bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DrosophilaKruppel homolog 1 represses lipolysis through interaction with dFOXO
Authors: Kang Ping , Chang Kai , Liu Ying , Bouska Mark , Karashchuk Galina , Thakore Rachel , Zheng Wenjing , Post Stephanie , Brent Colin S. , Li Sheng , Tatar Marc , Bai Hua
Published: July 2017

Transcriptional coordination is a vital process contributing to metabolic homeostasis. As one of the key nodes in the metabolic network, the forkhead transcription factor FOXO has been shown to interact with diverse transcription co-factors and integrate signals from multiple pathways to control metabolism, oxidative stress response, and cell cycle. Recently, insulin/FOXO signaling has been implicated in the regulation of insect development via the interaction with insect hormones, such as ecdysone and juvenile hormone. In this study, we identified an interaction between dFOXO and the zinc finger transcription factor Kruppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), one of the key players in juvenile hormone signaling inDrosophila. We found thatKr-h1mutants have reduced triglyceride storage, decreased insulin signaling and delayed larval development. Notably, Kr-h1 physically and genetically interacts with dFOXOin vitroandin vivoto regulate the transcriptional activation of adipose lipasebrummer(bmm). The transcriptional co-regulation by Kr-h1 and dFOXO may represent a broad mechanism by which Kruppel-like factors integrate with insulin signaling to maintain metabolic homeostasis and coordinate organism growth.
Systematic longitudinal survey of invasive Escherichia coli in England demonstrates a stable population structure only transiently disturbed by the emergence of ST131
Authors: Kallonen Teemu , Brodrick Hayley J. , Harris Simon R. , Corander Jukka , Brown Nicholas M. , Martin Veronique , Peacock Sharon J. , Parkhill Julian
Published: July 2017

Escherichia coli associated with urinary tract infections and bacteremia has been intensively investigated, including recent work focusing on the virulent, globally disseminated, multidrug-resistant lineage ST131. To contextualize ST131 within the broader E. coli population associated with disease, we used genomics to analyze a systematic 11-yr hospital-based survey of E. coli associated with bacteremia using isolates collected from across England by the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and from the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Population dynamics analysis of the most successful lineages identified the emergence of ST131 and ST69 and their establishment as two of the five most common lineages along with ST73, ST95, and ST12. The most frequently identified lineage was ST73. Compared to ST131, ST73 was susceptible to most antibiotics, indicating that multidrug resistance was not the dominant reason for prevalence of E. coli lineages in this population. Temporal phylogenetic analysis of the emergence of ST69 and ST131 identified differences in the dynamics of emergence and showed that expansion of ST131 in this population was not driven by sequential emergence of increasingly resistant subclades. We showed that over time, the E. coli population was only transiently disturbed by the introduction of new lineages before a new equilibrium was rapidly achieved. Together, these findings suggest that the frequency of E. coli lineages in invasive disease is driven by negative frequency-dependent selection occurring outside of the hospital, most probably in the commensal niche, and that drug resistance is not a primary determinant of success in this niche.
HIT'nDRIVE: patient-specific multidriver gene prioritization for precision oncology
Authors: Shrestha Raunak , Hodzic Ermin , Sauerwald Thomas , Dao Phuong , Wang Kendric , Yeung Jake , Anderson Shawn , Vandin Fabio , Haffari Gholamreza , Collins Colin C. , Sahinalp S. Cenk
Published: July 2017

Prioritizing molecular alterations that act as drivers of cancer remains a crucial bottleneck in therapeutic development. Here we introduce HIT'nDRIVE, a computational method that integrates genomic and transcriptomic data to identify a set of patient-specific, sequence-altered genes, with sufficient collective influence over dysregulated transcripts. HIT'nDRIVE aims to solve the “random walk facility location” (RWFL) problem in a gene (or protein) interaction network, which differs from the standard facility location problem by its use of an alternative distance measure: “multihitting time,” the expected length of the shortest random walk from any one of the set of sequence-altered genes to an expression-altered target gene. When applied to 2200 tumors from four major cancer types, HIT'nDRIVE revealed many potentially clinically actionable driver genes. We also demonstrated that it is possible to perform accurate phenotype prediction for tumor samples by only using HIT'nDRIVE-seeded driver gene modules from gene interaction networks. In addition, we identified a number of breast cancer subtype-specific driver modules that are associated with patients’ survival outcome. Furthermore, HIT'nDRIVE, when applied to a large panel of pan-cancer cell lines, accurately predicted drug efficacy using the driver genes and their seeded gene modules. Overall, HIT'nDRIVE may help clinicians contextualize massive multiomics data in therapeutic decision making, enabling widespread implementation of precision oncology.
Glass Ceiling and women employees in Asian organizations: a tri-decadal review
Authors: Lathabhavan Remya , Balasubramanian Senthil Arasu
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to review and analyse different glass ceiling studies conducted in different Asian countries during the three decades after the introduction of the metaphor. It also describes the antecedents and the consequences of the glass ceiling.

