bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Islamic marketing as macromarketing
Authors: Kadirov Djavlonbek
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of the article is to propose and develop a distinct perspective in Islamic marketing research through fusing the Islamic paradigm and the macromarketing theory.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a conceptual article that is based on intellectualising and reflecting on differences in understanding what marketing is and what role it plays in society.

Findings

– The article reveals some commonality of purpose between the macromarketing discipline and Islamic macromarketing, while the latter field of inquiry offers a unique outlook to a number of domain-specific issues.

Research limitations/implications

– The characterisation of Islamic macromarketing will open new avenues for future research and will make researchers more theoretically sensitive to ontological and epistemological assumptions that underlie marketing investigations. The limitation of the present discussion is that Islamic macromarketing may not have yet emerged as a separate discipline. Additionally, research on genuinely macromarketing issues in Islamic contexts is very sparse.

Practical implications

– Muslim practitioners and managers are to realise that the means and ends of marketing are better understood if viewed from a broader perspective of marketing's impact and consequences on society. By adopting the Islamic macromarketing perspective, public, societal institutions, business stakeholders, and managers will find a better platform to cooperate on maximising the realisation of hasanah (excellence) for all.

Originality/value

– This article contributes to the discipline by introducing and characterising a potentially new field of marketing inquiry.
Taking time for patience in organizations
Authors: R. Comer Debra , E. Sekerka Leslie
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– Patience is underestimated in organizations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of patience and the individual and organizational benefits it confers. Then, the paper discuses emotional self-regulation and explain how two self-regulatory techniques can affect the patience of individuals in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper considers religious, philosophical, and psychological perspectives on patience; and highlight the emotional underpinnings of patience.

Findings

– The paper argues that patience plays an important role in organizations and that individuals can use emotional self-regulation to enhance their patience. The paper offers two key points about the relationship between self-regulation strategies and patience: first, situation selection mitigates the need for patience and second cognitive reappraisal facilitates the execution of patient responses and the development of the virtue itself.

Practical implications

– The paper provides recommendations for increasing individuals’ patience in organizational settings.

Originality/value

– The virtue of patience has received scant research attention. This paper focusses on the importance of patience in the workplace and examines how emotional self-regulation can facilitate its activation.
An introduction to transfer pricing
Authors: Holtzman Yair , Nagel Paul
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce transfer pricing to a broader community of business leaders who might not be familiar with the importance of this concept. Transfer pricing is a term used to describe inter-company pricing arrangements relating to transactions between related business entities. These can include transfers of intellectual property, tangible goods, services, and loans or other financing transactions. Why is Transfer Pricing Important? The potential for US federal business tax reform and the rigorous pursuit of transfer pricing adjustments by foreign countries are among the top global tax concerns facing senior US tax professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

– General viewpoint based upon years of consulting work on the topic.

Findings

– The relevance and importance of transfer pricing is emphasized to a larger business community.

Practical implications

– This is an excellent introduction to the topic of transfer pricing.

Originality/value

– The paper is valuable in that it can be read and appreciated by a wide range of audiences.
Equality in the workplace: a study of gender issues in Indian organisations
Authors: Kaushik Neeraj , Sharma Anita , Kumar Kaushik Veerander
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– In developing countries like India, changing economic and social condition necessitated working of women irrespective of their religion, class or social status. But at the same time, it raised number of related issues like managing for family adjustment, working environment, etc. The purpose of this paper is to study gender issues like gender stereotype, gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the context of Indian environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structured questionnaire was developed to collect primary data from 500 firms in India. The data collected through questionnaire was coded and tabulated keeping in context with the objective of the study and was analysed by calculating frequencies, factor analysis and one way analysis of variance.

Findings

– Results elucidate seven job-related factors (infrastructure, HR functions, organisational climate, legal pursuit, empowerment, training and development and ethical concerns) and two individual factors (interpersonal and mindset) that are considered essential for women employees in Indian organisations. Analysis indicates that though age and level of management has no significant effect on these factors but male and female respondents differ significantly on their opinion regarding these issues.

Research limitations/implications

– The respondents in present study have been taken mainly from service sector, manufacturing sector and education sector, thus the study looks at only organised sector. The research work suffers from the usual limitations of survey research method.

Practical implications

– With women becoming an integral part of the workforce, managers must examine their reliance on stereotypical views concerning women. Gender is a socio-cultural phenomenon and organisations are a key aspect of a given culture. Organisational analysis needs to take into account the relationship between gender, gender stereotypes and organisational life.

