Intraorganizational Respect and Organizational Participation: The Mediating Role of Collective Identity

A panel study with two points of measurement throughout a four-month interval (N = 189) in the context of a socio-political organization was conducted to examine the role of collective identity in mediating the relationship between perceived respect and organizational participation. Path analyses confirmed that the effect of perceived respect at Time 1 on organizational participation at Time 2 was fully mediated by the cognitive component of collective identity (`importance-to-identity'). Interestingly, although perceived respect at Time 1 also had a significant effect on the evaluative component of collective identity (`private collective self-esteem'), this component was not involved in the mediation. Including perceived individual benefits as statistical controls in the model did not change this picture. In fact, with regard to the link between perceived benefits and participation results also point to a mediating role of the cognitive component of collective identity. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed

Uniformity in a Diversity of Landscapes – Branchiopod Communities in Eastern and Central Mongolia

While investigating the branchiopod fauna of Mongolia, the uniformity of these crustacean communities through a multitude of different ecological conditions is conspicuous. We sampled branchiopods in 24 sites through Central- and East-Mongolia, as living animals as well as cysts in soil samples. These sites represent the main types of Mongolia’s vegetation- and ecological-zones: Taiga forests in the western and eastern edge of the Khentey-Mountain ridge, the central and eastern steppe regions, and the Gobi-desert in the south. In this large amount of differing ecological conditions with a changing human impact, compared to the width of the covered area, we found a relatively uniform structure of “large branchiopod” communities. The main type of Branchiopod assemblies were a community formed by up to four different species (Branchipodopsis affinis, Triops numidicus, Eocyzicus davidi, Lynceus dauricus), which represent the four main groups within the “large branchiopods” (Anostraca, Notostraca, Spinicaudata, Laevicaudata). Exemplary for this “Mongolian standard Branchiopod Community” we investigated several waterponds, inhabited by these Branchiopods at Khonin Nuga – Research station in the western Khentey Mountains to study the population’s development and living conditions. The short life span of those ephemeral puddles only allows the occurrence of short-living and fast developing species. Thus, only one generation of large branchiopods inhabits one aqueous phase at any given time. After the large branchiopods have completed their life cycle, Daphnia dominates

The Development of Enzymes for the Preparation of Chemicals

The use of enzymes as catalysts for the preparation of novel organic molecules is becoming more widespread every year. The science of biotransformation has matured, and biocatalysts now stand alongside other forms of catalysts to be considered as viable options for the promotion of a particular reaction. Of great importance for the breakthrough of biocatalysts was the availability of enzymes and the increasing demand for enantiomerically pure compounds. Especially, hydrolytic enzymes, lyases, and oxidoreductases are of technical importance today. The potential of enzymes for the synthesis of chemical compounds is by no means exhausted, and the enormous diversity of microorganisms is an almost unlimited pool for new enzymes. In this paper, different strategies are discussed to find and develop new enzymes for the application in organic synthesis

Crizotinib: aseptic abscesses in multiple organs during treatment of EML4-ALK-positive NSCLC

Purpose We report a novel side efect of Crizotinib, an oral ALK inhibitor used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating rearrangement of EML4-ALK. It expands the known spectrum of complications of Crizotinib. Methods Clinical case report. Results Multiple aseptic and recurrent abscesses were observed in the liver, thoracic wall as well as in both kidneys in a 75-year-old female patient sufering from NSCLC who had been treated with Crizotinib for almost 2 years. After discontinuation of the treatment the abscesses dissolved spontaneously and did not reoccur. Conclusion Aseptic abscesses under treatment with Crizotinib are not restricted to the kidneys as described before, but can also occur in other abdominal organs as the liver and even in the thoracic wall. We postulate that this fnding may point to a yet unknown not tissue-dependent mechanism of actio

Gender Disparities in Surgical Treatment of Axis Fractures in Older Adults

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: Gender appears to play in important role in surgical outcomes following acute cervical spine trauma, with current literature suggesting males have a significantly higher mortality following spine surgery. However, no well-adjusted population-based studies of gender disparities in incidence and outcomes of spine surgery following acute traumatic axis injuries exist to our knowledge. We hypothesized that females would receive surgery less often than males, but males would have a higher 1-year mortality following isolated traumatic axis fractures. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using Medicare claims data that identified US citizens aged 65 and older with ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision) code diagnosis corresponding to isolated acute traumatic axis fracture between 2007 and 2014. Our primary outcome was defined as cumulative incidence of surgical treatment, and our secondary outcome was 1-year mortality. Propensity weighted analysis was performed to balance covariates between genders. Our institutional review board approved the study (IRB #16-0533). Results: There was no difference in incidence of surgery between males and females following acute isolated traumatic axis fractures (7.4 and 7.5 per 100 fractures, respectively). Males had significantly higher 1-year weighted mortality overall (41.7 and 28.9 per 100 fractures, respectively, P < .001). Conclusion: Our well-adjusted data suggest there was no significant gender disparity in incidence of surgical treatment over the study period. The data also support previous observations that males have worse outcomes in comparison to females in the setting of axis fractures and spinal trauma regardless of surgical intervention

Topiramate Use Does Not Reduce Flares of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Additional medications are needed for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as existing therapies are incompletely effective and can be costly and toxic. Preclinical studies suggest that topiramate (an anticonvulsant) may have disease-modifying properties in IBD, but its efficacy in humans is unknown

Trends in Antibiotic Use by Birth Season and Birth Year

OBJECTIVES: We examined 2 birth cohort effects on antibiotic prescribing during the first year of life (henceforth, infancy) in Denmark: (1) the birth season effect on timing and overall occurrence of antibiotic prescribing, and (2) the birth year effect amid emerging nationwide pneumococcal vaccination programs and changing prescribing guidelines. METHODS: We linked data for all live births in Denmark from 2004 to 2012 (N = 561 729) across the National Health Service Prescription Database, Medical Birth Registry, and Civil Registration System. Across birth season and birth year cohorts, we estimated 1-year risk, rate, and burden of redeemed antibiotic prescriptions during infancy. We used interrupted time series methods to assess prescribing trends across birth year cohorts. Graphical displays of all birth cohort effect data are included. RESULTS: The 1-year risk of having at least 1 redeemed antibiotic prescription during infancy was 39.5% (99% confidence interval [CI]: 39.3% to 39.6%). The hazard of a first prescription increased with age throughout infancy and varied by season; subsequently, Kaplan-Meier-derived risk functions varied by birth season cohort. After rollout of a first vaccination program and new antibiotic prescribing guidelines, 1-year risk decreased by 4.4% over 14 months (99% CI: 3.4% to 5.5%); it decreased again after rollout of a second vaccination program by 6.9% over 3 years (99% CI: 4.4% to 9.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In Denmark, birth season and birth year cohort effects influenced timing and risk of antibiotic prescribing during infancy. Future studies of antibiotic stewardship, effectiveness, and safety in children should consider these cohort effects, which may render some children inherently more susceptible than others to downstream antibiotic effects

Data for cancer comparative effectiveness research: Past, present, and future potential

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) can efficiently and rapidly generate new scientific evidence and address knowledge gaps, reduce clinical uncertainty, and guide health care choices. Much of the potential in CER is driven by the application of novel methods to analyze existing data. Despite its potential, several challenges must be identified and overcome so that CER may be improved, accelerated, and expeditiously implemented into the broad spectrum of cancer care and clinical practice