bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lean and Six Sigma in policing: austerity, driver or distraction?
Authors: Rodgers Bryan , Antony Jiju , Marshall Ivor
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to widen some of the recent discussion which focusses on austerity being the driver for introducing continuous improvement (CI) methodologies, such as Lean and Six Sigma, into policing.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply over 80 years combined experience in policing and CI to analyse academic and practitioner literature to summarise the drivers for change and the progress of Lean and Six Sigma in policing and the UK Public Sector.

Findings

The paper concludes that there are significant gaps in the literature and while there are undoubted challenges, there are overlaps between the strategic direction of policing and the approaches of Lean and Six Sigma.

Research limitations/implications

There are a small but growing number of papers which evidence the applicability of Lean and Six Sigma in policing.

Practical implications

The paper emphasises the risks to service delivery if factors such as budget constraints are considered in isolation. The paper provides examples of opportunities which may exist in policing as well as introducing ongoing work in policing.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to explore the issues of how CI methodologies fit into the strategic direction and challenges of policing services.
The capital structure puzzle – evidence from Indian energy sector
Authors: Chakrabarti Anindita , Chakrabarti Ahindra
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors affecting the capital structure of companies engaged in the Indian energy sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Capital structure theories and empirical literature have been reviewed to formulate propositions concerning the factors/variables determining the capital structure of Indian energy companies. The examination is done using panel data techniques for the sample 141 companies operating in the Indian energy sector.

Findings

The results show firms’ age, asset turnover ratio, liquidity and firms’ size to be significant determinants of capital structure for the Indian energy companies, while profitability, debt service capacity, sales growth, non-debt tax shield and tangibility ratio to be insignificant determinants. Historically, profitability has shared a significantly negative relationship with debt ratio; however, the relation here is not significant.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of the current study is on Indian energy sector, the results obtained will not be applicable for other sectors.

Originality/value

The current research gives an insight into the determinants of capital structure of the companies engaged in the Indian energy sector, which are mostly overlooked due to the laws, policies and regulations governing the sector as a whole.
Strategies and effective decision-making against terrorism affecting supply chain risk management and security
Authors: Khan Muhammad Naveed , Akhtar Pervaiz , Merali Yasmin
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge gaps in the published research on terrorism-related risk in supply chains, and to develop a framework of strategies and effective decision-making to enable practitioners to address terrorism-related risks in supply chain risk management (SCRM) and security.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a novel combination of triangulated methods comprising a systematic literature review (SLR), text mining and network analysis. These methods have not been jointly utilized in past studies, and the approach constitutes a rigorous methodology that cross-validates results and ensures the reliability and validity of qualitative data.

Findings

The study reveals a number of key themes in the field of SCRM and security linked with terrorism. The authors identify relevant mitigation strategies and practices for effective strategic decision making. This subsequently leads us to develop a strategic framework of strategies and effective decision-making practices to address terrorism-related risk, affecting SCRM and security. The authors also identify key knowledge gaps in the literature and explore the main contributions by disciplines (e.g. business schools, engineering and maritime institutions) and countries.

Practical implications

The authors provide a strategic framework of strategies and effective decision-making practices that managers can use to minimize terrorism-related risk in the context of SCRM and security.

Originality/value

This paper introduces a novel methodological combination for improving the quality of SLRs. It uses the approach to systematically review the strategies and effective decision-making practices interlinked with terrorism risk, affecting SCRM and security. It identifies significant knowledge gaps and defines directions for future research.
Integration in loosely coupled garment supply chains
Authors: Arroyo Pilar Ester , Holmen Elsebeth , De Boer Luitzen
Published: September 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to deliberate about the problem of tight and seamless integration in a supply chain by conceptualising and understanding how looseness and its creation represent an effective supply chain design.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is grounded in system theory and industrial network research, while the case study of a textile and garment supply network coordinated by a third party in Mexico empirically illustrates how looseness in the supply chain may be created. The information gathered through in-depth interviews with critical informants at Aztex and three of their suppliers, visits in situ and secondary information, was organised with the template analysis technique and interpreted from three different but complementary perspectives, system theory, supply chain coordination modes and industrial networks, to establish the particularities of the triad model.

Findings

The study shows that supply chain integration may take place in a variety of forms, and that new theoretical perspectives are required to understand how the looseness in the connections among actors contributes to the flexibility and efficiency of the chain. Additionally, the analysis of the case puts forward the trader’s crucial role as linking pin between suppliers and customers in the specific context of the garment sector.

Research limitations/implications

Additional cases and triangulation of information from traders, suppliers and customers would contribute to explore in more detail how integration takes place not only in the textile and garment industry sector but also in other industries.