Design/methodology/approach

The method chosen for the study was a computerised search of available materials using the keywords relating to glass ceiling in Asia and latest reports from international organisations.

Findings

The perception of glass ceiling existence in Asian countries has been sorted out region-wise. Different factors for glass ceiling have been categorised under different theories.

Research limitations/implications

The study includes a multiregional aspect of glass ceiling, which will be useful for further studies in this area. The limitation of the study is that it did not assess the awareness and influence of glass ceiling in each industry.

Practical implications

Since the study showed glass ceiling practices in different countries in Asia, it might help policy makers for making proper decisions for breaking of glass ceiling.

Social implications

The study may be a part of empowering women as it analyses areas of inequality and finds out antecedents.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to shed light on glass ceiling on a multicultural and multiregional aspect.
The impact of within-country and within-firm factors on Japanese foreign subsidiary performance during economic crisis
Authors: Cordeiro Matheus Baldo , Ogasavara Mario Henrique , Masiero Gilmar
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relevant aspects that influence foreign subsidiary’s performance and remain how they retain competitiveness in international markets during economic crisis. To investigate this effect, this research analyzes the behavior of Japanese subsidiaries located in European countries during the pre- and post-crisis periods that started in the USA in 2008 and spread all over the world.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study with an analysis based on longitudinal data of foreign subsidiaries of Japanese multinational firms during the period 2006-2013. It applies a multiple linear regression with panel data using fixed effects models.

Findings

The findings show that within-firm factors related to local experiential knowledge, market entry through joint ventures with partners from the same nationality, and subsidiary management with a team of expatriates all have a positive impact on subsidiary performance during times of economic crisis. Moreover, within-country factors involving macroeconomic aspects related to inflation rate and population income indicators show a negative impact on performance. Finally, the results confirm that subsidiary performance is higher in the pre-crisis period, showing the importance of considering economic crisis aspects in longitudinal studies.

Practical implications

The result has implications for managers of multinational firms to understand which factors most impact the success of their foreign subsidiaries during times of economic crisis. In this way, managers can, with greater confidence, decide to reach the most important performance indicator in subsidiary management.

Originality/value

The majority of studies on economic crisis is based on an economic perspective and mostly investigates Asian and Argentinean crises. When considering a firm-level perspective, most research studies conducted on a subsidiary level are cross-sectional or use survival as a measure of performance. This paper applies a longitudinal study using subsidiary-level data and analyzes performance by sales and productivity measurement. In addition, it investigates whether or not within-country and within-firm factors impacted subsidiary performance during the 2008 economic crisis.
Attitudes toward GM foods, biotechnology R&D investment and lobbying activities among agribusiness firms in the food, feed, chemical and seed industries in China
Authors: Deng Haiyan , Hu Ruifa , Huang Jikun , Pray Carl , Jin Yanhong , Li Zhonghua
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Economic interest groups such as seed, pesticide, feed, and food companies play an important role in supporting or preventing the production of genetically modified (GM) crops. The purpose of this paper is to examine firm managers’ attitudes toward GM technology, biotechnology R&D investment, and political lobbying activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from surveys of 160 managers in the food, feed, chemical, and seed industries in 2013-2014, this paper employed three probit models to examine the determinants of managers’ attitudes, biotechnology R&D investment, and lobbying activities.

Findings

The results show that most Chinese agribusiness managers are concerned about GM foods and oppose its adoption. Nevertheless, one-third of the firms invest in biotechnology R&D and less than 15 percent of managers lobbied the government to change biotechnology policies. The econometric estimation results suggest that profit change expectation is the main factor affecting managers’ attitudes and biotechnology R&D investment decisions, whereas lobbying activities are significantly influenced by their attitudes and biotechnology R&D investment. In addition, managers’ attitudes toward GM foods also significantly influence firms’ decisions to invest in biotechnology R&D.

Originality/value

This paper has improved on previous research in two ways. First, it analyses the determinants of agribusiness firm managers’ attitudes toward GM technology, biotechnology R&D investment, and lobbying activities. Second, the methodology involves an analysis of agribusiness firm survey data in the food, feed, chemical, and seed industries, which is the first time to use such data to research on economic interest group in agricultural biotechnology field.
Effects of regulations and competition on the innovativeness-performance relationship
Authors: Anning-Dorson Thomas , Nyamekye Michael Boadi , Odoom Raphael
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature and the extent of moderation effect of the regulatory regime and competition, on the innovativeness-performance relationship among financial services firms. Based on the absorptive capacity theory, this study argues that firms must gather adequate knowledge from the external environment (specifically on regulatory systems and competitive landscape) to assist in developing competitive innovation strategies, and to realize the needed performance benefits from such strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from the Ghana’s financial services sector with a focus on banking and insurance institutions. Structural equation modeling and regression models were specified to test both the direct effects of variables of interest, and the moderation effects of environmental factors on the independent and dependent variables.

