bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Stem Cell Therapeutics in Wound Healing: Current Understanding and Future Directions
Authors: Sorice Sarah , Rustad Kristine C. , Li Alexander Y , Gurtner Geoffrey C.
Published: August 2016

Background:

Chronic wounds present unique challenges for healthcare providers as they place patients at increased risk for various morbidities and mortality. Advances in wound care technology have expanded the treatment options available for wound management, but few products fully address the underlying core deficiencies responsible for the development of poorly healing wounds. In the future, addressing these derangements will undoubtedly play a key role in the treatment of these patients. Broad enthusiasm has surrounded the field of stem cell biology, which has shown great promise in repairing damaged tissues across numerous disease phenotypes.

Methods:

In this review, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature and evaluate the present landscape of wound therapeutics while discussing the rationales and allure behind stem cell–based products. We further propose 2 challenges that remain as new stem cell–based therapies are being developed and as this technology moves toward clinical translation.

Results:

Given the relatively young age of this newer technology in wound healing, numerous challenges continue to surround its effective use including identifying the ideal population of stem cells to use and determining the optimal cell delivery method. However, significant forward progress has been made, with several clinical trials beginning to demonstrate reliable clinical benefit.

Conclusion:

The upward trajectory of stem cell technologies provides an exciting opportunity to positively impact patient outcomes through the controlled application of regenerative cell–based therapy.
Cutaneous Imaging Technologies in Acute Burn and Chronic Wound Care
Authors: Sen Chandan K. , Ghatak Subhadip , Gnyawali Surya C. , Roy Sashwati , Gordillo Gayle M.
Published: August 2016

Background:

Wound assessment relies on visual evaluation by physicians. Such assessment is largely subjective and presents the opportunity to explore the use of emergent technologies.

Methods:

Emergent and powerful noninvasive imaging technologies applicable to assess burn and chronic wounds are reviewed.

Results:

The need to estimate wound depth is critical in both chronic wound and burn injury settings. Harmonic ultrasound technology is powerful to study wound depth. It addresses the limitations of optical imaging with limited depth of penetration. What if a wound appears epithelialized by visual inspection, which shows no discharge yet is covered by repaired skin that lacks barrier function? In this case although the wound is closed as defined by current standards, it remains functionally open, presenting the risk of infection and other postclosure complications. Thus, assessment of skin barrier function is valuable in the context of assessing wound closure. Options for the study of tissue vascularization are many. If noncontact and noninvasive criteria are of importance, laser speckle imaging is powerful. Fluorescence imaging is standard in several clinical settings and is likely to serve the wound clinics well as long as indocyanine green injection is not of concern. A major advantage of harmonic ultrasound imaging of wound depth is that the same system is capable of providing information on blood flow dynamics in arterial perforators.

Conclusion:

With many productive imaging platforms to choose from, wound care is about to be transformed by technology that would help assess wound severity.
Brief Report: Factors Associated With the Selection of Initial Antiretroviral Therapy From 2009 to 2012
Authors: Saag Michael S. , Westfall Andrew O. , Cole Stephen R. , Mathews William C. , Drozd Daniel R. , Mayer Kenneth H. , Burkholder Greer A. , Kitahata Mari , Maiese Eric M. ,   for the CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS)
Published: August 2016

We examined factors associated with selection of initial antiretroviral regimen in the CNICS cohort. Patients initiating antiretroviral therapy between July 2009 and December 2012 were classified as receiving a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-, boosted protease inhibitor (PI)-, or raltegravir-based regimen. Among 873 patients initiating antiretroviral therapy, 488 regimens contained an NNRTI, 319 a boosted PI, and 66 raltegravir. Patients with depression and women were less likely to receive an NNRTI, whereas those with underlying cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and those coinfected with hepatitis C were more likely to receive raltegravir. Those with baseline viral load >100,000 c/ml and those with substance use were more likely to receive a boosted PI. Thus, in the “real world,” ARV regimen choices appear to take into account adverse effects and patient baseline characteristics. Factors that impact initial regimen selection will likely become more heterogeneous over time as more choices for HIV therapy become available.
High Treatment Success Rates Among HIV-Infected Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients After Expansion of Antiretroviral Therapy in Botswana, 2006–2013
Authors: Shin Sanghyuk S. , Modongo Chawangwa , Boyd Rosanna , Caiphus Cynthia , Kuate Lesego , Kgwaadira Botshelo , Zetola Nicola M.
Published: August 2016

Background:

Few studies have examined multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes among HIV-infected persons after widespread expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We describe MDR-TB treatment outcomes among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients in Botswana after ART expansion.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who started MDR-TB therapy in Botswana during 2006–2013. Multivariable regression models were used to compare treatment outcomes between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.

