bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Learning for the workplace: a case study in graduate employees' generic competencies
Authors: Quek Ai‐Hwa 
Published: June 2005

PurposeThis study seeks to address empirically the current state of generic competencies considered to be important for successful work performance among Malaysian graduate employees. This study also aims to explain the elements of generic competencies that are needed to complement the tertiary training of students in workplace learning.Design/methodology/approachUsing the survey method, questionnaires (validated by a pilot test and with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81) were administered to a purposive sample of graduate employees (n=32).FindingsResponses were factor‐analysed and correlated through the Pearson product‐moment correlation procedure. Drawing from the significant correlations ( p<0.01) of the factors extracted, this study highlights interpersonal skills, knowledge‐acquiring skills and flexibility as being highly important in contributing toward success in work performance. Additionally, these graduate employees also expressed value‐improving skills, practical orientation abilities and cognitive skills as being important for successful work performance. These generic competencies are important for enabling Malaysian graduate employees to transfer learning from the classroom to the workplace for success in work performance.Research limitations/implicationsGiven the financial constraints, this study is limited to Malaysian graduate employees. Therefore, the generalisability of the results is limited to other situations that are similar to the one discussed in this study.Originality/valueIn the Malaysian context, tertiary training probably needs to consider the development of generic competencies in students so as to enable them to transfer tertiary learning to meet the changing demands of the workplace when they graduate. In this direction additional research is recommended in Malaysia so that graduates can be better trained to contribute successfully in the workplace.
Integrating programme and process performance QA
Authors: Dealtry Richard , Settle David 
Published: June 2005

PurposeThis article seeks to report on actions being taken at a practical level to innovate performance quality assurance systems for real‐time learning environments.Design/methodology/approachReviews the consequences for situational learning management as organisations adopt customer‐facing organic strategic postures.FindingsNaturally evolving and progressive vocational and enterprise learning programme assessments are being combined with performance quality reviews of process to produce radical and very powerful QA systems for the performance management of organisationally based enterprise learning.Originality/valueThere are as many varieties of corporate universities as there are companies, all differentiated by industry sector and their state of development and strategic intent. By providing a quality‐assured governance and policy management environment with the supporting faculty competency resources outlined, the progressive learning assignment process, when combined with the browser‐based system, produces an integration of quality‐based performance dynamics in individual and group enterprise learning performance and process management efficiency.
Games that nations play: will Turkey be part of Europe?
Authors: Richardson Jacques 
Published: June 2005

PurposeSeeks to discuss the European Union's decision in December 2004 to begin debating Turkey's formal application to join the EU marks the beginning of what could be a prolonged decade of game‐playing by both the Union and the applicant from Istanbul.Design/methodology/approachAnalyzes and tallies the stakes, pro and con, for each party, accommodating at the same time some troublesome, neither‐nor factors.FindingsThe result is that of a game, perhaps more seriously conceived than adroitly played. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, Turkey's long‐term efforts to join Europe may prove to be a classic in contemporary political gamesmanship.Originality/valueThe article provides a review of the arguments in favor of and against Turkey's accession to the EU.
Complexity theory for organisational futures studies
Authors: Smith Aaron C.T. 
Published: June 2005

PurposeThis paper seeks to make an assessment of the value and veracity that complexity theory makes as a “new” approach to futures thinking, and the implications that the approach holds for futures studies.Design/methodology/approachThere are three sections. In the first, the notion of complexity theory is explained and its robustness considered, leading to a commentary on its status as a theory. In the second section, the applications of complexity approaches to change and futures thinking are examined, including its perspective on forecasting and scenario analysis. The final section comments on the compatibility of complexity theory and the relevance of conventional analytical forecasting techniques.FindingsComplexity thinking implies that the causes of events cannot be known and that forecasting and scenario planning are doomed to failure. However, this perspective assumes that complexity has achieved status as a theory, a possibility which is rejected in this analysis.Practical implicationsIt is proposed that complexity theory offers a neat metaphor for considering aspects of change, but that there is insufficient evidence to impel managers to dispose of forecasting techniques based on the flawed assumption that all change will be emergent and fundamentally unpredictable. In fact, complexity and analytical scenario techniques might be more compatible than is suggested by complexity advocates, and might be helpful in conceptualising alternative scenarios, as it encourages an awareness of emerging patterns.Originality/valueThis paper makes an assessment of the contribution that complexity theory may make to futures thinking, provides some practical guidance concerning its application, comments on the utility of conventional futures analysis methods and offers a view on the relevance of analytical forecasting techniques.
Market delusions: rethinking the trajectories of post‐socialist societies
Authors: Williams Colin C. 
Published: June 2005

