bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatially selective surface platforms for binding fibrinogen prepared by particle lithography with organosilanes
Authors: Englade-Franklin Lauren E. , Saner ChaMarra K. , Garno Jayne C.
Published: April 2013

We introduce an approach based on particle lithography to prepare spatially selective surface platforms of organosilanes that are suitable for nanoscale studies of protein binding. Particle lithography was applied for patterning fibrinogen, a plasma protein that has a major role in the clotting cascade for blood coagulation and wound healing. Surface nanopatterns of mercaptosilanes were designed as sites for the attachment of fibrinogen within a protein-resistant matrix of 2-[methoxy(polyethyleneoxy)propyl] trichlorosilane (PEG-silane). Preparing site-selective surfaces was problematic in our studies, because of the self-reactive properties of PEG-organosilanes. Certain organosilanes presenting hydroxyl head groups will cross react to form mixed surface multi-layers. We developed a clever strategy with particle lithography using masks of silica mesospheres to protect small, discrete regions of the surface from cross reactions. Images acquired with atomic force microscopy (AFM) disclose that fibrinogen attached primarily to the surface areas presenting thiol head groups, which were surrounded by PEG-silane. The activity for binding anti-fibrinogen was further evaluated using
ex situ
AFM studies, confirming that after immobilization the fibrinogen nanopatterns retained capacity for binding immunoglobulin G. Studies with AFM provide advantages of achieving nanoscale resolution for detecting surface changes during steps of biochemical surface reactions, without requiring chemical modification of proteins or fluorescent labels.
From seeing to believing: labelling strategies for
in vivo
cell-tracking experiments
Authors: Progatzky Fränze , Dallman Margaret J. , Lo Celso Cristina
Published: April 2013

Intravital microscopy has become increasingly popular over the past few decades because it provides high-resolution and real-time information about complex biological processes. Technological advances that allow deeper penetration in live tissues, such as the development of confocal and two-photon microscopy, together with the generation of ever-new fluorophores that facilitate bright labelling of cells and tissue components have made imaging of vertebrate model organisms efficient and highly informative. Genetic manipulation leading to expression of fluorescent proteins is undoubtedly the labelling method of choice and has been used to visualize several cell types
in vivo
. This approach, however, can be technically challenging and time consuming. Over the years, several dyes have been developed to allow rapid, effective and bright
ex vivo
labelling of cells for subsequent transplantation and imaging. Here, we review and discuss the advantages and limitations of a number of strategies commonly used to label and track cells at high resolution
in vivo
in mouse and zebrafish, using fluorescence microscopy. While the quest for the perfect label is far from achieved, current reagents are valuable tools enabling the progress of biological discovery, so long as they are selected and used appropriately.
The fate of phosphorus fertilizer in Amazon soya bean fields
Authors: Riskin Shelby H. , Porder Stephen , Neill Christopher , Figueira Adelaine Michela e Silva , Tubbesing Carmen , Mahowald Natalie
Published: April 2013

Fertilizer-intensive soya bean agriculture has recently expanded in southeastern Amazonia, and whereas intensive fertilizer use in the temperate zone has led to widespread eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems, the effects in tropical systems are less well understood. We examined the fate of fertilizer phosphorus (P) by comparing P forms and budgets across a chronosequence of soya bean fields (converted to soya beans between 2003 and 2008) and forests on an 800 km
2
soya bean farm in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Soya bean fields were fertilized with 50 kg P ha
−1
yr
−1
(30 kg P ha
−1
yr
−1
above what is removed in crops). We used modified Hedley fractionation to quantify soil P pools and found increases in less-plant-available inorganic pools and decreases in organic pools in agricultural soils compared with forest. Fertilizer P did not move below 20 cm. Measurements of P sorption capacity suggest that while fertilizer inputs quench close to half of the sorption capacity of fast-reacting pools, most added P is bound in more slowly reacting pools. Our data suggest that this agricultural system currently has a low risk of P losses to waterways and that long time-scales are required to reach critical soil thresholds that would allow continued high yields with reduced fertilizer inputs.
Deforestation and climate feedbacks threaten the ecological integrity of south–southeastern Amazonia
Authors: Coe Michael T. , Marthews Toby R. , Costa Marcos Heil , Galbraith David R. , Greenglass Nora L. , Imbuzeiro Hewlley M. A. , Levine Naomi M. , Malhi Yadvinder , Moorcroft Paul R. , Muza Michel Nobre , Powell Thomas L. , Saleska Scott R. , Solorzano Luis A. , Wang Jingfeng
Published: April 2013

