bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cervical Length Screening in Asymptomatic Women at High Risk and Low Risk for Spontaneous Preterm Birth
Authors: ORZECHOWSKI KELLY M. , BOELIG RUPSA C. , BERGHELLA VINCENZO
Published: March 2016

Cervical length (CL) screening should be offered to singletons because there are interventions for those with a short CL. A transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) is the “gold standard” for CL. In singletons with prior spontaneous preterm birth, serial TVU CL screening is recommended between 16 and 23 6/7 weeks. Universal TVU CL screening between 18 and 24 weeks may be considered for low-risk singletons with the administration of vaginal progesterone for TVU CL≤20 mm; alternatively, transabdominal ultrasound CL screening may be considered with reflux to TVU CL screening for a transabdominal ultrasound CL<35 mm or inadequate visualization. CL screening is not recommended in multiples.
The Role of Surgeon Technique in Current Practice Patterns for Combined Ptosis and Dermatochalasis
Authors: Neimkin Michael G. , Couch Steven M. , Holds John B. , Bodnar Zachary M. , Reggie Sara N.
Published: March 2016

Purpose:

The goal of this study is to identify and describe the role of surgical incision preference, insurance reimbursement, and geographical location on the current ptosis repair practice patterns of American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) members.

Methods:

A 9-question survey was designed with surveymonkey.com and a participation link was emailed to all active ASOPRS members’ email addresses in February 2015. After a reminder email, the survey was closed and the results were analyzed. There are 3 major questions the survey data is to be used answer: 1) Surgical approach preference: The first question established preferred surgical technique (internal vs. external approach) for ptosis repair. This result was/is used to stratify the remaining responses into 2 groups. 2) Functional versus cosmetic surgical indication: Three clinical scenarios were presented for a functional versus cosmetic patient for ptosis repair and blepharoplasty. 3) Location: The responses were analyzed based on location to determine any geographic bias for surgical preference. For this analysis, the US was separated into 4 regions (West, Midwest, North, and South), as defined by the United States Census Bureau; all international respondents were grouped together.

Results:

Three hundred and ten responses were included and analyzed; 61% preferred the internal surgical approach, there was no statistical significance to geographic location (p = 0.17). Surgeons who prefer the external surgical approach (76.1%) were more likely than internal (62.5%) to include a bundled (nonreimbursed) blepharoplasty at no additional charge in the setting of functional ptosis repair (p = 0.015). Treatment plans differed significantly in both groups between functional and cosmetic patients with visually significant ptosis (Margin Reflex Distance < 1.5) and moderate dermatochalasis; with both the internal and external group electing combined surgery at a higher rate in cosmetic patients (p < 0.01 for functional vs. cosmetic within each group, and internal vs. external repair). There was no statistical difference in the timeframe for adjusting external ptosis for functional or cosmetic patients (p = 0.79). More surgeons use nonabsorbable closure for cosmetic blepharoplasty patients (68.7%) than for functional (54.1%) surgery patients (p < 0.01).

Conclusion:

Previous studies have documented the immediate effect of Medicare reimbursement changes on the management of concurrent ptosis and dermatochalasis. This study illustrates current practice patterns for ptosis repair and blepharoplasty. The necessity of creating a separate surgical site for surgeons who prefer the internal approach to ptosis surgery to perform a functional blepharoplasty has a significant influence on surgeon’s willingness to perform concurrent blepharoplasty as a nonreimbursed bundled procedure.
Evisceration With Injectable Hydrogel Implant in a Rabbit Model
Authors: Koreen Irina V. , McClintic Elysa A. , Mott Ryan T. , Stanton Constance , Yeatts R. Patrick
Published: March 2016

Purpose:

To determine the safety, durability, and biocompatibility of 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel (Aquamid, Specialty European Pharma, Ltd., London, UK) as an injectable viscoelastic implant following evisceration in a rabbit model.

Methods:

The protocol was reviewed and approved by the Wake Forest Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Adult New Zealand rabbits underwent cornea-sparing evisceration of the right eye with injection of 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel implant. The rabbits were sacrificed after 2 weeks (n = 1), 5 weeks (n = 2), 12 weeks (n = 3), 25 weeks (n = 3), and 1 year (n = 3) to evaluate the implant volume and host reaction to the implant. Both eyes were enucleated and their diameters were measured. The eviscerated eyes were fixed in formalin and processed using routine histopathologic methods to assess inflammatory reaction and vascularization.

Results:

The implant material was well tolerated with a moderate giant cell reaction seen at 6 weeks that improved over time. Extensive vascularization of the implant was noted starting at 6 weeks. There was excellent maintenance of globe volume that did not diminish over time. The relative diameters of the eviscerated eyes compared with control were 89 ± 6% (mean% ± SD) at 12 weeks (n = 3), 94 ± 2% at 25 weeks (n = 3), and 93 ± 4% at 1 year (n = 3).

