bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A two-stage OGI approach to compute the regional competitiveness index
Authors: Charles Vincent , Sei Tomonari
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Regional competitiveness refers to the capacity of a region to manage its resources and competencies to increase the well-being of its people. Measuring regional competitiveness is, thus, a major consideration for policymakers, businesses and the academic community in their endeavour to improve the same. This paper aims to demonstrate a novel way to calculate the regional competitiveness index under a two-stage objective general index (OGI) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors compute the regional competitiveness index under a two-stage OGI framework. In the first stage, they aggregate the sub-factor level information into a factor level index; in the second stage, they use the factor level index to obtain a regional competitiveness index.

Findings

The authors discuss the properties of the proposed index in detail. They further analyse five periods of regional competitiveness of Peru spanning the period 2008-2015. Among others, the results reveal the existence of the resource curse of the mining regions of Peru.

Practical implications

The paper is a contribution to the practical measurement of competitiveness.

Social implications

The calculation of a regional competitiveness index is vital for improving the competitiveness of the countries and for reducing regional inequalities.

Originality/value

When compared to the existent methods available in the literature, the advantage of the proposed method resides in the fact that the derived index has a positive correlation with the factor-level indices and the factor-level indices have a positive correlation with the sub-factor-level information.
Restructuration of architectural practice in integrated project delivery (IPD): two case studies
Authors: Abdirad Hamid , Dossick Carrie S.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify that while integrated project delivery (IPD) methods can be momenta for restructuring architectural practice, they do not predetermine specific patterns of restructuration for the roles, responsibilities and services of architects.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a multiple case study design; two IPD projects were theoretically sampled and studied. The data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and observations. An inductive data analysis approach was applied to frame the phenomena, conduct cross-case comparisons and develop propositions.

Findings

While IPD implementations set expectations for new structures for practices, it is the project participants’ situated decisions that lead to the restructuration of some dimensions of architectural practice. The dimensions in this study included team formation, design leadership and collaboration and architectural services. IPD project participants locally changed and redefined conventional roles, responsibilities and project artifacts (e.g. drawings and models) that concerned design development and coordination.

Practical implications

IPD context, by itself, does not predetermine a fixed pattern of change in establishing designers’ roles, responsibilities and services because restructuration is highly negotiated amongst the IPD parties and can lead to different responses to this contractual setting. Contracts set expectations for collaborative behavior, but the fulfillment of these expectations is situated and emerging as project participants negotiate to develop practices.

Originality/value

While IPD research and guidelines aim to provide recipes for IPD implementation, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by clarifying that IPD is a context in which unprecedented ways of practice restructuration could emerge.
Computation of flow and heat transfer through channels with periodic dimple/protrusion walls using low-Reynolds number turbulence models
Authors: Fazli Mohammad , Raisee Mehrdad
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to predict turbulent flow and heat transfer through different channels with periodic dimple/protrusion walls. More specifically, the performance of various low-Rek-ε turbulence models in prediction of local heat transfer coefficient is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

Three low-Re numberk-εturbulence models (the zonalk-ε, the lineark-εand the nonlineark-ε) are used. Computations are performed for three geometries, namely, a channel with a single dimpled wall, a channel with double dimpled walls and a channel with a single dimple/protrusion wall. The predictions are obtained using an in house finite volume code.

Findings

The numerical predictions indicate that the nonlineark-εmodel predicts a larger recirculation bubble inside the dimple with stronger impingement and upwash flow than the zonal and lineark-εmodels. The heat transfer results show that the zonalk-εmodel returns weak thermal predictions in all test cases in comparison to other turbulence models. Use of the lineark-εmodel leads to improvement in heat transfer predictions inside the dimples and their back rim. However, the most accurate thermal predictions are obtained via the nonlineark-εmodel. As expected, the replacement of the algebraic length-scale correction term with the differential version improves the heat transfer predictions of both linear and nonlineark-εmodels.

Originality/value

The most reliable turbulence model of the current study (i.e. nonlineark-εmodel) may be used for design and optimization of various thermal systems using dimples for heat transfer enhancement (e.g. heat exchangers and internal cooling system of gas turbine blades).
A framework for reporting and dealing with end-user security policy compliance
Authors: Alotaibi Mutlaq Jalimid , Furnell Steven , Clarke Nathan
Published: February 2019

Purpose

It is widely acknowledged that non-compliance of employees with information security polices is one of the major challenges facing organisations. This paper aims to propose a model that is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for raising the level of compliance amongst end-users, with the aim of monitoring, measuring and responding to users’ behaviour with an information security policy.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is based on two main concepts: a taxonomy of the response strategy to non-compliant behaviour and a compliance points system. The response taxonomy comprises two categories: awareness raising and enforcement of the security policy. The compliance points system is used to reward compliant behaviour and penalise non-compliant behaviour.

