bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of disclosures of alternative pay measures and their role in Say on Pay approval
Authors: Hadley Brandy
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of the increase in firms’ reporting of alternative pay measures in Pay for Performance disclosures and their role in subsequent Say on Pay approval.

Design/methodology/approach

This study explores the most common types of supplemental compensation disclosures used in Pay for Performance discussions using a hand-collected sample of S&P 500 proxy statements from 2012-2014. The sample compares key characteristics of firms reporting “pocketed” pay, “market-value” pay, and “peer comparison” percentile ranking pay compared to firms that do not use these alternatives.

Findings

Results suggest that firms use alternative pay measures in their Pay for Performance disclosures for different reasons. While “pocketed” pay reporters show characteristics of opportunistic disclosures and “peer comparison” reporters tend toward informative disclosure, there is often a significant positive impact of disclosing additional compensation information on Say on Pay approval when combating prior poor Say on Pay support. However, the effect seems most significant for peer comparisons, indicating the value of reporting comparative pay.

Originality/value

This study provides insights into the increasing use of alternative pay measures, and through these measures, identifies an additional mechanism of firms’ responses to Say on Pay votes. In addition, this study highlights the importance of standardized Pay for Performance disclosures to improve informativeness and comparability in financial reporting across firms. Finally, the study provides additional evidence of opportunistic disclosure by firms in order to preserve executive pay.
Cash flow volatility and investor sentiment
Authors: Iyer Subramanian Rama , Harper Joel T.
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test whether investors take flight to safety when sentiment is low. In other words, do safe firms perform better than risky firms following periods of low sentiment.

Design/methodology/approach

Using cash flow volatility and the percent of bullish investors as proxies for risk and investor sentiment the paper tests the relationship between sentiment and returns conditional on risk this performance. Second, a cross-sectional analysis is conducted based on individual firm characteristics and sentiment to explain annual returns.

Findings

The paper finds that there is a negative relationship between investor sentiment and the return of risky companies, which is contrary to prior studies. All told, risky companies perform worse following periods of high investor sentiment.

Originality/value

This paper presents evidence contrary to extant literature and that there is no concerted flight to safety. Investor sentiment has little influence on safe stocks.
A theoretical approach to financial distress prediction modeling
Authors: Oz Ibrahim Onur , Yelkenci Tezer
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine a theoretical base for the financial distress prediction modeling over eight countries for a sample of 2,500 publicly listed non-financial firms for the period from 2000 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

The prediction model derived through the theory has the potential to produce prediction results that are generalizable over distinct industry and country samples. For this reason, the prediction model is on the earnings components, and it uses two different estimation methods and four sub-samples to examine the validity of the results.

Findings

The findings suggest that the theoretical model provides high-level prediction accuracy through its earnings components. The use of a large sample from different industries in distinct countries increases the validity of the prediction results, and contributes to the generalizability of the prediction model in distinct sectors.

Originality/value

The results of the study fulfill the gap and extend the literature through a distress model, which has the theoretical origin enabling the generalization of the prediction results over different samples and estimation methods.
Exploring a market curiosity: an examination of the Super Bowl Indicator
Authors: Thompson Thomas H. , Sen Kabir C.
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive initial evaluation of the Super Bowl Indicator (SBI) from 1966 to 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors evaluate the predictive ability of the SBI over two different time periods on four stock market indexes. Also, the authors compare the SBI predictive ability with other alternative indicators based on Super Bowl results as well as that of the January barometer (JB). As a robustness check, the authors examine whether the JB can predict Super Bowl outcomes. The authors use Granger causality to reduce the threat of spurious correlation.

Findings

The SBI surpasses the competition in both time periods, but it is evident that its predictive powers have waned since 1989. The authors find that the pre-Super Bowl January performance of the New York Stock Exchange is an impressive predictor of whether a team from the original National Football Conference won the big game between 1967 and 1988. Also, for the 1989-2016 period, the authors observe that the JB is a significant predictor whether the pre-game favorite wins or loses.

Originality/value

This study makes several contributions to the literature. The authors examine the SBI against four market indexes (Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard and Poor’s 500 Index, and NASDAQ) with raw and point spread-adjusted scores. Testing a corollary to the SBI, this study is the first to examine the influence of the JB (sometimes called the January effect) on Super Bowl results.
Beyond earnings: do EBITDA reporting and governance matter for market participants?
Authors: Cormier Denis , Demaria Samira , Magnan Michel
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether formally disclosing an earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) number reduces the information asymmetry between managers and investors beyond the release of GAAP earnings. The paper also assess if EBITDA disclosure enhances the value relevance and the predictive ability of earnings.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors explore the interface between GAAP and non-GAAP reporting as well as the impact of corporate governance on the quality of non-GAAP measures.

Findings

Results suggest that EBITDA reporting is associated with greater analyst following and with less information asymmetry. The authors also document that EBITDA reporting enhances the positive relationship between earnings and stock pricing as well as future cash flows. Moreover, it appears that corporate governance substitutes for EBITDA reporting for stock markets. Hence, EBITDA helps market participants to better assess earnings valuation when a firm’s governance is weak. Inversely, when governance is strong, releasing EBITDA information has a much smaller impact on the earnings-stock price relation.

