bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health-related R&D priorities until 2030: Russian experience
Authors: Saygitov Ruslan T.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present results of a foresight study on identifying priorities for health-related research and development (R&D) in Russia for the period until 2030.

Design/methodology/approach

Research priorities were identified through consistent integrated expert analysis and evaluation of the subject area, i.e. biomedical research preceding development of medical technologies.

Findings

Key global and national trends in the biomedical R&D sector and related areas (medicine and health) were identified. According to the experts, the following markets have the best prospects for Russia: regenerative medicine, biodegradable and other biocompatible materials, diagnostic systems, implants, surgical equipment, targeted delivery systems and non-invasive visualisation systems. Entering these markets requires providing support to R&D in the following areas: promising drug candidates, molecular diagnostics, molecular profiling and mechanisms of human diseases, cell technologies (therapies), new materials (biomimetics and other), bioelectronic, bioimaging and biosensors and human genome databases.

Practical implications

Regularly updating research priorities is a necessary prerequisite of successful science and technology development of countries, innovative companies and academic institutions. Allocation of (always limited) financial resources on the basis of such priority-setting exercises’ results is evidence of adherence to scientific planning principles. Combined with monitoring and evaluation tools, priority setting for biomedical R&D must become an integral component of Russia’s innovation policy.

Originality/value

This is a first-ever presentation of Russian experience in setting research priorities for the health-related sphere. Global and national contexts for development of biomedical R&D are described; markets and research areas with the biggest potential for Russian companies are identified.
The long-term development of Russian biotech sector
Authors: Grebenyuk Anna , Ravin Nikolai
Published: August 2017

Purpose

To define strategic directions for the Russia’s social, economic, scientific and technological development in 2011-2013, a large-scale foresight study including the deep analysis of prospects of biotechnology development there was undertaken (Russia 2030: Science and Technology Foresight). This paper aims to present results of this research.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on a combination of technology-push and market-pull approaches that aimed not only to identify most promising science and technology (S&T) areas but also to understand how they can be realized in practice. Representatives from federal authorities, science and business were involved in the project to create future visions of technological directions; analyze grand challenges, weak signals and wild cards; and set research and development (R&D) priorities.

Findings

According to results of the study, Russia has a potential for biotech sector development, although the level of R&D in the majority of areas is lagging behind that in the USA and leading EU countries. However, there are several advanced applied research areas where efforts can be focused. Among them are high-performance genomics and post-genomics research platforms, systems and structural biology, microbial metabolic engineering, plant biotechnology and microbial strains and consortia for development of symbiotic plant–microbial communities.

Originality/value

Concentration of available resources of government and business on biotechnological sector development can help to find answers for challenges that Russia faces today or will face tomorrow. It will help to pick up on the current level of research activities, improve the quality of personnel training, make this area the engine of the economy and carry out the so-called new industrialization of the country, building a new, high-tech device industry.
A dynamic and adaptive scenario approach for formulating science & technology policy
Authors: Saritas Ozcan , Dranev Yury , Chulok Alexander
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Dynamic changes in the world bring challenges for making long-term future-oriented policy and strategy. A number of recent developments like drops in oil prices, increasing global conflicts, mass immigration and economic stagnation have had disruptive effects on long-term policies and strategies. The purpose of this paper is to provide a dynamic and adaptive Foresight approach as required by the fast-changing global landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

The scenario approach presented in the paper aims to develop multiple time horizons by bringing together short-term forecasts and long-term exploratory and visionary scenarios. Each time horizon allows for re-considering and dynamically changing drivers and assumptions of scenarios and thus builds not a single linear, but multiple and dynamic pathways into the future. Following the presentation on the background and description of the methodology, the paper illustrates the proposed approach with a case study on science and technology (S&T) development in Russia.

Findings

The flexible scenario approach allows developing and strategies with similar adaptability and flexibility.

Practical implications

The scenario approach presented in the paper may be applicable for Foresight exercises at all levels of governance, including national, international, regional and corporate.

Originality/value

A novel scenario approach is presented for the formulation of S&T policy with an illustrative case study.
Numerical study of the dimensionless characteristics and modeling experiment of a molten salt pump that transports viscous fluids
Authors: Shao Chunlei , Zhao Yang
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the dimensionless characteristics of a molten salt pump and propose an approach to carry out the modeling experiment by using water instead of molten salts.

Design/methodology/approach

External characteristics of the pump were estimated by using the steady flow model and compared with the experimental results. By taking water as the working fluid, the pathlines in the volute of the model pump were validated by the results obtained of high-speed photography. According to the derived dimensionless characteristics of the molten salt pump, the modeling experimental schemes were proposed. Adopting the validated numerical simulation model, the performance of the molten salt pump was studied in detail.

