bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Portfolios of control in mobile eco-systems: evolution and validation
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Sandip , Bouwman Harry , Jaiswal Mahadeo
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to study the critical role played by interorganizational control mechanisms in a mobile ecosystems and how the portfolios of control evolves when the service moves from an initial idea to a solution that reaches market acceptance. Existing literature provides limited insight into (portfolios of) control mechanisms and how (portfolios of) control dynamically evolve(s) during the various stages of service innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on the Resource Dependency Theory (RDT), this study makes use of multiple cases to identify and validate the key roles of behavioural input and output control mechanisms and how they evolve during different phases of service development.

Findings

– Based on multiple cases, it is concluded that a dominant actor uses portfolios of control to acquire complimentary resources, coordinate interdependence between multiple partners and ensure a favourable value distribution for itself. Behavioural control is used in a limited way during the implementation and commercialisation phases, while input control is mostly used during the development phase and output controls are mostly used during implementation and commercialisation phases. The high occurrence of input control in the development phase ensures the lower occurrence of behavioural controls in the implementation phase. This study is very practical in nature, and it provides important insight on how to develop mobile services in collaboration with other organisations.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation of this study is that it is based on two cases in a specific regulatory, cultural and institutional environment, i.e. India, which means that further testing of the propositions, with large-scale samples and within a more international setting, would be required. However, this study does provide some interesting insights that have to be corroborated by additional case studies and a large-scale questionnaire, initially with a focus on India.

Originality/value

– From an academic perspective, this study examines organisational controls in a less researched yet dynamic services industry, and is one of the first studies that the researchers have come across that uses RDT to explain the dynamics of control in value networks in the mobile industry. This study is also one of the very few to focus on understanding the objectives of the portfolios of control from the perspective of the structural player. As mentioned earlier, research focussing on integrating governance mechanisms and portfolios of control may provide new insights. From a practical perspective, this study may shed light on how to develop mobile services in collaboration with other organisations.
Adoption of technology-based services: the role of customers’ willingness to co-create
Authors: Heidenreich Sven , Handrich Matthias
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically evaluate an adoption model for technology-based services (TBS) that integrates a customer’s willingness to co-create (WCC) as mediator complementing the well-known individual differences and innovation characteristics in predicting customer adoption of TBS.

Design/methodology/approach

– The manuscript uses structural equation modeling to analyze survey data from two empirical studies (n=781 and n=181).

Findings

– The empirical results show that WCC represents a key mediator between established antecedent predictors (innovation characteristics and individual differences) and the likelihood of TBS adoption. Additionally, the analysis reveals that WCC can even better explain and predict adoption intention of TBS than the commonly used individual differences and innovation characteristics. Finally, the results also suggest that a lack of customers’ WCC may help to explain persuasion-decision discrepancies within TBS adoption.

Research limitations/implications

– As the data of this manuscript pertains to the mobile apps market, future research might test the modified technology adoption model in other TBS contexts as well. While the studies used cross-sectional data, it would be interesting to assess the differential influence of WCC across the stages in the adoption process using longitudinal data.

Practical implications

– The findings on WCC provide managers with a new set of factors (apart from known antecedent predictors like individual differences and innovation characteristics) to optimize TBS adoption.

Originality/value

– This manuscript is the first to examine an adoption model for TBS that integrates a customer’s WCC. Furthermore, the findings provide first empirical evidence that WCC can help to explain persuasion-decision discrepancies within TBS adoption.
Switching experience, customer satisfaction, and switching costs in the ICT industry
Authors: Matzler Kurt , Strobl Andreas , Thurner Norbert , Füller Johann
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Stabilizing business in highly competitive and volatile business-to-business (B2B) markets is a strategic imperative for many companies. In such a context, customer retention through the creation of switching barriers (i.e. by increasing switching costs) is a common strategy. The purpose of this paper is to develop a network of relationships among customer switching experience, customer satisfaction, perceived switching costs, and behavioral loyalty intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Survey data were collected from 327 business customers (very small enterprises with fewer than nine employees; customers included physicians, lawyers, tax advisors, consultants, civil engineers, etc.) of an information and communications technology (ICT) company. The research model was tested using partial least square structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results show that switching experience negatively influences customer satisfaction and behavioral loyalty intention. Furthermore, the influence of customer satisfaction on behavioral loyalty intentions is partially mediated by financial and relational switching costs.

Practical implications

– In saturated markets, companies often try to grow by acquiring customers from competitors. This study reveals that this strategy can backfire. The customers that can be most easily acquired may be those that are the most difficult to retain because customers experienced in switching are difficult to satisfy – and low satisfaction means lower perceived financial and relational switching costs and, in turn, lower loyalty.

