bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing your own graduate employees
Authors: Antcliff Valerie , Baines Sue , Gorb Elizabeth
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an employer perspective on the value of degree apprenticeships (DAs) less than a year after the first apprentices commenced their studies for a bachelor’s degree in September 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

This case focusses on one of the first DAs in the UK. It draws on evidence from interviews with HR professionals responsible for the DA in two contrasting companies, an international PLC and a smaller, fast growing enterprise.

Findings

Both employers consider that the DA meets recruitment needs in ways that other options do not. They particularly value the ability of apprentices to make an immediate contribution in the workplace. For the smaller employer the university support structures are a significant advantage. Only the larger employer formally input into the curriculum prior to validation but both feel they can tailor content to suit their needs. Both see investing in the DA as excellent value for money.

Practical implications

The value of strong relationships, trust and ongoing dialogue between partners emerges as a key component in fulfilling the need of employers.

Originality/value

The DA model recasts employers as the purchasers of higher education and affords them a key role in developing provision tailored to their needs. Implications of this new model for employers, universities and learners are potentially profound and hard to predict. This case study is based on part of the early stage of a three-year research programme. It provides a unique, early insight into two employers’ rationales for engaging with the DA programme and their initial experiences.
Contextual vulnerability of rainfed crop-based farming communities in semi-arid Zimbabwe
Authors: Jiri Obert , Mafongoya Paramu L. , Chivenge Pauline
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability based on the socioeconomic and biophysical characteristics of Chiredzi District, a region that is susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change and variability.

Design/methodology/approach

Vulnerability was assessed using the Vulnerability to Resilience and the Climate Vulnerability and Capacity frameworks.

Findings

The major indicators and drivers of vulnerability were identified as droughts, flash floods, poor soil fertility and out-migration leaving female- and child-headed households. From sensitivity analysis, it was shown that different areas within the district considered different biophysical and socioeconomic indicators to climate change and variability. They also considered different vulnerability indicators to influence the decisions for adaptation to climate change and variability.

Originality/value

The results of this study indicate that the area and cropping systems are greatly exposed and are sensitive to climatic change stimuli, as shown by the decline in main cereal grain yield. These results also showed that there is a need to define and map local area vulnerability as a basis to recommend coping and adaptation measures to counter climate change hazards.
A comparative analysis of the practice and performance of microfinance institutions in Nigeria
Authors: Babajide Abiola Ayopo , Taiwo Joseph Niyan , Adetiloye Kehinde Adekunle
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The successful story of microfinance institutions is often tied to the practice and methods of credit delivery as evidence among international world class microfinance institutions across the globe. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of practice and methods of credit delivery employed by “non- profit” and “for-profit” microfinance institutions on financial sustainability and outreach programmes of the microfinance institutions in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the survey research design and multi-stage stratified random sampling procedure to collect data from 372 senior management staff, managing directors and board members of microfinance institutions of both groups in Nigeria. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that the current practice and methods of credit delivery of microfinance in both “non-profit” and “for-profit” microfinance institutions have an inverse relationship with the financial sustainability and outreach programmes of the institutions. This study provides empirical evidence for the incessant failure of microfinance institutions in Nigeria.

Research limitations/implications

The study therefore recommends an immediate overhaul of the methodology and practice of microfinance institutions in the country to align with international best practice.

Originality/value

In spite of the huge literature on microfinance in Nigeria, there is not enough evidence to empirically prove that the practice of microfinance has affected the performance of the industry in Nigeria. This study sets out to fill that gap in the literature. The paper examines the practice of microfinancing in Nigeria vis-à-vis the performance of the microfinance institutions, categorized into NGO and microfinance bank “for-profit” institutions using international best practices from countries where microfinance is highly successful as a benchmark for deployment of microfinance in Nigeria, in order to proffer policy direction to stakeholders on steps to take to ensure viability in the microfinance subsector in Nigeria.
On the linkage between sexual violence victimization and intimate partner violence outcomes among male and female college students
Authors: Meade Caitlyn N. , Jennings Wesley G. , Gover Angela R. , Richards Tara N.
Published: September 2017

Purpose

A robust literature exists documenting the association between child maltreatment and later life adverse outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between sexual abuse victimization and later life intimate partner violence (IPV) outcomes among male and female college students, which has been less frequently evaluated despite this wealth of evidence.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on data from 4,162 male and female college students, the current study provides a multivariate analysis of the linkage between sexual abuse victimization and intimate partner victimization, perpetration, and being an IPV victim-offender.

Findings

Results reveal a statistically significant association between sexual abuse victimization and being an IPV victim, offender, or victim-offender in young adulthood. In addition, these findings are still observed once a host of risk and the demographic factors are incorporated into the model for females, but not for males.