Originality/value

– The paper studies gender issues of gender stereotype, gender discrimination and sexual harassment on a pan India basis covering various sectors and contribute to the subject from Indian perspective.
Importance and performance of managerial training in Indian companies – an empirical study
Authors: Sharma Harsh
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare the importance and performance of managerial training in India among different industrial sectors in the light of asynchronous industrial growth in last two decades which has unevenly touched various business organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– For the purpose of analysis organizations are divided at two levels. At the first level, they are divided between multinational and Indian origin category and at the second level between service and manufacturing category. A 2×2 full factorial design with unequal numbers is used to analyze main as well as interaction impacts. A sample size of 542 is taken which comprises training professionals, top/general managers and trainee employees.

Findings

– Study concludes that Indian origin organizations fall short in terms of importance given and performance of training function compared to multinational companies. Further, it is found that service companies have an edge over manufacturing companies in terms of importance and performance of training.

Research limitations/implications

– Study is mainly focussed on large organizations in India and may not be representative of small organizations. The major implication is that Indian origin organizations as well as manufacturing organizations have to devote more time and financial resources to training to compete in the era of globalization.

Practical implications

– It is implied from the findings that a concerted effort by training professionals in Indian and manufacturing companies is required to improve the content as well as image of the training function to get the due attention and resources within the organization.

Originality/value

– The paper presents an original perspective on situation of training function in Indian organizations and will be of importance to training professionals and other stakeholders.
Improving unsustainable livelihood through marketing interventions
Authors: Banerjee Subhojit , Sharma Anuj
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe an initiative to improve the daily earnings of a rickshaw puller by training them to retail branded FMCG products based on a “bulk buying retail selling” model. The paper is based on the findings of a survey conducted 112 rickshaw pullers in a semi-urban district of eastern India. It also dwells on the business of rickshaw pulling and the socio-economic status of the rickshaw puller. Critical issues related to the sustainability and the future of such interventions on a large scale has also been discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

– An initial survey of 112 rickshaw pullers was done using a structured schedule that captured data related to age, literacy level, earnings per day, ownership and working hours. Some additional aspects related to socio-cultural aspects were also collected as an unstructured interview. A secondary survey from 107 respondents representing different sections of the society who frequently use rickshaw as a means for transport was also done to take an opinion on intervention issues.

Findings

– Findings of the paper suggest that rickshaw pullers have three distinct strategic advantages of literacy, access and mobility, which makes them a potent resource for marketing intervention.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper reflects on a systematic intervention plan that can change the socio-economic pattern of rickshaw pulling. A possibility of contributory roles from garage owners and wholesellers is also explored. The proposed scheme may also bail-out the small-scale industries and handicraft businesses in villages. Major limitations of the research are long-term sustainability and large-scale implementation of the proposed model.

Practical implications

– The paper can act as a manual for small entrepreneurs and NGOs working in the social-development area for implementing schemes targeted at rickshaw pullers. The paper also has valuable points for the consideration of policy makers.

Originality/value

– The research has given insights in to the livelihood aspect of one of the most essential but neglected modes of transport, i.e. rickshaw pulling. The paper has also identified key strengths that rickshaw pulling has, which otherwise is considered purely physical and low-skilled job.
Computing machinery and creativity: lessons learned from the Turing test
Authors: Peter Berrar Daniel , Schuster Alfons
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relevance and the appropriateness of Turing-style tests for computational creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

– The Turing test is both a milestone and a stumbling block in artificial intelligence (AI). For more than half a century, the “grand goal of passing the test” has taught the authors many lessons. Here, the authors analyze the relevance of these lessons for computational creativity.

Findings

– Like the burgeoning AI, computational creativity concerns itself with fundamental questions such as “Can machines be creative?” It is indeed possible to frame such questions as empirical, Turing-style tests. However, such tests entail a number of intricate and possibly unsolvable problems, which might easily lead the authors into old and new blind alleys. The authors propose an outline of an alternative testing procedure that is fundamentally different from Turing-style tests. This new procedure focuses on the unfolding of creativity over time, and – unlike Turing-style tests – it is amenable to a more meaningful statistical testing.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper argues against Turing-style tests for computational creativity.

Practical implications

– This paper opens a new avenue for viable and more meaningful testing procedures.

