bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationships between system quality, service quality, and customer satisfaction
Authors: Mohammad Salameh Anas Abdelsatar , Ahmad Hartini , Zulhumadi Faisal , Abubakar Faruq Muhammad
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of system quality dimensions, namely, ease of use, accessibility, interactivity and website innovativeness on service quality (SQ) and customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a quantitative approach, by using a survey method. The unit of analysis was the individual. A total of 618 questionnaires were randomly distributed to university students and staff in Jordan. The partial least square path-modeling method was used in the estimation of causal relationships of the constructs examined in the study.

Findings

The outcomes of this study showed that ease of use, interactivity and website innovativeness have significant positive relationships with the SQ. Consequently, SQ significantly influences customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of this research were related to the unit of analysis, as it was conducted within the geographical region of Jordan and the university context, where the culture and level of the technological advancement may be different than other countries.

Practical implications

This research can assist mobile commerce (m-commerce) service policymakers to formulate significant policies that could enhance the nature of services being rendered and thus bring greater benefits to the customers.

Originality/value

This research has extended the body of knowledge on emerging trends in m-commerce innovation adoption, more specifically in the university context. Furthermore, it offers insight on the importance of m-commerce in the minds of customers, in such a way that it will bring about the intention to repeat patronage in the future.
Adoption of fitness wearables
Authors: Reyes-Mercado Pável
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the adoption of fitness wearables by using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The study analyses the relative weights and causal combinations of antecedent variables on use and intention to use fitness wearables.

Design/methodology/approach

The study design involves two stages: first, from the perspective of variable-oriented analysis, a structural equation model is tested using partial least squares (PLS) technique on a sample of 176 adopters and a second sample of 187 non-adopters. Second, from the perspective of case-oriented analysis, a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) identifies causal combinations of variables that lead to use of wearables by adopters and intention to use by non-adopters.

Findings

PLS results show that performance expectancy and effort expectancy have high net effects on use and intention to use for adopters. FsQCA analysis shows that current users follow a streamlined path to adoption. High beliefs on performance expectancy and effort expectancy are the main influences of intention to use a fitness wearable for non-adopters. In contrast to adopters, non-adopters may follow a number of paths to intention to use through performance expectancy, effort expectancy or facilitating conditions. This insight was apparent only after analysing the data sets by using fsQCA.

Research limitations/implications

For sake of parsimony, this paper tested UTAUT model instead of the more complex unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2.

Practical implications

Marketers in the fitness category can enhance use and intention to use by utilising not one but a combination of causal factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions. Wide societal deployment of wearables depends on performance and expectations.

Social implications

The widespread use of mobile devices depends on performance expectancy and effort expectancy. To transit to a real knowledge economy, co-creation should occur at early stages of product development so that these expectations are shared and better products be developed.

Originality/value

This paper offers a nuanced understanding of fitness wearable adoption by analysing adopters and non-adopters through variable- and case-oriented techniques. It complements the one-linear-path perspective with a number of alternative causal combinations of variables that lead to use and intention to use fitness wearables. While the causal path for adopters is unique, there are a number of causal combinations of antecedents that lead to high intention to use in potential adopters.
Empowering benefits of ERP systems implementation: empirical study of industrial firms
Authors: Rouhani Saeed , Mehri Mobin
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a useful system in today’s organizations that can lead to numerous benefits for them. The employees and managers are the most important stakeholders of this system that can both affect it and be affected by it. This paper aims to study the empowerment benefits resulted from ERP implementation in industrial companies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper investigated the ERP benefits through survey by defining 31 empowering benefits for this enterprise system based on reviewing the literature and classifying them into four groups of empowering benefits including informative, communicative, growth and learning and strategic benefits. Statistical population of the study is the core specialist and managers of these corporations.

Findings

The results indicated that the communicative, strategic and informative empowering benefits are as important common advantages. Furthermore, the results of computing the regression coefficient represent that the empowering benefits of strategic, informative, communicative and growth and learning had the maximum impact on the firms’ empowering benefits from ERP implementation.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide a general overview of what to expect from ERP with respect to empowerment and based on it, features, modules and innovations that should be present for realizing these expectations can be determined.
Working capital financing and corporate profitability of Indian manufacturing firms
Authors: Panda Ajaya Kumar , Nanda Swagatika
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence about the relationship between working capital financing (WCF) and firm profitability in six key manufacturing sectors of Indian Economy. It also aims to capture the change in the financing of working capital requirement over different scenarios of price-cost margin and financial flexibility.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is undertaken on a sample of 1,211 firms from 6 key manufacturing sectors of Indian economy from 2000 to 2016. The non-linear relationship between WCF and profitability is studied using two-step generalized model of moments (GMM) estimator.

