bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EIGER detector: application in macromolecular crystallography
Authors: Casanas Arnau , Warshamanage Rangana , Finke Aaron D. , Panepucci Ezequiel , Olieric Vincent , Nöll Anne , Tampé Robert , Brandstetter Stefan , Förster Andreas , Mueller Marcus , Schulze-Briese Clemens , Bunk Oliver , Wang Meitian
Published: August 2016

The development of single-photon-counting detectors, such as the PILATUS, has been a major recent breakthrough in macromolecular crystallography, enabling noise-free detection and novel data-acquisition modes. The new EIGER detector features a pixel size of 75 × 75 µm, frame rates of up to 3000 Hz and a dead time as low as 3.8 µs. An EIGER 1M and EIGER 16M were tested on Swiss Light Source beamlines X10SA and X06SA for their application in macromolecular crystallography. The combination of fast frame rates and a very short dead time allows high-quality data acquisition in a shorter time. The ultrafine φ-slicing data-collection method is introduced and validated and its application in finding the optimal rotation angle, a suitable rotation speed and a sufficient X-ray dose are presented. An improvement of the data quality up to slicing at one tenth of the mosaicity has been observed, which is much finer than expected based on previous findings. The influence of key data-collection parameters on data quality is discussed.
The bittersweet experience of being envied in a consumption context
Authors: Romani Simona , Grappi Silvia , Bagozzi Richard P.
Published: August 2016

Purpose

Very limited research exists examining envy from the viewpoint of an envied consumer, rather than an envier. This paper aims to address this gap by examining whether and how the experience of being envied actually affects consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents three experiments. Study 1 investigates the ambivalent experience of being envied. Study 2 examines the effect of being envied in consumption contexts on consumer satisfaction, analyzing the combined ambivalent effects of positive and negative feelings. It also investigates the moderating role played by consumer coping responses to enviers (mitigation vs exacerbation). Finally, Study 3 applies the hypothesized model in a specific context (i.e. a material possession context), focusing on adult consumers.

Findings

Results show that negative (e.g. guilt and anxiety) and positive (e.g. sense of well-being and prestige) feelings for being envied depend on the type of relationship between the envier and the envied, and the type of desired object, and consumer satisfaction is driven by the combined ambivalent effects of positive and negative feelings, where coping responses by envied consumers moderate the effects of such feelings on satisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper makes three main contributions: it extends prior research by highlighting the role of personal relationship factors and the type of object of desire in the experience of being envied; demonstrates that both positive and negative feelings of being envied affect consumer satisfaction; and shows conditions regulating the influence of positive and negative feelings on satisfaction, demonstrating that mitigation strategies decrease the effects of negative feelings on satisfaction, whereas exacerbation strategies failed to regulate the effects of positive feelings.
An arousal-based explanation of affect dynamics
Authors: Yan Li , Liu Matthew Tingchi , Chen Xiaoyun , Shi Guicheng
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of pre-existing mood valence, mood arousal and ad-evoked arousal on response to television and print advertising. It combined the arousal-as-information and arousal regulation approaches into a single arousal congruence theory. It sought an extended application of arousal congruence theory in the persuasion domain with several novel findings.

Design/methodology/approach

Four experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. Analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance and pairwise comparison were used for data analysis.

Findings

Consumer judgment is a joint function of mood valence, mood arousal and ad-evoked arousal. Positive mood does not always generate more positive evaluations and vice versa. Ad-evoked arousal can more strongly influence consumers’ judgments when they are in a negative rather than a positive mood. Furthermore, consumers in a positive mood rate a target more favorably when the ad-evoked arousal level is congruent with their current arousal state, while those in a negative mood rate a target more favorably when the ad-evoked arousal level is incongruent with their current state of arousal. Arousal polarization intensifies such congruence (and incongruence) effects.

Practical implications

The findings reveal a mood-lifting opportunity based on ad-evoked arousal. This has implications for the design of advertisements, promotional materials, marketing campaigns and retailing environments.

Originality/value

This paper’s findings highlight unexpected effects of stimulus-evoked arousal in persuasion when consumers are exposed to multiple emotional cues from the environment. The paper demonstrates the utility of an integrated model, explaining the relative importance of valence and arousal in influencing consumer judgments. It has been the first to examine arousal congruence, arousal polarization and arousal regulation mechanisms jointly.
Listerine – for the bridesmaid who’s never a bride
Authors: Newton Joshua D. , Wong Jimmy , Newton Fiona Joy
Published: August 2016

Purpose

While the potential benefits of integrating humour into advertisements are widely understood, the reasons why these effects emerge are not. Drawing on literature about the impact of psychological feelings of power, this research aims to examine how power motivation interacts with the presence of disparaging humour in ads to influence ad-related outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the measurement (Study 1) or manipulation (Study 2) of power motivation, participants viewed an ad featuring either disparaging humour or one of the following alternatives: no humour (Study 1) or non-disparaging humour (Study 2). Sense of superiority, brand attitude, ad claim recall and the perceived humorousness of the ad were then assessed.

