bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A General Lack of IgG Against Pertussis Toxin in Chinese Pregnant Women and Newborns
Authors: Meng Qing-hong , Luo Jie , Yang Fan , Shen Ying-jie , Li Li , Li Li-jun , Shi Wei , Wang Ya-juan , Yao Kai-hu
Published: February 2018

Background:

To investigate the level of pertussis-related antibodies in pregnant women and newborns.

Methods:

A total of 286 serum samples from healthy pregnant women and 221 cord samples from newborns were collected in 2016 in Beijing. A routine blood sample from pregnant women was obtained at 35 weeks of gestational age, and cord samples were collected in 20 minutes after delivery. The values from cord samples were used as the infant values. Anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG concentration was measured by ELISA (Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany) using purified PT as a coating antigen. Newborns with anti-PT IgG ≤40 IU/mL in cord samples were considered to be unprotected against pertussis. Anti-PT IgG ≥100 IU/mL was considered to be indicative of a recent pertussis infection in pregnant women.

Results:

The anti-PT IgG concentration below the lower limit of detection (<5 IU/mL) occurred in 74.1% (212/286) of pregnant women and 66.5% (147/221) of newborns. Even with detectable anti-PT antibodies, the majority of pregnant women (79.7%, 59/74) and newborns (73.0%, 54/74) had antibody level of 5 to <20 IU/mL, and 13.5% (10/74) of pregnant and 14.9% (11/74) of newborns had antibody level of 20 to <40 IU/mL. The 75% percentiles for anti-PT IgG of pregnant women and newborns were 5.08 and 6.98 IU/mL, respectively. The prevalence of unprotected newborns as defined by anti-PT IgG ≤40 IU/mL was 95.9% (202/211). The prevalence of recent pertussis infection in pregnant women as defined by anti-PT IgG ≥100 was 0.7% (2/286).

Conclusions:

The pregnant women and newborns were generally lack of protective antibody and are vulnerable to pertussis in Beijing, China. Although acellular pertussis vaccine is administrated in infancy in China, a booster vaccination to pregnant women should be considered for protecting young infants who are too young to start pertussis vaccination.
Rehabilitation Reduced Readmission and Mortality Risks in Patients With Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Chang Ku-Chou , Hung Jen-Wen , Lee Hsuei-Chen , Yen Chu-Ling , Wu Ching-Yi , Yang Chung-Lin , Huang Yu-Ching , Lin Pei-Li , Wang Hui-Hsuan
Published: February 2018

Background:

It remains unclear whether rehabilitation has an impact on reducing the long-term risk of mortality or readmission following stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Objectives:

To investigate the association between the dosage and continuation of rehabilitation and the risk of outcome events (OEs) after stroke or TIA.

Research Design:

A retrospective cohort study using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database.

Subjects:

In total, 4594 patients admitted with first-ever acute stroke or TIA were followed-up for 32 months.

Measures:

The occurrence of 3 OEs: (1) vascular readmissions/all-cause mortality [vascular event (VE)], (2) all-cause readmissions/mortality (OE1), and (3) all-cause mortality (OE2), in model 1: none, low-intensity, and high-intensity rehabilitation; and model 2: inpatient plus/or outpatient rehabilitation.

Results:

Comparing with patients without rehabilitation, in model 1, patients receiving low-intensity rehabilitation had a lower risk of VE [Hazard ratio (HR), 0.77; 95% CI, 0.68–0.87] and OE1 (HR, 0.77; CI, 0.71–0.84), but not OE2 (HR, 0.91; CI, 0.77–1.07). Patients receiving high-intensity rehabilitation had lower risks of all VE (HR, 0.68; CI, 0.58–0.79), OE1 (HR, 0.79; CI, 0.71–0.88), and OE2 (HR, 0.56; CI, 0.44–0.71). In model 2, patients receiving inpatient plus outpatient rehabilitation had a lowest risk of VE (HR, 0.55; CI, 0.47–0.65), OE1 (HR, 0.65; CI, 0.58–0.72), and OE2 (HR, 0.45; CI, 0.35–0.59). Sensitivity analysis with TIA excluded rendered the similar trend. Subgroup analyses found that the positive effect was not demonstrated in hemorrhagic stroke patients.

