bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of ISO 9000 initiatives in Indian industry for enhanced manufacturing performance
Authors: Jain Sanjiv Kumar , Singh Ahuja Inderpreet
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contributions of ISO 9000 initiatives towards improving manufacturing performance in the Indian manufacturing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, 96 manufacturing organizations have been extensively surveyed, to ascertain contributions made by ISO 9000 initiatives in the Indian manufacturing industries towards realizing manufacturing performance improvements. The correlations between various ISO 9000 implementation issues and manufacturing performance improvements have been evaluated and validated by employing various statistical tools.

Findings

The research focuses on the significant contributions of ISO 9000 implementation success factors like top management contributions, continuous improvement practices and ISO 9000 implementation initiatives, towards affecting improvements in manufacturing performance in the Indian industry. The inter‐relationships between various ISO 9000 implementation success factors with the manufacturing performance improvement parameters have been evaluated, to efficiently manage the ISO 9000 implementation program to realize organizational objectives of growth and sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

The study establishes that focused ISO 9000 implementation over a reasonable time period can strategically contribute towards realization of significant manufacturing performance enhancements.

Practical implications

The study stresses the need for improving the coordination between manufacturing function and other organizational quality improvement initiatives in the organizations, to establish manufacturing as a competitive strategy for meeting the challenges of highly competitive environments.

Social implications

The findings suggest that effective ISO 9000 initiatives can significantly contribute towards realization of strategic manufacturing performance improvements for competing in the highly dynamic global marketplace. These interrelationships can be used to understand the effect of various ISO 9000 success factors towards realization of organization objectives of growth and sustainability.

Originality/value

The study highlights the strong potential of ISO 9000 implementation initiatives in affecting organizational performance improvements. The achievements of Indian manufacturing organizations through proactive ISO 9000 initiatives have been evaluated and critical ISO 9000 success factors identified for enhancing the effectiveness of ISO 9000 implementation programs in the Indian context.
Tournament behaviour in Malaysian managed funds
Authors: Ramiah Vikash , Moosa Imad , O'Neill Ben , Backulja Milica , Yacoub Amel , Hallahan Terry , Vaz John
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The structure of the Malaysian fund market presents a unique setting in which to examine behavioural and cultural differences in the performance of fund managers. The purpose of this paper is to utilise Taylor's extension of the tournament model of Brown et al. who argued that using an exogenous (endogenous) benchmark induces losing (winning) managers to gamble. This presents two competing testable hypotheses that are investigated in the current study.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of Malaysian unit trusts covering the period 1982 to 2010, applying the non‐parametric cross‐product ratio methodology to test all Malaysian funds and determine whether there is empirical evidence of tournament behaviour. The authors separate Malaysian funds into two main categories (conventional and Islamic) to find out whether different fund types affect the behaviour of the funds as a whole.

Findings

Overall, Taylor's theory does not hold in the Malaysian fund market, as conventional funds display tournament behaviour regardless of the benchmark used. However, Islamic funds do not display any significant tournament behaviour.

Originality/value

The current study uses a non‐parametric approach to look for evidence of tournament (gaming) behaviour in the performance of fund managers in Malaysia. In doing so, the authors extend the tournaments literature by examining the performance of three data sets pertaining to the performance and evidence of tournament behaviour in: all managed funds in Malaysia; Islamic funds; and conventional funds. A major motivation for choosing the Malaysian data of unit trusts is to investigate and examine the behaviour of funds operating in an economy that is an emerging market in the rapidly expanding Asian economy; is a market that has a reporting period in line with the calendar year; and is an economy with a strong presence of Islamic funds (Shariah) and Muslim population.
Population projection of Oman: implications for future development
Authors: Kabir M. , Rahman M.S.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

Knowledge about current size and structure of a country's population is needed for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs in almost all sectors of public life. The purpose of this paper is to provide population projection for Oman, using population census and family health survey data.

Design/methodology/approach

Component method is used for projecting future population of Oman. Population Census data of 2003 by sex and by five‐year age groups were used. The base life expectancy of Oman is assumed to be 73 years and the base total fertility considered as 5.1 children per woman.

Findings

Depending upon the achievement of replacement fertility by the year 2025 or 2030 or 2035 the population of Oman in 2050 will vary from 4.5 million to 5.0 million. The different scenarios of population projection indicate that the population of Oman will not be stabilized before 2100.

Research limitations/implications

Population projection depends on assumptions about mortality, fertility, base life expectancy and migration. If these assumptions change then the projections will also change.

Practical implications

Because of high fertility in the past, women in the reproductive ages will increase for up to several decades. Thus, population growth will continue because of momentum effect, even if Oman achieves replacement fertility say in 2030. The age at marriage will increase.