Originality/value

The authors revisit the issue of how corporate governance relates with earnings quality by considering the potentially confounding effect of EBITDA reporting; it appears that such reporting substitutes for governance in moderating the relation between governance and earnings quality.
Modeling product market competition and reporting quality: the transitional economy of China
Authors: Iqbal Amjad , Rao Zia-ur-Rehman , Tauni Muhammad Zubair , Jebran Khalil
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of product market competition in shaping a firm’s reporting quality (RQ).

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses an aggregate measure of a firm’s RQ, considering both the absolute level of discretionary accruals (DA) and the quality of accruals, using modified Jones model and Francis et al. (2005) accruals quality model, respectively. Whereas, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index and the Lerner index are used to measure product market competition. Further, this study considers the transitional economy of China and employs panel data estimation techniques for testing the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

This study finds that firms operating in more competitive industries are associated with higher RQ. This association still prevails when analysis is done using the component measures of RQ (i.e. the absolute level of DA and the quality of accruals). Overall, the empirical results provide evidence on the disciplining role of product market competition among Chinese firms.

Practical implications

Given the complex governance structures and specific kind of agency problems in Chinese corporations, this study suggests that product market competition may play an external disciplining role to improve the corporate information environment.

Originality/value

This research explores the role of product market competition for a firm’s RQ in Chinese-listed companies, while the prior studies on the same topic are mostly from the developed countries.
Inequity of sacrifice and marital satisfaction in Chinese young couples
Authors: Lan Jing , Li Xiaomin , Cao Hongjian , Zhou Nan , Lin Xiuyun , Deng Linyuan , Fang Xiaoyi
Published: February 2017

There is an emerging body of research focusing on the positive and negative effects of sacrifice on relationship quality, but few of them have investigated the effects of the inequity of sacrifice. In the light of social exchange theory and equity theory, this study examines the roles inequity of sacrifice plays in marital satisfaction in China. Based on the questionnaires completed by 115 Chinese young couples, we find that wives’ perceived inequity of sacrifice, rather than husbands’ perceived inequity or the actual inequity of sacrifice, is predictive to both spouses’ marital satisfaction. In addition, wives’ perceived overbenefit positively predicts, while underbenefit negatively predicts both spouses’ marital satisfaction, which means when wives perceive their husbands’ sacrifice more than themselves, both of them have higher satisfaction. In accordance with social exchange theory but not equity theory, our findings highlight the important and subtle roles perceived inequity of sacrifice behaviours plays in the marriages of Chinese young couples.

Practitioner points

The importance of perceived inequity implies that clients’ perceptions should be paid more attention than the content of their stories

The strong predictive power of wives’ but not husbands’ perceived inequity suggests we should keep gender difference in mind when working with couples, especially young couples

Young couples may care about their own advantages more than the equity of their relationship, which should be accommodated in clinical work
Determinants of Post‐flood Social and Institutional Trust Among Disaster Victims
Authors: Akbar Muhammad Siddique , Aldrich Daniel P.
Published: February 2017

The 2010 Pakistan floods affected a tenth of the population of that nation and one‐fifth of its land, killing more than 1,700 people. Many observers have wondered the degree to which mass emergencies affect how residents see their decision‐makers. We use original survey data from 450 Pakistan residents to evaluate the degree to which social and institutional trust were correlated with flood damage. Controlling for gender, educational level, occupation and flood experience, high material loss during the flood was negatively correlated with postflood trust levels. In contrast, housing stability and perceived fairness in the distribution of disaster aid were positively correlated with postflood levels of trust. Our study confirms past research on the variability of trust in postdisaster situations and the importance of investing in state–civil society relations.
Diversity and functions of the sheep faecal microbiota: a multi‐omic characterization
Authors: Tanca Alessandro , Fraumene Cristina , Manghina Valeria , Palomba Antonio , Abbondio Marcello , Deligios Massimo , Pagnozzi Daniela , Addis Maria Filippa , Uzzau Sergio
Published: February 2017

Little is currently known on the microbial populations colonizing the sheep large intestine, despite their expected key role in host metabolism, physiology and immunity. This study reports the first characterization of the sheep faecal microbiota composition and functions, obtained through the application of a multi‐omic strategy. An optimized protocol was first devised for DNA extraction and amplification from sheep stool samples. Then, 16S rDNA sequencing, shotgun metagenomics and shotgun metaproteomics were applied to unravel taxonomy, genetic potential and actively expressed functions and pathways respectively. Under a taxonomic perspective, the sheep faecal microbiota appeared globally comparable to that of other ruminants, with Firmicutes being the main phylum. In functional terms, we detected 2097 gene and 441 protein families, finding that the sheep faecal microbiota was primarily involved in catabolism. We investigated carbohydrate transport and degradation activities and identified phylum‐specific pathways, such as methanogenesis for Euryarchaeota and acetogenesis for Firmicutes. Furthermore, our approach enabled the identification of proteins expressed by the eukaryotic component of the microbiota. Taken together, these findings unveil structure and role of the distal gut microbiota in sheep, and open the way to further studies aimed at elucidating its connections with management and dietary variables in sheep farming.
Hydraulics Near Unscreened Diversion Pipes in Open Channels: Large Flume Experiments
Authors: Ercan Ali , Kavvas M. Levent , Carr Kara , Hockett Zachary , Bandeh Hossein , Mussen Timothy D. , Cocherell Dennis , Poletto Jamilynn B. , Cech Joseph J. , Fangue Nann A.
Published: February 2017