Findings

The results of the study show that both process and product innovativeness enhance financial services firms’ performance. While competition was found to stifle innovativeness, regulatory regime was found to promote innovativeness in financial services. Regulatory regime was also found to positively moderate the relationship between process innovativeness and performance, while competition was found to positively moderate the relationship between product innovativeness and performance.

Research limitations/implications

The firms sampled are from an emerging economy with a growing financial services sector, and as a result, the findings may not apply to contexts with different economic characteristics.

Originality/value

This study asserts that in enhancing innovativeness in the financial services markets, firms must recognize the value of new external information on regulatory regime and competition as key environmental factors. Financial service firms must assimilate, transform, and apply such new knowledge in their innovation efforts in order to improve performance. For firms to fully benefit from their innovation, process innovativeness must be aligned with regulatory systems while product innovation yields best returns in competitive periods.
Identifying the effects of perceived values of mobile banking applications on customers
Authors: Berraies Sarra , Ben Yahia Karim , Hannachi Mariem
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, the authors empirically examine the effect of the perceived values of mobile banking (MB) applications on customers’ e-trust, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty and second, the authors investigate the moderating role of customers’ age in the relationship between perceived value of MB and e-trust.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted on a sample of 361 Tunisian banks’ customers using mobile applications. Structural equation modeling method was performed to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results of this research revealed that quality, price and emotional perceived values’ dimensions of MB applications are predictors of customers’ e-trust. Within this spectrum, age acts as a moderator in these latter relationships. Findings also suggested that e-trust has positive effects on e-satisfaction and e-loyalty.

Practical implications

This paper presented a reading grid for bank marketers allowing them to identify the levers they must focus their efforts on so as to retain the customers using MB applications. It also permits them to identify the needs and values of three generation of customers, namely baby boomers, generation X and generation Y, so that they can offer better services for each group.

Originality/value

This paper sheds light on an innovative and unexplored topic in the literature. The authors broaden understanding of the relationship between the perceived values of MB applications, e-loyalty, e-trust and e-satisfaction. Research devoted to investigate these different links through an integrative model does exist, yet embryonic. This study also highlights differences between three group of customer, namely baby boomers, generation X and generation Y in terms of perceived values that builds their trust in the context of MB applications use.
Consumer initial trust toward internet-only banks in France
Authors: Kaabachi Souheila , Ben Mrad Selima , Petrescu Maria
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate internet-only banks’ (IOBs) adoption by French consumers and attempt to understand the factors that influence consumers’ initial trust in this type of service.

Design/methodology/approach

A non-probability convenience sample of potential IOBs adopters from France was used to test a structural equation model that analyzed the antecedents of initial trust and usage intentions of IOBs.

Findings

The study shows that trust is a major influencer in IOBs’ adoption in France. It has also been found that consumer familiarity with internet banking, high perceived structural assurance, perceived website quality, bank reputation and relative advantage are critical factors influencing IOBs’ initial trust formation.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows the applicability of the initial trust-building model in the context of IOBs and underlines the importance of factors such as familiarity, reputation and perceived quality in the context of online banking services in France.

Practical implications

This paper provides e-banking companies with the most important factors that contribute to build the initial trust of customers. E-banks need to focus on making themselves known and promoting their brand more effectively through advertising and advocacy.

Originality/value

This study contributes significantly to the marketing research related to consumer trust and brand reputation, as well as to the electronic banking literature. The results show the importance of initial trust in the context of services and the main factors that influence it, including a key branding variable such as reputation. The paper also focuses on the IOBs’ adoption in France, a market understudied compared to the USA, and seeks to understand the mechanisms associated with the initial formation of French consumers’ trust toward it.
Profit or utility maximizing? Strategy, tactics and the Municipal Tramways of York, c. 1918-1935
Authors: Tennent Kevin D.
Published: July 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to contest Mees’ (2010) theory that publicly owned public transport operators normatively target their resources to maximize service rather than profit. Mees argues that neoliberal governments in the Anglosphere were mistaken to privatize their undertakings, yet it is shown that the British ethos of municipal trading meant that municipalities always saw public transport as more of a business than a service.

Design/methodology/approach

The author uses an archival microstudy of the municipal tramway undertaking of the English city of York, using municipal archives triangulated with local and industry media sources.

