bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studying the human oral microbiome: challenges and the evolution of solutions
Authors: Benn AML , Heng NCK , Broadbent JM , Thomson WM
Published: August 2017

Since the pioneering work of van Leeuwenhoek in 1684, subsequently built upon by other renowned microbiologists Robert Koch, Willoughby Miller and GV Black, oral microbiology has developed innovative techniques to study the oral microflora (now termed the ‘oral microbiome’). The advent of molecular techniques such as DNA–DNA hybridization, polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing has created an array of opportunities to construct a comprehensive picture of the diversity and composition of the oral microbiome. Approximately 700 oral bacterial species have been identified, of which 50% have yet to be cultivated, and some of these are known only by their signature DNA sequences. The synergism of ever‐evolving culture‐based and state‐of‐the‐art culture‐independent molecular techniques has facilitated in‐depth understanding of the dynamics, acquisition and transfer of oral bacteria, along with their role in oral and general health and disease. Further research is needed to not only analyse but also to make sense of the ever‐increasing volumes of data which these molecular techniques (especially high‐throughput DNA sequencing) are generating, as well as why particular bacteria are present and what they are ‘actually doing’ there. This review presents a comprehensive literature search of oral microbiology‐related methods currently used to study the oral microbiome.
‘Blowing the whistle’: the ethical, professional and legal implications of raising concerns and self‐regulation within dentistry
Authors: Holden ACL
Published: August 2017

‘Whistle‐blowers’ are a necessary part of any system; dentistry is no different. The role of whistle‐blowers in dentistry has been enshrined in Australian law since 2010. Raising concerns has become a legal duty as well as an ethical and professional obligation. It is important that these different aspects of raising concerns are explored as each adds another layer of consideration to the issue. The health professional's duty to whistle‐blow could be viewed as problematic; the observance of this duty is associated with being ‘trapped between a rock and a hard place’ where any decision to engage or not may have negative consequences. For the obligation of raising concerns to gain acceptability within the dental profession, the concept requires reframing as being necessary for the profession's continued success. The stigma of mandatory reporting needs to be removed to allow this essential process to occur. This article will discuss the ethical, professional and legal imperatives for the dental profession to engage with whistle‐blowing and the likely challenges that are likely to be met in doing so.
Subsequent pregnancy outcome after mid‐trimester termination of pregnancy for preeclampsia
Authors: van Eerden Leonoor , de Groot Christianne J.M. , Zeeman Gerda G. , Page‐Christiaens Godelieve C.M. , Pajkrt Eva , Duvekot Johannes J. , Vandenbussche Frank P. , Oei Swan G. , Scheepers Hubertina C.J. , van Eyck Jim , Middeldorp Johanna M. , Bolte Antoinette C.
Published: August 2017

Background

In this study we determined the outcome of subsequent pregnancies after termination of pregnancy for preeclampsia, with the purpose of presenting data useful for counselling these women on future pregnancies.

Study design

The cohort consisted of 131 women with a history of termination of pregnancy for preeclampsia.

Results

Data of 79 pregnancies were available for analysis, including 13 women with chronic hypertension and 16 women with thrombophilia. There were seven miscarriages (8.8%) and 72 ongoing pregnancies. Low‐dose aspirin was prescribed for 64 women (89%). The mean gestational age at delivery was 356/7 ± 4 weeks with a mean birth weight of 2571 ± 938 g. Overall recurrence rate for preeclampsia was 29% at a mean gestational age of 32 weeks. Thirty‐eight women had an uncomplicated pregnancy (53%). The women with chronic hypertension had the highest recurrence rate of 38%. Neonatal mortality was 4%.

Conclusion

The course of subsequent pregnancies after mid‐trimester termination for preeclampsia is uncomplicated in 53% with a recurrence rate for preeclampsia of 29%. The mean gestational age at delivery was 11 weeks later and birth weight 2000 g higher than in the index pregnancy.
Farmers' perceptions of and responses to environmental change in southwest coastal Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Md Jahangir , Cramb Rob , Alauddin Mohammad , Roth Christian , Crimp Steven
Published: August 2017

Coastal Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to climate change and salinisation; hence, farm‐level adaptation is critically important. Farmers' perceptions of and responses to environmental change were investigated in two villages in Khulna District. Perceived environmental trends included increases in temperature, extreme weather events, soil toxicity, erratic rainfall and scarcity of water for irrigation. Perceptions of climate trends were consistent with measured trends in Khulna. On‐farm adaptation strategies included adjusting planting dates, excavating trenches in rice‐fields, adopting new crops, salinity‐reducing technologies, livestock‐rearing and home‐yard cropping. Non‐farm adaptation strategies included wage employment, short‐term migration and self‐employment. Adaptation was facilitated by income‐earning opportunities, training, and credit, and impeded by lack of access to water, markets, capital, and extension services. Farmers suggested policy support for dissemination of stress‐tolerant cultivars, access to irrigation, and price stabilisation or crop insurance to assist adaptation. While the study shows an impressive degree of awareness and adaptation, external support is needed to increase adaptive capacity.
(Re)assembling foodscapes with the Crowd Grown Feast
Authors: Sharp Emma Louise
Published: August 2017

