bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eight Schiff bases derived from various salicylaldehydes: phenol–imine and keto–amine forms, conformational disorder, and supramolecular assembly in one and two dimensions
Authors: Girisha Marisiddaiah , Sagar Belakavadi K. , Yathirajan Hemmige S. , Rathore Ravindranath S. , Kaur Manpreet , Jasinski Jerry P. , Glidewell Christopher
Published: September 2018

Structures are reported for eight Schiff bases derived from various salicylaldehydes: five are newly synthesized and re-investigations are reported for three previously reported structures, leading, in each case, to some revision of previous conclusions. In (E)-N-(3,4-dimethylisoxazol-5-yl)-4-[(2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino]benzenesulfonamide, C18H17N3O4S, (I), and (E)-4-[(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)amino]-N-(3,4-dimethylisoxazol-5-yl)benzenesulfonamide. C19H18BrN3O5S, (II), the isoxazole rings adopt different orientations relative to the rest of the molecules, despite the additional substituents in (II) being in the aryl ring remote from the isoxazole unit. The molecules of both (E)-4-bromo-2-[(2-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]-6-methoxyphenol, C14H12BrNO3, (III), and (E)-4-bromo-2-methoxy-6-[(2-methoxyphenylimino)methyl]phenol, C15H14BrNO3, (IV), are both effectively planar; while (III) adopts the phenol–imine constitution, (IV) adopts the keto–amine constitution. (E)-2-Methoxy-6-[(2-methoxyphenylimino)methyl]phenol, C15H15NO3, (V), which was determined previously using powder X-ray data assuming the phenol–imine constitution, has now been refined from single-crystal X-ray data, confirming the phenol–imine constitution. In (E)-3-benzoyl-2-[(5-fluoro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene, C22H18FNO2S, (VI), the fused carbocyclic ring exhibits conformational disorder; both disorder components, having populations of 0.705 (4) and 0.295 (4), adopt half-chair conformations. The isostructural (E)-3-benzoyl-2-[(2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino)]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene, C22H19NO2S, (VII), which was originally reported as having a fully ordered structure [Kauret al.(2014).Acta Cryst.E70, o476–o477], has been rerefined using the original data set and found to exhibit the same type of disorder as found in (VI), with disordered populations having occupancies of 0.851 (3) and 0.149 (3). The triclinic polymorph of (E)-[(2-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]phenol, C13H11NO2, (VIII), which crystallizes withZ′ = 2 in the space groupP-1, has been described variously as occurring as the keto–amine tautomer [Maciejewskaet al.(1999).J. Phys. Org. Chem.12, 875–880] and as the phenol–imine tautomer [Tunçet al.(2009).J. Chem. Crystallogr.39, 672–676]. Rerefinement of this structure using one of the original data sets shows that both of the independent molecules exist in the keto–amine form. In the structures of compounds (I), (VI), (VII) and (VIII), hydrogen bonds generate simple chains, while a chain of rings is formed in (V). Sheets are formed by hydrogen bonds in both (II) and (III), while in (IV), the sheet structure is built from aromatic π–π stacking interactions.
trans-Bis[2-(aminomethyl)pyridine-κ2
N,N′]platinum(II)] bis(hexafluoridophosphate)
Authors: Nishimura Hajime , Matsushita Nobuyuki
Published: September 2018

The title compound, [Pt(amp)2](PF6)2 [amp = 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine, C6H8N2], crystallizes in the space group P\overline{1} with a half of one [Pt(amp)2]2+ cation and one hexafluoridophosphate ion in the asymmetric unit. The PtII atom lies on an inversion centre and has a square-planar coordination sphere defined by two amino groups and two pyridine moieties of two 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine chelate ligands. The crystal structure of the title salt is composed of alternating rows of [Pt(amp)2]2+ cations and PF6
− anions. The crystal packing is stabilized by N—H...F hydrogen bonds between the amino groups and the hexafluoridophosphate anions. The PF6 anion is disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.744 (6):0.256 (6).
Politicians’ use of Facebook during elections
Authors: Bronstein Jenny , Aharony Noa , Bar-Ilan Judit
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the use of Facebook by Israeli party leaders during an election period by examining four elements: the type of Aristotelian language of persuasion; the level of online engagement measured by three different types of feedback: likes, comments and shares; the use of personalization elements as engagement strategies; and the vividness features used in the post (text, photographs and video).

Design/methodology/approach

All of the posts from the Facebook pages of ten Israeli party leaders were collected for 45 days prior to the 2015 general elections. The number of posts, likes, comments and shares in each post were captured and the data were analyzed looking for elements of Aristotelian persuasion and of online engagement with the users.