Findings

The modeling experimental schemes designed according to the dimensionless characteristics are theoretically feasible. However, to carry out the experiment successfully, factors such as rotational speed, geometric size, flow rate and head should be taken into account. The flow in the pumps is similar under the similar operating condition and the external characteristics of the similar pump can be converted to each other. Compared with transporting water, the decline of the head and efficiency is within 5 per cent when the viscosity is lower than 0.01453 Pa · s. The pump is not suitable for running under the critical Reynolds number of 1.0 × 107.

Originality/value

The current work revealed the relationships among the dimensionless performances of a molten salt pump and proposed a critical Reynolds number ReQcr for the pump running.
Attitudes towards communist heritage tourism in Bulgaria
Authors: Ivanov Stanislav , Achikgezyan Veronika
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the attitudes of Bulgarians towards country’s historical monuments, communist heritage, communist heritage tourism and their willingness to participate in communist heritage trips.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes 359 respondents recruited via an online survey. Mann-Whitney U-test is used to identify the differences in the respondents’ attitudes towards communist heritage tourism in Bulgaria on the basis of their age, gender, frequency of visit to historical monuments, attitudes towards country’s communist past, prior visit to, familiarity with and attitude towards communist monuments and identification of communist monuments with country’s heritage.

Findings

The respondents who visited historical monuments more frequently, had more positive attitudes towards communist past of the country and its communist monuments, those who had visited and were very familiar with the communist monuments were more supportive towards donating money for the restoration of communist monuments and their inclusion in tourism supply.

Practical implications

The paper reveals that domestic communist heritage tourism demand exists in Bulgaria and tour operators need to focus on including communist heritage in tourism supply.

Social implications

Communist heritage is controversial and different social groups perceive it differently, depending on their attitudes towards communism as a political, economic and social system.

Originality/value

The paper compares the attitudes towards historical and communist monuments and revealed that communist monuments received less support for inclusion in tourism supply than historical monuments; the respondents were less inclined to participate in trips to them and to donate money for their restoration.
SMEs’ export propensity in North Africa: a fuzzy c-means cluster analysis
Authors: Haddoud Mohamed Yacine , Beynon Malcolm J. , Jones Paul , Newbery Robert
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) propensity to export using data from a North African country, namely Algeria. Drawing on the extended resource-based view, the study examines the role of firms’ resources and capabilities in explaining the probability to export.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs the nascent fuzzy c-means clustering technique to analyse a sample of 208 Algerian SMEs. The sample included both established and potential exporters operating across various sectors. A combination of online and face-to-face methods was used to collect the data.

Findings

While a preliminary analysis established the existence of five clusters exhibiting different levels of resources and capabilities, further discernment of these clusters has shown significant variances in relation to export propensity. In short, clusters exhibiting combinations that include higher levels of export-oriented managerial resources showed greater export propensity, whereas clusters lacking such assets were less likely to display high export propensity, despite superior capabilities in marketing and innovation.

Practical implications

The findings provide a more comprehensive insight on the critical resources shaping SMEs’ internationalisation in the North African context. The paper holds important implications for export promotion policy in this area.

Originality/value

The study makes a twofold contribution. First, the use of the fuzzy c-means clustering technique to capture the joint influence of discrete resources and capabilities on SMEs’ export propensity constitutes a methodological contribution. Second, being the first study bringing evidence on SMEs’ internationalisation from the largest country in the African continent, in terms of landmass, constitutes an important contextual contribution.
Typology of growth strategies and the role of social venture’s intangible resources
Authors: El Ebrashi Raghda
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Building on the resource-based view of the firm the purpose of this paper is to study the intangible resources available for social ventures, and presents a typology of growth strategies based on the intangible resources possessed by those enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

This research applies a multiple case study technique for ten social enterprises in Egypt listed on Ashoka and Schwab Foundation websites. The research employs a purposive sampling technique. Data triangulation is used based on reports, websites, and interviews with social entrepreneurs and employees.

Findings

The study has three main findings: describing the intangible resources needed by social ventures to grow; detailing the growth strategies adopted by social ventures and corresponding funding mechanisms; explaining how intangible resources affect the selection of growth strategies, and how these interact with the context to produce expected outcomes. Overall, a typology for growth strategies of social ventures is presented.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is an original attempt to advance research on social enterprises in relation to the RBV and the domain of venture growth and impact scale-up.

Practical implications

This research is beneficial for social ventures and venture philanthropists who wish to learn about the specific resources important for venture growth, and understand the suitable strategies and context for organizational growth and impact scale-up.

