bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finding Resolution for the Responsible Transparency of Economic Models in Health and Medicine
Authors: Padula William V. , McQueen Robert Brett , Pronovost Peter J.
Published: October 2017

The Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine recommendations for conduct, methodological practices, and reporting of cost-effectiveness analyses has a number of questions unanswered with respect to the implementation of transparent, open source code interface for economic models. The possibility of making economic model source code could be positive and progressive for the field; however, several unintended consequences of this system should be first considered before complete implementation of this model. First, there is the concern regarding intellectual property rights that modelers have to their analyses. Second, the open source code could make analyses more accessible to inexperienced modelers, leading to inaccurate or misinterpreted results. We propose several resolutions to these concerns. The field should establish a licensing system of open source code such that the model originators maintain control of the code use and grant permissions to other investigators who wish to use it. The field should also be more forthcoming towards the teaching of cost-effectiveness analysis in medical and health services education so that providers and other professionals are familiar with economic modeling and able to conduct analyses with open source code. These types of unintended consequences need to be fully considered before the field’s preparedness to move forward into an era of model transparency with open source code.
Postoperative care after tonsillectomy: what's the evidence?
Authors: Carpenter Patrick , Hall Daniel , Meier Jeremy D.
Published: October 2017

Purpose of review

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the current literature regarding postoperative management after tonsillectomy in children.

Recent findings

Controversy remains regarding the ideal medication regimen to manage pain after tonsillectomy. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are routinely used, although concerns of more severe postoperative hemorrhage with ibuprofen remain. Narcotics are prescribed commonly, but with extreme caution in children with severe obstructive sleep apnea. Although not always utilized by the authors, additional adjunctive medications such as perioperative dexamethasone, ketamine, and local infiltration of lidocaine into tonsillar pillars may decrease postoperative pain. Systematic reviews have shown that dexamethasone does not increase risk of posttonsillectomy bleeding.

Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures performed on children and may have significant morbidity from postoperative pain and bleeding. Managing pain remains challenging and the optimal treatment regimen has not been definitively identified. Many medications and alternative therapies have been studied and suggest possible benefit.
Test-Retest Reliability of an Experienced Global Trigger Tool Review Team
Authors: Bjørn Brian , Anhøj Jacob , Østergaard Mette , Kodal Anne Marie , von Plessen Christian
Published: October 2017

Objectives

During a comprehensive patient safety program at a 550-bed regional hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark, we observed an unexpected and unexplained doubling of the median patient harm rate from 56 to 109 harms per 1000 patient days measured by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Global Trigger Tool (GTT). Meanwhile, other measures of patient safety, including hospital standardized mortality ratio, were stable or improving. Moreover, the review team was very experienced and stable during this period. Thus, we hypothesized that the increase in harm rate was not a true reflection of increased risk of patient harm but the result of the team getting better at identifying harms during GTT reviews.

Methods

We examined the ability of the GTT review team to reproduce the rate of harm of two separate periods in the same hospital: period 1 (January–June 2010) and period 2 (October 2011–March 2012). For each period, we examined two samples: the original sample that was drawn and used for the ongoing monitoring of harm at the hospital during the safety campaign and a second that we drew and analyzed for this study.

Results

We found increased harm rates both between review 1 and review 2 and between period 1 and period 2. The increase was solely in category E, minor temporary harm.

Conclusions

The very experienced GTT team could not reproduce harm rates found in earlier reviews. We conclude that GTT in its present form is not a reliable measure of harm rate over time.
Partner Notification for Youth Living With HIV in 14 Cities in the United States
Authors: van den Berg Jacob J. , Javanbakht Marjan , Gorbach Pamina M. , Rudy Bret J. , Westfall Andrew O. , Wilson Craig M. , Lally Michelle A. ,   The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions
Published: October 2017

Background:

Identifying factors associated with partner notification among youth living with HIV is critical for effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies.

Methods:

A total of 924 male and female behaviorally infected youth aged 13–24 across 14 U.S. cities completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview including questions about demographics and experiences with patient- and provider-referral partner notification.

Results:

The majority of participants self-identified as male (82.5%), Black/non-Hispanic (70.1%), and Hispanic/Latino (18.2%). Most males (93.4%) reported engaging in male-to-male sexual contact. Over three-quarters (77.6%) reported that all or some of their partners were contacted, while 22.4% indicated that none were contacted regarding potential HIV exposure. Most (52.4%) reported that only one person talked to them about notifying partners including the HIV tester (36.5%) followed by their health care provider/doctor (27.6%). Less than a fifth (18.3%) were themselves notified of their own exposure to HIV. Using multivariable logistic regression, 3 factors were associated with successful partner notification: (1) when more than one person talked to participants about partner notification (AOR = 1.87, 1.33–2.62); (2) if they themselves had been notified of their own HIV exposure (AOR = 1.83, 1.13–2.95); and (3) if their education included some college or technical school versus less than high school (AOR = 1.72, 1.04–2.85).

