bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-acquisition integration of emerging market multinational corporations: a research agenda
Authors: Zhang Ying , Enang Etieno , Sminia Harry
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Mergers and acquisitions being done by emerging market multinational corporations (EMNCs) increasingly attract scholarly attention. However, conclusions concerning the nature and the theoretical underpinnings of EMNCs’ post-acquisition integration vary significantly, calling for an assessment of the state of affairs in this field. This paper aims to critically review the extant studies on EMNCs’ post-acquisition integration and to make a comparison with advanced economy multinational corporations’ (AMNCs’) post-acquisition integration, in order to formulate an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of papers from 21 leading journals in the fields of international business, management, human resource management and strategy published between 1991 and March 2018 are included in the literature review. Qualitative content analysis was conducted.

Findings

The topics are clustered into the four themes of strategies and processes, influencing factors, acquisition performance and antecedents of post-acquisition integration of EMNCs. The literature on EMNCs and AMNCs converges with regard to the broad methodological and theoretical approaches that have been adopted. Yet, EMNCs and AMNCs diverge on the detailed strategies and behavioral patterns of post-acquisition integration, mostly as a consequence of country of origin factors.

Originality/value

The paper identifies a number of deficiencies within existing research and suggests how they can be addressed in future research. By doing so, the paper deepens the argumentation of the third camp in the “Goldilocks debate” (Cuervo-Cazurra, 2012) arguing that the phenomenon of post-acquisition of EMNCs is “just right” for theory extension and development.
Lies, brands and social media
Authors: Tuten Tracy , Perotti Victor
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to illustrate the influence of media coverage and sentiment about brands on user-generated content amplification and opinions expressed in social media.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a mixed-method approach, using a brand situation as a case example, including sentiment analysis of social media conversations and sentiment analysis of media coverage. This study tracks the diffusion of a false claim about the brand via online media coverage, subsequent spreading of the false claim via social media and the resulting impact on sentiment toward the brand.

Findings

The findings illustrate the influence of digital mass communication sources on the subsequent spread of information about a brand via social media channels and the impact of the social spread of false claims on brand sentiment. This study illustrates the value of social media listening and sentiment analysis for brands as an ongoing business practice.

Research limitations/implications

While it has long been known that media coverage is in part subsequently diffused through individual sharing, this study reveals the potential for media sentiment to influence sentiment toward a brand. It also illustrates the potential harm brands face when false information is spread via media coverage and subsequently through social media posts and conversations. How brands can most effectively correct false brand beliefs and recover from negative sentiment related to false claims is an area for future research.

Practical implications

This study suggests that brands are wise to use sentiment analysis as part of their evaluation of earned media coverage from news organizations and to use social listening as an alert system and sentiment analysis to assess impact on attitudes toward the brand. These steps should become part of a brand’s social media management process.

Social implications

Media are presumed to be impartial reporters of news and information. However, this study illustrated that the sentiment expressed in media coverage about a brand can be measured and diffused beyond the publications’ initial reach via social media. Advertising positioned as news must be labeled as “advertorial” to ensure that those exposed to the message understand that the message is not impartial. News organizations may inadvertently publish false claims and relay information with sentiment that is then carried via social media along with the information itself. Negative information about a brand may be more sensational and, thus, prone to social sharing, no matter how well the findings are researched or sourced.

Originality/value

The value of the study is its illustration of how false information and media sentiment spread via social media can ultimately affect consumer sentiment and attitude toward the brand. This study also explains the research process for social scraping and sentiment analysis.
Customer satisfaction and ISO 9001 improvement requirements in the supply chain
Authors: Tomic Branislav , Spasojevic Brkic Vesna K.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of ISO 9001 quality improvement requirements in ISO 9001:2008, i.e. the corrective and preventive actions and internal audit, on customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purposes of the study, data were collected via a survey on 200 aerospace and transportation companies that belong to a Canadian multinational company supply chain. The relationships between the corrective and preventive actions and internal auditing, on the one hand, and customer satisfaction, on the other, were examined via the structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

The major contribution of this study is that it has identified internal audit as the most influential continual improvement ISO 9001 requirement prior to the ISO 9001 transition phase, along with the corrective actions, while the preventive actions in the present formulation do not significantly influence customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on a cross-sectional survey conducted on the supply chain level in the aerospace and transportation sector; hence, a longitudinal study is possible as a future research avenue. The generalizability of this study’s findings is limited to similar supply chains around a multinational company consisted of companies that have at least ISO 9001 standard, but also fulfill other industry-specific requirements. Also, findings are based mainly on quality managers’ attitudes, so future studies are recommended to examine other positions’ views, too.

Practical implications

This research contributes to the literature and bridges the gap between theory and practice. It could be of value to both the certification bodies and the organizations that are interested in improving customer satisfaction by implementing ISO 9001 in the multinational supply chains context such as the aerospace and transportation sector.

