bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tandem catalysis for the production of alkyl lactates from ketohexoses at moderate temperatures
Authors: Orazov Marat , Davis Mark E.
Published: September 2015

Significance

Retro-aldol reactions of biomass-derived monosaccharides enable the production of a number of industrially relevant, renewable platform chemicals (e.g., C
2
–C
4
α-hydroxy carboxylic acids, acrylic acid, and esters thereof; and ethylene and propylene glycol). Here, we show a set of retro-aldol catalysts that can perform these reactions at significantly lower temperatures (∼100 °C) than previously reported, and demonstrate that these catalysts enable the key retro-aldol step when used in combination with a 1,2-hydride shift catalyst to create a reaction cascade that converts ketohexoses to lactic acid. The use of moderate temperatures enables numerous desirable features such as lower pressure and significantly less catalyst deactivation.
Liouville properties for 𝑝-harmonic maps with finite 𝑞-energy
Authors: Chang Shu-Cheng , Chen Jui-Tang , Wei Shihshu
Published: September 2015

We introduce and study an approximate solution of the

p
p

-Laplace equation and a linearlization

L

ϵ

\mathcal {L}_{\epsilon }

of a perturbed

p
p

-Laplace operator. By deriving an

L

ϵ

\mathcal {L}_{\epsilon }

-type Bochner’s formula and Kato type inequalities, we prove a Liouville type theorem for weakly

p
p

-harmonic functions with finite

p
p

-energy on a complete noncompact manifold

M
M

which supports a weighted Poincaré inequality and satisfies a curvature assumption. This nonexistence result, when combined with an existence theorem, yields in turn some information on topology, i.e. such an

M
M

has at most one

p
p

-hyperbolic end. Moreover, we prove a Liouville type theorem for strongly

p
p

-harmonic functions with finite

q
q

-energy on Riemannian manifolds. As an application, we extend this theorem to some

p
p

-harmonic maps such as

p
p

-harmonic morphisms and conformal maps between Riemannian manifolds. In particular, we obtain a Picard-type theorem for

p
p

-harmonic morphisms.
Diophantine approximations and directional discrepancy of rotated lattices
Authors: Bilyk Dmitriy , Ma Xiaomin , Pipher Jill , Spencer Craig
Published: September 2015

In this paper we study the following question related to Diophantine approximations and geometric measure theory: for a given set

Ω
\Omega

find

α
\alpha

such that

α
−
θ

\alpha - \theta

has bad Diophantine properties simultaneously for all

θ
∈
Ω

\theta \in \Omega

. How do the arising Diophantine inequalities depend on the geometry of the set

Ω
\Omega

? We provide several methods which yield different answers in terms of the metric entropy of

Ω
\Omega

and consider various examples.

Furthermore, we apply these results to explore the asymptotic behavior of the directional discrepancy, i.e., the discrepancy with respect to rectangles rotated in certain sets of directions. It is well known that the extremal cases of this problem (fixed direction vs. all possible rotations) yield completely different bounds. We use rotated lattices to obtain directional discrepancy estimates for general rotation sets and investigate the sharpness of these methods.
Harmonic and invariant measures on foliated spaces
Authors: Connell Chris , Martínez Matilde
Published: September 2015

We consider the family of harmonic measures on a lamination

L

\mathscr {L}

of a compact space

X
X

by locally symmetric spaces

L
L

of noncompact type, i.e.

L
≅

Γ
L

∖
G

/

K

L\cong \Gamma _L\backslash G/K

. We establish a natural bijection between these measures and the measures on an associated lamination foliated by

G
G

-orbits,

L

^

\widehat {\mathscr {L}}

, which are right invariant under a minimal parabolic (Borel) subgroup

B
>
G

B>G

. In the special case when

G
G

is split, these measures correspond to the measures that are invariant under both the Weyl chamber flow and the stable horospherical flows on a certain bundle over the associated Weyl chamber lamination. We also show that the measures on

L

^

\widehat {\mathscr {L}}

right invariant under two distinct minimal parabolics, and therefore all of

G
G

, are in bijective correspondence with the holonomy invariant ones.
On the profile of energy concentration at blow-up points for subconformal focusing nonlinear waves
Authors: Alexakis Spyros , Shao Arick
Published: September 2015

We consider singularities of the focusing subconformal nonlinear wave equation and some generalizations of it. At noncharacteristic points on the singularity surface, Merle and Zaag have identified the rate of blow-up of the

H
1

H^1

-norm of the solution inside cones that terminate at the singularity. We derive bounds that restrict how this

H
1

H^1

-energy can be distributed inside such cones. Our proof relies on new localized estimates—obtained using Carleman-type inequalities—for such nonlinear waves. These bound the

