bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Short Dynamic Risk Scale (SDRS) vs START: does either have a relationship with recordings of risk?
Authors: Brewer Rebecca , Pomroy Lucy , Wells Michelle , Ratcliffe Joanne
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide wider research evidence for the use of the Short Dynamic Risk Scale (SDRS) in risk management with individuals who have an Intellectual Disability (ID) and reside in a secure psychiatric inpatient setting. The outcomes are supportive of previous research, showing that outcomes on the SDRS are related to maladaptive behaviours recorded for individual with ID.

Design/methodology/approach

All participant data taken from the hospital healthcare reporting system were entered into a PASW database. The ratings for each of the SDRS and Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) items were entered and totalled, with a separate total score for the SDRS with the additional three items. In order to capture the behavioural monitoring data, average severities weightings of each of the Overt Aggression Scale-modified for neuro-rehabilitation (OAS-MNR) categories for the three weeks following completion of the individual’s SDRS were calculated and recorded. In addition, average severity weightings reflecting the presence of sexualised behaviour (St Andrew’s Sexual Behaviour Assessment (SASBA) in the subsequent three weeks following SDRS completion was included. Using the most recent START assessment completed allowed for analysis of the predictive ability of the START of the same behavioural data.

Findings

A series of Spearman’s correlations were run to determine the relationship between outcomes on the SDRS and engagement in risk behaviours as rated by the OAS-MNR scales. There was a moderate positive correlation between all 11-items of the SDRS and OAS-MNR recordings. A series of Spearman’s correlations were conducted to determine the relationship between outcomes on the START Vulnerability items and engagement in risk behaviours as rated by the OAS-MNR scales. There was a weak negative correlation between all individual START vulnerability item ratings and OAS-MNR recordings.

Research limitations/implications

The current pilot study provides wider research evidence for the use of the SDRS in risk management with individuals who have an ID and reside in a secure psychiatric inpatient setting.

Originality/value

This paper compares outcomes on the START and SDRS in relation to an individual’s risk recordings to support identification of whether either have practical and clinical utility. To the authors’ knowledge, this has not been completed before.
Qatar’s progress towards preventing terror finance through the abuse of charitable status and the financial sector
Authors: Truby Jon
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to track Qatar’s progress in preventing abuse of charitable status or of its financial regulations to prevent terror finance.

Design/methodology/approach

Qatar’s progress towards meeting the demands of the Central Themes will thus be summarised and explored. This paper tracks its history in response to evolving Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards, and considers how Qatar can take measures to enhance their reputation.

Findings

Qatar’s efforts were found to be sustained but these still fall short of emerging standards. This paper advocates for higher standards.

Originality/value

This original paper and novel approach is useful to policymakers and researchers of AML/CTF law. It is particularly timely in advance of the 2017 mutual evaluation of Qatar. It advances the findings of on another article written by the author.
Confronting the problem of cross-border tax evasion in an era of greater global transparency of tax relevant information
Authors: Obadina Derek Adetokunbo
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the Nigeria’s approach for tackling tax evasion, the limitations of double tax conventions for that purpose, the benefits of multilateral instruments/standards for automatic exchange of tax information and Nigeria’s ability to participate in such arrangements.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a library-based research, deploying content analysis with respect to books, law reports, law journals and newspapers.

Findings

Nigeria has taken significant steps to deal with domestic tax evasion by tightening anti-money laundering legislation, principally by making tax evasion a predicate offence and by imposing relating reporting obligations on financial institutions and a wide range of designated non financial institutions (DNFI's), but cross-border tax evasion remains a big problem owing to a limited network of double tax conventions (DTCs) and inherent limitations of the machinery in limiting exchange of information to distinct requests. Nigeria’s ability to benefit from new international standards providing for automatic exchange is compromised by the absence of robust rules with respect to taxpayer confidentiality and data protection.

Research limitations/implications

Because the research focused on Nigeria, the findings of the study might not be applicable to other jurisdictions.

Originality/value

Given the devastating effects of tax evasion on development in Nigeria and the priority accorded to the eradication of the problem in the sustainable development goals, this paper meets a need to determine the extent of sufficiency of Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework in enabling the country to tackle tax evasion.
Women business owners’ adoption of information and communication technology
Authors: Sharafizad Jalleh
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the uptake and usage patterns of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by women small business owners (SBOs).

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 women SBOs who were recruited through purposeful sampling methods. Interview data on communication technologies participants used were broken down into six main categories: internet search, internet advertising, online transactions, telephone, email and fax. Participants were also asked questions regarding proximity between them and different business contacts, and whether technology influenced how they communicated with these individuals.

