bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patients with acute cholecystitis should be admitted to a surgical service
Authors: Lu Ning , Pahang Joshuel A. , Zhang Guangxiang , Loengard Anna , Wong Linda L. , Biffl Walter L.
Published: June 2019

BACKGROUND

In bowel obstruction and biliary pancreatitis, patients receive more expedient surgical care when admitted to surgical compared with medical services. This has not been studied in acute cholecystitis.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinical and cost data from July 2013 to September 2015 for patients with cholecystitis who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a tertiary care inpatient hospital. One hundred ninety lower-risk (Charlson-Deyo) patients were included. We assessed admitting service, length of stay (LOS), time from admission to surgery, time from surgery to discharge, number of imaging studies, and total cost.

RESULTS

Patients admitted to surgical (n = 106) versus medical (n = 84) service had shorter mean LOS (1.4 days vs. 2.6 days), shorter time from admission to surgery (0.4 days vs. 0.8 days), and shorter time from surgery to discharge (0.8 days vs. 1.1 days). Surgical service patients had fewer CT (38% vs. 56%) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (5% vs. 16%) studies. Cholangiography (30% vs. 25%) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (3 vs. 8%) rates were similar. Surgical service patients had 39% lower median total costs (US $7787 vs. US $12572).

CONCLUSION

Nonsurgical admissions of patients with cholecystitis are common, even among lower-risk patients. Routine admission to the surgical service should decrease LOS, resource utilization and costs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic/care management, level IV.
Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Chronic Stress-Induced Cardiovascular Susceptibility
Authors: Schaeuble Derek , Packard Amy E.B. , McKlveen Jessica M. , Morano Rachel L. , Fourman Sarah , Smith Brittany L. , Scheimann Jessie R. , Packard Ben A. , Wilson Steven P. , James Jeanne , Hui David Y. , Ulrich-Lai Yvonne M. , Herman James P. , Myers Brent
Published: June 2019

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is necessary for appropriate appraisal of stressful information, as well as coordinating visceral and behavioral processes. However, prolonged stress impairs mPFC function and prefrontal-dependent behaviors. Additionally, chronic stress induces sympathetic predominance, contributing to health detriments associated with autonomic imbalance. Previous studies identified a subregion of rodent prefrontal cortex, infralimbic cortex (IL), as a key regulator of neuroendocrine-autonomic integration after chronic stress, suggesting that IL output may prevent chronic stress-induced autonomic imbalance. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that the IL regulates hemodynamic, vascular, and cardiac responses to chronic stress. To address this hypothesis, a viral-packaged siRNA construct was used to knockdown vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (vGluT1) and reduce glutamate packaging and release from IL projection neurons. Male rats were injected with a vGluT1 siRNA-expressing construct or GFP control into the IL and then remained as unstressed controls or were exposed to chronic variable stress (CVS). IL vGluT1 knockdown increased heart rate and mean arterial pressure (MAP) reactivity, while CVS increased chronic MAP only in siRNA-treated rats. In a separate cohort, CVS and vGluT1 knockdown interacted to impair both endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vasoreactivity ex vivo. Furthermore, vGluT1 knockdown and CVS increased histological markers of fibrosis and hypertrophy. Thus, knockdown of glutamate release from IL projection neurons indicates that these cells are necessary to prevent the enhanced sympathetic responses to stress that promote susceptibility to cardiovascular pathophysiology. These findings provide evidence for a neurobiological mechanism mediating the relationship between stress and poor cardiovascular health outcomes.
Increasing the efficiency of long-read sequencing for hybrid assembly with k-mer-based multiplexing
Authors: Dilthey Alexander , Meyer Sebastian A. , Kaasch Achim J.
Published: June 2019

Hybrid genome assembly has emerged as an important technique in bacterial genomics, but cost and labor requirements limit large-scale application. We present Ultraplexing, a method to improve per-sample sequencing cost and hands-on-time of Nanopore sequencing for hybrid assembly by at least 50%, compared to molecular barcoding while maintaining high assembly quality (Quality Value; QV ≥ 42). Ultraplexing requires the availability of Illumina data and uses inter-sample genetic variability to assign reads to isolates, which obviates the need for molecular barcoding. Thus, Ultraplexing can enable significant sequencing and labor cost reductions in large-scale bacterial genome projects.
Sperm DNA damage causes genomic instability in early embryonic development
Authors: Middelkamp Sjors , van Tol Helena T.A. , Spierings Diana C.J. , Boymans Sander , Guryev Victor , Roelen Bernard A.J. , Lansdorp Peter M. , Cuppen Edwin , Kuijk Ewart W.
Published: June 2019

Genomic instability is common in early embryo development, but the underlying causes are largely unknown. Here we examined the consequences of sperm DNA damage on the embryonic genome by single-cell genome sequencing of individual blastomeres from bovine embryos produced with sperm damaged by radiation. Sperm DNA damage caused fragmentation of chromosomes and segregation errors such as heterogoneic cell divisions yielding a broad spectrum of genomic aberrations that are similar to those frequently found in human embryos. The mosaic aneuploidies, mixoploidy, uniparental disomies and de novo structural variation induced upon sperm DNA damage may compromise health and lead to rare genomic disorders when embryos escape developmental arrest.

