bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poly[[(μ2-but-2-ynedioato)[μ2-1,2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene]zinc(II)] dihydrate]
Authors: Lee Do Nam , Kim Youngmee
Published: November 2017

In the title compound, poly[[(μ2-oxalato)[μ2-1,2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene]zinc(II)] dihydrate], {[Zn(μ2-C4O4)(μ2-C12H10N2)]·2H2O}n, 2-butyndioate and 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene ligands bridge ZnIIions to form a three-dimensional network. The three-dimensional networks are fivefold interpenetrated, and each network features a 4-connected unimodal net with a Schläfli symbol of 66(dia) with the ZnIIions as the nodes. Twofold rotation axes are located at the ZnIIions and the midpoints of the C[triple-bond]C bond of 2-butyndioate and the C=C bond of 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene. The coordination geometry around the ZnIIions is tetrahedral constructed from two O atoms from 2-butyndioate and two N atoms from 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene. Solvate water molecules are connected with each otherviahydrogen bonds to create chains running parallel to [010] that are captured in infinite channels of the three-dimensional framework through hydrogen bonds to the non-coordinating carboxylate O atoms of the 2-butyndioate units. The water molecules are disordered, with two alternative positions that are distinguished by the direction of the chains, but that share the H atom hydrogen bonded to the carboxylate O atom.
Potential of borage flowers aqueous extract,Borago officinalisL., against the corrosion of mild steel in phosphoric acid
Authors: Al-Moubaraki Aisha H.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate the inhibitive potential of borage flowers’ aqueous extract (BFAE),Borago officinalisL., against the corrosion of mild steel in 1.0 M phosphoric acid.

Design/methodology/approach

Evaluation was carried out by chemical hydrogen evolution (HE), mass loss (ML) and electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) measurements. SEM-EDX analysis also was used to confirm the existence of the adsorbed film.

Findings

It was found that the inhibition efficiency of BFAE increases with the increase in its concentration, but decreases with the increase in temperature. The potentiodynamic polarization curves indicated that BFAE acts as a mixed-type inhibitor with a predominantly anodic action. The adsorption of BFAE on mild steel surface was found to obey Langmuir and thermodynamic-kinetic adsorption isotherms by forming a thin film on the metal surface. SEM-EDX analysis confirms the corrosion inhibition ability of BFEA in 1.0 M H3PO4by forming a thin film on mild steel surface. In this study, the inhibitive action of BFAE components is discussed on the basis of the physical adsorption mechanism. The same results were obtained for both the freshly prepared extract and the one that kept in a refrigerator for one year.

Originality/value

This paper indicates that BFAE can act as a good inhibitor for the corrosion of mild steel in 1.0 M H3PO4even after one year of preparation.
Development and quality evaluation of health-promoting functional carabeef cookies
Authors: Goswami Meena , Sharma B.D. , Mendiratta S.K. , Chaudhary U.B. , Pathak Vikas , Tyagi Nitin
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and to assess quality characteristics of functional carabeef cookies.

Design/methodology/approach

Carabeef cookies were prepared with incorporation of 50 percent carabeef powder in a pre-standardized formulation and then were baked at 150-160°C for 35-40 minutes. Developed functional carabeef cookies were incorporated with 50 percent carabeef powder, 10 percent orange pulp fiber as natural fiber source, 1.5 percent guar gum as fat replacer and 20 percent of sodium caseinate as sugar replacer. Cookies were analyzed for various physical properties, proximate parameters physcio-chemical properties, instrumental textural properties, color values, sensory evaluation and complete profile estimation in terms of minerals and fatty acids analysis.

Findings

Functional carabeef cookies had 4.48 times higher protein, 6.13 times higher IDF, 5.47 times higher SDF and 4.47 times higher TDF as compared to normal refined wheat flour (RWF) cookies. Functional carabeef cookies had 34.58 percent lower fat, 19.95 percent less cholesterol and 12.5 percent lower energy content as compared to normal RWF cookies.

Social implications

Functional carabeef cookies had comparatively higher mineral content as well as saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in a desirable ratio. Health-promoting functional carabeef cookies might be a magnificent option to overcome the problem of malnutrition, quite prevalent among lower socio-economical strata people specifically children and women.

Originality/value

Health-promoting functional carabeef cookies had higher nutritional content and acceptability, and thus could be commercialized to improve socio-economic status and health of consumers.
Art-oriented model of hotel service innovation
Authors: Wang Tsai-Chiao , Tang Ta-Wei , Cheng Jen-Son
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The development of artistic services is often unsuccessful because quality artistic services are characterized by offering new experiences to customers and pursuing excellence of the performing services in the details. To successfully facilitate developing artistic services, this study builds an ambidextrous service innovation and service effectiveness (ASISE) model that describes the processes and steps of art-oriented services development.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was conducted on Relais & Châteaux (R&C) hotel membership in Taiwan to better understand the steps and activities that describe service innovation processes. Triangulation was performed by compiling secondary data (e.g. official R&C notebooks and documents relating to Volando) and conducting field investigations and semi-structured interviews (with managers, employees, customers, artists).

