bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A suggested typology of Greek upscale hotels based on their MrkIS
Authors: Chatzipanagiotou Kalliopi C. , Coritos Christos D.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to suggest an empirically based typology of hotels according to their marketing information systems (MrkIS) configurations. The study seeks to examine major antecedents of the effectiveness of MrkIS and their influence on the adoption of specific marketing applications. Finally, this paper seeks to expand the general understanding of the relationship between the effectiveness of a hotel's MrkIS and that hotel's overall effectiveness, compared with that of others from the suggested typology.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper collected empirical data from a sample of 254 luxury and five‐star Greek hotels. They conducted a cluster analysis in order to define various clusters of hotels based on their use of specific marketing applications. They considered the role of basic antecedents – namely the hotel's degree of market orientation adoption, system quality, the quality of the information that the MrkIS produce, and support service quality – examining their influence on the MrkIS configuration in use. In addition, the paper considers the relationship between MrkIS effectiveness and overall hotel effectiveness as evidenced throughout the different clusters.

Findings

The study offers insights that can help hoteliers to analyse realistically the potential benefits of MrkIS for their businesses. Toward this end, the paper identifies three specific types of hotels: the “transactional‐oriented”, the “sales‐oriented”, and the “market‐oriented”.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the study may not be broadly applicable due to differences in national context, hotel category, and other characteristics – a fact that suggests future research opportunities.

Practical implications

Based on the current results, a hotel might better evaluate its existing MrkIS and be prepared to maximise the opportunities offered by the full utilisation of these systems.

Originality/value

The scarcity of empirical evidence with regard to MrkIS utilisation in the lodging industry makes this kind of study essential. The results of the paper expand the general knowledge about hotels' MrkIS adoption, its antecedents, its effectiveness and hotels' overall effectiveness. The results provide an integrated picture of the utilisation of these systems.
Modified silica sols: titania dispersants and co‐binders for silicate paints
Authors: Greenwood Peter
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate epoxysilane‐modified silica sols as surfactant‐free inorganic pigments dispersants and as co‐binders/reinforcing agents for silicate paints.

Design/methodology/approach

The performance of epoxysilane‐modified silica sols as dispersants for titania was studied using a polyacrylate‐based dispersant as reference. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of silica sols, with or without silane modification, to potassium silicate on binder properties was investigated.

Findings

Significant improvements were obtained in stability towards settling in water‐based titania pigments pastes and in light‐scattering efficiency (as much as 50 per cent) for the optimal size of the silica particle of 5 nm. The number of silane molecules per nm2 silica particle surface must exceed a critical value of at least 1 molecule of epoxysilane per nm2 particle surface. Additionally, improved stability towards gelling, water resistance and film‐forming properties of sol‐silicate binder mixes were achieved for epoxysilane‐modified silica sols.

Research limitations/implications

Only epoxysilane‐modified silica sols were studied in this report. Titania pigment was examined but other important pigments (e.g. iron oxides) remain to be studied. In addition, only sol‐silicate mixes were investigated and not fully formulated silicate paints.

Practical implications

A method that produces stable, high‐performing, surfactant‐free inorganic pigments pastes. Furthermore, stable, high‐ratio, sol‐silicate binders can be obtained with improved water resistance and film properties for use in silicate paints.

Originality/value

The present method provides an easy route to obtain stable surfactant‐free inorganic pigments pastes, as well as makes stable, high‐ratio, sol‐silicate mixes/paints.
IFLA satellite pre‐conference: open access to science information: trends, models and strategies for libraries
Authors: Bowering Mullen Laura
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to disseminate information about the IFLA pre‐conference in Chania, Crete, Greece on the subject of open access in libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Report on visit.

Findings

The main focus of the meeting was open access. Much information was shared.

Originality/value

This is an original work with some quoted material.
Hunting in the shadows for savings: reevaluating standing orders
Authors: Cross Roger L.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Standing orders are remnants of an early period of library acquisition, and while they can provide a useful service in limited cases most have outlived that usefulness and should be cancelled. In a period of restricted funding and increased digital reliance the need for standing orders has diminished; indeed often the standing orders received are no longer relevant to an institution's mission. However, identifying standing orders is complicated by the nature of their classification as a serial rather than a book or monograph. This paper aims to describe the various types of standing orders and how to identify them.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper distinguishes between the yearbook or annual standing order and the non‐sequential and often irregularly published books charged to the serial fund code. The latter type, in the author's experience, makes up the majority of standing orders, and this work argues that on the basis of collection development principles and budgetary realities the majority of standing orders should be cancelled.

Findings

The paper finds that it is necessary to create a stand‐alone database to ensure all standing orders are represented. The review of standing orders cuts materials expenditures, clarifies actual holdings, and eliminates unexpected delivery of materials.

Practical implications

Collection development principles require accountability for resource delivery. Standing orders falsely offer ease at the expense of this responsibility.