Practical implications

A rational explanation of why establish full integration across several tiers of suppliers and customers is too difficult to attain is given to managers. They may recognise that tight couplings will be necessary and possible only with strategic counterparts; meanwhile, others are more suitable to be delegated to a third party.

Social implications

The economic and industrial stability and progress of low-cost sourcing countries depends on the selection of international purchasers. The advancement of triangle manufacturing facilitated by a trader may become another criterion to drive the selection towards a region. In the case of Mexico, this adds to the near sourcing advantages of the country.

Originality/value

The research confirms that there is no unique global mode of supplier integration and suggests that different approaches are viable as long as the objectives of operational efficiency, good customer service and flexibility are satisfied.
Combating toxic workplace environment
Authors: Anjum Amna , Ming Xu
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Across the globe, every organization is striving to enhance the productivity and growth rate, but the prosperity and success of an organization is determined by the type of work environment in which it operates. To address this apprehension, this paper aims to determine the effect of toxic workplace environment on job stress that can badly affect the job productivity of an employee.

Design/methodology/approach

As an independent variable, toxic workplace environment was used as a complete spectrum consisting multiple dimensions named as workplace ostracism, workplace incivility, workplace harassment and workplace bullying. Job stress was used as a mediating variable between the spectrum of toxic workplace environment and job productivity. In this regard, self-administered close-ended questionnaire was used to collect the data from 267 employees of the health sector (HS) of Lahore region in Pakistan. For analysis purpose, we used confirmatory factor analysis to ensure the convergent and discriminant validity of the factors. AMOS 22 was used to check the direct and indirect effect of selected variables. Hayes mediation approach was used to check the mediating role of job stress between four dimensions of toxic workplace environment and job productivity.

Findings

The output demonstrated that the dimensions of toxic workplace environment have a negative significant relationship with job productivity, while job stress was proved as a statistical significant mediator between dimensions of toxic workplace environment and job productivity. Finally, we conclude that organizations need to combat/cleanse the roots of toxic workplace environment to ensure their prosperity and success.

Originality/value

This study aims to determine the effect of toxic workplace environment on job stress that can badly affect the job productivity of an employee. An empirical study in the context of the HS of Pakistan. This study, which is based on HS, has never been reported before in literature.
Giving voice to the victims of sexual assault: the role of police leadership in organisational change
Authors: Rowe Michael , Macauley Michael
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a long-term programme within a police service that sought to transform the policing of adult sexual assault cases through reforming case management and investigation practices, as well as cultural perspectives among staff.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a case-study approach of change and reform within a single police service. Fieldwork consisted of more than 240 semi-structured interviews and focus groups with police officers, civilian staff, victim advocates, crown prosecutors, defence lawyers, doctors and staff from victim specialist support agencies. Extensive documentary analysis supplemented the primary findings.

Findings

Changes to investigations of sexual assault were perceived to be wide-ranging and deeply embedded, and were regarded positively by police officers, staff and external agencies. These are identified in terms of improvements to initial reporting of offences, the development of more rigorous case management and investigations, and enhanced relations with external support agencies.

Research limitations/implications

The study is necessarily limited to one case study and the analysis would be usefully developed through further application to other police services.

Social implications

The findings have considerable implications for police leaders and managers and wider society. Victim support and recovery agencies benefit from the reforms outlined, and there are considerable consequences for wider criminal justice that continues to disadvantage victims.

Originality/value

The paper has considerable originality since it offers a “deep” and “thick” understanding of reform within a particular context. The programme of reform was highly unusual since it was designed and delivered over a ten-year period and addressed many aspects of police organisation.
Equitable public library services for Canadians with print disabilities
Authors: Ciccone Michael
Published: September 2018

Purpose

CELA, the Centre for Equitable Library Access, is a national not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support public libraries in providing accessible collections for Canadians with print disabilities and to champion the fundamental right of Canadians with print disabilities to access media and reading materials in the format of their choice. This paper aims to examine the history of the organization, the events that led to its creation, the issues with which it has and continues to struggle with – political, technological, structural – and the successes it has enjoyed.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a case study intended shine light on the development of a service sorely lacking in Canadian public libraries – consistent and sustainable publicly funded access to reading materials for Canadians with print disabilities – by providing related history and context and outlining current and future offerings.

Findings

The decision to centralize a service that most public libraries struggled to deliver within their own capacities was wise and has greatly benefited Canadians with print disabilities.

Originality/value

This paper provides a profile in determination, collaboration and the value of inclusivity in public libraries.
An accessibility-first approach to online course readers
Authors: Kwak Aneta , Newman Jeffrey
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop a cost- and labor-efficient method for a small library to produce and deliver accessible course reading packages.

