bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudoseohaeicola caenipelagi gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat
Authors: Park Sooyeon , Park Ji-Min , Kang Chul-Hyung , Kim Song-Gun , Yoon Jung-Hoon
Published: March 2015

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic and pleomorphic bacterium, designated BS-W13T, was isolated from a tidal flat on the South Sea, South Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain BS-W13T grew optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 1.0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Neighbour-joining and maximum-parsimony phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BS-W13T clustered with the type strain of

Seohaeicola saemankumensis

, showing the highest sequence similarity (95.96 %) to this strain. Strain BS-W13T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 95.95, 95.91, 95.72 and 95.68 % to the type strains of

Sulfitobacter donghicola

,

Sulfitobacter porphyrae

,

Sulfitobacter mediterraneus

and

Roseobacter litoralis

, respectively. Strain BS-W13T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1ω7c as the major fatty acid. The polar lipid profile of strain BS-W13T, containing phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid as major components, was distinguishable from those of some phylogenetically related taxa. The DNA G+C content of strain BS-W13T was 58.1 mol%. The phylogenetic data and differential chemotaxonomic and other phenotypic properties revealed that strain BS-W13T constitutes a novel genus and species within family

Rhodobacteraceae

of the class

Alphaproteobacteria

, for which the name Pseudoseohaeicola caenipelagi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BS-W13T ( = KCTC 42349T = CECT 8724T).
Bradyrhizobium erythrophlei sp. nov. and Bradyrhizobium ferriligni sp. nov., isolated from effective nodules of Erythrophleum fordii
Authors: Yao Yao , Sui Xin Hua , Zhang Xiao Xia , Wang En Tao , Chen Wen Xn
Published: March 2015

Six slow-growing rhizobial strains isolated from effective nodules of Erythrophleum fordii were classified into the genus

Bradyrhizobium

based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The results of multilocus sequence analysis of recA, glnII and gyrB genes and 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence phylogeny indicated that the six strains belonged to two novel species, represented by CCBAU 53325T and CCBAU 51502T, which were consistent with the results of DNA–DNA hybridization; CCBAU 53325T had 17.65–25.59 % relatedness and CCBAU 51502T had 22.69–44.58 % relatedness with five closely related type strains,

Bradyrhizobium elkanii

USDA 76T,

B. pachyrhizi

LMG 24246T,

B. lablabi

CCBAU 23086T,

B. jicamae

LMG 24556T and

B. japonicum

USDA 6T. In addition, analysis of phenotypic characteristics and fatty acid profiles also distinguished the test strains from defined species of

Bradyrhizobium

. Two novel species, Bradyrhizobium erythrophlei sp. nov., represented by the type strain CCBAU 53325T ( = HAMBI 3614T = CGMCC 1.13002T = LMG 28425T), and Bradyrhizobium ferriligni sp. nov., represented by the type strain CCBAU 51502T ( = HAMBI 3613T = CGMCC 1.13001T), are proposed to accommodate the strains.
No association between plant mating system and geographic range overlap
Authors: Grossenbacher Dena , Runquist Ryan Briscoe , Goldberg Emma E. , Brandvain Yaniv
Published: March 2015

Premise of the Study

Automatic self-fertilization may influence the geography of speciation, promote reproductive isolation between incipient species, and lead to ecological differentiation. As such, selfing taxa are predicted to co-occur more often with their closest relatives than are outcrossing taxa. Despite suggestions that this pattern may be general, the extent to which mating system influences range overlap in close relatives has not been tested formally across a diverse group of plant species pairs.

Methods

We test for a difference in range overlap between species pairs where zero, one, or both species are selfers, using data from 98 sister species pairs in 20 genera across 15 flowering plant families. We also use divergence time estimates from time-calibrated phylogenies to ask how range overlap changes with divergence time and whether this effect depends on mating system.

Key Results

We find no evidence that automatic self-fertilization influences range overlap of closely related plant species. Sister pairs with more recent divergence times had modestly greater range overlap, but this effect did not depend on mating system.

Conclusions

The absence of a strong influence of mating system on range overlap suggests that mating system plays a minor or inconsistent role compared to many other mechanisms potentially influencing the co-occurrence of close relatives.
Crystal structure of 9-methacryloylanthracene
Authors: Agrahari Aditya , Wagers Patrick O. , Schildcrout Steven M. , Masnovi John , Youngs Wiley J.
Published: March 2015

