bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acceptance and use of lecture capture system (LCS) in executive business studies
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Shoaib , Salam Maimoona , Jaafar Norizan , Fayolle Alain , Ayupp Kartinah , Radovic-Markovic Mirjana , Sajid Ali
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Adoption of latest technological advancements (e.g. lecture capture system) is a hallmark of market-driven private universities. Among many other distinguishing features, lecture capture system (LCS) is the one which is being offered to enhance the flexibility of learning environment for attracting executive business students. Majority of foreign universities are offering the facility of LCS to their students in offshore campuses established in Malaysia. Yet, very little is known about perception and behaviour of executive business students towards acceptance and use of this facility. Therefore, to bridge the identified gap in academic literature, this study is an effort to explore the causal relationship between existing constructs of extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2), personal innovativeness (PI), intention and use behaviour (UB) towards LCS. Moreover, this study is aimed to extend the UTAUT2 by introducing a new variable, namely, PI in the domain of information technology (IT) (PIIT).

Design/methodology/approach

SmartPLS-3.2.6 was used for data analysis and all PLS-related calculations. For this purpose, a self-administered questionnaire was designed to collect data regarding acceptance and UB towards LCS. A sample size of 481 responses from executive business students, who were enrolled in offshore campuses of five selected foreign universities in Malaysia, was used for testing the proposed theoretical model.

Findings

The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, price value, hedonic motivation, habit and PIIT have a significant and positive influence on acceptance and use of LCS among executive business students. Unique to this study is that, findings of this study have highlighted PIIT as an important factor that affects intention and UB towards LCS among executive business students.

Practical implications

By validating and extending the UTAUT2, the findings of this study provide a number of practical implications along with a comprehensive, robust and useful framework for universities to successfully implement technological advancements, such as LCS, to enhance overall learning outcomes.

Originality/value

By investigating the factors determining acceptance and use of LCS among executive business students, using a partial least square (PLS)-based SEM approach, this study makes a sizeable theoretical, methodological and contextual contribution to the overall body of knowledge.
Leadership style desired by youth in Asia
Authors: Nor Amin Nurul Afiqah , Wuen Chin Han , Ismail Amiruddin
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the styles that are desirable in a leader in the perspective of youth in Asia, particularly Brunei Darussalam and South Korea. Thus, by investigating it using the Path Goal Theory as its approach, this study provides leaders with the desirable leadership style to motivate and influence the youth.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a quantitative method with a proportionate stratified sampling method using the criteria of age of youth defined by UNESCO. The data then collected using a face-to-face method of a questionnaire from February 2016 till June 2016.

Findings

The evidence depicts that Bruneian youth prefers directive leadership while South Korean youth prefers supportive leadership. This finding is based on the selected styles that are desirable by the youth and their choice is also influenced by culture. This may imply that culture has a large impact which can determine the leadership styles best suited to the environment.

Research limitations/implications

Since the research has limited sample sizes and geographical location, this can lead to future research by considering more regions of different continents to determine whether different leadership preference still persists. This study can also be used as a basis to consider other factors in investigating leadership preference in Asian countries.

Originality/value

This paper identifies and encourages the need to study leadership style that is desirable among youth.
The effect of financial distress costs on ownership structure and debt policy
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Lotfi Afsaneh , Farhangdoust Shayan
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of financial distress costs, corporate growth rate, and flexibility on the interaction between ownership structure and corporate debt policy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test the hypotheses by employing simultaneous equations system methodology with two-stage least squares regression and panel data technics on a sample of 786 listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2010-2015.

Findings

The results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between corporate debt level and managerial ownership in the Iranian listed companies. The authors also find no convincing evidence that either the firm’s growth or financial health could influence or moderate this interrelationship.

Research limitations/implications

The implications drawn from this study are constrained by two primary limitations. First, the present study is conducted in an Iranian setting; therefore, the data utilized for the study only contain companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The utilization of listed companies on the Tehran Stock exchange is likely to affect the generalizability of the study in a national context. Second, the authors were unable to extend the sample time period due to some major deficiencies in the Tehran Stock Exchange library and its supplementary software.

Social implications

Since the fundamental institutional assumptions underpinning the western and even East Asia capital structure models are not valid in the institutional environment of Iran, the findings could provide substantial implications for our understanding of capital structures as well as debt policy literature.