Results:

We included 588 MDR-TB patients in the analysis, of whom, 47 (8.0%) and 9 (1.5%) were diagnosed with pre-extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-TB and XDR-TB, respectively. Of the 408 (69.4%) HIV-infected patients, 352 (86.0%) were on ART or started ART during treatment, and median baseline CD4+ T-cell count was 234 cells/mm3. Treatment success rates were 79.4% and 73.0% among HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected patients, respectively (P = 0.121). HIV-infected patients with CD4+ T-cell count <100 cells/mm3 were more likely to die during treatment compared with HIV-uninfected patients (adjusted risk ratio = 1.890; 95% CI: 1.098 to 3.254).

Conclusions:

High rates of treatment success were achieved with programmatic management of MDR-TB and HIV in Botswana after widespread expansion of ART. However, a 2-fold increase in mortality was observed among HIV-infected persons with baseline CD4+ <100 cells/mm3 compared with HIV-uninfected persons.
Rheumatologists’ Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression
Authors: Heiman Erica , Kravitz Richard L. , Wise Barton L.
Published: August 2016

Objective

We examined rheumatologists’ approaches to and perceptions of depression in everyday practice.

Methods

A questionnaire was mailed to 470 practicing rheumatologists in California; 226 were included in the final analyses. Respondents provided information on demographics, practice characteristics, and attitudes, perceptions, and practices related to depression. Logistic regression models were constructed to assess the relationship of rheumatologists’ personal and practice characteristics with their depression-related practices.

Results

Fifty-one percent of respondents reported that at least half of their patients had depression. Nearly all providers (99%) reported addressing mental health issues during some visits. Rheumatologists were about equally likely to prescribe antidepressants, refer to a psychiatrist, or return the patient to the primary care physician, with roughly 60% often applying each of the 3 strategies. Respondents identified access to services and patients’ resistance to mental health diagnoses as major barriers to effective depression management. In logistic regression models, greater number of patient visits per week, greater percentage of patients with fibromyalgia, and private practice setting were associated with more prescription of antidepressants (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Depression is common in rheumatologic practice, yet systems for identification, treatment, and referral of depressed patients are not universal. Rheumatologists’ awareness of the need for mental health services is high, but they may lack the confidence, time, and/or referral networks to provide consistently effective care for depressed patients. Improving depression care in rheumatology may require a combination of clinician-level interventions (e.g., enhanced behavioral health training) and practice-level reforms (e.g., collaborative care).
Role of Ultrasonography in Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Oo Win Min , Bo Myat Thae
Published: August 2016

Ultrasound has become popular among rheumatologists as the first-choice imaging investigation for the evaluation and monitoring of osteoarthritis (OA). Because of recent improvement in technology, ultrasound has the ability to demonstrate and assess the minimal structural abnormalities, which involve the pathophysiology and progression of OA, such as articular cartilage, synovial tissue, bony cortex, and other soft tissue. Nowadays, ultrasonography is a promising technique for assessing soft tissue abnormalities such as joint effusion, synovial hypertrophy, Baker cyst, and other structural changes including the decrease in cartilage thickness, meniscus bulging, and formation of osteophyte. Ultrasonography not only possesses diagnostic potential in knee OA but also reveals long-term predictability for disease progress as imaging biomarker. Ultrasonography has also been proven as a useful tool in guiding therapeutic interventions and monitoring treatment effectiveness. This review addresses the utility, reliability, and potential utilization of ultrasonography as an imaging technique in knee OA.
A Pilot Study of Strain Elastography in the Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Authors: Martin Matthew J. , Cartwright Michael S.
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

Strain elastography that uses the body's cardiorespiratory pulsations to determine tissue stiffness (referred to here as “ambient strain elastography”) has not been previously described for the assessment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The objective of this study is to assess the reliability of ultrasonographic ambient strain elastography in the evaluation of CTS and compare median nerve stiffness between patients and healthy controls.

Methods:

Ambient strain elastography was used to examine the wrists of 17 patients and 26 controls in cross-sectional and longitudinal views, twice by two observers. The strain ratio between the median nerve and nearby tendons was obtained and tested for intrarater and interrater reliability and differences between patients and healthy controls.

Results:

Intrarater and interrater reliabilities were strong, even for the less experienced rater (lowest r = 0.566, highest r = 0.905; P < 0.001 for all comparisons). No significant difference in strain ratio between those with CTS and controls was detected (cross-sectional image P = 0.32; longitudinal image P = 0.20). Strain ratio did not correlate significantly with traditional ultrasound measures of CTS (lowest P = 0.26) but did correlate significantly with body mass index if obtained from cross-sectional images (r = 0.346; P = 0.02).

