bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An informetrics view of the relationship between internet ethics, computer ethics and cyberethics
Authors: Onyancha Omwoyo Bosire
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences and similarities between computer ethics, internet ethics and cyberethics as reflected in the contents of the published literature as well as the search trends on Google.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper opted for an informetrics approach, and more specifically content analysis, to investigate the inter-relationships between computer ethics, internet ethics and cyberethics. The data sources for this study included Google Trends, Google Scholar and the Web of Science citation indexes. Different search queries were used, depending on the structure of each data source, to extract the relevant data sets.

Findings

– Using different methods and techniques to analyse the data, the paper provides an alternative means of investigating relationships among concepts. The findings indicate that there is still no clear distinction between the concepts in terms of subject and title terms used to describe the published literature on the three concepts, as well as the research areas where the three concepts are applied. Going by the current trend, the paper envisages that cyberethics may, in the future, become a broader term to include computer ethics and internet ethics.

Research limitations/implications

– The data sources that were selected for the study might have not been comprehensive in the coverage of the published literature on the three concepts and therefore there is need for further research, which will expand the scope of the data sources.

Practical implications

– The paper’s findings may apply in the practice of indexing and abstracting as well as thesaurus construction as far as the three terms are concerned.

Originality/value

– The paper offers an alternative technique that can be used to investigate relationships among concepts. The value of the paper could include curriculum development of programmes dealing with ethical issues that arise when developing and using computers and related technologies.
Usability study of the mobile library App: an example from Chongqing University
Authors: Wei Qunyi , Chang Zhaoxin , Cheng Qin
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the usability of the mobile library App of Chongqing University and to provide recommendations for improving the experience of App users.

Design/methodology/approach

– Usability testing, which comprised pre-test questionnaires, accomplishing tasks, and post-test surveys, was conducted in this study. The effectiveness and efficiency of the App, as well as user satisfaction with it, were measured.

Findings

– The mobile App was proven effective but the efficiency of the App required improvement. With regard to user satisfaction, the factors “clarity” and “usefulness” received the lowest and highest scores, respectively. The descriptions of mobile services were unclear and confused users; nonetheless, the services provided by this App were appealing and useful to the users. Based on the measured user experience, this study proposed several recommendations for enhancing the usability of the App.

Originality/value

– An increasing number of domestic and foreign libraries have begun to use mobile Apps to provide new services to patrons. In the future, smartphones are likely to become crucial to the delivery of information services. Given the extensive use of the Super Star Mobile Library system adopted by Chongqing University Library in China, the usability of such a system must be investigated. Improving the usability of the mobile library App can help enhance user experience.
Collaborative information seeking environments benefiting from holistic ergonomics
Authors: Meyer Anika , Fourie Ina
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of utilising a holistic ergonomic approach, covering engineering, cognitive and social perspectives, to cultivate beneficial and productive collaborative information seeking (CIS) systems and environments, specifically with regard to three main CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness).

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative research approach, based on a selective corpus of CIS literature, was utilised to perform a content analysis to note if terms and concepts normally associated with engineering, cognitive and social ergonomics can be used to eliminate terms reflecting issues related to three CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness) that can benefit from a holistic ergonomic approach.

Findings

– The content analysis revealed that a fairly extensive amount of holistic ergonomic terminology is prominent within the CIS literature, therefore establishing a connection between the two disciplines: CIS and ergonomics. This suggests that CIS system issues could benefit from the insights of a holistic ergonomic approach.

Research limitations/implications

– Since this is an exploratory study the scope of CIS literature utilised in the content analysis was limited to a selection considered most important by the authors; this should be supplemented by further research.

Practical implications

– Intended to instigate interest in further exploration of the beneficial and productive implications and practical application of holistic ergonomics in designing CIS systems and environments.

Originality/value

– This is the first research paper in the Library and Information Science literature that explores the potential of utilising holistic ergonomics to cultivate CIS systems and environments.
A library’s information retrieval system (In)effectiveness: case study
Authors: Marijan Robert , Leskovar Robert
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the information retrieval component of a daily newspaper publisher’s integrated library system (ILS) in comparison with the open source alternatives and observe the impact of the scale of metadata, generated daily by library administrators, on retrieved result sets.