In the title compound, C18H14O, with systematic name 1-(anthracen-9-yl)-2-methylprop-2-en-1-one, the ketonic C atom lies 0.2030 (16) Å out of the anthryl-ring-system plane. The dihedral angle between the planes of the anthryl and methacryloyl moieties is 88.30 (3)° and the stereochemistry about the Csp2—Csp2bond in the side chain istransoid. In the crystal, the end rings of the anthryl units in adjacent molecules associate in parallel–planar orientations [shortest centroid–centroid distance = 3.6320 (7) Å]. A weak hydrogen bond is observed between an aromatic H atom and the O atom of a molecule displaced by translation in thea-axis direction, forming sheets of parallel-planar anthryl groups packing in this direction.
Crystal structure of 2-(4-fluoro-3-methylphenyl)-5-{[(naphthalen-1-yl)oxy]methyl}-1,3,4-oxadiazole
Authors: Govindhan Muniyappan , Subramanian Kathavarayan , Viswanathan Vijayan , Velmurugan Devadasan
Published: March 2015

The title compound, C20H15FN2O2, adopts an almost planar conformation. The oxadiazole ring makes dihedral angles of 13.90 (1) and 7.93 (1)° with the naphthalene ring system and benzene ring, respectively, while the naphthalene ring system and benzene ring are inclined to one another by 6.35 (1)°. In the crystal, adjacent molecules are linkedviaC—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along [100]. There are also π–π interactions present [intercentroid distances = 3.5754 (9) and 3.7191 (12) Å], linking the chains to form ribbons lying parallel to (011).
Crystal structure of bis(2-{1-[(E)-(4-fluorobenzyl)imino]ethyl}phenolato-κ2N,O)palladium(II)
Authors: Mohd Tajuddin Amalina , Bahron Hadariah , Mohd Zaki Hamizah , Kassim Karimah , Chantrapromma Suchada
Published: March 2015

The asymmetric unit of the title complex, [Pd(C15H13FNO)2], contains one half of the molecule with the PdIIcation lying on an inversion centre and is coordinated by the bidentate Schiff base anion. The geometry around the cationic PdIIcentre is distorted square planar, chelated by the imine N- and phenolate O-donor atoms of the two Schiff base ligands. The N- and O-donor atoms of the two ligands are mutuallytrans, with Pd—N and Pd—O bond lengths of 2.028 (2) and 1.9770 (18) Å, respectively. The fluorophenyl ring is tilted away from the coordination plane and makes a dihedral angle of 66.2 (2)° with the phenolate ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chains along the [101] direction by weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds. Weak π–π interactions with centroid–centroid distances of 4.079 (2) Å stack the molecules alongc.
Crystal structure of tetraaqua[2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-κ2N2,N3]iron(II) sulfate
Authors: Setifi Zouaoui , Setifi Fatima , Francuski Bojana M. , Novaković Sladjana B. , Merazig Hocine
Published: March 2015

In the title compound, [Fe(C8H7N3)(H2O)4]SO4, the central FeIIion is octahedrally coordinated by two N atoms from the bidentate 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole ligand and by four O atoms of the aqua ligands. The largest deviation from the ideal octahedral geometry is reflected by the small N—Fe—N bite angle of 76.0 (1)°. The Fe—N coordination bonds have markedly different lengths [2.1361 (17) and 2.243 (2) Å], with the shorter one to the pyrimidine N atom. The four Fe—O coordination bond lengths vary from 2.1191 (18) to 2.1340 (17) Å. In the crystal, the cations and anions are arranged by means of medium-strength O—H...O hydrogen bonds into layers parallel to theabplane. Neighbouring layers further interconnect by N—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the imidazole fragment as donor group to one sulfate O atom as an acceptor. The resulting three-dimensional network is consolidated by C—H...O, C—H...π and π–π interactions.
Crystal structure of 2-{[1-(4-bromobenzyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]methoxy}naphthalene-1,4-dione
Authors: Raja Rajamani , Kandhasamy Subramani , Perumal Paramasivam T. , SubbiahPandi A.
Published: March 2015

In the title compound, C20H14BrN3O3, the benzene ring makes dihedral angles of 71.30 (11) and 68.95 (14)° with the naphthalene ring system and the triazole ring, respectively. The latter two ring systems are coplanar, with a dihedral angle of 2.92 (12)°. The O atoms deviate from the naphthalene ring system by 0.029 (2) and −0.051 (2) Å. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming ribbons parallel to (10-1). The ribbons are linkedviaC—H...O and π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.4451 (14) Å], forming slabs parallel to thebcplane.
Comparing health-issues of Russian-speaking immigrants, Germans and Russians
Authors: Bachmann Viktoria , Teigeler Katharina , Hirsch Oliver , Bösner Stefan , Donner-Banzhoff Norbert
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– About three million Russian-speaking immigrants from the former Soviet Union live in Germany. However, little is known about their health status. The purpose of this paper is to investigate mental and physical complaints among this immigrant group through German primary care compared with native-born Germans and Russians.

Design/methodology/approach

– In the context of the quantitative part of our mixed-methods study Russian-speaking immigrants, native-born Germans and Russians completed self-rating questionnaires in their native languages comprising indicators of mental and somatic health. Included were two modules of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, PHQ-15), and the Hamburg Self-Care Questionnaire.

