bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-value, low-effort industrial plant commissioning solution strategies
Authors: Mock Brant , O'Connor James T.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to identify high-value, low-effort solution strategies to common commissioning and startup (CSU) problems experienced during industrial construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on the value provided by solution strategies and effort required to implement them were collected from 35 industry experts via an electronic survey. The authors used a PICK (Possible, Implement, Challenge and Kill) chart two-axis modeling method to distinguish high-value, low-effort strategies from among the set of 178 possible solution strategies to the 20 most common CSU problem activities.

Findings

A total of 38 strategies were identified by industry experts as both high-value and low-effort solutions to the most common CSU problems experienced on industrial construction projects. The 20 common CSU problems had an average of almost nine solution strategies each, of which an average of almost two were identified as high-value, low-effort.

Research limitations/implications

The research findings are limited to industrial-type construction projects; however, parallels may exist with heavy civil, commercial and other types of construction. The sample size was relatively small but in accord with other CSU surveys.

Practical implications

Managers are provided a list of 38 highly effective strategies to use when they encounter common CSU problems. By implementing these strategies, managers will provide their projects with more benefit for less investment.

Originality/value

Although several studies have identified solution strategies to CSU problems, none have sought to differentiate between strategies. This study distinguishes between an extensive set of 178 strategies along both effort and value metrics, identifying high-value, low-effort strategies using a novel application of the PICK chart model.
Design of a novel triple-band monopole antenna for WLAN/WiMAX MIMO applications in the laptop computer
Authors: Kulkarni Jayshri Sharad , Seenivasan Raju
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present a triple-band monopole antenna design of 0.2-mm thickness with an overall dimension of 21 × 8 mm2 for wireless local area network (WLAN)/worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) applications in the laptop computer.

Design/methodology/approach

It comprises three monopole radiating elements, namely, strip AD (inverted C), strip EG (inverted J) and strip FI (inverted U) along with two rectangular open-end tuning stubs, namely, “m” and “n” of size 1.5 × 0.9 mm2 and 1.8 × 0.9 mm2, respectively. The proposed structure is compact, cost-effective and easy to integrate inside the laptop computers.

Findings

This structure excites three WLAN (2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz) and three WiMAX (2.3/3.3/5.5 GHz) bands. The proposed antenna array elucidates that it has measured −10dB impedance bandwidth of 11.86 per cent (2.22-2.50) GHz in a lower band (f_l), 6.83 per cent (3.25-3.48) GHz in medium band (f_m) and 16.84 per cent (5.00-5.92) GHz in upper band (f_u). The measured gain and radiation efficiency are above 3.64dBi and 75 per cent, respectively, and isolation better than −20dB. The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is less than 0.004. The simulated and measured results are in good concurrence, which confirms the applicability of the proposed antenna array for MIMO applications in the laptop computer.

Originality/value

The proposed antenna is designed without using vias, reactive elements and matching circuits for excitation of WLAN/WiMAX bands in the laptop computers. The design also does not require any additional ground for mounting the antenna. Further, the antenna array, formed by using the same antenna design, does not need additional isolating elements and is designed in such a way that the system ground itself acts as an isolating element. The proposed antenna has a low profile and is ultra-thin, cost-effective and easy to manufacture and can be easily embedded inside the next-generation laptop computers.
An interpolating meshless method for the numerical simulation of the time-fractional diffusion equations with error estimates
Authors: Wang Jufeng , Sun Fengxin
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present an interpolating element-free Galerkin (IEFG) method for the numerical study of the time-fractional diffusion equation, and then discuss the stability and convergence of the numerical solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

In the time-fractional diffusion equation, the time fractional derivatives are approximated by L1 method, and the shape functions are constructed by the interpolating moving least-squares (IMLS) method. The final system equations are obtained by using the Galerkin weak form. Because the shape functions have the interpolating property, the unknowns can be solved by the iterative method after imposing the essential boundary condition directly.

Findings

Both theoretical and numerical results show that the IEFG method for the time-fractional diffusion equation has high accuracy. The stability of the fully discrete scheme of the method on the time step is stable unconditionally with a high convergence rate.

Originality/value

This work will provide an interpolating meshless method to study the numerical solutions of the time-fractional diffusion equation using the IEFG method.
Dimension-adaptive algorithm-based PCE for models with many model parameters
Authors: Li Yangtian , Li Haibin , Wei Guangmei
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To present the models with many model parameters by polynomial chaos expansion (PCE), and improve the accuracy, this paper aims to present dimension-adaptive algorithm-based PCE technique and verify the feasibility of the proposed method through taking solid rocket motor ignition under low temperature as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

The main approaches of this work are as follows: presenting a two-step dimension-adaptive algorithm; through computing the PCE coefficients using dimension-adaptive algorithm, improving the accuracy of PCE surrogate model obtained; and applying the proposed method to uncertainty quantification (UQ) of solid rocket motor ignition under low temperature to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.

