bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Steerable Needle for Fine Needle Aspiration and Biopsy: Efficiency and Radiation Dose Compared With a Conventional Straight Needle
Authors: Rutigliano Sandra , Abraham John A. , Kenneally Barry E. , Zoga Adam C. , Nevalainen Mika , Roedl Johannes B.
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Percutaneous computed tomography (CT)–guided needle biopsy has proven to be an efficacious method for sampling of many soft tissue lesions, especially deep-seated masses in the abdomen and pelvis. This study sought to test the potential for a novel steerable needle to improve localization and to reduce procedure duration and radiation dose compared with a conventional straight needle.

Material and Methods

A fresh, raw meat sample (lean bovine flank) was imbedded with cylindrical radiopaque and radiolucent obstacles designed to simulate vessels (radiolucent objects) and bones (radiopaque objects) on CT. A pit-containing olive (partially radiopaque) was imbedded beyond the obstacles to represent the target. Two sites on the surface of the meat were selected and marked to determine initial needle placement. Two radiologists with different levels of experience proceeded to position a straight needle and the steerable needle from each skin site to the target using CT guidance as efficiently as possible, avoiding the obstacles. The total positioning time, the number of CT scans required for positioning, and the number of repositioning events (partial withdrawal followed by advancement) were tracked for the straight and steerable needles.

Results

For the straight needle, total time to reach the target was 499 to 667 seconds (mean, 592 seconds); for the steerable needle, total time to reach the target was 281 to 343 seconds (mean, 309 seconds), on average, 48% lower. The number of CT scans needed for needle positioning averaged 6.25 for the straight needle and 3.5 for the steerable needle, which is 44% lower. Repositioning events (withdrawing and readvancing the needle) ranged from 3 to 10 for the straight needle (mean, 6.5) and 0 for the steerable needle.

Conclusions

Using an in vitro model embedded with obstacles, the steerable needle performed better than a straight needle with regard to procedure time, needle repositioning events, and CT scans required for placement.
Dual-Energy CT: Balance Between Iodine Attenuation and Artifact Reduction for the Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Nair Jaykumar R. , DeBlois François , Ong Thomas , Devic Slobodan , Tomic Nada , Bekerat Hamed , Rosenbloom Lorne , Sultanem Khalil , Forghani Reza
Published: April 2017

Objective

Dual-energy computed tomography high energy virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) can reduce artifact but suppress iodine attenuation in enhancing tumor. We investigated this trade-off to identify VMI(s) that strike the best balance between iodine detection and artifact reduction.

Methods

The study was performed using an Alderson radiation therapy phantom. Different iodine solutions (based on estimated tumor iodine content in situ using dual-energy computed tomography material decomposition) and different dental fillings were investigated. Spectral attenuation curves and quality index (QI: 1/SD) were evaluated.

Results

The relationship between iodine attenuation and QI depends on artifact severity and iodine concentration. For low to average concentration solutions degraded by mild to moderate artifact, the iodine attenuation and QI curves crossed at 95 keV.

Conclusions

High energy VMIs less than 100 keV can achieve modest artifact reduction while preserving sufficient iodine attenuation and could represent a useful additional reconstruction for evaluation of head and neck cancer.
Comparison of Power Versus Manual Injection in Bolus Shape and Image Quality on Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Authors: Tsuboyama Takahiro , Jost Gregor , Pietsch Hubertus , Tomiyama Noriyuki
Published: April 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare power versus manual injection in bolus shape and image quality on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA).

Materials and Methods

Three types of CE-MRA (head-neck 3-dimensional [3D] MRA with a test-bolus technique, thoracic-abdominal 3D MRA with a bolus-tracking technique, and thoracic-abdominal time-resolved 4-dimensional [4D] MRA) were performed after power and manual injection of gadobutrol (0.1 mmol/kg) at 2 mL/s in 12 pigs (6 sets of power and manual injections for each type of CE-MRA). For the quantitative analysis, the signal-to-noise ratio was measured on ascending aorta, descending aorta, brachiocephalic trunk, common carotid artery, and external carotid artery on the 6 sets of head-neck 3D MRA, and on ascending aorta, descending aorta, brachiocephalic trunk, abdominal aorta, celiac trunk, and renal artery on the 6 sets of thoracic-abdominal 3D MRA. Bolus shapes were evaluated on the 6 sets each of test-bolus scans and 4D MRA. For the qualitative analysis, arterial enhancement, superimposition of nontargeted enhancement, and overall image quality were evaluated on 3D MRA. Visibility of bolus transition was assessed on 4D MRA. Intraindividual comparison between power and manual injection was made by paired t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and analysis of variance by ranks.

