bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unsteady state of a solar chimney power plant accoupled with a turbine: case study
Authors: Ayadi Ahmed , Nasraoui Haythem , Driss Zied , Bouabidi Abdallah , Abid Mohamed Salah
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study a solar thermal system. Solar chimney power plants (SCPPs) produce electrical energy and thermal heat from solar radiation. The thermal study of SCPPs is required, as these solar systems are characterized by high costs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a numerical study of unsteady airflow characteristics inside an SCPP. In fact, the generated power of the SCPP depends on environmental conditions. To validate this study, a solar prototype is built in the National School of Engineers of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia, North Africa. The system is mainly composed by a collector, an absorber, a chimney and a turbine. The collector diameter is 2750 mm, the collector roof height is 50 mm, the chimney height is 3,000 mm and the turbine diameter is 150 mm.

Findings

The local characteristics of the air flow are presented and analyzed, such as the distribution of the temperature, the magnitude velocity and the total pressure. Analysis confirms that ambient air temperature and solar radiation are important environmental variables for the improvement of solar chimney efficiency.

Originality/value

Although much work has been done to date, it has been noted that the most published works have presented the profiles of air velocity and air temperature in a specific position within the solar setup. However, these profiles could sometimes be misinterpreted. In fact, some researchers did not focus on the distribution of air temperature, air velocity and pressure. These parameters are important to optimize the solar system. Indeed, the most published works deal with a larger prototype, such as the Manzanares prototype. However, it has not found connections between larger and small prototypes of SCPP.
Antecedents of building information modelling adoption among quantity surveyors in Ghana
Authors: Addy Michael , Adinyira Emmanuel , Ayarkwa Joshua
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically study the factors that facilitate adoption of building information modelling (BIM) among quantity surveyors (QSs) using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative approach, factors identified in the UTAUT are examined. The empirical investigation has been conducted using survey questionnaire. The data set has been obtained from 73 practicing QSs in Ghana.

Findings

The results indicated a significant positive impact of effort expectancy, facilitation conditions and hedonic motivation towards BIM adoption. Surprisingly social influence and performance expectancy have a negative impact on BIM adoption.

Practical implications

The structures uncovered in the study show that not all UTAUT factors are applicable within the study area. The findings provide a good backdrop in the development of policy and a roadmap for BIM implementation in Ghana.

Originality/value

The original contribution and value of the paper is the use of UTAUT2 to provide empirical evidence on factors that facilitate BIM adoption in Ghana amongst QSs.
Financial performance of locally owned construction firms in southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Oladimeji Olubimbola , Aina Omotayo Olugbenga
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to appraise a decade (2004-2013) of annual financial statements of 58 locally owned construction firms’ (LOCOFs’) financial statements on turnover, fixed assets, gross profit and after-tax profit to assess their financial performance in the Nigerian construction industry. It serves as a check on firms’ financial performance, analysis and benchmarking of LOCOFs’ financial statement values to assess firms’ financial health and psychosocial environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A purposively sampled frame of 580 LOCOFs’ financial values (turnover, fixed asset and gross profit) from 212 turnover, 207 fixed assets, 184 gross profit and 217 after-tax profit data points was obtained. Firms’ capacities were obtained by categorisation, industrial average median was obtained and a regression analysis was used to describe the relationship and test of significance of the variables. A review of the possible effect of the research findings on LOCOFs’ psychosocial environment was undertaken.

Findings

Most LOCOFs were categorised as micro scale construction contracting business enterprises. LOCOFs’ financial performance was less than the performance of similar construction firm types and profits were not necessarily influenced by the cost of its investments on fixed asset but rather on firms’ turnover.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study is the paucity of financial data because of poor information access and storage.

Practical implications

The paper recommends more funding of infrastructural developmental projects and better patronage of LOCOFs which will positively influence firms’ turnover, profit and the psychosocial well-being of organisation and personnel.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to periodically assess LOCOFs’ financial values so as to appraise financial performance and its possible effect on firms’ psychosocial environment.
Becoming collaborative: a study of intra-organisational relational dynamics
Authors: Grove Eloise , Dainty Andrew , Thomson Derek , Thorpe Tony
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The intra-organisational relationships of through-life support services providers are complex, especially given the multifaceted nature of the provision required. For example, capabilities within the UK highways maintenance arena must support engineering design, routine maintenance and the on-going management of the network. While collaboration in construction projects has formed a major research focus in recent years, there is a paucity of work examining collaboration in-flight.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a micro-practices approach, two contracts delivering highway infrastructure maintenance and renewal services are examined to explore the intra-organisational relationships that determine the quality of service delivered.

