bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian adjustment for trend of colorectal cancer incidence in misclassified registering across Iranian provinces
Authors: Shojaee Sajad , Hajizadeh Nastaran , Najafimehr Hadis , Busani Luca , Pourhoseingholi Mohamad Amin , Baghestani Ahmad Reza , Nasserinejad Maryam , Ashtari Sara , Zali Mohammad Reza
Published: June 2018

One of the problems in cancer registry of developing countries is misclassification error. This error leads to overestimation and underestimation of cancer rate in different provinces. The aim of this study is to use Bayesian method to correct for misclassification in registering cancer incidence in neighboring provinces of Iran. Incidence data of colorectal cancer were extracted from Iranian annual of national cancer registration reports 2005 to 2008 And Eighteen of the thirty Iranian provinces were selected to enter the Bayesian model and to correct their misclassification. Always a province with appropriate medical facilities is comparable to its neighbor or neighbors. Between years of 2005 and 2008, on the average, 28% misclassification was estimated between the province of East Azarbaijan and West Azarbayjan, 56% between the province of Fars and Hormozgan, 43% between the province of Isfahan and Charmahal and Bakhtyari, 46% between the province of Isfahan and Lorestan, 58% between the province of Razavi Khorasan and North Khorasan, 50% between the province of Razavi Khorasan and South Khorasan, 74% between the province of Razavi Khorasan and Sistan and Balochestan, 43% between the province of Mazandaran and Golestan, 37% between the province of Tehran and Qazvin, 45% between the province of Tehran and Markazi, 42% between the province of Tehran and Qom, 47% between the province of Tehran and Zanjan. Correcting the regional misclassification and obtaining the correct rates of cancer incidence in different regions is necessary for making cancer control and prevention programs and in healthcare resource allocation.
Locus Coeruleus tracking of prediction errors optimises cognitive flexibility: an Active Inference model
Authors: Sales Anna C , Friston Karl J. , Jones Matthew W. , Pickering Anthony E. , Moran Rosalyn J.
Published: June 2018

The locus coeruleus (LC) in the pons is the major source of noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. Two modes of LC firing have been associated with distinct cognitive states: changes in tonic rates of firing are correlated with global levels of arousal and behavioural flexibility, whilst phasic LC responses are evoked by salient stimuli. Here, we unify these two modes of firing by modelling the response of the LC as a correlate of a prediction error when inferring states for action planning under Active Inference (AI).

We simulate a classic Go/No-go reward learning task and a three-arm foraging task and show that, if LC activity is considered to reflect the magnitude of high level ‘state-action’ prediction errors, then both tonic and phasic modes of firing are emergent features of belief updating. We also demonstrate that when contingencies change, AI agents can update their internal models more quickly by feeding back this state-action prediction error – reflected in LC firing and noradrenaline release – to optimise learning rate, enabling large adjustments over short timescales. We propose that such prediction errors are mediated by cortico-LC connections, whilst ascending input from LC to cortex modulates belief updating in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

In short, we characterise the LC/ NA system within a general theory of brain function. In doing so, we show that contrasting, behaviour-dependent firing patterns are an emergent property of the LC’s crucial role in translating prediction errors into an optimal mediation between plasticity and stability.

Author Summary

The brain uses sensory information to build internal models and make predictions about the world. When errors of prediction occur, models must be updated to ensure desired outcomes are still achieved. Neuromodulator chemicals provide a possible pathway for triggering such changes in brain state. One such neuromodulator, noradrenaline, originates predominantly from a cluster of neurons in the brainstem – the locus coeruleus (LC) – and plays a key role in behaviour, for instance, in determining the balance between exploiting or exploring the environment.

Here we use Active Inference (AI), a mathematical model of perception and action, to formally describe LC function. We propose that LC activity is triggered by errors in prediction and that the subsequent release of noradrenaline alters the rate of learning about the environment. Biologically, this describes an LC-cortex feedback loop promoting behavioural flexibility in times of uncertainty. We model LC output as a simulated animal performs two tasks known to elicit archetypal responses. We find that experimentally observed ‘phasic’ and ‘tonic’ patterns of LC activity emerge naturally, and that modulation of learning rates improves task performance. This provides a simple, unified computational account of noradrenergic computational function within a general model of behaviour.
A model for postzygotic mosaicisms quantifies the allele fraction drift, mutation rate, and contribution to de novo mutations
Authors: Ye Adam Yongxin , Dou Yanmei , Yang Xiaoxu , Wang Sheng , Huang August Yue , Wei Liping
Published: June 2018

