bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the effects of curvature and thickness on elastic wave velocity in cornea-like structures by finite element modeling and optical coherence elastography
Authors: Han Zhaolong , Li Jiasong , Singh Manmohan , Aglyamov Salavat R. , Wu Chen , Liu Chih-hao , Larin Kirill V.
Published: June 2015

Wave models that have been used to extract the biomechanical properties of the cornea from the propagation of an elastic wave are based on an assumption of thin-plate geometry. However, this assumption does not account for the effects of corneal curvature and thickness. This study conducts finite element (FE) simulations on four types of cornea-like structures as well as optical coherence elastography (OCE) experiments on contact lenses and tissue-mimicking phantoms to investigate the effects of curvature and thickness on the group velocity of an elastic wave. The elastic wave velocity as determined by FE simulations and OCE of a spherical shell section decreased from ∼2.8 m/s to ∼2.2 m/s as the radius of curvature increased from 19.1 mm to 47.7 mm and increased from ∼3.0 m/s to ∼4.1 m/s as the thickness of the agar phantom increased from 1.9 mm to 5.6 mm. Both the FE simulation and OCE results confirm that the group velocity of the elastic wave decreases with radius of curvature but increases with thickness. These results demonstrate that the effects of the curvature and thickness must be considered in the further development of accurate wave models for reconstructing biomechanical properties of the cornea.
Population ecology of the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) in complex lowland agroecosystems in the Philippines
Authors: Stuart Alexander M. , Singleton Grant R. , Prescott Colin V.
Published: June 2015

Context
Rattus tanezumi (the Asian house rat) is the principal rodent pest of rice and coconut crops in the Philippines. Little is known about the population and breeding ecology of R. tanezumi in complex agroecosystems; thus, current methods of rodent control may be inappropriate or poorly implemented.

Aims
To investigate the habitat use, population dynamics and breeding biology of R. tanezumi in complex lowland agroecosystems of the Sierra Madre Biodiversity Corridor, Luzon, and to develop ecologically based rodent management (EBRM) strategies that will target specific habitats at specific times to improve cost-efficiency and minimise non-target risks.

Methods
An 18-month trapping study was conducted in rice monoculture, rice adjacent to coconut, coconut groves, coconut-based agroforest and forest habitats. Trapped animals were measured, marked and assessed for breeding condition.

Key results
Five species of rodent were captured across all habitats with R. tanezumi the major pest species in both the rice and coconut crops. The stage of the rice crop was a major factor influencing the habitat use and breeding biology of R. tanezumi. In rice fields, R. tanezumi abundance was highest during the tillering to ripening stages of the rice crop and lowest during the seedling stage, whereas in coconut groves abundance was highest from the seedling to tillering stage of nearby rice crops. Peaks in breeding activity occurred from the booting stage of the rice crop until just after harvest, but >10% of females were in breeding condition at each month of the year.

Conclusions
In contrast with the practices applied by rice farmers in the study region, the most effective time for lethal management based on the breeding ecology of R. tanezumi is likely to be during the early stages of the rice crop, before the booting stage. Farmers generally apply control actions as individuals. We recommend coordinated community action. Continuous breeding throughout the year may necessitate two community campaigns per rice cropping season. To limit population growth, the most effective time to reduce nesting habitat is from the booting stage until harvest.

Implications
By adopting EBRM strategies, we expect a reduction in costs associated with rodent control, as well as improved yield and reduced risk to non-target species.
Suppressive functions of B cells in infectious diseases
Authors: Shen Ping , Fillatreau Simon
Published: June 2015

B lymphocytes are often essential to successfully control invading pathogens and play a primary role in the protection afforded by successful vaccines through the production of specific antibodies. However, recent studies have highlighted the complex roles of B cells in infectious diseases, showing unexpectedly that some activated B cells limited host defense towards pathogens. This B-cell function involves production of regulatory cytokines including IL-10 and IL-35 and is reminiscent of the regulatory functions of B cells initially defined in autoimmune diseases. It is now known that various types of microbes including bacteria, helminths and viruses can induce IL-10-expressing B cells with inhibitory functions, indicating that this response is a general component of anti-microbial immunity. Interestingly, IL-10-producing B cells induced in the course of some microbial infections can inhibit concurrent immune responses directed towards unrelated antigens in a bystander manner and as a consequence ameliorate the course of autoimmune or allergic diseases. This could explain how some micro-organisms might provide protection from these pathologies, as formulated in the ‘hygiene hypothesis’. In this review, we discuss the regulatory functions of B cells in bacterial, parasitic and viral infections, taking into account the phenotype of the B cells implicated, the signals controlling their induction and the cell types targeted by their suppressive activities.
Development of an Optimized Pharmacokinetic Model of Dexmedetomidine Using Target-controlled Infusion in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Hannivoort Laura N. , Eleveld Douglas J. , Proost Johannes H. , Reyntjens Koen M. E. M. , Absalom Anthony R. , Vereecke Hugo E. M. , Struys Michel M. R. F.
Published: June 2015

AbstractAbstract

A pharmacokinetic model for dexmedetomidine was developed using a target-controlled infusion targeting a wide range of concentrations in healthy volunteers of both sexes with a wide range of ages and weights. The pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine was described by a three-compartmental model with only weight as a covariate. A small initial distribution volume allows better estimates of high peak concentrations after rapid infusion.

