bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explanation of the stacking disorder in the β-phase of Pigment Red 170
Authors: Teteruk Jaroslav L. , Glinnemann Jürgen , Gorelik Tatiana E. , Linden Anthony , Schmidt Martin U.
Published: March 2014

The β-phase of Pigment Red 170, C26H22N4O4, which is used industrially for the colouration of plastics, crystallizes in a layer structure with stacking disorder. The disorder is characterized by a lateral translational shift between the layers with a componenttyof either +0.421 or −0.421. Order–disorder (OD) theory is used to derive the possible stacking sequences. Extensive lattice-energy minimizations were carried out on a large set of structural models with different stacking sequences, containing up to 2688 atoms. These calculations were used to determine the actual local structures and to derive the stacking probabilities. It is shown that local structures and energies depend not only on the arrangement of neighbouring layers, but also next-neighbouring layers. Large models with 100 layers were constructed according to the derived stacking probabilities. The diffraction patterns simulated from those models are in good agreement with the experimental single-crystal and powder diffraction patterns. Electron diffraction investigation on a nanocrystalline industrial sample revealed the same disorder. Hence the lattice-energy minimizations are able to explain the disorder and the diffuse scattering.
High-temperature structural study of decagonal Al–Cu–Rh
Authors: Kuczera Pawel , Wolny Janusz , Steurer Walter
Published: March 2014

The structure of decagonal Al–Cu–Rh has been studied as a function of temperature byin-situsingle-crystal X-ray diffraction in order to contribute to the discussion on energy or entropy stabilization of quasicrystals. The experiments were performed at 293, 1223, 1153, 1083 and 1013 K. A common subset of 1460 unique reflections was used for the comparative structure refinements at each temperature. A comparison of the high-temperature datasets suggests that the best quasiperiodic ordering should exist between 1083 and 1153 K. However, neither the refined structures nor the phasonic displacement parameter vary significantly with temperature. This indicates that the phasonic contribution to entropy does not seem to play a major role in the stability of this decagonal phase in contrast to other kinds of structural disorder, which suggests that, in this respect, this decagonal phase would be similar to other complex intermetallic high-temperature phases.
Assessing the performance of density functional theory in optimizing molecular crystal structure parameters
Authors: Binns Jack , Healy Mary R. , Parsons Simon , Morrison Carole A.
Published: March 2014

This paper assesses the performance of plane-wave density functional theory calculations at returning reliable structural information for molecular crystal structures where the primary intermolecular interactions are either hydrogen bonding or dispersion interactions. The computed structures are compared with input structures obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database, and assessed in terms of crystal packing similarities, unit-cell volume and shape, short contact distances and hydrogen-bond distances. The results demonstrate that the PBE functional [Perdew, Burke & Ernzerhof (1996).Phys. Rev. Lett.77, 3865–3868] with Tkatchenko and Scheffler's `TS' dispersion correction [Tkatchenko & Scheffler (2009).Phys. Rev. Lett.102, 073005] is capable of returning reliable full structural optimizations, in which both atomic positions and unit-cell vectors are free to optimize simultaneously.
Topological analysis of electron density and the electrostatic properties of isoniazid: an experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Rajalakshmi Gnanasekaran , Hathwar Venkatesha R. , Kumaradhas Poomani
Published: March 2014

Isoniazid (isonicotinohydrazide) is an important first-line antitubercular drug that targets the InhA enzyme which synthesizes the critical component of the mycobacterial cell wall. An experimental charge-density analysis of isoniazid has been performed to understand its structural and electronic properties in the solid state. A high-resolution single-crystal X-ray intensity data has been collected at 90 K. An aspherical multipole refinement was carried out to explore the topological and electrostatic properties of the isoniazid molecule. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical charge-density calculations performed usingCRYSTAL09with the B3LYP/6-31G** method. A topological analysis of the electron density reveals that the Laplacian of electron density of the N—N bond is significantly less negative, which indicates that the charges at the b.c.p. (bond-critical point) of the bond are least accumulated, and so the bond is considered to be weak. As expected, a strong negative electrostatic potential region is present in the vicinity of the O1, N1 and N3 atoms, which are the reactive locations of the molecule. The C—H...N, C—H...O and N—H...N types of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions stabilize the crystal structure. The topological analysis of the electron density on hydrogen bonding shows the strength of intermolecular interactions.
Structure refinement of the δ1pphase in the Fe–Zn system by single-crystal X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Okamoto Norihiko L. , Tanaka Katsushi , Yasuhara Akira , Inui Haruyuki
Published: March 2014

