bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Material and Energy Flow Analysis
Authors: Moreau Vincent , Massard Guillaume
Published: May 2016

The concept of metabolism takes root in biology and ecology as a systematic way to account for material flows in organisms and ecosystems. Early applications of the concept attempted to quantify the amount of water and food the human body processes to live and sustain itself. Similarly, ecologists have long studied the metabolism of critical substances and nutrients in ecological succession towards climax. With industrialization, the material and energy requirements of modern economic activities have grown exponentially, together with emissions to the air, water and soil. From an analogy with ecosystems, the concept of metabolism grew into an analytical methodology for economic systems.

Research in the field of material flow analysis has developed approaches to modeling economic systems by assessing the stocks and flows of substances and materials for systems defined in space and time. Material flow analysis encompasses different methods: industrial and urban metabolism, input–output analysis, economy-wide material flow accounting, socioeconomic metabolism, and more recently material flow cost accounting. Each method has specific scales, reference substances such as metals, and indicators such as concentration. A material flow analysis study usually consists of a total of four consecutive steps: (a) system definition, (b) data acquisition, (c) calculation, and (d) interpretation. The law of conservation of mass underlies every application, which implies that all material flows, as well as stocks, must be accounted for.

In the early 21st century, material depletion, accumulation, and recycling are well-established cases of material flow analysis. Diagnostics and forecasts, as well as historical or backcast analyses, are ideally performed in a material flow analysis, to identify shifts in material consumption for product life cycles or physical accounting and to evaluate the material and energy performance of specific systems.

In practice, material flow analysis supports policy and decision making in urban planning, energy planning, economic and environmental performance, development of industrial symbiosis and eco industrial parks, closing material loops and circular economy, pollution remediation/control and material and energy supply security. Although material flow analysis assesses the amount and fate of materials and energy rather than their environmental or human health impacts, a tacit assumption states that reduced material throughputs limit such impacts.
The Oceans and Human Health
Authors: Fleming Lora , Depledge Michael , McDonough Niall , White Mathew , Pahl Sabine , Austen Melanie , Goksoyr Anders , Solo-Gabriele Helena , Stegeman John
Published: May 2016

The interdisciplinary study of oceans and human health is an area of increasing global importance. There is a growing body of evidence that the health of the oceans and that of humans are inextricably linked and that how we interact with and affect our oceans and seas will significantly influence our future on earth. Since the emergence of modern humans, the oceans have served as a source of culture, livelihood, expansion, trade, food, and other resources. However, the rapidly rising global population and the continuing alterations of the coastal environment are placing greater pressure on coastal seas and oceans. Negative human impacts, including pollution (chemical, microbial, material), habitat destruction (e.g., bottom trawling, dredging), and overfishing, affect not only ecosystem health, but also human health. Conversely, there is potential to promote human health and well-being through sustainable interactions with the coasts and oceans, such as the restoration and preservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.

The study of oceans and human health is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together the natural and social sciences as well as diverse stakeholder communities (including fishers, recreational users, private enterprise, and policymakers). Reviewing history and policy with regard to oceans and human health, in addition to known and potential risks and benefits, provides insights into new areas and avenues of global cooperation, with the possibility for collaboratively addressing the local and global challenges of our interactions with the oceans, both now and in the future.
Renewable Energy for Human Sustainability
Authors: Schubert Peter J.
Published: May 2016

Renewable energy was used exclusively by the first humans and is likely to be the predominant source for future humans. Between these times the use of extracted resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas has created an explosion of population and affluence, but also of pollution and dependency. This article explores the advent of energy sources in a broad social context including economics, finance, and policy. The means of producing renewable energy are described in an accessible way, highlighting the broad range of considerations in their development, deployment, and ability to scale to address the entirety of human enterprises.
Social and Environmental Implications of Plantation Agriculture in Malaysia and Indonesia
Authors: Bissonnette Jean-François , De Koninck Rodolphe
Published: May 2016

