bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How psychotherapeutic exchanges become responsive: A theory‐building case study in the framework of the Assimilation Model
Authors: Meystre Claudia , Kramer Ueli , De Roten Yves , Despland Jean-Nicolas , Stiles William B.
Published: April 2013

Objectives: The Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES) describes eight levels that a problematic experience passes through en route to becoming part of the person's self. Theoretically, progress along this continuum may be facilitated by therapist interventions that are appropriately responsive to the problem's current APES level, in the sense that they help the patient move from the current level to the next. This study aimed to investigate links between therapist intervention choice and progress across APES levels. Design: A theory‐building case study was undertaken to assess and revise hypotheses concerning which therapeutic interventions are optimally responsive at each APES level. Method: Therapeutic interventions, measured by the Comprehensive Psychotherapeutic Interventions Rating Scale and assimilation level, measured by the APES, were assessed in 34 session transcripts of a 30‐year old woman treated with brief psychodynamic therapy for bouts of weeping and diffuse anxiety. Results and conclusion: Results were promising and enabled us to adjust our hypotheses, expanding and elaborating the Assimilation Model. Implications for practice: Our case study showed how specific therapist interventions may facilitate assimilation and underlined the dialogical dimension of the therapy process.
Transfer of Expert Visual Anticipation to a Similar Domain
Authors: Christopher G. Moore , Müller Sean
Published: April 2013

The experiment reported in this paper examined the capability of expert and near-expert baseball batters and novices to transfer anticipatory skill to a cricket batting prediction task. A video-simulation temporal occlusion paradigm was used to first assess the anticipatory skill of expertise groups in a baseball batting prediction task (learning sport) and, second, to assess the capability of expertise groups to transfer anticipation skill to a cricket batting prediction task (transfer sport). Results showed that expert and near-expert baseball batters were superior to novices at anticipating pitch type based upon pre-ball-flight advance information. Only expert baseball batters were capable of transferring their anticipatory skill to predict delivery type based upon advance information in the bowler's action, whilst near-experts and novices relied upon ball-flight information. The findings extend understanding of transfer of learning in the motor domain and some theoretical/empirical concepts of transfer.
Wave of change in the Arab world and chances for a transition to democracy
Authors: Abdelali Abdelkader
Published: April 2013

This article looks at the literature on democratization in the Arab world, and links it to the ongoing political change since the ‘Arab Spring’. Whereas assessing the ongoing events in the Arab world as an ‘Arab Spring’ or revolution is still a matter of speculation, there is a need to re-examine the literature on democratization which is dominated by the hypothesis of Arab and Islamic exceptionalism. This article aims at presenting possible explanations for these theoretical perspectives in light of the ongoing debate on definition, characterization and interpretation of what is actually happening in the Arab world, amidst contradicting representation of facts and data. The study concludes that defining the ‘Arab Spring’ as democratic transformation is a premature judgement. What is happening, instead, can be considered a ‘transition from authoritarianism’. Democratic transition depends on a number of factors that allow for building democratic political institutions and at the same time, diminishing the possibilities of renewal of autocracy and authoritarianism in the Arab world.
Approaches to reforming contemporary religious discourse
Authors: Al-Majd Ahmad Kamal Abou
Published: April 2013

This article attempts to attenuate the exaggerated polarization in contemporary religious discourse in Egyptian society emanating from two flawed positions: a wrong conception of ‘applying Shari’a‘; and a wrong intention whereby deliberate cultural exclusion is practised to eradicate any religious orientation. The main subject of this article are manifestations of deviation of this discourse from the orientation of the original frame of reference of religion: (1) The call for Islam through scaring and intimidation; (2) the tendency to be tough on people, thus increasing obligatory duties and decreasing what is permissible; (3) inattention to the objectives of Shari’a and focusing on its literal aspect; (4) inattention to priorities; (5) belittling the role of the mind in Islamic conceptualization; (6) immersion in the past; and (7) Muslims’ relationship with others. Nevertheless, rationalizing ‘religious discourse’ and working out a kind of consensus seems to be of utmost importance.
Normal dynactin complex function during synapse growth inDrosophilarequires membrane binding by Arfaptin
Authors: Chang Leo , Kreko Tabita , Davison Holly , Cusmano Tim , Wu Yimin , Rothenfluh Adrian , Eaton Benjamin A.
Published: April 2013