The structure of the δ1pphase in the iron−zinc system has been refined by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy. The large hexagonal unit cell of the δ1pphase with the space group ofP63/mmccomprises more or less regular (normal) Zn12icosahedra, disordered Zn12icosahedra, Zn16icosioctahedra and dangling Zn atoms that do not constitute any polyhedra. The unit cell contains 52 Fe and 504 Zn atoms so that the compound is expressed with the chemical formula of Fe13Zn126. All Fe atoms exclusively occupy the centre of normal and disordered icosahedra. Iron-centred normal icosahedra are linked to one another by face- and vertex-sharing forming two types of basal slabs, which are bridged with each other by face-sharing with icosioctahedra, whereas disordered icosahedra with positional disorder at their vertex sites are isolated from other polyhedra. The bonding features in the δ1pphase are discussed in comparison with those in the Γ and ζ phases in the iron−zinc system.
Average structures of the disordered β-phase of Pigment Red 170: a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study
Authors: Warshamanage Rangana , Linden Anthony , Schmidt Martin U. , Bürgi Hans-Beat
Published: March 2014

The β-phase of the industrially important Pigment Red 170 (β-P.R. 170) has a structure with severe layer stacking disorder. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction pattern consists of a difficult-to-disentangle mix of Bragg diffraction superimposed on rods of diffuse scattering which impede the estimation of accurate Bragg intensities. Two average monoclinic structure models with the same unit-cell dimensions, but different extents of disorder in the layers and different space groups seem plausible, one with the non-conventional space group settingB21/g(No. 14,Z′ = 2) and one inP21/a(No. 14,Z′ = 4). Disordered molecules related by a translation of 0.158bare present in all layers of theB21/gmodel and in every second layer of theP21/amodel. Layer-to-layer contacts are practically the same in both models. According to order–disorder theory, both models are valid superposition structures. Structure-factor calculations show that the pattern of strong and weak Bragg reflections is very similar for the two models.Rfactors indicate that theB21/gmodel is the most economic representation of the average structure. However, given the limitations in data processing, theP21/amodel should not be discarded and further insight sought from a detailed analysis of the experimental diffuse scattering. The difficulties encountered in this analysis raise the question of whether or not the concept of an average structure is applicable in practice to β-P.R. 170.
Implication of inside-debt: signalling for bankruptcy probabilities within small firms
Authors: Seppa Raul
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Small privately held firms extensively use debt provided by principal owners and households (inside-debt) as an alternative capital source to straight equity capital. The purpose of the research study is to investigate inside-debt-bankruptcy relations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Inside-debt-bankruptcy relation is tested on three prominent bankruptcy prediction models using correlation and logit regression analysis. Sample consists of 314 Estonian small firms. Financial reports of 2007 are modelled against bankruptcies declared in 2009.

Findings

– Results imply that users of inside-debt are less profitable; they have weaker liquidity position and less retained earnings. Leverage is not found to be significant determinant between inside-debt users and non-users. Fundamental finding of the study suggests that the use of inside-debt is significantly and positively related to bankruptcy probability. While inside-debt carries no risk elements per se, findings are robust to indicate that the use of inside-debt has significant power to signal for increasing bankruptcy risk and as such, reducing information asymmetry of small firms.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is limited to single country data. Bankruptcy data fall to the period of economical recession. It is suggested to repeat the study in a normal economical situation and to extend sample size over different countries.

Practical implications

– Findings contribute to the understanding of firms' financial risk, firm behaviour and capital structure development. In a lending industry, results shall supplement to prudent credit risk assessment techniques and design of bankruptcy models in general.

Originality/value

– To the author's best knowledge, inside-debt-bankruptcy relation is not studied so far in the existing academic literature.
The academic activist in an age of ambivalence: reflections on a decade ofCPoIB
Authors: Cairns George
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the origins ofCPoIBand on events in the IB sphere over the decade since it was conceived.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach of the paper is one of personal critical reflection on events and their implications for the full range of involved and affected parties, informed by Aristotelian philosophy.

Findings

– The author posits the need for a new generation of “academic activists” in support of a humanistic management manifesto.

