bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ex-garment female workers: a new entrepreneurial community in Mauritius
Authors: Kasseeah Harshana , Tandrayen-Ragoobur Verena
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of the ex-garment workers that have turned to self-employment either in the formal or informal sector in the wake of the termination of the multi-fibre arrangement, which led to job losses. This move has given rise to a new community of entrepreneurs in the Mauritian landscape. Hence, this paper tells a story of women empowerment to disempowerment and finally the struggle for them to get re-empowered. This study also shows that there has been a limit to which self-employment led to empowerment for these women as their incomes are low, and they remain in vulnerable positions.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study analyses the transformation of a sample of ex-garment workers into new entrepreneurs. The analysis in this paper rests on survey data collected from 92 ex-garment female workers, who are presently self-employed in either the formal or informal sectors, in different parts of Mauritius.

Findings

– The findings reveal that the self-employed women in the sample, who are also ex-garment female workers, are essentially necessity-driven entrepreneurs. Most of them have only basic primary education and seem to have no other choice than to engage either formally or informally in similar activities, given their prior knowledge and experience in the textile and clothing industries. The authors also find evidence of statistically significant differences across age, marital status and household size between those women in the informal sector compared to those engaged in the formal sector.

Research limitations/implications

– Resource constraints aside, this study could benefit from a larger sample cutting across many other sub-sectors. So far, the results of this study are only applicable to the specific sample studied. In terms of implications, the study finds that the relevant authorities should come up with targeted policies to help these women and address and alleviate the barriers that they face.

Practical implications

– This study provides an insight to help explain why a large group of women have gone into self-employment in Mauritius in the past 10 years. The authors find that self-employment has provided an empowerment outlet for these women so that they can financially contribute to their household income. From the policy-making perspective, this implies that it is important for the government to support the activities of these self-employed women with conducive policies.

Originality/value

– The study helps to advance knowledge on self-employed women in a small vulnerable island economy context. Given that the transition from being employed to unemployed and then the move to self-employment happened in a rather short span of time for these women, the contribution of this study is also to put at the forefront the industrial changes and the individual coping strategies.
Entrepreneurs ' perspective on public-private partnership in health care and social services
Authors: Sinisammal Janne , Leviäkangas Pekka , Autio Tommi , Hyrkäs Elina
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to probe experiences of entrepreneurs in the social and health care service provision.

Design/methodology/approach

– Information was collected regarding entrepreneurs’ views on the factors affecting the collaboration between public and private sectors. A sample of social and health care entrepreneurs was interviewed using open-ended questions. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using inductive content analysis.

Findings

– Three main categories of factors affecting the success of partnership were identified: the nature of partnership, business aspects and tension builders.

Research limitations/implications

– The research was undertaken in rural Finland and the sample consisted 13 entrepreneurs. The results must be considered as observations with more generalised conclusions.

Practical implications

– The results of this study support municipalities in their social and health care service strategy work and especially in consideration of how to also facilitate a fruitful public-private partnership (PPP)-framework, which will largely depend on mutual understanding and consensus.

Originality/value

– The reform of the social and health care system has raised intensive public debate throughout Europe. Key issues include the reorganising of social and health care processes as well as PPPs in provision of services. This study observes the views and experiences of private entrepreneurs and points out where some potential problems and solutions of social and health care PPPs are.
Improving care coordination using organisational routines
Authors: Prætorius Thim
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to systematically apply theory of organisational routines to standardised care pathways. The explanatory power of routines is used to address open questions in the care pathway literature about their coordinating and organising role, the way they change and can be replicated, the way they are influenced by the organisation and the way they influence health care professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

– Theory of routines is systematically applied to care pathways in order to develop theoretically derived propositions.

Findings

– Care pathways mirror routines by being recurrent, collective and embedded and specific to an organisation. In particular, care pathways resemble standard operating procedures that can give rise to recurrent collective action patterns. In all, 11 propositions related to five categories are proposed by building on these insights: care pathways and coordination, change, replication, the organisation and health care professionals.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper is conceptual and uses care pathways as illustrative instances of hospital routines. The propositions provide a starting point for empirical research.

Practical implications

– The analysis highlights implications that health care professionals and managers have to consider in relation to coordination, change, replication, the way the organisation influences care pathways and the way care pathways influence health care professionals.

Originality/value

– Theory on organisational routines offers fundamental, yet unexplored, insights into hospital processes, including in particular care coordination.
Sustaining organizational culture change in health systems
Authors: Willis Cameron David , Saul Jessie , Bevan Helen , Scheirer Mary Ann , Best Allan , Greenhalgh Trisha , Mannion Russell , Cornelissen Evelyn , Howland David , Jenkins Emily , Bitz Jennifer
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The questions addressed by this review are: first, what are the guiding principles underlying efforts to stimulate sustained cultural change; second, what are the mechanisms by which these principles operate; and, finally, what are the contextual factors that influence the likelihood of these principles being effective? The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors conducted a literature review informed by rapid realist review methodology that examined how interventions interact with contexts and mechanisms to influence the sustainability of cultural change. Reference and expert panelists assisted in refining the research questions, systematically searching published and grey literature, and helping to identify interactions between interventions, mechanisms and contexts.

