bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Advances in the Management of Older Adults in the Intensive Care Unit: A Focus on Pain, Sedation, and Delirium
Authors: Moore Samantha
Published: January 2018

Background:

Older adults currently account for over half of all intensive care unit admissions. Although advances in critical care medicine have led to improved survival, critical illness is still associated with high short-term and long-term morbidity and mortality.

Areas of Uncertainty:

Elderly survivors of critical illness often have long-lasting physical, cognitive, and psychological disabilities. Several iatrogenic risk factors for post-critical illness impairments have been identified, including delirium, deep sedation, and inadequate analgesia. Multicomponent interventions or bundles, which target many of these risk factors, have been shown to improve patient outcomes. However, there is limited literature that addresses the optimal pharmacologic management of analgesia and sedation in elderly critically ill patients who are known to have altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. There are also uncertainties regarding the treatment and prophylaxis of delirium in this patient population.

Therapeutic Advances:

Various interventions can improve the pharmacologic management of pain, agitation, and delirium and subsequently improve outcomes in critically ill elderly patients. Pain should be managed with multimodal therapy and opioids should be used judiciously. Benzodiazepines should be avoided and dexmedetomidine may be the best first-line sedative in this population. Only patients with hyperactive delirium should receive treatment with antipsychotics and there is likely no role of antipsychotics for delirium prophylaxis. New literature suggests that dexmedetomidine may be effective for the prevention and treatment of intensive care unit delirium.

Conclusions:

Elderly patients are more sensitive to centrally acting medications and often require lower doses than younger patients because of alterations in pharmacokinetics. A newer medication, dexmedetomidine, has demonstrated some benefit over other sedatives and may have a role in the management of delirium. Overall, more research is needed on the pharmacologic management of pain, sedation, and delirium in the elderly critically ill population.
Deactivation of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators in Heart Failure
Authors: Herman Mark , Horner Kathryn , Ly Julie , Vayl Yelizaveta
Published: January 2018

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator aids in the prevention of cardiac arrest by delivering an electrical shock in the presence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are essential to sustain life in patients with end-stage heart failure, it is important to consider the option for prompt deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators to prevent inappropriate electrical shocks at the end of life where death is inevitable. In this systematic review, available literature was reviewed, using six electronic databases, to identify problems that may delay the deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and address possible considerations for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator management to improve end-of-life care. Studies reported low occurrence of deactivation discussions, lack of knowledge regarding implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation among most patients, and provider’s perception of being unqualified to initiate discussion and perform deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. A need for additional patient and provider education and periodic discussions between patient and provider on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator deactivation should occur, as well as development of protocol or policy to guide care at the end of life.
Ways of Knowing and Caring Used by Nurses in Community Hospice Agencies
Authors: Ferguson Rita
Published: January 2018

Providing nursing care for an individual who is terminally ill is a complex endeavor. Understanding the different ways nurses who work in hospice agencies use knowing about and caring for persons receiving services becomes important because the actions of nurses are influenced by the nurses’ perceptions. Hearing the narrative of nurses providing end-of-life care through phenomenological research can inform nursing education and institutions’ methods to support the development of skills and characteristics to improve palliative and end-of-life nursing care. The purpose of this research was to question nurses who work in hospice agencies concerning their lived experiences related to knowing about and caring for individuals who were receiving hospice services. Four themes were identified related to the concepts of knowing and caring. These are difficult-to-measure concepts but add value to the profession and document how nurses contribute to patient care. In addition, the concepts are meaningful to patients and families receiving hospice services. The research provided a method of making the work of these nurses visible and gave more knowledge about nurses who provide end-of-life care.
Bedside Ultrasound for the Evaluation of Epidural Hematoma After Infant Lumbar Puncture
Authors: Kusulas Matthew P. , Eutsler Eric P. , DePiero Andrew D.
Published: January 2018

Background

Unsuccessful lumbar puncture (LP) attempts may lead to epidural hematoma (EH) formation within the spinal canal at the site of needle insertion, which can affect subsequent attempts. We aimed to determine the rate of EH formation after infant LP using bedside ultrasound (US). Furthermore, we aimed to correlate both perceived trauma during LP and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) red blood cell (RBC) counts with EH formation.

Methods

We enrolled infants younger than 6 months who underwent LP in the emergency department. The primary investigator performed a bedside US of the lumbar spine, which was reviewed and interpreted by a pediatric radiologist. Treating clinicians performed the procedure and were asked to classify each attempt as “traumatic” or “atraumatic.” Cerebral spinal fluid RBC counts were recorded.

