bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lyapunov graphs of nonsingular Smale flows on 𝑆¹×𝑆²
Authors: Yu Bin
Published: August 2012

In this paper, following J. Franks’ work on Lyapunov graphs of nonsingular Smale flows on

S
3

S^3

, we study Lyapunov graphs of nonsingular Smale flows on

S
1

×

S
2

S^1 \times S^2

. More precisely, we determine necessary and sufficient conditions on an abstract Lyapunov graph to be associated with a nonsingular Smale flow on

S
1

×

S
2

S^1 \times S^2

. We also study the singular type vertices in Lyapunov graphs of nonsingular Smale flows on 3-manifolds.
The geometry of the disk complex
Authors: Masur Howard , Schleimer Saul
Published: August 2012

We give a distance estimate for the disk complex. We use the distance estimate to prove that the disk complex is Gromov hyperbolic. As another application of our techniques, we find an algorithm which computes the Hempel distance of a Heegaard splitting, up to an error depending only on the genus.
First Report of Botryosphaeria dothidea Causing Canker and Dieback Disease of Helwingia chinensis in China
Authors: Yu L. , Wang L. F. , Zhao J. R. , Xu S. G. , Gao D. , Zheng J. F.
Published: August 2012

Helwingia chinensis Batal is distributed in the western and southern regions of China. The aerial part of this plant has long been used to treat dysentery, hematochezia, and swelling. An outbreak of cankers and dieback was observed for the first time on H. chinensis in China during June of 2010. Disease symptoms included dieback of shoots and branches, lesions, and canker formation on the stems. In order to identify the causal agent(s) of this canker disease, samples composed of inner bark and woody tissues were collected from the junction of healthy and diseased tissues of declining trees from Kunming and Wenshan districts of China during July to October of 2010. Pieces of surface-sterilized tissue samples were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 26°C. Fungal colonies developed copious, white, aerial mycelium that became dark green with age. Pycnidia started to develop after 20 days. Macroconidia, which were 20 to 29 × 4 to 6 μm, were hyaline, aseptate, and fusiform. No fungus was isolated from water-inoculated tissues of control plants and healthy trees. Identity was confirmed by analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) with primers ITS1 and ITS4. BLAST searches showed 99% identity with Botryosphaeria dothidea isolates from GenBank (Accession Nos. HQ660454 and FJ790846). Representative sequences of B. dothidea from H. chinensis from China have been deposited in GenBank (Accession No. JQ766122). On the basis of morphological and molecular results, the fungus isolated from diseased H. chinensis was confirmed to be B. dothidea. Pathogenicity tests were conducted by stem inoculation of 1-year-old H. chinensis seedlings. Mycelial plugs (3 to 4 mm in diameter) of B. dothidea from actively growing colonies were applied to same-sized bark wounds on the middle point of the stems. Control seedlings were inoculated with sterile PDA plugs. Inoculated and control seedlings (three each) were kept in a greenhouse and watered as needed. After 4 weeks, all H. chinensis seedlings developed vascular tissue discoloration and leaf wilting; no such symptoms were manifested by seedlings in the control treatment. B. dothidea was reisolated from all B. dothidea-inoculated, symptomatic tissues, fulfilling Koch's postulates. In China, B. dothidea has previously been reported to cause canker and dieback disease of Eucalyptus grandis (2) and gummosis of peach (1); however, to our knowledge, this is the first report of B. dothidea causing canker and dieback on H. chinensis.

References: (1) Y. Ko et al. Plant Pathol. Bull. 1:70, 1992. (2) L. Yu et al. Plant Dis. 93:764, 2009.
Small Subunit Ribosomal DNA-Based Phylogenetic Analysis of Foliar Nematodes (Aphelenchoidesspp.) and Their Quantitative Detection in Complex DNA Backgrounds
Authors: Rybarczyk-Mydłowska Katarzyna , Mooyman Paul , van Megen Hanny , van den Elsen Sven , Vervoort Mariëtte , Veenhuizen Peter , van Doorn Joop , Dees Robert , Karssen Gerrit , Bakker Jaap , Helder Johannes
Published: August 2012

