bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Derivative Usage In Corporate Pakistan: A Qualitative Research Of Listed Companies
Authors: Mahmood Mazhar , Ur-Rehman Kashif-
Published: March 2016

The motivation behind this study was to see why Pakistani companies are releuctant to use derivative instruments. The study aims to look into factors that influence the corporate finance managers to use derivatives. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain the response of finance managers of companies. The questionnaire aims at ascertaining the factors that influence the usage or non-usage of derivatives in corporate Pakistan. The questionnaire incorporated factors like trend of derivative usage, risk level, awareness with modern finance, correlation between hedging and firm’s value, firm’s performance and business cycle effect, and correlation between nature of business and financial risk. For this purpose, 67 non-financial firms were selected based on their nature of business, turnover, and risk level. Out of 67, 31 firms responded. We concluded that managerial knowledge of modern finance, development of full fledged derivatives market and measuring the risk level of corporation may enhance the derivative usage thus minimizing the financial risk of companies.
Future Prospects For Foreign Investment In Lithuania: Does This Baltic Tiger Still Have Teeth?
Authors: Venkataramany Sivakumar , Miller Sean T.
Published: March 2016

Lithuania’s economy has gone through stages of feudal system, serfdom, centrally planned command economy and market-based economy. After its liberation at the end of the last century, Lithuania’s transition is in process, as evidenced by the development of economic frameworks. Radical reforms, including the opening of markets, implementation of flat tax rates, rapid privatization of businesses, and efforts to maintain a stable currency, set the tone for phenomenal economic growth, not only in Lithuania, but in neighboring Estonia and Latvia as well. The Baltic Region experienced monumental growth in the mid to late 1990s, which accelerated through the early 21st century. Sweeping reforms and growth culminated with the accession of Lithuania into the European Union in 2004. The combined economic story of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia is quite comparable to that of the Asian Tigers of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. The three countries have thus earned the title of The Baltic Tigers. Lithuania’s accession into the EU fostered further development of the country and its economy on both the financial and political fronts.
Marketing Tourism In The Galapagos Islands: Ecotourism Or Greenwashing?
Authors: Self Robin M. , Self Donald R. , Bell-Haynes Janel
Published: March 2016

Tourism accounts for approximately 7.5% - 15% of the world’s total employment and is the world’s most important service industry.  In heavily frequented tourist destinations such as the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, the importance is even higher.  International travel is projected to double by 2020 with over 1.5 billion people traveling throughout the world.  Within the tourism industry, ecotourism is the fastest growing sector, growing from 10 to 30 percent a year.  While exact definitions of ecotourism vary, ecotourism is defined by the International Tourism Society (TIES) as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people.”  A subset of sustainable tourism, ecotourism has a natural area focus, which benefits the environment and communities visited, fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and awareness.  Because there is no universally adopted certification program for ecotourism, tourism operators may market their operations as “ecotourism” while in reality they are “greenwashing.”  Greenwashers are dishonest tourism operators who embrace ecotourism as a new selling angle.  To greenwash is to promote ecotourism while effectively doing the opposite.  The Galapagos Islands is a popular destination for ecotourism. Beginning in the late 1960’s, the Galapagos tourism industry started with about 1,000 tourists per year and has boomed to 148,000 tourists in 2006.  This has caused several problems:  growing human population, introduction of alien and invasive species, and unwanted by-products from tourism.  As a result, in 2007, the Galapagos Islands were placed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in Danger.  Because of the unique biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands, and the increase in tourism and its negative consequences, the Galapagos Islands presents an excellent example for a case study in marketing of ecotourism.  Using the criteria established by the Mohonk Agreement for responsible ecotourism, this paper examines the websites of ecotourism operators in the Galapagos Islands to determine the extent to which they are “ecotours” or “greenwashed tours.”   The implications for conservation of the islands and responsible marketing are discussed.
An International Investigation Of Conservative Bias And Accounting Practices
Authors: Hollister Joan , Shoaf Victoria
Published: March 2016