Findings

The paper proposes the refination of the Mees spectrum of public transport from public to private (2010, pp. 73-75) to note that public undertakings can be operated within a profit-maximizing framework.

Originality/value

This paper provides a rare historical explication of an individual municipal trading enterprise and tramway system placed in its economic context together with its wider theoretical implications.
The direct and interactive effects of job insecurity and job embeddedness on unethical pro-organizational behavior
Authors: Ghosh Sumit Kumar
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine both the direct effects and the interactive effects of job insecurity and job embeddedness on unethical pro-organizational behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected, using established scales, from employees of different Indian organizations. In all, 346 responses were collected. The data were analyzed using a stepwise multiple regression technique.

Findings

The results of the analysis reveal that both job insecurity and job embeddedness are positively linked to unethical pro-organizational behavior. Further, the relationship between job insecurity and unethical pro-organizational behavior is moderated by job embeddedness.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s results indicate that managers should be aware that employees who run the risk of losing their jobs might be inclined to perform pro-organizational behavior that could be unethical. Intrinsically, such acts could be detrimental to the organization’s long-term health and therefore managers should be vigilant and timely in discouraging this behavior.

Originality/value

Unethical pro-organizational behavior as a means used by employees to combat job insecurity has not previously been addressed by researchers. Thus, this study contributes to the literature through its empirical examination of the role of job insecurity and job embeddedness as factors influencing unethical pro-organizational behavior.
Understanding citizenship behavior of academics in American- vs Continental European-modeled universities in Turkey
Authors: Inelmen Kivanc , Selekler-Goksen Nisan , Yildirim-Öktem Özlem
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of university tradition, justice perceptions and quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) on the faculty members’ tendency to engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) from the perspective of social exchange theory (SET). Attention is drawn to the need to contextualize the established relationships between OCB and its antecedents, as direction and strength of relationships may vary in different contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a sequential mixed method design comprising a survey of 203 faculty members, and 15 semi-structured interviews both undertaken in several universities in Turkey. Hierarchical regression and discriminant analyses were used for the quantitative phase, followed by the qualitative phase that includes compiled quotes and content analysis.

Findings

Analyses provide strong support for the impacts of university tradition and LMX on OCB. The compiled quotes largely support the quantitative findings. Additionally, content analysis reveals sources and consequences of injustice and mechanisms to cope with it among academics.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for university administrators who are looking for ways to increase OCB and enhance justice perception. LMX emerges as a significant factor in encouraging OCB regardless of university tradition. In order to enhance justice perceptions, Continental European-modeled universities should allocate workload and resources in a fair manner, while American-modeled universities should apply procedures consistently across people and time.

Originality/value

The inclusion of university tradition as an independent variable is a contribution as it contextualizes the relationship between OCB and its antecedents, verifying SET for both contexts. Using a mixed method design, the study provides an enriched understanding of OCB.
Means vs ends: theorizing a definition of human resource development
Authors: Wang Greg G. , Werner Jon M. , Sun Judy Y. , Gilley Ann , Gilley Jerry W.
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extant human resource development (HRD) definition research literature and theorizes a new definition of HRD.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted keyword and content analyses to examine selected 32 HRD definitions in relation to different organizational and sociopolitical contexts base on theory development criteria and methodology for definition research.

Findings

From a theoretical perspective, the extant definitions were mostly empirical descriptions of HRD practice with conceptualization being absent. From a context perspective, the definitions were based on HRD phenomena indigenous to the western world, especially the USA and Western Europe. They can hardly explain HRD phenomena in a non-western context. The glaring gaps lead to theorizing a new definition by focusing on the hard core of HRD in defining and criterial attributes. The defining attribute of HRD is its host-system-dependence, and the criterial attributes are its shaping and skilling mechanisms.

Research limitations/implications

This study unveils that HRD is a means to support the ends defined by the corresponding host system, and not an end in itself. This definition is applicable to different sociopolitical, cultural, and organizational contexts. It provides clear criteria and boundaries to gauge the relevance of HRD research and shows the unique identity of HRD, thus offering new directions to expand the landscape of HRD research.

Practical implications

The new definition can help human resources practitioners better understand the role and mechanism of HRD that the worldwide practitioners can resonate in various sociocultural and political contexts. Communicating the definition and goals of HRD will enhance internal clients’ understanding and appreciation of the value of HRD.