Foliar nematodes, plant-parasitic representatives of the genus Aphelenchoides, constitute a minority in a group dominated by fungivorous species. Distinction between (mostly harmless) fungal feeding Aphelenchoides species and high impact plant parasites such as A. besseyi, A. fragariae, A. ritzemabosi, and A. subtenuis is severely hampered by the scarcity of informative morphological characters, some of which are only observable in specific developmental stages. Poor description of a number of non-plant-parasitic Aphelenchoides species further complicates identification. Based on (nearly) full-length small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences (≈1,700 bp), a phylogenetic tree was generated, and the four target species appeared as distinct, well-supported groups. Notably, this genus does not constitute a monophyletic group: A. besseyi and A. ritzemabosi cluster together and they are phylogenetically isolated from A. fragariae, A. subtenuis, and most other fungivorous species. A phylum-wide SSU rDNA framework was used to identify species-specific DNA motifs. For the molecular detection of four plant-parasitic Aphelenchoides species, polymerase chain reaction primers were developed with high, identical annealing temperatures (63°C). Within the molecular framework presented here, these primers can be used for the rapid screening of plant material and soil for the presence of one or multiple foliar nematode species.
Point-of-Care Testing
Authors: Weber Christian Friedrich , Görlinger Klaus , Meininger Dirk , Herrmann Eva , Bingold Tobias , Moritz Anton , Cohn Lawrence H. , Zacharowski Kai
Published: August 2012

Introduction

The current investigation aimed to study the efficacy of hemostatic therapy guided either by conventional coagulation analyses or point-of-care (POC) testing in coagulopathic cardiac surgery patients.

Methods

Patients undergoing complex cardiac surgery were assessed for eligibility. Those patients in whom diffuse bleeding was diagnosed after heparin reversal or increased blood loss during the first 24 postoperative hours were enrolled and randomized to the conventional or POC group. Thromboelastometry and whole blood impedance aggregometry have been performed in the POC group. The primary outcome variable was the number of transfused units of packed erythrocytes during the first 24 h after inclusion. Secondary outcome variables included postoperative blood loss, use and costs of hemostatic therapy, and clinical outcome parameters. Sample size analysis revealed a sample size of at least 100 patients per group.

Results

There were 152 patients who were screened for eligibility and 100 patients were enrolled in the study. After randomization of 50 patients to each group, a planned interim analysis revealed a significant difference in erythrocyte transfusion rate in the conventional compared with the POC group [5 (4;9) versus 3 (2;6) units [median (25 and 75 percentile)], P<0.001]. The study was terminated early. The secondary outcome parameters of fresh frozen plasma and platelet transfusion rates, postoperative mechanical ventilation time, length of intensive care unit stay, composite adverse events rate, costs of hemostatic therapy, and 6-month mortality were lower in the POC group.

Conclusions

Hemostatic therapy based on POC testing reduced patient exposure to allogenic blood products and provided significant benefits with respect to clinical outcomes.
Sensation of Abdominal Pain Induced by Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Is Accompanied by Changes in the Expression of Substance P and μ-Opioid Receptors in the Spinal Cord of Mice
Authors: Suzuki Masami , Narita Minoru , Hasegawa Minami , Furuta Sadayoshi , Kawamata Tomoyuki , Ashikawa Maho , Miyano Kanako , Yanagihara Kazuyoshi , Chiwaki Fumiko , Ochiya Takahiro , Suzuki Tsutomu , Matoba Motohiro , Sasaki Hiroki , Uezono Yasuhito
Published: August 2012

Background

Patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis often report abdominal pain, which is relatively refractory to morphine. It has been considered that a new animal model is required to investigate the mechanism of abdominal pain for the development of optimal treatments for this type of pain.

Methods

To prepare a peritoneal carcinomatosis model, highly peritoneal-seeding gastric cancer cells, 60As6, were implanted into the abdominal cavity. The nociceptive modality for pain-related behavior was assessed in terms of withdrawal behavior in response to mechanical stimuli and hunching behavior. Tissue samples from mouse dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord were subject to immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Mice with peritoneal dissemination showed significant hypersensitivity of the abdomen to mechanical stimulation and spontaneous visceral pain-related behavior. There was a significant increase in c-Fos-positive cells in the spinal cord in tumor-bearing mice. Those mice exhibited a remarkable increase in substance P-positive neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (control vs. tumor, 15.4 ± 1.1 vs. 24.2 ± 3.6, P < 0.05, n = 3). A significant decreases in μ-opioid receptor expression mainly in substance P-positive neurons was observed in tumor-bearing mice (69.3 ± 4.9 vs. 38.7 ± 0.9, P < 0.05, n = 3), and a relatively higher dose of morphine was required to significantly reverse the abdominal hypersensitivity.

Conclusion

Both the up-regulation of substance P and down-regulation of μ-opioid receptor seen in the dorsal root ganglia may be, at least in part, responsible for the abdominal pain-like state associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis.
Quantitative Changes in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Induced by Cold, Heat and Ischemic Pain
Authors: Frölich Michael A. , Deshpande Hrishikesh , Ness Timothy , Deutsch Georg
Published: August 2012

Background

The development of arterial spin labeling methods has allowed measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) quantitatively and to show the pattern of cerebral activity associated with any state such as a sustained pain state or changes due to a neurotropic drug.