Findings

All participants had moved up from having a basic website to transacting goods and services online. ICTs were used to acquire tangible and intangible resources as well as for informal learning. Geographical distance between SBOs and individuals within their business and convenience of ICT failed to affect participants’ preference for face-to-face communication with key business contacts.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, such as a small sample size. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future quantitative studies that examine the potential influence of other factors, such as gender and culture, on adoption of ICT by SBOs.

Originality/value

This study responds to a call for research that develops a more nuanced understanding of how women SBOs use ICTs in their business. The findings can be used by policymakers and development agencies in their teaching and training interventions.
The “ties that bind” board interlocks research: a systematic review
Authors: Lamb Nai H. , Roundy Philip
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Board interlocks are a phenomenon of widespread prevalence and one of the most vibrant topics in corporate governance research. However, despite sustained academic interest in interlocks, there has not been a comprehensive review of the literature in nearly two decades. To address this need for an up-to-date review, this paper aims to conduct an assessment and integration of the empirical research on board interlocks.

Design/methodology/approach

In reviewing the board interlocks literature, the “systematic review” approach, which emphasizes methodological rigor and transparency, has been used. Using this method, 81 empirical papers that became the focus of this analysis have been identified.

Findings

This review reveals that board interlocks research can be categorized based on the theoretical lens used, its focus on antecedents or outcomes of interlock activities and the perspective of the study (i.e. firm- or director-level). Moreover, a number of commonly examined themes have been identified. Several unexpected omissions in the literature have also been uncovered. For instance, it was found that scholars have neither examined the implications of engaging in interlocks in a global context nor have they explored the phenomenon of international interlocks (i.e. interlocks between firms located in different countries).

Originality/value

In developing a deeper understanding of the board interlocks literature, this review identifies several topics and disciplines that, if pursued, could enrich the literature and open promising avenues for future research.
Executive heterogeneity, pay bandwagon, and earnings management
Authors: Luo Hong , Zeng Yongliang , Wan Linyu , Shen Yali
Published: November 2016

Purpose

From the perspective of top management heterogeneity, this paper aims to study the impact of the psychological traits of executive pay bandwagon on earnings management in the listed companies of China.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper applies the ratio of executive pay to the median pay level of executives in firms of similar size and industry, namely, the comparing coefficient, as an alternative variable of executive pay bandwagon, and earnings management as the behavior choice of executive pay bandwagon, to examine whether executives in the listed companies of China have comparing mentality, and whether the result is influenced by executive heterogeneity by using the multiple linear regression models.

Findings

The lower the executives’ compensation is than the median pay level of executives in firms of similar size and industry, the stronger the incentive the executives have to compare with others whose pay is higher, increasing the extent of earnings management in the future, and executives tend to use real activities manipulation rather than accrual-based earnings management to increase their performance-based compensation. As pay bandwagon is a kind of executives’ individual psychological reaction, in a large extent, its behavioral performance is likely to be affected by executive heterogeneity. Specifically, when the proportion of male executives, young executives or low educated executives is relatively high, or executives are located in remote cities, there will breed more earnings management behaviors induced by pay bandwagon. Further study shows that pay bandwagon is positively correlated with rigging compensation based on real earnings management and pay bandwagon also has significantly negative effects on the firms’ future value creation.

Research limitations/implications

Pay bandwagon is an important inducement of executives’ earnings management, with implication that for executives with different characteristics, one should pay attention to the subjective psychological perception and expectation of their pay in the future studies related to executives’ compensation incentives.

Originality/value

This study introduces the research within sociology, psychology and experimental economics, and considers the executives’ subjective perception of their pay, to explore the internal mechanism that executives affect firm performance via a specific earnings management method and to implement self-interested behavior due to pay bandwagon. And this is the first study to select several typical executive individual characteristics to investigate the influence of executive heterogeneity on pay bandwagon and its economic consequences.
Privacy and trust in Facebook photo sharing: age and gender differences
Authors: Malik Aqdas , Hiekkanen Kari , Nieminen Marko
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine gender and age differences regarding various aspects of privacy, trust, and activity on one of the most popular Facebook activity – “photo sharing.”

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected using an online survey hosted by a web-based survey service for three weeks during December 2014-January 2015. The target audience comprised of Facebook users over 18 years engaged in sharing their photos on the platform.

Findings

Women and young Facebook users are significantly more concerned about the privacy of their shared photos. Meanwhile, users from older age groups are less active in using the site, in sharing photos, and in taking privacy-related protective measures. Interestingly, despite having more privacy concerns, young Facebook users display higher trust levels toward the platform than older users. Overall, in the study, there was an extremely significant difference in privacy attitudes among people under and over 35 years of age.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study is new knowledge regarding the gender and age differences in various privacy-related aspects, trust, and activity. Findings from the study broadens the overall understanding of how these issues positively/negatively influence the photo-sharing activity on Facebook.
The adoption of teaching assistant robots: a technology acceptance model approach
Authors: Park Eunil , Kwon Sang Jib
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Based on rapid improvements in telecommunications and wireless networks with extensive educational contents, numerous studies have been conducted to improve our educational success/attainment/environment. With this trend, the purpose of this paper is to investigate users’ perceptions of teaching assistant (TA) robots and the possible motivations that impact the users’ intention to use (IU) the robots.