Results

Signal-to-noise ratio on 3D MRA was statistically higher with power injection than with manual injection (P < 0.001). Bolus shapes (test-bolus, 4D MRA) were represented by a characteristic standard bolus curve (sharp first-pass peak followed by a gentle recirculation peak) in all the 12 scans with power injection, but only in 1 of the 12 scans with manual injection. Standard deviations of time-to-peak enhancement were smaller in power injection than in manual injection. Qualitatively, although both injection methods achieved diagnostic quality on 3D MRA, power injection exhibited significantly higher image quality than manual injection (P = 0.001) due to significantly higher arterial enhancement (P = 0.031) and less superimposition of nontargeted enhancement (P = 0.001). Visibility of bolus transition on 4D MRA was significantly better with power injection than with manual injection (P = 0.031).

Conclusions

Compared with manual injection, power injection provides more standardized bolus shapes and higher image quality due to higher arterial enhancement and less superimposition of nontargeted vessels.
Higher Surgical Morbidity for Ulcerative Colitis Patients in the Era of Biologics
Authors: Abelson Jonathan S. , Michelassi Fabrizio , Mao Jialin , Sedrakyan Art , Yeo Heather
Published: April 2017

Objective:

To investigate differences in surgical approach and postoperative outcomes for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) before and after the introduction of biologic therapy.

Background:

Biologic use has dramatically increased since Food and Drug Administration approval of infliximab. Studies conflict as to the effect of these agents on surgical outcomes with some demonstrating worse surgical outcomes whereas others have found no difference.

Methods:

We used an administrative, all-payer, all-age group database located in New York State. Patients were included if they had a diagnosis of UC and underwent surgery for their disease from 1995 to 2013. Outcomes were compared for the index admission, at 90-day, and 1-year follow up.

Results:

A total of 7070 patients were included for analysis; 54% patients underwent surgery between 1995 and 2005 and the remaining 46% patients underwent surgery between 2005 and 2013. There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients who underwent at least 3 procedures after 2005(14% vs 9%, P < 0.01). On adjusted analysis, patients undergoing surgery after 2005 had higher likelihood of major events (odd s ratio, OR = 1.42; 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.13–1.78), procedural complications (OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.20–1.68), and nonroutine discharge (OR = 3.17; 95% CI = 2.79–3.60) during the index admission. Similar trends for worse adjusted outcomes in patients initially undergoing surgery after 2005 were seen at 90-day and 1-year follow up.

Conclusions:

Since the introduction of biologic agents in 2005, surgery for patients with UC is more likely to require multiple procedures. Despite robust adjustments, patients having surgery recently have worse postoperative morbidity during the index hospitalization, at 90-day and 1-year follow up. More work is necessary to improve outcomes in these higher risk patients that undergo surgery.
Effects of small-scale clustering of flowers on pollinator foraging behaviour and flower visitation rate
Authors: Akter Asma , Biella Paolo , Klecka Jan
Published: April 2017

Plants often grow in clusters of various sizes and have a variable number of flowers per inflorescence. This small-scale spatial clustering affects insect foraging strategies and plant reproductive success. In our study, we aimed to determine how visitation rate and foraging behaviour of pollinators depend on the number of flowers per plant and on the size of clusters of multiple plants usingDracocephalum moldavica(Lamiaceae) as a target species. We measured flower visitation rate by observations of insects visiting single plants and clusters of plants with different numbers of flowers. Detailed data on foraging behaviour within clusters of different sizes were gathered for honeybees,Apis mellifera, the most abundant visitor ofDracocephalumin the experiments. We found that the total number of flower visitors increased with the increasing number of flowers on individual plants and in larger clusters, but less then proportionally. Although individual honeybees visited more flowers in larger clusters, they visited a smaller proportion of flowers, as has been previously observed. Consequently, visitation rate per flower and unit time peaked in clusters with an intermediate number of flowers. These patterns do not conform to expectations based on optimal foraging theory and the ideal free distribution model. We attribute this discrepancy to incomplete information about the distribution of resources. Detailed observations and video recordings of individual honeybees also showed that the number of flowers had no effect on handling time of flowers by honeybees. We evaluated the implications of these patterns for insect foraging biology and plant reproduction.
Individual level reliability of PAS-induced neural plasticity
Authors: Kim Yeun , Ngo Jacqueline P. , Deblieck Choi , Edwards Dylan J. , Dobkin Bruce , Wu Allan D. , Iacoboni Marco
Published: April 2017

Objective

We assessed the individual level reliability of neural plasticity changes induced by paired associative stimulation (PAS), which combines peripheral nerve stimulation with transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce short-term plastic changes in the brain.

