bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Target volume geometric change and/or deviation from the cranium during fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastases: Potential pitfalls in image guidance based on bony anatomy alignment
Authors: Ohtakara Kazuhiro , Hoshi Hiroaki
Published: June 2014

Introduction

This study sought to evaluate the potential geometrical change and/or displacement of the target relative to the cranium during fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) for treating newly developed brain metastases.

Methods

For 16 patients with 21 lesions treated with image‐guided frameless FSRT in 5 or 10 fractions using a 6‐degree‐of‐freedom image guidance system‐integrated platform, the unenhanced computed tomography or T2‐weighted magnetic resonance images acquired until the completion of FSRT were fused to the planning image datasets for comparison. Significant change was defined as ≥3‐mm change in the tumour diameter or displacement of the tumour centroid.

Results

FSRT was started 1 day after planning image acquisition. Tumour shrinkage, deviation and both were observed in 2, 1 and 1 of the 21 lesions, respectively, over a period of 7–13 days. Tumour shrinkage or deviation resulted in an increase or decrease in the marginal dose to the tumour, respectively, and a substantial increase in the irradiated volume for the surrounding tissue irrespective of the pattern of alteration. No obvious differences in the clinical and treatment characteristics were noted among the populations with or without significant changes in tumour volume or position.

Conclusion

Target deformity and/or deviation can unexpectedly occur even during relatively short‐course FSRT, inevitably leading to a gradual discrepancy between the planned and actually delivered doses to the tumour and surrounding tissue. To appropriately weigh the treatment outcome against the planned dose distribution, target deformity and/or deviation should also be considered in addition to the immobilisation accuracy, as image guidance with bony anatomy alignment does not necessarily guarantee accurate target localisation until completion of FSRT.
A climate of uncertainty: accounting for error in climate variables for species distribution models
Authors: Stoklosa Jakub , Daly Christopher , Foster Scott D. , Ashcroft Michael B. , Warton David I.
Published: June 2014

Spatial climate variables are routinely used in species distribution models (SDMs) without accounting for the fact that they have been predicted with uncertainty, which can lead to biased estimates, erroneous inference and poor performances when predicting to new settings – for example under climate change scenarios.

We show how information on uncertainty associated with spatial climate variables can be obtained from climate data models. We then explain different types of uncertainty (i.e. classical and Berkson error) and use two statistical methods that incorporate uncertainty in climate variables into SDMs by means of (i) hierarchical modelling and (ii) simulation–extrapolation.

We used simulation to study the consequences of failure to account for measurement error. When uncertainty in explanatory variables was not accounted for, we found that coefficient estimates were biased and the SDM had a loss of statistical power. Further, this bias led to biased predictions when projecting change in distribution under climate change scenarios. The proposed errors‐in‐variables methods were less sensitive to these issues.

We also fit the proposed models to real data (presence/absence data on the Carolina wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus), as a function of temperature variables.

The proposed framework allows for many possible extensions and improvements to SDMs. If information on the uncertainty of spatial climate variables is available to researchers, we recommend the following: (i) first identify the type of uncertainty; (ii) consider whether any spatial autocorrelation or independence assumptions are required; and (iii) attempt to incorporate the uncertainty into the SDM through established statistical methods and their extensions.
Methionine restriction restores a younger metabolic phenotype in adult mice with alterations in fibroblast growth factor 21
Authors: Lees Emma K. , Król Elżbieta , Grant Louise , Shearer Kirsty , Wyse Cathy , Moncur Eleanor , Bykowska Aleksandra S. , Mody Nimesh , Gettys Thomas W. , Delibegovic Mirela
Published: June 2014

Methionine restriction (MR) decreases body weight and adiposity and improves glucose homeostasis in rodents. Similar to caloric restriction, MR extends lifespan, but is accompanied by increased food intake and energy expenditure. Most studies have examined MR in young animals; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the ability of MR to reverse age‐induced obesity and insulin resistance in adult animals. Male C57BL/6J mice aged 2 and 12 months old were fed MR (0.172% methionine) or control diet (0.86% methionine) for 8 weeks or 48 h. Food intake and whole‐body physiology were assessed and serum/tissues analyzed biochemically. Methionine restriction in 12‐month‐old mice completely reversed age‐induced alterations in body weight, adiposity, physical activity, and glucose tolerance to the levels measured in healthy 2‐month‐old control‐fed mice. This was despite a significant increase in food intake in 12‐month‐old MR‐fed mice. Methionine restriction decreased hepatic lipogenic gene expression and caused a remodeling of lipid metabolism in white adipose tissue, alongside increased insulin‐induced phosphorylation of the insulin receptor (IR) and Akt in peripheral tissues. Mice restricted of methionine exhibited increased circulating and hepatic gene expression levels of FGF21, phosphorylation of eIF2a, and expression of ATF4, with a concomitant decrease in IRE1α phosphorylation. Short‐term 48‐h MR treatment increased hepatic FGF21 expression/secretion and insulin signaling and improved whole‐body glucose homeostasis without affecting body weight. Our findings suggest that MR feeding can reverse the negative effects of aging on body mass, adiposity, and insulin resistance through an FGF21 mechanism. These findings implicate MR dietary intervention as a viable therapy for age‐induced metabolic syndrome in adult humans.
Medical models of teleoncology: Current status and future directions
Authors: Sabesan Sabe
Published: June 2014