Findings

– Six guiding principles were identified: align vision and action; make incremental changes within a comprehensive transformation strategy; foster distributed leadership; promote staff engagement; create collaborative relationships; and continuously assess and learn from change. These principles interact with contextual elements such as local power distributions, pre-existing values and beliefs and readiness to engage. Mechanisms influencing how these principles sustain cultural change include activation of a shared sense of urgency and fostering flexible levels of engagement.

Practical implications

– The principles identified in this review, along with the contexts and mechanisms that influence their effectiveness, are useful domains for policy and practice leaders to explore when grappling with cultural change. These principles are sufficiently broad to allow local flexibilities in adoption and application.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to adopt a realist approach for understanding how changes in organizational culture may be sustained. Through doing so, this review highlights the broad principles by which organizational action may be organized within enabling contextual settings.
Quality improvement in large healthcare organizations
Authors: Höög Elisabet , Lysholm Jack , Garvare Rickard , Weinehall Lars , Nyström Monica Elisabeth
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the obstacles and challenges associated with organizational monitoring and follow-up (M
&
F) processes related to health care quality improvement (QI) and development.

Design/methodology/approach

– A longitudinal case study of a large health care organization during a system-wide QI intervention. Content analysis was conducted of repeated interviews with key actors and archival data collected over a period of four years.

Findings

– The demand for improved M
&
F strategies, and what and how to monitor were described by the respondents. Obstacles and challenges for achieving M
&
F strategies that enables system-wide and coherent development were found in three areas: monitoring, processing, and feedback and communication. Also overarching challenges were found.

Practical implications

– A model of important aspects of M
&
F systems is presented that can be used for analysis and planning and contribute to shared cognition of such systems. Approaches for systematic analysis and follow-up of identified problems have to be developed and fully incorporated in the organization’s measurement systems. A systematic M
&
F needs analytic and process-oriented competence, and this study highlights the potential in an organizational function with capacity and mandate for such tasks.

Originality/value

– Most health care systems are flooded with a vast amount of registers, records, and measurements. A key issue is how such data can be processed and refined to reflect the needs and the development process of the health care system and how rich data can be used for improvement purposes. This study presents key organizational actor’s view on important factors to consider when building a coherent organizational M
&
F strategy.
Planes, straws and oysters: the use of metaphors in healthcare reform
Authors: Millar Ross , Dickinson Helen
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to examine the metaphors used by senior managers and clinicians in the delivery of healthcare reform.

Design/methodology/approach

– A study of healthcare reform in England carried out a series of semi structured interviews with senior managers and clinicians leading primary and secondary care organisations. Qualitative data analysis examines instances where metaphorical language is used to communicate how particular policy reforms are experienced and the implications these reforms have for organisational contexts.

Findings

– The findings show how metaphorical language is used to explain the interactions between policy reform and organisational contexts. Metaphors are used to illustrate both the challenges and opportunities associated with the reform proposals for organisational change.

Originality/value

– The authors provide the first systematic study of patterns and meanings of metaphors within English healthcare contexts and beyond. The authors argue that these metaphors provide important examples of “generative” dialogue in their illustration of the opportunities associated with reform. Conversely, these metaphors also provide examples of “degenerative” dialogue in their illustration of a demarcation between the reform policy proposals and existing organisational contexts.
Corporate governance mechanisms and cost of debt
Authors: Hashim Hafiza Aishah , Amrah Muneer
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is any difference in the association among the board of directors, audit committee effectiveness and the cost of debt between the family- and non-family-owned companies in the Sultanate of Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses a panel data set that has multiple observations on the same economic units. Each element has two subscripts: the group identifier, i (68 companies listed on the Muscat Securities Market), and within the group index denoted by t, which identifies time (2005-2011). The regression model of this study is based on the random effects model, which, according to the Hausman and Breusch-Pagan (LM) (Breusch and Pagan, 1980) tests, is an appropriate model.

Findings

– This study finds that the association between a board of directors’ effectiveness and cost of debt is negative and significant for the full sample and non-family firms. This relationship, however, is weak and not significant for family firms. Additionally, this study indicates that audit committee effectiveness has a significant effect on the cost of debt based on the full sample and family firms, but is not significant for non-family firms.

Originality/value

– This study examines firms in the Sultanate of Oman, where family ownership control is common. Based on a framework conceptualized according to the agency theory, using data from Oman enables a comparison between family and non-family firms with respect to the effect of the board of directors’ and audit committee’s characteristics as a composite measure. This composite measure captures their combined effect on the propensity of the cost of debt.
Assessing organizational ethics and career satisfaction through career commitment
Authors: Pathardikar Avinash D. , Sahu Sangeeta , Jaiswal Neeraj Kumar
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between an employee’s beliefs about organizational ethics, career commitment (CC), affective commitment (AC) and career satisfaction (CS). The model expands the earlier work commitment models with CS as the outcome variable.

