bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of employee profiles using a hybrid clustering and optimization model
Authors: Esmaeilzadeh Mahsan , Abdollahi Bijan , Ganjali Asadallah , Hasanpoor Akbar
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an evaluation methodology for employee profiles that will provide feedback to the training decision makers. Employee profiles play a crucial role in the evaluation process to improve the training process performance. This paper focuses on the clustering of the employees based on their profiles into specific categories that represent the employees’ characteristics. The employees are classified into following categories: necessary training, required training, and no training. The work may answer the question of how to spend the budget of training for the employees. This investigation presents the use of fuzzy optimization and clustering hybrid model (data mining approaches) as a fuzzy imperialistic competitive algorithm (FICA) and k-means to find the employees’ categories and predict their training requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

Prior research that served as an impetus for this paper is discussed. The approach is to apply evolutionary algorithms and clustering hybrid model to improve the training decision system directions.

Findings

This paper focuses on how to find a good model for the evaluation of employee profiles. The paper introduces the use of artificial intelligence methods (fuzzy optimization (FICA) and clustering techniques (K-means)) in management. The suggestion and the recommendations were constructed based on the clustering results that represent the employee profiles and reflect their requirements during the training courses. Finally, the paper proved the ability of fuzzy optimization technique and clustering hybrid model in predicting the employee’s training requirements.

Originality/value

This paper evaluates employee profiles based on new directions and expands the implication of clustering view in solving organizational challenges (in TCT for the first time).
Business leadership for peace
Authors: Ledbetter Bernice
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe what business leaders can do to promote peace. The paper begins by reviewing the salient literature on business and peace and adding to this discussion, leadership concepts that enrich an understanding of the role of business in promoting peace. Using a case example of a business leader committed to advancing peace, the paper introduces the concept of a theory of change to describe the process of transformation business leaders can take to promote peace.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper draws on literature from business and peace and adds literature from the field of leadership studies to enrich the discussion of business and peace.

Findings

This paper suggests business leaders promoting peace can take action using a theory of change that includes the application of participative and ethical leadership, strategy that embeds peace goals and the use of entrepreneurships in buffer conditions to mitigate identity-based conflict between opposing groups. By understanding a leader’s theory of change, insight is gained on transformational change in promoting peace.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the theoretical and practical discussion on business and peace by including leadership concepts and the concept of a theory of change as a way to describe business leadership for peace.
Modelling foreign exchange rate transaction exposure of UK insurance companies
Authors: Amer Islam
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the sensitivity of foreign exchange exposure through the cash flow estimation method using a sample of 59 UK insurance companies. This approach allows a decomposition of exposures into short- and long-term components. By revealing the nature of their cash flow exposures, companies can evaluate the effectiveness of their hedging programmes and focus their hedging efforts according to the nature of their exposures.

Design/methodology/approach

Martin and Mauer’s (2003, 2005) three-stage model is used to estimate foreign exchange rate transaction exposures for the sample of 65 UK insurance companies over the period 2004-2013. However, this paper has one important innovation to this method. Instead of the model used in previous papers, the paper uses a model from the actuarial field that was proposed by Blum et al. (2001) for modelling foreign exchange rates with their relevant constituents (inflation and interest rate).

Findings

The evidence shows that the currency transaction exposure for non-life insurers is greater than that of life insurers. Moreover, the author finds that large insurers exhibit lower frequencies of foreign exchange transaction exposure than small insurers.

Originality/value

The value of this paper comes from the fact that revealing the nature of cash flow exposures, companies can evaluate the effectiveness of their hedging programmes and focus their hedging efforts according to the nature of their exposures.
Sensitivity of stock indices to global events: the perspective for Pakistani Canadians
Authors: Yeung Wing Him , Aman Asad
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This paper compares the performance and volatility of the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and the Karachi Stock Exchange in Pakistan, as well as the sensitivities of the two stock exchanges to major global events. The purpose of this paper is to assist the Pakistani immigrants in Canada in their investment decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity model to estimate volatility of the two stock exchanges. Moreover, the mean adjusted returns approach associated with the event study methodology is used to find out the impact of major global events on these stock exchanges.