Findings

Despite the rhetoric of collaboration and integrated working that pervades the contemporary project discourse, there was a clear focus on addressing immediate technical and commercial concerns, rather than on creating the conditions for integrated working to flourish. On the occasions where the collaborative environment was prioritised, a more integrated service was delivered.

Originality/value

In contrast to other accounts of the ways collaborative working shapes performance, this research reveals an acute need for a sustained collaborative effort; as soon as “collaborative working” was normalised, the level of integration and seamlessness of service was diminished. This questions normative notions of what defines collaborative working in projects and suggests a need for re-framing it as an on-going accomplishment of actors involved. Such a perspective resonates with notions of “organizational becoming”, particularly in that attempts to foster collaboration are themselves constitutive of the unfolding and shifting nature of intra-organisational relationships that emerge in complex contractual arrangements.
Introduction of a new metric “Project Health Index” (PHI) to successfully manage IT projects
Authors: Rajagopalan Jayaraman , Srivastava Praveen Kumar
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new comprehensive metric to successfully plan and execute IT projects. The development will be based on a study of all the variables that go into making a successful IT project.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire, containing qualitative and quantitative response questions, to gather data from practicing project managers is designed and used in an IT company. Cronbach’s alpha is used to analyze the data and multiple regression is used to find the equation relating project success to project management success.

Findings

A comprehensive variable called Project Health Index (PHI) has been identified. Using this variable, one can predict whether a project is likely to succeed or not. This comprehensive, composite variable is calculated by using 17 other project-related metrics identified from the responses to the questionnaire.

Research limitations/implications

The PHI has been calculated for the company studied. However, more studies need to be performed before it can be established that the PHI can also be used in other companies and projects. What has been established and validated is that PHI can be used in the studied company and that the methodology to calculate PHI is valid.

Practical implications

The PHI can be used as a predictive variable, i.e. one that can be used to take corrective and preventive actions to make a project successful. The PHI can also be used to allocate resources, prioritize the allocation and improve project management during the course of project execution.

Social implications

By implementing projects efficiently, resource utilisation increases and leads to waste avoidance. Improved sustainability is the end result.

Originality/value

The work is original. The contents and the conclusions drawn, as well as the use of the PHI will enable IT companies to implement projects efficiently, reduce cost and enhance profit.
Self-efficacy to spur job performance
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Haq Inam Ul , Azeem Muhammad Umer
Published: February 2018

Purpose

With a foundation in conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to unpack the relationship between employees’ self-efficacy and job performance, investigating the mediating role of job-related anxiety and the moderating role of perceived workplace incivility.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from employees and their supervisors in Pakistani organizations.

Findings

An important reason that employees’ self-efficacy enhances their job performance is that they experience less anxiety while undertaking their daily job tasks. This mediating role of job-related anxiety is particularly salient to the extent that employees believe that they are the victims of uncivil behaviors.

Practical implications

Organizations should note that the anxiety-mitigating effect of self-efficacy is particularly strong for generating adequate performance to the extent that rude and discourteous behaviors cannot be completely avoided in the workplace.

Originality/value

This study establishes a more complete understanding of the benefits of employees’ self-efficacy by revealing how reduced worries about their organizational functioning represent critical mechanisms that connect this personal resource to higher job performance, as well as by showing how employees’ perceptions of workplace incivility invigorate this process.
Gender diversity in compensation committees and CEO pay: evidence from China
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Zhang Junrui , Wang Fangjun , Sun Junqin , Makki Muhammad Abdul Majid
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address whether gender diversity on compensation committees ensures objective determination of CEOs’ compensation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of companies listed in China from 2006 to 2015. The authors use pooled ordinary least square regression as the baseline methodology, and two-stage least square regression and propensity score matching to control for endogeneity.

Findings

The authors find evidence that gender-diverse compensation committees limit CEOs’ total cash compensation and strengthen the link between CEO pay and firm performance, but only independent female directors have a significant impact, indicating that the monitoring effect outweighs the executive effect. Moreover, compensation committees with a critical mass of female directors have more impact on CEOs’ total pay and the link between CEO pay and firm performance than do committees with a single female director. Finally, gender-diverse compensation committees are more effective in setting CEOs’ compensation in state-controlled firms, where agency issues are more severe.

Practical implications

Female directors can improve firm-level governance by monitoring management actions, such as setting CEOs’ compensation. The study contributes to the debate on gender diversity in the boardroom, finding a positive economic effect. The study sheds light on China’s diversity practices at the director level and provides empirical guidance to China’s regulatory bodies.

