bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Within-group common benchmarking the environmental efficiency in China with data envelopment analysis
Authors: Cheng Chaoxin , Ang Sheng
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Economic growth of China in the past decades has caused rapid increase in energy consumption and environmental deterioration. Therefore, it is critical to make an environmental evaluation and to help decision makers to know each province’s distance to the optimal target and improve environmental performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In such background, the authors use a within-group common benchmarking model with data envelopment analysis for China’s environmental evaluation and target setting in this paper. This model considers a common treatment of decision-making units within groups but allows for the different circumstances across groups and gives a common reference set for benchmarking.

Findings

The results show that there are regional difference in economic development and environmental protection. The coastal area has the best average environmental efficiency, then followed by inland area and the lowest level is the western area. The target results show that in four inputs, namely, population, capital, energy consumption and water consumption, the water consumption is the significant variable which should be decreased largely. All provinces have room to improve their economic level under the condition of a better environment.

Originality/value

In this research, the authors consider the similarity in geography and economy for Chinese provinces and divide 30 provinces into eight economic zones; thus, provinces in the same zone are evaluated with the same weight. Environmental performance and efficiency for each province can be obtained. Efficient targets for those inefficient provinces are provided as a possible improvement direction as well.
An evolutionary theory of demand-side determinants of strategy dynamics
Authors: Manral Lalit
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explain how the dynamic demand environment influences strategic firm behavior along an industry’s evolutionary path. A conceptual gap concerning the influence of demand-side environmental factors (vis-à-vis changes in technology and policy) on firms’ strategic choices motivates the theory developed herein. The paper’s contribution to the literature on “evolutionary perspective in strategy” also addresses an important gap in the emerging literature on “strategy dynamics”.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual framework in this paper features a dynamic demand environment that provides the structural context for firms’ strategic choices. It conceptualizes demand-side competence as a mediating firm-specific construct to explain the endogenous relationship between the characteristics of the demand environment and firms’ path dependent demand-side investments.

Findings

A review of the literature on evolutionary perspective in strategy reveals an important conceptual gap concerning the structural determinants of dynamic firm behavior. There is no explanation of the endogenous relationship between dynamic demand structure, firms’ dynamic demand-side competence, and temporally heterogeneous strategic choices.

Originality/value

The demand-side explanation of how idiosyncratic firm behavior is endogenously determined, with both structural characteristics (demand structure) and firm competences (demand-side competence), addresses an important conceptual gap. The novelty of the theory developed herein lies in its explication of the effect of dynamic demand environment on the evolution of idiosyncratic strategic firm behavior – entry, investment and exit – along the evolutionary path of an industry. The theory developed herein not only explains the effect of both determinants of idiosyncratic strategic firm behavior – the external industry environment (dynamic market structure) and internal firm environment (dynamic firm competences) – but also explains how the determinants evolve along the industry’s lifecycle.
Exploring knowledge management practices in third-party logistics service providers
Authors: Durst Susanne , Evangelista Pietro
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to explore knowledge management (KM) practices implemented by third-party logistics service companies (3PLs) and the main barriers slowing down the adoption of such practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach used in this paper is based on a multiple case study analysis involving a set of 3PLs operating in Italy and Sweden. The empirical analysis has explored the KM practices used by 3PLs and the main barrier hindering their adoption.

Findings

In spite of some adoption, the findings suggest that 3PLs are not sufficiently realizing the full potential of KM. The evidence also indicates that there is a link between the type of 3PL company (in terms of the breadth and complexity of the services supplied) and the sophistication of KM tools adopted.

Research limitations/implications

From a research point of view, further research should focus on the validation of the link between the number and sophistication of KM tools used and the breadth of services supplied. Further research should also focus on exploring how KM can support 3PL companies in enhancing their performance.

Practical implications

From a practical point of view, the findings may help the management of 3PL companies to take a more strategic approach to KM and thus its contribution to the firms’ overall goals. Additionally, it is critical to conduct a careful analysis of current and future KM needs to identify the most suitable KM solutions linked to the specific characteristics of the business in which 3PLs operate.

Originality/value

This study provides fresh insights into the adoption of KM practices in logistics service organizations. The findings advance the limited body of knowledge regarding this topic and contribute to the further development of the study of KM.
Designing an expert fuzzy system to select the appropriate knowledge management strategy in accordance with APO model and Bloodgood KM strategies
Authors: Akhavan Peyman , Philsoophian Maryam
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Selection of knowledge management strategies (KMS) is one of the most important and effective factors in acquiring the competitive advantage and elevating the knowledge level of the organizations. Those organizations that have taken steps toward knowledge management necessarily need to pay utmost attention to the matter of KMS before taking any further steps in their activities. One of the effective ways in adopting the proper KMS is evaluating the knowledge management maturity level in the organization. The purpose of this paper is to design an expert fuzzy system to adopt the KMS based on Bloodgood model in accordance with the maturity level of the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

In this method, with the help of expert fuzzy system, a model has been designed, by using MATLAB software, to adopt the KMS. The KM maturity level, tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge are chosen as inputs, and each one of Bloodgood’s KMS (production, transfer and protecting the knowledge) are chosen as outputs. To perform the system, the maturity level of knowledge management of an industrial organization that has been evaluated by the standard Asian Productivity Organization questionnaire is used as the input, which has been given to expert fuzzy system. Then, considering the output of the system, KMS for the organization have been recommended.