This paper investigates the relationship between conservatism of accrual accounting and the relationship described by Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995) between future profitability and both current profitability and the growth in net operating assets.  To evaluate the conservatism of accounting practices, we construct an annual index for six countries based on the relationship of depreciation and amortization expense and research and development costs expensed to the underlying long-term operating assets.  As in Fairfield, Whisenant, and Yohn (2003, hereafter FWY), the growth in net operating assets is disaggregated into growth in long-term net operating assets and accruals.  We focus on the accrual practices used by companies listed on the primary exchanges in six countries, to assess whether there are country-specific accounting differences that affect the profitability relationship, and whether such differences are related to the negative earnings persistence of the components of growth in net operating assets documented by FWY for the US.  Following FWY, we also disaggregate growth in net operating assets into growth in net long-term operating assets and growth in net short-term operating assets to assess their relative persistence.  Our findings suggest that variation in the conservative bias in accounting practices affects the impact of the growth in short-term and long-term net operating assets differently, providing evidence that the accrual anomaly is not just another representation of the growth anomaly.  Finally, we employ the Mishkin (1983) model to extend internationally the FWY findings of market inefficiency with regards to the impounding in stock prices information conveyed by investments in short-term and long-term net operating assets.
The Accuracy Of The Annual Financial Report Data: An Empirical Analysis Of GCC Firms
Authors: Darayseh Musa , Gence Ismail , Al-Foul Bassam Abu , Abdallah Wissam
Published: March 2016

Company’s might try to enhance the picture of their income numbers (looks better than it should be) in the eyes of the reader of their annual financial reports.  These information could be used by investors and accounting researchers who their decisions depend on the information provided in financial reports.  When companies engage in income enhancement, investment decisions may be adversely affected.  The objective of this paper is to examine income numbers in a sample of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) firms (UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and, Bahrain) to determine if the frequency of the second digits conforms to the expected distribution.  The results indicate that the null hypothesis could be rejected, suggesting the annual financial data may not be as accurate as expected.  In other words, income enhancement at the second digit exists. We also discussed accounting standards that have been used by these companies.
Internal Controls For The Revenue Cycle: A Checklist For The Consumer Products Industry
Authors: Heinze Tim , Kizirian Tim , Lees John (Skip) , Sandoe Kent
Published: March 2016

In today’s difficult economic climate, business managers must carefully consider all aspects of business operations to minimize waste and increase efficiency.  The revenue cycle continues to be the primary area of fraud and abuse requiring strong, comprehensive internal controls (AICPA 2002).  Internal controls in the revenue arena are now more important than ever. The current paper provides a control review checklist for the revenue cycle that will aid managers and independent auditors in the consumer products industry. The checklist is applicable for firms at various levels of the distribution channel and can be used as a general benchmark to perform preliminary evaluations of a company’s internal control system. Auditors can compare their company’s control objectives with the objectives that are presented. During preliminary investigations of the company’s internal control system, auditors should review whether important control objectives have been omitted and whether the omission incurs or heightens risk. The control review checklist can also be used by CFOs or Controllers in the Consumer Products industry in reviewing whether their company’s internal control systems are adequate.  The checklist provides CFOs or Controllers internal controls that external, independent auditors consider to be important.
Evaluating The Projection Of Corporate Culture Online
Authors: Simeon Roblyn
Published: March 2016

It is argued that corporate culture projection should be considered an important business strategy and a crucial factor in entering different business environments. The framework presented in this paper is based on an extension of the AIPD web evaluation model (attracting, informing, delivering, positioning) to a greater focus on a firms’ stakeholders. Using this framework, the paper presents an empirical investigation of web organization and content of sites in three countries. The website evaluations and statistical analyses support the idea that websites can consistently project an appealing corporate culture if web content is structured with stakeholders in mind.
The Impact Of Education On Economic Growth: The Case Of Mauritius
Authors: Odit Mohun P. , Dookhan K. , Fauzel S.
Published: March 2016

This paper focuses on the impact of investment in education on economic growth in Mauritius. It is an attempt to explore the extent to which education level of the Mauritian labour force affects its economic growth that is its output level. We have used the Cobb-Douglas production function with constant returns to scale where human capital is treated as an independent factor of production in the human capital augmented growth model. We expect to contribute to the existing literature by bringing evidence from a data set for the period 1990 to 2006 obtained from the central statistical office and Bank of Mauritius reports. The results reveal that human capital plays an important role in economic growth mainly as an engine for improvement of the output level. There is compelling evidence that human capital increases productivity, suggesting that education really is productivity-enhancing rather than just a device that individuals use to signal their level of ability to the employer.
Financial Market Development, Economic Development and Growth Diagnostics: An Application to Peru
Authors: Raju Sudhakar , Fitzpatrick Brian
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this paper is two fold. First, we hope that the analysis contained here will provide policymakers in Peru with a guidepost to framing appropriate financial and economic policy.  Second, we hope to offer policymakers everywhere a template to implement a similar type of “growth diagnostic” for their respective countries.  In this paper we find that the macro and micro-economic milieu in Peru constitutes a binding constraint and relieving this constraint would lead to significant economic growth. A recent World Bank study and a World Economic Forum survey confirm our general findings. In addition, our analysis indicates the following: Peru is not savings or investment constrained in either domestic or international markets; Peru is clearly constrained by a lack of “High Quality” human capital; poor infrastructure in Peru results in high transportation costs causing an adverse impact on competitiveness. Surprisingly, the sophistication of Peru’s exports was not a constraint, and in fact, Peru appeared to do quite well in terms of self discovery.
No Accounting For Water: Conflicting Business And Science Viewpoints
Authors: Plummer Julie , Tower Greg
Published: March 2016

