bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Incomplete protection against dengue virus type 2 re-infection in Peru
Authors: Forshey Brett M. , Reiner Robert C. , Olkowski Sandra , Morrison Amy C. , Espinoza Angelica , Long Kanya C. , Vilcarromero Stalin , Casanova Wilma , Wearing Helen J. , Halsey Eric S. , Kochel Tadeusz J. , Scott Thomas W. , Stoddard Steven T. 
Published: November 2015

Background.Nearly half of the world’s population is at risk for dengue, yet no licensed vaccine or anti-viral drug is currently available. Dengue is caused by any of four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 through DENV-4), and infection by a DENV serotype is assumed to provide life-long protection against re-infection by that serotype. We investigated the validity of this fundamental assumption during a large dengue epidemic caused by DENV-2 in Iquitos, Peru, in 2010-2011, 15 years after the first outbreak of DENV-2 in the region.Methodology/Principal Findings.We estimated the age-dependent prevalence of serotype-specific DENV antibodies from longitudinal cohort studies conducted between 1993 and 2010. During the 2010-2011 epidemic, active dengue cases were identified through active community- and clinic-based febrile surveillance studies, and acute inapparent DENV infections were identified through contact tracing studies. Based on the age-specific prevalence of DENV-2 neutralizing antibodies, the age distribution of DENV-2 cases was markedly older than expected. Homologous protection was estimated at 35.1% (95% confidence interval: 0% -- 65.2%). At the individual level, pre-existing DENV-2 antibodies were associated with an incomplete reduction in the frequency of symptoms. Among dengue cases, 43% (26/66) exhibited elevated DENV-2 neutralizing antibody titers for years prior to infection, compared with 76% (13/17) of inapparent infections (age-adjusted odds ratio: 4.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.1 – 17.7).Conclusions/Significance.Our data indicate that protection from homologous DENV re-infection may be incomplete in some circumstances, which provides context for the limited vaccine efficacy against DENV-2 in recent trials. Further studies are warranted to confirm this phenomenon and to evaluate the potential role of incomplete homologous protection in DENV transmission dynamics.Author SummaryHomotypic immunity against DENV infection has been assumed to be complete and lifelong, and to our knowledge, instances of homologous DENV re-infection have not been rigorously documented. However, few long-term studies have been conducted in such a way that homologous re-infection could be observed, if it did in fact occur. Our study provides evidence that homologous re-infection may occur in certain circumstances. We draw from data collected during a 2010-2011 DENV-2 epidemic in northeastern Peru, 15 years after the initial DENV-2 outbreak in the region. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of dengue epidemiology and for dengue vaccine formulation, which may need to consider multiple genotypes of each serotype. Data from other long-term dengue epidemiology studies should be analyzed to determine of homologous re-infection is a more widespread phenomenon.
Serial commitments clearance in Rastin Banking
Authors: Bidabad Bijan 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– This paper aims to propose a system for settlement of obligations of those who, on the one hand, serially owe someone and, on the other hand, are creditors to other persons. Serial Commitments Clearance (SCC) system provides the necessary arrangements for this purpose.

Design/methodology/approach
– Theoretical discussions of serial chain of debits and credits were conducted by considering the laws and regulations of commitment clearance.

Findings
– By considering laws and regulations of commitment clearance and introducing theory of serial chain of debits and credits, this system proposes an algorithm for recognition of serial commitments.

Research limitations/implications
– This process is set in connection to the Collateral Registration System and Mortgage Securitization System in Rastin Banking, while considering the legal and operational problems. Accordingly, banks, notary offices and other authorized authorities can clear serial obligations of persons due to their requests and agreements and release their collaterals and guarantees as far as the debts of the persons are equivalent.

Practical implications
– This system will cause financial release and efficiency of many economic firms. In addition, banks will gain commission for rendering this service.

Social implications
– SCC is a model that can be used in all countries, especially those which have more uncertainties and traders need more pledges for their transactions.

