bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of emotional exhaustion among public healthcare professionals
Authors: López-Cabarcos M. Ángeles , López-Carballeira Analía , Ferro-Soto Carlos
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The nature of public healthcare highlights not only the need of understanding the role of emotional exhaustion in the relationship between employees’ job demands and desirable employees’ job attitudes, but also to adequate the combination of certain job resources and other organisational variables to moderate the employees’ feelings of emotional exhaustion. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint designs the theoretical approach that aims to understand the mediating role of emotional exhaustion among healthcare professionals and the capacity of certain variables to moderate it. The nature of the variables considered and the design of the theoretical model proposed highlights structural equation modelling as an optimal methodology to be used among a sample of European healthcare professionals.

Findings

Managers should be able to design strategies to mitigate, eliminate and prevent the causes of emotional exhaustion in public healthcare with the objective to improve the health and quality of life of healthcare professionals, and consequently the quality of the service provided to patients and their families.

Originality/value

This viewpoint highlights the importance of analysing the influence of employees’ emotional exhaustion on their attitudes in public healthcare. Direct relationships between emotional exhaustion and certain antecedents or consequences have been studied previously; however, studies analysing the mediating role of emotional exhaustion are very scarce and show mixed results. There are also few studies analysing the moderating role of certain job resources and other organisational variables in the relationships between employees’ job demands, employees’ emotional exhaustion and employees’ job attitudes.
Adjusting for risk factors in mutual fund performance and performance persistence
Authors: Koutsokostas Drosos , Papathanasiou Spyros , Balios Dimitris
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of Greek equity mutual funds and the persistence in annual performance for the period 2008-2017 by using a variety of performance models.

Design/methodology/approach

Using all the available funds in operation and daily data, the authors apply single-index (Jensen, 1968) and multi-factor models (Fama and French, 1993; Carhart, 1997) to measure risk-adjusted returns. To assess performance persistence, a series of parametric (Bollen and Busse, 2005) and nonparametric tests (Malkiel, 1995; Brown and Goetzmann, 1995; Kahn and Rudd, 1995) is implemented.

Findings

Results show that the Greek equity mutual funds perform, on average, worse than the market index, irrespective of the performance measure applied, and the estimations obtained by the models are similar. Few managers that followed large-cap strategies, pursued stocks with high book-to-market value ratio and eliminated their exposure to the momentum effect were able to add value to their portfolios. Furthermore, a winner-picking strategy based on sustained superior performers is questioned. However, assigning fund returns to the corresponding risk factors results in the partial disappearance of persistence in performance.

Originality/value

The sample period includes the turbulent period, following the introduction of capital controls, which affected capital flows significantly. Moreover, the application of multiple performance measures enables us to investigate performance persistence in a wider spectrum.
Preliminary look at the motivators and decision-making process of medical tourists from Nigeria to India
Authors: Balogun Babatunde Abiodun
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The past decade has witnessed a tremendous and progressive growth in the number of Nigerians who engage in medical tourism from Nigeria to India. Various commentators have advanced diverse reasons for this trend. However, there is a dearth of research that has sought to provide empirical insights. This paper aims to investigate the decision-making process of Nigerian medical tourists and why they prefer medical tourism to India to medical care locally.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight Nigerian medical tourists are interviewed on a one-on-one basis with open-ended questions using purposive criterion sampling technique from an interpretivist mind-set.

Findings

The paper identifies two major motivators, namely, inadequate medical infrastructure and poor medical, and customer service from health workers in Nigeria, which spurred medical tourism from Nigeria to India. Further, it finds that first timers premise their decisions on advice from reference groups, while previous personal experiences guide decisions on subsequent medical travels. Findings are explained using the template provided by the theory of planned behaviour.

Originality/value

This exploratory nature of this research provides a useful basis to elucidate the course of decision-making of Nigerian patients so that appropriate marketing communication channels can be applied. It improves the process of recruiting and engaging Nigerian patients and nurturing wholesome relationships between Nigerian patients and hospitals.
Democratization of organizational change process through deliberation
Authors: Värttö Mikko
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine deliberation in the context of organizational change and introduce an organizational jury as a change facilitator.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on an empirical study of four organizational juries that were organized by a non-profit organization in Finland. The main data of the study consist of a survey that the juries’ participants filled in. The data are triangulated with observations of jury meetings and relevant documents including pre-jury information package, jury presentations and juries’ proposals. In the analysis, the paper adopts deliberative democracy criteria to assess the inclusiveness, authenticity and consequentiality of the deliberative process.

Findings

The research findings suggest that the juries increased the inclusiveness of decision making and the quality of deliberation about the changes among the employees. The results indicate that juries facilitated the change process by providing a means for information sharing and building a shared understanding among the stakeholders. The main weakness of the juries was their low consequentiality.

