bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Student Satisfaction and Persistence: Imperative Features for Retention in Open and Distance Learning
Authors: Gorky Sembiring Maximus
Published: August 2016

This paper examines the elements of overall service quality as evidence for student satisfaction in an open and distance learning mode. It aims mainly at assessing the implementation and utilization of services as expected and experienced by students. The paper also explores the links between satisfaction and grade point average, student persistence and retention. The research was conducted at Universitas Terbuka utilizing a survey, with the data being collected randomly through a questionnaire. The population was 1,154 Universitas Terbuka graduates attending a commencement day in May 2014. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed and 218 of them were returned complete and processed. Student satisfaction was assessed by scrutinizing the dimensions of service quality: the attributes of reliability, assurance, tangibility, empathy and responsiveness. An Importance Performance Analysis and a Customer Satisfaction Index were first applied concurrently to measure student satisfaction and the level of its importance. Structural equation modelling was then used to verify the influencing features related to satisfaction with the grade point average, persistence and retention. Eight hypotheses were formed and examined, six of which were statistically validated by the analysis. It was found that empathy, responsiveness and reliability directly influenced student satisfaction; and persistence and retention were visibly affected by satisfaction.
Learner Autonomy through the Adoption of Open Educational Resources Using Social Network Services and Multi-media E-textbooks
Authors: Hori Masumi , Ono Seishi , Kobayashi Shinzo , Yamaji Kazutsuna , Kita Toshihiro , Yamada Tsuneo
Published: August 2016

With the development of social network services (SNS) on the Internet, the world has gained access to vast amounts of information resources, allowing people to carefully research and select what they need and want to share with others. The main idea behind open educational resources (OER) is providing freely accessible and openly licensed documents, which fits well with the online learning system using SNS. However, the gap between higher education and social network media in relation to shared activities and OER use remains a challenge. The main reason for this is that teachers lack knowledge of mutual assistance and the skills to use OER. Teachers are dissatisfied with having to use others' resources, which indicates that the problem lies in teachers' psychological conflicts and technical capabilities. Our learning platform, Creative Higher Education with Learning Objects (CHiLO), is based on e-textbooks and aims to develop a flexible learning environment. The CHiLO e-textbooks were developed with a completely new design that considered large-scale online courses, such as open online courses. The core component of CHiLO is the CHiLO Book, which is created in EPUB3 format and has media-rich contents, including graphics, animations, audios and embedded videos. Our set of experimental outcomes shows that CHiLO, which includes not only Web services but also e-textbooks, is easy for teachers to handle.
Reflections on Blended Learning: A Case Study at the Open University of Hong Kong
Authors: Bo Tso Anna Wing
Published: August 2016

Teaching presentation skills is by no means an easy task. To teach such skills effectively, a teacher must help the students to learn how to (1) design and organize the presentation contenteffectively; (2) strengthen their verbal and nonverbal communication skills;and (3) master the use of visual aids. Often, the traditional face-to-face classroom setting falls short when the lecturer has to teach more than 100 students how to observe small details of body language and vocal skills. In this case, a blended learning mode — a hybrid of face-to-face and online learning — may be a better option than a pure face-to-face learning mode (Fang, Chow & Soo, 2012).

The purpose of this paperis to demonstrate how blended learning can be implemented to teach university students' presentation skills. In the spring term of 2013, ENGL A122F: Presentation Skills, a five-credit course for full-time undergraduate students, was first delivered via a blended learning approach at the Open University of Hong Kong. Attempting to combine the best features of the online and face-to-face modes of teaching, the blended delivery course incorporated video and interactive web-based components into the course outline.

In this paper, I share my experience of how presentation skills can be taught through video lectures and assessed through the online learning environment (OLE), alongside traditional teacher-led lectures and tutorials. Also, I discuss how the blended learning approach, compared with the traditional face-to-face teaching mode, can not only facilitate propositional knowing, but also help learners to achieveexperiential knowing, and presentational knowing (Heron & Reason, 2006). Last but not least, the paper reflects on students'feedback, as well as the challengeswhen implementing the blended learning mode.
Movement characteristics of micro drill bit during entry period in PCB high speed drilling
Authors: Shi Hongyan , Yan Qiuxin , Chen Shengzhi
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the movement characteristics of micro drill bit during entry period in printed circuit board (PCB) high-speed drilling and to present an effective method to conduct quantitative analysis of the wandering of drill bit based on high-speed video capturing.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the high-speed camera technology, experiments are conducted to get a series of time sequence images and the wandering of micro drill tip and the radial run-out of drill body, and the max-deformation of drill bit are calculated by using a quantitative analysis method. Finally, the movement characteristics of micro drill bit during entry drilling period PCB high-speed drilling are evaluated.