Design/methodology/approach

– Subjects were drawn from a 2014 survey of frontline and middle level executives from the insurance sector in India using a structured questionnaire from six Indian insurance companies, 252 were analyzed with structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results indicate that executive perceptions about organizational ethics are important for both commitment and satisfaction. Ethical practices at work have a positive outcome on CC, AC and CS. The role of career commitment as a mediator in the relationship between ethics, AC and CS is evident.

Research limitations/implications

– It is a cross-section study restricted to a single group with similar demographic characteristics. Hence, generalizability of the findings need further research among different groups. Common method variance is addressed using Harman single factor test.

Practical/implications

– By working out ethical practices in the organization and developing a culture with clarity in business policies and financial constraints to stakeholders, the organizations can win employee commitment and satisfaction.

Originality/value

– The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in its inclusive approach encompassing the ethical belief of individual with commitment and CS. It differs from earlier studies that have shown the influence of protestant work ethic on commitment. It highlights the similarities and differences between several work commitment models developed in a western context, and the model that we have developed in the Indian context.
A quarter century of management research in South Asia – I
Authors: Menon Sanjay T.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Research from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka has received relatively less attention of management scholars. To date, there has been no major review of the content of management research in these rapidly growing economies. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by reviewing management research in these six countries over a 25-year period from 1990 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

– An electronic search of 11 databases was carried out using 53 search terms pertaining to the field of management. Only articles in journals rated A*, A, or B by the Australian Business Deans Council and either Q1 or Q2 in the Scopus/Imago ratings were included in the study. The articles were then classified as belonging to one of the divisions of the Academy of Management. Results are presented in thematic clusters, highlighting the major focus of management research in these countries.

Findings

– A total of 211 articles were identified as a result of the search process. The highest number of articles (n=54) were classified under the “Public
&
Non-Profit.” This was the only area common to research in all six countries as represented by the selected articles. The results are reviewed from an ecological and institutional theory perspective which suggests that the various dimensions of the local environment are reflected in the type of management research emerging from these countries. The paper concludes that these countries represent “greenfield sites” in terms of research opportunities for management scholars from all over the world.

Originality/value

– This review approach adopted in this paper is unique and represents an attempt to be as inclusive as possible without sacrificing quality. This is the first comprehensive and systematic review of management research in these six countries.
Partial privatization, lending relationships and executive compensation
Authors: Ghosh Saibal
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Privatization has been a widely researched topic in the literature, both at the cross-country level as well as at the level of individual countries. However, the issue of partial privatization – where an entity is publicly listed although the government remains the controlling owner – has not been adequately discussed in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to employ data on Indian state-owned banks during 1992-2010 to explore the timing and intensity of privatization. Contextually, the authors also explore several associated hypotheses, such as the behavior of lending relationships by these banks and executive compensation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Given the hypotheses being discussed, the authors use suitable methodology relevant to the hypothesis. Accordingly, the authors employ proportional hazard models to address the timing issue and the Tobit model to determine the factors impacting the intensity of privatization. As regards lending relationships, the authors employ ordered logit and Poisson regression models. Finally, the issue of executive compensation is addressed using OLS regression.

Findings

– The evidence appears to suggest that smaller, riskier banks with higher levels of over-staffing are likely to be privatized at an early date. Among the political factors, the findings suggest that both the timing of elections as well as the fragmentation of the coalition impacts the timing of privatization. Regarding lending relationships, the analysis indicates that it is typically the large banks that act as the main bank for both foreign and state-owned firms. Finally, the evidence lends credence to the fact that bigger well-capitalized banks with smaller boards pay higher compensation.

Originality/value

– How far do economic and political factors play a role in impacting the timing of partial privatization of state-owned banks remains an open empirical question. There is also admittedly limited evidence as to how bank-specific and political factors influence the intensity of privatization. Judged thus, to the best of the knowledge, this is one of the few studies to examine these issues within a coherent empirical framework for a leading emerging economy.
Clinical and histological results in the treatment of atrophic and hypertrophic scars using a combined method of radiofrequency, ultrasound, and transepidermal drug delivery
Authors: Trelles Mario A. , Martínez‐Carpio Pedro A.
Published: March 2016

