bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Market practices in countercultural market emergence
Authors: Hietanen Joel , Rokka Joonas
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the growing marketing literature that investigates markets as “configurations”, i.e. networks of market actors engaged in market-shaping practices and performances. As this pioneering work has been largely focused on established mainstream markets and industries driven by large multi-national companies, the present article extends practice-based market theorizing to countercultural market emergence and also to unconventional market practices shaping it.

Design/methodology/approach

– Insights are drawn from a four-year multi-sited ethnographic study of a rapidly expanding electronic music scene that serves as an illustrative example of emergent countercultural market.

Findings

– In contrast to mainstream consumer or industrial markets, the authors identify a distinctive dynamic underlying market emergence. Countercultural markets as well as their appeal and longevity largely depend on an inherent authenticity paradox that focal market actors need to sustain and negotiate through ongoing market-shaping and market-restricting practices.

Practical implications

– From a practitioner perspective, the authors discuss the implications for market actors wishing to build on countercultural authenticity. They highlight the fragility of countercultural markets and point out practices sustaining them, and also possibilities and challenges in tapping into them.

Originality/value

– The study contributes by theorizing the tensions that energize and drive countercultural market emergence. In particular, the authors address the important role of market-restricting practices in facilitating countercultural appeal that has not received explicit attention in prior marketing literature.
A relational approach to direct mail consumption
Authors: Françoise Simon , Andrews Lynda
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate how direct mail consumption contributes to brand relationship quality. Store flyers and other direct mailings continue to play a significant role in many companies’ communication strategies. Research on this topic predominantly investigates driving store traffic and sales. Less is known regarding the consumer side, such as the value that consumers may derive from the consumption of direct mailings and the effects of such a value on brand relationship quality. To address this limitation, this paper tests a causal model of the contribution of direct mail value to brand commitment, drawing on a value framework that integrates social theory of engagement regimes and literature on experiential customer value.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical work of this paper is based on a rigorous four-study mixed methods design, involving qualitative study, confirmatory factor analysis and partial least squares structural modeling.

Findings

– The authors develop two second-order formatively designed scales – familiar value and planned value scales – that illustrate the role of engagement regimes in consumer behavior. Although both types of value contribute equally to direct mail attachment, they exert contrasting effects on other mediational consumer responses, such as reading and gratitude. Finally, the proposed theoretical model appears to be robust in predicting customers’ brand commitment.

Research limitations/implications

– This study provides new insights into the research on consumer value and brand relational communication.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to consider consumer benefits from the social perspective of engagement regimes.
Trade unions strategies to address inclusion of vulnerable employees in “anchored” services in Europe
Authors: Kirov Vassil , Hohnen Pernille
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how trade unions may address the questions of inclusion of vulnerable employees in low-wage “anchored” sectors in the European Union.

Design/methodology/approach

– The findings presented in the paper are mainly results of the analysis of stakeholder policies and strategies on the national level and on the European level, including both desk research and interviews with social partner representatives and other experts in the sectors as well as company case studies carried out in the examined countries in three selected sectors: cleaning, waste collection and catering.

Findings

– The main findings of the paper refer to the indirect way in which trade unions try to promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the examined sectors. On this basis are formulated policy recommendations.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper is based on case study research that does not cover all possible “anchored” services, vulnerable groups and types of countries, according to their employment and social models.

Practical implications

– This paper formulates practical recommendations to European trade unions in the services.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper is related to comparative research focused on services sectors and the consequences of the spatial reorganisation of sectors for the trade union actions.
Employability of older workers in the Netherlands: antecedents and consequences
Authors: Hennekam Sophie
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine self-perceived employability, the factors that influence this, the chances to find a job and retirement preferences of two generations older workers with a low occupational status in the creative industries in the Netherlands.

Design/methodology/approach

– Survey data including qualitative elements were obtained from 1,112 older workers registered in a job agency specialized in older workers. Correlations,t-tests and multiple regressions were performed to test the hypotheses, while the open questions were analyzed in a qualitative manner.

Findings

– The Veteran Generation reported a higher self-rated employability than the Baby Boomer Generation, found a job quicker and also preferred to retire later than the Baby Boomer Generation. In addition, they focussed on aspects that fostered their employability. The Baby Boomers, on the other hand, stressed the importance of some barriers that hindered their employability. The Baby Boomer Generation explained how external factors like negative stereotypes and being too expensive hinder their employability and chances at the labor market.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation in the study is the use of a cross-sectional design that fails to capture the influence of the aging process.

