bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-scale modelling of rubber-like materials and soft tissues:an appraisal
Authors: Puglisi G. , Saccomandi G.
Published: March 2016

We survey, in a partial way, multi-scale approaches for the modelling of rubber-like and soft tissues and compare them with classical macroscopic phenomenological models. Our aim is to show how it is possible to obtain practical mathematical models for the mechanical behaviour of these materials incorporating mesoscopic (network scale) information. Multi-scale approaches are crucial for the theoretical comprehension and prediction of the complex mechanical response of these materials. Moreover, such models are fundamental in the perspective of the design, through manipulation at the micro- and nano-scales, of new polymeric and bioinspired materials with exceptional macroscopic properties.
Myosin filament sliding through the Z-disc relates striated muscle fibre structure to function
Authors: Rode Christian , Siebert Tobias , Tomalka Andre , Blickhan Reinhard
Published: March 2016

Striated muscle contraction requires intricate interactions of microstructures. The classic textbook assumption that myosin filaments are compressed at the meshed Z-disc during striated muscle fibre contraction conflicts with experimental evidence. For example, myosin filaments are too stiff to be compressed sufficiently by the muscular force, and, unlike compressed springs, the muscle fibres do not restore their resting length after contractions to short lengths. Further, the dependence of a fibre's maximum contraction velocity on sarcomere length is unexplained to date. In this paper, we present a structurally consistent model of sarcomere contraction that reconciles these findings with the well-accepted sliding filament and crossbridge theories. The few required model parameters are taken from the literature or obtained from reasoning based on structural arguments. In our model, the transition from hexagonal to tetragonal actin filament arrangement near the Z-disc together with a thoughtful titin arrangement enables myosin filament sliding through the Z-disc. This sliding leads to swivelled crossbridges in the adjacent half-sarcomere that dampen contraction. With no fitting of parameters required, the model predicts straightforwardly the fibre's entire force–length behaviour and the dependence of the maximum contraction velocity on sarcomere length. Our model enables a structurally and functionally consistent view of the contractile machinery of the striated fibre with possible implications for muscle diseases and evolution.
A unique feeding strategy of the extinct marine mammalKolponomos: convergence on sabretooths and sea otters
Authors: Tseng Z. Jack , Grohé Camille , Flynn John J.
Published: March 2016

Mammalian molluscivores feed mainly by shell-crushing or suction-feeding. The extinct marine arctoid,Kolponomos, has been interpreted as an otter-like shell-crusher based on similar dentitions. However, neither the masticatory biomechanics of the shell-crushing adaptation nor the wayKolponomosmay have captured hard-shelled prey have been tested. Based on mandibular symphyseal morphology shared byKolponomosand sabre-toothed carnivores, we hypothesize a sabretooth-like mechanism forKolponomosprey-capture, whereby the mandible functioned as an anchor. Torque generated from jaw closure and head flexion was used to dislodge prey by prying, with prey then crushed using cheek teeth. We test this hypothesized feeding sequence using phylogenetically informed biomechanical simulations and shape analyses, and find a strongly supported, shared high mandibular stiffness in simulated prey-capture bites and mandibular shape inKolponomosand the sabre-toothed catSmilodon. These two distantly related taxa converged on using mandibles to anchor cranial torqueing forces when prying substrate-bound prey in the former and sabre-driving forces during prey-killing in the latter. Simulated prey-crushing bites indicate thatKolponomosand sea otters exhibit alternative structural stiffness-bite efficiency combinations in mandibular biomechanical adaptation for shell-crushing. This unique feeding system ofKolponomosexemplifies a mosaic of form-function convergence relative to other Carnivora.
A CRISPR screen reveals a WNT7B-FZD5 signaling circuit as a therapeutic opportunity in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Steinhart Zachary , Hart Traver , Chandrashekhar Megha , Pavlovic Zvezdan , Robitaille Mélanie , Wang Xiaowei , Adams Jarrett , Pan James , Sidhu Sachdev , Moffat Jason , Angers Stéphane
Published: March 2016

CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing enables high-resolution detection of genetic vulnerabilities of cancer cells. We conducted a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen inRNF43mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, which rely on Wnt signaling for proliferation, and discovered a unique requirement for a WNT7B-FZD5 signaling circuit. Our results highlight an underappreciated level of functional specificity at the ligand-receptor level. We derived a panel of recombinant antibodies that reports the expression of nine out of ten human Frizzled receptors and confirm that WNT7B-FZD5 functional specificity cannot be explained by protein expression patterns. We developed two human antibodies that target FZD5 and robustly inhibited the growth ofRNF43mutant PDAC cells grownin vitroand as xenografts, providing strong orthogonal support for the functional specificity observed genetically. Proliferation of a patient-derived PDAC cell line harboring aRNF43variant previously associated with PDAC was also selectively inhibited by the FZD5 antibodies, further demonstrating their use as a potential targeted therapy.
A study on the multidimensional information management capability of knowledge workers
Authors: Hwang Yujong
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Drawing upon the extant literature from information systems (IS), information science, psychology, marketing, management, and IT training, the purpose of this paper is to propose information management capability (IMC) construct and its sub-dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

– New instruments were developed and validated to measure the proposed IMC constructs. The proposed model was empirically tested using the data collected from 120 knowledge workers using SPSS and partial least square.

Findings

– This research proposes and confirms that IMC has formative sub-dimensions such as sensing, collecting, organizing, processing, and maintaining.

Originality/value

– The study findings provide important insights on enhancing knowledge workers’ information management practices and subsequent knowledge management practices. The new instruments can be used as diagnostic tools for knowledge workers’ recruiting, ongoing assessment, and training.
Company taxonomy development: the case of an international emergency response organization
Authors: Lund Haakon , Ørnager Susanne
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore theoretically and empirically the understanding and implementation of an information taxonomy in the UN organization World Food Programme (WFP) by analysing users’ information behaviour and by establishing a minimum set of cross-silo metadata (taxonomy).

Design/methodology/approach

– The study implies the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. This includes desk review of key documents and interviews with information architecture staff from various WFP units; data collection carried out as semi-structured staff interviews in WFP; log analyses of search log-files from WFP intranet portal (WFPgo) from September to November 2013, the results were applied and a suggested taxonomy tested at workshops conducted for the staff in headquarters.

Findings

– The results reveal an organization with a high demand for easier access to information and knowledge, greater internal collaborations and stronger links with various sources of knowledge. Staff participating in the various workshops pointed out that work processes as well as the human resources component cannot be left out of a solution development.

Originality/value

– There has been little research carried out on current taxonomy projects in corporate environments and international emergency response organizations and few has touched on how knowledge organization systems can enhance or constrain staff’s ability to access online content.
Leveraging nation branding opportunities through sport mega-events
Authors: Knott Brendon , Fyall Alan , Jones Ian
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to indicate a shift in focus from legacy to the leveraging of event impacts, and previous papers have indicated a growing awareness of the brand-related legacies associated with sport mega-events for a host nation. However, none have explored this in relation to the strategic activities of nation brand stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

– The case of South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup was selected, as this host nation clearly stated its aim of using the sport mega-event to develop its brand. A qualitative study explored the insights of selected, definitive nation brand stakeholders and experts, elicited using in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n= 27) that took place two to three years post the event.

Findings

– A thematic analysis clustered the leveraging imperatives into seven key strategic focus areas, namely, the media, local citizens, stakeholder partnerships, the tourism experience, design, sustainable development and urban transformation and event hosting.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper is not an audit of leveraging activities nor does it assess the costs of leveraging. The focus on a specific case has allowed for an in-depth analysis, although, for greater transferability of these findings, it is recommended that further comparative studies be conducted, especially in emerging nation contexts.

Practical implications

– The paper identifies key strategic focus areas as well as examples of practical activities for leveraging mega-events to gain and sustain nation brand benefits. In particular, stakeholders are urged to plan and budget for leveraging before, during and especially post an event.

Social implications

– In light of the critique of mega-events linked to their social impacts and costs, this paper recommends leveraging focus areas, and especially the mobilisation of citizen support, that can assist the realisation of positive social outcomes.

Originality/value

– The paper adds to the emerging discourse of nation branding, highlighting opportunities derived through sport mega-events and assisting brand stakeholders to leverage such opportunities more effectively.
The relationship between brand strength and tourism intensity: empirical evidence from the EU capital cities
Authors: Mikulić Josip , Miličević Katarina , Krešić Damir
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between brand strength and tourism intensity indices and to determine to what extent the implementation of the branding process can have an impact on building a destination’s brand strength and tourism economic performance in the European Union capital cities.