L

p
+
1

L^{p+1}

-norm in the interior of timelike cones by their

H
1

H^1

-norm near the boundary of the cones. Such estimates can also be applied to obtain certain integrated decay estimates for globally regular solutions to such equations in the interior of time cones.
Improved large-scale prediction of growth inhibition patterns using the NCI60 cancer cell line panel
Authors: Cortés-Ciriano Isidro , van Westen Gerard J. P. , Bouvier Guillaume , Nilges Michael , Overington John P. , Bender Andreas , Malliavin Thérèse E.
Published: September 2015

Motivation: Recent large-scale omics initiatives have catalogued the somatic alterations of cancer cell line panels along with their pharmacological response to hundreds of compounds. In this study, we have explored these data to advance computational approaches that enable more effective and targeted use of current and future anticancer therapeutics.

Results: We modelled the 50% growth inhibition bioassay end-point (GI50) of 17 142 compounds screened against 59 cancer cell lines from the NCI60 panel (941 831 data-points, matrix 93.08% complete) by integrating the chemical and biological (cell line) information. We determine that the protein, gene transcript and miRNA abundance provide the highest predictive signal when modelling the GI50 endpoint, which significantly outperformed the DNA copy-number variation or exome sequencing data (Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference, P <0.05). We demonstrate that, within the limits of the data, our approach exhibits the ability to both interpolate and extrapolate compound bioactivities to new cell lines and tissues and, although to a lesser extent, to dissimilar compounds. Moreover, our approach outperforms previous models generated on the GDSC dataset. Finally, we determine that in the cases investigated in more detail, the predicted drug-pathway associations and growth inhibition patterns are mostly consistent with the experimental data, which also suggests the possibility of identifying genomic markers of drug sensitivity for novel compounds on novel cell lines.

Contact:  terez@pasteur.fr; ab454@ac.cam.uk

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Caulobacter flavus sp. nov., a stalked bacterium isolated from rhizosphere soil
Authors: Sun Le-Ni , Yang En-Dong , Wei Jie-Chao , Tang Xin-Yun , Cao Yuan-Yuan , Han Guo-Min
Published: September 2015

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow-pigmented and rod-shaped bacterium with a single polar flagellum or a stalk, designated strain RHGG3T, was isolated from rhizosphere soil of cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) collected from Hefei, China. Optimal growth of strain RHGG3T was observed at pH 7.0 and 28–30 °C. Cells were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain RHGG3T belonged to the genus Caulobacter and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Caulobacter segnis ATCC 21756T (98.6 %), Caulobacter vibrioides CB51T (98.3 %) and Caulobacter henricii ATCC 15253T (97.2 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 70 mol%. Strain RHGG3T contained Q-10 as the sole ubiquinone and the major fatty acids (>8 %) were 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c, C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0, C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH). The polar lipids were various unknown glycolipids, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphoglycolipids. DNA–DNA relatedness of strain RHGG3T to type strains of the most closely related species (Caulobacter segnis ATCC 21756T, Caulobacter vibrioides DSM 4738 and Caulobacter henricii ATCC 15253T) was 32.4–40.9 %. Based on polyphasic taxonomy analysis (phylogenetic, unique phenotypic traits, chemotaxonomic and DNA–DNA hybridizations), strain RHGG3T represents a novel species of the genus Caulobacter, for which the name Caulobacter flavus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RHGG3T ( = CGMCC 1.15093T = KCTC 42581T = JCM 30763T).
Modeling Continuous Admixture
Authors: Zhou Ying , Qiu Hongxiang , Xu Shuhua
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Human migration and human isolation serve as the driving forces of modern human civilization. Recent migrations of long isolated populations has resulted in genetically admixed populations. The history of population admixture is generally complex; however, understanding the admixture process is critical to both evolutionary and medical studies. Here, we utilized admixture induced linkage disequilibrium (LD) to infer occurrence of continuous admixture events, which is common for most existing admixed populations. Unlike previous studies, we expanded the typical continuous admixture model to a more general admixture scenario with isolation after a certain duration of continuous gene flow, and we demonstrated that such treatment significantly improved the accuracy of inference under complex admixture scenarios. Based on the extended models, we developed a method based on weighted LD to infer the admixture history considering continuous and complex demographic process of gene flow between populations. We evaluated the performance of the method by computer simulation and applied our method to real data analysis of a few well-known admixed populations.
Integrated Genome Browser: visual analytics platform for genomics
Authors: Freese Nowlan H. , Norris David C. , Loraine Ann E.
Published: September 2015

Motivation

Genome browsers that support fast navigation through vast data sets and provide interactive visual analytics functions can help scientists achieve deeper insight into biological systems. Toward this end, we developed Integrated Genome Browser (IGB), a highly configurable, interactive and fast open source desktop genome browser.

