bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility study of reduced field of view diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in head and neck tumors
Authors: Vidiri Antonello , Minosse Silvia , Piludu Francesca , Curione Davide , Pichi Barbara , Spriano Giuseppe , Marzi Simona
Published: June 2016

Background

Reduced field of view (rFOV) imaging may be used to improve the quality of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the head and neck (HN) region.

Purpose

To evaluate the feasibility of rFOV-DWI in patients affected by HN tumors, through a comparison with conventional full FOV (fFOV) DWI.

Material and Methods

Twenty-two patients with histologically-proven malignant or benign tumors of the head and neck were included in a retrospective study. All patients underwent pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies including rFOV-DWI and fFOV-DWI. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value distributions inside tumor and muscle were derived and the mean, standard deviation (SD), and kurtosis were calculated. Image distortion was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated, as well as the capability of lesion identification. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare all variables. Agreements between the ADC estimations were assessed by Bland–Altman plots.

Results

Image distortion and lesion identification scores were both higher for rFOV-DWI compared to fFOV-DWI. A reduction in ADC values with rFOV-DWI emerged for both lesion and muscle, with a mean percentage difference in ADC of 6.2% in the lesions and 24.9% in the muscle. The difference in SD of ADC was statistically significant in the lesions, indicating a higher ADC homogeneity for rFOV DWI ( P = 0.005).

Conclusion

The application of rFOV DWI in patients affected by HN tumors is feasible and promising, based on both qualitative and quantitative analyses. This technique has potential for improving the diagnostic accuracy of fFOV-DWI for the study of specific tumoral areas.
Swine Dysentery
Authors: Burrough E. R.
Published: June 2016

Swine dysentery is a severe enteric disease in pigs, which is characterized by bloody to mucoid diarrhea and associated with reduced growth performance and variable mortality. This disease is most often observed in grower–finisher pigs, wherein susceptible pigs develop a significant mucohemorrhagic typhlocolitis following infection with strongly hemolytic spirochetes of the genus Brachyspira. While swine dysentery is endemic in many parts of the world, the disease had essentially disappeared in much of the United States by the mid-1990s as a result of industry consolidation and effective treatment, control, and elimination methods. However, since 2007, there has been a reported increase in laboratory diagnosis of swine dysentery in parts of North America along with the detection of novel pathogenic Brachyspira spp worldwide. Accordingly, there has been a renewed interest in swine dysentery and Brachyspira spp infections in pigs, particularly in areas where the disease was previously eliminated. This review provides an overview of knowledge on the etiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of swine dysentery, with insights into risk factors and control.
Of spheres and squares: Can Sloterdijk help us rethink the architecture of climate science?
Authors: Skrydstrup Martin
Published: June 2016

This article explores how different visions and values of science translate into different architectural shapes. I bring Peter Sloterdijk’s ‘spherology’ to bear on my ethnographic fieldwork at the NEEM ice core base in Greenland, a significant node in the global infrastructure of climate science. I argue that the visual form of the geodesic dome of the camp materializes specific values and visions of this branch of paleoclimate science, which I elaborate vis-a-vis the pragmatic claims of the scientists/designers and the particular architectural history of Danish ice core drilling in Greenland. I argue that this aesthetic history articulates with Buckminster Fuller’s ideas of a ‘new nature’ and ‘scalar connections’ encapsulated in his geodesic form. Second, I argue that the aesthetic production of space in the camp replicates the modern distinction between science and society, in so far as the lab space is rectangular and the recreational space is spherical. Third, I argue that NEEM scientists and Sloterdijk are essentially engaged in a common project: the scientists work hard to align air bubbles in the cores with atmospheric fluctuations in the hemisphere on the evidentiary terrain of ice, and Sloterdijk attempts to connect micro-uteri with macro-uteri in an attempt to fundamentally rethink space. Fuller’s notion of ‘Spaceship Earth’, appropriated by Sloterdijk in his thinking about anthropogenic climate change, lends itself well to capturing the scalar alignments and the isolated NEEM base – on a mission to save planet Earth. In conclusion, I argue that Sloterdijk’s spherology may serve as a point of departure for rethinking the aesthetic grammar of the architecture of science.
Transplanting, plotting, fencing: relational property practices in community gardens
Authors: van Holstein Ellen
Published: June 2016