Background:

Several pharmacokinetic models are available for dexmedetomidine, but these have been shown to underestimate plasma concentrations. Most were developed with data from patients during the postoperative phase and/or in intensive care, making them susceptible to errors due to drug interactions. The aim of this study is to improve on existing models using data from healthy volunteers.

Methods:

After local ethics committee approval, the authors recruited 18 volunteers, who received a dexmedetomidine target-controlled infusion with increasing target concentrations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 ng/ml, repeated in two sessions, at least 1 week apart. Each level was maintained for 30 min. If one of the predefined safety criteria was breached, the infusion was terminated and the recovery period began. Arterial blood samples were collected at preset times, and NONMEM (Icon plc, Ireland) was used for model development.

Results:

The age, weight, and body mass index ranges of the 18 volunteers (9 male and 9 female) were 20 to 70 yr, 51 to 110 kg, and 20.6 to 29.3 kg/m2, respectively. A three-compartment allometric model was developed, with the following estimated parameters for an individual of 70 kg: V1 = 1.78 l, V2 = 30.3 l, V3 = 52.0 l, CL = 0.686 l/min, Q2 = 2.98 l/min, and Q3 = 0.602 l/min. The predictive performance as calculated by the median absolute performance error and median performance error was better than that of existing models.

Conclusions:

Using target-controlled infusion in healthy volunteers, the pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine were best described by a three-compartment allometric model. Apart from weight, no other covariates were identified.
Small-area geographic and socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal tumour detection in France
Authors: Fournel Isabelle , Bourredjem Abderrahmane , Sauleau Erik-André , Cottet Vanessa , Dejardin Olivier , Bouvier Anne-Marie , Launoy Guy , Bonithon-Kopp Claire
Published: June 2015

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of area deprivation and primary care facilities on colorectal adenoma detection and on colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in a French well-defined population before mass screening implementation. The study population included all patients aged 20 years or more living in Côte d’Or (France) with either colorectal adenoma or invasive CRC first diagnosed between 1995 and 2002 and who were identified from the Burgundy Digestive Cancer Registry and the Côte d’Or Polyp Registry. Area deprivation was assessed using the European deprivation index on the basis of the smallest French area available (Ilots Regroupés pour l’Information Statistique). Healthcare access was assessed using medical density of general practitioners (GPs) and road distance to the nearest GP and gastroenterologist. Bayesian regression analyses were used to estimate influential covariates on adenoma detection and CRC incidence rates. The results were expressed as relative risks (RRs) with their 95% credibility interval. In total, 5399 patients were diagnosed with at least one colorectal adenoma and 2125 with invasive incident CRC during the study period. Remoteness from GP [RR=0.71 (0.61–0.83)] and area deprivation [RR=0.98 (0.96–1.00)] independently reduced the probability of adenoma detection. CRC incidence was only slightly affected by GP medical density [RR=1.05 (1.01–1.08)] without any area deprivation effect [RR=0.99 (0.96–1.02)]. Distance to gastroenterologist had no impact on the rates of adenoma detection or CRC incidence. This study highlighted the prominent role of access to GPs in the detection of both colorectal adenomas and overall cancers. Deprivation had an impact only on adenoma detection.
Genetic characterization of three qnrS1-harbouring multidrug-resistance plasmids and qnrS1-containing transposons circulating in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Le Vien , Nhu Nguyen Thi Khanh , Cerdeno-Tarraga Ana , Campbell James I. , Tuyen Ha Thanh , Nhu Tran Do Hoang , Tam Pham Thi Thanh , Schultsz Constance , Thwaites Guy , Thomson Nicholas R. , Baker Stephen
Published: June 2015