Originality/value

– The novel contributions are: an analysis of seven lessons from the Turing test for computational creativity; an argumentation against Turing-style tests; and a proposal of a new testing procedure.
A comparative study of RIFCM with other related algorithms from their suitability in analysis of satellite images using other supporting techniques
Authors: Purushotham Swarnalatha , Tripathy Balakrishna
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a way to analyze satellite images using various clustering algorithms and refined bitplane methods with other supporting techniques to prove the superiority of RIFCM.

Design/methodology/approach

– A comparative study has been carried out using RIFCM with other related algorithms from their suitability in analysis of satellite images with other supporting techniques which segments the images for further process for the benefit of societal problems. Four images were selected dealing with hills, freshwater, freshwatervally and drought satellite images.

Findings

– The superiority of the proposed algorithm, RIFCM with refined bitplane towards other clustering techniques with other supporting methods clustering, has been found and as such the comparison, has been made by applying four metrics (Otsu (Max-Min), PSNR and RMSE (40%-60%-Min-Max), histogram analysis (Max-Max), DB index and D index (Max-Min)) and proved that the RIFCM algorithm with refined bitplane yielded robust results with efficient performance, reduction in the metrics and time complexity of depth computation of satellite images for further process of an image.

Practical implications

– For better clustering of satellite images like lands, hills, freshwater, freshwatervalley, drought, etc. of satellite images is an achievement.

Originality/value

– The existing system extends the novel framework to provide a more explicit way to analyze an image by removing distortions with refined bitplane slicing using the proposed algorithm of rough intuitionistic fuzzy c-means to show the superiority of RIFCM.
Personality, pathology and mindsets: part 2 – cultural traits and enantiomers
Authors: Yolles Maurice , Fink Gerhard
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– Based on the cybernetic agency theory of part 1, the paper creates a parallel theory to Maruyama's Mindscape theory called mindset theory, relying on the three-trait organisational value system of Sagiv and Schwartz that arises from extensive theoretical and empirical work on cultural values originally undertaken by Shalom Schwartz. The derived normative personality types are embedded into a cultural system and interacting with a social system. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, the paper deals with Sorokin's theory of the immanent cultural dynamics arising from swings between more sensate or more ideational culture. For characterisation of interaction with the social environment, the paper relies on the dramatist/patterner trait from empirical work by Shotwell et al., which acts as an attractor of agency behaviour. Thus, the paper designs a five trait agency model, with one trait that serves as an attractor of agency behaviour, three formative normative personality traits, and one social trait that directs the how of behaviour.

Findings

– The Sagiv-Schwartz mindset types reveal the missing four types of the Maruyama-universe, as sought by Boje. Sagiv-Schwartz mindset types create generic transparency and a theoretical and empirical base for the selection of mindset meta-types. Through its perfect match with Mindset Agency Theory as developed in part 1, this research creates a structural model that has the potential to distinguish between normal and pathological personalities within the same framework.

Research limitations/implications

– The modelling approach can be applied to social, economic and political situations, with the likelihood of anticipating the likely behaviour of social collectives like durable organisation and/or nation states. Analytical and empirical application in different contexts is yet to be provided.

Practical implications

– The paper sets up a means by which patterns of behaviour can be analysed in different organisational or national contexts. Empirical analysis based on this theory has the potential to identify normal states and shifts away from normal states of social systems, which may shift into stages of tension and crises, and/or mobilise forces directed towards paradigm changes in social systems.

Originality/value

– The paper draws on earlier work undertaken in the last few years by the same authors, who in a new way are pursuing new directions and extensions of that earlier research.
The human factor: a successful acquisition in Brazil
Authors: Wagner Bruno , Victoria Garibaldi de Hilal Adriana
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this case study was to identify how the human factor influenced the 2010 acquisition of company X's cement factory, located in town C in the Brazilian State of Goiás, by the multinational company A.

Design/methodology/approach

– Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with employees who participated of the acquisition process: 15 with professionals with leadership roles at the factory, the others with company A corporate executives. The data collected were qualitatively treated using discourse analysis to unveil the perceptions of the interviewees.

Findings

– The discussion involved topics such as: resistance to change, uncertainty, employees' expectations and commitment, stress, employee turnover and retention. The present study contextualizes existing theoretical approaches, and its main conclusion confirms that not all M&A processes cause permanent negative impacts that lead to the failure of the acquisition or are perceived as a strong and lasting source of uncertainty by the employees of the involved companies. On the contrary, depending mainly on the perception, employees have of their working conditions at the time the acquisition process takes place; on the strategic relevance of the acquisition to the acquiring company (its motivation); on how the process is managed by the executives of the acquiring company; on the communication strategy employed by the acquiring company, as well as on the understanding of the cultural setting; and on the acquiring company having an organizational culture with policies that value employees, the community and sustainability; this change can be perceived as favourable by employees thus fostering a successful acculturation and outcome. Finally, this study is considered valuable to researchers and practitioners as it indicates that although the human factor is not considered a priority in most M&A processes, it is clearly paramount to its success or failure, specially in lock-in situations when the acquiring and acquired companies have complementary and reciprocal interdependencies.