Findings

A prototype system has been developed to simulate the proposed model and work as a real system that responds to the behaviour of users (reflecting both violations and compliance behaviour). In addition, the model has been evaluated by interviewing experts from academic and industry. They considered the proposed model to offers a novel approach for managing end users’ behaviour with the information security policies.

Research limitations/implications

Psychological factors were out of the research scope at this stage. The proposed model may have some psychological impacts upon users; therefore, this issue needs to be considered by studying the potential impacts and the best solutions.

Originality/value

Users being compliant with the information security policies of their organisation is the key to strengthen information security. Therefore, when employees have a good level of compliance with security policies, this positively affects the overall security of an organisation.
Are tattoos still a taboo?
Authors: Ozanne Marie , Tews Michael J. , Mattila Anna S.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

As tattoos increase in popularity, questions persist regarding their impact on customer perceptions. To help shed light into this issue, this paper aims to explore the impact of tattooed restaurant servers in the context of service failures. Through the agency and communion theory, the authors propose that a female server with tattoos induces higher levels of negative word of mouth (WOM) intention than her male counterpart. Furthermore, the authors propose that perceived competence mediates this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a 2 (tattoos status: yes, no) × 2 (server’s gender: male, female) experimental design, a panel of consumers were exposed to a restaurant service failure scenario with a photograph of a server. Depending on the condition, the server was either a male or female and had (or not) a tattoo on their left arm and neck. The same tattoo design was used for both genders.

Findings

The findings indicate that, in a service failure context, customers’ propensity to generate negative WOM does not differ across tattooed (vs non-tattooed) servers. However, contrary to the expectations of the authors, people tend to react more negatively to a male (vs female) server with tattoos.

Originality/value

Research on tattoos in the customer service context is scant, especially in hospitality. Furthermore, no previous study on tattoos has empirically tested a mediation process explaining differences in customer perceptions. Contrary to previous findings, this study demonstrates that an exposure to male (vs female) tattooed servers increases customers’ propensity to generate negative WOM. In other words, the type of profession coupled with the employees’ gender might influence customer perceptions. Furthermore, as customers’ propensity to generate negative WOM did not increase when served by a tattooed (vs non-tattooed) employee, managers in aesthetic labor industries, such as the foodservice business, can be more accepting of employees with tattoos.
Association between technological innovation and firm performance in small and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Wang Dja Shin
Published: February 2019

Purpose

In developing countries, numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must innovate because of their scarce resources. This study aims to address the ambidextrous innovation (radical and incremental) associated with firm performance on the SMEs and investigate the moderating effect of environmental factors on the relationship between technological innovation and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors formulate a path model with the variables to investigate the impacts of the two different innovation strategies and their joint effects on firm performance. Meanwhile, they hypothesized that external environmental factors – market dynamism, labour availability, business cost and competitive hostility – moderate the association of radical and incremental innovations with firm performance. The validity of the proposed model was evaluated using a structural equation modelling approach. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the convergent validity of the constructs.

Findings

The authors find that positive association between radical innovation and firm performance; it shows that the radical innovation strategies are positively related to firm performance in SMEs. They also find that the relationship between radical innovation and firm performance has moderated by environmental factors. Second, they find that the incremental innovation strategies have a negative impact to firm performance, and the relationship between incremental innovation and firm performance has no moderated by environmental factors.

Practical implications

This paper suggests that the managers of SMEs must involve in technological innovation, and offer fourth main implications above. In particular, the authors forewarn SMEs’ managers of the necessity of generating that the relationship between radical innovation and firm performance has moderated by environmental factors, there are approaches fourth items around.

Originality/value

This study highlights the crucial importance of the mediating role of environmental dynamism when examining the relationship between ambidexterity (radical and incremental innovations) with firm performance; firms can perceive environmental factors and develop technological innovation strategies to enhance business performance.
Malawi mathematics teacher educators’ understanding of Lesson Study
Authors: Fauskanger Janne , Jakobsen Arne , Kazima Mercy
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the challenges involved in introducing Lesson Study (LS) into teacher education in Malawi by studying mathematics teacher educators’ (TEs’) understanding of planning for LS.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a part of a wider ongoing project designed to improve the quality and capacity of mathematics teacher education in Malawi. One of its components is professional development of all mathematics TEs in Malawi using an LS model. The units being analyzed comprise of the TEs’ written lesson plans and qualitative content analysis is the chosen analytical approach.