Originality/value

The authors extend earlier studies by providing the first empirical evidence that gender-diverse compensation committees strengthen the link between CEO pay and firm performance; that independent female directors are more effective in the monitoring role than executive female directors; that compensation committees with a critical mass of female directors are more effective in setting CEOs’ pay than are committees with a single female director; and that the influence of gender-diverse compensation committees on CEOs’ pay varies by type of ownership.
Low-power CMOS integrated current sensor for current-mode DC-DC buck converter
Authors: Kim Hyung-won , Jeong Hyeim , Yu Junho , Lee Chan-Soo , Kim Nam-Soo
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a low-power complementary MOS (CMOS) current sensor for control circuit in an integrated DC-DC buck converter.

Design/methodology/approach

The integrated DC-DC converter, which is composed of feedback control circuit and power block, is designed with 0.35-µm CMOS process. Current sensor in the control circuit is integrated with sense-FET and voltage-follower circuits to reduce power consumption and improve its sensing accuracy. In the current-sensing circuit, the size ratio of the power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) to the sensing transistor (K) is 1,000, and a current-mirror is used for a voltage follower. N-channel MOS acts as a switching device in the current-sensing circuit, where the sensing FET is in parallel with the power MOSFET. The amplifier and comparator are designed to obtain a high gain and a fast transient time.

Findings

Experiment shows that the current sensor is operated with accuracy of more than 85 per cent, and the transient time of the error amplifier is controlled within 100 µs. The sensing current is in the range of a few hundred µA at a frequency of 0.6-2 MHz and an input voltage of 3-5 V. The output voltage is obtained as expected with the ripple ratio within 5 per cent.

Originality/value

The proposed current sensor in DC-DC converter provides an accurately sensed inductor current with a significant reduction in power consumption in the range of 0.2 mW. High-accuracy regulation is obtained using the proposed current sensor. As the sensor utilizes simple switch-type voltage follower and sense-FET, it can be widely applied to other low-power applications such as high-frequency oscillator and over-current protection circuit.
“It’s not just a matter of speaking…”: the vicissitudes of cross-cultural interviewing
Authors: Griffin Gabriele
Published: February 2018

Purpose

In “Can the subaltern speak?,” Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak makes the important distinction between representation as “Vertretung” and “Darstellung.” She also produces a strong version of whom she regards as a subaltern woman. Thirty years on both the distinction between “Vertretung” and “Darstellung” and the question of who the subaltern woman is, remain extremely important, not least in methodological considerations in cross-cultural contexts. A number of questions may be asked in relation to representation, such as: how distinct are its two meanings in the interviewing context? And how do they relate to the notion of the co-production of knowledge which has gained such traction in the past three decades? The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, I draw on cross-cultural interviewing experiences. Starting from the silence of illiterate rural women in a study conducted in Madhya Pradesh, India, in 2011 (Mohanraj), this paper draws on the research experiences of the author and a number of projects reported on in Cross-Cultural Interviewing (Griffin, 2016) to elucidate how one might re-think both representation and subalternality in the contemporary globalized context.

Findings

The experiences of cross-cultural interviewing I draw on in this paper show that in the contemporary context subalternality may be more productively understood in terms of a continuum rather than as the radical state of unreachable, unspeaking alterity that Spivak proposes.

Originality/value

The paper contributes new perspectives on Spivak’s notion of the unspeaking alterity of the subaltern in light of globalized developments over the past 30 years and specific experiences of cross-cultural interviewing, as these comment on Spivak’s insights.
Effects of mass energy and line mass on characteristics of the direct laser fabrication parts
Authors: Wang Xinlin , Deng Dewei , Zhang Hongchao
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of mass energy and line mass on the geometrical dimensions, microstructures, hardness and mechanical properties of direct laser fabrication parts.

Design/methodology/approach

Direct laser fabrication is successfully used to manufacture a series of samples of AISI 316L stainless steel.

Findings

The width and height of the deposition layers increase with increasing mass energy and line mass. When the powder feed rate is 0.295 g/s, higher mass energy and line mass create more refined grains. However, mass energy and line mass have adverse effects on grain size at the powder feed rate of 0.241 or 0.187 g/s. Higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) values and reduced ductility values are obtained in comparison with those obtained by traditional methods. Thus, the increase in the mass energy and line mass improves the mechanical properties of the parts.

Originality/value

This study is helpful for the optimization of the parameters in the direct laser fabrication process.
Fabrication and stress analysis of ankle foot orthosis with additive manufacturing
Authors: Banga Harish Kumar , Belokar Rajendra M. , Kalra Parveen , Kumar Rajesh
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) are assistive devices prescribed for a number of physical and neurological disorders affecting the mobility of the lower limbs. Additive manufacturing has been explored as an alternative process; however, it has proved to be inefficient cost-wise. This work aims to explore the possibilities of generating modular AFO elements, namely, calf, shank and footplate, with the localized composite reinforcement that aids in the optimization of the device in terms of functionality, aesthetics, rigidity and cost.