Originality/value

This study highlights the importance of sexual violence and IPV prevention and intervention strategies for college-aged youth.
Entrepreneurship in Swedish upper secondary schools: governing active future citizens?
Authors: Norberg Eva-Lena Lindster
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical contribution by exploring how secondary school students are governed and shaped when entrepreneurship is emphasised in school curricula, and if female and male students are governed in different ways through different techniques connected with entrepreneurship in school.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes its departure in Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality. In total, 90 students in gendered focus groups from three upper secondary schools were interviewed about how entrepreneurship in school was implemented and experienced. The schools were geographically dispersed.

Findings

The analysis indicates, the three schools included in the study provide different prerequisites for students to become an active subject. This partly depends on where the individual school is geographically located, but also on the students gender. When entrepreneurship in school is implemented throughout the entire curriculum, female students tend to adopt male-coded entrepreneurial abilities. The neoliberal agenda, with an aim of fostering entrepreneurial self, appears to have permeated the awareness of students, especially female students.

Originality/value

First, the paper contributes with an empirical research regarding students’ experiences of entrepreneurship in school. Second, the paper contributes to a gender perspective on entrepreneurship in school. Third, the paper contributes to the understanding of how entrepreneurship in school is realised in a different school context.
Interrogating returnee entrepreneurship in the Nigerian context
Authors: Ojo Sanya
Published: September 2017

Purpose

This study aims to intend to appraise the characteristics of returnee entrepreneurship and its contributions to development in form of transfer of knowledge and skills in the Nigerian context.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach complemented with situational observations was used. The lived experiences of two returnees were interrogated in semi-structured interviews for an in-depth analysis.

Findings

Findings illustrate the dilemmas and challenges returnee entrepreneurs from the developed host countries confronted in their entrepreneurial endeavors in the homeland.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the misconceptions around relocation of immigrants’ business people back to their homeland. It contributes to the growing literature on the social and economic impacts of returnee entrepreneurs (as opposed to diaspora and transnational entrepreneurs) to their homelands’ development.
Analyzing the topography of financial regulation
Authors: Swamy Vighneswara
Published: September 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the topography of financial regulation, supervisory styles and performance of banking systems across the world.

Design/methodology/approach

The author gains insights by comparing regulatory and supervisory practices and their impact on banking system performance before and after the global crisis. The study illustrates the differences in regulation/supervision among crisis, non-crisis and BRICS countries. Even as capital ratios increased, bank governance and supervision regimes were strengthened, the private sector incentives to monitor banks deteriorated.

Findings

The results show that the crisis-countries had weaker regulatory and supervisory frameworks than those in emerging countries during the crisis period. BRICS countries as a distinct block have demonstrated uniqueness in their regulatory/supervisory styles that are similar neither to those in the crisis-countries nor to those in the non-crisis countries.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in its unique approach to assessing the bank regulation and supervision styles around the world and their impact on banking system profitability, as it uses a robust database. Further, this study provides not only a general assessment but also a comparative analysis of the BRICS and emerging economies. Regulatory agencies around the world would greatly benefit from systematic evidence on the relationship between bank performance and regulatory/supervisory systems.
Exchange rate misalignment and economic growth in India
Authors: Akram Vaseem , Rath Badri Narayan
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of exchange rate misalignment on economic growth in India using annual data from 1980 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

First, misalignment is measured, which is defined as the deviations of the actual real exchange rate (RER) from its equilibrium level. The equilibrium real exchange rate (ERER) is estimated using the auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) model by considering key macroeconomic fundamentals of the determinants of RER. Zivot and Andrews’ unit root with structural break is used to test the stationarity property of data. The impact of exchange rate misalignment on economic growth has been examined using ARDL and variance decomposition techniques.

Findings

Our results find an overvaluation of the exchange rate till 2000, and thereafter, an undervaluation of the exchange rate prevails in India. Further, the result indicates that an increase in exchange rate misalignment leads to a decrease in economic growth and vice versa. Moreover, a positive misalignment (overvaluation) hurts the economic growth and a negative misalignment (undervaluation) promotes the economic growth.

Research limitations/implications

From the policy perspective, the results highlight that India needs to maintain an appropriate exchange rate which can reduce the RER misalignment. It is better for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s intervention to smoothen the fluctuations of the exchange rate to avoid the inefficiency in the allocation of resources. However, to minimize the RER misalignment, the intervention should be conducted only in the short run.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature by estimating the exchange rate misalignment for India and its impact on economic growth.
The effect of leader personality on follower behaviour
Authors: Kahya Mehmet , Şahin Faruk
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of the leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationship between leader personality and follower attitudes and behaviours, including task performance, satisfaction with the leader and organisational citizenship behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a multifaceted perspective to examine the relationships among the research variables, data were collected from 67 leaders and 372 followers. To test the hypotheses, hierarchical linear modelling analyses were conducted.