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) refers to a family of closely related genes that confer decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. PMQR genes are generally associated with integrons and/or plasmids that carry additional antimicrobial resistance genes active against a range of antimicrobials. In Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, we have previously shown a high frequency of PMQR genes within commensal Enterobacteriaceae. However, there are limited available sequence data detailing the genetic context in which the PMQR genes reside, and a lack of understanding of how these genes spread across the Enterobacteriaceae. Here, we aimed to determine the genetic background facilitating the spread and maintenance of qnrS1, the dominant PMQR gene circulating in HCMC. We sequenced three qnrS1-carrying plasmids in their entirety to understand the genetic context of these qnrS1-embedded plasmids and also the association of qnrS1-mediated quinolone resistance with other antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Annotation of the three qnrS1-containing plasmids revealed a qnrS1-containing transposon with a closely related structure. We screened 112 qnrS1-positive commensal Enterobacteriaceae isolated in the community and in a hospital in HCMC to detect the common transposon structure. We found the same transposon structure to be present in 71.4 % (45/63) of qnrS1-positive hospital isolates and in 36.7 % (18/49) of qnrS1-positive isolates from the community. The resulting sequence analysis of the qnrS1 environment suggested that qnrS1 genes are widely distributed and are mobilized on elements with a common genetic background. Our data add additional insight into mechanisms that facilitate resistance to multiple antimicrobials in Gram-negative bacteria in Vietnam.
Excess False Positive Rates in Methods for Differential Gene Expression Analysis using RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Rocke David M , Ruan Luyao , Zhang Yilun , Gossett J. Jared , Durbin-Johnson Blythe , Aviran Sharon
Published: June 2015

Motivation: An important property of a valid method for testing for differential expression is that the false positive rate should at least roughly correspond to the p-value cutoff, so that if 10,000 genes are tested at a p-value cutoff of 10−4, and if all the null hypotheses are true, then there should be only about 1 gene declared to be significantly differentially expressed. We tested this by resampling from existing RNA-Seq data sets and also by matched negative binomial simulations. Results: Methods we examined, which rely strongly on a negative binomial model, such as edgeR, DESeq, and DESeq2, show large numbers of false positives in both the resampled real-data case and in the simulated negative binomial case. This also occurs with a negative binomial generalized linear model function in R. Methods that use only the variance function, such as limma-voom, do not show excessive false positives, as is also the case with a variance stabilizing transformation followed by linear model analysis with limma. The excess false positives are likely caused by apparently small biases in estimation of negative binomial dispersion and, perhaps surprisingly, occur mostly when the mean and/or the dis-persion is high, rather than for low-count genes.
False hope: underprepared students’ pursuit of postsecondary degrees
Authors: Dunston Pamela , Wilkins Julia
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the need for postsecondary education and the gap between students’ academic preparedness and the demands of college-level work.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors examined the advantages and disadvantages of different postsecondary institutions, their admission requirements, the cost of attending and the realities of degree attainment for underprepared students. The authors focus specifically on problems faced by students with weak literacy skills who enroll in universities that do not have admission requirements. They consider the importance of early learning and educational experiences that positively affect college readiness and highlight the responsibilities of institutions and faculty in assisting underprepared students who are enrolled in postsecondary programs.

Findings

– Findings suggest the key to college readiness and postsecondary academic success depend on students’ ability to attain (a) proficiency in literacy at early grade levels, (b) knowledge of expository texts, (c) study strategies, and (d) personal behaviors such as paying attention, completing assignments, persisting in difficult tasks, and self-regulation that contribute to academic success.

Originality/value

– This paper presents a synthesis of findings from reports on postsecondary students’ preparedness for college-level work. In that the authors draw on their experiences as professors in different types of institutions, this article is highly original and makes a unique contribution. Currently, there is a belief in the USA that everyone needs a college education. The authors demonstrate that this view is neither accurate nor realistic.
Children’s literature in the digital world
Authors: Simpson Alyson , Walsh Maureen
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to interrogate the place of literature in the digital world and the way a narrative is represented in digital spaces. In the changing landscape of digital, mobile and virtual texts, the authors aimed to examine how multimodal and animated elements in digital narratives engage young readers and encourage affective and aesthetic reader response?

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was an exploratory, interpretive qualitative research study undertaken in a classroom of 28 10-year-old boys in grade 5. The investigators analysed data recorded during a lesson where students responded to the textual conventions and literary features of a traditional story read in print and multimodal digital format. Two coding systems were used to identify students’ understanding of textual conventions along with the nature of their responses.

Findings

– The results suggested that when students are prompted to attend to the impact of multimodal layering in digital literature, affective, aesthetic and critical responses, they are encouraged in their interpretations. The responses emphasised the importance of teacher scaffolding and development of meta-language in teaching literature in both print and digital form.

Research limitations/implications

– Because of the small sample and limited data set, the research results lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed implications further.

Practical implications

– The paper includes implications for teacher pedagogy, while teaching reading with multimodal narratives in digital form.