The allele fraction (AF) distribution, occurrence rate, and evolutionary contribution of postzygotic single-nucleotide mosaicisms (pSNMs) remain largely unknown. In this study, we developed a mathematical model to describe the accumulation and AF drift of pSNMs during the development of multicellular organisms. By applying the model, we quantitatively analyzed two large-scale data sets of pSNMs identified from human genomes. We found that the postzygotic mutation rate per cell division during early embryogenesis, especially during the first cell division, was higher than the average mutation rate in either male or female gametes. We estimated that the stochastic cell death rate per cell cleavage during human embryogenesis was ∼5%, and parental pSNMs occurring during the first three cell divisions contributed to ∼10% of the de novo mutations observed in children. We further demonstrated that the genomic profiles of pSNMs could be used to measure the divergence distance between tissues. Our results highlight the importance of pSNMs in estimating recurrence risk and clarified the quantitative relationship between postzygotic and de novo mutations.
Towards a practical implementation of X-ray ghost imaging with synchrotron light
Authors: Pelliccia Daniele , Olbinado Margie P. , Rack Alexander , Kingston Andrew M. , Myers Glenn R. , Paganin David M.
Published: June 2018

An experimental procedure for transmission X-ray ghost imaging using synchrotron light is presented. Hard X-rays from an undulator were divided by a beamsplitter to produce two copies of a speckled incident beam. Both beams were simultaneously measured on an indirect pixellated detector and the intensity correlation between the two copies was used to retrieve the ghost image of samples placed in one of the two beams, without measuring the samples directly. Aiming at future practical uses of X-ray ghost imaging, the authors discuss details regarding data acquisition, image reconstruction strategies and measure the point-spread function of the ghost-imaging system. This approach may become relevant for applications of ghost imaging with X-ray sources such as undulators in storage rings, free-electron lasers and lower-coherence laboratory facilities.
Chlamydia protein Pgp3 studied at high resolution in a new crystal form
Authors: Khurshid Sahir , Govada Lata , Wills Gillian , McClure Myra O. , Helliwell John R. , Chayen Naomi E.
Published: June 2018

The protein Pgp3 is implicated in the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia and comprises an extended complex arrangement of a C-terminal domain (CTD) and an N-terminal domain (NTD) linked by a triple-helix coiled coil (THCC). Here, the X-ray crystal structure of Pgp3 from an LGV1 strain is reported at the highest X-ray diffraction resolution obtained to date for the full protein. The protein was crystallized using a high concentration of potassium bromide, which resulted in a new crystal form with relatively low solvent content that diffracted to a resolution of 1.98 Å. The three-dimensional structure of this new crystal form is described and compared with those of other crystal forms, and the potassium bromide binding sites and the relevance to chlamydia isolates from around the globe are described. The crystal packing is apparently driven by the CTDs. Since the threefold axes of the THCC and NTD are not collinear with the threefold axis of a CTD, this naturally leads to disorder in the THCC and the portion of the NTD that does not directly interact with the CTDviacrystal packing. The key avenue to resolving these oddities in the crystal structure analysis was a complete new analysis in space groupP1 and determining the space group asP212121. This space-group assignment was that originally determined from the diffraction pattern but was perhaps complicated by translational noncrystallographic symmetry. This crystal structure of a three-domain multi-macromolecular complex with two misaligned threefold axes was a unique challenge and has not been encountered before. It is suggested that a specific intermolecular interaction, possibly of functional significance in receptor binding in chlamydia, might allow the design of a new chemotherapeutic agent against chlamydia.
A numerical method for deriving shape functions of nanoparticles for pair distribution function refinements
Authors: Usher Tedi-Marie , Olds Daniel , Liu Jue , Page Katharine
Published: June 2018

In the structural refinement of nanoparticles, discrete atomistic modeling can be used for small nanocrystals (< 15 nm), but becomes computationally unfeasible at larger sizes, where instead unit-cell-based small-box modeling is usually employed. However, the effect of the nanocrystal's shape is often ignored or accounted for with a spherical model regardless of the actual shape due to the complexities of solving and implementing accurate shape effects. Recent advancements have provided a way to determine the shape function directly from a pair distribution function calculated from a discrete atomistic model of any given shape, including both regular polyhedra (e.g. cubes, spheres, octahedra) and anisotropic shapes (e.g. rods, discs, ellipsoids) [Olds et al. (2015). J. Appl. Cryst.
48, 1651–1659], although this approach is still limited to small size regimes due to computational demands. In order to accurately account for the effects of nanoparticle size and shape in small-box refinements, a numerical or analytical description is needed. This article presents a methodology to derive numerical approximations of nanoparticle shape functions by fitting to a training set of known shape functions; the numerical approximations can then be employed on larger sizes yielding a more accurate and physically meaningful refined nanoparticle size. The method is demonstrated on a series of simulated and real data sets, and a table of pre-calculated shape function expressions for a selection of common shapes is provided.
Understanding the value of big data in supply chain management and its business processes
Authors: Brinch Morten
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The value of big data in supply chain management (SCM) is typically motivated by the improvement of business processes and decision-making practices. However, the aspect of value associated with big data in SCM is not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to mitigate the weakly understood nature of big data concerning big data’s value in SCM from a business process perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A content-analysis-based literature review has been completed, in which an inductive and three-level coding procedure has been applied on 72 articles.

