bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Different role of lobbying and bribery on the firm performance in emerging markets
Authors: Yim Hyung Rok , Lu Jiangyong , Choi Seong-jin 
Published: August 2017

PurposeFirms influence a government to their advantage in one of two ways: either through lobbying a government to change the rule, or through bribing bureaucrats to circumvent the rule. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and under what conditions do corporate political activities facilitate firm growth in a multinational context, especially in developing economies.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the data of the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey, conducted by the World Bank in the 2002 to 2006 period in 12 countries. To deal with a multilevel structure, the authors applied multilevel regression as the main analysis method.FindingsThe analysis reveals that both political activities are prevalent in emerging markets, but they play very different roles on firm growth. The authors also find that the effect of lobbying is more pronounced in politically durable countries where firms can secure their vested benefits by lobbying.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the corporate political activities literature by investigating the distinguishing and contingent role of bribery and lobbying on firm performance.
Herbivore‐induced volatile blends with both “fast” and “slow” components provide robust indirect defence in nature
Authors: Joo Youngsung , Schuman Meredith C. , Goldberg Jay K. , Kim Sang‐Gyu , Yon Felipe , Brütting Christoph , Baldwin Ian T. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractPlants emit volatile blends specific to particular herbivore interactions, which predators and parasitoids learn to associate with prey, increasing herbivore mortality and thereby plant fitness in a phenomenon termed indirect defence.Herbivore‐induced plant volatile blends commonly include both rapid, transient green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and delayed, enduring sesquiterpenes. A few laboratory studies indicate that insects can use plant volatiles to time behaviour, but it is not known whether and how the temporal dynamics of plant volatile blends influence their function in indirect defence.We characterized the activity of the native herbivoresManduca sextaandTupiocoris notatusand their predators,Geocorisspp., on their host plantNicotiana attenuatain their natural habitat. Diurnal predator activity only partially overlapped with variable herbivore activity, and herbivore attack at the beginning or end of the photophase elicited plant volatile blends with distinctGLVand sesquiterpene profiles.In field trials, day‐activeGeocorisspp. predators preferred morning‐ over evening‐typicalGLVblends. Using plants genetically transformed so as to be unable to produce specific volatiles, we found thatGLVs increased predation after dawn elicitations, whereas sesquiterpenes increased predation after dusk elicitations in field trials.We conclude that predators respond to temporal differences in plant volatile blends, and that the different dynamics of specific volatiles permit effective indirect defence despite variable herbivore activity in nature.Aplain language summaryis available for this article.
Ecological and functional effects of fungal endophytes on wood decomposition
Authors: Cline Lauren C. , Schilling Jonathan S. , Menke Jon , Groenhof Emily , Kennedy Peter G. 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Despite the central role of saprotrophic fungi in wood decomposition and terrestrial carbon cycling, the diversity and functioning of wood endophytes (i.e. fungi that asymptomatically colonize living plant tissue) on decay remains poorly understood.
In a 4‐year field experiment in a boreal forest in the upper midwestern United States, we investigated whether endophytes influenced fungal community structure and subsequent wood decomposition via priority effects. We compared decay of sterilized and non‐sterilized birch (Betula papyrifera) logs using both high‐throughput sequencing and wood physiochemical analyses (i.e. density loss, dilute alkali solubility, ratio of lignin loss relative to density loss).
Endophyte presence significantly altered initial fungal species composition during the first 2 years and enhanced mass loss over the experiment's duration. Results suggest that following tree death the immediate utilization of organic substrates by wood endophytes significantly alters establishment patterns of later arriving fungal saprotrophs.
Independent of endophyte presence, white rot was the wood decay outcome at all sampling times, despite an initial presence of both brown and white rot fungi.
Collectively, these findings demonstrate that wood endophytes can affect early community assembly and subsequent decay rates, although environmental filtering leads to consistent selection for fungi with lignin‐targeted decay strategies.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Dietary Food‐Additive Phosphate and Human Health Outcomes
Authors: Cooke Allison 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDietary intake of phosphorus is required for human health, and dietary reference intakes for phosphorus have been established. Food‐grade phosphates are used as additives to provide a wide range of technical functions in food production. Phosphates are often the most efficient ingredients to provide the required functionality in many applications, and in some cases, there are not effective and approved alternatives. However, many investigators have expressed concern about the quantities of phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate present in the diets of many populations. This paper presents the outcome of an extensive review of 110 primary research articles focused on identifying evidence that substantiates or refutes associations of total dietary phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate intake with health and disease in humans. The lack of conclusive evidence prevented the drawing of firm conclusions about the safety and possible risks of food‐additive phosphate in the general population, which is consonant with the overall assessments of authoritative institutions who have concluded that available data are insufficient to make the required determinations. Despite the inadequacy of the evidence currently available, many of the authors of the publications reviewed for this paper expressed concerns about the quantities of phosphorus and food‐additive phosphate in the diets of the populations and subpopulations they studied. At the same time, most of these authors offered only qualified conclusions and expressed themselves tentatively. In addition, authors of primary research publications, authors of review articles, and authoritative institutions have called for the conduct of further research.
Do antiemetic drugs benefit adult emergency department patients with nausea? The literature says no, but is it right?
Authors: Meek Robert , Graudins Andis 
Published: August 2017