Design/methodology/approach

– For the purpose of this study, secondary data on brand strength and tourism intensity for a sample of 20 European capital cities were used. Correlation analysis between brand strength and tourism intensity was then performed by using a cross-section analysis design.

Findings

– The findings of this research show that destination brand strength is indeed significantly and positively related to tourism intensity.

Originality/value

– This paper concludes that destination branding process is an important factor for creating and maintaining competitive advantages among capital cities on the mature and saturated European tourism market.
Progress and trends in destination branding and marketing – a brief and broad review
Authors: Dioko Leonardo (Don) A.N.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the dramatic growth in the number of meetings and published materials exploring destination branding and marketing over the past 15 years. It points out several notable thematic sub-branching in the field and prospective directions based on observable changes in the content and structure of this now-established discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

– The review draws broad patterns and trends from the SCOPUS database and from Google’s Ngram metadata as well as a structural analysis of subject keywords.

Findings

– Destination branding appears to be now as, if not more, relevant than general tourism or destination marketing. It is not just growing as a field of study but devolving, on the one hand, into several sub-branches but, on the other hand, also expanding more holistically to incorporate higher-level concepts of social identity, community and sustainability.

Originality/value

– The paper provides a broad overview of thematic development and changes in the content and structure of destination branding and marketing at the metadata level.
Understandings of Islamic pedagogy for personalised learning
Authors: Sabani Noraisikin , Hardaker Glenn , Sabki Aishah , Salleh Sallimah
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore what is believed to be a deep connection between Islamic pedagogy as a way to cultivate personal learning experiences. The paper discusses the relationship between the characterising features of Islamic pedagogy and personalised learning that remains central to Islamic institutional developments. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of the embodiment of knowledge in Islamic pedagogy for personalised learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– The endeavours to define the characterising features that represents the relationship between Islamic pedagogy and knowledge embodiment.

Findings

– The paper proposes that Islamic pedagogy is dependent on both a personalised approach towards teacher and student embodiment. From an Islamic perspective, embodiment has a physical and spiritual dimension where prophecy is retained and is inherent to existence and daily practice. Without the embodied learning the Islamic approach towards pedagogy is seen to disconnect with many students seeking knowledge. This highlights the centrality of the teachers’ relationship with the student and the distinguishing belief of Islamic pedagogy in knowledge embodiment.

Originality/value

– The papers contribution to knowledge is in considering personalised learning within the context of Islamic education.
Perceptions of mental illness in the Somali community in Minnesota
Authors: Pratt Rebekah , Fadumo Ayan , Hang Mikow , Osman Sirad , Raymond Nancy
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Somali immigrants are a strong, vibrant community in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. However, the legacy of resettlement and the challenges of adjustment can lead to complex physical and mental health challenges. The Somali community is considered to be underserved, particularly with regard to mental health, but the health system must understand the perception of mental health in the Somali community in order to address current disparities. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This qualitative research drew on the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and was conducted with the goal of learning more about how mental illness is perceived in the Somali community living in Minnesota. Four focus groups were held, with a total of 35 participants, 19 female and 16 male.

Findings

– Several main themes emerged from the data. The community’s foundations of the perceptions of mental health inform and shape their perspective on mental illness, including the way mental illness is defined. Historical experiences, the impact of trauma, strong religious beliefs, and stigma toward mental illness influenced both the perceived causes of mental illness and views on seeking treatment.

Originality/value

– This research suggests there is value in drawing on the SEM to as the perception of mental illness is both layered, and shaped by the Somali community’s historical and social context. Forming community partnerships that address concerns about mental illness are essential next steps toward improving mental health in the Somali community. These partnerships should build on existing community assets, particularly religious leaders.
A rapid systematic review of what we know about alcohol use disorders and brief interventions in the criminal justice system
Authors: Newbury-Birch Dorothy , McGovern Ruth , Birch Jennifer , O'Neill Gillian , Kaner Hannah , Sondhi Arun , Lynch Kieran
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence of alcohol use disorders within the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK. Furthermore it reviewed the worldwide evidence of alcohol brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system.

