bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of infection biomarkers within a Bayesian framework reveals their role in pneumococcal pneumonia diagnosis in HIV patients
Authors: Meyer Austin G. 
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACTBackgroundHIV patients are more likely to contract bacterial pneumonia and more likely to die from the infection. Unfortunately, there are few tests to quickly diagnosis the etiology of these dangerous infections. Several biomarkers may be useful for diagnosing the most common pneumonia-causing organism,S. pneumoniae,but studies utilizing the standard statistical approach provide little concrete guidance for the HIV-infected population.Methodology and FindingsUsing a Bayesian approach, I analyze data from a cohort of 280 HIV patients with x-ray confirmed community acquired pneumonia. First, I use a variety of techniques to establish predictor significance and to identify their optimal cutoffs. Next, in lieu of cutoffs, I find the continuous and combined likelihood ratios for every value of each biomarker, and I compute the associated posttest probabilities. As expected, I find the three biomarkers with good clinical yield and a statistically significant association withS. pneumoniaeare C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), andlytAgene PCR (lytA). Based on Bayesian clinical yield, optimal cutoffs are largely equivocal. The optimal dichotomous cutoff for CRP is essentially any value between 10mg/dLand 30mg/dL(△pPosttest≈ 0.49). The optimal cutoff for PCT is any value between 2ng/mLand 40ng/mL(△pposttest≈ 0.35). The optimal cutoff for lytA is any value less than 6log10copies/mL(△pposttest≈ 0.45). Further, I find that continuous likelihood ratios provide much more accurate posttest probabilities than dichotomous cutoffs. For example, starting with the empirical pretest probability, a lytA approaching 0copies/mLlowers the probability of S.pneumoniaeinfection to less than 15%, while a result of 10copies/mLraises the probability to greater than 65%. However, a lytA value just above or below the suggested cutoff of 8000copies/mLor my new optimal cutoff of 30,000copies/mLleaves the posttest probability of infection essentially unchanged from the pretest probability.ConclusionCRP, PCT, and lytA all provide significant value in diagnosing the etiology of pneumonia in HIV patients. The optimal dichotomous cutoffs for lytA, CRP, and PCT need to be adjusted for pneumococcal diagnosis in this population. However, continuous and combined likelihood ratios avoid discarding valuable quantitative information, and a combined likelihood ratio can be easily computed without the need for prior logistic regression. Importantly, there is significant overlap between these biomarkers such that only one of the three biomarkers at a time should be used to update clinical probabilities. Thus, it is ill-advised to combine the likelihood ratios of different biomarkers to produce a posttest probability. Finally, I provide a simple web application to quantitatively calculate the posttest probability ofS. pneumoniaeinfection in HIV patients with x-ray confirmed pneumonia:http://meyerapps.org/pneumococcal_etiology_hiv.
Multidimensionality of plant defenses and herbivore niches: implications for eco-evolutionary dynamics
Authors: Loeuille Nicolas , Hauzy Céline 
Published: August 2016

AbstractPlant defenses are very diverse and often involve contrasted costs and benefits. Quantitative defenses, whose protective effect is dependent on the dose, are effective against a wide range of herbivores, but often divert energy from growth and reproduction. Qualitative defenses often have little allocation costs. However, while deterrent to some herbivores, they often incur costs through other interactions within the community (eg, decrease in pollination or attraction of other enemies). In the present work, we model the evolutionary dynamics of these two types of defenses, as well and the evolutionary dynamics of the herbivore niche. We assess the effects of such evolutionary dynamics for the maintenance of diversity within the plant-herbivore system, and for the functioning of such systems under various levels of resource availability. We show that the two types of defenses have different implications. Evolution of quantitative defenses often helps to maintain or even increase diversity, while evolution of qualitative defenses most often has a detrimental effect on species coexistence. From a functional point of view, increased resource availability selects for higher levels of quantitative defenses, which reduces top-down controls exerted by herbivores. Resource availability does not affect qualitative defenses, nor the evolution of the herbivore niche. The growing evidence that plant defenses are diverse in types, benefits and costs has large implications not only for the evolution of these traits, but also for their impacts on community diversity and ecosystem functioning.
Patient-dependent epilepsy seizure detection using random forest classification over one-dimension transformed EEG data
Authors: Pinto-Orellana Marco A. , Cerqueira Fábio R. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis work presents a computational method for improving seizure detection for epilepsy diagnosis. Epilepsy isthe second most common neurological disease impacting between 40 and 50 million of patients in the world and it proper diagnosis using electroencephalographic signals implies a long and expensive process which involves medical specialists. The proposed system is a patient-dependent offline system which performs an automatic detection of seizures in brainwaves applying a random forest classifier. Features are extracted using one-dimension reduced information from a spectro-temporal transformation of the biosignals which pass through an envelope detector. The performance of this method reached 97.12% of specificity, 99.29% of sensitivity, and a 0.77h−1false positive rate. Thus, the method hereby proposed has great potential for diagnosis support in clinical environments.
The SwissFEL Experimental Laser facility
Authors: Erny Christian , Hauri Christoph Peter 
Published: August 2016

