bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hotel Business Inn
Authors: Montiel Eduardo Luis , Martinez Octavio
Published: December 2019

Learning outcomes

These are the three most important learning outcomes: discuss the relevance of capital asset pricing model (CAPM) as the methodology to estimate the cost of equity for an investment in an emerging market; analyze the different alternatives to estimate country risk discussing the pros and cons of each. Consider the additional complexity in estimating the cost of equity, contrasting the perspective of a local, non-diversified investor with that of a multinational company operating in 39 countries.

Case overview/synopsis

The Chief Financial Officer of a business group has to determine the correct discount rate for an investment in a new hotel in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The group has traditionally used the same discount rate for all projects and is now presented with several alternatives by his team. Estimating the correct country risk adjustment for the project is an important challenge. He knows that there is no clear solution to this challenge that is accepted by all practitioners and academics, but he has to present a recommendation to the board.

Complexity academic level

The case study is designed for corporate finance, appraisal or international finance courses in both MBA and executive training programs. To discuss this case study, students are assumed to have been already exposed to the weighted average cost of capital and the CAPM.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 1: Accounting and finance.
Applying marketing conventions on pharmaceutical generics: an analysis of Starpram brand from Maple Pharmaceuticals
Authors: Padela Shoaib M. Farooq , Qureshi Jawaid Ahmed , Bashir Salman
Published: December 2019

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes (objectives and outcomes) are as follows: to understand the brand positioning, brand building and category extension decisions of a pharmaceutical brand (operative in one of the most competitive and regulated industries in a developing country); to analyze the outcomes of decisions pertaining strategic sales, branding, marketing and strategic restructuring to overcome the challenges of growth; and to design strategic solutions for developing brand equity.

Case overview/synopsis

This case explores the strategy of launching and establishing a pharmaceutical brand in an industry that tends to be a highly technical and the most regulated industry. It depicts market research data, industry analysis, stiff competition and regulatory affairs, and elaborates various strategic decisions taken by the company. The primary data for the case is accumulated through in-depth interviews from six industry experts on pharma marketing who were well acquainted with Maple Pharma and secondary data is gleaned from substantive literature. Maple Pharmaceuticals launched Starpram, a high-growth, high-potential generic antidepressant brand (in the central nervous system category) containing Escitalopram molecule/chemical. It had expertise cum competitive advantage in cardiovascular and anti-diabetic streams, but such initiative appeared category extension, with the intention to diversify risk and expand the company to achieve greater economies of scale. The first year sales revenue for Starpram appeared too bleak to spur further product inaugurations. Consequently, strategic overhaul transpired to establish the brand in the highly fragmented pharmaceutical industry. The firm lacked experience in anti-depressants category, coupled with poor sales, marketing mix and overall marketing strategy. Eventually, the management exercised strategic restructuring to establish brand equity and observed growth.

Complexity academic level

Study levels/Applicability graduate (MBA), MS, PhD (management sciences).

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing.
Motivational factors among international postgraduate students in Hong Kong and Taiwan
Authors: Manning Keenan Daniel
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that influence internationally mobile students’ decision making regarding their choice to study in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

The existing literature on student motivation was examined, particularly factors relevant to the two key jurisdictions. Subsequently, a qualitative study was conducted to verify and expand upon these factors.

Findings

This study found a high degree of overlap between the two jurisdictions. However, Taiwan-based students emphasised elements such as the political climate, and the opinion of family, friends and peers, whereas academic quality and the perception of authority figures featured more for Hong Kong-based respondents.

Practical implications

The similarities and disparities between the two jurisdictions provide insights for decision makers, as well as avenues for further research.

Originality/value

This paper builds upon prior research into international student destination choice by exploring students’ decision-making process through qualitative research; thus, highlighting previously unexplored factors.
The mean flow time in open shop scheduling
Authors: Lal A. Hussain , K.R. Vishnu , Haq A. Noorul , R. Jeyapaul
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to minimize the mean flow time in open shop scheduling problem (OSSP). The scheduling problems consist of n jobs and m machines, in which each job has O operations. The processing time for 50 OSSP was generated using a linear congruential random number.

Design/methodology/approach

Different evolutionary algorithms are used to minimize the mean flow time of OSSP. This research study used simulated annealing (SA), Discrete Firefly Algorithm and a Hybrid Firefly Algorithm with SA. These methods are referred as A1, A2 and A3, respectively.