Scars are problematic for thousands of patients. Scarring is a natural part of the healing process after an injury. However, the appearance of a scar and its treatment depend on multiple factors and on the experience of the therapist and the options available. Despite a plethora of rapidly evolving treatment options and technical advances, the management of atrophic and hypertrophic scars remains difficult. Innovative technologies provide an attractive alternative to conventional methods in the treatment of scars. The purpose of this trial was to determine the clinical and histological results of a method of treatment that combines radiofrequency, ultrasound, and transepidermal drug delivery. This was a prospective study conducted on 14 patients with scars of different sizes, types, and characteristics. All patients underwent six treatment sessions with the Legato device. Atrophic scars were treated with retinoic acid and hypertrophic scars with triamcinolone. Photographs and biopsies were taken before treatment and at 6 months after the last treatment session. The scars improved significantly (P< 0.0001). The mean attenuation in the severity of scars was 67% (range: 50–75%), where 100% indicates complete disappearance of the scar. Clinical and histological images of scar tissue in six patients in whom attenuation in the range of 55–75% was achieved are shown. Biopsies show regenerative changes in the scar tissue, in both the epidermis and dermis. The method makes it possible to treat extensive, heterogeneous scars on different sites with good results that are similar and predictable.
Acquired lymphangiectasia (lymphangioma circumscriptum) of the vulva: Clinicopathologic study of 11 patients from a single institution and 67 from the literature
Authors: Chang Michael B. , Newman Catherine C. , Davis Mark D. P. , Lehman Julia S.
Published: March 2016

Background

Acquired lymphangiectasia of the vulva (ALV) is a rare condition thought to be secondary to pelvic lymphatic obstruction. Although benign, this entity often occurs after previous malignancy and can be confused with conditions such as genital warts. We sought to clarify the clinicopathologic features of ALV by studying affected patients from our institution and from the existing literature.

Methods

We reviewed retrospectively the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of patients with ALV from our institution and performed an extensive literature search to identify all published cases of ALV.

Results

Eleven patients with ALV were identified from our institution. Three patients had Crohn disease, three had malignancies involving the pelvic region (rectal adenocarcinoma, cervical carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma), and three (two with pelvic malignancy) had previous radiation therapy. One patient had Proteus syndrome. Of 67 distinct cases of ALV identified in the literature, 41 (61%) had a history of malignancy.

Conclusions

In any acquired or clinically unusual lymphatic process in the skin and soft tissues, a lesion or obstructive process of the draining lymphatics should be investigated.
Non‐Radiological Method for Fabrication of a Screw‐Channel Drilling Guide in Cement‐Retained Implant Restorations Using Intraoral Digital Scanning and Imaging Superimposition: A Clinical Report
Authors: Mai Hang‐Nga , Kim Kyung‐Rok , Lee Du‐Hyeong
Published: March 2016

The difficulty of retrieving the abutment screw is a major disadvantage of cement‐retained implant restorations. Conventional methods for locating the screw‐access hole are based largely on radiography or manual labor, which limits accuracy and clinical feasibility. This clinical report describes a non‐radiological method for fabricating an accurate drilling guide for location of the screw channel using intraoral optical scanning, 3D superimposition, and computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies. The present technique not only improves the guide fabrication process and the accuracy of screw‐channel drilling, but also has wide indications for implant restorations.
Infraestructura y calidad educativa entre los pueblos indígenas originarios sonorenses
Authors: Vera-Noriega José Ángel , Luque-Agraz Diana , Bautista-Hernández Gildardo
Published: March 2016

El objetivo del artículo se centra en el análisis de la percepción entre los pueblos indígenas originarios de Sonora sobre la infraestructura y calidad educativa para la formación de sus descendientes. Participaron 1,.329 personas con un promedio de 50 años de edad y desviación estándar  de 16 años de edad, 928 mujeres y 401 hombres. Los resultados indican la prevalencia de una percepción de falta de infraestructura para mejorar la calidad educativa de los niños y jóvenes indígenas. Además, se encontraron diferencias entre los siete pueblos indígenas con respecto a la problemática educativa. Los grupos que mejor están ubicados, en cuanto a acceso educativo, son aquellos que exhiben mayor desplazamiento de su lengua materna.
L'utilisation des prises de notes dans le cadre d'une activité scientifique chez les enfants de 5 à 12 ans
Authors: Tantaros Spyridon , Ravanis Konstantinos , Koliopoulos Dimitris , Sarigianni Kalypso , Sotiropoulou Evmorfia
Published: March 2016

La recherche qualitative présentée dans cet article a comme objectif d'étudier les prises de notes chez des enfants de 5 à 12 ans en tant que moyen de communication avec autrui. La situation expérimentale, comprenait une activité relative aux notions de “flottaison/immersion” des objets. Les enfants devaient, après l'avoir travaillé eux-mêmes, prendre des notes sur une feuille afin qu'un autre enfant puisse travailler dans le cadre de la même activité. Les résultats obtenus semblent supporter l'idée que les enfants de l'échantillon répondent à la demande de prendre des notes avec succès et avec une nette tendance à utiliser, suivant l'âge, l'écriture, ce qui montrerait l'influence de l'activité en tant que situation scolaire. On observe aussi une augmentation presque linéaire du degré d'exhaustivité et du degré de fonctionnalité des notations par rapport à l'âge des enfants.
Relación actitudes-conocimientos sobre diversidad sexual en una muestra universitaria colombiana
Authors: Franco-Morales Freddy , Correa-Molina Enrique , Venet Michèle , Pérez-Bedoya Santiago
Published: March 2016

