bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure ofcatena-poly[[[diaquacobalt(II)]-bis(μ-hex-3-enedinitrile-κ2N:N′)] bis(tetrafluoridoborate)]
Authors: Son Jung-Su , Lim Sung-Chul , Lee Hochun , Hong Seung-Tae
Published: May 2015

In the structure of the title salt, [Co(C6H6N2)2(H2O)2](BF4)2, the CoIIatom is located on an inversion centre. The transition metal is in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination environment, defined by the cyano N atoms of four hex-3-enedinitrile ligands in equatorial positions and the O atoms of two water molecules in axial positions. The bridging mode of the hex-3-enedinitrile ligands leads to the formation of cationic chains extending parallel to [1-10]. The BF4−counter-anion is disordered over two sets of sites [occupancy ratio = 0.512 (19):0.489 (19)]. It is located in the voids between the cationic chains and is connected to the aqua ligands of the latter through O—H...F hydrogen bonds. One methylene H atom of the hex-3-enedinitrile ligand forms another and weak C—H...O hydrogen bond with a water O atom of a neighbouring chain, thus consolidating the three-dimensional network structure.
Crystal structures of coordination polymers from CaI2and proline
Authors: Lamberts Kevin , Englert Ulli
Published: May 2015

Completing our reports concerning the reaction products from calcium halides and the amino acid proline, two different solids were found for the reaction of L- and DL-proline with CaI2. The enantiopure amino acid yields the one-dimensional coordination polymercatena-poly[[aqua-μ3-L-proline-tetra-μ2-L-proline-dicalcium] tetraiodide 1.7-hydrate], {[Ca2(C5H9NO2)5(H2O)]I4·1.7H2O}n, (1), with two independent Ca2+cations in characteristic seven- and eightfold coordination. Five symmetry-independent zwitterionic L-proline molecules bridge the metal sites into a cationic polymer. Racemic proline forms with Ca2+cations heterochiral chains of the one-dimensional polymercatena-poly[[diaquadi-μ2-DL-proline-calcium] diiodide], {[Ca(C5H9NO2)2(H2O)2]I2}n, (2). The centrosymmetric structure is built by one Ca2+cation that is bridged towards its symmetry equivalents by two zwitterionic proline molecules. In both structures, the iodide ions remain non-coordinating and hydrogen bonds are formed between these counter-anions, the amino groups, coordinating and co-crystallized water molecules. While the overall composition of (1) and (2) is in line with other structures from calcium halides and amino acids, the diversity of the carboxylate coordination geometry is quite surprising.
1-{[(E)-(4-{[(2Z)-2,3-Dihydro-1,3-thiazol-2-ylidene]sulfamoyl}phenyl)iminiumyl]methyl}naphthalen-2-olate
Authors: Shahid Muhammad , Tahir Muhammad Nawaz , Salim Muhammad , Munawar Munawar Ali , Shad Hazoor Ahmad
Published: May 2015

In the title zwitterionic compound, C20H15N3O3S2, the 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde groupA, the anilinic unitBand the 1,3-thiazol-2(3H)-imine groupCare each approximately planar with r.m.s. deviation of 0.0721, 0.0412 and 0.0125 Å, respectively. The dihedral angles betweenA/B,A/CandB/Care 24.70 (10), 79.97 (7) and 83.14 (6)°, respectively. There is an intramolecularS(6) motif involving the imine N—H and the naphtholate O atom. In the crystal, inversion-related molecules form dimers as a result of N—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds withR22(8) andR12(4) motifs, respectively. Weak π–π interactions between the benzene and naphthyl rings of inversion-related molecules have ring centroid–centroid distances of 3.638 (2) and 4.041 (2) Å. A C—H...π interaction occurs between the thiazol ring and the benzene ring of an adjacent molecule.
Crystal structure of triaqua(4-cyanobenzoato-κ2O,O′)(nicotinamide-κN1)zinc 4-cyanobenzoate
Authors: Aşkın Gülçin Şefiye , Necefoğlu Hacali , Yılmaz Nayir Gamze , Çatak Çelik Raziye , Hökelek Tuncer
Published: May 2015