Methods

For 5 consecutive weeks, motor evoked potentials (MEPs) of 8 healthy subjects were acquired every 10 minutes post-PAS intervention for a period of 60 minutes. The post-PAS MEPs were evaluated against base-line MEPs using permutation and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests to determine whether the MEP magnitudes changed after PAS. Moreover, various sample sizes of the MEP data were used to deduce the minimum number of MEPs needed to reliably detect individual propensity to neural plasticity.

Results

Group analysis exhibited significant increase in post-PAS MEPs, confirming previous results. While high between-sessions variability was observed at individual level, data show that between 40 to 50 MEPs can reliably assess each subject’s responsiveness to PAS. Subjects exhibited three different plasticity patterns: in the modulated hemisphere only, both hemispheres, or neither hemisphere.

Conclusions

PAS can reliably assess individual differences in neural plasticity.

Significance

A marker of individual plasticity may be useful to predict the effects of a motor rehabilitation, drug or other intervention to increase recovery of function after brain injury.

Highlights

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) assesses neural plasticity non invasively.

The study shows how PAS can reliably determine individual differences in plasticity.

PAS may be used to predict intervention outcome or individualize treatment dose.
Collection and preservation of urinary proteins using a fluff pulp diaper
Authors: Qin Weiwei , Du Zhenhuan , Gao Youhe
Published: April 2017

Change is the most fundamental property of biomarker. Contrast to the blood, which is under homeostatic controls, urine reflects changes in the body earlier and more sensitive therefore is a better biomarker source. And drawing blood from infants and toddlers is hard and less tolerated. For patients limited by language, giving chief complaint is difficult. Thus, monitoring biomarkers in urine can provide valuable clues for diagnosis of diseases, especially pediatric diseases. Collecting urine from young children and some adult patients is more challenging than collecting it from healthy adults. Here, we propose a method that uses a fluff pulp diaper to collect urine. Urinary proteins were then eluted and adsorbed onto a piece of nitrocellulose membrane, which can be dried and stored in a vacuumed bag. SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that this method is reproducible, and similar proteins were identified as those obtained using an acetone precipitation method. With this simple economical method, it is possible to collect and preserve urine samples from infants, toddlers, and patients with special needs, even for large-scale biomarker studies.
On the peopling of the Americas: molecular evidence for the Paleoamerican and the Solutrean models
Authors: Yuan Dejian , Huang Shi
Published: April 2017

Morphological and archaeological studies suggest that the Americas were first occupied by non-Mongoloids with Australo-Melanesian traits (the Paleoamerican model), which was subsequently followed by Southwest Europeans coming in along the pack ice of the North Atlantic Ocean (the Solutrean model) and by East Asians and Siberians arriving by way of the Bering Strait. Past DNA studies, however, have produced different accounts. With a better understanding of genetic diversity, we have now reinterpreted public DNA data. Consistent with our recent finding of a close relationship between South Pacific populations and Denisovans or Neanderthals who were archaic Africans with Eurasian admixtures, the ∼9500 year old Kennewick Man skeleton with Australo-Melanesian affinity from North America was about equally related to Europeans and Africans, least related to East Asians among present-day people, and most related to the ∼42000 year old Neanderthal Mezmaiskaya-2 from Adygea Russia among ancient Eurasian DNAs. The ∼12700 year old Anzick-1 of the Clovis culture was most related to the ∼18720 year old El Miron of the Magdalenian culture in Spain among ancient DNAs. Amerindian mtDNA haplotypes, unlike their Eurasian sister haplotypes, share informative SNPs with Australo-Melanesians, Africans, or Neanderthals. These results suggest a unifying account of informative findings on the settlement of the Americas.
GATTACA: Lightweight Metagenomic Binning with Compact Indexing of Kmer Counts and MinHash-based Panel Selection
Authors: Popic Victoria , Kuleshov Volodymyr , Snyder Michael , Batzoglou Serafim
Published: April 2017

We introduce GATTACA, a framework for rapid and accurate binning of metagenomic contigs from a single or multiple metagenomic samples into clusters associated with individual species. The clusters are computed using co-abundance profiles within a set of reference metagnomes; unlike previous methods, GATTACA estimates these profiles from k-mer counts stored in a highly compact index. On multiple synthetic and real benchmark datasets, GATTACA produces clusters that correspond to distinct bacterial species with an accuracy that matches earlier methods, while being up to 20×faster when the reference panel index can be computed offline and 6×faster for online co-abundance estimation. Leveraging the MinHash technique to quickly compare metagenomic samples, GATTACA also provides an efficient way to identify publicly-available metagenomic data that can be incorporated into the set of reference metagenomes to further improve binning accuracy. Thus, enabling easy indexing and reuse of publicly-available metagenomic datasets, GATTACA makes accurate metagenomic analyses accessible to a much wider range of researchers.
(E)-2-benzylidene-3-(cyclohexylamino)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (BCI) induces apoptosis via the intrinsic pathway in H1299 lung cancer cells
Authors: Shin Jong-Woon , Kwon Sae-Bom , Bak Yesol , Lee Sangku , Yoon Do-Young
Published: April 2017