Design/methodology/approach

Working with approximately 25 courses and instructors in the Fall 2017 semester – including courses in Equity Studies and Disability Studies – the authors produced an inventory of assigned readings and an assessment of the accessibility of scanned texts that were currently being used. Based on this initial inventory, they developed new workflows for providing accessible readings to students that overcame the most common shortcomings and deficiencies.

Findings

This project established that it is possible for a small library to produce high-quality accessible course readings and that a PDF file is the most appropriate format for providing accessible scanned readings in an online course reader environment.

Practical implications

This project developed a workflow for producing texts that are designed from the perspective of universal access – that is, all students can engage with these texts without requiring the intervention of accessibility-services-style departments.

Originality/value

Canadian academic institutions are required to provide accessible texts upon request, a process which relies on students to identify required readings, sign up for specialized services and be comfortable disclosing and discussing their specialized needs. The process developed in this project builds upon a conception of equitable access as being a core principle and strives to create accessible readings as a default rather than as the result of an external request. This case study can be used as an example for institutions – especially small libraries – that are interested in developing a proactive approach to creating accessible readings and course packs.
Japan investment and Indonesia sustainability reporting: an isomorphism perspective
Authors: Fitriasari Dewi , Kawahara Naoko
Published: September 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to detect focal issues in sustainability reports in two different Asian countries based on the operating sustainability reporting law and regulations and to explore possible changes in laws and regulations because of investment interactions between the two countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a descriptive literature review on laws and regulations related to sustainability reporting in Japan and Indonesia followed by an interpretive approach in the analysis.

Findings

Laws and regulations in Japan can lead to focus on the environmental aspect of sustainability. Laws and regulations in Indonesia can lead to variations in all aspects of sustainability reporting. All types of institutional isomorphism are possible investment system pressures.

Practical implications

This paper redefines issues in sustainability reporting based on the reporting environment created by laws and regulations in Japan and Indonesia.

Originality/value

This study assists researchers and investment analysts in understanding inherent reporting issues because of laws and regulations in both countries, and it expands existing theory for voluntary and mandatory reporting interaction studies.
Saying Sayonara to the Farm: Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling of Farm Exits in Japan
Authors: Ramsey A. Ford , Ghosh Sujit K. , Sonoda Tadashi
Published: September 2018

Off‐farm employment opportunities are thought to have an effect on farm exit rates, though evidence on the sign of this effect has been mixed. Examining this issue in the context of Japanese agriculture, we find that farm exits are related to off‐farm income as a share of household income, and more specifically to the nature of off‐farm work. Two econometric models are developed: a hierarchical Bayesian linear model and a hierarchical Bayesian Poisson model. Both models perform well in predicting exit rates across the towns and prefectures of Japan.
Study of Color Laser Printer and Photocopier Class Using a Pattern Location Measurement Method
Authors: Li Jiang‐Chun , Li Biao , Han Xing‐Zhou , Han Wei , Fang Fang
Published: September 2018

A trace code pattern location measurement approach is proposed. It includes a method that can precisely extract the trace code pattern to identify the color laser printer or photocopier class. In this study, we collected 379 samples from 15 brands, including 129 models and 196 printers or photocopiers. The trace code pattern class is identified. Four class characteristics are used to identify the print source: (i) the relation between the pattern and print output direction; (ii) observation of the shape features from among the trace code pattern units; (iii) the feature arrangement from among the trace code pattern units; and (iv) the arrangement relation of the trace code pattern. Blind testing shows that the accuracy of the proposed method is approximately 96.9% for the Questioned Document Examiners, and 84.3% in the non‐Questioned Document Examiners. It is thus an effective technique for determining a print's color laser printer or photocopier source class.
Prokaryotic niche partitioning between suspended and sinking marine particles
Authors: Duret Manon T. , Lampitt Richard S. , Lam Phyllis
Published: September 2018

