bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural basis of ion permeation gating in Slo2.1 K+ channels
Authors: Garg Priyanka , Gardner Alison , Garg Vivek , Sanguinetti Michael C.
Published: October 2013

The activation gate of ion channels controls the transmembrane flux of permeant ions. In voltage-gated K+ channels, the aperture formed by the S6 bundle crossing can widen to open or narrow to close the ion permeation pathway, whereas the selectivity filter gates ion flux in cyclic-nucleotide gated (CNG) and Slo1 channels. Here we explore the structural basis of the activation gate for Slo2.1, a weakly voltage-dependent K+ channel that is activated by intracellular Na+ and Cl−. Slo2.1 channels were heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and activated by elevated [NaCl]i or extracellular application of niflumic acid. In contrast to other voltage-gated channels, Slo2.1 was blocked by verapamil in an activation-independent manner, implying that the S6 bundle crossing does not gate the access of verapamil to its central cavity binding site. The structural basis of Slo2.1 activation was probed by Ala scanning mutagenesis of the S6 segment and by mutation of selected residues in the pore helix and S5 segment. Mutation to Ala of three S6 residues caused reduced trafficking of channels to the cell surface and partial (K256A, I263A, Q273A) or complete loss (E275A) of channel function. P271A Slo2.1 channels trafficked normally, but were nonfunctional. Further mutagenesis and intragenic rescue by second site mutations suggest that Pro271 and Glu275 maintain the inner pore in an open configuration by preventing formation of a tight S6 bundle crossing. Mutation of several residues in S6 and S5 predicted by homology modeling to contact residues in the pore helix induced a gain of channel function. Substitution of the pore helix residue Phe240 with polar residues induced constitutive channel activation. Together these findings suggest that (1) the selectivity filter and not the bundle crossing gates ion permeation and (2) dynamic coupling between the pore helix and the S5 and S6 segments mediates Slo2.1 channel activation.
The Case of Lauris Kaplinski: A Guide to a Semiotic Reading of Incitement of Hatred in Modern Criminal Justice
Authors: Verenich Vadim
Published: October 2013

Criminal justice is the area of law where we are closest to an overview of the semiotic processes through a succession of organizational contexts. We start with the first call to the police and conclude with the criminal trial or appeal. The main stages in the process may be characterized as (police) investigation, the exercise of prosecutorial discretion by public officials, and the trial. The attention of legal philosophers and semioticians alike has been directed primarily toward the last. However, it is important to draw attention also to the earlier stages, and to the possibilities that exist of fitting them within a single semiotic framework of analysis.
The Constitutive Role of Emotions in the Discursive Construction of the “People”: A Look into Obama’s 2008 “Race Speech”
Authors: Pérez Hernández Carlos Andrés
Published: October 2013

This article examines the semiotic and rhetorical mechanisms by which Obama’s “race speech” builds a mutual identification between Blacks and Whites; it emphasizes the importance of locus communis commonplace and “equivalential links” (Laclau 2005, 94). It also looks at how Obama himself constructs his identity in order to appeal to a racially and politically heterogeneous audience. In addition, it attempts to identify and explain some elements of the speech that may carry heightened emotional content and that may induce a distancing or identification reaction in an audience. From the theoretical standpoint, the article brings to bear the Tartu-Moscow School of Semiotics understanding of metaphor and meaning-generation mechanisms on the Laclauian post-Marxist poststructural concept of the “people,” in order to explain how metaphors participate in the construction of a “people” during a presidential campaign. In terms of cognitive theory, it draws on Lakoff and Johnson’s understanding of metaphorical thinking ([1980] 2003) and Castells’s elaboration on emotions in relation to political cognition (2009). The sociological perspective on emotions aids in the analysis of emotions in social interaction (Turner and Stets 2009). The contribution of this article lies in the semiotic analysis of the role of emotion-evoking elements of the race speech that may indicate a constitutive role in the formation of a “people.”
Harnessing Claims to Improve Detection of Surgical Site Infections following Hysterectomy and Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Letourneau Alyssa R. , Calderwood Michael S. , Huang Susan S. , Bratzler Dale W. , Ma Allen , Yokoe Deborah S.
Published: October 2013

Surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance is performed using a variety of methods with unclear performance characteristics. We used claims data to identify records for review following hysterectomy and colorectal surgery. Claims-enhanced screening identified SSIs missed by routine surveillance and could be used for targeted chart review to improve SSI detection.
Innovative Solution to Sharp Waste Management in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Qaiser Seher , Arif Ambreen , Quaid Saeed , Ahsan Tasnim , Riaz Kashif , Niaz Saad , Qureshi Huma , Ahmed Waquaruddin , Alam Syed Ejaz
Published: October 2013

Background.