Conclusions:

Rehabilitation use was associated with reduction of readmissions/mortality risks following stroke or TIA. The optimal intensity and duration of rehabilitation and the discrepancy shown in hemorrhagic stroke need further clarification.
Downward Trend in Pediatric Resident Laryngoscopy Participation in PICUs
Authors: Gabrani Aayush , Kojima Taiki , Sanders Ronald C. , Shenoi Asha , Montgomery Vicki , Parsons Simon J. , Gangadharan Sandeep , Nett Sholeen , Napolitano Natalie , Tarquinio Keiko , Simon Dennis W. , Lee Anthony , Emeriaud Guillaume , Adu-Darko Michelle , Giuliano John S. , Meyer Keith , Graciano Ana Lia , Turner David A. , Krawiec Conrad , Bakar Adnan M. , Polikoff Lee A. , Parker Margaret , Harwayne-Gidansky Ilana , Crulli Benjamin , Vanderford Paula , Breuer Ryan K. , Gradidge Eleanor , Branca Aline , Grater-Welt Lily B. , Tellez David , Wright Lisa V. , Pinto Matthew , Nadkarni Vinay , Nishisaki Akira
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

As of July 2013, pediatric resident trainee guidelines in the United States no longer require proficiency in nonneonatal tracheal intubation. We hypothesized that laryngoscopy by pediatric residents has decreased over time, with a more pronounced decrease after this guideline change.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Twenty-five PICUs at various children’s hospitals across the United States.

Patients:

Tracheal intubations performed in PICUs from July 2010 to June 2016 in the multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children).

Intervention:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Prospective cohort study in which all primary tracheal intubations occurring in the United States from July 2010 to June 2016 in the multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) were analyzed. Participating PICU leaders were also asked to describe their local airway management training for residents. Resident participation trends over time, stratified by presence of a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship and airway training curriculum for residents, were described. A total of 9,203 tracheal intubations from 25 PICUs were reported. Pediatric residents participated in 16% of tracheal intubations as first laryngoscopists: 14% in PICUs with a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship and 34% in PICUs without one (p < 0.001). Resident participation decreased significantly over time (3.4% per year; p < 0.001). The decrease was significant in ICUs with a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship (p < 0.001) but not in ICUs without one (p = 0.73). After adjusting for site-level clustering, patient characteristics, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship presence, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education guideline change was not associated with lower participation by residents (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.59–1.24; p = 0.43). The downward trend of resident participation was similar regardless of the presence of an airway curriculum for residents.

Conclusion:

Laryngoscopy by pediatric residents has substantially decreased over time. This downward trend was not associated with the 2013 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education change in residency requirements.
Epidemiology of Pediatric Critical Care Transport in Northern Alberta and the Western Arctic
Authors: Kawaguchi Atsushi , Nielsen Charlene C. , G. Guerra Gonzalo , Saunders L. Duncan , Yasui Yutaka , DeCaen Allan
Published: February 2018

Objective:

Specialized pediatric critical care transport teams are essential to pediatric retrieval systems. This study aims to describe the contemporary transports performed by a Canadian pediatric critical care transport team and to compare the treatment and outcomes of children referred from high-level care (hospitals offering pediatric services where an adult ICU exists) and nonhigh-level care (all other hospitals) hospitals.

Design:

A descriptive cohort study.

Setting:

The Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Western Canada.

Patients:

Children younger than 17 years old transported by the transport team from referral hospitals within the Stollery Children’s Hospital catchment area to Stollery Children’s Hospital between 1998 and 2015.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Characteristics of transports, patient demographics presenting vital signs, and outcomes were described overall and compared by transport-related time and referral hospital types (high-level care and nonhigh-level care). In total, 3,352 transports met the inclusion criteria; 1,049 were retrieved from eight high-level care hospitals and 2,303 from 53 nonhigh-level care hospitals; the median one-way transport distance was 383 kilometers, and 70% of the transports were air transports. The annual number of transports has increased during the study period. The PICU admission rate was between 40% and 55%. Transports from high-level care hospitals had significantly higher odds of being admitted to the PICU (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.31–2.93). The odds of intubation at the referral hospital were higher in the high-level care group, but the odds of intubation upon PICU admission was similar between the two groups. Mortality during or after transport was not significantly different between high-level care and nonhigh-level care hospitals.

Conclusions:

The current transport system has multiple priorities with regard to efficiency and quality. The medical services at referral hospitals may affect the likelihood of PICU admission and subsequent PICU length of stay; however, no negative impact was observed in other outcomes including mortality.
Optimal Insertion Depth for Endotracheal Tubes in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants
Authors: Leung Cheung
Published: February 2018

Objective:

To determine the optimal endotracheal tube insertion depth in extremely low-birth-weight infants based on the association between endotracheal tube depth and gestational age, body weight, body length, and head and chest circumferences at birth.

Design:

Retrospective chart review.

Setting:

Neonatal ICU at a medical center.

