bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutional dysmorphia: when the institutions become ill
Authors: Monticelli Jefferson Marlon , Garrido Ivan Lapuente , Curth Marcelo , Vieira Luciana Marques , Dal-Soto Fábio
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of SOEs on institutions. The authors argue that in some cases there are differences in institutional shape between the shape that is actually demanded by an institution’s institutional environment and the shape that the institution itself believes is demanded of its institutional framework. The authors observed a behavior specific to institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and this behavior was primarily in response to demands from governments and SOEs. The authors call this situation institutional dysmorphia and contrast it with institutional isomorphism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is characterized by the qualitative approach and descriptive form. It is also a documentary study employing the systematic review technique and critical appreciation in a research group. The case of the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) is analyzed to examine the different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES. It used secondary data provided by reports, papers and relevant magazines. The authors compare them with the conceptual purpose originated in the Medicine field.

Findings

The study is illustrated by the case of the BNDES and the various different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES are examined. This is a qualitative and descriptive documentary study, employing the systematic review technique. Specific behavior is observed in institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and these demands mainly come from the government and from SOEs.

Research limitations/implications

The authors use of secondary data from only one country that was used to present these arguments. The focus was restricted to the institutional framework comprising one institution and SOEs. Private firms were not considered in this institutional framework, but they must be included in a macro-environment. Institutional pressures are dynamic and asymmetric. The dynamism of institutional change was not evaluated, and neither was the evolution of the relationships between government, SOEs and institutions. Finally, researchers need to understand not only top-down models of institutional effects but also the institutional process that incorporates both institutional influence and firm responses.

Originality/value

The term institutional dysmorphia is proposed through the contrast with concepts such institutional isomorphism, with reference to the institutional logics and institutional complexity of these institutions’ and SOEs’ environment. The situation described institutional dysmorphia happening in emerging countries context and might open new avenues for research.
New models in old frameworks? Contributions to the extension of international management theories through the analysis of emerging multinationals
Authors: Marchand Morgan
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The extent to which emerging multinational enterprises (EMNEs) challenge extant international management (IM) theories is a question under current discussion. The purpose of this paper is to confront two classic theories (internationalization process model (IPM) and post-acquisition integration types) to several EMNEs strategies within their initial conceptual frameworks, exploring how their practices lead to extend and update existing models.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper compares the classic IPM with the development stages of iconic EMNEs. This reveals how EMNEs’ strategies can be analyzed within extant conceptual frameworks, extending their theoretical content. This approach is then applied to an empirical study of post-acquisition integrations conducted in France by EMNEs from 11 countries of origin.

Findings

Two theories are discussed, with suggested updates, within their extant frameworks, taking into account EMNEs’ strategies. First, the initial IPM is re-explored to reveal concentrated paths, from all quadrants of the framework. Similarly, post-integration typologies are updated, including the partnering approach frequently implemented by EMNEs, and the holding approach empirically identified with some specific features (subjection).

Originality/value

This paper combines an analysis of some iconic EMNEs’ internationalization processes and empirical data on up-market acquisitions by EMNEs from diverse countries of origin. It provides suggestions to update two IM theories.
Emerging market multinationals and the concept of ownership advantages
Authors: Williamson Peter , Wan Feng
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to re-assess the concept of ownership advantages in the light of successful international expansion of multinationals from emerging economies (EMNEs) and explore how these advantages are built.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a viewpoint based on analysis of the successful international expansion of a sample of Chinese EMNEs where success is measured their ability win share in overseas markets. This allows us to identify their ownership advantages, the antecedents of these advantages and how they were built using dynamic capabilities.

Findings

EMNEs have “non-traditional” ownership advantages that have been built by finding innovative ways to leverage the locational advantages of their home countries. The conversion of locational advantages into ownership advantages requires that firms build dynamic capabilities that enable them to innovate in the use of the locational advantages they enjoy.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to a small sample of EMNEs from China who have succeeded in winning market share in the initial phases of their international expansion. In the light of these limitations, the authors discuss the question the sustainability of their competitive advantage as well as the likely applicability of our findings to EMNEs from other EMNEs.

Originality/value

The authors revisit the paradox that despite the growth and success of multinationals from EMNEs in the past decade they are assumed to lack ownership advantages. The authors show that EMNEs’ ownership advantages differ from the traditional advantages such proprietary technologies and brand equity that are enjoyed by incumbent multinationals.
An extended dual economy model
Authors: Narula Rajneesh
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new theoretical framework called the “extended dual economy model”. Based on the seminal work of Lewis (2014), the author uses it to explain the sectoral specialisation of home countries and their firms and MNEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is multi-disciplinary and entirely conceptual, with cool ideas but very few numbers and equations.

