bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of managerial commitment and Kaizen benefits on companies
Authors: Oropesa Vento Midiala , García Alcaraz Jorge  Luis , Maldonado Macías Aidé  Aracely , Martínez Loya Valeria
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of both managerial commitment and the professional development of human resources on the benefits obtained from Kaizen implementation at the planning stage in Mexican maquiladora companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– As part of the methodology, a questionnaire is validated and administered to 423 workers in different companies from the states of Tabasco, Baja California, Sinaloa and Chihuahua. Moreover, a structural equation model is proposed to relate four latent variables: two concerning managerial commitment and the professional development of human resources, and two more related to the kinds of benefits obtained (economic and for human resources).

Findings

– Results demonstrate that managerial commitment has a direct and positive impact on economic benefits and those for human resources. The major contribution of this study is, however, the determination of dependency measures between these variables.

Practical implications

– This research contributes to the improvement and change, since the results of the research can be extended to the sustainability of other improvement activities, presenting additional areas for future research, such understanding will increase the likelihood that the results of application of Kaizen are sustained, eliminating waste and improving support within the organization. Finally, this research makes contributions to the field of industrial engineering and management disciplines of engineering and operations management, as it focusses on the improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy, these systems they are integral to the modeling of this investigation.

Originality/value

– This study tests the hypotheses and their relation to the sustainability of Kaizen in time for them to use the analysis technique of structural equations. For the author, this is the first study to determine the causal relationships between the critical success factors and benefits of Kaizen, determining a measure of dependence between them.
Understanding research students’ behavioural intention in the adoption of digital libraries
Authors: Khan Asad , Qutab Saima
Published: July 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of Higher Education Commission (HEC) National Digital Library among research students in different universities of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study framework was based on technology acceptance model (TAM). A sample of Pakistani university students completed the questionnaire measuring the effects of extraneous stimuli through cognitive responses on adoption of the HEC digital library. To test the research hypotheses, multiple regression analysis was used.

Findings

The findings revealed that: cognitive responses predicted students’ intention of using HEC digital library; extraneous variables significantly influenced cognitive responses; system characteristics directly influenced usefulness and ease of use; interface characteristics directly influenced cognitive responses; and individual differences significantly affected the ease of use. Similarly, system quality was identified with the highest direct effect on usefulness, whereas navigation had the highest influence on easy use of the HEC digital library of Pakistan. In addition, usefulness was explored with the highest effect on intention to use the HEC digital library of Pakistan. The findings revealed that individual behaviours influence the use of digital libraries which imply that acceptance of an information system (IS) involve cognitive idiosyncrasies. Findings of the study are useful for Pakistani academic librarians to enhance adoption and usability of the HEC digital library of Pakistan. The study extended cross-cultural validation of TAM and explored how that Pakistani university students utilize HEC digital library.

Research limitations/implications

These findings have significant implications for librarians in developing countries, such as to evaluate usability of digital libraries from individuals’ perspective, create awareness, customize users’ interface and train students in navigational techniques. It may also facilitate librarians to improve their current levels of library assistance and emphasize the usefulness of digital libraries towards academic excellence. The findings equally suggest that individual behaviours influence the use of digital libraries because acceptance of an information system involves cognitive idiosyncrasies. This study explored all possible links between the study constructs and emphasized that findings are useful to enhance the adoption and usability of digital library in the developing countries.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt that empirically assessed the adoption of digital libraries in terms of Pakistani research students. The study validated TAM in the context of Pakistani university librarianship that extended the cross-cultural validation of TAM. Furthermore, the study focused on real constructs instead of dummy variables and predicted significant effects on acceptance and rejection of digital libraries.
Tree agency and urban forest governance
Authors: Konijnendijk van den Bosch Cecil C.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The role of urban forests and urban trees in creating vibrant and resilient cities is widely recognised. Urban forest governance as the strategic decision and rule making for urban tree resources is no longer solely the domain of governmental actors, but occurs rather often as network governance also involving businesses and civic society. However, governance theory usually does not consider the role of non-human agency, which can be considered problematic due to, for example, the important role of urban trees in place making. The purpose of this paper is to provide further insight into the importance of considering tree agency in governance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Taking an environmental governance and actor network theory perspective, the paper presents a critical view of current urban forest governance, extending the perspective to include not only a wide range of human actors, but also trees as important non-human actors.

Findings

– Urban forest governance has become more complex and involves a greater range of actors and actor networks. However, the agency of trees in urban forest governance is seldom well developed. Trees, in close association with local residents, create places, something which needs to be better recognised in governance. Case studies show that this type of non-reflexive agency of urban trees often has emerged in the case of acute threats to urban trees or woodlands. New approaches such as those of biophilic urbanism and biocultural diversity can assist with better integration of tree agency in governance.