Most of the water diversions on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (California, United States) and their tributaries are currently unscreened. These unscreened diversions are commonly used for irrigation and are potentially harmful to migrating and resident fishes. A large flume (test section: 18.29 m long, 3.05 m wide and 3.20 m high) was used to investigate the hydraulic fields near an unscreened water diversion under ecologically and hydraulically relevant diversion rates and channel flow characteristics. We investigated all combinations of three diversion rates (0.28, 0.42, and 0.57 m3/s) and three sweeping velocities (0.15, 0.38, and 0.61 m/s), with one additional test at 0.71 m3/s and 0.15 m/s. We measured the three‐dimensional velocity field at seven cross sections near a diversion pipe and constructed regression equations of the observed maximum velocities near the pipe. Because the velocity components in three directions (longitudinal, transverse, and vertical) were significantly greater near the diversion pipe inlet compared with those farther from it, they cannot be neglected in the modeling and design of fish guidance and protection devices for diversion pipes. Our results should be of great value in quantifying the hydraulic fields that are formed around fish guidance devices to design more effective protection for fishes from entrainment into unscreened water‐diversion pipes.
Anaphylaxis during general anaesthesia: experience from a drug allergy centre in theUK
Authors: Meng J. , Rotiroti G. , Burdett E. , Lukawska J. J.
Published: February 2017

Background

Anaphylaxis during general anaesthesia is rare but often severe. Identification of the cause of anaphylaxis and recommendation of a range of drugs or agents likely to be safer for future surgery is a collaborative venture between the allergists and the anaesthesiologists, but it often poses a significant challenge.

Methods

A total of 31 patients who attended the Drug Allergy Unit at University College London Hospital with suspected perioperative anaphylaxis between March 2013 and January 2016 were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

The culprit drug was identified in 21 patients (67.7%): antibiotics (n = 11, 52.3%), neuromuscular blocking agents (n = 8, 38.1%), morphine (n = 1, 4.8%) and gelofusine (n = 1, 4.8%). No cause was identified in six patients (19.4%), and four patients (12.9%) had non‐allergic reactions.

Conclusion

Our results confirm that antibiotics and neuromuscular blocking agents are common causative agents of perioperative anaphylaxis in the United Kingdom.
Five‐year mortality in patients treated for severe community‐acquired pneumonia – a retrospective study
Authors: Lenz H. , Norby G. O. , Dahl V. , Ranheim T. E. , Haagensen R. E.
Published: February 2017

Background

The mortality rate in patients with severe community‐acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is high. We investigated the 5‐year mortality rate and causes of death in a patient population treated for SCAP in our intensive care unit (ICU), and compared the mortality rate in patients with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as comorbidity.

Methods

This retrospective study, which covers a period of 10 years, included patients aged > 18 years admitted to our ICU with SCAP as primary diagnosis and in need of mechanical ventilation for more than 24 h. Data were collected from the ICU internal database and the patients' medical records. The times of death were collected from the Norwegian National Registry, and the causes of death from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.

Results

Hundred and seventy three patients were included in the study. The 5‐year mortality rate for the total study population was 57.2%. There were no significant differences in the mortality rate between the group with COPD and the group without COPD (61.2% vs. 54.7%, P = 0.43). There was a wide range of comorbidities. The most common were COPD, myocardial infarction and diabetes mellitus. The two main causes of death after discharge were COPD (17 deaths) and cardiovascular diseases (seven deaths).

Conclusions

The 5‐year mortality rate of the study population was high (57.2%). COPD did not seem to be a risk factor for mortality compared to non‐COPD patients. The most common causes of death after discharge were COPD and cardiovascular diseases.
Liver Injury and Endotoxemia in Male and Female Alcohol‐Dependent Individuals Admitted to an Alcohol Treatment Program
Authors: Kirpich Irina A. , McClain Craig J. , Vatsalya Vatsalya , Schwandt Melanie , Phillips Monte , Falkner Keith Cameron , Zhang Lucy , Harwell Catey , George David T. , Umhau John C.
Published: February 2017

Background

Interactions between the liver, the gut, and the immune system are critical components of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The aim of this study was to explore the associations between alcohol‐induced liver injury, endotoxemia, and inflammation at admission and over time during abstinence, as well as to examine the sex‐related differences in these parameters in alcohol‐dependent individuals admitted to an alcohol treatment program.