Findings

A comparison of the results obtained from the three methods shows that the Hybrid Firefly Algorithm with SA (A3) gives the best mean flow time for 76 percent instances. Also, it has been observed that as the number of jobs increases, the chances of getting better results also increased. Among the first 25 problems (i.e. job ranging from 3 to 7), A3 gave the best results for 13 instances, i.e., for 52 percent of the first 25 instances. While for the last 25 problems (i.e. Job ranging from 8 to 12), A3 gave the best results for all 25 instances, i.e. for 100 percent of the problems.

Originality/value

From the literature it has been observed that no researchers have attempted to solve OOSPs using Firefly Algorithm (FA). In this research work an attempt has been made to apply the FA and its hybridization to solve OSSP. Also the research work carried out in this paper can also be applied for a real-time Industrial problem.
An empirical examination of the relationship between managerial strategic thinking and absorptive capacity of the organization
Authors: Srivastava Saurabh , D’Souza Derrick
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Recently, researchers have highlighted the limited attention that has been devoted to managerial capabilities as micro-foundational elements of absorptive capacity. Strategic thinking is one such managerial capability that guides managers during the development of organizational capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the influence of managerial strategic thinking on the development of absorptive capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a sample of 324 senior-level and mid-level managers from the software industry. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

Study results indicate that managerial strategic thinking is positively related to absorptive capacity, as well as to each of its four components – acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation.

Originality/value

The current study adopts a micro-foundations perspective and delves into the development and orchestration of organizational capabilities. This study is the first to empirically investigate the relationship between managerial strategic thinking and absorptive capacity. Prior literature on absorptive capacity has focused on its influence on phenomena that are downstream to absorptive capacity, e.g. innovation, new product development and firm performance. The research offers new insights into the relationship between absorptive capacity and managerial strategic thinking, a hitherto unexplored upstream phenomenon. Scholars have theorized that managerial strategic thinking plays a pivotal role in managerial decisions, making it a critical factor in developing the absorptive capacity of an organization. The authors believe that the empirical evidence of the theorized relationship offers valuable insights that will aid scholarly research on organizational capabilities.
Building blocks for the development of an IoT business model
Authors: Almeida Tatiana Domingues , Costa Avalone Marianne , Fettermann Diego Castro
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Previous studies have identified a variety of Internet of Things (IoT) business models and have recognised the complexity related to the application of IoT technologies in business, along with the potential of the modularity concept application in organisational design. The purpose of this paper is to identify the main building blocks for the development of a business model canvas for companies that adopt the IoT in their business.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors carried a systematic literature review to identify theoretical, experimental and practical IoT business model canvas recorded in the literature. Then, the authors identified and analysed the characteristics of the building blocks present in these canvas using a statistical cluster technique. Based on the outcomes, the authors proposed a framework with standard and optional modules to allow flexible arrangements and suit different IoT business goals.

Findings

The results revealed that the IoT business model canvas recorded in the literature had been grossly designed to attend two drivers: manufacture and service organisations. Therefore, based on the frequency of building blocks present in IoT business model canvas recorded in the literature, it has been proposed two flexible frameworks which can be tailored to accommodate the immense variety of possibilities offered by IoT technologies in manufacture and service business.

Practical implications

The business model frameworks proposed in this research can support entrepreneurs structuring new IoT businesses or upgrading existing businesses.

Originality/value

This research offers a comprehensive IoT business model framework with their respective building blocks built from an extensive literature review.
Willingness to report crime to the police
Authors: Graham Amanda , Kulig Teresa C. , Cullen Francis T.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the reporting intentions of traditional and cybercrime victimization, and the role of procedural justice in explaining sources of variation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Amazon’s MTurk program for opt-in survey participation, 534 respondents across the USA considered ten victimization incidents and expressed their likelihood of reporting each incident to the police as well as their belief that the police would identify and arrest the offender.

Findings

As expected, reporting intentions increased with the seriousness of the incident for both traditional crime and cybercrime. However, reporting intentions were generally slightly higher for incidents that occurred in the physical world, as opposed to online. Likewise, beliefs that police could identify and arrest and offender were lower for cybercrime compared to traditional crime. Consistently, predictors of reporting to the police and belief in police effectiveness hinged heavily on procedural justice. Other predictors for these behaviors and beliefs are also discussed.

Originality/value

This study uniquely compares reporting intentions of potential victims of parallel victimizations occurring in-person and online, thus providing firm comparisons about reporting intentions and beliefs about police effectiveness in addressing traditional and cybercrime.
The effect of high performance work system strength on organizational effectiveness
Authors: Dayarathna Dushar Kamini , Dowling Peter John , Bartram Timothy
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the implications of high performance work system (HPWS) strength from a managerial perspective and the impact of economic, cultural, political, legal and technological factors on the operationalization of HPWSs in the banking industry in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were collected from three licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka. This research used a case study approach for data collection with archival analysis of records and semi-structured interviews with the CEO, head of HR, two board members and three focus groups (top, middle and lower level managers across various functional areas) in each bank which altogether covers 66 key informants.