Results

Thirty-one percent of patients had evidence of post-LP EH, 17% of which completely effaced the thecal sac. Forty percent of patients with at least 1 traumatic attempt had evidence of EH, whereas 25% without reported trauma showed EH (P = 0.17). Patients with EH had a median CSF RBC cell count of 186 cells/mm3 (range, 0–239,525) compared with 5 cells/mm3 (range, 0–3429) in patients without evidence of EH (P = 0.008).

Conclusions

Epidural hematomas are frequent after LP. Perceived trauma during LP and CSF RBC counts are not adequate predictors of EH formation. Point-of-care US may be a valuable adjunct to help guide subsequent needle insertions sites for repeat attempts after an unsuccessful LP.
Loneliness in Multiple Sclerosis: Possible Antecedents and Correlates
Authors: Balto Julia M. , Pilutti Lara A. , Motl Robert W.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The prevalence and possible antecedents and correlates of loneliness in multiple sclerosis (MS) was examined.

Design

Cross-sectional, comparative study of MS (n = 63) and healthy adults (n = 21).

Methods

Data were collected using self-reports of loneliness and antecedents and correlates and analyzed using inferential statistics.

Findings

Those with MS had significantly higher loneliness scores than healthy adults (p < .05), and this was explained by employment status. Possible antecedents included marital status (p < .05), upper extremity function (r= −.28, p < .03), social disability frequency (r= −.49, p < .00), social disability limitations (r= −.38, p < .00), and personal disability limitations (r= −.29, p < .03). Social disability frequency (beta = −.41, p < .001) and marital status (beta = −.23, p < .046) accounted for 25% of the variance in loneliness scores. Possible correlates included depression (r= .49, p < .00), cognitive fatigue (r= .34, p < .01), psychosocial fatigue (r= .30, p < .02), and psychological quality of life (r= .44, p < .00).

Conclusions

We provide evidence of loneliness in persons with MS, and this is associated with possible antecedents (e.g., marital status and disability limitations) and correlates (e.g., depression and fatigue).

Clinical Relevance

Loneliness should be recognized clinically as an important concomitant of MS.
Bone histological correlates for air sacs and their implications for understanding the origin of the dinosaurian respiratory system
Authors: Lambertz Markus , Bertozzo Filippo , Sander P. Martin
Published: January 2018

Air sacs are an important component of the avian respiratory system, and corresponding structures also were crucial for the evolution of sauropod dinosaur gigantism. Inferring the presence of air sacs in fossils so far is restricted to bones preserving internal pneumatic cavities and foramina as osteological correlates. We here present bone histological correlates for air sacs as a new potential identification tool for these elements of the respiratory system. The analysis of several avian and non-avian dinosaur samples revealed delicate fibres in secondary trabecular and secondary endosteal bone that in the former case (birds) is known or in the latter (non-avian dinosaurs) assumed to have been in contact with air sacs, respectively. The bone histology of this ‘pneumosteal tissue’ is markedly different from those regions where muscles attached presenting classical Sharpey's fibres. The pneumatized bones of several non-dinosaurian taxa do not exhibit the characteristics of this ‘pneumosteum’. Our new histology-based approach thus can be instrumental in reconstructing the origin of air sacs among dinosaurs and hence for our understanding of this remarkable evolutionary novelty of the respiratory system.
Optimizing targeted vaccination across cyber–physical networks: an empirically based mathematical simulation study
Authors: Mones Enys , Stopczynski Arkadiusz , Pentland Alex ‘Sandy’ , Hupert Nathaniel , Lehmann Sune
Published: January 2018

Targeted vaccination, whether to minimize the forward transmission of infectious diseases or their clinical impact, is one of the ‘holy grails’ of modern infectious disease outbreak response, yet it is difficult to achieve in practice due to the challenge of identifying optimal targets in real time. If interruption of disease transmission is the goal, targeting requires knowledge of underlying person-to-person contact networks. Digital communication networks may reflect not only virtual but also physical interactions that could result in disease transmission, but the precise overlap between these cyber and physical networks has never been empirically explored in real-life settings. Here, we study the digital communication activity of more than 500 individuals along with their person-to-person contacts at a 5-min temporal resolution. We then simulate different disease transmission scenarios on the person-to-person physical contact network to determine whether cyber communication networks can be harnessed to advance the goal of targeted vaccination for a disease spreading on the network of physical proximity. We show that individuals selected on the basis of their closeness centrality within cyber networks (what we call ‘cyber-directed vaccination’) can enhance vaccination campaigns against diseases with short-range (but not full-range) modes of transmission.
Langevin dynamics encapsulate the microscopic and emergent macroscopic properties of midge swarms
Authors: Reynolds A. M.
Published: January 2018