Teleoncology has been adopted by many centers to provide cancer care closer to home for rural, remote, Indigenous and other disadvantaged people of our communities. A variety of medical models of teleoncology exist to provide various medical oncology services. While most centers use teleoncology to complement their face‐to‐face outreach services, some centers have replaced face‐to‐face with teleoncology models. Selection of patients and scheduling of clinics would depend on various factors including experience of the clinicians, complexity of treatment provided, capabilities and workforce of rural sites, and patient preferences. Many small studies reported high satisfaction rates of these models among patients and health professionals including Indigenous populations. One single center study reports that it is safe to supervise chemotherapy delivery remotely and many studies report cost savings to the health systems. Further studies on safety aspects of teleoncology are needed to further improve the current models. Future teleoncology models would need to include Web‐based models, mobile technologies and remote chemotherapy supervision models so that patients from most rural towns could have at least some of their cancer care closer to home.
Impaired structural and functional regeneration of skeletal muscles fromβ2‐adrenoceptor knockout mice
Authors: Silva M. T. , Wensing L. A. , Brum P. C. , Câmara N. O. , Miyabara E. H.
Published: June 2014

Aims

β2‐adrenergic stimulation causes beneficial effects on structure and function of regenerating muscles; thus, theβ2‐adrenoceptor may play an important role in the muscle regenerative process. Here, we investigated the role of theβ2‐adrenoceptor in skeletal muscle regeneration.

Methods

Tibialis anterior (TA) muscles fromβ2‐adrenoceptor knockout (β2KO) mice were cryolesioned and analysed after 1, 3, 10 and 21 days. The role ofβ2‐adrenoceptor on regenerating muscles was assessed through the analysis of morphological and contractile aspects, M1 and M2 macrophage profile, cAMPcontent, and activation ofTGF‐βsignalling elements.

Results

Regenerating muscles fromβ2KO mice showed decreased calibre of regenerating myofibres and reduced muscle contractile function at 10 days when compared with those from wild type. The increase in cAMPcontent in muscles at 10 days post‐cryolesion was attenuated in the absence of theβ2‐adrenoceptor. Furthermore, there was an increase in inflammation and in the number of macrophages in regenerating muscles lacking theβ2‐adrenoceptor at 3 and 10 days, a predominance of M1 macrophage phenotype, a decrease in TβR‐I/Smad2/3 activation, and in the Smad4 expression at 3 days, while akirin1 expression increased at 10 days in muscles fromβ2KO mice when compared to those from wild type.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that theβ2‐adrenoceptor contributes to the regulation of the initial phases of muscle regeneration, especially in the control of macrophage recruitment in regenerating muscle through activation of TβR‐I/Smad2/3 and reduction in akirin1 expression. These findings have implications for the future development of better therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat muscle injuries.
Wilson, Eydie (2013) Serious comixISTE (Washington & Eurospan, London) isbn 978‐1‐56484‐321‐0 96 pp £27.50 https://www.iste.org/store/product?ID=2444%E2%80%8E
Authors: Deeson Eric
Published: June 2014

Eydie Wilson's book pleads that struggling secondary learners be encouraged to design on‐screen storyboards as a means of planning various kinds of work. The book is short and—especially at this high price—would benefit from being much better illustrated than it is: in particular, it needs sample learners' work and other forms of case study material. Though clearly written and developed, Serious comix therefore remains dry and shows few signs of the author's passion for its subject. Yet the concept is appealing and has potential: if you think it could have some impact on your work, borrow a copy and see what appeals to you.

Eric Deeson
The role of opioid processes in reward and decision‐making
Authors: Laurent Vincent , Morse Ashleigh K , Balleine Bernard W
Published: June 2014

Contemporary theories emphasize the involvement of the endogenous opioid system in assigning hedonic values to rewards. Although earlier research supports this view, recent findings suggest that opioids play a larger and more complex role in reward processes than these theories suggest. For example, opioid activity in the basolateral amygdala is required for encoding incentive learning, a process by which the value of goal‐directed actions is updated. Outside the amygdala, opioid receptors in the ventral striatum have been found to promote choice between different courses of action. Specifically, μ opioid receptors in the nucleus accumbens core and δ opioid receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell have been reported to mediate distinct aspects of incentive motivation; the core regulating the effect of experienced reward and the shell of predicted reward on choice. In both cases, the involvement of opioid receptors was restricted to the time of choice, although changes in their expression pattern could be observed prior to that point. This time‐restricted involvement of opioid receptor‐related processes is consistent with the view that opioids in the nucleus accumbens are central components of the limbic‐motor interface, integrating reward‐related information with instrumental learning to guide decision‐making, particularly the selection and execution of goal‐directed actions.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2
2‐(Hetero(aryl)methylene)hydrazine‐1‐carbothioamides as Potent Urease Inhibitors
Authors: Saeed Aamer , Imran Aqeel , Channar Pervaiz A. , Shahid Mohammad , Mahmood Wajahat , Iqbal Jamshed
Published: June 2014

