bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lean as a learning system: What do organizations need to do to get the transformational benefits from Toyota’s method?
Authors: Ballé Michael , Chaize Jacques , Jones Daniel
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The creators of the “lean” approach share their extensive experience, highlighting how organizations can reap the benefits of Toyota’s approach.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the authors expertise and 30 plus years of experience developing and implementing the “lean” approach.

Findings

A shift is required in leaders, away from a chain of command to a chain of help. Type IV learning is required where everyone, including the “leaders”, explores, learns, and figures out, experientially, one change at a time.

Originality/value

The paper provides a succinct summary of the need for a mind-set shift in leaders if they are to create a truly lean culture in their organization. They call for leaders to start a cognitive revolution, rather than look to “bolt on” lean to existing organizational practices.
Zero rating and end-users’ freedom of choice: an economic analysis
Authors: Jaunaux Laure , Lebourges Marc
Published: January 2019

Purpose

According to European Union Open Internet Regulation, commercial practices of internet access service providers (IASP) should not restrict end-users’ choice regarding services, applications or contents. This paper aims to analyze the effects of Zero Rating (ZR) on freedom of choice translating this regulatory criterion into a formal expression: providing a ZR offer on a content or application provider (CAP) restricts end-users’ choice if it reduces the volume or provision of others usages.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is made in two steps. First, the authors assess the direct effect of introducing zero rating on non-ZR usages, all other things equal. Second, the paper studies the knock-on effect of ZR on IASP offers and the supply of CAP.

Findings

In the short term, zero rating does not restrict end-users’ choice increasing both ZR and non-ZR usages. In the long term, in the case of pure ZR, IASPs may adapt their offer to support ZR costs impacting negatively other usages. However, in practice, these effects are compensated or diluted by competitive forces or if the ZR traffic is small relatively to the data allowance. In the case of SD, the CAP covers the cost which prevents cross-subsidies and protects freedom of choice if SD is open to all CAPs.

Originality/value

The economic literature on zero rating is scarce and assesses this practice from the general economic criterion of social or consumer welfare. This paper is the first one to use economic analysis to analyze whether Zero Rating is compatible with the EU regulatory criterion of freedom of choice.
Hidden patterns
Authors: Collins Regina , Steffen-Fluhr Nancy
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how one group of ADVANCE Project researchers investigated faculty co-authorship networks to identify relationships between women’s positions in these networks, their research productivity and their advancement at the university – and to make those relationships transparent.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple methods for capturing faculty network data were evaluated, including collecting self-reported data and mining bibliometric data from various web-based sources. Faculty co-authorship networks were subsequently analyzed using several methodologies including social network analysis (SNA), network visualizations and the Kaplan–Meier product limit estimator.

Findings

Results suggest that co-authorship provides an important way for faculty to signal the value of their work, meaning that co-authoring with many others may be beneficial to productivity and promotion. However, patterns of homophily indicate that male faculty tend to collaborate more with other men, reducing signaling opportunities for women. Visualizing these networks can assist faculty in finding and connecting with new collaborators and can provide administrators with unique views of the interactions within their organizations. Finally, Kaplan–Meier survival studies showed longitudinal differences in the retention and advancement of faculty based on gender.

Originality/value

Together, these findings begin to shed light on subtle differences that, over time, may account for the significant gender disparities at STEM institutions, patterns which should be investigated and addressed by administrators. Lessons learned, as well as the novel use of SNA and Kaplan–Meier in investigating gender differences in STEM faculty, provide important findings for other researchers seeking to conduct similar studies at their own institutions.
CO2 emissions from facility services
Authors: Pelzeter Andrea , Sigg René
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is identification of a methodology to determine CO2 emissions through facility services on an approximate and sufficiently accurate basis. This methodology is to be used by German practitioners for request for proposals (RFPs) and offers of facility services.

Design/methodology/approach

In accordance with ISO 14067, a matrix of CO2-relevant modules for the representation of CO2 emissions from facility services is developed. Key figures for energy consumption, transport and equipment manufacture and use are used in a case study.

Findings

For a transparent CO2 assessment of facility services, the following modules are required: work clothing, devices, vehicles (service personnel), supplies, transportation of personnel and overhead (vehicles and office space). In the case study, facility services account for about 30 per cent of the CO2 emissions originating from the use of the building.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology developed is also applicable to other services. Prior to that, however, the investigation of additional facility services (catering or security) and an extension to other types of facilities is required (office building, hospital, etc.).

