bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes in Children’s Social Care
Authors: Forrester Donald
Published: September 2017

Purpose

There are often calls for more focus on outcomes in Children’s Social Care yet there is little consensus on what these outcomes should be. Key challenges include who should decide what outcomes should be measured and the sheer range of issues that social workers deal with. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflective account of approaches to measuring outcomes that the author has used in recent studies in order to illustrate the complexity involved in understanding what the purpose of Children’s Social Care is and therefore how outcomes might be measured.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of and reflection on lessons from recent research studies carried out by the author and colleagues.

Findings

The results are used to illustrate and support an argument that Children’s Social Care performs multiple functions and that this has implications for thinking about outcomes. Helping children and parents is one element of the work, but assessing risk across large numbers of referrals and identifying those that require involvement is equally important. Furthermore, the social work role requires complex considerations around liberty and the rights of parents and children. One consequence of this is that the quality of the service provided is important in its own right.

Research limitations/implications

It is suggested that the evaluation of Children’s Social Care involves four types of outcomes: measures of the quality of the service provided; assessment of whether the “right” families are being worked with; client-defined measures of change; and the development of appropriate standardised instruments. Examples of approaches in each area are discussed.

Practical implications

The theoretical considerations suggest that we need to have a multi-dimensional approach to evaluating, inspecting and leading Children’s Social Care services. In particular, the importance of the quality of delivery and appropriate targeting of the service are emphasised, as well as considering various approaches to measuring outcomes.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures of process, assessment and outcomes for evaluating outcomes in Children’s Social Care.
People and systems: reflections on the development of social work for children
Authors: Little Michael
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the aspects of social work for children, primarily in England.

Design/methodology/approach

It is based on reflections on research undertaken by the author prior to 1995 and after 2015.

Findings

The paper explores the interaction between people – effective leaders and practitioners – and systems.

Research limitations/implications

It is an opinion piece, and does not present findings from a single study.

Practical implications

It urges systems that do not restrict the capability of practitioners.

Social implications

The value of social work services at times of significant social disadvantage demands strong public policy attention.

Originality/value

The study draws on several research and case studies in over 20 English local authorities
Characteristics of knowledge, people engaged in knowledge transfer and knowledge stickiness: evidence from Chinese R&D team
Authors: Huan Huang , Yongyuan Ma , Sheng Zhang , Qinchao Dou
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The aim of this study is to provide some important insights for knowledge stickiness from the perspective of the characteristic of knowledge and the people engaged in the knowledge transfer. It proposes an empirical model about factors that influence knowledge stickiness.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on knowledge-based view (KBV), this paper systematically elaborated the research model, and then conducted a survey to test the hypotheses. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews in R&D team of knowledge-intensive firms in China. The empirical results generally support the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about how the knowledge transfer willingness, transfer ability, knowledge residence, knowledge articulability and absorption ability affect the knowledge stickiness in the process of knowledge transfer in R&D team.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides guidelines about how firms should optimally respond to knowledge stickiness in knowledge transfer process practically.

Practical implications

The proposed framework helps to understand what factors impact knowledge stickiness in R&D teams. Furthermore, the research also provides guidelines about how firms should optimally respond to knowledge stickiness in knowledge transfer process practically from both aspects of characteristics of knowledge itself and people involved in knowledge transfer.

Originality/value

This study, grounded on KBV, constructs a countermeasure model of weakening knowledge stickiness, which contributes to an understanding of factors leading to the success or failure of knowledge transfer. It eventually theoretically extends the KBV of the firm and commits to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of knowledge transfer practically.
Towards an integrated framework of intrinsic motivators, extrinsic motivators and knowledge sharing
Authors: Law Kuok Kei , Chan Andrew , Ozer Muammer
Published: September 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to develop an integrated framework to demonstrate the individual and combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators on two forms of knowledge sharing behaviors – in-depth knowledge sharing and routinized knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of work on the use of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and the differential degrees of costs and risks involved in the two forms of knowledge sharing is being reviewed with the aim to locate gaps and problems arising from propositions of different scholars. An integrated framework is then proposed to connect different schools of thoughts into a single, unifying framework.

Findings

Knowledge sharing behaviors among employees are subject to both attractive and distractive forces. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivators might interact positively or negatively depending on the type of extrinsic motivator and the form of knowledge sharing. While enhancing the intrinsic enjoyment of employees along with outcome-based extrinsic motivators can promote in-depth knowledge sharing, the use of behavior-based extrinsic motivators is more appropriate for fostering routinized knowledge sharing.

