bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propulsive design principles in a multi-jet siphonophore
Authors: Sutherland Kelly R. , Colin Sean P. , Costello John H. , Gemmell Brad J.
Published: November 2018

Coordination of multiple propulsors can provide performance benefits in swimming organisms. Siphonophores are marine colonial organisms that orchestrate the motion of multiple swimming zooids for effective swimming. However, the kinematics at the level of individual swimming zooids (nectophores) have not been examined in detail. We used high speed, high resolution microvideography and particle image velocimetry (PIV) of the physonect siphonophore,Nanomia bijuga, to study the motion of the nectophores and the associated fluid motion during jetting and refilling. The integration of nectophore and velum kinematics allow for a high-speed (maximum ~1 m s−1), narrow (1-2 mm) jet and rapid refill as well as a 1:1 ratio of jetting to refill time. Overall swimming performance is enhanced by velocity gradients produced in the nectophore during refill, which lead to a high pressure region that produces forward thrust. Generating thrust during both the jet and refill phases augments the distance travelled by 17% over theoretical animals, which generate thrust only during the jet phase. The details of velum kinematics and associated fluid mechanics elucidate how siphonophores effectively navigate three-dimensional space and could be applied to exit flow parameters in multijet underwater vehicles.

Summary statement:

Colonial siphonophores produce high speed jets and generate forward thrust during refill using a flexible velum to achieve effective propulsion.
Draft genome assembly and population genetics of an agricultural pollinator, the solitary alkali bee (Halictidae:Nomia melanderi)
Authors: Kapheim Karen M. , Pan Hailin , Li Cai , Blatti Charles , Harpur Brock A. , Ioannidis Panagiotis , Jones Beryl M. , Kent Clement F. , Ruzzante Livio , Sloofman Laura , Stolle Eckart , Waterhouse Robert M. , Zayed Amro , Zhang Guojie , Wcislo William T.
Published: November 2018

Alkali bees (Nomia melanderi) are solitary relatives of the halictine bees, which have become an important model for the evolution of social behavior, but for which few solitary comparisons exist. These ground-nesting bees defend their developing offspring against pathogens and predators, and thus exhibit some of the key traits that preceded insect sociality. Alkali bees are also efficient native pollinators of alfalfa seed, which is a crop of major economic value in the United States. We sequenced, assembled, and annotated a high-quality draft genome of 299.6 Mbp for this species. Repetitive content makes up more than one-third of this genome, and previously uncharacterized transposable elements are the most abundant type of repetitive DNA. We predicted 10,847 protein coding genes, and identify 479 of these undergoing positive directional selection with the use of population genetic analysis based on low-coverage whole genome sequencing of 19 individuals. We found evidence of recent population bottlenecks, but no significant evidence of population structure. We also identify 45 genes enriched for protein translation and folding, transcriptional regulation, and triglyceride metabolism evolving slower in alkali bees compared to other halictid bees. These resources will be useful for future studies of bee comparative genomics and pollinator health research.
Shank3 Modulates Sleep and Expression of Circadian Transcription Factors
Authors: Ingiosi Ashley M. , Wintler Taylor , Schoch Hannah , Singletary Kristan G. , Righelli Dario , Roser Leandro G. , Risso Davide , Frank Marcos G. , Peixoto Lucia
Published: November 2018

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in the United States and often co-presents with sleep problems. Sleep problems in ASD predict the severity of ASD core diagnostic symptoms and have a considerable impact on the quality of life of caregivers. Little is known, however, about the underlying molecular mechanisms. We investigated the role of Shank3, a high confidence ASD gene candidate, in sleep architecture and regulation. We show that mice lacking exon 21 of Shank3 have problems falling asleep even when sleepy. Using RNA-seq we show that sleep deprivation increases the differences in gene expression between mutants and wild types, downregulating circadian transcription factors Per3, Dec2, Hlf, Tef, and Reverbα. Shank3 mutants also have trouble regulating wheel-running activity in constant darkness. Overall our study shows that Shank3 is an important modulator of sleep and clock gene expression.
Accurate loop calling for 3D genomic data with cLoops
Authors: Cao Yaqiang , Chen Xingwei , Ai Daosheng , Chen Zhaoxiong , Chen Guoyu , McDermott Joseph , Huang Yi , Han Jing-Dong J.
Published: November 2018

