bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive-Velocity Time-Geographic Density Estimation for Mapping the Potential and Probable Locations of Mobile Objects
Authors: Downs Joni A , Horner Mark W
Published: October 2014

Time-geographic density estimation (TGDE) provides a method for generating probability density surfaces for mobile objects. The technique operates by fitting distance-weighted geo-ellipses to each pair of points in a tracking dataset and combining them to create a final density surface. The sizes of the geo-ellipses, and thus the amount of smoothing, are determined by a velocity parameter which specifies how fast the object can travel. In prior formulations of TGDE this maximum-velocity parameter was treated as constant or fixed. This can be problematic if an object displays variable movement patterns, such as alternating between movements and stops. In this research we develop a more robust formulation of time-geographic density estimation, termed adaptive-velocity TGDE, which allows the maximum-velocity parameter to vary for each segment of the space-time path. First, the new mathematical formulation is demonstrated and compared with fixed-TGDE through an application to synthetic pedestrian tracking data. Second, both methods are evaluated in the context of accurately mapping the movement patterns of a homing pigeon tracked by GPS. The results of both applications demonstrate that adaptive-velocity TGDE has the potential to more accurately delineate the trajectories of mobile objects than the fixed-velocity version. Implications of these results in the context of developing a probabilistic time geography for general mobile objects are also discussed.
Effect of key water quality variables on macroinvertebrate and fish communities within naturally acidic wallum streams
Authors: Holland Aleicia , Duivenvoorden Leo J. , Kinnear Susan H. W.
Published: October 2014

Adverse impacts of acidification on aquatic biota have been observed worldwide; however, most reports are based on fresh waters acidified by anthropogenic means. By contrast, naturally low pH values may not affect biota within naturally acidic fresh waters. This field study provides information on the water quality, macroinvertebrate and fish communities in little-studied, naturally acidic wallum streams in Central Queensland, Australia. Mid-range pH sites (pH 5–6) were compared with low pH sites (pH 5–3.8) to investigate the effect of pH and other key water quality variables on these communities. Field data indicated that pH had less of an effect in these systems in terms of biotic changes compared with other water quality variables, with dissolved oxygen (% saturation) identified as the key driver for changes in macroinvertebrate composition. Fish were present at all sites, including those with pH <4. Several possible explanations for this lack of pH effect are discussed. These results provide support for the reduced importance of acidity, relative to other water quality parameters, in naturally acidic waters. The work also provides baseline data on the biota of little-studied wallum streams.
Time-variant clustering model for understanding cell fate decisions
Authors: Huang Wei , Cao Xiaoyi , Biase Fernando H. , Yu Pengfei , Zhong Sheng
Published: October 2014

Significance

Clustering, in essence, was a tool for describing spatial characteristics in the objects of concern. However, from social to biological studies, researchers’ interests in temporal characteristics often rival their interests in spatial features. Previous efforts to incorporate time information into clustering primarily relied on coding the time information into similarity metrics, thus reducing the problem into the classical paradigm of spatial clustering. The limitation is that the clustering outcomes are often time invariant. Here, we initiate a class of statistical methods that simultaneously infer spatial and temporal groupings. Such methods explicitly model the time dependencies of clustering indices over time. Our method inferred three genes to be associated with the earliest cell fate decision, which was corroborated by experimental validations.
Co-creation: moving towards a framework for creating innovation in the Triple Helix
Authors: Hughes T.
Published: October 2014

The objective of the paper is to demonstrate how the theoretical ideas of service-dominant logic (S-D logic) can usefully be applied to innovation through collaboration among university, industry and government. The debate around S-D logic has stimulated much discussion of three areas that are particularly pertinent in considering the co-creation of knowledge within the Triple Helix. The first area relates to understanding the nature of the resources provided by all the parties involved and the process through which they are integrated. The second area relates to interaction among the parties involved. The third and most complex area relates to how value is perceived by the different parties. This discussion leads to a proposed model of the co-creation process and four suggested research agendas: Research Agenda One, looking at the resources supplied by the parties and their integration; Research Agenda Two, concerning the interaction practices that enhance co-creation; Research Agenda Three, exploring what value propositions will motivate the different parties to co-create; and Research Agenda Four, considering how co-creation modifies the resources of the parties involved. A model of the co-creation process that encompasses these four research agendas and provides a conceptual framework to analyse Triple Helix initiatives is proposed. Some practical implications are then discussed relating to the challenges posed for researchers.
Effect of the replacement of aspartic acid/glutamic acid residues with asparagine/glutamine residues in RNase He1 from Hericium erinaceus on inhibition of human leukemia cell line proliferation
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroko , Motoyoshi Naomi , Itagaki Tadashi , Suzuki Mamoru , Inokuchi Norio
Published: October 2014

