bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The CoBiS Linked Open Data Project and Portal
Authors: Schiavone Luisa , Morando Federico ,   The CoBis Communication Working Group
Published: August 2018

The CoBiS is a network formed by 65 libraries. The project is a pilot for Piedmont that is aiming to provide the Committee with an infrastructure for LOD publishing, thus creating a triplification pipeline designed to be easy to automate and replicate. This is being realized with open source technologies, such as the RML mapping language or the JARQL tool that uses Linked Data to describe the conversion of XML, JSON or tabular data into RDF. The first challenge consisted in making possible the dialog of heterogeneous data sources, coming from four different library software (Clavis, Erasmo, SBNWeb and BIBLIOWin 5.0web) and different types of data (bibliographic, multimedia, and archival). The information contained in the catalogs is progressively interlinked with external data sources, such as Wikidata, VIAF, LoC and BNF authority files, Wikipedia and the Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Partners of the CoBiS LOD Project are: National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), Turin Academy of Sciences, Olivetti Historical Archives Association, Alpine Club National Library, Deputazione Subalpina di Storia Patria, National Institute for Metrological Research (INRIM). The technical realization of the project is entrusted to Synapta, and it is partially sponsored by Piedmont Region.
La vierge noire : délire de grossesse
Authors: Lechner Évelyne
Published: August 2018

Alors que la littérature fait peu de cas des délires de grossesse, ceux-ci frappent par leur fréquence dans la pratique quotidienne de secteur. Symptôme principal de certains tableaux psychotiques, ils touchent des femmes schizophrènes exemptes de toute pratique sexuelle et qui, par leur conviction délirante inébranlable, désarçonnent les équipes soignantes. A partir de deux exemples cliniques, nous nous proposons de mieux décrire toute leur richesse séméiologique et surtout, de les inscrire au sein de trajectoires individuelles. Cette démarche dynamique permet de repérer dans ces histoires singulières, des traumatismes très précoces et d’avancer quelques hypothèses psychopathologiques. A priori irrationnelle, la construction délirante apparaît alors comme une tentative de lutter contre l’angoisse, d’accéder à une forme de féminité et, petit à petit, de renaître. Et ce n’est qu’en appréhendant les processus inconscients ici en jeu que les soignants pourront pleinement accueillir et accompagner ces femmes éternellement enceintes vers une position de sujet.
L’horizon numérique dans les problématiques limites : les social games
Authors: Saint-Jevin Alexandre
Published: August 2018

À partir d’un enrichissement de la clinique des problématiques limites grâce à la theorisation des psychoses ordinaires, nous développerons la notion d’horizon numérique à l’œuvre dans leurs pratiques des social game. Il s’agira d’appuyer la psychanalyse sur une analyse de l’objet technique qu’est l’informatique pour conceptualiser l’horizon à l’œuvre dans cette pratique. Cette analyse nous mènera à confronter les écrits sur l’horizon du logicien et philosophe de l’informatique Gérard Chazal, à la lecture lacanienne de ceux du philosophe Martin Heidegger et à la pensée clinique des game studies à la française (Michaël Stora, Serge Tisseron, Yann Leroux, Thomas Gaon, etc.). Ainsi la clinique éclaire quatre caractéristiques de la subjectivation possible par le numérique pour ces problématiques limites : le masque numérique, les paradoxes du silence, le fantasme du vidéodrome et la jouissance machinique. En prenant appui sur la conception de la machine inhérente à la psychanalyse de Sigmund Freud et Jacques Lacan, nous proposerons une approche psychanalytique du vidéoludique, prenant en compte la dimension mortifère de toute machine nécessaire au vivant pour s’inscrire dans la société des hommes.
New Approach for B-Mode Ultrasound (US) Evaluation of the Plantar Aponeurosis (PA) Thickness in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Abd Ellah Mohamed , Kremser Christian , Strobl Sylvia , Rauch Stefan , Deml Christian , Kronreif Christian , Klauser Andrea
Published: August 2018

Purpose To compare ultrasound (US) measurements in the sagittal and axial plane of the plantar aponeurosis (PA) in healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods PA thickness was measured in 40 healthy subjects (mean age: 34 years) by two radiologists using US in sagittal, axial medial and axial lateral planes. Subjects were classified according to gender (female and male) and age (18 – 35 versus 50 – 75 years). All measurements were compared and the interobserver agreement was calculated.

Results The PA was medially significantly thicker than laterally (mean ± std 3.1 ± 0.7 mm versus 2.5 ± 0.5 mm respectively, P< 0.001). A significant difference was found between males and females (3.3 ± 0.7 mm versus 2.9 ± 0.6 mm medially and 2.7 ± 0.6 mm versus 2.3 ± 0.4 mm laterally, p < 0.05) and between the older and younger age groups (3.8 ± 0.6 mm versus 2.8 ± 0.4 mm medially and 3.1 ± 0.4 mm versus 2.3 ± 0.4 mm laterally, p < 0.001). Good interobserver agreement was detected (0.74).