Originality/value

Very little is written on evaluating standing orders as a separate entity among library holdings. This paper addresses the dual nature of standing orders that allows them to maintain their shadowy existence on serials' accounts as neither book nor journal.
Extend one's budget: buy used books
Authors: Staley Laura , Palo Eric
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Many libraries limit themselves to purchasing only new materials, assuming that used materials may be in poor condition or that the purchase process may be too difficult. This paper seeks to assess the benefits and disadvantages of purchasing used materials.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses Renton Technical College Library's experience with purchasing used books.

Findings

Benefits of purchasing used books are: lower cost, quicker fulfillment of orders, and a wider selection of available titles. Disadvantages include: rare issues with book condition, and fewer free shipping and discount offers.

Practical implications

Including used books in their purchasing program can substantially expand the range and amount of materials libraries can collect.

Originality/value

This paper will be of use to any library facing budget cuts and looking for ways to continue to provide a wide variety of library materials.
Ethics and social networking sites: a disclosive analysis of Facebook
Authors: Light Ben , McGrath Kathy
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to provide insights into the moral values embodied by a popular social networking site (SNS), Facebook.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based upon qualitative fieldwork, involving participant observation, conducted over a two‐year period. The authors adopt the position that technology as well as humans has a moral character in order to disclose ethical concerns that are not transparent to users of the site.

Findings

Much research on the ethics of information systems has focused on the way that people deploy particular technologies, and the consequences arising, with a view to making policy recommendations and ethical interventions. By focusing on technology as a moral actor with reach across and beyond the internet, the authors reveal the complex and diffuse nature of ethical responsibility and the consequent implications for governance of SNS.

Research limitations/implications

The authors situate their research in a body of work known as disclosive ethics, and argue for an ongoing process of evaluating SNS to reveal their moral importance. Along with that of other authors in the genre, this work is largely descriptive, but the paper engages with prior research by Brey and Introna to highlight the scope for theory development.

Practical implications

Governance measures that require the developers of social networking sites to revise their designs fail to address the diffuse nature of ethical responsibility in this case. Such technologies need to be opened up to scrutiny on a regular basis to increase public awareness of the issues and thereby disclose concerns to a wider audience. The authors suggest that there is value in studying the development and use of these technologies in their infancy, or if established, in the experiences of novice users. Furthermore, flash points in technological trajectories can prove useful sites of investigation.

Originality/value

Existing research on social networking sites either fails to address ethical concerns head on or adopts a tool view of the technologies so that the focus is on the ethical behaviour of users. The authors focus upon the agency, and hence the moral character, of technology to show both the possibilities for, and limitations of, ethical interventions in such cases.
Entrepreneurship education and plagiarism: tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies
Authors: O'Dwyer Michele , Risquez Angelica , Ledwith Ann
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to contribute to entrepreneurship education research by exploring entrepreneurship students' views of plagiarism, and their ability to recognise and avoid plagiarism.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a questionnaire administered to 205 undergraduate university entrepreneurship students, combining self‐reported data with behavioural measures.

Findings

The results illustrate that, although entrepreneurship students have a clear conceptual understanding of plagiarism and how to avoid it, and they demonstrate an ability to accurately recognise material which needs to be referenced, they do not see use of non‐referenced material as being in breach of academic guidelines. The students also perceive lecturers to be more concerned with plagiarism than the students themselves or the university.

Research limitations/implications

The research identifies a clear divergence between students' claims about their ethical stance regarding plagiarism and their ability to recognise it as a breach of academic guidelines.

Practical implications

The practical implications for entrepreneurship education are: first, the university needs to emphasise to entrepreneurship students that plagiarism is a breach of academic guidelines which will be treated as a serious offence. Second, the university, in partnership with lecturers, must adopt experiential learning approaches to improve plagiarism avoidance skills.

Originality/value

The study supports previous research which identified that students held strong ethical views regarding plagiarism and claimed not to engage in it. However, this paper highlights the divergence between these claims and the students' ability to recognise plagiarism as a breach of academic guidelines – thereby highlighting the need to enhance academic guidelines on plagiarism.
RFID‐Env: methods and software simulation for RFID environments
Authors: Cunha de Azambuja Marcelo , Fernando Jung Carlos , Schwengber ten Caten Carla , Passuelo Hessel Fabiano
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an analytical and experimental research for the development of an innovative product designated RFID environment (RFID‐Env). This software is designed for the use of professionals in computer systems and plant engineering who are engaged in research and development (R&D) of ultra high frequency (UHF) passive radio frequency identification (RFID) systems as applied to the management and operation of logistic supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

The RFID‐Env makes it possible to simulate on computer screens a complete RFID‐Env by processing user data on the technical and physical characteristics of real or virtual RFID‐Envs. Information outputted can include descriptions of the performance to be expected from a given configuration and detailed reports as to whether that particular configuration will succeed in reading all the RFID tags flowing through a defined system.

