bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-Dose Tirofiban Treatment Improves Neurological Deterioration Outcome After Intravenous Thrombolysis
Authors: Wu Chuanjie , Sun Chenghe , Wang Lijun , Lian Yajun , Xie Nanchang , Huang Shengming , Zhao Wenbo , Ren Ming , Wu Di , Ding Jianping , Song Haiqing , Wang Yuping , Ma Qingfeng , Ji Xunming
Published: October 2019

Background and Purpose—

Early use of antiplatelet drugs within 24 hours after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) has always been a confusing clinical problem. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of early low-dose tirofiban treatment in patients with early neurological deterioration (END) within the first 24 hours after IVT.

Methods—

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 1764 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with IVT between January 2017 and September 2018. Patients with early neurological deterioration within the first 24 hours after IVT were treated with or without tirofiban. The safety outcomes included symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, any ICH, severe systemic bleeding, and mortality. Efficacy outcomes included excellent (modified Rankin scale scores 0–1) and favorable (modified Rankin scale scores 0–2) 3-month functional outcomes.

Results—

Early neurological deterioration occurred in 278 (15.8%) patients. Of the 187 eligible patients, 121 (64.7%) were treated with tirofiban within the first 24 hours after IVT. Adjusted multivariate analysis showed that early tirofiban use was not associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.05; 95% CI, 0.088–11.02;
P
=1.000), ICH (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.45–4.25;
P
=0.512), and mortality (aOR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.19–2.27;
P
=0.875) but was significantly associated with excellent (aOR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.16–3.94;
P
=0.027) and favorable (aOR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.48–3.99;
P
=0.011) functional outcomes. Subgroup analyses suggested that early tirofiban-use efficacy is time dependent, being more effective in patients receiving tirofiban treatment earlier.

Conclusions—

Low-dose tirofiban use in patients with early neurological deterioration within the first 24 hours after IVT did not increase the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, ICH, and mortality, it seems associated with neurological improvement at 3 months. Future randomized clinical trials will be needed to validate these results.
Occluded Histories: Philippine Labor after EDSA
Authors: Moratilla Noel Christian A.
Published: October 2019

The uprising alternately called EDSA Revolution or People Power Revolution or EDSA People Power Revolt, which led to the downfall of Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, supposedly ushered in the formal restoration of civil freedoms that had been snatched away by Marcos’ martial law. In the aftermath of the uprising, formal democratic institutions and civil rights were returned, including the right to free elections and the right to peaceful assembly. But as this article seeks to show, the administrations after EDSA have been marred by the neglect of workers’ welfare and the failure to address old labor concerns such as inadequate wages, job precarity, and contractualization. Given the shortage of employment opportunities in the Philippines, the administrations after EDSA have also promoted migration as its de facto job-generating mechanism. But the export of human resources is not without its ugly consequences, such as making overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) susceptible to abuse and exploitation. Deploying the notion of counter-history and using various materials from both government and non-government organizations, this article undertakes to critically assess the labor conditions during the historical period after the fabled EDSA People Power Revolt, and concludes that no notable changes have taken place.
New species and new combination in the genus Plistonax Thomson, 1864 (Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Acanthoderini)
Authors: SILVA JOSÉ OSVALDO JÚNIOR , HASEYAMA KIRSTERN LICA FOLLMANN , DE SANTANA SOUZA DIEGO
Published: October 2019

Plistonax Thomson, 1864 is a Neotropical genus of longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) currently composed of six species. Herein, we describe a new species (Plistonax albituberculatus Silva Júnior & Souza sp. nov.) from Brazilian States of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. We also propose the transference of Exalphus hefferni Audureau, 2017 to Plistonax, resulting in the following comb. nov.: Plistonax hefferni (Audureau, 2017).
Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) VI. The bigeminata species group, with descriptions of seven new species
Authors: WANG SHUXIA , LIU CHEN
Published: October 2019

The bigeminata species group of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 is proposed to include seven new species here described which share similarities in the forewing pattern: P. bigeminata sp. nov., P. derecta sp. nov., P. pectinacea sp. nov., P. pileata sp. nov., P. scalpelliformis sp. nov., P. ventericoncava sp. nov., and P. venteriprocessa sp. nov. Photographs of adults and genitalia of the new species are provided.
Baetis pentaphyllus sp. nov., a new species of mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from the Russian Far East
Authors: TIUNOVA TATIANA M. , SEMENCHENKO ALEXANDER A.
Published: October 2019

A new species, Baetis pentaphyllus sp. nov., is described on the basis of larvae from the Far East of Russia (type locality Bolshoi Garmakan River). Larvae of Baetis pentaphyllus sp. nov. may be distinguished from other Baetis species by the presence of only five pairs of tergalii on segments III–VII. The mitochondrial COI sequence obtained from the described species was compared with the data present in GeneBank and BOLD. The DNA barcodes allowed discrimination of B. pentaphyllus sp. nov. from other species of Baetis with available sequence data. The average interspecific K2P distances were 10–15%, which are values well above those associated with intraspecific variation. COI sequences as well as 36 morphological larval characters were analysed using Bayesian inference to relate the described species to the recognized species-groups of the Baetis genus. B. pentaphyllus sp. nov formed a sister clade to B. vardarensis + B. lutheri which belong to the Baetis lutheri species-group.
The Role for Imaging in the Investigation of Isolated Objective Vestibular Weakness
Authors: Gigliotti Deanna , Blakley Brian , Moore Paige , Hochman Jordan
Published: October 2019

Objective

Unilateral vestibular weakness has considerable potential etiologies. One source is a vestibular schwannoma. This article evaluates, in the absence of other symptoms and signs, if unilateral vestibular weakness is an analogue to asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss and serves as an indication for lateral skull base imaging.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Academic tertiary center.