A mosaic of protected areas, including indigenous lands, sustainable-use production forests and reserves and strictly protected forests is the cornerstone of conservation in the Amazon, with almost 50 per cent of the region now protected. However, recent research indicates that isolation from direct deforestation or degradation may not be sufficient to maintain the ecological integrity of Amazon forests over the next several decades. Large-scale changes in fire and drought regimes occurring as a result of deforestation and greenhouse gas increases may result in forest degradation, regardless of protected status. How severe or widespread these feedbacks will be is uncertain, but the arc of deforestation in south–southeastern Amazonia appears to be particularly vulnerable owing to high current deforestation rates and ecological sensitivity to climate change. Maintaining forest ecosystem integrity may require significant strengthening of forest conservation on private property, which can in part be accomplished by leveraging existing policy mechanisms.
Effects of high-frequency understorey fires on woody plant regeneration in southeastern Amazonian forests
Authors: Balch Jennifer K. , Massad Tara J. , Brando Paulo M. , Nepstad Daniel C. , Curran Lisa M.
Published: April 2013

Anthropogenic understorey fires affect large areas of tropical forest, yet their effects on woody plant regeneration post-fire remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of repeated experimental fires on woody stem (less than 1 cm at base) mortality, recruitment, species diversity, community similarity and regeneration mode (seed versus sprout) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. From 2004 to 2010, forest plots (50 ha) were burned twice (B2) or five times (B5), and compared with an unburned control (B0). Stem density recovered within a year after the first burn (initial density: 12.4–13.2 stems m
−2
), but after 6 years, increased mortality and decreased regeneration—primarily of seedlings—led to a 63 per cent and 85 per cent reduction in stem density in B2 and B5, respectively. Seedlings and sprouts across plots in 2010 displayed remarkable community similarity owing to shared abundant species. Although the dominant surviving species were similar across plots, a major increase in sprouting occurred—almost three- and fourfold greater in B2 and B5 than in B0. In B5, 29 species disappeared and were replaced by 11 new species often present along fragmented forest edges. By 2010, the annual burn regime created substantial divergence between the seedling community and the initial adult tree community (greater than or equal to 20 cm dbh). Increased droughts and continued anthropogenic ignitions associated with frontier land uses may promote high-frequency fire regimes that may substantially alter regeneration and therefore successional processes.
Ecological restoration of Xingu Basin headwaters: motivations, engagement, challenges and perspectives
Authors: Durigan Giselda , Guerin Natalia , da Costa José Nicola Martorano Neves
Published: April 2013

Over the past two decades, the headwaters of the Xingu Basin in the Amazon have been subjected to one of the highest deforestation rates in Brazil, with negative effects on both terrestrial and aquatic systems. The environmental consequences of forest land conversion have concerned the indigenous people living downstream, and this was the first motivation for the Y Ikatu Xingu campaign—‘save the good water of the Xingu’. Among the objectives of the initiative was to restore riparian forests on private land across the basin. For a region where the rivers, rainstorms, forest remnants, distances and farms are huge, the challenges were equally large: crossing the biotic and abiotic thresholds of degradation, as well as addressing the lack of technology, know-how, seeds, forest nurseries, trained personnel and roads, and the lack of motivation for restoration. After 6 years, despite the remarkable advances in terms of technical innovation coupled with a broad and effective social involvement, the restored areas represent only a small portion of those aimed for. The still high costs of restoration, the uncertainties of legislation and also the global economy have been strong forces constraining the expansion of restored forests. Additional efforts and strategies are necessary to overcome these barriers.
Socioeconomic development and agricultural intensification in Mato Grosso
Authors: VanWey Leah K. , Spera Stephanie , de Sa Rebecca , Mahr Dan , Mustard John F.
Published: April 2013

The Brazilian agro-industrial frontier in Mato Grosso rapidly expanded in total area of mechanized production and in total value of production in the last decade. This article shows the spatial pattern of that expansion from 2000 to 2010, based on novel analyses of satellite imagery. It then explores quantitatively and qualitatively the antecedents and correlates of intensification, the expansion of the area under two crops per year. Double cropping is most likely in areas with access to transportation networks, previous profitable agricultural production, and strong existing ties to national and international commodity markets. The article concludes with an exploration of the relationship between double cropping and socioeconomic development, showing that double cropping is strongly correlated with incomes of all residents of a community and with investments in education. We conclude that double cropping in Mato Grosso is very closely tied to multiple indicators of socioeconomic development.
Pesticide use and biodiversity conservation in the Amazonian agricultural frontier
Authors: Schiesari Luis , Waichman Andrea , Brock Theo , Adams Cristina , Grillitsch Britta
Published: April 2013

