bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An unobserved component analysis of Malaysia’s house prices
Authors: Mohd Daud Siti Nurazira , Marzuki Ainulashikin
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate Malaysia’s house prices behaviour by decomposing trend, cycle and stochastic component.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors perform an unobserved component model of a structural time series and Markov switching model that covers the period 1999Q1 to 2015Q4.

Findings

The results reveal that the variation in house price in Malaysia is best explained by its trend level, with a small role played by the cycle component; this implies the potential for gaining returns on investments in property by investors and households. The results also show that Malaysia’s HPI cycle is between 8 and 17 years which, in relative terms, is twice the length of the growth cycle and the business cycle in the economy. Meanwhile, the overall movement of HPI is forecast to have a marginal price increase up to 2028Q2.

Originality/value

As house prices remained elevated during the year, the house price dynamic is pivotal for understanding the source of changes in house price. With major findings centred on the relationship between house prices and macroeconomic as well as policy variables, little attention has been paid to composing the trend, cycle and seasonal pattern from the house price index, thus understanding the behaviour of house prices’ unobserved components.
Corporate performance: does board independence matter? – Indian evidence
Authors: Haldar Arunima , Shah Reeta , Nageswara Rao S.V.D. , Stokes Peter , Demirbas Dilek , Dardour Ali
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the presence of independent board directors on financial performance in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used panel regression models on large listed Indian firms to investigate the impact on financial performance owing to the presence of independent directors.

Findings

The findings suggest that independent board directors in Indian contexts do not significantly affect financial performance.

Practical implications

This study has implications for the formulation of regulation related to appointment of independent directors and the extent of their representation on the board for them to be effective.

Social implications

The proportion of independent directors on the board of the firm is influenced by the trade-off between the cost of having independent directors on the board versus the benefits to the firm and society.

Originality/value

The impact of the presence of an independent director on financial performance in highly concentrated ownership remains ambiguous.
Explaining inconsistencies in implicit and explicit attitudes towards domestic and foreign products
Authors: Tseng Ting-Hsiang , Balabanis George , Liu Matthew Tingchi
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the inconsistency of explicit and implicit domestic country bias (DCB) across different types of products and in the context of two countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies in two countries are conducted to examine the inconsistencies in implicit and explicit DCB. The first study collected data through mall intercept survey method in Taiwan and identified 189 valid respondents. The second study applied a mixed (within and between subjects) factorial experiment in China using 200 subjects.

Findings

Results show that explicit and implicit attitudes are moderately related to each other. The results also confirm that ethnic product typicality can explain inconsistencies in both explicit and implicit DCB. For ethnically typical products, DCB is more pronounced in consumers’ explicit attitudes than in consumers’ implicit attitudes. On the contrary, for ethnically atypical goods, DCB makes itself present in both explicit and implicit attitudes.

Originality/value

The results shed new light on DCB and confirm that the bias could divaricate between explicit and implicit attitudes in the case of ethnically typical products.
Revisiting the Uppsala internationalization model
Authors: Yamin Mo , Kurt Yusuf
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to utilize key insights from social network theory (SNT) to enhance understanding of overcoming the liability of outsidership as a prerequisite for firm internationalization. Specifically, it examines the influence of structural attributes of networks on the motivational stance of both network insiders and outsiders in relation to overcoming the liability of outsidership. A related aim is to explore the role of network positions of insider actors in terms of its impact on the speed of market entry.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the extant literatures on firm internationalization, particularly the liability of outsidership, and SNT to identify to what extent SNT can be utilized to deeply understand the process of overcoming the liability of outsidership. The authors put forward eight propositions linking structural and positioning attributes of networks with overcoming the liability of outsidership.

Findings

SNT provides strong potential for a more comprehensive understanding of the internationalization phenomena through shedding light on the relationship between the liability of foreignness and the liability of outsidership. The paper demonstrates that while the cost of overcoming the liability of outsidership is higher in closed target network as compared to open networks, the expected benefits of an insidership position in closed or open networks are affected by the outsider firm’s perception of the liability of foreignness in the market it wishes to enter. Considering the differential enabling characteristics of closed and open networks in terms of facilitating tacit knowledge sharing as opposed to explicit information flows, the authors reveal that liability of foreignness operates as a negative moderator for the relationship between network structure and the willingness of the outsider to invest in gaining insidership. The analysis of the paper also shows that the positional attributes of the network insider are relevant in outsiders’ motivation in terms of the speed of market entry that they seek to achieve.