Findings

The results indicate that leader extraversion is positively related to follower task performance and that leader agreeableness is positively related to follower organisational citizenship behaviour and satisfaction with leaders. Moreover, the results indicate that the quality of the LMX relationship partially mediated the positive relationship between leader extraversion and follower task performance and fully mediated the relationship between leader agreeableness and satisfaction with leader and organisational citizenship behaviour.

Practical implications

The findings of this study support the mediating role of the LMX relationship between leader personality and follower attitudes and behaviours. Hence, it is worthwhile to examine the effects of leader personality in an organisational context.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is that it focusses on the integration of leader personality, LMX, and follower attitudes and behaviours in a single study, providing a model that indicates the mediating role of LMX in the relationship between leader personality and follower attitudes and behaviours.
How does the speed of institutional change affect the allocation of entrepreneurship in family firms
Authors: Ma Jun , He Xuan , Zhu Lina , Li Xinchun , Liu Ye
Published: September 2017

Purpose

This paper, from the perspective of based view of dynamic system, aims to take the family enterprise as a sample to articulate how the speed of institutional change affects the entrepreneur’s spirit collocation of family enterprises and investigate the moderating effects of the scale of enterprises as well.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses survey database from Chinese research of private enterprise group in 2010 with the ninth national large-scale private entrepreneurs, and the legal source of data comes from research center for Chinese family firm of Sun Yat-Sen University. A total of 4,900 questionnaires are issued, 4,614 are recovered and the total recovery rate is 94.16 per cent. In this paper, STATA12.0 is used for data processing and basic regression testing. To overcome the possible existence of the different variance problem, the authors use the feasible generalized least squares to estimate the model.

Findings

The speed of institutional change will lead to the reduction of unproductive activities and the increase of productive activities in the area where the speed of institutional change is slow. Meanwhile, the scale of enterprise can reverse the negative relationship between the speed of institutional change and unproductive activities. The speed of institutional change will lead to the reduction of unproductive activities and the increase of productive activities in the area where the speed of institutional change is fast. Meanwhile, the scale of enterprises can reverse the positive relationship between the speed of institutional change and the unproductive activities.

Originality/value

It can be concluded that because of the difference of the regional market, a positive U-type reflects the relationship between the speed of institutional change and the entrepreneur’s allocation of entrepreneurship in family firms, whereas the scale of enterprises plays a key role of nonlinear regulation. This research has a certain theoretical value and practical significance on the understanding of how family firms make strategic decisions in response to institutional change and it can further enrich the research results of entrepreneurship allocation theory and institutional change theory.
Shapeholders: managing them as allies, partners and significant constituents
Authors: Osiyevskyy Oleksiy , Biloshapka Vladyslav
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The authors review the concept of building relationships with Shapeholders,: a broad group of players that have no financial stake in the company yet can substantively influence it. The process for doing this is the subject of a new book by Mark Kennedy, Shapeholders: Business success in the age of social activism.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine Mark Kennedy’s framework for managing the firm’s shapeholders, a model composed of seven basic steps (7A’s): Align with a purpose, Anticipate, Assess, Avert, Acquiesce, Advance common interests, and Assemble to win.

Findings

Managing corporate reputation in alliance with enlightened shapeholders is a potential defense against self-aggrandizing schemes to wantonly maximize shareholder value in the short run.

Practical implications

Managing shapeholders is part of the messy democratic process that works when power is apportioned fairly among those affected by a firm’s decisions, and this process underpins the winning business models of true market leaders.

Social implications

Stakeholders previously discredited as mere “mosquitos” have gained new power, particularly when their legitimate concerns and unfair treatment resonate with the interests of a significant segment of the public and influential shapeholders.

Originality/value

Shapeholders can create enormous opportunities for smart managers capable of effectively engaging with them.
Generation and maintenance of predation hotspots of a functionally important herbivore in a patchy habitat mosaic
Authors: Farina Simone , Oltra Aitana , Boada Jordi , Bartumeus Frederic , Romero Javier , Alcoverro Teresa
Published: September 2017

By modifying how critical ecosystem functions are distributed across the landscape, the spatial configuration and characteristics of patches can play a strong role in structuring communities. In strongly predator‐controlled ecosystems, this patchy distribution of function can have complex downstream consequences, subjecting some areas to disproportionately high rates of predation, leaving other areas susceptible to herbivore outbreaks.

In this study, we assess how spatial attributes at patch and landscape scales potentially influence the spatial and temporal distribution of predation on a functionally important herbivore in a patchy Mediterranean marine macrophyte community characterized by strong top‐down control.