Practical implications

The developed methodology allows transparent competition for low-carbon services concepts, for example, in RFP procedures for facility services.

Social implications

CO2-optimised facility services increase the demand for low-emission operating equipment and resources. They therefore have an indirect influence on the development of a low-carbon economy.

Originality/value

To date, there has not been a methodology that supports a transparent and practical summary of the service-related CO2 emissions associated with the resources used in facility services.
Grade point average vs competencies: which are most influential for employability?
Authors: Freire-Seoane Maria Jesus , Pais-Montes Carlos , Lopez-Bermúdez Beatriz
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the combined influence that soft skills and Graduate Point Average (GPA) achievements have on the employability of higher education (HE) graduates, and the possible mitigating effects that score attainments have on some ex ante issues, like the gender asymmetries existing in labour market, or the great difference between some knowledge fields, regarding their unemployment rates.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used is a probit model, performed on a sample of 1,054 HE graduates, coming from a middle-sized European university.

Findings

The results show: a clear positive influence of the GPA on job finding odds; that some generic competencies improve this probabilities but another ones act as penalties; and that GPA and systemic competencies enhancement initiatives (at an individual level or at HE policy institutions level) could act as attenuators for the gender inequality or for the low recruitment perspectives existing on some knowledge fields like humanities or social sciences.

Originality/value

A wide scientific literature can be currently found on generic competencies and their influence on the employability odds, but the results regarding GPA attainments are still too heterogeneous and scarcely explored. On the other hand, there’s a non-solved controversy in the literature about the influence of the GPA results on the odds that a HE graduate has to obtain a job: do GPA signal correctly the best candidates? Do current employers prefer competencies scores over GPA attainments? This paper will contribute to clarify these questions.
Experiences of internet users regarding cyberhate
Authors: Celik Serkan
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore internet users’ experiences of cyberhate in the aspects of ethnicity, religion, sexual preference and political perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers employed an exploratory survey method to examine internet users’ experiences of cyberhate. The participants of the study were determined by purposive sampling methods to attain maximum variety among internet users with high-level digital literacy skills. The data were collected from 355 internet users affiliated with two universities in Turkey and the USA using a personal data form and a survey (Cyberhate Experience Survey) of which reliability and validity indexes were ensured.

Findings

The results indicated that participants have observed and experienced cyberhate at different levels targeting their ethnic, religious, gender-based and political identities. The findings also pointed out that gender, income and socio-political identities are significant variables on exposure to cyberhate regardless of cultural and educational boundaries. The majority of survey respondents reported that they had encountered cyberhate mostly on social media platforms.

Social implications

The findings of the study imply that to address the hate speech problem comprehensively, the author must enlighten people, change their way of thinking and broaden their perspectives by using measures such as intercultural dialogue, critical thinking, media literacy, education on tolerance and diversity.

Originality/value

This research was intended to contribute into the need to elaborate on various aspects of cyberhate, which is shared by academics, thinkers, journalists and educators. It may also serve to clarify how frequently internet users encounter hateful content and harassment online, which can have social consequences and influence young people’s trust to other people.
Student voice: perceptions of fair treatment in a Foundations program
Authors: Gallagher Kay
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate why beginning university Emirati students might believe they are unfairly treated by their instructors. By understanding student perceptions, the learning needs of such students can be better catered for, and learning outcomes enhanced.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretivist approach was taken to investigate a finding from a standardized survey of student satisfaction which showed that students felt they were treated unfairly by their instructors. Focus group interviews were used to uncover the possible reasons why students believed they received unfair treatment.

Findings

Interpersonal or interactional unfairness is the type of unfair treatment most often cited by the Foundation students who participated in this study, indicative of the importance of interpersonal relations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) higher education teaching and learning environment.

Research limitations/implications

Although the study is situated within one Foundations program in the UAE, the imperative for instructors to build positive interpersonal relationships with beginning students is highlighted, as well as the need for curricular transparency and ongoing moderation of grading practices, and the importance of informing students about these practices.

Practical implications

The imperative of building positive pedagogical relationships with beginning university Arab Gulf students is highlighted, as well as the need for transparent practices such as moderation of grades, and explicitly informing students about fair practices.

Social implications

Drawing on data from faculty instructors, the paper suggests that a deeper, macrosystemic level of educational unfairness may also be at play: that is, the unfairness inherent in the hegemony of English, and the disconnect between the quality of the state school system and the demands of university. Until these educational issues are addressed, perceptions of unfair treatment in Foundations programs in the Gulf are likely to continue.