Findings

This study combined the ambidexterity perspective with the Plan-Do-Check-Action (PDCA) principle and expanded the application range of the model from improving the service process to addressing the overall service innovation process, and included the gradual construction of the eight steps of scanning, linking, designing, performing, assessing, feedback, improving and adjusting.

Practical implications

Hotels can use the ASISE model developed by this study to simultaneously create new artistic service activities and enhance the effectiveness of current artistic services.

Originality value

Based on the ASISE model, which emphasizes an art-oriented and continuous cycle, this study thoroughly analyzed the obstacles of integrating art into hotel service processes, and successfully established a series of steps for developing art-oriented services.
Social diffusion and loyalty programs: a path to succeed
Authors: Pimpão Pedro , Correia Antónia , Duque João , Zorrinho José Carlos
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to define a model of social technology diffusion, comprising constructs that explain guests’ likelihood of recommending their hotel loyalty program to their peers.

Design/methodology/approach

The diffusion effect is explained by commitment-trust, satisfaction with user-to-user interactivity, satisfaction with user identifiability and word of mouth. A total of 2,812 usable responses were obtained through an online questionnaire sent to guests with two or more transactions with the loyalty program.

Findings

The results suggest that commitment and trust and word of mouth are crucial to enact social diffusion. As such, hotel loyalty programs need to be leveraged through enacting social diffusion.

Practical implications

Tourism and hospitality practitioners dealing with loyalty programs should create and post new trustworthy content that might be beneficial for the hotel loyalty program in their efforts to provide a more valuable experience for guests.

Originality/value

The paper provides empirical evidence that the likelihood of sharing with other guests or the intention to belong to a hotel loyalty program community exists and then goes on to offer a range of possible responses based upon four relational mediators.
Simulation-based Six Sigma value function for system-level performance assessment and improvement
Authors: Al-Aomar Raid , Chaudhry Sohail
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a simulation-based value function (VF) that combines multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) into a unified Sigma rating (SR) for system-level performance assessment and improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

Simulation is used as a platform for assessing the multiple KPIs at the system level. A simple additive VF is formed to combine the KPIs into a unified SR using the analytical hierarchy process and the entropy method. Value mapping is utilized to resolve the conflict among KPIs and generate a unified value. These methods are integrated into the standard Six Sigma define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) process.

Findings

Simulation results provided the Six Sigma DMAIC process with system-level performance measurement and analysis based on multiple KPIs. The developed VF successfully generated unified SRs that were used to assess various performance improvement plans.

Research limitations/implications

The accuracy and credibility of the results obtained from using the proposed VF are highly dependent on the availability of pertinent data and the accuracy of the developed simulation model.

Practical implications

The proposed approach provides Six Sigma practitioners and performance mangers with a mechanism to assess and improve the performance of production and service system based on multiple KPIs when conducting Six Sigma studies.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the previous research by handling multiple KPIs in Six Sigma studies conducted at the system level using simulation and VF. The research also provides guidelines for using the different methods of weights assessment to form the VF within the DMAIC process.
Quality costing and quality management maturity in Greece
Authors: Moschidis Odysseas , Chatzipetrou Evrikleia , Tsiotras George
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the sophistication of a quality costing system depends on the quality management maturity (QMM) level in Food and Beverage (F&B) enterprises. Since no previous research has taken place in this area, the paper aims at analyzing the relationships between quality costing and the specific variables that define the various maturity stages.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to survey 457 F&B companies. This produced 104 usable responses (23 percent response rate). Multidimensional correspondence analysis (MCA) with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to detect and represent underlying structures in the categorical data set and to detect possible clusters between variables.

Findings

The more mature a company’s QMM, the more emphasis they placed on appraisal quality costs and effective use of quality costs information. Prevention costs have no statistically significant connection with the level of maturity. A generalized “expensive” use of quality costing, with no focus on problematic areas and possible solutions, does not always lead to the resolution of problems.

Research limitations/implications

A complicated – and some think unfair – tax system, combined with limited cash liquidity constitutes an unstable environment for Greek companies, in which they have to survive and develop. This environment does not support quality costing, thus resulting in limited interest by company management in participating in the authors’ research. Furthermore, the Greek Uniform Chart of Accounts and the Greek Accounting Standards do not include specific quality-related accounts, making it difficult for companies to measure quality costs and for researchers to investigate the quality costing field.