Methods

The authors studied the differential effects of three pain conditions in 10 healthy subjects on a 3 Tesla scanner during resting baseline, heat, cold, and ischemic pain using continuous arterial spin labeling.

Results

Cold pain showed the greatest absolute rCBF increases in left anterior cingulate cortex, left amygdala, left angular gyrus, and Brodmann area 6, and a significant rCBF decrease in the cerebellum. Changes in rCBF were characteristic of the type of pain condition: cold and heat pain showed increases, whereas the ischemic condition showed a reduction in mean absolute gray matter flow compared with rest. An association of subjects' pain tolerance and cerebral blood flow was noted.

Conclusions

The observation that quantitative rCBF changes are characteristic of the pain task used and that there is a consistent rCBF change in Brodman area 6, an area responsible for the integration of a motor response to pain, should provide extremely useful information in the quest to develop an imaging biomarker of pain. Conceivably, response in BA6 may serve as an objective measure of analgesic efficacy.
Evolutionary novelty in a rat with no molars
Authors: Esselstyn Jacob A. , Achmadi Anang Setiawan , Rowe Kevin C.
Published: August 2012

Rodents are important ecological components of virtually every terrestrial ecosystem. Their success is a result of their gnawing incisors, battery of grinding molars and diastema that spatially and functionally separates the incisors from the molars. Until now these traits defined all rodents. Here, we describe a new species and genus of shrew-rat from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia that is distinguished from all other rodents by the absence of cheek teeth. Moreover, rather than gnawing incisors, this animal has bicuspid upper incisors, also unique among the more than 2200 species of rodents. Stomach contents from a single specimen suggest that the species consumes only earthworms. We posit that by specializing on soft-bodied prey, this species has had no need to process food by chewing, allowing its dentition to evolve for the sole purpose of procuring food. Thus, the removal of functional constraints, often considered a source of evolutionary innovations, may also lead to the loss of the very same traits that fuelled evolutionary diversification in the past.
Heat-shock-induced cellular responses to temperature elevations occurring during orthopaedic cutting
Authors: Dolan E. B. , Haugh M. G. , Tallon D. , Casey C. , McNamara L. M.
Published: August 2012

Severe heat-shock to bone cells caused during orthopaedic procedures can result in thermal damage, leading to cell death and initiating bone resorption. By contrast, mild heat-shock has been proposed to induce bone regeneration. In this study, bone cells are exposed to heat-shock for short durations occurring during surgical cutting. Cellular viability, necrosis and apoptosis are investigated immediately after heat-shock and following recovery of 12, 24 h and 4 days, in osteocyte-like MLO-Y4 and osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells, using flow cytometry. The regeneration capacity of heat-shocked Balb/c mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MC3T3-E1s has been investigated following 7 and 14 day's recovery, by quantifying proliferation, differentiation and mineralization. An immediate necrotic response to heat-shock was shown in cells exposed to elevated temperatures (45°C, 47°C and most severe at 60°C). A longer-term apoptotic response is induced in MLO-Y4s and, to a lesser extent, in MC3T3-E1s. Heat-shock-induced differentiation and mineralization by MSCs. These findings indicate that heat-shock is more likely to induce apoptosis in osteocytes than osteoblasts, which might reflect their role as sensors detecting and communicating damage within bone. Furthermore, it is shown for the first time that mild heat-shock (less than equal to 47°C) for durations occurring during surgical cutting can positively enhance osseointegration by osteoprogenitors.
Comment on ‘A depolarizer as a possible precise sunstone for Viking navigation by polarized skylight’ By G. Ropars,
et al.
Authors: Burch David
Published: August 2012

Attention is drawn to the related work of Leif Karlsen.
Accumulation of a light non-aqueous phase liquid on a flat barrier baffling a descending groundwater flow
Authors: Kacimov A. R. , Obnosov Yu. V.
Published: August 2012

The pioneering solution of Zhukovskii for a steady two-dimensional flow of an ideal heavy fluid with a nonlinear free boundary condition is extended to a Darcian flow of groundwater encumbered by an impermeable barrier. The stoss or/and lee sides of the barrier are covered by a macrovolume of a liquid contaminant. Explicit parametric equations of the sharp interface are obtained by inversion of the hodograph domain. Zhukovskii's gas-finger shape is shown to be a particular case of our new class of free surfaces. For a cap of a light liquid, partially covering the roof, from the given cross-sectional area of the cap, the affixes of the conformal mapping are found as a solution of a system of two nonlinear equations. The horizontal width and vertical height of the cap are determined. If the dimensionless incident velocity is higher than the density contrast, then the interface (cap boundary) cusps at its apex. For a relatively small velocity, the interface spreads to the vertices of the barrier, the apex zone remaining blunt shaped. We depict all the relevant domains and plot the flow nets using computer algebra routines.
Assessing the impact of feline immunodeficiency virus and bovine tuberculosis co-infection in African lions
Authors: Maas M. , Keet D. F. , Rutten V. P. M. G. , Heesterbeek J. A. P. , Nielen M.
Published: August 2012