RNase He1 from Hericium erinaceus, a member of the RNase T1 family, has high identity with RNase Po1 from Pleurotus ostreatus with complete conservation of the catalytic sequence. However, the optimal pH for RNase He1 activity is lower than that of RNase Po1, and the enzyme shows little inhibition of human tumor cell proliferation. Hence, to investigate the potential antitumor activity of recombinant RNase He1 and to possibly enhance its optimum pH, we generated RNase He1 mutants by replacing 12 Asn/Gln residues with Asp/Glu residues; the amino acid sequence of RNase Po1 was taken as reference. These mutants were then expressed in Escherichia coli. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we successfully modified the optimal pH for enzyme activity and generated a recombinant RNase He1 that inhibited the proliferation of cells in the human leukemia cell line. These properties are extremely important in the production of anticancer biologics that are based on RNase activity.
Probiotics supplementation for athletes – Clinical and physiological effects
Authors: Pyne David B. , West Nicholas P. , Cox Amanda J. , Cripps Allan W.
Published: October 2014

Probiotic supplementation has traditionally focused on gut health. However, in recent years, the clinical applications of probiotics have broadened to allergic, metabolic, inflammatory, gastrointestinal and respiratory conditions. Gastrointestinal health is important for regulating adaptation to exercise and physical activity. Symptoms such as nausea, bloating, cramping, pain, diarrhoea and bleeding occur in some athletes, particularly during prolonged exhaustive events. Several studies conducted since 2006 examining probiotic supplementation in athletes or highly active individuals indicate modest clinical benefits in terms of reduced frequency, severity and/or duration of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness. The likely mechanisms of action for probiotics include direct interaction with the gut microbiota, interaction with the mucosal immune system and immune signalling to a variety of organs and systems. Practical issues to consider include medical and dietary screening of athletes, sourcing of recommended probiotics and formulations, dose–response requirements for different probiotic strains, storage, handling and transport of supplements and timing of supplementation in relation to travel and competition.
Electrokinetic particle separation in a single-spiral microchannel
Authors: DuBose John , Zhu Junjie , Patel Saurin , Lu Xinyu , Tupper Nathaniel , Stonaker John M , Xuan Xiangchun
Published: October 2014

The efficient separation of discrete particle species is a topic of interest in numerous research fields for its practical application to problems encountered in both academia and industry. We have recently developed an electrokinetic technique that exploits the curvature-induced dielectrophoresis (C-iDEP) to continuously sort particles by inherent properties in asymmetric double-spiral microchannels. Herein we demonstrate that a single-spiral microchannel is also sufficient for a continuous-flow sheathless electrokinetic particle separation. This method relies on C-iDEP to focus particles to a tight stream and the wall-induced electric lift to manipulate the aligned particles to size-dependent equilibrium positions, both of which happen simultaneously inside the spiral. A theoretical model is developed to understand this size-based separation, which has been implemented for both a binary mixture and a ternary mixture of colloidal particles. The obtained analytical formulae predict with a close agreement both the experimentally measured particle center–wall distance and the necessary electric field for a complete particle focusing in the spiral.
Materials: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Hall Christopher
Published: October 2014

The study of materials and their properties forms a major area of research that supports innovation and technology. Using modern scientific techniques, material scientists can explore and manipulate materials, and create new materials with remarkable properties. For example, material scientists now have the possibility of creating new materials that: combine hardness with flexibility; have the ability to store digital data; that can respond to their environment; and that can be scaffolds for the growth of new biological tissue. Materials: A Very Short Introduction begins with gold, sand, and string—representing the families of metals, ceramics, and polymers—and considers the properties and processes involved in their fabrication into objects, to show how materials science brings together engineering and technology with physics, chemistry, and biology.
FlaiMapper: computational annotation of small ncRNA-derived fragments using RNA-seq high-throughput data
Authors: Hoogstrate Youri , Jenster Guido , Martens-Uzunova Elena S.
Published: October 2014

Motivation: Recent discoveries show that most types of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) such as miRNAs, snoRNAs and tRNAs get further processed into putatively active smaller RNA species. Their roles, genetic profiles and underlying processing mechanisms are only partially understood. To find their quantities and characteristics, a proper annotation is essential. Here, we present FlaiMapper, a method that extracts and annotates the locations of sncRNA-derived RNAs (sncdRNAs). These sncdRNAs are often detected in sequencing data and observed as fragments of their precursor sncRNA. Using small RNA-seq read alignments, FlaiMapper is able to annotate fragments primarily by peak detection on the start and end position densities followed by filtering and a reconstruction process.