Originality/value

– Urban forest governance is an emerging field of research which has seldom addressed tree agency. Thus the perspective on urban forest governance is enriched, beyond the dominant post-neoliberal and anthropocentric perspective.
Numerous intertriginous xanthomas in infant: A diagnostic clue for sitosterolemia
Authors: Yamamoto Takenobu , Matsuda Junko , Dateki Sumito , Ouchi Kazunobu , Fujimoto Wataru
Published: July 2016

Sitosterolemia is a very rare autosomal recessive lipoprotein metabolic disorder caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in one of the two adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporter genes, ABCG5 and ABCG8. Sitosterolemia is clinically characterized by xanthomas and atherosclerosis, arthritis, fever, hemolysis and macrothrombocytopenia even in early childhood. We described a 16‐month‐old girl, who had numerous yellowish‐brown intertriginous xanthomas along the skin creases on the extremities with severe hypercholesterolemia and elevated plant sterol levels. Histopathologically, xanthoma showed aggregation of foam cells in the dermis with a zone of mucin deposits in the dermal papilla. Electron microscopy showed numerous membrane‐bound lipid droplets and multivesicular lipid bodies in the foam cells, a round cell containing lipid droplets in the basal cell layer and abundant mucin deposits just beneath the basal lamina. Diagnosis of sitosterolemia was confirmed by DNA sequencing showing compound heterozygosity for previously reported missense mutations in exon 9 of ABCG5. Infants presenting with multiple xanthomas should be investigated for sitosterolemia, if there is no family history of dyslipidemia.
Shifts and linkages of functional diversity between above‐ and below‐ground compartments along a flooding gradient
Authors: Abgrall Corentin , Chauvat Matthieu , Langlois Estelle , Hedde Mickaël , Mouillot David , Salmon Sandrine , Winck Bruna , Forey Estelle
Published: July 2016

Trait‐based approaches have the potential to reveal general and predictive relationships between organisms and ecosystem functioning. However, the mechanisms underlying the functional structure of communities are still unclear. Within terrestrial ecosystems, several studies have shown that many ecological processes are controlled by the interacting above‐ and below‐ground compartments. However, few studies have used traits to reveal the functional relationships between plants and soil fauna. Mostly, research combining plants and soil fauna solely used the traits of one assemblage in predictive studies.

Above‐ground (plants) and below‐ground (Collembola) compartments were sampled over a flooding gradient in northern France along the Seine River. First, we measured the effect of flooding on functional and taxonomic assembly within both communities. We then considered the linkages between plant and Collembolan species richness, community traits and assessed whether traits of both compartments converged at high flooding intensity (abiotic filtering) and diverged when this constraint is released (biotic filtering).

Species richness of both taxa followed the same bell‐shaped pattern along the gradient, while a similar significant pattern of functional richness was only observed for plants. Further analyses revealed a progressive shift from trait convergence to divergence for plants, but not for Collembola, as constraints intensity decreased. Instead, our results highlighted that Collembola traits were mainly linked to the variations in plant traits. This leads, within Collembola assemblages, to convergence of a subset of perception and habitat‐related traits for which the relationship with plant traits was assessed.

Synthesis. Using a trait‐based approach, our study highlighted that functional relationships occur between above‐ and below‐ground compartments. We underlined that functional composition of plant communities plays a key role in structuring Collembola assemblages in addition to the role of abiotic variables. Our study clearly shows that functional diversity provides a new approach to link the above‐ and below‐ground compartments and might, therefore, be further considered when studying ecological processes at the interface between both compartments.
Is it All About Money? – Affective Commitment and the Difference Between Family and Non‐family Sellers in Buyouts
Authors: Ahlers Oliver , Hack Andreas , Madison Kristen , Wright Mike , Kellermanns Franz W.
Published: July 2016

In this paper we investigate private equity firm perceptions of sellers’ affective deal commitment in buyout transactions. Using a sample of 174 buyouts, we test trust, goal congruence and private equity reputation as potential antecedents of perceived deal commitment. We also examine whether and how different types of sellers, family versus non‐family firms, moderate sources of perceived affective deal commitment. In sum, we find evidence that non‐financial factors play a role in buyouts, particularly for family firm sellers.
Gender Binary and the Limits of Poststructuralist Method
Authors: Krylova Anna
Published: July 2016