Plantation farming emerged as a large-scale system of specialized agriculture in the tropics under European colonialism, in opposition to smallholding subsistence agriculture. Despite large-scale plantations in the tropics, smallholdings have consistently formed the backbone of rural economies, to the extent that they have become the main producers of some of the former plantation crops. In the early 21st century, oil palm has become the third most important cash crop in the world in terms of area cultivated, largely due to the expansion of this crop in Malaysia and Indonesia. Although in these countries, oil palm is primarily cultivated in large plantations, smallholders cultivate a large share of the territory devoted to this crop. This is related to the programs set up by governments of Malaysia and Indonesia during the second half of the 20th century, to provide smallholders with land plots in capital intensive large-scale oil palm schemes. Despite the relative success encountered by these programs in both countries, policymakers have continued to insist on the development of private centrally managed large-scale plantations. Yet, smallholding family farming has remained the most resilient economic activity in rural areas of the tropics. This system has proven adaptive to environmental change and, given proper access to markets and capital, particularly responsive to market signals. Today, many small-holdings are still characterized by the diversity of crops cultivated, low use of chemical inputs, reliance on family labor, and high levels of ecological knowledge. These are some of the main factors explaining why small family farms have proven more efficient than large plantations and, in the long term, more economically and ecologically resilient. Yet, large-scale land acquisitions for monocrop production remain a current issue, highlighting the paradox of the latest stage of agrarian capitalism and of its persistent built-in disregard for environmental deterioration.
Cultivation, Improvement, and Environmental Impacts of Tea
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Mainaak , Mondal Tapan Kumar
Published: May 2016

Tea, the globally admired, non-alcoholic, caffeine-containing beverage, is manufactured from the tender leaves of the tea [Camellia sinensis (L.)] plant. It is basically a woody, perennial crop with a lifespan of more than 100 years. Cultivated tea plants are natural hybrids of the three major taxa or species, China, Assam (Indian), or Cambod (southern) hybrids based on the morphological characters (principally leaf size). Planting materials are either seedlings (10–18 months old) developed from either hybrid, polyclonal, or biclonal seeds, or clonal cuttings developed from single-leaf nodal cuttings of elite genotypes. Plants are forced to remain in the vegetative stage as bushes by following cultural practices like centering, pruning, and plucking, and they are harvested generally from the second year onward at regular intervals of 7–10 days in the tropics and subtropics, with up to 60 years as the economic lifespan. Originally, the Chinese were the first to use tea as a medicinal beverage, around 2000 years ago, and today, around half of the world’s population drink tea. It is primarily consumed as black tea (fermented tea), although green tea (non-fermented) and oolong tea (semifermented) are also consumed in many countries. Tea is also used as vegetables such as “leppet tea” in Burma and “meing tea” in Thailand.

Green tea has extraordinary antioxidant properties, and black tea plays a positive role in treating cardiovascular ailments. Tea in general has considerable therapeutic value and can cure many diseases. Global tea production (black, green, and instant) has increased significantly during the past few years. China, as the world’s largest tea producer, accounts for more than 38% of the total global production of made tea [i.e. ready to drink tea] annually, while production in India, the second-largest producer. India recorded total production of 1233.14 million kg made tea during 2015–2016, which is the highest ever production so far.

Since it is an intensive monoculture, tea cultivation has environmental impacts. Application of weedicides, pesticides, and inorganic fertilizers creates environmental hazards. Meanwhile, insecticides often eliminate the fauna of a vast tract of land. Soil degradation is an additional concern because the incessant use of fertilizers and herbicides compound soil erosion. Apart from those issues, chemical runoff into bodies of water can also create problems. Finally, during tea manufacturing, fossil fuel is used to dry the processed leaves, which also increases environmental pollution.
Atmospheric Brown Clouds
Authors: Sharma Sumit , Nunez Liliana , Ramanathan Veerabhadran
Published: May 2016

Atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) are widespread pollution clouds that can at times span an entire continent or an ocean basin. ABCs extend vertically from the ground upward to as high as 3 km, and they consist of both aerosols and gases. ABCs consist of anthropogenic aerosols such as sulfates, nitrates, organics, and black carbon and natural dust aerosols. Gaseous pollutants that contribute to the formation of ABCs are NOx (nitrogen oxides), SOx (sulfur oxides), VOCs (volatile organic compounds), CO (carbon monoxide), CH4 (methane), and O3 (ozone). The brownish color of the cloud (which is visible when looking at the horizon) is due to absorption of solar radiation at short wavelengths (green, blue, and UV) by organic and black carbon aerosols as well as by NOx. While the local nature of ABCs around polluted cities has been known since the early 1900s, the widespread transoceanic and transcontinental nature of ABCs as well as their large-scale effects on climate, hydrological cycle, and agriculture were discovered inadvertently by The Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX), an international experiment conducted in the 1990s over the Indian Ocean. A major discovery of INDOEX was that ABCs caused drastic dimming at the surface. The magnitude of the dimming was as large as 10–20% (based on a monthly average) over vast areas of land and ocean regions. The dimming was shown to be accompanied by significant atmospheric absorption of solar radiation by black and brown carbon (a form of organic carbon). Black and brown carbon, ozone and methane contribute as much as 40% to anthropogenic radiative forcing. The dimming by sulfates, nitrates, and carbonaceous (black and organic carbon) species has been shown to disrupt and weaken the monsoon circulation over southern Asia. In addition, the ozone in ABCs leads to a significant decrease in agriculture yields (by as much as 20–40%) in the polluted regions. Most significantly, the aerosols (in ABCs) near the ground lead to about 4 million premature mortalities every year. Technological and regulatory measures are available to mitigate most of the pollution resulting from ABCs. The importance of ABCs to global environmental problems led the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to form the international ABC program. This ABC program subsequently led to the identification of short-lived climate pollutants as potent mitigation agents of climate change, and in recognition, UNEP formed the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to deal with these pollutants.
Pesticides and Human Health
Authors: Cocco Pierluigi
Published: May 2016