Design/methodology/approach

– In Experiment 1, the authors compared the result sets of the information retrieval system (IRS) component of the publisher’s current ILS and the result sets of proposed ones with human-assessed relevance judgment set. In Experiment 2, the authors compared the performance of proposed IRS components with the publisher’s current production IRS, using result sets of current IRS classified as relevant. Both experiments were conducted using standard information retrieval (IR) evaluation methods: precision, recall, precision atk,F-measure, mean average precision and 11-point interpolated average precision.

Findings

– Results showed that: first, in Experiment 1, the publisher’s current production ILS ranked last of all participating IRSs when compared to a relevance document set classified by the senior library administrator; and second, in Experiment 2, the tested IR components’ request handlers that used only automatically generated metadata performed slightly better than request handlers that used all of the metadata fields. Therefore, regarding the effectiveness of IR, the daily human effort of generating the publisher’s current set of metadata attributes is unjustified.

Research limitations/implications

– The experiments’ collections contained Slovene language with large number of variations of the forms of nouns, verbs and adjectives. The results could be different if the experiments’ collections contained languages with different grammatical properties.

Practical implications

– The authors have confirmed, using standard IR methods, that the IR component used in the publisher’s current ILS, could be adequately replaced with an open source component. Based on the research, the publisher could incorporate the suggested open source IR components in practice. In the research, the authors have described the methods that can be used by libraries for evaluating the effectiveness of the IR of their ILSs.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a framework for the evaluation of an ILS’s IR effectiveness for libraries. Based on the evaluation results, the libraries could replace the IR components if their current information system setup allows it.
Mutual value creation in component co-branding relationships
Authors: Cassia Fabio , Magno Francesca , Ugolini Marta
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper explores the process of mutual value creation in a component co-branding relationship between an unknown component supplier and a well-known Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). In particular, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of parties’ willingness to engage in mutual value creation, thus enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model of mutual value creation.

Design/methodology/approach

– An in-depth longitudinal analysis of a single case study in the cycling wear industry is presented based on data gathered from several sources, including long interviews with managers of a component supplier and an OEM, promotional materials, press releases and articles in cycling-related publications and on web portals, and online conversations among amateur cyclists.

Findings

– Four antecedents of the willingness to engage in mutual value creation are identified: mutual trust; the perceived easiness of alignment between the supplier’s and OEM’s processes and resources relevant to value creation; the expected creation of a substantial level of additional mutual value; and the expected value gains for each party.

Research limitations/implications

– The study analyses only one case in a single industry and adopts a dyadic perspective.

Practical implications

– This study suggests that – contrary to the traditional view – when specific antecedents for mutual value creation are present, the component co-branding strategy is available to many innovative small- and medium-sized firms without strong brands.

Originality/value

– Beyond enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model, this study explains why co-branding relationships can be established even in the absence of a strong component brand.
The impact of government support programs for the development of businesses in Chile
Authors: Cancino Christian A. , Bonilla Claudio A. , Vergara Marcos
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact on businesses in Chile of the Seed Capital Program (SCP) implemented by Chile’s Technical Cooperation Services.

Design/methodology/approach

– In order to analyze the impact of this SCP, a counter-factual scenario was used that entailed a combination of the propensity score matching with difference in difference methods. A total of 682 businesses were surveyed (378 in the treatment group and the rest in the control group), 164 of which gave complete responses to the surveys, 89 belonging to the treatment group and 75 to the control group.

Findings

– The results are mixed. On the one hand, the impact of sales is positive but its statistical significance depends on the model used. With regard to the number of employees, however, the results are positive and statistically significant regardless of the model used. The results also show that participating in the program has no incidence on the probability of later obtaining financing.

Research limitations/implications

– This study highlights the importance of differentiating between opportunity-driven entrepreneurship programs and necessity-driven entrepreneurship programs.

Practical implications

– It also suggests improvements in public policy to develop entrepreneurship in small businesses in Chile. These suggestions may also be interesting for other countries facing similar challenges in terms of developing private entrepreneurship as a vehicle to generate economic development.

Originality/value

– This exploratory work may be interesting to those in charge of designing, implementing and evaluating public programs in support of small- and mid-sized enterprise development.
Can emotional differences be a strength? Affective diversity and managerial decision performance
Authors: Kouamé Saouré , Oliver David , Poisson-de-Haro Serge
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to extend earlier findings suggesting that affective diversity is always negative for group performance, by examining its influence on managerial decision performance in a more controlled environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– In an attempt to mitigate some of the many methodological challenges associated with studies in “real-word” contexts, the authors chose to adopt a quasi-experimental research design involving teams of master of business administration students engaged in managerial decision making. This research design is consistent with previous research conducted in the area of affect and individual or group-level outcomes.