In contemporary gender history, the story about the making of the gender category is inseparable from the concept of ‘gender binary’. It at once signifies a research agenda and constitutes a persistent problem pervading feminist analysis itself. On the one hand, it points to the massive historical record of persistent inequality between the sexes. On the other hand, the concept of ‘gender binary’ undergirds gender history's analytics, which empowers historians to pursue, expose and deconstruct the binary organisation of gendered – woman/man – identities as well as social relations and discursive formations that produce them. In both capacities, the concept carries a rich repertoire of connotations, which informs and influences the gender category: those of radical distinction, opposition, mutually exclusive and exhaustive differentiation, hierarchy, domination, oppression – in all their myriad historical forms. As a result, it captures the entanglement of gender – in theory, an open‐ended category – in binary, that is, negatively and positively determined connotations of feminine and masculine and, consequently, in a particular, historical form of heterosexual subjectivity, the one structured like a binary system. The entanglement of gender history's foundational category – gender – in the binary systems of assigning difference has had many critics. What has been left unexamined however and what gives this article its focus is the poverty of gender as a binary device to analyse those gendered identities that constitute heterosexual relations but do not fit the binary matrix. The goal in this article is to enable the conditions for the continuous development – not abandonment – of the gender category and our theoretical framework. To do that, I explore how the gender category became a binary category, tightly identified with connotations of asymmetry and hierarchy, by undertaking a deconstructive rereading of a foundational work by one of the discipline's most influential poststructuralist theorists – Joan Scott. I conclude by arguing that in order to address the problem of gendered, heterosexual identities that do not fit the binary matrix we need to revisit the concept of dichotomy and differentiate it from binary connotations of difference found in heteronormative gender systems.
Association of glycaemic index and glycaemic load with metabolic syndrome in an Iranian adult population: Isfahan Healthy Heart Program
Authors: Mohammadifard Noushin , Mansourian Marjan , Sajjadi Firouzeh , Maghroun Maryam , Pourmoghaddas Ali , Yazdekhasti Narges , Sarrafzadegan Nizal
Published: July 2016

Aim

There is controversy around the clinical effects of the dietary glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) on cardiovascular diseases risk factors such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). So, the present study was performed to evaluate the relationship between GI or GL and metabolic syndrome in an Iranian adult population in 2007.

Methods

The study was based on data from a sub‐sample of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), collected across three cities in central Iran, in the year 2007. This was a cross‐sectional survey of 1618 randomly selected adults aged ≥19 years. Nutritional assessment was conducted by a single 24‐hour recall questionnaire. Fasting serum lipids, anthropometric indicators and blood pressure were measured by standard methods. Analysis of covariance was used to compare metabolic syndrome components according to energy‐adjusted GI and GL levels. To expose the effect of potential confounders, hierarchical logistic regression models were utilised to determine adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI.

Results

After adjustment for age, gender, body mass index and energy intake, high GI was found to be significantly associated with MetS (OR 95% CI) (1.46 (1.01–2.12)). This was attenuated marginally by excluding the confounding effects of dietary fibre intake (1.29 (1.01–1.74)). All hierarchical models illustrated no significant association between energy‐adjusted GL and the risk of MetS adjusted for confounders.

Conclusions

There is a positive relationship between dietary GI, but not GL, and the presence of MetS after adjustment for potential confounders. However, studies with long duration of follow up and experimental studies are still required to confirm this relationship.
vcfr: a package to manipulate and visualize variant call format data in R
Authors: Knaus Brian J. , Grünwald Niklaus J.
Published: July 2016

Software to call single‐nucleotide polymorphisms or related genetic variants has converged on the variant call format (VCF) as the output format of choice. This has created a need for tools to work with VCF files. While an increasing number of software exists to read VCF data, many only extract the genotypes without including the data associated with each genotype that describes its quality. We created the r package vcfr to address this issue. We developed a VCF file exploration tool implemented in the r language because r provides an interactive experience and an environment that is commonly used for genetic data analysis. Functions to read and write VCF files into r as well as functions to extract portions of the data and to plot summary statistics of the data are implemented. vcfr further provides the ability to visualize how various parameterizations of the data affect the results. Additional tools are included to integrate sequence (fasta) and annotation data (GFF) for visualization of genomic regions such as chromosomes. Conversion functions translate data from the vcfr data structure to formats used by other r genetics packages. Computationally intensive functions are implemented in C++ to improve performance. Use of these tools is intended to facilitate VCF data exploration, including intuitive methods for data quality control and easy export to other r packages for further analysis. vcfr thus provides essential, novel tools currently not available in r.
Redox stability regulates community structure of active microbes at the sediment–water interface
Authors: Frindte Katharina , Allgaier Martin , Grossart Hans‐Peter , Eckert Werner
Published: July 2016

Changes in redox conditions occur in a wide range of microbial habitats, in particular at the sediment–water interface (SWI) of aquatic systems. A mesocosm study using intact sediment cores from Lake Stechlin (Germany) was performed to investigate the impact of redox changes on microbial communities at the SWI. The SWI was exposed to permanent oxic (OX) or anoxic (ANOX) or to variable (VR) redox conditions, and for molecular analysis sediment samples were taken at the start and after seven days of the treatment. We performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to identify redox‐specific changes in the composition of metabolically active microbes. Generally, the community of active microbes in the VR cores was similar to in the OX cores, but differed significantly from the ANOX cores. Interestingly, VR conditions resulted in a high fraction of a Crenothrix‐like microorganism increasing in read abundance from 4 to 5% initially, up to 69% over the experimental period. This implies that periodic redox fluctuations select for specific bacteria in environments such as seiches‐affected sediments of stratified lakes. In Lake Stechlin sediment cores, these redox fluctuations lead to increased activities of specific microorganisms and high organic matter turnover rates with profound implications for aquatic organic matter cycling.
Ecological genetics of Italian peach‐potato aphid (Myzus persicae) populations in relation to geography, dispersal and insecticide resistance as studied using microsatellite and resistance markers
Authors: Monti Valentina , Loxdale Hugh D. , Cesari Michele , Frattini Milo , Panini Michela , Mazzoni Emanuele , Manicardi Gian Carlo
Published: July 2016