Design/methodology/approach

In light of the rapid development of and attempts at understanding interactions with social robots, including TA robots, this study uses structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

The results indicated that perceived usefulness was the most crucial factor determining the users’ IU for TA robots. In addition, the relationships of the original technology acceptance model were confirmed. The study findings demonstrated the crucial importance of perceived enjoyment and service quality.

Originality/value

Although the role of TA robots has gained user attention, few investigations have been conducted to explain how IU is formed. The current study can thus act as the foundation for exploring the acceptance process in the context of TA robots.
Temporal shifts and temperature sensitivity of avian spring migratory phenology: a phylogenetic meta‐analysis
Authors: Usui Takuji , Butchart Stuart H. M. , Phillimore Albert B.
Published: November 2016

There are wide reports of advances in the timing of spring migration of birds over time and in relation to rising temperatures, though phenological responses vary substantially within and among species. An understanding of the ecological, life‐history and geographic variables that predict this intra‐ and interspecific variation can guide our projections of how populations and species are likely to respond to future climate change.

Here, we conduct phylogenetic meta‐analyses addressing slope estimates of the timing of avian spring migration regressed on (i) year and (ii) temperature, representing a total of 413 species across five continents. We take into account slope estimation error and examine phylogenetic, ecological and geographic predictors of intra‐ and interspecific variation.

We confirm earlier findings that on average birds have significantly advanced their spring migration time by 2·1 days per decade and 1·2 days °C−1. We find that over time and in response to warmer spring conditions, short‐distance migrants have advanced spring migratory phenology by more than long‐distance migrants. We also find that larger bodied species show greater advance over time compared to smaller bodied species. Our results did not reveal any evidence that interspecific variation in migration response is predictable on the basis of species' habitat or diet.

We detected a substantial phylogenetic signal in migration time in response to both year and temperature, suggesting that some of the shifts in migratory phenological response to climate are predictable on the basis of phylogeny. However, we estimate high levels of species and spatial variance relative to phylogenetic variance, which is consistent with plasticity in response to climate evolving fairly rapidly and being more influenced by adaptation to current local climate than by common descent.

On average, avian spring migration times have advanced over time and as spring has become warmer. While we are able to identify predictors that explain some of the true among‐species variation in response, substantial intra‐ and interspecific variation in migratory response remains to be explained.
Eating together and eating alone: meal arrangements in British households
Authors: Yates Luke , Warde Alan
Published: November 2016

Sociology traditionally accounts for eating in terms of the social organization of meals, their provision and consumption. A recurrent public concern is that the meal is being subverted. This paper examines meal arrangements in British households in 2012, drawing on an online survey in the format of a food diary administered to 2784 members of a supermarket consumer panel. It charts the organization of contemporary eating occasions, paying attention to socio‐demographic variation in practice. Especially, it explores companionless meals, putting them in contexts of food provisioning and temporal rhythms. Findings show that eating alone is associated with simpler, quicker meals, and that it takes place most commonly in the morning and midday. Those living alone eat alone more often, but at similar meal times, and they take longer over their lone meals. Comparison with a similar study in 1955–6 suggests some fragmentation or relaxation in collective schedules. The implications are not straightforward, and the causes probably lie more in institutional shifts than personal preferences. Declining levels of commensality are, however, associated with a reduction in household size and, especially in households with children, difficulties of coordinating family members’ schedules.
Increased lysyl oxidase‐like 2 associates with a poor prognosis in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhan Ping , Lv Xiao‐Jing , Ji Ya‐Nan , Xie Haiyan , Yu Li‐Ke
Published: November 2016

Background

Lysyl oxidase‐like 2 (LOXL2) is a member of the lysyl oxidase family and is associated with invasiveness and metastasis in breast cancer. However, its relevance in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remained largely unknown.

Methods

LOXL2 protein levels in a cohort of NSCLC and adjacent normal lung tissues were evaluated and analyzed their clinicopathologic and prognostic significance.