Community gardening is an increasingly popular phenomenon. Local governments wishing to ‘green’ the city and make the urban environment more ‘inclusive’ sometimes promote community gardening as a means to meet policy goals. Scholars from various fields have been keen to focus on these positive promises of community gardening. However, community gardens are not inherently different from their surroundings or good in themselves as they are connected to wider urban landscapes and routines through practice. Building on empirical research that I conducted at three community gardens in Sydney, Australia, I reveal how property is practised in three gardens with different property models, focussing on three practices – transplanting, plotting and fencing. I show that community gardeners produce property relationally and that through each of these practices, they create overlapping understandings of common and private property. Gardeners have contradictory motivations that are geared both towards community inclusion and the protection of personal interests. The paper reveals that while feelings of ownership contribute to a sense of community belonging, they also help legitimatise a defensive and exclusive spatial claim.
Greater occipital nerve block for the acute treatment of prolonged or persistent migraine aura
Authors: Cuadrado María L , Aledo-Serrano Ángel , López-Ruiz Pedro , Gutiérrez-Viedma Álvaro , Fernández Cristina , Orviz Aida , Arias José A
Published: June 2016

Background

Presently, there is no evidence to guide the acute treatment of migraine aura. We aimed to describe the effect of greater occipital nerve (GON) anaesthetic block as a symptomatic treatment for long-lasting (prolonged or persistent) migraine aura.

Methods

Patients who presented with migraine aura lasting > 2 hours were consecutively recruited during one year at the Headache Unit and the Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital. All patients underwent a bilateral GON block with bupivacaine 0.5%. Patients were followed up for 24 hours.

Results

A total of 22 auras were treated in 18 patients. Auras consisted of visual ( n = 13), visual and sensory ( n = 4) or sensory symptoms alone ( n = 5). Eleven episodes met diagnostic criteria for persistent aura (>1 week) without infarction. The response was complete without early recurrence in 11 cases (50%), complete with recurrence in < 24 hours in two cases (9.1%), and partial with ≥ 50% improvement in six cases (27.3%). Complete responses without recurrence were more common in cases with prolonged auras lasting < 1 week than in those with persistent auras (72.7% vs. 27.3%; p = 0.033).

Conclusions

GON block could be an effective symptomatic treatment for prolonged or persistent migraine aura. Randomised controlled trials are still required to confirm these results.
Social Media Use and Teacher Ethics
Authors: Warnick Bryan R. , Bitters Todd A. , Falk Thomas M. , Kim Sang Hyun
Published: June 2016

Teacher use of social networking sites such as Facebook has presented some ethical dilemmas for policy makers. In this article, we argue that schools are justified in taking action against teachers when evidence emerges from social networking sites that teachers are (a) doing something that is illegal, (b) doing something that reflects badly on their strictly professional judgments and attitudes, or (c) pursuing or contacting students in a way that makes the students uncomfortable. Policies that ban teacher use of social networking are not justified, however, if teachers are simply engaged in highly controversial activities. As long as teachers take reasonable precautions to ensure that their online activities are not easily connected to students, schools, or their professional identities, they should be permitted a realm of privacy to express their individuality as human beings. If teachers are not engaged in harmful activities, open teacher involvement with social networking may provide productive educational possibilities. As we develop this argument, we attend to the various complexities that this ethical framework presents.
Properties of carbon fibre/bismaleimide composites ex situ toughened with phosphorous-containing poly(arylene ether ketone) film
Authors: Zhang Xingdi , Liu Gang , Dang Guodong , Li Weidong , Zhang Jindong , Zhou Hongwei , Chen Chunhai , Bao Jianwen
Published: June 2016

To control the dissolution process of a phosphorous-containing poly(arylene ether ketone) (P-PAEK)/bismaleimide (BMI) resin diphase system, a series of P-PAEKs were synthesized by changing the molar ratio of the reactants through nucleophilic substitution. The U3160/BMI composites toughened with P-PAEK film were manufactured by resin transfer moulding based on the concept of ex situ toughening. In addition, the interlaminar properties of the composites were characterized by applying modes I and II fracture toughness tests. The mode I fracture toughness of the composite was shown to be less improved, whereas the mode II fracture toughness was increased by about 74%. Furthermore, the interlaminar microstructure, which was observed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), revealed that reaction-induced phase decomposition and inversion occurred in the interlaminar region. The improvement in fracture toughness was attributed to plastic rupture of the continuous P-PAEK phase and debonding or cavitations of the BMI particle phases. Through the application of ex situ toughening, the compression-after-impact properties of the composite were significantly improved, whereas the thermodynamic properties were well maintained. Besides, optical microscopy images showed more space in the interlayer of the toughened specimens, which contributed to the improvement of damage tolerance.
Elliptic jet control with triangular tab
Authors: Aravindh Kumar SM , Rathakrishnan Ethirajan
Published: June 2016

