bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religion and Spirituality in Internal Medicine
Authors: Dugdale Lydia S. , Sulmasy Daniel P.
Published: May 2017

The internal medicine physician has a unique place in a patient’s life. Relationships might endure for years, sharing many of life’s struggles and joys. Doctors may know their patients on many levels, including whether they belong to faith traditions, religious communities, or participate in spiritual practices. Many internists feel religion and spirituality have a place in the health care setting, and there are various tools available for introducing conversations about such matters into the clinical setting. This chapter reviews the literature relevant to religion and spirituality within the context of the practice of internal medicine and proposes best practices for patient care. It suggests that physicians should respectfully inquire about their patients’ spiritual and religious beliefs, make time to address spiritual concerns as they would physical concerns, and make use of the team approach to medical care, drawing on the assistance of chaplains and lay clergy as needed.
Religion and Spirituality in Surgery
Authors: Tarpley John , Tarpley Margaret
Published: May 2017

The influence of religion and spirituality (R/S) on surgeons dates back to the early history of modern surgery and continues into the 21st century. Research topics include intercessory prayer (IP), social cohesion, coping strategies, the role of chaplains and other clergy or faith leaders, and communal activities such as worship. While evidence for benefits of practices such as IP are inconclusive, patients involved in R/S activities or who hold R/S beliefs appear to have improved coping skills and quality of life (QOL). Although R/S has proven value for patients and surgeons, lack of R/S training is a barrier to surgeon involvement in addressing R/S issues such as operative procedures, treatment plans, organ donation, and end-of-life (EOL) situations. Increased training at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate medical levels concerning R/S would provide surgeons and physician colleagues with skills and greater comfort in discussing these issues with patients and families. .
Religion and Spirituality in Palliative Medicine
Authors: Balboni Tracy A. , Balboni Michael J.
Published: May 2017

The chapter outlines the state of the science in religion/spirituality within advanced illness. Research indicates that most patients hold religion/spirituality to play an important role in advanced illness; benefits include improved pain tolerance and better quality of life. A few prospective studies indicate that dimensions of religious coping and spiritual support from medical and religious communties are assocated with notable medical outcomes in the final week of life. Research suggests that most patients have multiple spiritual needs that arise within life-threatening illness, and that most patients and clinicians believe it is appropriate for clinicians to address patient religion/spirituality. Clinicians should begin by taking a short spiritual history and by assessing this dimension of illness, especially in its clinical relevance to decision-making and quality of life. Training of clinicians remains a critical need within the field. Conditions for engaging in these complex relationships include religious/spiritual concordance and establishing a physician-patient relationship.
Religion and Spirituality in Medical Ethics
Authors: Curlin Farr A.
Published: May 2017

Religion and medical ethics are inextricably, we might say intrinsically, intertwined. This chapter starts at the surface—with how religion “shows up” in everyday clinical ethical disputes. It turns out that the religious characteristics of physicians are the strongest predictor of physicians’ approaches to ethically disputed clinical practices. That should not surprise us since below the surface of clinical disputes are inescapable moral questions to which religions give authoritative answers. That this is so calls the assumptions and practices of conventional medical ethics into question, particularly when those writing from religious traditions critique much of the culture of contemporary medicine.
Religion and Spirituality in Medical Education
Authors: Herschkopf Marta , Jafari Najmeh , Puchalski Christina
Published: May 2017

According to recent surveys, 75 to 90% of US medical schools have now incorporated spirituality and health into their curricula, but the details of these interventions have been underexplored. This chapter describes the current state of religion and spirituality in medical education, reviewing evidence in the literature to support specific educational practices, with an emphasis on undergraduate medical education in North America. A brief historical background focuses on the development of specific learning objectives and competencies for spirituality in medical education, which are used to ground discussion of published material describing specific educational programs. These include guidelines/consensus statements, case reports of specific curricular structure and content, performance assessments, and novel pedagogical and evaluative techniques. The chapter also discusses the role of extra-curricular interventions, including ceremonies and rituals, and religiously-affiliated educational programs. It concludes with a discussion of graduate/continuing medical education, and future directions.
Religion and Spirituality in Nursing
Authors: Swinton John , Vanderpot Lynne
Published: May 2017