Findings

The findings supported the research proposition that to gain positive outcomes on organizational effectiveness, there should be a strong HPWS, resulting in a positive attitudinal climate among employees. Further, the findings provide evidence of the global applicability of HPWSs, although more research is needed to clearly specify the contextual boundaries of HPWS effectiveness.

Originality/value

Contemporary research provides ample evidence to endorse the contribution of high performance work systems toward organizational effectiveness. However, there is a dearth of literature on how high performance work systems are operationalized across the management hierarchy and support the achievement of organizational effectiveness. Few studies have been conducted on high performance work system strength and organizational effectiveness in emerging economies.
The mediating impact of customer satisfaction in relation of brand equity and brand loyalty
Authors: Kataria Sonia , Saini Vinod
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the inter-relationship of dimensions for consumer-based brand equity and brand loyalty with customer satisfaction as a mediator for oral care segment with special reference to Delhi and connecting areas.

Design/methodology/approach

For achieving the objective of this study, the theoretical model was tested through structural equation modelling. Research scales from the literature were modified for suitability. Data were collected from 250 respondents.

Findings

The results indicate that for the oral care segment, customer satisfaction is significantly related to the perceived quality, brand trust, perceived value of cost and lifestyle congruence. Moreover, customer satisfaction partially mediates the relationship of perceived quality and perceived value of cost with brand loyalty, whereas it fully mediates the relationship of lifestyle congruence and brand trust with brand loyalty. Thus, even for low-involvement products, consumer purchases are based on the attributes of the brand rather than being merely habitual.

Originality/value

The literature supports the direct influence of brand equity on brand loyalty. However, no other study has investigated the mediating role of customer satisfaction on the relationship between brand equity and brand loyalty for low-involvement products.
The effect of logistics service quality on customer loyalty: case of logistics service industry
Authors: Huma Sehrish , Ahmed Waqar , Ikram Minhaj , Khawaja Muhammad Ibrahim
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Logistics service quality and customer loyalty have recently become the topic of discussion in both developing and under-developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to understand the logistics service quality factors contributing to customer loyalty in a developing country context.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 250 respondents who were direct or indirect clients of logistics firms, through online questionnaire distribution. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The findings of this research revealed that operational logistics service quality (OLSQ) and relational logistics service quality have a significant impact on customer loyalty. Moreover, for enhancing customer loyalty, relationship quality is the key factor.

Practical implications

Research reveals that even in a developing country like Pakistan, it is important for carriers to establish high-level relational and OLSQ to satisfy shipper. It will correspondingly add worth to the discussion in the literature and it shall also provide the basis for future research studies.

Originality/value

The novelty of this paper is logistics service quality and its effect on customer loyalty from the perspective of a developing country, specifically due to geographical importance in the context of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Pre‐closure fishing pressure predicts effects of marine protected areas
Authors: Jaco Erin M. , Steele Mark A.
Published: December 2019

Marine protected areas (MPAs) can be effective tools for marine resource management. However, despite evidence of the positive effects of MPAs, such as increases in body sizes of organisms targeted by fisheries, there is often heterogeneity in biological outcomes among them.

Because fishing can drastically impact fish populations, the goal of this study was to determine if the levels of exploitation prior to protection could predict variation in the magnitude of MPA effects.

Using a diver‐operated stereo–video camera system, we compared sizes of fishes targeted by anglers within seven MPAs spanning the Southern California Bight to nearby comparison areas (non‐MPAs). We used fine‐scale data on pre‐closure fishing pressure to test responses of fishes to protection along a gradient of exploitation.

Fish size responded to protection in proportion to pre‐closure fishing pressure, with MPAs in areas with high pre‐closure fishing having greater responses in average lengths and size distributions than those in areas with low fishing pressure.

This response was evident in species heavily targeted by recreational fishing, but not in species that were not targeted in fisheries.