Design/methodology/approach

– A rapid systematic review of publications was conducted from the year 2000 to 2014 regarding the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the various stages of the criminal justice system. The second part of the work was a rapid review of effectiveness studies of interventions for alcohol brief interventions. Studies were included if they had a comparison group. Worldwide evidence was included that consisted of up to three hours of face-to-face brief intervention either in one session or numerous sessions.

Findings

– This review found that 64-88 per cent of adults in the police custody setting; 95 per cent in the magistrate court setting; 53-69 per cent in the probation setting and 5,913-863 per cent in the prison system and 64 per cent of young people in the criminal justice system in the UK scored positive for an alcohol use disorder. There is very little evidence of effectiveness of brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system mainly due to the lack of follow-up data.

Social implications

– Brief alcohol interventions have a large and robust evidence base for reducing alcohol use in risky drinkers, particularly in primary care settings. However, there is little evidence of effect upon drinking levels in criminal justice settings. Whilst the approach shows promise with some effects being shown on alcohol-related harm as well as with young people in the USA, more robust research is needed to ascertain effectiveness of alcohol brief interventions in this setting.

Originality/value

– This paper provides evidence of alcohol use disorders in the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK using a validated tool as well as reviewing the worldwide evidence for short (
<
three hours) alcohol brief intervention in this setting.
Changes in intra-city employment patterns: a spatial analysis
Authors: Webber Don , Pacheco Gail
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate area-level labour market dynamics from a spatial perspective. This analysis is aimed at better understanding what socio-economic actors are associated with shifts in unemployment rates across a major metropolitan city.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on two waves of New Zealand census data, this paper combines a seemingly unrelated regression approach (allowing for relaxation of the assumption that residuals from models of different employment states are unrelated) with a spatial lag model.

Findings

– The key socio-economic drivers associated with intra-city employment dynamics were vehicle access, dependency rates and educational attainment. Importantly, the identification of spatial autocorrelation with respect to employment status patterns within this major New Zealand city motivates a case for heterogeneous employment policies across the city.

Originality/value

– This research improves the understanding of changes in labour market status rates within a city region. This is done by inclusion of two important considerations: a spatial perspective to labour market dynamics at an intra-city level; and formally modelling the interdependence across the four potential labour market outcomes (being full-time, part-time, unemployed or out of the labour force). Overall, there was clear empirical support for the need to include spatial considerations when using targeted policy to help lift areas out of unemployment.
Mapping socioeconomic well-being across EU regions
Authors: Andreoni Valeria , Galmarini Stefano
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to use multidimensional approach to provide a well-being description across European regions.

Design/methodology/approach

– By considering the set of socioeconomic indicators provided by Eurostat for the EU 266 NUTS-2 regions, three main analyses have been performed for the year 2009: first, the “ideal point” technique has been used to identify: the best EU performances; the number and type of indicators that needs to be improved in every European regions. Second, a map of well-being has been elaborated to provide a picture summarizing the regional values in comparison to the European average. Third, Gini coefficient has been calculated to identify the indicators performing the largest inequalities across EU. The method presented in this paper is suitable to be complemented with subjective ranking of values and preference, making the proposed methodology useful to investigate well-being in a national, regional or individual scale.

Findings

– By providing a multidimensional description of well-being across the 266 EU regions, the present paper identifies and maps the existing differences on socioeconomic performance.

Originality/value

– The results provided can be useful to design policies oriented to reduce inequalities and to promote socioeconomic and environmental convergences across European regions. As far as the authors know, this is the first paper that provides a map of regional socioeconomic well-being across Europe.
Insurance market development and economic growth
Authors: Alhassan Abdul Latif
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the causal relationship between insurance penetration and economic growth in eight selected African countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The auto-regressive distributed lags bounds approach to cointegration is employed on annual time-series data from 1990 to 2010 to test the causal relationship between insurance and economic growth in Algeria, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. The ratio of life and non-life insurance premiums to gross domestic product are employed as proxies for insurance market development.

Findings

– The results of the bound test shows a long-run relationship between insurance market activities and economic growth for Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Causality analysis within the vector error correction model indicates a uni-directional causality from insurance market development to economic growth except for Morocco where there is evidence of a bi-directional causality. Causality within the vector autoregressive framework also provides evidence of a uni-directional causality for Algeria and Madagascar to support the “supply-leading” hypothesis while mixed causality was found for Gabon.