Findings

The study finds that the Toronto Stock Exchange outperforms the Karachi Stock Exchange in the pre-September 11 attack period, while the latter outperforms the former in the post-September 11 attack period. The study also shows that there has been a significant improvement in the risk-adjusted return of the Karachi Stock Exchange in the post-September 11 attack period. Moreover, this paper finds that the impact of major global events is more significant on the Toronto Stock Exchange relative to the Karachi Stock Exchange on the event date.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the very few to analyze and compare stock performances from the perspective of immigrant communities. The paper is valuable for Pakistani immigrants living in Canada or any investors interested in Karachi Stock Exchange and its comparison with Toronto Stock Exchange. Moreover, the paper can be of value to the Pakistani Government in terms of their promotional activities.
The influence of EWOM characteristics on online repurchase intention
Authors: Matute Jorge , Polo-Redondo Yolanda , Utrillas Ana
Published: November 2016

Purpose

With the expansion of internet as a tool for exchanging information, companies include in their websites a virtual space to share information among users. The purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics of consumers’ reviews (electronic word-of-mouth quantity, credibility and quality) as antecedents of customers’ online repurchase intentions. Specially, it proposes a model where trust on an online seller and perceived usefulness of a website mediate the influence of electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) characteristics on repurchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was employed on a sample of 252 online customers. An online questionnaire was aimed at internet users who had previously made an online purchase and read online reviews received from the vendor’s website.

Findings

Results show that only EWOM quality has a positive direct effect on consumers’ repurchase intention while quantity has a negative influence. Perceived usefulness mediates the influence of all EWOM characteristics on online repurchase intention. EWOM credibility and quality also indirectly influence repurchase intentions through trust on the online vendor.

Practical implications

This paper outlines ways to improve managerial implications by developing mobile applications or websites where the reviews have an appropriate volume and quality of information. Moreover, it suggests general advice to present online reviews in a useful manner to users who visit these websites.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to propose an integrative model that studies in depth the three main EWOM characteristics and customer responses for understanding their repurchase behavior.
Knowledge discovery from within
Authors: Force Donald C. , Zhang Jane
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a research project that analyzed records management (RM) and electronic records management (ERM) course syllabi from North American archival studies’ programs. By identifying the convergences and divergences of the topics and literature found within the syllabi, the authors sought to understand the relationship between the two courses and gain insight about how these courses continue to serve as an integral component of archival studies education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a qualitative analysis of 23 RM and 12 ERM course syllabi from 26 academic institutions from North America. The research examined three different aspects of the syllabi: textbooks, required articles and weekly topics. The syllabi were analyzed as separate data sets (RM syllabi and ERM syllabi), which was followed by a comparative analysis of the two types of syllabi.

Findings

The findings of this study reveal that RM, ERM and (to a lesser extent) DA (digital archives) knowledge as represented in archival education converges in some course contents but diverges in others. Archival educators should pay close attention to overlapping areas so that the courses can better complement each other and advance knowledge representation within archival studies.

Research limitations/implications

This study only considered graduate-level programs in the USA and Canada. The study did not include syllabi or instructional guides from associate-level programs or professional organizations such as the International Certification of Records Managers or Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) International.

Practical implications

The results of this study lead the authors to present two different approaches for how RM and ERM knowledge may be incorporated into archival curriculum.

Originality/value

This is the first research project to analyze RM and ERM syllabi with regards to the enhancement of records and information management education and archival curriculum development.
Cultivating capability
Authors: Jones Michael , Vines Richard
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to advocate that significant human and systems-based capabilities (termed “socio-technical capabilities”) need to be developed in government departments and other public sector organisations to support more effective description of information resources, collections and their context in online environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The ideas in this paper draw upon the findings of several action research interventions undertaken within a government department in Victoria in Australia since 2011 as part of a knowledge management initiative. Specific focus is given to the design and development of a new record-centric knowledge curation tool (KCT).

Findings

Effective functioning of KCT relies upon the input of well-structured, standards-based metadata used to describe collections, information resources and their context. The central claim is that the move towards standards-based descriptions will fundamentally change the capabilities required to manage, search for and disseminate knowledge and records.

Research limitations/implications

In addition to the capabilities discussed, management of records and knowledge through time requires commitments to stable repository, workflow and administrative systems, and working with contemporary systems involves technical knowledge such as the use of application programming interfaces. These aspects are not discussed here.

Practical implications

The capabilities discussed in this paper are socio-technical in nature. This means there is a requirement to shift current perspectives about who is responsible for managing organisational information as collections.

Originality/value

While some of the concepts discussed will be familiar to information professionals, the paper provides a unique description of how existing archival and recordkeeping practices are being integrated in innovative ways within organisations outside the information management professions.
Subjective Perceptions of Organizational Change and Employee Resistance to Change: Direct and Mediated Relationships with Employee Well‐being
Authors: Rafferty Alannah E. , Jimmieson Nerina L.
Published: November 2016

