bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coping with homelessness: an expectant mother's homeless pathway
Authors: Moore Russell
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to add to the understanding of homelessness by exploring and analysing the homeless pathway of a young expectant mother as she negotiates her way through temporary accommodation and comes to terms with her circumstances and new identity as a person without a home.

Design/methodology/approach

– A phenomenological interviewing approach was used in order to gain insights into the subject's lived daily world from her perspective. Themes were then identified that encapsulated the essential qualities of the interview.

Findings

– The stress and negative emotions of being homeless appear to be accentuated significantly due to pregnancy, taking the potential for the positive feelings associated with pregnancy away from the participant. Structural factors such as the homelessness legislation and affordable housing supply had a strong influence over her homeless pathway, resulting in feelings of a loss of control over her destiny and choices and subsequent feelings of low self-worth, which she had to try to come to terms with. However, the pregnancy was also used as a positive coping strategy, as was family support.

Originality/value

– Minimal research has been undertaken on the experiences of homeless women who are pregnant. The results point to the need to understand the deeply negative impacts that homelessness can have on individuals, particularly expectant mothers. The value of examining homelessness as a pathway is also shown.
Organisational development, appreciative inquiry and the development of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIEs): part two: the pilot study and evaluation
Authors: Quinney Suzanne , Richardson Leo
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Part One of this duo of papers outlined the appreciative inquiry (AI) philosophy, a strengths-based “positive psychology” and organisational development (OD) approach which is intrinsically creative and generative, and has been found to work well in many fields. The purpose of this paper is to describe its application in homeless hostels and demonstrates the benefits of using AI with the staff and residents, as both a personal development and an OD tool for hostels who want to become a psychologically informed environment (PIE).

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a case study exploring a new approach to the development of a PIE. The background of the approach and the way it contributes to a PIE as described in Part One is briefly summarised, and the implementation pilot project is discussed; the appreciative conversation and the 5 D cycle are key AI “tools” which were used. The inclusion of positive psychology approaches is referenced. In addition, in the spirit of evidence-generating practice in PIEs, preliminary quantitative and qualitative findings are reported to identify the outcomes of the approach – including client motivation, desire to build positive relationships, and increased emotional awareness.

Findings

– Residents responded very well to the approach, and a high proportion continued to apply their learning, making major steps towards independent living. This was backed up by quantitative data demonstrating effective outcomes for the supported housing sector, and qualitative themes start to illuminate the psychological processes behind the outcomes. The openness of PIEs to alternative psychologies is further demonstrated. The model was rolled out to other Westminster hostels.

Originality/value

– AI is well-established as an OD process and less well known as a personal development approach; but has not previously been articulated as a tool for working with hostel residents or for developing PIEs. This strength-based approach is an alternative to some of the problem-based psychological approaches that have been used. In addition, the AI intervention illustrated defining features of a PIE such as reflective awareness.
Homelessness in the Czech Republic
Authors: Strnad Aleš , Marek Jakub
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current state of provision for homeless people in Prague.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is primarily a narrative account, though supported by and referenced with contemporary Czech social policy scholarship. It first traces the roots of the current situation through the history of the Czech legal framework for citizenship; the effects of communist-era ideology, when homelessness was simply hidden; and the post-communist (new-era) economic and political climate. The range of existing services is then described and analysed with respect to the difficulties in the demands posed for people in this situation.

Findings

– The paper outlines the current approach with outreach (“terrain”), engagement (“threshold”) and “accommodation” (support and rehab) services; and the challenges in transition from one to the next. Many systemic barriers remain for the re-integration of homeless people, stemming from attitudes within the community and amongst professionals, as much as a sheer lack of resources, or the psychological and emotional difficulties of the homeless themselves.

Originality/value

– There are few papers published internationally on homelessness in the new EU states. The similarity in the structure of services to what are sometimes called “staircase models” may therefore be instructive.
Barriers to industrial energy efficiency
Authors: Lunt Peter , Ball Peter , Levers Andrew
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to capture organisational barriers that can inhibit energy reduction in manufacturing. Energy consumption is a significant contributor to the economic and environmental components of industrial sustainability, and there is a significant body of knowledge emerging on the technical steps necessary to reduce that consumption. Achieving technical success requires organisational alignment, without which barriers to energy efficiency can be experienced.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research uses a theory building–theory testing cycle to propose and then verify existence of barriers to industrial energy efficiency. Literature review is used to build potential organisational barriers that can arise. The existence of barriers is then verified in industrial energy reduction projects using interview, observation and document analysis. Findings are validated by company staff.