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, [Zn(C8H4NO2)(C6H6N2O)(H2O)3](C8H4NO2), contains one complex cation and one 4-cyanobenzoate (CNB) counter-anion. The ZnIIatom in the cation is coordinated by one 4-cyanobenzoate ligand, one nicotinamide (NA) ligand and three water molecules, the CNB anion thereby coordinating in a bidentateO,O′-mode through the carboxylate group. The latter, together with one water O atom and the N atom of the NA ligand, form a distorted square-planar arrangement, while the considerably distorted octahedral coordination sphere of the ZnIIatom is completed by the two O atoms of additional water molecules in the axial positions. The dihedral angles between the planar carboxylate groups and the adjacent benzene rings in the two anions are 10.25 (10) and 5.89 (14)°. Intermolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds link two of the coordinating water molecules to two free CNB anions. In the crystal, further hydrogen-bonding interactions are present, namely N—H...O, O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds that link the molecular components, enclosingR22(12),R33(8) andR33(9) ring motifs and forming layers parallel to (001). π–π contacts between benzene rings [centroid-to-centroid distances = 3.791 (1) and 3.882 (1) Å] may further stabilize the crystal structure.
Does globalisation impact SME development in Africa?
Authors: Mutalemwa Darlene K.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding and knowledge of the impact of globalisation on African small and medium enterprise (SME) development. The contribution of SMEs to manufacturing industrialisation can be viewed in the context of the changing setting of globalisation. Globalisation is a description as well as a prescription. It can be broadly defined as closer economic integration as a result of rapid advances in technology, growth of world trade and competition, and policy changes towards economic liberalisation. Globalisation can also pose a challenge on how SMEs in Africa should brace themselves to respond to – and take advantages of – the changes, and carve an appropriate position in the global competitive economy.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews and synthesises the eclectic literature and also draws from the experiences of both developed and developing economies.

Findings

– The evidence from the literature points to several stumbling blocks that prevent African manufacturing SMEs from participating successfully in the global economy. These include problems with exports, technology, competitiveness and inter-firm linkages as well as barriers in the institutional and policy environments.

Originality/value

– The paper will be useful to businesses, researchers, policy makers, civil society and others interested in understanding the impact of globalisation on manufacturing SME development.
Perceptions of financial sources among women entrepreneurs in Tanzania
Authors: Lindvert Marta , Yazdanfar Darush , Boter Håkan
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate how women entrepreneurs in Tanzania assess their accessibility to different external financial sources. The aim is further to discuss financial preferences among this group of entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on a unique database consisting of 114 firms, obtained by a questionnaire during 2009-2010. Differences between mean values on perceptions of financial sources were tested via a paired samplest-test.

Findings

– Overall, the empirical results provide support for the hypothesis that the sampled women entrepreneurs perceive semi-formal capital, such as loans from MFIs, SACCOS, ROSCAS and VICOBA, as the most accessible external capital. Governmental subsidies are ranked second, followed by informal capital, such as loans from family, friends and investors. As expected, loans from formal banks are ranked as the least accessible financing alternative. However, there are strong indications that the entrepreneurs in our study, if given a choice, would prefer external capital from formal sources, rather than semi-formal or informal capital.

Practical implications

– The authors suggest that the formal banks work to find ways to lower agency costs and thereby work for an inclusion of women entrepreneurs, and for the semi-formal financial actors to improve financial services in ways that better serve the entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

– The knowledge about attitudes and preferences concerning financial solutions among women entrepreneurs in developing countries is very limited. Results from this study is therefore important, as it adds to previous understanding, especially as this particular group of entrepreneurs have the potential to play an important role in the development of their regions.
Exploring the relationship between “other block-holders” and the performance of family-controlled corporations in Malaysia
Authors: Ng Sin-Huei
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide an exploration on how important are “other block-holders” in explaining the performance of family-controlled corporations in Malaysia. Three important groups of block-holders are identified for the purpose, namely the “foreign institutional investors”, the “domestic institutional investors” and the “government”.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample was drawn based on the companies listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia. All the relevant block-holders’ ownership data are hand-collected from the annual reports published by the listed corporations and descriptive statistics together with regression analysis are employed.

Findings

– Overall it is found that the presence of a second block-holder in family-controlled corporations leads to better performance compared to the corporations where the controlling families act as the sole block-holder. Moreover, this study finds that the identity of the block-holders with the extent of their ownership is important in explaining the performance. Specifically, “foreign institutional investors” and “government” are found to be significant in terms of the extent of their equity holdings and the performance of these corporations, respectively. Conversely, no such relationship is found in the equity holdings of “domestic institutional investors” and the corporation performance. Such finding may imply the possible limited ability and constraints faced by the “domestic institutional investors” in Malaysia to exert effective monitoring and pressure on the management for enhanced corporation performance.