Originality/value

– The paper reinforces the philosophy ofCPoIBand the need for its continuing growth and development.
Developments and leanings of crowdsourcing industry: implications of China and India
Authors: Perera Indika , A. Perera Pramuk
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Since crowdsourcing can be taken as a new field, the purpose of this paper is to suggest an idea/movement to motivate pro or anti-ideas/movements from scholars and experts to develop a synthesis in future.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides a quantitative analysis of world leading outsource provider markets: China – manufacturing sector: and India – service sector. The paper uniquely presents the much needed analysis details along with a model that fits crowdsourcing into outsourcing setup.

Findings

– There is a strong need of policy implications and business process re-engineering strategies to harness the benefits of crowdsourcing into the present industry norms taking into account the macroeconomic norms as well as the potential impact on individual workers or participants of the crowd.

Originality/value

– The paper indicates a possible shift in the scope of management from managing a firm to managing beyond boundaries. Implications drawn in this paper can provide high impact support for decision makers and future research.
Using performance templates for manager and employee learning – in-action
Authors: Lyons Paul , P. Bandura Randall
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– This article demonstrates how the performance improvement process, performance templates, may be used for both manager and employee learning. The paper explains the concept, offers theoretical support for it, gives evidence of the efficacy of the process, and explains, in detail, how the process may be applied.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach is to present or demonstrate what performance templates are and how a manager and a group of employees work together to create them and use them in the field. The paper presents the approach, explains how it connects with theory, offers empirical support for performance templates, and gives a sequence of events as to their creation and use.

Findings

– The findings indicate that, in general, the learning and performance approach, performance templates offer an influential and practical tool for both manager and employee learning, and consistent performance improvement. The approach has many applications, although recent research relies mostly on its use in sales organizations.

Research limitations/implications

– Primarily, the performance template approach has been used with small samples of learners. In the extant studies of the approach, small sample sizes limit the value of statistical analysis.

Practical implications

– The approach has not been tested with large employee groups (more than 25). The method is labor-intensive and time consuming. Large groups of participants would compromise the use of the approach as individual employee participation could be limited.

Originality/value

– Performance templates add to the arsenal of tools and methods available to trainers and managers. There is some empirical support for the approach. Performance templates represent both a learning approach and a performance improvement approach as managers and their employees work jointly to create learning and change.
Perceived corruption frequency and size of corruption in economies
Authors: Mukherjee Vivekananda , Roy Aparajita
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The paper aims to develop a theoretical model to explain the exact process through which the scale effect works to create a possible wedge between a perception-based ranking like the “Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ” and the axiomatic “absolute costs of corruption”-based ranking of economies with low enforcement against corruption.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper takes into account corruption both at the “high” and “low” levels of bureaucracies, where the bribes are paid sequentially at the two levels. The bribes are endogenously determined at the equilibrium using a sequential game approach.

Findings

– The paper finds that in the absence of coalition between the two levels of bureaucrats, both the absolute level of corruption and the welfare level of the economies are expected to vary inversely with the perceived corruption frequency. The paper also explores the possibility of a stable coalition between the “high” and “low” level bureaucrats and shows that with the perception of a stable coalition being formed, the negative monotonic relation between the corruption frequency and the absolute size of corruption breaks down.

Originality/value

– First, the paper argues that the ranking of the economies with low enforcement against corruption on the basis of perceived corruption frequency may not reflect the ranking of the economies according to their absolute size of corruption; it points out that the perceived higher corruption frequency in an economy as reflected in CPI can be an indicator of both the lower size of “high” level corruption and absolute size of corruption in the economy. Particularly, this happens in economies where coalition between the “high” and “low” level officials does not form. Second, it identifies the exact way in which the scale effect works to create a difference in the CPI ranking and the axiomatic “absolute costs of corruption”-based ranking and explains why similar difference would exist if “absolute costs of corruption”-based ranking is derived from all the sources of hard data on corruption. Third, it explains why a stable coalition between the “high” and “low” level bureaucrats in economies with low enforcement does not usually form.
Error rates in physician dictation: quality assurance and medical record production
Authors: C. David Gary , Chand Donald , Sankaranarayanan Balaji
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to determine the instance of errors made in physician dictation of medical records.

Design/methodology/approach

– Purposive sampling method was employed to select medical transcriptionists (MTs) as “experts” to identify the frequency and types of medical errors in dictation files. Seventy-nine MTs examined 2,391 dictation files during one standard work day, and used a common template to record errors.

Findings

– The results demonstrated that on the average, on the order of 315,000 errors in one million dictations were surfaced. This shows that medical errors occur in dictation, and quality assurance measures are needed in dealing with those errors.