Mutations in DCTN1, a component of the dynactin complex, are linked to neurodegenerative diseases characterized by a broad collection of neuropathologies. Because of the pleiotropic nature of dynactin complex function within the neuron, defining the causes of neuropathology in DCTN1 mutants has been difficult. We combined a genetic screen with cellular assays of dynactin complex function to identify genes that are critical for dynactin complex function in the nervous system. This approach identified the Drosophila homologue of Arfaptin, a multifunctional protein that has been implicated in membrane trafficking. We find that Arfaptin and the Drosophila DCTN1 homologue, Glued, function in the same pathway during synapse growth but not during axonal transport or synapse stabilization. Arfaptin physically associates with Glued and other dynactin complex components in the nervous system of both flies and mice and colocalizes with Glued at the Golgi in motor neurons. Mechanistically, membrane binding by Arfaptin mediates membrane association of the dynactin complex in motor neurons and is required for normal synapse growth. Arfaptin represents a novel dynactin complex–binding protein that specifies dynactin complex function during synapse growth.
Influencing Natural Forest Disturbance through Timber Harvesting: Tradeoffs among Disturbance Processes, Forest Values, and Timber Condition
Authors: Sims Charles
Published: April 2013

Governments provide technical, political, and financial incentives to encourage timber harvesting for the purpose of mitigating natural forest disturbance. To provide guidance concerning these incentives, this paper integrates a natural disturbance regime into a dynamic model of forest management. The model is used to estimate live and salvage timber harvest subsidies needed to incorporate disturbance‐mitigating benefits before and after three types of natural disturbance: insect outbreak, storm, and wildfire. While not specific to a particular country or state, results indicate that the degree of forest mortality may be a poor metric for gauging management response due to various degrees of endogeneity across different types of disturbance events. The live timber harvesting subsidy is substantial but quickly declines after a disturbance event. In contrast, salvage subsidies increase following a disturbance event but remain modest.
INstruct: a database of high-quality 3D structurally resolved protein interactome networks
Authors: Meyer Michael J. , Das Jishnu , Wang Xiujuan , Yu Haiyuan
Published: April 2013

Summary: INstruct is a database of high-quality, 3D, structurally resolved protein interactome networks in human and six model organisms. INstruct combines the scale of available high-quality binary protein interaction data with the specificity of atomic-resolution structural information derived from co-crystal evidence using a tested interaction interface inference method. Its web interface is designed to allow for flexible search based on standard and organism-specific protein and gene-naming conventions, visualization of protein architecture highlighting interaction interfaces and viewing and downloading custom 3D structurally resolved interactome datasets.

Availability: INstruct is freely available on the web at http://instruct.yulab.org with all major browsers supported.

Contact:  haiyuan.yu@cornell.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Risk assessment for incident heart failure in individuals with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Schnabel Renate B. , Rienstra Michiel , Sullivan Lisa M. , Sun Jenny X. , Moser Carlee B. , Levy Daniel , Pencina Michael J. , Fontes João D. , Magnani Jared W. , McManus David D. , Lubitz Steven A. , Tadros Thomas M. , Wang Thomas J. , Ellinor Patrick T. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Benjamin Emelia J.
Published: April 2013

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a strong risk factor for heart failure (HF); HF onset in patients with AF is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Risk factors that predict HF in individuals with AF in the community are not well established.

Methods and results

We examined clinical variables related to the 10‐year incidence of HF in 725 individuals (mean 73.3 years, 45% women) with documented AF in the Framingham Heart Study. Event rates for incident HF (n = 161, 48% in women) were comparable in women (4.30 per 100 person‐years) and men (3.34 per 100 person‐years). Age, body mass index, ECG LV hypertrophy, diabetes, significant murmur, and history of myocardial infarction were positively associated with incident HF in multivariable models (C‐statistic 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.67–0.75). We developed a risk algorithm for estimating absolute risk of HF in AF patients with good model fit and calibration (adjusted calibration χ2 statistic 7.29; Pχ2 = 0.61). Applying the algorithm, 47.6% of HF events occurred in the top tertile in men compared with 13.1% in the bottom tertile, and 58.4% in women in the upper tertile compared with 18.2% in the lowest category. For HF type, women had a non‐significantly higher incidence of HF with preserved EF compared with men.