Conclusion:

With further study, injectable 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel may provide an excellent alternative to solid orbital implants. The implant material was universally well tolerated and maintained appropriate volume in the orbit for the study period of 1 year. Extensive vascularization of the implant was noted indicating biointegration.
Elevated liver enzymes in inflammatory bowel disease: the role and safety of infliximab
Authors: Parisi Ioanna , O’Beirne James , Rossi Roberta E. , Tsochatzis Emmanuel , Manousou Pinelopi , Theocharidou Eleni , Hamilton Mark , Murray Charles , Epstein Owen , Burroughs Andrew K.
Published: March 2016

Background

Abnormal liver enzymes are frequently encountered in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Infliximab has been implicated in inducing drug-induced liver injury, autoimmune hepatitis or reactivation of hepatitis B virus. We aimed to clarify the role of infliximab in liver impairment in an IBD cohort.

Study

A total of 305 patients with IBD, without evidence of chronic liver disease, were included in the study and retrospectively evaluated. Laboratory and clinical data were retrieved from a prospectively acquired database. In all, 176 consecutive patients treated with infliximab during the last 5 years were compared with a matched population of 129 patients who did not receive any antitumour necrosis factor treatment.

Results

Elevation of alanine transaminase (ALT) was frequent in the entire population (36.4%) and it was not significantly associated with the use of infliximab (P=0.284). Elevations more than 3 upper limit of normal were observed in 7.9% and these resolved spontaneously in 83%. The use of immunomodulators was the only factor that was significantly associated with liver enzyme abnormalities in multivariate analysis [odds ratio (OR) 2.666, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.576–4.511, P<0.005]. Overall, 39% of patients on infliximab had elevated liver enzymes and this was associated with increased ALT before starting infliximab (OR 3.854, 95% CI 1.800–8.251, P=0.001) and with longer duration of infliximab treatment (OR 1.030, 95% CI 1.013–1.047, P=0.001).

Conclusion

Elevated liver enzymes are frequently found in IBD patients and they usually resolve spontaneously. The use of immunomodulators was independently associated with increased ALT. Infliximab is relatively safe in terms of liver impairment and discontinuation of treatment is rarely required in the setting of modest elevations of ALT.
Zika virus outbreak in the Americas: IsAedes albopictusan overlooked culprit?
Authors: Butt Azeem Mehmood , Nasrullah Izza , Qamar Raheel , Tong Yigang
Published: March 2016

Summary / Abstract

Codon usage patterns of viruses reflect a series of evolutionary changes that enable viruses to shape their survival rates and fitness toward the external environment and, most importantly, their hosts. In the present study, we employed multiple codon usage analysis indices to determine genotype specific codon usage patterns of Zika virus (ZIKV) strains from the current outbreak and those reported previously. Several genotype specific and common codon usage traits were noted in ZIKV coding sequences, indicative of independent evolutionary origins from a common ancestor. The overall influence of natural selection was found to be more profound than that of mutation pressure and acting on specific set of viral genes belonging to ZIKV strains of Asian genotype from the recent outbreak. Furthermore, an interplay of codon adaptation and deoptimization have been observed in ZIKV genomes. The collective findings of codon analysis in association with the geographical data ofAedespopulations in the Americas suggests that ZIKV have evolved a dynamic set of codon usage patterns in order to maintain a successful replication and transmission chain within multiple hosts and vectors.
Escherichia colipopulations adapt to complex, unpredictable fluctuations without any trade-offs across environments
Authors: Karve Shraddha , Bhave Devika , Nevgi Dhanashri , Dey Sutirth
Published: March 2016

In nature, organisms are simultaneously exposed to multiple stresses (i.e. complex environments) that often fluctuate unpredictably. While both these factors have been studied in isolation, the interaction of the two remains poorly explored. To address this issue, we selected laboratory populations ofEscherichia coliunder complex (i.e. stressful combinations of pH, H2O2and NaCl) unpredictably fluctuating environments for ~900 generations. We compared the growth rates and the corresponding trade-off patterns of these populations to those that were selected under constant values of the component stresses (i.e. pH, H2O2and NaCl) for the same duration. The fluctuation-selected populations had greater mean growth rate and lower variation for growth rate over all the selection environments experienced. However, while the populations selected under constant stresses experienced severe tradeoffs in many of the environments other than those in which they were selected, the fluctuation-selected populations could by-pass the across-environment trade-offs completely. Interestingly, trade-offs were found between growth rates and carrying capacities. The results suggest that complexity and fluctuations can strongly affect the underlying trade-off structure in evolving populations.
Transvection and pairing of aDrosophilaHox long noncoding RNA in the regulation ofSex combs reduced
Authors: Pettini Tom , Ronshaugen Matthew
Published: March 2016

