bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Vector Representation of DNA Sequences Using Locality Sensitive Hashing
Authors: Shi Lizhen , Chen Bo
Published: August 2019

Drawing from the analogy between natural language and "genomic sequence language", we explored the applicability of word embeddings in natural language processing (NLP) to represent DNA reads in Metagenomics studies. Here, k-mer is the equivalent concept of word in NLP and it has been widely used in analyzing sequence data. However, directly replacing word embedding with k-mer embedding is problematic due to two reasons: First, the number of k-mers is many times of the number of words in NLP, making the model too big to be useful. Second, sequencing errors create lots of rare k-mers (noise), making the model hard to be trained. In this work, we leverage Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) to overcoming these challenges. We then adopted the skip-gram with negative sampling model to learn k-mer embeddings. Experiments on metagenomic datasets with labels demonstrated that LSH can not only accelerate training time and reduce the memory requirements to store the model, but also achieve higher accuracy than alternative methods. Finally, we demonstrate the trained low-dimensional k-mer embeddings can be potentially used for accurate metagenomic read clustering and predict their taxonomy, and this method is robust on reads with high sequencing error rates (12-22%).
Sex-associated differences in cytomegalovirus prevention: Prophylactic strategy is associated with a strong kidney function impairment in female renal transplant patients
Authors: Blazquez-Navarro Arturo , Dang-Heine Chantip , Bauer Chris , Wittenbrink Nicole , Wolk Kerstin , Sabat Robert , Witzke Oliver , Westhoff Timm H. , Sawitzki Birgit , Reinke Petra , Thomusch Oliver , Hugo Christian , Babel Nina , Or-Guil Michal
Published: August 2019

Post-transplantation cytomegalovirus (CMV) syndrome can be prevented using the antiviral drug (val)ganciclovir. (Val)ganciclovir is typically administered following a prophylactic or a pre-emptive strategy. The prophylactic strategy entails early universal administration, the pre-emptive strategy, early treatment in case of infection. However, it is not clear which strategy is superior with respect to transplantation outcome; sex-specific effects of these prevention strategies are not known. We have retrospectively analysed 540 patients from the multi-centre Harmony study along eight pre-defined visits: 308 were treated according to a prophylactic, 232 according to a pre-emptive strategy. As expected, we observed an association of prophylactic strategy with lower incidence of CMV syndrome, delayed onset and lower viral loads compared to the pre-emptive strategy. However, in female patients, the prophylactic strategy was associated with a strong impairment of glomerular filtration rate one year post-transplant (difference: -12.0±4.2 mL·min-1·1.73m-2, P=0.005). Additionally, we observed a tendency of higher incidence of acute rejection and severe BK virus reactivation in the prophylactic strategy group. While the prophylactic strategy was more effective for preventing CMV syndrome, our results suggest for the first time that the prophylactic strategy might lead to inferior transplantation outcomes in female patients, providing evidence for a strong association with sex.
Trimester-specific Zika virus infection affects placental responses in women
Authors: Lum Fok-Moon , Narang Vipin , Hue Susan , Chen Jie , McGovern Naomi , Rajarethinam Ravisankar , Tan Jeslin J.L. , Amrun Siti Naqiah , Chan Yi-Hao , Lee Cheryl Y.P. , Chua Tze-Kwang , Yee Wearn-Xin , Yeo Nicholas K.W. , Tan Thiam-Chye , Liu Xuan , Haldenby Sam , Leo Yee-sin , Ginhoux Florent , Chan Jerry K.Y. , Hiscox Julian , Chong Chia-Yin , Ng Lisa F.P.
Published: August 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is associated with neurologic birth defects, but the effects on placental development are unclear. Full-term placentas from three women, each infected with ZIKV during specific pregnancy trimesters, were harvested for anatomic, immunologic and transcriptomic analysis. In this study, each woman exhibited a unique immune response, but they collectively diverged from healthy controls with raised IL-1RA, IP-10, EGF and RANTES expression, and neutrophil numbers during the acute infection phase. Although ZIKV NS3 antigens co-localized to placental Hofbauer cells, the placentas showed no anatomical defects. Transcriptomic analysis of samples from the placentas revealed that infection during trimester 1 caused a disparate cellular response centered on differential eIF2 signaling, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative phosphorylation. These findings should translate to improve clinical prenatal screening procedures for virus-infected pregnant patients.
Predictive factors of response to electrochemotherapy in canine oral malignant melanoma
Authors: Tellado Matías Nicolás , Maglietti Felipe Horacio , Michinski Sebastián Diego , Marshall Guillermo Ricardo , Signori Emanuela
Published: August 2019