Research limitations/implications

– There was no potential for inter-coder reliability and confirming the error codes assigned by individual MTs. This study only examined the presence of errors in the dictation-transcription model. Finally, the project was done with the cooperation of MTSOs and transcription industry organizations.

Practical implications

– Anecdotal evidence points to the belief that records created directly by physicians alone will have fewer errors and thus be more accurate. This research demonstrates this is not necessarily the case when it comes to physician dictation. As a result, the place of quality assurance in the medical record production workflow needs to be carefully considered before implementing a “once-and-done” (i.e. physician-based) model of record creation.

Originality/value

– No other research has been published on the presence of errors or classification of errors in physician dictation. The paper questions the assumption that direct physician creation of medical records in the absence of secondary QA processes will result in higher quality documentation and fewer medical errors.
The hospital survey on patient safety culture in Portuguese hospitals
Authors: Eiras Margarida , Escoval Ana , Monteiro Grillo Isabel , Silva-Fortes Carina
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Quantitative instruments to assess patient safety culture have been developed recently and a few review articles have been published. Measuring safety culture enables healthcare managers and staff to improve safety behaviours and outcomes for patients and staff. The study aims to determine the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) Portuguese version's validity and reliability.

Design/methodology/approach

– A missing-value analysis and item analysis was performed to identify problematic items. Reliability analysis, inter-item correlations and inter-scale correlations were done to check internal consistency, composite scores. Inter-correlations were examined to assess construct validity. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to investigate the observed data's fit to the dimensional structure proposed in the AHRQ HSPSC Portuguese version. To analyse differences between hospitals concerning composites scores, an ANOVA analysis and multiple comparisons were done.

Findings

– Eight of 12 dimensions had Cronbach's alphas higher than 0.7. The instrument as a whole achieved a high Cronbach's alpha (0.91). Inter-correlations showed that there is no dimension with redundant items, however dimension 10 increased its internal consistency when one item is removed.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to evaluate an American patient safety culture survey using Portuguese data. The survey has satisfactory reliability and construct validity.
Important quality aspects in the transfer process
Authors: Häggström Marie , Asplund Kenneth , Kristiansen Lisbeth
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Admission to and transfer from an intensive care unit affects not only the patient but also his or her relatives. The authors aimed to investigate relatives' perceptions of quality of care during a patient's transfer process from an intensive care unit to a general ward.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study had a mixed method design that included quantitative data and answers to open questions. The participants were 65 relatives of patients who received care in an ICU. They were recruited from two hospitals in Sweden.

Findings

– A majority perceived the transfer process as important, but analysis also showed that the participants rated it as an area for improvements. The relatives wanted participation, personal insight and control, respectful encounters, proximity, reassurance, continuous quality, reconnection and feedback. The relatives' participation in the transfer process was perceived as inadequate by 61 per cent, and the support that was received after the ICU discharge was perceived as inadequate by 53 per cent. The patients' length of stay in the ICU affected the relatives' perceptions of the quality of care. Overall, the relatives seemed to desire that the transfer process includes a continuous care, a competent staff, available information throughout the transfer process and personal involvement in the care, both before and after the transfer from the ICU.

Research limitations/implications

– The conclusion of this study is that relatives' needs and seeking for a well-planned ICU transitional process organisation with continuous quality before and after transfer, informational strategies that encourage the relatives to be involved and an organisation with competence throughout the healthcare chain are vital for quality.

Practical implications

– The conclusion of this study is that relatives' needs and seeking for a well-planned ICU transitional process organisation with continuous quality before and after transfer, informational strategies that encourage the relatives to be involved and an organisation with competence throughout the healthcare chain are vital for quality.

Originality/value

– The findings have important implications for nursing and nursing management. A relative's perception of the quality of care before and after transfer from ICU may be a valuable source to evaluate the ICU transitional care.
Patient choice of a hospital: implications for health policy and management
Authors: Mohammad Mosadeghrad Ali
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to identify the most important influencing factors in choosing a hospital by a patient.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study involved a mixed research design. Focus groups and in-depth individual interviews were conducted with patients to explore reasons for choosing a hospital. In addition, this study involved survey-based research on the patient choice.

Findings

– Type of the hospital, type of the service, word of mouth, cost of services, the health insurance programme, location, physical environment, facilities, providers' expertise and interpersonal behaviour, and reputation of the hospital influenced patients' choice of a hospital. Doctor recommendations and health insurance programme were the main reasons for choosing a hospital for inpatients and outpatients respectively.