Findings

– From the literature barriers that can be related to energy reduction, projects are uncovered. The generic and energy reduction-specific barriers are confirmed and two new barriers are identified. A cognitive map linking the relationships between all the barriers is proposed.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is built on detailed examination of a number of projects in a single company and work is needed to verify the findings in companies of different size and different industrial sector.

Practical implications

– The list of barriers created can support industry in preparing for and undertaking energy efficiency projects. The cognitive map proposed will help industry and academia understand why removing current prominent barriers can lead to surfacing of new barriers.

Originality/value

– The novelty of this research is in both the creation of a list of organisational barriers for energy efficiency as well as identifying the relationships between them. The work brings generic change management barriers to enhance the specific energy reduction barriers together into a broader collation of barriers as well as uncovering new barriers. The work proposes a cognitive map of industrial energy efficiency barriers to demonstrate their interrelationships.
DSO tariff structures: development options from stakeholders’ viewpoint
Authors: Honkapuro Samuli , Tuunanen Jussi , Valtonen Petri , Partanen Jarmo
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to analyze the development needs and opportunities in the distribution system operators’ (DSO) tariff structures in the smart-grid environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– The impacts of the distribution pricing schemes for the stakeholders and their requirements for the tariff structures are evaluated by qualitative analyses. Furthermore, there is a case analysis concerning the practical development possibilities of the DSO tariff structures in Finland.

Findings

– Major finding of the paper is that the demand-based power band tariff is the optimal solution for the DSO pricing structure, when taking into account the real-life limitations and the requirements of the stakeholders.

Practical implications

– Outcomes of the paper can be applied in practice in design of the pricing schemes in the electricity distribution. Incentive provision impacts and cost reflectivity of the DSO tariffs can be improved by implementing the suggested pricing structure.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a novel viewpoint on the study of the DSO tariff design by considering the impacts of the pricing for the stakeholders and their requirements for tariff structure. Furthermore, the real-life limitations in the tariff design have been taken into account by analyzing the development options in Finland. Results are useful, especially for the DSOs, regulators and academics, who are working with the tariff development issues.
Are small family farms a societal luxury good in wealthy countries?
Authors: Mann Stefan
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis that societies, when becoming wealthier, are increasingly less concerned with the efficiency of their farms. It is to show that and why small family farms are a good which citizens aim to preserve.

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural change between 2000 and 2010 in two rather wealthy European Union (EU)-member countries and two very wealthy European (non-EU) countries is compared and explained by socioeconomic variables.

Findings

– The reason for the difference between Germany and Austria on one side and Norway and Switzerland on the other is strong political support in the latter countries where structural change is slowing down. A framework is outlined for why a preference for small family farms may emerge in a wealthy society.

Originality/value

– Structural change in this paper is reconstructed as a function of political preferences, being again a function of state of economic development.
Assessing sustainability knowledge of a student population
Authors: Zwickle Adam , M. Koontz Tomas , M. Slagle Kristina , T. Bruskotter Jeremy
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to present a tool for assessing the sustainability knowledge of an undergraduate population.

Design/methodology/approach

– Multiple-choice questions were developed through soliciting expert input, focus groups, pilot testing, distribution via a large-scale online survey and analysis using item response theory.

Findings

– The final assessment consists of 16 questions from the environmental, economic and social domains, covering foundational concepts within the topic of sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

– This assessment represents an initial effort to quantify knowledge of the broad and abstract concept of sustainability. The authors plan to continue refining these questions to better differentiate between students with higher levels of knowledge and to replace those with answers that may change over time.

Practical implications

– With knowledge of sustainability concepts becoming increasingly included in institution-wide learning objectives, there is a growing demand for a way to measure progress in this area. Our assessment tool can easily be used (via a campus-wide survey or distributed at the classroom level) by institutions to gauge current levels of knowledge and track changes over time, as well as assess the effectiveness of courses and curricula at meeting sustainability knowledge goals.

Originality/value

– This assessment of sustainability knowledge is the first of its kind to include all three separate domains of sustainability, and we expect it to be useful across a variety of college and university contexts.
Integrating problem- and project-based learning into sustainability programs
Authors: Wiek Arnim , Xiong Angela , Brundiers Katja , van der Leeuw Sander
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The article aims to describe the problem- and project-based learning (PPBL) program and the institutional context at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability (SOS), with the goal of offering experience-based guidance for similar initiatives in sustainability programs around the world.

Design/methodology/approach

– This case study presents the diverse PPBL activities that SOS offers on the undergraduate and the graduate levels and examines the institutional structures in place that support these activities. Data were collected through literature and document reviews, observations, interviews, student evaluations and faculty surveys.

