bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discontinuity in the Environment, Firm Response, and Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Dixit M R , Bhowmick Bhaskar
Published: June 2019

Technological innovations, regulatory reforms, institutional overhauls, and socio-cultural developments create discontinuities in a firm's environment. They deny resources that it had depended on for its functioning, thus challenging its sustenance, or provide new paths for growth. The firm needs to respond to these discontinuities by anticipating them well in advance, creating options for change, choosing an appropriate option, and implementing it by reconfiguring its resources. The demands from the management in responding to discontinuities are unique. The response engages the management in processes like unlearning what is redundant, learning what is required in the new situation, and leveraging on whatever is relevant from the past. Such capabilities of ‘sensing’, ‘seizing’ and ‘reconfiguring’ have been referred to as ‘dynamic capabilities’ in the literature on strategic management.

In this perspective, the authors propose a framework of interrelations among discontinuity in the environment, firm responses, and dynamic capabilities. The framework is illustrated by presenting the experiences of two companies: (a) R R Donnelley & Sons – from the printing industry, where the old heavy iron-based printing technology was giving way to digital printing and (b) Gramophone Company of India Limited (GCIL) – from the entertainment industry, where PVC as a medium for recording music and playing back.

The two cases demonstrate: the need for the firm to challenge its own sources of success and be prepared to face discontinuities the need for sensing the change, seizing the opportunity, and shaping the responses (re-configuring). the adaptive response through capabilities of sensing scenarios and preparing for the response.

This perspective not only urges managers to explore the relevance of the proposed interrelations framework but also to think through the possible sources of discontinuities in their environment, and develop capabilities to visualize the implications and accordingly engage in the reshaping process to make itself relevant to the environment once again.
Determinants of Goan SME Firms Going Global: Theoretical and Empirical Approach
Authors: Reddy Y V , Naik Subhash S
Published: June 2019

Choice of entry mode has been widely recognized as one of the critical decisions in a firm's internationalization. However, most of the research primarily focuses upon Western multinational enterprises rather than Indian state small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In the past, several major theories have been proposed but none of them is able to explain the choice from the complete set of entry modes.

The purpose of this research is to understand the various entry modes, improve the selection decision, and explain the entry mode strategies of Goan SME firms in the international markets. A firm can deploy a variety of arrangements (entry modes) like wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, contracts, and export modes to implement its product market strategies in foreign countries. Each of these arrangements entails decisions about the location of production facilities and⁄or marketing operations, and the type of ownership of these operations. This study examines the internationalization behaviour of 200 randomly selected Goan SME firms. It examines the factors associated with each theory and seeks to integrate them to gain a better understanding of how SME businesses succeed in the international marketplace. The determinants under examination are also substantiated with the identification of several international SME entry mode models. The nine groups of determinants are: International planning experience, firm size, R&D intensity, competitive advantage, degree of standardization, demand intensity, economic development, regulation, and political risk. The proposed framework is an effort to fill the gap between theory and practice of entry mode choice. The framework is broader in scope than the extant theories because it transcends across industries and nationalities of firms.

The primary objectives of the study are: (a) to identify the descriptive determinants that have been strongly associated with SME internationalization entry behaviour; and (b) to determine if the propensity of Goan SME firms will be significantly predicted using specific empirical analysis.

Data for the study were obtained through a questionnaire used in numerous previous theories. The study used multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results from the hypothetical foreign market entry situation strongly support the propositions that firm-specific resources and host country factors, viewed as a source of sustainable competitive advantage, encourage involvement in foreign markets. One broad implication for managers is the importance of both analysing the characteristics of the chosen product market and critically examining the firm's capabilities in order to focus on what it does best, build upon it and, where necessary, complement this through collaboration with others.
Transfer Pricing: Impact of Taxes and Tariffs in India
Authors: Gupta Pradeep
Published: June 2019

Transfer pricing in an economy is very significant to corporate policy makers, economic policy makers, tax authorities, and regulatory authorities. Transfer pricing manipulation (fixing transfer prices on non-market basis as against arm's length standard) reduces the total quantum of organization's tax liability by shifting accounting profits from high tax to low tax jurisdictions. It changes the relative tax burden of the multinational firms in different countries of their operations and reduces worldwide tax payments of the firm.

