bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of Sleep Outcomes Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Preschoolers: Subjective and Objective Assessment of Outcome
Authors: Landry-Roy Catherine , Bernier Annie , Gravel Jocelyn , Beauchamp Miriam H.
Published: April 2017

Objectives:

To investigate sleep and its predictors in preschoolers with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Participants and procedure:

The sample included 225 children, aged 18 to 60 months, divided into 3 groups: children with accidental mTBI (n = 85), children with orthopedic injury (n = 58), and typically developing children (n = 82). Retrospective reports of preinjury sleep and family functioning were obtained as part of a baseline assessment at the time of recruitment. Parental ratings of sleep problems were collected 6 months postinjury on the full sample, and actigraphy data were collected on a subset of children. Demographic, preinjury, and periinjury factors were examined as potential predictors of sleep outcomes.

Results:

No group differences were found in ratings of sleep problems or for nighttime sleep duration and sleep efficiency, as measured by actigraphy. Besides, preexisting sleep disturbances and brain injury resulting in alteration of consciousness were identified as predictors of poorer sleep in the mTBI group.

Conclusion:

Although mTBI did not result in group-level sleep disturbances 6 months postinjury, the findings suggest that premorbid and injury-related factors place some children at risk for poorer sleep after mTBI. These factors should be documented so clinicians can intervene early.
Outcomes Associated With Blast Versus Nonblast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury in US Military Service Members and Veterans: A Systematic Review
Authors: Greer Nancy , Sayer Nina , Koeller Eva , Velasquez Tina , Wilt Timothy J.
Published: April 2017

Objectives:

To systematically review the literature on comparative clinical and functional outcomes following blast-related versus nonblast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) among US service members and Veterans.

Design:

MEDLINE search (January 2001 to June 2016) supplemented with hand search of reference lists and input from peer reviewers.

Results:

Thirty-one studies (in 33 articles) reported on health outcomes; only 2 were rated low risk of bias. There was variation in outcomes reported and methods of assessment. Blast and nonblast TBI groups had similar rates of depression, sleep disorders, alcohol misuse, vision loss, vestibular dysfunction, and functional status. Comparative outcomes were inconsistent with regard to posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis or symptoms, headache, hearing loss, and neurocognitive function. Mortality, burn, limb loss, and quality of life were each reported in few studies, most with small sample sizes. Only 4 studies reported outcomes by blast injury mechanism.

Conclusions:

Most clinical and functional outcomes appeared comparable in military service members and Veterans with TBI, regardless of blast exposure. Inconsistent findings and limited outcomes reporting indicate that more research is needed to determine whether there is a distinct pattern of impairments and comorbidities associated with blast-related TBI.
The Deployment Trauma Phenotype and Employment Status in Veterans of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Authors: Amick Melissa M. , Meterko Mark , Fortier Catherine B. , Fonda Jennifer R. , Milberg William P. , McGlinchey Regina E.
Published: April 2017

Objectives:

To determine the prevalence of comorbid mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression, termed the deployment trauma phenotype (DTP), and its constituent diagnoses' impact on unemployment status in a national cohort of veterans.

Setting:

Retrospective analysis of the comprehensive TBI evaluation, a Veterans Affairs-wide protocol for assessing TBI, employment status, and psychiatric impressions.

Participants:

The final data set consisted of 48 821 veterans.

Main Outcomes and Measures:

Frequency of mTBI, PTSD, and depression in isolation and combinations and their association with unemployment status.

Results:

Age- and education-adjusted risk ratios (RRs) showed that the mTBI-only group was the least likely to be unemployed, RR = 0.65 (0.59–0.71). By contrast, the greatest likelihood of unemployment was associated with membership in the DTP group, RR = 1.45 (1.36–1.56), and the comorbid PTSD and depression group, RR = 1.39 (1.27–1.52). Furthermore, the DTP was nearly 3 times more prevalent (16.4%) in this sample compared with comorbid PTSD and depression (5.7%), indicating that the DTP conveys risk for unemployment to a significantly greater number of individuals.