A small series of 2‐(hetero(aryl)methylene) hydrazine‐1‐carbothioamides including two aryl derivatives was synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activity against urease. Compound (E)‐2‐(Furan‐2‐ylmethylene) hydrazine‐1‐carbothioamide (3f), having a furan ring, was the most potent inhibitor of urease with an IC50 value of 0.58 μm. Molecular modeling was carried out through docking the designed compounds into the urease binding site to predict whether these derivatives have analogous binding mode to the urease inhibitors. The study revealed that all of the tested compounds bind with both metal atoms at the active site of the enzyme. The aromatic ring of the compounds forms ionic interactions with the residues, Ala(440), Asp(494), Ala(636), and Met(637).
Effect of the sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor canagliflozin on plasma volume in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Sha S. , Polidori D. , Heise T. , Natarajan J. , Farrell K. , Wang S.‐S. , Sica D. , Rothenberg P. , Plum‐Mörschel L.
Published: June 2014

Aim

To evaluate the effects of canagliflozin on plasma volume, urinary glucose excretion (UGE), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and additional measures of fluid/electrolyte balance in patients with type 2 diabetes on background therapy with metformin and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers.

Methods

Patients (N = 36) were randomized (1 : 1) to receive canagliflozin 300 mg or placebo for 12 weeks. Pharmacodynamic parameters were assessed at baseline and at weeks 1 and 12.

Results

Increased 24‐h UGE was seen in the canagliflozin group compared with a reduction in the placebo group at both week 1 (91.8 vs. −2.4 g) and week 12 (82.6 vs. −0.4 g). Canagliflozin also reduced both FPG and HbA1c. Reductions in body weight and blood pressure were observed at weeks 1 and 12. Canagliflozin decreased plasma volume compared with an increase with placebo at week 1 (−5.4 vs. 4.3%; p = 0.02), but this was largely attenuated at week 12 (4.6 vs. 5.8%; p = 0.76). A modest numerical increase in urine volume was observed with canagliflozin at week 1 that was attenuated at week 12; other measures of volume status (i.e. blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and haematocrit) remained modestly increased with canagliflozin at week 12.

Conclusion

Canagliflozin provided sustained effects on UGE and FPG over 12 weeks and a transient reduction in plasma volume that was largely attenuated by week 12.
The social determinants of health for people with type 1 diabetes that progress to end‐stage renal disease
Authors: Hill Kathleen E. , Gleadle Jonathan M. , Pulvirenti Mariastella , McNaughton Darlene A.
Published: June 2014

Objective

Self‐management of type 1 diabetes over a lifetime is complex and challenging even in the best of circumstances, and the social environment can be a powerful determinant of health behaviours and outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify how social determinants of health can impact on the capacity of young people to manage their glycaemic control.

Methods

The findings emerged from a constructivist grounded theory approach through an in‐depth examination of life course events that were recounted through qualitative interviews. The rich descriptive detail obtained from this enquiry locates common experiences and the context in which concordance with therapies occurs and health behaviours develop.

Results

This qualitative study of young people with type 1 diabetes who have developed end‐stage renal disease demonstrates that there are many factors beyond individual control that can contribute to health outcomes. The social determinants of childhood environment, education, socio‐economic status, gender and the culture of public health can contribute to disengagement from treatment regimens and the health‐care system and to the development of microvascular complications at a comparatively young age.

Conclusion

These findings challenge the assumptions of health‐care practitioners about individual responsibility and highlight the importance of considering how social determinants can shape lives, behaviours and health.
Why patients may not exercise their choice when referred for hospital care. An exploratory study based on interviews with patients
Authors: Victoor Aafke , Delnoij Diana , Friele Roland , Rademakers Jany
Published: June 2014

Background

Various north‐western European health‐care systems encourage patients to make an active choice of health‐care provider. This study explores, qualitatively, patients' hospital selection processes and provides insight into the reasons why patients do or do not make active choices.

Methods

Semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted with 142 patients in two departments of three Dutch hospitals. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed in accordance with the grounded theory approach.