The chapter explores the relationship between spirituality and nursing, drawing out important aspects of contemporary thinking in and around this area. Having laid out the basic parameters of the conversation, the paper draws on the Biblical Book of Psalms and the work of Walter Brueggemann to develop a narrative perspective on spiritual care that can enable nurses not only to engage with the spirituality of their patients, but also to explore new ways in which their own narratives and their own spirituality can become healthily intermeshed within the processes of care.
Law, Religion, and the Physician-Patient Relationship
Authors: Snead O. Carter , Moreland Michael P.
Published: May 2017

This essay explores a range of legal and moral issues regarding the role of conscience in medicine. In Part One, we survey some of the leading recent contributions to the debate over physician conscience, both those arguing against such claims of conscience by physicians and those arguing for a broad protection for a physician’s refusal to participate in or perform certain procedures. Second, we address the legal issues surrounding claims based on a physician’s conscientious objection or other forms of religious expression in medical practice. Such claims are at the intersection of two lines of cases, statutes, and regulations in current law: informed consent in medicine and freedom of religion. In the final part of this essay, we briefly argue for a broad space for a physician’s religious or moral beliefs in the clinical setting by drawing on the work of Alasdair MacIntyre on moral fragmentation.
Medicine, Religion, and Spirituality in Theological Context
Authors: McCarty Brett , Kinghorn Warren
Published: May 2017

Beyond simply providing positive content for “spirituality” or fodder for bioethical debates, theology—considered both as the practices and language of religious communities and as secondary discourse about these practices—is integral to the past, present, and future of modern medicine and health care. Throughout medical history, theologically driven innovations such as the charity hospital have transformed cultural practices of care, and broader theological commitments such as the early Protestant Christian “affirmation of ordinary life” shaped the contours within modern medicine. In the present, theologically-informed institutions and practices such as the hospice movement birthed by Dame Cicely Saunders and the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee continue to transform contemporary health care. And in a future marked by uncertainty and scarcity, theology can help religious communities to resist both secularism and religious triumphalism and instead to embody practices of faithful witness with regard to health and health care.
Remnant lipoproteins
Authors: Varbo Anette , Nordestgaard Børge G.
Published: May 2017

Purpose of review

To review recent advances in the field of remnant lipoproteins and remnant cholesterol with a focus on cardiovascular disease risk.

Recent findings

In line with previous years’ research, current observational, genetic, and mechanistic studies find remnant lipoproteins (defined in different ways) to be involved in atherosclerosis development and cardiovascular disease risk. High concentrations of remnant cholesterol could explain some of the residual risk of cardiovascular disease seen after LDL cholesterol lowering. This will be increasingly important as populations worldwide become more obese and more have diabetes, both of which elevate remnant cholesterol concentrations. Many smaller scale studies and post hoc analyses show that remnant cholesterol can be lowered by different types of drugs; however, results from large scale studies with the primary aim of reducing cardiovascular disease risk through lowering of remnant cholesterol in individuals with elevated concentrations are still missing, although some are under way.

Remnant cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and can be lowered by different types of drugs; however, large scale studies of cardiovascular disease risk reduction through remnant lipoprotein lowering are under way.
Zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures: diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Peretti Nicholas , MacLeod Stephen
Published: May 2017

Purpose of review

To provide an overview of zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures and their treatment. Aspects of anatomy, diagnosis, and treatment objectives of these common fractures will be reviewed including recent literature.

Recent findings

Advances in technology such as guided surgery have allowed for better outcomes and a reduction in surgeon variability with regard to postoperative results. The use of titanium and bioresorbable mini screws and plates have expanded the ability to achieve stable and predictable results. There are many different challenges and techniques that are acceptable to treat zygoma fractures. Surgeon preference and training dictate these methods that vary among specialties.

ZMC fractures are commonly encountered in the trauma setting. Although there is a multitude of treatment methods available, the ultimate goal for any surgeon should be to reproduce premorbid form and function. The availability of techniques such as 3D navigation, contralateral mirroring, and advances in fixation technology have shown promise for better outcomes, particularly in severely comminuted or displaced fractures.
Data for Community Health Assessment in Rural Colorado: A Comparison of Electronic Health Records to Public Health Surveys to Describe Childhood Obesity
Authors: Gutilla Margaret J. , Davidson Arthur J. , Daley Matthew F. , Anderson G. Brooke , Marshall Julie A. , Magzamen Sheryl
Published: May 2017

Context:

Community-level data are necessary to inform community health assessments and to plan for appropriate interventions. However, data derived from public health surveys may be limited or unavailable in rural locations.

Objective:

We compared 2 sources of data for community health assessment in rural Colorado, electronic health records (EHRs) and routine public health surveys.

