bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enhancing staff motivation in “tough” periods: implications for business leaders
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Antonios 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to present a viewpoint based on an empirical study conducted by the author, which explored the motivational techniques used by 30 chief executive officers in the context of an advancing economy like Greece that faces a severe financial crisis and evaluated the impact of such motivational tools on staff performance.

Design/methodology/approach
– The viewpoint is based on a quantitative survey of 30 Greek large organizations involving the leaders of the firms and 113 workers. In all, 143 responses were collected concerning the main motivational techniques used by the participant leaders and their impact on employee behavior.

Findings
– Overall, the findings showed that in the short-term, both motivational models (i.e. “inspirational” versus “fear”) may lead to effective organizational performance. However, the main difference appears to be related to the long-term impact of each model on firm performance. In particular, the findings indicated that “fear motivation” is more likely to lead to poor firm performance in the long-run compared to “inspirational motivation” due to increased staff absenteeism and turnover.

Practical implications
– The core implication of the study is that “fear motivation” should be reconsidered by business leaders, as the particular motivational approach adopted has been based on a limited understanding around its overall impact on employee performance. As the analysis revealed, a motivational model focused around empowerment, trust and individual development may lead to better organizational results.

Originality/value
– It informs the existing management literature about the impact of different motivational patterns on employee performance, where our knowledge is limited.
Market segmentation for penetrating deeper into the contact lens market
Authors: Toor Tajinder 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– This paper aims to present the importance of market segmentation and how it can be used to strategize effectively to penetrate deeper into the contact lens market.

Design/methodology/approach
– Market segment is a group of consumers with common needs, priorities or characteristics. Each market segment is different, and a business must target these different market segments with different marketing strategies. This paper highlights the role of market segmentation in creating an ideal target segment for contact lens market and designing a unique strategy to reach the targeted segment.

Findings
– Adolescents or teenagers seem to be an ideal segment to penetrate deeper into the contact lens market and to realize immediate gains. A unique or different marketing strategy is required to target and occupy adolescents.

Practical implications
– Targeting adolescents, who form the most promising category to penetrate the market, with a unique marketing mix will likely increase profit, revenue and return of investment.
Distinctive personality traits of quality management personnel
Authors: W. Lounsbury John , M. Loveland James , W. Gibson Lucy , J. Levy Jacob 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate differences in personality and career satisfaction between quality managers and workers in other fields based on Person-Environment Fit theory.

Design/methodology/approach
– Field study: personality and career satisfaction data for 965 quality managers were compared with those for a sample of over 85,000 individuals in many different occupations and employment settings using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and t-tests.

Findings
– Quality managers were higher than other occupations in intrinsic motivation, tough-mindedness, and conscientiousness, but lower in career satisfaction, optimism, and assertiveness.

Research limitations/implications
– This paper does not contain any longitudinal study; there is also a lack of some demographic variables, including race/ethnicity, job tenure, and career tenure.

Practical implications
– The findings carry implications for career planning, recruiting, pre-employment testing, training, and helping quality managers navigate through their organizations and careers.

Social implications
– Overall, the authors provide a personality profile of quality managers and show that many quality managers have lower career satisfaction than other occupations.

Originality/value
– These findings provide an occupational profile of salient personality traits of QC managers which can be used in occupational classification, field identity, and career planning.
Youth and parental perspectives on the functional family therapy programme
Authors: Celinska Katarzyna , Cheng Chia‐Cherng , Virgil Nikiesha J. 
Published: July 2014