Findings

The dominance of pathos was a salient element in the data demonstrating the politicians’ need to create an affective alliance with the public and it was the element that resulted in a higher number of likes, shares and comments. Only a few relationships were found and these do not point to a clear relationship between multimedia use and social media engagement. The interactive, open and free nature of social networking sites contributes to their development as a new type of political podia that allow politicians to produce a different kind of political communication. Instead of using these sites as platforms to disseminate their ideas, plans and strategies, politicians focus their interactions with the audience on the creation and maintenance of affective alliances.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature on the subject by examining four characteristics of the politicians’ personal profiles on social networks simultaneously while most of the past studies have focused on only one or two of these characteristics.
Mental health services for people with intellectual disability in Ireland: evidence, barriers and opportunities
Authors: Ramsay Hugh , Dodd Philip
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline the historical background and policy context of mental health services for people with intellectual disability (ID) in Ireland. It then considers recent implementation and lessons from the Irish experience.

Design/methodology/approach

The policy background and research literature relevant to the development of mental health services for people with ID in Ireland was reviewed and discussed.

Findings

Mental health services in Ireland remain in a state of change, moving towards the implementation of specialist multi-disciplinary teams in the community, alongside previous models of care and service.

Research limitations/implications

This paper summarises recent advances and research regarding mental health services for people with ID in Ireland.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates the process of delivering changes to mental health services with practical implications for mental health services internationally.

Originality/value

This is the first paper in many years to summarise the development of mental health services for people with ID in Ireland. There has been considerable recent change and it is therefore important to provide a useful reference for the current status of services.
The cooperation mechanisms of trade associations
Authors: Brache Jose
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model that portrays how contextual factors and behavioural cooperation mechanisms influence the effect of trade associations on the export performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a Latin American emerging economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The author draws on multiple streams of literature including: co-location, networks, cooperation and export performance to suggest a series of solid theoretical insights to the literature on SMEs’ export performance, networks and co-location in the Latin American context.

Findings

Contextual factors and behavioural cooperation mechanisms influence the effect of trade associations on export performance determining the final sign of such effect. Trust plays a role within all proposed mechanisms, but is not as fundamental as previously characterised in studies on the export performance of SMEs. Cooperation might exist, prevail, and exert a positive impact on SMEs’ export performance even in the absence of trust.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on SMEs’ export performance, networks and co-location in the Latin American context by presenting a theoretical model that enfolds co-location, networks, trade associations and cooperation effects on SMEs’ export performance under the same foundation. It creates the categories of “contextual factors” and “behavioural cooperation mechanisms” to differentiate the elements that weight on the relationship between firms and trade associations, thus facilitating or hindering export performance. It guides policy makers and company managers on where to focus when incentivizing conduct towards a more productive export performance in Latin America and other emerging economies.
The effect of negative work outcomes and values on the perceived likelihood of employee dishonest behaviour
Authors: Jaakson Krista , Vadi Maaja , Baumane-Vītoliņa Ilona
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Employee dishonesty is problematic for businesses in general, particularly for retailers. The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse selected factors associated with the perceived likelihood of dishonest behaviour among retail employees. Specifically, the role of three negative work outcomes – insufficient pay, boredom, and perceived injustice – is investigated, as well as the effect of individual values and espoused organisational values.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of 784 retail employees from six retail organisations located in Estonia and Latvia. A survey questionnaire that used manipulated scenarios of work outcomes and organisational values was administered.

Findings

The study concludes that perceived injustice produces more dishonesty than other negative work outcomes (insufficient pay and boredom), whereas boredom was a surprisingly strong trigger for the perceived likelihood of dishonest behaviour. Individual ethical values determined the perceived likelihood of dishonest behaviour as hypothesised while sensation-seeking values did not. Espoused organisational values had no significant effect on the perceived likelihood of dishonest behaviour.

Practical implications

The results imply that the breach of distributional and procedural justice simultaneously associates most with employee dishonesty, and retail employee selection is the key to curbing dishonest behaviour in the workplace.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution to behavioural ethics literature by studying dishonest employee behaviour in the post-communist context while addressing various forms of dishonest behaviour, in addition to stealing. Also, the effect of espoused organisational values has been scarcely studied before.
Model for BPM implementation assessment: evidence from companies in Indonesia
Authors: E.R. Mahendrawathi , Hanggara Buce Trias , Astuti Hanim Maria
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation commonly fails to recognize the need to treat it as a business process automation that must be managed and monitored continuously. Moreover, many studies on business process management (BPM) assessment focus on snapshots of different areas of BPM and not on the different stages of the lifecycle. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that combines the BPM lifecycle, program/project implementation framework, principles of good practice, maturity and critical practices to assess how companies implementing ERP apply different BPM practices, as well as which areas are lacking and why.