Originality/value
– This study fulfils an identified need to solve practical legal problems in vindication of rights.
Remuneration consultants: benchmarking and its effect on pay
Authors: Ndzi Ernestine 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that remuneration consultants consider when selecting comparator groups for executive remuneration benchmarking. It explores how the different factors influence the level of pay and whether the factors encourage pay-for-performance. Furthermore, it investigates whether the factors used form part of the reasons why remuneration consultants have been criticised to be correlated with high executive pay.Design/methodology/approach– This paper analysis the data obtained from interviewing remuneration consultants from prominent consultancy firms that operate in the UK and the USA.Findings– This paper demonstrates that there is no uniformity in the factors used by remuneration consultants when selecting comparator groups for executive remuneration benchmarking. The paper shows that company performance is not a major factor considered justifying why executive pay is not linked to company performance. The paper further demonstrates that the factors that remuneration consultants consider in selecting comparator groups for executive remuneration benchmarking justify high pay and affirm that remuneration consultants are associated with high pay.Originality/value– This paper demonstrates the effect that lack of best practice on benchmarking is partly responsible for the high executive pay levels and the weak link between pay and performance. This paper will inform companies on what to demand from remuneration consultants when hiring their services. Second, it will provide the shareholders with vital information that they need to vote on remuneration reports in the annual general meeting. Finally, it informs policy makers on the grey areas of practice that require best practice.
Regulation compliance in small Finnish companies
Authors: Sjögrén Helena , Syrjä Pasi 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to learn more about how regulation affects small business in the Finnish context. The authors create a framework for understanding owner-managers’ attitudes towards business legislation. It is authors’ understanding that not enough is known about how small firms make strategic choices that drive business in a highly regulated environment.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper contributes to the existing knowledge of entrepreneurship and small business management. The empirical data used to test the hypotheses were drawn from the postal survey. Differences between owner-managers’ attitudes towards business regulation were identified with factor and cluster analyses methods.

Findings
– Regulation often exerts only a limited influence over owner-managers’ decision-making. Family entrepreneurs are more compliant towards business regulation. Regulation is not too heavy a burden to all in business in Finland, even though Finland is a highly regulated country.

Research limitations/implications
– The real impact of regulation on small firms’ performance is really difficult to prove, because small firms operating in the same regulatory context have different performance outcomes. Additionally, often owner-managers’ awareness of specific regulations is limited.

Practical implications
– There could be gap between the presumed effect of policymakers and the real effect of regulation among owner-managers. In Finland, policymakers should find other motivations to encourage business than lightening the regulatory burden. They should concentrate more providing external support to small firms in the form of information, training and financing new small firms.

Originality/value
– It is authors’ understanding that not enough is known about how small firms make strategic choices that drive business in a highly regulated environment.
Influence of the principle of interoperability on legal regulation
Authors: Zharova Anna 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify the legal problems connected with using the systems of technological interoperability in the society.

Design/methodology/approach
– In the paper, the compared-legal method was applied. The legislation of Russia and that of European Union (EU) have been compared.

Findings
– Generalizing about the problems identified in both Russia and the EU, it is possible to conclude that: States have to develop a coordinated, uniform security policy. Public administrations have to implement interoperable services for business and citizens. States have to introduce the required standards. It is necessary to forbid development or creation of any departmental technical specifications by public institutions or departments which are not coordinated with the larger transnational goals.

