bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing a service quality scale in context of organized grocery retail of India
Authors: Jain Prachi , Aggarwal Vijita Singh 
Published: May 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to check the reliability and validity of a well-acknowledged scale developed by Pratibha A. Dabholkar (1996) in the context of Indian organized grocery retail and also to identify new aspects of service quality with respect to grocery retail from literature that have not been taken into account in earlier studies and to finally develop a new scale to measure service quality of organized retail grocery stores with consultation from several experts.

Design/methodology/approach
In order to achieve the objectives of the research, both descriptive and exploratory research designs have been employed such that a survey of 800 respondents was undertaken as part of descriptive research whereas exploratory research was conducted to add new dimensions to the existing service quality measurement model so as to develop a new comprehensive scale.

Findings
The results of the study suggest that all the five dimensions of Dabholkar’s model are not suitable to measure service quality in Indian organized grocery retail stores. Therefore, a new instrument with total four dimensions has been developed.

Practical implications
The study is of great importance for the retailers as it offers a more comprehensive and specific scale to measure service quality of organized grocery retail stores.

Originality/value
This research supports and makes contribution to the previous research on development of service quality measurement scales in Indian context.
Fluorofenidone inhibits UV‐A induced senescence in human dermal fibroblasts via the mammalian target of rapamycin‐dependent SIRT1 pathway
Authors: Lei Dan , Huang Yingxue , Xie Hongfu , Yi Yuxin , Long Juan , Lin Shangqing , Huang Chuchu , Jian Dan , Li Ji 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of fluorofenidone (5‐methyl‐1‐[3‐fluorophenyl]‐2‐[1H]‐pyridone, AKF‐PD) on ultraviolet (UV)‐A‐induced senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and examine the mechanisms involved. HDF were treated with AKF‐PD. Senescence‐associated (SA)‐β‐galactosidase level, cell viability and expression of p16 were evaluated. In addition, UV‐A‐irradiated HDF were treated with AKF‐PD, rapamycin and MHY1485; SA‐β‐galactosidase staining, 3‐(4 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and western blot for SIRT1 were performed; and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p‐mTOR) expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured. Intracellular ROS was detected by the 2′,7′‐dichlorofluroescein diacetate probe. Our results showed that AKF‐PD substantially attenuated the changes of p16 expression, SA‐β‐galactosidase staining and cellular proliferation induced by UV‐A irradiation in HDF. AKF‐PD rescued the increased mTOR phosphorylation and reduced SIRT1 expression induced by UV‐A irradiation in HDF. AKF‐PD and rapamycin together had a synergistic effect on p‐mTOR reduction and SIRT1 increase. mTOR activator MHY1485 partly blocked the above effects. Moreover, intracellular ROS level induced by UV‐A irradiation could partly decrease by AKF‐PD, and MHY1485 could reduce this effect. Our results indicated that AKF‐PD could alleviate HDF senescence induced by UV‐A‐irradiation by inhibiting the p‐mTOR and increasing SIRT1. Moreover, AKF‐PD may be a potential treatment material for skin.
Pre‐ and postnatal effects of experimentally manipulated maternal corticosterone on growth, stress reactivity and survival of nestling house wrens
Authors: Weber Beth M. , Bowers E. Keith , Terrell Kimberly A. , Falcone Josephine F. , Thompson Charles F. , Sakaluk Scott K. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Corticosterone plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis, promoting energy acquisition, and regulating the stress response in birds. Exposure to elevated levels of corticosterone during development can profoundly alter offspring behaviour and physiology, but the effects of elevated maternal corticosterone on offspring development remain poorly understood.

We tested two competing hypotheses concerning the effect of maternally derived corticosterone on growth and development of free‐living house wrens: (i) elevated maternal corticosterone causes damaging effects on nestling phenotype and fitness (collateral damage hypothesis) and (ii) increased maternal corticosterone enhances offspring fitness by preparing nestlings for the environment experienced by their mother (environmental/maternal‐matching hypothesis).