Conclusions:

Partner notification among youth living with HIV is unsuccessful at least 22.4% of the time, although minimal criteria for partner services are being met almost universally. Partner notification might benefit from enhanced guidelines that call for both HIV testers and HIV care providers to discuss this important strategy with HIV-positive youth.
Cleft Lip and Palate: Demographic Patterns and the Associated Communication Disorders
Authors: Alfwaress Firas S. D. , Khwaileh Fadwa A. , Rawashdeh Ma’amon A. , Alomari Mahmoud A. , Nazzal Mohammad S.
Published: October 2017

Purpose:

This study investigated demographical characteristics, health status, and associated communication disorders in patients with orofacial clefts (OFCs) in Northern Jordan.

Methods:

A retrospective study of 226 cleft patients and their families was carried out between March 2012 and September 2016 at the Speech and Hearing Clinic and the Maxillofacial Center at King Abdullah University Hospital. Data were collected by interviewing patients and caregivers, having patients or caregiver to complete a questionnaire and reviewing the patient's medical records. The frequencies of OFC type, demographic, health status, and communication disorders variables were calculated. χ
2 analysis was used to test for significance of associated demographic and communication disorders variables with OFC type.

Results:

Results revealed higher percentage of males compared with female patients. The majority of OFC patients were born to families who lived in urban areas, obtained high school diploma or lower educational level, lived below poverty cutoff, and showed nonconsanguineous marriages. Most mothers took the prescribed pregnancy supplements. Only one-third of the families received health education and reported other incidences of OFCs. Twenty percent of the patients had other congenital anomalies, 80% experienced dysphagia prior to the cleft repair, dropped to 14% after the repair. Higher percentage of patients with isolated cleft palate and cleft lip and palate exhibited hearing loss, hypernasality, articulation and phonological disorders, and dysphagia compared with those with cleft lip only. None of the demographic variables was associated with OFC type.

Conclusions:

Data suggested that families who had children with OFCs displayed poor socioeconomic status and low educational level which may impede the delivery of health education by health practitioners. Increased risk of comorbid communication disorders and malformations in OFC patients must be emphasized and disseminated to health professionals involved in the management of patients with OFC.
Silicone Facial Prosthesis: A Preliminary Report on Silicone Adhesion to Magnet
Authors: Kim Soung Min , Cho Yun Ju , Eo Mi Young , Kim Jong Sic , Lee Suk Keun
Published: October 2017

Although a silicone facial prosthesis has many advantages, silicone's limited cementation with resin or metal has caused many maxillofacial reconstructive surgeons and prosthodontists concern regarding the use of silicone-based facial prostheses. This study demonstrates 1 representative silicone facial prosthesis patient with magnet cementation to silicone using plastic clay, which will be applied to various maxillofacial prosthesis strategies in the near future.
Heme Oxygenase-1 Protects the Liver from Septic Injury by Modulating TLR4-Mediated Mitochondrial Quality Control in Mice
Authors: Park Jin-Sook , Choi Hyo-Sun , Yim So-Yeon , Lee Sun-Mee
Published: October 2017

Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Mitochondrial quality control (QC) is characterized by self-recovering mitochondrial damage through mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, and fission/fusion. Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts as a signaling molecule to modulate inflammation. The present study elucidated the cytoprotective mechanisms of HO-1 in sepsis, particularly focusing on toll-like receptor (TLR)4-mediated mitochondrial QC. Mice were subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The mice were injected intraperitoneally with hemin (10 mg/kg) at 12 h before CLP or zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP; 30 mg/kg) at 2 h before CLP. The serum and tissues were collected 6 h after CLP. Mortality, MODS, and proinflammatory cytokines increased in septic mice. These increases were augmented by ZnPP but attenuated by hemin. Hemin decreased mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Hemin enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, as indicated by increased levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Hemin also enhanced mitophagy, as indicated by decreased PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) level and increased Parkin level. Hemin decreased fission-related protein, dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), and increased fusion-related protein, mitofusin 2. Hemin attenuated the increased TLR4 expression. TAK-242, a TLR4 antagonist, attenuated mortality, inflammatory response, and impaired mitochondrial QC. Our findings suggest that HO-1 attenuates septic injury by modulating TLR4-mediated mitochondrial QC.
[18F]-THK5351 PET Imaging in Patients With Semantic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia
Authors: Lee Hyon , Seo Seongho , Lee Sang-Yoon , Jeong Hye Jin , Woo Sung-Ho , Lee Kyoung-Min , Lee Yeong-Bae , Park Kee Hyung , Heo Jae-Hyeok , Yoon Cindy W. , Kang Jae Myeong , Cho Jaelim , Okamura Nobuyuki , Furumoto Shozo , Yanai Kazuhiko , Na Duk L. , Ido Tatsuo , Villemagne Victor L. , Noh Young
Published: October 2017

