bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In the shiny world of diamonds and jewelry: all that glitters is not gold!
Authors: Azizbekyan Ara , Bodolica Virginia , Spraggon Martin
Published: March 2018

Subject area

Strategic management.

Study level/applicability

Upper-level undergraduate courses or introductory MBA courses.

Case overview

The need to diversify the financial risks of his scrap metal business based in Georgia led Levan to invest in a diamond trading company in the UAE. He agreed to be a sleeping partner and provide the capital to Kewon, a diamond specialist with a wealth of experience in the field, in their joint attempt to build an international network of diamond trade. Despite several difficulties faced on the way, their company seemed to generate stable returns for more than five years. Yet following the surprising discovery of multiple organizational inconsistencies, Levan decided to end the partnership with Kewon and establish his own retail jewelry store to be managed by the members of his family. Ultimately, he was confronted with two important decisions regarding both his jewelry business and the diamond company in which he had previously invested a significant amount of capital. The decisions he was about to make were of critical importance for the future of these companies and the people who managed them. By walking readers through a series of triggering events, this case offers the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of managerial actions through the application of various strategic management tools and frameworks.

Expected learning outcomes

Upon completion of this case study analysis, students should be able to: estimate the complexities associated with the management of a partnership-based venture in the context of emerging markets; perform a detailed diagnosis of an entrepreneurial venture, applying relevant strategic management tools and techniques; evaluate the effectiveness of managerial actions and decisions at different stages of the organizational lifecycle; and demonstrate the importance of the strategic adaptation of organizations through the deployment of viable decision-making skills.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Resource integration for co-creation between marketing agencies and clients
Authors: Hughes Tim , Vafeas Mario , Hilton Toni
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Resource integration is a central idea within service-dominant logic (S-D logic), but there has been little scholarly research on this aspect of theory. This paper aims to explore resource integration between marketing agencies and their clients.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, nine case studies have been developed using a dyadic approach of interviewing clients and members of their agency teams. This is followed-up with presentations and workshops with over 200 practitioners who validated the findings and added new perspectives.

Findings

The key operant resources in the client/agency context have been identified. The ways the operant resources of the actors developed during the course of resource integration, building potential resources for future co-creation are shown. The differing perspectives of the actors to each other’s contribution are highlighted.

Research limitations/implications

This study suggests that resource enhancement and development, as a result of integration, is important. For agency/client research, resource integration and development brings new perspectives complementing existing relationship approaches to research. The findings have implications for relationship marketing theory across business-to-business (B2B) contexts.

Practical implications

The findings suggest a resource integration approach that could be jointly addressed between agency and client in improving the way they work together. The discourse of co-creation suggests a way for them to talk about how to work together effectively. Suggestions are made for teaching.

Originality/value

This study develops the S-D logic theory through exploring resource enhancement and development in a B2B co-creation context. The dyadic nature of the research is novel in studying how marketing agencies and clients work together and new perspectives emerge from the approach.
Impact of support from social network on entrepreneurial intention of fresh business graduates
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Shoaib , Salam Maimoona , ur Rehman Saif , Fayolle Alain , Jaafar Norizan , Ayupp Kartinah
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Developing on the base of theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived social support (SS) from one’s social network and entrepreneurial intention (EI). Moreover, mediating effect of other constructs of TPB, i.e., attitude towards entrepreneurship (ATE), subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) is also examined in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This study involves a variance-based partial least square-structural equation modelling approach for analysing responses from 381 fresh business graduates.

Findings

Findings of this study revealed that SS positively influences EI and also that this relationship is fully mediated by ATE, SN and PBC.

Research limitations/implications

Due to limited resources, cross cultural comparison and multi-group analysis were not performed, which are considered as a limitation of this study.

Practical implications

It is expected that the findings of this study can help policy makers, researchers and academicians in better understanding of critical role of SS for understanding the intentions of nascent entrepreneurs.

Social implications

Further, findings of this study suggest that academicians and policy makers need to take heed towards relatively less explored phenomenon of SS to enhance the attractiveness of entrepreneurial career in fresh business graduates.

Originality/value

This study has proposed a model for assessing impact of SS on EI. By doing so, this study extends TPB in the context of EI. Moreover, findings of this study are a unique step forward, and offer a new insight towards better understanding of the determinants of EI in fresh business graduates.
Mapping touchpoint exposure in retailing
Authors: Ieva Marco , Ziliani Cristina
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the patterns of customer exposure to touchpoints by segmenting consumers based on the frequency of their exposure, and to understand the relationship of patterns of exposure with customer loyalty intentions (relationship commitment, self-disclosure and positive word-of-mouth) and demographic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of almost 4,000 customers was employed in a supermarket retail setting. Customers were segmented based on their frequency of recalled exposure to multiple touchpoints, by means of a latent class cluster analysis, while considering the role of demographic characteristics. Afterwards, loyalty intentions variables were regressed on the resulting customer segments.