Electrochemotherapy is a treatment modality which has been increasingly used in veterinary and human medicine for treating cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors. In this prospective work we evaluated the outcome of using electrochemotherapy as a first-line treatment for canine oral melanoma in different stages, with the aim of determining predictive factors of response to the treatment. Mucosal melanoma is the most common cause of oral cancer in dogs. Canine oral malignant melanoma is very similar to human oral melanoma in many aspects, being a very good translational model for studying response to this treatment. Sixty-seven canine patients were treated. Intravenous bleomycin was the preferred drug, and the standard operating procedures for electrochemotherapy were followed. The patients were followed-up for two years. According to WHO criteria, the objective response per stage was: stage I 100%, stage II 89.5%, stage III 57.7% and, stage IV 36.4%. The overall median survival was 7.5 months (2-30 months, mean 9.1 months). Median overall survival of patients in stage I was 16.5 months, in stage II was 9 months, in stage III 7.5 months, and in stage IV 4.5 months. The average number of electrochemotherapy sessions was 1.5 for every stage. The incidence of new metastases among treated patients was 28.4%. Patients in advanced stages, with bone involvement, and caudal location of the tumor had poorer response rates and shorter overall survival times. The treatment greatly improved the quality of life of the patients. Electrochemotherapy is an important technique in the oncological armamentarium against melanoma, and these results can be used to predict human response to this therapy in each stage.
Regulation of neutrophil NADPH oxidase by PSTPIP2 affects bone damage in murine autoinflammatory osteomyelitis
Authors: Kralova Jarmila , Drobek Ales , Prochazka Jan , Spoutil Frantisek , Glatzova Daniela , Borna Simon , Pokorna Jana , Skopcova Tereza , Angelisova Pavla , Gregor Martin , Kovarik Pavel , Sedlacek Radislav , Brdicka Tomas
Published: August 2019

Autoinflammatory diseases are characterized by dysregulation of the innate immune system leading to spontaneous inflammation. Pstpip2cmo mouse strain is a well-characterized model of this class of disorders. Due to the mutation leading to the lack of adaptor protein PSTPIP2, these animals suffer from autoinflammatory chronic multifocal osteomyelitis similar to several human syndromes. Current evidence suggests that it is driven by hyperproduction of IL-1β by neutrophil granulocytes. Here we show that in addition to IL-1β, PSTPIP2 also negatively regulates ROS generation by neutrophil NADPH oxidase. Pstpip2cmo neutrophils display highly elevated ROS production in response to a range of stimuli. Inactivation of NADPH oxidase in Pstpip2cmo mice did not affect IL-1β levels and the autoinflammatory process was initiated with similar kinetics. However, the bone destruction was almost completely alleviated, suggesting that dysregulated NADPH oxidase activity is a key factor promoting autoinflammatory bone damage in Pstpip2cmo mice.
Luminescent and magnetic bifunctional coordination complex based on a chiral tartaric acid derivative and europium
Authors: Han Mei-rong , Li Shao-dong , Ma Ling , Yao Bang , Feng Si-Si , Zhu Miao-li
Published: August 2019

A new mononuclear europium complex incorporating the (+)-di-p-toluoyl-D-tartaric acid (D-H2DTTA) ligand, namely, catena-poly[tris{μ2-3-carboxy-2,3-bis[(4-methylphenyl)carbonyloxy]propanoato}tris(methanol)europium(III)], [Eu(C20H17O8)3(CH3OH)3]
n
, (I), has been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure analysis indicates that complex (I) crystallizes in the trigonal space group R3 and exhibits an infinite one-dimensional chain structure, in which the Eu3+ ion is surrounded by six O atoms from six D-HDTTA− ligands and three O atoms from three coordinated methanol molecules, thus forming a tricapped trigonal prism geometry. The D-H2DTTA ligand is partially deprotonated and adopts a μ1,6-coordination mode via two carboxylate groups to link adjacent Eu3+ ions, affording an infinite one-dimensional propeller-shaped coordination polymer chain along the c axis, with an Eu...Eu distance of 7.622 (1) Å. Moreover, C—H...π interactions lead to the formation of helical chains running along the c axis and the whole structure displays a snowflake pattern in the ab plane. The circular dichroism spectrum confirms the chirality of complex (I). The solid-state photoluminescence properties were also investigated at room temperature and (I) exhibits characteristic red emission bands derived from the Eu3+ ion (CIE 0.63, 0.32), with a reasonably long lifetime of 0.394 ms, indicating effective energy transfer from the ligand to the metal centre. In addition, a magnetic investigation reveals single-ion magnetic behaviour. The spin-orbit coupling parameter (λ) between the ground and excited states is fitted to be 360 (2) cm−1 through Zeeman perturbation. Therefore, complex (I) may be regarded as a chiral optical-magneto bifunctional material.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of a new dithioglycoluril: 1,4-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-3a-methyltetrahydroimidazo[4,5-d]imidazole-2,5(1H,3H)-dithione
Authors: Asegbeloyin Jonnie N. , Ifeanyieze Kenechukwu J. , Okpareke Obinna C. , Oyeka Ebube E. , Groutso Tatiana V.
Published: August 2019