This paper explores the influence of corporate taxes and product tariffs on reported transfer pricing of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in India by using the Swenson (2000) model. This study of custom values of import originating from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, UK, and USA into India reveals that transfer pricing incentives generated by corporate taxes and tariffs provide opportunity for MNCs to manipulate transfer price to maximize profits across world-wide locations of operations and reduce tax liability. The main findings of this paper are: The estimates computed by grouping together products of all industries being imported into India from sample countries reveal that TPI coefficients are positive and significant. Overall, positive and significant coefficients of TPI predict that one per cent reduction in corporate tax rates in the home country of the MNC would cause multinational corporations with affiliated transactions to increase reported transfer prices in the range of 0.248 per cent to 0.389 per cent. The Generalized Least Square estimates for individual industries display that out of nine industries in the sample, three industries (38, 73, and 84) have a positive and significant co-movement with transfer pricing incentives. In four industries (56, 83, 85, and 90), coefficient of Transfer Pricing Incentive (TPI) is negative but significant. In case of two industries (39 and 82), TPI coefficient is negative but not significant. Positive and significant coefficients of TPI predict that one per cent reduction in corporate tax rates in the home country would cause multinational corporations with affiliated transactions to increase reported transfer prices by 1.20 per cent in ‘Miscellaneous Chemical Products’ Industry (Industry 38), 0.175 per cent in the ‘Articles of Iron or Steel’ Industry (Industry 73) and 0.908 per cent in �Nuclear Reactors, Boilers, Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Parts thereof' Industry (Industry 84). In industries where coefficient of TPI is negative and significant, MNCs would like to shift the taxable income of their affilates to the host country by decreasing their reported transfer price.

The government's approach should be to reduce corporate tax and tariff rates to bring them at a level comparable with countries across the world which will reduce incentives for the MNCs for shifting of income out of India and increase the tax base for tax authorities. This will also result in an increase in the tax revenue of the country.
Effects of Psychological Contract Breach on Organizational Outcomes: Moderating Role of Tenure and Educational Levels
Authors: Agarwal Upasna A , Bhargava Shivganesh
Published: June 2019

In contemporary knowledge-intensive organizations, which are characterized by short product life cycles and unhindered access to information and resources, organizational survival, let alone success, necessitates higher-than-average performance. Engaged and committed employees are considered critical resources for organizational survival and business success. Research suggests that the quality of employment relationship significantly impacts employee attitudes.

Psychological Contract is a useful framework for examining the quality of employee-organization relationship. Psychological Contract Breach (PCB), defined as the cognition that one's organization has failed to meet one or more obligations within one�s psychological contract in a manner commensurate with one's contributions has deleterious effects of employee motivation. Previous research has shown that breach is a norm, not an exception.

However, given that PCB is an organizational reality, little effort has been made to examine the impact of PCB on critical behaviours of work engagement and commitment. Further, extant research on psychological contract has primarily tended to adopt main effects approach in examining the psychological contract-outcome relationship and not addressed various individual and situational variables which can alleviate/aggravate our reactions. Finally, most previous research on psychological contract breach has been conducted in Western countries where cultures are typically individualist and low in power distance.

This work is significant for three reasons: It examines the effect of PCB on two critical organizational outcomes: work engagement and affective commitment. It tests the role of individual level variables — tenure and educational level on PCBOutcome relationship. It examines PCB in novel geographical context.

Respondents to a survey were 1,302 Indian managerial employees working in eight organizations in India. Results suggest that Tenure moderates the PCB-affective commitment relationship Education level moderates the effects of PCB on affective commitment Education level moderates the effects of PCB on work engagement.

Most of the research on psychological contracts has focused on direct effects of breach on organizational outcomes. By examining the moderating effects of employee tenure and educational levels, this study has unmasked some interesting findings in the PCB-outcome relationship. The results of this study suggest that much like their counterparts in the West, Indian employees perceive their psychological contracts to have been breached. The negative ramifications of PCB challenge organizations not to ignore the situation but to approach it.
Knowledge of indefinite articles in L2-English: Online vs. offline performance
Authors: Ionin Tania , Choi Sea Hee , Liu Qiufen
Published: June 2019

This study uses both offline and online tasks in order to investigate whether second language learners of English from an article-less first-language (Mandarin) are able to integrate the indefinite article into their grammar despite the lack of articles in their first language. This article reports on two studies, one on learners’ sensitivity to errors of article omission and one on learners’ sensitivity to errors of article misuse. The results indicate that learners show quite native-like sensitivity to errors with articles online, and in fact perform in a more target-like manner in an online task than in a traditional offline judgment task. The findings of this study provide evidence against the Morphological Congruency Hypothesis in that they indicate that learners can represent a new morphological category (in this case, the indefinite article) in their Interlanguage grammar.
The Microflora Diversity and Profiles in Dental Plaque Biofilms on Brackets and Tooth Surfaces of Orthodontic Patients
Authors: Velliyagounder Kabilan , Ardeshna Anil , Koo Julia , Rhee Mathew , Fine Daniel H.
Published: June 2019

Objective: Fixed orthodontic appliances may influence the oral environment through accumulation of plaque, decreased plaque pH, and increased gingival inflammation. These changes in the oral cavity can potentially lead to periodontal disease, demineralization, and other infectious diseases.