Patients:

Fifty-two hospitalized extremely low-birth-weight infants in our neonatal ICU.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Data regarding gestational age, body weight, body length (crown–heel length), head and chest circumferences, and final endotracheal tube depth were retrieved from the medical records of 52 newborn infants weighing less than or equal to 1,000 g at birth (boys, 29; girls, 23). The mean gestational age was 25.1 (range, 22–32) weeks, and the mean body weight was 724.5 (range, 400–1,000) g. Of the endotracheal tubes used, 3%, 87%, and 10% of endotracheal tubes were of size 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant association between endotracheal tube depth and gestational age, body weight, body length, head, and chest circumferences (p < 0.001). Body weight had the highest coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.497), followed by body length (0.458), with all other variables having values of less than 0.4.

Conclusions:

In extremely low-birth-weight infants, a linear association exists between endotracheal tube insertion depth and gestational age, body weight, body length, chest, and head circumferences at birth. Although body weight is the most accurate method for predicting endotracheal tube insertion depth, body length is also appropriate and is more favorable than body weight in delivery room resuscitation. Although no substitute for radiologic confirmation exists, a tape measure that can convert body length to endotracheal tube depth may be helpful.
Intravenous Thrombolysis at 3.5 Hours From Onset of Pediatric Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Waring Elizabeth D. , Milling Truman J. , Warach Steven
Published: February 2018

Acute thrombolysis has a proven benefit for adults presenting with acute ischemic stroke, but data within the pediatric population are extremely limited. We report the case of a 14-year-old girl who presented with right-sided weakness and ataxia, loss of sensation, and altered mental status. Magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted imaging showed an acute lesion in the distribution of the left posterior cerebral artery, and magnetic resonance angiogram demonstrated occlusion of the third branch of the left posterior cerebral artery. With parental consent, clinicians decided to infuse an adult dose of weight-adjusted intravenous alteplase at 3.5 hours from onset of symptoms, with subsequent improvement in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score from 11 to 3. Computed tomography angiogram at 24 hours showed recanalization of the occluded vessel with no evidence of intracranial hemorrhage. Stroke Scale score at discharge was 3, with modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge of 1 and at 90 days of 0. This case highlights the importance of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing pediatric acute ischemic stroke and suggests consideration of thrombolysis in select confirmed pediatric stroke cases. However, a rigorous evidence base is lacking, and clinical trials have not been successful in recruiting patients.
MÖNCH detector enables fast and low-dose free-propagation phase-contrast computed tomography ofin situmouse lungs
Authors: Dullin Christian , Albers Jonas , Tromba Giuliana , Andrä Marie , Ramilli Marco , Bergamaschi Anna
Published: February 2018

Due to the complexity of the underlying pathomechanism,in vivomouse lung-disease models continue to be of great importance in preclinical respiratory research. Longitudinal studies following the cause of a disease or evaluating treatment efficacy are of particular interest but challenging due to the small size of the mouse lung and the fast breathing rate. Synchrotron-based in-line phase-contrast computed tomography imaging has been successfully applied in lung research in various applications, but mostly at dose levels that forbid longitudinalin vivostudies. Here, the novel charge-integrating hybrid detector MÖNCH is presented, which enables imaging of mouse lungs at a pixel size of 25 µm, in less than 10 s and with an entrance dose of about 70 mGy, which therefore will allow longitudinal lung disease studies to be performed in mouse models.
Optically active derivatives of terephthalic acid: four crystal structures from two powder patterns
Authors: Veselovsky Vladimir V. , Lozanova Antonina V. , Isaeva Vera I. , Lobova Anna A. , Fitch Andrew N. , Chernyshev Vladimir V.
Published: February 2018

A novel important class of nanoporous crystalline solids, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), composed of organic ligands (linkers) and metal ions, is now considered as a platform for the development of various functional hybrid materials. In order to design new MOF-based asymmetric catalysts, two terephthalic acid derivatives, namely 2-{[1-(1-tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-prolyl]amino}terephthalic acid, C18H22N2O7, (1), and 2-(L-prolylamino)terephthalic acid, C13H14N2O5, (2), which could find potential applications as chiral linkers for the construction of enantioselective MOFs, were synthesized and their powder samples were measured at synchrotron station ID22 (ESRF). Each sample contained two unknown crystalline phases, so four new crystal structures were determined, namely, the 2.24-hydrate of (1), (1a) (space groupC2221), and the 2.08-hydrate of (1), (1b) (P2221), which are crystallohydrates, and two polymorphs of (2),i.e.(2a) (C2221) and (2b) (P212121), and were validated with DFT-d (dispersion-corrected density functional theory) optimizations.
Perhaps the Dodo should have accounted for human beings? Accounts of humanity and (its) extinction
Authors: Gray Rob , Milne Markus J.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer a counter-narrative to accounts of specific species extinction. The authors place humanity’s ways of organising at the core and recognise that only fundamental re-appraisal of humanity’s taken-for-granted narratives offers hope for biodiversity and sustainability. The authors challenge producers of accounts of all sorts to reconsider the context and level of resolution of their accounts. The authors argue that humankind is the root cause of most (if not all) current species extinctions; that such extinctions represent one reason why humanity might itself be threatened with extinction; and why human extinction might be a good thing. The authors need to imagine other, better, futures.

