bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Components of the menu planning process: the case of five star hotels in Antalya
Authors: Seyitoglu Faruk
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how chefs working at five star hotels perceive the menu planning process.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies were used to deeply investigate the menu planning process of five star hotels. Data were drawn from in situ interviews and documentation, which were examined via content analysis. After the coding process, themes and categories were extracted and corroborated by direct quotations.

Findings

The findings revealed that the menu planning process can be classified into five major categories. The first category consists of the prerequisites of planning a menu. The second category is “key issues” and encapsulates the managerial, consumer, gastronomic, marketing and external aspects of menu planning. The third category highlights key actors’ responsibilities in the menu planning process, while the fourth category, “trial and improvement,” elaborates on the iterative process of menu design and the key players and issues involved with it. Finally, the last category outlines the difficulties of menu planning.

Originality/value

In the existing academic literature, most research conducted about menu planning only provides conceptual framework while empirical information remains unexamined. However, this qualitative study aims to clarify the components of menu planning in more detail in terms of five star hotel firms that offer various food and beverage operations. The present study is an attempt to fill a gap in the existing literature on the subject.
Occurrence of extended-spectrumβ-lactamase, AmpC and virulence genes inEscherichia coliisolates from vegetable salads in Morocco
Authors: Nayme Kaotar , Barguigua Abouddihaj , Bouchrif Brahim , Diawara Idrissa , El Otmani Fatima , Elmdaghri Naima , Zerouali Khalid , Timinouni Mohammed
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the occurrence of the extended-spectrumβ-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpCβ-lactamase genes in 144Escherichia coliisolates recovered from 160 vegetable salad samples.

Design/methodology/approach

Among the 144E. coliisolates recovered from 160 vegetable salads, 17 (12 percent) ceftazidime-resistant isolates were screened for ESBL production with the double disk-diffusion test. The ESBL-producing isolates were characterized for antimicrobial resistance, the presence of virulence genes and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants. The isolates were also subjected to phylogenetic group typing. The existence of plasmid AmpC genes and mutations in the regulatory region of the chromosomal AmpC gene was assessed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Allβ-lactamase isolates were further characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to determine the genetic relatedness.

Findings

Overall, 17 (12 percent) of the 144E. coliisolates studied were ceftazidime resistant. Among the 17 isolates, 13 (77 percent) were multidrug resistant and four (23.5 percent) were ESBL producers. The bla CTX-M14 was the only gene detected. Of the 12 AmpC-producing isolates, three (18 percent) harbored plasmid-encoded AmpC and sequencing analysis of the chromosomal AmpC genes revealed mutations in the promoter/attenuator region. PMQR determinants were detected in 9 (52 percent) isolates. A was the most prevalent phylogenetic group (56 percent), followed by groups B1 (31 percent), D (6 percent), and B2 (6 percent). PCR showed that six (50 percent) ESBL/AmpC-producingE. coliisolates carried one and/or two virulence genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed no epidemiological relationship between these isolates.

Originality/value

This study places vegetable salads within the spectrum of ecological niches that may be vehicles for antibiotic-resistant bacteria/genes with clinical interest and these findings are worthy of attention as their spread to humans by ingestion cannot be dismissed.
Satisfactions comparisons: women with families, full-time and part-time self-employed
Authors: Ebbers Ilona , Piper Alan
Published: May 2017

Purpose

In spite of numerous political initiatives, the proportion of self-employed women in Germany has stagnated. This paper aims to offer a new perspective on this problem. The investigation and data gathered about job and life satisfaction of women with families can provide information on the reasons for starting a business, and the low participation of women in entrepreneurial activity.

Design/methodology/approach

After a literature review, representative German panel data is analysed to investigate the job and life satisfaction of full- and part-time self-employed women with a family.

Findings

Self-employed women with families who work full-time are more satisfied with their jobs than those who work part-time. There is no statistically significant difference between these two groups with respect to their life satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

An implication of the results suggests new ideas and a new focus by policy makers and politicians when trying to increase the quantity of women with families engaging in self-employment. A limitation is that a lack of “within” variation in the data means that the panel nature of the survey cannot be usefully incorporated into the investigation.

Originality/value

Until now, there is limited research about the work and life satisfaction of women with a family comparing full- and part-time self-employment. This analysis is potentially valuable because the number of part-time self-employed women is substantially higher than the number of full-time self-employed women. We find evidence that such women may instead prefer full-time self-employment.
Shared ownership and temporal ownership in Catalan law
Authors: Simón Moreno Héctor , Lambea Llop Núria , Garcia Teruel Rosa Maria
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The global economic crisis and the housing bubble meltdown have had a significant impact on the Spanish property market. As a result, the homeownership–tenancy dichotomy has become a matter of discussion, and efforts are made to discover formulas that provide affordable, stable and flexible housing access. Taking this background into account, the Catalan lawmaker has implemented the so-called “intermediate tenures” (temporal ownership and shared ownership) into the Catalan Civil Code, which are conceived as a middle ground between ownership and renting. This paper aims to explores how these “intermediate tenures” work.