Findings

– No differences were found between the three groups regarding depressive and somatic symptoms. Germans had higher ratings of general health status compared to immigrants and native-born Russians and were more satisfied with their physical health than immigrants. Germans were more convinced that they can actively contribute to their health than immigrants and Russians. Germans and Russians have higher scores of self-care than immigrants. Immigrants have more subjective physical health-related complaints than non-immigrants. There are different health beliefs in the three groups which could differentially affect global well-being.

Originality/value

– As minorities are double socialized in the origin and host country, a minimum of three groups have to be compared to receive a reliable statement about migration- and culture-specific differences in health related aspects. These requirements of comparative cultural psychology are satisfied by our work.
Facilitating refugees’ access to family doctors
Authors: Mayhew Maureen , Grant Karen J. , Mota Lorena , Rouhani Setareh , Klein Michael C. , Kazanjian Arminée
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the patient level characteristics of government-assisted refugees (GARs) who had acquired family doctors after leaving specialized refugee clinics (RC).

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-sectional telephone survey of GARs households, three to six years after arrival to British Columbia, that used logistic regression to identify GAR characteristics associated with having a family doctor compared to having no family doctor or remaining at a RC.

Findings

– Contact rate was 52 percent. Of 177 interviewed GARs who spoke 24 languages, only 61 percent had secured a family doctor. Only 57 percent were educated; 46 percent spoke English and 40 percent worked consistently. Central Asian or African origin was associated with having a family doctor (OR 10.6 (95 percent CI 3.1-36.8) for RC; OR 10.3 (95 percent CI 2.2-47.8) for no family doctor). Other significant characteristics in the comparison with GARs at a RC included English proficiency (OR 15.6 (95 percent CI 4.3-56.9)), and female sex (OR 4.0 (95 percent CI 1.4-1.1)). When compared to those with no family doctor, additional significant characteristics included Health Authority A compared to B (OR 8.9, 95 percent CI 1.4-55.6) and having recently visited a doctor (OR 7.7 (95 percent CI 1.9-30.7)).

Research limitations/implications

– The results of this study are limited to a specific environment and the low contact rate may have resulted in bias.

Originality/value

– This study described characteristics of GARs who had successfully transitioned to a family doctor and those who had not. This population is rarely captured in studies because they are difficult to contact, ethnically diverse and not proficient in English.
Advocacy research and social policy
Authors: McLaughlin Kenneth
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Much social policy research today is commissioned, published and publicised by organisations with direct involvement in that particular aspect of policy. Whilst much good can result from such “advocacy research”, at times the tactics employed by some groups have been criticised for exaggerated claims making and sensationalist reporting as they attempt to get their particular issue into the political and public domain and also generate more government funding and/or increase public donations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate such claims.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper the author wishes to look at some of the tactics utilised by advocacy groups in order to establish the legitimacy of their particular concern. The author focuses on material published by Action for Children and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and between 2010 and 2012 in relation to child maltreatment, critically analysing them from a social constructionist standpoint and drawing on aspects of moral panic theory.

Findings

– The paper concludes by warning of the dangers for both social policy and related practice that can arise from uncritically accepting the claims of contemporary moral entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

– This paper uses theoretical concepts to analyse contemporary campaigns by two charity organisations.
Documenting the UK “Black Fish Scandal” as a case study of criminal entrepreneurship
Authors: Smith Robert
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to consider the industrial exploitation of fishing quotas as a case of organized criminal entrepreneurship. Seldom is consideration given to the existence of informal and criminal entrepreneurship within the fishing industry. Consequentially, this case charts the “Black Fish Scandal” in the UK which saw the flouting of regulations and quotas on a commercial scale netting the protagonists £63 million through the illegal landing of undeclared fish.

Design/methodology/approach

– The case study underpinning this paper is constructed using documentary research techniques.

Findings

– Entrepreneurship can be destructive in a Baumolian sense as well as being productive. The moral of the story is that the entrepreneurs involved in the scandal are primarily small businessmen and not organized criminals; and that lessons can be learned from this case on how knowledge of entrepreneurship can be used to ensure that entrepreneurs and businessmen are not tempted to stray into the commission of economic crime.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation of the study is that it was constructed solely from media reports of the scandal. The implications of this study are widespread for politicians, local government, policy makers and academic researchers alike and highlight the rise and fall of an industry and the impact of “laissez-faire” entrepreneurship on the industry suggesting to politicians, local government, policy makers that there needs to be a more planned approach to encouraging entrepreneurship within such coastal communities.

Originality/value

– This case based empirical study is of value because it is one of the first known UK studies of the Black Fish Scandal.
Continuing caste inequalities in rural Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Goli Srinivas , Maurya Nagendra Kumar , Sharma Manoj Kumar
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– A continuous mixed opinion on the relevance of caste-based reservations and caste as a factor of socioeconomic disparity in the recent period demands update of evidence on socioeconomic inequalities among caste groups for effective policy making. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the caste inequalities in terms of socioeconomic opportunities and poverty are still persisting in rural Uttar Pradesh based on village census surveys?