Findings

Emerging economies exhibit a “duality” in their economic structure that reflects itself in two largely different sets of location (L) characteristics. They are simultaneously home to both “traditional” sectors, which are resource and labour intensive, as well as “modern” sectors, which are knowledge and capital intensive, each of which can be analysed as having two sub-economies. These different sets of location advantages shape the firm-specific advantages of EMNEs and their FDI.

Research limitations/implications

This analysis helps to underline what shapes the ability of home countries to “emerge”, and the ability of their firms to grow and their MNEs to become internationally competitive. Few EMNEs can thrive in international markets without concurrent growth in their domestic markets. Maintaining the appropriate location assets to optimally support both types of sectors is costly. Each type of sub-economy requires different kinds of support sectors, infrastructure and policies, with little overlap. Weaknesses in its home country L advantages hinder the long-term competitiveness of their EMNEs.

Practical implications

Few EMNEs can thrive in international markets without concurrent growth in their domestic markets. Weaknesses in its home country L advantages hinder the long-term competitiveness of their EMNEs.

Originality/value

The extension of the Lewisian dual economy model allows a number of interesting new insights because it allows us to consider firms, non-firms, informality and the bottlenecks associated with promoting knowledge-intensive sectors in a globalised world. It emphasises structural change, and the need to manage pathways and effectively channel growth.
Twitter and Olympics
Authors: Li Bo , Scott Olan K.M. , Dittmore Stephen W.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how Olympic audiences utilized Twitter to follow American National Governing Bodies (NGBs) during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by economic demand theory, the researchers sought to explore whether factors such as the content of social media messages, athlete’s performance, event presentation, scheduling, and TV broadcasting contribute to enhancing fans’ interests in following NGBs on Twitter during the Olympic Games. In total, 33 American NGB Twitter accounts formed the data set for this study. Each of NGBs’ Twitter data was collected every night at midnight from August 7 to 23, 2016. Data collected from each NGB account included number of followers, number of accounts followed, number of tweets, and number of “likes.”

Findings

Results of this study revealed that team’s performance and the number of tweets had direct and positive relationships with increasing the number of NGB’s Twitter followers on each competition day. The number of “likes,” however, had a significant negative relationship with fans’ interests in following NGBs’ Twitter.

Originality/value

The results of the study are expected to help Governing Bodies in the Olympic sports have a better understanding of fans’ social media usage.
Modelling Facebook usage for collaborative learning in higher education
Authors: Tiruwa Anurag , Yadav Rajan , Suri Pradeep Kumar
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Social networking sites (SNSs), especially Facebook, have made deep inroads in the teaching-learning process worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to understand the key factors which influence a students’ intention to use Facebook for academic usage.

Design/methodology/approach

A web-based questionnaire survey was administered among 218 students enrolled in higher education programme of universities/institutions in National Capital Territory of Delhi. The relationship among the proposed variable were tested through structural equation modelling and neural network (NN) approach. SEM is used to identify and validate the factors significant to influence the intention to use Facebook among students. To further find which of the factors are more influential, factors NN with tenfold cross-validation was used to identify the factors which are more influential among the ones proposed in this study.

Findings

The results suggested that the proposed framework has a good fit and the five relationships hypothesized were found to be significant; thus, establishing that the antecedent factors have a positive influence on the intention of users (student) to actively use Facebook as an academic medium for collaborative learning.

Originality/value

This study establishes that the antecedent factors identified in the course of this study have a positive influence on the intention to use Facebook for higher academics and collaborative learning by the students. This paper suggests and supports the adoption and usage of Facebook as a learning tool for higher academics.
Boundary spanners’ knowledge sharing for innovation success in turbulent times
Authors: Keszey Tamara
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to enrich knowledge management theory and practice by investigating how boundary spanners’ willingness to share their knowledge contributes to innovation success and by examining the contingent role of market turbulence.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 296 top income Hungarian firms. Structural equation modelling with bootstrap procedures was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Boundary spanners’ willingness to share their knowledge has a dual effect on innovation success, which is captured by new product development innovativeness and performance. It has a direct effect on both new product development innovativeness and performance, and it has a mediated effect on new product development performance, where new product development innovativeness serves as a mediator. The study’s results indicate that these effects are robust and not contingent on the turbulence of the firm’s marketplace.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s respondents were managers in boundary-spanning positions charged with the task of linking the organisation with its external environment. Owing to their proximity to the external environment, their evaluation of market turbulence may be distorted.

Practical implications

Maintaining the willingness of managers in boundary-spanning positions to share what they know is essential to the continuous creation of superior new product development performance. Hence, firms should develop organisational cultures where employees’ knowledge-sharing willingness is presented as an important asset. While turbulent markets may be unpredictable and hostile, firms should not adjust their knowledge management practices.