Originality/value

While the influence of the ISO 9001 standard on customer satisfaction has been the subject of prior research, this is the first time that the simultaneous effect of the corrective and preventive actions and internal auditing on customer satisfaction has been studied. The validity of the removal of preventive actions from ISO 9001:2015 has also been analyzed.
Eco‐evolutionary dynamics of sexual selection and sexual conflict
Authors: Svensson Erik I.
Published: December 2018

The research framework of eco‐evolutionary dynamics is increasing in popularity, as revealed by a steady stream of review articles and a recent and influential book, but primary empirical research is lagging behind. Moreover, the few empirical case studies demonstrating eco‐evolutionary dynamics might not be entirely representative.

Much current research on eco‐evolutionary dynamics is focused on how ecological interactions lead to natural selection on phenotypic traits (“eco‐evo”), and in turn how the evolutionary change in such traits feed back on ecological dynamics (“evo‐eco”). A key feature of eco‐evolutionary dynamics is thus a feedback loop between ecology (e.g., population dynamics) and evolution (i.e., genetic change).

In contrast to previous research on eco‐evolutionary dynamics driven by natural selection, the role of eco‐evolutionary feedbacks in sexual selection and sexual conflict is largely unknown. Here, I review theory and the limited empirical evidence in this area and identify some promising future lines of research.

I update a past review on contemporary evolution of secondary sexual traits in natural populations and formulate six explicit and rigorous criteria for contemporary evolution of secondary sexual traits by natural or sexual selection or sexual conflict. I then discuss the other key prediction of eco‐evolutionary dynamics (i.e., evolution by sexual selection or sexual conflict shapes ecological dynamics). My overview reveals that our current knowledge in this area is limited and mainly come from theoretical models and laboratory experiments.

A major challenge in eco‐evolutionary dynamics is therefore to link ecological and population dynamics with sexual selection and sexual conflict. This is not an easy task but might be possible with carefully chosen study systems and methods.

Aplain language summaryis available for this article.
Houses of Uist: memory and dwelling in the Outer Hebrides
Authors: Course Magnus
Published: December 2018

This article constitutes an ethnographic exploration of the salience of houses – both ruined and lived in – on the Outer Hebridean island of South Uist. While I describe houses as both sites of memory and sites of dwelling, my argument is that the latter – dwelling – encompasses and subsumes the former – memory. This argument is situated in a historical and political context where, despite over 4,000 years of human habitation, dwelling cannot be taken for granted. Current pressures of depopulation, unemployment, poverty, and ever‐tighter conservation legislation are perceived as continuous with the tragedies of the Clearances and beyond. The ethical and political claim for Uist as a place of human dwelling is made, both implicitly and explicitly, through a continuity of human occupation indexed by the material presence of houses.
Playing a Chinese remote‐associated game: The correlation among flow, self‐efficacy, collective self‐esteem and competitive anxiety
Authors: Hong Jon‐Chao , Tai Kai‐Hsin , Ye Jian‐Hong
Published: December 2018

This study adapted a Chinese remote‐associated game for team competition, and explored the correlates between self‐efficacy in Chinese word learning, competitive anxiety, collective self‐esteem in gameplay and flow experience. A total of 206 valid data was collected from fifth‐grade students. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed that while self‐efficacy in Chinese word learning was positively related to collective self‐esteem, it was negatively related to competitive anxiety. It was also found that collective self‐esteem in gameplay was positively related to flow experience, but that competitive anxiety was negatively related to flow experience. The findings of this study imply that group competition can enhance the participants’ flow experience and collective self‐esteem, and will decrease the level of gameplay anxiety in general.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about this topic

Educational application (app) games could be considered as an effective way of providing a more interesting learning environment for acquiring knowledge.

Learning with educational games is beneficial.

What this paper adds

Self‐efficacy in Chinese word learning was positively related to collective self‐esteem but negatively related to gameplay anxiety.

Collective self‐esteem in gameplay was positively related to flow experience, and gameplay anxiety was negatively related to flow experience.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Flow experience makes the students’ learning experience more memorable.

The advantage of a remote‐associated game in Chinese learning is obvious.

An integrated mobile game for group competition can enhance the participants’ flow experience and collective self‐esteem, and will decrease the level of gameplay anxiety in general.
Antitumor effect of palmitic acid‐conjugated DsiRNAfor colon cancer in a mouse subcutaneous tumor model
Authors: Kubo Takanori , Nishimura Yoshio , Hatori Yuta , Akagi Reiko , Mihara Keichiro , Yanagihara Kazuyoshi , Seyama Toshio
Published: December 2018