Social implications

The rapid socio‐economic development and increased women empowerment will create a new outlook and ideas about lifestyles, leading to a decline in fertility. The decline in fertility is strongly related to social, health, education, employment opportunities of women and economic development, which through a variety of mechanisms, reduces the fertility desired and increases the fertility regulation through contraception, birth spacing and increased age at marriage of females. Because of increase in life expectancy and falling birth rate, the absolute number of the elderly population will have enormous impact on health care needs and hospitalization.

Originality/value

This paper deals with the population projection of Oman. Timely and accurate information about population trends is crucial for the socio‐economic development of a country. Knowledge about current size and structure of a country's population is needed for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs in almost all sectors of public life such as health, education and employment.
Workplace health resources based on sense of coherence theory
Authors: Nilsson Petra , Andersson Ingemar H. , Ejlertsson Göran , Troein Margareta
Published: September 2012

Purpose

In workplace health promotion, enhancing resources are less explored than risk factors. The aim of this paper is to explore the usability of the sense of coherence (SOC) theory to identify considerable and positively perceived work‐related factors and processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study had a salutogenic approach to workplace health promotion. A total of 13 focus group interviews were conducted with hospital employees in Sweden. A deductive analysis was made with the SOC theory as a framework.

Findings

Work‐related specific enhancing resources (SER) were identified and analysed into the three components of SOC: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. SER's implication in daily performance is explained by employee expressions. Through increased understanding and awareness, SER could contribute to savoring positive experiences, and enhance SOC among employees. Antonovsky's concept Generalized Resistance Resources is suggested to be enlarged based on the expressed significance of concrete daily positive work occurrences to increase one's SOC.

Research limitations/implications

Not all hospital professions were represented in the study. Further studies are required to involve physicians, paramedics, managers, as well as other settings, to compare and complement with additional experiences of workplace resources.

Practical implications

The study presents an opportunity to explore, understand, and foster workplace resources through assistance from the SOC theory. The SER presented in this study may serve as initial examples in workplace discussions about work‐related resources contributing to a sense of coherence.

Originality/value

This study contributes to public health research and workplace health promotion with a salutogenic focus on how to explore enhancing work‐related resources with the assistance of the practical SOC theory.
A pre‐intervention benefit‐cost methodology to justify investments in workplace health
Authors: Rickards Jeremy , Putnam Carol
Published: September 2012

Purpose

While the rationale for interventions in a workplace to enhance employee health are well documented, practitioners have difficulty making an economic case to justify the investment required and to demonstrate positive returns on that investment. This paper aims to present case study data from an ergonomics evaluation of a call centre to demonstrate a simple, four‐step pre‐intervention methodology which provides an accounting‐based justification for funding workplace health‐related projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Physical and ergonomic assessments of the workplace and employee interviews establish health risk factors. Two direct (discretionary) costs and five indirect (non‐discretionary) operational costs are evaluated. The capital investment to implement the proposed workplace changes is determined. Total net identified benefits are established and used to create accounting‐based financial metrics.

Findings

Application of the methodology to the case study found worker compensation insurance, absenteeism and overtime wages to be neutral. Costs to train new workers, lost call processing time and cost of lost employee productivity were significant, the latter representing two‐thirds of the value of all potential benefits.

Originality/value

The paper creates accounting‐based metrics to mitigate health and safety risk factors, while identifying the potential for productivity gains. Management is provided with a simple decision tool to justify an investment in workplace changes.
Individual and organizational health‐oriented readiness for change
Authors: Mueller Frithjof , Jenny Gregor J. , Bauer Georg F.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

A key prerequisite for successful change in organizations is to understand and develop the readiness for change of employees and of their organization. In order to appropriately manage occupational and organizational health interventions, this paper aims to develop a health‐specific survey‐based measure assessing individual‐ and organizational‐level health‐oriented readiness for change.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive longitudinal stress management intervention study in nine medium and large enterprises in Switzerland (n=3,703) formed the basis for subsequent validity and reliability analyses of the individual and organizational health‐oriented readiness for change measure.

Findings

The results show that health‐oriented readiness for change is a valid instrument for assessing the two subcomponents of current behavior and change commitment, both for the individual and organization as agents of change.

Originality/value

The change‐specific health‐oriented aspect, including the individual and the organization as agents of change seems to be plausible for a comprehensive assessment of employees’ readiness for change in health‐promoting change initiatives in organizations.
The “not so new” plans to privatise policing
Authors: Houghton John
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how the police service has reacted to the policy of privatisation from its introduction in the 1980s. It seeks to suggest that there has been considerable reluctance to implement the policy in any depth up to the present, but that new budget constraints are now requiring a radical rethinking by the police service.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an overview of policy developments and their practical implementation by the police. It examines the initial philosophical theories of the “new right” as it applied to policing and the adjustments made by government to implement this policy. It considers the response by the police service, which it suggests was gradual and the various attempts by government and other agencies to force change which was met by reluctance from the service to fully accept the implications. It also considers how the introduction of league tables and performance measurement assisted in motivating some movement, but that fundamental change was still resisted.