Originality/value

Building on the research on knowledge sharing, boundary spanning theory and contingency theory, this paper increases the understanding of the salient factors that are often implicitly assumed in mechanisms involved in transforming knowledge into new product performance. This is the first empirical study to focus on boundary spanners’ knowledge behaviour and to consider the contingent role of market turbulence in knowledge management.
Internal and external search strategies of innovative firms: the role of the target market
Authors: Ruiz-Pava Guillermo , Forero-Pineda Clemente
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to develop the concept of internal search of ideas to show the contrast between search strategies adopted by firms that introduce new products into local and international markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on data from 2,652 innovative firms, the paper uses factor analysis to explore and confirm appropriate groups of sources of innovative ideas. The analysis differentiates between internal and two types of external sources. Logistic and bivariate regressions reveal different search strategies for innovation in local and international markets.

Findings

Firms reporting products new to international markets exhibit search strategies combining ideas from internal sources with ideas from other firms. Firms reporting products new to local market reveal a search strategy centered on ideas from other firms.

Practical implications

Managers and policymakers wishing to promote innovations for international markets should concentrate their resources on developing the organizations’ capacity to generate ideas internally while monitoring other firms’ ideas. Managers targeting local markets may focus their efforts on intelligence over ideas coming from other firms.

Originality/value

Clarifying the relationship between knowledge and ideas, the paper finds that search strategies of firms are more effective for innovation depending on the target market. Firms searching for ideas among other firms generate ideas that might trigger innovation in products new to local markets. Firms searching both for internal and external ideas generate ideas leading to products new to international markets.
Multi-level knowledge sharing: the role of perceived benefits in different visibility levels of knowledge exchange
Authors: Sedighi Mohammadbashir , Lukosch Stephan , Brazier Frances , Hamedi Mohsen , van Beers Cees
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationships between participants’ perceived benefits of sharing knowledge privately, within a group or with the general public within an organisational knowledge network. The quality and quantity of knowledge shared are explored in relation to the level of knowledge sharing visibility (both content and participants’ profiles).

Design/methodology/approach

A research framework of perceived benefits of knowledge sharing is designed; survey and content analysis are used to explore influences of perceived benefits on the quantity and quality of knowledge shared by participants for each level of knowledge sharing within an organisation. The research model is empirically tested using a questionnaire survey with 205 participants and content analysis of their contributions in a high-tech corporate group. This study uses the partial least squares path-modelling method to explore relationships between constructs of the research model.

Findings

The current research results show that intrinsic benefits are more influential than extrinsic benefits for private knowledge sharing, while extrinsic rewards play an important role at the public knowledge sharing within organisations. In addition, results indicate that both the quality and quantity of knowledge sharing at the group-level knowledge sharing are significantly higher than at the private and the public levels.

Practical implications

Contemporary knowledge management systems are developed by integrating communication channels in different visibility levels of knowledge exchange. Managers of knowledge management systems are advised to use the research outcome for developing incentive strategies in different levels.

Originality/value

In contrast to previous studies that focus on only one level of knowledge sharing, this paper explores relationships between perceived benefits of knowledge sharing with the quantity and quality of shared knowledge for three distinct levels of knowledge sharing.
Knowledge discovery out of text data: a systematic review via text mining
Authors: Usai Antonio , Pironti Marco , Mital Monika , Aouina Mejri Chiraz
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The aim of this work is to increase awareness of the potential of the technique of text mining to discover knowledge and further promote research collaboration between knowledge management and the information technology communities. Since its emergence, text mining has involved multidisciplinary studies, focused primarily on database technology, Web-based collaborative writing, text analysis, machine learning and knowledge discovery. However, owing to the large amount of research in this field, it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify existing studies and therefore suggest new topics.

Design/methodology/approach

This article offers a systematic review of 85 academic outputs (articles and books) focused on knowledge discovery derived from the text mining technique. The systematic review is conducted by applying “text mining at the term level, in which knowledge discovery takes place on a more focused collection of words and phrases that are extracted from and label each document” (Feldman et al., 1998, p. 1).

Findings

The results revealed that the keywords extracted to be associated with the main labels, id est, knowledge discovery and text mining, can be categorized in two periods: from 1998 to 2009, the term knowledge and text were always used. From 2010 to 2017 in addition to these terms, sentiment analysis, review manipulation, microblogging data and knowledgeable users were the other terms frequently used. Besides this, it is possible to notice the technical, engineering nature of each term present in the first decade. Whereas, a diverse range of fields such as business, marketing and finance emerged from 2010 to 2017 owing to a greater interest in the online environment.

