bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The machination of foreign direct investment flow to emerging markets – a focus on Africa
Authors: Aregbeshola Rafiu Adewale
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The deterministic role of various macroeconomic fundamentals on the attractiveness of countries to inflow of FDI is well documented in literature. The role of market size, infrastructural development, inflation and exchange rates differential have been supported as determinants of FDI direction. However, no documented study has benefited from diverse measures of institutional adequacy as presented in this study. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts various econometric approaches that include descriptive statistics, fixed effects models, LM test of independence, feasible generalised least squares regression and SUR estimations.

Findings

This study unveils the specific impacts and explanatory power of each of the variables along country lines, and the author compares the results of some emerging markets in Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America to some selected countries in Africa. Using data set from various sources over a period of 44 years in a seemingly unrelated regression environment, this study suggests that poor technological capability, inadequate political system, weak productivity gains are major deterrents to the attractiveness of African countries to inflow of FDI.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of this study revolves around availability of usable data, which compels the researcher to limit the focus and the span of time series.

Practical implications

The study suggests the need to improve institutional quality in emerging economies, especially countries in Africa in order to enhance their attractiveness to FDI inflow. More importantly, the study found that low capital productivity gains hinder the attractiveness of African emerging markets to FDI inflow.

Social implications

To alleviate poverty, attraction of FDI is considered important, and the improvement of institutional functionality in that regard is found to be important. The need to augment technological improvement is considered very important and critical.

Originality/value

This serves to confirm that the article entitled “The Machination of Foreign Direct Investment Flow to Emerging Markets – A focus on Africa” is my own original work, envisaged to contribute to the debate about the role of macroeconomic fundamentals, especially capital productivity gains as determinants of a country’s attractiveness to inflow of foreign capital in academic literature. All the sources used and consulted have been fully acknowledged by a way of complete referencing. The author hereby agrees to the terms and conditions as stipulated by the publisher and the editorial board of this prestigious journal.
Numerical simulation for external magnetic field influence on Fe3O4-water nanofluid forced convection
Authors: Sheikholeslami Mohsen
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to simulate nanofluid laminar steady flow in a lid-driven porous cavity under the impact of Lorentz forces.

Design/methodology/approach

Shape effect of nanoparticles and magnetic field impact on nanofluid properties are taken into consideration. The solutions of final equations are obtained by control volume based finite element method (CVFEM).

Findings

Graphs are depicted for different values of Darcy number, Fe3O4-water volume fraction, Reynolds and Hartmann numbers.

Originality/value

Results illustrated that using Platelet-shaped nanoparticles results in the highest Nusselt number. Nusselt number augments with rise of Darcy and Reynolds number.
Marcellus Shale play and the cointegration of natural gas markets in the Northeast
Authors: Arano Kathleen , Velikova Marieta , Gazal Kathryn
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The development of the Marcellus Shale Play has altered the geography of production in the USA, particularly in the Northeast natural gas market. The purpose of this paper is to examine its impact on an already integrated industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors utilize the methodology of co-integration and focus on the geographic reach of the Marcellus region to examine movements of prices across the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the industry.

Findings

The results of this paper indicate that prices across segments remain strongly co-integrated with the boom in production. The short-run dynamics, however, reveal a slower adjustment to the long-run equilibrium following the boom, particularly for wellhead to city-gate and wellhead to residential prices.

Originality/value

The growth in delivery infrastructure has not kept up with the boom in production creating bottlenecks. The supply shock brought about by the boom in production has not altered previously established co-integrating relationships but has altered the speeds of adjustment towards the long-run equilibrium.
Performance comparison of hole-entry and slot entry hybrid journal bearings considering combined influence of thermal effects and micropolar lubricant
Authors: Khatak Pankaj , Garg H.C.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Hybrid journal bearing have long been used in machines requiring large load and high speed capacity operating under wide range of temperatures. Different compensating devices are used in for efficient operation of bearings. This paper aims to help in selection of optimum compensating device by evaluating the comparative performance of constant flow valve, capillary compensated and slot entry hybrid journal bearing under the combined influence of thermal effects and micropolar nature of lubricant.