Findings

With the increasing spindle speed, the radial run-out of drill body decreases gradually, whereas the wandering amplitude of the drill point gradually increases; micro drill bit itself has an ability of positioning deviation correction after contacting the entry sheet; the feed rate within a certain range could slightly worsen the deformation of drill tip at the instant of impingement.

Research limitations/implications

With the improvement of spindle speed, the camera’s shooting speed needed will increase accordingly, thus, the resolution of the pictures will decline, which always affects the analysis precision.

Originality/value

A series of effective methods to conduct quantitative analysis of the wandering micro drill bit by using high-speed camera technology is presented; a reference for the optimization of micro-hole drilling is provided.
The relevance and promise of relational mentoring for school leadership: a conversation
Authors: Cowin Kathleen M. , Gates Gordon S. , Luckett Kathleen
Published: August 2016

Purpose

– Studies uniformly portray the assistant principal (AP) position as challenging given a number of systemic issues that negatively impact job satisfaction and performance. Mentoring has been proposed as a way to redress these problems. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate an alternative to traditional mentoring and make recommendations for how to utilize this approach in supporting APs and principal interns.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors employ a retrospective and conversational approach, sharing incidents and interactions from their professional experience and making connections to existing research literature. The authors explain the relevance of three concepts developed in relational cultural theory (RCT) including: interdependent self-in-relation, growth-fostering interactions, and an exploration of systemic power.

Findings

– The narrative exposes the ambiguity of school leadership and its toll, as well as how relational mentoring facilitates integration and making sense of challenging experiences for improved coping. Barriers in communication are described and the ways relational mentoring addresses these weaknesses by building trust, recognizing the expertise of mentor and protégé, and encouraging protégé empowerment and judgment.

Research limitations/implications

– Potential research limitations such as inaccuracies in recall, reliance on a single method, and hindsight bias are recognized and addressed to reduce their threat.

Practical implications

– RCT may provide ways to develop and structure more effective mentoring programs and educate both aspiring leaders and their mentors in their work together to provide for leadership development.

Social implications

– Improved mentoring practices have the potential to help APs socialize into the role more quickly and become more effective school leaders.

Originality/value

– The authors describe the use of RCT in a new context. The paper provides insights and guidance for APs, principals, principal interns, and leadership preparation faculty to offer a pathway on which to prepare the next generation of school leaders equipped with the desired competences and experiences to transform schools.
Supporting the development and professional growth of middle space educational leaders through mentoring
Authors: Searby Linda  J. , Armstrong Denise
Published: August 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce readers to the special issue on “middle space” education leaders (those individuals who are second-in-command in schools). The special issue contains papers pertaining to mentoring those preparing for and aspiring to the assistant school leader role, as well as papers on programs that support new assistant principals/vice-principals through mentoring and coaching. The authors provide background on middle space leadership and mentoring from existing research literature, introduce the international papers selected for the issue, and identify unifying themes across the papers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors provide highlights of relevant research literature on the importance of mentoring for school leaders in general, but also specifically address the need for mentoring for middle space leaders from the scant literature that exists on the topic. After reviewing the relevant literature, the authors provide an overview of the seven papers that were chosen for the issue through a rigorous peer-review process.

Findings

– The co-editors of this special issue identify common themes that emerged from the papers chosen for the issue. In general, authors note that middle space leaders have unique mentoring and coaching needs, and there are few formal programs that address their needs. However, there is a growing awareness of the need to support assistant principals through structured mentoring programs, as well as preparing and mentoring those who aspire to the position.

Research limitations/implications

– The seven papers chosen for the special issue represent a variety of research methodologies. A limitation is that the majority of the studies are qualitative, with small sample populations. However, even with small sample sizes, commonalities can be seen across the studies and across international contexts.

Practical implications

– This review summarizes the issues facing middle space leaders in education and how they can be effectively addressed. The global audience that can benefit from engaging with the papers in this special issue includes educational leadership faculty, educational governing bodies, policymakers, school district central office personnel, senior principals, and assistant principals themselves.

Originality/value

– This paper and the seven that follow extend the scant research literature in the realm of middle space leaders in education. They provide unique insights – from different international contexts including the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, and New Zealand – into the need for and potential benefits of mentoring and coaching aspiring and new middle space leaders.
Indirectly productive entrepreneurship
Authors: Padilla Alexandre , Cachanosky Nicolás
Published: August 2016

Purpose

– Since Baumol (1990), the economic literature has distinguished between two broad categories of entrepreneurship: productive and unproductive. The purpose of this paper is to introduce another subcategory: indirectly productive entrepreneurship. Sometimes, profit-seeking entrepreneurs allocate their talents to indirectly productive activities to mitigate the new costs market participants endure as a result of a government regulation. The resources used to mitigate these costs must be diverted from other uses.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper uses the example of cell phone storage outside New York City’s high schools to illustrate an indirectly productive entrepreneurial activity that mitigates the inefficiencies or costs created by a regulation. These costs and the resulting entrepreneurship would not have arisen absent the regulation.

