bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The price of official-business collusion
Authors: Hou Xiaohui , Li Shuo
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the anti-corruption campaign, “Hunting the Tigers,” incurs a significant short-term loss of shareholders’ returns.

Design/methodology/approach

A sophisticated event study approach is employed.

Findings

The results show that the “Hunting the Tigers” has incurred a significant short-term loss of investment returns for shareholders in China’s main stock market board. In addition, the beginning of a new assault on China’s official mogul corruption in another round of political anti-corruption cycle after the 18th National Congress of the CPC has reduced this price significantly.

Originality/value

This finding should be perceived as the price of the corruption of official-business collusion within capital markets in contemporary China.
Defects in newly constructed residential buildings: owners’ perspective
Authors: Zalejska Jonsson Agnieszka , Hungria Gunnelin Rosane
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present defects reported by cooperative owners, and to determine the relationship between building characteristics, developer’s/contractor’s company size and defect type.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on defects reported by board members of cooperatives in Sweden through a survey questionnaire. The 1,563 questionnaires were posted by regular mail to the boards of cooperatives for buildings. The current research presents results from analysis of responses from 394 regular residential projects constructed between 2006 and 2013. The responses represent owners’ experience from a total 1,107 buildings.

Findings

Findings presented in this study indicate that building quality might be one of the factors contributing to the energy gap. The analysis indicates that the most severe problems reported by cooperatives are issues related to building envelope, particularly shortcomings in the function of windows, issues related to the function of the balcony and cracks in the facade and leakage caused by rain water. The results show that the building quality differs depending on developers’ size, measured by number of employees. The authors have also found a significant relationship between reported defects and location expressed by size of the city/municipality.

Originality/value

The discussion on newly constructed residential buildings has been dominated by the perspective of professionals (inspectors) and contractors (or developers) rather than of the owners/users themselves. This study presents findings from the owners’ perspective, thus contributing the owners’ viewpoint to the debate on building quality.
Opportunities and challenges for multi-professional units in rural areas
Authors: Norri-Sederholm Teija , Joensuu Minna , Lammintakanen Johanna
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate opportunities and challenges for multi-professional paramedic-firefighter units in small municipalities in Finland.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected by means of four focus group interviews conducted with managers (N=12) and a questionnaire comprising open-ended questions for the personnel working in the units (n=73). Data from both sources were analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that the use of multi-professional units (MPUs) may be one means of providing a better standard of service in rural areas. However, the working practices and different professional backgrounds in MPUs are considered challenging by the personnel. Managers had a broader perspective; during the interviews they raised matters such as citizen characteristics, legal issues like varying working hours, and economic aspects. Both the personnel and the managers agreed on the strengths and weaknesses of the MPU model in principle.

Practical implications

The results of this study may clarify the opportunities and challenges posed by MPUs in rural areas from the perspectives of personnel and managers.

Originality/value

The study provides novel information on MPUs comprising paramedics and firefighters, who function at the interface of emergency medical services and rescue services and who have new tasks in rural areas, including home healthcare support and accident prevention.
Enhancing the generative learning of young people in the domain of financial literacy through learning study
Authors: Pang Ming Fai
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to collect new evidence about the efficacy of the pedagogical principles derived from our earlier study on boosting students’ financial literacy, with the aim of providing a theoretically and practically powerful account of how generative learning in the domain of financial literacy can be enhanced.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an example of learning study consisting of a design experiment, which aims to test the conjectures of the variation theory of learning. A total of 156 students who were aged from 14 to 16 years were taught under the three learning conditions which embedded the test criteria, and a total of seven lessons were used by the two participating teachers for each of the classes. To assess students’ appropriation of the object of learning, four tests were conducted, i.e. a pre-test, post-test immediately after the lessons, delayed post-test after six weeks and second delayed post-test after six months.

Findings

This study shows that a systematic use of the pattern of “contrast-fusion-generalization” to deal with the individual core economic concepts identified can help students lay a solid conceptual foundation for developing financial literacy. Furthermore, with the use of the meta-level pattern of “contrast-fusion-generalization” through complex everyday financial problems or situations which transcend the specific concepts, students can make effective use of the core economic concepts learned and transform them organically into one’s analytical framework. This enables students to discern and focus upon the critical aspects of novel financial situations and have a greater likelihood of making well-reasoned and sound financial decisions.

Originality/value

This paper sheds light on the ways in which students’ generative learning in the domain of financial literacy can be enhanced through the conceptual approach grounded in the variation theory of learning.
Cash flow volatility and trade credit in Asia
Authors: Harris Chris , Roark Scott , Li Zhe
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relation between cash flow volatility and trade credit offered by firms in developing Asian economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducts country fixed effect regressions testing the relationship between cash flow volatility and firm investment in trade credit. The relationship is then examined with all firms separated into two groups based on firm size, and then again comparing the relation before and after the 2008 finasncial crisis.