Originality/value

This is a first comprehensive systematic review on knowledge discovery and text mining through the use of a text mining technique at term level, which offers to reduce redundant research and to avoid the possibility of missing relevant publications.
Online CBT training for mental health providers in primary care
Authors: Sorocco Kristen , Mignogna Joseph , Kauth Michael R. , Hundt Natalie , Stanley Melinda A. , Thakur Elyse , Ratcliff Chelsea G. , Cully Jeffrey A.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of study was to assess the impact of an online training program for a brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that integrated physical health management designed for use by mental health providers in the primary care setting.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 19 providers from two Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers completed online training as part of a larger trial. Statistical analyses compared provider self-reported CBT knowledge and abilities at pretraining, posttraining, and long-term follow-up. Additionally, data were collected on providers’ experiences of the training.

Findings

Providers’ baseline to post-training scores improved on general CBT knowledge and ability, as well as across 11 CBT principles and techniques. Post-training scores were maintained over time.

Research limitations/implications

A small sample size, sole focus on VHA data, and reliance on self-report measures are limitations of the study.

Practical implications

Qualitative data suggested training was feasible, acceptable, and potentially scalable; however, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be ideal.

Originality/value

Online training has potential for providing wider access to providers with limited access to traditional face-to-face training.
Abnormal returns on Canadian insider purchases before press releases
Authors: Morris Tania , Boubacar Hamadou
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This study aims to examine whether insider purchases made within 30 days prior to the publication of various kinds of press releases earn higher abnormal returns (AR) than those in the absence of such announcements. It also attempts to identify the factors that explain ARs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study considers data for Canadian insider purchases made on the Toronto Stock Exchange 60 Index. An event study methodology is used to calculate AR, and a mixed regression model is used to evaluate the effect of corporate news on AR.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that insiders achieve greater ARs when they purchase stock prior to press releases; findings also show that these returns are specifically related to purchases made before the announcements of mergers and acquisitions, ongoing projects, financial structure, financial results and asset disposals. This is because of the firm effect.

Practical implications

These findings have important implications for Canadian market regulatory authorities, especially the Ontario Securities Commission and other market participants who are interested in corporate governance, such as boards of directors and shareholders.

Originality/value

The present findings show that regulatory bodies must work with companies to raise awareness of improper insider trading.
Gene expression dynamics following mithramycin treatment: A possible model for post‐chemotherapy cognitive impairment
Authors: Asor Eyal , Ben‐Shachar Dorit
Published: May 2018

Chemotherapy‐induced cognitive changes is a major burden on a substantial number of cancer survivors. The mechanism of this sequel is unknown. In this study, we followed long‐term effects of early in life mithramycin (MTR) treatment on behaviour and on the normal course of alterations of gene expression in brain. Between post‐natal days (PND) 7 and 10, male rats were divided into 2 groups, 1 receiving MTR (0.1 mg/kg s.c. per day) and the other receiving saline. At PND11, frontal cortex tissue samples were dissected from 4 rats from each group. At PND 65 the remaining rats underwent behavioural tests after which all the rats were decapitated and their prefrontal cortex incised. Rats treated transiently with MTR early in life, showed impairments in spatial working memory and anxious‐like behaviour in adulthood. The immediate molecular effect of MTR was expressed in a limited number of altered genes of different unconnected trajectories, which were simultaneously distorted by the drug. In contrast, 3 months later we observed a change in the expression of more than 1000 genes that converged into specific cellular processes. Time‐dependent gene expression dynamics of several genes was significantly different between treated and untreated rats. The differences in the total number of altered genes and in gene expression trends, immediately and long after MTR treatment cessation, suggest the evolution of a new cellular homeostatic set point, which can lead to behavioural abnormalities following chemotherapy treatment.
Polish Labour Migrants and Undeclared Work in Norway
Authors: Cappelen Cornelius , Muriaas Ragnhild L.
Published: May 2018

This article identifies how labour migrants’ participation in undeclared work is triggered by a combination of voluntary exit from the formal labour market in the host country as well as structures that makes it more likely for this type of worker to be forced to accept unregistered work. The argument is built by examining how East‐West European Union migration can foster or reinforce reasons for participating in undeclared work. At the EU level, the issue of undeclared work is seen as a mounting challenge, and public discussion now associates a supposed increase in undeclared work with the EU's open borders. For this study, 74 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with Polish labour migrants in Norway – both temporary migrants and more settled ones. A substantial part of these interviews focused on undeclared work. The results indicate that immigration enhances as well as creates new reasons for participating in undeclared work. In particular, they highlight how decisions to participate in undeclared work are not just an effect of labour market dynamics, but also a question of social integration.
Ultrasonic tomography for detecting foreign objects in refrigerated milk cartons
Authors: Mohd Khairi Mohd Taufiq , Ibrahim Sallehuddin , Md Yunus Mohd Amri , Faramarzi Mahdi
Published: May 2018