Sequencing-based 3D genome mapping technologies can identify loops formed by interactions between regulatory elements hundreds of kilobases apart. Existing loop-calling tools are mostly restricted to a single data type, with accuracy dependent on a pre-defined resolution contact matrix or called peaks, and can have prohibitive hardware costs. Here we introduce cLoops (‘see loops’) to address these limitations. cLoops is based on the clustering algorithm cDBSCAN that directly analyzes the paired-end tags (PETs) to find candidate loops and uses a permuted local background to estimate statistical significance. These two data-type-independent processes enable loops to be reliably identified for both sharp and broad peak data, including but not limited to ChIA-PET, Hi-C, HiChIP and Trac-looping data. Loops identified by cLoops showed much less distance-dependent bias and higher enrichment relative to local regions than existing tools. Altogether, cLoops improves accuracy of detecting of 3D-genomic loops from sequencing data, is versatile, flexible, efficient, and has modest hardware requirements, and is freely available at: https://github.com/YaqiangCao/cLoops.
HD-Marker: a highly multiplexed and flexible approach for targeted genotyping of more than 10,000 genes in a single-tube assay
Authors: Lv Jia , Jiao Wenqian , Guo Haobing , Liu Pingping , Wang Ruijia , Zhang Lingling , Zeng Qifan , Hu Xiaoli , Bao Zhenmin , Wang Shi
Published: November 2018

Targeted genotyping of transcriptome-scale genetic markers is highly attractive for genetic, ecological, and evolutionary studies, but achieving this goal in a cost-effective manner remains a major challenge, especially for laboratories working on nonmodel organisms. Here, we develop a high-throughput, sequencing-based GoldenGate approach (called HD-Marker), which addresses the array-related issues of original GoldenGate methodology and allows for highly multiplexed and flexible targeted genotyping of more than 12,000 loci in a single-tube assay (in contrast to fewer than 3100 in the original GoldenGate assay). We perform extensive analyses to demonstrate the power and performance of HD-Marker on various multiplex levels (296, 795, 1293, and 12,472 genic SNPs) across two sequencing platforms in two nonmodel species (the scallops Chlamys farreri and Patinopecten yessoensis), with extremely high capture rate (98%–99%) and genotyping accuracy (97%–99%). We also demonstrate the potential of HD-Marker for high-throughput targeted genotyping of alternative marker types (e.g., microsatellites and indels). With its remarkable cost-effectiveness (as low as $0.002 per genotype) and high flexibility in choice of multiplex levels and marker types, HD-Marker provides a highly attractive tool over array-based platforms for fulfilling genome/transcriptome-wide targeted genotyping applications, especially in nonmodel organisms.
A Bayesian approach to beam-induced motion correction in cryo-EM single-particle analysis
Authors: Zivanov Jasenko , Nakane Takanori , Scheres Sjors H. W.
Published: November 2018

A new method to estimate the trajectories of particle motion and the amount of cumulative beam damage in electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis is presented. The motion within the sample is modelled through the use of Gaussian process regression. This allows a prior likelihood that favours spatially and temporally smooth motion to be associated with each hypothetical set of particle trajectories without imposing hard constraints. This formulation enables the a posteriori likelihood of a set of particle trajectories to be expressed as a product of that prior likelihood and an observation likelihood given by the data, and this a posteriori likelihood to then be maximized. Since the smoothness prior requires three parameters that describe the statistics of the observed motion, an efficient stochastic method to estimate these parameters is also proposed. Finally, a practical algorithm is proposed that estimates the average amount of cumulative radiation damage as a function of radiation dose and spatial frequency, and then fits relative B factors to that damage in a robust way. The method is evaluated on three publicly available data sets, and its usefulness is illustrated by comparison with state-of-the-art methods and previously published results. The new method has been implemented as Bayesian polishing in RELION-3, where it replaces the existing particle-polishing method, as it outperforms the latter in all tests conducted.
An examination of product development approaches within demand driven chains
Authors: Naghi Ganji Elmira , Shah Satya , Coutroubis Alec
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Innovation has been considered as the most important factor in today’s global and competitive environments for meeting growth, customer demands and expectations for any product development environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine the concepts of sustainable development, its practices and impacts within demand-driven supply chain (DDSC) environments. This paper is part of a wider project and within later stages of the study, a novel framework will be developed in order to link new product development (NPD) and demand chain management (DCM) aspects from the analysis of the research findings.

Design/methodology/approach

This research has adopted the approach of descriptive method which tends to examine demand chain concept and its evolution through recent years, while having a particular focus into NPD projects.

Findings

The paper investigates early study models through key findings of the literature that focuses on demand chain and NPD for the use and implementation of sustainability measures within manufacturing environments. The research study highlights the need for incorporation of NPD–DCM through the entire business ecosystem entities and also through the flow of information, materials and resources within the structure of the SC. The study finds out the key hurdles of the companies towards adoption of DDSCs in NPD environments, such as lack of cross-organisational association and lack of innovative demand chain frameworks.