Findings

The study finds a convex relationship between WCF and profitability among firms in chemical, construction, and consumer goods sectors. Firms in these sectors can finance larger portion of their working capital requirements through short-term debt without negatively impacting profitability. However, a concave pattern of relationship for firms in machinery, metal, and textile industries implies increasing debt financing of working capital requirement would increase profitability for the firms who have financed lower portion of their working capital by short-term bank borrowing. But when a higher proportion of working capital requirements are already financed by short-term debt, a further increase in debt financing may impact profitability negatively. Moreover, the study finds that firms with high financial flexibility and high price-cost margin (except textile) can increase profitability by financing larger portion of working capital requirement through short-term debts and the continuation with risky WCF could increase profitability.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on working capital in a number of ways. First, no previous study has been undertaken to explore the non-linear relationship between WCF and corporate profitability over a large sample of firms from six key manufacturing sectors of Indian economy. Second, the study uses a quadratic function to explore the non-linear relationship between WCF and profitability. Third, the study explores the relationship between WCF and profitability with respect to the price-cost margin and financial flexibility of firms under different manufacturing sectors of Indian economy. Finally, the study uses advanced two-step GMM, the panel data techniques to handle unobservable heterogeneity and issues of endogeneity within the data sample.
“‘It is a safe space’: self-harm self-help groups”
Authors: Boyce Melanie , Munn-Giddings Carol , Secker Jenny
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative analysis of the role of self-harm self-help groups from the perspective of group members.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative case study approach guided the research, which involved working with two self-harm self-help groups and all regularly attending members.

Findings

A thematic approach to the analysis of the findings indicates that self-harm self-help groups can provide a safe, non-judgemental space where those who self-harm can meet, listen and talk to others who share similar experiences for reciprocal peer support. Offering a different approach to that experienced in statutory services, the groups reduced members’ isolation and offered opportunities for learning and findings ways to lessen and better manage their self-harm.

Research limitations/implications

This was a small-scale qualitative study, hence it is not possible to generalise the findings to all self-harm self-help groups.

Practical implications

The value of peers supporting one another, as a means of aiding recovery and improving well-being, has gained credence in recent years, but remains limited for those who self-harm. The findings from this research highlight the value of self-help groups in providing opportunities for peer support and the facilitative role practitioners can play in the development of self-harm self-help groups.

Originality/value

Self-harm self-help groups remain an underexplored area, despite such groups being identified as a valuable source of support by its members. This research provides empirical evidence, at an individual and group level, into the unique role of self-harm self-help groups.
Revisiting upcycling phenomena: a concept in clothing industry
Authors: Paras Manoj Kumar , Curteza Antonela
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to review the literature and practice of upcycling. In particular, the objective of this study is threefold: to comprehend the concept of upcycling and, subsequently, understanding the prominent terminologies used in the literature; to understand the process of upcycling and problem associated with it; and to review current literature and practice of upcycling for clothes.

Design/methodology/approach

A scientific literature review procedure proposed by Mayring (2002) was adopted to select and screen the paper that comprises the following steps: material collection, descriptive analysis and material evaluation.

Findings

Upcycling literature has witnessed significant contribution in the past one decade. The paper has identified various terminologies and definitions such as recycling, down-cycling, upcycling and redesign, which are used in the literature.

Research limitations/implications

The present study may help the scholars to understand the current state of literature. A practitioner of upcycling can use the findings to improve and standardise the existing process.

Originality/value

The process of redesigning is one of the important steps in upcycling, which comprises ideation, reconstruction and fitting. The limitation of redesigning is variability in size and pattern. This can be overcome through various techniques such as craftsmanship, time, innovation, provenance, desire and narrative.
Extraction and characterization of Ethiopian palm leaf fibers
Authors: Atalie Desalegn , Gideon Rotich K.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aims at extracting and characterizing palm leaf fibers from Elaeis guineensis species of palm trees found in Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

The fibers were extracted using three methods: manually, through water retting and chemically with sodium hydroxide. Physical parameters of the extracted fibers were evaluated, including tensile strength, fiber fineness, moisture content, degradation point and functional groups. Its cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contents were also analyzed.

Findings

The results showed that the palm leaf fibers have a comparable fiber strength (170-450 MPa), elongation (0.95-1.25 per cent), fiber length (230-500 mm) and moisture regain (8-10 per cent) to jute, sisal and flax and thus can be used for technical textile application.