In the title dithioglycoluril derivative, C19H20N4O3S2, there is a difference in the torsion angles between the thioimidazole moiety and the methoxyphenyl groups on either side of the molecule [C—N—Car—Car= 116.9 (2) and −86.1 (3)°, respectively]. The N—C—N bond angle on one side of the dithioglycoluril moiety is slightly smaller compared to that on the opposite side, [110.9 (2)°cf. 112.0 (2)°], probably as a result of the steric effect of the methyl group. In the crystal, N—H...S hydrogen bonds link adjacent molecules to form chains propagating along thec-axis direction. The chains are linked by C—H...S hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to thebcplane. The layers are then linked by C—H...π interactions, leading to the formation of a three-dimensional supramolecular network. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots were used to investigate the molecular interactions in the crystal.
Bis(μ2-4-nitrophenolato)bis(4-nitrophenolato)di-μ3-oxido-octaphenyltetratin chloroform sesquisolvate [+ solvate]: a tetranuclear stannoxane
Authors: Butler Patrick
Published: August 2019

The title tetranuclear stannoxane, [Sn4(C6H5)8(C6H4NO3)4O2]·1.5CHCl3·solvent, crystallized with two independent complex molecules, A and B, in the asymmetric unit together with 1.5 molecules of chloroform. There is also a region of disordered electron density, which was corrected for using the SQUEEZE routine [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18]. The oxo-tin core of each complex is in a planar `ladder' arrangement and each Sn atom is fivefold SnO3C2 coordinated, with one tin centre having an almost perfect square-pyramidal coordination geometry, while the other three Sn centres have distorted shapes. In the crystal, the complex molecules are arranged in layers, composed of A or B complexes, lying parallel to the bc plane. The complex molecules are linked by a number of C—H...O hydrogen bonds within the layers and between the layers, forming a supramolecular three-dimensional structure.
The map and the terroir
Authors: Hegnes Atle Wehn
Published: August 2019

Purpose

An important requirement when producers apply for protected designation of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indications (PGIs) is to adapt and agree on a concise definition of the geographical boundaries and area of the product. Whereas PDO products must be both strongly ecologically and culturally embedded in the specific area, PGI products are allowed a weaker degree of embeddedness. The research question of this paper is: How are geographical boundaries becoming PDOs and PGIs? The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on diverse forms of empirical material. Document studies of laws, policy documents, etc. have been analyzed to uncover what kind of measures and concepts that have been important for implementation of the scheme in Norway. Interviews with producer organizations have involved the persons responsible for working out product regulations in producer organizations. Interviews have also been conducted with key informants representing public administrative bodies administering the regulation. All interviews have been semi-structured.

Findings

The analysis identifies a set of important conditions for the boundary work of PDO-PGI in Norway. The conditions can generally be said to be characterized by a weak understanding of the food-people-places nexus and a strong reliance on instrumentalised system logic in how to deal with the map-nature dimension in boundary work. The short answer to the research question is that geographical boundaries are becoming PDO and PGI through controversies.

Originality/value

The controversies are characterized by what is defined as cultural adaptation work. The actors overall adaptation work is understood as the sum of the practices that takes place in the interplay between people’s translations of language and knowledge, reorganization of social relationships and transformation of materiality. The interplay is embedded in the tension between the global and the local, the old and the new and results in both intended and unintended consequences.
Efficiency analysis of Indian banking industry over the period 2008–2017 using data envelopment analysis
Authors: Tamatam Roopteja , Dutta Pankaj , Dutta Goutam , Lessmann Stefan
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the relative efficiencies of banks of the Indian domestic banking sector by employing various models of data envelopment analysis (DEA) using the panel data of the recent decade (2008–2017). The paper provides a comparative analysis of these models based on the efficiency outputs. It compares the performance of banks based on their ownership and sizes and studies the decade-long trend of productivity using Malmquist indices.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper estimates overall technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies of 21 public sector banks and 17 private banks. It compares the descriptive statistics of efficiency estimates found out through 18 different DEA models and compares them using two non-parametric statistical tests. It studies the difference in efficiencies based on ownership and size by applying the same statistical tests. It employs the Malmquist index method to study the technological and technical progress in the banks’ productivity over the decade of FY 2008–FY 2017.