Originality/value

– Many studies researched the influence of family ownership on the performance of family-controlled corporations but there are limited studies conducted on the influence of “other block-holders” in affecting the performance of these corporations. This paper is an attempt to provide an initial exploration on how important are these “other block-holders” in explaining the performance of these corporations in the context of a small emerging economy, Malaysia.
Organizational objectives for information security governance: a value focused assessment
Authors: Mishra Sushma
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to develop theoretically grounded and empirically derived organizational security governance (OSG) objectives. Developing organizational security governance (OSG) objectives pose significant challenges for organizations considering the ever-increasing vulnerability from lack of or misuse of appropriate controls. In recent years, there have been several cases of colossal losses to businesses due to inadequate security governance measure. In many cases, organizations do not even know as to what their ISG objectives might be. Following an extensive empirical study, this paper proposes 6 fundamental and 17 means objectives for designing security governance. The objectives were developed from individual values of information technology and security executives across a wide range of firms. The study comprised 52 interview respondents across 9 firms, which resulted in 23 OSG objectives. Theoretically, the study was grounded in Catton’s (1959) value theory and Keeney’s (1992) value-focused thinking. The objectives provide a useful basis for strategic planning for information security governance.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research is grounded in value-focused thinking methodology. Step 1: develop a comprehensive list of personal values underlying the problem being explored. The researcher undertakes extensive interviews, using relevant probes, to elicit underlying values of respondents. Step 2: change the values enlisted to a common form and convert them into objectives. The data collected in Step 1 is collated and presented in a common form, which enables cross-comparison and easy interpretation. Step 3: classify the objectives as means and fundamental for the decision context. Objectives are clustered into groups and then classified into fundamental and means.

Findings

– This study uses a value-focused approach to develop OSG objectives. Incorporating individual values in developing governance objectives would facilitate alignment of individual and organizational values about OSG. This study proposes 6 fundamental and 17 means objectives for OSG. The study provides a comprehensive list of OSG that is rooted in values of stakeholders in an organization.

Originality/value

– The main contributions study can be classified in two categories. First, it represents a collective set of OSG objectives which touch upon technical, formal, informal, moral and ethical dimensions of governance. This is a unique, synthesized and cohesive framework for OSG, which incorporates several aspects of OSG into one platform, thus allowing the development of a comprehensive security management program. Second, some of the objectives developed in this research (“establish corporate control strategy”, “establish punitive structure”, “establish clear control development process”, “ensure formal control assessment functionality” and “maximize group cohesiveness”) have not been emphasized enough in security governance literature.
The sufficiency of the theory of planned behavior for explaining information security policy compliance
Authors: Sommestad Teodor , Karlzén Henrik , Hallberg Jonas
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to challenge the assumption that the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) includes all constructs that explain information security policy compliance and investigates if anticipated regret or constructs from the protection motivation theory add explanatory power. The TPB is an established theory that has been found to predict compliance with information security policies well.

Design/methodology/approach

– Responses from 306 respondents at a research organization were collected using a questionnaire-based survey. Extensions in terms of anticipated regret and constructs drawn from the protection motivation theory are tested using hierarchical regression analysis.

Findings

– Adding anticipated regret and the threat appraisal process results in improvements of the predictions of intentions. The improvements are of sufficient magnitude to warrant adjustments of the model of the TPB when it is used in the area of information security policy compliance.

Originality/value

– This study is the first test of anticipated regret as a predictor of information security policy compliance and the first to assess its influence in relation to the TPB and the protection motivation theory.
Investigating personal determinants of phishing and the effect of national culture
Authors: Rocha Flores Waldo , Holm Hannes , Nohlberg Marcus , Ekstedt Mathias
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the study was twofold: to investigate the correlation between a sample of personal psychological and demographic factors and resistance to phishing; and to investigate if national culture moderates the strength of these correlations.

Design/methodology/approach

– To measure potential determinants, a survey was distributed to 2,099 employees of nine organizations in Sweden, USA and India. Then, the authors conducted unannounced phishing exercises, in which a phishing attack targeted the same sample.

Findings

– Intention to resist social engineering, general information security awareness, formal IS training and computer experience were identified to have a positive significant correlation to phishing resilience. Furthermore, the results showed that the correlation between phishing determinants and employees’ observed that phishing behavior differs between Swedish, US and Indian employees in 6 out of 15 cases.