Suspended particles are major organic carbon substrates for heterotrophic microorganisms in the mesopelagic ocean (100–1000 m). Nonetheless, communities associated with these particles have been overlooked compared with sinking particles, the latter generally considered as main carbon transporters to the deep ocean. This study is the first to differentiate prokaryotic communities associated with suspended and sinking particles, collected with a marine snow catcher at four environmentally distinct stations in the Scotia Sea. Amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene revealed distinct prokaryotic communities associated with the two particle‐types in the mixed‐layer (0–100 m) and upper‐mesopelagic zone (mean dissimilarity 42.5% ± 15.2%). Although common remineralising taxa were present within both particle‐types, gammaproteobacterial Pseudomonadales and Vibrionales, and alphaproteobacterial Rhodobacterales were found enriched in sinking particles up to 32‐fold, while Flavobacteriales (Bacteroidetes) favoured suspended particles. We propose that this niche‐partitioning may be driven by organic matter properties found within both particle‐types: K‐strategists, specialised in the degradation of complex organic compounds, thrived on semi‐labile suspended particles, while generalists r‐strategists were adapted to the transient labile organic contents of sinking particles. Differences between the two particle‐associated communities were more pronounced in the mesopelagic than in the surface ocean, likely resulting from exchanges between particle‐pools enabled by the stronger turbulence.
Patient Uncertainty as a Predictor of 30‐day Return Emergency Department Visits: An Observational Study
Authors: Rising Kristin L. , LaNoue Marianna D. , Gerolamo Angela M. , Doty Amanda M.B. , Gentsch Alexzandra T. , Powell Rhea E.
Published: September 2018

Objective

The objective was to examine the relationship between patient uncertainty at the time of emergency department (ED) discharge as measured by the “Uncertainty Scale” (U‐Scale) and 30‐day return ED visits. We hypothesized that a higher score on the U‐Scale predicts a higher likelihood of a 30‐day return ED visit.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional single‐site pilot study performed with adult patients discharged from an urban academic ED to assess the relationship of U‐Scale total and subscale scores with 30‐day return ED visits. We collected demographic and U‐Scale scores at the time of ED discharge and subsequent 30‐day ED utilization data by follow‐up telephone call.

Results

No association was found between the total U‐Scale score and subsequent ED utilization. Patients with higher uncertainty on the Treatment Quality subscale of the U‐Scale had higher odds of a 30‐day return ED visit (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.16), while patients with lower uncertainty on the Decision to Seek Care subscale had higher odds of a 30‐day return ED visit (AOR = 0.68).

Conclusion

Patient uncertainty as measured by the U‐Scale total score was not predictive of subsequent ED utilization. However, uncertainty related to treatment quality and the decision to seek care as measured by the U‐Scale subscales may be important in predicting repeat ED utilization. Unlike individual patient factors such as age and race that have been associated with frequent ED visits in prior studies, these domains of uncertainty are potentially modifiable. Providers and health systems may successfully prevent recurrent acute care encounters through implementation of interventions designed to address patient uncertainty. Further work is needed to refine the U‐Scale and test its predictive utility among a larger patient cohort.
Morphological variation associated with dispersal capacity in a tree‐killing bark beetleDendroctonus ponderosaeHopkins
Authors: Shegelski Victor A. , Evenden Maya L. , Sperling Felix A. H.
Published: September 2018

Intrinsic factors influencing the dispersal of insect pests during outbreaks are poorly understood, yet these factors need to be quantified to parameterize dispersal in models that predict population spread. The present study related wing and body morphology of female mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae) to flight distance, as measured by flight mill bioassays.

Beetles that flew long distances (> 11 km) had a greater body weight and larger wings than beetles that flew short distances (< 1 km). These heavier female beetles should also be more capable pioneers because other studies have shown that body weight is positively correlated with lipid content.

Wing and body morphology of females are significant predictors of flight distance; heavy beetles with large wings generally flew further than smaller beetles, although this relationship is heteroscedastic. Dispersion of flight distance values increases with wing loading (weight/wing area) as a result of a cohort of ‘lazy’ individuals that fly short distances (< 1 km) regardless of flight phenotype.

The observed morphology explained less than 20% of the variation in flight capacity, indicating a substantial contribution from other intrinsic factors that remain to be investigated. The present study may have implications for dispersal modelling, providing estimates of flight capacity using morphological measurements.
A different ultrastructural face of ribbon synapses in the rat retina
Authors: Pałasz Artur , Mielańczyk Łukasz , Matysiak Natalia , Segovia Yolanda , Savchyna Mariia , Mordecka‐Chamera Kinga , Worthington John J.
Published: September 2018

Ribbon synapses located exclusively within retinal, cochlear and vestibular connections belong to the most interesting cellular structures but their molecular nature and functions had remained unclear. The study has provided a descriptive morphological analysis of rat eye ribbon synapses using high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An original collection of untypical, rarely present in the literature sagittal or tangential sections through the single RIBEYE domain of the particular ribbon have been delivered.
Editorial: interferon‐free DAAs are a great boon for patients with hepatitis C and cryoglobulinaemia—Authors’ reply
Authors: Zignego Anna Linda , Lorini Serena , Gragnani Laura
Published: September 2018

