bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of family business professionalization on dividend payout
Authors: Michiels Anneleen , Uhlaner Lorraine , Dekker Julie 
Published: July 2017

PurposeThe topic of dividend policies of private family-controlled firms has aroused the interest of corporate finance and governance scholars and practitioners alike. However, a lot of questions concerning the dividends in privately held family firms remain unanswered. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether a private family firm’s dividend payout is influenced by its degree of professionalization.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses are tested on a sample of 492 small to medium-sized Belgian family-controlled businesses with Tobit regression models.FindingsThe results show that professionalized family-controlled firms pay higher dividends to their shareholders than do less-professionalized firms. In particular, the use of financial control systems, non-family involvement in governance systems, and the use of human resource control systems have a positive significant impact on the average level of dividend payout.Practical implicationsThis study may be of interest to family business consultants and (potential) investors, as the results contradict the assumption that family businesses (especially those privately held) will always have a no or low dividend policy.Originality/valueInvestigating dividend payout in the context of other components than family ownership (in this case, professionalization) can broaden our understanding of dividend payout.
Cold adaptation drives variability in needle structure and anatomy in Pinus sylvestris L. along a 1,900 km temperate–boreal transect
Authors: Jankowski Artur , Wyka Tomasz P. , Żytkowiak Roma , Nihlgård Bengt , Reich Peter B. , Oleksyn Jacek 
Published: July 2017

Abstract

Occupancy of cold habitats by evergreen species requires structural modification of photosynthetic organs for stress resistance and longevity. Such modifications have been described at interspecific level, while intraspecific variation has been underexplored.

To identify structural and anatomical traits that may be adaptive in cold environments, we studied intraspecific variability of needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), a wide‐ranging tree, along a 1,900 km temperate–boreal transect in Europe.

Needles from 20 sites representing mean minimum winter temperatures between −4.0 and −19.9°C and mean annual temperatures between 8.3 and −1.7°C were sampled for measurements of leaf mass per area (LMA, g/m2), leaf density (LD, g/cm3) and 30 other morpho‐anatomical traits.

Needles from cold sites lived longer, were shorter, showed higher LMA and LD, had narrower and more collapse‐resistant tracheids, thicker epidermal cells with thicker cell walls and wider resin ducts occupying larger fraction of needle volume in comparison to needles from warmer sites.

Along the steep climatic gradient, needles presented a coordinated phenotypic spectrum of external and internal traits that are largely interpretable in functional, adaptive terms. This intraspecific pattern of covarying traits provides insight into the adaptive syndrome associated with stress tolerance and extended needle longevity under cold conditions of high latitudes.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Financial Incentives and Physician Practice Participation in Medicare's Value‐Based Reforms
Authors: Markovitz Adam A. , Ramsay Patricia P. , Shortell Stephen M. , Ryan Andrew M. 
Published: July 2017