Research limitations/implications

– The identified determinants had, even though not strong, a significant positive correlation. This suggests that more work needs to be done to more fully understand determinants of phishing. The study assumes that culture effects apply to all individuals in a nation. However, differences based on cultures might exist based on firm characteristics within a country. The Swedish sample is dominating, while only 40 responses from Indian employees were collected. This unequal size of samples suggests that conclusions based on the results from the cultural analysis should be drawn cautiously. A natural continuation of the research is therefore to further explore the generalizability of the findings by collecting data from other nations with similar cultures as Sweden, USA and India.

Originality/value

– Using direct observations of employees’ security behaviors has rarely been used in previous research. Furthermore, analyzing potential differences in theoretical models based on national culture is an understudied topic in the behavioral information security field. This paper addresses both these issues.
Managing perceived risk for customer retention in e-commerce
Authors: Yen Yung-Shen
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore how perceived risk affects customer loyalty in e-commerce and how switching costs mediate in the relationship between perceived risk and customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, structural equation modeling was conducted, and data on Internet shopping habits of 382 consumers in Taiwan were examined.

Findings

– The findings of this study revealed that lowering perceived risks can increase switching costs, which leads to customer loyalty with the service provider in e-commerce.

Research limitations/implications

– A sample bias may exist because the sampling was conducted through an online survey in a specific Web site. This study affirmed the theoretical framework regarding the mediation effect of switching costs on perceived risk and customer-loyalty relationships.

Practical implications

– To avoid the single effect of reducing perceived risk on customer loyalty, practitioners should be difficult for competitors to imitate. This can increase the barriers to competition, further lock in the customer and can prevent the switch to other service providers.

Originality/value

– The findings provide a new feasible approach to customer retention: a business can reduce customers’ perceived risk to increase switching costs against the competition for customer retention in e-commerce.
A comprehensive security control selection model for inter-dependent organizational assets structure
Authors: Shahpasand Maryam , Shajari Mehdi , Hashemi Golpaygani Seyed Alireza , Ghavamipoor Hoda
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose a comprehensive model to find out the most preventive subset of security controls against potential security attacks inside the limited budget. Deploying the appropriate collection of information security controls, especially in information system-dependent organizations, ensures their businesses' continuity alongside with their effectiveness and efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

– Impacts of security attacks are measured based on interdependent asset structure. Regarding this objective, the asset operational dependency graph is mapped to the security attack graph to assess the risks of attacks. This mapping enables us to measure the effectiveness of security controls against attacks. The most effective subset is found by mapping its features (cost and effectiveness) to items’ features in a binary knapsack problem, and then solving the problem by a modified version of the classic dynamic programming algorithm.

Findings

– Exact solutions are achieved using the dynamic programming algorithm approach in the proposed model. Optimal security control subset is selected based on its implementation cost, its effectiveness and the limited budget.

Research limitations/implications

– Estimation of control effectiveness is the most significant limitation of the proposed model utilization. This is caused by lack of experience in risk management in organizations, which forces them to rely on reports and simulation results.

Originality/value

– So far, cost-benefit approaches in security investments are followed only based on vulnerability assessment results. Moreover, dependency weights and types in interdependent structure of assets have been taken into account by a limited number of models. In the proposed model, a three-dimensional graph is used to capture the dependencies in risk assessment and optimal control subset selection, through a holistic approach.
Research on anthropometry information obtaining system in garment MTM on the network mode
Authors: Jing Xiaoning
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The research is made in view of the anthropometry information obtaining problem in garment MTM on the network mode. The purpose of this paper is to obtain anthropometry information in a convenient and detailed way in garment MTM on the network mode.

Design/methodology/approach

– First of all, 24 main measurement sizes of 427 young females are collected to constitute the measurement database. The database is used as background data support of the system. The images are captured to simplify the way of inputting the anthropometry information to the system. Through the 2D feature sizes extracted from body image and the basic dimensions provided by customer input to the system, so that to gain the body sample which is closest to the customer body type through query matching in the database. The detailed anthropometry information of the closest sample is used to describe the customer. The human body measurement database and the technology of body image acquisition are used to extract the feature sizes to achieve obtaining the anthropometry information in a convenient and detailed way.

Findings

– Through query matching to the customer in a test, the body sample closest to the customer is gained, and the matching error rate is 0.0132. In the end, some customer samples are input to test the system, in order to verify the effectiveness of system functions. The matching error rates of five body types are gained all less than 0.006. The error is small, and the matching result is ideal.

Research limitations/implications

– The size of database established in the paper can be increased constantly in the future to obtain the more accurately matching result.

Practical implications

– The research of anthropometry information obtaining system in garment MTM on the network mode is the basis to achieve gaining the anthropometry information in a convenient and detailed way.