Originality/value
– In the paper, the problems that arise in the states (Russia and EU) if they did not take into account the principle of interoperability are revealed. Legal mechanisms directed on permission of arising problems are described.
Mutual gains or conflicting outcomes? How HRM benefits professionals
Authors: Edgar Fiona , Geare Alan , Zhang Jing A. , McAndrew Ian 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– Using the mutual gains model as a framework, the purpose of this paper is to explore the important issue of mutuality in employment relationships.Design/methodology/approach– This study uses a sample of 215 New Zealand professionals to assess the relationships between commitment-oriented HRM practice, work intensification, work-life balance (WLB) and task and contextual performance.Findings– The authors find commitment-oriented HRM practice does not intensify the work experiences of professionals, but nor does it contribute positively to the achievement of WLB. Both these well-being types do, however, contribute to explaining professionals’ task and contextual performance outcomes.Research limitations/implications– The findings suggest current narrow interpretations of well-being need to be revisited, with the meaning of well-being, its measurement and its role in delivering performance outcomes afforded greater attention within HRM studies.Practical implications– A primary goal of managers is to deliver optimum performance outcomes. For professionals, the research suggests an important means to achieving this is by promoting positive well-being.Originality/value– This study offers some important insights into the role mutuality plays in influencing performance outcomes. In addition, by exploring two contrasting facets of well-being, one health- and one happiness-related, the authors provide some empirical insights into how employees’ well-being affects performance outcomes.
Management control for gender mainstreaming – a quest of transformative norm breaking
Authors: Wittbom Eva Elisabeth 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– This paper aims to discuss the gendered dimensions of management control. Gender mainstreaming is a worldwide strategy for gender equality. The question raised in this paper is how a management control system functions under the pressure of mainstreaming gender into a core business.Design/methodology/approach– The evidence stems from a case study at two Swedish Governmental public transport administrations. Interviews, observations of meetings and close reading of documents furnish this paper with data over a five-year period regarding the management control of the policy goal of a gender-equal transport system. The practice of management control for gender mainstreaming is studied by adopting sociological institutional theory and a gender perspective.Findings– The management control system proves to hamper gender equality. In a technocratic core business, the control system fails to support gender mainstreaming. In this paper, the control of a gender-equal transport system results in a quantitative perspective on women and men instead of a qualitative gender perspective on the transport system.Practical implications– This paper has practical implications both for accountants being involved in management control for gender mainstreaming and for all persons involved in promoting gender mainstreaming.Originality/value– The paper contributes to the scarce literature from research with a gender perspective on management control systems. Being exposed to gender mainstreaming, the gender perspective discloses dysfunctional dimensions within the management control system.
Review of factors constraining the development of Indian corporate bond markets
Authors: Thukral Shagun , Sridhar Sharada , Joshi Medha Shriram 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– The paper aims to understand the factors that have limited the development of this market in India. With a conservative bank-based economy in the backdrop and with the Central Bank pulling the strings, the sovereign debt market occupies the most space in the bonds universe of India. The latter and almost minuscule portion of this market is occupied by the corporate and industrial houses that have forayed into the market to raise finances. This has led to a cycle where lack of participation leads to lack of liquidity and underdeveloped rating mechanisms which further pressurizes the development of this market in India.Design/methodology/approach– The paper is designed as a literature review which has attempted to identify the commonly agreed upon factors that have constrained the development of Corporate Bond markets in India especially and some other emerging economies who are successful or unsuccessful in their attempt to establish a corporate bond markets. These factors have then been categorized into broader heads and commented upon as a part of the analysis.Findings– Corporate bond markets in India, although steadily progressing, is still impeded by the nature of the market itself. While the necessary steps have been taken to implement some of the recommendations by the Expert Committee, the response solicited has not quite been as expected. The poor liquidity, weak rating-mechanisms, absence of standardization and disclosure nomenclatures and illiquidity in the government bond market itself need to be addressed objectively.Research limitations/implications– The research adopted attempts to validate prior research and the attempts by regulators to implement an action plan. However, further progress on the changing scenarios is encouraged to be tested through a quantitative analysis.Originality/value– The government and the Central Bank have constantly emphasized the importance of developing the Corporate debt market. Several studies have attempted to analyze the factors that have crippled the growth and steps taken by the Central Bank and Securities and Exchange Board of India by appointing an Expert Committee. This paper has attempted to visit all these factors and analyze the attempts to overcome by the Expert Committee including the backdrop of other nations who have a vibrant corporate debt market today. It sets the tone for further quantitative or statistical analysis.
Ownership as a determinant of chairperson activity: a study of Nordic listed companies
Authors: Brunzell Tor , Peltomäki Jarkko 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to explicitly focus on the roles of ownership concentration, ownership by the board, the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chairperson in the involvement and capabilities of chairpersons and other governors in their work.

Design/methodology/approach
– In this study, the authors investigate the impact of the concentration of ownership, the ownership of the board, the CEO and the chairperson on the chairperson’s activity when the roles of the chairperson and the CEO are separated The empirical analysis of this study is based on a survey sent to Nordic listed firms.

Findings
– The results show that the ownership characteristics of a company are important in determining the chairperson’s working hours, the chairperson’s communication with the CEO and the performance of governance activity. In addition, the authors found that while the ownership of the chairperson and the board of directors and ownership concentration improve governance activity, CEO ownership may undermine governance activity.

Research limitations/implications
– The primary implication of the study is that both ownership by internal governors and ownership concentration play an important role in determining the involvement of internal corporate governors.

Originality/value
– The study provides unique evidence that ownership by the chairperson, concentrated ownership and ownership by the board can potentially mitigate the costs of separating the roles of the chairperson and the CEO.
When can positive interactions cause alternative stable states in ecosystems?
Authors: Kéfi Sonia , Holmgren Milena , Scheffer Marten 
Published: November 2015

Summary

After a period of heavy emphasis on negative interactions, such as predation and competition, the past two decades have seen an explosion of literature on the role of positive interactions in ecological communities. Such positive interactions can take many forms. One possibility is that amelioration of environmental stress by plants or sessile animals enhances growth, reproduction and survival of others, but many more intricate patterns exist.

