bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Time to focus on brain tumor-related epilepsy trials
Authors: Gallagher Paul , Leach John Paul , Grant Robert 
Published: August 2014

AbstractBrain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE) is a common complication of cerebral glioma. It has a serious impact on the patient's confidence and quality of life and can be life threatening. There are significant differences in the management of BTRE and nontumoral epilepsy in adults. Surgery is performed early in management, and resection can be curative. Radiotherapy can also improve seizure frequency. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are started after first seizure but are only effective at stopping attacks in 50% of cases.There are no satisfactory randomized controlled clinical trials, or even good prospective series, to support using one AED over another with respect to efficacy. Guidelines are therefore based on poor levels of evidence. In general, the choice of AED may depend on risk of early side effect (rash, biochemical, or hematological effects) and whether drug interactions with chemotherapy are likely. In patients with suspected low-grade glioma, where use of chemotherapy early in the management is not standard practice and survival in measured in many years, the drug interactions are less relevant, and rational seizure management should focus on drugs with the fewest long-term effects on neurocognition, personality, mood, and fatigue. While intriguing and potentially very important, there is no good evidence that any specific AED has a clinical antitumor effect or improves survival.Development of special interest groups in BTRE within countries, or between countries, may be a model for promoting better BTRE trials in the future.
Neurocognitive functioning and quality of life in patients with recurrent malignant gliomas treated on a phase Ib trial evaluating topotecan by convection-enhanced delivery
Authors: Oberg Jennifer A. , Dave Amie N. , Bruce Jeffrey N. , Sands Stephen A. 
Published: August 2014

Abstract

Background
Malignant gliomas are highly proliferative, invasive tumors that are resistant to conventional treatment, and disease progression is often accompanied by physical and mental debilitation. Neurocognitive functioning (NCF) and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated as part of a prospective phase Ib dose-escalation study of topotecan by convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for adult patients with recurrent malignant gliomas.

Methods
Sixteen patients were enrolled, and NCF and QoL were evaluated using the Cognitive Stability Index and SF-36 at baseline and monthly for 4 months post treatment. Descriptive analyses included the reliable change index for serial evaluations and correlations for associations between outcome variables and age, tumor volume, total topotecan dose, and treatment effect.

Results
Individual classifications of response to treatment indicated that a majority of patients reported stable scores over the follow-up period. Demographic and treatment-related variables were not associated with outcomes. Baseline processing speed scores were invalid for 6 subjects. Higher rates of valid scores were observed on subsequent administrations.

Conclusions
As the first study to use CED of any kind to evaluate the impact of CED on NCF or QoL, there was no evidence of severe detriment to either outcome. Long-term evaluation is necessary to track changes in NCF and QoL related to disease progression. Invalid scores suggest that computer-based assessments may not be suitable for all patients with malignant gliomas, especially those with cognitive deficits secondary to their disease. Future trials should include a wider range of sensitive measures to assess the impact of CED on patient NCF and QoL.
Family Welfare Cultures
*
Authors: Dahl Gordon B. , Kostøl Andreas Ravndal , Mogstad Magne 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
We investigate the existence and importance of family welfare cultures, where the receipt of a welfare program by one generation causes increased participation in the next generation. Our context is Norway’s disability insurance (DI) system. To overcome the challenge of correlated unobservables across generations, we take advantage of random assignment of judges to DI applicants whose cases are initially denied. Some appeal judges are systematically more lenient, which leads to random variation in the probability a parent will be allowed DI. Using this exogenous variation, we find strong evidence for a causal link across generations: when a parent is allowed DI at the appeal stage, their adult child’s participation over the next five years increases by 6 percentage points. This effect grows over time, rising to 12 percentage points after 10 years. Although these findings are specific to our setting, they highlight that welfare reforms can have long-lasting effects on program participation, since any original effect on the current generation could be reinforced by changing the participation behavior of their children as well. The detailed nature of our data allows us to compare the intergenerational transmission with spillover effects in other networks and to explore mechanisms.
Extensive Imitation is Irrational and Harmful*
Authors: Eyster Erik , Rabin Matthew 
Published: August 2014