Findings

– The review of the PPBL program at SOS illustrates a case of successfully inaugurating a PPBL program in sustainability at a major university in the USA. Yet, a key challenge for this program and similar programs around the world is how to maintain the institutional momentum and make advances after the initial takeoff. SOS is attempting to address this issue by developing greater program cohesion and coordination, synthesizing past products and learning, monitoring and evaluating impacts, and developing PPBL training programs for faculty and graduate students.

Practical implications

– The experiences and findings presented can help other programs to articulate the benefits of a PPBL initiative, anticipate implementation challenges and successfully support their own PPBL initiatives through adequate institutional structures. The review points to the fact that the major impact on both student learning and outcomes for partner organizations is achieved through a concerted effort by the organization as a whole. Successful PPBL programs require both top-down commitments from the administration and bottom-up drive from interested faculty and students.

Originality/value

– This case study discusses the PPBL program at SOS. The findings can inform and support the ongoing transformation in sustainability education with the ultimate objective to build students’ capacities to address and solve wicked sustainability problems in the real world, competently collaborating with partners from government, business and civil society.
The status of education for sustainability in initial teacher education programmes: a Canadian case study
Authors: Falkenberg Thomas , Babiuk Gary
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to establish the status of education for sustainability in the teacher education programmes in the province of Manitoba in Canada and to identify challenges and obstacles for mainstreaming education for sustainability in those programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using a multi-unit case study design, online programme information and data from interviews with faculty administrators and a convenience sample of faculty members from all five faculties of education in Manitoba were collected and analysed.

Findings

– There is no systematic and focused preparation of teachers for education for sustainability in any of the Manitoba teacher education programmes. Three challenges for mainstreaming of education for sustainability are identified: lack of leadership, an unfavourable view of the role of education for sustainability and the silo-ing within faculties of education.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited by its focus on the programme-based implementation of education for sustainability in faculties of education, which did not include any course-based implementation by individual instructors.

Practical implications

– To address the challenges and obstacles for mainstreaming, the authors argue for joint leadership across the relevant institutional levels (government, university and faculty), and for establishing education for sustainability as a framework for responding to the purpose question of school education.

Originality/value

– The study provides empirical evidence for some of the major challenges for mainstreaming education for sustainability in faculties in education and, by generalisation, all university faculties.
Data sharing in sociology journals
Authors: Zenk-Möltgen Wolfgang , Lepthien Greta
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Data sharing is key for replication and re-use in empirical research. Scientific journals can play a central role by establishing data policies and providing technologies. The purpose of this paper is to analyses the factors which influence data sharing by investigating journal data policies and the behaviour of authors in sociology.

Design/methodology/approach

– The web sites of 140 sociology journals were consulted to check their data policy. The results are compared with similar studies from political science and economics. A broad selection of articles published in five selected journals over a period of two years are examined to determine whether authors really cite and share their data and the factors which are related to this.

Findings

– Although only a few sociology journals have explicit data policies, most journals make reference to a common policy supplied by their association of publishers. Among the journals selected, relatively few articles provide data citations and even fewer make data available – this is true both for journals with and without a data policy. But authors writing for journals with higher impact factors and with data policies are more likely to cite data and to make it really accessible.

Originality/value

– No study of journal data policies has been undertaken to date for the domain of sociology. A comparison of authors’ behaviours regarding data availability, data citation, and data accessibility for journals with or without a data policy provides useful information about the factors which improve data sharing.
Overqualified? A conceptual model of managers’ perceptions of overqualification in selection decisions
Authors: G. Martinez Patricia , L. Lengnick-Hall Mark , Kulkarni Mukta
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model for conducting research on how human resource and hiring managers form impressions of overqualified individuals and how these impressions affect their treatment of overqualified individuals during selection decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Given the central role of psychological processes within the proposed model, this conceptual paper builds on a social cognition approach.

Findings

– The proposed model consists of seven primary factors that can help propel research that is dynamic and contextually driven: attributes of the overqualified individual; job attributes; observers’ cognitive overqualification schemas; observers’ attitudes; observers’ categorization processes; the organizational context; and individual factors, all of which influence the observers’ treatment of overqualified individuals.

Originality/value

– Most research has focussed on individual-level outcomes of overqualification such as job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and physical and psychological health, while overlooking how organizational decision makers perceive overqualification and how this subsequently affects the likelihood of individuals being selected for an interview. Given the global growth in the number of overqualified workers, understanding antecedents and correlates of overqualification and how these affect organizational selection decisions is a pressing need. The proposed model outlines several factors that can help us better understand the phenomenon of overqualification.
The mediating influence of career success in relationship between career mobility criteria, career anchors and satisfaction with organization
Authors: Tremblay Michel , Dahan Jacqueline , Gianecchini Martina
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how perceived career channels and career anchors are related to objective internal career success, and how subjective career success mediates the effects of objective success on employer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected using questionnaires, and hypotheses were tested on a sample of 800 engineers and managers. Of the sample, 35 percent were female and 67 percent worked in the private sector.