Originality/value

The fibers extracted using the water retting method had better properties than the other extraction methods. Its fiber length of 307 mm, cellulose content of 58 per cent, strength of 439 MPa and elongation of 1.24 per cent were the highest for all the extracted fibers. When compared with other fibers, palm leaf fiber properties such as tensile strength (439 MPa), elongation (1.24 per cent), moisture content (7.9-10.4 per cent and degradation point (360-380°C) were consistent with those of jute, sisal and ramie fibers. Hence, palm leaf fibers can be used for technical textile applications such as composite reinforcement.
A stakeholders’ perspective on barriers to adopt sustainable practices in MSME supply chain
Authors: Panigrahi Swayam Sampurna , Rao Nune Srinivasa
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Enterprises face the wrath of the government for taking part in environmental conservation and adoption of sustainable initiatives along with customer demands. Therefore, enterprises are forced to adopt sustainable supply chain practices (SSCPs), which leads to competitive advantage. Now, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is a management process that promotes the adoption of eco-friendly activities in conventional supply chains (SCs). Enterprises in India are under tremendous pressure to include SSCPs into their conventional SCs. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the barriers for the implementation of SSCPs into Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to identify critical barriers for adoption of SSCPs in the textile MSME SCs located in Eastern India, Odisha with the help of interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

Findings

The paper develops a framework for the evaluation of barriers to the adoption of SSCP in the textile SC. This paper also provides appropriate suggestive measures to deal with the barriers and overcome the same to attain a sustainable textile SC.

Research limitations/implications

Opportunities exist for extension of this research on wider geographical area. In addition to this, some other quantitative modeling approaches can be applied, like analytical hierarchy process, to prioritize the barriers.

Practical implications

The framework offers help to SC managers in their decision-making process by enabling them to analyze the barriers and ways to overcome them.

Originality/value

The paper deals with a particular geographical area where such kinds of studies are rare. The proposed framework provides a foundation for further research.
Differential functional finishes for textiles using graphene oxide
Authors: Chakraborty J.N. , Mohapatra Manas Ranjan , Kumar Jatin
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Graphene, which has abundant availability in nature, is currently under research for its functional applications in the field of textiles. The sp2 Hybridized 1-atom-thick planar sheet has been under consideration for its unique electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, but there exists a void for aggregated data on the findings of other co-functional properties attained by the material using graphene oxide (GO) finish. This paper aims to define the techniques of extraction of GO, method of its application on textile material followed by detailed evaluation of the differential functional properties achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used to explain the multiple functionalities of GO finish have been carried out by starting with the chemistry of graphene and the isolation of GO from graphite, followed by the techniques for its application on the textile along with the study on the induced functional properties that may aid to increase its potential applications.

Findings

It has been observed that with the aid of optimization of GO finish, the finish in lieu with the conductive potentialities may further provide with many essential properties such as hydrophobicity, ultraviolet protection and antibacterial property.

Originality/value

The field of research on GO finish is naive and except few properties, many functionalities are still unexplored that may enable its smooth production, handling and expanding its area of application. The agglomeration of scattered findings on the achievable functional properties of GO on various textiles has been achieved in this paper.
Political Partisanship and Welfare Service Privatization: Ideological Attitudes among Local Politicians in Sweden
Authors: Lindh Arvid , Johansson Sevä Ingemar
Published: January 2018

This article ties in with a growing international literature examining the link between party politics and welfare service privatization in modern welfare states. In recent decades, a central aspect of policy change in Sweden is that private actors have come to produce publicly financed welfare services on a more regular basis. This overall privatization trend is furthermore characterized by substantial geographical variation across Sweden's 290 municipalities. The ideological attitudes of local politicians have been recognized as particularly important for understanding this development. This article examines the extent to which local politicians’ ideological attitudes regarding welfare service privatization are best explained with a partisan approach emphasizing between‐party polarization as opposed to a critical perspective that points to the proclaimed significance of ideological consensus between left and right parties in certain municipal contexts. Using multilevel modelling and survey data collected from elected politicians in municipal governments, the empirical findings show substantial differences in attitudes between Conservatives and Social Democrats, irrespective of municipal characteristics – most notably the degree of welfare service privatization. Hence, the results strongly indicate that the partisan approach is much more fruitful compared to the consensus approach as a general explanation for local politicians’ attitudes towards welfare service privatization in Sweden. Accordingly, a conclusion is that comparisons at the subnational level within countries are important as a complement to country‐comparative studies when attempting to understand the link between political partisanship and welfare service privatization in modern welfare states.
Evaluation of the Present‐on‐Admission Indicator among Hospitalized Fee‐for‐Service Medicare Patients with a Pressure Ulcer Diagnosis: Coding Patterns and Impact on Hospital‐Acquired Pressure Ulcer Rates
Authors: Squitieri Lee , Waxman Daniel A. , Mangione Carol M. , Saliba Debra , Ko Clifford Y. , Needleman Jack , Ganz David A.
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To evaluate national present‐on‐admission (POA) reporting for hospital‐acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) and examine the impact of quality measure exclusion criteria on HAPU rates.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Medicare inpatient, outpatient, and nursing facility data as well as independent provider claims (2010–2011).

