bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery and conventional cataract surgery: a meta-analysis and systematic review
Authors: Kolb Carolin M. , Shajari Mehdi , Mathys Lisa , Herrmann Eva , Petermann Kerstin , Mayer Wolfgang J. , Priglinger Siegfried , Kohnen Thomas
Published: April 2020

Purpose:

To compare the efficacy and safety of femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) with conventional cataract surgery (CCS).

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Design:

Meta-analysis.

Methods:

PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were systematically searched for studies comparing FLACS and CCS. Outcomes were efficacy and safety parameters. The effect measures were weighted mean differences or odds ratios with 95% CIs.

Results:

A total of 73 studies (25 randomized controlled, 48 observational) were reviewed with a total of 12 769 eyes treated with FLACS and 12 274 eyes treated with CCS. In eyes treated with FLACS, uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuities and spherical equivalent after 1 month to 3 months (P = .04, P = .005, and P = .007, respectively) were better, total and effective phacoemulsification times were shorter (P < .001 each), cumulative dissipated energy was less (P < .001), circularity was more accurate (P < .001), central corneal thickness after 1 day and 1 month to 3 months was less (P < .001 and P = .004, respectively), and endothelial cell loss after 3 to 6 weeks and 3 months was less (P = .002 and P < .001, respectively) compared with CCS. Anterior capsule ruptures occurred more often with FLACS. No significant differences among groups were found in visual acuity at 1 week and after 6 months or in posterior capsule rupture rates and endothelial cell loss after 6 months.

Conclusions:

Both FLACS and CCS are effective and safe. FLACS required less ultrasound energy and a more precise treatment. However, mid-term visual acuity did not show any difference between both methods.
Availability of Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening and Expedited Partner Therapy at Federally Qualified Health Centers in Michigan
Authors: Jamison Cornelius D. , Waselewski Marika , Kuznia Angela , Richardson Caroline R. , Mmeje Okeoma , Chang Tammy
Published: April 2020

Via secret shopper study, we assessed: (1) availability of sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening; (2) provision of expedited partner therapy; and (3) wait times for new patient STI screening appointments at Michigan federally qualified health centers. Of the 147 clinics with STI screening availability, 10.2% (15) confirmed expedited partner therapy provision.
To Pool or Not to Pool Samples for Sexually Transmitted Infections Detection in Men Who Have Sex With Men? An Evaluation of a New Pooling Method Using the GeneXpert Instrument in West Africa
Authors: De Baetselier Irith , Vuylsteke Bea , Yaya Issifou , Dagnra Anoumou , Diandé Souba , Mensah Ephrem , Dah Elias , Anoma Camille , Koné Amadou , Fayé-Ketté Hortense , Yeo Alain , Dembélé Keita Bintou , Laurent Christian , Crucitti Tania
Published: April 2020

Background

Men who have sex with men (MSM) using preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, PrEP services should include regular screening forChlamydia trachomatis(CT) andNeisseria gonorrhoeae(NG) at urethra, anorectum, and pharynx. However, financial and logistic challenges arise in low-resource settings. We assessed a new STI sample pooling method using the GeneXpert instrument among MSM initiating PrEP in West Africa.

Methods

Urine, anorectal, and pharyngeal samples were pooled per individual for analysis. In case of an invalid result only (strategy 1) or a positive result of the pool (strategy 2), samples were analyzed individually to identify the infection's biological location. The results of 2 different pooling strategies were compared against the individual results obtained by a criterion standard.

Results

We found a prevalence of 14.5% for chlamydia and 11.5% for gonorrhea, with a predominance of infections being extragenital (77.6%). The majority of infections were asymptomatic (88.2%). The pooling strategy 1, had a sensitivity, specificity and agreement for CT of 95.4%, 98.7%, and 0.93, respectively; and 92.3%, 99.2%, and 0.93 for pooling strategy 2. For NG, these figures were 88.9%, 97.7%, and 0.85 for strategy 1, and 88.9%, 96.7%, and 0.81 for strategy 2.