Research limitations/implications

– In spite of the contributions of this research to the field of studies on M&A, the authors have to acknowledge limitations, such us: as town C was a small factory at the time of the acquisition, there were only 17 interviewees, which does not constitute a large sample. The possibility of a certain amount of unavoidable subjectivity in both the interviewees when relating their experience and the interviewer when analyzing the collected data. As stated before, being a case study, results cannot be generalized.

Originality/value

– This research adds to the actual state of the art on M&A signalling that there should be a match between the strategies selected by the executives of the acquiring company and the specificities of the human factor and its cultural environment. Specifically, this case study contributes to theory advancement by proposing the concept of lock-in in M&A.
An empirical investigation of high-risk occupations
Authors: M. Russell Lisa
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between stress and burnout in high-risk occupations and how leadership moderates this relationship. Thus, the primary research question addressed within this study is: What is the relationship between stress and burnout in high-risk occupations as governed by transformational leadership behavior?

Design/methodology/approach

– An analysis of primary data obtained by survey from 379 police officers from nine southern and southwestern agencies was conducted. Hierarchical regression analysis, multiple moderated hierarchical regression analysis, bivariate correlation analyses and other statistical methods are used.

Findings

– Results indicate police stress exacerbates perceived burnout. Transformational leadership influences this relationship such that high levels of perceived transformational leadership attenuates the negative relationship between stress and burnout, but less so under highly stressful conditions. Findings have strong implications for leaders in high-risk occupations where bureaucracy, departmental policy, and life and death decision-making intersect.

Research limitations/implications

– This study can be used as a basis for further inquiry into the effects of transformational leadership on individuals' perceptions of performance, behavioral and psychological criterion variables in high-risk occupations.

Practical implications

– The assessment of relationships among stress and burnout in high-risk occupational settings potentially allows managers to better understand how to structure supervisor-subordinate relationships in order to minimize the effects of stress on perceived burnout and provides a more realistic view of how individuals in high-risk occupations are influenced by leader behaviors under stressful conditions.

Originality/value

– This study is thought to be the only one to evaluate the moderated relationships among stress, transformational leadership and burnout in high-risk occupations characterized by increasingly stressful circumstances. More specifically, the notion that individuals in high-risk occupations perceive burnout differently than those in less-risky occupations is not prevalent in the literature.
Partnership between life insurers and their intermediaries
Authors: Yu Tsu-Wei , Shiu Yung-Ming
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study attempts to fill the gap in the literature by investigating partnerships between life insurers and insurance intermediaries, the effects of these partnerships, and the parties' willingness to cooperate.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected in a survey of general managers of the insurance intermediaries in Taiwan and were analysed using in-depth interviews and questionnaires. A structural equation modelling approach is employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The paper finds that partnership components, communication strategies, conflict resolution approaches, and market orientation are related to partnership performance. The paper also finds that willingness to continue cooperation increases with partnership performance. The results have implications for managers of life insurers and their intermediaries.

Originality/value

– This research is one of the first studies to conceptualize and empirically examine the partnerships of life insurers and insurance intermediaries. Theoretically, a specification of the linkages between characteristics of the partnership, communication strategies, conflict resolution approaches, the market orientation of the partners, the partnership's performance and both parties' willingness to continue cooperation can provide a useful framework for future research. Practically, this study offers insights into how to proactively manage partnerships in order to improve partnership performance, willingness to continue cooperation and avoid the damaging costs inherent in failure.
The role of individual cultural traits and proactivity in an organizational setting
Authors: D. Carson Kerry , S. Baker David , A. Lanier Patricia
Published: February 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of espoused individual cultural traits on proactive behaviors within an organizational environment. While there have been many reports about the positive outcomes of proactivity, there is much less known about the antecedents, particularly those related to culture.

Design/methodology/approach

– Sales employees (n=147) in a multi-national organization from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA were surveyed to assess the impact of cultural trait influences on proactive behavior at the individual level. Using linear regression and partial least squares structural equation modeling, three independent variables were found to be significant antecedents to proactive behavior.