Originality/value

The novelty of the research is to develop an early understanding within DDSCs, considering the product development programmes particularly focused on marketing activities. The study provides future researchers with the platform to undertake studies within similar function of DDSC environments.
Lean-Agile FM-BIM: a demonstrated approach
Authors: McArthur J. J. , Bortoluzzi Brandon
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to respond to the high cost of facility management-enabled building information model (FM-BIM) creation and maintenance, a significant and under-researched barrier to adoption for existing buildings. The resultant approach focuses on only value-adding content (“Lean”) developed flexibly and iteratively in collaboration with end-users (“Agile”).

Design/methodology/approach

Five case studies were developed for university and hospital buildings in collaboration with end-users, guided by the process presented. These informed the refinement of a robust and flexible approach to increase BIM functionality with minimal geometry, focusing instead on the development of specific parameters to map semantic information necessary for each desired FM use.

Findings

The resulting BIM provided a breadth of model functionality with minimal modeling effort: 15 hours average implementation time per supported FM use. This low level of effort was achieved by limiting geometry to where it is necessary for the FM use implementation. Instead, the model incorporated the majority of geometry by reference and focused on semantic and topological parameters to house FM information.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides the basis for a new ontology structure focused on defining the rules for hosting asset management data (host entity, parameter type and characteristics) to reduce the reliance on complex geometric model development.

Practical implications

By prioritizing highly beneficial applications, early investment is minimized, providing quick returns at low risk, demonstrating the value of FM-BIM to end-users.

Originality/value

The Lean-Agile approach addresses the known research gap of low-effort, flexible approaches to FM-BIM model creation and maintenance and its effectiveness is analyzed through five case studies.
Talking to the mentees: exploring mentee dispositions prior to the mentoring relationship
Authors: Taylor Z.W. , Black Victoria G.
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how postsecondary mentoring programs address mentee dispositions prior to the mentee entering the reciprocal relationship, particularly which mentee dispositions are valued across mentoring program types, including peer, community-to-student, faculty-to-student and faculty-to-faculty programs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed quantitative content analysis to examine 280 institutional US postsecondary mentoring websites across four different institution types (public, four-year; private, four-year, non-profit; private, four-year, for-profit; public, two-year) and four different mentoring program types (peer or student-to-student, community-to-student, faculty-to-student and faculty-to-faculty programs). Grounded coding strategies were employed to generate these four mentoring program types, supported by extant research (Crispet al., 2017).

Findings

Of 280 mentoring programs, 18.6 percent articulated mentee dispositions prior to entering the reciprocal relationship. When mentoring programs did address mentees, most programs articulated mentor duties aligned with mentee expectations (47.5 percent of programs) and program outcomes for mentees (65.7 percent of programs) rather than what the mentee can and should bring into a reciprocal relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This study is delimited by its sample size and its focus on institutional website content. Future studies should explore how mentoring programs recruit and retain mentees, as well as how website communications address the predispositions and fit of mentees within different types of mentoring programs.

Practical implications

This study provided evidence that many postsecondary mentoring programs in the USA may not be articulating programmatic expectations of mentees prior to the mentoring relationship. By failing to address mentee predispositions, mentoring programs may not be accurately assessing their mentor’s compatibility with their mentees, potentially leading to unproductive mentoring relationships.

Originality/value

This study affirms extant research (Black and Taylor, 2017) while connecting mentor- and coaching-focused literature to the discussion of a mentee dispositions scale or measurement akin to Crisp’s (2009) College Student Mentoring Scale and Searby’s (2014) mentoring mindset framework. This study also forwards an exploratory model of mentoring program inputs and outputs, envisioning both mentor and mentee characteristics as fundamental inputs for a mentoring program rather than traditional models that view mentors as inputs and mentee achievements as outputs (Crisp, 2009; Searby, 2014).
A novel algorithm for solving resource-constrained project scheduling problems: a case study
Authors: Kasravi Mahmood , Mahmoudi Amin , Feylizadeh Mohammad Reza
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Construction projects managers try their best for the project to go according to the plans. They always attempt to complete the projects on time and consistent with the predetermined budgets. Amid so many problems in project planning, the most critical and well-known problem is the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). The purpose of this paper is to solve RCPSP using hybrid algorithm ICA/PSO.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to the existence of various forms for scheduling the problem and also the diversity of constraints and objective functions, myriad of research studies have been conducted in this realm of study. Since most of these problems are NP-hard ones, heuristic and meta-heuristic methods are used for solving these problems. In this research, a novel hybrid method which is composed of meta-heuristic methods of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) has been used to solve RCPSP. Finally, a railway project has been examined for RCPS Problem in a real-world situation.

Findings

According to the results of the case study, ICA/PSO algorithm has better results than ICAs and PSO individually.