Practical implications

– In the light of the aging population, knowledge about which factors influence the employability and labor participation of older workers is necessary. More insights about the differences and similarities among the various generations in the workforce can help organizations to take important decisions about human resource policies and practices.

Originality/value

– This study compared the Baby Boomer Generation to the Veteran Generation in a sector that is known for its unstable employment and hazardous working environments.
Learning curves for quality and productivity
Authors: Jeang Angus
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to build a curve that can portray quality level, with standard deviation, as a function of the production process related to elements such as operating time and cumulative units produced.

Design/methodology/approach

– The Cobb-Douglas multiplicative power model will be introduced to represent the proposed function in simultaneously describing the learning process for productivity and quality. The experimental devices consisted of reflective mirror, path paper, iPod Touch and pen. They were arranged as shown in Plate 1. The students were instructed to draw a line with a pen along the middle of the rail line on the path paper through the mirror indirectly. The iPod Touch acted as a stopwatch to monitor the time taken to complete each experiment. The path paper is shown in Figure 1. This statistical analysis is completed by computer programs, SAS.

Findings

– This study presented an experiment in which subjects drew a line on a path while looking through a mirror. This study uses the Cobb-Douglas model to regress theSas a function of 0.3366×x1−0.347×x2−0.011.

Research limitations/implications

– All units produced are acceptable in quality, disregarding the magnitude of standard deviation in the produced quality level. Like Porteus (1986) with the fixed probabilistic distribution is assumed. The fatigues are ignored in presented curve. In fact, operators are easy to get tired for attending quality and productivity simultaneously. The initial value of operating time or standard deviation for the first unit is estimated from a subject having been trained for a sufficient period of time; however, this consideration does exist in the present experiment.

Practical implications

– The economic order (production) quantity model with learning effects in a production system could be considered. The other implication could be in a wider framework, such as multistage and multivariate of production development production systems and supply chains.

Social implications

– For a life cycle application, the criteria considered in resolving the production problem should not only be limited to the costs involved in the production process, but also the quality-related costs incurred after the goods are delivered to customers.

Originality/value

– Previous works regarding the learning process never mention the quality-related learning process. However, this study aims to achieve the above goals in finding the relationship of quality vs production volume and production time simultaneously.
Verifying practical design on furniture industry
Authors: Junior Edu Grieco Mazzine , Nara Elpidio Oscar Benitez , Kipper Liane Mahlmann , Siluk Julio Cezar Mairesse , Rediske Graciele
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to draw a picture on the reality of furniture industries in relation to management practices for project design of new products.

Design/methodology/approach

– In order to do so it was developed a multiple case study in three companies of the sector located in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. This study was based on verification criteria focussing on project’s lifecycle.

Findings

– As a result, it was possible to detect major faults from the organizations examined, it was found that processes are analyzed in a non-formalized and non-standardized way and, thus, restricting the integration of the projective stages, which reduced the quality of the final product.

Originality/value

– From the results obtained in the multiple case study, it was possible to propose actions managerial characteristics that demonstrate the process of design of new products as a result of an operational standard, integrated with the management practices of the organization.
Examining determinants of cross buying behaviour in retail banking
Authors: Tung Brian , Carlson Jamie
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the drivers of the customers’ cross-buying intentions for retail banking services in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research model was developed based on literature and tested empirically among 269 customers of retail banks in Hong Kong. Structural equation modelling was used to test the system of relationships.

Findings

– The results indicate that the customers’ cross-buying intentions are primarily associated with image conflicts about the provider’s abilities to deliver high quality financial services from different activities and high levels of customer loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited to a single country focus of Hong Kong retail banking. The generalizibility of these findings is therefore limited to this context.

Practical implications

– The findings of the study have important implications for academicians in understanding what drives cross-buying behaviour as well as retail bank practitioners to help design more effective cross-buying strategies.

Originality/value

– The authors show that perceived image conflict and customer loyalty directly influences cross-buying intentions and that cross-buying intentions is not affected by dimensions of relationship quality directly. However, relationship quality dimensions was found to influence customer loyalty and play an important indirect role in unlocking cross-buying intentions.
The plebeians rehearse the uprising
Authors: Hirsch Peter Buell
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of rising concerns about income inequality on the reputation of large global employers. In an era in which middle class incomes have stagnated for several decades, the continuing decline of labor unions seems paradoxical. The paper suggests that the impassivity of the workforces of the developed countries may be coming to an end and that thoughtful employers can and should be doing more to address the needs of their employees from both a benefits and job satisfaction perspective. Otherwise, they may face renewed repetitional threats that could translate into regulatory penalties.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper cites evidence of an increasing concern about income inequality in the developed economies and examines best practices in employee relations from a number of leading corporations to suggest ways in which companies can manage new repetitional threats relating to the way they manage their employees.