We used a non‐invasive means to increase maternal corticosterone by providing females with corticosterone‐injected mealworms prior to and during egg production in the absence of any overt pre‐natal maternal stress. To disentangle pre‐ and post‐natal effects of this elevation in maternal corticosterone, we cross‐fostered young in two experiments: (i) nestlings of control and experimental females were reared by unmanipulated, natural females in a uniform maternal environment; (ii) a split‐brood design that enabled us to assess the interaction between the mother’s corticosterone treatment and that of the nestlings.

There were significant pre‐natal effects of increased maternal corticosterone on nestling growth and survival. Offspring of females experiencing experimentally increased corticosterone were heavier and larger than offspring of control females. There also was a significant interaction between maternal corticosterone treatment and the corticosterone treatment to which young were exposed within the egg in their effect on nestling survival while in the nest; experimental young exhibited greater survival than control young, but only when reared by control mothers. There was also a significant effect of maternal corticosterone treatment on nestling stress reactivity and, in both experiments, on the eventual recruitment of offspring as breeding adults in the local population.

These patterns are broadly consistent with the environmental/maternal‐matching hypothesis, and highlight the importance of disentangling pre‐ and post‐natal effects of manipulations of maternal hormone levels on offspring phenotype.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Larval traits show temporally consistent constraints, but are decoupled from postsettlement juvenile growth, in an intertidal fish
Authors: Thia Joshua A. , Riginos Cynthia , Liggins Libby , Figueira Will F. , McGuigan Katrina 
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Complex life cycles may evolve to dissociate distinct developmental phases in an organism's lifetime. However, genetic or environmental factors may restrict trait independence across life stages, constraining ontogenetic trajectories. Quantifying covariance across life stages and their temporal variability is fundamental in understanding life‐history phenotypes and potential distributions and consequences for selection.

We studied developmental constraints in an intertidal fish (Bathygobius cocosensis: Gobiidae) with a discrete pelagic larval phase and benthic juvenile phase. We tested whether traits occurring earlier in life affected those expressed later, and whether larval traits were decoupled from postsettlement juvenile traits. Sampling distinct cohorts from three annual breeding seasons afforded tests of temporally variability in trait covariance.

From otoliths (fish ear stones), we measured hatch size, larval duration, pelagic growth (larval traits) and early postsettlement growth (juvenile trait) in 124 juvenile B. cocoensis. We used path analyses to model trait relationships with respect to their chronological expression, comparing models among seasons. We also modelled the effect of season and hatch date on each individual trait to quantify their inherent variability.

Our path analyses demonstrated a decoupling of larval traits on juvenile growth. Within the larval phase, longer larval durations resulted in greater pelagic growth, and larger size‐at‐settlement. There was also evidence that larger hatch size might reduce larval durations, but this effect was only marginally significant. Although pelagic and postsettlement growth were decoupled, pelagic growth had postsettlement consequences: individuals with high pelagic growth were among the largest fish at settlement, and remained among the largest early postsettlement. We observed no evidence that trait relationships varied among breeding seasons, but larval duration differed among breeding seasons, and was shorter for larvae hatching later within each season.