Practical implications

ICA/PSO algorithm could be used for solving problems in a multi-mode situation of activities or considering more constraints on the resources, such as the existence of non-renewable resources and renewable. Based on the case study in construction project, ICA/PSO algorithm has a better solution than PSO and ICA.

Originality/value

In this study, by combining PSO and ICA algorithms and creating a new hybrid algorithm, better solutions have been achieved in RCPSP. In order to validate the method, standard problems available in PSPLib library were used.
The strategic human resource management approaches and organisational performance
Authors: Iqbal Adnan
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Despite the strategic importance of the approaches, most of the approaches consider “internal fit” or “external fit”, and do not consider the role of creative climate. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between approaches to strategic human resource management (SHRM) and organisational performance through a creative climate.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has divided into three parts. First, the paper explores the literatures on the constructs. Second, it examines the relationships between constructs dealt with in the literature. Third, the review identifies the gaps in the literature and describes future recommendations of research for this field.

Findings

This study can serve as a starting point for future research on the relationship between SHRM practices, creative climate and organisational performance in terms of financial, human resource and customer retention. Researchers and practitioners need to understand the relationship between the three constructs.

Originality/value

The paper helps managers need to design strategic HRM policies and practices that are aligned with creative climate and organisational performance. Furthermore, it helps scholars/researchers focus their research on the relationship between HRM approaches (universal and contingency approaches), organisational performance and examining the role of creative climate as a mediator to overcome its causal limitations.
Value relevance of accounting information: an emerging country perspective
Authors: Badu Bismark , Appiah Kingsley Opoku
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the value relevance of accounting information from an emerging country perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts Ohlson (1995) Price model to examine the extent to which accounting information explain variation in stock prices of listed firms on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

Findings

The study reveals that earnings and book value of equity exhibit a positive and significant relationship in stock prices. Earnings explain higher variation in stock market values on the Ghana Stock Exchange compared to book value of equity. The study however finds that despite the introduction of the International Financial Reporting Standards in Ghana, the value relevance of book value and earnings have declined significantly over the period 2005-2014.

Research limitations/implications

A key implication is that regulators of capital markets, standards setters and accounting practitioners need to consistently improve upon the quality of financial reporting disclosures which will boost the confidence of users in their reliance on financial statements as the basis for choosing among alternative use of scarce resources. The authors adopted only the price model in testing the hypotheses. However, to provide comprehensive understanding of value relevance of accounting information, future studies can combine both the price and the return models.

Originality/value

The authors extend prior literature in the Ghanaian context with recent data. Finally, the study adds to the efficient market hypothesis by showing how share prices reflect accounting information produced by Ghanaian firms.
Impact of intellectual capital on financial performance: evidence from the Bangladeshi textile sector
Authors: Chowdhury Leena Afroz Mostofa , Rana Tarek , Akter Mahmuda , Hoque Mahfuzul
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of intellectual capital (IC) on financial performance and, in turn, to provide insights into its impact on emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 34 textile firms in Bangladesh between 2013 and 2017. The IC efficiency, through value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model, and its impact on financial performance, through return on assets (ROA), return on equity and asset turnover (ATO), was examined using descriptive statistics and multiple regression techniques. The analysis is based on secondary data obtained from annual reports.

Findings

The results indicate the impact of VAIC components on financial performance and also demonstrate diverse relationships with changes in financial indicators. The VAIC components significantly influenced productivity outcomes, with tangible capital playing a major role in both productivity and profitability. Moreover, it was found that structural capital had a considerable effect on ATO and ROA with human capital indicating an insignificant impact on all financial performance indicators.

Research limitations/implications

The research outcome is specific to the textile industry in emerging economies. The study may guide future research on IC performance in textile firms and cross-industry comparisons.

Practical implications

Managers, firm owners and regulators need to align IC to performance management to sustain the competitive advantage in globalised competitive settings.

Originality/value

The study provides an empirical evidence and extends knowledge of IC utilisation for enhancing the financial performance of the textile firms in emerging economies.
Evaluation of the impact of an entrepreneurship training program in Recife, Brazil
Authors: Coelho Fernando José Moreira , Marques Carla , Loureiro Armando , Ratten Vanessa
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand in a qualitative context, the importance of the EMPRETEC entrepreneurship training in an emerging country context of Brazil. This helps to understand the capacity of entrepreneurship education to improve the ability of individuals to generate new business opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through three semi-structured interview scripts and analyzed with the support of the NVIVO qualitative analysis software using Bardin content analysis.

Findings

The findings support the assertion that in emerging economies, entrepreneurship education is increasingly important in transforming society through enabling individuals to progress in their careers and life.

Research limitations/implications

It was concluded that the EMPRETEC course fulfilled the objective of encouraging entrepreneurial behavior and stimulating the trainees to contribute to the economic growth of the country. The implication was that participation in entrepreneurship education is strictly interconnected to the success of the trainees.