Originality/value

It is the first time that QMM levels of Greek F&B companies have been reported. The research explores the characteristics that a quality costing system of Greek F&B organizations develop at the various maturity levels. The analysis uses an exploratory method – MCA – which can highlight intense correspondences of characteristics and clusters, which cannot be predicted in advance.
What is extracted from earth is gold: are rare earths telling a new tale to economic growth?
Authors: Apergis Emmanuel , Apergis Nicholas
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore, for the first time, the relationship between the prices of rare earth materials and economic growth. Renewable technologies and many high-demanded technologies need significant supplies of such materials.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a panel of the six most significant rare earth producers around the globe, as well as certain panel methodologies.

Findings

The empirical analysis indicates the presence of a positive impact of such minerals prices on economic growth. Causality methodologies also indicate unidirectional causality between GDP and the prices of rare earth materials, with the causality running from these prices to economic growth. The findings survive a number of robustness checks.

Originality/value

The claim that natural resources are a curse that makes the countries worse off is not supported for the case of rare earth materials. The results are expected to be of high importance, because these particular rare earth materials are extensively used in a huge list of technological products with high demand and low costs, while they are hard to be replaced.
Tests of a more comprehensive model of economic growth in lower middle-income countries
Authors: Dao Minh Quang
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a more comprehensive model of economic growth using a sample of 28 lower middle-income developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors modify the conventional neoclassical growth model to account for the impact of the increase in the number of people working relative to the total population and that of the increase in the value added per worker over time. The authors then extend this model by incorporating the role of trade, government consumption, and human capital in output growth.

Findings

Regression results show that over three quarters of cross-lower middle-income country variations in per capita GDP growth rate can be explained by per capita growth in the share of public expenditures on education in the GDP, per capita growth in the share of government consumption in the GDP, per capita growth in the share of imports in the GDP, per capita growth in the share of manufactured exports in the GDP (not of that of total exports in the GDP), and the growth of the working population relative to the total population.

Practical implications

Statistical results of such empirical examination will assist governments in these countries identify policy fundamentals that are essential for economic growth.

Originality/value

To address the simultaneity bias, the authors develop a simultaneous equations model and are able to show that such model is more robust and helps explains cross-country variations in per capita GDP growth over the 2000-2014 period.
“We are a family firm”
Authors: Binz Astrachan Claudia , Botero Isabel C.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Evidence suggests that some stakeholders perceive family firms as more trustworthy, responsible, and customer-oriented than public companies. To capitalize on these positive perceptions, owning families can use references about their family nature in their organizational branding and marketing efforts. However, not all family firms actively communicate their family business brand. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to investigate why family firms decide to promote their “family business brand” in their communication efforts toward different stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study were collected using an in-depth interview approach from 11 Swiss and German family business owners. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify different themes that help explain the different motives and constraints that drive their decisions to promote the “family business brand.”

Findings

The analyses indicate that promoting family associations in branding efforts is driven by both identity-related (i.e. pride, identification) and outcome-related (e.g. reputational advantages) motives. However, there are several constraints that may negatively affect the promotion of the family business brand in corporate communication efforts.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to explore why family businesses decide to communicate their “family business brand.” Building on the findings, the authors present a conceptual framework identifying the antecedents and possible consequences of promoting a family firm brand. This framework can help researchers and practitioners better understand how the family business nature of the brand can influence decisions about the company’s branding and marketing practices.
Is the high performance organization framework applicable to Takaful insurance companies?
Authors: Mroueh Meerna , de Waal André
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Islamic finance is an interesting field of research, as it represents an alternative to conventional finance for Muslims. It is a way of conducting finance based on the principles of Islam and prohibition of interest. Islamic finance can be divided into two areas: Islamic banking and Islamic insurance (Takaful). This paper aims to describe a research study on the applicability of the high-performance organization (HPO) framework on Takaful insurance companies and whether it can improve their performance in a sustainable way.

Design/methodology/approach

The factors and characteristics of the HPO framework are theoretically matched with the characteristics of the Takaful industry for evaluating whether these reinforce or weaken each other. The outcome of this matching process gives an indication of whether it is easier or more difficult for Takaful insurance companies, compared with conventional companies, to apply the HPO framework and transform themselves into HPOs.

Findings

It can be theoretically expected that, out of 35 HPO characteristics, 10 will be easier to strengthen in Takaful organizations compared with conventional organizations and 9 will be more difficult, and for 16 characteristics, there will be no difference. These results suggest that, most likely, it does not make a difference whether UAE Takaful organizations or conventional organizations implement the HPO framework, they will probably need roughly the same amount of effort to make a successful transition.

Research limitations/implications

In a follow-up study, the HPO framework will be applied at several Takaful insurance companies to evaluate the operation of the framework in practice.