Importantly such positive interactions may contribute to creating a positive feedback. For instance, biomass can lead to improved environmental conditions causing better growth and therefore leading to more biomass. A positive feedback is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition for the emergence of alternative stable states at the community scale. However, the literature on positive interactions in plant and animal communities rarely addresses this connection.

Here, we address this gap, asking the question of when positive interactions may lead to alternative stable states, and hence set the stage for catastrophic transitions at tipping points in ecosystems. We argue that, although there are a number of now classical examples in the literature for which positive interactions are clearly the main actors of positive feedback loops, more empirical and theoretical research scaling up from the individual‐level interactions to the community and the ecosystem scale processes is needed to further understand under which conditions positive interactions can trigger positive feedback loops, and thereby alternative stable states.
PANSS‐6: a brief rating scale for the measurement of severity in schizophrenia
Authors: Østergaard S. D. , Lemming O. M. , Mors O. , Correll C. U. , Bech P. 
Published: November 2015

ObjectiveThe 30‐item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS‐30) is the most widely used rating scale in schizophrenia, but too long for clinical use. Shorter PANSS versions have been proposed, including the PANSS‐14 and PANSS‐8. However, none of these PANSS versions has been validated using the parametric Rasch rating scale model, which evaluates ‘scalability’. Scalability means that each item in a rating scale provides unique information regarding syndrome severity and is a statistical prerequisite for using the total score as a measure of overall severity.MethodBased on data from two randomized placebo‐controlled trials in schizophrenia, we tested the scalability of PANSS‐30, PANSS‐14 and PANSS‐8 by means of the parametric Rasch rating scale model. Furthermore, we tested whether a scalable PANSS version could separate efficacy of haloperidol and sertindole from placebo.ResultsNeither PANSS‐30, PANSS‐14 nor PANSS‐8 was scalable. However, PANSS‐6, consisting of the items: P1‐Delusions, P2‐Conceptual disorganization, P3‐Hallucinations, N1‐Blunted Affect, N4‐Social withdrawal, N6‐Lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation, was scalable. Furthermore, PANSS‐6 captured superior symptom reduction and higher remission rates during treatment with haloperidol and sertindole vs. placebo.ConclusionPANSS‐6 is a short schizophrenia severity rating scale that adequately separates antipsychotic efficacy from that of placebo.
Implementation of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and surgical swab and instrument counts at a regional referral hospital in Uganda – a quality improvement project
Authors: Lilaonitkul M. , Kwikiriza A. , Ttendo S. , Kiwanuka J. , Munyarungero E. , Walker I. A. , Rooney K. D. 
Published: November 2015

SummaryThe World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist is a cost‐effective tool that has been shown to improve patient safety. We explored the applicability and effectiveness of quality improvement methodology to implement the WHO checklist and surgical counts at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda between October 2012 and September 2013. Compliance rates were evaluated prospectively and monthly structured feedback sessions were held. Checklist and surgical count compliance rates increased from a baseline median (IQR [range]) of 29.5% (0–63.5 [0–67.0]) to 85.0% (82.8–87.5 [79.0–93.0]) and from 25.5% (0–52.5 [0–60.0]) to 83.0% (80.8–85.5 [69.0–89.0]), respectively. The mean all‐or‐none completion rate of the checklist was 69.3% (SD 7.7, 95% CI [64.8–73.9]). Use of the checklist was associated with performance of surgical counts (p value < 0.001; r2 = 0.91). Pareto analysis showed that understaffing, malfunctioning and lack of equipment were the main challenges. A carefully designed quality improvement project, including stepwise incremental change and standardisation of practice, can be an effective way of improving clinical practice in low‐income settings.
Critical care after lung resection: CALoR 1, a single‐centre pilot study
Authors: McCall P. J. , Macfie A. , Kinsella J. , Shelley B. G. 
Published: November 2015

SummaryLung resection is associated with significant perioperative morbidity, and a proportion of patients will require intensive care following surgery. We set out to characterise this population, assess their burden of disease and investigate the influence of anaesthetic and surgical techniques on their admission rate. Over a two‐year period, 1169 patients underwent surgery, with 30 patients (2.6%) requiring unplanned intensive care. Patients requiring support had a higher mortality (0.2% vs 26.7%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression (following adjustment for Thoracoscore) revealed that an open surgical approach was associated with higher likelihood of admission (p = 0.025, odds ratio = 5.25). There was also a trend towards increased likelihood of admission in patients who received volatile anaesthesia (p = 0.061, odds ratio = 2.08). This topic has been selected for further investigation as part of the 2015 Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists (ACTA) second national collaborative audit, with this study providing pilot data before a multi‐centre study.