Design:

Comparison of cross-sectional measures of childhood/youth obesity prevalence and data quality.

Setting:

Two rural Colorado counties, La Plata and Prowers.

Participants:

The EHR cohort comprised patients 2 to 19 years of age who underwent a visit with the largest health care provider in each county. These data included sex, age, weight, height, race, ethnicity, and insurance status. Public health survey data were obtained from 2 surveys, the Colorado Child Health Survey (2-14 years of age) and the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (15-19 years of age) and included caregiver and self-reported height and weight estimates.

Main Outcome Measures:

We calculated body mass index percentile for each patient and survey respondent and determined overweight/obesity prevalence by county. We evaluated data source quality indicators according to a rubric developed for this analysis.

Results:

The EHR sample captured approximately 35% (n = 3965) and 70% (n = 2219) of all children living in La Plata and Prowers Counties, respectively. The EHR prevalence estimates of overweight/obesity were greater in precision than survey data in both counties among children 2 to 14 years of age. In addition, the EHR data were more timely and geographically representative than survey data and provided directly measured height and weight. Conversely, survey data were easier to access and more demographically representative of the overall population.

Conclusions:

Electronic health records describing the prevalence of obesity among children/youth living in rural Colorado may complement public health survey data for community health assessment and health improvement planning.
Bilateral Optic Disc Pits With Posterior Pituitary Ectopia
Authors: Horton Jonathan C. , Barkovich A. James
Published: May 2017

Posterior pituitary ectopia has been reported previously in association with optic nerve hypoplasia, as a variant of septo-optic dysplasia. We describe a 14-year-old boy with posterior pituitary ectopia and bilateral optic disc pits. He had hypopituitarism and a reduction in visual acuity to 20/40 in each eye, owing to loss of foveal ganglion cells. Optic pits and posterior pituitary ectopia may have occurred together in the same subject by chance, but the rarity of both conditions suggests a possible association.
Comparative Huntington and Parkinson Disease mRNA Analysis Reveals Common Inflammatory Processes
Authors: Labadorf Adam , Choi Seung Hoan , Myers Richard H
Published: May 2017

Huntington’s and Parkinson’s Diseases (HD and PD) are neurodegenerative disorders that share some pathological features but are disparate in others. For example, while both diseases are marked by aberrant protein aggregation in the brain, the specific proteins that aggregate and types of neurons affected differ. A better understanding of the molecular similarities and differences between these two diseases may lead to a more complete mechanistic picture of both the individual diseases and the neurodegenerative process in general. We sought to characterize the common transcriptional signature of HD and PD as well as genes uniquely implicated in each of these diseases using mRNA-Seq data from post mortem human brains in comparison to neuropathologically normal controls. The enriched biological pathways implicated by HD differentially expressed genes show remarkable consistency with those for PD differentially expressed genes and implicate the common biological processes of neuroinflammation, apoptosis, transcriptional dysregulation, and neuron-associated functions. Comparison of the differentially expressed (DE) genes highlights a set of consistently altered genes that span both diseases. In particular, processes involving nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFkB) and transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) are the most prominent among the genes common to HD and PD. When the combined HD and PD data are compared to controls, relatively few additional biological processes emerge as significantly enriched suggesting that most pathways are independently seen within each disorder. Despite showing comparable numbers of DE genes, DE genes unique to HD are enriched in far more coherent biological processes than the DE genes unique to PD, suggesting that PD may represent a more heterogeneous disorder.
General environmental heterogeneity as the explanation of sexuality? Comparative study shows that ancient asexual taxa are associated with both biotically and abiotically homogeneous environments
Authors: Toman Jan , Flegr Jaroslav
Published: May 2017

Ecological theories of sexual reproduction assume that sexuality is advantageous in certain conditions, for example, in biotically or abiotically more heterogeneous environments. Such theories thus could be tested by comparative studies. However, the published results of these studies are rather unconvincing. Here we present the results of a new comparative study based solely on the ancient asexual clades. The association with biotically or abiotically homogeneous environments in these asexual clades was compared with the same association in their sister, or closely related, sexual clades. Using the conservative definition of ancient asexuals (i.e. age > 1 million years), we found six pairs for which relevant ecological data are available. The difference between the homogeneity type of environment associated with the sexual and asexual species was then compared in an exact binomial test. Based on available literature, the results showed that the vast majority of ancient asexual clades tend to be associated with biotically or abiotically, biotically, and abiotically more homogeneous environments than their sexual controls. In the exploratory part of the study, we found that the ancient asexuals often have durable resting stages, enabling life in subjectively homogeneous environments, live in the absence of intense biotic interactions, and are very often sedentary, inhabiting benthos and soil. The consequences of these findings for the ecological theories of sexual reproduction are discussed.
scImpute: Accurate And Robust Imputation For Single Cell RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Li Wei Vivian , Li Jingyi Jessica
Published: May 2017