Research limitations/implications

This paper mainly focuses on the sharing of knowledge without examining the receiver side in knowledge sharing. Also, the use of punitive means by superiors in encouraging knowledge sharing is not discussed in the framework. Future research can also add into the authors’ integrated framework the effects of personal traits in knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

This paper narrows the gap between existing theories on the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators and offers an integrated theoretical framework for those interested in examining the inter-relationship among intrinsic motivators, extrinsic motivators and knowledge sharing behaviors.
Managing knowledge in open innovation processes: an intellectual property perspective
Authors: Bican Peter M. , Guderian Carsten C. , Ringbeck Anne
Published: September 2017

Purpose

As firms turn their innovation activities toward collaborating with external partners, they face additional challenges in managing their knowledge. While different modes of intellectual property right regimes are applied in closed innovation systems, there seems to be tension between the concepts of “open innovation” and “intellectual property rights”. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how firms best manage knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a mixed methods approach, the authors review relevant literature at the intersection of knowledge management, intellectual property rights, strategic management of intellectual property rights and the open innovation process. The authors identify success drivers through the lenses of – but not limited to – intellectual property rights and classify them in five distinct groups. Expending the view on open innovation beyond its modus operandi, the authors develop the Open Innovation Life Cycle, covering three stages and three levels of the open innovation process. The authors apply their findings to a case study in the pharmaceutical industry.

Findings

The authors provide four key contributions. First, existing literature yields inconclusive results concerning the enabling or disabling function of intellectual property rights in open innovation processes, but the majority of scholars detect an ambivalent relation. Second, they identify and classify success drivers of successful knowledge management via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes. Third, they advance literature on open innovation beyond its modus operandi to include three stages and three levels. Fourth, they test their findings to a case study and show how management leverages knowledge by properly using intellectual property rights in open innovation.

Practical implications

The findings support firms in managing knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes. Management should account for the peculiarities of open innovation preparation and open innovation termination to prevent unintentional knowledge drain.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to view open innovation as a process beyond its modus operandi by considering the preparations for and termination of open innovation activities. It also addresses the levels involved in managing knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation from individual (personal) to project and firm level.
Implementing open innovation: conceptual design of an integrated ICT platform
Authors: Aloini Davide , Farina Giulia , Lazzarotti Valentina , Pellegrini Luisa
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to develop the conceptual design of an information and communication technologies (ICT) platform supporting the inbound open innovation (OI) process within the technological developments business unit of Leonardo Defence Systems.

Design/methodology/approach

After a preliminary phase concerning the context analysis, methodology includes three main steps: conceptualization of functions; preliminary design; and conceptual design of the system/SW architecture. In each of these phases, the authors tried to merge evidence from the scientific literature with empirical insight emerging from the field.

Findings

Results report the conceptual design proposal for an integrated ICT platform supporting the OI. It includes the conceptualization of main functions, the preliminary design deriving from use cases and the proposal for the overall system architecture and data model.

Research limitations/implications

The research focuses only on the conceptual design phase; at this stage, the platform has not been still implemented or tested. Also, generalizability concerns may arise from the single-application context.

Practical implications

The outcoming conceptual design can be useful for firms that open their boundaries to external partners, as well as for software developers which could draw on it. Firms approaching similar OI challenges can re-contextualize the platform to their own setting.

Originality/value

Originality of this research relies on the attempt to show how ICT can support firms in their OI processes and, secondly, to support firms aiming to create a positive environment that encourages people at leveraging existing external technological opportunities and sources of knowledge. In so doing, a systematic design approach to the definition of the conceptual proposal is also pursued.
Gender and leadership aspiration: the impact of organizational identification
Authors: Fritz Claudia , van Knippenberg Daan
Published: September 2017

Purpose

Although nowadays more women occupy leadership roles, they still are a minority. Because aspiration is a precursor of advancement, examining conditions fostering female leadership aspiration is important. A neglected perspective is the impact of organizational identification. Identification can be argued to foster leadership aspiration because the essence of leadership is the pursuit of collective interests, and identification motivates such pursuits. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey design with ann=400 fulltime employed men and women, working for various organizations was selected.

Findings

The initial prediction was that identification is more important to women’s leadership aspiration to the extent that gender is associated with communal orientation, because women tend to have stronger communal orientation with associated greater affiliation needs, and organizational identification can be expected to cater to those needs. The communal orientation by organizational identification interactive influence on leadership aspiration was supported. Also, the indirect effect of gender on leadership aspiration via this interactive influence of communal orientation and organizational identification was supported.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the selected survey approach the data are correlational and as a result no reference to matters of causality can be made. Thus (field) experimental data is needed to confirm these findings.

Practical implications

Within the paper the discussion focuses on the importance of creating an environment that is more conducive to organizational identification and as such speaks to the communal orientation – being more pronounced among women – to act in favor of the organization by aspiring leadership positions.