This paper uses an assemblage framework to examine the Crowd Grown Feast, an “alternative food initiative” that engaged 100 participants in a collective food growing and eating event in Auckland's city centre. Assemblage thinking here derives from the intersecting theoretical and political interests of multiplicity and uncertainty. It offers a generative framework for a feminist ethnography concerned with the transformative potential of actually existing practices. Studying the case of the Crowd Grown Feast within this framework allows us to explore tensions in agrifood scholarship created by the challenge issued to dominant traditions of political economy by recent relational accounts of alternative foods, “food bodies” and affect. I challenge the terms of contemporary debates around food provisioning in this way. The case highlights the multiple relations that animate and constitute conventional categories. It confirms that binary categories such as producer/consumer, urban/rural, conventional/alternative, and good/bad foods are misrepresentative by nature of the blurred boundaries between them, and suggests that they might be better understood as assemblages of emergent relations among multiple subjects and objects. This way of thinking and doing research is much needed in critical food geography as a platform for imagining and practising food differently.
A Pairwise Likelihood Augmented Cox Estimator for Left-truncated Data
Authors: Wu Fan , Kim Sehee , Qin Jing , Saran Rajiv , Li Yi
Published: August 2017

Survival data collected from a prevalent cohort are subject to left truncation and the analysis is challenging. Conditional approaches for left-truncated data could be inefficient as they ignore the information in the marginal likelihood of the truncation times. Length-biased sampling methods may improve the estimation efficiency but only when the underlying truncation time is uniform; otherwise, they may generate biased estimates. We propose a semiparametric method for left-truncated data under the Cox model with no parametric distributional assumption about the truncation times. Our approach is to make inference based on the conditional likelihood augmented with a pairwise likelihood, which eliminates the truncation distribution, yet retains the information about the regression coefficients and the baseline hazard function in the marginal likelihood. An iterative algorithm is provided to solve for the regression coefficients and the baseline hazard function simultaneously. By empirical process and U-process theories, it has been shown that the proposed estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal with a closed-form consistent variance estimator. Simulation studies show substantial efficiency gain of our estimator in both the regression coefficients and the cumulative baseline hazard function over the conditional approach estimator. When the uniform truncation assumption holds, our estimator enjoys smaller biases and efficiency comparable to that of the full maximum likelihood estimator. An application to the analysis of a chronic kidney disease cohort study illustrates the utility of the method.
Understanding tamoxifen adherence in women with breast cancer: A qualitative study
Authors: Moon Zoe , Moss‐Morris Rona , Hunter Myra S. , Hughes Lyndsay D.
Published: August 2017

Objective

Non‐adherence to tamoxifen is common in breast cancer survivors and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to understand womens' experiences of taking tamoxifen and to identify factors which may be associated with non‐adherence.

Design

A qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews.

Methods

Thirty‐two breast cancer survivors who had been prescribed tamoxifen took part in interviews conducted face to face or over the telephone. They were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis with elements of grounded theory.

Results

A key theme identified in the data was weighing up costs and benefits of treatment, which resulted in women falling into three groups; tamoxifen is keeping me alive, tamoxifen is not worth the reduced risk of recurrence, or conflicting beliefs about the harms and benefits of treatment. Additional themes were living with risk of recurrence and information & support.

Conclusions

Women who believed that the necessity of tamoxifen outweighed its costs were more likely to be adherent, whereas women who thought that the benefits did not outweigh the side effects were more likely to have discontinued. A third more ambivalent group believed strongly in the importance of treatment, but were struggling with side effects and were often non‐adherent. Patients sometimes felt unsupported and discussed a need for more comprehensive information. To increase adherence, future research needs to explore ways to increase beliefs around tamoxifen necessity and how to help women cope with side effects.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Non‐adherence to tamoxifen is associated with increased risk of recurrence and mortality.

Up to 50% of patients are non‐adherent to tamoxifen by the fifth year of treatment

Few consistent predictors of tamoxifen non‐adherence have been identified.

What does this study add?

Many women report not knowing how to manage their side effects.

Non‐adherence is related to how women weigh up their side effects against their medication beliefs.

Interventions aiming to increase necessity beliefs and improve symptom management may be effective.
Tumor endothelial cells with high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity show drug resistance
Authors: Hida Kyoko , Maishi Nako , Akiyama Kosuke , Ohmura‐Kakutani Hitomi , Torii Chisaho , Ohga Noritaka , Osawa Takahiro , Kikuchi Hiroshi , Morimoto Hirofumi , Morimoto Masahiro , Shindoh Masanobu , Shinohara Nobuo , Hida Yasuhiro
Published: August 2017