Findings

The result indicates that by means of comparing with some conventional non-invasive method, the proposed method is able to raise the computational accuracy significantly on condition of meeting the efficiency requirement.

Originality/value

This paper proposes an approach in which the optimal non-uniform grid that can avoid the issue of overfitting or underfitting is obtained.
Review of global mental health research in the construction industry
Authors: Nwaogu Janet M. , Chan Albert P.C. , Hon Carol K.H. , Darko Amos
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The demanding nature of the construction industry poses strain that affects the health of construction personnel. Research shows that mental ill health in this industry is increasing. However, a review mapping the field to determine the extant of research is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a scientometric review of mental health (MH) research in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 145 bibliographic records retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus database were analyzed using CiteSpace, to visualize MH research outputs in the industry.

Findings

Top co-cited authors are Helen Lingard, Mei-yung Leung, Paul Bowen, Julitta S. Boschman, Peter E.D. Love, Martin Loosemore and Linda Goldenhar. Previous studies focused on healthy eating, work efficiency, occupational stress and workplace injury. Emerging research areas are centered around physiological health monitoring, work ability, and smart interventions to prevent and manage poor MH.

Research limitations/implications

Result is influenced by the citations in retrieved articles.

Practical implications

The study found that researchers in the construction industry have intensified efforts to leverage information technology in improving the health, well-being, and safety of construction personnel. Future research should focus on developing workplace interventions that incorporate organizational justice and flexible work systems. There is also a need to develop psychological self-reporting scales specific to the industry.

Originality/value

This study enhances the understanding of researchers on existing collaboration networks and future research directions. It provides information on foundational documents and authors whose works should be consulted when researching into this field.
Obstacles of innovation and institutional support in the cooperation agreements
Authors: Arranz N. , F. Arroyabe Marta , Fernandez de Arroyabe Juan Carlos
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of obstacles and institutional factors on the cooperation for innovation. The collaboration between different types of organizations has been seen as a strategy that allows the firms to obtain reciprocal benefits, and that incentivises innovation. However, following D’Esteet al.(2012) and Antonioliet al.(2017), the authors assume that the decision to cooperate is perceived as a strategy to overcome the obstacles and barriers of the innovation process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze these questions in the frame of the PITEC-2013 data that covers the period 2012–2013 and includes 5,461 Spanish innovative companies.

Findings

The results support that an important drive for the firm’s cooperation is to overcome the obstacles of the innovation process. Moreover, the type of partner for cooperation is influenced by the different perception that those companies have on the obstacles to innovation. Additionally, results contribute to the regional literature with new empirical evidence to characterize regions in terms of innovation. Such factors shed new light about the intensity of regional innovation and variables of the cooperation pattern.

Originality/value

Considering that a fourth of the Spanish companies develop technological cooperation agreements (PITEC, 2013), it is still observed that the level of cooperation and their results are lower with respect to other countries in the environment, therefore to analyze the role of cooperation agreements, evaluating the factors that characterize the dynamics of these agreements, is a critical research question for the Spanish economy.
Impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices
Authors: Prince Nicholas Ryan , Kabst Rüdiger
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices, specifically to investigate the impact of in-group collectivism, uncertainty avoidance and power distance on interview panels, one-on-one interviews, applications forms, references, ability, technical and psychometric tests.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses survey data from the 2008–2010 CRANET database. It uses OLS regression analysis to test the impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices.

Findings

In-group collectivism increases the use of panel interviews and technical tests, and decreases the use of one-on-one interviews and application forms. Uncertainty avoidance increases the use of panel interviews and technical tests, and a decrease in one-on-one interviews, applications ability, and psychometric tests. Power distance leads to an increase in one-on-one interviews, applications and ability tests, and a decrease in panel interviews, psychometric tests and references.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the use of the impact of national culture on selection practices. Specifically, it looks at the use of a large number of selection practices panel interviews, one-on-one interviews, applications and references, and several different tests, ability, technical and psychometric.
Why is informal employment more common in some countries? An exploratory analysis of 112 countries
Authors: Williams Colin Charles , Horodnic Adrian Vasile
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate competing explanations for the greater prevalence of informal employment in some countries rather than others. These variously explain informal employment to be a result of either economic under-development and the lack of modernisation of governance (“modernisation” theory), higher taxes and too much state intervention (“neo-liberal” theory) or inadequate government intervention to protect workers from poverty (“political economy” theory).