Findings

The paper shows the models and methods on how these simulations can be performed, and this is the major scientific contribution of this work, i.e. what are the logical and physical models that enable the development of software simulators for RFID‐Envs.

Research limitations/implications

This work will be continued to introduce more consideration of the physical environment, such as the interferences produced by the tagged products themselves by scattering the radio frequency (RF) signals, and the models, positioning and focusing of the antennas. New RF prediction models shall be created along the continuation of this paper, with the purpose to rise the amount of environments that can be simulated.

Practical implications

The product is intended for use by developers in computer sciences, and by engineers doing R&D for the solution of RFID problems, and makes it possible to simulate a complete range of virtual RFID‐Envs so that R&D can proceed in a non‐factory atmosphere.

Originality/value

There are only a few related papers that consider in an isolated form some of the problems approached here, but it was not found models that proposed as an integrated form all the processing to an RFID‐Env simulation like here presented.
Applying artefact‐based criteria to the recognition of “organisational” assets
Authors: El‐Tawy Nevine , Tollington Tony
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present asset recognition criteria based on the idea that an asset should be functional, separable and measurable and that financial recognition should be triggered by the recognition of an artefact.

Design/methodology/approach

Criteria is applied to four organisational assets, that is, those intangible assets that are unlikely to be reported in the accounting domain.

Findings

The criteria is applied in order to show how one may expand the basis on which assets can be reported financially to elements of intellectual capital as well as financial capital.

Originality/value

Artefact‐based asset recognition criteria could be a conduit through which intellectual capital could enter the accounting domain, a domain dominated by the maintenance of financial capital, not intellectual capital.
Public REITs' governance and regulatory structure: effects on NAV discount
Authors: Biasin Massimo , Giacomini Emanuela , Grazia Quaranta Anna
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the Italian real estate investment trusts (REITs)' governance and regulatory structure on the market prices discount to net asset values (NAV).

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesis is that the overall regulatory design and the rules for prudential vigilance (i.e. governance rights, closed‐end form, leverage constraints, and mandatory listing) influence REITs' share value, both as market price and as NAV). In particular, the analysis focuses on the effects of the recent introduction of a shareholders' meeting in the articles of association of newly established REITs that pursues a better alignment of interests between managers and shareholders.

Findings

The original results show that the NAV discount decreases as long as time to maturity of the fund decreases. Conversely, the NAV discount is negatively affected by share turnover (as a proxy of the liquidity generated by the mandatory listing provision) and leverage. The regulatory provision of a shareholders' meeting appears to have improved the investors' governance capability having a positive impact on the NAV discount. The different sensitivity of market prices and NAVs to the regulatory variables investigated suggests the need to consider this dichotomy when defining or amending the regulatory set ruling REITs' operations and market dynamic.

Originality/value

This paper is the first in the Italian context to specifically consider the effect of the regulatory environment on the NAV discount. In particular, the effect of the regulatory provision of a shareholders' meeting has never been investigated before.
Measuring price dynamics: evidence from the Warsaw housing market
Authors: Widłak Marta , Tomczyk Emilia
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present estimation results of hedonic price models as well as housing price indices for the Warsaw secondary market.

Design/methodology/approach

Three direct methods of constructing a hedonic price index and four indices that allow for quality adjustment are presented. The paper also discusses theoretical issues related to the estimation and interpretation of hedonic models.

Findings

It is shown that the imputation and the time dummy variable indices are subject to less variation than the characteristic price index. It is also shown that in comparison to the mean and the median, hedonic indices are less variable, which can be interpreted as partial control for quality changes in dwellings sold.

Practical implications

As this research project represents one of the first attempts of hedonic modelling applied to the Polish housing market, its results may be employed by appraisers to gain insight into behaviour of the Warsaw housing market. Practical implications focus on reliable measurement of house price dynamics in Poland. This paper supplies an appropriate methodology for addressing this question and offers empirical solutions.

Originality/value

Employment of hedonic models for construction of quality‐adjusted housing price indices has not yet been explored in Poland. The theoretical and practical aspects of hedonic indices presented in the paper open promising directions for the development of Polish statistics of real estate prices.
Use of vibration measurements in health monitoring of reinforced concrete buildings
Authors: Kanwar Varinder S. , Kwatra Naveen , Aggarwal Pankaj , Singh Ramesh P.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

In developing countries such as India, it is common practice to use low‐quality building materials, the strength of such materials reduce with time, which affects the lifespan of buildings. The wind, rain, seepage, and surface runoff are other key factors responsible for building damage and exterior degradation. The increasing industrial growth in and around urban areas is responsible for increasing industrial and anthropogenic emissions that are found to accelerate degradation of the buildings that affects their physical appearance. In an area prone to natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, subsidence, floods, lightning, tornados, and cyclone/hurricanes, huge amounts of damage throughout the globe has been experienced. For the purpose of assuring safety due to natural hazards, it is necessary to monitor the damage for its existence, its location and extent. Undetected damage may potentially lead to risk of vulnerability caused by natural hazards and eventually to catastrophic failure. Hence, rapid structural damage detection is essential and important to save human life due to failure of structures or buildings. Most of the time, human loss occurs due to damage to the buildings. This paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present study, numerous experiments have been carried out on two reinforced concrete building test specimens and on seven existing reinforced cement concrete structures.