Conclusions and Relevance:

The comorbid and interactive conditions of PTSD, depression, and mTBI, rather than mTBI in isolation, were linked to significant risk for unemployment in this veteran cohort. These findings suggest that multifaceted assessments and interventions to improve postdeployment reintegration are needed.
Visual Outcomes and Local Control After Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma
Authors: Hamilton Sarah Nicole , Nichol Alan , Truong Pauline , McKenzie Michael , Hsu Fred , Cheung Arthur , Dolman Peter , Gete Ermias , Ma Roy
Published: April 2017

Purpose:

To review the outcomes of patients with optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSM) treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

Methods:

Patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed for all patients with primary and secondary ONSM treated from 2001 to 2012. Clinically significant visual acuity change was defined as a 2-line change on the Snellen eye chart from pre-fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

Results:

Forty-one patients were treated: 23 patients with primary ONSM and 18 patients with secondary ONSM. The median age at diagnosis was 56 years. The median visual follow up was 3.8 years and the median radiologic follow up was 4.4 years. At diagnosis, 36% had normal vision (20/20–20/40), 10% had mild impairment (<20/40–20/60), 20% had moderate visual impairment (<20/60–20/200), 27% had severe impairment (<20/200), and 7% had no light perception. Common acute side effects were headache (32%) and nausea (15%); 15% of patients required corticosteroids during stereotactic radiotherapy. Chronic toxicities included retinopathy (7%), pituitary dysfunction (13%), chronic ocular pain (5%), and cataracts (2%). Visual acuity was stable in 65%, improved in 27%, and decreased in 8% of patients. Visual fields were stable in 70%, improved in 21%, and reduced in 9%. Actuarial 5-year local control rates were 100% for primary ONSM and 88% for secondary ONSM. Actuarial 5-year visual preservation rates were 100% for primary ONSM and 86% for secondary ONSM.

Conclusions:

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for primary and secondary ONSM was well tolerated and provides excellent local control and visual preservation. Longer follow up is required to determine the risk of late ocular and pituitary sequelae.
Increasing HDL-C levels with medication: current perspectives
Authors: Smit Roelof AJ. , Jukema J. Wouter , Trompet Stella
Published: April 2017

Purpose of review

To date, observational studies have repeatedly demonstrated an inverse association between HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and cardiovascular outcomes. Although the efficacy of established HDL-modifying treatment strategies have been examined in multiple large-scale phase III trials, findings from these experimental studies conflict with the hypothesis that HDL-C levels are atheroprotective. In this review, we describe the trial evidence to date, and attempt to place these results in the broader context of recent hypotheses for the association between HDL-C levels and clinical outcomes.

Recent findings

Both translational and genetic studies are in line with the hypothesis that HDL-C levels do not hold causal importance for cardiovascular risk reduction. In addition to its possible role as a biomarker for other atherogenic lipoproteins, efforts should be made to elucidate HDLs’ role in lipoprotein flux, which is increasingly being linked to surrogate outcomes of importance to cardiovascular epidemiology. In the future, it will be of great importance to link this measure of HDL functionality to clinical endpoints.

Although trial evidence does not support an atheroprotective role of overall HDL-C plasma levels, HDL function/lipoprotein flux holds great promise for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
A cross-sectional study of emergency care utilization and associated costs of violent-related (assault) injuries in the United States
Authors: Monuteaux Michael C. , Fleegler Eric W. , Lee Lois K.
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

Violent-related (assault) injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Many violent injury victims seek treatment in the emergency department (ED). Our objectives were to (1) estimate rates of violent-related injuries evaluated in United States EDs, (2) estimate linear trends in ED visits for violent-related injuries from 2000 to 2010, and (3) to determine the associated health care and work-loss costs.

METHODS

We examined adults 18 years and older from a nationally representative survey (the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey) of ED visits, from 2000 to 2010. Violent injury was defined using International Classification of Diseases—9th Rev.—Clinical Modification, diagnosis and mechanism of injury codes. We calculated rates of ED visits for violent injuries. Medical and work-loss costs accrued by these injuries were calculated for 2005, inflation-adjusted to 2011 dollars using the WISQARS Cost of Injury Reports.

RESULTS

An annual average of 1.4 million adults were treated for violent injuries in EDs from 2000 to 2010, comprising 1.6% (95% confidence interval, 1.5%–1.6%) of all US adult ED visits. Young adults (18–25 years), men, nonwhites, uninsured or publically insured patients, and those residing in high poverty urban areas were at increased risk for ED visits for violent injury. The 1-year, inflation-adjusted medical and work-loss cost of violent-inflicted injuries in adults in the United States was US $49.5 billion.