The fight against agricultural and household pests accompanies the history of humanity, and a total ban on the use of pesticides seems unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. Currently, about 100,000 different chemicals, inorganic and organic, are currently in the market, grouped according to their function as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, fumigants, rodenticides, fertilizers, growth regulators, etc. against specific pests, such as snails or human parasites, or their chemical structure—organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates, dithiocarbamates, organotin compounds, phthalimides, phenoxy acids, heterocyclic azole compounds, coumarins, etc. Runoff from agricultural land and rain precipitation and dry deposition from the atmosphere can extend exposure to the general environment through the transport of pesticides to streams and ground-water. Also, the prolonged bio-persistence of organochlorines generates their accumulation in the food chain, and their atmospheric drift toward remote geographical areas is mentioned as the cause of elevated fat contents in Arctic mammals. Current regulation in the developed world and the phasing out of more toxic pesticides have greatly reduced the frequency of acute intoxications, although less stringent regulations in the developing world contribute to a complex pattern of exposure circumstances worldwide. Nonetheless, evidence is growing about long-term health effects following high-level, long-lasting exposure to specific pesticides, including asthma and other allergic diseases, immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption, cancer, and central and peripheral nervous system effects. Major reasons for uncertainty in interpreting epidemiological findings of pesticide effects include the complex pattern of overlapping exposure due to multiple treatments applied to different crops and their frequent changes over time to overcome pest resistance. Further research will have to address specific agrochemicals with well-characterized exposure patterns.
Racism
Authors: Rodgers Selena T.
Published: May 2016

Racism is pervasive, endemic, and historically rooted in systematic assumptions inherent in superiority based on race and requires the critical attention of all social workers. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has made strides in tackling racism as demonstrated by the social worker and civil rights activist Whitney Young Jr. (1921–1971), other pioneers, and more recently, the NASW zero-tolerance racism policy. Undergirded in empirical discussion, this article leads with the etymology of race(ism), followed by a discussion of Racial Formation Theory and Critical Race Theory. The article gives a historical sketch of racism, followed by examples of its contemporary indicators—throughout social institutions—in the United States. Racism is pervasive and impinges on micro-level and macro-level systems. It is, therefore, beyond the scope of this article to address how racism impacts each group in America. Social work scholars and other experts have provided extensive empirical documentation about the historical trauma and sufferings of other racial groups (e.g., Native Americans/Native peoples/American Indians, Mexican Americans) discussed elsewhere. Specifically, the racism endured by blacks in America is the emphasis of this article. Themes of “colorism” and historical trauma are provided to contextualize advances in national reform and encourage a broader conversation about the racism that blacks experience globally. In addition, this article highlights strides by the social work profession to eradicate racism. Implications for social work are discussed.
Adult Safeguarding
Authors: Hall Nigel
Published: May 2016

Safeguarding is an area of social work activity concerned with the care and protection of children or adults who have care and support needs and who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. This is a major concern for social workers who usually have prime responsibility for ensuring as far as possible that the vulnerable clients they work with are protected. People’s ability to keep themselves safe is partly determined by their individual circumstances, and this may change at different stages in their life, so it is important that safeguarding is always considered in relation to the wishes of the person concerned. Effective safeguarding depends on a careful consideration of the factors involved and will almost always involve a multi-agency partnership approach. This article will primarily examine the situation regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults in the United Kingdom.
Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders
Authors: Barrio Concepcion , Hernandez Mercedes , Fernandez Paula Helu , DeBonis Judith A.
Published: May 2016

Social workers in health and mental health and across public and private health sectors are expected to be knowledgeable of comprehensive approaches to effectively serve individuals dealing with psychotic disorders, including family members involved in their care. Effective services require expertise in assessment, diagnostics, treatment planning, and coordination of community support services. This article provides a knowledge base for social work practitioners working with clients challenged by the experience and consequences of serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. We begin by reviewing the public health significance of these disorders, clinical phenomenology and its historical context, and symptoms and classification. We then discuss the family and cultural context, evidence-based treatments, and several social and clinical issues that social work practitioners should be aware of when working with this client population.
Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents
Authors: Franklin Cynthia , Reeder Melissa
Published: May 2016