Originality/value

The presented results depict an important step toward understanding how organizational identification and communal orientation interact and how they interact with women’s leadership aspiration.
An application of retailing service quality practices influencing customer loyalty toward retailers
Authors: Sivapalan Achchuthan , Jebarajakirthy Charles
Published: September 2017

Purpose

Enhancing retailing service quality (RSQ) serves as a basic strategy for gaining competitive advantage in the retailing industry and enables retailers to make a loyal customer base. The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically investigate a comprehensive mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty to retail stores via service quality practices. This study suggests information on retailers can be the antecedent of the RSQ and its dimensions, thereby proposing a comprehensive mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty to retailers.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected using questionnaire surveys from 2,375 customers of three main supermarkets in Sri Lanka. After testing the measurement model, two structural models were run to test hypotheses.

Findings

The findings showed that the RSQ positively influenced customer loyalty. From all the RSQ dimensions, the store’s physical aspects, personal interaction and policy had a significant influence on customer loyalty. The findings also demonstrated that information on retailers contributes to enhancing a customer’s favorable evaluation of the supermarket’s physical aspects, personal interaction and retailing policy.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted with supermarket customers in one country using the cross-sectional data. Hence, the model should be replicated among retail customers in other countries with the longitudinal data.

Practical implications

Practically, this study recommends to retailers which dimensions of service quality they need to focus to enhance customer loyalty to their business. The study furthermore recommends certain dimensions that need to be emphasized while retailers design their promotional and communication programs.

Originality/value

Information on retailers has been suggested as an antecedent for enhancing supermarkets’ service quality practices. Thus, this study proposes a comprehensive mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty to retailers via service quality practices.
Suicidal Decapitation by Hanging—A Population‐based Study
Authors: Byard Roger W. , Gilbert John D.
Published: September 2017

A prospective study was undertaken at Forensic Science SA over a 15‐year period from July 2002 to June 2017 for all cases of adult (>18 years) suicidal hangings with decapitation. A total of 1446 cases of suicidal hangings were identified from a general population of approximately 1.5 million (1206 males—age range 18–97 years, average 42.6; and 240 females—age range 18–96 years, average 40.1). Only three cases of decapitation were found, all from long‐drop hangings; these consisted of three males (ages 32–55 years; average 45 years). Spinal transections had occurred between the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth cervical vertebrae, respectively. In this study, the number of suicidal hangings with decapitation represented only 0.2% of the total number of hangings. These events are therefore extremely rare, most likely due to most suicidal hangings occurring from relatively low levels in a domestic environment.
Identification of Nursing Diagnosis–Outcome–Intervention Linkages for Inpatients in the Obstetrics Department Nursing Unit in South Korea
Authors: Yang Min Ji , Kim Hye Young , Ko Eun , Kim Hyun Kyung
Published: September 2017

PURPOSE

To identify the NANDA‐I–NOC–NIC (NNN) linkages for inpatients of the obstetrics nursing unit using electronic nursing records.

METHODS

In this retrospective, descriptive survey, the electronic nursing records for 220 adult patients aged ≥18 years who were discharged after obstetrics nursing unit were analyzed.

FINDINGS

The 7 most frequent nursing diagnoses were found to be associated with 9 nursing outcomes and 26 nursing interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Herein, the list of nursing diagnoses was observed to comprise the safety/protection domain, the list of nursing outcomes the physiological health domain, and the list of nursing interventions the physiological: complex domain.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

This result can contribute to improving the nursing quality and will help continuing education and documentation system refinement.
TGF‐β1 attenuated branching morphogenesis of embryonic murine submandibular gland through Smad3 activation
Authors: Gao P. , Qiao X.‐H. , Gou L.‐M. , Huang Y. , Li Q.‐H. , Li L.‐J. , Wang X.‐Y. , Li C.‐J.
Published: September 2017

Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) plays several crucial regulatory roles in multiple physiological and pathological processes. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of TGF‐β1 in branching morphogenesis of salivary gland. We harvested and cultured submandibular salivary glands (SMGs) from murine embryos, which were then treated with exogenous TGF‐β1, or its neutralized antibody, Smad3 inhibitor, or Smad3 small interfering RNA (siRNA). Our results suggested that TGF‐β1 attenuated branching morphogenesis of embryonic murine SMG via Smad3 activation, thus playing a negative regulatory role in salivary gland development.
A Comparison Study of Middle Bronze Age II Daggers and Their Rivets as a Tool for a Better Understanding of Their Production
Authors: Kan‐Cipor ‐ Meron T. , Shilstein S. , Levi Y. , Shalev S.
Published: September 2017

