bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacillus formosensis sp. nov., isolated from pesticide wastewater
Authors: Lin Shih-Yao , Hameed Asif , Liu You-Cheng , Hsu Yi-Han , Lai Wei-An , Yen Wen-Shao , Young Chiu-Chung
Published: July 2015

A Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming rod (designated strain CC-LY275T) was isolated from a pesticide wastewater sample. The isolate grew at a temperature 20–45 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and tolerated NaCl 6 % (w/v). The most closely related strains in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were Bacillus horneckiae (97.1 %) and Bacillus oceanisediminis (96.8 %), respectively. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 37.9 mol%. Strain CC-LY275T was determined to possess iso-C14 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0 as predominant fatty acids. The major polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. Cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid; menaquinone (MK-7) was the predominant respiratory quinone. According to the distinct phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties, the name Bacillus formosensis sp. nov. (type strain CC-LY275T = BCRC 80443T = JCM 18448T) is proposed.
Integrating the board’s resources to achieve a firm’s internationalisation
Authors: Pérez-Calero Sánchez Leticia , Barroso Castro Carmen , Villegas Periñán María del Mar
Published: July 2015

Purpose

From the resource-based view (RBV), the purpose of this paper is to argue that the board has the capability to participate in international strategic decisions and deal with the environmental complexities that internationalisation brings; and moreover, to achieve better performance than its competitors.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper highlights the active participation of the board in firm internationalisation using a sample of 78 Spanish firms quoted on Madrid Stock Exchange. The authors used a longitudinal analysis from 2005 through 2010.

Findings

The results show that while the resources provided by the directors through their level of education and international experience, help them learn and process information, and they are a source of expertise representing “board potential”. A board that functions well through the directors’ relationships allow the proper integration and use of these resources, and helps create sustainable competitive advantages in an international context.

Originality/value

From a RBV, this paper refines and extends the concept of “board capability” as the combination of potential and internal relations that allow boards to undertake their roles competently over time. Additionally, the paper empirically examines the effect of board capability on firm internationalisation.
Industry specialization and audit fees: a meta-analytic approach
Authors: de Fuentes Cristina , Sierra Eva
Published: July 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature that links auditor’s industry specialization (AIS) and audit fees (AFs) in order to clarify the puzzle of published results and provide overall conclusions that would help in future research.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this goal, the authors applied meta-analysis techniques in order to summarize, quantify and evaluate the published data related to the association between AIS and AF.

Findings

The meta-results are more robust when the proxy for AIS is the audit firm’s market share above 20 percent or the audit firm is jointly the national and city leader. For US-based studies, results are homogeneous in the post-SOX period. This is likely due to the higher demand for specialized auditors. The authors found positive and homogeneous results in the upper and lower market segment, which led to the conclusion that the bargaining power of the big auditees does not fully counteract the higher auditor specialization costs. Although the authors identified a publication selection bias, a specialization coefficient of around 2.0 percent was estimated.

Originality/value

The conclusions are relevant for those researchers that would benefit from a structured and systematic review of the published results. The outcomes help to understand the somehow contradictory empirical evidence and to provide solid foundations for future hypothesis developments. This contribution is also relevant for the regulatory bodies, always watchful of audit market behavior and the evolution of audit prices.
The privatization process in Argentina: the case of the Buenos Aires subway system
Authors: Sanz Luis , Leguizamón R. Francisco A. , Edelberg Guillermo
Published: July 2015

This case study examines the Argentinian privatization process that occurred in the early 1990s and which marked the start of the third phase of the history of public services in the country. The research focusses on the role played by a group of private companies in the privatization of the Buenos Aires Subway, an icon of the modernization of mass passenger transportation. It explores the background to the process, the alternative selling options available to the government and concerning the degree of public control that would be retained. It examines the effects of privatization on the economy of the country, on government debt and on the workers who lost their jobs as a result of the sale. The paper ends by describing the measures were taken during the transition from a bureaucratic management model to an entrepreneurial one.

El caso examina el proceso de privatización en la Argentina a comienzos de los años 90..s cuando inició la tercera fase en la historia de los servicios públicos de ese país. Se centra en la exploración del proceso de transición hacia un conjunto de empresas privadas del Subterráneo de Buenos Aires, icono de modernización del transporte masivo de pasajeros Explora los antecedentes, las alternativas de venta por parte del gobierno, así como las relacionadas con el grado de control en manos de este último. Explora los efectos sobre la economía del país, la deuda del gobierno y el impacto sobre los trabajadores que no serían contratados luego de la privatización. Termina describiendo los cuidados adoptados en la transición desde una gestión de índole burocrática a otra de carácter empresarial.
Editorial: in memoriam Luis J. Sanz (1971-2015)
Authors: Ogliastri Enrique , Salgado Elvira
Published: July 2015

This issue is dedicated to the memory of Luis J. Sanz and this editorial is made up of three parts: an account of his work with the journal, words from the editor (2001-2013), and a brief CV which he had written shortly before his passing.