Practical implications

– Identifying and understanding key factors that influence a patient choice of a healthcare setting helps managers and policy makers invest their resources in those critical areas and improve those aspects of their services to attract more patients.

Originality/value

– This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding the factors that influence a patient choice of a healthcare setting.
A time-varying approach to analysing fiscal policy and asset prices in South Africa
Authors: Gupta Rangan , Jooste Charl , Matlou Kanyane
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to study the interplay of fiscal policy and asset prices in a time-varying fashion.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using South African data since 1966, the authors are able to study the dynamic shocks of both fiscal policy and asset prices on asset prices and fiscal policy based on a time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model. This enables the authors to isolate specific periods in time to understand the size and sign of the shocks.

Findings

– The results seem to suggest that at least two regimes exist in which expansionary fiscal policy affected asset prices. From the 1970s until 1990, fiscal expansions were associated with declining house and slightly increased stock prices. The majority of the first decade of 2000 had asset prices increasing when fiscal policy expanded. On the other hand, increasing asset prices reduced deficits for the majority of the sample period, while the recent financial crises had a marked change on the way asset prices affect fiscal policy.

Originality/value

– This is the first attempt in the literature of fiscal policy and asset prices to use a TVP-VAR model to not only analyse the impact of fiscal policy on asset prices, but also the feedback from asset prices to fiscal policy over time.
The persistent effect of banking crises on investment and the role of financial markets
Authors: Rioja Felix , Rios-Avila Fernando , Valev Neven
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– While the literature studying the effect of banking crises on real output growth rates has found short-lived effects, recent work has focused on the level effects showing that banking crises can reduce output below its trend for several years. This paper aims to investigate the effect of banking crises on investment finding a prolonged negative effect.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors test to see whether investment declines after a banking crisis and, if it does, for how long and by how much. The paper uses data for 148 countries from 1963 to 2007. Econometrically, the authors test how banking crises episodes affect investment in future years after controlling for other potential determinants.

Findings

– The authors find that the investment to GDP ratio is on average about 1.7 percent lower for about eight years following a banking crisis. These results are robust after controlling for credit availability, institutional characteristics, and a host of other factors. Furthermore, the authors find that the size and duration of this adverse effect on investment varies according to the level of financial development of a country. The largest and longer-lasting decrease in investment is found in countries in a middle region of financial development, where finance plays its most important role according to theory.

Originality/value

– The authors contribute by finding that banking crisis can have long-term effects on investment of up to nine years. Further, the authors contribute by finding that the level of development of the country's financial markets affects the duration of this decrease in investment.
In the eyes of Janus
Authors: Kaše Robert , Paauwe Jaap , Batistič Saša
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to offer a perspective on the future of the human resource management (HRM)-performance debate and its prospects for interaction with practice by evaluating the debate's intellectual structure.

Design/methodology/approach

– With co-citation analysis the paper examines the intellectual structure that informed the HRM-performance debate. The findings were presented to a group of academics, who have been influential in the development of the debate. In several rounds of a quasi-Delphi interaction they discussed the state of the art, future development of the debate, upcoming theoretical sources of inspiration and topics on which they (dis)agreed.

Findings

– The dominant knowledge domain is built upon resource-based view, social exchange theory, human capital theory, institutional theory and critical perspective. It became well established in the mid 1990s, when the strategic HRM domain merged with the high performance work systems domain, thus forming the conceptual backbone of the debate. More recently the debate has been informed by review studies, meta-analyses and critical reflections on the current methodological paradigms, which is aligned with the debate's life cycle stage.

Originality/value

– The paper highlights the theoretical foundations of the HRM-performance debate and gives valuable suggestions on how to take the field forward along with important implications for researchers and their relationship with the business community.
Keeping ahead of the curve
Authors: Corcoran Maura , McGuinness Claire
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to present the results of a qualitative study of the continuing professional development (CPD) activities of academic librarians in Ireland. The benefits of CPD, the methods and strategies of engagement, and the role played by professional organisations are examined, with particular emphasis on the attitudes of librarians towards CPD.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 25 academic librarians were interviewed in depth from four universities in the greater Dublin region. A qualitative approach was chosen to allow the collection of data which was rich and informative.