Subjects and Methods

All patients undergoing caloric assessment between January 1, 2012, and June 30, 2018, were investigated. Patients with unilateral vestibular weakness (a left‐right difference >25% on electronystagmography) were included in the study. A provincial encompassing image library was surveyed for potential adequate imaging (computed tomography internal auditory canal infused, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] brain, MRI internal auditory canal) of the target population within the preceding 5 years. Presence/absence of vestibular schwannoma on imaging was determined.

Results

Of the 3531 electronystagmography reports reviewed during the period, 864 patients were identified with unilateral vestibular weakness. Of these, 542 had sufficient imaging, and 14 vestibular schwannomas were identified. Only 1 individual had a vestibular weakness in isolation, while the remaining 13 patients also suffered from documented sensorineural hearing loss that would have mandated MRI scanning.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest that, in isolation, vestibular weakness is an insufficient indicator for lateral skull base imaging.
Neutrosophic cubic Heronian mean operators with applications in multiple attribute group decision-making using cosine similarity functions
Authors: Gulistan Muhammad , Mohammad Mutaz , Karaaslan Faruk , Kadry Seifedine , Khan Salma , Wahab Hafiz Abdul
Published: October 2019

This article introduces the concept of Heronian mean operators, geometric Heronian mean operators, neutrosophic cubic number–improved generalized weighted Heronian mean operators, neutrosophic cubic number–improved generalized weighted geometric Heronian mean operators. These operators actually generalize the operators of fuzzy sets, cubic sets, and neutrosophic sets. We investigate the average weighted operator on neutrosophic cubic sets and weighted geometric operator on neutrosophic cubic sets to aggregate the neutrosophic cubic information. After this, based on average weighted and geometric weighted and cosine similarity function in neutrosophic cubic sets, we developed a multiple attribute group decision-making method. Finally, we give a mathematical example to illustrate the usefulness and application of the proposed method.
Workload-indexed blood pressure response is superior to peak systolic blood pressure in predicting all-cause mortality
Authors: Hedman Kristofer , Cauwenberghs Nicholas , Christle Jeffrey W , Kuznetsova Tatiana , Haddad Francois , Myers Jonathan
Published: October 2019

Aims

The association between peak systolic blood pressure (SBP) during exercise testing and outcome remains controversial, possibly due to the confounding effect of external workload (metabolic equivalents of task (METs)) on peak SBP as well as on survival. Indexing the increase in SBP to the increase in workload (SBP/MET-slope) could provide a more clinically relevant measure of the SBP response to exercise. We aimed to characterize the SBP/MET-slope in a large cohort referred for clinical exercise testing and to determine its relation to all-cause mortality.

Methods and results

Survival status for male Veterans who underwent a maximal treadmill exercise test between the years 1987 and 2007 were retrieved in 2018. We defined a subgroup of non-smoking 10-year survivors with fewer risk factors as a lower-risk reference group. Survival analyses for all-cause mortality were performed using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs (95% confidence interval)) adjusted for baseline age, test year, cardiovascular risk factors, medications and comorbidities. A total of 7542 subjects were followed over 18.4 (interquartile range 16.3) years. In lower-risk subjects ( n = 709), the median (95th percentile) of the SBP/MET-slope was 4.9 (10.0) mmHg/MET. Lower peak SBP (<210 mmHg) and higher SBP/MET-slope (>10 mmHg/MET) were both associated with 20% higher mortality (adjusted HRs 1.20 (1.08–1.32) and 1.20 (1.10–1.31), respectively). In subjects with high fitness, a SBP/MET-slope > 6.2 mmHg/MET was associated with a 27% higher risk of mortality (adjusted HR 1.27 (1.12–1.45)).

Conclusion

In contrast to peak SBP, having a higher SBP/MET-slope was associated with increased risk of mortality. This simple, novel metric can be considered in clinical exercise testing reports.
Mixture risks threaten water quality: the European Collaborative Project SOLUTIONS recommends changes to the WFD and better coordination across all pieces of European chemicals legislation to improve protection from exposure of the aquatic environment to multiple pollutants
Authors: Kortenkamp Andreas , Faust Michael , Backhaus Thomas , Altenburger Rolf , Scholze Martin , Müller Christin , Ermler Sibylle , Posthuma Leo , Brack Werner
Published: October 2019