Background:

Semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) has been associated with a variety of proteinopathies, mainly transactive response DNA-binding protein, but also with tau and β-amyloid. Recently selective tau tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) have been developed to determine the presence of cerebral tau deposits in vivo. Here, we investigated the topographical distribution of THK5351 in svPPA patients.

Materials and Methods:

Five svPPA patients, 14 Alzheimer’s disease patients, and 15 age-matched normal controls underwent [18F]-THK5351 PET scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and detailed neuropsychological tests. [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose PET was obtained in 3 svPPA patients, whereas the remaining 2 underwent amyloid PET using [18F]-flutemetamol. Tau distribution among the 3 groups was compared using regions of interest–based and voxel-based statistical analyses.

Results:

In svPPA patients, [18F]-THK5351 retention was elevated in the anteroinferior and lateral temporal cortices compared with the normal controls group (left>right), and in the left inferior and temporal polar region compared with Alzheimer’s disease patients. [18F]-THK5351 retention inversely correlated with glucose metabolism, whereas regional THK retention correlated with clinical severity. [18F]-flutemetamol scans were negative for β-amyloid.

Conclusions:

These findings show that [18F]-THK5351 retention may be detected in cortical regions correlating with svPPA pathology.
Predictors of Electroconvulsive Therapy Use in a Large Inpatient Psychiatry Population
Authors: Knight Julia , Jantzi Micaela , Hirdes John , Rabinowitz Terry
Published: October 2017

Objective

There is limited research on reliable and clinically useful predictors of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) use. We aimed to examine factors that predict ECT use in an inpatient psychiatric population.

Design

Retrospective analysis of provincial database for inpatient psychiatry.

Methods

This study is a retrospective analysis of a provincial database for inpatient psychiatry. The study includes all psychiatric inpatients 18 years or older in Ontario, Canada, assessed with the Resident Assessment Instrument for Mental Health (RAI-MH) within the first 3 days of admission between 2009 and 2014 (n = 153,023). The RAI-MH is a validated assessment tool which includes a breadth of information on symptoms, self-harm, functioning, social support, comorbid medical diagnoses, and risk appraisal. Multivariable analyses were performed using SAS.

Results

One hundred forty-five thousand seven hundred (95.2%) of patients admitted had no history of ECT treatment and were not scheduled to receive ECT. A total of 7323 (or 4.8% of the patient population) had either a history of ECT use or were scheduled to receive ECT. Overall rate of ECT use was highest in patients with a provisional diagnosis of mood disorder (7.2%) compared with schizophrenia/other psychotic disorder (3.1%) or substance-related disorder (1.7%). Women were more likely to receive ECT compared with men (overall rates of ECT use 6.2% and 3.4%, respectively). Overall rate of ECT use increased significantly with increasing age. Number of prior hospitalizations was also a strong predictor of ECT use. Conversely, patients with elevated Risk of Harm to Others, schizophrenia, or a substance use disorder were all significantly less likely to receive ECT. All variables examined were statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Higher Severity of Self Harm Scores predicted past use, but not scheduled use of ECT.

Conclusions

This is the largest study to date on predictors of ECT use. Utilization of RAI-MH is a novel and clinically useful method for evaluating predictors of ECT use. Predictors of ECT use within an inpatient population include: presence of a mood disorder, female sex, older age, low risk of harm to others, number of lifetime hospitalizations, lack of substance use disorder, and inability to care for self.
A bioinspired study on the compressive resistance of helicoidal fibre structures
Authors: Tan Ting , Ribbans Brian
Published: October 2017