Findings

Featuring disparaging humour in an ad increased participants’ sense of superiority, but only among those with high power motivation. Among such participants, this heightened sense of superiority increased the perceived humorousness of the disparaging humour (Studies 1 and 2), induced more favourable attitudes towards the brand featured in the ad (Studies 1 and 2) and enhanced ad claim recall (Study 2). These effects did not, however, extend to ads featuring non-disparaging humour (Study 2), indicating that it was the presence of disparaging humour, and not humourper se, that was responsible for these effects.

Originality/value

These findings break open the “black box” of humour by identifying why consumers perceive disparaging humorous content to be funny, when this effect will occur and what impact this will have on advertising-related outcomes.
Framing the work: the composition of value in the visual arts
Authors: Preece Chloe , Kerrigan Finola , O’Reilly Daragh
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on value creation by examining value within the visual arts market and arguing for a broader, socio-culturally informed view of value creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop an original conceptual framework to model the value co-creation process through which art is legitimised. An illustrative case study of artist Damien Hirst demonstrates the application of this framework.

Findings

The findings illustrate how value is co-constructed in the visual arts market, demonstrating a need to understand social relationships as value is dispersed, situational and in-flux.

Research limitations/implications

The authors problematise the view that value emerges as a result of operant resources “producing effects” through working on operand resources. Rather, adopting the socio-cultural approach, the authors demonstrate how value emerges and is co-constructed, negotiated and circulated. The authors establish the need to reconceptualise value as created collaboratively with other actors within industry sectors. The locus of control is, therefore, dispersed. Moreover, power dynamics at play mean that “consumers” are not homogenous; some are more important than others in the valuation process.

Practical implications

This more distributed notion of value blurs boundaries between product and service, producer and consumer, offering a more unified perspective on value co-creation, which can be used in strategic decision-making.

Originality/value

This paper illustrates that value co-creation must be understood in relation to understanding patterns of hierarchy that influence this process.
Paradox, tribalism, and the transitional consumption experience
Authors: Skandalis Alexandros , Byrom John , Banister Emma
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore how the paradox of individualism/tribalism is brought into play and negotiated by consumers in the wake of the post-postmodern era.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on netnographic and interview data from the Greek football manager (FM) online gaming community. FM is a simulation strategy game in which players act as “real-life” managers from the screen of their computer.

Findings

A central paradox and a set of four supporting paradoxes are identified. These paradoxes give rise to a transitional mode of experience, which lies on the borders of reality and fantasy, and is realised both at the individual and the tribal levels.

Originality/value

This study makes a threefold contribution. First, it advances the understanding of the paradoxical aspects of consumption experiences in light of post-postmodern consumer culture. Second, it shows how these paradoxes are negotiated by consumers between individual and tribal levels. Third, it extends the understanding of the nature of consumption experiences through the development of the concept of the transitional consumption experience.
Oh, the places you’ll go!
Authors: Chapa Olga , Wang Yong J.
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore pre-employment college graduates’ relocation tendencies based on a research framework built upon gender and cultural theories.

Design/methodology/approach

Relocation decisions were analyzed based on 208 college graduates enrolled in public universities in Texas, USA.

Findings

The relocation decision-making by college graduates differ from that for corporate employees described in previous research. First, the willingness to relocate increases as the college graduates mature. Second, gender difference in the willingness to relocate is non-significant because of the same expected norms for both genders. Instead, psychological gender affiliation, such as self-perceived masculinity, makes a difference in relocation decisions. Third, family-related variables, such as marital status and parenthood, do not influence college graduates’ relocation decisions. Last, cultural groups do not exhibit any overall significant differences.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide new and complementary knowledge over previous relocation studies.

Practical implications

The findings enhance the understanding of career choices made by college graduates in their early career, offering valuable managerial implications in crafting staffing strategies and improving human resource management for organizations in today’s fast-changing, vibrant multi-cultural environment.

Originality/value

The study is focused on pre-employment relocation decision-making by college graduates from different demographic backgrounds. The study fills a major research void in relocation studies by clarifying the relocation patterns of new employees graduating from college.
Organizational learning in context of part-time employment
Authors: Kivipõld Kurmet , Hoffman Richard C.
Published: August 2016

Purpose

Combining trends in employment flexibility, organizational learning, need for improved leadership and entrepreneurship is important in managing today’s organizations. This study aims to explore these relationships within a single media firm in one of the Baltic States.