(E)-2-benzylidene-3-(cyclohexylamino)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-one (BCI) is known as a dual specific phosphatase 1/6 or MAPK inhibitor. However, its precise anti-lung cancer mechanism remains unknown. In this study, the effects of BCI on cell viability were investigated in the non-small cell lung cancer cell lines NCI-H1299, A549, and NCI-H460. We confirmed that BCI significantly inhibited the cell viability of NCI-H1299 compared to those of NCI-H460 and A549 cells. The anti-cancer effects of BCI were evaluated by MTS assay, annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining, cell cycle analysis, reverse transcription-PCR, western blotting, and JC-1 staining in NCI-H1299 cells. BCI induced cellular morphological changes and inhibited viability of NCI-H1299 cells in a dose-dependent manner. BCI enhanced Bax expression and induced processing of caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase as well as the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. BCI also down-regulated Bcl-2 expression but enhanced Bax expression in a dose-dependent manner in NCI-H1299 cells. In addition, BCI did not modulate death receptor expression or the extrinsic factor caspase-8 and Bid, a linker between the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways in NCI-H1299 cells. On the basis of these results, we conclude that BCI induces apoptosis through a mediated intrinsic pathway, but not extrinsic pathway in NCI-H1299 cells. These results suggest that BCI can be used as a therapeutic agent in lung cancer.
Integrating telemetry data into spatial capture-recapture modifies inferences on multi-scale resource selection
Authors: Linden Daniel W. , Sirén Alexej P. K. , Pekins Peter J.
Published: April 2017

Estimating population size and resource selection functions (RSFs) are common approaches in applied ecology for addressing wildlife conservation and management objectives. Traditionally such approaches have been undertaken separately with different sources of data. Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) provides a framework for jointly estimating density and multi-scale resource selection, and data integration techniques provide opportunities for improving inferences from SCR models. Here we illustrate an application of integrated SCR-RSF modeling to a population of American marten (Martes americana) in alpine forests of northern New England. Spatial encounter data from camera traps were combined with telemetry locations from radio-collared individuals to examine how density and space use varied with spatial environmental features. We compared multi-model inferences between the integrated SCR-RSF model with telemetry and a standard SCR model with no telemetry. The integrated SCR-RSF model supported more complex relationships with spatial variation in third-order resource selection (i.e., individual space use), including selection for areas with shorter distances to mixed coniferous forest and rugged terrain. Both models indicated increased second-order selection (i.e., density) for areas close to mixed coniferous forest, while the integrated SCR-RSF model had a lower effect size due to modulation from spatial variability in space use. Our application of the integrated SCR-RSF model illustrates the improved inferences from spatial encounter data that can be achieved from integrating auxiliary telemetry data. Integrated modeling allows ecologists to join empirical data to ecological theory using a robust quantitative framework to better address conservation and management objectives.
Synthesis-free PET imaging of brown adipose tissue and TSPO via Combination of Disulfiram and64CuCl2
Authors: Yang Jing , Yang Jian , Wang Lu , Moore Anna , Liang Steven H. , Ran Chongzhao
Published: April 2017

PET imaging is a widely applicable but a very expensive technology. Strategies that can significantly reduce the high cost of PET imaging are highly desirable both for research and commercialization. On-site synthesis is one important contributor to the high cost. In this report, we demonstrated the feasibility of a synthesis-free method for PET imaging of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and translocator protein 18kDa (TSPO) via a combination of Disulfiram, an FDA approved drug for alcoholism, and64CuCl2(termed64Cu-Dis). Our blocking studies, Western blot, and tissue histological imaging suggested that the observed BAT contrast was due to64Cu-Dis binding to TSPO, which was further confirmed as a specific biomarker for BAT imaging using [18F]-F-DPA, a TSPO-specific PET tracer. Our studies, for the first time, demonstrated that TSPO could serve as a potential imaging biomarker for BAT. Furthermore, since imaging contrast obtained with both64Cu-Dis and [18F]-F-DPA was not dependent on BAT activation, these agents could be used for reliably imaging BAT mass. Additional value of our synthesis-free approach could be applied to imaging TSPO in other tissues as it is an established biomarker of neuro-inflammation in activated microglia and plays a role in immune response, steroid synthesis, and apoptosis. Although here we applied64Cu-Dis for a synthesis-free PET imaging of BAT, we believe that our strategy could be extended to other targets while significantly reducing the cost of PET imaging.

