bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mental representation of fractions: It all depends on whether they are common or uncommon
Authors: Liu Fuchang
Published: August 2017

This study examined whether common and uncommon fractions are mentally represented differently and whether common ones are used in accessing the magnitudes of uncommon ones. In Experiments 1 and 2, college education majors, most of whom were female, Caucasian, and in their early 20s, made comparisons involving common and uncommon fractions. In Experiment 3, participants were presented with comparison tasks involving uncommon fractions and asked to describe the strategies which they used in making such comparisons. Analysis of reaction times and error rates support the hypothesis that for common fractions, it is their holistic real value, rather than their individual components, that gets represented. For uncommon fractions, the access of their magnitudes is a process of retrieving and using a known common one having a similar value. Such results suggest that the development of the cognisance of the magnitudes of fractions may be principally a matter of common ones only and that learners’ handling of uncommon fractions may be greatly facilitated through instructions on matching them with common ones having a similar value.
The shape of things to come in speech production: Visual form interference during lexical access
Authors: de Zubicaray Greig I , McLean Mia , Oppermann Frank , Hegarty Aidan , McMahon Katie , Jescheniak Jörg D
Published: August 2017

Naming a picture is slower in categorically related compared with unrelated contexts, an effect termed semantic interference. This effect has informed the development of all contemporary models of lexical access in speech production. However, category members typically share visual features, so semantic interference might in part reflect this confound. Surprisingly, little work has addressed this issue, and the relative absence of evidence for visual form interference has been proposed to be problematic for production models implementing competitive lexical selection mechanisms. In a series of five experiments using two different naming paradigms, we demonstrate a reliable visual form interference effect in the absence of a category relation and show the effect is more likely to originate during lexical or later response selection than during perceptual/conceptual processing. We conclude visual form interference in naming is a significant complicating factor for studies of semantic interference effects and discuss the implications for current accounts of lexical access in spoken word production.
Lipodystrophic laminopathy: Lamin A mutation relaxes chromatin architecture to impair adipogenesis
Authors: Elzeneini Eman , Wickström Sara A.
Published: August 2017

The familial partial Dunnigan lipodystrophy, characterized by subcutaneous fat loss, is frequently caused by an R482W mutation in lamin A. In this issue, Oldenburg et al. (2017. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201701043) demonstrate that this mutation impairs the ability of lamin A to repress the anti-adipogenic miR-335, providing a potential molecular mechanism for the disease.
Sobolev Extensions of Lipschitz Mappings into Metric Spaces
Authors: Zimmerman Scott
Published: August 2017

Wenger and Young proved that the pair $(\mathbb{R}^m,\mathbb{H}^n)$ has the Lipschitz extension property for $m \leq n$ where $\mathbb{H}^n$ is the sub-Riemannian Heisenberg group. That is, for some $C>0$, any $L$-Lipschitz map from a subset of $\mathbb{R}^m$ into $\mathbb{H}^n$ can be extended to a $CL$-Lipschitz mapping on $\mathbb{R}^m$. In this article, we construct Sobolev extensions of such Lipschitz mappings with no restriction on the dimension $m$. We prove that any Lipschitz mapping from a compact subset of $\mathbb{R}^m$ into $\mathbb{H}^n$ may be extended to a Sobolev mapping on any bounded domain containing the set. More generally, we prove this result in the case of mappings into any Lipschitz $(n-1)$-connected metric space.
Industrial Fatigue and the Productive Body: the Science of Work in Britain, c. 1900–1918
Authors: Blayney Steffan
Published: August 2017

This article examines the emergence of ‘industrial fatigue’ as an object of medico-scientific enquiry and social anxiety in early-twentieth-century Britain. Between 1900 and 1918, industrial fatigue research became the basis of a new science of work, which I term ‘industrial physiology’. Drawing on François Guéry and Didier Deleule, I argue that industrial physiology is best understood as a science of ‘the productive body’. The worker was an object for medico-scientific intervention only insofar as they represented a constituent part of the machinery of industrial labour, while the individual body was, in turn, reimagined as a productive system in microcosm. In this context, industrial fatigue—defined as diminished capacity for productive work—emerged as the emblematic pathology of industrial civilisation. By 1918, it had become the central category in the scientific articulation of a conception of the body in which health was equated squarely with productive capacity.
The Value of Direct Immunofluorescence on Proteinase-Digested Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Skin Biopsies
Authors: Valencia-Guerrero Aida , Deng April , Dresser Karen , Bouliane Gail , Cornejo Kristine M.
Published: August 2017

Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) on frozen tissue (DIF-F) is the method of choice for the identification of immune deposits present in skin and other tissues. DIF can also be performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (DIF-P) after antigen retrieval with proteases and has proven to be of value in renal pathology. However, its utility in skin biopsies has not been fully examined. In this study, we performed DIF-P on 60 skin biopsies that comprised of bullous pemphigoid (n = 18), pemphigoid gestationis (n = 1), pemphigus (n = 7), linear IgA disease (n = 7), vasculitis (n = 20), lupus erythematosus (n = 3), and dermatitis herpetiformis (n = 4) cases. We compared the results of DIF-P with those of DIF-F from the same patients. The diagnostic features were found in 15 of 19 (79%) pemphigoid (bullous pemphigoid and pemphigoid gestationis), 3 of 7 (43%) pemphigus, 3 of 7 (43%) linear IgA disease, 14 of 20 (70%) vasculitis, 1 of 3 (33%) lupus erythematosus, and none (0%) of the dermatitis herpetiformis cases tested. Overall, DIF-P is less sensitive than DIF-F but seems to be a valuable technique that could aid in the diagnosis of vasculitides, immunobullous, and connective tissue disorders when fresh tissue is unavailable.
Influence of Written Informed Consent for Methylphenidate on Medicine Persistence Rates in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Naenen-Hernani Kristian , Palazón-Bru Antonio , Colomina-Climent Francisco , Gil-Guillén Vicente F. ,   GAIPNA (Alicante Research Group in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Published: August 2017

Objective:

To assess the influence of written informed consent on nonpersistence with methylphenidate treatment in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods:

We undertook a cohort study including 141 children with ADHD who started treatment with methylphenidate, with a follow-up of 6 months. The main outcome variable was nonpersistence, defined as discontinuation of treatment by the patient. Two groups were analyzed with and without written informed consent. Use of this consent was the decision of the prescribing physician because the law allows its use on a voluntary basis. The homogeneity of both groups was verified by evaluating sex, type of ADHD, methylphenidate dosage, age, severity, and other psychiatric disorders. To assess the influence of consent on nonpersistence, bootstrapping was used to determine relative risk reduction (RRR) and number needed to treat (NNT).

Results:

Among the participants who completed follow-up, 67 provided written informed consent and 63 did not. We found the following nonpersistence frequencies in each group: (1) with written informed consent: 5 (7.5%) and (2) without written informed consent: 15 (23.8%). The clinically significant results were RRR, 0.67 ± 0.17; NNT, 7 (5–9).

Conclusion:

The use of written informed consent yielded higher persistence rates. Further studies are needed to determine whether we can use this procedure routinely in clinical practice.
Whole-genome sequences of Odocoileus hemionus deer adenovirus isolates from deer, moose and elk are highly conserved and support a new species in the genus Atadenovirus
Authors: Miller Myrna M. , Cornish Todd E. , Creekmore Terry E. , Fox Karen , Laegreid Will , McKenna Jennifer , Vasquez Marce , Woods Leslie W.
Published: August 2017

We present the first complete genome sequence of Odocoileus hemionus deer adenovirus 1 (OdAdV-1). This virus can cause sporadic haemorrhagic disease in cervids, although epizootics with high mortality have occurred in California. OdAdV-1 has been placed in the genus Atadenovirus, based on partial hexon, pVIII and fibre genes. Ten field isolates recovered from naturally infected mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiana) and moose (Alces alces) from Wyoming, black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) from California, and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) from Colorado and Washington state were sequenced. The genome lengths ranged from 30 620 to 30 699 bp, contained the predicted proteins and gene organization typical of members of genus Atadenovirus, and had a high percentage of A/T nucleotides (66.7 %). Phylogenic analysis found that the closest ancestry was with ruminant atadenoviruses, while a divergence of the hexon, polymerase and penton base proteins of more than 15 % supports classification as a new species. Genetic global comparison between the 10 isolates found an overall 99 % identity, but greater divergence was found between those recovered from moose and elk as compared to deer, and a single variable region contained most of these differences. Our findings demonstrate that OdAdV-1 is highly conserved between 10 isolates recovered from multiple related cervid species, but genotypic differences, largely localized to a variable region, define two strains. We propose that the virus type name be changed to cervid adenovirus 1, with the species name Cervid atadenovirus A. Sequence data were used to develop molecular assays for improved detection and genotyping.
Influence of fecal collection conditions and 16S rRNA gene sequencing protocols at two centers on human gut microbiota analysis
Authors: Penington Jocelyn Sietsma , Penno Megan A S , Ngui Katrina M , Ajami Nadim J , Roth-Schulze Alexandra J , Wilcox Stephen A , Bandala-Sanchez Esther , Wentworth John M , Barry Simon C , Brown Cheryl Y , Couper Jennifer J , Petrosino Joseph F , Papenfuss Anthony T , Harrison Leonard C
Published: August 2017