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether greater experience and success with performance incentives among physician practices are related to increased participation in Medicare's voluntary value‐based payment reforms.Data Sources/Study SettingPublicly available data from Medicare's Physician Compare (n = 1,278; January 2012 to November 2013) and nationally representative physician practice data from the National Survey of Physician Organizations 3 (NSPO3; n = 907,538; 2013).Study DesignWe used regression analysis to examine practice‐level relationships between prior exposure to performance incentives and participation in key Medicare value‐based payment reforms: accountable care organization (ACO) programs, the Physician Quality Reporting System (“Physician Compare”), and the Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology program (“Meaningful Use”). Prior experience and success with financial incentives were measured as (1) the percentage of practices’ revenue from financial incentives for quality or efficiency; and (2) practices’ exposure to public reporting of quality measures.Data Collection/Extraction MethodsWe linked physician participation data from Medicare's Physician Compare to the NSPO3 survey.Principal FindingsThere was wide variation in practices’ exposure to performance incentives, with 64 percent exposed to financial incentives, 45 percent exposed to public reporting, and 2.2 percent of practice revenue coming from financial incentives. For each percentage‐point increase in financial incentives, there was a 0.9 percentage‐point increase in the probability of participating in ACOs (standard error [SE], 0.1, p < .001) and a 0.8 percentage‐point increase in the probability of participating in Meaningful Use (SE, 0.1, p < .001), controlling for practice characteristics. Financial incentives were not associated with participation in Physician Compare. Among ACO participants, a 1 percentage‐point increase in incentives was associated with a 0.7 percentage‐point increase in the probability of being “very well” prepared to utilize cost and quality data (SE, 0.1, p < .001).ConclusionsPhysicians organizations’ prior experience and success with performance incentives were related to participation in Medicare ACO arrangements and participation in the meaningful use criteria but not to participation in Physician Compare. We conclude that Medicare must complement financial incentives with additional efforts to address the needs of practices with less experience with such incentives to promote value‐based payment on a broader scale.
Review article: Does acupuncture have a role in providing analgesia in the emergency setting? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Jan Andrew L , Aldridge Emogene S , Rogers Ian R , Visser Eric J , Bulsara Max K , Niemtzow Richard C 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAcupuncture might offer a novel approach to improve ED pain management. Our primary aim was to assess the efficacy of acupuncture in the emergency setting while secondary objectives were to explore its suitability through its side‐effect profile, patient satisfaction, cost, administration time and points used. Seven databases and Google Scholar were searched up to 31 July 2016 using MeSH descriptors for three overarching themes concerning acupuncture, pain management and emergency medicine. Meta‐analysis was performed on randomised trials for three comparator groups: acupuncture versus sham, acupuncture versus standard analgesia care and acupuncture‐as‐an‐adjunct to standard care, to calculate the standardised mean difference and weighted mean difference for pain scores out of 10. Data for secondary outcomes was extracted from both randomised and observational studies. Nineteen randomised controlled trials and 11 uncontrolled observational studies totaling 3169 patients were retrieved after exclusions. Meta‐analyses were performed on data from 14 randomised controlled trials representing 1210 patients. The three resulting comparator groups (as above) resulted in standardised mean differences of 1.08, 0.02 and 1.68, and weighted mean differences of 1.60, −0.04 and 2.84, respectively (all positive figures favour acupuncture). Where measured, acupuncture appears to be associated with improved patient satisfaction, lower cost and a low adverse effects profile. The data available were inadequate to ascertain the effect of acupuncture on analgesia use. Significant study bias was found, especially with respect to practitioner and patient blinding. We conclude that for some acute pain conditions in the ED, acupuncture was clinically effective compared to sham and non‐inferior to conventional therapy. As an adjunct, limited data was found indicating superiority to standard analgesia care. Further studies will elucidate the most appropriate acupuncture training and techniques, use as an adjunct and the clinical situations in which they can be best applied.
Video‐assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy after percutaneous coronary intervention in lung cancer patients with concomitant coronary heart disease
Authors: Li Xin , Fu YiLi , Miao JinBai , Li Hui , Hu Bin 
Published: July 2017

BackgroundIn recent years, based on clinical observations, the number of lung cancer patients with concomitant coronary heart disease (CHD) has gradually increased. However, because of the requirement of long‐term anticoagulant therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), some of these patients lose the opportunity for surgical treatment, resulting in tumor progression. The objective of this study was to determine the appropriate timing of video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy after PCI without increasing perioperative cardiovascular risk.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed clinical data of patients with a combination of NSCLC and CHD who underwent selective pulmonary lobectomy by VATS in the early postoperative PCI period between 2010 and 2015 at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, China.ResultsFourteen patients received VATS lobectomy after PCI. The disease had progressed to T stage in two patients after PCI. No perioperative death occurred. Two patients suffered postoperative atrial fibrillation: one had a pulmonary infection, and the other had acute coronary syndrome. All patients recovered and were discharged.ConclusionFor NSCLC patients with severe CHD, the use of VATS lobectomy in the early postoperative PCI period could not only advance the timing of surgery, but may also control perioperative hemorrhage and CHD event risks within acceptable ranges, which could provide more patients with an opportunity to undergo surgical treatment.
Transcriptome profiling reveals the immune response of goose T cells under selenium stimuli
Authors: Cao Nan , Li Wanyan , Li Bingxin , Tian Yunbo , Xu Danning 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThe goose is an economically important poultry species and a principal natural host of avian viruses. This study aimed to determine the effects of selenium on the immune response of geese. Under selenium stimulation, gene expression profiling was investigated using transcriptome sequencing. The selenoproteins were promoted by selenium stimulation, while the heat shock proteins, interleukin and interferons were mainly down‐regulated. After comparison, 2228 differentially expressed genes were primarily involved in immune and environmental response, and infectious disease and genetic information processing related pathways were identified. Specifically, the enzymes of the lysosomes which acted as a safeguard in preventing pathogens were mostly up‐regulated and six randomly selected differentially expressed genes were validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the most proportional increased transcription factor family basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) located in the 5′ flank of selenoprotein P‐like protein for selenium metabolism was identified by response to the selenium stimulation in this study. These analyses show that selenium can promote immune function by activating selenoproteins, transcript factors and lysosome pathway related genes, while weakening cytokine content genes in geese.
Effects of GnRH, a progesterone‐releasing device, and energy balance on an oestrus synchronisation program in anoestrous dairy cows
Authors: Sahu SK , Cockrem JF , Parkinson TJ , Laven RA 
Published: July 2017