Findings

Based on the analyzed research lesson plans, the TEs have difficulty in focusing on their own learning parallel to the student teachers’ (STs’) learning, and struggle with predicting STs’ responses to tasks. In addition, there is a pervasive lack of emphasis on planned and focused observation of STs’ learning, as evidenced by a review of the research lesson plans.

Research limitations/implications

This is a small-scale study due to LS being introduced to Malawi teacher education for the first time and the need to test before possible upscaling.

Practical implications

The paper includes a description of mathematics TEs’ understanding of LS in an African context, which can be a valuable information for TEs who are attempting to use LS.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about TEs’ understanding of LS worldwide.
Do local politicians really want collaborative governance?
Authors: Sønderskov Mette
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess, empirically, the opinions of local politicians concerning citizen participation in collaborative governance processes. Elected politicians play a key role as gatekeepers when it comes to the political impact of participatory initiatives, and by examining their attitudes, it is possible to get an understanding of perceived challenges from the perspective of elected representatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical findings come from an ongoing project studying democratic innovation, the primary objective of which is to understand how local politicians think about efforts to increase or deepen citizen participation in political decision making. The source of data is interviews with 29 members of the executive boards of four Norwegian municipalities.

Findings

Although most of the politicians acknowledge that good reasons exist to facilitate greater citizen involvement, they are particularly worried about figuring out how to realise “inclusiveness” and “popular control” as two democratic goods. They appear to think most people are not motivated to participate; thus, they do not think it is possible or desirable to interact more directly with citizens in collaborative processes to develop shared recommendations for new solutions to public problems.

Research limitations/implications

The municipalities in this study are not a representative sample of Norwegian municipalities, as each has expressed an interest in democratic innovation. Thus, they would be expected to have more positive attitudes than the average municipality.

Originality/value

Given that elected representatives decide whether and how to involve citizens in political decision-making processes, their attitudes are crucial to understanding and explaining collaborative governance efforts in western democracies.
Hybrid clinical-managers in Kenyan hospitals
Authors: Nzinga Jacinta , McGivern Gerry , English Mike
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the way “hybrid” clinical managers in Kenyan public hospitals interpret and enact hybrid clinical managerial roles in complex healthcare settings affected by professional, managerial and practical norms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a case study of two Kenyan district hospitals, involving repeated interviews with eight mid-level clinical managers complemented by interviews with 51 frontline workers and 6 senior managers, and 480 h of ethnographic field observations. The authors analysed and theorised data by combining inductive and deductive approaches in an iterative cycle.

Findings

Kenyan hybrid clinical managers were unprepared for managerial roles and mostly reluctant to do them. Therefore, hybrids’ understandings and enactment of their roles was determined by strong professional norms, official hospital management norms (perceived to be dysfunctional and unsupportive) and local practical norms developed in response to this context. To navigate the tensions between managerial and clinical roles in the absence of management skills and effective structures, hybrids drew meaning from clinical roles, navigating tensions using prevailing routines and unofficial practical norms.

Practical implications

Understanding hybrids’ interpretation and enactment of their roles is shaped by context and social norms and this is vital in determining the future development of health system’s leadership and governance. Thus, healthcare reforms or efforts aimed towards increasing compliance of public servants have little influence on behaviour of key actors because they fail to address or acknowledge the norms affecting behaviours in practice. The authors suggest that a key skill for clinical managers in managers in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) is learning how to read, navigate and when opportune use local practical norms to improve service delivery when possible and to help them operate in these new roles.

Originality/value

The authors believe that this paper is the first to empirically examine and discuss hybrid clinical healthcare in the LMICs context. The authors make a novel theoretical contribution by describing the important role of practical norms in LMIC healthcare contexts, alongside managerial and professional norms, and ways in which these provide hybrids with considerable agency which has not been previously discussed in the relevant literature.
eTourism: ICT and its role for tourism management
Authors: Pierdicca Roberto , Paolanti Marina , Frontoni Emanuele
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present innovative information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure specifically designed and optimized for the tourism sector. The case presented, “La Valle del Pensare lungo il corso del Potenza”, has been conceived with the aim of providing a digital infrastructure to ten municipalities in the Marche Region (Italy), nestled among the valley of the Potenza River. This research project is aimed at developing an important communication system that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory, promoting historical centers, cultural heritage, green areas and interesting places.

Design/methodology/approach

“La Valle del Pensare” information system has the main feature of being scalable and multi-purpose, as the contents can be managed and conveyed through the website, app mobile, totem touch screen and standard tourist signage. It is integrated and modular and allows to manage multiple information, ensuring an interoperable and multi-channel approach. It is designed for small municipalities in the province of Macerata to connect the territory’s resources and activities through a network.