Originality/value

As higher education continues to undergo expansion and transformation in the UAE, increasing numbers of academic staff from around the world migrate there, and thousands of Gulf students continue to emigrate to study overseas. This paper contributes important insights into Gulf students’ perceptions.
Organizational constraints as root causes of role conflict
Authors: Gilbert Marie-Hélène , Dextras-Gauthier Julie , Fournier Pierre-Sébastien , Côté André , Auclair Isabelle , Knani Mouna
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the difficulties encountered in the hybrid roles of physician−managers (P−Ms), examine the impact of organizational constraints on the role conflicts experienced by P−Ms and explore the different ways their two roles are integrated.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted, using six focus groups made up of clinical co-managers, medical directors and P−Ms. In all, 43 different people were interviewed to obtain their perceptions of the day-to-day realities of the role of the P−M. The data collected were subsequently validated.

Findings

Although the expectations of the different groups involved regarding the role of P−Ms are well understood and shared, there are significant organizational constraints affecting what P−Ms are able to do in their day-to-day activities, and these constraints can result in role conflicts for the people involved. Such constraints also affect the ways P−Ms integrate the two roles. The authors identify three role hybridization profiles.

Practical implications

The results afford a better understanding of how organizational constraints might be used as levers of organizational change to achieve a better hybridization of the dual roles of P−Ms.

Originality/value

This paper seeks to reach beyond a simple identification of constraints affecting the dual roles of P−Ms by analyzing how such constraints impact on these professionals’ day-to-day activities. Results also enable us to further refine Katz and Kahn’s (1966) role model, in addition to identifying hybridization profiles.
Using dispute settlement partnerships for capacity building
Authors: Bahri Amrita , Ali Toufiq
Published: January 2019

Purpose

World Trade Organisation grants rights to its members, and WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) provides a rule-oriented consultative and judicial mechanism to protect these rights in cases of WTO-incompatible trade infringements. However, the DSU participation benefits come at a cost. These costs are acutely formidable for least developing countries (LDCs) which have small market size and trading stakes. No LDC has ever filed a WTO compliant, with the only exception of India-Battery dispute filed by Bangladesh against India. This paper aims to look at the experience of how Bangladesh – so far the only LDC member that has filed a formal WTO complaint – persuaded India to withdraw anti-dumping duties India had imposed on the import of acid battery from Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation is grounded on practically informed findings gathered through authors’ work experience and several semi-structured interviews and discussions which the authors have conducted with government representatives from Bangladesh, government and industry representatives from other developing countries, trade lawyers and officials based in Geneva and Brussels, and civil society organisations.

Findings

The discussion provides a sound indication of the participation impediments that LDCs can face at WTO DSU and the ways in which such challenges can be overcome with the help of resources available at the domestic level. It also exemplifies how domestic laws and practices can respond to international legal instruments and impact the performance of an LDC at an international adjudicatory forum.

Originality/value

Except one book chapter and a working paper, there is no literature available on this matter. This investigation is grounded on practically informed findings gathered with the help of original empirical research conducted by the authors.
The relationship between EFQM enablers and business performance
Authors: Kafetzopoulos Dimitrios , Gotzamani Katerina , Skalkos Dimitrios
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the five European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model enablers, as the latent factor “enabler excellence,” are associated with business performance, taking into consideration the mediating role of innovation in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis followed in order to investigate the relations among the various constructs of the proposed model includes an initial exploratory factor analysis, followed by confirmatory factor analysis and finally structural equation modeling.

Findings

According to the study findings, “enabler excellence” and innovation performance directly contribute to business performance. Moreover, this paper concludes that innovation performance partially mediates the effect of excellence enablers on business performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not separate between radical and incremental innovation; thus, it would be very interesting to explore this issue in future research. Moreover, it might be useful for researchers to reassess the proposed relationships examining the mediating role of organizational culture.

Practical implications

This study offers clear implications for managers, proving that they should give higher emphasis on quality management (QM) and the four dimensions of innovation in order to achieve increased performance.

