bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How leader secure-base support facilitates hotel employees’ promotive and prohibitive voices
Authors: Han Ming-Chuan , Hwang Pin-Chyuan
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This study aims to extend the prior literature on voice behavior by integrating leader secure-base support, psychological capital (PsyCap) and regulatory foci with promotive and prohibitive voices. The current research draws on the notions of the proactive motivation model and regulatory focus to provide insights into why and when the influences of PsyCap on a certain type of voice are determined by its relevant regulatory focus.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a sample of 278 supervisor–subordinate dyads from Taiwan hotels. Hypothesis tests were conducted using AMOS 21.0 and the SPSS application PROCESS (Hayes, 2013).

Findings

The current study determined that PsyCap mediated the positive relationships between leader secure-base support and two types of voices. Promotion focus moderated the relationships between PsyCap and promotive voice and the indirect effect of leader secure-base support on promotive voice. This indirect relationship is more pronounced when promotion focus is low than when it is high.

Research limitations/implications

This study has a few implications for future research. First, the use of PsyCap to explain the voice behavior of employees may extend the application of the proactive motivation model. Second, leader secure-base support should be viewed as a promising leadership behavior owing to its value as a PsyCap predictor. Third, results show that PsyCap can mediate the relationship between such support and two types of voices. Finally, incorporating the concept of ecological congruence provides improved insights into the role of regulatory foci.

Originality/value

First, this study extends the notions of the proactive motivation model by elucidating the effects of PsyCap on promotive and prohibitive voices. Second, our findings indicate that leader secure-base support can enhance PsyCap, which in turn facilitate voice behaviors in hotel work settings. Finally, his study contributes to theory of regulatory focus by integrating the notion of Hobfoll’s (1998) ecological congruence to explain how each of the promotion and prevention focus can determine the path from PsyCap to different types of voices.
Formal modeling and verification of a service composition approach in the social customer relationship management system
Authors: Souri Alireza , Rahmani Amir Masoud , Navimipour Nima Jafari , Rezaei Reza
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a formal verification method to prove the correctness of social customer relationship management (CRM)-based service composition approach. The correctness of the proposed approach is analyzed to evaluate the customer behavioral interactions for discovering, selecting and composing social CRM-based services. In addition, a Kripke structure-based verification method is presented for verifying the behavioral models of the proposed approach.

Design/methodology/approach

Evaluating the customer behavioral interactions using the social CRM-based service composition approach is an important issue. In addition, formal verification has an important role in assessing the social CRM-based service composition. However, model checking can be efficient as a verification method to evaluate the functional properties of the social CRM-based service composition approach.

Findings

The results of model checking satisfied the logical problems in the proposed behavior model analysis. In the statistical testing, the proposed URM mechanism supported the four knowledge creation process conditions. It was also shown that the percentage of state reachability in the URM with KCP conditions is higher than the URM mechanism without supporting KCP conditions.

Originality/value

The comparison of time and memory consumption of the model checking method shows that the social CRM-based service composition approach covers knowledge process features, which makes it an efficient method.
Financial development and economic growth: panel evidence from BRICS
Authors: Guru Biplab Kumar , Yadav Inder Sekhar
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial development and economic growth for five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South (BRICS) during 1993 to 2014 using banking sector and stock market development indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

To begin with, the study first examined some of the principal indicators of financial development and macroeconomic variables of the selected economies. Next, using generalized method of moment system estimation (SYS-GMM), the relationship between financial development and growth is investigated. The banking sector development indicators used in the study include size of the financial intermediaries, credit to deposit ratio (CDR) and domestic credit to private sector (CPS), whereas the stock market development indicators are value of shares traded and turnover ratio. Also, some macroeconomic control variables such as inflation, exports and the enrolment in secondary education were used.

Findings

The examination of the principal indicators of financial development and macroeconomic variables have shown considerable differences between the selected economies. Results from the dynamic one-step SYS-GMM estimates confirm that in presence of turnover ratio, all the selected banking development indicators such as size of financial intermediaries, CDR and CPS are positively significantly determining economic growth. Similarly, in presence of all the selected banking sector development indicators, value of shares traded is found to be positively significantly associated with economic growth. However, the same is not true when turnover ratio is regressed in presence of banking sector variables. Overall, the evidence suggests that banking sector development and stock market development indicators are complementary to each other in stimulating economic growth.

Practical implications

A positive association between financial development and growth indicates that the policymakers should take necessary measures toward simultaneous development of both banking sector as well as stock market for inducing growth.