Study Design

Retrospective cross‐sectional study.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We evaluated acute inpatient hospital admissions among Medicare fee‐for‐service (FFS) beneficiaries in 2011. Admissions were categorized as follows: (1) no pressure ulcer diagnosis, (2) new pressure ulcer diagnosis, and (3) previously documented pressure ulcer diagnosis. HAPU rates were calculated by varying patient exclusion criteria.

Principal Findings

Among admissions with a pressure ulcer diagnosis, we observed a large discrepancy in the proportion of admissions with a HAPU based on hospital‐reported POA data (5.2 percent) and the proportion with a new pressure ulcer diagnosis based on patient history in billing claims (49.7 percent). Applying quality measure exclusion criteria resulted in removal of 91.2 percent of admissions with a pressure injury diagnosis from HAPU rate calculations.

Conclusions

As payers and health care organizations expand the use of quality measures, it is important to consider how the measures are implemented, coding revisions to improve measure validity, and the impact of patient exclusion criteria on provider performance evaluation.
The King in Trinkets: Madeleine de Scudéry's Conversations and the Downsizing of Absolutism
Authors: Hogg Chloé
Published: January 2018

This article studies the discourse and material culture of absolutism in two conversations from Madeleine de Scudéry's Conversations nouvelles sur divers sujets (1684). Read together and against each other, ‘De la magnificence et de la magnanimité’ and ‘De l'ennui sans sujet’ present the transition from an economy of representation and display that elicits awe and admiration to an exchange of goods that promises personal satisfactions and pleasures. I argue that Scudéry effects a literary and material ‘downsizing’ of absolutism in her description of a court entertainment at Marly that combined gambling with the pleasures of consumption.
IS THE CREDIT WORTH IT? FOR‐PROFIT LENDERS IN MICROFINANCE WITH RATIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL BORROWERS
Authors: DE QUIDT Jonathan , GHATAK Maitreesh
Published: January 2018

The bulk of the literature on microcredit has focused on either not‐for‐profit lenders or assumes a perfectly competitive, zero‐profit market equilibrium. Yet the market has experienced a significant shift toward for‐profit lending and the assumptions of perfect competition are likely to be too strong in many locations. We review the state of the literature on for‐profit lending in microcredit, consider its implications for both conventionally ‘rational’ borrowers and for borrowers with behavioral biases, and point out directions for future research.
Rasagiline delays retinal degeneration in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa via modulation of Bax/Bcl‐2 expression
Authors: Garcia‐Delgado Ana B. , Valdés‐Sánchez Lourdes , Calado Sofia M. , Diaz‐Corrales Francisco J. , Bhattacharya Shom S.
Published: January 2018

Aims

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited disease characterized by a progressive degeneration of rod photoreceptors. An imbalance between pro‐ and antiapoptotic factors, such as Bax/Bcl‐2, has been involved in retinal degeneration. To date, no cure or effective treatments are available for RP. Rasagiline is an antiparkinsonian drug that has shown neuroprotective effects in part attributed to a modulation of Bax/Bcl‐2 expression. In this study, we have evaluated the use of rasagiline as a potential treatment for RP.

Methods

Newborn rd10 mice, a RP model, were treated with oral rasagiline during 30 days followed by a functional and morphological characterization of their mouse retinas.

Results

Treated animals showed a significant improvement in visual acuity and in the electrical responses of photoreceptors to light stimuli. Rasagiline delayed photoreceptor degeneration, which was confirmed not only by a high photoreceptor nuclei counting, but also by a sustained expression of photoreceptor‐specific markers. In addition, the expression of proapoptotic Bax decreased, whereas the antiapoptotic factor Bcl‐2 increased after rasagiline treatment.