Originality/value

– This paper offers insight into the differences between print and multimodal literary texts; it codes students’ responses to multimodal texts and offers a method for analysis.
Recognition of initial welding position for large diameter pipeline based on pulse coupled neural network
Authors: Yang Li Juan , Lou Pei Huang , Qian Xiao Ming
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The main purpose of this paper is to develop a method to recognize the initial welding position for large-diameter pipeline automatically, and introduce the image processing based on pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN) which is adopted by the proposed method.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, a passive vision sensor is designed to capture weld seam images in real time. The proposed method contains two steps. The first step is to detect the rough position of the weld seam, and the second step is to recognize one of the solder joints from the local image and extract its centroid, which is regarded as the initial welding position. In each step, image segmentation and removal of small false regions based on PCNN are adopted to obtain the object regions; then, the traditional image processing theory is used for the subsequent processing.

Findings

– The experimental results show the feasibility and real time of the proposed method. Based on vision sensing technology and PCNN, it is able to achieve the autonomous recognition of initial welding position in large-diameter pipeline welding.

Practical implications

– The proposed method can greatly shorten the time of positioning the initial welding position and satisfy the automatic welding for large-diameter pipeline.

Originality/value

– In the proposed method, the image pre-processing is based on PCNN, which is more robust and flexible in the complex welding environment. After that, traditional image processing theory is adopted for the subsequent processing, of which the processing speed is faster.
Development of ground experiment system for space end-effector capturing the floating target in 3-dimensional space
Authors: Yang Haitao , Xie Zongwu , Sun Kui , Zhao Xiaoyu , Jin Minghe , Li Cao
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of ground experiment system to verify the basic functions of space effector and the capturing reliability of space end-effector for the free-floating target payload in the three-dimensional space. The development of ground experiment system for space end-effector is essential and significant, because it costs too much to launch a space robot or other spacecraft and carry out operation tasks in space. Owing to the negligible gravity in space, which is different from that in the ground environment, ground experiment system for space end-effector should have the capability of verifying the basic functions of space effector and the reliability of space end-effector in capturing the free-floating target payload in space.

Design/methodology/approach

– The ground experiment system for space end-effector mainly adopts the hybrid simulation method, which includes the real hardware experiment and software simulation. To emulate the micro-gravity environment, the contact dynamics simulator is applied to emulating the motion state of the free-floating target payload, while the admittance control is used to realize the “soft” capturing of space end-effector to simulate the real situation in space.

Findings

– With the gravity compensation, the influence of gravity is almost eliminated and the results meet the requirements of the experiment. In the ground experiment, the admittance control is effective and the actual motion state of space end-effector capturing the target in space can be simulated. The experiment results show that space end-effector can capture the free-floating target payload successfully and hopefully have the ability to capture a free-floating target in space.

Originality/value

– The system can verify space end-effector capturing the free-floating target payload in three-dimensional space and imitate the motion of space end-effector capturing the free-floating target in space. The system can also be modified and improved for application in the verification of space robot capturing and docking the target, which is valuable for the ground verification of space applications.
A design approach to the configuration of a prosthetic hand
Authors: Jiang Li , Zeng Bo , Fan Shaowei
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper presents a method to elaborate the selections of these parameters to achieve stable grasps. The performance of a prosthetic hand is mainly determined by its mechanical design. However, the effects of the geometric parameters of the hand configuration and the object sizes on the grasp stability are unknown.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, the thumb functions of human hands are analyzed based on the anatomical model, and the configuration characteristics of the thumbs for typical prosthetic hands are summarized. Then a method of optimizing the thumb configuration is proposed by measuring the kinematic transmission performance of robotics. On the basis of the thumb configuration analysis, a design method of the prosthetic hand configuration is proposed based on form closure theory. The discriminant function of form closure is used to analyze and determine the hand configuration parameters.

Findings

– An application of this method – the newly developed HIT V prosthetic hand – elaborates the optimization of the thumb configuration and the hand configuration, where the relation between the key hand configuration parameters and the discriminant function on condition of satisfying form closure, sustained by analytical equations and graphs, is revealed and visualized. An experimental verification shows that it is an effective method to design the prosthetic hand configuration available for grasping typical objects in our daily life.

Originality/value

– The paper shows how to easily determine the geometric dimensions of the palm, phalanges and hand configuration, so that the desired range of object sizes can be obtained.
Toward ensuring ethical behavior from autonomous systems: a case-supported principle-based paradigm
Authors: Anderson Michael , Anderson Susan Leigh
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose a paradigm of case-supported principle-based behavior (CPB) to help ensure ethical behavior of autonomous machines. The requirements, methods, implementation and evaluation components of the CPB paradigm are detailed.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors argue that ethically significant behavior of autonomous systems can be guided by explicit ethical principles abstracted from a consensus of ethicists. Particular cases of ethical dilemmas where ethicists agree on the ethically relevant features and the right course of action are used to help discover principles needed for ethical guidance of the behavior of autonomous systems.