Findings

The results presented here in this study show that the vibration measurements can be used to monitor the health of framed reinforced cement concrete buildings.

Originality/value

The present study is part of doctoral thesis of Varinder S. Kanwar, an original research work.
Nucleotide variability of the porcine SERPINA6 gene and the origin of a putative causal mutation associated with meat quality
Authors: Esteve A. , Ojeda A. , Huang L. S. , Folch J. M. , Pérez‐Enciso M.
Published: November 2010

The serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A, member 6 gene (SERPINA6), also known as corticosteroid‐binding globulin or CBG, is involved in obesity and stress sensitivity. Previous studies have reported putative causal mutations within that gene in the porcine species. To characterize a hypothetical selective footprint, we have resequenced approximately 6 kb of coding and non‐coding fragments in 20 pigs comprising domestic breeds and wild boars from Asia and Europe. Nucleotide variability was found to be far greater within Asian pig breeds than European breeds (π = 1% vs. 0.05%, respectively), which is consistent with pig evolutionary history. The putative causal amino acid substitution p.Gly307Arg (SNP c.919G>A) associated with meat quality (drip loss) was only detected in European domestic pig breeds, suggesting a very recent mutation that appeared after domestication in Europe. No support for positive selection was detected, as no reduction in levels of diversity surrounding the mutation was found in lean breeds with respect to wild boar.
The effect of unions on the distribution of wages of hospital‐employed registered nurses in the United States
Authors: Spetz Joanne , Ash Michael , Konstantinidis Charalampos , Herrera Carolina
Published: November 2010

Aims and objectives.  We estimate the impact of unionisation on the wage structure of hospital‐employed registered nurses in the USA. We examine whether unions have an effect on wage differences associated with race, gender, immigration status, education and experience, as well as whether there is less unexplained wage variation among unionised nurses.

Background.  In the past decade, there has been resurgence in union activity in the health care industry in the USA, particularly in hospitals. Numerous studies have found that unions are associated with higher wages. Unions may also affect the structure of wages paid to workers, by compressing the wage structure and reducing unexplained variation in wages.

Design.  Cross‐sectional analysis of pooled secondary data from the United States Current Population Survey, 2003–2006.

Method.  Multivariate regression analysis of factors that predict wages, with models derived from labour economics.

Results.  There are no wage differences associated with gender, race or immigration status among unionised nurses, but there are wage penalties for black and immigrant nurses in the non‐union sector. For the most part, the pay structures of the union and non‐union sectors do not significantly differ. The wage penalty associated with diploma education for non‐union nurses disappears among unionised nurses. Unionised nurses receive a lower return to experience, although the difference is not statistically significant. There is no evidence that unexplained variation in wages is lower among unionised nurses.

Conclusions.  While in theory unions may rationalise wage‐setting and reduce wage dispersion, we found no evidence to support this hypothesis.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The primary effect of hospital unions is to raise wages. Unionisation does not appear to have other important wage effects among hospital‐employed nurses.
An essential Aurora‐related kinase transiently associates with spindle pole bodies during Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic schizogony
Authors: Reininger Luc , Wilkes Jonathan M. , Bourgade Hélène , Miranda‐Saavedra Diego , Doerig Christian
Published: November 2010

Aurora kinases compose a family of conserved Ser/Thr protein kinases playing essential roles in eukaryotic cell division. To date, Aurora homologues remain uncharacterized in the protozoan phylum Apicomplexa. In malaria parasites, the characterization of Aurora kinases may help understand the cell cycle control during erythrocytic schizogony where asynchronous nuclear divisions occur. In this study, we revisited the kinome of Plasmodium falciparum and identified three Aurora‐related kinases, Pfark‐1, ‐2, ‐3. Among these, Pfark‐1 is highly conserved in malaria parasites and also appears to be conserved across Apicomplexa. By tagging the endogenous Pfark‐1 gene with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in live parasites, we show that the Pfark‐1–GFP protein forms paired dots associated with only a subset of nuclei within individual schizonts. Immunofluorescence analysis using an anti‐α‐tubulin antibody strongly suggests a recruitment of Pfark‐1 at duplicated spindle pole bodies at the entry of the M phase of the cell cycle. Unsuccessful attempts at disrupting the Pfark‐1 gene with a knockout construct further indicate that Pfark‐1 is required for parasite growth in red blood cells. Our study provides new insights into the cell cycle control of malaria parasites and reports the importance of Aurora kinases as potential targets for new antimalarials.
Characterization of Helicobacter pylori factors that control transformation frequency and integration length during inter‐strain DNA recombination
Authors: Humbert Olivier , Dorer Marion S. , Salama Nina R.
Published: November 2010