Design/methodology/approach

The piece is an essay which assembles a wide range of literature in order to support its contentions.

Findings

There are many individual accounts of species which explore the (albeit very serious) symptoms of a problem without, the authors maintain, examining the systematic source of the problem. The source problem is western mankind’s organisation and somewhat taciturn conception of humanity. There is a lack of accounts offering new possibilities.

Research limitations/implications

The piece is an essay and, consequently, limited to the quality of the argument presented. The essay suggests that the principal implications relate to how producers of counter-accounts frame their construction of accounts and how accounts of species extinction need to be more cognisant of underlying causes.

Practical implications

Without substantial change, planetary ecology, including humanity, is very seriously threatened. Imagining a plausible future is a most practical act of faith.

Social implications

The essay suggests that as accountants the authors might think to approach the counter-accounts with a lower level of resolution: one that is directed towards a more challenging notion of what it is to be human.

Originality/value

Whilst building upon the growing sophistication in the understanding of (new) accounts and responding to the emerging literatures on biodiversity, species extinction and utopian vision the authors offer what the authors believe to be a unique suggestion in the accounting literature about the extinction of mankind.
The purposes, promises and compromises of extinction accounting in the UK public sector
Authors: Weir Kenneth
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the state of extinction accounting, and the motivations for its use in the UK public sector. Prior studies are mostly concerned with corporate attempts to account for species, despite studies in related areas calling for examinations of the public sector context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses the use of extinction accounting in three separate case organisations, conducting a total of 21 interviews across the three cases. Interviews were conducted with a range of organisational participants each having experience with extinction accounting.

Findings

Interviews reveal a number of common uses and applications of extinction accounting across the three councils. Practices are used to generate reports on species loss and recovery within each region, and to facilitate planning for species protection and recovery. However, in attempting to use this information, key trade-offs emerge between satisfying economic and ecological criteria, and even trade-offs are created regarding development of protection schemes. This leads to a subversion of extinction accounting.

Research limitations/implications

Commensurate with prior studies in the corporate context, the study finds the presence of an economic logic impinging upon ecological decision making, suggesting that practices of extinction accounting may be affected by the same acknowledged economic motivations that reside in corporate attempts to account for nature.

Originality/value

The paper makes an important contribution by evaluating the public sector context of extinction accounting, which is lacking in existing research. The findings relating to the public sector use of species and extinction information also provide a useful context to understand how relatively new social and environmental accounting practices are deployed in organisations, as well as some indication of their effectiveness and limitations.
Communication of the external auditor with the audit committee
Authors: Compernolle Tiphaine
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how external auditors communicate with audit committees (ACs).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 53 interviews were conducted with participants in the ACs of 22 French companies listed in the CAC 40 index, including external and internal auditors, CFOs, AC chairpersons, and members.

Findings

In multiple accountability relationships, external auditors sit in the middle. They therefore use impression management (IM). While AC members expect them to be transparent, they are also expected to preserve managers’ “face” by sustaining impressions of consistency. The construction of impressions of consistency and transparency takes place mainly backstage, through time-consuming teamwork shared by auditors and CFOs. External auditors have power to make things transparent, but the use of such power is tricky, because it can damage relationships with CFOs. External auditors have a difficult “discrepant role” (Goffman, 1959) to play.

Practical implications

This study provides insights into what occurs behind the scenes with ACs, which can help regulators think deeper about relationships between external auditors and ACs.

Originality/value

This research makes contribution to governance, IM, and AC literature. It analyzes the AC process from external auditors’ – rather than AC members’ – points of view. Highlighting the AC process backstage, it shows that IM can be carried out collectively toward an internal rather than external audience and demonstrates that external auditors practice rather than limiting IM.
Integrated extinction accounting and accountability: building an ark
Authors: Atkins Jill , Maroun Warren
Published: February 2018

Purpose

We are currently experiencing what is often called the sixth period of mass extinction on planet Earth, caused undoubtedly by the impact of human activities and businesses on nature. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for accounting and corporate accountability to contribute to extinction prevention. The paper adopts an interdisciplinary approach, weaving scientific evidence and theory into organisational disclosure and reporting in order to demonstrate linkages between extinction, business behaviour, accounting and accountability as well as to provide a basis for developing a framework for narrative disclosure on extinction prevention.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is theoretical and interdisciplinary in approach, seeking to bring together scientific theories of extinction with a need for corporate and organisational accountability whilst recognising philosophical concerns in the extant environmental accounting literature about accepting any business role and capitalist mechanisms in ecological matters. The overarching framework derives from the concept of emancipatory accounting.