Originality/value

Based on the multidimensional structure of the EFQM model, this empirical study determines the contribution of QM to business performance taking into consideration the role of innovation performance as a mediator in this relationship.
Dialectical logic for mythical and mystical superstructural systems
Authors: Usó Doménech José Luis , Nescolarde-Selva Josué Antonio , Segura-Abad Lorena , Sabán Mario
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The doctrine of coincidentia oppositorum (the coincidence of opposites), the interpenetration, interdependence and unification of opposites has long been one of the defining characteristics of mystical (as opposed to philosophical) thought. Mystics of various persuasions have generally held that such paradoxes are the best means of expressing within language, truths about a whole that is sundered by the very operation of language itself. Any effort, it is said, to analyze these paradoxes and provide them with logical sense is doomed from the start because logic itself rests upon assumptions, such as the principles of non-contradiction and excluded middle, that are violated by the mystical ideas.

Design/methodology/approach

Mathematical development of a dialectical logic with truth-values in a complex field.

Findings

The coincidentia oppositorum is a common trope in many religious traditions, particularly those with a mystical or initiatory aspect, and fields of knowledge such as Psychology and Quantum Physics, with wave-particle duality. The aim of this paper is to present a mathematical theory of the coincidence of opposites, and where truth-values are expressed in a complex field. A propositional coincidentia oppositorum algebra is developed.

Originality/value

Although the literature of paraconsistent logics is abundant, the authors think that this is the first time that a dialectical logic has been developed with truth-values belonging to a complex field. The impossibility of reaching an absolute truth from opposite propositions is discovered, both being true, because of the existence of irrational numbers in the truth-values.
Conflict management style and exhaustion in public accounting
Authors: Cooper Mary L. , Knight Margaret E. , Frazier M. Lance , Law Daniel W.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

As exhaustion is a core dimension of job burnout, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that individual perceptions of supervisor conflict management style (collaborative, dominating and avoidant) are antecedents of role stressors (role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload) in public accounting exhaustion.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey results from a sample of 208 public accountants from six firms in upstate New York are used to test the conceptual model using regression and mediation techniques.

Findings

The findings indicate that perceptions of collaborative and dominating conflict management styles are important antecedents to the role stressors that precede exhaustion in public accounting. The findings also indicate that collaborative and dominating management styles have an indirect effect on exhaustion through both role conflict and role overload.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was taken from six accounting firms in one geographic area of the USA and may not be representative of all public accountants. As a result, generalizability may be limited. Theoretical implications include expansion of the existing public accounting exhaustion model to incorporate individual perceptions of conflict management styles as antecedents to role stressors, and consequently to demonstrate the indirect effects of these conflict management styles on exhaustion.

Practical implications

This study’s findings provide practitioners with insight regarding conflict management styles, specifically which ones have a positive versus negative effect on role stressors. This can be considered in hiring, training and promotion decisions in firms’ efforts to reduce exhaustion.

Originality/value

This augmentation of the existing public accounting exhaustion model is unique, as prior research has not examined individual perceptions of conflict management style. This not only enriches the model but also is actionable by public accounting firms seeking to mitigate exhaustion.
Winning tenants’ loyalty in the private rented sector
Authors: Sanderson Danielle Claire
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to help landlords and property managers to understand what they can do to increase tenants’ satisfaction and propensity to renew their lease, and their willingness to recommend their landlord to other people.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses almost 5,000 interviews with private rented sector (PRS) tenants in the UK, conducted over a four-year period, to investigate determinants of resident satisfaction, loyalty (lease renewal) and willingness to recommend their landlord. Statistical analysis is performed using respondents’ ratings of satisfaction with many aspects of their occupancy as explanatory variables. Comparisons are made between interviewees who renew their lease and those who do not renew.

Findings

The research finds that “ease of doing business” with their landlord is a strong predictor of residents’ satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. Other key indicators for lease renewal include relationship management, rent collection and residents’ perception of receiving value for money. Tenants’ willingness to recommend their landlord depends mainly on their relationship with their landlord, how the landlord compares with tenants’ previous landlords and the property management service they receive.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations to this research include the fact that the residents have a single landlord and live on a single estate, one with particular cultural significance, therefore potentially restricting the general applicability of the findings. Although the sample size is large, the number of residents who have reached the end of their lease is relatively small, because the estate has only been occupied by PRS tenants since 2014.

Practical implications

Over the past five years, the PRS has become a significant asset class for institutional investors in the UK. This research should help to improve the landlord – tenant relationship in the PRS, and to increase occupancy rates without compromising rents.