AbstractNausea is a common problem in ED patients. Antiemetic drugs have been used in the ED for decades, but a recent Cochrane review found no convincing evidence for the benefit of antiemetic drugs over placebo. This was largely based on three placebo‐controlled trials, which found mean Visual Analog Scale (VAS) changes for various drugs and placebo, to be similar. However, reliance on mean VAS change as the primary outcome measure has probably been a mistake. It does not give information on the number of improved patients, so these cannot be compared between groups. Alternative primary outcome measures warrant further exploration. Use of a VAS cut‐off level indicative of clinically significant symptom improvement would allow comparison of numbers of patients with improved nausea ratings. This is proposed as the best option currently available. Preliminary testing of this outcome measure suggests that the conclusions of past studies may be misleading, and that the question of antiemetic efficacy for ED patients is not yet answered.
MRI measurements of the thoracic aorta and pulmonary artery
Authors: Beck Leyla , Mohamed Abdi‐Aziz , Strugnell Wendy E , Bartlett Harry , Rodriguez Viviana , Hamilton‐Craig Christian , Slaughter Richard E 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIntroductionThe purpose of this study was to obtain a range of normal measurements of the adult thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery using cardiac MRI, and to assess agreement between measurements made on ECG‐gated two‐dimensional (2D) breath held steady‐state‐free precession (SSFP), and three‐dimensional (3D) breath held SSFP image acquisitions.MethodsForty‐nine normal volunteers underwent cardiac MRI using a 1.5T system. Two independent examiners measured the ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery in pre‐defined locations.ResultsOverall, inter‐observer agreement for all measurements was excellent. Close agreement was observed in aortic diameters obtained from the 2D and 3D SSFP methods in six of the nine aortic measurement sites. There was a tendency for the 3D measurements to be smaller than the 2D measurements but this was only significant at two sites, the aortic annulus, and the ascending aorta. There was a significance difference in aortic measurements between the left carotid artery (LC) and the left subclavian artery (LSC).ConclusionNormal values for transverse diameters of the thoracic aorta and main pulmonary artery were established using 2D and 3D non‐contrast MR sequences in healthy adults. Overall both inter‐observer agreement, and agreement between 2D and 3D techniques was good. Mean diameter differences demonstrated at the aortic annulus, ascending aorta and aortic arch between LC and LSC although significant were less than one millimetre and unlikely to be important in clinical practice.
Radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis: A cost‐effective approach
Authors: Lee James , Mott Nigel , Mahmood Usman , Clouston John , Summers Kara , Nicholas Pauline , Gois Pedro Henrique França , Ranganathan Dwarakanathan 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIntroductionRadiological insertion of Tenckhoff catheters can be an alternative option for peritoneal dialysis access creation, as compared to surgical catheter insertion. This study will review the outcomes and complications of radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion in a metropolitan renal service and compare costs between surgical and radiological insertion.MethodsData were collected prospectively for all patients who had a Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis (PD) under radiological guidance at our hospital from May 2014 to November 2016. The type of catheter used and complications, including peri‐catheter leak, exit site infection and peritonitis were reviewed. Follow‐up data were also collected at points 3, 6 and 12 months from catheter insertion. Costing data were obtained from Queensland Health Electronic Reporting System (QHERS) data, average staff salaries and consumable contract price lists.ResultsIn the 30‐month evaluation period, 70 catheters were inserted. Two patients had an unsuccessful procedure due to the presence of abdominal adhesions. Seven patients had an episode of peri‐catheter leak, and four patients had an exit site infection following catheter insertion. Peritonitis was observed in nine patients during the study period. The majority of patients (90%) remained on peritoneal dialysis at 3‐month follow‐up. The average costs of surgical and radiological insertion were noted to be AUD$7788.34 and AUD$1597.35, respectively.ConclusionRadiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis appears to be an attractive and cost‐effective option given less waiting periods for the procedure, the relatively low cost of insertion and comparable rates of complications.
Renal histology in Indigenous Australians with lupus nephritis
Authors: Ghazanfari Farshad , Jabbar Zulfikar , Nossent Johannes 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBackgroundLupus nephritis (LN) is a feared complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Renal biopsy is valuable to assess disease severity and prognosis, but no histological data are available for Indigenous Australians (IA). We compared histopathology between IA and non‐IA patients (NI) with LN in northern Australia and describe main outcomes.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of all patients with biopsy evidence of LN at Royal Darwin Hospital over a 10‐year period. Biopsies were classified by International Society of Nephrology criteria with clinical finding and vital status obtained from electronic health records. Data analyses used Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 census population, nonparametric testing and lifetable estimates.ResultsThe study cohort contained 42 patients (mean age 30 years,86% female and 74% IA). The estimated annual incidence of biopsy‐proven LN was 7/100 000 for IA versus 0.7/100 000 for NI (P < 0.01). More IA patients had full‐house immune complex deposition (79% vs. 21%, P < 0.05), but fewer IA patients had proliferative LN (classes III + IV) (42% vs. 72%) (P < 0.01). Five and 10‐year patient (69% and 50%) and renal survival (87% and 53%) in IA were much worse than for NI patients. The reported causes of death were infections (38.6%), end‐stage renal disease (23%), cardiovascular events (15.4%).ConclusionIndigenous Australians more frequently have histological evidence of LN with a broader spectrum of immune complex deposition but less severe renal inflammation compared to non‐Indigenous patients. The relative contribution of LN to reduced patient and renal survival for Indigenous Australians thus requires further study.
The Legacy of Political Violence across Generations
Authors: Lupu Noam , Peisakhin Leonid 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDoes political violence leave a lasting legacy on identities, attitudes, and behaviors? We argue that violence shapes the identities of victims and that families transmit these effects across generations. Inherited identities then impact the contemporary attitudes and behaviors of the descendants of victims. Testing these hypotheses is fraught with methodological challenges; to overcome them, we study the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 and the indiscriminate way deportees died from starvation and disease. We conducted a multigenerational survey of Crimean Tatars in 2014 and find that the descendants of individuals who suffered more intensely identify more strongly with their ethnic group, support more strongly the Crimean Tatar political leadership, hold more hostile attitudes toward Russia, and participate more in politics. But we find that victimization has no lasting effect on religious radicalization. We also provide evidence that identities are passed down from the victims of the deportation to their descendants.
Efficacy of Distal Perfusion Cannulae in Preventing Limb Ischemia During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Juo Yen‐Yi , Skancke Matthew , Sanaiha Yas , Mantha Aditya , Jimenez Juan C. , Benharash Peyman 
Published: August 2017