Design/methodology/approach

The variation in micropolar parameters and viscosity change due to temperature increase of lubricant are considered in present study. Finite element method is used for combined iterative solution of micropolar Reynolds, energy and conduction equations. Micropolar lubricant is assumed to be governed by two parameters, coupling number and characteristic length. The results in the study are presented for symmetric and asymmetric configurations of hole entry and slot entry non-recessed hybrid journal bearings

Findings

The results indicate that constant flow valve compensated hole entry hybrid journal bearing is the highest performing bearing for the given range of micropolar parameters of lubricant in terms of maximum fluid pressure and dynamic coefficients.

Originality/value

The performance variations of various configurations of hybrid journal bearing are presented in a single paper. The reader can get overview of combined effects of micropolar parameters and viscosity decrease due to temperature increase of the lubricant.
Leadership, trust in management and acceptance of change in Hong Kong’s Civil Service Bureau
Authors: Cai Wen Juan , Loon Mark , Wong Peter Hoi Kin
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether trust in management mediates the relationships between two types of leadership (transactional and transformational) and acceptance of change in the Hong Kong public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 68 civil servants in the Hong Kong SAR Government were used in the partial least squares analysis.

Findings

The findings from civil servants show that although trust in management mediates the relationship between both types of leadership and acceptance of change, transformational leadership is more effective in increasing both trust and acceptance of change.

Research limitations/implications

The strong support for the mediation hypotheses highlights the need for leaders to be trusted by their followers if followers are to accept and support the change process. Trust in management is what ultimately reduces resistance to change.

Practical implications

The findings from this study have demonstrated that one strategy available to leaders in the Hong Kong public sector is to concentrate on developing perceptions of trustworthiness by utilising both transactional leadership and transformational leadership but especially transformational leadership.

Originality/value

This paper provides a unique and nuanced view of leadership and trust, and their effect on the acceptance of change in Hong Kong’s civil service bureau that operates in a turbulent environment. Public sector organisations in Hong Kong are unique in that they contend with pressures from Hong Kong nationals and also with pressures from the Government of Mainland China.
Effectuation, opportunity shaping and innovation strategy in high-tech new ventures
Authors: Guo Runping
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Innovation strategy is critical for firms to achieve success in the market. However, relatively little is known about what factors promote the development of innovation strategy in high-tech new ventures. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by developing and examining the theoretical model that links effectuation to innovation strategy through opportunity shaping in high-tech new ventures.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed theoretical model is developed by integrating the effectuation theory, innovation strategy literature and opportunity literature. Empirical data were collected from 212 entrepreneurs and top executives in Chinese high-tech new ventures through a survey. Baron and Kenny’s (1986) mediation and moderation model assessment procedures are used to analyze the data.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that effectuation has a positive effect on innovation strategy and opportunity shaping. Opportunity shaping has a positive effect on innovation strategy, and its effect is positively moderated by competitive intensity. The author also finds that opportunity shaping plays a fully mediating role in the relationship between effectuation and innovation strategy.

Originality/value

These findings enrich innovation strategy research and advance the effectuation theory by providing empirical evidence of the impact of effectuation on innovation strategy in high-tech new ventures. The findings also contribute to a growing stream of research on opportunity and integrating opportunity shaping into a more complete framework of innovation. Moreover, this research provides deeper insight into the missing links between effectuation and innovation strategy in high-tech new ventures by uncovering the mediating role of opportunity shaping.
How does greenwashing affect green branding equity and purchase intention? An empirical research
Authors: Akturan Ulun
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship among greenwashing, green brand equity, brand credibility, green brand associations and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

As an object to study, two brands were chosen: a high-involved brand and a low-involved brand. Data were collected from 500 consumers by survey method, and structural equation modeling was run to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

As a result, it was found that green brand associations and brand credibility positively affect green brand equity, and green brand equity has a positive and strong impact on purchase intention of consumers. In addition to that greenwashing negatively affects green brand associations and brand credibility, and therefore, indirectly influence green brand equity and purchase intention.

Research limitations/implications

Previous studies conceptualize greenwashing and examine its effects on company performance and skepticism. This study is a first attempt to explore the effects of greenwashing on green branding strategies.

Practical implications

Managers should be aware of that greenwashing not only negatively affects purchase intention but also generates negative outcomes for the relationship with the brands.