Design/methodology/approach

The relevant literature was examined to develop the model for the study. Case studies of three companies in Indonesia were then conducted. The state of BPM implementation in each case was assessed through interviews, document reviews and observations.

Findings

This study found that three leading companies in Indonesia, implementing ERP for more than five years, obtained high scores for BPM implementation. They perform well in terms of process identification, implementation, monitoring and control, but are weak in process discovery and re-design, mainly because they do not optimally use specific tools for process modeling and there is a lack of process governance. The studies also pinpoint potential linkages between competition intensity and the nature of the industry with the need for good BPM.

Research limitations/implications

The model has only been tested in three cases in different industries and therefore the results, while providing good insights, cannot be generalized. More detailed assessment of certain BPM practices is needed. Furthermore, the assessment for each stage of BPM implementation was made at a single time, potentially yielding less detailed results than by assessing each stage of the BPM lifecycle.

Practical implications

The companies implementing ERP began with business process definition, but employ different process governance. The model developed here can be useful for leaders and teams to identify weak areas of practice within the stage of the BPM lifecycle; it can be used as an assessment tool for companies currently conducting BPM projects or programs including ERP implementation. It can also provide a roadmap for companies intending to conduct BPM programs.

Originality/value

Most of the BPM literature focuses on specific aspects. This study proposes a different perspective by providing a model to assess BPM implementation in each stage of its lifecycle and at the same time considers practical aspects of implementation, principles of good practice, maturity factors and critical practices.
Occupant engagement in the office environment: role assumptions about the building manager
Authors: Valle Cristian Roberto , Boks Casper , Berker Thomas
Published: September 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to put the building manager (BM) as the professional responsible for implementing occupant engagement initiatives (OEIs) in the work environment and discusses the challenges they may experience in fulfilling their responsibilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a review of nine studies (six academic journals and three conference papers) that discuss the design and implementation of OEIs in office buildings.

Findings

The following categories and sub-categories were identified: mediator (facilitative, stakeholder alignment and persuasive) and educator (context indifferent advice, context-dependent advice and expert knowledge). The authors argue that embodiment of these roles should be supported through the delivery mechanism of the OEIs, rather than assume them as given traits in organizational environments.

Practical implications

Proponents of OEIs should expand their focus from supporting engagement of building occupants to fostering engagement of BMs and senior executives.

Originality/value

This study adopts the perspective of the building management profession to expose a gap in the design of energy-related occupant engagement interventions.
The importance of user memory in understanding housing quality
Authors: Sadikoglu Asan Hatice , Ozsoy Ahsen
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Housing quality is determined by both objective and subjective dynamics. This research was conducted to explore the importance of users’ memory as a tool for assessing housing quality. While objective features of the surroundings generally require physical measurements, subjective features can be supported by residents’ memories. Memory studies can therefore be used as a research tool to understand the housing environment as they provide important references to the past, present, and future. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between users’ (residents) memory and housing quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology comprised a literature review of spatial quality studies and a field study of a modern housing estate in Istanbul. For the field study, housing quality was examined through the memories of residents in the neighbourhood, buildings, and units. With the research, site observations were made, a questionnaire was issued to residents, and in-depth interviews were conducted with residents who had lived there the longest. New dimensions of housing quality problems were then discussed in the conclusion with reference to residents’ memories.

Findings

Memory studies can be used as a research tool to understand the housing environment, as they provide important references to the past, present and future. In the conclusion, new dimensions of the housing quality problems were discussed with the help of the residents’ memories. It was seen that different dimensions of housing quality can be revealed with the help of user memory.

Research limitations/implications

In all, 40 of the total residents (101) accepted to make questionnaires. In-depth interviews were conducted with three long-term residents that are the only ones still alive and had lived the area since the beginning of the life after construction.

Originality/value

With the aim of developing new tools and methods to analyse housing quality, this research presents a new perspective by utilising users’ memories to evaluate spatial quality.
Buyer–supplier relationships in IT outsourcing: consultants’ perspective
Authors: Martins Ana Lucia , Duarte Henrique , Costa Daniela
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Supply chain relationships have often been analysed from the macro-perspective of the companies involved, but there is less evidence of how relationships relate to the micro-perspective of persons involved. The purpose of this paper is to investigate, in IT outsourcing (ITO), how the buyer–supplier relationship type strengthens buyer performance from the perspective of consultants.