Agricultural frontiers are dynamic environments characterized by the conversion of native habitats to agriculture. Because they are currently concentrated in diverse tropical habitats, agricultural frontiers are areas where the largest number of species is exposed to hazardous land management practices, including pesticide use. Focusing on the Amazonian frontier, we show that producers have varying access to resources, knowledge, control and reward mechanisms to improve land management practices. With poor education and no technical support, pesticide use by smallholders sharply deviated from agronomical recommendations, tending to overutilization of hazardous compounds. By contrast, with higher levels of technical expertise and resources, and aiming at more restrictive markets, large-scale producers adhered more closely to technical recommendations and even voluntarily replaced more hazardous compounds. However, the ecological footprint increased significantly over time because of increased dosage or because formulations that are less toxic to humans may be more toxic to other biodiversity. Frontier regions appear to be unique in terms of the conflicts between production and conservation, and the necessary pesticide risk management and risk reduction can only be achieved through responsibility-sharing by diverse stakeholders, including governmental and intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, financial institutions, pesticide and agricultural industries, producers, academia and consumers.
Testing the Amazon savannization hypothesis: fire effects on invasion of a neotropical forest by native cerrado and exotic pasture grasses
Authors: Silvério Divino V. , Brando Paulo M. , Balch Jennifer K. , Putz Francis E. , Nepstad Daniel C. , Oliveira-Santos Claudinei , Bustamante Mercedes M. C.
Published: April 2013

Changes in climate and land use that interact synergistically to increase fire frequencies and intensities in tropical regions are predicted to drive forests to new grass-dominated stable states. To reveal the mechanisms for such a transition, we established 50 ha plots in a transitional forest in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon to different fire treatments (unburned, burned annually (B1
yr
) or at 3-year intervals (B3
yr
)). Over an 8-year period since the commencement of these treatments, we documented: (i) the annual rate of pasture and native grass invasion in response to increasing fire frequency; (ii) the establishment of
Brachiaria decumbens
(an African C
4
grass) as a function of decreasing canopy cover and (iii) the effects of grass fine fuel on fire intensity. Grasses invaded approximately 200 m from the edge into the interiors of burned plots (B1
yr
: 4.31 ha; B3
yr
: 4.96 ha) but invaded less than 10 m into the unburned plot (0.33 ha). The probability of
B. decumbens
establishment increased with seed availability and decreased with leaf area index. Fine fuel loads along the forest edge were more than three times higher in grass-dominated areas, which resulted in especially intense fires. Our results indicate that synergies between fires and invasive C
4
grasses jeopardize the future of tropical forests.
Artificial muscles and soft gripping: a review of technologies and applications
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a range of artificial muscle and soft gripping technologies for robotic applications.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a short introduction, this paper first discusses the role of air muscles and other pneumatic actuation technologies. It then considers electroactive polymer and shape‐memory alloys and finally discusses the prospects for various classes of electrohydrodynamic fluids.

Findings

This paper shows that a technologically diverse range of novel actuation techniques exist, or are under development, which can act as artificial muscles and soft grippers. They are based on pneumatics, shape changing materials and electrohydrodynamic fluids and have prospects to impart robots with improved or unique capabilities.

Originality/value

The paper provides an insight into developments in artificial muscle and soft gripping technologies. These are expected to play a vital role in future robot generations.
Gesture encoding and reproduction for human‐robot interaction in text‐to‐gesture systems
Authors: Kim Heon‐Hui , Ha Yun‐Su , Bien Zeungnam , Park Kwang‐Hyun
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deal with a method for gesture encoding and reproduction, particularly aiming at a text‐to‐gesture (TTG) system that enables robotic agents to generate proper gestures automatically and naturally in human‐robot interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Reproducing proper gestures, naturally synchronized with speech, is important under the TTG concept. The authors first introduce a gesture model that is effective to abstract and describe a variety of human gestures. Based on the model, a gesture encoding/decoding scheme is proposed to encode observed gestures symbolically and parametrically and to reproduce robot gestures from the codes. In particular, this paper mainly addresses a gesture scheduling method that deals with the alignment and refinement of gestural motions, in order to reproduce robotic gesticulation in a human‐like, natural fashion.

Findings

The proposed method has been evaluated through a series of questionnaire surveys, and it was found that reproduced gestures by a robotic agent could appeal satisfactorily to human beings.

Originality/value

This paper provides a series of algorithms to treat overlapped motions and to refine the timing parameters for the motions, so that robotic agents reproduce human‐like, natural gestures.
Comparing the efficiency of five algorithms applied to path planning for industrial robots
Authors: Rubio Francisco , Abu‐Dakka Fares J. , Valero Francisco , Mata Vicente
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the quality and efficiency of five methods for solving the path planning problem of industrial robots in complex environments.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, five methods are presented for solving the path planning problem and certain working parameters have been monitored using each method. These working parameters are the distance travelled by the robot and the computational time needed to find a solution. A comparison of results has been analyzed.