Eight polymorphic microsatellites and two insecticide resistance markers (kdr and R81T) were used to investigate the population genetics and demography of resistance mechanisms in field populations of the peach‐potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), a global crop pest, in several areas of Italy, notably the north‐east, aiming to determine whether these parameters are linked to population structuring resulting from insecticide selective sweeps.

Individuals collected directly from peach orchards (main primary host) in the spring, especially after control failure, revealed 90 microsatellite alleles, of which approximately one‐third were rare.

Many populations deviated from Hardy–Weinberg expectations, in a few instances as a result of null alleles. FIS values were on average negative (indicating heterozygote excess), whereas FST values (mean = 0.137) reflected moderate interpopulation gene flow, with nonstructured populations having an estimated higher level than insecticide‐treated ones. Population assignment and Mantel testing showed a non‐homogenous pattern, with some populations isolated genetically. Linkage disequilibrium was detected in four of the microsatellites and both resistance markers. Contrasting FST patterns with resistance status supported the view that some populations were indeed structured.

Neighbour‐joining trees revealed some populations to have similar insecticide resistance profiles, independent of geographical origin.

Overall, the findings reveal that the natural M. persicae populations investigated in the present study, living within an intensively cultivated agro‐ecosystem, bear the signature of such management in terms of population structuring, as well as possibly also dynamics.
Effects of the levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine device on the immune microenvironment of the human cervix and endometrium
Authors: Shanmugasundaram Uma , Hilton Joan F. , Critchfield J. William , Greenblatt Ruth M. , Giudice Linda C. , Averbach Sarah , Seidman Dominika , Shacklett Barbara L. , Smith‐McCune Karen
Published: July 2016

Problem

There is little information regarding the impact of the intrauterine device on immune parameters of the upper female reproductive tract related to risk of HIV acquisition.

Method of Study

We collected cervical and endometrial samples from women using the hormonal intrauterine device to study its effects on endocervical cytokines/chemokine concentrations, phenotypic markers of T cells, responses of endometrial T cells to activation, and alterations of endometrial cellular infiltrates.

Results

Hormonal intrauterine device use was associated with: increased concentrations of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (endocervix); increased coexpression of CXCR4 and CCR5 (endocervix and endometrium); increased coexpression of CD38 and HLADR (endocervix and endometrium); increased intracellular IL‐10 production after T‐cell stimulation (endometrium); and increased density of T cells, most notably regulatory T cells (endometrium).

Conclusion

Hormonal intrauterine device use resulted in both inflammatory and immunosuppressive alterations. Further research is needed to determine the significance of these changes for HIV risk.
The Effects of Ambulatory Accelerations on the Stability of a Magnetically Suspended Impeller for an Implantable Blood Pump
Authors: Paul Gordon , Rezaienia Mohammed Amin , Rahideh Akbar , Munjiza Ante , Korakianitis Theodosios
Published: July 2016

This article describes the effects of ambulatory accelerations on the stability of a magnetically suspended impeller for use in implantable blood pumps. A magnetic suspension system is developed to control the radial position of a magnetic impeller using coils in the pump casing. The magnitude and periodicity of ambulatory accelerations at the torso are measured. A test rig is then designed to apply appropriate accelerations to the suspension system. Accelerations from 0 to 1 g are applied to the suspended impeller with ambulatory periodicity while the radial position of the impeller and power consumption of the suspension system are monitored. The test is carried out with the impeller suspended in air, water, and a glycerol solution to simulate the viscosity of blood. A model is developed to investigate the effects of the radial magnetic suspension system and fluid damping during ambulatory accelerations. The suspension system reduces the average displacement of the impeller suspended in aqueous solutions within its casing to 100 µm with a power consumption of below 2 W during higher magnitude ambulatory accelerations (RMS magnitude 0.3 g). The damping effect of the fluid is also examined and it is shown that buoyancy, rather than drag, is the primary cause of the damping at the low displacement oscillations that occur during the application of ambulatory accelerations to such a suspension system.
Improved Mood State and Absence of Sex Differences in Response to the Stress of Army Basic Combat Training
Authors: Lieberman Harris R. , Karl J. Philip , McClung James P. , Williams Kelly W. , Cable Sonya
Published: July 2016

Background

It is reported that women are more susceptible to stress than men but they have not been compared in stressful, real‐world, team‐centered, occupational/training environments. This study investigated effects of Army Basic Combat Training (BCT), a structured military training program, on the mood of young adult men and women.