Long noncoding RNAs have emerged as abundant and important regulators of gene expression in diverse animals. InD. melanogasterseveral lncRNAs involved in regulating Hox gene expression in the Bithorax Complex have been reported. However, no functional Hox long noncoding RNAs have been described in the Antennapedia Complex. Here we have characterized a long noncoding RNAlincXfrom the Antennapedia Complex, that is transcribed from previously identifiedcis-regulatory sequences of the Hox geneSex combs reduced (Scr). We use both the GAL4-UAS system and mutants to ectopically overexpress thelincXRNA from exogenous and endogenous loci respectively, in order to dissect the potential regulatory functions oflincXRNA versuslincXtranscription. Our findings suggest that transcription through thelincXlocus, but not thelincXRNA itself, may facilitate initiation ofScrincisin the early embryo. Transvection phenomena, where regulatory sequences on one chromosome can affect expression on the homolog, have previously been reported in genetic studies ofScr. By analysinglincXandScrnascent transcriptional sites in embryos heterozygous for a gain of function mutation, we directly visualize this transvection, and observe that the ectopiclincXtranscriptional state appears to be relayed intransto the homologous wild-type chromosome. Thistrans-activation oflincXcorrelates with both ectopic activation ofScrincis, and increased chromosomal proximity. Our results are consistent with a model whereby early long noncoding RNA transcription through cis-regulatory sequences can be communicated between chromosomes, and facilitates long-range initiation of Hox gene expression incis.
Decision Making byDrosophilaFlies
Authors: Adler Julius , Vang Lar L.
Published: March 2016

“Decision making has all the secrets of everything: who we are, what we do, how we navigate the world.” “How Do I Decide? The Brain with David Eagleman”, 2015.

When presented with attractant (light) together with an amount of repellent (methyl eugenol) that exceeds attractant,Drosophila melanogasterfruit flies are of course repelled, but nine mutants have now been isolated that were not repelled. Although able to respond to attractant alone and to repellent alone, these mutants fail to make a decision when the two are together during the first two months of the study. They are considered defective in a decision-making mechanism. The defect occurs at 34°C but not at room temperature, so these are conditional mutants. Efforts at genetic mapping have been made. Our aim is to discover how decision making gets accomplished and how this results in a behavioral response. We indicate that there is a mechanistic relationship between decision making and the central complex inDrosophilaand between decision making and the prefrontal cortex in humans and other vertebrates.

Over a period of six months these mutants changed into ones that are attracted when presented with attractant together with what was overpowering repellent before. Nearly full attraction was achieved at fifteen to thirty days. With attractant alone these mutants were attracted like the original parent and with repellents alone they were repelled like the original parent. The mutants have been genetically mapped.
Polarized hard X-ray photoemission system with micro-positioning technique for probing ground-state symmetry of strongly correlated materials
Authors: Fujiwara Hidenori , Naimen Sho , Higashiya Atsushi , Kanai Yuina , Yomosa Hiroshi , Yamagami Kohei , Kiss Takayuki , Kadono Toshiharu , Imada Shin , Yamasaki Atsushi , Takase Kouichi , Otsuka Shintaro , Shimizu Tomohiro , Shingubara Shoso , Suga Shigemasa , Yabashi Makina , Tamasaku Kenji , Ishikawa Tetsuya , Sekiyama Akira
Published: March 2016

An angle-resolved linearly polarized hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) system has been developed to study the ground-state symmetry of strongly correlated materials. The linear polarization of the incoming X-ray beam is switched by a transmission-type phase retarder composed of two diamond (100) crystals. The best value of the degree of linear polarization was found to be −0.96, containing a vertical polarization component of 98%. A newly developed low-temperature two-axis manipulator enables easy polar and azimuthal rotations to select the detection direction of photoelectrons. The lowest temperature achieved was 9 K, offering the chance to access the ground state even for strongly correlated electron systems in cubic symmetry. A co-axial sample monitoring system with long-working-distance microscope enables the same region on the sample surface to be measured before and after rotation. Combining this sample monitoring system with a micro-focused X-ray beam by means of an ellipsoidal Kirkpatrick–Baez mirror (25 µm × 25 µm FWHM), polarized valence-band HAXPES has been performed on NiO for voltage application as resistive random access memory to demonstrate the micro-positioning technique and polarization switching.
Crystal structures of ten enantiopure Schiff bases bearing a naphthyl group
Authors: Hernández-Téllez Guadalupe , Moreno Gloria E. , Bernès Sylvain , Mendoza Angel , Portillo Oscar , Sharma Pankaj , Gutiérrez René
Published: March 2016