The growing crisis of inadequate global water supply is documented using desert Australia as an exemplar. Policy solutions are advanced advocating improved transparency, clearer communication and better measurement techniques for the physical and monetary attributes of water resources.
Sources Of Variability In Global Equity Returns
Authors: Sener Tulin , Girma Paul B.
Published: March 2016

This study examines basically major geographical sources of global returns and risks. The focus is on the relevance of global, regional and national allocation policies. Additionally, the significance of value-growth allocation policy is also analyzed. The empirical analysis covers major developed equity markets, and it is conducted within the framework of the international capital asset pricing model. Our findings show that although the global systematic risk is getting to be a fundamental determinant of global equity returns and risks, country and, particularly, region selection are still important. Global and regional risk together can explain at least two-thirds of the total variability of equity returns in the majority of developed markets. However, the results of this study indicate a trivial effect for the value-growth allocation policy.
Navigating The Debt-Equity Decisions Of Financial Services Firms: Some Evidence From South Africa
Authors: Moyo Vusani
Published: March 2016

Empirical studies on the impact of regulation on the financial policies of banks have documented that unconstrained forward-looking banks with sufficient franchise value build and actively maintain capital buffers. This financing behaviour thus relegates the regulatory intervention to non-binding and of secondary importance. This study used a sample of 29 financial services firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) during the period 2003 to 2012 to test for the validity of the market timing, pecking order and the dynamic trade-off theories in explaining the financing behaviour of financial services firms. Consistent with the dynamic trade-off theory and contrary to the market timing and pecking order theories, the study documents that, leverage is positively correlated to firm profitability, size and asset tangibility. The firms’ true speed of adjustment is 56.80% for the market-to-debt ratio (MDR) and 71.31% for the book-to-debt ratio (BDR). The modified external finance-weighted average market-to-book has an insignificant positive and negative correlation with the MDR and the BDR respectively. Taken together, the JSE-listed financial services firms have target optimal capital structures which they actively adjusts towards. Their security issuance decisions are not driven by the stock market performance, share returns or the time-varying adverse selection costs.
Strategies For Manufacturing Servitization Of Korean SMEs: By Using Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Ha Seung Yin , Lee Gun Hee , Kim Bum Seok
Published: March 2016

This study examines the efficiency of Korean manufacturing SMEs through data envelopment analysis. We divide business processes into support activities (e.g., business management and product planning) and primary activities (e.g., production and sales and after-sales services) to measure the efficiency of each process by product module. Moreover, we verify the effect of manufacturing servitization by comparing between the efficiency of servitized and non-servitized firms. The result shows that support activities are generally more efficient than primary activities and that standardized mass production with option (module 2) and totally customized production (module 4) is more efficient than either standardized mass production without option (module 1) or customized assembly after standardized production (module 3). The results suggest that, as SMEs are small, they have an advantage in support activities but also lack production and sales channel infrastructure. Moreover, modules 2 and 4 are relatively efficient because they can increase their product values via product differentiation. In addition, servitized firms are more efficient than non-servitized firms in almost every process and module, implying that servitization in manufacturing is an effective way to improve product value. Finally, module 1 and the production process are relatively inefficient, while servitized firms have higher efficiency scores than do non servitized firms. Likewise, module 3 and sales and after-sales services are relatively inefficient, while servitized firms have higher efficiency scores than do non servitized firms. There results imply that servitization can be used by Korean manufacturing SMEs to develop efficiently and effectively.
Top Executives’ Pay For Long-Run Performance And Corporate Governance
Authors: Ahn Ji-Young
Published: March 2016

This study examines the possibility that the quality of corporate governance has effects on the dynamic relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance. Building on the dynamic view of CEO pay and firm performance and corporate governance literature, we find that firms with weak corporate governance are more likely to provide high powered long-run incentives to CEOs, indicating CEO incentive contracts can be replaced by the role of external corporate control when the external control mechanism is not functioning effectively from the optimal contracting view. Overall, the findings imply that firm’s governance mechanism can generate cross-sectional variations in CEO long-term incentive contracts.
Enterprise Risk Management In Private Firms: Does Ownership Structure Matter?
Authors: Mafrolla Elisabetta , Matozza Felice , D'Amico Eugenio
Published: March 2016

