bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
M
+
M
3+
2As(HAsO4)6 (M
+
M
3+ = TlGa, CsGa, CsAl): three new metal arsenates containing AsO6 octahedra
Authors: Schwendtner Karolina , Kolitsch Uwe
Published: July 2018

The crystal structures of hydrothermally synthesized (T = 493 K, 7 d) thallium(I) digallium arsenic(V) hexakis[hydrogenarsenate(V)], TlGa2As(HAsO4)6, caesium digallium arsenic(V) hexakis[hydrogenarsenate(V)], CsGa2As(HAsO4)6, and caesium dialuminium arsenic(V) hexakis[hydrogenarsenate(V)], CsAl2As(HAsO4)6, were solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three compounds are isotypic and adopt the structure type of RbAl2As(HAsO4)6 (R\overline{3}c), which itself represents a modification of the RbFe(HPO4)2 structure type and consists of a tetrahedral–octahedral framework in which the slightly disordered M
+ cations are located in channels. The three new compounds contain AsO6 octahedra assuming the topological role of M
3+O6 octahedra. The As—O bond lengths are among the shortest As—O bond lengths known so far in AsO6 octahedra.
Crystal structures of Z–Gly–Aib–O−·0.5Ca2+·H2O and Z–Gly–Aib–OH
Authors: Gessmann Renate , Brückner Hans , Petratos Kyriacos
Published: July 2018

Both deprotonated and neutral achiral title dipeptides assume similar structures of two conformations, which are related by a unit-cell inversion centre. Two molecules of both conformations of the metal-free neutral dipeptide are linked by two hydrogen bonds, while two molecules of both conformations of the ionized form coordinate a calcium ion in calcium(II) bis[2-(2-{[(benzyloxy)carbonyl]amino}acetamido)-2-methylpropanoate] monohydrate, 0.5Ca2+·C14H17N2O5
−·0.5H2O, which lies on an inversion centre and forms a distorted octahedral complex with the metal ion. These CaII complexes are connected in the crystal via hydrogen bonds in the b- and c-axis directions, whereas in the a-axis direction, they stack via apolar contacts. In the metal-free crystal, namely 2-(2-{[(benzyloxy)carbonyl]amino}acetamido)-2-methylpropanoic acid, C14H18N2O5, molecules are hydrogen bonded in the a- and c-axis directions, and stack in the b–axis direction via apolar contacts.
The content of selected nutrients and minerals in some cultivars of Cucurbita maxima
Authors: Czech Anna , Stępniowska Anna , Wiącek Dariusz , Sujak Agnieszka , Grela Eugeniusz Ryszard
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the content of nutrients and minerals in various cultivars of Cucurbita maxima.

Design/methodology/approach

This is preliminary study, so eight samples from each cultivar of pumpkin used in this study were obtained from local farms from Poland. The following pumpkin cultivars were used: Australian butter, Flat white boer, Garbo, Golden delicious, Golden nugget, Hokkaido, Solor and Zapallito de tronco. In pumpkins elements, dry matter, ash and crude protein were determined. All elements were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer. Content of dry matter, ash and crude protein according to AOAC methods.

Findings

The fruit of Cucurbita maxima, irrespective of cultivar, is a good means of supplementing the diet with highly beneficial fibre, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur, silicon, iron and zinc. The pumpkins richest in minerals are those of the Australian butter cultivar (calcium, manganese, iron), Flat white boer (sodium, silicon, chromium, nickel), Hokkaido (potassium, phosphorus, zinc, chromium) and Solor (magnesium, sulphur, copper), while the Garbo, Golden Delicious and Zapallito de tronco cultivars had the lowest concentrations of minerals.

Originality/value

The results obtained indicate that depending on the consumer’s expectations, pumpkins of various cultivars can be a dietary component that corrects deficiencies in the diet. Pumpkins grown in Poland have been characterised in terms of the content of mineral elements. These vegetables have become an important component of local food in Poland.
Factors associated with the consumption of traditional foods in central Mexico
Authors: Serrano-Cruz Marlem R. , Espinoza-Ortega Angélica , Sepúlveda Wilmer S. , Vizcarra-Bordi Ivonne , Thomé-Ortiz Humberto
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors associated with the consumption of traditional foods (TFs) in central Mexico.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 512 surveys were applied to consumers in central Mexico. The survey included a free word association with TF and an example, the food choice questionnaire, and the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. A binary logistic regression was carried out comparing regular TF consumers with non-regular TF consumers.