Findings

This work represents an important communication system, i.e. innovative ICT infrastructure that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory. Thanks to the collection of user-generated data, the platform allows monitoring of usage statistics and performances. In this way, the municipalities can infer useful information about user’s preferences and needs. The paper also discusses how “La Valle del Pensare” gives identity to the territory, which is not identified as a simple summation of the Common, but as a recognizable system that intends to implement the level of competitiveness through the creation of a real territorial logo able to identify vocations and specificity of the Valley of the Potenza.

Originality/value

The value of the project lies in the ICT system, able to convey information at different scales, providing the users with updated contents; at the same time, administrations can constantly monitor its performances, being able to infer useful information about tourists’ needs, habits and preferences. The main contributions are the creation of a single cloud-based architecture for the management of multiple multi- media contents, to be exploited in various platforms; the design of a unique content management system used by several small municipalities of a same territory; the monitoring user’s preferences and needs by collecting users’ generated data; and the analysis of meaningful statistics about the tourists, tested and verified in real scenario with real users.
Reflection‐constrained 2D and 3D non‐hyperbolic moveout analysis using particle swarm optimization
Authors: Wilson Hamish , Gross Lutz
Published: February 2019

The objective of moveout parameter inversion is to derive sets of parameter models that can be used for moveout correction and stacking at each common midpoint location to increase the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the data and to provide insights into the kinematic characteristics of the data amongst other things. In this paper, we introduce a data‐driven user‐constrained optimization scheme that utilizes manual picks at a point on each reflector within a common midpoint gather to constrain the search space in which an optimization procedure can search for the optimal parameter sets at each reflection. The picks are used to create boundary curves which can be derived approximately via an optimization technique or analytically via the derivation of an analytical bounds function. In this paper, we derive analytical forms of bounds functions for four different moveout cases. These are normal moveout, non‐hyperbolic moveout, azimuthally dependent normal moveout and azimuthally dependent non‐hyperbolic moveout. The optimization procedure utilized here to search for the optimal moveout parameters is the particle swarm optimization technique. However, any metaheuristic optimization procedure could be modified to account for the constraints introduced in this paper. The technique is tested on two‐layer synthetic models based on three of the four moveout cases discussed in this paper. It is also applied to an elastic forward modelled synthetic model called the HESS model, and finally to real 2D land data from Alaska. The resultant stacks show a marked improvement in the signal‐to‐noise ratio compared to the raw stacks. The results for the normal moveout, non‐hyperbolic moveout and azimuthally dependent normal moveout tests suggest that the method is viable for said models. Results demonstrate that our method offers potential as an alternative to conventional parameter picking and inversion schemes, particularly for some cases where the number of parameters in the moveout approximation is 2 or greater.
Pre‐stack Kirchhoff depth migration local space‐shift imaging condition: synthetic and data examples
Authors: O'Brien G.S. , Delaney S.J. , Igoe M.
Published: February 2019

Extracting accurate common image angle gathers from pre‐stack depth migrations is important in the generation of any incremental uplift to the amplitude versus angle attributes and seismic inversions that can lead to significant impacts in exploration and development success. The commonly used Kirchhoff migration outputs surface common offset image gathers that require a transformation to angle gathers for amplitude versus angle analysis. The accuracy of this transformation is one of the factors that determine the robustness of the amplitude versus angle measurements. Here, we investigate the possibility of implementing an extended imaging condition, focusing on the space‐lag condition, for generating subsurface reflection angle gathers within a Kirchhoff migration. The objective is to determine if exploiting the spatial local shift imaging condition can provide any increase in angle gather fidelity relative to the common offset image gathers. The same restrictions with a ray‐based approach will apply using the extended imaging condition as both the offset and extended imaging condition method use travel times derived from solutions to an Eikonal equation. The aims are to offer an alternative ray‐based method to generate subsurface angle gathers and to understand the impact on the amplitude versus angle response. To this end, the implementation of the space‐shift imaging condition is discussed and results of three different data sets are presented. A layered three‐dimensional model and a complex two‐dimensional model are used to assess the space shift image gathers output from such a migration scheme and to evaluate the seismic attributes relative to the traditional surface offset common image gathers. The synthetic results show that the extended imaging condition clearly provides an uplift in the measured amplitude versus angle over the surface offset migration. The noise profile post‐migration is also improved for the space‐lag migration due to the double summation inside the migration. Finally, we show an example of a space‐lag gather from deep marine data and compare the resultant angle gathers with those generated from an offset migration and a time‐shift imaging condition Kirchhoff migration. The comparison of the real data with a well log shows that the space‐lag result is a better match to the well compared to the time‐lag extended imaging condition and the common offset Kirchhoff migration. Overall, the results from the synthetics and real data show that a Kirchhoff migration with an extended imaging condition is capable of generating subsurface angle gathers with an incremental improvement in amplitude versus angle fidelity and lower noise but comes at a higher computational cost.
The optimal diffusion of mitigation options for environmental management
Authors: Doole Graeme J. , Kaine Geoff , Dorner Zack
Published: February 2019