Findings

– The findings show that the more respondents perceive that performance carries weight in promotion decisions, the higher their level of objective career success. In contrast, the importance placed on relations with the hierarchy has no significant influence. Respondents with a strong management anchor report greater objective career success, and those with a strong life style anchor report lesser objective career success, but greater success in life outside work. Finally, the findings indicate that job success is associated with greater satisfaction with employer, whereas life success is related to lesser satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is based on a sample taken from one profession (engineers), in a specific cultural context. The cross-sectional research design precludes the inference of some causality conclusions.

Practical implications

– Organizations may benefit from disseminating promotion attribution criteria and reducing perceptions of favoritism in reward allocation. In addition, this study shows that not only individuals but also the employer can benefit from greater positive interdependence between career success and life success.

Originality/value

– This study represents the first comprehensive attempt to examine the role of perceived career channels and career anchors in objective and subjective career success.
Respiration and ecological niche influence bacterial membrane lipid compositions
Authors: Bay Denice C. , Booth Sean C. , Turner Raymond J.
Published: October 2014

Bacterial membrane compositions vary widely between phyla and within related species. The types of lipids within membranes are as diverse as the selective pressures that influence bacterial lifestyles such as their mode of respiration and habitat. This study has examined the extent that respiration and habitat affect bacterial fatty acid (FA) and polar lipid (PL) compositions. To accomplish this, over 300 FA and PL profiles from 380 previously characterized species were assembled and subjected to multivariate statistical analyses in order to determine lipid to habitat/respiration associations. It was revealed that PL profiles showed a slight advantage over FA profiles for discriminating taxonomic relationships between species. FA profiles showed greater correlation with respiration and habitat than PL. This study identified that respiration did not consistently favour uniform FA or PL changes when lipid profiles were compared between examined phyla. This suggests that although phyla may adopt similar respiration methods, it does not result in consistent lipid attributes within one respiration state. Examination of FA and PL compositions were useful to identify taxonomic relationships between related species and provides insight into lipid variations influenced by the niche of its host.
Does 2‐phosphoglycolate serve as an internal signal molecule of inorganic carbon deprivation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803?
Authors: Haimovich‐Dayan Maya , Lieman‐Hurwitz Judy , Orf Isabel , Hagemann Martin , Kaplan Aaron
Published: October 2014

Cyanobacteria possess CO2‐concentrating mechanisms (CCM) that functionally compensate for the poor affinity of their ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) to CO2. It was proposed that 2‐phosphoglycolate (2PG), produced by the oxygenase activity of Rubisco and metabolized via photorespiratory routes, serves as a signal molecule for the induction of CCM‐related genes under limiting CO2 level (LC) conditions. However, in vivo evidence is still missing. Since 2PG does not permeate the cells, we manipulated its internal concentration. Four putative phosphoglycolate phosphatases (PGPases) encoding genes (slr0458, sll1349, slr0586 and slr1762) were identified in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803. Expression of slr0458 in Escherichia coli led to a significant rise in PGPase activity. A Synechocystis mutant overexpressing (OE) slr0458 was constructed. Compared with the wild type (WT), the mutant grew slower under limiting CO2 concentration and the intracellular 2PG level was considerably smaller than in the wild type, the transcript abundance of LC‐induced genes including cmpA, sbtA and ndhF3 was reduced, and the OE cells acclimated slower to LC – indicated by the delayed rise in the apparent photosynthetic affinity to inorganic carbon. Data obtained here implicated 2PG in the acclimation of this cyanobacterium to LC but also indicated that other, yet to be identified components, are involved.
Construction of target‐specific virus‐like particles for the delivery of algicidal compounds to harmful algae
Authors: Kang Beom Sik , Eom Chi‐Yong , Kim Wonduck , Kim Pyoung il , Ju Sun Yi , Ryu Jaewon , Han Gui Hwan , Oh Jeong‐Il , Cho Hoon , Baek Seung Ho , Kim Gueeda , Kim Minju , Hyun Jaekyung , Jin EonSeon , Kim Si Wouk
Published: October 2014