One Sentence Summary

DNA damage in sperm cells leads to genomic defects in embryos
Computer-assisted EEG diagnostic review for idiopathic generalized epilepsy
Authors: Clarke Shannon , Karoly Pip , Nurse Ewan , Seneviratne Udaya , Taylor Janelle , Knight-Sadler Rory , Kerr Robert , Moore Braden , Hennessy Patrick , Mendis Dulini , Lim Claire , Miles Jake , Cook Mark , Freestone Dean , D’Souza Wendyl
Published: June 2019

Epilepsy diagnosis can be costly, time-consuming and not uncommonly inaccurate. The reference standard diagnostic monitoring is continuous video-EEG monitoring, ideally capturing all events or concordant interictal discharges. Automating EEG data review would save time and resources, thus enabling more people to receive reference standard monitoring and also potentially herald a more quantitative approach to therapeutic outcomes. There is substantial research into automated detection of seizures and epileptic activity from EEG. However, automated detection software is not widely used in the clinic; and, despite numerous published algorithms, few methods have regulatory approval for detecting epileptic activity from EEG.

This study reports on a deep learning algorithm for computer-assisted EEG review. Deep, convolutional neural networks were trained to detect epileptic discharges using a pre-existing dataset of over 6000 labelled events in a cohort of 103 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory outpatient EEG, and all data was curated and confirmed independently by two epilepsy specialists (Seneviratne et al, 2016). The resulting automated detection algorithm was then used to review diagnostic scalp-EEG for seven patients (four with IGE and three with events mimicking seizures) to validate performance in a clinical setting.

The automated detection algorithm showed state-of-the-art performance for detecting epileptic activity from clinical EEG, with mean sensitivity of >95% and corresponding mean false positive rate of 1 detection per minute. Importantly, diagnostic case studies showed that the automated detection algorithm reduced human review time by 80%-99%, without compromising event detection or diagnostic accuracy. The presented results demonstrate that computer-assisted review can increase the speed and accuracy of EEG assessment and has the potential to greatly improve therapeutic outcomes.
Molecular dynamics simulations and linear response theories jointly describe biphasic responses of myoglobin relaxation and reveal evolutionarily conserved frequent communicators
Authors: Huang Bang-Chieh , Yang Lee-Wei
Published: June 2019

In this study, we provide a time-dependent (td-) mechanical model, taking advantage of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, quasiharmonic analysis of MD trajectories and td-linear response theories (td-LRT) to describe vibrational energy redistribution within the protein matrix. The theoretical description explains the observed biphasic responses of specific residues in myoglobin to CO-photolysis and photoexcitation on heme. The fast responses are found triggered by impulsive forces and propagated mainly by principal modes <40 cm-1. The predicted fast responses for individual atoms are then used to study signal propagation within protein matrix and signals are found to propagate ∼ 8 times faster across helices (4076 m/s) than within the helices, suggesting the importance of tertiary packing in proteins’ sensitivity to external perturbations. We further develop a method to integrate multiple intramolecular signal pathways and discover frequent “communicators”. These communicators are found evolutionarily conserved including those distant from the heme.
Heterogeneous expression of Pil3 pilus is critical for Streptococcus gallolyticus translocation across polarized colonic epithelial monolayers
Authors: Martins Mariana , du Merle Laurence , Trieu-Cuot Patrick , Dramsi Shaynoor
Published: June 2019

Streptococcus gallolyticus subspecies gallolyticus (Sgg) is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for septicaemia and endocarditis in elderly persons. Sgg is also a commensal of the human gastrointestinal tract. Here we demonstrate that Sgg strain UCN34 translocates across tight intestinal barriers in vitro in a Pil3-dependent manner. Confocal images of UCN34 passage across human colonic cells reveals that Sgg utilizes a paracellular pathway. Pil3 was previously shown to be expressed heterogeneously and WT UCN34 consists of about 90% of Pil3low and 10% of Pil3high cells. We found that both the Δpil3 mutant and the Pil3+ overexpressing variant could not translocate across Caco-2 and T84 barriers. Interestingly, combining live Δpil3 mutant cells with fixed Pil3+ variants in a 10:1 ratio (mimicking UCN34 WT population) allowed efficient translocation of the Δpil3 mutant. These experiments demonstrate that heterogeneous expression of Pil3 plays a key role in optimal translocation of Sgg across the intestinal barrier.