Findings

– The paper provides insights into three strategies that well-managed companies can adopt with respect to their employee relations: they can become leader brands, consistently pursuing employee benefits strategies at the cutting edge; they can develop a distinctive employee investment strategy; or they can create workplaces focused from innovation from the bottom up.

Research limitations/implications

– Due to the anecdotal nature of the evidence adduced to suggest best practices in employee relations, further research needs to be done to examine the question presented in a more empirical fashion.

Practical implications

– The employee relations strategies described can be deployed by any corporation seeking to create a new employee compact with its employees to safeguard its reputation and be perceived as a builder, rather than despoiler, of communities.

Social implications

– Concerns about income inequality and its negative impact on the social fabric are being voiced by leading voices in the business community. If the strategies recommended in the paper are adopted broadly, this could have a significant impact on the regeneration of struggling communities.

Originality/value

– Although substantial attention has been devoted to the subject of income inequality from an economic perspective, there is very little in the literature that addresses income inequality from the viewpoint of its impact on corporate reputation and the threat of future anti-business government action.
Leaving employees to their own devices: new practices in the workplace
Authors: Leclercq-Vandelannoitte Aurelie
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide useful insights on “bring your own device” (BYOD) and IT consumerization, to help organizations understand how to address their consequences. For young, tech-savvy workers, using their own devices at work represents a right, rather than a privilege, leading them to initiate a growing, yet under-researched, drive toward IT consumerization. Some companies already deploy BYOD programs, allowing employees to use personal devices for work-related activities, but other managers remain hesitant of the implications of such programs.

Design/methodology/approach

– To provide an overview of this growing phenomenon, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of existing literature and identifies organizational changes induced by this reversed adoption logic. A case study of Volvo reveals how one organization has coped successfully with this phenomenon.

Findings

– These analyses shed more light on the stakes involved in BYOD and IT consumerization, as well as the changes they imply for organizations and IT departments.

Practical implications

– Both BYOD and IT consumerization have deep and broad consequences for organizations, some of which are very positive, as long as the trends are well-managed and carefully addressed.

Originality/value

– This paper covers a topic that has attracted scant attention in prior academic research, despite widely acknowledged concerns about security and reliability in practitioner studies. By going beyond a classic discourse focused solely on the security threats of BYOD, this paper investigates both business challenges and implications associated with a reversed adoption logic.
The Ashley Treatment: Improving Quality of Life or Infringing Dignity and Rights?
Authors: Harnacke Caroline
Published: August 2015

The ‘Ashley treatment’ (growth attenuation, removal of the womb and breasts buds of a severely disabled child) has raised much ethical controversy. This article starts from the observation that this debate suffers from a lack of careful philosophical analysis which is essential for an ethical assessment. I focus on two central arguments in the debate, namely an argument defending the treatment based on quality of life and an argument against the treatment based on dignity and rights. My analysis raises doubts as to whether these arguments, as they stand in the debate, are philosophically robust. I reconstruct what form good arguments for and against the treatment should take and which assumptions are needed to defend the according positions. Concerning quality of life (Section 2), I argue that to make a discussion about quality of life possible, it needs to be clear which particular conception of the good life is employed. This has not been sufficiently clear in the debate. I fill this lacuna. Regarding rights and dignity (section 3), I show that there is a remarkable absence of references to general philosophical theories of rights and dignity in the debate about the Ashley treatment. Consequently, this argument against the treatment is not sufficiently developed. I clarify how such an argument should proceed. Such a detailed analysis of arguments is necessary to clear up some confusions and ambiguities in the debate and to shed light on the dilemma that caretakers of severely disabled children face.
Moral Distress, Workplace Health, and Intrinsic Harm
Authors: Weber Elijah
Published: August 2015

Moral distress is now being recognized as a frequent experience for many health care providers, and there's good evidence that it has a negative impact on the health care work environment. However, contemporary discussions of moral distress have several problems. First, they tend to rely on inadequate characterizations of moral distress. As a result, subsequent investigations regarding the frequency and consequences of moral distress often proceed without a clear understanding of the phenomenon being discussed, and thereby risk substantially misrepresenting the nature, frequency, and possible consequences of moral distress. These discussions also minimize the intrinsically harmful aspects of moral distress. This is a serious omission. Moral distress doesn't just have a negative impact on the health care work environment; it also directly harms the one who experiences it.

