Corporate Social Responsibility

The term “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) has a long and complex history. Today, it stands as a theory- and practice-based dialogic space that is still indefinite and perhaps indefinable, where a company’s commitment is conceived and carried out on the basis of a given value system. Although it is difficult for the concept to find a precise time allocation, CSR dates back to the 1950s and to the first scientific assumptions concerning entrepreneurs, managers, and busi- nessmen (Bowen 1953). However, the assump- tion that the economic action generates higher responsibilities or implies moral and economic obligations is, with no doubt, an ancient idea that lies at the basis of any entrepreneurial initiative. This postulation derives from the fact that the firm is, in substance, a human implant. In other words, it is a man’s tool used in the economic field as well as a particular type of organization enabling the satisfaction of men’s needs within the society which, at turns, allows the creation of other communities

Patient involvement in outcome measures for Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous inflammatory arthritis with a varied clinical phenotype. There has been considerable international collaboration over recent years to develop and prioritise appropriate disease domains and outcome measures to capture all aspects of this complex disease. It has been recognised that patient-reported measures and physician assessments are complementary and, when used together, allow an improved reflection of disease burden. Taking this concept one step further, the experience in rheumatoid arthritis has demonstrated benefits of incorporating the patient perspective in the development of outcome measures. We report a systematic review demonstrating (1) that there has been little incorporation of the patient perspective in the development of outcome measures and domains in PsA, (2) the proceedings from the preliminary patient involvement in outcome measures for PsA (PIOMPSA) meetings, and (3) a proposed roadmap for improving patient involvement. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Retroperitoneal Venous Diseases

The abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava are the great vessels of the retroperitoneum providing vascular supply to the abdominal organs and lower extremities. While the abdominal aortic disorders and its implications are described elsewhere, this review of “retroperitoneal venous diseases” centers the discussion on the anatomic variants of this vascular structure, and those major groups of entities which produce obstruction of the inferior vena cava

The Biomechanics of the Modern Golf Swing: Implications for Lower Back Injuries

First online: 24 November 2015The modern golf swing is a complex and asymmetrical movement that places an emphasis on restricting pelvic turn while increasing thorax rotation during the backswing to generate higher clubhead speeds at impact. Increasing thorax rotation relative to pelvic rotation preloads the trunk muscles by accentuating their length and allowing them to use the energy stored in their elastic elements to produce more power. As the thorax and pelvis turn back towards the ball during the downswing, more skilled golfers are known to laterally slide their pelvis toward the target, which further contributes to final clubhead speed. However, despite the apparent performance benefits associated with these sequences, it has been argued that the lumbar spine is incapable of safely accommodating the forces they produce. This notion supports a link between the repeated performance of the golf swing and the development of golf-related low back injuries. Of the complaints reported by golfers, low back injuries continue to be the most prevalent, but the mechanism of these injuries is still poorly understood. This review highlights that there is a paucity of research directly evaluating the apparent link between the modern golf swing and golf-related low back pain. Furthermore, there has been a general lack of consensus within the literature with respect to the methods used to objectively assess the golf swing and the methods used to derived common outcome measures. Future research would benefit from a clear set of guidelines to help reduce the variability between studies.Michael H. Cole, Paul N. Grimsha