Researchers have focused on linking objective measures of change exposure, such as the number of downsizing activities implemented, with employee well‐being. This has meant that less attention has been paid to employees’ subjective experience of change. The authors examine relationships between employees’ perceptions of the extent of change and the frequency of change and insomnia and psychological well‐being. They propose direct and indirect relationships via resistance to change between employees’ subjective experience of change and well‐being. Data were collected from 260 employees from a range of different organizations and industries. Respondents completed surveys at two time points, separated by four months. Results revealed significant indirect relationships between subjective perceptions of change and insomnia and employee well‐being via affective resistance to change at Time 1 and Time 2. In addition, employees’ subjective reports that change was very frequent were initially positively associated with T1 behavioral resistance to change but also were negatively associated with T2 behavioral resistance to change. Discussion focuses on the importance of managing employees’ perceptions of change. Practically, the authors consider the difficult choices that confront managers when seeking to implement and ‘sell’ change within their organization.
Immediate delivery or expectant management in gestational diabetes at term: the GINEXMAL randomised controlled trial
Authors: Alberico S , Erenbourg A , Hod M , Yogev Y , Hadar E , Neri F , Ronfani L , Maso G ,   the GINEXMAL Group
Published: November 2016

Objective

To evaluate maternal and perinatal outcomes after induction of labour versus expectant management in pregnant women with gestational diabetes at term.

Design

Multicentre open‐label randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Eight teaching hospitals in Italy, Slovenia, and Israel.

Sample

Singleton pregnancy, diagnosed with gestational diabetes by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria (IADPSGC), between 38+0 and 39+0 weeks of gestation, without other maternal or fetal conditions.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to induction of labour or expectant management and intensive follow‐up. Data were analysed by ‘intention to treat’.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was incidence of caesarean section. Secondary outcomes were maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.

Results

A total of 425 women were randomised to the study groups. The incidence of caesarean section was 12.6% in the induction group versus 11.7% in the expectant group. No difference was found between the two groups (relative risk, RR 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 0.64–1.77; P = 0.81). The incidence of non‐spontaneous delivery, either by caesarean section or by operative vaginal delivery, was 21.0 and 22.3%, respectively (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.66–1.36; P = 0.76). Neither maternal nor fetal deaths occurred. The few cases of shoulder dystocia were solved without any significant birth trauma.

Conclusions

In women with gestational diabetes, without other maternal or fetal conditions, no difference was detected in birth outcomes regardless of the approach used (i.e. active versus expectant management). Although the study was underpowered, the magnitude of the between‐group difference was very small and without clinical relevance.

Tweetable abstract

Immediate delivery or expectant management in gestational diabetes at term?
Strengthening Post‐Crisis Fiscal Credibility: Fiscal Councils on the Rise – A New Dataset
Authors: Debrun Xavier , Kinda Tidiane
Published: November 2016

Institutions that aim to constrain policy discretion in order to promote sound fiscal policies are once again at the forefront of the policy debate. Interest in fiscal councils – independent watchdogs active in the public debate – has grown rapidly in recent years. In this paper, we present the first cross‐country dataset summarising key characteristics of fiscal councils among International Monetary Fund members. The data document a surge in the number of fiscal councils since the 2008–09 economic and financial crisis, and also illustrate that well‐designed fiscal councils are associated with stronger fiscal performance and better macro‐economic and budgetary forecasts. Key features of effective fiscal councils include operational independence from politics, the provision or public assessment of budgetary forecasts, a strong presence in the public debate and the monitoring of compliance with fiscal policy rules.
Proteins of Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), Buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.), and Quinoa (Chenopodium spp.): A Food Science and Technology Perspective
Authors: Janssen Frederik , Pauly Anneleen , Rombouts Ine , Jansens Koen J.A. , Deleu Lomme J. , Delcour Jan A.
Published: November 2016

There is currently much interest in the use of pseudocereals for developing nutritious food products. Amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa are the 3 major pseudocereals in terms of world production. They contain high levels of starch, proteins, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and other bioactives. Their proteins have well‐balanced amino acid compositions, are more sustainable than those from animal sources, and can be consumed by patients suffering from celiac disease. While pseudocereal proteins mainly consist of albumins and globulins, the predominant cereal proteins are prolamins and glutelins. We here discuss the structural properties, denaturation and aggregation behaviors, and solubility, as well as the foaming, emulsifying, and gelling properties of amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa proteins. In addition, the technological impact of incorporating amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa in bread, pasta, noodles, and cookies and strategies to affect the functionality of pseudocereal flour proteins are discussed. Literature concerning pseudocereal proteins is often inconsistent and contradictory, particularly in the methods used to obtain globulins and glutelins. Also, most studies on protein denaturation and techno‐functional properties have focused on isolates obtained by alkaline extraction and subsequent isoelectric precipitation at acidic pH, even if the outcome of such studies is not necessarily relevant for understanding the role of the native proteins in food processing. Finally, even though establishing in‐depth structure–function relationships seems challenging, it would undoubtedly be of major help in the design of tailor‐made pseudocereal foods.
ClickPoints: an expandable toolbox for scientific image annotation and analysis
Authors: Gerum Richard C. , Richter Sebastian , Fabry Ben , Zitterbart Daniel P.
Published: November 2016

Optical recordings are ubiquitous in current scientific research. As recording and storing images and videos have become simpler and cheaper over the past years, new and more efficient tools are needed to analyse the growing amount of data. While current scientific image analysis tools focus on medical 3D data sets, a tool for efficiently handling large‐scale 2D time‐series recordings is still missing.