Findings

Higher levels of cash flow volatility are negatively related to the amount of trade credit offered. The negative relationship with cash flow volatility is greater amongst smaller firms that may have less access to external sources of capital. Additionally, the negative relationship is greater following the 2008 financial crisis.

Practical implications

Trade credit plays an important role in the business process, particularly in developing economies. However, these firms may not be able to maintain their investment in trade credit when experiencing greater levels of cash flow volatility. These results are especially pronounced after the 2008 financial crisis and for small firms.

Originality/value

This study identifies an important connection between cash flow volatility and firm investment in trade credit among firms in developing Asian economies.
Animal-assisted therapy in a Canadian psychiatric prison
Authors: Dell Colleen , Chalmers Darlene , Stobbe Mark , Rohr Betty , Husband Alicia
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Prison-based animal programs are becoming increasingly common in North America. The majority focus on community and animal well-being, with less explicit therapeutic goals for human participants. The purpose of this paper is to measure the objectives of a canine animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program in a Canadian psychiatric prison and examine whether the program supports inmates’ correctional plans.

Design/methodology/approach

A modified instrumental case study design was applied with three inmates over a 24-AAT-session program. Quantitative and qualitative AAT session data were collected and mid- and end-of-program interviews were held with the inmates, their mental health clinicians and the therapy dog handlers.

Findings

Inmates connected with the therapy dogs through the animals’ perceived offering of love and support. This development of a human–animal bond supported inmates’ correctional plans, which are largely situated within a cognitive-behavioral skill development framework. Specifically, inmates’ connections with the therapy dogs increased recognition of their personal feelings and emotions and positively impacted their conduct.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that prison-based AAT programs emphasizing inmate mental well-being, alongside that of animal and community well-being generally, merit further exploration. It would be worthwhile to assess this AAT program with a larger and more diverse sample of inmates and in a different institutional context and also to conduct a post-intervention follow-up.

Originality/value

This is the first study of a prison-based AAT program in a Canadian psychiatric correctional facility.
What influence domestic and overseas developers’ decisions?
Authors: Hou Huiying , Wu Hao
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Foreign firms entering into the domestic real estate industry and foreign investment control are significant in global hot markets such as Australia. Despite their market impact and policy sensitivity, developer choice is rarely studied. The purpose of this paper is to study domestic and overseas property developers for their motive and preference in response to market growth and market barriers including regulatory constraint.

Design/methodology/approach

International trade theory suggests local and overseas firms can vary significantly for their risk profile when engaging in location-specific development opportunities. Using a comprehensive decision factor system for the residential development process, the authors conducted an experimental survey to collect the prime data to measure stated preference of domestic and overseas developers in the context of the Melbourne residential market.

Findings

Results suggest high consistency between the samples of domestic and overseas developers. Possible explanations include vertical integration by innovative contracting, strict regulatory constraint dictates domestic and overseas firms’ preference or sample selection bias. This micro-analysis of developer stated preference highlights their entrepreneurial ability to combine substitution and integration for innovative contractual strategy. This ability to join asset holding and project management enables firm flexibility to mitigate business risk in rapidly globalising capital and factor markets.

Practical implications

These insights of firm-level decision making contribute to the decision literature of real estate developers and are relevant to the broader literature of industrial economics and international trade. Government may evaluate policy strategies based on the explicit entrepreneur (e.g. developer) preference for their “comparative advantage”.

Originality/value

This paper highlights developer’s ability to jointly consider investment and project management for decision making. It found that other than political cost such as national interest and domestic interest group pressure, domestic and overseas developers in the Melbourne residential market actually think quite alike. It suggests that irrespective of property ownership conditions, market integration occurs in the Melbourne residential sector.
Antecedents and consequences of customer engagement on Facebook
Authors: Hinson Robert , Boateng Henry , Renner Anne , Kosiba John Paul Basewe
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Marketing researchers have usually studied consumers’ attachment to brands from an emotional bonding perspective. However, the purpose of this study is to show that attachment to objects is not only limited to bonding. Thus, the authors conceptualised the attachment theory from two perspectives: bonding-based and identity-based attachment. In addition, the study further seeks to identify the elements of each component and examine how these elements drive customer engagement on a brand’s Facebook page while assessing some consumer-related outcomes of customer engagement on Facebook.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an online survey, the authors examined antecedents of customer engagement on Facebook and the outcomes of engagement behaviours among 649 respondents. Structural equation modelling was used in analysing the data.