Findings

– These profit opportunities do not result from market entrepreneurial errors or successes but emerge from inefficiencies or unintended consequences produced by government regulations. When evaluating such entrepreneurship, the question is whether such regulation is desirable from an efficiency viewpoint because such entrepreneurship, while making such regulation less inefficient or less costly, diverts resources from other lines of production.

Originality/value

– This paper identifies a new category of entrepreneurship: indirectly productive entrepreneurship. This paper also shows that government regulation often deters productive entrepreneurship. However, under some circumstances, regulation can indirectly encourage productive entrepreneurship by creating artificial profit opportunities that would not have existed otherwise.
Understanding foreign direct investment in Indonesia
Authors: Gopalan Sasidaran , Hattari Rabin , Rajan Ramkishen S.
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the dynamics of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Indonesia. It is interested specifically in analysing and deliberating on two important policy questions: First, are all kinds of FDI useful from a policy perspective and what does the existing data on FDI reveal about the type of FDI inflows into Indonesia? Second, does the existing data help understand the extent of de facto bilateral linkages between Indonesia and other countries?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper offers an in-depth case study of Indonesia using extensive exploratory data analysis on FDI inflows into Indonesia. As discussed in the paper, the data investigation uses and reconciles available FDI data both from national and international sources to understand the usefulness of such data for policy analysis.

Findings

A data investigation of the trends in different types of FDI flows reveals a discernible downward trend in the ratio of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)–FDI ratio over the years. The paper argues that from a sequencing perspective, while a medium-to-long-term framework encouraging both domestic and foreign Greenfield investments could help Indonesia regain its growth luster, in the near term much more attention needs to be paid to FDI inflows in the form of M&As. Further, reconciling FDI and M&A data might help identify the original sources of FDI flows because existing data are based on flow of funds rather than ultimate ownership.

Practical implications

Since the Asian financial crisis, Indonesia has successfully embarked on a phase of economic and political transition post-Suharto, with the cornerstones of such a strategy being a process of greater democratisation and decentralisation. However, there have been growing concerns of economic growth stagnation in recent years. One of the policies to revive the economy’s lustre adopted by the government has been to attract greater FDI inflows. In this light, this paper examines the dynamics of FDI into Indonesia and deliberates on what kinds of FDI policymakers should focus on attracting to restore the country’s growth lustre.

Originality/value

The question of whether a policy to attract FDI should be careful in distinguishing the kind of FDI it wants to attract has not been sufficiently addressed in the related literature. This paper provides a framework to understand the different macroeconomic policy implications of types of FDI and provides extensive data analysis to not only understand the types of FDI but also sources of bilateral FDI inflows to Indonesia by reconciling FDI and M&A data.
Fiscal policies in EMU countries: strategies and empirical evidence
Authors: Forte Francesco , Magazzino Cosimo
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to evaluate fiscal adjustments that have occurred in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) countries in the last 35 years, and their consequences on the economic growth process by using the mean group (MG) estimators.

Design/methodology/approach

Our emphasis is on the effects of different composition of fiscal stimuli and consolidations. We compare the effects on the economic growth rate of different compositions of major fiscal changes. We use a cyclically adjusted value of the fiscal variables to leave aside variations of the fiscal variables induced by business cycle fluctuations.

Findings

Our empirical research of the effects of large changes in fiscal policy, both in case of a fiscal consolidation and of fiscal stimulus in the 18 EMU countries from 1980 to 2015, shows that adjustments by cutting current expenditures, rather than by tax increases are more likely to boost economic growth. It also shows that cuts of investment expenditures may reduce GDP growth. During fiscal stimulus episodes, tax cuts and public investments are more likely to increase growth than current public expenditure.

Originality/value

This is the first study devoted to the EMU countries. It should be underlined that the results obtained as for EMU countries are not necessarily applicable to other countries, as the different government size as well as different market institutions may influence the results.
Does Facebook usage lead to conspicuous consumption?
Authors: Taylor David G. , Strutton David
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how Facebook usage is positively related to envy and narcissism, which in turn increase users’ desire for self-promotion and propensity to engage in conspicuous consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via an online survey, with 674 usable responses collected from Facebook users of all ages.