Private firms adopt Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) practices voluntarily. Using results of a survey that involved 78 respondents, we investigate the adoption of ERM practices in Italian private corporations and question whether ERM adoption is affected by the ownership structure of the firm. We find that agency conflicts between controlling and minority shareholders, which arise when ownership dispersion decreases, affect ERM adoption, and that when proprietorship is more dispersed, the firm places more focus on ERM projects. Additionally, we document the different roles of different types of owners. More specifically, in line with the patronage agency theory, the government-controlled enterprises undergo more intense ERM, whereas, in line with behavioral agency theory, individual and family-controlled firms pay less attention to ERM adoption.
The Effect Of Abnormal Pay Dispersion On Earnings Management
Authors: Byun Sanghyuk , Lee Youngjoo , Kwon Ohjin
Published: March 2016

This study examines the effect of the abnormal pay dispersion on earnings management. Prior studies find that pay dispersion among top executives affect firm performance and executive turnover. We expect that abnormal pay dispersion among top executives affects financial reporting practice as well as firm performance and turnover and provide evidence of positive association between abnormal pay dispersion and earnings management. This result suggests that executives are more likely to be engaged in earnings management to increase their compensation when they feel unfairness from the relative level of compensation. This finding helps financial statement users interpret firm performance and anticipate future outcomes by implying that additional managerial incentives for financial reporting are derived from internal pay dispersion. Our finding that abnormal pay dispersion leads to higher agency costs should also be of interest to shareholders.
Learners’ Interpersonal Beliefs and Generated Feedback in an Online Role-Playing Peer- Feedback Activity: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Ching Yu-Hui , Hsu Yu-Chang
Published: March 2016

Peer feedback affords interaction and critical thinking opportunities for learners in online courses. However, various factors prevent learners from taking advantage of these promising benefits. This study explored learners’ perceptions of the interpersonal factors in a role-playing peer-feedback activity, and examined the types of peer feedback that learners generated when playing a role. Participants were 16 graduate students engaged in an online role-playing peer-feedback activity. The results from survey responses revealed learners’ positive interpersonal beliefs, including psychological safety and trust, toward the role-playing peer-feedback activity. In addition, more than sixty percent of the participants reported being more comfortable critiquing peers’ work when playing a role. The content analysis of the peer-feedback entries indicated that learners were able to generate highly constructive feedback entries. In addition to adding supportive comments, those feedback entries identified problems, asked questions, and provided suggestions. The results show that role-play strategy has great potential to enhance learners’ interpersonal beliefs in peer-feedback activity and their feedback quality.
A Systematic Analysis and Synthesis of the Empirical MOOC Literature Published in 2013–2015
Authors: Veletsianos George , Shepherdson Peter
Published: March 2016

A deluge of empirical research became available on MOOCs in 2013–2015 and this research is available in disparate sources. This paper addresses a number of gaps in the scholarly understanding of MOOCs and presents a comprehensive picture of the literature by examining the geographic distribution, publication outlets, citations, data collection and analysis methods, and research strands of empirical research focusing on MOOCs during this time period. Results demonstrate that (a) more than 80% of this literature is published by individuals whose home institutions are in North America and Europe, (b) a select few papers are widely cited while nearly half of the papers are cited zero times, and (c) researchers have favored a quantitative if not positivist approach to the conduct of MOOC research, preferring the collection of data via surveys and automated methods. While some interpretive research was conducted on MOOCs in this time period, it was often basic and it was the minority of studies that were informed by methods traditionally associated with qualitative research (e.g., interviews, observations, and focus groups). Analysis shows that there is limited research reported on instructor-related topics, and that even though researchers have attempted to identify and classify learners into various groupings, very little research examines the experiences of learner subpopulations.
Decolonizing Archival Methodology: Combating hegemony and moving towards a collaborative archival environment
Authors: Genovese Taylor R.
Published: March 2016

The foundation of archival methodology is influenced by colonialism and imperialism. This paternalistic system has created a hegemonic environment that has directly influenced archivists working with Indigenous materials. While positive steps have been made, such as the enactment of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990) and the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials (2006), severe limitations exist due to a difference in worldview and cultural beliefs. In order to reverse the effects of hegemony and decolonize archival methodology, an exerted effort must be made to increase collaboration between archives and Indigenous communities. Furthermore, higher education must attract Indigenous students to information science programs in order to create a more diverse workforce. However, in order to enact lasting change in methodology, the archival profession must receive an injection of activist principles. These principles will help advance decolonizing initiatives and ensure the end of paternalism and colonialism in archival science.
Development or Devastation?: Epistemologies of Mayan women's resistance to an open-pit goldmine in Guatemala
Authors: Macleod Morna
Published: March 2016