Assessing clients' satisfaction with family therapy interventions has important practical and theoretical implications. This article presents findings on client satisfaction after participating in functional family therapy (FFT), which addresses youths at risk of delinquency behaviour and communication problems in the family. Qualitative interviews and quantitative research methods are employed to compare programme perceptions with standardized therapeutic outcomes. The data include a parent or guardian interview, a youth interview, a services tracking form and the initial and discharge strengths and needs assessment (SNA). We observed high levels of satisfaction with FFT, yet satisfaction with family therapy and therapists was higher among parents. Parents uniformly indicated satisfaction on six Likert scale items while the youths were satisfied only on one. We found five significant differences between the parents' and youths' responses. The parents reported greater trust in therapists, more engagement in family therapy and more positive perception of changes in family dynamics following the intervention. The two scales, satisfaction with the programme and satisfaction with the therapists, were correlated only for parents. However, both scales were correlated with some items on our outcome variable: the changes in the SNA, for parents and young people. We assessed predictors of satisfaction and found that satisfaction with therapy was inversely related to the number of sessions for youth. For parents, the only common predictor of both satisfaction with the therapist and satisfaction with the programme were the changes on the caregivers' strengths scale. The answers to the open‐ended questions indicated that, although both parents and adolescents valued the improvements in communication patterns, the youth seemed to be especially attuned to changes in this area. Researchers should continue assessing satisfaction with family therapy and study the relationship between satisfaction and the intervention's outcomes. Our findings suggest also the importance of including youth in assessing satisfaction.Practitioner points
Assessing feedback from both, parents and youth, during and after an intervention can assist in providing more effective treatment.
Youth might benefit from a shorter therapy and those who are mandated should be given more voice in an intervention.
The strengths and needs assessment is a clinical tool that is useful in evaluating the intervention's outcomes.
Functional family therapy improves communication skills among family members.
Habitus of home and traditional drinking: a qualitative analysis of reported middle‐class alcohol use
Authors: Brierley‐Jones Lyn , Ling Jonathan , McCabe Karen E , Wilson Graeme B , Crosland Ann , Kaner Eileen FS , Haighton Catherine A 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThere is evidence that alcohol consumption among those in middle‐class occupations consistently exceeds safe levels, yet there has been little research into why this occurs. This article explores the meanings associated with alcohol use among professional, managerial and clerical workers. Qualitative data were collected from five focus groups of male and female employees aged 21–55 (N=49: 32 male, 17 female). Each focus group was conducted on the premises of a medium‐scale or large‐scale employer, four public sector and one private sector, in the north‐east of England. Using Bourdieu's concepts of ‘habitus’, ‘capitals’ and ‘fields’ we found that, among these middle‐class occupational groups, alcohol use was associated with two habitus: a ‘home drinking’ habitus and a ‘traditional drinking’ habitus. Those of the home drinking habitus particularly used wine as a source of cultural capital and a means of distinction, whereas those in the traditional habitus consumed lager, beer and spirits to have fun in social settings. A small minority appeared to belong to a third, omnivorous, habitus where a wide range of alcoholic drinks were consumed in a variety of contexts. Existing public health initiatives to reduce alcohol consumption may require modification to accommodate a range of drinking cultures.
Incidence and remission of urinary incontinence at midlife: a cohort study
Authors: Legendre G , Ringa V , Panjo H , Zins M , Fritel X 
Published: July 2014

ObjectiveUrinary incontinence (UI) is often considered to be an age‐related disease that develops gradually as women grow older. Much remains to be learnt about factors that promote its incidence or its remission. Our objective was to assess its incidence and risk factors.DesignLongitudinal cohort study.SettingFrench GAZEL cohort.PopulationA cohort of 4127 middle‐aged women (aged 47–52 years at baseline) over an 18‐year period (1990–2008).MethodsUI was defined as ‘difficulty retaining urine’. The question was asked at baseline and repeated every 3 years over an 18‐year period. Two groups (UI incidence and remission) were analysed according to status at baseline (continent or incontinent). A multivariable analysis (Cox model) was used to estimate the risk factors for UI incidence and remission.Main outcome measuresAnnual incidence and remission rates and risk factors for UI incidence and remission.ResultsThe annual incidence and remission rates for UI were 3.3% and 6.2%, respectively. High educational level (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.05–1.55), parity, i.e. at least one baby versus no baby (HR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.19–2.27), menopause (HR = 5.44; 95% CI = 4.47–6.63), weight gain, i.e. for each kilogram change in weight (HR = 1.00; 95% CI = 1.00–1.02), onset of depressive symptoms (HR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.09–1.57) and impairment in health‐related quality of life incidence (social isolation dimension [HR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.04–1.60] and energy dimension [HR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.17–1.70]) were associated with an increased probability of UI. The factors associated with persistent UI were age (HR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.55–0.61), weight gain (HR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.98–0.99) and transition to menopausal status (HR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.19–1.99).ConclusionsOur study suggests that, in our population of middle‐aged women, age, menopause, weight gain, onset of depression and impaired health‐related quality of life may promote UI.
New biomarkers for the prediction of spontaneous preterm labour in symptomatic pregnant women: a comparison with fetal fibronectin
Authors: Liong S , Di Quinzio MKW , Fleming G , Permezel M , Rice GE , Georgiou HM 
Published: July 2014