Methods

A cohort of 48 otherwise healthy participants with alcohol use disorder, but no clinical signs of alcoholic liver injury (34 males [M]/14 females [F]) admitted to an alcohol detoxification program, was stratified into 2 groups based on baseline plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (as a marker of liver injury). Group 1 (ALT < 40 U/l, 7M/8F) and Group 2 (ALT ≥ 40 U/l, 27M/6F) were identified. Plasma biomarkers of liver damage, endotoxemia, and inflammation were examined at baseline, day 8, and day 15 of the admission. The drinking history was also evaluated.

Results

Sixty‐nine percent of patients had elevated ALT and other markers of liver damage, including aspartate aminotransferase and cytokeratin 18 (CK18 M65 and CK M30) at baseline, indicating the presence of mild ALD. Elevated CK18 M65:M30 ratio suggested a greater contribution of necrotic rather than apoptotic hepatocyte cell death in the liver injury observed in these individuals. Females showed greater elevations of liver injury markers compared to males, although they had fewer drinks per day and shorter lifetime duration of heavy drinking. Liver injury was associated with systemic inflammation, specifically, elevated plasma tumor necrosis factor‐alpha levels. Compared to patients without liver injury, patients with mild ALD had greater endotoxemia (increased serum lipopolysaccharide levels), which decreased with abstinence and this decrease preceded the drop in CK18 M65 levels.

Conclusions

The study documented the association of mild alcohol‐induced liver injury and endotoxemia, which improved with 2 weeks of abstinence, in a subset of individuals admitted to an alcohol detoxification program.
Osteolipoma of the buccal mucosa: a case report
Authors: Firth NA , Allsobrook OFL , Patel M
Published: February 2017

Lipomas are benign mesenchymal neoplasms of soft tissue that can be found commonly in any part of the human body. Their presence in the oral mucosa is uncommon, however, with approximately 4% of the cases occurring in the oral cavity. Oral lipomas are likely to have originated from mature adipose tissue and there are several histological variants of lipomas described, which are identified according to the predominant type of tissue in addition to adipose tissue. A rare lipoma variant, known as an osteolipoma or an ossifying lipoma, may occur; however, little has been written this type of lipoma characterized by a classical lipoma with areas of osseous metaplasia. This paper describes a case of an osteolipoma involving the buccal mucosa of an adult patient.
The Role of Outstanding Foundation Awards in Fund Families
Authors: Lin Lin , Hung Pi‐Hsia , Su Pei‐Jhen
Published: February 2017

This study employs unique data concerning “Outstanding Foundation Awards” in Taiwan to investigate the determinant factors of winning awards and the contributions of award funds to the respective fund families. Our results show that fund fees, performance, age, volatility, family fees, and family award winning experiences are important predictors of winning awards. One‐, three‐, and five‐year award funds charge higher fund fees over a 1‐year post‐award period; however, they do not experience an increase in their own fund/family flows after winning the awards.
HER2 somatic mutations are associated with poor survival in HER2‐negative breast cancers
Authors: Wang Tonghui , Xu Ye , Sheng Shuyan , Yuan Hua , Ouyang Tao , Li Jinfeng , Wang Tianfeng , Fan Zhaoqing , Fan Tie , Lin Benyao , Xie Yuntao
Published: February 2017

It is well documented that human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression/amplification is associated with poor survival in breast cancer patients. However, it is largely unknown whether HER2 somatic mutations are associated with survival in HER2‐negative breast cancer patients. Here, we identified HER2 somatic mutations in tumors from 1348 unselected breast cancer patients by sequencing the entire HER2 coding region. All of these mutations were tested for in corresponding blood samples to determine whether they were somatic or germline mutations. We further investigated the associations between HER2 somatic mutations and recurrence‐free survival and distant recurrence‐free survival in this cohort of patients. We found that 27 of 1348 (2.0%) of these patients carried a HER2 somatic mutation. In vitro experiments indicated that some of the novel mutations and those with unknown functions increased HER2 activity. HER2 status was available for 1306 patients, and the HER2 somatic mutation rates in HER2‐positive (n = 353) and HER2‐negative breast cancers (n = 953) were 1.4% and 2.3%, respectively. Among the HER2‐negative patients, those with a HER2 somatic mutation had a significantly worse recurrence‐free survival (unadjusted hazard ratio = 2.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.25–5.72, P = 0.002) and distant recurrence‐free survival (unadjusted hazard ratio = 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.10–5.68, P = 0.004) than those with wild‐type HER2. Taken together, our findings suggested that HER2 somatic mutations occur at a higher frequency in HER2‐negative breast cancer, and HER2‐negative breast cancer patients with these mutations have poor survival. Therefore, HER2‐negative patients with a HER2 somatic mutation are potentially good candidates for HER2‐targeted therapy.
Applications of the water drinking test in glaucoma management
Authors: Susanna Remo , Clement Colin , Goldberg Ivan , Hatanaka Marcelo
Published: February 2017

