bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Key dimensions of value creation ability of supply management
Authors: Kähkönen Anni-Kaisa , Lintukangas Katrina
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of supply management that may contribute to its ability to create value. Based on previous literature, this study proposes that key supplier management (KSM), the strategic level of supply management and supplier relationship management (SRM) capabilities can be supply management factors that significantly influence its ability to create value.

Design/methodology/approach

The issue is examined using survey data collected in Finland, and the concepts are tested using regression analysis.

Findings

The results show that KSM, the strategic level of supply management and SRM capabilities are significant dimensions of value creation in supply management. The findings support the contemporary understanding of value in which firms endeavour to create value for the company, its customers and its suppliers.

Originality/value

Previously, value creation has received minor attention in supply chain management research. Although previous research clearly shows that strategic supply management plays a significant role in firms’ competitiveness and performance, its role and potential in value creation have been less studied. Thus, this study contributes by empirically examining the factors affecting the ability of a firm’s supply management to create value.
Counterfeiting: addressing mitigation and resilience in supply chains
Authors: Machado Solange Mata , Paiva Ely Laureano , da Silva Eliciane Maria
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how companies develop mitigation capabilities in their supply chains in order to reduce the negative impacts of counterfeiting.

Design/methodology/approach

Five cases with two types of supply chain are analyzed: B2B (clothing, footwear and toys) and B2C (automotive). Data gathering was based on interviews, while secondary data were obtained directly from trade associations.

Findings

Companies presented different levels of proactivity for counterfeiting resilience. Companies with a lower level of appetite for risk are more proactive and have a broad number of mitigation capabilities. These companies develop intelligence that is required for combating counterfeiting and the capabilities needed for addressing its ex ante and ex post phases.

Research limitations/implications

The research examines a complex and controversial subject about which there is limited information. The case studies are limited to Brazilian companies and the local subsidiaries of foreign companies. Therefore, the specific context may influence the study findings and reduce their generalizability.

Practical implications

Mitigation capabilities enable companies to minimize the negative impact of counterfeiting and make companies more resilient to counterfeiting activities. The findings indicate that when managers allocate resources in earlier phases of counterfeiting, losses are lower.

Originality/value

This study shows the development process of mitigation capabilities in the ex ante and post-disruption phases of counterfeiting.
A proposed model forwaqffinancing public goods and mixed public goods in Malaysia
Authors: Azrai Azaimi Ambrose Azniza Hartini , Gulam Hassan Mohamed Aslam , Hanafi Hanira
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to formulate a model forwaqffinancing of public goods and mixed public goods in Malaysia which constitute the country’s federal government expenditures. The model is built on the basis of understanding the concept ofwaqf, learning fromwaqfinstitutions of the past and present and addressing specific Malaysianwaqfissues.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses both primary and secondary data. The primary data originate from semi-structured interviews ofwaqfacademicians from the Islamic economics and Islamic finance fields,waqfgovernment officials and private sector institutions that are involved inwaqfmanagement. The secondary data come from the Malaysian Federal Constitution, law enactments, books, e-books, bulletins, journals, conference proceedings, government reports and websites.

Findings

By synthesizing the data, it is found that return from cashwaqfinvestment in unit trust can be used to finance 11 items of federal government expenditures. The overall process can be managed by Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia through a collaboration with an Islamic unit trust firm.

Practical implications

This research shows howwaqfcan practically assist the Malaysian federal government in financing public goods and mixed public goods. It indirectly shows an alternative source of financing for these goods. Other economies can also learn and adapt from the model developed in this paper.

Originality/value

This paper attempts to revive the function ofwaqfas a provider of public goods and mixed public goods from Islamic history. Inadvertently, this paper also introduceswaqfas a possible fiscal tool.
Factors influencing behaviour to participate in Islamic microfinance
Authors: Maulana Hartomi , Razak Dzuljastri Abdul , Adeyemi Adewale Abideen
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the factors that affect Muslim customers’ participation in using Baitul Maal wat Tamwil (BMT). The decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) was used as the research framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses primary data collected by self-administered questionnaires involving a sample of 405 respondents from selected BMTs in five different regencies in East Java. Structural equation modelling was used in the analysis.

Findings

This study revealed that among the three main beliefs, only perceived behavioural control towards BMT was found to have positive and significant impact on clients’ participation towards BMT. With regards to antecedents’ influence on their main beliefs, only perceived compatibility, perceived complexity and uncertainty and facilitating condition were not significant.

Research limitations/implications

As the data collected are existing clients of BMT, behavioural intention is excluded from the study, and as a result, the study may lack comprehensive results. Therefore, future study will be very useful if it includes behavioural intention as the variables.