In this paper, I claim that these problems can be addressed by first clarifying our understanding of moral distress, and then identifying what makes moral distress intrinsically harmful. I begin by identifying three common mistakes that characterizations of moral distress tend to make, and explaining why these mistakes are problematic. Next, I offer an account of moral distress that avoids these mistakes. Then, I defend the claim that moral distress is intrinsically harmful to the subject who experiences it. I conclude by explaining how acknowledging this aspect of moral distress should reshape our discussions about how best to deal with this phenomenon.
Autism, Accommodation and Treatment: A Rejoinder to Chong‐Ming Lim's Critique
Authors: Jaarsma Pier , Welin Stellan
Published: August 2015

We are very grateful to Chong‐Ming Lim for his thoughtful reply published in this journal on one of our articles, which motivated us to think more carefully about accommodating autistic individuals and treating autism. However we believe there are some confusions in Lim's argument. Lim uses the accommodation thesis, according to which we should accommodate autistic individuals rather than treat autism, as the starting point for his reasoning. He claims that if the accommodation thesis is right, then we should not treat autistic individuals for their autism, not even low‐functioning (i.e. intellectually disabled) ones, because this would be disrespectful to all autistic individuals. We should instead limit ourselves to accommodate all autistic individuals. However, the opposition between accommodation and treatment is not valid in the case of autism, because of ambiguity in the concepts of accommodation and treatment. Moreover there is confusion in Lim's reasoning caused by omitting important facts about the practice of treating autism.
Professional Hubris and its Consequences: Why Organizations of Health‐Care Professions Should Not Adopt Ethically Controversial Positions
Authors: Vogelstein Eric
Published: August 2015

In this article, I argue that professional healthcare organizations such as the AMA and ANA ought not to take controversial stances on professional ethics. I address the best putative arguments in favor of taking such stances, and argue that none are convincing. I then argue that the sort of stance‐taking at issue has pernicious consequences: it stands to curb critical thought in social, political, and legal debates, increase moral distress among clinicians, and alienate clinicians from their professional societies. Thus, because there are no good arguments in favor of stance‐taking and at least some risks in doing so, professional organizations should refrain from adopting the sort of ethically controversial positions at issue.
The Effectiveness of a New Model in Managing Pregnant Women with Iron Deficiency Anemia in Indonesia: A Nonrandomized Controlled Intervention Study
Authors: Widyawati Widyawati , Jans Suze , Bor Hans HJ , van Dillen Jeroen , Lagro‐Janssen Antoine L.M.
Published: August 2015

Background

Indonesia has a major problem with iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women. A new model named the Four Pillars Approach was designed to improve antenatal care for these women. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of the model in managing pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia.

Method

We used a nonrandomized controlled intervention study. The study, with the Four Pillars Approach as intervention versus usual care as its control, was conducted in two provinces in Java (Indonesia) during the period from March 2012 until May 2013. Main outcome measures were a difference of Hb level ≥ 0.5 g/dL, the number of women who attended five or more antenatal care visits, and birthing with a skilled birth attendant.

Results

Three hundred fifty‐four participants were enrolled in the study. Participants in the intervention group had an adjusted odds ratio of 25.0 (95% CI 12.03–52.03, p = 0.001) for increased hemoglobin of ≥ 0.5 g/dL at 35–37 weeks of gestation, compared with the control group. In the intervention group, 95.0 percent of women had five or more antenatal care visits, compared with 57.2 percent (p = 0.001) in the control group. All births in both groups were assisted by skilled birth attendants.

Conclusion

The Four Pillars Approach is effective in increasing the hemoglobin level and the frequency of antenatal care visits of participants when compared with the usual care for pregnant women with anemia.
The Role of Mediation Institutions in Sweden and Denmark after Centralized Bargaining
Authors: Ibsen Christian Lyhne
Published: August 2015

This article compares coordinated collective bargaining in Sweden and Denmark after centralized bargaining. Existing theories — power resource and cross‐class alliance theory — seem capable of explaining the transition from centralized bargaining to pattern bargaining system. However, they do not explain the internal stability of bargaining coordination once established. This analysis stresses the role of mediation institutions of both countries for solving collective action problems in pattern bargaining by pegging other settlements to the manufacturing labour cost norm. Mediation capabilities, however, differ, which is reflected in more frequent defections in Sweden than in Denmark and thus a more unstable bargaining coordination. These differences have substantive consequences for bargaining outcomes in the two countries.
Workplace Characteristics and Working Class Vote for the Old and New Right
Authors: Arndt Christoph , Rennwald Line
Published: August 2015