Linked Content

This article is linked to Gragnani et al and Atsukawa and Tsubota papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14845 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14899.
Extracorporeal treatments in poisonings from four non‐traditionally dialysed toxins (acetaminophen, digoxin, opioids and tricyclic antidepressants): A combined single‐centre and national study
Authors: Campion Gabriel H. , Wang Josh J. , Hoffman Robert S. , Cormier Monique , Lavergne Valéry , Mowry James B. , Roberts Darren M. , Ghannoum Marc , Su Mark K. , Gosselin Sophie
Published: September 2018

The use of extracorporeal treatments (ECTRs) for poisonings with four non‐traditionally dialysed toxins (NTDTs) is increasing in the United States. This study evaluated whether ECTRs are prescribed for toxin removal or the treatment of other medical illnesses or complications. We performed a 2‐Phase retrospective analysis evaluating the main indication for ECTRs in patients with poisoning from a NTDT (defined for this study as acetaminophen, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or digoxin) and ECTR. The first phase assessed all cases from a single site (New York City Poison Control Center) between the years 2000 and 2016, and the second phase surveyed all United States Poison Control Centers (PCCs). In Phase 1, demographics, toxin ingested and main indication for ECTR were extracted. In Phase 2, a query to the National Poison Data System using the a pragmatic subset of inclusion criteria from Phase 1 restricted to single toxin ingestions over a narrower time frame (2014‐2016) provided the cases for study. A structured online questionnaire was sent to all United States PCCs to request their database review regarding the indication for ECTR for their cases. In Phase 1, 92 cases met inclusion criteria. In Phase 2, 519 cases were screened and 425 met inclusion criteria. In Phase 1 91/92 (98.9%) and Phase 2 411/425 (96.7%), of extracorporeal treatments were used to treat underlying medical conditions or poisoning‐related complications rather than accelerate toxin removal. The increasing number of ECTRs reported in patients who ingested one of the four NTDTs thus appears to be for medical indications rather than attempts at toxin removal, a distinction that is important.
Tension‐free vaginal tape‐obturator for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: a 12‐year prospective follow‐up
Authors: Zhang Ye , Song Xiaochen , Zhang Zhibo , Mao Meng , Ai Fangfang , Kang Jia , Zhu Lan
Published: September 2018

Objective

To evaluate the long‐term safety and effectiveness of inside–out transobturator tape (tension‐free vaginal tape‐obturator, TVT‐O) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Patients and Methods

Between August 2004 and August 2006, 87 consecutive patients with SUI who underwent TVT‐O were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Patients with mixed UI, or pelvic organ prolapse requiring surgery, were excluded. Data relating to long‐term postoperative complications, subjective satisfaction rate (Patient Global Impression of Improvement), objective cure rate (stress test), quality of life (QoL), and sexual function, were collected during follow‐up. The Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ‐7) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ‐12) were used to assess QoL and sexual function, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using paired‐sample t‐tests.

Results

At the 12‐year follow‐up, 73 patients (84%) were available for evaluation. Overall, the long‐term complication rate was 45.2%. De novo overactive bladder was observed in 12.3% of patients. None of the patients reported severe voiding dysfunction that required treatment by tape removal or catheterisation. However, 16 patients (16/73, 21.9%) had voiding changes compared with their preoperative status. Persistent groin pain was reported in 1.4% of the patients, and tape exposure occurred in 5.5%. The subjective satisfaction rate and objective cure rate were 80.8% and 82.2%, respectively. Compared with preoperative scores, the IIQ‐7 score decreased significantly (P < 0.05), whilst there was no significant difference in the PISQ‐12 score (P = 0.893).

Conclusions

This 12‐year follow‐up study showed that TVT‐O is a highly effective procedure for the treatment of SUI. The long‐term complication rate appears to be slightly high, which should raise concern.
Holocene chronostratigraphy of northeastern Baffin Bay based on radiocarbon and palaeomagnetic data
Authors: Caron Myriam , St‐Onge Guillaume , Montero‐Serrano Jean‐Carlos , Rochon André , Georgiadis Eleanor , Giraudeau Jacques , Massé Guillaume
Published: September 2018