Using a general solvent-free procedure for the synthesis of chiral Schiff bases, the following compounds were synthesized and their crystal structures determined: (S)-(+)-2-{[(1-phenylethyl)imino]methyl}naphthalene, C19H17N, (1), (S)-(+)-2-({[(4-methylphenyl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C20H19N, (2), (R)-(−)-2-({[(4-methoxylphenyl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C20H19NO, (3), (R)-(−)-2-({[(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C19H16FN, (4), (S)-(+)-2-({[(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C19H16ClN, (5), (S)-(+)-2-({[(4-bromophenyl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C19H16BrN, (6), (S)-(+)-2-({[1-(naphthalen-1-yl)ethyl]imino}methyl)naphthalene, C23H19N, (7), (S)-(+)-2-{[(1-cyclohexylethyl)imino]methyl}naphthalene, C19H23N, (8), (S)-(−)-2-{[(1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl)imino]methyl}naphthalene, C21H19N, (9), and (+)-2-({[(1S,2S,3S,5R)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-yl]imino}methyl}naphthalene, C21H25N, (10). The moiety provided by the amine generates conformational flexibility for these imines. In the crystals, no strong intermolecular contacts are observed, in spite of the presence of aromatic groups.
Revisiting IT readiness: an approach for small firms
Authors: Dyerson Romano , Spinelli Riccardo , Harindranath G
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Drawing from the literature, the purpose of this paper is to offer an empirically validated framework for examining information technology (IT) readiness in small firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– A conceptual framework of IT readiness for small firms is developed and validated empirically using a quantitative survey of 117 UK manufacturing small firms to identify distinct clusters of firms according to their states of IT readiness.

Findings

– The survey responses are grouped according to three distinct profiles that display varying degrees of IT readiness depending upon their strategic motivation, IT processes, project management and technology complexity.

Research limitations/implications

– Prior studies examining IT readiness in small-and medium-sized enterprises have not offered a differentiated understanding of small firms that is grounded in quantitative data. The varying profiles of small firms discovered indicate potential paths of IT readiness which offers a basis for further research using longitudinal case studies.

Practical implications

– Managerial motivation is not a sufficient condition for achieving IT readiness; it requires both strategic and operational capabilities that have significant implications for training and skills development in small firms. Understanding the level of IT readiness of their organisation can help managers identify areas needing improvement in their use of IT.

Social implications

– Findings suggest differentiated policy support is required for various small business clusters identified in the study.

Originality/value

– The novelty of the conceptual model differs from the prior literature on IT readiness by explicitly recognising the potential effect of IT maturity on the capability of the firm to respond to opportunities in its external environment. The paper also distinguishes between internal IT processes and project management skills.
The capital constraint paradox in micro and small family and nonfamily firms
Authors: Bornhäll Anders , Johansson Dan , Palmberg Johanna
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of the entrepreneur’s quest for independence and control over the firm for governance and financing strategies with a special focus on family firms and how they differ from nonfamily firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis is based on 1,000 telephone interviews with Swedish micro and small firms. The survey data are matched with firm-level data from the Bureau van Dijks database ORBIS.

Findings

– The analysis shows that independence is a prime motive for enterprises, statistically significantly more so for family owners. Family owners are more prone to use either their own savings or loans from family and are more reluctant to resort to external equity capital. Our results indicate a potential “capital constraint paradox”; there might be an abundance of external capital while firm growth is simultaneously constrained by a lack of internal funds.

Research limitations/implications

– The main limitation is that the study is based on cross-section data. Future studies could thus be based on longitudinal data.

Practical implications

– The authors argue that policy makers must recognize independence and control aversion as strong norms that guide entrepreneurial action and that micro- and small-firm growth would profit more from lower personal and corporate income taxes compared to policy schemes intended to increase the supply of external capital.

Originality/value

– The paper offers new insights regarding the value of independence and how it affects strategic decisions within the firm.
Project selection using the combined approach of AHP and LP
Authors: Parvaneh Fatemeh , El-Sayegh Sameh Monir
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose a new model for project selection using the combined approach of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and linear programming (LP). The key selection criteria for construction projects are also identified and assessed based on the perception of construction professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

– Fifteen project selection criteria are identified based on review of related literature. A questionnaire is developed and distributed among construction professionals in the United Arab Emirates to assess the importance of these criteria. The questionnaire was designed to enable pair-wise comparisons using the AHP methodology. Based on the responses of 42 professionals, the weight of each criterion was calculated using Expert Choice software. Selected criteria are then used to compare available projects. AHP is applied first to prioritize the competing projects, in line with owner strategic goals and objectives. Next, the priority ratios (weights) obtained from the AHP model are used as the coefficients of the decision variables in a LP model to allocate the available budget in an optimal way to maximize the owner’s benefit.

Findings

– Results indicate that project-specific criteria are the most important with an overall weight of 0.48. The top three criteria are profit, financial standing and risk with corresponding weights of 0.161, 0.114 and 0.1, respectively. The proposed model provided more benefit to the owner than using the traditional project selection method.