Evidence is mounting that chemicals can produce joint toxicity even when combined at levels that singly do not pose risks. Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) defined for single pollutants under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) do not protect from mixture risks, nor do they enable prioritization of management options. Despite some provisions for mixtures of specific groups of chemicals, the WFD is not fit for purpose for protecting against or managing the effects of coincidental mixtures of water-borne pollutants. The conceptual tools for conducting mixture risk assessment are available and ready for use in regulatory and risk assessment practice. Extension towards impact assessment using cumulative toxic unit and mixture toxic pressure analysis based on chemical monitoring data or modelling has been suggested by the SOLUTIONS project. Problems exist in the availability of the data necessary for mixture risk assessments. Mixture risk assessments cannot be conducted without essential input data about exposures to chemicals and their toxicity. If data are missing, mixture risk assessments will be biassed towards underestimating risks. The WFD itself is not intended to provide toxicity data. Data gaps can only be closed if proper feedback links between the WFD and other EU regulations for industrial chemicals (REACH), pesticides (PPPR), biocides (BPR) and pharmaceuticals are implemented. Changes of the WFD alone cannot meet these requirements. Effect-based monitoring programmes developed by SOLUTIONS should be implemented as they can capture the toxicity of complex mixtures and provide leads for new candidate chemicals that require attention in mixture risk assessment. Efforts of modelling pollutant levels and their anticipated mixture effects in surface water can also generate such leads. New pollutant prioritization schemes conceived by SOLUTIONS, applied in the context of site prioritization, will help to focus mixture risk assessments on those chemicals and sites that make substantial contributions to mixture risks.
Seasonal distribution, gas–particle partitioning and inhalation exposure of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in gas and particle phases
Authors: Meng Yuan , Zhang Hongli , Qiu Yanling , Du Xinyu , Niu Dong , Lu Zhibo , Zhu Zhiliang , Zhao Jianfu , Yin Daqiang
Published: October 2019

Background

Atmosphere is one of the sources and sinks to gas- and particle-bound brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Therefore, BFRs can enter human body via inhalation. In the present study, 79 of gas- and particle-phase samples (TSP, PM10 and PM2.5) were collected during 2015–2016 in urban area of Shanghai, China to investigate the occurrence of 25 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) congeners, hexabromobenzene (HBB) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE).

Results

The total concentrations of BFRs ranged from 0.66 to 13.7 pg/m3, 25.82 to 376.27 pg/m3, 14.58 to 365.49 pg/m3 and 15.17 to 304.89 pg/m3 in gas, TSP, PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. HBB was the main compound in gas phase; while BDE-209 was the dominant congener in particle phase. Atmospheric BFRs in winter was much lower than in summer, while particle phase showed opposite seasonal tendency.

Conclusions

Clausius–Clapeyron equation suggested that BTBPE, BDE-28, -66, -99, -100, and -154 were more driven by temperature and evaporated from local contamination. Higher-brominated congeners tended to be absorbed in particle phase, while low-brominated compounds partitioned in both gas and particle phases. Gas/particle partitioning results showed that absorption into the aerosol organic matter was the dominant process for BFRs. The inhalation health risk assessment demonstrated that the hazard quotient (HQs) for most PBDEs in winter was higher than in summer.
The number of acute cerebrovascular events in Israel: a forecast until 2040
Authors: Ben Shoham Assaf , Liberant-Taub Sigal , Sharon Mor , Zucker Inbar
Published: October 2019

Background

Acute cerebrovascular event is one of the leading causes of death in Israel and is the primary cause of neurological disability in adults. Although some evidence indicates that the incidence rate of acute cerebrovascular events in developed countries is stable or has been decreasing over the past decades, the number of events is expected to increase in these countries due to projected changes in size and composition of the population. The purpose of this study was to provide a forecast of the number of acute cerebrovascular events in Israel for the coming decades.

Methods

We used data from the National Stroke Registry at the Israel Center for Disease Control and data from the long-term population forecasts of the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. We generated forecasts of the annual number of acute cerebrovascular events based on the mean annual incidence rates during 2014–2016 within population subgroups defined by gender, age, and ethnicity, and on the projected population size of these subgroups for 2015–2040. The forecasts were generated for various assumptions as to trends in the incidence rate and for alternatives as to the projected population growth.

Results

Based on the intermediate population growth alternative, the annual number of acute cerebrovascular events is expected to increase from 18,400 to 38,500, 34,800 or 26,400 events, assuming constant annual incidence rates, decreasing annual incidence rates at a rate of 2% every 5 years, or decreasing annual incidence rates at a rate of 7.25% every 5 years, respectively. Whereas, presently, events affecting Arab patients account for 15% of acute cerebrovascular events and events affecting patients over 80 account for 33% of acute cerebrovascular events, by 2040 events affecting Arab patients will account for more than 21% of the events and events affecting patients over 80 will account for 42% of the events.

Conclusions

In view of the expected increase in the number of acute cerebrovascular events and the changes in the demographic composition of adults suffering from such events, and in order to allow for optimal care and equity, it is imperative to evaluate the preparedness of care provision and the geographical deployment of treatment services in the short and long term.
On effect of surface tension in the Rayleigh–Taylor problem of stratified viscoelastic fluids
Authors: Ma Xingrui , Xiong Xianzhu
Published: October 2019

In this article, we investigate the effect of surface tension in the Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) problem of stratified incompressible viscoelastic fluids. We prove that there exists an unstable solution to the linearized stratified RT problem with a largest growth rateΛunder the instability condition (i.e., the surface tension coefficientϑis less than a threshold$\vartheta _{c}$ϑc). Moreover, for this instability condition, the largest growth rate$\varLambda _{\vartheta }$Λϑdecreases from a positive constant to 0, whenϑincreases from 0 to$\vartheta _{c}$ϑc, which mathematically verifies that the internal surface tension can constrain the growth of the RT instability during the linear stage.
A longitudinal assessment of retinal function and structure in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Georgevsky Dana , Retsas Stephanie , Raoufi Newsha , Shimoni Olga , Golzan S. Mojtaba
Published: October 2019

Background

A great body of evidence suggests that there are retinal functional and structural changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, whether such changes are primary or secondary remains to be elucidated. We studied a range of retinal functional and structural parameters in association with AD- specific pathophysiological markers in the double transgenic APP/PS1 and control mice across age.