Abstract
Rationality leads people to imitate those with similar tastes but different information. But people who imitate common sources develop correlated beliefs, and rationality demands that later social learners take this correlation into account. This implies severe limits to rational imitation. We show that (i) in most natural observation structures besides the canonical single-file case, full rationality dictates that people must “anti-imitate” some of those they observe; and (ii) in every observation structure full rationality dictates that people imitate, on net, at most one person and are imitated by, on net, at most one person, over any set of interconnected players. We also show that in a very broad class of settings, any learning rule in which people regularly do imitate more than one person without anti-imitating others will lead to a positive probability of people converging to confident and wrong long-run beliefs.
Perturbation biology models predict c-Myc as an effective co-target in RAF inhibitor resistant melanoma cells
Authors: Korkut Anil , Wang Weiqing , Demir Emek , Aksoy Bülent Arman , Jing Xiaohong , Molinelli Evan , Babur Özgün , Bemis Debra , Solit David B. , Pratilas Christine , Sander Chris 
Published: August 2014

AbstractSystematic prediction of cellular response to perturbations is a central challenge in biology, both for mechanistic explanations and for the design of effective therapeutic interventions. We addressed this challenge using a computational/experimental method, termed perturbation biology, which combines high-throughput (phospho)proteomic and phenotypic response profiles to targeted perturbations, prior information from signaling databases and network inference algorithms from statistical physics. The resulting network models are computationally executed to predict the effects of tens of thousands of untested perturbations. We report cell type-specific network models of signaling in RAF-inhibitor resistant melanoma cells based on data from 89 combinatorial perturbation conditions and 143 readouts per condition. Quantitative simulations predicted c-Myc as an effective co-target with BRAF or MEK. Experiments showed that co-targeting c-Myc, using the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, and the RAF/MEK pathway, using kinase inhibitors is both effective and synergistic in this context. We propose these combinations as pre-clinical candidates to prevent or overcome RAF inhibitor resistance in melanoma.
Dead or Just Asleep? Variance of Microsatellite Allele Distributions in the Human Y-Chromosome
Authors: Flood Joe 
Published: August 2014

SUMMARYSeveral different methods confirm that a number of micro-satellites on the human Y-chromosome have allele distributions with different variances in different haplogroups, after adjusting for coalescent times. This can be demonstrated through both heteroscedasticity tests and by poor correlation of the variance vectors in different subclades. The most convincing demonstration however is the complete inactivity of some markers in certain subclades – “microsatellite death”, while they are still active in companion subclades.Many microsatellites have declined in activity as they proceed down through descendant subclades. This appears to confirm the theory of microsatellite life cycles, in which point mutations cause a steady decay in activity. However, the changes are too fast to be caused by point mutations alone, and slippage events may be implicated.The rich microsatellite terrain exposed in our large single-haplotype samples provides new opportunities for genotyping and analysis.
Robust Population Structure Inference and Correction in the Presence of Known or Cryptic Relatedness
Authors: Conomos Matthew P. , Miller Mike , Thornton Timothy 
Published: August 2014