This article focuses on the role of plant size for working class vote. We argue that workplace size does matter for political behaviour. Workers in smaller plants are less unionized and therefore base their voting decisions more strongly on their cultural attitudes, which undermine the support for social democratic parties. Using data from the European Social Survey (2002–2010), we find that workers in small plants have more right‐wing attitudes and, consequently, vote for new and old right parties, contrarily to workers in larger plants. Our research points towards important structural explanations of working class support for the right and its cross‐national differences.
Polymorphisms within the human leucocyte antigen-E gene and their associations with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis as well as clinical outcome of anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy
Authors: Iwaszko M , Świerkot J , Kolossa K , Jeka S , Wiland P , Bogunia-Kubik K
Published: August 2015

Involvement of the non-classical human leucocyte antigen-E (HLA-E) in both innate and acquired immune response suggests its possible role in development of autoimmune pathologies. This study was undertaken to investigate relationships between the HLA-E gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and a risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as to evaluate a potential of these polymorphisms to modulate clinical outcome of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment in female patients. A total of 223 female patients with RA receiving anti-TNF biological therapy and 134 female healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. Genotypings for two SNPs within the HLA-E gene (rs1264457 HLA-E*01:01/01:03; rs1059510 HLA-E*01:03:01/01:03:02) were performed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification employing LightSNiP assays. Clinical response was evaluated according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria at 12 and 24 weeks after initiation of the therapy. The frequency of the HLA-E*01:01/01:01 genotype was decreased significantly in RA patients in comparison to controls (P = 0·031). The presence of the HLA-E*01:01/01:01 genotype in patients correlated with better EULAR response after 12 weeks of anti-TNF treatment, while 01:03 allele carriers were generally unresponsive to the treatment (P = 0·014). The HLA-E*01:03/01:03 genotype was also over-represented among non-responding patients in comparison to HLA-E*01:01/01:01 homozygotes (P = 0·021). With respect to the HLA-E rs1059510 variation, a better response after 12 weeks was observed more frequently in patients carrying the HLA-E*01:03:01/01:03:01 genotype than other genotypes (P = 0·009). The results derived from this study imply that HLA-E polymorphisms may influence RA susceptibility and affect clinical outcome of anti-TNF therapy in female RA patients.
Caseworkers' perceptions of the strengths of the child family and community
Authors: Zegarac Nevenka , Burgund Anita
Published: August 2015

The 2002–2011 reforms of the social welfare system in Serbia produced changes to the assessment model in the field of child welfare. In addition to risks and needs, the new model considers the strengths of the child, family and community, marking a significant innovation for social welfare services. This paper aims to examine the perceptions of caseworkers regarding the strengths of the new assessment model that is used in social welfare centres in Serbia. Based upon a representative, stratified and random sample of 347 records of children who were referred to alternative care during a period of intense reform (2006–2011), notes taken by caseworkers were collected and analysed. The results indicate that strengths were poorly identified at the onset of work with the children, but improvement followed later in the process. This finding leads us to the conclusion that there are serious challenges and difficulties in transitioning from the problem‐oriented model to the new strengths‐oriented approach in the Serbian social welfare system.
Searching for the right track – managing care trajectories in child welfare
Authors: Enell Sofia , Denvall Verner
Published: August 2015

This paper examines caseworkers' efforts to plan and find appropriate interventions for troublesome young people. Strauss's concept of trajectory is applied to analyse how Swedish caseworkers shape and manage the evolving care trajectories using assessments for young people in secure accommodation, i.e. institutional youth assessments. The empirical material consists of surveys to 82 caseworkers concerning 85 institutional youth assessments and interviews with 16 of these caseworkers. The findings reveal ongoing care trajectories that are out of control where the assessments are seen as an opportunity of change for the youths. Diagnoses, confirmations and plans for action are provided through the assessments and used by the caseworkers in negotiations for resources. Three orientations of contributions to the caseworkers' management of care trajectories were found, all reflecting the many uncertainties of child welfare work: child centred, professional and discharge of liability. In conclusion, the caseworkers searched for the right measures to manage change and achieve youth compliance, but it was also a matter of managing professional and organizational contingencies and passing on responsibility.
Planning for ex situ conservation in the face of uncertainty
Authors: Canessa Stefano , Converse Sarah J. , West Matt , Clemann Nick , Gillespie Graeme , McFadden Michael , Silla Aimee J. , Parris Kirsten M. , McCarthy Michael A.
Published: August 2015