Results

Here we describe multiple updates to IGB, including all-new capability to display and interact with data from high-throughput sequencing experiments. To demonstrate, we describe example visualizations and analyses of data sets from RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, and bisulfite sequencing experiments. Understanding results from genome-scale experiments requires viewing the data in the context of reference genome annotations and other related data sets. To facilitate this, we enhanced IGB’s ability to consume data from diverse sources, including Galaxy, Distributed Annotation, and IGB-specific Quickload servers. To support future visualization needs as new genome-scale assays enter wide use, we transformed the IGB codebase into a modular, extensible platform for developers to create and deploy all-new visualizations of genomic data.

Availability

IGB is open source and is freely available fromhttp://bioviz.org/igb.

Contact

aloraine@uncc.edu
Distinct Regulatory Changes Underlying Differential Expression of TEOSINTE BRANCHED1-CYCLOIDEA-PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR Genes Associated with Petal Variations in Zygomorphic Flowers of Petrocosmea spp. of the Family Gesneriaceae
Authors: Yang Xia , Zhao Xiao-Ge , Li Chao-Qun , Liu Jing , Qiu Zhi-Jing , Dong Yang , Wang Yin-Zheng
Published: September 2015

CYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like genes, belonging to the plant-specific TCP transcription factor family that is named after TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (TB1) from maize (Zea mays), CYC from Antirrhinum majus, and the PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS (PCF) from rice (Oryza sativa), have conserved dorsal identity function in patterning floral zygomorphy mainly through specific expression in dorsal petals of a flower. Their expression changes are usually related to morphological diversity of zygomorphic flowers. However, it is still a challenge to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying their expression differentiation. It is also unknown whether CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TCP genes, locally controlling cell growth and proliferation, are involved in the evolution of floral zygomorphy. To address these questions, we selected two closely related species, i.e. Petrocosmea glabristoma and Petrocosmea sinensis, with distinct petal morphology to conduct expression, hybridization, mutant, and allele-specific expression analyses. The results show that the size change of the dorsal petals between the two species is mainly mediated by the expression differentiation of CYC1C and CYC1D, while the shape variation of all petals is related to the expression change of CIN1. In reciprocal F1 hybrids, the expression of CYC1C, CYC1D, and CIN1 conforms to an additive inheritance mode, consistent with the petal phenotypes of hybrids. Through allele-specific expression analyses, we find that the expression differentiation of these TCP genes is underlain by distinctly different types of regulatory changes. We suggest that highly redundant paralogs with identical expression patterns and interspecific expression differentiation may be controlled by remarkably different regulatory pathways because natural selection may favor different regulatory modifications rather than coding sequence changes of key developmental genes in generating morphological diversity.
The determinants of tax evasion: a literature review
Authors: khlif Hichem , Achek Imen
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to make a clear-cut distinction between tax evasion and neighbouring notions, present the theoretical justifications for the determinants of tax evasion, discuss some methodological issues related to the measurement of tax evasion and, finally, review the main results related to this topic and provide suggestions for future research. Tax evasion empirical research has been the subject of numerous studies during the past decade in developed and emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper focuses specifically on cross-country empirical studies.

Findings

– This paper shows that evidence is still limited, several approaches to measure tax evasion remain unexplored, results are mixed and four categories of variables have been identified in tax evasion literature, including demographic, cultural and behavioural, legal and institutional, and economic variables.

Originality/value

– This literature review represents a historical record and an introduction for researchers who aim to examine this topic in the future.
Predicting corporate failure: a systematic literature review of methodological issues
Authors: Appiah Kingsley Opoku , Chizema Amon , Arthur Joseph
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the existing literature systematically so as to contribute towards a better understanding of methodological problems of the classical statistical techniques, artificially intelligent expert systems and theoretical approaches to solve the corporate failure syndrome.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presented a systematic review of 83 articles reporting 137 prediction failure models published within 1966-2012 in scholarly reviewed journals in four main disciplines, namely, accounting, finance, banking and economics. The authors performed the systematic literature review with five main sources, namely, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Wiley Interscience, Metalib, Web of Science and Business Source Complete of the Social Sciences. The review modified the approaches used by Aziz and Dar (2006), Ravi and Ravi (2007) and Balcaen and Ooghe (2006).

Findings

– The results indicate significant body of prior literature on prediction of corporate failure, but a theoretically sound, highly accurate, simple and widely used corporate failure prediction model for stakeholders has yet to be developed.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes towards a systematic understanding of the methodological problems associated with the statistical, artificially intelligent expert systems and theoretical approaches to solve the corporate failure prediction problems faced by firms in 11 countries.
R
&
D expenditures and future innovation: evidence from the chemical industry
Authors: Sun Li
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate whether research and development (R
&
D) expenditures drive future innovation in the chemical industry.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study examines the relation between R
&
D expenditures for the period of 2000-2002 and the innovation effect measured by the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) for the period of 2003-2005. Under the MPI, the innovation effect is measured as the “shift” in a firm’s production frontier between two periods (2003-2005).