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C in Pakistan is 2.5% and 4.5%, respectively. Major cause of these infections is reuse of syringes.

Objective.

To determine a cost-effective, innovative solution to prevent syringe reuse and break the transmission cycle of blood-borne infections.

Study Design, Settings, and Duration.

Analytical study in a tertiary care hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan, July 2011 to June 2012.

Methods.

Healthcare workers from 30 wards included in the study were trained on injection safety, use of needle remover and needle pit, and management of needlestick injuries. Each ward was provided with 2 needle-removing devices, and a pit was constructed for disposal of needles. Usage of the device in wards and pit use were monitored regularly.

Results.

In 28 (93.3%) wards, sharp containers were accessible by public and were slack. Syringes were recapped using both hands in 27 (90%) cases; needlestick injury was reported by 30% of paramedics, while 25 (83.3%) of the interviewed staff had not received any formal training in injection safety. Vigilant monitoring and information sharing led to healthcare workers in 28 (96.5%) wards using the device. Needle containers were emptied in 27 (93.1%) wards, and needle pits were used in 26 (96.3%) wards. Needlestick injury was nil in follow-up.

Conclusions.

Needle removers permanently disable syringes. The needle pit served as a cost-effective, innovative method for disposal of needles. The intervention resulted in reducing the risk of needlestick injury.
Infection Control Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Healthcare Workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Tenna Admasu , Stenehjem Edward A. , Margoles Lindsay , Kacha Ermias , Blumberg Henry M. , Kempker Russell R.
Published: October 2013

Objective.

To better understand hospital infection control practices in Ethiopia.

Design.

A cross-sectional evaluation of healthcare worker (HCW) knowledge, attitudes, and practices about hand hygiene and tuberculosis (TB) infection control measures.

Methods.

An anonymous 76-item questionnaire was administered to HCWs at 2 university hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Knowledge items were scored as correct/incorrect. Attitude and practice items were assessed using a Likert scale.

Results.

In total, 261 surveys were completed by physicians (51%) and nurses (49%). Fifty-one percent of respondents were male; mean age was 30 years. While hand hygiene knowledge was fair, self-reported practice was suboptimal. Physicians reported performing hand hygiene 7% and 48% before and after patient contact, respectively. Barriers for performing hand hygiene included lack of hand hygiene agents (77%), sinks (30%), and proper training (50%) as well as irritation and dryness (67%) caused by hand sanitizer made in accordance with the World Health Organization formulation. TB infection control knowledge was excellent (more than 90% correct). Most HCWs felt that they were at high risk for occupational acquisition of TB (71%) and that proper TB infection control can prevent nosocomial transmission (92%). Only 12% of HCWs regularly wore a mask when caring for TB patients. Only 8% of HCWs reported that masks were regularly available, and 76% cited a lack of infrastructure to isolate suspected/known TB patients.

Conclusions.

Training HCWs about the importance and proper practice of hand hygiene along with improving hand sanitizer options may improve patient safety. Additionally, enhanced infrastructure is needed to improve TB infection control practices and allay HCW concerns about acquiring TB in the hospital.
Impact of Different Catheter Lock Strategies on Bacterial Colonization of Permanent Central Venous Hemodialysis Catheters
Authors: Erb Stefan , Widmer Andreas F. , Tschudin-Sutter Sarah , Neff Ursula , Fischer Manuela , Dickenmann Michael , Grosse Philipp
Published: October 2013

Thirty-nine hemodialysis patients with permanent central venous catheters were analyzed for bacterial catheter colonization comparing different catheter-lock strategies. The closed needleless Tego connector with sodium chloride lock solution was significantly more frequently colonized with bacteria than the standard catheter caps with antimicrobially active citrate lock solution (odds ratio, 0.22 [95% confidence interval, 0.07–0.71]; P = .011).
Incidence, Classification, and Risk Stratification forCandidaCentral Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections in Pediatric Patients at a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital, 2000–2010
Authors: Klatte J. Michael , Newland Jason G. , Jackson Mary Anne
Published: October 2013

Objective.

To identify risk factors for pediatricCandidacentral line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).

Design.

Retrospective case-control study.

Setting.

Freestanding tertiary care children's hospital.

Patients.

Patients withCandidaCLABSI from January 31, 2000, through December 31, 2010, compared with age- and year-matched controls.

Methods.

Demographics, comorbidities, presence of indwelling foreign bodies, exposure to antibiotics or corticosteroids, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or blood transfusions, complications, and outcome were evaluated. Bivariate and then logistic regression were used to compare temporal trends and risk factors.

Results.