Originality/value

This study fills important research gaps in HRD definition research. It is the first HRD definition derived through a rigorous theory development process. The new definition connects the HRD research niche to the general human resource literature and lead to new HRD research.
Coping with blackouts: A practice theory approach to household preparedness
Authors: Heidenstrøm Nina , Kvarnlöf Linda
Published: July 2017

The article focuses on how rural households cope with blackouts caused by winter storms. We approach household preparedness using a practice theory perspective, and argue that preparedness is mundanely preformed as part of everyday practices. The data material consists of at home visits to 14 households from Norway and Sweden. The results demonstrate that households cope with blackouts by activating and mobilising competences, meanings and materials belonging to different practices, and that this is an ongoing process to ensure the continuation of everyday life during disruption. The article concludes by arguing for the need to bring forward studies on informal preparedness activities, in a research field where household preparedness tends to be framed using a top‐down perspective on crisis management.
Impact of Crude Oil Quality on the Refining Conditions and Composition of Nutraceuticals in Refined Palm Oil
Authors: Sampaio Klicia A. , Ayala Jose Vila , Van Hoed Vera , Monteiro Simone , Ceriani Roberta , Verhé Roland , Meirelles Antonio J. A.
Published: July 2017

Palm oil is the major vegetable oil used worldwide due to its unique properties. The effect of crude palm oil acidity on the final free fatty acids (FFA) content, neutral oil loss (NOL), and nutraceutical compounds, such as carotenes, total tocols (tocopherols and tocotrienols), squalene, and phytosterols was investigated. A central composite design was employed to study the influence of the refining conditions: temperature (200 to 260 °C), steam percentage (0.5% to 3.5%), and initial FFA content (2.2% to 6.0%) on the quality of the refined product. The results revealed that initial palm oil acidity is a statistically important parameter to obtain commercially acceptable values for final FFA content. The increase of temperature presented the most important effect on the reduction of all nutraceutical compounds. The highest tocopherols (88%), phytosterols (98%), and squalene retention (84%) was obtained when applying the mildest temperature (200 °C). From the experimental results, 3 equations were generated enabling the prediction of the free fatty acids content, the tocols content, and the losses of neutral oil. Therefore, this work contributes to the understanding and optimization of the process for the production of palm oil with high nutraceutical quality and low free fatty acid contents.
Testing for spatial market integration: evidence for Colombia using a pairwise approach
Authors: Iregui Ana María , Otero Jesús
Published: July 2017

We examine the extent of spatial market integration in Colombia using consumer price index data for 153 consumer goods in 13 cities. An econometric analysis of the time‐series properties of all the possible city price differentials reveals that market integration tends to occur more frequently in unprocessed food products, as opposed to processed foods, other traded and nontraded products. The results also support the view that, except for nontraded products, the speed at which prices adjust to the long‐run equilibrium is slower for cities that are farther apart.
Commodity price bubbles and macroeconomics: evidence from the Chinese agricultural markets
Authors: Li Jian , Chavas Jean‐Paul , Etienne Xiaoli L. , Li Chongguang
Published: July 2017

This article investigates the links between commodity price bubbles and macroeconomic factors, with an application to the agricultural commodity markets in China from 2006 to 2014. Price bubbles are identified using a newly developed, recursive right‐tailed unit root test. A Zero‐inflated Poisson model is used to analyze the factors contributing to bubbles. Results show that (a) there were speculative bubbles in most Chinese agricultural commodity futures markets during the sample period, though their presence was infrequent; (b) economic growth, money supply, and inflation have positive effects on bubble occurrences, while interest rates have a negative effect; and (c) among all macroeconomic factors considered, economic growth and money supply have the greatest impact in triggering bubbles. Our findings shed new light on the nature and formation of bubbles in the Chinese agricultural commodity markets.
Asthma in the elderly and late‐onset adult asthma
Authors: Dunn R. M. , Busse P. J. , Wechsler M. E.
Published: July 2017

Elderly asthmatics are at a higher risk for morbidity and mortality from their asthma than younger patients. There are important age‐related physiologic and immunologic changes that complicate the presentation, diagnosis, and management of asthma in the aged population. Evidence suggests that elderly asthmatics are more likely to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. Additionally, elderly patients with asthma have highest rates of morbidity and mortality from their disease than younger patients. The underlying airway inflammation of asthma in this age group likely differs from younger patients and is felt to be non‐type 2 mediated. While elderly patients are underrepresented in clinical trials, subgroup analysis of large clinical trials suggests they may be less likely to respond to traditional asthma therapies (ie, corticosteroids). As the armamentarium of pharmacologic asthma therapies expands, it will be critical to include elderly asthmatics in large clinical trials so that therapy may be better tailored to this at‐risk and growing population.
Prognosis‐Based Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty After Resection of Proximal Humeral Malignancy
Authors: Chen Chao‐Ming , Wu Po‐Kuei , Tsai Shang‐Wen , Chen Cheng‐Fong , Chen Wei‐Ming
Published: July 2017