Tumor blood vessels play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. We previously reported that tumor endothelial cells (TEC) exhibit several altered phenotypes compared with normal endothelial cells (NEC). For example, TEC have chromosomal abnormalities and are resistant to several anticancer drugs. Furthermore, TEC contain stem cell‐like populations with high aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity (ALDHhigh TEC). ALDHhigh TEC have proangiogenic properties compared with ALDHlow TEC. However, the association between ALDHhigh TEC and drug resistance remains unclear. In the present study, we found that ALDH mRNA expression and activity were higher in both human and mouse TEC than in NEC. Human NEC:human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) were treated with tumor‐conditioned medium (tumor CM). The ALDHhigh population increased along with upregulation of stem‐related genes such as multidrug resistance 1, CD90, ALP, and Oct‐4. Tumor CM also induced sphere‐forming ability in HMVEC. Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF)‐A in tumor CM was shown to induce ALDH expression in HMVEC. Finally, ALDHhigh TEC were resistant to fluorouracil (5‐FU) in vitro and in vivo. ALDHhigh TEC showed a higher grade of aneuploidy compared with that in ALDHlow TEC. These results suggested that tumor‐secreting factor increases ALDHhigh TEC populations that are resistant to 5‐FU. Therefore, ALDHhigh TEC in tumor blood vessels might be an important target to overcome or prevent drug resistance.
Clear Self, Better Relationships: Adolescents’ Self‐Concept Clarity and Relationship Quality With Parents and Peers Across 5 Years
Authors: Becht Andrik I. , Nelemans Stefanie A. , van Dijk Marloes P. A. , Branje Susan J. T. , Van Lier Pol A. C. , Denissen Jaap J. A. , Meeus Wim H. J.
Published: August 2017

This study examined reciprocal associations between adolescents’ self‐concept clarity (SCC) and their relationship quality with parents and best friends in a five‐wave longitudinal study from age 13 to 18 years. In all, 497 adolescents (57% boys) reported on their SCC and all informants (i.e., adolescents, both parents, and adolescents’ best friends) reported on support and negative interaction. Within‐person cross‐lagged analyses provided systematic evidence for both parent effects and child effects, with the direction of effects being strongly dependent on the relational context. For example, higher maternal support predicted higher adolescent SCC, supporting a parent effects perspective, whereas higher SCC predicted lower paternal negative interaction, supporting a child effects perspective. Peer effects on adolescent SCC were not consistently found across adolescent and best friend reports.
Shark Bites and Shark Conservation: An Analysis of Human Attitudes Following Shark Bite Incidents in Two Locations in Australia
Authors: Pepin‐Neff Christopher , Wynter Thomas
Published: August 2017

This article reports on the first comparative surveys in two separate locations to measure public attitudes toward sharks following shark bite incidents. This study focuses directly on the communities affected by the shark bites, both in Australia—the town of Ballina in the State of New South Wales (N = 500) and the city of Perth in Western Australia (N = 600)—and reports on their attitudes and policy preferences relating to sharks immediately after serious shark bite incidents in 2015 and 2016. In both communities we find that a large majority of respondents prefer nonlethal policies; most respondents believe shark bite incidents to be accidental rather than intentional; while fear of sharks correlates with support for lethal policies, this association is powerfully mediated by perceptions of intentionality. These findings have implications for international wildlife management, particularly regarding predator species in need of conservation. Conservation is based on the public acceptability of a species and if intentionality can mediate fear effects and promote policies that protect the species this is a step forward for conservation management globally.
Relationship of cardiac troponin to systolic global longitudinal strain in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Agarwal Anushree , Yousefzai Rayan , Shetabi Kambiz , Samad Fatima , Aggarwal Saurabh , Cho Chi , Bush Michelle , Jan M. Fuad , Khandheria Bijoy K. , Paterick Timothy E. , Tajik A. Jamil
Published: August 2017

Background

A high proportion of stable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients have elevated serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), but its clinical and echocardiographic determinants are unknown. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and clinical predictors of positive troponin (cTnI+) in a well‐defined population of HCM patients using a highly sensitive assay.

Methods

We retrospectively interrogated medical records of 167 stable HCM patients from 1/2011 to 3/2014. cTnI >0.04 ng/mL was considered positive.

Results

Thirty‐four percent were troponin‐positive (median cTnI was 0.1 [0.07, 0.2] ng/dL). cTnI as a continuous variable correlated positively with maximal left ventricular wall thickness (LVT), maximal interventricular septal thickness, and global longitudinal strain (GLS) (P<.001). Unadjusted OR (95% CI) for positive troponin was 0.5 (0.3–0.9, P=.05) for obstructive HCM, 3.2 (1.7–5.9, P<.0001) for increased LVT, 0.3 (0.2–0.6, P<.0001) for −5% increase in GLS, 0.2 (0.04–0.9, P=.04) for moderate‐to‐severe mitral regurgitation, and 1.9 (0.9–3.9, P=.06) for implantable cardioverter defibrillator history. After adjusting for these variables, only maximum LVT (OR 2.5 [95% CI: 1.1–5.7, P=.02]) and GLS (OR 0.3 [95% CI: 0.2–0.6, P=.001]) were independent predictors. The percentage of patients with a positive cTnI increased from 19% to 24% and 57% across tertiles of LVT (P=.003) and decreased from 54% to 33% and 14% across tertiles of GLS (P<.0001).