Originality/value

This is an innovative research in terms of the mutual relationship between debt and ownership structure and the use of equations system to measure the interaction between them.
Regulating emotions in response to power distance in meetings
Authors: Erks Rebekka , Nyquist Erin , Allen Joseph , Rogelberg Steven
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Meetings are a necessary part of work. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how power distance in meetings affects emotional labor, including whether leader-member exchange (LMX) serves as a moderator for this relationship. It is hypothesized that power distance in meetings would lead to higher levels of emotional labor in meeting attendees, and that higher levels of LMX would make this relationship even stronger.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a panel sample of full-time working adults from a variety of industries who regularly attend meetings. Participants completed a survey with items related to power distance, emotional labor, and LMX. Hypotheses were tested using moderated regression.

Findings

Findings reveal that power distance between the meeting leader and attendees does relate positively to emotional labor, both surface and deep acting. In addition, LMX moderates this relationship for deep acting, but not for surface acting indicating that when high levels of both power distance and LMX exist, meeting attendees will engage in more deep acting.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study suggest that meeting leaders influence the behavior of attendees through their perceived power and relationship with the attendees. The power distance measure and cross-sectional nature of the sampling strategy is a limitation that provides opportunities for future research.

Practical implications

The practical implications focus on meeting leaders, how they can help meeting attendees make meetings successful by expressing their true authentic emotions.

Originality/value

The current study is one of the first to focus on the power distance present in meetings related to emotional regulation through the social comparison theory. In addition, the current study investigates how LMX can serve as a moderator in this relationship.
Examination of organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour among local government civil servants in Uganda
Authors: Obedgiu Vincent , Bagire Vincent , Mafabi Samuel
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among local government civil servants.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a cross-sectional survey research design with a response of 239 civil servants in the local government sector; data was collected using a questionnaire and quantitative approaches were used in analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal that there is a significant positive relationship between organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour. The predictive power of organizational commitment on OCB is, however, lower than other similar studies in extant literature. Despite being significant, the coefficient of determination in the final model was very low raising thoughtful concerns hence recommendation for further analytical studies in the local government context in the African setting.

Research limitations/implications

The results in this study cannot be without limitations. The authors take a note of the sector that the authors studied, i.e., local governments, in which the authors may not have contextualized the concepts very well and had challenges of interpretation by the respondents. The authors were also limited by the lack of context-specific literature to underpin our discussion. The paper is also limited by the narrow scope of one region in Uganda and thus generalizability to the African level may be done with caution.

Practical implications

This study provides important implications to policy, practice and research. While policies provide for expected efficiencies and productivity, the authors note that an environment in which these are to be achieved is important when it promotes OCB. Policy makers should bear in mind behavioural elements for affective, normative and continuance commitment.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by finding further support for the relationship between organizational commitment and OCB, and advances a likely debate that among local government civil servants in a developing country context the predictive power could be very low. This possibly explains the efficiency gaps at this level of state governance.
Accelerating employee-related scholarship in service management
Authors: Subramony Mahesh , Ehrhart Karen , Groth Markus , Holtom Brooks C. , van Jaarsveld Danielle D. , Yagil Dana , Darabi Tiffany , Walker David , Bowen David E. , Fisk Raymond P. , Grönroos Christian , Wirtz Jochen
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to accelerate research related to the employee-facets of service management by summarizing current developments in multiple research streams, providing propositions, and articulating new directions for theory and empirical inquiry.

Design/methodology/approach

Seven scholars provide short reviews of the core topics and findings from four employee-related research streams – collective turnover, service climate, emotional labor, and occupational stress; and generate propositions to guide future theoretical and empirical work. Four distinguished service scholars – David Bowen, Ray Fisk, Christian Grönroos, and Jochen Wirtz comment upon these research streams and provide future directions for accelerating employee-related research in service management.

Findings

All four research-streams yield insights that have the potential to advance service management research. Commentaries from the distinguished scholars further integrate this work with key concerns within service management including technology-enablement, transformative services, and service strategy.

Originality/value

This paper is unique in its scope of coverage of management topics related to service and its aim to promote interdisciplinary dialog between service management scholars and researchers conducting employee-related research relevant to services.
Service productisation: systematising and defining an offering
Authors: Harkonen Janne , Tolonen Arto , Haapasalo Harri
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The previous literature has indicated that the productisation of services may play a role in service management, although a certain level of obscurity still surrounds the concept. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the meaning of service productisation (SP) as well as to contribute to a greater understanding of the concept.