PurposeRecently, the recurring narrative that capitalism is stretching its tentacles ever moe widely and deeply into every crevice of daily life across the globe has been challenged in the context of Western economies and the Third World by an emerging post‐development corpus of thought. The aim here is to extend this critique of market hegemony by investigating the so‐called “transition” economies of East‐Central Europe.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyses the extent to which market practices penetrated the “transition” economies of East‐Central Europe in the years following the collapse of the socialist bloc, first through a review of the post‐development literature and then by examining the nature of work and trajectories of the “transition” economies.FindingsAnalysis highlights not only the shallow permeation of market practices but also the multiplicity of development trajectories being pursued at both the household and societal levels.Originality/valueThe outcome is to provide additional evidence from the post‐socialist East‐Central European bloc to support the critique of market hegemony and open up the future to alternative possibilities beyond marketisation.
ARIA: impact of compliance
Authors: Van Cauwenberge P. 
Published: June 2005

SummaryEpidemiological studies show that the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) has increased progressively over the past two to three decades. Similarly, there is increasing evidence that asthma and rhinitis frequently co‐exist in the same patients and that rhinitis is a risk factor for asthma. Although several guidelines are currently available for the diagnosis and management of AR, the earlier guidelines and their successors were not evidence based, and were developed primarily on the basis of expert opinion, but of course based on the available literature. More recently, the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines were published in co‐operation with the World Health Organization. These guidelines are evidence based and directed towards managing co‐morbid rhinitis and asthma as different manifestations of a single airway disease, rather than as two separate diseases of the nose and the lung. They recommend treatment of AR in a step‐wise manner (using a combination of allergen avoidance, pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy), based on the duration and severity of disease, rather than on the basis of type of exposure (i.e seasonal, perennial, occupational), as recommended by previous guidelines. The ARIA guidelines recognize that both the availability and the cost of a particular intervention are likely to determine patient compliance, and therefore recommends a flexible approach based on availability and cost of specific interventions in different countries. Despite the availability of treatment guidelines, there is evidence that the severity of disease is often diagnosed and treated inappropriately by general practitioners (GPs), who frequently do not use a guided treatment strategy, leading to low patient satisfaction and compliance. This suggests a clear need to implement the guidelines among GPs, especially since the vast majority of patients generally trust their GPs to provide appropriate information and optimal medication for the management of their disease.
Pharmacological interventions and outcome measurements in the unified airway
Authors: Lipworth B. J. 
Published: June 2005

SummaryIn view of the large body of evidence for the role of histamine and cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLT1) in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma, there has been a surge in the development of histamine H1 and CysLT1 receptor antagonists (H1 antihistamines and leukotriene antagonists, respectively) for the treatment of these conditions. Current treatment guidelines recommend the use of oral H1 antihistamines as first‐choice treatment for intermittent or persistent AR and the leukotriene antagonists, either as alternative or add‐on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids, for mild‐to‐moderate persistent asthma. However, recent studies, using a variety of traditional and novel outcome measures, have suggested that the H1 antihistamines and leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) may be effective in both asthma and AR. However, these studies have provided conflicting evidence as to whether H1 antihistamines and the leukotriene antagonists have the potential for additivity of response, when used as combination therapy in AR. There are also preliminary data showing that H1 antihistamines, like LTRAs, may further reduce inflammation, when used as add‐on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids in patients with mild‐to‐moderate persistent asthma. The clinical relevance of these findings, however, is presently not clear and also, the observed effects of these agents are likely to be dependent on the type of outcome measures used in these studies. Further studies are therefore clearly required to evaluate the effects of combined histamine H1 and CysLT1 receptor antagonists in patients with more severe disease over the longer term, particularly to evaluate asthma exacerbations and airway remodelling. Furthermore, it will be important to assess the potential for treating the unified airway in patients with concomitant asthma and AR in terms of comparing combined mediator antagonism with topical corticosteroid therapy.
Assessment of quality of life: advantages and pitfalls
Authors: Gerth van Wijk R. 
Published: June 2005

SummaryThere is increasing evidence that allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma impair the overall quality of life (QOL) of patients and place a great economic burden on both the individual and society as a whole. While conventional measures, such as a medical history and specific allergy tests, give an indication of the patient's disease and its burden, these may not reflect the disease status accurately or in its entirety. The development of disease‐specific instruments (questionnaires) for measuring health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) of adults and children with AR, asthma, or co‐morbid allergic disease, has led to the recognition that these instruments provide a more accurate estimate of the burden of disease, and additionally represent a formal and validated part of the history. Studies employing HRQOL instruments have indicated that these instruments are simple to administer and represent validated and quantifiable methods for taking a simple patient history. Despite some limitations, these instruments are thought to be particularly useful because they (i) provide additional information on various aspects of disease or treatment which are not readily identified by the clinician, (ii) give an insight into the burden and consequences of allergic disease and (iii) describe the relationship between the medical treatment and improvement in HRQOL, which appears to be the motive behind good compliance and patient satisfaction.
Metoprolol in the Prophylaxis of Migraine: Parallel‐Groups Comparison withPlacebo and Dose‐Ranging Follow‐Up
Authors: Steiner T.J. , Joseph Rajiv , Hedman C. , Rose F. Clifford 
Published: June 2005