AbstractPopulation structure inference with genetic data has been motivated by a variety of applications in population genetics and genetic association studies. Several approaches have been proposed for the identification of genetic ancestry differences in samples where study participants are assumed to be unrelated, including principal components analysis (PCA), multi-dimensional scaling (MDS), and model-based methods for proportional ancestry estimation. Many genetic studies, however, include individuals with some degree of relatedness, and existing methods for inferring genetic ancestry fail in related samples. We present a method, PC-AiR, for robust population structure inference in the presence of known or cryptic relatedness. PC-AiR utilizes genome-screen data and an efficient algorithm to identify a diverse subset of unrelated individuals that is representative of all ancestries in the sample. The PC-AiR method directly performs PCA on the identified ancestry representative subset and then predicts components of variation for all remaining individuals based on genetic similarities. In simulation studies and in applications to real data from Phase III of the HapMap Project, we demonstrate that PC-AiR provides a substantial improvement over existing approaches for population structure inference in related samples. We also demonstrate significant efficiency gains, where a single axis of variation from PC-AiR provides better prediction of ancestry in a variety of structure settings than using ten (or more) components of variation from widely used PCA and MDS approaches. Finally, we illustrate that PC-AiR can provide improved population stratification correction over existing methods in genetic association studies with population structure and relatedness.
Board characteristics and firm performance in Spain
Authors: Rodriguez-Fernandez Mercedes , Fernandez-Alonso Sonia , Rodriguez-Rodriguez José 
Published: August 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to investigate the relationship between internal governance structure and financial performance of listed Spanish companies. The effectiveness of the board of directors is analyzed through the use of different variables: size, composition, duality, number of annual meetings and busyness of the directors. The financial performance is measured by return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and Tobin’s Q.Design/methodology/approach– Our study is addressed through the use of a multi-theoretical approach followed by an empirical analysis. Schematic literature review serves as a basis for setting our hypotheses. We conduct the empirical part of the study by applying these to the listed companies in the Madrid Stock Exchange. An econometric model (multiple regression) is used to test the relation between board structure and financial performance.Findings– Empirical: We conclude that in the three estimated models, two of the dependent variables, ROE and ROA, have an explanatory value. The relationship between the number of the boards of directors’ meetings and performance has proved to be negative. Theoretical: Ample literature on corporate governance leads to two conclusions: First, corporative–financial relations must be studied by a multi-theoretical approach. Second, future research must be made only on specific studies coincident with the majority of their characteristics (country, type of firm, type of statistical model […]).Research limitations/implications– Future research will try to cover gaps, expanding this study in both space and time.Practical implications– The number of Spanish companies’ boards meetings is very high. As shown in our study, holding more than one meeting a month does not guarantee greater financial returns; the board can effectively establish its strategic lines of business by meeting up to 12 times per year.Social implications– The results show a negative relationship between ROE and the number of meetings, which may be linked to the country’s business culture, which traditionally has a higher number of annual meetings when compared to neighboring countries. Perhaps, this is an indicative symptom of the inefficiency associated with the Spanish system.Originality/value– Theoretical review is performed with two aims: first, to establish our research hypotheses, and second, to reflect on future research by fine-tuning the abundant previous studies.
Implementation, monitoring and evaluation of sustainable business practices: framework and empirical illustration
Authors: A.O. Dos Santos Maria , Svensson Göran , Padin Carmen 
Published: August 2014

Purpose
– This study aims to illustrate what and how a South African retail chain implements, monitors and evaluates its sustainable business practices using economic, ecological and social areas of indices.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study is based on the content analysis of public documents, such as sustainability and annual reports, of a retail chain. An assessment of sustainability and annual reports for 2008-2011 has been considered to examine how and what this retail chain implements, monitors and evaluates in its sustainable business practices.

Findings
– Woolworths has a sustainability programme in place that assures that the efforts of sustainable business practices are implemented, monitored and evaluated properly and that their targets for each area of indices are accomplished.

Research limitations/implications
– The content analysis shows that the areas of indices are important in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Woolworths’ spectrum of efforts in sustainability business practices.

Practical implications
– The study demonstrates practically how Woolworths South Africa implements, monitors and evaluates its sustainable business practices using various areas of indices which fall under the three pillars of sustainability, namely, economic, environmental and social.

Originality/value
– This research provides insight on what and how a retail chain in South Africa implements, monitors and evaluates its sustainable business practices over time. It also offers an insight into the strategic approach beyond the company’s judicial frontiers and into the supply chain. Furthermore, it shows how a company’s business network can be committed to change towards sustainable business practices.
Corporate sustainability through non-financial risk management
Authors: Wong Anson 
Published: August 2014

Purpose
– This paper aims at highlighting the significance in developing non-financial risk management, emphasizing the need of managing environmental and social issues for enhancing corporate sustainability. Particularly, through discussing the implications of non-financial risk management, its benefits, opportunities and challenges will also be presented.

Design/methodology/approach
– Drawing on authoritative academic literature, reports of corporations’ studies, current articles and documents, the researcher has managed to examine and construe the development and implications of non-financial risk management.

