bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social capital, networks and interlocked independent directors: a Mexican case
Authors: Avina-Vazquez Carlos Rafael , Uddin Shahzad
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a pattern of interlocking directorates is emerging following reforms in Mexican corporations, and who, if any, are the powerful actors in this network. Drawing on the Bourdieusian notion of social capital, the paper also analyses theoretically the interlocking directorates, networks and powerful actors, and their influences on and potential implications for corporate governance mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data used in the study consisted of 1,442 internal and external board members of the population of 126 Mexican corporations trading on the Mexican Stock Market as of January 2011. Use of social network analysis (SNA) demonstrates individuals’ links with corporations and allows the production of spatial maps to visualise the network structure of interlocking boards.

Findings

– Using the measures of SNA developed by Freeman (1979 and Bonacich (1972), the authors identify the most powerful and influential directors in the network structure of board members in Mexico. Board members with the greatest number of connections occupy central positions in the network. The authors also find a catalogue of corporate governance scandals. The inclusion of independent directors seems to have had no influence in ensuring better corporate governance.

Research limitations/implications

– Mapping out the directors’ links might offer excellent opportunities for policy makers to see how many companies a single director represents, how they share boards, and the implications for minority shareholders of sharing boards, and to understand the workloads of directors in carrying out the monitoring tasks expected of them.

Originality/value

– This paper makes an important contribution by employing SNA to illustrate interlocking directorates and the positions of powerful and influential actors. Examining networks of directors from a “social capital” point of view also provides an understanding of why the role of independent directors remains toothless in family-dominated corporations.
Satisfaction gap in public sector financial reporting
Authors: Krambia-Kapardis Maria , Clark Colin , Zopiatis Anastasios
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– Public information disclosure is a manifestation of transparency and contributes to governance-by-disclosure. Also, better financial reporting can improve the credibility and integrity of public finances and contribute to a better management of public resources. A survey was carried out in Cyprus of users’ of public financial reports concerning an expectation gap about the types of information included in such reports (information needs expectation gap) as well as the quality of such information (information quality satisfaction gap). The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two focus groups of users and preparers of public financial reports were used to construct the questionnaire. Users of such reports, who belonged to all three categories of public sector financial reporting identified by IPSASB, were surveyed. The quantitative data obtained was analysed using SPSS and quadrant analysis to answer the research questions posed.

Findings

– Data from 101 respondents confirmed that each of the information needs identified in the IPSASB Consultation Paper (2008) was rated as being a significant information need. Data analysis also showed that both types of expectation gap exist, especially as far as local authority and semi-public organisations are concerned.

Research limitations/implications

– The response rate in the self-administered survey was admittedly rather low but it was not unexpected mainly due to the survey’s very specialised nature and the tendency by people in Cyprus not to critique public bodies.

Practical implications

– Deficient financial public sector reporting means the auditor general is not able to adequately express an opinion on public spending at the local government level. This, in turn, means taxpayers do not get the quality of services they pay for. At the same time, the lack of information transparency means corrupt practices are not eradicated. One answer to the problem would be legislating the content of public financial reports.

Social implications

– The lack of governance-by-public exposure means that services to the local community cost a lot more, due to corruption and inefficiency. In addition, it contributes to lowering market confidence and eventually contributes to financial crisis at the national level.

Originality/value

– The survey conducted was the first of its kind in Cyprus to investigate financial public sector reporting and document both manifestations of the expectation gap. In addition, information needs identified in the IPSASB Consultation Paper (2008) was rated as significantly needed and this is the first time it has been done in Eurozone member state and in a country facing a financial crisis.
On the tax-accounting linkage in the European emerging context
Authors: Deaconu Adela , Cuzdriorean Dan Dacian
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate stakeholders’ salience on accounting and in particular to assess the magnitude of state influence in Romania, an emerging context.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research integrates stakeholders’ theory and an empirical approach based on a survey administrated to professional accountants as preparers of accounts on the financial reporting market.

Findings

– The findings confirm the hypothesis of Mitchell et al. (1997) that the importance of stakeholders is high if attributes like power, legitimacy and claims urgency are perceived as current. In the Romanian emergent context, for the period 1991-2010, a relatively strong tax-accounting linkage is still identified according to Lamb et al.’s (1998) hierarchy. However, as compared to the absolute dominance observed for the early post-communist stage, the state holds the second position in terms of values of stakeholder attributes, after the shareholders.

Practical implications

– An increased influence of the accounting bodies, academics and business representatives, who should communicate effectively and constructively with the public structures with respect to enforcement of accounting regulations and the type of organizations involved. The higher focus on IFRS in the EU and in Romania and the evolution of Romanian economic and legal structures lead to the reassessment of the usefulness of IFRS, at least in the case of certain types of organizations. This is also due to the fact that the new IASB framework takes into consideration other types of stakeholders than (actual) shareholders along with the providers of finance from the entity and stewardship perspective.