SYNOPSIS88 patients in need of prophylactic treatment for classical, common or mixed migraine of at least 2years' duration were admitted to a double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial of the beta1‐selective adrenoceptorblocker, metoprolol. All patients initially took placebo for 1 month, during which 29 were excludedprincipally because of failure to reattend or placebo‐response making active treatment unnecessary. Theremaining 59 patients were randomised to continued placebo or metoprolol 50 mg b.i.d. for 2 months.Patients after this time subjectively categorizing their responses as less than optimal changed,double‐blindly, from placebo to metoprolol 50 mg b.i.d., or from metoprolol 50 mg b.i.d. to 100 mg b.i.d., fora further follow‐up period of up to 3 months.Placebo response was 40% overall, and often occurred after the first month. In the first double‐blindcomparative period metoprolol reduced attack frequency significantly, and more than placebo. Severity ofattacks still occurring was not altered by either treatment. Other measures of illness were alteredconsistently with these principal findings. Consistent improvements also were seen in patients switchingfrom initial placebo therapy to metoprolol 50 mg b.i.d. for the further follow‐up period, and those changingto the higher dose of metoprolol showed statistically significant further improvements, and clinicallyimportant improvements overall. Side‐effects were minor and reversible.This study gives supportive evidence of the value of metoprolol in preventing migraine attacks andsuggests that individual dosage titration can substantially enhance its efficacy. Side‐effects do notsignificantly impede its use and other evidence suggests that beta1‐selective blockers are to be preferredover non‐selective in migraine therapy.
Effect of dietary l‐carnitine supplementation on growth performance of piglets from control sows or sows treated with l‐carnitine during pregnancy and lactation
Authors: Birkenfeld C. , Ramanau A. , Kluge H. , Spilke J. , Eder K. 
Published: June 2005

SummaryPrevious studies showed that supplementation of sows’ diets with l‐carnitine increases body weights of their piglets at birth. This study was performed to investigate whether piglets of sows treated with l‐carnitine differ in their growth potential from that of piglets of untreated control sows after weaning. It was also investigated whether supplementation of piglets’ diets with l‐carnitine improves their growth after weaning. In two trials, piglets of the first litters of primiparous sows (trial 1) and the second litters of the same sows (trial 2) were divided into four groups: group 1, piglets of control sows, fed a control diet; group 2, piglets of control sows fed a diet supplemented with 30 mg l‐carnitine/kg; group 3, piglets of l‐carnitine‐treated sows, fed a control diet; group 4, piglets of l‐carnitine‐treated sows fed a diet supplemented with 30 mg l‐carnitine/kg. Mean initial body weights of the piglets of the four groups were identical. They were 8.5 kg in trial 1 and 12.5 kg in trial 2. Diets were fed ad libitum over a period of 35 days. Piglets from sows treated with l‐carnitine did not differ in body weight gains, feed intake and gain : feed ratio from those of control sows. In trial 1, piglets supplemented with l‐carnitine had higher body weight gains (p < 0.005) and showed a tendency towards a higher gain : feed ratio (p = 0.09) than piglets fed the control diets. In trial 2, no significant difference in these parameters emerged between piglets fed the diet supplemented with l‐carnitine and those fed the control diet. In conclusion, this study shows that dietary l‐carnitine treatment of sows does not improve the growth potential of their piglets after weaning under the conditions of equal initial body weights. The study also shows that l‐carnitine supplementation of their diets improves the growth performance in light piglets of primiparous sows.
Pancreatic and duodenal injuries: Keep it simple
Authors: Rickard Matthew J. F. X. , Brohi Karim , Bautz Peter C. 
Published: June 2005