Originality/value

This study theoretically contributes to the internationalization research through integrating SNT with the liability of outsidership understanding of firm internationalization. This is a timely attempt as no systematic application of the conceptual apparatus of SNT in the internationalization research context has been studied. It adds a more coherent inside-out perspective into the overcoming the liability of outsidership discussion which has been extensively dominated by an outside-in perspective.
Working with intellectually disabled autistic individuals – a qualitative study using repertory grids
Authors: Worthington Rachel , Patterson Chris , Halder Neel
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate how care professionals/providers construe, understand and make sense of the characteristics that are important when providing care to adults with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, based on their experiences of working within their roles within a residential care setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Care professionals and providers working at a community autism and intellectual disability service were interviewed to ascertain their experiences of working with this client group. The research design adopted a qualitative methodology using repertory grids.

Findings

Ten members of staff who agreed to participate formed the study’s sample.  This consisted of team leaders, support workers, one member of the executive management team and one clinical member of staff. Ten themes were identified for working effectively with people with autism and intellectual disabilities. These were: making autism-specific adaptations, approachable, reflective/self-aware, strong understanding of their residents/empathetic, benevolent, empowering, follows plans consistently, confident in ability to support residents with autism, resilient, respectful.

Practical implications

The paper discusses each of these ten themes above and how employers can aid in selecting individuals who may be more suited to working with this patient group.

Originality/value

A literature search demonstrated a lack of empirical research, especially qualitative research, on this topic.
Keep Safe: the development of a manualised group CBT intervention for adolescents with ID who display harmful sexual behaviours
Authors: Malovic Aida , Rossiter Rowena , Murphy Glynis
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the development of Keep Safe, a manualised group intervention for adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) who display harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) as the initial phase of a feasibility study. National reports have highlighted the need for the development of specialist programmes, as adolescents with ID make up a significant proportion of young people referred to specialist HSB services and there is a lack of evidence or practice-based interventions for them. Aims included taking account of adolescents’ and families’ needs, motivations and practical commitments, integrating best- practice and being accessible and appropriate across different types of services.

Design/methodology/approach

Keep Safe development progressed from the practitioner/researcher collaborative young sex offender treatment services collaborative-ID through a project team, Keep Safe development group, comprising a range of practitioners with a variety of clinical expertise across services and an Advisory Group of people with ID. An expert-consensus methodology based on the Delphi method was used. The iterative process for the manual draws on the slim practice-based evidence from UK, New Zealand, North America and Australia.

Findings

Keep Safe comprises six modules distributed through 36 term-time young people’s sessions, alongside 16 concurrent parental/ carer sessions (some joint). The main focus of Keep Safe is to enhance well-being and reduce harm. Four initial sites volunteered as feasibility leads, and two more were added as recruitment was more difficult than foreseen.

Originality/value

National reports have highlighted the need for the development of specialist programmes, as adolescents with ID make up a significant proportion of young people referred to specialist HSB services and there is a lack of evidence or practice-based interventions for them. This study is innovative and valuable given the recognition that research and practice is significantly lacking in this area.
Tacit and explicit knowledge management and assessment of quality performance of public R&D in emerging economies
Authors: Roy Santanu , Mitra Jay
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The authors investigate the relationship between the structure and the functioning of scientific and technical (S&T) personnel and the quality research and development (R&D) performance output of laboratories functioning under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India. The purpose of this paper is to examine how rapid economic and social changes and the demand for better accountability are addressed by public R&D institutions in a specific developing economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the functions performed by the S&T personnel as indicators of their tacit knowledge. The authors use data from 27 different CSIR laboratories to analyze the specific functions carried out by knowledge workers (S&T personnel) in order to gauge the internal strengths and weaknesses of individual laboratories in different functional areas. The authors use the following measures to tap the quality R&D performance of these laboratories – number of Indian patents filed and granted, number of foreign patents filed and granted, and the number of published papers figuring among the top 50 CSIR publications in specific research areas over an extended period of 11 years (2003-2004 to 2013-2014).