Overall, we demonstrate mixed support for the expectation that traits in different life stages are independent. While postsettlement growth was decoupled from larval traits, pelagic development had consequences for the size of newly settled juveniles. Temporal consistency in trait covariances implies that genetic and/or environmental factors influencing them were stable over our three‐year study. Our work highlights the importance of individual developmental experiences and temporal variability in understanding population distributions of life‐history traits.
The pricing of accruals quality in credit default swap spreads
Authors: Alam Pervaiz , Pu Xiaoling , Hettler Barry , Lin Hai 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWe examine the association between accounting information risk, measured with accruals quality (AQ), and credit spreads, primarily measured with credit default swap (CDS) spreads. Theoretically, AQ measures the precision with which accruals map into cash flows. Better AQ implies a more precise estimate of future cash flows and, we predict, a reduction in credit spreads due to resulting lower uncertainty regarding the ability to meet debt interest and principal payments. In support of this hypothesis, we find a negative relationship between AQ and CDS spreads whereby better AQ is associated with lower CDS spreads. Additionally, we investigate the components of total AQ and find that innate AQ is more strongly associated with CDS spreads than is discretionary AQ. We further show that AQ moderates the market's pricing of earnings: the relationship between earnings and CDS spreads weakens as AQ worsens. Together, our results indicate that accounting information risk is priced in credit spreads and that the CDS market responds not only to the level of earnings, but the quality thereof as well.
Longitudinal evaluation of clustering of chronic sinonasal and related symptoms using exploratory factor analysis
Authors: Cole M. , Bandeen‐Roche K. , Hirsch A. G. , Kuiper J. R. , Sundaresan A. S. , Tan B. K. , Schleimer R. P. , Kern R. C. , Schwartz B. S. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackgroundSinonasal symptoms are common and can have several underlying causes. When symptoms occur in specified patterns lasting 3 months or more they meet criteria for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Approaches to CRS symptom measurement do not specify how to measure symptoms and treat specified sinonasal symptoms as generally interchangeable, suggesting that such symptoms should cluster on 1 or 2 latent factors.MethodsWe used questionnaire responses to 37 questions on the presence, severity, bother, and frequency of cardinal sinonasal and related symptoms lasting 3 months, from 3535 subjects at 3 time points over 16 months. We completed 5 exploratory factor analyses (EFA) to identify symptom clustering, 1 for each time point and 2 for the differences between adjacent questionnaires. The baseline EFA was used to provide factor scores that were described longitudinally and examined by CRS status.ResultsFive EFAs identified the same 5 factors (blockage and discharge, pain and pressure, asthma and cold/flu symptoms, smell loss, and ear and eye [mainly allergy] symptoms), with clustering determined by symptom frequency, severity, and degree of bother. Responses to individual questions showed changes over time but when combined into factor scores showed less longitudinal change. All symptom factor scores were progressively higher from never to past to current CRS status.ConclusionsAlthough the current approaches to symptom characterization in CRS imply a single underlying latent construct, our results suggest that there are at least 3 latent constructs relevant to CRS. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether these clusters have identifiable underlying pathobiologies.
Speed Modulation of the HeartWare HVAD to Assess In Vitro Hemocompatibility of Pulsatile and Continuous Flow Regimes in a Rotary Blood Pump
Authors: Horobin Jarod T. , Simmonds Michael J. , Nandakumar Deepika , Gregory Shaun D. , Tansley Geoff , Pauls Jo P. , Girnghuber Angela , Balletti Nicoletta , Fraser John F. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractAlthough rotary blood pumps (RBPs) sustain life, blood exposure to continuous supra‐physiological shear stress induces adverse effects (e.g., thromboembolism); thus, pulsatile flow in RBPs represents a potential solution. The present study introduced pulsatile flow to the HeartWare HVAD using a custom‐built controller and compared hemocompatibility biomarkers (i.e., platelet aggregation, concentrations for ADAMTS13, von Willebrand factor (vWf), and free‐hemoglobin in plasma (pfHb), red blood cell (RBC) deformability, and RBC‐nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity) between continuous and pulsatile flow in a blood circulation loop over 5 h. The HeartWare HVAD was operated using a custom‐built controller, at continuous speed (3282 rev/min) or in a pulsatile mode (mean speed = 3273 rev/min, amplitude = 430 rev/min, frequency = 1 Hz) to generate a blood flow rate of 5.0 L/min, HVAD differential pressure of 90 mm Hg for continuous flow and 92 mm Hg for pulsatile flow, and systolic and diastolic pressures of 121/80 mm Hg. For both flow regimes, the current study found; (i) ADP‐ and collagen‐induced platelet aggregation, and ADAMTS13 concentration significantly decreased after 5 h (P < 0.01; P < 0.05), (ii) ristocetin‐induced platelet aggregation significantly increased after 45 min (P < 0.05), (iii) vWf concentration did not significantly differ at any time point, (iv) pfHb significantly increased after 5 h (P < 0.01), (v) RBC deformability improved during the continuous flow regime (P < 0.05) but not during pulsatile flow, and (vi) RBC‐NOS activity significantly increased during continuous flow (15 min), and pulsatile flow (5 h; P < 0.05). The current study demonstrated: (i) speed modulation does not improve hemocompatibility of the HeartWare HVAD based on no observable differences being detected for routine biomarkers, and (ii) the time‐course for increased RBC‐NOS activity observed during continuous flow may have improved RBC deformability.
Germline mutations in DNA repair genes are associated with bladder cancer risk and unfavourable prognosis
Authors: Na Rong , Wu Yishuo , Jiang Guangliang , Yu Hongjie , Lin Xiaoling , Wang Meilin , Conran Carly A. , Fantus Richard J. , Zhang Ning , Liu Shenghua , Helfand Brian T. , Zheng Siqun L. , Isaacs William B. , Ding Qiang , Shen Zhoujun , Xu Jianfeng 
Published: May 2018