Practical implications

The finding of the present study could help BMT to better manage by focussing on relative advantage and behavioural control to build client relationships.

Originality/value

The paper may be first study to apply DTPB to client behaviours in the area of Islamic microfinance in Indonesia.
The role of training in building awareness about formalin abuse: evidence from Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Golam Mohammad Shamusul , Mahmud Kazi Tanvir , Hassan Aniqa , Hilton David , Islam Sheikh Monirul
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the impact of the training program on fish traders in building awareness about formalin abuse in food items.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data was collected from the fish traders in Bangladesh by using simple random sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the opinions of the fish traders about training in building awareness of formalin abuse.

Findings

This study showed that the training of the fish traders played a positive role in improving their awareness level of formalin abuse.

Practical implications

Enhancement of both training and educational support could be an effective strategy in preventing formalin abuse in food.

Originality/value

This study helps in assessing the opinions of the fish traders about the effectiveness of the training programs in building awareness of formalin abuse.
Estrategias competitivas y gestión deportiva
Authors: Quispe Julio , Rivera Jaime
Published: February 2018

Propósito

Esta investigación utiliza la Teoría Basada en Recursos como base para un modelo que permite integrar las acciones organizacionales con las variables que pueden moderar, directa o indirectamente, su impacto en el alto desempeño de los clubes de fútbol.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se desarrolla una contrastación empírica en tres fases. La primera fue la técnica de regresión lineal. En segundo lugar, un análisis multivariado de covarianza (MANCOVA) y el tercer procedimiento, una regresión por mínimos cuadrados en dos fases. El objetivo de usar estos dos últimos procedimientos fue evaluar el efecto conjunto de las variables independientes sobre las variables dependientes, así como los efectos de interacción entre las mismas.

Hallazgos

Se validan las relaciones, directas e indirectas, entre las variables organizacionales y decisionales previstas en el modelo. También se valida la importancia de las acciones promocionales del club, para lograr competitividad basada en su desempeño o resultados.

Limitaciones de la investigación/implicaciones

Investigaciones futuras se podrían replicar en otros países, usando muestras más grandes con técnicas estadísticas más complejas. También, se podría contrastar si las relaciones encontradas pueden variar según las culturas, o pueden usarse otras variables no contempladas en este estudio.

Implicaciones prácticas

El cuestionario usado es una fuente de información fiable para los directivos de marketing de los clubes de fútbol, puesto que las escalas pueden ser usadas como guías para evaluar y diagnosticar su potencial de competitividad basada en el desempeño.

Implicaciones sociales

Los clubes de fútbol tienen un desarrollo e impacto directo en la sociedad. Por ello, las implicancias en el club recaerán en el entorno cercano (aficionados y sociedad) a este.

Originalidad/valor

Esta investigación aporta varias contribuciones fundamentales a la literatura sobre la competitividad organizacional en el sector deportivo, con aplicación específica a los clubes de fútbol. Este es uno de los escasos estudios que muestran que la competitividad es el resultado de una dinámica motivacional y organizativa, y que el éxito de los clubes se basa en un fenómeno más complejo que solo la asistencia a los eventos. También, es una investigación en un país emergente, lo cual extiende la aplicabilidad teórica y práctica del fenómeno estudiado.
Relationship between leader member exchange (LMX), high-involvement HRP and employee resilience on extra-role performance
Authors: Gupta Neha , Sharma Vandna
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the role of employee engagement (EE) as a mediator in the relationship of extra-role performance (ERP) with leader member exchange (LMX), high-involvement human resource practices (HI HRPs) and employee resilience (ER) in the emerging service sector organizations in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Data have been gathered from 328 employees from executive and non-executive grades from metro rail organizations of North India through structured questionnaire. Before analysis, missing data and outliers were examined. Structure equation modelling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis have been performed to analyse the hypothesized model.

Findings

Findings reveal that all the constructs taken in the study – LMX, HI HRP and ER – had a positive influence on employees’ ERP through EE.

Research limitations/implications

This study is helpful in providing better understanding of the predictors of EE and the way it affects employees’ ERP for researches that are aiming to conduct related research studies in an Indian context. To achieve higher employee performance, organizations need to identify factors or drivers that potentially increase the EE levels, thereby, increasing the employees’ performance. This will also help HR practitioners in shaping and formulating effective organizational policies and practices.