Intraocular pressure (IOP) peaks and means have been considered important factors for glaucoma onset and progression. However, peak IOP detection depends only on appropriated IOP checks at office visits, whereas the mean IOP requires longitudinal IOP data collection and may be affected by the interval between visits. Also, IOP peak assessment is necessary to verify if the peak pressure of a given patient is in target range, to evaluate glaucoma suspect risk, the efficacy of hypotensive drugs and to detect early loss of IOP control. The water‐drinking test has gained significant attention in recent years as an important tool to evaluate IOP peaks and instability. The main objective of this review was to present new findings and to discuss the applicability of the water‐drinking test in glaucoma management.
Primal‐Dual Optimization for Fluids
Authors: Inglis T. , Eckert M.‐L. , Gregson J. , Thuerey N.
Published: February 2017

We apply a novel optimization scheme from the image processing and machine learning areas, a fast Primal‐Dual method, to achieve controllable and realistic fluid simulations. While our method is generally applicable to many problems in fluid simulations, we focus on the two topics of fluid guiding and separating solid‐wall boundary conditions. Each problem is posed as an optimization problem and solved using our method, which contains acceleration schemes tailored to each problem. In fluid guiding, we are interested in partially guiding fluid motion to exert control while preserving fluid characteristics. With our method, we achieve explicit control over both large‐scale motions and small‐scale details which is valuable for many applications, such as level‐of‐detail adjustment (after running the coarse simulation), spatially varying guiding strength, domain modification, and resimulation with different fluid parameters. For the separating solid‐wall boundary conditions problem, our method effectively eliminates unrealistic artefacts of fluid crawling up solid walls and sticking to ceilings, requiring few changes to existing implementations. We demonstrate the fast convergence of our Primal‐Dual method with a variety of test cases for both model problems.
The utility of intra‐operative frozen section for the evaluation of microscopic extrathyroidal extension in papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Hong J.C. , Seo J.W. , Jang A.L. , Suh S.H. , Pak M.G. , Han S.H. , Park Y.J. , Lee D.K. , Park H.S. , Kang M.K.
Published: February 2017

Objectives

This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of intra‐operative frozen section for the evaluation of microscopic extrathyroidal extension (ETE) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Dong‐A University Medical Center, Busan, Korea.

Participants

Three hundred and sixty‐four patients who underwent thyroid surgery from January 2000 to December 2010 with PTC confined to one unilateral lobe as diagnosed using preoperative ultrasonography were enrolled.

Main outcome measures

The patients who had microscopic ETE on frozen section were classified into “group A,” and those who did not have microscopic ETE on frozen section were classified into “group B.” Clinicopathologic factors including age, gender, size of the tumour, extent of operation, ETE, multifocality, bilaterality, lymph node metastasis and recurrence were compared between the two groups.

Results

Of the 364 patients enrolled, ETE was confirmed in 100 patients (group A, 27.5%) on frozen biopsy. The nodule size in group A (0.94±0.87 cm) was larger than that in group B (0.86±0.79 cm) (P=.042). In group A, 15 patients (15%) showed multifocality and 11 patients (14.47%) showed bilaterality. In group B, 37 patients (14.02%) showed multifocality and seven patients (43.35%) showed bilaterality. They did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=.811, P=.182). There was a higher frequency of lymph node metastases in group A (52/86, 60.47%) than in group B (7/16, 43.75%, P=.214). Recurrence was observed in only two patients who had received thyroid lobectomy as the initial surgery in group A.

Conclusions

Intra‐operative frozen biopsy can be a useful method for identifying the microscopic ETE. During the surgery, it can also help the surgeon to decide the optimal extent of surgery and the need for central compartment neck dissection in PTC patients.
ELMO3 predicts poor outcome in T1 laryngeal cancer
Authors: Haymerle G. , Kadletz L. , Wiebringhaus R. , Golabi B. , Mildner M. , Thurnher D. , Heiduschka G.
Published: February 2017

Objectives

Despite the excellent overall survival of 92%‐97% in early glottic cancer, recurrence rates of 13%‐20% have not improved in the last decades. The engulfment and cell motility protein 3 (ELMO3) have been described as prognostic marker in patients with lung cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of ELMO3 in early laryngeal cancer patients treated with TLM and to evaluate its prognostic significance on clinical outcome.

Design, setting and participant

Forty‐eight patients with glottic carcinoma (T1N0M0) that underwent primary treatment with TLM between 1994 and 2012 were analysed. ELMO3 expression of the tumour was assessed using immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinical data.

Main outcome measure

Overall survival, disease‐specific survival (DSS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) rates

Results

Positive ELMO3 expression was found in 23% of the patients and was correlated with poor DSS and DFS (P<.05).