In this study, we synthesized Dicer‐substrate siRNAconjugated with palmitic acid at the 5′‐end of the sense strand (C16‐DsiRNA), and examined itsRNAi effect on β‐catenin as a target gene in a colon cancer cell line,HT29Luc, both in vitro and in vivo. We examined the in vitroRNAi effect inHT29Luc cells and found that C16‐DsiRNAstrongly inhibited expression of the β‐catenin gene in comparison with non‐modified DsiRNA. Also, high membrane permeability of C16‐DsiRNAwas exhibited, and it was confirmed that most of the C16‐DsiRNAwas localized in cytoplasm ofHT29Luc cells. In regard to the in vivoRNAi effect, C16‐DsiRNAcomplexed with Invivofectamine targeting the β‐catenin gene was locally administered to a subcutaneous tumor formed by implantation ofHT29Luc cells into the subcutis of nude mice; we evaluated the effect by measuring the bioluminescence increase, which reflects tumor growth, using an in vivo imaging system. As a result, C16‐DsiRNAstrongly inhibited the growth of tumors formed in subcutis of nude mice compared with non‐modified DsiRNA, and this in vivoRNAi effect lasted up to 15 days. Our results suggest that C16‐DsiRNAshould be vigorously pursued as a novel nucleic acid medicine for clinical treatment of cancer.
Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on primate density at the landscape scale
Authors: Cavada Nathalie , Tenan Simone , Barelli Claudia , Rovero Francesco
Published: December 2018

Accurate estimations of the abundance of threatened animal populations are required for assessment of species’ status and vulnerability and conservation planning. However, density estimation is usually difficult and resource demanding, so researchers often collect data at local scales. However, anthropogenic pressures most often have landscape‐level effects, for example, through habitat loss and fragmentation. We applied hierarchical distance sampling (HDS) to transect count data to determine the effect of habitat and anthropogenic factors on the density of 3 arboreal primate species inhabiting 5 distinct tropical forests across a landscape of 19,000 km2in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. We developed a novel, multiregion extension of HDS that allowed us to model density and detectability jointly across forests without losing site‐specific information. For all species, the effect of anthropogenic disturbance on density was overwhelmingly negative among metapopulations: −0.63 Angolan colobus(Colobus angolensis palliatus)(95% Bayesian CI −1.03 to −0.27), −0.54 Udzungwa red colobus(Procolobus gordonorum)(−0.89 to −0.22), and −0.33 Sykes' monkey(Cercopithecus mitis monoides)(−0.63 to −0.07). Some responses to habitat factors were shared, notably the negative effect of elevation and the positive effect of climber coverage. These results are important for conservation science and practice because: the among‐populations negative responses to anthropogenic disturbance provides a foundation for development of conservation plans that hold at the landscape scale, which is a comprehensive and cost‐efficient approach; the among‐species consistency in responses suggests conservation measures may be generalized at the guild level, which is especially relevant given the functional importance of primates in tropical rainforests; and the greater primate densities in areas at low elevation, which are closer to human settlements, point to specific management recommendations, such as the creation of buffer zones and prioritization of areas for protection.
Regeneration of the acorn worm pygochord with the implication for its convergent evolution with the notochord
Authors: Yoshimura Koji , Morino Yoshiaki , Wada Hiroshi
Published: December 2018

The origin of the notochord is a central issue in chordate evolution. This study examined the development of the acorn worm pygochord, a putative homologue of the notochord. Because the pygochord differentiates only after metamorphosis, the developmental was followed process by inducing regeneration after artificial amputation in Ptychodera flava. It was found that although the regeneration of the posterior part of the body did not proceed via formation of an obvious regeneration bud, pygochord regeneration was observed within a few weeks, possibly via trans‐differentiation of endoderm cells. The expression of the fibrillary collagen gene (Fcol) and elav in the pygochord during regeneration was detected. This indicates that pygochord cells are not part of gut epithelial cells, but that they differentiated as a distinct cell type. Our gene expression analyses do not provide supporting evidence for the homology between the pygochord and notochord, but rather favored the convergent evolution between them.
C4 anatomy can evolve via a single developmental change
Authors: Lundgren Marjorie R. , Dunning Luke T. , Olofsson Jill K. , Moreno‐Villena Jose J. , Bouvier Jacques W. , Sage Tammy L. , Khoshravesh Roxana , Sultmanis Stefanie , Stata Matt , Ripley Brad S. , Vorontsova Maria S. , Besnard Guillaume , Adams Claire , Cuff Nicholas , Mapaura Anthony , Bianconi Matheus E. , Long Christine M. , Christin Pascal‐Antoine , Osborne Colin P.
Published: December 2018

C4 photosynthesis is a complex trait that boosts productivity in warm environments. Paradoxically, it evolved independently in numerous plant lineages, despite requiring specialised leaf anatomy. The anatomical modifications underlying C4 evolution have previously been evaluated through interspecific comparisons, which capture numerous changes besides those needed for C4 functionality. Here, we quantify the anatomical changes accompanying the transition between non‐C4 and C4 phenotypes by sampling widely across the continuum of leaf anatomical traits in the grass Alloteropsis semialata. Within this species, the only trait that is shared among and specific to C4 individuals is an increase in vein density, driven specifically by minor vein development that yields multiple secondary effects facilitating C4 function. For species with the necessary anatomical preconditions, developmental proliferation of veins can therefore be sufficient to produce a functional C4 leaf anatomy, creating an evolutionary entry point to complex C4 syndromes that can become more specialised.
Certification of ERM‐EB400, the First Matrix Reference Material for Lead Isotope Amount Ratios, and ERM‐AE142, a Lead Solution Providing a Lead Isotopic Composition at the Edge of Natural Variation
Authors: Vogl Jochen , Yim Yong‐Hyeon , Lee Kyoung‐Seok , Goenaga‐Infante Heidi , Malinovskiy Dmitriy , Hill Sarah , Ren Tongxiang , Wang Jun , Vocke Robert D. , Murphy Karen E. , Nonose Naoko , Rienitz Olaf , Noordmann Janine
Published: December 2018