A new direction for evaluating pollution policy is proposed, focused on optimal investment pathways for mitigation capital. The approach allows practitioners to draw directly from key principles in the diffusion literature. A two‐stage, policy‐development framework is introduced. The first stage consists of empirical modelling to assess optimal diffusion pathways for diverse mitigation options. The second involves determining the relative strengths of different policy actions to address diffusion rates or maximum levels of adoption that diverge from optimal levels. The advantages of this new approach are demonstrated in an agri‐environmental context, concerning the off‐site impacts of intensive agriculture on water quality. The viewpoint provided by the novel approach establishes the importance of adoptability – alongside the traditional measures of abatement effectiveness and cost – for mitigation practices in policy assessment. The key role that durable mitigation capital plays in addressing dynamic externalities is demonstrated, alongside the importance of structured diffusion cascades for alternate mitigation options.
Neither magic bullet nor a mere tool: negotiating multiple logics of the checklist in healthcare quality improvement
Authors: Kocman David , Stöckelová Tereza , Pearse Rupert , Martin Graham
Published: February 2019

Over two decades, the checklist has risen to prominence in healthcare improvement. This paper contributes to the debate between its proponents and critics, making the case for an Science and Technology Studies‐informed understanding of the checklist that demonstrates the limitations of both the “checklist‐as‐panacea” and “checklist‐as‐socially‐determined” positions. Attending to the checklist as a socio‐material object endowed with affordances that call upon clinicians to act (Allen 2012, Hutchby 2001), the study revisits the efforts of a recent improvement initiative, the Enhanced Peri‐Operative Care for High‐risk patients trial. Rather than a singularised simple tool, this study discusses four different and relationally enacted logics of the checklist as a stop and check tool, a clinical prompt, an audit tool and a clinical record. Each logic is associated with specific temporality, beneficiaries, relationship with material forms, and interpellates (Law 2002) clinicians to initiate specific actions which can conflict. The paper seeks to make the case for intervention to improve such tools and consciously account for the consequences of their design and materiality and calls for supporting such settings and arrangements in which incoherences collected in tools can be locally negotiated.
Mutual Funds and the Income Stabilisation Tool in the EU: Retrospect and Prospects
Authors: Cordier Jean , Santeramo Fabio
Published: February 2019

Higher frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased farmers’ risk exposure, which has increased the need for integrated risk management. EU Regulation No. 1305/2013 allows subsidies for insurance instruments, for mutual funds compensating production losses, and for mutual funds to compensate for income losses. The EU toolkit in this respect has been largely under‐utilised, and an integrated EU policy for risk management has not been developed. Comparing the situation in different EU Member States leads to conclusions on options for EU policymakers to consider. The existing EU technical documents explaining the content and details do not provide clear explanations and interpretation of the current regulations and so more efficient guidelines for Mutual Funds and sectoral Income Stabilisation Tools should be developed. This could be facilitated by establishing a platform for public consultation, knowledge sharing and learning which would include stakeholders, farmers unions’ representatives and academics, to help the process of building shared experiences or even common benchmarks. The platform would be part of a dissemination and innovation effort to capitalise knowledge in a learning curve and would act as a catalyst for the implementation of MFs and ISTs.
SymPortal: A novel analytical framework and platform for coral algal symbiont next‐generation sequencing ITS2 profiling
Authors: Hume Benjamin C. C. , Smith Edward G. , Ziegler Maren , Warrington Hugh J. M. , Burt John A. , LaJeunesse Todd C. , Wiedenmann Joerg , Voolstra Christian R.
Published: February 2019

We present SymPortal (SymPortal.org), a novel analytical framework and platform for genetically resolving the algal symbionts of reef corals using next‐generation sequencing (NGS) data of the ITS2 rDNA. Although the ITS2 marker is widely used to genetically characterize taxa within the family Symbiodiniaceae (formerly the genus Symbiodinium), the multicopy nature of the marker complicates its use. Commonly, the intragenomic diversity resultant from this multicopy nature is collapsed by analytical approaches, thereby focusing on only the most abundant sequences. In contrast, SymPortal employs logic to identify within‐sample informative intragenomic sequences, which we have termed ‘defining intragenomic variants' (DIVs), to identify ITS2‐type profiles representative of putative Symbiodiniaceae taxa. By making use of this intragenomic ITS2 diversity, SymPortal is able to resolve genetic delineations using the ITS2 marker at a level that was previously only possible by using additional genetic markers. We demonstrate this by comparing this novel approach to the most commonly used alternative approach for NGS ITS2 data, the 97% similarity clustering to operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The SymPortal platform accepts NGS raw sequencing data as input to provide an easy‐to‐use, standardization‐enforced, and community‐driven framework that integrates with a database to gain resolving power with increased use. We consider that SymPortal, in conjunction with ongoing large‐scale sampling and sequencing efforts, should play an instrumental role in making future sampling efforts more comparable and in maximizing their efficacy in working towards the classification of the global Symbiodiniaceae diversity.
Pulse corticosteroids in treatment of rheumatic disease concomitant with cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Li Yan , Ren Limin , Liu Xu , Zhao Xiaotao , Hu Fanlei , Li Zhanguo
Published: February 2019