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can lead to substantial socio‐economic losses and extensive damage to aquatic ecosystems, drinking water sources and human health. Common algicidal techniques, including ozonation, ultrasonic treatment and dispersion of algae‐killing chemicals, are unsatisfactory both economically and ecologically. This study therefore presents a novel alternative strategy for the efficient control of deleterious algae via the use of host‐specific virus‐like particles (VLPs) combined with chemically synthesized algicidal compounds. The capsid protein of HcRNAV34, a single‐stranded RNA virus that infects the toxic dinoflagellate, Heterocapsa circularisquama, was expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli and then self‐assembled into VLPs in vitro. Next, the algicidal compound, thiazolidinedione 49 (TD49), was encapsidated into HcRNAV34 VLPs for specific delivery to H. circularisquama. Consequently, HcRNAV34 VLPs demonstrated the same host selectivity as naturally occurring HcRNAV34 virions, while TD49‐encapsidated VLPs showed a more potent target‐specific algicidal effect than TD49 alone. These results indicate that target‐specific VLPs for the delivery of cytotoxic compounds to nuisance algae might provide a safe, environmentally friendly approach for the management of HABs in aquatic ecosystems.
Different Effects of Fenofibrate on Metabolic and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Mixed Dyslipidemic Women With Normal Thyroid Function and Subclinical Hypothyroidism
Authors: Krysiak Robert , Gilowski Wojciech , Szkrobka Witold , Okopien Bogusław
Published: October 2014

Aims

Subclinical hypothyroidism is suggested to increase cardiovascular risk. No previous study compared the effect of any fibrate on plasma levels of lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with different thyroid function status.

Methods

The study included three age‐, weight‐ and lipid‐matched groups of women with mixed dyslipidemia in different thyroid function status: patients with untreated subclinical hypothyroidism (group 1, n = 18), women with treated hypothyroidism (group 2, n = 15), and subjects without thyroid disorders (group 3, n = 19). Plasma lipids, glucose homeostasis markers, as well as plasma levels of uric acid, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), homocysteine, and fibrinogen were determined before and after 12 weeks of fenofibrate therapy.

Results

Despite similar plasma lipid levels, mixed dyslipidemic patients with untreated hypothyroidism had decreased insulin sensitivity, as well as higher circulating levels of uric acid, hsCRP, homocysteine, and fibrinogen in comparison with the other groups. The effect of fenofibrate on plasma lipids and, with the exception of homocysteine, on circulating levels of all investigated risk factors was stronger in patients from groups 2 and 3 than in patients from group 1.

Conclusions

The obtained results indicate that the effect of fenofibrate on plasma lipids and circulating levels of cardiovascular risk factors is partially related to thyroid function. They also suggest that to improve the strength of fibrate action in dyslipidemic patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, they should be administered together with l‐thyroxine.
Aberrant GITR expression on different T cell subsets and the regulation by glucocorticoid in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Sun Jiafeng , Yu Ning , Li Xiangpei , Wang Li , Pan Yun , Li Xiaomei , Tao Jinhui , Chen Zhu , Wang Guosheng
Published: October 2014

Aim

The dysfunction of T regulatory cells is important for the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Glucocorticoid‐induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family‐related protein (GITR) is expressed at low levels on resting responder T lymphocytes (Tresps) and is up‐regulated on T regulatory cells (Tregs) and activated T cells, diminishing suppressive activity of Tregs and/or leading to resistance to suppression of Tregs by activated effector T cells. We aimed to explore whether SLE patients had an aberrant expression of GITR on Tregs and responder T cells (Tresps) and the regulation by glucocorticoids.

Methods

The surface GITR expression on Tregs and Tresps cells were analyzed by flow cytometry in 32 patients and 15 normal controls. Purified Tregs or Tresps were cultured with glucocorticoid. Apoptosis of the cells were determined by the staining of Annexin V.

Results

Systemic lupus erythematosus patients had higher levels of GITR expressed on CD4+CD25+, CD4+CD25high and CD4+CD25+CD127low/− Tregs as well as on CD4+CD25− Tresps compared to healthy controls. The expression of GITR on Tregs and Tresps were positively correlated with score of SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). In vitro glucocorticoid induced GITR expression on purified Tresp cells, but not on Tregs, and almost all of the GITR positive cells induced by glucocorticoid encountered apoptosis.