Originality/value

– This research contributes to theory and practice by shedding further light on the satisfaction-loyalty link by investigating the often widely neglected role of switching experience. Furthermore, the study seeks to add to the discussion of how to specify the role of switching costs: as a mediator or as a moderator.
A critical appraisal of the relational management paradigm in an international setting
Authors: Saleh Md Abu , Ali M Yunus , Quazi Ali , Wickramasekera Rumintha
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– In the mainstream relationship management literature, critical appraisal of the relationship paradigm in an international setting is virtually non-existent. The extant literature reveals a gap in terms of linking relationship management theories with international management. Furthermore, little research attention has been paid to synthesise the existing theories in a cohesive manner towards developing a theoretical paradigm in the interface of the importer-supplier relationship dyad. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to strengthen the theoretical grounds of relationship marketing in an international setting in an importer-exporter relationship context.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper follows a comprehensive review approach and applies the fundamental theory of trust and commitment to identify the relational factors. More precisely, the paper identifies and applies other relevant theories such as internationalisation process theory, resource-based theory of the firm, dependence theory and transaction cost theory in developing an innovative theoretical paradigm.

Findings

– Based on the integration of extant theories, this paper proposes a new direction in the theoretical realm of the trust and commitment building process within an importer and supplier relationship management paradigm. The research concludes that trust and commitment are the focal factors within the international relational paradigm.

Research limitations/implications

– The proposed research direction suggests an emerging framework integrating mainstream theoretical variables of trust and commitment in importer and foreign-supplier context. This novel framework has the potential for use in further research.

Originality/value

– This paper advances a grounded theoretical exploration within an international management domain in the context of importers and foreign-suppliers.
Competitive strategy, capabilities and uncertainty in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in China and the United States
Authors: Parnell John A , Long Zhang , Lester Don
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate linkages among competitive strategy, strategic capabilities, environmental uncertainty, and organizational performance in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in China and the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

– In China, a survey was administered to managers of SMEs in Shanghai and Guangzhou. In the USA, a survey was administered to managers of SMEs in three major cities. Competitive strategy, capabilities, uncertainty, and performance were measured by previously validated scales.

Findings

– Findings support the integrity Miles and Snow generic strategic typology. Performance satisfaction was significantly lower in firms employing a reactor strategy as opposed to those employing prospector, defender, or analyzer strategies. Additional support was found for the concept of strategic clarity, as businesses reporting moderate strategic clarity had lower levels of satisfaction with performance than those reporting either a single strategy or a combination emphasis on three equal strategies.

Practical implications

– Chinese SMEs tend to prefer cost-based approaches to their local markets. A differentiation market approach is challenging in most local Chinese economies due to the low wages of most jobs in an economy that is still largely centrally planned. In the USA, more disposable income leads to more market opportunities. While this situation is gradually changing in China, it is not at a point where SMEs feel comfortable pursuing totally differentiated strategies.

Originality/value

– Several distinctions in competitive strategy, capabilities, and environmental uncertainty between China and the USA are recognized by analysis. Analyzers and defenders in Chinese SMEs tend to follow industry prospectors with lower prices and/or superior service. They might change strategies after gaining a foothold in the market. Performance for SMEs with low strategic clarity often depends on established guanxi with governmental agencies or stated-owned enterprises, a situation very different from that in the USA.
Does quality really matter? Variables that drive postmodern consumer choices
Authors: Marinelli Nicola , Simeone Mariarosaria , Scarpato Debora
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the factors that affect consumer choices for both policymakers and food companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Four hundred questionnaires were administered in the city of Florence (Tuscany, Italy). Data analysis was carried out according to a two-step procedure in a multivariate statistical framework: in the first stage, a multiple correspondence analysis was performed; in the second step, the single-link (nearest neighbour) cluster analysis allowed three homogeneous groups of consumers to be identified on the basis of their specific socio-demographic characteristics.

Findings

– Three consumer clusters were obtained: the first, “critical but non-philanthropic consumers”, who may have pathologies that require a particular diet; the second, “marginally critical consumers”, for whom freshness, the label and the assortment count for much; the third, “agnostic consumers”, who choose a product according to its origin and the price/quality relationship, while ethical aspects, health claims or information on the use are not considered as important.

Social implications

– From the results it may be deduced that although recent regulations will lead to greater transparency, in many respects consumers may not be able to grasp aspects of higher quality from the label among competing products.