Design/methodology/approach

These tenures are conceived as a middle ground between ownership and renting and may be used for a variety of purposes. As the Catalan lawmaker has fragmented the right of ownership on the basis of English law, which is a great breakthrough regarding the long-standing conception of the right of ownership in continental legal systems, the paper explores how these “intermediate tenures” work, as regulated in Act 19/2015, in a comparative perspective.

Findings

The paper offers an overview of how these “intermediate tenures” are regulated and which are the problems arising from legislation and the potential uses.

Originality/value

As the temporal ownership confers on the titleholder the domain of an asset for a specifically defined period of time, it does not conform to the right of ownership as it is currently conceived in continental European legal systems, given that it is based on the English leasehold; shared ownership confers on the buyer a property share in the thing, entitling him to the full possession, use and exclusive enjoyment of the thing and to gradually acquire the remaining share. Both are based on the English shared ownership scheme and leasehold, and are legal transplants worth to be analysed.
Applicability of the high performance organization (HPO) framework in the Chinese context
Authors: de Waal André , Wang Amy
Published: May 2017

Purpose

In recent years, China has shifted its competitive strategy from competing on low cost to producing higher value added products and services, and the country has made the promotion of business excellence a national strategic priority. As a consequence, Chinese organizations need to know the factors that will make them world-class companies. Until recently, not much research has been done into these factors in the Chinese context. The few studies available unfortunately were mainly done only into specific elements of excellence and specific improvement techniques; a holistic and scientifically validated framework for creating high performance organizations (HPOs) cannot be found. The purpose of this study is to evaluate such a framework, which was quite recently developed, for the Chinese context.

Design/methodology/approach

A possible way forward is to use the HPO framework which was validated in earlier studies for the Asian context. In this paper, this research question is answered: Can the HPO framework be used to help Chinese organization to evaluate and improve the factors for excellence in the Chinese context? The study used a questionnaire which was distributed to respondents of a Chinese state-owned manufacturing enterprise. The results were discussed during a workshop to arrive at the main attention points for the organization.

Findings

The HPO framework was validated for the Chinese context and yielded valuable recommendations for improvement for the case company.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap which currently exists in empirical research about organization performance practices in Chinese. The study also has practical implications as management of Chinese state-owned enterprises, and possibly other Chinese companies, are now able to undertake focused improvement actions.
Managerial strategies to make incentives meaningful and motivating
Authors: Korlén Sara , Essén Anna , Lindgren Peter , Amer-Wahlin Isis , von Thiele Schwarz Ulrica
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Policy makers are applying market-inspired competition and financial incentives to drive efficiency in healthcare. However, a lack of knowledge exists about the process whereby incentives are filtered through organizations to influence staff motivation, and the key role of managers is often overlooked. The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies managers use as intermediaries between financial incentives and the individual motivation of staff. The authors use empirical data from a local case in Swedish specialized care.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an exploratory qualitative case study of a patient-choice reform, including financial incentives, in specialized orthopedics in Sweden. In total, 17 interviews were conducted with professionals in managerial positions, representing six healthcare providers. A hypo-deductive, thematic approach was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results show that managers applied alignment strategies to make the incentive model motivating for staff. The managers’ strategies are characterized by attempts to align external rewards with professional values based on their contextual and practical knowledge. Managers occasionally overruled the financial logic of the model to safeguard patient needs and expressed an interest in having a closer dialogue with policy makers about improvements.

Originality/value

Externally imposed incentives do not automatically motivate healthcare staff. Managers in healthcare play key roles as intermediaries by aligning external rewards with professional values. Managers’ multiple perspectives on healthcare practices and professional culture can also be utilized to improve policy and as a source of knowledge in partnership with policy makers.
Multiple commitments and behaviors: a mixed concept approach
Authors: Hoppe Daniel
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between different foci of commitment, namely, department commitment (DC) and corporate brand commitment (CBC), and their relationship toward favorable employee behavior on the same level of aggregation.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey at a maximum care hospital in Germany was conducted (N= 366).

Findings

Integrating two contrasting frameworks (“key mediating concept” and “compatibility concept”) into a mixed model by using the accessibility-diagnosticity framework, support for the predictive nature of DC on CBC was found. Based on the compatibility principle, relationships between DC and department citizenship behavior (DCB) as well as between CBC and brand citizenship behavior (BCB) are empirically supported. Negligible spillover effects were found.