Originality/value

There is no other study, at least to the author’s knowledge, testing the effects of greenwashing on green brand perceptions and green purchase intention.
Association Between Dialysis Modalities and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Population‐Based Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Hung Yao‐Min , Chen Yu‐Yen , Huang Wei‐Chun , Wang Paul Yung Pou , Chou Pesus , Lai Yun‐Ju
Published: July 2018

The hemodynamic effects of hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) on end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients differ. The influence of dialysis modalities on the cardiovascular system has not been well investigated. We aimed to evaluate the association between dialysis modalities and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) by using the claim data of Taiwan's Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. This study followed up a cohort of 1624 new onset ESRD patients (≥18 years old), who had started renal replacement therapy during 2000 to 2010; and was followed until 2012. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients who underwent HD had significantly higher risks of incidence of CAD, in comparison with patients who underwent PD (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.47; 95% confidence interval = 1.01–2.11). An increased risk of incident CAD was distinguished in patients receiving HD, compared with those on PD. Further studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanism and improve dialysis outcomes.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Honda Tomoko , Kishi Satoru , Furukawa Emi , Ambe Hiroko , Kurata Yu , Ichikawa Masahiro , Aoe Mari , Ohara Ken , Furuse Satoshi , Saito Katsunori , Nishio Kyosuke , Masaki Kazunobu , Kano Tatsuya , Mise Naobumi
Published: July 2018

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/arachidonic acid (AA) ratio showed inverse associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general population. However, this has not been examined enough in dialysis patients. We cross‐sectionally investigated the relationship between EPA/AA ratio and prevalence of CVD in 321 chronic hemodialysis patients (64 ± 11 years old; 110 women; dialysis vintage 10 ± 8 years) in an urban area of Tokyo. CVD was defined as a composite of ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. The frequency of dietary fish intake was also examined. Logistic regression was used to quantify the association of EPA/AA ratio with CVD. EPA/AA ratio was 0.31 ± 0.19 and 154 patients (48%) consumed fish once or less weekly. One hundred and thirty patients (41%) had CVD, including 65 with ischemic heart disease, 70 with ischemic stroke, and 20 with hemorrhagic stroke. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; P = 0.01), hypertension (OR, 2.25; P = 0.002), and dialysis vintage (OR, 1.04; P = 0.02) were associated with CVD; however, EPA/AA was not after adjustment for other risk factors. A similar relationship was observed between fish intake and CVD prevalence. We did not find any significant association between EPA/AA ratio and prevalence of CVD, although traditional risk factors such as age, hypertension and dialysis vintage were associated with CVD. These results might have been influenced by the fact that only a small proportion of our patients showed a high EPA/AA ratio.
Correlation between progression‐free survival, tumor burden, and circulating tumor DNA in the initial diagnosis of advanced‐stage EGFR‐mutated non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Lee Yunkyoung , Park Sojung , Kim Woo Sung , Lee Jae Cheol , Jang Se Jin , Choi Jene , Choi Chang‐Min
Published: July 2018

Background

This study was conducted to identify whether the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma before treatment with EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is associated with clinical outcomes.

Methods

Fifty‐seven pairs of tissues and plasma samples were obtained from patients with NSCLC adenocarcinoma harboring activating EGFR mutations before the administration of EGFR‐TKI treatment. ctDNA mutation was identified using the PANAMutyper EGFR mutation kit. Both qualitative and quantitative analyzes of the data were performed.

Results

Concordance rates with tissue biopsy were 40.4% and 59.6% for the qualitative and quantitative methods, respectively. Bone metastasis showed a statistically significant correlation with ctDNA detection (odds ratio 3.985, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.027–15.457; P = 0.046). Progression‐free survival (PFS) was significantly shorter in the group detected with ctDNA than in the undetected ctDNA group (median PFS 9.8 vs. 20.7 months; hazard ratio [HR] 2.30, 95% CI 1.202–4.385; P = 0.012). Detection of ctDNA before treatment with EGFR‐TKIs (HR 2.388, 95% CI 1.138–5.014; P = 0.021) and extra‐thoracic lymph node metastasis (HR 13.533, 95% CI 2.474–68.747; P = 0.002) were independently associated with PFS. Six of 11 patients (45.5%) monitored by serial sampling showed a dynamic change in ctDNA prior to disease progression.