Aim

To investigate the impact of corticosteroids on the outcome of antiviral therapy in rheumatic patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV)‐emia.

Method

Sixty‐two patients with rheumatic disease complicated by CMV infection from 2011 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Fifty‐five of 62 patients were diagnosed with CMV‐DNAemia. Most patients (43/55, 78.2%) achieved viral clearance within 5 weeks. It was shown that, while undergoing active antiviral therapy, there was no significant difference in the CMV‐DNAemia clearance rate between the pulse methylprednisolone (MPSL) therapy group and non‐pulse group (8/9, 88.9% vs 30/36, 83.3%; OR = 1.600, 95% CI 0.168‐15.273, P > 0.05) at the end of the 5‐week follow‐up. However, pulse MPSL might slightly prolong duration of CMV‐DNAemia than non‐pulse MPSL patients (20.78 ± 19.18 days vs 14.33 ± 9.01 days, P = 0.1430), especially in the high baseline titer group (33.7 ± 29.1 days in pulse MPSL group vs 18.3 ± 13.1 days in non‐pulse group, P = 0.457). But in the low baseline titer group, CMVemia duration in the pulse MPSL group (14.3 ± 10.0 days) was about the same as that in the non‐pulse MPSL group (13.4 ± 7.8 days).

Conclusion

With effective antiviral therapy, pulse MPSL is acceptable in rheumatic disease patients with CMV‐DNAemia, without significant impact on final clearance of virus. However, duration of CMV‐DNAemia may be prolonged, especially in patients with high CMV‐DNA titer at baseline.
Evaluation of disease chronicity by bone marrow fat fraction using sacroiliac joint magnetic resonance imaging in patients with spondyloarthritis: A retrospective study
Authors: Koo Bon San , Song Yoonah , Shin Ji Hui , Lee Seunghun , Kim Tae‐Hwan
Published: February 2019

Aim

This study investigated the use of fat fraction (FF) measurements in the sacroiliac (SI) joint to determine radiologic progression in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Method

A total of 138 patients who underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between September 2014 and March 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The FF based upon fat deposition (%) using fat signaling on T1 and T2 weighted images in the sacroiliac joint was quantified using a 6‐echo variant of the modified Dixon technique. We defined the normal bone marrow as normal FF, bone marrow edema as active inflammatory FF, and fat metaplasia as post‐inflammatory FF.

Results

The mean FF of normal marrow was 52.0% ± 10.4% and 50.5% ± 10.1% in the left and right SI joints, respectively. The mean FF of post‐inflammatory fat deposition was 81.9% ± 9.7% and 82.3% ± 9.6% in the left and right SI joints, respectively. The mean FF of active inflammatory fat deposition was 15.8% ± 5.9% and 13.5% ± 6.7% in the left and right SI joints, respectively. In multiple linear regression, post‐inflammatory FF was found to be significantly associated with radiologic progression, such as symptom duration, SI joint grade, and modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score.

Conclusion

Post‐inflammatory FF indicates the chronicity of SpA. Evaluating FF using MRI in the SI joint will help to determine radiologic progression.
Do stock bulletin board systems (BBS) contain useful information? A viewpoint of interaction between BBS quality and predicting ability
Authors: Xiong Xiong , Luo Chunchun , Zhang Ye , Lin Shen
Published: February 2019

This study explores whether information on internet stock bulletin board systems (BBS) is valuable for stock return prediction, taking advantage of data derived from the biggest stock BBS in China. Using a text classification algorithm, we find the online messages significantly predict stock return with negligible R‐squared. However, we find that accuracy of individual BBS posts is below 50 percent and there is no distinction at prediction accuracy between high‐ and low‐quality stock BBS. Due to the autocorrelation of stock returns, we argue that BBS predicts stock returns because of its reflection on the simultaneous stock return rather than revelation on valuable information.
Long‐term outcomes of switching to aflibercept for treatment‐resistant neovascular age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Spooner Kimberly , Hong Thomas , Nair Rashmi , Chow Nicholas Chian Chiang , Broadhead Geoffrey K. , Wijeyakumar Wijeyanthy , Chang Andrew A.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To report 4‐year outcomes following the switch to aflibercept in treatment‐resistant neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods

In this prospective, open‐label, non‐controlled, clinical trial, 49 patients with treatment‐resistant nAMD received 2 mg intravitreal aflibercept as three loading doses every 4 weeks, followed by injections every 8 weeks for the first 48 weeks, then an individualized regimen for a further 36 months, following previous treatment with ranibizumab and/or bevacizumab. Outcome measures included best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height and geographic atrophy (GA) surface area.

Results

Of the 49 patients who were initially recruited, data from 39 eyes of 39 patients were available at 48‐month follow‐up. Mean age was 76.7 ± 7.2 years. Over the 48 months, these eyes received a mean of 32.1 ± 5.6 injections. The mean BCVA improved significantly following 12 months of treatment (4.9 ± 9.0 ETDRS letters, p < 0.001); however, this was not maintained and was similar to baseline after 48 months (mean difference −0.4 ± 13.3 letters between baseline and 48 months, p < 0.001). The reduction in CRT from baseline was 170.3 ± 143.3 μm (p < 0.001) with absence of macular fluid in 56% of the 39 eyes at the end of month 48. PED height reduced by a mean 77.5 ± 20.0 μm, and geographic atrophy increased by a mean of 4.1 ± 3.4 mm2 (p < 0.01) over the 48 months.

Conclusion

Aflibercept is an effective alternative therapy for treatment‐resistant nAMD. Good anatomical and stable functional responses are achievable with continued therapy. The lack of continued visual improvement may be representative of GA progression, reflecting the progression of late‐stage nAMD in these patients.
The impact of non‐urothelial variant histology on oncological outcomes following radical cystectomy
Authors: Stroman Luke , Nair Rajesh , Russell Beth , Malik Nabiah , Desai Arjun , Chandra Ashish , Thurairaja Ramesh , Dasgupta Prokar , Khan Muhammad Shamim , Malde Sachin
Published: February 2019

Objectives

To determine if the presence of non‐urothelial variant histology (NUVH) is associated with a poorer prognosis following radical cystectomy (RC) compared to pure urothelial carcinoma (PUC).

Patients and methods

A prospectively maintained database of all patients undergoing RC at a high‐volume regional tertiary bladder cancer service between January 2010 and January 2017 was retrospectively analysed looking for patients with NUVH. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine disease recurrence, overall survival and bladder cancer‐specific survival, as well as lymph node positivity. Association of tumour stage was determined using chi‐squared analysis.

Results

In total, 430 patients underwent RC of which 73 (17%) had NUVH and 357 (83%) had PUC. The median (range) follow‐up was 45.0 (8.5–100.2) months. The presence of NUVH was associated with both increased overall (hazard ratio [HR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–2.85) and bladder cancer‐specific mortality (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.91–3.01), as well as disease recurrence (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.06–2.75) in multivariate analysis. Squamous cell variant was also associated with increased overall mortality (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.16–3.13), cancer‐specific mortality (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.21–3.42) and disease recurrence (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.23–3.52), although this was not seen in other variant subtypes. Lymph node positivity was not associated with NUVH in multivariate analysis (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.59–2.75), but NUVH was associated with advanced tumour stage on chi‐squared analysis (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our results showed a risk of shorter survival in NUVH compared to PUC. This suggests NUVH as an independent predictor of worse outcomes. As a result, patients with NUVH should be counselled preoperatively that overall and disease‐specific outcomes are worse postoperatively and about the possible need for adjuvant treatment.
A model of wage and employment effects of service offshoring
Authors: Tobal Martin
Published: February 2019

This paper develops a two‐sector model of trade in goods and intermediate tasks that differ in tradability and skill intensity. A skill‐abundant country with high productivity is shown to offshore more unskilled tasks than skilled tasks, without relying on a particular correlation structure between tradability and skill intensity. With putty‐clay technology that allows retraining in the long run, transition from the non‐offshoring to the offshoring equilibrium generates wage and employment effects that switch from negative to positive as tradability declines, with the switches occurring at a higher degree of tradability for skilled tasks. This is consistent with the empirical literature.
Student loans and the allocation of graduate jobs
Authors: Cigno Alessandro , Luporini Annalisa
Published: February 2019