The emerging single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies enable the investigation of transcriptomic landscapes at single-cell resolution. The analysis of scRNA-seq data is complicated by excess zero or near zero counts, the so-called dropouts due to the low amounts of mRNA sequenced within individual cells. Downstream analysis of scRNA-seq would be severely biased if the dropout events are not properly corrected. We introduce scImpute, a statistical method to accurately and robustly impute the dropout values in scRNA-seq data. ScImpute automatically identifies gene expression values affected by dropout events, and only perform imputation on these values without introducing new bias to the rest data. ScImpute also detects outlier or rare cells and excludes them from imputation. Evaluation based on both simulated and real scRNA-seq data on mouse embryos, mouse brain cells, human blood cells, and human embryonic stem cells suggests that scImpute is an effective tool to recover transcriptome dynamics masked by dropout events. scImpute is shown to correct false zero counts, enhance the clustering of cell populations and subpopulations, improve the accuracy of differential expression analysis, and aid the study of gene expression dynamics.
Building applications for interactive data exploration in systems biology
Authors: Fjukstad Bjørn , Dumeaux Vanessa , Olsen Karina Standahl , Hallet Michael , Lund Eiliv , Bongo Lars Ailo
Published: May 2017

As the systems biology community generates and collects data at an unprecedented rate, there is a growing need for interactive data exploration tools to explore the datasets. These tools need to combine advanced statistical analyses, relevant knowledge from biological databases, and interactive visualizations in an application with clear user interfaces. To answer specific research questions tools must provide specialized user interfaces and visualizations. While these are application-specific, the underlying components of a data analysis tool can be shared and reused later. Application developers can therefore compose applications of reusable services rather than implementing a single monolithic application from the ground up for each project.

Our approach for developing data exploration applications in systems biology builds on the microservice architecture. Microservice architectures separates an application into smaller components that communicate using language-agnostic protocols. We show that this design is suitable in bioinformatics applications where applications often use different tools, written in different languages, by different research groups. Packaging each service in a software container enables re-use and sharing of key components between applications, reducing development, deployment, and maintenance time.

We demonstrate the viability of our approach through a web application, MIxT blood-tumor, for exploring and comparing transcriptional profiles from blood and tumor samples in breast cancer patients. The application integrates advanced statistical software, up-to-date information from biological databases, and modern data visualization libraries.

The web application for exploring transcriptional profiles, MIxT, is online atmixt-blood-tumor.bci.mcgill.caand open-sourced atgithub.com/fjukstad/mixt. Packages to build the supporting microservices are open-sourced as a part of Kvik atgithub.com/fjukstad/kvik.
Serial Crystallography with Multi-stage Merging of 1000s of Images
Authors: Soares Alexei S , Yamada Yusuke , Jakoncic Jean , McSweeney Sean , Sweet Robert M , Skinner John , Foadi James , Fuchs Martin R. , Schneider Dieter K. , Shi Wuxian , Andi Babak , Andrews Lawrence C , Bernstein Herbert J
Published: May 2017

KAMO and Blend provide particularly effective tools to manage automatically the merging of large numbers of datasets from serial crystallography. The requirement for manual intervention in the process can be reduced by extending Blend to support additional clustering options such as use of more accurate cell distance metrics and use of reflection-intensity correlation coefficients to infer “distances” among sets of reflec- tions. This increases the sensitivity to differences in unit cell parameters and allows for clustering to assemble nearly complete datasets on the basis of intensity or ampli- tude differences. If datasets are already sufficiently complete to permit it, one applies KAMO once and clusters the data using intensities only. If starting from incomplete datasets, one applies KAMO twice, first using cell parameters. In this step we use either the simple cell vector distance of the original Blend, or we use the more sensi- tive NCDist. This step tends to find clusters of sufficient size so that, when merged, each cluster is sufficiently complete to allow reflection intensities or amplitudes to be compared. One then uses KAMO again using the correlation between the reflections having a common hkl to merge clusters in a way sensitive to structural differences that may not have perturbed the cell parameters sufficiently to make meaningful clusters.