Originality/value

– The results seem to run contrary to the trends identified in other studies with regard to critical and socially responsible production attributes. Except in cases where consumers are sensitised by the presence of food-related diseases encountered within their own family, they may not be able to grasp higher-quality aspects from the label among competing products. From the results it is evident that both educational and generational issues come into play with regard to food choices, closely linked to the media from which information is obtained.
A review of the nutrient composition of selected Rubus berries
Authors: Probst Yasmine
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is a nutritional review of the scientific literature of four Rubus varieties: raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry and loganberry. The study aimed to review the scientific literature related to Rubus and the bioactives and key nutrients.

Design/methodology/approach

– Nutrient data were obtained from Australia and New Zealand, where Australian data were absent; to provide an overview of the existing and available nutrient composition data, a review of the scientific literature using defined search terms in the Web of Science and Scopus databases for the years 2001-2011 was conducted. The primary components of Rubus are the water-soluble vitamins.

Findings

– A review of Australian and New Zealand nutrient composition databases revealed that Rubus can range from 184 to 293 kJ energy, 0.3 to 0.7 per cent total fat content, 1.1 to 1.5 per cent protein, 4.9 to 7.5 per cent carbohydrate and 34 to 63 mg/100 g folate and 9 to 38 mg/100 g vitamin C. Many publications have addressed the nutrient content of the berries individually with 24 identified in this project relating to raspberries, 15 for blackberries, 3 for boysenberries and 2 for loganberries.

Research limitations/implications

– Research relating to bioactive compounds in Rubus berries appears to be targeted towards those more commonly consumed and readily available in Australia.

Practical implications

– The most commonly identified bioactives were the phenolic compounds with ellagic acid, the specific bionutrient of interest. This suggests the need for a targeted approach to build a consistent set of values for bioactive compounds in Rubus berries.

Originality/value

– Given the growing interest in phytochemical compounds and their inclusion in Australian Dietary Guidelines, collation of analytical data for specific food categories is vital.
Growth and nutritional status of children with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD)
Authors: Kong Jian  Pei , Rajikan Roslee Bin
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is a single-center six-month follow-up study to determine nutritional status of children with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). Prolonged restriction on essential amino acid could cause malnutrition. By far, there is no study reported in the context of nutritional status among children with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), who required life-long protein restriction.

Design/methodology/approach

– A total of 22 children with MSUD, aged from 1 to 12 years (6.54 ± 3.27) undergoing regular treatment in Institute of Pediatrics, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, were recruited. Body height, weight and head circumference were measured for anthropometry, whereas total protein, albumin and plasma branched-chain amino acid were measured for biochemical aspects. Clinical features diagnosed by pediatrician were recorded from children’s medical record. The 24-hour dietary recall was conducted to measure their nutrients intake. All assessments were repeated at six-month interval except clinical profile.

Findings

– There were no significant differences in all nutritional parameters from baseline to end of the visit. There was a prominence (particular noticeable of) of growth stunting (68; 64 per cent), undernutrition (35; 32 per cent) and microcephalic (57; 57 per cent) among children with MSUD. Nevertheless, children showed no significant improvement of anthropometric variables from baseline and after 6-month follow-up visit. Nearly all biochemical indicators were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the reference value except valine. Intellectual disability was the most frequently (71 per cent) presenting symptoms among them. The finding also did not show any macro- or micronutrients fail to achieve above recommended nutrient intake in both visits. In conclusion, it is clear that no significant nutritional deficiency was induced by the use of MSUD dietary therapy; however, the findings indicated that MSUD children are at risk of malnutrition and regular nutritional assessment and monitoring should always be emphasized for optimal linear growth without affecting their amino acid profiles.

Research limitations/implications

– Multiple 24-hour recalls instead of single 24-hour recall should be used in this study for a better estimate of intake.

Originality/value

– Although there are retrospective studies targeted in presenting the clinical and biochemical profile of MSUD children which has been extensively examined, limited research has focused on prospective aspect of nutritional status of these children who are undergoing active and regular diet and medical nutrition therapy because of the absence of comprehensive reliable nutritional assessment data.
Development of value added products from the leaf powders of dehydrated less utilized green leafy vegetables
Authors: Joshi Pallavi , Mathur Beena
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the nutritional composition and the acceptability of value-added products prepared from the dehydrated leaf mixture of underutilized green leafy vegetables (GLVs). GLVs are dense in micronutrients and are of great importance to the nutrition of population in developing countries. Nutritive value of commonly consumed GLVs has been studied extensively, but there is limited information available on nutritive value and acceptability of unconventional leafy vegetables.