Findings

– The results indicate that both positive and negative affective diversity are positively associated with managerial decision performance, although only the relationship with negative affective diversity is significant. Overall, these findings support the idea that affective diversity may constitute a strength in the context of managerial decision making. These results contrast with the findings of previous studies.

Research limitations/implications

– Further quantitative and qualitative investigation is recommended in order to clarify the contradictory results between the current study and previous research. Specifically, this investigation might concern the effect of contingency factors such as type of team (i.e. ad hoc vs long term), type of task and team-level self-regulation ability.

Originality/value

– Since the seminal work of Barsadeet al.(2000), no further studies have attempted to resolve some of the empirical questions emerging from preliminary research on affective diversity. The paper thus provides new insights into the effects of affective diversity.
Stochastic portfolio optimization using efficiency evaluation
Authors: Rotela Junior Paulo , Pamplona Edson de Oliveira , Rocha Luiz Célio Souza , Valerio Victor Eduardo de Mello , Paiva Anderson Paulo
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze portfolios chosen using an efficiency evaluation that considers risk and uncertainty and optimizes the allocation of invested capital using the Sharpe approach.

Design/methodology/approach

– The portfolios comprised shares on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. A chance-constrained data envelopment analysis stochastic optimization model was used, and return and variance were employed as input and output variables.

Findings

– The model was shown to be viable. It reduced the search space and considered data randomness.

Originality/value

– Three portfolios were proposed. The variation of the model’s risk criterion fulfilled the requirements of investors with different attitudes to risk. The model proposed can be used as a support tool for stock investment decisions.
Critical reflections from the millennials on the global action against dementia legacy events
Authors: Newman Kristine , Booi Laura
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to share information regarding the Global Action Against Dementia Legacy, to critically reflect on the views of the Canadian Young Leaders of Dementia and to strengthen the impact of their voices in the global discussion surrounding dementia.

Design/methodology/approach

– This offers a critical reflection and review of the innovative intergenerational discussions and solutions offered by younger Canadians – specifically, the Millennial Generation.

Findings

– The paper provides insights about how change and solutions in dementia actions may be established through intergenerational collaboration.

Research limitations/implications

– Researchers are encouraged to make room for the voices of younger, less established generations in both discussions and research related to dementia. The younger generations will provide future direction to the Global Action Against Dementia Legacy so it is time to hear their voice too.

Originality/value

– This paper draws on developments in the Canadian context to highlight the potential of encouraging a less-usual, intergenerational approach to developing engagement, research and solutions in dementia.
Embodied energy of service trading in Hong Kong
Authors: Guo Shan , Shen Geoffrey , Yang Jay , Sun Bingxia , Xue Fan
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Energy is a resource of strategic importance for high density cities. International trade reshapes the urban economy and industrial structure of a city, which will indirectly affect energy use. As an international trade hub, Hong Kong relies on the import and export of services. Energy performance in the international trading of these services needs to be properly understood and assessed for Hong Kong’s urban renewal efforts. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study evaluates Hong Kong’s embodied energy in service trades based on an input-output analysis. The three criteria used for assessment include trading areas, industry sector and trade balance.

Findings

– Analyzed by region, results show that Mainland China and the USA are the two largest sources of embodied energy in imports of services, while Mainland China and Japan are the two largest destinations of exports. In terms of net embodied energy transfer, Hong Kong mainly receives net energy import from Mainland China and the USA and supplies net energy export to Japan, the UK and Taiwan. Among industry sectors, manufacturing services, transport and travel contribute most significantly to the embodied energy in Hong Kong’s imported services, while transport and travel contribute most to the energy embodied in exported services.

Originality/value

– This study identifies the characteristics of energy consumption of service trading and establishes a feasible approach to analyze energy performance of service trade in energy-deficient Hong Kong for the first time. It provides necessary understanding and foundation for developing energy strategies in a service-based, high density urban economy.
Biophilic urbanism: contributions to holistic urban greening for urban renewal
Authors: Reeve Angela Chenoweth , Desha Cheryl , Hargreaves Doug , Hargroves Karlson
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to consider how biophilic urbanism complements and potentially enhances approaches for the built environment profession to holistically integrate nature into cities. Urban nature – also referred to as urban greening and green infrastructure – has increasingly been considered from many perspectives to address challenges such as population pressures, climate change and resource shortages. Within this context, the authors highlight how “biophilic urbanism” complements and may enhance approaches and efforts for urban greening.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides a review of existing literature in “urban nature” to clarify and discuss the concept of biophilic urbanism. Drawing on this literature review, the authors present a systematic clustering and scaling of “biophilic elements” that could facilitate responding to twenty-first century challenges.