ObjectiveTo identify cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) biomarkers predictive of spontaneous preterm birth in women with symptoms of preterm labour.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingMelbourne, Australia.PopulationWomen with a singleton pregnancy admitted to the Emergency Department between 22 and 36 weeks of gestation presenting with symptoms of preterm labour.MethodsTwo‐dimensional electrophoresis was used to analyse the CVF proteome. Validation of putative biomarkers was performed using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in an independent cohort. Optimal concentration thresholds of putative biomarkers were determined and the predictive efficacy for preterm birth was compared with that of fetal fibronectin.Main outcome measuresPrediction of spontaneous preterm labour within 7 days.ResultsDifferentially expressed proteins were identified by proteomic analysis in women presenting with ‘threatened’ preterm labour without cervical change who subsequently delivered preterm (n = 12 women). ELISA validation using an independent cohort (n = 129 women) found albumin and vitamin D‐binding protein (VDBP) to be significantly altered between women who subsequently experienced preterm birth and those who delivered at term. Prediction of preterm delivery within 7 days using a dual biomarker model (albumin/VDBP) provided 66.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value (PPV) and 96.7% negative predictive value (NPV), compared with fetal fibronectin yielding 66.7, 87.9, 36.4 and 96.2%, respectively (n = 64). Using the maximum number of screened samples, the predictive utility of albumin/VDBP yielded a sensitivity of 77.8%, specificity and PPV of 100% and NPV of 98.0% (n = 109).ConclusionsThe dual biomarker model of albumin/VDBP is more efficacious than fetal fibronectin in predicting spontaneous preterm delivery in symptomatic women within 7 days. A clinical diagnostic trial is required to test this model on a larger population to confirm these findings and to further refine the predictive values.
Histological features and severity of oxaliplatin‐induced liver injury and clinical associations
Authors: Nalbantoglu ILKe , Tan Benjamin R , Linehan David C , Gao Feng , Brunt Elizabeth M 
Published: July 2014