Findings

It would now seem that the driver for increased privatisation has arrived in the form of severe budget constraints, which are to be implemented over a number of years and will in turn force the police service to implement a radical approach rather than minimum rate of change which has been the hallmark of previous years.

Originality/value

The paper traces the uphill struggle which the policy of “privatisation” has been subject to given the evident lack of enthusiasm by the police service and its eventual acceptance when faced with overwhelming financial restraint.
An investigation of the role of personality, familial, and peer‐related characteristics in homicidal offending using retrospective data
Authors: Boduszek Daniel , Hyland Philip , Bourke Ashling
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The current study seeks to assess the predictive utility of personality, family violence, associations with criminal friends, peer rejection, parental attachment, and parental supervision as predictors of homicidal behaviour among a sample of 144 male recidivistic offenders.

Design/methodology/approach

This research project utilized a quasi‐experimental design with propensity score matching in order to minimize the effect of selection bias. Post‐matching binary logistic regression analysis was subsequently conducted in order to determine what factors predict homicidal behaviour.

Findings

Post‐matching regression results indicated that experience of family violence, psychoticism, and parental attachments were significant predictors of being a homicidal murderer.

Originality/value

The findings provide strong empirical support for the important role of early childhood experiences in the prediction of homicidal acts, along with the crucial role of personality (psychoticism). These findings provide additional support for Eysenck's theoretical indications regarding the role of psychoticism in the prediction of violent criminal behaviours.
Determinants of web‐accessibility of corporate social responsibility communications
Authors: Adelopo Ismail , Cea Moure Ramiro , Vargas Preciado Lucely , Obalola Musa
Published: September 2012

Purpose

The corporate social responsibility (CSR) debate has developed tremendously over decades. However, while CSR communication has developed significantly, web‐accessibility of CSR communications is under researched. The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms make their CSR communications accessible to their stakeholders on the internet.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used number of “clicks” to download CSR communication of a firm to measure its accessibility. Independent mean test showed that CSR communications by high impact sectors are more accessible on the internet than low impact sectors, but web‐accessibility is not affected by country.

Findings

Although CSR research has grown tremendously over the decades, the discourse has been largely restricted to disclosures in the annual reports and, lately, to the standalone sustainability reports. In addition, they have mainly examined the management's motives for disclosures, using legitimacy theory as the most influential theoretical underpinning. Only very few studies have examined CSR communication on the internet and even these studies have only researched the content of the disclosure, examining the quality and quality of disclosures.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in its consideration of the effect of firms' CSR communications on the recipients. While CSR communication has developed significantly, web‐accessibility of CSR communications remains under researched.
Some reasonable but uncomfortable questions about social marketing
Authors: Spotswood Fiona , French Jeff , Tapp Alan , Stead Martine
Published: September 2012

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of social marketing by re-examining some of its core concepts: the balance between the “wants” of individuals with the “needs” of society; the nature of exchange; the inclusion of techniques not explicitly considered part of the panoply of marketing; techniques available to social marketing, such as “nudge” style techniques, regulation or behavioural conditioning; the view that behaviour change must be its definitive goal; the ethical and political dimensions of social marketing; and the definition of social marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors pose seven questions based on these concepts which they debate.

Findings

– The authors conclude that a more inclusive view of what constitutes social marketing is required: one that avoids absolutism or defining the field in terms of the tactics it employs. The paper calls for a set of ethical codes which would enable social marketers to better defend approaches that deploy more implicit and strongly persuasive techniques common in the commercial world but unacknowledged in social marketing.

Originality/value

– The paper questions some of the settled views of the field, such as the focus on “behaviour change” and the notion of “exchange” and “voluntary” behaviour change. The paper debates the ethical implications of using “invisible” or coercive techniques, and the nature of customer-centricity. The paper also debates the politics of social marketing and encourages debate about interventions which go beyond rational exchange.
The UEMS Section/Board of Pathology, Chapter 6: Requirement for Recognition of Postgraduate Training in Pathology: a presentation of the Paris Document
Authors: Tötsch M. , Cuvelier C. , Vass L. , Fassina A. ,   on behalf of the participants of the UEMS Section/Board of Pathology meeting in Paris 2012
Published: September 2012