Conclusion

Quantitative testing can increase the sensitivity of the ctDNA detection test. Patients with detectable ctDNA had significantly shorter PFS after receiving EGFR‐TKIs than those with undetectable ctDNA. Tumor burden may be associated with plasma ctDNA detection. A shorter PFS was associated with detection of ctDNA and extra‐thoracic lymph node metastasis. Dynamic changes in the ctDNA level may help predict clinical outcomes.
Sensitivity of binomial N‐mixture models to overdispersion: The importance of assessing model fit
Authors: Knape Jonas , Arlt Debora , Barraquand Frédéric , Berg Åke , Chevalier Mathieu , Pärt Tomas , Ruete Alejandro , Żmihorski Michał
Published: July 2018

Binomial N‐mixture models are commonly applied to analyse population survey data. By estimating detection probabilities, N‐mixture models aim at extracting information about abundances in terms of absolute and not just relative numbers. This separation of detection probability and abundance relies on parametric assumptions about the distribution of individuals among sites and of detections of individuals among repeat visits to sites. Current methods for checking assumptions are limited, and their computational complexity has hindered evaluations of their performance.

We use simulations and a case study to assess the sensitivity of binomial N‐mixture models to overdispersion in abundance and in detection, develop computationally efficient graphical goodness of fit checks to detect it, and evaluate the ability of the checks to identify overdispersion.

The simulations show that if the parametric assumptions are not exact the bias in estimated abundances can be severe: underestimation if there is overdispersion in abundance relative to the fitted model and overestimation if there is overdispersion in detection. Our goodness‐of‐fit checks performed well in detecting lack of fit when the abundance distribution was overdispersed, but struggled to detect lack of fit when detections were overdispersed. We show that the inability to detect lack of fit due to overdispersed detection is caused by a fundamental similarity between N‐mixture models with beta‐binomial detections and N‐mixture models with negative binomial abundances.

The strong biases that can occur in the binomial N‐mixture model when the distribution of individuals among sites, or the detection model, is mis‐specified implies that checking goodness of fit is essential for sound inference about abundance. To check the assumptions we provide computationally efficient goodness of fit checks that are available in an R‐package nmixgof. However, even when a binomial N‐mixture model appears to fit the data well, estimates are not robust in the presence of overdispersion. We show that problems can occur even when estimated detection probabilities are high, and that previously reported problems with negative binomial models cannot always be diagnosed by checking the sensitivity of abundance estimates to numerical cutoff values used in likelihood computations.
The Impact of Alcohol and Social Context on the Startle Eyeblink Reflex
Authors: Kang Dahyeon , Bresin Konrad , Fairbairn Catharine E.
Published: July 2018

Background

Researchers have long sought to understand how individuals respond to alcohol in social settings with the aim of elucidating pathways of risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). But studies that incorporate a social context are still outnumbered by those that examine alcohol's subjective effects among participants drinking alcohol in isolation. Further, perhaps due to the challenges of capturing automatic affective processes in these settings, prior studies of alcohol response in social context have relied mainly on self‐report measures, and so relatively little is known about alcohol's psychophysiological effects in social settings.

Methods

Using a novel paradigm that integrated alcohol‐administration procedures, startle methodology, and social context, this study examined the impact of alcohol and social context on startle eyeblink reflex among 40 social drinkers.

Results

Results indicated that there was a significant effect of group presence, indicating that startle magnitude was larger when people were alone than with others. There was a significant group presence‐by‐alcoholic beverage interaction, with the effect of alcohol being significantly larger when people were alone versus with others. These effects were found both for the startle habituation data and during the picture‐viewing task.

Conclusions

Results of this study highlight the importance of considering the presence of other individuals for understanding alcohol response and mechanisms of AUD risk. Findings are discussed in light of both emotional and cognitive correlates of startle reflex magnitude. Future research should examine these effects within larger samples of participants and further explore mechanisms that might underlie these effects.
Association of Anaesthetists guidelines: cell salvage for peri‐operative blood conservation 2018
Authors: Klein A. A. , Bailey C. R. , Charlton A. J. , Evans E. , Guckian‐Fisher M. , McCrossan R. , Nimmo A. F. , Payne S. , Shreeve K. , Smith J. , Torella F.
Published: July 2018