Design/methodology/approach

The subject for this exploratory case study is a small Estonian media company having a total of 43 members/employees. Data for the study were collected using two questionnaires (organizational leadership capability and dimensions of learning organizations) and by in-depth interviews. Assessment and analysis of the data included: measurement of organizational leadership (OL) and learning organization; measurement of entrepreneurial behavior; and analysis of the results gained from studying the issues pertaining to OL, learning organization and entrepreneurial behavior.

Findings

The results of this study reveal that part-time versus full-time employees have more positive attitudes toward the organization’s decentralized leadership and of six of seven learning characteristics. It appears that the entrepreneurial orientation of the part-time employees (PTEs) helps explain the differences observed.

Practical implications

The implications for practice based on this study is that firms should consider their PTEs as a valuable asset not only because of the flexibility they offer to the workforce but also because of the special skills and outlooks they bring to the organization.

Originality/value

This paper explores the relationships among organizational learning, OL and entrepreneurship in context of part-time employment.
Organizational learning capability and battlefield performance
Authors: Visser Max
Published: August 2016

Purpose

While intended as a bridge between the concepts of learning organization and organizational learning, current conceptualizations of organizational learning capability still predominantly lean toward the learning organization side, specifically directed at profit firms. The purpose of this paper is to propose a four-dimensional model of organization learning capability that leans more toward the organizational learning side, specifically directed at nonprofit and government organizations in general, and army organizations in particular. This model is applied to the British Army in the Second World War.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper entails a secondary analysis of historical and military sources and data.

Findings

It is found that the British Army possessed only a moderate learning capability, which can be plausibly, but not exclusively, related to differences in battlefield performance between the British and the German Army in the Second World War.

Research limitations/implications

The research scope of the paper is limited to the analysis of one particular army in the Second World War. Implications for theory reside in the importance of organizational learning capability and its dimensions to the effectiveness of “lessons learned” processes inside organizations.

Practical implications

The paper has clear practical implications for armies and organizations that resemble armies in one or more aspects, like prisons, correctional facilities, police forces, hospitals, mental institutions and fire departments.

Originality/value

The paper ranks among the first organizational papers to analyze army operations and functioning from the perspective of organizational learning capability.
Energy efficiency and behavioral patterns in Latvia
Authors: Makijenko Jevgenija , Burlakovs Juris , Brizga Janis , Klavins Maris
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness on different aspects that interconnect energy efficiency projects and human behavioral aspects. Perception of energy, as the physical phenomenon, inevitably should be taken into consideration within elaboration of governmental strategies and performing of energy efficiency projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative and qualitative data as well as legislation analysis were performed to link consumer behavioral and the duality of perception of energy aspects while performing insulation projects in Latvia. The results confirm prior findings that link together the energy consumption trends and consumer behavioral and rebound effects. The problems are stated clear: society in general is not ready to invest into energy efficiency maintenance, information on energy efficiency projects is weakly disseminated, and lack of proper information on positive aspects about energy saving projects has negative feedback on public opinion and sustainable education in the topic suffers in this case.

Findings

As the response for solving these issues recommendations are proposed new strategies should be elaborated to perform effective and innovative marketing for promoting positively oriented trends on energy saving issues and behavioral changes in society; and awareness on energy efficiency projects should be raised to show positive examples from successful ones for the good of sustainable education.

Originality/value

Such type of study about consumer behavior have not been performed in country that is on transition stage for developing the energy-efficient societal thinking.
Environmental, energy and economic aspects in a zero-emission façade system design
Authors: Barecka Magda Helena , Zbicinski Ireneusz , Heim Dariusz
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and quantify environmental, energy and economy aspects in a zero-emission façade system design.

Design/methodology/approach

The efficient design of a zero emission façade system cannot focus solely on the energy performance, but should as well include the economic an environmental aspects in order to make the solution feasible and sustainable in whole life cycle of the façade. In this paper a full environmental impact analysis of six different façade panels was carried out by evaluating the LCA of the panels with MIPS technique. Economic aspects were incorporated into the analysis on the basis of costs of manufacturing, whereas the panels’ energy performance was determined from ESP-r modeling tool.

Findings

Subsequently, an optimal façade design based on highly isolative panels covered with CIS photovoltaic modules and double skin façade window system was proposed. Systematic and holistic analysis of environmental, energy and economic aspects is crucial for development of optimal zero-emission façade system.