Background

To optimise fecal sampling and analysis yielding reproducible microbiome data, and gain further insight into sources of its variation, we compared different collection conditions and 16S rRNA gene sequencing protocols in two centers. Fecal samples were collected on three sequential days from six healthy adults and placed in commercial collection tubes (OMNIgeneGut OMR-200) at room temperature or in sterile 5 ml screw-top tubes in a home fridge or home freezer for 6-24 h, before transfer at 4°C to the laboratory and storage at - 80°C within 24 hours. Replicate samples were shipped on dry ice to centers in Australia and the USA for DNA extraction and sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, using different PCR protocols. Sequences were analysed with the QIIME pipeline and Greengenes database at the Australian center and with an in-house pipeline and SILVA database at the USA center.

Results

Variation in gut microbiome composition and diversity was dominated by differences between individuals. Minor differences in the abundance of taxa were found between collection-processing methods and day of collection. Larger differences were evident between the two centers, including in the relative abundances of genusAkkermansia, in phylumVerrucomicrobiales, andBifidobacteriainActinobacteria.

Conclusions

Collection with storage and transport at 4°C within 24 h is adequate for 16S rRNA analysis of the gut microbiome. However, variation between sequencing centers suggests that cohort samples should be sequenced by the same method in one center. Differences in handling, shipping and methods of PCR gene amplification and sequence analysis in different centers introduce variation in ways that are not fully understood. These findings are particularly relevant as microbiome studies shift towards larger population-based and multicenter studies.
Integrative analysis of large scale transcriptome data draws a comprehensive functional landscape ofPhaeodactylum tricornutumgenome and evolutionary origin of diatoms
Authors: Rastogi Achal , Maheswari Uma , Dorrell Richard G. , Maumus Florian , Jimenez Vieira Fabio Rocha , Kustka Adam , McCarthy James , Allen Andy E. , Kersey Paul , Bowler Chris , Tirichine Leila
Published: August 2017

Diatoms are one of the most successful and ecologically important groups of eukaryotic phytoplankton in the modern ocean. Deciphering their genomes is a key step towards better understanding of their biological innovations, evolutionary origins, and ecological underpinnings. Here, we have used 90 RNA-Seq datasets from different growth conditions combined with published expressed sequence tags and protein sequences from multiple taxa to explore the genome of the model diatomPhaeodactylum tricornutum,and introduce 1,489 novel genes. The new annotation additionally permitted the discovery for the first time of extensive alternative splicing (AS) in diatoms, including intron retention and exon skipping which increases the diversity of transcripts to regulate gene expression in response to nutrient limitations. In addition, we have used up-to-date reference sequence libraries to dissect the taxonomic origins of diatom genomes. We show that theP. tricornutumgenome is replete in lineage-specific genes, with up to 47% of the gene models present only possessing orthologues in other stramenopile groups. Finally, we have performed a comprehensivede novoannotation of repetitive elements showing novel classes of TEs such as SINE, MITE, LINE and TRIM/LARD. This work provides a solid foundation for future studies of diatom gene function, evolution and ecology.
SINHCAF/FAM60A links SIN3A function to the hypoxia response and its levels are predictive of cancer patient survival
Authors: Biddlestone John , Batie Michael , Shmakova Alena , Bandarra Daniel , Knatko Elena V. , Dinkova-Kostova Albena T. , Munoz Ivan , Sundaramoorthy Ramasubramanian , Owen-Hughes Tom , Rocha Sonia
Published: August 2017

The SIN3A-HDAC complex is a master transcriptional repressor, required for development but often deregulated in disease. Here, we report that the recently identified new component of this complex, SINHCAF/FAM60A, links the SIN3A-HDAC co-repressor complex function to the hypoxia response. SINHCAF Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-sequencing and gene expression analysis reveal a signature associated with the activation of the hypoxia response. We show that SINHCAF specifically repress HIF 2α mRNA and protein expression resulting in functional cellular changes inin-vitroangiogenesis, and proliferation. Analysis of patient datasets demonstrates that SINHCAF and HIF 2α mRNA levels are inversely correlated and predict contrasting outcomes for patient survival in both colon and lung cancer. This relationship is also observed in a mouse model of colon cancer, indicating an evolutionary conserved mechanism. Our analysis reveals an unexpected link between SINHCAF and cancer cell signalling via regulation of the hypoxia response that is predictive of poor patient outcome.
Prestimulus Activity in the Cingulo-Opercular Network Predicts Memory for Naturalistic Episodic Experience
Authors: Cohen Noga , Ben-Yakov Aya , Weber Jochen , Edelson Micah G. , Paz Rony , Dudai Yadin
Published: August 2017