Findings

The outcome of the writing is to: present an emancipatory “extinction accounting” framework which can be embedded within integrated reports, and a diagrammatic representation, in the form of an “ark”, of accounting and accountability mechanisms which, combined, can assist, the authors argue, in preventing extinction. The authors suggest that the emancipatory framework may also be applied to engagement meetings between the responsible investor community (and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) and organisations on biodiversity and species protection.

Research limitations/implications

The exploratory extinction accounting and accountability frameworks within this paper should provide a basis for further research into the emancipatory potential for organisational disclosures and mechanisms of governance and accountability to prevent species extinction.

Practical implications

The next steps for researchers and practitioners involve development and implementation of the extinction accounting and engagement frameworks presented in this paper within integrated reporting and responsible investor practice.

Social implications

As outlined in this paper, extinction of any species of flora and fauna can affect significantly the functioning of local and global ecosystems, the destruction of which can have, and is having, severe and dangerous consequences for human life. Extinction prevention is critically important to the survival of the human race.

Originality/value

This paper represents a comprehensive attempt to explore the emancipatory role of accounting in extinction prevention and to bring together the linkages in accounting and accountability mechanisms which, working together, can prevent species extinction.
Knowledge management capability and supply chain management practices in the Saudi food industry
Authors: Attia Ahmed , Salama Ingy
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of knowledge management capabilities (KMCs) on supply chain management practices (SCMP) and organizational performance (OP) in firms, in addition to examining the effect of supply chain management on OP.

Design/methodology/approach

To demonstrate the effect of KMCs on SCMP, and OP, different techniques such as factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to verify the validity of the proposed conceptual model and to test the suggested hypotheses, using data collected from 165 companies in the Saudi food industry (representing a response rate of 74.9 percent).

Findings

According to the study’s findings, SCMP are positively affected by KMCs. Moreover, OP is directly affected by KMCs and SCMP.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the specific nature of the sample, the findings of the current research are applicable only to the food industry.

Originality/value

The current research introduced a conceptual model, which has been tested and verified in the Saudi food industry. The findings recommend that both KMCs as well as SCMP will contribute to improving the OP. In addition, KMCs will improve the SCMP.
Propositions on the interaction of organizational culture with other factors in the context of BPM adoption
Authors: Indihar Štemberger Mojca , Buh Brina , Milanović Glavan Ljubica , Mendling Jan
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The paper investigates differences in the success of business process management (BPM) initiatives and their connection with organizational culture. The purpose of this paper is to identify propositions on characteristics of BPM initiative that are favorable for its success according to dominant organizational culture. Therefore, the authors’ aim was to identify connections of organizational commitment to BPM and dimensions of business process orientation (BPO) with dominant organizational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

As a research design, the authors used a questionnaire to collect data on the BPM adoption practices of organizations in Austria, Croatia and Slovenia with more than 50 employees. BPM adoption was measured with BPO and organizational culture with Competing Values Framework (CVF). Non-parametric tests have been applied for the analysis. On this survey data, the authors conducted statistical tests to identify those factors that discriminate successful from unsuccessful BPM initiatives.

Findings

The study revealed empirical insights about characteristics of successful BPM initiatives in different organizational cultures. There are several statistically significant differences with respect to the success of BPM adoption. The chance of success appears to be higher: when the BPM initiative is rolled out in the entire organization if the organization has Clan, Market or Hierarchy culture; when the BPM is run on a continuous basis in Hierarchy culture and repeatedly in Adhocracy culture; when a top-down approach is used in organizations with Market or Hierarchy dominant culture; when the BPM initiative has a strategic role and formal responsibilities are defined in Clan and Hierarchy cultures.

Originality/value

The authors’ empirical findings provide the basis for the formulation of detailed propositions on the interaction of various factors and their impact on BPM adoption in connection to organizational culture. In this way, the authors’ contribution is situated in the inductive research cycle and informs theory building for BPM adoption.
Measuring the environmental sustainability of supply chain for Indian steel industry
Authors: Goyal Shishir , Routroy Srikanta , Shah Harshal
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to quantify, evaluate and compare the environmental sustainability performance of supply chain for Indian steel industry using graph theoretic approach (GTA).

Design/methodology/approach

Broadly 12 environmental sustainability enablers (ESEs) were identified and they were classified into four significant categories (SCs). Featuring these SCs and ESEs under each SC, a methodology was proposed using GTA for evaluating the environmental sustainability performance of Indian steel companies. The analysis was further extended to compare the results with performance in different situations and accordingly set the future targets.