Elliptic jet mixing influenced by triangular tabs is demonstrated in this work. Mixing modification of a Mach 2 jet from a convergent-divergent elliptic nozzle of aspect ratio 2, in the presence of two triangular tabs along the major and minor axis at the nozzle exit, at different levels of nozzle expansion has been studied. The results show that the mixing caused by tabs along the minor axis is impressive compared to the uncontrolled jet at all the pressure ratios. But for tabs along the major axis, mixing enhancement is significant only for nozzle pressure ratios above 5. Tabs along the minor axis cause better mixing than tabs along the major axis. The iso-pitot pressure contours reveal that the tabs along the minor axis enhance the mixing by bifurcating the jet. Shadowgraphs show that the tabs render the waves in the jet weaker. The present study demonstrates the superior mixing promotion caused by triangular tab than rectangular tab, studied by Aravindh Kumar and Rathakrishnan (2015).
The Associations between Technologies and Societies: The Utility of Actor-Network Theory
Authors: Baron Luis Fernando , Gomez Ricardo
Published: June 2016

This article discusses the strengths and limitations of Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a framework for Science and Technology Studies (STS). While ANT was originally rooted in Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) approaches, ANT has become a theoretical framework commonly used by scholars in numerous disciplines beyond STS, including Information Sciences. Although some scholars consider ANT to be now closer to sociomateriality studies, we claim that ANT differs from sociomateriality in that it suggests a different notion of power. In ANT, power results from actors’ associations enacted into being rather than the sociomateriality claim that power results from existing power structures. We draw from our work on information technologies and social movements to illustrate this important distinction, and to show how ANT can be further strengthened by including the study of histories, memories and trajectories, in order to better understand power relations as associations enacted into being. In this way, we offer a deeper understanding of ANT and its utility for STS research in general, and information studies in particular.
Access to ICT and Research Output of Agriculture Researchers in Kenya
Authors: Schafer Mark J. , Shrum Wesley M. , Miller B. Paige , Mbatia Paul N. , Palackal Antony , Dzorgbo Dan-Bright S.
Published: June 2016

Agricultural researchers work at universities and research institutes. This paper examines how institutional context has affected Kenyan agricultural scientists’ professional lives along several dimensions: Access and use of emerging ICT technologies, professional activities, and scholarly output. It draws upon a unique longitudinal data set in which scientists were interviewed in 2001, 2005, and 2010. The data allow us to follow changes in technology adoption, professional activities, and publications over this critical period of Internet expansion. We found diminishing institutional differences with ICT expansion.
E-government Impact on Business and Entrepreneurship in High-, Upper-middle- and Lower-income Countries from 2008 to 2014: A Linear Mixed Model Approach
Authors: Almeida Gustavo de Oliveira , Zouain Deborah Moraes
Published: June 2016

Most electronic government (e-government) initiatives have the improvement of business atmosphere and the creation of new business as their objectives. This article aims to measure the impact of change of e-government index (and its composing sub-indexes) in the ease of doing business (EoDB) and the rate of creation of new business in the high-, middle- and low-income countries, seeking to test if there is a difference in the effects. The study used a panel data design (repeated measurements), with four points (years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014), in three change periods (2008/2010, 2010/2012 and 2012/2014), collecting data from various databases: Doing Business Report by World Bank, United Nations (UN) E-government Survey, Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International and World Bank Entrepreneurship Survey. The data were combined and analyzed with linear mixed models procedures with fixed and random effects. Data suggest that different models should be applied to understand the relationship of e-government with outcome variables, according to the income level. Suggestions for future research are presented.
On Supply Chain Integration to Free Trade Zones: The Case of the United States of America
Authors: Benton Caitlin N. , Napier Madeline , Ülkü M. Ali
Published: June 2016

The interdependence of resources in a global marketplace, the advancement of technology and rising national economic constraints have compelled companies to excel in their supply chain performance. To that end, Free Trade Zones (FTZs) may help supply chains improve their bottom line while generating economic development to their geographical regions. The shift of manufacturing to overseas and recent changes in global trends, regulations and procedures call for a renewed understanding of FTZs from the perspective of the extended enterprise. Although having significant potential impact on the efficiencies of global supply chains, FTZs in such a context have not been studied in depth in academic literature. With this paper, we aim to modestly draw attention to that gap while providing an overview of the contemporary state of FTZs with a special focus on the USA and the application process therein. We propose a practical decision framework that considers the cost of imported goods and the level of business maturity to help companies make better decisions when they want to integrate with a FTZ.
Synergizing Advertising Campaigns with Appeals: A Perspective through Cases
Authors: Kumar Alok , Pathak Pramod
Published: June 2016