Originality/value

The present paper attempts to examine the relationship between financial development and growth using both banking sector and stock market development indicators which has not been attempted before for BRICS. Also, most of the existing studies are found in case of developed economies. This paper tries to fill this void by studying five major emerging economies.
Making sense of being recalled: a grounded theory
Authors: Rye Owen , Canvin Krysia , Harrison Suzi , Couldrey Charlotte , Churchman Clare
Published: February 2019

Purpose

A high proportion of forensic mental health service users (FSUs) are recalled to secure hospitals from conditional discharge in the community. The limited research on recall to date has preliminarily identified why FSUs are recalled, but not how they make sense of the process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual understanding of how FSUs make sense of being recalled to hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

A constructivist grounded theory approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 11 FSUs from different levels of forensic service security who had been recalled varying numbers of times across a wide timeframe.

Findings

A theoretical model was constructed to illustrate the process of how FSUs make sense of being recalled. FSUs appraise being recalled on a continuum from negative to positive, based on their experiences when conditionally discharged and their reflections on the circumstances of being recalled. The nature of their appraisal appears to reciprocally influence their subsequent attitudes towards and their engagement with forensic services.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed mechanism of how FSUs make sense of being recalled, particularly their dynamic appraisal of it, should now be investigated longitudinally. Future qualitative research could explore forensic service staff perspectives on recall.

Practical implications

Enhancing the positivity of FSUs’ appraisals about being recalled may improve their attitudes about and engagement with forensic services.

Originality/value

This is the first research study to construct a theoretical model of recall.
Rising standards of sustainability reporting in India
Authors: Goel Puneeta
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The increasing awareness among the stakeholders demands the companies to be more transparent in their annual reporting. In the absence of standardized reporting norms, companies are free to structure sustainability report as per their understanding, willingness and intent. Although some voluntary guidelines have been issued by the regulatory authorities in India, the norms are still not clear as to what to report and how to report. This paper aims to look in to sustainability reporting practices by top companies listed in Bombay stock exchange and its impact on financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using this sample of 68 companies from top 100 in the list of ET500 for 2016, self-constructed sustainability reporting score has been computed for each company for the financial year 2012-2013 and 2015-2016. The two periods represent pre- and post-disclosure reform periods in India. A sustainability reporting scale has been constructed using 16 parameters of sustainable performance based on social, environment and governance aspects as reported in the annual report, sustainability report and business responsibility report.

Findings

It has been found that there is a significant improvement in sustainability reporting by Indian companies after the introduction of disclosure reforms. Different sectors show significant difference in the sustainability reporting during pre-reform period but as the sustainability reporting improves after the reforms, sector difference reduces. Sustainability reporting is a significant predictor of financial parameters of return on sales, return on equity and Tobin’s Q in pre-reform period, but in the post-reform period, no significant impact was found on financial performance.

Practical implications

Disclosure reforms have made a significant impact on sustainability reporting by Indian companies. Companies need to identify the core areas of social responsibility, to implement Indian model of mandatory 2 per cent spending on corporate social responsibility. Disclosure of carbon foot prints should be mandatory and more number of independent directors should be appointed for successful implementation of these reforms. Market regulators should be made more powerful and given a free hand to prosecute the companies involved in frauds and high penalties should be imposed for non-compliance.

Originality/value

Sustainability reporting has drawn increased strategic attention in India to make reporting more transparent and responsible toward society and environment. The structural changes and introduction of disclosure reforms make an interesting case to investigate their implications on Indian companies. Accordingly, this research studies the sustainability reporting by Indian companies before and after the introduction of disclosure reforms. No previous research has investigated the impact of these reforms considering two different periods.
Embedding values in teaching Islamic education among excellent teachers
Authors: Hussin Nur Hanani , Tamuri Ab Halim
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the process of embedding values implemented by excellent teachers in teaching Islamic education in the multi-cultural society.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was a qualitative study, which used a combination of in-depth interviews, observation and document analysis for data collection. Using a purposive sampling technique, seven excellent Islamic education teachers were selected. The data were analysed using Atlas.ti 7.1.7.

Findings

The findings of the study show the process of embedding values among excellent teachers include the following aspects: teachers take into consideration the various differences among individuals in their classes, especially of learners’ names and family backgrounds, humour elements, praising of students, lectures, repetition practical areas, problem-solving and question and answer sessions. A variety of methods are used in the process of embedding values including two-way interactions between teachers and students. Teaching happens in stages that link to the cognitive level of the students and these learning environments allow the values to be exposed, taught and personally experienced by the students.