ABSTRACT IMPORTANCE

Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (Sgg) is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for septicemia and infective endocarditis in elderly persons. Sgg is a commensal of the rumen of herbivores and transmission to humans most probably occurs through the oral route. In this work, we have studied how this bacterium crosses the intestinal barrier using well-known in vitro models. Confocal microscopy images revealed that Sgg UCN34 can traverse the epithelial monolayer in between adjacent cells. We next showed that passage of Sgg from the apical to the basolateral compartment is dependent on the heterogenous expression of the Pil3 pilus at the bacterial surface. We hypothesize that Pil3high cocci adhere firmly to epithelial cells to activate transient opening of tight junctions thereby allowing the traversal of Pil3low bacteria.
OMA standalone: orthology inference among public and custom genomes and transcriptomes
Authors: Altenhoff Adrian M. , Levy Jeremy , Zarowiecki Magdalena , Tomiczek Bartłomiej , Warwick Vesztrocy Alex , Dalquen Daniel A. , Müller Steven , Telford Maximilian J. , Glover Natasha M. , Dylus David , Dessimoz Christophe
Published: June 2019

Genomes and transcriptomes are now typically sequenced by individual laboratories but analyzing them often remains challenging. One essential step in many analyses lies in identifying orthologs—corresponding genes across multiple species—but this is far from trivial. The Orthologous MAtrix (OMA) database is a leading resource for identifying orthologs among publicly available, complete genomes. Here, we describe the OMA pipeline available as a standalone program for Linux and Mac. When run on a cluster, it has native support for the LSF, SGE, PBS Pro, and Slurm job schedulers and can scale up to thousands of parallel processes. Another key feature of OMA standalone is that users can combine their own data with existing public data by exporting genomes and precomputed alignments from the OMA database, which currently contains over 2100 complete genomes. We compare OMA standalone to other methods in the context of phylogenetic tree inference, by inferring a phylogeny of Lophotrochozoa, a challenging clade within the protostomes. We also discuss other potential applications of OMA standalone, including identifying gene families having undergone duplications/losses in specific clades, and identifying potential drug targets in nonmodel organisms. OMA standalone is available under the permissive open source Mozilla Public License Version 2.0.
Phase transition and magnetocaloric properties of Mn50Ni42−x
Co
x
Sn8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 10) melt-spun ribbons
Authors: Li Zongbin , Jiang Yiwen , Li Zhenzhuang , Sánchez Valdés César Fidel , Sánchez Llamazares José Luis , Yang Bo , Zhang Yudong , Esling Claude , Zhao Xiang , Zuo Liang
Published: June 2019

The characteristics of magnetostructural coupling play a crucial role in the magnetic field-driven behaviour of magnetofunctional alloys. The availability of magnetostructural coupling over a broad temperature range is of great significance for scientific and technological purposes. This work demonstrates that strong magnetostrucural coupling can be achieved over a wide temperature range (222 to 355 K) in Co-doped high Mn-content Mn50Ni42−x
Co
x
Sn8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 10) melt-spun ribbons. It is shown that, over a wide composition range with Co content from 3 to 9 at.%, the paramagnetic austenite first transforms into ferromagnetic austenite at T
C on cooling, then the ferromagnetic austenite further transforms into a weakly magnetic martensite at T
M. Such strong magnetostructural coupling enables the ribbons to exhibit field-induced inverse martensitic transformation behaviour and a large magnetocaloric effect. Under a field change of 5 T, a maximum magnetic entropy change ΔS
M of 18.6 J kg−1 K−1 and an effective refrigerant capacity RC
eff of up to 178 J kg−1 can be achieved, which are comparable with or even superior to those of Ni-rich Ni–Mn-based polycrystalline bulk alloys. The combination of high performance and low cost makes Mn–Ni–Co–Sn ribbons of great interest as potential candidates for magnetic refrigeration.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of diiodido{N′-[(E)-(phenyl)(pyridin-2-yl-κN)methylidene]pyridine-2-carbohydrazide-κ2
N′,O}cadmium(II)
Authors: Atioğlu Zeliha , Afkhami Farhad Akbari , Akkurt Mehmet , Khandar Ali Akbar , Choquesillo-Lazarte Duane
Published: June 2019