Research limitations/implications

Understanding the relationship between DC and CBC shows new ways to strengthen CBC, as the generation of DC has synergetic effects on favorable employee behaviors. DC facilitates employee behavior supporting the department and has an indirect impact on BCB, which is extremely important in service sectors with limited differentiation potential.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new theoretical reasoning to derive relationships between different foci of commitments applicable for future research. Additionally, it is the first implementation of CBC in a multi-foci framework of commitments and favorable employee behaviors. Moreover, it is the first application of the BCB construct in a healthcare context. Finally, empirical support for a mixed concept approach over past models in a multi-foci framework is provided.
To (or not to) label products as artisanal: effect of fashion involvement on customer perceived value
Authors: Bhaduri Gargi , Stanforth Nancy
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to understand whether product descriptor cues related to artisanal qualities can help marketers to delineate their clothing product offerings to consumers by influencing consumers’ perceived product values and the effect (if any) of consumers’ fashion clothing involvement on such value perceptions. In today’s intensely competitive market environment marked by minimal product differentiation, marketers are often using the terms artisan, handcrafted or similar to indicate that their products are different, produced with care, are of higher quality and even premium.

Design/methodology/approach

For the study, a 2 (Involvement: High/Low) × 4 (Cues: Control/Artisan-made/Part of a curated collection/Handcrafted) × 2 (products replications: Jeans/Handbags) mixed model repeated measures experiment was designed. A sample of 487 adult female US consumers was recruited using a market-based research firm.

Findings

Results indicated that framing luxury products as artisanal using product descriptor cues influenced the perceived value of these products. Moreover, consumers’ fashion involvement positively influenced their perceived value for artisanal luxury products.

Originality/value

The study is one of the few attempts in understanding the value of artisanal luxury products. Given the importance of the artisanal luxury industry to the global economy, focusing on how consumers perceive the value of artisanal luxury products is important to marketers and practitioners as well as academicians. From a theoretical perspective, the study indicates fashion involvement as a predictor of consumers’ perceived value, thereby filling a gap in literature. The study used two different product categories to aid in generalizability of the results.
A review of passive self-sensing tag
Authors: Xu Yawei , Dong Lihong , Wang Haidou , Jing Jiannong , Lu Yongxiang
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Radio frequency identification tags for passive sensing have attracted wide attention in the area of Internet of Things (IoT). Among them, some tags can sense the property change of objects without an integrated sensor, which is a new trend of passive sensing based on tag. The purpose of this paper is to review recent research on passive self-sensing tags (PSSTs).

Design/methodology/approach

The PSSTs reported in the past decade are classified in terms of sensing mode, composition and the ways of power supply. This paper presents operation principles of PSSTs and analyzes the characteristics of them. Moreover, the paper focuses on summarizing the latest sensing parameters of PSSTs and their matching equipment. Finally, some potential applications and challenges faced by this emerging technique are discussed.

Findings

PSST is suitable for long-term and large-scale monitoring compared to conventional sensors because it gets rid of the limitation of battery and has relatively low cost. Also, the static information of objects stored in different PSSTs can be identified by a single reader without touch.

Originality/value

This paper provides a detailed and timely review of the rapidly growing research in PSST.
Intraspecific variability and reaction norms of forest understorey plant species traits
Authors: Burton Julia I. , Perakis Steven S. , McKenzie Sean C. , Lawrence Caitlin E. , Puettmann Klaus J.
Published: May 2017

Trait‐based models of ecological communities typically assume intraspecific variation in functional traits is not important, although such variation can change species trait rankings along gradients in resources and environmental conditions, and thus influence community structure and function.

We examined the degree of intraspecific relative to interspecific variation, and reaction norms of 11 functional traits for 57 forest understorey plant species, including: intrinsic water‐use efficiency (iWUE), Δ15N, five leaf traits, two stem traits and two root traits along gradients in light, nitrogen, moisture and understorey cover.

Our results indicate that interspecific trait variation exceeded intraspecific variation by at least 50% for most, but not all traits. Intraspecific variation in Δ15N, iWUE, leaf nitrogen content (LNC) and root traits was high (47–70%) compared with most leaf traits and stem traits (13–38%).

Δ15N varied primarily along gradients in abiotic conditions, while light and understorey cover were relatively less important. Intrinsic water‐use efficiency was related primarily to light transmission, reflecting increases in photosynthesis relative to stomatal conductance. Leaf traits varied mainly as a function of light availability, with some reaction norms depending on understorey cover. Plant height increased with understorey cover, while stem‐specific density was related primarily to light. Resources, environmental conditions and understorey cover did not contribute strongly to the observed variation in root traits.

Gradients in resources, environmental conditions and competition all appear to control intraspecific variability in most traits to some extent. However, our results suggest that species cross‐over (i.e. trait rank reversals) along the gradients measured here are generally not a concern.

Intraspecific variability in understorey plant species traits can be considerable. However, trait data collected under a narrow range of environmental conditions appears sufficient to establish species rankings and scale between community and ecosystem levels using trait‐based models. Investigators may therefore focus on obtaining a sufficient sample size within a single set of conditions rather than characterizing trait variation across entire gradients to optimize sampling efforts.