Human memory is strongly influenced by brain states occurring before an event, yet we know little about the underlying mechanisms. We found that activity in the cingulo-opercular network (including bilateral anterior insula and anterior prefrontal cortex) seconds before an event begins can predict whether this event will subsequently be remembered. We then tested how activity in the cingulo-opercular network shapes memory performance. Our findings indicate that prestimulus cingulo-opercular activity affects memory performance by opposingly modulating subsequent activity in two sets of regions previously linked to encoding and retrieval of episodic information. Specifically, higher prestimulus cingulo-opercular activity was associated with a subsequent increase in activity in temporal regions previously linked to encoding and with a subsequent reduction in activity within a set of regions thought to play a role in retrieval and self-referential processing. Together, these findings suggest that prestimulus attentional states modulate memory for real-life events by enhancing encoding and possibly by dampening interference from competing memory substrates.
Encoding Sensory and Motor Patterns as Time-Invariant Trajectories in Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Goudar Vishwa , Buonomano Dean V.
Published: August 2017

Much of the information the brain processes and stores is temporal in nature—a spoken word or a handwritten signature, for example, is defined by how it unfolds in time. However, it remains unclear how neural circuits encode complex time-varying patterns. We show that by tuning the weights of a recurrent neural network (RNN), it can recognize and then transcribe spoken digits. The model elucidates how neural dynamics in cortical networks may resolve three fundamental challenges: first, encode multiple time-varying sensoryandmotor patterns as stable neural trajectories; second, generalize across relevant spatial features; third, identify the same stimuli played at different speeds—we show that this temporal invariance emerges because the recurrent dynamics generate neural trajectories with appropriately modulated angular velocities. Together our results generate testable predictions as to how recurrent networks may use different mechanisms to generalize across the relevant spatial and temporal features of complex time-varying stimuli.
Mathematical aspects of molecular replacement. IV. Measure-theoretic decompositions of motion spaces
Authors: Chirikjian Gregory S. , Sajjadi Sajdeh , Shiffman Bernard , Zucker Steven M.
Published: August 2017

In molecular-replacement (MR) searches, spaces of motions are explored for determining the appropriate placement of rigid-body models of macromolecules in crystallographic asymmetric units. The properties of the space of non-redundant motions in an MR search, called a `motion space', are the subject of this series of papers. This paper, the fourth in the series, builds on the others by showing that when the space group of a macromolecular crystal can be decomposed into a product of two space subgroups that share only the lattice translation group, the decomposition of the group provides different decompositions of the corresponding motion spaces. Then an MR search can be implemented by trading off between regions of the translation and rotation subspaces. The results of this paper constrain the allowable shapes and sizes of these subspaces. Special choices result when the space group is decomposed into a product of a normal Bieberbach subgroup and a symmorphic subgroup (which is a common occurrence in the space groups encountered in protein crystallography). Examples of Sohncke space groups are used to illustrate the general theory in the three-dimensional case (which is the relevant case for MR), but the general theory in this paper applies to any dimension.
Designing better diffracting crystals of biotin carboxyl carrier protein fromPyrococcus horikoshiiby a mutation based on the crystal-packing propensity of amino acids
Authors: Yamada Kazunori D. , Kunishima Naoki , Matsuura Yoshinori , Nakai Koshiro , Naitow Hisashi , Fukasawa Yoshinori , Tomii Kentaro
Published: August 2017

An alternative rational approach to improve protein crystals by using single-site mutation of surface residues is proposed based on the results of a statistical analysis using a compiled data set of 918 independent crystal structures, thereby reflecting not only the entropic effect but also other effects upon protein crystallization. This analysis reveals a clear difference in the crystal-packing propensity of amino acids depending on the secondary-structural class. To verify this result, a systematic crystallization experiment was performed with the biotin carboxyl carrier protein fromPyrococcus horikoshiiOT3 (PhBCCP). Six single-site mutations were examined: Ala138 on the surface of a β-sheet was mutated to Ile, Tyr, Arg, Gln, Val and Lys. In agreement with prediction, it was observed that the two mutants (A138I and A138Y) harbouring the residues with the highest crystal-packing propensities for β-sheet at position 138 provided better crystallization scores relative to those of other constructs, including the wild type, and that the crystal-packing propensity for β-sheet provided the best correlation with the ratio of obtaining crystals. Two new crystal forms of these mutants were obtained that diffracted to high resolution, generating novel packing interfaces with the mutated residues (Ile/Tyr). The mutations introduced did not affect the overall structures, indicating that a β-sheet can accommodate a successful mutation if it is carefully selected so as to avoid intramolecular steric hindrance. A significant negative correlation between the ratio of obtaining amorphous precipitate and the crystal-packing propensity was also found.
Political radicalization and fragmentation of the democratic blocs and the legislative council elections in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Authors: Hung Chung Fun Steven
Published: August 2017