Findings

After this study, it could be easy to know which of the proposed methods is most suitable for application in each case, depending on the parameter the user wants to optimize. The findings have been summarized in the conclusion section.

Research limitations/implications

The five techniques which have been developed yield good results in general.

Practical implications

The algorithms introduced are able to solve the path planning problem for any industrial robot working with obstacles.

Social implications

The path planning algorithms help robots perform their tasks in a more efficient way because the path followed has been optimized and therefore they help human beings work together with the robots in order to obtain the best results from them.

Originality/value

The paper shows which algorithm offers the best results, depending on the example the user has to solve and the parameter to be optimized.
Pick‐and‐place application development using voice and visual commands
Authors: van Delden Sebastian , Umrysh Michael , Rosario Carlos , Hess Gregory
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design an interactive industrial robotic system which can be used to assist a “layperson” in re‐casting a generic pick‐and‐place application. A user can program a pick‐and‐place application simply by pointing to objects in the work area and speaking simple and intuitive natural language commands.

Design/methodology/approach

The system was implemented in C# using the EMGU wrapper classes for OpenCV as well as the MS Speech Recognition API. The target language to be recognized was modelled using traditional augmented transition networks which were implemented as XML Grammars. The authors developed an original finger‐pointing algorithm using a unique combination of standard morphological and image processing techniques. Recognized voice commands trigger the vision component to capture what a user is pointing at. If the specified action requires robot movement, the required information is sent to the robot control component of the system, which then transmits the commands to the robot controller for execution.

Findings

The voice portion of the system was tested on the factory floor in a “typical” manufacturing environment, which was right at the maximum allowable average decibel level specified by OSHA. The findings show that a modern/standard MS Speech API voice recognition system can achieve a 100 per cent accuracy of simple commands; although at the noisy levels of 89 decibels on average, every one out of six commands had to be repeated. The vision component was test of 72 test subjects who had no prior knowledge of this work. The system accurately recognized what the test subjects were pointing at 95 per cent of the time within five seconds of hand readjusting.

Research limitations/implications

The vision component suffers from the “typical” problems: very shiny surfaces can cause problems; very poor contrast between the pointing hand and the background; and occlusions. Currently the system can only handle a limited amount of depth recovery using a spring mounted gripper. A second camera (future work) needs to be incorporated in order to handle large depth variations in the work area.

Practical implications

This system could have a huge impact on how factory floor workers interact with robotic equipment.

Originality/value

The testing of the voice system on a factory floor, although simple, is very important. It proves the viability of this component of the system and debunks arguments that factories are simply too noisy for current voice technology. The unique finger‐pointing algorithm developed by the authors is also an important contribution to the field. In particular, the manner in which the pointing vector was constructed. Furthermore, very few papers report results of non‐experts using their pointing algorithms. The paper reports concrete results that show the system is intuitive and user friendly to “laypersons”.
Anthropomorphism and service humanoid robots: an ambiguous relationship
Authors: Tondu Bertrand
Published: April 2013

Purpose

So‐called humanoid robots, among a large class of service robots, are designed to work in close harmony with humans. Their anthropomorphism and its consequences have, however, been little studied. The purpose of this paper is to tackle this question by differentiating the psychological meaning of anthropomorphism from its technical meaning, understood as a human‐like device. The author shows that the former generates salient projections which can be interpreted with respect to Mori's uncanny valley. The role of the task is highlighted with a theoretical attempt to integrate the robot as a social player into a Heider balance‐theory inspired model. This psychological anthropomorphism, however, must be compared with technical anthropomorphism, which leads to underlining present‐day difficulties in designing highly human‐like functional machines with, as a consequence, running the risk of giving them the delusion of a human behaviour that they are not able to realize.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a theoretical paper aimed to highlight a double meaning of anthropomorphism for humanoid robots and its consequences.

Findings

Task‐based interpretation of the Mori's uncanny valley and link between psychological anthropomorphism and technical anthropomorphism.

Originality/value

The originality of the approach consists in applying to the humanoid robot a double approach of anthropomorphism. The first one corresponds to the classical psychological meaning producing peculiar anthropomorphic projections on a non‐human being, while the second corresponds to the technical realization of a human‐like machine dedicated to be integrated into a human environment.
Fleets of robots for precision agriculture: a simulation environment
Authors: Emmi Luis , Paredes‐Madrid Leonel , Ribeiro Angela , Pajares Gonzalo , Gonzalez‐de‐Santos Pablo
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose going one step further in the simulation tools related to agriculture by integrating fleets of mobile robots for the execution of precision agriculture techniques. The proposed new simulation environment allows the user to define different mobiles robots and agricultural implements.