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB), caused byMycobacterium bovis, is a disease that was introduced relatively recently into the Kruger National Park (KNP) lion population. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIVple) is thought to have been endemic in lions for a much longer time. In humans, co-infection betweenMycobacterium tuberculosisand human immunodeficiency virus increases disease burden. If BTB were to reach high levels of prevalence in lions, and if similar worsening effects would exist between FIVpleand BTB as for their human equivalents, this could pose a lion conservation problem. We collected data on lions in KNP from 1993 to 2008 for spatio-temporal analysis of both FIVpleand BTB, and to assess whether a similar relationship between the two diseases exists in lions. We found that BTB prevalence in the south was higher than in the north (72 versus 19% over the total study period) and increased over time in the northern part of the KNP (0–41%). No significant spatio-temporal differences were seen for FIVplein the study period, in agreement with the presumed endemic state of the infection. Both infections affected haematology and blood chemistry values, FIVplein a more pronounced way than BTB. The effect of co-infection on these values, however, was always less than additive. Though a large proportion (31%) of the lions was co-infected with FIVpleandM. bovis, there was no evidence for a synergistic relation as in their human counterparts. Whether this results from different immunopathogeneses remains to be determined.
Background choice as an anti-predator strategy: the roles of background matching and visual complexity in the habitat choice of the least killifish
Authors: Kjernsmo Karin , Merilaita Sami
Published: August 2012

Because background matching improves concealment, prey animals have traditionally been expected to prefer parts of the habitat that match their visual appearance. However, empirical support for this is scarce. Moreover, this idea has recently been challenged by an alternative hypothesis: visual complexity of the background impedes prey detection, and hence prey could instead prefer complex parts of the habitat. We used the least killifish to test, with and without predation threat, for the importance of the visual similarity between the fish and the background, and the level of visual complexity of the background. We observed their choice between backgrounds patterned with elements based on the longitudinal black stripe of the fish. Predation risk was important under some circumstances, and induced a preference for a background of matching horizontal stripes compared with mismatching vertical stripes. Interestingly, females under predation threat showed a preference for a complex background of randomly oriented and overlapping stripes compared with matching stripes, whereas males did not discriminate between these two. Additionally, males showed a preference for matching stripes compared with complex shapes, whereas females did not discriminate between these backgrounds. We conclude that matching is important in the choice for safe habitat, but some aspects of visual complexity may override or act together with background matching.
Mouthparts of the Burgess Shale fossils
Odontogriphus
and
Wiwaxia
: implications for the ancestral molluscan radula
Authors: Smith Martin R.
Published: August 2012

The Middle Cambrian lophotrochozoans
Odontogriphus omalus
and
Wiwaxia corrugata
have been interpreted as stem-group members of either the Mollusca, the Annelida, or a group containing Mollusca + Annelida. The case for each classification rests on the organisms' unusual mouthparts, whose two to three tooth-rows resemble both the molluscan radula and the jaws of certain annelid worms. Despite their potential significance, these mouthparts have not previously been described in detail. This study examined the feeding apparatuses of over 300 specimens from the 505-million-year-old Burgess Shale, many of which were studied for the first time. Rather than denticulate plates, each tooth row comprises a single axial tooth that is flanked on each side by eight to 16 separate shoehorn-shaped teeth. Tooth rows sat on a grooved basal tongue, and two large lobes flanked the apparatus. New observations—the shape, distribution and articulation of the individual teeth, and the mouthparts' mode of growth—are incompatible with an annelid interpretation, instead supporting a classification in Mollusca. The ancestral molluscan radula is best reconstructed as unipartite with a symmetrical medial tooth, and
Odontogriphus
and
Wiwaxia
as grazing deposit-feeders.
Social networks predict patch discovery in a wild population of songbirds
Authors: Aplin L. M. , Farine D. R. , Morand-Ferron J. , Sheldon B. C.
Published: August 2012

Animals use social information in a wide variety of contexts. Its extensive use by individuals to locate food patches has been documented in a number of species, and various mechanisms of discovery have been identified. However, less is known about whether individuals differ in their access to, and use of, social information to find food. We measured the social network of a wild population of three sympatric tit species (family Paridae) and then recorded individual discovery of novel food patches. By using recently developed methods for network-based diffusion analysis, we show that order of arrival at new food patches was predicted by social associations. Models based only on group searching did not explain this relationship. Furthermore, network position was correlated with likelihood of patch discovery, with central individuals more likely to locate and use novel foraging patches than those with limited social connections. These results demonstrate the utility of social network analysis as a method to investigate social information use, and suggest that the greater probability of receiving social information about new foraging patches confers a benefit on more socially connected individuals.
Psychological requirements for increased fruit and vegetable intake in young adults
Authors: Umeh Kanayo , Sharps Maxine
Published: August 2012