CONCLUSION

Violent injuries account for over one million ED visits annually among adults, with no change in rates over the past decade. Young black men are at especially increased risk for ED visits for violent injuries. Overall, violent-related injuries resulted in substantial financial and societal costs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Epidemiological study, level III.
Numerical simulation of haemodynamics and low-density lipoprotein transport in the rabbit aorta and their correlation with atherosclerotic plaque thickness
Authors: Li Xiaoyin , Liu Xiao , Zhang Peng , Feng Chenglong , Sun Anqiang , Kang Hongyan , Deng Xiaoyan , Fan Yubo
Published: April 2017

Two mechanisms of shear stress and mass transport have been recognized to play an important role in the development of localized atherosclerosis. However, their relationship and roles in atherogenesis are still obscure. It is necessary to investigate quantitatively the correlation among low-density lipoproteins (LDL) transport, haemodynamic parameters and plaque thickness. We simulated blood flow and LDL transport in rabbit aorta using computational fluid dynamics and evaluated plaque thickness in the aorta of a high-fat-diet rabbit. The numerical results show that regions with high luminal LDL concentration tend to have severely negative haemodynamic environments (HEs). However, for regions with moderately and slightly high luminal LDL concentration, the relationship between LDL concentration and the above haemodynamic indicators is not clear cut. Point-by-point correlation with experimental results indicates that severe atherosclerotic plaque corresponds to high LDL concentration and seriously negative HEs, less severe atherosclerotic plaque is related to either moderately high LDL concentration or moderately negative HEs, and there is almost no atherosclerotic plaque in regions with both low LDL concentration and positive HEs. In conclusion, LDL distribution is closely linked to blood flow transport, and the synergetic effects of luminal surface LDL concentration and wall shear stress-based haemodynamic indicators may determine plaque thickness.
TRPA1 expression and its functional activation in rodent cortex
Authors: Kheradpezhouh Ehsan , Choy Julian M. C. , Daria Vincent R. , Arabzadeh Ehsan
Published: April 2017

TRPA1 is a non-selective cation channel involved in pain sensation and neurogenic inflammation. Although TRPA1 is well established in a number of organs including the nervous system, its presence and function in the mammalian cortex remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate the expression of TRPA1 in rodent somatosensory cortex through immunostaining and investigate its functional activation by whole-cell electrophysiology, Ca
2+
imaging and two-photon photoswitching. Application of TRPA1 agonist (AITC) and antagonist (HC-030031) produced significant modulation of activity in layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons in both rats and mice; AITC increased intracellular Ca
2+
concentrations and depolarized neurons, and both effects were blocked by HC-030031. These modulations were absent in the TRPA1 knockout mice. Next, we used optovin, a reversible photoactive molecule, to activate TRPA1 in individual L5 neurons of rat cortex. Optical control of activity was established by applying a tightly focused femtosecond-pulsed laser to optovin-loaded neurons. Light application depolarized neurons (
n
= 17) with the maximal effect observed at
λ
= 720 nm. Involvement of TRPA1 was further confirmed by repeating the experiment in the presence of HC-030031, which diminished the light modulation. These results demonstrate the presence of TRPA1 in L5 pyramidal neurons and introduce a highly specific approach to further understand its functional significance.
Profiling of lysine-acetylated proteins in human urine
Authors: Qin Weiwei , Du Zhenhuan , Huang He , Gao Youhe
Published: April 2017

Biomarker is the measurable change associated with a physiological or pathophysiological process, its nature is change. Contrast to the blood which is under homeostatic controls, urine reflects changes in the body earlier and more sensitive therefore is a better biomarker source. Lysine acetylation is an abundant and highly regulated post-translational modification. It plays a pivotal role in modulating diverse biological processes and is associated with various important diseases. Enrichment or visualization of proteins with specific post-translational modifications provides a method for sampling the urinary proteome and reducing sample complexity. In this study, we used anti-acetyllysine antibody-based immunoaffinity enrichment combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry to profile lysine-acetylated proteins in normal human urine. A total of 629 acetylation sites on 315 proteins were identified, including some very low-abundance proteins. This is the first proteome-wide characterization of lysine acetylation proteins in normal human urine. Our dataset provides a useful resource for the further discovery of the lysine acetylated proteins as biomarker in urine.
Detecting gene subnetworks under selection in biological pathways
Authors: Gouy Alexandre , Daub Joséphine T. , Excoffier Laurent
Published: April 2017