Findings

Men tend to eat TFs in more regular way than women. People with heavier consumption habits associate TF with “authenticity/way of doing”, “origin” and “habit”, which are reinforced both by TF examples and the FCQ variables. Foods considered traditional were classified as cooked (elaborated under specific recipes of gastronomic heritage) and uncooked. Both groups comprise central foods, basic in the Mexican diet, in which maize, chili and beans are outstanding.

Research limitations/implications

The study did not comprehend the whole country and not consider specific food categories.

Practical implications

Provides important information on the factors that drive consumption of TFs in Mexico, information that may be useful in valorisation processes.

Social implications

Results may support the commercialisation of these foods, and lead to an improvement in the livelihoods of producers of TFs.

Originality/value

In Mexico, the study of consumers has not been addressed. Therefore, this is a pioneer study that documents the factors associated with the consumption of TFs.
Determinants of pesticide application: an empirical analysis with theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Wang Jianhua , Chu May , Deng Yuan yuan , Lam Honming , Tang Jianjun
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate farmers’ intentions to comply with pesticide application standards based on an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

Built on a TPB framework, it was examined how perceived behavioural control (PBC), behavioural goal (BG), behavioural attitude (BA) and subjective norm (SN) influenced farmers’ intention to comply with pesticide application standards. Data of 986 farmers from five major agricultural provinces in China were collected following a stratified random sampling method. Structural equation modelling was employed for hypothesis testing and analysis.

Findings

The results showed that PBC, BG, behavioural attitude and SN had positive impacts on farmers’ intention in abiding by the standards. Among them in determining farmers’ intention towards compliance with pesticide application standards, farmers’ PBC was found to be the most influential factor, while SN was the least influential factor.

Originality/value

The results indicated that the traditional TPB constructs had significant correlations with farmers’ intention to comply with pesticide standards, demonstrating the applicability of the TPB in the understanding of farmers’ decision-making in a developing country context. It is suggested that psychological factors should be taken into consideration in studying farmers’ decision-making.
Changes in returns to education for off-farm wage employment: evidence from rural China
Authors: Wang Weidong , Dong Yongqing , Luo Renfu , Bai Yunli , Zhang Linxiu
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of education in the labor market and to understand how returns to education change over time in rural China.

Design/methodology/approach

Using nationally representative survey data from 2004 to 2015, this study provides insights on wage determination in the labor market and examines how the returns to education in rural China differ with time and educational endowment. This study applies ordinary least squares estimation and the Heckman selection model to estimate the returns to education.

Findings

The returns to education decreased during the observed years from more than 6 percent in 2004 to only about 3 percent in 2011, rising to nearly 4 percent in 2015. The overall trend is robust and observed within groups defined by education. Additionally, the returns to education vary greatly with educational endowment. Tertiary education has always maintained a high rate of returns at nearly 10 percent, while returns to senior high school education and below have gradually diminished.

Originality/value

The authors believe that the results will not only enrich studies on the returns to education in rural China, but also provide a basis for diagnosing the changes of rural labor market in the early twenty-first century.
Relationship between perceived justice and identification
Authors: Bergami Massimo , Morandin Gabriele
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of the antecedents of organizational identification. Specifically, this paper aims to integrate two perspectives developed within the social identity domain, labeled “cognitive” and “relational,” by comparing and reconciling their relationship organizational identification.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a survey method and a structured questionnaire to collect data from people working in a call center. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 743 employees by using structural equation models and Hayes’ (2017) bootstrapping procedure.

Findings

The results provide evidence for a mediational model in which the attractiveness of organizational images (cognitive representations) mediates the relationship between perceived justice (relational judgments) and organizational identification.

Research limitations/implications

The data were obtained from a single source in a cross-sectional design, which may inflate common method variance. To address threats to validity, the authors employed several procedures, the results of which revealed that no parameters corresponding to the hypotheses changed in sign or significance, thus suggesting that the presence of method bias, if any, was nonconsequential.

Practical implications

Not only does perceived justice relate to the sense of belonging to an organization, but it also contributes to shaping the long-term cognitive representations of the company. In particular, both HR and line managers should be aware that in this respect, the interactional dimension of justice shows the strongest effect.

Originality/value

Building on and enlarging the scope of the extant literature, the findings contribute to our knowledge of how relational judgments shape cognitive images about the company, influencing, in turn, the individual–organization relationship.
Tribological behavior of AA7075-TiC composites by powder metallurgy
Authors: C. Saravanan , K. Subramanian , V. Anandakrishnan , S. Sathish
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Aluminium is the most preferred material in engineering structural components because of its excellent properties. Furthermore, the properties of aluminium may be enhanced through metal matrix composites and an in-depth investigation on the evolved properties is needed in view of metallurgical, mechanical and tribological aspects. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of TiC addition on the tribological behavior of aluminium composites.