Design/methodology/approach

IT consultants were surveyed, and analysis was performed considering the aggregated values of variables that characterise buyer–supplier relationships adjusted to ITO.

Findings

The results show that strategic relationships are associated with higher supplier investment in relational management than in transactional ones. Similarly, in this type of relationship, higher levels of trust are linked to the recognition of more activities shared between parties involved than in transactional relationships. The improvement of supplier development by buyers was also found to improve buyers’ performance.

Research limitations/implications

The model proposed here was developed for nonspecific industries but tested in the context of ITO. Further research should be undertaken to broaden generalisability.

Originality/value

The paper provides an understanding of the influence of the buyer–supplier relationship type on buyer performance based both on relational management and, more specifically, how the formal dimension of supplier development can also contribute to performance. ITO is increasing worldwide, and relational management affects outsourcing outcomes in broad supply chain integration. This analysis is usually visited from buyer and supplier perspectives using decision makers. This paper assesses it from the perspective of consultants.
Blinded by the light? Analyzing sustainability authenticity, customer service perceptions, and halo effects
Authors: Amos Clinton , Brockhaus Sebastian , Fawcett Amydee M. , Fawcett Stanley E. , Knemeyer A. Michael
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how service perceptions influence customer views of the authenticity of corporate sustainability claims. The goal of this paper is to help supply chain decision-makers better understand boundary conditions in order to design more enduring and impactful sustainability programs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ behavioral experiments, subjecting two theoretically derived hypotheses to verification across five diverse industries and two distinct sustainability vignettes.

Findings

Customer service perceptions emerge as a significant boundary condition to the perceived authenticity of sustainability efforts. Subjects attributed significantly higher authenticity toward sustainability efforts in above average vs below average service quality contexts. Further, respondents attributed deceptive motivations to sustainability efforts at companies with below average service.

Research limitations/implications

The authors confirm the underlying tenet of social judgment theory, which suggests thata prioriperceptions create a zone of acceptability or rejection. Ultimately, investing in sustainability can lead to counterproductive cynicism.

Practical implications

The authors infer that customers’ willingness to give companies credit for sustainability initiatives extends beyond service issues to any practice that influencesa prioriperceptions. Supply chain managers must rethink their role in designing both customer service and sustainability systems to achieve positive returns from sustainability investments.

Originality/value

The authors challenge the assumption that customers universally positively view sustainability efforts. If customers holda priorinegative service perceptions, otherwise well-designed sustainability programs may invoke cynical reactions. Thus, sustainability programs may not inoculate firm reputations from adverse incidents. Given they touch both service and sustainability systems, supply chain managers are positioned to holistically influence their design for competitive advantage.
The impact of brand personality on consumer behavior: the role of brand love
Authors: Bairrada Cristela Maia , Coelho Arnaldo , Lizanets Viktoriya
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influences of brand personality on consumer behavior, with a special emphasis on the brand love construct. The aim is to expand upon existing literature in the field of branding, investigating the relationship between brand love and brand personality through experiential approaches to consumer behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model and the analysis of related hypotheses were based on a sample of 478 Portuguese clothing brand consumers. The data were collected using an online survey and the data analysis was done using the structural equations modeling.

Findings

The results show that brand personality has a positive and significant impact on brand love, resistance to negative information and self-disclosure and brand love has a positive and significant impact on brand loyalty, word-of-mouth, resistance to negative information, willingness to pay more, self-disclosure and active engagement.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some methodological limitation affecting its potential contributions. This investigation has a cross-sectional nature and only tested a few variables as consequences of brand personality.

Practical implications

This investigation provides evidence of the major impacts of both brand personality and brand love, showing how they combine to boost relevant outcomes like brand loyalty, WOW, willingness to pay more, resistance to negative information, self-disclosure or active engagement.

Originality/value

The originality of this research is related to three fundamental aspects: it is the first time the relationship between brand personality and brand love is tested using second-order modeling to capture the combined effects of all dimensions of brand personality; the influence of brand personality is usually related to attitudes (e.g. word-of-mouth, willingness to pay more, etc.) and not with feelings, such as love, the most powerful feeling that can be established between two people or between a person and a brand (in the case of brand love); and the authors tested brand love by linking brand personality and some traditional relational outcomes under the assumption that brand love can strengthen such relationships.
International academic mobility and innovation: a literature review
Authors: Siekierski Paulette , Lima Manolita Correia , Borini Felipe Mendes , Pereira Rafael Morais
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a literature review in order to understand the relationship that exists between international academic mobility (IAM) and innovation and its impact on the countries of origin, country of destination and the countries of origin and destination simultaneously of academics.