Este artículo de investigación se interesa en las relaciones entre las actitudes del futuro personal docente hacia la homosexualidad y la bisexualidad, y sus conocimientos sobre roles sexuales, comportamientos sexuales y realidades de jóvenes homosexuales y bisexuales. Una muestra de 114 estudiantes universitarios en educación respondió un cuestionario para identificar sus conocimientos y actitudes. Los resultados de los análisis descriptivos evidencian que la muestra tiene poco conocimiento sobre los temas evaluados y una actitud “ni positiva ni negativa” hacia la homosexualidad y la bisexualidad. Además, los resultados de los análisis de correlación establecen una relación positiva entre las actitudes y los conocimientos aquí tratados. 
Transcodificación de numerales verbales a formato arábigo en educación básica primaria
Authors: Hederich-Martínez Christian , Camargo-Uribe Angela , Avalo-Azcárate Angélica
Published: March 2016

El artículo reporta los resultados de una investigación que examina el desarrollo de la tarea de transcodificación de numerales verbales hablados en castellano a formato arábigo. La evidencia proviene de una prueba de dictado de números aplicada a 118 estudiantes de los grados 1º a 4º de educación básica primaria. Los resultados indican que la eficacia conductual de los niños frente a la tarea sigue un proceso discontinuo marcado por ascensos y descensos bruscos a medida que se van incorporando numerales cada vez mayores. Se discuten algunas características de los numerales asociadas con la dificultad para su transcodificación.
Uso de fuentes históricas en formación inicial de profesores
Authors: Montanares Vargas Elizabeth , Llancavil-Llancavil Daniel Rodrigo
Published: March 2016

La didáctica de la Historia debe responder a la formación de los futuros profesores de esta especialidad con el fin de reconocer las dificultades que enfrenta la escuela en este ámbito. El objetivo principal de esta investigación es construir conocimientos en torno al uso de fuentes históricas en la carrera de Pedagogía en Historia. Se enmarcó en un paradigma interpretativo, con una orientación hermenéutica y un enfoque metodológico descriptivo-cualitativo. Se concluyó que el uso de fuentes históricas influye positivamente en el fortalecimiento del pensamiento histórico y que su uso constituye un recurso didáctico valioso para enseñar el pasado.
Dual-Location Fuel Injection Effects on Emissions and NO*/OH* Chemiluminescence in a High Intensity Combustor
Authors: Said Ahmed O. , Khalil Ahmed E. E. , Gupta Ashwani K.
Published: March 2016

Colorless distributed combustion (CDC) has shown to provide ultra-low emissions of NO, CO, unburned hydrocarbons, and soot, with stable combustion without using any flame stabilizer. The benefits of CDC also include uniform thermal field in the entire combustion space and low combustion noise. One of the critical aspects in distributed combustion is fuel mixture preparation prior to mixture ignition. In an effort to improve fuel mixing and distribution, several schemes have been explored that includes premixed, nonpremixed, and partially premixed. In this paper, the effect of dual-location fuel injection is examined as opposed to single fuel injection into the combustor. Fuel distribution between different injection points was varied with the focus on reaction distribution and pollutants emission. The investigations were performed at different equivalence ratios (0.6–0.8), and the fuel distribution in each case was varied while maintaining constant overall thermal load. The results obtained with multi-injection of fuel using a model combustor showed lower emissions as compared to single injection of fuel using methane as the fuel under favorable fuel distribution condition. The NO emission from double injection as compared to single injection showed a reduction of 28%, 24%, and 13% at equivalence ratio of 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8, respectively. This is attributed to enhanced mixture preparation prior to the mixture ignition. OH* chemiluminescence intensity distribution within the combustor showed that under favorable fuel injection condition, the reaction zone shifted downstream, allowing for longer fuel mixing time prior to ignition. This longer mixing time resulted in better mixture preparation and lower emissions. The OH* chemiluminescence signals also revealed enhanced OH* distribution with fuel introduced through two injectors.
Predicting the Engine Performance and Exhaust Emissions of a Diesel Engine Fueled With Hazelnut Oil Methyl Ester: The Performance Comparison of Response Surface Methodology and LSSVM
Authors: Yilmaz Nadir , Ileri Erol , Atmanlı Alpaslan , Deniz Karaoglan A. , Okkan Umut , Sureyya Kocak M.
Published: March 2016