ObjectivesTo perform a systematic evaluation of whether germline DNA repair gene mutations in bladder cancer (BCa) are associated with increased risk of BCa and aggressive disease.Materials and MethodsGermline DNA from 98 patients with BCa was analysed for 54 DNA repair genes using a customized targeted sequencing panel. Population control data were obtained from the public databases the Exome Aggregation Consortium database and the Genome Aggregation Database. Mutation pathogenicity was annotated based on American College of Medical Genetics criteria, mutation frequencies in the general population and the ClinVar database. Mutation frequencies were compared based on case–control and case–case designs for disease risks, disease aggressiveness and outcomes.ResultsThe frequency of pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline DNA repair gene mutations was 10.2% among patients with BCa. Within the subset of patients with carcinoma invading the bladder muscle, the frequency was 15.8%, ~2.4‐fold higher than in patients with non‐muscle invasive BCa (6.67%). The mutation frequency among patients with early‐onset disease (at age <45 years) was ~3‐fold higher than among those diagnosed after age 45 years (28.57% vs 8.79%). Mutation carriers had a significantly higher frequency of unfavourable clinical outcomes (disease recurrence or progression to metastatic BCa) than non‐carriers (50.0% vs 13.64%; P = 0.013).ConclusionPathogenic and likely pathogenic mutations in DNA repair genes were associated with unfavourable prognosis of BCa.
“Life as Art”: Emerging Youth Networks in Hanoi and the Tree Hug Movement
Authors: Geertman Stephanie , Boudreau Julie‐Anne 
Published: May 2018

AbstractDrawing on two years of fieldwork in Hanoi, this paper explores what it means to be young and politically engaged in a post‐reform communist city that has recently integrated into the global economy and international culture. We suggest that many young people's desire to assert more playful urban lifestyles and to live their “lives as art” contributed to their engagement in the Tree Hug Movement that swept Hanoi in the spring of 2015. Using interviews with youth who were active in the Tree Hug Movement and ethnographic observations of how young people succeeded in “being” in public spaces, this paper suggests that play can easily transform into politics. Looking at the intertwinement of digital and physical urban spaces, we note how youth mobilized the Tree Hug Movement by drawing upon the same non‐confrontational tactics that they first developed to carve out a space for themselves in urban public spaces: “quiet encroachment,” affective arguments, and conflict avoidance. This, we conclude, contributed to creating new forms of political engagement that can be observed elsewhere in the global urban world.
Distinguishing between irritated seborrheic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma in situ using BCL‐2 and IMP3 immunohistochemistry
Authors: Richey Justin D. , Deng April C. , Dresser Karen , O'Donnell Patrick , Cornejo Kristine M. 
Published: May 2018

BackgroundDistinguishing an irritated seborrheic keratosis (ISK) from a squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) can occasionally be challenging, both histologically and clinically. The purpose of this study was to determine if an immunohistochemical profile of select markers can aid in differentiating these two entities.MethodsWe randomly selected and stained 103 ISK and 111 SCCIS for EGFR, IMP3, and BCL‐2. IMP3 staining was scored as negative or 0 (0% positive), 1+ (1%‐25% positive), 2+ (26%‐50% positive), and 3+ (>50% positive). BCL‐2 and EGFR were graded as either positive or negative.ResultsSixty five out of 103 (63%) ISKs were positive for BCL‐2, none (0%) were positive for IMP3, and 18 (18%) were positive for EGFR. Fifteen out of 111 (14%) SCCISs were positive for BCL‐2, 26 (23%) were positive for IMP3, and 27 (24%) were positive for EGFR. BCL‐2 was moderately sensitive (63%) and specific (87%) in identifying ISK. IMP3 was specific (100%) but not sensitive (23%) for SCCIS.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the combination of IMP3 and BCL‐2 may be of diagnostic utility in distinguishing between ISK and SCCIS in daily clinical practice. EGFR immunohistochemistry did not appear to be useful in this setting.
Visual search and autism symptoms: What young children search for and co‐occurring ADHD matter
Authors: Doherty Brianna R , Charman Tony , Johnson Mark H , Scerif Gaia , Gliga Teodora ,   the BASIS Team
Published: May 2018

