bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficiency and opportunism in auditor quality choice in emerging audit services markets
Authors: Waresul Karim AKM , van Zijl Tony
Published: July 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test the relative strengths of efficiency and opportunistic considerations in making client auditor choice decisions in an emerging audit services market. The authors examine whether the degrees of foreign and institutional shareholdings, audit complexity, industry orientation (i.e. whether the firm belongs to the banking sector), ownership concentration in the hands of domestic sponsor shareholders, state ownership, power concentration in the hands of a CEO who is also the chairperson of the board, and audit risk affect the demand for superior monitoring by Big‐4 auditors.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors carry out a multivariate analysis using binary logit regression technique. They test whether efficiency or opportunism rules auditor choice of firms in their sample. Efficiency‐based variables used in the authors' models include foreign shareholding by a multinational parent, institutional shareholding, audit complexity and whether the firm belongs to the banking sector. Opportunism‐based variables include ownership concentration in the hands of domestic sponsor shareholders other than government, government shareholding, power concentration in the hands of a CEO who holds the position of chair as well, and audit risk.

Findings

The authors find that opportunistic considerations outweigh efficiency considerations in shaping auditor choice decisions in their sample. Two out of four efficiency arguments (foreign shareholdings in the hands of a multinational parent and institutional shareholding) support efficiency as the main driver of auditor choice while one (client belonging to the banking sector) indicates otherwise. On the other hand, three out of four opportunism arguments (government shareholding, CEO‐chair duality and audit risk) document opportunistic considerations to be the main forces behind auditor choice. The influence of foreign shareholding becomes apparent only when the foreign shareholder is the controlling shareholder.

Originality/value

This paper is the first of its kind to address auditor choice in an emerging market context. No other paper looked at auditor choice using efficiency‐opportunism incentives. The paper contributes to our understanding of auditor choice dynamics in emerging markets. The finding that institutional shareholding is associated with choice of high quality auditors is encouraging. Individual small investors can use institutional investors as a shield to protect their investment through the higher quality auditing linked to the presence of institutional investors.
A dark tourist spectrum
Authors: Raine Rachael
Published: July 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of dark tourists through an investigation of people's motivations to visit burial grounds. This research extends Stone's Dark Tourism Spectrum and Seven Dark Suppliers framework by identifying nine types of dark tourists.

Design/methodology/approach

A comparative case study approach was selected where 23 interviews were conducted at three burial grounds. Interview transcripts were analysed in order to identify emerging themes in motives and experiences of dark tourism consumers. The sites selected were Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, London, St Mary's Graveyard, Whitby, and Weaste Cemetery, Salford.

Findings

From this research a Dark Tourist Spectrum has been formulated which presents a typology of the dark tourist. The spectrum identifies different categories of visitors identified at the burial grounds, ranging from “darkest” to “lightest” tourists.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the research regard time and resource constraints. This affected the sample size of participants for interview and the selection of sites as case studies.

Originality/value

This study begins to fill the gap in research on people's motivations to visit sites that lie within the mid‐shades of Stone's Dark Tourism Spectrum, specifically burial grounds. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of dark tourism consumption with a new model presented in the form of a Dark Tourist Spectrum.
An experimental investigation of learning effects in order picking systems
Authors: Grosse Eric H. , Glock Christoph H.
Published: July 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the prevalence of human learning in the order picking process in an experimental study. Further, it aims to compare alternative learning curves from the literature and to assess which learning curves are most suitable to describe learning in order picking.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental study was conducted at a manufacturer of household products. Empirical data was collected in the order picking process, and six learning curves were fitted to the data in a regression analysis.

Findings

It is shown that learning occurs in order picking, and that the learning curves of Wright, De Jong and Dar‐El et al. and the three‐parameter hyperbolic model are suitable to approximate the learning effect. The Stanford B model and the time constant model led to unrealistic results.

Practical implications

The results imply that human learning should be considered in planning the order picking process, for example in designing the layout of the warehouse or in setting up work schedules.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to study learning effects in order picking systems, and one of the few papers that use empirical data from an industrial application to study learning effects.
An instrument to measure factors of strategic manufacturing effectiveness based on Hayes and Wheelwright's model
Authors: Jain Bhurchand , Adil Gajendra K. , Ananthakumar Usha
Published: July 2013

Purpose

The four stage model of Hayes and Wheelwright (H‐W) describing the strategic role of manufacturing function is widely accepted in the literature. However, there is little research that has examined the underlying factors of the H‐W model. This paper aims to fill this research gap by developing an instrument for measuring factors of strategic manufacturing effectiveness of a company based on the H‐W model.

Design/methodology/approach

The general principle of designing an instrument is followed in this paper. Attributes of strategic manufacturing effectiveness are identified from critical analysis of the original text of Wheelwright and Hayes, and Chase and Hayes. Then these attributes are grouped into four factors: catalysts of manufacturing initiatives; proactiveness of manufacturing function; attitude of top management towards manufacturing; and nature of manufacturing initiatives. Question for each attribute along continuum of four stages in the H‐W model is developed. The reliability and validity of the instrument are assessed through responses obtained from managers of 28 manufacturing units.