The Canadian corporation Goldcorp's Marlin Mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán is the first open-pit goldmine in Guatemala. While Goldcorp depicts Marlin as a showcase for development and good business, many Mayan women express extreme distress at the multilayered destruction caused by the corporation. Under the guidance of the indigenous women's movement Tz'ununija’, in May–June 2011 and July 2012, I held in-depth interviews with five Maya-Mam leaders and two workshops in San Miguel with more than 30 women opposing the mine. Analysing their visions and Goldcorp's public development discourse, I argue that the mine is decimating San Miguel's social fabric and environment. Although Goldcorp has created employment, infrastructure and injected money into the local economy, gains are short term in comparison with the long-term impacts of the mining venture on land and community. At heart, two fundamentally opposed visions are at stake: Western “development” versus tb'anil qchwinqlal, or quality of life.
Recognize both objective and subjective dimensions of recovery of severe mental illness
Authors: Zhang Feng , Tsui Man C.M. , Li Da
Published: March 2016

Fostering psychiatric rehabilitation philosophy and practices for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) in the mainland China is of urgent needs but various challenges exist. Psychiatric rehabilitation targets specifically at those with SMI which utilizes pharmacological treatment for controlling the signs and symptoms, and psychosocial interventions for restoring psychological and social functioning including interpersonal relationships, work, leisure and quality of life.
Use of a CO2-Hybrid Fracturing Design To Enhance Production From Unpropped-Fracture Networks
Authors: Ribeiro Lionel H. , Li Huina , Bryant Jason E.
Published: March 2016

This paper introduces an innovative CO2-hybrid-fracturing-fluid design that intends to improve production from ultratight reservoirs and reduces freshwater usage. The design consists of injecting pure CO2 as the pad fluid to generate a complex fracture network and injecting a gelled slurry (water- or foam-based) to generate near-wellbore conductivity. The motivation behind this design is that while current aqueous fluids provide sufficient primary hydraulic-fracture conductivity back to the wellbore, they understimulate the reservoir and leave behind damaged stimulated regions deeper in the fracture network. Much of that (unpropped) stimulated area is ineffective for production because of interfacial-tension effects, fines generation, and/or polymer damage. We present simulation work that demonstrates how CO2, with its low viscosity, can extend the bottomhole treating pressure deeper into the reservoir and generate a larger producible surface area. We also present experimental evidence that CO2 leaves behind higher unpropped-fracture conductivities than slickwater. This paper does not address the many operational and logistical challenges of using CO2 as a fracturing fluid. Rather, it intends to demonstrate the production-uplift potential of the proposed design, which seems particularly attractive in reservoirs capable of sustaining production from unpropped fractures (e.g., reservoirs with low horizontal-stress anisotropy, high Young's modulus, and a pervasive set of natural fractures).
Finite Element Analysis Generates an Increasing Interest in Dental Research: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: Diarra Abdoulaziz , Mushegyan Vagan , Naveau Adrien
Published: March 2016

Purpose:

The purpose was to provide a longitudinal overview of published studies that use finite element analysis in dental research, by using the SCI-expanded database of Web of Science®(Thomson Reuters).

Material and Methods:

Eighty publications from 1999-2000 and 473 from 2009-2010 were retrieved. This literature grew faster than the overall dental literature. The number of publishing countries doubled. The main journals were American or English, and dealt with implantology. For the top 10 journals publishing dental finite element papers, the mean impact factor increased by 75% during the decade.

Results:

Finite elements generate an increasing interest from dental authors and publishers worldwide.
Two-Year Safety and Efficacy Experience in Patients with Methotrexate-Resistant Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with Etanercept and Conventional Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs in the Latin American Region
Authors: Machado Daniel A. , Guzman Renato , Xavier Ricardo M. , Simon Jesus A. , Mele Linda , Shen Qi , Pedersen Ronald , Kotak Sameer , Vlahos Bonnie
Published: March 2016

Background:

Although long-term data are available from biologic studies in North American/European populations with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), long-term findings in Latin American RA populations are limited.

Objective:

To examine long-term safety/efficacy of etanercept, methotrexate, and/or other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in Latin American patients with moderate-to-severe active RA.