Originality/value

This research is one of the few attempts to study and explain the types of intangible resources in social ventures and the role of different resource bundles in deciding social venture growth strategy.
Different role of lobbying and bribery on the firm performance in emerging markets
Authors: Yim Hyung Rok , Lu Jiangyong , Choi Seong-jin
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Firms influence a government to their advantage in one of two ways: either through lobbying a government to change the rule, or through bribing bureaucrats to circumvent the rule. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and under what conditions do corporate political activities facilitate firm growth in a multinational context, especially in developing economies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the data of the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey, conducted by the World Bank in the 2002 to 2006 period in 12 countries. To deal with a multilevel structure, the authors applied multilevel regression as the main analysis method.

Findings

The analysis reveals that both political activities are prevalent in emerging markets, but they play very different roles on firm growth. The authors also find that the effect of lobbying is more pronounced in politically durable countries where firms can secure their vested benefits by lobbying.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the corporate political activities literature by investigating the distinguishing and contingent role of bribery and lobbying on firm performance.
Herbivore‐induced volatile blends with both “fast” and “slow” components provide robust indirect defence in nature
Authors: Joo Youngsung , Schuman Meredith C. , Goldberg Jay K. , Kim Sang‐Gyu , Yon Felipe , Brütting Christoph , Baldwin Ian T.
Published: August 2017

Plants emit volatile blends specific to particular herbivore interactions, which predators and parasitoids learn to associate with prey, increasing herbivore mortality and thereby plant fitness in a phenomenon termed indirect defence.

Herbivore‐induced plant volatile blends commonly include both rapid, transient green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and delayed, enduring sesquiterpenes. A few laboratory studies indicate that insects can use plant volatiles to time behaviour, but it is not known whether and how the temporal dynamics of plant volatile blends influence their function in indirect defence.

We characterized the activity of the native herbivoresManduca sextaandTupiocoris notatusand their predators,Geocorisspp., on their host plantNicotiana attenuatain their natural habitat. Diurnal predator activity only partially overlapped with variable herbivore activity, and herbivore attack at the beginning or end of the photophase elicited plant volatile blends with distinctGLVand sesquiterpene profiles.

In field trials, day‐activeGeocorisspp. predators preferred morning‐ over evening‐typicalGLVblends. Using plants genetically transformed so as to be unable to produce specific volatiles, we found thatGLVs increased predation after dawn elicitations, whereas sesquiterpenes increased predation after dusk elicitations in field trials.

We conclude that predators respond to temporal differences in plant volatile blends, and that the different dynamics of specific volatiles permit effective indirect defence despite variable herbivore activity in nature.

Aplain language summaryis available for this article.
Ecological and functional effects of fungal endophytes on wood decomposition
Authors: Cline Lauren C. , Schilling Jonathan S. , Menke Jon , Groenhof Emily , Kennedy Peter G.
Published: August 2017

Despite the central role of saprotrophic fungi in wood decomposition and terrestrial carbon cycling, the diversity and functioning of wood endophytes (i.e. fungi that asymptomatically colonize living plant tissue) on decay remains poorly understood.

In a 4‐year field experiment in a boreal forest in the upper midwestern United States, we investigated whether endophytes influenced fungal community structure and subsequent wood decomposition via priority effects. We compared decay of sterilized and non‐sterilized birch (Betula papyrifera) logs using both high‐throughput sequencing and wood physiochemical analyses (i.e. density loss, dilute alkali solubility, ratio of lignin loss relative to density loss).

Endophyte presence significantly altered initial fungal species composition during the first 2 years and enhanced mass loss over the experiment's duration. Results suggest that following tree death the immediate utilization of organic substrates by wood endophytes significantly alters establishment patterns of later arriving fungal saprotrophs.

Independent of endophyte presence, white rot was the wood decay outcome at all sampling times, despite an initial presence of both brown and white rot fungi.

Collectively, these findings demonstrate that wood endophytes can affect early community assembly and subsequent decay rates, although environmental filtering leads to consistent selection for fungi with lignin‐targeted decay strategies.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Dietary Food‐Additive Phosphate and Human Health Outcomes
Authors: Cooke Allison
Published: August 2017

Dietary intake of phosphorus is required for human health, and dietary reference intakes for phosphorus have been established. Food‐grade phosphates are used as additives to provide a wide range of technical functions in food production. Phosphates are often the most efficient ingredients to provide the required functionality in many applications, and in some cases, there are not effective and approved alternatives. However, many investigators have expressed concern about the quantities of phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate present in the diets of many populations. This paper presents the outcome of an extensive review of 110 primary research articles focused on identifying evidence that substantiates or refutes associations of total dietary phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate intake with health and disease in humans. The lack of conclusive evidence prevented the drawing of firm conclusions about the safety and possible risks of food‐additive phosphate in the general population, which is consonant with the overall assessments of authoritative institutions who have concluded that available data are insufficient to make the required determinations. Despite the inadequacy of the evidence currently available, many of the authors of the publications reviewed for this paper expressed concerns about the quantities of phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate in the diets of the populations and subpopulations they studied. At the same time, most of these authors offered only qualified conclusions and expressed themselves tentatively. In addition, authors of primary research publications, authors of review articles, and authoritative institutions have called for the conduct of further research.
Do antiemetic drugs benefit adult emergency department patients with nausea? The literature says no, but is it right?
Authors: Meek Robert , Graudins Andis
Published: August 2017