ObjectiveThe aim of this research was to study the roles of the day 0 energy balance and gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) and progesterone levels on dominant follicle (DF) and corpus luteum (CL) development during the first 7 days of a gonadotrophin–prostaglandin–gonadotrophin (GPG) + progesterone (P4) program in anoestrous dairy cows.MethodsCows (n = 81) were allocated to one of the three treatments: (1) GPG + P4 (days 0 and 9, 100 µg GnRH; day 0–7, intravaginal P4 device; day 7, 500 µg PGF2α); (2) GPG (as for treatment 1 but excluding the P4 device) and (3) prostaglandin + GnRH + P4 (as for treatment 1, but excluding day 0 GnRH). DF and CL size, plasma concentrations of insulin, insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) and non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA) were measured on days 0 and 7.ResultsThe proportion of cows with a CL on day 7 was significantly different between groups (GPG: 78%, GPG+P4: 69%, PGF2α + GnRH + P4: 42%, P = 0.02). The CL volume on day 7 was significantly associated with treatment, treatment by time postpartum and plasma concentrations of insulin, IGF‐I and NEFA.ConclusionIn cows without a CL present on day 0 of an oestrus synchronisation program, removal of the day 0 GnRH treatment led to reduced CL development; however, no effect of adding progesterone was found. In contrast, in cows with a CL present on day 0 inclusion of a progesterone device led to a higher CL volume, but removal of the first GnRH injection had no effect. Response to the treatment was affected by plasma concentrations of insulin, IGF‐I and NEFA.
‘Trifecta’ outcomes of robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy in solitary kidney: a Vattikuti Collective Quality Initiative (VCQI) database analysis
Authors: Arora Sohrab , Abaza Ronney , Adshead James M. , Ahlawat Rajesh K. , Challacombe Benjamin J. , Dasgupta Prokar , Gandaglia Giorgio , Moon Daniel A. , Yuvaraja Thyavihally B. , Capitanio Umberto , Larcher Alessandro , Porpiglia Francesco , Porter James R. , Mottrie Alexander , Bhandari Mahendra , Rogers Craig 
Published: July 2017

ObjectivesTo analyse the outcomes of robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) in patients with a solitary kidney in a large multi‐institutional database.Patients and MethodsIn all, 2755 patients in the Vattikuti Collective Quality Initiative database underwent RAPN by 22 surgeons at 14 centres in nine countries. Of these patients, 74 underwent RAPN with a solitary kidney between 2007 and 2016. We retrospectively analysed the functional and oncological outcomes of these 74 patients. A ‘trifecta’ of outcomes was assessed, with trifecta defined as a warm ischaemia time (WIT) of <20 min, negative surgical margins, and no complications intraoperatively or within 3 months of RAPN.ResultsAll 74 patients underwent RAPN successfully with one conversion to radical nephrectomy. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) operative time was 180 (142–230) min. Early unclamping was used in 11 (14.9%) patients and zero ischaemia was used in 12 (16.2%). Trifecta outcomes were achieved in 38 of 66 patients (57.6%). The median (IQR) WIT was 15.5 (8.75–20.0) min for the entire cohort. The overall complication rate was 24.1% and the rate of Clavien–Dindo grade ≤II complications was 16.3%. Positive surgical margins were present in four cases (5.4%). The median (IQR) follow‐up was 10.5 (2.12–24.0) months. The median drop in estimated glomerular filtration rate at 3 months was 7.0 mL/min/1.72 m2 (11.01%).ConclusionOur findings suggest that RAPN is a safe and effective treatment option for select renal tumours in solitary kidneys in terms of a trifecta of negative surgical margins, WIT of <20 min, and low operative and perioperative morbidity.
Sodium channels and pain: from toxins to therapies
Authors: Cardoso Fernanda C , Lewis Richard J 
Published: July 2017