Originality/value

The large sample size in this research, and the use of repeat interviews at various stages of a resident’s occupancy, highlight early signs of discontent that a landlord can act upon to reduce the risk of a tenant moving elsewhere.
Research note: derivations of gradients in angle‐independent joint migration inversion
Authors: Sun Yimin , Verschuur Eric , Qu Shan
Published: January 2019

Although joint migration inversion has been proposed for several years, a thorough derivation and description of the involved gradients was not published. In this paper, we derive the gradient of both the angle‐independent reflectivity and the velocity in a framework of acoustic angle‐independent joint migration inversion. With some further approximations taken, the conclusions shown in previous publications can also be reached from our new derivation.
A thorny issue: Woody plant defence and growth in an East African savanna
Authors: Wigley Benjamin J. , Coetsee Corli , Augustine David J. , Ratnam Jayashree , Hattas Dawood , Sankaran Mahesh
Published: January 2019

Recent work suggests that savanna woody plant species utilise two different strategies based on their defences against herbivory; a low nutrient/high chemical defence strategy and a nutrition paired with mostly architectural defences strategy. The concept that chemical and structural defences can augment each other and do not necessarily trade‐off has emanated from this work. In this study, we examine woody plant defence strategies, how these respond to herbivore removal and how they affect plant growth in an East African savanna.

At three paired long‐term exclosure sites with high browser and mixed‐feeder densities at Mpala Ranch, Kenya, we investigated: (a) whether defences employed by the dominant fine‐ and broad‐leaved woody savanna species form defence strategies and if these align with previously proposed strategies, (b) how nine key plant defence traits respond to herbivore removal and (c) how effective the different defence strategies are at protecting against intense herbivory (by measuring plant growth with and without herbivores present).

We identified three defence strategies. We found a group (a) with high N, short spines and high N‐free secondary metabolites, a group (b) with high N, long spines and low N‐free secondary metabolites and a group (c) with moderate N, no spines and low N‐free secondary metabolites (most likely defended by unmeasured chemical defences). Structural defences (spine length, branching) were generally found to be induced by herbivory, leaf available N increased or did not respond, and N‐free secondary metabolites decreased or did not respond to herbivory. Species with long spines combined with increased “caginess” (dense canopy architecture arising from complex arrangement of numerous woody and spiny axis categories) of branches, maintained the highest growth under intense browsing, compared to species with short spines and high N‐free secondary metabolites and species with no spines and low N‐free secondary metabolites.

Synthesis. At our study site, structural traits (i.e. spines, increased caginess) were the most inducible and effective defences against intense mammalian herbivory. We propose that high levels of variability in the way that nutrient and defence traits combine may contribute to the coexistence of closely related species comprising savanna woody communities.
Parent‐implemented early language intervention programme for late talkers: parental communicative behaviour change and child language outcomes at 3 and 4 years of age
Authors: Kruythoff‐Broekman Astrid , Wiefferink Carin , Rieffe Carolien , Uilenburg Noëlle
Published: January 2019

Background

Late language emergence is a risk indicator for developmental language disorder. Parent‐implemented early language intervention programmes (parent programmes) have been shown to have positive effects on children's receptive and expressive language skills. However, long‐term effectiveness has rarely been studied. Additionally, little is known about which strategies parents learn to use after participating in parent programmes and whether this affects their child's language development.

Aims

To evaluate medium‐ and long‐term effectiveness (1 and 2 years after inclusion) of a low‐dosage parent programme in a sample of late talkers (LTs) with an expressive language delay. Specifically, we investigated which strategies the parents learned to use in interaction with their child and which strategies were associated with child language growth over time.

Methods & Procedures

This quasi‐experimental study with a longitudinal design included 24‐month‐old LTs. After the pre‐test, parents of children in the intervention group received a parent programme (n = 30), while parents of children in the comparison group received care as usual (n = 30). Children's language development was assessed using standardized language tests at pre‐test and two follow‐up tests at 36 and 48 months of age. Change in parental communicative behaviour was measured by a parent–child interaction observation measure, at pre‐test and follow‐up at 36 months of age.

Outcomes & Results

At 36 months old, children in the parent programme group showed a significantly higher growth in expressive vocabulary than children in the comparison group. However, differences between the groups were not seen in the long‐term, at the 48‐month follow‐up. In contrast to parents in the comparison group, parents in the parent programme group changed their communicative behaviour positively in two domains: Interaction and Pressure on the child. However, no changes in the domains of Language Stimulation and Responsiveness were observed. Children's growth in expressive vocabulary and expressive syntax was associated with a decrease in the domain of Pressure.