Adolescent parenthood continues to be a public health concern despite the fact that the numbers of adolescent births have been declining over the past decade. The United States ranks number one in adolescent pregnancies out of all the industrialized nations. While reducing the number of adolescent pregnancies is important, supporting those who do become young parents is equally vital and an important concern for social workers. This chapter covers the demographics of adolescent parents as well as the risk and protective factors associated with adolescent pregnancy and parenthood. In addition, it reviews the current state of program development and the need for additional research and evaluation.
Welfare Rights
Authors: Stoesz David , Born Catherine
Published: May 2016

American social and economic justice advocates, social workers included, have struggled to establish a national mindset that welfare is a right, a duty owed to the people by government, not a privilege that can be revoked at will. Industrialized nations with a universalistic, rights-based philosophy have strived to provide citizens with some measure of a basic, minimum income; the United States has not, yet. The United States has been hobbled by ideology; a two-tier system consisting of assistance and insurance; and cultural misgivings about direct, ongoing public payments (welfare) to the poor. Revitalization of a national welfare rights movement, early signals from the Biden administration, and awareness that major social policy changes most often happen at times of crisis offer reasons for a degree of optimism. The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath are a moment in time—an inflection point—when social workers, because of their training, ethical codes, skill sets, and appreciation of the lessons of social welfare history, could play a key role in charting a new course of action suited to 21st-century needs and realities.
Domestic Violence in the LGBT Community
Authors: Barrett Betty Jo
Published: May 2016

Since the mid 1980s, a growing body of theoretical and empirical literature has examined the existence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. Collectively, this research has suggested that IPV in rainbow communities occurs at rates comparable to those documented among heterosexual populations and results in similar detrimental psychological, social, and physical consequences for victims. Importantly, however, this work has also highlighted myriad ways in which the social and structural marginalization of gender and sexual minority populations create unique vulnerabilities for IPV that are not shared by cissexual and heterosexual individuals. This entry provides an overview of this scholarship to inform strength-based social work practice with and for LGBT survivors of domestic violence at the macro, mezzo, and micro levels.
Mutual Financial Aid and Saving Associations (MFASAs) among Asian Americans
Authors: Yoon Intae
Published: May 2016

Private money clubs or mutual financial aid and saving associations (MFASAs) are commonly identified as one of the contributing factors to high small business ownership rates among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean immigrants in the United States. This article discusses MFASAs among the immigrant groups in the United States. Included are MFASAs’ historical roots, trends, operational procedures, and their role in building financial assets among these groups. As MFASAs have roles other than that of being private financial vehicles for immigrants, other functions are also discussed. The potential for MFASAs to be considered a development model beyond the Asian American community is presented.
Intercountry Adoption in Australia
Authors: Fronek Patricia
Published: May 2016

Australian research on intercountry adoption in Australia is reported with particular reference to social work, divergent and competing interests of various stakeholders, and the highly political and contested nature of its practice in Australia. The practice of intercountry adoption in Australia is examined from its diffusion into Australia in the 1970s to contemporary times. Government approved Australian intercountry adoption programs began operation in the 1970s and although always small in number, the recent decline is consistent with global trends. Intercountry adoption in Australia is regulated by state and federal governments and social workers are integral to its practice. Controversies surrounding intercountry adoption in Australia have historically been linked to pressure from lobbyists and the support of some politicians. In 2014, Australia was at a crucial juncture with changes to how intercountry adoption is structured under review by the federal government.
Ecological Social Work
Authors: Bay Uschi
Published: May 2016

Ecological social work requires a shift in thinking for social workers because it does not place humans at the center of its concerns. Rather, ecological social work puts the interrelationship between humans and nature at its center. This radically de-centered view of humanity aims to bring consideration of the planet and all of its environmental systems into decision-making to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for the long term. Ecological principles can guide social work practice, research, and education in ways that promote a transition to sustainable practices in every sphere of life. Widespread ecological consciousness is advocated as an important focus for change by some social work authors promoting this approach. A global consciousness is understood to enable humanity’s capacity to deal with the growing concerns about the survival of planet Earth as a suitable habitat for humans, animals, and plants. Humanity’s activities are understood to contribute to the ongoing degradation of fresh water, fertile soils, and pollution of the atmosphere. Drastic changes in the way humans behave and relate to the Earth are considered necessary at the global, national, and local levels. Social workers are thus called on to engage with others in taking on significant roles in many areas of practice to facilitate these crucial societal transformations.
Kadushin, Alfred
Authors: Farber Naomi
Published: May 2016