Design/methodology/approach

With this computational tool, the crop field, the fleet of robots and the different sensors and actuators that are incorporated into each robot can be configured by means of two interfaces: a configuration interface and a graphical interface, which interact with each other.

Findings

The system presented in this article unifies two very different areas – robotics and agriculture – to study and evaluate the implementation of precision agriculture techniques in a 3D virtual world. The simulation environment allows the users to represent realistic characteristics from a defined location and to model different variabilities that may affect the task performance accuracy of the fleet of robots.

Originality/value

This simulation environment, the first in incorporating fleets of heterogeneous mobile robots, provides realistic 3D simulations and videos, which grant a good representation and a better understanding of the robot labor in agricultural activities for researchers and engineers from different areas, who could be involved in the design and application of precision agriculture techniques. The environment is available at the internet, which is an added value for its expansion in the agriculture/robotics family.
The compact FlowBot: a robotic pick and place motion system (patent pending)
Authors: Derby Stephen , Eckert Gene , Brown David , McFadden John
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Current single head pick and place robots have reached their practical limit for throughput rates due to impractical speeds and acceleration, which often damage or lose the product being transferred. The purpose of this paper is to present a new system which uses 2 XY motion slides and an indexing flexible conveyor to achieve a more desired motion while achieving a high throughput rate.

Design/methodology/approach

An innovative robotic pick and place motion design (the FlowBot) was previously created to address the changing needs of the packaging and automation industry. A full patent has been filed covering this technology. This paper documents a refinement to the FlowBot concept that produces a more compact implementation, entitled the Compact FlowBot.

Findings

Tit was found that the motion of smaller steps with limited accelerations does produce higher throughputs without the excessive accelerations that Delta robots produce. The robotics system does require limited Z height so the potential for multiple stacked systems is presented.

Originality/value

This novel robot has been found to be a next generation design, which has been confirmed by an international patent search. Many established consumer packaging goods companies and food processing companies have lauded its merits. The system needs to move into prototype and full development mode.
On the mobility of all‐terrain rovers
Authors: Reina Giulio , Foglia Mario
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the locomotion performance of all‐terrain rovers employing rocker‐type suspension system.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a robot with advanced mobility features is presented and its locomotion performance is evaluated, following an analytical approach via extensive simulations. The vehicle features an independently controlled four‐wheel‐drive/4‐wheel‐steer architecture and it also employs a passive rocker‐type suspension system that improves the ability to traverse uneven terrain. An overview of modeling techniques for rover‐like vehicles is introduced. First, a method for formulating a kinematic model of an articulated vehicle is presented. Next, a method for expressing a quasi‐static model of forces acting on the robot is described. A modified rocker‐type suspension is also proposed that enables wheel camber change, allowing each wheel to keep an upright posture as the suspension conforms to ground unevenness.

Findings

The proposed models can be used to assess the locomotion performance of a mobile robot on rough‐terrain for design, control and path planning purposes. The advantage of the rocker‐type suspension over conventional spring‐type counterparts is demonstrated. The variable camber suspension is shown to be effective in improving a robot's traction and climbing ability.

Research limitations/implications

The paper can be of great value when studying and optimizing the locomotion performance of mobile robots on rough terrain. These models can be used as a basis for advanced design, control and motion planning.

Originality/value

The paper describes an analytical approach for the study of the mobility characteristics of vehicles endowed with articulated suspension systems. A variable camber mechanism is also presented.
Design of compliant robotic joint with embedded‐sensing elements of conductive silicone rubber
Authors: Petković Dalibor , Issa Mirna , Pavlović Nenad D. , Zentner Lena
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new methodological framework within which a compliant robotic joint can be studied.

Design/methodology/approach

A new method is presented for detecting the direction of the robotic joint rotation when subjected to an external collision force.

Findings

The behaviour of the silicone rubber shows strong non‐linearity, therefore, the sensor‐elements cannot be used for accurate measurements.