Conclusions:

This strain elastography method is reliable but does not show changes in median nerve stiffness with CTS. Body mass index may influence elastography and further studies should be conducted to clarify this relationship.
Nepotism and subordinate tenure in a cooperative breeder
Authors: Nelson-Flower Martha J. , Ridley Amanda R.
Published: August 2016

In many cooperatively breeding societies, subordinate individuals delay dispersal and independent breeding. The length of time that subordinates delay dispersal (subordinate tenure) is likely to have important implications for both subordinate and dominant fitness. However, quantitative comparisons of the subordinate tenure of males and females are rare, especially with respect to the presence of same- versus opposite-sex close kin. Here, we investigate subordinate tenure and how it is affected by the genetic relationship between subordinates and dominants in the cooperatively breeding southern pied babbler (Turdoides bicolor). We find that for males, longer subordinate tenures result in increased likelihood of attaining dominance. In the presence of an unrelated dominant male, tenure of subordinate males is significantly shorter, indicating nepotism among males. Female tenures are unaffected by the genetic relationship to either the dominant male or female. These results are some of the first to demonstrate that the sex of both the dominants and subordinates, and the genetic relationship between them, can have significant impacts on subordinate tenure and dispersal delays. Nepotism has likely played a vital role in the evolution of cooperative breeding in this species.
Robert Joseph Paton Williams MBE. 25 February 1926 — 21 March 2015
Authors: Hill H. A. O. , Thomson A. J.
Published: August 2016

Robert J. P. Williams was a pioneer in advancing our understanding of the roles of chemical elements, especially the metals, in biology and in biological evolution. During the first half of his career of more than 60 years at Oxford University he studied the thermodynamic stabilities of transition-metal complexes with organic ligands, their redox properties, magnetism and colour, to understand their biological function. In parallel he collaborated with biologists and biophysicists, for example with Bert Vallee, studying zinc in proteins. Williams was the first to describe how proton gradients could be used to drive the formation of the universal biological fuel, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a fundamental step in biological energetics. From the late 1960s he studied many proteins that use metal ions for catalysis, for electron transfer and cellular regulation. A leading figure in the establishment of the Oxford Enzyme Group, Williams developed high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study the mobility and dynamics of many protein structures, leading to a deeper understanding of protein function. He held the Royal Society Napier Research Professorship from 1974 until his retirement in 1991. Subsequently he published several books setting out his understanding of the roles of metal ions in biology, and their wider significance in evolution. Bob Williams's deep insights across many disciplines made him a charismatic teacher. His lateral style of thinking never failed to inspire. His legacy lies in the successful careers of his many students and collaborators worldwide and the vigour of the new discipline of bioinorganic chemistry that he helped to establish.
Bayesian uncertainty quantification for transmissibility of influenza, norovirus and Ebola using information geometry
Authors: House Thomas , Ford Ashley , Lan Shiwei , Bilson Samuel , Buckingham-Jeffery Elizabeth , Girolami Mark
Published: August 2016

Infectious diseases exert a large and in many contexts growing burden on human health, but violate most of the assumptions of classical epidemiological statistics and hence require a mathematically sophisticated approach. Viral shedding data are collected during human studies—either where volunteers are infected with a disease or where existing cases are recruited—in which the levels of live virus produced over time are measured. These have traditionally been difficult to analyse due to strong, complex correlations between parameters. Here, we show how a Bayesian approach to the inverse problem together with modern Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms based on information geometry can overcome these difficulties and yield insights into the disease dynamics of two of the most prevalent human pathogens—influenza and norovirus—as well as Ebola virus disease.
On the evolutionary advantage of multi-cusped teeth
Authors: Constantino Paul J. , Bush Mark B. , Barani Amir , Lawn Brian R.
Published: August 2016