Findings

By identifying and defining constructs, a big data SCM framework is offered using business process theory and value theory as lenses. Value discovery, value creation and value capture represent different value dimensions and bring a multifaceted view on how to understand and realize the value of big data.

Research limitations/implications

This study further elucidates big data and SCM literature by adding additional insights to how the value of big data in SCM can be conceptualized. As a limitation, the constructs and assimilated measures need further empirical evidence.

Practical implications

Practitioners could adopt the findings for conceptualization of strategies and educational purposes. Furthermore, the findings give guidance on how to discover, create and capture the value of big data.

Originality/value

Extant SCM theory has provided various views to big data. This study synthesizes big data and brings a multifaceted view on its value from a business process perspective. Construct definitions, measures and research propositions are introduced as an important step to guide future studies and research designs.
The impacts of public investment on private investment and economic growth
Authors: Nguyen Canh Thi , Trinh Lua Thi
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess both short and long-term influences of public investment on economic growth and test the hypothesis that whether public investment promotes or demotes private investment in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the approach of autoregressive distributed lag model and Vietnam’s macro data in the period of 1990-2016, to evaluate the short and long-term effects of public investment on economic growth and private investment. The model evaluates the impact of public investment on economic growth and private investment based on the neoclassical theories. The public investment which strongly affects economic growth is also reflected by aggregate supply and demand. Public investment directly impacts aggregate demand as a government expenditure and aggregate supply as a production function (capital factor).

Findings

The results from this research indicate that public investment in Vietnam in the past period does affect economic growth in the pattern of an inverted-U shape as of Barro (1990), with positive effects mostly occurring from the second year and negative effects of constraining long-term growth. Meanwhile, investment from the private sector, state-owned enterprises, and FDI has positive effects on short-term economic growth and state-owned capital stock has positive impacts on economic growth in both the short and long run. The estimated influence of public investment on private investment also shows a similar inverted-U shape in which public investment have crowding-in private investment short-term but crowding-out in the long run.

Practical implications

The empirical findings in this study can be used for conducting a more efficient policy in restructuring the state sector investment in Vietnam.

Originality/value

The main contributions in this study are: to evaluate the impacts of public investment on economic growth and private investment, the authors extracted public investment in infrastructure from aggregate investment of state sector (as previous studies used); the authors also uses state-owned capital stock variable including cumulative public investment and state-owned enterprises investment suggesting that this could control for the different orders of integration between the stock and flow variable and improve the experimental characteristics of the equation to a higher degree.
Holy guacamole! Framing and the Chipotle contamination issue
Authors: Brummette John , Fussell Sisco Hilary
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the networks that form around an organizational crisis and identify the most predominant frames communicated by the traditional media and other social media users.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the systematic analysis of 3,000 tweets, this study utilized the social analysis method to map and measure how crisis information spreads through social media as well as a content analysis to identify the type of frames being communicated online immediately following a crisis.

Findings

The results of this analysis show that the media were the most active and influential sharers of information following Chipotle’s E. coli crisis. This information shaped the frame of the story, which focused on the hazard components involved in the crisis and the outrage of the organization’s publics. Consequently, stakeholders framed the situation as an issue of policy due to poor food handling procedures.

Practical implications

This study also reaffirms the important presence of traditional media organizations as the originators of information in a crisis. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate how Twitter can serve as a framing tool for an organization’s stakeholders. Communication managers and professionals can use the methods in this study to gauge public sentiment and obtain information that can be used to shape their consequent crisis management efforts.