Originality/value

Deliberative jury method provides a participative way to build and preserve socially shared meanings in an organizational change context. However, the studies on the use of deliberative forums in the organizational context are still scarce. Thus, the study provides an important addition to the existing research literature.
Linking destructive forms of leadership to employee health
Authors: Trépanier Sarah-Geneviève , Boudrias Valérie , Peterson Clayton
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the psychological and motivational processes involved in the relationship between two forms of destructive leadership (tyrannical and laissez-faire) and employee health (burnout, affective commitment and job performance). Drawing on self-determination theory, this paper links tyrannical and laissez-faire leadership to employee health through psychological need frustration and poor-quality (controlled) work motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 399 Canadian nurses took part in this cross-sectional study. Structural equational modelling analyses were conducted.

Findings

Results show that tyrannical leadership frustrates nurses’ needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, whereas laissez-faire leadership frustrates nurses’ need for autonomy only. The frustration of needs for autonomy and competence predicts low-quality (controlled) work motivation, which is consequently associated with impaired health (burnout and lower affective commitment as well as performance).

Originality/value

This study contributes to the scarce knowledge regarding the distinct outcomes of destructive forms of leadership and uncovers the specific psychological and motivational pathways through which these types of leadership influence employees’ health.
Identifying the effective taxonomies of airline green operations strategy
Authors: Migdadi Yazan Khalid Abed-Allah
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effective taxonomies of airline green operations strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, a sample of 23 airlines from five regions (North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East) was surveyed. The annual sustainability reports of the surveyed airlines for the period 2013‒2016 were retrieved from the Global Reporting Initiatives website. K-means clustering analysis was used to generate taxonomic clusters of airline green operations strategy. A special data analysis technique, called rank analysis, was also adopted to identify the significant green actions and develop indicative models.

Findings

This study revealed that three effective taxonomies were adopted by airlines: a low-effect strategic pattern, a low-to-moderate effect strategic pattern and a high-effect strategic pattern. A different combination of green operation actions characterized each strategic pattern.

Originality/value

The research contribution of taxonomies of green operations strategy has so far been limited, country focused and concentrated on the manufacturing sector. This study reported the taxonomies and performed an in-depth analysis of the categories of effective actions taken to promote green performance. Moreover, this study developed indicative models for the relationship between categories of action and green performance for each strategic pattern, an action that has seldom been reported by previous studies of green operations strategies for airlines.
Structural design and kinematic analysis of high-speed automatic casing system for lithium-ion battery
Authors: Xia Qinxiang , Ming Xinjian , Long Jinchuan , Liu Xiujuan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design the whole structure of high-speed automatic casing system (HSACS) for lithium-ion battery (LIB), and verify its rationality and reliability by kinematic simulation and casing test.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the software of SolidWorks and ADAMS, the structure of working mechanisms for HSACS was designed, and virtual prototype models of HSACS and main turntable were established to realize the kinematic analysis. The HSACS casing test was also carried out and compared with simulation.

Findings

Simulation results for the designed HSACS were presented graphically and analyzed. The graphical results indicate that the coordination motions among the working mechanisms of HSACS are reasonable and no interference occurs. Casing test results show that the casing quality and production efficiency of HSACS equipment are satisfying.

Originality/value

In the present work, the developed virtual prototype models of HSACS provide reliable kinematic analysis results for the structural design of HSACS, and reasonable motion relations are realized in the designed structure of HSACS. Furthermore, not only the casing quality requirements can be met, but also the production efficiency of high-speed automatic casing machine for LIB is greatly improved via this kind of new HSACS structure.
The state management of development of the professional and qualification potential in Russian higher education
Authors: Vodenko Konstantin V. , Belasheva Irina V. , Zalevskaya Anna A. , Polshakova Irina N. , Tleptserisheva Syuzanna A.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the specifics of state management in the sphere of reproduction of the socio-professional structure of society.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on the provisions of neo-Marxism; structural and functional approach, ideas of the concept of constructing the cultural senses, neo-institutional approach, theory of institutional matrices. The paper uses the provisions of the theory of “path-dependence,” in which the effect of institutional inertia of society and its influence on the management institutes are studied. During the research of the specifics of the Russian model of state management of the process of formation and development of professional and qualification potential of the country, the provisions of the concept of power-property are taken into account.

Findings

The authors note that ineffectiveness of state management in the sphere of formation and development of professional and qualification potential of the Russian society is predetermined by historically established institutes of management and organization of life, which are peculiar for authoritarianism, bureaucracy, principles of redistributive economy, domination of the institutes of power-property and underdevelopment of the institutes of the civil society. This problem could be solved by modernizing the national model of state management based on well-balanced interaction of the basic and complementary socio-cultural institutes, which could increase the effectiveness of management of complex social processes.