Findings

Based on the touchpoint exposure, six customer segments emerge. The main differences across segments relate to the intensity of frequency of exposure and the types of touchpoints customers have been exposed to. Sex, age, shopping role and geographic area of residence are related to segment membership. The identified patterns of exposure explain relationship commitment, self-disclosure and positive word-of-mouth: clusters displaying higher exposure to touchpoints display higher loyalty intentions than clusters displaying lower exposure.

Practical implications

The study offers actionable implications for brands and retailers on how to manage touchpoints for implementing omnichannel strategies.

Originality/value

As far as the authors know, this study is the first to identify exposure to multiple touchpoints and understand the role of demographics as far as touchpoint exposure is concerned. It also provides interesting findings on the relationship of different combinations of touchpoints with customer loyalty.
Factors contributing to financial literacy levels among a migrant group
Authors: Natoli Riccardo
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether differences in the characteristics, financial knowledge and financial attitudes of a migrant group exert significant influence on the likelihood of their financial literacy level.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple discriminant analysis incorporating post-estimation analyses is employed, where the financial literacy level is used to identify a priori clusters.

Findings

The results showed that a significant discriminant function could be estimated to classify the study cohort into three financial literacy groupings. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research to address financial literacy, taking into account differences in characteristics, financial attitudes and financial knowledge of different cohort groups.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research targets Vietnamese migrants, no claims can be made regarding the representation of other migrant groups as a whole. The research has implications with respect to programs to improve financial literacy levels of those most at need. This paper provides recommendations for future research in this area.

Originality/value

The paper provides one of the few studies of an Australian migrant cohort with respect to financial literacy. The study utilises a multiple discriminant analysis incorporating post-estimation analysis to examine, and compare, the factors that influence a person’s financial literacy level.
Plymouth, Montserrat: apocalyptic dark tourism at the Pompeii of the Caribbean
Authors: Skinner Jonathan
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present contrasting approaches to the descriptive case study of tourism to the buried city of Plymouth, Montserrat, an example of the marketing and burying – the supply and demand – of apocalyptic dark tourism on the island.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study mixed-methods methodology is adopted, and findings are derived from tour guiding fieldwork, guide and tourist interviews, and an analysis of travel writing and tourism marketing campaigns.

Findings

Dark tourism is viewed as a contentious and problematic concept: it attracts and repels tourism to the former capital Plymouth, Montserrat. After 20 years of the volcano crisis, the islanders, government and Tourist Board are commemorating resilience living with the volcano and regeneration in a disaster scenario. Marketing and consumption approaches to dark tourism elucidate different facets to the case study of “the buried city” of Plymouth, Montserrat, and the Montserrat Springs Hotel overlooking Plymouth. The disjunct between these two types of approach to dark tourism, as well as the different criteria attached to working definitions of dark tourism – and the range of interests in apocalyptic dark tourism into the city and its surrounds – show some of the problems and limitations with theoretical and scalar discussions on dark tourism.

Research limitations/implications

The paper’s implications are that both supply and demand approaches to dark tourism are needed to fully understand a dark tourism destination and to reconcile the disjunct between these two approaches and the perspectives of tourist industry and tourism users.

Originality/value

This is a descriptive dark tourism case study of a former capital city examined from both supply and demand perspectives. It introduces the apocalyptic to dark tourism destination analysis.
Tribological study of castor oil with surface-modified CuO nanoparticles in boundary lubrication
Authors: Gupta Rajeev Nayan , A.P. Harsha
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The present work aims to formulate nanolubricants and improve antiwear, antifriction and extreme pressure (EP) performances of castor oil (CO) with surface-modified CuO nanoparticles as an additive in the boundary lubrication regime.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, CuO nanoparticles are modified with a surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) by means of a chemical method. These modified nanoparticles with varying concentrations of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0%w/v were used to formulate the nanolubricants. The tribological properties of non-formulated and formulated CO were examined using a four-ball tester. The tribological test results were compared with paraffin oil (PO) for similar compositions.

Findings

The nanoparticle concentrations in base oils were optimized by wear scar diameter (WSD) and load carrying capacity during antiwear and EP tests, respectively. In the antiwear test, the maximum reductions in WSD were 28.3 and 22.2 per cent; however, the coefficient of friction was reduced by 34.6 and 17.3 per cent at optimum nanoparticle concentrations in CO and PO, respectively. A significant improvement in the weld load was observed for both nanolubricants.