Este número se dedica a la memoria de Luis J. Sanz y este editorial consta de tres partes. Un recuento de su trabajo con la revista, el recuerdo de la editora 2001-2013, y un breve CV que él mismo escribió poco antes de su muerte.
Is there a corporate diversification discount or premium? Evidence from Chile
Authors: Jara-Bertin Mauricio , Lopez-Iturriaga Felix , Espinosa Christian
Published: July 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of the corporate ownership diversification, i.e. how the involvement in the ownership of other non-financial firms affects the value of listed firms. The authors control for the unrelated diversification when the firm has different business segments in different sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze a sample of Chilean-listed firms between 2005 and 2009, in two stages. First, the authors compute the diversification premium or discount, defined as the part of the firms’ capitalization that stems from the diversification strategy. Then, the authors regress the premium or discount against the business and ownership diversification measures and other control variables.

Findings

In addition to a discount for unrelated business diversification, the authors find an ownership diversification discount when non-financial firms are shareholders of other firms. However, this discount turns into a premium when the firm gains the control of the owned firm, especially in related sectors.

Originality/value

The authors pioneer the analysis of the ownership diversification in Latin American firms. The results apply not only to Chile but also to a number of Latin American countries since many of these countries have, in common with Chile, a concentrated corporate ownership structure and a weak protection of investors’ rights.
Experience, political connections and efficiency in the financial sector
Authors: García-Meca Emma , García García Jose Antonio
Published: July 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of political presence on profitability in Spanish savings banks. Together with political connections, the paper analyzes the effects of chairmen’s banking experience on the efficiency of the savings banks.

Design/methodology/approach

Information was collected from all the savings banks in the sample for the period 2002-2009. The database used combines time series with cross-section data to give a panel of data to be estimated with this methodology.

Findings

After differentiating between municipal and regional participation, the results show that regional participation causes lower efficiency in a savings bank. There is no evidence that the financial experience of the chairman is an aspect that improves savings banks’ profitability.

Originality/value

The analyses undertaken in this paper help to detect whether certain corporate governance practices affect stakeholders' interests and the economy as a whole, through their effects on economic and financial interests, like the efficiency of savings banks. The paper lends support to the recent legal reforms aimed at reducing political presence on the boards of savings banks.
A multi-stakeholder perspective on the adoption of good agricultural practices in the Thai fresh produce industry
Authors: Wongprawmas Rungsaran , Canavari Maurizio , Waisarayutt Chutima
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors hindering the adoption of good agricultural practices (GAPs) in the Thai fresh fruit and vegetable industry from the perspectives of key stakeholders in different tiers of the supply chain up to consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Semi-structured interviews were carried out in Bangkok and nearby cities. The key informants were experts, governmental authorities, producers, distributors, exporters, and consumers. A qualitative content-summarising approach was used to analyse the interview transcripts.

Findings

– Stakeholders perceived the credibility of national GAP (Q-GAP) standards implemented in the Thai domestic market as low, due to a lack of reliable verification and traceability and because the system is managed by governmental bodies. Consumer demand could drive the market of safe produce, but retail stores are the main influencers of producers’ adoption of GAPs in domestic markets.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings are based on a small group of Thai fresh produce industry players and consumers who operate mainly in an urban context.

Practical implications

– The paper provides relevant information for policy makers and industrialists to find appropriate strategies to sustain GAPs in Thailand. Stakeholder awareness of food safety issues and information provision are crucial.

Originality/value

– This is the first in-depth study of stakeholders’ perceptions of GAP implementation in the Thai fresh produce supply chain as the industry is currently transitioning from a commodity market to a quality/safety-oriented market. The results raise important issues regarding GAP adoption, food safety certification, and labelling in Thailand.
Written testimony, oral history and retail environments
Authors: Bailey Matthew
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to join a growing movement in marketing history to include the voices of consumers in historical research on retail environments. It aims to show that consumer perspectives offer new insights to the emergence and reception of large-scale, pre-planned shopping centers in Australia during the 1960s, and allow one to write a history of this retail form from below, in contrast to the top-down approach that is characteristic of the broader literature on shopping mall development.

Design/methodology/approach

– Written testimonies by consumers were gathered using a qualitative online questionnaire. The methodology is related to oral history, in that it seeks to capture the subjective experiences of participants, has the capacity to create new archives, to fill or explain gaps in existing repositories and provide a voice to those frequently lost to the historical record.

Findings

– The written testimonies gathered for this project provide an important contribution to the understanding of shopping centers in Australia and, particularly Sydney, during the 1960s, the ways that they were envisaged and used and insights into their reception and success.

Research limitations/implications

– As with oral history, written testimony has limitations as a methodology due to its reliance on memory, requiring both sophisticated and cautious readings of the data.

Originality/value

– The methodology used in this paper is unique in this context and provides new understandings of Australian retail property development. For current marketers, the historically constituted relationship between people and place offers potential for community targeted promotional campaigns.
Insights into European interbank network contagion
Authors: Philippas Dionisis , Koutelidakis Yiannis , Leontitsis Alexandros
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse the importance of interbank connections and shocks on banks’ capital ratios to financial stability by looking at a network comprising a large number of European and UK banks.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors model interbank contagion using insights from the Susceptible Infected Recovered model. The authors construct scale-free networks with preferential attachment and growth, applying simulated interbank data to capture the size and scale of connections in the network. The authors proceed to shock these networks per country and perform Monte Carlo simulations to calculate mean total losses and duration of infection. Finally, the authors examine the effects of contagion in terms of Core Tier 1 Capital Ratios for the affected banking systems.