Findings

The results of the study show that consumers’ attachment to a brand drives them to engage the brand on the brand’s Facebook page. The results also show that the consumer engagement of brands on Facebook results in positive user-generated contents and consumer involvement.

Practical implications

Managerially, the attachment theory provides value for marketers in terms of evaluating customer–brand relationships and how such a relationship can yield positive results.

Originality/value

This study expands how the attachment theory has been conceptualised and applied in the marketing literature. The study shows that consumer attachment to brands is identity-based in addition to being bonding-based.
Digital marketing adoption and success for small businesses
Authors: Ritz Wendy , Wolf Marco , McQuitty Shaun
Published: March 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine small business’ participation in digital marketing and to integrate the do-it-yourself (DIY) behavior model and technology acceptance model (TAM) so as to explore the motivations and expected outcomes of such participation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 250 small business owners/managers who do their own digital promotion are collected through an online survey. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the relationships between the models.

Findings

The results contribute to the understanding of small business’ digital marketing behavior by finding support for the idea that the technological benefits may not be the only motivators for small business owner/managers who undertake digital marketing. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, the authors find that the DIY behavior model applies to small business owner/managers who must perform tasks that require specialized knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this research are that the motivations to undertake digital marketing are limited to those contained in the DIY and TAM models, and the sample may not be representative of all owners and managers who perform digital marketing for their small businesses. Therefore, future research is needed to determine if further motivations to conduct digital marketing exist and whether other samples produce the same interpretations.

Originality/value

This study presents empirical evidence supporting the application of the DIY model to a context outside of home-repair and extends the understanding of digital footprint differences between large and small businesses.
Evaluation of fan-out wafer level package strength
Authors: Xu Cheng , Zhong Z.W. , Choi W.K.
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The fan-out wafer level package (FOWLP) becomes more and more attractive and popular because of its flexibility to integrate diverse devices into a very small form factor. The strength of ultrathin FOWLP is low, and the low package strength often leads to crack issues. This paper aims to study the strength of thin FOWLP because the low package strength may lead to the reliability issue of package crack.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the experimental method (three-point bending test) and finite element method (ANSYS simulation software) to evaluate the FOWLP strength. Two theoretical models of FOWLP strength are proposed. These two models are based on the location of FOWLP initial fracture point.

Findings

The results show that the backside protection tape does not have the ability to enhance the FOWLP strength, and the strength of over-molded structure FOWLP is superior to that of other structure FOWLPs with the same thickness level.

Originality/value

There is ample research about the silicon strength and silicon die strength. However, there is little research about the package level strength and no research about the FOWLP strength. The FOWLP is made up of various materials. The effect of individual component and external environment on the FOWLP strength is uncertain. Therefore, the study of strength behavior of FOWLP is significant.
The feasibility of using real-time, objective measurements of physiological stress among law enforcement officers in Dallas, Texas
Authors: Reingle Gonzalez Jennifer M. , Jetelina Katelyn K. , Bishopp Stephen A. , Livingston Melvin D. , Perez Rodolfo A. , Gabriel Kelley Pettee
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) suffer from premature mortality, intentional and unintentional injury, suicide and are at an increased risk for several non-communicable disease outcomes including cardiovascular disease and several cancers, compared to those employed in other occupations. Repeated exposure to stressful and traumatic stimuli is a possible mechanism driving these adverse health outcomes among LEOs. To better identify the sources of these health problems, the purpose of this paper is to determine the feasibility of conducting a cohort study using physiological measures of stress (e.g. heart rate) with LEOs; perceptions of the FitBit device, including LEO buy-in and attitudes associated with the protocol.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from ten recent graduates of the Dallas Police Training Academy.

Findings

Results suggest that officer buy-in and protocol compliance was high. Officers were eager to participate in this study, and completion of weekly surveys was 100 percent. Minute-level missing data from wearable devices was relatively low (25 percent), and 90 percent of participants wore the FitBit devices on more than 90 percent of study days.

Originality/value

Results from this study suggest that wearable physiological devices can be effectively used in law enforcement populations to measure stress.
Mystery over the Atlantic: the tragic fate of Air France Flight 447
Authors: O’Brien Jamie
Published: March 2019

Theoretical basis

This case has two primary purposes. First, it allows students to examine how cognitive bias can affect decision making in stressful situations. Students explore why individuals make flawed choices. They learn about how managers shape the context and the process through which teams make decisions. For instance, automation can create a climate in which people then struggle to cope with the unexpected when it happens. Students examine why individuals make these systematic errors in judgment. The case demonstrates that leaders need to be aware of the traps that individuals and teams encounter when they make decisions in crisis situations, and it enables students to discuss the strategies that leaders can employ to avoid these traps. Second, the case provides an opportunity to examine a catastrophic failure in detail. Students discover that it can be nearly impossible to identify a single factor that caused the failure. Instead, they learn how to apply multiple theoretical perspectives to examine a serious organizational breakdown. They become familiar with important concepts from behavioral decision theory, such as complex systems theory and how it interacts with cognitive bias.