Originality/value

This work indicates that nanoparticle-based CO in industrial applications provides on par or better results than mineral oil. Also, it has a negligible hazardous impact on our eco-system.
Polymer mechanics and tribology
Authors: Myshkin Nikolai K. , Kovalev Alexander
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the advances in mechanics and tribology of polymers and polymer-based materials. It is focused on the understanding of the correlation of contact mechanics and the tribological behavior of polymers and polymer composites by taking account of surface forces and adhesion in the contact.

Design/methodology/approach

Mechanical behavior of polymers is considered a viscoelasticity. Tribological performance is estimated while considering the parts of deformation and adhesion in friction arising in the contact. Surface energy, roughness, load and temperature effects on the tribological behavior of polymers are evaluated. Polymer composites produced by reinforcing and by the addition of functional additives are considered as materials for various applications in tribology. Particular attention is given to polymer-based nanocomposites.

Findings

A review of studies in tribology has shown that polymer-based materials can be most successfully used as self-lubricating components of sliding bearings. The use of the fillers provides changes in the tribological performance of neat polymers and widens their areas of application in the industry. Thin polymer films were found to be prospective lubricants for memory storage devices, micro-electro-mechanical systems and precision mechanisms. Further progress in polymer tribology should be achieved on solving the problems of contact mechanics, surface physics and tribochemistry by taking account of the scale factor.

Originality/value

The review is based on the experience of the authors in polymer mechanics and tribology, their research data and on data of many other literature sources published in this area. It can be useful for specialists in polymer research and industrial engineers working in tribology and industrial lubrication.
Film formation in EHL contacts with oil-impregnated sintered materials
Authors: Omasta Milan , Ebner Martin , Šperka Petr , Lohner Thomas , Krupka Ivan , Hartl Martin , Hoehn Bernd-Robert , Stahl Karsten
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate lubricant film-forming capability of oil-impregnated sintered material in highly loaded non-conformal contacts. This self-lubrication mechanism is well described in lightly loaded conformal contacts such as journal bearings; however, only a little has been published about the application to highly loaded contacts under elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime (EHL).

Design/methodology/approach

Thin film colorimetric interferometry is used to describe the effect of different operating conditions on lubricant film formation in line contacts.

Findings

Under fully flooded conditions, the effect of porous structure can be mainly traced back to the different elastic properties. When the contact is lubricated only by oil bleeding from the oil-impregnated sintered material, starvation is likely to occur. It is indicated that lubricant film thickness is mainly governed by oil bleeding capacity. The relationship between oil starvation parameters corresponds well with classic starved EHL theory.

Practical implications

To show practical, relevant limitations of the considered self-lubrication system, time tests were conducted. The findings indicate that EHL contact with oil-impregnated sintered material may provide about 40 per cent of fully flooded film thickness.

Originality/value

For the first time, the paper presents results on the EHL film-forming capability of oil-impregnated sintered material by measuring the lubricant film thickness directly. The present paper identifies the phenomena involved, which is necessary for the understanding of the behavior of this complex tribological system.
Effects of country-of-origin stereotypes on consumer responses to product-harm crises
Authors: Barbarossa Camilla , De Pelsmacker Patrick , Moons Ingrid
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate “how” and “when” the stereotypes of competence and warmth, that are evoked by a foreign company’s country-of-origin (COO), affect blame attributions and/or attitudes toward a company’s products when a company is involved in a product-harm crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Study 1 (n=883) analyzes the psychological mechanisms through which perceived COO competence and warmth differently affect blame attributions and evaluative responses. Study 2 (n=1,640) replicates Study 1’s findings, and it also investigates how consumer ethnocentrism, animosity toward a country, and product category characteristics moderate the hypothesized COO’s effects.

Findings

COO competence leads to more favorable attitudes toward the involved company’s products. This effect increases when the company sells high-involvement or utilitarian products. COO warmth leads to more favorable attitudes toward the involved company’s products directly as well as indirectly by diminishing blame attributions. These effects increase when consumers are highly ethnocentric, or the animosity toward a foreign country is high.