After wide excision of proximal humeral bony malignancy, prognosis‐based reconstruction was performed at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Bone prosthesis composite (BPC) was carried out among patients with a favored prognosis, while cement‐spacer prosthesis composite (CSPC) was preserved for patients with poor prognosis. The aim of our study is to compare the clinical outcomes between the BPC and CSPC reconstruction procedures. From January 2000 to December 2014, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of 34 patients who underwent shoulder hemiarthroplasty following wide excision of a malignant lesion of the proximal humerus, 15 of whom were treated with a BPC reconstruction and 19 cases were treated with a CSPC reconstruction. The mean postoperative follow‐up was 51.9 months for the BPC group and 29.0 months for the CSPC group. At the end of the study, four patients (two in the BPC group and two in the CSPC group) developed local recurrence. Thirteen patients (1 in the BPC group and 12 in the CSPC group) had died of disease progression. The postoperative visual analogue scale score of BPC and CSPC groups was similar (P = 0.262). Functional outcome, measured using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score and shoulder range of motion, favored the BPC procedure (P < 0.001). The CSPC procedure, however, had less complication rate, required less operative time, and had a lower volume of intraoperative blood loss than the BPC procedure (P < 0.001). Although functional outcomes are expected to be more favorable with a BPC procedure, the CSPC procedure continues to be a safe and cost‐effective shoulder hemiarthroplasty procedure for patients with low‐demanding activities and when a poor disease prognosis is expected.
Mechanisms Involved in Hypersensitivity Reactions to Polysulfone Hemodialysis Membranes
Authors: Rodríguez‐Sanz Aranzazu , Sánchez‐Villanueva Rafael , Domínguez‐Ortega Javier , Fiandor Ana‐María , Ruiz María‐Paz , Trocoli Filomena , Díaz‐Tejeiro Rafael , Cadenillas Carlos , González Elena , Martínez Virginia , López‐Trascasa Margarita , Quirce Santiago , Selgas Rafael , Bellón Teresa
Published: July 2017

Several cases of patients with anaphylactic or systemic hypersensitivity reactions to polysulfone (PS) hemodialysis (HD) membranes and tolerance to cellulose triacetate (CTA) membranes have recently been reported. To investigate the mechanisms involved in PS hypersensitivity, basophil, T cell, and complement activation were analyzed in acute‐phase samples from two patients with systemic reactions to PS‐based membranes. Basophil and T cell activation, as well as higher serum tryptase levels were detected in acute‐phase samples compared with basal levels. Complement levels (C3 and C4) were decreased in acute‐phase samples from PS‐allergic patients to a higher extent than in samples from control donors taken at the same time points, indicating complement activation during the acute reactions. An experimental external circuit was established on pediatric membranes after rinsing with low or high priming volumes of saline solution, to analyze basophils, T cells, and complement activation in blood samples from 10 PS‐allergic and 8 nonallergic HD patients upon contact with PS‐based or CTA membranes. Predialysis and postdialysis samples were collected. Basophils from PS‐allergic patients exhibited increased degranulation, and T cells showed significantly increased activation after contact with PS‐based membranes primed with low volumes of saline. No activation was detected in leukocytes from nonallergic patients under the same experimental conditions. Membrane priming with high volumes of saline abrogated activation of basophils and T cells. However, basophils from allergic donors showed significantly higher responses to Fcεc stimulation after contact with PS membranes. Basophil degranulation and elevated serum tryptase levels in allergic patients during acute reactions support the systemic activation of mast cells and basophils during hypersensitivity reactions to PS‐based membranes. A leachable component of the membranes might be responsible for cell activation in some patients.
The membrane‐type estrogen receptor G‐protein‐coupled estrogen receptor suppresses lipopolysaccharide‐induced interleukin 6 via inhibition of nuclear factor‐kappa B pathway in murine macrophage cells
Authors: Okamoto Mariko , Suzuki Takuto , Mizukami Yoichi , Ikeda Teruo
Published: July 2017

The female sex hormone estrogen exerts anti‐inflammatory effects. The G‐protein‐coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been recently identified as a novel membrane‐type estrogen receptor that can mediate non‐genomic estrogenic effects on many cell types. We previously demonstrated that GPER inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha‐induced expression of interleukin 6 (IL‐6) through repression of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) promoter activity using human breast cancer cells. Although several reports have indicated that GPER suppresses Toll‐like receptor‐induced inflammatory cytokine expression in macrophages, the molecular mechanisms of the inhibition of cytokine production via GPER remain poorly understood. In the present study, we examined GPER‐mediated inhibition of IL‐6 expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in a mouse macrophage cell line. We found that the GPER agonist G‐1 inhibited LPS‐induced IL‐6 expression in macrophage cells, and this inhibition was due to the repression of NF‐κB promoter activity by GPER. G‐1 treatment also decreased the phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB kinases. Among the mitogen‐activated protein kinases, the phosphorylation of c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) was increased by G‐1. These findings delineate the novel mechanism of the inhibition of LPS‐induced IL‐6 through GPER‐activated JNK‐mediated negative regulation of the NF‐κB pathway in murine macrophage cells, which links anti‐inflammatory effects to estrogen.
Dietary rice improves growth performance, mucosal enzyme activities and plasma urea nitrogen in weaning piglets
Authors: Yagami Kazuki , Takada Ryozo
Published: July 2017