Significance

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been considered as “good fat,” and large-scale analysis has undoubtedly validated its clinical significance. BAT tightly correlates with body-mass index (BMI), suggesting that BAT bears clear significance for metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. BAT imaging with [18F]-FDG, the most used method for visualizing BAT, primarily reflects BAT activation, but not BAT mass. A convenient imaging method that can consistently reflect BAT mass is still lacking. In this report, we demonstrated that BAT mass can be reliably imaged with a synthesis-free method using the combination of Disulfiram and64CuCl2(64Cu-Dis) via TSPO binding. We further demonstrated for the first time that TSPO is a specific imaging biomarker for BAT.
Distinct effects of tubulin isotype mutations on neurite growth inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Zheng Chaogu , Diaz-Cuadros Margarete , Nguyen Ken C.Q. , Hall David H. , Chalfie Martin
Published: April 2017

Tubulins, the building block of microtubules (MTs), play a critical role in both supporting and regulating neurite growth. Eukaryotic genomes contain multiple tubulin isotypes, and their missense mutations cause a range of neurodevelopmental defects. Using theC. eleganstouch receptor neurons, we analyzed the effects of 67 tubulin missense mutations on neurite growth. Three types of mutations emerged: 1) loss-of-function mutations, which cause mild defects in neurite growth; 2) antimorphic mutations, which map to the GTP binding site and intradimer and interdimer interfaces, significantly reduce MT stability, and cause severe neurite growth defects; and 3) neomorphic mutations, which map to the exterior surface, increase MT stability, and cause ectopic neurite growth. Structure-function analysis reveals a causal relationship between tubulin structure and MT stability. This stability affects neuronal morphogenesis. As part of this analysis, we engineered several disease-associated human tubulin mutations intoC. elegansgenes and examined their impact on neuronal development at the cellular level. We also discovered an α-tubulin (TBA-7) that appears to destabilize MTs. Loss of TBA-7 led to the formation of hyperstable MTs and the generation of ectopic neurites; the lack of potential sites for polyamination and polyglutamination on TBA-7 may be responsible for this destabilization.

Table of Content (TOC) Highlight Summary

Different tubulin isotypes perform different functions in the regulation of MT structure and neurite growth, and missense mutations of tubulin genes have three types of distinct effects on MT stability and neurite growth. One α-tubulin isotype appears to induce relative instability due to the lack of potential post-translational modification sites.
Resonant and non-resonant magnetic scatterings with circularly polarized X-rays: magnetic scattering factor and electron density of gadolinium iron garnet
Authors: Sasaki Yo , Okube Maki , Sasaki Satoshi
Published: April 2017

Theoretical and experimental studies on resonant magnetic scattering have been carried out using circularly polarized X-rays. Polarization dependence of the asymmetric ratio between right- and left-handed polarized scattering amplitudes has revealed that resonant and non-resonant magnetic scatterings can be observed simultaneously. In this study, synchrotron X-ray intensity experiments were conducted on Gd iron garnet (GdIG) at the pre-edge of the FeKabsorption edge. The asymmetric ratio between circular polarizations exhibited three peaks due to the resonant magnetic responses of Fe3+in the Fe2 (24d) site. These magnetic responses are antiparallel and have apparently higher resolution than dispersive X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the pre-edge region; this can be mainly attributed to electric dipole transitions from 1stot2energy levels of the 3dorbitals in the tetrahedral symmetry in an unstable state quenched at higher temperature. Resonant magnetic scattering factorsf′mwere estimated from the asymmetric ratios. Fourier analysis was conducted using the intensity differences among circularly polarized X-rays at an energy ofE= 7.1085 keV. At this energy level, the characteristic distribution of magnetic electron density was clearly observed. This distribution was interpreted as a spin arrangement of Gd and Fe ions in GdIG. Also observed was the presence of hybridization of the magnetic electron orbitals as well as of the resonant magnetic Fe3+. The proposed method has the potential to be widely used in crystal structure analysis.
High-speed data provision via mobile networks in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Curwen Peter , Whalley Jason
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine in a fully up-to-date manner the position in respect of the licensing and launch of long-term evolution (LTE) (4G) in a region that attracts relatively little attention in academic work and the media. The purpose is also to examine the role of incumbency and to assess to what extent the licensing of LTE can make a difference to the structure of mobile markets in the region.

Design/methodology/approach

The first step has been to compile extensive databases with respect to the licensing and launch of high-speed networks in the region, arranged so as to emphasize the position of the dominant incumbents. A distinction is drawn between the larger, mainly Latin American, countries and the smaller, mainly Caribbean, islands. There is a discussion of new entry and its potential to disrupt incumbents.

Findings

The position of dominance held by two operators – América Móvil and Telefonica in the larger countries and by Digicel and Cable & Wireless Communications (Liberty Global) in the islands – is brought to the fore, and the analysis demonstrates that this is unlikely to be more than marginally affected by regulatory attempts to restructure markets by, for example, fostering new entry.