In contrast to bird flocks, fish schools and animal herds, midge swarms maintain cohesion but do not possess global order. High-speed imaging techniques are now revealing that these swarms have surprising properties. Here, I show that simple models found on the Langevin equation are consistent with this wealth of recent observations. The models predict correctly that large accelerations, exceeding 10 g, will be common and they predict correctly the coexistence of core condensed phases surrounded by dilute vapour phases. The models also provide new insights into the influence of environmental conditions on swarm dynamics. They predict that correlations between midges increase the strength of the effective force binding the swarm together. This may explain why such correlations are absent in laboratory swarms but present in natural swarms which contend with the wind and other disturbances. Finally, the models predict that swarms have fluid-like macroscopic mechanical properties and will slosh rather than slide back and forth after being abruptly displaced. This prediction offers a promising avenue for future experimentation that goes beyond current quasi-static testing which has revealed solid-like responses.
On compressible and piezo-viscous flow in thin porous media
Authors: Pérez-Ràfols F. , Wall P. , Almqvist A.
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we study flow through thin porous media as in, e.g. seals or fractures. It is often useful to know the permeability of such systems. In the context of incompressible and iso-viscous fluids, the permeability is the constant of proportionality relating the total flow through the media to the pressure drop. In this work, we show that it is also relevant to define a constant permeability when compressible and/or piezo-viscous fluids are considered. More precisely, we show that the corresponding nonlinear equation describing the flow of any compressible and piezo-viscous fluid can be transformed into a single linear equation. Indeed, this linear equation is the same as the one describing the flow of an incompressible and iso-viscous fluid. By this transformation, the total flow can be expressed as the product of the permeability and a nonlinear function of pressure, which represents a generalized pressure drop.
Environmental conditions shape the temporal pattern of investment in reproduction and survival
Authors: Marasco Valeria , Boner Winnie , Griffiths Kate , Heidinger Britt , Monaghan Pat
Published: January 2018

The relationship between environmental stress exposure and ageing is likely to vary with stressor severity, life-history stage and the time scale over which effects are measured. Such factors could influence whether stress exposure accelerates or slows the ageing process, but their interactions have not previously been experimentally investigated. We found that experimental exposure of zebra finches to mildly challenging environmental circumstances from young to old adulthood, which increased exposure to stress hormones, reduced breeding performance during early adulthood, but had positive effects when individuals were bred in old adulthood. This difference was not due to selective mortality, because the effects were evident within individuals, and no evidence of habituation in the response to the stressor was found. The more stressful environment had no effects on survival during young or old adulthood, but substantially improved survival during middle age. Changes in the effects at different ages could be due to the duration and nature of the challenging exposure, or to variation in coping capacity or strategy with age. These results show that living under challenging environmental circumstances can influence ageing trajectories in terms of both reproductive performance and longevity. Our results provide experimental support for the emerging idea that stress exposure needs to be optimized rather than minimized to obtain the best health outcomes.
Culture-independent approaches to chlamydial genomics
Authors: Taylor-Brown Alyce , Madden Danielle , Polkinghorne Adam
Published: January 2018

The expanding field of bacterial genomics has revolutionized our understanding of microbial diversity, biology and phylogeny. For most species, DNA extracted from culture material is used as the template for genome sequencing; however, the majority of microbes are actually uncultivable, and others, such as obligate intracellular bacteria, require laborious tissue culture to yield sufficient genomic material for sequencing. Chlamydiae are one such group of obligate intracellular microbes whose characterization has been hampered by this requirement. To circumvent these challenges, researchers have developed culture-independent sample preparation methods that can be applied to the sample directly or to genomic material extracted from the sample. These methods, which encompass both targeted [immunomagnetic separation-multiple displacement amplification (IMS-MDA) and sequence capture] and non-targeted approaches (host methylated DNA depletion-microbial DNA enrichment and cell-sorting-MDA), have been applied to a range of clinical and environmental samples to generate whole genomes of novel chlamydial species and strains. This review aims to provide an overview of the application, advantages and limitations of these targeted and non-targeted approaches in the chlamydial context. The methods discussed also have broad application to other obligate intracellular bacteria or clinical and environmental samples.
Candidate urine biomarker discovery from only five pairs of samples before and after tumor resection in glioma patients
Authors: Wu Jianqiang , Zhang Jun , Zhao Yuanli , Gao Youhe
Published: January 2018