Design/methodology/approach

An inductive analysis was applied to 13 instances of activities related to the productisation of services, with secondary data being analysed to identify practices relevant to SP and to examine their significance. The analysis is guided by an extensive literature review.

Findings

SP has been found to play a role in systematising and tangibilising a service offering and its related processes as well as in formalising the processes and service offerings. The potential elements of SP have been identified and supporting evidence has been provided. The findings indicate that SP has a specific focus on the offering and its related processes, with the aim being to create a service product that can be sold, delivered and invoiced. SP may utilise various practices and techniques, and customer orientation also plays a significant role. A typology of SP has been created by reflecting on its commercial and technical aspects.

Practical implications

This study has important implications for the service industry as it provides a structure and key considerations for productising services.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to seek evidence for the concept of SP from multiple instances of SP as well as an extensive literature base. The typology created provides a context for discussing SP as well as reflecting on its commercial and technical aspects.
Combining practice and theory to assess strategic thinking
Authors: Goldman Ellen F. , Schlumpf Karen S. , Scott Andrea Richards
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the process used to develop and test the Individual Behavioral Assessment Tool for Strategic Thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

The instrument was developed using literature that identifies practices in use in organizations to assess strategic thinking competency and recommendations of scholars and practitioners to define strategic thinking and suggest how it could be assessed. Processes defined in the literature to develop competency measurements, both generally and for leadership and strategic management concepts specifically, were applied. A Delphi panel of experts reviewed the initial draft of the instrument which, with their refinements, was administered to participants in an executive leadership program.

Findings

Cronbach’sαand principal component analysis indicated that the instrument is internally consistent and unidimensional. Rasch analysis suggested a possible reduction in items that maintains good overall instrument performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides methodology for developing a measurement tool that fuses practice and theory. Further applications of the instrument across organizational levels and in single sectors would enhance its generalizability.

Practical implications

The instrument provides a consistent tool for use by practitioners to identify gaps in their own or another’s strategic thinking behaviors, specify a job-specific competency model, and direct professional development.

Originality/value

The instrument fills a gap in the theoretical literature by extending the descriptions of strategic thinking to include a comprehensive set of required individual behaviors. As such, it is the first theoretically based instrument to detail the specific competencies required to think strategically.
Board political experience and firm internationalization strategy
Authors: Yarbrough Jr Earl , Abebe Michael , Dadanlar Hazel
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the link between board of director composition and firm performance. Specifically, the paper argues that board political experience influences the firm’s internationalization strategy as directors with significant political experience provide guidance, resources, and network access that enhance the firm’s international presence. The authors also posit that board political connections would be more helpful for firms operating in high-regulation industries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested the predictions using data from 156 large US firms. Data on directors’ background were gathered from SEC proxy filings, while data pertaining to internationalization were obtained from Compustat and Mergent Online databases. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was employed to empirically test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The findings provide strong support for the positive relationship between board political experience and the degree of firm internationalization. Contrary to the authors’ predictions, the level of industry regulation does not seem to significantly affect this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Firms aggressively pursuing international strategy could benefit from having directors on their board with robust political experience. One of the limitations of the study is that the types of international activities for firms is not specified in the study as it might be in the form of joint-venture capacity, strategic alliances or for firms that might be born-global.

Originality/value

This study makes original contribution to the on-going research on board political activity and firm performance through internationalization strategy. The findings suggest that having directors’ with political experience is an important asset in influencing firm’s corporate strategy.
Proximity to urban centers in mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Bick Patty , Crook Matthew D. , Lynch Andrew A. , Walkup Brian
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact firm proximity to financial centers has on announcement returns and time to deal completion for mergers and acquisitions.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a data set of merger and acquisition activity from 1986 to 2014, target and acquiring firms are classified as rural or urban based on their geographic proximity to major financial centers. The impact of this proximity on short-term acquisition announcement returns and on the amount of time required to complete the transaction are tested.

Findings

Markets react more favorably to the acquisition of firms headquartered in a rural area, likely due to increased information advantage on the part of the acquiring firm. Furthermore, the acquisition of a rural firm requires greater time to completion.

Practical implications

Acquiring firms may be able to use information asymmetry to their advantage when acquiring firms located in a more rural setting with higher levels of information asymmetry. However, this requires the acquiring firm to generate an informational advantage and will also require a greater time commitment on average to complete the deal.