Materials and Methods: To investigate the changes in biofilm throughout the initial 2 weeks, we placed a stainless steel bracket on the upper second premolar and collected plaque samples on the bracket and on the tooth surface at different time points (0, 24, 48 h and 1 and 2 weeks) and plated on tryptic soy agar blood agar plate, and kept at 37°C in an anaerobic chamber for 5 days to determine the CFUs of bacteria. At the end of 2 weeks, we removed the bracket and elastomeric module, and we isolated genomic DNA from the bacterial biofilm for identification of bacteria by 16S rRNA PCR analysis. We also analyzed the morphology of biofilm on the bracket by scanning electron microscope.

Results: Our results show that the bacterial biofilm was significantly increased on the bracket in all the subjects, whereas on the tooth surface, the CFUs were not significantly increased. PCR assay showed that biofilm on orthodontic brackets from all subjects showed colonization by Streptococcus gordonii, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans were observed on some of the subjects after 48 h, whereas Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans biofilm was observed in all the time points except 24 h.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that both periodontal and cariogenic bacterial biofilms were formed on the bracket as early as 24 h.
User Preferences for Bicycle Infrastructure in Communities with Emerging Cycling Cultures
Authors: Clark Calvin , Mokhtarian Patricia , Circella Giovanni , Watkins Kari
Published: June 2019

Non-motorized travel modes, particularly cycling, are experiencing a resurgence in many United States (U.S.) states as well as in other countries. Still, most studies focus on bicyclists’ behaviors in areas with strong bicycling cultures. This paper discusses the findings of a survey (N = 1,178) deployed in six communities in Alabama and Tennessee, U.S., where cycling is not (yet) popular nor widely adopted. The analysis includes linear regression models built on respondents’ reactions to images of bicycling infrastructure and their perceptions of being comfortable, safe, and willing to try cycling on the displayed roadway type. Findings indicate a preference for more separated bicycle infrastructure types along with options that exclude on-street parking. Segmented models indicate that, compared with potential cyclists, the preferences of regular utilitarian cyclists can vary more than those of recreational/occasional cyclists. Results from this study provide useful insights into ways to maximize the return on investments, and design bike infrastructure that can attract patronage and be most successful in areas lacking a substantial bicycling population.
Do Economic and Political Changes Matter? Intergenarational Occupational Mobility in Spain
Authors: Iglesias-Fernández Carlos , Llorente-Heras Raquel , Dueñas-Fernández Diego
Published: June 2019

Our article studies the evolution of social mobility in Spain and its relationship with profound political, social, and economic transformation. To that end, we investigate the transmission processes of labor occupations between parents and children, using microdata from a special module by the Spanish Living Condition Survey in 2011. In spite of the radical transformations that have taken place, the intensity of transmission has decreased only slightly, but some historical periods are more significant than others. Finally, the article concludes that intergenerational transmission processes present a clearly gender-biased tendency.
The Use of Particulated Juvenile Allograft Cartilage for the Repair of Porcine Articular Cartilage Defects
Authors: Ao Yunong , Li Zhong , You Qi , Zhang Chengchang , Yang Liu , Duan Xiaojun
Published: June 2019

Background:

The repair of porcine articular cartilage defects by using particulated juvenile allograft cartilage (PJAC) has demonstrated good short-term clinical efficacy, but the repair process and mechanism have not been fully elucidated.

Purpose:

To study the efficacy of PJAC in repairing full-thickness cartilage defects and to provide an experimental basis for its clinical application.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Thirty Guizhou minipigs were randomly divided into an experimental group and control group. An 8-mm cylindrical full-thickness cartilage defect was created in the femoral trochlea of either knee in all minipigs. The experimental group received the PJAC transplantation (PJAC group; n = 15) and the control group received autologous cartilage chips (ACC group; n = 15). Five minipigs were euthanized at 1, 3, and 6 months in each group to obtain samples, which were evaluated by general view of the knee joint and histomorphometry of the chondral defect area (hematoxylin and eosin, safranin O). International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) II semiquantitative evaluation and collagen type II staining immunohistochemistry were also performed.

Results:

All 30 Guizhou minipigs were followed; there was no infection or incision healing disorder after the operation. At 1 month postoperatively, more hyaline cartilage was found in the ACC group (29.4%) compared with the PJAC group (20.1%) ( P < .05); there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups at 3 and 6 months after operation. The fibrocartilage content in the ACC group was significantly more than that in the PJAC group at 1 and 3 months postoperatively (27.4% vs 18.2% and 49.9% vs 41.1%, respectively; P < .05); significant differences disappeared at 6 months postoperatively. The PJAC group produced more fibrous tissue than the ACC group at 1 and 3 months postoperatively (60.1% vs 40.6% and 38.8% vs 24.4%, respectively; P < .05) but showed no statistical difference at 6 months postoperatively. Regarding the ICRS II scores, those of the ACC group were significantly better than the scores of the PJAC group in some subclasses at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. The positive rates of immunohistochemical staining in the ACC group were higher at 1 and 3 months postoperatively than those in the PJAC group (54.2% vs 37.8% and 46.4% vs 34.4%, respectively; P < .05). The difference was not statistically significant between the 2 groups at 6 months postoperatively.