Social implications

– Applying the established system of human body measurement information acquisition in this paper, it can achieve to obtain the detailed measurement information of customer through a convenient way, combining the method of human body parameter model establishment in the existing research, it can achieve the complete network tailored mode with detailed measurement information acquisition and 3D virtual fitting functions. And it can provide the most convenient experience and the most ideal garment MTM effect to the customer. This mode can be forecast to be an ideal form of garment MTM on the network in the future.

Originality/value

– The anthropometry information obtaining system is the important part of garment MTM system on the network mode. It should be applied to the network mode and can obtain the detailed measurements for garment MTM. In this paper, the human body measurement database and the technology of body image acquisition are used in order to extract the feature size to obtain the anthropometry information in a convenient and detailed way.
Buddhist economics meets agritourism on the Thai farm
Authors: Prayukvong Wanna , Huttasin Nara , Foster Morris John
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that both leisure and sustainability objectives can be achieved via Buddhist economics informed agritourism. Buddhist economics differs significantly from mainstream (neoclassical) economics in its ontological underpinning. This means that assumptions about human nature are different: the core values of mainstream economics are self-interest and competition in the pursuit of maximum welfare or utility; while in Buddhist economics, “self” includes oneself, society and nature, which are all simultaneously interconnected. The core values of Buddhist economics are compassion and collaboration through which well-being is achieved, leading to higher wisdom (pañña). Because of this, the interconnectedness of activities and relationships, even those not initially obviously so linked, is crucial.

Design/methodology/approach

– The theoretical argument is illustrated by a pilot study of an agritourism, package tour to visit the properties of Thai farmers involved with a project known as “running a one rai farm to gain a one hundred thousand baht return”. The research is exploratory in character.

Findings

– A result of this study is to reveal agritourism as a significant market channel to promote sustainable agriculture.

Originality/value

– Agritourism can be considered an instrument for rural development with its contribution to positive economic impacts, providing economic opportunities to sustain financial security for the farming family, maintaining viability of the agricultural sector and local communities and creating jobs for rural residents together with sustainable agriculture.
A linear approximation almost ideal demand system of food among households in South-West Nigeria
Authors: Akinbode Sakiru Oladele
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– Most demand studies have concentrated on the estimation of expenditure elasticities for single commodity at a time thereby not being able to reveal the details of the relationships among various food items demanded by households. The purpose of this paper is to simultaneously estimate the demand equations for a number of food items and to estimate cross-price elasticities which are necessary for studying consumer behaviours, marketing, production planning and policy making.

Design/methodology/approach

– Relevant data were collected from 320 randomly selected households in a multistage sampling procedure. The normalized data were analysed in a system of equation with symmetry, adding-up and homogeneity restrictions imposed on the model.

Findings

– Expenditure elasticities show that gaari and palm oil were inferior food items while others could be classified as normal. Own-price elasticities showed that beans, plantain, yam flour and rice were luxuries while others were necessities. Cross-price elasticities revealed that some were substitutes of one another while others were compliments and some were not related.

Research limitations/implications

– The data were collected using a month recall approach and generalizing its findings beyond such months of a year may be misleading. Therefore, other researchers should repeat the study across months and locations.

Social implications

– The study recommended that food policies should be broad based to encompass majority of the food items consumed in the study area given the intrinsic relationship inherent among them as their demands were interrelated and consumer behaviours as revealed by various elasticities be considered in formulating food-related policies.

Originality/value

– The paper emphasized the need to model food demand in a system of equations as against single equation modelling.
Institutional benchmarking of foreign aid effectiveness in Africa
Authors: Asongu Simplice A.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to integrate two main strands of the aid-development nexus in assessing whether institutional thresholds matter in the effectiveness of foreign-aid on institutional development in 53 African countries over the period 1996-2010.

Design/methodology/approach

– The panel quantile regression technique enables us to investigate if the relationship between institutional dynamics and development assistance differs throughout the distributions of institutional dynamics. Eight government quality indicators are employed: rule of law, regulation quality, government effectiveness, corruption, voice and accountability, control of corruption, political stability and democracy.