This study presents an investigation of the detection of foreign objects in milk cartons using an ultrasonic tomography measurement system. Ultrasonic parameters such as acoustic impedance and wave amplitude were modelled and investigated using foreign materials of different densities such as metal, glass, wood and plastic. Linear back‐projection (LBP) and convolution back‐projection (CBP) algorithms with Hanning, Hamming and Ram‐Lak filters were implemented to reconstruct two‐dimensional cross‐sectional images of the milk and the foreign objects. The image quality assessment was conducted using the peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index (SSIM). The results revealed that the CBP‐Ram‐Lak filters managed to obtain the clearest and the sharpest reconstructed images as they achieved the best values of PSNR and SSIM (15.4537 and 0.8683, respectively) for a single glass material. It is envisaged that the ultrasonic tomography method can be very useful for monitoring the quality and safety of milk products, especially for detecting physical contaminants.
C‐reactive protein as a marker of the systemic inflammatory response to surgery reduction within an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in elective colorectal surgery of the elderly: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Cabellos Olivares Mercedes , Labalde Martínez María , Torralba Miguel , Rodríguez Fraile José Ramón , Atance Martínez Juan Carlos
Published: May 2018

Aim

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) to surgery using C‐reactive protein (CRP) in patients <70 and ≥70 years of age, operated on by elective colorectal surgery with an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol, and to compare them with a historical cohort with standard care (pre‐ERAS group). The secondary objectives were to analyse the length of stay (LOS) in hospital, 30‐day readmission rates and complications in both age groups.

Patients and Methods

There was a total of 133 patients <70 years (69 in the pre‐ERAS group and 64 in the ERAS group) and 123 patients ≥70 years (66 in the pre‐ERAS group and 57 in the ERAS group). We compared the CRP values on postoperative days (POD) 1, 2 and 3 between the pre‐ERAS/ERAS group, laparoscopic/open surgery and the presence/absence of Clavien–Dindo complications. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess whether ERAS had a decreasing effect on the SIR on POD 1, 2 and 3.

Results

The groups were well balanced. The ERAS protocol decreased the SIR to surgery in patients ≥70 years. This could explain our good results, where there was a decrease in LOS in hospital in that group without an increase in 30‐day readmission rates or perioperative complications. ERAS protocol did not decrease the SIR at any point in the evolution of patients <70 years. The application of an ERAS protocol in patients≥70 years, laparoscopic surgery and not having complications reduced the SIR.

Conclusion

ERAS could be implemented without reservations in elderly patients undergoing elective colorectal surgeries and decreases the SIR to surgery and LOS in hospital more for younger patients than elderly patients.
Heat sensitivity of eggs attributes to the reduction in Agasicles hygrophila population
Authors: Jia Dong , Yuan Xiao‐Fang , Liu Yan‐Hong , Xu Chao‐Qian , Wang Yuan‐Xin , Gao Ling‐Ling , Ma Rui‐Yan
Published: May 2018

Agasicles hygrophila has been introduced worldwide as a control agent for the invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides. However, global warming has potential impact on its controlling efficacy. The aim of this research was to explore the primary factors responsible for the greatly reduced A. hygrophila population in hot summers. To imitate the temperature conditions in summers, different developmental stages of A. hygrophila were treated with high temperatures from 32.5 °C to 45 °C for 1–5 h. Based on the survival rate, the heat tolerance of each developmental stage was ranked from lowest to highest as follows: egg, 1st, 2nd, 3rd instar larva, adult and pupa. Eggs showed the lowest heat tolerance with 37.5 °C as the critical temperature affecting larval hatching. Heat treatment of the A. hygrophila eggs at 37.5 °C for 1 h decreased the hatch rate to 24%. Our results indicated that when compared with the control at 25 °C, 1 h treatment at 37.5 °C prolonged the duration of the egg stage, shortened the duration of oviposition and total longevity, and changed the reproductive pattern of A. hygrophila. The net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate and finite rate were all significantly reduced. The results suggest that low heat tolerance of the eggs was the major factor responsible for the reduction of A. hygrophila populations, and the key temperature was 37.5 °C. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to protect eggs in order to maintain the efficacy of A. hygrophila in the biological control of A. philoxeroides in hot summers.
Adult mammalian neurogenesis and motivated behaviors
Authors: JORGENSEN Claudia
Published: May 2018