We developed ClickPoints, an expandable, open‐source, Python‐based software to fill this gap. ClickPoints combines and streamlines the three main steps of image analysis – visualization, annotation and evaluation – in one program.

ClickPoints enables the user to (i) efficiently review large data sets of images and videos, (ii) annotate interesting findings and (iii) facilitate manual and automatic evaluations. ClickPoints is highly versatile, ranging from clicking and selecting objects with simple markers, drawing masks and computing trajectories, up to (iv) custom‐written Python add‐ons for adapting or extending the available features. These add‐ons (v) reduce development time by utilizing ClickPoints’ display, interface and storage solutions. In addition, ClickPoints provides an (vi) extensive data base application programming interface to facilitate efficient storage and retrieval of results.

ClickPoints is designed to simplify repetitive and labour‐intensive scientific tasks, especially when dealing with large image and video time‐series recordings. ClickPoints offers cross‐platform support for Windows and Linux and is released under the GPLv3 license. Download, documentation and numerous examples are available at http://clickpoints.readthedocs.io.
Noninvasive markers for staging fibrosis in chronic delta hepatitis
Authors: Takyar V. , Surana P. , Kleiner D. E. , Wilkins K. , Hoofnagle J. H. , Liang T. J. , Heller T. , Koh C.
Published: November 2016

Background

Serum fibrosis markers are useful in staging chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus but have not been evaluated in chronic hepatitis D virus (HDV).

Aim

To evaluate the utility of serum fibrosis markers [fibrosis‐4 score (FIB‐4), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, aspartate aminotransferase ratio (AAR), age‐platelet index (API), AST‐to‐platelet‐ratio‐index (APRI) and Hui score] in HDV infection.

Methods

Clinical and histologic laboratory data from HBV, HCV and HDV patients were evaluated and serum fibrosis markers were calculated. The ability of fibrosis markers to detect advanced fibrosis (Ishak ≥4) and cirrhosis (Ishak = 6) were evaluated and compared between viral infections.

Results

A total of 1003 subjects (HCV = 701, HBV = 240 and HDV = 62) with mean age of 46 ± 11 and 66% male were evaluated. HDV subjects had higher ALT and AST than HCV and lower platelets than both HBV and HCV. Histologically, HDV had the greatest percentage of Ishak ≥4 and necroinflammation. FIB‐4 performed best in detecting advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in all viral cohorts. In HDV, area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) 95% confidence intervals for detecting advanced fibrosis were: FIB‐4 = 0.70 (0.55–0.84), API = 0.69 (0.55–0.82), APRI = 0.68 (0.54–0.82), Hui score = 0.63 (0.49–0.78), AAR = 0.63 (0.48–0.77). The AUROC for detecting cirrhosis in HDV were: FIB‐4 = 0.83 (0.69–0.97), API = 0.80 (0.66–0.95), APRI = 0.75 (0.61–0.89), Hui score = 0.70 (0.49–0.91) and AAR = 0.70 (0.48–0.93). Adjustment of published cut‐offs led to marginal improvements in FIB4 for advanced fibrosis and of APRI for cirrhosis in HDV.

Conclusions

Serum fibrosis markers have lower performance accuracy in chronic HDV infected patients compared to HBV and HCV patients. Other noninvasive fibrosis markers should be explored to assist in the management of these patients.
The Matrix Verb as a Source of Comprehension Difficulty in Object Relative Sentences
Authors: Staub Adrian , Dillon Brian , Clifton Charles
Published: November 2016

Two experiments used eyetracking during reading to examine the processing of the matrix verb following object and subject relative clauses. The experiments show that the processing of the matrix verb following an object relative is indeed slowed compared to the processing of the same verb following a subject relative. However, this difficulty is entirely eliminated if additional material intervenes between the object gap and the matrix verb. An explanation in terms of spillover processing is ruled out, suggesting that it is the gap‐matrix verb sequence that is itself responsible for the difficulty. We consider two accounts of this difficulty, one emphasizing the potential difficulty of rapidly switching between the sentential subject's thematic or syntactic role in the embedded clause and its role in the matrix clause, and one emphasizing the potential difficulty of performing two demanding memory retrievals in rapid succession. The present experiments also closely replicate the previous findings from eyetracking that the noun phrase and the verb within an object relative are both loci of processing difficulty, but that the former induces substantially greater difficulty.
Candidate‐Gene Study of Functional Polymorphisms inSLCO1B1andCYP3A4/5and the Cholesterol‐Lowering Response to Simvastatin
Authors: Kitzmiller JP , Luzum JA , Dauki A , Krauss RM , Medina MW
Published: November 2016