Design/methodology/approach

After analysing 36 articles selected from 15 top journals by way of a systematic review of the literature, the authors located 20 variables, including five related to innovation with a positive, negative or null impact on the countries.

Findings

The five innovation proxies identified were: highly qualified human capital”, “attractive research and working conditions”, “patent filing”, “publications” and “research networks”, all related to Science, Technology and Innovation. The results highlight the evidence that the different dimensions of innovation have a differentiated impact on the countries of origin and destination and in both at the same time.

Practical implications

Knowing the types of innovation that IAM generates enables governments to invest in scientific, technological, economic and social development to choose the best measures for attracting and retaining academics. For the industry, technological catch-up and highly skilled labour means enhancing competitiveness and capacity building, growth in Research and Development (R&D), the creation of new products, patent filing, increased investments and the expansion of internationalisation.

Originality/value

This paper shows that the association between IAM and innovation is differentiated for the countries. Both countries involved in the association receive a positive impact in the publications and research networks. The main impact to countries of origin is the increase of highly qualified human capital. On the other hand, the benefits for the countries of destination concern patent filing, working conditions and an attractive research environment.
Characteristics and determinants of the board of directors of growing Spanish SMEs going public
Authors: Palacín-Sánchez María-José , Bravo Francisco , Reguera-Alvarado Nuria
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics and the determinants of board structure in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the process of going public within the continental European corporate system.

Design/methodology/approach

These issues are explored through the study of all the initial public offerings (IPOs) in the Spanish equity market for growing SMEs, and the statistical methodologies of ordinary least squares regression and stepwise regression are applied.

Findings

The results show that board size is larger than the minimum level established in law and that boards are composed of a majority of non-executive directors. In addition, the determinants of firm characteristics of board structure are firm age, level of financial leverage, and ownership structure.

Practical implications

This research is significant since its findings should help entrepreneurs reflect on which board structure is most appropriate for this new stage of the life cycle of their company as a listed firm. This evidence is also of interest for regulators and investors, who can, therefore, better understand board structures of SMEs at the moment of IPO.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to study characteristics and determinants of the board of directors of growing SMEs at the moment of going public. This study implies a step forward in research into the governance of small business and IPO literature, since the results differ from the evidence found for large company IPOs and contribute towards the debate regarding the need to consider the context and the type of firm in corporate governance studies.
The process of establishing Discovery College in Melbourne
Authors: Hopkins Liza , Foster Andrew , Nikitin Lara
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand and inform the development and implementation of a newly established Discovery College (a youth-focused Recovery College). It also aims to contribute to a broader understanding of the benefits and barriers to establishing Recovery Colleges.

Design/methodology/approach

The overall study took a mixed-methods approach to the evaluation of Discovery College, including a qualitative process evaluation component as well as a mixed-methods outcomes evaluation. This paper reports on the findings of the process evaluation, which undertook key informant interviews with a range of stakeholders in the implementation process.

Findings

A total of 16 themes emerged from the qualitative data, which were then clustered into four main areas: establishing Discovery College, organisational context, nature of Discovery College and service transformation. Implementation was reported as both feasible and effective. Initial tension between fidelity to the model and a pragmatic approach to action was negotiated during implementation and through an ability of staff to tolerate uncertainty, enabled by the efforts and support of senior service management and college staff.

Originality/value

Recovery Colleges co-designed and implemented in youth mental health services are a recent development in the field of mental health care and very little has previously been published regarding the feasibility, effectiveness and acceptability of youth-focused Recovery Colleges. This paper is one of the first to assess the barriers and enablers to the implementation of Discovery College within a clinical youth mental health service.
Nutritional status and food pattern of adolescents
Authors: Previato Helena Dória Ribeiro de Andrade , Behrens Jorge Herman
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate anthropometric data, body composition and food intake of teenagers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper involves a cross-sectional study with 132 teenagers aged 15 to 19 years old from a public school of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, food intake and sport practice were obtained. The authors performed Student’s t-test, X2 or Fisher’s exact tests and Pearson’s correlation to evaluate anthropometric variables, nutritional status and sport practice.