Findings

– Three hypotheses are tested and the following findings are established: first, institutional benefits of foreign-aid are contingent on existing institutional levels in Africa; second, but for a thin exception (democracy), foreign-aid is more negatively correlated with countries of higher institutional quality than with those of lower quality; third, the institutional benefits of foreign-aid are not questionable until greater domestic institutional development has taken place. The reverse is true instead. government quality benefits of development assistance are questionable in African countries irrespective of prevailing institutional quality levels.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to existing literature on the effectiveness of foreign-aid by focussing on the distribution of the dependent variables (institutional dynamics). It is likely that best and worst countries in terms of institutions respond differently to development assistance.
Developing guidelines for sharing lived experience of staff in health and social care
Authors: Morgan Philip , Lawson Jackie
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– Since 2010, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Trust has been running a Hidden Talents project seeking to better understand how mental health services can value the lived experience of their staff. The purpose of this paper is to inform discussions on how clinicians and other staff can share their lived experience of mental health problems to improve the experience of people who access services, their carers and supporters and promote the wellbeing of all staff.

Design/methodology/approach

– The discussion paper was developed through the use of qualitative data collected through three focus groups. One of the focus groups represented people who are part of the Hidden Talents Project, one focus group had representatives of the different professional bodies and the third represented people who access services.

Findings

– It was identified that there were two differing considerations between sharing personal experience one was sharing with people who access services, the other was sharing with colleagues and managers. It was identified that in order to safely share personal experience it needed to happen in an supportive organisational culture. A number of suggestions were made as to considered why, when, how and what to share with people who access services.

Research limitations/implications

– This is not a formal piece of research, rather it is an exploration of a range of views and set out into a discussion document. Further action and research is required to explore this topic area in more detail.

Originality/value

– At present a number of mental health services are beginning to address the value of lived experience in the workforce. Very little has been published exploring how people can share their live experience. This paper provides a starting point for these discussions.
Students, inclusion, help-seeking and compassionate caring
Authors: Holttum Sue
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on students, trainee nurses, early career psychologists, and other mental health professionals and their response to mental distress or the stresses of working in mental health.

Design/methodology/approach

– Three journal articles are summarised. The first highlights mental distress in university students and their reluctance to seek counselling. The second paper focuses on addressing the impact that the work of mental health workers can have on them and how this can jeopardise compassionate care. The third paper presents a model of inclusive and caring nurse education.

Findings

– University students may be more likely to seek counselling for mental distress if they have information about its usefulness and it is normalised rather than stigmatised. Mental health workers including early-career psychologists need to know about “compassion fatigue” and “compassion satisfaction” and need safe places to reflect on the personal impact of hearing about their clients’ traumatic experiences. A whole-organisation model of nurse education that emphasises belonging and inclusiveness may increase nurse retention and nurses’ personal resilience.

Originality/value

– The paper on students’ help-seeking is the first meta-analysis of several studies on this topic (involving similar variables and measures) in several years. The paper on mental health workers and compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction is rare in looking at this across different professions in one setting. It highlights important ways of maintaining workers’ ability to deliver compassionate care. The model of nurse education is based on recent research evidence and may help increase retention and foster reflection, self-awareness, and resilience in nurses.
The mediating roles of renqing and ganqing in Chinese relationship marketing
Authors: Zhou Xinhua , Shi Guicheng , Liu Matthew Tingchi , Bu Huimei
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the roles of renqing (reciprocal favor) and ganqing (positive affect) as consequences of relationship marketing investments (three dimensions: financial, social and structural) and antecedents of customer loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

– A quantitative survey methodology using self-administered questionnaires has been adopted to collect data of 218 procurement staffs from the database of China Purchasing Managers’ Club. Hypotheses tests were conducted using structural equation modeling.

Findings

– The results reveal that financial and social relationship marketing investments, but not structural relationship marketing investments, are crucial in evoking renqing and ganqing. The results also provide strong evidence of the relationship between renqing and ganqing, which in turn are necessary determinants of customer loyalty.

Originality/value

– This research is among the first to examine and confirm renqing and ganqing as a mediating mechanism through which financial and social relationship marketing investments influence attitudinal loyalty, and also through attitudinal loyalty ultimately affects behavioral loyalty. Findings imply the need for Chinese firms in general, and business-to-business context in particular, to strategically lever on the key antecedents of customer loyalty including relationship marketing investments, renqing and ganqing, in pursuit of a more competitive advantage and long-term profit.
An empirical test of the pollution haven hypothesis for China: intra-host country analysis
Authors: Xiao Zhongyi
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to, under the framework of the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH), test the theory that foreign direct investment (FDI) creates an intra-host country pollution haven in developing nations by studying the contemporary case of China.

Design/methodology/approach

– This empirical analysis has used a panel dataset of 30 provinces that was analyzed for the period of 1997-2011. An Oaxaca decomposition was also implemented to examine the effects of environmental stringency on regional pollution.