Originality value

To date, no studies of the HPO framework and HPOs have been conducted at Takaful insurance companies in the UAE. Thus, by theoretically matching the HPO framework with Takaful organizations, the study fills a gap in the management literature regarding high-performance improvement techniques for Takaful organizations.
Ratify and comply: a pathway for Japan to follow the FATF recommendation 35
Authors: Matsuoka Akira
Published: November 2017

Purpose

To identify the reason of Japan not complying with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendation 35 and suggesting a strategic solution to overcoming the barrier.

Design/methodology/approach

Through contextual, historical, and legal analysis of the anti-money laundering (AML) measures in Japan.

Findings

This paper implies that less flexible mindsets in stone of major players in the field of AML measures in Japan are the fundamental barrier for Japan not complying with the FATF Recommendation 35, while this paper suggests better realistic ways to address the barrier.

Originality/value

The novel point of this paper is that this paper illustriously uncovers the mindsets of the major players pertaining to the Japanese AML measures in a very illustrative way, points out the underlying true barrier, and describes a useful strategy desperately needed to address the barrier.
The cost of debt and the characteristics of audit firms
Authors: Woo Yong-Sang , Kang Minjung , Lee Ho-Young
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Audit firm bankruptcy can have significant negative impacts on the stock prices of client firms. The purpose of this paper is to identify determinants of audit firm bankruptcy risk as measured by costs of debt.

Design/methodology/approach

Using audit firm data publicly available in Korea, this study empirically examines whether client portfolio, financial, and organizational characteristics are associated with the weighted average interest rates assumed by auditors.

Findings

The authors find empirical evidence that audit firms’ client portfolio characteristics, including the incidence (or number) of lawsuits against the auditor, the proportion of audit clients under surveillance, the proportion of initial audit engagements, and the proportion of listed companies of audit clients, are positively associated with the cost of debt. The authors also find several financial and organizational characteristics associated with the cost of debt.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that client portfolio characteristics as well as financial and organizational characteristics are important determinants of the cost of debt in audit firms, and that these characteristics are different from those of firms in other industries. Identifying the determinants of audit firms’ cost of debt provides insight to regulators, client firms, and capital market participants.

Originality/value

This study examines the default risk of audit firms that play an important monitoring role in capital markets. By utilizing unique data about audit firms available in Korea, this study is the first study to empirically examine the effect of detailed audit firm characteristics on audit firm’s default risk.
Vocabulary intervention for adolescents with language disorder: a systematic review
Authors: Lowe Hilary , Henry Lucy , Müller Lisa‐Maria , Joffe Victoria L.
Published: November 2017

Background

Language disorder and associated vocabulary difficulties can persist into adolescence, and can impact on long‐term life outcomes. Previous reviews have shown that a variety of intervention techniques can successfully enhance students’ vocabulary skills; however, none has investigated vocabulary intervention specifically for adolescents with language disorder.

Aims

To carry out a systematic review of the literature on vocabulary interventions for adolescents with language disorder.

Methods & Procedures

A systematic search of 14 databases and other sources yielded 1320 studies, of which 13 met inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were: intervention effectiveness studies with a focus on enhancing oral receptive and/or expressive vocabulary skills in the study's aims; participants in the age range 11;0–16;11 with receptive and/or expressive language difficulties of any aetiology.

Main Contribution

There was a high degree of diversity between studies. Types of intervention included: semantic intervention (four studies); comparison of phonological versus semantic intervention (two); and combined phonological–semantic intervention (seven). The strongest evidence for effectiveness was found with a combined phonological–semantic approach. The evidence suggested a potential for all models of delivery to be helpful (individual, small group and whole class).

Conclusions & Implications

Tentative evidence is emerging for the effectiveness of a phonological–semantic approach in enhancing the vocabulary skills of adolescents who have language disorder. Future research needs to refine and develop the methodologies used in this diverse group of studies in order to replicate their findings and to build consensus.
The social legitimacy of disability inclusive human resource practices: the case of a large retail organisation
Authors: Moore Katherine , McDonald Paula , Bartlett Jennifer
Published: November 2017

Research in the field of HRM has begun to examine organisational responses to social policies around welfare‐to‐work programs. However, relatively little research has examined how organisations respond to the increased demand from people with disability for employment opportunities. The current study addressed this knowledge gap by exploring how a large Australian retail organisation legitimises disability employment practices against the background of the institutional context of disability employment. The findings revealed that the organisation seeks social legitimacy for disability employment practices primarily based on social expectations and to a lesser extent, from government funded disability employment agencies. The study makes three important contributions to the SHRM literature. It provides empirical evidence of how SHRM responds to welfare‐to‐work programs, informs the development of social policy relevant to disability employment and adopts the notion of institutional fit as a way of explaining how government incentives influence HRM diversity strategies.
Employers' recruitment of disadvantaged groups: exploring the effect of active labour market programme agencies as labour market intermediaries
Authors: Ingold Jo , Valizade Danat
Published: November 2017