Originality/value

Findings from this study reveal that as awareness of an issue spreads, stakeholders will quickly turn to social media to obtain and share information, as well as communicate about the issue with other social media users. This study demonstrates how the SNA method can be used to develop theory, in the realm of social media and online communication and provide guidance for professionals crafting their communication.
Persistence in incarcerations: global comparative evidence
Authors: Asongu Simplice
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess how incarcerations persist across the world. The focus is on 163 countries for the period 2010-2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical evidence is based on generalized method of moments. In order to increase room for policy implications, the data set is decomposed into sub-samples based on income levels, religious domination, openness to the sea, regional proximity and legal origins.

Findings

The following main findings are established. Incarcerations are more persistent in low income, Christian-protestant and Latin American countries while comparative evidence is not feasible on the basis of landlockedness and legal origins owing to unfavorable post-estimation diagnostic tests. Justifications for the comparative advantages and relevance of findings to theory building in public economics are discussed.

Practical implications

First, income levels matter in the persistence of incarcerations because low-income nations vis-à-vis their high-income counterparts have less financial resources with which to prevent and deal with events like terrorism, political instability and violence that lead to incarcerations. Second, the intuition for religious domination builds on the fact that liberal societies can be more associated with incarcerations compared to conservative societies. The main theoretical contribution of this study to the literature is that the authors have built on empirical validity to provide theoretical justification as to why categorizing countries on the basis of selected fundamental characteristics determine cross-country variations in incarcerations. Such evidence is important for theory building in public economics.

Originality/value

It is important for policy makers to understand the persistence of incarcerations across nations because resources could be allocated to regions and countries, contingent on the relative importance of future incarceration tendencies.
Authenticity-based strategizing: moving business schools beyond accreditations and rankings
Authors: Guillotin Bertrand , Mangematin Vincent
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Massive open online courses (MOOCs), Millennials, a major financial crisis, and legitimacy issues in a mature sector, ridden by mass imitation, have plunged many business schools into an unprecedented turmoil. Most deans are struggling to address it. In such a mature sector, differentiation is a strategic option to protect profit margins. While accreditations and rankings have reinforced imitation, the purpose of this paper is to propose authenticity as a strategic differentiation mechanism to turn this turmoil into a renaissance of purposeful, credible, and successful business schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use an inductive, qualitative approach based on the multiple case studies analysis of six American and European business schools.

Findings

Accreditation-based reputation alone is no longer a competitive advantage. It is based on credibility and reputation. Authenticity can be used to regain credibility. The authors propose to define authenticity as the specificity of the education and the local embeddedness of a business school. Authenticity emphasizes the student experience’s idiosyncratic nature. Building on idiosyncrasy allows business schools to differentiate themselves, maintain credibility, enhance reputation, and regain market share in a mature market, ridden by imitation.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on a limited number of cases in three developed countries. Emerging markets are not considered.

Practical implications

The paper opens new strategic perspectives for deans.

Originality/value

The paper promotes the concept of authenticity-based strategizing, used successfully in the wine industry, for business schools to cope with their turmoil and to maintain high margins as their market matures. It emphasizes the idiosyncratic dimension of education and its strategic value.
Emotion display and suppression among Arab and Jewish assistant principals in Israel
Authors: Arar Khalid , Oplatka Izhar
Published: June 2018

Purpose

It is widely accepted that educational leaders and teachers need to manage and regulate their emotions continually, mainly because schooling and teaching processes expose many emotions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to trace the ways Israeli assistant principals, both Arab and Jewish, manage their emotions at work.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on semi-structured interviews with 15 assistant principals, it was found that they are required to manage their emotions in accordance with entrenched emotion rules in the culture and society.

Findings

Most of the Jewish female APs tend to display warmth and empathy toward teachers in order to better understand their personal needs and professional performances. In contrast, Arab APs suppressed or fabricated emotional expression in their discourse with teachers and parents, in order to maintain a professional façade and retain the internal cohesion of the school. Both groups of APs believed their emotion regulation results in higher level of harmony in the school. Empirical and practical suggestions are put forward.

Originality/value

The paper is original and contributes to the theoretical and practical knowledge.
Towards adaptive tourism areas: using fitness landscapes for managing and futureproofing tourism area development
Authors: Hartman Stefan
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Tourism areas are challenged to become adaptive areas in the context of a dynamic networked society and globalizing economy. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an enhanced understanding and conceptualization of adaptive tourism areas by drawing attention to “fitness landscapes,” a metaphor that is used in complexity theories to visualize development trajectories of adaptive systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Fitness landscapes, and its underlying theories, are useful to conceptualize tourism area development as a stepwise movement through a dynamic landscape with peaks and valleys. Doing so allows us to highlight why adaptation is a crucial property for tourism areas that are embedded in dynamic contexts and offers a frame of thought for how tourism areas can be managed.