A lay summary is available for this article.
The role of trait combination in the conspicuousness of fruit display among bird‐dispersed plants
Authors: Ordano Mariano , Blendinger Pedro G. , Lomáscolo Silvia B. , Chacoff Natacha P. , Sánchez Mariano S. , Núñez Montellano María G. , Jiménez Julieta , Ruggera Román A. , Valoy Mariana
Published: May 2017

In visually driven seed dispersal mutualisms, natural selection should promote plant strategies that maximize fruit visibility to dispersers. Plants might increase seed dispersal profitability by increasing conspicuousness of fruit display, understood as a plant strategy to maximize fruit detectability by seed dispersers.

The role of different plant traits in fruit choice and consumption by seed dispersers has been broadly studied. However, there is no clear evidence about the importance of the traits that increase conspicuousness of fruit display. Because strategies to maximize conspicuousness of fruit display are diverse, and usually are expected to be costly, we would expect that individual plant species will produce an efficient combination of traits.

We explored this prediction with 62 fleshy fruited plant species of a subtropical Andean forest (Southern Yungas), and using a large dataset of fruit consumption by birds (4476 records). Conspicuousness of fruit display was characterized by both fruit and plant traits including chromatic contrast, size, exposure, aggregation and crop size of fruits. We also considered phylogenetic effects on phenotypic variation.

Fruit consumption was explained by fruit chromatic contrast depending on fruit crop size. These traits revealed low phylogenetic effects, with the exception of four plant clades at different levels in the phylogenetic tree. Negative correlations between pairs of traits support our assumption that fruit display traits are costly, suggesting natural selection favours parsimonious evolutionary pathways.

Plant species seem to rely on conspicuousness of fruit display by a combination of traits that might minimize costs of fruit display. This appears adaptively relevant to improve communication with mutualistic animals, to increase fruit consumption in a community context and, ultimately, to enhance the profitability of seed dispersal.

A lay summary is available for this article.
In Vitro Digestion and Fermentation of Microencapsulated Tributyrin for the Delivery of Butyrate
Authors: Donovan Joseph D. , Bauer Laura , Fahey George C. , Lee Youngsoo
Published: May 2017

Butyrate possesses negative sensory qualities and is most effectively utilized in the intestine to provide energy to the colonocyte for the maintenance of intestinal health. Butyrate has also shown promise in the treatment of intestinal disorders and diseases such as short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. To modify sensory properties, intestinal release, and butyrate production capabilities, tributyrin (TB) was microencapsulated in whey protein isolate (WPI)‐based and gamma‐cyclodextrin (GC)‐based materials. Using an in vitro digestion and fermentation model, microcapsules containing TB were monitored for their release and production of butyrate in vitro. All samples containing TB showed limited butyrate release (<5%) during oral and gastric stages. In the small intestinal phase, all microcapsules containing TB released approximately 75% of their total butyrate with no significant differences (P > 0.05) across formulations. During the fermentation phase, GC‐based microcapsules produced significantly more butyrate (P < 0.001) on a molar basis than all WPI‐based microcapsules. Butyrate production increased significantly (P < 0.001) over each time interval with GC‐based microcapsules having the highest during the 12 h of fermentation. The GC‐based TB encapsulation systems were able to effectively deliver butyrate to the small intestine and generate butyrate in the large intestine. These microcapsules may, therefore, be beneficial for the maintenance of intestinal health and improvement of disease states across all areas of the gastrointestinal tract.
A general sampling formula for community structure data
Authors: Haegeman Bart , Etienne Rampal S.
Published: May 2017

The development of neutral community theory has shown that the assumption of species neutrality, although implausible on the level of individual species, can lead to reasonable predictions on the community level. While Hubbell's neutral model and several of its variants have been analysed in quite some detail, the comparison of theoretical predictions with empirical abundance data is often hindered by technical problems. Only for a few models the exact solution of the stationary abundance distribution is known and sufficiently simple to be applied to data. For other models, approximate solutions have been proposed, but their accuracy is questionable.

Here, we argue that many of these technical problems can be overcome by replacing the assumption of constant community size (the zero‐sum constraint) by the assumption of independent species abundances.

We present a general sampling formula for community abundance data under this assumption. We show that for the few models for which an exact solution with zero‐sum constraint is known, our independent species approach leads to very similar parameter estimates as the zero‐sum models, for six frequently studied tropical forest community samples.