Originality/value

– There are several methods for project selection. However, the optimization techniques do not consider qualitative factors. Other techniques consider both qualitative and quantitative factors but do not consider budget limitations to optimize the selection decision. The model proposed here combines both approaches and takes into consideration unique criteria that are specific to the construction industry.
Individual processing of phishing emails
Authors: Harrison Brynne , Svetieva Elena , Vishwanath Arun
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore user susceptibility to phishing by unpacking the mechanisms that may influence individual victimization. The focus is on the characteristics of the e-mail message, users’ knowledge and experience with phishing, and the manner in which these interact and influence how users cognitively process phishing e-mails.

Design/methodology/approach

– A field experiment was conducted where 194 subjects were exposed to a real phishing attack. The experimenters manipulated the contents of the message and measures of user traits and user processing were obtained after the phishing attack.

Findings

– Of the original list of targets, 47 percent divulged their private information to a bogus form page. Phishing susceptibility was predicted by a particular combination of both low attention to the e-mail elements and high elaboration of the phishing message. The presence of a threat or reward-based phishing message did not affect these processes, nor did it affect subsequent phishing susceptibility. Finally, individual factors such as knowledge and experience with e-mail increased resilience to the phishing attack.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings are generalizable to students who are a particularly vulnerable target of phishing attacks.

Practical implications

– The results presented in this study provide pragmatic recommendations for developing user-centered interventions to thwart phishing attacks. Lastly the authors suggest more effective educational efforts to protect individuals from such online fraud.

Originality/value

– This study provides novel insight into why phishing is successful, the human factor in susceptibility to online deception as well the role of information processing in effective decision making in this context. Based on the findings, the authors dispel common misconceptions about phishing and discuss more effective educational efforts to protect individuals from such online fraud.
Who creates value in a user innovation community? A case study of MyStarbucksIdea.com
Authors: Lee Hanjun , Suh Yongmoo
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Successful open innovation requires that many ideas be posted by a number of users and that the posted ideas be evaluated to find ideas of high quality. As such, successful open innovation community would have inherently information overload problem. The purpose of this paper is to mitigate the information problem by identifying potential idea launchers, so that they can pay attention to their ideas.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research choseMyStarbucksIdea.comas a target innovation community where users freely share their ideas and comments. We extracted basic features from idea, comment and user information and added further features obtained from sentiment analysis on ideas and comments. Those features are used to develop classification models to identify potential idea launchers, using data mining techniques such as artificial neural network, decision tree and Bayesian network.

Findings

– The results show that the number of ideas posted and the number of comments posted are the most significant among the features. And most of comment-related sentiment features found to be meaningful, while most of idea-related sentiment features are not in the prediction of idea launchers. In addition, this study show classification rules for the identification of potential idea launchers.

Originality/value

– This study dealt with information overload problem in an open innovation context. A large volume of textual customer contents from an innovation community were examined and classification models to mitigate the problem were proposed using sentiment analysis and data mining techniques. Experimental results show that the proposed classification models can help the firm identify potential idea launchers for its efficient business innovation.
Development of a decision support tool for sustainable renovation – a case study
Authors: Malmgren Linus , Elfborg Stefan , Mjörnell Kristina
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Building owners are encouraged to reduce the energy consumption both in order to contribute to national energy saving goals and to reduce the costs of heating and operation of buildings. However, it is important to pursue the most optimal strategy to achieve cost-effective energy use while maintaining other values. Building managers often do not have the time or expertise to make a proper evaluation of the available options, hence there is a need for practical methodologies for evaluation of renovation alternatives. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Renobuild, a systematic approach for evaluating renovation alternatives based on sustainability criteria are under development. It aims to compare renovation alternatives from an environmental, economic and social perspective. To verify the methodology it has been used to evaluate different renovation alternatives for a multi-family apartment building in Sweden.

Findings

– The study showed that building managers are provided with a clear comparison between different renovation alternatives from a sustainability perspective. Using Renobuild or similar methodologies may highlight renovation measures which marginally increases the investments, but can lead to significant environmental and social benefits.

Research limitations/implications

– So far the methodology has only been tested on a limited number of buildings in Sweden. More buildings will need to be tested for further verification.

Originality/value

– Not many tools or methodologies exist which address several aspects of sustainability. Renobuild is a practical methodology that can help building owners to increase focus on sustainability.
Investigating the Institutional Norms and Values of the Productivity Commission: The 2011 and 2015 Childcare Inquiries
Authors: Corr Lara , Carey Gemma
Published: March 2016

The Productivity Commission (PC) has a mandate to provide independent advice to government that promotes community wellbeing. Whilst it plays a significant role in social and economic reform, the underlying institutional values and norms of the PC that shape its advice have not been examined. This paper examines policy problematisations (Bacchi 2009, 2012) across two PC ‘inquiries’ into childcare (2011, 2015) between Labor and Coalition governments, and the advice provided by the PC. In doing so, this research demonstrates that PC recommendations are imbued with economic values that are highly institutionalised. These values give preference to targeted social welfare and traditional gender norms, despite current evidence suggesting alternative approaches would have better social and long‐term economic outcomes. Our findings raise questions over the conflict between the traditional economic values of the PC and providing social policy advice that reflects best practice, indicating that further investigation into the PC is urgently needed.
The Reluctant Analyst
Authors: BERNHARDT DAN , WAN CHI , XIAO ZHIJIE
Published: March 2016