Results

It was found that cytoplasmic and nuclear LOXL2 levels were higher in lung adenocarcinoma (AD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissues than in paired adjacent normal tissues. High LOXL2 levels were associated with p‐TNM stage, and cytoplasmic, but not nuclear, LOXL2 levels were an independent prognostic factor in lung AD and SCC patients.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that elevated LOXL2 levels are positively associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. LOXL2 might, therefore, serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in NSCLC patients.
Evaluation of double immunocytochemical staining for CK20 and P53 as a potential adjunct to cytology for urothelial cancer diagnosis
Authors: Lenos M. , Katafigiotis I. , Vrettou K. , Papaioannou D. , Malta F. , Trigka E.‐A. , Sousouris S. , Constantinides C. , Mikou P.
Published: November 2016

Objective

To evaluate double immunocytochemical staining with p53 and CK20, as a tool for improving the accuracy of urinary cytology. The aim of the present study was to clarify the diagnostic significance of the expression of these markers and to investigate the possibility of using this information for better monitoring of bladder cancer patients during follow‐up.

Material and methods

One hundred and twenty‐five urine cytology cases were retrieved with corresponding histology from our files. One ThinPrep® smear was available for each of them and dual immunocytological staining for p53 and CK20 was performed. Eleven cases were excluded from the study because of hypocellularity. The material comprised 58 malignant, 36 atypical and 20 negative for malignancy cases. Immunocytochemistry was evaluated by two cytopathologists, blinded to the histological diagnosis or follow‐up data. A cut‐off threshold of five stained atypical cells, according to the literature, was used for evaluation.

Results

Fifty‐two out of 58 malignant cases were positive for at least one of the markers (89.6%). In the atypical and negative groups, 18 (50%) and 5 (25%) cases were positive, respectively. Accuracy parameters evaluation for cytology versus the combination of cytology with immunocytological staining were: sensitivity 73.4% versus 91.1%, specificity 100% versus 74.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) 100% versus 88.9% and negative predictive value (NPV) 62.5% versus 78.8%.

Conclusions

Double immunocytochemical staining for p53 and CK20 is easy to perform and evaluate and can improve cytology sensitivity. It is helpful in establishing a diagnosis of malignancy and may be used as a triage tool to select patients that require cystoscopy during clinical follow‐up.
Association between serum 25(OH)D3 and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with Type 2 diabetes: a community‐based cohort study
Authors: Samefors M. , Scragg R. , Länne T. , Nyström F. H. , Östgren C. J.
Published: November 2016

Aim

We aimed to explore the association between vitamin D and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with Type 2 diabetes recruited from a community‐based study because there is limited and inconsistent research of this group.

Methods

A prospective community‐based cohort study among people aged 55–66 years with Type 2 diabetes as part of The Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes – A Prospective Study in Primary Care (CARDIPP). We analysed serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] at baseline. Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for the first myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular mortality according to 25(OH)D3.

Results

We examined 698 people with a mean follow‐up of 7.3 years. Serum 25(OH)D3 was inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: HR 0.98 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96 to 0.99, P = 0.001]. Compared with the fourth quartile (Q4) [25(OH)D3 > 61.8 nmol/l], HR (with 95% CI) was 3.46 (1.60 to 7.47) in Q1 [25(OH)D3 < 35.5 nmol/l] (P = 0.002); 2.26 (1.01 to 5.06) in Q2 [25(OH)D3 35.5–47.5 nmol/l] (P = 0.047); and 1.62 (0.70 to 3.76) in Q3 [25(OH)D3 47.5–61.8 nmol/l] (P = 0.26) when adjusting for age, sex and season. The results remained significant after adjusting also for cardiovascular risk factors, physiological variables including parathyroid hormone and previous cardiovascular disease (P = 0.027).

Conclusions

Low 25(OH)D3 is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with Type 2 diabetes independent of parathyroid hormone. Vitamin D could be considered as a prognostic factor. Future studies are needed to explore whether vitamin D deficiency is a modifiable risk factor in Type 2 diabetes.
Characterization of soil fertility and soil biodiversity with dsDNA as a covariate in a regression estimator for mean microbial biomass C
Authors: Bragato G. , Fornasier F. , Brus D.J.
Published: November 2016

The analytical determination of microbial biomass carbon is time‐consuming, which limits its use as a reference biochemical property for characterizing soil fertility and soil biodiversity of soil mapping units (SMUs). This paper explores whether the efficiency of sampling strategies for estimating the means of microbial biomass C (MBC) of SMUs can be increased with dsDNA as an ancillary variable in a regression estimator, leading to a model‐assisted sampling strategy. The map unit means of dsDNA are unknown; therefore, to implement the regression estimator a two‐phase sampling strategy is required. The two‐phase sampling design was tested in three soil units of the Brtonigla area (Istria, Croatia) that are widely involved in wine production. In the first phase, 20 locations per SMU were selected at which the ancillary variable dsDNA was determined in field‐moist and air‐dried soil. In the second phase, a subsample of ten locations per map unit were selected at which MBC was determined. The estimated sampling variances of the regression estimator were compared with the sampling variances of the design‐based estimator with a cost‐equivalent number of sampling points. The model‐assisted strategy was more accurate in two of the soil units in which the correlation between MBC and dsDNA was strong (adjusted R2 larger than 0.55). Measurements of dsDNA on field‐moist samples gave more precise estimated means of MBC than those on air‐dried samples.