Originality/value

This study has considered the emerging service sector organizations in India that have not been endeavoured before as earlier studies concentrated more on Western countries. The result of the study is congruent with that of the previous studies by establishing a positive relationship between EE and employees’ ERP and also concludes that LMX, HI HRP and ER have positive influence on EE.
Leading organizational transformation: an action research study
Authors: Canterino Filomena , Cirella Stefano , Shani Abraham Baruch (Rami)
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address a specific gap in the literature that centers on individual perspective of leadership within the context of organizational transformation. It explores synergies between leadership, analyzed as a combination of individual and plural perspectives, and managerial drivers relating to organizational transformation (communicating, mobilizing, and evaluating).

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines a complex organizational transformation initiative faced by an Italian, family-owned fashion design company through an action research project.

Findings

The results illustrate that context may play a role in accelerating the implementation of plural forms of leadership and their effectiveness during some phases of transformation. Specific emerging manifestations of leadership and synergies with transformation drivers are identified.

Research limitations/implications

This is a single case study derived from an action research project. Although the approach is congruent with the nature of the phenomenon and the purpose of the study, it does not aim for generalizability, and as such further empirical investigation is advocated.

Originality/value

The paper offers an original perspective on leadership of organizational transformation, discussing in particular the co-existence of individual and plural leadership and the role of context.
Omni-channel service failures and recoveries: refined typologies using Facebook complaints
Authors: Rosenmayer Anneliese , McQuilken Lisa , Robertson Nichola , Ogden Steve
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present two updated typologies of service failures and recoveries in the omni-channel context. These typologies are based on customer complaints and recoveries collected from the corporate Facebook pages of four omni-channel department stores, two operating in Australia and two in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

A document review is used of 400 customer complaints and recoveries. Content analysis is used to condense the Facebook data into categories of failures and recoveries.

Findings

Customer complaints on Facebook were triggered by a multitude of varying failures in the omni-channel context, given that it is the service brand that customers are experiencing, not just retail channels. The most prevalent failures were “bricks and mortar” shopping, delivery, marketing activities including communications and pricing, quality of goods and customer service. For service recoveries on Facebook, the four-dimensional justice framework appears valid.

Research limitations/implications

Study limitations include potentially missing details about the nature of the service failures and recoveries, including customer satisfaction with service recovery.

Practical implications

The typologies offer guidance to omni-channel retailers by showing the range of online and offline situations, including those unrelated to actual transactions that trigger customer complaints on Facebook and the tactics of recovering.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the service domain by updating failure and recovery typologies to reflect the emerging omni-channel context, jointly exploring failures and recoveries on Facebook and applying a four-dimensional justice framework for recoveries on Facebook.
Motivating service employee creativity: regulatory focus and emotional labour
Authors: Geng Zizhen , Li Caifeng , Bi Kejia , Zheng Haiping , Yang Xia
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance our understanding of the roles that service employees’ responses to high job demands play in service innovation, by examining the effects that service employees’ motivational orientation in self-regulation (regulatory focus) and their emotional labour strategy have on their creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

By integrating regulatory focus theory and emotion regulation theory, the authors developed a theoretical model to propose the links between promotion and prevention regulatory foci, different emotional labour strategies and frontline employee creativity. The research hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear model based on data collected from 304 frontline employees and 72 supervisors in 51 restaurants.

Findings

The results showed that promotion focus was positively related to frontline employee creativity while prevention focus was negatively related to it. In addition, both emotional labour strategies (deep acting and surface acting) mediated the effect of promotion focus on frontline employee creativity. Surface acting mediated the effect of prevention focus on frontline employee creativity.

Originality/value

This is the first research conducted to explain, from a self-regulatory perspective, the influence that is exerted on service employees’ service innovation by their responses to high job demands. The findings identify the effects that service employees’ promotion focus or prevention focus in self-regulation have on their creativity, and the data unravel the role of emotional labour strategy as the mediating mechanism that explains the influence of regulatory focus on service employee creativity. On the basis of the findings, managerial directions are offered with regard to managing service employees’ regulatory focus and emotional labour, with a view to enhancing the creativity and innovation within a service organisation.
Looking for info? Understanding ethical consumer information management using a diary approach
Authors: Papaoikonomou Eleni , Valor Carmen , Ginieis Matias
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Although the role of information has been previously studied in the ethical consumer literature, practices related to information searches and interpretation have not been fully examined in relation to ethical consumption. The purpose of this paper is to explore the search and use of information by ethically oriented consumers in order to understand the problems involved in this process, and how ethical consumers address them by adopting a number of practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative approach and diaries, the paper explores how consumers carry out their informational search and interpretation over an 11-week period.

Findings

First, insights are provided about the specifics of information search and the contexts, timing and use of information. Second, the information management practices used by participants to navigate the problems they encounter are identified. These practices are discussed in relation to the maximizing vs optimizing approach adopted by the participants.