Purpose

What are the psychological requirements for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in young people? Psychological theory suggests behaviour modification is driven by ten experiential and behavioural “processes of change”. However, their role in food choice remains unclear. Some of these mechanisms may be nothing more than a proxy for self‐efficacy, a dominant factor in behaviour change. Thus, the aim of this study is to delineate the importance of processes of change (POCs) in fruit and vegetable intake, over and beyond self‐efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on a questionnaire survey assessing POCs and self‐efficacy in relation to change in fruit and vegetable intake. Participants were 150 university undergraduates.

Findings

MANOVA revealed significant differences in both experiential and behavioural processes across stages of behaviour change. These resources were more copious at advanced stages. Controlling for self‐efficacy via MANCOVA negated stage differences in consciousness raising. Overall, though, the contribution of experiential and behavioural processes in fruit and vegetable uptake transcended differentials in self‐efficacy. The unique or direct contribution of consciousness raising requires further investigation.

Research limitations/implications

The findings may not generalise to an older more ethnically diverse population.

Practical implications

Fruits and vegetables interventions may require a mixture of cognitive, self‐evaluative, and behavioural treatments, over and beyond self‐efficacy enhancements.

Originality/value

Although previous studies have demonstrated the importance of POCs in fruit and vegetable intake this study shows that, at least in young adults, these associations largely transcend self‐efficacy, a key driver in behaviour change.
Bioactive property of soymilk fermented by agrowastes‐immobilized lactobacilli
Authors: Lye Huey‐Shi , The Sue‐Siang , Lim Ting‐Jin , Bhat Rajeev , Ahmad Rosma , Wan‐Abdullah Wan‐Nadiah , Liong Min‐Tze
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the effect of cell immobilization on bioactive property of lactobacilli‐fermented soymilk.

Design/methodology/approach

Agrowastes from durian (Durio zibethinus), cempedak (Artocarpus champeden), and mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) were used as immobilizers for lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus FTDC 1331, L. acidophilus FTDC 2631, L. acidophilus FTDC 2333, L. acidophilus FTDC 1733, and L. bulgaricus FTCC 0411) in soymilk fermentation. Fermented soymilk was stored at different temperatures (4°C, 25°C and 37°C) for 168 h and sampled for analyses periodically.

Findings

Scanning electron micrographs showed that cells of lactobacilli were immobilized onto the matrix of agrowastes powder. The proteolytic activity was higher in soymilk supplemented with immobilized lactobacilli at 37°C and 25°C compared to that at 4°C. Soymilk fermented by cells immobilized on cempedak rind powder showed higher proteolytic activity (p<0.0001), followed by durian and mangosteen rinds powder (p<0.001). The highest ACE inhibitory activity was also found in soymilk fermented by cells immobilized on cempedak rind powder for all temperatures studied (p<0.0001). In addition, ACE inhibitory activity was higher in soymilk fermented at 37°C, compared to 25°C and 4°C (p<0.0001).

Originality/value

The results in the paper show that cell immobilization enhances the bioactive property of fermented soymilk, in terms of proteolysis and in‐vitro ACE inhibitory activity.
Staff “poaching” in the small business context: overcoming this key barrier to training
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Antonios
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The present study seeks to investigate how small firm owners' “poaching” concerns could be overcome so that workforce skills development could be stimulated in such firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on case‐study work in two small firms in Greece. The data collection tools involved secondary data (e.g. company reports) and in‐depth personal interviews with the two firm owners and seven employees.

Findings

The empirical data revealed that owners in small firms may enhance staff loyalty significantly by placing much emphasis on their management style, as well as by creating a “friendly” atmosphere at work. The interviews indicated that employees in such enterprises seem to place much value on aspects of their working lives other than payment. This includes a supportive and competent owner, increased job autonomy and responsibility, involvement in decision making and a harmonious working climate with few conflicts.

Research limitations/implications

Further empirical studies with a quantitative orientation conducted both in Greece and in other countries could form the basis for generalizing the conclusions of the present study, as well as for insightful cross‐country comparisons with the purpose of identifying ways to stimulate workforce skills development.

Practical implications

The data showed that employees are not willing to risk a “family” atmosphere for more money for fear of losing a satisfying working climate. Such findings indicate that the way employees are managed in small firms requires much more attention by firm owners and a more central place in policy interventions if decision makers are to help such enterprises face the challenges of the future.