In each of the two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, [CdI2(C18H14N4O)], the N,O,N′-tridentate N′-[(E)-(phenyl)(pyridin-2-yl-κN)methylidene]pyridine-2-carbohydrazide ligand and two iodide anions form an I2N2O pentacoordination sphere, with a distorted square-pyramidal geometry, with an I atom in the apical position. Both molecules feature an intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, weak aromatic π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid separation = 3.830 (2) Å] link the molecules into dimers.
Building supply chain risk resilience
Authors: Singh Nitya Prasad , Singh Shubham
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms can develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events, by developing big data analytics (BDA) capabilities within their organization. The authors test whether BDA mediates the impact of institutional response to supply chain disruption events, and information technology infrastructure capabilities (ITICs), on firm’s ability to develop risk resilience from supply chain disruption events.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on survey data collected from 225 firms, spread across several sectors in the USA and Europe. The respondents are primarily senior and middle management professionals who have experience within the information technology (IT) and supply chain domain. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS; and covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The analysis reveals two significant findings. First, the authors observe that institutional experience with managing supply chain disruption events has a negative impact on firm’s ability to develop business risk resilience. However, if the organizations adopt BDA capabilities, it enables them to effectively utilize resident firm knowledge and develop supply chain risk resilience capacity. The results further suggest that BDA positively adds to an organization’s existing IT capabilities. The analysis shows that BDA mediates the impact of ITIC on the organization’s ability to develop risk resilience to supply chain disruption events.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few works that empirically validate the important role that BDA capabilities play in enabling firms develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events. The study further provides a counterpoint to the existing perspective within the supply chain risk management literature that institutional experience of managing past supply chain disruption events prepares the organization to deal with future disruption events. This paper adds to our understanding of how, by adopting BDA capabilities, firms can develop supply chain risk resilience from disruption events.
Organizational planning for quality management in the digital age
Authors: Behmer Falk Johannes , Jochem Roland
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Quality managers today require a holistic, overreaching view on the organization and its goals in order to plan the quality management organization (QMO) effectively. The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of a web application that aims to support quality managers in organizational planning tasks. The basis for the implementation is a previously developed planning method that builds on Product and Technology Roadmapping as well as Quality Function Deployment. It supports the QMO’s strategic development in line with the organization’s overall strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on previous research that systematically identified the requirements toward a suitable planning method and a consecutively designed framework, a web application was developed. This process followed agile software development approaches, including test-driven iteration cycles and validation through a case-based user trial.

Findings

Standardized quality criteria for software development together with identified requirements for a suitable planning method provided a specified guideline to develop a web application. This application enables quality managers to effectively deploy the previously developed planning method. It proved successful in an initial field trial and creates a basis for integrated, computer-aided QMO planning.

Originality/value

With an integrated planning method that was implemented through a web application, quality managers could be effectively supported in developing the QMO in line with the overall strategy. As organizational planning tasks are reoccurring but not day-to-day business, moderated workshops that use the web application as a guiding tool and enable quality managers to focus on delivering information inputs appear to be a highly promising approach.
Do multi-stakeholder initiatives make for better CSR?
Authors: Tanimoto Kanji
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the significance and challenges of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives organized by multi-stakeholders and to clarify the function of CSR initiatives: What is the significance of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs)? What conditions are required for CSR initiatives to work satisfactorily? How do CSR standards function effectively in companies?

Design/methodology/approach

The significance and challenges of multi-stakeholder CSR initiatives are clarified theoretically, based on previous literature from relevant research fields.

Findings

MSIs are beyond the “dichotomy” of two traditional approaches to CSR, namely, voluntary vs mandatory. However MSIs do not automatically ensure good performance. We should discuss not only the legitimacy of MSIs but external monitoring and evaluation systems for responsible companies in the market, as well as organizational efforts to incorporate CSR standards into managerial processes.

Social implications

This paper shows that an MSI is an important platform for establishing and promoting a CSR standard, and further that market maturity and stakeholder engagement are required to make CSR work.

Originality/value

The study explains that ceremonial compliance with CSR standards may be inevitable even where the legitimacy of an MSI is secured, and that we should recognize that monitoring and sanction systems in the market and an organizational approach to the incorporation of CSR in management practices are required.
Diamond enriched lamination and winding insulation for electrical machines
Authors: Szucs Aron , Kolondzovski Zlatko , Westerlund Jan , Vahala Juha
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The thermal management of electrical insulations poses a challenge in electrical devices as electrical insulators are also thermal insulators. Diamond is the best solid electrical insulator and thermal conductor. This can lead to a paradigm change for electrical machine winding and lamination insulation design and thermal management. The paper introduces these techniques and discusses its effect for the design of electrical machines and its potential consequences for electromagnetic analysis, for example, in multi-physics modelling. The diamond winding insulation is patent-pending, but the diamond enriched lamination insulation is published for the benefit of the scientific community.

Design/methodology/approach

The windings of electrical machines are insulated to avoid contact between the coil and other conductive components, for example, the stator core. The principle of using mica tape and resin impregnation has not changed for a century and is well established to produce main insulation on a complex conductor shape and size. These insulations have poor heat-conducting properties. Similarly, the insulation of laminated steel sheets comprising the stator and rotor restrict heat flow. Diamond-based insulation provides a new path. Increased thermal conductivity means reduced temperature rise and the reduced thermal time constants in multi-physics simulations and system analysis.