M. Tötsch, C. Cuvelier, L. Vass and A. Fassina and on behalf of the participants of the UEMS Section/Board of Pathology meeting in Paris 2012  The UEMS Section/Board of Pathology, Chapter 6: Requirement for Recognition of Postgraduate Training in Pathology: a presentation of the Paris Document

After more than five years discussion the UEMS Section/Board of Pathology agreed a specification of requirements for recognition of post‐graduate training in pathology, which is the key to the future of our discipline. The document published here, subject to ratification by UEMS Council, was voted on and accepted by the Pathology Board at the UEMS Paris meeting of 9 June 2012. Cytopathology is regarded as integral part of pathology: in general, training in pathology takes five years and maintains a common trunk of four (minimum three) years where surgical pathology, autopsy pathology and basic knowledge of neuropathology, dermatopathology and cytopathology are adequately trained and assessed. Training in so‐called ‘areas of interests’ covers the remaining 12–24 months. Certificates of ‘advanced level of competence’ remain within the authority of national boards.

As senior members of its Executive Board, we believe that the European Federation of Cytology Societies (EFCS) should take responsibility for establishing 1) standards in the quality of cytopathology training, 2) training guidelines and qualification for advanced levels of competence in cytopathology, 3) manpower planning, 4) tutorials for pathologists and cytotechnologists and 4) standards of cytotechnologist training.
A specific combination of zeaxanthin, spermidine and rutin prevents apoptosis in human dermal papilla cells
Authors: Carelli Stephana , Hebda Danuta M. , Traversa Maria V. , Messaggio Fanuel , Giuliani Giammaria , Marzani Barbara , Benedusi Anna , Di Giulio Anna M. , Gorio Alfredo
Published: September 2012

Hair follicle (HF) regression is characterized by the activation of apoptosis in HF cells. Dermal papilla cells play a leading role in the regulation of HF development and cycling. Human follicular dermal papilla cells (HFDPC) were used to investigate the protective activities of rutin, sperimidine and zeaxanthine. HFDP cell incubation with staurosporine caused apoptosis, which was completely inhibited by exposure to rutin (2.2 μm), spermidine (1 μm) and zeaxanthin (80 μm). These agents were much less effective when applied as single compounds. Moreover, treatment preserved the expression of anti‐apoptotic molecules such as Bcl‐2, MAP‐kinases and their phosphorylated forms. In conclusion, the investigated agents may represent an effective treatment for the prevention of apoptosis, one of the leading events involved in hair bulb regression.
Strain ratcheting and stress relaxation around interference‐fitted single‐holed plates under cyclic loading: experimental and numerical investigations
Authors: CHAKHERLOU T. N. , AJRI M.
Published: September 2012

Longitudinal strain ratcheting and stress relaxation in interference‐fitted single‐holed plates were investigated both experimentally and numerically. In the experimental part single‐holed plates made from Al‐alloy 7075‐T6 were force‐fitted with oversized pins to create 1% and 2% nominal interference fit sizes. Then these plates (specimens) were instrumented with dynamic strain gauges in longitudinal direction around the hole to measure the strain during interference fit and strain ratcheting during subsequent cyclic loading. In the numerical part, 2D finite element code has been written to simulate the interference fit process and subsequent cyclic loading to obtain strains and stresses around the force fitted hole. To predict the strain ratcheting, Ohno–Wang kinematic hardening model was applied for simulation of stress/strain path. The strain ratcheting predicted from the finite element code and experimental test results were compared. The results showed that there is a good agreement between the measured and numerically evaluated strains, and the strain ratcheting is bigger for higher cyclic load level, but it is smaller for larger interference size.
Effects of ship‐induced waves on littoral benthic invertebrates
Authors: GABEL FRIEDERIKE , GARCIA XAVIER F. , SCHNAUDER INGO , PUSCH MARTIN T.
Published: September 2012

1. Ship‐induced waves can affect the physical characteristics of lake and river shorelines, and laboratory studies have shown effects on littoral invertebrates. Here, we explored whether these effects could be observed under field conditions along a natural lake shore affected by wave sequences (trains) produced by boats.

2. Individuals of five invertebrate species (Bithynia tentaculata, Calopteryx splendens, Dikerogammarus villosus, Gammarus roeselii, Laccophilus hyalinus) were exposed to waves with increasing shear stress in five habitats differing in structural complexity.

3. Detachment of invertebrates increased with increasing shear stress and was best modelled using sigmoid response curves. Habitat structural complexity mitigated the effects of shear stress, and detachment rate was influenced more by habitat type than by species. A threshold (90% of the individual invertebrates unaffected) stress level of 0.64 N m−2 was found for a structurally complex reed habitat, compared to 0.37 N m−2 for a simple sand habitat.