A total of 160CandidaCLABSI patients (median age, 1.96 years) were compared with 457 controls. Those withCandidaCLABSIs were more likely to have intestinal failure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.777 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.315–19.839];P< .001), to have a gastrostomy tube in place (aOR, 4.156 [95% CI, 2.317–7.456];P< .001), and to receive TPN (aOR, 3.897 [95% CI, 2.403–6.319];P< .001) or blood transfusions (aOR, 2.990 [95% CI, 1.841–4.856];P< .001), and they had a 3-fold increase in mortality (aOR, 3.543 [95% CI, 1.501–8.364];P= .004).Candida albicanswas most common, butnon-albicansstrains resistant to amphotericin (C. lusitaniae) and fluconazole (C. glabrataandC. krusei) were also found.

Conclusions.

Those patients with intestinal failure, gastrostomy tube presence, and/or receipt of TPN and blood transfusions are at increased risk for development ofCandidaCLABSI.
The US Presidency
Authors: Edwards George C.
Published: October 2013

Perhaps no other government official commands the attention, stirs the imagination, and generates the emotions as the American president. The American presidency is a diverse field of study. Scholars seeking to understand the institution and its occupants adopt a wide range of approaches, including legal, institutional, power, and psychological. Their methods include quantitative analysis, documentary and interview-based research, formal modeling, and, of course, the techniques of the historian. The focus in this article is on the primary relationships and responsibilities of the office, including dealing with the public and the media, making decisions, influencing Congress, populating the federal judiciary, and implementing policy. Relationships are stressed because we want to explain why presidents and their aides and other appointees act as they do and why these actions have the consequences they have.
Bioarchaeology
Authors: Killgrove Kristina
Published: October 2013

The study of the human bodies of past cultures, bioarchaeology became a major research area in the social sciences by the late 1970s. Originally influenced by the development of New Archaeology in the United States, bioarchaeology has become one of the more scientifically focused fields of social research (see also the OBO article on Processual Archaeology). By blending archaeology, biology, and cultural anthropology with theory and methods drawn from sociology, demography, chemistry, statistics, history, and forensics, among others, contemporary bioarchaeologists bring a multidisciplinary perspective to the past 10,000 years of humanity. Within that time-frame, humans developed agriculture and domesticated animals; both of these cultural advances have proven detrimental to the human body, particularly in terms of a decrease in health, which bioarchaeologists can see in the patterning of disease and trauma in skeletal remains. Economic changes such as the advent of agriculture also brought changes in the activities and behaviors that people engaged in, with a division in labor along gender lines evident in the biological remains of many societies. Another hallmark of humanity is migration: Homo sapiens have successfully inhabited much of the earth, with our cultural capabilities allowing us to invent ways of dealing with new ecological challenges and our biological make-up allowing us to adapt physically to new environmental conditions. Yet struggles for land and other necessary resources have a lengthy history, much of which can be read in the injuries seen in the skeletons of people subjected to violence and warfare. Bioarchaeology seeks to tell the stories of our collective ancestors. From the Roman legionnaire to the indigenous Britons he was tasked with subduing, from the sacrificed Aztec child to the people whose lives depended on the appeasement of their deity, from the African woman brought to the United States through the transatlantic slave trade to her white owners, bioarchaeology strives to understand how these people both individually and collectively contributed to world history.
Women and Slavery
Authors: Robertson Claire C.
Published: October 2013

The study of women and slavery in the world and in Africa is relatively new. The first study focusing on enslaved women’s experiences was by Lucille Mathurin Mair on their resistance to slavery in the Caribbean (see Mair 1975, cited under Historiography), followed shortly by Boniface Obichere’s consideration of Dahomean women’s slavery in 1978 (see Obichere 1978, cited under Slave Culture? Cultural Influences of Women Slaves). Strobel 1979 (cited under Slave Culture? Cultural Influences of Women Slaves) is an influential study of women in Mombasa that paid significant attention to the particular experiences of slave women. More widespread and sustained scholarly interest began in the 1980s, providing new perspectives on slavery in general and in particular. This interest grew out of the development of women’s and gender studies in the United States, where plantation chattel slavery had been an important practice in shaping history, and where two studies by Lerner and Davis were published in 1983 (see Lerner 1983 and Davis 1983, both cited under Historiography) that paid significant attention to women in slavery, although not as a primary focus in the latter case. Also in 1983, the first work to focus explicitly on what slavery meant for women in Africa was published (see Robertson and Klein 1983, cited under Historiography). Therefore, in this article, historiographical aspects are considered first before going into the specifics of slavery and women in Africa, including variations in types of slavery and their gendered aspects; economic, geographical, and cultural differences; changes in slavery over time; the impact of the export slave trades and of emancipation; and contemporary forms of slavery.
Arabic Language and Literature
Authors: Bamia Aida
Published: October 2013