Ex situ conservation strategies for threatened species often require long‐term commitment and financial investment to achieve management objectives. We present a framework that considers the decision to adopt ex situ management for a target species as the end point of several linked decisions. We used a decision tree to intuitively represent the logical sequence of decision making. The first decision is to identify the specific management actions most likely to achieve the fundamental objectives of the recovery plan, with or without the use of ex‐situ populations. Once this decision has been made, one decides whether to establish an ex situ population, accounting for the probability of success in the initial phase of the recovery plan, for example, the probability of successful breeding in captivity. Approaching these decisions in the reverse order (attempting to establish an ex situ population before its purpose is clearly defined) can lead to a poor allocation of resources, because it may restrict the range of available decisions in the second stage. We applied our decision framework to the recovery program for the threatened spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) of southeastern Australia. Across a range of possible management actions, only those including ex situ management were expected to provide >50% probability of the species’ persistence, but these actions cost more than use of in situ alternatives only. The expected benefits of ex situ actions were predicted to be offset by additional uncertainty and stochasticity associated with establishing and maintaining ex situ populations. Naïvely implementing ex situ conservation strategies can lead to inefficient management. Our framework may help managers explicitly evaluate objectives, management options, and the probability of success prior to establishing a captive colony of any given species.
Developmental consequences of behavioral inhibition: a model in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Chun Katie , Capitanio John P.
Published: August 2015

In children, behavioral inhibition is characterized by a disposition to withdraw in the presence of strangers and novel situations. Later in life, behavioral inhibition can result in an increased risk for anxiety and depression and a decrease in social behavior. We selected rhesus monkeys that, during infancy, showed evidence of behavioral inhibition in response to separation, and contrasted them with non‐inhibited peers. To understand the development of behavioral inhibition at juvenile age, we collected behavioral data in response to relocation; in response to a human intruder challenge; and in naturalistic outdoor field corrals. At 4 years of age (young adulthood), we again collected behavioral data in the outdoor field corrals to understand the adult social consequences of behavioral inhibition. We also included sex, dominance rank, and number of available kin in our analyses. Finally, to understand the consistency in behavior in behaviorally inhibited animals, we conducted exploratory analyses contrasting behaviorally inhibited animals that showed high vs. low durations of non‐social behaviors as adults. At juvenile age, behaviorally inhibited animals continued to show behavioral differences in the novel testing room and during the human intruder challenge, generally showing evidence of greater anxiety and emotionality compared to non‐inhibited controls. In their outdoor corrals, behaviorally inhibited juveniles spent more time alone and less time in proximity and grooming with mother and other adult females. In young adulthood, we found that behavioral inhibition was not related to time spent alone. We did find that duration of time alone in adulthood was related to time alone exhibited as juveniles; sex, dominance rank, or the number of kin were not influential in adult non‐social duration, either as main effects or as moderators. Finally, exploratory analyses revealed that behaviorally inhibited females that were more sociable (less time spent alone) as adults had spent more time grooming as juveniles, suggesting that high‐quality social interaction at a young age might mitigate the social consequences of behavioral inhibition. Overall, we believe that the many similarities with the human data that we found suggest that this monkey model of naturally occurring behavioral inhibition can be valuable for understanding social development.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance and glycaemic control in prediabetes: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Poolsup N. , Suksomboon N. , Plordplong N.
Published: August 2015

Aims

To evaluate the effect of vitamin D on insulin resistance and glycaemic control in prediabetes.

Methods

A literature search was conducted of MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Web of Science and www.clinicaltrials.gov, together with a historical search through the reference lists of relevant articles until end of June 2014. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials of vitamin D or vitamin D analogues in prediabetes and if they reported homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance or 2‐h plasma glucose after oral glucose tolerance test. Treatment effect was estimated according to mean difference in the changes from baseline of homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose, fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c between vitamin D and control groups. Meta‐analysis of eligible studies was performed.

Results

A total of 10 randomized controlled trials were included. Vitamin D did not significantly improve homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose: the mean differences were ‐0.06 (95% CI ‐0.36 to 0.24) and ‐0.23 mmol/l (95% CI ‐0.65 to 0.19), respectively. Subgroup analysis suggested that vitamin D improved homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance in a subgroup with baseline 25‐hydroxyvitamin D ≥ 50 nmol/l [mean difference ‐0.59 (95% CI ‐1.14 to ‐0.04); P = 0.03] and improved 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose in the subgroup with baseline 25‐hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nmol/l [mean difference ‐0.68 mmol/l (95% CI ‐1.35 to ‐0.01); P = 0.05]. Vitamin D significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c levels. The mean differences were ‐0.10 mmol/l (95% CI ‐0.18 to ‐0.03), P = 0.006 and ‐1 mmol/mol (95% CI ‐2 to 0), P = 0.008, respectively.