A hallmark of mammalian evolution is a progressive complexity in postcanine tooth morphology. However, the driving force for this complexity remains unclear: whether to expand the versatility in diet source, or to bolster tooth structural integrity. In this study, we take a quantitative approach to this question by examining the roles of number, position and height of multiple cusps in determining sustainable bite forces. Our approach is to use an extended finite-element methodology with due provision for step-by-step growth of an embedded crack to determine how fracture progresses with increasing occlusal load. We argue that multi-cusp postcanine teeth are well configured to withstand high bite forces provided that multiple cusps are contacted simultaneously to share the load. However, contact on a single near-wall cusp diminishes the strength. Location of the load points and cusp height, rather than cusp number or radius, are principal governing factors. Given these findings, we conclude that while complex tooth structures can enhance durability, increases in cusp number are more likely to be driven by the demands of food manipulation. Structural integrity of complex teeth is maintained when individual cusps remain sufficiently distant from the side walls and do not become excessively tall relative to tooth width.
Knockout of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons decreases fat mass via increasing energy expenditure
Authors: Xiao Yuzhong , Xia Tingting , Yu Junjie , Deng Yalan , Liu Hao , Liu Bin , Chen Shanghai , Liu Yong , Guo Feifan
Published: August 2016

Although numerous functions of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) have been identified, a role of IRE1α in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus is largely unknown. Here, we showed that mice lacking IRE1α specifically in POMC neurons (PIKO) are lean and resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity and obesity-related insulin resistance, liver steatosis and leptin resistance. Furthermore, PIKO mice had higher energy expenditure, probably due to increased thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Additionally, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone production was increased in the hypothalamus of PIKO mice. These results demonstrate that IRE1α in POMC neurons plays a critical role in the regulation of obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders. Our results also suggest that IRE1α is not only an endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor, but also a new potential therapeutic target for obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases.
Effects of the March 2015 solar eclipse on near-surface atmospheric electricity
Authors: Bennett A. J.
Published: August 2016

Measurements of atmospheric electrical and standard meteorological parameters were made at coastal and inland sites in southern England during the 20 March 2015 partial solar eclipse. Clear evidence of a reduction in air temperature resulting from the eclipse was found at both locations, despite one of them being overcast during the entire eclipse. The reduction in temperature was expected to affect the near-surface electric field (potential gradient (PG)) through a reduction in turbulent transfer of space charge. No such effect could be unambiguously confirmed, however, with variability in PG and air–Earth current during the eclipse being comparable to pre- and post-eclipse conditions. The already low solar radiation for this latitude, season and time of day was likely to have contributed to the reduced effect of the eclipse on atmospheric electricity through boundary layer stability. The absence of a reduction in mean PG shortly after time of maximum solar obscuration, as observed during eclipses at lower geomagnetic latitude, implied that there was no significant change in atmospheric ionization from cosmic rays above background variability. This finding was suggested to be due to the relative importance of cosmic rays of solar and galactic origin at geomagnetic mid-latitudes.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Atmospheric effects of solar eclipses stimulated by the 2015 UK eclipse’.
Subcortical volume and white matter integrity abnormalities in major depressive disorder: findings from UK Biobank imaging data
Authors: Shen Xueyi , Reus Lianne M. , Cox Simon R. , Adams Mark J. , Liewald David C. , Bastin Mark E. , Smith Daniel J. , Deary Ian J. , Whalley Heather C. , McIntosh Andrew M.
Published: August 2016

Previous reports of altered grey and white matter structure in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have been inconsistent. Recent meta-analyses have, however, reported reduced hippocampal grey matter volume in MDD and reduced white matter integrity in several brain regions. The use of different diagnostic criteria, scanners and imaging sequences may, however, obscure further anatomical differences. In this study, we tested for differences in subcortical grey matter volume (n=1157) and white matter integrity (n=1089) between depressed individuals and controls in the subset of 8590 UK Biobank Imaging study participants who had undergone depression assessments. Whilst we found no significant differences in subcortical volumes, significant reductions were found in depressed individuals versus controls in global white matter integrity, as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) (β=-0.182, p=0.005). We also found reductions in FA in association/commissural fibres (β=-0.184, pcorrected=0.010) and thalamic radiations (β=-0.159, pcorrected=0.020). Tract-specific FA reductions were also found in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (β=-0.194, pcorrected=0.025), superior thalamic radiation (β=-0.224, pcorrected=0.009) and forceps major (β=-0.193, pcorrected=0.025) in depression (all betas standardised). Our findings provide further evidence for disrupted white matter integrity in MDD.
Ordinary Differential Equations in Cancer Biology
Authors: Chapman Margaret P. , Tomlin Claire J.
Published: August 2016

Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) provide a classical framework to model the dynamics of biological systems, given temporal experimental data. Qualitative analysis of the ODE model can lead to further biological insight and deeper understanding compared to traditional experiments alone. Simulation of the model under various perturbations can generate novel hypotheses and motivate the design of new experiments. This short paper will provide an overview of the ODE modeling framework, and present examples of how ODEs can be used to address problems in cancer biology.
“Authentic Alignment” – a new framework of entrepreneurship education
Authors: Macht Stephanie Alexandra , Ball Steve
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper seeks to address an underdeveloped aspect of entrepreneurship education (EE), which is still criticised for not explicitly linking educational practice with established educational theory. As such, the purpose of this paper is to propose a novel educational framework – Authentic Alignment – that the authors evolved based on their own EE practice, as well as two major educational theories.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of a range of conceptual educational frameworks in EE revealed a gap in the current literature, referring to the fact that practice is not sufficiently linked to sound educational theory. The paper combines a range of educational theories – predominantly Constructive Alignment (CA) and Authenticity – to develop a novel conceptual framework, termed “Authentic Alignment”. The discussion of Authentic Alignment draws upon EE literature, as well as student feedback and the reflections and experiences of the practitioners and academics involved in delivering a higher education unit underpinned by Authentic Alignment.

Findings

It is argued that Authentic Alignment coherently and explicitly links educational practice to major established educational theories and as such presents a valuable approach to education through entrepreneurship as it aligns authentic approaches to instruction, learning and assessment that strike a balance between resembling and being relevant for real entrepreneurial activity.

Practical implications

The paper invites educators to draw upon Authentic Alignment for their own entrepreneurship units/programmes by customising the specific approaches to their own requirements, while retaining the underlying principle of constructively aligned authentic education.

Originality/value

By explicitly linking EE to CA and Authenticity, this paper introduces a novel educational framework that provides a valuable structure for education through entrepreneurship. The customisability of Authentic Alignment, however, suggests a wider applicability and is thus valuable also for education about and for entrepreneurship.
University-industry linkages in developing countries: perceived effect on innovation
Authors: Vaaland Terje I. , Ishengoma Esther
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceptions of both universities and the resource-extractive companies on the influence of university-industry linkages (UILs) on innovation in a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 404 respondents were interviewed. Descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regression models were applied to analyse the data.

Findings

The findings revealed significant differences between the three informant groups across the three main groups of linkage activities. The industry informants consider all three groups of UILs important for enhancing innovation, in terms of bringing student closer to the industry. The faculty members consider consultancy and research arrangements more important than collaboration, in training and educational activities. The student perceptions on all UIL activities were relatively weak on UIL activities as a vehicle to improve innovation.

Research limitations/implications

Based on the findings, it seems that the universities should take advantage of a positive attitude among industrial actors and intensify efforts to develop UILs.

Practical implications

The research can be used for sharpen international oil companies effort towards universities in petroleum rich developing countries.

Social implications

Implications for policymakers and universities in developing countries, and for the local industrial base. In a broad sense the UIL stimulated innovation has implications on poverty reduction in natural resource-rich host countries.

Originality/value

Research on UILs in developing countries is rare, particularly in a context in which international companies are faced with host country expectations and legal requirements to invest in knowledge sector and local industry.
Putting “entrepreneurial finance education” on the map
Authors: Macht Stephanie Alexandra
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to bring attention to “entrepreneurial finance education”, an aspect of entrepreneurship education that is widely taught but neglected by the educational literature. It does so by exploring how social capital, a key resource for entrepreneurs, can be incorporated into entrepreneurial finance education.

Design/methodology/approach

By drawing upon social capital literature in the context of funding sources for entrepreneurs, the paper highlights the significance of bonding and bridging social capital for entrepreneurial finance.

Findings

The review of relevant literature confirms the importance of social capital for entrepreneurial finance. The existence of bonding social capital, which refers to a trusting relationship between entrepreneurs and financiers, allows entrepreneurs to access their financiers’ resources (e.g. contacts, knowledge, reputation, further funds) through bridging social capital.

Practical implications

Students of entrepreneurial finance need to understand the role that both facets of social capital play in the context of fundraising. This paper proposes ways of incorporating social capital into various approaches to entrepreneurial finance education. This allows educators to include relevant topics and research into their syllabi, while enabling students to study a crucial, yet under-represented, topic in entrepreneurial finance education.

Originality/value

Given that entrepreneurial finance education has to date been neglected in the educational literature, this paper begins to address a huge void. It clarifies potential contents of entrepreneurial finance education, demonstrates the importance of including social capital in the education of entrepreneurial finance students and suggests practical ways of achieving this.
Student perceptions of the employability of the first degree in Portugal
Authors: Sin Cristina , Tavares Orlanda , Amaral Alberto
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The paper presents and analyses quantitative data on student perceptions about the employability of the first degree, and their trajectory choices on graduation. The purpose of this paper is to assess the value of the first degree as a positional good in Portugal, further to the degree’s reduced duration after the implementation of the Bologna Process.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 828 students responded to an online survey administered between September 2013 and February 2014. Students came from 17 institutions, public and private, universities and polytechnics, across the country. Differences in student perceptions were analysed by higher education sector, study level and gender through descriptive statistics.