Helicoidal fibre structures are widely observed in natural materials. In this paper, an integrated experimental and analytical approach was used to investigate the compressive resistance of helicoidal fibre structures. First, helicoidal fibre-reinforced composites were created using three-dimensionally printed helicoids and polymeric matrices, including plain, ring-reinforced and helix-reinforced helicoids. Then, load–displacement curves under monotonic compression tests were collected to measure the compressive strengths of helicoidal fibre composites. Fractographic characterization was performed using an X-ray microtomographer and scanning electron microscope, through which crack propagations in helicoidal structures were illustrated. Finally, mathematical modelling was performed to reveal the essential fibre architectures in the compressive resistance of helicoidal fibre structures. This work reveals that fibre–matrix ratios, helix pitch angles and interlayer rotary angles are critical to the compressive resistance of helicoidal structures.
32-week premature rupture of membranes caused by oropharyngeal microbiota
Authors: Hidalgo-Chicharro Alberto , Abad-Torreblanca Raquel , Navarro-Marí José María , Gutiérrez-Fernández José
Published: October 2017

Introduction. Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) usually has a multifactorial etiology that is often unknown, although the most frequently reported cause is infection by group B Streptococcus. Therefore, the etiology of PPROM, although probably infectious, remains unknown in most cases. This case describes a PPROM caused by infection from oropharyngeal microbiota.

Case presentation. We report the case of a 26-yr-old pregnant woman. The gestational age was 32 weeks+5 days. Examinations in the emergency department revealed the release of clear amniotic fluid and a closed multiparous cervix with a length of 22 mm. Endocervical culture evidenced the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae.

Conclusion. Preventive antibiotic therapy should consider: opportunistic infections by normal genital microbiota, infections due to sexual activity, opportunist microorganisms derived from oral sex, and the hematogenous spread of oral bacteria.
An agent-based model of the Foraging Ascomycete Hypothesis
Authors: Thomas Daniel , Vandegrift Roo , Roy Bitty
Published: October 2017

Most trees host hundreds of species of fungi asymptomatically in their internal tissues, known collectively as fungal endophytes. The Foraging Ascomycete (FA) hypothesis proposes that some fungal endophytes inhabit the internal leaf tissue of forest trees in order to enhance dispersal to substrates on the forest floor, by using leaves as vectors and as refugia during periods of environmental stress. This dispersal strategy has been termed viaphytism. Following the FA hypothesis, many fungi may therefore be in continuous and cyclical flux between life stages as endophytes in the forest canopy and as wood-decomposing fungi on the forest floor. This cycle may represent a very common and previously-ignored process in the ecology of forests, with implications for forest health. The ecological consequences of the FA hypothesis are complex, so we constructed an agent-based model of the FA hypothesis. Our model is intended to serve as both an explicit conceptual explanation of the FA hypothesis, and as an exploration of the conditions in which a strategy of endophytism accompanied by leaf dispersal may be advantageous for fungi. In a scenario of a viaphytic fungal species on a model forest landscape, without fungal competitors, viaphytism is predicted to be a plausible alternative to dispersal to substrates by spores alone, allowing the fungus to persist reliably on the landscape. In a scenario that allows competition from aggressively dispersed non-viaphytic fungi, the model predicts some competitive benefits to fungal dispersal via leaves. However, these benefits are conditional, requiring sufficient retention through time of endophyte infections by host trees, and sufficient host trees on the landscape. In the model, loss of these fungal populations can result from increased local disturbances of forest canopy, and deforestation.
Actin and Src-family kinases regulate nuclear YAP1 and its export
Authors: Ege Nil , Dowbaj Anna M , Jiang Ming , Howell Michael , Jenkins Robert P , Sahai Erik
Published: October 2017

The transcriptional regulator YAP1 is critical for the pathological activation of fibroblasts. In normal fibroblasts YAP1 is predominantly located in the cytoplasm, while in activated cancer-associated fibroblasts it exhibits nuclear localization and promotes the expression of many genes required for pro-tumorigenic functions. Here, we investigate the dynamics of YAP1 shuttling in normal and activated fibroblasts, using EYFP-YAP1, quantitative photo-bleaching methods, and mathematical modeling. We find that both 14-3-3 and TEAD binding modulate YAP1 shuttling, but neither affects nuclear import. Instead, we find that YAP1 serine phosphorylation is required for nuclear export. Furthermore, YAP1 nuclear accumulation in activated fibroblasts results from Src and actomyosin-dependent suppression of phosphorylated YAP1 export. Finally, we show that nuclear constrained YAP1, upon XPO1 depletion, remains sensitive to blockade of actomyosin function. Together, these data place nuclear export at the center of YAP1 regulation and indicate that the cytoskeleton can regulate YAP1 within the nucleus.
Quantifying the regulatory effect size of cis-acting genetic variation using allelic fold change
Authors: Mohammadi Pejman , Castel Stephane E. , Brown Andrew A. , Lappalainen Tuuli
Published: October 2017