We experimentally tracked how predation risk of tethered sea urchins varied across space over a 10‐day period in a patchy seagrass meadow. We related these patterns with patch and landscape‐level attributes across the habitat mosaic.

At the level of the patch, predation risk was the highest in seagrass patches with low canopies, without access to sheltering rocks. Scaling up to the landscape mosaic however, predation risk increased in dense aggregations of patches with high perimeter‐to‐area ratios close to rocky habitats. Predation aggregated in spatially explicit hotspots and coldspots that were maintained through time. Interestingly, this pattern of predation risk correlated well with the natural abundance of sea urchins.

Our results show that spatial patch configuration can be a strong mediator of top trophic functions in marine ecosystems, causing significant clumping in the way predation—and therefore herbivory—are distributed across space. Given the importance of top‐down control for these shallow marine ecosystems, it is crucial to incorporate landscape attributes in understanding the impact of functionally important herbivores on highly fragmented habitats.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Noise suppression for microseismic data by non‐subsampled shearlet transform based on singular value decomposition
Authors: Liang Xiaoqiang , Li Yue , Zhang Chao
Published: September 2017

The existence of strong random noise in surface microseismic data may decrease the utility of these data. Non‐subsampled shearlet transform can effectively suppress noise by properly setting a threshold to the non‐subsampled shearlet transform coefficients. However, when the signal‐to‐noise ratio of data is low, the coefficients related to the noise are very close to the coefficients associated with signals in the non‐subsampled shearlet transform domain that the coefficients related to the noise will be retained and be treated as signals. Therefore, we need to minimise the overlapping coefficients before thresholding. In this paper, a singular value decomposition algorithm is introduced to the non‐subsampled shearlet transform coefficients, and low‐rank approximation reconstructs each non‐subsampled shearlet transform coefficient matrix in the singular value decomposition domain. The non‐subsampled shearlet transform coefficients of signals have bigger singular values than those of the random noise, which implies that the non‐subsampled shearlet transform coefficients can be well estimated by taking only a few largest singular values. Therefore, those properties of singular value decomposition may significantly help minimise overlapping of noise and signals coefficients in the non‐subsampled shearlet transform domain. Finally, the denoised microseismic data are obtained easily by giving a simple threshold to the reconstructed coefficient matrix. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on both synthetic and field microseismic data. The experimental results illustrate that the proposed method can eliminate random noise and preserve signals of interest more effectively.
Reintroducing endangered raptors: A case study of supplementary feeding and removal of nestlings from wild populations
Authors: Ferrer Miguel , Morandini Virginia , Baguena Gerardo , Newton Ian
Published: September 2017

Supplementary feeding is a common practice to raise reproductive output in raptors and other species; nevertheless, its application in conservation has only recently been discussed critically. Here, we analyse the effect of supplementary feeding in territorial raptors, taking advantage of two long‐term datasets for the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) and bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). In both species, supplementary feeding was used over four years, allowing the extraction of eggs or nestlings for reintroduction programmes.

Both populations increased during the last 20 years. In 2001, only 10 Spanish imperial eagle pairs were found in Sierra Morena, increasing to 91 pairs in 2015 (810% of increase). The Bearded vulture population in Aragon increased from 15 occupied territories in 1988 to 67 in 2012 (347% of increase). Density‐dependent breeding productivity on habitat heterogeneity was established in both populations.

Results of generalized linear mixed model analysis with relative productivity as the dependent variable, species and supplementary feeding as fixed factors, and territory as random factor showed a significant effect of supplementary feeding on relative productivity in both species as well as in the interaction between territory and supplementary feeding. This implied a different response among territories to supplementary feeding. Birds in poor‐quality territories with low productivity levels responded more strongly to supplementary feeding than birds in territories with higher levels of natural productivity.

A reintroduction programme based on supplementary feeding and extraction of nestlings costs eight times less than the same programme based on captive breeding and takes 10 years less.

Synthesis and applications. Supplementary feeding in territorial raptors could be useful (1) in an episodic main prey collapse and (2) in poor‐quality territories in a high‐density population, to produce extra young for reintroduction programmes. For greatest efficiency, supplementary feeding needs to be targeted at poorer territories in which the reproductive rate has the potential to be raised by provision of extra food. The extra young produced can then be used in reintroduction programmes in which chances of recruiting to a breeding population are high.
Nest survival modelling using a multi‐species approach in forests managed for timber and biofuel feedstock
Authors: Loman Zachary G. , Monroe Adrian P. , Riffell Samuel K. , Miller Darren A. , Vilella Francisco J. , Wheat Bradley R. , Rush Scott A. , Martin James A.
Published: September 2017

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) intercropping is a novel forest management practice for biomass production intended to generate cellulosic feedstocks within intensively managed loblolly pine‐dominated landscapes. These pine plantations are important for early‐successional bird species, as short rotation times continually maintain early‐successional habitat. We tested the efficacy of using community models compared to individual surrogate species models in understanding influences on nest survival. We analysed nest data to test for differences in habitat use for 14 bird species in plots managed for switchgrass intercropping and controls within loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in Mississippi, USA.