Findings

Knowledge management maturity level of the organization is on Level 4; considering the expert fuzzy system that has been designed, “knowledge production” strategy is recommended for the organization under study.

Originality/value

An expert fuzzy system has been designed regarding the maturity of knowledge management and Bloodgood model that can be used as a guide for organizations and academic people as an appropriate practical model for selecting knowledge management strategies.
Effects of supermarket monopsony pricing on agriculture
Authors: Freebairn John
Published: March 2018

Potential effects of alleged monopsony pricing of farm food products by supermarkets on farm product prices, quantities, incomes and land values are assessed relative to competitive behaviour. A long‐run comparative static equilibrium model is used. For export‐competing and import‐competing products, the farm food input supply curve facing the supermarkets is close to perfectly elastic and this limits monopsony behaviour. At the margin, the opportunity to reallocate agricultural land between traded and nontraded farm products means a highly elastic supply function for nontraded food inputs facing supermarkets and very limited monopsony effects.
The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) Greenie Board: a Navy‐inspired quality improvement tool
Authors: Smirk A. J. , Nicholson J. J. , Console Y. L. , Hunt N. J. , Herschtal A. , Nguyen M. N. H. H. , Riedel B.
Published: March 2018

The United States Navy uses a visual feedback system for pilots, named ‘the Greenie Board’, to improve flight manoeuvres on aircraft carriers. Given that increased compliance with enhanced recovery after surgery protocols reduces postoperative complications, we decided to apply a similar feedback system to our institutional enhanced recovery programme. We undertook a prospective 12‐month audit of 194 patients assigned to our enhanced recovery programme and evaluated adherence to the anaesthesia‐related components of our protocol, before and after implementing a Greenie Board. A compliance score was calculated by summing points for adherence to: intra‐operative antibiotic prophylaxis; temperature management; goal‐directed intravenous fluid therapy; postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis; and postoperative fluid restriction. The score for each patient was then colour‐coded and anonymously displayed for each anaesthetist on a Greenie Board within the operating theatre suite. Protocol adherence improved significantly following introduction, with ‘Green’ scores (acceptable compliance) increasing from 33% to 72% of patients (p < 0.0001). The greatest improvement was seen with anti‐emetic prophylaxis (49% to 70%, p = 0.004) with a consequent reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19–0.88, p = 0.021). We did not observe a decrease in other postoperative complications nor hospital length of stay. We conclude that this US Navy‐inspired feedback system is an easily implemented, low‐cost quality improvement tool that significantly improved adherence to intra‐operative components of our enhanced recovery protocol. The system lends itself to global scaling to drive quality improvement in healthcare delivery and would be suited to institutions without electronic medical records, including low‐resource countries.
Prolific fruit output by the invasive tree Bellucia pentamera Naudin (Melastomataceae) is enhanced by selective logging disturbance
Authors: Dillis Christopher , Marshall Andrew J. , Webb Campbell O. , Grote Mark N.
Published: March 2018

Selective logging in tropical rain forests may promote population growth of invasive plants. The ability of invaders to respond, specifically in reproductive traits, to increase in resource abundance may allow them to increase their presence in the seed rain of recipient communities. The invasive pioneer tree Bellucia pentamera (Melastomataceae) is currently spreading within Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The park has also experienced periods of illegal, small‐scale, selective logging that seem to have facilitated population growth and spread of this invader. We first used fruiting frequency as a proxy for fruit output to make comparisons between B. pentamera and the native tree community of over 200 genera. We then constructed two Generalized Linear Autoregressive Moving Average (GLARMA) models using 13 months of phenology data to predict both fruiting frequency and crop size of B. pentamera under selective logging versus natural treefall disturbance regimes. Bellucia pentamera fruited at considerably higher frequency than all 200 native genera considered. This invader also responded positively to selective logging with both odds of being in fruit and crop sizes at least doubling in logged plots. Prolific seed output of B. pentamera is especially problematic within the lottery competition of tropical rain forest gap tree communities, in which prominence in the seed rain is particularly important. Furthermore, the reproductive response of B. pentamera to selective logging suggests that this harvesting practice may have a considerable role in facilitating this invasion in Southeast Asia.
Exponential quality function for community detection in complex networks
Authors: Džamić Dušan , Pei Jun , Marić Miroslav , Mladenović Nenad , Pardalos Panos M.
Published: March 2018