Design/methodology/approach

– The nutritional potential and acceptability of leaf mixtures (LMs) prepared from the less-utilized leaves of beet root (Beta vulgaris), carrot (Daucus carota), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) and turnip (Brassica rapa) which are usually discarded or are used as animal fodder were analyzed in the present study. The LM was prepared by mixing the powders of above-mentioned greens in a definite ratio (1:2:1:1). The LM was analyzed for the proximate, mineral composition (Ca, P, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Mg) and antinutritional factors (oxalate and phenols). In total, 20 different recipes with different levels (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent) of LM incorporation were prepared and were assessed for quality on the basis of sensory attributes.

Findings

– The LM contains appreciable amount of proteins, fat, fiber, carbohydrate and calorific value, mineral elements and generally low levels of antinutrients. Products were well-accepted to the level of 10 per cent. Protein, iron and calcium content was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the LM-incorporated recipes, and the increase was directly proportional to the level of LM incorporated.

Originality/value

– Dehydrated GLVs are concentrate source of micronutrients and can be used in product formulation. Value addition of traditional products with dehydrated GLVs can be advocated as a feasible food-based approach to combat micronutrient deficiencies.
The coalition government and ageing policy: a critique
Authors: Sinclair David
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the coalition's policy on ageing.

Design/methodology/approach

– A detailed review of recent government policy towards ageing.

Findings

– Localism has become increasing important, with reforms to health, planning and care emphasising the importance of localised action. The “nudge” of auto-enrolment will increase the number of people saving for old age.

Originality/value

– This policy analysis incorporates a detailed review of recent government policy on ageing.
How older people will vote in the 2015 general election: a review of existing polling evidence
Authors: Malek Raphael
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The issues of concern to older people and likely to shape their voting behaviour need to be understood and appreciated. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This policy-oriented review draws on recent research, including surveys, focus groups and ethnographic interviews to identify such issues in the UK older population.

Findings

– Older people are more likely to vote and to prioritise policy issues relating to immigration, the NHS and the economy–but the outcome of their vote is more likely to be determined by affinity with a party’s broader ideological position than with the specific policies contained in their manifesto?.

Practical implications

– Older people appear more likely to support Conservative party values and priorities, but their potential growing support for UKIP may be underestimated as several major surveys do not prompt for this party. The less certain standing of both Conservative and Labour may therefore be further undermined by unappreciated shifts in the “grey vote”.

Originality/value

– This commentary highlights the increasing importance of the “grey vote” at a time of increasing unpredictability in support for mainstream parties.
Addressing isolation: the importance of integration and the role of institutions
Authors: Yates Jonathan
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of integration in tackling isolation in later life, propose institutions as a key factor in forming intergenerational friendships, and assess the key conditions which need to be established.

Design/methodology/approach

– Assessment based on work on social contact theory by Professor Miles Hewstone, amongst others, as well as case studies, research from Age UK and the Social Integration Commission.

Findings

– Isolation can be seen as part of the broader issue of a failure of social integration. A lack of integration in earlier life results in networks which are not age-diverse. This results in isolation in later life. Institutions are key in preventing this, as they allow for the formation of intergenerational friendships and trust.

Originality/value

– Based on an article by the author (www.demos.co.uk/publications/mapping integration), age-specific integration is reviewed, and supplementary research considered.
The road to 2020
Authors: Kohler Mervyn
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore how the political parties will approach older people in the run-up to the General Election.

Design/methodology/approach

– A review of what was announced in the autumn party conferences, and what older people and their organisations have been pressing for.

Findings

– A personal and subjective article, the conclusion is that there will be a lot in the forthcoming General Election of importance to older people.

Originality/value

– The perspective is entirely personal.
Housing: the unacknowledged key to our ageing challenge?
Authors: Tickell Clare , Connor Gillian
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight the strategic role of housing for older people and how it can address some of the key challenges facing politicians. The paper aims to encourage decision-makers and service providers to collaborate in new ways locally.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper seeks to highlight the strategic role of housing for older people and how it can address some of the key challenges facing politicians. It aims to encourage decision makers and service providers to collaborate in new ways locally.

Findings

– The paper argues that: Housing for older people is rising up the political agenda, but as a niche issue rather than one of strategic and economic importance. A multi-agency and outcomes-based approach to the wellbeing of older people, based on place-shaping principles, needs to be mainstreamed locally. Older people have not escaped the impact of austerity measures and this has heightened the need for a range of high quality housing options, in supportive communities, in later life. Good housing options for older people could address the key issues vexing politicians, but there are obstacles to older people accessing such options.