Originality/value

A new type of safe robotic mechanisms with an internal measuring system is proposed in this paper.
A massage robot based on Chinese massage therapy
Authors: Hu Lei , Wang Yun , Zhang Jie , Zhang Jun , Cui Yan , Ma Lvzhong , Jiang Junyuan , Fang Liming , Zhang Bangcheng
Published: April 2013

Purpose

As Chinese massage is increasingly popular, many physicians are needed these days. In order to promote the experience and skills of experts and reduce labour intensity during massage, a massage robot, which could reproduce the expert techniques with individualized manipulation parameters and enhanced safety control strategies, is presented in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

The kinematic and force features of key massage techniques, such as Thumb Kneading, Pressing, Rolling, Vibrating and Pinching, are summarized by analyzing the massage processes of expert physicians, and a mathematical model for robotic massage is established. With safety issues taken into account, the overall system structure of the massage robot is proposed. The system generally consists of a positioning platform and a massage end‐effector which implements the massage techniques, and the end‐effector is further divided into a parallel mechanism and a massage hand to accommodate different techniques. Visual tracking is used for positioning acupuncture points by recognizing markers on a massage vest worn by the patient. A pain threshold value is introduced to individualize therapy schemes and a force‐position control method based on the pain threshold is presented.

Findings

VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) tests for lumbar muscle strain are carried out using the massage robot, and the treatment effect of the massage robot based on traditional Chinese massage therapy theory is initially validated.

Research limitations/implications

The treatment effect of the massage robot needs to be assessed clinically for more occasions and more clinical experiments will be conducted, to optimize the configuration and control strategy to meet the clinical needs in future work.

Originality/value

The robotic massage system presented in this paper is acting on acupuncture points based on traditional Chinese massage therapy theory, with human manipulation techniques reproduced and expert experiences incorporated. The massage robot can take the place of a massager to perform Chinese massage. Most of the massage robotic systems published in the world perform only one massage technique and the whole massage process is not completely considered. By comparison, the authors' massage robot could perform five techniques. Furthermore, the authors have designed the procedure of robotic massage specifically for patients who suffer from lumbar muscle strain.
The role of information and communication technologies on moral agents and governance in society
Authors: McIntyre Michael L. , Murphy Steven A.
Published: April 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) on moral agents, and in turn, governance structures in western societies.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper takes a holistic approach to governance and recasts popular notions of e‐governance by answering fundamental questions about the potential roles of governance in individuals, communities, organizations, governments and society.

Findings

The authors argue that it is only when the context of the moral agent is fully understood that it is possible to begin to unravel whether ICT is likely to have beneficial or detrimental effects on fundamental governance goals.

Research limitations/implications

Future research into e‐governance topics would be well served by discussing the governance goal that ICT is designed to improve or enhance. Whether ICT can make aspects of e‐government quicker and faster is not in dispute; however, whether ICT will actually achieve deeper governance goals requires reframing research questions.

Social implications

When viewed as moral agents, individuals, communities, organizations, governments and societies can use governance goals to enhance both self‐actualization and social order in line with community values.

Originality/value

By recasting the question “What can ICT contribute to governance and government?” to “How will ICT affect governance?”, we move away from the presumption of a positive influence, and suggest that contributions to governance goals should guide our discussions surrounding ICT utility.
Status of corporate social responsibility in selected Nepalese companies
Authors: Raj Adhikari Dev
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the status of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Nepalese companies.

Design/methodology/appoach

The study is descriptive‐cum‐analytical and is based on a review of the literature.

Findings

The cases presented in the paper show a low intensity of CSR in Nepal. Both government and employers are somehow not serious in implementing labor laws. At the company level, employees' awareness of CSR can bring a positive attitude towards the company.

Practical implications

This paper is useful to academicians and companies seeking to understand the factors supporting and inhibiting CSR in Nepalese companies.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation is that although there are many variables by which to measure CSR initiatives, only labor laws, employees' awareness and a few HRM dimensions have been covered.

Originality/value

This is perhaps the very first investigation of its kind in the Nepalese context.
Post‐crisis restructuring of the corporate governance of Korean companies
Authors: Jung Jin‐young
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify both the problems and their solutions in the corporate governance systems of Korean business groups (chaebols) in the wake of the Asian financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper and includes suggestions for improving international governance systems.

Findings

In this paper, the author focuses on how chaebols should be restructured to improve the Korean economy. In order to figure out how they should be restructured, the author explains the positives and negatives of their current structure and how these can be modified/eliminated to make stronger corporate governance.

Originality/value

The paper provides conceptual insights into systems and laws, which can be used to improve the corporate governance of business groups.
Sovereign wealth funds and shareholder activism: applying the Ryan‐Schneider antecedents to determine policy implications
Authors: Ghahramani Salar
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the propensity of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) for shareholder activism and their potential impact on corporate governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study highlights the relationships between SWFs and corporate governance and also applies eight antecedents/determinants of institutional activism to analyze whether SWFs have a predisposition for shareholder activism.