We estimate the dynamics of recommendations by financial analysts, uncovering the determinants of inertia in their recommendations. We provide overwhelming evidence that analysts revise recommendations reluctantly, introducing frictions to avoid frequent revisions. More generally, we characterize the sources underlying the infrequent revisions that analysts make. Publicly available data matter far less for explaining recommendation dynamics than do the recommendation frictions and the long‐lived information that analysts acquire but the econometrician does not observe. Estimates suggest that analysts structure recommendations strategically to generate a profitable order flow from retail traders. We provide extensive evidence that our model describes how investors believe analysts make recommendations, and that investors value private information revealed by analysts' recommendations.
Properties of Cookies Made with Natural Wax–Vegetable Oil Organogels
Authors: Hwang Hong‐Sik , Singh Mukti , Lee Suyong
Published: March 2016

The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of cookies in which the conventional margarine is replaced with an organogel of vegetable oil (VO) and natural wax. New cookies from VO organogels contain no trans fats and much less saturated fats than cookies made with a conventional margarine. To understand the effects of different kinds of waxes, organogels were prepared from 4 different waxes including sunflower wax (SW), rice bran wax (RBW), beeswax, and candelilla wax and properties of cookie dough and cookie were evaluated. To investigate the effects of different VOs on the properties of cookies, 3 VOs including olive oil, soybean oil and flaxseed oil representing oils rich in oleic acid (18:1), linoleic acid (18:2), and linolenic acid (18:3), respectively, were used. Both the wax and VO significantly affected properties of organogel such as firmness and melting behavior shown in differential scanning calorimetry. The highest firmness of organogel was observed with SW and flaxseed oil. Properties of dough such as hardness and melting behavior were also significantly affected by wax and VO while trends were somewhat different from those for organogels. SW and RBW provided greatest hardnesses to cookie dough. However, hardness, spread factor, and fracturability of cookie containing the wax–VO organogel were not significantly affected by different waxes and VOs. Several cookies made with wax–VO organogels showed similar properties to cookies made with a commercial margarine. Therefore, this study shows the high feasibility of utilization of the organogel technology in real foods such as cookies rich in unsaturated fats.
Quantitative assessment of the effect of position changes during colonoscopy withdrawal
Authors: Zhao Sheng Bing , Wan Hui , Fu Hong Yu , Liu Zhen Xiu , Wang Qing Song , Ji Lei , Li Zhao Shen , Bai Yu
Published: March 2016

Objective

Although trials assessing the effectiveness of position changes during colonoscopy withdrawal have been reported, there has been no agreement whether such position changes actually improve the polyp detection rate (PDR) or adenoma detection rate (ADR). This article aimed to address this issue by performing a systematic review.

Methods

Relevant studies from databases including PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index were retrieved. Two reviewers independently identified potentially relevant studies. Outcome measures were PDR, ADR and bowel distention.

Results

Eight studies were included, of which seven were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A non‐randomized controlled trial and all four cross‐over RCTs reported significant improvement in PDR, ADR and bowel distention with position change during colonoscopic withdrawal, while three parallel‐group RCTs did not confirm its effectiveness.

Conclusions

The conflicting results of high‐quality trials indicate that the effectiveness of position change during colonoscopy withdrawal on PDR, ADR and bowel distension is uncertain. Thus, position change during colonoscopy withdrawal should not be routinely applied until future studies demonstrate its efficacy.
How reliably can we infer diversity‐dependent diversification from phylogenies?
Authors: Etienne Rampal S. , Pigot Alex L. , Phillimore Albert B.
Published: March 2016

Slowdowns in lineage accumulation in phylogenies suggest that speciation rates decline as diversity increases. Likelihood methods have been developed to detect such diversity dependence. However, a thorough test of whether such approaches correctly infer diversity dependence is lacking.

Here, we simulate phylogenetic branching under linear negative diversity‐dependent and diversity‐independent models and estimate from the simulated phylogenies the maximum‐likelihood parameters for three different conditionings – on survival of the birth–death process given the crown age, on tree size (N) and on tree size given the crown age. We report the accuracy of recovering the simulation parameters and the reliability of the model selection based on the χ2 likelihood ratio test.

Parameter estimate accuracy: Conditioning on survival given the crown age yields a severe bias of the carrying capacity K towards N and an upward bias of the speciation rate, particularly in clades where diversity‐dependent feedbacks are still weak (N « K). Conditioning on N yields an overestimate of K and an underestimate of speciation rate, particularly when saturation has been reached. Dual conditioning yields relatively unbiased parameter estimates on average, but the deviation from the true value for any single estimate may be large.