Originality/value

This paper frames the investigation of COO stereotypes in a new theoretical and empirical setting, specifically, a product-harm crisis. It demonstrates that consumers differently evaluate a potential wrongdoing company and its harmful products in a product-harm crisis based on their perceptions of a company’s COO competence and warmth. Finally, it defines the moderating effects of individual, consumer-country-related and product characteristics on the hypothesized COO effects.
Heterogeneity of luxury value perception: a generational comparison in China
Authors: Jiang Ling , Shan Juan
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Despite the growing research regarding consumer luxury value perception and their influence on luxury consumption behavior in different cultural contexts, there is little research investigating the cultural variation toward luxury within different generations in a given society. The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationships among Confucian propriety, luxury value perception, and purchase intention of luxury brands, and especially how these relationships differ between young and older consumers in a Chinese context.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a questionnaire survey in China. A multi-group structural equation model was used to test the conceptual model and research hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that the effects of functional value and social value on purchase intention of luxury brands are stronger for older generations than younger ones, while the effects of self-identity and hedonic value on purchase intention are stronger for younger generations than older ones. The Confucian propriety relates positively to the functional value and social value; however, these effects are more salient for older consumers.

Originality/value

The results of this study reveal the evolution of luxury consumption values and behaviors of Chinese consumers, suggesting that marketers should no longer label Chinese luxury consumers with common behaviors. It is also recommended that marketers of luxury brands in China should adapt this shifting attitude and respond actively to the expectations of different generations.
Through the lens of self-construal
Authors: Haberstroh Kristina , Orth Ulrich R. , Bouzdine-Chameeva Tatiana , Cohen Justin , Maria Corsi Armando , Crouch Roberta , De Marchi Renata
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Extending research on cultural differences in aesthetic appreciation, the purpose of this paper is to show how a more interdependent self-construal, a cultural and individual difference variable related to one’s social self, impacts the influence of visual harmony on consumer evaluations of marketing artifacts’ attractiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained via three studies from a total of 1,498 consumers in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, and Italy. Marketing visuals included the design of products, packages, typefaces, and logos. Self-construal was both measured and manipulated.

Findings

The results indicate that a person’s self-construal moderates the effect of visual harmony on attractiveness. Specifically, the positive effect of visual harmony on attractiveness – through self-congruity – is more pronounced with consumers possessing a more interdependent self-construal, and with products that are more hedonic than utilitarian.

Practical implications

Given the pivotal role attractiveness has in influencing consumer behavior, understanding what differences, at the individual and cultural levels, impact the harmony-attractiveness relationship helps marketers to better match the visual design of marketing stimuli to target audiences.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to show how the social-self impacts consumer response to marketing visuals. Further, value stems from adopting a holistic perspective on design, clarifying the process mechanism, and identifying boundary conditions.
The use of efficiency measures to compute welfare improving: an application for competition policy
Authors: Ferro Gustavo , León Sonia
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Merger approving focuses on both market power and welfare gains. In general, the approval process does not include a comparative efficiency analysis. This paper aims to introduce this dimension and show its potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the analysis of past bank mergers, the authors examine expected and actual efficiency gains. This paper measures the potential (ex ante) and ex post efficiency gains of bank mergers by using data envelopment analysis (DEA).

Findings

The authors find some (approved) mergers were promised and yielded efficiency gains while others did not.

Research limitations/implications

DEA does not allow testing statistically the significance of the presumed relationship between variables.

Practical implications

The authors conclude that some mergers that took place would not have been approved had an efficiency analysis been made.

Social implications

Regulators and/or competition authorities could approve mergers which do not increase efficiency.

Originality/value

To date, efficiency frontier analysis has not been performed for merger approval. It implies that the regulator or competition authority could allow mergers with no clear social gains.
Global financial regulatory reforms and sovereign’s exemption
Authors: Oldani Chiara
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to underline the (hidden) risks posed after the crisis by the exemption of non-financial operators, especially sovereigns, from the regulatory reforms of over the counter (OTC) derivatives undertaken by G20 countries in the absence of accounting data on trading.

Design/methodology/approach

Recent financial regulatory improvements are reported to underline that the trading of OTC derivatives by sovereigns and local administrations does not take place under the new regulatory umbrella, because of the relative size of the institution, the lack of incentives to adhere to Centralized Counterparty Systems (CCPs) and most of all, the absence of proper accounting rules. Sovereigns and local administrations have the potential to undermine global financial stability.

Findings

The limited availability of accounting data on derivatives’ use by public administrations constitutes a barrier towards a full comprehension of risks involved. Sovereigns should be compelled to adhere to the CCPs and the collateralized system of trading; the short-term costs of adhering to CCPs are worth $20bn.

Research limitations/implications

The new regulatory system failed to explicitly consider the trading of sovereigns and this can reduce the effectiveness of regulation itself and can have negative impact on financial stability; in fact, omitting sovereigns from these regulations represent a significant risk oversight because they are systemically important players, although with a special political power.