Findings

– Academic librarians engage in CPD in multiple ways, both formal and informal, but it falls primarily to the individual librarian to find, participate in, or even create such opportunities, which raises the question of personal motivation and drive. Support from employers and professional organisations is key. Barriers to participation in CPD include time, financial restraints and lack of encouragement from employers.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors are cognisant of the inherent limitations in using interviews as a data collection method, including the possibility of bias.

Practical implications

– Academic librarians need to exploit innovative and accessible modes of CPD if they wish to navigate the changes occurring within the profession. Professional library organisations must also reinforce their support of their members in this endeavour. Incentives to participate should build on librarians' personal motivation and job satisfaction, likelihood of career progression, and deepening working relationships with non-LIS colleagues.

Originality/value

– To date there has been no comprehensive Irish study which has addressed the question of how academic librarians engage with the professional body of knowledge through pursuing professional development activities. This research seeks to present an Irish perspective, but also explores issues which are globally applicable within the profession.
Collection development practices in private university libraries in Malawi
Authors: Harvey Chaputula Aubrey
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The aim of this research was to study collection development practices in some selected private university libraries in Malawi with special focus on University of Livingstonia and Adventist University Libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research employed a case study approach that made use of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data were collected using interview guides and coding schedules. Interviews were conducted with university librarians of the two institutions. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to the Finance Officers and University Librarians of the institutions covered by the study to collect financial statistics and data relating to collection development. Qualitative data were analysed thematically while quantitative data were analysed using Ms Excel.

Findings

– Findings of the study indicated that private university libraries in this study are funded mainly by parent institutions. Funding is not adequate as is the case with public university libraries in the country. This had adversely affected collection development practices that include purchase of materials and staff training. The two institutions, however, differed in terms of the other collection development activities they undertook, and magnitude of the challenges they faced, something that was attributed to slight difference in terms of funding they got from parent institutions.

Practical implications

– The study sheds light on the collection development practices of University of Livingstonia Library and Adventist University Library, and challenges facing them. Some of these findings mirror those of other libraries not only in this sector, but also public university libraries in the country. Suggestions on how the collection development challenges facing the two libraries could be tackled have been made. It is hoped that the suggestions made could benefit other libraries who find themselves in a similar situation, if implemented. The study findings could also inform future researchers venturing in the same field.

Originality/value

– Very little is known about the collection development practices of private university libraries not only in Malawi but the world at large owing to lack of significant research undertaken on the topic. This study is, therefore, significant because its findings fill up the existing knowledge gap. If acted on, recommendations made could also help solve some of the challenges that are being faced.
Commentary on “Evaluation of the impact of supervisory support on staff experiences of training”
Authors: Bradshaw Jill
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the findings from Koski et al.'s (2014) research around training staff to communicate effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

– This commentary reflects on the needs of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). It uses the Five Good Communication Standards (Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, 2013) as a framework for thinking about good communication.

Findings

– Ongoing support is certainly important in enabling staff to develop and maintain good communication partnerships with the people they are working with. This first requires agreement from all involved regarding what good communication partnerships look like and how they can be measured.

Originality/value

– This paper focuses on the Five Good Communication Standards and how these might be interpreted with people with PIMD. It uses information from Goldbart and Caton's (2010) review of communication and people with the most complex needs to reflect on what is known from research and practice about each of these five standards. It concludes that more research is needed and greater implementation is needed where evidence is strong. We need to know what “good” could look like with people with PIMD so services support staff can then be facilitated to build successful communication partnerships and maintain these over time.
Trends in age-standardised mortality rates and life expectancy of people with learning disabilities in Sheffield over a 33-year period
Authors: Emerson Eric , Glover Gyles , Hatton Chris , Wolstenholme John
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe trends in the age-standardised mortality rate and life expectancy of people with learning disabilities in Sheffield over three decades and to compare these with trends in the general population of England and Wales.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were extracted from the Sheffield Case Register and compared with data published by the Office for National Statistics for England and Wales.

Findings

– There was a sustained reduction in age-standardised mortality rates and a sustained increase in life expectancy for people with intellectual disabilities over the 33-year period. These changes are extremely similar to those observed in the general population of England and Wales.

Originality/value

– There is little evidence of any closing of the gap in age-standardised mortality rates or life expectancy between people with intellectual disabilities and the general population.
A design for life? Commentary on “Designing living environments with adults with autism”
Authors: Osgood Tony
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this commentary is to reflect upon not only the importance of design processes as set out in “Designing living environments with adults with autism” but to call for the benefits of good design to be applied to staff functioning.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper is a commentary on a piece of research.