Conclusion Measurement of central and lateral fascicles of the plantar aponeurosis in both planes (sagittal and axial) is recommended in the daily routine.

Key points 

Citation Format
Oleic acid increases uptake and decreases the P-gp-mediated efflux of the veterinary anthelmintic Ivermectin
Authors: Houshaymi Bilal , Nasreddine Nadine , Kedees Mamdouh , Soayfane Zeina
Published: August 2018

The bioavailability of ivermectin is modulated by lipid-based formulations and membrane efflux transporters such as Breast Cancer Resistance Protein and P-glycoprotein (BCRP and P-gp). We have investigated the effect of oleic acid on the uptake of ivermectin in vitro using Caco-2 cells and in vivo in the intestines of wild-type mice. Complex micelles (M) with oleic acid induced a significant increase (e. g. for M3 was 7-fold, p≤0.001) in the uptake of the drug in a time-dependent manner with no involvement of cholesterol in the mechanism. In vivo results showed a significant increase in the concentration of plasma and intestinal mucosa ivermectin (p≤0.01) in mice receiving oleic acid-based drug formulation. We also examined the expression of the drug efflux transporter, BCRP and P-gp in Caco-2 cells and found a significant decrease (p≤0.001) in their level in the presence of 5 mM oleic acid. Treatment of mice with oleic acid-based formulation showed a significant decrease in the activity of P-gp in the intestinal mucosa (p≤0.01). This study highlighted the effect of oleic acid in decreasing the expression and the activity of P-gp-mediated ivermectin efflux and in limiting the drug absorption by increasing its uptake and bioavailability in Caco-2 cells and intestine, respectively.
Fast surface acoustic wave solution method based on the generalized Green’s function
Authors: Fan Yanping , Deng Fucheng , Kong Ping , Ji Xiaojun
Published: August 2018

The characteristics of generalized Green’s function elements with different materials and cuts are analyzed. The real part has only one zero crossing point that corresponds to a free surface acoustic wave (SAW) when the imaginary part of elements H33 is zero. Moreover, the signs of the real part on two sides of the zero crossing point are opposite. A fast SAW solution algorithm is developed on the basis of the characteristics of H33. Free surface SAW velocity vf is obtained by searching the zero crossing point of H33, and metal surface SAW velocity vm is obtained by searching the zero crossing point of an effective permittivity that is smaller than vf. A numerical simulation is performed. Results show that the obtained SAW velocity and electromechanical coupling coefficients are consistent with the reported results. Moreover, the calculation time of the proposed SAW solution method is approximately 10% of the existing methods, which verify its feasibility.
Archaeogenomic evidence from the southwestern US points to a pre-Hispanic scarlet macaw breeding colony
Authors: George Richard J. , Plog Stephen , Watson Adam S. , Schmidt Kari L. , Culleton Brendan J. , Harper Thomas K. , Gilman Patricia A. , LeBlanc Steven A. , Amato George , Whiteley Peter , Kistler Logan , Kennett Douglas J.
Published: August 2018

Significance

Archaeogenomic analysis of scarlet macaw bones demonstrates that the genetic diversity of these birds acquired by people in the southwestern United States (SW) between 900 and 1200 CE was exceedingly low. Only one mitochondrial DNA haplogroup (Haplo6) is present of the five historically known haplogroups in the lowland forests of Mexico and Central America. Phylogenetic analyses indicate the ancient macaw lineage in the SW shared genetic affinities with this wild lineage. These data support the hypothesis that a translocated breeding colony of scarlet macaws belonging to only one haplogroup existed some distance north of their endemic range, and SW peoples continuously acquired these birds from this unknown location for nearly 3 centuries, as no evidence currently exists for macaw breeding in SW.
Antibiotic prophylaxis and clinical outcomes among older adults with recurrent urinary tract infection: cohort study
Authors: Ahmed Haroon , Farewell Daniel , Jones Hywel M , Francis Nick A , Paranjothy Shantini , Butler Christopher C
Published: August 2018

Background

clinical guidelines recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), but there is little evidence for their effectiveness in older adults.

Methods

this was a retrospective cohort study of health records from 19,696 adults aged ≥65 with recurrent UTIs. We used prescription records to ascertain ≥3 months’ prophylaxis with trimethoprim, cefalexin or nitrofurantoin. We used random effects Cox recurrent event models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risks of clinical recurrence (primary outcome), acute antibiotic prescribing and hospitalisation.