Advances in high throughput sequencing technologies have created a gap between data production and functional data analysis. Indeed, phenotypes result from interactions between numerous genes, but traditional methods treat loci independently, missing important knowledge brought by network-level emerging properties. Therefore, evidencing selection acting on multiple genes affecting the evolution of complex traits remains challenging. In this context, gene network analysis provides a powerful framework to study the evolution of adaptive traits and facilitates the interpretation of genome-wide data. To tackle this problem, we developed a method to analyse gene networks that is suitable to evidence polygenic selection. The general idea is to search biological pathways for subnetworks of genes that directly interact with each other and that present unusual evolutionary features. Subnetwork search is a typical combinatorial optimization problem that we solve using a simulated annealing approach. We have applied our methodology to find signals of adaptation to high-altitude in human populations. We show that this adaptation has a clear polygenic basis and is influenced by many genetic components. Our approach improves on classical tests for selection based on single genes by identifying both new candidate genes and new biological processes involved in adaptation to altitude.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width: genetic evidence for aging pathways in 116,666 volunteers
Authors: Pilling Luke C. , Atkins Janice L. , Duff Michael O. , Beaumont Robin N. , Jones Samuel E. , Tyrrell Jessica , Kuo Chia-Ling , Ruth Katherine S. , Tuke Marcus A. , Yaghootkar Hanieh , Wood Andrew R. , Murray Anna , Weedon Michael N. , Harries Lorna W. , Kuchel George A. , Ferrucci Luigi , Frayling Timothy M. , Melzer David
Published: April 2017

Variability in red blood cell volumes (distribution width, RDW) increases with age and is strongly predictive of mortality, incident coronary heart disease and cancer. We investigated inherited genetic variation associated with RDW in 116,666 UK Biobank human volunteers.

A large proportion RDW is explained by genetic variants (29%), especially in the older group (60+ year olds, 33.8%, <50 year olds, 28.4%). RDW was associated with 194 independent genetic signals; 71 are known for conditions including autoimmune disease, certain cancers, BMI, Alzheimer’s disease, longevity, age at menopause, bone density, myositis, Parkinson’s disease, and age-related macular degeneration. Pathways analysis showed enrichment for telomere maintenance, ribosomal RNA and apoptosis. The majority of RDW-associated signals were intronic (119 of 194), including SNP rs6602909 located in an intron of oncogeneGAS6; the SNP is also an eQTL for this gene in whole blood. RDW-associated exonic genetic signals included a missense variant inPNPLA3, which codes for a triacylglycerol lipase, and a rare (1% frequency) deletion inSMIM1, involved in red blood cell formation.

Although increased RDW is predictive of cardiovascular outcomes, this was not explained by known CVD or related lipid genetic risks. The predictive value of RDW for a range of negative health outcomes may in part be due to variants influencing fundamental pathways of aging.
An application of data envelopment analysis for Korean banks with negative data
Authors: Lee Yong Joo , Joo Seong-Jong , Park Hong Gyun
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the comparative efficiency of 18 Korean commercial banks under the presence of negative observations and examine performance differences among them by grouping them according to their market conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ two data envelopment analysis (DEA) models such as a Banker, Charnes, and Cooper (BCC) model and a modified slacks-based measure of efficiency (MSBM) model, which can handle negative data. The BCC model is proven to be translation invariant for inputs or outputs depending on output or input orientation. Meanwhile, the MSBM model is unit invariant in addition to translation invariant. The authors compare results from both models and choose one for interpreting results.

Findings

Most Korean banks recovered from the worst performance in 2011 and showed similar performance in recent years. Among three groups such as national banks, regional banks, and special banks, the most special banks demonstrated superb performance across models and years. Especially, the performance difference between the special banks and the regional banks was statistically significant. The authors concluded that the high performance of the special banks was due to their nationwide market access and ownership type.

Practical implications

This study demonstrates how to analyze and measure the efficiency of entities when variables contain negative observations using a data set for Korean banks. The authors have tried two major DEA models that are able to handle negative data and proposed a practical direction for future studies.

Originality/value

Although there are research papers for measuring the performance of banks in Korea, all of the papers in the topic have studied efficiency or productivity using positive data sets. However, variables such as net incomes and growth rates frequently include negative observations in bank data sets. This is the first paper to investigate the efficiency of bank operations in the presence of negative data in Korea.
Relation between marketing expenses and bank’s financial position: Ukrainian reality
Authors: Valentyn Khmarskyi , Pavlov Roman
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine relation between marketing expenses and bank’s financial position. Factor and cluster analyses were applied to unify different financial variables into financial clusters. Each cluster has specific long-term and short-term financial position and is allocated to appropriate rating position of new rating system. Using rating positions, it is possible to determine whether overall bank position is fragile or stable, and which financial position is vulnerable. Comparing marketing expenses with financial positions, it is possible to evaluate how effectively banks manage their financial resources, and what impact marketing activity has on the financial position.

Design/methodology/approach

Financial statements of Ukrainian banks for last five years are analyzed. Database of financial documents are reviewed. Coefficient, principal components, and hierarchical cluster analyzes are applied to elaborate new rating system. “Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity” and “Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy Test” validate input data. Box-and-whisker plots are used to describe graphically interaction between marketing expenses and bank financial positions.