ObjectiveOxaliplatin, a component of chemotherapy for colorectal carcinoma liver metastases, can result in hepatic sinusoidal injury; rarely, the injury is fatal. The manifestations of injury are variable. There are no known predictors of susceptibility and outcome. A semi‐quantitative system for assessing histological features in non‐tumor liver was designed to compare with clinical short‐term and long‐term outcomes.MethodsA review of 47 patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma who received liver resection utilizing a system for an aggregate liver injury score (0–4) included hepatocellular and sinusoidal features. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for aberrant capillarization was included. The proliferation of hepatocytes and sinusoidal lining cells was evaluated with Ki‐67 stain.ResultsIn total, 32 (68.1%) cases showed light microscopic lesions of oxaliplatin‐induced liver injury, in which 26 were moderate to severe. Elevated preoperative aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase levels were noted with higher injury scores (P = 0.01). Patients with higher injury scores had no significant increase in short‐term postoperative complications, with one notable exception, who died of liver failure 10 months postoperatively. Increased CD34 expression was associated with higher injury scores (P = 0.00004), and abnormal AST levels (P = 0.04). Preoperative use of bevacizumab was not associated with lower injury scores. Steatosis was correlated with body mass index (P = 0.052) but not with exposure to oxaliplatin, bevacizumab or irinotecan.ConclusionsThe proposed liver injury scoring system encompasses the spectrum of sinusoidal and hepatocellular lesions in oxaliplatin‐induced liver injury and is correlated with serum liver enzyme levels in this group. Most patients recovered without complications during the 93‐month follow‐up, indicating that these lesions are reversible.
Subchronic administration of atomoxetine causes an enduring reduction in context‐induced relapse to cocaine seeking without affecting impulsive decision making
Authors: Broos Nienke , Loonstra Rhianne , van Mourik Yvar , Schetters Dustin , Schoffelmeer Anton N. M. , Pattij Tommy , De Vries Taco J. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractPrevious work has established a robust relationship between impulsivity and addiction, and revealed that impulsive decision making predisposes the vulnerability to cocaine‐seeking behavior in rats. An important next step is to assess whether elevated relapse vulnerability can be treated via the reduction of impulsive decision making. Therefore, this study explored whether subchronic atomoxetine treatment can reduce relapse vulnerability by reducing impulsive decision making. Rats were trained in the delayed reward task and were subjected to 3 weeks of cocaine self‐administration. Following drug self‐administration, animals were divided to different experimental groups and received the noradrenaline transporter inhibitor and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug atomoxetine or vehicle subchronically for 20 days. On days 1 and 10 after treatment cessation, a context‐induced reinstatement test was performed. Throughout the entire experiment, changes in impulsive decision making were continuously monitored. Subchronic treatment with atomoxetine reduced context‐induced reinstatement both 1 and 10 days after treatment cessation, only in animals receiving no extinction training. Interestingly, neither subchronic nor acute atomoxetine treatments affected impulsive decision making. Our data indicate that the enduring reduction in relapse sensitivity by atomoxetine occured independent of a reduction in impulsive decision making. Nonetheless, repeated atomoxetine administration seems a promising pharmacotherapeutical strategy to prevent relapse to cocaine seeking in abstinent drug‐dependent subjects.
The differential expression of alternatively spliced transcripts and imprinting status of MEG9 gene in cows
Authors: Zhang Kun , Li Dongjie , Wang Mengnan , Wu Guojiang , Shi Yunjiao , Li Shijie 
Published: July 2014

SummaryMeg9/Mirg (maternally expressed gene 9/microRNA containing gene), a non‐coding RNA (ncRNA) comprising many alternatively splicing isoforms, has been identified as maternally expressed in mouse and sheep, but its imprinting status and splicing variants are still unknown in cattle. In this study, we found three splicing variants of the cattle MEG9 gene expressed in a tissue‐specific manner. A single nucleotide polymorphism site (SNP c.1354C>G) was identified in exon 3 of cattle MEG9 and used to distinguish between monoallelic and biallelic expression. Our results showed that MEG9 exhibited monoallelic expression in all examined cattle tissues by comparing sequencing results between genomic DNA and cDNA levels at the c.1354C>G SNP site, suggesting that MEG9 is imprinted in cattle.
House dust mite sublingual immunotherapy is safe and appears to be effective in moderate, persistent asthma
Authors: Wang L. , Yin J. , Fadel R. , Montagut A. , de Beaumont O. , Devillier P. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackgroundThe efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy in house dust mite–induced asthma have yet to be firmly established. We report the results of a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial performed in mainland China.MethodsAfter a three‐month baseline period, 484 asthmatic adults were randomized 2 : 1 to 12 months of daily treatment with either an aqueous, standardized, 300 index of reactivity mixture of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae extracts or a placebo. The primary efficacy criterion was well‐controlled asthma for at least 16 of the last 20 weeks of treatment.ResultsIn the active (n = 308) and placebo (n = 157) groups, well‐controlled asthma was achieved by 85.4% and 81.5% of the patients, respectively (P = 0.244). A subsequent post hoc analysis by asthma severity revealed significant clinical benefits in actively treated subjects with moderate, persistent asthma at baseline [401–800 μg budesonide/day (n = 175)], with greater achievement of well‐controlled asthma (80.5% and 66.1% for the active treatment and placebo groups, respectively; P = 0.021) and totally controlled asthma (54.0% and 33.9%, respectively, P = 0.008), a higher percentage of patients with an asthma control questionnaire score < 0.75 (56.6% and 40.0%, respectively; P = 0.039) and a greater mean reduction in inhaled corticosteroid use (218.5 μg and 126.2 μg, respectively; P = 0.004). The active vs placebo differences in disease control and corticosteroid use were not significant for mild, persistent asthma. No treatment‐related serious adverse events were reported.ConclusionsSublingual mite allergen immunotherapy was well tolerated in adult asthmatics and effectively controlled disease in patients with moderate (but not mild) persistent asthma (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00660452).
Review article: adherence to Rome criteria in therapeutic trials in functional dyspepsia
Authors: Stanghellini V. , Cogliandro R. 
Published: July 2014