Background:  The management of pancreatic and duodenal trauma has moved away from complex reconstructive procedures to simpler methods in keeping with the trend towards organ‐specific, damage control surgery.Method:  A retrospective case note review was undertaken over a 30‐month period to evaluate a simplified protocol for the management of these injuries.Results:  Of 100 consecutive patients there were 51 with pancreatic injury, 30 with a duodenal injury and 19 with combined pancreaticoduodenal trauma. Overall mortality was 18.0%, with a late mortality (after 24 h) of 9.9%. This is comparable to previous studies. Morbidity from abscesses, fistulas and anastomotic breakdown was acceptably low.Conclusion:  The concept of staged laparotomy can be successfully applied to wounds of the pancreas and duodenum. Debridement of devitalized tissue and drainage can be employed for most cases of pancreatic trauma. Most duodenal injuries can be managed with debridement and primary repair. Temporary exclusion and reoperation should be employed for unstable patients.
Evaluation of fresh frozen plasma usage at a tertiary care hospital in North India
Authors: Chaudhary Rajendra , Singh Harprit , Verma Anupam , Ray Vijaylaxmi 
Published: June 2005

Background:  Concerns regarding transfusion‐transmitted infections and non‐availability of blood components in developing nations, make it crucial to optimize fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusions and reduce wastage.Methods:  A concurrent prospective study of FFP usage was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in north India.Results:  A total of 595 units were issued to 112 patients during the study period, of which 53 units (8.9%) were returned to the blood centre unused, leading to wastage. Appropriate indications for FFP usage were as per accepted British Council for Standardization in Haematology (BCSH) criteria. Among 112 patients 33 (29.5%) had had appropriate FFP transfusions (205 units) for indications that primarily included chronic liver disease, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and prolonged bleeding with abnormal coagulation profile. Out of 33 patients with appropriate indications, 24 had abnormal coagulation profile but only half of these patients (n = 12) received adequate dose of FFP. Fresh frozen plasma was used for inappropriate indications in 79 patients (70.5%), which mainly included bleeding following cardiac surgery with normal coagulation test results, hypovolaemia and hypoproteinaemia. Such misuse was higher in surgical units than medical services (78 vs 45%).Conclusion:  Fresh frozen plasma is grossly misused even in resource‐deficient nations and immediate intervention is needed to stem the flow of this component. Physician education programmes and a monitoring system to ensure strict adherence to the established guidelines are required to reduce undue waste of this blood component.
Randomized prospective controlled trial of lateral internal sphincterotomy versus injection of botulinum toxin for the treatment of idiopathic fissure in ano
Authors: Iswariah Harish , Stephens Jacqueline , Rieger Nicholas , Rodda David , Hewett Peter 
Published: June 2005

Background:  Chronic anal fissure is a significant cause of morbidity. Internal sphincterotomy has long been the operative treatment of choice. Concerns remain, however, on its effects on continence. Botulinum toxin has been used as an agent for chemical sphincterotomy, causing temporary alleviation of sphincter spasm and allowing the fissure to heal. The aim of the present study was to compare the results of sphincterotomy to botulinum toxin.Methods:  The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. All adult patients over the age of 18 with chronic idiopathic fissure in ano who had failed conservative treatment were included in the trial. Patients were randomized to receive either Botox or sphincterotomy. Pain, healing of fissure and continence scores were the outcomes assessed.Results:  A total of 38 patients were studied. Seventeen patients were randomized to receive Botox and 21, sphincterotomy. Patients in the Botox group were found to have significantly higher 2‐week pain scores and reoperation rates, and poor healing. Continence scores were not significantly different in the two groups.Conclusion:  Sphincterotomy gives better results than Botox in the treatment of fissure. Botox, however, is safe with no complications and no detriment to continence and could be used in certain situations.
Role of fenestration and resection for symptomatic solitary liver cysts
Authors: Tan Yu‐Meng , Chung Alexander , Mack Peter , Chow Pierce , Khin Lay‐Way , Ooi London L. 
Published: June 2005

Background:  Symptomatic liver cysts can be managed surgically by fenestration or by hepatic resection. The present study was designed to investigate the current role of each surgical technique in the management of this benign condition.Methods:  Forty consecutive patients with symptomatic liver cyst (non‐parasitic and non‐malignant) surgically treated by fenestration or resection were identified from a prospectively collected database. An analysis of primary outcome measures including operative parameters, morbidity and mortality rates, length of postoperative stay and recurrence rates in months was carried out.Results:  The laparoscopic fenestration group had the best perioperative outcome. At median follow up of 20 months, there were no recurrences in the resection group but recurrence occurred in 6/27 (22%) in the fenestration group. Four of these recurrences were asymptomatic and were managed conservatively while two symptomatic recurrences required a resection.Conclusion:  Laparoscopic fenestration is the best treatment for symptomatic liver cysts as the primary operation. It is associated with the lowest blood loss, lowest morbidity and shortest hospital stay. Liver resection is best reserved for recurrent symptomatic cysts and cystic lesions suspicious of tumours where it can be safely performed and associated with a zero recurrence rate.