Biomarkers are measurable changes associated with the disease. Without the control of homeostatic mechanisms, urine accumulates systemic body changes and thus serves as an excellent early biomarker source. However, urine is affected by many factors other than disease. Although many candidate biomarkers have been identified in animal models, a large number of clinical samples might still be required for the disease related changes. A self-controlled study should be able to avoid the interferences of individual differences among patients. Gliomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumors and have a very poor prognosis. Early diagnosis of gliomas and the monitoring of tumor recurrence are crucial to improve glioma patient outcomes. Here we set to try if biomarker candidates can be identified by comparing urine samples from five glioma patients collected at the time of tumor diagnosis and after surgical removal of the tumor. Using label-free liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) quantification, twenty-seven urinary proteins were significantly changed after tumor resection (fold change ≥ 1.5, P-value < 0.05, and similar changes in all 5 patients), many of which have been previously associated with gliomas, such as CEACAM1, ANXA7, CALR, CRYAB, CD276, pIgR and cathepsin D. Functions of these proteins were significantly enriched in the regulation of tissue remodeling, autophagy, the inhibition of gene expression, the positive regulation of natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and angiogenesis, which are associated with glioma development. Our results suggested that using the self-control of before and after tumor resection is an effective method to identify differential proteins associated with the disease, even with a small number of patients.
Modified Potential Functions Result in Enhanced Predictions of a Protein Complex by All-Atom MD Simulations, Confirming a Step-wise Association Process for Native PPIs
Authors: Li Zhen-lu , Buck Matthias
Published: January 2018

Native protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are the cornerstone for understanding the structure, dynamics and mechanisms of function of protein complexes. In this study, we investigate the association of the SAM domains of the EphA2 receptor and SHIP2 enzyme by performing a combined total of 48 μs all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. While the native SAM heterodimer is only predicted at a low rate of 6.7% with the original CHARMM36 force field, the yield is increased to 16.7% and to 18.3% by scaling the vdW solute-solvent interactions (better fitting the solvation free energy of amino acid side chain analogues) and by an increase of vdW radius of guanidinium interactions, and thus a dramatic reduction of electrostatic interaction between Arg and Glu/Asn in CHARMM36m, respectively. These modifications effectively improve the overly sticky association of proteins, such as ubiquitin, using the original potential function. By analyzing the 25 native SAM complexes formed in the simulations, we find that their formation involves a pre-orientation guided by electrostatic interaction, consistent with an electrostatic steering mechanism. The complex could then transform to the native protein interaction surfaces directly from a well pre-orientated position (Δinterface-RMSD < 5Å). In other cases, modest (< 90°) orientational and/or translational adjustments are needed (5 Å <Δi-RMSD <10 Å) to the native complex. Although the tendency for non-native complexes to dissociate has nearly doubled with the modified potential functions, a re-association to the correct complex structure is still rare. Instead a most non-native complexes are undergoing configurational changes/surface searching, which do not lead to native structures on a timescale of 250 ns. These observations provide a rich picture on mechanisms of protein-protein complex formation, and suggest that computational predictions of native complex protein-protein interactions could be improved further.
A Multi-layer, Self-aligning Hydrogel Micro-molding Process Offering a Fabrication Route to Perfusable 3D In-Vitro Microvasculature
Authors: Heidari Hossein , Taylor Hayden
Published: January 2018

The in-vitro fabrication of hierarchical biological systems such as human vasculature, which are made up of two or more cell types with intricate co-culture architectures, is by far one of the most complicated challenges that tissue engineers have faced. Here, we introduce a versatile method to create multi-layered, cell-laden hydrogel microstructures with coaxial geometries and heterogeneous mechanical and biological properties. The technique can be used to build in-vitro vascular networks that are fully embedded in hydrogels of physiologically realistic mechanical stiffness. Our technique produces free-standing 3D structures, eliminating rigid polymeric surfaces from the vicinity of cells and allowing layers of multiple cell types to be defined with tailored extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and stiffness, and in direct contact with each other. We demonstrate co-axial geometries with diameters ranging from 200–2000 μm and layer thicknesses as small as 50–200 µm in agarose– collagen (AC) composite hydrogels. Coaxial geometries with such fine feature sizes are beyond the capabilities of most bioprinting techniques. A potential application of such a structure is to simulate vascular networks in the brain with endothelial cells surrounded by multiple layers of pericytes and other glial cells. For this purpose, the composition and mechanical properties of the composite AC hydrogels have been optimized for cell viability and biological performance of endothelial and glial cell types in both 2D and 3D culture modes. Multi-layered vascular constructs with an endothelial layer surrounded by layers of glial cells have been fabricated. This prototype in-vitro model resembles vascular geometries and opens the way for complex multi-luminal blood vessels to be fabricated.
Human capital and financial performance in professional football: the role of governance mechanisms
Authors: Scafarto Vincenzo , Dimitropoulos Panagiotis
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between human capital investments and financial performance in the professional football industry. The authors examine this association by controlling for internal (club-level) mechanisms of governance. Specifically, as they deal with a context of highly concentrated ownership and familial control of football clubs, they posit that the degree of family board representation and a dual leadership structure exert a moderating effect on the decision to spend on playing talent.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis employs a fixed-effect econometric model on a panel data set of 16 Italian football clubs that spans a nine-year time period ending up with 144 firm-year observations.