Findings

The findings show that there is no readymade formula for identifying improvements in quality performance by a research laboratory, given a particular set of S&T worker profile in terms of the six functions defined in the study. The top-performing laboratories have excellent patent as well as publication record reinforcing the point that innovation encompasses both basic and applied research with success depending upon strategically emphasizing the different components of the innovation process.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the present research work is limited by the choice of the quality R&D performance measures adopted in the study that could be further expanded to better tap the social accountability of these public-funded institutions. In addition, inclusion of all CSIR laboratories in the study framework would add value to the study findings. The research highlights the importance of tacit knowledge management and organizational learning as central features of strategic organization development for technology practices incorporating R&D work, the support of pilot plants, experimental field stations, and engineering and design units.

Practical implications

The paper has particular implications for the leadership and management of public R&D organizations and public policy formulation for innovation in an emerging developing economy context.

Originality/value

This study extends the extant literature by drawing upon the role of tacit knowledge and organizational learning to inform the empirical research on managing public R&D and the innovations that result from it, in a particular emerging economy context, that is, India.
Brand advocacy in the frontline: how does it affect customer satisfaction?
Authors: Schepers Jeroen , Nijssen Edwin J.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Many organizations expect their service engineers, or frontline employees (FLEs), to behave as brand advocates by engaging in favorable communication about the brand and its offerings toward customers. However, this approach is not without risk as customers may be disappointed or even frustrated with brand advocacy behavior in many service encounters. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of FLEs’ brand advocacy on customer satisfaction with the service encounter, and identify the conditions under which the effects are detrimental. This paper specifically considers service issue severity and product newness as contingency conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on social identification theory, the paper builds a conceptual model, which is empirically tested using a data set that matches data from service engineers, customers, and archival records from the after-sales service department of a globally operating business-to-business print and document management solutions provider.

Findings

This paper finds that brand advocacy behavior harms customer satisfaction especially in service encounters that involve simple service issues (e.g. maintenance) for products that are new to the market. Fortunately, brand identification can compensate this negative effect under many service conditions. While the joint effect of brand identification and advocacy is most beneficial for severe service issues of new products, no effect on customer satisfaction was found for established products.

Practical implications

This paper identifies those service situations in which brand advocacy is advisable and guides managers toward achieving more favorable customer evaluations.

Originality/value

Past research has considered several FLE branding activities in the frontline but the effects of brand advocacy have not been isolated. In addition, most studies have assumed the effects of employee brand-related behaviors on customer satisfaction to be universally positive rather than negative and focused on antecedents and not on moderators and consequences.
Does food security predict poor mental health?
Authors: Tevie Justin , Shaya Fadia
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess food security as a risk factor in the development of poor mental health among younger populations in the USA over an eight-year period using a nationally representative cross-sectional sample.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from individuals who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2012, respondents were classified as either having “poor mental health” or “good mental health.” Multivariate logistic regression models based on this dichotomy are employed to estimate the odds ratios in the association of household food security and mental health using three cut-off points that correspond to these models.

Findings

Respondents from very low food security had higher odds (OR=2.06, p<0.0001; OR=1.98, p<0.0001; OR=1.94, p=0.01) of suffering from poor mental health compared with participants from fully food secure households. These findings indicate the robustness of the results across all three separate regression models.

Research limitations/implications

Causality cannot be determined from the cross-sectional design. Although potential endogeneity could invalidate the conclusions, these findings inform public policy that food security is a contributory factor in the development of poor mental health at an early age. It suggests that interventions to alleviate food insecurity could improve mental health among younger populations in the USA.

Originality/value

Several cut-off points are developed to distinguish between “poor” and “good” mental health to assess the robustness of the findings. This approach has the potential to minimize the misclassification of mental health outcomes. Very low food security is a strong predictor of poor mental health regardless of the cut-off point used.
Contrasting depression among African Americans and major depressive disorder in the DSM-V
Authors: Alang Sirry
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify symptoms that constitute a shared cultural model of depression among African Americans and to compare these accounts with criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM-V).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected in a disproportionately Black urban neighborhood in the USA and analyzed using cultural consensus analysis (CCA). In total, 34 African Americans participated in a free-listing exercise to elicit common indicators of depression in the same community. Another 40 key informants completed a survey to rate how common each indicator was in the same community. Factor analysis was performed, factor loadings were used to weight the responses of each informant in the survey and then aggregated to determine the most significant indicators or components of the shared model depression.

Findings

Indicators of depression included classic symptoms in the DSM-V such as sadness and lack of motivation. However, other indicators that are inconsistent with symptoms of MDD in the DSM-V such as paranoia and rage were common and constituted a shared model of depression in the sample.