Findings

– Biophilic urbanism can be applied at multiple scales in urban environments, through a range of multi-functional features that address the pervasive false dichotomy of urban development and environmental protection. Biophilic urbanism can complement urban greening efforts to enable a holistic approach, which is conducive to comprehensive, intentional and strategic urban greening.

Originality/value

– This paper situates the emerging concept of biophilic urbanism within existing research from multiple disciplines, providing insight for how this can be applied in practice, particularly to the topical challenge of “urban renewal”.
Reducing floodwater ingress rates through an exterior masonry wall of a domestic building
Authors: Beddoes David W. , Booth Colin
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Experimental field test apparatus has been used to determine the inter-variability and intra-variability floodwater ingress rates of the masonry wall of a domestic building, before and after preparation with an improved surface treatment procedure. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– Replicated and repeated simulations of floodwater conditions (600 mm head) outside a building were created, before and after the wall was treated with a combination of mortar admixture and surface impregnation.

Findings

– Untreated and treated floodwater ingress rates were 4.99 litres/hour (234.99 litres/hour/m2) and 1.74 litres/hour (81.90 litres/hour/m2), respectively, and display high intra-variability before treatment. These preliminary results indicate water penetration through masonry is linked to the initial rate of absorption of brick units and perceivably the workmanship of the bricklayer.

Originality/value

– Reductions in floodwater penetration from outside a building, by the impregnation and admixture treatments of masonry walls, can be achieved to manageable levels. However, the target for rates of water ingress through permeable masonry of < 10 litres/hour/m2, to accord with values for kitemark products, still needs further work.
Supply chain integration with BIM: a graph-based model
Authors: Papadonikolaki Eleni , Vrijhoef Ruben , Wamelink Hans
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology to integrate the construction Supply Chain (SC) through the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM). It features a renovation case as a proof-of-concept.

Design/methodology/approach

– After analyzing the relevant gaps in the literature, the research followed a modeling approach. The proposed model merged product-, process- and organizational models in a graph-based model to represent and analyze a BIM-based SCM project.

Findings

– Presently, the information flows of the construction SC are vague. BIM is an aspiring integrator of information flows for construction. The proposed model for SC integration with BIM, offers an approach to identify the project complexities in relation to organizational structures, roles and interactions and integrate the industry.

Practical implications

– Currently BIM-enabled SCM is not very widely applied in the industry. However, the authors report the increasing interest of most construction stakeholders to engage in the application of the two, after acknowledging the benefits from the individual approaches. Since this combination is quite rare, the research uses a retrospective real-world case study of a SC project with an imaginary application of BIM.

Originality/value

– Thus far, there is no formal model to represent the interactions of the SC actors along with BIM. The unique combination of a product and a process model, i.e. BIM, with an organizational model aims at integrating the information flows of the SC. The proposed model aims at analyzing and supporting the BIM-enabled SCM in Architecture Engineering and Construction.
BIM for building refurbishment and maintenance: current status and research directions
Authors: Ilter Deniz , Ergen Esin
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a strategic overview of the current literature on “Building information modelling (BIM) for Building Refurbishment and Maintenance” to unfold the factors behind the relative underdeveloped state of the field and to contribute to the development of a more cumulative knowledge base by presenting the current status and suggesting future directions for research.

Design/methodology/approach

– A systematic review of the literature has been undertaken by classifying and mapping the literature, identifying the input-output relations, exhibiting the areas focused on by researchers as well as neglected ones and by indicating the trends in research through the years. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis is used in the study to better interpret the existing studies in a holistic perspective.

Findings

– Although the need for BIM in facility management (FM) has been acknowledged by researchers and practitioners, the results highlight that studies related to BIM applications in maintenance and especially refurbishment are relatively recent. However, the trend in published articles shows that the interest is continuously growing. Existing research in this field can be clustered in the following subtopics: (1) building survey and as-built BIM, (2) modelling and managing energy, (3) design assessment, (4) access to and integration of maintenance information and knowledge, and (5) information exchange and interoperability.