Findings

The new rating system describes short-term and long-term bank financial positions. In their marketing activity, Ukrainian banks mostly have uneven distribution of marketing expenses in context of financial positions. Such pattern disrupts long-term stability of Ukrainian banking system. Each financial variable has different impact on marketing activity; however, the correlation level is insignificant. In general, Ukrainian banks do not consider financial positions in marketing planning.

Practical implications

New rating system can be used by the National Bank of Ukraine, the main supervisory bank of Ukraine, to determine fragile banks and to predict their bankruptcy. Banks may use findings to analyze their financial positions and to find optimal marketing expenses.

Originality/value

This paper contributes into the scientific literature in novelty of marketing-finance interaction in the Ukrainian banking system. New rating system of Ukrainian banks considers different aspects of bank financial stability: liquidity level, credit risks, deposit portfolio, and bank’s ability to attract additional financial resources on financial markets. Cluster analysis helps to allocate similar financial factors to different clusters and to evaluate financial risks in conjunction. As legal regulations concerning banking market, are also considered, the rating system can be adjusted to different countries. In addition, marketing expenses are analyzed in context of banks’ financial positions.
The nexus between stock market index and apartment and villa prices
Authors: Öhman Peter , Yazdanfar Darush
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the Granger causal link between the stock market index and housing prices in terms of apartment and villa prices.

Design/methodology/approach

Monthly data from September 2005 to October 2013 on apartment prices, villa prices, the stock market index, mortgage rates and the consumer price index were used. Statistical methods were applied to explore the long-run co-integration and Granger causal link between the stock market index and apartment and villa prices in Sweden.

Findings

The results indicate that the stock market index and housing prices are co-integrated and that a long-run equilibrium relationship exists between them. According to the Granger causality tests, bidirectional relationships exist between the stock market index and apartment and villa prices, respectively, supporting the wealth and credit-price effects. Moreover, variations in apartment and villa prices are primarily caused by endogenous shocks.

Originality/value

To the authors’ best knowledge, this study represents a first analysis of the causal nexus between the stock market and the housing market in terms of apartment and villa prices in the Swedish context using a vector error-correction model to analyze monthly data.
On the relationship between oil and equity markets: evidence from South Asia
Authors: Noor Md Hasib , Dutta Anupam
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the volatility linkage between global oil market and major South Asian equity markets.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to serve the purpose, the authors employ a recently developed vector autoregressive-generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic model to examine whether shocks and volatility spill over from the oil market to various equity markets under consideration.

Findings

The findings of the empirical analysis suggest that all the markets studied do receive volatility from the oil market. Not surprisingly, the authors do not find any significant evidence of volatility transmission from the equity markets to the global oil market. Additionally, while computing the optimal portfolio weights and hedge ratios, the authors document that inclusion of oil in the portfolio of stocks tends to reduce the risk of the resultant portfolio.

Originality/value

Fully original.
Conflict minerals traceability – a fuzzy set analysis
Authors: Timmer Stephane , Kaufmann Lutz
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate legal effects on social sustainability practices at buying firms. The US Dodd-Frank Act has forced listed companies to determine the degree to which their products contain conflict minerals (CM). The research question this study seeks to answer is the following: which factors influence a company’s ability to determine the provenance of its inputs?

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines secondary data in the form of CM reports of 50 US listed firms for two consecutive years using a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach.

Findings

This study identifies different configurations of stakeholder salience and firm resources that lead individual companies to achieve high levels of traceability. Findings show that firms’ CM governance mechanisms are a key determinant in the firms’ capacity to meet regulatory traceability requirements. Further, the authors find that both the presence and absence of specific stakeholder pressures and firm resources can lead to traceability. Findings also suggest that firms can achieve traceability without any pressure from stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

The study investigates the practices of individual firms that are subject to the Dodd-Frank Act, rather than adopting a supply chain-wide perspective. Further, proxies had to be used to measure several constructs because of reliance on firms’ reporting, which implies that the study did not account for certain behavioral factors that influence traceability.

Practical implications

This study provides managers of both resource-rich and less resource-rich firms with possible pathways for achieving CM traceability.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the field of sustainability by providing exploratory insights into the antecedents of traceability and deriving theoretical propositions to guide further research. The authors apply fsQCA to investigate secondary data over multiple years, thus using a novel configurational methodology.
Market research in India: does the choice of language cause questionnaire contamination?
Authors: Messner Wolfgang
Published: April 2017

Purpose

While English is the most commonly used language for market research, surveys and customer feedback in India, it does not reach the subcontinent’s entire population. Therefore, many questionnaires are bilingual, offering the respondent a choice between English and an indigenous Indian language. This, however, presupposes that answers to items are not influenced by people’s language proficiencies and response styles in different languages. This paper aims to examine whether market researchers in India should be careful about nonrandom measurement error caused by language response bias.