Conclusion

In this cohort of HCM patients, the association of reduced GLS and positive troponin was independent of LVT. Further studies are warranted to evaluate whether their combination adds prognostic value in identifying high‐risk patients to define effective and early intervention strategies.
Sex, life history and morphology drive individual variation in flight performance of an insect parasitoid
Authors: FISCHBEIN DEBORAH , VILLACIDE JOSÉ M. , DE LA VEGA GERARDO , CORLEY JUAN C.
Published: August 2017

1. The movement of organisms can be driven by multiple factors and has implications for fitness and the spatial distribution of populations. Insects spend a large proportion of their adult lives foraging by flying for resources; however, their capability and motivation to move can vary across individuals.

2. The aims of this study were to examine interindividual and sex differences in flight performance and flight characteristics, using a flight mill bioassay, in Megarhyssa nortoni (Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae), a parasitoid of the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), one of the most important pests of pine afforestation worldwide. We also assessed the influence of morphological traits in combination with sex on flight and explored the cost of flight on longevity and mass loss.

3. The results show a difference between sexes in flight characteristics and performance. Females show greater total distance flown than males, and have a better capacity to undergo sustained flight. Sexual size dimorphism was also found and it was noted that size positively affects distances travelled. Females have a longer life span than males, yet no differences were noted in longevity within sex between individuals that did not fly and those that flew. Age did not influence flight performance of females or impacted on post‐flight longevity. Females lost less body mass than males even after flying longer distances.

4. These results suggest that sex‐specific behaviours probably govern flight abilities together with (and not only because of) morphological traits. The paper discusses sex‐specific life‐history strategies in parasitoids and their implications for biocontrol programmes.
Metabolic compensation constrains the temperature dependence of gross primary production
Authors: Padfield Daniel , Lowe Chris , Buckling Angus , Ffrench‐Constant Richard ,   Student Research Team, Jennings Simon , Shelley Felicity , Ólafsson Jón S. , Yvon‐Durocher Gabriel
Published: August 2017

Gross primary production (GPP) is the largest flux in the carbon cycle, yet its response to global warming is highly uncertain. The temperature dependence of GPP is directly linked to photosynthetic physiology, but the response of GPP to warming over longer timescales could also be shaped by ecological and evolutionary processes that drive variation in community structure and functional trait distributions. Here, we show that selection on photosynthetic traits within and across taxa dampens the effects of temperature on GPP across a catchment of geothermally heated streams. Autotrophs from cold streams had higher photosynthetic rates and after accounting for differences in biomass among sites, biomass‐specific GPP was independent of temperature in spite of a 20 °C thermal gradient. Our results suggest that temperature compensation of photosynthetic rates constrains the long‐term temperature dependence of GPP, and highlights the importance of considering physiological, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms when predicting how ecosystem‐level processes respond to warming.
Extraction of 22 equine cheek teeth with displaced sagittal fractures using polymethylmethacrylate stabilisation (2011–2016)
Authors: Pearce D. J. , Brown J. A.
Published: August 2017

Displaced sagittal cheek tooth fractures are a cause of oral pain, quidding and apical infection. Intraoral extraction is the preferred technique to remove affected teeth, but can be difficult due to displaced and friable fracture fragments. Stabilising fracture fragments via filling of the fracture space with polymethymethacrylate (PMMA) prior to removal may be a useful method to facilitate intraoral extraction. Case details were examined retrospectively. A total of 22 cheek teeth required extraction in 20 horses because of displaced sagittal fractures. Clinical diagnoses were made using oral examination, oral endoscopy, skull radiography and computed tomography. All procedures were performed in standing, sedated horses in stocks. Fracture spaces were cleaned and packed with PMMA and teeth removed using a routine intraoral extraction technique. Digital photographs of extracted teeth were taken and tooth measurements calibrated using digital image software. Intraoperative difficulties, as well as post‐operative complications were recorded. A total of 21 maxillary and one mandibular cheek teeth were extracted. All maxillary teeth had advanced infundibular caries. Intraoral extraction was successful in 16 cases; six were unsuccessful and required repulsion due to tooth fragmentation or abnormal dental anatomy. In 11 cases, maxillary or conchofrontal sinus trephination was performed to either treat sinusitis, repulse the tooth, or both. Two horses developed short‐term complications following local anaesthesia of the maxillary nerve. The mean ratio of fracture depth to tooth length was 0.59 and mean ratio of fracture width to tooth width 0.53. The limitations of the study are its small sample size, retrospective nature and lack of control group to compare extraction success in PMMA and non‐PMMA groups. It was concluded that using PMMA to stabilise displaced sagittal fractures in equine cheek teeth is a simple, effective method of facilitating intraoral extraction and may reduce the need for more invasive procedures.
Strontium‐90 plesiotherapy in the horse
Authors: Hollis A. R.
Published: August 2017