Conclusions

West African MSM have a high prevalence of extragenital and asymptomatic STIs. The GeneXpert method provides an opportunity to move from syndromic toward etiological STI diagnosis in low-income countries, as the platform is available in African countries for tuberculosis testing. Pooling will reduce costs of triple site testing.
A Call to Restore Your Calling: Self-care of the Emergency Physician in the Face of Life-Changing Stress
Authors: Kazmierczak Magdalena , Albahri Afnan , Mull Colette C.
Published: April 2020

Whereas our last article focused on burnout in practicing pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians, this article centers on burnout in PEM fellows. Our discussion is based solely on trainee burnout literature. As graduates of pediatrics or emergency medicine residencies, PEM fellows are charged with achieving attending-level clinical expertise while continuing to cope with trainee challenges, such as limited practice autonomy, low pay, financial debt, and uncertain future employment. In this article, we discuss PEM fellow burnout and review risk and protective factors, presentation, and evidence-based interventions to mitigate it. In the absence of PEM fellow-specific literature, we share pediatrics and emergency medicine residency data.

This article is dedicated to the trainees we have lost to suicide. We miss you.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Transplantation—A Case Series and Comprehensive Review of Current Knowledge
Authors: Delyon Julie , Zuber Julien , Dorent Richard , Poujol-Robert Armelle , Peraldi Marie-Noelle , Anglicheau Dany , Lebbe Celeste
Published: April 2020

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and deaths in solid organ transplant recipients. In immunocompetent patients, cancer prognosis has been dramatically improved with the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), as programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen 4 inhibitors, that increase antitumor immune responses. ICI has been developed outside of the scope of transplantation because of the theoretical risk of graft rejection, which has later been confirmed by the publication of several cases and small series. The use of ICI became unavoidable for treating advanced cancers including in organ transplant patients, but their management in this setting remains highly challenging, as to date no strategy to adapt the immunosuppression and to prevent graft rejection has been defined. In this article, we report a monocentric series of 5 solid organ transplant recipients treated with ICI and provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge of ICI management in the setting of solid organ transplantation. Strategies warranted to increase knowledge through collecting more exhaustive data are also discussed.
Estimating COVID-19 Prevalence in the United States: A Sample Selection Model Approach
Authors: Benatia David , Godefroy Raphael , Lewis Joshua
Published: April 2020

Background

Public health efforts to determine population infection rates from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been hampered by limitations in testing capabilities and the large shares of mild and asymptomatic cases. We developed a methodology that corrects observed positive test rates for non-random sampling to estimate population infection rates across U.S. states from March 31 to April 7.

Methods

We adapted a sample selection model that corrects for non-random testing to estimate population infection rates. The methodology compares how the observed positive case rate vary with changes in the size of the tested population, and applies this gradient to infer total population infection rates. Model identification requires that variation in testing rates be uncorrelated with changes in underlying disease prevalence. To this end, we relied on data on day-to-day changes in completed tests across U.S. states for the period March 31 to April 7, which were primarily influenced by immediate supply-side constraints. We used this methodology to construct predicted infection rates across each state over the sample period. We also assessed the sensitivity of the results to controls for state-specific daily trends in infection rates.

Results

The median population infection rate over the period March 31 to April 7 was 0.9% (IQR 0.64 1.77). The three states with the highest prevalence over the sample period were New York (8.5%), New Jersey (7.6%), and Louisiana (6.7%). Estimates from mod-els that control for state-specific daily trends in infection rates were virtually identical to the baseline findings. The estimates imply a nationwide average of 12 population infections per diagnosed case. We found a negative bivariate relationship (corr. = -0.51) between total per capita state testing and the ratio of population infections per diagnosed case.

Interpretation

The effectiveness of the public health response to the coronavirus pandemic will depend on timely information on infection rates across different regions. With increasingly available high frequency data on COVID-19 testing, our methodology could be used to estimate population infection rates for a range of countries and subnational districts. In the United States, we found widespread undiagnosed COVID-19 infection. Expansion of rapid diagnostic and serological testing will be critical in preventing recurrent unobserved community transmission and identifying the large numbers individuals who may have some level of viral immunity.

Funding

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Early analysis of the Australian COVID-19 epidemic
Authors: Price David J , Shearer Freya M , Meehan Michael T , McBryde Emma , Moss Robert , Golding Nick , Conway Eamon J , Dawson Peter , Cromer Deborah , Wood James , Abbott Sam , McVernon Jodie , McCaw James M
Published: April 2020

As of 18 April 2020, there had been 6,533 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia [1]. Of these, 67 had died from the disease. The daily count of new confirmed cases was declining. This suggests that the collective actions of the Australian public and government authorities in response to COVID-19 were sufficiently early and assiduous to avert a public health crisis — for now. Analysing factors, such as the intensity and timing public health interventions, that contribute to individual country experiences of COVID-19 will assist in the next stage of response planning globally. Using data from the Australian national COVID-19 database, we describe how the epidemic and public health response unfolded in Australia up to 13 April 2020. We estimate that the effective reproduction number was likely below 1 (the threshold value for control) in each Australian state since mid-March and forecast that hospital ward and intensive care unit occupancy will remain below capacity thresholds over the next two weeks.
COVID-19 Control Strategies and Intervention Effects in Resource Limited Settings: A Modeling Study
Authors: Pandey Kiran Raj , Subedee Anup , Khanal Bishesh , Koirala Bhagawan
Published: April 2020

Background

Many countries with weaker health systems are struggling to put together a coherent strategy against the COVID-19 epidemic. We explored COVID-19 control strategies that could offer the greatest benefit in resource limited settings.