An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the suitability of hazelnut oil methyl ester (HOME) for engine performance and exhaust emissions responses of a turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engine. HOME was tested at full load with various engine speeds by changing fuel injection timing (12, 15, and 18 deg CA) in a TDI diesel engine. Response surface methodology (RSM) and least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) were used for modeling the relations between the engine performance and exhaust emission parameters, which are the measured responses and factors such as fuel injection timing (t) and engine speed (n) parameters as the controllable input variables. For this purpose, RSM and LSSVM models from experimental results were constructed for each response, namely, brake power, brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), exhaust gas temperature (EGT), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and smoke opacity (N), which are affected by the factors t and n. The results of RSM and LSSVM were compared with the observed experimental results. These results showed that RSM and LSSVM were effective modeling methods with high accuracy for these types of cases. Also, the prediction performance of LSSVM was slightly better than that of RSM.
Rotordynamic Morton Effect Simulation With Transient, Thermal Shaft Bow
Authors: Tong Xiaomeng , Palazzolo Alan , Suh Junho
Published: March 2016

The Morton effect (ME) is characterized by an asymmetric journal temperature distribution, slowly varying thermal bow and intolerable synchronous vibration levels. The conventional mass imbalance model is replaced by a more accurate thermal shaft bow model. Rotor permanent bow and disk skew are synchronous excitation sources and are incorporated in the dynamic model to investigate their influence on the ME. A hybrid beam/solid element finite element shaft model is utilized to provide improved accuracy for predicting the rotor thermal bow and expansion, with practical computation time. ME is shown to be induced by initial shaft bow and disk skew. The conventional mass imbalance approach is shown to have some limitations.
Validity of an Accelerometer-Based Activity Monitor System for Measuring Physical Activity in Frail Older Adults
Authors: Hollewand Anne M. , Spijkerman Anouk G. , Bilo Henk J.G. , Kleefstra Nanne , Kamsma Yvo , van Hateren Kornelis J.J.
Published: March 2016

This study aimed to investigate the validity of the accelerometer-based DynaPort system to detect physical activity in frail, older subjects. Eighteen home-dwelling subjects (Groningen Frailty Indicator [GFI] score ≥ 4, ≥ 75 years) were included. Activities in their home environment were simultaneously observed by two researchers and measured with the DynaPort system during six consecutive hours. Primary outcome measures were the sensitivity and specificity of the DynaPort for locomotion (90% considered as sufficient agreement). Other outcome measures were overall agreement, and sensitivity and specificity for other activities. Sensitivity and specificity for locomotion were 83.3% and 100.0%, respectively. Overall agreement was 74.6%. Sensitivity was sufficient for sitting (94.4%), but not for lying and standing (59.2% and 69.6%, respectively). Specificity was sufficient for lying and standing (100.0% and 93.3%, respectively), but not for sitting (80.7%). In conclusion, the DynaPort system is not a valid method for assessing physical activity in frail, older subjects.
An Acute Bout of Exercise Improves the Cognitive Performance of Older Adults
Authors: Johnson Liam , Addamo Patricia K. , Selva Raj Isaac , Borkoles Erika , Wyckelsma Victoria , Cyarto Elizabeth , Polman Remco C.
Published: March 2016

There is evidence that an acute bout of exercise confers cognitive benefits, but it is largely unknown what the optimal mode and duration of exercise is and how cognitive performance changes over time after exercise. We compared the cognitive performance of 31 older adults using the Stroop test before, immediately after, and at 30 and 60 min after a 10 and 30 min aerobic or resistance exercise session. Heart rate and feelings of arousal were also measured before, during, and after exercise. We found that, independent of mode or duration of exercise, the participants improved in the Stroop Inhibition task immediately postexercise. We did not find that exercise influenced the performance of the Stroop Color or Stroop Word Interference tasks. Our findings suggest that an acute bout of exercise can improve cognitive performance and, in particular, the more complex executive functioning of older adults.
Cold Water Swimming Beneficially Modulates Insulin Sensitivity in Middle-Aged Individuals
Authors: Gibas-Dorna Magdalena , Chęcińska Zuzanna , Korek Emilia , Kupsz Justyna , Sowińska Anna , Krauss Hanna
Published: March 2016

We determined whether cold water swimming for six consecutive months results in adaptive changes in body composition and insulin sensitivity. Thirty healthy subjects aged 50.2 ± 9.4 years were exposed to cold water at least twice a week. Body composition was determined and serum glucose and insulin served to calculate beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and resistance using HOMA2. Compared with control subjects, swimmers were overweight, and had greater percent body fat and beta cell function. Women had lower values of BMI, fat free mass, muscle mass, visceral adipose tissue level, and greater percent body fat than men. Increased insulin sensitivity and decreased insulin secretion and resistance from beginning to middle of swim season was observed in females and in lean subjects. Findings suggest that men and women differ in regard to body composition and response to repeated cold exposure. Cold water swimming may beneficially modulate insulin sensitivity in cold acclimated lean swimmers.
A 21st-century shift from fossil-fuel to biogenic methane emissions indicated by
13
CH
4
Authors: Schaefer Hinrich , Fletcher Sara E. Mikaloff , Veidt Cordelia , Lassey Keith R. , Brailsford Gordon W. , Bromley Tony M. , Dlugokencky Edward J. , Michel Sylvia E. , Miller John B. , Levin Ingeborg , Lowe Dave C. , Martin Ross J. , Vaughn Bruce H. , White James W. C.
Published: March 2016

Getting a rise out of agriculture

Methane, a powerful and important greenhouse gas, has been accumulating nearly uninterruptedly in the atmosphere for the past 200 years, with the exception of a mysterious plateau between 1999 and 2006. Schaefer
et al.
measured methane's carbon isotopic composition in samples collected over the past 35 years in order to constrain the cause of the pause. Lower thermogenic emissions or variations in the hydroxyldriven methane sink caused the plateau. Thermogenic emissions didn't resume to cause the subsequent rise. Instead, the ongoing rise is most likely due to biogenic sources, most notably agriculture.