Results: To assess performance of FlaiMapper, we used independent publicly available small RNA-seq data. We were able to detect fragments representing putative sncdRNAs from nearly all types of sncRNA, including 97.8% of the annotated miRNAs in miRBase that have supporting reads. Comparison of FlaiMapper-predicted boundaries of miRNAs with miRBase entries demonstrated that 89% of the start and 54% of the end positions are identical. Additional benchmarking showed that FlaiMapper is superior in performance compared with existing software. Further analysis indicated a variety of characteristics in the fragments, including sequence motifs and relations with RNA interacting factors. These characteristics set a good basis for further research on sncdRNAs.

Availability and implementation: The platform independent GPL licensed Python 2.7 code is available at: https://github.com/yhoogstrate/flaimapper. Corresponding Linux-specific scripts and annotations can be found in the same repository.

Contact:  e.martens@erasmusmc.nl

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Context similarity scoring improves protein sequence alignments in the midnight zone
Authors: Meier Armin , Söding Johannes
Published: October 2014

Motivation: High-quality protein sequence alignments are essential for a number of downstream applications such as template-based protein structure prediction. In addition to the similarity score between sequence profile columns, many current profile–profile alignment tools use extra terms that compare 1D-structural properties such as secondary structure and solvent accessibility, which are predicted from short profile windows around each sequence position. Such scores add non-redundant information by evaluating the conservation of local patterns of hydrophobicity and other amino acid properties and thus exploiting correlations between profile columns.

Results: Here, instead of predicting and comparing known 1D properties, we follow an agnostic approach. We learn in an unsupervised fashion a set of maximally conserved patterns represented by 13-residue sequence profiles, without the need to know the cause of the conservation of these patterns. We use a maximum likelihood approach to train a set of 32 such profiles that can best represent patterns conserved within pairs of remotely homologs, structurally aligned training profiles. We include the new context score into our Hmm-Hmm alignment tool hhsearch and improve especially the quality of difficult alignments significantly.

Conclusion: The context similarity score improves the quality of homology models and other methods that depend on accurate pairwise alignments.

Contact:  soeding@mpibpc.mpg.de

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Waggawagga: comparative visualization of coiled-coil predictions and detection of stable single α-helices (SAH domains)
Authors: Simm Dominic , Hatje Klas , Kollmar Martin
Published: October 2014

Summary: Waggawagga is a web-based tool for the comparative visualization of coiled-coil predictions and the detection of stable single α-helices (SAH domains). Overview schemes show the predicted coiled-coil regions found in the query sequence and provide sliders, which can be used to select segments for detailed helical wheel and helical net views. A window-based score has been developed to predict SAH domains. Export to several bitmap and vector graphics formats is supported.

Availability and implementation:  http://waggawagga.motorprotein.de

Contact:  mako@nmr.mpibpc.mpg.de
MACOED: a multi-objective ant colony optimization algorithm for SNP epistasis detection in genome-wide association studies
Authors: Jing Peng-Jie , Shen Hong-Bin
Published: October 2014

Motivation: The existing methods for genetic-interaction detection in genome-wide association studies are designed from different paradigms, and their performances vary considerably for different disease models. One important reason for this variability is that their construction is based on a single-correlation model between SNPs and disease. Due to potential model preference and disease complexity, a single-objective method will therefore not work well in general, resulting in low power and a high false-positive rate.

Method: In this work, we present a multi-objective heuristic optimization methodology named MACOED for detecting genetic interactions. In MACOED, we combine both logistical regression and Bayesian network methods, which are from opposing schools of statistics. The combination of these two evaluation objectives proved to be complementary, resulting in higher power with a lower false-positive rate than observed for optimizing either objective independently. To solve the space and time complexity for high-dimension problems, a memory-based multi-objective ant colony optimization algorithm is designed in MACOED that is able to retain non-dominated solutions found in past iterations.

Results: We compared MACOED with other recent algorithms using both simulated and real datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms others in both detection power and computational feasibility for large datasets.

Availability and implementation: Codes and datasets are available at: www.csbio.sjtu.edu.cn/bioinf/MACOED/.