Originality/value

– This paper argues that one of the factors of state influence in accounting is the tax-accounting linkage who is still occurs in this context in present. Also, refers to another factor that caused the watering down of the state’ position, namely, the growing impact of IFRS on Romanian financial reporting.
How dominant coalition members’ values and perceptions impact their perceptions of public relations participation in organizational decision making
Authors: Wilson Christopher
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand the extent to which dominant coalition members’ values and perceptions influence their perceptions of public relations participation in organization-level decision making. Research in this area has largely focussed on the relationship between practitioner roles and decision-making inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

– The population of interest was dominant coalition members of for-profit, government, and nonprofit organizations in the USA. Data were collected through a national survey to a nonrandom sample of 201 dominant coalition members.

Findings

– Results indicate that dominant coalition members’ values of organizational openness to the environment and perceived substantive autonomy of the organization positively predicted perceptions of public relations participation in organizational decision making. Perceived manager role potential of the public relations department also had significant predictive power.

Originality/value

– While research has focussed primarily on the characteristics that public relations practitioners can develop to earn a seat at the management table, little is known about the characteristics of dominant coalition members that influence whether or not a seat is made available or the degree to which public relations is perceived to participate in decision making.
Abusive supervision, knowledge sharing, and individual factors
Authors: Kim Seckyoung Loretta , Lee Soojin , Yun Seokhwa
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– By applying conservation-of-resource (COR) theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of a leader’s destructive behaviors, i.e., abusive supervision, on employee knowledge sharing and the moderating effects of learning goal orientation and self-enhancement motives on the aforementioned relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

– The hypotheses were tested using regression analysis on data from 245 employees in South Korea.

Findings

– The results showed that abused employees who experience depleted resources are likely to reduce their level of knowledge sharing, in accordance with COR theory. Furthermore, this research demonstrated that the negative effects of abusive supervision may differ depending on individual factors. Specifically, when an individual employee has low internal motivation or available resources for knowledge sharing (low learning orientation and high self-enhancement motive), the detrimental consequence of abusive supervision on knowledge sharing is worsened.

Practical implications

– The research suggests that managers should be aware of the deleterious effects of abusive supervision on knowledge sharing and should invest more time and effort in preventing abusive supervision in the workplace.

Originality/value

– Although organizations might invest significant amounts of effort in knowledge sharing, abusive supervision could be a barrier that discourages employees’ knowledge sharing. Yet, the strength of aforementioned relationship is dependent on individual factors. In order to achieve organizational effectiveness through knowledge sharing, the critical role of leaders’ behavior and employees’ characteristics or motivation should not be overlooked.
A theoretical classification of helping behavior and helping motives
Authors: Chou Shih Yung , Stauffer Joseph M.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a new classification of helping behavior using the recipient’s solicitation and the helper’s proactiveness. Additionally, the authors explore helping motives for each of the forms of helping behavior that the authors identify.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors examined relevant research and performed a theoretical analysis.

Findings

– The authors classified helping behavior into three distinct forms, including unsolicited proactive helping behavior, unsolicited reactive helping behavior, and solicited reactive helping behavior. Additionally, the authors claimed that unsolicited proactive helping behavior is an outcome of personality and dispositions, that unsolicited reactive helping behavior is a process of social and instrumental exchange, and that solicited reactive helping behavior is a product of functional motives.

Practical implications

– First, from the perspective of organizational justice, the authors recommend managers to take the form of helping behavior exhibited into consideration when evaluating employees’ helping behavior because certain forms of helping behavior require greater degrees of cooperation and sacrifices from the helper than other forms. Second, because employees who engage in high levels of unsolicited proactive helping behavior are likely to experience interrole conflict, the authors suggest that managers provide counseling and managerial support that help cope with emotional and psychological strain created by excessive role demands. Finally, findings of this study imply that managers need to create a workplace culture where employees can feel comfortable to solicit help when necessary.

Originality/value

– This is the first study that classifies helping behavior and helping motives using both of the helper’s and recipient’s perspectives.
“Unwanted” and “bad,” but not “sexual”
Authors: Adikaram Arosha S.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– As prior research has indicated, women who experience behaviors that fall under the accepted definitions of sexual harassment, do not label, acknowledge, or claim these behaviors as such. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative explanation for this non-labeling by arguing that apprehension in expressing sexuality, stemming from apparent subjugation of sex and sexuality by society, posited in a culturally value laden backdrop, leads to Sri Lankan women not labeling or acknowledging sexual harassment.

Design/methodology/approach

– Employing grounded theory, in-depth, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 40 working women.

Findings

– It was revealed that social construction of gender and sexuality in Sri Lankan society, with its instilled moralistic beliefs and norms such as respectability, sexual innocence, chastity, and purity among women, suppress and govern their sexuality in the workplace. The resultant self-surveillance and self-discipline lead to women evading expressing and using vocabulary denoting sexuality – including the term “sexual harassment” – mainly for fear of social censorship, self-blame, and victim blame.