Helicobacter pylori is a genetically diverse bacterial species, owing in part to its natural competence for DNA uptake that facilitates recombination between strains. Inter‐strain DNA recombination occurs during human infection and the H. pylori genome is in linkage equilibrium worldwide. Despite this high propensity for DNA exchange, little is known about the factors that limit the extent of recombination during natural transformation. Here, we identify restriction‐modification (R‐M) systems as a barrier to transformation with homeologous DNA and find that R‐M systems and several components of the recombination machinery control integration length. Type II R‐M systems, the nuclease nucT and resolvase ruvC reduced integration length whereas the helicase recG increased it. In addition, we characterized a new factor that promotes natural transformation in H. pylori, dprB. Although free recombination has been widely observed in H. pylori, our study suggests that this bacterium uses multiple systems to limit inter‐strain recombination.
Soluble CD26 / Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Enhances Human Lymphocyte Proliferation In Vitro Independent of Dipeptidyl Peptidase Enzyme Activity and Adenosine Deaminase Binding
Authors: Yu D. M. T. , Slaitini L. , Gysbers V. , Riekhoff A. G. M. , Kähne T. , Knott H. M. , De Meester I. , Abbott C. A. , McCaughan G. W. , Gorrell M. D.
Published: November 2010

Human CD26 has dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP IV) enzyme activity and binds to adenosine deaminase (ADA). CD26 is costimulatory for lymphocytes and has a circulating soluble form (sCD26). DPP IV enzyme inhibition is a new successful type 2 diabetes therapy. We examined whether the ADA binding and catalytic functions of sCD26 contribute to its effects on T‐cell proliferation. Wildtype soluble recombinant human CD26 (srhCD26), an enzyme inactive mutant (srhCD26E‐) and an ADA non‐binding mutant (srhCD26A‐) were co‐incubated in in vitro T‐cell proliferation assays with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), muromonab‐CD3 or Herpes simplex virus antigen (HSV Ag). Both srhCD26 and srhCD26E‐ enhanced PHA‐induced T‐cell proliferation dose‐dependently in all six subjects tested. srhCD26 and srhCD26A‐ had no overall effect on anti‐CD3‐stimulated PBMC proliferation in four of five subjects. srhCD26, srhCD26E‐ and srhCD26A‐ enhanced HSV Ag induced PBMC proliferation in low responders to HSV Ag, but had no effect or inhibited proliferation in HSV‐high responders. Thus, effects of soluble human CD26 on human T‐cell proliferation are mechanistically independent of both the enzyme activity and the ADA‐binding capability of sCD26.
Postprandial insulin secretion pattern is associated with histological severity in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease patients without prior known diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kimura Yuki , Hyogo Hideyuki , Ishitobi Tomokazu , Nabeshima Yoshitaka , Arihiro Koji , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: November 2010

Background and Aim:  Insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus (DM) are known to contribute to the progression of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the relationship between glucose metabolism and NAFLD is not well known. In this study, we investigated whether secretion patterns of glucose and insulin could influence the histological severity in NAFLD patients without prior known type 2 DM.

Methods:  A 75‐g glucose tolerance test was performed on 173 biopsy‐proven NAFLD patients without prior known type 2 DM. Plasma glucose and insulin levels were analyzed periodically for 3 h after oral glucose loading.

Results:  Of the 173 NAFLD patients, 168 had non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis, whereas no patient had cirrhosis. Irrespective of the hemoglobin A1c levels, impaired glucose tolerance, including DM, was detected in 60% of the NAFLD patients. While the secretion pattern of glucose after glucose loading was similar among the NAFLD patients, postprandial insulin levels increased and delayed insulin secretion increased in severity in parallel with the aggravation of histological findings (fibrosis stages). Factors associated with advanced fibrosis were higher insulin levels at 120 min after oral glucose loading (P = 0.0001; odds ratio [OR], 3.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61–7.86), aspartate aminotransferase (P = 0.003; OR, 2.70; 95% CI: 1.19–6.12), and age (P = 0.02; OR, 2.49; 95% CI: 1.15–5.37) as determined by multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:  Postprandial hyperinsulinemia (but not glucose levels) was associated with advanced fibrosis. The oral glucose tolerance test should be considered in NAFLD patients without prior known type 2 DM in order to facilitate early therapeutic intervention.
Quest for client autonomy in improving long‐term mental health care
Authors: Broer Tineke , Nieboer Anna P. , Bal Roland A.
Published: November 2010