Findings

– Results indicate that there is a significant and positive relation between R
&
D expenditures and future innovation among chemical firms.

Originality/value

– This study should be of interest to financial accounting policy makers, R
&
D-intensive companies and investors. To policy makers, they may consider the possibility of permitting R
&
D-intensive companies to recognize R
&
D expenditures as assets. In other words, R
&
D-intensive companies can capitalize and amortize their R
&
D expenditures, as R
&
D expenditures can bring them future economic benefits. To R
&
D-intensive companies, the results may encourage them to keep up their R
&
D activities. Moreover, this study can increase individual investors’ confidence in investing companies with high-level R
&
D activities in an R
&
D-intense industry.
The change of work roll surface topography during skin pass rolling of steel sheets
Authors: Burdek Marek
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to analyze changes in the surface topography of the work rolls during skin passing. Cold rolled steel sheets are additionally subject to skin pass rolling to form an appropriate surface topography. This operation should facilitate the process of further metal forming of steel sheets, such as deep drawing, painting, etc. The surface topography of steel sheets is determined by the surface topography of the work rolls as well as the skin pass rolling parameters (rolling speed, elongation, roll force, etc.). Suitable preparation and selection of roll surface topography influences the degree of rolls wear and the surface topography of steel sheets as well.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) roughness measurements of work roll surface before, during and after finishing of skin pass rolling of steel sheets are presented in the paper. The measurements were performed on four sets of work rolls with different surface topography.

Findings

– The appearance of the surface of rolls obtained from the analysis of 3D roughness, the values of selected parameters of the 3D roughness and relative changes of the roughness parameter Ra/Sa depending on the length of the skin passed steel sheets are presented.

Practical implications

– The wear of rolls is different depending on work surface topography.

Originality/value

– The aim of this paper is to analyze changes in the surface topography of the work rolls during skin passing. It was expected that the surface of work rolls with more summits at similar average roughness Ra will change much faster than the surface with fewer summits. For this purpose, preliminary tests were performed in an industrial environment on four pairs of work rolls, including two pairs of rolls that were hard chromium-plated.
Spreading joy: examining the effects of smiling models on consumer joy and attitudes
Authors: Berg Hanna , Söderlund Magnus , Lindström Annika
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer response to pictures of smiling models in marketing, focusing on the roles of emotional contagion from the smiling models and the perceived typicality of marketing with smiling models.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper reports the findings from three experimental studies, comparing consumer response to two versions of an advertisement (Study 1) and a packaging design (Study 2 and 3), including either a picture of a smiling or a non-smiling model. To measure consumer response, a combination of self-report questionnaires and eye-tracking methodology was used.

Findings

– The pictures of smiling models produced more consumer joy and more positive attitudes for the marketing. The positive effects on attitudes were mediated by consumer joy, and the effects on consumer joy were mediated by the perceived typicality of the marketing with smiling models.

Originality/value

– Despite the ubiquity of photos of smiling faces in marketing, very few studies have isolated the effects of the smile appeal on consumer response to marketing objects. By comparing marketing where the same model is shown smiling or with a neutral facial expression, the positive effects were isolated. The roles of emotional contagion and perceived typicality in this mechanism were also examined and implications of the findings for research and practitioners are discussed.
Demystifying the short-distance relocation process: 5 cases from Finland
Authors: Rothe Peggie , Heywood Christopher
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe different short-distance relocation management approaches applied by organisations in Finland. Corporate short-distance relocation is a significant event in the course of an organisation’s lifetime. While these kinds of relocations happen frequently, they are an infrequent event from the perspective of a single organisation. Therefore, few organisations have experience and knowledge on relocation management, which can result in improvised ways of managing the process.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses a multiple-case study approach where the relocation management of five organisations is assessed post-relocation. Different aspects of the process, such as process phases and tasks, the organisation involved and employee participation, are scrutinized through 32 interviews with company representatives and documents provided by the organisations.

Findings

– The study describes five unique relocations that vary based on the level of change from a “routine move” to a “new beginning”. It further identifies four different models of managing the process: “one-man-show”, “orchestra”, “expert taskforce” and “democracy”.

Originality/value

– While previous studies have focused on either site selection decision-making or design of an already chosen space, the study describes five relocation processes that start from the relocation trigger and end when the organisation has relocated and settled into their new space.
Emerging implications of online retailing for real estate
Authors: Jones Colin , Livingstone Nicola
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to initially explore the effects of online retailing on corporate real estate strategies today, examining current trends and the approaches of leading edge retailers in this evolving marketplace. The UK has the greatest proportion of online sales worldwide.