Findings

– The authors find that shocks in smaller banking systems may cause smaller overall losses but tend to persist longer, leading to important policy implications for crisis containment.

Originality/value

– The authors infer the interbank domestic and cross-border exposures of banks employing an iterative proportional fitting procedure, called the RAS algorithm. The authors use an extend sample of 169 European banks, that also captures effects on the UK as well as the Eurozone interbank markets. Finally, the authors provide evidence of the contagion effect on each bank by allowing heterogeneity. The authors compare the bank’s relative financial strength with the contagion effect which is modelled by the number and the volume of bilateral connections.
Performance of Black-Scholes model with TSRV estimates
Authors: Singh Shivam , . Vipul
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test the pricing performance of Black-Scholes (B-S) model, with the volatility of the underlying estimated with the two-scale realised volatility measure (TSRV) proposed by Zhang et al. (2005).

Design/methodology/approach

– The ex post TSRV is used as the volatility estimator to ensure efficient volatility estimation, without forecasting error. The B-S option prices, thus obtained, are compared with the market prices using four performance measures, for the options on NIFTY index, and three of its constituent stocks. The tick-by-tick data are used in this study for price comparisons.

Findings

– The B-S model shows significantly negative pricing bias for all the options, which is dependent on the moneyness of the option and the volatility of the underlying.

Research limitations/implications

– The negative pricing bias of B-S model, despite the use of the more efficient TSRV estimate, and post facto volatility values, confirms its inadequacy. It also points towards the possible existence of volatility risk premium in the Indian options market.

Originality/value

– The use of tick-by-tick data obviates the nonsynchronous error. TSRV, used for estimating the volatility, is a significantly improved estimate (in terms of efficiency and bias), as compared to the estimates based on closing data. The use of ex post realised volatility ensures that the forecasting error does not vitiate the test results. The sample is selected to be large and varied to ensure the robustness of the results.
Value versus growth: Taiwan evidence
Authors: Hsu Chuan-Hao , Lee Kuei-Chih , Chang Yi-Ping , Fung Hung-Gay
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to use a stochastic dominance test to examine the relative performance of value vs growth stocks based on multiple value-growth proxies in the Taiwan stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

– This work examines whether the return distribution of a value portfolio stochastically dominates that of a growth portfolio using a test proposed by Linton et al. (2005).

Findings

– By applying stochastic dominance analysis on the full-sample period, the sub-sample period and the state of the world’s economic conditions, the authors find that the earnings-to-price or dividend-to-price ratio is better than the book-to-market ratio as a value-growth proxy in Taiwan. There are robust results even after adjusting for data frequency, a sampling method and sample excluding financial services.

Originality/value

– This study makes the first attempt to examine value vs growth strategies based on multiple value-growth proxies in the emerging market of Taiwan by administering the stochastic dominance test.
Relativisation in Maltese
Authors: Camilleri Maris , Sadler Louisa
Published: July 2015

We develop a detailed description of the differences and similarities between the syntax of restrictive and non‐restrictive relative clauses in Maltese. We show that Maltese makes use of both a complementiser strategy and a wh‐pronoun strategy in each type of relative clause. We discuss in some detail the ways in which the distribution of gaps and resumptive pronouns differs between these two strategies, being heavily constrained in the case of the wh‐pronoun strategy. The discussion highlights some differences between the standard and dialectal varieties of Maltese, especially in regard to wh‐relatives. Beyond these major strategies, we illustrate two further relative constructions, a highly constrained bare relativisation strategy for restrictive relativisation and a further wh‐pronoun strategy found only in non‐restrictives. While the main focus of this paper is a synchronic description of relativisation in Maltese, we draw a number of comparisons between Maltese and some Arabic dialects, in particular the Western dialects to which Maltese is closely related.
Acceptability of the flipped classroom approach for in‐house teaching in emergency medicine
Authors: Tan Eunicia , Brainard Andrew , Larkin Gregory L
Published: July 2015

Objective

To evaluate the relative acceptability of the flipped classroom approach compared with traditional didactics for in‐house teaching in emergency medicine.

Methods

Our department changed its learning model from a ‘standard’ lecture‐based model to a ‘flipped classroom’ model. The ‘flipped classroom’ included provided pre‐session learning objectives and resources before each 2 h weekly session. In‐session activities emphasised active learning strategies and knowledge application. Feedback was sought from all medical staff regarding the acceptability of the new approach using an online anonymous cross‐sectional qualitative survey.