Design/methodology/approach

Aluminium metal matrix composites at different weight percentage of titanium carbide were produced through powder metallurgy. Produced composites were subjected to sliding wear test under dry condition through Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal design.

Findings

Optimal process condition to achieve the minimum wear rate was identified though the main effect plot. Sliding velocity was identified as the most dominating factor in the wear resistance.

Practical implications

The production of components with improved properties is promoted efficiently and economically by synthesizing the composite via powder metallurgy.

Originality/value

Though the investigations on the wear behavior of aluminium composites are analyzed, reinforcement types and the mode of fabrication have their significance in the metallurgical and mechanical properties. Thus, the produced component needs an in-detail study on the property evolution.
Place attachment and challenges of historic cities
Authors: Garcia Gabriela , Vandesande Aziliz , van Balen Koenraad
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The effect of heritage on place attachment is assessed by understanding how people “value” their heritage environment. In addition, the purpose of this paper is to assess the effects of place attachment on residential and investment trends according to two different social groups: local inhabitants and foreign immigrants.

Design/methodology/approach

A single case study design for Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca including an open-ended survey, combined with Likert-scale analysis. The survey protocol and questions for the respondent groups were structured according to place identity, place dependency and sense of place.

Findings

The analysis bridges the gap between theory and practice and demonstrates interesting similarities as well as differences between both foreign and local respondent groups in terms of the attributes they consider as cultural heritage and their preferences in terms of residential or investment location choice. The research demonstrates that an increased understanding of place attachment as the link between place dependency and sense of place in a specific location can assist in defining effective built heritage policies in favour of local sustainability.

Originality/value

The analysis of place attachment in relation to the origin of respondents revealed different perceptions on the role that a heritage environment might play on attracting or influencing displacement of local inhabitants and foreign immigrants. Based on original empirical data collection in Cuenca, Ecuador, this study identified research lines and actions which should be prioritised for improving management of this World Heritage Site.
An analysis of auction strategies in apartment sales
Authors: Hungria-Gunnelin Rosane
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically test the effect of list price and bidding strategies in ascending auctions of residential real estate.

Design/methodology/approach

Three regression models are estimated, using a unique data set from 629 condominium apartments in the inner-city of Stockholm, Sweden, sold between January 2010 and December 2011.

Findings

The results show that jump bidding has the predicted effect of reducing competition by scaring off bidders. However, a higher average bid increment leads to a higher selling price. Furthermore, results show that a fast auction in terms of average time between bids acts to increase the probability of so-called auction fever as both the number of bidders and the selling price are positively correlated with the speed of the auction. While the average behavior of all auction participants, in terms of jump bidding and time between bids, significantly affects auction outcomes, differences in strategies applied by winners and losers show mixed results. The results of this study with respect to sellers’ list price strategy show that underpricing is an ineffective strategy in terms of enticing more bidders to participate in the auction. Furthermore, underpricing is not sufficient to have a positive effect on the selling price.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first papers to empirically analyze how different bidding strategies affect the outcome of residential real estate auctions in terms of competition and the final selling price.
Android based voice assistant for blind people
Authors: Barata Marcos , Galih Salman Afan , Faahakhododo Ikhtiar , Kanigoro Bayu
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss the development of Android-based Intelligent Software Assistant application for visually challenged or blind people. The application is intended to help people with visual limitations or blind people to access Android-based devices so that they can use library resources by using android devices.

Design/methodology/approach

The necessary data are collected from journals, articles, books and questionnaires, and similar applications are analyzed. The application design method used is the Scrum method, which consists of Backlog, Sprint and Scrum Meeting. From the operational side of the application, the method used is speech-to-text and text-to-speech.

Findings

This application has been tried with some users who have total blindness and low vision, and all provided a good response to this application. From the performance side, the user gives a very satisfied response to this application. While the ease of using the application, the user also provides a satisfactory response to the ease of using this application.

Research limitations/implications

The application still has limitations in penetration to the user, and the application is only built using Android as its platform. In addition, the dependence on libraries from Google has caused difficulties in implementing this application with local dialect, which is only understood by the local community.

Social implication

This application has implications for the society, especially those with limitations in eyesight can be so much more productive and independent. This can reduce the social burden in society.

Originality/value

This application provides an easy access of an android device to blind people and people with low vision, as well as access to library resources with devices that have been installed with this application. This facility can improve the library accessibility to the blind and visually challenged community.
An overview of intuitionistic linguistic fuzzy information aggregations and applications
Authors: Liu Peide , Gao Hui
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Intuitionistic linguistic fuzzy information (ILFI), characterized by linguistic terms and intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs), can easily express the fuzzy information in the process of muticriteria decision making (MCDM) and muticriteria group decision making (MCGDM) problems. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of aggregation operators (AOs) and applications of ILFI.