Originality/value

It is substantiated the main principles of the modern state regulation of the sphere of training of professional and qualification personnel should be as follows: strategic approach to management, partnership approach to managing education, investments into human capital, supporting the development of institutes of the civil society, debureaucratization of the system of management and formation of favorable legal and economic environment for development of entrepreneurship.
Dynamic balancing of cleaning unit used in agricultural thresher using Jaya algorithm
Authors: Singh Prem , Chaudhary Himanshu
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose the dynamically balanced mechanism for cleaning unit used in the agricultural thresher machine using the system of point masses.

Design/methodology/approach

The cleaning unit works on crank-rocker Grashof mechanism. To balance the mechanism, the shaking forces and shaking moments are minimized by optimizing the mass distribution of links using the dynamically equivalent system of point masses. The point mass parameters are taken as the design variables. Then, the optimization problem is solved using Jaya algorithm and genetic algorithm (GA) under suitable design constraints.

Findings

The mass, center of mass and inertias of each link are calculated using optimum design variables. These optimum parameters improve the dynamic performance of the cleaning unit.

Originality/value

The proposed methodology is tested through the standard four-bar mechanism taken from literature and also applied to the existing cleaning mechanism of the thresher machine. It is observed that the Jaya algorithm is computationally more efficient than the GA. The dynamic analysis of the proposed mechanism is simulated using ADAMS software.
Fructus Psoraleae–Induced Severe Liver Injury and Treatment With Two Artificial Liver Support Systems: A Case Series Study
Authors: Rong Jiangcheng , Xie Zhongyang , Chen Ermei , Ma Shanshan , Zhang Sainan , Zhao Yalei , Xu Xiaowei , Li Lanjuan
Published: October 2019

To describe the clinical features and outcomes of patients with suspected Fructus Psoraleae (FP)–induced severe liver injury who underwent treatment with two artificial liver support systems (ALSSs). The cases of 12 patients with severe liver injury by FP were enrolled. We evaluated the tolerability of, and changes in biochemical parameters after treatment with plasma exchange combined with hemofiltration and double plasma molecular absorption system, and 6‐month follow‐up information were collected. The median age of the 12 patients was 60 years and nine (75%) patients were females. All patients had jaundice as the initial symptom. Two ALSS types were used to treat the patients. The group that underwent plasma exchange combined with hemofiltration showed remarkable improvements in ALT, AST, total bilirubin (TB), GGT and international normalized ratio levels (AST, TB, international normalized ratio, P < 0.01; ALT, GGT, P < 0.05), and the levels of AST, ALP, TB, and total bile acid decreased significantly in the double plasma molecular absorption system group after treatment (TB, P < 0.01; AST, ALP, total bile acid P < 0.05). During 6 months of follow‐up, two patients died, two became chronic, and eight recovered to normal. FP can cause clinically severe liver injury, characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms and jaundice, which can lead to death or become chronic. Both ALSSs were safe and well tolerated in drug‐induced liver injury patients. After ALSS treatment, the levels of biochemical indicators of liver function improved significantly, indicating that ALSS might be beneficial for patients with severe drug‐induced liver injury.
Challenges of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with Billroth II gastrointestinal anatomy: A review article
Authors: Pribadi Rabbinu Rangga , Rani Abdul Aziz , Abdullah Murdani
Published: October 2019

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a combination of endoscopy and fluoroscopy that is commonly used in the management of pancreatobiliary diseases. ERCP can be challenging if performed in surgically altered anatomy, such as a Billroth II reconstruction, compared with native anatomy and usually has a lower success rate. We identified five emerging challenges in such patients. These are the choice of endoscope, the identification of afferent loop, reaching the duodenal stump, cannulation in the reverse position, and endoscopic sphincterotomy. Performing ERCP in patients with a Billroth II reconstruction needs adequate knowledge, proper skill, and experience to achieve a good clinical outcome.
Intuition versus Analytical Thinking and Impairment Testing
Authors: Wolfe Christopher J. , Christensen Brant E. , Vandervelde Scott D.
Published: October 2019

We examine the use of intuition versus analytical thinking in auditor risk assessment using a task that requires auditors to assess a group of impairment indicators. We expect that auditor intuition, rooted in the subconscious, more likely reacts to impairment indicator risk than does auditor analytical thinking. Results from two different experiments support this expectation for less‐experienced audit seniors. These seniors are more likely to assess step‐zero impairment indicators as signaling potential impairment when prompted to thinkintuitivelyversusanalytically. In contrast, a third experiment finds that experienced seniors are more likely to assess step‐zero impairment indicators as signaling potential impairment when prompted to thinkanalyticallyversusintuitively. This is consistent with the more experienced but still non‐expert seniors possessing developed analytical thinking, but struggling to effectively use their intuition. Our results inform theory by suggesting under what conditions auditor intuition and analytical thinking produce differential risk sensitivity. Furthermore, our results inform practice, given regulators' stated focus on auditor skepticism and impairment assessments.
Splenic autotransplantation: a systematic review
Authors: Surendran Arthavan , Smith Marty , Houli Nezor , Usatoff Val , Spelman Denis , Choi Julian
Published: October 2019