Conclusion

Aberrant expression of GITR may contribute to SLE pathogenesis. Glucocorticoid may achieve its therapeutic effect partly by inducing GITR expression on Tresps rather than Tregs, which initiates the apoptosis of Tresp cells in SLE patients.
Taxation: The Lost History
Authors: Dwyer Terence
Published: October 2014

Regular, periodic taxation is a function of modern government, a practice that arose only because the rent of land and natural resources was transformed from the traditional source of public revenue in the Middle Ages to private property, starting in the 17th century. In the earlier era, taxes (special exactions on ordinary income and daily necessities) were imposed only under unusual circumstances, usually to fight wars. The French Physiocrats and their student, Adam Smith, proposed that the best form of modern taxation would be based on the same principle as the medieval system—a fee derived entirely from surpluses, not imposed as a burden on production. This was actually what Adam Smith meant by “ability to pay.” Smith's sophisticated understanding of economic rent was, however, simplified and distorted by numerous economists throughout the 19th century, who buried the concept under layers of obfuscation. In particular, the substitution of “Paretian rent” for “Ricardian rent” committed the fallacy of composition by shifting rent from a social concept to a private, unit‐level concept, which caused social surplus to simply “disappear.” Bringing this “lost history” to light permits us to re‐evaluate how modern societies might benefit from Smith's physiocratic concept of taxation. This work not only traces debates about rent—for example, whether rent arises from risk‐taking, or whether a tax on rent raises commodity prices—but also discusses the practical benefits of taxing it today.
Sexual function in women before and after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Glavind Karin , Larsen Thomas , Lindquist Anna Sofie Inger
Published: October 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual function in women before and after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using native tissue repair.

Design

A prospective observational study.

Setting

Danish university hospital, between December 2008 and May 2010.

Population

Eighty‐one patients who had a POP operation with native tissue repair performed.

Methods

The patients completed a validated Danish questionnaire on prolapse, the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire – 12 Short Form (PISQ‐12‐SF), and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ‐UI‐SF) before undergoing surgery and six months postoperatively.

Main outcome measures

Differences in PISQ‐12‐SF measures six months after the operation in different types of POP operations.

Results

Preoperatively, the PISQ‐12‐SF score (mean ± SD) was 35.2 ± 4.6 and postoperatively 38.3 ± 3.9, giving a significant difference of 3.0 ± 3.8. (p < 0.05). Thirty‐seven women (72%) improved their PISQ‐12‐SF score postoperatively, nine (18%) had an equal score, and five (10%) reported a lower score. There was no significant difference in the PISQ‐12‐SF scores between different operations. The ICIQ‐UI‐SF showed an overall improvement in incontinence postoperatively with a small correlation to PISQ‐12‐SF.

Conclusions

The majority of patients who undergo operation for different kinds of POP using native tissue repair, experience an improvement in their sexual life postoperatively. Most women with preoperative urinary incontinence experienced cure or improvement after POP surgery.
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: Educating surgeons about advanced laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Nakamura Yoshiharu , Matsushita Akira , Katsuno Akira , Sumiyoshi Hiroki , Yoshioka Masato , Shimizu Tetsuya , Mizuguchi Yoshiaki , Uchida Eiji
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (Lap‐DP) has been recognized worldwide as a feasible and highly beneficial procedure. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Lap‐DP techniques are being implemented safely by surgeons training to perform this procedure.

Methods

We retrospectively compared the perioperative outcomes of Lap‐DP in patients operated on by the surgeon originating this procedure at our hospital (expert surgeon group [E group], n = 47) and patients operated on by surgeons training to perform this procedure (training surgeons group [T group], n = 53).

Results

The median operating times for the E group and T group were 321 min (range, 150–653 min) and 314 min (range, 173–629 min), respectively; these times were not significantly different (P = 0.4769). The median blood loss in the T group (100 mL; range, 0–1950 mL) was significantly smaller than in the E group (280 mL; range, 0–1920 mL) (P = 0.0003). There were no significant intergroup differences in other operative results: combined operation ratio, spleen‐ and splenic vessels‐preserving ratio, hand‐assisted procedure ratio, and the ratio of transition to open. The frequency of pancreatic fistulas in the E group and T group was 12.8% and 16.9%, respectively; these rates were not significantly different (P = 0.5886). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of other complications and reoperation rates. The median hospital stay for the E group was significantly shorter than for the T group (10 vs 13 days; P = 0.0307).

Conclusion

This retrospective analysis shows that teaching safe Lap‐DP techniques to surgeons is reflected in stable perioperative outcomes.
Phenotypic evolution of an Atlantic Forest passerine (Xiphorhynchus fuscus): biogeographic and systematic implications
Authors: Cabanne Gustavo S. , Trujillo-Arias Natalia , Calderón Luciano , d'Horta Fernando M. , Miyaki Cristina Y.
Published: October 2014