Results

Three levels of choice activation were identified – passive, semi‐active and active. The majority of the patients, however, visited the default hospital without having used quality information or considered alternatives. Various factors relating to patient, provider and health‐care system characteristics were identified that influenced patients' level of choice activation. On the whole, the patients interviewed could be classified into five types with regard to how they chose, or ‘ended up at’ a hospital. These types varied from patients who did not have a choice to patients who made an active choice.

Conclusions

A large variation exists in the way patients choose a hospital. However, most patients tend to visit the default without being concerned about choice. Generally, they do not see any reason to choose another hospital. In addition, barriers exist to making choices. The idea of a patient who actively makes a choice originates from neoclassical microeconomic theory. However, policy makers may try in vain to bring principles originating from this theory into health care. Even so, patients do value the opportunity of attending ‘their’ own hospital.
Externalising and internalising problem behaviour among Swedish adolescent boys and girls
Authors: Bask Miia
Published: June 2014

We examined the occurrence and coexistence of externalising and internalising problem behaviour among Swedish boys and girls, and investigated whether there are differences in the accumulation of problems among adolescents with different behavioural, demographic and social characteristics. The results are discussed in the context of self‐salience schemas. The source material comprised all ninth grade pupils in a province in central Sweden in 2008 (N = 3,095). First, girls were found to be more prone to experience internalising problem behaviour, whereas no sex differences were found regarding externalising problem behaviour. Second, multidimensional scaling maps indicated that, compared with boys, self‐esteem and the PsychoSomatic Problem (PSP) scale among girls more closely indicated externalising problem behaviour components, whereas anxiety was situated far from the other externalising problem behaviour indicators. Finally, linear regression analyses indicated family type as the primary explanatory background factor for externalising problem behaviour and economic hardship as the primary explanatory background factor for internalising problem behaviour.
Pain, Coping, and Sleep in Children and Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Graves Joyce Kelly , Jacob Eufemia
Published: June 2014

Purpose

The study examined the relationships among pain, pain coping, and sleep, and assessed factors (age, gender, frequency, and intensity of pain) that affect pain, coping, and sleep in children with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Methods

Participants (66) were 39 children (M = 11.5 years) and 27 adolescents (M = 15.5 years) with SCD who completed an electronic visual analog scale (eVAS), Pain Coping Questionnaire, and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index.

Results

About two‐thirds of the children reported pain the previous month. No significant differences were found between pain and age, gender, pain intensity, or frequency. Most children coped with pain by seeking information, problem solving, seeking social support, and positive self‐statements. There were significant negative correlations in males between worse pain severity and behavioral distraction and internalizing or catastrophizing. The majority (91.2%) had mild to severe sleep disturbances, with 18.2% requiring sleeping medication three or more times a week. There were no significant differences between sleep and age, gender, pain intensity, or frequency.

Conclusion

Children with SCD experience pain that affects sleep patterns and the way they cope with pain. Nurses need to concurrently assess pain, coping, and sleep and promote sleep hygiene and positive coping strategies during pain episodes.
Elevated Serum Uric Acid is Associated With Angiotensinogen in Obese Patients With Untreated Hypertension
Authors: Zhang Junxia , Zhang Yuping , Deng Wuquan , Chen Bing
Published: June 2014

This study investigated the correlation between elevated serum uric acid (SUA) and angiotensinogen in obesity patients with hypertension. A total of 162 obese and 162 nonobese men with hypertension were recruited in this study. Plasma angiotensinogen levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Fasting insulin (FINS) was evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Compared with nonobese patients, obese patients exhibited higher levels of angiotensinogen, FINS, and homeostasis model assessment index‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) (P<.001 for all). Moreover, these indexes significantly increased in obese patients in the highest tertile of SUA when compared with those in the lowest tertile of SUA (P<.001, P=.002, P=.007, respectively). In the obese group, SUA levels were significantly related to angiotensinogen, FINS, and HOMA‐IR, respectively. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that obesity × uric acid was an independent contributor to angiotensinogen (β=0.257, P<.001). In conclusion, elevated SUA is strongly related to angiotensinogen in an obesity‐dependent manner in hypertension.
Exploratory analysis of the relationship between home health agency engagement in a national campaign and reduction in acute care hospitalization in US home care patients
Authors: Esslinger E. Eve , Schade Charles P. , Sun Cynthia K. , Sun Ying Hua , Manna Jill , Hall Bethany Knowles , Wright Shanen , Hannah Karen L. , Lynch Janet R.
Published: June 2014

Rationale, aims and objectives

To determine whether US home health agencies that intensively engaged with the 2010 Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign were more likely to reduce acute care hospitalization (ACH) rates than less engaged agencies.

Method

We included all Medicare‐certified agencies that accessed Campaign resources in the first month of the Campaign and also responded to an online survey of resource utilization at month two. We used the survey data and item response theory to estimate a latent construct we called engagement with the campaign. ACH rates were calculated from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Outcome and Assessment Information Set for pre‐ and post‐intervention periods (March–November 2009 and 2010, respectively).