Background

Splenectomy is a surgical procedure indicated in a variety of medical conditions including trauma. Post‐operatively, there is a lifelong risk of developing overwhelming sepsis from encapsulated bacteria, most commonly due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Splenic autotransplantation has been proposed as a method to recover splenic function in patients requiring splenectomy with otherwise normal spleens. This study aims to systematically review the literature to determine the efficacy of spleen autotransplantation.

Methods

MEDLINE, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for all studies assessing splenic autotransplantation (January 1947 to July 2018). Data were extracted on study characteristics, outcomes assessed, including spleen scintigraphy results, blood film counts and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels.

Results

Data were obtained from 18 primary studies. All studies demonstrated return of regenerated spleen tissue in the majority of their patients (95.3%) on spleen scintigraphy. In 12 studies, 90.2% of patients had blood films return to normal following transplantation. Ig levels were shown to return to normal in all 12 studies where it was assessed. In 11 studies, 3.7% of patients had post‐operative complications. In five studies, 1.3% of patients had post‐operative infections in the follow‐up period.

Conclusion

Splenic autotransplantation is a safe procedure with minimal complications that can return splenic filtration function and Ig levels to normal ranges. It has not been confirmed whether autotransplantation provides meaningful protection against overwhelming post‐splenectomy infections.
Spontaneous activity rates and resting metabolism: Support for the allocation model of energy management at the among‐individual level
Authors: Biro Peter A. , Thomas Frédéric , Ujvari Beata , Adriaenssens Bart , Beckmann Christa
Published: October 2019

Despite continuing interest in the proximate energetic constraints on individual variation in behavior, there is presently equivocal evidence for correlations between metabolism and behavior at the among‐individual level. Possible reasons for this include imprecise estimates of individual mean behavior and metabolism due to no repeated measures on one or more of the traits, analyses that do not take into account the labile nature of these traits and the uncertainty in individual estimates, and changing environmental conditions not accounted for. In this empirical study, we repeatedly measured activity rates and resting metabolic rates (RMR) of individual male mosquitofish over an extended period, lasting several months under constant laboratory conditions. Repeatability of each trait was significant (RMR: R = .41; activity: R = .72), indicating consistent variation among individuals, making covariance between them possible. Contrary to expectations, bivariate mixed model analysis revealed that more active individuals had lower RMR (r = −.58) after accounting for mass effects and other covariates. This result suggests that high activity rates require individuals to allocate less energy toward maintenance, and thus provides evidence for the “allocation” model of energy management. We suggest that it would be valuable to study whether and how behavior‐RMR correlations change over individual lifetime, a topic that has yet to be addressed.
Wealth transfer through private placements: Evidence from China
Authors: Lin Jing , Zheng Steven X. , Zhou Mingshan
Published: October 2019

We examine private issuance of public equity (PIPE) in China, and our results suggest that PIPE investors benefit from the price manipulation before and after issuance. These investors tend to cash out after lockup expiration and make large profits. We also find evidence that the trading of PIPE investors after lockup expiration is informed. Tests about the abnormal returns in the 3 years after lockup expiration suggest that at least part of the benefits PIPE investors receive come from wealth transfer from outside investors. Overall, PIPE issuers in China seem to use an opaque mechanism to compensate PIPE investors.
Does access to internet promote innovation? A look at the U.S. broadband industry
Authors: Xu Xu , Watts Alison , Reed Markum
Published: October 2019

Access to the Internet is an essential determinant of innovation, which has received little attention in the literature. This paper emphasizes the role of Internet accessibility in lowering information costs and therefore boosting regional innovation activity. We construct a simple theoretical model to illustrate the positive impact of decreased discovery costs, proxied by the accessibility of the Internet, on innovation. To test this hypothesis, we exploit a county‐level data set in the U.S. and run three types of regression with and without instruments: OLS, negative binomial, and Poisson. Within each method, we employ four levels of download speeds. We find a positive relationship between the access to the Internet and the number of patents filed in that specific county. This effect is particularly strong in the case of access to download speeds of 10 Mbps. Our analysis suggests that access to the Internet lowers information disseminating costs and therefore encourages more patents filed in the county. The results also indicate that access to the Internet matters more than faster Internet speed for innovation. Policy implications for these results suggest that if there were a minimum Internet access initiative, there could potentially be a significant increase in innovation by the U.S.
Effect of irinotecan on the tongue mucosa of juvenile male albino rat at adulthood
Authors: Ibrahim Marwa Awad Abdel Hamid , Elwan Walaa M.
Published: October 2019

