bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative Neural Mobility and Postoperative Neurological Recovery in Anterior Cervical Decompression Surgery
Authors: Mihara Hisanori , Kondo Soichi , Katoh Shinya , Ono Masatoshi , Hachiya Masashi 
Published: September 2012

Study Design:
A study using intraoperative sonography (IOS) was conducted for evaluating neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery.

Objectives:
To analyze decompression status and mobility of the spinal cord and the nerve root during anterior cervical decompression and to clarify its relevance to the postoperative neurological recovery.

Summary of Background Data:
Several papers introduced the usefulness of IOS assessments; however, there have been no reports systematically evaluating the neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery.

Methods:
Eighty-four consecutive patients with compressive myelopathy who underwent anterior cervical decompression procedures were studied. The decompression status of the spinal cord was evaluated with IOS and classified into 3 grades according to the restoration pattern of the space ventral to the cord. Pulsatile motion of the spinal cord in cranio-caudal direction was named “sliding pulsation” and graded into 3 groups. The nerve root pulsation was also assessed using the IOS short-axis views. This study analyzed whether those neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery had relevance to postoperative neurological recovery, which was assessed by the Japan Orthopaedic Association score.

Results:
The mean recovery rate of the Japan Orthopaedic Association score was 59.1% in total. According to the decompression status in IOS, 67 patients who acquired space ventral to the spinal cord indicated 64.3% of the recovery rate which was significantly higher than 36.6% of the other patients on an average. As to the sliding pulsation of the cord, 10 patients who failed to show this particular motion indicated significantly lower recovery rate as 36.9%. In addition, 6 patients who did not exhibit nerve root pulsation indicated just 29.3% of recovery rate, and 4 of them failed to show the cord sliding motion.

Conclusions:
Sonographic evaluation during anterior cervical decompression surgery provided very useful information of neural decompression status that had significant correlation with postoperative neurological recovery.
RFID adoption and implementation in warehousing
Authors: Osyk Barbara A. , Vijayaraman B.S. , Srinivasan Mahesh , Dey Asoke 
Published: September 2012