Findings

The article raises awareness about and draws attention to a set of factors and conditions that support tourism planners and managers in enhancing the capacity of tourism areas to adaptively respond to changing circumstances.

Originality/value

Introducing fitness landscapes contribute to the discussion on adaptive capacity building – a topic that contributes to managing uncertain futures and is likely to gain importance in the dynamic society. Moreover, it helps as well as stimulates tourism scholars to further develop this topic. Finally, it helps tourism planners to build adaptive capacity in practice.
Purchase intention in social commerce
Authors: Chen Chia-Chen , Hsiao Kuo-Lun , Wu Shan-Jung
Published: June 2018

Purpose

With the advent of the digital era, the internet has gradually become an essential factor in people’s lives. Its increasing popularity has also caused e-commerce to thrive, and has increased the power of online marketing. In recent years, social commerce has emerged as a new mode of operation which can be distinguished from traditional e-commerce. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The main purpose of this study is to determine which factors influence a consumer’s behavioral intention in the context of social commerce websites, and to explore overall purchase intentions based on the consumer’s cognitive evaluation. The examination reveals that consumers’ multidimensional perceptions influence both their perceptions of value and their purchase intentions. Other related social awareness factors explored by this study are also shown to influence customers’ purchase intentions.

Findings

In summary, the results show that perceived value and social awareness factors influence customers’ purchasing decisions and behavioral intentions for different gender. These findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications.

Originality/value

Social commerce is a subset of e-commerce brought about by the development of social networking. Activities conducted on social networking websites can be considered as a form of social commerce. In Taiwan, social commerce is still in the early stages of development.
(How) Does 360-degree feedback benefit the field of entrepreneurship?
Authors: Miao Chao , Humphrey Ronald H. , Qian Shanshan , Oh In-Sue
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Most of the studies in entrepreneurship depend on single-source rating methods to collect data on both predictors and criteria. The threat to effect sizes as a result of using single-source ratings is particularly relevant to psychology-based entrepreneurship research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the prospects of applying 360-degree feedback to the field of entrepreneurship and to discuss a set of cases regarding how 360-degree feedback may boost effect sizes in entrepreneurship research.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative review of current literature was performed.

Findings

The review indicated that the effect sizes in psychology-based entrepreneurship research are mostly small and the use of single-source ratings is prevalent; some preliminary findings supported the utility of 360-degree feedback in entrepreneurship research; entrepreneurial orientation (EO) research may benefit from 360-degree feedback; and members of top management teams, employees from research and product development, sales agents, retail buying agents, store sales clerks, and consumers are all valid informants to provide ratings of EO.

Originality/value

The present study provided theoretical explanations and used empirical evidence to elucidate how 360-degree feedback may benefit the field of entrepreneurship. In addition, recommendations for future research using 360-degree feedback in entrepreneurship research were offered and discussed. A sample research study on EO using 360-degree feedback was delineated.
Seasonal shifts in the insect gut microbiome are concurrent with changes in cold tolerance and immunity
Authors: Ferguson Laura V. , Dhakal Pranav , Lebenzon Jacqueline E. , Heinrichs David E. , Bucking Carol , Sinclair Brent J.
Published: June 2018

Seasonal changes in the environment, such as varying temperature, have the potential to change the functional relationship between ectothermic animals, such as insects, and their microbiomes. Our objectives were to determine: (a) whether seasonal changes in temperature shift the composition of the insect gut microbiome, and (b) whether changes in the microbiome are concomitant with changes in the physiology of the host, including the immune system and response to cold.

We exposed laboratory populations of the spring field cricket, Gryllus veletis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), to simulated overwintering conditions in both a laboratory microcosm and a field‐like microcosm containing soil and leaves. In summer, autumn, winter and spring, we extracted and sequenced 16S bacterial genomic DNA from cricket guts, to capture seasonal variation in the composition of the microbiome.

The composition of the gut microbiome was similar between microcosms, and overall highly anaerobic. In both microcosms, we captured similar seasonal variation in the composition of the microbiome, where overwintering resulted in permanent changes to these microbial communities. In particular, the abundance of Pseudomonas spp. decreased, and that of Wolbachia spp. increased, during overwintering.

Concurrent with overwintering changes in the gut microbiome, G. veletis acquire freeze tolerance and immune function shifts temporarily, returning to summer levels of activity in the spring. In a specific manner, haemocyte concentrations increase but survival of fungal infection decreases in the winter, whereas the ability to clear bacteria from the haemolymph remains unchanged.