Results

Feedback was received from 49/57 (86%) medical staff. Ninety‐eight per cent (48/49) of respondents preferred the flipped classroom over the traditional approach. Aspects of the flipped classroom learners liked most included case‐based discussion, interaction with peers, application of knowledge, self‐directed learning and small‐group learning. Barriers to pre‐session learning include work commitments, ‘life’, perceived lack of time, family commitments, exam preparation and high volume of learning materials. Reported motivational factors promoting pre‐session learning include formal assessment, participation requirements, more time, less material, more clinical relevance and/or more interesting material. Case studies and ‘hands‐on’ activities were perceived to be the most useful in‐session activities.

Conclusion

The flipped classroom shows promise as an acceptable approach to in‐house emergency medicine teaching.
Mitochondrial DNA Fragmentation as a Molecular Tool to Monitor Thermal Processing of Plant‐Derived, Low‐Acid Foods, and Biomaterials
Authors: Caldwell Jane M. , Pérez‐Díaz Ilenys M. , Sandeep KP , Simunovic Josip , Harris Keith , Osborne Jason A. , Hassan Hosni M.
Published: July 2015

Cycle threshold (Ct) increase, quantifying plant‐derived DNA fragmentation, was evaluated for its utility as a time‐temperature integrator. This novel approach to monitoring thermal processing of fresh, plant‐based foods represents a paradigm shift. Instead of using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect pathogens, identify adulterants, or authenticate ingredients, this rapid technique was used to quantify the fragmentation of an intrinsic plant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene over time‐temperature treatments. Universal primers were developed which amplified a mitochondrial gene common to plants (atp1). These consensus primers produced a robust qPCR signal in 10 vegetables, 6 fruits, 3 types of nuts, and a biofuel precursor. Using sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) puree as a model low‐acid product and simple linear regression, Ct value was highly correlated to time‐temperature treatment (R2 = 0.87); the logarithmic reduction (log CFU/mL) of the spore‐forming Clostridium botulinum surrogate, Geobacillus stearothermophilus (R2 = 0.87); and cumulative F‐value (min) in a canned retort process (R2 = 0.88), all comparisons conducted at 121 °C. D121 and z‐values were determined for G. stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 and were 2.71 min and 11.0 °C, respectively. D121 and z‐values for a 174‐bp universal plant amplicon were 11.3 min and 9.17 °C, respectively, for mtDNA from sweet potato puree. We present these data as proof‐of‐concept for a molecular tool that can be used as a rapid, presumptive method for monitoring thermal processing in low‐acid plant products.
Butyric acid fermentation from pretreated and hydrolysed wheat straw by an adapted Clostridium tyrobutyricum strain
Authors: Baroi G. N. , Baumann I. , Westermann P. , Gavala H. N.
Published: July 2015

Butyric acid is a valuable building‐block for the production of chemicals and materials and nowadays it is produced exclusively from petroleum. The aim of this study was to develop a suitable and robust strain of Clostridium tyrobutyricum that produces butyric acid at a high yield and selectivity from lignocellulosic biomasses. Pretreated (by wet explosion) and enzymatically hydrolysed wheat straw (PHWS), rich in C6 and C5 sugars (71.6 and 55.4 g l−1 of glucose and xylose respectively), was used as substrate. After one year of serial selections, an adapted strain of C. tyrobutyricum was developed. The adapted strain was able to grow in 80% (v v−1) PHWS without addition of yeast extract compared with an initial tolerance to less than 10% PHWS and was able to ferment both glucose and xylose. It is noticeable that the adapted C. tyrobutyricum strain was characterized by a high yield and selectivity to butyric acid. Specifically, the butyric acid yield at 60–80% PHWS lie between 0.37 and 0.46 g g−1 of sugar, while the selectivity for butyric acid was as high as 0.9–1.0 g g−1 of acid. Moreover, the strain exhibited a robust response in regards to growth and product profile at pH 6 and 7.
Individual identification from genetic marker data: developments and accuracy comparisons of methods
Authors: Wang Jinliang
Published: July 2015

Genetic marker‐based identification of distinct individuals and recognition of duplicated individuals has important applications in many research areas in ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology and forensics. The widely applied genotype mismatch (MM) method, however, is inaccurate because it relies on a fixed and suboptimal threshold number (TM) of mismatches, and often yields self‐inconsistent pairwise inferences. In this study, I improved MM method by calculating an optimal TM to accommodate the number, mistyping rates, missing data and allele frequencies of the markers. I also developed a pairwise likelihood relationship (LR) method and a likelihood clustering (LC) method for individual identification, using poor‐quality data that may have high and variable rates of allelic dropouts and false alleles at genotyped loci. The 3 methods together with the relatedness (RL) method were then compared in accuracy by analysing an empirical frog data set and many simulated data sets generated under different parameter combinations. The analysis results showed that LC is generally one or two orders more accurate for individual identification than the other methods. Its accuracy is especially superior when the sampled multilocus genotypes have poor quality (i.e. teemed with genotyping errors and missing data) and highly replicated, a situation typical of noninvasive sampling used in estimating population size. Importantly, LC is the only method that guarantees to produce self‐consistent results by partitioning the entire set of multilocus genotypes into distinct clusters, each cluster containing one or more genotypes that all represent the same individual. The LC and LR methods were implemented in a computer program COLONY for free download from the Internet.
Uterine papillary serous carcinoma pre‐operatively diagnosed as endometrioid carcinoma: Is omentectomy necessary?
Authors: Peled Yoav , Aviram Amir , Krissi Haim , Gershoni Assaf , Sabah Gad , Levavi Hanoch , Eitan Ram
Published: July 2015

Background

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) is a relatively rare but aggressive uterine malignancy comprising approximately 10% of endometrial cancers. Many women pre‐operatively misdiagnosed as having endometrioid carcinoma have ultimately UPSC on final pathology. These women receive inadequate surgical staging without omentectomy.