Methods

Using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, 169 soldiers (98 men and 71 women) were assessed prior to starting BCT and after each phase of training.

Results

Significant improvements were found in five of six subscales over the course of BCT. Men and women responded positively and similarly to BCT. POMS scores attributable to an interaction of time and each factor of sex, age group, education level, ethnicity, and race were not significantly different.

Conclusions

When studied in the same environment and exposed to the same stressors, men and women in this study responded similarly. The positive changes in mood in both sexes during BCT appear to result from the interaction of a structured physical and cognitive training program conducted in a team‐oriented environment, and indicate that BCT enhances soldier mood similarly regardless of sex.
Systematic review with meta‐analysis: ondansetron for vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis
Authors: Tomasik E. , Ziółkowska E. , Kołodziej M. , Szajewska H.
Published: July 2016

Background

Vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis is a common symptom, and it is considered to be the main cause of failure of oral rehydration therapy.

Aim

To systematically update evidence on the effects of ondansetron (5‐HT3 serotonin antagonist) for vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis.

Methods

The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched up to April 2016, with no language restrictions, for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Reference lists of reviews and included studies were examined.

Results

Ten RCTs involving 1215 participants were included. Treatment with ondansetron compared with placebo increased the chance for vomiting cessation up to 1 h after drug administration, relative risk, RR, 1.49 (95% confidence interval 1.17–1.89), but there was no difference between the groups after 4, 24 and 48 h. Treatment with ondansetron compared with placebo reduced the risk of failure of oral rehydration therapy, RR 0.5 (0.37–0.69), increased the intake of oral rehydration solution in 1 h and 4 h, mean difference: 43 mL/1 h (15.5–70.5), and 91 mL/4 h (35–147), respectively, reduced the risk of hospitalisation, RR 0.53 (0.29–0.97), and reduced the need for intravenous rehydration, RR 0.45 (0.31–0.63); however, it had no effect on the need for return visits to the emergency department, RR 1.14 (0.72–1.8). Adverse effects were similar in both groups.

Conclusions

Compared with placebo, ondansetron administration for vomiting in children with acute gastroenteritis can improve the efficacy of oral rehydration therapy.
Design and synthesis of 4′‐((5‐benzylidene‐2,4‐dioxothiazolidin‐3‐yl)methyl)biphenyl‐2‐carbonitrile analogs as bacterial peptide deformylase inhibitors
Authors: Khan Firoz A. Kalam , Patil Rajendra H. , Shinde Devanand B. , Sangshetti Jaiprakash N.
Published: July 2016

Herein, we report the synthesis and screening of 4′‐((5‐benzylidene‐2,4‐dioxothiazolidin‐3‐yl)methyl)biphenyl‐2‐carbonitrile analogs 11(a–j) as bacterial peptide deformylase (PDF) enzyme inhibitors. The compounds 11b (IC50 value = 139.28 μm), 11g (IC50 value = 136.18 μm), and 11h (IC50 value = 131.65 μm) had shown good PDF inhibition activity. The compounds 11b (MIC range = 103.36–167.26 μg/mL), 11g (MIC range = 93.75–145.67 μg/mL), and 11h (MIC range = 63.61–126.63 μg/mL) had also shown potent antibacterial activity when compared with standard ampicillin (MIC range = 100.00–250.00 μg/mL). Thus, the active derivatives were not only PDF inhibitors but also efficient antibacterial agents. To gain more insight on the binding mode of the compounds with PDF enzyme, the synthesized compounds 11(a–j) were docked against PDF enzyme of Escherichia coli and compounds exhibited good binding properties. The results suggest that this class of compounds has potential for development and use in future as antibacterial drugs.
Why Children Are Not Always Epistemically Vigilant: Cognitive Limits and Social Considerations
Authors: Jaswal Vikram K. , Kondrad Robyn L.
Published: July 2016

Young children are thought to be motivated to avoid individuals who have been wrong in the past so as to minimize the risk of being misinformed. Yet they sometimes act on testimony from formerly inaccurate informants. Most explanations for this behavior have focused on limits in children's ability to process inaccurate testimony, such as difficulty inhibiting the normally appropriate bias to believe what people say. In this article, we argue that children may also use information from formerly inaccurate informants because doing so allows them to achieve other, nonepistemic goals. Testimony not only offers children a way to learn about the world, but it also offers them a way to pursue social goals that may be separate from learning.
Alternative approaches for the treatment of airway diseases: focus on nanoparticle medicine
Authors: Ratemi E. , Sultana Shaik A. , Al Faraj A. , Halwani R.
Published: July 2016