Adult neurogenesis continues to captivate the curiosity of the scientific community; and researchers seem to have a particular interest in identifying the functional implications of such plasticity. While the majority of research focuses on the association between adult neurogenesis and learning and memory (including spatial learning associated with hippocampal neurogenesis and olfactory discrimination associated with neurogenesis in the olfactory system), the following review will explore the link to motivated behaviors. In particular, goal‐directed behaviors such as sociosexual, parental, aggressive, as well as depression‐ and anxiety‐like behaviors and their reciprocal association to adult neurogenesis will be evaluated. The review will detail research in humans and other mammalian species. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms underlying these neurogenic alterations will be highlighted. Lastly, the review will conclude with a discussion on the functional significance of these newly generated cells in mediating goal‐directed behaviors.
Variation of food availability affects male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) with different levels of metabolic rate
Authors: WEN Jing , TAN Song , WANG Dehua , ZHAO Zhijun
Published: May 2018

In the present study, we examined metabolic, morphological and neurochemical changes in male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) in response to variations in food availability. Males with low and high levels of metabolic rate (MR: L‐MR and H‐MR, respectively), defined by their activity MR, were compared. In Experiment 1, 36‐h food deprivation was found to significantly decrease MR levels, body fat content, mass of small and large intestines, and leptin gene expression in the white adipose tissues in male hamsters. Interestingly, L‐MR males displayed decreased MR during both the day and night phases of circadian cycles, whereas H‐MR males only showed a decrease in MR during the day (resting phase). These data indicate that individual differences in physical activity were associated with animals' different metabolic responses to food deprivation. In Experiment 2, both groups of males went through a 4‐week fasting and re‐feeding (re) paradigm. H‐re males showed a persistent high level of MR, with decreased body fat content and a trending decrease in leptin mRNA expression, compared to L‐re males. Together, our data indicate that male striped hamsters with different levels of physical activity display altered, adaptive changes in response to variations in food availability. The neurochemical involvement of such adaptive changes needs to be further studied.
Endoparasites of the Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
Authors: MOSKVINA Tatyana V. , SCHELKANOV Michail Yu. , BEGUN Mariya A.
Published: May 2018

There have been few reports on the diversity and prevalence of parasitic fauna of the endangered Siberian tiger, which inhabits the territory of the Russian Far East. The present review attempts to summarize the information about the parasitic fauna of wild Siberian tigers, which includes 15 helminths and 3 protozoan species. The most prevalent parasitic species was found to be Toxocara cati, followed by Toxascaris leonina. Another commonly recorded Platyhelminth species is Paragonimus westermani, which causes a lethal infection of the lung parenchyma in Siberian tigers. However, the information about infections by this fluke in the Siberian tigers is scarce, although P. westermani infections pose a serious health hazard to tiger populations. The nematodes Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Thominx aerophilus are found in Siberian tigers with an occurrence rate of 2.3% and 19%, respectively. The information on the parasitic infestations of captive populations of Siberian tigers is also presented along with the sources of infection and hazards for the wild tiger populations in their natural environment.
Young Saints and the Knots of Satan: Moral Exemplarity, Ministry and Youth in Early Modern Dissenters’ Writing
Authors: Pritchard Penny
Published: May 2018

This article considers a key motif for early modern religious writing – the saintly or morally exemplary child – as depicted in both the narratives of actual children's lives and in Defoe's The Family Instructor. Its function in Dissenters’ writing poses fundamental questions concerning the spiritual ‘usefulness’ of reading about others’ lives and the interrelationship between ‘religious’ writing and more imaginative or ‘literary’ texts. The question of authenticity in depictions of children's piety, and the profiles of influential and prolific Dissenting ministers who deploy the saintly child motif, including James Janeway and Thomas Brooks, are also considered.
Catholic Devotion Fitted for the Use of Protestants: Francis de Sales's Introduction à la vie dévote in France and Britain
Authors: Volk‐Birke Sabine
Published: May 2018

The issue of prayer is central to many volumes of devotional literature. Although the simple acts of praising, giving thanks and intercession seem uncontroversial, manuals of devotion have different concepts of the capacities, natures and workings of their readers’ minds and choose different methods of training habits of prayer. Such differences are highlighted when a devotional text crosses borders of denomination and language, as in the adaptations of Francis de Sales's Introduction à la vie dévote (1609) by Henry Dodwell (1673) and William Nicholls (1701), which seek to adapt a Catholic best‐seller to the needs of a Protestant readership.
‘My Bright Love shall all this blackness chase’: The Theological Poetry of Elizabeth Singer Rowe
Authors: Clement Jessica
Published: May 2018