Originality/value

Despite progress made in improving the transparency and resilience of OTC derivative markets after the subprime crisis, sovereigns and public administrations are exempted from the new regulation, posing severe risks to financial stability.
Metrics of product modularity: lessons learned from case companies
Authors: Shamsuzzoha Ahm , Piya Sujan , Al-Kindi Mahmood , Al-Hinai Nasr
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Modular product development is a turning table concept in terms of benefits and impact in manufacturing companies. It offers added benefits to the companies with respect to reduce lead-time, improve assemble ability and agility in supply chain management, promote product family and enhance customer satisfaction. This paper aims to identify the patterns of modular product development strategy by using measurement techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Both quantitative and qualitative approaches are considered. In the qualitative section, relevant data on product design are collected from six case companies. On the other hand, in the quantitative section, collected data are analyzed to measure the product modularity level with the case companies.

Findings

This research identifies potential metrics which can be used successfully to measure product modularity level or index in manufacturing industries. Selection of such metrics also depends on individual company’s objectives to measure modularity index.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the development of modular product design that supports product family design with lean and agile (leagile) supply chain process. It also provided a parsimonious framework to mapping modules within a product, which is ultimately used to measure modularity index.
Hakka genealogical migration analysis enhancement using big data on library services
Authors: Chang Chen Chi
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the data connection, spatial distribution characteristics and trends in genealogical information. First, it implements a spatial-temporal visualization of the Hakka genealogical information system that makes these individual family pedigree charts appear as one seamless genealogy to family and researchers seeking connections and family history all over the world. Second, this study applies migration analysis by applying big data technologies to Hakka genealogies to investigate the migration patterns of the Hakka ethnic group in Taiwan between 1954 and 2014. This innovative library service enhances the Hakka genealogical migration analysis using big data.

Design/methodology/approach

The platform is designed for the exchange of genealogical data to be used in big data analysis. This study integrates big data and geographic information systems (GIS) to map the population distribution themes. The general procedure included collecting genealogical big data, geographic encoding, gathering the map information, GIS layer integration and migration map production.

Findings

The analytical results demonstrate that big data technology is highly appropriate for family migration history analysis, given the increasing volume, velocity and variety of genealogical data. The spatial-temporal visualization of the genealogical research platform can follow family history and migration paths, and dynamically generate roadmaps to simplify the cartographic steps.

Practical implications

Technology that combines big data and GIS is suitable for performing migration analysis based on genealogy. A web-based application for spatial-temporal genealogical information also demonstrates the contribution of innovative library services.

Social implications

Big data play a dominant role in library services, and in turn, provide an active library service. These findings indicate that big data technology can provide a suitable tool for improving library services.

Originality/value

Online genealogy and family trees are linked with large-volume, growing data sets that are complex and have multiple, autonomous sources. The migration analysis using big data has the potential to help genealogy researchers to construct minority ethnic history.
Coverage bias in business news: evidence and methodological implications
Authors: Nokelainen Tomi , Kanniainen Juho
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether the assumption of bias-free journalism is violated. If there is systematic news coverage bias inherent in business journalism, certain kinds of companies will have a systematically higher or lower visibility in business news. Such differential corporate visibility may undermine the validity of research that is based solely on business news as a data source.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of hypotheses is developed and statistically tested, concerning the corporate characteristics associated with business media coverage. Coverage of the 100 largest Finnish companies is examined within the three foremost Finnish business publications. Methodologically, uncorrelated principal components in regression analyses are used.

Findings

The main finding is that that financially low-performing companies and growing companies receive less coverage than well-performing or shrinking companies, indicating a possible bias in journalistic sourcing, attention or selection. Consequently, such companies may be relatively under-represented in data sets derived solely from business news sources.

Research limitations/implications

Significantly greater in-depth understanding of the phenomenon could be obtained through studying the biases at play in day-to-day journalistic practices within editorial offices and news desks, which is beyond the present study. The study cautions against single sourcing strategies reliant on business news alone, and it strongly recommends that future studies complement business news data with other, non-news sources.

Practical implications

Organizational metrics such as financial performance appear to influence corporate visibility in business news, which may therefore skew individuals’ and investors’ attitudes to corporations. The existence of coverage bias is methodologically consequential because management research often sources data from business news, especially in event-based studies.

Originality/value

This study provides evidence that media visibility is influenced by company performance and change in company size, which could contribute to bias in business news coverage. This should be taken into account in future studies that use business news data.
The roles of migratory and resident birds in local avian influenza infection dynamics
Authors: Lisovski Simeon , van Dijk Jacintha G. B. , Klinkenberg Don , Nolet Bart A. , Fouchier Ron A. M. , Klaassen Marcel
Published: March 2018

Migratory birds are an increasing focus of interest when it comes to infection dynamics and the spread of avian influenza viruses (AIV). However, we lack detailed understanding of migratory birds’ contribution to localAIVprevalence levels and their downstream socio‐economic costs and threats.