The Middle Bronze Age II is a period during which there exists a contemporaneous usage of arsenic copper and tin bronze for metal weaponry production. In order to learn more about the alloys used in this period, the blades and rivets from 65 daggers of two significantly different types, which were discovered at the Rishon LeZion (RL) cemetery, Israel, were tested by the non‐destructive method of X‐ray fluorescence (XRF). The results reveal new knowledge of the alloys selected for dagger and rivet production, both of which represent fine examples of the Middle Bronze Age II Southern Levant in metal industry.
Analysis of Restricted Mean Survival Time for Length-biased Data
Authors: Lee Chi Hyun , Ning Jing , Shen Yu
Published: September 2017

In clinical studies with time-to-event outcomes, the restricted mean survival time (RMST) has attracted substantial attention as a summary measurement for its straightforward clinical interpretation. When the data are subject to length-biased sampling, which is frequently encountered in observational cohort studies, existing methods to estimate the RMST are not applicable. In this article, we consider nonparametric and semiparametric regression methods to estimate the RMST under the setting of length-biased sampling. To assess the covariate effects on the RMST, a semiparametric regression model that directly relates the covariates and the RMST is assumed. Based on the model, we develop unbiased estimating equations to obtain consistent estimators of covariate effects by properly adjusting for informative censoring and length bias. Stochastic process theories are used to establish the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators. We investigate the finite sample performance through simulations and illustrate the methods by analyzing a prevalent cohort study of dementia in Canada.
Fraction magnitude understanding and its unique role in predicting general mathematics achievement at two early stages of fraction instruction
Authors: Liu Yingyi
Published: September 2017

Background

Prior studies on fraction magnitude understanding focused mainly on students with relatively sufficient formal instruction on fractions whose fraction magnitude understanding is relatively mature.

Aim

This study fills a research gap by investigating fraction magnitude understanding in the early stages of fraction instruction. It extends previous findings to children with limited and primary formal fraction instruction.

Sample(s)

Thirty‐five fourth graders with limited fraction instruction and forty fourth graders with primary fraction instruction were recruited from a Chinese primary school.

Methods

Children's fraction magnitude understanding was assessed with a fraction number line estimation task. Approximate number system (ANS) acuity was assessed with a dot discrimination task. Whole number knowledge was assessed with a whole number line estimation task. General reading and mathematics achievements were collected concurrently and 1 year later.

Results

In children with limited fraction instruction, fraction representation was linear and fraction magnitude understanding was concurrently related to both ANS and whole number knowledge. In children with primary fraction instruction, fraction magnitude understanding appeared to (marginally) significantly predict general mathematics achievement 1 year later.

Conclusions

Fraction magnitude understanding emerged early during formal instruction of fractions. ANS and whole number knowledge were related to fraction magnitude understanding when children first began to learn about fractions in school. The predictive value of fraction magnitude understanding is likely constrained by its sophistication level.
Forest fragmentation and loss reduce richness, availability, and specialization in tropical hummingbird communities
Authors: Hadley Adam S. , Frey Sarah J. K. , Robinson W. Douglas , Betts Matthew G.
Published: September 2017

Hummingbirds are important pollinators of many native Neotropical plants but their abundance and diversity in landscapes dominated by intensive human uses such as agriculture have rarely been examined, despite such land‐uses prevailing in the tropics. We examined how tropical deforestation affects hummingbird community structure in premontane forest patches embedded in a tropical countryside of Coto Brus Canton, Costa Rica. We captured hummingbirds in fourteen landscapes representing a gradient in patch size and forest amount, and tested for the effects of these variables on (1) hummingbird captures at flowers (pollinator availability); (2) species richness; and (3) filtering of functional traits. After accounting for sampling effects, both hummingbird availability and species richness declined by 40% and 50%, respectively, across the gradient in deforestation that we observed (9–66% forest within 1000 m). Focal patch size was the strongest predictor, even after statistically accounting for the amount of forest and matrix composition of landscapes. These reductions in availability and richness were well predicted by functional traits; morphologically specialized species with the capacity to transport long‐distance outcrossed pollen and low functional redundancy within the pollinator network showed the greatest sensitivity to landscape change. We hypothesize that declines in hummingbird availability, diversity, and functional traits are important mechanisms driving the observed pollen limitation of ornithophilous flowers in fragmented tropical landscapes. Efforts to conserve large forest patches and enhance matrix permeability are critical for maintaining forest hummingbird communities and pollination services under current and predicted deforestation regimes.
Structural properties of bioactive peptides with α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity
Authors: Ibrahim Mohammed Auwal , Bester Megan J. , Neitz Albert W. H. , Gaspar Anabella R. M.
Published: September 2017