Findings
– Several key findings are covered in this article. First of all, environmental and social concerns are usually being deemed as intangible issues that need to be properly articulated and managed by an effective non-financial risk management system for enhancing corporate sustainability. Second, through different interpretations of sustainability, links could be drawn for highlighting the significance of non-financial risk management and corporate sustainability. Third, by explaining the impacts from non-financial risk management to sustainable development and profits, the article has illustrated corporate sustainability as a clear business case for any corporation. Fourth, challenges are also portrayed for the effective management of non-financial risk management by corporations. Finally, and most importantly, the need of a systematic and strategic non-financial risk management system for helping businesses to be more competitive, thus, moving closer to sustainable development, is discussed in this paper.

Originality/value
– The contribution of the article is thought to be significant. Although there exists a wide body of research on sustainable development, risk management and corporate sustainability, there is limited insight into how the corporations can effectively conceptualize such intangible or non-financial risk in relation to sustainability. Integrating environmental and social risks is critical to the effective management of any corporation’s real risks, and to improve resources allocation in a sustainable fashion. This demands a systematic and strategic identification of issues through non-financial risk management. Most significantly, this article has shown the way this can be achieved by any corporation, and the concepts can be applied globally.
We didn’t see it coming! Managerial challenges in silently fading processes
Authors: Renström Helena 
Published: August 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to understand “silent” processes, where the relationship fades away for no obvious reason, and to outline a few managerial challenges related to a passive engagement style in the relationship.Design/methodology/approach– This paper uses an exploratory approach where 42 interviews were screened, resulting in eight semi-structured interviews that were used describing silent fading relationships. The interviews represent four relationship dyads between financial advisors and their customers in a private banking setting (wealth management).Findings– The paper outlines the relationship roots, the process dynamics, and the reasons behind fading in the relationships. It emphasizes the problems with implicit expectations from both parties in the relationship and suggests that more focus should be put on defining the relationship from the start. The absence of interaction and dialogue is problematic. If the parties in the relationship are able to communicate constructively during an unstable phase in the relationship, there is a better chance that the relationship will survive.Research limitations/implications– Since no attempts are made to generalize the knowledge retrieved, the number of fading relationships categorized must not be seen as representative for a general tendency.Practical implications– The paper offers several managerial challenges when it comes to understanding the management of silently fading relationships, e.g. managing mismatching expectations, defining and re-defining the relationship, constructive dialogue, gaining service encounter information, and the need for finding the right level of commitment in the relationship.Originality/value– This paper discusses several concepts that are highly interesting for research related to relationship dynamics. Most studies have focussed on active decisions in relationships, whereas this paper focusses on passive and inactive decisions. It also offers empirical insights, which are scarce in the area.
Invisible value formation: a netnography in retail banking
Authors: Medberg Gustav , Heinonen Kristina 
Published: August 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore value formation in the customer-bank relationship outside the line of visibility of service encounters. The customer's own context has been overlooked by the bank marketing literature as it is traditionally focused on value created by the service process and outcome.

Design/methodology/approach
– Positioned within the customer dominant logic, a netnography was conducted to explore how bank relationships are realised in customers’ own contexts and experiences. A total of 579 postings from discussions of retail banking in 18 online communities were collected and analysed.

Findings
– The study uncovered four factors of invisible bank service value experienced by customers: shared moral value, responsibility value, relationship value, and heritage value.

Research limitations/implications
– The study conceptualises bank service value as realised in the customers’ own contexts and thus highlights previously hidden sources of value in banking. The findings can be used for further conceptualisations of the customer dominant value formation of bank services.

Practical implications
– The netnographic method illustrates how naturalistic data about customers’ retail bank experiences can be retrieved unobtrusively. The findings help bank management to understand what comprises customer value beyond the service encounter.

Originality/value
– The paper contributes to the research in service marketing and bank marketing in three ways: first, a methodological contribution is the introduction of a netnographic approach to bank service value research. Second, a theoretical contribution is the uncovering of invisible value formation in the customer-bank relationship. Third, the paper uses the customer dominant logic in a banking context, thus providing insights into how banks are involved in the customer's own life.