Originality/value

– The paper suggests a radical, systemic approach is required to ensure better outcomes for older people and, in turn, to generate savings for the public purse.
Bacterial community dynamics during polysaccharide degradation at contrasting sites in the Southern and Atlantic Oceans
Authors: Wietz Matthias , Wemheuer Bernd , Simon Heike , Giebel Helge‐Ansgar , Seibt Maren A. , Daniel Rolf , Brinkhoff Thorsten , Simon Meinhard
Published: March 2015

The bacterial degradation of polysaccharides is central to marine carbon cycling, but little is known about the bacterial taxa that degrade specific marine polysaccharides. Here, bacterial growth and community dynamics were studied during the degradation of the polysaccharides chitin, alginate and agarose in microcosm experiments at four contrasting locations in the Southern and Atlantic Oceans. At the Southern polar front, chitin‐supplemented microcosms were characterized by higher fractions of actively growing cells and a community shift from Alphaproteobacteria to Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. At the Antarctic ice shelf, chitin degradation was associated with growth of Bacteroidetes, with 24% higher cell numbers compared with the control. At the Patagonian continental shelf, alginate and agarose degradation covaried with growth of different Alteromonadaceae populations, each with specific temporal growth patterns. At the Mauritanian upwelling, only the alginate hydrolysis product guluronate was consumed, coincident with increasing abundances of Alteromonadaceae and possibly cross‐feeding SAR11. 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries indicated that growth of the Bacteroidetes‐affiliated genus Reichenbachiella was stimulated by chitin at all cold and temperate water stations, suggesting comparable ecological roles over wide geographical scales. Overall, the predominance of location‐specific patterns showed that bacterial communities from contrasting oceanic biomes have members with different potentials to hydrolyse polysaccharides.
Where is the child? A discursive exploration of the positioning of children in research on mental–health‐promoting interventions
Authors: Bergnehr Disa , Zetterqvist Nelson Karin
Published: March 2015

The present study explores the discursive positioning of children in research articles on mental–health‐promoting interventions. The questions under investigation are: are children positioned as active or passive agents, are children's health and wellbeing contextualised, and if so how? How is the child perceived; that is, how are age, gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, dis/ability, and so on accounted for? We found that the positioning of the child as passive and formed by adults prevails; health is largely individualised and decontextualised in that it is depicted as being contingent on the person's own capabilities. However, there are instances in which children are positioned as active subjects, their opinions are in focus, and their health and wellbeing are connected to social relations and context. We propose a more active discussion about how children and wellbeing are conceptualised in the outlining, implementation and research of public health interventions. Moreover, children – just like adults – should be increasingly regarded as service users who are entitled to have a say in matters that concern them.
Saving on a Rainy Day? Income Smoothing and Procyclicality of Loan‐Loss Provisions in Central European Banks
Authors: Skała Dorota
Published: March 2015

This paper analyses income smoothing and cyclicality of loan‐loss provisions (LLP) in Central European banks. I provide strong empirical evidence that banks in the region use loan‐loss provisions to smooth their income streams, and that these provisions are procyclical with respect to national business cycles. In addition, I find that income smoothing may only partly be explained through the concept of ‘saving for a rainy day’. Banks do use periods of high earnings to smooth income, but they also elect to build further reserves during periods of heavy losses—that is, on the ‘rainy days’ themselves. This behaviour deepens existing losses and may obscure the bank's underlying profitability. Introducing regulatory measures in line with the Bank of Spain's dynamic provisioning system would make income smoothing in Central European banks more transparent and could limit the scope for discretionary provisioning during periods of low profitability.
Willingness to Pay and QALYs: What Can We Learn about Valuing Foodborne Risk?
Authors: Andersson Henrik , Hammitt James K. , Sundström Kristian
Published: March 2015

This paper examines the value of reducing foodborne risk. Previous research on the valuation of health risk has been dominated by the study of mortality risk. However, in most cases foodborne illnesses are non‐fatal, so we focus on individuals' preferences for reducing morbidity risk, while also including a realistic, if remote, chance of death. We use a contingent valuation method on a Swedish sample and we estimate a value of a statistical illness consistent with previous findings in the literature. We also examine how willingness to pay (WTP) varies with the expected change in quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) and estimate the WTP per QALY. We find that WTP increases with, though less than proportionally to, a change in QALYs. However, our results also suggest that respondents may have found it difficult to evaluate compound risks of both morbidity and mortality simultaneously.
Global Market for Dairy Proteins
Authors: Lagrange Veronique , Whitsett Dacia , Burris Cameron
Published: March 2015