Bioactive peptides are emerging as promising class of drugs that could serve as α‐glucosidase inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This article identifies structural and physicochemical requirements for the design of therapeutically relevant α‐glucosidase inhibitory peptides. So far, a total of 43 fully sequenced α‐glucosidase inhibitory peptides have been reported and 13 of them had IC50 values several folds lower than acarbose. Analysis of the peptides indicates that the most potent peptides are tri‐ to hexapeptides with amino acids containing a hydroxyl or basic side chain at the N‐terminal. The presence of proline within the chain and alanine or methionine at the C‐terminal appears to be relevant for high activity. Hydrophobicity and isoelectric points are less important variables for α‐glucosidase inhibition whilst a net charge of 0 or +1 was predicted for the highly active peptides. In silico simulated gastrointestinal digestion revealed that the high and moderately active peptides, including the most potent peptide (STYV), were gastrointestinally unstable, except SQSPA. Molecular docking of SQSPA, STYV, and STY (digestion fragment of STYV) with α‐glucosidase suggested that their hydrogen bonding interactions and binding energies were comparable with acarbose. The identified criteria will facilitate the design of new peptide‐derived α‐glucosidase inhibitors.
A retro‐prospective effectiveness study on 3448 implant operations at one referral clinic: A multifactorial analysis. Part II: Clinical factors associated to peri‐implantitis surgery and late implant failures
Authors: Jemt Torsten
Published: September 2017

Background

Little knowledge is available on implant treatment in large effectiveness studies in routine practice.

Purpose

To report retro‐prospective data on prevalence of peri‐implantitis surgery and late implant failures in a large number of routine patients at 1 referral clinic.

Materials and methods

Altogether 9582 implants with an anodized surface (Nobel Biocare AB) were consecutively placed between 2003 and 2011 and followed‐up to end of 2015. All peri‐implantitis operations and late implant failures were consecutively identified. A logistic multivariate data analysis was performed to identify association between the complications and different clinical factors. Furthermore, data on prevalence on risk for inflammation and bone loss at implants (“peri‐implantitis”) and surgery related to peri‐implantitis was collected for another reference group of about 10 000 implant patients during 3 consecutive years (2013‐2015).

Results

Cumulative survival rates for implant operations without peri‐implantitis surgery or implant failures were calculated to 96.4% (95% CI: 97.3‐95.4) and 95.0% (95% CI: 96.0‐94.1) after 10 years, respectively. Risk for “peri‐implantitis surgery” showed a significant association (P < .05) to number of placed implants (hazard ratio [HR] 1.40; 95% CI: 1.24‐1.59). Three factors showed significant association to risk for “late implant failures,” where “treatment in lower jaw” had the highest risk; HR 2.03. “Overall implant failures” were associated to 4 significant factors where “surgeon” (HR 2.50) showed highest impact on risk. “Numbers of implants” and “bone resorption” at surgery were the 2 significant factors that were consistent for all the time periods of failures during follow‐up (early/late/total). On an average 7.4% of examined patients in the reference group were denoted with highest risk group (“peri‐implantitis”) of which on an average 12.7% of these patients had surgery related to peri‐implantitis.

Conclusions

“The dentist” involved in the surgical and prosthetic rehabilitation of the implant patients, “number of implants” and degree of “bone resorption” seem to have most impact on overall implant complications and failures in the present patient group.
Prenatal alcohol exposure enhances the susceptibility to NMDA‐induced generalized tonic‐clonic seizures in developing rats
Authors: Cho Sue J. , Lovinger David M. , N'Gouemo Prosper
Published: September 2017

Aims

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with a higher likelihood of developing generalized tonic‐clonic seizures (GTCS) in infants and children. However, experimental studies of PAE‐related seizures have yielded conflicting results. Here, we investigated the effect of acute PAE on N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA)‐induced seizures in developing rats.

Methods

Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were given an oral dose of either ethanol (5 g/kg body weight) or vehicle on embryonic day 18. The offspring were tested for susceptibility to NMDA‐induced seizures on postnatal day 7 (P7), 21 (P21), 35 (P35), and 42 (P42). Specifically, the prevalence and latency of NMDA‐induced continuous wild running‐like behaviors (CWR), flexion seizures (FS), wild running seizures (WRS), GTCS, and tonic seizures (TS) were recorded and analyzed.

Results

N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate‐induced seizures consisted of CWR, FS, GTCS, and TS in P21 rats. Thus, GTCS were consistently observed during development. PAE significantly increases the prevalence of GTCS in female and male P7‐P21 rats and P7‐P35 rats, respectively, but not in older rats. PAE also increases the prevalence of TS in male, but not female P21‐P35 rats.

Conclusions

The PAE animal model of GTCS may provide a new opportunity to investigate the mechanisms that underlie neuronal hyperexcitability in developing animals prenatally‐exposed to alcohol.
An exploratory wastewater analysis study of drug use in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Lai Foon Yin , Wilkins Chris , Thai Phong , Mueller Jochen F.
Published: September 2017

Introduction and Aims

New Zealand is considered to have unusual drug use patterns by international standards. However, this understanding has largely been obtained from social surveys where respondents self‐report use. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first wastewater study of drug use in Auckland.