Practical implications

This study shows that teachers should use various types of teaching methods, i.e. light-hearted element, praising students, lectures, repetition, practical areas, problem-solving and question and answer sessions, to embed values during the lessons of Islamic education. Interaction between students and teachers takes place and creates a transformative process of knowledge and allowing the positive values to be taught effectively. They start to learn and appreciate the values of others and also be able to practice them in their daily lives. The students were exposed to the diversity of culture and various types of background of their friends. The awareness of the teachers in creating a learning environment that is sensitive to all students is very important. Thus, these methods should be taken into consideration by teachers to teach values and should be exposed during teacher training so they are able to implement them in the classroom.

Originality/value

This paper explores and describes methods of embedding of values used by excellent Islamic education teachers in the lessons of Islamic education. There are very few studies conducted in this area and this qualitative study is focussed on how values are thought in the lessons of Islamic education. These findings can be used by educators to improve the quality of the lessons based on most effective teaching methods used by the teachers in the lessons of Islamic education.
Critical multicultural education and preservice teachers’ multicultural attitudes
Authors: Arsal Zeki
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of critical multicultural education on the multicultural attitudes of preservice teachers in a teacher education program.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample consisted of 76 preservice teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program. This study used a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental research design with pretest-posttest. The multicultural content integration was implemented in an experimental group for one semester, and data were collected using the teacher multicultural attitude survey.

Findings

Analyses indicated that preservice teachers who were exposed to the critical multicultural education program showed significantly greater progress in their multicultural attitudes compared with teachers in the control group. The results of this study indicate that the integrating critical multicultural education content into teacher education program has a positive effect on fostering preservice teachers’ multicultural attitudes.

Practical implications

Teacher education program planners should integrate multicultural content, materials and activities into teaching methods courses to promote change in preservice teachers’ multicultural attitudes.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the multicultural studies on teacher education.
Joint optimal production planning and proactive maintenance policy for a system subject to degradation
Authors: Wang Lin , Lu Zhiqiang , Han Xiaole
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper integrates condition-based maintenance (CBM) with production planning in a single-stage production system that deteriorates with usage during a specified finite planning horizon. The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated production and maintenance model to minimize the expected total cost over the horizon.

Design/methodology/approach

A joint production planning and CBM model is proposed. In the model, a set of products must be produced in lots. The system degradation is a stationary gamma process and the degradation level is detected by inspection between production lots. Maintenance actions including imperfect preventive maintenance (PM) should be taken when the failure risk exceeds the maintenance threshold. A fix-iterative heuristic algorithm is proposed to address the joint model.

Findings

The proactive policy expressed as a prognosis maintenance threshold is introduced to integrate CBM with batch production perfectly. Experiments are carried out to conduct sensitivity analysis, which provides some insights to facilitate industrial manufacturing. The superiority of the proposed joint model compared with a separate decision method is demonstrated. The results show an advantage in cost saving.

Originality/value

Few studies have been made to integrate production planning and CBM decisions, especially for a multi-product system. Their maintenance decisions are usually based on a periodic review policy, which is not appropriate for batch production system. A prognosis maintenance threshold based on system condition and production quantity is suitable for the integrated decisions. Moreover, the imperfect PM is taken into consideration in this paper. A fix-iterative algorithm is developed to solve the joint model. This work forms a proactive maintenance for batch production.
Positioning, conflict, and dialogue in management teams
Authors: Hirvonen Pasi
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamics of social positioning and interpersonal conflicts in management teams. This paper utilizes positioning theory to analyze team conflicts by combining microlevel interaction analysis and explicit, meso-level team research in the context of managerial work.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is based on an analysis of 34 conflict episodes that occurred during management board meetings conducted by two Finnish public research institutions. By analyzing naturally occurring interactions and video material, this paper presents a discursive analysis of conflict from the perspective of positioning theory, focusing on local moral orders, social positions and the construction of dialogue.

Findings

This study’s findings illuminate how team conflicts may be understood in terms of positioning theory, as well as how positioning is connected to managing conflicts and constructing either degenerative or generative dialogue in teams. The present study indicates possibilities for applying positioning theory as a methodological tool when studying team interactions and dialogue.

Practical implications

The study offers practical implications regarding team conflict management. By developing an understanding of the positioning dynamics of managers and other team members, one can help create constructive and generative dialogue in teams.

Originality/value

From a methodological perspective, this paper presents a novel approach to the study of team conflicts and outlines several suggestions regarding the theoretical approach in the analysis of team interaction and dynamics.
Tropicalisation of temperate reefs: Implications for ecosystem functions and management actions
Authors: Vergés Adriana , McCosker Erin , Mayer‐Pinto Mariana , Coleman Melinda A. , Wernberg Thomas , Ainsworth Tracy , Steinberg Peter D.
Published: February 2019

Temperate reefs from around the world are becoming tropicalised, as warm‐water species shift their distribution towards the poles in response to warming. This is already causing profound shifts in dominant foundation species and associated ecological communities as canopy seaweeds such as kelp are replaced by tropical species.