Practical implications

– This findings provides policy direction for governments and regulatory authorities for developing insurance market in the sample countries.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to examine the finance-growth relationship from the perspective of insurance markets in a cross-section of African countries.
Applying the concept of reciprocal roles to relapse prevention with offenders: a cognitive analytic therapy informed approach
Authors: Worthington Rachel
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) informed reciprocal-role procedures could better inform relapse prevention planning for offenders in treatment programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper will explore the literature in relation to the efficacy of traditional victim empathy modules within accredited interventions as an intervention to reduce recidivism. Specifically, the paper will argue that current methods of victim empathy can pose a risk of increasing risk factors associated with recidivism and may be ineffective at reducing recidivism for certain clients.

Findings

– Offender treatment using victim empathy could be more effectively utilised from a CAT informed perspective. The paper will introduce “No more Victims” which is a newly designed module using a CAT informed relapse prevention approach to assist offenders to consider the reciprocal roles which take them closer to offending and how to exit these.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper argues that standard victim empathy modules may be difficult to access for some offenders and the validity of this approach in reducing recidivism is questionable. However, considering the role of the victim within offending behaviour interventions can be of value and this can be particularly helpful in terms of risk management and risk reduction. CAT informed approaches such as the “No more Victims” module provide a method of exploring victim issues in a way that is responsive to the needs of the offender and the module can be used as an adjunct to cognitive behavioural therapy interventions. This approach can also enhance victim safety planning and better inform risk management plans for the offender and those supervising them. It is suggested that this approach should be more widely used in other forensic interventions to enable clients to have valuable insight into the role they assume when offending and how the risk of this being re-enacted in the future can be revised.

Originality/value

– The paper will describe how consideration of reciprocal roles between the offender and victim could better inform relapse prevention in offender treatment programmes. An example of a session from the “No more Victims” module is provided.
University students’ entrepreneurial tendency in China
Authors: Yao Xiaofang , Wu Xiyue , Long Dan
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the impact mechanism of Chinese university students’ perceived entrepreneurial environment on their entrepreneurial tendency in the context of Chinese economic transition. In particular, the paper provides a reference for relevant departments to make policies and entrepreneurship educators to perfect the pedagogical design and curriculum development in entrepreneurship education programs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used questionnaires to collect data in Chinese universities via random sampling, and gained 729 valid questionnaires. Results from principal component analysis indicate that the scales have a good reliability. In particular, entrepreneurial attitude had three components. The hypotheses are tested by using Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression; the level of statistical significance ofF-test was less than 0.05. Hence, multiple linear regression can be used in the analyses.

Findings

– The study found that university students’ perceived social environment and economic environment have a positive influence on their entrepreneurial tendency, and entrepreneurial attitude is partially playing a mediating role between students’ perceived entrepreneurial environment and entrepreneurial tendency. However, students’ perceived policy environment has no significant impact on entrepreneurial tendency.

Originality/value

– Environmental factors are often viewed as“gap fillers” in related studies, and mostly concentrated in the Western developed countries. This study attempts to fill the gaps in the context of Chinese economic transition.
The realistic evaluation of an adapted thinking skills programme
Authors: Oakes Peter , Murphy Glynis , Giraud-Saunders Alison , Akinshegun Nzinga
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe a project reporting the evaluation of an adapted form of the thinking skills programme (TSP) with prisoners with intellectual disabilities. In particular, the utility of realistic evaluation is explored as a response to the difficulties in applying research-based interventions in practice and rolling out pilot projects that have been evaluated under specific conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Realistic evaluation involves the identification of context, mechanism and outcome as a structure for programme evaluation and this was applied to the development and implementation of adapted TSP (ATSP) in three English prisons.

Findings

– Findings are reported in respect of the three aspects of context, mechanism and outcome to demonstrate the utility of realistic evaluation. Contextual findings suggested that ATSP is effective with male prisoners representing a range of intellectual disabilities, who would otherwise be excluded from mainstream programmes. The programme did not establish effectiveness with women or in community settings. The prisons involved were of different levels of security, but all three prisons were actively involved in positive approaches to difference and diversity and support for people with intellectual disabilities. For mechanism it was noted that all involved in the pilot sites were highly motivated to participate in the project and they were also achieving high scores for general quality in programme delivery. The realistic evaluation framework suggests that, where these factors are not present, some caution about possible effectiveness should be exercised. The evaluation approach proved to be helpful in identifying relevant factors to be considered in the wider implementation of ATSP.