Alfred Kadushin (1916–2014) was a distinguished practitioner and academic in the field of social work. Professor Kadushin was most significantly known for his scholastic contribution to the field of child welfare and in the areas of supervision and interviewing.
Farmaian, Sattareh Farman
Authors: Rotabi Karen Smith
Published: May 2016

Sattareh Farman Farmaian (1921–2012) founded the Tehran School of Social Work in Iran.
Chang, Xiu-Qing
Authors: Cheng Yi-Shih
Published: May 2016

Xiu-Qing Chang (1922–2003) served as the chief supervisor in the Sheau-Kang Joint Service Center of Taiwan Province in the 1970s, which was the largest antipoverty program since the establishment of the Chinese Nationalist government in Taiwan in 1949. She introduced a family-counseling model for helping impoverished families, a model that won the praise of the provincial governor in Taiwan and one that was gradually applied nationwide. Since then, social workers have been incorporated into the government system.
Liao, Rong-li
Authors: Lin Wan-I
Published: May 2016

Rong-li Liao (1936–2010) was a psychiatric social worker and educator. He was a professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at the National Taiwan University from 1970 to 1996 and helped to organize the Medical Social Work Association of R. O. C. (Taiwan).
Post-Disaster Recovery Services in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Wan-I
Published: May 2016

The 921 Earthquake in 1999 and Typhoon Morakot in 2009 both brought catastrophic damage to Taiwan. In the aftermath of these two disasters many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and social workers collaborated with central and local governments to provide post-disaster relief and reconstruction services. Among these, the most important initiative was the launching of a system for providing post-disaster human services, including counseling, education, employment, social welfare, and health care.
Dumpson, James R.
Authors: Webb Nancy Boyd
Published: May 2016

James R. Dumpson (1909–2012) was the first African American dean of a non-black school of social work following a career in public service in New York where he worked tirelessly to promote social change and implement social justice.
Solo Athumani Solo
Authors: Spitzer Helmut
Published: May 2016

Solo Athumani Solo (1959–2004) was an influential social work practitioner and educator in Tanzania. His professional life was dedicated to the advocacy of children’s rights and the empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable population groups.
Knee, Ruth Irelan
Authors: Wedel Kenneth R.
Published: May 2016

Ruth Irelan Knee (1920–2008) was a leading social worker in the formative years of public mental health programming and was a contributor to the “patients’ rights movement” for institutionalized persons.
Asian Americans: South Asians
Authors: Mohan Brij
Published: May 2016

This entry briefly profiles the dynamic fusion, fluidity, and future of South Asians in America. While Diaspora India is emblematic of immigrant culture as a whole, South Asian duality still remains uniquely enigmatic. People from South Asia represent a confluence of diversity and complexity that calls for understanding and acceptance as a model to deconstruct a tolerant and successful pluralist society.
Affordable Care Act
Authors: Gorin Stephen H. , Darnell Julie S. , Allen Heidi L.
Published: May 2016

This entry describes the development and key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which instituted a major overhaul of the U.S. health system, much of which took effect in 2014. The key provisions of the ACA included an individual mandate to purchase insurance, an employer mandate to offer coverage to most workers, an expansion of Medicaid to all persons below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), minimum benefit standards, elimination of preexisting condition exclusions, and reforms to improve health-care quality and lower costs. This historic legislation has deep roots in U.S. history and represents the culmination of a century-long effort to expand health care and mental health coverage to all citizens.
Attachment Research, Developmental Implications, and Clinical Interventions with Children, Adults, and Couples
Authors: Ringel Shoshana
Published: May 2016

This review summarizes contributions to attachment theory and research by John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth, Mary Main, and many other researchers. It addresses contributions from the Adult Attachment Interview to the understanding of loss and trauma as well as the intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns from parent to child. The review describes current findings from infant research, and the implications of attachment theory to clinical interventions with children, families, adults, and couples.
Discrimination
Authors: DeLoach McCutcheon Kendra P.
Published: May 2016

Social workers have a responsibility to challenge discrimination and promote social and economic justice. To fulfill this responsibility, it must be understood how discrimination exists and the detrimental affect it has on both the psychosocial functioning and well-being of individuals who are marginalized, disenfranchised, and disempowered (targeted groups) and individuals who have privilege, resources, and power (advantaged groups).
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Authors: Edmond Tonya , Lawrence Karen
Published: May 2016