Highlights

Use of dsDNA to estimate the means of microbial biomass C (MBC) within soil mapping units (SMUs).

Comparison of model‐assisted and design‐based sampling strategies to estimate mean MBC of SMUs.

Model‐assisted strategy was more efficient in two SMUs; field‐moist dsDNA was better than air‐dried dsDNA.

dsDNA increased the efficiency of sampling strategies to estimate mean MBC of SMUs with homogeneous land use.
Effects of increased temperatures and rice straw incorporation on methane and nitrous oxide emissions in a greenhouse experiment with rice
Authors: Gaihre Y. K. , Wassmann R. , Villegas‐pangga G. , Sanabria J. , Aquino E. , Sta. cruz P. C. , Paningbatan E. P.
Published: November 2016

We investigated the effect of increased temperatures of water and soil, together with the incorporation of rice straw, on emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and the daily variation in CH4 emissions. Three temperature treatments (floodwater temperature), ambient, ambient +2°C and ambient +4°C, and two amounts of rice straw (0 and 6 t ha−1) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The emissions of CH4 and N2O and the soil's redox potential (Eh) were measured weekly for two crop cycles. Daily variation in CH4 emission rates was measured with and without rice straw incorporation in planted and unplanted soil (with no warming treatments) during four growth stages of the crop. Methane emissions increased by as much as 91% with increasing amounts of water and soil temperature (+2 and +4°C), up to 34–35°C. Increases in temperature (+2 and +4°C above ambient) above 34–35°C decreased emissions by 30–36%. A decrease in soil Eh to < −100 mV and in CH4 emissions was observed earlier in the pots containing rice straw than in those without straw. Methane emissions varied daily; they were larger from 11:00 to 14:00 hours, particularly in unplanted soil. They showed positive correlations with the temperatures of both soil and air. In contrast, N2O emissions were negligible throughout the growing season. The emissions of CH4 evidently depend on the background temperature range; in our experiment, CH4 emissions increased up to 34°C and then they decreased above that.

Highlights:

GHG emissions were measured from flooded rice soil under elevated temperatures.

Temperature, straw incorporation and rice plants affected daily variation in methane emissions.

An increase in temperature increased methane emission by up to 91%.

Increased temperature decreased methane emissions when background temperature was above 34–35°C.
Calibration of an electromagnetic induction sensor with time‐domain reflectometry data to monitor rootzone electrical conductivity under saline water irrigation
Authors: Coppola A. , Smettem K. , Ajeel A. , Saeed A. , Dragonetti G. , Comegna A. , Lamaddalena N. , Vacca A.
Published: November 2016

Management of saline water irrigation at the field scale requires electrical conductivity to be monitored regularly in the generally shallow soil layer explored by plant roots. Non‐invasive electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors might be valuable for evaluating large‐scale soil salinity. However, obtaining information on soil surface salinity from depth‐integrated EMI measurements requires either an inversion of the electromagnetic signal or an empirical calibration. We opted for an empirical calibration of an EM38 sensor, which requires a reference dataset of local bulk electrical conductivity, σb, for comparison with EMI readings for estimating regression coefficients. We used time‐domain reflectometry (TDR) to replace direct sampling for local σb measurements. With empirical approaches, the different soil volumes involved with the EMI and TDR sensors become problematic. We resolved this issue by analysing large EMI and TDR datasets recorded at several times along three transects irrigated with water at 1, 3 and 6 dS m−1 degrees of salinity. A Fourier filtering technique was applied to remove the high frequency part (at small spatial scales) of the variation in the original data, which was the main source of dissimilarity between the two datasets. Therefore, calibration focused on the lower frequency information only; that is, information at a spatial scale larger than the observation volume of the sensors. We show that information from the TDR observations derives from a combination of local and larger scale heterogeneities, and how it should be managed for calibration of the EMI sensor. Analysis enabled us to identify characteristics of the calibration data that should be included to improve prediction.

Highlights

EMI and TDR sensors have different observation volumes and are not immediately comparable.

With Fourier filtering the different observation volumes were accounted for in calibration of the EMI data.

We improved the empirical calibration between EMI and TDR datasets.