Findings

During FY 2016–2017, only 9 out of 38 banks were overall technically efficient with the whole sample having a mean overall technical inefficiency of 5 percent with scale inefficiency contributing more than pure technical inefficiency. The comparative study ascertains that private sector and public sector banks (PSBs) possess efficiencies that are similar based on super-efficiency slack-based model – variable returns to scale and non-oriented, a model that the authors argue to be the most suitable for the real-life business banking scenarios whereas the private sector banks possess better efficiency than the PSBs. The Malmquist indices prove that private sector banks have a higher increase in productivity based on both technological progress and efficiency improvements whereas PSBs had a loss of efficiency and comparatively less improvement in technology.

Research limitations/implications

This study has a limitation of choosing a single model of inputs and outputs. Improved insights can be drawn by employing more models based on different inputs and outputs. Further, relevance of each input and output can be examined using a regression-based feedback mechanism (Ouenniche and Carrales, 2018). The influence of environmental factors on the efficiencies can be studied using second-stage regression models and the relationship between efficiency scores and financial ratios can be examined.

Originality/value

This study is based on the panel data of the recent decade (2008–2017) and provides insights into the efficiency scenario of the Indian banking industry and how it changed over the past decade, to the leadership of banks, the banking regulators and the policy makers. The comparative analysis of DEA models based on a sample of Indian banks is first of its kind in the Indian context and helps the researchers to select an appropriate model and delve into further research on the same.
The potency of recycled aggregate in new concrete: a review
Authors: Anike Emmanuel Ejiofor , Saidani Messaoud , Ganjian Eshmaiel , Tyrer Mark , Olubanwo Adegoke Omotayo
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to review the effect of using recycled aggregates (RA) on the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) following the steady rise in global demand for concrete and the large generation of construction and demolition waste.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviewed relevant literature of research work carried out by previous researchers, leading to a deeper understanding of the properties of both RA and RAC. The properties of RA and RAC reported in the various studies were then compared to their corresponding natural aggregate (NA) and natural aggregate concrete, as well as the specifications provided in different codes of practice. In addition, the mix design methods appropriate to RAC and the cost implication of using RA were reviewed.

Findings

Findings show that the contribution of RA to strength appears inferior in comparison to NA. The shortcoming is attributed to the mortar attached to the RA, which raises its water absorption capacity and lowers its density relative to those of NA. However, it has been reported that the use of regulated quantity of RA, new mixing and proportioning methods, the addition of admixtures and strengthening materials such as steel fibres, can improve both mechanical and durability properties of RAC. Cost evaluation also showed that some savings can be realized by using RA instead of NA.

Originality/value

This research serves as a guide for future works and suggests that the use of RA as aggregate in new concrete is technically possible, depending on the mix design method adopted.
Critical success factors for building information modelling (BIM) implementation in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Daniel W.M. , Olawumi Timothy O. , Ho Alfred M.L.
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Some initiatives have been proposed and implemented to facilitate successful project delivery and improve coordination and collaboration in the design, construction and management phases of project development. Building information modeling (BIM) is one of those initiatives that, though recent, however, have made a significant impact on the construction industry in some countries. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper aims to explore the critical success factors for BIM implementation in the architecture, engineering and construction industry of Hong Kong through a mixed research method (structured empirical questionnaire survey and expert interviews).

Findings

The most influential success factor relates to the client’s acceptance with BIM projects, proper organizational structure to support a BIM system within the company and financial aid from the government to set up the BIM system. The expert interviewees also stressed the need for willingness from project staff members to learn and utilize BIM.

Practical implications

This study has contributed to the establishment of more practical and effective strategies for ensuring full adoption of BIM in Hong Kong. Practical recommendations for enhancing BIM adoption in the construction industry were highlighted.

Originality/value

This study has established the key drivers leading to the success of BIM implementation in Hong Kong, as well as in the perspective of construction experts on how to enhance its uptake in construction projects.
A Godunov type method determining boundary conditions to predict the transient heat transfer in an expanding combustion chamber
Authors: Hu Chaobin , Zhang Xiaobing
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to improve the reliability of numerical methods for predicting the transient heat transfers in combustion chambers heated internally by moving heat sources.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-phase fluid dynamic model was used to govern the non-uniformly distributed moving heat sources. A Riemann-problem-based numerical scheme was provided to update the fluid field and provide convective boundary conditions for the heat transfer. The heat conduction in the solids was investigated by using a thermo-mechanical coupled model to obtain a reliable expanding velocity of the heat sources. The coupling between the combustion and the heat transfer is realized based on user subroutines VDFLUX and VUAMP in the commercial software ABAQUS.