Contact:  hbshen@sjtu.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Understanding the functional difference between growth arrest-specific protein 6 and protein S: an evolutionary approach
Authors: Studer Romain A. , Opperdoes Fred R. , Nicolaes Gerry A. F. , Mulder André B. , Mulder René
Published: October 2014

Although protein S (PROS1) and growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6) proteins are homologous with a high degree of structural similarity, they are functionally different. The objectives of this study were to identify the evolutionary origins from which these functional differences arose. Bioinformatics methods were used to estimate the evolutionary divergence time and to detect the amino acid residues under functional divergence between
GAS6
and
PROS1
. The properties of these residues were analysed in the light of their three-dimensional structures, such as their stability effects, the identification of electrostatic patches and the identification potential protein–protein interaction. The divergence between
GAS6
and
PROS1
probably occurred during the whole-genome duplications in vertebrates. A total of 78 amino acid sites were identified to be under functional divergence. One of these sites, Asn463, is involved in
N
-glycosylation in GAS6, but is mutated in PROS1, preventing this post-translational modification. Sites experiencing functional divergence tend to express a greater diversity of stabilizing/destabilizing effects than sites that do not experience such functional divergence. Three electrostatic patches in the LG1/LG2 domains were found to differ between GAS6 and PROS1. Finally, a surface responsible for protein–protein interactions was identified. These results may help researchers to analyse disease-causing mutations in the light of evolutionary and structural constraints, and link genetic pathology to clinical phenotypes.
A theoretical justification for single molecule peptide sequencing
Authors: Swaminathan Jagannath , Boulgakov Alexander A. , Marcotte Edward M.
Published: October 2014

The proteomes of cells, tissues, and organisms reflect active cellular processes and change continuously in response to intracellular and extracellular cues. Deep, quantitative profiling of the proteome, especially if combined with mRNA and metabolite measurements, should provide an unprecedented view of cell state, better revealing functions and interactions of cell components. Molecular diagnostics and biomarker should benefit particularly from the accurate quantification of proteomes, since complex diseases like cancer change protein abundances and modifications. Currently, shotgun mass spectrometry is the primary technology for high-throughput protein identification and quantification; while powerful, it lacks high sensitivity and coverage. We draw parallels with next-generation DNA sequencing and propose a strategy, termed fluorosequencing, for sequencing peptides in a complex protein sample at the level of single molecules. In the proposed approach, millions of individual fluorescently labeled peptides are visualized in parallel, monitoring changing patterns of fluorescence intensity as N-terminal amino acids are sequentially removed, and using the resulting fluorescence signatures (fluorosequences) to uniquely identify individual peptides. We introduce a theoretical foundation for fluorosequencing, and by using Monte Carlo computer simulations, we explore its feasibility, anticipate the most likely experimental errors, quantify their potential impact, and discuss the broad potential utility offered by a high-throughput peptide sequencing technology.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

The development of next-generation DNA and RNA sequencing methods has transformed biology, with current platforms generating >1 billion sequencing reads per run. Unfortunately, no method of similar scale and throughput exists to identify and quantify specific proteins in complex mixtures, representing a critical bottleneck in many biochemical and molecular diagnostic assays. What is urgently needed is a massively parallel method, akin to next-gen DNA sequencing, for identifying and quantifying peptides or proteins in a sample. In principle, single-molecule peptide sequencing could achieve this goal, allowing billions of distinct peptides to be sequenced in parallel and thereby identifying proteins composing the sample and digitally quantifying them by direct counting of peptides. Here, we discuss theoretical considerations of single molecule peptide sequencing, suggest one possible experimental strategy, and, using computer simulations, characterize the potential utility and unusual properties of this future proteomics technology.
An azide-bridged copper(II) complex: poly[piperazine-1,4-dium [tetra-μ3-azido-κ12N1:N1:N1-hexa-μ2-azido-κ12N1:N1-di-μ2-azido-κ4N1:N3-pentacopper(II)] tetrahydrate]
Authors: Liu Hou-Ting , Lu Jing
Published: October 2014

A new CuII–azide complex, {(C4H12N2)[Cu5(N3)12]·4H2O}n, has been synthesized by the reaction of piperazine, Cu(OAc)2·2H2O (OAc is acetate) and NaN3. In the structure, μ2-1,1- and μ3-1,1,1-azide anions bridge five CuIIcations to form a linear pentanuclear cluster unit, which is further linked by μ2-1,1- and μ2-1,3-azide anions to form a two-dimensional condensed [Cu5(N3)12]nlayer. The diprotonated piperazine and the solvent water molecules are hydrogen bonded to the coordination layers to form a three-dimensional supramolecular network.
Planning for relocation in recovery after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Maly Elizabeth , Ishikawa Eiko
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to consider the current situation of relocation in Japan after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) in the context of past examples and post-disaster housing relocation projects in other countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– Information about international cases of post-disaster housing relocation was gathered though desk and literature review, supplemented by field visits to the sites for direct observation and interviews with people involved in the relocation projects.