Practical implications

The study found that there are positive practical outcomes for the trainees’, teachers’ and managers’ perceptions involved in the Entrepreneurship Training Program – EMPRETEC.

Originality/value

The paper helps understand the role of the trainees’ (EMPRETECos), teachers’ and managers’ perceptions of the Program at SEBRAE/Recife about the impact of the Entrepreneurship Training Program – EMPRETEC.
How men interpret women’s luxury brand signals
Authors: Lai Sin Man , Prendergast Gerard
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Women’s conspicuous display of luxury brands is known to serve the purpose of sending signals to other women, but little is known about how men interpret those signals. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate how men interpret the signals sent by women displaying luxury brands.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretivist approach and phenomenological methods were applied, involving interviews with selected men in Hong Kong.

Findings

The men interviewed suggested that if a woman’s overall image matches that of the brands she displays and the situation, luxurious brands can amplify the woman’s beauty and perceived class status. However, if these factors clash, men react negatively and tend to view the woman as engaging in impression management and pretending to have high social status unjustifiably.

Research limitations/implications

The sample for this phenomenological study was limited to Hong Kong men only. Culture must, almost by definition, influence men’s views toward women and branded products, so similar exploratory research in other cultures seems justified.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that marketers should offer “brand education” to help make their female consumers aware of the images their products are trying to establish, and what are the appropriate usage situations. Such consumer education would also reduce the risk of negative image transfer from the brand user to the brands.

Originality/value

The current understanding of female luxury brand signals is limited to female-vs-female intra-sexual competition. By examining how men interpret female luxury brand signals, this research addresses an important research gap.
Economic sustainability of additive manufacturing
Authors: Khorram Niaki Mojtaba , Nonino Fabio , Palombi Giulia , Torabi S. Ali
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate additive manufacturing (AM) phenomenon extending previous research results by studying in-depth the economic sustainability of AM technology and bringing out the contextual factors that drive its superior performances in comparison with conventional manufacturing, and justify its adoption in rapid prototyping (RP) from an economic point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

Data have been collected through a worldwide survey. Respondents were from 105 companies adopting the technology from 23 countries worldwide.

Findings

The results of this research show that although AM-based prototyping leads to significant cost reduction, it is not as good as conventional manufacturing in terms of the profitability of investment. It also demonstrates how cost reduction depends on production volume and payback period depends on the types of material and scope of AM implementation after controlling for firm size and experience.

Research limitations/implications

The performance indicator is measured using a Likert scale; however, more reliable conclusion could be made by real amounts. The research also took into account the economic aspects of performance; however, to evaluate the AM technology more comprehensively, other performance measures such as those of social and environmental ones should be considered.

Practical implications

The paper provides insightful implications for the adoption of AM. In particular, it reveals the contingent performance of the technology in RP.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to expand the literature by demonstrating how different circumstances affect the performance of AM technologies for prototyping and by linking the operational and organizational factors with its performance.
Theorizing beyond the horizon: service research in 2050
Authors: Keating Byron W. , McColl-Kennedy Janet R. , Solnet David
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue of the Journal of Service Management dedicated to the Thought Leadership in Services Conference held in Brisbane Australia in 2017. The paper also explores the disruptive and transformative role that technology is set to play over the next 30 years.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a brief summary of the papers within the special issue. The paper also introduces a conceptual framework identifying four quadrants that reflect different combinations of human touch and technology. This framework is used to examine the treatment of technology in the eight papers.

Findings

While it is clear that technology is having a profound impact on service, and is contributing to major changes within the eight service domains captured by the papers in the special issue; there were significant differences observed across the eight papers in the special issue. From the associated discussion, it is clear that the humanistic paradigm is still dominant within services, even though there is strong evidence that a shift is occurring.

Originality/value

This paper extends earlier work exploring the infusion of technology within services to highlight the progress from a humanistic paradigm to a technology-centric paradigm.
The impact of diverse corporate social responsibility practices on consumer product evaluations
Authors: Chen Xiaoye , Huang Rong
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts that are oriented toward shared value creation generate any perceptual advantages in terms of consumer product attributes evaluations compared with other types of CSR. The study also uncovers consumers’ pathways that channel the impacts of corporate associations on corporate and product evaluations and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a between-subjects experimental design. In all, 274 undergraduate students from a North American university participated in the 2 (low versus high corporate ability levels) × 4 (CSR types) study. The data were analyzed using the methodologies of path analysis and multiple group analysis in the context of structural equation modeling procedure.