Here, we argue that the cascading consequences of tropicalisation for the ecosystem properties and functions of warming temperate reefs depend largely on the taxa that end up dominating the seafloor. We put forward three potential tropicalisation trajectories, that differ in whether seaweeds, turf or corals become dominant. We highlight potential gains to certain ecosystem functions for some tropicalisation endpoints. For example, local benthic fish productivity may increase in some tropicalised reefs as a higher proportion of primary production is directly consumed, but this will be at the expense of other functions such as carbon export. We argue that understanding these changes in flows of energy and materials is essential to formulate new conservation strategies and management approaches that minimise risks as well as capture potential opportunities.

Regardless of which trajectory is followed, tropicalised systems represent largely novel ecosystem configurations. This poses major challenges to traditional conservation and environmental management approaches, which typically focus on maintaining or returning species to particular locations. We outline management practices that may either mitigate predicted structural and functional changes or make the most of potential new opportunities in tropicalised reefs. These include marine protected areas to increase resilience and connectivity, the development of new fisheries that target range‐expanding invaders, and assisted evolution and migration strategies to facilitate the dominance of large habitat formers like corals or seaweeds.

We highlight important ecological and ethical challenges associated with developing novel approaches to manage tropicalised reefs, which may need to become increasingly interventionist. As technological innovations continue to emerge, having clear goals and considering the ethics surrounding interventions among the broader community are essential steps to successfully develop novel management approaches.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Life‐history variation along environmental and harvest clines of a northern freshwater fish: Plasticity and adaptation
Authors: Wilson Kyle L. , De Gisi Joe , Cahill Christopher L. , Barker Oliver E. , Post John R.
Published: February 2019

Plasticity, local adaptation and evolutionary trade‐offs drive clinal variation in traits associated with lifetime growth. Disentangling the processes and determinants that cause these traits to vary helps to understand species’ responses to changing environments. This is particularly urgent for exploited populations, where size‐selective harvest can induce life‐history evolution.

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) are an exploited fish with a life history adapted to low‐productivity freshwaters of northern North America, which makes them highly vulnerable to ecosystem changes and overfishing. We characterized life‐history variation across a broad and diverse landscape for this iconic northern freshwater fish and evaluated whether clinal variation was consistent with hypotheses for local adaptation or growth plasticity.

We estimated growth‐associated traits for 90 populations exposed to a diversity of environments using a Bayesian multivariate hierarchical model. We tested for clinal variation in their somatic growth, size at maturity and reproductive allocation along environmental gradients of lake productivity, climate, prey and exploitation clines under competing hypotheses of plasticity and local adaptation.

Clinal life‐history variation was consistent with growth plasticity and local adaptations but not harvest‐induced evolution. Variation in somatic growth was explained by exploitation, climate and prey fish occurrence. Increased exploitation, from pristine to fully exploited conditions, led to increased somatic growth (from 32 to 45 mm/year) and adult life spans, and reduced age at maturity (from 11 to 8 years). Variation in size at maturity was explained by climate and, less certainly, prey fish occurrence, while reproductive allocation was explained by evolutionary trade‐offs with mortality and other traits, but not environment. Lake trout life‐history variation within this range was as wide as that observed across dozens of other freshwater species.

Lake trout life histories resulted from evolutionary trade‐offs, growth plasticity and local adaptations along several environmental clines. Presuming a plastic response, we documented ~1.4‐fold growth compensation to exploitation—lower growth compensation than observed in many freshwater fishes. These results suggest that harvested species exposed to spatially structured and diverse environments may have substantial clinal variation on different traits, but due to different processes, and this has implications for their resilience and successful management.
Social cognition in bipolar disorder: the role of sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive variables in emotional intelligence
Authors: Varo C. , Jiménez E. , Solé B. , Bonnín C. M. , Torrent C. , Lahera G. , Benabarre A. , Saiz P. A. , de la Fuente L. , Martínez‐Arán A. , Vieta E. , Reinares M.
Published: February 2019

Objective

The main aims of this study were to examine the differences in the Emotional Intelligence (EI), the emotional domain of social cognition (SC), between euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC) and to evaluate the contribution of sociodemographic, clinical, and neuropsychological variables to EI.

Methods

We recruited 202 patients with BD and 50 HC. EI was evaluated using the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). The sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive variables that showed a significant association with EI were entered into hierarchical multiple regression analysis.