This review examines the global market for dairy ingredients by assessing the global demand for dairy products in relation to major dairy ingredient categories. Each broad category of dairy ingredients is reviewed including its definition, production and trade status, key applications, and future trends. Ingredient categories examined include whole and skim milk powders (WMPs, SMPs), whey protein concentrates (WPCs) and whey protein isolates (WPIs), milk protein concentrates (MPCs) and milk protein isolates (MPIs), caseins, and caseinates. Increases in world population and improvements in socioeconomic conditions will continue to drive the demand for dairy products and ingredients in the future. Dairy proteins are increasingly recognized to have nutritional and functional advantages compared to many protein sources, and the variety of ingredients with different protein concentrations, functionality, and flavor can meet the needs of the increasingly global dairy consumption. A thorough understanding of the variety of ingredients, how the ingredients are derived from milk, and how the demand from particular markets affects the supply situation are critical elements in understanding the current ingredient marketplace.
Supplemental Protein in Support of Muscle Mass and Health: Advantage Whey
Authors: Devries Michaela C. , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: March 2015

Skeletal muscle is an integral body tissue playing key roles in strength, performance, physical function, and metabolic regulation. It is essential for athletes to ensure that they have optimal amounts of muscle mass to ensure peak performance in their given sport. However, the role of maintaining muscle mass during weight loss and as we age is an emerging concept, having implications in chronic disease prevention, functional capacity, and quality of life. Higher‐protein diets have been shown to: (1) promote gains in muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training; (2) spare muscle mass loss during caloric restriction; and (3) attenuate the natural loss of muscle mass that accompanies aging. Protein quality is important to the gain and maintenance of muscle mass. Protein quality is a function of protein digestibility, amino acid content, and the resulting amino acid availability to support metabolic function. Whey protein is one of the highest‐quality proteins given its amino acid content (high essential, branched‐chain, and leucine amino acid content) and rapid digestibility. Consumption of whey protein has a robust ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In fact, whey protein has been found to stimulate muscle protein synthesis to a greater degree than other proteins such as casein and soy. This review examines the existing data supporting the role for protein consumption, with an emphasis on whey protein, in the regulation of muscle mass and body composition in response to resistance training, caloric restriction, and aging.
A survey of vitreous cell components performed using liquid‐based cytology
Authors: Narumi Mari , Nishitsuka Koichi , Yamakawa Mitsunori , Yamashita Hidetoshi
Published: March 2015

Purpose

To confirm the efficacy of liquid‐based cytology (LBC) method in the observation of vitreous cells in various vitreoretinal diseases in human.

Methods

Vitreous fluid samples from 30 eyes were obtained by 23‐gauge 3‐port pars plana vitrectomy. After making three ports, we collected vitreous specimen from the core vitreous cavity without infusion. We divided the samples into a quiescent group and an active group based on clinical signs of inflammation. To confirm availability of LBC preparation slides for immunostaining, we also performed immunocytochemistry (ICC) for CD68, RPE65 and DEC‐205 (CD205) using LBC slides of 10 cell‐rich cases including retinal detachment and endophthalmitis.

Results

Using LBC method, small amounts of vitreous cells were observed efficiently. Vitreous cells were observed in inflammatory quiescent cases including macular pucker and macular hole. The number of vitreous cells increased significantly in the cases with clinically active inflammation (2297 versus 207 cells/ml, respectively, p < 0.01, Mann–Whitney U‐test). The ICC results showed the presence of CD68+ cells in all 10 cases. Large numbers of DEC‐205+ cells were observed in one case with infectious endophthalmitis. In the cases with retinal detachment, the predominant cell type was RPE65+. Neutrophils and lymphocytes were also observed.

Conclusions

The LBC method makes it possible to examine vitreous specimens easily and efficiently, facilitating the expedient diagnosis of vitreoretinal diseases, and the preparation slides are available for immunocytochemistry. This study also showed that vitreoretinal disease involves the migration of various types of cells including macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, RPE65+ pigmented cells and DEC‐205+ cells.
Task analysis of information technology‐mediated medication management in outpatient care
Authors: van Stiphout F. , Zwart‐van Rijkom J. E. F. , Maggio L. A. , Aarts J. E. C. M. , Bates D. W. , van Gelder T. , Jansen P. A. F. , Schraagen J. M. C. , Egberts A. C. G. , ter Braak E. W. M. T.
Published: March 2015

Aims

Educating physicians in the procedural as well as cognitive skills of information technology (IT)‐mediated medication management could be one of the missing links for the improvement of patient safety. We aimed to compose a framework of tasks that need to be addressed to optimize medication management in outpatient care.