Irinotecan is one of the most important anti‐tumour drugs against a broad spectrum of malignancies, but is known to be associated with possible oral complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of irinotecan on the tongue mucosa of juvenile male albino rat at adulthood using different histological and immunohistochemical methods. Twenty juvenile male albino rats were divided equally into two groups: control and irinotecan‐treated group (single injection of 200 mg irinotecan/kg, then kept for four weeks without treatment). The tongue specimens were processed for light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The irinotecan‐treated group showed statistically significant shortening and thinning of the lingual papillae. There was loss of the normal appearance of the filiform papillae with focal cell loss alternating with areas of hyperkeratosis. Focal separation of the keratin layer, some nuclear changes and vacuolation of some epithelial cells were detected. Dilated congested blood vessels and mild mononuclear cellular infiltration were encountered. Atrophic fungiform papillae with ill‐defined taste bud cells were observed. A statistically significant decrease in the pattern of Ki67 immunohistochemical staining reaction was detected in comparision to the control group. Scanning electron microscopy revealed different signs of atrophy of the tongue papillae. Focal areas of desquamation of lingual papillae were observed revealing some filiform papillae with desquamated surface, bisected tips and evident thinning. Some extravasated red blood cells could be detected. Thus irinotecan caused significant morphological and morphometrical alterations of the tongue mucosa in particularly the filiform papillae.
Testing the psychometric properties of the short work–family enrichment scale on underrepresented samples
Authors: Haar Jarrod , Cordier Jason
Published: October 2019

The psychometric properties of the new short version of the work–family enrichment scale were tested on two underrepresented samples: (1) Māori employees, the indigenous people of New Zealand and (2) Sri Lankan employees. Both groups have not been well explored in the work–family field. We examine the measurement properties of the short measure for work–family and family–work enrichment and using structural equation modeling, investigate its associations with toward emotional exhaustion and stress (sample 1 n = 215) and emotional exhaustion and cynicism (sample 2 n = 143). Results support the new measure and provide initial evidence of the beneficial impact of work and family roles in underexplored populations. This highlights greater universality and cross‐cultural validation.
Combining abilities of sugar beet genotypes for root‐ and sugar‐related traits under multi‐environment trials
Authors: Hassani Mahdi , Heidari Bahram , Stevanato Piergiorgio
Published: October 2019

The improvement of sugar‐related factors is associated with root traits in sugar beet. The objectives of the present study were to assess variations of sugar‐ and root yield (RY)‐related traits and to estimate general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities of several lines, testers and hybrids under various environmental conditions. A line × tester mating design was used to develop 28 hybrids from seven lines × four testers. Presently, root‐ and sugar‐related traits were recorded in parental lines, hybrids and five local ('Pars', 'Torbat' and 'Ekbatan') and international ('Kermit' and 'Tous') check varieties in the eight combinations of location and growing season. Mean RY and sugar yield (SY) were 44.81 t/ha and 7.57 t/ha, respectively. Genotypes tested had 16.91% sugar content (SC) and 13.64% white sugar content (WSC) across trials. No one genotype was found to have high levels for all traits, but several had above mean sugar‐related or RY traits. L7T2 as the best hybrid for RY and SY yielded 37.0% and 34.4% more than the checks’ mean, whereas ratios for the best hybrid (L7T4) for SC and WSC were 8.2% and 4.3%, respectively. Additive variance was significant for all traits, whereas dominance component was only significant for RY. Several parental lines had stable GCA effects with respect to direction and magnitude for WSC, RY and SC in environments. L7 and T2 for RY and SY and L3 and T4 for SC and WSC were identified as the best combiners with high GCA effects, and their use might increase favourable alleles in further breeding programmes for traits tested. Estimated heritability for the combined environments was lower for sugar‐related traits (54.01%–59.39%) compared with those for RY traits (73.68%–74.21%). Overall, given heritability and additive variances estimated the identification of environmentally stable GCA and SCA effects and might help to increase efficiency of selection of superior cultivars with respect to sugar traits.
HLA‐DRB4*01:14 is a null allele, and renamed HLA‐DRB4*01:14N
Authors: Fuerst Daniel , Tsamadou Chrysanthi , Gowdavally Sowmya , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Mytilineos Joannis
Published: October 2019

Full‐length sequencing of HLA‐DRB4*01:14 showed the same splice site mutation as in HLA‐DRB4*01:03:01:02N.
Identification of HLA‐C*16:46 allele in a Kuwaiti individual
Authors: Jahromi Mohamed , Jacob Sindhu P. , Taha Nehad , Lin Py‐Yu , Yang Kuo‐Liang
Published: October 2019