This article draws on an original comparative survey of employers in the UK and Denmark to analyse the role of active labour market programmes (ALMPs) in employers' recruitment of disadvantaged groups. Using the framework of Bonet et al. to conceptualise agencies delivering ALMPs as labour market intermediaries (LMIs), the effect of ALMPs on employers' recruitment was tested against organisational factors involving firm size and selection criteria. Although ALMPs marginally increased employers' probability of recruiting the long‐term unemployed in both countries and lone parents in Denmark, their effect was negligible compared with firm size and employers' selection criteria. While ALMP agencies have the potential to increase employers' recruitment of disadvantaged groups, this is constrained when they act as basic ‘information provider’ LMIs. ALMP agencies' inability to act effectively as ‘matchmaker’ LMIs leads to a failure to overcome rigid intra‐organisational barriers to such recruitment.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION?
Authors: CABLE DAN , BIRKINSHAW JULIAN
Published: November 2017

Full transparency brings its own dangers. Dan Cable and Julian Birkinshaw explain
THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY?
Authors: TAHOUN AHMED
Published: November 2017

Ahmed Tahoun asks whether American lawmakers use their power to protect their own interests
MANDELA'S LESSONS IN SELF‐LEADERSHIP
Authors: NICHOLSON NIGEL
Published: November 2017

The late South African president exemplified an inner strength that all business leaders should aspire to, says Nigel Nicholson
THE MYTHS OF DISRUPTION: HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES?
Authors: BIRKINSHAW JULIAN
Published: November 2017

There's no need to fear the worst in times of rapid change, says Julian Birkinshaw
LONELY AT THE TOP? DO ME A FAVOUR!
Authors: INESI ENA
Published: November 2017

People in positions of power become cynical about the motives of their colleagues. And that means they think differently about themselves. By Ena Inesi
Evaluation of microtitre plate‐based Haemoglobin estimation
Authors: Shah A. P. , Patel P. T. , Patel B. P. , Mishra K. K. , Ghosh K.
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Haemoglobin estimation is one of the most important clinical investigations. Many techniques are available to measure haemoglobin; still there is a need for a haemoglobin assay technique which is cheap, robust and simple and can be used in field conditions very quickly using figure prick sample. We evaluated a cyanmethaemoglobin‐based haemoglobin estimation using a microtitre plates for the purpose.

Methods

Microtitre plate‐based haemoglobin estimation was developed using cyanmethaemoglobin‐based assay and was compared with standard haematology analyser‐based haemoglobin estimation in a large number of samples from a population of voluntary blood donors. Various tests were performed to evaluate the stability of colour, variation of the results during duplicate assay on the same days and on different days as well as linearity of the test was performed against broad range of haemoglobin values for the new microtitre plate‐based technique. Standard statistical test of significance was applied to validate the assay.

Results

Total 200 samples from in‐house and field conditions were evaluated. 10 μL blood sample in 300 μL Drabkin's solution provided optimum and comparable results after 10 minutes of incubation. The colour was stable up to 6 hours, the coefficient of variation was less than 3%, and the cost per test including everything was less than 3 cent/2P. Turnaround time for 90 samples was only 30 minutes.

Conclusion

Cyanmethaemoglobin‐based assay in microtitre plate is feasible, robust, rapid, cheap and cost‐effective method for haemoglobin estimation in field conditions.
The Multiple Meanings of Familialism
Authors: Polletta Francesca
Published: November 2017

The notion that families should care for their own seems straightforward in its meaning. I suggest that it may not be. Building on the argument advanced in Sandra Levitsky's Caring for Our Own, and especially its focus on the discursive shaping of rights consciousness, I draw attention to three discourses that may be responsible for how the caregivers quoted in the book understand family responsibility. One is an American discourse about the limits of government; one is a therapeutic discourse that is enacted in the support groups from which the book's respondents mainly come; and one is a nativist discourse that pits the American-born against newcomers. I argue that these discourses inflect the meaning of family responsibility in distinctive ways.
Optimal number of multiple rapid swallows needed during high‐resolution esophageal manometry for accurate prediction of contraction reserve
Authors: Mauro A. , Savarino E. , De Bortoli N. , Tolone S. , Pugliese D. , Franchina M. , Gyawali C. P. , Penagini R.
Published: November 2017

Background

Multiple rapid swallows (MRS) is a provocative test for assessment of contraction reserve, however reproducibility on repetitive MRS is incompletely understood. Our aim was to determine the optimal number of MRS sequences for consistent assessment of contraction reserve.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐nine consecutive patients (79 IEM and 80 normal motility) who underwent high‐resolution manometers were enrolled. Ten single swallows (SS) and 10 MRS were performed. Gold standard for evaluation of the contraction reserve was the ratio between the mean DCI of 10 MRS and the mean DCI of 10 SS (MRS/SS DCI ratio). Rates of false negatives and false positives were calculated for increasing numbers of MRS sequences, using either mean DCI or the MRS with the highest DCI.