Aim

To assess the value of omentectomy on disease‐free interval and overall survival in women with UPSC who had an initial diagnosis of endometrioid carcinoma.

Methods

This retrospective study included all women treated for the final diagnosis of UPSC in our centre from January 2007 to December 2012. Data regarding patient demographics, staging procedures, histology results, adjuvant therapy and follow‐up outcomes were recorded.

Results

Of the 52 women with a final diagnosis of UPSC, more than 45% had an initial diagnosis of endometrioid carcinoma. All women underwent hysterectomy and removal of the adnexa. Lymph node evaluation was performed in 75% of women. Omentectomy was performed in 30/52 women (58%). Of those, three women (10%) had omental involvement. Mean disease‐free interval with omentectomy was 24.5 months versus 30.5 months without (P = 0.29). Mean overall survival was 33 months with an omentectomy and 29 months without (P = 0.32). Recurrence patterns did not differ between groups.

Conclusion

Women diagnosed pre‐operatively with endometrioid carcinoma and eventually found to have UPSC can expect no change in prognosis despite not having undertaken a full staging procedure. Repeat surgery for omentectomy is probably of no benefit.
Alcohol enhances the psychostimulant and conditioning effects of mephedrone in adolescent mice; postulation of unique roles of D3 receptors and BDNF in place preference acquisition
Authors: Ciudad‐Roberts Andrés , Camarasa Jorge , Ciudad Carlos J. , Pubill David , Escubedo Elena
Published: July 2015

Background and Purpose

The psychostimulant mephedrone is often consumed in combination with alcohol (EtOH). This kind of drug consumption during adolescence is a matter of concern.

Experimental Approach

We studied, in adolescent CD‐1 mice, whether EtOH could enhance the psychostimulant (locomotor acivity) and rewarding [conditioned place preference (CPP)] effects of mephedrone. We also determined the transcriptional changes associated with a conditioning treatment with these drugs.

Key Results

Mephedrone (10 mg·kg−1) increased locomotor activity, which was further enhanced by 40% when combined with EtOH (1 g·kg−1). This enhancement was blocked by haloperidol. Furthermore, mephedrone (25 mg·kg−1) induced CPP, which increased by 70% when administered with a dose of EtOH that was not conditioning by itself (0.75 g·kg−1). There was enhanced expression of the D3 dopamine receptor mRNA (Drd3) and Arpc5 in all drug‐treated groups. The D3 receptor antagonist SB‐277011A and the BDNF receptor antagonist ANA‐12 completely prevented CPP as well as the increases in Drd3 in all groups. Accordingly, increased expression of BDNF mRNA in medial prefrontal cortex was detected at 2 and 4 h after mephedrone administration.

Conclusions and Implications

If translated to humans, the enhancement of mephedrone effects by ethanol could result in increased abuse liability. D3 receptors and BDNF play a key role in the establishment of CPP by mephedrone, although an accompanying increase in other synaptic plasticity‐related genes may also be necessary.
Macrolides increase the expression of 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 in human sinonasal epithelium, contributing to glucocorticoid activation in sinonasal mucosa
Authors: Park Se Jin , Kook Jin Ho , Kim Ha Kyun , Kang Sung Hoon , Lim Sae Hee , Kim Hyun Jin , Kim Kyung Won , Kim Tae Hoon , Lee Sang Hag
Published: July 2015

Background and Purpose

The anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of macrolides include the ability to decrease mucus secretion and inhibit inflammatory mediators in chronic rhinosinusitis. Nevertheless, their mechanisms of action remain to be determined. Here we have investigated the effects of macrolide antibiotics (clarithromycin, azithromycin and josamycin; representating the 14‐, 15‐ and 16‐membered macrolides) on endogenous steroids in human sinonasal epithelial cells and mouse nasal mucosa.

Experimental Approach

The effects of macrolides on the expression of steroid‐converting enzymes [11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β‐HSD1 and 11β‐HSD2)], steroid‐synthesizing enzymes (3β‐HSD, CYP21, CYP11B1 and CYP11A1) and cortisol levels were assessed in cultured human epithelial cells. In control and adrenalectomized mice , these enzymes and corticosterone levels were evaluated in nasal mucosa and serum after administration of macrolides.