Design/methodology/approach

– Context is provided through existing literature, and the methodology considers specific case studies. Information from financial reports, websites and evidence directly from retailers is derived to examine selected sectoral responses (food shopping, fashion retailing and department stores) to online shopping. The research considers the interface between the virtual and physical retail landscapes.

Findings

– The Internet is undeniably driving change, and large retailers have responded by embracing multi-channel sales strategies in which the adapted physical store remains a central element.

Research limitations/implications

– The case studies are arguably limited in their market assessment by examining only large retailers, but it is these retailers who occupy much of the real estate space in shopping centres. Data on Internet sales and retail space of individual retailers are not publicly available. This paper offers a qualitative introduction into ongoing research on the evolution of Internet retailing today.

Practical implications

– For large retailers, a multi-channel corporate sales strategy is enhanced by physical stores that can act as showrooms and collection points and enhance consumer service. Multiple retailers have a competitive advantage in the form of store networks and a recognisable brand that they can exploit to capture the sales opportunities the Internet offers.

Originality/value

– The paper is the first to collate and analyse corporate real estate strategic responses to online retailing.
Retaining the allure of luxury brands during an economic downturn
Authors: Hassan Salah , Husić-Mehmedović Melika , Duverger Philippe
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Despite the changing conditions worldwide, some global luxury brands have attained strong performance levels, and perhaps it is their globalness that keeps them resilient. Since the global luxury market is comprised of customer segments with relatively homogeneous needs, wants and motivations, achieving a global luxury brand positioning will help mitigate the negative consequences of economic crises, regardless of the market in which a luxury brand operates. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey instrument was administered to a sample of 200 professionals located in a European country where none of the global brands cited in the paper are originating. The country was also selected on the basis of its propensity to have local luxury brands in competition with the global brands in each of the categories tested. The survey was conducted during the peak of economic crisis in Europe.

Findings

– This study provides evidence that brand globalness may be a major value creating factor, and thus a source of competitive advantage for luxury brands competing in the global marketplace. Another question addressed by this study is should the luxury brand modulate the message projected in the media away from luxury and closer to quality or other stimuli less associated with luxury in order to avoid luxury shame. All these are questions addressed by this imperial study to investigate how the brand globalness influences consumer perceptions in global recessionary times.

Originality/value

– The proposed research formulates an empirical study of the underlining effects of what is referred to as “glocalization” in the literature on the luxury positioning. This study provides evidence that brand globalness may be a major value creating factor, and thus a source of competitive advantage for a luxury company competing in the global marketplace.
Rich, lavish and trendy
Authors: Braun Kerstin , Cleff Thomas , Walter Nadine
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to research lesbian fashion consumption in order to draw conclusions on the attractiveness of the lesbian target segment for the fashion industry. So far, lesbians’ fashion consumption behaviour has hardly been researched. However, an evinced lesbian stereotype exists which describes doctrinal feminists with an antipathy against consumption in general and fashion shopping in particular. In contrast, gay men have been identified quite contrary as an attractive market segment and marketers have started to particularly target this so-called “dream market”.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, qualitative semi-structured interviews (n=18) were conducted to gain first insights into fashion consumption behaviour of lesbians. Second, a quantitative online survey (n=879) was carried out to generate more detailed findings. Due to the difficult reachability of the homosexual consumer target group, the segment’s high online media affinity was used and data collection was conducted through popular German homepages targeted to homosexuals (esp. “queer.de” and “lesarion.de”). The research investigated fashion-consciousness, willingness to pay, brand-affinity, and openness to homosexual marketing. In addition, influencing factors – such as the affinity towards the homosexual scene, career orientation, income, age, status of coming out, and number of inhabitants of the city of residence – have been researched.

Findings

– Results prove that lesbians are an equally attractive and financially interesting market segment for fashion marketers as gays. Lesbians have a similarly high fashion-consciousness and willingness to pay, and an even higher brand-affinity – but a lower openness to homosexual marketing than gays. Especially scene-affine femme lesbians with a high-paid professional career are a highly attractive market segment. The study proves the attractiveness of the lesbian target segment for fashion marketing and debunks the myth of the consumption-averse lesbian stereotype.

Practical implications

– This paper provides evidence on the attractiveness of the lesbian market segment for the fashion industry. Due to its size and financial attractiveness, the question whether to target lesbians with a specifically adopted marketing mix should be raised.

Originality/value

– Research on lesbians’ fashion consumption behaviour in general is very scarce and on fashion consumption behaviour in particular is almost non-existent. This study is a first attempt to analyse the major areas of fashion consumption for the German market.
A pilot investigation of Quest Institute Cognitive Hypnotherapy services using Improving Access to Psychological Therapies as the benchmark
Authors: Andrews William Peter , Parsons Andrew Alexander , Rawle Heather , Gibbs Julie
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the treatment effects of Quest cognitive hypnotherapy (QCH) on anxiety and depression, and make comparisons with published data from the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) project.