Findings

Regarding the nutritional status, 81.8 per cent of the teenagers were of normal weight, 10.6 per cent were overweight and 7.6 per cent were obese. Female teenagers had higher values of body fat analyzed by skinfold thickness, fat mass, fat mass index and body fat percentage, while male had higher lean mass evaluated by fat-free mass and fat-free mass index. For both genders, it was observed that there was low intake of fruits and vegetables and daily intake of sweets, soda, salt snacks and fast food like sandwiches and pizza. Only 54.5 per cent of teenagers reported performing physical exercise and there was association between sedentary lifestyle with higher intake of sweets and soft drink.

Originality/value

This paper summarized several methods to assess nutritional status and body composition of teenagers.
Association of serum retinol and circulating inflammatory cells with disease activity in ulcerative colitis patients
Authors: Abedimanesh Nasim , Ostadrahimi Alireza , Abedimanesh Saeed , Motlagh Behrooz , Somi Mohammad Hossein
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the association of serum retinol and number of circulating inflammatory cells and disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 60 patients with ulcerative colitis were enrolled in a cross-sectional pilot study. Patients were recruited from specialized clinic of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran between April and August 2015. Mayo clinic index was used to assess clinical disease activity score. Blood samples were collected. Serum retinol was assessed using HPLC to determine vitamin A status. Complete blood count and lymphocyte phenotyping were performed by automated hematology analyzer and flow-cytometric analysis, respectively.

Findings

According to Mayo scoring, 68.33 per cent of patients had mild and 31.66 per cent had moderate or severe disease activity. About 43.33 per cent of patients were vitamin A deficient, with 23.33 per cent having moderate to severe deficiency (serum retinol < 20 µg/dl). Lower levels of serum retinol and higher count and percentages of CD3+, CD8+ T cells and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were statistically associated with disease activity according to univariate analysis (p = 0.002, 0.037, <0.001, 0.031, 0.002 and 0.039); however, in binary logistic regression, only lower levels of serum retinol were independently associated with disease activity with a OR of 0.564 (p = 0.021; 95 per cent CI 0.35-0.92).

Originality/value

Vitamin A deficiency was detected in this study population. Patients with moderate to severe disease activity demonstrated lower serum retinol, higher CD8+ T cells and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio compared to patients with mild disease activity.
Spaces of performance: a storytelling approach to learning in higher education
Authors: Jørgensen Kenneth Mølbjerg
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to provide a framework for reflecting on how different ways of configuring spaces in higher education (HE) condition the possibilities of learning. Second, the purpose is to construct a storytelling approach for the configuration of such spaces.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper’s conceptual purpose is achieved through a theoretical discussion of three concepts: performance, politics and storytelling.

Findings

Learning in HE needs reconsideration in terms of what kinds of learning are made possible through the discursive and material configuration of the spaces of research and teaching. In particular, the focus to some extent should move away from the management and control of learning toward what enables learning.

Practical implications

The literature on organizational learning and the learning organization comprise concepts, methods and tools that play different roles with regard to controlling, shaping and enabling learning. When the focus is on learning in HE, it is important to be aware of the tracks of learning these technologies enable.

Social implications

The interest in managing and controlling learning is often problematic in relation to the potential of HE to produce new and innovative forms of learning.

Originality/value

This paper introduces the term “spaces of performance,” which directs attention toward the material, discursive and relational conditions for learning. It also introduces a space of storytelling as a new principle for learning in HE.
Tourism and climate change in Mauritius: assessing the adaptation and mitigation plans and prospects
Authors: Mahadew Roopanand , Appadoo Krishnee Adnarain
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent to which Mauritius has structured its adaptation to and mitigation of the climate change and its effects on the tourism industry based on the UNEP framework on tourism and climate change.

Design/methodology/approach

The UNEP framework is used as a guideline based on which an assessment of the various policies, laws or regulations existent in Mauritius is carried out.

Findings

The paper highlights the significant lacunas that exist in Mauritius with regard to this subject matter with measures taken in good faith but not structured and oriented enough to meet long-term goals.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the meagre literature that exists in Mauritius on the legal or normative framework that exists in Mauritius concerning climate change and the tourism industry.
Residential mobility reduces ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour
Authors: Li Wen‐Qiao , Li Liman Man Wai , Li Ming
Published: September 2018

People sometimes prioritize helping ingroup members over outgroup members, but sometimes they do not. The current research investigated whether residential mobility, a socioecological factor, would reduce ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. In three studies, we found evidence supporting the causal role of residential mobility in reducing ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. First, we found that participants in the residentially stable condition had stronger intentions to help ingroups than outgroups whereas this tendency was eliminated in the residentially mobile condition (Study 1). We replicated these findings by examining participants' money allocation in a dictator game and their actual helping behaviour in an additional request (Study 2). Furthermore, we explored the underlying mechanisms of the effect of residential mobility on ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour (Study 3). We found that the differentiation component of individual identity (i.e., distinctiveness and uniqueness from other people) explained the relation between individuals' moving history and ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour (Study 3), in which frequent moves increased differentiation, which in turn reduced ingroup favouritism in prosocial behaviour. Taken together, these studies indicate that residential mobility is powerful in shaping people's behaviour toward ingroups and outgroups, which advances the understanding of intergroup processes from a socioecological approach.
Common view by whom?
Authors: Hamamura Takeshi , Takemura Kosuke
Published: September 2018