Overall, we demonstrate that the gut microbiome does shift seasonally, and in concert with other physiological changes. We hypothesize that these changes may be linked, and suggest that it will next be important to determine whether these changes in the microbiome contribute to host overwintering success.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Trait plasticity is more important than genetic variation in determining species richness of associated communities
Authors: Barbour Matthew A. , Erlandson Sonya , Peay Kabir , Locke Brendan , Jules Erik S. , Crutsinger Gregory M.
Published: June 2018

Intraspecific variation can be an important driver of ecological interactions in species‐rich communities. Predicting the effects of intraspecific variation in different environments, however, remains a major challenge. This is because we often do not quantify both the effects of functional traits on associated communities and the extent to which trait variation is due to genetics (genotype effects) vs. plasticity (environment effects). As a consequence, the relative importance of trait plasticity vs. genetic variation in structuring associated communities remains unclear.

We sought to fill this gap by conducting common garden experiments with the plant Salix hookeriana across biotic (ant–aphid interactions) and abiotic (wind exposure) environmental gradients in a coastal dune ecosystem. In each experiment, we simultaneously measured plant traits and species richness of associated above‐ and below‐ground communities. We then used statistical models to quantify the relative importance of trait plasticity vs. genetic variation in structuring communities.

Our major finding was that trait plasticity was more important than genetic variation in determining the number of species in associated communities. This result was consistent across different environmental contexts (experimental manipulations of ant–aphid interactions and wind exposure), multiple years, and for above‐ground arthropods and root microbes. This occurred because the traits that had the largest effect on species richness were also the most plastic.

Synthesis. These results indicate that trait plasticity can be a dominant driver of above‐ and below‐ground biodiversity.
Of ‘Strong’ Leadership, Crisis Communication, and Pooper Scoopers: Change in the Queensland Public Service Under Newman
Authors: Grant‐Smith Deanna Chantal Cristina , Colley Linda Katurah
Published: June 2018

Governments have historically offered their workforce a public service bargain founded on stable pay and conditions and job security. However, while the Westminster system aims for public service employment to be protected from the whims of government, public servants are nonetheless affected by the political environment in which they operate and changes to this bargain can occur with a new government. This paper focuses on a Queensland public service change process that resulted in large‐scale forced redundancies, non‐renewal of temporary contracts, and legislative changes that nullified the provisions in job security, organisational change, and redundancy policies. Using communication as a lens through which to understand leadership, it examines how the government communicated with the public service about this organisational change, immediately before and after the 2012 election. In particular, through analysis of public and media commentary, speeches and Hansard records, it examines Premier Newman's change leadership and communication by contrasting pre‐election messages to the public service with post‐election messages about the public service and the justifications for change during this period of downsizing. This analysis is used to reflect on political leadership, communication, fair treatment, and trust in public service change.
Negotiating the Problem of Airport Noise: Comparative Lessons from the Australian Experience
Authors: Freestone Robert , Baker Douglas
Published: June 2018

This paper critically examines recent responses by and interactions between stakeholders in negotiating the acceptability of aircraft noise standards in Australia in order to help inform debate in Britain. It investigates the interplay of the politics of noise with the broader land use planning context focusing on the role of government, airports, community interests, and the development sector. Different local environments inevitably frame diverse contexts, but the pervasive challenge is in securing the acceptable trade‐off between the economic dividends promised by airports and local quality of life. Discussion is structured around four main issues: an introduction to the Australian politics of airport noise, an historical timeline of key contextual events, identification of the major actors in the noise governance framework, and a focus on an issue of increasing political significance, namely the different positions of airports and developers in the increasing intensification of urban development.
Review article: Utility of troponin after syncope: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Stark Claire B , Smit De Villiers , Mitra Biswadev
Published: June 2018

The role of serum troponin testing in patients presenting to the ED after syncope is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the practice and utility of troponin testing among patients presenting to the ED after syncope. We conducted a search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases from 1990 to February 2017 using keyword and subject headings for syncope and troponin testing. Design and results of the included studies are extracted. Studies were assessed for heterogeneity and the pooled proportion of measured troponin and positive troponin result described. There were nine studies included for analysis. Significant statistical heterogeneity among studies was observed (P < 0.001). Using the random effects model, the pooled proportion of patients presenting to the ED after syncope who had troponin measured was 0.64 (95% CI 0.46–0.82). Among patients who had been troponin tested, the pooled proportion who had a positive result was 0.19 (95% CI 0.13–0.26). Variability among reported outcomes prevented further meta‐analysis. Troponin testing was commonly performed for the assessment of patients with syncope with a substantial proportion returning positive results. The correlation between raised troponin and patient outcomes was not adequately reported. It is possible that an elevated troponin may indicate serious illness, rather than myocardial damage alone.
Development of internal COI primers to improve and extend barcoding of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini)
Authors: Krosch Matt N. , Strutt Francesca , Blacket Mark J. , Batovska Jana , Starkie Melissa , Clarke Anthony R. , Cameron Stephen L. , Schutze Mark K.
Published: June 2018