We adapted hierarchical models using hyper‐parameters to incorporate information from both common and rare species to understand community‐level nest survival. This approach incorporates rare species that are often discarded due to low sample sizes, but can inform community‐level demographic parameter estimates. We illustrate use of this approach in generating both species‐level and community‐wide estimates of daily survival rates for songbird nests. We were able to include rare species with low sample size (minimumn = 5) to inform a hyper‐prior, allowing us to estimate effects of covariates on daily survival at the community level, then compare this with a single‐species approach using surrogate species. Using single‐species models, we were unable to generate estimates below a sample size of 21 nests per species.

Community model species‐level survival and parameter estimates were similar to those generated by five single‐species models, with improved precision in community model parameters.

Covariates of nest placement indicated that switchgrass at the nest site (<4 m) reduced daily nest survival, although intercropping at the forest stand level increased daily nest survival.

Synthesis and applications. Community models represent a viable method for estimating community nest survival rates and effects of covariates while incorporating limited data for rarely detected species. Intercropping switchgrass in loblolly pine plantations slightly increased daily nest survival at the research plot scale (0.1 km2), although at a local scale (50 m2) switchgrass negatively influenced nest survival. A likely explanation is intercropping shifted community composition, favouring species with greater disturbance tolerance.
Beyond biomass: Soil feedbacks are transient over plant life stages and alter fitness
Authors: Dudenhöffer Jan‐Hendrik , Ebeling Anne , Klein Alexandra‐Maria , Wagg Cameron
Published: September 2017

Plants influence associated soil biotic communities that in turn can alter the performance of the subsequently growing plants. Although such “plant–soil feedbacks” (PSFs) are considered as important drivers of plant community assembly, past PSF studies have mainly addressed plant biomass production. However, plant performance is not only the production of biomass but comprises a sequence of different life stages: from seed germination over vegetative growth up to the production of a viable progeny.

Here, we assessed the effects of soil biotic communities that were previously conditioned for 3 years by a focal plant species monoculture or species mixtures on key plant life stages from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and the production of viable seeds. We used three common grassland herb species that were grown in a sterile substrate and inoculated with a sterile control soil or with living soils. Living soils were conditioned either by the focal species in monoculture or a four‐ or eight‐species mixture that included the focal species to represent a decrease in the target plants’ conspecific influence on the soil communities.

We show that the effect of soil biota changed from positive at the plants’ juvenile life stages to neutral or negative at the plants’ adult life stages and ultimately decreased plant fitness. A higher conspecific influence on the soil communities pronounced the positive effects at the juvenile life stage but also the negative effects at adult life stages. Further, we observed direct soil biotic effects on flower production and plant fitness that were not mediated by adult biomass production. This suggests that soil biotic effects may alter plant resource allocation and even may have transgenerational effects on plant fitness.

Synthesis. We conclude that there is no overarching effect of soil biota that remains consistent at all the life stages of a plant. Thus, our results highlight the importance to consider plant life stage and ultimately plant fitness especially when plant–soil interactions are used to explain plant community dynamics.
Association of serum osteocalcin levels with major adverse cardiovascular events: A 4.4‐year retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Xueli , Shen Yun , Xu Yiting , Xiong Qin , Lu Zhigang , Ma Xiaojing , Bao Yuqian , Jia Weiping
Published: September 2017

We investigated whether the serum osteocalcin levels at baseline were associated with the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in a population‐based retrospective cohort study of Chinese subjects. Coronary angiography was used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD). Survival curves were analyzed by performing log‐rank tests with Kaplan‐Meier figures. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to identify the association of serum osteocalcin levels with the incidence of MACE. A total of 247 subjects with a mean age of 65.50 ± 10.38 years were enrolled in the analysis. After a mean follow‐up time of 4.4 ± 2.6 years, MACE occurred in 175 cases. For men patients, those with serum osteocalcin levels higher than 17.22 ng/mL had significantly lower fasting plasma glucose (FPG) than those with serum osteocalcin levels lower than 17.22 ng/mL (P < .05). According to the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, the lower serum osteocalcin levels and the higher risk of future MACE occurred in men with CAD at baseline (hazard ratio = 0.970; 95% confidence interval 0.943‐0.999, P = .04). However, this difference was not significant either in men without CAD or in women. In conclusion, relatively lower serum osteocalcin levels were associated with a higher risk of MACE in Chinese men with CAD.
Ideology and resistance in young people's experiences of health under the ‘imperative of enjoyment’
Authors: Vitus Kathrine
Published: September 2017