Practical implications

New technologies, such as mobile applications and geo-localization, could overcome some of the problems inherent to information searches identified in this study. The use of social networks may also prove particularly interesting for companies and NGOs that target ethically oriented consumers.

Originality/value

Information search and the use and interpretation of information are part of the efforts undertaken by ethical consumers, but they have not been the focus of past research. This study provides empirical evidence on consumer practices employed to circumvent the problems found in a context of information asymmetries, and the gradual development of consumer skills in relation to ethical information searches and management. It shows how information search and management shapes the practice of ethical consumption.
New results on the predictive value of crude oil for US stock returns
Authors: Brigida Matt
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to clarify the nature of the predictive relationship between crude oil and the US stock market, with particular attention to whether this relationship is driven by time-varying risk premia.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors formulate the predictive regression as a state-space model and estimate the time-varying coefficients via the Kalman filter and prediction-error decomposition.

Findings

The authors find that the nature of the predictive relationship between crude oil and the US stock market changed in the latter half of 2008. After mid-2008, the predictive relationship switched signs and exhibited characteristics which make it much more likely that the predictive relationship is due to time-varying risk premia rather than a market inefficiency.

Originality/value

The authors apply a state-space approach to modeling the predictive relationship. This allows one to watch the evolution of the predictive relationship over time. In particular, the authors identify a dramatic shift in the relationship around August 2008. Prior research has not been able to identify shifts in the relationship.
Order book microstructure and policies for financial stability
Authors: Biondo Alessio Emanuele
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, to introduce an innovative model of financial order book, less simplified than the existing literature and still able to replicate all statistical features of true markets; second, to simulate realistically the effects of policies aimed to reduce the instability of financial markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an agent-based model and the applied methodology is the computational simulation.

Findings

The policymaker can actively reduce the instability of financial market by means of policies aimed to increase the heterogeneity of investors, both in terms of the behavioral attitude for market participation and of the differentiation of opinions; favor investors who show insensibility with regard to market information; limit the allowed number of counterparts for any market order; reduce the time validity of orders; and maintain flexibility and efficient bargaining, reduce transaction costs and avoid Tobin taxes.

Research limitations/implications

In future research, an opinion dynamics engine within a clustered community network will be embedded.

Practical implications

Indeed, the obtained results are policy rules which could be immediately applied.

Originality/value

The order book model contained in the paper is completely new, innovative and original. Innovativeness is based on a reduced number of simplifying assumptions. The realism of the presented mechanism is higher than in other existing models. The value of the model is high because of several factors. From the scientific point of view, it constitutes the reliable framework on which many other papers will be based: it is the core center of future research. From the policymaker’s point of view, it represents a credible tool for policy hypotheses testing.
Managerial implications of off-balance sheet items in community banks
Authors: Mckee Gregory , Kagan Albert
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Community banks were affected distinctly by changes in banking regulation in the 1990s when compared with large commercial banks. These banks offer non-traditional finance items, presumably to compete with these financial institutions. This study aims to examine the importance of accounting for off-balance sheet (OBS) items when estimating the financial performance of community banks.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a two-stage analysis pathway that initially calculates X-efficiency scores as part of the overall cost structure and then deploys data envelopment analysis bootstrapping method for a second-stage ordinary least square model.

Findings

Study findings indicate that failure to include OBS items in the X-efficiency calculation for community banks understates the efficiency performance of these banks. Furthermore, results indicate that factors internal and external to the community bank affect X-efficiency. Increases in OBS items are associated with growth in assets and growth in net non-interest income. Therefore, OBS items become an attractive alternative source of income and a mechanism for expanding output with the same volume of inputs. In addition, OBS items allow the largest community banks to deleverage their balance sheet, whereas the smallest community banks still emphasize on traditional lending products and benefit from existing equity. Also, larger banks may be using OBS items as a mechanism to isolate their performance from macroeconomic fluctuations.

Research limitations/implications

Research limitations include a reduced number of community banks as consolidation accelerates partly because of compliance concerns.

Practical implications

The approach used supports a series of community bank managerial approaches that may be adopted by management.