Methods:

In the first phase of this open-label study, patients were randomized to etanercept 50 mg weekly plus methotrexate or conventional DMARD (hydroxychloroquine or sulfasalazine) plus methotrexate for 24 weeks. At the start of the second phase (week 24), investigators selected a treatment regimen that included any combination/dosage of etanercept, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, or sulfasalazine based on previous treatment response, preference, and local product labeling, and was continued for the 104-week extension.

Results:

In the extension, in the group previously randomized to etanercept-plus-methotrexate therapy, etanercept was continued in 259/260 patients; methotrexate continued in 260/260; and hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine added in 8/260 and 3/260, respectively. In the group previously randomized to conventional DMARD-plus-methotrexate therapy, conventional DMARD was discontinued in 86/126 and etanercept added in 105/126. Among etanercept-exposed patients (total exposure, 798.1 patient-year [PY]), rates of adverse events, serious adverse events, and serious infections per PY were 1.7, 0.07, and 0.02 events per PY. In both groups, after treatment modification was permitted, clinical response rates and improvements in clinical/patient-reported outcomes from baseline were sustained to week 128.

Conclusion:

After investigators were permitted to modify treatment, etanercept was part of the treatment regimen in 95% of patients. Continuation or addition of etanercept in the 2-year extension resulted in a consistently good risk:benefit profile.

Trial Registration:

Open-Label Study Comparing Etanercept to Conventional Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) Therapy; ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00848354; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00848354
Current and Future Techniques in Wound Healing Modulation after Glaucoma Filtering Surgeries
Authors: Masoumpour Masoumeh B. , Nowroozzadeh M. Hossein , Razeghinejad M. Reza
Published: March 2016

Filtering surgeries are frequently used for controlling intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients. The long-term success of operation is intimately influenced by the process of wound healing at the site of surgery. Indeed, if has not been anticipated and managed accordingly, filtering surgery in high-risk patients could end up in bleb failure. Several strategies have been developed so far to overcome excessive scarring after filtering surgery. The principal step involves meticulous tissue handling and modification of surgical technique, which can minimize the severity of wound healing response at the first place. However, this is usually insufficient, especially in those with high-risk criteria. Thus, several adjuvants have been tried to stifle the exuberant scarring after filtration surgery. Conventionally, corticosteroids and anti-fibrotic agents (including 5-fluorouracil and Mitomycin-C) have been used for over three decades with semi-acceptable outcomes. Blebs and bleb associated complications are catastrophic side effects of anti-fibrotic agents, which occasionally are encountered in a subset of patients. Therefore, research continues to find a safer, yet effective adjuvant for filtering surgery. Recent efforts have primarily focused on selective inhibition of growth factors that promote scarring during wound healing process. Currently, only anti-VEGF agents have gained widespread acceptance to be translated into routine clinical practice. Robust evidence for other agents is still lacking and future confirmative studies are warranted. In this review, we explain the importance of wound healing process during filtering surgery, and describe the conventional as well as potential future adjuvants for filtration surgeries.
Mental Health Smartphone Apps: Review and Evidence-Based Recommendations for Future Developments
Authors: Bakker David , Kazantzis Nikolaos , Rickwood Debra , Rickard Nikki
Published: March 2016

Background

The number of mental health apps (MHapps) developed and now available to smartphone users has increased in recent years. MHapps and other technology-based solutions have the potential to play an important part in the future of mental health care; however, there is no single guide for the development of evidence-based MHapps. Many currently available MHapps lack features that would greatly improve their functionality, or include features that are not optimized. Furthermore, MHapp developers rarely conduct or publish trial-based experimental validation of their apps. Indeed, a previous systematic review revealed a complete lack of trial-based evidence for many of the hundreds of MHapps available.

Objective

To guide future MHapp development, a set of clear, practical, evidence-based recommendations is presented for MHapp developers to create better, more rigorous apps.

Methods

A literature review was conducted, scrutinizing research across diverse fields, including mental health interventions, preventative health, mobile health, and mobile app design.

Results

Sixteen recommendations were formulated. Evidence for each recommendation is discussed, and guidance on how these recommendations might be integrated into the overall design of an MHapp is offered. Each recommendation is rated on the basis of the strength of associated evidence. It is important to design an MHapp using a behavioral plan and interactive framework that encourages the user to engage with the app; thus, it may not be possible to incorporate all 16 recommendations into a single MHapp.