The hard X-ray laser SwissFEL at the Paul Scherrer Institute is currently being commissioned and will soon become available for users. In the current article the laser facility is presented, an integral part of the user facility, as most time-resolved experiments will require a versatile optical laser infrastructure and precise information about the relative delay between the X-ray and optical pulse. The important key parameters are a high availability and long-term stability while providing advanced laser performance in the wavelength range from ultraviolet to terahertz. The concept of integrating a Ti:sapphire laser amplifier system with subsequent frequency conversion stages and drift compensation into the SwissFEL facility environment for successful 24 h/7 d user operation is described.
Climate justice: between Mammon and Mother Earth
Authors: Meikle Mandy , Wilson Jake , Jafry Tahseen 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to the ethical debate over roles and responsibilities to address the injustices of climate change and its impacts. The current impasse over taking action may lie in the very different ways people view the world and their place in it. The aim is to explore some profound contradictions within differing strands of knowledge feeding into common understandings of climate justice.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of appropriate peer-reviewed and “grey” literature was conducted with a view to defining the term “climate justice”.

Findings
In addition to there being no single, clear definition of climate justice, a fundamental schism was found between what indigenous peoples want to see happen and what industrialised nations can do with respect to both the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.

Research limitations/implications
One limitation to defining climate justice, and reason for publishing, is the lack of peer-reviewed work on this topic.

Practical implications
This paper has many practical implications, the most fundamental of which is the need to reach a consensus over rights to the Earth’s resources. If humanity, within which there are many societies, chooses to follow a truly equitable path post 2015, industrialised countries and corporations will need to move away from “endless growth economics”. The ways in which climate justice might be operationalised in future are considered, including the concept of a “climate-justice” checklist.

Originality/value
While the reconciliation proposed in this paper might be considered idealistic, unless it is acknowledged the Earth’s resources are limited, over-exploited and for all people to use sustainably, thus requiring a reduction in consumption by individuals relatively affluent in global terms, climate negotiators will continue talking about the same issues without achieving meaningful change.
Climate justice from a club good perspective
Authors: Platje Johannes (Joost) , Kampen Remko 
Published: August 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply club good theory to challenges in climate justice and to identify the opportunities for creating a club of countries or regions to support climate justice and/or mitigate climate change, as well as the threats that such clubs could lead to the real exclusion of large parts of the world from climate justice.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical analysis is provided regarding the conditions for creating a club for climate change mitigation. Indicators of good governance and trust, as well as the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN), are used to assess the capacity for creating such a club.FindingsWhile opportunities for achieving climate justice are identified, climate change mitigation is likely to be at most a club good at the global level, thus excluding the most vulnerable countries, regions and groups of people. Although the threats of climate change may be acknowledged, they are easily neglected. Economic growth is likely to be a condition for economic sustainability, which in turn tends to be a condition for environmental sustainability. Decision makers should be conscious of the potential danger of creating a club for climate change mitigation based on the belief that economic growth and technology will solve these problems, as such a club is likely to be either unsustainable, or very small, while deepening existing injustice.Originality/valueThe authors provide an overview of the complexity of issues involved, to gain an appreciation of the vast, perhaps insurmountable, challenges facing climate justice. A club good approach is applied to issues of climate justice, emphasizing the limitations of the all-inclusiveness of climate justice and sustainable development.
Effectiveness of a communication model in city branding using events
Authors: Lee Tain-Shyug , Huh Chung Ling , Yeh Hung-Ming , Tsaur Wei-Guang 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is threefold: developing an effectiveness communication model for a city rotary event. Empirical validation of the new effectiveness model based on a city cultural festival event to explore the similarity and difference of perception change on event attendance. Providing a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis of communication model for both professional event organizers and PCO guidelines when determining an event’s marketing strategy priorities.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use SEM to verify the relationship between variables, and path coefficient comparison analysis which was adapted for model verification and hypothesis testing. Analytical methods included reliability analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, Hotelling T
2-test, SEM analysis.