Conclusions

We describe advancing age, LV hypertrophy, body mass index, diabetes, significant heart murmur, and history of myocardial infarction as clinical predictors of incident HF in individuals with AF. A risk algorithm may help identify individuals with AF at high risk of developing HF.
Nursery habitat availability limits adult stock sizes of predatory coastal fish
Authors: Sundblad Göran , Bergström Ulf , Sandström Alfred , Eklöv Peter
Published: April 2013

Habitat protection is a strategy often proposed in fisheries management to help maintain viable populations of exploited species. Yet, quantifying the importance of habitat availability for population sizes is difficult, as the precise distribution of essential habitats is poorly known. To quantify the contribution from coastal nursery habitats to exploited fish population sizes, we related adult density to the amount of nursery habitat available for 12 populations of the two dominant predatory fish species in a 40 000-km2 archipelago area of the Baltic Sea. Habitat distribution was mapped using three conceptually different techniques, Maxent, generalized additive models, and random forest, using spawning and 0-group point samples. Adult densities were estimated from gillnet surveys. Regressions demonstrated no evident effect from fishing, whereas habitat availability had a positive effect, explaining almost half of the variation in population sizes of both species. This result shows that a substantial proportion of the potential production of adult fish can be estimated by mapping essential nursery habitats distribution. Responses were non-linear, indicating that habitat protection has largest effects where there is little available habitat. By demonstrating the importance of habitat limitation of two exploited fish species, we provide quantitative support to the benefits of habitat protection for fisheries.
Fixation probabilities for simple digraphs
Authors: Voorhees Burton , Murray Alex
Published: April 2013

The problem of finding birth–death fixation probabilities for configurations of normal and mutants on an
N
-vertex graph is formulated in terms of a Markov process on the 2

N

-dimensional state space of possible configurations. Upper and lower bounds on the fixation probability after any given number of iterations of the birth–death process are derived in terms of the transition matrix of this process. Consideration is then specialized to a family of graphs called circular flows, and we present a summation formula for the complete bipartite graph, giving the fixation probability for an arbitrary configuration of mutants in terms of a weighted sum of the single-vertex fixation probabilities. This also yields a closed-form solution for the fixation probability of bipartite graphs. Three entropy measures are introduced, providing information about graph structure. Finally, a number of examples are presented, illustrating cases of graphs that enhance or suppress fixation probability for fitness
r
>1 as well as graphs that enhance fixation probability for only a limited range of fitness. Results are compared with recent results reported in the literature, where a positive correlation is observed between vertex degree variance and fixation probability for undirected graphs. We show a similar correlation for directed graphs, with correlation not directly to fixation probability but to the difference between fixation probability for a given graph and a complete graph.
Inversion and decoupling of thermo-mechanical deformation in anisotropic materials using the virtual fields method
Authors: Ma Yinji , Yao Xuefeng , Liu Xiaoyu , Hao Wenfeng , Fang Daining
Published: April 2013

In this paper, the inverses of both the elastic constants and the thermal expansion coefficients of anisotropic materials are used to decouple thermo-mechanical deformation using the virtual fields method (VFM). First, a method for inversing and decoupling the thermo-mechanical deformation field under three-point bending loading is proposed based on the VFM. Second, thermo-mechanical coupled deformation of the three-point bending specimen is simulated by means of the finite-element method, and the inverse of the thermo-mechanical elastic constants are used, which agree well with the reference value. Finally, the influences of the noise level on the accuracy of the thermo-mechanical constants from the VFM are discussed. The results will provide a new method for characterizing thermo-mechanical elastic constants and decoupling the thermo-mechanical deformation of anisotropic materials under high-temperature environments.
Rotavirus core shell subdomains involved in polymerase encapsidation into virus-like particles
Authors: Boudreaux Crystal E. , Vile Donald C. , Gilmore Brian L. , Tanner Justin R. , Kelly Deborah F. , McDonald Sarah M.
Published: April 2013

The triple-layered rotavirus virion encases an 11-segmented, dsRNA genome and 11–12 copies of the viral polymerase (VP1). VP1 transcribes and replicates the genome while tethered beneath the VP2 core shell. Genome replication (i.e. minus-strand RNA synthesis) by VP1 occurs in association with core assembly. During this process, VP2 directly engages VP1, thereby (i) packaging the polymerase into a nascent core and (ii) triggering the enzyme to initiate minus-strand RNA synthesis on bound plus-strand RNA templates. Recent work has shed light on VP2 regions important for VP1 enzymic activity. In the current study, we sought to investigate VP2 subdomains involved in the encapsidation of VP1 into recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs), which are formed of VP2 and the middle layer virion protein (VP6). We showed that strain SA11 VLPs efficiently encapsidated SA11 VP1, but not the genetically divergent Bristol VP1. VLPs made with an SA11 VP2 mutant lacking residues 1–10 of the amino-terminal domain (NTD) were still able to encapsidate VP1; however, removal of the entire NTD (residues 1–102) completely abolished polymerase packaging. We also showed that a chimeric VP2 protein containing the NTD and dimer-forming subdomain of strain Bristol VP2 can efficiently encapsidate SA11 VP1. These results suggest that the VP2 NTD and dimer-forming subdomain play important, albeit non-specific, roles in both VP1 packaging and activation. When combined with previous work, the results of this study support the notion that the same VP2 regions that engage VP1 during activation are also involved in packaging the enzyme into the core.
Tumor suppressor activity of the ERK/MAPK pathway by promoting selective protein degradation
Authors: Deschênes-Simard Xavier , Gaumont-Leclerc Marie-France , Bourdeau Véronique , Lessard Frédéric , Moiseeva Olga , Forest Valérie , Igelmann Sebastian , Mallette Frédérick A. , Saba-El-Leil Marc K. , Meloche Sylvain , Saad Fred , Mes-Masson Anne-Marie , Ferbeyre Gerardo
Published: April 2013