Conclusions

No beneficial effect of vitamin D in improving insulin resistance was identified.
Soft tissue fillers as non‐specific modulators of adipogenesis: change of the paradigm?
Authors: Kruglikov Ilja L. , Wollina Uwe
Published: August 2015

Dermal filler injection is a cornerstone of facial rejuvenation procedures. Based on available data in animal and human studies, we suppose that the activation and proliferation of adipose‐derived stem cells and expansion of mature adipocytes play a crucial role in long‐term effects of volumizing, tissue tightening and beautification.
Human cathepsin L, a papain‐like collagenase without proline specificity
Authors: Korenč Matevž , Lenarčič Brigita , Novinec Marko
Published: August 2015

Several members of the papain‐like peptidase family have the ability to degrade collagen molecules by cleaving within the triple helix region of this difficult substrate. A common denominator of these peptidases is their ability to cleave substrates with Pro in the P2 position. In humans, cathepsin K is the best‐known papain‐like collagenase. Here, we investigate the collagenolytic activity of human cathepsin L, which is closely related to cathepsin K. We show that, despite lacking proline specificity, cathepsin L efficiently cleaves type I collagen within the triple helix region and produces a cleavage pattern similar to that of cathepsin K. We demonstrate that both enzymes have similar affinities for type I collagen and are able to release proteolytic fragments from insoluble collagen. Moreover, cathepsin K is only approximately fourfold more potent than cathepsin L in releasing fragments from reconstituted fibrils of FITC‐labeled collagen. Replacing active site residues of cathepsin L with those from cathepsin K introduces cathepsin K–like specificity towards synthetic substrates and increases the collagenolytic activity of cathepsin L. Replacing three residues in the S2 subsite is sufficient to produce a mutant with collagenolytic activity on par with human cathepsin K. These results provide a basis for engineering collagenolytic activity into non‐collagenolytic papain‐like scaffolds.
Virological failure and development of new resistance mutations according to CD4 count at combination antiretroviral therapy initiation
Authors: Jose S , Quinn K , Dunn D , Cox A , Sabin C , Fidler S ,   the UK CHIC and UK HDRD Steering Committees
Published: August 2015

Objectives

No randomized controlled trials have yet reported an individual patient benefit of initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) at CD4 counts > 350 cells/μL. It is hypothesized that earlier initiation of cART in asymptomatic and otherwise healthy individuals may lead to poorer adherence and subsequently higher rates of resistance development.

Methods

In a large cohort of HIV‐positive individuals, we investigated the emergence of new resistance mutations upon virological treatment failure according to the CD4 count at the initiation of cART.

Results

Of 7918 included individuals, 6514 (82.3%), 996 (12.6%) and 408 (5.2%) started cART with a CD4 count ≤ 350, 351–499 and ≥ 500 cells/μL, respectively. Virological rebound occurred while on cART in 488 (7.5%), 46 (4.6%) and 30 (7.4%) with a baseline CD4 count ≤ 350, 351–499 and ≥ 500 cells/μL, respectively. Only four (13.0%) individuals with a baseline CD4 count > 350 cells/μL in receipt of a resistance test at viral load rebound were found to have developed new resistance mutations. This compared to 107 (41.2%) of those with virological failure who had initiated cART with a CD4 count < 350 cells/μL.

Conclusions

We found no evidence of increased rates of resistance development when cART was initiated at CD4 counts above 350 cells/μL.
Fibroblast growth factor 23: associations with antiretroviral therapy in patients co‐infected with HIV and hepatitis C
Authors: Young J , Mucsi I , Rollet‐Kurhajec KC , Klein MB ,   the Canadian Co‐infection Cohort
Published: August 2015

Objectives

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) has been associated with cardiovascular mortality. We estimate associations between the level of plasma FGF23 and exposure to abacavir (ABC) and to other components of antiretroviral therapy in patients co‐infected with HIV and hepatitis C.

Methods

Both intact and c‐terminal FGF23 were measured in plasma using commercial assays for a sub‐cohort of 295 patients selected at random from the 1150 patients enrolled in the Canadian Co‐infection Cohort. The multiplicative effects of antiretroviral drug exposures and covariates on median FGF23 were then estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian model.

Results

The median level of intact FGF23 was independent of either past or recent exposure to abacavir, with multiplicative ratios of 1.00 and 1.07, 95% credible intervals 0.90–1.12 and 0.94–1.23, respectively. Median intact FGF23 tended to increase with past use of both nonnucleoside reverse‐transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors, but tended to decrease with recent use of either tenofovir, efavirenz or lopinavir. There were no obvious associations between the median level of c‐terminal FGF23 and individual drugs or drug classes. Age, female gender, smoking and the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index were all associated with a higher median c‐terminal FGF23 but not with a higher median intact FGF23.