Design/methodology/approach

To do this, an International Labour Organisation data base produced in 2018 on the prevalence of informal employment in 112 countries (comprising 90 per cent of the global workforce) is analysed, and macro-level economic and social conditions reflecting each of these theories tested using bivariate regressions.

Findings

The prevalence of informal employment ranges from 94.6 per cent of total employment in Burkina Faso to 1.2 per cent in Luxembourg. Evaluating the validity of the competing theories, neo-liberal theory is refuted, and a call made to synthesise the modernisation and political economy perspectives in a new “neo-modernisation” theory that tentatively associates the greater prevalence of informal employment with lower economic under-development, greater levels of public sector corruption, smaller government and lower levels of state intervention to protect workers from poverty.

Practical implications

This paper tentatively reveals the structural economic and social conditions that need to be addressed globally to reduce informal employment.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to report the results of a harmonised data set based on common criteria to measure the varying prevalence of informal employment globally (across 112 countries representing 90 per cent of global employment) in order to determine the structural economic and social conditions associated with higher levels of informal employment.
Bullying effects on performance and engagement among academics
Authors: Meriläinen Matti , Kõiv Kristi , Honkanen Anu
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between perceived bullying, work engagement and work performance among Estonian academics. Specifically, it details what forms of bullying affect work engagement and performance. Moreover, the study explores the relationship between engagement and performance among bullied academics.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 864 faculty members from nine Estonian universities participated in an e-mail survey in Spring 2014. Bullying was measured using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R22), and work engagement was assessed using the nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Respondents’ perceived performance and productivity were measured on a ten-point rating scale. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationship between bullying, engagement and performance.

Findings

Perceived bullying – especially “professional understating” – decreased work engagement and work performance among Estonian academics. The decrease in performance preceded the decrease in engagement or vice versa. The decrease in engagement was followed by lowered performance.

Research limitations/implications

A longitudinal study is needed to prove the specific one-way effect of (decreased) performance (because of perceived bullying) on engagement.

Practical implications

Preventing bullying and further increasing engagement and performance among Estonian academics requires getting out of policy of professional understating.

Social implications

The authors need to determine why Estonian academics experience professional understating, which includes being ordered to perform tasks below one’s level of competence and having key areas of responsibility removed or replaced with more trivial or unpleasant tasks.

Originality/value

The present results prove that it is possible to differentiate between specific forms of bullying in a specific context and further reveal those factors specifically that affect work performance and work engagement. Among Estonian academics – revealed in this study – “professional understating” seems to be such a factor.
High-commitment organization and employees’ job performance
Authors: Yan Jiaqi , Luo Jinlian , Jia Jianfeng , Zhong Jing
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanisms by which high-commitment organization is associated with employees’ job performance through the perspective of taking charge and the perceived strength of the human resource management (HRM) system.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors used two-wave survey data from 200 supervisor-subordinates pairs in China. This study uses hierarchical linear regression and bootstrapping method to analyze the mediated moderation effect.

Findings

The authors found that perceived high-commitment organization and perceived strength of the HRM system interact in predicting employees’ taking charge behavior, such that perceived high-commitment organization is more positively associated with taking charge when the perceived strength of the HRM system is high rather than low. In addition, taking charge mediates the relationship between interactive effects of perceived high-commitment organization and the perceived strength of the HRM system on employees’ job performance.

Originality/value

This study extended the high-commitment organization from the perspective of individual perception based on the COR theory and regard perceived high-commitment organization as an organizational resource.
Career adaptability and active job search behavior of Korean older workers
Authors: Lim Doo Hun , Kim Woocheol , Shin Heh Youn
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help between career adaptability and active job search behavior of older workers in South Korea.

Design/methodology/approach

From a review of related literature, six study hypotheses were developed to test the structural relationship between the variables.

Findings

This study identified that attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help mediated the relationship between career adaptability, the value of career coaching and active job search behavior.

Practical implications

A successful job search requires the use of substantial self-control and self-regulation skills, and there can be effective training in all these skills of self-disciplining when older workers can find a high level of value from career coaching programs.