Research limitations/implications

Some symptoms common among African Americans that are not in the DSM-V or on research instruments developed based on the DSM could be overlooked in epidemiological surveys and in clinical assessments of depression.

Practical implications

The provision of mental health care might benefit from a better understanding of how contextual factors shape expressions of distress among African Americans.

Originality/value

This study identify culturally salient symptoms of depression among African Americans independent of clinically defined criteria.
Organisational learning
Authors: Edmonstone John Duncan
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The understanding of “organisations” has changed fundamentally from seeing them as concrete entities to viewing them as communities of meaning. Mature adults in healthcare learn best when addressing pressing problems in company of their peers. Healthcare is unlike other sectors because of the emotional labour which is part of the experience of clinical staff. Absorptive capacity offers a conceptual model for viewing organisational learning and the encouragement of systemic eloquence can be enabled through a variety of approaches, provided they are designed and delivered as part of a well-thought-through approach to developing local absorptive capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a viewpoint paper.

Findings

Healthcare differs from other sectors. Organisational learning can be enabled by a range of approaches, but these need to be sensitive to local circumstances.

Originality/value

The paper asserts that healthcare is unlike other sectors because of emotional labour on the part of clinical staff. It maintains that organisations are communities of meaning, rather than concrete entities. Systemic eloquence can be enhanced by the concept of absorptive capacity, applied in local contexts.
Organizational justice and work outcomes in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Arab Hawkar Rashid , Atan Tarik
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main and interaction effects of organizational justice components as they pertain to job performance and satisfaction in an Eastern region.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered utilizing a sample of 402 employee-manager dyads working for various institutions of higher education in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Hierarchical regression analyses and relative weight analysis were used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicated that perceived distributive, procedural, and interactional justice all contribute to employee job satisfaction and job performance, and that among the justice components, interactional justice was more strongly related to job satisfaction and job performance. The results also showed that interactional justice interacts with distributive justice to affect job performance.

Research limitations/implications

Although data were gathered from two sources, all data were collected at a single point in time, which may raise a concern about common method variance.

Practical implications

Managers who try to enhance employees’ perceptions of organizational justice are advised to constantly develop and evaluate the way they treat their employees, especially in terms of social aspects such as dignity, support, and respect.

Originality/value

This study is the first work in the Kurdistan Region or Iraq as a whole that investigates organizational justice as it pertains to work outcomes.
The influence of team reflexivity and shared meta-knowledge on the curvilinear relationship between team diversity and team ambidexterity
Authors: Li Ci-Rong , Li Chun-Xuan , Lin Chen-Ju , Liu Jing
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explicate the influence of diverse team on team-level ambidexterity and its curvilinear assessment, and test the mediating role of team reflexivity and the moderating role of shared meta-knowledge in the curvilinear relationship between team diversity and team ambidexterity.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected multisource and temporally separated data on 206 R&D teams within 28 high-tech firms in Taiwan.

Findings

This study found a complex, curvilinear, moderated mediation relationship that functional background diversity has with team ambidexterity. Furthermore, consistent with the notion from categorization-elaboration model, the authors found the curvilinear relationship that functional background diversity has with both team ambidexterity and team reflexivity. Finally, the authors also found that the curvilinear relationship between functional background diversity and team reflexivity was moderated by shared meta-knowledge, such that the positive relationship was strengthened and the negative relationship weakened, in higher shared meta-knowledge in teams rather than lower.

Originality/value

The results demonstrate that team diversity-team ambidexterity relationship is much more complicated than previous works have assumed or suggested. Overall, the authors contribute to a novel understanding about the importance of team diversity in ambidextrous teams by opening the black box of how and when functional background diversity and team ambidexterity.
Trust, ICT and income: their relationships and implications
Authors: Park Eun G. , Oh Wankeun
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship and interactions among trust, information and communication technologies (ICT) and country income levels.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the standardization method by Osberg and Sharpe (2005) and analyzes the changes in global trends, coefficient of variations, and correlations. The statistical data consist of panel data for 28 countries from 2007 to 2014.

Findings

Trust in people (TP) and institutional confidence (IC) have different shapes of movement over the period and the change speed of IC has decreased much faster than that of TP. While TP in high income countries is positioned in relatively high ranks, IC of middle income countries tends to be ranked in higher ranks. While the telecommunication infrastructure index (TII) has continuously increased in all countries for the entire period, open service index (OSI) has not increased at the same rate since improving OSI is not easier than TII. As OSI increases, IC may affect an increase to a certain point and then decrease in an inverted U-shape. The result of this relationship emphasizes on the importance of OSI along with TII in building trust, particularly with institutions.