Nausea is a common problem in ED patients. Antiemetic drugs have been used in the ED for decades, but a recent Cochrane review found no convincing evidence for the benefit of antiemetic drugs over placebo. This was largely based on three placebo‐controlled trials, which found mean Visual Analog Scale (VAS) changes for various drugs and placebo, to be similar. However, reliance on mean VAS change as the primary outcome measure has probably been a mistake. It does not give information on the number of improved patients, so these cannot be compared between groups. Alternative primary outcome measures warrant further exploration. Use of a VAS cut‐off level indicative of clinically significant symptom improvement would allow comparison of numbers of patients with improved nausea ratings. This is proposed as the best option currently available. Preliminary testing of this outcome measure suggests that the conclusions of past studies may be misleading, and that the question of antiemetic efficacy for ED patients is not yet answered.
MRI measurements of the thoracic aorta and pulmonary artery
Authors: Beck Leyla , Mohamed Abdi‐Aziz , Strugnell Wendy E , Bartlett Harry , Rodriguez Viviana , Hamilton‐Craig Christian , Slaughter Richard E
Published: August 2017

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to obtain a range of normal measurements of the adult thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery using cardiac MRI, and to assess agreement between measurements made on ECG‐gated two‐dimensional (2D) breath held steady‐state‐free precession (SSFP), and three‐dimensional (3D) breath held SSFP image acquisitions.

Methods

Forty‐nine normal volunteers underwent cardiac MRI using a 1.5T system. Two independent examiners measured the ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery in pre‐defined locations.

Results

Overall, inter‐observer agreement for all measurements was excellent. Close agreement was observed in aortic diameters obtained from the 2D and 3D SSFP methods in six of the nine aortic measurement sites. There was a tendency for the 3D measurements to be smaller than the 2D measurements but this was only significant at two sites, the aortic annulus, and the ascending aorta. There was a significance difference in aortic measurements between the left carotid artery (LC) and the left subclavian artery (LSC).

Conclusion

Normal values for transverse diameters of the thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery were established using 2D and 3D non‐contrast MR sequences in healthy adults. Overall both inter‐observer agreement, and agreement between 2D and 3D techniques was good. Mean diameter differences demonstrated at the aortic annulus, ascending aorta and aortic arch between LC and LSC although significant were less than one millimetre and unlikely to be important in clinical practice.
Radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis: A cost‐effective approach
Authors: Lee James , Mott Nigel , Mahmood Usman , Clouston John , Summers Kara , Nicholas Pauline , Gois Pedro Henrique França , Ranganathan Dwarakanathan
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Radiological insertion of Tenckhoff catheters can be an alternative option for peritoneal dialysis access creation, as compared to surgical catheter insertion. This study will review the outcomes and complications of radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion in a metropolitan renal service and compare costs between surgical and radiological insertion.

Methods

Data were collected prospectively for all patients who had a Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis (PD) under radiological guidance at our hospital from May 2014 to November 2016. The type of catheter used and complications, including peri‐catheter leak, exit site infection and peritonitis were reviewed. Follow‐up data were also collected at points 3, 6 and 12 months from catheter insertion. Costing data were obtained from Queensland Health Electronic Reporting System (QHERS) data, average staff salaries and consumable contract price lists.

Results

In the 30‐month evaluation period, 70 catheters were inserted. Two patients had an unsuccessful procedure due to the presence of abdominal adhesions. Seven patients had an episode of peri‐catheter leak, and four patients had an exit site infection following catheter insertion. Peritonitis was observed in nine patients during the study period. The majority of patients (90%) remained on peritoneal dialysis at 3‐month follow‐up. The average costs of surgical and radiological insertion were noted to be AUD$7788.34 and AUD$1597.35, respectively.