Design and Methods

Wastewater sampling was completed from 2 May to 18 July 2014 at 2 Auckland wastewater treatment plants which service 1.3 million people. Samples were analysed for 17 drug residues by using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. Consumption of methamphetamine, 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine, codeine and methadone (mg/day/1000 people) was estimated by using a back‐calculation formula.

Results

Methamphetamine, codeine, morphine and methadone were detected with high frequency (80‐100%), followed by amphetamine (~60%), MDMA (~7%, i.e. 8 occasions) and methylone (3 occasions). An overall mean of 360 mg of methamphetamine and 60 mg of MDMA was estimated to have been consumed per day per 1000 people. Methamphetamine consumption was found at similar levels in both catchments (377 and 351 mg/day/1000 people). Cocaine was only detected in 1 catchment and on only 8 occasions. JWH‐018 was detected in 1 catchment and only on 1 occasion. Methamphetamine, codeine and other opioids were detected at a consistent level throughout the week. 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and methylone were detected only during the weekends.

Conclusions

Wastewater analysis confirms that methamphetamine was one of the most commonly detected illegal drugs in Auckland and was detected consistently throughout the week. In contrast, cocaine and MDMA were rarely detected, with detection limited to weekends. [Lai FY, Wilkins C, Thai P, Mueller JF. An exploratory wastewater analysis study of drug use in Auckland, New Zealand. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000‐000]
Mistrust of physicians in China: society, institution, and interaction as root causes
Authors: Chan Cheris Shun‐ching
Published: September 2017

Based on two years’ ethnographic research on doctor‐patient relations in urban China, this paper examines the causes of patients’ mistrust of physicians. I identify the major factors at the societal, institutional, and interpersonal levels that lead to patients’ mistrust of physicians. First, I set the context by describing the extent of mistrust at the societal level. Then, I investigate the institutional sources of mistrust. I argue that the financing mechanism of public hospitals and physicians’ income structures are the most crucial factors in inducing patients’ mistrust. Hospitals’ heavy reliance on self‐finance has basically caused public hospitals to run like private hospitals, resulting in blatant conflicts of interest between hospitals and patients. Related to this is physicians’ reliance on bonuses and commissions as part of their regular incomes, which has inevitably resulted in overtreatment and, hence, mistrust from the patients. At the interpersonal level, I describe how individual physicians’ attitudes toward and interaction with patients may also affect patients’ sense of trust or mistrust in physicians. In conclusion, I discuss the ethical implications of the mistrust problem, and suggest changes at the institutional and interpersonal levels to mitigate the problem.
Do Co‐Opted Directors Influence Dividend Policy?
Authors: Jiraporn Pornsit , Lee Sang Mook
Published: September 2017

We explore how co‐opted directors affect dividend policy. Co‐opted directors are those appointed after the incumbent chief executive officer (CEO) assumes office. Our results show that co‐opted directors lead to a weaker propensity to pay dividends and, for dividend‐paying firms, significantly lower dividend payouts. We also show that board co‐option has more explanatory power for dividend policy than does the traditional measure of board effectiveness, that is, board independence. Exploiting the passage of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act as a natural experiment, we show that the effect of board co‐option on dividend policy is more likely causal, rather than merely an association.
JOHANN GOTTFRIED HERDERS FORDERUNG EINER BERÜCKSICHTIGUNG DER MUSIKALISCHEN ASPEKTE VON SPRACHE IN WISSENSCHAFTSTEXTEN
Authors: Danneck Martin
Published: September 2017

This paper argues that we can find in Johann Gottfried Herder's thoughts on the poetics of scientific style implicit references to a claim to consider the musical aspects of language in the style of scientific prose. This claim is based on the assumption that cognition is a process that contains bodily and intellectual aspects. In his idea of ‘schöne Prose’ Herder develops the stylistic ideal of a holistic scientific language that contains a synthesis of rational‐logical and poetic stylistic elements. The semantic and denotative part of this stylistic ideal refers to the visual aspect of language whereas its poetic part refers to its musical aspect. In this way Herder describes poetic language as a mode of language in which its musical aspect is marked by stressing the auditory correspondence between signifier and signified. In doing so, Herder is pointing to the idea that the relationship between man and world is conveyed by the sound of language. Therefore, the integration of poetic elements in the idea of ‘schöne Prose’ can be interpreted as an implicit claim to consider the musical aspects in the style of scientific prose.
The Underrepresentation of Women in Prestigious Ethics Journals
Authors: Krishnamurthy Meena , Liao Shen‐yi , Deveaux Monique , Dalecki Maggie
Published: September 2017