Findings

The results support the hypotheses that increased Facebook usage is positively related to envy and narcissism. These two psychological constructs lead to stronger desires for self-promotion, spurring the behavioral response of conspicuous online consumption.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to the self-reported behaviors of a limited sample. Despite the limitations, the findings identify a process by which increased Facebook usage results in an increased desire to promote oneself through conspicuous consumption.

Practical implications

An understanding of the psychology linking social media use to conspicuous consumption can aid managers in developing marketing strategies to encourage the purchase and usage of positional goods. Specifically, more frequent users may be targeted by advertisers wishing to encourage the purchase and display of their products.

Social implications

Facebook usage appears to elicit emotions – such as narcissism and envy – that most researchers would consider socially undesirable.

Originality/value

An emerging stream of research suggests that social media usage elicits both positive self-comparisons with others (i.e. narcissism) and negative (i.e. envy). This study is among the first to empirically test this effect on the purchase and consumption of positional goods.
Structure and function of methanogenic microbial communities in sediments of Amazonian lakes with different water types
Authors: Ji Yang , Angel Roey , Klose Melanie , Claus Peter , Marotta Humberto , Pinho Luana , Enrich‐Prast Alex , Conrad Ralf
Published: August 2016

Tropical lake sediments are a significant source for the greenhouse gas methane. We studied function (pathway, rate) and structure (abundance, taxonomic composition) of the microbial communities (Bacteria, Archaea) leading to methane formation together with the main physicochemical characteristics in the sediments of four clear water, six white water and three black water lakes of the Amazon River system. Concentrations of sulfate and ferric iron, pH and δ13C of organic carbon were usually higher, while concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and rates of CH4 production were generally lower in white water versus clear water or black water sediments. Copy numbers of bacterial and especially archaeal ribosomal RNA genes also tended to be relatively lower in white water sediments. Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis contributed 58 ± 16% to total CH4 production in all systems. Network analysis identified six communities, of which four were comprised mostly of bacteria found in all sediment types, while two were mostly in clear water sediment. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP) and pyrosequencing showed that the compositions of the communities differed between the different sediment systems, statistically related to the particular physicochemical conditions and to CH4 production rates. Among the archaea, clear water, white water, and black water sediments contained relatively more Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinaceae and Methanocellales, respectively, while Methanosaetaceae were common in all systems. Proteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria (Myxococcales, Syntrophobacterales, sulfate reducers) in particular, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes were the most abundant bacterial phyla in all sediment systems. Among the other important bacterial phyla, clear water sediments contained relatively more Alphaproteobacteria and Planctomycetes, whereas white water sediments contained relatively more Betaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi than the respective other sediment systems. The data showed communities of bacteria common to all sediment types, but also revealed microbial groups that were significantly different between the sediment types, which also differed in physicochemical conditions. Our study showed that function of the microbial communities may be understood on the basis of their structures, which in turn are determined by environmental heterogeneity.
Electromicrobiology: realities, grand challenges, goals and predictions
Authors: Nealson Kenneth H. , Rowe Annette R.
Published: August 2016

Electromicrobiology is a subdiscipline of microbiology that involves extracellular electron transfer (EET) to (or from) insoluble electron active redox compounds located outside the outer membrane of the cell. These interactions can often be studied using electrochemical techniques which have provided novel insights into microbial physiology in recent years. The mechanisms (and variations) of outward EET are well understood for two model systems, Shewanella and Geobacter, both of which employ multihaem cytochromes to provide an electron conduit to the cell exterior. In contrast, little is known of the intricacies of inward EET, even in these model systems. Given the number of labs now working on EET, it seems likely that most of the mechanistic details will be understood in a few years for the model systems, and the many applications of electromicrobiology will continue to move forward. But emerging work, using electrodes as electron acceptors and donors is providing an abundance of new types of microbes capable of EET inward and/or outward: microbes that are clearly different from our known systems. The extent of this very diverse, and perhaps widely distributed and biogeochemically important ability needs to be determined to understand the mechanisms, importance, and raison d'etre of EET for microbial biology.
Accumbal μ‐Opioid Receptors Modulate Ethanol Intake in Alcohol‐Preferring Alko Alcohol Rats
Authors: Uhari‐Väänänen Johanna , Raasmaja Atso , Bäckström Pia , Oinio Ville , Airavaara Mikko , Piepponen Petteri , Kiianmaa Kalervo
Published: August 2016

Background

The nucleus accumbens shell is a key brain area mediating the reinforcing effects of ethanol (EtOH). Previously, it has been shown that the density of μ‐opioid receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell is higher in alcohol‐preferring Alko Alcohol (AA) rats than in alcohol‐avoiding Alko Non‐Alcohol rats. In addition, EtOH releases opioid peptides in the nucleus accumbens and opioid receptor antagonists are able to modify EtOH intake, all suggesting an opioidergic mechanism in the control of EtOH consumption. As the exact mechanisms of opioidergic involvement remains to be elucidated, the aim of this study was to clarify the role of accumbal μ‐ and κ‐opioid receptors in controlling EtOH intake in alcohol‐preferring AA rats.