Design/methodology/approach

– This study used data primarily collected from four village census surveys under the project rural transformation in Uttar Pradesh, 2013. Bivariate analyses, human opportunity index (HOI), multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and inequality decomposition analyses used as methods of analyses.

Findings

– The authors findings suggest that in spite of more than six decades of welfare policies and major political mobilization movements among lower castes in the state, the huge inequalities in terms of critical socioeconomic indicators such as landholding, higher education and wealth distribution and multi-dimensional poverty across the castes are still persisting in the state. Decomposition results suggest that between group inequalities contribute more to the total inequality in landholding whereas within group inequalities contribute maximum to total inequality in education and wealth status of different castes in rural Uttar Pradesh. However, within inequalities much less in general castes compared to SCs/OBCs.

Originality/value

– Based on its latest empirical evidence, this study strengthens the argument that caste still matters in socioeconomic achievements of the population in India even after decades of planning and financing of social welfare schemes to uplift the lower castes in India. Thus, provides critical inputs to current debates on the relevance of caste as a determinant of socioeconomic status in India.
Evaluating the implementation of business-to-business m-commerce by SMEs based on a new hybrid MADM model
Authors: Lu Ming-Tsang , Hu Shu-Kung , Huang Li-Hua , Tzeng Gwo-Hshiung
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The invention and use of mobile commerce (m-commerce) technology have progressed in recent years. In small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the decision to implement business-to-business m-commerce is a multiple-criteria decision analysis problem that involves both qualitative and quantitative factors, and its evaluation may be based on imprecise information or uncertain data. Furthermore, there may be significant dependences or important feedback among different levels of criteria or alternatives. However, most conventional decision models cannot capture these complex interrelationships. The purpose of this paper is to adopt a new hybrid multiple attribute decision model (MADM) model to evaluate the implementation of business-to-business m-commerce by SMEs in Taiwan to enhance the thinking of management and improve decision gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study, the authors present the use of a new hybrid MADM combined with a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to construct an influential network relationship map (INRM) and find the influential weights of DANP (DEMATEL-based ANP) in criteria from the influential relationship matrix, and the modified VIKOR method using influential weights to evaluate and integrate the criteria performance in the gaps and to analyze how to reduce the gaps to evaluate the decision to implement business-to-business m-commerce by SMEs based on INRM.

Findings

– The findings of using the new hybrid MADM model can efficiently and successfully be applied to the business-to-business m-commerce of SMEs to improve and reduce the performance gaps among each criterion/aspect when setting improvement strategies for achieving an aspiration level based on INRM.

Originality/value

– This study achieves the following: successfully building a decision network (called an influential network relation map (INRM)) of the technological advances and implementations of business-to-business m-commerce for solving the inter-dependence and feedback of criteria/aspects in the real world problem; how changing effective solutions from existing performance of situations/alternatives into aspiration levels to fit the current competitive markets in the business-to-business m-commerce of SMEs; and efficiently shifting from ranking and selection when determining the most preferable approaches to performance improvement by modified VIKOR methods.
Too many to handle? Two types of multimarket contacts and entry decisions
Authors: Alcantara Lailani Laynesa , Mitsuhashi Hitoshi
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms with multimarket contacts in both product and geographic markets make foreign direct investments (FDI) location choices and to advance the understanding about how managers with cognitive limits cope with opportunities to take the advantage of mutual forbearance in two types of markets.

Design/methodology/approach

– Drawing upon the literatures on multimarket contact and decision making, the authors develop original hypotheses on how multimarket contacts in two types of markets influence firms’ choice of destination for foreign investments. The authors test the hypotheses using longitudinal archival data on foreign market entries of Japanese auto parts makers.

Findings

– The authors find that when choosing FDI locations, firms reduce the cognitive burdens of coping with multimarket contacts in the two types of markets by focussing exclusively on what is perceived as relevant to the decision at hand. The authors also find that this propensity is particularly significant for large firms, whereas small firms use different decision rules and avoid entering markets with the greater degree of multimarket contact with prior entrants, whether in product or national market.

Practical implications

– Although heuristics simplify competitive environments and reduce managers’ cognitive burdens, such a cost-saving orientation could increase the risk associated with international entry that may end in severe counterattacks from prior entrants, wasteful foreign investments, and substantial entry failures.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the literature by adopting multimarket contact theory to foreign market entry, jointly analyzing two types of multimarket contacts, testing three alternative hypotheses about how boundedly rational managers cope with multimarket contacts in two markets, and demonstrating that managers focus on multimarket contacts only in one type of markets when making entry decisions.
Priorities and perceptions of corporate social responsibility
Authors: Skouloudis Antonis , Avlonitis George J. , Malesios Chrisovaladis , Evangelinos Konstantinos
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to inform the business management literature that focuses on the perceptions of business professionals towards the multidimensional and highly complex concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

– This study is based on a sample of 118 Greek business executives/middle managers having different functional positions. A questionnaire based on the works of Quazi and O’Brien (2000) and Welfordet al. (2007) was designed and used for data collection.