Findings

– Long-term orientation positively influenced proactive behaviors as did uncertainty avoidance. Uncertainty avoidance was hypothesized to have a negative impact on proactive behaviors, but the results of this study implied that individuals found it safer to adjust to a fluid environment rather than to remain inflexible. No relationship was found between power distance and proactivity. Masculinity was found to be positively related to proactive behaviors but collectivism was not.

Research limitations/implications

– The results of this study should be limited to its own population and not generalized to larger, more culturally diverse populations which were not represented in the sample.

Practical implications

– This study provides better understanding of managerial proactive behavior related to cultural traits, particularly in the domain of field sales.

Originality/value

– This study is unique in that it explores individual proactivity in an organizational selling environment related to cultural traits at the individual level.
Experience with the “da Vinci” robotic system for early‐stage thymomas: Report of 23 cases
Authors: Huang Ping , Ye Bo , Yang Yu , Tantai Ji‐Cheng , Zhao Heng
Published: February 2014

Background

The aim of this study was to report a single referral center experience in robotic extended thymectomy for clinical early stage thymomas, evaluating its safety, feasibility and efficacy, with special regard to oncological outcomes.

Methods

Between January 2009 and December 2012, we retrospectively selected patients who underwent robotic extended thymectomy for clinical early stage thymomas. Operative time, morbidity, mortality, duration of hospitalization, and overall and disease‐free survival were analyzed.

Results

There were 23 patients (15 males, eight females) with a mean age of 49.3 years (range 20–66). There were no intra‐operative complications, and no mortality. The mean operative time was 85.2 minutes (range 60–180). No patient underwent conversion to open surgery. All post‐operative complications (4.3%) were conservatively treated. The mean post‐operative stay was 3.6 days (range two to nine). The pathological analysis revealed Masaoka stage I (21 cases) and II (two cases). No disease recurrence occurred at a mean follow‐up of 24.8 months.

Conclusions

Robotic thymectomy is a safe and feasible technique, with a short operative time and low morbidity. Even on a small series with short follow‐up, robotic extended thymectomy for thymoma appeared to be an effective treatment for early‐stage thymomas.
Cultural Influences on Substance Use Among Hispanic Adolescents and Young Adults: Findings From ProjectRED
Authors: Unger Jennifer B.
Published: February 2014

Hispanic adolescents represent a growing segment of the U.S. population. In addition to the typical stressors encountered during adolescence,Hispanic adolescents may experience acculturative stress, perceived discrimination, and conflicts with parents about acculturation, which can lead to maladaptive behaviors such as substance use. Personal cultural resources may helpHispanic youth cope with cultural stressors and avoid substance use, but little is known about how such factors affect decisions about substance use. In 2005, my research group began studying a group ofHispanic adolescents inLosAngeles. The participants completed surveys annually about cultural issues such as acculturation, ethnic identity, and perceived discrimination; family and peer relationships; and use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. We found thatHispanic adolescents' perceptions that they were discriminated against put them at greater risk for substance use, and thatHispanic orientation protected the youth from substance use. The findings can inform the development of culturally relevant prevention interventions forHispanic adolescents and emerging adults.
Subcutaneous histiocytoid Sweet's syndrome in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloblastic leukemia
Authors: Srisuttiyakorn Chutika , Reeve Jennifer , Reddy Swapna , Imaeda Suguru , Lazova Rossitza
Published: February 2014

Subcutaneous histiocytoid Sweet's syndrome is a rare variant of histiocytoid Sweet's syndrome (SS). We present a 68‐year‐old woman with subcutaneous histiocytoid SS in association with refractory myelodysplastic syndrome transformed to acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), status post induction chemotherapy and with persistent blasts (50%) in the bone marrow and blood, accompanied with neutropenia. The patient presented to the emergency room with fever and altered mental status. Clinical examination revealed approximately 20 scattered 0.5–2 cm, pink to pink‐purple non‐tender firm nodules on the legs and left arm. The differential diagnosis included Sweet's syndrome (deep), leukemia cutis, infection, polyarteritis nodosa and erythema nodosum. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy from the left arm revealed a nodular infiltrate of neutrophils and histiocytoid mononuclear cells solely in the lobular compartment of the subcutaneous fat with focal areas of necrosis. Most cells in the infiltrate labeled with myeloperoxidase (MPO) including the histiocytoid cells. The cells were negative for CD34 and CD117. All special stains for microorganisms were negative. A diagnosis of subcutaneous histiocytoid SS was made. A subcutaneous histiocytoid SS should be suspected when a neutrophilic/histiocytoid panniculitis, occurring in the setting of myeloid disorders, is encountered and after exclusion of an infectious process and leukemia cutis.
Classifying eating and drinking ability in people with cerebral palsy
Authors: Scott Sophie
Published: February 2014