There is a general tendency to confuse Arab and Muslim identities. While the majority of Arabs are Muslim, most Muslims are not Arabs. There are also non-Muslim Arabs. The first Arab conquests aimed at spreading Islam caused the Arabs to settle outside the Arabian Peninsula, extending their control over the Levant, North Africa, Mesopotamia, and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The military conquests contributed to a gradual process of Arabization, even among non-Muslims. While all Muslims are required to pray in Arabic, they use their native languages to communicate among themselves, and to read and write. Some of those languages, Farsi, Urdu, and Pashtun, to cite only a few, are written in the Arabic script to this day. Two other languages, Swahili and Turkish (Ottoman), abandoned Arabic script, the former in the 20th century, with the advent of colonialism, and the latter in 1928, under Kemal Ataturk’s rule. The requirement for Muslims to pray in Arabic contributed to the safeguard of the language during the years of political turmoil, and under French colonialism in particular. An extreme example is Algeria, where Arabic was declared a foreign language, and it is thanks to the teaching offered in the zawiyas and the madrasas that Arabic survived in that country. This survey article examines the development of Arabic language and literature from pre-Islamic times, the Jahiliyya, to the contemporary period. It introduces the various literary genres of Arabic literature, including Francophone and Anglophone literatures written by Arab writers and the literature of the Mahjar. The area covered will be referred to as the Arab world, a more accurate name than the Middle East, which includes countries and cultures that are not Arabic. The Arab world consists of twenty countries, members of the Arab League established on March 22, 1945, and stretches over two continents, Africa and Asia. The literature of the Arab world will not be referred to as Islamic literature, as was the practice among some Orientalists. The approach to this coverage is historical, following Arabic literature and language in their trajectory throughout the Arab world, from the Jahiliyya, moving through the Islamic period, the Umayyads in Damascus, the Abbasids in Baghdad, the Umayyads in Andalusia, the Fatimids in Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and ending in the contemporary period.
Do the Position and Orientation of the Crosslink Influence the Stiffness of Spinal Instrumentation?
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Sakakibara Toshihiko , Yoshikawa Takamasa , Inaba Tadashi , Kasai Yuichi
Published: October 2013

Study Design:

Biomechanical study of double-level pedicle screw constructs with or without crosslinks (CL) in an unstable model.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal position and orientation of the CL.

Summary of Background Data:

Several reports have described biomechanical research on such CL, but no definite consensus has been reached regarding the effects. Very few studies have examined the position and orientation of the CL. The question of where and how the CL should be clinically set remains unanswered.

Methods:

Ten cadaveric lumbar spines (L3–L5) of boars were used and 7 models were prepared by the sequential damage and spinal instrumentation of each specimen. Bending stiffness was measured in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation for each model using 6-axis material tester under torque of 0 to ±3 N m. Results for each configuration were compared using analysis of variance and the Turkey-Kramer test.

Results:

In flexion, extension, and lateral bending, 7 models showed similar stiffness with no significant differences. In axial rotation, stiffness increased significantly (P<0.05) in the cephalic, central, caudal, and oblique CL models in comparison with that of the no CL model, and stiffness of the horizontal 2 CL and oblique 2 CL models was significantly higher than that of cephalic, central, caudal, and oblique CL models (P<0.05). However, no significant differences in stiffness were seen between cephalic, central, and caudal CL models, between the central and oblique CL models, or between the horizontal and oblique 2 CL models.

Conclusions:

Concomitant use of CLs significantly increased axial rotational stiffness, even though stiffness in flexion, extension, and lateral bending was not increased. In addition, stiffness in axial rotation significantly improved with the use of 2 CLs instead of a single CL, and stiffness was unchanged by position and orientation of CL.
Maintenance of Efficacy and Safety of Rabeprazole in Children With Endoscopically Proven GERD
Authors: Haddad Ibrahim , Kierkus Jaroslaw , Tron Eduardo , Ulmer April , Hu Peter , Silber Steven , Sloan Sheldon , Leitz Gerhard J.
Published: October 2013

Objective:

The aim of the present study was to evaluate 24‐week maintenance of efficacy and safety of rabeprazole in children with endoscopically proven gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Methods:

Children ages 1 to 11 years who achieved endoscopic/histologic healing (defined as grade 0 of the Hetzel‐Dent Classification scale and/or grade 0 of the Histological Features of Reflux Esophagitis scale) in a 12‐week treatment phase were continued on the same dose for an additional 24 weeks during the maintenance phase. The dose was determined by weight: children weighing 6 to 14.9 kg (low‐weight cohort) received 5 or 10 mg and children weighing ≥15 kg (high‐weight cohort) received 10 or 20 mg.