Results

Staff from 1077 agencies accessed resources in the first month of the Campaign. Of these, 382 provided information about resource use and had 10 or more monthly discharges throughout the measurement periods. Dividing these agencies into quartiles based on engagement score, we found an association between engagement and reduction in ACH rates, P = 0.049 (χ2 for trend). Exploratory path analysis revealed the effect of engagement score on reduction in ACH rate to be partially mediated through reduction in average length of service rates.

Conclusion

We found evidence that early intensity of engagement with the Campaign, as measured through use of activities and resources, was positively associated with improvement. To continue the investigation of this relationship, future work in this and other campaigns should focus on further development of engagement measures.
Phenotyping animal models of diabetic neuropathy: a consensus statement of the diabetic neuropathy study group of the EASD (Neurodiab)
Authors: Biessels G.J. , Bril V. , Calcutt N.A. , Cameron N.E. , Cotter M.A. , Dobrowsky R. , Feldman E.L. , Fernyhough P. , Jakobsen J. , Malik R.A. , Mizisin A.P. , Oates P.J. , Obrosova I.G. , Pop‐Busui R. , Russell J.W. , Sima A.A. , Stevens M.J. , Schmidt R.E. , Tesfaye S. , Veves A. , Vinik A.I. , Wright D.E. , Yagihashi S. , Yorek M.A. , Ziegler D. , Zochodne D.W.
Published: June 2014

NIDDK, JDRF, and the Diabetic Neuropathy Study Group of EASD sponsored a meeting to explore the current status of animal models of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The goal of the workshop was to develop a set of consensus criteria for the phenotyping of rodent models of diabetic neuropathy. The discussion was divided into five areas: (1) status of commonly used rodent models of diabetes, (2) nerve structure, (3) electrophysiological assessments of nerve function, (4) behavioral assessments of nerve function, and (5) the role of biomarkers in disease phenotyping. Participants discussed the current understanding of each area, gold standards (if applicable) for assessments of function, improvements of existing techniques, and utility of known and exploratory biomarkers. The research opportunities in each area were outlined, providing a possible roadmap for future studies. The meeting concluded with a discussion on the merits and limitations of a unified approach to phenotyping rodent models of diabetic neuropathy and a consensus formed on the definition of the minimum criteria required for establishing the presence of the disease. A neuropathy phenotype in rodents was defined as the presence of statistically different values between diabetic and control animals in 2 of 3 assessments (nocifensive behavior, nerve conduction velocities, or nerve structure). The participants propose that this framework would allow different research groups to compare and share data, with an emphasis on data targeted toward the therapeutic efficacy of drug interventions.
Organizational Attributes, Market Growth, and Product Innovation
Authors: Song Michael , Chen Yan
Published: June 2014

Extensive research has shown that organizational attributes affect product innovation. Extending this literature, this article delimits two general categories of organizational attributes and relates them to product innovation. Organizational attributes can be either control oriented or flexibility oriented. Control‐oriented organizational attributes strive to realize organizational activities as intended, while flexibility‐oriented attributes allow organizational activities to emerge in a directed way. The classical institutional theory suggests that organizational attributes, no matter whether they are control oriented or flexibility oriented, serve two major functions: a constraining function and an enabling function. Recognizing the dual functions of organizational attributes, this article argues that both types of organizational attributes are indispensable for the functioning of innovative organizations and that the impacts of control‐oriented organizational attributes on product innovation decrease with market growth, while the impacts of flexibility‐oriented organizational attributes on product innovation increase with market growth.

Empirical results largely support these hypotheses. Strategic planning, as a control‐oriented organizational attribute, is positively associated with product innovativeness, regardless of the market growth rate. The effectiveness of other organizational attributes, including formalization and organizational redundancy, varies with market conditions. As the rate of market growth increases, formalization becomes less effective for, but never becomes detrimental to, product innovativeness. Conversely, as the rate of market growth increases, organizational redundancy becomes more effective for product innovativeness. Overall, the results show that both control‐oriented and flexibility‐oriented elements are indispensable for the design of innovative organizations.
CEOs’ Transformational Leadership and Product Innovation Performance: The Roles of Corporate Entrepreneurship and Technology Orientation
Authors: Chen Yang , Tang Guiyao , Jin Jiafei , Xie Qinghong , Li Ji
Published: June 2014