Originality/value

– This is a novel approach to programme evaluation in psychological therapies that was shown to be of value in identifying conditions under which pilot schemes can be extended to other parts of a service, and research on interventions for offenders with intellectual disabilities applied in practice.
Geographic information system analysis of developmentally disabled adult offenders
Authors: Tsagaris George Steve , Seck Mamadou Mansor , Keeler Janet , Rowe Robert
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Adult offenders diagnosed with developmental disabilities have been referred for services to a Northeast Ohio county agency. The purpose of this paper is to examine their repartition in the three areas of the county as determined by zip codes, their involvement with the criminal justice system, types of offenses they committed, their indictment, and the court outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study used a geographic information system (GIS) mapping based on secondary data collected from the 2008 to 2012 American Community Survey and a random sample of 160 participants selected from an agency database including 850 clients.

Findings

– The authors found that the concentrations of offenders in the core city, inner, and outer suburbs of the county were, respectively 71.7, 19.6, and 8.7 percent. The largest racial groups included African Americans (112; 70 percent) and Whites (33; 20.6 percent). Male offenders (155; 96.9 percent) outnumbered female offenders. Of the offenses committed, 42.9 percent were crimes against persons including kidnapping, abduction, assault, followed by crimes against property (22.2 percent), and crimes against society (26.4 percent). As they appeared before Mental Health Court or Non Mental Health Court judges, the court outcome evolved from community control for six months to prison sentence of 120 months.

Research limitations/implications

– These findings will enable agency professionals to look for protective as well as risk factors that are prevalent in each area of this NEO county and make plans for more effective, preventative, and clinical service provision.

Originality/value

– The use of GIS for data analysis represents an innovation in the research field involving adult offenders with developmental disability as it allows professionals to look for protective as well as risk factors that are prevalent in their clients’ immediate environment.
Intellectual disability and substance use/misuse: a narrative review
Authors: Day Christine , Lampraki Alexandra , Ridings Dean , Currell Karen
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a narrative review of the literature on substance use/misuse within an intellectual disability (ID) population. The paper is focused on the prevalence, motivation and implications of substance use as well as the interventions for misuse.

Design/methodology/approach

– Research focused on substance use and ID (IQ of 70 or less with onset in the developmental period) were considered.

Findings

– The findings indicate a disparity between research findings regarding the prevalence of substance use/misuse within ID populations. Previous research indicates that individuals with ID may use/misuse substances as a form of relief or respite from negative experiences. Although there is a clear need for intervention, many of the ID population do not engage with generic interventions for substance misuse. Additionally, professionals responsible for the provision of interventions identify a lack of training and support to meet the needs of ID populations.

Research limitations/implications

– Minimal research in this areas, barriers to language and demographics being underreported.

Practical implications

– Highlights problems with the current evidence base and barriers this poses indicates a need for further research and intervention.

Social implications

– Implications for the equality for individuals with an ID and their access to appropriate intervention. Focus on prevention of offending behaviour and intervention as appose to management.

Originality/value

– In order to build a greater understanding of this issue, a shared universal language and definition of ID must be implemented. Further research to improve the understanding of why those with ID misuse substances is imperative before designing and implementing useful interventions.
Segmenting the collegiate football game spectator: a cluster analysis approach
Authors: Kim Young Hoon , Duncan Jen L. , Jai Tun-Min (Catherine)
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purposes of this paper is to segment spectators of collegiate football game using a cluster analysis and to determine differences between spectator clusters based on motivations, satisfaction, and demographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey instrument was utilized, and a total of 407 usable data were gathered through a convenience sampling method at a main campus in the Southern USA. A discriminant analysis was employed to create cluster profiles including demographic variables not previously included in the clustering procedure. Cluster analysis is a procedure used to determine best group segmentation.

Findings

– Through a factor-cluster analysis, two distinct groups are identified as attendees of collegiate football games: far-away fans and seasoned sideliners. Knowing the different spectators in event attendance allows marketers of collegiate sport events to effectively target segments and attract larger numbers of visitors to each event. Although the results indicated lower satisfaction with the far-away fans cluster, they are nonetheless spending their money at these events. A concerted effort to better welcome tourists that are supporting the visiting team may help boost their image of the local community and thus increase their spending level.