Conclusion:

Both PJAC and ACC can produce a good repair effect on cartilage defects. At 1 and 3 months postoperatively, ACC resulted in better outcomes than PJAC, but there was no statistical difference in the repair effect between the 2 techniques at 6 months postoperatively.

Clinical Relevance:

Based on this animal experiment, further clinical studies are needed to investigate PJAC as a possible alternative first-line treatment for cartilage defects.
Development and Sensory Shelf-Life Testing of KOKO Plus: A Food Supplement for Improving the Nutritional Profiles of Traditional Complementary Foods
Authors: Tano-Debrah Kwaku , Saalia Firibu Kwesi , Ghosh Shibani , Hara Masashi
Published: June 2019

Background:

Providing nutritionally adequate complementary foods is essential in preventing malnutrition in young infants. Koko made from fermented corn dough constitutes the most common complementary food in Ghana. However, these do not meet the nutrient requirements.

Objective:

To develop and test the acceptability and shelf-life of an energy-dense complementary food supplement for improving the nutritional profile of traditional complementary foods.

Methods:

Surveys of families in urban and rural communities and stakeholder engagements with health professionals were done to identify the most predominant traditional complementary foods and young infants’ feeding practices. A food supplement, KOKO Plus, that would improve the nutritional profile of koko and other complementary foods needed to be developed. Linear programming was used in ingredient formulations for the food supplement based on locally available foods. The acceptability of the food supplement, KOKO Plus, in koko and soup was assessed using 14 trained assessors in a 2 × 2 crossover design. Shelf-life of the product was estimated using the difference in control sensory test method at different storage temperatures (24°C, 34°C, and 44°C).

Results:

Koko was the most predominant complementary food in many homes. The KOKO Plus food supplement improved the nutritional profile of koko to satisfy the nutrient intake requirements of young infants as recommended by World Health Organization. KOKO Plus was microbiologically safe, with estimated shelf-life of more than 12 months.

Conclusion:

The development of KOKO Plus as a food supplement provides a practical solution to improve the nutritional status of weaning children in Ghana.
Recovery methods and regulation status of waste lithium-ion batteries in China: A mini review
Authors: Siqi Zhao , Guangming Li , Wenzhi He , Juwen Huang , Haochen Zhu
Published: June 2019

Heavy metals such as Co, Li, Mn, Ni, etc. and organic compounds enrich spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These batteries seriously threaten human health and the environment. Meanwhile, with the development of new energy vehicles, the shortage of valuable metal resources which are used as raw materials for power batteries is becoming a serious problem. Using proper methods to recycle spent LIBs can both save resources and protect the environment. Pyrometallury is a kind of recycling method that is operated under high temperature with the aim of recovering useful metals after pre-treatment and organic binder removal with the characteristic of high temperature and it is easy to operate. Hydrometallurgy is characterized by high recovery efficiency, low reaction energy consumption, and high reaction rate, and is widely used in the recycling process of spent LIBs. During biometallurgy, valuable metals in the spent LIBs are extracted by microbial metabolism or microbial acid production processes. Since the drive for green and low secondary pollution, biometallurgy as well as solvent extraction and the electrochemical method have earned more attention during recent years. This mini-review analyzes the relationship between the emergence of new energy vehicles and the recycling status of spent LIBs. Meanwhile, this paper also consists of detailed treatment and recycling methods for LIBs and provides a summary of the management regulations of current waste for LIBs. What is more, the main challenges and further prospects in terms of LIBs management in China are analyzed.
Antagonistic effect of co-exposure to short-multiwalled carbon nanotubes and benzo[a]pyrene in human lung cells (A549)
Authors: Azari Mansour Rezazadeh , Mohammadian Yousef , Peirovi Habibollah , Omidi Meisam , Khodagholi Fariba , Pourahmad Jalal , Mehrabi Yadollah , Rafieepour Athena
Published: June 2019

In theenvironment, co-exposure to short-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (S-MWCNTs) and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) has been reported. In the co-exposure condition, the adsorption of PAHs onto MWCNTs may reduce PAHs toxic effect. The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of S-MWCNTs and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) individually, and in combination in human lung cell lines (A549). The adsorption of B[a]P onto MWCNTs was measured spectrometrically. In vitro toxicity was assessed through cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, apoptosis, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) generation experiments. The S-MWCNTs demonstrated cytotoxicity through the generation of ROS, apoptosis, and 8-OHdG in A549 cells. Co-exposure to S-MWCNTs and B[a]P demonstrated a significant reduction in ROS generation and apoptosis compared with the sum of their separate toxic effects at the same concentrations. Decreasing the bioavailability of B[a]P by MWCNT interaction is the probable reason for the antagonistic effects of the co-exposure condition. The findings of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the health effects of co-exposures to air pollutants and could be a starting point for modifying future health risk assessments.
The Predictive Role of School Performance Indicators on Students’ College Achievement
Authors: Giersch Jason , Bottia Martha Cecilia , Stearns Elizabeth , Mickelson Roslyn Arlin , Moller Stephanie
Published: June 2019