Higher education is not just a costly signal of native talent but also a means of raising a person's ability to hold a graduate job (and at least a certain educational achievement is required to get one). Graduate jobs differentiated by quality are allocated to graduates differentiated by native talent and parental wealth through a tournament. Non‐graduates jobs pay a fixed wage to those who do not participate in the tournament. Assuming that credit is rationed, some poor school leavers will go straight into the non‐graduate labour market even if they are talented enough to get a higher education and participate in the tournament. Some others will buy the same amount of higher education and end up doing graduate jobs of the same quality as less talented but richer school leavers. We show that student loans improve job matching and bring educational investments closer to efficiency. If the size of the loan is not very large, some poor school leavers will still be liquidity‐constrained and thus buy the same amount of higher education as less talented but richer ones. In that case, the former will get a productivity bonus. But raising the size of the loan to such a level that nobody is liquidity‐constrained could be socially optimal only if social preferences were extremely egalitarian.
Development of novel diagnostic system for pancreatic cancer, including early stages, measuring mRNA of whole blood cells
Authors: Sakai Yoshio , Honda Masao , Matsui Shigeyuki , Komori Osamu , Murayama Toshinori , Fujiwara Tadami , Mizuno Masaaki , Imai Yasuhito , Yoshimura Kenichi , Nasti Alessandro , Wada Takashi , Iida Noriho , Kitahara Masaaki , Horii Rika , Toshikatsu Tamai , Nishikawa Masashi , Okafuji Hirofumi , Mizukoshi Eishiro , Yamashita Tatsuya , Yamashita Taro , Arai Kuniaki , Kitamura Kazuya , Kawaguchi Kazunori , Takatori Hajime , Shimakami Tetsuro , Terashima Takeshi , Hayashi Tomoyuki , Nio Kouki , Kaneko Shuichi ,   Hokuriku Liver Study Group
Published: February 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most life‐threating disease among all digestive system malignancies. We developed a blood mRNA PDAC screening system using real‐time detection PCR to detect the expression of 56 genes, to discriminate PDAC from noncancer subjects. We undertook a clinical study to assess the performance of the developed system. We collected whole blood RNA from 53 PDAC patients, 102 noncancer subjects, 22 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 23 patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms in a per protocol analysis. The sensitivity of the system for PDAC diagnosis was 73.6% (95% confidence interval, 59.7%‐84.7%). The specificity for noncancer volunteers, chronic pancreatitis, and patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms was 64.7% (54.6%‐73.9%), 63.6% (40.7%‐82.8%), and 47.8% (26.8%‐69.4%), respectively. Importantly, the sensitivity of this system for both stage I and stage II PDAC was 78.6% (57.1%‐100%), suggesting that detection of PDAC by the system is not dependent on the stage of PDAC. These results indicated that the screening system, relying on assessment of changes in mRNA expression in blood cells, is a viable alternative screening strategy for PDAC.
Parental asthma and risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring: A population and family‐based case‐control study
Authors: Gong Tong , Lundholm Cecilia , Rejnö Gustaf , Bölte Sven , Larsson Henrik , D'Onofrio Brian M. , Lichtenstein Paul , Almqvist Catarina
Published: February 2019

Background

Associations between parental asthma and prenatal exposure to asthma medications with offspring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been reported. However, the associations might be confounded by unmeasured (genetic and shared environmental) familial factors.

Objective

We investigated the association between (a) maternal/paternal asthma and offspring ASD, and (b) prenatal exposures to β2‐agonists, other asthma medications and offspring ASD using cases and controls selected from the population as well as biological relatives with different degrees of relatedness.

Methods

We included all children (N = 1 579 263) born in Sweden 1992‐2007. A nested case‐control design was used to compare 22 894 ASD cases identified from the National Patient Register to (a) 228 940 age‐, county‐ and sex‐matched controls randomly selected from the population, (b) their eligible full‐siblings (n = 1267), (c) half‐siblings (n = 1323), (d) full‐cousins (n = 11 477) and (e) half‐cousins (n = 3337). Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ASD in children differentially exposed to parental asthma or prenatal asthma medications.

Results

Maternal asthma was associated with increased risk of offspring ASD (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.38‐1.49); there was a weaker association for paternal asthma (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.11‐1.23). The risk of offspring ASD in mothers with asthma showed similar estimates when adjusting for shared familial factors among paternal half‐siblings (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.80‐1.81), full‐cousins (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.16‐1.41) and half‐cousins (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10‐1.54), albeit with wider confidence intervals. Prenatal exposure to asthma medications among subjects whose mothers had asthma was not associated with subsequent ASD.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

In this large observational study, parental asthma was associated with slightly elevated risk of ASD in offspring. More specifically, the increased risk by maternal asthma did not seem to be confounded by familial factors. There was no evidence of an association between asthma medications during pregnancy and offspring ASD.