Findings
This result demonstrates that attendee increased their emotion, attitude, city brand image as result of the event activities, and positive event emotions have the highest influence toward to a positive city’s brand emotion. A positive city brand emotion especially has the second highest influence on attendee next event retentions. A positive city brand emotion will lead to a positive city brand attitude, but city brand attitudes will not have a positive impact on retentions.

Originality/value
The contribution and value of this study is that the authors established a new effectiveness communication model which introduce the city branding concept into the research. The study provides empirical evidence of the effectiveness illustrations of the application in the communication model. The research meets the objective in this effectiveness communication model. It illustrates the directions for how an event should be designed in order to create a positive city brand attitude for retention.
Principal’s perceptions of effective professional development in schools
Authors: Brown Crystal , Militello Matthew 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
Principals play a pivotal role in teachers’ professional growth, which impacts student outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to understand the perceptions principals have about effective elements of professional development (PD) and the role they play in facilitating the growth of teachers, and how this affects student learning.

Design/methodology/approach
Q methodology was utilized to investigate the subjective views of public school administrators about PD. A post sort survey was used to interpret demographic and perceptual data. The Q sorts were factor analyzed to reveal statistical correlations among the administrators. Focus group interviews representative of each emergent factor were then conducted with eight of the 34 principals who sorted the statements.

Findings
In total, 31 of the participants loaded on one of three factors. Though there were perceptional differences about which PD elements are effective, all of the principals expressed a desire to take an active role in teachers’ professional growth. These distinct viewpoints of PD included the themes of sustainability and collaboration.

Originality/value
School leaders are commonly named as the most important influence on teachers and their practices. PD is among the significant strategies that principals employ to impact teachers. Thus, studies that provide insights into how school leaders perceive PD are crucial to the in-service development of school teachers.
Ethical leadership in education and its relation to ethical decision-making
Authors: Arar Khalid , Haj Ibrahim , Abramovitz Ruth , Oplatka Izhar 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate ethical leadership in the context of the Arab educational system in Israel. It questions the relations of ethical leadership dimensions with decision making as well as background characteristics of the educational leaders.

Design/methodology/approach
Arab educational leaders (n=150) from diverse Arab schools responded to valid research tool of 40 items constructed of six subscales: three ethical leadership dimensions (critique, justice and care) and three leadership work aspects (ethical sensitivity, climate and decision making). Averages were calculated for each subscale.

Findings
Significant relations were found among ethical leadership dimensions and decision making, the leaders’ school type and their seniority.

Research limitations/implications
This study is based on research in diverse countries, using a common conceptual frame. Its limitation is the sample’s narrow scope.

Practical implications
The study results may inform the developing ethical qualities in educational leadership.

Originality/value
The authors recommend widening the scope of the sample examined to further clarify the concept of ethical leadership and its implications to the practice of educational leadership.
Learning and change in the redesign of a primary health care initiative
Authors: Rule John , Dunston Roger , Solomon Nicky 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
This paper aims to provide an account of learning and change in the redesign of a primary health-care initiative in a large metropolitan city in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on research exploring the place and role of learning in the re-making of health professional practices in a major New South Wales Government health reform called HealthOne. The analysis and findings presented here make reference to data drawn from a longitudinal ethnographic study (2011-2014) conducted by an inter-disciplinary team of researchers from the University of Technology Sydney. Socio-material and practice-based approaches for understanding learning are used in working with the data.