The adoption of market theory as a guiding principle of education policy increased the need for assessments of school performance that families could use to compare academic benefits of attending one school to another. Prominent among measures used by states are the school proficiency and growth indicators resulting from high-stakes tests. Using a longitudinal dataset of college-bound public high school students in North Carolina ( N = 17,565), we test the usefulness of proficiency and growth scores of high schools in predicting students’ performance in college. We find both indicators to be useful and have the strongest associations with outcomes for students taking a mix of honors and non-honors classes. We also find that academic track placement has a stronger association with outcomes than either measure of school performance. Therefore, this study shows that reliance on school quality indicators can be inadequate because they exaggerate differences between schools and ignore differences within schools.
Optimal control of regenerative hydraulic composite braking system based on a voltage variable charging control scheme
Authors: Wang Jun-Cheng , He Ren , Kim Young-Bae
Published: June 2019

A double-loop optimal control strategy combined with a voltage variable charging control scheme is developed to enhance the efficiency of energy recovery and improve control precision for a regenerative hydraulic composite braking system. The proposed voltage variable charging control scheme structure aims to regulate a regenerative braking torque using a charging voltage variation based on an existing battery management system. In addition, an experimental test was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the charging voltage control, and a first loop optimal control was developed to evaluate the ideal ground braking force accurately by transforming several state variables into differential equations. A second optimal control loop was subsequently developed to track an ideal slip ratio using a full-information optimal sliding mode control method under the all-braking conditions. Simulation results corroborate that a composite braking system controlled by the proposed control strategy can implement the regenerative braking behavior precisely with a considerable high-energy recovery efficiency.
Usefulness of soluble CD163 as a biomarker for macrophage activation syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Nishino A , Katsumata Y , Kawasumi H , Hirahara S , Kawaguchi Y , Yamanaka H
Published: June 2019

Objective

We aimed to study the usefulness of serum soluble CD163 (sCD163) as a biomarker for macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Serum sCD163 levels were retrospectively measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for SLE patients associated with MAS (SLE-MAS), lupus nephritis (LN), or autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and/or immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and healthy controls (HCs). Posttreatment samples were also evaluated in the available SLE-MAS patients. The associations between serum sCD163 levels and clinical information were statistically analyzed.

Results

The serum sCD163 levels in SLE-MAS, LN and SLE-AIHA/ITP groups were significantly higher than those in HCs ( n = 17, 29, 13, and 68, respectively; p < 0.01 for all comparisons). In addition, the serum sCD163 levels in the SLE-MAS group were even higher than those in the LN and SLE-AIHA/ITP groups ( p < 0.01 for both comparisons). Serum sCD163 levels were correlated with the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 scores ( r = 0.53), whereas they were not correlated with the serum ferritin levels. With the determined cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity of serum sCD163 for the diagnosis of SLE-MAS were 59% and 86%, respectively. Retesting showed that the serum sCD163 levels decreased significantly following treatment in parallel with disease amelioration in the SLE-MAS group ( p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The present study suggests the usefulness of serum sCD163 as a diagnostic and disease-activity biomarker for SLE-associated MAS. Serum sCD163 might also have a different role as a biomarker for SLE-associated MAS than serum ferritin does.
Health Care Seeking Behaviour Among the Tangsa Women of Tinsukia District of Assam: A Micro Study.
Authors: Sarmah Upasona , Dutta Boby
Published: June 2019

The tribal people are more tradition bound and have poorer health indicators and limited access to healthcare services. However, with changing time and continuous effort of the government, they are now in a transitional phase between traditional and modern healthcare practices. This article attempts to explore context, reasons, and options behind the health-seeking behavior of the Tangsa (Hill Tribe) women of Margherita sub-division of Tinsukia district, Assam, along with their access to the public healthcare services. Using both simple random and purposive sampling method, primary data were collected in the field from the married women, adolescent girls, and mothers who have girl child of 0–9 years of age from two Tangsa villages, namely Kharangkong and Hassak. Data were collected using standard field methods, for example, observation, survey schedule, interview, semi-structured and open- ended questionnaires, case study, and participatory tools such as focused group discussion (FGD). The findings indicate that Tangsa women generally prefer traditional healing practices to cure many of the common diseases. But a portion of women ranging from 42 to 74 percent received the benefits from different government health schemes related to reproductive health. Institutional delivery is gradually increasing, but iron and folic acid (IFA) intake by pregnant women and adolescent girls is still very poor. The public health department should make more effort to increase the level of awareness and knowledge among the tribal women about the benefits that can be availed from various schemes and modern healthcare services.
Should psychiatrists support the availability of nicotine e-cigarettes in Australia?
Authors: Scott James G , Jhetam Sarah , Chen Renee , Daglish Mark
Published: June 2019

Objective:

To examine the position statement of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) regarding the availability of electronic cigarettes in Australia.