This commentary is on the original article by Sellars et al. on pages 245–251 of this issue.
Antiviral T‐cell therapy
Authors: Leen Ann M. , Heslop Helen E. , Brenner Malcolm K.
Published: February 2014

Serious viral infections are a common cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. They occur in the majority of allograft recipients and are fatal in 17–20%. These severe infections may be prolonged or recurrent and add substantially to the cost, both human and financial, of the procedure. Many features of allogeneic stem cell transplantation contribute to this high rate of viral disease. The cytotoxic and immunosuppressive drugs administered pretransplant to eliminate the host hematopoietic/immune system and any associated malignancy, the delay in recapitulating immune ontogeny post‐transplant, the immunosuppressive drugs given to prevent graft versus host disease (GvHD), and the effects of GvHD itself, all serve to make stem cell transplant recipients vulnerable to disease from endogenous (latent) and exogenous (community) viruses, and to be incapable of controlling them as quickly and effectively as most normal individuals.
Inflammatory triggers of acute rejection of organ allografts
Authors: Mori Daniel N. , Kreisel Daniel , Fullerton James N. , Gilroy Derek W. , Goldstein Daniel R.
Published: February 2014

Solid organ transplantation is a vital therapy for end stage diseases. Decades of research have established that components of the adaptive immune system are critical for transplant rejection, but the role of the innate immune system in organ transplantation is just emerging. Accumulating evidence indicates that the innate immune system is activated at the time of organ implantation by the release of endogenous inflammatory triggers. This review discusses the nature of these triggers in organ transplantation and also potential mediators that may enhance inflammation resolution after organ implantation.
Signals and pathways controlling regulatory T cells
Authors: Huynh Alexandria , Zhang Ruan , Turka Laurence A.
Published: February 2014

Induction of specific immune tolerance to grafts remains the sought‐after standard following transplantation. Defined by expression of the Foxp3 (forkhead box protein 3) transcription factor, the regulatory T‐cell (Treg) lineage has been noted to exert potent immunoregulatory functions that contribute to specific graft tolerance. In this review, we discuss the known signals and pathways which govern Treg development, both in the thymus and in peripheral sites, as well as lineage maintenance and homeostasis. In particular, we highlight the roles of T‐cell receptor signaling, CD28 costimulation, and signals through phosphatidyl inositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) and related metabolic pathways in multiple aspects of Treg biology.
The complex and central role of interferon‐γ in graft‐versus‐host disease and graft‐versus‐tumor activity
Authors: Wang Hui , Yang Yong‐Guang
Published: February 2014

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo‐HCT) is increasingly being performed to treat patients with hematologic malignancies. However, separating the beneficial graft‐versus‐tumor (GVT) or graft‐versus‐leukemia effects from graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) has been difficult and remains a significant challenge toward improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing toxicity of allo‐HCT. GVHD is induced by donor T cells that also mediate potent anti‐tumor responses. However, despite the largely shared effector mechanisms, extensive animal studies have demonstrated the potential of dissociating the GVT effect from GVHD. Also in many clinical cases, long‐term remission was achieved following allo‐HCT, without significant GVHD. A better mechanistic understanding of the immunopathophysiology of GVHD and GVT effects may potentially help to improve allo‐HCT as well as maximize the benefit of GVT effects while minimizing GVHD. In this article, we review the role of IFN‐γ in regulation of alloresponses following allo‐HCT, with a focus on the mechanisms of how this cytokine may separate GVHD from GVT effects.
Transplantation tolerance: from theory to clinic
Authors: Fuchs Ephraim J.
Published: February 2014

Tolerance induction and alloreactivity can be applied to the clinic for the transplantation of solid organs and in the treatment of human cancers respectively. Hematopoietic chimerism, the stable coexistence of host and donor blood cells, guarantees that a solid organ from the same donor will be tolerated without a requirement for maintenance immunosuppression, and it also serves as a platform for the adoptive immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies using donor lymphocyte infusions. This review focuses on clinically relevant methods for inducing hematopoietic chimerism and transplantation tolerance, with a special emphasis on reduced intensity transplantation conditioning and high dose, post‐transplantation cyclophosphamide to prevent graft rejection and graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD). Reduced intensity transplantation regimens permit a transient cooperation between donor and host immune systems to eradicate malignancy without producing GVHD. Their favorable toxicity profile also enables the application of allogeneic stem cell transplantation to treat non‐malignant disorders of hematopoiesis and to induce tolerance for solid organ transplantation.
Recollective homeostasis and the immune consequences of peritransplant depletional induction therapy
Authors: Rosenblum Joshua M. , Kirk Allan D.
Published: February 2014