Methods

Electroretinogram (ERG) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed in APP/PS1 and wild type (WT) control mice every 3 months from 3 to 12 months of age. For functional assessment, the a- and b-wave of the ERG, amplitude of oscillatory potentials (OP) and the positive scotopic threshold response (pSTR) were quantified at each time point. For structural assessment, the inner and outer retinal thickness was segmented and measured from OCT scans. Episodic memory was evaluated at 6, 9 and 12 months of age using the novel object recognition test. Amyloid beta (Aβ) distribution in the hippocampus and the retina were visualised at 3, 6 and 12 months of age. Inter- and intra- group analysis was performed to study rate of change for each parameter between the two groups.

Results

Inter-group analysis revealed a significant difference in b-wave and OPs of APP/PS1 compared to WT controls starting from 3 months (p < 0.001). There was also a significant difference in the amplitude of pSTR between the two groups starting from 6 months (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant difference in the inner retinal thickness, between the two groups, was observed starting from 9 months (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

We observed an age-related decline in retinal functional and structural parameters in both APP/PS1 and WT controls, however, inter-group analysis revealed that inner retinal functional and structural decline is exacerbated in APP/PS1 mice, and that retinal functional changes precede structural changes in this strain. Further studies are required to confirm whether such phenomenon occurs in humans and if studying retinal functional changes can aid-in early assessment of AD.
Factors associated with long-acting family planning service utilization in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dasa Tamirat Tesfaye , Kassie Teshager Worku , Roba Aklilu Abrham , Wakwoya Elias Bekele , Kelel Henna Umer
Published: October 2019

Background

Even though the modern contraceptive use was improved in Ethiopia, the utilization of long-acting family planning services is still low because of numerous factors. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize logical evidence about factors associated with long acting family planning service utilization in Ethiopia.

Methods

The participants of the study were married women of reproductive age in Ethiopia. This search included all published and unpublished observational studies written in the English language conducted before April 30, 2018, in Ethiopia. Electronic and non-electronic sources were used. PubMed, MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINHAL (EBSCO), Embase (EBSCO), POPLINE and the search engines like Google, Google Scholar Mednar and world cat log were used. The overall selected search results were 15 studies. Each study was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Studies. Data synthesis and statistical analysis were conducted using ReviewManagerVersion5.3.5.

Results

Women’s inadequate knowledge level [OR, 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.83, P = 0.02], women’s age between 15 and 34 [OR, 0.82; 95% CI: 0.53, 0.93, P = 0.01], not having electronic media [OR, 0.65; 95% CI: 0.53, 0.79, P < 0.0001] and women from rural area [OR = 0.65;95% CI:0.50, 0.81, P = 0.0009] were less likely associated in the use of long-acting family planning services. The odds of utilizing long acting family planning methods were high among non-government- employed women and husband [OR, 1.77; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.43, P = 0.0004], [OR, 1.69; 95% CI: 1.33, 2.15, P < 0.0001] respectively. Having no previous exposure to any modern family planning method [OR = 2.29; 95%CI: 1.83, 2.86, P < 0.00001] and women having no discussion with husband [OR = 1.92 (95%CI: 1.50, 2.45) P < 0.00001] were more likely associated in the utilization of long-acting family planning services.

Conclusion

Lack of information and knowledge, having discussion with husband, being women of younger age, having less than five living children, being government-employed women and husband, not having electronic media, and being residents in rural area were significant barriers for underutilization of long acting family planning methods in Ethiopia. Hence, the investigators suggest that key stakeholders should design interventions strategies to avert attitudinal, cultural and informational barriers towards long-acting family planning methods.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO: 2018: CRD42018096373.
Application of botulinum toxin in maxillofacial field: part I. Bruxism and square jaw
Authors: Kwon Kyung-Hwan , Shin Kyung Su , Yeon Sung Hee , Kwon Dae Gun
Published: October 2019

The application of botulinum in oral and maxillofacial surgery begins in 1982, where Jan Carruthers started using it for reducing the muscle mass and smoothing the skin, and since then it has been used for cosmetic purposes. In Korea, it is already being used by various specialties including dentistry (oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral medicine), plastic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery, etc. Each specialty approaches to Botox with its own medical indications. In this article, we will discuss the maxillofacial application of botulinum toxin, which includes theoretical and practical aspects of such as bruxism and square jaw.
Hepatic resection in children: highlighted and revisited steps
Authors: Abdelkader Hesham Mohammed , Abdel-Latif Mohamed , Abdelsattar Mohamed , Youssef Ahmed Abdelhaseeb
Published: October 2019

Background

Hepatectomy in children deserves exhaustive preoperative and intraoperative tools to define the anatomy, minimize blood loss, and confirm adequacy of liver tissue left. The aim of this study is to report our experience in surgical management of liver tumors.