Conclusions & Implications

At 4 years of age, the majority of children in both groups achieved expressive vocabulary scores within the normal range. However, the mean score for expressive syntax in both groups remained below that of their peers, and 29% of the children still had expressive language scores below the mean range. Ongoing monitoring of LTs’ language development is necessary in order to make decisions regarding the timing and nature of intervention.
The Educational Correlates of Voting: A Cross‐sectional Study of Finnish Undergraduates’ Turnout in the 2014 European Parliament Election
Authors: Inkinen Saara , Saari Juhani
Published: January 2019

Why do well‐educated citizens show high turnout in elections? Despite broad scholarly agreement that educational attainment predicts electoral participation, there is little consensus about which aspects of higher education account for this positive association. This study addresses this gap in the empirical literature by investigating the educational correlates of micro‐level turnout. To this end, the article first discuss two types of factors that prior research has suggested to connect higher education to voting: participation‐enhancing benefits; and the type of education. Using a unique, nationally representative survey of the 2012 cohort of Finnish undergraduates, the relative importance of and relationships between these competing factors in explaining the students’ intended voting in the 2014 European Parliament election are tested. It is found that turnout is positively associated with the student’s sense of political efficacy, which also mediates between an open classroom environment and turnout. Furthermore, students enrolled in the academic university track have stronger voting intentions – an effect that reflects their sense of civic duty. By contrast, no support is found for the effect of social network centrality. These results suggest that several, but not all, elements of higher education as discussed in the literature are relevant for electoral participation.
Too much of a good thing? Finding the most informative genetic data set to answer conservation questions
Authors: McLennan Elspeth A. , Wright Belinda R. , Belov Katherine , Hogg Carolyn J. , Grueber Catherine E.
Published: January 2019

Molecular markers are a useful tool allowing conservation and population managers to shed light on genetic processes affecting threatened populations. However, as technological advancements in molecular techniques continue to evolve, conservationists are frequently faced with new genetic markers, each with nuanced variation in their characteristics as well as advantages and disadvantages for informing various questions. We used a well‐studied population of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) from Maria Island, Tasmania, to illustrate the issues associated with combining multiple genetic data sets and to help answer a question posed by many population managers: which data set will provide the most precise and accurate estimates of the population processes we are trying to measure? We analysed individual heterozygosity (as internal relatedness, IR) of 96 individuals, calculated using four genetic marker types (putatively neutral microsatellites, major histocompatibility complex‐linked microsatellites, reduced representation sequencing, and candidate region resequencing). We found no correlation in IR values across marker types, suggesting that various genetic markers reflect different aspects of genomic diversity. In addition, some marker types were more informative than others for conservation decision‐making. Reduced representation sequencing provided the highest precision (lowest error) for estimating population‐level genetic diversity, and most closely reflected genome‐wide heterozygosity both theoretically and empirically. Within the conservation context, our results highlight important considerations when choosing a molecular technique for wildlife genetics.
Detection of pest species with different ratios in tea plant based on electronic nose
Authors: Sun Yubing , Wang Jun , Cheng Shaoming , Wang Yongwei
Published: January 2019

It is highly possible that tea (Camellia sinensis) plant is attacked by more than one pest species at the same time, and the determination of their proportion is of great significance to the management of tea plants. However, there are no literatures focusing on it previously. In this work, two pest species (Ectropis obliqua and Ectropis grisescens) in six different ratios (10:0, 8:2, 6:4, 4:6, 2:8 and 0:10) were applied to attack tea plants and electronic nose (E‐nose) was employed to detect them, labelled as group 10:0, 8:2, 6:4, 4:6, 2:8 and 0:10, respectively. Two prediction methods were applied to predict the ratio of E. obliqua and E. grisescens attacking tea plant and their performances were compared. The first method employed regression algorithm for prediction analysis based on the whole E‐nose data directly. The second method classified tea plants into three main classes (the first class contained group 10:0, the second class contained groups 8:2, 6:4, 4:6 and 2:8, and the third class contained group 0:10) first, then regression algorithm was applied to deal with the second class for prediction analysis. The results showed that the second method had a better performance. Its discrimination results showed 100% of the correct classification rate for training set and 93.75% for testing set. Meanwhile, its prediction results showed 0.0005 of root mean square error (RMSE) for calibration set, 0.0064 for validation set and 99.07% of fitting correlation coefficients (R2) for calibration set, 91.22% for validation set, which were acceptable for prediction analysis and proved that E‐nose was a feasible technique for pests' ratio prediction.
Long‐term intake of phenolic compounds attenuates age‐related cardiac remodeling
Authors: Chacar Stéphanie , Hajal Joelle , Saliba Youakim , Bois Patrick , Louka Nicolas , Maroun Richard G. , Faivre Jean‐François , Fares Nassim
Published: January 2019