Key Results

According to the gold standard, 50 IEM and 50 normal motility patients had contraction reserve. With progressively increasing numbers of MRS sequences, contraction reserve was detected using mean MRS DCI within three and four MRS sequences in IEM and normal motility respectively, whereas two and three MRS sequences were needed using the MRS sequence with the highest DCI. False positives were much higher with highest DCI method compared with mean DCI, (22% vs 9% respectively in IEM; 24% vs 9% in normal motility) when three MRS sequences were considered.

Conclusions & Inferences

At least three MRS are needed to reliably assess contraction reserve. The mean DCI of the three MRS sequences is the best variable to utilize as evidence of contraction reserve.
Accuracy and bias in newlywed spouses' perceptions of each other's personalities
Authors: WOOD WENDY I. , OLDHAM C. REBECCA , REIFMAN ALAN , NIEHUIS SYLVIA
Published: November 2017

This study investigated moderators of newlywed spouses' accuracy in judging each other's personality. Spouses in 154 predominantly Hispanic newlywed couples rated their own and their partners' personality traits. Full‐sample results showed significant associations between perceivers' and targets' personality ratings (“truth force”/“tracking accuracy”). Positive directional bias (perceivers' mean trait ratings of targets exceeding targets' self‐ratings) also was evident. Positive directional bias occurred when perceivers had little familiarity with their spouse prior to dating and when perceivers had high self‐esteem. Truth force/tracking accuracy increased with less time spent cohabiting and higher perceiver self‐esteem. Positive associations between perceivers' self‐esteem and ratings of partners on positively valenced traits were reduced when partners had had greater opportunities to observe one another's behaviors.
The health of the homeless
Authors: Donley Amy M. , Wright James D.
Published: November 2017

Studies of homelessness and health date back to at least the 1970s. The current paper presents a summary on the state of the literature on homelessness and health since the onset of Housing First initiatives. Housing First initiatives represent a change in the previously used model used by social services providers and government agencies from recovery first to housing first, a recognition that homeless people should be housed before contending with other issues such as mental health treatment. Since this time, researchers have pushed research inquiry into areas that were only touched on lightly before. These new areas of research fall generally into that categories of access and utilization, newer demographics, and emerging health concerns. Each of these areas is thoroughly reviewed in the paper. Despite Housing First legislation, homelessness continues to threaten the health of the urban population and will continue to do so as long as it is allowed to persist.
Failure to initiate HIV treatment in patients with high CD4 counts: evidence from demographic surveillance in rural South Africa
Authors: Bor Jacob , Chiu Calvin , Ahmed Shahira , Katz Ingrid , Fox Matthew P. , Rosen Sydney , Yapa Manisha , Tanser Frank , Pillay Deenan , Bärnighausen Till
Published: November 2017

Objectives

To assess the relationship between CD4 count at presentation and ART uptake and assess predictors of timely treatment initiation in rural KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa.

Methods

We used Kaplan‐Meier and Cox proportional hazards models to assess the association between first CD4 count and time from first CD4 to ART initiation among all adults presenting to the Hlabisa HIV Treatment and Care Programme between August 2011 and December 2012 with treatment‐eligible CD4 counts (≤ 350 cells/mm3). For a subset of healthier patients (200 < CD4 ≤ 350 cells) residing within the population surveillance of the Africa Health Research Institute, we assessed sociodemographic, economic and geographic predictors hypothesised to influence ART uptake.

Results

A total of 4739 patients presented for care with eligible CD4 counts. The proportion initiating ART within six months of diagnosis was 67% (95% CI 63, 71) in patients with CD4 ≤ 50, 59% (0.55, 0.63) in patients with CD4 151–200 and 48% (95% CI 44, 51) in patients with CD4 301–350. The hazard of starting ART fell by 17% (95% CI 14, 20) for every 100‐cell increase in baseline CD4 count. Among healthier patients under demographic surveillance (n = 193), observable sociodemographic, economic and geographic predictors did not add discriminatory power beyond CD4 count, age and sex to identify patients at high risk of non‐initiation.