Results

of 4,043 men and 15,653 women aged ≥65 with recurrent UTIs, 508 men (12.6%) and 2,229 women (14.2%) were prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis. In men, prophylaxis was associated with a reduced risk of clinical recurrence (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.45–0.54), acute antibiotic prescribing (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.51–0.57) and UTI-related hospitalisation (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64–0.94). In women, prophylaxis was also associated with a reduced risk of clinical recurrence (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.55–0.59) and acute antibiotic prescribing (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.59–0.62), but estimates of the risk of UTI-related hospitalisation were inconsistent between our main analysis (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05–1.28) and sensitivity analysis (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.72–0.94).

Conclusions

antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with lower rates of UTI recurrence and acute antibiotic prescribing in older adults. To fully understand the benefits and harms of prophylaxis, further research should determine the frequency of antibiotic-related adverse events and the impact on antimicrobial resistance and quality of life.
Who Needs Critical Friends? Independent Advisory Groups in the Age of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Authors: Dixon Bill
Published: August 2018

In the early 2000s, many police forces in England and Wales set up independent advisory groups (IAGs) following an inquiry into the flawed investigation of the murder of a black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, by London's Metropolitan Police. Members of IAGs were to act as critical friends of the police providing independent advice on policies, procedures and practices, thus ensuring that no section of their local community was disadvantaged through a lack of understanding, ignorance or mistaken beliefs. Based on a case study of an IAG in an English police force, this article reviews the operation of IAGs following the radical changes made to police governance by the introduction of directly elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs). Its main argument is that more thought needs to be given to the role of IAGs in this new landscape and urgent steps taken to clarify their relationships with police forces and PCCs.
A Set of Conventional and Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assays for Direct Detection of Elsinoë fawcettii, E. australis, and Pseudocercospora angolensis in Citrus Fruits
Authors: Ahmed Yosra , Hubert Jacqueline , Fourrier-Jeandel Céline , Dewdney Megan M. , Aguayo Jaime , Ioos Renaud
Published: August 2018

Elsinoë fawcettii, E. australis, and Pseudocercospora angolensis are causal agents of citrus scab and spot diseases. The three pathogens are listed as quarantine pests in many countries and are subject to phytosanitary measures to prevent their entry. Diagnosis of these diseases based on visual symptoms is problematic, as they could be confused with other citrus diseases. Isolation of E. fawcettii, E. australis, and P. angolensis from infected tissues is challenging because they grow slowly on culture media. This study developed rapid and specific detection tools for the in planta detection of these pathogens, using either conventional PCR or one-tube multiplex real-time PCR. Primers and hybridization probes were designed to target the single-copy protein-coding gene MS204 for E. fawcettii and E. australis and the translation elongation factor (Tef-1α) gene for P. angolensis. The specificity of the assays was evaluated by testing against DNA extracted from a large number of isolates (102) collected from different citrus-growing areas in the world and from other hosts. The newly described species E. citricola was not included in the specificity test due to its unavailability from the CBS collection. The detection limits of conventional PCR for the three pathogens were 100, 100, and 10 pg μl−1 gDNA per reaction for E. fawcettii, E. australis, and P. angolensis, respectively. The quadruplex qPCR was fully validated assessing the following performance criteria: sensitivity, specificity, repeatability, reproducibility, and robustness. The quadruplex real-time PCR proved to be highly sensitive, detecting as low as 243, 241, and 242 plasmidic copies (pc) μl−1 of E. fawcettii, E. australis, and P. angolensis, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of this quadruplex assay were further confirmed using 176 naturally infected citrus samples collected from Ethiopia, Cameroon, the United States, and Australia. The quadruplex assay developed in this study is robust, cost-effective, and capable of high-throughput detection of the three targets directly from citrus samples. This new detection tool will substantially reduce the turnaround time for reliable species identification and allow rapid response and appropriate action.
Pantoea agglomerans as a New Etiological Agent of a Bacterial Necrotic Disease of Mango Trees
Authors: Gutiérrez-Barranquero José A. , Cazorla Francisco M. , Torés Juan Antonio , de Vicente Antonio
Published: August 2018