Cholesterol‐lowering response to 40 mg simvastatin daily for 6 weeks was examined for associations with common genetic polymorphisms in key genes affecting simvastatin metabolism (CYP3A4andCYP3A5) and transport (SLCO1B1). In white people (n= 608),SLCO1B1521C was associated with lesser reductions of total and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Associations betweenSLCO1B1521C and cholesterol response were not detected in African Americans (n= 333). Associations betweenCYP3A4*22 orCYP3A5*3 and cholesterol response were not detected in either race, and no significant race‐gene or gene‐gene interactions were detected. As several of the analyses may have been underpowered (especially the analyses in the African American cohort), the findings not suggesting an association should not be considered conclusive and warrant further investigation. The finding regardingSLCO1B1521C in whites was consistent with several previous reports.SLCO1B1521C resulted in a diminished cholesterol‐lowering response, but a marginal effect size limits utility for predicting simvastatin response.
Saline contrast echocardiography for the detection of anomalous origin of pulmonary artery from aorta
Authors: Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Gupta Abhishek
Published: November 2016

Saline contrast echocardiography is a well‐established modality for the diagnosis of right‐to‐left shunt lesions. In this brief report, we demonstrate, for the first time, its usefulness in the diagnosis of anomalous origin of right pulmonary artery from aorta.
Coping with the cold: minimum temperatures and thermal tolerances dominate the ecology of mountain ants
Authors: BISHOP TOM R. , ROBERTSON MARK P. , VAN RENSBURG BERNDT J. , PARR CATHERINE L.
Published: November 2016

1. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are often cited as highly thermophilic and this has led to a range of studies investigating their thermal tolerances. It is unknown, however, if the geographic distribution of ant thermal tolerance conforms to the two major macropyhsiological rules that have been found in other taxa: Janzen's and Brett's rules. In addition, there is a paucity of data on how the lower thermal tolerances of ants are able to influence behaviour.

2. These two knowledge gaps were addressed here by sampling ants across a 1500 m elevational gradient in southern Africa and estimating the upper (CTmax) and lower (CTmin) thermal tolerances of 31 and 28 species, respectively. Ant abundances and soil temperatures were also recorded across the gradient over 6 years.

3. It was found that the average CTmin of the ants declined with elevation along with environmental temperatures. It was also found that the correlation between abundance and local temperature depended on the ant species' CTmin. The activity of species with a low CTmin was not constrained by temperature, whereas those with a high CTmin were limited by low temperatures.

4. For the first time, evidence is provided here that the thermal tolerances of ants are consistent with two major macrophysiological rules: Brett's rule and Janzen's rule. A mechanistic link between physiology, behaviour and the environment is also shown, which highlights that the ability of ants to deal with the cold may be a key, but often overlooked, factor allowing multiple ant species to succeed within an environment.
Functional characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxin receptors explains resistance in insects
Authors: Tanaka Shiho , Endo Haruka , Adegawa Satomi , Kikuta Shingo , Sato Ryoichi
Published: November 2016

Bacillus thuringiensis produces Cry toxins, which are used as insecticides in sprays and in transgenic crops. However, little is known about the function of Cry toxin receptors and the mechanisms that determine their binding specificity and activity. In this study, the cRNAs of Bombyx mori ABC transporter C2 (BmABCC2), the toxin‐binding region of cadherin‐like receptor (BtR175‐TBR), or aminopeptidase N1 (BmAPN1) were injected into Xenopus oocytes, and the Cry1Aa‐dependent cation‐selective pore formation activities of these receptors were analyzed using a two‐electrode voltage clamp. Cation current passing through the pores was detected within 25 s, and increased in a linear fashion in BmABCC2‐expressing oocytes treated with 88 nm Cry1Aa. This result suggested that Cry1Aa continuously made stable pores with the help of BmABCC2. In contrast, no cation current was observed until 60 min after incubation with 500 nm Cry1Aa in BtR175TBR‐expressing oocytes even though oligomerization of Cry1Aa progressed. This result indicated that in the presence of BtR175‐TBR most of the oligomerized toxin could not enter the cell membrane. However, oocytes that simultaneously expressed both receptors demonstrated that BtR175‐TBR exerted a synergistic effect with BmABCC2 on pore formation in the presence of 22 nm Cry1Aa. These results confirm that the main reason for moderate‐level resistance in insects lacking the cadherin‐like receptor but expressing ABCC2 is the absence of a similar synergistic promotion of toxin oligomerization. Similar to results from our previous report evaluating ectopic expression in the Sf9/Baculovirus system, BmAPN1 could not by itself cause Cry1A‐related pore formation, despite the fact that BmAPN1 gathered toxin on the oocytes as well as BmABCC2 did.
Prioritization of K–12 World Language Education in the United States: State Requirements for High School Graduation
Authors: O'Rourke Polly , Zhou Qian , Rottman Isaac
Published: November 2016