Design/methodology/approach

English and Kannada questionnaires are administered in a test-retest scenario to 160 respondents in the Indian Tier-II city of Mysore. The data evaluation is organized by dispositional (language proficiency in English and Kannada) and situational influences (language of the questionnaire in English or Kannada); a series of tests to elucidate language response bias is conducted.

Findings

While the significance of the two-tailed English-Kannada paired-sample tests is borderline, a more detailed look reveals surprising differences for the dispositional as well as situational linguistic influences. Moreover, the response style peculiarities in the Indian multilingual environment are not always consistent with differences in other international bilingual environments.

Originality/value

High-quality data are central to all empirical research, but situational and dispositional language response bias seems to contaminate questionnaires in the Indian multi-lingual environment. This study highlights the effect and provides Indian market researchers with some first strategies for managing the challenge.
To gain or not to lose? The effect of monetary reward on motivation and knowledge contribution
Authors: Liu Haixin , Li Guiquan
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of reward type on knowledge contribution behavior. Individual knowledge contribution, which determines the effectiveness of information systems, benefits the organization at the cost of individual advantage as knowledge is usually considered highly private or even a source of individual prestige. Therefore, organizations provide rewards to compensate for their contributors’ knowledge loss. Surprisingly, some scholars report a positive relationship between reward and knowledge contribution, while others find this relationship to be insignificant or even negative. Based on regulatory focus theory, this study proposes and tests that such inconsistencies result from disparity between reward type and knowledge contribution measures.

Design/methodology/approach

A between-group laboratory experiment with 144 undergraduate student is designed and hierarchical regression is applied to test the hypotheses.

Findings

An incremental reward (additional reward for attaining outstanding achievements) aroused individual promotion focus, leading to an increase in self-perceived knowledge contribution (self-reported) and knowledge contribution quantity (experiment observers rated), but a decrease in knowledge contribution quality (peer rated). However, a decremental reward (deducted for errors) primed individual prevention focus, leading to an increase in self-perceived knowledge contribution (self-reported) and knowledge contribution quality (peer rated), but a decrease in knowledge contribution quantity (experiment observers rated).

Originality/value

The findings help explain why previous empirical results on the reward-knowledge contribution relationship were inconsistent and add to extant literature by introducing a new theoretical perspective for understanding motivation in knowledge management research.
Means-ends based know-how mapping
Authors: Sturm Arnon , Gross Daniel , Wang Jian , Yu Eric
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on research that aims to make knowledge, and in particular know-how, more easily accessible to both academic and industrial communities, as well as to the general public. The paper proposes a novel approach to map out know-how information, so all knowledge stakeholders are able to contribute to the knowledge and expertise accumulation, as well as using that knowledge for research and applying expertise to address problems.

Design/methodology/approach

This research followed a design science approach in which mapping of the know-how information was done by the research team and then tested with graduate students. During this research, the mapping approach was continuously evaluated and refined, and mapping guidelines and a prototype tool were developed.

Findings

Following an evaluation with graduate students, it was found that the know-how maps produced were easy to follow, allowed continuous evolution, facilitated easy modification through provided modularity capabilities, further supported reasoning about know-how and overall provided adequate expressiveness. Furthermore, we applied the approach with various domains and found that it was a good fit for its purpose across different knowledge domains.

Practical implications

This paper argues that mapping out know-how within research and industry communities can further improve resource (knowledge) utilization, reduce the phenomena of “re-inventing the wheel” and further create linkage across communities.

Originality/value

With the qualities mentioned above, know-how maps can both ease and support the increase of access to expert knowledge to various communities, and thus, promote re-use and expansion of knowledge for various purposes. Having an explicit representation of know-how further encourages innovation, as knowledge from various domains can be mapped, searched and reasoned, and gaps can be identified and filled.
Empirical study on determinants of environmental disclosure
Authors: Chandok Ravi Inder Singh , Singh Sukhdev
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the status of corporate environment on the websites and annual reports of selected companies. This paper also attempts to study the relationship between company variables and the level of corporate environment disclosure on the company website and annual reports.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the websites and annual reports of top 100 listed companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The companies are selected on the basis of market capitalization as on March 31, 2014. The data are collected on the basis of Global Reporting Initiative-3 Guidelines.