One of the most popular topics in analyzing complex networks is the detection of its community structure. In this paper, we introduce a new criterion for community detection, called the E‐quality function. The quality of an individual community is defined as a difference between its benefit and its cost, where both are exponential functions of the number of internal edges and the number of external edges, respectively. The obtained optimization problem, maximization of the E‐quality function over all possible partitions of a network, is solved by the variable neighborhood search (VNS)‐based heuristic. Comparison of the new criterion and modularity is performed on the usual test instances from the literature. Experimental results obtained both on artificial and real networks show that the proposed E‐quality function allows detection of the communities existing in the network.
A variable neighborhood search simheuristic for the multiperiod inventory routing problem with stochastic demands
Authors: Gruler Aljoscha , Panadero Javier , de Armas Jesica , Pérez José A. Moreno , Juan Angel A.
Published: March 2018

The inventory routing problem (IRP) combines inventory management and delivery route‐planning decisions. This work presents a simheuristic approach that integrates Monte Carlo simulation within a variable neighborhood search (VNS) framework to solve the multiperiod IRP with stochastic customer demands. In this realistic variant of the problem, our goal is to establish the optimal refill policies for each customer–period combination, that is, those individual refill policies that minimize the total expected cost over the periods. This cost is the aggregation of both expected inventory and routing costs. Our simheuristic algorithm allows to consider the inventory changes between periods generated by the realization of the random demands in each period, which have an impact on the quantities to be delivered in the next period and, therefore, on the associated routing plans. A range of computational experiments are carried out in order to illustrate the potential of our simulation–optimization approach.
Scalable measurements of tow architecture variability in braided ceramic composite tubes
Authors: Heim Frederick M. , Croom Brendan P. , Bumgardner Clifton , Li Xiaodong
Published: March 2018

The performance of braided ceramic matrix composites has been shown to depend on the spatial arrangement of tows; therefore, a new class of tools is required to measure irregularities in the composite architecture for components with intricate geometries. We report a scalable and robust reconstruction technique built upon stereoscopic digital image correlation that is able to efficiently measure the position of tows in arbitrarily shaped composites. This method was applied to triaxially braided ceramic matrix composite tubes intended for use as nuclear fuel cladding, which revealed both long‐range “systematic” tow packing defects associated with the manufacturing process and short‐range “intrinsic” defects due to the braid architecture. These findings suggested that the character of tow spacing variation in braided composite tubes was substantially more complex than in planar woven composites. These measurements are expected to lead to improved processing of braided composites and to facilitate the design of statistically representative virtual specimens for finite element modeling.
Comprehensive assessment of insulin resistance in non‐obese Asian Indian and Chinese men
Authors: Tan Hong Chang , Yew Tong Wei , Chacko Shaji , Tai E Shyong , Kovalik Jean‐Paul , Ching Jianhong , Myo Thant Sandi , Khoo Chin Meng
Published: March 2018

Aims/Introduction

Indian individuals are more insulin resistant (IR) than Chinese individuals, even among those with a non‐obese body mass index (BMI). However, BMI often underestimates body fat in Indian individuals, and it remains unclear whether Indians would remain more IR than Chinese individuals when both BMI and body fat are equally matched.

Materials and Methods

Using the hyperinsulinemic‐euglycemic clamp with stable‐isotope infusion, we comprehensively assessed IR between 13 non‐obese Indian men with 13 Chinese men matched for age, BMI and body fat. We further compared the differences in insulin metabolic clearance rate (MCR) between the two groups and its relationship with various metabolic parameters. The response of lipid and amino acid metabolism to insulin stimulation was also evaluated using metabolomic profiling.

Results

The rates of endogenous glucose production during fasting were similar, and endogenous glucose production was completely suppressed during insulin clamp for both ethnic groups. Glucose disappearance during insulin clamp was also similar between the two groups, even after accounting for differences in insulin concentration. Metabolomic profiles of amino acids and various acylcarnitines were similar during both fasting and insulin clamp. However, plasma insulin during clamp was significantly higher in Indian men, indicating that insulin MCR was lower. Insulin MCR correlated significantly with total adiposity and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity.

Conclusion

When equally matched for body fat, non‐obese Indian men had similar skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and endogenous glucose production to Chinese men. The effects of insulin on lipid and amino acid metabolism were also similar. Low insulin MCR is associated with greater adiposity and lower skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity.
Peripheral neuropathy in Tangier disease: A literature review and assessment
Authors: Mercan Metin , Yayla Vildan , Altinay Serdar , Seyhan Serhat
Published: March 2018