Results

All liver resections performed in Ain-Shams University Hospital, by the same team, between July 2013 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Data related to basic demographics, indication for resection, methods of parenchymal resection, blood loss, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality was collected. The study included 27 patients who underwent different types of hepatectomies. There was a male predominance. Age ranged from 6 months to 13 years. Weight ranged from 5.7 to 33.7 kg. Total operative time ranged from 68 to 322 min, while resection time ranged from 34 to 144 min. Blood loss ranged from 53 to 259 ml. Surgical morbidities included five patients with minor biliary leak, three patients had surgical site infection, and one patient had torsion of the remnant liver necessitating repositioning. Recurrence of the mass was faced in three patients with hepatoblastoma. There were two mortalities; one occurred as a sequela of massive intraoperative bleeding and the other took place due to postoperative hepatic insufficiency.

Conclusion

For a safe hepatectomy, thorough familiarity of the hepatic segmental anatomy together with the various techniques for parenchymal resection and vascular control is fundamental. Complications such as biliary leak and torsion of remnant can be easily avoided by simple measures.
Reducing Unwarranted Oncology Care Variation Across a Clinically Integrated Network: A Collaborative Physician Engagement Strategy
Authors: Richards Jon M. , Burgon Trever B. , Tamondong-Lachica Diana , Bitran Jacob D. , Liangco Wilfredo L. , Paculdo David R. , Peabody John W.
Published: October 2019

PURPOSE:

Addressing unwarranted clinical variation in oncology is a high priority for health systems that aspire to ensure consistent levels of high-quality and cost-effective care. Efforts to improve clinical practice and standardize care have proven challenging. Advocate Physician Partners undertook a patient simulation-based practice measurement and feedback project that was focused on breast and lung cancer to engage oncologists in the care standardization process.

METHODS:

One hundred three medical oncologists cared for online simulated patients using the Clinical Performance and Value platform, receiving feedback on how their care decisions compared with evidence-based guidelines and their peers. We repeated this process every 4 months over six rounds, measuring changes in quality-of-care scores. We then compared simulated patient results with available patient-level claims data.

RESULTS:

Over the course of the project, overall quality-of-care scores improved 11.9% ( P < .001). Diagnostic accuracy increased 6.7% ( P < .001) and correlated with improved treatment scores, including a nearly 10-percentage point increase in evidence-based chemotherapy regimens ( P = .009) and a 56% increase in addressing palliative needs for patients with late-stage disease ( P < .001). Unnecessary test ordering declined 25% ( P < .001). We compared these results with available patient data and observed concordance with the metastatic imaging workup order rate for early-stage breast cancer. As unnecessary workups declined in the simulations and became more closely aligned with evidence-based guidelines, we saw similar rates of decline in the patient-level data.

CONCLUSION:

This study demonstrates that an oncology care standardization system that combines simulated patients with serial feedback increases evidence-based and cost-effective clinical decisions in patient simulations and patient-level data.
Targeting of copper-trafficking chaperones causes gene-specific systemic pathology inDrosophila melanogaster: prospective expansion of mutational landscapes that regulate tumor resistance to cisplatin
Authors: Theotoki Eleni I. , Velentzas Athanassios D. , Katarachia Stamatia A. , Papandreou Nikos C. , Kalavros Nikolas I. , Pasadaki Sofia N. , Giannopoulou Aikaterini F. , Giannios Panagiotis , Iconomidou Vassiliki , Konstantakou Eumorphia G. , Anastasiadou Ema , Papassideri Issidora S. , Stravopodis Dimitrios J.
Published: October 2019

Copper, a transition metal, is an essential component for normal growth and development. It acts as a critical co-factor of many enzymes that play key roles in diverse cellular processes. The present study attempts to investigate the regulatory functions decisively controlling copper trafficking during development and aging of Drosophila model system. Hence, through engagement of the GAL4/UAS genetic platform and RNAi technology, we herein examined the in vivo significance of Atox1 and CCS genes, whose products pivotally govern cellular copper trafficking, in fly's tissue patho-physiology. Specifically, we analyzed the systemic effects of their targeted downregulation on the eye, wing, neuronal cell populations and whole-body tissues of the fly. Our results reveal that, in contrast to the eye, suppression of their expression in the wing leads to notable increase in the percentage of malformed organs observed. Furthermore, we show that Atox1 or CCS gene silencing in either neuronal or whole-body tissues can critically affect the viability and climbing capacity of transgenic flies, while their double genetic targeting suggests a rather synergistic mode of action of the cognate protein products. Interestingly, pharmacological intervention with the anti-cancer drug cisplatin indicates the major contribution of CCS copper chaperone to cisplatin's cellular trafficking and presumably to tumor resistance often acquired during chemotherapy. Altogether, it seems that Atox1 and CCS proteins serve as tissue/organ-specific principal regulators of physiological Drosophila development and aging, while their tissue-dependent downregulation can provide important insights for Atox1 and CCS potential exploitation as predictive gene biomarkers of cancer-cell chemotherapy responses.
Slow Post-financial Crisis Recovery and Monetary Policy
Authors: Ikeda Daisuke , Kurozumi Takushi
Published: October 2019