Research limitations/implications

This is necessarily an overview paper as more than 50 countries/islands are covered, so detailed individual country studies are precluded.

Practical implications

The way forward, such as it is, can only be illuminated by first clarifying the current state of play.

Originality/value

The databases that underpin the analysis are author-compiled and entirely original.
The complexity of the antecedents influencing accountability in organisations
Authors: Pearson Hayley , Sutherland Margaret
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Business, society and academic literature all show an increase in the demand for greater accountability. Although accountability is deemed to be central to performance in the workplace, it is an ever-expanding, complex and elusive phenomenon. There is very little empirical research in human resource literature on accountability’s wide-ranging antecedents and how they are best implemented. This paper aims to set out to identify which factors have the greatest influence when holding an individual to account.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative, exploratory research methods were adopted. Twenty semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with CEO’s, executives, human resource experts, senior managers and consultants in eight industries in South Africa. The data were analysed by thematic content analysis.

Findings

The findings identified five dominant antecedents that are required to effectively hold an individual to account for their performance. These are the culture and leadership of the organisation, the systems in the organisation, the values and recruitment means of the individual and the clarity of role. For each of these factors, the key management mechanisms were identified.

Research limitations/implications

The study was done in one country (South Africa) and only with senior executives.

Practical/implications

A “System of Accountability” model was developed depicting the interdependence of the factors and conceptualising a process that can be followed for human resource professionals and senior management to develop a culture of accountability.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of literature and empirical research on how to implement a combination of systems to ensure accountability in the workplace. This research offers some solutions to that gap in the literature.
Inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovativeness. A comparative study
Authors: Pouwels Ivan , Koster Ferry
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This paper aims at integrating previous studies investigating the relationship between inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovation. Earlier research provides mixed results regarding this relationship. In this paper, it is argued that this may be because of an empirical bias in these studies, as they tend to focus on one sector, one type of innovation or one country. Using a cross-national comparative data set enables to account for these potential biases and establish the relationship between inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines the effect of inter-organizational cooperation on product, process, organizational and market innovation, using data from 32 European countries and 6 different sectors (n= 27,019). The data are analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Findings

The analysis shows that there is a positive relationship between inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovation, even when controlled for common innovation variables including general characteristics, organizational structure, organizational culture, HR strategies, networking interaction and external knowledge acquisition.

Originality/value

In contrast to most prior studies that rely on data from one sector, one country and one innovation type, this study examines the relationship between inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovativeness by taking into account multiple sectors, countries and types of innovation. This intends to generate more robust results regarding the link between inter-organizational cooperation and organizational innovativeness.
Hospital admissions for HIV-infected prisoners in Italy
Authors: Pontali Emanuele , Ranieri Roberto , Rastrelli Elena , Iannece Maria Donata , Ialungo Anna Maria , Dell’Isola Serena , Liberti Alfonso , Rosario Pietro , Casati Rodolfo , Starnini Giulio , Babudieri Sergio
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to give a description of the clinical conditions and patient demographics of inpatient admissions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected inmates in three hospital wards that provide hospital care for inmates in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a retrospective review of hospital medical admissions of patients living with HIV from January 1 to December 31, 2014, in three Italian referral centers for hospitalization of inmates.

Findings

A total of 85 admissions for 85 different HIV-infected inmates occurred in 2014 in the three centers participating to the study. Most patients (54.1 percent) were co-infected with hepatitis C. Discharge diagnosis largely varied ranging from common HIV-related co-morbidities to completely independent diagnosis. The most commonly observed discharge diagnoses were chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, opiate dependence and thrombocytopenia.

Originality/value

Discharge diagnosis between HIV-infected inmates and HIV-infected patients in freedom are strikingly and significantly different. A large number of hospitalized HIV-infected inmates were affected by chronic viral hepatitis and liver cirrhosis; this is probably a direct consequence of the high prevalence of HCV and/or HBV co-infections in the inmate population in Italy. In addition, a significantly lower proportion of cancer diagnosis was observed among inmates; this is possibly justified by the fact that in our Italian settings when HIV infection is at advanced stages or if cancer treatment is started those affected are released from prison and can continue their diagnostic and treatment follow-up in freedom.
Explaining small-retailer patronage through social capital theory
Authors: Yildiz Hélène , Heitz-Spahn Sandrine , Belaud Lydie
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand why people shop at small retailers in their community. The authors investigate the influence of consumers’ civic commitment, measured at behavioural and perceptual levels, on small-retailer patronage (SRP).