The use of cell salvage is recommended when it can be expected to reduce the likelihood of allogeneic (donor) red cell transfusion and/or severe postoperative anaemia. We support and encourage a continued increase in the appropriate use of peri‐operative cell salvage and we recommend that it should be available for immediate use 24 h a day in any hospital undertaking surgery where blood loss is a recognised potential complication (other than minor/day case procedures).
The role of causal models and beliefs in interpreting health claims
Authors: Banks Adrian P. , Egan Bernadette , Hodgkins Charo E. , Peacock Matthew , Raats Monique M.
Published: July 2018

Objective

Health claims on food packaging are regulated to inform and protect consumers; however, many consumers do not accurately interpret the meaning of the claims. Whilst research has shown different types of misinterpretation, it is not clear how those interpretations are formed. The aim of this study was to elicit the causal beliefs and causal models about food and health held by consumers, that is their understanding of the causal relationships between nutrients, health outcomes, and the causal pathways connecting them, and investigate how well this knowledge explains the variation in inferences they draw about health benefits from health claims.

Method

A total of 400 participants from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom were presented with seven authorized health claims and drew inferences about the health benefits of consuming nutrients specified in the claim. Then, their personal causal models of health were elicited along with their belief in the truth and familiarity with the claims.

Results

The strength of inferences about health benefits that participants drew from the claims was predicted independently by the strength of the relevant causal pathways within the causal model, and belief in the truth of the claim, but not familiarity with the claim. Participants drew inferences about overall health benefits of the nutrients by extrapolating from their causal models of health.

Conclusion

Consumers’ interpretation of claims is associated with their belief in the claim and their causal models of health. This prior knowledge is used to interpret the claim and draw inferences about overall health benefits that go beyond the information in the claim. Therefore, efforts to improve consumers’ understanding and interpretation of health claims must address both their wider causal models of health and their knowledge of specific claims.

Statement of Contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Health claims influence the likelihood of buying a product.

But consumers do not accurately understand or interpret health claims.

What does this study add?

Consumers’ interpretation of health claims is mediated by their personal causal model of health.

Consumers draw inferences that go beyond what is claimed by extrapolating from their personal causal model of health.

Consumers are also influenced directly by their belief in the claim, but not frequency of exposure to it.
The other facets of family life and their role in the evolution of animal sociality
Authors: Kramer Jos , Meunier Joël
Published: July 2018

Family life forms an integral part of the life history of species across the animal kingdom and plays a crucial role in the evolution of animal sociality. Our current understanding of family life, however, is almost exclusively based on studies that (i) focus on parental care and associated family interactions (such as those arising from sibling rivalry and parent‐offspring conflict), and (ii) investigate these phenomena in the advanced family systems of mammals, birds, and eusocial insects. Here, we argue that these historical biases have fostered the neglect of key processes shaping social life in ancestral family systems, and thus profoundly hamper our understanding of the (early) evolution of family life. Based on a comprehensive survey of the literature, we first illustrate that the strong focus on parental care in advanced social systems has deflected scrutiny of other important social processes such as sibling cooperation, parent–offspring competition and offspring assistance. We then show that accounting for these neglected processes – and their changing role over time – could profoundly alter our understanding of the origin and subsequent evolution of family life. Finally, we outline how this ‘diachronic’ perspective on the evolution of family living provides novel insights into general processes driving the evolution of animal sociality. Overall, we infer that the explicit consideration of thus‐far neglected facets of family life, together with their study across the whole diversity of family systems, are crucial to advance our understanding of the processes that shape the evolution of social life.
Aberrant methylation and silencing of the SPINT2 gene in high‐grade gliomas
Authors: Fukushima Tsuyoshi , Kawaguchi Makiko , Yamamoto Koji , Yamashita Fumiki , Izumi Aya , Kaieda Takashi , Takezaki Yuka , Itoh Hiroshi , Takeshima Hideo , Kataoka Hiroaki
Published: July 2018

Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 2 (HAI‐2), encoded by the SPINT2 gene, is a membrane‐anchored protein that inhibits proteases involved in the activation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a ligand of MET receptor. Epigenetic silencing of the SPINT2 gene has been reported in a human glioblastoma cell line (U87) and glioblastoma‐derived cancer stem cells. However, the incidence of SPINT2 methylation in tumor tissues obtained from glioma patients is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the methylation status of the SPINT2 gene of eight human glioblastoma cell lines and surgically resected glioma tissues of different grades (II, III, and IV) by bisulfite sequence analysis and methylation‐specific PCR. Most glioblastoma lines (7/8) showed methylation of the SPINT2 gene with a significantly reduced level of SPINT2mRNA compared to cultured astrocytes and normal brain tissues. However, all glioblastoma lines expressed mRNA for HGF activator (HGFAC), a target protease of HAI‐2/SPINT2. Forced expression of SPINT2 reduced MET phosphorylation of U87 glioblastoma cells both in vitro and in intracranial xenografts in nude mice. Methylation‐specific PCR analysis of the resected glioma tissues indicated notable methylation of the SPINT2 gene in 33.3% (2/6), 71.4% (10/14), and 74.3% (26/35) of grade II, III, and IV gliomas, respectively. Analysis of RNA sequencing data in a public database indicated an increased HGFAC/SPINT2 expression ratio in high‐grade compared to low‐grade gliomas (P = .01). In summary, aberrant methylation of the SPINT2 gene is frequently observed in high‐grade gliomas and might confer MET signaling in the glioma cells.
Bringing the Real World Into Developmental Science: A Commentary on Weber, Fernald, and Diop (2017)
Authors: Morelli Gilda , Bard Kim , Chaudhary Nandita , Gottlieb Alma , Keller Heidi , Murray Marjorie , Quinn Naomi , Rosabal‐Coto Mariano , Scheidecker Gabriel , Takada Akira , Vicedo Marga
Published: July 2018

This article examines the parent intervention program evaluated by Weber et al. (2017) and argues that there are scientific and ethical problems with such intervention efforts in applied developmental science. Scientifically, these programs rely on data from a small and narrow sample of the world's population; assume the existence of fixed developmental pathways; and pit scientific knowledge against indigenous knowledge. The authors question the critical role of talk as solely providing the rich cognitive stimulation important to school success, and the critical role of primary caregivers as teachers of children's verbal competency. Ethically, these programs do not sufficiently explore how an intervention in one aspect of child care will affect the community's culturally organized patterns of child care.
Interactive Visual Exploration of Local Patterns in Large Scatterplot Spaces
Authors: Chegini Mohammad , Shao Lin , Gregor Robert , Lehmann Dirk J. , Andrews Keith , Schreck Tobias
Published: July 2018

Analysts often use visualisation techniques like a scatterplot matrix (SPLOM) to explore multivariate datasets. The scatterplots of a SPLOM can help to identify and compare two‐dimensional global patterns. However, local patterns which might only exist within subsets of records are typically much harder to identify and may go unnoticed among larger sets of plots in a SPLOM. This paper explores the notion of local patterns and presents a novel approach to visually select, search for, and compare local patterns in a multivariate dataset. Model‐based and shape‐based pattern descriptors are used to automatically compare local regions in scatterplots to assist in the discovery of similar local patterns. Mechanisms are provided to assess the level of similarity between local patterns and to rank similar patterns effectively. Moreover, a relevance feedback module is used to suggest potentially relevant local patterns to the user. The approach has been implemented in an interactive tool and demonstrated with two real‐world datasets and use cases. It supports the discovery of potentially useful information such as clusters, functional dependencies between variables, and statistical relationships in subsets of data records and dimensions.
Fast and Accurate CNN‐based Brushing in Scatterplots
Authors: Fan Chaoran , Hauser Helwig
Published: July 2018

Brushing plays a central role in most modern visual analytics solutions and effective and efficient techniques for data selection are key to establishing a successful human‐computer dialogue. With this paper, we address the need for brushing techniques that are bothfast, enabling a fluid interaction in visual data exploration and analysis, and alsoaccurate, i.e., enabling the user to effectively select specific data subsets, even when their geometric delimination is non‐trivial. We present a new solution for a near‐perfect sketch‐based brushing technique, where we exploit a convolutional neural network (CNN) for estimating the intended data selection from a fast and simple click‐and‐drag interaction and from the data distribution in the visualization. Our key contributions include a drastically reduced error rate—now below 3%, i.e., less than half of the so far best accuracy—and an extension to a larger variety of selected data subsets, going beyond previous limitations due to linear estimation models.
Assessing Effects of Task and Data Distribution on the Effectiveness of Visual Encodings
Authors: Kim Younghoon , Heer Jeffrey
Published: July 2018