Findings

The main novel finding of this investigation is that clubs with CEO duality and a high degree of family board representation manage to profit from investments in player contracts as opposed to clubs which lack these governance mechanisms.

Research limitations/implications

A clear implication is that the presence of corporate governance mechanisms at club level may be value-enhancing. In terms of policy direction, the finding makes the case that regulatory bodies should consider the imposition of governance mechanisms at club level as a means to promote actual financial discipline and a further ally to current regulations that are restricted to monitoring processes tied to accounting data.

Originality/value

This study attempts to explain the financial outcomes of player investments by combining insights from the mainstream governance and family business literature. Prior works in the field are restricted to testing the direct relation between player investments and performance, but fail to consider the potential moderators of this association.
ISO 9001 and supply chain quality in the USA
Authors: Dellana Scott , Kros John
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of ISO 9001 certification and diffusion in the USA in relation to organizational supply chain position, quality maturity, and supplier quality maturity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for comparison in this study comes from an e-mail survey questionnaire of supply chain professionals across the USA. A pilot survey was initially e-mailed to 100 supply chain professionals and preliminary data from 27 respondents were used to revise the questionnaire. Respondents to the revised questionnaire returned 565 e-mailed questionnaires out of 2,924 active e-mail addresses.

Findings

The results suggest that companies adopting ISO 9001 are likely doing so as part of an overall quality management program more so than from direct market pressure. It appears that ISO 9001 certification rates differ by organizational position in the supply chain. ISO 9001 certified organizations are more likely to have quality programs of greater maturity and suppliers with greater quality maturity than organizations that are not ISO 9001 certified. Certified organizations are also more likely to use suppliers that are ISO 9001 capable or certified than non-ISO 9001 organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Not all industry groups or supply chain positions were well-represented due to some small sub-group sizes.

Practical implications

The study of ISO 9001 certification in US organizations has been lacking in the literature. Given the weak adoption rate of ISO 9001 in the USA, this study helps characterize ISO 9001 certification from a supply chain perspective and explores possible reasons for low certification rates.

Originality/value

This research extends the knowledge of quality management in the supply chain by studying ISO 9001 certification in relation to supply chain position and differences in quality maturity between certified and non-certified organizations in the USA.
Community perceptions of Nigerian oil companies commitment to social and environmental concerns
Authors: Odera Odhiambo , Scott Albert , Gow Jeff
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to identify factors influencing and shaping community perceptions of oil companies which present fertile ground for a better understanding of their actions.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative methodology is adopted where primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews from members of three communities in the Niger Delta: Ogbunabali community in Port Harcourt (Rivers State), Biogbolo community in Yenagoa (Bayelsa State) and Ogunu community in Warri (Delta State). The interview data were recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analysed using content analysis with NVivo software.

Findings

Perceptions regarding negative and positive aspects of the oil companies were identified. These included environmental concerns; lack of compensation; health effects; lack of social development; neglect of communities; not creating employment opportunities; and providing community and educational support.

Research limitations/implications

A major limitation regards the small number of respondents selected from the communities. The sample of the interviewees was constrained by their availability and accessibility, which might have injected some bias. Gathering data from other stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations, consumers, investors and creditors may provide a deeper understanding of social and environmental practices. Another approach would be to extend this study by examining the perceptions of relevant government officials towards social and environmental concerns in developing countries.

Originality/value

The qualitative research methodology utilised in this study uses content analysis to examine views of communities about oil companies’ commitments to their social and environmental concerns. An understanding of social and environmental commitments allows diverse stakeholders such as communities to become more engaged with issues affecting them.
Environmental responsibility: millennial values and cultural dimensions
Authors: Hanson-Rasmussen Nancy J. , Lauver Kristy J.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aims to examine how students in business colleges across three countries, the United States, India and China, interpret environmental sustainability. This study also explores where students from different cultures believe responsibility lies in caring for the environment and how these beliefs represent their cultural and millennial values. The purpose of this study, then, is to investigate millennial business students’ perspectives toward the environment across the three countries holding the largest ecological footprint.

Design/methodology/approach

College of business students from the United States, India and China were surveyed. Student responses regarding environmental sustainability were compared to values of the millennial generation and placement of responsibility compared to national culture dimensions.