Conclusion:

There is limited evidence supporting the efficacy of nicotine e-cigarettes as an effective tobacco harm-reduction or cessation strategy for people with mental illness. The recommendations to increase their availability under regulation must be balanced with the physical and mental health risks of vapour inhalation and nicotine use, particularly for youth. Future recommendations by the RANZCP in relation to e-cigarettes must consider both the available evidence for harm reduction and the potential risks associated with youth e-cigarette use.
Internalized stigma, disclosure and self-esteem among psychiatric patients in a general hospital outpatient clinic
Authors: Lim Leslie , Goh Justine , Chan Yiong-Huak
Published: June 2019

Objective:

Psychiatric patients often experience internalized stigma. This occurs when persons accept the negative attitudes of others towards them, then internalize and apply these beliefs to themselves. We assess the effects of internalized stigma on illness disclosure and on self-esteem in psychiatric outpatients, hypothesizing that internalized stigma is more pronounced in psychiatric patients than in medical patient controls and that internalized stigma is associated with avoidance of disclosure, as well as reduced self-esteem.

Methods:

Psychiatric and medical outpatients were randomly selected to participate in the study, conducted at a general hospital specialist outpatient clinic.

Results:

Psychiatric patients demonstrated significantly lower self-esteem than controls. Internalized stigma was the highest for singles, and the lowest among married and older patients. Among psychiatric patients, a higher internalized stigma was significantly associated with experienced discrimination and with lower levels of self-esteem. Those who avoided disclosure had significantly higher internalized stigma than those who self-disclosed.

Conclusion:

The results confirmed our study hypotheses. Marriage and older age seemed to confer a protective effect on self-esteem.
Coinfection of Swiss cattle with bovine parainfluenza virus 3 and Mycoplasma bovis at acute and chronic stages of bovine respiratory disease complex
Authors: Mehinagic Kemal , Pilo Paola , Vidondo Beatriz , Stokar-Regenscheit Nadine
Published: June 2019

Viral agents such as bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3) are considered primary infectious agents in bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). Information regarding the pathogenesis of BRDC is scarce, especially at an advanced chronicity stage, in addition to ongoing coinfection with other primary agents such as Mycoplasma bovis. Based on a retrospective review of histology slides from 104 autopsy cases, we classified cases according to type of pneumonia and chronicity. We performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) for BRSV, BPIV-3, and M. bovis as well as real-time PCR (rtPCR) for M. bovis on lung tissue of all 104 cases and correlated results with the morphologic type of pneumonia. Histomorphologically, 79 cases were classified as bronchopneumonia, 16 as bronchointerstitial pneumonia, and 9 as interstitial pneumonia. In 89 cases, at least 1 of the investigated agents was detected by IHC; 44 of these cases had a coinfection. BPIV-3 was the predominant agent present, as a single infection in 39 cases, and in coinfection with M. bovis in 39 cases. Comparing the detection methods for M. bovis, rtPCR was more specific and sensitive than IHC. The combination of both methods provided a good visual tool for assessing severity and distribution of M. bovis antigen within the tissue. Unlike BRSV, BPIV-3 and M. bovis persisted in chronic BRDC, suggesting ongoing impairment of defense mechanisms in the lung.
Black Masculine Caring and the Dilemma faced by Black Male Leaders
Authors: Bass Lisa , Alston Kendrick
Published: June 2019

The status of Black males in schools and society continues to be concerning, as Black males appear to fall behind other groups in almost every arena, particularly educationally, socially, and professionally. Yet despite their social standing, Black male administrators are often placed in, and have taken on, the charge to serve in high need schools where they oversee the education of Black males and other disadvantaged students. Therefore, there are many Black male students who have Black male administrators. This places them in a position to make a difference in lives of the Black male students and the other students they serve from less privileged backgrounds. This conceptual article discusses the professional challenges faced by Black male leaders and how they choose to lead schools despite these challenges. Tenants of the Black Masculine Caring (BMC) framework are introduced which illuminate ways in which Black male administrators practice interpersonal and institutional care, and how the way they care for students impacts school culture and climate. This article contributes to the literature on school leadership, as all school leaders, regardless of their race, or the race of their students, are expected to maintain positive school cultures and climates in which students are emotionally supported (Blankstein, 2004; Murphy and Torre, 2014). Implications for educational administrators are discussed.
Contested Perspectives on the Social Impacts of a Residential Field Trip
Authors: Gee Nick
Published: June 2019

