF3 all contributed strongly to the signal.

Conclusions

We detected associations between the SWI/SNF complex and AD in an adult population selected from treatment‐seeking probands and antisocial behavior in an adolescent population sample. This provides strong support for a role for SWI/SNF in the development of alcohol‐related problems.
Isotretinoin administration improves sperm production in men with infertility from oligoasthenozoospermia: a pilot study
Authors: Amory J. K. , Ostrowski K. A. , Gannon J. R. , Berkseth K. , Stevison F. , Isoherranen N. , Muller C. H. , Walsh T.
Published: October 2017

There is currently no effective medical therapy for men with infertility due to oligoasthenozoospermia. As men with abnormal sperm production have lower concentrations of 13‐cis‐retinoic acid in their testes, we hypothesized that men with infertility from oligoasthenozoospermia might have improved sperm counts when treated with isotretinoin (13‐cis‐retinoic acid). We conducted a single‐site, single‐arm, pilot study to determine the effect of therapy with isotretinoin on sperm indices in 19 infertile men with oligoasthenozoospermia. Subjects were men between 21 and 60 years of age with infertility for longer than 12 months associated with sperm concentrations below 15 million sperm/mL. All men received isotretinoin 20 mg by mouth twice daily for 20 weeks. Subjects had semen analyses, physical examinations, and laboratory tests every 4 weeks during treatment. Nineteen men enrolled in the study. Median (25th, 75th) sperm concentration increased from 2.5 (0.1, 5.9) million/mL at baseline to 3.8 (2.1, 13.0) million/mL at the end of treatment (p = 0.006). No significant changes in sperm motility were observed. There was a trend toward improved sperm morphology (p = 0.056). Six pregnancies (three spontaneous and three from intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and five births occurred during the study. Four of the births, including all three of the spontaneous pregnancies, were observed in men with improvements in sperm counts with isotretinoin therapy. Treatment was well tolerated. Isotretinoin therapy improves sperm production in some men with oligoasthenozoospermia. Additional studies of isotretinoin in men with infertility from oligoasthenozoospermia are warranted.