Research methodology

The technical report released by the French Aviation Authority along with the primary flight cockpit voice recorder data were used as the basis for this case. Other available public data such as news reports were used to round out the case study.

Case overview/synopsis

On June 9, 2009, on a routine flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, Air France 447 (AF 447), carrying 220 people crashed in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Drawing from various first-hand accounts (cockpit voice recorder) and secondary evidence of the tragedy, the case provides a detailed account of the key events that took place leading up to the accident. The case describes how the pilots on AF447 were confronted with a scenario they had not faced before, and through the confusion made a series of errors. Through many of the quotes in the text, readers gain an understanding of the impressions and perceptions of the pilots, including how they felt about many of the critical decisions and incidents during the last minutes of the flight. The case concludes by highlighting the main findings of the BEA report.

Complexity academic level

This case study is appropriate for undergraduate students studying organizational behavior. It is also appropriate for MBA-level leadership and behavior classes.
Can conventional energy be replaced by renewable energy without harming economic growth in non-oil-MENA? Evidence from Granger causality in VECM
Authors: Hechmy Badry
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in non-oil countries in the Middle East and North Africa (non-oil-MENA) during the period from 2000 to 2014. The Pedroni (2000) test shows that there is a long-term cointegration relationship between those variables; however, the Granger causality test in the vector error correction model (VECM) shows that this relationship is bidirectional in the short and long term. Thus, to ensure sustainable economic growth without pollution and to reduce dependence on abroad, renewable energies can be chosen as substitutes for conventional energies in the non-oil-MENA countries.

Design/methodology/approach

First, LLC and IPS unit root tests are used to test the variables stationarity; and, second, Pedroni panel cointegration and Engle–Granger causality by VECM analysis are used to check the relationship between the studied variables.

Findings

Empirical results show that the renewable energy consumption and economic growth are cointegrated and that there are two-way causal relationships between them in the long and in the short term. These countries must therefore encourage the consumption of renewable energy instead of traditional energy to reduce their dependence on energy from abroad and CO2 pollution.

Originality/value

The originality of this work lies in the measurements of the study variables and the empirical investigation methods used.
Ankyloblepharon–ectodermal dysplasia–clefting syndrome misdiagnosed as epidermolysis bullosa and congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma: Case report and review of published work
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Cheng Ruhong , Liang Jianying , Lu Zhiyong , Wang Yirong , Li Ming , Yu Hong , Yao Zhirong
Published: February 2019

A Chinese female infant presented with ectodermal dysplasia, cleft palate and severe skin erosions at birth. Although all the typical clinical features of ankyloblepharon–ectodermal dysplasia–clefting (AEC) syndrome were present, the ankyloblepharon was not very marked. We misdiagnosed epidermolysis bullosa and congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma at first and confirmed the diagnosis of AEC syndrome only when she presented with the typical clinical manifestation of recurrent infected scalp erosions at 1 year of age. Mutation analysis of exon 13 of the p63 gene revealed a missense mutation Ile482Thr (c.1445T>C) in the sterile alpha motive domain. In this work we review the clinical features, differential diagnosis and prognosis in AEC syndrome.
Chemical cues linked to risk: Cues from below‐ground natural enemies enhance plant defences and influence herbivore behaviour and performance
Authors: Helms Anjel M. , Ray Swayamjit , Matulis Nina L. , Kuzemchak Margaret C. , Grisales William , Tooker John F. , Ali Jared G.
Published: February 2019

Chemical cues are essential for many ecological interactions. Previous studies of chemically mediated multitrophic interactions have typically focused on responses to cues from plants or herbivores above‐ground. It is increasingly clear, however, that below‐ground cues and those produced by organisms at higher trophic levels also have ecological importance. Prey animals often avoid predator odours to improve survival, and previous research has documented enhanced plant resistance following contact with below‐ground natural enemies, though the ecological basis was unknown.

Here, we investigated plant and insect responses to chemical cues from below‐ground natural enemies and explored the ecological significance of these cues for multitrophic interactions. More specifically, we examined the influence of odours emitted by entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), a natural enemy of insect herbivores, on the performance and behaviour of their insect prey and the defence responses of nearby plants.