Practical implications

The proposed solution has been applied in development of an experimental façade built within the framework of German-Polish Energy Efficiency Project.

Originality/value

The paper provides a multi-objective approach (economy, environment, efficiency) for finding the best solutions for the façade system design. The methodology and the results reported in this research can be used for designing or improving performance of zero-emission façades.
Promoting building materials that have lower embodied carbon and energy in public procurements
Authors: Rebane Kristel , Reihan Alvina
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a more carbon efficient alternative design using engineered timber components over reinforced concrete elements to a recently completed non-residential building located in Tallinn, Estonia. Also to promote building materials that have proved to have lower embodied carbon and energy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on data collected from the original project drawings, embodied carbon and embodied energy values of construction materials under comparison which are based on Inventory of Carbon & Energy database and on the research conducted in Finland that focussed on wooden building products. The engineered timber solution is designed in accordance with relevant regulations and laws including requirements for fire safety and sound insulation.

Findings

Buildings embodied carbon and embodied energy can be reduced by using proposed engineered timber materials.

Research limitations/implications

The outcome of current research is limited and applies only to the reference building and its proposed alternative, therefore it should be taken into consideration before any use. Still it provides clear information that using more carbon efficient materials can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a building.

Practical implications

The outcome can be used as a tool promoting materials with a lower embodied carbon and energy in public procurements.

Originality/value

This study comparing buildings enclosure system alternatives as a whole by allowing to choose more environmentally friendly solution is the first in Estonia.
Localization HRM practices and financial performance: evidence from the Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Moideenkutty Unnikammu , Murthy Y.S.R. , Al-Lamky Asya
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between localization (Omanization) practices and financial performance in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

Firms listed in the Muscat Securities Market were surveyed. Data were obtained from 73 firms. Financial performance data (average ratio of market value to book value) were obtained from published records.

Findings

Results indicated that localization practices were related to financial performance after controlling for size, type of firm, average price earnings ratio of the industry and Omanization levels.

Research limitations/implications

The measure of localization did not specify the level at which Omanization practices are focused on. This is a limitation of this study, and future research must measure localization practices for different levels in the organization.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, the results of this study suggest that organizations in the Arabian Gulf can enhance their performance by implementing systematic localization human resource management practices. The authors believe that this study makes a significant preliminary contribution to the understanding of localization practices and financial performance in the Arabian Gulf region.

Social implications

These results are encouraging for managers who argue for integrating locals into the workforce rather than engaging in localization practices for public relations purposes. Sincere localization efforts develop local human capital.

Originality/value

Study was conducted in the Sultanate of Oman, an Arabian Gulf country. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of localization practices and financial performance in the Arabian Gulf. This study therefore contributes to and extends the growing literature on localization practices in the Arabian Gulf in general and Oman in particular.
Slow intrinsic growth rate in forest elephants indicates recovery from poaching will require decades
Authors: Turkalo Andrea K. , Wrege Peter H. , Wittemyer George
Published: August 2016

African forest elephants Loxodonta cyclotis are experiencing persistent declines driven by illegal killing and range loss. Despite the importance for policy debates regarding elephant trade managed through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), little is known about forest elephant demography and, consequently, the impacts of offtake and subsequent population recovery potential.

Using 23 years of individually based demographic data from Dzanga, Central African Republic, we found low reproductive potential resulting from annual birth rates averaging 4·3% (SD: 1·4%), a median inter‐birth interval of 68 months and a median primiparous age of 23 years. Average mortality was 3·1% per year (SD: 1·0%) during the study, with approximately 1·4% of that attributed to human killing.

This population of forest elephants demonstrated concerningly slow growth rates, with a doubling time of nearly 60 years under current conditions (41 years excluding human impacts), amounting to three times that reported for savanna elephants. As such, forest elephants appear to be significantly more sensitive to human‐induced mortality than their congeneric species.

Such slow intrinsic growth challenges current perceptions of historic and contemporary ivory trade impacts on forest elephants, highlighting the urgent need to stem poaching and institute long‐term protective measures.