Practical implications

– The study shows how policies and procedures of sexual harassment must heed the gendered everyday realities of women in workplaces and questions the capacity and utilization of these laws and policies that employ the label “sexual” in addressing the issue.

Originality/value

– This paper advances knowledge on sexual harassment by providing new insights on how cultural values and norms leading to social construction of gender and sexuality play an important role in non-labeling of sexual harassment. Moving further, this paper illustrates how Foucault’s treatise of “sexuality and power,” and “social construction of reality” can be employed to theorize non-labeling.
Do all Chinese employees have the same cultural values? An exploratory investigation on differences in Chinese cultural values among state-, privately-, and US-owned firms
Authors: Kim Kitae , Yoon Kwon , Cho Bongsoon , Li Longzhen , Choi Byoung Kwon
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– Using Hofstede’s cultural value model, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how Chinese employees’ cultural values differ according to firm ownership type such as state-, privately, and US-owned firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected from 367 Chinese employees working at firms located in Beijing.

Findings

– Results showed that while Chinese employees in state-owned firms scored the highest in collectivism, those working at privately and US-owned firms scored higher for individualism. The score for long-term orientation was also higher in state-owned firms than in privately and US-owned firms. However, contrary to the expectation, the scores for Chinese employees for power distance in state-owned firms were lower than in the others, while the scores for masculinity in state-owned firms were higher than for the others. Chinese employees in all three types of firms showed lower scores than reported in previous studies for uncertainty avoidance.

Practical implications

– This study contributes to a deepened understanding of how the cultural values of Chinese employees differ depending on firms’ ownership types, with significant implications for managers, who do business in China as they seek to establish management practices more closely aligned with the cultural values of Chinese employees.

Originality/value

– This study may be the first attempt to examine how Chinese cultural values differ according to various ownership types. It suggests that Chinese employees at privately and US-owned firms have different cultural values from employees at state-owned firms, even though all three groups of employees are Chinese.
Choosing performance measures for incentive compensation: experimental evidence
Authors: Coronado Freddy C. , Cancino Christian A.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explain how two task characteristics and two individual differences influence which heuristics individuals use, and as a results explain their decision performance when choosing performance measures (PMs) for incentive compensation.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 76 MS accounting students volunteered to participate in an experiment. A between-subjects experimental design was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The experimental evidence suggests that individuals, while using high-complexity heuristics, can choose an incorrect PM when PM attribute conflict is present and the difference between PM attribute differences is small. Individuals with high goal commitment are more likely to make the correct choice than individuals with low goal commitment, because they focus more on the PMs’ goal congruence than on the PMs’ noise when making tradeoffs between the conflicting PMs’ attributes.

Research limitations/implications

– The social context can stimulate individuals’ empathic concern and/or goal commitment and thus explain individuals’ performance when PM attribute conflict is present and the difference between PM attribute differences is small.

Practical implications

– The results of this study are important to those responsible for designing incentive systems give greater importance to considering not just congruency attributes in PM but precision attributes as well.

Originality/value

– This paper develops predictions and provides experimental evidence on two task characteristics that influence individuals’ use of heuristics when choosing PMs for incentive compensation. In addition, it provides evidence that individual differences can affect individuals’ PM choice performance when tradeoffs between PMs’ congruity and precision are required.
Multiple stakeholders and B2B branding in emerging markets
Authors: Tarnovskaya Veronika , Biedenbach Galina
Published: July 2016

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to investigate perceptions about and contributing activities to business-to-business (B2B) brand value by corporate managers and local stakeholders in the context of emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study examines brand strategies of a multinational company in the high-tech industry. By using NVIVO, this research analyses the brand narratives by corporate managers of Axis Communications in Sweden and local stakeholders in Russia, Brazil and India. The study evaluates perceptions about brand value and contributing activities emphasized by corporate managers, local managers, local partners and local end-customers.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that corporate managers underutilize contributing activities by local managers and other local stakeholders, despite these activities being central to enhancing brand value. This research provides insights into how corporate and local managers can develop successful brand strategies in emerging markets. Consequently, a general typology of contributing activities to B2B brand value by local stakeholders is proposed.