Originality/value

Despite the growing popularity of career support programs, the quality of career coaching programs and participants’ perceived value toward them are critical to illicit positive outcomes of such programs. This study supports this premise by revealing a structural relationship between career adaptability, perceived value of career coaching, attitudes toward seeking professional career help and active job search behavior.
Profits, financial leverage and corporate governance
Authors: Butt Umar
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of governance structures in defining the relationship between profits and leverage.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the standard design used by Fama and French (2002) and employs it under different governance structures. It is the first to identify the endogenous nature of the relationship between profits and leverage, compounded by the endogeneity of governance. The paper uses the instrumental variable (IV) technique to control for endogeneity and recommends a novel approach to control for multiple endogenous regressors.

Findings

The results demonstrate that firms operating under good governance verify the predictions of the trade-off theory of capital structure and that the evidence of negative relation in the literature is a subset of management inefficiency. The results are consistent after controlling for endogeneity and are robust to alternative iteration of governance. The activity in debt issuance and retirement supports the conclusion that firms with good governance structures actively seek an optimal capital structure corresponding to profits.

Originality/value

This study adds value to existing literature. It is the first to identify the importance of governance in defining the relationship between profits and leverage. It recognizes unaccounted endogeneity concerns and employs an inspired IV approach to control for feedback from multiple endogenous regressors. Evidence for capital structure adjustment by firms with good governance is also substantiated. Lastly, the first unqualified evidence for the trade-off model is provided.
Religiosity, values and consumer behaviour: a study of young Indian Muslim consumers
Authors: Islam Tajamul , Chandrasekaran Uma
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between religiosity and consumer values, religiosity and consumer decision making styles (CDMS), and the mediating role of consumer values in the relationship between religiosity and CDMS among young Indian Muslim consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 487 young Muslim consumers across three states of India through a survey using a structured questionnaire. The data were analysed by using the techniques of exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

Religiosity negatively influenced novelty-fashion consciousness and brand consciousness decision making styles. Religiosity was found to have a significant positive relationship with the “interests of collectivities (IOC)” values and a significant negative relationship with the “interests of individual (IOI)” values. The results indicate that both “IOI” values and “IOC” values mediated the relationship between religiosity and novelty-fashion consciousness and brand consciousness.

Originality/value

The results of the study provide vital insights regarding the relationship between religiosity, values and CDMS. It provides insights about the consumption behaviour of young Muslim consumers of India who have not been studied as a consumer group.
Model and analysis of the effect of China’s potential domestic emission control area with 0.1% sulphur limit
Authors: Wang Shuaian , Peng Chuansheng
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of China’s potential domestic emission control area (DECA) with 0.1 per cent sulphur limit on sulphur emission reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors calculate the fuel cost of a direct path within the DECA and a path that bypasses the DECA for ships that sail between two Chinese ports in view of the DECA. Ships adopt the path with the lower cost and the resulting sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions can be calculated. They then conduct sensitivity analysis of the SO2 emissions with different values of the parameters related to sailing distance, fuel price and ships.

Findings

The results show that ships tend to detour to bypass the DECA when the distance between the two ports is long, the ratio of the price of low sulphur fuel and that of high sulphur fuel is high and the required time for fuel switching is long. If the time required for fuel switching is less than 12 h or even 24 h, it can be anticipated that a large number of ships will bypass the DECA, undermining the SO2 reduction effect of the DECA.

Originality/value

This study points out the size and shape difference between the emission control areas in Europe and North America and China’s DECA affects ships’ path choice and SO2 emissions.
Stakeholder’s perception of service quality: a case in Qatar
Authors: Shurair Amal S.A. , Pokharel Shaligram
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and report students’ perception of service quality in a university by examining the perceptual context of service quality with respect to students’ loyalty behavior, image of the university and culture/values.

Design/methodology/approach

A research framework is developed for quality assessment with three hypotheses. A questionnaire with 65 instruments was used for gathering the required data for the analysis. The questionnaire was sent through email to all engineering students. The analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, gap analysis and hypotheses tests. Seven dimensions of service quality were identified: the original dimensions of the SERVQUAL, namely, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles. Two additional dimensions image and culture/value were added for the research to understand perceived service quality and loyalty.

Findings

The results provide a significant positive correlation between service quality and student's loyalty. It also shows that there is statistically significant relation between the image of the institution and the perceived service quality, and culture/values of the students in the institution and perceived service quality.

Research limitations/implications

This study used data collected from a survey in the university in a given period.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that to provide quality education, meeting students’ needs, wants and expectations of services quality should be carefully understood and addressed. Management also needs to consider factors such as corporate image and culture/value, as they have the ability to heavily impact the type of services provided by the institution.