Key Results

The expression levels of 3β‐HSD, CYP21, 11β‐HSD1 and CYP11B1 increased in human epithelial cells treated with clarithromycin and azithromycin, whereas the expression levels of 11β‐HSD2 and CYP11A1 were not affected. Josamycin had no effects on the expression of these enzymes. Cortisol levels increased in epithelial cells treated with clarithromycin or azithromycin. The expression of 3β‐HSD, CYP11A1, CYP21, CYP11B1 and 11β‐HSD1 was upregulated in nasal mucosa of mice treated with clarithromycin or azithromycin, but not in adrenalectomized mice.

Conclusions and Implications

This study provides evidence that 14‐ and 15‐membered macrolide antibiotics may affect the expression of steroid‐synthesizing and steroid‐converting enzymes in human sinonasal epithelial cells and mouse nasal mucosa, increasing the endogenous cortisol levels in sinonasal mucosa.
Gender differences in use of prescription narcotic medications among living kidney donors
Authors: Lentine Krista L. , Lam Ngan N. , Schnitzler Mark A. , Garg Amit X. , Xiao Huiling , Leander Sheila E. , Brennan Daniel C. , Taler Sandra J. , Axelrod David , Segev Dorry L.
Published: July 2015

Prescription narcotic use among living kidney donors is not well described. Using a unique database that integrates national registry identifiers for living kidney donors (1987–2007) in the United States with billing claims from a private health insurer (2000–2007), we identified pharmacy fills for prescription narcotic medications in periods 1–4 and >4 yr post‐donation and estimated relative likelihoods of post‐donation narcotic use by Cox regression. We also compared narcotic fill rates and medication possession ratios (MPRs, defined as (days of medication supplied)/(days observed)), between donors and age‐ and sex‐matched non‐donors. Overall, rates of narcotic medication fills were 32.3 and 32.4 per 100 person‐years in periods 1–4 and >4 yr post‐donation. After age and race adjustment, women were approximately twice as likely as men to fill a narcotic prescription in years 1–4 (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.86–2.79) and >4 yr (aHR 1.70; 95% CI 1.50–1.93). MPRs in donors were low (<2.5% days exposed), and lower than among age‐ and sex‐matched non‐donors. Prescription narcotic medication use is more common among women than men in the intermediate term after live kidney donation. Overall, total narcotic exposure is low, and lower than among non‐donors from the general population.
Aesthetics and Astronomy: How Museum Labels Affect the Understanding and Appreciation of Deep‐Space Images
Authors: Smith Lisa F. , Smith Jeffrey K. , Arcand Kimberly K. , Smith Randall K. , Bookbinder Jay A.
Published: July 2015

How can we best communicate to museum visitors the science that underlies the incredible images of space that are generated through the data collected from satellites and observatories? The Aesthetics and Astronomy Group, a collection of astrophysicists, space image developers, science communication experts, and research psychologists, has studied how individuals respond to space‐image descriptions when viewing images on websites such as the Astronomy Picture of the Day and the Chandra telescope site. In this article, we turn our attention to the communication of scientific information in museum settings, in particular where the exhibit is comprised solely of images. We developed a traveling exhibition of space images expressly for this purpose, and interviewed 167 visitors to the exhibition at four major science museums. We asked the visitors what types of labels they preferred, what they would like to see in labels, and what impressed them about the images. The results of our efforts are presented here.
Nasseem Husain: homage to a pioneer of cytology automation
Authors: Kocjan G. , Herbert A.
Published: July 2015

Dr Oliver Anthony Nasseem Husain, who died on 22 September 2014, aged 90 years, was one of the great names of European cytology, a pioneer of automated cervical screening and a founding member of both the British Society for Clinical Cytology (BSCC) and the European Federation of Cytology Societies (EFCS). The life of this one remarkable man involved much of the pioneering work, which is reviewed in this article, that has brought conventional cytology to the complex multimodal discipline it is today.
Delayed Match Retrieval: a novel anticipation‐based visual working memory paradigm
Authors: Kaldy Zsuzsa , Guillory Sylvia B. , Blaser Erik
Published: July 2015

We tested 8‐ and 10‐month‐old infants’ visual working memory (VWM) for object‐location bindings – what is where – with a novel paradigm, Delayed Match Retrieval, that measured infants’ anticipatory gaze responses (using a Tobii T120 eye tracker). In an inversion of Delayed‐Match‐to‐Sample tasks and with inspiration from the game Memory, in test trials, three face‐down virtual ‘cards’ were presented. Two flipped over sequentially (revealing, e.g. a swirl pattern and then a star), and then flipped back face‐down. Next, the third card was flipped to reveal a match (e.g. a star) to one of the previously seen, now face‐down cards. If infants looked to the location where the (now face‐down) matching card had been shown, this was coded as a correct response. To encourage anticipatory looks, infants subsequently received a reward (a brief, engaging animation) presented at that location. Ten‐month‐old infants performed significantly above chance, showing that their VWM could hold object‐location information for the two cards. Overall, 8‐month‐olds’ performance was at chance, but they showed a robust learning trend. These results corroborate previous findings (Kaldy & Leslie, 2005; Oakes, Ross‐Sheehy & Luck, 2006) and point to rapid development of VWM for object‐location bindings. However, compared to previous paradigms that measure passive gaze responses to novelty, this paradigm presents a more challenging, ecologically relevant test of VWM, as it measures the ability to make online predictions and actively localize objects based on VWM. In addition, this paradigm can be readily scaled up to test toddlers or older children without significant modification.
Pancreatic β‐cell imaging in humans: fiction or option?
Authors: Laurent D. , Vinet L. , Lamprianou S. , Daval M. , Filhoulaud G. , Ktorza A. , Wang H. , Sewing S. , Juretschke H.‐P. , Glombik H. , Meda P. , Boisgard R. , Nguyen D. L. , Stasiuk G. J. , Long N. J. , Montet X. , Hecht P. , Kramer W. , Rutter G. A. , Hecksher‐Sørensen J.
Published: July 2015