Post-financial crisis recoveries tend to be slow and accompanied by slowdowns in total factor productivity (TFP) and permanent losses in GDP. To prevent them, how should monetary policy be conducted? We address this issue by developing a model with endogenous TFP growth in which an adverse financial shock can induce a slow recovery. In the model, a welfare-maximizing monetary policy rule features a strong response to output, and the welfare gain from output stabilization is much larger than when TFP expands exogenously. Moreover, inflation stabilization results in a sizable welfare loss, while nominal GDP stabilization works well, albeit causing high interest rate volatility. (JEL E12, E23, E32, E43, E44, E52, G01)
Fatores Determinantes para a Realização de Ofertas Iniciais de Ações (IPO) de Empresas Brasileiras
Authors: Oliveira Bruno Cals de , Martelanc Roy
Published: October 2019

A literatura sobre ofertas iniciais de ações (IPOs) ainda é pouco explorada no Brasil haja vista que o crescimento do mercado de capitais ocorreu apenas recentemente. O objetivo deste artigo é identificar quais os fatores determinantes para as ofertas iniciais de ações das empresas brasileiras através do método de regressão logística utilizado em uma amostra com empresas listadas e não listadas. Os resultados indicam que as empresas fizeram seu IPO em períodos de altos investimentos, alto nível de rentabilidade e/ou quando estavam com alto nível de endividamento. A captação de recursos nos IPOs foi usada como alternativa para adequar a estrutura de capital e/ou captar recursos para continuar investindo em seu crescimento. As empresas que se tornaram públicas aproveitaram a janela de oportunidade oferecida no período e o tamanho não foi significante para determinar a listagem de ações.
Abertura ou não de capital no Brasil: uma análise prática da percepção dos executivos financeiros
Authors: Steffen Helen Cristina , Mesquita Zanini Francisco Antônio
Published: October 2019

Este estudo investigou as motivações relacionadas à abertura de capital no Brasil, analisadas pelo ponto de vista dos executivos financeiros. Para tanto, foi conduzida uma survey baseada nos estudos de Brau e Fawcett (2006) com 113 executivos financeiros. Foram selecionadas empresas que conduziram o IPO do período de janeiro de 2004 a dezembro de 2010, e empresas que possuem potencial para abrir o capital, mas permanecem fechadas. Os resultados mais importantes são: (1) a principal motivação para conduzir o IPO é a redução do custo de capital; (2) as condições gerais do mercado são determinantes para a escolha do momento do IPO; (3) os executivos financeiros selecionam os underwriters baseados na reputação e prestígio do underwriter, qualidade do departamento de pesquisa e na expertise do underwriter; (4) a utilização de uma das quatro maiores empresas de auditoria no IPO é vista como um sinal positivo; (5) a opção de lote suplementar de ações para estabilizar os preços foi considerada importante no processo de IPO; e (7) o desejo de manter o controle das decisões é a maior preocupação do IPO indicada pelos respondentes.
Lista de Avaliadores - 2014
Authors: Laurini Marcio Poletti
Published: October 2019

Lista de Avaliadores - 2014
Mulheres em Cargos de Alta Administração Afetam o Valor e Desempenho das Empresas Brasileiras?
Authors: Silva André Luiz Carvalhal da , Margem Helena
Published: October 2019

Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar se a presença de mulheres no conselho de administração e diretoria gera impacto no valor e desempenho das empresas brasileiras de capital aberto. A literatura internacional indica que não existe uma relação única e definida entre a presença feminina em cargos de alta administração, valor e desempenho das firmas. Alguns estudos mostram um efeito positivo da participação de mulheres em cargos de alta administração, enquanto outras pesquisas encontram uma relação negativa ou não significativa. O presente trabalho estuda a relação entre a presença feminina na alta administração, valor e desempenho das firmas no Brasil, analisando 383 empresas de capital aberto no período de 2002 a 2009. Os resultados indicam que, em geral, não existe uma relação estatisticamente significativa entre a presença de mulheres em cargos de alta administração e o valor e desempenho das empresas no Brasil. No entanto, em alguns modelos econométricos, empresas que possuem pelo menos duas mulheres no conselho de administração tendem a apresentar maior valor e melhor desempenho.
Restrição de Liquidez para Modelos de Seleção de Carteiras
Authors: Pereira Gabriel Matos , Sant'Anna Leonardo Riegel , Filomena Tiago Pascoal , Becker João Luiz
Published: October 2019

A liquidez é um fator importante no âmbito da gestão de carteiras. Em 2012, no Brasil, a CVM começou a exigir que instituições mantenham um controle da liquidez de seus ativos/carteiras. O objetivo deste trabalho é incorporar a liquidez de forma endógena a um modelo de seleção de carteiras visando a sua utilização no mercado de capitais brasileiro. A restrição proposta considera questões práticas de forma endógena: valor da carteira, volume monetário negociado, percentual do total negociado máximo, prazo para liquidação e nível de liquidação. Além de propor uma nova restrição para liquidez em problemas de carteira, o modelo ainda apresenta uma aplicação no mercado brasileiro. Nessa aplicação, verifica-se que os parâmetros escolhidos possuem influência nos níveis de liquidação da carteira.
Concentração de propriedade e qualidade da governança da empresa brasileira
Authors: Brandão Isac de Freitas , Crisóstomo Vicente Lima
Published: October 2019

A relação entre concentração de propriedade e qualidade da governança corporativa é analisada no Brasil. Modelos são estimados pelo método generalizado de momentos sistêmico (GMM) para um painel balanceado de 85 empresas no período 2010-2013. Os resultados indicam que a concentração de propriedade tem um efeito adverso sobre qualidade da governança corporativa, mensurada através de um índice baseado em 28 boas práticas voluntárias de governança. Esta relação linear negativa indica que grandes acionistas são desfavoráveis à adoção de práticas diferenciadas de governança.