Design/methodology/approach

– Adult clients of QCH therapists were invited to enrol in a Practice Research Network (PRN) and completed pre- and post-therapy measures of anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9).

Findings

– Post-treatment scores were available for 83 of the 106 clients reaching caseness (above the clinical cut-off on either or both measures) on their pre-treatment scores. Totally, 59 clients had moved to recovery, representing 71 per cent of cases where post scores were available and 56 per cent of the intent to treat (ITT) population (106 clients). Additionally, including all cases (both above and below cut-offs) 118 clients had post-treatment measures. In total, 86 (73 per cent) clients improved reliably. The mean number of treatment sessions was between three and four. This compares favourably with 2012-2013 IAPT findings using the same measures.

Research limitations/implications

– This study was exploratory involving a client group paying privately for treatment. There was no randomised control group or attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of specific components of therapy.

Practical implications

– QCH may offer a brief effective treatment for clients with clinically significant levels of anxiety and/or depression, widening client choice.

Originality/value

– As the first study to explore the effectiveness of private QCH this study offers an example of how to use a PRN to compare with published IAPT data using the same measurement tools.
Screening SSRI-users for diabetes in a general practice
Authors: McDonald Annabel Jane , Towner Helen
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– A pragmatic evaluation of the practicality of diabetes screening for users of serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study audited the response of SSRI-users to personal invitation for diabetes screening. One-third of such patients had been screened during the past year. The remaining 217 patients were invited for fasting blood glucose tests and the improvement in screening rates measured. The rate of positive results was compared to a cohort who received fasting blood glucose screening due to physical risk factors for diabetes.

Findings

– Specific invitation increased the take-up of screening from 34 to 52 per cent of SSRI-users. Engagement was significantly better when patients could be contacted by telephone rather than letter. The SSRI-using cohort had a greater rate of identified diabetes than a cohort with physical risk factors for diabetes.

Practical implications

– SSRI-users are a difficult group to engage in medical screening and an assertive approach is of value. It is likely that the physical care of these patients would be enhanced by the active maintenance of contact by a practice healthcare professional. Screening of SSRI-users for diabetes is justified by both detection rate and the importance of establishing co-morbidity in terms of treatment decisions.

Originality/value

– Co-morbidity of diabetes and depression has been observed to result in a poor prognosis for the patient which can be tempered if successful engagement leads to early treatment of both conditions with a more tailored choice of medication and care.
Clinical effectiveness of a pain psychology service within an outpatient secondary care setting
Authors: Sheldon Kerry Lynn , Clarke Simon P. , Moghaddam Nima
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Data gathered from routine clinical settings is complementary to evidence garnered from controlled efficacy trials. The purpose of this paper is to present individual-level analysis of changes in a group of patients discharged from psychological therapy within an outpatient pain service. The service had recently shifted from a traditional cognitive-behavioural approach to one underpinned by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Design/methodology/approach

– Reliable and clinically significant change methodology was applied to CORE-10 outcomes for 27 patients discharged during 2013-2014. Outcomes were compared to 2012-2013. A patient satisfaction questionnaire was administered and functional outcomes were collated.

Findings

– Outcomes were not adversely affected by the shift in service focus as clients demonstrating reliable improvement increased from 2012-2013; 81 per cent reliably improved, 44 per cent made a clinically significant improvement. Increases in returning to work/unpaid activities at post-treatment were noted. The service met a number of NICE quality standards concerning the “relational” aspects of care.

Research limitations/implications

– Clinical effectiveness is evaluated through one outcome measure thereby limiting conclusions. The longer term effectiveness of the service remains unclear. Narrow demographic information limits an assessment of any systematic biases in findings. Little is known about treatment drop-outs.

Practical implications

– A number of recommendations concerning data collection and future service evaluations are made.

Social implications

– Returning to paid or unpaid activities has a high public health impact.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes towards the evidence base for using psychological therapies with clients experiencing chronic pain and related distress. Importantly, the paper complements evidence for general efficacy (from large-scale controlled studies) through an evaluation of real-world effectiveness (i.e. practice-based evidence).
Joint responsibility as an attitude of mind (working alongside) a letter by David Wills in the PETT archives
Authors: Hinshelwood R.D. , Fees Craig
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a previously unpublished letter from children’s therapeutic community pioneer David Wills to his younger colleague in the field, Robert Laslett, which attempts to define and summarise a lifetime’s understanding of the essence of a therapeutic environment. This raises concepts and issues of relevance to current theory and practice in therapeutic environments.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors contextualise the 1977 letter from David Wills before presenting it verbatim, with clarifying annotations relating to people and events. They then analyse and discuss the fundamental arguments presented in the letter, with relevance to current thinking and practice.