Conclusion

This is the first study to show a prognostic effect of positive ELMO3 expression in early glottic carcinoma patients.
Event‐related potential measures of executive functioning from preschool to adolescence
Authors: Downes Michelle , Bathelt Joe , De Haan Michelle
Published: February 2017

Executive functions are a collection of cognitive abilities necessary for behavioural control and regulation, and are important for school success. Executive deficits are common across acquired and developmental disorders in childhood and beyond. This review aims to summarize how studies using event‐related potential (ERP) can provide insight into mechanisms underpinning how executive functions develop in children from preschool to adolescence. We specifically focus on ERP components that are considered to be well‐established markers of executive functioning, including the ability to resist distraction (inhibition, N200), hold scenes in mind (visuospatial working memory, contralateral delay activity), attend to specific stimuli (information processing, P300), follow rules (response monitoring, error‐related negativity [ERN], and error‐related positivity [Pe]), and adjust to feedback (outcome monitoring, feedback‐related negativity). All of these components show developmental changes from preschool to adolescence, in line with behavioural and neuroimaging findings. These ERP markers also show altered developmental trajectories in the context of atypical executive functions. As an example, deficits in executive function are prominently implicated in attention‐deficit–hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, this review highlights ERP studies that have investigated the above ERP components in this population. Overall, ERPs provide a useful marker for the development and dysfunction of executive skills, and provide insight into their neurophysiological basis.
Incidence of chronic kidney disease among people with diabetes: a systematic review of observational studies
Authors: Koye D. N. , Shaw J. E. , Reid C. M. , Atkins R. C. , Reutens A. T. , Magliano D. J.
Published: February 2017

Aims

The aim was to systematically review published articles that reported the incidence of chronic kidney disease among people with diabetes.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases. The titles and abstracts of all publications identified by the search were reviewed and 10 047 studies were retrieved.

Results

A total of 71 studies from 30 different countries with sample sizes ranging from 505 to 211 132 met the inclusion criteria. The annual incidence of microalbuminuria and albuminuria ranged from 1.3% to 3.8% for Type 1 diabetes. For Type 2 diabetes and studies combining both diabetes types, the range was from 3.8% to 12.7%, with four of six studies reporting annual rates between 7.4% and 8.6%. In studies reporting the incidence of eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 using the Modification of Diet on Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, apart from one study which reported an annual incidence of 8.9%, the annual incidence ranged from 1.9% to 4.3%. The annual incidence of end‐stage renal disease ranged from 0.04% to 1.8%.

Conclusions

The annual incidence of microalbuminuria and albuminuria is ~ 2–3% in Type 1 diabetes, and ~ 8% in Type 2 diabetes or mixed diabetes type. The incidence of developing eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 is ~ 2–4% per year. Despite the wide variation in methods and study design, within a particular category of kidney disease, there was only modest variation in incidence rates. These findings may be useful in clinical settings to help understand the risk of developing kidney disease among those with diabetes.
Rethinking international and domestic financing for HIV in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Authors: Manning Richard , Sterck Olivier
Published: February 2017

The scaling up of treatment for HIV across the world has been one of the most significant recent achievements in international health. But the commitment on antiretroviral treatment also creates a financial liability which is large and insufficiently recognized. In this article, we explore how this financial liability could be met by domestic and international sources. We argue that (1) governments and donors should recognize the magnitude of the problem and develop tools to manage the liability, (2) allocation of aid should be more rational, transparent and sustainable, (3) more fiscal space should be created domestically, (4) borrowing offers some limited potential for prevention interventions characterized by high returns on investment, and (5) efficiency gains, while not in themselves likely to bridge the resourcing gap, should be energetically pursued.
Interictal network synchrony and local heterogeneity predict epilepsy surgery outcome among pediatric patients
Authors: Tomlinson Samuel B. , Porter Brenda E. , Marsh Eric D.
Published: February 2017

Objective

Epilepsy is a disorder of aberrant cortical networks. Researchers have proposed that characterizing presurgical network connectivity may improve the surgical management of intractable seizures, but few studies have rigorously examined the relationship between network activity and surgical outcome. In this study, we assessed whether local and global measures of network activity differentiated patients with favorable (seizure‐free) versus unfavorable (seizure‐persistent) surgical outcomes.

Methods

Seventeen pediatric intracranial electroencephalography (IEEG) patients were retrospectively examined. For each patient, 1,200 random interictal epochs of 1‐s duration were analyzed. Functional connectivity networks were constructed using an amplitude‐based correlation technique (Spearman correlation). Global network synchrony was computed as the average pairwise connectivity strength. Local signal heterogeneity was defined for each channel as the variability of EEG amplitude (root mean square) and absolute delta power (μV2/Hz) across epochs. A support vector machine learning algorithm used global and local measures to classify patients by surgical outcome. Classification was assessed using the Leave‐One‐Out (LOO) permutation test.

Results

Global synchrony was increased in the seizure‐persistent group compared to seizure‐free patients (Student's t‐test, p = 0.006). Seizure‐onset zone (SOZ) electrodes exhibited increased signal heterogeneity compared to non‐SOZ electrodes, primarily in seizure‐persistent patients. Global synchrony and local heterogeneity measures were used to accurately classify 16 (94.1%) of 17 patients by surgical outcome (LOO test, iterations = 10,000, p < 0.001).

Significance

Measures of global network synchrony and local signal heterogeneity represent promising biomarkers for assessing patient candidacy in pediatric epilepsy surgery.
Efficacy of mGlu2‐positive allosteric modulators alone and in combination with levetiracetam in the mouse 6 Hz model of psychomotor seizures
Authors: Metcalf Cameron S. , Klein Brian D. , Smith Misty D. , Pruess Tim , Ceusters Marc , Lavreysen Hilde , Pype Stefan , Van Osselaer Nancy , Twyman Roy , White H. Steve
Published: February 2017

Objective

The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2 (mGlu2) possesses both orthosteric and allosteric modulatory sites, are expressed in the frontal cortex and limbic structures, and can affect excitatory synaptic transmission. Therefore, mGlu2 is a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of epilepsy. The present study seeks to evaluate the anticonvulsant potential of mGlu2‐acting compounds.