Originality/value

While prior literature has demonstrated that the distance between target and acquirer can affect acquisition returns and time to deal completion, this study adds to the literature by demonstrating that the geographic location of the target firm relative to major financial hubs can have a unique effect on mergers and acquisitions as well.
Corporate leverage: structural equations framework in an emerging economy
Authors: Ullah Saad , Siddiqui Ahmed Faisal , Tashfeen Rubeena
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the financing behavior of firms in Pakistan. Previous studies have investigated corporate leverage determinants within any particular industry, such as manufacturing industry, textiles industry, etc., with varying results. This is one of the few studies that examine the determinants of leveraging attitude of firms across industrial sectors for textiles, large industries, and small industries. Thus, the study provides an insight into the general debt financing behavior in Pakistan and allows a basis for comparison of the leveraging decisions across industries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs the structural equations methodology which captures the endogenous relationship between profitability and leverage. Thereby, eliminating bias and providing more accurate results.

Findings

The findings suggest that the leveraging decisions differ across sectors and that each industry has its own distinctive debt requirements/characteristics. The authors conclude that a singular approach taken by investors and analysts would provide inaccurate assessment of firms’ debt financing policies and strategies.

Research limitations/implications

There is a limitation on data availability in emerging countries, and a larger sample would have provided more robust results. Therefore, the study has only taken three sector sub-divisions, and more industry categories would have provided in-depth insights into the industry-wise leveraging behavior.

Practical implications

This is the first study to suggest that the borrowing attitude of firms differ across industries and vary due to their specific needs. This has implications for government regulators, investors, and creditors in providing a more customized approach to analyzing and meeting the external financing needs of firms.

Originality/value

This study is the first to use simultaneous equations model to eliminate bias that is prevalent in similar studies in Pakistan. The SEM captures the endogenous relationship between profitability and leverage. The research provides important information about the underlying financing behavior across industries, which has largely been ignored.
Team-bonding and team-bridging social capital: conceptualization and implications
Authors: Han Jing
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The paper aims to propose a conceptualization of two types of team social capital: team-bonding and team-bridging social capital. Throughout the conceptual effort, the paper provides suggestions for future research avenues that link team social capital, as a distinct team-level construct, with other team research topics.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptualization of team social capital is based on a review and synthesis of prior research about social networks. The propositions about the relationships of team social capital with other team process and effectiveness variables are developed within the classical input-mediator-output framework.

Findings

The conceptualizations of team-bonding and team-bridging social capital and the common measures for each are provided. Moreover, a series of testable propositions regarding the associations between team social capital and team process, the influence of team social capital on team effectiveness and the antecedents of team social capital are made.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

Originality/value

This paper elaborates the concept of team social capital and specifies its implications to various team phenomena. With this conceptual effort, this paper has advanced our knowledge about the nature and role of team social capital in team research.
Linking intraspecific trait variation to community abundance dynamics improves ecological predictability by revealing a growth–defence trade‐off
Authors: Griffiths Jason I. , Petchey Owen L. , Pennekamp Frank , Childs Dylan Z.
Published: October 2017

Intraspecific trait change, including altered behaviour or morphology, can drive temporal variation in interspecific interactions and population dynamics. In turn, variation in species’ interactions and densities can alter the strength and direction of trait change. The resulting feedback between species’ traits and abundance permits a wide range of community dynamics that would not be expected from ecological theories purely based on species abundances. Despite the theoretical importance of these interrelated processes, unambiguous experimental evidence of how intraspecific trait variation modifies species interactions and population dynamics and how this feeds back to influence trait variation is currently required.

We investigate the role of trait‐mediated demography in determining community dynamics and examine how ecological interactions influence trait change. We concurrently monitored the dynamics of community abundances and individual traits in an experimental microbial predator–prey–resource system. Using this data, we parameterised a trait‐dependent community model to identify key ecologically relevant traits and to link trait dynamics with those of species abundances.

Our results provide clear evidence of a feedback between trait change, demographic rates and species dynamics. The inclusion of trait–abundance feedbacks into our population model improved the predictability of ecological dynamics from r2 of 34% to 57% and confirmed theoretical expectations of density‐dependent population growth and species interactions in the system.

Additionally, our model revealed that the feedbacks were underpinned by a trade‐off between population growth and anti‐predatory defence. High predator abundance was linked to a reduction in prey body size. This prey size decrease was associated with a reduction in its rate of consumption by predators and a decrease in its resource consumption.

Modelling trait–abundance feedbacks allowed us to pinpoint the underlying life history trade‐off which links trait and abundance dynamics. These results show that accounting for trait–abundance feedbacks has the potential to improve understanding and predictability of ecological dynamics.