Research limitations/implications

The examination of the relationship of trust, ICT and income in quantifiable values can contribute to understanding the direction of movement and change speed toward trust building with people and institutions.

Practical implications

To promote levels of trust, countries should consider different strategies for growing TP and institutions and concentrate on improving ICT-mediated services more than installing ICT facilities.

Originality/value

Quantifying the interactions of a qualitative concept of trust with ICT facilities, online services, and income levels presents an in-depth analysis of TP and with institutions.
The opacity of the PubPeer Foundation: what PubPeer’s “About” page tells us
Authors: Teixeira da Silva Jaime A.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relative opacity of the “About” page at PubPeer, which is a whistleblower website, primarily of the academic literature. The site refers to itself as an online journal club. It is important to assess whether the PubPeer site, organization or leadership display opacity because PubPeer attempts to hold the authors who have published errors in their literature to the high standards of transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examined the statements of the “About” page at PubPeer to assess the aspects of opacity. The “About” page is the face and image of an organization to the public.

Findings

In 2015, The PubPeer Foundation was created as a charitable organization to receive funding in the USA, and at the end of 2016, the PubPeer Foundation received funding (US$ 412,000) from a philanthropic organization, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. Several of these details were not indicated in the older version of the “About” page at PubPeer. Other aspects of that page are opaque.

Research limitations/implications

To fully assess the opacity of PubPeer, continual monitoring is needed. The examination of the “About” page gives a limited perspective.

Practical implications

Academics are under intense scrutiny by a vigilant anonymous and pseudonymous community at PubPeer. Any opacity by PubPeer, as was documented here, reduces trust in its objectives and operations. Reduced trust is at the heart of the replication crisis.

Originality/value

This paper represents the first published critical assessment of PubPeer. Science watchdogs, which watch various science-related organizations, also need to be watched.
Wikipedia’s gaps in coverage: are Wikiprojects a solution? A study of the Cambodian Wikiproject
Authors: Luyt Brendan
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the rather unsuccessful Wikiproject for Cambodia. Despite its lack of success, it is a case that can be used to draw lessens for dealing with the issue of geographical under-representation on Wikipedia as a whole. After presenting evidence of the Wikiproject’s failure to achieve the goals for which it was created, the author will discuss the pressing issues of imbalances in geographical coverage on Wikipedia as well as the deeper issues involved in remedying these imbalances, namely, the question of who gets to represent whom.

Design/methodology/approach

The author takes a broadly qualitative approach to the study of Wikipedia. For this study, the Cambodia Wikiproject main page, as well as the various talk page archives associated with it, was downloaded in November 2016 and subjected to a content analysis. Descriptive statistics are also used when necessary to build the argument.

Findings

Wikiproject Cambodia has failed to appreciably improve the coverage of Cambodian topics. This is likely due to its inability to attract for a prolonged period of time a champion able to anchor the project and provide a sense that someone is listening. But the makeup of the project members also suggests that even if a champion could be found, the question of who gets to represent whom remains difficult to deal with. It is unlikely that Cambodia will anytime soon develop a strong community of Wikipedia editors given the economic and social constraints the country imposes on the most of its population.

Originality/value

This work builds on the small, but growing body of literature dealing with coverage gaps in Wikipedia. Given Wikipedia’s growing importance as part of the everyday information infrastructure people use, such gaps and potential solutions to these gaps should be a vital part of the information science community’s agenda.
Signal filtering for a small-diameter, dual-axis FOG inclinometer
Authors: Ren Chunhua , Hu Xiaoming , Qin Poyun , Li Leilei , He Tong
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Measurement-while-drilling (MWD) system has been used to provide trajectory and inclination parameters of the oil and gas well. Fluxgate magnetometer is a traditional choice for one MWD system; however, it cannot obtain effective trajectory parameters in nonmagnetic environments. Fiber-optic-gyroscope (FOG) inclinometer system is a favorable substitute of fluxgate magnetometer, which can avoid the flaws associated with magnetic monitoring devices. However, there are some limitations and increasing surveying errors in this system under high impact conditions. This paper aims to overcome these imperfections of the FOG inclinometer system.