Conclusions

Randomized controlled trials are required to validate future MHapps and the principles upon which they are designed, and to further investigate the recommendations presented in this review. Effective MHapps are required to help prevent mental health problems and to ease the burden on health systems.
Improving the Reporting of Studies Using Routinely Collected Health Data in Physical Therapy
Authors: Langan Sinéad M. , Cook Chad , Benchimol Eric I.
Published: March 2016

Reporting guidelines have been developed to improve the reporting of research, with the explicit aims that readers of research should understand what was planned, what was done, and what was found. The Strengthening of Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guidelines were created to improve the transparency of reporting of observational studies, such as cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies, and recommend minimum reporting standards for observational studies. However, the unique elements of routinely collected health data highlight the need to develop a new reporting tool as an extension to STROBE. This need has been addressed by the REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely collected Data (RECORD) initiative. The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy has decided to endorse the RECORD guidelines for relevant manuscripts and aims to maximize the implementation of, and benefit from, the RECORD guidelines in terms of completeness and transparency of reporting to ultimately help patients undergoing physical therapy.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(3):126–127. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0103
Job Satisfaction of Employees in Commercial Banks
Authors: Pathak Hari Prasad
Published: March 2016

This paper analyzes the level of job satisfaction among employees of commercial banks along with the consideration of gender, age and experience differences. Four commercial banks were selected using purposive sampling method for the study. Further, a total of 260 respondents were selected randomly from the four banks’ head offices and branch offices located in Kathmandu Metropolis. The modified Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was used to gather data about the job satisfaction of respondents. The results indicate that almost 66% of employees are satisfied or highly satisfied with their jobs. Job security’is the most significant factor of job satisfaction to the employees of commercial banks in Nepal. Level of job satisfaction does not differ significantly between male and female employees. However, there are significant differences in level of job satisfaction among various age groups of employees.Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. 9, No. 1, 2015 pp. 63-76
Quality Management: An Effective Approach to Success
Authors: Budhathoki Dhruba Kumar
Published: March 2016

86      Product quality has entered the consciousness of organizations with a vengeance. It has become crystal clear that high-quality products have a distinct advantage in the market place, that market share can be gained or lost over the quality issue.Therefore, quality is a competitive priority. Quality is the only factor that ensures an organization's survival and growth. Quality focuses on meeting consumer need, meeting the competition, improving continuously and extending these concerns to all phases of business. Today, it has been well understood by managers that the real price of poor quality is lost consumers and ultimately, the death of an organization. Therefore to be successful in today's business environment ,organizations must pay attention to quality. Hence, a systematic procedure has to be evolved and followed and different concepts of quality management have to be understood clearly for designing and executing the quality management programme effectively.Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. 9, No. 1, 2015 pp. 87-90
Incidence of ?-lactamase producing Escherichia coli amongst clinical isolates in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Bhowmik Anindita , Ahsan Sunjukta , Akhtar Marufa Zerin , Kabir Md Shahidul
Published: March 2016

Escherichia coli is one of the most important clinical pathogens that demonstrate antibiotic resistance through their ? -lactamase activity. The present study reflected on the presence of ?-lactam antibiotic resistance in clinical samples. Antibiotic resistance patterns of 20 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli against ? -lactam antibiotics were investigated. These isolates were collected from a hospital in Dhaka city and MIC values were determined against Imipenem, Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone. In case of Ceftriaxone the highest MIC was >4096 ?g/mL for 50% isolates with a minimum MIC of 1 ?g/ml for 10% isolates. In case of Cefotaxime, MIC values ranged between 1 ?g/ml and >4096 ?g/ml for 20% and 10% isolates, respectively. In contrast, 80% of the isolates had an MIC of Imipenem at 1 ?g/mL with only 5% isolate having MIC of 8 ?g/mL. Eight out of 20 (40%) isolates were ESBL producers, 14 (70%) were ? -lactamase producers. Two isolates exhibited ESBL activity against Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone, 3 against only Cefotaxime and 3 against only Ceftriaxone. Ceftriaxone resistance in 10 randomly picked isolates was found to be stable for 21days in stability assay. Considering the findings of the present study, it appears that Imipenem still remains the drug of choice for E. coli infections; alternatively, combination therapy may be prescribed. In vitro stability of Ceftriaxone resistance raises concern from a public health point of view as this may aid antibiotic resistance transfer to other bacteria in the environment.Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.5(1) 2015: 18-21
In vitro antibacterial activity of Spirulina platensis extracts against clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi (SUBP03)
Authors: Ahsan Sunjukta , Arefin Md Shamsul , Munshi John Litol , Begum Mst Nadira , Maliha Maisha , Rahman Sahida , Bhowmik Anindita , Kabir Md Shahidul
Published: March 2016