Findings

In order to demonstrate the utility of the proposed methodology, it was applied to an Indian steel company. The results obtained indicated that there have been significant growths achieved in the environmental sustainability performance over a period of five years. It was also found that a performance gap exists and it will reach the target value after two years.

Practical implications

The proposed approach is aimed at providing a procedure for evaluating the environmental sustainability performance. This study is an attempt to assist a steel industry to assess its sustainability program and accordingly define its course of actions.

Originality/value

Although many issues related to environmental sustainability have been widely recognized and studied, there are no specific studies available in the literature to assess the environmental sustainability performance along the timeline. The proposed model has the ability to capture the performance and interdependencies of SCs, ESEs under each SC and also to quantify the environmental sustainability performance along the timeline.
Process orientation and the impact on operational performance and customer-focused performance
Authors: van Assen Marcel
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of process orientation at the employee level on operational performance (OP) and customer-focused performance (CP), where the components process thinking by staff, process mapping (PM) and process standardization (PS) are cumulative developments, building on each other.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equations modeling is used to analyze survey data collected from 198 participants at a business school in the period 2012/2013.

Findings

The results show that the impact of process thinking by staff on both OP and CP is mediated by PM and PS and improvement. The study also shows that process thinking by staff is a prerequisite for PM and standardization.

Originality/value

This research makes several important theoretical and managerial contributions toward the objective of a better understanding of the working of process orientation. It shows that different components of process orientation reinforce each other; process orientation maturity depends on the effort being applied in creating a particular sequence of process management components and that these components should be considered as cumulative developments, building on each other.
Access to finance and firm innovation
Authors: Fombang MccPowell Sali , Adjasi Charles Komla
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The study aims to examine the importance of access to finance in firm innovation by using firm-level data from the World Bank enterprise survey (WBES) on selected African countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilises firm-level data from the WBES database and computes aggregate innovation index by using multiple correspondent analysis. The authors then apply instrumental variable models (to control for possible endogeneity between innovation and finance) to assess the link between finance and innovation.

Findings

The research finds that finance in the form of overdraft overwhelmingly drives innovation in all selected countries – Cameroon, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Trade credit enhances innovation among firms in Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon, while asset finance drives innovation amongst firms in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.

Practical implications

Policy incentives such as tax breaks could be put in place for financial intermediaries that have shown proof of extending loans to financially constraint firms to enable them to innovate. Furthermore, different financial institutions such as microfinance institutions can be supported to increase credit to enterprises. Partnerships with organisations willing to fund firms and support start-ups should be encouraged. One of such support mechanisms could be specialised schemes such as a credit guarantee scheme to encourage and secure lending to enterprises to promote innovation.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical insights into how finance enhances innovation in African enterprises. It also shows how different finance structures (overdraft, asset finance and trade credit) affect firm innovation in different African countries.
The link between perceptions of leader emotion regulation and followers’ organizational commitment
Authors: Moin Muhammad Farrukh
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between perceptions of leader emotion regulation strategies and followers’ organizational commitment. In particular, this study using social exchange theory as a framework examines the association between leader surface and deep acting and followers’ affective, normative and continuance organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 323 employees of five service sector organizations in Anhui province, China. Further, PLS-SEM technique was used to perform quantitative analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that leader surface acting has a negative influence on followers’ affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment. In contrast, leader deep acting has a positive influence on followers’ affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that leaders should be careful in managing their affective display. They may like to improve their followers’ affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment by using deep acting. In contrast, leader surface acting may weaken their followers’ affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment.

Originality/value

This study extends the social exchange theory in the context of emotional labor by examining the link between perceptions of leader surface and deep emotional strategies and followers’ affective, normative and continuance organizational commitment.
Mentoring functions questionnaire: validation among Tunisian successors
Authors: Ben Salem Anis , Lakhal Lassaad
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the usefulness of the mentoring dimensions and to test and validate the mentoring functions questionnaire (MFQ) among Tunisian successors.

Design/methodology/approach

To test and validate the MFQ among Tunisian successors, this study used a sample of 111 Tunisian successors, adopted the Churchill’s paradigm and followed the structural equation modeling.

Findings

This study confirms the importance of both vocational and psychological support but does not take into consideration the succession context.