Tangier disease (TD) (OMIM#205400) is a rare cause of inherited metabolic neuropathies characterized by marked deficiency of high‐density lipoproteins and accumulation of cholesterol esters in various tissue resulting from reverse cholesterol transport deficiency. We report a case of a patient with TD with multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with conduction block who presents with winging scapula, tongue, and asymmetric extremity weakness. We also present a review of all studies published from 1960 to 2017 regarding peripheral neuropathy in TD. Our search identified 54 patients with TD with peripheral neuropathy. Syringomyelia‐like neuropathy subtype (52.4%) was more frequent than multifocal sensorial and motor neuropathy subtype (26.2%), focal neuropathy subtype (19.1%), and distal symmetric polyneuropathy subtype (2.4%). Splenomegaly was the most common (40.7%) clinical manifestation in these patients. The pattern of electrodiagnostic abnormalities are: (1) demyelinating abnormalities were more predominant in the upper extremities than in the lower extremities and (2) slowing of motor nerve conduction was more prominent in the intermediate segment than in distal nerve segments. The sural‐sparing pattern was present in 34.6% and conduction block was present in 11.5% of the patients. Our literature review and our case showed the clinical spectrum of TD neuropathy is quite wide and that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of non‐uniform demyelinating neuropathies.
Emergency department risk factors for serious clinical deterioration in a paediatric hospital in Peru
Authors: Nielsen Katie R , Aronés Rojas Rubén , Tantaleán da Fieno José , Huicho Luis , Roberts Joan S , Zunt Joseph
Published: March 2018

Aim

Identification of critically ill children upon presentation to the emergency department (ED) is challenging, especially when resources are limited. The objective of this study was to identify ED risk factors associated with serious clinical deterioration (SCD) during hospitalisation in a resource‐limited setting.

Methods

A retrospective case–control study of children less than 18 years of age presenting to the ED in a large, freestanding children's hospital in Peru was performed. Cases had SCD during the first 7 days of hospitalisation whereas controls did not. Information collected during initial ED evaluation was used to identify risk factors for SCD.

Results

A total of 120 cases and 974 controls were included. In univariate analysis, young age, residence outside Lima, evaluation at another facility prior to ED presentation, congenital malformations, abnormal neurologic baseline, co‐morbidities and a prior paediatric intensive care unit admission were associated with SCD. In multivariate analysis, age < 12 months, residence outside Lima and evaluation at another facility prior to ED presentation remained associated with SCD. In addition, comatose neurological status, hypoxaemia, tachycardia, tachypnoea and temperature were also associated with SCD.

Conclusions

Many risk factors for SCD during hospitalisation can be identified upon presentation to the ED. Using these factors to adjust monitoring during and after the ED stay has the potential to decrease SCD events. Further studies are needed to determine whether this holds true in other resource‐limited settings.
Relationship of muscle cramps to quality of life and sleep disturbance in patients with chronic liver diseases: A nationwide study
Authors: Iwasa Motoh , Karino Yoshiyasu , Kawaguchi Takumi , Nakanishi Hiroyuki , Miyaaki Hisamitsu , Shiraki Makoto , Nakajima Tomoaki , Sawada Yasuhiko , Yoshiji Hitoshi , Okita Kiwamu , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: March 2018

Background & Aims

Although muscle cramps frequently occur in patients with cirrhosis, the importance of muscle cramps remains unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship of muscle cramps with quality of life (QOL) and sleep disturbance. In addition, this multi‐institutional collaborative study in Japan investigated factors associated with muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

A total of 1788 patients with chronic liver diseases including both non‐cirrhosis and cirrhosis completed a questionnaire survey investigating: (i) frequency of muscle cramps, (ii) relationship of muscle cramps to poor QOL and sleep disturbance, (iii) characteristics of patients who require therapeutic intervention and (iv) characteristics of patients prone to experiencing muscle cramps.

Results

This study revealed that 51.8% of patients with cirrhosis have experienced muscle cramps. People who experienced muscle cramps were more likely to have reduced QOL and sleep disturbance if muscle cramps had (i) high frequency (occurring daily to a few times per week, P < .01); (ii) long duration (between a few minutes and a few hours, P < .01) and (iii) intense severity (visual analogue scale ≥4, P < .01). Age, female sex, positive results for hepatitis C virus, low serum albumin concentration, and cirrhosis were independent factors related to the severity of muscle cramps.

Conclusion

Muscle cramps occurred with great frequency and were associated with various factors such as age, sex, hepatitis C virus and liver function. Many patients experience poor QOL (26.3%) due to muscle cramps, and therapeutic interventions are therefore needed.
Linking Cognitive and Social Aspects of Sound Change Using Agent‐Based Modeling
Authors: Harrington Jonathan , Kleber Felicitas , Reubold Ulrich , Schiel Florian , Stevens Mary
Published: March 2018