Originality/value

The company-centred approach to B2B branding stresses the importance of unique components of brand value and their consistent communication to multiple stakeholders. Prior studies provide limited evidence on how various stakeholders perceive brand value and enhance it through their contributing activities. Following the stakeholder-encompassing approach, this study advances branding research by examining perceptions about and contributing activities to B2B brand value by corporate managers and local stakeholders in a cross-cultural setting. Future studies are recommended to apply a stakeholder-encompassing approach in developed and transition economies and considering other relevant groups of stakeholders.
Applying the tilt‐depth and contact‐depth methods to the magnetic anomalies of thin dykes
Authors: Cooper G.R.J.
Published: July 2016

A new method for the calculation of the depth, location, and dip of thin dykes from pole‐reduced magnetic data is introduced. The depth can be obtained by measuring the distance between chosen values of a tilt angle that is based upon the ratio of the magnetic field and its Hilbert transform over the dyke. Alternatively, it can be obtained from the horizontal derivative of the ratio of the Hilbert transform of the field to the field itself, over the dyke. The latter method also allows the dip of the dyke to be estimated from the gradient of the depth estimates.
The effect of gauge length on axially incident P‐waves measured using fibre optic distributed vibration sensing
Authors: Dean Timothy , Cuny Theo , Hartog Arthur H.
Published: July 2016

Distributed vibration sensing, also known as distributed acoustic sensing, is a relatively new method for recording vertical seismic profile data using a fibre optic cable as the sensor. The signal obtained from such systems is a distributed measurement over a length of fibre referred to as the gauge length. In this paper, we show that gauge length selection is one of the most important acquisition parameters for a distributed vibration sensing survey. If the gauge length is too small, then the signal‐to‐noise ratio will be poor. If the gauge length is too large, resolution will be reduced and the shape of the wavelet will be distorted. The optimum gauge length, as derived here, is a function of the velocity and frequencies of the seismic waves being measured. If these attributes vary considerably over the depth of a survey, then the use of different gauge lengths is recommended. The significant increases in data quality resulting from the use of multiple gauge length values are demonstrated using field data.
Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis for Assessing the Authenticity of Food of Animal Origin
Authors: Camin Federica , Bontempo Luana , Perini Matteo , Piasentier Edi
Published: July 2016

The main elemental constituents (H, C, N, O, and S) of bio‐organic material have different stable isotopes (2H, 1H; 13C,12C; 15N,14N; 18O,17O,16O; 36S, 34S, 33S, and 32S). Isotopic ratios can be measured precisely and accurately using dedicated analytical techniques such as isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Analysis of these ratios shows potential for assessing the authenticity of food of animal origin. In this review, IRMS analysis of food of animal origin and variability factors related to stable isotope ratios in animals are described. The study also lists examples of application of stable isotope ratio analysis to meat, dairy products, fish, and shellfish and emphasizes the strengths and weaknesses of the technique. Geographical, climatic, pedological, geological, botanical, and agricultural factors affect the stable isotope ratios (SIR) of bio‐elements, and SIR variations are ultimately incorporated into animal tissue through eating, drinking, breathing, and exchange with the environment, being recorded in the resulting foods. SIR analysis was capable of determining geographical origin, animal diet, and the production system (such as organic/conventional or wild/farmed) for pork, beef, lamb, poultry, milk, butter, cheese, fish, and shellfish. In the case of the hard PDO (protected designations of origin) cheeses Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano it is also used in real‐life situations to assess the authenticity of grated and shredded cheese on the market.
Transcriptome analysis in the beet webworm, Spoladea recurvalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Chang Jian‐Cheng , Ramasamy Srinivasan
Published: July 2016

The beet webworm, Spoladea recurvalis Fabricius, is a destructive pest on vegetable crops in tropics and subtropics; its main host plant is amaranth. It has become imperative to develop non‐chemical methods to control S. recurvalis on amaranth. However, the lack of molecular information about this species has hindered the development of novel pest management strategies. In this study, high‐throughput RNA sequencing covering de novo sequence assemblies, functional annotation of transcripts, gene function classification and enrichment was performed on S. recurvalis. Illumina sequencing generated a total of 120 435 transcript contigs ranging from 201 to 22 729 bases with a mean length of 688 bases. The assembled transcripts were subjected to Basic Local Alignment Search Tool‐X (BLASTX) to obtain the annotations against non‐redundant, Swiss‐Prot, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) protein databases. A subset of 58 225 transcript sequences returned hits from known proteins in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, and the majority of the transcript sequences had the highest number of hits for Danaus plexippus (50.43%). A total of 1217 Gene Ontology‐level 3 annotations were assigned to 51 805 transcripts, while 39 650 transcripts were predicted as functional protein‐coding genes in the COG database and 20 037 transcripts were enriched to KEGG pathways. We identified 40 putative genes related to pheromone production and reception in S. recurvalis, with the expression of one gene between 0.29 and 1141.79 fragments per kilo base per million (FPKM) reads. The transcriptome sequence of S. recurvalis is a first step toward offering a comprehensive genomic resource which would enable better understanding of molecular mechanisms to enable development of effective pest management practices for this species.
Studying the “fly factor” phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms in house flies Musca domestica
Authors: Holl Matthew V. , Gries Gerhard
Published: July 2016