Findings

The study only finds two instances of SWF activism. Additionally, it finds that despite their mostly passive investments, SWFs possess a natural tendency toward shareholder activism. Some are more likely to engage in activism than others, however. SWFs with a higher proportion of their assets invested in equities, those with portfolios fully or partially constructed to emulate the broader financial markets through indexing, and those that depend less on external fund managers are the likeliest candidates for activism. The study also finds that the regulatory environment can curb the natural SWF inclination for activist behavior.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the lack of transparency within the SWF universe, this study largely depends on the limited data available for sovereign wealth funds.

Practical implications

Given the growing importance of SWFs, managers, directors, and policymakers must assess SWF activism, its influence on corporate governance, and its implications for public policy deliberations.

Originality/value

This project, to the best of the author's knowledge, is the first study that applies tested financial models to SWFs in order to determine if they have inherent activist tendencies.
Diffuse traumatic brain injury and the sensory brain
Authors: Alwis Dasuni S , Johnstone Victoria , Yan Edwin , Rajan Ramesh
Published: April 2013

In this review we discuss the consequences to the brain's cortex, specifically to the sensory cortex, of traumatic brain injury.

The thesis underlying this approach is that long‐term deficits in cognition seen after brain damage in humans are likely underpinned by an impaired cortical processing of the sensory information needed to drive cognition or to be used by cognitive processes to produce a response.

We take it here that the impairment to sensory processing does not arise from damage to peripheral sensory systems, but from disordered brain processing of sensory input.
Three Ways of Speaking Europe to the World: Markets, Peace, Cosmopolitan Duty and the EU's Normative Power
Authors: Rosamond Ben
Published: April 2013

Research Highlights and Abstract

A sympathetic critique of the literature on ‘Normative Power Europe’ that incorporates economic liberalism into the repertoire of the EU's constitutive principles. The derivation of three ideal type liberal modes of justification for external action and a discussion of their potential complementarities and contradictions. An application of the three modes to the case of EU external action.

This article—a sympathetic critique of the literature on ‘Normative Power Europe’—observes that the rationales for EU external action, while understandable in terms of the concept of ‘normative power’, emerge from a variety of overlapping and potentially contradictory liberal arguments. For the purposes of the argument, these liberalisms are organised into three ideal types: market liberalism, the pursuit of peace through liberal means and the ethic of cosmopolitan duty. The article suggests that while it is possible to associate different domains of EU external action with different varieties of liberal discourse, it is often more appropriate to see these policy domains as sites of struggle, negotiation and (perhaps) reconciliation between competing liberal projects.
A novel permutation test for case‐only analysis identifies epistatic effects on human longevity in the FOXO gene family
Authors: Tan Qihua , Soerensen Mette , Kruse Torben A. , Christensen Kaare , Christiansen Lene
Published: April 2013

Genetic interactions or epistasis could make a substantial contribution to variation in human complex traits including longevity. However, detecting epistatic interactions in high dimensional datasets is difficult due to various reasons including multiple testing of correlated tests. We introduce a novel permutation strategy to the case‐only analysis of gene‐by‐gene interaction using multiple SNPs. The method is applied to genes coding for Forkhead box O transcription factors which recently have been associated with human longevity across different populations hypothesizing that epistatic interaction in the regulation and expression of the FOXO gene family could contribute to the human longevity phenotype. Genotype data were collected from 1088 individuals from the Danish 1905 birth cohort aged over 92–93 years with 12 SNPs in the FOXO1a and 15 SNPs in the FOXO3a genes. Our analysis detected a joint effect between rs9486902 in FOXO3a and rs2701858 in FOXO1a that highly significantly contributes to human longevity (OR = 3.23, 95% CI: 2.93–3.53) which is consistent in both males and females. Our results were compared with published studies, and importance of our novel method and findings was discussed.
Prospective observational study of dementia in older patients admitted to acute hospitals
Authors: Travers Catherine , Byrne Gerard J , Pachana Nancy A , Klein Kerenaftali , Gray Len C
Published: April 2013

Aim

Few Australian studies have examined the impact of dementia on hospital outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the relative contribution of dementia to adverse outcomes in older hospital patients.

Method

Prospective observational cohort study (n = 493) of patients aged ≥70 years admitted to four acute hospitals in Queensland. Trained research nurses completed comprehensive geriatric assessments using standardised instruments and collected data regarding adverse outcomes. The diagnosis of dementia was established by independent physician review of patients' medical records and assessments.

Results

Patients with dementia (n = 102, 20.7%) were significantly older (P = 0.01), had poorer functional ability (P < 0.01), and were more likely to have delirium at admission (P < 0.01) than patients without dementia. Dementia (odds ratio = 4.8, P < 0.001) increased the risk of developing delirium during the hospital stay.