Adicionalmente, a relação quadrática negativa reforça este resultado para altos níveis de concentração destacando a possibilidade de expropriação de acionistas minoritários. Menos concentração de propriedade favorece a qualidade da governança corporativa sugerindo que a necessidade de coalizão para controle

diminui o poder do acionista principal, podendo contribuir para atenuar o conflito entre acionistas controladores e minoritários, conflito abordado sob o marco teórico do modelo de agência principal-principal.
The Price-Trading Volume Relationship in the Brazilian Stock Market, the Impact of Stock Lending and a Role for Technical Analysis
Authors: Sanvicente Antonio Zoratto , Sanvicente Antonio Zoratto , Sanvicente Antonio Zoratto
Published: October 2019

We examine the relationship between price and volume in the Brazilian stock market. It tests the “V-shaped relationship” developed by Karpoff (1987), identified in several empirical papers for the U.S. market. This is expressed by positive covariance between a stock’s market turnover and the absolute value of that stock’s price change in the same period. This would contradict the implication from weak market efficiency that current price would impound all information. We analyze daily data for 47 stocks covering the period from January 04, 2010 to June 28, 2013. The results indicate that the V-shaped relationship is significant.
Title: analysis of term structure of interest rates in Latin America countries from 2006 to 2014
Authors: Stona Felipe , Amann Jean , Morais Maurício Delago , Triches Divanildo , Morais Igor Clemente
Published: October 2019

This article aims to investigate the relationship between the term structure of interest rates and macroeconomic factors in selected countries of Latin America, such as Brazil, Chile and Mexico, between 2006 and 2014, on an autoregressive vector model. Specifically, we perform estimations of Nelson-Siegel, Diabold-Li and principal component analysis to test how the change of macroeconomic factors, e.g. inflation, production and unemployment levels affect the yield curves. For Brazil and Mexico, GDP and inflation variables are relevant to change the yield curves, with the former shifting more the level, and the latter with greater influence on the slope. For Chile, inflation had the greatest impact on the level and, specifically for Mexico, the unemployment variable also changed the slope of the yield curve.
O Conteúdo Informacional das Transações no Mercado Futuro de Câmbio: uma investigação do caso brasileiro
Authors: Sulzbach Vanessa Neumann , Mergulhão João , Valls Pereira Pedro L.
Published: October 2019

Modelos de microestrutura da taxa de câmbio têm recebido especial atenção nos últimos anos por capturarem de forma mais acurada as nuances deste mercado e evidenciarem a existência de informação assimétrica entre os agentes que transacionam nele. Os dados das operações do primeiro vencimento dos contratos futuros de câmbio Real/Dólar da Bolsa de Mercadorias e Futuros (BM&F) foram utilizados para testar se as transações impõem efeitos informativos sobre os preços. Os resultados do modelo de vetor-autoregressivo (VAR) estrutural apontaram para a existência de informação assimétrica no mercado futuro de câmbio brasileiro, indicando que aproximadamente 50% da variação do preço eficiente é resultado da informação privada contida no fluxo de ordem. Além disso, a análise do fluxo de ordem permitiu a estimação das taxas de chegada de ordens de agentes informados e não informadas no mercado, utilizadas para calcular a probabilidade de uma transação ser informativa (PIN). Altos valores de PIN implicam spreads mais amplos que reduzem a liquidez do mercado. O resultado de 1,53% indica que o mercado de câmbio brasileiro é bastante líquido, o que impõe menores custos aos agentes menos informados que chegam ao mercado.
The information content of risk reversals in emerging market currencies
Authors: Costa Filho Adonias Evaristo da
Published: October 2019

This paper analyzes the information content of risk reversals for ten emerging

market currencies. In contrast to the findings for major developed currencies,

it is found that in some cases risk reversals (RR) are helpful in predicting

currency returns, but in general RR are predicted by but do not predict carry

trade returns. Evidence based on country vector autoregressions (VARs) and a

panel VAR (PVAR) indicate that RR react in a procyclicalway to carry returns, i.e.,

it is cheaper (more expensive) to buy protection against currency weakness after

positive (negative) total returns. All in all, it is found that crash risk accounts

for a small share of carry trade returns variance, which seems to be more related

to global risk aversion shocks. A sentiment indicator of crash risk in emerging

market currencies is highly correlated with the VIX.
Value & Growth Investing e Pead PEAD no Brasil
Authors: Galdi Fernando Caio , Lima Vinícius Souto-Maior
Published: October 2019