Constitutive activation of growth factor signaling pathways paradoxically triggers a cell cycle arrest known as cellular senescence. In primary cells expressing oncogenic ras, this mechanism effectively prevents cell transformation. Surprisingly, attenuation of ERK/MAP kinase signaling by genetic inactivation of Erk2, RNAi-mediated knockdown of ERK1 or ERK2, or MEK inhibitors prevented the activation of the senescence mechanism, allowing oncogenic ras to transform primary cells. Mechanistically, ERK-mediated senescence involved the proteasome-dependent degradation of proteins required for cell cycle progression, mitochondrial functions, cell migration, RNA metabolism, and cell signaling. This senescence-associated protein degradation (SAPD) was observed not only in cells expressing ectopic ras, but also in cells that senesced due to short telomeres. Individual RNAi-mediated inactivation of SAPD targets was sufficient to restore senescence in cells transformed by oncogenic ras or trigger senescence in normal cells. Conversely, the anti-senescence viral oncoproteins E1A, E6, and E7 prevented SAPD. In human prostate neoplasms, high levels of phosphorylated ERK were found in benign lesions, correlating with other senescence markers and low levels of STAT3, one of the SAPD targets. We thus identified a mechanism that links aberrant activation of growth signaling pathways and short telomeres to protein degradation and cellular senescence.
Strategic human asset management: evidence from North America
Authors: Ananthram Subramaniam , Nankervis Alan , Chan Christopher
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Human resource management (HRM) theory has transitioned in recent decades towards “human capital” and “human assets” frameworks that emphasize strategic choice and “investment”, which are concepts borrowed from strategic management, accounting and economic theories. This paper aims to explore the perspectives of strategic human asset management theory, which involves strategic agility and knowledge management.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was based on semi‐structured interviews with 30 senior executives of multinational firms in Canada and the USA in 2009, following the global financial crisis. The qualitative findings were analyzed using the NVivo software (version 8) package.

Findings

The research findings suggest that many North American multinational firms recognize the value of this new interpretation of HRM and are attempting to implement it through “strategic human asset management” in their own firms. The paper concludes with some practical recommendations for line managers and HR professionals in their human assets management imperatives.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings is limited by the relatively small sample size and qualitative nature of the study. However, they provide some interesting implications for HR professionals who wish to transform their role into that of a strategic business partner through innovative human asset management strategies.

Originality/value

The paper builds on previous research by exploring the applications of the concepts of strategic human asset management, strategic agility, and knowledge management within the context of US and Canadian multinational firms.
Sustainability as a learning challenge
Authors: Coleman Gill
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report and reflect on a decade‐long action experiment to devise a form of business education for sustainability that helps managers act as “pro‐sustainability” agents of change. It offers one example of practice in this evolving field, for scholarly scrutiny and discussion.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on action research principles, which engage theory with practice, and action with reflection. It is written as a reflective account of the author's experience.

Findings

This educational programme for managers locates itself as a form of business education for sustainability whilst simultaneously acknowledging that the managerialist assumptions underpinning this aspiration are part of the problem that change for sustainability needs to address. This raises challenges both for the tutor team and participants. Tentative conclusions are reached about the paradoxical nature of educational practice in this contested space, in the light of current trends in higher education.

Originality/value

The paper explores an innovative educational experiment in which the questions raised have wider significance for how managers are helped to bring about pro‐sustainability change.
The role of coachee characteristics in executive coaching for effective sustainability
Authors: Bozer Gil , Sarros James C. , Santora Joseph C.
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Executive coaching is gaining in popularity as a management developmental activity which facilitates organisational change for sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among coachee feedback receptivity, pre‐training motivation, learning goal orientation, developmental self‐efficacy, self‐reported job performance improvement, self‐awareness, task performance and affective commitment in terms of executive coaching effectiveness as a form of management development.

Design/methodology/approach

A non‐randomised controlled trial research design was conducted to examine the hypothesized relationships among coachee characteristics and executive coaching effectiveness, as reflected in greater levels of individual outcomes in corporate Israel.