Conclusion

Radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis appears to be an attractive and cost‐effective option given less waiting periods for the procedure, the relatively low cost of insertion and comparable rates of complications.
Renal histology in Indigenous Australians with lupus nephritis
Authors: Ghazanfari Farshad , Jabbar Zulfikar , Nossent Johannes
Published: August 2017

Background

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a feared complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Renal biopsy is valuable to assess disease severity and prognosis, but no histological data are available for Indigenous Australians (IA). We compared histopathology between IA and non‐IA patients (NI) with LN in northern Australia and describe main outcomes.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of all patients with biopsy evidence of LN at Royal Darwin Hospital over a 10‐year period. Biopsies were classified by International Society of Nephrology criteria with clinical finding and vital status obtained from electronic health records. Data analyses used Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 census population, nonparametric testing and lifetable estimates.

Results

The study cohort contained 42 patients (mean age 30 years,86% female and 74% IA). The estimated annual incidence of biopsy‐proven LN was 7/100 000 for IA versus 0.7/100 000 for NI (P < 0.01). More IA patients had full‐house immune complex deposition (79% vs. 21%, P < 0.05), but fewer IA patients had proliferative LN (classes III + IV) (42% vs. 72%) (P < 0.01). Five and 10‐year patient (69% and 50%) and renal survival (87% and 53%) in IA were much worse than for NI patients. The reported causes of death were infections (38.6%), end‐stage renal disease (23%), cardiovascular events (15.4%).

Conclusion

Indigenous Australians more frequently have histological evidence of LN with a broader spectrum of immune complex deposition but less severe renal inflammation compared to non‐Indigenous patients. The relative contribution of LN to reduced patient and renal survival for Indigenous Australians thus requires further study.
The Legacy of Political Violence across Generations
Authors: Lupu Noam , Peisakhin Leonid
Published: August 2017

Does political violence leave a lasting legacy on identities, attitudes, and behaviors? We argue that violence shapes the identities of victims and that families transmit these effects across generations. Inherited identities then impact the contemporary attitudes and behaviors of the descendants of victims. Testing these hypotheses is fraught with methodological challenges; to overcome them, we study the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 and the indiscriminate way deportees died from starvation and disease. We conducted a multigenerational survey of Crimean Tatars in 2014 and find that the descendants of individuals who suffered more intensely identify more strongly with their ethnic group, support more strongly the Crimean Tatar political leadership, hold more hostile attitudes toward Russia, and participate more in politics. But we find that victimization has no lasting effect on religious radicalization. We also provide evidence that identities are passed down from the victims of the deportation to their descendants.
Efficacy of Distal Perfusion Cannulae in Preventing Limb Ischemia During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Juo Yen‐Yi , Skancke Matthew , Sanaiha Yas , Mantha Aditya , Jimenez Juan C. , Benharash Peyman
Published: August 2017

To date, no consensus exists regarding indication, technique, or efficacy of distal perfusion cannulae (DPC) in preventing limb ischemia among patients receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO). We aim to examine the available literature and report association between DPC and risk of limb ischemia. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, and bibliographies of included studies were searched from database inception until August 2016. Original studies describing the DPC placement technique and incidence of limb ischemia following DPC placement among VA‐ECMO patients were included for systematic review. Studies with a comparison group of patients without DPC were included for meta‐analysis. Two authors independently screened title/abstracts, reviewed full texts, and extracted data from the eligible studies. Meta‐analysis was performed using the Mantel‐Haenszel method under a random‐effects model. Statistical heterogeneity was examined with the I2 statistic (RevMan Version 5.3). Of 542 title/abstracts screened, 62 full text articles were selected for review, yielding 22 retrospective observational studies, for a total of 779 patients with 132 limb ischemia events. There was significant variation in DPC indication, cannula type, and placement technique among the studies. Compared to no DPC, the presence of a DPC was associated with at least a 15.7% absolute reduction in the incidence of limb ischemia (9.74 vs. 25.42%; risk ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.26–0.65, P < 0.01; heterogeneity statistic I2 = 28%). There was no statistically significant difference in mortality in the pooled dataset comparing DPC versus no DPC. In adults treated with VA‐ECMO, DPC placement was associated with a lower incidence of limb ischemia. Currently no consensus guidelines exist regarding indication for DPC placement. Given the association described in this analysis, future prospective trials are warranted to establish a causal relationship and optimal technique for the use of DPC in patients treated with VA‐ECMO.
Distribution of muscle fibre conduction velocity for representative samples of motor units in the full recruitment range of the tibialis anterior muscle
Authors: Del Vecchio A. , Negro F. , Felici F. , Farina D.
Published: August 2017

Aim

Motor units are recruited in an orderly manner according to the size of motor neurones. Moreover, because larger motor neurones innervate fibres with larger diameters than smaller motor neurones, motor units should be recruited orderly according to their conduction velocity (MUCV). Because of technical limitations, these relations have been previously tested either indirectly or in small motor unit samples that revealed weak associations between motor unit recruitment threshold (RT) and MUCV. Here, we analyse the relation between MUCV and RT for large samples of motor units.