Findings

14 and 30 per cent of the companies do not disclose environmental information on the website and annual report, respectively. There is no specific space for the disclosure of information on this vital issue; information was found scattered in the various sections of the website and annual report. Waste treatment, water management and carbon foot is the focus area of 53, 46 and 40 companies on the website, respectively, whereas in annual reports, energy conservation, water management and waste management attracts the attention of 79, 86 and 82 companies, respectively. The environmental disclosure on the website and overall disclosure has association with leverage, company size and systematic risk. Profitability and environmental disclosure were found to be inversely associated.

Practical implications

The government through appropriate guidelines should make the environmental disclosure mandatory for all the companies. Disclosure of environmental information such as penalties imposed and suits faced under environmental laws and notices received from pollution control boards and such other activities which have damaged environmental resources must be made mandatory. The accounting bodies should develop the accounting standard in respect of items and manner of disclosure. While framing environmental disclosure guidelines, special attention should be given to the disclosure of information related to water management, air and land pollution as these are the basic necessities for the existence of life on this planet.

Originality/value

This study is unique as it makes the comparative analysis of disclosure through annual reports and the company website of selected Indian companies.
Sustainability reporting
Authors: Amoako Kwame Oduro , Lord Beverley R. , Dixon Keith
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Sustainability reporting serves as a means of communication between corporations and their stakeholders on sustainability issues. This study aims to identify and account for the contents of sustainability reporting communicated through the websites of the plants in five continents of the same multinational mining corporation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data published by Newmont Mining Corporation. The corporation has regional headquarters in five continents: Africa, Asia, Australia and North America and South America. The data were drawn from the websites of the five plants adjacent to those regional headquarters. Economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability as reported by each plant were identified; to do so, a disclosure analysis based on the elements of the Global Reporting Initiative and the United Nations Division for Sustainability Development was used. These aspects were then compared and contrasted to highlight if, and to what extent, institutional isomorphism influences variations in sustainability disclosures among plants compared with the parent company.

Findings

It was found that most of the reporting about sustainability matters comprises narratives; there were also a few physical measures but very little financial information. Notwithstanding that the websites of all five plants used similar headings, the contents of reports differed. The reports from the plants in Australia, South America and Africa were more comprehensive than those from the plants in Asia and North America. The authors attribute these differences to institutionalisation of location-specific characteristics, including management discretion, legislation and societal pressures influencing sustainability reporting. The authors argue that managers responsible for preparing sustainability reports and who work essentially as sustainability accountants should develop templates and measures to raise the standard and comprehensiveness of reports for improved communication, information and behaviour.

Originality/value

Extant studies on sustainability reporting have focused mainly on comparisons between sustainability reports published by different corporations or sustainability reports published in different years by the same corporation. The authors believe that this is one of the first studies to have examined differences in sustainability information published by different subsidiaries within the same large corporation and the first to show how concurrent disclosures can differ.
Telephonic qualitative research interviews: when to consider them and how to do them
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Bilal , de Villiers Charl
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The aims of this study are to review the literature examining the arguments for and against the telephonic qualitative research interviews, to develop criteria for assessing when the use of the telephone is suitable in qualitative research and if suitable to offer detailed strategies for the effective use of this data collection instrument.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a thematic analysis of the literature, informed by the researchers’ experiences using the telephone, computer-based audio and face-to-face interviews for an accounting research project involving 50 semi-structured interviews with managers.

Findings

The study identifies five criteria to determine the suitability of using the telephone in qualitative research interviews. In addition, the study offers a set of detailed strategies on what to do before, during and after a telephonic qualitative research interview.

Research limitations/implications

The study can assist qualitative researchers in deciding when to use the telephone and how to use it effectively.

Originality/value

The study builds on the limited prior research and provides a more complete list of strategies on the effective use of the telephone in qualitative social sciences research. These strategies are a synthesis of existing studies and observations drawn from the author's study, which examines the work of organisational managers. In comparison, prior studies have been based on research projects that explored sensitive personal issues and emotive experiences not always related to managerial work.
The influence of institutional environment on corporate responsibility disclosures in Ghana
Authors: Welbeck Edem Emerald
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The study aims to analyse the level and trend of corporate responsibility disclosures (CRD) in annual reports of listed firms on the Ghana Stock Exchange against the Global Reporting Index and to examine the influence of the institutional environment on such disclosures.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis of annual reports of 17 listed firms in Ghana over a 10-year period (2003-2012) of social and environmental disclosures using the Global reporting indicators as the standard was undertaken. A multiple regression analysis using the random effect estimator was used to test institutional factors influencing CRD.

Findings

The study finds that listed firms in Ghana disclose some responsibility information; and this has increased over the period, with a significant dip in the year 2010. The study also documents a significant amount of disclosures post International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption. The increase in disclosure is particularly explained by IFRS adoption by Ghana and the number of women on boards. This study finds a positive but weak relationship between companies’ association with foreign firms, majority shareholders and CRD. A positive significant relationship is confirmed for firm size, while capital intensity shows a negative significant relationship with CRD in Ghana.