Design/methodology/approach

The conventional lower leg–foot orthosis configuration depends on thermoforming a polymer sheet around a mortar cast with a trademark firmness relying upon the trim-line with the inalienable plan restrictions. In manufacturing of AFO the expert, i.e. orthotist's, guidance is used. Polypropylene and polyethylene material is used in fabrication of AFO to complete all-round reported points of interest over the ordinary outlines, yet their mechanical conduct under administration conditions cannot be effectively anticipated.

Findings

AFOs made of polypropylene and polyethylene material are available in the market, which are used by children of age 3-5 years. With the existing AFO design, patients are facing excessive heating and sweating problems during long-term usage. After feedback from patients and orthotists (who prescribed AFO to patients), an attempt has been made to solve the problem with a new and improved AFO design of AFO by using finite element modelling and stress analysis. Also, the results indicate that the new design is similar to the actual product design.

Originality/value

This work introduces the low-cost 3D printing with reinforcement approach as an alternative route for the designing and manufacturing of orthotic devices with complex shapes. It is expected that new applications add-up to increase the body of knowledge about the behaviour of such products which will mix both areas, composite theory and additive manufacturing. This study investigated the fields related to 3D scanning, 3D printing and computer-aided designing for the manufacturing of a customized AFO.
A new method for locating candidate substrates for multi axis hybrid manufacturing systems
Authors: Eldakroury Mohamed A. , Chen Niechen , Frank Matthew C.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This study aims to introduce a new method for locating candidate substrates in part models and evaluating their feasibility.

Design/methodology/approach

Slices of an STL model along candidate directions are evaluated for the fitting of regular cylindrical and rectangular stock. Next, the part model is skeletonized and tested for collision assuming deposition growth of features from the candidate substrate.

Findings

The method is successfully able to find feasible substrates and conduct collision simulation for a variety of part models.

Research limitations/implications

The algorithm is limited to cylindrical and rectangular substrates and only considers collision between the substrate and the deposition head.

Originality/value

This method represents a new approach to solving a portion of the hybrid manufacturing process planning problem.
The digital divide in India: use and non-use of ICT by rural and urban students
Authors: Sampath Kumar B.T. , Shiva Kumara S.U.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to know the frequency, place, and purpose of use of computer. It also aimed to know the various problems faced by the students in using the computer and to know the reasons for not using computer by rural and urban students.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of the 2,592 sample population were selected from 64 rural and urban high schools of two districts of Karnataka state. A structured questionnaire was used for the data collection and data have been analyzed using Software Package for Social Science. Statistical tests, namely, χ2 and one-way ANOVA were applied to test the formulated hypotheses.

Findings

The results of the study showed that only 20.66 percent rural students and 69.70 percent of urban students used computer for various academic purposes. Further, most of the rural and urban students opined that “electric power failure” and “lack of computer” skills were major problem in using computer.

Originality/value

Today, the computer education in schools plays an important role in student’s career development and enhances the quality of learning among students. Thus, the local government/school authorities may provide the minimum ICT infrastructure in both schools and more particularly in rural schools.
Dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor‐associated bullous pemphigoid in a patient with acquired reactive perforating collagenosis
Authors: Maki Nobuki , Nishie Wataru , Takazawa Maya , Kakurai Maki , Yamada Tomoko , Umemoto Naoka , Kawase Masaaki , Izumi Kentaro , Shimizu Hiroshi , Demitsu Toshio
Published: February 2018

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a common autoimmune blistering disorder with unknown etiology. Recently, increasing numbers ofBPcases which developed under the medication with dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors (DPP4i), widely used antihyperglycemic drugs, have been reported in published works. Here, we report a case ofDPP4i (teneligliptin)‐associatedBPthat developed in a 70‐year‐old Japanese man. Interestingly, the patient had acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC), which is also known to be associated with the onset ofBP. In the present case, clinical, histopathological and immunological findings suggested thatDPP4i rather thanARPCwas associated with the onset ofBP.
Under the weather?—The direct effects of climate warming on a threatened desert lizard are mediated by their activity phase and burrow system
Authors: Moore Danae , Stow Adam , Kearney Michael Ray
Published: February 2018

For ectotherms such as lizards, the importance of behavioural thermoregulation in avoiding thermal extremes is well‐established and is increasingly acknowledged in modern studies of climate warming and its impacts. Less appreciated and understood are the buffering roles of retreat sites and activity phase, in part because of logistical challenges of studying below‐ground activity. Burrowing and nocturnal activity are key behavioural adaptations that have enabled a diverse range of reptiles to survive extreme environmental temperatures within hot desert regions. Yet, the direct impact of recent global warming on activity potential has been hypothesised to have caused extinctions in desert lizards, including the Australian arid zone skink Liopholis kintorei.