Findings

– Key findings denote occupational health and safety, benign environmental management as well as responsible production methods as the top CSR priorities. Two different CSR viewpoints emerged from the factor analysis reflecting a pragmatic and a more socially responsive interpretation of corporate responsibility. Cluster analysis confirmed such contrasting perspectives allowing the partition of data in distinctive groups according to the relative inclination on either of the identified viewpoints. Similarity measures obtained from cluster analysis also verified the different CSR positions.

Originality/value

– The paper explores CSR perceptions, as predictor factors of CSR performance, in three different groups of Greek business professionals. It contributes to the literature of CSR perspectives from South-East European countries where there is a distinct lack of empirical studies on managerial attitudes.
Bioavailability and antioxidant effect of the Ilex Paraguariensis polyphenols
Authors: Sánchez Boado Lucila , Fretes Raquel  Maria , Brumovsky Luis  Alberto
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vivo the bioavailability of the Ilex paraguariensis polyphenols due to total polyphenols and changes in antioxidant capacity (AOC) in human plasma after an acute intake of 300 ml of an infusion of yerba maté (YM) for 120 minutes. Also, we evaluated the variation of plasma protein or plasma uric acid after the acute intake of YM infusion.

Design/methodology/approach

– Seventeen healthy young volunteers participated in the determining plasma of total polyphenols concentration (TPC, Folin-Ciocalteu method), plasma AOC for ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt [ABTS] methods), plasmatic uric acid and plasma total protein over the 120 minutes test.

Findings

– It was found that the bioavailability of YM polyphenols during 120 minutes was 49.3 ± 11.9 per cent, the TPC was increased to 6.0 ± 1.5 per cent, the plasma AOC was increased by FRAP 8.3 ± 3.3 per cent and by ABTS 6.0 ± 2.0 per cent and no significant variation of plasma protein or plasma uric acid was found.

Practical implications

– Maté polyphenols has a thrifty effect on the natural antioxidant defenses of the body, which are beneficial to human health.

Originality/value

– There was no information on the bioavailability of polyphenols in YM infusions prepared in its traditional form as “hot mate”.
Health and social care for older people: progress, problems and priorities
Authors: Humphries Richard
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the principal challenges facing the health and care system in England arising from an ageing population, assess the track record of the coalition government in addressing these and offer a perspective on the priorities likely to be faced by the next incoming government in relation to health and social care for older people.

Design/methodology/approach

– Assessment of key policy documents and legislation and interpretation of published data on trends in health and social care activity and expenditure.

Findings

– An ageing population requires a fundamental shift towards a new model of care that offers better coordinated care and promotes independence and healthy ageing. The Care Act 2014 is a significant achievement and NHS spending has been protected, but resulting cuts to local government budgets have since sharp reductions in social care for older people. The next incoming government will need to address a deepening financial crisis in health and care system; the increasingly unsustainability of means tested and rationed social care alongside universal free health care; and the need to make faster progress in developing a new models of integrated care closer to home.

Originality/value

– The issues raised in this paper affect older people as voters, tax payers and as existing or potential users of health and social care services. As a group they will attract significant attention from political parties in the next election campaign.
A world of social interaction for all
Authors: Ferguson Laura
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight the actions needed and organisations to make a difference to the problem of loneliness in old age.

Design/methodology/approach

– Draws on the work of the Campaign to End Loneliness in collaboration with hundreds of organisations worldwide to document what has been done so far and to provide exemplars and imagined case studies based on collected experience to identify potential relevant actions.

Findings

– Many hundreds of organisations worldwide are recognising the need to support older peoples’ connections and abilities to engage with their communities. However, these need to be better mapped and coordinated.

Practical implications

– Innovative work is already being done to tackle loneliness needs to be more systematically supported and promoted.

Originality/value

– Identifies how much has already changed in terms of recognising and addressing loneliness but that a more comprehensive approach to support is needed.
Blame, responsibility and systemic neutrality: a discourse analysis methodology to the study of family therapy problem talk
Authors: Patrika Pinelopi , Tseliou Eleftheria
Published: March 2015

In this article we present discourse analysis of initial systemic family therapy sessions, focusing on family members' responses to therapists' attempts to introduce a systemically neutral, relational perspective on their troubles, by means of circular questioning and the final team message. The article draws from a qualitative study of family therapy problem talk with a sample of nine videotaped first and second sessions with six families and four therapists. The sessions were transcribed verbatim and subjected to discourse analysis following the discursive action model. Our analysis indicates that family members may decode the therapists' discursive moves as attributing blame or responsibility to them and engage in further blaming of the identified patient. We conclude by raising the implications of the present research study for the latent attributional work in clinical practice. We also stress the potential of discourse analysis methodology for studying blaming actions and for enhancing reflexivity about our models and practices.