Bacterial apical necrosis of mango trees, a disease elicited by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, is a primary limiting factor of mango crop production in the Mediterranean region. In this study, a collection of bacterial isolates associated with necrotic symptoms in mango trees similar to those produced by bacterial apical necrosis disease were isolated over five consecutive years in orchards from the Canary Islands. The bacterial isolates were characterized and identified as Pantoea agglomerans. Pathogenicity tests conducted on onion bulbs and mango plants confirmed that P. agglomerans strains isolated from mango trees are a new etiological agent of a bacterial necrotic disease in the Canary Islands. Pathogenicity plasmids of the pPATH family have been previously reported in P. agglomerans. The majority of putatively pathogenic (n = 23) and pathogenic (n = 4) P. agglomerans strains isolated from mango trees harbored four plasmids, one of which was close in size to the 135-kb pPATH pathogenicity plasmid. The analysis of the presence of two major genes in pPATH plasmids (repA and hrpJ) was undertaken in P. agglomerans strains isolated from mango trees. The hrpJ gene was detected in the 140-kb plasmid of pathogenic P. agglomerans strains isolated from mango trees but it showed differences in nucleotide sequences compared with other pathogenic strains. In contrast, the repA gene was not detected in any of the putatively pathogenic and pathogenic P. agglomerans strains isolated from mango trees. Finally, genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis using the hrpJ gene and the housekeeping genes gyrB and rpoB showed that almost all P. agglomerans strains that were putatively pathogenic and pathogenic on mango trees clustered together, forming a differentiated phylogroup with respect to the other pathogenic P. agglomerans strains described from other hosts.
The gut microbiome as a driver of individual variation in cognition and functional behaviour
Authors: Davidson Gabrielle L. , Cooke Amy C. , Johnson Crystal N. , Quinn John L.
Published: August 2018

Research into proximate and ultimate mechanisms of individual cognitive variation in animal populations is a rapidly growing field that incorporates physiological, behavioural and evolutionary investigations. Recent studies in humans and laboratory animals have shown that the enteric microbial community plays a central role in brain function and development. The ‘gut–brain axis’ represents a multi-directional signalling system that encompasses neurological, immunological and hormonal pathways. In particular it is tightly linked with the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA), a system that regulates stress hormone release and influences brain development and function. Experimental examination of the microbiome through manipulation of diet, infection, stress and exercise, suggests direct effects on cognition, including learning and memory. However, our understanding of these processes in natural populations is extremely limited. Here, we outline how recent advances in predominantly laboratory-based microbiome research can be applied to understanding individual differences in cognition. Experimental manipulation of the microbiome across natal and adult environments will help to unravel the interplay between cognitive variation and the gut microbial community. Focus on individual variation in the gut microbiome and cognition in natural populations will reveal new insight into the environmental and evolutionary constraints that drive individual cognitive variation.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities’.
Environmentally induced changes to brain morphology predict cognitive performance
Authors: Pike Thomas W. , Ramsey Michael , Wilkinson Anna
Published: August 2018

The relationship between the size and structure of a species' brain and its cognitive capacity has long interested scientists. Generally, this work relates interspecific variation in brain anatomy with performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. However, brains are known to show considerable short-term plasticity in response to a range of social, ecological and environmental factors. Despite this, we have a remarkably poor understanding of how this impacts on an animal's cognitive performance. Here, we non-invasively manipulated the relative size of brain regions associated with processing visual and chemical information in fish (the optic tectum and olfactory bulbs, respectively). We then tested performance in a cognitive task in which information from the two sensory modalities was in conflict. Although the fish could effectively use both visual and chemical information if presented in isolation, when they received cues from both modalities simultaneously, those with a relatively better developed optic tectum showed a greater reliance on visual information, while individuals with relatively better developed olfactory bulbs showed a greater reliance on chemical information. These results suggest that short-term changes in brain structure, possibly resulting from an attempt to minimize the costs of developing unnecessary but energetically expensive brain regions, may have marked effects on cognitive performance.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities’.
Anterior prefrontal cortex mediates implicit inferences
Authors: Wokke Martijn E. , Ro Tony
Published: August 2018

Frequent experience with regularities in our environment allows us to use predictive information to guide our decision process. However, contingencies in our environment are not always explicitly present and sometimes need to be inferred. Heretofore, it remained unknown how predictive information guides decision-making when explicit knowledge is absent and how the brain shapes such implicit inferences. In the present experiment, participants performed a discrimination task in which a target stimulus was preceded by a predictive cue. Critically, participants had no explicit knowledge that some of the cues signaled an upcoming target, allowing us to investigate how implicit inferences emerge and guide decision-making. Despite unawareness of the cue-target contingencies, participants were able to use implicit information to improve performance. Concurrent EEG recordings demonstrate that implicit inferences rely upon interactions between internally and externally oriented networks, whereby anterior prefrontal regions inhibit right parietal cortex under internal implicit control.

Significance

Regularities in our environment can guide our behavior providing information about upcoming events. Interestingly, such predictive information does not need to be explicitly represented in order to effectively guide our decision process. Here, we show how the brain engages in such real-world ‘data mining’ and how implicit inferences emerge. We employed a contingency cueing task and demonstrate that implicit inferences influenced responses to subsequent targets despite a lack of awareness of cue-target contingencies. Further, we show that these implicit inferences emerge through interactions between internally- and externally-oriented neural networks. The current results highlight the importance of the anterior prefrontal cortex in transforming external events into predictive internalized models of the world.
Which way is the bookstore? A closer look at the judgments of relative directions task
Authors: Huffman Derek J. , Ekstrom Arne D.
Published: August 2018