The “fly factor” was first discovered >60 years ago and describes the phenomenon that food currently or previously fed on by flies attracts more foraging flies than the same type and amount of food kept inaccessible to flies. Since then, there has been little progress made to understanding this phenomenon. Our objectives were (i) to demonstrate the existence of the fly factor in house flies, Musca domestica and (ii) to study underlying mechanisms that may cause or contribute to the fly factor. In 2‐choice laboratory bioassays, we obtained unambiguous evidence for a fly factor phenomenon in house flies, in that we demonstrated that feeding flies are more attractive to foraging flies than are nonfeeding flies, and that fed‐on food is more attractive to foraging flies than is “clean” food. Of the potential mechanisms (fly excreta, metabolic output parameters [elevated temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide]), causing the fly factor, fly feces, and regurgitate do attract foraging flies but none of the metabolic output parameters of feeding flies does. Even though feeding flies produce significantly more CO2 than nonfeeding flies, elevated levels of CO2 have no behavior‐modifying effect on flies. Preferential attraction of house flies to fly feces and regurgitate indicates that the flies sense airborne semiochemicals emanating from these sources. Hypothesizing that these semiochemicals are microbe‐produced, future studies will aim at isolating and mass producing these microbes to accumulate semiochemicals for identification.
Humanin exerts cardioprotection against cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury through attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Thummasorn Savitree , Apaijai Nattayaporn , Kerdphoo Sasiwan , Shinlapawittayatorn Krekwit , Chattipakorn Siriporn C. , Chattipakorn Nipon
Published: July 2016

Aim

Myocardial reperfusion via the re‐canalization of occluded coronary arteries is gold standard for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. However, reperfusion itself can cause myocardial damage due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, a process known as ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Cardiac mitochondria are the major organelle of ROS production in the heart. Cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction caused by an increased ROS production can increase cardiac arrhythmia incidence, myocardial infarct size, and cardiac dysfunction. Thus, preservation of cardiac mitochondrial function is a promising pharmacological approach to reduce cardiac I/R injury. Humanin (HN), a newly discovered 24‐amino acid polypeptide, has been shown to exert antioxidative stress and antiapoptotic effects. Although the cardioprotective effects of HN against I/R injury has been reported, the effect of HN on cardiac mitochondrial function has not yet been investigated. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that HN exerts its cardioprotective effects against I/R injury through the attenuation of cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction.

Methods

I/R protocol was carried out using a 30‐minutes occlusion of a left anterior descending coronary artery followed by a 120‐minutes of reperfusion. The plasma HN level, infarct size, arrhythmia incidence, left ventricular function, and cardiac mitochondrial function were determined.

Results

Endogenous HN level before I/R injury showed no difference between groups, but was markedly decreased after I/R injury. HN analogue pretreatment decreased arrhythmia incidence and infarct size, improved cardiac mitochondrial function, and attenuated cardiac dysfunction.

Conclusions

Humanin analogue pretreatment exerted cardioprotective effects against I/R injury through the attenuation of cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction.
Discussion of “The Effects of Vertical Pay Dispersion: Experimental Evidence in a Budget Setting”
Authors: Huddart Steven
Published: July 2016

Guo, Libby, and Liu (2017) (hereafter GLL), examine how pairs of experimental subjects interact in a game framed as a funding request from a privately informed subordinate to a superior. When the superior's pay is higher than the subordinate's, subordinates display more self‐serving dishonesty and superiors are more tolerant of it than when their pay is the same. In this discussion, I compare GLL's design with an ultimatum game, consider additional tensions that arise in pay‐level comparisons, address the applicability of their results, and suggest some extensions. I conclude by calling for new theory that regularizes GLL's surprising findings.
Neurobehavioral Deficits Consistent Across Age and Sex in Youth with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Panczakiewicz Amy L. , Glass Leila , Coles Claire D. , Kable Julie A. , Sowell Elizabeth R. , Wozniak Jeffrey R. , Jones Kenneth Lyons , Riley Edward P. , Mattson Sarah N. ,   the CIFASD
Published: July 2016

Background

Neurobehavioral consequences of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure are well documented; however, the role of age or sex in these effects has not been studied. The current study examined the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, sex, and age on neurobehavioral functioning in children.

Methods

Subjects were 407 youth with prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 192) and controls (n = 215). Two age groups (child [5 to 7 years] or adolescent [10 to 16 years]) and both sexes were included. All subjects completed standardized neuropsychological testing, and caregivers completed parent‐report measures of psychopathology and adaptive behavior. Neuropsychological functioning, psychopathology, and adaptive behavior were analyzed with separate 2 (exposure history) × 2 (sex) × 2 (age) multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs). Significant effects were followed by univariate analyses.