To explain the potential differential roles of migratory and resident birds in localAIVinfection dynamics, we used a susceptible‐infectious‐recovered (SIR) model. We investigated five (mutually non‐ exclusive) mechanisms potentially driving observed prevalence patterns: (1) a pronounced birth pulse (e.g. the synchronised annual influx of immunologically naïve individuals), (2) short‐term immunity, (3) increase in susceptible migrants, (4) differential susceptibility to infection (i.e. transmission rate) for migrants and residents, and (5) replacement of migrants during peak migration.

SIRmodels describing all possible combinations of the five mechanisms were fitted to individualAIVinfection data from a detailed longitudinal surveillance study in the partially migratory mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos). During autumn and winter, the local resident mallard community also held migratory mallards that exhibited distinctAIVinfection dynamics.

Replacement of migratory birds during peak migration in autumn was found to be the most important mechanism driving the variation in localAIVinfection patterns. This suggests that a constant influx of migratory birds, likely immunological naïve to locally circulatingAIVstrains, is required to predict the observed temporal prevalence patterns and the distinct differences in prevalence between residents and migrants.

Synthesis and applications. Our analysis reveals a key mechanism that could explain the amplifying role of migratory birds in local avian influenza virus infection dynamics; the constant flow and replacement of migratory birds during peak migration. Apart from monitoring efforts, in order to achieve adequate disease management and control in wildlife—with knock‐on effects for livestock and humans,—we conclude that it is crucial, in future surveillance studies, to record host demographical parameters such as population density, timing of birth and turnover of migrants.
Influences of fire–vegetation feedbacks and post‐fire recovery rates on forest landscape vulnerability to altered fire regimes
Authors: Tepley Alan J. , Thomann Enrique , Veblen Thomas T. , Perry George L. W. , Holz Andrés , Paritsis Juan , Kitzberger Thomas , Anderson‐Teixeira Kristina J.
Published: March 2018

In the context of ongoing climatic warming, forest landscapes face increasing risk of conversion to non‐forest vegetation through alteration of their fire regimes and their post‐fire recovery dynamics. However, this pressure could be amplified or dampened, depending on how fire‐driven changes to vegetation feed back to alter the extent or behaviour of subsequent fires.

Here we develop a mathematical model to formalize understanding of how fire–vegetation feedbacks and the time to forest recovery following high‐severity (i.e. stand‐replacing) fire affect the extent and stability of forest cover across landscapes facing altered fire regimes. We evaluate responses to increasing burn rates while varying the direction (negative vs. positive) of fire–vegetation feedbacks under a continuum of values for feedback strength and post‐fire recovery time. In doing so, we determine how interactions among these variables produce thresholds and tipping points in landscape responses to changing fire regimes.

Where the early‐seral vegetation was less fire‐prone than older forests, negative feedbacks limited the reductions in forest cover in response to higher fire frequency or slower forest recovery. By contrast, positive feedbacks (more flammable early‐seral vegetation) produced a tipping point beyond which increases in burn rates or a slowing of forest recovery drove extensive forest loss.

With negative feedbacks, the rates of forest loss and expansion in response to variation in fire frequency were similar. However, where feedbacks were positive, the conversion from predominantly forested to non‐forested conditions in response to increasing fire frequency was faster than the re‐expansion of forest cover following a return to the initial burn rate. Strengthening the positive feedbacks increased this asymmetry.

Synthesis. Our analyses elucidate how fire–vegetation feedbacks and post‐fire recovery rates interact to affect the trajectories and rates of landscape response to altered fire regimes. We illustrate the vulnerability of ecosystems with positive fire–vegetation feedbacks to climate change‐driven increases in fire activity, especially where post‐fire recovery is slow. Although negative feedbacks initially provide resistance to forest loss with increasing burn rates, this resistance is eventually overwhelmed with sufficient increases to burn rates relative to recovery times.
‘You must know what you mean when you say that’: the morality of knowledge claims about ADHD in radio phone‐ins
Authors: Versteeg Wytske , te Molder Hedwig
Published: March 2018