AbstractSuperior visual search is one of the most common findings in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) literature. Here, we ascertain how generalizable these findings are across task and participant characteristics, in light of recent replication failures. We tested 106 3‐year‐old children at familial risk for ASD, a sample that presents high ASD and ADHD symptoms, and 25 control participants, in three multi‐target search conditions: easy exemplar search (look for cats amongst artefacts), difficult exemplar search (look for dogs amongst chairs/tables perceptually similar to dogs), and categorical search (look for animals amongst artefacts). Performance was related to dimensional measures of ASD and ADHD, in agreement with current research domain criteria (RDoC). We found that ASD symptom severity did not associate with enhanced performance in search, but did associate with poorer categorical search in particular, consistent with literature describing impairments in categorical knowledge in ASD. Furthermore, ASD and ADHD symptoms were both associated with more disorganized search paths across all conditions. Thus, ASD traits do not always convey an advantage in visual search; on the contrary, ASD traits may be associated with difficulties in search depending upon the nature of the stimuli (e.g., exemplar vs. categorical search) and the presence of co‐occurring symptoms.
Immune thrombocytopenia among patients with cancer and its response to treatment
Authors: Ayesh (Haj Yousef) Mahmoud H. , Alawneh Khaldoon , Zahran Deeb , Aldaoud Najla H. , Khader Yousef 
Published: May 2018

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the rate of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in adult Jordanian patients diagnosed with cancer, to correlate this rate with the type of cancer and to assess the response of ITP in patients with cancer to treatment.MethodsAll adult patients aged 16 years or older who had been diagnosed with cancer at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) between September 2002 and October 2017 were included in this study. Their medical records were reviewed for the diagnosis of ITP.ResultsThe total number of patients diagnosed with cancer at KAUH between September 2002 and October 2017 was 8318. The majority of patients had solid cancers (87.0%), and hematological cancers constituted 13%. Fifteen (0.2%) patients with cancer had ITP. ITP was significantly more common in patients with lymphomas (1.3%) than in patients with solid cancers (0.1%) (P < .005). In the multivariate analysis and after adjusting for age and gender, patients with lymphomas were 15.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with ITP than were patients with solid cancer.ConclusionsPatients with lymphomas had higher rates of ITP than did patients with solid cancers. Treatment of ITP‐associated cancer may improve the platelets count.
Near‐threshold fatigue crack growth properties of wrought magnesium alloy AZ61 in ambient air, dry air, and vacuum
Authors: Karr U. , Schönbauer B.M. , Mayer H. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractEnvironmental influences on near‐threshold fatigue crack growth in wrought magnesium alloy AZ61 were investigated. Fatigue tests were performed in ambient (humid) air, dry air, vacuum, and dry nitrogen gas at 19 kHz cycling frequency and load ratio R = −1. Threshold stress intensity factor amplitudes, Kth, determined for limiting growth rates below 5 × 10−13 m/cycle were 1.1 MPam1/2 in ambient air and 1.2 MPam1/2 in dry air. A much higher Kth of 1.9 MPam1/2 was measured in vacuum and dry nitrogen gas. This suggests oxygen to be the most detrimental constituent of ambient air that increases near‐threshold crack propagation rates and decreases Kth. The deleterious effect of humidity is comparatively small. Corrosive influences are effective at ultrasonic cycling frequency for growth rates below approximately 3 × 10−9 m/cycle. The crack propagation curves in ambient and dry air show a plateau‐like regime where the fracture mode changes from purely ductile to a mixed ductile and brittle mode. In vacuum and dry nitrogen gas, a ductile crack path is found for all investigated crack growth rates.