Findings

An average of 66.3 per cent of the coded responses reflect the optimism of the generation. Concern for future generations was a frequent theme. Most responses assigned responsibility for environmental sustainability to “all”. Results support the work of Husted (2005) and Park et al. (2007) as well as the expectations of the millennial generation’s values related to environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

The authors connect national cultural research to environmental sustainability. This study explores where students from different cultures believe responsibility lies in caring for the environment and how these beliefs represent their cultural and millennial values. National cultural combined with millennial opinion is an important area of research for understanding the assignment of responsibility related to environmental sustainability.
A pilot evaluation of the reading intervention ‘Own‐voice Intensive Phonics’
Authors: Gwernan‐Jones Ruth , Macmillan Philip , Norwich Brahm
Published: January 2018

This paper describes the mixed methodology evaluation of the Own‐Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) programme with 33 secondary students with persistent literacy difficulties. The evaluation involved a quasi‐experimental evaluation in which 33 students in years 7–9 in four schools used OVIP over an 8 week period and were monitored at three times for their word reading, phonic decoding and phonological skills. Students, teaching assistants and teachers involved were also interviewed about the use of OVIP, the perceived processes and outcomes. Assessment results showed that OVIP was associated with greater gains in word reading than these students' usual teaching/intervention approaches. Those interviewed also experienced benefits associated with using OVIP. It was further found that word reading gains were not related to a measure of being at risk of significant literacy difficulties. Participants identified the use of their own voice, the student's agency and working at their own pace as key factors relevant to how OVIP worked. These factors aligned with a working OVIP programme theory. The findings are discussed in terms of further development and research related to an own voice approach to addressing persistent literacy difficulties.
A Review of Corporate Social Responsibility and Real Estate Investment Trust Studies: An Australian Perspective
Authors: Westermann Steffen , Niblock Scott J. , Kortt Michael A.
Published: January 2018

The aim of this paper is to review empirical findings in the literature relating to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and real estate investment trust (REIT) performance. Specifically, we synthesise CSR‐focused REIT performance studies in an attempt to establish empirical approaches utilised in the academic literature, present findings, identify relevant gaps and reveal themes for future research. The literature focusing on the CSR of REITs to‐date has primarily focused on corporate governance, sustainability and performance, with the latter concentrating on firm‐level financial consequences rather than investment return performance. The review showed that there has been limited empirical research conducted on the relationship between CSR and risk‐adjusted returns of REITs, particularly in Australia.
Markov‐modulated Poisson processes as a new framework for analysing capture–recapture data
Authors: Choquet Rémi
Published: January 2018

Opportunistic capture–recapture data consists of observations over non‐constant time intervals and so fails to satisfy the basic assumptions of traditional capture‐recapture models. Analysing opportunistic capture–recapture data is often done by discretizing time intervals or summarizing data, but without taking into account the continuous time process of the state and/or the capture.

To deal with non‐constant time‐intervals, continuous time closed capture–recapture models have been proposed by Yip, Huggins, and Lin (), Hwang and Chao (), Schofield, Barker, and Gelling () for estimating population size. More recently, a continuous time Cormack–Jolly–Seber model has been proposed by Fouchet, Santin‐Janin, Sauvage, Yoccoz, and Pontier () to reduce bias in survival rates, and a two‐state process has been proposed by Choquet, Garnier, Awuve, and Besnard () to estimate reproduction rates and survival rates of young within a season.

The aim of the current study is to demonstrate how an approach based on a Markov‐modulated Poisson process (MMPP) (Freed & Shepp, ) allows, in a similar way to a multistate model, to model opportunistic data, using several states. To this end, several multistate models were rewritten as MMPP models, showing, the potential for this approach to address the ecological questions as multistate models, but using an extended data framework. In particular, it is a useful framework for dealing with data that has unordered levels of uncertainty.

The methods were illustrated using simulations and analysis of data on the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex).
Oral mucosa lesions and gingival bleeding can indicate the progression of liver disease in children and adolescents aged two to 18 years
Authors: Olczak‐Kowalczyk Dorota , Krasuska‐Sławińska Ewa , Gozdowski Dariusz , Kowalczyk Wojciech , Pawłowska Joanna
Published: January 2018

Aim

This study assessed correlations between systemic disturbances of paediatric chronic liver diseases (CLD) and oral symptoms in subjects aged 2–18 years.

Methods

It was carried out during outpatient appointments at the Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland, from 2010 to 2015 and comprised 52 CLD patients with a mean age of 12.3 ± 4.6. We also recruited 54 generally healthy controls with a mean age of 12.0 ± 3.7 from the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the Medical University of Warsaw. The study used various measures, including the Child–Pugh score, which assesses CLD prognosis. We also assessed the causes of liver disease and the medication taken by the patients with CLD.

Results

A total of 24 patients received a Child–Pugh score of seven or more points, while 28 patients were awarded five or six points. More severe cases of gingivitis and a greater prevalence of oral lesions were evident in patients suffering from liver disease. Oral candidiasis, telangiectasia, bald tongue, cracked strawberry lip, yellowish‐brown gum discoloration, petechiae and gingival bleeding all correlated with the severity of liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, protein, bilirubin and creatinine levels and portal hypertension.