Findings

– To be successful, residential relocation must consider livelihood, especially in regards to location. Involvement of the residents in the planning and decision making process creates housing relocation projects that better meet residents’ needs. Japan faces some unique challenges, yet shares commonalities with other countries, for example, in tsunami-stricken fishing areas. Housing relocation in Tohoku must strive to be accountable to the needs of the residents and the specific contexts of their communities.

Originality/value

– There is still a limited amount of literature in English that considers the issues of relocation in recovery after the GEJE in an international context, especially comprehensive comparisons with multiple countries. Although this paper does not deal with each international case in great detail, the comparison provides a good overview of the key issues for residents in post-disaster relocation, and suggests how lessons from international cases could be applied to the challenges that Japan currently faces in relocation planning in the Tohoku region.
Eliciting experts’ knowledge in emergency response organizations
Authors: Okechukwu Okoli Justin , Weller Gordon , Watt John
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Experienced fire ground commanders are known to make decisions in time-pressured and dynamic environments. The purpose of this paper is to report some of the tacit knowledge and skills expert firefighters use in performing complex fire ground tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study utilized a structured knowledge elicitation tool, known as the critical decision method (CDM), to elicit expert knowledge. Totally, 17 experienced firefighters were interviewed in-depth using a semi-structured CDM interview protocol. The CDM protocol was analysed using the emergent themes analysis approach.

Findings

– Findings from the CDM protocol reveal both the salient cues sought, which the authors termed critical cue inventory (CCI), and the goals pursued by the fire ground commanders at each decision point. The CCI is categorized into five classes based on the type of information each cue generates to the incident commanders.

Practical implications

– Since the CDM is a useful tool for identifying training needs, this study discussed the practical implications for transferring experts’ knowledge to novice firefighters.

Originality/value

– Although many authors recognize that experts perform exceptionally well in their domains of practice, the difficulty still lies in getting a structured method for unmasking experts’ tacit knowledge. This paper is therefore relevant as it presents useful findings following a naturalistic knowledge elicitation study that was conducted across different fire stations in the UK and Nigeria.
Educating the chartered surveyor: looking back to look forward
Authors: de Silva Carrie
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to consider perennial issues in the education of chartered surveyors and to use the debates and experiences of the past to inform the present and future, particularly the question of the balance between academic and practical training.

Design/methodology/approach

– Primary and secondary sources were used to establish a history of the growth of the profession and the development of formal education and assessment from the 19th century and to consider current issues with reference to wider theories of education.

Findings

– The profession grew from vocational roots and did not enjoy the centuries of status of, say, the law. The 19th century saw an increasing technicalisation and professionalisation of surveying, with developments in various strands of the discipline, from the rural land agents to construction and public housing specialists. The muted reception from the universities in recognising the discipline is instructive. Looking at the relationship between classroom education and apprenticeship and what is needed in the preliminary education and assessment of surveyors holds contemporary lessons as increasing university fees has prompted renewed review of the most economical ways of training, while maintaining rigour.

Originality/value

– There have been histories of surveying and of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, but this paper relates the past to the present. Its value is in highlighting the tension between the practical and academic, allowing current debates to benefit from earlier discussions and longitudinal experience of different models of education. This paves the way for a wider consideration of experiential learning theory to be applied to a fundamental review of surveying education.
Compulsory mediation: civil justice, human rights and proportionality
Authors: Sidoli del Ceno Julian
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This purpose of this paper is to critically examine jurisprudentially the current judicial and academic scepticism that exists in some quarters with regard to compulsory mediation primarily from the context of England and Wales. In doing so, it seeks to respond to well-articulated and established concerns with regard to any compulsion in mediation as outlined by Hazel Genn among others as well as some senior members of the judiciary.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper seeks to critically examine jurisprudentially the current judicial and academic scepticism that exists in some quarters with regard to compulsory mediation primarily from the context of England and Wales. In doing so, it seeks to respond to well-articulated and established concerns with regard to any compulsion in mediation as outlined by Hazel Genn among others as well as some senior members of the judiciary.

Findings

– This paper argues that the worries concerning compulsory mediation are unnecessary as they are based on a narrow reading of Article 6 rights, one not shared by many European lawyers, in particular the view taken by them with regards to proportionality. It further argues that compulsory mediation can be an appropriate, proportionate method of dispute resolution in some cases recognising that mediation is not a barper seto subsequent litigation.