Findings

The empirical evidence supports that the proposed instrument has quite good reliability (Cronbach's α for different factors in the range of 0.575 to 0.705) and validity (multiple correlation coefficient between factors and manufacturing performance of 0.801).

Practical implications

This instrument can be used to position the companies along the continuum of four stages. Also, this can help managers assess the strengths and weaknesses in manufacturing for making the improvements.

Originality/value

This study is one of its kind which focuses on the development of an instrument to assess the strategic role of manufacturing based on the H‐W model.
Time to care: a patient‐centered quality improvement strategy
Authors: Brunoro‐Kadash Cheryl , Kadash Nick
Published: July 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the processes and results of implementing and evaluating the Releasing Time to Care™ (RTC™) model in a 45‐bed Neurosciences unit in a tertiary care hospital in Saskatchewan province of western Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

Organizational restructuring in healthcare systems has impacted the ability of clinical registered nurses (CRNs) in participation and in influencing the decision making that affect the delivery and outcomes of patient‐centered care. At the same time, CRNs' work has intensified because of increases in patient acuity, technological advances, complexity of care provided to patient families and communities, in addition to the intensifying demands put on by an aging population and dwindling resources. The work reported in this paper shows that significant improvements have been made based on the current needs and the change is forever imminent. Establishing solid people connections and networking opportunities proved valuable for current and future exchange of information and knowledge translation.

Findings

Model implementation resulted in positive narrative and empirical data including: improved patient safety, staff engagement, leadership opportunities and an affirmative shift in organizational culture. Improved patient safety was evidenced by a reduction in falls and decreased medication errors.

Originality/value

The paper focuses on including the clinical nurse in organizational and system change towards improving patient‐centered quality care. Neurosciences 6300 at Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon, was viewed as an RTC™ champion and one of the first to implement and complete the 11‐module toolkit.
Dynamic species distribution models from categorical survey data
Authors: Mieszkowska Nova , Milligan Gregg , Burrows Michael T. , Freckleton Rob , Spencer Matthew
Published: July 2013

Species distribution models are static models for the distribution of a species, based on Hutchinson's niche concept. They make probabilistic predictions about the distribution of a species, but do not have a temporal interpretation. In contrast, density‐structured models based on categorical abundance data make it possible to incorporate population dynamics into species distribution modelling.

Using dynamic species distribution models, temporal aspects of a species' distribution can be investigated, including the predictability of future abundance categories and the expected persistence times of local populations, and how these may respond to environmental or anthropogenic drivers.

We built density‐structured models for two intertidal marine invertebrates, the Lusitanian trochid gastropods Phorcus lineatus and Gibbula umbilicalis, based on 9 years of field data from around the United Kingdom. Abundances were recorded on a categorical scale, and stochastic models for year‐to‐year changes in abundance category were constructed with winter mean sea surface temperature (SST) and wave fetch (a measure of the exposure of a shore) as explanatory variables.

Both species were more likely to be present at sites with high SST, but differed in their responses to wave fetch. Phorcus lineatus had more predictable future abundance and longer expected persistence times than G. umbilicalis. This is consistent with the longer lifespan of P. lineatus.

Where data from multiple time points are available, dynamic species distribution models of the kind described here have many applications in population and conservation biology. These include allowing for changes over time when combining historical and contemporary data, and predicting how climate change might alter future abundance conditional on current distributions.
Mosquitofish dominate amphibian and invertebrate community development in experimental wetlands
Authors: Shulse Christopher D. , Semlitsch Raymond D. , Trauth Kathleen M.
Published: July 2013

Restored and constructed habitats can play important conservation roles. Predators help shape communities in these habitats through complex interactions with prey, other predators and biotic and abiotic characteristics of the environment. However, introduced predators can have dramatic effects that may be difficult to predict.

Using regression models, we compared influences of introduced invasive western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis to those of two naturally colonizing predators (crayfish and dragonflies), and vegetation, on three anuran species in experimentally constructed wetlands. Using analyses of covariance, we also examined influences of mosquitofish and vegetation on aquatic invertebrate communities.

We found that mosquitofish reduced abundances of grey treefrogs Hyla versicolor and H. chrysoscelis and boreal chorus frog Pseudacris maculata, but had no significant influence on green frog Lithobates clamitans. Mosquitofish also reduced invertebrate abundance, but their effect on richness was less clear. Vegetation cover did not significantly increase most anuran or invertebrate abundances. However, vegetation increased invertebrate richness. After fish removal, invertebrate abundance increased. Fish removal may have facilitated chorus frog re‐colonization into wetlands with low abundance of invertebrate predators.