Practitioner points

Family members may decode therapists' attempts for introducing a systemically neutral perspective as allocating blame to them for the presenting problem(s).

Practitioners should be reflexive about their potentially blaming discursive contributions in therapeutic dialogue.

Discourse analysis methodology can enhance clinicians' reflexivity about their contributions in therapeutic dialogue.
Watchdogs as Satellites of Parliament
Authors: Wilkins Peter
Published: March 2015

Australian legislation indicates a special relationship between Parliament and independent watchdogs such as the Auditor General and Ombudsman. These statutory provisions are reviewed and a new model conceptualizing watchdogs as satellites of Parliament is presented and assessed in the context of the debate about where these watchdogs fit in our system of government. The model assists consideration of the interdependence of Parliaments and watchdogs and tensions in the relationship. It is identified that giving primacy to the relationship with Parliament mitigates some risks and creates others, and that it provides a democratic legitimacy to the watchdogs. The article concludes that there can be benefits to the community where primacy of the role of Parliament is embedded in legislation.
Audit Firm Tenure, Non‐Audit Services, and Internal Assessments of Audit Quality
Authors: BELL TIMOTHY B. , CAUSHOLLI MONIKA , KNECHEL W. ROBERT
Published: March 2015

We use data from internal assessments of audit quality in a Big 4 firm to investigate the impact of audit firm tenure and auditor‐provided non‐audit services (NAS) on audit quality. We find that first‐year audits receive lower assessments of audit quality and that quality improves shortly thereafter and then declines as tenure becomes very long. Partitioning our sample between SEC registrants and private clients, we find that the decline in audit quality in the long tenure range is attributable to audits of private clients. For audits of SEC registrants, the probability of a high quality audit reaches its maximum with very long tenure. We also find that audit fees are discounted for first‐year audits but auditor effort is higher than in subsequent years. We find no association, on average, between total NAS fees and audit quality in the full sample but observe that total NAS fees are positively associated with quality for SEC registrants and negatively associated with quality for privately held clients. Our findings are important for regulatory policies related to audit firm tenure and auditor‐provided NAS.
Can emergency physicians accurately and reliably assess acute vertigo in the emergency department?
Authors: Vanni Simone , Nazerian Peiman , Casati Carlotta , Moroni Federico , Risso Michele , Ottaviani Maddalena , Pecci Rudi , Pepe Giuseppe , Vannucchi Paolo , Grifoni Stefano
Published: March 2015

Objective

To validate a clinical diagnostic tool, used by emergency physicians (EPs), to diagnose the central cause of patients presenting with vertigo, and to determine interrater reliability of this tool.

Methods

A convenience sample of adult patients presenting to a single academic ED with isolated vertigo (i.e. vertigo without other neurological deficits) was prospectively evaluated with STANDING (SponTAneousNystagmus, Direction, head Impulse test, standiNG) by five trained EPs. The first step focused on the presence of spontaneous nystagmus, the second on the direction of nystagmus, the third on head impulse test and the fourth on gait. The local standard practice, senior audiologist evaluation corroborated by neuroimaging when deemed appropriate, was considered the reference standard. Sensitivity and specificity of STANDING were calculated. On the first 30 patients, inter‐observer agreement among EPs was also assessed.

Results

Five EPs with limited experience in nystagmus assessment volunteered to participate in the present study enrolling 98 patients. Their average evaluation time was 9.9 ± 2.8 min (range 6–17). Central acute vertigo was suspected in 16 (16.3%) patients. There were 13 true positives, three false positives, 81 true negatives and one false negative, with a high sensitivity (92.9%, 95% CI 70–100%) and specificity (96.4%, 95% CI 93–38%) for central acute vertigo according to senior audiologist evaluation. The Cohen's kappas of the first, second, third and fourth steps of the STANDING were 0.86, 0.93, 0.73 and 0.78, respectively. The whole test showed a good inter‐observer agreement (k = 0.76, 95% CI 0.45–1).

Conclusions

In the hands of EPs, STANDING showed a good inter‐observer agreement and accuracy validated against the local standard of care.
Metabolic Advantages of Higher Protein Diets and Benefits of Dairy Foods on Weight Management, Glycemic Regulation, and Bone
Authors: Pasiakos Stefan M.
Published: March 2015