AbstractTo date, no consensus exists regarding indication, technique, or efficacy of distal perfusion cannulae (DPC) in preventing limb ischemia among patients receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO). We aim to examine the available literature and report association between DPC and risk of limb ischemia. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, and bibliographies of included studies were searched from database inception until August 2016. Original studies describing the DPC placement technique and incidence of limb ischemia following DPC placement among VA‐ECMO patients were included for systematic review. Studies with a comparison group of patients without DPC were included for meta‐analysis. Two authors independently screened title/abstracts, reviewed full texts, and extracted data from the eligible studies. Meta‐analysis was performed using the Mantel‐Haenszel method under a random‐effects model. Statistical heterogeneity was examined with the I2 statistic (RevMan Version 5.3). Of 542 title/abstracts screened, 62 full text articles were selected for review, yielding 22 retrospective observational studies, for a total of 779 patients with 132 limb ischemia events. There was significant variation in DPC indication, cannula type, and placement technique among the studies. Compared to no DPC, the presence of a DPC was associated with at least a 15.7% absolute reduction in the incidence of limb ischemia (9.74 vs. 25.42%; risk ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.26–0.65, P < 0.01; heterogeneity statistic I2 = 28%). There was no statistically significant difference in mortality in the pooled dataset comparing DPC versus no DPC. In adults treated with VA‐ECMO, DPC placement was associated with a lower incidence of limb ischemia. Currently no consensus guidelines exist regarding indication for DPC placement. Given the association described in this analysis, future prospective trials are warranted to establish a causal relationship and optimal technique for the use of DPC in patients treated with VA‐ECMO.
Distribution of muscle fibre conduction velocity for representative samples of motor units in the full recruitment range of the tibialis anterior muscle
Authors: Del Vecchio A. , Negro F. , Felici F. , Farina D. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAimMotor units are recruited in an orderly manner according to the size of motor neurones. Moreover, because larger motor neurones innervate fibres with larger diameters than smaller motor neurones, motor units should be recruited orderly according to their conduction velocity (MUCV). Because of technical limitations, these relations have been previously tested either indirectly or in small motor unit samples that revealed weak associations between motor unit recruitment threshold (RT) and MUCV. Here, we analyse the relation between MUCV and RT for large samples of motor units.MethodsTen healthy volunteers completed a series of isometric ankle dorsiflexions at forces up to 70% of the maximum. Multi‐channel surface electromyographic signals recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle were decomposed into single motor unit action potentials, from which the corresponding motor unit RT, MUCV and action potential amplitude were estimated. Established relations between muscle fibre diameter and CV were used to estimate the fibre size.ResultsWithin individual subjects, the distributions of MUCV and fibre diameters were unimodal and did not show distinct populations. MUCV was strongly correlated with RT (mean (SD) R2 = 0.7 (0.09), P < 0.001; 406 motor units), which supported the hypothesis that fibre diameter is associated with RT.ConclusionThe results provide further evidence for the relations between motor neurone and muscle fibre properties for large samples of motor units. The proposed methodology for motor unit analysis has also the potential to open new perspectives in the study of chronic and acute neuromuscular adaptations to ageing, training and pathology.
Regional reproductive quests: Cross‐border reproductive travel among infertile Indonesian couples
Authors: Bennett Linda , Pangestu Mulyoto 
Published: August 2017