Conclusion

This study provides new evidences regarding the neuroprotective effect of rasagiline in the retina, and it brings new insight into the development of future clinical trials using this well‐established antiparkinsonian drug to treat RP.
Young children's non‐numerical ordering ability at the start of formal education longitudinally predicts their symbolic number skills and academic achievement in maths
Authors: O'Connor Patrick A. , Morsanyi Kinga , McCormack Teresa
Published: January 2018

Ordinality is a fundamental feature of numbers and recent studies have highlighted the role that number ordering abilities play in mathematical development (e.g., Lyons et al., ), as well as mature mathematical performance (e.g., Lyons & Beilock, ). The current study tested the novel hypothesis that non‐numerical ordering ability, as measured by the ordering of familiar sequences of events, also plays an important role in maths development. Ninety children were tested in their first school year and 87 were followed up at the end of their second school year, to test the hypothesis that ordinal processing, including the ordering of non‐numerical materials, would be related to their maths skills both cross‐sectionally and longitudinally. The results confirmed this hypothesis. Ordinal processing measures were significantly related to maths both cross‐sectionally and longitudinally, and children's non‐numerical ordering ability in their first year of school (as measured by order judgements for everyday events and the parents’ report of their child's everyday ordering ability) was the strongest longitudinal predictor of maths one year later, when compared to several measures that are traditionally considered to be important predictors of early maths development. Children's everyday ordering ability, as reported by parents, also significantly predicted growth in formal maths ability between Year 1 and Year 2, although this was not the case for the event ordering task. The present study provides strong evidence that domain‐general ordering abilities play an important role in the development of children's maths skills at the beginning of formal education.
Aerobic exercise in depressed youth: A feasibility and clinical outcomes pilot
Authors: Jaworska Natalia , Courtright Allegra K. , De Somma Elisea , MacQueen Glenda M. , MacMaster Frank P.
Published: January 2018

Aim

Major depressive disorder (MDD) onset generally occurs in adolescence/early adulthood. However, pharmacotherapy use in younger populations is restricted due to black box warnings. Aerobic exercise may be a viable treatment option for mild‐to‐moderate MDD, but little is known about its acceptability/effectiveness in young adults.

Methods

Unmedicated and relatively inactive 18‐to‐24 olds with MDD completed fitness/clinical assessments at baseline and after 12 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise (3×/wk; 30‐minute sessions in target heart rate [HR] zone), with the aim of increasing cardiovascular fitness (VO2max‐indexed).

Results

Post‐intervention, predicted VO2max increased, whereas depression scores decreased. A correlation existed between time spent in target HR zone and anxiety symptom decreases. Exercise adherence and satisfaction were high, and drop‐out was minimal.

Conclusions

This pilot is among the first to assess the feasibility of aerobic exercise as an antidepressant treatment strategy in young adults, a group for which options have limited acceptability.
Phenology and time series trends of the dominant seasonal phytoplankton bloom across global scales
Authors: Friedland Kevin D. , Mouw Colleen B. , Asch Rebecca G. , Ferreira A. Sofia A. , Henson Stephanie , Hyde Kimberly J. W. , Morse Ryan E. , Thomas Andrew C. , Brady Damian C.
Published: January 2018

Aim

This study examined phytoplankton blooms on a global scale, with the intention of describing patterns of bloom timing and size, the effect of bloom timing on the size of blooms, and time series trends in bloom characteristics.

Location

Global.

Methods

We used a change‐point statistics algorithm to detect phytoplankton blooms in time series (1998–2015) of chlorophyll concentration data over a global grid. At each study location, the bloom statistics for the dominant bloom, based on the search time period that resulted in the most blooms detected, were used to describe the spatial distribution of bloom characteristics over the globe. Time series of bloom characteristics were also subjected to trend analysis to describe regional and global changes in bloom timing and size.

Results

The characteristics of the dominant bloom were found to vary with latitude and in localized patterns associated with specific oceanographic features. Bloom timing had the most profound effect on bloom duration, with early blooms tending to last longer than later‐starting blooms. Time series of bloom timing and duration were trended, suggesting that blooms have been starting earlier and lasting longer, respectively, on a global scale. Blooms have also increased in size at high latitudes and decreased in equatorial areas based on multiple size metrics.

Main conclusions

Phytoplankton blooms have changed on both regional and global scales, which has ramifications for the function of food webs providing ecosystem services. A tendency for blooms to start earlier and last longer will have an impact on energy flow pathways in ecosystems, differentially favouring the productivity of different species groups. These changes may also affect the sequestration of carbon in ocean ecosystems. A shift to earlier bloom timing is consistent with the expected effect of warming ocean climate conditions observed in recent decades.
Risk of psychological distress in partners with functional disability among older Japanese adults
Authors: Sone Toshimasa , Nakaya Naoki , Tomata Yasutake , Tsuji Ichiro
Published: January 2018

Aim

The present cross‐sectional study aimed to evaluate the association of psychological distress with a partner's disability in an older Japanese population, as well as the effect modification of social support on this association.

Methods

The baseline survey was carried out between 1 December and 15 December 2006, and included 6809 participants from whom we collected data regarding functional disability and psychological distress. We defined functional disability as certification for long‐term care insurance in Japan, and psychological distress as a Kessler 6 score of ≥10 out of 24. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for increased psychological distress according to the categories of functional disability among partners. Stratified analyses were also carried out to investigate whether social support significantly affected the association between a partner's functional disability and psychological distress.