Originality/value

Mentoring programs concern essentially employees and help them develop and grow both vocationally and personally. Successors, however, although they do face some hardships throughout their careers, they are outside the focus of attention. Thus, this study contributes to the mentoring literature by exploring the usefulness of the mentoring dimensions and by using the mentoring functions.
An agent-based simulation model for IING’s adoption from a perspective of kinetic energy and potential energy
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Qingpu
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Internet-based intangible network good (IING) has revolutionized multiple industries in recent years. This paper aims to reveal the laws of consumer’s decision-making on IING from a perspective of kinetic energy and potential energy.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, 4 aspects and 17 factors influencing IING adoption were generalized. Based on the theory of social physics, an agent-based simulation model, introducing physical energy theory to depict consumer’s decision-making, was built. An agent’s kinetic energy reflects the agent’s perceived effect of mass media on the agent’s decision-making on IING adoption. An agent’s potential energy reflects the agent’s perceived effect of social interactions on the agent’s decision-making on the adoption of IING. An agent’s final energy is the sum of the kinetic energy and potential energy, which reflects the agent’s final decision.

Findings

Some factors mainly influence the diffusion velocity, while other factors have a dramatic impact on both diffusion velocity and diffusion scale. The agent’s personality can make a difference at the early and middle stages of IING adoption, but a faint impact at the later stage because of the effects of network externalities and word of mouth. There is a critical value of the number of initial adopters which can dramatically speed up IING adoption.

Practical implications

This study provides new insights for firms on the effects of factors influencing consumers’ decision-making on IING adoption.

Originality/value

This paper defines a new kind of innovation, IING, and generalizes IING’s special characteristics. As a new application of social physics, the physical energy theory has been creatively introduced to depict consumer’s decision-making on IING adoption. A kinetic and potential energy model of IING adoption has been built. Based on simulation experiments, new insights of IING adoption have been gained.
Healthcare support to older residents of care homes: a systematic review of specialist services
Authors: Clarkson Paul , Hays Rebecca , Tucker Sue , Paddock Katie , Challis David
Published: February 2018

Purpose

A growing ageing population with complex healthcare needs is a challenge to the organisation of healthcare support for older people residing in care homes. The lack of specialised healthcare support for care home residents has resulted in poorer outcomes, compared with community-dwelling older people. However, little is known about the forms, staff mix, organisation and delivery of such services for residents’ physical healthcare needs. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic review, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, aimed to provide an overview of the range of healthcare services delivered to care homes and to identify core features of variation in their organisation, activities and responsibilities. The eligibility criteria for studies were services designed to address the physical healthcare needs of older people, permanently residing in care homes, with or without nursing. To search the literature, terms relating to care homes, healthcare and older people, across ten electronic databases were used. The quality of service descriptions was appraised using a rating tool designed for the study. The evidence was synthesised, by means of a narrative summary, according to key areas of variation, into models of healthcare support with examples of their relative effectiveness.

Findings

In total, 84 studies, covering 74 interventions, identified a diverse range of specialist healthcare support services, suggesting a wide variety of ways of delivering healthcare support to care homes. These fell within five models: assessment – no consultant; assessment with consultant; assessment/management – no consultant; assessment/management with consultant; and training and support. The predominant model offered a combination of assessment and management. Overall, there was a lack of detail in the data, making judgements of relative effectiveness difficult. Recommendations for future research include the need for clearer descriptions of interventions and particularly of data on resident-level costs and effectiveness, as well as better explanations of how services are implemented (review registration: PROSPERO CRD42017081161).

Originality/value

There is considerable debate about the best means of providing healthcare to older people in care homes. A number of specialist initiatives have developed and this review seeks to bring these together in a comparative approach deriving models of care of value to policy makers and commissioners.
International transmission of Japanese monetary shocks under low and negative interest rates: A global factor‐augmented vector autoregressive approach
Authors: Spiegel Mark M. , Tai Andrew
Published: February 2018

We examine the implications of Japanese monetary shocks under recent very low and sometimes negative interest rates to the Japanese economy and three of its major trading partners: Korea, China and the United States. In particular, we investigate the implications of shocks to the 2‐year Japanese government bond rate in a series of factor‐augmented vector autoregressive (FAVAR) models, in which both local and global conditions are proxied by latent factors generated from domestic economic indicators and weighted indicators of major trading partners, respectively. Our results suggest that shocks to 2‐year Japanese government bond rates have substantive impacts on Japanese economic activity and inflation in conditions of low or even negative short‐term rates. However, we find only modest global spillovers from Japanese monetary policy shocks compared to innovations in 2‐year US Treasury yields over the same period.
Optimisation of a process for production of pomegranate pulp and flaxseed powder fortified probiotic Greek dahi
Authors: Reeta  , Kumar Sudhir , Rasane Prasad , Nimmanapalli Ramadevi
Published: February 2018

Fortified probiotic Greek dahi was formulated with pomegranate pulp (PP) and flaxseed powder (FP). The product variables, viz. PP, FP and incubation time, were optimised based on chemical, sensory and textural attributes. The study revealed that PP significantly affected the acidity and antioxidant content, while FP influenced the sensory and textural properties of the product. The optimum conditions were 15% PP, 2% FP and 12‐h incubation time. The developed fortified probiotic Greek dahi is a potential synbiotic food.
Bullying bystander reactions: a case study in the Taiwanese workplace
Authors: Wu Shu‐Hua , Wu Cou‐Chen
Published: February 2018