Diabetes mellitus is a growing worldwide epidemic disease, currently affecting 1 in 12 adults. Treatment of disease complications typically consumes ∼10% of healthcare budgets in developed societies. Whilst immune‐mediated destruction of insulin‐secreting pancreatic β cells is responsible for Type 1 diabetes, both the loss and dysfunction of these cells underly the more prevalent Type 2 diabetes. The establishment of robust drug development programmes aimed at β‐cell restoration is still hampered by the absence of means to measure β‐cell mass prospectively in vivo, an approach which would provide new opportunities for understanding disease mechanisms and ultimately assigning personalized treatments. In the present review, we describe the progress towards this goal achieved by the Innovative Medicines Initiative in Diabetes, a collaborative public–private consortium supported by the European Commission and by dedicated resources of pharmaceutical companies. We compare several of the available imaging methods and molecular targets and provide suggestions as to the likeliest to lead to tractable approaches. Furthermore, we discuss the simultaneous development of animal models that can be used to measure subtle changes in β‐cell mass, a prerequisite for validating the clinical potential of the different imaging tracers.
Responsiveness of clinical outcome measures in Charcot−Marie−Tooth disease
Authors: Piscosquito G. , Reilly M. M. , Schenone A. , Fabrizi G. M. , Cavallaro T. , Santoro L. , Manganelli F. , Vita G. , Quattrone A. , Padua L. , Gemignani F. , Visioli F. , Laurà M. , Calabrese D. , Hughes R. A. C. , Radice D. , Solari A. , Pareyson D. ,   the CMT‐TRIAAL and CMT‐TRAUK Group
Published: July 2015

Background and purpose

Charcot−Marie−Tooth disease (CMT) is a very slowly progressive neuropathy which makes it difficult to detect disease progression over time and to assess intervention efficacy. Experience from completed clinical trials with ascorbic acid and natural history studies confirm difficulties in detecting such changes. Consequently, sensitive‐to‐change outcome measures (OMs) are urgently needed.

Methods

The relative responsiveness of clinical scales of the Italian−UK ascorbic acid trial (placebo arm) were assessed by using the standardized response mean (SRM), which is the ratio of the paired scores mean change over time to the standard deviation of the score change (0 is worst responsiveness).

Results

Little worsening of OM scores was found over 2 years. In detail, the primary OM of the trial, the CMT Neuropathy Score version 1 (CMTNSv1), showed low responsiveness (SRM 0.13). Some CMTNS items showed slightly greater responsiveness (CMT Examination Score 0.17; CMTNS Signs 0.19). Myometric assessments of handgrip and foot dorsiflexion strength were the most responsive (SRM −0.31 and −0.38, respectively). Amongst the other measures, the nine‐hole peg test, which assesses upper limb functioning, showed the best sensitivity to change (SRM 0.28).

Conclusions

Overall these OMs showed low or negligible responsiveness, confirming the need to improve current OMs and to develop novel ones for prognostic and interventional studies. However, handgrip and foot dorsiflexion myometry are worth retaining for future trials as they were the most responsive and are likely to be clinically relevant for patients.
Psychopathological comorbidities in medication‐overuse headache: a multicentre clinical study
Authors: Sarchielli P. , Corbelli I. , Messina P. , Cupini L. M. , Bernardi G. , Bono G. , Di Piero V. , Petolicchio B. , Livrea P. , Prudenzano M. P. , Pini L. A. , Sandrini G. , Allena M. , Tedeschi G. , Russo A. , Caproni S. , Beghi E. , Calabresi P. ,   the SAMOHA Study Group
Published: July 2015

Background and purpose

In medication‐overuse headache (MOH) patients, the presence of psychopathological disturbances may be a predictor of relapse and poor response to treatment. This multicentre study aimed to assess the occurrence of psychopathological disorders in MOH patients by comparing the incidence of psychopathological disturbances with episodic migraine (EM) patients and healthy controls (HC).

Methods

The psychopathological assessment of patients and HC involved the administrations of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Modified Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M‐MINI), the Yale−Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y‐BOCS) and the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire.