Results

The multiple‐adjusted OR for psychological distress was 1.48 (95% CI 1.06–2.04) among participants whose partners had functional disabilities (vs those whose partners did not have functional disabilities). In the social support‐stratified analysis, a significant association with psychological distress was observed among participants lacking social support for help with their daily housework (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.23–4.83), but not among those with social support (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.79–1.72); P for interaction = 0.03).

Conclusions

A partner with functional disability conferred a significantly higher risk of psychological distress on older Japanese individuals, and this association was modified by social support. We conclude that social support might buffer psychological distress in this population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 775–782
Life‐Space Assessment questionnaire: Novel measurement properties for Brazilian community‐dwelling older adults
Authors: Simões Maria do Socorro MP , Garcia Isabel FF , Costa Lucíola da CM , Lunardi Adriana C
Published: January 2018

Aim

The Life‐Space Assessment (LSA) assesses mobility from the spaces that older adults go, and how often and how independent they move. Despite its increased use, LSA measurement properties remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyze the content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability of the LSA for Brazilian community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

In this clinimetric study we analyzed the measurement properties (content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability) of the LSA administered to 80 Brazilian community‐dwelling older adults. Reliability was analyzed by Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency), intraclass correlation coefficients and 95% confidence interval (reproducibility), and standard error of measurement (measurement error). Construct validity was analyzed by Pearson's correlations between the LSA and accelerometry (time in inactivity and moderate‐to‐vigorous activities), and interpretability was analyzed by determination of the minimal detectable change, and floor and ceiling effects.

Results

The LSA met the criteria for content validity. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.92, intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.95–0.98) and standard error of measurement was 4.12. The LSA showed convergence with accelerometry (negative correlation with time in inactivity and positive correlation with time in moderate to vigorous activities), the minimal detectable change was 0.36 and we observed no floor or ceiling effects.

Conclusions

The LSA showed adequate reliability, validity and interpretability for life‐space mobility assessment of Brazilian community‐dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 783–789
Association between objectively measured chewing ability and frailty: A cross‐sectional study in central Thailand
Authors: Iwasaki Masanori , Kimura Yumi , Sasiwongsaroj Kwanchit , Kettratad‐Pruksapong Matana , Suksudaj Sutee , Ishimoto Yasuko , Chang Nai‐Yuan , Sakamoto Ryota , Matsubayashi Kozo , Songpaisan Yupin , Miyazaki Hideo
Published: January 2018

Aim

Limited data are available on the association between oral function and frailty, especially in developing countries. Additionally, the association between objectively assessed chewing function and frailty has not been well studied. The present cross‐sectional study tested the hypothesis that objectively measured poor chewing ability is associated with frailty in community‐dwelling older Thai adults.

Methods

The study population comprised 141 people in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand (median age 72 years). Demographic and clinical data were collected at a community center. Participants were asked to chew a gum designed for assessing chewing ability. The differences in gum color before and after chewing (ΔE*ab) were calculated and used as the exposure variable, where a lower ΔE*ab indicates lower chewing ability. Frailty phenotypes were defined by weakness, slowness, weight loss, low physical activity level and exhaustion components, and used as the outcome variable. Participants with three or more components were considered frail, and those with one or two components were considered pre‐frail. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association of objective chewing ability with frailty.

Results

Of the 141 participants, 32 (22.7%) were categorized as frail and 78 (55.3%) as pre‐frail. In the analysis adjusted for demographic and health characteristics, the adjusted odds ratio of the presence and severity of frailty was significantly higher in participants with lower ΔE*ab (adjusted odds ratio for one decrease in ΔE*ab 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.10, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Objectively measured chewing ability was significantly associated with frailty in community‐dwelling older Thai adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 860–866
Leptin regulates disc cartilage endplate degeneration and ossification through activation of the MAPK‐ERK signalling pathway in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Han Ying‐Chao , Ma Bin , Guo Song , Yang Mingjie , Li Li‐Jun , Wang Shan‐Jin , Tan Jun
Published: January 2018