“Are the Japanese more collectivistic than are individualistic Americans?” Y. Takano and E. Osaka () concluded that the answer to this question is “No.” We think this conclusion is misguided. The methodology employed in Takano and Osaka's literature review lacks rigor, and the research question appears to stem from a biased survey of the contemporary research literature. We also question who holds the “common view” in the first place. The common view may continue to pervade the public's understanding of psychological differences between Americans and the Japanese, but such a view is no longer embraced by researchers in the field. The field of cultural psychology has evolved greatly in the past 20 years, examining cultural influence dynamically and at more fine‐grained levels. Dissemination of this knowledge to dispel the public's common view is an issue that requires greater attention from the community of Japanese and Asian Social Psychology.
Performance drivers in the casino industry of South Korea
Authors: Kim Woo‐Hyuk
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between the performance drivers and financial performance of the South Korean casino industry. Data were collected from all 17 casinos in South Korea throughout 2015 and evaluated with path analysis using AMOS. Results revealed significant relationships among visitor type (domestic vs. foreign), total number of visitors, and casino revenue. Moreover, the total number of visitors affected the table games and revenues of casinos. Among implications for the casino industry, casino managers can use the findings to prioritise performance drivers to increase revenues.
Pharmacogenetics‐based population pharmacokinetic analysis of gabapentin in patients with chronic pain: Effect of OCT2 and OCTN1 gene polymorphisms
Authors: Yamamoto Priscila A. , Benzi Jhohann R. L. , Azeredo Francine J. , Dach Fabíola , Ianhez Júnior Edgar , Zanelli Cleslei F. , de Moraes Natália V.
Published: September 2018

Gabapentin (GAB) is eliminated unchanged in urine, and organic cation transporters (OCT2 and OCTN1) have been shown to play a role in GAB renal excretion. This prospective clinical study aimed to evaluate the genetic polymorphisms effect on GAB pharmacokinetic (PK) variability using a population pharmacokinetic approach. Data were collected from 53 patients with chronic pain receiving multiple doses of GAB. Patients were genotyped for SLC22A2 c.808G>T and SLC22A4 c.1507C>T polymorphisms. Both polymorphisms' distribution followed the Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium. An one‐compartment model with first‐order absorption and linear elimination best described the data. The absorption rate constant, volume of distribution, and clearance estimated were 0.44 h−1, 86 L, and 17.3 × (estimated glomerular filtration ratio/89.58)1.04 L/h, respectively. The genetic polymorphism SLC22A4 c.1507C>T did not have a significant influence on GAB absorption, distribution or elimination. Due to the low minor allelic frequency of SLC22A2 c.808G>T, further studies require higher number of participants to confirm its effect on GAB renal elimination. In conclusion, GAB clinical pharmacokinetics are strongly influenced by renal function and absorption process, but not by the OCTN1 (SLC22A4 c.1507C>T) polymorphism.
Hypoxia‐inducible transgelin 2 selects epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and γ‐radiation‐resistant subtypes by focal adhesion kinase‐associated insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor activation in non‐small‐cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Kim In‐Gyu , Lee Jei‐Ha , Kim Seo‐Yeon , Hwang Hai‐Min , Kim Tae‐Rim , Cho Eun‐Wie
Published: September 2018