Many groups have developed effective clustering algorithms that use a measurable physical parameter from each diffraction still or wedge to cluster the data into cate- gories which then can be merged, one hopes, to yield the electron density from a single protein form. Since these physical parameters are often largely independent from one another, it should be possible to greatly improve the efficacy of data clustering software by using a multi-stage partitioning strategy. Here, we have demonstrated one possible approach to multi-stage data clustering. Our strategy is to use unit-cell clustering until merged data is sufficiently complete then to use intensity-based clustering. We have demonstrated that, using this strategy, we are able to accurately cluster datasets from crystals that have subtle differences.
The nucleoid occlusion protein SlmA is a direct transcriptional activator of chitobiose utilization inVibrio cholerae
Authors: Klancher Catherine A. , Hayes Chelsea A. , Dalia Ankur B.
Published: May 2017

Chitin utilization by the cholera pathogenVibrio choleraeis required for its persistence and evolution via horizontal gene transfer in the marine environment. Genes involved in the uptake and catabolism of the chitin disaccharide chitobiose are encoded by thechboperon. The orphan sensor kinase ChiS is critical for regulation of this locus, however, the mechanisms downstream of ChiS activation that result in expression of thechboperon are poorly understood. Using an unbiased transposon mutant screen, we uncover that the nucleoid occlusion protein SlmA is a regulator of thechboperon. SlmA has not previously been implicated in gene regulation. Also, SlmA is a member of the TetR family of proteins, which are generally transcriptional repressors.In vitro, we find that SlmA binds directly to thechboperon promoter, andin vivo, we show that this interaction is, surprisingly, required for transcriptional activation of this locus and for chitobiose utilization. Using point mutations that disrupt distinct functions of SlmA, we find that DNA-binding, but not nucleoid occlusion, is critical for transcriptional activation. This study identifies a novel role for SlmA as a transcriptional regulator inV. choleraein addition to its established role as a cell division licensing factor.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

The cholera pathogenVibrio choleraeis a natural resident of the aquatic environment and causes disease when ingested in the form of contaminated food or drinking water. In the aquatic environment, the shells of marine zooplankton, which are primarily composed of chitin, serve as an important food source for this pathogen. The genes required for the utilization of chitin are tightly regulated inV. cholerae, however, the exact mechanism underlying this regulation is currently unclear. Here, we uncover that a protein involved in regulating cell division is also important for regulating the genes involved in chitin utilization. This is a newly identified property for this cell division protein and the significance of a common regulator for these two disparate activities remains to be understood.
Drift-induced selection between male and female heterogamety
Authors: Veller Carl , Muralidhar Pavitra , Constable George W. A. , Nowak Martin A.
Published: May 2017

Evolutionary transitions between male and female heterogamety are common in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Theoretical studies of these transitions have found that, when all genotypes are equally fit, continuous paths of intermediate equilibria link the two sex chromosome systems. This observation has led to a belief that neutral evolution along these paths can drive transitions, and that arbitrarily small fitness differences among sex chromosome genotypes can determine the system to which evolution leads. Here, we study stochastic evolutionary dynamics along these equilibrium paths. We find non-neutrality, both in transitions retaining the ancestral pair of sex chromosomes and in those creating a new pair. In fact, substitution rates are strongly biased in favor of dominant sex determining chromosomes, which fix with higher probabilities than mutations of no effect. Using diffusion approximations, we show that this non-neutrality is a result of ‘drift-induced selection’ operating at every point along the equilibrium paths: stochastic jumps off the paths return, on average, with a directional bias in favor of the dominant segregating sex chromosome. Our results offer novel explanations for the ubiquity of transitions between male and female heterogamety and the preponderance of dominant major sex determining genes.
Instrumental resolution as a function of scattering angle and wavelength as exemplified for the POWGEN instrument
Authors: Jacobs Philipp , Houben Andreas , Schweika Werner , Tchougréeff Andrei L. , Dronskowski Richard
Published: May 2017