Findings

The largest benefit of a diamond-based core insulation is in electrical machines in which the losses are conducted axially to the coolant. These are machines with radial ducts and effective cooling in the end regions. The main benefit will be in reducing the number of radial ducts that positively affect the size, production costs and the copper losses of the machine. The increased thermal conductivity of the diamond insulation system will reduce the thermal constants noticeably. These will affect system behavior and the corresponding simulation methods.

Originality/value

Diamond insulation can lead to a paradigm change for electrical machine winding and lamination insulation design and thermal management. It might also lead to new modeling requirements in system analysis.
Do five-star hotel managers know their customers’ priorities? An AHP-Prioritised scorecard study
Authors: Ishizaka Alessio , Quintano Alfred , Labib Ashraf , Apostolakis Alexandros
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Regular surveys by the Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association indicate a substantial improvement in the financial performance of five-star hotels in Malta in recent years. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate if this positive performance is primarily due to customer centricity by management.

Design/methodology/approach

The assessment is based on the findings of a quantitative study that compared the results of a demand side (customer survey) with those of a supply side (management survey). In total, 24 decision-choice criteria were framed within the four perspectives (financial, customer, internal process and employee learning/growth) of the balanced scorecard. Actual and potential customers of five-star hotels and hotel managers were asked to rank the decision-choice criteria and the balanced scorecard perspectives. The multi-criteria decision analysis was carried out by means of the AHP.

Findings

The study showed that managers in the five-star hospitality sector in Malta are in harmony with customer expectations given the strong positive correlation between the results of the customer and management surveys.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to the island of Malta but can be easily replicated for other touristic destinations.

Practical implications

This study has implication for hospitality customers, hotel managers and policy makers to help them to identify weak areas of hotel performance and improve them.

Originality/value

The paper has developed a Prioritised scorecard, a new hybrid balanced scorecard and AHP. Targets are therefore prioritised, which allow a better allocation of scarce resources.
Housing markets’ linkage between China and Taiwan
Authors: Chien Mei-Se , Lee Neng-Huei , Cheng Chih-Yang
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the linkage of regional housing markets between Taiwan and China as increasing economic integration.

Design/methodology/approach

Two time-varying estimations of cointegration tests, Gregory and Hansen (1996) cointegration test with structural break and the recursive coefficients of cointegration (Hansen and Johansen, 1993) are applied to trace the possible dynamic linkage of cross-border regional housing prices between Taiwan and China.

Findings

First, the estimating results of the long-run relationships show that increasing housing prices in Beijing and Shanghai decrease Taipei’s house prices, while Shenzhen and Chengdu have converse effects. The technologies’ levels of Taiwanese industries surrounding the cities in China will affect the direction of the linkage of regional housing prices between the two economies. Second, in light of causalities of these five housing prices’ changes, Beijing and Shanghai lead Taipei and Shanghai leads Chengdu, which, in turn, leads Shenzhen. Finally, the results of time-varying cointegration tests show that some critical economic and political incidents changed the linkages of housing prices between Taipei and the four cities in China.

Originality/value

Although some empirical works examined the linkages between cross-border house prices in Europe and the USA, study has looked at the linkages of cross-border housing prices between Taiwan and China. This is an interesting topic insofar as house price integration has implications for wealth effects that feed into consumer expenditure in both Taiwan and China. The empirical evidence overall displays the existence of the integration of regional housing markets between Taiwan and China. For the longer-term future, increasing economic integration between China and other Asia countries will result in greater and more diversified cross-border housing markets and pools of investors.
On sparsity of eigenportfolios to reduce transaction cost
Authors: Xiong Anqi , Akansu Ali N.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Transaction cost becomes significant when one holds many securities in a large portfolio where capital allocations are frequently rebalanced due to variations in non-stationary statistical characteristics of the asset returns. The purpose of this paper is to employ a sparsing method to sparse the eigenportfolios, so that the transaction cost can be reduced and without any loss of its performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors have designed pdf-optimized mid-tread Lloyd-Max quantizers based on the distribution of each eigenportfolio, and then employed them to sparse the eigenportfolios, so those small size orders may usually be ignored (sparsed), as the result, the trading costs have been reduced.

Findings

The authors find that the sparsing technique addressed in this paper is methodic, easy to implement for large size portfolios and it offers significant reduction in transaction cost without any loss of performance.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors investigated the performance the sparsed eigenportfolios of stock returns in S&P500 Index. It is shown that the sparsing method is simple to implement and it provides high levels of sparsity without causing PNL loss. Therefore, transaction cost of managing a large size portfolio is reduced by employing such an efficient sparsity method.
Governance structure and public health provision
Authors: Sheard David John , Clydesdale Gregory , Maclean Gillis
Published: June 2019

Purpose

A key question in the provision of public health concerns how that provision is governed. The purpose of this paper is to examine the governance structure of a public health board and its perceived impact on the efficacy of clinical operations.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural issues examined the level of centralisation and public participation, and whether governance should occur through elected boards or appointed managers. These issues were examined through multiple lenses. First was the intention of the structure, examining the issues identified by parliament when the new structure was created. Second, the activities of the board were examined through an analysis of board meetings. Finally, hospital clinicians were surveyed through semi-structured interviews with both quantitative and qualitative questioning.