Conclusion

This study found that oral lesions and gingival bleeding may indicate the progression of liver failure.
Video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery can help enable the complete resection of a mediastinal tumor caused by immunoglobulin G4‐related disease and avoid the need for postoperative medication: A case report
Authors: Uchida Tsuyoshi , Matsubara Hirochika , Nagasaka Satoshi , Kina Satsuki , Ichihara Tomofumi , Matsuoka Hiroyasu , Nakajima Hiroyuki
Published: January 2018

Immunoglobulin (Ig) G4‐related disease has various clinical signs and symptoms, and steroidal therapy with corticosteroids has been found to be effective for treatment. Few cases of IgG4‐related disease associated with paravertebral tumor have been reported, and there have been no reports on complete resection of such a tumor. Here, we report a case of IgG4‐related disease associated with a paravertebral tumor that was successfully resected without the need for postoperative medication. An 84‐year‐old woman was admitted to our hospital with a paravertebral tumor. She underwent thoracoscopic surgery, and pathological examination of the tumor specimen revealed that the tumor resulted from IgG4‐related disease. After resection, there was no need for postoperative medication. Our case indicates the rare possibility of a paravertebral tumor associated with IgG4‐related disease and the potential for complete resection as a treatment for such a tumor.
Effects of an immune stimulant, inactivated Mycobacterium phlei, on the growth performance as well as meat quality of fattening pigs
Authors: Zhong Jin‐Feng , Wu Wei‐Gao , Tastan Aseyinjan , Zhang Xiao‐Qing , Wang Bin , Tang Xiao‐Peng , Fang Re‐Jun
Published: January 2018

Inactivated mycobacterium phlei (M. phlei) is well known for its immune‐stimulatory functions in humans and livestock, but less information is available about the influence on meat quality of pigs when used as a feed additive. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of inactivated M. phlei on growth performance as well as meat quality of fattening pigs. A total of 240 cross‐bred pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) with initial body weight of 80.14 ± 0.29 kg were randomly allocated to five treatments, each of which consisted of eight replicates with 6six pigs per replicate. The basal diet supplemented with five levels of inactivated M. phlei preparations (0, 3.5 × 109 [0.1% w/w], 7 × 109 [0.2%], 1.4 × 1010 [0.4%] or 2.1 × 1010 [0.6%] colony‐forming units/kg) was respectively fed to the control group and four treatment groups for 30 days. Adding 0.4% of inactivated M. phlei to diet increased the average daily feed intake and average daily gain of pigs. Importantly, intramuscular fat percentage in the Longissimus dorsi (LD) was increased by feeding diet containing 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% of inactivated M. phlei, despite the pH value, drip loss, cooking loss and filter paper fluid uptake not being influenced. Analysis of the fatty acid components showed that some saturated fatty acids were decreased in LD after feeding inactivated M. phlei, but some monounsaturated fat acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids were increased (PUFAs), which induced the total contents of MUFAs and PUFAs were improved. RT‐PCR assay revealed that feeding inactivated M. phlei up‐regulated genes implicated in fat metabolism in muscle, including ELOVL6, FASN, SCD1 and H‐FABP. This study revealed that feeding inactivated M. phlei not only increased growth performance of fattening pigs, but also improved the meat quality by increasing intramuscular fat content, thus inactivated M. phlei probably has high utilization value in modern pig production.
IMPACT OF COMPETITION, INVESTMENT, AND REGULATION ON PRICES OF MOBILE SERVICES: EVIDENCE FROM FRANCE
Authors: Nicolle Ambre , Grzybowski Lukasz , Zulehner Christine
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we assess the impact of competition, investment, and regulation on prices of mobile services in France. We estimate hedonic price regressions using data on tariff plans offered by the main mobile telecommunications operator in France between May 2011 and December 2014. In this time period, the obtained quality‐adjusted price index decreased by about 42.8% as compared to a decline in weighted average prices without quality‐adjustment of 8.7%. In a second step, we relate the quality‐adjusted prices to a set of competition, investment, and regulation variables and find that the launch of 4G networks by mobile operators was the main driver of price reductions for classic tariffs with commitment. Low‐cost tariffs without commitment which were introduced to pre‐empt the entry of low‐cost competitor declined at the time of entry. Moreover, we find that regulation, which is approximated by the level of mobile termination charges and international roaming price caps for voice and data, has a joint significant impact on quality‐adjusted prices. In percentage terms, competition is responsible for about 23.4% of total price decline and investments in 4G for 56.1%. We conclude that the reduction in quality‐adjusted prices in the last years was largely caused by competition between operators for a new 4G technology and by entry of a fourth low‐cost operator. (JEL L13, L50, L96)
Simulation study to determine why only some termites are active during tunneling activity
Authors: Song Hark‐Soo , Lee Sang‐Hee
Published: January 2018