The objective of the present study was to explore how mental health‐care professionals initiate, improve, and maintain client autonomy while improving other aspects of quality of care. We studied the different ways in which they approach autonomy and the dilemmas associated with them. As a methodology, we used the insights of actor‐network theory, where concepts cannot be predefined, but are formed within specific situations, and therefore, should be studied by addressing the actors involved. Data were gathered by conducting ethnographic observations of national conferences of a quality‐improvement collaborative and by interviewing actors involved in the improvement practices. In a bottom‐up analysis, four approaches to autonomy emerged: (i) professionals removed constraints to autonomy and passed initiative to clients; (ii) professionals made an active effort to learn and support client preferences; (iii) clients were given opportunities towards independent lifestyles; and (iv) professionals tried to ‘normalize’ their relationship with clients to encourage roles other than those of client. The study showed that autonomy is an important issue throughout the process of quality improvement. Articulating the different approaches to autonomy and the dilemmas in these approaches contributed to reflection on the concept and highlighted the limits of the concept within a mental health‐care setting.
Immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of type VI collagen in the lingual mucosa of rats during the morphogenesis of filiform papillae
Authors: Iwasaki Shin‐ichi , Yoshizawa Hideki , Aoyagi Hidekazu
Published: November 2010

Iwasaki, S., Yoshizawa, H. and Aoyagi, H. 2012. Immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of type VI collagen in the lingual mucosa of rats during the morphogenesis of filiform papillae. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93: 80–87.

We examined the distribution after immunostaining of immunofluorescence of type VI collagen, differential interference contrast (DIC) images, and images obtained using confocal laser‐scanning microscopy in transmission mode, after toluidine blue staining, during morphogenesis of the filiform papillae, keratinization of the lingual epithelium and myogenesis in the rat tongue on semi‐ultrathin sections of epoxy resin‐embedded samples. Immunoreactivity specific for type VI collagen was dispersed over a relatively wide range of connective tissue in the mesenchyme of fetuses on day 15 after conception (E15), at which time the lingual epithelium was composed of one or two layers of cuboidal cells and the lingual muscle was barely recognizable. Slight immunoreactivity specific for type VI collagen was scattered within the lamina propria in fetuses on E17 and on E19, and immunoreactivity was relatively distinct on the connective tissue around the lingual muscle during myogenesis. In fetuses on E19, the epithelium was already stratified squamous. At postnatal stages from P0 to P14, keratinization of the lingual epithelium advanced gradually as morphogenesis of the filiform papillae proceeded during postnatal development. In newborns on P0, myogenesis of the tongue was almost completed. The intensity of immunoreactivity specific for type VI collagen at postnatal stages was mainly restricted on the endomysium and perimysium around the lingual muscle, while scant immunoreactivity was evident in the connective tissue in the lamina propria. Immunoreactivity around the fully mature lingual muscle on P7 and P14 was weaker than that on E19 and P0. Thus, type VI collagen appeared in the connective tissue that surrounded the lingual muscles such as the endomysium and perimysium, in parallel with changes in extracellular components during myogenesis of the tongue.
Deaf and hearing children: a comparison of peripheral vision development
Authors: Codina Charlotte , Buckley David , Port Michael , Pascalis Olivier
Published: November 2010

This study investigated peripheral vision (at least 30° eccentric to fixation) development in profoundly deaf children without cochlear implantation, and compared this to age‐matched hearing controls as well as to deaf and hearing adult data. Deaf and hearing children between the ages of 5 and 15 years were assessed using a new, specifically paediatric designed method of static perimetry. The deaf group (N = 25) were 14 females and 11 males, mean age 9.92 years (range 5–15 years). The hearing group (N = 64) were 34 females, 30 males, mean age 9.13 years (range 5–15 years). All participants had good visual acuity in both eyes (< 0.200 LogMAR). Accuracy of detection and reaction time to briefly presented LED stimuli of three light intensities, at eccentricities between 30° and 85° were measured while fixation was maintained to a central target. The study found reduced peripheral vision in deaf children between 5 and 10 years of age. Deaf children (aged 5–10 years) showed slower reaction times to all stimuli and reduced ability to detect and accurately report dim stimuli in the far periphery. Deaf children performed equally to hearing children aged 11–12 years. Deaf adolescents aged 13–15 years demonstrated faster reaction times to all peripheral stimuli in comparison to hearing controls. Adolescent results were consistent with deaf and hearing adult performances wherein deaf adults also showed significantly faster reaction times than hearing controls. Peripheral vision performance on this task was found to reach adult‐like levels of maturity in deaf and hearing children, both in reaction time and accuracy of detection at the age of 11–12 years.
HEURISTIC SEARCH UNDER CONTRACT
Authors: Aine Sandip , Chakrabarti P.P. , Kumar Rajeev
Published: November 2010