Background: Research into outdoor learning reveals social benefits for trip participants, both individually and collectively. However, this is not universal, and individual participants can experience increased isolation from the wider group. Purpose: This research investigated the underexplored negative experiences of an individual trip participant, in the context of a program promoting collectivist beliefs. Methodology/Approach: An ethnographic methodology was adopted to include full immersion into all aspects of the week-long trip. Data were collected by observation and interviews and analyzed using a conceptual framework around individualism and collectivism. Findings/Conclusions: The teachers perceived the trip as successful, in meeting their collectivist goal of enhancing group cohesion, and data revealed the building of community feelings among the majority of participants, alongside feelings of belonging, togetherness, and mutual support. However, one participant exhibited contrasting individualist perceptions and experiences around interpretations of freedom, privacy, adversity, and cohesion. Implications: Trip leaders need to be mindful of participants as individuals, taking care to neither seek nor project a blanket group identity over all. Within the confines of health and safety and duty of care boundaries, and commensurate with the age range of trip participants, accompanying teachers should understand and respect individual needs within collectivist group socialization agendas.
Non-invasive measurement techniques for quantitative assessment of optic nerve head blood flow
Authors: Vosborg Fia , Malmqvist Lasse , Hamann Steffen
Published: June 2019

Diseases of the optic nerve head involving changes in blood flow are common. However, the pathophysiology is not always fully understood. Several non-invasive methods for measuring optic nerve head blood flow are available, but currently no gold standard has been established. Methods for measuring blood flow in optic neuropathies including colour Doppler imaging, retinal function imager, optical coherence tomography angiography and laser speckle flowgraphy are reviewed. Ultrasound colour Doppler imaging is a fast measurement technique where several different parameters, especially the blood flow velocity, can be calculated. Though used for many years in ophthalmology, its use is not standardized and it requires significant observer skills. The retinal function imager is a direct method where the haemoglobin in erythrocytes is visualized and blood flow velocities in retinal vessels are calculated from a series of photos. The technique is not suitable for direct measurement of blood flow within the optic nerve head. Laser speckle flowgraphy uses a laser light which creates a light scatter pattern in the tissue. Particles moving in the area causes changes in the speckle pattern from which a relative blood flow can be estimated. It is, however, not known whether optic nerve head microcirculation is measurable with the technique. Optical coherence tomography angiography uses multiple scans to evaluate blood flow with good reproducibility but often problems with artefacts. The technique is continuously being refined and increasingly used in research as a tool for the study of blood flow in retinopathies and optic neuropathies. Most of the conducted studies are based on small sample sizes, but some of the methods show promising results in an optic nerve head blood flow research setting. Further and larger studies are required to provide standardized and comparable measurements before one or more of the methods can be considered clinical helpful in daily practice.
When do party supporters abandon the party leader? The intraparty conflict of the Alternative for Germany
Authors: Jäger Kai
Published: June 2019

Drawing on a unique panel data set of supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the study shows that programmatic differences between supporters of Frauke Petry and Bernd Lucke cannot sufficiently explain the crucial intraparty leadership contest of July 2015. Programmatic differences were minor in 2013 but became pronounced over time. Politically active supporters were disaffected with the old moderate leadership of Bernd Lucke, who pursued an organizational reform to reduce the influence of the rank-and-file. Social media also played a key role in the leadership turnover, as alternative news sources on social media were only politicized by the intraparty opposition. It is conceivable that the structure of social media networks influences opinion formation processes and internal affairs of right-wing populist parties in general, as their supporters tend to have low trust in mainstream news.
Media, crime, and trust in the police in Latin America
Authors: Liebertz Scott , Bunch Jaclyn
Published: June 2019

This article examines the effect crime is having on support for law enforcement in Latin America. Scholars empirically demonstrate a strong negative effect of crime on support for institutions and satisfaction with democracy. Little empirical work, however, investigates the effect of the media on attitudes toward criminal justice institutions within the Latin American context. We test whether variance in crime salience in the media across countries affects support for the police and the criminal justice system. Analyzing survey data from Latinobarometro and content analysis of newspapers in 14 Latin American countries, we find evidence that increased salience of crime reduces trust in the police across a number of different measures of media coverage.
Kinetics and mechanism of formation of the complex [Ru(CN)5INH]3− through the ligand substitution reaction between the aquapentacyanoruthenate(II) anion and isoniazid
Authors: Yadav Rupal , Naik Radhey Mohan
Published: June 2019