Results

BD patients obtained significantly lower scores compared to HC in the Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EIQ) and in the Understanding Emotions branch score. The best fitting model for the variables associated with EI in the patients group was a linear combination of gender, estimated IQ, family history of affective diagnosis, and executive function. The model, including these previous variables, explained up to 27.6% of the observed variance (R2 = 0.276, F = 16.406, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The identification of variables associated with deficit in EI, such as male gender, lower estimated IQ, family history of affective diagnosis. and lower executive function performance, may help in selecting treatment targets to improve SC, and especially EI, in patients with BD.
Cellular origin of microRNA‐371a‐3p in healthy males based on systematic urogenital tract tissue evaluation
Authors: Boellaard W. P. A. , Gillis A. J. M. , van Leenders G. J. L. H. , Stoop H. , van Agthoven T. , Dorssers L. C. J. , Dinkelman‐Smit M. , Boormans J. L. , Looijenga L. H. J.
Published: February 2019

Background

The microRNA‐371a‐3p (miR‐371a‐3p) has been reported to be an informative liquid biopsy (serum and plasma) molecular biomarker for both diagnosis and follow‐up of patients with a malignant (testicular) germ cell tumor ((T)GCT). It is expressed in all histological cancer elements, with the exception of mature teratoma. However, normal testis, semen, and serum of males with a disrupted testicular integrity without a TGCT may contain miR‐371a‐3p levels above threshold, of which the cellular origin is unknown.

Objectives

Therefore, a series of relevant tissues (frozen and formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE), when available) from the complete male urogenital tract (i.e., kidney to urethra and testis to urethra) and semen was investigated for miR‐371a‐3p levels using targeted quantitative RT‐PCR (qRT‐PCR).

Materials and methods

In total, semen of males with normospermia (n = 11) and oligospermia (n = 3) was investigated, as well as 88 samples derived from 32 different patients. The samples represented one set of tissues related to the entire male urogenital tract (11 anatomical locations), three sets for 10 locations, and four sets for six locations.

Results

All testis parenchyma (n = 17) cases showed low miR‐371a‐3p levels. Eight out of 14 (57%) semen samples showed detectable miR‐371a‐3p levels, irrespective of the amount of motile spermatozoa, but related to sperm concentration and matched Johnsen score (Spearman's rho correlation coefficient 0.849 and 0.871, p = 0.000, respectively). In all other tissues investigated, miR‐371a‐3p could not be detected.

Discussion

This study demonstrates that the miR‐371a‐3p in healthy adult males is solely derived from the germ cell compartment.

Conclusions

The observation is important in the context of applying miR‐371a‐3p as molecular liquid biopsy biomarker for diagnosis and follow‐up of patients with malignant (T)GCT. Moreover, miR‐371a‐3p might be an informative seminal biomarker for testicular germ cell composition.
Haematological management of major bleeding associated with direct oral anticoagulants – UK experience
Authors: Green Laura , Tan Joachim , Antoniou Sotiris , Alikhan Raza , Curry Nicola , Everington Tamara , Saja Khalid , Stanworth Simon , Tait Campbell , Morris Joan K. , MacCallum Peter
Published: February 2019

The lack of antidotes for activated factor X‐inhibitor direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) means that management of bleeding consists largely of existing supportive therapies. This study aimed to: (i) examine the relative frequency of DOAC‐related major bleeding in relation to DOAC prescriptions over the study period; (ii) describe the presentation and haematological management of DOAC‐related major bleeding; and (iii) evaluate the association between the use of prothrombin‐complex‐concentrate (PCC) and in‐hospital mortality. Over a 3‐year period, 32 UK hospitals submitted data on haematological management of DOAC‐related bleeding. Data consisted of 421 episodes (67%, 21%, 11% and 1% on rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran and edoxaban respectively) of major bleeding on DOACs. The proportion of major bleeds on DOACs and DOAC prescriptions increased throughout the study. Overall, 44% and 37% of patients presented with gastrointestinal bleeding and intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) respectively. Drug concentrations were seldom measured. Compared to no PCC, there was a borderline evidence that receiving low dose PCC (≤25 iu/kg) was associated with better outcomes in terms of mortality (sub‐distribution hazard ratio: 0·15; 95% confidence interval: 0·02–1·19; P = 0·07): but this was not the case for higher doses. DOAC concentrations are seldom measured. There was no evidence of benefit for PCC on in‐hospital mortality.
A robust culture method for maintaining tumorigenic cancer stem cells in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Li‐7
Authors: Sato Yukako , Yamada Takeshi , Hiroyama Takashi , Sudo Kazuhiro , Hasegawa Naoyuki , Hyodo Ichinosuke , Nakamura Yukio
Published: February 2019