We test the relevance of this hypothesis through a detailed characterisation of the above‐ and below‐ground thermal and hydric microclimates available to, and used by, L. kintorei.

We integrate operative temperatures with observed body temperatures to construct daily activity budgets, including the inference of subterranean behaviour. We then assess the likelihood that contemporary and future local extinctions in this species, and those of similar burrowing habits, could be explained by the direct effects of warming on its activity budget and exposure to thermal extremes.

We found that L. kintorei spent only 4% of its time active on the surface, primarily at dusk, and that overall potential surface activity will be increased, not restricted, with climate warming. The burrow system provides an exceptional buffer to current and future maximum extremes of temperature (≈40°C reduction from potential surface temperatures), and desiccation (burrows near 100% humidity). Therefore, any climate warming impacts on this species are likely to be indirect.

Our findings reflect the general buffering capacity of underground microclimates, therefore, our conclusions for L. kintorei are more generally applicable to nocturnal and crepuscular ectotherms, and highlight the need to consider the buffering properties of retreat sites and activity phase when forecasting climate change impacts.
Conservatism between theory and practice: The case of migration to Europe
Authors: BECKSTEIN MARTIN , RAMPTON VANESSA
Published: February 2018

This article explores the neglected relationship between conservatism as political theory and conservatism as political practice using the example of recent immigration to Europe. A cursory glance at how European politicians have responded to migration challenges suggests that they roughly divide into an open‐arm, leftist ‘liberal’ camp and a right‐wing ‘conservative’ one. The situation, however, is more complex. This article engages with the resources of conservative theory to argue that there are many distinct conservative theoretical positions for any one policy point. Using contemporary migration patterns as a case study, the findings suggest that Conservative parties have not borrowed much from conservative theory in its variety of incarnations. In fact, conservative theory can buttress a course of action that is generous toward migrants and at odds with the claims of right‐wing populist movements. While certain strands of conservatism imagine a homogenous people, there are others that are no less pro‐pluralism than liberal theories, and sometimes more so.
Influence of grandparents on the dietary intake of their 2–12‐year‐old grandchildren: A systematic review
Authors: Young Kylie G. , Duncanson Kerith , Burrows Tracy
Published: February 2018

Aim

Grandparents are assuming increased child‐caregiving responsibilities, which potentially influences the dietary intake of grandchildren. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the influence of grandparental care on the dietary intake, food‐related behaviours, food choices and weight status of their preschool and school‐aged grandchildren.

Methods

Six electronic health databases were searched in January 2017. Inclusion criteria were publication in English language, peer‐reviewed journal between 2000 and 2017; children aged 2–12 years; study outcomes included child dietary intake/weight status, grandparent nutrition knowledge/beliefs or grandparent/parent feeding practices. Included studies were appraised for quality and bias. The review was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016047518.

Results

Sixteen studies were identified in the review, published between 2007 and 2016, with 15 assessed as moderate or high quality. Nine studies reported grandparental child feeding attitudes and behaviours that are considered to negatively influence child dietary intake, while three studies identified positive influences. Seven studies identified that differences in child feeding attitudes and behaviours between parents and grandparents created conflict and tensions between caregivers, often resulting in poor feeding practices. Statistically significant positive associations (odds ratio 1.47–1.72) between grandparent cohabitation and increased rates of child overweight and obesity were found in four studies.

Conclusions

Grandparents in caregiving roles may negatively influence the dietary intake and weight status of their grandchildren. More rigorous, targeted studies are required to further define the mechanisms by which grandparents' knowledge, attitudes and feeding behaviours may influence child dietary intake. This review suggests that grandparents may be an important audience to target in future child nutrition interventions.
Investor sentiment and the risk–return tradeoff in the Brazilian market
Authors: Piccoli Pedro , da Costa Newton C. A. , da Silva Wesley Vieira , Cruz June A. W.
Published: February 2018

This study examines the influence of investor sentiment on the risk–return relationship in the Brazilian stock market from 2002 to 2015. Using the Consumer Confidence Index as a substitute for the level of investor sentiment, we find that the relationship between conditional variance and stocks return is positive (negative) in periods of low (high) sentiment, except for small stocks, which always show a negative relationship between the constructs. The deterioration of the positive relationship between risk and return when sentiment is high is a result of the sharp growth in the number of less sophisticated investors under these circumstances.
Body weight change is unpredictable after total thyroidectomy
Authors: Glick Ron , Chang Paula , Michail Peter , Serpell Jonathan W. , Grodski Simon , Lee James C.
Published: February 2018