Findings

The majority of surveyed students, across sectors, study level and gender, assessed as negative the impact of the implementation of the Bologna reforms on the employability of the first degree. This had implications for students’ intended choices on graduation, as the majority consider enroling in a master degree (except for polytechnic students). Additionally, a large proportion of students felt unprepared to enter the labour market after the first degree.

Research limitations/implications

The size and distribution of the sample pose limitations for the generalisation of results to the student population.

Practical implications

The finding suggest that enrolments in master degrees are likely to keep rising, a valuable piece of information for institutions and policy-makers responsible for regulating higher education in Portugal.

Originality/value

Opinions about the value of the first degree have generally been based on qualitative research or anecdotal evidence. This study brings a quantitative perspective on the first degree’s value for different groups of students.
Positive team coaching
Authors: Brennan Diane , Hellbom Kaj
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper is in follow up to a presentation by its authors at the 2015 Association of Training and Development Conference in Orlando, Florida where participants gathered to learn new and innovative ways of working with people. Teams are everywhere in our global society, and we see untapped opportunities to harness the energy and potential to achieve positive results. The purpose of this paper is to offer a coaching approach to working with teams that utilizes positive deviance eliciting strengths, unique skills and knowledge, and building on these to create engagement and results.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the coaching and professional development work with leaders and teams in organizations. The concept of positive deviance is one that the authors have explored with individuals, groups, and teams over the past several years. The approach emerged from the application of theory in practice supporting ongoing learning and development.

Findings

The authors of this paper find organizations and members of teams wanting to be successful yet often still operating in silos. Supporting leaders and team members using a positive team coaching approach creates an environment that expands thinking, encourages creativity and learning, and develops strong teams.

Originality/value

This paper proposes utilizing an approach that brings multiple theories together in practice. Positive team coaching includes establishing a mindset of positivity, exploring for and promoting positive deviance, and cultivating positive beliefs.
Harnessing the customer identity in the construction sector
Authors: de Rijk Lisa
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show the reader how to harness customer identity in the construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the NLP modelling process to identify customer personas.

Findings

The consultants discovered that it was easier to elicit values and motivational traits using Charvet’s (1995) work during the actual workshop. This enabled more specific examples of motivational language to be used in summarising the findings of the workshop and recommendations for application to the developer. Charvet’s work does provide recommendations on motivational language to be used, and she is now developing software that enables this to be used in written language such as e-mail: www.weongozi.com

Originality/value

All original research.
Non destructive fabric weight measurement using capacitance principle
Authors: Senthilkumar Mani , Kumar L. Ashok
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design and develop an instrument for non-destructive fabric grams per square metre (GSM) measurement. This study uses the capacitance principle to obtain the fabric GSM. The relative permittivity of the sample fabrics changes the capacitance value. A relationship between capacitance and GSM that best fits the look-up table is obtained. Also, the developed system is applicable for all kind of fabrics both knitted and woven fabrics. The comparison study was carried out with existing test method.

Design/methodology/approach

The purpose of the study is to design and develop an instrument for non-destructive fabric GSM measurement.

Findings

The proposed non-destructive method of fabric GSM measurement using capacitance principle is designed, developed and tested. Also, the developed system is applicable for all kind of fabrics both knitted and woven fabrics. The comparison study was carried out with existing test method.

Research limitations/implications

The change in capacitance due to relative permittivity of the sample fabric is in pF range (10-12). The system can be further improved by using a capacitance sensor of sensitivity upto 1 fF (10-15). By doing so, the proposed system provides better results in terms of accuracy and resolution. The system developed can be further extended by making it online equipment which measures the fabric GSM instantaneously.

Originality/value

So far there is no non-destructive testing method available for fabric weight measurement. The newly designed and developed instrument is used to test the fabric both woven and knitted non-destructively.
The interaction of clothing ventilation with dry and evaporative heat transfer of jackets
Authors: Dai Xiao-Qun , Havenith George
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of air and vapor permeability of jacket materials on ventilation, heat and moisture transfer.

Design/methodology/approach

Clothing ventilation (V), thermal insulation (I) and vapor resistance (R

e
) of three jackets made of different materials (normal textile, PVC and “breathable” membrane coated textile), worn on an articulated thermal manikin in a controlled climate chamber, were measured under various conditions, respectively. The various conditions of microenvironment ventilation were created by making the manikin stand and walk, combined with three wind speeds of <0.2, 0.4 and 2.0 m/s, respectively.