Results:

Healing was maintained in 90% of children (100% [low‐weight cohort]; 89% [10 mg, high‐weight cohort]; 85% [20 mg, high‐weight cohort]). The Total GERD Symptom and Severity score continued to improve slightly in all of the children across all dose groups (P = 0.026) during the maintenance phase, except the 10‐mg dose group (low‐weight cohort), which experienced a slight worsening of 3.6 points. Overall, 71% children felt better on the GERD Symptom Relief score (P < 0.001); 95% of investigators and 92% of parent/caregivers rated “Good to Excellent” on the Global Treatment Satisfaction scale and Clinical Global Impressions Improvement scale, respectively. Overall incidence of treatment‐emergent adverse events was 63%; upper respiratory tract infections (13%) and vomiting (11%) were the most commonly reported (>10%).

Conclusions:

Rabeprazole was effective in maintaining endoscopic/histologic healing during a 24‐week maintenance period in children with endoscopically proven GERD. The clinical effect and safety profile were largely similar across dose groups.
Potential of probiotics as pharmaceutical agent: a review
Authors: Sarkar S.
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Increased evidence for the health benefits of probiotics for health restoration coupled with the consumer's inclination towards a safe, natural and cost-effective substitute for drugs have led application of probiotics as a pharmaceutical agent and are rapidly moving in clinical usage. In this context, this article attempts to highlight the potential of probiotics as a pharmaceutical agent.

Design/methodology/approach

– Endeavor has been made to explore the significance of probiotics for the modulation of gut ecology and their action. Potentiality of probiotics for their exploitation as a pharmaceutical agent has also been justified. Limitations of probiotic therapy and the various considerations for probiotic therapy have also been delineated.

Findings

– Probiotic organisms influence the physiological and pathological process of the host by modifying the intestinal microbiota, thereby affecting human health. Beneficial effects of probiotics as a pharmaceutical agent seem to be strain and dose dependent and more efficacious with their early introduction. Combination of various probiotics proved to be more efficacious than single strain for exhibiting prophylactic activities.

Research limitations/implications

– Reviewed literature indicated that it is difficult to generalize for the beneficial effect of all probiotics for all types of diseases as efficacy of probiotics is strain-dependent and dose-dependent and its clinical application needs long-term investigations.

Practical implications

– Clinical trials have displayed that probiotics may alleviate certain disorders or diseases in humans especially those related to gastro-intestinal tract.

Originality/value

– Ingestion of fermented dairy products containing probiotic cultures may provide health benefits in certain clinical conditions such as antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, rotavirus-associated diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome, allergenic diseases, cancer, Helicobacter pylori infection and lactose-intolerance. Application of probiotics as a pharmaceutical agent is recommended.
Linking packaging to marketing: how packaging is influencing the marketing strategy
Authors: Rundh Bo
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose with this paper is to investigate the relationship between packaging and the influence it has on marketing from a management point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on case studies different packaging solutions are discussed in relation to requirements by customers in the supply chain. Data for the cases were collected by different means including narratives and personal interviews.

Findings

– New packaging solutions offer the prospect of improved functions in the supply chain, delivering protection and preservation before reaching the ultimate customer. It also offers improved opportunities for better information and communication with the customer. However, the possibilities for innovative packaging solutions must be analyzed in relation to increased costs for packaging and the influence they can have on the environment.

Research limitations/implications

– This study extends previous research by linking packaging to the marketing strategy. Even though it is based on four case studies it combines different data sources including both qualitative and quantitative data.

Originality/value

– This paper evaluates the implementation of new packaging solutions in the supply chain from a managerial point of view, discussing benefits against challenges. This paper therefore fulfils an identified need for recognising the importance of packaging in relation to the marketing strategy.
Collective succession planning in librarianship
Authors: Fitsimmons Gary
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– This article's purpose is to encourage a vision in the profession of librarianship for succession planning.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article springboards from the previous column, showing the natural expansion of the discussion on vision building to include succession planning.

Findings

– The article finds that succession planning is a natural extension of good vision building.

Practical implications

– This is a practical way to practice succession planning regardless of the size or resources of the institution.

Originality/value

– The value of the article is in contributing a solution to the professional problem of how to provide for continuing leadership for our libraries.
Breaking walls and building hopes
Authors: Steele Kirstin
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to share progress in communication, fundraising, and collaboration in a small college library setting.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper takes the form of an opinion piece.

Findings

– Small victories have the potential to culminate as widespread change.