Results

No 3‐way or 2‐way interactions were significant. The main effect of group was significant in all 3 MANOVAs, with the control group performing better than the alcohol‐exposed group on all measures. The main effect of age was significant for neuropsychological performance and adaptive functioning across exposure groups with younger children performing better than older children on 3 measures (language, communication, socialization). Older children performed better than younger children on a different language measure. The main effect of sex was significant for neuropsychological performance and psychopathology; across exposure groups, males had stronger language and visual spatial scores and fewer somatic complaints than females.

Conclusions

Prenatal alcohol exposure resulted in impaired neuropsychological and behavioral functioning. Although adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure may perform more poorly than younger exposed children, the same was true for nonexposed children. Thus, these cross‐sectional data indicate that the developmental trajectory for neuropsychological and behavioral performance is not altered by prenatal alcohol exposure, but rather, deficits are consistent across the 2 age groups tested. Similarly, observed sex differences on specific measures were consistent across the groups and do not support sexually dimorphic effects in these domains.
Murine uterine decidualization is a novel function of autoimmune regulator—beyond immune tolerance
Authors: Soumya Vasanthi , Padmanabhan Renjini A. , Titus Shiny , Laloraya Malini
Published: July 2016

Problem

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy, candidiasis, and ectodermal dystrophy (APECED, APS‐1) patients characterized by Aire (autoimmune regulator) mutations and Aire homozygous knockouts (Aire−/−) exhibit infertility. It is not clear as to what contributes to infertility in the above.

Method of Study

This study investigates the expression of “AIRE in the uterus” and its contribution to early pregnancy of mice by using quantitative real‐time PCR analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and in vivo Aire silencing experiments.

Results

Aire (Isoform 1a) is expressed in the uterus during the “window of implantation” and decidualization. In vivo Aire silencing interfered with formation of implantation sites and stromal cell transformation by regulating bone morphogenetic protein‐2,4 (Bmp2, Bmp4), homeobox A10 (Hoxa10), and insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein 1(Igfbp1) leading to pregnancy failure.

Conclusion

Our consolidated results on extrathymic uterine expression of AIRE during early pregnancy and decidualization and impaired fertility on in vivo silencing are suggestive of its importance in pregnancy via a role beyond immune tolerance.
Neutrophil depletion reduces endometriotic lesion formation in mice
Authors: Takamura Masashi , Koga Kaori , Izumi Gentaro , Urata Yoko , Nagai Miwako , Hasegawa Akiko , Harada Miyuki , Hirata Tetsuya , Hirota Yasushi , Wada‐Hiraike Osamu , Fujii Tomoyuki , Osuga Yutaka
Published: July 2016

Problem

Neutrophils are known to be accumulated in endometriosis; however, direct evidence of the impact of neutrophils in the development of endometriosis was lacking. To clarify the importance of neutrophils, we examined the effect of neutrophil depletion on the development of endometriosis.

Method of study

Ovariectomized, estradiol‐replaced, 8‐week‐old, female BALB/c mice were injected with endometrial fragments (Day 0). Neutrophils were depleted by anti‐Gr‐1 antibody, either in the early stage (from Day 1 to Day 3, group E) or late stage (from Day 8 to Day 12, group L). Control mice (group C) did not receive antibodies. On Day 14, mice were killed and the number and weight of endometriotic lesions were counted and weighed.

Results

The number of endometriotic lesions was significantly less in group E in comparison with Group C and Group L. Weight per lesion did not differ between groups.

Conclusion

Neutrophils are essential for the initial formation of endometriosis.
The Immovable Foundations of the Infinite and Immortal: Tocqueville's Philosophical Anthropology
Authors: Kitch Sarah Beth V.
Published: July 2016

My purpose in this essay is to show that the enduring value of Alexis de Tocqueville's work is rooted in his philosophical anthropology, or view of human nature. In Democracy in America, Tocqueville reveals his view of human nature as he treats the relationship between religion and politics in the democratic social state. His political science remains valuable because he understands human beings as creatures distinguished by their desire for the infinite and immortal. In sum, for Tocqueville, religion is an essential support of liberty in the democratic social state because it answers the soul's desire for the infinite and immortal, and provides the foundations for personal and political justice.
ASH1L (a histone methyltransferase protein) is a novel candidate globin gene regulator revealed by genetic study of an English family with beta‐thalassaemia unlinked to the beta‐globin locus
Authors: Breton Amandine , Theodorou Andria , Aktuna Suleyman , Sonzogni Laura , Darling David , Chan Lucas , Menzel Stephan , van der Spek Peter J. , Swagemakers Sigrid M.A. , Grosveld Frank , Philipsen Sjaak , Thein Swee Lay
Published: July 2016