Strontium‐90 plesiotherapy is a form of very superficial radiotherapy that is most commonly used as part of the management of ocular and periocular squamous cell carcinomas in the horse. Although it can be an extremely effective treatment, with the ability to deliver very high doses of radiation to the tumour without affecting the surrounding tissues, the penetration is only a few millimetres, which limits its use in equine medicine to very specific situations. In addition, the availability of strontium‐90 plesiotherapy is limited to specialist institutions due to the health and safety and security concerns of accessing a high activity sealed source.
Effect of electroslag remelting on the VHCF response of an AISI H13 steel
Authors: Tridello A. , Paolino D.S. , Chiandussi G. , Rossetto M.
Published: August 2017

Experimental results have shown that high‐strength steels can fail in the Very‐High‐Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) regime with cracks originating from internal defects. Material cleanliness thus plays a major role in the VHCF response of high‐strength steels and refinement processes (eg, electroslag remelting [ESR] and vacuum arc remelting) could significantly enhance their performance.

The present paper aims at investigating the effect of the ESR process on the VHCF behavior of an AISI H13 steel by carrying out fully reversed ultrasonic tension‐compression tests on hourglass specimens manufactured with and without the ESR process. Size effect is also taken into account in the paper: the effectiveness in the prediction of the VHCF response of specimens with large risk‐volumes from experimental data on specimens with small risk‐volumes is discussed and experimentally validated.
Lipidomics of the sea sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and implication for biomarker geochemistry
Authors: Gold D. A. , O'Reilly S. S. , Watson J. , Degnan B. M. , Degnan S. M. , Krömer J. O. , Summons R. E.
Published: August 2017

Demosponges are a rich natural source of unusual lipids, some of which are of interest as geochemical biomarkers. Although demosponges are animals, they often host dense communities of microbial symbionts, and it is therefore unclear which lipids can be synthesized by the animal de novo, and which require input from the microbial community. To address this uncertainty, we analyzed the lipids of Amphimdeon queenslandica, the only demosponge with a published genome. We correlated the genetic and lipid repertoires of A. queenslandica to identify which biomarkers could potentially be synthesized and/or modified by the sponge. The fatty acid profile of A. queenslandica is dominated by an unusual Δ5,9 fatty acid (cis‐5,9‐hexacosadienoic acid)—similar to what has been found in other members of the Amphimdeon genus—while the sterol profile is dominated by C27‐C29 derivatives of cholesterol. Based on our analysis of the A. queenslandica genome, we predict that this sponge can synthesize sterols de novo, but it lacks critical genes necessary to synthesize basic saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. However, it does appear to have the genes necessary to modify simpler products into a more complex “algal‐like” assemblage of unsaturated fatty acids. Ultimately, our results provide additional support for the poriferan affinity of 24‐isopropylcholestanes in Neoproterozoic‐age rocks (the “sponge biomarker” hypothesis) and suggest that some algal proxies in the geochemical record could also have animal contributions.
Leap frog in slow motion: Divergent responses of tree species and life stages to climatic warming in Great Basin subalpine forests
Authors: Smithers Brian V. , North Malcolm P. , Millar Constance I. , Latimer Andrew M.
Published: August 2017

In response to climate warming, subalpine treelines are expected to move up in elevation since treelines are generally controlled by growing season temperature. Where treeline is advancing, dispersal differences and early life stage environmental tolerances are likely to affect how species expand their ranges. Species with an establishment advantage will colonize newly available habitat first, potentially excluding species that have slower establishment rates. Using a network of plots across five mountain ranges, we described patterns of upslope elevational range shift for the two dominant Great Basin subalpine species, limber pine and Great Basin bristlecone pine. We found that the Great Basin treeline for these species is expanding upslope with a mean vertical elevation shift of 19.1 m since 1950, which is lower than what we might expect based on temperature increases alone. The largest advances were on limber pine‐dominated granitic soils, on west aspects, and at lower latitudes. Bristlecone pine juveniles establishing above treeline share some environmental associations with bristlecone adults. Limber pine above‐treeline juveniles, in contrast, are prevalent across environmental conditions and share few environmental associations with limber pine adults. Strikingly, limber pine is establishing above treeline throughout the region without regard to site characteristic such as soil type, slope, aspect, or soil texture. Although limber pine is often rare at treeline where it coexists with bristlecone pine, limber pine juveniles dominate above treeline even on calcareous soils that are core bristlecone pine habitat. Limber pine is successfully “leap‐frogging” over bristlecone pine, probably because of its strong dispersal advantage and broader tolerances for establishment. This early‐stage dominance indicates the potential for the species composition of treeline to change in response to climate change. More broadly, it shows how species differences in dispersal and establishment may result in future communities with very different specific composition.
Audit committee cash compensation and propensity of firms to beat earnings by a large margin: Conditional effects of CEO power and agency risks
Authors: Rickling Maria F. , Sharma Divesh S.
Published: August 2017