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A prioritised list of invasive alien species to assist the effective implementation of EU legislation
Authors: Carboneras Carles , Genovesi Piero , Vilà Montserrat , Blackburn Tim M. , Carrete Martina , Clavero Miguel , D'hondt Bram , Orueta Jorge F. , Gallardo Belinda , Geraldes Pedro , González‐Moreno Pablo , Gregory Richard D. , Nentwig Wolfgang , Paquet Jean‐Yves , Pyšek Petr , Rabitsch Wolfgang , Ramírez Iván , Scalera Riccardo , Tella José L. , Walton Paul , Wynde Robin
Published: October 2017

Effective prevention and control of invasive species generally relies on a comprehensive, coherent and representative list of species that enables resources to be used optimally. European Union (EU) Regulation 1143/2014 on invasive alien species (IAS) aims to control or eradicate priority species, and to manage pathways to prevent the introduction and establishment of new IAS; it applies to species considered of Union concern and subject to formal risk assessment. So far, 49 species have been listed but the criteria for selecting species for risk assessment have not been disclosed and were probably unsystematic.

We developed a simple method to systematically rank IAS according to their maximum potential threat to biodiversity in the EU. We identified 1,323 species as potential candidates for listing, and evaluated them against their invasion stages and reported impacts, using information from databases and scientific literature.

900 species fitted the criteria for listing according to IAS Regulation. We prioritised 207 species for urgent risk assessment, 59 by 2018 and 148 by 2020, based on their potential to permanently damage native species or ecosystems; another 336 species were identified for a second phase (by 2025), to prevent or reverse their profound impacts on biodiversity; and a further 357 species for assessment by 2030.

Policy implications. We propose a systematic, proactive approach to selecting and prioritising IAS for risk assessment to assist European Union policy implementation. We assess an unprecedented number of species with potential to harm EU biodiversity using a simple methodology and recommend which species should be considered for risk assessment in a ranked order of priority along the timeline 2018–2030, based on their maximum reported impact and their invasion history in Europe.
Peripartum hysterectomy: an economic analysis of direct healthcare costs using routinely collected data
Authors: Achana FA , Fleming KM , Tata LJ , Sultan AA , Petrou S
Published: October 2017

Objective

To estimate resource use and costs associated with peripartum hysterectomy for the English National Health Service.

Design/Setting

Analysis of linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink and Hospital Episodes Statistics (CPRD‐HES) data.

Population

Women undergoing peripartum hysterectomy between 1997 and 2013 and matched controls.

Methods

Inverse probability weighted generalised estimating equations were used to model the non‐linear trend in healthcare service use and costs over time, accounting for missing data, adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, delivery year, smoking and socio‐economic indicators.

Main outcome measures

Primary care, hospital outpatient and inpatient attendances and costs (UK 2015 prices).

Results

The study sample included 1362 women (192 cases and 1170 controls) who gave birth between 1997 and 2013; 1088 (153 cases and 935 controls) of these were deliveries between 2003 and 2013 when all categories of hospital resource use were available. Based on the 2003–2013 delivery cohort, peripartum hysterectomy was associated with a mean adjusted additional total cost of £5380 (95% CI £4436–6687) and a cost ratio of 1.76 (95% CI 1.61–1.98) over 5 years of follow up compared with controls. Inpatient costs, mostly incurred during the first year following surgery, accounted for 78% excluding or 92% including delivery‐related costs.

Conclusion

Peripartum hysterectomy is associated with increased healthcare costs driven largely by increased post‐surgery hospitalisation rates. To reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes for women who undergo hysterectomy, interventions that reduce avoidable repeat hospitalisations following surgery such as providing active follow up, treatment and support in the community should be considered.

Tweetable abstract

A large amount of NHS data on peripartum hysterectomy suggests active community follow up could reduce costs, #HealthEconomics.
Sudden Death Secondary to an Undiagnosed B‐Cell Lymphoma of the Hypopharynx and Infiltration of the Inferior Constrictor Muscle
Authors: Lo Pinto Sara , Barranco Rosario , Cuccì Maria , Caputo Fiorella , Fossati Francesca , Orcioni Giulio Fraternali , Ventura Francesco
Published: October 2017