Background

There is a common perception that total thyroidectomy causes weight gain beyond expected age‐related changes, even when thyroid replacement therapy induces a euthyroid state. The aim of this study was to determine whether patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for a wide spectrum of conditions experienced weight gain following surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 107 consecutive total thyroidectomy patients treated between January 2013 and June 2014. Medical records were reviewed to determine underlying pathology, thyroid status, use of antithyroid drugs and preoperative weight. Follow‐up data were obtained from 79 patients at least 10 months post‐operatively to determine current weight, the type of clinician managing thyroid replacement therapy and patient satisfaction with post‐thyroidectomy management.

Results

The cohort was 73% female, with a mean age of 55.8 ± 15.7 years and a mean preoperative weight of 78.8 ± 17.5 kg. Commonest pathologies were multinodular goitre, Graves' disease, thyroid cancer and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Preoperatively, 63.2% of patients were hyperthyroid. Mean weight change at follow‐up was a non‐significant increase of 0.06 ± 6.9 kg (P = 0.094). Weight change was not significant regardless of preoperative thyroid function status. This study did not demonstrate any significant differences in clinical characteristics (including post‐operative thyroid‐stimulating hormone) between the group with >2% weight gain and those who did not.

Conclusions

This study did not reveal significant weight gain following thyroidectomy for a wide spectrum of pathologies. Specifically, preoperative hyperthyroidism, female gender and use of antithyroid medications do not predict weight gain after thyroid surgery.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Counseling of Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: NIERMEIJER M. F. , HALLEY D. J. , KLEIJER W. J. , NEIJENS H. J. , SINAASAPPEL M.
Published: February 2018

The number of DNA markers at the chromosome 7‐locus of the putative CF gene has markedly increased in recent years, also as a result of intensive research into the possible “candidate” gene. In studies of families with one or more affected children, 97.5 % of families are now fully informative, allowing a prenatal diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling in the 10th week and DNA‐analysis, which will usually give now a diagnosis with a remaining risk of less than 1 %. The microvillar enzyme test in amniotic fluid after amniocentesis in the 18th week will remain an alternative for couples who have a high prior risk, but are either not informative at DNA analysis, or where no information on a (deceased) index case (previous affected child) is available. The risk for a wrong classification is in the order of a few percent (in a 1:4 prior risk case) and careful discussion of the limitations are needed when this test is applied to cases with a lower prior risk. The linkage disequilibrium established for a number of RFLP's (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms), as detected by various probes and various restriction enzymes around the CF locus has opened the possibility to refine the risk estimation of heterozygosity for individuals outside families with CF‐affected children. The presence of certain haplotypes may change the risk for being CF heterozygote from ±1:7 to 1:250, as compared to a population risk of ±1: 25. Such a risk estimation seems insufficient for carrier detection at the population level, but may be useful in specific situations, as in selection of a sperm donor for those CF parents who opt for artificial insemination by donor sperm, etc. The possible genetic heterogeneity of CF is discussed recently, and future work is needed to see if CF with meconium ileus is genetically different (with a higher risk of recurrence) from other forms of the disorder.
Endobronchial Infection in Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: SMITH ARNOLD L. , RAMSEY BONNIE , REDDING GREG , HAAS JOEL
Published: February 2018

In symptomatic patients with cystic fibrosis, the recovery of bacteria in an inflammatory exudate from the lower respiratory tract is strong evidence of endobronchitis. It is not known when this chronic infection begins, the etiologic agents during infancy or the mechanism of evolution from Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotic administration to “suppress” the infection in relatively well patients is an unproven benefit. During an exacerbation of bronchitis, administration of appropriate antibiotics decreases sputum bacterial density and is accompanied by decreased amounts of indicators of inflammation in sputum: pulmonary function improves, particularly that reflecting medium to small airway status. In the future aggressive diagnostic procedures will be followed by therapeutic and prophylactic antibiotic administration conducted in a manner to minimize emergence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria. Adjunctive therapy, to minimize those aspects of the host response which inflict lung damage, will become standard.
Cystic Fibrosis—from Lung Damage to Symptoms
Authors: GEDDES D. M. , SHINER ROBERT
Published: February 2018