Lead isotope amount ratios are commonly used in diverse fields such as archaeometry, geochemistry and forensic science. Currently, five reference materials with certified lead isotope amount ratios are available, namely NIST SRM 981, 982 and 983, GBW‐04442 and NMIJ 3681‐a. Only NIST SRM 981 and NMIJ 3681‐a have approximately natural isotopic compositions, and NIST SRM 981 is predominantly used for correcting mass discrimination/mass fractionation in the applied mass spectrometric procedures. Consequently, there is no other certified reference material available to be used for validation and/or quality control of the analytical procedures applied to lead isotope amount ratio measurements. To fill this gap, two new reference materials have been produced and certified for their lead isotope amount ratios. For both certified reference materials, complete uncertainty budgets have been calculated and SI traceability has been established. This provides the users with independent means for validating and verifying their analytical procedures and for conducting quality control measures. ERM‐EB400 is a bronze material with a nominal lead mass fraction of 45 mg kg−1 and certified lead isotope amount ratios of n(206Pb)/n(204Pb) = 18.072(17) mol mol−1, n(207Pb)/n(204Pb) = 15.578(18) mol mol−1 and n(208Pb)/n(204Pb) = 38.075(46) mol mol−1 with the associated expanded uncertainties (k = 2) given in brackets. ERM‐AE142 is a high‐purity solution of lead in 2% nitric acid with a nominal mass fraction of 100 mg kg−1 and certified Pb isotope amount ratios of n(206Pb)/n(204Pb) = 21.114(17) mol mol−1, n(207Pb)/n(204Pb) = 15.944(17) mol mol−1 and n(208Pb)/n(204Pb) = 39.850(44) mol mol−1 with the associated expanded uncertainties (k = 2) given in brackets. Both materials are specifically designed to fall within the natural lead isotopic variation and to assist users with the validation and verification of their analytical procedures. Note that while one of these reference materials requires the chemical separation of Pb from its matrix (ERM‐EB400), the other does not (ERM‐AE142). As additional information, δ208/206PbNIST SRM981 values are provided for both materials. For ERM‐AE142, a delta value of δ208/206PbNIST SRM981 = −28.21(30)‰ was obtained, and for ERM‐EB400, a delta value of δ208/206PbNIST SRM981= −129.47(38)‰ was obtained, with the associated expanded uncertainties (k = 2) given in brackets.
The Communist Transnational? Transnational studies and the history of the Comintern
Authors: Drachewych Oleksa
Published: December 2018

In the last decade, the historiography of international communism during the interwar period, organized by the Bolshevik‐led Communist International, or Comintern, which existed from 1919 to 1943, has undergone significant shifts with one prominent new trend in the field being transnational studies. With the transnational turn, scholars have been able to reconsider how communist ideas were transmitted throughout the world, moving past traditional histories that focused either on national communist parties or the bureaucracy of the Communist International. Though transnational studies of the Comintern are still relatively new to the field, they have provided more information about communist front organizations, the lives of individual communists, and the networks in which these individuals traveled. Transnationality has also helped shift communism away from being a peripheral subject in the histories of imperialism, diaspora communities and radical networks of the interwar period to being a prominent feature of studies on these topics. In this historiographical review of transnational studies of the Comintern, it may be better to colloquially refer to the Communist International as the Communist Transnational as a historiographical frame of reference, reflecting how significant these political or cultural exchanges were across borders.
“We are not the language police”: Comparing multilingual EMI programmes in Europe and Asia
Authors: Baker Will , Hüttner Julia
Published: December 2018

English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education has rapidly increased over the last decade in Europe and Asia. However, this expansion has far outstripped research and many key questions remain unanswered. This study addresses a number of those questions related to roles and conceptualisations of English and other languages in multilingual university settings. Data is presented from an exploratory mixed‐methods (121 questionnaire responses and 12 interviews with lecturers and students), comparative study of higher education institutes in the UK, Austria and Thailand. Findings showed a move from monolingual orientations at management level, mixed responses to multilingualism in ideologies and beliefs, to extensive multilingualism and complexity in practices. Furthermore, unexpected similarities between the UK and Thailand as regards language proficiency and content learning were found.
Exploration of suitable behaviour change techniques for lifestyle change in individuals with mild intellectual disabilities: A Delphi study
Authors: Willems Mariël , Waninge Aly , de Jong Johan , Hilgenkamp Thessa I. M. , van der Schans Cees P.
Published: December 2018

Background

Promotion of a healthy lifestyle for individuals with mild intellectual disabilities is important. However, the suitability of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) for these individuals is still unclear.

Methods

A Delphi study was performed using the Coventry, Aberdeen & LOndon – REfined (CALO‐RE) taxonomy of BCTs (n = 40). Health professionals (professional caregivers, behavioural scientists, health professionals, intellectual disability physicians) participated in an online survey to determine whether BCTs were suitable or unsuitable. Comments from participants were analysed qualitatively.