Findings

A significant interaction between learning goal orientation and pre‐training motivation on improvement in job self‐reported performance was found. Additionally, a negative relationship was found between learning goal orientation and improvement in self‐reported job performance among coachees with low levels of pre‐training motivation. Finally, self‐efficacy demonstrates a positive relationship with job performance improvement.

Originality/value

This research provides greater insights about the type of individual outcomes executive coaching should achieve, and under which conditions coaching is likely to be more beneficial for participants. This research has value for designing and implementing coaching programmes to drive sustainable development and innovation.
Market competitiveness and quality performance in high‐contact service industries
Authors: Yee Rachel W.Y. , Yeung Andy C.L. , Edwin Cheng T.C. , Lee Peter K.C.
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore conceptually and examine empirically the impact of market competitiveness on employee satisfaction, service quality, and customer satisfaction in high‐contact service industries.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted in high‐contact service shops in Hong Kong. Dyadic data were collected from 210 high‐contact service shops and were analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results confirm that market competitiveness has a direct impact on service quality, not employee satisfaction. The findings also reveal that service quality affects customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to employee satisfaction, forming a “quality‐customer satisfaction‐employee satisfaction cycle”.

Practical implications

The results recommend that firms take a long‐term perspective towards investment in understanding the competitiveness of the market. Such an understanding helps managers identify and implement appropriate quality‐improvement activities, such as establishing quality standards, providing appropriate job description to service employees, and adopting a customer‐oriented strategy, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction in a cyclic manner.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a detailed understanding of how service firms should strategically respond to market competitiveness.
Leveraged and inverse ETF performance during the financial crisis
Authors: Shum Pauline M. , Kang Jisok
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Leveraged and inverse ETFs (hereafter leveraged ETFs) have received much press coverage of late due to issues with their performance. Managers and the media have focused investors' attention on the impact of compounding, when the funds are held for more than one day. The aim of this paper is to lay out a framework for assessing the performance of leveraged ETFs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a simple way to disentangle the effect of compounding and that of the management of the fund and the trading premiums/discounts, all of which affect investors' bottom line. The former is influenced by the effectiveness and the costs of the manager's (synthetic) replication strategy and the use of leverage. The latter reflects liquidity and the efficiency of the market.

Findings

The paper finds that tracking errors were not caused by the effects of compounding alone. Depending on the fund, the impact of management factors can outweigh the impact of compounding, and substantial premiums/discounts caused by reduced liquidity during the financial crisis further distorted performance.

Originality/value

The authors propose a framework for practitioners to evaluate the performance of leveraged ETFs. This framework highlights a very topical issue, that of the impact of synthetic replication, which all leveraged ETFs use. Financial regulators such as the SEC and the Financial Stability Board have all taken issue with synthetically replicated ETFs. In leveraged ETFs, this issue is masked by the effects of compounding. The framework the authors propose allows investors to disentangle the two effects.
Full wave numerical modelling of terahertz systems for nondestructive evaluation of dielectric structures
Authors: Lopato Przemyslaw , Chady Tomasz , Sikora Ryszard , Gratkowski Stanislaw , Ziolkowski Marcin
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the full‐wave modelling of pulsed terahertz systems utilized in non‐destructive testing.

Design/methodology/approach

At the outset, some basic information on the terahertz NDT are outlined and then, general remarks on its numerical modelling are presented. Frequency domain FEM and time domain FDTD analysis is carried out. Finally comparison of computed and measured signals is shown in order to prove numerical analysis correctness.

Findings

It is possible to model in a relatively simple way a terahertz system for nondestructive evaluation of dielectric materials. In contrast to other published work, the entire measuring setup is modelled, including photoconductive antenna with hemispherical lens, focusing lens and evaluated material with exemplary defect.

Originality/value

This paper gives a description of the terahertz non‐destructive testing system with comparison of simulated and measured results.
Determination of correction coefficients of the slot leakage inductance for multi‐phase machines
Authors: Király István
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The part of the stator leakage inductance whose quantity changes with the coil pitch is the slot leakage inductance. The purpose of this paper is to determine an analytical expression which accounts for various slot shapes and the coil pitch change. This approach contrasts with the standard one, in which the same characteristics are inaccurately assumed for each slot shape. A further advantage of the proposed analytical expression is that it can also be used to model the slot leakage inductance for different phase numbers.

Design/methodology/approach

From the calculated coefficients of a slot by the Finite Element Method (FEM), the characteristics of the slot leakage coefficients are determined by an analytical expression. This helps one to study the connection between the slot shape types and the characteristics of slot leakage coefficients for different phase numbers.