Findings

– Such a consensus, along with its corresponding principle, is likely to emerge in many areas in which autonomous systems are apt to be deployed and for the actions they are liable to undertake, as we are more likely to agree on how machines ought to treat us than on how human beings ought to treat one another.

Practical implications

– Principles are comprehensive and comprehensible declarative abstractions that succinctly represent this consensus in a centralized, extensible and auditable way. Systems guided by such principles are likely to behave in a more acceptably ethical manner, permitting a richer set of behaviors in a wider range of domains than systems not so guided, and will exhibit the ability to defend this behavior with pointed logical explanations.

Social implications

– A new threshold has been reached where machines are being asked to make decisions that can have an ethically relevant impact on human beings. It can be argued that such machine ethics ought to be the driving force in determining the manner and extent to which autonomous systems should be permitted to interact with them.

Originality/value

– Developing and employing principles for this use is a complex process, and new tools and methodologies will be needed by engineers to help contend with this complexity. The authors offer the CPB paradigm as an abstraction to help mitigate this complexity.
Development and validation of knowledge management performance measurement constructs for small and medium enterprises
Authors: Lee Cheng Sheng , Wong Kuan Yew
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to address the lack of previous studies and to propose a reliable and valid knowledge management performance measurement (KMPM) model for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey instrument containing 13 constructs and 49 items was initially developed and posted to small and medium-sized consultancy firms in Malaysia. Reliability and validity analysis was performed to ensure the quality of the instrument.

Findings

– The developed survey instrument was shown to be reliable, valid and suitable to be applied in SMEs to evaluate their knowledge management (KM) performance.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study is limited to SMEs in the service sector. The results are not suitable to be generalized to the manufacturing sector or larger organizations without further research.

Practical implications

– This study would provide SMEs with a better understanding on KMPM and also a guideline to refer to when measuring their KM performance. Academics can use this study as a basic model to explore KMPM in SMEs and develop new measurement models.

Originality/value

– This study is believed to be the first that has scientifically developed and empirically tested the constructs that represent a comprehensive KMPM model tailored for SMEs.
CRM software success: a proposed performance measurement scale
Authors: Venturini Wander Trindade , Benito Óscar González
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This article aims to seek to provide a performance measurement scale for customer relationship management (CRM) software. The CRM concept is wide, yet prior literature offers only specific approaches. This scale goes beyond specific scenarios, to cover the various perspectives on CRM and provide quantitative validation of the measures.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper describes the complete process for conceptualizing and operationalizing this reflective second-order construct, including a thorough literature review, qualitative research and a quantitative study with 208 companies that have implemented CRM software.

Findings

– Three main, interconnected constructs emerge to measure CRM software performance: customer life cycle, firm performance and operational performance. Retention, loyalty and satisfaction indicators form the customer life-cycle dimension. Firm performance refers to market share, efficiency, product adaptation, and new product launch indicators. The operational dimension includes improvement in sales performance, marketing campaigns, customer service and analysis of customer information.

Research limitations/implications

– This scale guides every element involved in CRM software implementation, toward a common objective.

Practical implications

– The CRM scale supports CRM software industry players and firms that intend to implement CRM software. The three model constructs provide guidelines about which improvements should be noted with a CRM implementation.

Social implications

– This scale help the companies who intend to implement CRM software conduct their agreement with the other parts involved (consultants, software developers and the firm).

Originality/value

– This paper meets an identified need, namely, to provide a CRM software performance measurement scale. The huge, unique sample is exclusive and obtained from a dedicated CRM software developer.
Competencies for knowledge management: development and validation of a scale
Authors: Conchado Andrea , Carot José Miguel , Bas María Carmen
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the current paper is to develop and validate a scale for measuring and managing the acquisition of competences provided by higher education studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– A representative sample of Spanish graduates was obtained in the framework of the REFLEX project. In this questionnaire, a battery of 19 self-assessed items was used to measure the contribution of universities to the acquisition of generic competences. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed.

Findings

– The main competences acquired in higher education according to Spanish graduates can be grouped as follows: innovation, interpersonal, knowledge management, communication, organisational and professional development. Results indicated excellent fit indexes of this six-factor model to data.

Research limitations/implications

– This scale may be particularly useful to understand the process of transition of higher education systems according to Bologna principles. It also represents a significant contribution to the existing research in competency-based education.

Practical implications

– This paper may help higher education institutions to identify improvement areas in their study programmes. Besides, the proposed scale may offer crucial information in the determination of which Bologna principles have been successfully implemented.

Social implications

– Organisations may use these findings to design formal or informal training for new graduates hired by the organisation.