We present a detailed analysis of a widely used assay in human spatial cognition, the judgments of relative direction (JRD) task. We conducted three experiments involving virtual navigation interspersed with the JRD task, and included confidence judgments and map drawing as additional metrics. We also present a technique for assessing the similarity of the cognitive representations underlying performance on the JRD and map drawing tasks. Our results support the construct validity of the JRD task and its connection to allocentric representation. Additionally, we found that chance performance on the JRD task depends on the distribution of the angles of participants’ responses, rather than being constant and 90 degrees. Accordingly, we present a method for better determining chance performance.
Cuckoo search as a tool for optimal design of PM brushless DC motor
Authors: Cvetkovski Goga Vladimir , Petkovska Lidija , Lefley Paul
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to perform an optimal design of a single-phase permanent magnet brushless DC motor (SPBLDCM) by using efficiency of the motor as an objective function. In the design procedure of the motor, a cuckoo search (CS) algorithm is used as an optimization tool.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of this research work, a computer program for optimal design of electrical machines based on the CS optimization has been developed. Based on the design characteristics of SPBLDCM, some of the motor parameters are chosen to be constant and others variable. A comparative analysis of the initial motor model and the CS model based on the value of the objective function, as well as the values of the optimization parameters, is performed and presented.

Findings

Based on the comparative data analysis of both motor models, it can be concluded that the main objective of the optimization is realized, and it is achieved by an improvement of the efficiency of the motor.

Practical implications

The optimal design approach of SPBLDCM presented in this research work can be also implemented on other electrical machines and devices using the same or even other objective functions.

Originality/value

An optimization technique using CS as an optimization tool has been developed and applied in the design procedure of SPBLDCM. According to the results, it can be concluded that the CS algorithm is a suitable tool for design optimization of SPBLDCM and electromagnetic devices in general. The quality of the CS model has been proved through the data analysis of the initial and optimized solution. The quality of the CS solution has been also proved by comparative analysis of the two motor models using FEM as a performance analysis tool.
Utilizing multimode interference effects in integrated graded-index optical waveguides for efficient power splitting
Authors: Roth Jan-Philipp , Kühler Thomas , Griese Elmar
Published: August 2018

Purpose

For the realization of optical waveguide components, needed for photonic integrated circuits, multimode-interference based (MMI-based) devices are an excellent component class for the realization of low loss optical splitters. A promising approach to the manufacturing of these components is their embedding in thin glass sheets by ion-exchange diffusion processes, which has not yet been extensively studied. This study aims to significantly enhance the modeling of the diffusion process to support manufacturing of graded-index, MMI-based optical splitters.

Design/methodology/approach

The methods of design and analysis of MMI-based components are based on a step-index refractive index profile. In this work, fundamental correlations between the properties of the manufacturing ion-exchange process and the characteristics of the graded-index, MMI-based components are established. The refractive index profile is calculated with a proprietary solver based on the finite element method. Any further investigation with respect to parameter influence is based on the beam propagation method, specifically a finite difference based, semi-vectorial, wide-angle beam propagation algorithm. The influence of the parameters of the self-imaging effect is investigated. On this basis, different approaches for efficient power splitting with graded-index, MMI-based waveguide components are evaluated.

Findings

Easy approximations – mostly linear – can be found to model the dependencies of the investigated parameters. The resulting graded-index splitters are characterized by their low excess and insertion loss.

Originality/value

These findings are the first step in the direction of the semi-analytical modeling of the respective waveguide components to reduce the numerical effort.
Destinations’ response to terrorism on Twitter
Authors: Barbe Danielle , Pennington-Gray Lori , Schroeder Ashley
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the online communication strategies used by destination management organizations (DMOs) during a terrorist attack. In particular, this study analyzes Twitter use during seven terrorism incidents in six European cities (Paris, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, London and Barcelona) between 2015 and 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

Twitter content was collected via NCapture, a web browser extension of NVivo, one week prior to the attacks, the day of, and two weeks following to determine the timeframe in which DMOs communicated about the crisis, the types of messages being communicated, and whether these messages are effective. This study uses Coombs’ Situational Crisis Communication Theory as a guide to analyzing the effectiveness of the crisis communication strategies.

Findings

The findings of this paper indicate that DMOs are not effectively using Twitter during a terrorist attack. Few tweets relating to the attacks provided tourists with information regarding their safety, with the remaining only communicating as victims. Many DMOs went offline in the days immediately following the attacks and each DMO’s crisis communication on Twitter only lasted up to one week following the attacks.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the ways DMOs are using social media for crisis communication. These results inform DMOs on their responsibility in communicating information during a terrorist attack. Messages of support are useful in the recovery stage, but tourists need information on how to stay safe and Twitter is often the first source people go to for information (Simonet al., 2014).
The effect of entrepreneurial marketing on halal food SMEs performance
Authors: Hendijani Fard Morteza , Seyyed Amiri Nader
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to use specific marketing strategies and approaches due to their limited resources and capabilities. Entrepreneurial marketing (EM) is an alternative marketing management approach under the special conditions that describe SMEs. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate whether EM has a positive and significant effect on different aspects of performance of Iranian halal food SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

A correlative descriptive research method is used and 384 questionnaires with five-point Likert scale are distributed among managers of Iranian halal food SME producers chosen by simple random sampling method. To analyze the data, structural equations modeling based on partial least squares is applied using SmartPLS 3.