The main goal of this study is to determine whether women are underrepresented in prestigious ethics journals relative to their representation in the field of ethics. Our study proceeds in three steps. Step one: we estimate the percentage of women who specialize in ethics. Step two: we estimate the percentage of articles in prestigious ethics journals that are authored by women. Step three: we examine whether there is any difference between the percentage of women who specialize in ethics and the percentage of articles in prestigious ethics journals that are authored by women. We conclude that women are underrepresented in prestigious ethics journals relative to their representation in the field of ethics.
Tracking Privilege‐Preserving Epistemic Pushback in Feminist and Critical Race Philosophy Classes
Authors: Bailey Alison
Published: September 2017

Classrooms are unlevel knowing fields, contested terrains where knowledge and ignorance are produced and circulate with equal vigor, and where members of dominant groups are accustomed to having an epistemic home‐terrain advantage. My project focuses on one form of resistance that regularly surfaces in discussions with social‐justice content.Privilege‐preserving epistemic pushbackis a variety of willful ignorance that many members of dominant groups engage in when asked to consider both the lived and structural injustices that members of marginalized groups experience daily. I argue that this dominant form of resistance is neither an expression of skepticism nor a critical‐thinking practice. I suggest that standard philosophical engagements with these expressions of resistance are incapable of tracking the harms of privilege‐preserving epistemic pushback. I recommend treating this pushback as a “shadow text,” that is, as a text that runs alongside the readings in ways that offer no epistemic friction. I offer this as one critical philosophical practice for making students mindful of the ways they contribute to the circulation of ignorance and epistemic violence during the course of their discussions.
Short‐term feeding of fermentable dietary fibres influences the gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity in rats
Authors: Paturi Gunaranjan , Butts Christine A. , Stoklosinski Halina , Herath Thanuja D. , Monro John A.
Published: September 2017

This study investigated the effects of dietary fibres on gut bacterial abundance and metabolic activity in rats fed short‐term. Faecal samples from rats fed for 7 days showed differences in the effects of dietary fibres on gut bacterial populations. Broccoli fibre, inulin, potato fibre and potato resistant starch significantly increased the faecal Bacteroides‐Prevotella‐Porphyromonas group compared with cellulose. Growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. was decreased significantly in rats fed barley β‐glucan, citrus pectin, inulin and broccoli fibre diets. An increase in Bifidobacterium spp. and butyric acid levels, the so‐called bifidogenic and butyrogenic effects, was observed in rats fed inulin and potato fibre diets. Organic acid concentrations and polysaccharide contents in the rat faeces confirm the fermentability of dietary fibres in the gut. This study demonstrates the positive effects of plant‐sourced dietary fibres on gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity.
Purification and characterisation of a novel α‐L‐rhamnosidase exhibiting transglycosylating activity from Aspergillus oryzae
Authors: Ge Lin , Xie Jingcong , Wu Tao , Zhang Shanshan , Zhao Linguo , Ding Gang , Wang Zhenzhong , Xiao Wei
Published: September 2017

A novel α‐L‐rhamnosidase was isolated and purified from Aspergillus oryzae NL‐1. The enzyme was purified 13.2‐fold by ultrafiltration, ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography with an overall recovery of 6.4% and specific activity of 224.4 U/mg, and the molecular mass of its subunit was approximately 75 kDa. Its optimal temperature and pH were 65 °C and 4.5, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 3.5–7.0, and it showed good thermostability at higher temperatures. The KM, kcat and kcat/KM values were 5.2 mm, 1624 s−1 and 312 s−1 mm−1 using pNPR as substrates, respectively. Moreover, the enzyme exhibited transglycosylating activity, which could synthesise rhamnosyl mannitol through the reactions of transglycosylation with inexpensive rhamnose as the glycosyl donor. Our findings indicate that the enzyme has potential value for glycoside synthesis in the food industry.
Physical properties and chemical forces of extruded corn starch fortified with soy protein isolate
Authors: Chen Biying , Yu Chen , Liu Junfei , Yang Yuling , Shen Xinchun , Liu Shaowei , Tang Xiaozhi
Published: September 2017

The effect of soy protein addition on physical properties of extruded corn starch was studied. The correlations between the chemical bonds in proteins and the physical properties of extrudates were analysed. Increasing soy protein isolate content resulted in higher expansion ratio (ER) but lower bulk density (BD), hardness, water solubility index (WSI), degree of starch gelatinisation (DSG), content of sulphydryl (SH) groups and protein solubility in phosphate buffer. In the other hand, increasing the processing temperature resulted in higher ER, water absorption index, DSG, contents of the SH group and disulphide (SS) bond but in lower specific mechanical energy, BD, hardness and WSI. The results indicated that changes in the chemical bonds in proteins had a significant effect on the apparent physical properties of extrudates. More protein–protein and protein–starch cross‐linking reactions occurred through new chemical linkages, such as the nondisulphide covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds, which are beneficial to the expansion of starch‐based products.
Reducing the glycaemic index and increasing the slowly digestible starch content in gluten‐free cereal‐based foods: a review
Authors: Giuberti Gianluca , Gallo Antonio
Published: September 2017