Originality/value

– Despite the recent increasing research in the field of competency-based learning and competences required in graduates’ workplaces, this is the first paper that aims to present a validated scale designed to measure graduate self-assessed competences.
Linkage between knowledge management and manufacturing performance: a structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Tan Li Pin , Wong Kuan Yew
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of knowledge management (KM) on manufacturing performance and the relationships among three KM measures, namely, knowledge resources, KM processes and KM factors. It also determined a collective set of KM metrics based on these three measures.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected using questionnaires posted to 700 manufacturing companies in Malaysia from which 206 usable responses were obtained. The analysis and hypotheses testing were implemented using structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results showed that the constructs of knowledge resources, KM processes and KM factors have significant and direct effects on manufacturing performance. In terms of covariance, the results also indicated that these three constructs were correlated with each other.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample over-represented large firms and the study was a cross-sectional approach that collected data at a single point in time.

Practical implications

– The results obtained would help managers to better understand the linkage between KM and manufacturing performance. They could use the results to manipulate their KM practices to improve their manufacturing performance. The proposed set of KM metrics could also act as a common language and provide directions for future research.

Originality/value

– This paper is one of the first empirical studies that has examined the relationship between KM and manufacturing performance. Furthermore, it has investigated the relationships among knowledge resources, KM processes and KM factors.
Towards increased relevance: context-adapted models of the learning organization
Authors: Örtenblad Anders
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purposes of this paper are to take a closer look at the relevance of the idea of the learning organization for organizations in different generalized organizational contexts; to open up for the existence of multiple, context-adapted models of the learning organization; and to suggest a number of such models.

Design/methodology/approach

– The suggested context-adapted models are deduced from works arguing that not all aspects of the idea of the learning organization should be adopted by organizations in some certain generalized organizational contexts.

Findings

– The idea of the learning organization needs to be reformulated, to some extent, to become fully relevant for public organizations, safety organizations, human service organizations and knowledge-intensive organizations.

Research limitations/implications

– To achieve a more inclusive contingency model than presented in this article, there is a need for further research examining the (full) relevance of the original learning organizational model for organizations in various certain generalized organizational contexts.

Practical implications

– Organizational actors could use one of the suggested context-adapted models fitting their particular organizational context as a starting point when considering adopting the learning organization.

Social implications

– Several adaptations suggested originate in social concerns.

Originality/value

– In contrast to most previous works on the learning organization, this paper adds to the existing literature by proposing several context-adapted models of the learning organization.
Relationships between mixed features and borderline personality disorder in 2811 patients with major depressive episode
Authors: Perugi G. , Angst J. , Azorin J.‐M. , Bowden C. L. , Caciagli A. , Mosolov S. , Vieta E. , Young A. H. ,   the BRIDGE‐II‐Mix Study Group
Published: June 2015

Objective

The study focused on the relationship between mixed depression and borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Method

The sample comprised 2811 patients with a major depressive episode (MDE). Clinical characteristics were compared in patients with (BPD+) and without (BPD−) comorbid BPD and in BPD+ with (MXS+) and without (MXS−) mixed features according to DSM‐5 criteria.

Results

A total of 187 patients (6.7%) met the criteria for BPD. A DSM‐IV‐TR diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) was significantly more frequent in patients with BPD+ than in patients with BPD. Patients with BPD+ were significantly younger and reported lower age at onset than BPD−. Patients with BPD+ also showed more hypomania/mania in first‐degree relatives in comparison with patients with BPD−, as well as more psychiatric comorbidity, mixed features, atypical features, suicide attempts, prior mood episodes and antidepressant‐induced hypo/manic switches. Mixed features according to DSM‐5 criteria were observed in 52 (27.8%) BPD+. In comparison with MXS−, MXS+ were significantly younger at age of onset and at prior mood episode and had experienced more mood episodes and hypo/manic switches with antidepressant treatments.

Conclusion

Major depressive episode patients with comorbid BPD reported a high prevalence of mixed features and BD. The presence of DSM‐5 mixed features in MDE patients with BPD may be associated with complex course and reduced treatment response.
Documenting Arts Practitioners’ Practice in Prisons: ‘What Do You Do in There?’
Authors: ANDERSON KIRSTIN
Published: June 2015

This article explores arts practitioners’ methods in leading workshops with prisoners as part of the Inspiring Change pilot, a co‐ordinated pilot programme of arts interventions that took place in five Scottish prisons throughout 2010. Session review forms, which were completed by arts practitioners after each session, were designed to find out what happened in sessions, what worked well with prisoners in these sessions and what did not. Very little has been written on the arts practitioners’ methods and, in particular, the data gathered from session review forms. This article discusses the data gathered and three themes that came out of the arts practitioners’ responses including ‘Response to planned activity’, ‘Response to working in a prison environment’, and ‘Development of skills for participants’. The article concludes that documenting arts practitioners’ practice can contribute to the understanding of the connection and role of the arts in desistance studies.
Hybrid approach for the two‐dimensional bin packing problem with two‐staged patterns
Authors: Cui Yaodong , Yao Yi , Cui Yi‐Ping
Published: June 2015