Mapping cis-acting expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTL) has become a popular approach for characterizing proximal genetic regulatory variants. In this paper, we describe and characterize log allelic fold change (aFC), the magnitude of expression change associated with a given genetic variant, as a biologically interpretable unit for quantifying the effect size of cis-eQTLs and a mathematically convenient approach for systematic modeling of cis-regulation. This measure is mathematically independent from expression level and allele frequency, additive, applicable to multiallelic variants, and generalizable to multiple independent variants. We provide efficient tools and guidelines for estimating aFC from both eQTL and allelic expression data sets and apply it to Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx) data. We show that aFC estimates independently derived from eQTL and allelic expression data are highly consistent, and identify technical and biological correlates of eQTL effect size. We generalize aFC to analyze genes with two eQTLs in GTEx and show that in nearly all cases the two eQTLs act independently in regulating gene expression. In summary, aFC is a solid measure of cis-regulatory effect size that allows quantitative interpretation of cellular regulatory events from population data, and it is a valuable approach for investigating novel aspects of eQTL data sets.
Dual pillars of hotel restaurant food quality satisfaction and brand loyalty
Authors: Bihamta Hassan , Jayashree Sreenivasan , Rezaei Sajad , Okumus Fevzi , Rahimi Roya
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of service quality (physical quality and staff behaviour) and brand equity (brand quality, brand awareness and brand image) on hotel restaurant food quality satisfaction and brand loyalty among international and local travellers in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 354 valid questionnaires were collected to assess the measurement and structural model for reflective latent constructs using the two steps of covariance-based structural equation modelling.

Findings

The research findings suggest that while travellers’ nationality moderates the path between physical quality, staff behaviour and brand image on food quality satisfaction, it does not moderate the relationship between brand quality and brand awareness on food quality satisfaction. This finding further suggests that towards enhancing service quality and brand equity on food quality satisfaction and brand loyalty, managers should understand the important distinctions between international and local travellers.

Originality/value

Previous studies have mostly examined the impact of brand equity and service quality towards tourist satisfaction and very few studies have examined the impact of restaurant service quality and brand equity on consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty specifically among international and local travellers. This is one of the first few studies providing empirical evidence and discussions in this area.
Different shades of displeasure
Authors: Immonen Aino-Maria , Luomala Harri Tuomas
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the differential consequences of fear and anger for consumers’ responses to genetically modified (GM) foods, and to identify substantive concerns that differentiate consumers’ negative emotional responses into fear and anger in the GM food context.

Design/methodology/approach

With survey data obtained from university students (n=267), structural equation modeling is used to assess relationships between four types of consumer concerns about the genetic modification of food, fear and anger, and two types of consumer responses to GM food products.

Findings

Intentions to make complaints about GM foods are increased by anger, but reduced by fear. Readiness to use GM foods is reduced by fear, but not by anger. Fear is strengthened by health-related concerns, while anger is strengthened by market-related concerns associated with the genetic modification of food.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings is limited by the student sample. The study confirms the applicability of cognitive appraisal theories of emotion in the context of GM food consumption. The findings help GM food marketers and societal opinion influencers to identify consumers’ concerns that need to be addressed to manage consumers’ antagonistic or avoiding emotion-driven responses to GM foods.

Originality/value

This study is the first to show that discrete emotions of the same negative valence have distinct effects on consumer acceptance of GM foods, and to distinguish substantive concerns that in particular foster fear and anger in the GM food context.
Food taxes and calories purchased in the virtual supermarket: a preliminary study
Authors: Poelman Maartje , Kroeze Willemieke , Waterlander Wilma , de Boer Michiel , Steenhuis Ingrid
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of three food taxation schemes on energy (kcal), saturated fat (gram) and sugar (gram) purchased in the virtual supermarket.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, three food taxation schemes were developed (sugar tax, saturated fat tax and a nutrient profiling tax) and implemented in the three-dimensional virtual supermarket. A randomized control trial was conducted to determine the differences in the amount of energy (kcal), saturated fat (gram) and sugar (gram) purchased for a one-week food basket.

Findings

In total, 191 Dutch adults were randomly assigned to a sugar-tax condition (n=48), a saturated fat-tax condition (n=37), a nutrient profiling-tax condition (n=62) and a control (no-tax) condition (n=44). Fully adjusted models indicated that compared to the no-tax condition, no significant effects of a sugar-tax condition (B: −2,041 kcal (95% CI −5,350 to 1,914)), saturated fat-tax condition (B: −2,717 kcal (95% CI −6,596 to 1,163)) or nutrient profiling-tax condition (B: −1,124 kcal (95% CI −4,538 to 2,292)) were found on the amount of energy purchased. Also, none of the taxation schemes showed significant effects on saturated fat or sugar purchased.