Findings

The coefficients, which describe the change of slot leakage, are not the same for every slot type. These inaccuracies can result in deviation from the presented values in the classical literature.

Originality/value

By use of parameters, gained from the FEM calculation of a slot, the characteristics of the slot leakage coefficient can be determined as the function of winding pitch for different phase numbers by an analytical expression. Good accuracy of the analytical method is verified by the determination of the characteristics from the measurement of the two‐, three‐ and six‐phase windings and by the finite element calculations. Beside the speed of the process, it gives an overview about the connection between the slot shape and the coefficients.
A systematic literature review of semiotics perception in user interfaces
Authors: Nazrul Islam Muhammad
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The underlying objective of this literature review was to investigate what kinds of semiotics researches have been employed in user interfaces design and usability evaluation, and how were they employed.

Design/methodology/approach

This research follows a systematic literature review process that consists of three key stages: planning the review, conducting the review, and reporting the review. Starting with an initial set of about 1,000 research articles, 65 were selected for this review, using an inclusion and exclusion criteria. Qualitative and quantitative data were extracted from the selected literatures following a data extraction strategy in six themes of data extraction. The extracted data were synthesized to formulate the stated research questions to obtain the review goals.

Findings

This systematic review identified research strengths, gaps, and challenges. Apart from this, further research possibilities were also explored in this review. For research, the review showed clear needs for more researches to increase both the number and the quality of studies that can be focused on the research gaps identified by this systematic review related to: outcome validation; cultural issues consideration; user interfaces of mobile applications and websites; semiotics perception in usability evaluation; and further improve the value and applicability of research ideas. For practice, the review showed the significance of semeiotics in user interface design and usability evaluation to develop users' intuitive interfaces for boosting the system's usability.

Originality/value

Based on a systematic literature review, the paper not only depicts the current status of semiotics research in user interface design and evaluation, but also provides a number of implications for research and practice. Thus, the review contributes to the scientific community of user interface design and evaluation, as well as suggesting the actual advances in the state of the practice in semiotics research on user interface.
Microwave studies by perturbation of Ag thick film microstrip ring resonator using superstrate of bismuth strontium manganites
Authors: Mathad S.N. , Jadhav R.N. , Puri Vijaya
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to determine the complex permittivity of bismuth strontium manganites (Bi1−xSrxMnO3) in the 8‐12 GHz range by using perturbation of Ag thick film microstrip ring resonator (MSRR) due to superstrate of both bulk and thick film.

Design/methodology/approach

The BSM ceramics were synthesized by simple low cost solid state reaction method and their fritless thick films were fabricated by screen printing technique on alumina substrate. A comparison has been made between the X band response of Ag thick film microstrip ring resonator due to perturbation of bulk and thick film Bi1−xSrxMnO3 ceramic.

Findings

The bulk and thick film superstrate decreases the resonance frequency of MSRR. In this technique even minor change in the properties of superstrate material changes the MSRR response. Variation of strontium content also influences microwave conductivity and penetration depth of bulk and thick films.

Originality/value

The microwave complex permittivity decreases with increase in Sr content in bismuth manganite and it is higher for bulk as compared to its thick films. The superstrate on Ag thick film microstrip ring resonator is an efficient tool capable of detecting the composition dependent changes in microwave properties of ceramic bulk and thick films.
Medication errors, handoff processes and information quality
Authors: Chircu Alina M. , Gogan Janis L. , Boss Scott R. , Baxter Ryan
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how clinical handoffs affect clinical information quality (IQ) and medication administration quality.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was conducted in a US hospital. The authors applied a business process management (BPM) perspective to analyze an end‐to‐end medication administration process and related handoffs, and accounting control theory (ACT) to examine the impact of handoffs on IQ and medication errors.

Findings

The study reveals how handoffs can lead to medication errors (by passing information that is not complete, accurate, timely or valid) and can help reduce errors (by preventing, detecting and correcting information quality flaws or prior clinical mistakes).

Research limitations/implications

The paper reports on one case study on one hospital unit. Future studies can investigate the impact of clinical IQ on patient safety across the multitude of health information technologies (e.g. computerized provider order entry (CPOE), electronic medication administration records (EMAR), and barcode medication administration systems (BCMA)) and approaches to process design and support (e.g. use of clinical pathways and checklists).

Practical implications

The findings can contribute to more successful design, implementation and evaluation of medication administration and other clinical processes, ultimately improving patient safety.