Originality/value

The findings presented in this paper fill the gap in the current literature by providing empirical knowledge on the quality of service assessment and customer satisfaction in the higher education context. The study is the first of its kind in Qatar’s context and provides opportunities for higher institutions to focus more on current students’ services. This can lead to an increased brand value representing one of the premier institutes of higher education in the Middle East Gulf Region.
NFL betting market efficiency, divisional rivals, and profitable strategies
Authors: Shank Corey A.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine market inefficiencies in the National Football League (NFL) betting market from the 2003 season to the 2016 season.

Design/methodology/approach

The author examines the impact that division rivals and previously known determinants of inefficiencies have on the current NFL gambling market.

Findings

The results show that games against division rivals have a lower chance of the home team covering the spread and the chance the game will result in an over. This result demonstrates that the sportsbooks underestimate the familiarity that teams have with each other’s players, coaches and tendencies from playing each other twice per year. Moreover, using this result in conjunction with previous known inefficiencies, the author puts forth a model to test out of sample predictions. The results from these tests show profitable strategies in the point spread and totals market with a win rate of nearly 57 per cent.

Originality/value

Overall, this paper demonstrates inefficiencies in the NFL betting market that future bettors may be able to take advantage of.
Modelling S‐wave radiation for SP‐waves in isotropic and anisotropic media
Authors: Gaiser James
Published: September 2019

Utilizing shear‐wave (S‐wave) data acquired with compressional waves (P‐waves) is becoming more common as joint imaging and inversion techniques improve. Interest in S‐waves radiated from vertical sources and buried explosives exploits conversion to P‐waves as primary reflections (SP‐waves) for reducing acquisition costs and for application to legacy data. However, recent investigations overstate the extent of SP‐wave illumination and show isotropic processing results with narrow bandwidth frequency and wavenumber data. I demonstrate that illumination with SP‐waves is limited in general to near vertical polar angles up to around 30° or 35° for VP/VS of 2 or 3, respectively. At greater angles, S‐waves are typically in the P‐wave evanescent range and cannot excite SP‐wave reflections. Contrary to recent claims, these sources for P‐wave do not radiate SH‐waves polarized in horizontal planes in all azimuths. I show these properties for isotropic media with radiation expressions for amplitude derived in vector slowness coordinates. Also, I extend these expressions to transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis to show agreement with synthetic seismic data that only quasi SV‐waves are radiated and become more narrowly focused towards 45°. Furthermore, in orthorhombic media, synthetic data show that fast S1‐ and slow S2‐waves polarized parallel and perpendicular to fractures may appear as SV‐ and SH‐waves. For the partially saturated fracture model studied here, S1‐wave radiation has broader azimuthal illumination than slow S2‐waves, which are more narrowly focused in azimuth. These produce SP‐wave splitting signatures on vertical component reflection data that are nearly identical to PS‐wave signatures on radial horizontal component data. Separating these fast and slow SP‐waves is an additional processing challenge.
Climate drives the spatial distribution of mycorrhizal host plants in terrestrial ecosystems
Authors: Barceló Milagros , van Bodegom Peter M. , Soudzilovskaia Nadejda A.
Published: September 2019

Mycorrhizal associations have massive impacts on ecosystem functioning, but the mode and magnitude heavily depend on the mycorrhizal type involved. Different types of mycorrhizas are recognized to predominate under different environmental conditions. However, the respective importance of climate and soil characteristics in shaping mycorrhizal global distributions are still poorly understood.

We provide a quantitative and comprehensive global analysis of the main climatic and edaphic predictors of the distribution of plants featuring different mycorrhizal types. Estimates on per grid‐cell relative above‐ground biomass of plants holding arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), ectomycorrhiza (EcM) and ericoid mycorrhiza (ErM) association were related to a set of 39 climatic and edaphic variables. We assessed their relationship by applying a Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape (GAMLSS).

The best GAMLSS models were able to explain 55%, 41% and 46% of the variance in AM, EcM and ErM distribution, respectively. Temperature‐related factors were the main predictors of distribution patterns for the three different mycorrhizal plant types. AM plants are favoured by warm climates, while EcM plants’ dominance (and to some extent ErM plants too) is favoured by colder climates.