Synthesis and applications. Pre‐closure fishing pressure of an area can impact the efficacy of MPAs, and, when available, should be considered when predicting and evaluating MPA performance. Prioritizing heavily exploited areas for protection when implementing spatial management tools could maximize ecological outcomes.
Genomic mosaicism underlies the adaptation of marine Synechococcus ecotypes to distinct oceanic iron niches
Authors: Ahlgren Nathan A. , Belisle Bernard Shafer , Lee Michael D.
Published: December 2019

Phytoplankton are limited by iron (Fe) in ~40% of the world's oceans including high‐nutrient low‐chlorophyll (HNLC) regions. While low‐Fe adaptation has been well‐studied in large eukaryotic diatoms, less is known for small, prokaryotic marine picocyanobacteria. This study reveals key physiological and genomic differences underlying Fe adaptation in marine picocyanobacteria. HNLC ecotype CRD1 strains have greater physiological tolerance to low Fe congruent with their expanded repertoire of Fe transporter, storage and regulatory genes compared to other ecotypes. From metagenomic analysis, genes encoding ferritin, flavodoxin, Fe transporters and siderophore uptake genes were more abundant in low‐Fe waters, mirroring paradigms of low‐Fe adaptation in diatoms. Distinct Fe‐related gene repertories of HNLC ecotypes CRD1 and CRD2 also highlight how coexisting ecotypes have evolved independent approaches to life in low‐Fe habitats. Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus HNLC ecotypes likewise exhibit independent, genome‐wide reductions of predicted Fe‐requiring genes. HNLC ecotype CRD1 interestingly was most similar to coastal ecotype I in Fe physiology and Fe‐related gene content, suggesting populations from these different biomes experience similar Fe‐selective conditions. This work supports an improved perspective that phytoplankton are shaped by more nuanced Fe niches in the oceans than previously implied from mostly binary comparisons of low‐ versus high‐Fe habitats and populations.
Radiological Findings on Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Healthy Controls
Authors: Treit Sarah , Jeffery Dean , Beaulieu Christian , Emery Derek
Published: December 2019

Background

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) describe a range of physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments stemming from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Although case studies have demonstrated striking visible brain abnormalities in humans (enlargement of the lateral ventricles, thinning or absence of the corpus callosum, etc.), few studies have systematically determined how these radiological findings generalize to the wider population of individuals living with FASD.

Methods

This study examines rates of structural brain anomalies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as determined by 2 radiologists in a retrospective blinded review of 163 controls and 164 individuals with PAE who were previously scanned as participants of past research studies. Incidental findings were categorized as normal variants, nonclinically significant incidental findings, or clinically significant incidental findings. Rates were compared between diagnostic subgroups using chi‐square analysis.

Results

There was no significant difference in the overall rate of incidental findings between groups: 75% of controls and 73% of PAE participants had no incidental findings of any kind, and only 1% of controls and 3% of PAE participants had incidental finding of clinical significance (the remaining findings were considered nonsignificant anomalies or normal variants). When the PAE group was split by diagnosis, low‐lying cerebellar tonsils, polymicrogyria, and ventricular asymmetry/enlargement were all most prevalent in subjects with fetal alcohol syndrome/partial fetal alcohol syndrome. In addition, the overall rate of incidental findings was higher (41%) in participants with FAS/pFAS, compared to 25% in controls. No participants in this relatively large sample had corpus callosum agenesis.

Conclusions

Although advanced quantitative MRI research has uncovered a range of differences in brain structure associated with FASD, this qualitative radiological study suggests that routine clinical MRI does not reveal a consistent pattern of brain abnormalities that can be used diagnostically in this population.
Possible Role of CRF‐Hcrt Interaction in the Infralimbic Cortex in the Emergence and Maintenance of Compulsive Alcohol‐Seeking Behavior
Authors: Kim Jung S. , Martin‐Fardon Rémi
Published: December 2019

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing disorder that is characterized by the compulsive use of alcohol despite numerous health, social, and economic consequences. Initially, the use of alcohol is driven by positive reinforcement. Over time, however, alcohol use can take on a compulsive quality that is driven by the desire to avoid the negative consequences of abstinence, including negative affect and heightened stress/anxiety. This transition from positive reinforcement– to negative reinforcement–driven consumption involves the corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) system, although mounting evidence now suggests that the CRF system interacts with other neural systems to ultimately produce behaviors that are symptomatic of compulsive alcohol use, such as the hypocretin (Hcrt) system. Hypocretins are produced exclusively in the hypothalamus, but Hcrt neurons project widely throughout the brain and reach regions that perform regulatory functions for numerous behavioral and physiological responses—including the infralimbic cortex (IL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although the entire mPFC undergoes neuroadaptive changes following prolonged alcohol exposure, the IL appears to undergo more robust changes compared with other mPFC substructures. Evidence to date suggests that the IL is likely involved in EtOH‐seeking behavior, but ambiguities with respect to the specific role of the IL in this regard make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Furthermore, the manner in which CRF interacts with Hcrt in this region as it pertains to alcohol‐seeking behavior is largely unknown, although immunohistochemical and electrophysiological experiments have shown that CRF and Hcrt directly interact in the mPFC, suggesting that the interaction between CRF and Hcrt in the IL may be critically important for the development and subsequent maintenance of compulsive alcohol seeking. This review aims to consolidate recent literature regarding the role of the IL in alcohol‐seeking behavior and to discuss evidence that supports a functional interaction between Hcrt and CRF in the IL.
Altered mitochondrial metabolism in the insulin‐resistant heart
Authors: Makrecka‐Kuka Marina , Liepinsh Edgars , Murray Andrew J. , Lemieux Hélène , Dambrova Maija , Tepp Kersti , Puurand Marju , Käämbre Tuuli , Han Woo H. , de Goede Paul , O'Brien Katie A. , Turan Belma , Tuncay Erkan , Olgar Yusuf , Rolo Anabela P. , Palmeira Carlos M. , Boardman Neoma T. , Wüst Rob C. I. , Larsen Terje S.
Published: December 2019