PurposeLarge retailers and various government agencies have backed off from their earlier radio frequency identification (RFID) mandates. The RFID industry has also matured. The purpose of this paper is to examine RFID implementation in warehousing, utilizing empirical data to determine how the warehousing industry is changing with respect to RFID implementation.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was sent to Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) members at manufacturing firms, third party warehousing/logistics providers, wholesaler/distributors, and retail firms, to determine whether they are implementing RFID technology and what challenges they are facing.FindingsCompared to an earlier study, it was found that fewer organizations are considering the technology. The respondents in general were less optimistic and concerns still exist on return on investment (ROI), potential benefits, integration, and other issues. Some items are of less concern, including cost, standards, and security, perhaps reflecting the maturity of the industry.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to a relatively small sample of WERC members but should continue to be replicated in the future as RFID technology adoption matures.Practical implicationsFor RFID to be widely adopted by manufacturers and other firms upstream in the supply chain, they must be convinced of a better ROI, through cost reduction or improved business processes.Originality/valueRFID is not hype and continues to mature. Few companies expected a positive ROI from the technology. These experiences and opinions should be of interest to those researching or considering RFID adoption.
The impact of global economic crisis on SMEs
Authors: Soininen Juha , Puumalainen Kaisu , Sjögrén Helena , Syrjä Pasi 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in global economic crisis and whether it can mitigate the negative effects of economic crisis both on firm's operations and on firm's financial performance.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach is used to test the hypotheses. Principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis are used on the empirical survey data.FindingsResults based on a sample of almost 200 Finnish small and medium‐sized enterprises indicated that the different dimensions of the EO can have diverging effects on how firms are impacted by the recession. In general, the more innovative and proactive the firm is, the less its operations are affected by the recession and the more risk‐taking the firm is, the more its profitability is affected by recession.Research limitations/implicationsA longitudinal design – rather than the current cross‐sectional design – would give a better premiss to explore the causal relationships among the research variables.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the first works linking EO with the effects of recession at the firm's operational level and the paper expands prior knowledge by taking the EO‐performance relationship into the context of recession.
Sensors for extreme environments
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the techniques and technologies used in a selection of sensors which operate in extreme environments.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a short introduction, this paper discusses the technologies used in a range of sensors, principally accelerometers and pressure, temperature and displacement sensors, used in environments characterised by elevated temperatures, radiation and high shock and vibration levels.FindingsThe paper shows that a range of different strategies is employed to allow sensors to operate in extreme environments. These include specialised designs, novel sensing technologies and others which are inherently capable of withstanding extreme conditions and materials which can perform in, or which are resistant to, these environments. Several new technologies are under development which aim to extend sensor performance to new levels.Originality/valueThis paper provides details of the technologies used in a range of sensors aimed at applications in extreme environments.
A pressure mapping imaging device based on electrical impedance tomography of conductive fabrics
Authors: Yao A. , Soleimani M. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeElectrical impedance measurement and imaging are techniques that are widely used in a range of applications. Electro‐conductive knitted structure is a major new development in wearable computing. The purpose of this paper is to carry out a preliminary investigation of applying electrical impedance analysis to predict the behavior of electro‐conductive knitted structure. This can potentially pave the way for a low‐cost solution for pressure mapping imaging.Design/methodology/approachElectrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been used as a mapping technique for deformation imaging in conductive knitted fabric. EIT is an imaging system used to generate a map of electrical conductivity. Pressure and deformation mapping scanner is being developed based on electrical conductivity imaging of the conductive area generated in a fabric. The results are presented using these new sensors with various deformations.FindingsExperimental results show the feasibility of qualitative deformation imaging. In particular, it is promising that multiple deformations can be mapped using the proposed technique. The paper also demonstrates preliminary results regarding quantitative pressure and deformation mapping using EIT technique.Research limitations/implicationsThe results presented in the paper are laboratory‐based experiments for proof of principle and will be evaluated in specific application areas in future.Originality/valueThe paper shows, for the first time, detection of multiple pressure points as well as quantifying the pressure map using the new imaging sensor. The sensor proposed here can be used for robotic touch sensing application, as well as some biomechanical observations.
Knowledge‐sharing hostility and governance mechanisms: an empirical test
Authors: Husted Kenneth , Michailova Snejina , Minbaeva Dana B. , Pedersen Torben 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims at further developing and empirically examining the concept of knowledge‐sharing hostility. It seeks to analyze reasons for hoarding knowledge, reasons for rejecting external knowledge, and attitudes towards mistakes, as well as the influence of these factors on actual knowledge‐sharing behavior. The paper aims to examine how two specific knowledge‐governance mechanisms – commitment‐based and transaction‐based mechanisms – affect knowledge sharingDesign/methodology/approachThe authors test the hypotheses on a sample of 1,639 respondents in 15 organizations in Denmark.FindingsThe authors find that the use of transaction‐based mechanisms promotes knowledge‐sharing hostility by strengthening individuals' reasons for hoarding and rejecting knowledge, and by negatively affecting individuals' attitudes towards sharing knowledge about mistakes. In contrast, the use of commitment‐based mechanisms diminishes knowledge‐sharing hostility among individuals.Originality/valueThe contribution of the paper is two‐fold. First, it responds to the clear need to examine individual characteristics related to withholding knowledge in organizations. Second, by delineating specific organizational governance mechanisms that are critical for dealing with knowledge‐sharing hostility, the research responds to the call for research aimed at explaining and detailing problems that lie in the intersection of organization and knowledge processes.
Knowledge management: a personal knowledge network perspective
Authors: Amine Chatti Mohamed 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis article aims to introduce the personal knowledge network (PKN) model as an alternative model to knowledge management (KM) and to discuss whether personal knowledge management (PKM) is better adapted to the demands of the new knowledge environments. The PKN model views knowledge as a personal network and represents a knowledge ecological approach to KM.Design/methodology/approachKM and PKM have attracted attention over the past two decades and are considered as important means to increase organizational and individual performance. In this article, the author reviews previous models of KM and PKM and explores their failure to address the problem of knowledge worker performance and to cope with the constant change and critical challenges of the new knowledge era. The author further highlights the crucial need for new KM models that have the potential to overcome the shortcomings of previous models. In light of these shortcomings, the article introduces and discusses the PKN model as an alternative model to KM and PKM that is better adapted to the demands of the new knowledge environments.FindingsUnlike traditional KM/PKM models which view knowledge as a thing or process, the PKN model views knowledge as a personal network and represents a knowledge ecological approach to KM.Originality/valueThe article focuses on personal knowledge and the links to networks and knowledge ecologies in an innovative way for consideration within KM.