One nucleotide substitution in codon 90 of HLA‐C*16:02:01 results in a novel allele, HLA‐C*16:46.
A temporalidade como condição de possibilidade da compreensão do ser do ente simplesmente presente à vista (Vorhanden)
Authors: Cruz Estevão Lemos
Published: October 2019

O presente estudo pretende compreender como a temporalidade é a condição de possibilidade da compreensão do ser do ente enquanto simplesmente presente à vista (Vorhanden). Para tanto, buscaremos expor um esboço da estrutura da temporalidade desenvolvida por Heidegger em Ser e tempo e em Os problemas fundamentais da fenomenologia. A exposição de tal estrutura permitirá, então, mostrar como a presentidade – e, portanto, o ente que carrega tal modo de ser – somente pode manifestar-se em um presente (Gegenwart).
Protein adsorption dynamics to polymer surfaces revisited—A multisystems approach
Authors: Cordeiro Ana L. , Rückel Markus , Bartels Frank , Maitz Manfred F. , Renner Lars D. , Werner Carsten
Published: October 2019

Performance and safety of materials in contact with living matter are determined by sequential and competitive protein adsorption. However, cause and consequences of these processes remain hard to be generalized and predicted. In a new attempt to address that challenge, the authors compared and analyzed the protein adsorption and displacement on various thoroughly characterized polymer substrates using a combination of surface-sensitive techniques. A multiple linear regression approach was applied to model the dependence of protein adsorption, desorption, and exchange dynamics on protein and surface characteristics. While the analysis confirmed that protein properties primarily govern the observed adsorption and retention phenomena and hydrophobicity as well as surface charge are the most relevant polymer surface properties, the authors have identified several protein-surface combinations that deviate from these patterns and deserve further investigation.
Reduced tree growth in the semiarid United States due to asymmetric responses to intensifying precipitation extremes
Authors: Dannenberg Matthew P. , Wise Erika K. , Smith William K.
Published: October 2019

Increasing precipitation variability portends widespread negative consequences for future tree growth in the United States.
Addition of a single short-acting insulin bolus to basal insulin-supported oral therapy: a systematic review of data on the basal-plus regimen
Authors: Seufert Jochen , Borck Anja , Bramlage Peter
Published: October 2019

We summarize here clinical and trial data on a once-daily administration of a single bolus to the meal with the largest expected postprandial glucose excursion (basal-plus), and comment on its clinical utility in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. A PubMed search of data published until September 2018 was taken into consideration and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. Eighteen reports representing 15 studies were identified (age: 18–80 years; 50–890 patients; follow-up: 8 days to 60 weeks). Data suggest basal-plus is efficacious for improving glycemic control, with a low incidence of (severe) hypoglycemia and minor increases in bodyweight. The timing of short-acting insulin administration and use of different monitoring/titration approaches appear to have minimal impact. When compared with premixed insulin, basal-plus results in largely comparable outcomes. Compared with basal-bolus, it may result in non-inferior glycemic improvements with less weight gain, less hypoglycemia and fewer daily injections. A basal insulin/glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist fixed ratio combination may offer several advantages over the basal-plus regimen, at the cost of gastrointestinal side effects. We conclude that the stepwise introduction of short-acting insulin via the basal-plus strategy represents a viable alternative to a full basal-bolus regimen and may help to overcome barriers associated with multiple injections and anticipated complexity of the insulin regimen.
Anti-RNP positivity in primary Sjögren’s syndrome is associated with a more active disease and a more frequent muscular and pulmonary involvement
Authors: Abbara Salam , Seror Raphaele , Henry Julien , Chretien Pascale , Gleizes Aude , Hacein-Bey-Abina Salima , Mariette Xavier , Nocturne Gaetane
Published: October 2019

Objectives

To describe and compare the clinical and biological characteristics of subjects with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) with and without anti-RNP antibodies.

Methods

Patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/EULAR 2016 criteria for pSS and having anti-RNP antibodies, without other connective tissue disease diagnosed and no anti-dsDNA antibodies were retrieved from the database from our French National Reference Center. These patients were compared with all other patients with pSS with negative anti-Sm, anti-RNP and anti-dsDNA antibodies.