Despite the various treatment options and international guidelines currently available for the appropriate therapeutic management of asthma, a large population of patients with asthma continues to have poorly controlled disease. There is therefore a need for novel approaches to achieve better asthma control, especially for severe asthmatics. This review discusses the use of nanoparticles for the specific targeting of inflammatory pathways as a promising approach for the effective control of severe persistent asthma as well as other chronic inflammatory diseases.
Interleukin (IL)-39 [IL-23p19/Epstein–Barr virus-induced 3 (Ebi3)] induces differentiation/expansion of neutrophils in lupus-prone mice
Authors: Wang X , Liu X , Zhang Y , Wang Z , Zhu G , Han G , Chen G , Hou C , Wang T , Ma N , Shen B , Li Y , Xiao H , Wang R
Published: July 2016

Interleukin (IL)-12 family cytokines play critical roles in autoimmune diseases. Our previous study has shown that IL-23p19 and Epstein–Barr virus-induced 3 (Ebi3) form a new IL-12 family heterodimer, IL-23p19/Ebi3, termed IL-39, and knock-down of p19 or Ebi3 reduced diseases by transferred GL7+ B cells in lupus-prone mice. In the present study, we explore further the possible effect of IL-39 on murine lupus. We found that IL-39 in vitro and in vivo induces differentiation and/or expansion of neutrophils. GL7+ B cells up-regulated neutrophils by secreting IL-39, whereas IL-39-deficient GL7+ B cells lost the capacity to up-regulate neutrophils in lupus-prone mice and homozygous CD19cre (CD19-deficient) mice. Finally, we found that IL-39-induced neutrophils had a positive feedback on IL-39 expression in activated B cells by secreting B cell activation factor (BAFF). Taken together, our results suggest that IL-39 induces differentiation and/or expansion of neutrophils in lupus-prone mice.
Differences in knowledge related to dental implants between patients with and without a treatment history of dental implants
Authors: Ken Yukawa , Tachikawa Noriko , Kasugai Shohei
Published: July 2016

Objective

This aim of this study was to investigate the differences between patients with and without a treatment history of dental implants by use of a questionnaire survey in order to determine the information that is required for patients undergoing dental implants.

Materials and Methods

The questionnaires were given to 4512 patients who visited the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital for oral implants between January 2012 and December 2014, and 2972 (66%) valid questionnaires were collected.

Results

There were 857 patients with a treatment history of dental implants and 2115 patients without. “Preservation of an adjacent tooth” was the reason that 32% of these patients chose implant therapy, and the patients without treatment history were significantly higher than the patients with one. Significantly, more patients without a treatment history of dental implants selected the after‐effects of surgery and pain after surgery as their main concerns for implant therapy compared to those with a treatment history. In the question “Pain after surgery,” the patients without treatment history did not know significantly lower than the patients with one.

Conclusions

Patients without a treatment history of dental implants placed more importance on the preservation of healthy teeth. Because patients, in particular those without a treatment history of dental implants, are anxious about surgery, we should provide them with more information on treatment than we already do and explain the risks of treatment to them. To keep the credence between doctors and patients, informed consent and patient education on treatment are six important concerns.
Unusual glycogenic hepatopathy causing abnormal liver enzymes in a morbidly obese adolescent with well‐controlled type 2 diabetes: resolved after A1c was normalized by metformin
Authors: Umpaichitra Vatcharapan
Published: July 2016

We report, for the first time, a case of an accumulation of glycogen in the liver causing elevation of liver enzymes in a 15‐year‐old morbidly obese adolescent male with well‐controlled type 2 diabetes. Notably, the patient did not have poorly controlled type 1 diabetes and did not require insulin. After normalization of the A1c with metformin, elevated liver enzymes returned to normal.
Acrylate and methacrylate contact allergy and allergic contact disease: a 13‐year review
Authors: Spencer Ashley , Gazzani Paul , Thompson Donna A.
Published: July 2016

Background

(Meth)acrylates are important causes of contact allergy and allergic contact disease, such as dermatitis and stomatitis, with new and emerging sources resulting in changing clinical presentations.

Objectives

To identify the (meth)acrylates that most commonly cause allergic contact disease, highlight their usefulness for screening, and examine their relationship with occupational and clinical data.

Methods

A retrospective review of results from patch tests performed between July 2002 and September 2015, in one tertiary Cutaneous Allergy Unit, was performed

Results

A series of 28 (meth)acrylates was applied to 475 patients. Results were positive in 52 cases, with occupational sources being identified in 24. Industrial exposures and acrylic nails were responsible for 13 and 10 cases, respectively, with wound dressings being implicated in 7. We found that four individual (meth)acrylates (2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate, bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate, and ethyl acrylate), if used as a screening tool, could have identified 47 (90.4%) of our positive cases.