The impact of housing environment attributes on children's academic performance at school: an empirical study of Hong Kong
Authors: Hin Li Ling 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the influence of physical housing environments on the learning potential of children. The authors argue for housing design which is attentive to the need for open but personal space with “sufficient physical partitions”.Design/methodology/approachThe research draws on an empirical study of students in two randomly selected Hong Kong secondary schools. The approach includes the use of multiple regression analysis to test the correlation between academic performance and a set of environmental attributes.FindingsHousing design, aspect and size of housing are significant. Academic performance is not dependent on tenure type and this is partly related to mixed tenure, close proximity of differing socio‐economic neighborhoods and the sharing of social capital to provide equal opportunity. However, densely developed high housing is not desirable for children's academic development.Research limitations/implicationsThe location of Hong Kong provides a very specific combination of small land mass, a history of high rise living and a social housing sector and the need to optimize physical space for social ends. Home ownership does not play a role of a stabilizer for children, as observed in other places.Practical implicationsThis paper prompts a reassessment, by housing providers and commissioners, of the link between housing types and long term educational opportunities and the need to devise appropriate partnerships to ensure that housing adds to academic performance rather than undermine it.Social implicationsThe study of the effects of high rise high density housing on children's learning is underdeveloped and should be reassessed in markets, such as that in the UK, where use of the private rented sector is increasingly used to house families who may in the past have been housed directly by the State.Originality/valueThis research attempts to apply quantitative techniques to provide evidence to policy makers that can be replicated in other housing contexts.
Patterns of formulaic language in Alzheimer's disease: implications for quality of life
Authors: Wray Alison 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate how fundamental social and psychological drivers can affect the language used by people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their carers.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model is used to predict four ways in which communicative priorities in a given context will generate formulaic linguistic responses in interaction. Evidence from the language of both people with AD and their carers illustrates each point. Moreover, the model offers an explanation for several effective approaches for improving interaction.FindingsThe paper explains the dynamics of a downward spiral in interaction that features more and more “formulaic” language, and indicates how carers can help create a context for greater empowerment of people with AD.Practical implicationsSince people with AD need the stimulation of meaningful and targeted interaction, the downward spiral arising from carers' formulaic responses is potentially damaging. To improve the quality of communication between people with AD and their carers, the negative impact of formulaic language in interaction needs to be transformed into something more positive and productive. Indications are offered for how this can be achieved.Originality/valueThe paper offers significant new insights into the causes of the well‐recognised patterns of repetitive language in people with AD, and explains how they can trigger unhelpful responses in carers. The theoretical underpinning offers opportunities for understanding how best to support carers in engaging more positively with people with AD, resulting in a richer type of communication for the latter and reduced stress levels for the former.
The life experiences of Korean children and adolescents with complex congenital heart disease: A qualitative study
Authors: Lee Sunhee , Kim So‐Sun 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThis exploratory study analyzed the life experiences of Korean children and adolescents with complex congenital heart disease in a sociocultural context and undertook in‐depth interviews. Participants were 10 patients who ranged in age from 14 to 22 years, who were recruited at a hospital in Seoul, Korea. Our content analysis showed that the participants were initially unaware of the true nature of their conditions. After entering school, they realized that they were different from peers because of their physical limitations and their parents' overprotectiveness. Generally, health providers tend to convey information about congenital heart disease to parents, and not the patients. Therefore, most of our participants lacked knowledge about their disease and its management, and tended to have feelings of isolation and guilt. Healthcare providers of children and adolescents should provide disease and management information not only to parents, but also to patients, and should set aside specific times for communication with patients with complex congenital heart disease.
Consistency analysis of parenting styles in Thailand during children's first year
Authors: Phuphaibul Rutja , Wittayasooporn Jariya , Choprapawon Chanpen 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThis descriptive study identifies and examines the consistency of parenting styles during the first year of their children's lives. The data were collected from interviewing 4088 parents or primary care takers of the 6 month old infants during the third wave of data collection of The Prospective Cohort of Thai Children project. The instrument used was the Infant Parenting Styles Questionnaire, developed by the researchers, which reflected parental responses to infant care in five different situations. After the answers were categorized into controlling, reasoning, overprotection, and neglectful parenting styles, the weighted kappa was used for the consistency analysis. The findings revealed that during the first 6 months of life, the overprotection style was the most common, followed by the reasoning style. The controlling and neglectful styles were very seldom used. The consistency of the parental styles in the same care givers using the kappa values showed that agreement between each of the styles was very low (−0.0419 to 0.0688). This suggests that parenting styles during the first year of life seem to occur in random patterns.
Interpersonal psychotherapy‐oriented program for Chinese pregnant women: Delivery, content, and personal impact
Authors: Gao Ling‐ling , Luo Shu‐yuan , Chan Sally Wai‐chi 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThe interpersonal psychotherapy‐oriented childbirth education program has the potential to promote social support and maternal role competence and prevent postpartum depression in Chinese women. The present study explored the perceptions of Chinese women about the delivery, content, and personal impact of the interpersonal psychotherapy‐oriented childbirth education program. The study was conducted in a regional teaching hospital in China. The intervention was based on the principles of interpersonal psychotherapy, and consisted of two 90 min antenatal classes and a telephone follow up within 2 weeks after delivery. Ninety two women, pregnant for the first time, completed the program. The Program Satisfaction Questionnaires, with five open‐ended questions, was used for the process evaluation (n = 83), and a one‐on‐one, in‐depth interview was used for the outcome evaluation (n = 20). The findings suggested that the program could facilitate the participants' adjustment to motherhood, help to establish or improve their relationships, and enhance their perceived social support and maternal role competence. Future programs could be strengthened by lengthening the program and adding more interactive learning.
Induced Abortion in Iran: Prevalence, Reasons, and Consequences
Authors: Ranji Azar 
Published: September 2012