Policy implications. Debates regarding the sustainability of the ivory trade for the species appear to have overestimated growth rates of forest elephants. The information presented here indicates that sustainable offtake models for forest elephants need reassessment.
Transforming engagement: a case study of building intrinsic motivation in a child with autism
Authors: Dearden Jackie , Emerson Anne , Lewis Tom , Papp Rebecca
Published: August 2016

This longitudinal case study of a 10‐year‐old girl with autism and severe communication impairment measures the impact of the MORE (Means, Opportunities, Reasons and Expectations) approach to enhancing engagement and communication. Through detailed observation of video data over a period of 28 months, engagement behaviours including interaction with adults and following adult directions increased, while resistant behaviours such as kicking, hitting and pushing adults away decreased. Fluctuation between different ‘states’ demonstrated that the frequency and duration of engagement was influenced by the MORE approach and an emphasis on developing intrinsic motivation. In order to enable further efficacy research, core features of the intervention and the changes in engagement over time are described.
Effects of servant leadership on work–family balance in China
Authors: Wang Minmin , Kwan Ho Kwong , Zhou Aiqin
Published: August 2016

While an increasing number of studies focus on work–family balance (WFB), little research has examined WFB in China. We aim to fill this gap by exploring the antecedents to WFB for Chinese employees. On the basis of the WFB model, we propose that servant leadership positively influences WFB through identification with the leader and work‐to‐family positive spillover (WFPS). We conducted a field survey in an insurance company in Shanghai. Two hundred salespersons with an average age of 32.5 were surveyed (116 women and 84 men). The results indicate that perceived servant leadership indirectly promotes WFB. The positive relationship between servant leadership and WFB is mediated by identification with the leader and WFPS, which operate in tandem. We discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of our findings.
Seasonal differential expression of KiSS‐1/GPR54 in the striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) among different tissues
Authors: XU Laixiang , XUE Huiliang , LI Shenning , XU Jinhui , CHEN Lei
Published: August 2016

Kisspeptins and G protein coupled receptor (GPR54) play significant roles in regulating reproductive activity among seasonally reproductive animals; however, the mechanisms of KiSS‐1 and GPR54 gene affecting the seasonal reproduction in striped hamster are still unknown. In this study, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to examine the expression profiles of KiSS‐1 and GPR54 in the hypothalamus, ovaries, testes, uterus and epididymis of striped hamsters across 4 different seasons. Our results showed that, across different seasons, the KiSS‐1 expression mode of male striped hamsters and the GPR54 expression mode of female striped hamsters were consistent with the seasonal photoperiod in the hypothalamus. Meanwhile, across different seasons, the expression profile of KiSS‐1 in the testes and the GPR54 expression profile of male striped hamsters in the hypothalamus were consistent with the intensity of their seasonal reproductive activity. Among different tissues, the expression trend for GPR54 is consistent across 4 seasons, while that for KiSS‐1 is tissue‐dependent. The expression trend for GPR54 across 4 seasons is the same regardless of gender, while that for KiSS‐1 is dramatically different and sex‐dependent across different seasons. These results suggest that the expressions of KiSS‐1 and GPR54 in the striped hamsters were regulated by complicated mechanisms, and the regulatory mechanisms in the striped hamsters are seasonal‐dependent and sex‐dependent. This research will provide a theoretical basis for studying how KiSS‐1 and GPR54 affect seasonal reproduction and the mechanisms behind their influence.
Eliciting conditioned taste aversion in lizards: Live toxic prey are more effective than scent and taste cues alone
Authors: WARD‐FEAR Georgia , THOMAS Jai , WEBB Jonathan K. , PEARSON David J. , SHINE Richard
Published: August 2016

Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is an adaptive learning mechanism whereby a consumer associates the taste of a certain food with symptoms caused by a toxic substance, and thereafter avoids eating that type of food. Recently, wildlife researchers have employed CTA to discourage native fauna from ingesting toxic cane toads (Rhinella marina), a species that is invading tropical Australia. In this paper, we compare the results of 2 sets of CTA trials on large varanid lizards (“goannas,” Varanus panoptes). One set of trials (described in this paper) exposed recently‐captured lizards to sausages made from cane toad flesh, laced with a nausea‐inducing chemical (lithium chloride) to reinforce the aversion response. The other trials (in a recently‐published paper, reviewed herein) exposed free‐ranging lizards to live juvenile cane toads. The effectiveness of the training was judged by how long a lizard survived in the wild before it was killed (fatally poisoned) by a cane toad. Both stimuli elicited rapid aversion to live toads, but the CTA response did not enhance survival rates of the sausage‐trained goannas after they were released into the wild. In contrast, the goannas exposed to live juvenile toads exhibited higher long‐term survival rates than did untrained conspecifics. Our results suggest that although it is relatively easy to elicit short‐term aversion to toad cues in goannas, a biologically realistic stimulus (live toads, encountered by free‐ranging predators) is most effective at buffering these reptiles from the impact of invasive toxic prey.
Impact of Central Bank Intervention in the Foreign Exchange Market: Evidence from India Using an Event Study Approach
Authors: Trivedi Smita Roy , Srinivasan Bobby
Published: August 2016