Product innovation is an important research topic that has stimulated significant interest among management scholars and practitioners. Leadership has been suggested to be a critical factor affecting product innovation. Numerous studies have documented that transformational leadership positively influences product innovation performance, which is conceptualized as the degree to which a new product and/or service has achieved its market share, sales, rates of asset return, rates of investment return, and profit objectives. However, there is a lack of studies examining the specific means through which transformational leadership influences product innovation performance at the firm level. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the processes through which such effect is achieved and to determine whether corporate entrepreneurship and technology orientation as intervening factors influence this effect. To test the hypotheses, data were collected from 151 matched top management team (TMT) members and chief executive officers (CEOs) from Chinese manufacturing firms. Two separate questionnaires were used to collect the data. TMT members’ questionnaire included measures of CEO's transformational leadership, whereas CEOs’ questionnaire included questions about corporate entrepreneurship, technology orientation, and product innovation performance. Hierarchical linear regression was used to test the hypothesized effects. The results of the analysis provided the support for the fully mediating role of corporate entrepreneurship on the relationship between CEOs' transformational leadership and product innovation performance. In addition, technology orientation was found to significantly moderate the CEOs' transformational leadership–corporate entrepreneurship linkage. Furthermore, the mediated moderation effect of corporate entrepreneurship on the relationships among CEOs’ transformational leadership, technology orientation, and product innovation performance was significantly supported. By studying leadership among CEOs, this study contributes to the research by elucidating the mechanisms through which transformational leadership influences product innovation performance. The mediating role of corporate entrepreneurship encourages managers to improve their leadership style so as to enhance the development of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation practices. The findings also show that technology orientation provides the conditions for the smooth translation of the CEO's transformational leadership into actual entrepreneurial activities. Hence, firms should prioritize technology orientation to optimize the implementation of transformational leadership so as to emphasize innovation and new venture creation.
How Does Technological Regime Affect Performance of Technology Development Projects?
Authors: Song Michael , Hooshangi Soheil , Zhao Y. Lisa , Halman Johannes I.M.
Published: June 2014

In this study, we examine how technological regime affects the performance of technology development projects (i.e., project quality, sales, and profit). Technological regime is defined as the set of attributes of a technological environment where the innovative activities of firms take place. Technological opportunity, appropriability of innovations, cumulativeness of knowledge and capabilities, and closeness of knowledge base to basic sciences (versus applied sciences) are attributes of technological regime. Using data from 381 firms across five industries, we show that high levels of technological opportunity, appropriability, and closeness of knowledge base to basic sciences are associated with higher project performance. Cumulativeness is associated with higher project quality, but not higher sales and profit. We also show that the effect of technological opportunity on project performance is moderated by two other determinants of technological regime: cumulativeness and nature of knowledge base. We find that cumulativeness has a negative moderating effect on the positive relationship between technological opportunity and project performance, while closeness of knowledge base to basic sciences positively moderates the effect of technological opportunity on project performance. We discuss the implications of our findings for new product development research and practice.
The Definition of “Context” and Its Application in the Field of Intellectual Disability
Authors: Shogren Karrie A. , Luckasson Ruth , Schalock Robert L.
Published: June 2014

This article presents an operational definition of “context” and discusses its components and assumptions with respect to the field of intellectual disability. The authors synthesized the literature upon which the definition is based and described how the definition can be used in the field of intellectual disability both to describe the personal and environmental factors that affect human functioning and to provide a framework for supports planning and policy development. The authors note that by defining context as an integrative concept, there will be greater clarity in theoretical models and research. Further, even as this definition recognizes that there is an array of specific personal or environmental characteristics that define context, the specific characteristics that influence human functioning will vary from individual to individual based on their unique values, personal goals, and personal desires. The authors note that by defining context as a concept that integrates the totality of circumstances comprising the milieu of human life and human functioning, the proposed definition and its assumptions enable a better understanding of how factors that affect human functioning might be used to enhance the functioning of people with intellectual disability, as well as provide a conceptual and measurement framework for the assessment of context.
Predictors of early introduction of complementary feeding: Longitudinal study
Authors: Tang Li , Lee Andy H , Binns Colin W
Published: June 2014

Background

Early introduction of complementary foods prior to 6 months of age may shorten breast‐feeding duration and expose the infant to increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aims of this study were to document the ages of complementary food introduction and to identify the determinants associated with early introduction of complementary feeding in Sichuan Province.

Methods

A prospective study on infant feeding practices was conducted during 2010–2011 in Jiangyou, China. A total of 695 mothers were recruited and interviewed at discharge. The follow‐up interviews were carried out by telephone at 1, 3 and 6 months postpartum. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine factors related to early introduction of complementary feeding.

Results

The median age at start of complementary feeding was 4.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.4–4.6 months). Mothers who perceived that most of their friends breast‐fed (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95%CI: 0.58–0.84) and those who returned to work when the infants were at least 6 months old were less likely to initiate complementary feeding early (adjusted HR, 0.73; 95%CI: 0.58–0.91), while infants who had been introduced to infant formula regularly before 6 months of age were at a higher risk of receiving complementary foods prematurely (adjusted HR, 1.81; 95%CI: 1.42–2.31).