Findings

A contradiction was revealed between intention, perception and actual activities. This raises concerns over whether the public are significantly informed to elect the best-skilled appointees to governance positions.

Practical implications

This research holds implications for selecting governance structures of public health providers.

Originality/value

Few studies have looked at the role of a publicly elected healthcare governance structure from the perspective of the clinicians. Hence, this study contributes to the literature on healthcare structure and its impact on clinical operations, by including a clinician’s perspective. However, this paper goes beyond the survey and also considers the intention of the structure as proposed by parliament, and board activities or what the board actually does. This enables a comparison of intention with outcomes and perception of those outcomes.
Performance of hybrid fibres on mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete at elevated temperature
Authors: B.P. Sachin , Suresh N.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The present experimental investigation attempts to study the behaviour of hybrid fibre-reinforced self-compacting concrete (HFSCC) subjected to elevated temperature. The purpose of this study is to find out the performance of hybrid fibres of 0.5 per cent by volume of concrete (out of which 75 per cent are steel fibres and 25 per cent, polypropylene fibres). Reinforced beams were casted and tested for the flexural load-carrying capacity, and comparisons were made with the load-carrying capacity of reinforced beams without the inclusion of fibres.

Design/methodology/approach

The study includes 60 concrete cubes of 150 mm and 60 beams of 150 × 150 × 1,100 mm reinforced with minimum tension reinforcement according to IS 456-2000. The specimens were subjected to elevated temperature from 100°C to 500°C with an interval of 100°C for 2 h. The residual compressive strength and the load-carrying capacity of beams for 5-mm deflection were measured. Parameters such as load at first crack, width and length of cracks developed on the beam during the application of load were also studied.

Findings

The result shows that for self-compacting concrete without fibres (SCCWOF), there is a gain in compressive strength between 200°C and 300°C, beyond which the strength decreases. For HFSCC, the gain in strength is between 300°C and 400°C, and thereafter the strength gets reduced. The load-carrying capacity of beams reduces with an increase in temperature. An increase in load-carrying capacity (up to 40.7 per cent) for HFSCC beams is observed when compared to SCCWOF beams at 500°C.

Originality/value

Better performance was observed with the usage of fibres when the specimens were subjected to elevated temperatures.
Assessing the effects of flight delays, distance, number of passengers and seasonality on revenue
Authors: Guven Murat , Calik Eyup , Cetinguc Basak , Guloglu Bulent , Calisir Fethi
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of flight delays, distance, number of passengers and seasonality on revenue in the Turkish air transport industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The domestic return routes of a Turkish airline company were examined to address this issue. Among five cities and six airports, 14 major domestic return routes were selected. The augmented mean group (AMG) estimator and common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) estimator were conducted with a two-way fixed effects (FE) robustness test in this study.

Findings

The results show that arrival flight delay and departure flight delay had negative effects on revenue, whereas the distance between airports, the number of air passengers and seasonality had positive effects on revenue.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in this study were retrieved from a Turkish airline company; for future research, other airline companies operating in Turkey may be included.

Practical implications

These findings could be evaluated by air transportation leaders to provide a guide to make strategic decisions to achieve greater performance in this competitive environment.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper comes from the facts that besides distance and number of passengers, the authors control for the seasonality when assessing the effects of flight delay on revenue; they use panel data techniques, which permit them to control for individual heterogeneity, and create more variability, more efficiency and less collinearity among the variables; they use two recent panel data techniques, CCEMG and AMG, allowing for cross-section dependence.
Optimization of Ti-6Al-4V/AISI304 diffusion bonding process parameters using RSM and PSO algorithm
Authors: Arun Negemiya A. , Rajakumar S. , Balasubramanian V.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an empirical relationship for predicting the strength of titanium to austenitic stainless steel fabricated by diffusion bonding (DB) process. Process parameters such as bonding pressure, bonding temperature and holding time play the main role in deciding the joint strength.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, three-factors, five-level central composite rotatable design was used to conduct the minimum number of experiments involving all the combinations of parameters.

Findings

An empirical relationship was developed to predict the lap shear strength (LSS) of the joints incorporating DB process parameters. The developed empirical relationship was optimized using particle swarm optimization (PSO). The optimized value discovered through PSO was compared with the response surface methodology (RSM). The joints produced using bonding pressure of 14 MPa, bonding temperature of 900°C and holding time of 70 min exhibited a maximum LSS of 150.51 MPa in comparison with other joints. This was confirmed by constructing response graphs and contour plots.