India is a land of coexistence. It is a place where unique blends can be witnessed, the old with the new or young, the traditional with the modern and the local with the global; the same can be extended to the ‘advertising horizon’. In administering brands and targeting potential consumers (also read political parties and country citizens), advertising in India has tried to come up to societal expectations in terms of the cultural milieu of India. Advertising is not new to India; we have historical fresco (Wall) paintings dating back to around 200 BC. The post-globalization economic advancement coupled with a strong cultural background and upsurge of the ‘big’, hitherto conservative Indian middle class has brought about changes in the pattern of reaching the target consumers. With reference to advertising, it can be said that there has been a shift from a hard-selling approach to a soft-selling approach—indicator is clear, appeal is the in-thing and is here to stay. The article looks at the various interpretations of advertising through the appeal lens and highlights the ad-shift through two long-living popular fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products, the Lux soap and Maggi noodles. The selection has been done out of a small survey of households concerning the top-5 FMCG mind recalls and these two happen to be the most popular among ladies and children (refer to household).
A Conceptual Model for Integration of Indian Food Supply Chains
Authors: Parwez Sazzad
Published: June 2016

This article is an attempt to explore the problems faced by Indian agriculture for food security in terms of inadequate infrastructure and highly inefficient supply chain. Due to lack of efficient infrastructure, supply chain mechanism and food processing, around 30–35 per cent of all foods produced in India are wasted. This article examines the critical issues at subsystem of agriculture supply chain, with a view to integrating them in efficient and effective manner. This article broadly covers some important aspects of agriculture supply chain in India—identification of issues at different levels in the supply chain; transformation in the agriculture due to various supply chain interventions; and the role of information technology in supply chain management. As this article is based on both primary and secondary research methodology, it has led us to finding that there is not much research in this field in India and importance of integration in agricultural development. The article concludes that efficient supply chain plays a very important role for development and is a contemporary issue for agriculture, therefore, the government and the corporates must address the issue of integration, infrastructure development and information management to achieve the objective of a feasible agricultural sector which will lead to food security for all.
When does the emergence of a stationary bandit lead to property insecurity?
Authors: Murtazashvili Ilia , Murtazashvili Jennifer
Published: June 2016

The economic theory of the state is often illustrated using examples in which the emergence of a stationary bandit—a ruler who is able to centralize military and fiscal capacity—improves property security. This article argues that the economic theory of the state also provides insight into the conditions when the emergence of a stationary bandit leads to property insecurity. In our reading of the economic theory of the state, the rise of a stationary bandit is only expected to improve property security writ large when coercive power is unquestioned, political institutions constrain rulers, powerful groups do not dominate the political process, and de facto property institutions are inefficient. The framework clarifies why Afghanistan’s first stationary bandit, Abdur Rahman, maintained state ownership over all land, waged violent repopulation campaigns, and drastically increased taxation before, during, and after centralizing state power from 1880 to 1901, while basic land use rights emerged from 1747 to 1880, a period when the state fell short of a monopoly on coercion.
Cocreation at the Base of the Pyramid
Authors: Nahi Tytti
Published: June 2016

The base of the pyramid (BOP) approach suggests that business with low-income consumers or producers can simultaneously foster well-being, environmental sustainability, and profits. A central tenet of the BOP approach is cocreation between companies, low-income communities, and other actors. However, recent research has strongly questioned the necessity and feasibility of such cocreation. This article undertakes a systematic review of BOP research on cocreation and finds a considerable range in the proposed participants and purpose of cocreation: Cocreation can refer to a deep process of social transformation or, at the other extreme, arms-length cooperation that merely legitimizes a corporation as a development agent. Drawing on development studies, this review proposes a framework for organizing the diverse conceptualizations, and shows how the framework facilitates elaboration on the necessity and feasibility of cocreation at the BOP.
The Nonuse, Misuse, and Proper Use of Pilot Studies in Experimental Evaluation Research
Authors: Westlund Erik , Stuart Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2016

This article discusses the nonuse, misuse, and proper use of pilot studies in experimental evaluation research. The authors first show that there is little theoretical, practical, or empirical guidance available to researchers who seek to incorporate pilot studies into experimental evaluation research designs. The authors then discuss how pilot studies can be misused, using statistical simulations to illustrate the error that can result from using effect sizes from pilot studies to decide whether to conduct a full trial or using effect sizes from pilot studies as the basis of power calculations in a full trial. Informed by the review of the literature and these simulation results, the authors conclude by proposing practical suggestions to researchers and practitioners on how to properly use pilot studies in experimental evaluation research.
Radiologically isolated syndrome: An update on a rare entity
Authors: Labiano-Fontcuberta Andrés , Benito-León Julián
Published: June 2016

Our understanding of radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) is evolving, as new data emerge on the clinical characterization and the pathophysiological nature of this rare entity. This topical review aims to (1) outline state-of-the-art clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings of RIS research; (2) raise the main obstacles to RIS research; (3) discuss the most controversial issues of current RIS findings; and (4) highlight potential strategies for upcoming research studies.
Meta-analysis update of association between dopamine transporter SLC6A3 gene polymorphism and smoking cessation
Authors: Choi Hye Duck , Shin Wan Gyoon
Published: June 2016