Conclusions

Individuals presenting for HIV care at higher CD4 counts were less likely to initiate ART than patients presenting at low CD4 counts. Overall, ART uptake was low. Under new guidelines that establish ART eligibility regardless of CD4 count, patients with high CD4 counts may require additional interventions to encourage treatment initiation.
Numerical approach for solving time fractional diffusion equation
Authors: Altan Koç Dilara , Gülsu Mustafa
Published: November 2017

In this article one of the fractional partial differential equations was solved by finite difference scheme  based on five point and three point central space method with discretization in time. We use between the Caputo and the Riemann-Liouville derivative definition and the Grünwald-Letnikov operator for the fractional calculus. The stability analysis of this scheme is examined by using von-Neumann method. A comparison between exact solutions and numerical solutions is made. Some figures and tables are included.
Investigation of Biodiesel Combustion and Emissions Using Reduced Chemical Kinetics
Authors: Dobos Aron P. , Kirkpatrick Allan T.
Published: November 2017

This paper studies the differences in spray structure and emissions trends between diesel and biodiesel fuels in a compression ignition engine. A computationally efficient and predictive quasi-dimensional simulation model is combined with fuel-specific physical properties and chemical kinetic mechanisms to predict spray mixing, combustion, and emissions behavior. The results underscore the complex relationships between NOx emissions, operational parameters, and fuel chemistry and provide further evidence of a link between stoichiometry near the flame lift-off length and formation of NOx.
An analysis of redactions in Canada’s Common Drug Review Clinical Review Reports and how they relate to the patients’ voice
Authors: Soprovich Allison , El Kurdi Sylvia , Eurich Dean T
Published: November 2017

Importance

Canada’s Common Drug Review (CDR) evaluates drug data from published and unpublished research, as well as input from patient groups, to recommend provincial coverage. Currently, the CDR process gives manufacturers the opportunity to redact information in the final publicly available report. Patients often have strong feelings regarding the efficacy, harms, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and cost associated with the drugs under review and their redacted data. Highlighting Canada’s approach will hopefully build on the growing international concern regarding transparency of clinical study data.

Objective

The purpose was to objectively examine and classify completed, publicly available CDR-Clinical Review Reports (CRR) for redactions, and compare them to the patients’ reported interests as patient-centred outcomes.

Methods

Two independent reviewers searched for and examined publicly available CDR-CRR from November 2013-September 2016 through the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) on-line database. Both reviewers separately classified the redactions and patient-reported interests into the following categories: efficacy, harms, HRQL and costs. All discrepancies were rectified by consensus involving a third reviewer.

Results

Fifty-two completed CDR-CRR were reviewed. 48 (92%) included patient-reported interests and 40 (77%) had redactions classified in the following categories: efficacy (75%), costs (48%), harms (38%), HRQL (23%). 89% of redactions were outcomes identified as patient-reported interests (69% efficacy, 42% harms, 36% cost, 33% HRQL). When examining drug characteristics, biological agents were statistically associated with increased odds of redactions with respect to either efficacy (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 11.6) or harms (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.02 to 12.4) compared with non-biological agents.

Conclusions

Whether data from the CDR-CRR used in the decision-making should be fully disclosed to the public is controversial. Our findings suggest clinical data (efficacy, harms, HRQL) matters to patients and should be publicly available within the CDR-CRR. Canada trails Europe and the USA regarding the transparency of clinical study data. This lack of transparency relates to the patient voice, and limits movement towards patient-centred care and patient-engaged research, restricting real-world value measurement.
Bursting patterns and mixed-mode oscillations in reduced Purkinje model
Authors: Zhan Feibiao , Liu Shenquan , Wang Jing , Lu Bo
Published: November 2017

Bursting discharge is a ubiquitous behavior in neurons, and abundant bursting patterns imply many physiological information. There exists a closely potential link between bifurcation phenomenon and the number of spikes per burst as well as mixed-mode oscillations (MMOs). In this paper, we have mainly explored the dynamical behavior of the reduced Purkinje cell and the existence of MMOs. First, we adopted the codimension-one bifurcation to illustrate the generation mechanism of bursting in the reduced Purkinje cell model via slow–fast dynamics analysis and demonstrate the process of spike-adding. Furthermore, we have computed the first Lyapunov coefficient of Hopf bifurcation to determine whether it is subcritical or supercritical and depicted the diagrams of inter-spike intervals (ISIs) to examine the chaos. Moreover, the bifurcation diagram near the cusp point is obtained by making the codimension-two bifurcation analysis for the fast subsystem. Finally, we have a discussion on mixed-mode oscillations and it is further investigated using the characteristic index that is Devil’s staircase.
A gauge-invariant path integral for electrodynamics with magnetic monopoles in the Haddamard formalism
Authors: Botelho Luiz C. L.
Published: November 2017