Findings

The result of data analysis indicates a positive and significant effect of EM on the market and innovative performances of halal food SMEs. Nevertheless, the effect of EM on production performance of aforementioned companies is not confirmed. The findings also show that production, market and innovative performances of halal food SMEs result in their financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s sample is limited to halal food SMEs of Iran. Although the objectives of the study have been aimed, more research can be done investigating this relationship in other companies from different sectors, contexts and countries. Similar studies can be conducted cross-culturally and in different Islamic countries.

Practical implications

For halal food SMEs that tend to achieve better performance, obtaining improved innovative and market performances requires using EM activities effectively. This paper suggests that halal food SMEs should be innovative, proactive, opportunist, risk-taker and customer-oriented to achieve better market and innovative performances and consequently earn higher profits.

Originality/value

This is one of the earliest studies investigating the effects of EM in the halal food industry. Although very few papers practically recognized the impact of EM on the performance of SMEs and entrepreneurial ventures, the effect of this concept on halal food SMEs has remained unknown.
‘Enoch Powell Speaks for Britain’: The Press, the Public and the Speech
Authors: Sandbrook Dominic
Published: August 2018

This article explores popular reactions to Enoch Powell's speech in Birmingham on 20 April 1968. It describes the protests by sympathetic workers, such as the Smithfield meat porters, and the responses of the press, both nationally and in the West Midlands. It considers the speech's impact on immigrants themselves and it makes the case that Powell's real significance was as an early champion of a particular kind of anti‐Establishment populism, which has now become a very familiar feature of our political landscape.
Demand for and Assessment of Audit Quality in Private Companies
Authors: Esplin Adam , Jamal Karim , Sunder Shyam
Published: August 2018

Financial statement audits are mandated in most countries, thus making it difficult to distinguish between auditing driven by private incentives versus that driven by regulation. Who would ask for an audit, and how would its quality be assessed in the absence of regulation? Many private companies in Canada get their financial statements audited even though the law does not require it. In this field study, we conduct interviews to discover reasons for demanding an audit, and criteria used to assess their quality. Our study reveals that both internal stakeholders (management, boards, and employees) as well as external stakeholders (customers, banks, and private equity firms) request audits. Users evaluate audit quality based on a variety of criteria such as the auditor's accounting expertise, the absence of errors, the fees involved, risk assessments offered, allocation of effort, internal control, and general business advice. Implications for audit regulations are discussed.
Leaf litter and irrigation can increase seed germination and early seedling survival of the recalcitrant‐seeded tree Beilschmiedia miersii
Authors: Kremer Klaus N. , Promis Álvaro A. , Mancilla Gabriel , Magni Carlos R.
Published: August 2018

Although regeneration of recalcitrant‐seeded tree species can be affected by prolonged drought, especially in Mediterranean regions, little is known about the response of such species to varying site conditions. A field experiment was performed to determine the effect of irrigation and leaf litter cover on seed germination and early seedling survival of the vulnerable recalcitrant‐seeded tree Beilschmiedia miersii (Lauraceae). Two levels of irrigation (non‐irrigated and irrigated units) and three levels of leaf litter depth (0, 5 and 12 cm) were applied to 72 groups of 30 seeds along a wet ravine of the Coastal Range of Central Chile, equally distributed across sites with different levels of canopy cover. Seed germination was significantly increased by irrigation only under closed‐canopy cover, and by leaf litter cover (>5 cm) under all canopy conditions. The effect of leaf litter on germination increased with canopy openness, while the effect of irrigation did not show any tendency. Meanwhile, early seedling survival was significantly increased by irrigation under intermediate canopy cover, and by leaf litter (>5 cm) under closed‐canopy cover. As a result of its overall positive effect on germination, leaf litter should be maintained within B. miersii communities, particularly under intermediate to closed‐canopy conditions, where it can also increase early seedling survival, and both seed germination and early seedling survival might be increased through additional water inputs. The presence of leaf litter might help retaining such inputs, prolonging their effect on regeneration of B. miersii communities. We see this as a baseline assessment of regeneration and persistence that needs further testing on species with similar traits, given the expected increase in the frequency and length of dry periods into the future.
Comparison of maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with super obesity based on planned mode of delivery
Authors: Parambi Anisha , Davies‐Tuck Miranda , Palmer Kirsten R.
Published: August 2018

Background

Currently, little evidence exists to guide mode of delivery in pregnant women with super obesity. There is a trend toward elective caesarean delivery in this population with little evidence of improved maternal or neonatal outcomes.