The aim of this presentation was to share an uncommon form of sudden death, suffered by a 64‐year‐old woman, due to a mechanical obstruction of hypopharynx by an undiagnosed B‐cell lymphoma, infiltrating the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. A forensic approach by means of scene investigation, circumstantial data collection, autopsy, and histological and toxicological investigations led to conclude that the cause of death was asphyxia, correlated with B‐cell lymphoma of the hypopharynx. The autopsy examination highlighted the presence of a wall thickening, infiltrating, and projecting into the hypopharynx lumen. The histological analysis showed the essential finding of a B‐cell lymphoma of the hypopharynx, diffusely infiltrating the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. To conclude, this case demonstrates once more that in the absence of specific data, a thorough forensic investigation including autopsy, histological examination, and circumstantial data collection is mandatory to reach a correct cause of death.
Quantification of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine in Home‐Brewed Poppy Seed Tea by LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Powers Deborah , Erickson Stephen , Swortwood Madeleine J.
Published: October 2017

Recently, medical examiners reported two cases of a 21‐year‐old male and 24‐year‐old male with high amounts of morphine in their blood at autopsy. It was suspected that the decedents ingested lethal amounts of morphine from home‐brewed poppy seed tea. No studies to date have investigated opium alkaloid content extracted from poppy seeds by home‐brewing methods. Various poppy seed products were purchased from online sources and extracted with four home‐brewing methods representative of recipes found on drug user forums. Morphine, codeine, and thebaine were quantified in the tea extracts by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry using a validated analytical method. Morphine, codeine, and thebaine concentrations from seeds were <1–2788 mg/kg, <1–247.6 mg/kg, and <1–124 mg/kg, respectively. Alkaloid yield varied between extractions, but regardless of extraction conditions, lethal amounts of morphine can be rinsed from poppy seed coats by home‐brewing methods.
Familial Vehicular Murder‐Suicide
Authors: Byard Roger W. , O'Donovan Siobhan , van den Huevel Corinna , Baldock Matthew
Published: October 2017

A certain number of single‐vehicle crashes into stationary roadside objects such as trees are thought to be occult suicides. However, is it possible that some cases of multiple deaths within a family in similar crashes are due to unrecognized familial murder‐suicides? A 39‐year‐old woman and her 11‐year‐old daughter are reported who died of injuries following a vehicle impact with a tree. Unusual behavior of the mother leading up to the crash, and assessment at the scene, raised the possibility of this being a nonaccidental event. However, difficulties in retrospectively determining the intent of a driver in a vehicle crash, and the nonrecording of, or lack of separate coding for murder‐suicides on registers, make determination of the incidence of these types of events extremely difficult. It may be that this is a subcategory of murder‐suicide that is underdiagnosed and so is not being registered on central motor vehicle crash databases.
Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Different Cultivars of Cranberry (Vaccinium Macrocarpon L)
Authors: Oszmiański Jan , Kolniak‐Ostek Joanna , Lachowicz Sabina , Gorzelany Józef , Matłok Natalia
Published: October 2017

Cranberries can be a component of a healthy diet, because they are a great source of health‐promoting compounds and nutrients. The aims of this study were to evaluated phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in 6 cultivars of cranberry fruit grown in Poland. The content of polyphenols, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and triterpenoids were determined with the use of UPLC‐PDA‐MS/MS, although antioxidant activity was examined with DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The cvs. “Franklin,” “Howes,” and “Stevens” were characterized by the highest concentration of total polyphenols (4219, 3995, and 3584 mg/100 g dm), triterpenoids (3582, 3671, and 3451 mg/kg dm), carotenoids (9.75, 8.52, and 7.94 mg/kg dm), and antioxidant activity (ABTS: 226, 264, 246; FRAP: 102, 139, 124; DPPH: 235, 320, 284 μmolTE/g dm), making these 3 cultivars especially recommendable for consumption. Furthermore, a positive correlation between content of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity was found.

Practical Application

The manuscript “Phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity in different cultivars of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon L)” represents cultivars commonly grown in Poland that maybe beneficial offer the food industry, to develop attractive foods with a high content of biologically active substances.
econullnetr: An r package using null models to analyse the structure of ecological networks and identify resource selection
Authors: Vaughan Ian P. , Gotelli Nicholas J. , Memmott Jane , Pearson Caitlin E. , Woodward Guy , Symondson William O. C.
Published: October 2017

Network analysis is increasingly widespread in ecology, with frequent questions asking which nodes (typically species) interact with one another and how strong are the interactions. Null models are a way of addressing these questions, helping to distinguish patterns driven by neutral mechanisms or sampling effects (e.g. relative abundance of different taxa, sampling completeness) from deterministic biological mechanisms (e.g. resource selection and avoidance), but few “off the shelf” tools are available.