4. Shear stress associated with wave trains created by recreational boating at a distance of 35 m from the shore and at a speed of 11 km h−1 resulted in 45% detachment of littoral invertebrates. Decreasing the boat‐to‐shore distance to 20 m increased wave shear stress by 30% and invertebrate detachments up to 75%.

5. Disturbance of littoral habitats and invertebrate assemblages are widespread in inland waters used for recreational and/or commercial navigation. Our findings show that the integrity of littoral zones of navigable surface waters could be much improved by implementing management measures such as physically protecting complex habitats with dense reed belts and tree roots, and reducing boat speeds and increasing their minimum shoreline distance.
Uncertainty in soil carbon accounting due to unrecognized soil erosion
Authors: Sanderman Jonathan , Chappell Adrian
Published: September 2012

The movement of soil organic carbon (SOC) during erosion and deposition events represents a major perturbation to the terrestrial carbon cycle. Despite the recognized impact soil redistribution can have on the carbon cycle, few major carbon accounting models currently allow for soil mass flux. Here, we modified a commonly used SOC model to include a soil redistribution term and then applied it to scenarios which explore the implications of unrecognized erosion and deposition for SOC accounting. We show that models that assume a static landscape may be calibrated incorrectly as erosion of SOC is hidden within the decay constants. This implicit inclusion of erosion then limits the predictive capacity of these models when applied to sites with different soil redistribution histories. Decay constants were found to be 15–50% slower when an erosion rate of 15 t soil ha−1 yr−1 was explicitly included in the SOC model calibration. Static models cannot account for SOC change resulting from agricultural management practices focused on reducing erosion rates. Without accounting for soil redistribution, a soil sampling scheme which uses a fixed depth to support model development can create large errors in actual and relative changes in SOC stocks. When modest levels of erosion were ignored, the combined uncertainty in carbon sequestration rates was 0.3–1.0 t CO2 ha−1 yr−1. This range is similar to expected sequestration rates for many management options aimed at increasing SOC levels. It is evident from these analyses that explicit recognition of soil redistribution is critical to the success of a carbon monitoring or trading scheme which seeks to credit agricultural activities.
Evaluating litter decomposition in earth system models with long‐term litterbag experiments: an example using the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4)
Authors: Bonan Gordon B. , Hartman Melannie D. , Parton William J. , Wieder William R.
Published: September 2012

Decomposition is a large term in the global carbon budget, but models of the earth system that simulate carbon cycle‐climate feedbacks are largely untested with respect to litter decomposition. We tested the litter decomposition parameterization of the community land model version 4 (CLM4), the terrestrial component of the community earth system model, with data from the long‐term intersite decomposition experiment team (LIDET). The LIDET dataset is a 10‐year study of litter decomposition at multiple sites across North America and Central America. We performed 10‐year litter decomposition simulations comparable with LIDET for 9 litter types and 20 sites in tundra, grassland, and boreal, conifer, deciduous, and tropical forest biomes using the LIDET‐provided climatic decomposition index to constrain temperature and moisture effects on decomposition. We performed additional simulations with DAYCENT, a version of the CENTURY model, to ask how well an established ecosystem model matches the observations. The results show large discrepancy between the laboratory microcosm studies used to parameterize the CLM4 litter decomposition and the LIDET field study. Simulated carbon loss is more rapid than the observations across all sites, and nitrogen immobilization is biased high. Closer agreement with the observations requires much lower decomposition rates, obtained with the assumption that soil mineral nitrogen severely limits decomposition. DAYCENT better replicates the observations, for both carbon mass remaining and nitrogen, independent of nitrogen limitation. CLM4 has low soil carbon in global earth system simulations. These results suggest that this bias arises, in part, from too rapid litter decomposition. More broadly, the terrestrial biogeochemistry of earth system models must be critically tested with observations, and the consequences of particular model choices must be documented. Long‐term litter decomposition experiments such as LIDET provide a real‐world process‐oriented benchmark to evaluate models.
Coupled transport of humic acids and copper through saturated porous media
Authors: Paradelo M. , Pérez‐Rodríguez P. , Fernández‐Calviño D. , Arias‐Estévez M. , López‐Periago J. E.
Published: September 2012