The paper defines the core components of an interactive‐phonetic (IP) sound change model. The starting point for the IP‐model is that a phonological category is often skewed phonetically in a certain direction by the production and perception of speech. A prediction of the model is that sound change is likely to come about as a result of perceiving phonetic variants in the direction of the skew and at the probabilistic edge of the listener's phonological category. The results of agent‐based computational simulations applied to the sound change in progress, /u/‐fronting in Standard Southern British, were consistent with this hypothesis. The model was extended to sound changes involving splits and mergers by using the interaction between the agents to drive the phonological reclassification of perceived speech signals. The simulations showed no evidence of any acoustic change when this extended model was applied to Australian English data in which /s/ has been shown to retract due to coarticulation in /str/ clusters. Some agents nevertheless varied in their phonological categorizations during interaction between /str/ and /ʃtr/: This vacillation may represent the potential for sound change to occur. The general conclusion is that many types of sound change are the outcome of how phonetic distributions are oriented with respect to each other, their association to phonological classes, and how these types of information vary between speakers that happen to interact with each other.
Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for the Tourism Packages: A Conjoint Study of a Rural Destination
Authors: Beckman Eric , “Matt” Chang Kuo-Liang
Published: March 2018

Many small cities and towns seek to promote their destinations to leisure travelers via their website. Leisure travelers consist of singles, couples, families, and friends travelling together. While not part of the more lucrative group market, leisure travelers are nonetheless important to the economy of a destination. For instance, families that travel are looking for the types of restaurants, hotels, and activities that are family-friendly. Couples may be looking for a romantic getaway including a charming hotel and a pleasant restaurant. Some destinations will attempt to cater to these travelers by providing packages on their website that cater to families and couples. Thus, it is important to determine what types of packages families (and couples) want for their trip, the perceived value of the packages, and how much they would be willing to pay for these packages. This study uses a choice-based conjoint study to determine willingness to pay (WTP) for various package choices geared towards families in a rural destination.
The Grid Under Fire
Authors: Amin S. Massoud
Published: March 2018

This article emphasizes the need to update Ukraine’s end-to-end electric power grid to provide secure, resilient, and reliable electricity for the future. More than any other publicized attack, the Ukrainian attack demonstrated the sophistication of today’s hackers and the malware they now wield. Despite the risks, policymakers nationwide are pushing for clean and reliable electricity. Grid managers count on either in-house meteorologists or third-party vendors to determine the most accurate weather forecast. A self-healing smart grid needs to be supported by secure sensing and communication networks, it needs built-in computational technologies, and it has to be controllable in real time. In order to protect the electrical system from both cyber and physical attacks, each of its components could in theory be replaced or retrofitted. The expert suggests that the sensing and communication technology on far-flung grid elements would give command-and-control centers better situational awareness; they could use this to plan for future conditions.
Athletes and Supplements: Prevalence and Perspectives
Authors: Garthe Ina , Maughan Ronald J.
Published: March 2018

In elite sport, where opponents are evenly matched, small factors can determine the outcome of sporting contests. Not all athletes know the value of making wise nutrition choices, but anything that might give a competitive edge, including dietary supplements, can seem attractive. Between 40% and 100% of athletes typically use supplements, depending on the type of sport, level of competition, and the definition of supplements. However, unless the athlete has a nutrient deficiency, supplementation may not improve performance and may have a detrimental effect on both performance and health. Dietary supplements are classified as a subcategory of food, so manufacturers are not required to provide evidence of product safety and efficacy, nor obtain approval from regulatory bodies before marketing supplements. This creates the potential for health risks, and serious adverse effects have been reported from the use of some dietary supplements. Athletes who compete in sports under an anti-doping code must also realize that supplement use exposes them to a risk of ingesting banned substances or precursors of prohibited substances. Government systems of regulations do not include specific laboratory testing for banned substances according to the WADA list, so a separate regulatory framework to evaluate supplements for their risk of provoking a failed doping test is needed. In the high-performance culture typical of elite sport, athletes may use supplements regardless of possible risks. A discussion around medical, physiological, cultural, and ethical questions may be warranted to ensure that the athlete has the information needed to make an informed choice.
The Same Story or a Unique Novel? Within-Participant Principal-Component Analysis of Measures of Training Load in Professional Rugby Union Skills Training
Authors: Weaving Dan , Dalton Nicholas E. , Black Christopher , Darrall-Jones Joshua , Phibbs Padraic J. , Gray Michael , Jones Ben , Roe Gregory A.B.
Published: March 2018