One's cellular immune repertoire is composed of lymphocytes in multiple stages of maturation – the dynamic product of their responses to antigenic challenges and the homeostatic contractions necessary to accommodate immune expansions within physiologic norms. Given that alloreactivity is predominantly a cross‐reactive phenomenon that is stochastically distributed throughout the overall T‐cell repertoire, one's allospecific repertoire is similarly made up of cells in a variety of differentiation states. As such, the continuous expansion and elimination of activated memory populations, producing a ‘recollective homeostasis’ of sorts, has the potential over time to alter the maturation state and effector composition of both ones protective and alloreactive T‐cell repertoire. Importantly, a T cell's maturation state significantly influences its response to numerous immunomodulatory therapies used in organ transplantation, including depletional antibody induction. In this review, we discuss clinically utilized depletional induction strategies, how their use alters a transplant recipient's cellular immune repertoire, and how a recipient's repertoire influences the clinical effects of induction therapy.
Induction of transplantation tolerance through regulatory cells: from mice to men
Authors: Ferrer Ivana R. , Hester Joanna , Bushell Andrew , Wood Kathryn J.
Published: February 2014

Organ transplantation results in the activation of both innate and adaptive immune responses to the foreign antigens. While these responses can be limited with the use of systemic immunosuppressants, the induction of regulatory cell populations may be a novel strategy for the maintenance of specific immunological unresponsiveness that can reduce the severity of the detrimental side effects of current therapies. Our group has extensively researched different regulatory T‐cell induction protocols for use as cellular therapy in transplantation. In this review, we address the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind regulatory T‐cell suppression and their stability following induction protocols. We further discuss the use of different hematopoietically derived regulatory cell populations, including regulatory B cells, regulatory macrophages, tolerogenic dendritic cells, and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells, for the induction of transplantation tolerance in light of new clinical trials developing therapies with some of these populations.
Commitment to care: a qualitative study of intensive care nurses' perspectives of end‐of‐life care in an Islamic context
Authors: Borhani F. , Hosseini S.H. , Abbaszadeh A.
Published: February 2014

Background

Currently, end‐of‐life care is a significant issue and a topic of debate in intensive care settings but understanding of nurses' perspectives about this within an Islamic context is surprisingly lacking.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to explore intensive care nurses' perspectives of the end‐of‐life care in South‐east of Iran.

Methods

A descriptive qualitative research approach was used to engage 12 intensive care nurses from three intensive care units of teaching hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Science in a semi‐structured interview. Interview transcripts were analysed using an inductive coding approach.

Results

Four major categories emerged from analysis of the interviews: commitment to care, awareness of dying patients, caring relationships, and dealing with barriers and ethical issues. The first category was emphasized and appeared dominant in all interviews.

Limitation

Because of specific socio‐cultural and environmental factors, the findings of this study may not be applicable in other contexts, but enhance our knowledge about the topic in an Islamic context.

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the importance of looking at the end‐of‐life care for critical terminally ill patients within the context of spiritual milieu associated with commitment to a compassionate care until the last moment of their life. Intensive nurses, faced with various barriers and ethical issues, instead were focused on physical and spiritual care and believed that it should fulfil their role in the challenging process.

Implications for nursing and health policy

These findings indicate that there is a need for policies that help increase the quality of life of dying patients. It is imperative that nursing managers and policy makers in Iran consider these findings to improve end‐of‐life care in intensive setting. More training programmes, further education and research on the topic, should be implemented.
Two‐stage two‐dimensional guillotine cutting stock problems with usable leftover
Authors: Andrade R. , Birgin E.G. , Morabito R.
Published: February 2014