Originality/value

The results of this study show several reasons why community banks may have managerial incentives to include OBS items. As observed by Gilbert et al. (2013), community banks are adjusting their product line so as to operate efficiently. Community banks must provide a product line which provides margin and meets customer needs at a profit to the firm. OBS items allow existing staff to provide funds without additional equity requirements from the balance sheets. The increase in OBS activities may signal the perception that the associated interest income is less risky and less costly than other alternatives, including adopting technologies to diversify traditional loan product offerings. As community banks tend to have lower default rates than their larger counterparts, the most likely explanation is that the OBS interest risk is more attractive than compliance or development of mechanisms to offer a broader suite of traditional loan products.
Multi-modal haptic image recognition based on deep learning
Authors: Han Dong , Nie Hong , Chen Jinbao , Chen Meng , Deng Zhen , Zhang Jianwei
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to improve the diversity and richness of haptic perception by recognizing multi-modal haptic images.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the multi-modal haptic data collected by BioTac sensors from different objects are pre-processed, and then combined into haptic images. Second, a multi-class and multi-label deep learning model is designed, which can simultaneously learn four haptic features (hardness, thermal conductivity, roughness and texture) from the haptic images, and recognize objects based on these features. The haptic images with different dimensions and modalities are provided for testing the recognition performance of this model.

Findings

The results imply that multi-modal data fusion has a better performance than single-modal data on tactile understanding, and the haptic images with larger dimension are conducive to more accurate haptic measurement.

Practical implications

The proposed method has important potential application in unknown environment perception, dexterous grasping manipulation and other intelligent robotics domains.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new deep learning model for extracting multiple haptic features and recognizing objects from multi-modal haptic images.
Transcriptional profiles of pulmonary innate immune responses to isogenic antibiotic‐susceptible and multidrug‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Tam Vincent H. , Pérez Cynthia , Ledesma Kimberly R. , Lewis Russell E.
Published: February 2018

The virulence of an isogenic pair of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains was studied under similar experimental conditions in two animal infection models. The time to death was significantly longer for the multidrug resistant (MDR) than the wild‐type strain. The transcriptional profiles of 84 innate immune response genes in the lungs of immune competent Balb/C mice were further compared. Significantly weaker expression of genes involved in production of soluble pattern recognition receptor and complement were observed in animals infected with the MDR strain. Altered patterns of innate immune system activation may explain the attenuated virulence in MDR bacteria.
Gcn5‐dependent histone H3 acetylation and gene activity is required for the asexual development and virulence of Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Cai Qing , Wang Juan‐Juan , Fu Bo , Ying Sheng‐Hua , Feng Ming‐Guang
Published: February 2018

Gcn5 is a core histone acetyltransferase that catalyzes histone H3 acetylation on N‐terminal lysine residues in yeasts and was reported to catalyze H3K9/K14 acetylation required for activating asexual development in Aspergillus. Here, we report a localization of Gcn5 ortholog in the nucleus and cytoplasm of Beauveria bassiana, a fungal insect pathogen. Deletion of gcn5 led to hypoacetylated H3 at K9/14/18/27 and 97% reduction in conidiation capacity as well as severe defects in colony growth and conidial thermotolerance. Two master conidiation genes, namely brlA and abaA, were transcriptionally repressed to undetectable level in Δgcn5, but sharply upregulated in wild‐type, at the beginning time of conidiation. Based on chromatin immunoprecipitation, both DNA and acetylation levels of the distal and proximal fragments of the brlA promoter bound by acetylated H3K14 alone were upregulated in wild‐type, but not in Δgcn5, at the mentioned time. In Δgcn5, normal cuticle infection was abolished while virulence through cuticle‐bypassing infection was greatly attenuated, accompanied by drastically reduced activities of putative cuticle‐degrading enzymes, retarded dimorphic transition and transcriptional repression of associated genes. These findings unveil a novel mechanism by which Gcn5 activates asexual development pathway by acetylating H3K14 and regulates the virulence‐related cellular events in B. bassiana.
Medicare Payment Penalties and Safety Net Hospital Profitability: Minimal Impact on These Vulnerable Hospitals
Authors: Bazzoli Gloria J. , Thompson Michael P. , Waters Teresa M.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To examine relationships between penalties assessed by Medicare's Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Value‐Based Purchasing Program and hospital financial condition.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, and Area Health Resource File data for 4,824 hospital‐year observations.

Study Design

Bivariate and multivariate analysis of pooled cross‐sectional data.

Principal Findings

Safety net hospitals have significantly higher HRRP/VBP penalties, but, unlike nonsafety net hospitals, increases in their penalty rate did not significantly affect their total margins.