Our results indicate that mosquitofish are detrimental to wetland communities, and we recommend that managers avoid stocking mosquitofish. We also encourage temporary or drainable wetlands to prevent mosquitofish persistence if colonization occurs. Implementing these recommendations will improve the conservation potential of restored wetlands.
Assessing the CO2 capture potential of seagrass restoration projects
Authors: Duarte Carlos M. , Sintes Tomás , Marbà Núria
Published: July 2013

Seagrass meadows are important carbon sinks, and they are experiencing a global decline. Restoration of seagrass meadows provides a strategy to mitigate climate change while conserving these important ecosystems.

We examined the long‐term carbon sequestration expected for seagrass restoration programmes by developing a model that combined models of patch growth, patch survival in seagrass planting projects and estimates of seagrass CO2 sequestration per unit area for the five seagrass species commonly used in restoration programmes.

The model results indicated that the cumulative C sequestered increased rapidly over time and with planting density to reach an asymptote at a planting density of 100 units ha−1 (or 6 m spacing between units). At this planting density, the modelled cumulative C sequestered ranges from 177 to over 1337 tons CO2 ha−1 after 50 years.

The value corresponding to this carbon sequestration suggests that the costs of seagrass restoration programmes may be fully recovered by the total CO2 captured in societies with a carbon tax in place, providing additional ecosystem services derived from the role of seagrasses in providing ecosystem services, such as enhanced biodiversity.

Synthesis and applications. Seagrass restoration programmes are economically viable strategies to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, particularly in subtropical and tropical island states where land‐based options have a limited scope.
FliS modulates FlgM activity by acting as a non‐canonical chaperone to control late flagellar gene expression, motility and biofilm formation in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
Authors: Xu Shengjuan , Peng Zhong , Cui Boyu , Wang Tietao , Song Yunhong , Zhang Lei , Wei Gehong , Wang Yao , Shen Xihui
Published: July 2013

The FlgM–FliA regulatory circuit plays a central role in coordinating bacterial flagellar assembly. In this study, we identified multiple novel binding partners of FlgM using bacterial two‐hybrid screening. Among these binding partners, FliS, the secretion chaperone of the filament protein FliC, was identified to compete with FliA for the binding of FlgM. We further showed that by binding to FlgM, FliS protects it from secretion and degradation, thus maintaining an intracellular pool of FlgM reserved as the FliS–FlgM complex. Consequently, we found that the flagellar late‐class promoter activities are significantly increased in the fliS deletion mutant. The fliS mutant is weakly motile and shows significantly increased biofilm formation on biotic surface. Based on the results obtained, we established for the first time the regulatory role of the flagellin chaperone FliS to fine‐tune late flagellar assembly by modulating FlgM activity.
How Do Market Prices and Cheap Talk Affect Coordination?
Authors: QU HONG
Published: July 2013

In many scenarios such as banking and liquidity crises, inefficiencies often arise because investors face uncertainties about economic fundamentals and the strategies of other investors. How information affects fundamental uncertainty is well studied, but how information affects strategic uncertainty is underexplored. This paper examines how two communication mechanisms, market and cheap talk, affect investment decisions and efficiency in an experimental investment game with both fundamental and strategic uncertainty. I find that the market does not improve coordination because the expectation that coordination failures will occur is self‐fulfilling, while cheap talk improves coordination because the signals of willingness to invest alleviate strategic uncertainty.
Location of Decision Rights Within Multinational Firms
Authors: ROBINSON LESLIE A. , STOCKEN PHILLIP C.
Published: July 2013

Using U.S.‐based multinational firm data gathered over more than two decades, we examine factors associated with the location of decision rights within these firms, whether the inappropriate assignment of decision rights is associated with poor firm performance, and whether these firms relocate decision rights in response to their evolving environments. We find that a mismatch between the location of decision rights and a firm's environment is associated with weak firm performance. We also show that the likelihood a parent company will alter the assignment of decision rights to a subsidiary is increasing in the extent of a mismatch although this likelihood is decreasing in the strength of the subsidiary's performance.
Mammal diversity during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition in Eastern Europe
Authors: PUZACHENKO Andrei Yurievich , MARKOVA Anastasia Konstantinovna
Published: July 2013