Conclusions

Introducing complementary feeding before 6 months postpartum was widely practiced in Jiangyou. The appropriate age at which to introduce complementary foods and its benefits need to be emphasized in the future breast‐feeding education strategies in Sichuan.
The effect of velocity on auditory representational momentum
Authors: Feinkohl Arne , Locke Shannon M. , Leung Johahn , Carlile Simon
Published: June 2014

“Representational Momentum” (RM) is a mislocalization of the endpoint of a moving target in the direction of motion. In vision, RM has been shown to increase with target velocity. In audition, however, the effect of target velocity is unclear. Using a perceptual paradigm with moving broadband noise targets in Virtual Auditory Space resulted in a linear increase in RM from 0.9° to 2.3° for an increase in target velocity from 25°/s to 100°/s. Accounting for the effect of eye position also reduced variance. These results suggest that RM may be the result of similar underlying mechanisms in both modalities.
The Impact of Athlete Leaders on Team Members’ Team Outcome Confidence: A Test of Mediation by Team Identification and Collective Efficacy
Authors: Fransen Katrien , Vanbeselaere Norbert , De Cuyper Bert , Coffee Pete , Slater Matthew J. , Boen Filip
Published: June 2014

Research on the effect of athlete leadership on precursors of team performance such as team confidence is sparse. To explore the underlying mechanisms of how athlete leaders impact their team’s confidence, an online survey was completed by 2,867 players and coaches from nine different team sports in Flanders (Belgium). We distinguished between two types of team confidence: collective efficacy, assessed by the CEQS subscales of effort, persistence, preparation, and unity; and team outcome confidence, measured by the ability subscale. The results demonstrated that the perceived quality of athlete leaders was positively related to participants’ team outcome confidence. The present findings are the first in sport settings to highlight the potential value of collective efficacy and team identification as underlying processes. Because high-quality leaders strengthen team members’ identification with the team, the current study also provides initial evidence for the applicability of the identity based leadership approach in sport settings.
Comparative Mechanistic Studies of Brilacidin, Daptomycin, and the Antimicrobial Peptide LL16
Authors: Mensa Bruk , Howell Gabriella L. , Scott Richard , DeGrado William F.
Published: June 2014

Brilacidin (PMX30063) has shown potent bactericidal activity against drug-resistant and -susceptible strains of multiple Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens. In this study, we demonstrate that brilacidin causes membrane depolarization in the Gram-positive bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus
, to an extent comparable to that caused by the lipopeptidic drug daptomycin. Transcriptional profiling of
Staphylococcus aureus
by deep sequencing shows that the global response to brilacidin treatment is well correlated to those of treatment with daptomycin and the cationic antimicrobial peptide LL37 and mostly indicates abrogation of cell wall and membrane functions. Furthermore, the upregulation of various chaperones and proteases by brilacidin and daptomycin indicates that cytoplasmic protein misfolding stress may be a contributor to the mechanism of action of these drugs. These stress responses were orchestrated mainly by three two-component systems, GraSR, VraSR, and NsaSR, which have been implicated in virulence and drug resistance against other clinically available antibiotics.
Brucella abortus Depends on Pyruvate Phosphate Dikinase and Malic Enzyme but Not on Fbp and GlpX Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphatases for Full Virulence in Laboratory Models
Authors: Zúñiga-Ripa Amaia , Barbier Thibault , Conde-Álvarez Raquel , Martínez-Gómez Estrella , Palacios-Chaves Leyre , Gil-Ramírez Yolanda , Grilló María Jesús , Letesson Jean-Jacques , Iriarte Maite , Moriyón Ignacio
Published: June 2014

The brucellae are the etiological agents of brucellosis, a worldwide-distributed zoonosis. These bacteria are facultative intracellular parasites and thus are able to adjust their metabolism to the extra- and intracellular environments encountered during an infectious cycle. However, this aspect of
Brucella
biology is imperfectly understood, and the nutrients available in the intracellular niche are unknown. Here, we investigated the central pathways of C metabolism used by
Brucella abortus
by deleting the putative fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (
fbp
and
glpX
), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (
pckA
), pyruvate phosphate dikinase (
ppdK
), and malic enzyme (
mae
) genes. In gluconeogenic but not in rich media, growth of Δ
ppdK
and Δ
mae
mutants was severely impaired and growth of the double Δ
fbp
-Δ
glpX
mutant was reduced. In macrophages, only the Δ
ppdK
and Δ
mae
mutants showed reduced multiplication, and studies with the Δ
ppdK
mutant confirmed that it reached the replicative niche. Similarly, only the Δ
ppdK
and Δ
mae
mutants were attenuated in mice, the former being cleared by week 10 and the latter persisting longer than 12 weeks. We also investigated the glyoxylate cycle. Although
aceA
(isocitrate lyase) promoter activity was enhanced in rich medium,
aceA
disruption had no effect
in vitro
or on multiplication in macrophages or mouse spleens. The results suggest that
B. abortus
grows intracellularly using a limited supply of 6-C (and 5-C) sugars that is compensated by glutamate and possibly other amino acids entering the Krebs cycle without a critical role of the glyoxylate shunt.
A surgical presentation for haemophilia A
Authors: Randhawa Amritraj , Bondin Daniela , Kumar B N
Published: June 2014