In this study, we evaluated the nutritional functions of rice for weaning piglets. Sixteen weaning piglets with an average initial weight of 7.2 kg were divided into two groups. One group was fed a corn‐soybean meal based diet, and the other was fed a rice‐soybean meal based diet, containing 50% corn and rice, respectively. A 2 weeks growth trial was conducted and growth performance, intestinal mucosal enzyme activities and plasma urea nitrogen were measured. The average daily gain in rice‐fed piglets was significantly higher than that in corn‐fed piglets and the average daily feed intake tended to be higher in rice‐fed piglets than in corn‐fed piglets. Maltase and aminopeptidase activities (mol/g tissue) in the jejunum in rice‐fed piglets were significantly higher than those in corn‐fed piglets, although these enzyme activities were not different in the duodenum. Sucrase and dipeptidyl peptidase IV activities in the two groups were not different in either the duodenum or jejunum. Although the feed (nitrogen) intake was higher in rice‐fed piglets, the plasma urea nitrogen in rice‐fed piglets was significantly lower (P = 0.006) than that in corn‐fed piglets. These results indicate that rice is a good alternative feedstuff for the diet of weaning piglets.
Choir singing and creative writing enhance emotion regulation in adults with chronic mental health conditions
Authors: Dingle Genevieve A. , Williams Elyse , Jetten Jolanda , Welch Jonathon
Published: July 2017

Objectives

Adults with mental health conditions commonly experience difficulties with emotion regulation which affect their social functioning. Arts‐based groups provide opportunities for shared emotional experiences and emotion regulation. This study explores emotion regulation strategies and the emotional effects of arts‐based group participation in adults with mental health problems and in controls.

Design and method

The 62 participants included 39 adults with chronic mental health problems who were members of arts‐based groups (ABG) and 23 comparison choir (CC) members who were not specifically experiencing mental health problems. The repeated measures design included self‐reports of emotion upon waking (T1), the hour before group (T2), end of the group (T3), and evening (T4), as well as participant notes to explain their emotion ratings at each time. They also completed measures of individual and interpersonal emotion regulation.

Results

The ABG participants engaged marginally more in affect worsening strategies than CC (p = .057 and .08), but there were no other group differences. All participants reported a significant increase in positive emotions, F (3, 180) = 28.044, p < .001,  = .319; and a decrease in negative emotions during the arts‐based activity: F (2.637, 155.597) = 21.09, p < .001,  = .263. The influence on positive emotions was short‐lived, while the effect on negative emotions lasted until evening.

Conclusion

Findings show that participation in arts‐based groups benefits the emotions of both healthy adults and those experiencing mental health conditions through individual and interpersonal processes.

Practitioner points

Individuals with chronic mental health conditions often experience difficulties in emotion processing

Participation in arts‐based groups was associated with significant increases in positive emotions although these were short‐lived

Negative emotion was significantly decreased during arts‐based group activities, and sustained to the evening assessment

Adults with chronic mental health conditions were equally able to derive emotional benefits as healthy adults
Facial expression coding in children and adolescents with autism: Reduced adaptability but intact norm‐based coding
Authors: Rhodes Gillian , Burton Nichola , Jeffery Linda , Read Ainsley , Taylor Libby , Ewing Louise
Published: July 2017

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can have difficulty recognizing emotional expressions. Here, we asked whether the underlying perceptual coding of expression is disrupted. Typical individuals code expression relative to a perceptual (average) norm that is continuously updated by experience. This adaptability of face‐coding mechanisms has been linked to performance on various face tasks. We used an adaptation aftereffect paradigm to characterize expression coding in children and adolescents with autism. We asked whether face expression coding is less adaptable in autism and whether there is any fundamental disruption of norm‐based coding. If expression coding is norm‐based, then the face aftereffects should increase with adaptor expression strength (distance from the average expression). We observed this pattern in both autistic and typically developing participants, suggesting that norm‐based coding is fundamentally intact in autism. Critically, however, expression aftereffects were reduced in the autism group, indicating that expression‐coding mechanisms are less readily tuned by experience. Reduced adaptability has also been reported for coding of face identity and gaze direction. Thus, there appears to be a pervasive lack of adaptability in face‐coding mechanisms in autism, which could contribute to face processing and broader social difficulties in the disorder.
Investigating the origins of political views: biases in explanation predict conservative attitudes in children and adults
Authors: Hussak Larisa J. , Cimpian Andrei
Published: July 2017