Originality/value

The paper's main contribution is the use of accounting control theory to systematically focus on IQ to evaluate and improve end‐to‐end medical administration processes.
Competitor analysis and accounting of social networking site service companies in China
Authors: Steve Fong C.C. , Wong John
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to employ competitive analysis and accounting (CAA) spectrum to analyze the growth and development of social networking site (SNS) service industry in China. SNS service is a modern social cultural issue that affects communication channels and mannerisms.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper mainly utilizes archival resources as company financial reports and newspaper clippings online to provide a business and social developmental context to the study. Competitor analysis and accounting framework and organizational life‐cycle stages are utilized.

Findings

The study illustrates competitive analysis and accounting in modern telecommunication business. It explores the perception of contemporary management accounting, and then raises an awareness of the relationship among accounting, business strategy, and social life.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is based on two case studies; the findings may not be generalizable to other contemporary culture service companies. The cases have shown certain reasons why different CAA techniques are used by the companies in various stages of the organizational life cycle.

Practical implications

First, in their start‐up stage, both Tencent and Renren, two SNS service companies, engage in product development to obtain founding resources and acquire customers so as to enhance market share. Second, in their growth stage, the two companies engage in product financing through capital market. Tencent even further extends its business to trade financing.

Originality/value

Accounting has attained an increased importance for SNS in the social media culture. Such connection is especially found in competitor analysis and accounting in different stages of the organizational life cycles as addressed in the study.
The adoption of Toyota Way principles in large Chinese construction firms
Authors: Shang Gao , Sui Pheng Low
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Since lean thinking has begun to be successfully implemented in manufacturing, the concept and its associated principles have become increasingly popular in the construction industry. The purpose of this research is to present an empirical study of the Toyota Way model in China's construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the results of a study conducted in China using a questionnaire survey to examine the extent to which the Toyota Way principles have been adopted by large Chinese construction firms. A total of 93 Chinese building professionals participated in the survey in China.

Findings

The Toyota Way is the “mother platform” of lean thinking, cutting across operational improvement strategies, people management, proactive problem‐solving approaches, and organizational culture elements. The results show some encouraging findings, in that a number of actionable attributes derived from Toyota Way principles have been adopted at least to some extent. However, implementing firms may still be subject to falling into the same traps and making the same implementation “mistakes” as have been seen elsewhere, as they often deployed this comprehensive management model in less than systematic ways.

Originality/value

The results also indicate that all the Toyota Way attributes were perceived as important by the respondents. The focus of the study is to discuss those attributes perceived as being highly important, yet less implemented. It is suggested that direct efforts and resources are needed to enhance these practices at the beginning. The results are also discussed in connection with their possible implications and suggestions for further research.
The challenges and opportunities in contemporary public sector leadership
Authors: Tizard John
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Public services will face major challenges over the next decade; severe financial pressures and cuts; growing demand; raising public and user expectations; decentralisation and community empowerment; opportunities to deploy new technology; and global competition. This will result in a changing relationship between citizen and services users with the state and service providers. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges and opportunities in contemporary public sector leadership which face executive leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper considers what public service leaders will need to do; how they will need to behave; and the competencies and styles of leadership that will be required. It is a commentary and thought piece based on the author's wide experience, conversations with leaders from all sectors in the UK and his advisory and research projects.

Findings

There will be a paradigm shift in the relationship between the business, public, social and third sectors and this will require more effective collaboration between the sectors. The result of these far‐reaching changes is the need for a strong, outcome focused and collaborative leadership across all sectors, and specifically in the public sector. Leadership will be critical.

Originality/value

This article provides challenge and advice for leaders in the public sector and in the business, social and third sectors who work with the public sector and are responsible for public service delivery. It should enable leaders and potential leaders to consider how they can develop and practise collaborative leadership personally and within their organisations.
Developing smart and safe organizations: an evolutionary approach
Authors: Gotcheva Nadezhda , Watts Germaine , Oedewald Pia
Published: April 2013

Purpose

This paper proposes an evolutionary approach to developing smart and safe organizations based on an alignment of two frameworks, an integrated safety culture model and an intelligent organizational systems model. It argues that diversity of propensities, defined as innate tendencies in individuals or groups to behave in particular ways shapes the potential for growth and evolution of organizations. It highlights the critical role of human systems and leadership in maintaining coherence and dealing with the challenges of increased complexity as organizations evolve.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper aligns the Intelligent Organizational Systems (IOS) evolutionary model and the Design for Integrated Safety Culture (DISC) model to describe evolutionary development of safety practice in organizations. The result is an ‘evolution matrix’, that reveal the links between safety performance and organizational evolution.

Findings

Development of an organization's capacity for safety consciousness through diversification of propensities and different cohering leadership capabilities gives organizations a new way of improving safety.