Synthesis. The observed lack of importance of soil drivers challenges the predominant view that mycorrhizal plants distribution mainly reflects soil type preferences—as related to its nutrient foraging strategies—of the different mycorrhizal types. Instead, our results highlight climate—and particularly temperature—as the main force shaping the distribution of arbuscular mycorrhiza, ectomycorrhiza and ericoid mycorrhiza host plants at the global scale and suggest that climate change can significantly alter the distribution of mycorrhizal host plants, with a subsequent impact on ecosystem functioning.
Dysphagia care for adults in the community setting commands a different approach: perspectives of speech–language therapists
Authors: Howells Simone R. , Cornwell Petrea L. , Ward Elizabeth C. , Kuipers Pim
Published: September 2019

Background

Descriptions of community‐based speech–language therapy (SLT) dysphagia practices and services are underrepresented in the research literature, despite the prevalence of dysphagia in the community. Owing to a globally ageing population and government drives to support people to remain living at home rather than in hospital or aged care, there is a growing need for SLT services to be responsive to the needs of clients living at home in the community, referred to in this study as ‘community‐based clients’. Exploration of current SLT services and dysphagia care practices for this population may identify ways services can be designed and enhanced to better meet the needs of clients and carers.

Aims

To explore the nature (i.e., characteristics) of dysphagia services and SLT clinical practices for adults with dysphagia living at home in the community.

Methods & Procedures

Using a qualitative descriptive approach positioned within an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study explored SLT services and practices for adults with dysphagia living in the community to explain further and elaborate on findings from an earlier quantitative study. A total of 15 SLTs working with community‐based clients with dysphagia were recruited using purposive representative sampling. Content analysis was used to explore the data.

Outcomes & Results

The overarching theme of community commands a different approach and was illustrated by three subthemes that highlighted how and why a different approach to dysphagia care in the community setting was necessary: (1) skills and mindset require adaptation in the community context; (2) values and approaches are different in the community context; and (3) organizational influences impact service delivery in the community context. From the data, it is apparent that the work undertaken in the community setting differs from dysphagia care in other settings and requires adapted SLT skills, values and approaches that encompass holistic care, client autonomy and carer engagement. SLT practices are also informed by organizational influences such as policies and resourcing, which in some services were enablers, while for others these presented challenges.

Conclusions & Implications

Community‐based SLT services must continue to foster flexible, responsive practices by SLTs to ensure the needs of clients and carers are met now and in future.
Counting the cost: the reserve price scheme for wool 1970‐2001
Authors: Abbott Malcolm , Merrett David
Published: September 2019

This paper provides a policy commentary on the collapse in 1991 of the Australian Reserve Price Scheme for wool. A key cause of the collapse in the Scheme was a change in the RPS's governance arrangements, which led to increased political pressures to raise prices to unsustainable levels. In addition, in this paper an estimation has been made of the direct, upfront costs of the operation of the scheme, drawing on the financial accounts of the various agencies operating the RPS and subsequent wool stockpile. This was undertaken to determine the scale of the policy failure.
Phosphorus and Nitrogen Transport in the Binational Great Lakes Basin Estimated Using SPARROW Watershed Models
Authors: Robertson Dale M. , Saad David A. , Benoy Glenn A. , Vouk Ivana , Schwarz Gregory E. , Laitta Michael T.
Published: September 2019

Eutrophication problems in the Great Lakes are caused by excessive nutrient inputs (primarily phosphorus, P, and nitrogen, N) from various sources throughout its basin. In developing protection and restoration plans, it is important to know where and from what sources the nutrients originate. As part of a binational effort, Midcontinent SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) models were developed and used to estimate P and N loading from throughout the entire basin based on nutrient inputs similar to 2002; previous SPARROW models only estimated U.S. contributions. The new models have a higher resolution (~2‐km2 catchments) enabling improved descriptions of where nutrients originate and the sources at various spatial scales. The models were developed using harmonized geospatial datasets describing the stream network, nutrient sources, and environmental characteristics affecting P and N delivery. The models were calibrated using loads from sites estimated with ratio estimator and regression techniques and additional statistical approaches to reduce spatial correlation in the residuals and have all monitoring sites equally influence model development. SPARROW results, along with interlake transfers and direct atmospheric inputs, were used to quantify the entire P and N input to each lake and describe the importance of each nutrient source. Model results can be used to compare loading and yields from various tributaries and jurisdictions.
Benthic Algal (Periphyton) Growth Rates in Response to Nitrogen and Phosphorus: Parameter Estimation for Water Quality Models
Authors: Schmidt Travis S. , Konrad Christopher P. , Miller Janet L. , Whitlock Stephen D. , Stricker Craig A.
Published: September 2019