Originality/value

– The paper identifies the gaps in the research domain that hinders a widespread adoption of BIM in refurbishment and maintenance stages and introduces roadmaps to surmount the challenges identified in each specific subtopic of the field.
Financial Globalization and Economic Growth in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from Panel Cointegration Tests
Authors: Egbetunde Tajudeen , Akinlo Anthony Enisan
Published: September 2015

This paper examines the long‐run relationship between financial globalization and economic growth in sub‐Saharan Africa using panel unit root tests, panel cointegration tests and panel multivariate ECM. The study finds that the variables are stationary at first difference — I(1). Also, the results reveal that all the variables are cointegrated, that is, they are related in the long run. The results of the ECT test within the framework of panel multivariate ECM confirm the cointegration tests. The paper concludes that there is a long‐run relationship between financial globalization and economic growth in sub‐Saharan Africa. The paper argues that sub‐Saharan African economies will benefit from the era of financial globalization in the long run in as much as the governments promote and encourage sound macroeconomic policies and strong institutions.
Hétérogénéité des Effets de l'aide sur la Croissance Economique en Afrique Subsaharienne: Évidences Comparatives entre Pays Stables et Pays en Post Conflit
Authors: Mallaye Douzounet , Yogo Urbain Thierry
Published: September 2015

La présente étude fournit l'évidence de l'efficacité de l'aide en faisant usage d'un échantillon de 34 pays d'Afrique sub‐saharienne sur la période 1990–2010. Après prise en compte de l'endogénéité de l'aide, les résultats de l'estimation révèlent que l'aide a un effet positif sur la croissance uniquement lorsque l'estimation est contrôlée du niveau de la gouvernance. La dynamique comparative quant à elle montre que la gouvernance et l'éducation sont les principaux canaux de transmission de l'aide à la croissance en environnement stable. En revanche, en environnement de post conflit, l'aide affecte la croissance via l'investissement en capital public (infrastructure). Enfin, l'approche de décomposition d'Oaxaca‐Blinder montre que l'écart en termes de montants d'aide reçus n'explique pas les différences de croissance observées entre pays stables et pays en situation de post conflit. Sur la base de ces résultats, les implications de politiques économiques sont discutées en conclusion.
How Relevant Is the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) for Tests of Market Efficiency on the Nigerian Stock Exchange?
Authors: Obrimah Oghenovo A. , Alabi Jacob , Ugo‐Harry Blessing
Published: September 2015

We find an asset pricing model which consists of the market portfolio, the market skewness or co‐skewness factors, and portfolio idiosyncratic volatility factor best explains portfolio risk‐return trade‐offs on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), indicating this model is appropriate for studies of semi‐strong form efficiency of the Nigerian Stock Market. Our finding that an asset pricing model which consists of the market portfolio alone tends to consistently understate portfolio risk indicates this conventional one‐factor specification of the CAPM is inappropriate for tests of the efficiency of the Nigerian Stock Market. With respect to the effects of non‐synchronous trading of stocks on portfolio risk‐return trade‐offs, while the presence of non‐synchronous trading induces greater diversification benefits for investors, we find it simultaneously results in a higher price for market risk; that is, higher levels of risk aversion. Our findings demonstrate preference for market skewness or co‐skewness can be a risk mitigating response to anticipated adverse effects of changes in the risk of the market portfolio on portfolio returns.
Youth Unemployment Duration and Competing Exit States: What Hides Behind Long Spells of Black Youth Unemployment in South Africa?
Authors: Ismail Zaakirah , Kollamparambil Umakrishnan
Published: September 2015

The paper examines the role of personal characteristics in not only determining the unemployment duration but also the probability of unemployment terminating with transitions into wage‐employment, self‐employment or higher education. Formulated within the survival analysis framework using the Labour Market Entry Survey, this study provides the first empirical evidence on black youth unemployment duration in South Africa. The results of the analysis indicate non‐monotonic duration dependence with other individual, household and locational covariates exerting very different impacts on the state‐specific exit rates from unemployment for both young men and women. The scarring impact evident in negative duration dependence and gender‐specific findings point to the need for more informed policy formulation.
Executive Compensation, Ownership Structure and Loan Quality of Banks in Ghana
Authors: Adjei‐Mensah Gifty , Amidu Mohammed , Abor Joshua Yindenaba
Published: September 2015