In 1993, we described an English family with beta‐thalassaemia that was not linked to the beta‐globin locus. Whole genome sequence analyses revealed potential causative mutations in 15 different genes, of which 4 were consistently and uniquely associated with the phenotype in all 7 affected family members, also confirmed by genetic linkage analysis. Of the 4 genes, which are present in a centromeric region of chromosome 1, ASH1L was proposed as causative through functional mRNA knock‐down and chromatin‐immunoprecipitation studies in human erythroid progenitor cells. Our data suggest a putative role for ASH1L (Trithorax protein) in the regulation of globin genes.
Haematopoietic cell transplantation with and without sorafenib maintenance for patients with FLT3‐ITD acute myeloid leukaemia in first complete remission
Authors: Brunner Andrew M. , Li Shuli , Fathi Amir T. , Wadleigh Martha , Ho Vincent T. , Collier Kerry , Connolly Christine , Ballen Karen K. , Cutler Corey S. , Dey Bimalangshu R. , El‐Jawahri Areej , Nikiforow Sarah , McAfee Steven L. , Koreth John , Deangelo Daniel J. , Alyea Edwin P. , Antin Joseph H. , Spitzer Thomas R. , Stone Richard M. , Soiffer Robert J. , Chen Yi‐Bin
Published: July 2016

We performed a retrospective study analysing the effect of sorafenib, an oral fms‐Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 (FLT3)/multikinase inhibitor, as post‐transplant maintenance in adult patients with FLT3‐internal tandem duplication (ITD) acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We identified consecutive patients with FLT3‐ITD AML diagnosed between 2008 and 2014 who received haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in first complete remission (CR1). Post‐HCT initiation of sorafenib (yes/no) was evaluated as a time‐varying covariate in the overall survival/progression‐free survival (OS/PFS) analysis and we performed a landmark analysis of controls alive without relapse at the median date of sorafenib initiation. We identified 26 sorafenib patients and 55 controls. Median follow‐up was 27·2 months post‐HCT for sorafenib survivors, and 38·4 months for controls (P = 0·021). The median time to initiating sorafenib was 68 days post‐HCT; 43 controls were alive without relapse at this cut‐off. Sorafenib patients had improved 2‐year OS in the d+68 landmark analysis (81% vs. 62%, P = 0·029). Sorafenib was associated with improved 2‐year PFS (82% vs. 53%, P = 0·0081) and lower 2‐year cumulative incidence of relapse (8·2% vs. 37·7%, P = 0·0077). In multivariate analysis, sorafenib significantly improved OS [Hazard ratio (HR) 0·26, P = 0·021] and PFS (HR 0·25, P = 0·016). There was no difference in 2‐year non‐relapse mortality (9·8% vs. 9·3%, P = 0·82) or 1‐year chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (55·5% vs. 37·2%, P = 0·28). These findings suggest potential benefit of post‐HCT sorafenib in FLT3‐ITD AML, and support further evaluation of post‐HCT FLT3 inhibition.
Elotuzumab in combination with thalidomide and low‐dose dexamethasone: a phase 2 single‐arm safety study in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
Authors: Mateos María‐Victoria , Granell Miguel , Oriol Albert , Martinez‐Lopez Joaquin , Blade Joan , Hernandez Miguel T. , Martín Jesus , Gironella Mercedes , Lynch Mark , Bleickardt Eric , Paliwal Prashni , Singhal Anil , San‐Miguel Jesus
Published: July 2016

Elotuzumab is an immunostimulatory, humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that selectively targets and kills signalling lymphocytic activation molecule family member 7–expressing myeloma cells. We evaluated the safety and tolerability of elotuzumab 10 mg/kg combined with thalidomide 50–200 mg and dexamethasone 40 mg (with/without cyclophosphamide 50 mg) in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). The primary endpoint was the proportion of grade ≥3 non‐haematological adverse events (AEs); other endpoints included the number of dose reductions/discontinuations and efficacy. Forty patients were treated, who had a median of three previous therapies, including bortezomib (98%) and lenalidomide (73%). Grade ≥3 non‐haematological AEs were reported in 63% of patients, most commonly asthenia (35%) and peripheral oedema (25%). Six (15%) patients had an infusion reaction. Twenty‐six (65%) patients had ≥1 dose reduction/discontinuation due to an AE, none related to elotuzumab. Overall response rate was 38%; median progression‐free survival was 3·9 months. Median overall survival was 16·3 months and the 1‐year survival rate was 63%. Minimal incremental toxicity was observed with addition of elotuzumab to thalidomide/dexamethasone with or without cyclophosphamide, and efficacy data suggest clinical benefit in a highly pre‐treated population. Elotuzumab combined with thalidomide may provide an additional treatment option for patients with RRMM.
Liquid biopsy: ready to guide therapy in advanced prostate cancer?
Authors: Hegemann Miriam , Stenzl Arnulf , Bedke Jens , Chi Kim N. , Black Peter C. , Todenhöfer Tilman
Published: July 2016