Purpose

After direct elections were instituted in Hong Kong and the sovereignty was transferred from Britain to China, politicization inevitably followed democratization. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the pro-democratic political parties’ politics in Hong Kong in recent history.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted through a historical comparative analysis, within the context of Hong Kong after the sovereignty handover and the interim period of crucial democratization.

Findings

With the implementation of “One country, Two systems,” political democratization was hindered in Hong Kong’s transformation. The democratic forces have no alternative but to seek more radicalized politics, which has caused a decisive and ineluctable fragmentation of the local political parties.

Originality/value

This paper explores and evaluates the political history of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under “One country, Two systems” and the ways in which the limited democratization hinders the progress of Hong Kong’s transformation.
A new wave of anti-mainland protests since 2012
Authors: So Alvin Y.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

A new wave of anti-mainland protests has emerged in Hong Kong since 2012. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to delineate its unique characteristics; to trace its historical origins; and to speculate on the political implications of this new wave of anti-mainland protests.

Design/methodology/approach

A historical approach has been adopted to trace the origins of the anti-mainland protests. Since this new wave of anti-mainland protests only began in 2012, this paper is based mostly on documentary analysis of mass media reports.

Findings

This paper finds that this new wave of anti-mainland protests has been characterized by its targeting of mainland tourists/immigrants, its militancy, its concentration in the New Territories, its constituent membership of people from society’s grassroots, its dependence on e-mobilization and its poor image in Hong Kong’s mass media. In addition, this paper has identified the complex interplay between the influx of tourists/immigrants, the increase of social inequality, the emergence of a localist discourse, the formation of localist organizations and the setbacks to the democracy movement that are the underlying socio-political factors that have sparked this new wave of anti-mainland protests.

Social implications

Anti-mainland protests have profound implications for Hong Kong politics since they deepen socio-political polarization, have transformed the mode of protesting in Hong Kong society and threaten the prospects for the national reunification of Greater China.

Originality/value

This paper may be one of the first academic papers to examine the anti-mainland protests. Instead of taking a pro-Beijing or anti-mainland approach, this paper takes a neutral position and offers an objective analysis of the anti-mainland protests.
Hong Kong District Council elections 2015
Authors: Lam Jermain T.M.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the results of Hong Kong’s 2015 District Council elections in order to test the repercussions of the Occupy Central Movement. The paper attempts to identify the political implications of the Movement as reflected by the 2015 election results.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used for the paper was to collect election data and conduct data analysis to generalize the political implications of the Occupy Central Movement.

Findings

The paper found that, first, Hong Kong is still polarized, as most voters were divided into those who supported the Occupy Central Movement and those who opposed it. Second, there is no consensus regarding political reforms, as most voters were split into two antagonistic positions. Third, the activists of the Occupy Central Movement have formed a new political force that attracts voters who demand change. Fourth, the Occupy Central Movement has become a breeding ground that nurtures localism.

Research limitations/implications

The 2015 District Council elections were a continuation of the Occupy Central Movement. The Movement affected the political balance between the pro-establishment and pan-democratic camps in the 2015 elections and it has shaped the democratization process in Hong Kong.

Originality/value

The paper was the product of an original research project that examined the results of the 2015 District Council elections to reflect on the implications of the Occupy Central Movement. The paper concluded that the 2015 elections sent important political messages to key political players in Hong Kong.
Critical factors affecting schedule performance
Authors: Sinesilassie Ephrem Girma , Tabish Syed Zafar Shahid , Jha Kumar Neeraj
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Time overrun is one of the most significant issues being faced by Ethiopian construction industry today. For effective time performance, the successful execution of construction projects and keeping them within prescribed schedule is very important. The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors responsible for impacting performance of Ethiopian public construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature and personal interviews of key construction professionals in Ethiopia, a list of 35 project performance attributes having strong effect on performance of the projects were identified and a questionnaire using these attributes were prepared and administered in Ethiopia. Statistical analysis of responses on the attributes segregated them into distinct sets of success attributes and failure attributes. The attributes were also subjected to factor analysis separately for better understanding and it resulted into six success factors and six failure factors. The relative importance of these factors was established with multiple regression analysis.