In view of the importance of increasing multilingualism in the United States, the current study examined state policy for high school graduation requirements in the 50 states and the District of Columbia as an index of the way in which the study of world language is positioned and prioritized in K–12 education. Only seven states require the study of a world language other than English as a prerequisite for high school graduation for all students. The majority of states do not include world languages as a requirement for high school graduation, but almost half include world language coursework as an option of fulfilling an elective graduation requirement. Overall, while there are some positive developments, principally the Seal of Biliteracy initiative, world language education is not prioritized in state‐level policies. Continued efforts, possibly at the federal level, are required to maintain and promote world language education in the United States
Balancing generality and specificity in ecological gradient analysis with species abundance distributions and individual size distributions
Authors: Yen Jian D. L. , Thomson James R. , Keith Jonathan M. , Paganin David M. , Fleishman Erica , Dobkin David S. , Bennett Joanne M. , Mac Nally Ralph
Published: November 2016

Aim

Data on ecological communities are often condensed into single‐valued diversity indices, which support comparisons among ecosystems but may discard important information. At the other extreme, some studies retain full data on the identities of all species present, which retains maximum information on community structure but occludes comparisons among ecosystems. We sought to determine whether the analysis of species abundance distributions and individual size distributions could support more detailed inferences than diversity indices while remaining sufficiently general to identify fundamental ecological responses in multiple ecosystems.

Location

The United States and south‐eastern Australia.

Methods

We analysed changes in species abundance distributions and individual size distributions along environmental gradients. We compared analyses of distributions with analyses of five diversity indices and with a distance‐based multivariate analysis of species composition. We used data from 1438 fish communities in the United States and from 840 bird communities in the western United States and south‐eastern Australia. These communities were sampled over 10–20 years and included 298 species of birds and 488 species of fishes.

Results

Analyses of species abundance distributions and individual size distributions identified environmental associations that were not found in analyses of diversity indices, and revealed common associations with shrubs in bird communities on different continents and with temperature in communities of birds and fishes. Individual size distributions were associated more closely with environmental variables than were species abundance distributions.

Main conclusions

Our novel identification of ecological associations suggests that analyses of community distributions might reveal fundamental ecological processes common to multiple ecosystems. Close associations between individual sizes and environmental variables suggest that a greater focus on size in ecological analyses might assist in the development of general models of ecological communities.
Global production networks and uneven development: Exploring geographies of devaluation, disinvestment, and exclusion
Authors: Werner Marion
Published: November 2016

This paper examines global production networks through the lens of uneven development. Although originally concerned with asymmetries in the global economy, in the 1990s, global production network studies shifted decidedly towards a focus upon realizing the mutual benefits of engagement between multinationals, their suppliers, and the regions where the latter were located. Recent trends in supply chain restructuring, thrown into sharp relief by the 2008 financial crisis, have spurred more attention to the downsides of participation in global production networks, framed as empirical outcomes. Here, I explore this literature through the lens of three inter‐related processes of uneven development: strategies to defer devaluation, regional disinvestment, and constitutive exclusion. Viewed from this perspective, the global production network can serve as a powerful heuristic device to grasp emerging forms of territorial and social unevenness in the global economy.
Transition from being OK to NOT OK with tooth loss among a selection of older people in Iran: a qualitative study
Authors: Dezhdar Shahin , Fereidoonpoor Najmeh , Mostaghni Ehsan , Jahanpour Faezeh , Ravanipour Maryam
Published: November 2016

Background

Several studies have covered oral health and dental decay in old age, but these studies mostly applied standard quantitative tools and did not include consideration of older people's views on oral problems, partial edentulism in particular.

Objective

To explore people's perceptions in terms of the transition from being OK to NOT OK with tooth loss among a selection of older people in Iran.

Materials and methods

A qualitative content analysis study was chosen for the research by interviewing 15 older people using open‐ended questions. Criteria for participation in the study were as follows: fitting the Kennedy class I or class I modification I category, having a minimum of four teeth but not more than 20 and being aged 60 years or more. The recorded interviews were then transcribed, and a coding process was applied based on a qualitative, conventional content analysis.