We studied the phenotypic variation of the Atlantic Forest passerine Xiphorhynchus fuscus (Aves: Dendrocolaptidae) with the broad aim of addressing whether the history and type of forest affected the evolution of endemic taxa. We also tested whether the different subspecies and genetic lineages of X. fuscus could be considered full species. We collected plumage and body size measurements and, in combination with genetic data, used multivariate tests to evaluate the working hypotheses. Our results, combined with previous biogeographic analyses, indicate that vicariant events have been important determinants in the evolution of phenotypic characters of X. fuscus, once genetic isolation was complete. Our analysis also suggests that forest heterogeneity and ecotones are important factors in the early evolution of Atlantic Forest taxa, perhaps via divergent selection. Forest instability during the Pleistocene was critical in the evolution of phenotypic traits. We confirm that the subspecies atlanticus should be considered a full species. Other lineages or populations are also phenotypically differentiated but we do not suggest considering them as full species. They share high levels of gene flow and are part of a continuous latitudinal cline of phenotypic variation. Our study suggests that not all the historic events in the Atlantic Forest that affected the evolution of genetic lineages also influenced the evolution of phenotypic characters in the same direction and intensity. Undoubtedly, natural selection played a major role in the evolution of Atlantic Forest organisms.
Urinary bladder inflammation induces changes in urothelial nerve growth factor andTRPV1 channels
Authors: Coelho A , Wolf‐Johnston A S , Shinde S , Cruz C D , Cruz F , Avelino A , Birder L A
Published: October 2014

Background and Purpose

The urinary bladder urothelium expresses various receptors and in response to chemical and mechanical stimuli releases mediators, thereby modulating bladder sensory pathways. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channels and nerve growth factor (NGF) in those cells are implicated in this modulatory effect and play a role in sensitizing pain‐related afferent pathways during inflammation. In this study, we investigated the interaction betweenNGFandTRPV1 channels in urothelial cells.

Experimental Approach

Urothelial cells from femaleSprague‐Dawley rat bladders were cultured to quantify membrane expression ofTRPV1 channels and capsaicin‐inducedATPrelease in the presence ofNGFalone or withTrKAor PI3K inhibitors. Pain scores from rats with cyclophosphamide (CYP)‐induced bladder inflammation were assessed after treatment with aTrkAantagonist. Bladders (from control andCYPrats) were collected and analysed forNGFcontent andTRPV1 channel expression.

Key Results

Cultured cells responded toNGFwith increasedTRPV1 channel expression in the cell membrane and increased release ofATP. Both responses were blocked by either aTrkAantagonist or aPI3K inhibitor. Treatmentin vivowith theTrkAantagonist alleviated pain symptoms and reducedCYP‐inducedNGFoverexpression in the mucosa. Furthermore, in urothelial cells from animals with bladder inflammation, expression ofTRPV1 channels in the membrane was significantly increased.

Conclusions and Implications

During bladder inflammation, increased production ofNGFin urothelial cells induced increased expression and activity ofTRPV1 channels in the cell membrane. This effect was primarily mediated by the PI3Kpathway.
Validation and randomized control trial of the e‐SAID, a computerized paediatric dental patient request form, to intervene in dental anxiety
Authors: Jones L.
Published: October 2014

Background

A rationale for, and pilot of a children's patient request form developed specifically for dental visits, has been previously reported. The SAID (survey of anxiety and information for dentists) is a questionnaire with three embedded subscales: dental anxiety, coping style and dental neglect. It includes children's requests for emotional support, information and treatment. The main, but not sole, response format is a facial image scale. A randomized control trial of a computer version is now reported. The aims were to validate items in the e‐SAID, and to assess it as an intervention in dental anxiety.

Method

A total of 168 children aged 10–13, attending for routine dental checks in a community dental clinic, were randomly assigned to intervention (83) or control (85) groups. The intervention group completed the e‐SAID, in which the first and last questions measured anxiety; and printed a summary of their responses for the dentist. Control group children completed the same anxiety questions, but with a time‐lapse.

Results

Means and SD were summarized for the 11 items showing a generally positive skew on the seven point scale. After removing the two‐item dental neglect subscale, the anxiety and coping subscales were shown to be relatively independent (r = 0.14) and factorially pure. The intervention group mean anxiety score decreased following completion of the e‐SAID, while the control group mean anxiety score increased with a small significant interaction effect; however, much of the change occurred in the positive‐affect end of the scale.