The SLC6A3 gene is involved in the dopamine pathway, which influences smoking behavior. This study was conducted to present updated results of a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between SLC6A3 polymorphism and smoking cessation. In total, eight studies were assessed, and 9-repeat alleles and no 9-repeat alleles were compared by smoking cessation outcomes. No significant association between SLC6A3 genotype and smoking cessation was observed for the main analysis (odds ratio = 1.128; 95% confidence interval = 0.981–1.298). In conclusion, the genetic variations in SLC6A3 are not associated with smoking cessation, which is not consistent with the results of the previous meta-analysis.
Psychological interventions to improve the quality of life in Indian lung cancer patients: A neglected area
Authors: Peddireddy Vidyullatha
Published: June 2016

The incidence of lung cancer is very high and evidence suggests that patients experience imbalanced emotional capabilities due to less survival rate compared to other cancers. Direct and indirect psychological interventions are mandatory to improve the outcome of lung cancer treatment. Although such interventions are being practiced in developed nations, the effects of psychological interventions on the treatment outcome in the Indian context are lacking. Since there is a definite correlation between treatment outcome and psychological issues, it is high time that clinicians in developing countries including India adopt practices to enhance the quality of life of lung cancer patients.
Processing and learning of enhanced English collocations: An eye movement study
Authors: Choi Sungmook
Published: June 2016

Research to date suggests that textual enhancement may positively affect the learning of multiword combinations known as collocations, but may impair recall of unenhanced text. However, the attentional mechanisms underlying such effects remain unclear. In this study, 38 undergraduate students were divided into two groups: one read a text containing typographically enhanced collocations (ET group) and the other read the same text with unenhanced collocations (the baseline text, or BT group). While reading, participants’ eye movements were recorded with an eye-tracker. Results showed that the ET group spent significantly longer time processing target collocations, and performed better than the BT group in a post-reading collocation test. However, apart from the enhanced collocations, the ET group recalled significantly less unenhanced text than the BT group. Further investigation of eye fixation data showed that the ET group spent substantially longer time processing collocations which, according to a pretest, they were not familiar with than did the BT group, whereas the two groups did not differ significantly in their processing of familiar collocations. Collectively, the results suggest that the trade-off between collocation learning and recall of unenhanced text is due to additional cognitive resources being allocated to enhanced collocations that are new to the reader.
Can implementation intention help to bridge the intention–behaviour gap in the entrepreneurial process? An experimental approach
Authors: Adam Anne-Flore , Fayolle Alain
Published: June 2016

In order to understand what triggers action, researchers have studied intention and its determinants for decades. Specifically, entrepreneurship has been widely studied using the intention models. However, only few intended entrepreneurs enact their intentions in the end. As a proof, the variance explained by entrepreneurial intention in actual behaviour is estimated at 37%. So the entrepreneurial intention–behaviour link still has a lot to reveal, leaving a gap in the literature. This article first reminds the difference between goal intention and implementation intention and posits that intention models actually refer to goal intention only. As it has been proven in different contexts that by automatizing individuals’ responses to anticipated cues, implementation intention increases the probability to act, we propose to observe what could be the role of implementation intention in the entrepreneurial intention–behaviour link. The originality and main contribution of this experimental study is that it is the first attempt to operationalize implementation intention on such a complex behaviour. Even if the experiment enables us to make observations more than statistically valid findings, it paves the way for more empirical research on the subject, and it still allows to suggest what could be the benefit of using implementation intention in that field. It should now be tested on a larger scale to be statistically reliable.
Work satisfaction of the self-employed
Authors: Sappleton Natalie , Lourenço Fernando
Published: June 2016

Studies on segregation in employment are suggestive of higher levels of job satisfaction in female-dominated occupational settings. This research investigates whether this effect is replicated in self-employment. We explore whether satisfaction differentials are related to differences in autonomy and working hours. Our hypotheses are tested using data from the European Social Survey. The final sample consists of 1079 males and 326 females. Our research suggests that differences in job satisfaction among self-employed men and women should not be attributed to gender but to gender composition of sector. Our study contributes to our understanding of gender within a sectoral perspective and the significance of work autonomy and level of working hours to improve work satisfaction of the self-employed.
Preference for self-employment
Authors: Kolvereid Lars
Published: June 2016