Findings

– The approach presented by David Wills to his younger colleague is deeply challenging to current concepts and understandings of therapeutic environments and the role in the therapeutic task of subjectivity and “attitude of mind”. The view is taken that this presents “a great question for wide debate, right now”.

Research limitations/implications

– Very little historical/analytical research has taken place into the experiences, thinking and practice of those who have built the diverse fields of therapeutic communities and environments, not least because history disturbs and challenges the present. This paper opens a small window on the vast resources which are available, and indicates something of the rich potential for debate and practical challenge Experts by Experience pose to living and, hopefully, learning practitioners to day.

Practical implications

– Questions are raised: the debate they engender should eventuate into clearer, better grounded, more radical, and more effective practice.

Social implications

– This letter challenges assumptions about the role and nature of the “therapeutic attitude” and the place of subjectivity, with profound implications for the therapeutic enterprise itself, and the organisation of therapeutic environments, as well as policy, assessment and regulation regimes.

Originality/value

– The use of previously unpublished archive material opens living questions to examination from a different perspective, widening the debate to include voices of expertise and experience which are generally, consciously or unconsciously, excluded from it. Presenting the letter in its whole, and not excerpted as supporting evidence, allows the voice of expertise by experience to contribute directly to discussion and debate; unbalancing and enriching it.
How should we study residential recovery homes?
Authors: Polcin Douglas
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Persons with serious alcohol and drug problems who are attempting to maintain abstinence often lack an alcohol- and drug-free living environment that supports sustained recovery. Residential recovery homes, called “sober living houses” in California, are alcohol- and drug-free living environments that offer long-term support for persons with addictive disorders. They do not offer formal treatment services but usually encourage or mandate attendance at self-help recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach involved analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of different research designs for studying residential recovery homes. Alternatives to randomized designs that are able to capture “real world” data that are readily generalized are described and understudied topics are identified.

Findings

– A significant limitation of traditional randomized designs is they eliminate mutual selection processes between prospective residents and recovery home residents and staff. Naturalistic research designs have the advantage of including mutual selection processes and there are methods available for limiting self-selection bias. Qualitative methods should be used to identify factors that residents experience as helpful that can then be studied further. Innovative studies are needed to investigate how outcomes are affected by architectural characteristics of the houses and resident interactions with the surrounding community.

Practical implications

– Use of the recommended strategies could lead to findings that are more informative, intuitively appealing, and interpretable.

Social implications

– Recovery homes and similar programs will be more responsive to consumers.

Originality/value

– This paper represents one of the first to review various options for studying recovery homes and to provide suggestions for new studies.
Primary parasitoids of red scale (Aonidiella aurantii) in Australia and a review of their introductions from Asia
Authors: Dao Hang T. , Beattie G. Andrew C. , Spooner‐Hart Robert , Riegler Markus , Holford Paul
Published: September 2015

We used morphological and molecular differences to confirm the identities of red scale (Aonidiella aurantii) and yellow scale (A. citrina), and their primary parasitoids, in Australia. An extension to the distribution of yellow scale was confirmed. Six primary parasitoids of red scale were identified: Aphytis chrysomphali, A. lingnanensis, A. melinus, Comperiella bifasciata, Encarsia citrina, and E. perniciosi. With the exception of A. lingnanensis, these parasitoids, and a species of Aphelinus, were detected in association with red scale during studies in citrus orchards in coastal New South Wales between 2009 and 2012. Two races of A. melinus were recorded: one from the Indian Subcontinent, the other previously only recorded in China. The studies, and reviews of historical records, led us to conclude that 4 parasitoids, A. lingnanensis, C. bifasciata, and both species of Encarsia, were present in Australia before successful or unsuccessful formal introductions between 1902 and 1970. The A. melinus race previously recorded in China may also have been present before the Indian Subcontinent race was formally introduced in 1961. We suggest the possibility that the natural distribution of some of the parasitoids may include East and Southeast Asia, and parts of Australasia. We found no reports of native armored scales being recorded on species and hybrids of Citrus introduced to Australia, and no reports of introduced armored scales being recorded on native Rutaceae, including 6 species of Citrus. However, we subsequently recorded yellow scale on Geijera parviflora, a native rutaceous tree.
Maternal care behaviour and kin discrimination in the subsocial bugTectocoris diophthalmus(Hemiptera:Scutelleridae)
Authors: Giffney Raelene A , Kemp Darrell J
Published: September 2015