Conclusions

Safety net hospitals appear to rely on nonpatient care revenues to offset higher penalties for the years studied. While reassuring, these funding streams are volatile and may not be able to compensate for cumulative losses over time.
A model‐based solution for observational errors in laboratory studies
Authors: Brost Brian M. , Mosher Brittany A. , Davenport Kristen A.
Published: February 2018

Molecular techniques for detecting microorganisms, macroorganisms and infectious agents are susceptible to false‐negative and false‐positive errors. If left unaddressed, these observational errors may yield misleading inference concerning occurrence, prevalence, sensitivity, specificity and covariate relationships. Occupancy models are widely used to account for false‐negative errors and more recently have even been used to address false‐positive errors, too. Current modelling options assume false‐positive errors only occur in truly negative samples, an assumption that yields biased inference concerning detection because a positive sample could be classified as such not because the target agent was successfully detected, but rather due to a false‐positive test result. We present an extension to the occupancy modelling framework that allows false‐positive errors in both negative and positive samples, thereby providing unbiased inference concerning occurrence and detection, as well as reliable conclusions about the efficacy of sampling designs, handling protocols and diagnostic tests. We apply the model to simulated data, showing that it recovers known parameters and outperforms other approaches that are commonly used when confronted with observation errors. We then apply the model to an experimental data set on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a pathogenic fungus that is implicated in the global decline or extinction of hundreds of amphibian species. The model‐based approach we present is not only useful for obtaining reliable inference when data are contaminated with observational errors, but also eliminates the need for establishing arbitrary thresholds or decision rules that have hidden and unintended consequences.
Effects of Alcohol on the Brain in Cirrhosis: Beyond Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Davis Brian C. , Bajaj Jasmohan S.
Published: February 2018

Recent advances have led to a greater understanding of how alcohol alters the brain, both in acute stages (intoxication and alcohol withdrawal) and in chronic misuse. This review focuses on the current understanding of how alcohol affects the brain in cirrhosis patients with and without hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Chronic alcohol use is associated with nutritional deficiencies, dementia, cirrhosis, and decompensating events such as HE. Direct toxicity on brain tissue, induction of neuro‐inflammation, and alcohol's alterations of the gut microbiome are possible mechanisms for the clinical features of HE associated with alcohol use. Acute management of the alcoholic cirrhosis patient with altered mental status should focus on ruling out other causes, best intensive care, and use of gut‐based therapies such as lactulose and rifaximin. Long‐term management centers on optimizing treatment of concurrent mood disorders, nutritional support, and medical management of complications associated with cirrhosis. Future studies are needed to clarify mechanisms of brain injury in concomitant alcohol misuse and HE in addition to designing treatment interventions in order to improve outcomes in these patients.
Voluntary Disclosure of Externally Sourced Technological Innovation and Managerial Opportunism: Evidence from the Korean Stock Market
Authors: Kim Kyung Soon , Lee Jin Hwon , Park Yun Woo
Published: February 2018

This study aims to investigate the information effect of voluntary disclosure of externally sourced technological innovation by type of technological innovation, namely, in‐bound technology transfer, out‐bound technology transfer, and technological alliance. Long‐term performance is lower for firms with lower quality accounting information and this effect is most evident in the disclosure of an in‐bound technology transfer. Further, low disclosure quality firms undergo a greater decline in long‐term performance after a seasoned equity offering following the disclosure of an in‐bound technology transfer than high disclosure quality firms. This relationship is more pronounced during a bear market than during a bull market.
Transcriptional profiling of primary endometrial epithelial cells following acute HIV‐1 exposure reveals gene signatures related to innate immunity
Authors: Zahoor Muhammad Atif , Woods Matthew William , Dizzell Sara , Nazli Aisha , Mueller Kristen M. , Nguyen Philip V. , Verschoor Chris P. , Kaushic Charu
Published: February 2018

Problem

Genital epithelial cells (GECs) line the mucosal surface of the female genital tract (FGT) and are the first cells that interface with both commensal microbiota and sexually transmitted pathogens. Despite the protective barrier formed by GECs, the FGT is a major site of HIV‐1 infection. This highlights the importance of studying the interaction of HIV‐1 and GECs.

Method of study

Using microarray analysis, we characterized the transcriptional profile of primary endometrial GECs grown in the presence or absence of physiological levels of E2 (10−9 mol/L) or P4 (10−7 mol/L) following acute exposure to HIV‐1 for 6 hours.

Results

Acute exposure of primary endometrial GECs to HIV‐1 resulted in the expression of genes related to inflammation, plasminogen activation, adhesion and diapedesis and interferon response. Interestingly, exposure to HIV‐1 in the presence of E2 and P4 resulted in differential transcriptional profiles, suggesting that the response of primary endometrial GECs to HIV‐1 exposure is modulated by female sex hormones.