Findings

– The estimates indicate that openness to FDI generally appears to be good for the environment. The results of estimation show that the western region of China has developed a potential “comparative advantage” in pollution-intensive industries, thanks to the strong incentive of economic expansion. However, further estimates concerning the location decisions of FDI suggest that the providers of FDI still prefer to locate in the coastal regions of China, where a tighter environmental regulation policy has been imposed. The findings suggest that the better infrastructure and technology spillover of environmental policy-making might be more attractive to FDI than comparatively weak environmental stringency.

Originality/value

– This study applies a model advanced in previous theoretical literature which divides the effects of trade into the categories of scale, technique and composition. It also contributes to the understanding of the PHH in the context of intra-host country analysis.
Role of Nox inhibitors plumbagin, ML090 and gp91ds‐tat peptide on homocysteine thiolactone induced blood vessel dysfunction
Authors: Smith Renee M , Kruzliak Peter , Adamcikova Zuzana , Zulli Anthony
Published: May 2015

Antioxidants have not reduced the burden of cardiovascular disease, and current evidence suggests a beneficial role of oxidative stress, via NADPH oxidase (Nox) upregulation, in endothelial function. Homocysteine thiolactone (HcyT) induces blood vessel dysfunction and this correlates with increased vascular oxidative stress. This study aimed to determine if pharmacological inhibition of Nox could impair HcyT induced blood vessel dysfunction. Abdominal aorta were excised from New Zealand White rabbits (n = 6), cut into rings and sequentially mounted in organ baths. Rings were preincubated with 0.55 μmol/L homocysteine thiolactone for 1 h, or combinations of putative Nox inhibitors (plumbagin for Nox4, gp91ds‐tat for Nox2, and ML090 for Nox1), 30 min prior to the addition of HcyT, followed by a dose response curve to acetylcholine on phenylephrine preconstricted rings. Plumbagin, ML090 + gp91ds‐tat and HcyT reduced responses to acetylcholine, and Plumbagin + Hcyt caused constriction to acetylcholine, which was normalised to plumbagin by ML090. Plumbagin + ML090 or plumbagin + gp91ds‐tat completely impaired the effect of acetylcholine. ML090 inhibited the effect of HcyT on reduced response to acetylcholine, whereas gp91ds‐tat had no effect. This study concludes that inhibition of Nox1 prevents, whereas inhibition of Nox4 worsens, acetylcholine induced blood vessel relaxation caused by HcyT, while Nox2 inhibition has no effect. However combinations of Nox inhibitors worsen acetylcholine induced blood vessel relaxation. These results suggest that there is cross‐talk between Nox isoforms during physiological and pathophysiological processes.
Faith, Favour, and Fervour: Emotions and Conversion among the Early Dominicans
Authors: Young Spencer E.
Published: May 2015

In the later Middle Ages, the term conversio could be applied to a variety of different processes. One of its predominant senses meant affiliation with a particular religious order. This article explores the roles played by the emotions in thirteenth‐century conversion narratives, and focuses especially on those involving the early Dominican order. It argues that the emotional content in these narratives (ranging from fear to tears) performed crucial tasks, such as the authentication of a convert's sincerity, or the articulation of the order's legitimacy against its contemporary critics. While the emotions do not necessarily offer a more authentic historical account of any particular conversion, they are critical for understanding the many ways in which the experience of conversion accomplished meaningful personal and institutional ends during this period.
Concentrated whey protein ingredients: A Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy investigation of thermally induced denaturation
Authors: O'Loughlin Ian B , Kelly Phil M , Murray Brian A , FitzGerald Richard J , Brodkorb Andre
Published: May 2015

Thermal denaturation of whey protein solutions was investigated from a structural perspective utilising attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR). Solutions (100 g protein/L, pH 7) of commercial whey protein isolate (WPI) powders and enriched protein fractions of β‐lactoglobulin (β‐lg) and α‐lactalbumin (α‐la) were heat‐treated at temperatures of 50–90 °C. Subsequent analysis by ATR‐FTIR highlighted the structural changes occurring as a direct result of heat treatments. Molecularly, WPI dispersions exhibited pronounced differences in denaturation behaviour depending on their method of manufacture. ATR‐FTIR is an informative tool to discern the structural molecular interactions not apparent through physical analysis of concentrated ingredients.
Income inequality, electoral systems and party polarisation
Authors: Han Sung Min
Published: May 2015