This study examines the association between cash‐based compensation of directors on the audit committee and the propensity with which firms beat forecasted earnings by a large margin. We also examine how this association is affected by CEO power and three agency risk factors present in the firm, namely size, leverage, and performance. We find that greater cash in the compensation structure is negatively associated with the likelihood of actual earnings beating forecasted earnings by a large margin. In addition, we find that this negative association is modestly weaker in firms managed by a powerful CEO and stronger in firms that are exposed to more agency risks. Findings generally suggest compensation plans comprised predominantly of cash may promote objective financial reporting oversight performed by the audit committee and more specifically when CEOs are less powerful and need for monitoring is heightened. Our results have implications for investors, directors, regulators, governance activists, and future researchers.
Sourcing from Africa: A Systematic Review and a Research Agenda
Authors: Kauppi Katri , Salmi Asta , You Weimu
Published: August 2017

The African continent is rapidly growing its global economic impact and becoming a more attractive sourcing context. However, very little is known about current purchasing practices, successes and challenges on this continent. The authors investigate the specific features that characterize supply management in Africa by conducting a systematic review of the literature on sourcing in and from Africa. Their aim is to help scholars direct their future research efforts. The authors take a thematic approach in their analysis of 57 articles, and identify key findings, research challenges and opportunities. They focus on four areas previously identified as distinguishing the sourcing context in Africa: African culture and ethics; the role of African countries and suppliers in global value chains; an increasing emphasis on sustainability; and the gradual development of professional procurement practices. It is found that research in the area of supply management in the African context is still scattered, with an evident need for more theoretically rich and methodologically rigorous inquiry. The authors propose a structured, theoretically grounded research agenda for each of the themes identified, and make general observations on potential future directions.
Voiding diary: proposal and assessment of a tool
Authors: Nassiff Aline , Mazzo Alessandra , Fumincelli Laís , Biaziolo Cíntia Fernandes Baccarin , Silva Dayane Rosa Alvarenga , Meska Mateus Henrique Gonçalves
Published: August 2017

Can voiding diary be a primary tool to assess urinary symptoms, being accessible and easier to fit into patients' lives and their family or caregiver? The nursing care to neurogenic bladder patients reveals the daily need for standardized patient assessment tools that support the treatment process. The aim of this study is to propose and assess a voiding diary for use with intermittent bladder catheter users and their caregivers. Voiding diary is important tool for patients and their caregivers to use to help both parties understand the functioning of the urinary tract and identify urinary symptoms. Research developed at a Rehabilitation Center of a university hospital. After characterizing the population, the voiding diary was constructed based on the literature review and then subject to expert face and content validation. Each participant received a diary, a graded plastic flask and a data collection instrument, between June and October 2013. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Among the 44 (100.0%) participants, 28 (63.6%) were caregivers and 16 (36.4%) patients. The best assessed items regarding the diary were ‘Importance of the tool,’, ‘Explanation of the orientations’ and ‘Clarity of the Figures.’ The good adherence level to the tool was highlighted, as well as the importance of appropriate orientations before completing the diary.
Colossal permittivity in TiO2 co‐doped by donor Nb and isovalent Zr
Authors: Yang Chao , Wei Xianhua , Hao Jianhua
Published: August 2017

Effect of isovalent Zr dopant on the colossal permittivity (CP) properties was investigated in (Zr + Nb) co‐doped rutile TiO2 ceramics, i.e., Nb0.5%ZrxTi1−xO2. Compared with those of single Nb‐doped TiO2, the CP properties of co‐doped samples showed better frequency‐stability with lower dielectric losses. Especially, a CP up to 6.4 × 104 and a relatively low dielectric loss (0.029) of x = 2% sample were obtained at 1 kHz and room temperature. Moreover, both dielectric permittivity and loss were nearly independent of direct current bias, and measuring temperature from room temperature to around 100°C. Based on X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the formation of oxygen vacancies was suppressed due to the incorporation of Zrions. Furthermore, it induced the enhancement of the conduction activation energy according to the impedance spectroscopy. The results will provide a new routine to achieve a low dielectric loss in the CP materials.
Antialbuminuric effect of eplerenone in comparison to thiazide diuretics in patients with hypertension
Authors: Sawai Toshiki , Dohi Kaoru , Fujimoto Naoki , Okubo Setsuya , Isaka Naoki , Ichikawa Takehiko , Makino Katsutoshi , Okamoto Shinya , Koyabu Sukenari , Kitamura Tetsuya , Ogura Toru , Yamada Tomomi , Tamaru Satoshi , Nishikawa Masakatsu , Nakamura Mashio , Ito Masaaki ,   the OWASE Study Investigators
Published: August 2017

This study investigated the effects and safety of eplerenone or thiazide diuretics in patients with hypertension and albuminuria (pretreatment urinary albumin/creatinine ratio ≥10 mg/gCr) treated with an angiotensin II receptor blocker. The primary end point was the mean percent change in the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio from baseline to 48 weeks. An efficacy analysis was performed in 195 patients (98 in the eplerenone group and 97 in the thiazide group). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures at 48 weeks were similar in the two groups. The mean percent change in the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio from baseline to 48 weeks was similar in the two groups (P=.804). In the safety analysis, the withdrawal rates for adverse events were similar in both groups. The antialbuminuric effects and safety of eplerenone therapy were similar to those of thiazide diuretics when combined with an angiotensin II receptor blocker in patients with hypertension and albuminuria.
Comparison of effects of anagliptin and alogliptin on serum lipid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Kurozumi Akira , Okada Yosuke , Arao Tadashi , Kobayashi Takuya , Masuda Daisaku , Yamashita Shizuya , Tanaka Yoshiya
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Anagliptin (ANA) improves dyslipidemia in addition to blood glucose levels. However, there are no comparative studies on the effects of ANA and other dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors on serum lipid profile. We compared the effects of ANA on serum lipid profile with those of alogliptin (ALO) in type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatients.