Fossil record data on the mammal diversity and species richness are of importance for the reconstruction of the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems during the Late Pleistocene–Holocene transition. In Eastern Europe, the transformations during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition consisted mainly in changes in zonal structure and local fauna composition (Markova & Kolfschoten 2008). We investigated the species richness and the analogues of the α, β diversity indexes (in the sense of Whittaker 1972) of large and medium size mammals for 13 climate‐stratigraphic units dating to the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene, from the Hasselo Stadial (44–39 kBP) to the Subatlantic period and the present day. The biological diversity of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the Holocene thermal optimum was investigated in more detail using information about all mammalian taxa (PALEOFAUNA database; Markova 1995). One of our results show that the α, β diversity values show only a negative correlation with the temperature conditions during the Late Pleistocene, the period that is characterized by the so‐called ‘Mammoth Fauna’ complex. For the Holocene faunas the diversity indexes are nearly independent from physical conditions; the α diversity index decreased and the β diversity index increased. The relatively low α diversity and high β diversity indexes for the present‐day faunas are referred to the decrease of the population number of some forest species in historical time and the increase of the dominance of unspecialized species or the species connected with intra‐zonal ecosystems. The study shows furthermore the occurrence of several East European ‘centers’ with a high mammal diversity, which are relatively stable during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. The orientation of the boundaries between the large geographical mammal assemblages depended, particularly in the northwestern part of Eastern Europe, on the expansion of the Scandinavian ice sheet.
Heuristic optimization for global species clustering of DNA sequence data from multiple loci
Authors: Chesters Douglas , Yu Fang , Cao Huan‐Xi , Dai Qing‐Yan , Wu Qing‐Tao , Shi Weifeng , Zheng Weimin , Zhu Chao‐Dong
Published: July 2013

Hierarchical clustering of molecular data is commonly used for estimation of species diversity in all forms of life. Parameters appropriate for species‐level clustering are usually derived from reference data and applied for the delineation of sequences of unknown species membership, although it is not clear how this should be carried out in a multilocus scenario.

We introduce a novel means of concurrent clustering parameter optimization and delineation for multilocus data. A simulated annealing heuristic search is performed, whereby clustering thresholds are independently varied for each locus, but optimized according to the recovery of expected taxonomic species globally over loci. For each iteration of the search, one or more loci are randomly selected and a different threshold is separately proposed to cluster each, then the loci are linked to form global species units. Where the set of thresholds group the reference (species labelled) data with high taxonomic congruence, they are adopted for clustering of the subject (nonlabelled) sequences into global molecular operational taxonomic units (global MOTU). Four mined test data sets composed of both reference and subject sequences are combined with a newly sequenced three gene Apoidea data set, and subject to the proposed method.

Even optimizing four loci and thousands of sequences, the approach rapidly convergences on a set of parameters with maximal optimality score, although the method masks a high degree of incongruence, and does not always converge on a single set of thresholds. For example, of the 476 Apoidea sequences, 70 global MOTU were inferred over the heuristic search, although the number of single gene MOTU were much lower for the 28S RNA locus, and a range of equally optimal clustering thresholds were observed for the CytB gene.

We demonstrate the approach as a scalable species delineation solution for heterogeneous data sets composed of incompletely and inconsistently labelled data from public DNA data bases, for newly sequenced multilocus data, or both. The delineation over a heuristic search of clustering parameters facilitates the estimation of species diversity in multilocus data, giving species estimates that take into account uncertainty regarding choice of clustering thresholds.
Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis to the maxilla: a rare case
Authors: Greenstein A , Witherspoon R , Iqbal F , Coleman H
Published: July 2013

The manifestation of metastatic malignant disease in the oral cavity can present in a number of ways and may mimic benign conditions. This case reports a rare presentation from a metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma that had invaded the attached gingiva of the maxilla and which on initial inspection could have been misdiagnosed as a pyogenic granuloma. With the advent of new classes of drugs to manage this disease it could be expected that this presentation may become more common.
Molecular microbiological evaluation of subgingival biofilm sampling by paper point and curette
Authors: Belibasakis Georgios N. , Schmidlin Patrick R. , Sahrmann Philipp
Published: July 2013

The present clinical study aimed to investigate if there are differences in microbiological outcomes dependent on the subgingival biofilm collection method. Subgingival biofilm samples were collected from the four deepest pockets (>5 mm) of 17 patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and 33 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), first by paper point and thereafter by curette. Samples obtained with the same method were pooled together from each patient and forwarded for molecular microbiological analysis by a commercially available assay (IAI Pado Test 4.5) that estimates total bacterial load and levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Data analysis included frequency of detection, quantification and correlation of detection levels between the two sampling methods. P. gingivalis, T. forsythia and T. denticola were detected in >90% of the samples, and their detection levels exhibited a strong correlation between sampling methods. The detection consistency of A. actinomycetemcomitans was 56% between the two sampling methods. A. actinomycetemcomitans was more readily detected by paper point compared with curette collection with a stronger correlation between the two methods in AgP. Subgingival biofilm sampling by curette or paper point does not yield differences in the detection of the three ‘red complex’ species. However, A. actinomycetemcomitans was more consistently detected by means of paper point collection, which can be crucial in the decision to administer antibiotics as an adjunctive periodontal treatment.
Subcutaneoscopic excision of external angular dermoid cyst in children without conspicuous scarring
Authors: Agrawal Vikesh , Acharya Himanshu , Agarwal Pawan , Sekhon Virender , Sharma Dhananjaya
Published: July 2013

Introduction

External angular dermoid cysts are benign lesions that are excised through an incision over the eyebrow. This leaves a visible scar that may not be cosmetically acceptable. Herein, we describe a minimally invasive subcutaneoscopic technique that involves placing incisions above the hairline to avoid scarring on the face.