Findings

It is concluded that the success factor “owners’ competence” can significantly contribute to schedule performance of Ethiopian public construction projects. On the other hand, “conflict among project participants,” “poor human resource management,” and “project manager’s ignorance and lack of knowledge” are detrimental to schedule performance of Ethiopian public construction project.

Research limitations/implications

As with any other opinion-based study, the present study also has some limitations. The majority of respondents have evaluated the projects in their execution stage only and very few have evaluated the performance of projects in planning and operation stages and also the study has been carried out in the Ethiopian context. Hence the study has a limitation in these regard.

Originality/value

The results presented in this study provide sufficient evidence and useful understanding to researchers and industry practitioners to focus on a few factors than giving attention to all the factors and take proactive measures for the timely delivery of public construction projects.
Modeling schedule overrun and cost escalation percentages of highway projects using fuzzy approach
Authors: Abu El-Maaty Ahmed Ebrahim , El-Kholy Amr M. , Akal Ahmed Yousry
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Modeling represents the art of translating problems from an application area into tractable mathematical formulations whose theoretical and numerical analysis provides insight, answers and guidance useful for the originating application. The purpose of this paper is to determine the causal causes of schedule overrun and cost escalation of highway projects in Egypt in order to be used as independents variables in mathematical models for predicting the percentages of schedule overrun and cost escalation of such projects in Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of a randomly selected samples yielded responses from 40 owners, 15 consultants and 56 contractors. The survey includes 38 schedule overrun factors and 26 cost escalation factors. The effectiveness degree of the identified factors has been identified by the triangle fuzzy approach.

Findings

The results of the survey show that “contractor’s technical staff is insufficient and ineligible to accomplish the project” is the most important cause of schedule overrun, while the major cause of cost escalation is inadequate preparation of the project concerning planning and execution.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study is predicting the percentages of schedule overrun and cost escalation of highway projects in Egypt. Through the application of the linear regression analysis method and statistical fuzzy theory, four predictive models have been developed and it has been noted that the linear regression-based model shows prediction accuracy better than statistical fuzzy-based model in predicting percentages of schedule overrun and cost escalation.
The professionals’ perspective on the causes of project delay in the construction industry
Authors: Agyekum-Mensah George , Knight Andrew David
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Construction project delays are described as a universal problem, which has led to many empirical studies. However, most of these studies were based on the rankings by respondents, and they were rarely verified. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore professional perspectives on the causes of delay in the construction industry, where there has been little explicit consideration on this subject in recent decades.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical literature review and a qualitative approach was considered for a deeper and fresh understanding of the causes of delays, rather than recycling the existing themes and the risk of a statistically biased approach. A total of 41 interviews were undertaken which included the London Olympic 2012 project team.

Findings

In all, 32 themes were identified, which were categorised into 15 categories of causes of delay in the construction projects. Almost two-thirds of the main themes are not ranked top 15 causes of delay. These include knowledge and competence shortage, poor commercial decisions, unnecessary health and safety restrictions, poor risk management and poor space and logistics management.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the qualitative nature of the study, the findings might not be considered as representative.

Practical implications

The findings provide consideration of the causes of delay in the construction industry as seen by practitioners, which should provide guidance to enhance performance.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the better understanding of the causes of delays by using qualitative research strategy which is limited in the construction management literature. This study is an empirical investigation into the causes of delay in the twenty-first century and it represents an important edition to the body of knowledge within the subject area.
Drivers of green supply chain initiatives and performance
Authors: Huang Yi-Chun , Huang Chih-Hsuan , Yang Min-Li
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how internal and external factors simultaneously drive firms to adopt green supply chain (GSC) initiatives and to construct a comprehensive research model by drawing upon institutional theory, stewardship theory, and view of performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collected from 380 manufacturers in the electrical and electronics industries in Taiwan were analyzed via structural equation modeling and bootstrapping.

Findings

First, institutional pressures affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Second, institutional pressures influence the environmental stewardship behaviors (ESBs) of managers. Third, the ESBs of managers affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Fourth, the GSC initiatives of firms influence their environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness. Fifth, the bootstrapping results reveal that institutional pressures indirectly affect the GSC initiatives of firms through the ESBs of managers.

Research limitations/implications

Environmental sustainability has intensified the need for firms to develop a corporate culture. Future research can investigate the relationship among the institutional pressures, greening corporate culture, and GSC initiatives of firms.

Practical implications

Those managers facing institutional pressures must continually focus on the effects of external factors on the GSC initiatives of their firms. They must also increase their commitment and support to such initiatives to attain favorable levels of environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness.