The northeastern Baffin Bay continental margin, which experiences high sediment accumulation rates, is an excellent location to study Holocene sedimentary variations. However, it is often difficult to obtain reliable chronologies of the sediment archives using traditional methods (δ18O and radiocarbon) due to specific oceanographic conditions (e.g. corrosive bottom waters). Here we propose a chronostratigraphy of three cores collected on the northwestern Greenland margin (AMD14‐204, AMD14‐210 and AMD14‐Kane2B) based on a combination of radiocarbon dating and palaeomagnetic records. Geophysical properties of discrete samples were used to verify the reliability of the palaeomagnetic records. Palaeomagnetic analyses indicate a strong and stable natural remanent magnetization carried by low coercivity ferrimagnetic minerals (magnetite) in the pseudo‐single domain grain size range. Correlation of the full palaeomagnetic vector (inclination, declination, and relative palaeointensity) was used to establish a reliable chronostratigraphical framework for two of the cores (AMD14‐204 and AMD14‐210) and to propose an original palaeomagnetic record for the previously 14C‐dated core AMD14‐Kane2B that covers most of the Holocene. Overall, this new chronostratigraphy allowed improvement of the timing of the main palaeoenvironmental changes that occurred in this area during the Holocene.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation along with weight loss diet on meta‐inflammation and fat mass in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency: A double‐blind placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial
Authors: Lotfi‐Dizaji Lida , Mahboob Soltanali , Aliashrafi Soodabeh , Vaghef‐Mehrabany Elnaz , Ebrahimi‐Mameghani Mehrangiz , Morovati Ashti
Published: September 2018

Background & Aims

Low serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) is common in obese people. Obesity is associated with a state of low‐grade inflammation (meta‐inflammation). There is an increasing evidence indicating that vitamin D has anti‐adipogenic activity and immunoregulatory effect. This study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on meta‐inflammation and fat mass in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency.

Materials and methods

In this double‐blind placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial, 44 obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency (25OHD < 50 nmol/L) were assigned into vitamin D (a weight reduction diet + bolus weekly dose of 50 000 IU vitamin D) or placebo group (weight reduction diet + edible paraffin weekly) for 12 weeks. Weight, fat mass and serum levels of 25OHD, calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

Vitamin D supplementation resulted in significant increase of serum 25OHD level (P < 0.001), and significant decrease in PTH (P < 0.001), MCP‐1 (P < 0.05), IL‐1β (P < 0.05) and TLR‐4 (P < 0.05); compared to the baseline values in vitamin D group. Weight, BMI and fat mass decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). Between the groups, there were significant decrease in weight, fat mass, serum MCP‐1 and PTH concentrations and significant increase in serum 25OHD concentrations after intervention with vitamin D supplementation compared to placebo (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Improvement in vitamin D status in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency in combination with weight loss diet resulted in weight, fat mass and MCP‐1 decrease. Weight loss and vitamin D supplementation may act synergistically to reduce levels of meta‐inflammation.
Endoscopic closure method using a dental floss O‐ring for mucosal defect after endoscopic resection
Authors: Horii Toshiki , Ikehara Hisatomo , Gotoda Takuji
Published: September 2018

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Traumatic dental injury incidence of unseen children
Authors: Oner Ozdas Didem , Zorlu Sevgi , Karataban Pinar K.
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims

There is a lack of information about the incidence of dental trauma in Turkish children with disabilities and those in detention centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dental trauma in two groups estimated to have high‐potential risk, young prisoners and disabled children, compared with healthy peers.

Materials and methods

A total of 530 children were included in the study. The participants were divided into three groups: Disability Group (n=238), Imprisoned Children Group (n=231) and school children (n=61) as the Control Group. The occurrence of dental trauma was evaluated according to age and gender. Statistical evaluations were done by using SPSS statistics‐22 programme.

Results

The mean age of all participants was 14.85 ± 3.43 years. Males predominated (75.8%). In the Imprisoned Children Group, not only maxillary and mandibular incisors but also canines had dental trauma. Time of imprisonment and education level did not have any significant effect on dental trauma occurrence among children in detention centers. In the Disability Group, the disability type did not have any significant effect. In the Control Group, maxillary central incisors were the most traumatized teeth. The incidence of dental trauma was 11.3% in the Imprisoned Children Group, 4.6% in the Disability Group, and 9.8% in the Control Group. There was a significant difference among the three groups (p:0.027; p<0.05).