Purpose: To identify which combination metrics of external and internal training load (TL) capture similar or unique information for individual professional players during skills training in rugby union using principal-component (PC) analysis. Methods: TL data were collected from 21 male professional rugby union players across a competitive season. This included PlayerLoad™, total distance, and individualized high-speed distance (>61% maximal velocity; all external TL) obtained from a microtechnology device (OptimEye X4; Catapult Innovations, Melbourne, Australia) that was worn by each player and the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (internal TL). PC analysis was conducted on each individual to extract the underlying combinations of the 4 TL measures that best describe the total information (variance) provided by the measures. TL measures with PC loadings (PCL) above 0.7 were deemed to possess well-defined relationships with the extracted PC. Results: The findings show that from the 4 TL measures, the majority of an individual’s TL information (first PC: 55–70%) during skills training can be explained by session RPE (PCL: 0.72–0.95), total distance (PCL: 0.86–0.98), or PlayerLoad (PCL: 0.71–0.98). High-speed distance was the only variable to relate to the second PC (PCL: 0.72–1.00), which captured additional TL information (+19–28%). Conclusions: Findings suggest that practitioners could quantify the TL of rugby union skills training with one of PlayerLoad, total distance, or session RPE plus high-speed distance while limiting omitted information of the TL imposed during professional rugby union skills training.
Advancing the Assessment of Anger in Sports: Gender Differences and STAXI-2 Normative Data for College Athletes
Authors: Bartlett Michelle L. , Abrams Mitch , Byrd Megan , Treankler Arial S. , Houston-Norton Richard
Published: March 2018

The State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) is one of the most widely used anger assessments in the clinical psychology literature. It describes multiple facets of anger including: state/trait anger levels, experience of anger, anger expression, and anger control. Prior to this study, normative data was lacking for college athletes. Without normative data established, it was difficult to accurately compare the scores of college athletes to a relevant comparison group, and thus, difficult to effectively assess athletes presenting with anger issues. This study provides normative data for college athletes (N = 534), as well as an examination of anger differences between gender and compared with a “non-specfic adult” population. Male college athletes scores indicated higher anger levels on several scales, demonstrating scores indicative of being more likely to express anger and less likely to manage feeling angry and expressing anger than both the normal population and female college athletes.
Factor Structure and Gender Invariance Testing for the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2)
Authors: Madrigal Leilani A. , Roma Vincenzo , Caze Todd , Maerlender Arthur , Hope Debra
Published: March 2018

This study aimed to provide further psychometric validation of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) by assessing the factor structure, invariance across gender, and convergent and divergent validity of the SAS-2 by correlating both related (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, brief fear of negative evaluation, intolerance of uncertainty, and negative affect) and unrelated constructs (i.e., positive affect, self-confidence). A total of 542 current and former competitive athletes completed a questionnaire through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk system. All data were collected via online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to an exploratory factor analysis (n = 271) and confirmatory factor analysis group (n = 271). Results indicated that both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the three-factor model of anxiety involving somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption. Additionally, this study found the SAS-2 to be reliable, gender invariant, and have strong construct validity. Our findings extend the generalizability of the SAS-2 in more varied populations of athletic backgrounds.
The Parent–Child Relationship and Sport Parents’ Experiences of Burnout and Engagement
Authors: DeFreese J.D. , Dorsch Travis E. , Flitton Travis A.
Published: March 2018

Burnout and engagement are important psychological outcomes in sport with potential to impact athletes as well as sport parents. The present study examined associations among markers of the sport-based parent child-relationship (warmth and conflict) and parent burnout and engagement in organized youth sport. Youth sport parents (N = 214) aged 26–66 years (M = 43.2,SD = 6.2) completed valid and reliable self-report assessments of study variables. Study results showcased warmth, but not conflict, in the parent–child relationship as a significant negative contributor to global burnout and a significant positive contributor to global engagement in sport parents. Results offer preliminary insight into the impact of parent–child warmth in sport on parents’ experiences of burnout and engagement. Findings have implications for future research and practice designed to promote positive psychosocial experiences for sport families.
A Phenomenological Study: Experiencing the Unexpected Death of a Teammate
Authors: Simpson Duncan , Elberty Lauren P.
Published: March 2018

Phenomenological interviews were conducted with nine collegiate student-athletes (M = 24.11 years; SD = 3.76), from a range of sports, to explore how they experienced the unexpected death of a teammate. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed a total of 626 meaning units which were used to produce a final thematic structure consisting of six higher order themes: Emotional Response, Behavioral Response, Faith, Social Support, Team Cohesion, and Change of Life Perspective. The results suggest that student-athletes who experience the unexpected death of a teammate go through a wide range of emotional (e.g., shock, denial) and behavioral responses (e.g., deliberate isolation from others, tributes), which ultimately changed their perspective on life. The specific nuances of these experiences offer several practical applications for sport psychology consultants, coaches, and administrators wishing to provide support to this population during such a difficult time.
Learning “Math on the Move”: Effectiveness of a Combined Numeracy and Physical Activity Program for Primary School Children
Authors: Vetter Melanie , O’Connor Helen , O’Dwyer Nicholas , Orr Rhonda
Published: March 2018