Our findings revealed that EPN‐infected insect cadavers emit a characteristic blend of volatile compounds with bioactivity in plants and insects. EPN chemical cues influenced both performance and preference of a specialist herbivore, Colorado potato beetle (CPB, Leptinotarsa decemlineata), feeding on its host plant, potato (Solanum tuberosum). CPB larvae consumed less leaf tissue and gained less mass feeding on plants exposed to EPN cues compared to control plants. Female CPBs laid fewer eggs on plants with EPN cues than on controls, indicating deterrence by EPN cues or EPN‐altered plant defences.

Plant defences were enhanced by exposure to live EPNs or EPN chemical cues. Potato plants exposed to EPN infective juveniles induced higher amounts of the defence hormone salicylic acid (SA) and had higher expression of the pathogenisis‐related gene PR‐1(PR4) in foliar tissue. Exposing plants to EPN cues primed induction of SA and jasmonic acid in response to feeding damage by CPB larvae.

These findings suggest that herbivores avoid cues from their EPN natural enemies and plants respond to the beneficial nematodes by enhancing systemic defences that reduce herbivore performance. This work has important implications for the chemical ecology of tritrophic interactions as we report that the third trophic level can play direct and indirect roles in plant defence.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Topographic elastic least‐squares reverse time migration based on vector P‐ and S‐wave equations in the curvilinear coordinates
Authors: Qu Yingming , Guan Zhe , Li Zhenchun
Published: February 2019

Elastic least‐squares reverse time migration has been applied to multi‐component seismic data to obtain high‐quality images. However, the final images may suffer from artefacts caused by P‐ and S‐wave crosstalk and severe spurious diffractions caused by complex topographic surface conditions. To suppress these crosstalk artefacts and spurious diffractions, we have developed a topographic separated‐wavefield elastic least‐squares reverse time migration algorithm. In this method, we apply P‐ and S‐wave separated elastic velocity–stress wave equations in the curvilinear coordinates to derive demigration equations and gradient formulas with respect to P‐ and S‐velocity. For the implementation of topographic separated‐wavefield elastic least‐squares reverse time migration, the wavefields, gradient directions and step lengths are all calculated in the curvilinear coordinates. Numerical experiments conducted with the two‐component data synthetized by a three‐topographic‐layer with anomalies model and the Canadian Foothills model are considered to verify our method. The results reveal that compared with the conventional method, our method promises imaging results with higher resolution and has a faster residual convergence speed. Finally, we carry out numerical examples on noisy data, imperfect migration velocity and inaccurate surface elevation to analyse its sensitivity to noise, migration velocity and surface elevation error. The results prove that our method is less sensitive to noise compared with the conventional elastic least‐squares reverse time migration and needs good migration velocities as other least‐squares reverse time migration methods. In addition, when implementing the proposed method, an accurate surface elevation should be obtained by global positioning system to yield high‐quality images.
Urbanization alters predator‐avoidance behaviours
Authors: Gallo Travis , Fidino Mason , Lehrer Elizabeth W. , Magle Seth
Published: March 2019

Urbanization is considered the fastest growing form of global land‐use change and can dramatically modify habitat structure and ecosystem functioning. While ecological processes continue to operate within cities, urban ecosystems are profoundly different from their more natural counterparts. Thus, ecological predictions derived from more natural ecosystems are rarely generalizable to urban environments.

In this study, we used data from a large‐scale and long‐term camera trap project in Chicago IL, USA, to determine whether urbanization alters predator‐avoidance behaviour of urban prey species.

We studied three behavioural mechanisms often induced by the fear of predation (spatial distribution, daily activity patterns and vigilance) of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) when coyote (Canis latrans)—an urban apex predator—was present.

We found no evidence of spatial segregation between coyote and either prey species. Furthermore, neither white‐tailed deer nor eastern cottontail changed their daily activity or increased vigilance in urban areas when coyotes were present. Eastern cottontail, however, had their uppermost level of vigilance in highly urban sites when coyotes were absent.

Our study demonstrates that predator–prey dynamics might be modified in urban ecosystems—moving from what is traditionally thought of as a two‐player system (predator and prey) to a three‐player system (predator, prey and people).
Desiccation and rehydration of mosses greatly increases resource fluxes that alter soil carbon and nitrogen cycling
Authors: Slate Mandy L. , Sullivan Benjamin W. , Callaway Ragan M.
Published: March 2019

Mosses often have positive effects on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, but we know little about how environmentally determined cycles of desiccation and rehydration in mosses influence these processes.

In this context, we compared carbon and nitrogen in throughfall after precipitation passed through eight moss species that were either hydrated continuously or desiccated and rehydrated. Also, the throughfall of four moss species was added to soil and used to determine the net effect of carbon and nitrogen added in moss throughfall on soil CO2 and N2O efflux.