Originality/value

– The current study adds to the literature on sport event research, while providing great insight for researchers and practitioners how to segment their target market. Therefore, it is believed that the results of the present study will help future researchers and industry practitioners make use of the implications and findings to broaden their knowledge about sport marketing.
All together now? Exploring sales and marketing integration
Authors: Snyder Kevin , McKelvey Steve , Sutton William
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Building on prior research in interactions between sales and marketing departments, the purpose of this paper is to investigate departmental alignment among professional hockey teams. By using a single industry sample, the authors are able to identify high and low performers, along with structural antecedents that lead to higher alignment (Rouse and Daellenbach, 1999). Expiring inventory, customer knowledge, and volatile demand enhance the need for alignment and suggest opportunities for innovative mechanisms to share information among departments (Mullinet al., 2007).

Design/methodology/approach

– Through the usage of Kotleret al.’s (2006) survey instrument, the authors survey NHL Vice Presidents of sales and marketing to assess levels of structural alignment. The authors further explores strategies for alignment through qualitative interviews of select team executives.

Findings

– The authors find examples of high alignment, achieved through structural elements of proximity, cross-functional tasks, financial incentives, and new technologies. The qualitative interviews provide insight into how organizations attempt to create high levels of alignment.

Originality/value

– These results help advance the literature by identifying high performers and going inside organizations for the source of a competitive advantage, thus following Rouse and Dallenbach’s (1999) approach for theory development. The authors also contributes by identifying strategies for practitioners to apply as they attempt to design optimal work structures.
It’s not just cricket – the portfolios of the English/Welsh cricket teams
Authors: Pritchard Adrian
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the range of products and services offered by the professional cricket teams in the UK. To what extent have they added to their core activity of staging matches?

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study approach was adopted using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The accounts of the 18 teams and the governing body were reviewed to analyse the flow of income within the sport and categorize its sources. Interviews were then held with senior commercial staff of 12 of the teams.

Findings

– All of the teams had engaged in brand extensions, offering a category of products/services that were more concerned with facilities utilization. These were not aimed at fans of the teams, as with conventional sporting extensions, but at a different market. Though there was some overlap between customers. The use of alliances and joint ventures was common in the provision of these lines.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited to a single sport, with the portfolio being investigated from a management as opposed to a consumer perspective. The findings are likely to be relevant to other sports teams, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, where income from the sport alone is insufficient to maintain professional status.

Originality/value

– This paper adds to the previous research on typologies of brand extensions in sport by incorporating product/service lines that were aimed at resource utilization and different markets.
Iterative problem solving in teams: insights from an agent-based simulation
Authors: Martynov Aleksey , Abdelzaher Dina
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to evaluate the effect of knowledge overlap, search width and problem complexity on the quality of problem-solving in teams that use the majority rule to aggregate heterogeneous knowledge of the team members.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses agent-based simulations to model iterative problem-solving by teams. The simulation results are analyzed using linear regressions to show the interactions among the variables in the model.

Findings

– We find that knowledge overlap, search width and problem complexity interact to jointly impact the optimal solution in the iterative problem-solving process of teams using majority rule decisions. Interestingly, we find that more complex problems require less knowledge overlap. Search width and knowledge overlap act as substitutes, weakening each other’s performance effects.

Research limitations/implications

– The results suggest that team performance in iterative problem-solving depends on interactions among knowledge overlap, search width and problem complexity which need to be jointly examined to reflect realistic team dynamics.

Practical implications

– The findings suggest that team formation and the choice of a search strategy should be aligned with problem complexity.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the literature on problem-solving in teams. It is the first attempt to use agent-based simulations to model complex problem-solving in teams. The results have both theoretical and practical significance.
Trade‐offs among locomotor performance, reproduction and immunity in lizards
Authors: Husak Jerry F. , Ferguson Haley A. , Lovern Matthew B.
Published: March 2016

Life‐history theory predicts that investment of acquired energetic resources to a particular trait denies those same resources from being allocated to a different trait, resulting in life‐history trade‐offs. Dynamic, whole‐organism performance traits, including locomotor capacity, are key to fitness and fit within this framework. Such performance traits are typically energetically expensive, but are seldom integrated into life‐history studies.