In this article, we present a heuristic search technique (Contract Search) that can be adapted automatically for a specific node contract. We analyze the node expansion characteristics of best‐first search techniques and identify a probabilistic model (rank profiles) that characterizes the search under restricted expansions. We use the model to formulate an optimal strategy to choose level dependent restriction bounds, maximizing the probability of obtaining the optimal cost goal node under the specified contract. We analyze the basic properties of the rank profiles and establish its relation with the search space configuration and heuristic error distributions. We suggest an approximation scheme for the profile function for unknown search spaces. We show how the basic framework can be adapted to achieve different objectives (like optimizing the expected quality) considering multiple goals and approximate solutions. Experimental comparison with anytime search techniques like ARA* and beam search on a number of search problems shows that Contract Search outperforms these techniques over a range of contract specifications.
Brain functions associated with verbal working memory tasks among young males with alcohol use disorders
Authors: PARK MI‐SOOK , SOHN SUNJU , PARK JI‐EUN , KIM SOOK‐HEE , YU IN KYU , SOHN JIN‐HUN
Published: November 2010

Park, M.‐S., Sohn, S., Park, J.‐E., Kim, S.‐H., Yu, I.K. & Sohn, J.‐H. (2011). Brain functions associated with verbal working memory tasks among young males with alcohol use disorders. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 1–7.

This study aimed to investigate the differences in brain functions during verbal working memory between individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and normal controls. fMRI was used to scan brain activations associated with verbal working memory while participants performed 2‐back and 0‐back tasks. A total of 21 young male college students participated in the study. Eleven of those who clinically met the criteria for AUD were assigned to the AUD group, whereas ten demographically similar subjects who were social drinkers but not AUD were assigned to the normal control group. The AUD group showed less activation in bilateral frontal and precentral, left superior temporal, left superior parietal, and left cerebellar cortex during the 2‐back task relative to 0‐back task compared to the normal control group. In contrast, the control group showed less activation only in the right uncus than the AUD group. These results suggest that subjects with AUD present abnormality in brain functioning during verbal working memory.
Early maladaptive schemas in Finnish adult chronic pain patients and a control sample
Authors: SAARIAHO TOM HARRI , SAARIAHO ANITA SYLVIA , KARILA IRMA ANNELI , JOUKAMAA MATTI I.
Published: November 2010

Saariaho, T.H., Saariaho, A.S., Karila, I.A. & Joukamaa, M.I. (2011). Early maladaptive schemas in Finnish adult chronic pain patients and a control sample. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 146–153.

Engel (1959) suggested that negative physical or emotional experiences in childhood predispose to the development of chronic pain. Studies have shown that physical and sexual abuse in early life is connected with chronic pain. Emotional adversities are much less studied causes contributing to the development of chronic pain and disability. Early emotional abuse, neglect, maltreatment and other adversities are deleterious childhood experiences which, according to Young’s schema theory (1990), produce early maladaptive schemas (EMSs). The primary goal of this study was to examine whether early adversities were more common in chronic pain patients than in a control group. A total of 271 (53% women) first‐visit chronic pain patients and 331 (86% women) control participants took part in the study. Their socio‐demographic data, pain variables and pain disability were measured. To estimate EMSs the Young Schema Questionnaire was used. Chronic pain patients scored higher EMSs reflecting incapacity to perform independently, catastrophic beliefs and pessimism. The most severely disabled chronic pain patients showed an increase in all the EMSs in the Disconnection and Rejection schema domain, namely Abandonment/Instability, Mistrust/Abuse, Emotional Deprivation, Defectiveness/Shame and Social Isolation/Alienation EMSs. The results of the study suggested that chronic pain patients had suffered early emotional maltreatment.
Smoking cessation among Norwegian adolescents and young adults: preferred cessation methods
Authors: WIIUM NORA , ØVERLAND SIMON , AARØ LEIF E.
Published: November 2010

Wiium, N., Øverland, S. & Aarø, L.E. (2011). Smoking cessation among Norwegian adolescents and young adults: preferred cessation methods. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 154–160.

Despite generally declining smoking rates, particularly among young people, a large number of people remain smokers and many young people still pick up smoking. Helping smokers quit therefore remains a high priority for the public health sector. In the present study we examined adolescents and young adults’ preferences regarding cessation methods and if these differed between genders and depended on smoking frequency. The data came from a nationally representative survey in Norway among 16–20 year olds. Only regular (weekly and daily) smokers were included in the statistical analyses (n = 509, 51% females). The findings suggest that the majority of both male (83.6%) and female (78.4%) smokers would prefer to quit smoking without help. More males than females reported that they would consider using snus as a cessation aid, while females more often reported willingness to attend cessation classes or use brochures and diaries as cessation aids. Both males and females had similar preferences albeit low, regarding the use of health services, nicotine gum or patches and internet and sms‐services to quit smoking. Daily smokers would more often than weekly smokers prefer to attend cessation classes, seek help from health services, use nicotine gum or patches or use brochures and diaries. In contrast, weekly smokers preferred to use snus as a cessation aid more often than daily smokers. Identifying and making appropriate cessation methods attractive may lead to successful quitting and consequently public health gains.
Understanding Violence in the ‘Society of Captives’: Sykes Meets Bourdieu in Prison
Authors: NEUBER ANKE
Published: November 2010