Aim

Our study compares maternal and neonatal outcomes based on planned mode of delivery and aimed to identify predictors for a successful vaginal delivery.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective observational study explored maternal and neonatal outcomes of women with a body mass index ≥50 who birthed following a singleton pregnancy at ≥36 weeks gestation over a 10 year period at a single centre in Melbourne, Australia. Outcomes between women having a planned vaginal or planned caesarean birth were compared on an intention‐to‐treat basis, with logistic regression used to determine factors predictive of a vaginal birth.

Results

A total of 275 women with super obesity were identified. One hundred and ninety‐nine (72%) planned a vaginal birth, which was successful for 70%. Planned vaginal birth was associated with lower rates of postpartum complications requiring readmission (5% vs 16%; P = 0.003). Neonatal resuscitation requirements and Apgar scores at five minutes were similar between groups. Multiparity was the strongest predictor of a successful vaginal birth while medical intervention in labour was associated with a reduced rate of success in primiparous women.

Conclusions

Contrary to current trends in practice, a trial of labour for women with super obesity, when facilities and skills permit, appears a safe option for mother and baby.
Hong Kong consumer preferences for Japanese beef: Label knowledge and reference point effects
Authors: Kikushima Ryosuke , Nakajima Shinsaku , Takano Masahiro , Ito Nobuhiro
Published: August 2018

The excellent flavor of Wagyu is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. However, the popularity of Wagyu has encouraged competition for authentic Japanese Wagyu, resulting in the appearance of inauthentic Wagyu beef. To ward off this export competition, Japanese Wagyu producers need to improve and differentiate their value‐added beef. As hardly any past studies focus on the consumption of Japanese Wagyu in Hong Kong, this paper uses a choice experiment to examine the valuation of beef by Hong Kong consumers in terms of country of origin. Data from 250 Hong Kong consumers obtained through a web questionnaire were used to analyze the beef preferences. In addition to the beef's country of origin, its marbling level, the Japanese Wagyu label and reference point effects were considered. The results indicate that Hong Kong consumers place a significant premium on Japanese Wagyu over Australian or American Wagyu. That premium is greater among consumers who have seen the Japanese Wagyu label. Reference price effects were also statistically confirmed. To promote Japanese Wagyu beef consumption, therefore, it is important to make the consumer aware of the advantages of Japanese Wagyu.
Manoeuvres of Transference in Psychosis: A Case Study of Melancholia from a Lacanian Perspective
Authors: Cauwe Joachim , Vanheule Stijn
Published: August 2018

According to French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, psychosis is marked by a non‐separation of the object a. Consequently, transference in psychosis remains at the level of duality and appears to have an inverted form, where it is the Other that looks for something in the patient and not vice versa. This makes the handling of transference challenging since there is no triangular structure that can mediate between the patient and the Other. The patient cannot rely on the Other to deal with difficult experiences of jouissance (marked by excess and senselessness). In this paper, we discuss our work with a patient following the logic of melancholic psychosis. Specifically, we discuss three types of interventions that aim to provide a space where the clinician can ‘manoeuvre’ within the transference, thus avoiding a relation that becomes persecutory or erotomaniacal in nature and providing the possibility of finding solutions in dealing with psychic suffering. First, we describe interventions aimed at incarnating a limited other. Second, interpreting the mad Other is discussed. Finally, we outline how the clinical work involves having an interest in the patient's affinities.
Introduction to the Special Section on Children's Subjective Well‐Being
Authors: Casas Ferran
Published: August 2018

A notable increase in scientific publications on children's subjective well‐being has been observed since the beginning of the 21st century. Different factors have contributed to this phenomenon, one of the most relevant being the concurrence of macrolevel (at the population level) and microlevel (at the individual level) perspectives in research on child well‐being.
Early compensatory responses against neuronal injury: A new therapeutic window of opportunity for Alzheimer's Disease?
Authors: Merlo Sara , Spampinato Simona Federica , Sortino Maria Angela
Published: August 2018