Respiratory symptoms in cystic fibrosis are both local and systemic. The local symptoms include cough, sputum, wheezing, haemoptysis and breathlessness, while systemic symptoms of malaise and fever occur with pulmonary infection. There are also interactions between respiratory and gastrointestinal systems in producing symptoms of malaise and weakness and these also contribute to the secondary psychological and social problems that a number of patients with cystic fibrosis experience. These local respiratory symptoms can be attributed in part to lung damage, but are also a manifestation of the CF defect itself. Similarly, lung damage, allergy, haemodynamic and nutritional changes all contribute to the symptom of breathlessness. Further improvement in symptoms in the future will come not only from limiting the lung damage but also from therapy aimed at reversing the CF defect Itself.
Strategies and Perspectives in Treatment of Respiratory Infections
Authors: NEIJENS H. J.
Published: February 2018

Bronchopulmonary infections in CF have a number of special features. The pathophysiology is determined by consequences of the basic CF defect and interactions with host defence systems, leading to chronic inflammation induced by Staphylococci and subsequently Pseudomonas. This results in lung tissue damage, various complications and eventually respiratory insufficiency. Policy of treatment is to combat infectious exacerbations and lung tissue destruction as much as possible. Factors in optimal treatment such as strategies, indications for therapy and selection of antibiotics are discussed.
Editorial: the post‐Helicobacter stomach—not the same for cohorts and individuals
Authors: Genta R. M.
Published: February 2018

Linked content

This article is linked to Hwang et al and Kim and Hwang papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14424 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14524.
Editorial: nocebo effect and switching to biosimilars
Authors: van Bodegraven A. A. , Boone N. W.
Published: February 2018

Linked content

This article is linked to Schmitz et al paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14453.
Systematic review: the natural history of alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency, and associated liver disease
Authors: Townsend S. A. , Edgar R. G. , Ellis P. R. , Kantas D. , Newsome P. N. , Turner A. M.
Published: February 2018

Background

Alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is estimated to affect three million people worldwide. It causes liver disease in a proportion of carriers of the PiS and PiZ allele due to the formation and retention of polymers within the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes. The reason for this selective penetrance is not known. Although clinical trials are underway, liver transplantation is the only effective treatment for liver disease due to AATD.

Aims

To report the prevalence and natural history of liver disease among individuals with AATD, and assess the outcomes of liver transplantation through systematic review.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases. Two independent authors selected the articles and assessed bias using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Data were pooled for analysis, where comparable outcomes were reported.

Results

Thirty‐five studies were identified related to disease progression and 12 for the treatment of AATD. Seven per cent of children were reported to develop liver cirrhosis, with 16.5% of individuals presenting in childhood requiring liver transplantation. Of those surviving to adulthood, 10.5% had liver cirrhosis and 14.7% required transplantation. Liver transplantation was the only effective treatment reported and outcomes compare favourably to other indications, with 5‐year survival reported as over 90% in children and over 80% in adults.

Discussion

The clinical course of liver disease in individuals with AATD remains poorly understood, but affects about 10% of those with AATD. More research is required to identify those patients at risk of developing liver disease at an early stage, and to provide alternative treatments to liver transplantation.
The Impact of IFRS in Brazil: The Legacy of Mandatory Book‐tax Conformity
Authors: Nakao Sílvio Hiroshi , Gray Sidney J.
Published: February 2018

We investigate how Brazil's historical and institutional context is likely important in determining the impact and benefits of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with special reference to the legacy of taxation regulation, referred to as mandatory book‐tax conformity. We hypothesise that in the early period following IFRS adoption, information quality may not significantly improve in the case of companies with limited levels of stock market monitoring because of the path dependency effects of historically important tax considerations. Overall, our results are consistent with the prediction that companies with limited levels of stock market monitoring continue to exhibit book‐tax conformity with no information quality improvements. At the same time, the results relating to companies with higher levels of stock market monitoring are consistent with the expected information quality improvements associated with IFRS adoption.
Accounting Standards, Earnings Transparency and Audit Fees: Convergence with IFRS in China
Authors: Ye Qiang , Gao Jie , Zheng Weiguang
Published: February 2018

This study investigates the effect of China's new accounting standards (which converged with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in 2007) on a new market‐based attribute of earnings quality – earnings transparency (defined as the explanatory power of the returns–earnings relation at firm level) – and their association with audit pricing. Using China's listed companies from 2001 to 2012 as a sample, we find that the adoption of China's new accounting standards, specifically the introduction of fair value measurement and the change in the accounting treatment of minority interest income, increases earnings transparency. We also find that earnings transparency negatively impacts audit fees, and the adoption of new accounting standards attenuates the negative association between earnings transparency and audit fees. This study has implications for standard setters, auditors and managers regarding the change in the information environment of investors resulting from IFRS convergence in China from a new perspective.
Indistinguishability tests in the actor–partner interdependence model
Authors: Gistelinck Fien , Loeys Tom , Decuyper Mieke , Dewitte Marieke
Published: February 2018