Findings

In the condition without any forced convection, the air permeability makes no big difference to dry and evaporative heat transfer among the jackets, while the vapor permeability plays a big role in the evaporative heat loss. In the condition with forced convection, the dry heat diffusion is strongly coupled to the evaporative heat transfer in air and vapor permeable textile material.

Research limitations/implications

The effects of ventilation on heat and moisture transfer varies because of different ways of ventilation arising: penetration through the fabric is proven to be the most effective way in vapor transfer although it does not seem as helpful for dry heat diffusion.

Originality/value

The achievements in this paper deepens the understanding of the process of the dry and evaporative heat transfer through clothing, provides clothing designer guidance to choose proper materials for a garment, especially work clothing.
Interactive brand experience pathways to customer-brand engagement and value co-creation
Authors: Merrilees Bill
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The paper aims to address a question posed by Ruth Bolton (2011):“What kinds of interactive experiences lead to favourable customer engagement rates”?

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the literature, the paper develops different interactive experience pathways for both functional and hedonic brands.

Findings

The different pathways are developed formally for both brand types. Different facets of brand experience and different facets of interactivity are entailed for each brand type. The models are illustrated with actual brands.

Research limitations/implications

The study is primarily conceptual and requires empirical testing. The purpose of the paper is to motivate academics to explore the nature of interactive experiences in whatever way they choose.

Practical implications

The different interactive experience pathways between functional and hedonic brands imply different engagement and co-creation strategies by firms. Generally, a richer set of engagement options are relevant to the hedonic brand. However, using the Domino’s Pizza example, the paper suggests that functional brands can extend their repertoire of engagement tools by borrowing inspiration from the hedonic brands.

Social implications

There is a major social or community aspect to interactive experiences. Moreover, some of the brands used as examples in the paper, such as Patagonia, have major social or environmental impacts.

Originality/value

This original research pioneers the discovery and coding of the nature of interactive brand experiences. Hitherto, the domain can be construed as the idiomatic, “elephant in the room”, an important topic but not discussed. The conversation has now begun.
Retrospective: service failure and loyalty: an exploratory empirical study of airline customers
Authors: Palmer Adrian , Bejou David
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to reflect on the paper “Service failure and loyalty: an exploratory empirical study of airline customers” published 18 years ago. It positions it in the evolving literature on relationship marketing and suggests directions for further research and developments in the area.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of key contributions of the paper to the study of relationship marketing and the effects of service failures on relationships identifies emerging strands of research.

Findings

The concept of a “relationship lifecycle” is now widely used in marketing for identifying customer segments. Different points in the lifecycle are associated with differing sets of relationship expectations and levels of tolerance to service failure. Customer relationship management has tended to morph into customer experience management where principles of relationship lifecycles have been applied to mapping customer “journeys” through a service process.

Practical implications

The original study informed practices of managing relationship expectations and handling failed expectations, depending on a customer’s length of relationship with a company. Although relationship marketing was originally conceived as an integrator of marketing cues, its emphasis on cognitive evaluations may have been too limiting and customer experience management has since introduced additional affective dimensions.

Originality/value

The original paper had been widely cited and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the emerging landscape of services marketing research. This retrospective analysis locates this historical development with reference to currently popular issues of customer experience management.
Disentangling the interplay of generative and vegetative propagation among different functional groups during gap colonization in meadows
Authors: Vítová Alena , Macek Petr , Lepš Jan
Published: August 2016

Meadow plant communities are commonly driven by strong competition, and the colonization of gaps plays an important role in the maintenance of their species diversity. Despite this, species‐specific information about the dynamics of vegetative and generative propagation, and on the role of seed bank and seed rain, is rather scarce.

In a 3‐year manipulative experiment, we aimed to disentangle the effects of seed bank, seed rain and vegetative propagation in vegetation and during colonization of artificial gaps in a mesotrophic meadow. Vegetative propagation was manipulated by felting and the presence of the seed bank by soil sterilization using gamma radiation. We focused on the dynamics of four main species groups with different regeneration strategies: dicots, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Poaceae. The shift from seedling dominance in early stages towards vegetative resprouts dominating at a later stage in the gap colonization process differed considerably among the four species groups.

Dicots and Juncaceae, regenerating frequently from the seed bank, acted as pioneer species, and determined species composition of newly disturbed sites. Seed rain became crucial later in the season and resulted in shifting dominance to the more competitive Poaceae. Stress‐tolerating Cyperaceae were colonizing the gaps vegetatively mainly towards the end of the experiment. While graminoids showed preference for growing into gaps clonally, dicots propagated vegetatively mostly within intact vegetation.