Commercially available gluten‐free (GF) cereal‐based foods are generally characterised by a lower nutritional quality than their gluten‐containing counterparts, relatively lower resistant starch (RS) content, along with higher glycaemic index (GI) often being reported. To overcome this nutritional imbalance, extensive research has been conducted to investigate the preparation of a new generation of staple GF products. This review reported the main strategies currently adopted in GF cereal‐based food recipes to formulate products with overall slowly digestible starch properties. They are mainly obtained by the utilisation of alternative ingredients to be incorporated into standard food formulation (including native starch and GF flours) or by technological treatments that may contribute to impact starch digestibility. Considering data from in vitro digestion trials, indications suggested that, aiming to obtain a RS content of about 5% (dry weight) and lowering the in vitro GI values, the minimum high amylose starch (amylose >60%) replacement level in GF bread and cookie formulations should be in the order of 20% by weight of total flours. Overall, with respect to un‐substituted GF foods, two‐ to three‐times higher RS contents, along with a parallel in vitro GI decrease (up to −50%), were obtained for GF pasta and ready‐to‐eat snacks enriched with legume flours at inclusion levels from 40% to 100% by weight of total flours. The use of flours from pseudocereals (e.g., quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat) with and without sourdough did not always guarantee favourably slowly digestible starch GF foods.
Integration of Thought and Action: Arm Weights Facilitate Search Accuracy in 24‐Month‐Old Children
Authors: Arterberry Martha E. , Hespos Susan J. , Herth Rachel A.
Published: September 2017

Search errors are common in cognitive tasks with infants and toddlers, and these errors reveal important insights to the development of competence and performance. Rivière and Lécuyer (2008, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 100, 1) demonstrated that 29‐month‐olds typically make an error during a search task involving invisible displacement. However, performance improves significantly when children wear weighted wrist bands while doing the task. To investigate this phenomenon further, we tested 24‐month‐old children in an identical search task (N = 35). Half the children wore weighted wrist bands, and the rest were in a no‐weight condition. To test how far this phenomenon generalizes, we also tested the same children in a second search task where they needed to find a ball that had rolled behind one of four doors. The results showed that children in the no‐weight condition replicated previous findings of poor performance on both search tasks. Unlike 29‐month‐olds, the 24‐month‐olds in the weighted condition did not immediately show improvement on the search tasks. However, after an initial search attempt, children wearing weights performed significantly better than chance. The findings shed new light on the interplay between thought and action.
Graduates’ views on the impact of adult education and training for poverty reduction in South Africa
Authors: Mayombe Celestin
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this article is to investigate the extent to which the skills acquired from adult education and training (AET) centres, leading to paid jobs and small businesses, have enabled trainees to be successful in generating income and the impact of AET programmes on living conditions of trainees in South Africa. The main findings reveal that the improvement in income impacted on living conditions of trainees' households and in the education of their children. As a result, the majority of the trainees became self‐sufficient and had a good life after graduating. The author concludes that AET programmes for unemployed and unskilled adults can reduce poverty and social exclusion if the AET centres have a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and post‐training support for earning wages or creating self‐employment. The present article has implications for public policy on AET, with reference to the objective of supporting the dynamics of cohesion and social inclusion, as reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
Sol‐gel derived TiNb2O7 dielectric thin films for transparent electronic applications
Authors: Chang Ming‐Chuan , Huang Chieh‐Szu , Ho Yi‐Da , Huang Cheng‐Liang
Published: September 2017

To reduce power consumption of transparent oxide‐semiconductor thin film transistors, a gate dielectric material with high dielectric constant and low leakage current density is favorable. According to previous study, the bulk TiNb2O7 with outstanding dielectric properties may have an interest in its thin‐film form. The optical, chemical states and surface morphology of sol‐gel derived TiNb2O7 (TNO) thin films are investigated the effect of postannealing temperature lower than 500°C, which is crucial to the glass transition temperature. All films possess a transmittance near 80% in the visible region. The existence of non‐lattice oxygen in the TNO film is proposed. The peak area ratio of non‐lattice oxygen plays an important role in the control of leakage current density of MIM capacitors. Also, the capacitance density and dissipation factor were affected by the indium tin oxide (ITO) sheet resistance at high frequencies. The sample after postannealing at 300°C and electrode‐annealing at 150°C possesses a high dielectric constant (>30 at 1 MHz) and a low leakage current density (<1 × 10−6 A/cm2 at 1 V), which makes it a very promising gate dielectric material for transparent oxide‐semiconductor thin film transistors.