Abstract: Looking at violence in prison from a sociological perspective, Sykes's Society of Captives remains a classic in penology. Influenced by structural‐functionalism, he describes the great influence of the prison structure on its inmates and emphasises the importance of violence for the stabilisation of the prison social order. This article will re‐examine Sykes's assumptions about the relationship between structure and action, referring to Bourdieu and a biographical approach using a case example from a qualitative longitudinal study with male inmates in young offenders' institutions in Germany. It concludes by asking how the meaning of violence in prison changes, looked at from these different theoretical perspectives.
Photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma: clinical and pathological determinants of response
Authors: Fantini F. , Greco A. , Del Giovane C. , Cesinaro A.M. , Venturini M. , Zane C. , Surrenti T. , Peris K. , Calzavara‐Pinton P.G.
Published: November 2010

Background  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is increasingly used in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, scant information is available about the impact of both patient‐ and lesion‐related characteristics on the effectiveness of therapy. Therefore, on the basis of the current data, it is difficult to draw clear‐cut indications to use PDT for treatment of BCC in clinical practice.

Objective  To investigate the clinical and pathological determinants of response of BCC to PDT with methylaminolevulinate (MAL) and red light.

Methods  The clinical and pathological characteristics of 194 BCCs in 135 patients, treated with MAL‐PDT, were evaluated. Lesions were treated with MAL‐PDT according to established methods and the response was assessed by clinical follow‐up of the patients.

Results  Complete response to PDT was 62%, with a better response for superficial BCC (95/116, 82%) than nodular BCC (26/78, 33%). When determinants of response were analysed, the nodular type and the location on the limbs emerged as significant clinical predictors of failure. Among the pathological characteristics, the nodular and infiltrative histotypes, as well as ulceration and tumour thickness were associated with a lower response to therapy. Patients’ age and gender, as well as the size of the lesions, were not found to be significant predictors.

Conclusions  Optimization of PDT procedure for BCC requires a careful selection of the lesions. In particular, superficial BCCs, preferentially located on the trunk, show the best therapeutic response.
Magnifications of single and dual element accommodative intraocular lenses: paraxial optics analysis
Authors: Ale Jit B , Manns Fabrice , Ho Arthur
Published: November 2010

Citation information: Ale JB, Manns F & Ho A. Magnifications of single and dual element accommodative intraocular lenses: paraxial optics analysis. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 7–16. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2010.00795.x

Purpose:  Using an analytical approach of paraxial optics, we evaluated the magnification of a model eye implanted with single‐element (1E) and dual‐element (2E) translating‐optics accommodative intraocular lenses (AIOL) with an objective of understanding key control parameters relevant to their design. Potential clinical implications of the results arising from pseudophakic accommodation were also considered.

Methods:  Lateral and angular magnifications in a pseudophakic model eye were analyzed using the matrix method of paraxial optics. The effects of key control parameters such as direction (forward or backward) and distance (0 to 2 mm) of translation, power combinations of the 2E‐AIOL elements (front element power range +20.0 D to +40.0 D), and amplitudes of accommodation (0 to 4 D) were tested. Relative magnification, defined as the ratio of the retinal image size of the accommodated eye to that of unaccommodated phakic (rLM1) or pseudophakic (rLM2) model eyes, was computed to determine how retinal image size changes with pseudophakic accommodation.

Results:  Both lateral and angular magnifications increased with increased power of the front element in 2E‐AIOL and amplitude of accommodation. For a 2E‐AIOL with front element power of +35 D, rLM1 and rLM2 increased by 17.0% and 16.3%, respectively, per millimetre of forward translation of the element, compared to the magnification at distance focus (unaccommodated). These changes correspond to a change of 9.4% and 6.5% per dioptre of accommodation, respectively. Angular magnification also increased with pseudophakic accommodation. 1E‐AIOLs produced consistently less magnification than 2E‐AIOLs. Relative retinal image size decreased at a rate of 0.25% with each dioptre of accommodation in the phakic model eye. The position of the image space nodal point shifted away from the retina (towards the cornea) with both phakic and pseudophakic accommodation.

Conclusion:  Power of the mobile element, and amount and direction of the translation (or the achieved accommodative amplitude) are important parameters in determining the magnifications of the AIOLs. The results highlight the need for caution in the prescribing of AIOL. Aniso‐accommodation or inter‐ocular differences in AIOL designs (or relative to the natural lens of the contralateral eye) may introduce dynamic aniseikonia and consequent impaired binocular vision. Nevertheless, some designs, offering greater increases in magnification on accommodation, may provide enhanced near vision depending on patient needs.