The mechanism of mediated transport of copper (Cu) by humic acids (HA) in pore water was studied taking account of colloid filtration theory and by means of breakthrough experiments of HA in water‐saturated columns filled with quartz sand. The influence of pH and Cu2+ concentration on Cu–HA binding and retention of Cu–HA complexes in the matrix were analysed with colloid‐surface attachment models. Experiments were performed for differing Cu concentrations (0–20 mg l−1) and pH (5–7). Copper binding to HA increased with pH and Cu2+ addition, according to ion–humic complexation theory. The zeta potential of the HA became less negative with increasing amounts of Cu, which led to less electrostatic repulsion and an increase in the retention of the HA in the column. A kinetic colloid transport model with a random sequential adsorption (RSA) blocking function was well fitted to the experimental breakthrough curves (BTCs). The model accounted for heterogeneity in the adsorption sites in the quartz sand for all of the electrochemical conditions. For pH = 7, the transport of Cu was coupled with the HA, while at pH = 5, the transport occurred mostly as free Cu2+. Models of the influence of dissolved soil organic matter and electrochemical conditions on the fate of trace elements in the soil may contribute to a quantitative exploration of strategies for soil remediation and disposal of contaminated soil containing excessive amounts of trace elements.
The use of data‐mining to identify indicators of health‐related quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Penny Kay I , Smith Graeme D
Published: September 2012

Aim.  To examine the health‐related quality of life in a cohort of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and to explore the use of several data‐mining methods to identify which socio‐demographic and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms are most highly associated with impaired health‐related quality of life.

Background.  Health‐related quality of life can be adversely affected by irritable bowel syndrome. Little is presently known about the predictive factors that may influence the quality of life in these patients.

Design.  Cross‐sectional survey design involving the general population of the UK.

Methods.  Individuals with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome were recruited to a longitudinal cohort survey via a UK‐wide newspaper advert. Health‐related quality of life was measured using a battery of validated questionnaires. Several data‐mining models to determine which factors are associated with impaired health‐related quality of life are considered in this study and include logistic regression, a classification tree and artificial neural networks.

Results.  As well as irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity, results indicate that psychological morbidity and socio‐demographic factors such as marital status and employment status also have a major influence on health‐related quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome.

Conclusion.  Health‐related quality of life is impaired in community‐based individuals in the UK with irritable bowel syndrome. Although not always as easily interpreted as logistic regression, data‐mining techniques indicate subsets of factors that are highly associated with impaired quality of life. These models tend to include subsets of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and psychosocial factors.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Identification of the role of psychological and socio‐demographic factors on health‐related quality of life may provide more insight into the nature of irritable bowel syndrome. Greater understanding of these factors will facilitate more flexible and efficient nursing assessment and management of this patient group.
Patient satisfaction in home health care
Authors: Abusalem Said , Myers John A , Aljeesh Yousef
Published: September 2012

Aims and objectives.  To assess the current use of patient satisfaction measures in home health care and to examine the reliability and validity of current measures of patient satisfaction in home health care.

Background.  Patient satisfaction has been one of the widely used measures in home health care as an indicator of quality of care. A few efforts have been made to develop psychometrically sound patient satisfaction scales for use in home health care.

Design.  A critical review of the literature.

Methods.  Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify the studies or publications that measured and addressed patient satisfaction and its measurement in home health care.

Results.  The review of the literature showed that patient satisfaction measures have been used in the evaluation of care programmes including rehabilitation programmes, discharge and home follow‐up programmes, care process and management practices. Also, patient satisfaction measures were used to evaluate new care protocols and treatments.

Conclusions.  Home healthcare agencies need valid and reliable patient satisfaction scales. Frameworks of patient satisfaction are still in their early developmental stage. Only some of the variables related to patient satisfaction are explained by many frameworks.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Home healthcare mangers and researchers need to take in consideration the reliability and validity of measures and tools of patient satisfaction.
The Careful Nursing philosophy and professional practice model
Authors: Meehan Therese C
Published: September 2012

Aims and objectives.  To present the Careful Nursing philosophy and professional practice model which has its source in the skilled practice of 19th century Irish nurses and to propose that its implementation could provide a relevant foundation for contemporary nursing practice.

Background.  Nursing models are widely considered not relevant to nursing practice. Alarming instances of incompetent and insensitive nursing practice and experiences of powerlessness amongst nurses are being reported. Professional practice models that will inspire and strengthen nurses in practice and help them to address these challenges are needed. Nursing history has been suggested as a source of such models.

Design.  Discursive.

Methods.  Content analysis of historical documents describing the thinking and practice of 19th century Irish nurses. Identification of emergent categories and subcategories as philosophical assumptions, concepts and dimensions of professional nursing practice.

Results.  A philosophical approach to practise encompassing the nature and innate dignity of the person, the experience of an infinite transcendent reality in life processes and health as human flourishing. A professional practice model constructed from four concepts; therapeutic milieu, practice competence and excellence, management of practice and influence in health systems and professional authority; and their eighteen dimensions.