Drawing on a corpus of radio phone‐ins, we present a discursive psychological analysis of how mothers carefully tailor their knowledge claims regarding their children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Mothers typically claim knowledge about their children's good intentions, but not about the ‘ADHD‐ness’ of their conduct. Whereas the former is seen as appropriate knowledge for a concerned parent, the latter is treated as a matter of expert knowledge. We show that as soon as problematic behaviour is treated as observable from the outside and describable by mothers and other lay persons, it becomes vulnerable to being formulated as ‘normal disobedience’, rather than symptomatic of a professionally administered, doctorable condition. We argue that it is important to be aware of the moralities hidden in knowledge claims, as they help sustain an unproductive perspective in which either the child's brain or his mother is blamed for behaviour perceived as problematic.
Household Economic Inequality in Australia
Authors: Kaplan Greg , La Cava Gianni , Stone Tahlee
Published: March 2018

We use data from the Household Expenditure Survey and Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey to document facts about consumption and income inequality among households in Australia, emphasising the role of the rents imputed to home owners for conclusions about inequality. Consistent with other developed economies, consumption inequality in Australia is lower on average than income inequality. Both have increased since the early 1990s, with income inequality increasing by more. We decompose the trend in income inequality into four components: (i) changes in observed household characteristics; (ii) changes in the returns to unobserved skills; (iii) changes in the size of persistent income shocks; and (iv) changes in the size of transitory income shocks. We find that changes in the size of persistent and transitory income shocks, rather than changes in observed household characteristics, explain most of this trend. Since the middle of the 2000s, the source of income inequality has shifted from transitory to persistent factors, which is consistent with the rise in consumption inequality over the corresponding period. We find that accounting for imputed rents lowers estimates of the level of inequality in Australia, but has a negligible effect on the trends.
Selective late sodium current inhibitor GS‐458967 suppresses Torsades de Pointes by mostly affecting perpetuation but not initiation of the arrhythmia
Authors: Bossu Alexandre , Houtman Marien J C , Meijborg Veronique M F , Varkevisser Rosanne , Beekman Henriette D M , Dunnink Albert , de Bakker Jacques M T , Mollova Nevena , Rajamani Sridharan , Belardinelli Luiz , van der Heyden Marcel A G , Vos Marc A
Published: March 2018

Background and Purpose

Enhanced late sodium current (late INa) in heart failure and long QT syndrome type 3 is proarrhythmic. This study investigated the antiarrhythmic effect and mode of action of the selective and potent late INa inhibitor GS‐458967 (GS967) against Torsades de Pointes arrhythmias (TdP) in the chronic atrioventricular block (CAVB) dog.

Experimental Approach

Electrophysiological and antiarrhythmic effects of GS967 were evaluated in isolated canine ventricular cardiomyocytes and CAVB dogs with dofetilide‐induced early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and TdP, respectively. Mapping of intramural cardiac electrical activity in vivo was conducted to study effects of GS967 on spatial dispersion of repolarization.

Key Results

GS967 (IC50~200nM) significantly shortened repolarization in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes and sinus rhythm (SR) dogs, in a concentration and dose‐dependent manner. In vitro, despite addition of 1μM GS967, dofetilide‐induced EADs remained present in 42% and 35% of cardiomyocytes from SR and CAVB dogs, respectively. Nonetheless, GS967 (787±265nM) completely abolished dofetilide‐induced TdP in CAVB dogs (10/14 after dofetilide to 0/14 dogs after GS967), while single ectopic beats (sEB) persisted in 9 animals. In vivo mapping experiments showed that GS967 significantly reduced spatial dispersion of repolarization: cubic dispersion was significantly decreased from 237±54ms after dofetilide to 123±34ms after GS967.

Conclusion and Implications

GS967 terminated all dofetilide‐induced TdP without completely suppressing EADs and sEB in vitro and in vivo, respectively. The antiarrhythmic mode of action of GS967, through the reduction of spatial dispersion of repolarization, seems to predominantly impede the perpetuation of arrhythmic events into TdP rather than their initiating trigger.
Prognostic value of tumour regression grade in locally advanced rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kong J. C. , Guerra G. R. , Warrier S. K. , Lynch A. Craig , Michael M. , Ngan S. Y. , Phillips W. , Ramsay G. , Heriot A. G.
Published: March 2018

Aim

The current standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer involves neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision. There is a spectrum of response to neoadjuvant therapy; however, the prognostic value of tumour regression grade (TRG) in predicting disease‐free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) is inconsistent in the literature.

Method

This study was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was undertaken using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were Stage II and III locally advanced rectal cancer treated with long‐course CRT followed by radical surgery. The aim of the meta‐analysis was to assess the prognostic implication of each TRG for rectal cancer following neoadjuvant CRT. Long‐term prognosis was assessed. The main outcome measures were DFS and OS. A random effects model was performed to pool the hazard ratio (HR) from all included studies.