When considering dyadic data, one of the questions is whether the roles of the two dyad members can be considered equal. This question may be answered empirically using indistinguishability tests in the actor–partner interdependence model. In this paper several issues related to such indistinguishability tests are discussed: the difference between maximum likelihood and restricted maximum likelihood based tests for equality in variance parameters; the choice between the structural equation modelling and multilevel modelling framework; and the use of sequential testing rather than one global test for a set of indistinguishability tests. Based on simulation studies, we provide guidelines for best practice. All different types of tests are illustrated with cross‐sectional and longitudinal data, and corroborated with corresponding R code.
1,3,6,7‐Tetrahydroxy‐8‐prenylxanthone ameliorates inflammatory responses resulting from the paracrine interaction of adipocytes and macrophages
Authors: Li Dan , Liu Qianyu , Sun Wen , Chen Xiuping , Wang Ying , Sun Yuxiang , Lin Ligen
Published: February 2018

Background and Purpose

Chronic inflammation in adipose tissue is critical in the onset and development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue and pro‐inflammatory polarization play key roles in adipose tissue inflammation. The fruit hull of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is used in traditional medicine to treat various inflammatory diseases. However, its role in regulating adipose tissue inflammation is unexplored. This study was designed to identify xanthones from G. mangostana, which could ameliorate adipose tissue inflammation.

Experimental Approach

Expressions of inducible NOS, cytokines, chemokines and components of the NF‐κB and MAPKs pathways were evaluated using Western blotting, immunofluorescence, quantitative real‐time PCR or ELISA. The migration of macrophages towards adipocytes was tested using Transwell experiments in vitro. A murine model of LPS‐induced acute inflammation was used to examine effects of 1,3,6,7‐tetrahydroxy‐8‐prenylxanthone (TPX) on inflammatory responses in adipose tissue in vivo.

Key Results

From a series of xanthones isolated from G. mangostana, TPX was identified as a potent inhibitor of LPS‐induced NO production and IL‐6 secretion in RAW264.7 macrophages. TPX ameliorated LPS‐induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages, and TNF‐α‐mediated inflammation in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes, through inhibiting MAPKs and NF‐κB activation and promoting sirtuin 3 expression. TPX also blocked RAW264.7 macrophages migration towards 3T3‐L1 adipocytes in co‐cultures. Furthermore, TPX alleviated LPS‐induced adipose tissue inflammation in vivo by reducing pro‐inflammatory cytokines and preventing the pro‐inflammatory polarization of macrophages.

Conclusions and Implications

Taken together, our results indicate that TPX disrupts the inflammatory responses between macrophages and adipocytes, and attenuates adipose tissue inflammation.
Alterations in melatonin and 5‐HT signalling in the colonic mucosa of mice with dextran‐sodium sulfate‐induced colitis
Authors: MacEachern Sarah J , Keenan Catherine M , Papakonstantinou Evangelia , Sharkey Keith A , Patel Bhavik Anil
Published: February 2018

Background and Purpose

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by pain, bleeding, cramping and altered gastrointestinal (GI) function. Changes in mucosal 5‐HT (serotonin) signalling occur in animal models of colitis and in humans suffering from IBD. Melatonin is co‐released with 5‐HT from the mucosa and has a wide variety of actions in the GI tract. Here, we examined how melatonin signalling is affected by colitis and determined how this relates to 5‐HT signalling.

Experimental Approach

Using electroanalytical approaches, we investigated how 5‐HT release, reuptake and availability as well as melatonin availability are altered in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice. Studies were conducted to explore if melatonin treatment during active colitis could reduce the severity of colitis.

Key Results

We observed an increase in 5‐HT and a decrease in melatonin availability in DSS‐induced colitis. A significant reduction in 5‐HT reuptake was observed in DSS‐induced colitis animals. A reduction in the content of 5‐HT was observed, but no difference in tryptophan levels were observed. A reduction in deoxycholic acid‐stimulated 5‐HT availability and a significant reduction in mechanically‐stimulated 5‐HT and melatonin availability were observed in DSS‐induced colitis. Orally or rectally administered melatonin once colitis was established did not significantly suppress inflammation.

Conclusion and Implications

Our data suggest that DSS‐induced colitis results in a reduction in melatonin availability and an increase in 5‐HT availability, due to a reduction/loss of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 enzyme, 5‐HT content and 5‐HT transporters. Mechanosensory release was more susceptible to inflammation when compared with chemosensory release.