We propose a new path integral for QED in the presence of magnetic monopoles on the formalism of Geometric Algebra of Hestenes–Haddamard written in terms of Dirac matrices.
Comment on “Cryptanalysis and improvement of multiparty semiquantum secret sharing based on rearranging orders of qubits”
Authors: Gao Gan
Published: November 2017

In this paper, we show that the attack strategy [A. Yin and F. Fu, Mod. Phys. Lett. B 30 (2016) 1650415] fails, that is, the last agent and other agents cannot get the sender’s secret keys without being detected by using the attack strategy.
Efficient Anonymous Authenticated Key Agreement Scheme for Wireless Body Area Networks
Authors: Li Tong , Zheng Yuhui , Zhou Ti
Published: November 2017

Wireless body area networks (WBANs) are widely used in telemedicine, which can be utilized for real-time patients monitoring and home health-care. The sensor nodes in WBANs collect the client’s physiological data and transmit it to the medical center. However, the clients’ personal information is sensitive and there are many security threats in the extra-body communication. Therefore, the security and privacy of client’s physiological data need to be ensured. Many authentication protocols for WBANs have been proposed in recent years. However, the existing protocols fail to consider the key update phase. In this paper, we propose an efficient authenticated key agreement scheme for WBANs and add the key update phase to enhance the security of the proposed scheme. In addition, session keys are generated during the registration phase and kept secretly, thus reducing computation cost in the authentication phase. The performance analysis demonstrates that our scheme is more efficient than the currently popular related schemes.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Comparing Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block with Local Anesthetic Infiltration in Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Implantation
Authors: Li Qi , Tang Xiaohong , Tao Tian , Zhang Wenjuan , Qin Wei , Zhang Jie , Li Zi
Published: November 2017

Background: The ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been demonstrated as a useful analgesia technique in lower-abdomen surgeries. We hypothesized that it could be the principal anesthesia technique for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter (PDC) implantation using the open dissection method. Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, randomized, and double-blinded study. All eligible patients were randomized into 2 groups: the TAP block group (n = 20) and the local anesthetic infiltration (LAI) group (n = 20). Results: Compared with the LAI group, the TAP block group revealed a remarkably lower visual analogue score, lower switching rate into general anesthesia, higher satisfaction rate, and less rescuing analgesic consumption during operation (p < 0.05). Both PD- and anesthesia-related complications were rare in the 4-week follow-up. Conclusions: The ultrasound-guided TAP block had better analgesic effect than LAI and can be used as a principal anesthesia technique for PDC implantation in ESRD patients without previous abdominal surgery.
Endotoxin Effects on Cardiac and Renal Functions and Cardiorenal Syndromes
Authors: Virzì Grazia Maria , Clementi Anna , Brocca Alessandra , Ronco Claudio
Published: November 2017

Gram-negative sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critical ill patients. Recent findings in molecular biology and in signaling pathways have enhanced our understanding of its pathogenesis and opened up opportunities of innovative therapeutic approaches. Endotoxin plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of multi-organ dysfunction in the setting of gram-negative sepsis. Indeed, heart and kidney impairments seem to be induced by the release of circulating pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic mediators triggered by endotoxin interaction with immune cells. These molecules are responsible for cellular apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle arrest, and microRNAs activation. Therefore, the early identification of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury and heart dysfunction may improve the patient clinical outcome. In this report, we will consider the role of endotoxin in the pathogenesis of sepsis, its effects on both cardiac and renal functions, and the interactions between these 2 systems in the setting of cardiorenal syndromes (CRS), particularly in CRS type 5. Finally, we will discuss the possible role of extracorporeal therapies in reducing endotoxin levels.
Transport Characteristics of Asymmetric Cellulose Triacetate Hemodialysis Membranes
Authors: Kim Tae Ryung , Hadidi Mahsa , Motevalian Seyed Pouria , Sunohara Takashi , Zydney Andrew L.
Published: November 2017

Aims: The objective of this study was to compare the transport characteristics of highly asymmetric cellulose triacetate (ATA™) membranes with that of both symmetric cellulose triacetate and asymmetric polysulfone membranes. Methods: Data were obtained for solute clearance and sieving coefficients of vitamin B12 and a range of polydisperse dextrans using ATA™ SOLACEA-25H and Optiflux F250NR polysulfone dialyzers. Results for these, and the CT190 symmetric cellulose triacetate dialyzer, were analyzed using available membrane transport models. Results: The ATA™ had the largest solute clearance, although the homogeneous CT190 dialyzer had the highest sieving coefficients. These differences were a direct result of the differences in the underlying membrane morphology, with the asymmetric ATA™ membrane providing much higher diffusive transport rates (and thus higher solute clearance). Conclusions: These results demonstrate the importance of membrane morphology on dialyzer transport and provide important insights into the effective clinical performance observed with the highly asymmetric ATA™ dialyzers.