Findings

The findings show that in the context of shared-value CSR, CSR image (i.e. consumer judgments on the moral aspect of the company) can spill over to product attributes evaluations, including perceptions of “product innovativeness” and “product social responsibility,” which, in turn, translate to purchase willingness. Meanwhile, perceived corporate trustworthiness mediates the effects of CSR image and corporate ability (CA) image on the overall corporate evaluation, which subsequently influences consumer product evaluation and purchase intention.

Research limitations/implications

The research provides direct evidence showing that companies have the potential to improve their corporate brand and, in turn, their product evaluations by putting a stronger emphasis on the social responsibility components of their image and placing this at the core of their strategic agenda. Importantly, a contribution to the literature by identifying differential effects of CA image versus CSR image on consumer perception of product innovativeness within different CSR categories is made. The limitations of the research are discussed, which include the usage of a fictitious company and brand and a convenience sample.

Practical implications

The study offers guidance to managers in regard to their choice of different CSR practices to fulfill their company’s product-related strategic goals.

Originality/value

The present study takes a critical stance to show that previous experimental work investigating the impact of CSR image on product evaluations relied predominantly on bipolar manipulations of CSR practices (bad versus good) rather than bringing many shades of CSR into consideration. By incorporating a wide array of CSR formats, especially value-creating CSR, current research generates potential implications based on differential effects of various CSR focuses, which have not been captured by previous studies.
Investigating the impact of climate change on the tourism sector: evidence from a sample of island economies
Authors: Seetanah Boopen , Fauzel Sheereen
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Although it is a widely accepted fact that climate change can negatively impact on tourism demand and affect the economies at the socio-economic level, empirical studies on the climate change tourism development nexus has been quite scant, especially for the case of island economies that are heavily dependent on tourism. This study aims to supplement the literature on climate change and tourism by empirically assessing the relationship between climate change and tourist arrivals for the case of 18 small island developing states over the period from 1989 to 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses dynamic panel data techniques, namely, a panel vector autoregressive framework, which accounts for dynamic and endogeneity issues.

Findings

The results from the analysis confirm the existence of a significant relationship between climate change and tourism demand in both the long-run and short run. Further analysis shows a bi-directional causality between climatic change and tourism demand while the study also confirms the tourism led growth hypothesis.

Research limitations/implications

This research supplements the literature on the tourism-environment link, especially for tourism dependent island economies.

Practical implications

Results from this study are important to policymakers who should spare no effort to mitigate the effect of adverse climatic change in the context of tourism development.

Originality/value

This study is built on a unique data set for a sample of island economies and interestingly adopts dynamic panel data analysis to account for dynamics and endogenity in the climate change-tourism development nexus.
Designing institutions to improve well‐being: Participation, deliberation and institutionalisation
Authors: WAMPLER BRIAN , TOUCHTON MICHAEL
Published: November 2018

Social accountability institutions are at the forefront of democratic reformers’ efforts to improve well‐being by harnessing the power of citizen participation. This article builds on recent research identifying a positive relationship between participatory budgeting (PB) and well‐being. The article is the first large‐N study to identify relationships between specific rules of PB programme design and well‐being. A unique dataset of 114 Brazilian municipalities with PB programmes from 2009 to 2016 is constructed to evaluate whether internal mechanisms within PB explain variation in local infant mortality rates – an outcome associated with wellbeing. Hypotheses are tested that correspond to citizen participation, the scope of deliberation and embeddedness within local institutions. It is found that PB programmes are associated with lower infant mortality rates when they broaden participation, expand deliberation and embed the new institutions in ongoing policy‐making venues. The results offer a framework for designing PB programmes and other social accountability institutions to maximise impact.
Adverse Shocks in Agriculture: The Assessment and Management of Downside Risk
Authors: Chavas Jean‐Paul
Published: November 2018

This paper investigates the assessment and effects of adverse shocks on agricultural production, with an application to corn yield. Adverse shocks are assessed by the probability of facing low yields, i.e. by the probability of being exposed to downside risk. Defined in terms of willingness‐to‐pay to eliminate risk, the ex‐ante cost of facing adverse events is evaluated under prospect theory. Prospect theory is relevant in the evaluation of adverse shocks as it identifies a role for both loss aversion and oversensitivity to low probability events. The analysis is applied to experimental data on corn yield in the US Corn Belt. Estimates show how the distribution of corn yield is affected by management and technology. Implications for the cost of adverse shocks are examined. The results show how management and technology can reduce exposure to adverse shocks and lower the cost of risk in agriculture.
Trace Evidence Potential in Postmortem Skin Microbiomes: From Death Scene to Morgue
Authors: Kodama Whitney A. , Xu Zhenjiang , Metcalf Jessica L. , Song Se Jin , Harrison Nicholas , Knight Rob , Carter David O. , Happy Christopher B.
Published: November 2018