Originality/value

– While the specific accomplishments might not be unique, the author is incredulous that a pattern of achievements can make a library feel so transformed.
“I know if I drink I won’t feel anything”: substance use relapse among depressed women leaving prison
Authors: E. Johnson Jennifer , Chatav Schonbrun Yael , E. Nargiso Jessica , C. Kuo Caroline , T. Shefner Ruth , A. Williams Collette , Zlotnick Caron
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore treatment needs and factors contributing to engagement in substance use and sobriety among women with co-occurring substance use and major depressive disorders (MDDs) as they return to the community from prison.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper used qualitative methods to evaluate the perspectives of 15 women with co-occurring substance use and MDDs on the circumstances surrounding their relapse and recovery episodes following release from a US prison. Women were recruited in prison; qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted after prison release and were analyzed using grounded theory analysis. Survey data from 39 participants supplemented qualitative findings.

Findings

– Results indicated that relationship, emotion, and mental health factors influenced women's first post-prison substance use. Women attributed episodes of recovery to sober and social support, treatment, and building on recovery work done in prison. However, they described a need for comprehensive pre-release planning and post-release treatment that would address mental health, family, and housing/employment and more actively assist them in overcoming barriers to care.

Practical implications

– In-prison and aftercare treatment should help depressed, substance using women prisoners reduce or manage negative affect, improve relationships, and obtain active and comprehensive transitional support.

Originality/value

– Women with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are a high-risk population for negative post-release outcomes, but limited information exists regarding the processes by which they relapse or retain recovery after release from prison. Findings inform treatment and aftercare development efforts.
Innovative evaluation of researcher training at the University of Birmingham, UK
Authors: D'Souza Katharine , Hawkes Erika , Mills Catherine
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight developments in evaluation of researcher development training undertaken by the University of Birmingham's Graduate School. It details the mixed methods analysis techniques applied and shows how results are used to shape future training provision.

Design/methodology/approach

– Initial analysis is carried out immediately following each course to ensure it meets the needs of current students. Deeper analysis is undertaken on an annual basis to draw out trends and issues. This allows us to see overall satisfaction with each course as well as identifying the most helpful elements, what could be changed, and what other courses students would like to see. As a case study this paper demonstrates the quantitative and qualitative evaluation undertaken on the Academic Writing, Part Time Researcher and Viva Preparation courses run in recent years and shows how the results can be measured using the Rugby Team Impact Framework.

Findings

– Analysis of our courses has revealed conclusions which will steer future course development and demonstrates the value of researcher development training.

Practical implications

– Our results give us confidence that our training programme delivers what our students need.

Originality/value

– These methods could be applied to researcher development training programmes elsewhere.
Culturally responsive methodologies at work in education settings
Authors: Berryman Mere , SooHoo Suzanne , Nevin Ann , Arani Barrett Te , Ford Therese , Joy Nodelman Debora , Valenzuela Norma , Wilson Anna
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe culturally responsive methodology as a way to develop researchers. The aims is to illuminate the dimensions of culturally responsive methodology such as cultural and epistemological pluralism, deconstruction of Western colonial traditions of research, and primacy of relationships within culturally responsive dialogic encounters. An overarching question is: “How can we maintain the original integrity of both participants and researchers and their respective cultures and co-construct at the same time something new?”.

Design/methodology/approach

– Five case study narratives are described in order for readers to understand the range and types of studies that have been undertaken within a culturally responsive framework. The contributors represent emerging as well as veteran researchers, Indigenous as well as non-Indigenous cultures, practitioners (i.e. teachers in the school systems) as well as teacher educators (i.e. that is teachers within colleges and universities).

Findings

– The major issues raised in this paper (knowing one's self and being willing to develop new methodologies) can help to inform those who aspire to research “with” rather than “on” Others.

Originality/value

– This paper offers an ontology that is not framed from western traditions. Using reflexivity, criticality, and other epistemological links, the authors show methodological negotiators who invent, craft, personalize, and navigate their methodology and methods specific to the context and participants with whom they are working. They challenge unexamined assumptions in research methods. It is hoped that this paper can contribute a more respectful and humble way of working with all peoples.
A BRIC MNE's subsidiary in France: human resource management in adaptive mode
Authors: Muratbekova-Touron Maral , Pinot de Villechenon Florence
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Some scholars state that multinational enterprises (MNEs) from developing markets manage their subsidiaries in a different way than MNEs from developed markets because the former have to overcome the liability of their country of origin. To analyze this question through the lens of human resource management (HRM), we study the case of a BRIC MNE's subsidiary in France.

Design/methodology/approach

– We adopted an exploratory and descriptive single case study research design. We used multiple data sources: interviews, internal company documents, academic publications, and media sources.

Findings

– The results show that the BRIC MNE subsidiary standardizes its HRM practices towards global best practices to compete successfully with MNEs from developed markets. Furthermore, the subsidiary's origin that was considered as a shortcoming in the past is an advantage at present time. Finally, according to the interviewed managers, French subsidiary must overcome a country of origin liability in that it has to change the way that it may be perceived in terms of the issues linked to France's labor relations system.