Depending on the species, desiccated‐rehydrated (rehydrated) mosses lost 2–31 times more carbon in throughfall than mosses that were continuously hydrated (hydrated). Hydrated mosses lost little to no detectable nitrogen, whereas most rehydrated mosses lost some nitrogen in throughfall. Throughfall from both hydrated and rehydrated mosses generated higher CO2 and N2O efflux than water treated soils, but rehydrated moss throughfall promoted larger N2O efflux than hydrated moss throughfall. Throughfall from hydrated mosses caused net negative changes in soil carbon and had very little effect on soil nitrogen, whereas throughfall from rehydrated mosses generated positive changes in soil carbon and nitrogen.

Synthesis. Our results indicate that resources lost from desiccated mosses during rehydration influence soil carbon and nitrogen transformations and may be important drivers of carbon and nitrogen cycling and storage in ecosystems.
Overview of reviews of standardised occupation‐based instruments for use in occupational therapy practice
Authors: Romli Muhammad Hibatullah , Wan Yunus Farahiyah , Mackenzie Lynette
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Using standardised instruments is one approach to support evidence‐based practice. Referring to systematic reviews is an option to identify suitable instruments. However, with an abundance of systematic reviews available, therapists are challenged to identify an appropriate instrument to use. Therefore, this overview of reviews aimed to summarise relevant systematic review findings about standardised occupation‐based instruments relevant for occupational therapy practice.

Methods

An overview of reviews was conducted. A systematic search was performed on four databases up to March 2018. Included systematic reviews were analysed for quality using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR).

Results

A total of 2187 articles were identified after removing duplicates. Ultimately, 58 systematic reviews were identified that yielded 641 instruments. From those, 45 instruments were selected for appraisal as they met the inclusion criteria of being developed mainly by occupational therapists and were recommended in the summarised findings from the systematic reviews. The instruments were classified according to the following occupation domains: (i) multidimensional, (ii) activities of daily living, (iii) productivity, (iv) social, (v) sleep/rest, (vi) sexuality and (vii) spirituality. No systematic review was identified that specifically focussed on occupations related to school/education, leisure and play.

Discussion

Certain occupation domains such as activities of daily living, social and sleep/rest received high attention amongst researchers. There is a need for systematic reviews of instruments to measure education/school, play and leisure. Limited numbers of instruments were developed by occupational therapists outside the occupation domain of activities of daily living, and in areas of practice other than children and older people. Nevertheless, this overview can give some guidance for occupational therapists in selecting a suitable occupational therapy instrument for practice.
Thinking Outside the Box – Eliminating the Perniciousness of Box‐Ticking in the New Corporate Governance Code
Authors: Reddy Bobby V.
Published: February 2019

On 16 July 2018, a new corporate governance code was published. Like previous iterations, it applies on a ‘comply‐or‐explain’ basis, whereby companies are required to either comply with provisions or explain reasons for non‐compliance. However, the new code substantially simplified the previous version of the code in an attempt to attenuate the process of ‘box‐ticking’. Box‐ticking manifests itself firstly, by companies complying with the letter rather than the spirit of the provisions, and, second, by companies not utilising the inherent flexibility of the code to implement their optimum firm‐specific governance structures by explaining rather than complying. This article elucidates the history of box‐ticking, and the reasons why companies succumb to it, since Adrian Cadbury pioneered the concept of ‘comply‐or‐explain’ in 1992, before proposing an exclusively principles‐driven approach to the corporate governance code which would alleviate box‐ticking and fulfill the original aspirations of Cadbury over a quarter of a century ago.
Resilient Growth: Fantasy Plans and Unplanned Developments in India's Flood‐Prone Coastal Cities
Authors: Weinstein Liza , Rumbach Andrew , Sinha Saumitra
Published: March 2019

Academic and policy literatures on urban climate resilience tend to emphasize ‘good planning’ as the primary means for addressing the growing risk of flooding in Asia's coastal megacities. Cities have come to rely on disaster and climate resilience plans to future‐proof their landscapes and protect vulnerable populations. Yet while data is collected, models are built and plans are drafted, environmentally destructive development practices continue unabated and often unchallenged. This article examines and seeks to explain the contradictions between a growing awareness of the risks of climate‐induced flooding in resilience plans and the continuation of development practices widely acknowledged to exacerbate those risks. It analyzes these contradictions in the context of Mumbai and Kolkata, India's largest coastal cities, which are facing the severest threats from climate‐induced flooding. Based on analyses of key resilience planning documents and both planned and unplanned developments in some of Mumbai's and Kolkata's most ecologically sensitive areas, our analysis reveals that resilience planning, promoted by the central government and international consultants, and presented in locally produced ‘fantasy plans’, fails to address the risks of climate‐change‐related flooding owing to tendencies to sidestep questions of politics, power and the distributional conflicts that shape urban development. We conclude that efforts to reduce urban flood risk would benefit from the research, methods and analytic concepts used to critically study cities, but significant gaps remain between these fields.
Party convergence and vote switching: Explaining mainstream party decline across Europe
Authors: SPOON JAE‐JAE , KLÜVER HEIKE
Published: March 2019