Background: Physically active learning that combines physical activity with core curriculum areas is emerging in school-based health interventions. This study investigates the effectiveness of learning an important numeracy skill of times tables (TT) while concurrently engaging in aerobic activity compared with a seated classroom approach. Methods: Grade-4 primary school students were randomly allocated to physical activity (P) or classroom (C) groups and received the alternate condition in the following term. P group received moderate to vigorous exercise (20 min, 3 times per week, 6 wk) while simultaneously learning selected TT. C group received similar learning, but seated. Changes in TT accuracy, general numeracy, aerobic fitness, and body mass index were assessed. Data were expressed as mean (SEM) and between-condition effect size (ES; 95% confidence interval). Results: Participants [N = 85; 55% male, 9.8 (0.3) y, 36.4% overweight/obese] improved similarly on TT in both conditions [C group: 2.2% (1.1%); P group: 2.5% (1.3%); ES = 0.03; −0.30 to 0.36; P = .86]. Improvement in general numeracy was significantly greater for P group than C group [C group: 0.7% (1.2%); P group: 5.3% (1.4%); ES = 0.42; 0.08 to 0.75; P < .03]. An improvement in aerobic fitness for P group (P < .01) was not significantly greater than C group [C group: 0.8 (0.6); P group: 2.2 (0.5) mL·kg·min−1; ES = 0.32; −0.01 to 0.66; P = .06]. Body mass index was unchanged. Conclusion: Combined movement with learning TT was effective. Physically active learning paradigms may contribute to meeting daily physical activity guidelines while supporting or even boosting learning.
Successful High-Performance Ice Hockey Coaches’ Intermission Routines and Situational Factors That Guide Implementation
Authors: Allain Julia , Bloom Gordon A. , Gilbert Wade D.
Published: March 2018

Competitions in many team sports include short breaks (e.g., intermissions, halftime) where coaches have a unique opportunity to make tactical adjustments and communicate with athletes as a group. Although these breaks are significant coaching moments, very little is known about what successful coaches do during this time. The purpose of this study was to examine intermission routines and knowledge of highly experienced and successful National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ice hockey coaches. A thematic analysis was used to analyze semistructured and stimulated-recall interview data. Results revealed that coaching during intermissions was a continuous process influenced by the coaches’ history and personal characteristics. Drawing on these factors, the coaches created an intermission routine that guided them as they analyzed unpredictable situational factors such as their team’s performance and the athletes’ emotional state. Overall, the results offer a rare glimpse into the intermission strategies of successful coaches in a high-performance setting.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Antagonism Reveals a Gut/Lung Axis That Amplifies Regulatory T Cells in a Pulmonary Fungal Infection
Authors: Tweedle Jamie L. , Deepe George S.
Published: March 2018

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists are popular therapies for inflammatory diseases. These agents enhance the numbers and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are important in controlling inflammatory diseases. However, elevated Treg levels increase susceptibility to infections, including histoplasmosis. We determined the mechanism by which Tregs expand in TNF-neutralized mice infected withHistoplasma capsulatum. Lung CD11c+CD11b+dendritic cells (DCs), but not alveolar macrophages, fromH. capsulatum-infected mice treated with anti-TNF induced a higher percentage of Tregs than control DCsin vitro. CD11b+CD103+DCs, understood to be unique to the intestines, were augmented in lungs with anti-TNF treatment. In the absence of this subset, DCs from anti-TNF-treated mice failed to amplify Tregsin vitro. CD11b+CD103+DCs from TNF-neutralized mice displayed higher retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (RALDH2) gene expression, and CD11b+CD103+RALDH+DCs exhibited greater enzyme activity. To determine if CD11b+CD103+DCs migrated from gut to lung, fluorescent beads were delivered to the gut via oral gavage, and the lungs were assessed for bead-containing DCs. Anti-TNF induced migration of CD11b+CD103+DCs from the gut to the lung that enhanced the generation of Tregs inH. capsulatum-infected mice. Therefore, TNF neutralization promotes susceptibility to pulmonaryH. capsulatuminfection by promoting a gut/lung migration of DCs that enhances Tregs.
The Transcriptional Regulator BpsR Controls the Growth of Bordetella bronchiseptica by Repressing Genes Involved in Nicotinic Acid Degradation
Authors: Guragain Manita , Jennings-Gee Jamie , Cattelan Natalia , Finger Mary , Conover Matt S. , Hollis Thomas , Deora Rajendar
Published: March 2018

Many of the pathogenic species of the genus
Bordetella
have an absolute requirement for nicotinic acid (NA) for laboratory growth. These Gram-negative bacteria also harbor a gene cluster homologous to the
nic
cluster of
Pseudomonas putida
which is involved in the aerobic degradation of NA and its transcriptional control. We report here that BpsR, a negative regulator of biofilm formation and Bps polysaccharide production, controls the growth of
Bordetella bronchiseptica
by repressing the expression of
nic
genes. The severe growth defect of the Δ
bpsR
strain in Stainer-Scholte medium was restored by supplementation with NA, which also functioned as an inducer of
nic
genes at low micromolar concentrations that are usually present in animals and humans. Purified BpsR protein bound to the
nic
promoter region, and its DNA binding activity was inhibited by 6-hydroxynicotinic acid (6-HNA), the first metabolite of the NA degradative pathway. Reporter assays with the isogenic mutant derivative of the wild-type (WT) strain harboring deletion in
nicA
, which encodes a putative nicotinic acid hydroxylase responsible for conversion of NA to 6-HNA, showed that 6-HNA is the actual inducer of the
nic
genes in the bacterial cell. Gene expression profiling further showed that BpsR dually activated and repressed the expression of genes associated with pathogenesis, transcriptional regulation, metabolism, and other cellular processes. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to the selection of pyridines such as NA and quinolinic acid for optimum bacterial growth depending on the ecological niche.