It has been known that some termites are responsible for tunnel excavation for foraging, while others are not involved in the excavation. The biological reason for this is that the resting termites are a backup for the termites that have used up their energy in the tunneling activity. In this study, we build an agent‐based model (ABM) wherein agents (simulated termites) follow simple rules that govern their behavior. In this model, the agents are endowed with a directional vector that has been shown to exist in real termites, but they do not communicate through pheromonal or physical marking of excavation sites. They move toward the tunnel tips, tunnel when their progress in that direction is blocked, and transport the excavated soil. Using the model, we investigated the work efficiency of termites in constructing tunnels and transporting food; the efficiency was defined as the inverse value of tunnel connectivity plus tunnel expansion speed. Biologically, the connectivity is related to the energy to be used for termites to transport food through tunnels, and the tunnel expansion speed is related to the energy required for constructing tunnels. Simulation results showed that the efficiency was maximized at an intermediate number of termites. This means that termites were better to be inactive to maintain the high efficiency when too many workers are present in the colony. We briefly discuss the strength and weakness of the ABM and the values of this study in relation to termite foraging strategy.
Sports and the city
Authors: Koch Natalie
Published: January 2018

This article reviews how sport has been engaged in urban geography and related fields. Across the social sciences, there has been an explosion of research on “sporting mega‐events,” such as the Olympics and FIFA World Cup. While much of this scholarship has examined the effects of these events for cities and city residents, I emphasize a longer and deeper history of research on sports and the city. I trace three lines of inquiry to illuminate the broader state of the field: (1) sport, (post)colonialism, and modernity; (2) sports, identity, and belonging in the city; and (3) sport, neoliberalism, and urban transformation. Not limited to the work of geographers, this review considers important overlaps between sports geography, urban geography, and a number of other disciplines. I suggest that sports studies has just as much to offer urban geography as the other way around, and in closing, I point to some key directions that might deepen urban geographers' contribution to the interdisciplinary research on sport, as well as critical approaches to urbanism.
Control of ferroelectric and linear piezoelectric response of PZT films through texture
Authors: Das Debashish , Sanchez Luz , Martin Joel , Power Brian , Isaacson Steven , Polcawich Ronald G. , Chasiotis Ioannis
Published: January 2018

The high and low field ferroelectric response of freestanding PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) films, with texture varying from 100% (001) to 100% (111) was investigated via 500 nm thick PZT unimorphs deposited on the same substrate. It is shown that the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties depend strongly on texture, and the effective transverse strain and stress coefficients vary linearly with %(001) and %(111) texture factors. PZT films with 100% (001) orientation displayed 150%, 140%, and 80% larger linear piezoelectric strain coefficient, saturated strain coefficient, and saturated stress coefficient, respectively, compared to films with 100% (111) orientation. As a result, pure (001) textured PZT films with 20% higher dielectric constant have 50% higher figure of merit in sensing than films with pure (111) texture. The piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of all but one combinations of (001) and (111) texture were shown for the first time to be bounded by the values for 100% (001) and 100% (111) texture. A notable exception was PZT films comprised of 73% (001) and 27% (111) texture which showed stable piezoelectric coefficients at all electric fields, with major technological implication to low power microdevices. Finally, the coercive field was shown to decrease with (001) texture factor and excess‐Pb in the PZT and the PbTiO3 seed layer.
Hysteroscopy after repeated implantation failure of assisted reproductive technology: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Cao Hanyu , You Di , Yuan Mingwei , Xi Mingrong
Published: January 2018

We conducted this meta‐analysis to explore the prognostic value of outpatient (or office) hysteroscopy (OH) preceding in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in women who had experienced repeated implantation failure (RIF), particularly in regard to the conflicting evidence reported by previous studies. Two reviewers independently searched Pubmed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase to identify all publications of clinical trials of hysteroscopy with or without endometrial biopsy in RIF patients. The primary outcome measures were clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR). Pooled relative ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Publication bias was detected using funnel plots and Egger's regression tests. Six eligible studies comprising 4143 patients were included. The CPR and LBR were both significantly higher in RIF patients with OH than RIF patients without OH (CPR: RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.14–1.57, P < 0.05; LBR: RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.03–1.62, P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between OH and CPR in Asia (CPR: RR 1.49, 95% CI 1.31–1.69; P < 0.05) rather than in Europe (CPR: RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.93–1.26; P = 0.291). However, there was no evidence of a significant difference in either CPR or LBR between the normal and abnormal OH groups (CPR: RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.83–1.02, P = 0.12; LBR: RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.37–1.56, P = 0.450). Hysteroscopy may potentially improve pregnancy outcomes in patients with RIP.