Voltage‐gated sodium channels (NaV channels) are essential for the initiation and propagation of action potentials that critically influence our ability to respond to a diverse range of stimuli. Physiological and pharmacological studies have linked abnormal function of NaV channels to many human disorders, including chronic neuropathic pain. These findings, along with the description of the functional properties and expression pattern of NaV channel subtypes, are helping to uncover subtype specific roles in acute and chronic pain and revealing potential opportunities to target these with selective inhibitors. High‐throughput screens and automated electrophysiology platforms have identified natural toxins as a promising group of molecules for the development of target‐specific analgesics. In this review, the role of toxins in defining the contribution of NaV channels in acute and chronic pain states and their potential to be used as analgesic therapies are discussed.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Recent Advances in Targeting Ion Channels to Treat Chronic Pain. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.12/issuetoc
Expression of NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) is increased in the endometrium of women with endometrial cancer and women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Atiomo William , Shafiee Mohamad Nasir , Chapman Caroline , Metzler Veronika M. , Abouzeid Jad , Latif Ayşe , Chadwick Amy , Kitson Sarah , Sivalingam Vanitha N. , Stratford Ian J. , Rutland Catrin S. , Persson Jenny L. , Ødum Niels , Fuentes‐Utrilla Pablo , Jeyapalan Jennie N. , Heery David M. , Crosbie Emma J. , Mongan Nigel P. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryObjectiveWomen with a prior history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased risk of endometrial cancer (EC).AimTo investigate whether the endometrium of women with PCOS possesses gene expression changes similar to those found in EC.Design and MethodsPatients with EC, PCOS and control women unaffected by either PCOS or EC were recruited into a cross‐sectional study at the Nottingham University Hospital, UK. For RNA sequencing, representative individual endometrial biopsies were obtained from women with EC, PCOS and a woman unaffected by PCOS or EC. Expression of a subset of differentially expressed genes identified by RNA sequencing, including NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), was validated by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR validation (n = 76) and in the cancer genome atlas UCEC (uterine corpus endometrioid carcinoma) RNA sequencing data set (n = 381). The expression of NQO1 was validated by immunohistochemistry in EC samples from a separate cohort (n = 91) comprised of consecutive patients who underwent hysterectomy at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, between 2011 and 2013. A further 6 postmenopausal women with histologically normal endometrium who underwent hysterectomy for genital prolapse were also included. Informed consent and local ethics approval were obtained for the study.ResultsWe show for the first that NQO1 expression is significantly increased in the endometrium of women with PCOS and EC. Immunohistochemistry confirms significantly increased NQO1 protein expression in EC relative to nonmalignant endometrial tissue (P < .0001).ConclusionsThe results obtained here support a previously unrecognized molecular link between PCOS and EC involving NQO1.
Kidney transplantation in Ghana: Is the public ready?
Authors: Boima Vincent , Ganu Vincent , Dey Dzifa , Yorke Ernest , Yawson Alfred , Otchere Yvonne , Nartey Stella , Gyaban‐Mensah Anna , Lartey Margaret , Mate‐Kole Charles C. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBackgroundThe burden of end stage renal disease (ESRD) is reported to be higher among people of African ancestry. The majority do not have access to kidney transplantation. Africans, in general, are less likely to donate a kidney or receive a transplant.AimsThis study surveyed public perceptions of kidney transplantation in an inner city and suburban communities in Ghana. It examined people's willingness to either accept or donate a kidney to save a life. In addition, it evaluated factors that influenced their opinion on the issue.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey was conducted in five purposively selected communities in the Greater Accra region in Ghana. Structured questionnaires and standardized instruments were administered to assess participants’ socio‐demographic characteristics, religiosity and spirituality, and perception of kidney transplantation.ResultsOf the 480 participants, 233 (48.5%) were willing to donate a kidney; 71.6% would only do so after death. Religion, loss of body part, and cultural values influenced participants’ willingness to donate a kidney. Uncertainty of health status post‐transplantation and uneasiness with the concept of transplantation influenced the participants’ willingness to accept a kidney transplant.ConclusionThe study revealed that almost half of the participants hold positive views toward kidney transplantation.
Mass Strikes in India and Brazil as the Terrain for a New Social Movement Unionism
Authors: Nowak Jörg 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTSince the outbreak of the global economic crisis of 2008, many countries have witnessed labour unrest and industrial action. In the recent wave of mass strikes in emerging economies, one salient feature has been the forging of new forms of cooperation between workers’ struggles and other social movements. Yet research on protest movements after 2008 has largely failed to consider these mass strikes or the organizational forms that erupted in their wake. This article aims to address that gap, using case studies of mass strikes in India and Brazil to explore whether these new alliances can be described within the framework of social movement unionism. It seeks to identify the features that distinguish new forms of mobilization from old ones, and to explore what re‐conceptualizations of social movement studies and industrial relations research are necessary to capture the challenges facing these new alliances. In doing so, it also raises concerns about the limitations of the ‘networks of labour’ approach.
The Revealed Preference of Sophisticated Investors
Authors: Blocher Jesse , Molyboga Marat 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBerk and van Binsbergen (2016) have shown that the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) best represents the revealed preferences of any investor who can invest in mutual funds (i.e., all investors). This claim seems overly broad, as it applies to all asset classes. However, we show that hedge fund investors' revealed preferences are also best modeled by the CAPM. Because hedge fund investors are sophisticated and can access all assets classes, our finding supports this broad claim. Using the CAPM is rational, as we show that CAPM alpha correlates with managerial skill and predicts performance better than other multi‐factor models.