Conclusion

Dental trauma incidence may differ among disabled, imprisoned, and healthy children. Hence, children from different parts of the community should be included in epidemiological studies to provide a more accurate incidence of dental trauma.
1968 – Year of Shame, Year of Grace
Authors: Oestreicher Paul
Published: September 2018

They year 1968 was the year of the student protests; the year when the Vietnam War and the Chinese cultural revolution were at their height; the year of the Prague spring and Christian–Marxist dialogue before these movements were suppressed by the Soviet invasion; the year in which Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated; the year in which Latin American Catholic bishops met in Medellín and broke new theological ground; the year in which the South African Council of Churches issued an anti‐apartheid message to the people of South Africa. Looking back at this patchwork of events 50 years later, so much has changed since then, but so much that was augured in 1968 still remains to be changed.
Making All Things New
Authors: Mulhall Thomas A.
Published: September 2018

The relationship between the civil rights movement and the World Council of Churches was personified in the links between Martin Luther King Jr and Eugene Carson Blake, both of whom were known for heightening the spirit of prophetic Christianity through their involvements in the ecumenical movement and the mounting struggles against global poverty and the Vietnam War. As 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Uppsala assembly and King's assassination, this article focuses on the contributions of King and Blake to the kind of ecumenical movement that united peoples of faith in cooperative, concrete efforts to eliminate racism, poverty, and war. The central argument is that these joint efforts were still unfolding at the time of King's untimely death.
The Movement of May 1968 and Theology in Latin America
Authors: Gebara Ivone
Published: September 2018

Latin American liberation theology has almost never seen itself as an expression of or in direct relation to the international student movements of May 1968. Nevertheless, from today's perspective, one can say that what was called liberation theology was a web of relationships of many movements and events. It was undoubtedly part of the enormous worldwide movements of the 1960s, interacting with the various expressions of struggle for cultural and political liberation that manifested themselves in many different forms in different parts of the world. The same can be said about feminist liberation theology in Latin America, which emerged a few years later. Latin American feminist theology, however, unlike liberation theology, has never been concerned with making a claim of originality, nor has it struggled to be recognized as a typical Latin American way of thinking and movement. It is part of the tradition of the liberating spirit of the past and the present in its different forms, including the legacy of 1968.
Theology and Politics in Contemporary Greece
Authors: Moschos Dimitrios
Published: September 2018

This article examines the interaction between theology and politics in the case of the “theology of the 1960s,” a theological renewal movement that emerged in Greece in the 1960s, accompanied by the call for a “return to the Fathers.” The first part of the paper seeks to describe the position of the theology of the 1960s toward politics, while the second considered the position of politics after 1974 toward the theology of the 1960s. It concludes that there was a partial instrumentalization of the theology of the 1960s for tactical political ends. This was a missed opportunity leading to politics becoming devoid of all spiritual content, while theology lost its feedback from social experience and its penetration into society. The article concludes by making several suggestions for the tasks that lie ahead, including the need to cultivate a critical history of the political intervention and the social role of Orthodox theology, and to expand the issues that concern Orthodox theology, such as anthropology or cosmology, to embrace questions of the role of the meaning of history and progressive change in human society.
Behold … All Things New: Uppsala 1968 and Its Mediatization as Film
Authors: Hannig Nicolai
Published: September 2018

The 4th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 1968 occurred during a period of increasing influence of the media in shaping society and culture. The documentary film Behold … All Things New, produced by Radio Sweden for the WCC's 1968 assembly in Uppsala, reflected this development. It was, however, both a promotional tool for the church and a sort of documentary. This article analyzes the film from the context of church media relations, examining the strengthened mediatization of the religious arena in the 20th century and giving close attention to the circumstances of the film's production, its narrative techniques, and visual realization. In this way, the film is made accessible as a historical source for the WCC and thus also for the history of the globalization of churches. The film places into perspective the connection between mediatization and secularization, as it represents the churches' integration into modern media society with all of its visual symbols of globality, ecumenism, and willingness to enter into dialogue.
Small snails, high productivity? Larval output of parasites from an abundant host
Authors: Rosenkranz Micha , Lagrue Clement , Poulin Robert , Selbach Christian
Published: September 2018

How energy is transformed and distributed within ecosystems is a fundamental question in ecology. Parasites have been shown to play an essential role in these processes. In particular, the larval stages of trematodes, that is, cercariae, appear to contribute significantly to biomass and productivity in aquatic systems.

Overall, ecosystem‐wide studies on parasite productivity remain scarce and have typically investigated systems with large hosts and high parasite infection rates. These studies may thus represent isolated cases of exceptionally high parasite contribution to ecosystem energetics, potentially overestimating the importance of parasite biomass.

Here, we quantified the productivity of trematode cercariae from a small but hyper‐abundant snail intermediate host with only moderate trematode prevalence (i.e., proportion of infected individuals) in an entire lake ecosystem. We assessed individual larval output from snails and calculated the overall trematode productivity in the ecosystem.

Average output of individual trematode species ranged from 3 to 62 cercariae per snail per day and correlated negatively with individual cercarial size. Cercarial productivity was not uniformly distributed across trematode taxa, but dominated by the most common species that accounted for more than 80% of the productivity.