Material and surgical technique

This is a retrospective review of three consecutive cases of dermoid cysts. Each patient underwent subcutaneoscopic excision between March 2012 and September 2012. With the patient under general anesthesia, a 6‐mm incision was made on the scalp above the hairline. After a wide subcutaneous tunnel was created, a 5‐mm port with a 30° telescope was placed for an optical port. Insufflation was done with CO2 at pressure of 8 mmHg and flow rate of 1 L/min. Two para‐optical stab incisions were used to insert a 3‐mm Maryland dissector and a 3‐mm hook for dissection. The cyst was excised and removed through one of the ports.

Discussion

All three cases underwent successful subcutaneoscopic excision without the need for conversion. The mean operative time was 42 min. There were no complications, and all patients had excellent cosmesis. Subcutaneoscopic excision of dermoid cyst is a technically feasible procedure in pediatric patients, as demonstrated by our three cases. It provides excellent cosmesis and avoids scarring on the face.
The phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinases (PI3K) inhibitor GS‐1101 synergistically potentiates histone deacetylase inhibitor‐induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis through the inactivation of PI3K and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase pathways
Authors: Bodo Juraj , Zhao Xiaoxian , Sharma Arishya , Hill Brian T. , Portell Craig A. , Lannutti Brian J. , Almasan Alexandru , Hsi Eric D.
Published: July 2013

Previously, we showed that inhibition of the protein kinase C β (PKCβ)/AKT pathway augments engagement of the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI)‐induced apoptosis in lymphoma cells. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity and mechanisms of cell death induced by the delta isoform‐specific phosphatidylinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, GS‐1101, in combination with the HDI, panobinostat (LBH589) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Lymphoma cell lines, primary non‐Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells were simultaneously treated with the HDI, LBH589 and GS‐1101. An interaction of the LBH589/GS‐1101 combination was formally examined by using various concentrations of LBH589 and GS‐1101. Combined treatment resulted in a synergistic inhibition of proliferation and showed synergistic effect on apoptotic induction in all tested cell lines and primary NHL and CLL cells. This study indicates that interference with PI3K signalling dramatically increases HDI‐mediated apoptosis in malignant haematopoietic cells, possibly through both AKT‐dependent or AKT‐ independent mechanisms. Moreover, the increase in HDI‐related apoptosis observed in PI3K inhibitor‐treated cells appears to be related to the disruption of the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway. This study provides a strong rational for testing the combination of PI3K inhibitors and HDI in the clinic.
Low differentiated microvascular density and low expression of platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB) predict distant metastasis and poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Qi Lifeng , Du Jun , Zhang Zhenting , Diao Lei , Chen Xusheng , Yao Xin
Published: July 2013

Objective

To examine the prognostic significance of the expression of platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB) and differentiated microvascular density (MVD) in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Patients and Methods

We used the vascular marker cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) to identify tumour blood vessels.

The expression of PDGF‐BB and CD34 was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in tissue microarrays (TMAs) from 100 ccRCCs.

Prognostic effects of individual parameters were calculated using Cox regression models and Harrell's concordance index (c‐index).

Results

Higher grade and more advanced stage ccRCCs had significantly less PDGF‐BB expression and differentiated MVD (P < 0.05).

Higher PDGF‐BB expression was an independent prognostic factor for longer survival, and moreover, the final model built by the addition of PDGF‐BB expression improved the predictive accuracy for disease‐free survival (c‐index 0.707) compared with the clinicopathological‐based model (c‐index 0.695).

PDGF‐BB expression was positively associated with differentiated MVD assessed by Spearman correlation and factor analysis (r = 0.634, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

PDGF‐BB is as a novel and promising prognostic marker and antiangiogenic therapeutic target for the treatment of ccRCC.
Tumor‐suppressive microRNA‐1291 directly regulates glucose transporter 1 in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Yamasaki Takeshi , Seki Naohiko , Yoshino Hirofumi , Itesako Toshihiko , Yamada Yasutoshi , Tatarano Shuichi , Hidaka Hideo , Yonezawa Tomokazu , Nakagawa Masayuki , Enokida Hideki
Published: July 2013