The preference for self-employment varies much between countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the preference for self-employment, new business start-up intentions and actual start-up efforts. This research is an application of the theory of planned behaviour. Data were collected using telephone interviews from a representative sample of Norwegian adults aged 18–64 years. The results support the theory, showing that the preference for self-employment, together with measures of subjective norm and perceived behavioural control, predicts business start-up intentions. These intentions, in turn, together with perceived behavioural control, predict involvement in business start-up efforts. This study has important implications for policymakers and future research.
Who wants to be an eco-entrepreneur? Identifying entrepreneurial types and practices in ecotourism businesses
Authors: Swan Christopher D. , Morgan Damian
Published: June 2016

Entrepreneurs have been characterized according to recognizable types according to attendant concerns and motivations. Within the small business sector of ecotourism, entrepreneurs must balance competing goals pertaining to business objectives, lifestyle aspirations and, most importantly, sustainable environmental practices. This study reports how ecotourism eco-entrepreneurs perceive and manage these goals, consistent with concerns and motivations, based on semi-structured interviews of small business operators. The findings show that eco-entrepreneurs’ social and sustainable characteristics are critical to overcome financially challenging and complex operating environments whilst also delivering a desired lifestyle. As a business strategy, eco-entrepreneurs were found to deliberately maintain small, low-impact ecotourism operations consistent with identified eco-values. Looking forward, eco-entrepreneurs forecast imminent threats to the ecotourism sector through uncontrolled development and mass-tourism business access to sensitive natural areas. If unresolved, this process will replace eco-entrepreneurs in small ecotourism operators with traditional profit-oriented entrepreneurs delivering undifferentiated and high-impact nature-based tourism experiences.
Big boots to fill—the next generation continuing differently
Authors: Clinton Eric , Craig Justin B. , Diaz-Moriana Vanessa , Faherty Catherine M.
Published: June 2016

This case history describes the challenge facing Carlos García, the third-generation successor of a Spanish family business, as he takes over the reins of Hispalis and prepares to continue the business ‘differently’. In two generations, Hispalis has morphed into a global conglomerate, with a portfolio of business ventures in multiple industries and countries. The case history facilitates discussion of business and family issues and is appropriate for beginning-level undergraduate students in the areas of entrepreneurial leadership, family business, strategic management and corporate governance.
Ethical implications of the perception and portrayal of dementia
Authors: Gerritsen Debby L , Oyebode Jan , Gove Dianne
Published: June 2016

The way we perceive and portray dementia has implications for how we act towards people with dementia and how we address the issue of dementia within society. As a multi-disciplinary working group, established within the framework of the European Dementia Ethics Network of Alzheimer Europe, we aimed to describe the different ways that people with dementia are perceived and portrayed within society and to consider the moral implications of this. In the current paper, we address perceptions of dementia as reflected in explanatory models of its cause and nature, descriptions of characteristics of people with dementia, the use of language, media portrayals and the views of people living with dementia. Academics and professionals could use this exploration to reflect on their behaviour and their use of language regarding people with dementia.
Re-reading Friedrich Hayek and Karl Polanyi in the Late-Modern Condition of Fragility
Authors: Cha Taesuh
Published: June 2016

The cardinal role of complexity in Friedrich Hayek’s theory of the market has hardly gone unnoticed. Indeed, there is now a considerable corpus of literature that has established the importance of spontaneity as a central concept around which neoliberal economic theory revolves. However, as William Connolly analyzes, its closed conception of economic processes simplifies real economic volatilities and ignores both modes of self-organization and creativity found in democracy and social movements that periodically irrupt into market processes. This article builds upon this critique of neoliberalism and employs Karl Polanyi’s genealogy of modern capitalism to understand historical imbrications between the market and the social and their contribution to the fragility of capitalism. Polanyi’s notions of “(dis-)embeddedness” and the “double movement” not only show us a more “complex” view of modern political economy but also provide us with important lessons for political responses to the recent crisis of neoliberal capitalism.

Connolly WE (2013) The Fragility of Things: Self-Organizing Processes, Neoliberal Fantasies, and Democratic Activism. Durham: Duke University Press.

Hayek F (1973) Rules and Order. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Hayek F (1976) The Mirage of Social Justice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Polanyi K (1944) The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time. Boston: Beacon Press.
The Tether to Home, University Connectedness, and the Appalachian Student
Authors: Wilson Steffen P. , Gore Jonathan S. , Renfro Amanda , Blake Marion , Muncie Eric , Treadway Jodi
Published: June 2016