Science
, this issue p.
80
Complete Genome Sequence of
Bacillus methylotrophicus
Strain B25, a Potential Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium
Authors: Gerbore Jonathan , Brutel Aline , Lemainque Arnaud , Mairey Barbara , Médigue Claudine , Vallenet David , Lefort Francois , Grizard Damien
Published: March 2016

The complete genome of
Bacillus methylotrophicus
strain B25, isolated in Switzerland, was sequenced. Its size is 3.85 Mb, and several genes that may contribute to plant growth-promoting activities were identified
in silico
.
Genome Sequences of
Staphylococcus hominis
Strains ShAs1, ShAs2, and ShAs3, Isolated from the Asian Malaria Mosquito
Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Hughes Grant L. , Raygoza Garay Juan Antonio , Koundal Vikas , Rasgon Jason L. , Mwangi Michael M.
Published: March 2016

Staphylococcus hominis
is a culturable component of the bacterial microbiome of
Anopheles stephensi
. Here, we present the annotated draft genome sequences of three
S. hominis
isolates from
A. stephensi
. These genomic resources will facilitate experiments to further our understanding of the role of bacteria in mosquito biology.
Genome Sequence of
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Strain SmAs1, Isolated From the Asian Malaria Mosquito
Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Hughes Grant L. , Raygoza Garay Juan Antonio , Koundal Vikas , Rasgon Jason L. , Mwangi Michael M.
Published: March 2016

An isolate of
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
was cultured from the Asian malaria vector
Anopheles stephensi
. Here, we present the annotated draft genome sequence of this
S. maltophilia
strain. This genomic resource will facilitate further characterization of bacteria associated with mosquitoes.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Thermodesulfovibrio aggregans
TGE-P1
T
, an Obligately Anaerobic, Thermophilic, Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium in the Phylum
Nitrospirae
Authors: Matsuura Norihisa , Ohashi Akiko , Tourlousse Dieter M. , Sekiguchi Yuji
Published: March 2016

We report a high-quality draft genome sequence of the type strain (TGE-P1
T
) of
Thermodesulfovibrio aggregans
, an obligately anaerobic, thermophilic, sulfate-reducing bacterium in the phylum
Nitrospirae
. The genome comprises 2.00 Mb in 16 contigs (3 scaffolds), has a G+C content of 34.5%, and contains 1,998 predicted protein-encoding genes.
Genome Sequences of
Listeria monocytogenes
Strains Responsible for Cheese- and Cooked Ham Product-Associated Swiss Listeriosis Outbreaks in 2005 and 2011
Authors: Tasara Taurai , Klumpp Jochen , Bille Jacques , Stephan Roger
Published: March 2016

The complete genome sequences of three
Listeria monocytogenes
serotype 1/2a strains, Lm 3136, Lm 3163, and Lm N1546, which were responsible for listeriosis outbreaks in 2005 and 2011 in Switzerland, are presented here.
Complete Coding Genome Sequence of a Putative Novel Teschovirus Serotype 12 Strain
Authors: Cano-Gómez C. , Jiménez-Clavero M. A.
Published: March 2016

Porcine teschoviruses are ubiquitous and prevalent viruses generally harmless to their hosts, the suids. Here, we report the first complete coding genome sequence of a putative new serotype of porcine teschovirus (PTV-12), strain CC25, isolated from fecal material from a healthy pig in Spain.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Pseudoalteromonas
sp. Strain XI10 Isolated from the Brine-Seawater Interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea
Authors: Zhang Guishan , Fauzi Haroon Mohamed , Zhang Ruifu , Hikmawan Tyas , Stingl Ulrich
Published: March 2016

Pseudoalteromonas
sp. strain XI10 was isolated from the brine-seawater interface of Erba Deep in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain XI10, a gammaproteobacterium that synthesizes polysaccharides for biofilm formation when grown in liquid culture.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two
Thiomicrospira
Strains Isolated from the Brine-Seawater Interface of Kebrit Deep in the Red Sea
Authors: Zhang Guishan , Fauzi Haroon Mohamed , Zhang Ruifu , Hikmawan Tyas , Stingl Ulrich
Published: March 2016