Model selection reliability: The frequency of incorrectly rejecting a diversity‐independent model when the simulation was diversity‐independent (type I error) differs substantially from the significance level α used in the likelihood ratio test, rendering the likelihood ratio test inappropriate. The frequency of correctly rejecting the diversity‐independent model when the simulation was diversity‐dependent (power) is larger when the clade is closer to equilibrium and for conditioning on crown age.

We conclude that conditioning on crown age has the best statistical properties overall, but caution that parameter estimates may be biased. To assess parameter uncertainty in future studies of diversity dependence on real data, we recommend parametric bootstrapping, examination of the likelihood surface and comparison of estimates across the types of conditioning. To assess model selection reliability, we discourage the use of the χ2 likelihood ratio test or AIC (which are equivalent in this case), but recommend a likelihood ratio test based on parametric bootstrap. We illustrate this method for the diversification of Dendroica warblers.
Alcohol Hits You When It Is Hard: Intoxication, Task Difficulty, and Theta Brain Oscillations
Authors: Rosen Burke Q. , Padovan Nevena , Marinkovic Ksenija
Published: March 2016

Background

Alcohol intoxication is known to impair decision making in a variety of situations. Previous neuroimaging evidence suggests that the neurofunctional system subserving controlled processing is especially vulnerable to alcohol in conflict‐evoking tasks. The present study investigated the effects of moderate alcohol intoxication on the spatiotemporal neural dynamics of event‐related total theta (4 to 7 Hz) power as a function of task difficulty.

Methods

Two variants of the Simon task manipulated incongruity via simple spatial stimulus‐response mismatch and, in a more difficult version, by combining spatial and semantic interference. Healthy social drinkers participated in both alcohol (0.6 g/kg ethanol for men, 0.55 g/kg for women) and placebo conditions in a counterbalanced design. Whole‐head magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals were acquired and event‐related total theta power was calculated on each trial with Morlet wavelets.MEGsources were estimated using anatomically constrained, noise‐normalized, spectral dynamic statistical parametric mapping.

Results

Longer reaction times and lower accuracy confirmed the difficulty manipulation. Response conflict (incongruity) increased and alcohol intoxication decreased event‐related theta power overall during both tasks bilaterally in the medial and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices. However, alcohol‐induced theta suppression was selective for conflict only in the more difficult task which engaged the dorsal anterior cingulate (dAC) and anterior inferolateral prefrontal cortices. Theta power correlated negatively with drinking levels and disinhibition, suggesting that cognitive control is susceptible in more impulsive individuals with higher alcohol intake.

Conclusions

The spatiotemporal theta profile across the 2 tasks supports the concept of a rostrocaudal activity gradient in the medial prefrontal cortex that is modulated by task difficulty, with thedACas the key node in the network subserving cognitive control. Conflict‐related theta power was selectively reduced by alcohol only under the more difficult task which is indicative of the alcohol‐induced impairment of conflict monitoring and top‐down regulation. Compromised executive control under alcohol may underlie a range of adverse effects including reduced competency in conflict‐inducing or complex situations.
Evidence for increased motor cortical facilitation and decreased inhibition in atypical depression
Authors: Veronezi B. P. , Moffa A. H. , Carvalho A. F. , Galhardoni R. , Simis M. , Benseñor I. M. , Lotufo P. A. , Machado‐Vieira R. , Daskalakis Z. J. , Brunoni A. R.
Published: March 2016

Objective

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a clinically heterogeneous condition. However, the role of cortical glutamate and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor‐mediated activity, implicated in MDD pathophysiology, has not been explored in different MDD subtypes. Our aim was to assess the atypical and melancholic depression subtypes regarding potential differences in GABA and glutamate receptor‐mediated activity through established transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) neurophysiological measures from the motor cortex.

Method

We evaluated 81 subjects free of antidepressant medication, including 21 healthy controls and 20 patients with atypical, 20 with melancholic, and 20 with undifferentiated MDD. Single and paired‐pulse TMS paradigms were used to evaluate intracortical facilitation (ICF), cortical silent period (CSP), and short intracortical inhibition (SICI), which index glutamate, GABAB receptor‐, and GABAA receptor‐mediated activity respectively.

Results

Patients with MDD demonstrated significantly decreased mean CSP values than healthy controls (Cohen's d = 0.22–0.3, P < 0.01 for all comparisons). Atypical depression presented a distinct cortical excitability pattern of decreased cortical inhibition and increased cortical facilitation, that is, an increased mean ICF and SICI ratios than other depression subtypes (d = 0.22–0.33, P < 0.01 for all comparisons).