Our recent studies of microRNA (miRNA) expression signatures demonstrated that microRNA‐1291 (miR‐1291) was significantly downregulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) clinical specimens and was a putative tumor‐suppressive miRNA in RCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional significance of miR‐1291 in cancer cells and to identify novel miR‐1291‐mediated cancer pathways and target genes in RCC. Expression of miR‐1291 was significantly downregulated in RCC tissues compared with adjacent non‐cancerous tissues. Restoration of mature miR‐1291 in RCC cell lines (A498 and 786‐O) revealed significant inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, suggesting that miR‐1291 functioned as a tumor suppressor. To identify miR‐1291‐mediated molecular pathways and targets, we used gene expression analysis (expression of RCC clinical specimens and miR‐1291‐transfected A498 cells) and in silico database analysis. Our data demonstrated that 79 signaling pathways were significantly regulated by tumor‐suppressive miR‐1291 in RCC cells. Moreover, solute career family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1) was a candidate target of miR‐1291 regulation. The SLC2A1 gene provides instructions for producing glucose transporter protein type 1 (GLUT1). Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR‐1291 directly regulated SLC2A1/GLUT1. In RCC clinical specimens, the expression of SLC2A1/GLUT1 mRNA was significantly higher in cancer tissues than in non‐cancerous tissues. A significant inverse correlation was recognized between SLC2A1/GLUT1 and miR‐1291 expression (r = −0.55, P < 0.0001). Loss of tumor‐suppressive miR‐1291 enhanced RCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion through targeting SLC2A1/GLUT1. The identification of novel tumor‐suppressive miR‐1291‐mediated molecular pathways and targets has provided new insights into RCC oncogenesis and metastasis.
Immunoglobulin (Ig)M antibodies against oxidized cardiolipin but not native cardiolipin are novel biomarkers in haemodialysis patients, associated negatively with mortality
Authors: Frostegård A G , Hua X , Su J , Carrero J J , Heimbürger O , Bárány P , Stenvinkel P , Frostegård J
Published: July 2013

The risk of premature death is high in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Antibodies against cardiolipin (anti-CL) are thrombogenic in diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). CL is easily oxidized (Ox) and plays a role in apoptosis. In this work we studied immunoglobulin (Ig)M anti-CL and anti-OxCL in HD-patients. We conducted an observational study with a prospective follow-up examining the relationship between anti-CL, anti-OxCL and mortality risk in a well-characterized cohort of 221 prevalent HD patients [56% men, median age 66 (interquartile range 51–74) years, vintage time 29 (15–58) months] with a mean follow-up period of 41 (20–48 months). According to the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, anti-OxCL [area under the curve (AUC) 0·62, P < 0·01], but not anti-CL (AUC 0·52, P = 0·2), is associated with mortality. In crude and adjusted Cox analysis, every log increase in anti-OxCL inversely predicted all-cause [adjusted hazard ratios (HR) 0·62 (0·43–0·89)] and CVD-related [adjusted HR 0·56 (0·32–0·98)] mortality. Patients with anti-OxCL levels below median also had increased all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. Although anti-OxCL and anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) were related positively to each other (ρ = 0·57, P < 0·01), patients with one or two of these autoantibody levels below the median were associated with an incrementally increased death risk. Anti-OxCL were co-factor β2-GPI-independent; anti-CL from patients with anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome were β2-GPI-dependent, while sera from HD-patients less so. Sera from healthy donors was not β2-GPI-dependent. Anti-OxCL IgM is β2-glycoprotein 1 (GPI)-independent and a novel biomarker; low levels are associated with death among HD patients (and high levels with decreased risk). Combination with anti-PC increases this association. Putative therapeutic implications warrant further investigation.
Marginal Bone Preservation in Single‐Tooth Replacement: A 5‐Year Prospective Clinical Multicenter Study
Authors: Donati Mauro , La Scala Vincenzo , Di Raimondo Rosario , Speroni Stefano , Testi Massimo , Berglundh Tord
Published: July 2013

Background

Few long‐term studies are available comparing immediate and conventional loading protocols of implant‐supported single‐tooth replacement.

Purpose

The aim of the present randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate prospectively the 5‐year clinical and radiological outcome of immediate functional loading implants used in single‐tooth replacement.

Materials and Methods

One hundred fifty‐one subjects, who required single‐tooth rehabilitation in the area from position 15 to 25 and from 35 to 45, were enrolled in eight private clinics in Italy. A randomization protocol was applied to allocate the implants in three treatment groups: one control group and two test groups. In the control group, implant placement was performed according to a conventional drilling procedure, and the implants were submerged for 3 months before abutment connection and loading. Implants allocated in the test group 1 and 2 followed an immediate functional loading protocol. While in test group 1, implant placement was performed according to conventional drilling procedure, in test group 2, a modified implant installation procedure (osteotome technique) was applied. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed during the 5‐year follow‐up, and technical and biological complications were registered.

Results

Although four implants (three in the test group 2 and one in the test group 1) were lost in the immediate functional loading groups in the first year of follow‐up, no further implant loss occurred in any of the treatment groups in the following monitoring period up to 5 years. No significant differences on marginal bone level changes were observed between the treatment groups. About 52% of all implants showed bone gain in the period from 1‐year to 5‐year follow‐up. The percentage of all implants that in the same interval of time showed bone loss was about 28%. Although few technical complications were recorded in the period of time up to 5 years, implants showing biological complication were 5.7%.