Microbes can be used effectively as trace evidence, at least in research settings. However, it is unknown whether skin microbiomes change prior to autopsy and, if so, whether these changes interfere with linking objects to decedents. The current study included microbiomes from 16 scenes of death in the City and County of Honolulu and tested whether objects at the scenes can be linked to individual decedents. Postmortem skin microbiomes were stable during repeated sampling up to 60 h postmortem and were similar to microbiomes of an antemortem population. Objects could be traced to decedents approximately 75% of the time, with smoking pipes and medical devices being especially accurate (100% match), house and car keys being poor (0%), and other objects like phones intermediate (~80%). These results show that microbes from objects at death scenes can be matched to individual decedents, opening up a new method of establishing associations and identifications.
Impacts on in‐event, ambulance and emergency department services from patients presenting from a mass gathering event: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Ranse Jamie , Lenson Shane , Keene Toby , Luther Matt , Burke Brandon , Hutton Alison , Johnston Amy NB , Crilly Julia
Published: November 2018

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the in‐event, ambulance and ED impacts of patient presentations from an Australian mass gathering event (MGE) including patient demographics, provision of care, length of stay and discharge disposition.

Methods

This research was set at one MGE in Australia. The MGE had one first aid post and one in‐event health team staffed by doctors, nurses and paramedics. A retrospective analysis of patient care records from providers of in‐event, ambulance and ED services was undertaken. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Of the 20 000 MGE participants, 197 (0.99% [95% CI 0.86–1.13], 9.85/1000) presented for in‐event first aid care, with 24/197 (12.2% [95% CI 8.33–17.49], 1.2/1000) referred to in‐event health professionals. Fifteen of the referred patients (62.5% [95% CI 42.71–78.84]) returned to the MGE following administration of intravenous fluids (n = 13) and/or anti‐emetics (n = 11). Seven (29.2% [95% CI 14.92–49.17], 0.35/1000) were referred to ambulance paramedic care, requiring endotracheal intubation (n = 1) and airway adjuncts (n = 3) prior to transportation to ED; these patients had an ED median length of stay of 7 h (5.5–12.5) receiving imaging and ventilator support. Five were discharged from ED, one required an operation and another required intensive care unit admission.

Conclusions

There was an impact on in‐event, ambulance and ED services from this MGE but the in‐event model of care may have limited ambulance usage and ED visits. The ED length of stay was greater than the national median, perhaps reflecting the appropriateness of transport and nature of care requirements while in the ED.
Doing it for themselves? Performance appraisal in project‐based organisations, the role of employees, and challenges to theory
Authors: Keegan Anne , Den Hartog Deanne
Published: November 2018

We explore performance appraisal in project‐based organisations and provide novel insights into appraisal processes in this context. These include the central role of employees in orchestrating the appraisal process, the multiple actors that have input to appraisal including project managers, the distance between employees and their official line managers, and the weak coordinating role of human resource specialists in these systems. We draw attention to the drawbacks of current theorising on appraisal to predict and explain outcomes from appraisal systems that are not premised on stable line manager/employee dyads. Theorising based primarily on social exchange theories needs to be reconsidered in this context and new theories developed. We also question how human resource specialists can better support employees, and managers of all kinds, in their implementation roles in polyadic human resource management systems to ensure transparency, equity, and fairness of appraisal processes in a project‐based organisational context.
Endovascular therapy in acute basilar artery occlusion: A retrospective single‐centre Australian analysis
Authors: Shore Timothy H , Harrington Timothy J , Faulder Kenneth , Steinfort Brendan
Published: November 2018

Introduction

Stroke caused by basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is a rare but potentially devastating neurological condition, with poor outcomes and high mortality rates, approaching 70–90%. Success of intravenous and intra‐arterial thrombolysis in BAO is variable, leading to Endovascular Therapy (EVT) being utilized to a greater degree in this clinical setting. We investigate the use of EVT in BAO with regard to success of revascularization and patient mortality/outcome.

Methods

Retrospective patient data was collected from medical records and radiology information systems.

Results

Twenty‐eight patients underwent EVT for BAO between 2010–17, with successful revascularization in 21/28 (75%) and an inpatient mortality rate of 39%. Successful revascularization correlated with lower mortality (P = 0.0001). Better revascularization and mortality rates occurred between 2013–17 (P = 0.007, 0.04). An average time to EVT of 16.8 hours was observed between 2010–17 but this did not correlate significantly with increased mortality. Basilar stenting correlated with lower revascularization, higher mortality and basilar artery reocclusion post EVT (P = 0.021, 0.022, 0.022). EVT times over 2 and 2.5 hours respectively associated with lower revascularization rates and higher mortality (P = 0.04, 0.022). Higher mortality was seen with intra‐procedural complications and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage, non‐posterior circulation infarction and basilar artery reocclusion post EVT (P = 0.016, 0.03, 0.016, 0.016). Basilar atheroma correlated with intra‐procedural complications and EVT times over 2 hours (P = 0.038, 0.004).