IMPORTANCE
BpsR, the previously described regulator of biofilm formation and Bps polysaccharide production, controls
Bordetella bronchiseptica
growth by regulating the expression of genes involved in the degradation of nicotinic acid (NA). 6-Hydroxynicotinic acid (6-HNA), the first metabolite of the NA degradation pathway prevented BpsR from binding to DNA and was the actual
in vivo
inducer. We hypothesize that BpsR enables
Bordetella
bacteria to efficiently and selectively utilize NA for their survival depending on the environment in which they reside. The results reported herein lay the foundation for future investigations of how BpsR and the alteration of its activity by NA orchestrate the control of
Bordetella
growth, metabolism, biofilm formation, and pathogenesis.
Multicenter Evaluation of BioFire FilmArray Respiratory Panel 2 for Detection of Viruses and Bacteria in Nasopharyngeal Swab Samples
Authors: Leber Amy L. , Everhart Kathy , Daly Judy A. , Hopper Aubrey , Harrington Amanda , Schreckenberger Paul , McKinley Kathleen , Jones Matthew , Holmberg Kristen , Kensinger Bart
Published: March 2018

The FilmArray Respiratory Panel 2 (RP2) is a multiplex
in vitro
diagnostic test for the simultaneous and rapid (∼45-min) detection of 22 pathogens directly from nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) samples. It contains updated (and in some instances redesigned) assays that improve upon the FilmArray Respiratory Panel (RP; version 1.7), with a faster run time. The organisms identified are adenovirus, coronavirus 229E, coronavirus HKU1, coronavirus NL63, coronavirus OC43, human metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus/enterovirus, influenza virus A, influenza virus A H1, influenza virus A H1-2009, influenza virus A H3, influenza virus B, parainfluenza virus 1, parainfluenza virus 2, parainfluenza virus 3, parainfluenza virus 4, respiratory syncytial virus,
Bordetella pertussis
,
Chlamydia pneumoniae
, and
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
. Two new targets are included in the FilmArray RP2: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and
Bordetella parapertussis
. This study provides data from a multicenter evaluation of 1,612 prospectively collected NPS samples, with performance compared to that of the FilmArray RP or PCR and sequencing. The overall percent agreement between the FilmArray RP2 and the comparator testing was 99.2%. The RP2 demonstrated a positive percent agreement of 91.7% or greater for detection of all but three analytes: coronavirus OC43,
B. parapertussis
, and
B. pertussis
. The FilmArray RP2 also demonstrated a negative percent agreement of ≥93.8% for all analytes. Of note, the adenovirus assay detects all genotypes, with a demonstrated increase in sensitivity. The FilmArray RP2 represents a significant improvement over the FilmArray RP, with a substantially shorter run time that could aid in the diagnosis of respiratory infections in a variety of clinical scenarios.
Dynein Engages and Disassembles Cytosol-Localized Simian Virus 40 To Promote Infection
Authors: Ravindran Madhu Sudhan , Spriggs Chelsey C. , Verhey Kristen J. , Tsai Billy
Published: March 2018

During entry, polyomavirus (PyV) is endocytosed and sorts to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it penetrates the ER membrane to reach the cytosol. From the cytosol, the virus moves to the nucleus to cause infection. How PyV is transported from the cytosol into the nucleus, a crucial infection step, is unclear. We found that upon reaching the cytosol, the archetypal PyV simian virus 40 (SV40) recruits the cytoplasmic dynein motor, which disassembles the viral particle. This reaction enables the resulting disassembled virus to enter the nucleus to promote infection. Our findings reveal how a cytosolic motor can be hijacked to impart conformational changes to a viral particle, a process essential for successful infection.

IMPORTANCE
How a nonenveloped virus successfully traffics from the cell surface to the nucleus to cause infection remains enigmatic in many instances. In the case of the nonenveloped PyV, the viral particle is sorted from the plasma membrane to the ER and then the cytosol, from which it enters the nucleus to promote infection. The molecular mechanism by which PyV reaches the nucleus from the cytosol is not entirely clear. Here we demonstrate that the prototype PyV SV40 recruits dynein upon reaching the cytosol. Importantly, this cellular motor disassembles the viral particle during cytosol-to-nucleus transport to cause infection.