We present the case of a 5-year-old boy with no personal or family history of bleeding disorders, who suffered from recurrent post-tonsillectomy bleeds. The patient required multiple separate emergency visits to theatre in the 2-week postoperative period to achieve haemostasis. Initial baseline coagulation tests were found to be normal. However more extensive clotting studies revealed that the patient had an undiagnosed ‘mild’ haemophilia A.
Focal and abnormally persistent paralysis associated with congenital paramyotonia
Authors: Magot Armelle , David Albert , Sternberg Damien , Péréon Yann
Published: June 2014

Mutations of the skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV1.4) are an established cause of several clinically distinct forms of periodic paralysis and myotonia. Focal paresis has sometimes already been described. We report a case with atypical clinical manifestation comprising paramyotonia and cold-induced persistent and focal paralysis. A 27-year-old woman presented with paramyotonia congenita since her childhood. She experienced during her childhood one brief episode of generalised weakness. At the age of 27, she experienced a focal paresis lasting for several months. The known mutation p.Val1293Ile was found in the muscle sodium channel gene (SCN4A). Channel inactivation is involved in most Na+channelopathies. Fast inactivation is known to be responsible for the myotonia phenotype. We hypothesise that the V1293I mutation may also alter the slow inactivation in specific conditions, for example, prolonged cold exposure or prolonged and intensive exercise. This observation broadens the spectrum of clinical manifestations of this sodium channel mutation.
Extending postoperative opioid analgesia in dogs 1. Oral drug administration
Authors: Murrell Jo , Flaherty Derek
Published: June 2014

Although opioid drugs are extensively used for postoperative analgesia in dogs, their administration is generally restricted to the period in which the animal is hospitalised. Unfortunately, this limits the ability to provide multimodal pain relief in the home environment, which may lead to inadequate analgesia and consequent ‘break‐through’ pain. This article, the first in a series of two, discusses the uses and limitations of oral opioid administration for extending postoperative analgesia beyond the hospitalisation period. The second article, to be published in a subsequent issue of In Practice, will focus on the role of transdermal opioid delivery for this purpose.
Kaluza–Klein dark energy model in the form of wet dark fluid in f(R, T) gravity
Authors: SAHOO P.K. , Mishra B.
Published: June 2014

A five dimensional Kaluza-Klein space time is considered with wet dark fluid (WDF) source in the framework of f(R,T) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar and T is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor proposed by Harko et al. (Phys. Rev. D \textbf{84}, 024020, (2011)). A new equation of state in the form of WDF has been used for dark energy (DE) component of the universe. It is modeled on the equation of state p=\omega(\rho-\rho^*) which can be describing a liquid, for example water. The exact solutions to the corresponding field equations are obtained for power law and exponential law of the volumetric expansion. The geometrical and physical parameters for both the models are studied. The model obtained here may represent the inflationary era in the early universe and the very late time of the universe. This model obtained here shows that even in the presence of wet dark fluid, the universe indicates accelerated expansion of the universe.
Exposure, Social Vulnerability and Recovery Disparities in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy
Authors: Cutter Susan L. , Schumann Ronald L. , Emrich Christopher T.
Published: June 2014

Hurricane Sandy's 80 mph wind speeds did not achieve major hurricane status on the Saffir-Simpson scale, yet the storm had extreme consequences for the New York metropolitan area. Post-event recovery has been quite variable across the region, especially in New Jersey. This paper examines the progression of recovery at two time intervals — 6 months and 1 year after the storm made landfall. Based on in situ observations of reconstruction and repair within the surge damage zone along New Jersey's coast (N = 765 locations or points), we hypothesize that the timing and distribution of recovery is based on exposure (water depth, prior flood experience, building heights), vulnerability (social vulnerability, seasonal occupancy), and government support (FEMA assistance, Small Business Administration loans). Predictions of recovery (recovered, not recovered) based on these input measures is quite good at 6 months (80 percent correctly predicted) with slight improvements at 1 year (82 percent correctly predicted). The model is much better at predicting recovered points than recovering. In terms of the individual factors predicting recovery the level of exposure is the most significant, statewide. Within the two most affect counties — Monmouth and Ocean — only water depth and building height were significant predictors. Housing tenure (seasonal occupancy) was an important predictor of the location and timing of recovery for the first 6 months, especially in Monmouth County, but became insignificant thereafter. Government support in the form of FEMA individual assistance grants was a significant predictor statewide in both time periods. Clearly other factors are influencing the pace and location of recovery including confusion surrounding flood hazard zones and insurance. Those factors influencing the lack of recovery for the roughly 20 percent of our observations awaits further, more detailed analyses.