With the onset of advanced age, cardiac‐associated pathologies have increased in prevalence. The hallmarks of cardiac aging include cardiomyocyte senescence, fibroblast proliferation, inflammation, and hypertrophy. The imbalance between levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes is greatly enhanced in aging cells, promoting cardiac remodeling. In this work, we studied the long‐term impact of phenolic compounds (PC) on age‐associated cardiac remodeling. Three‐month‐old Wistar rats were treated for 14 months till middle‐age with either 2.5, 5, 10, or 20 mg kg−1 day−1 of PC. PC treatment showed a dose‐dependent preservation of cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening as well as decreased hypertrophy reflected by left ventricular chamber diameter and posterior wall thickness as compared to untreated middle‐aged control animals. Analyses of proteins from cardiac tissue showed that PC attenuated several hypertrophic pathways including calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATc3), calcium/calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (CAMKII), extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK 3ß). PC‐treated groups exhibited reduced plasma inflammatory and fibrotic markers and revealed as well ameliorated extracellular matrix remodeling and interstitial inflammation by a downregulated p38 pathway. Myocardia from PC‐treated middle‐aged rats presented less fibrosis with suppression of profibrotic transforming growth factor‐ß1 (TGF‐ß1) Smad pathway. Additionally, reduction of apoptosis and oxidative damage in the PC‐treated groups was reflected by elevated antioxidant enzymes and reduced RNA/DNA damage markers. Our findings pinpoint that a daily consumption of phenolic compounds could preserve the heart from the detrimental effects of aging storm.
Dispersal behaviour of Euwallacea nr. fornicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in avocado groves and estimation of lure sampling range
Authors: Owens David , Seo Meeja , Montgomery Wayne S. , Rivera Monique J. , Stelinski Lukasz L. , Kendra Paul E.
Published: January 2019

Invasive ambrosia beetles in the Euwallacea nr. fornicatus species complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) threaten avocado production in multiple countries. These pests are currently monitored with lures containing quercivorol; α‐copaene was also recently discovered to be an effective attractant.

We investigated dispersal behaviour of female E. nr. fornicatus in two Florida avocado groves using mark–release–recapture experiments and laboratory flight mills. Additionally, we estimated the sampling range of quercivorol and α‐copaene lures deployed alone and in tandem.

The two‐component lure recaptured 31.2% of marked beetles, which was significantly more than quercivorol (11.2%) or α‐copaene (8.8%) alone. Contour analysis indicated that wind speed and direction can influence the number of females that disperse, as well as the direction and distance of their flight.

Two methods were used to estimate sampling range and both of them indicated comparable effective ranges for the three lure treatments, with 80% of marked beetles being recaptured within 30–35 m of the release point. Average total flight distance in laboratory tests was 81.0 m in 24 h, with a maximum distance recorded at 400 m.

The combination of quercivorol and α‐copaene lures provides the best detection of pest E. nr. fornicatus in Florida, with a recommended trap spacing of approximately 30 m in surveillance programmes for this pest in avocado groves.
Evidence for an association between endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune diseases
Authors: Greenbaum Hila , Weil Clara , Chodick Gabriel , Shalev Varda , Eisenberg Vered H.
Published: January 2019

Problem

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the association between endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease (AID) in a large population database and to describe healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in affected women.

Methods

A retrospective cross‐sectional study was performed using the computerized databases of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), a 2.1‐million‐member healthcare plan in Israel. Age‐sex‐specific point prevalence rates of endometriosis and fibromyalgia were calculated for end of 2015. Socio‐demographic characteristics, HCRU, co‐morbidities, including AID and depression or anxiety were described according to endometriosis/fibromyalgia status and analyzed using ordinary logistic regression models.