Originality/value

– Mediation is an important topic in contemporary law. The theoretical and jurisprudential aspects of mediation have as yet been underdeveloped. This paper is a contribution to this developing debate.
What's in a WordTM? When one electronic document format standard is not enough
Authors: Magee Liam , A. Thom James
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the history of the standardisation of two largely overlapping electronic document formats between 2005 and 2008, and its implications for future IT standards development.

Design/methodology/approach

– The document format controversy is researched as an exemplary case study of the institutional rivalries, perspectives and strategic interests at play in standardisation processes. The study adopts a methodological lens of discursive institutionalism in order to explain how actors assume and perform a variety of roles during the controversy. It consults a range of documentary sources, including media commentary, corporate press releases and blog posts, financial reports and technical specifications.

Findings

– The study shows that: first, intentions to increase competition in the office software market through the standardisation of document formats led to a standards “arms race”; second, this further entrenched the position of a single market actor; and third, the resulting public debate nevertheless has reinvigorated the push for genuinely open standards.

Social implications

– Information technology standards are often touted as mechanisms for increasing the competitiveness of a market, thereby benefitting consumers and the greater public. In the presence of dominant institutional actors, efforts to standardise can, perversely, undermine this benefit. Increased public scrutiny through online media offers a potential remedy.

Originality/value

– This research presents a novel account of the controversy over the document format standardisation process, understood through the lens of discursive institutionalism. It also shows the increasing and potentially putative role of online media in the development of IT standards generally.
The individual in multiple interacting activity systems: IT-supported diabetes management
Authors: Waycott Jenny , Scheepers Rens , Davis Hilary , Howard Steve , Sonenberg Liz
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine how pregnant women with type 1 diabetes integrate new information technology (IT) into their health management activities, using activity theory as an analytical framework.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is a multiple case design, based on interviews with 15 women with type 1 diabetes who were pregnant, considering pregnancy, or had recently given birth. A thematic analysis, sensitised by activity theory, was used to analyse the data.

Findings

– Health management in this setting involves negotiations and contradictions across boundaries of interacting activities. Participants play an active role in managing their health and using new IT tools in particular ways to support their health management. Using new technologies creates both opportunities and challenges. IT-enabled healthcare devices and other information systems open up new treatment possibilities, but also generate new contradictions between interacting activity systems.

Research limitations/implications

– The research was conducted with a small sample in a specific context of health management. Further research is needed to extend the findings to other contexts.

Practical implications

– Healthcare providers need to accommodate a bottom-up approach to the adoption and use of new technologies in settings where empowered patients play an active role in managing their health.

Originality/value

– The findings highlight opportunities to further develop activity theory to accommodate the central role that individuals play in resolving inherent contradictions and achieving alignment between multiple interacting activity systems when incorporating new IT tools into health management activities.
Building a corporate identity using corporate social responsibility: a website based study of Indian banks
Authors: Fatma Mobin , Rahman Zillur
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the formation of corporate identity. This paper examines the role of CSR activities performed by the banks through the analysis of information displayed on the websites and annual reports of the bank.

Design/methodology/approach

– A content analysis approach has been applied and supported by the quantitative measures to identify the weightage of every dimension.

Findings

– The findings show that in India most of the banks are using CSR practices in their operations and communicating all this information with the help of their websites. The dimensions and sub-dimensions are classified on the basis of stakeholder’s actions. Results reveal that banks are more concerned about their stakeholders and consider them in their corporate statements which help them to build their distinctive identity.

Research limitations/implications

– The results are limited to only Indian banks, which cannot be applied in other financial sectors.

Social implications

– This study has implications for those organizations that are planning to have policies and practices on CSR.

Originality/value

– This kind of study is not available in the Indian context, so it will be helpful in generating the awareness and importance of CSR practices in building corporate identity.
CSR in SMEs: an analysis of donor-financed management tools
Authors: Lund-Thomsen Peter , Jamali Dima , Vives Antonio
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to analyze the potential and limitations of donor-financed management tools that seek to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. Drawing on key insights from three streams of literature relating to institutional theory, critical perspectives on CSR in developing countries and the literature on CSR and SMEs in the developing world, the potential and limits of donor-financed management tools aimed at promoting CSR in developing country SMEs are analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using official UN and Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development lists of all multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, 38 donors that might have produced such CSR tools were identified. The authors contacted them via e-mail and/or telephone, and conducted an extensive Internet search with the aim of identifying whether they had developed management tools aimed at promoting CSR in SMEs in developing countries. The authors then scrutinized the contents of the 11 tools identified and examined the extent to which these tools accord attention to contextual differences and specific peculiarities of institutional environments in developing countries; the extent to which these tools account for the silent or sunken aspects of CSR which have been prominently highlighted in the SME – CSR literature; and the extent to which these tools accord attention to the paramount concern for poverty alleviation in developing countries.