Originality/value

The paper provides new insights in an under‐researched area. Specifically, it informs the existing literature on how employee “poaching”, which acts as a key barrier to staff training and learning in the small business context, could be reduced.
Internet use increases the odds of using the public library
Authors: Vakkari Pertti
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The functional equivalence hypothesis suggests that a new communication medium will replace those activities that most closely perform the same functions for users as did the established media. There is scarce empirical evidence whether use of the internet displaces use of the public library. This survey aims to explore how the use of the internet is associated with the use of the public library for studying, work and business, everyday activities, and leisure activities. The author also studies which factors in addition to internet use predict the use of public libraries for these purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

The data is based on a nationwide representative survey of the adult population in Finland aged 15‐79. The author used binary logistic regression analysis for modelling and predicting library use.

Findings

The results show that the use of the internet is positively associated with the use of public libraries. Those using the internet tend also to use the public library. Thus, the use of the internet does not replace the use of the public library, but merely complements it. It is found that the frequency of internet use and the number of books read are the strongest predictors of public library use.

Originality/value

This is the first study to show that the use of the internet for studying, work and business, everyday activities, and leisure activities is not replacing public library use for the same purposes, but merely complementing it.
Interrupting practices that want to matter
Authors: Haider Jutta
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This article aims to explore construction, production and distribution of environmental information in social media. Specifically, the focus is on people's accounts in social media of their everyday life practices aimed at leading what are considered environmentally friendly lives. The article seeks to establish how through the reproduction of alignments of certain everyday and domestic practices with environmental destruction and protection situated information on the environment is constructed and made available.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a qualitative, interpretative analysis of content, materiality and form of blogs and of their enmeshed social media applications, dedicated specifically to aspects of environmentally friendly everyday life. The blogs were selected from an interlinked set of 60 Swedish language environment blogs.

Findings

Formal, topical and social arrangements give priority to certain material conditions and practices that then underpin a set of dominant versions of a greener life, while others remain submerged. The routinised alignment of certain practices with the environment is indispensable for environmental information to work. However, breaking with routines and re‐arranging practices is what makes them possible in the first place. De‐routinisation and the culturally non‐habitual character make for the informational value of material practices and of practices of engagement.

Social implications

The study contributes to the understanding of what makes environmental information meaningful in everyday life. This has potential implications for policy making and information campaigns in the area.

Originality/value

Environmental issues are an underrepresented area of research in LIS. This article contributes to the development of this research area in the field. Furthermore, uniting a practice approach with a theoretical interest in everyday life politics is a novel addition to studies of social engagement in online environments.
SMEs and entrepreneurial quality from a macroeconomic perspective
Authors: Santos Francisco J. , Romero Isidoro , Fernández‐Serrano José
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to compare the particular characteristics of industrial SMEs in low‐ and high‐income regions from the perspective of their “entrepreneurial quality”.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on three groups of factors, (personal characteristics of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial orientation and productive dependence of firms), which define entrepreneurial quality (EQ), the empirical analysis is focused on testing whether industrial SMEs in three Spanish regions with low per capita income present different EQs to those of industrial SMEs in three other Spanish regions with high per capita income. Data was obtained from a survey addressed to the person in the role of entrepreneur in each of these firms. Since the dependent variable is dichotomous, the logistic regression model is applied in this study.

Findings

Results show there is a relationship between the regional levels of development and the entrepreneurial quality of the industrial SMEs. In low‐income regions, the level of EQ is lower due to several factors. Firstly, these entrepreneurs have lower educational background, a lack of previous experience, and are more often led by pushing motivations; secondly, these industrial SMEs have lower entrepreneurial orientation when measured through innovation and proactiveness; finally, relations between firms are characterized by a higher productive dependence.

Originality/value

This study offers a significant contribution by specifying the concept of EQ and its relationship with the degree of economic development. Likewise, a policy implication derived from the results is the need to improve the human capital of entrepreneurs in low‐income regions.
A fuzzy quantitative VRIO‐based framework for evaluating organizational activities
Authors: Lin Chinho , Tsai Hua‐Ling , Wu Ya‐Jung , Kiang Melody
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The study aims to shed light on how to identify drivers of sustainable competitive advantage under a turbulent and uncertain environment, one of the most crucial challenges faced by resource‐based strategists.

Design/methodology/approach

This study introduces a VRIO‐based framework to evaluate a firm's internal activities, in which the fuzzy set and utilities functions are adopted to identify the competitive advantage of available resources based on resource‐based theory. A case study is conducted to illustrate how the framework can be applied as a tool for exploring the potential competitiveness of a firm's core resources.

Findings

The quantitative VRIO‐based framework is a useful tool to assist top management to identify a list of potential competitive advantages of the available sources.