Design/methodology/approach

First, some meaningful AOs for ILFI are summarized, and some extended MCDM approaches for intuitionistic uncertain linguistic variables (IULVs), such as extended TOPSIS, extended TODIM, extended VIKOR, are discussed. Then, the authors summarize and analyze the applications about the AOs of IULVs.

Findings

IULVs, characterized by linguistic terms and IFSs, can more detailed and comprehensively express the criteria values in the process of MCDM and MCGDM. Therefore, lots of researchers pay more and more attention to the MCDM or MCGDM methods with IULVs.

Originality/value

The authors summarize and analyze the applications about the AOs of IULVs Finally, the authors point out some possible directions for future research.
The impact of strategic CSR marketing communications on customer engagement
Authors: Chomvilailuk Rojanasak , Butcher Ken
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that seek to enhance customer engagement, through different forms of positive word of mouth.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 258 responses were collected from customers of mobile telephone service providers, and analysed using t-tests, ANOVA and structural equation modelling. The survey embedded a realistic press release, purporting to originate from the respondent’s service provider, communicating CSR information.

Findings

Mobile telephone users are largely indifferent to CSR communication activities but segments of the market respond differently. Customer-perceived community value of the strategic CSR initiative to the intended beneficiary of the activity was found to be an effective antecedent of customer engagement.

Research limitations/implications

Alternative modes of customer engagement have the potential to enhance customer discourse. Customer-perceived community value of the strategic initiative provides further explanatory power to the CSR–customer relationship.

Practical implications

Customer-perceived community value can be used as a planning tool for marketers to gauge the effectiveness of CSR advertising campaigns before launch. Managers can adapt their CSR communications message to better reflect customer concerns.

Social implications

NGOs that offer greater perceived community value can partner with companies more successfully.

Originality/value

A holistic CSR-centric approach to evaluate strategic CSR initiatives and determine their influence on alternative forms of customer engagement is novel.
Natural convection flow in a vertical micro-annulus with time-periodic thermal boundary conditions
Authors: Jha Basant Kumar , Oni Michael O.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of time-periodic thermal boundary conditions on natural convection flow in a vertical micro-annulus.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytical solution in terms of Bessel’s function and modified Bessel’s function of order 0 and 1 is obtained for velocity, temperature, Nusselt number, skin friction and mass flow rate.

Findings

It is established that the role of Knudsen number and fluid–wall interaction parameter is to decrease fluid temperature, velocity, Nusselt number and skin friction.

Research limitations/implications

No laboratory practical or experiment was conducted.

Practical implications

Cooling device in electronic panels, card and micro-chips is frequently cooled by natural convection.

Originality/value

In view of the amount of works done on natural convection in microchannel, it becomes interesting to investigate the effect that time-periodic heating has on natural convection flow in a vertical micro-annulus. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of time-periodic thermal boundary conditions on natural convection flow in a vertical micro-annulus.
Sex differences in posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms in police officers following exposure to violence in Ferguson
Authors: Beagley Marin C. , Peterson Zoë D. , Strasshofer David R. , Galovski Tara E.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Women comprise a significant and growing proportion of the law enforcement population. Despite this, their potentially unique reactions to job-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression have been underrepresented in the relevant literature, particularly within the context of exposure to community violence. Also understudied is the role of empathy in the development of post-trauma reactions, which has been a risk factor for the development of posttraumatic distress in previous studies. With the recent endorsement of empathy training by the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, it is important to examine ways in which empathy may contribute to differences in PTSS and depression for male and female officers. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Male and female police officers (n=189) exposed to violence during the 2014 Ferguson protests completed a battery of measures designed to assess demographic information, prior trauma history, and mental health outcomes.

Findings

Moderation analyses showed that empathy moderated the relationships between exposure and PTSS and exposure and depression in female officers, such that exposure was associated with higher posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms only for female officers with high levels of empathy. These relationships were not found for men.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine sex differences and the role of empathy in the mental health effects of law enforcement secondary to violence during community protests against policing.
Secondary traumatic stress in police officers investigating childhood sexual abuse
Authors: Hurrell Amy-Kate , Draycott Simon , Andrews Leanne
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Previous research has indicated that helping professionals working with traumatised individuals are susceptible to adverse effects which can be recognised as secondary traumatic stress (STS). The purpose of this paper is to explore STS in police officer’s investigating childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a cross-sectional, quantitative design. An online questionnaire was completed by 101 Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) police officers in England and Wales. STS, coping strategies, anxiety, depression and demographic information was collected for all participants.