Obesity‐induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus can ultimately result in various complications, including diabetic cardiomyopathy. In this case, cardiac dysfunction is characterized by metabolic disturbances such as impaired glucose oxidation and an increased reliance on fatty acid (FA) oxidation. Mitochondrial dysfunction has often been associated with the altered metabolic function in the diabetic heart, and may result from FA‐induced lipotoxicity and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. In this review, we address the metabolic changes in the diabetic heart, focusing on the loss of metabolic flexibility and cardiac mitochondrial function. We consider the alterations observed in mitochondrial substrate utilization, bioenergetics and dynamics, and highlight new areas of research which may improve our understanding of the cause and effect of cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes. Finally, we explore how lifestyle (nutrition and exercise) and pharmacological interventions can prevent and treat metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes.
Learning to be a writer: A spherical video‐based virtual reality approach to supporting descriptive article writing in high school Chinese courses
Authors: Huang Hsiu‐Ling , Hwang Gwo‐Jen , Chang Ching‐Yi
Published: December 2019

In language education, the development of writing capability is an important and challenging teaching objective. Writing performance is related not only with students’ comprehension and expression of texts, but also their experience and perceptions of the contexts. Descriptive article writing is a basic writing activity; the content includes concrete understanding and perceptions of space, time, and contexts. However, in the traditional language teaching activities, there is usually no chance for students to have in‐depth feelings about the contexts of a topic. This usually results in low learning motivation and limited expression during the writing process. Therefore, the present study attempted to adopt spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) to enable students to have in‐depth experience and perceptions and to facilitate their learning effectiveness. Based on this approach, a Chinese writing SVVR learning system was developed and a quasi‐experiment was conducted to compare the effects of the proposed approach and the conventional technology‐supported learning approach in a senior high school writing class. The findings show that the proposed SVVR writing approach could improve students' writing performance in terms of content and appearance as well as their creativity tendency and writing self‐efficacy, while also reducing their cognitive load.
Seed dispersal networks in tropical forest fragments: Area effects, remnant species, and interaction diversity
Authors: Emer Carine , Jordano Pedro , Pizo Marco A. , Ribeiro Milton C. , da Silva Fernanda R. , Galetti Mauro
Published: December 2019

Seed dispersal interactions involve key ecological processes in tropical forests that help to maintain ecosystem functioning. Yet this functionality may be threatened by increasing habitat loss, defaunation, and fragmentation. However, generalist species, and their interactions, can benefit from the habitat change caused by human disturbance while more specialized interactions mostly disappear. Therefore, changes in the structure of the local, within fragment, networks can be expected. Here we investigated how the structure of seed dispersal networks changes along a gradient of increasing habitat fragmentation. We analyzed 16 bird seed dispersal assemblages from forest fragments of a biodiversity‐rich ecosystem. We found significant species–, interaction–, and network–area relationships, yet the later was determined by the number of species remaining in each community. The number of frugivorous bird and plant species, their interactions, and the number of links per species decreases as area is lost in the fragmented landscape. In contrast, network nestedness has a negative relationship with fragment area, suggesting an increasing generalization of the network structure in the gradient of fragmentation. Network specialization was not significantly affected by area, indicating that some network properties may be invariant to disturbance. Still, the local extinction of partner species, paralleled by a loss of interactions and specialist–specialist bird–plant seed dispersal associations, suggests the functional homogenization of the system as area is lost. Our study provides empirical evidence for network–area relationships driven by the presence/absence of remnant species and the interactions they perform.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Anxiety and food allergy: A review of the last two decades
Authors: Polloni Laura , Muraro Antonella
Published: December 2019