Originality/value

This study integrates four streams of literature on institutional theory, stewardship theory, GSC initiatives, and view of performance. Apart from analyzing field- and organization-level data simultaneously, this paper is also the first to demonstrate the relationships among institutional pressures, ESBs of managers, GSC initiatives, and firm performance.
Application of Gini, Theil and concentration indices for assessing water use inequality
Authors: Malakar Krishna , Mishra Trupti
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose the application of Gini, Theil and concentration indices for measuring inequality in water usage.

Design/methodology/approach

Gini coefficients and Theil indices have been used to estimate the overall inequality in domestic water use in a sample of 30 countries around the world. Along with Theil’s L (unweighted) index, liters per capita per day and gross national income weighted Theil index have also been estimated. Theil indices have been further disintegrated into within- and between-group inequalities. Concentration curve is also constructed to study the inequality in water use in accordance to the countries’ economic standing.

Findings

Domestic water use is high among the well-off countries considered in the study. Also, the Theil indices indicate that between group inequality contributes more to the overall inequality. It is observed that Theil indices, which consider only per capita water usage and can be decomposed, give a better insight into the existing inequality.

Practical implications

Different approaches were used to quantify inequality. The choice of index depends on the context of the study. The proposed approaches can contribute to planning of sustainable water management and development policies.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of metrics for quantifying inequality in water access or use. The study presents the application of indices, widely used in quantifying inequality in access to other resources such as income and energy, in assessing water inequality.
Endogenous evolution of patriarchal clan system in ancient China
Authors: Deng Feng
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze long-term institutional causes and consequences of preference falsification by studying the evolution of China’s patriarchal clan system.

Design/methodology/approach

The historic study shows that although the clan system was abolished in the Qin dynasty, it re-emerged among high-standing families in the Han dynasty and spread to common people after the Tang dynasty.

Findings

The author submits that the clan system was an institutional response to the preference falsification problem that arose due to the dictatorial political institutions first established in the Qin dynasty. It helped people to take collective action by themselves and also opened a back door to influence government decisions. A piece of clear evidence is the co-evolution of the clan system and government personnel system.

Social implications

In this sense, the clan system probably also helped to prolong the political institutions for 2,000 years.

Originality/value

This is the first institutional study on the clan system in China.
What does materiality mean to integrated reporting preparers? An empirical exploration
Authors: Lai Alessandro , Melloni Gaia , Stacchezzini Riccardo
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to understand how the principle of materiality gets implemented in integrated reporting (IR) contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on an interpretation of materiality as a social construction, this research explores the meaning that practitioners attach to the principle during their implementation of it. Following an existing framework for exploring materiality in corporate reporting, this study investigates the meaning by focusing on who participates in determining IR materiality and to whom the IR is addressed. This analysis benefits from in-depth interviews with persons involved in the preparation of IR for a firm that pioneered this form of reporting.

Findings

In IR preparers’ view, the meaning of materiality corresponds with the company strategy: The IR describes strategic priorities and related actions and results. Capital providers are the primary intended addressees of the material information. Although several actors engage in IR preparation, the materiality determination process is governed by a specific “IR hub” in strict collaboration with and dependence on the chief financial officer.

Research limitations/implications

In an IR context, materiality is intimately connected to the function that preparers assign to the report.

Originality/value

This novel research opens the “black box” of the process by which materiality gets defined and then practically implemented in an IR context.
Barriers to implementing the International Integrated Reporting Framework
Authors: Dumay John , Bernardi Cristiana , Guthrie James , La Torre Matteo
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This paper is motivated by the call for feedback by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) from all stakeholders with knowledge of the International Integrated Reporting Framework () and specifically of the enablers, incentives and barriers to its implementation. The paper synthesises insights from contemporary accounting research into integrated reporting (IR) as a general concept and  as espoused by the IIRC in the  (IIRC, 2013). The authors specifically focus on possible barriers and emphasise the specific issues the authors feel could be rectified to advance the , along with the areas that may potentially hinder its wider adoption and implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws upon and synthesises academic analysis and insights provided in the IR and  academic literature as well as various directives, policy and framework pronouncements.

Findings

The flexibility and lack of prescription concerning actual disclosures and metrics in the  could allow it to be used for compliance, regardless of the other benefits lauded by the IIRC. Thus the authors see forces, both external and internal, driving  adoption, with one prominent example being the European Union Directive on non-financial reporting. Because of the different ways in which IR is understood and enacted, there are numerous theoretical and empirical challenges for academics. The authors paper highlights potential areas for further robust academic research and the need to contribute to  policy and practice.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides the IIRC, academics, regulators and reporting organisations with insights into current practice and the . The authors highlight the need for further development and evidence to help inform improvements both from a policy and a practice perspective. A key limitation of the authors’ work is that the authors draw upon a synthesis of the existing literature which is still in an early stage of development.