SummaryBackgroundThe Rome criteria are currently required by health authorities for the inclusion of patients affected by functional dyspepsia in therapeutic trials. However, the degree of adherence to these criteria has not been formally verified.AimTo review adherence to the Rome criteria for inclusion criteria, outcome measures and endpoints in therapeutic trials on functional dyspepsia and the potential impact on the conclusions that can be drawn from these studies.MethodsA total of 1818 articles were screened. Fifty‐eight trials claiming to include adults affected by functional dyspepsia as defined by the Rome criteria published as full articles in English between 2000 and 2013 were considered.ResultsLack of full adherence to the Rome criteria of inclusion criteria was found in 54% of the studies, due to inclusion of patients with symptoms not reported in the Rome criteria or definitions of dyspeptic symptom that varied from those proposed by the Rome criteria. Ninety‐five per cent of clinical trials adopted therapeutic outcome measures that were not adherent to the Rome criteria, using questionnaires that did not include all dyspeptic symptoms or including symptoms other than those proposed by the Rome criteria.ConclusionsStringent criteria have not been adopted for inclusion criteria and outcome measures in the vast majority of published studies on functional dyspepsia that claim to have been carried out according to the Rome criteria. Appropriate questionnaires should be developed to promote adherence to internationally accepted definitions of the syndrome in future studies.
Post‐discharge suicides of inpatients with bipolar disorder in Finland
Authors: Isometsä Erkki , Sund Reijo , Pirkola Sami 
Published: July 2014

ObjectivesSuicide risk in psychiatric inpatients is known to be remarkably high after discharge. However, temporal patterns and risk factors among patients with bipolar disorder remain obscure. We investigated post‐discharge temporal patterns of hazard and risk factors by type of illness phase among patients with bipolar disorder.MethodsBased on national registers, all discharges of patients with bipolar disorder from a psychiatric ward in Finland in 1987–2003 (n = 52,747) were identified, and each patient was followed up to post‐index discharge or to suicide (n = 466). For discharges occurring in 1995–2003 (n = 35,946), factors modifying hazard of suicide during the first 120 days (n = 129) were investigated.ResultsThe temporal pattern of suicide risk depended on the type of illness phase, being highest but steeply declining after discharge with depression; less high and declining in mixed states; lower and relatively stable after mania. In Cox models, for post‐discharge suicides (n = 65) after hospitalizations for bipolar depression (n = 9,635), the hazard ratio was 8.05 (p = 0.001) after hospitalization with a suicide attempt and 3.63 (p < 0.001) for male patients, but 0.186 (p = 0.001) for patients taking lithium. Suicides after mania (n = 28) or mixed episodes (n = 20) were predicted by male sex and preceding suicide attempts, respectively.ConclusionsAmong inpatients with bipolar disorder, suicide risk is high and related strongly to the time elapsed from discharge after hospitalizations for depressive episodes, and less strongly after hospitalizations for mixed episodes. Intra‐episodic suicide attempts and male sex powerfully predict suicide risk. Lower suicide rate after hospitalizations for depression among patients prescribed lithium is consistent with a preventive effect.