The analysis of effectiveness of central bank intervention has yielded mixed empirical evidence and remains inconclusive to date. Managed float regimes can offer vital clues on this debate. We study the impact of central bank intervention on exchange rate direction, volatility and misalignment using data from the Indian managed float, characterised by consistent intervention by India's central bank. The paper uses event study methodology given the clustered and non‐stochastic nature of intervention. We find that direct intervention, through sale or purchase of foreign currency, is not successful in influencing the direction of exchange rate movement and does not have any statistically significant impact on volatility as corroborated by both monthly and daily data.
Characterisation of Economic Growth in Developing Economies with Informal Sector
Authors: Chattopadhyay Subhasankar , Mondal Rima
Published: August 2016

The paper presents a general equilibrium model of a developing economy with a capital intensive formal sector and a large informal sector with sector‐specific capital to analyse the effects of investments on the sectoral returns to capital, sectoral wage rates, and composition of output and employment. Beginning with capital market disequilibrium (unequal sectoral rates of return) and labour market distortion (formal‐informal wage gap), the model traces the evolution of the economy till capital market equilibrium is attained. The investments in the formal sector equalise the wages (a “turning point” in growth à la Lewis) and reduces the size of the informal sector. The sectoral rates of returns equalise only if there is no factor intensity reversal, otherwise the economy specialises in the production of formal goods. The investments in the informal sector equalise the rates of return, do not affect the size of the formal sector and finally, a formal‐informal wage gap persists provided factor intensities are not reversed.
A New Empirical Output Allocation Model for the Competitive Multiproduct Firm
Authors: Seale James L. , Onel Gulcan , Zhu Manhong
Published: August 2016

In this paper, based on Laitinen and Theil's (1978) theoretical model, we formulate an empirical output allocation model illustrating supply decisions of a profit‐maximising multiproduct firm. While theoretically elegant, Laitinen and Theil's (1978) output allocation model has never been formulated empirically in its general form due to the complexity of its nonlinear price deflator indexes. We close this gap in the literature by mathematically deriving the empirically tractable counterpart of the output allocation model. Our model does not rely on restrictions such as input–output separability or output independence, and it can easily be implemented by practitioners using standard econometric methods. We empirically illustrate the model using data constructed based on different production and cost functions.
Housing Tax Reform: Is There a Way Forward?
Authors: Wood Gavin , Ong Rachel , Cigdem Melek
Published: August 2016

Australian home owners and investors benefit from various tax concessions. Home owner tax concessions are poorly targeted with older, higher income households the main beneficiaries. There could also be efficiency consequences if the tax favoured owner‐occupied housing sector attracts investment that would otherwise have been employed more productively elsewhere. Investors can use negative gearing to convert ordinary income into capital gains that are taxed leniently. These tax benefits distort the supply of rental housing to the detriment of affordable rental housing opportunities. To address some of these concerns, the paper examines a potential tax reform package that would replace stamp duty by a uniform flat rate land tax. Using Victorian Valuer‐General property data, we estimate the land tax liabilities that property owners would be asked to pay if a revenue neutral broad‐based land tax replaced stamp duty on conveyance. We describe these land tax burdens if hypothetically levied in Melbourne as of 2005–2006, and compare the new tax burdens with liabilities under existing stamp duty provisions. The strong efficiency case in favour of such a tax substitution is complemented by empirical findings which suggest that higher income communities shoulder higher land tax burdens.
No convincing association between post‐operative delirium and post‐operative cognitive dysfunction: a secondary analysis
Authors: Franck M. , Nerlich K. , Neuner B. , Schlattmann P. , Brockhaus W. R. , Spies C. D. , Radtke F. M.
Published: August 2016

Background

Post‐operative delirium and post‐operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are both common but it has not been clarified how closely they are associated. We aimed to assess the possible relationship in a secondary analysis of data from the ‘Surgery Depth of anaesthesia and Cognitive outcome’‐ study.

Methods

We included patients aged ≥ 60 years undergoing non‐cardiac surgery planned for longer than 60 min. Delirium was assessed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria in the post‐anaesthesia care unit (PACU) as well as within the first week after surgery. Cognitive function was assessed with a neuropsychological test battery. Multivariable analysis of POCD was performed with consideration of predisposing and precipitating factors.

Results

Of 1277 randomized patients, 850 (66.6%) had complete data. Delirium was found in 270 patients (32.9% of 850). We detected POCD in 162 (20.9% of 776) at 1 week and in 52 (9.4% of 553) at 3 months. In multivariable analysis (n = 808), delirium had no overall effect on POCD (P = 0.30). Patients with no delirium in PACU but with postoperative delirium within 7 days had an increased risk of POCD at 3 months (OR = 2.56 (95%‐confidence interval: 1.07–6.16), P = 0.035). No significant association was found for the other subgroups.