The purpose of the studies reported here was to test the hypothesis that college students from cultures that emphasize strong family ties experience familial tethering or a pull to remain connected to home, which then has negative consequences on the student’s ability to connect to and succeed at the university. In Study 1, it was found that students of Appalachian origin, women, and students from large families were more likely to report pressure from their families to return home frequently and less connection to and more isolation from the university. An expanded assessment of familial tethering which measured social, externalized, and ecological tethering was investigated in Study 2. It was found that Appalachian students experienced more externalized tethering. Women and individuals from larger families experienced more social tethering. Externalized tethering was found to be associated with a lower grade point average, while there were no negative correlates of social tethering. The most negative student outcomes including lower grade point average and high levels of fear of success and isolation was found in students who experienced ecological tethering. Implications for student persistence and retention, especially that of college students experiencing ecological tethering, are discussed.
Story Work: Non-Proprietary Autonomy and Contemporary Television Writing
Authors: Fisk Catherine , Szalay Michael
Published: June 2016

Based on interviews with three dozen working writers in American television, this paper argues that TV writers assert their status as labor to guarantee their shared craft identity with novelists, dramatists, and authors of other conventional literary material. The tension between writers’ desire for literary prestige on one hand, and their recognition that they create at the behest of company executives, on the other, emerges, alternately, in the imagined difference between writers and producers and, most basically, between autonomous creators and corporate hacks. Our novel observation is that writers’ identification with labor, including their commitment to their union, the Writers Guild of America, plays a central role in resolving these tensions. Union membership solves a problem at the heart of contemporary TV writing insofar as it transforms a necessity into a virtue; opposing management as labor, the writer registers her opposition to creative input that might otherwise compromise her sense of artistic integrity. That opposition allows writers to imagine themselves at odds with the studios and networks that employ them, and at the same time to commit to artistic over and against corporate values.
Original Research: Hydroxytyrosol, an ingredient of olive oil, reduces triglyceride accumulation and promotes lipolysis in human primary visceral adipocytes during differentiation
Authors: Stefanon Bruno , Colitti Monica
Published: June 2016

Hydroxytyrosol has various pharmacological properties, including anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory activities, preventing hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome. The present study is focused on the anti-adipogenic and lipolytic activity of hydroxytyrosol on primary human visceral adipocytes. Pre-adipocytes were analyzed after 10 (P10) and 20 (P20) days of treatment during differentiation and after 7 (A7) days of treatment when they reached mature shape. The treatment with hydroxytyrosol extract significantly ( P < 0.001) increased apoptosis in P10 and P20 cells in comparison to control and A7 cells; significantly ( P < 0.001) reduced triglyceride accumulation in P20 cells compared to P10 and control cells; and significantly ( P < 0.001) increased lipolysis in P20 cells in comparison to control cells and A7 mature adipocytes. Hydroxytyrosol-treated P20 cells significantly ( P < 0.05) increased expression of genes involved in inhibition of adipogenesis, such as GATA2, GATA3, WNT3A, SFRP5, HES1, and SIRT1. In contrast, genes involved in promoting adipogenesis such as LEP, FGF1, CCND1, and SREBF1 were significantly down-regulated by hydroxytyrosol treatment. These data suggest that hydroxytyrosol promotes lipolysis and apoptotic activity in primary human visceral pre-adipocytes during differentiation and does not affect already mature adipocytes.
Medical readiness: evaluating the robustness of medical clinic staffing solutions
Authors: Corpuz Michael Q , Rusnock Christina F , Valencia Vhance V , Oyama Kyle
Published: June 2016

Medical readiness requires Department of Defense medical clinics to be robust to changes in patient demand. Minor fluctuations in patient demand occur on a regular basis, but major increases can also occur. Major demand increases can result from a number of occurrences, including mass military deployments, medical incidents, outbreaks, and overflow from Veterans’ Affairs clinics. This research evaluates a system of clinics at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in order to determine its ability to handle a 200% surge in patient demand. In addition, this study evaluates the relative effectiveness of six different staffing mix options to minimize patient wait times, also under the surge demand conditions. This evaluation is conducted using discrete-event simulation to estimate patient wait times and includes a sensitivity analysis of the increased patient demand, as well as a cost–benefit analysis to determine the most cost-effective alternative scenario. The study finds that adjustments to staffing mix enable cost savings while meeting current demands. In addition, the study finds that adjusting the staffing mix will not have a negative impact on patient wait time in the surge conditions, relative to the current staffing mix.
Incident Analysis
Authors: Hassall Maureen E. , Sanderson Penelope M. , Cameron Ian T.
Published: June 2016