Conclusions

Two problems are discussed: defining anxiety as a bipolar score; and some children being so keen to be assigned to the intervention group that they circumvented the computer allocation process. Children wanted to actively engage in discussion of their dental treatment. The e‐SAID was an effective tool for that, regardless of initial low anxiety levels.
Social and Cognitive Factors Associated With Children's Secret‐Keeping for a Parent
Authors: Gordon Heidi M. , Lyon Thomas D. , Lee Kang
Published: October 2014

This study examined children's secret‐keeping for a parent and its relation to trust, theory of mind, secrecy endorsement, and executive functioning (EF). Children (N = 107) between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a procedure wherein parents broke a toy and asked children to promise secrecy. Responses to open‐ended and direct questions were examined. Overall, secret‐keeping increased with age and promising to keep the secret was related to fewer disclosures in open‐ended questioning. Children who kept the secret in direct questioning exhibited greater trust and better parental ratings of EF than children who disclosed the secret. Findings highlight the importance of both social and cognitive factors in secret‐keeping development.
Placement breakdowns in long‐term foster care – a regional Swedish study
Authors: Vinnerljung Bo , Sallnäs Marie , Berlin Marie
Published: October 2014

We used a regional sample of children in long‐term foster care to investigate the prevalence of placement breakdown in adolescence, and to assess risk factors/risk markers for placement disruption. The sample consisted of all 136 foster children in the region, born 1980–1992, who on their 12th birthday had been in the same foster family for at least 4 years. They were followed in case files until date of disruption or their 18th birthday. Data on conditions before and during placement were retrieved from case files, and analysed in bi‐ and multivariate models. Results showed that one in four placements broke down in adolescence. The median child who experienced a breakdown was 14 years old, and had been in the same foster home for more than 10 years. Prominent risk factors were (i) being placed after age 2 and (ii) having a birth sibling in the same foster home. We also uncovered strong risk markers that can be viewed as precursors of placement disruption. When the child or the foster parents repeatedly over time expressed dissatisfaction with the placement, this ended with a placement breakdown in 60% of cases. Implications for practice are discussed.
Consanguinity and founder effect for Gaucher disease mutation G377S in a population from Tabuleiro do Norte, Northeastern Brazil
Authors: Chaves R.G. , Pereira L. da Veiga , de Araújo F.T. , Rozenberg R. , Carvalho M.D.F. , Coelho J.C. , Michelin‐Tirelli K. , Chaves M. de Freitas , Cavalcanti G.B.
Published: October 2014

Gaucher's disease (GD) is caused by a β‐glucocerebrosidase deficiency, leading to the accumulation of glucocerebroside in the reticuloendothelial system. The prevalence of GD in Tabuleiro do Norte (TN) (1:4000) is the highest in Brazil. The purpose of this study was to present evidence of consanguinity and founder effect for the G377S mutation (c.1246G>A) among GD patients in TN based on enzyme, molecular and genealogical studies. Between March 2009 and December 2010, 131 subjects at risk for GD (GC in dried blood ≤2.19 nmol/h/ml) and 5 confirmed GD patients from the same community were submitted for molecular analysis to characterize the genetic profile of the population. Based on the enzymatic and molecular analysis, the subjects were classified into three categories: affected (n = 5), carrier (n = 20) and non‐carrier (n = 111). All carriers were (G377S/wt). Affected subjects were homozygous (G377S/G377S). The identification of a single mutation in carriers and homozygotes from different generations, the history of the community and the genealogy study suggest that the high prevalence of GD in this population may be due to a combination of consanguinity and founder effect for the G377S mutation.
Defining Critical Habitats of Threatened and Endemic Reef Fishes with a Multivariate Approach
Authors: PURCELL STEVEN W. , CLARKE K. ROBERT , RUSHWORTH KELVIN , DALTON STEVEN J.
Published: October 2014

Understanding critical habitats of threatened and endemic animals is essential for mitigating extinction risks, developing recovery plans, and siting reserves, but assessment methods are generally lacking. We evaluated critical habitats of 8 threatened or endemic fish species on coral and rocky reefs of subtropical eastern Australia, by measuring physical and substratum‐type variables of habitats at fish sightings. We used nonmetric and metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS, mMDS), Analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), similarity percentages analysis (SIMPER), permutational analysis of multivariate dispersions (PERMDISP), and other multivariate tools to distinguish critical habitats. Niche breadth was widest for 2 endemic wrasses, and reef inclination was important for several species, often found in relatively deep microhabitats. Critical habitats of mainland reef species included small caves or habitat‐forming hosts such as gorgonian corals and black coral trees. Hard corals appeared important for reef fishes at Lord Howe Island, and red algae for mainland reef fishes. A wide range of habitat variables are required to assess critical habitats owing to varied affinities of species to different habitat features. We advocate assessments of critical habitats matched to the spatial scale used by the animals and a combination of multivariate methods. Our multivariate approach furnishes a general template for assessing the critical habitats of species, understanding how these vary among species, and determining differences in the degree of habitat specificity.

Definición de Hábitats Críticos para Peces Arrecifales Amenazados y Endémicos Mediante un Método Multivariado