Practical implications

The evolution matrix can be used by leaders to systematically assess and enhance system capacity for addressing safety challenges.

Originality/value

The paper represents the first attempt at exploring the conscious development of safety‐critical organizations from an evolutionary perspective. It advances understanding of how organizations can evolve safely within ever‐changing environments.
Does worker loyalty pay? Evidence from transition economies
Authors: Linz Susan , Good Linda , Busch Michael
Published: April 2013

Purpose

Does worker loyalty benefit workers? This paper aims to address this question.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data collected from over 10,880 employees in more than 655 workplaces in six transition economies, the authors first document the nature of worker loyalty using three alternative measures. They use ordered probit regression analysis to investigate links between loyalty, expected rewards, and performance. Second, they use OLS regression analysis to identify the association between earnings and loyalty.

Findings

Among participants in this study, loyalty is positively associated with expected rewards and performance. Loyalty also is positively associated with earnings. In three cases, loyalty has larger influence on earnings than an additional year of experience.

Research limitations/implications

Country samples are not nationally representative; data are cross‐sectional rather than longitudinal.

Practical implications

What strategies might firms adopt to install or enhance worker loyalty?

Originality/value

This paper uses multiple loyalty measures and comparable data collected from culturally and economically diverse countries. It undertakes explicit consideration of benefits to workers associated with loyal behavior.
Effects of different prebiotic stabilisers and types of molasses on physicochemical, sensory, colour and mineral characteristics of probiotic set yoghurt
Authors: Karaca Oya B
Published: April 2013

The physicochemical, sensory, properties and mineral profile of probiotic set yoghurts prepared with different prebiotic stabilisers (pectin and guar) at 0.5% (w/v) and different molasses (grape, mulberry and carob) at 10% (v/v) were investigated. Guar‐supplemented yoghurts had the lowest titratable acidity values (P < 0.01) also the highest water‐holding capacity values (P < 0.01). However, guar had a negative effect on gel firmness and sensory properties of yoghurts. The effect of different stabilisers and molasses on colour L* and a*values was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Panelists gave the highest flavour scores to the pectin‐added yoghurts during storage period (P < 0.01).
The effect of natural and liquid smokes on the benzo[a] pyrene content and quality parameters of Circassian cheese
Authors: Aydinol Pinar , Ozcan Tulay
Published: April 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of natural smoke and liquid smoke application methods on quality characteristics of smoked Circassian cheese. The microbial counts of liquid smoked cheeses were found to be higher than naturally smoked cheeses. It can be concluded that although natural smoke inhibited the growth of micro‐organisms more than liquid smoke application, benzo[a]pyrene, an indicator component for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), was detected on the outer surface of naturally smoked cheeses. Therefore, liquid smoking could be used as an alternative method for smoked Circassian cheese production.
Formation of Heterocyclic Amines in Salami and Ham Pizza Toppings During Baking of Frozen Pizza
Authors: Gibis Monika , Weiss Jochen
Published: April 2013

Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are formed as Maillard reaction products in the crust of meat products during heating processes. Two typical pizza toppings—salami and cooked ham—were analyzed for the presence of HAs after baking frozen pizzas at top and bottom temperatures of 250 and 230 °C, respectively. After baking pizza slices for 12 min, MeIQx (2‐amino‐3,4,8‐trimethylimidazo[4,5‐f]quinoxaline; 0.2 ng/g), 4,8‐DiMeIQx (2‐amino‐3,8‐dimethylimidazo[4,5‐f]quinoxaline; 0.5 ng/g), PhIP (2‐amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo[4,5‐b]pyridine; 0.2 ng/g), norharman (4.5 ng/g), and harman (2.5 ng/g) were found in the ham toppings, whereas only the comutagenic norharman (107.4 ng/g) and harman (11.4 ng/g) were found in the salami toppings. The content of MeIQx and 4,8‐DiMeIQx in ham increased from 0.3 to 1.8 ng/g and 0.8 to 1.6 ng/g, respectively, when the recommended baking time was increased from 15 min (manufacturer's specification) to 18 min at 230 °C. MeIQx was formed in salami when the heating time was extended to 18 min. Moreover, higher concentrations of PhIP in salami or ham slices were found when baking temperatures were 250 °C rather than 230 °C (baking time of 12 min). However, sensory tests showed that panelists preferred longer‐baked pizzas due to an increased crispiness. Thus, results show that a substantial formation of HAs may occur in pizza toppings such as ham and salami, with ham being particularly susceptible when compared to salami. Formation of HAs increases with increasing baking time and temperature. The occurrence of the cupping of ham or salami slices during baking may also increase the formation of HAs.