Originality/value

This is one of the first randomized controlled trials testing the effectiveness of a variety of food taxes in the virtual supermarket. This preliminary study provides important directions for future research (the design, results, as well as the lessons learned with respect to recruitment, incentives and technology).
Differences in quality governance: the case of the Brazilian pork chain
Authors: Martins Franco Müller , Trienekens Jacques , Omta Onno
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between coordination mechanisms (CMs) and quality requirements used to support transactions in the Brazilian pork chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the transaction cost economics theory, the paper focuses on the alignment between CMs and quality requirements. The results were obtained by means of interviews (n=41) with public and private actors, including the main companies and other stakeholders in the Brazilian pork sector. The research addresses regulations, requirements of customers and supporting CMs used in different transaction contexts.

Findings

In the Brazilian pork sector, five transaction contexts can be distinguished: spot market, mini integration, singular cooperative, central cooperative and investor-owned firm. The chain actors apply different CMs to support a set of quality requirements which presents little diversity. The main quality requirements are driven by baseline public regulations. Besides, there are, in particular international, customers with more specific requirements. To support transactions, chain actors use different contracts in terms of resource allocation and price incentives.

Originality/value

Literature assumes alignment between governance structures (GSs) and quality standards. This paper further investigates this assumption by analyzing the relationships between CMs (underlying GSs) and quality requirements (underlying quality standards). The research findings show that similar quality requirements may well be supported by different CMs. It further gives indications on why different CMs are used to support a homogeneous set of requirements.
A multistage budgeting approach to the analysis of dairy demand in urban China
Authors: Wu Beibei , Chen Yongfu
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the elasticities of demand for different dairy products, such as fresh milk, powdered milk and yoghourt, in urban China.

Design/methodology/approach

The household survey data are drawn from the annual Urban Household Survey in a Chinese province from 2007 to 2009 by applying a three-stage budgeting approach with zero consumption.

Findings

The major findings show that fluid milk is the most popular dairy product among urban households in Guangdong province, China. Demand for fresh milk is price elastic with the highest value being −1.043, indicating that price-cutting promotion programs could be carried out by dairy enterprises to increase dairy consumption. With improvements in the living standards, the demand for dairy will lead to an expansion in the size of the dairy market and will simultaneously open up new development opportunities for dairy enterprises.

Originality/value

This study adopts an Almost Ideal Demand System model inserted into inverse Mills ratios in the third stage to resolve the common problem of obtaining censored data on zero consumption observations. The research findings will provide a reference for policy makers and for enterprises in developing some price-cutting promotion programs.
Does switching-intention result in a change in behaviour? Exploring the actual behavioural shopping patterns of switching-intended customers
Authors: Hino Hayiel
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between switching intention and actual behaviour in the grocery shopping context. In particular, the study examines how switching intention drives customers to either replace the current store or cross to others. In addition, the study examines the role of cross-shopping in total-switching behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs data collected from a sample consisting of 247 food grocery shoppers. The conceptual framework and hypothesis were analysed using the partial least squares approach.

Findings

The empirical results support the author’s claim that the research approach applied in this study better explains the switching intention–actual behaviour relationship. Specifically, the analysis provides strong support for the effect of switching intention and various moderating barriers on both cross-shopping and total-switching behaviour. Additionally, the study results point to the positive relationship between cross-shopping and total-switching, indicating that crossing to competing stores is the first step towards utilising the total-switching behaviour.

Practical implications

Implications for food retail providers are identified, together with a discussion of the study’s limitations and avenues for future research.

Originality/value

The study extends previous research in that it proposed and tested a conceptual framework for investigating the relationship between switching-intention and actual behaviour, claiming that switching intention drives customers to either replace their current store or cross to others, whereas the crossing pattern is a predictor of the total-switching behaviour.
Volume and value of postharvest losses: the case of tomatoes in Nepal
Authors: Gautam Shriniwas , Acedo Jr Antonio L. , Schreinemachers Pepijn , Subedi Bhishma P.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a straightforward method to quantify volume and value of postharvest losses in the tomato postharvest value chain in Nepal and estimate the monetary loss shouldered by value chain actors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study combines interview data to quantify volume and prices with produce sampling to quantify quality losses, and does this at four nodes of the tomato value chain in Nepal: farmers, collectors, wholesalers, and retailers to estimate volume and value of postharvest losses.

Findings

Almost one-fourth of the total tomato harvest weight that enters the value chain is lost before it reaches consumers, and other one-fifth is traded by the value chain actors at reduced price due to quality damage. The total volume of postharvest loss (weight and quality loss) is not the same for all value chain actors and the average monetary loss ranges from 4 percent of gross revenues for farmers to 12 percent for wholesalers.