Results

Among a total population of 781 571 adult women, 6647 were diagnosed with endometriosis (8.5 per 1000) and 25 425 with fibromyalgia (32 per 1000). A total of 401 women (0.5 per 1000) were diagnosed with both conditions. In 2015, the mean age of the women diagnosed with endometriosis and fibromyalgia was 42 and 55 years, respectively. Women with co‐occurrence were characterized by increased HCRU and a high prevalence rate of AID compared to women with no diagnosis of endometriosis/fibromyalgia, with 6.2% diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) vs 1% in the comparison group. The prevalence of fibromyalgia in women with endometriosis was 6%. Adjusted ORs (95% CI) for fibromyalgia among endometriosis patients were 4.1 (2.02‐8.36) for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 3.1 (1.5‐6.2) for Sjögren syndrome, 2.9 (1.87‐4.7) for IBD, 2.1 (1.6‐2.7) for dispensed antidepressants, and 1.7 (1.37‐2.2) for diagnosed anxiety/depression.

Conclusion

Co‐occurrence of endometriosis and fibromyalgia is associated with a high burden of AID, anxiety/depression, and HCRU.
Yellow Woman: Suspicion and Cooperation on Liberia's Gold Mines
Authors: Hoffman Danny
Published: January 2019

Yellow Womanis a multimodal ethnographic research project combining text and film to explore the dynamics of cooperation and suspicion on a Liberian gold mine. The sixteen‐minute single‐take video places the viewer in a uniquely “filmic” position; in other words, it allows the viewer to experience the end of a gold mining operation as only a camera can render it. But it is a point of view that simultaneously captures the tensions and surveillance practices of mine bosses and the laborers themselves. These men, despite the collective nature of their work and their long associations with one another, nevertheless remain constantly vigilant against the possibilities of deception and theft. The text that accompanies the film provides the ethnographic context that the film itself cannot and explores the aesthetic and stylistic choices through which the film communicates. [ethnographic film, mining, Liberia]
Artificial Organs 2018: A Year in Review
Authors: Malchesky Paul S.
Published: January 2019

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2018 are organized by category and summarized. We provide a brief reflection of the research and progress in artificial organs intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of these technologies and methods. Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders “to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level.” Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. Peer‐reviewed special issues this year included contributions from the 13th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion edited by Dr. Akif Undar, and the 25th Congress of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support edited by Dr. Marvin Slepian. Additionally, many editorials highlighted the worldwide survival differences in hemodialysis and perspectives on mechanical circulatory support and stem cell therapies for cardiac support. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years.
The Implementation and Adaptation of the Balanced Scorecard in a Government Agency
Authors: Zawawi Nur Haiza Muhammad , Hoque Zahirul
Published: January 2019

Despite considerable progress in understanding the adoption and practice of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) as a performance management tool in government organisations, how a well‐designed BSC can become a sustainable organisational practice remains under explored and of central importance. Through a qualitative field study carried out within a government agency (Alpha), this paper demonstrates that Alpha's senior management implemented a BSC framework because they believed it would benefit the agency to realise its broader organisational and socio‐economic goals, namely sustainable organisational efficiency and social status. We conclude that an organisation's performance management systems can travel across internal organisational boundaries over time and could be assimilated by organisational actors to become a sustained internal control mechanism in a complex socio‐political setting.
Treatment of exudative age‐related macular degeneration with aflibercept combined with pranoprofen eye drops or nutraceutical support with omega‐3: A randomized trial
Authors: Semeraro Francesco , Gambicordi Elena , Cancarini Anna , Morescalchi Francesco , Costagliola Ciro , Russo Andrea
Published: January 2019

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine whether a combination of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and pranoprofen eyedrops or nutraceutical support provides additional benefit over IVA monotherapy for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age‐related macular degeneration.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, pilot study in 60 patients with treatment‐naïve CNV. Patients were randomized 1:1:1 into three groups: aflibercept monotherapy (AM), aflibercept plus pranoprofen (AP) or aflibercept plus nutraceutical (AN) tablets containing multivitamin antioxidant and mineral supplementation plus omega‐3.

Results

At 12 months, all groups showed significant improvement in both best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). The mean BCVA change from baseline to 12 months was −0.26 ± 0.06 LogMAR, −0.30 ± 0.06 LogMAR and −0.24 ± 0.04 LogMAR in the AM, AP and AN groups, respectively. The mean CRT change from baseline to 12 months was −76.9 ± 10.9 μm, −129 ± 19.9 μm and −105 ± 11.6 μm in the AM, AP and AN groups, respectively. The AN group required one less IVA injection than the AM group.

Conclusions

Compared with AM, both combination groups acted synergistically, although no significant benefits in BCVA were found over AM. Nutraceutical support with omega‐3 leads to a reduced need for IVA.