The method of angular- and wavelength-dispersive (e.g.two-dimensional) Rietveld refinement is a new and emerging tool for the analysis of neutron diffraction data measured at time-of-flight instruments with large area detectors. Following the approach for one-dimensional refinements (using either scattering angle or time of flight), the first step at each beam time cycle is the calibration of the instrument including the determination of instrumental contributions to the peak shape variation to be expected for diffraction patterns measured by the users. The aim of this work is to provide the users with calibration files and – for the later Rietveld refinement of the measured data – with an instrumental resolution file (IRF). This article will elaborate on the necessary steps to generate such an IRF for the angular- and wavelength-dispersive case, exemplified for the POWGEN instrument. A dataset measured on a standard diamond sample is used to extract the profile function in the two-dimensional case. It is found that the variation of reflection width with 2θ and λ can be expressed by the standard equation used for evaluating the instrumental resolution, which yields a substantially more fundamental approach to the parameterization of the instrumental contribution to the peak shape. Geometrical considerations of the POWGEN instrument and sample effects lead to values for Δθ, Δtand ΔLthat yield a very good match to the extracted FWHM values. In a final step the refinement results are compared with the one-dimensional,i.e.diffraction-focused, case.
Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of SpaE, a basal pilus protein from the gut-adaptedLactobacillus rhamnosusGG
Authors: Mishra Arjun K. , Megta Abhin Kumar , Palva Airi , von Ossowski Ingemar , Krishnan Vengadesan
Published: May 2017

SpaE is the predicted basal pilin subunit in the sortase-dependent SpaFED pilus from the gut-adapted and commensalLactobacillus rhamnosusGG. Thus far, structural characterization of the cell-wall-anchoring basal pilins has remained difficult and has been limited to only a few examples from pathogenic genera and species. To gain a further structural understanding of the molecular mechanisms that are involved in the anchoring and assembly of sortase-dependent pili in less harmful bacteria,L. rhamnosusGG SpaE for crystallization was produced by recombinant expression inEscherichia coli. Although several attempts to crystallize the SpaE protein were unsuccessful, trigonal crystals that diffracted to a resolution of 3.1 Å were eventually produced using PEG 3350 as a precipitant and high protein concentrations. Further optimization with a combination of additives led to the generation of SpaE crystals in an orthorhombic form that diffracted to a higher resolution of 1.5 Å. To expedite structure determination by SAD phasing, selenium-substituted (orthorhombic) SpaE crystals were grown and X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.8 Å resolution.
The crystal structure of human DEAH-box RNA helicase 15 reveals a domain organization of the mammalian DEAH/RHA family
Authors: Murakami Karin , Nakano Kenji , Shimizu Toshiyuki , Ohto Umeharu
Published: May 2017

DEAH-box RNA helicase 15 (DHX15) plays important roles in RNA metabolism, including in splicing and in ribosome biogenesis. In addition, mammalian DHX15 also mediates the innate immune sensing of viral RNA. However, structural information on this protein is not available, although the structure of the fungal orthologue of this protein, Prp43, has been elucidated. Here, the crystal structure of the ADP-bound form of human DHX15 is reported at a resolution of 2.0 Å. This is the first structure to be revealed of a member of the mammalian DEAH-box RNA helicase (DEAH/RHA) family in a nearly complete form, including the catalytic core consisting of the two N-terminal RecA domains and the C-terminal regulatory domains (CTD). The ADP-bound form of DHX15 displayed a compact structure, in which the RecA domains made extensive contacts with the CTD. Notably, a potential RNA-binding site was found on the surface of a RecA domain with positive electrostatic potential. Almost all structural features were conserved between the fungal Prp43 and the human DHX15, suggesting that they share a fundamentally common mechanism of action and providing a better understanding of the specific mammalian functions of DHX15.
Influence of innovation competence on firm level competitiveness: an exploratory study
Authors: Srivastava Saurabh , Sultan Abid , Chashti Nasreen
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The dynamics of the competitive performance of the small medium firms is an evolving field of research in the developing countries like India. The influence of the innovation on the competitive performance of the firms is still an evolving area in India. This paper aims to explore the influence of the innovation on the competitive performance. The study is based upon the agro-food processing industry of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based upon the exploratory design. It uses quantitative as well as qualitative method for the firm level analysis of competitiveness. The aggregate index method has been used to construct the innovation competence and total competitive performance index. The regression analysis is used for describing the model based upon the primary data.

Findings

The results of the study provide for a significant relationship between the innovation competence and firm level competitiveness. It describes the position of the agro-food processing firms under study with respect to the innovation competence index score and total competitiveness performance index.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides for the managerial implications of strategically incubating the innovation-based competence for the firms in specific geographical areas. The policy implications in terms of developing specific clusters and incubators for incremental and radical innovations can be derived, in regional economies.