Findings

It was indicated that increased exposure to CSA, measured by number of interviews in the past six months, was associated with higher levels of STS. Positive coping strategies, negative coping strategies, anxiety and depression all had a strong, positive relationship with STS.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is a first step to understanding STS in CAIU police officers in the England and Wales. This area of research remains under-developed and would benefit from further attention in the future.

Originality/value

This is the first known study of its kind in the UK.
The importance of external stakeholders for police body-worn camera diffusion
Authors: Todak Natalie , Gaub Janne E. , White Michael D.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The diffusion of innovations paradigm suggests that stakeholders’ acceptance of a police innovation shapes how it spreads and impacts the larger criminal justice system. A lack of support by external stakeholders for police body-worn cameras (BWCs) can short-circuit their intended benefits. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of BWCs among non-police stakeholders who are impacted by the technology as well as how BWCs influence their daily work processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted interviews and focus groups (n=41) in two US cities where the police department implemented BWCs. The interviewees range from courtroom actors (e.g. judges, prosecutors) to those who work with police in the field (e.g. fire and mental health), city leaders, civilian oversight members, and victim advocates.

Findings

External stakeholders are highly supportive of the new technology. Within the diffusion of innovations framework, this support suggests that the adoption of BWCs will continue. However, the authors also found the decision to implement BWCs carries unique consequences for external stakeholders, implying that a comprehensive planning process that takes into account the views of all stakeholders is critical.

Originality/value

Despite the recent diffusion of BWCs in policing, this is the first study to examine the perceptions of external stakeholders. More broadly, few criminologists have applied the diffusion of innovations framework to understand how technologies and other changes emerge and take hold in the criminal justice system. This study sheds light on the spread of BWCs within this framework and offers insights on their continued impact and consequences.
Police cynicism in Serbia: prevalence, nature and associations with job satisfaction
Authors: Zekavica Radomir , Simeunovic-Patic Biljana , Potgieter Phillippus J. , Roelofse Cornelis J.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the first research on prevalence, nature and correlates of the police cynicism in Serbia, with particular attention to the associations of cynicism with job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a paper-based survey, and obtained from 472 police officers from five police departments across the country. For the purpose of measuring of organizational and work aspects of police cynicism a new developed 24 five-level Likert-type items scale was used.

Findings

The results show that cynicism is normally distributed. No statistically significant gender, education or police rank differences were identified, and the length of service does not appear to influence cynical attitudes significantly. Cynicism scores statistically significantly varied across police departments and predicted job dissatisfaction. The underlying four-factor structure of police cynicism was identified. The factors include: general organizational cynicism; cynicism toward police hierarchy/superiors; cynicism toward public/citizen cooperation; and cynicism toward modernization of policing in the crime control field.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the sample is limited, giving that participants come from only five out of a total of 27 police departments in the country, while the female police officers and officers with education higher than high school were somewhat overrepresented.

Originality/value

This research provides some more evidence on the nature and determinants of police cynicism that might inspire future research in this important but under-researched area. It implies that the need to explore more deeply relations between police cynicism and stress, burnout and particularly contextual and departmental factors that might be influential to police cynicism. It might also incite future research on the internal structure of police cynicism.
Media consumption and perceptions of police legitimacy
Authors: Graziano Lisa M. , Gauthier Jane Florence
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Given the heightened scrutiny of police by the media in the post-Ferguson era, the purpose of this paper is to test hypotheses derived from the cultivation theory regarding possible media-related effects on perceptions of police legitimacy.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 1,197 residents from a mid-size California city was surveyed. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relative effects of media consumption and personal experience on perceptions of police legitimacy.

Findings

Partial support for the cultivation theory was found. Those who reported local TV as their most important news source saw police as more legitimate than those who reported the internet as most important. Consistent with past research, procedural justice was the strongest predictor of perceptions of police legitimacy for those recently stopped by the police. Awareness of negative media depictions of police, however, also had independent effects indicating that media consumption does impact perceptions of police legitimacy.

Originality/value

While a wealth of research on the relationship between procedural justice and perceptions of police legitimacy exists, no previous research has examined the role media consumption plays in shaping such perceptions.
Transmission risk predicts avoidance of infected conspecifics in Trinidadian guppies
Authors: Stephenson Jessica F. , Perkins Sarah E. , Cable Joanne
Published: July 2018

Associating with conspecifics afflicted with infectious diseases increases the risk of becoming infected, but engaging in avoidance behaviour incurs the cost of lost social benefits. Across systems, infected individuals vary in the transmission risk they pose, so natural selection should favour risk‐sensitive avoidance behaviour that optimally balances the costs and benefits of sociality.