Methods

Ten healthy volunteers completed a series of isometric ankle dorsiflexions at forces up to 70% of the maximum. Multi‐channel surface electromyographic signals recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle were decomposed into single motor unit action potentials, from which the corresponding motor unit RT, MUCV and action potential amplitude were estimated. Established relations between muscle fibre diameter and CV were used to estimate the fibre size.

Results

Within individual subjects, the distributions of MUCV and fibre diameters were unimodal and did not show distinct populations. MUCV was strongly correlated with RT (mean (SD) R2 = 0.7 (0.09), P < 0.001; 406 motor units), which supported the hypothesis that fibre diameter is associated with RT.

Conclusion

The results provide further evidence for the relations between motor neurone and muscle fibre properties for large samples of motor units. The proposed methodology for motor unit analysis has also the potential to open new perspectives in the study of chronic and acute neuromuscular adaptations to ageing, training and pathology.
Regional reproductive quests: Cross‐border reproductive travel among infertile Indonesian couples
Authors: Bennett Linda , Pangestu Mulyoto
Published: August 2017

Infertility is a significant reproductive health problem effecting at least 15% of heterosexual Indonesian couples during their reproductive lives. This article explores the preferences and decision‐making processes of 15 married infertile Indonesian couples, of high socioeconomic status, regarding intra‐regional reproductive travel in Southeast Asia. We consider the reproductive destinations of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, revealing their distinct attractions for different couples. We identify a variety of push and pull factors influencing the choice to leave Indonesia to pursue assisted reproduction technologies (ART), as well as the factors shaping the choice of travel destination. One intractable push factor motivating couples to leave Indonesia is the strict regulation of ART, which designates gamete donation and surrogacy as illegal. The paramount concern of our informants was to maximise their chances of reproductive success, and perceptions of higher success rates for conception via ART elsewhere in Asia informed their travel choices. Emotional and psychological concerns were also crucial in determining travel destinations and included a strong desire for privacy; the desire for emotional support whilst attempting conception via ART; the desire for emotional intimacy with one's partner; and the wish for religious compatibility with fertility providers and treatment protocols.
Measures of fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with, complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions: A systematic review of measure quality
Authors: Walton Holly , Spector Aimee , Tombor Ildiko , Michie Susan
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Understanding the effectiveness of complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions requires high‐quality measures to assess fidelity of delivery and engagement. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify the types of measures used to monitor fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with, complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions and (2) describe the reporting of psychometric and implementation qualities.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched, systematic reviews and reference lists were hand‐searched, and 21 experts were contacted to identify articles. Studies that quantitatively measured fidelity of delivery of, and/or engagement with, a complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change intervention for adults were included. Data on interventions, measures, and psychometric and implementation qualities were extracted and synthesized using narrative analysis.

Results

Sixty‐six studies were included: 24 measured both fidelity of delivery and engagement, 20 measured fidelity of delivery, and 22 measured engagement. Measures of fidelity of delivery included observation (n = 17; 38.6%), self‐report (n = 15; 34%), quantitatively rated qualitative interviews (n = 1; 2.3%), or multiple measures (n = 11; 25%). Measures of engagement included self‐report (n = 18; 39.1%), intervention records (n = 11; 24%), or multiple measures (n = 17; 37%). Fifty‐one studies (77%) reported at least one psychometric or implementation quality; 49 studies (74.2%) reported at least one psychometric quality, and 17 studies (25.8%) reported at least one implementation quality.

Conclusion

Fewer than half of the reviewed studies measured both fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions. More studies reported psychometric qualities than implementation qualities. Interpretation of intervention outcomes from fidelity of delivery and engagement measurements may be limited due to a lack of reporting of psychometric and implementation qualities.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Evidence of fidelity and engagement is needed to understand effectiveness of complex interventions

Evidence of fidelity and engagement are rarely reported

High‐quality measures are needed to measure fidelity and engagement

What does this study add?