Methods

Formal task analysis: decomposition of a complex task into a set of subtasks. First, we obtained a general description of the medication management process from exploratory interviews. Secondly, we interviewed experts in‐depth to further define tasks and subtasks. Setting: Outpatient care in different fields of medicine in six teaching and academic medical centres in the Netherlands and the United States. Participants: 20 experts. Tasks were divided up into procedural, cognitive and macrocognitive tasks and categorized into the three components of dynamic decision making.

Results

The medication management process consists of three components: (i) reviewing the medication situation; (ii) composing a treatment plan; and (iii) accomplishing and communicating a treatment and surveillance plan. Subtasks include multiple cognitive tasks such as composing a list of current medications and evaluating the reliability of sources, and procedural tasks such as documenting current medication. The identified macrocognitive tasks were: planning, integration of IT in workflow, managing uncertainties and responsibilities, and problem detection.

Conclusions

All identified procedural, cognitive and macrocognitive skills should be included when designing education for IT‐mediated medication management. The resulting framework supports the design of educational interventions to improve IT‐mediated medication management in outpatient care.
Systems biology of the secretory pathway: What have we learned so far?
Authors: Farhan Hesso
Published: March 2015

Several RNAi screens were performed in search for regulators of the secretory pathway. These screens were performed in different organisms and cell lines and relied on different readouts. Therefore, they have only little overlap among their hits, leading to the question of what we have learned from this approach so far and how these screens contributed towards an integrative understanding of the endomembrane system. The aim of this review is to revisit these screens and discuss their strengths and weaknesses as well as potential reasons for their failure to overlap with each other. As with secretory trafficking, RNAi screens were also performed on other cellular processes such as cell migration and autophagy, both of which were shown to be intimately linked to secretion. Another aim of this review is to compare the outcome of the RNAi screens on secretion, autophagy and cell migration and ask whether the functional genomic approaches have uncovered potential mechanistic insights into the links between these processes.
High level of fecal calprotectin at age 2 months as a marker of intestinal inflammation predicts atopic dermatitis and asthma by age 6
Authors: Orivuori L. , Mustonen K. , de Goffau M. C. , Hakala S. , Paasela M. , Roduit C. , Dalphin J.‐C. , Genuneit J. , Lauener R. , Riedler J. , Weber J. , von Mutius E. , Pekkanen J. , Harmsen H. J. M. , Vaarala O. ,   the PASTURE Study Group
Published: March 2015

Background

Gut microbiota and intestinal inflammation regulate the development of immune‐mediated diseases, such as allergies. Fecal calprotectin is a biomarker of intestinal inflammation.

Objective

We evaluated the association of early‐age fecal calprotectin levels to the later development of allergic diseases in children from farming and non‐farming environments and further studied the effect of gut microbiota on the fecal calprotectin levels.

Methods

Fecal calprotectin was measured from 758 infants participating in the PASTURE study at the age of 2 months using the ELISA method. Serum‐specific IgE levels were measured at 6 years of age. Data of environmental factors, doctor‐diagnosed atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma were collected by questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression models were used for analysis. The composition of fecal microbiota was analysed in a subgroup of 120 infants with 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. The effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on in vitro monocyte IL‐10 secretion was studied by flow cytometry.

Results

The infants with high fecal calprotectin levels at 2 months, that is above the 90th percentile, had an increased risk of developing AD and asthma/asthmatic bronchitis by the age of 6 years (aOR 2.02 (1.06–3.85) and 2.41 (1.25–4.64), respectively). High fecal calprotectin levels correlated negatively with fecal Escherichia. LPS from E. coli stimulated production of IL‐10 in monocytes.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

High degree intestinal inflammation at 2 months of age, detected as high fecal calprotectin, predicted asthma and AD by the age of 6 years and was linked to low abundance of fecal Escherichia. Impaired IL‐10 activation due to the lack of colonization with E. coli could explain the intestinal inflammation associated high fecal calprotectin and later risk of asthma and AD. Our results have implications for the design of probiotic treatments and suggest that early intestinal colonization has long‐term health effects.
Mechanistic understanding of human–wildlife conflict through a novel application of dynamic occupancy models
Authors: Goswami Varun R. , Medhi Kamal , Nichols James D. , Oli Madan K.
Published: March 2015