This article explores upper secondary school students’ understandings and experiences of health in Denmark, where public health promotions appeal to pleasure. Health promotion thereby taps into capitalist society's ‘imperative of enjoyment’, which reproduces ideological fantasies about the fulfilment of desires through the consumption of health. Based on qualitative empirical material produced through participatory and visual methods during fieldwork conducted in 2012, the analysis shows that relations between healthiness and pleasure are conflated and paradoxical: the students try to fit into society not only by being healthy, but also by enjoying healthiness; but if they fail pleasure, they fail healthiness and experience a loss of individual social value. Although the ‘enjoyment society’ has the potential to produce individualisation and marginalisation, the students in this study actively attempt to subvert its double bind by insisting that collective experiences with peers constitutes the foundation of enjoyable healthiness. Nevertheless, public health promotions that reproduce enjoyment as an imperative, even in the pursuit of health, risk reinforcing young people's resistance towards health.
Accounting for uncertainty in duplicate identification and group size judgements in mark–recapture distance sampling
Authors: Hamilton Olivia N. P. , Kincaid Sophie E. , Constantine Rochelle , Kozmian‐Ledward Lily , Walker Cameron G. , Fewster Rachel M.
Published: September 2017

Mark–recapture distance sampling (MRDS) surveys with two independent observers are widely used to estimate wildlife population abundance. The analysis relies on accurate identification of duplicate sightings common to both observers, and correct judgements of group size, both of which are hard to achieve for species that exhibit complex grouping patterns.

In this paper, we examine the impact of these sources of uncertainty on bias and precision of abundance estimates, using a case study of 22 aerial surveys of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. We develop a novel probabilistic method to identify duplicate observations, and account for various sources of uncertainty using a simulation‐intensive approach.

For our case study, identifying duplicates using reasonable but arbitrary thresholds of time and angle discrepancies created a range of abundance estimates differing by up to 20%, whereas our novel threshold‐free probabilistic analysis returned an estimate roughly central to this range. Uncertainty in group size made a smaller impact of up to 5% on abundance estimates. All analysis choices returned similar values for the coefficient of variation, from 20 to 23%.

Generating robust estimates of abundance, and accounting for all associated sources of uncertainty, is critical for informing conservation management. Our novel approach provides a way to eliminate arbitrary decisions associated with MRDS, and account for a wider range of uncertainties. Our method allows for the reliable application of MRDS to a wider range of terrestrial and marine species, and will be a useful tool for producing robust abundance estimates for species that exhibit complex grouping patterns.
Accuracy of the Defining Characteristics of the Nursing Diagnosis Hypothermia in Newborns
Authors: de Aquino Wislla Ketlly Menezes , Lopes Marcos Venícios de Oliveira , da Silva Viviane Martins , Fróes Nathaly Bianka Moraes , de Menezes Angélica Paixão , Almeida Aline de Aquino Peres , Sobreira Bianca Alves
Published: September 2017

PURPOSE

To analyze the accuracy of the defining characteristics of hypothermia in newborns and to verify associations between defining characteristics and clinical variables.

METHODS

A cross‐sectional accuracy study with statistical analysis.

FINDINGS

Slow capillary refill, decrease in ventilation, peripheral vasoconstriction, and insufficient weight gain were the defining characteristics with the highest specificity values, while slow gastric emptying, skin cool to touch, irritability, and bradycardia were the defining characteristics with the highest values for both sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSION

Slow gastric emptying, skin cool to touch, irritability, and bradycardia are good clinical indicators to infer initial stages of hypothermia and to confirm its presence.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Accuracy measures may contribute to the improvement of the diagnostic inferential process.

OBJETIVO

Analisar acurácia das características definidoras de Hipotermia em recém‐nascidos e identificar a associação delas com variáveis clínicas.

MÉTODO

Estudo de acurácia transversal com análise estatística.

RESULTADOS

Preenchimento capilar lento, diminuição da ventilação, vasoconstrição periférica e ganho de peso insuficiente apresentaram valores altos de especificidade enquanto esvaziamento gástrico lento, pele fria, irritabilidade e bradicardia apresentaram valores elevados de sensibilidade e especificidade.

CONCLUSÃO

Esvaziamento gástrico lento, pele fria, irritabilidade e bradicardia são úteis para inferir estágios iniciais de hipotermia e para confirmação diagnóstica.