Conclusion

Different MDD subtypes may demonstrate different neurophysiology in relation to GABAA and glutamatergic activity. TMS as an investigational tool might be useful to distinguish between different MDD subtypes.
Smoking and caffeine consumption: a genetic analysis of their association
Authors: Treur Jorien L. , Taylor Amy E. , Ware Jennifer J. , Nivard Michel G. , Neale Michael C. , McMahon George , Hottenga Jouke‐Jan , Baselmans Bart M. L. , Boomsma Dorret I. , Munafò Marcus R. , Vink Jacqueline M.
Published: March 2016

Smoking and caffeine consumption show a strong positive correlation, but the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Explanations include shared genetic/environmental factors or causal effects. This study employed three methods to investigate the association between smoking and caffeine. First, bivariate genetic models were applied to data of 10 368 twins from the Netherlands Twin Register in order to estimate genetic and environmental correlations between smoking and caffeine use. Second, from the summary statistics of meta‐analyses of genome‐wide association studies on smoking and caffeine, the genetic correlation was calculated by LD‐score regression. Third, causal effects were tested using Mendelian randomization analysis in 6605 Netherlands Twin Register participants and 5714 women from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Through twin modelling, a genetic correlation of r0.47 and an environmental correlation of r0.30 were estimated between current smoking (yes/no) and coffee use (high/low). Between current smoking and total caffeine use, this was r0.44 and r0.00, respectively. LD‐score regression also indicated sizeable genetic correlations between smoking and coffee use (r0.44 between smoking heaviness and cups of coffee per day, r0.28 between smoking initiation and coffee use and r0.25 between smoking persistence and coffee use). Consistent with the relatively high genetic correlations and lower environmental correlations, Mendelian randomization provided no evidence for causal effects of smoking on caffeine or vice versa. Genetic factors thus explain most of the association between smoking and caffeine consumption. These findings suggest that quitting smoking may be more difficult for heavy caffeine consumers, given their genetic susceptibility.
Are take‐home naloxone programmes effective? Systematic review utilizing application of the Bradford Hill criteria
Authors: McDonald Rebecca , Strang John
Published: March 2016

Background and Aims

Fatal outcome of opioid overdose, once detected, is preventable through timely administration of the antidote naloxone. Take‐home naloxone provision directly to opioid users for emergency use has been implemented recently in more than 15 countries worldwide, albeit mainly as pilot schemes and without formal evaluation. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of take‐home naloxone, with two specific aims: (1) to study the impact of take‐home naloxone distribution on overdose‐related mortality; and (2) to assess the safety of take‐home naloxone in terms of adverse events.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE and PsychINFO were searched for English‐language peer‐reviewed publications (randomized or observational trials) using the Boolean search query: (opioid OR opiate) AND overdose AND prevention. Evidence was evaluated using the nine Bradford Hill criteria for causation, devised to assess a potential causal relationship between public health interventions and clinical outcomes when only observational data are available.

Results

A total of 1397 records (1164 after removal of duplicates) were retrieved, with 22 observational studies meeting eligibility criteria. Due to variability in size and quality of the included studies, meta‐analysis was dismissed in favour of narrative synthesis. From eligible studies, we found take‐home naloxone met all nine Bradford Hill criteria. The additional five World Health Organization criteria were all either met partially (two) or fully (three). Even with take‐home naloxone administration, fatal outcome was reported in one in 123 overdose cases (0.8%; 95% confidence interval = 0.4, 1.2).

Conclusions

Take‐home naloxone programmes are found to reduce overdose mortality among programme participants and in the community and have a low rate of adverse events.
The physiologic coupling of sucking and swallowing coordination provides a unique process for neonatal survival
Authors: McGrattan Katlyn E. , Sivalingam Maneesha , Hasenstab Kathryn A. , Wei Lai , Jadcherla Sudarshan R.
Published: March 2016

Aim

Although the coordination of sucking and swallowing is critical for successful oral intake in neonates, the mechanisms that facilitate this coordination are not well understood. This investigation sought to clarify the mechanisms that facilitate this coordination, by comparing sucks that were coordinated with swallows and sucks that were completed in isolation.

Methods

Ten neonates with a median gestational age of 28.2 weeks, ranging from 27.0 to 35.0 weeks, were recruited from the neonatal nurseries at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio,USA. They were evaluated while bottle‐feeding at term gestation for differences in characteristics between sucks that were coupled and not coupled with swallows. Suction was evaluated using an intra‐oral pressure transducer, and swallows were identified using a micromanometry pharyngeal catheter. Linear mixed models were applied to distinguish sucking characteristics.

Results

Suction exhibited an antiphase relationship with the generation and release of positive pharyngeal pressure during the swallow. Coupled sucks had lower suction generation and release rates (p < 0.0001), lower suction amplitude (p = 0.004), longer suction duration (p < 0.0001) and higher milk ejection pressure (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The coordination of unique sucking and swallowing movement patterns may be achieved by the infant adapting sucking kinematics around the lingual patterns that facilitate the pharyngeal swallow.