In this study, we solve the nonexact two‐stage two‐dimensional guillotine cutting problem considering usable leftovers, in which stock plates remainders of the cutting patterns (nonused material or trim loss) can be used in the future, if they are large enough to fulfill future demands for items (ordered smaller plates). This cutting problem can be characterized as a residual bin‐packing problem because of the possibility of putting back into stock residual pieces, as the trim loss of each cutting/packing pattern does not necessarily represent waste of material depending on its size. Two bilevel mathematical programming models to represent this nonexact two‐stage two‐dimensional residual bin‐packing problem are presented. The models basically consist of cutting/packing the ordered items using a set of plates of minimum cost and, among all possible solutions of minimum cost, choosing one that maximizes the value of the generated usable leftovers. Because of special characteristics of these bilevel models, they can be reformulated as one‐level mixed integer programming models. Results of some numerical experiments are presented to show that the models represent appropriately the problem and illustrate their performance.
What we talk about when we talk data: Valences and the social performance of multiple metrics in digital health
Authors: FIORE‐SILFVAST BRITTANY , NEFF GINA
Published: February 2014

Data as a discursive concept in and around data‐intensive health and wellness communities evokes multiple social values and social lives for data. Drawing on two years of qualitative, ethnographic observations, participation, and interviews in these communities, our work explores the gap between discourses of data, the practices with and around data, and the contexts in which data “live.” Across the communities of technology designers, “e‐health” providers and advocates, and users of health and wellness data, we find that tensions emerge not around the meaning or legitimacy of particular data points, but rather around how data is expected to perform socially, organizationally and institutionally, what we term data valences. Our paper identifies data valences in health and wellness data, shows how these valences are mediated, and demonstrates that distinct data valences are more apparent in the interstitial interactions occurring in the spaces between institutions or among powerful stakeholder groups.
Designing anthropological reflection within an energy company
Authors: LØGSTRUP LOUISE , NELSON‐BURK MAREN MELISSA , MOSHLEH WAFA SAID , GUNN WENDY
Published: February 2014

The move towards a more liberalized energy market and the emergent smart grid technology has forced a Scandinavian energy company to begin rethinking the relation between themselves and private energy end users. Originally a unidirectional relationship, the present and future have potential for a more bidirectional relationship between the company and their customers. During this process the company has realized that they lack knowledge about private energy end users. The company has run a demonstration project simulating the face of the electricity smart grid in private households and has used ethnographic methods to investigate the system effect of private households’ participation. Our paper questions why this kind of approach is reproducing the unidirectional relationship instead of creating a bidirectional relationship. We propose an extension of the ethnographic approach whereby anthropological reflection is generated in the company through a flexible tangible scenario model of the bidirectional connection between the energy company and the users.
“Out of the Labs”: The role for ethnography in guiding clinical trials
Authors: GARGEYA YOSHA , HOLME MADS
Published: February 2014

Ethnography and clinical research appear fundamentally disparate, even conflicting. Their very objectives are dichotomous – the latter moves molecules ‘from the lab to consumer market’ in controlled environments, while the former studies the uncontrolled environment of everyday life. However, with the new reality of pharmaceutical research and development, companies are urged to look into new ways of delivering impact and value to payers, prescribers, and users. This paper explores how ethnographic research can fill that role in early stages of pharmaceutical clinical trials, challenging current paradigms of method as well as parameters for success – and how bridging methodologies can open new avenues for ethnographic practice in business.
Session 3: Maneuver your lenses! What are new practices under today's fast changing contexts?
Authors: TAMURA HIROSHI
Published: February 2014

The third session examines new practices in ethnography – from blogging communities to mediation between digital and analog interviews – it questions what works and what doesn't, and how retrospective, introspective and prospective insights conjoin in this new ‘fast subject’ world.

We are in the midst of a social, technical, educational and industrial upheaval. Many public and private sectors are in transition. As ethnographic researchers adapt to and move between and within temporary, digital, quick field studies, and yet bridge rural migrations in modern urban contexts, they, too, are in the process of mediating practices and theories. This session explores the ways in which ethnography today relates to blogging communities and new users, how mediation between digital and analog interviews can develop insights, what works and what doesn't for online education, and how retrospective, introspective and prospective insights conjoin in this ‘fast subject’ world. To discuss, six authors in this session will present their views by developing theoretical frameworks, unique research processes, and an artful prescription of research field.
The “Consumption Junction” of ICT in Emerging Markets: An Ethnography of Middlemen
Authors: OREGLIA ELISA , KITNER KATHI R.
Published: February 2014

In rural China and India, a fragmented commercial distribution system and the lack of online shopping can significantly limit the range of consumer choice. In this paper, we look at the role that mobile phone shopkeepers—the middlemen—play in influencing what users can and will buy, but also in training them in using and understanding technology.