Originality/value

The paper discusses the issue of interaction of innovation competence and firm level competitiveness of the agro-food processing industry, which is dynamic, specifically in the developing states. The paper discussed unique methodology of using aggregate index method for defining the innovation competence and competitiveness for the firms where the consistency of data is a major issue for such a complex phenomenon.
Research on Chinese school of modern GUANLI science
Authors: Liu Ren-huai , Sun Kai , Sun Dongchuan
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to put forward China’s Hanyu Pinyin word guanli as an academic basic term to the world.

Design/methodology/approach

GUANLI as an academic basic term, which holds multiple meanings of several English words, such as management, administration, governance, etc. As a basic term, GUANLI, derived several words, such as GUANLIOLOGY, GUANLIST/GUANLIER and GUANLIWORK/GUANLIJOB, to precisely and exactly convey the Chinese GUANLI ideas. It is the historical mission and opportunity for the authors to research and establish the Chinese School of Modern GUANLI Science (CSMGS).

Findings

It is inevitably necessary to build the combined Chinese–Western discourse system of GUANLI science (CCWDSGS). Some other research results of CSMGS are also presented in this paper.

Research limitations/implications

It is needless to say that there are still lots of problems in China, including in the GUANLI field. These problems will gradually be solved in China’s reform and development that takes place continuously. New problems will come up while old problems are being solved and settled; problems producing in a loop, problems solving in a loop, this is the dialectics. The authors have full confidence in solving problems, as well as in China’s development and future.

Originality/value

Practice comes first and then it is followed by theory. The authors first have the “China Model”, followed by the “Chinese School” consequently. The “China Model” has already been there, and the “Chinese School” relies on the author’s proactive research and innovation. It is just the right time for the authors to study and create the CSMGS. This is the historical mission and opportunity awaited by contemporary Chinese.
The exploration study of cognitive styles for Taiwan University graduates’ job hunting in Mainland China
Authors: Tang Jenn
Published: May 2017

Purpose

In the context of an economic downturn and three transitions of political power, Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT) kick-started the cross-strait mutual trust mechanism, encouraging university graduates to find employment in mainland China’s job market (in both mainland China and Hong Kong). Academia and industry are both paying great attention to this issue. There is still a paucity of discussions about cognitive style with regard to working in mainland China (Macau)

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the Q methodology using a sample of Taiwanese university graduates to explore how behavioral factors relate to cognitive style.

Findings

This paper defines four cognitive styles based on differences in focus and motivation: lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS), word-of-mouth (WOM), learning/practice match and local market disappointment.

Originality/value

An association is drawn between cognition theory and psychology’s classification of cognitive style. In the context of the four cognitive styles, this paper explores the practical implications of employment and provides recommendations for those intending to work abroad.
Mapping the operations and supply chain management field: a journal governance perspective
Authors: Burgess Thomas F. , Grimshaw Paul , Huaccho Huatuco Luisa , Shaw Nicola E.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the following research question: how do the interlocking editorial advisory boards (EABs) of operations and supply chain management (OSCM) journals map out the field’s diverse academic communities and how demographically diverse is the field and its communities?

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies social network analysis (SNA) to web-based EAB data for 38 journals listed under operations management (OM) in the 2010 ABS Academic Journal Quality Guide.

Findings

The members of EABs of the 38 journals are divided into seven distinct communities which are mapped to the field’s knowledge structures and further aggregated into a core and periphery of the network. A burgeoning community of supply chain management academics forms the core along with those with more traditional interests. Male academics affiliated to the US institutions and to business schools predominate in the sample.

Research limitations/implications

A new strand of research is opened up connecting journal governance networks to knowledge structures in the OSCM field. OM is studied separately from its reference and associated disciplines. The use of the ABS list might attract comments that the study has an implicit European perspective – however the authors do not believe this to be the case.

Practical implications

The study addresses the implications of the lack of diversity for the practice of OM as an academic discipline.

Social implications

The confirmation of the dominance of particular characteristics such as male and US-based academics has implications for social diversity of the field.

Originality/value

As the first study of its kind, i.e. SNA of EAB members of OSCM journals, this study marks out a new perspective and acts as a benchmark for the future.
Global sourcing strategy and structure: towards a conceptual framework
Authors: Jia Fu , Orzes Guido , Sartor Marco , Nassimbeni Guido
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a synthesised conceptual framework for global sourcing (GS) strategy and structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a systematic literature review method and analyse through content analysis techniques 52 peer-reviewed journal articles focussed on GS strategy and structure. Based on these analyses, a conceptual model is developed.