This paper analyses the effects of executive compensation and ownership structure on loan quality of banks. The study uses a panel data on 26 Ghanaian banks over the period, 2003–2011. Using a dynamic panel model, estimations are made using the Generalized Method of Moments. The results show that management is efficient when director shareholding is very prominent in banks. Institutional ownership and public listing of banks also have a significantly negative relationship with non‐performing loans, while lag of non‐performing loans, equity ratio, exchange rate depreciation and increases in net interest margins are seen to have a negative effect on loan quality. Executive compensation had no significant effect on loan monitoring.
Anti‐Communism, The Growth Machine and the Remaking of Cold‐War‐Era Pittsburgh
Authors: Vitale Patrick S.
Published: September 2015

This article develops a new perspective on urban growth machines through an analysis of the relationship between Pittsburgh's Renaissance and cold‐war‐era anti‐communism. In order to facilitate urban (re)development, growth machines foster a shared sense of metropolitan citizenship and a corresponding ideological belief that coalitions of business, government and other elite actors can renew regions for the collective good of their residents. During the early years of the cold war, anti‐communism was a key means by which growth machines could create this shared sense of metropolitan belonging. The members of Pittsburgh's widely celebrated growth coalition used anti‐communism to advance their interests in four key ways: (1) by encouraging residents to see the Renaissance as part of the larger struggle against communism; (2) by eliminating a deeply rooted radical political culture; (3) by, in the process, curtailing opposition to their effort to remake the region into a post‐industrial economy based on free capital mobility; and (4) by having it serve as a shared tactic and ideology that stitched together and legitimated capitalist development at all scales from the factory to the globe. Pittsburgh's Renaissance provides an important example of how growth machines not only produce space, but also citizenship and the conditions of political possibility.
Defining the role of proton therapy in the optimal management of paediatric patients in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Dwyer Mary
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Optimal management of paediatric patients with tumours may include radiation therapy. Proton therapy, in theory, should achieve superior outcomes. For children referred overseas, multiple factors are taken into consideration.

Aim and Methods

The purpose of this article is to provide context to current decision making. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed databases were searched for relevant literature.

Results and Discussion

The delivery of proton therapy is in evolution. Tissue homogeneity, movement and anatomical changes all present a greater challenge for proton therapy compared with photon therapy. Many dosimetry studies are relying on historical data for cost–benefit analyses that do not accurately reflect contemporary photon therapy. The low dose regions generally do not create significant toxicity, whereas moderate dose regions can be reduced by different techniques such as stereotactic radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Neuro‐cognitive and neuro‐endocrine toxicities are associated with the greatest health cost, so the greatest gain is for tumours within or abutting the central nervous system. Proton therapy does not eliminate the risk of second malignancy.

Conclusions

The benefits of proton therapy must be weighed against not just the estimated impact of low and moderate radiation doses on the developing child but the disruptions to the child, and family life. Relative contraindications to proton therapy include when the relevant late toxicities relate to the high radiation dose region, when the tumour volumes encompass whole body sections and when the target is imprecise. Children with base of skull tumours or an inherited risk of cancer (e.g. those with p53 or Rb1 genes) should be considered for proton therapy.
Feasibility and strategy for left tracheobronchial lymph node dissection in thoracolaparoscopic esophageal cancer surgery
Authors: Lin Jiangbo , Kang Mingqiang , Chen Shuchen , Deng Fan , Han Zhiyang , Lin Jihong
Published: September 2015

Background

This study evaluates the feasibility and strategy of left tracheobronchial lymph node (LN) dissection in the surgical treatment of esophageal cancer, and its impact on surgical outcomes following thoracoscopic esophagectomy.

Methods

Data of 265 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy was retrospectively reviewed. In 80 cases, thoracoscopic esophagectomy was performed without left tracheobronchialLNdissection (group non‐4L), while 185 cases underwent thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization with routine left tracheobronchial node dissection (group 4L). We introduced a “mesoesophageal suspension” method in order to facilitate complete dissection of the left tracheobronchial nodes, along with left recurrent laryngeal nerve nodes. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors correlated to left tracheobronchial node metastasis.

Results

The non‐4Lgroup experienced less blood loss than the 4Lgroup (P= 0.009). More mediastinalLNswere dissected in the 4Lgroup (P< 0.001). There was no significant difference with regard to the incidence of major postoperative complications between the two groups. Compared with otherLNmetastases, the metastatic rate of the left tracheobronchialLNswas relatively lower. Based on multivariate analysis of six factors, lymphatic invasion and subcarinal node metastasis were shown to be strong independent predictors of left tracheobronchial metastasis.