Findings

– As much consideration for the design of approaches to maintain helpful staff behaviour must be provided by those creating services as is given to the physical setting.

Originality/value

– The unique approach this paper presents is acknowledged as probably not universally applicable; what is replicable is bringing creative methods of design to bear in the task of delivering what for so long our rhetoric has called for.
Commentary on “Overcoming challenges in diagnosing and treating cancers in people with intellectual disability: a case analysis”
Authors: Foster Julie , Marks Bob
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on the implications for practice and lessons that can be drawn from the case study presented.

Design/methodology/approach

– The commentary is based on a review of the case study and tools available to support practice.

Findings

– The case study highlights weaknesses in the way that access to healthcare is currently facilitated for people with learning disabilities.

Originality/value

– The commentary explores the lessons to be drawn from the case study in the wider context of health facilitation.
Serious games: leverage for knowledge management
Authors: Bayart Caroline , Bertezene Sandra , Vallat David , Martin Jacques
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate if the use of “serious games” with students can improve their knowledge acquisition and their academic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is an exploratory investigation resorting to the use of a serious game to evaluate the evolution of the students’ competencies in project management, through questionnaires processed using a structural “learning model.”

Findings

– This research shows indeed that the use of “serious games” improves the knowledge acquisition and management competencies of the students with the evidencing of significant factors contributing to this improvement.

Practical implications

– The findings of this research show that serious games can be an effective tool to be used in teaching students particularly as traditional methods are less and less accepted by today's students.

Originality/value

– Although the use of games is not something new in education, it is still limited in teaching practices in higher education. This experiment can help lecturers and trainers to resort to them in their pedagogy and to conceive them according to variables that can enhance their effectiveness.
Let's go beyond taxonomy in diet description: testing a trait‐based approach to prey–predator relationships
Authors: Spitz Jérôme , Ridoux Vincent , Brind'Amour Anik
Published: March 2014

Understanding ‘Why a prey is a prey for a given predator?’ can be facilitated through trait‐based approaches that identify linkages between prey and predator morphological and ecological characteristics and highlight key functions involved in prey selection.

Enhanced understanding of the functional relationships between predators and their prey is now essential to go beyond the traditional taxonomic framework of dietary studies and to improve our knowledge of ecosystem functioning for wildlife conservation and management.

We test the relevance of a three‐matrix approach in foraging ecology among a marine mammal community in the northeast Atlantic to identify the key functional traits shaping prey selection processes regardless of the taxonomy of both the predators and prey.

Our study reveals that prey found in the diet of marine mammals possess functional traits which are directly and significantly linked to predator characteristics, allowing the establishment of a functional typology of marine mammal–prey relationships. We found prey selection of marine mammals was primarily shaped by physiological and morphological traits of both predators and prey, confirming that energetic costs of foraging strategies and muscular performance are major drivers of prey selection in marine mammals.

We demonstrate that trait‐based approaches can provide a new definition of the resource needs of predators. This framework can be used to anticipate bottom‐up effects on marine predator population dynamics and to identify predators which are sensitive to the loss of key prey functional traits when prey availability is reduced.
Above‐ground herbivory by red milkweed beetles facilitates above‐ and below‐ground conspecific insects and reduces fruit production in common milkweed
Authors: Erwin Alexis C. , Züst Tobias , Ali Jared G. , Agrawal Anurag A.
Published: March 2014

Initial herbivory and induced plant responses can influence subsequent above‐ and below‐ground herbivore attack. When two life stages of the same herbivore damage different plant parts sequentially, there is strong potential for plants to respond with induced plant defence against the later attacker. Alternatively, the earlier attacker could manipulate the host plant to facilitate the later‐feeding life stage.

We studied herbivory by foliage‐feeding adults and root‐feeding larvae of the red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus) on native common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) in laboratory and field experiments. We applied factorial above‐ and below‐ground herbivory treatments to test for induced responses, effects on later‐feeding conspecific larvae, and damage by naturally colonizing herbivores, including adult T. tetraophthalmus.

We found that the inducibility of toxic cardenolides was systemic across the root–shoot barrier, with the highest concentrations in plants damaged both above‐ and below‐ground. Initial above‐ground herbivory increased root damage and larval survival, suggesting an increase in root quality following leaf herbivory. Initial below‐ground herbivory did not affect the performance of later‐feeding larvae, indicating limited importance of induced root cardenolides and competition between clutches of T. tetraophthalmus.