We show that our general sampling formula can be easily confronted to a much wider range of datasets (very large datasets, relative abundance data, presence‐absence data, and sets of multiple samples) for a large class of models, including non‐neutral ones. We provide an R package, called SADISA (Species Abundance Distributions under the Independent Species Assumption), to facilitate the use of the sampling formula.
Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Is Clustered and Associated With Neighborhood Socioeconomic Characteristics: A Geospatial Analysis of Kent County, Michigan
Authors: Uber Amy , Sadler Richard C. , Chassee Todd , Reynolds Joshua C.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Geographic clustering of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with demographic and socioeconomic features of the community where out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occurred, although this association remains largely untested in rural areas. With a significant rural component and relative racial homogeneity, Kent County, Michigan, provides a unique setting to externally validate or identify new community features associated with bystander CPR. Using a large, countywide data set, we tested for geographic clustering of bystander CPR and its associations with community socioeconomic features.

Methods

Secondary analysis of adult OHCA subjects (2010–2015) in the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) data set for Kent County, Michigan. After linking geocoded OHCA cases to U.S. census data, we used Moran's I‐test to assess for spatial autocorrelation of population‐weighted cardiac arrest rate by census block group. Getis‐Ord Gi statistic assessed for spatial clustering of bystander CPR and mixed‐effects hierarchical logistic regression estimated adjusted associations between community features and bystander CPR.

Results

Of 1,592 subjects, 1,465 met inclusion criteria. Geospatial analysis revealed significant clustering of OHCA in more populated/urban areas. Conversely, bystander CPR was less likely in these areas (99% confidence) and more likely in suburban and rural areas (99% confidence). Adjusting for clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic covariates, bystander CPR was associated with public location (odds ratio [OR] = 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.39), initially shockable rhythms (OR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.12–1.96), and those in urban neighborhoods (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.38–0.77).

Conclusions

Out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest and bystander CPR are geographically clustered in Kent County, Michigan, but bystander CPR is inversely associated with urban designation. These results offer new insight into bystander CPR patterns in mixed urban and rural regions and afford the opportunity for targeted community CPR education in areas of low bystander CPR prevalence.
Determinants of Blood Brain‐Derived Neurotrophic Factor Blood Levels in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Nubukpo Philippe , Ramoz Nicolas , Girard Murielle , Malauzat Dominique , Gorwood Philip
Published: May 2017

Background

Blood brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are influenced by both addiction and mood disorders, as well as somatic conditions, gender, and genetic polymorphisms, leading to widely varying results. Depressive symptoms and episodes are frequently observed in patients with alcohol use disorder, and vary widely over time, making it a challenge to determine which aspects are specifically involved in variations of serum BDNF levels in this population.

Methods

We assessed 227 patients with alcohol dependence involved in a detoxification program, at baseline and after a follow‐up of 6 months, for the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score, the length of alcohol dependence, and the number of past detoxification programs. The Beck Depression Inventory and information on current tobacco and alcohol use, suicidal ideation, body mass index, age, gender, and psychotropic treatments were also collected. Serum BDNF (ELISA) and 2 genetic polymorphisms of the BDNF gene (Val33Met and rs962369) were analyzed.

Results

The presence of the Met allele, 2 markers of the history of alcohol dependence (gamma glutamyl transferase and the number of past treatments in detoxification programs), and the presence of a depressive episode (but not depressive score) were significantly associated with the 2 blood levels of BDNF at baseline and after 6 months. After controlling for baseline BDNF levels, the presence of the Met allele and an ongoing depressive episode were the only variables associated with changes in BNDF levels after 6 months.

Conclusions

Low serum BDNF levels are associated with characteristics related to alcohol consumption and mood disorders, and variants of the BDNF gene in alcohol use disorder patients. The factors that most strongly influenced changes in serum BDNF levels following treatment in an alcohol detoxification program were variants of the BDNF gene and ongoing depression.
A prospective cohort study of awake fibreoptic intubation practice at a tertiary centre
Authors: El‐Boghdadly K. , Onwochei D. N. , Cuddihy J. , Ahmad I.
Published: May 2017

Contemporary data are lacking for procedural practice, training provision and outcomes for awake fibreoptic intubation in the UK. We performed a prospective cohort study of awake fibreoptic intubations at a tertiary centre to assess current practice. Data from 600 elective or emergency awake fibreoptic intubations were collected to include information on patient and operator demographics, technical performance and complications. This comprised 1.71% of patients presenting for surgery requiring a general anaesthetic, with the majority occurring in patients presenting for head and neck surgery. The most common indication was reduced mouth opening (26.8%), followed by previous airway surgery or head and neck radiotherapy (22.5% each). Only five awake fibreoptic intubations were performed with no sedation, but the most common sedative technique was combined target‐controlled infusions of remifentanil and propofol. Oxygenation was achieved with high‐flow, heated and humidified oxygen via nasal cannula in 49.0% of patients. Most operators had performed awake fibreoptic intubation more than 20 times previously, but trainees were the primary operator in 78.6% of awake fibreoptic intubations, of which 86.8% were directly supervised by a consultant. The failure rate was 1.0%, and 11.0% of awake fibreoptic intubations were complicated, most commonly by multiple attempts (4.2%), over‐sedation (2.2%) or desaturation (1.5%). The only significant association with complications was the number of previous awake fibreoptic intubations performed, with fewer complications occurring in the hands of operators with more awake fibreoptic intubation experience. Our data demonstrate that awake fibreoptic intubation is a safe procedure with a high success rate. Institutional awake fibreoptic intubation training can both develop and maintain trainee competence in performing awake fibreoptic intubation, with a similar incidence of complications and success compared with consultants.
Comparison of reversal with neostigmine of low‐dose rocuronium vs. reversal with sugammadex of high‐dose rocuronium for a short procedure
Authors: Choi E. S. , Oh A. Y. , Koo B. W. , Hwang J. W. , Han J. W. , Seo K. S. , Ahn S. H. , Jeong W. J.
Published: May 2017