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are significant pollutants that can stimulate nuisance blooms of algae. Water quality models (e.g., Water Quality Simulation Program, CE‐QUAL‐R1, CE‐QUAL‐ICM, QUAL2k) are valuable and widely used management tools for algal accrual due to excess nutrients in the presence of other limiting factors. These models utilize the Monod and Droop equations to associate algal growth rate with dissolved nutrient concentration and intracellular nutrient content. Having accurate parameter values is essential to model performance; however, published values for model parameterization are limited, particularly for benthic (periphyton) algae. We conducted a 10‐day mesocosm experiment and measured diatom‐dominated periphyton biomass accrual through time as chlorophyll a (chl a) and ash‐free dry mass (AFDM) in response to additions of N (range 5–11,995 µg nitrate as nitrogen [NO3‐N]/L) and P (range 0.89–59.51 µg soluble reactive phosphorus/L). Resulting half‐saturation coefficients and growth rates are similar to other published values, but minimum nutrient quotas are higher than those previously reported. Saturation concentration for N ranged from 150 to 2,450 µg NO3‐N/L based on chl a and from 8.5 to 60 µg NO3‐N/L when based on AFDM. Similarly, the saturation concentration for P ranged from 12 to 29 µg‐P/L based on chl a, and from 2.5 to 6.1 µg‐P/L based on AFDM. These saturation concentrations provide an upper limit for streams where diatom growth can be expected to respond to nutrient levels and a benchmark for reducing nutrient concentrations to a point where benthic algal growth will be limited.
More than skin and bones: Comparing extraction methods and alternative sources of DNA from avian museum specimens
Authors: Tsai Whitney L. E. , Schedl Margaret E. , Maley James M. , McCormack John E.
Published: September 2019

Next‐generation sequencing has greatly expanded the utility and value of museum collections by revealing specimens as genomic resources. As the field of museum genomics grows, so does the need for extraction methods that maximize DNA yields. For avian museum specimens, the established method of extracting DNA from toe pads works well for most specimens. However, for some specimens, especially those of birds that are very small or very large, toe pads can be a poor source of DNA. In this study, we apply two DNA extraction methods (phenol–chloroform and silica column) to three different sources of DNA (toe pad, skin punch and bone) from 10 historical avian museum specimens. We show that a modified phenol–chloroform protocol yielded significantly more DNA than a silica column protocol (e.g., Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit) across all tissue types. However, extractions using the silica column protocol contained longer fragments on average than those using the phenol–chloroform protocol, probably as a result of loss of small fragments through the silica column. While toe pads yielded more DNA than skin punches and bone fragments, skin punches proved to be a reliable alternative source of DNA and might be especially appealing when toe pad extractions are impractical. Overall, we found that historical bird museum specimens contain substantial amounts of DNA for genomic studies under most extraction scenarios, but that a phenol–chloroform protocol consistently provides the high quantities of DNA required for most current genomic protocols.
Interdomain ecological networks between plants and microbes
Authors: Feng Kai , Zhang Yuguang , He Zhili , Ning Daliang , Deng Ye
Published: September 2019

While macroscopic interkingdom relationships have been intensively investigated in various ecosystems, the above–belowground ecology in natural ecosystems has been poorly understood, especially for the plant–microbe associations at a regional scale. In this study, we proposed a workflow to construct interdomain ecological networks (IDEN) between multiple plants and various microbes (bacteria and archaea in this study). Across 30 latitudinal forests in China, the regional IDEN showed particular topological features, including high connectance, nested structure, asymmetric specialization and modularity. Also, plant species exhibited strong preference to specific microbial groups, and the observed network was significantly different from randomly rewired networks. Network module analysis indicated that a majority of microbes associated with plants within modules rather than across modules, suggesting specialized associations between plants and microorganisms. Consistent plant–microbe associations were captured via IDENs constructed within individual forest locations, which reinforced the validity of IDEN analysis. In addition, the plant–forest link distribution showed the geographical distribution of plants had higher endemicity than that of microorganisms. With cautious experimental design and data processing, this study shows interdomain species associations between plants and microbes in natural forest ecosystems and provides new insights into our understanding of meta‐communities across different domain species.
Comparison of DAS‐ELISA and qRT‐PCR for the detection of cucurbit viruses in seeds
Authors: Torre Covadonga , Agüero Jesús , Gómez‐Aix Cristina , Aranda Miguel A.
Published: September 2019