Originality/value

Optimizing the DB parameters using RSM and PSO, PSO gives an accurate result when compared with RSM. Also, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to identify the most influencing parameter for the DB process.
Synthesis of novel biologically active thiazole dyes and their applications
Authors: Abu-Melha Sraa
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the possibility of developing new thiazole azo dyes with good colouristic application properties, biological and pharmacological activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Coupling of curcumin with different aromatic diazonium salts of 2-amino thiazole derivatives, such as 2-aminobenzothiazole, 2-amino-5-phenylthiazole, 2-amino-5-methylthiazole and 2-amino-5-nitrothiazole-produced novel azo dyes. Structures of all synthesised dyes were fully confirmed via spectroscopic and analytical methods. Those compounds were examined for their antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant activities. They were applied on polyester fabrics and, subsequently, their dyeing properties, light, washing, perspiration, rubbing and sublimation fastness were determined.

Findings

Prepared dyestuffs were suitable for dyeing polyester fabrics. It was found that all prepared dyes possess high colour strength, as well as good overall fastness properties. Meanwhile, the synthesised compounds exhibited good biological and pharmacology activity.

Research limitations/implications

Synthesis of these four azo dyes for textile dyeing was not conveyed earlier.

Practical implications

Thaizolyl disperse dyes were responsible for giving better colour assessment and fastness properties on polyester fabrics.

Social implications

Although, most of synthesis eco-friendly dyes are expensive, they are showing a good antimicrobial and anticancer activity.

Originality/value

It gave straightforward approach to synthesise novel thiazolyl azo dyes with good biological, pharmacology activities, good colour assessment, and fastness properties.
Difficulties in being responsible institutional investors: evidencefrom Malaysia
Authors: Annuar Hairul Azlan
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether institutional investors in Malaysia faced limitations when they are involved in the corporate governance of their investee companies.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach, consisting of a series of interviews with senior investment managers of different type of institutional investors, was chosen. In total, 18 interviews were conducted over a period of two months, which is thought to sufficiently provide the answers to the research purpose.

Findings

The interviews revealed there are difficulties in monitoring all investee companies due to lack of time and resources. Traditional measures such as company financial performance and dividend policy, continued to be favored and rigorously monitored. The overdependence on hard criteria may be a result of a culture of overly rewarding beneficiaries and a lack of expertise in being involved in specialized company areas such as strategy. Strict regulations hamper effort to be more involved in governing investee companies.

Research limitations/implications

The research used interviews and generalization may become an issue. In addition, access to many managers depended on recommendations, and the respondents are selected to represent the different types of institutional investors.

Originality/value

Investigation into factors that may limit institutional investors’ involvement in corporate governance in Malaysian public listed companies, especially from a more qualitative viewpoint, is lacking. In addition, this paper advances the understanding of shareholder activism by adding to the literature by exploring the issue in a specific emerging markets context.
An Empirical Analysis of Competition in Print Advertising among Paid and Free Newspapers
Authors: Brooke Geoffrey , Cheung Lydia
Published: June 2019

This paper examines competition in the print newspaper advertising market in New Zealand, which involves paid daily and free weekly titles. This is the first study to explore how different ownership structures across two newspaper segments affect the competitive forces in local geographic markets. We do so by constructing an original dataset of advertising rates. Our analysis has particular relevance in light of the Commerce Commission's recent rejection of the proposed NZME–Fairfax merger, and Fairfax's subsequent closure of 15 newspaper titles. We find strong evidence for competition between overlapping free weekly suburban titles. It is associated with an 11 per cent decrease in the tabloid full‐page display advertising rate. We also find evidence of joint profit maximisation between co‐owned free weeklies and paid dailies. Our results support the Commission's decision and crucially imply that small and large display advertisements in free weekly titles constitute two separate markets with different clients. The large display ad market also includes advertising in paid daily titles. This market is competitive and would probably have suffered had the merger been permitted.
Review article: A primer for clinical researchers in the emergency department: Part X. Understanding economic evaluation alongside emergency medicine research
Authors: Singh Sonia , Cheek John A , Babl Franz E , Hoch Jeffrey S
Published: June 2019

In this series we address research topics in emergency medicine. While traditionally there was an almost exclusive focus on the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions in emergency research, analysis of the costs and the societal impact of different approaches and pathways have become increasingly important. In this paper we will address what health economics means and discuss the different types and key features of economic evaluation relevant for clinical researchers.
Does fluid bolus therapy increase blood pressure in children with sepsis?
Authors: Long Elliot , Babl Franz E , Oakley Ed , Hopper Sandy , Sheridan Bennett , Duke Trevor ,   on behalf of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT)
Published: June 2019

Objective

To describe the effect of fluid bolus therapy (FBT) on blood pressure in children with sepsis. Secondary outcomes included the effect of FBT on systemic vascular resistance, shock index and shock phenotype (warm or cold).