Some short procedures require deep neuromuscular blockade, which needs to be reversed at the end of the procedure. Forty‐four patients undergoing elective laryngeal micro‐surgery were randomly allocated into two groups: rocuronium 0.45 mg.kg−1 with neostigmine (50 μg.kg−1 with glycopyrrolate 10 μg.kg−1) reversal (moderate block group) vs. rocuronium 0.90 mg.kg−1 with sugammadex (4 mg.kg−1) reversal (deep block group). The primary outcome was the intubating conditions during laryngoscopy secondary outcomes included recovery of neuromuscular block; conditions for tracheal intubation; satisfaction score as determined by the surgeon; onset of neuromuscular block; and postoperative sore throat. The onset of neuromuscular block was more rapid, and intubation conditions and ease of intra‐operative laryngoscopy were more favourable, and the satisfaction score was lower in the moderate block group compared with the deep block group. No difference was found in the incidence of postoperative sore throat. In laryngeal micro‐surgery, the use of rocuronium 0.9 mg.kg−1 with sugammadex for reversal was associated with better surgical conditions and a shorter recovery time than rocuronium 0.45 mg.kg−1 with neostigmine.
Cryo scanning electron microscopy of Plasmodium falciparum‐infected erythrocytes
Authors: Hempel Casper
Published: May 2017

Plasmodium falciparum invades erythrocytes as an essential part of their life cycle. While living inside erythrocytes, the parasite remodels the cell's intracellular organization as well as its outer surface. Late trophozoite‐stage parasites and schizonts introduce numerous small protrusions on the erythrocyte surface, called knobs. Current methods for studying these knobs include atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. Standard electron microscopy methods rely on chemical fixation and dehydration modifying cell size. Here, a novel method is presented using rapid freezing and scanning electron microscopy under cryogenic conditions allowing for high resolution and magnification of erythrocytes. This novel technique can be used for precise estimates of knob density and for studies on cytoadhesion.
The emotional challenges of conducting in‐depth research into significant health issues in health geography: reflections on emotional labour, fieldwork and life course
Authors: McGarrol Sarah
Published: May 2017

Emotions are increasingly being recognised and integrated into human geography and it has been highlighted that focusing on the ‘interrelatedness’ of the research process is crucial. By contextualising fieldwork within the life course of the researcher, greater acknowledgement of the ‘emotional labour’ involved in fieldwork can be highlighted. The author reflects on the ‘emotional geographies’ of conducting PhD research into significant health issues with participants who had recently suffered a heart attack in Fife, Scotland. This paper reveals emotions involved in this kind of research, drawing on perspectives from participants as well as the researcher. The author also draws attention to, and reflects on, the lack of engagement with researcher's emotional labour within formal academic structures, such as research training and ethics application processes. Reflecting on fieldwork experiences from a distance, the author discusses the influence and impact of her emotional experiences of fieldwork. This paper contributes to work concerned with emotions and fieldwork in geography and asserts that greater importance and value needs to be given to this type of emotion work as embedded and situated within researchers’ life courses.
Preliminary support for a brief psychological intervention to improve first‐time hearing aid use among adults
Authors: Armitage Christopher J. , Lees Deborah , Lewis Kathryn , Munro Kevin J.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Suboptimal hearing aid use extorts significant social, health, and economic costs. The aims of this study were to (1) test the novel hypothesis that the threat associated with being diagnosed with hearing loss could be ameliorated with a self‐affirmation manipulation and (2) gauge the feasibility of deploying the manipulation in routine clinical practice.

Design

Parallel groups randomized controlled trial with 10‐week follow‐up.

Method

Fifty people, newly prescribed with a hearing aid, completed either a questionnaire that included a brief self‐affirming exercise or an identical questionnaire with no self‐affirming exercise. The main outcome measure was derived from data logging automatically stored by the hearing aid. Perceived threat (‘anxiety about ageing’), behavioural intention, and self‐efficacy were measured as potential mediators.