Methods

Using an age-structured SEIR model, we explored the effects of COVID-19 control interventions--a lockdown, physical distancing measures, and active case finding (testing and isolation, contact tracing and quarantine)-- implemented individually and in combination to control a hypothetical COVID-19 epidemic in Kathmandu (population 2.6 million), Nepal.

Results

A month-long lockdown that is currently in place in Nepal will delay peak demand for hospital beds by 36 days, as compared to a base scenario of no interventions (peak demand at 108 days (Inter-Quartile Range IQR 97–119); a 2 month long lockdown will delay it by 74 days, without any difference in annual mortality, or healthcare demand volume. Year-long physical distancing measures will reduce peak demand to 36% (IQR 23%-46%) and annual morality to 67% (IQR 48%-77%) of base scenario. Following a month long lockdown with ongoing physical distancing measures and an active case finding intervention that detects 5% of the daily infection burden could reduce projected morality and peak demand by more than 99%.

Interpretation

Limited resources settings are best served by a combination of early and aggressive case finding with ongoing physical distancing measures to control the COVID-19 epidemic. A lockdown may be helpful until combination interventions can be put in place but is unlikely to reduce annual mortality or healthcare demand.
Sequential screening nominates the Parkinson’s disease associated kinase LRRK2 as a regulator of Clathrin-mediated endocytosis
Authors: Heaton George R. , Landeck Natalie , Mamais Adamantios , Nalls Mike A , Nixon-Abell Jonathon , Kumaran Ravindran , Beilina Alexandra , Pelligrini Laura , Li Yan ,   International Parkinson Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC), Harvey Kirsten , Cookson Mark R.
Published: April 2020

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are an established cause of inherited Parkinson’s disease (PD). LRRK2 is expressed in both neurons and glia in the central nervous system, but its physiological function(s) in each of these cell types is uncertain. Through sequential screens, we report a functional interaction between LRRK2 and Clathrin adaptor protein complex 2 (AP2). Analysis of LRRK2 KO tissue revealed a significant dysregulation of AP2 complex components, suggesting LRRK2 may act upstream of AP2. In line with this hypothesis, expression of LRRK2 was found to modify recruitment and phosphorylation of AP2. Furthermore, expression of LRRK2 containing the R1441C pathogenic mutation resulted in impaired clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). A decrease in activity-dependent synaptic vesicle endocytosis was also observed in neurons harboring an endogenous R1441C LRRK2 mutation. AlongsideLRRK2, several PD-associated genes intersect with membrane-trafficking pathways. To investigate the genetic association between Clathrin-trafficking and PD, we used polygenetic risk profiling from IPDGC genome wide association studies (GWAS) datasets. Clathrin-dependent endocytosis genes were found to be associated with PD across multiple cohorts, suggesting common variants at these loci represent a cumulative risk factor for disease. Taken together, these findings suggest CME is a LRRK2-mediated, PD relevant pathway.
An engineered stable mini-protein to plug SARS-Cov-2 Spikes
Authors: Romano Maria , Ruggiero Alessia , Squeglia Flavia , Berisio Rita
Published: April 2020

Abstract

The novel betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent of the current pandemic COVID-19. Like other coronaviruses, this novel virus relies on the surface Spike glycoprotein to access the host cells, mainly through the interaction of its Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, molecular entities able to interfere with binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein to ACE2 have a great potential to inhibit viral entry. Starting from the available structural data on the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the host ACE2 receptor, we here engineered a mini-protein with the aim of creating a soluble and stable Spike interactor. This mini-protein, which was recombinantly produced in high yields, possesses a stable α helical conformation and is able to interact with the RBD of glycosylated Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 with nanomolar affinity, as measured by microscale thermophoresis. By plugging the Spike protein, our mini-protein constitutes a valid tool for the development of treatments against different types of coronavirus.
Chronostratigraphy of Jerzmanowician. New data from Koziarnia Cave, Poland
Authors: Kot Małgorzata , Krajcarz Maciej T. , Hoyo Magdalena Moskal-del , Gryczewska Natalia , Wojenka Michał , Pyżewicz Katarzyna , Sinet-Mathiot Virginie , Diakowski Marcin , Fedorowicz Stanisław , Gąsiorowski Michał , Marciszak Adrian , Mackiewicz Paweł
Published: April 2020

Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician (LRJ) sites are sparse, and Koziarnia Cave in Poland is one of only few such sites situated at the eastern fringe of LRJ. The aim of the recent study was to obtain new chronostratigraphic data for the LRJ industries due to their extreme scarcity in Central Europe. Although the new fieldworks did not bring newfossil directeursuch as bifacial leafpoints, a detail debitage analysis enabled identifying a presence of the ventral thinning chips in layer D, which could be identified as the LRJ assemblage-containing stratum. Besides the LRJ assemblage, strata with traces of Late Middle Palaeolithic and Early Gravettian occupation were found at the site. The radiocarbon dates of Koziarnia samples show that the archaeological settlement represent one of the oldest Gravettian stays north to Carpathians. What is more, these dates demonstrate that the cave had been alternately occupied by humans and cave bears. Additionally the radiocarbon dates indicate rather young chronology of the Jerzmanowician occupation in Koziarnia Cave (c.a. 39-36 ky cal. BP). The results confirm the possibility of long chronology of the LRJ technocomplex, exceeding the Campanian Ignimbrite event.
Crystal structure of lutetium aluminate (LUAM), Lu4Al2O9
Authors: Simura Rayko , Yamane Hisanori
Published: April 2020

The crystal structure of the title compound containing lutetium, the last element in the lanthanide series, was determined using a single crystal prepared by heating a pressed pellet of a 2:1 molar ratio mixture of Lu2O3 and Al2O3 powders in an Ar atmosphere at 2173 K for 4 h. Lu4Al2O9 is isostructural with Eu4Al2O9 and composed of Al2O7 ditetrahedra and Lu-centered six- and sevenfold oxygen polyhedra. The unit-cell volume, 787.3 (3) Å3, is the smallest among the volumes of the rare-earth (RE) aluminates, RE
4Al2O9. The crystal studied was refined as a two-component pseudo-merohedric twin.
Aircraft parameter estimation using ELM network
Authors: Verma Hari Om , Peyada Naba Kumar
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the estimation methodology with a highly generalized cost-effective single hidden layer neural network.

Design/methodology/approach

The aerodynamic parameter estimation is a challenging research area of aircraft system identification, which finds various applications such as flight control law design and flight simulators. With the availability of the large database, the data-driven methods have gained attention, which is primarily based on the nonlinear function approximation using artificial neural networks. A novel single hidden layer feed-forward neural network (FFNN) known as extreme learning machine (ELM), which overcomes the issues such as learning rate, number of epochs, local minima, generalization performance and computational cost, as encountered in the conventional gradient learning-based FFNN has been used for the nonlinear modeling of the aerodynamic forces and moments. A mathematical formulation based on the partial differentiation is proposed to estimate the aerodynamic parameters.

Findings

The real flight data of longitudinal and lateral-directional motion have been considered to estimate their respective aerodynamic parameters using the proposed methodology. The efficacy of the estimates is verified with the results obtained through the conventional parameter estimation methods such as the equation-error method and filter-error method.

Originality/value

The present study is an outcome of the research conducted on ELM for the estimation of aerodynamic parameters from the real flight data. The proposed method is capable to estimate the parameters in the presence of noise.
Common Agriculture Police in the EU, direct payments, solvency and income
Authors: Mamatzakis Emmanuel , Staikouras Christos
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Common Agriculture Police in the EU, direct payments, solvency and income

Design/methodology/approach

We employ agriculture data for all twenty-eight EU Member States. The data comes from the public Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) of the EU. In terms of methodology we employ panel regression and panel Vector Autoregression analysis (panel VAR) to take into account possible endogeneity issues.

Findings

The reported panel regressions, impulse response functions (IRFs) and variance decompositions (VDCs) show that agriculture income has been subdued due to negative shocks in direct payments and solvency. Our results do not support the hypothesis that higher direct payments would increase agriculture income. In addition, whilst solvency subdues agriculture income, investment asserts a positive impact on agriculture income.

Research limitations/implications

Further research on the impact of direct payments of CAP on EU agriculture is warranted at a disaggregate level so as to examine whether there is variability in the underlying interlinkages at regional level

Practical implications

As a policy implication, and in light of the ongoing reform of the EU's CAP, we would propose to raise net value added in agriculture using targeted income support to small and medium-sized farms. The European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) would be also supportive. In addition, further enhancing financial integration across the EU would provide funds for investment in agriculture.