Findings

The capability of the numerical scheme in capturing discontinuities in initial conditions and source terms was validated by comparing the predicted results of commonly used verification cases with the corresponding analytical solutions. The coupled model and the numerical methods are capable of investigating heat transfer problems accompanied by extreme conditions such as transient effects, high-temperature and high-pressure working conditions.

Originality/value

The work provides a reliable numerical method to obtain boundary conditions for predicting the heat transfers in solids heated by expanding multiphase reactive flows.
Eulerian–Eulerian multi-phase RPI modeling of turbulent forced convective of boiling flow inside the tube with porous medium
Authors: Azadbakhti Reza , Pourfattah Farzad , Ahmadi Abolfazl , Akbari Omid Ali , Toghraie Davood
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is simulation the flow boiling inside a tube in the turbulent flow regime for investigating the effect of using a porous medium in the boiling procedure.

Design/methodology/approach

To ensure the accuracy of the obtained numerical results, the presented results have been compared with the experimental results, and proper coincidence has been achieved. In this study, the phase change phenomenon of boiling has been modeled by using the Eulerian–Eulerian multi-phase Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) wall boiling model.

Findings

The obtained results indicate using a porous medium in boiling process is very effective in a way that by using a porous medium inside the tub, the location of changing the liquid to the vapor and the creation of bubbles, changes. By increasing the thermal conductivity of porous medium, the onset of phase changing postpones, which causes the enhancement of heat transfer from the wall to the fluid. Generally, it can be said that using a porous medium in boiling flows, especially in flow with high Reynolds numbers, has a positive effect on heat transfer enhancement. Also, the obtained results revealed that by increasing Reynolds number, the created vapor phase along the tube decreases and by increasing Reynolds number, the Nusselt number enhances.

Originality/value

In present research, by using the computational fluid dynamics, the effect of using a porous medium in the forced boiling of water flow inside a tube has been investigated. The fluid boiling inside the tube has been simulated by using the multi-phase Eulerian RPI wall boiling model, and the effect of thermal conductivity of a porous medium and the Reynolds number on the flow properties, heat transfer and boiling procedure have been investigated.
A theoretical investigation for mixed convection impact in non-Newtonian nanofluid stratified flow subjected to magnetic field
Authors: Waqas Muhammad , Gulzar Muhammad Mudassar , Asghar Zeeshan , Ali Z. , Khan Waqar Azeem , Dogonchi Abdul Sattar
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to elaborate mixed convection impact in stratified nanofluid flow by convectively heated moving surface. Rheological relations of second-grade fluid are used for formulation. Magnetic field, heat absorption/generation and convective conditions are considered for modeling.

Design/methodology/approach

Convergent solutions are achieved using homotopy procedure.

Findings

The authors found opposing behavior for radiation and thermal stratification variables against thermal field.

Originality/value

No such analysis has yet been reported.
Service innovativeness and tourism customer outcomes
Authors: Hollebeek Linda , Rather Raouf Ahmad
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This study aims to develop/test a model that examines the effect of service innovativeness on customer cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and behavioral loyalty intent in the travel agency context.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore these issues, the authors deploy a convenience sample of 340 travel agency customers. Data analysis centered on confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The results identify service innovativeness as a key driver of customer cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and behavioral loyalty intent. The authors also identified customer cocreation to mediate the association between service innovativeness and customer advocacy, satisfaction and behavioral loyalty intent, respectively, and exerted a further direct effect on these variables.

Research limitations/implications

Given the cross-sectional data, further research may wish to explore the generalizability of the findings (e.g. in other sectors, cultures or by adopting a longitudinal research design that tracks the theorized relationships over time).

Practical implications

The findings suggest service innovativeness as an important driver of customers’ intra- (within) and extra-or trans-(across) interaction outcomes, thereby impacting the customer experience and highlighting the significance of service innovativeness for the travel sector.

Originality/value

While service innovativeness and cocreation are of significant interest, their integrative investigation in tourism has remained scant. Thus, by quantifying the influence of service innovativeness on customer-based cocreation, satisfaction, advocacy and loyalty intent, the paper adds to the emerging body of knowledge on service innovativeness in tourism.
Projecting real world into CrowdIntell network: a methodology
Authors: Wang Shipeng , Cui Lizhen , Liu Lei , Lu Xudong , Li Qingzhong
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to build cyber-physical-psychological ternary fusion crowd intelligence network and realize comprehensive, real, correct and synchronous projection in cyber–physical–psychological ternary fusion system. Since the network of crowd intelligence is the future interconnected network system that takes on the features of large scale, openness and self-organization. The Digital-selfs in the network of crowd intelligence interact and cooperate with each other to finish transactions and achieve co-evolution eventually.