Results

Objectively measured hours of daily hearing aid use were marginally higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (between‐group difference = 1.94 hr, 95%CI = −1.24, 5.12, d = 0.43). At follow‐up, participants in the intervention group were significantly less anxious about ageing and more accepting of older people than were participants in the control group (between‐group difference = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.26, 1.22, d = 0.87). There was no statistically significant effect of the intervention on behavioural intention or self‐efficacy.

Conclusions

Although not statistically significant, the magnitude of the effect of the intervention on hearing aid use (d = 0.43) suggests that it would be worthwhile working towards a fully powered randomized controlled trial. The ability to reduce anxieties about ageing with this brief intervention could have far‐reaching benefits for multiple patient and general population groups.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Hearing impairment is more disabling than diabetes, yet hearing aid use is suboptimal.

Anxieties about ageing may undermine hearing aid use.

What does this study add?

The study tests a brief theory‐based psychological intervention to reduce anxiety about ageing and promote hearing aid use.

Results show that the brief psychological intervention reduced anxiety and marginally increased objective hearing aid use.

Further work is required to identify other situations in which anxieties about ageing undermine behaviour change efforts.

The very brief, flexible nature of the intervention means it could be adapted and deployed in numerous other health care settings.
Natural alkaloid bouchardatine ameliorates metabolic disorders in high‐fat diet‐fed mice by stimulating the sirtuin 1/liver kinase B‐1/AMPK axis
Authors: Rao Yong , Yu Hong , Gao Lin , Lu Yu‐Ting , Xu Zhao , Liu Hong , Gu Lian‐Quan , Ye Ji‐Ming , Huang Zhi‐Shu
Published: May 2017

Background and purpose

Promoting energy metabolism is known to provide therapeutic effects for obesity and associated metabolic disorders. The present study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the newly identified bouchardatine (Bou) on obesity‐associated metabolic disorders and the molecular mechanisms of these effects.

Experimental approach

The molecular mode of action of Bou for its effects on lipid metabolism was first examined in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes and HepG2 cells. This was followed by an evaluation of its metabolic effects in mice fed a high‐fat diet for 16 weeks with Bou being administered in the last 5 weeks. Further mechanistic investigations were conducted in pertinent organs of the mice and relevant cell models.

Key results

In 3T3‐L1 adipocytes, Bou reduced lipid content and increased sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity to facilitate liver kinase B1 (LKB1) activation of AMPK. Chronic administration of Bou (50 mg∙kg−1 every other day) in mice significantly attenuated high‐fat diet‐induced increases in body weight gain, dyslipidaemia and fatty liver without affecting food intake and no adverse effects were detected. These metabolic effects were associated with activation of the SIRT1–LKB1–AMPK signalling pathway in adipose tissue and liver. Of particular note, UCP1 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis were increased in both white and brown adipose tissues of Bou‐treated mice. Incubation with Bou induced similar changes in primary brown adipocytes isolated from mice.

Conclusions and implications

Bou may have therapeutic potential for obesity‐related metabolic diseases by increasing the capacity of energy expenditure in adipose tissues and liver through a mechanism involving the SIRT1–LKB1–AMPK axis.
Superficial basal cell carcinoma: A comparison of superficial only subtype with superficial combined with other subtypes by age, sex and anatomic site in 3150 cases
Authors: Pyne John H. , Myint Esther , Barr Elizabeth M. , Clark Simon P. , David Michael , Na Renua , Hou Ruihang
Published: May 2017

Background

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) may present as superficial subtype alone (sBCC) or superficial combined with other subtypes.

The objective of this study was to compare sBCC without or with other BCC subtypes by age, sex and anatomic site.

Methods

We retrospectively collected superficial BCC with the above characteristics from an Australian center during 2009 to 2014.

Results

We recorded 1528 sBCC and 1622 superficial BCC combined with other BCC subtype cases. Males numbered 2007 and females 1140. On males, head sites (forehead, cheek, nose and ear combined) compared to limb plus trunk sites displayed a higher incidence of superficial BCC combined with either nodular and or aggressive BCC subtypes (OR 13.15 CI 95% 8.9‐19.5 P < .0001). On females a similar comparison also found a higher incidence of superficial BCC combined with solid subtype BCC on head sites compared to trunk and limb sites (OR 9.66 CI 95% 5.8‐16.1 P < .0001).