Here, we use the guppyPoecilia reticulata–Gyrodactylus turnbullihost–parasite system to test the prediction that individuals avoid infected conspecifics in proportion to the transmission risk they pose.

In dichotomous choice tests, uninfected fish avoided both the chemical and visual cues, presented separately, of infected conspecifics only in the later stages of infection.

A transmission experiment indicated that this avoidance behaviour accurately tracked transmission risk (quantified as both the speed at which transmission occurs and the number of parasites transmitting) through the course of infection.

Together, these findings reveal that uninfected hosts can use redundant cues across sensory systems to inform dynamic risk‐sensitive avoidance behaviour. This correlation between the transmission risk posed by infected individuals and the avoidance response they elicit has implications for the evolutionary ecology of infectious disease, and its explicit inclusion may improve the ability of epidemic models to predict disease spread.
Children and adolescents with phenylketonuria display fluctuations in their blood phenylalanine levels
Authors: Feldmann R , Schallert M , Nguyen T , Och U , Rutsch F , Weglage J
Published: July 2018

Aim

This study examined the impact of fluctuations in metabolic control on the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children and adolescents with early, continuously treated phenylketonuria (PKU).

Methods

This was a clinic‐based study carried out at University Hospital Munster, Germany, from 2015 to 2017. We investigated 49 patients (28 boys) with early treated PKU, who were aged 6–18 years with a mean age of 11.2 ± 4.1 years. All the patients were on a continuous phenylalanine‐restricted diet. Of the 49 patients, 29 (18 boys) had classic PKU and 21 patients (11 girls) had mild PKU. The patients’ blood phenylalanine levels were assessed every week for 26 weeks and analysed for fluctuations, indicated by the standard deviation of the individual blood phenylalanine levels. We also assessed the concurrent Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) of the patients.

Results

In patients with classic PKU, FSIQ was negatively correlated with blood phenylalanine levels, but not with level fluctuations. In patients with mild PKU, FSIQ was not correlated with blood phenylalanine levels, but was negatively correlated with level fluctuations.

Conclusion

The blood phenylalanine levels of patients with mild PKU showed minor interindividual differences, which may have allowed fluctuations to exert a negative effect on the FSIQ.
An alternative intermittent eltrombopag dosing protocol for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Al‐Samkari Hanny , Kuter David J.
Published: July 2018

Eltrombopag, an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist, is dosed daily to treat chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). As it has a half‐life of 26–35 h in ITP patients and requires patents to abide by strict dietary restrictions that may impair quality of life and reduce compliance, we developed an alternative intermittent (AI) eltrombopag dosing protocol for ITP, with dosing less frequent than once daily. Ten patients were treated with AI dosing for a median of 94 (range: 29–156) weeks, with most patients treated with 2–4 weekly doses for extended durations. During AI dosing, 95%, 84% and 71% of all platelet counts were ≥20 × 109 l–1, ≥50 × 109 l–1 and ≥100 × 109 l–1, respectively. Five patients required rescue treatment for thrombocytopenia and World Health Organization grade 1 mucocutaneous bleeding, and there were no thromboembolic events. In summary, intermittently dosed eltrombopag was efficacious in treating chronic ITP in a small cohort, with rates of platelet response and rescue treatment comparable with rates in studies evaluating daily dosing.
Gadolinium deposition and the potential for toxicological sequelae – A literature review of issues surrounding gadolinium‐based contrast agents
Authors: Layne Kerry A. , Dargan Paul I. , Archer John R. H. , Wood David M.
Published: July 2018

Every year, approximately 30 million magnetic resonance imaging scans are enhanced with gadolinium‐based contrast agents (GBCAs) worldwide. Although the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with renal impairment is well‐documented, over recent years it has become apparent that exposure to GBCAs can potentially result in gadolinium deposition within human bone and brain tissue even in the presence of normal renal function. This review will address some of the controversies surrounding the safety of GBCA administration based on evidence from in vivo experiments, animal studies and clinical studies. We additionally evaluate the potential risk of toxicity from exposure to gadolinium in light of new guidance published by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, and discuss whether gadolinium deposition disease exists as a new diagnosis.
Different responses of soil organic carbon fractions to additions of nitrogen
Authors: Chen H. , Li D. , Feng W. , Niu S. , Plante A. , Luo Y. , Wang K.
Published: July 2018