To improve safety, work systems need to be designed that help humans successfully manage expected and unexpected situations. A resilience-based human factors method called strategies analysis for enhancing resilience (SAfER) has been developed to help practitioners identify ways to create systems that let humans more effectively control the range of different operating situations they may face. The SAfER method covers the identification of (a) critical system priorities that need to be preserved in order to sustain safe operations; (b) the range of decisions, actions, and strategies that humans might use to try to control different operating scenarios; and (c) design changes that help to promote actions that preserve safe operations and prevent or tolerate actions that might result in adverse outcomes. This paper describes the SAfER analysis conducted on an industrial crane-lift incident, and it compares the results from the SAfER analysis with those from a traditional incident investigation process. The findings from the comparison suggest that the SAfER method helps analysts identify and generate additional and potentially useful information on how the system design might be changed to improve crane-lift safety.
Development and assessment of inter- and intra-rater reliability of a novel ultrasound tool for scoring tendon and sheath disease – A pilot study
Authors: Horton L , Emery P , Marshall P
Published: June 2016

Background

Tendon and synovial sheath disease is common. A method of monitoring the status of tendons and sheaths is important for both diagnosis of pathology and evaluation of the efficacy of treatments. For this study, an ultrasound scoring tool was developed and its reliability tested between raters. The tool is novel in that it scores tendons and sheaths separately, an important consideration since disorders of these structures are not necessarily concurrent.

Methods

Thirty diseased tendons and sheaths were included in this pilot cross-sectional study. Tendon and sheath measurements were taken and the semi-quantitative five-grade score was applied to assess tendon greyscale, tendon Doppler activity and sheath Doppler activity. Inter-rater and intra-rater agreement exercises were undertaken to test the reliability of the scoring tool.

Results

The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient values for both the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability tests showed excellent agreement for the tendon and sheath measurements. Unweighted kappa estimations for inter-rater scores showed excellent agreement for tendon Doppler; good agreement was shown for scoring sheath Doppler, while poor agreement was shown for tendon grey-scale scoring. The intra-rater reliability scores demonstrated similar results.

Conclusion

Overall, the study strongly supports the use of this scoring tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of tendon and sheath disorders. The results may be used as a starting point from which to base further work in this important area. Future studies should address the limitations found in this research with a strong focus on improving tendon grey-scale measurement accuracy and agreement.
External heating garments used post-warm-up improve upper body power and elite sprint swimming performance
Authors: Wilkins Emma L , Havenith George
Published: June 2016

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of using an electrical heating garment during a 30-min recovery period after a standardized swimming warm-up on subsequent swimming performance and upper body power output. On two occasions, eight male and four female elite competitive swimmers completed a standardized swimming warm-up, followed by a 30-min passive recovery period before completing maximal plyometric press-ups and a 50-m freestyle swim. Plyometric press-ups determined starting strength, peak force and peak concentric power. During the recovery period, participants wore tracksuit bottoms and (1) a standard tracksuit top (CON) or (2) jacket with integrated electric heating elements (HEAT). The overall results demonstrated a trend of a relevant (>0.4%) improvement in the 50-m freestyle performance of 0.83% ( p = 0.06) in HEAT versus CON. In male participants, performance in the 50-m freestyle significantly improved by 1.01% (CON 25.18 ± 0.5 s vs HEAT 24.93 ± 0.4 s; p < 0.05), whereas female participants only showed a trend for an improvement of 0.38% (29.18 ± 0.5 s vs 29.03 ± 1.0 s; p = 0.09), in HEAT compared with CON, although statistical power for the latter test was low. Male participants’ starting strength, peak force and peak concentric power were 16.5 ± 13%, 18.1 ± 21% and 16.2 ± 21% greater, respectively, in HEAT compared with CON (all p < 0.01). In conclusion, external heating of the upper body between completion of the warm-up and performance through the utilization of an electrically heated jacket improves plyometric press-up power output and force production, as well as sprint swimming performance in males. This provides justification for future enhancement opportunities in sporting performance through the utilization of external heating systems. Optimization of the heating system for specific sports is required.
Identifying predictors of players’ perception regarding sliding friendliness and the overall field performance of artificial turf systems for soccer
Authors: van den Eijnde Wilbert , Richters Renée , Kieft Gert-Jan , van Erp Piet
Published: June 2016

Due to different design parameters, there is a large variety of artificial turf configurations on the market for soccer. The ultimate aim for any player surface is to maximize the performance and to minimize injuries. The aim of this study is to develop and validate the Football Turf Performance Questionnaire which measures the performance of an artificial turf soccer pitch and to identify predictors for both the overall performance and sliding friendliness based on the players’ perceptions. Three types of artificial turf configurations were evaluated by an elite soccer team in five different trials. Statistical analyses were performed to check the reliability, the classification into factors and identification of predictors, respectively. The best predictors of the total judgement are the descriptors ‘hardness of the field during falling and during sprinting’ and ‘traction during stopping’ and the indicators ‘traction’ and ‘shock absorption’. For sliding friendliness solely, the best predictors are the descriptor ‘burning feeling of the skin after a sliding movement’ and the indicators ‘skin irritation’ and ‘traction’.