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by extensive neurodegeneration and inflammation in selective brain areas, linked to severely disabling cognitive deficits. Before full manifestation, different stages appear with progressively increased brain pathology and cognitive impairment. This significantly extends the time lag between initial molecular triggers and appearance of detectable symptoms. Notably, a number of studies in the last decade have revealed that in the early stage of mild cognitive impairment, events that appear in contrast with neuronal distress may occur. These have been reproduced in vitro and in animal models and include increase in synaptic elements, increase in synaptic and metabolic activity, enhancement of neurotrophic milieu and changes in glial cell reactivity and inflammation. They have been interpreted as compensatory responses that could either delay disease progression or, in the long run, result detrimental. For this reason, these mechanisms define a new and previously undervalued window of opportunity for intervention. Their importance resides especially in their early appearance. Directing efforts to better characterize this stage, in order to identify new pharmacological targets, is an exciting new avenue to future advances in AD research.
Hand Position and Response Assignment Modulate the Activation of the Valence‐Space Conceptual Metaphor
Authors: Castaño Emilia , Gilboy Elizabeth , Feijóo Sara , Serrat Elisabet , Rostan Carles , Hilferty Joseph , Cunillera Toni
Published: August 2018

Conceptual metaphor is ubiquitous in language and thought, as we usually reason and talk about abstract concepts in terms of more concrete ones via metaphorical mappings that are hypothesized to arise from our embodied experience. One pervasive example is the conceptual projection of valence onto space, which flexibly recruits the vertical and lateral spatial frames to gain structure (e.g., good is up‐bad is down and good is right‐bad is left). In the current study, we used a valence judgment task to explore the role that exogenous bodily cues (namely response hand positions) play in the allocation of spatial attention and the modulation of conceptual congruency effects. Experiment 1 showed that congruency effects along the vertical axis are weakened when task conditions (i.e., the use of vertical visual cues, on the one hand, and the horizontal alignment of responses, on the other) draw attention to both the vertical and lateral axes making them simultaneously salient. Experiment 2 evidenced that the vertical alignment of participants’ hands while responding to the task—regardless of the location of their dominant hand—facilitates the judgment of positive and negative‐valence words, as long as participants respond in a metaphor–congruent manner (i.e., up responses are good and down responses are bad). Overall, these results support the claim that source domain representations are dynamically activated in response to the context and that bodily states are an integral part of that context.
The Impact of Quality Perception and Consumer Valuation Change on Manufacturer's Optimal Warranty, Pricing, and Market Coverage Strategies
Authors: Li Kunpeng , Wang Lan , Chhajed Dilip , Mallik Suman
Published: August 2018

We consider a manufacturer who produces and sells a new product in a monopoly market. The new product quality is unobservable to consumers before purchase. Consumers make purchase decisions based on their perception of product quality. In addition, consumer valuation toward the product will be reduced if a product failure is experienced. We formulate a two‐period model to analyze the impact of consumer quality perception and consumer valuation change on manufacturer's optimal decisions over quality, warranty, price, and market coverage strategies. We find that it is optimal for the manufacturer to offer warranty compensation that is higher than the purchase price when he has a low quality reputation but is offering a high‐quality product. We also identify the optimal strategy for the manufacturer in terms of market coverage. Specifically, when the consumer valuation discount factor due to product failure experience is high, it is optimal for the manufacturer to serve only the high segment in the second period. Otherwise, serving both the high and the low segments generates more profit. We further investigate consumer welfare and identify win‐win conditions, where the optimal strategy of the manufacturer benefits the consumers as well.
Modification of erythropoietin structure by N‐homocysteinylation affects its antiapoptotic and proliferative functions
Authors: Schiappacasse Agustina , Maltaneri Romina Eugenia , Chamorro María Eugenia , Nesse Alcira Beatriz , Wetzler Diana Elena , Vittori Daniela Cecilia
Published: August 2018

Many patients under therapy with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) show resistance to the treatment, an effect likely associated with the accumulation of tissue factors, especially in renal and cardiovascular diseases. Hyperhomocysteinemia due to high serum levels of homocysteine has been suggested among the risk factors in those pathologies. Its main effect is the N‐homocysteinylation of proteins due to the interaction between the highly reactive homocysteine thiolactone (HTL) and lysine residues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of N‐homocysteinylation on the erythropoietic and antiapoptotic abilities of EPO, which can be a consequence of structural changes in the modified protein. We found that both cellular functions were altered in the presence of HTL‐EPO. A decreased net positive charge of HTL‐EPO was detected by capillary zone electrophoresis, while analysis of polyacrylamide gel electropherograms suggested formation of aggregates. Far‐UV spectra, obtained by Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy, indicated a switch of the protein's secondary structure from α‐helix to β‐sheet structures. Results of Congo red and Thioflavin T assays confirm the formation of repetitive β‐sheet structures, which may account for aggregates. Accordingly, Dynamic Light Scattering analysis showed a markedly larger radius of the HTL‐EPO structures, supporting the formation of soluble oligomers. These structural changes might interfere with the conformational adaptations necessary for efficient ligand‐receptor interaction, thus affecting the proliferative and antiapoptotic functions of EPO. The present findings may contribute to explain the resistance exhibited by patients with cardio‐renal syndrome to treatment with rhuEPO, as a consequence of structural modifications due to protein N‐homocysteinylation.