In a natural milkweed population, initial above‐ground herbivory attracted conspecific adults and milkweed leaf beetles (Labidomera clivicollis) and ultimately reduced fruit production by 33%. Nonetheless, the probability of damage by monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexippus) was reduced on plants initially damaged by T. tetraophthalmus above‐ground, likely due to reduced oviposition following induced plant responses.

Synthesis. Induced plant responses of common milkweed to above‐ground damage by adult T. tetraophthalmus both facilitate further damage by adults and enhance the performance of their root‐feeding larvae, most likely as a result of host plant manipulation. Although the same induction reduced monarch herbivory, the net effect of these interactions was negative for the plant as fruit production was substantially reduced. These results imply that host plant manipulation may be especially common by specialist herbivores that have sequential above‐ and below‐ground life stages.
The interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and soil phosphorus availability influences plant community productivity and ecosystem stability
Authors: Yang Gaowen , Liu Nan , Lu Wenjie , Wang Shuo , Kan Haiming , Zhang Yingjun , Xu Lan , Chen Yongliang
Published: March 2014

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can influence plant community composition and diversity. Previous research has shown that the addition of nutrients reduces the effectiveness of AMF. However, the ways in which soil nutrient availability and AMF interact and affect plant community productivity and ecosystem stability are still poorly understood.

We examined the impact of AMF suppression and phosphorus (P) addition on plant diversity, community productivity and temporal stability (TS) in a field experiment. AMF root colonization and the concentration of an AMF‐specific phospholipid fatty acid were significantly reduced after application of the fungicide benomyl as a soil drench.

The TS of the plant community was higher in communities without benomyl application compared with communities with benomyl application indicating that AMF contribute to the TS of plant communities. AMF suppression increased productivity at the plant species, functional group and community levels under high P addition rates. At the zero P addition rate, AMF did not affect plant community productivity, as the dominant species Artemisia frigida was more abundant in control plots with AMF, while the subdominant species Stipa krylovii was more abundant in the benomyl‐treated plots with reduced AMF abundance. Compensatory effects between C3 grasses and non‐N2‐fixing forbs were observed in the control plots with AMF along the gradient of P addition rates, but these effects were not detected among plant species in the benomyl‐treated plots under AMF suppression above an addition rate of 4.76 P2O5 m−2 year−1. Although AMF suppression did not influence the diversity of the plant communities, it did decrease the diversity of N2‐fixing forbs at the zero P addition rate and above an addition rate of 18.90 g P2O5 m−2 year−1, indicating that AMF play key roles in the maintenance of N2‐fixing forbs at these P addition rates. P addition led to biodiversity losses at application rates below 2.36 g P2O5 m−2 year−1 at the community level.

Synthesis. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and soil P availability interact to influence the productivity and TS of a plant community by mediating compensatory effects among plant species and functional groups.
Blame Games and Climate Change: Accountability, Multi-Level Governance and Carbon Management
Authors: Bache Ian , Bartle Ian , Flinders Matthew , Marsden Greg
Published: March 2014

Research Highlights and Abstract

This article provides the first detailed and evidence-based account of the coalition government's approach to transport-related carbon management. It exposes the existence of a ‘governance vacuum’ between the statutory target and a very weak devolved implementation system (i.e. ‘fuzzy governance’ and ‘fuzzy accountability’). Research in four major city regions reveals a systemic switch from an emphasis on carbon management and reduction towards economic growth and job creation. Officials within the policy design and delivery chain emphasise the manner in which the demands of democratic politics tend to frustrate meaningful policy change. A general demand by actors at the local level not for the discretions delivered by localism but for a more robust and centrally managed—even statutory—governance framework.

The Climate Change Act 2008 received global acclaim for embedding an ambitious set of targets for the reduction of carbon emissions in legislation. This article explores the policies and institutional frameworks in place to deliver transport-related carbon reductions as part of the subsequent Carbon Plan. A detailed methodology involving institutional mapping, interviews and focus groups combined with a theoretical approach that combines the theory of multi-level governance with the literature on ‘blame avoidance’ serves to reveal a complex system of ‘fuzzy governance’ and ‘fuzzy accountability’. Put simply, it reveals there are no practical sub-national implementation levers for achieving the statutory targets. Apart from symbolic or rhetorical commitments, the emphasis of policy-makers at all levels in the delivery chain has switched from carbon management and reduction to economic growth and job creation. This raises fresh research questions about the pathologies of democratic competition and future responses to the climate change challenge.