Methods

Microinfusions of the μ‐opioid receptor antagonist CTOP (0.3 and 1 μg/site), μ‐opioid receptor agonist DAMGO (0.03 and 0.1 μg/site), nonselective opioid receptor agonist morphine (30 μg/site), and κ‐opioid receptor agonist U50488H (0.3 and 1 μg/site) were administered via bilateral guide cannulas into the nucleus accumbens shell of AA rats that voluntarily consumed 10% EtOH solution in an intermittent, time‐restricted (90‐minute) 2‐bottle choice access paradigm.

Results

CTOP (1 μg/site) significantly increased EtOH intake. Conversely, DAMGO resulted in a decreasing trend in EtOH intake. Neither morphine nor U50488H had any effect on EtOH intake in the used paradigm.

Conclusions

The results provide further evidence for the role of accumbens shell μ‐opioid receptors but not κ‐opioid receptors in mediating reinforcing effects of EtOH and in regulating EtOH consumption. The results also provide support for views suggesting that the nucleus accumbens shell has a major role in mediating EtOH reward.
Assessing cardiac and liver iron overload in chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Badawy Sherif M. , Liem Robert I. , Rigsby Cynthia K. , Labotka Richard J. , DeFreitas R. Andrew , Thompson Alexis A.
Published: August 2016

Transfusional iron overload represents a substantial challenge in the management of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) who receive chronic or episodic red blood cell transfusions. Iron‐induced cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of death in other chronically transfused populations but rarely seen in SCD. Study objectives were to: (i) examine the extent of myocardial and hepatic siderosis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronically transfused SCD patients, and (ii) evaluate the relationship between long‐term (over the 5 years prior to enrolment) mean serum ferritin (MSF), spot‐ferritin values and liver iron content (LIC) measured using MRI and liver biopsy. Thirty‐two SCD patients (median age 15 years) with transfusional iron overload were recruited from two U.S. institutions. Long‐term MSF and spot‐ferritin values significantly correlated with LIC by MRI‐R2* (r = 0·77, P < 0·001; r = 0·82, P < 0·001, respectively). LIC by MRI‐R2* had strong positive correlation with LIC by liver biopsy (r = 0·98, P < 0·001) but modest inverse correlation with cardiac MRI‐T2* (r = −0·41, P = 0·02). Moderate to severe transfusional iron overload in SCD was not associated with aberrations in other measures of cardiac function based on echocardiogram or serum biomarkers. Our results suggest that SCD patients receiving chronic transfusions may not demonstrate significant cardiac iron loading irrespective of ferritin trends, LIC and erythropoiesis suppression.
Sustained treatment of sickle cell mice with haptoglobin increases HO‐1 and H‐ferritin expression and decreases iron deposition in the kidney without improvement in kidney function
Authors: Shi Patricia A. , Choi Erika , Chintagari Narendranath R. , Nguyen Julia , Guo Xinhua , Yazdanbakhsh Karina , Mohandas Narla , Alayash Abdu I. , Manci Elizabeth A. , Belcher John D. , Vercellotti Gregory M.
Published: August 2016

There is growing evidence that extracellular haemoglobin and haem mediate inflammatory and oxidative damage in sickle cell disease. Haptoglobin (Hp), the scavenger for free haemoglobin, is depleted in most patients with sickle cell disease due to chronic haemolysis. Although single infusions of Hp can ameliorate vaso‐occlusion in mouse models of sickle cell disease, prior studies have not examined the therapeutic benefits of more chronic Hp dosing on sickle cell disease manifestations. In the present study, we explored the effect of Hp treatment over a 3‐month period in sickle mice at two dosing regimens: the first at a moderate dose of 200 mg/kg thrice weekly and the second at a higher dose of 400 mg/kg thrice weekly. We found that only the higher dosing regimen resulted in increased haem‐oxygenase‐1 and heavy chain ferritin (H‐ferritin) expression and decreased iron deposition in the kidney. Despite the decreased kidney iron deposition following Hp treatment, there was no significant improvement in kidney function. However, there was a nearly significant trend towards decreased liver infarction.
Childhood, Human Rights and Adversity: The Case of Children and Military Conflict
Authors: Wyness Michael
Published: August 2016