Food allergy (FA) is recognized as a growing public health burden affecting 5%‐10% of children worldwide. Several unique features specific to FA elicit high levels of emotional distress and anxiety in patients and caregivers, the first among all the possibility of a life‐threatening reaction. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in patients with chronic disease, but remain undertreated despite significant negative consequences on patient health. This review aimed to offer a comprehensive overview of literature data on FA and anxiety of the last two decades. A review of the medical and psychological literature from the year 2000 (MEDLINE, PubMed and PsycINFO) was done using the keywords “anxiety” and “food allergy.” Clinical implications for disease management, various manifestations in different target groups, proper interventions and possible explanations on the nature of the association between FA and anxiety have been discussed, as well as limitations and further research directions. The relationship between FA and anxiety is attributed to FA‐specific fears and anxiety, rather than a general propensity towards anxiety. Some anxiety—short‐lived and related to key events–is to be expected and may even be helpful if it sustains allergen avoidance and preparedness to emergency. However, some data reported that increased anxiety did not improve adherence. Rather, high levels of anxiety have been demonstrated counterproductive and related to maladaptive coping. Further research is needed to elucidate the association between FA and anxiety, especially to understand biopsychosocial directions of the underlying mechanisms and to build proper, effective, standardized protocols of intervention. Clinicians must be aware of the association between FA and anxiety, understand their role in recognizing maladaptive anxiety and encouraging to seek psychological support when needed.
Why Higher Working Memory Capacity May Help You Learn: Sampling, Search, and Degrees of Approximation
Authors: Lloyd Kevin , Sanborn Adam , Leslie David , Lewandowsky Stephan
Published: December 2019

Algorithms for approximate Bayesian inference, such as those based on sampling (i.e., Monte Carlo methods), provide a natural source of models of how people may deal with uncertainty with limited cognitive resources. Here, we consider the idea that individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) may be usefully modeled in terms of the number of samples, or “particles,” available to perform inference. To test this idea, we focus on two recent experiments that report positive associations between WMC and two distinct aspects of categorization performance: the ability to learn novel categories, and the ability to switch between different categorization strategies (“knowledge restructuring”). In favor of the idea of modeling WMC as a number of particles, we show that a single model can reproduce both experimental results by varying the number of particles—increasing the number of particles leads to both faster category learning and improved strategy‐switching. Furthermore, when we fit the model to individual participants, we found a positive association between WMC and best‐fit number of particles for strategy switching. However, no association between WMC and best‐fit number of particles was found for category learning. These results are discussed in the context of the general challenge of disentangling the contributions of different potential sources of behavioral variability.
Antisemitism, Definitions, and Future Cooperation
Authors: Prove Peter
Published: December 2019

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations met formally on 25–27 June 2019, in Paris, under the theme “The normalization of hatred: Challenges for Jews and Christians today.” This article outlines the presentation of WCC policies on antisemitism and the WCC’s work for human rights for all.
Cultures of sustainability governance in higher education institutions: A multi‐case study of dimensions and implications
Authors: Niedlich Sebastian , Kummer Benjamin , Bauer Mara , Rieckmann Marco , Bormann Inka
Published: December 2019

Organisational culture is frequently mentioned in the context of sustainability governance in higher education institutions, but its substance and role for organisational development remain largely unclear. This paper argues that, in fact, sustainability governance in higher education institutions is predicated on cultural orientations. These are explored empirically based on 61 expert interviews with stakeholders (management, sustainability commissioners, academic and technical staff, students) in eleven German higher education institutions. Qualitative (thematic, evaluative) content analysis was used to code and compare data across cases. The study identifies four cultural key dimensions and two overarching orientations: organisational learning orientation and holistic orientation. The analysis suggests that both orientations tend to reinforce each other. They also represent key areas which need to be addressed by higher education institutions seeking change towards sustainable development. The findings demonstrate the need for future research on organisational cultures of sustainability governance and their development over time.
Short‐ and long‐term outcomes of neutropenic cancer patients in intensive care according to requirement for invasive ventilation
Authors: Mackintosh David , Way Mandy , Reade Michael C. , Dhanani Jayesh
Published: December 2019

Background

Neutropenic fever is a frequently encountered complication when caring for cancer patients and can lead to intensive care admission, with high mortality rates in those patients who require invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Although hospital survival in this population has improved, long‐term outcomes of critically ill neutropenic cancer patients have not been well defined.

Aims

To evaluate short‐ and long‐term outcomes of neutropenic cancer patients admitted to intensive care, according to requirement for invasive ventilation. Additionally, we aimed to determine predictors of poor clinical outcomes in this group.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of neutropenic cancer patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) from 2008 to 2016.