Design/methodology/approach

To realize comprehensive, real, correct and synchronous projection between cyber–physical–psychological ternary fusion system, the authors propose the rules and methods of projection from real world to the CrowdIntell Network. They build the mental model of the Digital-self including structure model and behavior model in four aspects: identity, provision, demand and connection, thus forming a theoretical mental model framework of Digital-self.

Findings

The mental model is excepted to lay a foundation for the theory of modeling and simulation in the research of crowd science and engineering.

Originality/value

This paper is the first one to propose the mental model framework and projection rules and methods of Digital-selfs in network of crowd intelligence, which lays a solid foundation for the theory of modeling, simulation, intelligent transactions, evolution and stability of CrowdIntell Network system, thus promoting the development of crowd science and engineering.
Prioritization of barriers to the implementation of medical equipment marketing strategies using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)
Authors: Gazerani Donya , Bahadori Mohammadkarim , Meskarpour_Amiri Mohammad , Ravangard Ramin
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This study aims to identify and prioritize barriers to the implementation of medical equipment (ME) marketing strategies using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP).

Design/methodology/approach

This was an applied, cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study conducted in 2017 in Iran. The study population included 30 medical equipment experts working in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. A researcher made pair-wise comparison questionnaire was used for collecting the required data. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were confirmed through getting five related experts’ opinions and inconsistency ratio (IR = 0.04). The AHP technique and Expert Choice 10.0 software were used to prioritize the barriers to the implementation of ME marketing strategies.

Findings

The results showed that among four categories of barriers to the implementation of ME marketing strategies, “managerial and strategic barriers” (FW = 0.339) and “structural barriers” (FW = 0.139) were the most important and the least important barriers, respectively.

Originality/value

This study, for the first time, has identified and prioritized barriers to the implementation of medical equipment marketing strategies using the AHP.
Impulse behavior in economic crisis: a data driven market segmentation
Authors: Boutsouki Christina
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Clustering is a highly popular and widely used tool for identifying data-based market segments. The purpose of this paper is to apply cluster analysis to identify homogeneous subgroups among impulse buyers based on their demographic characteristics and their preference of atmospheric elements.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a survey approach with 480 fashion consumers, the study discusses impulse purchases during financial crisis. SPSS process is used to determine the effect of atmospherics on impulse purchases as well as the moderating role of demographics. Cluster analysis (k-means method) is used to determine specific segments of impulsive consumption.

Findings

Despite a significant effect of atmospherics on consumers’ impulsiveness, the frequency of purchases is not significantly affected indicating that the economic environment may shape impulsive behavior. Gender, age and education seem to moderate the above relationship. Demographics and store atmospherics define specific segments of impulse buyers.

Research limitations/implications

The study identifies the clusters formed through the interaction of atmospherics with demographics. It further identifies the impact of atmospheric factors in the case of an economy in crisis. In times of financial hardship, store atmospherics, although appealing, do not seem to adequately promote impulse buying behavior. Understanding consumer’s impulsive behavior based on distinctive profiles is of outmost importance to retailers seeking to increase consumption, in particular under conditions of financial hardship.

Originality/value

The present study explores the role of environmental characteristics on consumers’ impulse behavior amidst a financial crisis and identifies the characteristics of specific segments of consumption.
Experimental study on the friction stability of paper-based clutches concerning groove patterns
Authors: Yu Liang , Ma Biao , Chen Man , Li He Yan , Liu Jikai
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to study and compare the friction stability of wet paper-based clutches with regard to the radial grooves (RG) and waffle grooves (WG).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents an experimental study of a wet clutch concerning the effect of groove patterns on the friction torque and surface temperature. The friction stabilities of RG and WG are investigated with the applied pressure, rotating speed and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) temperature taken into consideration.

Findings

The friction torque and surface temperature of WG are larger than those of RG under the same operating condition. The friction torque difference between RG and WG grows with the increase of applied pressure and narrows with the increase of ATF temperature. Additionally, their temperature difference expands via increasing the rotating speed and ATF temperature or reducing the applied pressure; in this way, not only the variable coefficient difference between RG and WG can be narrowed, but also the friction stability of the clutch can be improved dramatically.

Originality/value

This paper explains the thermodynamic differences between RG and WG; moreover, it is verified experimentally that WG has a better friction stability than RG.
The Indian Patola: import and consumerism in early-modern Indonesia
Authors: Billore Soniya , Hägerdal Hans
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The present paper aims to focus on the Indian influence in the transfer of, the business of and consumer markets for Indian products, specifically, textiles from producers in the South Asian subcontinent to the lands to the east of Bali. This aspect of the influence of Indian products has received some attention in a general but not been sufficiently elucidated with regard to eastern Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on archival research, as well as secondary data, derived from the published sources on early trade in South Asia and the Indian Ocean world. The study includes data about the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, a Dutch-owned company, and its textile trade history with India and the Indonesian islands with a special focus on Patola textiles. Narratives and accounts provide an understanding of the Patola, including business development and related elite and non-elite consumption.