Conclusion

Routine thoracoscopic extensive lymphadenectomy, including the left tracheobronchialLN, was technically feasible and safe in patients with esophageal cancer. Using a mesoesophagus suspension technique, we performed a meticulousLNdissection in the upper mediastinal space.
Localisation of Industry in Chile, 1895–1967: Mining Cycles and State Policy
Authors: Badia‐Miró Marc , Yáñez César
Published: September 2015

Mining cycles have had an enormous impact in the evolution of the localisation of economic activity, in particular of industry, in Chile. The nitrate cycle was characterised by a labour‐intensive extraction process and activity which was geographically very concentrated. The copper cycle was geographically more dispersed and its activity more capital‐intensive. We stress the role played by the State in the latter de‐concentration due to the impact of regional development policies and assess the importance of factor endowments and agglomeration economies, in the localisation of the manufacture.
Beyond Tragedy: Differential Commoning in a Manufactured Housing Cooperative
Authors: Noterman Elsa
Published: September 2015

Caught between the dual crises of declining economic opportunity and diminishing public assistance, people on the economic margins resist threats to their livelihoods by opting to share resources. The processes involved in managing these “commons” are often messy and paradoxical amid differing livelihood concerns and subject positions. Unevenness tends to emerge along new and existing lines of power. Rather than reducing such tendencies to a “tragedy” to be eliminated, I argue that grappling with uneven relations offers a more dynamic account of commoning: “differential commoning”. This paper takes as its example the residents of a “manufactured housing” community who organized as a cooperative in response to the threat of eviction. Their struggle to collectivize, I suggest, illustrates the need for a more situated conceptualization of commoning, rather than a concept defined within the rigidity of economic rationality or the homogeneity of some imagined community.
Development of a Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Prosthesis Through Steps of Iterative Optimization and Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Pott Desiree , Kütting Maximilian , Zhong Zhaoyang , Amerini Andrea , Spillner Jan , Autschbach Rüdiger , Steinseifer Ulrich
Published: September 2015

The development of a transcatheter tricuspid valve prosthesis for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is presented. The design process involves an iterative development method based on computed tomography data and different steps of finite element analysis (FEA). The enhanced design consists of two self‐expandable stents, one is placed inside the superior vena cava (SVC) for primary device anchoring, the second lies inside the tricuspid valve annulus (TVA). Both stents are connected by flexible connecting struts (CS) to anchor the TVA‐stent in the orthotopic position. The iterative development method includes the expansion and crimping of the stents and CS with FEA. Leaflet performance and leaflet–stent interaction were studied by applying the physiologic pressure cycle of the right heart onto the leaflet surfaces. A previously implemented nitinol material model and a new porcine pericardium material model derived from uniaxial tensile tests were used. Maximum strains/stresses were approx. 6.8% for the nitinol parts and 2.9 MPa for the leaflets. Stent displacement because of leaflet movement was ≤1.8 mm at the commissures and the coaptation height was 1.6–3 mm. This led to an overall good performance of the prosthesis. An anatomic study showed a good anatomic fit of the device inside the human right heart.
Corporate Disclosure in Relation to Combating Corporate Bribery: A Case Study of Two Chinese Telecommunications Companies
Authors: Islam Muhammad Azizul , Haque Shamima , Dissanayake Thusitha , Leung Philomena , Handley Karen
Published: September 2015

This paper investigates the association between global community concerns about bribery activities and anti‐bribery disclosure practices by two Chinese telecommunication companies operating internationally, namely China Mobile and ZTE. Based on content analysis of annual reports and global news media articles over a period of 16 years from 1995–2010, the findings suggest that the changes in the level of disclosures by the two major Chinese telecommunications companies were closely associated with the level of international concerns over bribery practices within the Chinese telecommunications industry. This finding indicates that the companies adopt anti‐bribery disclosure practices in order to minimise the gap of trust (social capital) between companies themselves and global stakeholders. In this paper we argue that, for domestic companies in China, culturally constructed social capital, such as guanxi, creates a level of trust between managers and their stakeholders, which obviates the need for managers to disclose anti‐bribery performance information. However, for companies operating internationally, as social capital is inadequate to bridge the gap of trust between managers and global stakeholders, managers use disclosures of anti‐bribery performance information as a way to minimise such a gap.
The Importance of Understanding Student Learning Styles in Accounting Degree Programs
Authors: Cameron Robyn , Clark Pat , De Zwaan Laura , English Diane , Lamminmaki Dawne , O'Leary Conor , Rae Kirsty , Sands John
Published: September 2015

Improvements in the tertiary education of accounting students benefit the profession. Analysis of the interaction of learning styles and teaching methodologies in accounting degree programs revealed that when learning styles matched teaching methods used, usefulness was assessed as high. When they differed, usefulness deteriorated. To maximise educational benefit this interaction should be considered, but this has resource implications.