Methods

This was a prospective observational study in the ED of The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Participants were children meeting international consensus criteria for sepsis who received FBT for tachycardia or hypotension. FBT was defined as 10–20 mL/kg of 0.9% saline. Mean blood pressure (MBP) was recorded at baseline, 5 and 60 min after FBT. Total systemic vascular resistance index (TSVRi), shock index, and shock phenotype were derived for each time point. Hypotension was defined as MBP <55 + 1.5 × age (years). Warm shock was defined as TSVRi <800 dyne s/cm5/m2.

Results

Fifty fluid boluses were recorded in 41 children. Median MBP was 78 mmHg (interquartile range [IQR] 63–86) at baseline, 72 mmHg (IQR 60–82) at 5 min, and 75 mmHg (IQR 66–84) at 60 min. Hypotension was observed in 16% at baseline, 26% at 5 min and 17% at 60 min. Median TSVRi was 1580 dyne s/cm5/m2 (IQR 1242–2206) at baseline, 1254 dyne s/cm5/m2 (IQR 1027–1787) at 5 min, and 1850 dyne s/cm5/m2 (IQR 1265–2140) at 60 min. Median shock index was 1.60 (IQR 1.34–1.90) at baseline, 1.49 (IQR 1.25–1.76) at 5 min and 1.37 (IQR 1.22–1.61) at 60 min. Two percent of cases had warm shock at baseline, 12% at 5 min and 2% at 60 min.

Conclusions

MBP initially decreased following FBT for paediatric sepsis, returning towards baseline over the subsequent 60 min. The utility of FBT for increasing MBP and its effect on patient‐centred outcomes in children with sepsis warrants further exploration.
Plasma Exchange Therapy to Reduce Mortality in Japanese Patients With Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage and Microscopic Polyangiitis
Authors: Abe Yoshiyuki , Yamaji Ken , Endo Yukari , Kusaoi Makio , Nakano Soichiro , Yang Kwang‐Seok , Tada Kurisu , Tsuda Hiroshi , Tamura Naoto
Published: June 2019

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is well known as a serious complication of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). We examined the effectiveness of plasma exchange (PLEX) therapy to reduce mortality in Japanese DAH patients with MPA. This retrospective, double‐center, observational cohort study included 20 DAH patients with MPA who were admitted to Juntendo University Hospital or Juntendo Koto Geriatric Medical Center between April 1998 and March 2018. The primary outcome was non–disease‐specific mortality. The 1‐year survival rate of patients with PLEX therapy (N = 4) was higher than that of patients with conventional therapy (N = 16, 75% and 13%, respectively, P = 0.037). Higher values of the 1996 Five‐Factor Score (FFS) and 2009 FFS were associated with increased mortality, with hazard ratios of 2.29 (P = 0.040) and 2.41 (P = 0.043), respectively, by Cox univariate analysis. We investigated PLEX therapy for reducing mortality in DAH patients with MPA, and the 1996 FFS and 2009 FFS were both independent prognostic factors.
Defining and quantifying preventable and non‐preventable hospital‐acquired malnutrition—A cohort study
Authors: Cheng Joyce , Witney‐Cochrane Kiah , Cunich Michelle , Ferrie Suzie , Carey Sharon
Published: June 2019

Aim

To define and quantify hospital‐acquired malnutrition, including the concept of preventable and non‐preventable malnutrition; and identify the main causes of preventable malnutrition. Furthermore, demonstrate potential cost‐savings for a quaternary hospital in Sydney (Australia) if a theoretical model of preventable malnutrition was applied to the penalties associated with hospital‐acquired malnutrition, compared to the current government framework.

Methods

A retrospective audit was conducted on electronic medical records reassessing cases of hospital‐acquired malnutrition previously identified by dietitians or medical coders. Costs were calculated using the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority's (IHPA) pricing principles for hospital‐acquired complications (version 3, 2018).

Results

Twenty‐three patients of 15 419 admissions were identified with hospital‐acquired malnutrition in the 3‐month study period. Sixteen cases (70%) were classified as preventable, two cases (9%) were classified as non‐preventable, and five cases were non‐hospital‐acquired cases of malnutrition. Under the IHPA proposed costing model, total cost of all hospital‐acquired malnutrition to the hospital is estimated to be $162 600 over 3 months. The theoretical model of preventable malnutrition resulted in a cost penalty of only $98 600, which is a hospital cost‐saving of $64 000 (or 40% of the overall penalty) when compared to the current government framework.

Conclusions

The majority of hospital‐acquired malnutrition cases were found to have a preventable component. It is proposed that a costing model that penalises hospitals for only preventable hospital‐acquired malnutrition be considered, which would permit hospitals to focus on addressing preventable (and thus actionable) causes of hospital‐acquired malnutrition with not only potential health benefits to patients but cost‐savings to hospitals.