Conclusions

There is no clear evidence that postoperative delirium is independently associated with POCD up to 3 months.
The gut in the brain: the effects of bariatric surgery on alcohol consumption
Authors: Blackburn Ashley N. , Hajnal Andras , Leggio Lorenzo
Published: August 2016

Obesity represents a major medical and public health problem worldwide. Efforts have been made to develop novel treatments, and among them bariatric surgery is used as an effective treatment to achieve significant, long‐term weight loss and alleviate medical problems related to obesity. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent clinical studies have revealed a concern for bariatric surgery patients developing an increased risk for alcohol consumption, and for AUD. A better understanding of the relationship between bariatric surgery and potential later development of AUD is important, given the critical need of identifying patients at high risk for AUD. This paper reviews current clinical and basic science research and discusses potential underlying mechanisms. Special emphasis in this review is given to recent work suggesting that, alterations in alcohol metabolism/pharmacokinetics resulting from bariatric surgery are unlikely to be the primary or at least the only explanation for increased alcohol use and development of AUD, as changes in brain reward processing are also likely to play an important role. Additional studies are needed to clarify the potential role and mechanisms of how bariatric surgery may increase alcohol use and lead to AUD development.
Chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence causes long‐lasting behavioral deficits in adult mice
Authors: Tomas‐Roig J , Benito E , Agis‐Balboa RC , Piscitelli F , Hoyer‐Fender S , Di Marzo V , Havemann‐Reinecke U
Published: August 2016

Regular use of marijuana during adolescence enhances the risk of long‐lasting neurobiological changes in adulthood. The present study was aimed at assessing the effect of long‐term administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55212.2 during adolescence in young adult mice. Adolescent mice aged 5 weeks were subjected daily to the pharmacological action of WIN55212.2 for 3 weeks and were then left undisturbed in their home cage for a 5‐week period and finally evaluated by behavioral testing. Mice that received the drug during adolescence showed memory impairment in the Morris water maze, as well as a dose‐dependent memory impairment in fear conditioning. In addition, the administration of 3 mg/kg WIN55212.2 in adolescence increased adult hippocampal AEA levels and promoted DNA hypermethylation at the intragenic region of the intracellular signaling modulator Rgs7, which was accompanied by a lower rate of mRNA transcription of this gene, suggesting a potential causal relation. Although the concrete mechanisms underlying the behavioral observations remain to be elucidated, we demonstrate that long‐term administration of 3 mg/kg of WIN during adolescence leads to increased endocannabinoid levels and altered Rgs7 expression in adulthood and establish a potential link to epigenetic changes.
UK medicines regulation: responding to current challenges
Authors: Richards Natalie , Hudson Ian
Published: August 2016

The medicines regulatory environment is evolving rapidly in response to the changing environment. Advances in science and technology have led to a vast field of increasingly complicated pharmaceutical and medical device products; increasing globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, advances in digital technology and the internet, changing patient populations, and shifts in society also affect the regulatory environment. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices and blood products to protect and improve public health, and supports innovation through scientific research and development. It works closely with other bodies in a single medicines network across Europe and takes forward UK health priorities. This paper discusses the range of initiatives in the UK and across Europe to support innovation in medicines regulation. The MHRA leads a number of initiatives, such as the Innovation Office, which helps innovators to navigate the regulatory processes to progress their products or technologies; and simplification of the Clinical Trials Regulations and the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, to bring innovative medicines to patients faster. The Accelerated Access Review will identify reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies. PRIME and Adaptive Pathways initiatives are joint endeavours within the European regulatory community. The MHRA runs spontaneous reporting schemes and works with INTERPOL to tackle counterfeiting and substandard products sold via the internet. The role of the regulator is changing rapidly, with new risk‐proportionate, flexible approaches being introduced. International collaboration is a key element of the work of regulators, and is set to expand.
Editorial: Co‐occurring problems in children and adolescents – assessment and treatment issues
Authors: Leve Leslie D.
Published: August 2016