We manipulated diet and allocation of resources to performance, via exercise training, to examine trade‐offs among endurance capacity, growth, immune function and current reproductive investment. Captive green anole lizards were assigned to one of four treatment combinations across two factors (diet restricted or not and endurance trained or not) over the course of 9 weeks.

Our results show that both diet restriction and training dramatically suppressed reproduction and immune function, but there were opposing effects of diet restriction and training on growth. Elevated corticosterone from training was associated with suppression of immunity, and decreased fat stores from diet restriction were associated with suppressed reproduction in both sexes.

Our results suggest that locomotor performance is an important part of energy allocation decisions and thus a key component of life‐history trade‐offs.
Beyond neutral and forbidden links: morphological matches and the assembly of mutualistic hawkmoth–plant networks
Authors: Sazatornil Federico D. , Moré Marcela , Benitez‐Vieyra Santiago , Cocucci Andrea A. , Kitching Ian J. , Schlumpberger Boris O. , Oliveira Paulo E. , Sazima Marlies , Amorim Felipe W.
Published: March 2016

A major challenge in evolutionary ecology is to understand how co‐evolutionary processes shape patterns of interactions between species at community level. Pollination of flowers with long corolla tubes by long‐tongued hawkmoths has been invoked as a showcase model of co‐evolution. Recently, optimal foraging models have predicted that there might be a close association between mouthparts' length and the corolla depth of the visited flowers, thus favouring trait convergence and specialization at community level.

Here, we assessed whether hawkmoths more frequently pollinate plants with floral tube lengths similar to their proboscis lengths (morphological match hypothesis) against abundance‐based processes (neutral hypothesis) and ecological trait mismatches constraints (forbidden links hypothesis), and how these processes structure hawkmoth–plant mutualistic networks from five communities in four biogeographical regions of South America.

We found convergence in morphological traits across the five communities and that the distribution of morphological differences between hawkmoths and plants is consistent with expectations under the morphological match hypothesis in three of the five communities. In the two remaining communities, which are ecotones between two distinct biogeographical areas, interactions are better predicted by the neutral hypothesis.

Our findings are consistent with the idea that diffuse co‐evolution drives the evolution of extremely long proboscises and flower tubes, and highlight the importance of morphological traits, beyond the forbidden links hypothesis, in structuring interactions between mutualistic partners, revealing that the role of niche‐based processes can be much more complex than previously known.
Male‐killing bacteria as agents of insect pest control
Authors: Berec Luděk , Maxin Daniel , Bernhauerová Veronika
Published: March 2016

Continual effort is needed to reduce the impact of exotic species in the context of increased globalization. Any innovation in this respect would be an asset.

We assess the potential of combining two pest control techniques: the well‐established sterile insect technique (SIT) and a novel male‐killing technique (MKT), which comprises inoculation of a pest population with bacteria that kill the infected male embryos.

Population models are developed to assess the efficiency of using the MKT for insect pest control, either alone or together with the SIT. We seek for conditions under which the MKT weakens requirements on the SIT.

Regarding the SIT, we consider both non‐heritable and inherited sterility. In both cases, the MKT and SIT benefit one another. The MKT may prevent the SIT from failing when not enough sterilized males are released due to high production costs and/or uncertainty on their mating ability following a high irradiation dose. Conversely, with already established SIT, pest eradication can be achieved after introduction of male‐killing bacteria with lower vertical transmission efficiency than if the MKT was applied alone.

For tephritid fruit flies with non‐heritable sterility, maximal impact of the SIT is achieved when the released males are fully sterile. Conversely, for lepidopterans with inherited sterility, maximal impact of the SIT is achieved for intermediate irradiation doses. In both cases, increasing vertical transmission efficiency of male‐killing bacteria benefits the SIT; high enough vertical transmission efficiency allows for pest eradication where the SIT is absent or induces only pest suppression when used alone.

Synthesis and applications. While both techniques can suppress or eliminate the pest on their own, combined application of the male‐killing technique and the sterile insect technique substantially increases pest control efficiency. If male‐killing bacteria are already established in the pest, any assessment of the sterile insect technique needs to account for their presence; otherwise, management recommendations could be exaggerated and unnecessarily costly.