Cancer tissues contain small populations of highly tumorigenic cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs). Immortalized cell lines containing CSCs are valuable and powerful experimental tools for research into the characteristics of these stem cells. We previously reported that the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Li‐7 includes abundant CD13+CD166− CSCs; however, the number of these cells decreases after long‐term culture as a result of differentiation to non‐CSC populations. To ensure consistent and reproducible results in experiments using Li‐7 cells, it is important that the CSC population is maintained stably regardless of culture duration and passage. In the present study, we found that a commercially available culture medium for maintenance of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, mTeSR1, effectively prevented spontaneous differentiation by CD13+CD166− cells to CD13−CD166+ cells and therefore maintained the CSC population in Li‐7 cell cultures. CD13+CD166− CSCs maintained using this culture medium retained high tumorigenicity after transplantation into mice; they also showed the ability to differentiate in vitro into non‐CSC populations in RPMI‐1640 with 10% FBS medium. We analyzed gene expression profiles of CSC and non‐CSC populations in Li‐7 cultures using an RNA sequencing method. Genes such as FGFR, NOTCH1, and JAG1, that are associated with tumorigenicity and stemness, were upregulated in the CSC population. Our results suggest that CSCs can be maintained in immortalized cancer cell lines cultured over an extended period using a medium developed for culture of embryonic/induced pluripotent stem cells.
Association between hereditary predisposition to common cancers and congenital multimalformations
Authors: Kwiatkowski Fabrice , Perthus Isabelle , Uhrhammer Nancy , Francannet Christine , Arbre Marie , Bidet Yannick , Bignon Yves‐Jean
Published: February 2019

In a previous article we reported that mutations favoring cancer at adulthood seemed to improve fertility and limit miscarriages. Because spontaneous abortion may result from anomalies in embryo, we questioned if an increased frequency of congenital malformation could be evidenced among cancer‐prone families. Oncogenetics database (≈193 000 members) of the comprehensive cancer center Jean Perrin was crossed with regional registry of congenital malformations (≈10 000). Among children born between 1986 and 2011, 176 children with malformation matched in both databases. In breast/ovaries cancer‐prone families, the risk for malformations was multiplied by 2.4 [1.2‐4.5] in case of a BRCA1 mutation. Frequencies of malformation in BRCA2 and MMR mutated families were similar to families without a cancer syndrome. In comparison to malformations concerning a unique anatomical system, multimalformations were significantly more frequent in case of BRCA or MMR mutations: compared to families without cancer syndrome, the risk of multimalformations was multiplied by 4.1 [0.8‐21.7] for cancer‐prone families but with no known deleterious mutation, by 6.9 [1.2‐38.6] in families with a known mutation but an unknown parental mutational status and by 10.4 [2.3‐46.0] when one parent carried the familial mutation. No association with the type of anatomical system was found, nor with multiple births. These results suggest that BRCA and MMR genes play an important role in human embryogenesis and that if their function is lowered because of heterozygote mutations, congenital malformations are either more likely (BRCA1 mutations) and/or more susceptible to concern several anatomical systems.
Evaluation of pay‐for‐release conservation incentives for unintentionally caught threatened species
Authors: Leduc Antoine O.H.C. , Hussey Nigel E.
Published: February 2019

In the developing world, the exploitation of threatened species jeopardizes their permanence in the wild. Because not all captures are intentional, for instance when capture methods have low selectivity, pressure on these species may be lessened by releasing living incidentally caught animals. However, it is often unrealistic to expect people to voluntarily do so because it means foregoing the benefits of resource extraction. Financial incentives for such animal release may foster conservation objectives. Reducing human–animal conflicts, protecting natural habitat, and conserving nests of threatened species are examples of conservation benefits that can be built on financial reward systems. However, incentives aiming to protect unintentionally captured threatened species are scarce. We considered pay for release, a type of ecosystem‐service payment designed to foster the release of incidentally captured threatened species. We aimed to determine the best conditions to implement this scheme, its potential benefits (e.g., incentivizing the release of threatened species), and pitfalls and priority research needs (e.g., required conditions for pay for release to work) to show that its global applicability is possible. Given that approaches solely based on education and law enforcement may be ineffective under some circumstances, we argue that pay for release can protect incidentally captured endangered species if used under conditions conducive for its success. When local participants’ intrinsic motivation for conservation is weak, but the release of incidentally live‐caught animals into their habitats is readily achievable, pay‐for‐release schemes could jump start urgently needed conservation efforts against indiscriminate animal harvesting.
Effect of age at menarche on microvascular complications among women with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Yi Y. , Denic‐Roberts H. , Rubinstein D. , Orchard T. J. , Costacou T.
Published: February 2019