Results

There were 4875 patients from 17 studies, with 775 (15.9%) attaining a pathological complete response (pCR) and 719 (29.9%) with no response. A significant association with OS was identified from a pooled‐estimated HR for pCR (HR = 0.47, P = 0.002) and nonresponding tumours (HR = 2.97; P < 0.001). Previously known tumour characteristics, such as ypN, lymphovascular invasion and perineural invasion, were also significantly associated with DFS and OS, with estimated pooled HRs of 2.2, 1.4 and 2.3, respectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the degree of TRG was of prognostic value in predicting long‐term outcomes. The current challenge is the development of a high‐validity tests to predict pCR.
Availability of alcohol: Location, time and ease of purchase in high‐ and middle‐income countries: Data from the International Alcohol Control Study
Authors: Gray‐Phillip Gaile , Huckle Taisia , Callinan Sarah , Parry Charles D. H. , Chaiyasong Surasak , Cuong Pham Viet , Mackintosh Anne‐Marie , Meier Petra , Kazantseva Elena , Piazza Marina , Parker Karl , Casswell Sally
Published: March 2018

Introduction and Aims

Cross‐country studies on alcohol purchasing and access are rare. We examined where and when people access alcohol to understand patterns of availability across a range of middle‐ and high‐income countries.

Design and Methods

Surveys of drinkers in the International Alcohol Control study in high‐income countries (Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand and St Kitts and Nevis) and middle‐income countries (Mongolia, South Africa, Peru, Thailand and Vietnam) were analysed. Measures were: location of purchase from on‐premise and take‐away outlets, proportion of alcohol consumed on‐premise versus take‐away outlets, hours of purchase, access among underage drinkers and time to access alcohol.

Results

On‐premise purchasing was prevalent in the high‐income countries. However, the vast majority of alcohol consumed in all countries, except St Kitts and Nevis (high‐income), was take‐away. Percentages of drinkers purchasing from different types of on‐premise and take‐away outlets varied between countries. Late purchasing was common in Peru and less common in Thailand and Vietnam. Alcohol was easily accessed by drinkers in all countries, including underage drinkers in the middle‐income countries.

Discussion and Conclusions

In nine out of 10 countries the vast majority of alcohol consumed was take‐away. Alcohol was readily available and relatively easy for underage drinkers to access, particularly in the middle‐income countries. Research is needed to assess the harms associated with take‐away consumption including late at night. Attention is needed to address the easy access by underage drinkers in the middle‐income countries which has been less of a focus than in high‐income countries.
Haemoglobin A1c variability is a strong, independent predictor of all‐cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Orsi Emanuela , Solini Anna , Bonora Enzo , Fondelli Cecilia , Trevisan Roberto , Vedovato Monica , Cavalot Franco , Gruden Gabriella , Morano Susanna , Nicolucci Antonio , Penno Giuseppe , Pugliese Giuseppe ,   for the Renal Insufficiency and Cardiovascular Events (RIACE) Study Group
Published: March 2018

Aims

To evaluate various measures of haemoglobin (Hb) A1c variability, compared with average HbA1c, as independent predictors of mortality.

Materials and Methods

The Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events Italian multicentre study enroled 15 733 patients with type 2 diabetes from 19 diabetes clinics during 2006‐2008. A total of 3 to 5 HbA1c measures, obtained during the 2‐year period before enrolment, were available from 9 centres (8290 patients) and were used to calculate average HbA1c (HbA1c ‐MEAN) and HbA1c variability, measured as intra‐individual standard deviation (HbA1c‐SD), SD adjusted for the number of HbA1c assessments (HbA1c‐AdjSD) and coefficient of variation (HbA1c‐CV), that is, the HbA1c‐SD to HbA1c‐MEAN ratio. Vital status on October 31, 2015 was retrieved for 8252 patients (99.5%).

Results

The measures of HbA1c variability increased according to quartiles of HbA1c‐MEAN and vice versa. HbA1c‐MEAN and measures of HbA1c variability were associated with all‐cause mortality; however, the strength of association of HbA1c‐MEAN was lower than that of HbA1c ‐SD, HbA1c‐CV or HbA1c‐AdjSD, and disappeared after adjusting for confounders and any of the measures of HbA1c variability. Mortality increased with quartiles of HbA1c‐MEAN, HbA1c ‐SD, HbA1c‐CV and HbA1c‐AdjSD, but only the association with HbA1c variability measures remained after adjustment for confounders and/or each other measure. In the fully adjusted model, mortality risk was lower for HbA1c‐SD below the median and higher for HbA1c‐SD above the median, regardless of whether HbA1c‐MEAN was below or above the median.

Conclusions

HbA1c variability is a strong, independent predictor of all‐cause mortality in type 2 diabetes and appears to be even more powerful than average HbA1c in predicting mortality.