This article examines the influences of Calvinist theology and Cambridge Platonism on the religious poetry of Elizabeth Singer Rowe, specifically considering how she attempts to reconcile these schools of thought in her explorations of the nature of man's perception of the divine and his ability to reason. Analysing Rowe's poetry in this way reveals rich nuances of literary construction and theological enquiry, challenging the view that Dissenting poetry is merely an exercise of piety.
Ithuriel's Spear: Barbauld, Sermons and Citizens, 1789‐93
Authors: Major Emma
Published: May 2018

This article focuses on the years between the start of the French Revolution and the beginning of war between Britain and France. I argue that pulpits and printed sermons became a key battleground for debates about how to interpret the past, present and future of British liberty and the British monarchy. Religion and ideas of liberty were so mutually constitutive that sermons became a focal point for the future of the nation. I discuss a range of related sermons and texts alongside Anna Laetitia Barbauld's Civic Sermons to the People (1792) and Sins of Government, Sins of the Nation (1793).
Effects of quality indicator monitoring for glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis and trends of drug treatment in a Japanese hospital
Authors: Suda Masei , Suyama Yasuhiro , Ohde Sachiko , Tsuda Tokutaro , Sawada Haruki , Kishimoto Mitsumasa , Okada Masato
Published: May 2018

Aims

Globally, the appropriate prescription rate for glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is low. Thus, we aimed to examine the improvement in real‐world GIOP care using a hospital‐wide systematic approach with quality indicator (QI) monitoring.

Methods

We defined a novel QI for GIOP care for the prescription rate of anti‐osteoporotic drugs according to 2010 American College of Rheumatology GIOP management recommendations, with the target being patients prescribed ≥7.5 mg prednisolone daily or its equivalent for ≥3 months. We monitored the glucocorticoid and osteoporotic medication dose for all patients who visited our hospital. From May 2011, we began interventions to improve QI: monthly QI monitoring providing QI‐trend feedback to each department in a hospital‐wide QI meeting every 3 months and organizing lectures on GIOP. We retrospectively analyzed QI trends from 2010 to 2013. We categorized groups by sex and age for subanalyses: group A, men; group B, women, aged <50 years; group C, women, aged ≥50 years.

Results

The numbers of participants were 401, 420, 520 and 513 in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, with pooled QI rates of 45.8%, 51.3%, 55.0% and 54.8%, respectively. Changes in QI between each consecutive 2 years were statistically significant. Subanalyses showed statistically significant QI improvements in groups A and C. We observed a decreasing trend of daily bisphosphonate use throughout the study period, especially at the Immuno‐Rheumatology Center.

Conclusions

Quality indicator monitoring for GIOP significantly improved appropriate anti‐osteoporotic drug prescriptions, especially in men and postmenopausal women.
Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in hidradenitis suppurativa
Authors: Mulani Shaunak , McNish Sean , Jones Derek , Shanmugam Victoria K.
Published: May 2018

Aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity in a cohort of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and to assess the frequency of seroconversion during treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α inhibitor therapy.

Methods

This prospective study was conducted through the Wound Etiology and Healing (WE‐HEAL) Study. Immunofluorescence ANA testing was performed at baseline, and repeated when clinically indicated. ANA titers of ≥1 : 160 were considered positive. Data were collected on demographics and disease activity scores including the Hurley stage, the HS Sartorius score (HSS) and the active nodule (AN) count.

Results

At the time of data lock, 73 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of HS were enrolled, and four (5.4%) had baseline positive ANA. None of the patients had clinical evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus or other autoimmune diseases. There were no significant differences in demographics, baseline HSS (43.25 ± 47.55 compared to 59.48 ± 56.67, P = 0.58) or AN count (3.25 ± 3.20 compared to 3.45 ± 2.36, P = 0.87) in the ANA positive group. Of the 69 patients who were ANA negative at enrollment, 31 (45%) received TNF‐α inhibitor therapy. During follow up, one patient developed drug‐induced lupus secondary to TNF‐α inhibitor use. Additionally, one patient seroconverted to ANA positive without sequelae and one patient developed drug‐induced hepatitis secondary to TNF‐α inhibitor use.

Conclusion

The prevalence of baseline ANA positivity in this HS population was similar to that seen in the general population (5.4%). The rate of seroconversion and drug‐induced complications in this population were low.
Effect of different hepatitis B infection status on the prognosis of active lupus nephritis treated with immunosuppression: a retrospective analysis of 177 patients
Authors: Fang Jing , Li Wenge , Tan Min , Peng Xiangxin , Tan Zhao , Wang Wenbo
Published: May 2018

Aim

To analyze whether different hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection status influenced the prognosis of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) under immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods

A retrospective study enrolled 177 adults with active LN (Classes III, IV, V or mixed), and divided them into three groups: (i) HBV‐free group (n = 93), antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen positive only or all items negative; (ii) occult HBV infection group (n = 68), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen positive with undetectable HBV DNA; and (iii) HBV infection group (n = 16), HBsAg‐positive. The composite renal outcome was defined as a composite of progression to end‐stage renal disease, 50% estimated glomerular filtration rate decrease, or death.