Design/methodology/approach

To overcome the imperfections, filtering algorithms are used to improve the precision of the equipment. The authors compare the low-pass filtering algorithm with the wavelet de-noising algorithm applied to real experimental data. Quantitative comparison of the error between the true and processed signal revealed that the wavelet de-noising method outperformed the low-pass filtering method. To achieve optimal positioning effects, the wavelet de-noising algorithm is finally used to inhibit the interference caused by the impact.

Findings

The experimental results show that the method proposed can ensure the azimuth accuracy lower than ±2 degrees and the inclination accuracy lower than ± 0.15 degrees under the condition of interval impact. The method proposed can overcome the interference generated by the impact in the well, which makes the instrument suitable for the measurement of small-diameter casing well.

Originality/value

After conducting the wavelet threshold filtering on the raw data of accelerometers, the noise generated by the impact is successfully suppressed, which is expected to meet the special requirement of the down-hole survey environment.
Genetic optimization of hybrid clustering algorithm in mobile wireless sensor networks
Authors: M. Sangeetha , A. Sabari
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a prolonging network lifetime and optimizing energy consumption in mobile wireless sensor networks (MWSNs). MWSNs have characteristics of dynamic topology due to the factors such as energy consumption and node movement that lead to create a problem in lifetime of the sensor network. Node clustering in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) helps in extending the network life time by reducing the nodes’ communication energy and balancing their remaining energy. It is necessary to have an effective clustering algorithm for adapting the topology changes and improve the network lifetime.

Design/methodology/approach

This work consists of two centralized dynamic genetic algorithm-constructed algorithms for achieving the objective in MWSNs. The first algorithm is based on improved Unequal Clustering-Genetic Algorithm, and the second algorithm is Hybrid K-means Clustering-Genetic Algorithm.

Findings

Simulation results show that improved genetic centralized clustering algorithm helps to find the good cluster configuration and number of cluster heads to limit the node energy consumption and enhance network lifetime.

Research limitations/implications

In this work, each node transmits and receives packets at the same energy level throughout the solution. The proposed approach was implemented in centralized clustering only.

Practical implications

The main reason for the research efforts and rapid development of MWSNs occupies a broad range of circumstances in military operations.

Social implications

The research highly gains impacts toward mobile-based applications.

Originality/value

A new fitness function is proposed to improve the network lifetime, energy consumption and packet transmissions of MWSNs.
Effects of Mn nanoparticle addition on wettability, microstructure and microhardness of low-Ag Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu-xMn(np) composite solders
Authors: Tang Yu , Luo Shaoming , Li Guoyuan , Yang Zhou , Hou Chaojun
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate of the effects of Mn nanoparticle addition on the wettability, microstructure and microhardness of SAC0307-xMn(np) (SAC: Sn–Ag–Cu; x = 0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.3 Wt.%) composite solders.

Design/methodology/approach

The SAC0307-xMn(np) composite solders were prepared by mechanically mixing different weight percentages of Mn nanopowders into the SAC0307 solder paste with rosin flux. In this study, the wettability of the solders was studied using contact angle and spread ratio methods. Afterward, the microstructure of the solders was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Moreover, the microhardness of the solders was studied.

Findings

The wetting process of SAC0307-xMn(np) composite solders was found to experience four stages. Adding a small amount of Mn nanoparticles (x = 0.05 Wt.%) could improve the wettability compared to Mn-free solder. Beyond this level, the wettability deteriorated. The addition of Mn nanoparticles significantly refined the size and spacing of Ag3Sn grains in the solder matrix. When 0.1 Wt.% Mn nanoparticles was added, both the average size of the Ag3Sn grains and the spacing between the Ag3Sn grains decreased significantly and approached minimum values. Beyond this amount, the size and spacing between Ag3Sn grains increased slightly but remained smaller than those in the Mn-free solder matrix. The refined Ag3Sn grains increased the microhardness of the Mn-containing composite solders by 6-25 per cent, in good agreement with the prediction of the classic theory of dispersion strengthening.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that Mn nanoparticle addition could improve the SAC0307-xMn(np) solder wettability and reduce the grain size and spacing between Ag3Sn grains. The enhancement of the solder microhardness shows good correlation with the microstructure.
Reliability assessment of electronic assemblies under vibration by statistical factorial analysis approach
Authors: Gharaibeh Mohammad
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present a reliability performance assessment of electronic packages subjected to harmonic vibration loadings by using a statistical factorial analysis technique. The effects of various geometric parameters, the size and thickness of the printed circuit board and component and solder interconnect dimensions on the fundamental resonant frequency of the assembly and the axial strain of the most critical solder joint were thoroughly investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A previously published analytical solution for the problem of electronic assembly vibration was adopted. This solution was modified and used to generate the natural frequency and solder axial strains data for various package geometries. Statistical factorial analysis was used to analyze these data.