Since its inception in 1987, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been the subject of lively debate and controversy, rigorous research both nationally and internationally, and is now used by licensed practitioners across six continents as an effective treatment of trauma symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of this entry is to provide social work practitioners and researchers with a description of the treatment approach for adults and children, EMDR’s development and theoretical basis, a review of controversial issues, and an overview of the evidence of effectiveness of EMDR across trauma types and populations.
Human Trafficking Overview
Authors: Ross-Sheriff Fariyal , Orme Julie
Published: May 2016

Human trafficking (HT), also known as modern-day slavery, has received significant emphasis since the early 21st century. Globalization and transnational migration trends continue to amplify economic disparities and increase the vulnerability of oppressed populations to HT. The four major forms of exploitation are labor trafficking, sex trafficking, state-imposed forced labor, and forced marriage. Victims of HT are exploited for their labor or services and are typically forced to work in inhumane conditions. The majority of these victims are from marginalized populations throughout the world. Although both men and women are victims of HT, women and children are heavily targeted. Interdisciplinary and multi-level approaches are necessary to effectively combat HT. Combating HT is particularly relevant to the profession of social work with its mission of social justice. To address the needs of the most vulnerable of society, prevention, intervention and advocacy strategies are presented. Roles and implications for social workers in education and practice and for the profession are presented at the micro level.
Intersectionality and Social Work
Authors: Yamada Ann Marie , Rozas Lisa Marie Werkmeister , Cross-Denny Bronwyn
Published: May 2016

Intersectionality refers to the intersection of identities that shape an individual’s standing in society. The combining of identities produces distinct life experiences, in part depending on the oppression and privilege associated with each identity. The intersectional approach is an alternative to the cultural competence model that can help social workers better address the unique and complex needs of their diverse clients. This entry provides a general overview of the historical and interdisciplinary roots of intersectionality and addresses its use as a theoretical perspective, methodology, mechanism for social change and social justice, and policy framework in social work. The role of intersectionality in social work policy development, teaching, and research will be presented with consideration of future directions and areas for further development.
Narrative Therapy
Authors: Hall J. Christopher
Published: May 2016

A history and description of narrative therapy is provided including empirical research, theoretical underpinnings, and the clinical process of the practice. Narrative is a postmodern, person-centered practice that promotes change through the exploration of narrative. A narrative is a series of events, linked in sequence, through time, according to a specific plot. In this approach identity is understood to be a narrative, a story of self, and narrative techniques involve exploring the meanings attributed to life events, deconstructing, and reconstructing the meaning of those events in ways that are of benefit to the client. Narrative practice is a practice of liberation in that problems are viewed as not being located inside people but in the social discourses that clients have been recruited into accepting in their lives and by which they may be self-subjugating. Narrative is a respectful, non-blaming approach, which places people as the experts of their lives, and harnesses their innate strengths, skills, and resiliencies to re-story, or re-author themselves in a more positive and enriching way.
Personalized Health Care
Authors: Sparks Jared
Published: May 2016

Personalized health care (PHC) is a broad term that describes how we leverage our growing understanding of the human body and developing technology to provide more effective health care. PHC requires that health care providers consider prevention and treatment in the context of available advanced technologies, best practices, and known variables that define us as individuals. These variables or characteristics may run the gamut from genetic, to biologic, to environmental, to even personality, personal values, and choice. By considering how these characteristics interact with specific illnesses and available interventions, outcomes can be improved. The purpose of this article is to: describe PHC’s current conceptualization including relationship with personalized medicine and patient-centered models of care, discuss its development and application by specific stakeholders, and review pertinent economic, legislative, and ethical issues.
Spliceosomal gene mutations in myelodysplasia: molecular links to clonal abnormalities of hematopoiesis
Authors: Inoue Daichi , Bradley Robert K. , Abdel-Wahab Omar
Published: May 2016

Genomic analyses of the myeloid malignancies and clonal disorders of hematopoiesis that may give rise to these disorders have identified that mutations in genes encoding core spliceosomal proteins and accessory regulatory splicing factors are among the most common targets of somatic mutations. These spliceosomal mutations often occur in a mutually exclusive manner with one another and, in aggregate, account for the most frequent class of mutations in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) in particular. Although substantial progress has been made in understanding the effects of several of these mutations on splicing and splice site recognition, functional connections linking the mechanistic changes in splicing induced by these mutations to the phenotypic consequences of clonal and aberrant hematopoiesis are not yet well defined. This review describes our current understanding of the mechanistic and biological effects of spliceosomal gene mutations in MDSs as well as the regulation of splicing throughout normal hematopoiesis.
Hirshfeld and DFT analysis of the N-heterocyclic carbene proligand methylenebis(N-butylimidazolium) as the acetonitrile-solvated diiodide salt
Authors: Cebollada Andrea , Vellé Alba , Sanz Miguel Pablo J.
Published: May 2016