Conclusion

It is suggested that implants installed with a conventional installation technique together with an immediate functional loading protocol may be considered as a valid treatment alternative in a long‐term perspective when used in a single‐tooth replacement in an esthetic area.
Differences in post‐mortem findings after stillbirth in women with and without diabetes
Authors: Edwards A. , Springett A. , Padfield J. , Dorling J. , Bugg G. , Mansell P.
Published: July 2013

Aims

The reason for the fivefold increased risk of stillbirth in women with diabetes is not known. Further understanding of the underlying mechanisms may facilitate identification of pregnancies at increased risk. We have compared post‐mortem reports in matched pairs of stillbirths in women with and without diabetes.

Methods

Post‐mortem reports were provided by the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries. Stillbirths as a result of lethal congenital and genetic abnormalities were excluded. Whole body, placenta and organ weights and histo‐pathological findings in cases and controls were compared and also related to published reference values.

Results

We analysed post‐mortem reports on 23 matched pairs of stillbirths from 2009 to 2010. Mean placental weight in women with diabetes was 75 g less than in control subjects (95% CI −143 to −7 g; P = 0.032). In maternal diabetes, the thymus was often small and showed a ‘starry sky’ pattern on histology in 11 of 20 cases compared with four of 22 controls (P = 0.03). This histological finding was associated with a particularly low mean placental weight z‐score −2.1 (1.1) standard deviations below a reference population corrected for gestational age.

Conclusions

In over half of the stillbirths occurring in women with diabetes, there was a ‘starry sky’ appearance in the fetal thymus on histology, this being associated with a small placenta. These findings are consistent with a critical subacute metabolic disturbance being a prominent cause of the increased risk of stillbirth in pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes.
The Endurance and Eclipse of the Controlled Vote: A Formal Model of Vote Brokerage Under the Secret Ballot
Authors: Gingerich Daniel W. , Medina Luis Fernando
Published: July 2013

Throughout much of mankind's experience with elections, vote brokers – local elites who direct the voting decisions of a subset of the electorate – have been able to make or break political careers. In various polities, brokers have thrived in spite of the secret ballot, a surprising outcome given that vote secrecy would ostensibly allow citizens to pocket the inducements offered by such individuals and vote their consciences anyway. To address this puzzle, we develop a framework for understanding the persistence and demise of vote brokerage under the secret ballot. In our model, a broker contracts with voters using an outcome contingent contract: some fixed benefit is promised to all voters sharing one of several observable profiles should the broker's candidate win the election. Using this framework, we demonstrate that the existence of brokerage depends on the size of the electorate contained within the jurisdiction controlled by the broker, with large jurisdiction sizes tending to drive brokerage out of existence. Moreover, we detail the manner in which the strategies employed by brokers depend on their economic power, the size of social groups, and ideological polarization. Empirical evidence from Minas Gerais, Brazil is used to evaluate the performance of the model.
The use of T‐DNAtagging to isolate mutants ofColletotrichum gloeosporioidesandColletotrichum acutatumwith reduced virulence againstHevea brasiliensis
Authors: Lin C.‐H. , Cai Z.‐Y. , Shi T. , Dai Y.‐K. , Li C.‐P. , Huang G.‐X.
Published: July 2013

Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transformation (ATMT) is being increasingly recognized as an effective insertional mutagenesis tool in studies of filamentous fungi for gene discovery and functional analysis. We developed and optimizedATMTfor 2Colletotrichumspecies,Colletotrichum gloeosporioidesandColletotrichum acutatum, the causative agents ofColletotrichumleaf disease in rubber trees in Southern China.A. tumefaciensstrainAGL‐1 carrying anILV1gene and a green fluorescent protein gene were used to transform the conidia of these 2Colletotrichumspecies. The transformation efficiency was correlated with the co‐cultivation duration and bacterial cell concentrations, which reached 300–400 transformants per 1 × 106conidia after optimization. Southern blot analysis indicated that about 60.0% of theC. gloeosporioidestransformants and 46.2% of theC. acutatumtransformants had a single copy of T‐DNAin their genomes. Fungal genomicDNAsegments flanking the T‐DNAwere identified in the transformants through thermal asymmetrical interlaced polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. The flanking sequences from 4C. acutatumand 7C. gloeosporioidestransformants showed moderate or weak homology to theNCBIdatabase entries. Some sequences matching those reported virulence‐related genes. The results suggest that the T‐DNAinserted mutants banks constructed are useful for the discovery of new or important genes and to elucidate their function in the 2Colletotrichumspecies.
Population genomics shed light on the demographic and adaptive histories of European invasion in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas
Authors: Rohfritsch Audrey , Bierne Nicolas , Boudry Pierre , Heurtebise Serge , Cornette Florence , Lapègue Sylvie
Published: July 2013