Social implications

As social implication, one would propose to raise investment in agriculture, that is through the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP). The EERP is designed as a stimulus package set up to mitigate the consequences of the global financial crisis in the EU. Also, a way to boost agriculture income is through the credit channel of the on-going quantitative easing of the ECB, where unconventional monetary policy is aiming to support the growth prospect of the Euro area.

Originality/value

This study examines the impact of direct payments, which include all subsidies, of the EU's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) on agriculture income as measured by the net value added. We also control for solvency. Despite the magnitude of CAP on the EU budget, few studies investigate the impact of direct payments on income in the aftermath of the financial crisis. This is surprising given the importance of agriculture for the economic recovery of the EU that remains anaemic more than a decade after the crisis.
Role of Audit and Governance Committee for internal Shariah audit effectiveness in Islamic banks
Authors: Khalid Azam Abdelhakeem
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of Audit and Governance Committee (AGC) for internal Shariah auditing's effectiveness in Bahrain's Islamic banks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employed two-stage approach, i.e. collecting and analysis of data. In this paper, the interviews and literature review on AGC and internal Shariah auditor were conducted as these respondents are considered vital to Islamic banks.

Findings

This paper posited that in building internal Shariah audit effectiveness' conceptual framework, the Islamic worldview theory may be employed as the theoretical foundation. Based on the theory, it was suggested that the Islamic bank's auditors and governance committees may enhance the internal Shariah auditors' effectiveness.

Practical implications

In view of the roles of AGC on internal Shariah audit effectiveness, the current exploratory research contribute to enhance the limited knowledge about AGC by describing the practices of Bahraini Islamic banks in terms of composition, roles/duties and responsibilities and operations. This study also adds to the body literature of AGC effectiveness by identifying roles, duties and responsibilities of characterizing more active AGC and suggesting that these AGC could have a positive impact on internal Shariah audit effectiveness in Bahraini Islamic banks. Overall, this paper provides important insights for Board of Director's member can refer to AGC roles, duties and responsibilities to conduct a self-diagnosis of current practice.

Originality/value

This paper uniquely seized Islamic world view for Islamic banks' AGC.
UNAT: UNstructured Acceleration Toolkit on SW26010 many-core processor
Authors: Liu Hongbin , Ren Hu , Gu Hanfeng , Gao Fei , Yang Guangwen
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an automatic parallelization toolkit for unstructured mesh-based computation. Among all kinds of mesh types, unstructured meshes are dominant in engineering simulation scenarios and play an essential role in scientific computations for their geometrical flexibility. However, the high-fidelity applications based on unstructured grids are still time-consuming, no matter for programming or running.

Design/methodology/approach

This study develops an efficient UNstructured Acceleration Toolkit (UNAT), which provides friendly high-level programming interfaces and elaborates lower level implementation on the target hardware to get nearly hand-optimized performance. At the present state, two efficient strategies, a multi-level blocks method and a row-subsections method, are designed and implemented on Sunway architecture. Random memory access and write–write conflict issues of unstructured meshes have been handled by partitioning, coloring and other hardware-specific techniques. Moreover, a data-reuse mechanism is developed to increase the computational intensity and alleviate the memory bandwidth bottleneck.

Findings

The authors select sparse matrix-vector multiplication as a performance benchmark of UNAT across different data layouts and different matrix formats. Experimental results show that the speed-ups reach up to 26× compared to single management processing element, and the utilization ratio tests indicate the capability of achieving nearly hand-optimized performance. Finally, the authors adopt UNAT to accelerate a well-tuned unstructured solver and obtain speed-ups of 19× and 10× on average for main kernels and overall solver, respectively.

Originality/value

The authors design an unstructured mesh toolkit, UNAT, to link the hardware and numerical algorithm, and then, engineers can focus on the algorithms and solvers rather than the parallel implementation. For the many-core processor SW26010 of the fastest supercomputer in China, UNAT yields up to 26× speed-ups and achieves nearly hand-optimized performance.
An empirical study of displaceable job skills in the age of robots
Authors: Chuang Szufang
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on issues regarding the influence of skill-polarized workplace on jobs, human capital and organization from human resource development’s (HRD’s) perspective, this research identified 30 displaceable skills from endangered jobs and examined 423 adult employees’ awareness and level of technological redundancy based on the displaceable kills.