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based systems are usually exploited in the exploration of catalytic mechanisms and processes in organocatalysis, and homo- and heterogeneous catalysis. However, their molecular structures have not received adequate attention. The NHC proligand methylenebis(N-butylimidazolium) has been synthesized as the acetonitrile solvate of the diiodide salt, C15H26N42+·2I−·CH3CN [1,1′-methylenebis(3-butylimidazolium) diiodide acetonitrile monosolvate], and fully characterized. An interesting cation–anion connection pattern has been identified in the crystal lattice, in which three iodide anions interact simultaneously with thecisoid-oriented cation. A Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals the predominance of hydrogen bonding over anion–π interactions. This particular arrangement is observed in different methylene-bridged bis(imidazolium) cations bearing chloride or bromide counter-anions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with acetonitrile as solvent reproduce the geometry of the title cation.
Overall multiobjective optimization of construction projects scheduling using particle swarm
Authors: Elbeltagi Emad , Ammar Mohammed , Sanad Haytham , Kassab Moustafa
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– Developing an optimized project schedule that considers all decision criteria represents a challenge for project managers. The purpose of this paper is to provide a multi-objectives overall optimization model for project scheduling considering time, cost, resources, and cash flow. This development aims to overcome the limitations of optimizing each objective at once resulting of non-overall optimized schedule.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, a multi-objectives overall optimization model for project scheduling is developed using particle swarm optimization with a new evolutionary strategy based on the compromise solution of the Pareto-front. This model optimizes the most important decisions that affect a given project including: time, cost, resources, and cash flow. The study assumes each activity has different execution methods accompanied by different time, cost, cost distribution pattern, and multiple resource utilization schemes.

Findings

– Applying the developed model to schedule a real-life case study project proves that the proposed model is valid in modeling real-life construction projects and gives important results for schedulers and project managers. The proposed model is expected to help construction managers and decision makers in successfully completing the project on time and reduced budget by utilizing the available information and resources.

Originality/value

– The paper presented a novel model that has four main characteristics: it produces an optimized schedule considering time, cost, resources, and cash flow simultaneously; it incorporates a powerful particle swarm optimization technique to search for the optimum schedule; it applies multi-objectives optimization rather than single-objective and it uses a unique Pareto-compromise solution to drive the fitness calculations of the evolutionary process.
Emotion regulation during deception: an EEG study of imprisoned fraudsters
Authors: Krokoszinski Lars , Hosser Daniela
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The social interaction between a deceiver and the deceived opponent is a determining factor for deception that involves emotions. Hence, besides a great amount of cognitive control, a successful lie also requires the regulation of emotions, especially when deceiving somebody face-to-face. The purpose of this paper is to investigate emotion regulation processes in an interpersonal lying experiment and aimed to examine whether fraudsters have well-functioning emotion regulation strategies or show a lack of emotional processes when deceiving face-to-face.

Design/methodology/approach

– Imprisoned fraudsters (n=11), imprisoned violent offenders (n=10) and non-offenders (n=11) spontaneously deceived an interrogator in a face-to-face situation while the deceivers’ EEG was recorded.

Findings

– The results showed that a decrease of alpha activity in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) predicted a higher frequency of deceptive responses as well as less guilt about deceiving the interrogator. These findings suggest a pivotal role of the left dlPFC in emotion regulation during deception for fraudsters, violent offenders and non-offenders. Unlike violent offenders, fraudsters did not show differences in alpha activity of the dlPFC between truthful and deceptive responses, suggesting that fraudsters are better at emotion regulation while deceiving their opponents.

Originality/value

– This study emphasizes the recruitment of emotion regulation processes during deception. The results give first insight into the emotional processes underlying deception in fraudsters.
How to deploy multiunit organizations’ dynamic capabilities?
Authors: Lee Po-Yen , Wu Meng-Ling , Kuo Cheng-Chung , Li Chun-Sheng Joseph
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a more robust understanding of how to deploy multiunit organizations’ dynamic capabilities (DCs) by examining the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study uses 315 multiunit samples and structural equation modeling to determine the relationships among the variables.

Findings

– The analysis reveals that, while embedded structural social capital exerts a positive influence on exploratory knowledge learning in multiunit organizations, embedded relational social capital exerts a positive influence on knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning. Knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning also positively influences DC deployment in multiunit organizations.

Research limitations/implications

– Few DCs studies have empirically examined the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning in multiunit organizations. The results of this study address the failure of past theoretical perspectives on DCs to fully specify and verify the links between the roles of embedded social (structural and relational) capital and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning.