Findings

– Overall, the analysis testifies to the continued predominant orientation of these tools to the context of larger firms in developed countries, with insufficient tailoring or customization to the specific realities of SMEs in the South.

Research limitations/implications

– In-depth interviews with aid agency personnel, SMEs, workers or community members were not conducted. Hence, this study should be seen as an initial, exploratory desk study of the potential and limits of management tools aimed at promoting CSR in SMEs in the developing world.

Practical implications

– It is suggested that donor agencies could develop such tools in a bottom-up fashion by first mapping the silent CSR practices of SMEs in developing countries and then use this as a basis for strengthening existing CSR activities in SMEs instead of trying to impose new priorities from the outside. This might enhance the local relevance and applicability of these management tools.

Originality/value

– The study is likely to be the first analysis of the potential and limits of management tools that are developed by donor agencies with the aim of promoting CSR in SMEs in developing countries.
Building social sustainability: multi-stakeholder processes and conflict management
Authors: Galuppo Laura , Gorli Mara , Scaratti Giuseppe , Kaneklin Cesare
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The aim of the paper is to investigate social sustainability by focussing on the stakeholder theory and by presenting specific levers and capabilities for building more socially sustainable organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on the analysis of recent academic and managerial literature. Through comparing theoretical and methodological perspectives from multiple authors, a specific theoretical and methodological viewpoint based on the stakeholder theory is proposed.

Findings

– The paper discusses the idea that building socially sustainable organisations requires the management of multi-stakeholder processes that are physiologically conflicting and that often create paradoxical tensions. Participative settings of action and reflection and capabilities as reflexivity and “paradoxical thinking” are proposed as key levers for dealing with multi-stakeholders processes towards a more socially sustainable organizing.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper raises reflections focussed on the “social pillar” of sustainability and does not consider different types of organizations in different multi-stakeholders processes. Such a perspective does not exhaust the variety of cases and research studies that could be considered in the field and further developed.

Originality/value

– The value of the paper is in its construction of a framework for both research and practical purposes in the domain of management and sustainability. The work also attempts to link the concepts of reflexivity and paradox to a methodological proposal for leading the organizational journey towards social sustainability.
Macroeconomic Stability or Cycles? The Role of the Wage‐Price Spiral
Authors: Kolsrud Dag , Nymoen Ragnar
Published: October 2014

We formulate a small and stylised dynamic macroeconomic model, and study how different specifications of the supply side affect the model's dynamic properties. The wage‐price equilibrium‐correction model (ECM) and thePhillips curve model (PCM) that both can be used to represent the supply side of aNewKeynesian macro model, are synthesised in a generalised model of the wage‐price spiral. We show that the choice ofECMorPCMhas implications for the long‐run stability of the macro model, without need of aNAIRU. We also find that the range of theoretically admissible dynamics is wide. For example, both theECMandPCMmay display endogenous cyclical fluctuations in inflation and unemployment, showing that even simple structures can give rise to complex dynamics. In practice that may entail that forecasting the effects of shocks and policy changes is difficult even in the best of circumstances.
Simultaneously estimating evolutionary history and repeated traits phylogenetic signal: applications to viral and host phenotypic evolution
Authors: Vrancken Bram , Lemey Philippe , Rambaut Andrew , Bedford Trevor , Longdon Ben , Günthard Huldrych F. , Suchard Marc A.
Published: October 2014

Phylogenetic signal quantifies the degree to which resemblance in continuously valued traits reflects phylogenetic relatedness. Measures of phylogenetic signal are widely used in ecological and evolutionary research and are recently gaining traction in viral evolutionary studies. Standard estimators of phylogenetic signal frequently condition on data summary statistics of the repeated trait observations and fixed phylogenetics trees, resulting in information loss and potential bias.

To incorporate the observation process and phylogenetic uncertainty in a model‐based approach, we develop a novel Bayesian inference method to simultaneously estimate the evolutionary history and phylogenetic signal from molecular sequence data and repeated multivariate traits. Our approach builds upon a phylogenetic diffusion framework that models continuous trait evolution as a Brownian motion process and incorporates Pagel's λ transformation parameter to estimate dependence among traits. We provide a computationally efficient inference implementation in the BEAST software package.