The Convention on the rights of the Child focuses global attention on those children living in adverse situations crystallising a global commitment to protecting children. Nevertheless, beyond these commitments to children, researchers have questioned whether the rights agenda captures the diversity of children's lives globally. Does the Convention connect with the lifeworlds of children playing formative roles? Drawing on critical research on children's rights, I address this question through analysing the roles that children play in military conflict. I explore a human rights framework, which highlights the agency of child soldiers focusing on their material, social and political capacities.
S1‐Guidelines on UV phototherapy and photochemotherapy
Authors: Herzinger Thomas , Berneburg Mark , Ghoreschi Kamran , Gollnick Harald , Hölzle Erhard , Hönigsmann Herbert , Lehmann Percy , Peters Thorsten , Röcken Martin , Scharffetter‐Kochanek Karin , Schwarz Thomas , Simon Jan , Tanew Adrian , Weichenthal Michael
Published: August 2016

Known in part since antiquity, the salutary effects of sunlight again garnered increasing attention in the second half of the 19th century. The development of a device for ultraviolet irradiation of cutaneous tuberculosis by Finnsen at the onset of the twentieth century truly marked the beginning of modern phototherapy. In dermatology, treatment methods almost exclusively use wavelengths below the visible light range (ultraviolet light). Since the early 1970s, increasingly powerful artificial light sources have become available for UVB and UVA therapy as well as the combination of UVA and photosensitizers (photochemotherapy). High structural and procedural quality standards are an essential prerequisite for the implementation of effective as well as safe phototherapy. The following guidelines outline the current consensus of leading experts in the field of phototherapy with respect to indications, contraindications, and side effects of various treatment options available. Particular focus is also on adequate UV doses at the beginning and over the further course of treatment as well as on management of side effects.
On the significance of negative‐pressure wound therapy with instillation in dermatology
Authors: Müller Cornelia Sigrid Lissi , Burgard Barbara , Zimmerman Monika , Vogt Thomas , Pföhler Claudia
Published: August 2016

Methods used in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds undergo constant evolution, reevaluation, and innovation. While negative‐pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an established treatment modality, the combination of NPWT and instillation of normal saline as well as solutions with active antiseptic components for topical treatment of the wound bed represents a novel approach. The well‐known effects of NPWT may thus be combined with those of local antisepsis. They include a decrease in wound area, induction of granulation tissue, and reduction in bacterial colonization. To date, studies have focused on NPWT with instillation for orthopedic/surgical indications, whereas clinical data in dermatosurgery is limited to case reports or small case series. There are as yet no randomized prospective studies investigating NPWT with instillation in the treatment of skin disorders.

The goal of this review is to present the method of NPWT with instillation, to highlight its mode of action as well as possible complications and contraindications, and to review the recent literature. In summary, there is increasing evidence that both simple and complicated wounds may be effectively treated with NPWT with instillation, resulting in markedly accelerated tissue granulation and thus earlier defect closure.
Primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders
Authors: Wieser Iris , Tetzlaff Michael T. , Torres Cabala Carlos A. , Duvic Madeleine
Published: August 2016

Primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders are the second most common group of cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas (CTCL) and include lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) and primary cutaneous anaplastic large T‐cell lymphoma (cALCL). Both disease entities share overlapping clinical, histopathological, and molecular features, thus representing a spectrum of cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders. LyP may be distinguished from cALCL by clinicopathological correlation. In some patients, both diseases may coexist at initial diagnosis or develop over the course of the disease. Mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common CTCL, is not considered a primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder, but may occur in some LyP patients. In addition, LyP‐like lesions may develop in MF patients. However, this is frequently a manifestation of MF rather than a representation of two different disease entities. Caution also has to be taken in the setting of transformed MF with lesions expressing CD30, as they may be mistaken for either LyP or cALCL, resulting in an inadequate therapeutic approach.
Board Composition and Relationship‐Specific Investments by Customers and Suppliers
Authors: Minnick Kristina , Raman Kartik
Published: August 2016

Firms are more likely to include a supplier‐customer on the board if the supplier‐customer invests more in relationship‐specific assets. The results are stronger when the firm has poorer financial reporting quality or is financially distressed, as well as post‐SOX. Suppliers‐customers also increase their relationship‐specific investment following their appointment to the board. Directorships help avoid underinvestment and mitigate contracting frictions by reducing information risks and strengthening informal contracts with the firm.
Incorporating climate change into ecosystem service assessments and decisions: a review
Authors: Runting Rebecca K. , Bryan Brett A. , Dee Laura E. , Maseyk Fleur J. F. , Mandle Lisa , Hamel Perrine , Wilson Kerrie A. , Yetka Kathleen , Possingham Hugh P. , Rhodes Jonathan R.
Published: August 2016