Aim

To test the hypothesis that delayed menarche is associated with an increased microvascular complication risk among women with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods

We studied the female participants of an ongoing prospective study of childhood‐onset Type 1 diabetes diagnosed during the period 1950–1980. Of 325 women, we included data from 315 who had reached menarche by the study baseline (1986–1988) and who self‐reported their age at menarche. Both cross‐sectional and prospective analyses over the 25‐year follow‐up were used to assess the relationship of age at menarche with the prevalence, incidence and cumulative incidence of microvascular complications, comprising overt nephropathy, proliferative retinopathy and confirmed distal symmetric polyneuropathy.

Results

In cross‐sectional analyses at baseline, the odds of overt nephropathy increased 1.24 times (P=0.02) with each annual increase in age at menarche, and 3.2 times (P=0.009) in those with delayed menarche compared with women with normal menarche onset, after adjustment. Similarly, the cumulative incidence of overt nephropathy increased 1.16 times (P=0.01) with each older year of menarche and women with delayed menarche were at twofold increased risk of overt nephropathy (hazard ratio 2.30, P=0.001) compared with women with normal menarche onset. However, age at menarche was not significantly associated with either proliferative retinopathy or confirmed distal symmetric polyneuropathy after adjusting for covariates.

Conclusions

Age at menarche was significantly associated with the prevalence and cumulative incidence of overt nephropathy, but not with proliferative retinopathy or confirmed distal symmetric polyneuropathy in Type 1 diabetes. Women with delayed menarche may therefore be targeted for early screening and timely interventions to prevent the development of nephropathy.
Evaluation of a rare glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor variant in a patient with diabetes
Authors: Jacobi Simon F. , Khajavi Noushafarin , Kleinau Gunnar , Teumer Alexander , Scheerer Patrick , Homuth Georg , Völzke Henry , Wiegand Susanna , Kühnen Peter , Krude Heiko , Gong Maolian , Raile Klemens , Biebermann Heike
Published: February 2019

Aims

Glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is an incretin hormone that augments insulin secretion in pancreatic β‐cells via its glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR). Recent genome‐wide association studies identified a single nucleotide variant (SNV) in the GIPR encoding gene (GIPR), rs1800437, that is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. In the present study, we tested whether GIPR variants contribute to obesity and disturb glucose homeostasis or diabetes in specific patient populations.

Materials and methods

Exon sequencing of GIPR was performed in 164 children with obesity and insulin resistance and in 80 children with paediatric‐onset diabetes of unknown origin. The Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) cohort, comprising 8320 adults, was screened for the GIPR variant Arg217Leu. GIPR variants were expressed in COS‐7 cells and cAMP production was measured upon stimulation with GIP. Cell surface expression was determined by ELISA. Protein homology modelling of the GIPR variants was performed to extract three‐dimensional information of the receptor.

Results

A heterozygous missense GIPR variant Arg217Leu (rs200485112) was identified in a patient of Asian ancestry. Functional characterization of Arg217Leu revealed reduced surface expression and signalling after GIP challenge. The homology model of the GIPR structure supports the observed functional relevance of Arg217Leu.

Conclusion

In vitro functional studies and protein homology modelling indicate a potential relevance of the GIPR variant Arg217Leu in receptor function. The heterozygous variant displayed partial co‐segregation with diabetes. Based on these findings, we suggest that GIPR variants may play a role in disturbed glucose homeostasis and may be of clinical relevance in homozygous patients.
Effects of basal insulin glargine and omega‐3 on lower limb arterial disease outcome in patients with dysglycaemia: An analysis of the Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine INtervention (ORIGIN) trial
Authors: Dagenais Gilles R. , Jung Hyejung , Bogaty Peter , Bosch Jackie , Yusuf Salim , Gerstein Hertzel C.
Published: February 2019

The impact of insulin or omega‐3 supplements on the incidence and progression of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in patients with dysglycaemia has not been well studied. The Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine INtervention (ORIGIN) trial randomized participants with dysglycaemia and cardiovascular risk factors to titrated insulin glargine vs standard care, and to either 1 g of omega‐3 per day or placebo. We assessed incident PAD, defined as the composite of either asymptomatic or symptomatic PAD according to the randomized interventions in the 11 119 ORIGIN participants whose baseline ankle‐brachial index (ABI) was >0.9 (no PAD), and PAD progression in the 971 ORIGIN participants whose baseline ABI was ≤0.9. Hazard ratios (HR) were adjusted for confounders. During a 6.2‐year follow‐up period, allocation to insulin glargine vs standard care had a neutral effect on the composite of PAD incidence (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.86‐1.15) and progression (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.63‐1.22). Similar findings were noted for allocation to omega‐3 vs placebo for PAD incidence (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89‐1.18) and progression (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.67‐1.28). In this large study, neither insulin glargine nor omega‐3 affected the incidence or progression of PAD.
Fixed‐ratio combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide (IDegLira) improves cardiovascular risk markers in patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled on basal insulin
Authors: Vilsbøll Tina , Blevins Thomas C. , Jodar Esteban , Poulter Neil , Tentolouris Nikolaos , Ross Agner Bue F. , Lehmann Lucine , Leiter Lawrence A.
Published: February 2019