Conclusion.  As a philosophy and professional practice model, Careful Nursing can engage nurses and provide meaningful direction for practice. It could help decrease incidents of incompetent and insensitive practice and sustain already exemplary practice. As a basis for theory development, it could help close the relevance gap between nursing practice and nursing science.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Careful Nursing highlights respect for the innate dignity of all persons and what this means for nurses in their relationships with patients. It balances attentive tenderness in nurse–patient relationships with clinical skill and judgement. It helps nurses to establish their professional practice boundaries and take authoritative responsibility for their practice.
Frontline healthcare providers’ views of depression and its prevention in older adults
Authors: Lu Li‐Ching , Hsieh Pei‐Ling
Published: September 2012

Aims and objectives.  To describe healthcare providers’ views on depression and its prevention in older people.

Background.  There is an urgent need to develop public health approaches to depression prevention in older adults because of the growing older population and the high rate of depression among community‐dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Prior studies have focused on the prevalence of and risk factors for depression in Taiwanese community‐dwelling older adults. Research from the viewpoints of prevention and healthcare providers is needed to guide these approaches.

Design.  A qualitative study involving semi‐structured interviews.

Methods.  A purposive sample of 25 healthcare providers was recruited from a city in northern Taiwan. Data were collected through in‐depth individual interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results.  Results were embedded within four major themes: lack of children’s support, maladaptation to distressing life circumstances in late life, innate vulnerability in the individuals and being unaware of or reluctant to accept an illness.

Conclusions.  Participants’ accounts of depression and its prevention were conceptualised within the family and socio‐cultural contexts older adults lived in. Lack of children’s support was reported as a main contributor to depression in older adults. Society was reported as the main context in which depression prevention intervention should take place. Communal activities were described as important for mental wellness and depression prevention.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Study findings show how family, Chinese culture and socio‐economic circumstances influence accounts of depression and its prevention in older adults. Attention to the cultural construction of meanings may help extend our vision beyond a focus on the biomedical discourse and promote innovative ways of tackling depression that match the policy goals with the needs of older adults and community.
Is hemiepiphytism an adaptation to high irradiance? Testing seedling responses to light levels and drought in hemiepiphytic and non‐hemiepiphytic Ficus
Authors: Hao Guang‐You , Wang Ai‐Ying , Sack Lawren , Goldstein Guillermo , Cao Kun‐Fang
Published: September 2012

The epiphytic growth habit in many Ficus species during their juvenile stages has commonly been hypothesized to be an adaptation for avoiding deep shade in the forest understory, but this has never been tested experimentally. We examined growth and ecophysiology in seedlings of three hemiepiphytic (Hs) and three non‐hemiepiphytic (NHs) Ficus species grown under different irradiance levels. Both Hs and NHs exhibited characteristics of high light requiring species, such as high plasticity to growth irradiance and relatively high maximum photosynthetic assimilation rates. Diurnal measurements of leaf gas exchange showed that Hs have much shorter active photosynthetic periods than NHs; moreover, leaves of Hs have lower xylem hydraulic conductivity but stronger drought tolerance as indicated by much lower rates of leaf diebacks during the drought treatment. Seedlings of NHs had 3.3‐ and 13.3‐fold greater height and biomass than those of Hs species after growing in the nursery for 5 months, indicating a trade‐off between growth and drought tolerance due to the conflicting requirements for xylem conductivity and cavitation resistance. This study does not support the shade‐avoidance hypothesis; rather, it suggests that the canopy regeneration in Hs is an adaptation to avoid alternative terrestrial growth‐related risks imposed to tiny Ficus seedlings. The NHs with terrestrial regeneration reduce these risks by having an initial burst of growth to rapidly gain relatively large seedling sizes, while in Hs seedlings more conservative water use and greater drought tolerance for surviving the canopy environment are intrinsically associated with slow growth.
Functional gastrointestinal disorders in adolescents and quality of school life
Authors: Sagawa Toshihiko , Okamura Shinichi , Kakizaki Satoru , Zhang Yajing , Morita Kyoko , Mori Masatomo
Published: September 2012

Background and Aim

The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) in adolescents and their relationship to quality of school life (QOSL) are not fully understood. This study investigated the relationship between FGID and QOSL.

Methods

Adolescents (10–17 years) were recruited from 40 schools. FGID diagnoses were based on the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms‐Rome III version (QPGS‐RIII). QOSL was evaluated by a questionnaire and calculated as the QOSL score.