Two
Thiomicrospira
strains, WB1 and XS5, were isolated from the Kebrit Deep brine-seawater interface in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of these gammaproteobacteria
,
which both produce sulfuric acid from thiosulfate in culture.
Whole-Genome Sequence of
Bradyrhizobium elkanii
Strain UASWS1015, a Highly Ammonia-Tolerant Nitrifying Bacterium
Authors: Crovadore Julien , Calmin Gautier , Cochard Bastien , Chablais Romain , Lefort François
Published: March 2016

Bradyrhizobium elkanii
UASWS1015 was isolated from a sewage plant in Switzerland. Its genome indicates that it is fully equipped for ammonia assimilation and aromatic compound degradation, and it displays a large type IV secretion system, which characterizes plant-associated microbes. Totally deprived of toxins, it could be considered for agricultural and environmental uses.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Cobetia
sp. UCD-24C, Isolated from Roots and Leaves of the Seagrass
Zostera marina
Authors: Alexiev Alexandra , Krusor Megan L. , Jospin Guillaume , Lang Jenna M. , Eisen Jonathan A. , Coil David A.
Published: March 2016

Here, we present the 4,230,758-bp draft genome for
Cobetia
sp. UCD-24C. This strain was isolated from
Zostera marina
roots collected in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.
Psychosis secondary to tuberculosis meningitis
Authors: Che Rahim Mohd Jazman , Wan Ghazali Wan Syamimee
Published: March 2016

We report a case of a 19-year-old immunocompetent Malay woman who presented with a worsening psychotic disorder of 1-year duration. She initially presented with social isolation with subsequent mutism and stupor. Physical examination revealed a stuporous, emaciated, dehydrated woman with Glasgow Coma Scale of 11/15 (E4V2M5). She had a blank stare, mutism and akinesia. Motor examination revealed upper motor neuron findings. Neck stiffness was present, however, Kernig's and Brudzinski's signs were negative. There were no other findings on other systems. Brain imaging and EEG were normal. Cerebrospinal fluid investigations revealed positive cerebrospinal fluidMycobacterium tuberculosisPCR (MTB PCR). The patient was treated with empirical antituberculosis drugs and steroids. On follow-up visit 1 month later, her psychotic symptoms had fully resolved. She was able to ambulate and care for herself; she was unable to recall the symptoms she had experienced before and during admission.
Restart the heart
Authors: Klingberg Karsten , Srivastava David
Published: March 2016

Early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rapid defibrillation are the most important factors for favourable outcomes after out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)—as the new American Heart Association/European Resuscitation Council (AHA/ERC) guidelines emphasise. The patient in our case was a healthy young man who had a witnessed cardiac arrest due to a chest collision with the goalkeeper during a football match. Basic life support was immediately provided by his teammates until an automated external defibrillator was brought to the scene. Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) may result in injured myocardium or arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation due to BCI in absence of structural cardiac disease is one of the main causes of OHCA in young healthy athletes with high mortality rates. We demonstrate important aspects of the recently released guidelines on cardiac arrest and the chain of survival by the leading societies.
Exertional heat stroke and acute liver failure: a late dysfunction
Authors: Carvalho Ana Sofia , Rodeia Simão C , Silvestre Joana , Póvoa Pedro
Published: March 2016

Heat stroke (HS) is defined as a severe elevation of core body temperature along with central nervous system dysfunction. Exertional heat stroke (EHS) with acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare condition. The authors report the case of a 25-year-old man with a history of cognitive enhancers’ intake who developed hyperthermia and neurological impairment while running an outdoor marathon. The patient was cooled and returned to normal body temperature after 6 h. He subsequently developed ALF and was transferred to the intensive care unit. Over-the-counter drug intake may have been related to heat intolerance and contributed to the event. The patient was successfully treated with conservative measures. In the presence of EHS, it is crucial to act promptly with aggressive total body cooling, in order to prevent progression of the clinical syndrome. Liver function must also be monitored, since it can be a late organ dysfunction.
Primary neuroendocrine tumour of the right ventricle presenting with heart failure and cyanosis
Authors: Naqvi Syed Yaseen , Henry David , Furukawa Satoshi , Haber Howard
Published: March 2016

A 68-year-old woman presented to the emergency department owing to exertional dyspnoea and bilateral leg oedema for 3 weeks. Her vital signs included the following: heart rate of 95 bpm, respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min, oxygen saturation of 73% on room air and a blood pressure of 184/108 mm Hg. Physical examination revealed tachypnoea with clear lungs to auscultation, elevated jugular veins, cyanosis and bilateral pitting oedema. A chest X-ray demonstrated cardiomegaly without obvious pulmonary oedema. A CT of the chest was negative for pulmonary embolus; however, the scan did reveal a large right ventricular (RV) mass. An echocardiogram with bubble study confirmed a patent foramen ovale with significant right-to-left shunting and a large RV mass that significantly obstructed the pulmonary outflow tract. A cardiac biopsy revealed a low-grade neuroendocrine tumour. The patient underwent successful debridement and adjuvant chemotherapy. She improved greatly and was asymptomatic at a 9-month follow-up visit.