Results

The HBV infection rate was 9.04% in active LN. In the HBV infection group, a greater proportion of patients delayed immunosuppressive therapy, reduced prednisone dose, used mycophenolate mofetil in the first induction phase, received immunoglobulin pulse therapy, as well as avoided methylprednisolone pulse treatment (P < 0.05). The composite renal outcome was significantly different among the three groups: 4/93 (4.30%) of the HBV‐free group, 7/68 (10.29%) of the occult HBV infection group, and 4/16 (25.00%) of HBV infection group (P = 0.018). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified three independent risk factors of composite renal outcome: active HBV carrier (odds ratio [OR] 10.342, 95% CI 2.151–66.053, P = 0.017), cycle of immunosuppression > 1 (OR 3.345, 95% CI 1.201–9.983, P = 0.025), and delayed immunosuppressive therapy (OR 3.118, 95% CI 1.207–10.662, P = 0.031).

Conclusions

All these results suggested that HBV infection status might confer a worse prognosis for patients with active LN.
Clinical outcomes are associated with changes in ultrasonographic structural appearance after platelet‐rich plasma treatment for knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Ahmad Hamada S. , Farrag Sherief E. , Okasha Amr E. , Kadry Aisha O. , Ata Tamer B. , Monir Amir A. , Shady Ibrahim
Published: May 2018

Background

Hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) are two treatment options used for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) but studies comparing the efficacy of the two yield conflicting results. In addition, the association of clinical outcomes of PRP intra‐articular injections with changes in the ultrasonography structural appearance of the knee has not been investigated.

Aim

To compare the efficacy of PRP and HA intra‐articular injections as mono‐therapeutic options for primary KOA, and to determine whether the clinical outcomes are associated with changes in the ultrasonography structural appearance.

Subjects and methods

A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 89 patients with KOA. The patients were given either PRP (n = 45) or HA (n = 44) intra‐articular injections. The patients received three injections in the knee, which was more symptomatic at baseline evaluation, with a 2‐week interval between injections. The outcome measures included visual analog score – pain, International Knee Documentation Committee Score, and assessment of synovial hypertrophy, synovial vascularity and knee effusion using ultrasonography. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months post‐injection.

Results

While both PRP and HA injections resulted in the improvement of all outcome measures at 3 and 6 months follow up, they were significantly better in the PRP group than in the HA group.

Conclusion

Intra‐articular injection of PRP is an effective treatment that reduced pain and improved functional status in patients with KOA. The clinical outcomes of the intra‐articular injections of PRP are associated with improved synovial hypertrophy and vascularity scores, and less effusion.
Risk factors for disseminated intravascular coagulation in patients with lung cancer
Authors: Nakano Kentaro , Sugiyama Kumiya , Satoh Hideyuki , Shiromori Sadaaki , Sugitate Kei , Arifuku Hajime , Yoshida Naruo , Watanabe Hiroyoshi , Tokita Shingo , Wakayama Tomoshige , Tatewaki Masamitsu , Souma Ryosuke , Koyama Kenya , Hirata Hirokuni , Fukushima Yasutsugu
Published: May 2018

Background

The mortality rate from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is higher in patients with lung cancer than in non‐lung cancer patients. Moreover, the prevalence of DIC varies among the pathologic types of lung cancer. This study analyzed the relationship between coagulation factors and the pathologic types of lung cancer.

Methods

Twenty‐six patients with progressive, inoperable stage IIB or higher lung cancer (20 men, 6 women; mean age 71 years; 11 Adeno, 10 squamous cell carcinoma, and 5 small cell carcinoma) and five healthy volunteers without respiratory disease (3 men, 2 women; mean age 72 years) were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected at lung cancer diagnosis, before treatment.

Results

White blood cell count, platelet count, serum C‐reactive protein, fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products, fibrinogen, thrombin‐antithrombin complex, and D‐dimer levels differed significantly between lung cancer patients and the control group, but not among the pathologic types of lung cancer. Thrombomodulin levels were significantly higher in patients with Adeno and squamous cell carcinoma than in those with small cell carcinoma (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Antithrombin levels were significantly lower in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than in those with Adeno (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Coagulation disorders may develop secondary to chronic inflammation in patients with progressive lung cancer. DIC in lung cancer may be attributed to changes in anticoagulation factors, such as thrombomodulin and antithrombin, but not in other coagulation factors.