Methods

The anticonvulsant efficacy of two selective mGlu2‐positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) (JNJ‐42153605 and JNJ‐40411813/ADX71149) and one mGlu2/3 receptor agonist (LY404039) were evaluated alone and in combination with the antiseizure drug levetiracetam (LEV) in the mouse 6 Hz model.

Results

In the 6 Hz (32 mA stimulus intensity) model, median effective dose (ED50) values were determined for JNJ‐42153605 (3.8 mg/kg), JNJ‐40411813 (12.2 mg/kg), and LY404039 (10.9 mg/kg). At the 44 mA stimulus intensity, ED50 values were determined for JNJ‐42153605 (5.9 mg/kg), JNJ‐40411813 (21.0 mg/kg), LY404039 (14.1 mg/kg), and LEV (345 mg/kg). In addition, subprotective doses of each mGlu2‐acting compound, administered in combination with various doses of LEV, were able to shift the 6 Hz 44 mA ED50 for LEV by >25‐fold. When JNJ‐42153605 was administered at varying doses in combination with a single dose of LEV (10 mg/kg), the potency of JNJ‐42153605 was increased 3.7‐fold. Similarly, when a moderately effective dose of LEV (350 mg/kg) was administered in combination with varying doses of JNJ‐40411813, the potency of JNJ‐40411813 was increased approximately 14‐fold. Plasma levels of JNJ‐40411813 and LEV were not different when administered alone or in combination, suggesting that increases in potency are not due to pharmacokinetic effects.

Significance

These studies suggest a potential positive pharmacodynamic effect of mGlu2‐acting compounds in combination with LEV. If this effect is translated in a clinical setting, it can support a rational polypharmacy concept in treatment of epilepsy patients.
Perampanel in 12 patients with Unverricht‐Lundborg disease
Authors: Crespel Arielle , Gelisse Philippe , Tang Ngoc Phuong Loc , Genton Pierre
Published: February 2017

Objective

Perampanel (PER) was used in 12 patients with Unverricht‐Lundborg disease (ULD) to evaluate its efficacy against myoclonus and seizures.

Methods

We treated 11 patients with EPM1 mutations (6 F, 5 M, aged 13–62 years) and a 43‐year‐old man with de novo KCNC1 mutation. PER was introduced by 2 mg steps at 2–4 week intervals until 6 mg/day, with a possible dose reduction or dose increase.

Results

Ten patients had a clear clinical response of myoclonus, and five were able to reduce concomitant therapy. Improvement was noted sometimes as soon as with 2 mg/day. Epileptic seizures stopped on PER in the six patients who still had experienced generalized tonic–clonic or myoclonic seizures (100%). Some abatement of efficacy on myoclonus was seen in two patients who still retained some benefit. Weight gain was reported in six patients (50%). Psychological and behavioral side‐effects were observed in six patients (50%) and led to withdrawal of PER in three cases and dose reduction in three, with abatement of the problems.

Significance

This study provides evidence that for ULD patients, PER may show marked efficacy even in severe cases, particularly against myoclonus, but also against seizures. PER should thus be tried in ULD patients whose seizures are not satisfactorily controlled. Its use is limited because of psychological and behavioral side effects, with higher doses of approximately 6 mg/day or greater likely risk factors.
An evaluation of national birth certificate data for neonatal seizure epidemiology
Authors: Berry Kristen , Pesko Michael F. , Hesdorffer Dale C. , Shellhaas Renée A. , Seirup Joanna K. , Grinspan Zachary M.
Published: February 2017

Objective

Seizures are a common manifestation of neurologic dysfunction in neonates and carry a high risk for mortality and adverse long‐term outcomes. U.S. birth certificates are a potentially valuable source for studying the epidemiology of neonatal seizures. However, the quality of the data is understudied.

Methods

We reviewed all U.S. birth records from 2003 to 2013 to describe the following: (1) rates of missing data, (2) evidence of underreporting, and (3) effect of the 2003 revision of the birth certificate form. We evaluated missingness by state, year, demographic, infant health, and medical care factors using bivariate analyses. To measure potential underreporting, we compared estimates to a published reference (0.95 per 1,000 term births). We developed criteria for data plausibility, and reported which states met these criteria.

Results

Of 22,834,395 live term births (≥36 weeks of gestation) recorded using the revised form from 2005 to 2015, there were 5,875 with neonatal seizures, suggesting an incidence of 0.26 per 1,000 term births, one fourth of the expected incidence. Although the overall degree of missing seizure data was low (0.5%), missingness varied significantly by state, year, demographic, infant health, and medical care factors. After the 2003 birth certificate form revision, missing data and evidence of potential underreporting increased. Nine states met criteria for plausibility.