Design/methodology/approach

By using survey methodology, the findings discovered four displaceable skill sets – repeated physical motion and performance, information process and analysis, repeated physical control of equipment, and individual affective performance – existing in 23 occupations with varying degrees.

Findings

Evidently, about half of the respondents were not aware of their level of technological redundancy and the current changes caused by automation and advancing technology in the job market. Proper HRD interventions are needed to assist employees to adjust the job changes and coexist with machines and robots in the technologically dynamic workplace. Specific approaches and strategies to help employees to become robot-proof were provided and discussed.

Originality/value

This research offers important insights for HRD professionals to understand the phenomena of the current skill-polarized workplace and to potentially address the related issues of talent shortage, endangered jobs, and technological unemployment.
Cultural memory in English teaching: a critical autobiographical inquiry
Authors: Diamond Fleur
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Contemporary standards-based reforms to teaching and teacher education are characterised by appeals to technical orientations to teacher professionalism. In addition, the standardisation agenda has targeted literacy education as a focus for interventions. This has highlighted an incongruence between standardised approaches to literacy and pedagogies and practices in subject English that have developed over time, and which represent disciplinary ways of knowing.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the occasion of the author’s transition from classroom English teacher to teacher educator to inquire into the pedagogies and practices around teaching with texts that form part of her professional identity. The purpose of this study is to introduce cultural memory as an approach to interpreting narratives about educational experience and the development of English pedagogies over time.

Findings

The paper argues that standards-based reforms tell “official stories” (Malcolm and Zukas, 2009) about teacher professionalism that displace knowledge of past practices and the ethical and intellectual investments they represent. This is characterised by a marked “presentism” (Green and Cormack, 2015) in contemporary education policy. By contrast, critical autobiographical inquiry practised as cultural memory produces situated accounts of the role of professional memory in the on-going “project” (Green 2002/2014) of English teaching.

Originality/value

The paper presents new work in the area of teacher professional identity drawing on the interdisciplinary methods of cultural memory studies.
The effects of retaliation on whistleblowing intentions in China banking industry
Authors: Yang Ling , Xu Ruilian
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the predictors of whistleblowing behaviors by comparing the importance of a negative perception – fear of whistleblowing – relative to positive perceptions such as ethical orientation, professional identity and supervisor trust.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed hypotheses were tested using relative regression analysis with data collected from 471 banking employees in nine Chinese organizations.

Findings

The findings conclude that fear of retaliation was dominant in predicting external, but not internal, whistleblowing, and the beneficial effects of positive perceptions on internal whistleblowing are contingent on employees’ fear of retaliation. Therefore, organizations should survey employees’ perceptions of whistleblowing and their company retaliation policies to accomplish the goal of promoting ethical behaviors while discouraging unethical behaviors.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that efforts to promote whistleblowing in organizations may be most successful if the focus is placed on deterring retaliation and highlighting for employees that they will be protected from retaliation.

Originality/value

The relative weights analyses suggest that fear of retaliation from whistleblowing is the dominant predictor of external whistleblowing; as fear of retaliation increases, so does the desire to blow the whistle externally.
Effects of narrowed social distance on local and international celebrity-endorsed advertisement attitudes
Authors: Centeno Dave , Wang Jeff Jianfeng
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effects of narrowing social distance with celebrity endorsers (i.e. via close relationship social categories) and their origin (i.e. local or international) on consumer attitudes about advertisements. It is proposed that using such a relational approach to celebrity endorsement, where celebrities are framed as socially close social categories, leads to more favorable attitudes toward the advertisement.

Design/methodology/approach

A pilot test on actual advertisements and three laboratory experiments tested the proposed hypotheses on the effects of varying celebrity social distance levels, with self-referencing as mediator, on attitudes toward the advertisements.

Findings

Celebrity endorsements are more effective when the advertisement features celebrities as socially close social category; furthermore, these effects are more pronounced when the celebrity is local as opposed to foreign. The study also proposes that consumer self-referencing vis-a-vis celebrities’ social distance through framed social categories mediates these effects.

Originality/value

Anchored in the identity and social identity theories, implications on relational approaches to celebrity endorsements and international marketing communications are discussed together with the fact that Asian culture inherently subscribes to relational celebrity endorsements.
Changes in health-related quality of life scores in patients with depression in the Thai health care delivery system
Authors: Jiratchayaporn Kenika , Sindhu Siriorn , Seeherunwong Acharaporn , Panitrat Rungnapa , Viwatwongkasem Chukiat
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Although health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important outcome, specifically in regard to the impact of illness and treatment in patients with depression, few studies have explored the HRQOL of patients from different types of hospitals. This study aimed at examining a change in HRQOL of patients from various types of hospitals

Design/methodology/approach

A repeated measure was used in this study. Thirty participants in psychiatric outpatient units per center from the different types of hospitals, including a psychiatric hospital, regional hospital, general hospital and community hospital, were assessed with the Thai version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief (WHOQOL-BREF-THAI) questionnaire at the first visit, and after the 6th and 12th weeks of the treatment course.