Findings

The paper shows how imported Indian textiles became indigenised in important respects, as shown in legends and myths. A search in the colonial sources demonstrates the role of cloth in gift exchange, alliance brokering and economic network-building in eastern Indonesia, often with important political implications.

Research limitations/implications

The study combines previous research on material culture and textile traditions with archival data from the early colonial period, thus pointing at new ways to understand the socio-economic agency of local societies.

Originality/value

Only mapping the purchase and ownership of trading goods to understand consumption is not enough. One must also regard consumption, both as an expression of taste and desire and as a way to reify a community of people.
Determinants of consumer’s readiness to adopt Islamic banking in Kashmir
Authors: Charag Asif Hamid , Fazili Asif Iqbal , Bashir Irfan
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the consumer intention to adopt Islamic banking.

Design/methodology/approach

The study extends the theory of reasoned action (TRA) by incorporating additional variables such as government support, perceived risk, perceived image, religiosity and culture. A research instrument adapted from previous studies is administered online on a sample of 310 respondents. The data collected are subjected to exploratory factor analysis followed by structural equation modeling using SPSS and analysis of a moment structures (22.0 Version).

Findings

The results of the study reveal that consumer intention to use Islamic banking is collectively determined by attitude, religiosity, culture, government support and perceived risk. It reflects that attitude and religiosity are the major predictors of a consumer’s intention followed by government support. Furthermore, results indicate that a consumer’s attitude toward Islamic banking is determined by social influence, government support, religiosity and perceived risk. Also, it is found that culture and perceived image have no significant effect on a consumer’s attitude toward adoption of Islamic banking. Further, the results indicate that attitude mediates the effect of religiosity, perceived risk, government support and culture on a consumer’s intention to use Islamic banking.

Research limitations/implications

The success of Islamic banking ultimately depends on consumer readiness and adoption of it. This study provides significant insights into various aspects of consumer attitude and intention toward Islamic banking adoption. The results provide vital inputs to policymakers and practitioners in offering and promoting Islamic banking. Also, the knowledge and understanding of key consumer specific factors can be used by banks in framing strategies for positioning and targeting Islamic banking products. The study is subjected to certain limitations such as – the study accounts only for limited factors and does not provide for factors such as pricing, behavioral control and Islamicity of the product. Second, this study is limited to the geographic area of Kashmir. Third, the study design is cross-sectional is nature.

Originality/value

Essentially, this study is a pioneering effort in applying an integrated TRA model to determine consumer intention to use Islamic banking in Kashmir. Furthermore, the current study examines the relationship between additional variables simultaneously within the framework of TRA. The study also explores the effect of religiosity and culture on consumer’s attitude and intention, which has remained largely unexplored in the context of Islamic banking.
Exploration of pilgrimage tourism in Indonesia
Authors: Handriana Tanti , Yulianti Praptini , Kurniawati Masmira
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This study aims to extract information and analyze the antecedents of Muslims following pilgrimage tours. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics Indonesia shows that 87.18 per cent of the total population of Indonesia are Muslims. In addition to running the ruling of Islam and the pillars of Faith, Muslims also maintain the religious tourism. The form of religious tourism which is widely followed by the Muslims of Indonesia is to follow a pilgrimage to the tomb of the wali (Guardian), both wali limo and wali songo.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitative approach. Data collection was done using in-depth interviews of Muslims in Indonesia who had already attended pilgrimages to wali limo and/or wali songo.

Findings

The tourists are satisfied and have an intention to revisit the destination, and the interest of the community to follow religious tours is very large, as well as the opportunities to do business in this sector are still wide open. Various motives and benefits of following religious tours, as well as suggestions for improvements for religious tourism destination managers, as well as advice for the government were uncovered. Thus, the results of this study are expected to provide a theoretical contribution related to marketing management in religious tourism and a practical contribution for the managers of religious tourism.

Research limitations/implications

Further research can be done with a quantitative approach, as well as comparative studies between pilgrimages in Indonesia (developing countries) and pilgrimages in other developing countries or in developed countries can also be conducted.

Practical implications

For marketing practitioners, the results of this study can be used as a consideration to continue to improve services in the field of religious tourism in the country, given the potential for development is very large.

Social implications

There is a contribution from this study to the development of marketing science, particularly related to marketing management on religious tourism services.