This study aimed to describe bystander interactions with targets, bullies, and organizational factors in a Taiwanese office context. Various factors shape bystanders’ perceptions of bullying, and how those perceptions subsequently influence bystanders’ reactions. Data were collected through conversational interviews and selective thematic analyses were undertaken to explore participants’ lived experiences. The interview findings identified the main theme of ‘injustice’ and revealed that bystanders’ reactions depend on how the organization handles bullying incidents. An experience of injustice typically had a considerable influence on participants’ work engagement and loyalty toward the organization. A lack of managerial involvement in preventing bullying behavior increased bystanders’ turnover intention and negatively affected the company's bottom line. The results reveal the importance of including bystanders in future interventions against workplace bullying. This study contributes to the extant workplace bullying research by describing bystanders’ reactions and the consequences for organizations.
Evaluation of Gauge‐Radar Merging Methods Using a Semi‐Distributed Hydrological Model in the Upper Thames River Basin, Canada
Authors: McKee Jack L. , Binns Andrew D. , Helsten Mark , Shifflett Mark
Published: February 2018

Gauge‐radar merging methods combine rainfall estimates from rain gauges and radar to capitalize on the strengths of the individual instruments. The performance of four well‐known gauge‐radar merging methods, including mean field bias correction, Brandes spatial adjustment, local bias correction using kriging, and conditional merging, are examined using Environment Canada radar and the Upper Thames River Basin in southwestern Ontario, Canada, as a case study. The analysis assesses the effect of gauge‐radar merging methods on: (1) the accuracy of predicted rainfall accumulations; and (2) the accuracy of predicted streamflows using a semi‐distributed hydrological model. In addition, several influencing factors (i.e., gauge density, storm type, basin type, proximity to the radar tower, and time‐step of adjustment) are analyzed to determine their effect on the performance of the rainfall estimation techniques. Confirming results of previous studies, the merging methods provide an increase in the accuracy of both rainfall accumulation estimations and predicted streamflows. The results also indicate specific factors such as gauge density, rainfall intensity, and time‐step of adjustment can reduce the accuracy of merging methods and play a key role in the examination of its use for operational purposes. Results provide guidance for hydrologists and engineers assessing how best to apply corrected radar products to improve rainfall estimation and hydrological modeling accuracy.
Treatment with the mitochondrial‐targeted antioxidant peptide SS‐31 rescues neurovascular coupling responses and cerebrovascular endothelial function and improves cognition in aged mice
Authors: Tarantini Stefano , Valcarcel‐Ares Noa M. , Yabluchanskiy Andriy , Fulop Gabor A. , Hertelendy Peter , Gautam Tripti , Farkas Eszter , Perz Aleksandra , Rabinovitch Peter S. , Sonntag William E. , Csiszar Anna , Ungvari Zoltan
Published: February 2018

Moment‐to‐moment adjustment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) via neurovascular coupling has an essential role in maintenance of healthy cognitive function. In advanced age, increased oxidative stress and cerebromicrovascular endothelial dysfunction impair neurovascular coupling, likely contributing to age‐related decline of higher cortical functions. There is increasing evidence showing that mitochondrial oxidative stress plays a critical role in a range of age‐related cellular impairments, but its role in neurovascular uncoupling remains unexplored. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that attenuation of mitochondrial oxidative stress may exert beneficial effects on neurovascular coupling responses in aging. To test this hypothesis, 24‐month‐old C57BL/6 mice were treated with a cell‐permeable, mitochondria‐targeted antioxidant peptide (SS‐31; 10 mg kg−1 day−1, i.p.) or vehicle for 2 weeks. Neurovascular coupling was assessed by measuring CBF responses (laser speckle contrast imaging) evoked by contralateral whisker stimulation. We found that neurovascular coupling responses were significantly impaired in aged mice. Treatment with SS–31 significantly improved neurovascular coupling responses by increasing NO‐mediated cerebromicrovascular dilation, which was associated with significantly improved spatial working memory, motor skill learning, and gait coordination. These findings are paralleled by the protective effects of SS–31 on mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial respiration in cultured cerebromicrovascular endothelial cells derived from aged animals. Thus, mitochondrial oxidative stress contributes to age‐related cerebromicrovascular dysfunction, exacerbating cognitive decline. We propose that mitochondria‐targeted antioxidants may be considered for pharmacological microvascular protection for the prevention/treatment of age‐related vascular cognitive impairment (VCI).