Accounting education is critical and any improvements in the tertiary education of accounting students should result in better prepared graduates entering the profession. This study evaluates accounting students’ learning styles and the interaction of learning styles and teaching methodologies in degree programs. Nine classes of accounting students (648 students) spread across four years and two degree programs were evaluated. Students self‐evaluated their learning styles, pre‐instruction. They were then subject to two separate teaching techniques (one active and one passive) in each course. Learning styles were then re‐assessed and teaching techniques evaluated. Accounting students displayed a preference for passive learning, even those far advanced in their degrees. Furthermore, when learning styles matched teaching methods used, usefulness was assessed as high but when learning styles and teaching methods differed, usefulness deteriorated. Overall, active learners rather than passive learners deemed the teaching methods to be more effective. The implications are significant. To maximise educational benefit for the accounting profession, student learning styles should be assessed before designing appropriate teaching methodologies. This has resource implications, which would have to be considered.
Osseointegration of Zirconia in the Presence of Multinucleated Giant Cells
Authors: Chappuis Vivianne , Cavusoglu Yeliz , Gruber Reinhard , Kuchler Ulrike , Buser Daniel , Bosshardt Dieter D
Published: September 2015

Background

Current strategies to reduce medical device‐associated infections propose zirconia as a potential implant material which may limit bacterial adhesion. Because multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs) have been detected on these implant surfaces, concerns have been raised regarding tissue integration.

Purpose

The present study examined the presence of MNGCs and their subsequent effect upon tissue integration. Surface‐modified implants made of yttria‐stabilized (TZP) and alumina‐toughened zirconia (ATZ) were compared with commercially pure titanium (Ti).

Materials and Methods

Seven miniature pigs received three implants on either side of the maxilla. After healing periods of 4 and 8 weeks, the tissue response at the implant surfaces was characterized according to three specific parameters: bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC), MNGC‐to‐implant contact (MIC), and the peri‐implant bone density (BD).

Results

Despite being present on all tested implant surfaces, MNGCs were not associated with an inflammatory cell infiltrate or with fibrous encapsulation. MNGCs were less numerous on the Ti implants (range: 3.9–5.2%) compared with the ceramic implants (range: 17.6–30.3%, p < .0001). Even though the values of newly formed bone and pristine bone in direct contact with the implant surfaces were high at 4 weeks (tBIC: Ti = 82.3%, TZP = 64.3%, ATZ = 70%), a negative correlation was observed between the presence of MNGCs and newly formed bone at the implant surface (p < .001). Interestingly, the newly formed peri‐implant bone density, defined as the percentage of new bone area inside the screw threads (nBD), was not diminished by the presence of MNGCs.

Conclusions

Differences in the presence of MNGCs and the BIC parameters between Ti and the ceramic implants appear to be a local cellular phenomenon which is restricted to the implant‐bone marrow interface and do not affect the peri‐implant bone formation. Factors triggering MNGC differentiation and their persistence in response to biomaterial surface need to be investigated in future studies.
Understanding public perceptions of risk regarding outdoor pet cats to inform conservation action
Authors: Gramza Ashley , Teel Tara , VandeWoude Susan , Crooks Kevin
Published: September 2015

Free‐ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) incur and impose risks on ecosystems and represent a complex issue of critical importance to biodiversity conservation and cat and human health globally. Prior social science research on this topic is limited and has emphasized feral cats even though owned cats often comprise a large proportion of the outdoor cat population, particularly in urban areas. To address this gap, we examined public risk perceptions and attitudes toward outdoor pet cats across varying levels of urbanization, including along the wildland–urban interface, in Colorado (U.S.A.), through a mail survey of 1397 residents. Residents did not view all types of risks uniformly. They viewed risks of cat predation on wildlife and carnivore predation on cats as more likely than disease‐related risks. Additionally, risk perceptions were related to attitudes, prior experiences with cats and cat–wildlife interactions, and cat‐owner behavior. Our findings suggest that changes in risk perceptions may result in behavior change. Therefore, knowledge of cat‐related risk perceptions and attitudes could be used to develop communication programs aimed at promoting risk‐aversive behaviors among cat owners and cat‐management strategies that are acceptable to the public and that directly advance the conservation of native species.