Results

Overall, 21 patients with pSS positive for anti-RNP antibodies and 446 negative for anti-RNP antibodies were retrieved. Anti-RNP-positive patients had a lower median age at onset of pSS symptoms (41.0 vs 50.0 years, p=0.01), a higher median EULAR Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index at inclusion (8.0 vs 3.0, p<0.01), more frequently constitutional symptoms (14.3% vs 0.01%, p<0.01), myositis (19.0% vs 2.3%, p<0.01) and pulmonary (19.0% vs 5.7%, p=0.04) involvement. Moreover, anti-RNP-positive patients had higher median gammaglobulin levels (22.5 vs 13 g/L, p<0.01), more frequently anti-SSA antibodies (90.5% vs 67.1%, p=0.03), but less frequent lymphocytic sialadenitis with a focus score ≥1 (66.7% vs 85.5%, p=0.03). If the analysis is restricted to anti-SSA-positive patients, anti-RNP positivity is associated with the same clinicobiologic features except the pulmonary involvement.

Conclusion

Patients with pSS with anti-RNP antibodies displayed a more active systemic disease, with more frequent muscular and pulmonary involvement, and increased gammaglobulin level, compared with anti-RNP-negative patients.
Patient-reported outcomes for tofacitinib with and without methotrexate, or adalimumab with methotrexate, in rheumatoid arthritis: a phase IIIB/IV trial
Authors: Strand Vibeke , Mysler Eduardo , Moots Robert J , Wallenstein Gene V , DeMasi Ryan , Gruben David , Soma Koshika , Iikuni Noriko , Smolen Josef S , Fleischmann Roy
Published: October 2019

Objective

To provide the first direct comparison of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following treatment with tofacitinib monotherapy versus tofacitinib or adalimumab (ADA) in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with inadequate response to MTX (MTX-IR).

Methods

ORAL Strategy (NCT02187055), a phase IIIB/IV, head-to-head, randomised controlled trial, assessed non-inferiority between tofacitinib 5 mg two times per day monotherapy, tofacitinib 5 mg two times per day+MTX and ADA 40 mg every other week+MTX. PROs assessed included the following: Patient Global Assessment of disease activity (PtGA), Pain, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) summary and domain scores.

Results

Substantial improvements from baseline were reported across all PROs in all treatment arms, which, in the majority, met or exceeded minimum clinically important differences. Compared with tofacitinib monotherapy, tofacitinib+MTX combination treatment conferred significantly greater improvements in PtGA, Pain and SF-36 physical component summary scores at month 6. Statistically or numerically greater improvements were often, but not uniformly, reported for combination treatments compared with tofacitinib monotherapy at other time points.

Conclusion

Treatment with tofacitinib+MTX, ADA+MTX and tofacitinib monotherapy resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in PROs in MTX-IR patients with RA. These were comparatively greater with combination treatments versus tofacitinib monotherapy, although differences between treatment arms were small, limiting our ability to confer clinical meaning.

Trial registration number

NCT02187055.
Dynamical system analysis of Hessence scalar field in teleparallel gravity: Invariant manifold technique
Authors: Pal Subhajyoti , Chakraborty Subenoy
Published: October 2019

This paper investigates the cosmological dynamics of the Hessence scalar field coupled with the dark matter in the background of the teleparallel gravity. We have assumed that the potential of the scalar field is exponential in nature whereas the [Formula: see text] appearing in the teleparallel theory has the form [Formula: see text]. The field equations of this system reduce to a nonlinear autonomous system and dynamical system analysis is then performed. Due to the nonlinearity and the existence of multiple zero eigenvalues, the traditional procedures of analysis break down. So some novel technique is required. One of the latest such techniques is the invariant manifold theory. By the application of this theory, one projects the variables linked with the zero eigenvalues onto the variables linked with the nonzero eigenvalues to compute the center manifolds and the reduced systems associated with the critical points. These reduced systems reflect the nature of the whole dynamical systems. They also have less dimension and are often simple in nature. Hence, it is possible to solve them directly. In this paper, we work exactly in this spirit and find the center manifolds and solve the corresponding reduced system for some of the critical points associated with the dynamical system. We discover some interesting results namely that there are certain bounds on the interaction term [Formula: see text] which asserts the stability of the systems. We also present various stability diagrams of the reduced systems. An asymptotic analysis is then done for the critical points at infinity. Finally, we discuss the cosmological interpretation of our results.
Investigation of relativistic fermions with various energy–momentum distributions in q-deformed approach
Authors: Hassanabadi Hassan , Sedaghatnia Parisa , Chung Won Sang , Zarrinkamar Saber
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we investigate the [Formula: see text]-deformed Dirac equation. We obtain a quasi-exactly solvable equation. The energy–momentum distribution is considered using Landau–Lifshitz, Einstein and Papapetrou complexes and the results are discussed.
Thermal Transport Behavior of Carbon Nanotube–Graphene Junction under Deformation
Authors: Park Jungkyu , Pena Paul , Tekes Ayse
Published: October 2019