Findings

A synthesised construct of GS strategy, consisting of three dimensions, i.e., supply internationalisation, internal integration and external integration, is proposed. The GS structure construct is further broken down into structural design and control and coordination, consisting of three dimensions for each. Propositions for GS strategy, GS structure and, in particular, the relationships between them are developed for future empirical validation.

Originality/value

This is the first study which synthesises various dimensions of GS strategy and GS structure and advances/extends the theory of the strategy-structure nexus to a GS context. The conceptual model provides a comprehensive framework for future empirical work and opens avenues of research on this topic.
Mental health occupational therapy and supported employment
Authors: Machingura Tawanda , Lloyd Chris
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The individual placement and support (IPS) model is an evidence-based approach to employment support for people with severe mental illness that functions by co-locating an employment consultant from the local disability employment service within a community mental health team to assist service users to find work. This paper aims to examine the unintended impacts of implementing IPS on occupational therapy practice and offer some suggestions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors performed a narrative literature review on the IPS model, employment and occupational therapy. Authors then analysed and discussed impact on occupational therapy practice and concluded by making suggestions based on current evidence and practice.

Findings

The authors concluded that implementation of IPS has resulted in some unintended changes of practice in mental health with occupational therapists taking a less active role in enabling employment outcomes than previously. This paper concludes by calling upon occupational therapists to re-establish their role of enabling employment.

Originality/value

This paper offers an original viewpoint on employment and occupational therapy based on current evidence and authors’ expertise.
Major trends in the use of occupation as therapy in Ireland 1863-1963
Authors: Pettigrew Judith , Robinson Katie , Dunne Brid , O' Mahoney Jennifer
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Major gaps exist in the documented history of occupational therapy in Ireland. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to filling these gaps by providing an overview of three major transitions in Irish occupational therapy in the century preceding the opening of St. Joseph?s College of Occupational Therapy in 1963. Research on occupational therapy’s past is valuable not only for recording and commemorating key events and individuals but also for allowing reflection on and questioning of contemporary practice and assumptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This descriptive paper draws on multiple documentary sources to present an overview of the first 100 years of the use of occupation as therapy/occupational therapy in Ireland from 1863 to 1963.

Findings

Three major transitions in occupational therapy in Ireland are presented: from moral treatment and the use of occupation as therapy to medical patronage of occupational therapy, from medical patronage to the early/pre-professional era and finally from the pre-professional era to the era of professionally qualified occupational therapists. To illustrate these transitions, a small number of individuals and their contributions are discussed including Dr Eamon O’Sullivan, Dr Ada English, Donal Kelly, Olga Gale and Ann Beckett.

Originality/value

This paper charts the foundations upon which the currently thriving profession of occupational therapy are built. The Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland recently celebrated their 50th anniversary (AOTI, 2015a), and in 2017, it is 100 years since occupational therapy was formalised in Clifton Springs, New York, USA. Occupational therapy is a relatively young profession, and great opportunities exist to research its history in Ireland to capture the memories and experiences of the pioneers who laid the foundation of the profession as well as to situate the development of the profession in the broader social, cultural and scientific contexts within which it developed.
Corporate governance of state-owned enterprises: a systematic analysis of empirical literature
Authors: Daiser Peter , Ysa Tamyko , Schmitt Daniel
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deliver further insights into empirical research on corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by systematizing existing knowledge, identifying current investigation backlogs, and deriving specific implications for future empirical research to address the lack of empirical knowledge in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

The study follows a literature analysis approach through a systematic, quantitative analysis of broad-based database queries from EBSCOhost and Web of Science to derive recommendations for future empirical research on SOE-oriented corporate governance.

Findings

The results indicate that empirical SOE-oriented corporate governance research is a growing field with wide-ranging opportunities for investigation. Given the lack of qualitative empirical research (representing only 21.7 percent of the studies identified) and the massive focus on regression analyses (69.9 percent) and secondary database data (77.2 percent), future empirical approaches should consider different methods and data sources. More qualitative research is needed for exploratory designs and canonical correlation-based statistical methods seem helpful for confirmatory approaches. In addition, 50.4 percent of the studies identified have a Chinese background, indicating room for studies from different cultural contexts.

Research limitations/implications

Given the range of the research field and the eclectic nature of the analytical approach, it is unlikely that every relevant scientific publication is included.

Originality/value

Since this study is the first of its kind, it contributes to SOE-oriented corporate governance research by drawing on a wide-ranging selection of studies and analyzing them to derive straightforward recommendations for future empirical research.