Recent findings demonstrate that leptin plays a significant role in chondrocyte and osteoblast differentiation. However, the mechanisms by which leptin acts on cartilage endplate (CEP) cells to give rise to calcification are still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of leptin that induced mineralization of CEP cells in vitro and in vivo. We constructed a rat model of lumbar disc degeneration and determined that leptin was highly expressed in the presence of CEP calcification. Rat CEP cells treated with or without leptin were used for in vitro analysis using RT‐PCR and Western blotting to examine the expression of osteocalcin (OCN) and runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). Both OCN and Runx2 expression levels were significantly increased in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Leptin activated ERK1/2 and STAT3 phosphorylation in a time‐dependent manner. Inhibition of phosphorylated ERK1/2 using targeted siRNA suppressed leptin‐induced OCN and Runx2 expression and blocked the formation of mineralized nodules in CEP cells. We further demonstrated that exogenous leptin induced matrix mineralization of CEP cells in vivo. We suggest that leptin promotes the osteoblastic differentiation of CEP cells via the MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathway and may be used to investigate the mechanisms of disc degeneration.
LysoTracker and MitoTracker Red are transport substrates of P‐glycoprotein: implications for anticancer drug design evading multidrug resistance
Authors: Zhitomirsky Benny , Farber Hodaya , Assaraf Yehuda G.
Published: January 2018

LysoTracker and MitoTracker Red are fluorescent probes widely used for viable cell staining of lysosomes and mitochondria, respectively. They are utilized to study organelle localization and their resident proteins, assess organelle functionality and quantification of organelle numbers. The ATP‐driven efflux transporter P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) is expressed in normal and malignant tissues and extrudes structurally distinct endogenous and exogenous cytotoxic compounds. Thus, once aromatic hydrophobic compounds such as the above‐mentioned fluorescent probes are recognized as transport substrates, efflux pumps including P‐gp may abolish their ability to reach their cellular target organelles. Herein, we show that LysoTracker and MitoTracker Red are expelled from P‐gp‐overexpressing cancer cells, thus hindering their ability to fluorescently mark target organelles. We further demonstrate that tariquidar, a potent P‐gp transport inhibitor, restores LysoTracker and MitoTracker Red cell entry. We conclude that LysoTracker and MitoTracker Red are P‐gp transport substrates, and therefore, P‐gp expression must be taken into consideration prior to cellular applications using these probes. Importantly, as MitoTracker was a superior P‐gp substrate than LysoTracker Red, we discuss the implications for the future design of chemotherapeutics evading cancer multidrug resistance. Furthermore, restoration of MitoTracker Red fluorescence in P‐gp‐overexpressing cells may facilitate the identification of potent P‐gp transport inhibitors (i.e. chemosensitizers).
Modified methylated DNA immunoprecipitation protocol for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome
Authors: Karami Fatemeh , Noori‐Daloii Mohammad R. , Omidfar Kobra , Tabrizi Mina , Hantooshzadeh Seddigheh , Aleyasin Ashraf , Daneshpour Maryam , Modarressi Mohammad H.
Published: January 2018

Aim

Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MeDIP‐real‐time qPCR) has been introduced as noninvasive prenatal test that has shown absolute detection rate in the screening of Down syndrome. Herein, we aimed to propose a novel modification of MeDIP‐qPCR and assess its potential to alleviate the overall cost of the test, being used in very early weeks of pregnancy, and develop it to a noninvasive prenatal diagnosis biosensor in future researches.

Methods

Cell‐free fetal DNA (cffDNA) isolated from 60 pregnant women, including 29 normal and 31 trisomy 21 pregnancies, were analyzed using proposed MeDIP protocol. Enriched methylated DNA sequences were amplified through real‐time qPCR using eight fetal‐specific primer pairs. The status of samples was determined through the calculation of D‐value with the cutoff point of zero.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of the MeDIP protocols using nanoparticles were 100% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusion

Remarkable decrease in the price of MeDIP test per each patient would be a reasonable factor to confirm it on larger sample size. Moreover, the high detection rate of screening and the availability of the required instruments around the world make satisfactory reasons to be tested in earlier weeks of pregnancy, thanks to the high sensitivity of gold shell nanoparticles.
Ultrasound guidance versus anatomical landmark approach for femoral artery access in coronary angiography: A randomized controlled trial and a meta‐analysis
Authors: Marquis‐Gravel Guillaume , Tremblay‐Gravel Maxime , Lévesque Jonathan , Généreux Philippe , Schampaert Erick , Palisaitis Donald , Doucet Michel , Charron Thierry , Terriault Paul , Tessier Pierre
Published: January 2018

Objectives

The objective was to assess the effect of ultrasound (US)‐guidance compared to the anatomical landmark (AL) approach in patients requiring femoral artery (FA) access for coronary angiography/percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

Background

US‐guidance has been proposed as a strategy to optimize FA access, potentially leading to decreased vascular complications.

Methods

Patients requiring FA access for coronary angiography/PCI were randomized to the US‐guided or AL approaches. The primary endpoint was a composite of immediate procedural vascular outcomes, and access‐site outcomes at day one. Results were subsequently pooled in a study‐level meta‐analysis of randomized trials comparing US‐guided FA access to another strategy.