Findings

The results of the present study showed that the reliability of electronic packages under vibration could be significantly enhanced by selecting larger and thicker printed circuit boards and thinner and smaller electrical components. Additionally, taller and thinner solders might also produce better reliability behavior.

Originality/value

The results of this investigation can be very useful in the design process of electronic products in mechanical vibration environments.
Medicare Accountable Care Organizations of Diverse Structures Achieve Comparable Quality and Cost Performance
Authors: Comfort Leeann N. , Shortell Stephen M. , Rodriguez Hector P. , Colla Carrie H.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To examine whether an empirically derived taxonomy of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) is associated with quality and spending performance among patients of ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP).

Data Sources

Three waves of the National Survey of ACOs and corresponding publicly available Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services performance data for NSACO respondents participating in the MSSP (N = 204); SK&A Office Based Physicians Database from QuintilesIMS.

Study Design

We compare the performance of three ACO types (physician‐led, integrated, and hybrid) for three domains: quality, spending, and likelihood of achieving savings. Sources of performance variation within and between ACO types are compared for each performance measure.

Principal Findings

There is greater heterogeneity within ACO types than between ACO types. There were no consistent differences in quality by ACO type, nor were there differences in likelihood of achieving savings or overall spending per‐person‐year. There was evidence for higher spending on physician services for physician‐led ACOs.

Conclusions

ACOs of diverse structures perform comparably on core MSSP quality and spending measures. CMS should maintain its flexibility and continue to support participation of diverse ACOs. Future research to identify modifiable organizational factors that account for performance variation within ACO types may provide insight as to how best to improve ACO performance based on organizational structure and ownership.
Radiologic indicators for prediction of difficult laryngoscopy in patients with cervical spondylosis
Authors: Han Y. Z. , Tian Y. , Zhang H. , Zhao Y. Q. , Xu M. , Guo X. Y.
Published: February 2018

Background

We identified the most useful variables for prediction of difficult laryngoscopy in patients with cervical spondylosis according to physical indicators and preoperative skeletal X‐ray and soft tissue MRI measurements. We hypothesized that there was a closer association between difficult laryngoscopy and radiologic indicators.

Methods

We randomly enroled 315 patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery and analysed the radiological and physical data in predicting difficult laryngoscopy.

Results

We identified five variables that were most useful in predicting difficult laryngoscopy: the inter‐incisor gap (P= 0.006), modified Mallampati test score (P= 0.004), distance from the highest point of the hyoid bone to the mandibular body (P< 0.001), most antero‐inferior point of the upper central incisor tooth (P< 0.001), and length of the epiglottis (P= 0.002). Binary multivariate logistic regression analyses identified three factors that were independently associated with difficult laryngoscopy: the Mallampati score, distance from the hyoid bone to the mandibular body, and the anterior–inferior point of the upper central incisor tooth. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 1.547 (1.029–2.327), 1.222 (1.139–1.310), and 1.224 (1.133–1.322), respectively. The AUC for hyoid bone distance to mandibular body (0.832) was larger than that of anterior‐inferior point of the upper central incisor tooth (0.802,P> 0.05) and that of modified Mallampati test (0.602,P< 0.05).

Conclusion

Distance from the highest point of the hyoid bone to the mandibular body appears to be the most accurate indicator for difficult laryngoscopy in patients with cervical spondylosis.
Transferring and trading on insider information in the United States and Australia: just a case of happy hour drinks?
Authors: Chen Xiaoyan , Hodgson Allan , Linnenluecke Martina K.
Published: February 2018

This study examines and compares insider trading laws across Australia and the United States. Motivation is provided by academic studies that provide a global comparison of insider trading without analysis of divergent interpretations and liabilities. For example, sharing confidential information with friends over Friday night drinks may have completely different legal consequences across different countries. The possibility of higher or lower legal sanction offers research opportunities in the areas of government‐supervised firms, tipping to short sellers and insider trading when firms are cross‐listed in countries with different insider trading regimes.
Improving older people's life satisfaction via social networking site use: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Junjie
Published: February 2018

Objective

This study aimed to examine the pathways by which social networking sites (SNSs) can improve older people's life satisfaction.