Results

Consensus was reached for 25 BCTs out of 40.The most suitable BCTs were barrier identification (97%), set graded tasks (97%) and reward effort towards behaviour (95%). No significant differences were found for intergroup effects.

Conclusion

Regardless of their position and education level, health professionals reached consensus about the suitability of BCTs for individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. Increased use of these BCTs could result in more effective promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
Reproductive behaviour and concurrent sound production of Gulf grouper Mycteroperca jordani (Epinephelidae) at a spawning aggregation site
Authors: Rowell Timothy J. , Aburto‐Oropeza Octavio , Cota‐Nieto Juan J. , Steele Mark A. , Erisman Brad E.
Published: December 2018

The reproductive and acoustic behaviours of Gulf grouper Mycteroperca jordani were studied at a spawning aggregation site in the southern Gulf of California, México. In May 2015–2017, divers located and surveyed a spawning aggregation site within Cabo Pulmo National Park. Adult M. jordani conformed to a lek mating system in which large males formed territories over sand adjacent to a rocky reef that were spatially segregated from smaller females outside of courtship and spawning periods. Females moved into male territories during evening hours to spawn. Male courtship behaviours targeted a single female, included head shakes and burst rises and preceded pair spawning prior to sunset. Males and females displayed three shared colour phases, but four phases were sex‐specific. During evening hours, courtship and spawning, both sexes exhibited sexual dichromatism concurrent with reproductive behaviours. The pair‐spawning mating system and observations of bimodal size distributions by sex support previous claims of protogyny in the species. Males produced sounds during territorial patrols, courtship and spawning rushes, which corroborated the importance of acoustic communication within the behavioural repertoire associated with spawning. Long‐term acoustic monitoring revealed increases in total sounds detected day−1 from March through June with diel increases (e.g., evenings) that may be indicative of the spawning season. Observations of spawning on 12 consecutive evenings in May 2017 coupled with extended periods of sound production suggest that spawning does not follow a lunar rhythm. This first description of the mating system and sounds of the endangered M. jordani facilitates future development of seasonal and areal protections to restore and manage the species.
Differentiation of functional gastrointestinal disorders from healthy volunteers by lactulose hydrogen breath test and test meal
Authors: Schindler Valeria , Giezendanner Stéphanie , Bütikofer Simon , Murray Fritz , Runggaldier Daniel , Schnurre Larissa , Zweig Annina , Fried Michael , Pohl Daniel
Published: December 2018

Background and Aim

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder of gut–brain interaction with incompletely understood pathophysiology. Consequently, heterogeneous expert opinions on diagnostic tests and assessment of treatment efficacies exist. So far, no consensus about the most relevant diagnostic and outcome tool has been reached. In this study, we aimed to analyze the significance of a combined lactulose hydrogen breath test (LHBT) and liquid meal, yet representing a standardized test in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), in FD.

Methods

We analyzed data of 146 FD, 204 IBS patients, and 50 healthy volunteers (HV). All patients underwent LHBT with a meal‐drink consisting of 30‐g Lactulose and 400‐mL Ensure®. Effect of abdominal symptom generation in FD/IBS compared with HV was assessed on a patient‐reported Likert‐scale.

Results

There was a significant difference between FD/IBS patients and HV in LHBT‐induced abdominal pain (odds ratio [OR] 246.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 26.6–2290.7; OR 161.2, 95% CI 16.9–1534.8), abdominal bloating (OR 384.8, 95% CI 92.9–2135.4; OR 524.1, 95% CI 114.7–3432.3), borborygmi (OR 9.9, 95% CI 2.2–46.9; OR 17.7, 95% CI 4.7–67.4), nausea only in FD (OR 174.4, 95% CI 15.5–5375.5), and diarrhea in IBS only (OR 25.8, 95% CI 2.0–7012.6). Hydrogen production was not significantly different in FD/IBS and HV.

Conclusions

In this study, we demonstrated significant differences in postprandial symptom generation in FD and IBS compared with HV after LHBT. This does not only allow us to discriminate FD/IBS from HV but may also represent a diagnostic and monitoring tool for FD/IBS in the future, including monitoring of treatment effects.
Disease course of inflammatory bowel disease unclassified in a European population‐based inception cohort: An Epi‐IBD study
Authors: Burisch Johan , Zammit Stefania Chetcuti , Ellul Pierre , Turcan Svetlana , Duricova Dana , Bortlik Martin , Andersen Karina Winther , Andersen Vibeke , Kaimakliotis Ioannis P , Fumery Mathurin , Gower‐Rousseau Corinne , Girardin Giulia , Valpiani Daniela , Goldis Adrian , Brinar Marko , Čuković‐Čavka Silvija , Oksanen Pia , Collin Pekka , Barros Luisa , Magro Fernando , Misra Ravi , Arebi Naila , Eriksson Carl , Halfvarson Jonas , Kievit Hendrika Adriana Linda , Pedersen Natalia , Kjeldsen Jens , Myers Sally , Sebastian Shaji , Katsanos Konstantinos H , Christodoulou Dimitrios K , Midjord Jóngerð , Nielsen Kári Rubek , Kiudelis Gediminas , Kupcinskas Limas , Nikulina Inna , Belousova Elena , Schwartz Doron , Odes Selwyn , Salupere Riina , Carmona Amalia , Pineda Juan R , Vegh Zsuzsanna , Lakatos Peter L , Langholz Ebbe , Munkholm Pia ,   for the Epi‐IBD group
Published: December 2018

Background and Aim

A definitive diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) is not always possible, and a proportion of patients will be diagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU). The aim of the study was to investigate the prognosis of patients initially diagnosed with IBDU and the disease course during the following 5 years.