Evidence that indicators of quality of measures are reported in some studies

Evidence that psychometric qualities are reported more frequently than implementation qualities

A recommendation for intervention evaluations to report indicators of quality of fidelity and engagement measures
Immigration and Neighborhood Change: Methodological Possibilities for Future Research
Authors: Schachter Ariela , Besbris Max
Published: August 2017

The recent settlement of immigrant populations into a wider range of geographies and communities across the United States raises new questions about the dynamics of residential segregation and complicates assumptions about how neighborhoods change—or don't—and why. While multiple theories attempt to explain the relationship between race/ethnicity, immigration, and neighborhood change, sociological examinations have been limited by the lack of systematic and frequently collected data. That is, the residential churn of neighborhoods, particularly in the market for rental housing where racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants predominate, often outpaces analysts’ ability to gather cross–neighborhood and cross–city data. In this essay we describe how online sources can help answer questions about race/ethnicity, immigration, and neighborhoods by providing large amounts of readily updatable data. An array of platforms designed to provide homeseekers with information about their housing options can also be used by sociologists for making claims about neighborhood change across multiple geographies. We review recent research that uses online data and describe an ongoing study by the authors that examines trends in the settlement patterns of immigrants and the rental housing market across the 50 largest MSAs in the United States. Online data sources can more accurately capture immigration and neighborhood processes, yielding better theories about the impact of immigration on neighborhood change.
Diet‐induced obesity causes visceral, but not subcutaneous, lymph node hyperplasia via increases in specific immune cell populations
Authors: Magnuson A. M. , Regan D. P. , Fouts J. K. , Booth A. D. , Dow S. W. , Foster M. T.
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The spatial proximity of adipose depots to secondary lymph nodes allows a unique relation between the two systems. Obesity, predominately visceral adiposity, links to numerous diseases; hence, we postulate that secondary lymphatics within this region contributes to disease risk.

Material and methods

Male C57BL/6 mice were fed standard CHOW (18% kcal fat) or Western diet (45% kcal fat) for 7 weeks. Visceral and subcutaneous lymph nodes and associated adipose depots they occupy were excised. Lymph node morphology and resident immune cell populations were characterized via histopathology, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Adipose tissue immune cell populations were also characterized.

Results

Obesity caused lymph node expansion, increased viable cell number and deviations in immune cell populations. These alterations were exclusive to visceral lymph nodes. Notably, pro‐inflammatory antigen presenting cells and regulatory T cells increased in number in the visceral lymph node. Obesity, however, reduced T regulatory cells in visceral lymph nodes. The visceral adipose depot also had greater reactivity towards HFD than subcutaneous, with a greater percent of macrophages, dendritic and CD8+ T cells. Immune cell number, in both the visceral and subcutaneous, however decreased as adipose depots enlarged.

Conclusion

Overall, HFD has a greater influence on visceral cavity than the subcutaneous. In the visceral lymph node, but not subcutaneous, HFD‐induced obesity decreased cell populations that suppressed immune function while increasing those that regulate/activate immune response.
Stationäre Hauttumorpatienten – Psychosoziale Belastung und Unterstützungswunsch
Authors: Buchhold Britta , Arnold Andreas , Lutze Stine , Jülich Andreas , Winkler Monique , Bahlmann Johannes , Eggert Claudia , Jünger Michael , Hannich Hans‐Joachim
Published: August 2017

Hintergrund

Eine wichtige Basis für adäquate psychoonkologische und soziale Betreuung von Tumorpatienten bildet die regelmäßige Erhebung der psychosozialen Belastung. In entsprechende Studien mit Hauttumorpatienten wurden bisher hauptsächlich Melanompatienten eingeschlossen.

Ziele

(1) Variiert der psychosoziale Betreuungsbedarf in Abhängigkeit von der Hauttumordiagnose? (2) Wünschen belastete Patienten Unterstützung? (3) Welchen potenziellen Ansprechpartner aus dem Behandlerteam wählen die Patienten?

Patienten und Methodik

Stationäre Hauttumorpatienten wurden gebeten, ihre psychosoziale Situation mittels Hornheider Fragebogen einzuschätzen. Erfragt wurden zudem der Wunsch nach psychosozialer Unterstützung und die bevorzugte Profession des potenziellen Ansprechpartners.

Ergebnisse

Der Betreuungsbedarf der 116 Patienten variiert signifikant mit der Diagnose (p = 0,007). Beim direkten Vergleich der Patienten mit malignem Melanom (n = 38; 32,8 %) und Plattenepithelkarzinom (n = 9; 7,8 %) (p = 0,724) bzw. sonstigen Hauttumorerkrankungen (n = 20; 17,2 %) (p = 0,366) ist dieser Unterschied nicht ersichtlich. Psychosoziale Belastung (n = 49; 42,2 %) und Unterstützungswunsch (n = 20; 17,4 %) der Patienten weichen deutlich voneinander ab. Patienten wählen hauptsächlich Arzt (n = 14/35) und Psychologen (n = 13/35) als potenzielle Ansprechpartner bei seelischer Belastung.