Conclusion

Superficial BCC alone is more likely on younger females on trunk and limb sites. Small partial biopsies reported as sBCC may miss other BCC subtypes present with higher risk on facial sites for males and females. Males had smaller proportions of superficial only subtype BCC on facial and ear sites compared to females.
Explicating the role of empathic processes in substance use disorders: A conceptual framework and research agenda
Authors: Massey Suena H. , Newmark Rebecca L. , Wakschlag Lauren S.
Published: May 2017

Issues. Elucidating the role of empathic processes in developmental pathways to substance use disorders could have important implications for prevention. Approach. We searched the biomedical and social sciences literature to determine what is known about empathy and psychopathological manifestations of severe lack of empathy in the initiation, development and maintenance of psychoactive substance use. Thirty‐seven empirical studies were identified and formally reviewed. Key Findings. Adults with alcohol and stimulant use disorders exhibited detectable impairments in both cognitive and affective empathy, measured behaviourally, neuroanatomically and by self‐report, relative to controls. There were no developmental studies specifically designed to test the role of empathy in substance use pathways, but several studies that included measures of empathy suggest that empathy may be protective. Studies on severe empathic deficits were mixed regarding a unique role of empathy in substance use trajectories, independent of interpersonal style, impulsivity and social deviance. Implications and Conclusions. In the context of findings and methodological limitations of this review, we recommend more rigorous examination of empathy across the spectrum of substance use behaviour. Future work should utilise the following: (i) prospective assessment of empathic capacity in substance abusers during and following treatment; (ii) large, developmentally based prospective designs beginning prior to substance initiation incorporating multiple measures of empathy; (iii) assessment of the moderating role of gender, race and ethnicity; and (iv) prospective study of empathy in children at elevated risk for substance use disorders. [Massey SH, Newmark RL, Wakschlag LS. Explicating the role of empathic processes in substance use disorders: A conceptual framework and research agenda.
ABCB1‐Gen‐Polymorphismus in einer polnischen Kohorte ist mit Risiko für bullöses Pemphigoid assoziiert
Authors: Rychlik‐Sych Mariola , Barańska Małgorzata , Dudarewicz Michał , Skrętkowicz Jadwiga , Żebrowska Agnieszka , Owczarek Jacek , Waszczykowska Elżbieta
Published: May 2017

Hintergrund und Ziele

Polymorphismen im ABCB1‐Gen, das für das P‐Glykoprotein kodiert, können die intrazelluläre Konzentration von Xenobiotika beeinflussen und so zur Entwicklung von Autoimmunerkrankungen, einschließlich des bullösen Pemphigoids (BP), beitragen. In der vorliegenden Studie sollte untersucht werden, ob in einer polnischen Kohorte die C3435T‐ und G2677T/A‐Polymorphismen im ABCB1‐Gen mit dem Risiko für ein BP assoziiert sind.

Patienten und Methodik

Die Studie umfasste 71 Patienten mit BP und 156 gesunde Probanden. Der C3435T‐Polymorphismus wurde mittels PCR‐RFLP bestimmt und der G2677T/A‐Polymorphismus mittels Allel‐spezifischer PCR.

Ergebnisse

Es gab zwar keine Korrelation zwischen dem C3435‐Polymorphismus und dem BP‐Risiko, aber wir konnten eine derartige Assoziation hinsichtlich des G2677T/A‐Polymorphismus nachweisen. Das relative Risiko eines BP war bei Personen mit dem 2677TA‐Genotyp um mehr als den Faktor fünf erhöht (OR = 5,52; p = 0,0063) und bei Trägern des 2677TT‐Genotyps mehr als verdoppelt (OR = 2,40; p = 0,0076). Mit 2,40 (p = 0,000018) war die OR bei Trägern des 2677T‐Allels ebenfalls erhöht. Die höhere Prävalenz des 2677GG‐Genotyps und des 2677G‐Allels bei der Kontrollgruppe sowie eine OR < 1,0 (0,22 beziehungsweise 0,33) legen eine Schutzfunktion des 2677G‐Allels hinsichtlich der Ausbildung eines BP nahe.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Studie zeigen, dass der G2677T/A‐Polymorphismus im ABCB1‐Gen das Risiko für die Entstehung eines BP beeinflussen könnte.
Long‐term evaluation of the efficacy of digital dermatoscopy monitoring at a tertiary referral center
Authors: Rinner Christoph , Tschandl Philipp , Sinz Christoph , Kittler Harald
Published: May 2017

Background and objectives

We examined the value of monitoring patients with multiple nevi using sequential digital dermatoscopy imaging at a tertiary referral center.

Patients and methods

This is a retrospective cohort study including 2,824 patients and 23,241 monitored lesions. We calculated trends in key parameters such as the number of melanomas and nevi monitored and excised.

Results

During follow‐up, we excised 1,266 lesions in 709 patients, including 146 (11.5 %) melanomas. The percentage of in situ melanomas detected at follow‐up was significantly higher than at baseline (46.6 % versus 23.4 %, p ≤ 0.001). The risk of detecting a melanoma during follow‐up was higher for patients with a melanoma at baseline, compared to those without (relative risk: 3.59, 95 % CI: 2.15 to 6.00). The number of documented lesions showed a positive correlation with the benign/malignant ratio, and excisions at baseline decreased significantly over the course of the study period.

Conclusion

Digital dermatoscopy monitoring improves the detection of thin melanomas in patients with multiple nevi. Patients with a melanoma at baseline are at an increased risk of developing a melanoma during follow‐up and should therefore be a target group for sequential dermatoscopy imaging.