Originality/value

– This paper offers one practical trajectory for DC deployment in modern multiunit organizations and offers two contributions to the theoretical perspectives on DCs. First, it identifies the critical role of embedded social capital in enabling knowledge archetype learning and DC deployment, which had never been fully specified or verified in the DCs literature. Second, it identifies the importance of DCs’ deployment trajectory in multiunit organizations’ routine processes.
Street lighting: sex‐independent impacts on moth movement
Authors: Degen Tobias , Mitesser Oliver , Perkin Elizabeth K. , Weiß Nina‐Sophie , Oehlert Martin , Mattig Emily , Hölker Franz
Published: May 2016

Artificial lights have become an integral and welcome part of our urban and peri‐urban environments. However, recent research has highlighted the potentially negative ecological consequences of ubiquitous artificial light. In particular, insects, especially moths, are expected to be negatively impacted by the presence of artificial lights. Previous research with light traps has shown a male‐biased attraction to light in moths.

In this study, we sought to determine whether street lights could limit moth dispersal and whether there was any sex bias in attraction to light. More specifically, we aimed to determine sex‐specific attraction radii for moths to street lights.

We tested these hypotheses by collecting moths for 2 years at an experimental set‐up. To estimate the attraction radii, we developed a Markov model and related it to the acquired data.

Utilizing multinomial statistics, we found that attraction rates to lights in the middle of the matrix were substantially lower than predicted by the null hypothesis of equal attraction level (0·44 times). With the Markov model, we estimated that a corner light was 2·77 times more attractive than a wing light with an equivalentre attraction radius of c. 23 m around each light. We found neither sexual differences in the attraction rate nor in the attraction radius of males and females. Since we captured three times more males than females, we conclude that sex ratios are representative of operational sex ratios or of different flight activities.

These results provide evidence for street lights to limit moth dispersal, and that they seem to act equally on male and female moths. Consequently, public lighting might divide a suitable landscape into many small habitats. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume (i) that public lighting near hedges and bushes or field margins reduces the quality of these important habitat structures and (ii) that public lighting may affect moth movement between patches.
Sepsis Early Alert Tool: Early recognition and timely management in the emergency department
Authors: Idrees Marwan , Macdonald Stephen PJ , Kodali Kiren
Published: May 2016

Introduction

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend administration of appropriate antibiotics within 1 h in patients with severe sepsis, with two sets of blood cultures taken prior to administration.

Objective

We evaluated the effect of introducing a Sepsis Early Alert Tool (SEAT) in the ED. Outcomes were antibiotic timing, antibiotic choice and obtaining adequate blood cultures.

Methods

A retrospective chart review compared consecutive severe sepsis presentations admitted to ICU via the ED during two equivalent 6 month periods before and after SEAT introduction.

Results

The analyses included 55 patients before and 45 following SEAT introduction. The groups were similar in age, sex, triage category, sepsis source, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III scores and hospital mortality. The percentage receiving antibiotics within 60 min of triage increased from 24% (95% CI 13–37%) to 44% (95% CI 30–60%), P = 0.03. Median time from triage to first antibiotic was 105 (IQR 65–170) min and 85 (IQR 50–140) min before and after SEAT introduction, respectively, P = 0.15. Percentages receiving antibiotics within 60 min of first recognition of severe sepsis were 67% (95% CI 53–79%) and 71% (95% CI 56–84%) before and after SEAT introduction, P = 0.83. The percentage having two sets of blood cultures drawn prior to antibiotic administration increased from 18% (95% CI 9–34%) to 44% (95% CI 27–60%), P = 0.008. Appropriateness of antibiotics was 58% (95% CI 44–71%) and 75% (95% CI 60–87%) before and after SEAT implementation, P = 0.09.

Conclusion

The introduction of a SEAT in the ED is associated with earlier recognition of severe sepsis and improvements in quality of care.
Stronger may not be better: organizational identity strength and performance of Indian SMEs
Authors: Batra Safal , Sharma Supriya
Published: May 2016

While some researchers argue that a strong organizational identity guides strategy and provides shared understanding among employees, others argue that it restricts change and makes it difficult for organizations to respond to external environment. In this study, we demonstrate that an organizational identity which is strong enough to foster shared purpose and clarity of vision but still fluid enough not to become restrictive to change is the optimal condition for small organizations. Data collected from 162 small and medium manufacturing businesses in India demonstrates a curvilinear relationship between identity strength and performance, and this relationship is significantly influenced by participatory decision‐making. By utilizing data from a relatively underexplored context of Indian small and medium enterprises, this study attempts to fill a crucial gap in the HRM literature. Implications for theory and HRM practices are discussed.