Introduction: The aims of this descriptive study were to determine the prevalence of illegal induced abortion among participants, the factors that influence decision making to have an abortion, and the health consequences of abortion in Iran.Methods: Women who attended health centers or an antenatal clinic in Iran were interviewed to complete a questionnaire.Results: Among the 2705 participants, 17% had experienced at least 1 illegal induced abortion. Education level, family income, religion, ethnicity, number of children, and age at marriage are associated with having an induced abortion. One‐third of abortions (33%) were performed by nonmedical providers. The desire to stop or postpone childbearing and family economic problems were the most common reasons for having an abortion. Most women (84%) experienced a complication of abortion that required hospitalization.Discussion: Strategies to prevent abortion complications are needed and could include training midwives and general physicians to perform abortions and promoting the availability of post‐abortion care.
Diversity in the Scope and Practice of Hospital‐Based Midwives in the Netherlands
Authors: Cronie Doug , Rijnders Marlies , Buitendijk Simone 
Published: September 2012

Introduction: Not all midwives in the Netherlands are independent practitioners. One in 4 midwives registered to practice is employed in the hospital setting, where 67% of all births occur. There has not yet been an in‐depth examination of hospital‐based midwives’ practice in the Netherlands, in the context of care in a higher‐risk environment. The primary aims of this study were to describe the diversity and scope of practice of hospital‐based midwives in the Netherlands.Methods: This was an online survey of all hospitals throughout the Netherlands with labor/birthing rooms and employing hospital‐based midwives. The survey covered 5 topic areas: demographic/organizational details, duties, responsibilities, experience/additional qualifications, and how the midwife functioned within the multidisciplinary hospital team. Descriptive statistics are provided.Results: A total of 59 secondary and tertiary level hospitals from a possible total of 98 were included for analysis (60% national response rate). Forty percent of all births occurring during the study period were managed solely by a hospital midwife. The provision of midwifery care in the hospital setting was not universal, and where present, hospital‐based midwives were not necessarily available 24 hours a day or 7 days a week. Hospital‐based midwives reported a high level of autonomy.Discussion: Currently there is no universal provision of midwifery care in the hospital setting in the Netherlands. Where there are hospital‐based midwives, they appear to manage the majority of births. However, there are no nationally agreed‐upon standards for midwifery practice in the hospital setting, and no agreement exists over minimum requirements relating to additional education for midwives in these settings. A national evaluation and setting of minimum standards is needed.