Climate change is having a significant impact on ecosystem services and is likely to become increasingly important as this phenomenon intensifies. Future impacts can be difficult to assess as they often involve long timescales, dynamic systems with high uncertainties, and are typically confounded by other drivers of change. Despite a growing literature on climate change impacts on ecosystem services, no quantitative syntheses exist. Hence, we lack an overarching understanding of the impacts of climate change, how they are being assessed, and the extent to which other drivers, uncertainties, and decision making are incorporated. To address this, we systematically reviewed the peer‐reviewed literature that assesses climate change impacts on ecosystem services at subglobal scales. We found that the impact of climate change on most types of services was predominantly negative (59% negative, 24% mixed, 4% neutral, 13% positive), but varied across services, drivers, and assessment methods. Although uncertainty was usually incorporated, there were substantial gaps in the sources of uncertainty included, along with the methods used to incorporate them. We found that relatively few studies integrated decision making, and even fewer studies aimed to identify solutions that were robust to uncertainty. For management or policy to ensure the delivery of ecosystem services, integrated approaches that incorporate multiple drivers of change and account for multiple sources of uncertainty are needed. This is undoubtedly a challenging task, but ignoring these complexities can result in misleading assessments of the impacts of climate change, suboptimal management outcomes, and the inefficient allocation of resources for climate adaptation.
Relationships between intramuscular fat, muscle strength and gait independence in older women: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Akazawa Naoki , Okawa Naomi , Tamura Kimiyuki , Moriyama Hideki
Published: August 2016

Aim

The objectives of the present study were to examine the relationships between intramuscular fat, muscle strength and gait independence, as well as to clarify the intramuscular fat characteristics of dependent older women.

Methods

A total of 25 older women who were unable to walk with or without assistance (dependent group), 22 frail older women (frail group) and 22 healthy older women (healthy group) participated in the present study. The frail participants could walk independently, but showed three or more of the following characteristics: slowness, weakness, weight loss, exhaustion and low physical activity. Outcome measures were quadriceps intramuscular fat determined by ultrasound echo intensity, and quadriceps muscle strength of the dependent, frail and healthy groups. In addition, the degree of gait independence (functional independence measures gait score) was assessed in the dependent and frail groups.

Results

Echo intensity in the dependent group was significantly negatively correlated with muscle strength and the functional independence measure gait score (correlation coefficients −0.635 and −0.344, respectively). Furthermore, echo intensity in the dependent group was significantly higher than in the healthy group. There was no significant difference in echo intensity between the dependent and frail groups.

Conclusions

The present results suggest negative relationships between intramuscular fat and muscle strength, and intramuscular fat and degree of gait independence in dependent older women. In addition, dependent older women have more intramuscular fat than healthy older women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1683–1688.
Stressors and expectations of undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice in Singapore
Authors: Suen Wei Qi , Lim Siriwan , Wang Wenru , Kowitlawakul Yanika
Published: August 2016

Nursing students have experienced stress because they need to focus on academic performance while being exposed to a clinical environment. The study aimed to identify the contributing factors of stress and the clinical environment expectations of undergraduate nursing students during their clinical practice at a university in Singapore. A cross‐sectional descriptive study design using validated surveys was adopted. The Stressors in Nursing Students and the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory questionnaires were used to collect the data in January 2014. A total of 285 nursing students participated in this study. The results showed that third year nursing students had higher stress levels than first year and second year students. Satisfaction in terms of fulfilment among nursing students during clinical practice was found to be the most influential factor in predicting stress. The study suggests that the nursing faculty needs to be more concerned about nursing students' stress level and provide more support to third year students. In addition, students' satisfaction should be considered when developing a clinical curriculum.
Facile Synthesis of BiOBr/Bi2Sn2O7 Heterojunction Photocatalysts with Improved Photocatalytic Activities
Authors: Lv Dongdong , Zhang Dafeng , Pu Xipeng , Li Yecheng , Yin Jie , Ma Huiyan , Dou Jianmin
Published: August 2016

BiOBr/Bi2Sn2O7 heterojunction photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by treating hydrothermal as‐prepared Bi2Sn2O7 nanoparticles with hydrobromic acid (HBr). Partial Bi2Sn2O7 nanoparticles reacted with HBr to form the sheet‐like BiOBr, and Bi2Sn2O7 nanoparticles distributed evenly on BiOBr sheets. BiOBr/Bi2Sn2O7 photocatalysts treated with different concentrations of HBr solution were successfully obtained, and their structures, morphologies, optical, and visible light photocatalytic properties were characterized by XRD, DRS, PL, SEM, and TEM. The experimental results showed that the BiOBr/Bi2Sn2O7 photocatalysts showed improved photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation than pure Bi2Sn2O7. The sample treated with 0.08 mol/L HBr solution shows the best visible light photodegradation performance of rhodamine B. In addition, the active species and photocatalytic mechanism were discussed in detail.
Ultra High Energy‐Storage Density in the Barium Potassium Niobate‐Based Glass‐Ceramics for Energy‐Storage Applications
Authors: Wang Haitao , Liu Jinhua , Zhai Jiwei , Shen Bo
Published: August 2016