We present econullnetr, an r package combining null modelling and plotting functions for networks, with data‐export tools to facilitate its use alongside existing network analysis packages. It models resource choices made by individual consumers, enabling it to capture individual‐level heterogeneity and generalising to a wider range of data types and scenarios than models applied directly to network matrices. The outputs can be analysed from the level of individual links to whole networks.

We describe the main functions and provide two short examples, along with the results of a benchmarking exercise to provide guidance about the statistical power and error rates. Our hope is that econullnetr provides a basis for more widespread use of null modelling to assist ecological network interpretation.
Asymmetric Correlation as an Explanation for the Effect of Asset Skewness on Equity Returns
Authors: Chung Y. Peter , Kim Thomas S.
Published: October 2017

Assets with asymmetric correlation tend to cause portfolios to have negative skewness. We develop measures of asymmetric correlation based on portfolio skewness. We find that asymmetric correlation is better measured with the skewness of smaller portfolios. The skewness of individual‐stock returns has the most significant and consistent explanatory power for stock returns, indicating that asymmetric correlation is generated at the asset level of individual firms.
Carnitine partially improves oxidative stress, acrosome integrity, and reproductive competence in doxorubicin‐treated rats
Authors: Cabral R. E. L. , Mendes T. B. , Vendramini V. , Miraglia S. M.
Published: October 2017

Doxorubicin has been largely used in anticancer therapy in adults, adolescents, and children. The efficacy of l‐carnitine as an antioxidant substance has been confirmed both in humans and rats. Carnitine, present in testis and epididymis, is involved in sperm maturation. It is also effective in infertility treatment. As a continuation of a previous study, we evaluated whether some spermatic qualitative parameters, DNA integrity, chromatin structure, and fertility status, could be ameliorated by the carnitine treatment in adult rats, which were subsequently exposed to doxorubicin at pre‐puberty. Pre‐pubertal male rats were distributed into four groups: Sham Control; Doxorubicin; l‐carnitine; l‐carnitine + Doxorubicin (l‐carnitine injected 1 h before doxorubicin). At 100 days of age, all groups were reassigned into two sets: One set was submitted to the evaluation of sperm motility, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity, sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA), and evaluation of the oxidative stress. The other set of rats was destined to the evaluation of reproductive competence. The percentage of spermatozoa with intact acrosome integrity was higher in the Carnitine+Doxorubicin group when compared with the Doxorubicin group. However, sperm motility and mitochondrial activity were not improved by carnitine pre‐treatment. Both values of malondialdehyde and nitrite (indirect measurement of nitric oxide) concentrations were statistically higher in the only doxorubicin‐treated group when compared to the Carnitine + Doxorubicin group. Fertility index and implantation rate were lower in Doxorubicin group, when compared to Carnitine + Doxorubicin group. Moreover, the percentage of spermatozoa with damaged DNA was higher in the Doxorubicin‐treated group when compared to the Carnitine+Doxorubicin group. l‐carnitine, when administered before doxorubicin, partially preserved the acrosome integrity, an important feature related to sperm fertilization ability that positively correlated with the reproductive competence and sperm DNA integrity at adulthood. In conclusion, l‐carnitine attenuated the long‐term alterations caused by doxorubicin in the germ cells and improved male reproductive capacity in adulthood.
Middle‐income countries: trapped or merely slowing?
Authors: Yusuf Shahid
Published: October 2017

Since the turn of the century, growth has slowed in a number of middle income economies, giving rise to fears ‐ exacerbated by the financial crisis of 2008‐09 ‐ that they were entering a low growth equilibrium. A survey of the literature on the middle income trap suggests that it is difficult to rigorously identify countries that might be trapped; that in most cases growth appears to be regressing to a longer term normal and in East Asian economies remains at a respectable 5 percent to 7 per cent rate; that the research on the trap has yet to come up with a new growth model for middle income economies; and that policy recommendations on offer are of the generic variety applicable to virtually all economies, developed and developing.
Surgical management of penile carcinoma in situ: results from an international collaborative study and review of the literature
Authors: Chipollini Juan , Yan Sylvia , Ottenhof Sarah R. , Zhu Yao , Draeger Désirée , Baumgarten Adam S. , Tang Dominic H. , Protzel Chris , Ye Ding‐wei , Hakenberg Oliver W. , Horenblas Simon , Watkin Nicholas A. , Spiess Philippe E.
Published: October 2017

Objectives

To evaluate recurrence after penile‐sparing surgery (PSS) in the management of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the penis in a large multicentre cohort of patients.