Materials and Methods

The study participants were 87 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who had been treated with dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors for ≥8 weeks and had a low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) level of ≥120 mg/dL. Participants were switched to either 200 mg/day ANA or 25 mg/day ALO for 24 weeks.

Results

There was no significant difference in percentage change in LDL‐C level at 24 weeks between the ANA and ALO groups. Treatment with ANA for 12 weeks significantly decreased LDL‐C levels, one of the secondary end‐points. Treatment with ANA for 24 weeks significantly improved apolipoprotein B‐100 levels, and the percentage change in LDL‐C levels at 24 weeks correlated significantly with the percentage change in apolipoprotein B‐100 levels in the ANA group.

Conclusions

The LDL‐C‐lowering effects of ANA and ALO at 24 weeks were almost similar in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the results showed a tendency for a decrease in LDL‐C level at 24 weeks in the ANA group, and that such improvement was mediated, at least in part, through the suppression of apolipoprotein B‐100 synthesis.
The role of β‐blockers in dermatological treatment: a review
Authors: Chen L. , Tsai T.‐F.
Published: August 2017

Many systemic medications have been used off‐label in cutaneous diseases. Use of β‐adrenergic‐blocking agents has risen in popularity among dermatologists since the discovery of their efficacy in treating infantile haemangioma. There has also been an increase in the interest of the applications of β‐blockers in other skin disorders. Overall, β‐blockers are effective in treating diseases of vascular origin and promote wound healing. They are relatively safe and inexpensive medications that could be included in the armamentarium against skin diseases.
Takin' Care of Business Models: The Impact of Business Model Evaluation on Front‐End Success
Authors: Schrauder Stefan , Kock Alexander , Baccarella Christian V. , Voigt Kai‐Ingo
Published: August 2017

In recent years, the discussion about business models has garnered increasing attention in practice and research. It is argued that thinking about business model alternatives supports managers, entrepreneurs, or R&D groups in, for instance, developing technological ideas into successful new businesses. Due to a business model's holistic perspective on ideas, it aims to understand not only what kind of value can be created for customers with a certain project but also how this value can be captured and what the corresponding value architecture looks like. Although existing research argues that technological development and business model development should go hand in hand, a quantitative examination of the actual benefits of business model evaluation in the technology‐driven front end of innovation has yet to be performed. This study relates business model evaluation to dimensions of front‐end success and examines environmental turbulence as a moderating variable. Hypotheses are tested by applying structural equation modeling on a set of 151 R&D groups. Results indicate that the extent of business model evaluation in R&D groups' early innovation phases positively relates to front‐end effectiveness and efficiency. Further findings reveal that environmental turbulence increases the strength of these relationships, indicating the stronger relevance of business model evaluation in more turbulent environments.
Novel MRI and CT compatible stereotactic brain biopsy system in dogs using patient‐specific facemasks
Authors: James M. D. , Bova F. J. , Rajon D. A. , Carrera‐Justiz S. , Clemmons R. M.
Published: August 2017

Objective

The objective of this pilot study was to describe the application and first preliminary data of a novel MRI and CT compatible patient‐specific facemask for stereotactic brain biopsy of intracranial lesions in dogs.

Methods

Five client‐owned dogs presenting for neurological deficits consistent with forebrain disease were included in the study. All dogs had MRI findings consistent with an intracranial lesion. Using images obtained from either MRI or CT, a virtual three‐dimensional model of each dog's face was generated. The contact surface of each dog's face was selected for facemask design and a target point for biopsy was chosen using specialised software and toolkits. A patient‐specific facemask with an attached biopsy port with premeasured and preselected trajectory was then fabricated by a 3D printer. The facemasks were sterilised and used intraoperatively to obtain biopsy samples. Biopsy samples were submitted for both cytological and histopathological evaluation.

Results

The diagnostic yield based on specific histological diagnosis was 80%. The one case in which a histological diagnosis could not be confirmed had a cytological interpretation consistent with meningioma. No major complications were observed during or immediately after brain biopsy and all dogs were discharged from the hospital within 72 hours postprocedure.

