bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alda-1 Attenuates Lung Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Reducing 4-Hydroxy-2-Nonenal in Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Authors: Ding Jie , Zhang Quanyi , Luo Qipeng , Ying Yongquan , Liu Yiwei , Li Yinan , Wei Wei , Yan Fuxia , Zhang Hao 
Published: January 2016

Objectives:
Excessive oxidative stress is a main cause of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury, which often results in respiratory insufficiency after open-heart surgery for a cardiopulmonary bypass. Previous studies demonstrate that the activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 could significantly reduce the oxidative stress mediated by toxic aldehydes and attenuate cardiac and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, both the involvement of aldehydes and the protective effect of the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 agonist, Alda-1, in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury remain unknown.

Design:
Prospective laboratory and animal investigation were conducted.

Setting:
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease.

Subjects:
Primary human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells, human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, and Sprague-Dawley rats.

Interventions:
A hypoxia/reoxygenation cell-culture model of human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell, human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell, and an isolated-perfused lung model were applied to mimic lung ischemia-reperfusion injury. We evaluated the effects of Alda-1 on aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 quantity and activity, on aldehyde levels and pulmonary protection.

Measurements and Main Results:
We have demonstrated that ischemia-reperfusion–induced pulmonary injury concomitantly induced aldehydes accumulation in human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells and lung tissues, but not in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. Moreover, Alda-1 pretreatment significantly elevated aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 activity, increased surfactant-associated protein C, and attenuated elevation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, apoptosis, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, inflammatory response, and the permeability of pulmonary alveolar capillary barrier, thus alleviated injury.

Conclusions:
Our study indicates that the accumulation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal plays an important role in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury. Alda-1 pretreatment can attenuate lung ischemia-reperfusion injury, possibly through the activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2, which in turn removes 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells. Alda-1 pretreatment has clinical implications to protect lungs during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Nonhematopoietic Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-α Protects Against Cardiac Injury and Enhances Survival in Experimental Polymicrobial Sepsis*
Authors: Standage Stephen W. , Waworuntu Rachel L. , Delaney Martha A. , Maskal Sara M. , Bennion Brock G. , Duffield Jeremy S. , Parks William C. , Liles W. Conrad , McGuire John K. 
Published: January 2016

Objectives:
Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α is significantly down-regulated in circulating leukocytes from children with sepsis. Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α null (Ppara
-/-) mice have greater mortality than wild-type mice when subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture. We sought to characterize the role of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α in sepsis and to identify the mechanism whereby peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α confers a survival advantage.

Design:
Prospective randomized preclinical study.

Setting:
Laboratory investigation.

Subjects:
Male C57Bl/6J and Ppara
–/– mice (B6.129S4-Pparatm1Gonz/J), aged 12–16 weeks.

Interventions:
Bone marrow chimeric mice were generated and subjected to cecal ligation and puncture. Survival was measured for 7 days. Separate groups of nontransplanted mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture and were euthanized 24 hours later for plasma and tissue analyses.

Measurements and Main Results:

Ppara
-/- mice had dramatically reduced survival compared with wild-type mice irrespective of the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α status of the bone marrow they received (3% vs 63%; p < 0.0001). No difference in survival was observed between Ppara
-/- mice that received wild-type versus Ppara
-/- marrow or in wild-type mice receiving wild-type versus Ppara
-/- marrow. In septic, nontransplanted mice at 24 hours, Ppara
-/- mice had elevated cardiac troponin levels compared with wild-type mice. Cardiac histologic injury scores were greater in Ppara
-/- versus wild-type mice. Expression of transcription factors and enzymes related to fatty acid oxidation in the heart were profoundly down-regulated in both wild-type and Ppara
-/- mice, but more so in the Ppara
-/- mice.

Conclusions:
Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α expression in nonhematopoietic tissues plays a critical role in determining clinical outcome in experimental polymicrobial sepsis and is more important to survival in sepsis than hematopoietic peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α expression. Cardiac injury due to inadequate energy production from fatty acid substrate is a probable mechanism of decreased survival in Ppara
-/- mice. These results suggest that altered peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α–mediated cellular metabolism may play an important role in sepsis-related end-organ injury and dysfunction, especially in the heart.
Ischemic Gastritis
Authors: Elwir Saleh , Shaukat Aasma , Mesa Hector , Colbach Christine , Dambowy Paul , Shaw Michael 
Published: January 2016

Goals:
To report a case series of ischemic gastritis and discuss its etiology, management, and associated mortality according to our results and the published English literature.