AbstractInfertility is a significant reproductive health problem effecting at least 15% of heterosexual Indonesian couples during their reproductive lives. This article explores the preferences and decision‐making processes of 15 married infertile Indonesian couples, of high socioeconomic status, regarding intra‐regional reproductive travel in Southeast Asia. We consider the reproductive destinations of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, revealing their distinct attractions for different couples. We identify a variety of push and pull factors influencing the choice to leave Indonesia to pursue assisted reproduction technologies (ART), as well as the factors shaping the choice of travel destination. One intractable push factor motivating couples to leave Indonesia is the strict regulation of ART, which designates gamete donation and surrogacy as illegal. The paramount concern of our informants was to maximise their chances of reproductive success, and perceptions of higher success rates for conception via ART elsewhere in Asia informed their travel choices. Emotional and psychological concerns were also crucial in determining travel destinations and included a strong desire for privacy; the desire for emotional support whilst attempting conception via ART; the desire for emotional intimacy with one's partner; and the wish for religious compatibility with fertility providers and treatment protocols.
Measures of fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with, complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions: A systematic review of measure quality
Authors: Walton Holly , Spector Aimee , Tombor Ildiko , Michie Susan 
Published: August 2017

PurposeUnderstanding the effectiveness of complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions requires high‐quality measures to assess fidelity of delivery and engagement. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify the types of measures used to monitor fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with, complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions and (2) describe the reporting of psychometric and implementation qualities.MethodsElectronic databases were searched, systematic reviews and reference lists were hand‐searched, and 21 experts were contacted to identify articles. Studies that quantitatively measured fidelity of delivery of, and/or engagement with, a complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change intervention for adults were included. Data on interventions, measures, and psychometric and implementation qualities were extracted and synthesized using narrative analysis.ResultsSixty‐six studies were included: 24 measured both fidelity of delivery and engagement, 20 measured fidelity of delivery, and 22 measured engagement. Measures of fidelity of delivery included observation (n = 17; 38.6%), self‐report (n = 15; 34%), quantitatively rated qualitative interviews (n = 1; 2.3%), or multiple measures (n = 11; 25%). Measures of engagement included self‐report (n = 18; 39.1%), intervention records (n = 11; 24%), or multiple measures (n = 17; 37%). Fifty‐one studies (77%) reported at least one psychometric or implementation quality; 49 studies (74.2%) reported at least one psychometric quality, and 17 studies (25.8%) reported at least one implementation quality.ConclusionFewer than half of the reviewed studies measured both fidelity of delivery of, and engagement with complex, face‐to‐face health behaviour change interventions. More studies reported psychometric qualities than implementation qualities. Interpretation of intervention outcomes from fidelity of delivery and engagement measurements may be limited due to a lack of reporting of psychometric and implementation qualities.
Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Evidence of fidelity and engagement is needed to understand effectiveness of complex interventions

Evidence of fidelity and engagement are rarely reported

High‐quality measures are needed to measure fidelity and engagement

What does this study add?

Evidence that indicators of quality of measures are reported in some studies

Evidence that psychometric qualities are reported more frequently than implementation qualities

A recommendation for intervention evaluations to report indicators of quality of fidelity and engagement measures