Results

The MOH, EM and HC groups (88, 129 and 102 subjects, respectively) differed significantly from each other for the presence of moderate/severe anxiety, whereas mood disorder and depression were revealed in similar proportions for both MOH and EM patients. By stratifying the M‐MINI questionnaire results according to the number of psychiatric disorders, it was found that MOH patients had a more complex profile of psychiatric comorbidity. Furthermore, clinically relevant obsessive−compulsive disturbances for abused drugs assessed by Y‐BOCS appeared to be more represented in the MOH group, whilst the prevalence of this trait in the EM group was comparable to that of HC (12.5%, 0.8% and 0%, respectively).

Conclusions

Our study indicates the multiple presence of psychopathological comorbidities in patients with MOH. In light of this, it is recommended that the assessment of the psychopathological profile be included in an evaluation of MOH patients, allowing the clinician to more rapidly start an appropriate behavioural treatment, which would greatly improve MOH management.
Correlates of disability related to seizures in persons with epilepsy
Authors: Sajobi Tolulope T. , Jette Nathalie , Fiest Kirsten M. , Patten Scott B. , Engbers Jordan D. T. , Lowerison Mark W. , Wiebe Samuel
Published: July 2015

Objective

Seizure‐related disability is an important contributor to health‐related quality of life in persons with epilepsy. Yet, there is little information on patient‐centered reports of seizure‐related disability, as most studies focus on specific constructs of health‐related disability, rather than epilepsy. We investigated how patients rate their own disability and how these ratings correlate with various clinical and sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

In a prospective cohort of 250 adults with epilepsy consecutively enrolled in the Neurological Disease and Depression Study (NEEDs), we obtained a broad range of clinical and patient‐reported measures, including patients' ratings of seizure‐related disability and epilepsy severity using self‐completed, single‐item, 7‐point response global assessment scales. Spearman's correlation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analyses were used to examine the association between seizure‐related disability scores and clinical and demographic characteristics of persons with epilepsy.

Results

The mean age and duration of epilepsy was 39.8 and 16.7 years, respectively. About 29.5% of the patients reported their seizures as “not at all disabling,” whereas 5.8% of the patients reported them as “extremely disabling.” Age, seizure freedom at 1 year, anxiety, and epilepsy severity were identified as statistically significant predictors of disability scores. The indirect effects of age and seizure freedom, attributable to mediation through epilepsy severity, accounted for 25.0% and 30.3% of the total effects of these determinants on seizure‐related disability, respectively.

Significance

Measuring seizure‐related disability has heuristic value and it has important correlates and mediators that can be targeted for intervention in practice. Addressing modifiable factors associated with disability (e.g., seizure freedom and anxiety) could have a significant impact on decreasing the burden of disability in people with epilepsy.
First evidence of east–west migration across the North Pacific in a marine bird
Authors: Gaston Anthony J. , Hashimoto Yuriko , Wilson Laurie
Published: July 2015

Many marine birds undertake long migrations between breeding and wintering areas, including some species that undertake long‐distance east–west or west–east movements across many degrees of longitude. To date, however, no east–west migrations have been described across the North Pacific. Geolocators were deployed on Ancient Murrelets Synthliboramphus antiquus breeding in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, in 2013 and four were retrieved the following year. Longitude positions showed that all four moved rapidly westwards after breeding, three of them reaching waters between Japan and China by November and this location was also supported by ringing data. Return migration was rapid, beginning in February and reaching Haida Gwaii in March, providing the first evidence for bird migration spanning the entire width of the North Pacific. This is the longest migration recorded in any of the Alcidae.
TESTING MODELS OF DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCTS MARKETS: CONSOLIDATION IN THE CABLE TV INDUSTRY
Authors: Byrne David P.
Published: July 2015

Research on differentiated products markets often uses structural demand/supply models to identify firms' marginal costs as product‐level cost data are unavailable. Using unique demand and cost data from cable TV, I evaluate a differentiated products model's ability to identify marginal costs. I find firms systematically price below profit‐maximizing levels, leading to biases in the model's marginal cost estimates. I study the implications for merger simulations and find that these biases compromise estimates of merger‐related cost efficiencies, yet do not prevent these models from generating useful predictions of the price and nonprice effects of mergers.
TRUST, VALUES, AND FALSE CONSENSUS
Authors: Butler Jeffrey V. , Giuliano Paola , Guiso Luigi
Published: July 2015

Individuals’ beliefs about the trustworthiness of a generic member of the population are both heterogeneous across individuals and persistent across generations. We investigate one mechanism yielding these dual patterns: false consensus. In the context of a trust game experiment, we show that the relationship between behavior and beliefs is consistent with individuals extrapolating their trust beliefs from their own trustworthiness and that this tendency continues even after substantial learning opportunities. We go on to provide evidence suggesting that one's own trustworthiness can be traced back to the values parents transmit to their children during their upbringing.
CONFORMISM AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE
Authors: Hori Takeo , Ikefuji Masako , Mino Kazuo
Published: July 2015

Using a simple, multisector model of endogenous growth, we show that commodity‐specific consumption externalities can be a source of structural change. When the degrees of consumption externalities are different between goods, each sector grows at a different rate. However, the aggregate economy exhibits balanced growth in that capital stock and expenditure grow at the same constant rate. A three‐sector version of our model may reconcile Kaldor's stylized facts with empirically plausible profiles of industrial structure transformation.