Practical implications

A standard method to account for both physical weight losses and quality losses of horticultural produce is lacking in estimates of the monetary value of postharvest losses for horticultural crops. Knowing such losses is essential for postharvest technology generation, promotion, and adoption. This study provides a framework that can be adopted and improved in future loss assessment studies for estimating the volume and value of postharvest losses in a horticultural value chain.

Originality/value

The uniqueness of the method used in this study is that it combines interview data to estimate price and volume with produce sampling to quantify quality losses, and does this at four nodes of the value chain: farmers, collectors, wholesalers, and retailers. This method could become a standard approach for assessment of postharvest weight and quality losses and to estimate the monetary value of total postharvest losses in the value chain for horticultural crops.
Watch his deed or examine his words? Exploring the potential of the behavioral experiment method for collecting data to measure culture
Authors: W. Tang Ryan
Published: October 2017

Purpose

To address three issues of survey-based methods (i.e. the absence of behaviors, the reference inequivalence, and the lack of cross-cultural interaction), the purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of using the behavioral experiment method to collect cross-cultural data as well as the possibility of measuring culture with the experimental data. Moreover, challenges to this method and possible solutions are elaborated for intriguing further discussion on the use of behavioral experiments in international business/international management (IB/IM) research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper illustrates the merits and downside of the proposed method with an ultimate-game experiment conducted in a behavioral laboratory. The procedure of designing, implementing, and analyzing the behavioral experiment is delineated in detail.

Findings

The exploratory findings show that the ultimate-game experiment may observe participants’ behaviors with comparable references and allow for cross-cultural interaction. The findings also suggest that the fairness-related cultural value may be calibrated with the horizontal and vertical convergence of cross-cultural behaviors (i.e. people’s deed), and this calibration may be strengthened by incorporating complementary methods such as a background survey to include people’s words.

Originality/value

The behavioral experiment method illustrated and discussed in this study contributes to the IB/IM literature by addressing three methodological issues that are not widely recognized in the IB/IM literature.
“Don’t blame the shopkeeper!!”
Authors: Hayes Mick
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the impact of zoning and pooling on brands, something not covered in depth in the historical literature. Also, the paper is intended to present research into how brands in the food, drink and confectionery industries during the Second World War used advertising in response to the government control of the market.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a close reading and interpretation of food, drink and confectionery brands advertisements from the Daily Express and Daily Mirror newspapers across the Second World War. Building on the work by Burridge (2008), it explores different message strategies used by brands in response to shortages, zoning and pooling.

Findings

While rationing has been discussed at length in the historical literature, zoning and pooling have not been. While brands provided information to their customers about rationing, shortages, zoning and pooling, the latter three also caused brands to apologise, look to the future and urge patience.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on the Daily Express and Daily Mirror from August 1939 to September 1945. Further research could explore other publications or the period after the war as control continued. Exploration of brand and agency archives could also provide more background into brands’ objectives and decision-making.

Originality/value

This is the first research to explore the impact of forms of control other than rationing on advertising during the Second World War.
Showcasing the diversity of service research
Authors: Benoit Sabine , Scherschel Katrin , Ates Zelal , Nasr Linda , Kandampully Jay
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to make two main contributions: first, showcase the diversity of service research in terms of the variety of used theories and methods, and second, explain (post-publication) success of articles operationalized as interest in an article (downloads), usage (citations), and awards (best paper nomination). From there, three sub-contributions are derived: stimulate a dialogue about existing norms and practices in the service field, enable and encourage openness amongst service scholars, and motivate scholars to join the field.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed method approach is used in combining quantitative and qualitative research methods while analyzing 158Journal of Service Management(JOSM) articles on several criteria such as their theory, methodology, and main descriptive elements (e.g. number of authors or references) and then using automated text analysis (e.g. investigating the readability of articles, etc.).

Findings

The results show that theJOSMpublishes a large variety of articles with regard to theories, methods of data collection, and types of data analysis. For example,JOSMhas published a mixture of qualitative and quantitative articles and papers containing firm-level and customer-level data. Further, the results show that even though conceptual articles create the same amount of interest (downloads), they are used more (citations).

Research limitations/implications

This paper presents many descriptive results which do not allow for making inferences toward the entire service research discipline. Further, it is only based on one service research journal (JOSM) through a five-year span of publication.

Practical implications

The results have a number of implications for the discipline that are presented and discussed. Amongst them are that: the discipline should be more open toward conceptual articles, service research shows an imbalance toward theory testing, there is more potential to work with transactional data, and writing style should be more accessible (i.e. readable).