Conclusion

The gene expression signature of endometrial GECs indicates that the response of these cells may be key to determining host susceptibility to HIV‐1 and that sex hormones modulate these interactions. This study allows us to explore possible mechanisms that explain the hormone‐mediated fluctuation of HIV‐1 susceptibility in women.
The effect of superstitious thinking on psychosocial stress responses and perceived task performance
Authors: Lasikiewicz Nicola , Teo Wan Yee
Published: February 2018

Previous research on superstitious belief, a subset of paranormal belief (Irwin, ), has suggested that people tend to invoke luck‐related superstitions in stressful situations as an attempt to gain an illusion of control over outcomes. Based on this, the current study examined whether luck‐related superstition, in the form of a “lucky” pen, could influence the psychological response to a psychosocial stressor. Participants (N = 114), aged between 17 and 59 years (M = 22.98, SD = 4.57) from James Cook University Singapore, were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (a) no‐stress with no lucky pen; (b) no‐stress with a lucky pen; (c) stress with no lucky pen or; (d) stress with a lucky pen. The results revealed that participants provided with a lucky pen experienced lower state anxiety when exposed to the stressor. Further, participants provided with a lucky pen perceived their performance to be better than those without it. However, superstitious belief did not significantly change following exposure to stress. Taken together, the present findings add some support to the suggestion that belief in transferable luck may facilitate coping with a stressor. However, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the potential benefits of superstitious belief.
Audit of 117 otoplasties for prominent ear by one surgeon using a cartilage‐cutting procedure
Authors: Brian Tess , Cheng Paul T. , Loo Stanley S.
Published: February 2018

Background

The plethora of surgical procedures for prominent ear correction reflects lack of satisfaction with outcomes achieved. This paper describes a cartilage‐cutting otoplasty procedure and reports an audit of its outcomes.

Methods

Discharge coding was used to retrospectively identify patients who had undergone the otoplasty of interest at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, during the 5 years from March 2010 to the end of February 2015. Hospital records were accessed. Demographic, procedure and patient satisfaction data were recorded and analysed (PASW/SPSS Statistics 18.0). Chi‐square test and t‐test were used to assess associations, with significance accepted at two‐sided P < 0.05.

Results

Sixty‐four patients underwent the specified otoplasty (54.7% females: mean age 9.5 years (standard deviation, SD: 4.2; range: 4–20)), of whom 93.8% had bilateral procedures with mean surgical time of 61 min (SD: 14; range: 34–94). This was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) than for bilateral surgeries by all other techniques and surgeons in the review period. None of the 117 procedures of interest subsequently had suture extrusion or revision surgery. Mean time from surgery to satisfaction determination was 993 days (SD: 521; range: 111–1850) for 43 (67.2%) patients. 23.3% believed that there had been aesthetically insignificant partial recurrence of prominence, typically of one ear only. This was insufficient for all but one patient to consider repeat otoplasty. Surgery outcome was rated ‘very satisfactory’ and ‘satisfactory’ by 90.7% and 9.3% of patients/parents, respectively. All would recommend the surgery to others.

Conclusion

With infrequent complications and recurrence requiring revision, and without long‐term reliance on sutures, the otoplasty reported is time‐efficient, safe and generates high patient satisfaction.
DEVELOPMENT NGOS: BASIC FACTS
Authors: ALDASHEV Gani , NAVARRA Cecilia
Published: February 2018

This paper systematically reviews the empirical literature on development non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), drawing both on quantitative and qualitative analyses, and constructs a set of basic facts about these organizations. These facts concern the size of the development NGO sector and its evolution, the funding of NGOs, the allocation of NGO aid and projects across beneficiary countries, the relationship of NGOs with beneficiaries, and the phenomenon of globalization of development NGOs.
PUBLIC STOCK OWNERSHIP
Authors: CORNEO Giacomo
Published: February 2018

The government of a country with a good financial reputation could borrow from the international capital market and use the proceeds to endow a sovereign wealth fund that mainly invests in the world stock market. In expectation, this country would gain the equity risk premium multiplied by the size of the fund. This gain could be earmarked to a social dividend. This paper deals with the conditions under which such a policy is welfare‐improving, discusses the optimal size of such a fund, and proposes an institutional framework for the management of public stock ownership.
NONPROFITS IN THE FIELD: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PEER MONITORING AND SABOTAGE
Authors: AURIOL Emmanuelle , BRILON Stefanie
Published: February 2018

Two types of intrinsically motivated workers are considered: good workers care about the mission of an organization, whereas bad workers derive pleasure from destructive behavior. Compared to the case with only good workers, the mission‐oriented sector has to resort to higher monitoring to deal with the threat of sabotage. When standard monitoring is not possible, peer monitoring might deter bad workers from entering the nonprofit sector but reduces output due to free riding and because workers require higher compensation to work in teams. Nonprofits implement peer monitoring only if the expected damage that bad workers can inflict is larger than the loss of productivity due to teamwork. For senior staff with high reservation utility, they turn a blind eye on serious sabotage if the likelihood of hiring a bad worker is perceived as small. But they almost systematically implement peer monitoring for junior staff.
DEMOCRATIC, ACCOUNTABLE STATES ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT “BEHAVIORAL” HUMANS
Authors: PUTTERMAN Louis
Published: February 2018