Results

A total of 129 patients were randomized (64 US‐guided group; 65 AL group). The primary endpoint occurred in 30 patients (47%) with US, and in 39 patients (62%) with AL (P = 0.09). Four additional studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta‐analysis (1553 patients). Following data pooling, bleeding events (OR = 0.41; 95%CI 0.20‐0.83; P = 0.01), venipunctures (OR = 0.18; 95%CI: 0.11‐0.29; P < 0.0001), and multiple puncture attempts (OR = 0.24; 95%CI: 0.19‐0.31; P < 0.0001) were significantly improved with US‐guidance, but not successful common FA cannulation (OR = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.60‐1.17; P = 0.29).

Conclusion

Our study did not show significant benefits for the use of US to guide arterial femoral access compared to the anatomical landmark approach, but pooled analysis of five randomized trials showed decreased rates of bleeding events and venipunctures, and improved first‐pass success. The clinical impact of these findings is uncertain, and do not warrant a systematic use of US‐guidance in this clinical setting.
A Review of Global Literature on Using Administrative Data to Estimate Prevalence of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Friedman Daniel J. , Gibson Parrish R. , Fox Michael H.
Published: January 2018

As understanding of health deficits among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) increases, concerns grow about how to develop comprehensive, sustainable surveillance systems to reliably monitor the health of this population over time. This study reviews literature from 12 countries in which retrospective administrative data have been used to estimate population‐based prevalence of IDD, identifies promising practices in that literature, and discusses the feasibility of applying those promising practices to other countries. Administrative data sources can be used to identify the number of people with IDD (numerators) in the presence of population estimates from which people with IDD are drawn (denominators) for discrete geographic locations. Case ascertainment methods, age groupings, data years captured, and other methods vary, contributing to a wide variation in prevalence rates. Six methods are identified from five countries that appear to offer the greatest likelihood of expanded applications. Approaches in which administrative data collections are linked with other population‐based data sources appear promising as a means of estimating the size and characteristics of populations living with IDD in defined geographic locations. They offer the potential for sustainability, timeliness, accuracy, and efficiency.
The Nature of Nature: Concerning the Efficacy of Natural Law Reasoning
Authors: Gourlay Thomas V
Published: January 2018

Recourse to natural law reasoning has long been a part of how Catholics and Christians engage in debates about issues of public and private morality with people and communities of people who do not share the Catholic/Christian faith. But with the rise of modernity, the scientific revolution, and the relative success of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, many Catholics have begun to question traditional natural law reasoning. Some, including theorists like Germain Grisez, and John Finnis have sought to modify traditional natural law reasoning and continue to employ it within debates concerning public and private ethics, while others, acknowledging the radically altered conception of nature that followed the scientific revolution have thought to look for alternative modes of engagement. The following paper will seek to develop an argument against proponents of this altered version of natural law theory, what has come to be called New Natural Law theory, on the basis of the altered understanding of nature in the contemporary West, and the New Natural Law propensity to sideline the question of nature itself. The paper will then go on to advocate for an alternative and more confessional mode of engagement in public debate.
The impact of health and health insurance literacy on access to care for Hispanic/Latino communities
Authors: Edward Jean , Morris Sarah , Mataoui Fatma , Granberry Phillip , Williams Mark V. , Torres Idali
Published: January 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of health literacy (HL) and health insurance literacy (HIL) on health insurance status and access to health care services for Spanish‐speaking communities living in Massachusetts.

Methods

A total of 139 surveys (descriptive, knowledge‐based HIL questions, and Short Assessment of Health Literacy in Spanish) and 30 semi‐structured interviews were collected and analyzed using chi‐square, Mann‐Whitney U test, and logistic regression analysis.

Results

The majority of participants had inadequate HL (56%) and HIL (93%). There were differences in HL scores (t = 4.1; p < .0001) between the insured (M = 12.3, SD = 5.7) and uninsured (M = 7.9, SD = 6.7) and differences (t = 1.9; p = .05) between those with adequate HIL (M = 14.3, SD = 4.3) and inadequate HIL (M = 10.2, SD = 6.6). Participants who were uninsured (MW U = 37.6; p < .0001) and who had inadequate HL (MW U = 5.2; p = .02) were more likely to have never accessed health care in the U.S. Participants who had never accessed health care were 93% less likely to be insured and those with adequate HL were three times more likely to be insured.

Conclusions

Health literacy and HIL are closely associated with insurance status and access to health care for Spanish‐speaking communities, indicating the need for further research and enhanced public health efforts to improve knowledge and awareness around navigating health care systems.