We tested the hypothesis that political attitudes are influenced by an information‐processing factor – namely, a bias in the content of everyday explanations. Because many societal phenomena are enormously complex, people's understanding of them often relies on heuristic shortcuts. For instance, when generating explanations for such phenomena (e.g., why does this group have low status?), people often rely on facts that they can retrieve easily from memory – facts that are skewed toward inherent or intrinsic features (e.g., this group is unintelligent). We hypothesized that this bias in the content of heuristic explanations leads to a tendency to (1) view socioeconomic stratification as acceptable and (2) prefer current societal arrangements to alternative ones, two hallmarks of conservative ideology. Moreover, since the inherence bias in explanation is present across development, we expected it to shape children's proto‐political judgments as well. Three studies with adults and 4‐ to 8‐year‐old children (N = 784) provided support for these predictions: Not only did individual differences in reliance on inherent explanations uniquely predict endorsement of conservative views (particularly the stratification‐supporting component; Study 1), but manipulations of this explanatory bias also had downstream consequences for political attitudes in both children and adults (Studies 2 and 3). This work contributes to our understanding of the origins of political attitudes.
Left ventricular mechanics are affected in children with celiac disease: A study based on two‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography
Authors: Deveci Murat , Uncuoğlu Aydoğan Ayşen , Altun Gürkan , Kayabey Özlem , Tuğral Okan , Babaoğlu Kadir
Published: July 2017

Background

An association between cardiomyopathy and celiac disease has been reported, but not frequently. We examined the effects on cardiac mechanics in children with celiac disease (CD) by two‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE).

Methods

Eighty‐one children with CD were compared with a control group comprising 51 healthy children by echocardiographic examination. Children with CD who had been on gluten‐free diet for more than 6 months were divided into two different groups: group 1 was positive for serum antitissue transglutaminase antibody (n=48), and group 2 was negative for serum antitissue transglutaminase antibody (n=33). Cardiac functions were evaluated in all children using conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and 2DSTE methods.

Results

For children with CD, the mean age and male:female ratio were 10.1±4.0 years and 26/55 (67% female), respectively, which did not differ from the controls. Patients were diagnosed at a mean age of 7.9±4.1 years, and the mean follow‐up time was 2.37±2.98 years. Conventional echocardiography and TDI measurements did not differ between groups. The left ventricular longitudinal and radial strains, and strain rate values were significantly lower in patients with CD, particularly in those with positive antitissue transglutaminase antibody compared with the control group.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that 2DSTE is superior to conventional and TDI echocardiography for evaluating subclinical carditis in children with CD.
Hepatic CXCL16 is increased in gallstone accompanied with liver injury
Authors: Zhang Saisai , Zhang Wei , Shi Lihua , Xie Anqi , Shao Yihui , Ye Yanna , Pan Xuebo , Lin Zhuofeng , Li Xiaokun , Zhang Yi
Published: July 2017

Background and Aims

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between circulating soluble C‐X‐C chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) levels and clinical characteristics of gallstone.

Methods

93 subjects including 53 subjects with gallstone, 25 subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and 40 control subjects were recruited. All gallstone subjects underwent ultrasounds to confirm the gallstone patients. Serum CXCL16 levels and other clinical and biochemical parameters in all subjects were obtained based on standard clinical examination methods. Liver tissues from patients with gallstone undergoing cholecystotomy and healthy subjects were also used to determine the hepatic CXCL16 profiles by IHC staining and real‐time quantitative PCR.

Results

Serum CXCL16 levels were significantly increased in patients with gallstone and NAFLD as compared to healthy controls (P < 0·001). Hepatic CXCL16 mRNA and protein levels were also significantly increased in gallstone patients following with elevation of hepatic triglycerides and free fatty acid concentration, as compared to those in healthy subjects (P < 0·001). Otherwise, serum CXCL16 levels positively correlated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and direct bilirubin (P < 0·05), but negatively with total protein and albumin after adjustment with age and gender. Multiple stepwise regression analyses indicated that CXCL16 was independently associated with AST, NAFLD and albumin (P < 0·05, respectively).

Conclusions

Serum CXCL16 levels are significantly increased in patients with gallstone, and are independently associated with liver injury in Chinese population, suggesting that CXCL16 may be a biomarker of liver injury in subjects with gallstone or NAFLD.