In this post hoc analysis we investigated the effects of insulin degludec/liraglutide fixed‐ratio combination (IDegLira) versus comparators on cardiovascular (CV) risk markers in participants in the DUAL II (vs. insulin degludec), DUAL V (vs. insulin glargine 100 units/mL) and DUAL VII (vs. basal–bolus therapy) trials, grouped by sex, age (<65 years, ≥65 years) and diabetes duration (<10 years, ≥10 years). Treatment contrasts were in favour of IDegLira in many subgroups for changes from baseline in glycated haemoblogin (DUAL II, DUAL V), body weight (all three trials), systolic blood pressure (BP; all three trials), HDL cholesterol (DUAL VII) and LDL cholesterol (DUAL II, DUAL V). Higher heart rates were seen with IDegLira versus comparators (all three trials) plus significantly higher diastolic BP in men (DUAL V). Differences in treatment effect were seen between sexes in waist circumference (DUAL II), systolic BP (DUAL II, DUAL V) and triglycerides (DUAL VII), and between diabetes durations in LDL cholesterol (DUAL V). In conclusion, IDegLira is associated with a general improvement in CV risk markers compared with basal insulin or basal–bolus therapy after 26 weeks of treatment.
The responses of wild jacamars (Galbula ruficauda, Galbulidae) to aposematic, aposematic and cryptic, and cryptic butterflies in central Brazil
Authors: Pinheiro Carlos E. G. , Campos Vitor C.
Published: February 2019

1. This article reports the responses of wild, adult jacamars to butterflies with distinct coloration types in central Brazil. Fully aposematic species, i.e. those exhibiting bright and/or contrasting colours on both wing surfaces (= A/A), were predominantly sight‐rejected by birds and, with one exception, the few butterflies attacked and captured were taste‐rejected afterwards.

2. Aposematic and cryptic butterflies, i.e. those exhibiting bright and/or contrasting colours on the upper and cryptic colours on the underwings (= A/C) were sight‐rejected while flying, when they show their conspicuous colours to predators. This suggests that birds associate butterfly colours with their difficulty of capture, as in the case of Morpho and several Coliadinae species. These butterflies, however, were heavily attacked at rest, when they are cryptic.

3, Fully cryptic butterflies, i.e. those exhibiting cryptic colours on both wing surfaces (= C/C) did not elicit sight rejections by birds. Comparisons involving the number of attacks and the capture success of flying and resting individuals showed no significant differences in species more frequently observed like some cracker butterflies (Hamadryas feronia and H. februa) and Taygetis laches. Compared with the A/C Coliadinae, these butterflies showed a lesser, although not significantly different, ability to escape while flying, but a greater and significantly different ability to escape while at rest.

4, A hunting tactic of jacamars, which consists of following flying A/C and C/C butterflies on sight, and waiting until they perch to locate and attack them, is described for the first time.
Moral motivation in early 18th century moral rationalism
Authors: Eggers Daniel
Published: February 2019

In the modern debate in metaethics and moral psychology, moral rationalism is often presented as a view that cannot account for the intimate relation between moral behaviour on one hand and feelings, emotions, or desires on the other. Although there is no lack of references to the classic rationalists of the 18th century in the relevant discussions, the works of these writers are rarely ever examined detail. Yet, as the debate in Kant scholarship between “intellectualists” and “affectivists” impressively shows, a more thorough analysis of what the classic rationalists actually have to say about moral motivation is suited to cast serious doubts on the idea that moral rationalism must crucially neglect the affective–conative side of human psychology. The aim of this paper is to analyse the conceptions of moral motivation that were embraced by Kant's rationalist predecessors—Clarke, Wolff, Burnet, Balguy, and Price—which have not attracted a similar amount of attention by specialists so far. The claim I will defend is that none of those early rationalists actually embraces the motivational thesis that is often taken to be characteristic of moral rationalism, a thesis I shall refer to asstrong rationalism about (moral) motivation.