How can one explain the significant vote losses of mainstream parties across Europe in recent years? In this article, it is argued that mainstream party convergence is an important determinant of the recent political and electoral volatility in European party systems. More specifically, it is hypothesised that as mainstream parties converge on the left‐right scale, voters will switch from supporting a mainstream party to a non‐mainstream party in the next election as they look for an alternative that better represents their ideological views. To test these theoretical expectations, data is combined from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and the Manifestos Project for nearly 15,000 vote choices of individual voters in 30 elections in 16 West and East European countries from 2001 until 2013. The findings have important implications for understanding the recent rise of non‐mainstream parties, the changing nature of party systems and the increasing complexity of cabinet formation across Europe.
Comparison of emergency department time performance between a Canadian and an Australian academic tertiary hospital
Authors: Cheng Ivy , Taylor David , Schull Michael J , Zwarenstein Merrick , Kiss Alex , Castren Maaret , Brommels Mats , Yeoh Michael , Kerr Fergus
Published: February 2019

Objective

To compare performance and factors predicting failure to reach Ontario and Australian government time targets between a Canadian (Sunnybrook Hospital) and an Australian (Austin Health) academic tertiary‐level hospitals in 2012, and to assess for change of factors and performance in 2016 between the same hospitals.

Methods

This was a retrospective, observational study of patient administrative data in two calendar years. The main outcome measure was reaching Ontario and Australian ED time targets for admissions, high and low urgency discharges. Secondary outcomes were factors predicting failure to reach these targets.

Results

Between 2012 and 2016, Sunnybrook and Austin experienced increased patient volume of 10.2% and 19.2%, respectively. Bed capacity decreased at Sunnybrook (−10.8%) but increased at the Austin (+30.3%). For both years, Austin failed to achieve the Australian time target, but succeeded for all Ontario targets except for low urgency discharges. Sunnybrook failed all targets irrespective of year. The top factors for failing Ontario ED length‐of‐stay targets for both hospitals in 2012 and 2016 were bed request greater than 6 h, access block greater than 1 h, use of cross‐sectional imaging, consultation and waiting for the emergency physician greater than 2 h.

Conclusion

Austin outperformed Sunnybrook for Ontario and Australian government time targets. Both hospitals failed the Australian targets. Factors predicting failure to achieve targets were different between hospitals, but were mainly clinical resources. Sunnybrook focussed on increasing human resources. Austin focussed on increasing human resources, observation unit and hospital beds. Intrinsic hospital characteristics and infrastructure influenced target success.
Neighborhood immigrant concentration and violent crime reporting to the police: A multilevel analysis of data from the National Crime Victimization Survey*
Authors: Xie Min , Baumer Eric P.
Published: March 2019

Using data from the Area‐Identified National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), we provide a national assessment of the impact of neighborhood immigrant concentration on whether violence is reported to the police. By drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, we outline how the level of violence reporting could be higher or lower in immigrant neighborhoods, as well as how this may depend on individual race/ethnicity and the history of immigration in the county in which immigrant neighborhoods are located. Controlling for both individual‐ and neighborhood‐level conditions, our findings indicate that within traditional immigrant counties, rates of violence reporting in immigrant neighborhoods are similar to those observed elsewhere. In contrast, within newer immigrant destinations, we observe much lower rates of violence reporting in neighborhoods with a large concentration of immigrants. Our study findings reveal comparable patterns for Whites, Blacks, and Latinos. The results have important implications for theory, policy, and future research.
The turn to employees in the measurement of human resource practices: A critical review and proposed way forward
Authors: Beijer Susanne , Peccei Riccardo , van Veldhoven Marc , Paauwe Jaap
Published: February 2019