The identification of molecular markers associated with response to specific therapy is a key step for the implementation of personalised treatment strategies in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Only in a low proportion of patients biopsies of metastatic tissue are performed. Circulating tumour cells (CTC), cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) and RNA offer the potential for non‐invasive characterisation of disease and molecular stratification of patients. Furthermore, a ‘liquid biopsy’ approach permits longitudinal assessments, allowing sequential monitoring of response and progression and the potential to alter therapy based on observed molecular changes. In prostate cancer, CTC enumeration using the CellSearch© platform correlates with survival. Recent studies on the presence of androgen receptor (AR) variants in CTC have shown that such molecular characterisation of CTC provides a potential for identifying patients with resistance to agents that inhibit the androgen signalling axis, such as abiraterone and enzalutamide. New developments in CTC isolation, as well as in vitro and in vivo analysis of CTC will further promote the use of CTC as a tool for retrieving molecular information from advanced tumours in order to identify mechanisms of therapy resistance. In addition to CTC, nucleic acids such as RNA and cfDNA released by tumour cells into the peripheral blood contain important information on transcriptomic and genomic alterations in the tumours. Initial studies have shown that genomic alterations of the AR and other genes detected in CTC or cfDNA of patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer correlate with treatment outcomes to enzalutamide and abiraterone. Due to recent developments in high‐throughput analysis techniques, it is likely that CTC, cfDNA and RNA will be an important component of personalised treatment strategies in the future.
A 22‐year retrospective study: educational update and new referral pattern of age at orchidopexy
Authors: Wei Yi , Wu Sheng‐de , Wang Yang‐cai , Lin Tao , He Da‐wei , Li Xu‐liang , Liu Jun‐hong , Liu Xing , Hua Yi , Lu Peng , Zhang De‐ying , Wen Sheng , Wei Guang‐hui
Published: July 2016

Objectives

To determine the current age at orchidopexy in China and whether changing targets have altered practice, as research suggesting progressive deterioration in an undescended testis (UDT) has led to the reduction in the target age for orchidopexy to 6–12 months but it is still unknown whether changing targets have altered practice.

Patients and Methods

The demographics of orchidopexies performed in the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between 1993 and 2014 were reviewed. A survey of the general publics’ awareness of UDT and survey of primary healthcare practitioners’ current opinion on age at orchidopexy and referral patterns were performed.

Results

In all, 3784 orchidopexies were performed over 22 years. The median age at orchidopexy fell between 1993 and 2014. There was an initial drop in the median age for orchidopexy between 2000 and 2010 (36 months) compared with 1993 and 2000 (48 months) (P < 0.05); however, beyond the corresponding target age (<18 months). The age for orchidopexy between 2010 and 2014 was also beyond the corresponding target age (6–9 months). The survey of the general public showed that 0.98% had knowledge of UDT and none of them knew about the target age for orchidopexy in the survey of 5393 cases. In all, 63.46% of them were told about the UDT by healthcare practitioners at the 1–4 months postnatal baby check. Furthermore, only 2% of the healthcare practitioners knew the recommended age for orchidopexy was 6–9 months and only 14.3% of them would directly make a surgical referral to paediatric surgery specifically at this point.

Conclusions

The recommended orchidopexy age is not being achieved and we recognise the national need to address this. The approach should include the right cognition of cryptorchidism among the general public and earlier primary care referral directly from the routine postnatal baby check to a specialist centre prepared to undertake surgery in this age group.
ProCare Trial: a phase II randomized controlled trial of shared care for follow‐up of men with prostate cancer
Authors: Emery Jon D. , Jefford Michael , King Madeleine , Hayne Dickon , Martin Andrew , Doorey Juanita , Hyatt Amelia , Habgood Emily , Lim Tee , Hawks Cynthia , Pirotta Marie , Trevena Lyndal , Schofield Penelope
Published: July 2016

Objectives

To test the feasibility and efficacy of a multifaceted model of shared care for men after completion of treatment for prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

Men who had completed treatment for low‐ to moderate‐risk prostate cancer within the previous 8 weeks were eligible. Participants were randomized to usual care or shared care. Shared care entailed substituting two hospital visits with three visits in primary care, a survivorship care plan, recall and reminders, and screening for distress and unmet needs. Outcome measures included psychological distress, prostate cancer‐specific quality of life, satisfaction and preferences for care and healthcare resource use.

Results

A total of 88 men were randomized (shared care n = 45; usual care n = 43). There were no clinically important or statistically significant differences between groups with regard to distress, prostate cancer‐specific quality of life or satisfaction with care. At the end of the trial, men in the intervention group were significantly more likely to prefer a shared care model to hospital follow‐up than those in the control group (intervention 63% vs control 24%; P<0.001). There was high compliance with prostate‐specific antigen monitoring in both groups. The shared care model was cheaper than usual care (shared care AUS$1411; usual care AUS$1728; difference AUS$323 [plausible range AUS$91–554]).

Conclusion

Well‐structured shared care for men with low‐ to moderate‐risk prostate cancer is feasible and appears to produce clinically similar outcomes to those of standard care, at a lower cost.