IMPLICAÇÕES PARA PRÁTICA DE ENFERMAGEM

Medidas de acurácia podem contribuir para o processo de inferência do diagnóstico hipotermia.
Implementation and Preliminary Clinical Outcomes of a Pharmacist‐managed Venous Thromboembolism Clinic for Patients Treated With Rivaroxaban Post Emergency Department Discharge
Authors: DiRenzo Baely M. , Beam Daren M. , Kline Jeffrey A. , Deodhar Karishma S. , Weber Zachary A. , Davis Christie M. , Walroth Todd A.
Published: September 2017

Objective

The objective was to describe the implementation, work flow, and differences in outcomes between a pharmacist‐managed clinic for the outpatient treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) using a non‐vitamin K oral anticoagulant versus care by a primary care provider (PCP).

Methods

Patients in the studied health system that are diagnosed with low‐risk VTE in the emergency department are often discharged without hospital admission. These patients are treated with a non‐vitamin K oral anticoagulant and follow‐up either in a pharmacist‐managed VTE clinic or with their PCP. Pharmacists in the VTE clinic work independently under a collaborative practice agreement (CPA). An evaluation of 34 patients, 17 in each treatment arm, was conducted to compare the differences in treatment‐related outcomes of rivaroxaban when managed by a pharmacist versus a PCP.

Results

The primary endpoint was a 6‐month composite of anticoagulation treatment‐related complications that included a diagnosis of major bleeding, recurrent thromboembolism, or fatality due to either major bleeding or recurrent thromboembolism. Secondary endpoints included number of hospitalizations, adverse events, and medication adherence. There was no difference in the primary endpoint between groups with one occurrence of the composite endpoint in each treatment arm (p = 1.000), both of which were recurrent thromboembolic events. Medication adherence assessment was formally performed in eight patients in the pharmacist group versus no patients in the control group. No differences were seen among other secondary endpoints.

Conclusions

The pharmacist‐managed clinic is a novel expansion of clinical pharmacy services that treats patients with low‐risk VTEs with rivaroxaban in the outpatient setting. The evaluation of outcomes provides support that pharmacist‐managed care utilizing standardized protocols under a CPA may be as safe as care by a PCP.
Smoking cessation and response to periodontal treatment
Authors: Alexandridi F , Tsantila S , Pepelassi E
Published: September 2017

Smoking has detrimental oral effects. The aim of this study was to review the literature related to the impact of smoking cessation on periodontal health, periodontal disease and periodontal treatment outcome as well as to review the smoking cessation strategies and the dentist's role in the smoking cessation effort. Smoking cessation seems to have a positive effect on the periodontium, to decrease the risk for incidence and progression of periodontitis and to lead to a non‐significant trend for greater mean probing depth reductions after non‐surgical treatment over a 12‐month period. Smoking cessation effect on the periodontium should be further investigated. Dentists should inform their patients on the harmful effect of smoking and the beneficial effect of smoking cessation on oral health. They should advise, motivate and support their patients to quit smoking. Smoking‐control strategies should be incorporated in dental practise. The dentist's role in the smoking cessation effort is important. Guidelines on smoking‐control strategies applied in the dental office are required.
Set points of positivity ratio for different levels of well‐being: A latent profile analysis
Authors: Chen Shi‐Min , Gao Liang , Zhang Ying , Sun Pei‐Zhen
Published: September 2017

Previous studies have explored the set points of the positivity ratio by grouping according to predetermined cut‐off scores, resulting in inconsistent criteria and unstable results. This study intends to further explore the set points of the positivity ratio using latent profile analysis. Two samples of 716 college students and 381 adults in China completed the Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well‐Being, the Personal Growth Subscale from Ryff's Psychological Well‐being Scale, the Need Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Emotional Experience of Well‐Being Questionnaire. College students were classified into four classes (2.0, 2.8, 3.7 and 5.0) with the set points of the positivity ratio, whereas adults were classified into three classes (1.9, 2.9 and 4.2) with the set points of the positivity ratio. The difference of the set points between college students and adults was nonsignificant for medium and high well‐being classes, and significant with a small effect size for the higher well‐being class. Future research should examine more diverse samples and combine the real experience method to further explore the set points of the positivity ratio.
Survival outcomes in elderly men undergoing radical prostatectomy in Australia
Authors: Ranasinghe Weranja , Wang Luke L. , Persad Raj , Bolton Damien , Lawrentschuk Nathan , Sengupta Shomik
Published: September 2017

Background

To investigate the outcomes of patients older than 75 years of age in Victoria undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

Methods

Data on all men undergoing radical prostatectomy in Victoria between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014 were obtained from the Victorian Cancer Registry. Tumour characteristics including Gleason grade, stage of disease and cause of death were obtained. Statistical analysis was performed using chi‐squared test, Cox proportional hazards method and Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