We employ molecular dynamics simulations to explore the effect of tensile strain on the thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT)–graphene junction structures. Two types of CNT–graphene junctions are simulated; a seamless junction between CNT and graphene with pure [Formula: see text] covalent bonds, and a junction with mixed [Formula: see text] covalent bonds are studied. The most interesting observation is that the thermal conductivity of a CNT–graphene junction structure increases with an increase in mechanical strain. For the case of a (6,6) CNT–graphene junction structure with an inter-pillar distance (the length of graphene floor between two CNT–graphene junctions) of 15[Formula: see text]nm, the thermal conductivity is improved by 22.4% with 0.1 tensile strain. The thermal conductivity improvement by mechanical strain is enhanced when a larger graphene floor is placed between junctions since a larger graphene floor allows larger deformation (larger tensile strain) without breaking bonds in the junction structure. However, the thermal conductivity is found to more strongly depend on the C–C bond hybridization at the intramolecular junctions with pure [Formula: see text] hybridization showing a higher thermal conductivity when compared to mixed [Formula: see text] bonding regardless of the amount of tensile strain. The obtained results will contribute to the development of flexible electronics by providing a theoretical background on the thermal transport of three-dimensional carbon nanostructures under deformation.
Unravelling the Neoproterozoic accretionary history of Oman, using an array of isotopic systems in zircon
Authors: Blades M. L. , Alessio B. L. , Collins A. S. , Foden J. , Payne J. L. , Glorie S. , Holden P. , Thorpe B. , Al-Khirbash S.
Published: October 2019

The Omani basement is a critical window into the Neoproterozoic tectonic geography of the Mozambique Ocean and the amalgamation of Gondwana. It is located east of the juvenile arc terranes of the Arabian–Nubian Shield, yet the relationship between the two is not well understood. Magmatic and detrital zircon samples were analysed from four main basement terranes: Mirbat, the Huqf, Jebel Ja'alan and Al Jobah. The U–Pb (zircon) ages from igneous samples give ages between 838 and 765 Ma. The Lu–Hf and oxygen isotopes show that the zircons are juvenile (ɛ
Hf
(
t
) values 10.5–8.7), with low δ
18
O values (
c.
2–6‰). Detritus from sediments in Mirbat, the southernmost basement outcrop, preserves a main age peak at
c.
786 Ma, with Lu–Hf between +6.05 and +12.64. Lu–Hf isotopic data for Proterozoic detrital zircons from Jebel Ja'alan suggest that this region was depositionally connected to a source yielding both evolved Tonian and Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic detritus. These sources could correlate to the terranes in India and South China, which record similarly low δ
18
O values. These data support a model in which Oman formed in its own tectonic domain, accreting onto the Neoproterozoic active margin of a continent.

Supplementary material
: All U–Pb, hafnium and oxygen data, and figures including all weighted average plots and initial
176
Hf/
177
Hf v.
206
Pb/
238
U age to aid in identifying Pb-loss in the data are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4682363
Muscle-derived SDF-1α/CXCL12 modulates endothelial cell proliferation but not exercise training-induced angiogenesis
Authors: Yamada Mami , Hokazono Chihiro , Tokizawa Ken , Marui Shuri , Iwata Masahiro , Lira Vitor A. , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Miura Shinji , Nagashima Kei , Okutsu Mitsuharu
Published: October 2019

Chemokines are critical mediators of angiogenesis in several physiological and pathological conditions; however, a potential role for muscle-derived chemokines in exercise-stimulated angiogenesis in skeletal muscle remains poorly understood. Here, we postulated that the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1α/C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12: CXCL12), shown to promote neovascularization in several organs, contributes to angiogenesis in skeletal muscle. We found that CXCL12 is abundantly expressed in capillary-rich oxidative soleus and exercise-trained plantaris muscles. CXCL12 mRNA and protein were also abundantly expressed in muscle-specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α transgenic mice, which have a high proportion of oxidative muscle fibers and capillaries when compared with wild-type littermates. We then generated CXCL12 muscle-specific knockout mice but observed normal baseline capillary density and normal angiogenesis in these mice when they were exercise trained. To get further insight into a potential CXCL12 role in a myofiber-endothelial cell crosstalk, we first mechanically stretched C2C12 myotubes, a model known to induce stretch-related chemokine release, and observed increased CXCL12 mRNA and protein. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to conditioned medium from cyclically stretched C2C12 myotubes displayed increased proliferation, which was dependent on CXCL12-mediated signaling through the CXCR4 receptor. However, HUVEC migration and tube formation were unaltered under these conditions. Collectively, our findings indicate that increased muscle contractile activity enhances CXCL12 production and release from muscle, potentially contributing to endothelial cell proliferation. However, redundant signals from other angiogenic factors are likely sufficient to sustain normal endothelial cell migration and tube formation activity, thereby preserving baseline capillary density and exercise training-mediated angiogenesis in muscles lacking CXCL12.