Practical implications

– MNEs originating from developing markets should consider their origin as an advantage: they may be perceived as dynamic, growing, and aspiring to be the best. Another implication concerns the use of global best practices that may facilitate the global coordination of MNEs.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the literature on the HRM practices of MNEs from developing markets operating in developed markets.
Hosting the Olympics: a city's make-or-break impression
Authors: Herstein Ram , Berger Ron
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Cities all over the world rebrand themselves in order to refresh their image and attract/continue attracting tourists, industry or whichever group they hope to engage. Cities have tended to rebrand themselves based on varied social events and festivals such as fashion (Milan), food and beverages (Munich), folklore dancing (Rio de Janeiro), film (Cannes) and many more. The most powerful platform for rebranding a city is hosting the Olympic Games. Despite the fact that many city planners and decision-makers tend to perceive the Olympic Games as the highest yielding investment for reinforcing a city image, in the last three decades many host cities have lost millions of dollars, with this rare opportunity to leverage their city's image becoming one big fiasco. The aim of this paper is to present the key rules for making hosting the Olympic Games a very profitable business, in terms of reinforcing the city image.

Design/methodology/approach

– Since some host cities are more established in economic terms and some are less, two different approaches (the “Barcelona model” and the “London model”) are discussed.

Findings

– The Barcelona model shows how a city can leverage its image, based on the Olympic Games, to become more familiar to millions of potential tourists, and the London model shows how an entire country can also profit from the fact that its capital is hosting the Olympic Games.

Originality/value

– The Barcelona model shows how a city can leverage its image, based on the Olympic Games, to become more familiar to millions of potential tourists, and the London model shows how an entire country can also profit from the fact that its capital is hosting the Olympic Games.
Technological advancements and social challenges for one-to-one marketing
Authors: Fowler Danielle , Pitta Dennis , C. Leventhal Richard
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of advancements in technology on the practice of one to one marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper presents the results of analysis of reported advancements in information technology, social media, and their effects in identifying consumer preferences and consumer identity.

Findings

– The proliferation of social media, online communities and mobile communication have generated amounts of consumer data of interest to marketers. Simultaneously, technology to collect and analyze the data have improved greatly. The result is insight into the preferences of individual consumers and the ability to implement one-to-one marketing with unprecedented effectiveness. However, countervailing forces exist that attempt to limit the use of that consumer data.

Research limitations/implications

– One limitation is the reliance on published sources of technological advances. While the information seems representative of state of the art practiced in industry, unpublished, proprietary technology may exist that might re-characterize the potential for information exploitation.

Practical implications

– Marketers now have many information sources and analytical tools to implement the one-to-one marketing concept and can do so with a higher degree of effectiveness than previously.

Originality/value

– To date, few, if any, academic studies have been done that link technology, one-to-one marketing and the resistance to incursions on consumer privacy.
A dual-system approach to understanding “generation Y” decision making
Authors: Viswanathan Vijay , Jain Varsha
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– We do not yet have a good understanding of how generation Y makes decisions. Since this segment will soon wield greater influence in the market place, the purpose of this paper is to carry out an exploratory analysis and develop a framework on generation Y decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

– The dual-system approach states that individuals use a heuristic-based process (system 1) and/or an analytic-based process (system 2) to make decisions. Evidence from six focus group discussions with generation Y is integrated with this approach.

Findings

– Generation Y has an active heuristic-based system 1. However, they tend not to evaluate options on their own, i.e. system 2 is “lazy”. Instead, friends, family and digital media play the role of a “proxy” system 2.

Research limitations/implications

– A limitation is that the study uses data from a small sample of individuals in one country and uses only one methodological approach.

Practical implications

– Digital media is a vital component of the analytical “proxy” system 2. Therefore, reallocating advertising efforts from traditional media to digital media is perhaps one reason for declining differentiation between brands. Brands that compete on tangible attributes should target individuals designated as “product experts” by their friends.

Originality/value

– The study identifies different factors and the role they play in influencing generation Y's decisions. The paper has important implications for academics and marketers interested in understanding how generation Y makes decisions.
Proposal of a controlled vocabulary to solve semantic interoperability problems in social security information exchanges
Authors: Delgado Azuara Francisco , Ramón Hilera González José , Ruggia Raul
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– This report aims to present the state of play of semantic interoperability problems in social security data exchanges.

Design/methodology/approach

– The subject is presented as an open issue and taking into account the circumstances of the exchanges. Electronic exchanges in European Union social security are used as a case study.

Findings

– Semantic level of these exchanges seems to be the weakness and the use of controlled vocabularies is proposed as possible solution. The creation and maintenance of metadata sets are finally considered as a compromise solution.