Most insects employ non‐caring strategies to safeguard their eggs and offspring from predation. Parental care behaviour is extremely rare in insects, but has been described in several insect groups and particularly in theHemiptera. Given that such behaviour is considered an evolutionary precursor to more complex forms of insect sociality, investigating the dynamics of parental care may inform our understanding of social evolution. In this paper, we describe the oviposition and maternal care behaviour of the egg‐guarding cotton or hibiscus harlequin bugTectocoris diophthalmus(Thunberg, 1783) in the field. We also report the results of experimental manipulations designed to test for egg discrimination mechanisms in this species. Our observations indicate that females lay about 100 eggs in a cylindrical cluster around a branch or leaf petiole. Maternal care is limited to egg straddling and defensive postures and behaviours. These were only displayed when walking invertebrate predators approached the egg clutch; mothers were observed to react to the presence of parasitoid wasps on their clutches. Protective behaviours are only displayed by guarding females and are possibly triggered by oviposition, but will cease permanently if females are separated from their clutch for more than a few minutes. We found no evidence for clutch discrimination, as females guarded their own clutch as readily as unrelated eggs until hatching. Egg guarding in this species may have been selected to enhance offspring survival in a high predation environment.
The Macroanatomy of the Sacral Plexus and Its Nerves in Eurasian Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo)
Authors: Akbulut Y. , Demiraslan Y. , Aslan K. , Coban A.
Published: September 2015

This study was carried out to reveal the formation of the sacral plexus in the Eurasian Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) and the nerves originating from this plexus. Five EEOs, three of them were male and two were female, were provided from Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center of Kafkas University and used as materials. Following the euthanizing of the animals, abdominal cavity was opened. The nerves of plexus sacrales were dissected and photographed. It was detected that the sacral plexus was formed by the ventral ramus of five synsacral nerves. Moreover, it was determined that the roots of the sacral plexus formed three trunks: the truncus cranialis, the truncus medius and the truncus caudalis in fossa renalis. The availability of the n. ischiofemoralis and the availability of n. parafibularis were detected in the EEOs. Five branches were specified as having segregated from the sacral plexus: the n. cutaneus femoralis caudalis, the mutual root of n. fibularis with n. tibialis (n. ischiadicus), the rami musculares, the n. coxalis caudalis and the ramus muscularis. It was observed that the sacral plexus was linked to the lumbar plexus by the n. furcalis, to the pudendus plexus via the n. bigeminus. Consequently, the anatomic structure of the EEO's sacral plexus, the participating synsacral nerves to plexus and the innervation areas of these nerves were revealed.
Effect of iron on expression of efflux pump (adeABC) and quorum sensing (luxI, luxR) genes in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Modarresi Farzan , Azizi Omid , Shakibaie Mohammad Reza , Motamedifar Mohammad , Valibeigi Behnaz , Mansouri Shahla
Published: September 2015

Resistance‐nodulation‐division efflux system (RND) adeABC contributes to intrinsic resistance to various drug classes in Acinetobacter baumannii. Similarly, quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role in the biofilm formation and pathogenicity of this bacterium. The aims of this study were to evaluate the influence of iron limitation on the expression of efflux pump (adeABC) genes and QS (luxI, luxR) system by relative quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). In addition, DNA sequence and phylogenetic relatedness of biofilm‐associated protein (Bap) gene was also investigated. Sixty‐five multidrug‐resistant isolates of A. baumannii were recovered from ICU patients of three hospitals in Kerman, Iran. The isolates were highly resistant to at least 11 antibiotics (MIC ≥64 μg/mL); however, 87% and 89% were susceptible to colistin and tigecycline, respectively (MIC 0.05 μg/mL) (p ≤ 0.05). We detected the presence of RND efflux pump, QS, and bap genes with the frequencies of 92% (adeA), 61.5% (adeB), 84.6% (adeC), 80% (luxI), 61% (luxR), and 66% (bap), respectively. qRT‐PCR analysis showed that in some isolates, expression of both adeABC and luxI/R was increased more than fourfold in the presence of low iron (20 μm), suggesting the additional regulatory role of iron on both efflux pump and QS system. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis on the strong biofilm forming isolates confirmed that the fragments amplified were indeed part of bap gene and deduced sequence was similar to A. baumannii K9B410.
The productive and disruptive methodology of doing fieldwork at work
Authors: Walker Margath
Published: September 2015

This paper argues that the ‘place’ of work matters methodologically in producing knowledge in and about the field. It draws on research conducted in Mexico with economically disenfranchised labourers and elite workers. Analysing two different sites in comparative context highlights the productive and disruptive function of the workplace. In the first example, interviewees play with constraints, freedoms and productivities of ‘work’, disrupting heuristics associated with this category. In the process, there is a blurring of formal/informal space meaning that for marginalised groups in Latin America there is often no ‘outside’. In the second example, employees at a non‐governmental organisation internalise the discursive messages associated with neoliberalism. Here, the workplace is transformed into a productive site of subjectivity while also functioning as a limiting mechanism in the interview process.