The Inst. of Medicine and World Health Organization have determined that 0.8 to 0.83 g protein·kg−1·d−1 is the quantity of protein required to establish nitrogen balance in nearly all healthy individuals. However, consuming higher protein diets may be metabolically advantageous, particularly for overweight and obese adults attempting weight loss, and for physically active individuals such as athletes and military personnel. Studies have demonstrated that higher protein diets may spare lean body mass during weight loss, promote weight management, enhance glycemic regulation, and increase intestinal calcium absorption, which may result in long‐term improvements in bone health. The extent to which higher protein diets are beneficial is largely attributed to the digestive and absorptive properties, and also to the essential amino acid (EAA) content of the protein. Proteins that are rapidly digested and absorbed likely contribute to the metabolic advantages conferred by consuming higher protein diets. The EAA profiles, as well as the digestive and absorptive properties of dairy proteins, such as whey protein and casein, are particularly advantageous because they facilitate a rapid, robust, and sustained delivery of EAAs to the periphery. This article reviews the scientific literature assessing metabolic advantages associated with higher protein diets on weight management, glycemic regulation, and bone, with emphasis given to studies evaluating the potential benefits associated with dairy.
Inoculum selection influences the biochemical methane potential of agro‐industrial substrates
Authors: De Vrieze Jo , Raport Linde , Willems Bernard , Verbrugge Silke , Volcke Eveline , Meers Erik , Angenent Largus T. , Boon Nico
Published: March 2015

Obtaining a reliable estimation of the methane potential of organic waste streams in anaerobic digestion, for which a biochemical methane potential (BMP) test is often used, is of high importance. Standardization of this BMP test is required to ensure inter‐laboratory repeatability and accuracy of the BMP results. Therefore, guidelines were set out; yet, these do not provide sufficient information concerning origin of and the microbial community in the test inoculum. Here, the specific contribution of the methanogenic community on the BMP test results was evaluated. The biomethane potential of four different substrates (molasses, bio‐refinery waste, liquid manure and high‐rate activated sludge) was determined by means of four different inocula from full‐scale anaerobic digestion plants. A significant effect of the selected inoculum on the BMP result was observed for two out of four substrates. This inoculum effect could be attributed to the abundance of methanogens and a potential inhibiting effect in the inoculum itself, demonstrating the importance of inoculum selection for BMP testing. We recommend the application of granular sludge as an inoculum, because of its higher methanogenic abundance and activity, and protection from bulk solutions, compared with other inocula.
Review on Cardiovascular Risk Prediction
Authors: Ruwanpathirana Thilanga , Owen Alice , Reid Christopher M.
Published: March 2015

The objectives were to review the currently available and widely used cardiovascular risk assessment models and to examine the evidence available on new biomarkers and the nonclinical measures in improving the risk prediction in the population level.

Identification of individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), to better target prevention and treatment, has become a top research priority. Cardiovascular risk prediction has progressed with the development and refinement of risk prediction models based upon established clinical factors, and the discovery of novel biomarkers, lifestyle, and social factors may offer additional information on the risk of disease. However, a significant proportion of individuals who have a myocardial infarction still are categorized as low risk by many of the available methods. Although novel biomarkers can improve risk prediction, including B‐type natriuretic peptides which have shown the best predictive capacity per unit cost, there is concern that the use of risk prediction strategies which rely upon new/or expensive biomarkers could further broaden social inequalities in CVD. In contrast, nonclinical factors such as work stress, social isolation, and early childhood experience also appear to be associated with cardiovascular risk and have the potential to be utilized for the baseline risk stratification at the population level.

A stepwise approach of nonclinical methods followed by risk scores consisting of clinical risk factors may offer a better option for initial and subsequent screening, preserving more specialized approaches including novel biomarkers for enhanced risk stratification at population level in a cost‐effective manner.
Treatment of Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension with Bosentan after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation
Authors: LaRue Shane J. , Garcia‐Cortes Rafael , Nassif Michael E. , Vader Justin M. , Ray Shuddhadeb , Ravichandran Ashwin , Rasalingham Ravi , Silvestry Scott C. , Ewald Gregory A. , Wang I‐Wen , Schilling Joel D.
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular dysfunction are common and associated with poor prognosis in HF patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). The role of pulmonary vasodilator therapy for these patients is currently unclear.

Aims

We sought to evaluate the safety and clinical course of patients treated with bosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, after the implementation of a LVAD.

Results

Between 10/2008 and 5/2011, 50 consecutive patients with mean PAP >25 mmHg were treated with bosentan after LVAD implantation for a mean duration of 15.7 (±12.4) months. Ten patients discontinued the drug for possible side effects, including three for LFT abnormalities. Comparison of baseline to 6‐month follow‐up data revealed laboratory evidence for decongestion with a decrease in bilirubin (2.3–0.6, P < 0.0001) and an improvement in pulmonary hemodynamics with echocardiographically calculated mean PVR decreasing 1.4 woods units (3.93 ± 1.53 to 2.58 ± 1.05, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

In this single‐centered retrospective case series, we provide evidence that the tolerability of bosentan in LVAD‐supported patients with secondary PH is comparable to prior experience in patients with heart failure.
The volatility of comprehensive income and its association with market risk
Authors: Khan Shahwali , Bradbury Michael E.
Published: March 2015