Results

The four main themes that emerged were as follows: (i) gradual realisation of the need to deal with the problem; (ii) the search for information on dental health; (iii) the challenge of adaptation; and (iv) tendency towards dental rehabilitation.

Conclusion

The turning point in the transition from being OK to NOT OK seemed to be associated with an edentulous crisis that had occurred from another problem such as stomach ache, distention, or nocturnal dyspnoea due to swallowing food that had not been properly chewed and had an affect on an elderly person's life, physically and mentally. It is important to recognise the concept of healthy eating in relation to edentulism.
Use of computed tomography abdomen and pelvis for investigation of febrile neutropenia in adult haematology patients
Authors: Lim H. Y. , Ashby M. , Williams B. , Grigg A.
Published: November 2016

We retrospectively evaluated the use of computed tomography abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) in febrile neutropenic autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients. CTAP was more common in ASCT patients (59%) compared with AML (31%;
P
 < 0.001). Although abnormal findings were reported in 51%, only 10% resulted in therapy change (addition of anaerobic antibiotic/bowel rest), which would have otherwise been instituted based on clinical grounds. CTAP in these patients rarely provide useful information unsuspected clinically.
The Role of Attachment Behaviors in the Link between Relationship Satisfaction and Depression in Clinical Couples: Implications for Clinical Practice
Authors: Novak Joshua R. , Sandberg Jonathan G. , Davis Stephanie Y.
Published: November 2016

Using dyadic, clinical data from 104 couples in committed relationships, the purpose of this study was to determine whether relationship satisfaction was associated with depression through perceived partner attachment behaviors—accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement—for both men and women. We found that one's satisfaction in the relationship was the lens through which they viewed their partner's attachment behaviors and—women's relationship satisfaction was the lens through which her male partner viewed her attachment behaviors. Finally, women's relationship satisfaction is associated with both individuals' depression through her perceived partner's accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement. The findings from this study are important because they provide clinically relevant and mutable constructs in which clinicians can intervene at an attachment level in distressed marriages with depressed partners.
Anterior Cantilever Resin‐Bonded Fixed Dental Prostheses: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Mourshed Bilal , Samran Abdulaziz , Alfagih Amal , Samran Ahalm , Abdulrab Saleem , Kern Matthias
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This review evaluated the survival rate of single retainer anterior resin‐bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs) to determine whether the choice of material affects their clinical outcome.

Materials and Methods

An electronic search of the English peer‐reviewed dental literature in PubMed was conducted to identify all publications reporting on cantilever RBFDPs until May 2016. Study information extraction and methodological quality assessments were accomplished by two reviewers independently. The searched keywords were as follows: “resin‐bonded, single retainer, all‐ceramic resin‐bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs), all‐ceramic RBFDPs, cantilever resin, RBFDPs, cantilever resin‐bonded bridge, two units cantilevered, two‐unit cantilevered, metal‐ceramic cantilever, and metal‐ceramic.” Furthermore, the ‘‘Related Articles’’ feature of PubMed was used to identify further references of interest within the primary search. The bibliographies of the obtained references were used to identify pertinent secondary references. Review articles were also used to identify relevant articles. After the application of exclusion criteria, the definitive list of articles was screened to extract the qualitative data, and the results were analyzed.

Results

Overall 2588 articles were dedicated at the first review phase; however, only 311 studies were left after the elimination of duplicates and unrelated studies. Seventeen studies passed the second review phase. Five studies were excluded because they were follow‐up studies of the same study cohort. Twelve studies were finally selected.

Conclusions

The use of cantilever RBFDPs showed promising results and high survival rates.
Verse Epitaphs and the Memorialisation of Women in Reformation England
Authors: Hyde Jenni
Published: November 2016

During the late twentieth century, scholars became interested in the ways in which early modern England adapted to the Reformation and how change was represented in popular culture. In the last fifteen years, there has been a particular focus on how Protestantism affected the relationship between the living and the dead. In 2000, for example, Ralph Houlbrooke's studyDeath,Religion,and the Family in England,1480–1750identified a failure on the part of the post‐Reformation church to replace old funerary customs with new, yet two years later inBeliefs and the Dead in Reformation England, Peter Marshall argued persuasively that the Reformation engendered a ‘cultural transformation’ in the understanding of both death and the dead. By, Scott Newstok'sQuoting Death in Early Modern Englanddescribed a paradox in which a Protestant nation that scorned Catholic death rituals became engrossed in commemorating its own dead through poetic memorialisation.

This article surveys 21st century historiographical debates in order to contextualise women's verse epitaphs during the sixteenth century. In particular, it looks to the broadside literature that was the epitome of cheap print as a means of reflecting popular religious attitudes. It shows how several verse epitaphs of prominent women in Tudor society, such as William Elderton'sA proper new balad in praise of my ladie marques(), highlight issues of continuity and change in religious beliefs surrounding the memorialisation of pious women and the role of the supernatural.