Carbon–nitrogen (C–N) interactions in terrestrial ecosystems regulate climate–C cycle feedbacks. How additions of N affect soil C sequestration and then regulate climate change, however, are not fully understood. Previous studies have assessed effects of N on bulk soil organic C (SOC) but have not yet carefully examined its effects on different SOC fractions, which determine how fast the N‐regulated C cycle feeds back to climate. Here we synthesized data from 36 studies with 296 observations by a meta‐analysis to evaluate the responses of SOC fractions to N additions. We hypothesized that additions of N might increase both labile and non‐labile C fractions. The SOC that was separated by density fractionation increased by 18.3% for free light fractions and by 3.0% for heavy density fractions without change in the occluded light fraction under N addition compared with the control. The SOC that was separated by aggregate fractionation increased by 4.4% for macroaggregate‐associated fractions and by 6.5% for aggregate mineral‐associated fractions without change in the microaggregate‐associated fraction under N additions. When bulk SOC was separated by chemical permanganate oxidation, the oxidizable fraction increased by 10.4%, whereas the unoxidizable fraction increased by 4.5%. The changes in different soil C fractions were related to the mechanisms of SOC stabilization. Because of the significant increases in non‐labile SOC fractions, our findings suggest that on a global scale, increased additions of N might promote SOC accumulation and slow down climate change in the long term. Our results will be useful in model development for better prediction of SOC sequestration under additions of N.

Highlights

Effects of N deposition on soil C fractions were addressed using meta‐analysis.

Nitrogen additions significantly increased labile SOC fractions.

Non‐labile SOC fractions were also increased under N additions.

Nitrogen additions might promote SOC accumulation in the long term.
Structural studies reveal the molecular mechanism of PETase
Authors: Chen Chun‐Chi , Han Xu , Ko Tzu‐Ping , Liu Weidong , Guo Rey‐Ting
Published: July 2018

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a class of plastic material widely used in modern society, but large amounts of PET waste cause severe environmental problems. Obtained from a PET‐consuming bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis, the enzyme PETase exhibits superb hydrolytic activity and substrate preference toward PET. Here, we summarize some recent advances in the crystallographic analysis of PETase. These reports uncover structural features of PETase that are involved in its catalytic activity. In comparison to homologous enzymes, PETase contains an additional disulfide bond as well as an extended β8‐α6 loop. More importantly, the crystal structures of PETase in complex with substrate and product analogs provide critical information for understanding the mechanism of action of PETase. In particular, the wobbling conformation of W156 is closely related to the binding of substrate and product. These new findings are of great importance for further in‐depth research and engineering development of PETase, and should advance the implementation of plastic biodegradation strategy.
Competitive communities of practice, knowledge sharing, and Machiavellian participation: a case study
Authors: Schofield Keith , Analoui Bejan , Brooks James , Hussain Sayed Fairzi
Published: July 2018

This paper explores the emergence of Machiavellian behaviour in a community of practice (CoP). The CoP was initiated by the top management team (TMT) as a management development initiative. Participants in a manufacturing setting were encouraged to engage in a series of problem‐solving tasks with counterparts from across the organization in a short‐term CoP. A qualitative case study, using in‐depth interviews, was conducted in a large processing plant in the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Bahrain. This is an empirical case study that explores employee participation in a short‐term management development programme which sought to create CoPs to enable knowledge sharing. A competitive element was introduced, and we contend this promoted behaviour which served the individuals rather than the CoP. The findings indicate that TMT intervention changes the dynamics of CoPs, reducing knowledge sharing and collaboration among community members. Recommendations are made to practitioners to be cognizant of the possibility of Machiavellian participation in CoPs.
R Generation
Authors: Thieme Nick
Published: July 2018

The story of a statistical programming language that became a subcultural phenomenon. By Nick Thieme
The clock drawing test: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of diagnostic accuracy
Authors: Park JinKyung , Jeong EunHye , Seomun GyeongAe
Published: July 2018

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the clock drawing test and to compare its scoring methods.

Background

Dementia refers to a symptom where an adult demonstrates memory disorder and cognitive impairment. Early diagnosis of dementia is very important for medication management and prognosis. The clock drawing test is one of the most used cognitive screening tools for dementia. However, due to its scoring system, the accuracy of the clock drawing test remains a topic of debate.

Design

A systematic review with meta‐analysis following Cochrane's methods and the guidelines of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Data sources

A literature search was carried out in the OVID‐MEDLINE, OVID‐EMBASE and OVID‐PsycINFO databases (27 October 2015).

Review method

The quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS‐2) tool was employed for this review. We used hierarchical regression models to pool the values of diagnostic accuracy in a random effects model.