Significance

The value of U.S. birth certificate data for neonatal seizure epidemiology is limited by biased missingness, evidence suggestive of underreporting, and changes in reporting subsequent to the 2003 revision. There are plausible data from nine states, which merit investigation for further research.
Fitness Costs of Sexual Harassment–The Price of Persuasion
Authors: Jerry Michelle , Brown Culum
Published: February 2017

Females are often subjected to unwanted mating advances from males. Such advances can be costly to both parties. The short‐term costs of harassment to females have been widely explored in the literature; however, few studies have measured the direct fitness costs. Moreover, male costs are seldom considered. Conventional wisdom would lead us to hypothesise that sexual harassment is costly; thus, when males and females are housed together, harassment should reduce foraging, growth and reproductive output and may disrupt social interactions. This study quantified harassment costs in both sexes by observing behavioural responses and long‐term effects of unsolicited mating in a controlled setting. Sexually mature guppies were subjected to two housing treatments: equal sex ratios or single‐sex groups. The effects of male harassment on males and females were assessed by measuring behaviour, growth rate and the number of offspring produced over a period of 6 mo. Contrary to our expectations, our results indicated no significant differences in foraging and growth rates between mixed‐ and single‐sex shoals for either sex. Moreover, there was no significant difference in fry production between mixed‐ and all‐female shoals. Large males showed higher mortality when housed with females. Both sexes showed a reduction in shoaling when in mixed‐sex groups. Thus, there appear to be few direct costs of harassment for females in natural, mixed‐sex shoals, but males appear to bear significant harassment costs. The study provides insights into reproductive behaviour and life‐history traits.
Ultra–high‐resolution structure and charge‐density analysis of high‐potential iron–sulfur protein
Authors: Takeda Kazuki , Miki Kunio
Published: February 2017

The high‐potential iron–sulfur protein (HiPIP) is a small (~ 80 residues) soluble metalloprotein functioning as an electron carrier in photosynthetic bacteria. HiPIPhas one Fe4S4cluster at its molecular center. Its electronic structure is important for understanding electron transport. We recently succeeded in determining an ultra–high‐resolution structure and analyzing the charge‐density of HiPIPby using X‐ray diffraction data at 0.48 Å resolution. The distribution of valence electrons in the iron–sulfur cluster and in the protein environment were clearly visualized, which is the first successful case for metalloproteins. In addition, a topological analysis of the charge density provided information about the electronic structure of the cluster.
Benthic food webs support the production of sympatric flatfish larvae in estuarine nursery habitat
Authors: Dias Ester , Morais Pedro , Faria Ana M. , Antunes Carlos , Hoffman Joel C.
Published: February 2017

Identifying nursery habitats is of paramount importance to define proper management and conservation strategies for flatfish species. Flatfish nursery studies usually report upon habitat occupation, but few attempted to quantify the importance of those habitats to larvae development. The reliance of two sympatric flatfish species larvae, the European flounder Platichthys flesus and the common sole Solea solea, on the estuarine food web (benthic versus pelagic), was determined through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. The organic matter sources supporting the production of P. flesus and S. solea larvae biomass originates chiefly in the benthic food web. However, these species have significantly different δ13C and δ15N values which suggest that they prey on organisms that use a different mixture of sources or assimilate different components from similar OM pools (or both).
The TGF‐β‐induced up‐regulation of NKG2DLs requires AKT/GSK‐3β‐mediated stabilization of SP1
Authors: Chen Xiao‐Hui , Lu Lin‐lin , Ke Hong‐Peng , Liu Zong‐Cai , Wang Hai‐Fang , Wei Wei , Qi Yi‐Fei , Wang Hong‐Sheng , Cai Shao‐Hui , Du Jun
Published: February 2017

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in preventing cancer development. NK group 2 member D (NKG2D) is an activating receptor expressed in the membrane of NK cells. Tumour cells expressing NKG2DL become susceptible to an immune‐dependent rejection mainly mediated by NK cells. The paradoxical roles of transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) in regulation of NKG2DL are presented in many studies, but the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we showed that TGF‐β up‐regulated the expression of NKG2DLs in both PC3 and HepG2 cells. The up‐regulation of NKG2DLs was characterized by increasing the expression of UL16‐binding proteins (ULBPs) 1 and 2. TGF‐β treatment also increased the expression of transcription factor SP1. Knockdown of SP1 significantly attenuated TGF‐β‐induced up‐regulation of NKG2DLs in PC3 and HepG2 cells, suggesting that SP1 plays a key role in TGF‐β‐induced up‐regulation of NKG2DLs. TGF‐β treatment rapidly increased SP1 protein expression while not mRNA level. It might be due to that TGF‐β can elevate SP1 stability by activating PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, subsequently inhibiting GSK‐3β activity and decreasing the association between SP1 and GSK‐3β. Knockdown of GSK‐3β further verified our findings. Taken together, these results revealed that AKT/GSK‐3β‐mediated stabilization of SP1 is required for TGF‐β induced up‐regulation of NKG2DLs. Our study provided valuable evidence for exploring the tumour immune modulation function of TGF‐β.