Patients and Methods

We identified consecutive patients from five major academic centres, treated between June 1986 and November 2014, who underwent PSS for pathologically proven penile CIS. The primary outcome was local recurrence‐free survival (RFS), which was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

A total of 205 patients were identified. Treatment methods included circumcision, glansectomy, wide local excision, laser therapy and total glans resurfacing. Over a median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow‐up of 40 (26–65.6) months, there were 48 local recurrences, with 45.8% occurring in the first year and 81.3% occurring by year 5. The majority of recurrences were observed in the laser group (58.3%). The median (IQR) time to local recurrence was 15.9 (5.66–26.14) months. The 1‐ 2‐ and 5‐year RFS rates were 88.4, 85.6 and 75%, respectively, and the median (IQR) RFS time was 106.5 (80.2–132.2) months.

Conclusions

Among patients with penile CIS selected for surgical management, durable responses at intermediate‐ to long‐term follow‐up were noted. For those with glandular CIS, glans resurfacing offered the best outcomes.
Survival outcomes for patients with localised upper tract urothelial carcinoma managed with non‐definitive treatment
Authors: Syed Jamil S. , Nguyen Kevin A. , Suarez‐Sarmiento Alfredo , Johnson Katelyn , Leapman Michael S. , Raman Jay D. , Shuch Brian
Published: October 2017

Objective

To investigate the outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) with non‐definitive therapy, which currently remains unknown.

Patients and Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify individuals with a localised, histologically confirmed kidney/renal pelvis and ureteric UC. Survival analysis using the Kaplan–Meier method was performed. A competing risk model evaluated the cumulative incidence and predictors of cancer‐specific mortality (CSM).

Results

We identified 633 (7.6%) individuals who did not receive surgery. These individuals were significantly older (median age 81 vs 71 years, P < 0.001) than surgically managed patients. The median overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter compared to the surgical cohort (1.9 vs 7.8 years, P < 0.001). The 3‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) for patients without surgery was significantly lower compared to those with surgery, at 73.7% vs 92.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). The 3‐year DSS for patients with high‐grade tumours was worse when compared to patients with low‐grade tumours, at 65.1% vs 82.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). The 3‐year cumulative CSM was 26.3%. On multivariable analysis, older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05, P < 0.001) and high tumour grade (HR 1.88, P < 0.001) were predictors of worse outcomes.

Conclusions

In this population‐based cohort, 7.6% of patients with UTUC were managed with a non‐definitive approach. The median OS for the untreated cohort was significantly shorter compared to the surgical cohort (1.9 vs 7.8 years, respectively). These data may be helpful in counselling patients who are poor surgical candidates, as non‐definitive therapy may provide reasonable oncological outcomes.
Prognostic indicators of outcomes in patients with lung metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma during long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Sohn Seo Young , Kim Hye In , Kim Young Nam , Kim Tae Hyuk , Kim Sun Wook , Chung Jae Hoon
Published: October 2017

Background

Distant metastases, although uncommon, represent maximum disease‐related mortality in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Lungs are the most frequent sites of metastases. We aimed to evaluate long‐term outcomes and identify prognostic factors in metastatic DTC limited to the lungs.

Methods

This retrospective study included 89 patients with DTC and metastases limited to the lungs, who were treated between 1996 and 2012 at Samsung Medical Center. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) rates were evaluated according to clinicopathologic factors. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with structural progressive disease (PD) and cancer‐specific death.

Results

With a median follow‐up of 84 months, the 5‐ and 10‐year CSS rates were 78% and 73%, respectively. Older age at diagnosis (≥55 years), radioactive iodine (RAI) nonavidity, preoperative or late diagnosis of metastasis and macro‐nodular metastasis (≥1 cm) were predictive of decreased PFS and CSS. Multivariate analysis identified older age (P = .002), RAI nonavidity (P = .045) and preoperative (P = .030) or late diagnosis (P = .026) as independent predictors of structural PD. RAI avidity was also independent predictor of cancer‐specific death (P = .025).

Conclusion

Patients with DTC and metastatic disease limited to the lungs had favourable long‐term outcomes. Age, RAI avidity and timing of metastasis were found to be major factors for predicting prognosis.