Background:
Ischemic gastritis is rare, given the rich blood supply of the stomach. It has been reported in isolated case reports and small case series. Most cases are vascular in origin and associated with a high mortality.

Study:
Pathology databases from 3 hospitals affiliated with the University of Minnesota Medical School were searched for cases of ischemic gastritis in the last 10 years. Patients’ demographics, clinical course, and 1-month and 1-year mortalities were collected from electronic medical records.

Results:
A total of 12 patients were identified (age range, 32.1 to 83.2), the largest series reported to date. The presenting symptom was gastrointestinal bleeding (8), abdominal pain (2), nausea (1), and symptomatic anemia (1). The etiology included postinterventional radiology embolization (2), hemodynamic changes in the setting of celiac axis stenosis (2), vasculitis (1), systemic hypotension (1), and unknown (6). Treatment included steroid therapy, revascularization by interventional radiology, surgery, or supportive treatment. Thirty-day and 1-year mortalities were 33% and 41%, respectively.

Conclusions:
Ischemic gastritis is rare, but associated with a high mortality. Evaluation for treatable etiologies should be sought and corrected if present.
Alcaligenes faecalis Cellulitis After a Dog Bite
Authors: Chu Andrew S. , Harkness Julia 
Published: January 2016

Abstract

Alcaligenes faecalis is a gram-negative organism that is commonly found in the environment and may also be a part of normal fecal flora in humans. Although various infections with this bacteria have been described in the pediatric population, it has not been previously identified in infections as the pathogen after a dog bite. A case of a 19-month-old boy is presented with a cellulitis secondary to a dog bite, which failed oral antibiotic therapy, and progressed to worsening fever and swelling. The patient ultimately required hospitalization, intravenous antibiotics, and incision and drainage. The wound culture grew A. faecalis, whose identity was confirmed through recombinant DNA sequence analysis. Although it has been identified in cat bite wounds, A. faecalis has not been cited in the literature before in an infection after a dog bite.
Surgical Treatment of Facial Infantile Hemangiomas: An Analysis Based on Tumor Characteristics and Outcomes
Authors: Goldenberg Dov C. , Hiraki Patricia Y. , Marques Tatiana Moura , Koga Andrea , Gemperli Rolf 
Published: January 2016

Background:
Surgical treatment of infantile hemangiomas may interfere with patient appearance. The use of an algorithm is essential to select candidates. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of surgical treatment based on tumor characteristics.

Methods:
Seventy-four patients were treated surgically between 1997 and 2010. Demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical approach, and outcomes were evaluated.

Results:
The female-to-male ratio was 5.7:1. Mean age and follow-up were 24 years and 33 months, respectively. Surgery was elective in 83.8 percent and emergent in 16.2 percent of patients. Most frequent locations were lips, nose, eyelids, and cheeks. Surgery was performed during the proliferative phase in 43 patients (58.1 percent), and growth-related deformity was the main indication. No significant association between sex and the presence of complications or treatment indication was observed. Patients who underwent emergency procedures were younger (p = 0.0031) and had a higher incidence of evolutional complications (p = 0.012). Also, they were more frequently operated on during the proliferative phase (p = 0.011). Favorable outcome of surgical treatment was observed in both simple and complex cases for facial contour, volume reduction, and need for reoperation. The best candidates for elective surgery were patients with localized eyelid, nasal, or lip hemangiomas, presenting growth-related deformities during the proliferative phase. For patients undergoing emergency procedures, the best candidates were nonresponders to pharmacologic therapy with segmental periorbital hemangiomas, treated by partial resection.

Conclusions:
A profile of patients and their specific surgical approach was established. Satisfactory results could be achieved following the proposed algorithm.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
Therapeutic, IV.
Comparison of Health Care Costs Between Claimants and Nonclaimants in the No-Fault Compensation System of Finland
Authors: Järvelin Jutta , Häkkinen Unto , Rosenqvist Gunnar 
Published: January 2016

Objectives
If patients experience health care–related adverse events, they may claim for compensation. Adverse events of claimants are generally more severe and presumably involve higher health care costs than those of nonclaimants. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost differential between claimants and nonclaimants in the no-fault system in Finland.