We identified criteria to select data series for EMI sensor calibration.
Rare Earth Element Determination in Olivine by Laser Ablation‐Quadrupole‐ICP‐MS: An Analytical Strategy and Applications
Authors: Stead Clare V. , Tomlinson Emma L. , Kamber Balz S. , Babechuk Michael G. , McKenna Cora A.
Published: November 2016

Olivine offers huge, largely untapped, potential for improving our understanding of magmatic and metasomatic processes. In particular, a wealth of information is contained in rare earth element (REE) mass fractions, which are well studied in other minerals. However, REE data for olivine are scarce, reflecting the difficulty associated with determining mass fractions in the low ng g−1 range and with controlling the effects of LREE contamination. We report an analytical procedure for measuring REEs in olivine using laser ablation quadrupole‐ICP‐MS that achieved limits of determination (LOD) at sub‐ng g−1 levels and biases of ~ 5–10%. Empirical partition coefficients (D values) calculated using the new olivine compositions agree with experimental values, indicating that the measured REEs are structurally bound in the olivine crystal lattice, rather than residing in micro‐inclusions. We conducted an initial survey of REE contents of olivine from mantle, metamorphic, magmatic and meteorite samples. REE mass fractions vary from 0.1 to double‐digit ng g−1 levels. Heavy REEs vary from low mass fractions in meteoritic samples, through variably enriched peridotitic olivine to high mass fractions in magmatic olivines, with fayalitic olivines showing the highest levels. The variable enrichment in HREEs demonstrates that olivine REE patterns have petrological utility.
Thermodynamic Aspects of Pressure‐Induced Crystallization: Kauzmann Pressure
Authors: Schmelzer Jürn W. P. , Abyzov Alexander S. , Fokin Vladimir M.
Published: November 2016

General equations for the dependence of the thermodynamic driving force and the specific interfacial energy melt‐crystal of critical clusters on temperature and pressure are derived. Analytical estimates of these and related thermodynamic quantities are advanced directly applicable in the analysis of experimental data of crystal nucleation. Similar to the well‐known notation of a Kauzmann temperature, the concept of a Kauzmann pressure is introduced. It is shown that the thermodynamic driving force of crystal nucleation has maxima not only at the Kauzmann temperature but also at the Kauzmann pressure. Estimates of the magnitude of the thermodynamic driving force of crystallization at these states are given and some consequences are discussed.
The Decent Work Questionnaire: Development and validation in two samples of knowledge workers
Authors: FERRARO Tânia , PAIS Leonor , REBELO DOS SANTOS Nuno , MOREIRA João Manuel
Published: November 2016

This research develops a Decent Work Questionnaire (DWQ) to measure workers’ perceptions of decent work. Current measurements of decent work are almost completely lacking at the individual worker level of analysis, and this study contributes to filling the gap. The authors designed their DWQ based on the substantive elements used by the ILO in its Decent Work Agenda, with the final 31‐item version of the DWQ yielding seven factors related to decent work. Showing good reliability coefficient values and good convergent and discriminant validity, this DWQ could open up new avenues for empirical studies on the concept of decent work.
Targeting myeloid differentiation protein 2 by the new chalcone L2H21 protects LPS‐induced acute lung injury
Authors: Zhang Yali , Xu Tingting , Wu Beibei , Chen Hongjin , Pan Zheer , Huang Yi , Mei Liqin , Dai Yuanrong , Liu Xing , Shan Xiaoou , Liang Guang
Published: November 2016

Acute inflammatory diseases are the leading causes of mortality in intensive care units. Myeloid differentiation 2 (MD‐2) is required for recognizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), and represents an attractive therapeutic target for LPS‐induced inflammatory diseases. In this study, we report a chalcone derivative, L2H21, as a new MD2 inhibitor, which could inhibit LPS‐induced inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. We identify that L2H21 as a direct inhibitor of MD‐2 by binding to Arg90 and Tyr102 residues in MD‐2 hydrophobic pocket using a series of biochemical experiments, including surface plasmon response, molecular docking and amino acid mutation. L2H21 dose dependently inhibited LPS‐induced inflammatory cytokine expression in primary macrophages. In mice with LPS intratracheal instillation, L2H21 significantly decreased LPS‐induced pulmonary oedema, pathological changes in lung tissue, protein concentration increase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, inflammatory cells infiltration and inflammatory gene expression, accompanied with the decrease in pulmonary TLR4/MD‐2 complex. Meanwhile, administration with L2H21 protects mice from LPS‐induced mortality at a degree of 100%. Taken together, this study identifies a new MD2 inhibitor L2H21 as a promising candidate for the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI) and sepsis, and validates that inhibition of MD‐2 is a potential therapeutic strategy for ALI.
Understanding definitions of minimally verbal across instruments: evidence for subgroups within minimally verbal children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Bal Vanessa Hus , Katz Terry , Bishop Somer L. , Krasileva Kate
Published: November 2016

Background

Minimally verbal (MV) children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often assumed to be profoundly cognitively impaired and excluded from analyses due to challenges completing standardized testing protocols. A literature aimed at increasing understanding of this subgroup is emerging; however, the many methods used to define MV status make it difficult to compare studies. Understanding how different instruments and definitions used to identify MV children affect sample composition is critical to advance research on this understudied clinical population.