This study analyses why income inequality and party polarisation proceed together in some countries but not in others. By focusing on the relationship between income inequality, the permissiveness of electoral systems and party polarisation, the study offers a theoretical explanation for how the combination of income inequality and permissive electoral systems generates higher party polarisation. After analysing a cross‐national dataset of party polarisation, income inequality and electoral institutions covering 24 advanced democracies between 1960 and 2011, it is found that a simple correlation between income inequality and party polarisation is not strong. However, the empirical results indicate that greater income inequality under permissive electoral systems contributes to growing party polarisation, which suggests that parties only have diverging ideological platforms due to greater income inequality when electoral systems encourage their moves towards the extreme; parties do not diverge when electoral systems discourage their moves towards the extreme.
Financial industry mobilisation and securities markets regulation inEurope
Authors: Chalmers Adam William
Published: May 2015

The 2007–2009 financial crisis has led to considerable debate about the role of financial industry actors in global regulatory processes. This article seeks to contribute to this debate by assessing when and why financial industry actors mobilise in order to influence securities markets regulations. Do these mobilisation patterns suggest undue influence by a small set of powerful industry actors, or do they reflect the engagement of a more diverse set of actors representing broader public interests? It is argued that variation in mobilisation patterns is a function of: (1) institutional opportunity (the openness and accessibility of regulatory politics); and (2) demonstration effects (how crises increase the salience of regulatory issues). Empirical analyses suggest that the financial crisis diminished the diversity of mobilising actors. This trend, however, is reversed when the news media disseminate information about the costs of weak financial regulation and thereby increase the salience of regulatory issues.
Overlap of gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional bowel disorders in the general Chinese rural population
Authors: Cai Shun Tian , Wang Li Ying , Sun Gang , Peng Li Hua , Guo Xu , Wang Wei Feng , Yang Yun Sheng
Published: May 2015

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the overlap between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional bowel disorders (FBD) in the general population in rural areas in China.

Methods

A population‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted in six villages in Nanmazhuang area in Lankao County (Henan Province, China) from December 2010 to October 2011. The GERD questionnaire (GerdQ) and Rome III criteria were used for the diagnosis of GERD and FBD and to determine the prevalence of GERD–FBD overlap.

Results

The response rate to the questionnaires of the patients was 91.5%. In all, 2950 of 3700 residents with a mean age of 42.4 ± 16.8 years were included. Among them, 4.8% were diagnosed with GERD and 4.6% with FBD. The proportion of respondents with FBD was significantly higher in the GERD group than that in the non‐GERD group (25.53% vs 3.60%, P < 0.05). The prevalence of GERD in the FBD group was significantly higher than that in the non‐FBD group (26.28% vs 3.73%, P < 0.05). The prevalence of GERD–FBD overlap in the general rural population was 1.22%. Logistic regression analysis indicated that anxiety was an independent predictor for the GERD‐FBD overlap in GERD and FBD (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.09 and OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.10, respectively).

Conclusion

GERD‐FBD overlap is more common than expected by chance in the general rural population, and anxiety is significantly related to the overlap.
Survival of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma before and after approved use of gefitinib in China
Authors: Liu Yu‐Tao , Hao Xue‐Zhi , Li Jun‐Ling , Hu Xing‐Sheng , Wang Yan , Wang Zi‐Ping , Wang Hong‐Yu , Wang Bin , Han Xiao‐Hong , Zhang Xiang‐Ru , Shi Yuan‐Kai
Published: May 2015

Background

To compare the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma in China before and after the approved use of gefitinib, and analyze clinical factors that may affect OS.

Methods

Clinical data of 558 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who received chemotherapy from January 2002 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the matched‐pair case‐control study design, 255 patients who only received chemotherapy and 255 patients who received gefitinib treatment after its approval were stringently matched by age, gender, and smoking history and enrolled in the study. Clinical factors including age, gender, smoking history, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS), tumor stage, organ metastasis, and the number of prior chemotherapies were analyzed to determine their correlations with OS.

Results

The median survival time (MST) of the 510 enrolled patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma was 22.8 months. The MST of the patients who received gefitinib treatment was significantly longer than that of patients who did not receive gefitinib treatment (33.5 vs. 14.1 months, P < 0.001). The OS in patients who received gefitinib treatment was significantly longer than in patients who did not receive gefitinib treatment in almost all clinical factor‐based subgroups, including age, gender, smoking history, ECOG PS 0–1, tumor stage, the presence or absence of lung, pleural, bone, brain, adrenal gland and liver metastasis, and the number of prior chemotherapies (all P < 0.001), except in the ECOG PS ≥2 subgroup.

Conclusions

Gefitinib treatment significantly improved the survival of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma in China.