Accurate species‐level identifications underpin many aspects of basic and applied biology; however, identifications can be hampered by a lack of discriminating morphological characters, taxonomic expertise or time. Molecular approaches, such as DNA “barcoding” of the cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene, are argued to overcome these issues. However, nuclear encoding of mitochondrial genes (numts) and poor amplification success of suboptimally preserved specimens can lead to erroneous identifications. One insect group for which these molecular and morphological problems are significant are the dacine fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini). We addressed these issues associated with COI barcoding in the dacines by first assessing several “universal” COI primers against public mitochondrial genome and numt sequences for dacine taxa. We then modified a set of four primers that more closely matched true dacine COI sequence and amplified two overlapping portions of the COI barcode region. Our new primers were tested alongside universal primers on a selection of dacine species, including both fresh preserved and decades‐old dry specimens. Additionally, Bactrocera tryoni mitochondrial and nuclear genomes were compared to identify putative numts. Four numt clades were identified, three of which were amplified using existing universal primers. In contrast, our new primers preferentially amplified the “true” mitochondrial COI barcode in all dacine species tested. The new primers also successfully amplified partial barcodes from dry specimens for which full length barcodes were unobtainable. Thus we recommend these new primers be incorporated into the suites of primers used by diagnosticians and quarantine labs for the accurate identification of dacine species.
Wrapped in the Flag: Food Choice and Country of Origin Labelling
Authors: Fraser Iain , Balcombe Kelvin
Published: June 2018

The growth in country of origin (COO) food labelling is part of the ongoing proliferation of information provided to consumers. However, the implementation of COO labelling means that consumers can sometimes end up more confused than informed. This concern raises questions regarding how COO information should be provided, along with what information needs to be given to consumers. We begin by discussing what COO actually indicates. This is followed by a review of the evidence on consumer use of COO information. Then turning to current policy issues, we draw attention to how COO information can be used to promote consumer ethnocentrism as well as inadvertently causing trade tensions both between trading countries and within the EU single market. We then consider how developments in information technology like blockchains or smart labels might change how COO information is collated and used. In particular, we observe that any increase in the use of this technology will depend on whether or not consumers trust these new digital sources of information. Potentially, the convenience with which COO information could be verified by consumers using information technology is a logical development given consumer demands for convenience in general.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of biodegradable polymer versus durable polymer drug‐eluting stents incorporating real‐world evidence
Authors: Teng Monica , Zhao Ying Jiao , Khoo Ai Leng , Ananthakrishna Rajiv , Yeo Tiong Cheng , Lim Boon Peng , Chan Mark Y. , Loh Joshua P.
Published: June 2018

Aim

Compared with second‐generation durable polymer drug‐eluting stents (DP‐DES), the cost‐effectiveness of biodegradable polymer drug‐eluting stents (BP‐DES) remains unclear in the real‐world setting. We assessed the cost‐effectiveness of BP‐DES in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

We developed a decision‐analytic model to compare the cost‐effectiveness of BP‐DES to DP‐DES over 1 year and 5 years from healthcare payer perspective. Relative treatment effects during the first year post‐PCI were obtained from a real‐world population analysis while clinical event risks in the subsequent 4 years were derived from a meta‐analysis of published studies.

Results

At 1 year, based on the clinical data analysis of 497 propensity‐score matched pairs of patients, BP‐DES were associated with an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of USD20 503 per quality‐adjusted life‐year (QALY) gained. At 5 years, BP‐DES yielded an ICER of USD4062 per QALY gained. At the willingness‐to‐pay threshold of USD50 400 (one gross domestic product per capita in Singapore in 2015), BP‐DES were cost‐effective. Sensitivity analysis showed that the cost of stents had a significant impact on the cost‐effectiveness of BP‐DES. Threshold analysis demonstrated that if the cost difference between BP‐DES and DP‐DES exceeded USD493, BP‐DES would not be cost‐effective in patients with 1 year of follow‐up.