We evaluate the synthetic performance of the Bayesian estimator of phylogenetic signal against standard estimators and demonstrate the use of our coherent framework to address several virus‐host evolutionary questions, including virulence heritability for HIV, antigenic evolution in influenza and HIV, and Drosophila sensitivity to sigma virus infection. Finally, we discuss model extensions that will make useful contributions to our flexible framework for simultaneously studying sequence and trait evolution.
Obesity and gambling: neurocognitive and clinical associations
Authors: Grant J. E. , Derbyshire K. , Leppink E. , Chamberlain S. R.
Published: October 2014

Objective

Research on health correlates in gamblers has found an association between gambling and obesity. The neurocognitive underpinnings of impulsivity may be useful targets for understanding and ultimately treating individuals with both gambling and obesity problems.

Method

207 non‐treatment seeking young adults (18–29 years) with subsyndromal gambling disorder were recruited from the community. Subjects were grouped according to weight (‘normal weight’ BMI < 25, ‘overweight’ BMI ≥ 25; or ‘obese’ BMI ≥ 30). Measures relating to gambling behaviour and objective computerized neurocognitive measures were collected.

Results

Of the 207 subjects, 22 (10.6%) were obese and 49 (23.7%) were overweight. The obese gamblers consumed more nicotine (packs per day equivalent) and reported losing more money per week to gambling. Obese gamblers exhibited significant impairments in terms of reaction times for go trials on the stop‐signal test (SST), quality of decision making and risk adjustment on the Cambridge Gamble Test (CGT), and sustained attention on the rapid visual information processing task (RVP).

Conclusion

Obesity was associated with decision making and sustained attention impairments in gamblers, along with greater monetary loss due to gambling. Future work should use longitudinal designs to examine the temporal relationship between these deficits, weight, other impulsive behaviour, and functional impairment.
Impact of CD4+ Lymphocytes and HIV Infection on Anti‐Müllerian Hormone Levels in a Large Cohort of HIV‐infected and HIV‐uninfected Women
Authors: Scherzer Rebecca , Bacchetti Peter , Messerlian Geralyn , Goderre Johanna , Maki Pauline M. , Seifer David B. , Anastos Kathryn , Karim Roksana , Greenblatt Ruth M.
Published: October 2014

Problem

Effects of HIV infection on ovarian function and aging are unclear.

Method of study

Anti‐Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels were analyzed in 2621 HIV‐infected and 941 uninfected participants using left‐censored longitudinal models.

Results

Age‐adjusted AMH levels were 16% lower in women with undetectable viraemia and 26% lower in detectable viraemia, relative to uninfected women. Current CD4 count associated with higher AMH in both HIV‐infected and HIV‐uninfected women. After controlling for current and nadir CD4, AMH was ~15% higher in HIV‐infected relative to uninfected women, regardless of HIV viraemia. Gravidity, amenorrhea, and nadir total lymphocyte counts associated with higher AMH; hormonal contraceptive use and past weight loss associated with lower AMH.

Conclusions

CD4 +  lymphocyte counts were associated with AMH in both HIV‐infected and uninfected women. After adjustment for CD4 counts and age, HIV infection was associated with higher AMH. CD4 T cells and cellular activation may influence ovarian granulosa cell function.
Beware of friends: The cultural psychology of relational mobility and cautious intimacy
Authors: Li Liman Man Wai , Adams Glenn , Kurtiş Tuğçe , Hamamura Takeshi
Published: October 2014

Previous research has contrasted patterns of cautious or prevention‐oriented relationality in various West African settings with patterns of growth or promotion‐oriented relationality in many North American settings. The present research draws upon the concept of relational mobility to test the hypothesis that different patterns of relationality have their source in respective affordances for embedded interdependence or abstracted independence. Study 1 investigated the relationship between cautious intimacy and perception of relational mobility among a sample of Hong Kong students. Study 2 compared students in Hong Kong and North American settings to test whether differences in perception of relational mobility mediated the hypothesized differences in caution about friends. Study 3 used an experimental manipulation among a sample of Hong Kong students to test the hypothesis that increased perception of relational mobility reduces caution about friends. Results reveal broad support for the hypotheses. Whether as a measured variable or as an experimental treatment, the perception of relational mobility was negatively related to caution about friends. Moreover, this relationship mediated hypothesized cross‐national differences in caution about friendship. A discussion of the results considers intersections of cultural and ecological approaches to psychology and implications for theoretical conceptions of interdependence.