The scientific literature is replete with evidence of the high prevalence of co‐occurring mental health problems in children, adolescents, and adults (e.g., Hawkins, ; Kessler et al., ; Oland & Shaw, ). Such empirical data are substantiated by therapist and clinician assessments of the presenting symptoms in their client populations. The take‐away message from this scientific and practitioner work is clear: in the absence of effective prevention or intervention services, children and adolescents with co‐occurring mental health problems are at heightened risk for a range of difficulties across multiple domains, including school failure, involvement in criminal activities, drug use, and poor social relationships. Whether at the symptomatic or diagnostic level, co‐occurring mental health problems present significant challenges to traditional mental health treatment service delivery systems, in which individuals are often treated for their primary presenting disorder, but other potential mental health problems are not assessed or directly dealt with. Similarly, although there is evidence that mental health symptoms co‐occur at high rates, the majority of research continues to focus on one mental health condition, to the neglect of comorbid problems.
Dermatomyositis complicated with asymmetric peripheral neuritis on exacerbation: A case report and literature review
Authors: Irie Takashi , Shigeto Hiroshi , Koge Junpei , Yamaguchi Hiroo , Murai Hiroyuki , Kira Jun‐ichi
Published: August 2016

We describe a 69‐year‐old woman with dermatomyositis who presented with asymmetric peripheral neuritis. The patient first developed dermatomyositis at 39 years‐of‐age; her symptoms improved several years later with oral prednisolone treatment. A year and a half before admission to our hospital, she developed a sensory disturbance in her feet that gradually expanded to both legs with left dominance. Six months later, bilateral leg muscle weakness and proximal muscle tenderness appeared. Neurological examination at admission revealed proximal muscle weakness and atrophy of all four limbs. Ankle jerk was absent bilaterally. There was sensory impairment in the left hand and both lower limbs, with more severe involvement of the left side and the medial side. Electrophysiological tests showed decreased sensory nerve action potentials in the left superficial fibular nerve and bilateral sural nerves, and decreased motor action potentials in the bilateral fibular nerves. We diagnosed mononeuritis multiplex as a complication of dermatomyositis. Her symptoms of mononeuritis multiplex and dermatomyositis were successfully treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy followed by oral prednisolone therapy. Although our literature search found nine cases of dermatomyositis with polyneuropathy/polyradiculoneuropathy, most of which involved axonal neuropathy, this is the first case report of dermatomyositis presenting with mononeuritis multiplex.
Novel homozygous sequence variants in the GDF5 gene underlie acromesomelic dysplasia type‐grebe in consanguineous families
Authors: Umair Muhammad , Rafique Afzal , Ullah Asmat , Ahmad Farooq , Ali Raja Hussain , Nasir Abdul , Ansar Muhammad , Ahmad Wasim
Published: August 2016

Acromesomelic dysplasia Grebe type (AMDG) is characterized by severe knob like non‐functional fingers and short acromesomelic limbs, and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Disease causing sequence variants in the GDF5 (Growth Differentiation Factor 5) gene located on chromosome 20q11.22 are responsible for causing AMDG. In the study, presented here, two consanguineous families with AMDG were clinically and genetically characterized. After establishing linkage in the two families (A and B) to GDF5 gene on chromosome 20q11.22, Sanger DNA sequencing was performed in all available affected and unaffected members. Sequence analysis of the GDF5 gene revealed two novel variants including a duplication (c.157_158dupC, p.Leu53Profs*41) in family A, and a nonsense (p.Trp291*) in family B. Our findings extend the body of evidence that supports the importance of GDF5 in the development of limbs.
Stoma care products represent a common and previously underreported source of peristomal contact dermatitis
Authors: Cressey Brienne D. , Belum Viswanath R. , Scheinman Pamela , Silvestri Dianne , McEntee Nancy , Livingston Vashti , Lacouture Mario E. , Zippin Jonathan H.
Published: August 2016

Background

Peristomal dermatitis is a common complication for the >700 000 patients in the United States with an ostomy. The role of stoma skin care products in peristomal dermatitis is poorly understood.

Objective

To evaluate stoma skin care products as a cause of peristomal dermatitis.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of patients with peristomal dermatitis at four academic hospitals from January 2010 to March 2014 was performed. Patient demographics, clinical information and use test and patch test results were documented.

Results

Eighteen patients identified as having peristomal dermatitis were tested. Twelve of these had peristomal contact dermatitis. We identified numerous stoma skin care products as triggers of irritant and/or allergic contact dermatitis. The most common stoma skin care product used and/or involved in dermatitis was Cavilon™ No Sting Barrier Film.

Conclusions

Our data support a paradigm shift whereby healthcare workers treating patients with peristomal dermatitis, which is currently considered to be a reaction mainly to bodily fluids, must consider those products used to protect the skin as potential triggers for this disease. Therefore, patients with peristomal dermatitis should be tested with their stoma skin care agents to determine the need for removal or change of these products. Additionally, full ingredient labelling by manufacturers would help identify new allergens and irritants.