The barium potassium niobate‐based glass‐ceramics with high energy‐storage density, high discharge efficiency, and fast discharge speed have been prepared. It was found that dielectric breakdown strength decreases when the crystallization temperature increases. Glass‐ceramics have high energy‐storage density up to 14.58 ± 1.14 J/cm3 with high breakdown strength of 2382 ± 92 kV/cm. Discharge energy density and discharge efficiency of glass‐ceramic capacitor were achieved through a pulse charge–discharge circuit. The reduction of discharge efficiency with the increase of crystallization temperature is mainly caused by interfacial polarization.
Prevalence of psoriatic arthritis and its correlates among patients with psoriasis in Greece: results from a large retrospective study
Authors: Papadavid E. , Katsimbri P. , Kapniari I. , Koumaki D. , Karamparpa A. , Dalamaga M. , Tzannis K. , Βoumpas D. , Rigopoulos D.
Published: August 2016

Objectives

To evaluate the prevalence and its clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a specialized psoriasis clinic of a University Hospital.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 278 patients with psoriasis were evaluated between 2011 and 2013.

Results

The study included 278 patients with psoriasis: 144 (52%) were male and 134 (48%) female. Their median age was 51.41 with median psoriasis presenting age of 34.52 years. Referring to the type of psoriasis, 86% presented with plaque psoriasis, 5% guttate, 2% palms and soles, 2% inverse, 1% pustular and 4% with psoriasis of more than one type. Nail disease appeared in 121 patients (43.5%) and scalp disease in 175 (63%). Of these patients, 85 (30%) had PsA, whereas 51% of patients with PsA had psoriatic nail disease. With reference to the PsA type, 43 (51%) patients presented with polyarthritis, 10 (12%) with oligoarthritis, 7 (8%) with axial arthritis, whereas the rest 25 of them (31%) had PsA of more than one type. The subgroup of patients with PsA had significantly higher rates of comorbidities including arterial hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia compared to non‐PsA patients with 41% vs. 17% (P = 0.001), 20% vs. 8% (P = 0.021) and 41% vs. 19% (P = 0.004), respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of PsA among patients with psoriasis was relatively higher in Greece compared to other ethnic‐based studies. Comorbidities related to life expectancy were more frequent. As there is a high percentage of undiagnosed cases with active arthritis among patients with psoriasis, dermatologists should be aware of PsA clinical signs in order to recognize it earlier and provide successful treatment.
Growth, Grazing, and Starvation Survival in Three Heterotrophic Dinoflagellate Species
Authors: Anderson Sean R. , Menden‐Deuer Susanne
Published: August 2016

To assess the effects of fluctuating prey availability on predator population dynamics and grazing impact on phytoplankton, we measured growth and grazing rates of three heterotrophic dinoflagellate species—Oxyrrhis marina, Gyrodinium dominans and Gyrodinium spirale—before and after depriving them of phytoplankton prey. All three dinoflagellate species survived long periods (> 10 d) without algal prey, coincident with decreases in predator abundance and cell size. After 1–3 wks, starvation led to a 17–57% decrease in predator cell volume and some cells became deformed and transparent. When re‐exposed to phytoplankton prey, heterotrophs ingested prey within minutes and increased cell volumes by 4–17%. At an equivalent prey concentration, continuously fed predators had ~2‐fold higher specific growth rates (0.18 to 0.55 d−1) than after starvation (−0.16 to 0.25 d−1). Maximum specific predator growth rates would be achievable only after a time lag of at least 3 d. A delay in predator growth poststarvation delays predator‐induced phytoplankton mortality when prey re‐emerges at the onset of a bloom event or in patchy prey distributions. These altered predator‐prey population dynamics have implications for the formation of phytoplankton blooms, trophic transfer rates, and potential export of carbon.
Secrecy Culture and Audit Opinion: Some International Evidence
Authors: Chen Theodore T. Y. , Zhang Feida (Frank) , Zhou Gaoguang (Stephen)
Published: August 2016

We examine whether and how auditors respond to audit risks arising from secrecy culture when making audit opinion decisions. Using a sample of international Big N auditors from 33 countries, we find strong and robust evidence that auditors are more likely to issue modified audit opinions to clients domiciled in countries with a strong secrecy culture. In addition, we find that the association between secrecy culture and auditors' propensity to issue modified audit opinions is less pronounced in countries with strong investor protection than that in countries with weak investor protection.