Methods

The Epi‐IBD study is a prospective population‐based cohort of 1289 IBD patients diagnosed in centers across Europe. Clinical data were captured prospectively throughout the follow‐up period.

Results

Overall, 476 (37%) patients were initially diagnosed with CD, 701 (54%) with UC, and 112 (9%) with IBDU. During follow‐up, 28 (25%) IBDU patients were changed diagnoses to either UC (n = 20, 71%) or CD (n = 8, 29%) after a median of 6 months (interquartile range: 4–12), while 84 (7% of the total cohort) remained IBDU. A total of 17 (15%) IBDU patients were hospitalized for their IBD during follow‐up, while 8 (7%) patients underwent surgery. Most surgeries (n = 6, 75%) were performed on patients whose diagnosis was later changed to UC; three of these colectomies led to a definitive diagnosis of UC. Most patients (n = 107, 96%) received 5‐aminosalicylic acid, while 11 (10%) patients received biologicals, of whom five remained classified as IBDU.

Conclusions

In a population‐based inception cohort, 7% of IBD patients were not given a definitive diagnosis of IBD after 5 years of follow‐up. One in four patients with IBDU eventually was classified as CD or UC. Overall, the disease course and medication burden in IBDU patients were mild.
Remembering the past against the grain: an analysis of the reconstructions of the past inThe Sunday News's ‘Lest We Forget’ column
Authors: Tshuma Lungile Augustine , Ndlovu Mphathisi
Published: December 2018

Memories of the nationalist struggle are fervently contested in Zimbabwean public spaces such as the media. This paper examines the emergence of the counter‐hegemonic historical narratives in the state‐controlled media that seek to subvert the dominant nationalist discourses propagated by the ruling party, Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF). Focusing on theSunday News'sLest We Forgetnewspaper column, the paper analyses the representations of the role played by the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) in the liberation struggle, a nationalist movement whose contributions are marginalised and obscured in the official nationalist historiography. Given that in Zimbabwe the state‐owned media are generally viewed as mouthpieces of the ruling party, this paper identifies the tensions in theSunday Newsas alternative historical memories are being reproduced and sustained. Drawing upon the critical discourse analysis (CDA) method, this article argues that alternative historical imaginations are rekindled in the state media.
Outcomes and experiences of relatives of patients discharged home after critical illness: a systematic integrative review
Authors: Stayt Louise C , Venes Trevor J
Published: December 2018

Background

Patients discharged from intensive care may experience psychological and physical deficits resulting in a long and complex rehabilitation upon discharge. Relatives are also vulnerable to psychological pathologies and diminished health‐related quality of life following the patients' critical illness. Relatives often provide care during the patients' rehabilitation, which may influence their health.

Aim

To report the outcomes and experiences of relatives of patients discharged home after critical illness.

Design

Systematic integrative review.

Methods

Electronic databases Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Embase®, and PsychINFO® were searched using keywords, synonyms, and medical subject headings. Reference lists of articles and critical care journals were manually searched. Studies eligible for inclusion reported primary research and were published in English between 2007 and 2017. Studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists. Data were extracted and then analysed according to framework.

Findings

Twenty‐five studies were included: 19 quantitative, 4 qualitative, and 1 mixed method study. Three themes were identified: health and well‐being, employment and lifestyle, and caregiving role. Health and well‐being reports the incidence and significance of psychological morbidity such as post‐traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Employment and lifestyle describes the impact of caregiving on the relative's ability to work and engage in usual social activities. The final theme describes and discusses the caregiving role in terms of activities of daily living, knowledge and skills, and adaption to the role.

Conclusions

There is a significant and meaningful impact on outcomes and experiences of relatives of patients discharged home after critical illness. Relatives' caregiving is embedded within the context of their psychological morbidity and social adjustment.