Findings

The HRQOL scores for the participants were increased in each type of hospital from their first visit to the 6th week and 12th week (p < 0.001; except for the 6th week in the regional hospital, p < 0.01).

Originality/value

The findings reflected HRQOL in patients with depression in terms of the resources available in different types of hospitals that could be used as baseline data for the development of Thai mental health service systems.
Perspectives on managing asthma and facilitators in asthma self-management among Thai school-age children: a qualitative study
Authors: Sangnimitchaikul Wipada , Srisatidnarakul Boonjai , Ladores Sigrid
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study explored self-management in the context of asthma experiences of school-age children and the factors that facilitate asthma self-management.

Design/methodology/approach

This is qualitative research used in-depth interviews. Purposive sampling was employed to select 15 school-age children with asthma attending the outpatient pulmonary department at university hospital in Thailand. Semistructured in-depth individual interviews were conducted. which were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Findings

Two major themes emerged from this study: (1) perspectives on managing asthma and (2) facilitators in asthma self-management. Four subthemes emerged from the first major theme related to views on managing asthma: (1) emphasizing use of an inhaler for asthma, (2) self-monitoring for symptom, (3) difficulties with the daily regimens and (4) family support on asthma self-management. Two subthemes emerged from the second major theme related to facilitators in asthma self-management: (1) confidence in performing asthma care behaviors and (2) asthma communication.

Originality/value

This study described strategies that support asthma management of children in Thailand and provided insight into factors that influence asthma self-management. Findings will inform the development of future self-management interventions for school-age children with asthma.
The structural capital, the innovation and the performance of the industrial SMES
Authors: Beltramino Nicolás Salvador , García-Perez-de-Lema Domingo , Valdez-Juárez Luis Enrique
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the structural capital of SMEs in the capacity of innovation and organizational performance, in the context of an emerging country.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of 259 industrial SMEs from the province of Córdoba Argentina. The data was analyzed by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS–SEM).

Findings

The study provided evidence that acquisition of information and knowledge management, organizational culture and structure, systems and processes have positive and significant effects on the innovation capacity of SMEs. Only the communication and cohesion component did not show positive and significant results on it. It also showed a positive and significant relationship between the capacity for innovation in processes and performance, contributing to the scarce empirical literature in the context of SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

The research exposes some limitations that uncover a path for the development of future lines of research. In the first place, the work focuses on the use of a single source of information, the consultation at the managerial level of the company, without considering other representative variables to measure the capacity for innovation. Second, the study covered only companies in the industrial sector and country. Future studies should focus on other sectors and countries.

Practical implications

The results of the study can have important practical implications for the owners and managers of SMEs. The results offer a vision of the dimensions of structural capital that most influence the innovative capacity of the organization. This is especially useful given that in the context of Argentina there is a low level of knowledge and structural capital is key to being more competitive. The managers of SMEs can thus increase the innovative potential of the company and favor the acquisition of information and knowledge and improve its processes and systems to contribute to the development of innovation capabilities to make SMEs more competitive.

Social implications

The results obtained can be useful for those responsible for making public policy decisions, since in the knowledge of the economy to maintain a developed state and nation, it is necessary to include as one of the main issues on the national agenda the improvement of intellectual capital of its people to promote the competitiveness of companies.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the development of intellectual capital literature focused on the generation of innovation and performance in the perspective of SMEs in emerging countries.
Building social capital and learning relationships through knowledge sharing: a social network approach of management students’ cases
Authors: Han Seung Hyun , Yoon Seung Won , Chae Chugnil
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study has adopted theoretical frameworks of social capital, social networks and the Community of Practice to study how different types of relationships influence the knowledge sharing relationship. This paper aims to suggest that building social capital, particularly structural capital, is part of expected key in knowledge sharing networks.

Design/methodology/approach

Using social capital theory, through social network analysis of 111 management students in the US business school, identified key social capital dimension in knowledge sharing networks. To incorporate the interdependency among examined relationships, network logistic regression with the quadric assignment procedure was used.