Methods
We compiled register data on patients having had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, n = 20,500), total hip arthroplasty (n = 17,506), or knee arthroplasty (TKA, n = 18,512) and calculated risk-adjusted cost differentials by using a gamma distributed, log-linked generalized linear model. The explained variable comprised costs, whereas the main explanatory variables were whether the patient filed a claim and whether he or she received compensation.

Results
Uncompensated claimants had higher admission costs (CABG, €3660, 29%; total hip arthroplasty, €418, 5%; TKA, €359, 4%) compared with nonclaimants, whereas the differential between compensated claimants and uncompensated claimants was statistically insignificant. Significant associations emerged concerning CABG 1-year costs: uncompensated claimants had €12,990 (71%) higher costs than nonclaimants, whereas compensated claimants had €6388 (20%) higher costs than uncompensated claimants.

Conclusions
Although the precise cost differentials may be specific to Finland, the implications may apply also to other countries. (1) Excess costs of claimants should motivate efforts to reduce adverse events. (2) Analyses of claims to improve patient safety should not be restricted to compensated claims only but should equally concern uncompensated claims. A further implication regarding Finland is that additional approaches to identify and report adverse events are necessary.
Tune-In and Time-Out: Toward Surgeon-Led Prevention of “Never” Events
Authors: Jones Niall 
Published: January 2016

Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) distributed a surgical safety checklist in 2008 in a bid to improve patient safety and quality of care in the operating theater. Adherence to the checklist has been shown to reduce “never” events, for example, wrong site surgery. The aim of this quality improvement study was to determine the current adherence by surgeons to the checklist at The Royal Hobart Hospital.

Methods
This is a retrospective audit of the digital medical records of 100 consecutive emergency operations performed at The Royal Hobart Hospital. The time-out section of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist was assessed for completeness. Second, an anonymized survey of theater nursing staff was performed to determine current adherence by surgeons with the time-out.

Results
The time-out was completed in 79% of emergency procedures. There were no never events in the patient cohort studied. There was overwhelming support among theater nurses for a surgeon-led time-out. Formal education on the use of the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist is lacking. Most theater nurses have experienced hostility from surgeons when conducting a time-out.

Discussion
This work is a step on the way to surgeon-led prevention of never events. Finding a completed time-out in the patient notes does not guarantee surgeon support for or contribution to the time-out process. The findings will inform combined nursing and surgeon education sessions, and together with executive-level support, improved surgeon cooperation with the time-out will inculcate a culture of safety for patients and improve harmony among staff groups.
Job insecurity, workload and job exhaustion in temporary agency workers (TAWs)
Authors: Giunchi Marianna , Emanuel Federica , Chambel Maria José , Ghislieri Chiara 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– Different studies underline that perceived job insecurity (PJI) has negative consequences at both individual and organisational level. Some authors investigated PJI in temporary agency workers (TAWs) but these studies did not focus on specific countries and did not discuss the relationship with job exhaustion. Other researchers explored gender differences in PJI and found different results; some investigated differences in PJI perception and others its relationship with the outcome of stress or well-being. The purpose of this paper is to inquire about the effects of PJI (as a demanding condition) on job exhaustion, considering the mediation role of workload and exploring differences between male and female TAWs.

Design/methodology/approach
– This research involved 474 Portuguese TAWs (209 men, 265 women). Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire; data analyses were performed using IBM Spss Statistics 22 for descriptive statistics, correlations and t-test; Mplus7 was used to estimate a multi-group structural equation model and to test the mediation.