Conclusions

Our 13‐year experience indicates a changing landscape of (meth)acrylate contact allergy and allergic contact disease, with an observed shift in exposures away from manufacturing and towards acrylic nail sources. Wound dressings are highlighted as emerging sources of sensitization. Larger studies are required to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the four (meth)acrylates proposed for potential screening.
Categorical Perception Beyond the Basic Level: The Case of Warm and Cool Colors
Authors: Holmes Kevin J. , Regier Terry
Published: July 2016

Categories can affect our perception of the world, rendering between‐category differences more salient than within‐category ones. Across many studies, such categorical perception (CP) has been observed for the basic‐level categories of one's native language. Other research points to categorical distinctions beyond the basic level, but it does not demonstrate CP for such distinctions. Here we provide such a demonstration. Specifically, we show CP in English speakers for the non‐basic distinction between “warm” and “cool” colors, claimed to represent the earliest stage of color lexicon evolution. Notably, the advantage for discriminating colors that straddle the warm–cool boundary was restricted to the right visual field—the same behavioral signature previously observed for basic‐level categories. This pattern held in a replication experiment with increased power. Our findings show that categorical distinctions beyond the basic‐level repertoire of one's native language are psychologically salient and may be spontaneously accessed during normal perceptual processing.
New aspect for systemic effects of COPD: eye findings
Authors: Ugurlu Erhan , Pekel Gokhan , Altinisik Goksel , Bozkurt Kerem , Can Ilknur , Evyapan Fatma
Published: July 2016

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has multisystemic implications and comorbidities. Hypoxia and systemic inflammation are thought to involve oculary structures. In this study, our aim is to evaluate retinal nerve fiber and choroidal thickness and retinal vessel diameter using the spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in COPD subjects.

Methods

Forty‐three subjects diagnosed with COPD according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria at the Pulmonology Department of Pamukkale University were enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent respiratory function testing and a carbon monoxide diffusion test. To determine hypoxic state, arterial blood gas analysis was performed. The control group consisted of 31 subjects with comparable age and gender distribution. All participants underwent a standard ophthalmic examination including visual acuity assessment, biomicroscopy, air‐puff tonometry, indirect retinoscopy, and SD‐OCT measurements.

Results

The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), foveal thickness, and retinal arteriolar caliber were found to be similar in both groups, while the mean retinal venular caliber value was markedly higher in the COPD group. The mean peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was 100.2±11.8 µm in the COPD group and 105.6 ± 8.1 µm in the control group (P = .03). The inferior quadrant RNFL was significantly thinner in the COPD group.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed increasing diameter of the retinal veins, thinning of the RNFL, and SFCT may be associated to chronic inflammation and hypoxia in subjects with COPD. Future guidelines may include ocular findings to the present systemic manifestations of COPD.
Tiotropium plus formoterol versus tiotropium alone for stable moderate‐to‐severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Zou Yong , Xiao Jian , Lu Xiao Xiao , Xia Zi An , Xie Bin , Li Jun , Chen Qiong
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This meta‐analysis was performed to compare the risks and benefits of combined treatment with tiotropium plus formoterol versus tiotropium alone for stable moderate‐to‐severe COPD.

Methods

A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared formoterol plus tiotropium to tiotropium alone in COPD patients with a duration of at least 4 weeks. The cut‐off date for the search was July 1, 2015. The odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) was used to pool the results with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Eight randomized controlled trials were eligible for this meta‐analysis. A significant improvement was observed among patients treated with tiotropium plus formoterol compared with tiotropium alone in the following spirometric indices: mean change in trough FEV1 (P = .02), trough FVC (P = .007), peak FEV1 (P < .00001), and peak FVC (P < .00001). A similar result was noted for the transitional dyspnea index (TDI) (MD 1.46; 95% CI 1.07‐1.85) and a clinically significant change in TDI between the tiotropium plus formoterol and tiotropium alone groups (P < .00001). Moreover, a trend toward fewer adverse events was seen in the combination treatment group compared with the tiotropium group (OR .88; 95% CI .70‐1.11), although this difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Compared with tiotropium alone, tiotropium in combination with formoterol improved lung function and the symptoms of dyspnea in stable moderate‐to‐severe COPD patients. Moreover, the combined treatment group tended to have fewer adverse events compared with the tiotropium treatment alone group.
Diagnostic and prognostic significance of receptor‐binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells in lung‐cancer‐associated pleural effusion
Authors: Yang Jian , Zhu Ying , Wu Liangquan , Zhu Wenyan , Zhang Xiuwei , Yang Yang , Xu Chunhua
Published: July 2016

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of pleural effusion levels of soluble receptor‐binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells (sRCAS1) in lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE).