Results

A total of 18 studies with 5,531 participants were identified for this review. Fifteen of these studies were included for meta‐analysis according to each scoring system. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the clock drawing test using the Shulman system were 82% and 75.7% respectively. In the Sunderland system, these were 72.6% and 87.9% respectively.

Conclusions

The findings indicate that the accuracy of the clock drawing test using the Shulman system was the most studied and highly sensitive. After gaining a better understanding of the clock drawing test through this study, we recommend it for widespread use in the diagnosis of dementia.
Effectiveness of six core strategies based on trauma informed care in reducing seclusions and restraints at a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital
Authors: Azeem MuhammadWaqar , Aujla Akashdeep , Rammerth Michelle , Binsfeld Gary , Jones Robert B.
Published: July 2018

Objective

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of six core strategies based on trauma informed care in reducing the use of seclusion and restraints with hospitalized youth.

Methods

The hospital staff received training inMarch 2005 in six core strategies that are based on trauma informed care. Medical records were reviewed for youth admitted between July 2004 andMarch 2007. Data were collected on demographics, including age, gender, ethnicity,number of admissions, type of admissions, length of stay, psychiatric diagnosis, number of seclusions, and restraints.

Results

Four hundred fifty‐eight youth (females 276/males 182) were admitted between July 2004 and March 2007. Seventy‐nine patients or 17.2% (females 44/males 35) required 278 seclusions/restraints (159 seclusions/119 restraints),with average number of episodes 3.5/patient (range 1–28). Thirty‐seven children and adolescents placed in seclusion and/or restraints had three or more episodes. In the first six months of study, the number of seclusions/restraints episodes were 93 (73 seclusions/20 restraints), involving 22 children and adolescents (females 11/males 11). Comparatively, in final six months of study following the training program, there were 31 episodes (6 seclusions/25 restraints) involving 11 children and adolescents (females 7/males 4). The major diagnoses of the youth placed in seclusion and/or restraints were disruptive behavior disorders (61%) and mood disorders (52%).

Conclusions

This study shows downward trend in seclusions/restraints among hospitalized youth after implementation of National Association of State Mental Health ProgramDirectors six core strategies based on trauma informed care.
Optimization of digital volume correlation computation in SR‐microCT images of trabecular bone and bone‐biomaterial systems
Authors: PEÑA FERNÁNDEZ M. , BARBER A.H. , BLUNN G.W. , TOZZI G.
Published: July 2018

A micromechanical characterization of biomaterials for bone tissue engineering is essential to understand the quality of the newly regenerated bone, enabling the improvement of tissue regeneration strategies. A combination of microcomputed tomography in conjunction with in situ mechanical testing and digital volume correlation (DVC) has become a powerful technique to investigate the internal deformation of bone structure at a range of dimensional scales. However, in order to obtain accurate three‐dimensional strain measurement at tissue level, high‐resolution images must be acquired, and displacement/strain measurement uncertainties evaluated. The aim of this study was to optimize imaging parameters, image postprocessing and DVC settings to enhance computation based on ‘zero‐strain’ repeated high‐resolution synchrotron microCT scans of trabecular bone and bone‐biomaterial systems. Low exposures to SR X‐ray radiation were required to minimize irradiation‐induced tissue damage, resulting in the need of advanced three‐dimensional filters on the reconstructed images to reduce DVC‐measured strain errors. Furthermore, the computation of strain values only in the hard phase (i.e. bone, biomaterial) allowed the exclusion of large artefacts localized in the bone marrow. This study demonstrated the suitability of a local DVC approach based on synchrotron microCT images to investigate the micromechanics of trabecular bone and bone‐biomaterial composites at tissue level with a standard deviation of the errors in the region of 100 microstrain after a thorough optimization of DVC computation.

Lay Description

Understanding the quality of newly regenerated bone after implantation of novel biomaterials is essential to improve bone tissue engineering strategies and formulation of biomaterials. The relationship between microstructure and mechanics of bone has been previously addressed combining microcomputed tomography with in situ mechanical testing. The addition of an image‐based experimental technique such as digital volume correlation (DVC) allows to characterize the deformation of materials in a three‐dimensional manner. However, in order to obtain accurate information at the micro‐scale, high‐resolution images, obtained for example by using synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography, as well as optimization of the DVC computation are needed. This study presents the effect of different imaging parameters, image postprocessing and DVC settings for as accurate investigation of trabecular bone structure and bone‐biomaterial interfaces. The results showed that when appropriate image postprocessing and DVC settings are used DVC computation results in very low strain errors. This is of vital importance for a correct understanding of the deformation in bone‐biomaterial systems and the ability of such biomaterials in producing new bone comparable with the native tissue they are meant to replace.