Although seed rain soon equalized seedling numbers in plots with and without a seed bank, the presence of a seed bank proved to be crucial for certain species, and its effect on species diversity remained positive in all functional groups for the duration of the experiment, demonstrating the importance of a seed bank for the maintenance of species diversity. Nevertheless, seedling assembly converged to a similar functional composition in all gap types after 3 years. We have not detected any competitive effect of vegetative resprouts on seedlings or seedlings on vegetative resprouts throughout the experiment.

Each of the three means of regeneration has its unique role in the maintenance of species diversity during gap colonization, and the importance of these roles differs in different functional groups.
Dissection of the HOG pathway activated by hydrogen peroxide in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Lee Young Mi , Kim Eunjung , An Jieun , Lee Yeji , Choi Eunyong , Choi Wonja , Moon Eunpyo , Kim Wankee
Published: August 2016

Cells usually cope with oxidative stress by activating signal transduction pathways. In the budding yeast Sacchromyces cerevisiae, the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway has long been implicated in transducing the oxidative stress‐induced signal, but the underlying mechanisms are not well defined. Based on phosphorylation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) Hog1, we reveal that the signal from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) flows through Ssk1, the response regulator of the two‐component system of the HOG pathway. Downstream signal transduction into the HOG MAPK cascade requires the MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) Ssk2 but not its paralog Ssk22 or another MAP3K Ste11 of the pathway, culminating in Hog1 phosphorylation via the MAP2K Pbs2. When overexpressed, Ssk2 is also activated in an Ssk1‐independent manner. Unlike in mammals, H2O2 does not cause endoplasmic reticulum stress, which can activate Hog1 through the conventional unfolded protein response. Hog1 activated by H2O2 is retained in the cytoplasm, but is still able to activate the cAMP‐ or stress‐responsive elements by unknown mechanisms.
The development of healthcare use among a cohort of Finnish social assistance clients: testing the social selection hypothesis
Authors: Vaalavuo Maria
Published: August 2016

This article examines the association between healthcare use and receipt of social assistance. It focuses on asking to what extent the use of healthcare (seen as a proxy for health status) leads to social assistance. This is answered by describing the use of healthcare services among a cohort of Finnish social assistance clients before, during and after the first receipt of benefit by means of fixed‐effects logistic regression. Using register data, the study follows a group of social assistance recipients from 2005 to 2011 and compares their use of healthcare to those not claiming social assistance during this same period and analyses how their use of health services develops over time. The results show that recipients use public healthcare clearly more than non‐recipients, but they do so already prior to the first social assistance receipt. This partly confirms the social selection hypothesis according to which health problems lead to low income. However, the results do not exclude the existence of social causation. The causality is most likely bi‐directional. The findings of the descriptive analyses are corroborated by a fixed‐effects logistic regression analysis: the use of healthcare services increases the probability of receiving social assistance in the following month.
Maternal creatine in pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Dickinson H , Davies‐Tuck M , Ellery SJ , Grieger JA , Wallace EM , Snow RJ , Walker DW , Clifton VL
Published: August 2016

Objective

To estimate creatine concentrations in maternal plasma and urine, and establish relationships with maternal characteristics, diet and fetal growth.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Lyell McEwin Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.

Population

A biobank of plasma and urine samples collected at 13, 18, 30 and 36 weeks’ gestation from 287 pregnant women from a prospective cohort of asthmatic and non‐asthmatic women.

Methods

Creatine was measured by enzymatic analysis. Change in creatine over pregnancy was assessed using the Friedman test. Linear mixed models regression was used to determine associations between maternal factors and diet with creatine across pregnancy and between creatine with indices of fetal growth at birth.

Main outcome measures

Maternal creatine concentrations, associations between maternal factors and creatine and between creatine and fetal growth parameters.

Results

Maternal smoking, body mass index, asthma and socio‐economic status were positively and parity negatively associated with maternal plasma and/or urine creatine. Maternal urine creatine concentration was positively associated with birthweight centile and birth length. After adjustment, each μmol/l increase in maternal urinary creatine was associated with a 1.23 (95% CI 0.44–2.02) unit increase in birthweight centile and a 0.11‐cm (95% CI 0.03–0.2) increase in birth length.

Conclusions

Maternal factors and fetal growth measures are associated with maternal plasma and urine creatine concentrations.

Tweetable abstract

Maternal creatine is altered by pregnancy; fetal growth measures are associated with maternal creatine concentrations.