The importance of seeds as virus vehicles for long‐distance dissemination makes essential the availability of adequate methods of analysis to guarantee the quality of seed lots. To improve the repertoire of sensitive methods for seed diagnosis, we have developed quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR assays (RT‐qPCR) based on the TaqMan technology to detect three viruses which are seed transmitted in cucurbits, namely, cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), squash mosaic virus (SqMV) and melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV), and compared these assays with DAS‐ELISA, the main method used for virus detection in seeds. The estimated RT‐qPCR limits of detection were 96, 97 and 740 RNA target molecules for CGMMV, SqMV and MNSV, respectively. The estimated RT‐qPCR analytical sensitivity (highest dilution capable of generating a detectable amplification signal) ranged between 10 and 1 pg/μL for the three viruses. Using RT‐qPCR, we could reliably detect a single SqMV‐ or CGMMV‐contaminated seed among 999 uncontaminated seeds in a seed lot, and sensitivities were 1,000 and 10,000 times of those provided by DAS‐ELISA for SqMV and CGMMV, respectively. Our RT‐qPCR assays have proved to be highly suitable for the analysis of seed lots, and the possibility of their implementation into certification programme should be taken into consideration.
Effects of brief inhibition of the ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons on the cocaine seeking during abstinence
Authors: Solecki WojciechB. , Wilczkowski Michał , Pradel Kamil , Karwowska Karolina , Kielbinski Michał , Drwięga Gniewosz , Zajda Katarzyna , Blasiak Tomasz , Soltys Zbigniew , Rajfur Zenon , Szklarczyk Klaudia , Przewłocki Ryszard
Published: September 2019

Preclinical studies strongly suggest that cocaine seeking depends on the neuronal activity of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and phasic dopaminergic (DA) signaling. Notably, VTA pharmacological inactivation or dopamine receptor blockade in the forebrain may induce behavioral inhibition in general and acute aversive states in particular, thus reducing cocaine seeking indirectly. Such artifacts hinder successful translation of these findings in clinical studies and practice. Here, we aimed to evaluate if dynamic VTA manipulations effectively reduce cocaine seeking. We used male tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) IRES‐Cre+ rats along with optogenetic tools to inhibit directly and briefly VTA DA neurons during conditioned stimulus (CS)‐induced cocaine seeking under extinction conditions. The behavioral effects of optogenetic inhibition were also assessed in the real‐time dynamic place aversion, conditioned place aversion, and CS‐induced food‐seeking tests. We found that brief and nondysphoric/nonsedative pulses of VTA photo‐inhibition (1 s every 9 s, ie, for 10% of time) attenuated CS‐induced cocaine seeking under extinction conditions in rats expressing archaerhodopsin selectively on the TH+ neurons. Furthermore, direct inhibition of the VTA DA activity reduced CS‐induced cocaine seeking 24 hours after photo‐modulation. Importantly, such effect appears to be selective for cocaine seeking as similar inhibition of the VTA DA activity had no effect on CS‐induced food seeking. Thus, briefly inhibiting VTA DA activity during CS‐induced cocaine seeking drastically and selectively reduces seeking without behavioral artifacts such as sedation or dysphoria. Our results point to the therapeutic possibilities of coupling nonpharmacologic treatments with extinction training in reducing cocaine addiction.
Complement activation in the plasma and placentas of women with different subsets of antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Scambi Cinzia , Ugolini Sara , Tonello Marta , Bortolami Oscar , De Franceschi Lucia , Castagna Annalisa , Lotti Virginia , Corbella Michela , Raffaelli Ricciarda , Caramaschi Paola , Mattia Elena , Biasi Domenico , Ruffatti Amelia
Published: September 2019

Problem

As antiphospholipid antibody‐positive women with adverse pregnancy outcomes have higher plasma complement activation product levels, and the placentas of women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) exhibit C4d complement component deposition, complement activation involvement has been hypothesized in APS pregnancy complications.

Method of study

Plasma levels of C5a and C5b‐9 complement components of 43 APS non‐pregnant patients and 17 pregnant APS women were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The results were compared with those of 16 healthy non‐pregnant women and eight healthy pregnant women, respectively. Placenta samples of five APS patients at high risk of pregnancy complications and of five healthy controls were subjected to immunoblotting analysis with specific antibodies to C5b‐9 and CD46, CD55, CD59 complement regulators.

Results

The mean plasma C5a and C5b‐9 levels were significantly higher in the non‐pregnant APS patients with previous thrombosis ± pregnancy morbidity (P = .0001 and P = .0034, respectively) and in the pregnant APS women with adverse outcomes (P = .0093 for both). Similarly, C5b‐9 amounts were significantly higher in the adverse pregnancy outcome placenta (P = .0115) than in those associated to a favorable outcome. The mean CD46, CD55 and CD59 amounts were, instead, lower, although not always significantly, in the placentas of all the high‐risk APS women with respect to the control placentas.

Conclusion

Data analysis demonstrated that there was significant complement activation in the more severe subset of APS patients and in only the adverse pregnancy outcome APS women. Further studies will clarify whether the lower CD46, CD55, and CD59 expressions in the APS placentas are limited to only high‐risk APS patients.