Originality/value

The VRIO‐based framework is built through the integration of quantitative and qualitative methods, and this innovative approach is proposed to bridge the gap between resource‐based theory and its application.
Measuring organizational wisdom applying an innovative model of analysis
Authors: Pinheiro Paulo , Raposo Mário , Hernández Ricardo
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to measure the level of organizational wisdom of firms and verify its influence on the value they produce.

Design/methodology/approach

This study seeks to establish linkage between organizational wisdom and value creation with the development of a new model based on the contributions of North's wisdom matrix and the Jordan and Jones model. The proposed model, using primary data from the Portuguese textile sector, is tested through recourse to a structural equation model.

Findings

The results point to the conclusion that companies with high organizational wisdom do manage to improve their efficiency and effectiveness but this proves insufficient for actually increasing the level of value created when taking into account the industry's prevailing environment.

Practical implications

Firms may apply this model to ascertain their level of organizational wisdom. This model may also be deployed to determine this organizational wisdom level for a set of companies (a company cluster) or even a sector.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper stems from the explanatory value of the proposed model as it enables the measurement of a firm's organizational wisdom and its influence on the final value produced.
Monetary policy rules for Indonesia: which type is the most efficient?
Authors: Wimanda Rizki E. , Turner Paul M. , Hall Maximilian J.B.
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the performance of six types of policy rules applied for Indonesia, using monthly data spanning January 1980 to December 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses deterministic simulations on a small macro model and evaluates the policy rules based on the loss function.

Findings

Among six types of policy rules, an inflation forecast‐based rule with contemporaneous output gap (IFBG) is found to be the most efficient rule for Indonesia. The rule suggests that the central bank should react strongly to inflation deviations from the target, react moderately to the output gap and smooth the interest rate. The optimal horizon is 3‐4 quarters. Including the exchange rate in the policy rule causes deterioration in economic performance.

Originality/value

No previous study examines Indonesia employing the same methodology.
“Plastic” repair of natural stone in Scotland: perceptions and practice
Authors: Torney Clare , Forster Alan M. , Kennedy Craig J. , Hyslop Ewan K.
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of perceptions of suitability of different materials for a repair. The use of highly cementitious materials in the repair of historic masonry is causing great concern due to their incompatibility with adjacent stone and the associated accelerated deterioration which results from their use. The relatively recent development of so‐called “restoration mortars” based on a “mix and go” application, combined with the enhanced weathering of stone in a changing climate, may be contributing to the use of “plastic” repair materials on stone across Scotland.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a literature review, case studies of repairs are presented to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using such materials, and comparisons are made with the alternative options.

Findings

The case studies presented highlight the use of a number of different stone repair materials, sometimes in combination with stone replacement, representing functional and philosophical approaches to masonry repair. However, the research has also highlighted the increasing use of plastic repairs for large‐scale repair including façade rendering, which fail to incorporate these systematic and informed approaches, and can ultimately lead to failure of repairs.

Originality/value

An evaluation of the current standing of the materials, methods and the extent of this type of repair, is vital for the substantiation of further research, and to enhance the empirical knowledge of in‐use performance, longevity and failure. The increasing emergence of restoration mortars, and their manufacture and supply on an international scale, highlights the global impact and relevance of this research.
A framework for research on e‐learning assimilation in SMEs: a strategic perspective
Authors: Raymond Louis , Uwizeyemungu Sylvestre , Bergeron François , Gauvin Stéphane
Published: August 2012

Purpose

This study aims to propose an integrative conceptual framework of e‐learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The literature on the state of e‐learning usage in SMEs and on the IT adoption and assimilation factors that can be specifically applied to e‐learning adoption and assimilation in this context are reviewed. These factors are then integrated within a research framework, and a set of 20 propositions formulated.

Findings

The paper identifies the technological, organizational and environmental factors that are likely to favor or hinder e‐learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs, as well as the interaction among these factors.

Research limitations/implications

The integrative framework and the 20 propositions that emanate from it constitute the conceptual foundation for a research program and hypotheses on the adoption and assimilation of e‐learning in SMEs.

Practical implications

This study offers managers a frame of reference to analyze their firm's situation before initiating an e‐learning program by highlighting key adoption and assimilation factors in the specific context of SMEs.

Originality/value

This study proposes an integrative conceptual framework of e‐learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of SMEs.
Delivering training for highly demanding information systems
Authors: Lawrence Norton Andrew , May Coulson‐Thomas Yvette , Coulson‐Thomas Colin Joseph , Ashurst Colin
Published: August 2012

Purpose

There is a lack of research covering the training requirements of organisations implementing highly demanding information systems (HDISs). The aim of this paper is to help in the understanding of appropriate training requirements for such systems.