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 984 respondents represent four French cities that host common town-centre shopping streets and large out-of-town retail parks. A structural equation model applied to the theoretical framework tests the relationships between civic behavioural commitment (CBC), civic perceptual commitment (CPC) and declared SRP.

Findings

The more an individual consumer exhibits civic behavioural commitment (CBC) to his/her community, the greater his/her small-retailer patronage (SRP). Furthermore, consumers who express strong civic perceptual commitment (CPC) prefer to patronise small retailers. Results show that CPC has a stronger impact on SRP than CBC does.

Practical implications

If the CPC has stronger effects on SRP than CBC does, town managers can catch people’s attention by communicating civic commitment to enhance CPC. Solidarity could be developed through large-scale social projects to send a strong signal to consumers regarding retailers’ commitment in the community. Finally, the study highlights the role businesses, retailers and consumers play in building communities. Partnerships across all local stakeholders should be built.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to define civic behavioural commitment within consumers’ life place based on social capital theory. Moreover, it offers a new framework for understanding perception of commitment within a community, and its impact on SRP. This measurement scale allows more efficient capturing of civic commitment to communities.
Co-innovation platform affordances
Authors: Abhari Kaveh , Davidson Elizabeth J. , Xiao Bo
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The importance of co-innovation platforms has been well established, but a valid and reliable instrument to measure the affordances of these platforms for co-innovation behavior has not yet been reported in the literature. A robust, validated instrument to measure co-innovation platform affordances (PAs) will facilitate the conduct of studies across different platforms and contribute to enhanced understanding of co-innovation behaviors, outcomes, and platform design. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize co-innovation PAs, develop a reliable measurement instrument capturing critical facets of co-innovation, namely ideation, collaboration, and communication, and validate the instrument.

Design/methodology/approach

The construct of PAs was conceptualized based on the findings from two case studies of co-innovation networks and the key characteristics of social mediating technology affordances. The measurement items newly developed via a case study underwent a two-round exploratory analysis to ensure face validity and content validity. The resulting instrument was subjected to a pilot study and a field study to establish the necessary reliability and validity.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that co-innovation PAs have three distinctive components, namely ideation, collaboration, and communication. Furthermore, the results of the study suggest that PAs are most appropriately operationalized as a second-order construct comprising all three components. The empirical results from the field study show a high degree of confidence in both translation validity and criterion-related validity.

Originality/value

Drawing from co-innovation and affordances literature, this study develops and validates a general instrument to measure co-innovation PAs. The result is a reliable and parsimonious instrument with 12 items. The authors believe that the instrument can contribute significantly to future empirical investigations of co-innovation behavior on virtual platforms.
Collaborative practices with suppliers in Indian manufacturing multinationals
Authors: Hudnurkar Manoj , Rathod Urvashi
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The aim of this research was to study collaborative practices with suppliers in multinational manufacturing companies operating in India and to develop a framework for collaboration with suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a four-step mixed-methods approach that included qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative technique was used to explore the factors and develop a balanced scorecard-based (BSC – balanced scorecard) framework using them. Quantitative technique was used to validate the framework statistically and also by using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process using perception-based ranks given by practitioners.

Findings

The exploratory research resulted in 26 antecedents for collaboration with suppliers in supply chains. Out of these 26, only 19 were considered based on importance given by practitioners. Further, the identified antecedents were classified and mapped based on the perspectives of the BSC. The extended BSC adds business environment and partnership perspectives to existing BSC framework. Some of the important factors identified under these perspectives were transparency of transactions, long-term commitment and trust. The customer perspective was given the utmost importance by the practitioners.

Research limitations/implications

There are certain issues that may limit the completeness of the work in a global context. The number of organizations (21) and respondents (45) may also be insufficient to convey the complete knowledge embedded in the practice of the field.

Originality/value

The study provides practical insights about the factors affecting collaboration with suppliers. A BSC-based framework for collaboration with suppliers was also developed along with the associated importance of each perspective and factors under each perspective, which can prove to be of great value to academics and practitioners involved in relationship with suppliers in supply chain.
Peer support services: state of the workforce-state of the field in the USA
Authors: Rogers E. Sally
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Peer support and other consumer-provided services have burgeoned within the USA during the past 30 years and are now a central component of mental health services nationally. However, their growth has been uneven and somewhat dependent on state initiatives, policies, and funding. Recent programs have matured along myriad paths, resulting in a variety of program typologies, service structures, and funding streams, but with common values, missions, and principles. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The landscape of peer specialist services in the USA, as well as innovations afoot, is reviewed. The empirical information that speaks to the efficacy of peer support and the need to better understand the mechanisms by which it is effective is described.