Financial statement preparers claim that the ‘excess’ volatility of comprehensive income (CI) confuses financial statement users. We examine the volatility and risk relevance of CI, relative to net income, for a sample of 92 New Zealand nonfinancial firms for the period 2003–2010. The results show that CI is more volatile than net income. However, the volatility of CI incremental to net income is not related to market risk. Furthermore, the incremental volatility of CI does not modify the pricing of net income. These results hold when asset revaluations are excluded from other CI.
Parental transmission of risk for cannabis use disorders to offspring
Authors: Kosty Derek B. , Farmer Richard F. , Seeley John R. , Gau Jeff M. , Duncan Susan C. , Lewinsohn Peter M.
Published: March 2015

Aims

We investigated the risk of cannabis use disorder (CUD) among probands as a function of parental psychopathology and explored parent–offspring gender concordance as a mechanism of parental CUD transmission to offspring.

Design

Four waves of data collection from a longitudinal epidemiological study of psychopathology among a regionally representative sample.

Setting

Participants were selected randomly from western Oregon, USA, and were initially assessed during mid‐adolescence.

Participants

The reference sample included 719 probands and their biological mothers and fathers.

Measurements

CUD episodes among probands were assessed with semistructured diagnostic interviews between mid‐adolescence and young adulthood. Life‐time psychiatric disorders among parents of probands were assessed when probands were approximately 24 years of age.

Findings

There was an increased risk for CUD onset among probands with parental histories of CUD [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30–2.88], hard drug use disorders (HR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.32–2.90) or antisocial personality disorder (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.06–2.82). A significant parent–offspring gender concordance effect indicated that females with a maternal CUD history were at higher risk for CUD onset compared with females without a maternal CUD (HR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.52–6.34). Maternal CUD was not associated with CUD onset among males (P = 0.570), nor was there evidence for parent–offspring gender concordance effects for paternal CUD‐specific transmission (P = 0.114).

Conclusions

Parental histories of antisocial personality and illicit substance use disorders are associated with increased risk for cannabis use disorder onset in offspring, especially among females with maternal cannabis use disorder histories.
Cognitive Aids in Medicine Assessment Tool (CMAT): preliminary validation of a novel tool for the assessment of emergency cognitive aids
Authors: Evans D. , McCahon R. , Barley M. , Norris A. , Khajuria A. , Moppett I.
Published: March 2015

Applying human factors principles to the design of clinical emergency guidelines is important. The UK Civil Aviation Authority uses a Checklist Assessment Tool for evaluating the content and usability of emergency drills before introduction into service on aircraft. We hypothesised that this model could be used to develop a generic medical tool. A three‐stage modified Delphi process was used to adapt the above tool for use in designing medical emergency guidelines. The resulting Cognitive aids in Medicine Assessment Tool was then used to score and rank seven published difficult airway guidelines; the scores were used to assess its validity and reliability. Pearson's rank coefficient between these scores and scores from independent assessors was 0.89 (p = 0.007). Internal consistency, as assessed by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.74, 0.96 and 0.72 for the tool's three constituent domains of physical characteristics, content and layout/format, respectively. Inter‐rater reliability, as assessed by Cohen's kappa, ranged from 0.33 to 0.72. The adoption of our tool has the potential to improve the usability of medical emergency guidelines.
Gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone analogue or dienogest plus estradiol valerate to prevent pain recurrence after laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis: a multi‐center randomized trial
Authors: Granese Roberta , Perino Antonino , Calagna Gloria , Saitta Salvatore , De Franciscis Pasquale , Colacurci Nicola , Triolo Onofrio , Cucinella Gaspare
Published: March 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of dienogest + estradiol valerate (E2V) and gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone analogue (GnRH‐a) in reducing recurrence of pain in patients with chronic pelvic pain due to laparoscopically diagnosed and treated endometriosis.

Design

Multi‐center, prospective, randomized study.

Setting

Three university departments of obstetrics and gynecology in Italy.

Population

Seventy‐eight women who underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis combined with chronic pelvic pain.

Methods

Post‐operative administration of dienogest + E2V for 9 months (group 1) or GnRH‐a monthly for 6 months (group 2).

Main outcome measures

A visual analogue scale was used to test intensity of pain before laparoscopic surgery at 3, 6 and 9 months of follow up. A questionnaire to investigate quality of life was administered before surgery and at 9 months of follow up.

Results

The visual analogue scale score did not show any significant differences between the two groups (p = 0.417). The questionnaire showed an increase of scores for all women compared with pre‐surgery values, demonstrating a marked improvement in quality of life and health‐related satisfaction with both treatments. No significant differences were found between the groups. The rate of apparent endometriosis recurrence was 10.8% in group 1 and 13.7% in group 2 (p = 0.962).

Conclusion

Both therapies seemed equally efficacious in preventing endometriosis‐related chronic pelvic pain recurrence in the first 9 months of follow‐up.