Design/methodology/approach

This research investigates the training delivery within a customer‐facing organisation that successfully implemented an HDIS. A case study was undertaken to identify resource allocation during the implementation lifecycle and training guidelines were prepared following in‐depth interviews with client and supplier consultant practitioners.

Findings

Organisations implementing HDISs should invest in training throughout the implementation lifecycle. Two areas of training were found to be of importance: end‐user training to avoid technical‐isomorphism and post‐implementation training to avoid system atrophy.

Practical implications

Literature shows that training attracts the smallest proportion of the implementation resources. This research shows, however, the critical role training plays in delivering a successful HDIS implementation.

Originality/value

The phasing of training requirements allows training resources to be allocated more effectively into end‐user and post‐implementation training, which is necessary for the full benefits of HDIS to be realised.
Power and emotion in doctoral supervision: implications for HRD
Authors: Doloriert Clair , Sambrook Sally , Stewart Jim
Published: August 2012

Purpose

In this paper the authors seek to argue that doctoral supervision is one type of human resource development relationship in higher education (HE), and that this relationship may be close or distanced, and involve technical and social support. The paper aims to highlight the seldom‐discussed aspects of power and emotion within doctoral supervision, with specific focus on the feedback process, suggesting that students and supervisors may not be adequately developed for their roles.

Design/methdolology/approach

The authors conducted two small cumulative studies in the UK, involving a small focus group and a national survey of students and supervisors. The focus of the first study is to elucidate potentially influential variables in the supervisory relationship. The second study builds on emergent themes relating to forms of supervision (dimensions, structure and support) with specific focus on manifestations of power and emotion.

Findings

The focus group findings exemplify the power and emotion that pervades doctoral research. Key survey findings relating to power within the doctoral relationship suggest that students perceived their supervisors as having less power than themselves. With respect to emotion, the findings suggest a low level of emotion management on the part of students, who are unaware of displaying or even experiencing their emotions. As the most frequent reason for meeting, students and supervisors need to see feedback as being positive for self‐development, but also need to be aware of the power and emotion dimensions of this sensitive aspect of doctoral supervision.

Research limitations/implications

Although both studies were small, the authors' findings do contribute to developing a more sophisticated understanding of the forms, power and emotion of doctoral supervision. However, further research is required to identify whether these issues are pertinent to UK students and supervisors alone, or whether they transcend national cultures and higher education systems.

Practical implications

The research finds that supervisors appear to learn about supervision through reflecting upon how they were supervised as students. This raises important issues for HRD in higher education for staff development. It also brings into focus how both students and supervisors are developed in recognising and dealing with their emotions, identifying and controlling shifting power dynamics, giving and receiving feedback and managing their evolving relationship.

Originality/value

Few studies have explored the power and emotion of doctoral supervision, yet dealing with these requires academic staff and student development.
Interactive media usage among millennial consumers
Authors: Moore Marguerite
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine a comprehensive model of millennial usage of interactive technologies in the current marketing environment based upon actual behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A data mining approach using decision tree analysis (DTA) generates two comparative models (i.e. millennial versus generation X and millennial versus baby boomers) of interactive media usage across 21 technology applications. A large national sample (n=3,289) sourced from the Kantar Retail IQ constitutes the data for the models.

Findings

Millennial respondents indicate significantly higher usage of interactive media compared to both generation X and boomers across 14 applications. Models indicate that millennials use interactive technologies for utilitarian/information gathering purposes as well as for entertainment. However, they are less likely to purchase online compared to their older counterparts.

Research limitations/implications

Models provide evidence that both supports and extends previous research into interactive media from a uses and gratifications perspective. Findings suggest theoretical directions for research for economic versus emotional uses of interactive media.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that while millennials are adept at using technology for research and interactive purposes they tend to buy in stores, presenting opportunities for multiple channel marketers and challenges for those who market online exclusively.

Originality/value

The paper provides a realistic, comprehensive empirical model of interactive consumer behaviors across three prominent US cohorts within the current generational cycle.
EconBiz to go
Authors: Pianos Tamara
Published: August 2012

Purpose

The author developed a specialized app to cater to the needs of researchers in business and economics. At the same time the number of library apps in general increased dramatically. This article intends to put the author's efforts in developing a specialized app into the context of the development of mobile apps for library users in general.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews a number of seminal papers on the development of library apps and sets the description of the development of the EconBiz app against the developments in general. Users' needs in relation to library apps seem mostly pretty basic, yet some of these needs are still hard to meet.

Research limitations/implications

The use of mobile phones, the services available on mobile devices and the availability of library apps are changing rapidly, so some findings might be outdated by the time the respective papers were published.

Originality/value

This paper brings together the findings of a number of studies and surveys against the practical implications of developing an individual app.