Method

The MV status of 1,470 school‐aged children was defined using five instruments commonly used in ASD research. MV sample composition was compared across instruments. Analyses examined the proportion of overlap across MV subgroups and the extent to which child characteristics varied across MV subgroups defined using different definitions or combinations of measures.

Results

A total of 257 children were classified as MV on at least one instrument. Proportion of overlap between definitions ranged from 3% to 100%. The stringency of definition (i.e. few‐to‐no vs. some words) was associated with differences in cognitive and adaptive functioning; more stringent definitions yielded greater consistency of MV status across instruments. Cognitive abilities ranged from profoundly impaired to average intelligence; 16% had NVIQ ≥ 70. Approximately half exhibited verbal skills commensurate with nonverbal cognitive ability, whereas half had verbal abilities significantly lower than their estimated NVIQ.

Conclusions

Future studies of MV children must carefully consider the methods used to identify their sample, acknowledging that definitions including children with ‘some words’ may yield larger samples with a wider range of language and cognitive abilities. Broadly defined MV samples may be particularly important to delineate factors interfering with language development in the subgroup of children whose expressive impairments are considerably below their estimated nonverbal cognitive abilities.
Commentary: The course of depression after childhood parental death – a reflection on Berg et al. (2016)
Authors: Melhem Nadine M. , Brent David
Published: November 2016

Berg et al.'s study highlights the long‐lasting impact of childhood parental death on depression in adulthood in the absence of early preventive and intervention efforts. Given the long‐term effects of childhood parental death, it seems that the most propitious time to intervene is early on after the death. Several prevention and intervention approaches have been shown to reduce the incidence of depression and to ameliorate its course and thus could be potential approaches to intervene with parentally bereaved children. Future longitudinal studies focused on children and adolescents are also needed to examine the biological pathways that set the stage for increased vulnerability across the life span following childhood parental death and adversity in order to inform novel targets for interventions.
Editorial: Boredom and developmental psychopathology
Authors: Stringaris Argyris
Published: November 2016

Adolescent disruptive behaviours have been the focus of scientific study for decades. However, this work has often ignored the experiences that provide the setting for those behaviours and the states of mind that precede them. These have largely remained the concern of novelists and philosophers. Here I discuss the various reasons why boredom and its associated features should be at the forefront of future research in psychopathology.
Medullary bone in fossils: function, evolution and significance in growth curve reconstructions of extinct vertebrates
Authors: Prondvai E.
Published: November 2016

Medullary bone (MB) is a special endosteal tissue forming in the bones of female birds during egg laying to serve as a labile calcium reservoir for building the hard eggshell. Therefore, the presence of MB reported in multiple nonavian dinosaurs is currently considered as evidence that those specimens were sexually mature females in their reproductive period. This interpretation has led to further inferences on species‐specific growth strategies and related life‐history aspects of these extinct vertebrates. However, a few studies questioned the reproductive significance of fossil MB by either regarding the tissue pathological or attributing alternative functions to it. This study reviews the general inferences on extinct vertebrates and discusses the primary role, distribution, regulation and adaptive significance of avian MB to point out important but largely overlooked uncertainties and inconsistencies in this matter. Emerging discordancy is demonstrated when the presence of MB vs. trade‐off between growth and reproduction is used for interpreting dinosaurian growth curves. Synthesis of these data suggests that fossil MB was related to high calcium turnover rates but not exclusively to egg laying. Furthermore, revised application ofAllosaurusgrowth data by modelling individual‐based growth curves implies a much higher intraspecific variability in growth strategies, including timing of sexual maturation, than usually acknowledged. New hypotheses raised here to resolve these incongruences also propose new directions of research on the origin and functional evolution of this curious bone tissue.
Structure and diversity of fishes in a freshwater and coastal subtropical lagoon
Authors: Ferreira N. C. , Guereschi R. M. , Machado C. , Lopes C. A. , Nuñer A. P. O.
Published: November 2016