This paper presents a two‐phase heuristic approach for the two‐dimensional bin packing problem with two‐staged patterns and nonoriented items. A solution is generated in each phase and the better one is selected. Residual problems are solved by column generation in the first phase, where a partial admitting procedure is used to admit some of the patterns into the phase‐1 solution. The second solution is obtained from solving an integer linear programming problem over the set of all patterns generated in the first phase, where a time limit is used and subsequently the solution may not be optimal over the pattern set. The computational results indicate that the approach yields the best solution quality among the heuristics that use two‐staged or more complex patterns.
Rice potassium transporter OsHAK1 is essential for maintaining potassium‐mediated growth and functions in salt tolerance over low and high potassium concentration ranges
Authors: Chen Guang , Hu Qingdi , Luo Le , Yang Tianyuan , Zhang Song , Hu Yibing , Yu Ling , Xu Guohua
Published: June 2015

Potassium (K) absorption and translocation in plants rely upon multiple K transporters for adapting varied K supply and saline conditions. Here, we report the expression patterns and physiological roles of OsHAK1, a member belonging to the KT/KUP/HAK gene family in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The expression of OsHAK1 is up‐regulated by K deficiency or salt stress in various tissues, particularly in the root and shoot apical meristem, the epidermises and steles of root, and vascular bundles of shoot. Both oshak1 knockout mutants in comparison to their respective Dongjin or Manan wild types showed a dramatic reduction in K concentration and stunted root and shoot growth. Knockout of OsHAK1 reduced the K absorption rate of unit root surface area by ∼50–55 and ∼30%, and total K uptake by ∼80 and ∼65% at 0.05–0.1 and 1 mm K supply level, respectively. The root net high‐affinity K uptake of oshak1 mutants was sensitive to salt stress but not to ammonium supply. Overexpression of OsHAK1 in rice increased K uptake and K/Na ratio. The positive relationship between K concentration and shoot biomass in the mutants suggests that OsHAK1 plays an essential role in K‐mediated rice growth and salt tolerance over low and high K concentration ranges.
Clonal populations of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis are responsible for the outbreaks of bacterial canker in greenhouse tomatoes in Italy
Authors: Ialacci G. M. , Bella P. , Licciardello G. , Strano C. P. , Eichenlaub R. , Gartemann K.‐H. , La Rosa R. , Catara V.
Published: June 2015

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) strains, collected in greenhouses from 17 farms during tomato bacterial canker outbreaks occurring between 2005 and 2008 in Sicily, were analysed by a multiphasic approach. Population studies were conducted to investigate the possible sources of inocula. Cmm strains were characterized by PCR assays targeting virulence genes, fingerprinting techniques, metabolic profiles and virulence. These strains were comparatively analysed with Cmm strains isolated in other parts of Italy over a period of 15 years. Chromosomal genes encoding virulence determinants tomA, ppaA, chpC, and the plasmid‐encoded genes pat‐1 and celA were detected by PCR in all tested strains, except for four Sicilian Cmm strains where the pat‐1 gene was not amplified. Using BOX‐PCR, Cmm strains were differentiated into 13 haplotypes and clonal populations were identified. Cmm strains isolated from different farms in 2008 showed the same BOX‐PCR haplotype. A distinct BOX‐PCR haplotype was obtained from atypical Cmm strains lacking pat‐1 and isolated in 2006/7 from three farms. Cmm strains with two different haplotypes were detected in one farm, whereas the other farms contained strains with only a single haplotype. A new fAFLP protocol based on the amplification of ApaI/MseI fragments was developed and was able to differentiate C. michiganensis subspecies. Different populations were delineated for the multiple outbreaks occurring in Sicily, whereas similar populations were recorded in other Italian regions over a period of 12 years. The results are consistent with previous studies that demonstrate that Cmm outbreaks are associated with propagation material.
Association of Inducible T Cell Costimulator Polymorphisms with Susceptibility and Outcome of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Chinese Han Population
Authors: Hu J. , Li Q.‐L. , Hou S.‐H. , Peng H. , Guo J.‐J.
Published: June 2015

Inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS) functions to regulate cell–cell signalling, immune responses and cell proliferation. ICOS single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may affect protein expression and functions. This study investigated the association of ICOS SNPs with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and outcome in a Chinese population. A total of 1290 Chinese Han individuals were enrolled, including 63 asymptomatic HBV carriers, 220 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB), 249 HBV‐related liver cirrhosis patients (LC), 108 patients with HBV‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 338 patients with natural HBV clearance and 312 healthy subjects (as controls). DNA samples from these subjects were genotyped for four ICOS SNPs (rs11883722, rs10932029, rs1559931 and rs4675379) using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay and analysed. The data showed that genotype and allele frequencies of ICOS SNPs in cases and controls followed the Hardy–Weinberg distribution. The CC genotype of rs4675379 was higher in patients with HBV infection (including AC, CHB, LC and HCC) than in patients with HBV clearance (P = 0.006). Furthermore, the genotype ‘GA’ and the minor allele ‘A’ of rs1559931 were associated with a decreased HCC susceptibility (P < 0.001). Haplotype analysis data showed that ‘GC’ haplotype in block 2 (rs1559931 and rs4675379) had a lower frequency in patients than in HBV‐cleared subjects (P = 0.034), although its overall frequency was only 1.6%. Our study found that ICOS rs1559931 SNP was associated with decreased HBV‐related HCC risk in the studied Chinese Han population, except for patients with natural clearance of HBV.
Path Following and Shape Morphing With a Continuous Slender Mechanism
Authors: Fattahi Javad S. , Spinello Davide
Published: June 2015

We present the continuous model of a mobile slender mechanism that is intended to be the structure of an autonomous hyper-redundant slender robotic system. Rigid body degrees-of-freedom (DOF) and deformability are coupled through a Lagrangian weak formulation that includes control inputs to achieve forward locomotion and shape tracking. The forward locomotion and the shape tracking are associated to the coupling with a substrate that models a generic environment with which the mechanism could interact. The assumption of small deformations around rigid body placements allows to adopt the floating reference kinematic description. By posing the distributed parameter control problem in weak form, we naturally introduce an approximate solution technique based on Galerkin projection on the linear mode shapes of the Timoshenko beam model that is adopted to describe the body of the system. Simulation results illustrate coupling among forward motion and shape tracking as described by the equations governing the system.
Modeling, Control, and Stability Analysis of Heterogeneous Thermostatically Controlled Load Populations Using Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Ghaffari Azad , Moura Scott , Krstić Miroslav
Published: June 2015

Thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) account for more than one-third of the U.S. electricity consumption. Various techniques have been used to model TCL populations. A high-fidelity analytical model of heterogeneous TCL (HrTCL) populations is of special interest for both utility managers and customers (that facilitates the aggregate synthesis of power control in power networks). We present a deterministic hybrid partial differential equation (PDE) model which accounts for HrTCL populations and facilitates analysis of common scenarios like cold load pick up, cycling, and daily and/or seasonal temperature changes to estimate the aggregate performance of the system. The proposed technique is flexible in terms of parameter selection and ease of changing the set-point temperature and deadband width all over the TCL units. We investigate the stability of the proposed model along with presenting guidelines to maintain the numerical stability of the discretized model during computer simulations. Moreover, the proposed model is a close fit to design feedback algorithms for power control purposes. Hence, we present output- and state-feedback control algorithms, designed using the comparison principle and Lyapunov analysis, respectively. We conduct various simulations to verify the effectiveness of the proposed modeling and control techniques.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Link Between Cell Activation State and Its Rheological Impact on the Microscale Flow of Neutrophil Suspensions
Authors: Akenhead Michael L. , Horrall Nolan M. , Rowe Dylan , Sethu Palaniappan , Shin Hainsworth Y.
Published: June 2015

Activated neutrophils have been reported to affect peripheral resistance, for example, by plugging capillaries or adhering to the microvasculature. In vivo and ex vivo data indicate that activated neutrophils circulating in the blood also influence peripheral resistance. We used viscometry and microvascular mimics for in vitro corroboration. The rheological impact of differentiated neutrophil-like HL-60 promyelocytes (dHL60s) or human neutrophil suspensions stimulated with 10 nM fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) was quantified using a cone-plate rheometer (450 s−1 shear rate). To evaluate their impact on microscale flow resistance, we used 10-μm Isopore® membranes to model capillaries as well as single 200 × 50 μm microchannels and networks of twenty 20 × 50 μm microfluidic channels to mimic noncapillary microvasculature. Stimulation of dHL60 and neutrophil populations significantly altered their flow behavior as evidenced by their impact on suspension viscosity. Notably, hematocrit abrogated the impact of leukocyte activation on blood cell suspension viscosity. In micropore filters, activated cell suspensions enhanced flow resistance. This effect was further enhanced by the presence of erythrocytes. The resistance of our noncapillary microvascular mimics to flow of activated neutrophil suspensions was significantly increased only with hematocrit. Notably, it was elevated to a higher extent within the micronetwork chambers compared to the single-channel chambers. Collectively, our findings provide supportive evidence that activated neutrophils passing through the microcirculation may alter hemodynamic resistance due to their altered rheology in the noncapillary microvasculature. This effect is another way neutrophil activation due to chronic inflammation may, at least in part, contribute to the elevated hemodynamic resistance associated with cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension and hypercholesterolemia).