Findings
– The results confirmed that workload is a mediator and indicated gender differences in how PJI relates to workload and job exhaustion in TAWs. In fact, the mediation of workload in the relationship between PJI and job exhaustion was partial in men and total in women: in the women group the direct effect of PJI on job exhaustion is not significant, and the indirect effect mediated by workload is significant; in the men group both direct and indirect effects are significant.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to extend the research on job insecurity of TAWs in a specific national context and highlights gender differences in the relationship between PJI and job exhaustion.
Ownership structure and analysts’ forecast properties: a study of Chinese listed firms
Authors: Liu Sun 
Published: January 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between ownership structure and the properties of analysts’ forecasts in China’s unique corporate setting.Design/methodology/approachMultiple regression models were used to examine the influence of ownership structure mechanisms on analysts’ forecast properties for listed Chinese firms during the period 2008-2012.FindingsThe paper finds that analysts’ forecast accuracy is higher for listed firms with high levels of foreign ownership and managerial ownership. However, the complex pyramidal ownership structure could make corporate information less transparent and then increase the complexity of forecasting; hence, it results in less precise analysts’ forecasts. Interestingly, the relationship between state ownership and analysts’ forecast properties appears to be non-linear (an inverted U-shape), and the inflection point at which the relationship becomes negative occurs at state ownership over 45 per cent.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate the influence of ownership structure mechanisms on the properties of analysts’ forecasts in an emerging market, and the findings provide some insight on how the properties of analysts’ forecast might be shaped by certain ownership and control features in the context of concentrated state ownership and complex pyramidal ownership structure.
Owners’ preferences for CEOs characteristics: did the world change after the global financial crisis?
Authors: Mio Chiara , Fasan Marco , Ros Antonio 
Published: January 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study whether and how owners’ preferences for CEO characteristics changed due to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. The authors identify three fundamental success factors needed for companies to compete in the after-crisis environment, and the authors connect five CEO characteristics to such factors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors rely on a hand-collected database to build a panel data of European CEOs for the 2010-2012 period.FindingsThe empirical results indicate that after 2009, CEOs of companies that were more severely hit by the crisis are significantly different compared to those of other companies. More specifically, they have a background in science or engineering; they have international experience; and they are remunerated to a higher extent through stock options. The results of this paper also indicate that only international experience had a positive and significant impact on financial performance.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the stream of literature on CEO characteristics and owners’ identity, tackling the research theme from a dynamic rather than from a static perspective.
Internal control information disclosure and corporate governance: evidence from an emerging market
Authors: Agyei-Mensah Ben Kwame 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of the impact of corporate governance factors on the disclosure of internal control information by firms in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach
A data set from 110 firms in Ghana for the year ending of 2013 was used. Each annual report was individually examined and coded to obtain the disclosure of internal control information index. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis, which forms the main data analysis method.

Findings
Results of the disclosure of internal control information mean of 35 per cent indicate that most of the sampled firms did not disclose sufficient internal control information in their annual reports. The low level of internal control information disclosure cannot be used by stakeholders to determine the level of corporate governance practices in the sampled companies. The results of the regression analysis indicate that board independence is a significant variable that explains the disclosure of internal control disclosure. This supports the generally held view that independent directors help to improve the quality of disclosure and increase the transparency of information.

Originality/value
This is the first study in Ghana that considered the impact of corporate governance factors on internal control information disclosures. This study contributes to the literature on the relationship between corporate governance and disclosure by showing that the disclosure of internal control information in Ghana is associated with the proportion of independent board members. This findings support Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) 404 requirements, even though this is not compulsory for Ghanaian firms unlike their US counterparts. The findings of this study will help market regulators in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Sub-Saharan African Exchanges in evaluating the adequacy of the current disclosure regulations in their countries. Understanding the board composition and their impact on voluntary disclosure provides evidence on the sufficiency of the board of directors’ guidelines in the corporate governance code in Sub-Saharan African countries.
Financial development and poverty reduction in India: an empirical investigation
Authors: Sehrawat Madhu , Giri A K 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial sector development and poverty reduction in India using annual data from 1970 to 2012. The paper attempts to answer the critical question: does financial sector development lead to poverty reduction?Design/methodology/approach– Stationarity properties of the series are checked by using Ng-Perron unit root test. The paper uses the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to co-integration to examine the existence of long-run relationship; error-correction mechanism for the short-run dynamics and Granger non-causality test to test the direction of causality.Findings– The co-integration test confirms a long-run relationship between financial development and poverty reduction for India. The ARDL test results suggest that financial development and economic growth reduces poverty in both long run and short run. The causality test confirms that there is a positive and unidirectional causality running from financial development to poverty reduction.Research limitations/implications– This study implies that poverty in India can be reduced by financial inclusion and financial accessibility to the poor. For a fast growing economy with respect to financial sector development this may have far-reaching implication toward inclusive growth.Originality/value– This paper is the first of its kind to empirically examine the causal relationship between financial sector development and poverty reduction in India using modern econometric techniques.