Relevance to practice

If informal care giving is to be sustainable, there is a need to design effective strategies of supporting families through all stages of the critical illness trajectory.
Variability of leaf photosynthetic characteristics in rice and its relationship with resistance to water stress under different nitrogen nutrition regimes
Authors: Xiaochuang Cao , Chu Zhong , Chunquan Zhu , Junhua Zhang , Lianfeng Zhu , Lianghuan Wu , Qianyu Jin
Published: December 2018

The negative effects of water stress on rice can be alleviated by NH4+nutrition. However, the effects of mixed nitrogen (N) nutrition (NO3− + NH4+) on resistance to water stress are still not well known. To investigate the response of rice growth to water stress and its relationship with photosynthetic characteristics, a hydroponic experiment supplying different N forms was conducted. Compared with NO3−nutrition, mixed‐N and NH4+nutrition greatly alleviated the reduction of leaf area, chlorophyll content, and photosynthesis under water stress, whilst subsequently maintaining higher biomass. In contrast, water stress inhibited the root‐shoot ratios in NH4+‐ and mixed‐N‐supplied plants, indicating reduced root growth and higher photosynthate availability to shoots. The following key observations were made: (1) a similar stomatal limitation and low proportion of activated Rubisco were observed among the three different N nutrition regimes; (2) increased mesophyll conductance in NH4+‐ and mixed‐N‐supplied plants simultaneously stimulated leaf photosynthesis and improved the water use efficiency and (3), the maximum carboxylation rate and actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II in NH4+‐ and mixed‐N‐supplied plants were significantly higher than that in NO3−‐supplied plants, thus resulting in higher photochemical efficiency under water stress. In conclusion, mixed‐N and NH4+nutrition may be used to develop strategies for improved water stress resistance and stimulated biomass production under conditions of osmotic stress and possibly drought.
Improved in vivo measurement of alternative oxidase respiration in field‐collected pine roots
Authors: Henriksson Nils , Marshall John , Lundholm Jonas , Boily Åsa , Boily Jean‐Francois , Näsholm Torgny
Published: December 2018

Cellular respiration via the alternative oxidase pathway (AOP) leads to a considerable loss in efficiency. Compared to the cytochrome pathway (COP), AOP produces 0–50% as much ATP per carbon (C) respired. Relative partitioning between the pathways can be measured in vivo based on their differing isotopic discriminations against 18O in O2. Starting from published methods, we have refined and tested a new protocol to improve measurement precision and efficiency. The refinements detect an effect of tissue water content (P < 0.0001), which we have removed, and yield precise discrimination endpoints in the presence of pathway‐specific respiratory inhibitors [CN− and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM)], which improves estimates of AOP/COP partitioning. Fresh roots of Pinus sylvestris were sealed in vials with a CO2 trap. The air was replaced to ensure identical starting conditions. Headspace air was repeatedly sampled and isotopically analyzed using isotope‐ratio mass spectrometry. The method allows high‐precision measurement of the discrimination against 18O in O2 because of repeated measurements of the same incubation vial. COP and AOP respiration discriminated against 18O by 15.1 ± 0.3‰ and 23.8 ± 0.4‰, respectively. AOP contributed to root respiration by 23 ± 0.2% of the total in an unfertilized stand. In a second, nitrogen‐fertilized, stand AOP contribution was only 14 ± 0.2% of the total. These results suggest the improved method can be used to assess the relative importance of COP and AOP activities in ecosystems, potentially yielding information on the role of each pathway for the carbon use efficiency of organisms.
Governance in the Post‐Soviet Era: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Baimenov Alikhan , Liebert Saltanat
Published: December 2018

In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's demise, the countries formerly comprising it embarked on massive reforms to transition from socialist to market‐driven economies. This transition also required substantial transformation of their governance systems. In this Viewpoint essay, the authors reflect on critical reforms in human resource management, ethics management, and anti‐corruption, and highlight successful initiatives in these fields. They also discuss the role of the Astana Civil Service Hub in helping the countries in the region to jointly look for solutions to common governance challenges and to learn from policies and strategies that proved effective for their peers. The authors conclude by identifying the common elements of effective public administration reforms in the post‐Soviet setting.
Interprofessional Education for Cancer Care
Authors: McKinlay Eileen , White Kristen , McChesney Pauline , Hardie Claire , Higgs Rebekah , Hilder Jo , Gallagher Peter
Published: December 2018

Background

Cancer care is typically delivered by a range of health professionals, and is frequently a uniprofessional pre‐registration clinical placement. A workplace‐based, 6‐hour interprofessional education (IPE) pilot on cancer care, led by clinical tutors, was undertaken in a New Zealand hospital, accompanied by an external evaluation. The pilot involved a cohort of 21 dietetic, medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy and radiation therapy students. The aim of the evaluation was to determine student and tutor reactions to IPE, and any changes in perceptions and attitudes.

Methods

The evaluation used focus groups to collect data: two student groups and one tutor group. Focus groups were audio‐recorded, transcribed; the content was coded and then analysed.

Results

Both students and tutors reported benefits from having IPE in the workplace environment, with cancer care seen as a suitable topic. Students reported a better understanding of professional roles, skills and the provision of collaborative care, and suggested other professions should be included in future IPE. Patient selection needed to be better tailored for physiotherapy students to ensure uniform relevance. As a result of competing demands, tutors found that they needed an 18‐month lead time to establish the IPE programme. Tutors felt that the programme had gone relatively smoothly and that they had benefitted from forming closer interpersonal relationships, but noted considerable unanticipated and unremunerated preparation time.

Discussion

This short workplace‐based IPE programme elicited a positive student and tutor response, but highlighted the need for improvements: broadening the topic area, targeted patient selection, including more professions and providing administrative support for tutors.