Results

We included 192 cancer patients of whom 100 (52.1%) required IMV. Overall ICU mortality was 29.7% and 12‐month post‐ICU mortality was 61.5%. Patients requiring IMV had significantly higher short‐ and long‐term mortality (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis determined three variables to be predictors of mortality at ICU discharge in the whole cohort: IMV (OR 13.52), renal replacement therapy (RRT, OR 2.37) and higher APACHE II scores (OR 1.1 for each unit increase). These variables were identical in the subgroup requiring invasive ventilation, with RRT (OR 2.76) and APACHE II scores (OR 1.1 for each unit increase) predicting short‐term mortality.

Conclusion

Neutropenic cancer patients admitted to ICU have lower short‐term mortality than previously reported in cohort studies, however their mortality rises significantly following discharge from ICU. Those patients who require IMV are at significantly increased risk of both short‐ and long‐term mortality.
Preparation of herbal curd with Gymnema sylvestre and its characterization for the treatment of liver cancer
Authors: Devi Jini , Arumugam Malathy , Arivarasu Anitha , Dhinakaran Ashok Kumar , Suresh Priyadharshini
Published: December 2019

Herbal curd was prepared by adding the Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract during fermentation and its activity against liver cancer was investigated on HepG2 cell lines by MTT (3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazole‐2yl]‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The prepared herbal curd was characterized with the help of qualitative phytochemical analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography‐ mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The sensory attributes and stability of the herbal curd were also determined. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of the herbal curd showed the transfer of phenolic compounds from the plant extract to herbal curd. The FT‐IR analysis exhibited that the Anhydride group present in the plant extract was infused into the herbal curd in addition to its other functional groups such as Alcohol, Alkyne, Alkene, Amide, Sulfate, Ether and Esters. The GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of 10 new compounds which were not present in curd or plant extract. The results of MTT assay showed that the herbal curd had significantly reduced the growth of HepG2 cells. The sensory evaluation proved that the herbal curd was delicious than the plant extract. Hence, it can be used as a potential food supplement for the treatment of liver cancer.

Practical Applications

Fermented milk products have been used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases including cancer and diabetes. Recently, the usage of medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer and other diseases has gained incredible attention due to their higher activity and minimal side effects. Gymnema sylvestre is a pharmacologically significant medicinal plant, used in different kinds of poly‐herbal formulations for the treatment of various diseases. In the present study, it was used for the preparation of herbal curd that will serve as an alternative remedial measure for treating liver cancer.
THE SOURCES OF BRITISH ECONOMIC GROWTH SINCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: NOT THE SAME OLD STORY
Authors: Crafts Nicholas
Published: December 2019

This paper updates the classic growth accounting research of the early 1980s taking account of improved data that has subsequently become available. The picture of long‐run growth which results from incorporating many revisions is considerably different. The long‐run path of productivity growth is now that of a roller‐coaster with twin peaks in the third quarters of the 19th and 20th centuries rather than a U‐shape. Productivity growth appears to have been very slow to accelerate in the Industrial Revolution, the notion of an Edwardian climacteric is not persuasive and the current productivity slowdown stands out as unprecedented.
Predictors of self‐reported oral health in the Black Women's Health Study
Authors: Cozier Yvette C. , Heaton Brenda , Bethea Traci N. , Freudenheim Jo L. , Garcia Raul I. , Rosenberg Lynn
Published: December 2019

Objectives

To describe the self‐reported oral health of participants in the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a national cohort of 59,000 Black women, and to assess factors associated with this self‐report.

Methods

Annual follow‐up of the BWHS cohort occurs via surveys. The 2011 questionnaire included oral health self‐report items, on which 38,573 respondents had complete data. Sample characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics. We assessed correlations with several covariates by estimating odds ratios using multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression models.

Results

Those who reported fair or poor oral health were more likely to report current smoking, recent tooth loss, diabetes or hypertension diagnoses, lower education levels, obesity, and higher parity. Few factors were related to self‐reported gum disease with bone loss.

Conclusions

The oral health of US Black women is poorly understood. Correlates of oral health in the BWHS are largely consistent with what has been observed in other populations.
Risk prediction scores for acute on chronic liver failure development and mortality
Authors: Mahmud Nadim , Hubbard Rebecca A. , Kaplan David E. , Taddei Tamar H. , Goldberg David S.
Published: December 2019

Background & Aims

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) causes high short‐term mortality in patients with previously stable chronic liver disease. To date there are no models to predict which patients are likely to develop ACLF, and existing models to predict ACLF mortality are based on limited cohorts. We sought to create novel risk prediction scores using a large cohort of patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 74 790 patients with incident cirrhosis in the Veterans Health Administration database using randomized 70% derivation/30% validation sets. ACLF events were identified per the European ACLF criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to derive prediction models for developing ACLF at 3, 6 and 12 months, and ACLF mortality at 28 and 90 days. Mortality models were compared to model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD), MELD‐sodium and the Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF‐C) ACLF score.