Schlussfolgerungen

Neben der psychosozialen Belastung sollte der Unterstützungswunsch erhoben und weitere Zugangswege zu psychosozialen Angeboten geebnet werden. Eine bevorzugte oder gar ausschließliche Beachtung von Patienten mit malignem Melanom in der klinischen Praxis sowie in der Forschung zum psychosozialen Betreuungsbedarf erscheint nicht gerechtfertigt.
Geography, policy, or productivity? Regional trade in five South American countries, 1910–50
Authors: Badia‐Miró Marc , Carreras‐Marín Anna , Meissner Christopher M.
Published: August 2017

Regional trade in South America since independence has long been much smaller than would be expected if geography were the only constraint on trade. Several potential explanations exist, including low technological and demand complementarities; low productivity; and high natural and policy barriers to trade. Focusing on the latter explanations, policy makers have long advocated a South American/Southern Cone Free Trade Area—proposed as early as 1889. Would reductions in trade costs have been sufficient to raise trade significantly, or was trade low for other reasons? We study bilateral trade between 1910 and 1950, when large external shocks altered global supply and demand. These shocks help us show that intra‐regional trade could have been boosted by reductions in trade costs. Trade among Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Peru could have benefited from more benign trade policies or better infrastructure. Regional trade in textiles, which took off from the 1930s, supports our argument that trade improved when trade costs fell.
Distance to screening site and older adults’ participation in cognitive impairment screening
Authors: Harada Kazuhiro , Lee Sangyoon , Shimada Hiroyuki , Lee Sungchul , Bae Seongryu , Anan Yuya , Harada Kenji , Suzuki Takao
Published: August 2017

Aim

To develop intervention strategies that promote screening for cognitive impairment, it is essential to identify the modifiable predictors for participation in screening. The present study aimed to examine whether a shorter distance to the screening site predicted participation in screening for cognitive impairment, and whether interactive effects of the distance and psychological factors on the participation would be observed among community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

The study used a prospective design. After a baseline questionnaire survey, participation in screening for cognitive impairment was followed for 6 months (n = 9616). The distance to the screening site was measured by road distance from each residential address and categorized into four groups (<1 km, 1–1.99 km, 2–2.99 km, ≥3 km). The questionnaire measured psychological factors (behavioral intention and perceived benefits of screening), driving status and demographic factors.

Results

A logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the <1 km group, the 2–2.99 km (adjusted odds ratio 0.62, P = 0.040) and ≥3 km (adjusted odds ratio 0.54, P = 0.015) groups did not participate in screening after adjusting for psychological and demographic factors, and driving status. The interaction of the distances and psychological factors on participation were not significant.

Conclusions

The distance to the screening site predicted participation in cognitive impairment screening among older adults regardless of their psychological status. This finding shows that improving access to screening sites would be effective for promoting screening for cognitive impairments among both low and highly motivated older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 146–153.
A Proposed Method to Estimate In Situ Dissolved Gas Concentrations in Gas‐Saturated Groundwater
Authors: Tamamura Shuji , Miyakawa Kazuya , Aramaki Noritaka , Igarashi Toshifumi , Kaneko Katsuhiko
Published: August 2017

Gas‐saturated groundwater forms bubbles when brought to atmospheric pressure, preventing precise determination of its in situ dissolved gas concentrations. To overcome this problem, a modeling approach called the atmospheric sampling method is suggested here to recover the in situ dissolved gas concentrations of groundwater collected ex situ under atmospheric conditions at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan. The results from this method were compared with results measured at the same locations using two special techniques, the sealed sampler and pre‐evacuated vial methods, that have been developed to collect groundwater under its in situ conditions. In gas‐saturated groundwater cases, dissolved methane and inorganic carbon concentrations derived using the atmospheric sampling method were mostly within ±4 and ±10%, respectively, of values from the sealed sampler and pre‐evacuated vial methods. In gas‐unsaturated groundwater, however, the atmospheric sampling method overestimated the in situ dissolved methane concentrations, because the groundwater pressure at which bubbles appear (Pcritical) was overestimated. The atmospheric sampling method is recommended for use where gas‐saturated groundwater can be collected only ex situ under atmospheric conditions.
Principles of treating enlarging pseudoaneurysm in a dialysis arteriovenous graft
Authors: Patel Daniel V. , Vachharajani Tushar J.
Published: August 2017

The arteriovenous graft (AVG) is one of the major types of permanent vascular access used to provide hemodialysis. Complications encountered with AVG use include stenosis, infection, thrombosis, and pseudoaneurysm formation. Venous outflow stenosis along with frequent needle cannulation at the same site can lead to breakdown of the graft material, resulting in pseudoaneurysm formation. In the following case, we illustrate common management principles used to treat pseudoaneurysms. While stent‐grafts have been utilized for pseudoaneurysm repair, stent‐graft usage is not always optimal. Surgical management may be an ideal choice of treatment. The role of educating the dialysis staff and patients is essential to identify and minimize the risk of pseudoaneurysm formation.