Originality/value

– The article proposes a solution for the current semantic problems in electronic exchanges of social security information. The solution could be useful for social security institutions all over the world.
Evaluation of semantic retrieval systems on the semantic web
Authors: Luis Morato Jorge , Sanchez-Cuadrado Sonia , Dimou Christos , Yadav Divakar , Palacios Vicente
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– This paper seeks to analyze and evaluate different types of semantic web retrieval systems, with respect to their ability to manage and retrieve semantic documents.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors provide a brief overview of knowledge modeling and semantic retrieval systems in order to identify their major problems. They classify a set of characteristics to evaluate the management of semantic documents. For doing the same the authors select 12 retrieval systems classified according to these features. The evaluation methodology followed in this work is the one that has been used in the Desmet project for the evaluation of qualitative characteristics.

Findings

– A review of the literature has shown deficiencies in the current state of the semantic web to cope with known problems. Additionally, the way semantic retrieval systems are implemented shows discrepancies in their implementation. The authors analyze the presence of a set of functionalities in different types of semantic retrieval systems and find a low degree of implementation of important specifications and in the criteria to evaluate them. The results of this evaluation indicate that, at the moment, the semantic web is characterized by a lack of usability that is derived by the problems related to the management of semantic documents.

Originality/value

– This proposal shows a simple way to compare requirements of semantic retrieval systems based in DESMET methodology qualitatively. The functionalities chosen to test the methodology are based on the problems as well as relevant criteria discussed in the literature. This work provides functionalities to design semantic retrieval systems in different scenarios.
datos.bne.es and MARiMbA: an insight into library linked data
Authors: Vila-Suero Daniel , Gómez-Pérez Asunción
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Linked data is gaining great interest in the cultural heritage domain as a new way for publishing, sharing and consuming data. The paper aims to provide a detailed method and MARiMbA a tool for publishing linked data out of library catalogues in the MARC 21 format, along with their application to the catalogue of the National Library of Spain in the datos.bne.es project.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, the background of the case study is introduced. Second, the method and process of its application are described. Third, each of the activities and tasks are defined and a discussion of their application to the case study is provided.

Findings

– The paper shows that the FRBR model can be applied to MARC 21 records following linked data best practices, librarians can successfully participate in the process of linked data generation following a systematic method, and data sources quality can be improved as a result of the process.

Originality/value

– The paper proposes a detailed method for publishing and linking linked data from MARC 21 records, provides practical examples, and discusses the main issues found in the application to a real case. Also, it proposes the integration of a data curation activity and the participation of librarians in the linked data generation process.
Developing and completing a library mobile technology survey to create a user-centered mobile presence
Authors: Andre Becker Danielle , Bonadie-Joseph Ingrid , Cain Jonathan
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discover how many of the authors' own university students own internet-enabled mobile devices and how they use them. That information will be incorporated into the design of a user-centered library mobile web site.

Design/methodology/approach

– SurveyMonkey was used to create a web based survey which was distributed through a stable URL hosted on the Hunter College Libraries' web site.

Findings

– This study illustrates that Hunter College students are increasingly using their mobile devices for educational purposes. Students are reliant on these devices even when other internet-enabled devices such as laptops and desktops are available.

Research limitations/implications

– The principal tool used, SurveyMonkey, did not enable high level restrictions on potential participants. As a result, multiple demographic questions were used to establish a respondent profile.

Practical implications

– The findings of this study provide a framework for the creation of a mobile survey to discover users' habits and preferences. The data collected may also give an indication of what users may desire in a mobile library web site. Further investigation is needed to explore the relationship between commuting and how students use their mobile devices.

Originality/value

– This is the only study which provides data on the devices urban college student library users own, and how they utilize these devices.
Media Commons: the process and value of centralizing services
Authors: S. Mestre Lori
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide details of a collaborative campus effort that created a Media Commons at an undergraduate library at a major research university to provide students and faculty opportunities to experiment with emerging technologies, with expanded opportunities to learn of best practices in educational technology.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a case study that used a web survey, focus groups, usage statistics, and interviews to determine the needs and best practices for creating and maintaining the Media Commons.

Findings

– Preliminary results indicate that this program provides value to students and faculty seeking to learn about and use multimedia for coursework and projects. It confirms the gap on campus for places students can go for loanable technology and consultation services in the production and editing of multimedia.

Research limitations/implications

– Because the Media Commons just launched there has not had a programmatic evaluation yet to assess the impact of this program. However, based on initial feedback, suggestions for improvements in the program are included.

Practical implications

– The rationale, process and efforts described in this paper can be replicated by other institutions that are interested in creating a Media Commons.

Originality/value

– Although there are many articles written about Learning Commons and Information Commons, there is not much available that documents the efforts of creating a Media Commons at a library and the rationale for centralizing and freely making available campus multimedia expertise and equipment.