Methods

Pleural effusion samples were collected from 78 patients with MPE, and from 48 patients with benign pleural effusion (BPE). Pleural effusion sRCAS1 concentrations were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

MPE has significantly higher sRCAS1 levels than that of BPE (P < .01). With a cutoff value of 18.7 U/mL, sRCAS1 showed a good diagnostic performance for MPE. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that elevated sRCAS1 levels were an independent predictor of overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS). Kaplan–Meier survival curves further confirmed that patients with high sRCAS1 have shorter DFS and OS (P = .026 and P = .032, respectively).

Conclusion

In conclusion, measurement of sRCAS1 might be a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker for MPE.
Urbanization is associated with increased asthma morbidity and mortality in Brazil
Authors: Ponte Eduardo Vieira , Cruz Alvaro A. , Athanazio Rodrigo , Carvalho‐Pinto Regina , Fernandes Frederico L. A. , Barreto Mauricio L. , Stelmach Rafael
Published: July 2016

Introduction

Previous cross‐sectional studies could establish an association between prevalence of self‐reported wheeze and urban–rural environment, but the impact of urbanization on meaningful outcomes of asthma for public health is not established yet.

Objectives

Evaluate the effect of urbanization on asthma burden.

Methods

A time series study of 5,505 Brazilian municipalities. The unit of analysis was the municipality. Two time frames were evaluated: from 1999 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2011. Trends from the first to the second time frame were evaluated. Governmental databases were the source of information. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used.

Results

In the age range from 5 to 24 years old, municipalities with increase in the proportion of individuals living in urban area had lower odds to reduce hospital admission rate from asthma (OR: .93) and lower odds to reduce death rate from asthma (OR: .88). In the age range from 25 to 39 years old, municipalities with increase in the proportion of individuals living in urban area had lower odds to reduce hospital admission rate from asthma (OR: .93) and lower odds to reduce death rate from asthma (OR: .82). Municipalities that increased access to physicians and that supplied inhaled corticosteroids free of charge for asthma since year 2003 had increased odds to reduce hospital admission and death rates from asthma.

Conclusions

Increase in urban population was associated with lower odds to reduce hospital admission and death rates from asthma in children and young adults living in a transition society.
Incidence of mature adipocytic component within cutaneous smooth muscle neoplasms
Authors: Jones Chelsea , Shalin Sara C. , Gardner Jerad M.
Published: July 2016

Angioleiomyoma is a benign smooth muscle tumor of the subcutis. The presence of mature adipocytes has been described in this tumor under the rubric of ‘angiolipoleiomyoma’ or, erroneously, ‘angiomyolipoma’ (these are not PEComas). Previous studies have found adipocytes in only 2–3% of angioleiomyoma. Anecdotally, the incidence appeared to be greater than this in our practice. Moreover, the presence of adipocytes has not been evaluated in pilar leiomyoma or cutaneous leiomyosarcoma. We searched the pathology archives from 2007 to 2014 for all cutaneous and subcutaneous leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma; cases were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate for mature adipocytes. Seven of 73 total cases (10%) contained mature adipocytes: 1 of 33 pilar leiomyoma (3%), 4 of 22 angioleiomyoma (18%) and 2 of 18 leiomyosarcoma (11%). In our series, the 18% incidence of ‘angioleiomyoma with fat’ (our preferred terminology) is higher than the previously reported incidence of 2–3%. We also report the rare presence of mature adipocytes within pilar leiomyoma and cutaneous leiomyosarcoma, a finding not previously reported to our knowledge. Mature adipocytes may be present within cutaneous and subcutaneous leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas and should not detract from the diagnosis or lead to concern for an adipocytic neoplasm or PEComa.
Prognostic variables in high‐risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a review
Authors: Cheng Judy , Yan Shaofeng
Published: July 2016

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a growing public health problem in the United States. A subset of high‐risk SCC exhibits a more aggressive clinical trajectory including increased local recurrence and lymph node metastasis. However, there are no universally accepted criteria to help define and manage these patients. This review provides an overview of the high‐risk features of cutaneous SCC, prognostic stratification of various staging systems and treatment options. It further examines the prognostic factors influencing the staging of cutaneous head and neck SCC.
Robotic surgery for upper gastrointestinal cancer: Current status and future perspectives
Authors: Suda Koichi , Nakauchi Masaya , Inaba Kazuki , Ishida Yoshinori , Uyama Ichiro
Published: July 2016

Robotic surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System has been increasingly applied in a wide range of surgical specialties, especially in urology and gynecology. However, in the field of upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the da Vinci Surgical System has yet to be standard as a result of a lack of clear benefits in comparison with conventional minimally invasive surgery. We have been carrying out robotic gastrectomy and esophagectomy for operable patients with resectable upper GI malignancies since 2009, and have demonstrated the potential advantages of the use of the robot in possibly reducing postoperative local complications including pancreatic fistula following gastrectomy and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy after esophagectomy, even though there have been a couple of problems to be solved including longer duration of operation and higher cost. The present review provides updates on robotic surgery for gastric and esophageal cancer based on our experience and review of the literature.