Este trabalho investiga se o post-earnings announcement drift (PEAD), quando utilizado como critério adicional de seleção de ações, pode aprimorar o retorno de estratégias de investimento baseadas na análise de indicadores fundamentalista no mercado brasileiro. O PEAD foi explorado por meio da análise das surpresas nos lucros, capturada pelo SUE (standardized unexpected earnings) e os modelos de score fundamentalistas utilizados foram o F_Score (Piotroski, 2000) e o G_Score (Mohanran, 2005), que, adaptados neste trabalho, foram chamados de BrF_Score e BrG_Score. Para a análise foram coletados dados trimestrais das empresas listadas na Bovespa, no período de dezembro de 2001 até novembro de 2011. Os resultados demonstraram que a análise da surpresa de lucros quando conjugada com a análise de critérios fundamentalistas, é útil para aprimorar os modelos de seleção de ações e ampliar os retornos dos investidores que utilizam estas estratégias baseadas na análise das demonstrações contábeis.
List of Reviewers - Brazilian Review of Finance - RBFin
Authors: Laurini Marcio Poletti
Published: October 2019

List of Reviewers - Brazilian Review of Finance - RBFin
Mudança de Regime e Efeito ARCH em Volatilidade: Um Estudo dos Choques das Cotações do Petróleo
Authors: Oliveira Andre Barbosa , Valls Pereira Pedro L.
Published: October 2019

O petróleo é uma importante commodity energética, sendo insumo em diferentes atividades, possuindo efeito direto ou indireto sobre vários setores na economia. Esta commodity tem preços instáveis, resultado de choques geopolíticos bem como de choques de mercado numa perspectiva de inovação tecnológica na área de energia e mudança de padrões de consumo. Neste trabalho estudamos a volatilidade das principais cotações de referência do petróleo com três modelos: GARCH; GARCH com mudança de regime (MS-GARCH); e modelo de variância incondicional com mudança de regime (MSIH). Os modelos são comparados em termos de desempenho preditivo e valor em risco fora da amostra de estimação. Podemos identificar diferentes regimes sobre as cotações do petróleo, com melhores desempenhos preditivos e no valor em risco para os modelos com mudança de regime markoviana.
Efeito do Volume de Negócios nas Escolhas de Recomendações de Ações dos Analistas
Authors: Antônio Rafael Moreira , Rathke Alex Augusto Timm , Moraes Marcelo Botelho da Costa , Ambrozini Marcelo Augusto
Published: October 2019

O presente estudo analisa o efeito do volume de negócios nas escolhas de recomendações de compra e venda de ações dos analistas de mercado de capitais. A pesquisa foi realizada com 7.293 recomendações consensuais emitidas para empresas brasileiras entre os anos de 2008 e 2014. Além das recomendações, os dados analisados foram compostos por características fundamentalistas das firmas tais como o ativo total, o retorno das ações, o lucro líquido e os dividendos distribuídos objetivando-se identificar quais foram os fatores que os analistas consideraram em suas avaliações para a emissão de recomendações. A análise de dados foi realizada por meio de uma regressão com dados em painel desbalanceado e os resultados indicaram que os analistas preferem recomendar as ações com alto volume de negociação e que as ações que receberam as recomendações mais favoráveis foram aquelas que apresentaram maior volume de negócios, corroborando com a teoria. Outros indicadores mostraram-se significantes como base para as recomendações, como o lucro operacional antes dos juros e imposto de renda (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes – EBIT), o retorno das ações, o retorno sobre os ativos (ROA), os dividendos distribuídos e a relação entre o preço e o valor patrimonial das ações (P/VPA).
Corporate Governance and Pyramidal Ownership: The Role of Novo Mercado
Authors: Aldrighi Dante Mendes , Postali Fernando Antonio Slaibe , Diaz Maria Dolores Montoya
Published: October 2019

The literature has not reached a consensus on the motivation and implications of pyramidal ownership schemes. For some, such arrangements make it easier for controlling shareholders to expropriate outside investors. More recently, some studies have challenged this view and emphasized that their rationale lies in overcoming financial constraints. This paper focuses on whether firms owned through pyramidal schemes are more likely to be listed on the “Novo Mercado,” the Brazilian stock exchange’s premium listing segment created in 2000, which prohibits firms from issuing non-voting shares. We built a dataset of ownership data with annual observations for a panel of firms over the period 2003-2010 by hand-collecting data drawn from reports that firms submit periodically to the Brazilian securities regulator (CVM). Estimating fixed effects non-linear panel data models of a binary dependent variable, we find that firms listed on the Novo Mercado are less likely to be owned through a pyramid arrangement, result which appears to be consistent with the expropriation view.
Análise Multicritério Nebulosa de Empresas
Authors: Duarte Junior Antonio Marcos , Albuquerque e Silva Hugo Ghiaroni
Published: October 2019

Consideramos o problema tradicional de avaliação de empresas. Propomos uma metodologia que permite o uso não somente dos tradicionais indicadores financeiros calculados por analistas de empresas, mas também medidas de riscos (liquidez e mercado) baseadas em preços e volumes obtidos do mercado, assim como critérios qualitativos baseados em conceitos como governança corporativa, indicadores de sustentabilidade e classificação de crédito, dentre outros. Diante da natureza diversificada dos critérios adotados, propomos o uso da análise de decisão multicritério com a matemática nebulosa para modelar e incorporar as incertezas presentes no problema. Consideramos dados reais do mercado acionário brasileiro para fins de ilustração numérica. Os resultados obtidos provaram ser robustos e ofereceram informações detalhadas sobre o desempenho esperado sob cenários adversos, com potencial para melhorar o processo de análise de empresas enfrentado por gestores de carteiras e analistas fundamentalistas