Conclusions

Biodegradable polymer drug‐eluting stents were cost‐effective compared with DP‐DES in patients with coronary artery disease at 1 year and 5 years after PCI. It is worth noting that the cost of stents had a significant impact on the findings.
Multilayered Governance and the International Financial Architecture: The Erosion of Multilateralism in International Liquidity Provision
Authors: Eichengreen Barry , Lombardi Domenico , Malkin Anton
Published: June 2018

We analyze the ‘plurilateralization’ of global financial governance, defined as the proliferation of bilateral, regional and global governance arrangements, exploring how these have shaped international monetary and financial relations. We argue that the added layers of governance are the outgrowth of four factors: the demand for an international lender of last resort, the need to manage cross‐border financial and monetary policy spillovers, the desire for policy ownership and flexibility in an increasingly globalized world, and the confluence of bilateral liquidity provision policies with countries’ strategic foreign economic policy goals. Despite the desire to rationalize and streamline an increasingly complex international financial architecture, we argue that plurilateral governance is here to stay. We therefore offer some guidelines for living with this complexity.
Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC): Patient/Family‐informed Research Priorities for Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Authors: Bialy Liza , Plint Amy C. , Freedman Stephen B. , Johnson David W. , Curran Janet A. , Stang Antonia S. ,   Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC)
Published: June 2018

Background

A growing body of literature supports patient and public involvement in the design, prioritization, and dissemination of research and evidence‐based medicine. The objectives of this project were to engage patients and families in developing a prioritized list of research topics for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) and to compare results with prior research prioritization initiatives in the emergency department (ED) setting.

Methods

We utilized a systematic process to combine administrative data on frequency of patient presentations to the ED with multiple stakeholder input including an initial stakeholder survey followed by a modified Delphi consensus methodology consisting of two Web‐based surveys and a face‐to‐face meeting.

Results

The prioritization process resulted in a ranked list of 15 research priorities. The top five priorities were mental health presentations, pain and sedation, practice tools, quality of care delivery, and resource utilization. Mental health, pain and sedation, clinical prediction rules, respiratory illnesses/wheeze, patient safety/medication error, and sepsis were identified as shared priorities with prior initiatives. Topics identified in our process that were not identified in prior work included resource utilization, ED communication, antibiotic stewardship, and patient/family adherence with recommendations.

Conclusions

This work identifies key priorities for research in PEM. Comparing our results with prior initiatives in the ED setting identified shared research priorities and opportunities for collaboration among PEM research networks. This work in particular makes an important contribution to the existing literature by including the patient/family perspective missing from prior work.
Opioid Misuse as a Predictor of Alcohol Treatment Outcomes in the COMBINE Study: Mediation by Medication Adherence
Authors: Witkiewitz Katie , Votaw Victoria R. , Vowles Kevin E. , Kranzler Henry R.
Published: June 2018

Background

Alcohol is often consumed with opioids and alcohol misuse interferes with treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Drug misuse is associated with worse alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment outcomes, yet no studies have investigated the role of opioid misuse in AUD treatment outcomes.

Methods

We conducted secondary analyses of the medication conditions of the COMBINE study (n = 1,226), a randomized clinical trial of medications (acamprosate and/or naltrexone) and behavioral interventions (medication management and/or behavioral intervention) for alcohol dependence. We examined associations between baseline opioid misuse and the use of cannabis and other drugs with time to first drinking day, time to first heavy drinking day, and the frequency and intensity of drinking during treatment and 1 year following treatment, based on latent profile analysis. Opioid misuse was defined as use of illicit or prescription opioids without a prescription or not as directed in the previous 6 months, in the absence of OUD. Self‐reported cannabis and other drug use were also examined. Seventy individuals (5.7%) met the opioid misuse definition and 542 (44.2%) reported use of cannabis or other drugs without opioid misuse. We also examined medication adherence as a potential mediator.

Results

Baseline opioid misuse significantly predicted the time to first heavy drinking day (OR = 1.38 [95% CI: 1.13, 1.64], p = 0.001) and a higher probability of being in a heavier and more frequent drinking profile at the end of treatment (OR = 2.90 [95% CI: 1.43, 5.90], p = 0.003), and at 1 year following treatment (OR = 2.66 [95% CI: 1.26, 5.59], p = 0.01). Cannabis and other drug use also predicted outcomes. Medication adherence partially mediated the association between opioid misuse, cannabis use, other drug use, and treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

Opioid misuse and other drug use were associated with poorer AUD treatment outcomes, which was partially mediated by medication adherence. Clinicians and researchers should assess opioid misuse and other drug use in patients undergoing AUD treatment.