This study examined the fish communities of Peri Lagoon in southern Brazil to aid in the development of an effective management plan because the area is under threat from human activities. Sampling of fish fauna, ichthyoplankton and limnological data were compared between sites, differing by habitat type and characteristics such as depth, substratum composition and vegetation type. Results were significantly related to site, with the highest diversity and abundance recorded at shallow vegetated sites. A total of 14 fish species were recorded throughout the lagoon, with the most abundant being Hyphessobrycon luetkenii. Of the 14 species, half were sampled at their larval stage, suggesting a healthy and protected system. Significantly more larvae and eggs were collected during colder months (autumn to winter) and at sites closer to stream flow, possibly owing to increased food sources and habitat protection. This study highlights the importance of Peri Lagoon as a nursery ground for a wide range of fish species, providing essential information for incorporation into the future protection of fish stocks throughout Brazil.
Bacterial inactivation of liquid food and water using high‐intensity alternate electric field
Authors: Peng Peng , Cheng Yanling , Song Hao , Zhang Tingting , Deng Shaobo , Anderson Erik , Addy Min , Zhu Xindi , Liu Shiyu , Hatzenbeller Raymond , Li Yun , Lin Xiangyang , Liu Yuhuan , Huang Xiangzhong , Chen Paul , Ruan Roger
Published: November 2016

Bacteria contaminated liquid food and water, along with the harmful byproducts from chemical disinfection methods, raise concerns to the public health. This article investigated the inactivation of bacteria in liquid food and water using the pilot‐scale concentrated high intensity electric field (CHIEF) system. By generating a strong alternate electric field in a small region of the reactor, the pilot CHIEF system was able to inactivate microbes at a continuous operation. Compared with other disinfection methods, the CHIEF system used relatively less energy density to decontaminate and required a shorter treatment time. The mildest energy density required was 500 kJ/L to obtain a 5‐log reduction for Escherichia coli, at the minimum treatment time of 4.7 ms. An electric field analysis was performed using both an equivalent‐circuit model and numerical simulation. A logarithm function model and a Weibull model were used to describe the effects of energy density and treatment time on the disinfection effectiveness of the CHIEF system. The CHIEF system was compared with other water disinfection methods in multiple aspects, such as treatment time and energy consumption.

Practical applications

The concentrated high intensity electric field (CHIEF) process presented in this study is a continuous process that can be used to decontaminate liquid food or water. The process operates under non‐thermal conditions, which protects the nutrient and flavor of the food. The process uses alternate electric supply at a relatively low voltage (≤ 10 kV) and frequency (60 Hz). The reactor design and material selection enable a strong electric field to form within the treatment region, allowing the inactivation of microbes without using the pulsed energy. As a result, the process can achieve effective decontamination under a relatively short treatment time (4.7 ms) and moderate energy cost (500 kJ/L). Since the process eliminates the use of pulse generators, it requires less capital investment and has more scale‐up potentials.
Effect of steeping time and temperature on malting process
Authors: Montanuci Flávia Daiana , Ribani Marcelo , de Matos Jorge Luiz Mario , Matos Jorge Regina Maria
Published: November 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydration time and temperature on the malting process in terms of β‐glucan degradation and α‐ and β‐amylase enzymes development. During the hydration and germination processes, the germination energy of the rates of degradation and formation of β‐glucans and the content of α‐ and β‐amylases were analyzed. Malt was subjected to quantification of protein, sugar, water absorption and solubility rates, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds, according to the AOAC method. Levels of β‐glucan decreased with increasing temperature and hydration time. Levels of α‐ and β‐amylases increased from approximately 1.50 to 5.37 and 1.44 to 3.52 Units/hr, respectively. There were significant differences for water absorption rate and protein content between cultivars. The solubility rate increased along the hydration time and temperature. Grains subjected to hydration conditions of 10 °C for 24 hr and 20 °C for 12 hr contained higher total sugar than the other samples. The main component analysis revealed that these samples were the most correlated with the attributes of sugars, β‐ glucan and α‐ and β‐amylases. Therefore, these conditions are the best treatments to produce malt.

Practical applications

This paper has practical Application to study degradation of β‐glucan and the development and activation of the enzymes α‐ and β‐amylase during the malting process. Optimize the operational variables for obtaining the malt and verity the influence of time and hydration temperature at the enzymes development and the final characteristic of the malt.
Couple Forgiveness and its Moderating Role in the Intergenerational Transmission of Veterans’ Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
Authors: Zhou Xiao , Levin Yafit , Stein Jacob Y. , Zerach Gadi , Solomon Zahava
Published: November 2016

This study examined the moderating effect couple forgiveness (as perceived by the wives/mothers) may have on the intergenerational transmission of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among families of combat veterans and former prisoners of war (ex‐POWs). The sample included 123 (79 ex‐POWs and 44 control combatants) Israeli father–mother–adult offspring triads. Self‐report measures were administered at 2008 to veterans, at 2010–2011 to wives, and at 2013–2014 to offspring. The findings indicated that ex‐POWs’ PTSS were positively related to their offspring's PTSS, while couple forgiveness buffered this effect, particularly, and detrimentally, when couple forgiveness was low. These findings imply that apprehending the quality of the forgiving atmosphere within the marital relationship may be important for understanding the apparatus of intergenerational transmissions of trauma.