Conclusions

The level of FGF23 in plasma was independent of exposure to ABC. Lower levels of intact FGF23 with recent use of tenofovir, efavirenz or lopinavir may reflect their adverse effects on bone and vitamin D metabolism relative to other drugs in their respective drug classes.
Comparative risk of failure of ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC based first‐line regimens in patients with a high viral load
Authors: Flandre P , Pugliese P , Allavena C , Katlama C , Cotte L , Cheret A , Cabié A , Rey D , Chirouze C , Bani‐Sadr F , Cuzin L ,   the Dat'AIDS Study group
Published: August 2015

Objectives

To compare the efficacy, in current clinical practice, of first regimens containing abacavir with lamivudine (ABC/3TC) or tenofovir with emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) in patients with baseline viral load ≥100 000 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL.

Methods

Using a prospective cohort, we selected all patients starting a first HIV regimen based either on ABC/3TC or on TDF/FTC. The propensity score (PS) method was used to limit the indication bias due to the observational nature of the data. Adjusting and weighting methods via PS were used to compare the effectiveness of a first regimen containing ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC. The primary outcome was treatment failure by month 12 (M12).

Results

Overall, 2781 patients started an antiretroviral (ARV) regimen with ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC each in combination with efavirenz, boosted atazanavir or boosted darunavir. Among the 2472 uncensored patients before M12, 962 (39%) had a baseline viral load ≥100 000 copies/mL of whom 294 were in treatment failure at or before M12. Our analyses showed no difference between ABC/3TC and TDF/FTC in the risk of treatment failure at M12 in patients starting an ARV regimen with a high viral load (≥100 000 copies/mL).

Conclusions

Using a large prospectively collected cohort of patients seeking care in France, we found no evidence that ABC/3TC based regimens led to more failures than TDF/FTC based ones in patients with high baseline viral loads.
Sunscreen formulations may serve as additional water barrier on skin surface: a clinical assessment
Authors: Shyr T. , Ou‐Yang H.
Published: August 2015

Synopsis

Objectives

Extended water exposure can cause stratum corneum swelling and a more porous skin barrier. People often wear water‐resistant sunscreen formulations during extended period of water activities in the summer to protect skin from harmful UV rays. We wanted to evaluate whether sunscreen formulations can also serve as additional water barriers to help mitigate the disruption in stratum corneum caused by constant exposure to water.

Methods

We conducted trans‐epidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement in a controlled water patch (including salt and chlorine water) model and then applied this relevant model to study the effects of pre‐treatments of sunscreen sprays and stick. We also conducted water sorption–desorption test in vivo with and without sunscreens. Finally, we studied the effect of constant water exposure combined with a known irritant, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), in a randomized clinical trial.

Results

We found that application of sunscreen formulations help mitigate water‐induced barrier disruption by repelling water at skin surface. Pre‐treatment of sunscreen also statistically decreased the irritation in an acute patch test model.

Conclusions

Hydrophobic sunscreen formulations can help protect skin from extended water exposure by serving as additional water barriers.
Nature of Transboundary Water Conflicts: Issues of Complexity and the Enabling Conditions for Negotiated Cooperation
Authors: Choudhury Enamul , Islam Shafiqul
Published: August 2015

Water access, demand, usage and management become complex due to the crossing of multiple boundaries: political, social and jurisdictional, as well as physical, ecological and biogeochemical. This paper focuses on a particular class of complex water problems: the allocation of transboundary water (TBW) among competing riparians with conflicting needs. The complexity in TBW allocation lies in the dynamic consequences of competition that arise from the interconnections and feedbacks among actors, processes and institutions operating in the knowledge and political communities. Consequently, many TBW allocation issues become contingent upon the dynamic changes that occur within the knowledge and political communities as well as the interactions and feedback occurring between these two communities. In addition to understanding and addressing the contingent contextual factors that span the knowledge and political communities, resolving complex TBW problems also needs to be guided by contextual application of two global principles – equity and sustainability – as anchors to accommodate the values and interests of the stakeholders involved in a TBW problem. This paper examines the process that led to the relatively successful resolution of conflict over allocating the waters in the Indus basin between India and Pakistan. Using the Indus water treaty as an illustrative case, the paper identifies three enabling conditions that underlie the effectiveness of negotiating a treaty and its continuous efficacy in addressing TBW problems. The paper argues that effective resolution of complex TBW problems is rooted in the nature of the negotiation process, the provisions in the negotiated agreement and the establishment of institutional means to solve emergent problems that are related to the original agreement.