Cancer care was generally seen as a suitable topic
A stochastic model for intracellular active transport
Authors: Purnichescu Purtan Raluca , Badralexi Irina
Published: December 2018

We develop a stochastic model for an intracellular active transport problem. Our aims are to calculate the probability that a molecular motor reaches a hidden target, to study what influences this probability and to calculate the time required for the molecular motor to hit the target (Mean First Passage Time). We study different biologically relevant scenarios, which include the possibility of multiple hidden targets (which breed competition) and the presence of obstacles. The purpose of including obstacles is to illustrate actual disruptions of the intracellular transport (which can result, for example, in several neurological disorders. From a mathematical point of view, the intracellular active transport is modelled by two independent continuous-time, discrete space Markov chains: one for the dynamics of the molecular motor in the space intervals and one for the domain of target. The process is time homogeneous and independent of the position of the molecular motor.
The Role of Airway Shunt Elastance on the Compartmentalization of Respiratory System Impedance
Authors: Bates Jason H. T.
Published: December 2018

An inverse model consisting of two elastic compartments connected in series and served by two airway conduits has recently been fit to measurements of respiratory impedance in obese subjects. Increases in the resistance of the distal conduit of the model with increasing body mass index have been linked to peripheral airway compression by mass loading of the chest wall. Nevertheless, how the two compartments and conduits of this simple model map onto the vastly more complicated structure of an actual lung remain unclear. To investigate this issue, we developed a multiscale branching airway tree model of the respiratory system that predicts realistic input impedance spectra between 5 and 20 Hz with only four free parameters. We use this model to study how the finite elastances of the conducting airway tree and the proximal upper airways affect impedance between 5 and 20 Hz. We show that progressive constriction of the peripheral airways causes impedance to appear to arise from two compartments connected in series, with the proximal compartment being a reflection of the elastance of upper airway structures proximal to the tracheal entrance and the lower compartment reflecting the pulmonary airways and tissues. We thus conclude that while this simple inverse model allows evaluation of overall respiratory system impedance between 5 and 20 Hz in the presence of upper airway shunting, it does not allow the separate contributions of central versus peripheral pulmonary airways to be resolved.
A new genus and two new species of eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Malaysia
Authors: Yuan Yan-Mei , Yin Yue , Xue Xiao-Feng
Published: December 2018

A new genus and two new species of the family Eriophyidae (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from Mountain Trusmadi, Malaysia are described and illustrated. They are Trusmadius acalypher gen. nov. and sp. nov. on Acalypha sp. (Euphorbiaceae) and Paraphytoptus lithocarpis sp. nov. on Lithocarpus uvariifolius (Hance) Rehder (Fagaceae). Both new species are vagrant on lower leaf surface. No damage to the host was observed.
Evaluation of 4-Amino 2-Anilinoquinazolines against
Plasmodium
and Other Apicomplexan Parasites
In Vitro
and in a
P. falciparum
Humanized NOD-
scid
IL2Rγ
null
Mouse Model of Malaria
Authors: Gilson Paul R. , Nguyen William , Poole William A. , Teixeira Jose E. , Thompson Jennifer K. , Guo Kaiyuan , Stewart Rebecca J. , Ashton Trent D. , White Karen L. , Sanz Laura M. , Gamo Francisco-Javier , Charman Susan A. , Wittlin Sergio , Duffy James , Tonkin Christopher J. , Tham Wai-Hong , Crabb Brendan S. , Cooke Brian M. , Huston Christopher D. , Cowman Alan F. , Sleebs Brad E.
Published: December 2018

A series of 4-amino 2-anilinoquinazolines optimized for activity against the most lethal malaria parasite of humans,
Plasmodium falciparum
, was evaluated for activity against other human
Plasmodium
parasites and related apicomplexans that infect humans and animals. Four of the most promising compounds from the 4-amino 2-anilinoquinazoline series were equally as effective against the asexual blood stages of the zoonotic
P. knowlesi
, suggesting that they could also be effective against the closely related
P. vivax
, another important human pathogen.
Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of a Novel Aminomethylcycline Antibiotic, KBP-7072, in the Neutropenic Murine Pneumonia Model against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Lepak Alexander J. , Zhao Miao , Liu Qingmei , Wang Ping , Wang Yanli , Bader Justin C. , Ambrose Paul G. , Andes David R.
Published: December 2018

KBP-7072 is a novel aminomethylcycline antibiotic in clinical development for community-acquired pneumonia. The goal of present studies was to determine which pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameter magnitude correlated with efficacy in the murine pneumonia infection model against
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae
.
Evaluation of Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin Disk Diffusion and Etest Using the 2019
Enterobacteriaceae
CLSI Breakpoints
Authors: Humphries Romney M. , Hindler Janet A. , Shaffer Keith , Campeau Shelley A.
Published: December 2018

In 2019, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) published revisions to the
Enterobacteriaceae
ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin breakpoints. We evaluated the performance of disk diffusion and Etest compared to that of reference broth microdilution by use of the revised breakpoints.