Results

Five hundred and fifty‐two of the 3976 students (13.9%) met the FGID criteria for one or more diagnoses according to the QPGS‐RIII: 12.3% met the criteria for one, 1.5% for two or more. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was the most common diagnosis (5.9%) followed by functional abdominal pain (3.1%). The prevalence of FGID was significantly higher in the female students in comparison to male students (P < 0.01). The prevalence of FGID was 9.5% in elementary school, 15.4% in junior high school, 26.0% in high school students, respectively. The prevalence of FGID was significantly increased with age (P < 0.01). The QOSL score of the patients with FGID was 10.9 ± 4.5 and that without FGID was 8.2 ± 2.8, respectively. The QOSL score of the patients with FGID was significantly worse than those without FGID (P < 0.01). The QOSL scores with IBS, aerophagia, and cyclic vomiting syndrome were significantly worse among the FGID (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The prevalence of FGID in adolescents was relatively high. The presences of FGID worsen the QOSL score. Medical intervention and/or counseling are needed for such students to improve the QOSL.
Combination of fluvastatin with pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy reduces viral relapse in chronic hepatitis C infected with HCV genotype 1b
Authors: Atsukawa Masanori , Tsubota Akihito , Kondo Chisa , Itokawa Norio , Narahara Yoshiyuki , Nakatsuka Katsuhisa , Hashimoto Satomi , Fukuda Takeshi , Matsushita Yoko , Kidokoro Hideko , Kobayashi Tamaki , Kanazawa Hidenori , Sakamoto Choitsu
Published: September 2012

Background and Aim

Although the anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) effect of statins in vitro and clinical efficacy of fluvastatin combined with Pegylated interferon (PEG‐IFN)/ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) have been reported, the details of clinical presentation are largely unknown. We focused on viral relapse that influences treatment outcome, and performed a post‐hoc analysis by using data from a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Thirty‐four patients in the fluvastatin group and 33 patients in the non‐fluvastatin group who achieved virological response (complete early virological response [cEVR] or late virological response [LVR]) with PEG‐IFN/ribavirin therapy were subjected to this analysis. Factors contributing to viral relapse were identified by using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Relapse rate in patients with cEVR was significantly lower in the fluvastatin group (2 of 23, 8.7%) than in the non‐fluvastatin group (9 of 26, 34.6%; P = 0.042). The use of fluvastatin decreased relapse rate in patients with LVR (27.3% vs 57.1%), though not significantly. Overall, relapse rate was significantly lower in the fluvastatin group (14.7%; 5 of 34) than in the non‐fluvastatin group (39.4%; 13 of 33; P = 0.027). Multivariate analysis identified absence of fluvastatin (P = 0.027, odds ratio [OR] = 3.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05–15.11) and low total ribavirin dose (P = 0.002, OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.38–4.19) as independent factors contributing to relapse.

Conclusion

The concomitant addition of fluvastatin significantly suppressed viral relapse, resulting in the improvement of sustained virological response rate, in PEG‐IFN/ribavirin therapy for CHC patients with HCV genotype 1b and high viral load.
Viral load and alanine aminotransferase correlate with serologic response in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with entecavir
Authors: Wang Chia‐Chi , Tseng Kuo‐Chih , Peng Cheng‐Yuan , Hsieh Tsai‐Yuan , Lin Chih‐Lin , Su Tung‐Hung , Tseng Tai‐Chung , Hsu Ching‐Sheng , Lin Hans Hsienhong , Kao Jia‐Horng
Published: September 2012

Background and Aim

Although entecavir has been shown to have good efficacy and low resistance for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), factors associated with a favorable response remain unknown.

Methods

This was a retrospective, multicenter study of 248 treatment‐naïve hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive patients (69.4% male; median age, 39.4 years) treated with entecavir for more than 1 year, and 15.7% of them had cirrhosis at baseline. The primary endpoints were HBeAg loss and/or seroconversion.

Results

The median baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA were 201 U/L (range, 27–2415 U/L) and 7.6 log10 IU/mL (range, 2.2–13.18), respectively. The median treatment period was 25.3 months (range, 12–69.6). The rates of ALT normalization at years 1, 2, and 3 were 83.1%, 87.9%, and 94.9%, respectively. The cumulative rates of HBeAg loss at years 1, 2, and 3 were 20.3%, 38.0%, and 48.9%, respectively. The rates of undetectable HBV‐DNA at years 1, 2, and 3 were 52.1%, 78.9%, and 82.5%, respectively. Using Cox proportional hazards model, multivariate analysis showed that baseline ALT greater than five times the upper limit of normal, and viral load were independent factors associated with HBeAg loss (hazard ratio: 1.81, and 0.812; 95% confidence interval: 1.062–3.085; 0.7–0.942, respectively).

Conclusion

Entecavir treatment for 3 years can achieve good biochemical and virologic responses in HBeAg‐positive CHB patients, but has a modest effect on HBeAg loss and/or seroconversion. In addition, baseline serum ALT and HBV‐DNA levels are independent factors associated with favorable treatment responses.