Microenvironment, such as hypoxia common to cancer, plays a critical role in the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, which is a major route of cancer metastasis and confers γ‐radiation resistance to cells. Herein, we showed that transgelin 2 (TAGLN2), an actin‐binding protein, is significantly induced in hypoxic lung cancer cells and that Snail1 is simultaneously increased, which induces EMT by downregulating E‐cadherin expression. Forced TAGLN2 expression induced severe cell death; however, a small population of cells surviving after forced TAGLN2 overexpression showed γ‐radiation resistance, which might promote tumor relapse and recurrence. These surviving cells showed high metastatic activity with an increase of EMT markers including Snail1. In these cells, TAGLN2 activated the insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor β (IGF1Rβ)/PI3K/AKT pathway by recruitment of focal adhesion kinase to the IGF1R signaling complex. Activation of the IGF1Rβ/PI3K/AKT pathway also induced inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), which is involved in Snail1 stabilization. Therefore, both the IGF1Rβ inhibitor (AG1024) and the PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) or AKT inactivation with MK2206 lower the cellular level of Snail1. Involvement of GSK3β was also confirmed by treatment with lithium chloride, the inducer of GSK3β phosphorylation, or MG132, the 26S proteasomal inhibitor, which also stabilized Snail1. In conclusion, the present study provides important evidence that hypoxia‐inducible TAGLN2 is involved in the selection of cancer cells with enhanced EMT properties to overcome the detrimental environment of cancer cells.
Outcomes of treatment of faecal incontinence with sacral nerve stimulation – a Finnish multicentre study
Authors: Kirss J. , Pinta T. , Varpe P. , Rautio T. , Kairaluoma M. , Hyöty M. , Hurme S. , Böckelman C. , Kairaluoma V. , Salmenkylä S. , Victorzon M.
Published: September 2018

Aim

The aim of this multicentre study is to report the results of sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) treatment for faecal incontinence (FI) in Finland and determine factors that could influence SNS treatment outcomes.

Method

This is a national multicentre study, involving all patients tested for SNS implantation in Finland from 1999 to 2017. Data were collected retrospectively from electronic patient archives and analysed for possible effects on treatment outcome.

Results

Of the 432 patients with FI tested for SNS, 365 were women. Three hundred and thirteen (72.5%) of the tested patients advanced to permanent implantation of a stimulator. A successful final treatment outcome, with subjective alleviation of FI, was reported by 59.3% of the patients at the end of follow‐up (mean 2.4 years, range 8 days to 13.3 years). Patients with obstetric sphincter injury and idiopathic FI had more permanent stimulator implantations than patients with iatrogenic injury (P = 0.012). Male patients had significantly worse test phase outcomes than female patients (P < 0.001). Age did not influence treatment outcome (P = 0.446)

Conclusion

Subjective final success of SNS treatment for FI was achieved in 59.3% of patients at a mean of 2.4 years. Gender and the aetiology of FI influenced the test phase and final treatment outcome of SNS treatment.
First‐ever convulsive seizures in children presenting to the emergency department: risk factors for seizure recurrence and diagnosis of epilepsy
Authors: Sartori Stefano , Nosadini Margherita , Tessarin Giulio , Boniver Clementina , Frigo Anna Chiara , Toldo Irene , Bressan Silvia , Da Dalt Liviana
Published: September 2018

Aim

Aetiologies of first‐ever convulsive seizures may be diverse, not all leading to recurrence or epilepsy diagnosis. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of first‐ever convulsive seizures in children, investigating risk factors for recurrence and epilepsy diagnosis.

Method

This was a retrospective study of children presenting with a first‐ever convulsive seizure to a tertiary‐care paediatric emergency department (PED) in Italy, in a 12‐month period (2011–2012).

Results

One hundred and eight children (57 males, 51 females) presented to the PED for a first‐ever convulsive seizure; 90.7% were 6 months to 6 years old (median age 1y 10mo, mean 2y 7mo, range 0mo–14y 4mo). Seizure duration was less than 5 minutes in 76.8%. Seizures were ‘unprovoked’ in 19.4% and ‘provoked’ in 80.6%. At 4‐year follow‐up, 37.9% of patients experienced recurrence and 13.6% received a diagnosis of epilepsy. Factors significantly associated with recurrence were the ‘unprovoked’ nature of the first seizure, multiple seizures in the first 24 hours, positive family history of febrile seizures or epilepsy, and pre‐existing neurological conditions/problems. Factors significantly associated with a diagnosis of epilepsy were the ‘unprovoked’ nature of the first seizure, age older than 6 years, pre‐existing neurological conditions/problems, and focal onset of first seizure.

Interpretation

Children presenting to the PED with first‐ever convulsive seizures represent a heterogeneous group. The identification of prognostic factors for recurrence and epilepsy diagnosis may help provide tailored counselling and follow‐up.

What this paper adds

Seizures were ‘unprovoked’ in 19.4% and ‘provoked’ in 80.6% of children presenting to the emergency department.

At 4‐year follow‐up, 37.9% relapsed, and 13.6% received a diagnosis of epilepsy.

‘Unprovoked’ first seizure, family history of febrile seizures, and pre‐existing neurological conditions were associated with recurrence.

‘Unprovoked’ first seizure, age younger than 6 years, and pre‐existing neurological conditions were associated with epilepsy diagnosis.