Conclusion

Older patients with dementia are more impaired and vulnerable than patients without dementia and are at greater risk of adverse outcomes when hospitalised.
Histidine‐rich glycoprotein gene polymorphism in patients with recurrent miscarriage
Authors: Lindgren Karin E. , Kårehed Karin , Karypidis Helena , Hosseini Frida , Bremme Katarina , Landgren Britt‐Marie , Skjöldebrand‐Sparre Lottie , Stavreus‐Evers Anneli , Sundström‐Poromaa Inger , Åkerud Helena
Published: April 2013

Association between the histidine‐rich glycoprotein (HRG) C633T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and recurrent miscarriage was investigated in a case–control study. The cases constituted 187 women with recurrent miscarriage that were compared with 395 controls who had delivered a child and had no history of miscarriage. Blood samples were collected from each woman, genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped for the HRG C633T SNP. In the whole study population, the percentage of miscarriage was the same, regardless of genotype (C/C 31.2%, C/T 32.9% and T/T 32.5%). However, an association between homozygous T/T carriers and recurrent miscarriage was detected in a subgroup of women with primary recurrent miscarriage (odds ratio 2.44, 95% CI 1.01–5.92). Our results indicate an important role for the HRG C633T SNP in the occurrence of recurrent miscarriage.
Epstein–Barr virus patterns in US Burkitt lymphoma tumors from the SEER residual tissue repository during 1979–2009
Authors: Mbulaiteye Sam M. , Pullarkat Sheeja T. , Nathwani Bharat N. , Weiss Lawrence M. , Nagesh Rao  , Emmanuel Benjamin , Lynch Charles F. , Hernandez Brenda , Neppalli Vishala , Hawes Debra , Cockburn Myles G. , Kim Andre , Williams Makeda , Altekruse Sean , Bhatia Kishor , Goodman Marc T. , Cozen Wendy
Published: April 2013

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) occurs at all ages, but the patterns of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) positivity in relation to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), immunoprofiles and age have not been fully explored. BL tissues from residual tissue repositories, and two academic centers in the United States were examined by expert hematopathologists for morphology, immunohistochemistry, MYC rearrangement, EBV‐encoded RNA (EBER), and diagnosed according to the 2008 WHO lymphoma classification. Analysis was done using frequency tables, Chi‐squared statistics, and Student's t‐test. Of 117 cases examined, 91 were confirmed as BL. The age distribution was 26%, 15%, 19%, and 29% for 0–19, 20–34, 35–59, 60+ years, and missing in 11%. MYC rearrangement was found in 89% and EBER positivity in 29% of 82 cases with results. EBER positivity varied with age (from 13% in age group 0–19 to 55% in age group 20–34, and fell to 25% in age group 60+ years, p = 0.08); with race (56% in Blacks/Hispanics vs 21% in Whites/Asians/Pacific Islanders, p = 0.006); and by HIV status (64% in HIV positive vs 22% in HIV negative cases, p = 0.03). EBER positivity was demonstrated in about one‐third of tumors and it was strongly associated with race and HIV status, and marginally with age‐group.
Improving quality and safety in the hospital: The link between organizational culture, burnout, and quality of care
Authors: Montgomery Anthony , Todorova Irina , Baban Adriana , Panagopoulou Efharis
Published: April 2013

The need to improve quality of care represents a major goal of all health care systems. The objective of this series is to illuminate how the contextual factors of hospitals from eight European countries, and the well‐being of their healthcare professionals, contribute to either construct or degrade quality of care. The studies reported here provide an important bottom‐up perspective on quality of care, and the way that burnout and organizational culture are intertwined within it. Overall, the collected studies represent an in‐depth examination through focus groups of the experiences of 153 physicians, 133 nurses, and 46 patients from Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Ireland, Turkey, Croatia, and the Republic of Macedonia. Each paper makes a unique contribution to the understanding of how institutional contexts, organizational management, and job characteristics impose constrains, both on the capacity of health workers for better treatment decisions and choices, but also on their day‐to‐day professional satisfaction and quality of life. Taken as a whole, the papers make an even greater contribution, by pointing out the underlying similarities and differences across these eight European countries.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Organizational factors play a crucial role in the development of health professionals' job burnout, which in turn impacts the patient experience and quality of care.

What does this study add?

We discuss the impact of highly contextualized organizational cultures in hospitals from eight European countries on health professionals' burnout and quality of medical care.

Despite the diversity of the countries reporting research data, significant patterns with regard to quality of care and job strain were identified.

We propose that improving quality of care requires not only the understanding of the clinical environment, health workers' motivation and commitment, but also patients' needs and literacy, health policy, and the social and political context in which health services are delivered.