Conclusion

Within the limitations of an underpowered study, we observed a benefit of EVT in acute BAO. With future multicentre trials, EVT will likely become the standard of care in acute BAO.
Cigarette Use Among Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorders in the United States, 2002 to 2016: Trends Overall and by Race/Ethnicity
Authors: Weinberger Andrea H. , Pacek Lauren R. , Giovenco Daniel , Galea Sandro , Zvolensky Michael J. , Gbedemah Misato , Goodwin Renee D.
Published: November 2018

Background

Individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) who smoke cigarettes experience greater health risks than those using either substance alone. Further, disparities exist in AUDs and smoking by race/ethnicity. Although smoking has declined in the general population, it is not known whether the smoking prevalence has changed over time for individuals with AUDs. The current study used representative U.S. data to estimate the prevalence of current cigarette use from 2002 to 2016 by AUD status and severity overall and by race/ethnicity.

Methods

Data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual cross‐sectional study of U.S. individuals, from 2002 to 2016 (total analytic sample n = 837,326). Cigarette smoking prevalence was calculated annually among those with and without past‐year AUD and by AUD severity level (mild, moderate, severe AUD). Time trends in smoking prevalence by AUD status and severity were tested using logistic regression for the overall sample and significant interactions were subsequently stratified by race/ethnicity (non‐Hispanic [NH] White, NH Black, Hispanic, NH Other).

Results

Cigarette use was persistently over twice as common among those with AUDs compared to without AUDs (2016: 37.84% vs. 16.29%). Cigarette use was also more common among those at each level of AUD severity criteria (2016: mild AUD 34.59%; moderate AUD 35.35%; severe AUD 52.23%). Approximately half of NH Black respondents with AUDs, and three‐quarters of NH Black respondents with severe AUDs, reported smoking in 2016. The prevalence of smoking decreased significantly over time among respondents with and without AUDs; however, there were differences by race. There was no decline in smoking prevalence among NH Black respondents with AUDs over time in contrast to a significant decrease for every other racial/ethnic group with and without AUDs.

Conclusions

Individuals with AUDs may need additional resources and interventions to quit smoking, especially NH Black individuals.
Efficacy of bendamustine and rituximab in splenic marginal zone lymphoma: results from the phase II BRISMA/IELSG36 study
Authors: Iannitto Emilio , Bellei Monica , Amorim Sandy , Ferreri Andrés J. M. , Marcheselli Luigi , Cesaretti Marina , Haioun Corinne , Mancuso Salvatrice , Bouabdallah Krimo , Gressin Remy , Tripodo Claudio , Traverse‐Glehen Alexandra , Baseggio Lucile , Zupo Simonetta , Stelitano Caterina , Castagnari Barbara , Patti Caterina , Alvarez Isabel , Liberati Anna Marina , Merli Michele , Gini Guido , Cabras Maria Giuseppina , Dupuis Jean , Tessoulin Benoit , Perrot Aurore , Re Francesca , Palombi Francesca , Gulino Alessandro , Zucca Emanuele , Federico Massimo , Thieblemont Catherine
Published: November 2018

Splenectomy in addition to immunotherapy with rituximab can provide quick and sometimes durable disease control in patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL). However, systemic chemotherapy is ultimately required in many cases. The BRISMA (Bendamustine‐rituximab as first‐line treatment of splenic marginal zone lymphoma)/IELSG (International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group)36 trial is an open‐label, single arm phase II study designed by the IELSG in cooperation with the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi and the lymphoma Study Association according to Simon's two‐stage method. The primary endpoint was complete response rate. Fifty‐six patients with SMZL diagnosis confirmed on central revision were treated with bendamustine (90 mg/m2 days 1, 2) and rituximab (375 mg/m2 day 1) every 28 days for six cycles (B‐R). The overall response and CR rates were 91% and 73%, respectively. Duration of response, progression‐free survival and overall survival at 3 years were 93% (95% confidence interval [CI] 81–98), 90% (95% CI 77–96) and 96% (95% CI 84–98), respectively. Toxicity was mostly haematological. Neutropenia grade ≥3 was recorded in 43% of patients; infections and febrile neutropenia in 5·4% and 3·6%. Overall, 14 patients (25%) experienced serious adverse events. Five patients (9%) went off‐study because of toxicity and one patient died from infection. In conclusion, B‐R resulted in a very effective first‐line regimen for SMZL. Based on the results achieved in the BRISMA trial, B‐R should be considered when a chemotherapy combination with rituximab is deemed necessary for symptomatic SMZL patients.