Results

Models for the developing ACLF had very good discrimination (concordance [C] statistics 0.83‐0.87) at all timepoints. Models for ACLF mortality also had good discrimination at 28 and 90 days (C‐statistics 0.79‐0.82), and were superior to MELD, MELD‐sodium and the CLIF‐C ACLF score. The calibration of the novel models was excellent at all timepoints.

Conclusion

We have obtained highly‐predictive models for developing ACLF, as well as for ACLF short‐term mortality in a diverse United States cohort. These may be used to identify outpatients at significant risk of ACLF, which may prompt closer follow‐up or early transplant referral, and facilitate decision making for patients with diagnosed ACLF, including escalation of care, expedited transplant evaluation or palliation.
Multiple origins of xenoliths and xenocrysts in the Elephant Moraine 79001 Lithology A olivine‐phyric shergottite
Authors: Castle Nicholas , Kuehl Ethan , Jones John , Treiman Allan
Published: December 2019

Petrographic examination of the xenolith and xenocryst populations in the olivine‐phyric shergottite Elephant Moraine 79001 Lithology A shows more chemical heterogeneity than previously documented. Analyses of olivine grains in 18 megacrysts and in 4 lithic fragments show that these two populations either do not have the same source or that this source is heterogeneous in terms of its time–temperature history. Additionally, among the four lithic fragments analyzed, two are distinctive (1) one contains a major‐element‐equilibrated, euhedral olivine grain and (2) the second contains high‐magnesium pyroxene cores. Furthermore, two populations of ferroan olivine were identified (1) one more ferroan than any other reported in EET 79001 and (2) a slightly less ferroan, unequilibrated olivine, but with a restricted range in Mg#. We have also observed an equilibrated pyroxene grain associated with a zoned olivine megacryst. As a result, we recognize that the xenolith/xenocryst population does not represent the incorporation of a single xeno‐lithology into Lithology A, and propose that it be subdivided into a suite of seven identified lithologies, with the understanding that more are likely to be identified with further study. The abundance of Ca in olivine in the xeno‐lithologies suggests a set of crustal, rather than deep mantle, lithologies. Diffusion rates in olivine suggest that the lithologies were incorporated shortly before rapid cooling of the host magma, preserving preexisting mineral chemical zoning. These mineral chemical zones could have been preserved at lower crustal temperatures for up to 10s of Ka. Trace‐element studies of these distinct populations would be required to test whether they are related by igneous processes from a common source magma.
Social power facilitates and constrains motivation in the clinical learning environment
Authors: Vanstone Meredith , Grierson Lawrence
Published: December 2019

Ever present and ever influential, power remains implicit and covert in many interactions. Here, Vanstone argues for the importance of explicitly considering the role of social power when studying the clinical work environment.
The impact of entrustment assessments on feedback and learning: Trainee perspectives
Authors: Martin Leslie , Sibbald Matthew , Brandt Vegas Daniel , Russell Dana , Govaerts Marjan
Published: December 2019

Context

Assessment for and of learning in workplace settings is at the heart of competency‐based medical education. In postgraduate medical education (PGME), entrustable professional activities (EPAs) and entrustment scales are increasingly used to assess competence. However, the educational impacts of these assessment approaches remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore trainee perceptions regarding the impacts of EPAs and entrustment scales on feedback and learning processes in the clinical setting.

Methods

Four focus groups were conducted with postgraduate trainees in anaesthesia, emergency medicine, general internal medicine and nephrology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Data collection and analysis were informed by principles of constructivist grounded theory.

Results

Entrustable professional activities representing well‐defined tasks are perceived as potentially effective drivers for feedback and learning. Use of EPAs and entrustment scales, however, may augment existing tensions between developmental (for learning) and decision‐making (of learning) assessment functions. Three key dilemmas seem to influence the impact of EPA‐based assessment approaches on residents' learning: (a) standardisation of outcomes versus flexibility in assessment to align with individual learning experiences; (b) assessment tasks focusing on performance standards versus opportunities for learning, and (c) feedback focusing on numeric entrustment scores versus narrative and dialogue. Use of entrustment as an assessment outcome may impact trainees' motivation and feelings of self‐efficacy, further enhancing tensions between learning and performance.

Conclusions

Entrustable professional activities and entrustment scales may support assessment for learning in PGME. However, their successful implementation requires the careful management of dilemmas that arise in EPA‐based assessment in order to support competence development.