Accountable, democratic government is impossible assuming that the self‐interested, rational individuals of traditional economic theory are the only available citizens and officials. Approaching near realization of such a form of government, as occurred in parts of the world during recent generations, required reconfiguring autocratic states with the aid of the actual human impulses that underlie attraction to norms of fairness, capacities to cooperate, desire for social approval, and anger at norm violators. Increasing our understanding of how accountable government began to approach realization during the past two centuries may aid society in preserving and building on this still‐new political arrangement.
The gender‐corruption nexus in Asia
Authors: Paweenawat Sasiwimon W.
Published: February 2018

This study investigates the relationship between the share of women in parliament and the level of corruption in a panel of Asian countries during the period 1997–2015. This study applies the instrumental variable (IV) fixed effect approach using a system of gender quotas, which are either reserved seats, legal candidate quotas, or voluntary political party quotas as instruments to control for unobserved heterogeneity across countries, and to alleviate endogeneity bias. In addition, the generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator is applied in order to address the persistence of corruption, which causes biased and inefficient estimators in estimation. The main finding is that a higher share of women in parliament is associated with a lower level of corruption, which is consistent with evidence from studies by Dollar et al. (2001) and Swamy et al (2001).
Letter: the efficacy and safety of rifaximin for the prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients
Authors: Zhao J. , Zhang Y. , Tian H. , Sun H. , Liang C.
Published: February 2018

Linked content

This article is linked to Goel et al paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14361.
Letter: what gastroenterologists should know about VSL#3
Authors: De Simone C.
Published: February 2018

Linked content

This article is linked to McIlroy et al paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14384.
Impact of novel oncogenic pathways regulated by antitumor miR‐451a in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Yamada Yasutaka , Arai Takayuki , Sugawara Sho , Okato Atsushi , Kato Mayuko , Kojima Satoko , Yamazaki Kazuto , Naya Yukio , Ichikawa Tomohiko , Seki Naohiko
Published: February 2018

Recent analyses of our microRNA (miRNA) expression signatures obtained from several types of cancer have provided novel information on their molecular pathology. In renal cell carcinoma (RCC), expression of microRNA‐451a (miR‐451a) was significantly downregulated in patient specimens and low expression of miR‐451a was significantly associated with poor prognosis of RCC patients (P = .00305) based on data in The Cancer Genome Atlas. The aims of the present study were to investigate the antitumor roles of miR‐451a and to identify novel oncogenic networks it regulated in RCC cells. Ectopic expression of miR‐451a significantly inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion by RCC cell lines, suggesting that miR‐451a had antitumor roles. To identify oncogenes regulated by miR‐451a in RCC cells, we analyzed genome‐wide gene expression data and examined information in in silico databases. A total of 16 oncogenes and were found to be possible targets of miR‐451a regulation. Interestingly, high expression of 9 genes (PMM2, CRELD2, CLEC2D, SPC25, BST2, EVL, TBX15, DPYSL3, and NAMPT) was significantly associated with poor prognosis. In this study, we focused on phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2), which was the most strongly associated with prognosis. Overexpression of PMM2 was detected in clinical specimens and Spearman's rank test indicated a negative correlation between the expression levels of miR‐451a and PMM2 (P = .0409). Knockdown of PMM2 in RCC cells inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion, indicating overexpression of PMM2 could promote malignancy. Analytic strategies based on antitumor miRNAs is an effective tool for identification of novel pathways of cancer.
The Development of Self and Identity in Adolescence: Neural Evidence and Implications for a Value‐Based Choice Perspective on Motivated Behavior
Authors: Pfeifer Jennifer H. , Berkman Elliot T.
Published: February 2018

Following a key developmental task of childhood—building a foundation of self‐knowledge in the form of domain‐specific self‐concepts—adolescents begin to explore their emerging identities in ways that foster autonomy and connectedness. Neuroimaging studies of self‐related processes demonstrate enhanced engagement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) in adolescence, which may facilitate and reflect the development of identity by integrating the value of potential actions and choices. Drawing from neuroeconomic and social‐cognitive accounts, we propose that motivated behavior during adolescence can be modeled by a general value‐based decision‐making process centered around value accumulation in the ventromedial PFC. This approach advances models of adolescent neurodevelopment that focus on reward sensitivity and cognitive control by considering more diverse value inputs, including contributions of developing self‐ and identity‐related processes. It also considers adolescent decision making and behavior from adolescents' point of view rather than adults' perspectives on what adolescents should value or how they should behave.