Findings

The proposed research model showed that about 98% of the existence of knowledge sharing relationship could be correctly predicted. Among three dimensions of social capital, this study found a superior influence of the structural dimension (i.e. task interdependence) in predicting having a knowledge sharing relationship. The significant effect of trust and friendship network on knowledge sharing was also found. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research were also discussed.

Originality/value

Existing literature as to how people learn through knowledge sharing is limited in at least two important ways. First, scholars of knowledge management acknowledge that organizational knowledge originates from dyadic relationships between or among individuals at work. However, prior research has heavily relied on survey responses from one’s perception of knowledge sharing experience, viewing as unidirectional. Second, substantial attention of prior research has been devoted to the factors of individual attributes. Emphasizing individual interactions as the fundamental building blocks of learning, this study focuses more on relational characteristics of knowledge sharing based on social capital theory.
Drivers and differentiators: a grounded theory study of procurement in public and private organizations
Authors: Kuchina-Musina Dolores , Morris John Charles , Steinfeld Joshua
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine procurement professionals’ perceptions of public-private partnerships in contract arrangements and to explore decision-making that takes place in the contracting process.

Design/methodology/approach

A grounded theory approach is applied to Simon’s (1947) model of decision-making to better understand the perceptions of procurement professionals, especially because it pertains to public vs private sector contexts. The researchers collected data by conducting interviews and observing a compliance webinar of federal contracting employees.

Findings

The results show that in the decision-making process, Simon’s illustration of a means-end hierarchy is applicable for procurement decision-making because it is driven by activities that are evaluated using aims established by the organization.

Practical implications

The implications are that, in the procurement decision-making process, a means-end hierarchy is driven by the activities that are evaluated using aims established by the organization. Essentially, the activities are associated to a mean, a mean is associated to a sub-goal and the sub-goal supports the main aim of the organization.

Social implications

This study supports the notion that training, information and procedures are a way for organizations to control behaviors and promote consistent results from their subordinates.

Originality/value

This study contributes by examining the drivers of procurement decision-making. Despite previous literature that focuses on practitioner discretion or emphasizes on socio-economic factors, this study highlights the linkages between practitioner decision-making and organizational aims and objectives. As such, the paper serves to illustrate the vital connection between procurement activities and outputs.
Effects of social, environmental, and institutional factors on sustainability report assurance: evidence from European countries
Authors: Simoni Lorenzo , Bini Laura , Bellucci Marco
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to extend existing knowledge on the determinants of sustainability report (SR) assurance practices. Four different theories – stakeholder theory, institutional theory, signaling theory and legitimacy theory – are used to formulate several hypotheses regarding the main factors that can influence a company’s decision to assure its SRs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 417 listed organizations based in different European countries over five years, the effects of stakeholder commitment, country orientation toward sustainability, firm environmental performance and business ethics controversies on the decision to assure SRs are assessed.

Findings

The results show that a company’s decision to assure its SRs is motivated by the need to maintain good relations with its stakeholders (which is in line with stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory), as well as by the willingness to signal their sustainability performance (which is in line with signaling theory) and to gain legitimacy. On the contrary, business ethics controversies do not seem to be relevant to a company’s assurance practices.

Originality/value

This paper provides new insights into the influence that social, environmental and institutional factors have on assurance strategies. New factors that previous research does not investigate – environmental performance, business ethics controversies and corporate governance – are tested. Factors that are already investigated in the literature are considered from an original perspective of introducing alternative measures (e.g. for the scope of national sustainability policies).
An empirical test of signalling theory
Authors: Yasar Burze , Martin Thomas , Kiessling Timothy
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to support and extend signalling theory because of information asymmetry. This study also aims to answer the call to further negative signalling and explore immediate reactions to signals, thus alleviating a gap with regard to temporality of signalling.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used two separate data sources, the S&P 500 and 51,500 pages of the public papers between 1981 and 1999, nearly 20 years of data. Inter-rater reliability, controlled for all macroeconomic announcements identified in the literature, is used, and the data are empirically tested using generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GJR-GARCH) modelling.

Findings

In accordance with signalling theory and the efficient market hypothesis, the study found that receivers do react to positive signals from a credible insider signaller to obviate information asymmetry. In line with previous research, the study also finds that receivers react much stronger to negative signals.

Practical implications

Investors, financial managers and top executives responsible for their stock price need to focus on presidential signalling as these directly affect market volatility. In particular, investors and financial managers can predict stock price volatility based upon signals from the president.

Originality/value

This is the first research study that explores the correlation between presidential signalling and market volatility. This study is important for investors and financial managers.