Findings

Although peer support has grown exponentially across the USA, its growth has been uneven. Evidence suggests that peer specialists experience role ambiguity within many existing programs and systems. Though the empirical evidence for peer services has grown, research has been most favorable for manualized, group interventions. There is still a need to better understand how individual peer support is beneficial and effective, and how individual peer support can best be utilized to promote the best outcomes for those served.

Research limitations/implications

In order for the workforce of peer support specialists to continue to grow and for services to be responsive and innovative, we need to better understand the mechanisms by which peer support is beneficial and how it can be structured and delivered to promote the best outcomes for those served. The “core conditions” of helping relationships promulgated decades ago by Rogers along with research on self-disclosure may be useful frameworks for understanding and researching the effectiveness of peer support.

Practical implications

More research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of peer support services and how best to insure that they are well-integrated into the mental health programs and systems in which they serve.

Originality/value

There is a need to understand why peer support is effective and how best to sustain peer specialists in their roles within the mental health system.
Effect of build orientation on the mechanical reliability of 3D printed ABS
Authors: Keleş Özgür , Blevins Caleb Wayne , Bowman Keith J.
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Increasing use of 3D printing techniques to manufacture consumer products and open-source designs raises the question of “What is the mechanical reliability of 3D printed parts?” Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of build orientation on the mechanical reliability of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) produced using 3D printing.

Design/methodology/approach

Tensile tests on ABS specimens were performed with and without a hole in the center, which were produced by fused deposition modeling (FDM). Seven sets of approximately 30 specimens were printed in XY, XZ and C+45 orientations to obtain reliable fracture statistics. Weibull analysis was performed to quantify the variation in the tensile strength.

Findings

The Weibull analysis showed that the reliability of FDM produced ABS can be as low as advanced ceramics. Weibull moduli of specimens without a hole were between 26 and 69, and specimens with a hole had Weibull moduli between 30 and 41. P-type deviations from the Weibull statistics were observed. The XZ orientation resulted in the highest average fracture strength for specimens with and without a hole, and C+45 orientation resulted in the lowest strength.

Practical implications

As the Weibull distribution relates the applied stress to probability of failure, the Weibull analysis provides a practical design criterion to achieve specific reliability levels for additively manufactured parts.

Originality/value

This study, for the first time, provides Weibull statistics for FDM-produced ABS parts, which can be used to predict mechanical reliability.
An improved lattice structure design optimization framework considering additive manufacturing constraints
Authors: Gorguluarslan Recep M. , Gandhi Umesh N. , Song Yuyang , Choi Seung-Kyum
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Methods to optimize lattice structure design, such as ground structure optimization, have been shown to be useful when generating efficient design concepts with complex truss-like cellular structures. Unfortunately, designs suggested by lattice structure optimization methods are often infeasible because the obtained cross-sectional parameter values cannot be fabricated by additive manufacturing (AM) processes, and it is often very difficult to transform a design proposal into one that can be additively designed. This paper aims to propose an improved, two-phase lattice structure optimization framework that considers manufacturing constraints for the AM process.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed framework uses a conventional ground structure optimization method in the first phase. In the second phase, the results from the ground structure optimization are modified according to the pre-determined manufacturing constraints using a second optimization procedure. To decrease the computational cost of the optimization process, an efficient gradient-based optimization algorithm, namely, the method of feasible directions (MFDs), is integrated into this framework. The developed framework is applied to three different design examples. The efficacy of the framework is compared to that of existing lattice structure optimization methods.

Findings

The proposed optimization framework provided designs more efficiently and with better performance than the existing optimization methods.

Practical implications

The proposed framework can be used effectively for optimizing complex lattice-based structures.

Originality/value

An improved optimization framework that efficiently considers the AM constraints was reported for the design of lattice-based structures.
Agoge: an information literacy game for transfer students
Authors: Kearns Andrew , Kirsch Breanne A. , Cononie Virginia
Published: April 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to describe a successful outreach to transfer students through an interactive information literacy game. While the main purpose of the game is to introduce students to research and university library resources, it also allows for an analysis of incoming students’ information literacy skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study outlines the evolution of the game from a test-like tutorial administered through the Blackboard course management system to an interactive game in two iterations, describing the game in relation to game design and best practices and discussing how the artwork for the game was created. An analysis of data from student answers to the game questions over time shows what librarians have learned about the information literacy skills of incoming transfer students. Finally, student feedback about the game collected through a survey is presented along with ideas for future modifications.

Findings

This paper provides insights into the design and creation process of an interactive information literacy game and a model for how similar games can help librarians assess students’ information literacy skills.

Practical implications

Transfer students are hard to reach as a group at many institutions. An interactive game targeted to transfers during the admissions process is a potentially effective way to reach out to them.

Originality/value

This paper brings together two important issues in the library literature: how to reach out to transfer students and educational library games. Librarians involved with these issues will benefit from the paper’s insights and practical advice.