A total of 14 686 men underwent radical prostatectomy during the defined period, with a median follow‐up of 58 months. Of these, 332 were men over the age of 75. All parameters are comparisons between patients >75 years of age and men <75 years of age. Men >75 years had a higher proportion of Gleason grade ≥8 disease (16.6% versus 11.4%, P < 0.001) but had similar stage of disease. Men >75 years had lower rates of 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival (67.3% versus 96.3% and 27.7% versus 89.1%) and lower rates of 5‐ and 10‐year prostate cancer‐specific survival (96.2% versus 99.3% and 94.3% versus 97.4%), respectively. Age was an independent risk factor for prostate cancer specific and overall mortality on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.32–1.68; P < 0.001 and hazard ratio 4.26, 95% confidence interval 2.15–8.42; P < 0.001), when adjusted for stage and grade.

Conclusion

Older men undergoing radical prostatectomy in Victoria had higher‐grade disease but similar stage. Age was an independent risk factor for worse prostate cancer‐specific and overall survival.
High birth rates despite easy access to contraception and abortion: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Hognert Helena , Skjeldestad Finn E. , Gemzell‐Danielsson Kristina , Heikinheimo Oskari , Milsom Ian , Lidegaard Øjvind , Lindh Ingela
Published: September 2017

Introduction

The aim of this study was to describe and compare contraceptive use, fertility, birth, and abortion rates in the Nordic countries.

Material and methods

National data on births, abortions, fertility rate (1975–2013), redeemed prescriptions of hormonal contraceptives and sales figures of copper intrauterine devices (2008–2013) among women 15–49 years of age in the Nordic countries were collected and analyzed.

Results

Use of hormonal contraceptives and copper intrauterine devices varied between 31 and 44%. The highest use was in Denmark (39–44%) and Sweden (40–42%). Combined hormonal contraception followed by the levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system were the most common methods. During 1975–2013 abortion rates decreased in Denmark (from 27/1000 women to 15/1000 women aged 15–44/1000 women) and Finland (from 20 to 10/1000 women), remained stable in Norway (≈16) and Sweden (≈20) and increased in Iceland (from 6 to 15/1000 women). Birth rates remained stable around 60/1000 women aged 15–44 in all countries except for Iceland where the birth rate decreased from 95 to 65/1000 women. Abortion rates were highest in the age group 20–24 years. In the same age group, Sweden had a lower contraceptive use (51%) compared with Denmark (59%) and Norway (56%) and a higher abortion rate 33/1000 compared with Denmark (25/1000) and Norway (27/1000).

Conclusions

In contrast to the declining average fertility and birth rates in Europe, rates in the Nordic countries remain high and stable despite high contraceptive use and liberal access to abortion on women's request.
Outcomes of severe uveitic glaucoma treated with Baerveldt implant: can blindness be prevented?
Authors: Tan Annelie N. , Cornelissen Michiel F. , Webers Carroll A. B. , Erckens Roel J. , Berendschot Tos T. J. M. , Beckers Henny J. M.
Published: September 2017

Purpose

To evaluate long‐term outcomes on efficacy and safety of severe uveitic glaucoma treated with a Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI).

Methods

A retrospective study of 47 eyes of 47 patients with uveitic glaucoma treated by a BGI between September 2002 and September 2015. Main outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, course of the uveitis, visual acuity (VA) and complications.

Results

Mean IOP dropped from 30.6 ± 8.1 mmHg with 3.6 ± 1.1 glaucoma medications at baseline to 10.6 ± 4.3 mmHg with 1.0 ± 1.3 glaucoma medications after a mean follow‐up of 63.6 ± 43.1 months. In the majority of cases, IOP remained stable during follow‐up. However, especially in several patients with viral uveitis, episodes with IOP peaks were observed during a flare‐up despite a functioning implant. These peaks remained below preoperative levels. During follow‐up, 16 patients (34%) experienced a clinically significant VA loss, mainly because of late‐stage glaucoma or hypotony maculopathy. Early postoperative complications were transient choroidal effusion (n = 5), shallow/flat anterior chamber (n = 4), hyphaema (n = 2) and suprachoroidal haemorrhage (n = 1). The most important late postoperative complication was hypotony maculopathy (n = 5), three of these in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients.

Conclusion

The BGI is an effective and safe treatment for patients with refractive secondary glaucoma due to uveitis. In a majority of patients, VA remains stable and a low and stable IOP is maintained over time with an acceptable number of complications. In particular, patients with viral uveitis and glaucoma should be closely monitored for IOP peaks that may occur during episodes of a flare‐up of uveitis, whereas at the other end of the spectrum, patients with JIA seem much more prone to hypotony maculopathy.