Crassostrea gigas originated from the Pacific coast of Asia, but was introduced into several European countries in the early 1970s. Natural populations have now spread across the length of the western seaboard of Europe. To elucidate the demographic and selective processes at play during this rapid expansion, genome‐scan analysis was performed on different populations. High diversities and low differentiation were observed overall, but significant genetic differentiation was found among newly established populations and between the newly established northern group and a nearly panmictic group composed of southern European populations and a population from Japan. Loss of genetic diversity was also seen in the north, likely caused by founder events during colonization. The few strongly supported outlier loci revealed a genetic structure uncorrelated with the north/south differentiation, but grouping two samples from the Danish fjords (northern group) and one from the Dutch Scheldt estuary (southern group) with the one from Japan. These findings might reflect the following: (i) parallel adaptation to similar environmental pressures (fjord‐like environment) within each of the two groups or (ii) a footprint of a secondary introduction of an alternative genomic background maintained by multifarious isolation factors. Our results call for a closer examination of adaptive genetic structure in the area of origin.
Higher β‐ and γ‐diversity at species and genetic levels in headwaters than in mid‐order streams in Hydropsyche (Trichoptera)
Authors: Múrria Cesc , Bonada Núria , Arnedo Miquel A. , Prat Narcís , Vogler Alfried P.
Published: July 2013

The influence of local habitat characteristics and landscape barriers on the distribution of species and genetic diversity remains poorly known. We tested for differences in turnover and total diversity in aquatic insect assemblages among headwater and mid‐order reaches, two habitats presumably differing in their connectivity between catchments.

The genus Hydropsyche (Trichoptera) includes 17 species in the eastern Iberian Peninsula and northern Morocco. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene was sequenced for Hydropsyche assemblages at 38 headwater sites and 12 mid‐order sites. Local species and intraspecific genetic diversity and differentiation among populations were measured.

A total of 231 cox1 sequences resulted in 83 unique haplotypes that clustered into 19 genetic species entities. We find that α‐diversity did not differ between headwater and mid‐order habitats at species and genetic levels, but total species numbers and intraspecific genetic diversity (γ‐diversity) were higher for headwater than for mid‐order or lowland clades, due to greater turnover among sites (β‐diversity).

The study revealed lineage‐specific evolutionary responses to different river zones, presumably because of differences in the strength of landscape barriers. The multispecies community genetic approach provides a comprehensive picture of diversity patterns in Hydropsyche, as it links habitat heterogeneity and dispersal limitations to genetic structure and lineage diversification.
Land cover change or land‐use intensification: simulating land system change with a global‐scale land change model
Authors: van Asselen Sanneke , Verburg Peter H.
Published: July 2013

Land‐use change is both a cause and consequence of many biophysical and socioeconomic changes. The CLUMondo model provides an innovative approach for global land‐use change modeling to support integrated assessments. Demands for goods and services are, in the model, supplied by a variety of land systems that are characterized by their land cover mosaic, the agricultural management intensity, and livestock. Land system changes are simulated by the model, driven by regional demand for goods and influenced by local factors that either constrain or promote land system conversion. A characteristic of the new model is the endogenous simulation of intensification of agricultural management versus expansion of arable land, and urban versus rural settlements expansion based on land availability in the neighborhood of the location. Model results for the OECD Environmental Outlook scenario show that allocation of increased agricultural production by either management intensification or area expansion varies both among and within world regions, providing useful insight into the land sparing versus land sharing debate. The land system approach allows the inclusion of different types of demand for goods and services from the land system as a driving factor of land system change. Simulation results are compared to observed changes over the 1970–2000 period and projections of other global and regional land change models.
The density and type of MECA‐79‐positive high endothelial venules correlate with lymphocytic infiltration and tumour regression in primary cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Avram Gabriela , Sánchez‐Sendra Beatriz , Martín José M , Terrádez Liria , Ramos David , Monteagudo Carlos
Published: July 2013

Aims

Tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes have prognostic value in malignant melanoma. High endothelial venules (HEVs) are specialized vessels present in lymph nodes and tertiary lymphoid organs. CCL19, CCL21 and CCR7 regulate lymphocyte migration through HEVs. The aim of our study was to correlate HEV density in cutaneous primary and metastatic malignant melanomas with clinicopathological parameters, and with CCL19, CCL21 and CCR7 mRNA expression.

Methods and results

High endothelial venule density was evaluated by immunohistochemistry with a specific antibody, MECA‐79, and chemokine expression was evaluated by real‐time PCR. MECA‐79‐positive vessels, covered by cuboidal (C‐HEV) or flat (F‐HEV) endothelium, were detected in 55% of melanomas. HEV density was higher in primary melanomas than in metastases. Positive correlations were found between C‐HEV density and lymphocytic infiltration, and between F‐HEV density and tumour regression. Cases in which the number of C‐HEVs exceeded that of F‐HEVs had higher levels of CCL19, CCL21, and CCR7.

Conclusions

Our results support a predominant role for C‐HEV in the recruitment of lymphocytes in cutaneous melanomas, mediated by CCL19 and CCL21, whereas the density of F‐HEV strongly correlates with tumour regression, Therefore, cuboidal and flat HEVs may serve as indicators of the active and late quiescent phases, respectively, of tumour regression in cutaneous malignant melanoma.