Findings
There were substantial changes in professional practice, especially in the role of the General Practice Liaison Nurse. Changes, and the learning connected to the changes, were dynamically influenced by the macro-context. HealthOne was a reform initiative with a strong focus on achieving health service redesign and a consistent focus on staff developing new ways of thinking and operating. Although learning was often discussed, it was, for the most part, expressed in general terms, and there was a lack of a formal and well-developed approach to learning collectively and individually.

Originality/value
This research paper will inform future attempts at service redesign in community and primary health contexts and provides a site-specific examination of workplace learning in a context of rapid change.
Using case studies to transfer soft skills (also known as pervasive skills)
Authors: Keevy Monique 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which South African accounting academics use case studies in their teaching and to establish their views on whether this method can be used to transfer soft skills (also known as pervasive skills) to students.

Design/methodology/approach
An electronically administered questionnaire was sent to South African accounting academics.

Findings
Prior research provides evidence of the value of case studies in the transfer of soft/pervasive skills to students. The findings reveal that case studies are used less frequently by South African accounting academics than their international counterparts, because of a lack of awareness by South African accounting academics of the competencies that can be transferred using case studies, and the application of alternative teaching methods.

Originality/value
This paper provides insight into the use of case studies by academics in a developing country whose traditional strengths were in technical teaching, and the reluctance of the majority of South African accounting academics to embrace case studies into their academic programmes.
The use of social media platforms in a first year accounting course
Authors: Stainbank Lesley , Gurr Kerry-Lee 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe the use of social media platforms in a first-year accounting course at a South African university and provide evidence on whether students found these social networking sites useful.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses survey research to determine students’ usage of two social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and their perceptions of these platforms’ usefulness in a first-year accounting course.

Findings
The study found that the time spent on the two social media platforms does not detract from the time spent on preparation for the first-year accounting course. Students’ perceptions on the usefulness of these platforms showed support by all students for using social media to provide career information, but not all students perceived the platforms to be useful for communication and teaching and learning. While no statistically significant differences were found in the students’ responses based on gender, a number of statistically significant differences were found when the results were analysed according to language. Students whose home language was not English found the two social media platforms more useful for some aspects of communication, teaching and learning and for career guidance than English-speaking students.

Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire was only administered to students on one campus who had actually accessed the social media platforms. Therefore, the results are not generalisable beyond this study.

Practical implications
The study shows that students whose home language is not English perceived the platforms more useful for communication, some teaching and learning aspects and for career guidance in a first-year accounting course. This may be helpful to other accounting teachers faced with student disruptions, large classes or high numbers of international students whose first language is not English, and who need to communicate with all their students.

Originality/value
The study adds to the discourse on the usefulness of social media platforms in a tertiary education setting, and more particularly, in a first-year accounting course in South Africa.
Social enterprise and wellbeing in community life
Authors: Farmer Jane , De Cotta Tracy , McKinnon Katharine , Barraket Jo , Munoz Sarah-Anne , Douglas Heather , Roy Michael J. 
Published: August 2016

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the well-being impacts of social enterprise, beyond a social enterpriseper se, in everyday community life.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory case study was used. The study’s underpinning theory is from relational geography, including Spaces of Wellbeing Theory and therapeutic assemblage. These theories underpin data collection methods. Nine social enterprise participants were engaged in mental mapping and walking interviews. Four other informants with “boundary-spanning” roles involving knowledge of the social enterprise and the community were interviewed. Data were managed using NVivo, and analysed thematically.FindingsWell-being realised from “being inside” a social enterprise organisation was further developed for participants, in the community, through positive interactions with people, material objects, stories and performances of well-being that occurred in everyday community life. Boundary spanning community members had roles in referring participants to social enterprise, mediating between participants and structures of community life and normalising social enterprise in the community. They also gained benefit from social enterprise involvement.Originality/valueThis paper uses relational geography and aligned methods to reveal the intricate connections between social enterprise and well-being realisation in community life. There is potential to pursue this research on a larger scale to provide needed evidence about how well-being is realised in social enterprises and then extends into communities.