Originality/value

This study offers new insight regarding factors influencing Muslims pilgrimage tourism in Indonesia.
An e-healthcare system for disease prediction using hybrid data mining technique
Authors: Sarkar Bikash Kanti , Sana Shib Sankar
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to alleviate the specified issues to a great extent. To promote patients’ health via early prediction of diseases, knowledge extraction using data mining approaches shows an integral part of e-health system. However, medical databases are highly imbalanced, voluminous, conflicting and complex in nature, and these can lead to erroneous diagnosis of diseases (i.e. detecting class-values of diseases). In literature, numerous standard disease decision support system (DDSS) have been proposed, but most of them are disease specific. Also, they usually suffer from several drawbacks like lack of understandability, incapability of operating rare cases, inefficiency in making quick and correct decision, etc.

Design/methodology/approach

Addressing the limitations of the existing systems, the present research introduces a two-step framework for designing a DDSS, in which the first step (data-level optimization) deals in identifying an optimal data-partition (Popt) for each disease data set and then the best training set for Popt in parallel manner. On the other hand, the second step explores a generic predictive model (integrating C4.5 and PRISM learners) over the discovered information for effective diagnosis of disease. The designed model is a generic one (i.e. not disease specific).

Findings

The empirical results (in terms of top three measures, namely, accuracy, true positive rate and false positive rate) obtained over 14 benchmark medical data sets (collected from https://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml) demonstrate that the hybrid model outperforms the base learners in almost all cases for initial diagnosis of the diseases. After all, the proposed DDSS may work as an e-doctor to detect diseases.

Originality/value

The model designed in this study is original, and the necessary parallelized methods are implemented in C on Cluster HPC machine (FUJITSU) with total 256 cores (under one Master node).
Developing disabled entrepreneurial graduates
Authors: Dakung Reuel Johnmark , Munene John , Balunywa Waswa , Ntayi Joseph , Ngoma Mohammed
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of universities in preparing disabled students to become entrepreneurially inclined after graduation with the aim of developing an entrepreneurial inclination (EI) model.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey was employed using 220 disabled universities’ students in the north-central Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and structural equation model. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 22 and AMOS version 22.

Findings

The findings buttress the significant position of universities in promotion entrepreneurial spirit. It revealed that the university’s role (UR), entrepreneurship education (EE) and role models (RMs) have a positive influence on disabled students’ EI. Universities that make provisions for entrepreneurship infrastructure, knowledge and RMs to disabled students will boost their EI. Second, the more lecturers and RMs inspire students, method of teaching and demonstrating enthusiasm are applied in the teaching of entrepreneurship, the better it prepares students for entrepreneurial career after graduation.

Research limitations/implications

The study is only restricted to Federal Universities in the North-Central Nigeria. Further research could be conducted to cover other tertiary institutions in North-Central Nigeria. Furthermore, the study employed the cross-sectional approach. A longitudinal approach should be employed to study the trend over a period of at least two years. Finally, the factors identified in triggering EI may not be sufficient enough in explaining the phenomenon. There are other factors that may contribute in influencing EI of the disabled students that were not part of this study.

Practical implications

This study indicates a number of implications for the universities and policy makers. Specifically, EE, UR and RMs make significant contributions to inclination for disabled students. These factors are key for universities in Nigeria to consider in preparing these students to become entrepreneurial graduates. Policy makers and other stakeholders need to develop keen interest in designing entrepreneurship curriculum to accommodate the specific needs of students with disabilities.

Originality/value

This study is the first in Nigeria to empirically test the relationship between UR, EE and EI as well as the moderating effect of RMs among universities’ disabled students.
Transformative experiences via Airbnb: Is it the guests or the host communities that will be transformed?
Authors: Guttentag Daniel
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how the growing presence of Airbnb rentals, resulting partly from tourists’ increasing desire for transformative travel experiences, is ironically much more transformative for the host communities than the tourists themselves.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a conceptual analysis linking the motivations of Airbnb guests with the impacts of Airbnb on host communities. It uses an experience economy lens, and is based on a review of the academic literature and of media stories related to Airbnb.

Findings

Many tourists are increasingly seeking transformative travel experiences, and Airbnb commonly will be appealing to such tourists. However, the capacity of Airbnb lodging to independently foster personal transformation is questionable. On the other hand, there is little doubt that Airbnb and its guests are producing significant transformations in host communities.

Originality/value

This paper contributes toward understandings of Airbnb and its impacts on destinations around the world. It, for the first time, links Airbnb guests’ travel motivations with Airbnb’s community impacts, and in doing so demonstrates parallels with past critiques of alternative tourism. This paper is also one of the first to examine Airbnb from the perspective of the experience economy.