Originality/value

This paper is the first to conduct an in-depth analysis of service research articles to stimulate dialogue about common publishing practices in theJOSMand to increase the openness of the field.
Editorial: taking some novel advice
Authors: Baron Steve , Russell-Bennett Rebekah
Published: October 2017

Purpose

To demonstrate how techniques from creative writing can be used to develop interesting and insightful journal articles.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper aims to use the creative writing techniques related to style, theme and character development to offer advice for academic writers.

Findings

Authors should venture beyond the conventional writing techniques if they seek to produce a compelling, logical and original article that is appealing to an academic reader.

Originality/value

This research offers insight into the writing process for authors to assist them in understanding how to avoid submitting manuscripts that are uninteresting or difficult to read.
Giving back the “self” in self service: customer preferences in self-service failure recovery
Authors: Collier Joel E. , Breazeale Michael , White Allyn
Published: October 2017

Purpose

When a failure occurs with a self-service technology (SST), do customers want to give back the “self” in self-service? The authors explore employee’s role in a self-service failure and how the presence of other customers can change that role. Specifically, they examine how the self-monitoring of customers behavior during a failure can change recovery preferences.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from customers of a movie self-service ticket kiosk and a grocery self-checkout. Three experiments were conducted.

Findings

Results from these studies find that customers want employees to fully take over a transaction after a failure if it takes place in isolation. If other patrons are present or waiting in line, then customers prefer the employee to simply correct the problem and let them complete the transaction. Finally, the servicescape along with the presence of other customers in a self-service area can induce self-monitoring behaviors and alter optimal recovery strategies.

Research limitations/implications

These findings have implications on the appropriate amount of recovery assistance customers need in a self-service experience.

Practical implications

This research reveals the social and functional complexities associated with executing a satisfactory SST failure recovery, particularly with respect to determining the extent to which the employee or customer should control the attempt.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the employee’s role in a self-service failure. While other studies have examined customers’ intentions in a self-service failure, authors examine how a service provider can assist in the recovery of a self-service failure.
The productive service employee: personality, stress, satisfaction and performance
Authors: Harris Eric G. , Fleming David E.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to more closely examine the trait antecedents and outcomes of frontline employee productivity propensity. The study is the first to use a job demands-resources perspective on productivity propensity and it reveals that the inclusion of the construct into service worker personality studies significantly improves the explanatory ability of hypothesized models.

Design/methodology/approach

The study follows a job demands-resources perspective and uses an empirical study that included two subsamples: banking and health care. Path analyses were performed using two-group modeling to test the hypotheses. Mediation and hierarchical regressions were also used.

Findings

The findings indicate that the conscientiousness trait has a consistent effect on productivity propensity. More importantly, the findings reveal that productivity propensity influences role ambiguity, job satisfaction and self-rated service performance and that the addition of the construct into personality studies significantly improves the explanatory ability of personality models.

Research limitations/implications

This study presents further evidence that productivity propensity is an important construct in services research. Beyond previously established influences on bottom-line service productivity and manager-rated work performance, the current work indicates that it also influences FLE stress, engagement and work outcomes.

Practical implications

Managers work under pressures to ensure service productivity and are well aware of the importance of selecting job applicants who will fit the service role. This study provides additional evidence that the productivity propensity work resource should be considered when selecting employees. The work also suggests that customer workload and the standardization of the service environment impacts the influence of productivity propensity on service outcomes.

Social implications

Given the importance of transformative service experiences that uplift the experiences of consumers and employees, the productivity propensity of frontline service employees not only impacts the ability of the employee to satisfy customer needs, but also leads the employee to experience increased job satisfaction.

Originality/value

This work is the first work to consider the effects of productivity propensity from a job demands-resources perspective and, as such, the first to examine the influence of the construct on job satisfaction and service delivery.
Trainee programs: an emerging model on psychological contract reciprocity
Authors: Jonsson Linnea , Thorgren Sara
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a deeper understanding of the organization-trainee relationship through a psychological contract lens, by exploring the psychological contract between the trainee and organization during and after the program and what factors may account for contract reciprocity.

Design/methodology/approach

Inductive qualitative study design.

Findings

Data suggested that factors accounting for contract reciprocity during the program included: trainees’ responsibilities, trainees’ personal and professional development, trainees’ commitment, trainees’ delivery, and managerial and supervisory support. Factors identified accounting for contract reciprocity after individuals completed the program were: career opportunities, future-oriented dialogue between former trainees and managers, wage-setting, job tasks, and working conditions.

Originality/value

This exploratory research is original in that it identifies different factors accounting for the reciprocity during and after the program, and how this may be particularly relevant when talents are recruited externally to specifically participate in the program.