Methods

We conducted an online survey in China that lasted eight weeks. Respondents were required to report their demographic characteristics and feelings regarding SNS use. Data were analysed using SPSS 20 and Amos 21.

Results

We collected 596 valid samples. The empirical results show that SNS use improves older people's life satisfaction by reducing their loneliness and improving their self‐efficacy. Social support alleviates the negative effect of loneliness and enhances the positive effect of self‐efficacy on life satisfaction. Sex differences and education differences were significant. Men and less educated people had higher levels of life satisfaction.

Conclusion

Policymakers should offer support to SNSs targeting older people and encourage them to provide more useful services. SNS operators should encourage social support among older users and pay attention to sex differences and education differences.
Argon attenuates multiorgan failure following experimental aortic cross‐clamping
Authors: Savary Guillaume , Lidouren Fanny , Rambaud Jérôme , Kohlhauer Matthias , Hauet Thierry , Bruneval Patrick , Costes Bruno , Cariou Alain , Ghaleh Bijan , Mongardon Nicolas , Tissier Renaud
Published: February 2018

Aims

Argon has been shown to prevent ischaemic injuries in several scenarios of regional ischaemia. We determined whether it could provide a systemic effect in a model of multiorgan failure (MOF) induced by aortic cross‐clamping.

Methods

Anaesthetized rabbits were submitted to aortic cross‐clamping (30 min) and subsequent reperfusion (300 min). They were either ventilated with oxygen‐enriched air throughout the protocol [fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) = 30%; control group) or with a mixture of 30% oxygen and 70% argon (argon groups). In a first group treated with argon (‘Argon‐Total’), its administration was started 30 min before ischaemia and maintained throughout the protocol. In the two other groups, the administration was started either 30 min before ischaemia (‘Argon‐Pre’) or at the onset of reperfusion (‘Argon‐Post’), for a total duration of 2 h. Cardiovascular, renal and inflammatory endpoints were assessed throughout protocol.

Results

Compared with control, shock was significantly attenuated in Argon‐Total and Argon‐Pre but not Argon‐Post groups (e.g. cardiac output = 62±5 vs. 29 ± 5 ml min−1 kg−1 in Argon‐Total and control groups at the end of the follow‐up). Shock and renal failure were reduced in all argon vs. control groups. Histopathological examination of the gut showed attenuation of ischaemic lesions in all argon vs. control groups. Blood transcription levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL‐8, IL‐10 and hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion

Argon attenuated clinical and biological modifications of cardiovascular, renal and intestinal systems, but not the inflammatory response, after aortic cross‐clamping. The window of administration was crucial to optimize organ protection.
Variability and interpretation of communication taxonomy during robot‐assisted surgery: do we all speak the same language?
Authors: Raheem Sana , Ahmed Youssef E. , Hussein Ahmed A. , Johnson Amanda , Cavuoto Lora , May Paul , Cole Adam , Wang Derek , Ahmad Basim , Hasasneh Adam , Guru Khurshid A.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To investigate and analyse the different ways surgeons communicate with bedside assistants during robot‐assisted surgery (RAS).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed video and audio recordings of 26 RAS procedures (23 prostatectomies and three cystectomies). Three cameras and eight lapel microphones were used to record the operating theatre environment. We identified five common tasks and categorized them into ‘specific’, ‘non‐specific’ and ‘unclear’ categories. We also determined the frequency, time to execute the task, inconveniences and acknowledgements associated with each category. The most efficient category was the one that took the shortest duration to accomplish and was associated with the fewest inconveniences.

Results

A total of 1 000 requests were made by three surgeons for six bedside assistants by three surgeons. The five identified tasks were: instrument change; clipping; suction; irrigation; and retraction. For instrument change, non‐specific requests were the most frequent compared with the other categories (77% vs 18% vs 5%; P < 0.001). For suction, specific requests were the most frequently used of the three categories (73% vs 27% vs 0%; P < 0.001) and this task was associated with the fewest inconveniences (38% vs 62%; P = 0.01). For clipping, irrigation and retraction, both specific and non‐specific requests were similar in terms of their frequency, action time and inconveniences. Comparing complete vs incomplete requests, incomplete requests had significantly shorter median action time (5 vs 8 s; P < 0.001) but did not significantly differ in terms of inconveniences and acknowledgement.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a detailed analysis of communication during RAS. It lays a foundation for standardized taxonomy to improve communication, surgical efficiency and patient safety.