Research limitations/implications

The word search may not capture similar words not known to the author, and the words used may have different meanings. In addition, bias may arise from the limited sample size and the choice of companies. Regulators must enforce existing environmental guidelines and streamline reporting for social and environmental issues to help managers disclose more social and environmental information.

Originality/value

The study highlights CRD and its drivers from Ghana, an emerging African economy. To the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to undertake a longitudinal study on social and environmental disclosures of listed companies in Ghana against the Global Reporting Initiative and to determine the effect of IFRS adoption in Ghana on CRD.
Root traits are related to plant water‐use among rangeland Mediterranean species
Authors: Fort Florian , Volaire Florence , Guilioni Lydie , Barkaoui Karim , Navas Marie‐Laure , Roumet Catherine
Published: April 2017

Understanding the water‐use of plants is timely under increasing drought stress due to climate change. Despite the crucial role of roots in water uptake, relationships between water‐use and root traits are seldom considered.

Combining a functional trait‐based approach with a water balance model, we tested whether root functional traits are related to spatial and temporal water‐use among 12 Mediterranean rangeland species grown in common garden monocultures. Soil water content was monitored for 10 months, and the dynamics of water uptake of each species was modelled at a daily time step. Root functional traits were measured at two soil depths (shallow and deep soil).

Species with fast resource acquisition strategies in shallow soil, i.e. thin roots, maximised water uptake in a short period and consumed large amounts of water during periods of low water availability. Conversely, species with a more conservative root strategy, i.e. coarse roots, took up less water during the peak‐growing season, maintained water uptake over a longer period of time and consumed less water during periods of low water availability. Deep root traits are strongly related to species’ ability to take up water from deep soil. Deep roots with large diameters and low specific root length improve species’ ability to reach water from deep soil. Biomass investment in the deep soil layer was positively related to the amount of water consumed during periods of low water availability.

Our results highlight that root functional traits influence a range of spatial and temporal water‐use among Mediterranean rangeland species. They account for the amount of water taken up during dry periods but not during the entire growing season.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Effects of biological legacies and herbivory on fuels and flammability traits: A long‐term experimental study of alternative stable states
Authors: Blackhall Melisa , Raffaele Estela , Paritsis Juan , Tiribelli Florencia , Morales Juan M. , Kitzberger Thomas , Gowda Juan H. , Veblen Thomas T.
Published: April 2017

Ecological memory, often determined by the extent and type of retained biological legacies present following disturbance, may produce persistent landscape patterns. However, after fire, the persistence or switch to an alternative state may depend on the complex interplay of ecological memory (biological legacies) and potential effects of new external factors influencing the post‐fire environment. The current study assesses both the strength of ecological memory resulting from biological legacies of pre‐burn vegetation types as well as post‐fire effects of livestock.

Following a severe fire in 1999, we set up a network of long‐term exclosures to examine the effects of legacies and cumulative herbivory by cattle on fuel types, amounts, distribution, flammability and microenvironmental conditions in two post‐fire communities representing alternative fire‐driven states: pyrophobic Nothofagus pumilio subalpine forests and pyrophytic Nothofagus antarctica tall shrublands in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina.

Our results show that the retained post‐disturbance legacies of tall shrublands and subalpine forests largely determine fuel and flammability traits of the post‐fire plant communities 16 years after fire. The importance of biological legacies retained from the unburned plant communities was reflected by the substantially higher amounts of total fine fuel, greater vertical and horizontal fuel continuity and the higher temperatures reached during experimental tissue combustion at post‐fire shrubland compared to post‐fire forest sites.

We show that herbivores may produce antagonistic effects on flammability by decreasing tissue ignitability, total fine fuel and litter depth, and disrupting the vertical and horizontal fine fuel continuity, therefore reducing the probability of fire propagation. However, cattle can increase ratios of dead to live fine fuels, reduce soil moisture, and inhibit tree height growth to canopy size, consequently impeding the development of a closed pyrophobic forest canopy.

Synthesis. Our results support the hypothesis that biological legacies, most importantly the dominance by pyrophytic woody plants that resprout vigorously vs. the dominance by pyrophobic obligate seeders, favour fuel and flammability characteristics at the community level which reinforce the mechanisms maintaining pyrophytic shrublands vs. pyrophobic forests. Herbivory by introduced cattle can partially blur sharp pyrophobic/pyrophytic state boundaries by promoting the development of novel post‐fire transitional states.