Crop and livestock depredation by wildlife is a primary driver of human–wildlife conflict, a problem that threatens the coexistence of people and wildlife globally. Understanding mechanisms that underlie depredation patterns holds the key to mitigating conflicts across time and space. However, most studies do not consider imperfect detection and reporting of conflicts, which may lead to incorrect inference regarding its spatiotemporal drivers. We applied dynamic occupancy models to elephant crop depredation data from India between 2005 and 2011 to estimate crop depredation occurrence and model its underlying dynamics as a function of spatiotemporal covariates while accounting for imperfect detection of conflicts. The probability of detecting conflicts was consistently <1.0 and was negatively influenced by distance to roads and elevation gradient, averaging 0.08–0.56 across primary periods (distinct agricultural seasons within each year). The probability of crop depredation occurrence ranged from 0.29 (SE 0.09) to 0.96 (SE 0.04). The probability that sites raided by elephants in primary periodtwould not be raided in primary periodt+ 1 varied with elevation gradient in different seasons and was influenced negatively by mean rainfall and village density and positively by distance to forests. Negative effects of rainfall variation and distance to forests best explained variation in the probability that sites not raided by elephants in primary periodtwould be raided in primary periodt+ 1. With our novel application of occupancy models, we teased apart the spatiotemporal drivers of conflicts from factors that influence how they are observed, thereby allowing more reliable inference on mechanisms underlying observed conflict patterns. We found that factors associated with increased crop accessibility and availability (e.g., distance to forests and rainfall patterns) were key drivers of elephant crop depredation dynamics. Such an understanding is essential for rigorous prediction of future conflicts, a critical requirement for effective conflict management in the context of increasing human–wildlife interactions.
Dermatopathologists' concerns and challenges with clinical information in the skin biopsy requisition form: a mixed‐methods study
Authors: Comfere Nneka I. , Peters Margot S. , Jenkins Sarah , Lackore Kandace , Yost Kathleen , Tilburt Jon
Published: March 2015

Background

Communication failures between clinicians and dermatopathologists are prevalent. Our primary objective was to characterize the concerns and challenges of dermatopathologists posed by incomplete or inaccurate clinical information in the skin biopsy requisition form.

Methods

An explanatory sequential, mixed‐methods study design comprised of a survey sent to 1103 members of the American Society of Dermatopathology (ASDP), followed by two focus group sessions.

Results

A total of 54% (598/1103) of dermatopathologists completed the questionnaire. Most dermatopathologists (80%; 436/548) viewed their roles to be providers of histopathological diagnosis and a report that is clinically meaningful. Paper or electronic requisition forms were the most common communication method (85%; 458/541) and were associated with the highest rates of dissatisfaction in 36% (193/537) of respondents. Inadequacy of specimens emerged as an important factor influencing judgment of the quality of provided clinical information. 44.7% (261/584) of dermatopathologists spent 30 minutes or more on average every day searching for relevant clinical information to assist with their histopathologic interpretation.

Conclusion

ASDP dermatopathologists expressed significant dissatisfaction with the quality of clinical information in the requisition form and the time spent gathering information necessary for accurate, timely and clinically meaningful diagnosis. These findings have implications for the quality, safety and efficiency of dermatologic care.
Early development and neurogenesis of Temnopleurus reevesii
Authors: Yaguchi Shunsuke , Yamazaki Atsuko , Wada Wakana , Tsuchiya Yasutaka , Sato Toshihiko , Shinagawa Hideo , Yamada Yutaro , Yaguchi Junko
Published: March 2015

Sea urchins are model non‐chordate deuterostomes, and studying the nervous system of their embryos can aid in the understanding of the universal mechanisms of neurogenesis. However, despite the long history of sea urchin embryology research, the molecular mechanisms of their neurogenesis have not been well investigated, in part because neurons appear relatively late during embryogenesis. In this study, we used the species Temnopleurus reevesii as a new sea urchin model and investigated the detail of its development and neurogenesis during early embryogenesis. We found that the embryos of T. reevesii were tolerant of high temperatures and could be cultured successfully at 15–30°C during early embryogenesis. At 30°C, the embryos developed rapidly enough that the neurons appeared at just after 24 h. This is faster than the development of other model urchins, such as Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus or Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. In addition, the body of the embryo was highly transparent, allowing the details of the neural network to be easily captured by ordinary epifluorescent and confocal microscopy without any additional treatments. Because of its rapid development and high transparency during embryogenesis, T. reevesii may be a suitable sea urchin model for studying neurogenesis. Moreover, the males and females are easily distinguishable, and the style of early cleavages is intriguingly unusual, suggesting that this sea urchin might be a good candidate for addressing not only neurology but also cell and developmental biology.