Natural therapy has its inherent attraction in that there are limited side-effects. Spirulina platensis, a naturally occurring algae, has been reported to have more than one therapeutic advantage. It is also used as a source of natural protein and vitamins in many parts of the world. In the present investigation, the antimicrobial activity of S. platensis against clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (n=17) and Paratyphi (n=3) was investigated. Ethanolic and chloroform extracts of S. platensis (40 mg/mL) were investigated for antimicrobial effect. Variable zones of inhibition were observed for the former extract whereas the latter did not show any inhibitory effect on growth of the test organism. Diameters of the zones of inhibition were 9.7-14.0 mm for S. Paratyphi and 9.5-16.0 mm for S. Typhi. The presence of zones of inhibition at the concentration of 40 mg/ml of the extract used is promising towards developing a natural remedy against infections with S. enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi.Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.5(1) 2015: 22-25
State of cancer in Bangladesh: An introductory review on microbiological perspective
Authors: Munshi Saurab Kishore , Nur Ifra Tun , Noor Rashed
Published: March 2016

Present review emphasized on the current state of cancer in Bangladesh and attempted to focus on the association of microorganisms in the development of cancer. People of Bangladesh have long been suffering from a range of diseases principally due to lack of required resources for disease diagnosis and subsequent treatment facilities. As a developing country with the lack of public awareness on hygiene, emerging infectious diseases conquered the countries. In this circumstance, the onset of cancer is appears as the incurable complications. In the country, cancer is an escalating fatal issue causing a mass scale of mortality each year. Moreover, while etiologic microorganisms are frequently detected during the common disease diagnosis, the pathogenic association with cancer formation remains obscure to the physicians in Bangladesh. While mortality and survival rate of cancer largely depends on the diagnosis and subsequent mitigation, hence it is essential to resolve the possible risk of cancer development in accordance to microbial attack.Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.5(1) 2015: 30-35
Persons and Things
Authors: Esposito Roberto
Published: March 2016

The present article delineates how the Roman and Christian dispositif of the person has increasingly brought about a neat division between persons and things. This has had devastating effects for both. On the one hand, things are reduced not only to servile objects but also to disposable commodities. On the other, the process of derealization of things is paralleled by that of depersonalization of persons; different typologies of persons emerge, historically reproduced by the distinction between real persons and those that are declared non-persons, almost-persons, temporary persons or anti-persons. It is, however, possible to develop a new anti-hierarchical conception of things and persons by focusing on the human body and by taking into account the findings of anthropology as well as the works of philosophers such as Spinoza, Simondon and Latour.
The Absence of the Sexual Relationship: A Transcendental Invariant of the Human Species?
Authors: Chiesa Lorenzo
Published: March 2016

Is what psychoanalysis calls the ‘absence of the sexual relationship’ the basic transcendental invariant of the speaking animal? Or should it be understood as a historical product? Also, assuming that language is structurally incomplete, and therefore that Homo sapiens cannot avoid the dialectic of semblance and truth, does this necessarily entail that the absence of meta-language always correspond to the absence of the sexual relationship? In this article I will show how, in his Seminars of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Lacan develops two different narratives.
Notes on the Biopolitical State of Nature
Authors: Luisetti Federico
Published: March 2016

Foucault's notion of biopower and his reflections on barbarism and savagery in ‘Society Must Be Defended’ are part of Western philosophy's theorization of the state of nature. In order to show the implications of this epistemic constellation, the article concentrates on the semantic history of primitivism, providing an alternative genealogy for the biopolitical paradigm and ‘Italian Theory's’ engagement with life and nature. From this perspective, Leopardi stands out as a precursor to contemporary ‘Italian Theory’. Leopardi's fascination with Rousseau's ethnographic exoticism and his meditations on the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality can be seen as a critique of the colonial foundations of European modern philosophy and an attempt to envision another state of nature, beyond the tenets of the social contract tradition.
Summary of Data Farming
Authors: Horne Gary , Schwierz Klaus-Peter
Published: March 2016

Data Farming is a process that has been developed to support decision-makers by answering questions that are not currently addressed. Data farming uses an inter-disciplinary approach that includes modeling and simulation, high performance computing, and statistical analysis to examine questions of interest with a large number of alternatives. Data farming allows for the examination of uncertain events with numerous possible outcomes and provides the capability of executing enough experiments so that both overall and unexpected results may be captured and examined for insights. Harnessing the power of data farming to apply it to our questions is essential to providing support not currently available to decision-makers. This support is critically needed in answering questions inherent in the scenarios we expect to confront in the future as the challenges our forces face become more complex and uncertain. This article was created on the basis of work conducted by Task Group MSG-088 “Data Farming in Support of NATO”, which is being applied in MSG-124 “Developing Actionable Data Farming Decision Support for NATO” of the Science and Technology Organization, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (STO NATO).