Clinical Significance

In conclusion, patient‐specific facemasks appear to be a safe and effective method of brain biopsy in dogs, with minimal complications observed.
The Devil's Advocate approach: An interview technique for assessing consistency among deceptive and truth‐telling pairs of suspects
Authors: Deeb Haneen , Vrij Aldert , Hope Lorraine , Mann Samantha , Leal Sharon , Granhag Pär Anders , Strömwall Leif A.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess statement consistency in pairs of deceptive and truth‐telling suspects when the Devil's Advocate approach is implemented. This approach involves asking suspects an ‘opinion‐eliciting’ question for arguments that support their opinions followed by a ‘devil's advocate’ question to elicit opposing arguments. On the basis of the confirmation bias and impression management literatures, we predicted that truth‐telling pairs would provide more consistent arguments in response to the opinion‐eliciting question than to the devil's advocate question. Deceptive pairs were expected to be equally consistent with each other in response to both questions.

Method

Forty‐nine pairs of participants were matched, based on their strong opinions about a controversial topic, and were asked to either tell the truth or lie about their opinions to an interviewer. Pair members were permitted to prepare for the interview together. Each participant was interviewed individually with the devil's advocate approach.

Results

Prepared truth‐telling pairs were more consistent with each other in response to the opinion‐eliciting question than to the devil's advocate question. However, and as predicted, deceptive pairs were equally consistent with each other in response to both questions.

Conclusions

The Devil's Advocate approach seems to be a promising interview technique for assessing consistency among pairs who hold false opinions and pairs who hold true opinions. It also has implications for the consistency heuristic as consistency is not diagnostic of deception or honesty unless the interview technique is taken into consideration.
A new screening strategy for varices by liver and spleen stiffness measurement (LSSM) in cirrhotic patients: A randomized trial
Authors: Wong Grace L. H. , Kwok Raymond , Hui Aric J. , Tse Yee‐Kit , Ho Kai‐Tin , Lo Angeline O. S. , Lam Kelvin L. Y. , Chan Heyson C. H. , Lui Rashid A. , Au Kenneth H. D. , Chan Henry L. Y. , Wong Vincent W. S.
Published: August 2017

Background

Variceal bleeding is a common and life‐threatening complication in patients with cirrhosis. Screening with upper endoscopy is recommended but is uncomfortable to patients. Non‐invasive assessment with transient elastography for liver/spleen stiffness measurement (LSM and SSM) is accurate in detecting varices.

Aims

To test the hypothesis that a new screening strategy for varices guided by LSM/SSM results (LSSM‐guided) is non‐inferior to universal endoscopic screening in detecting clinically significant varices in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

This was a non‐inferiority, open‐label, randomized controlled trial. Adult patients with known chronic liver diseases, radiological evidence of cirrhosis and compensated liver function. The primary outcome was clinically significant varix diagnosed with upper endoscopy.

Results

Between October 2013 and June 2016, 548 patients were randomized to LSSM arm (n = 274) and conventional arm (n = 274) which formed the intention‐to‐test (ITT) population. Patients in both study arms were predominantly middle‐aged men with viral hepatitis‐related cirrhosis in 85% of the cases. In the ITT analysis, 11/274 participants in the LSSM arm (4.0%) and 16/274 in the conventional arm (5.8%) were found to have clinically significant varices. The difference between two groups was −1.8% (90% CI, −4.9% to −1.2%, P < .001). The absolute difference in the number of patients with clinically significant varices detected was 5/16 (31.3%) fewer in the LSSM arm.

Conclusions

Non‐inferiority of the LSSM‐guided screening strategy to the convention approach cannot be excluded by this RCT. This approach should be further evaluated in a cohort of larger sample size with more clinically significant varices.
Treatment at a high‐volume centre is associated with improved survival among patients with non‐metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Holliday Emma B. , Allen Pamela K. , Elhalawani Hesham , Abdel‐Rahman Omar
Published: August 2017

Background & Aims

The association between case volume and outcomes is well‐documented for several cancer types. However, it is unknown if patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated at high‐volume centres have improved overall survival.

Methods

About 135 442 patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma between 2004‐2014 were identified in the Commission on Cancer's National Cancer Database and 53 795 patients were excluded for metastatic or node‐positive disease. Average annual case volume was calculated as the total number of cases treated per centre from 2004‐2014 and dividing by 10. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed the most significant case number threshold between high‐volume centres and remaining centres. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression analysis to determine factors associated with improved survival. Kaplan‐Meier curves and log‐rank tests were used for overall survival estimates.

Results

A total of 81 647 patients with stage I‐III hepatocellular carcinoma were treated at a total of 1218 centres. The median [range] case volume per year averaged over the 10‐year study period was 48.6 [0.1‐205.5]. High‐volume centres treated >114 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma annually while remaining centre treated ≤114 cases. Median survival for patients treated in high‐volume centres and remaining centres were 31.9 and 16.6 months respectively (Log Rank P < .001). On multivariate analysis, average annual case volume was significantly associated with improved survival.

Conclusions

Receiving treatment at a high‐volume centre is significantly associated with survival for patients with non‐metastatic disease. Improved survival at high‐volume centres may be related to access to a variety of treatment modalities, multidisciplinary evaluation, and/or subspecialty expertise.