Total cercarial productivity amounted to 1.85 g m−2, which falls within the ranges of previous studies from freshwater systems. Small but abundant snail populations may thus support a considerable productivity of parasites. However, total annual cercarial productivity in the study system amounted to 5.9 kg, which constituted just 1.2% of the standing stock snail biomass, suggesting that intermediate host populations are potentially underexploited by their parasites. Moreover, comparisons with previous studies revealed contrasting patterns of parasite productivity and biomass contribution across different habitats, showing that impacts of parasites on ecosystem energetics can vary widely.

Overall, we are still far away from having a complete picture of the dynamics of parasite productivity and biomass in many ecosystems. It therefore remains critical to quantify the contribution of parasites to the flow and distribution of energy and nutrients within and across habitats, to better understand their impacts on fundamental ecological principles, such as food‐web structure and ecosystem energetics.
Combined brain‐derived neurotrophic factor with extinction training alleviate impaired fear extinction in an animal model of post‐traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Kataoka Tsutomu , Fuchikami Manabu , Nojima Shinji , Nagashima Nobuyuki , Araki Motoaki , Omura Jun , Miyagi Tatsuhiro , Okamoto Yasumasa , Morinobu Shigeru
Published: September 2018

Impaired fear memory extinction (Ext) is one of the hallmark symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, since the precise mechanism of impaired Ext remains unknown, effective interventions have not yet been established. Recently, hippocampal‐prefrontal brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) activity was shown to be crucial for Ext in naïve rats. We therefore examined whether decreased hippocampal‐prefrontal BDNF activity is also involved in the Ext of rats subjected to a single prolonged stress (SPS) as a model of PTSD. BDNF levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and phosphorylation of TrkB was measured by immunohistochemistry in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of SPS rats. We also examined whether BDNF infusion into the ventral mPFC or hippocampus alleviated the impaired Ext of SPS rats in the contextual fear conditioning paradigm. SPS significantly decreased the levels of BDNF in both the hippocampus and mPFC and TrkB phosphorylation in the ventral mPFC. Infusion of BDNF 24 hours after conditioning in the infralimbic cortex (ILC), but not the prelimbic cortex (PLC) nor hippocampus, alleviated the impairment of Ext. Since amelioration of impaired Ext by BDNF infusion did not occur without extinction training, it seems the two interventions must occur consecutively to alleviate impaired Ext. Additionally, BDNF infusion markedly increased TrkB phosphorylation in the ILC of SPS rats. These findings suggest that decreased BDNF signal transduction might be involved in the impaired Ext of SPS rats, and that activation of the BDNF‐TrkB signal might be a novel therapeutic strategy for the impaired Ext by stress.
Canopy structure and topography jointly constrain the microclimate of human‐modified tropical landscapes
Authors: Jucker Tommaso , Hardwick Stephen R. , Both Sabine , Elias Dafydd M.O. , Ewers Robert M. , Milodowski David T. , Swinfield Tom , Coomes David A.
Published: September 2018

Local‐scale microclimatic conditions in forest understoreys play a key role in shaping the composition, diversity and function of these ecosystems. Consequently, understanding what drives variation in forest microclimate is critical to forecasting ecosystem responses to global change, particularly in the tropics where many species already operate close to their thermal limits and rapid land‐use transformation is profoundly altering local environments. Yet our ability to characterize forest microclimate at ecologically meaningful scales remains limited, as understorey conditions cannot be directly measured from outside the canopy. To address this challenge, we established a network of microclimate sensors across a land‐use intensity gradient spanning from old‐growth forests to oil‐palm plantations in Borneo. We then combined these observations with high‐resolution airborne laser scanning data to characterize how topography and canopy structure shape variation in microclimate both locally and across the landscape. In the processes, we generated high‐resolution microclimate surfaces spanning over 350 km2, which we used to explore the potential impacts of habitat degradation on forest regeneration under both current and future climate scenarios. We found that topography and vegetation structure were strong predictors of local microclimate, with elevation and terrain curvature primarily constraining daily mean temperatures and vapour pressure deficit (VPD), whereas canopy height had a clear dampening effect on microclimate extremes. This buffering effect was particularly pronounced on wind‐exposed slopes but tended to saturate once canopy height exceeded 20 m—suggesting that despite intensive logging, secondary forests remain largely thermally buffered. Nonetheless, at a landscape‐scale microclimate was highly heterogeneous, with maximum daily temperatures ranging between 24.2 and 37.2°C and VPD spanning two orders of magnitude. Based on this, we estimate that by the end of the century forest regeneration could be hampered in degraded secondary forests that characterize much of Borneo's lowlands if temperatures continue to rise following projected trends.