The formation kinetics of the complex, [Ru(CN)5INH]3−, formed through the ligand substitution reaction between isoniazid (INH) and aquapentacyanoruthenate(II) ([Ru(CN)5H2O]3−), have been investigated, under pseudo first-order conditions, as a function of concentrations of [INH] and [Ru(CN)5H2O]3−, ionic strength and temperature at pH = 4.0 ± 0.02 in 0.2 M NaClO4 spectrophotometrically at 502 nm ( λmax of intense yellow colour product [Ru(CN)5INH]3−) corresponding to metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions, in aqueous medium. The pseudo first-order condition was maintained by taking at least 10% excess of [INH] over [Ru(CN)5H2O]3−. The stoichiometry of the reaction product was found to be 1:1 which was further supported and characterized using elemental analysis, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometric techniques. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters have also been computed, using the Eyring equation, and the values of ΔH≠, Ea, ΔG≠ and ΔS≠ were found to be 47.3 kJ mol−1, 49.8 kJ mol−1, −8.62 kJ mol−1 and 187.6 J K−1mol−1, respectively. The reaction was found to obey first-order kinetics with respect to [INH]. It exhibited a negative salt effect on the rate upon variation of ionic strength of the medium. A tentative mechanistic scheme was proposed on the basis of experimental findings.
Pris pour cible dans la banlieue: Self-identity, language maintenance, racism and exclusion amongst African youths in the Paris suburbs
Authors: Pégram Scooter
Published: June 2019

Young people of African descent from the suburbs surrounding Paris are in a state of crisis and are feeling increasingly ostracised from a majority French society that marginalises them via institutional and structural racism. With little hope of ever being considered as equal partners, and increased societal and media scrutiny placed upon them, some of these youths of African descent are either ‘checking out’, whilst others choose to express their anger against State institutions via protests and riots. Our study surveyed youths from many peripheral communities of Paris on questions relating to identity, language, racism and inclusion. The findings of our research demonstrate how this group of young people of African descent navigate the duality of their dual societal paradigms by analysing topics of identity, language, racism and inclusion.
Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI)
Authors: Fallahchai Reza , Babaeizad Ali , Pham Michael , Eftekharian Abbas
Published: June 2019

Mate retention behaviors are designed to reduce the likelihood of partner infidelity and relationship withdrawal. We investigated the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of The Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI) in Iran and explored the sex differences in the performance frequencies of these behaviors. Participants in a committed heterosexual romantic relationship ( n = 508, 270 female and 238 male) were drawn from a community sample. Participants reported demographic information (including age, duration of relationship), the Persian translation of CMRI, and the Persian translation of the Mate Retention Inventory–Short Form. The results of the confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a good fit of the CMRI seven-factor model and achieved good reliability for CMRI and its subscales. We further documented sex differences in the frequency with which coalitional mate retention behaviors were performed. The results revealed that CMRI is a valuable instrument for assessing mate retention across diverse cultures.
“Plow Him Like a Queen!”: Jewish Female Masculinity, Queer Glamor, and Racial Commentary in Broad City
Authors: Branfman Jonathan
Published: June 2019

Starring raunchy Jewish women, Comedy Central’s Broad City (2014–2019) invites feminist comedy theory to better address race and ethnicity. Feminist comedy theory has long used Kathleen Rowe’s model of the unruly woman, which neglects racial/ethnic dimensions of unruliness. When discussing Jewish comedian Roseanne Barr, for instance, Rowe does not mention transgressive stereotypes about Jewish femininity like the “beautiful Jewess,” a historical stock figure depicting Jewish women as racially exotic and masculine-yet-seductive. Likewise, studies of the Jewess have not yet integrated Rowe’s lens of unruly womanhood. Broad City highlights these gaps: the series calls its stars “Jewesses,” and tropes of the beautiful Jewess fuel their comedic boundary violations between femininity/masculinity, whiteness/nonwhiteness, and racism/antiracism. By analyzing Broad City, I clarify how racial tropes of unruliness shape plotlines and social critiques in women’s comedy. This article also invites feminist studies more broadly to address Jewishness as a salient form of difference.
Listening and Learning: Pacifica Radio Archives’ “American Women: 1963-1982” Digitization and Access Project
Authors: Beiser Jolene M. , McGee Holly Rose
Published: June 2019

In 2016, the Pacifica Radio Archives in Los Angeles completed a two-year project in which more than 2,000 recordings of broadcasts from 1963 to 1982, produced by or about women, were digitized, recataloged, and made freely available for research and production. 1 This project, titled “American Women Making History and Culture: 1963-1982,” 2 demonstrated how women used the progressive, listener-supported Pacifica Radio studios and airwaves, first to communicate obstacles they faced in the 1960s due to their gender and then to spread information about the rising women's movement and, finally, to broadcast whatever they desired. Programs ranged from historical radio dramas to experimental music performance to programs discussing issues of intersectionality (e.g., lesbian women of color facing racism and homophobia within the women's movement). This article discusses women as both curators and creators of radio programming, the challenges of cataloging underrepresented and sometimes invisible creators and subjects, and the finished digitization and access project as an accessible and important collection where women are the subject.