Although initially studies examining human resource management (HRM)–outcome relationships only used management‐based ratings of HR practices, arguments have been advanced in favour of using employee‐based ratings. To examine this, a systematic analysis of HRM–outcome studies published between 2000 and 2017 is performed, which shows that over time studies have indeed increasingly made use of employees as respondents to measures of human resource (HR) practices. An in‐depth analysis of these measures of perceived HR practices revealed that various problems and issues can be identified when critically reviewing these measures. It is observed that considerable idiosyncrasy exists in measures of perceived HR practices, coupled with a lack of transparency in how these measures are often reported in existing studies. Also, a mixture of evaluative and descriptive items creates concerns about jingle fallacies in extant research and in turn about the validity of HRM–outcome results. Recommendations are provided to further advance the measurement and conceptualisation of this core construct.
Presence of serum autoantibodies to vacuolar H+‐ATPase in patients with renal tubular acidosis
Authors: Xu Chao , Li Yanping , Ying Hui , Pan Yan , Shi Ranran , Lin Xiaoyan , Gao Ling
Published: March 2019

Objective

Concomitant presence of renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and autoimmune diseases is indicative of the potential role of immune factors in the pathogenesis of RTA. Our study aimed to detect the serum antibodies to renal tubular epithelial cells in RTA patients.

Methods

We enrolled 11 RTA patients, eight primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients and eight healthy controls (HC). Serum biochemical test, urinary regular test, and 24 hours urinary protein quantification were measured using a fully automated analyzer. Immunofluorescence assay was performed to detect the antibodies to subunit B1 and subunit B2 of v‐H+‐ATPases (adenosine triphosphatases) in the serum of the participants.

Results

Clinically, RTA patients showed hyperchloremia, acidosis and paradoxical alkaline urine. We detected the serum antibodies to renal tubular epithelial cells and there were 6/11 positive in RTA patients, much higher than that in the pSS group (0/8) and the HC group (0/8). Subsequently, we demonstrated that in normal renal tissue, the B1 subunit of v‐H+‐ATPase specifically expressed in intercalated cells, while the B2 subunit continuously expressed along the lumen of renal tubular epithelial cells. Moreover, the antibody to subunit B1/B2 of v‐H+‐ATPase was positive in the sera of 6 RTA patients (54%), while it was negative in both the pSS and HC group.

Conclusions

We detected the presence of serum autoantibodies to subunit B1 and subunit B2 of v‐H+‐ATPase in RTA patients. Our findings may provide novel mechanism insights into the pathogenesis of RTA and the potential diagnostic utility of antibodies to v‐H+‐ATPase in the classification of RTA.
ING5 inhibits lung cancer invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition by inhibiting the WNT/β‐catenin pathway
Authors: Liu Xin‐Li , Meng Jin , Zhang Xu‐Tao , Liang Xiao‐Hua , Zhang Feng , Zhao Guan‐Ren , Zhang Tao
Published: February 2019

Background

ING5 is the last member of the Inhibitor of Growth (ING) candidate tumor suppressor family that has been implicated in multiple cellular functions, including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and chromatin remodeling. Our previous study showed that ING5 overexpression inhibits lung cancer aggressiveness and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), with unknown mechanisms.

Methods

Western blotting was used to detect total and phosphorylated levels of β‐catenin and EMT‐related proteins. Immunofluorescent staining was used to observe E‐cadherin expression. Proliferation and colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed to study the proliferative and invasive abilities of cancer cells.

Results

ING5 overexpression promotes phosphorylation of β‐catenin at Ser33/37, leading to a decreased β‐catenin protein level. Small hairpin RNA‐mediated ING5 knockdown significantly increased the β‐catenin level and inhibited phosphorylation of β‐catenin S33/37. Treatment with the WNT/β‐catenin inhibitor XAV939 inhibited ING5‐knockdown promoted proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells, with increased phosphorylation of β‐catenin S33/37 and a decreased β‐catenin level. XAV939 also impaired ING5‐knockdown‐induced EMT, as indicated by upregulated expression of the EMT marker E‐cadherin, an epithelial marker; and decreased expression of N‐cadherin, a mesenchymal marker, and EMT‐related transcription factors, including Snail, Slug, Twist, and Smad3. Furthermore, XAV939 could inhibit the activation of both IL‐6/STAT3 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Conclusion

ING5 inhibits lung cancer invasion and EMT by inhibiting the WNT/β‐catenin pathway.
Vertebrate consumption and dispersal of the Nothofagaceae associated ascomycete Cyttaria
Authors: Elliott Todd F. , Elliott Kelsey
Published: March 2019

Fungi are an important food source for a diversity of vertebrates and invertebrates around the world and in turn, these animals play a key part in the dispersal of many fungi. These associations have been most thoroughly studied between mammals and truffles. In this natural history note, we provide the first report of mycophagy by the Australian King‐Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) and the first documentation of wildlife consumption of the genus Cyttaria in Australia. We also review the literature regarding use of this southern hemisphere endemic genus Cyttaria for food by vertebrates and how these associations may impact its dispersal.