Video abstract (click to view)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyzjk8AaCP8
Performing Shakespeare in Europe
Authors: Mancewicz Aneta
Published: November 2016

The history of performing Shakespeare in Europe and the establishment of European Shakespeare Studies have been closely connected with European culture and politics. The emergence of the European Shakespeare Research Association, ESRA, has coincided with the fall of Communism and the political transformations in Europe after 1989, as well as the growing professionalisation and internationalisation of Shakespeare criticism. In the twenty‐first century, European studies of Shakespeare continue to flourish, with vibrant research centres extending from Murcia in Spain to Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, and with a dynamic European Shakespeare Festivals Network. At the heart of European Shakespeare Studies has been the examination of Shakespeare's reception in different national traditions across Europe. Performance criticism has played a crucial role in this process, given that theatre as a medium transcends linguistic barriers, while encouraging local traditions of translation and staging. Productions of Shakespeare have also provided a forum for articulating current political and social concerns, particularly in times of censorship, which has made them exceptionally appealing to scholars interested in national cultures and histories. This article outlines four aspects that represent Shakespeare's relationship with European performance: theatrical exchanges between England and the Continent as the beginning of the European Shakespeare tradition, translation as an integral part of stage practice, the significance of performance criticism in European Shakespeare Studies and the notion of a shared European theatre tradition. Their discussion combines elements of a historical narrative with a critical overview. The article concludes with new perspectives in the twenty‐first century Shakespeare productions, as the Eurozone debt crisis and immigration crisis pose new challenges and responsibilities for artists and academics.
The Social Norms of Waiting in Line
Authors: Fagundes David
Published: November 2016

This article examines the rules and practices of waiting in line as a system of informal order, showing that despite its reputation for drudgery, the queue offers rich insights about social norms and the psychology of cooperation. The article begins by investigating the implicit customs of physical waiting in line, uncovering the surprisingly complex unwritten rules (and exceptions) that give queues stability even in the absence of legal governance or state enforcement. Yet the prevailing norms literature typically explains informal order by reference to close-knit groups that can impose sanctions on violators of extralegal rules. This raises a puzzle: Why do queue norms repeatedly produce informal, yet reliable, order among total strangers unlikely to interact again? This article answers this question by looking to social-psychological research showing that people tend to be strong reciprocators rather than selfish utility maximizers. This model makes sense of both our tendency to defer to line norms as well as the disproportionate sanctions with which defectors from these norms meet.
Is gibbon ape leukaemia virus still a threat?
Authors: Brown Katherine , Tarlinton Rachael E.
Published: November 2016

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, an outbreak of lymphoma and leukaemia in gibbons (Hylobatidae), attributed to the retrovirus gibbon ape leukaemia virus (GALV), was widely reported in the literature. The virus was identified in captive gibbon colonies in Thailand, the USA and Bermuda.

The virus is a known cell culture contaminant and, in particular, research into HIV can be impeded by expression of GALV particles in HIV permissive cell lines.

In this review, we bring together published work, laboratory records from early GALV research, correspondence about the transportation of gibbons during the 1960s and 1970s, phylogenetic analyses, laboratory screening and zoological records for the first time, to discover more about the origin and transmission of GALV.

Based on this evidence, we suggest that GALV may have been transmitted to gibbons as an iatrogenic event and was never widespread. Instead, all infected gibbons were probably transported from the site of the original outbreak, housed with gibbons from this site or infected with material derived from gibbons from this site.

We also propose that GALV is not an ongoing pathogen of captive gibbons.
Characterizing alloparental care in the pilot whale (Globicephala melas) population that summers off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Augusto Joana F. , Frasier Timothy R. , Whitehead Hal
Published: November 2016

Alloparental care happens when a calf is cared for by an adult that is not their parent. Although alloparental care is common in social mammals, its prevalence is difficult to assess in cetaceans, and has not been studied in Globicephala melas. A population off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, has been studied from whale‐watching vessels since 1998, during July and August each year. From 2009 to 2011, we collected photo identifications of calves and the adults accompanying them. Alloparental care was considered to be occurring when a calf was identified with more than one companion. We found that 85.7% of calves in 2009, 80.6% of calves in 2010 and 63% of calves in 2011 had alloparents. Mothers were difficult to identify. Nevertheless, none of the other companions of calves were assigned to the same unit as the mother. Five carers were sexed, four of them males. There were no cases of within‐ or between‐year alloparental care reciprocity. It is possible that delayed reciprocity is happening on a larger time scale in this population, but the most likely explanation is that alloparental care is a byproduct of this species’ social structure, with a very small cost to the alloparent's fitness.