Originality/value

The paper provides the IIRC with several insights into the current  and specifically with the enablers, incentives and barriers to its implementation. Also, it provides academic researchers with a number of important observations and an agenda upon which the authors can build their future research.
The readability of integrated reports
Authors: du Toit Elda
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This is an exploratory study to investigate the readability of integrated reports. The aim of this paper is to assess whether integrated reports are accessible to their readership and add value to stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

Readability analyses are performed on the integrated reports of all companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange for 2015 and 2016. Readability results are compared by means of a correlation analysis to the results of the Ernst & Young Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards for 2015.

Findings

The results show that the complex nature of the language used in integrated reports of listed companies impairs readability and, as an implication, affects the value stakeholders can derive from the information. The results from the correlation with the Ernst & Young Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards indicate that an integrated report is considered of higher quality if it is written using complex language.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of the study lies in its exclusively South African setting, which is the only country where integrated reports are recommended as part of stock exchange listings requirements. Another limitation is the fact that integrated reports are mainly aimed at informed users and is thus compiled with the informed reader in mind, which impacts on general readability.

Practical implications

The results present new findings regarding integrated reporting practice, which is of interest to firms, investors, regulators, amongst others. The findings show how the value-added by integrated reports could be improved.

Originality/value

This study is the first to investigate the readability of integrated reports in a South African context. The results indicate that integrated reports are difficult to read and are only useful to a portion of the total intended population.
Nurse Staffing Patterns and Patient Experience of Care: An Empirical Analysis of U.S. Hospitals
Authors: Oppel Eva‐Maria , Young Gary J.
Published: August 2017

Objective

To examine the relationship between nurse staffing patterns and patients’ experience of care in hospitals with a particular focus on staffing flexibility.

Data Sources/Study Setting

The study sample comprised U.S. general hospitals between 2010 and 2012. Nurse staffing data came from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, and patient experience data came from the Medicare Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems.

Study Design

An observational research design was used entailing a pooled, cross‐sectional data set. Regression models were estimated using generalized estimating equation (GEE) and hospital fixed effects. Nurse staffing patterns were assessed based on both levels (i.e., ratio of full‐time equivalent nurses per 1,000 patient days) and composition (i.e., skill mix—percentage of registered nurses; staffing flexibility—percentage of part‐time nurses).

Principal Findings

All three staffing variables were significantly associated with patient experience in the GEE analysis, but only staffing flexibility was significant in the fixed‐effects analysis. A higher percentage of part‐time nurses was positively associated with patient experience. Multiplicative and nonlinear effects for the staffing variables were also observed.

Conclusions

Among three staffing variables, flexibility was found to be the most important relative to patient experience. Unobserved hospital characteristics appear to underlie patient experience as well as certain nurse staffing patterns.
Neighbourhood Effects in Pesticide Use: Evidence from the Rural Philippines
Authors: Aida Takeshi
Published: August 2017

This study investigates how pesticide use by neighbouring farmers affects a given farmer's pesticide use. Although it is common knowledge that pesticide use has spatial externalities, few empirical economic studies explicitly analyse this issue. Applying a spatial panel econometric model to plot‐level panel data for Bohol, Philippines, this study shows that pesticide use, especially for herbicides, is spatially correlated, although there is no statistically significant spatial correlation in unobserved shocks. This implies that farmers apply pesticides by referring to the behaviour of neighbouring farmers rather than responding directly to the intensity of their own infestation.
The Appearance, Taste, and Concentrations of Zolpidem Dissolved in Still Water and Carbonated Beverages
Authors: Heide Gunhild , Hjelmeland Knut , Brochmann Gerd‐Wenche , Karinen Ritva , Høiseth Gudrun
Published: August 2017

Zolpidem is a sedative that could be used to drug victims, but its suitability to dissolve in drinks is unknown. In this small study, we added either crushed or whole tablets of zolpidem hemitartrate to carbonated beverages or still water to observe how this affected the taste and appearance. Also, concentrations were measured by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at different time intervals. Two crushed tablets (20 mg) in cider (250 mL) lead to a maximum concentration of 84 mg/L zolpidem base after 30 min, while the corresponding concentration after adding fifteen tablets (150 mg) was 467 mg/L. There was little change in taste, but froth and turbidity were observed when adding high doses to carbonated beverages. Carbonated beverages spiked with 20 mg of crushed zolpidem hemitartrate tablets reached concentrations that could cause impairment. Spiking with 150 mg could possibly be lethal if several mouthfuls were ingested.