In addition to the choice of visual encodings, the effectiveness of a data visualization may vary with the analytical task being performed and the distribution of data values. To better assess these effects and create refined rankings of visual encodings, we conduct an experiment measuring subject performance across task types (e.g., comparing individual versus aggregate values) and data distributions (e.g., with varied cardinalities and entropies). We compare performance across 12 encoding specifications of trivariate data involving 1 categorical and 2 quantitative fields, including the use of x, y, color, size, and spatial subdivision (i.e., faceting). Our results extend existing models of encoding effectiveness and suggest improved approaches for automated design. For example, we find that colored scatterplots (with positionally‐coded quantities and color‐coded categories) perform well for comparing individual points, but perform poorly for summary tasks as the number of categories increases.
PixelSNE: Pixel‐Aligned Stochastic Neighbor Embedding for Efficient 2D Visualization with Screen‐Resolution Precision
Authors: Kim Minjeong , Choi Minsuk , Lee Sunwoong , Tang Jian , Park Haesun , Choo Jaegul
Published: July 2018

Embedding and visualizing large‐scale high‐dimensional data in a two‐dimensional space is an important problem, because such visualization can reveal deep insights of complex data. However, most of the existing embedding approaches run on an excessively high precision, even when users want to obtain a brief insight from a visualization of large‐scale datasets, ignoring the fact that in the end, the outputs are embedded onto a fixed‐range pixel‐based screen space. Motivated by this observation and directly considering the properties of screen space in an embedding algorithm, we propose Pixel‐Aligned Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (PixelSNE), a highly efficient screen resolution‐driven 2D embedding method which accelerates Barnes‐Hut tree‐based t‐distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (BH‐SNE), which is known to be a state‐of‐the‐art 2D embedding method. Our experimental results show a significantly faster running time for PixelSNE compared to BH‐SNE for various datasets while maintaining comparable embedding quality.
Visual Analysis of protein‐ligand interactions
Authors: Vázquez P. , Hermosilla P. , Guallar V. , Estrada J. , Vinacua A.
Published: July 2018

The analysis of protein‐ligand interactions is complex because of the many factors at play. Most current methods for visual analysis provide this information in the form of simple 2D plots, which, besides being quite space hungry, often encode a low number of different properties. In this paper we present a system for compact 2D visualization of molecular simulations. It purposely omits most spatial information and presents physical information associated to single molecular components and their pairwise interactions through a set of 2D InfoVis tools with coordinated views, suitable interaction, and focus+context techniques to analyze large amounts of data. The system provides a wide range of motifs for elements such as protein secondary structures or hydrogen bond networks, and a set of tools for their interactive inspection, both for a single simulation and for comparing two different simulations. As a result, the analysis of protein‐ligand interactions of Molecular Simulation trajectories is greatly facilitated.
Information Visualization Evaluation Using Crowdsourcing
Authors: Borgo R. , Micallef L. , Bach B. , McGee F. , Lee B.
Published: July 2018

Visualization researchers have been increasingly leveraging crowdsourcing approaches to overcome a number of limitations of controlled laboratory experiments, including small participant sample sizes and narrow demographic backgrounds of study participants. However, as a community, we have little understanding on when, where, and how researchers use crowdsourcing approaches for visualization research. In this paper, we review the use of crowdsourcing for evaluation in visualization research. We analyzed 190 crowdsourcing experiments, reported in 82 papers that were published in major visualization conferences and journals between 2006 and 2017. We tagged each experiment along 36 dimensions that we identified for crowdsourcing experiments. We grouped our dimensions into six important aspects: study design & procedure, task type, participants, measures & metrics, quality assurance, and reproducibility. We report on the main findings of our review and discuss challenges and opportunities for improvements in conducting crowdsourcing studies for visualization research.
Effectiveness of submandibular duct relocation in 91 children with excessive drooling: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Kok Saskia E. , Erasmus Corrie E. , Scheffer Arthur R. T. , van Hulst Karen , Rovers Maroeska M. , van den Hoogen Frank J. A.
Published: July 2018

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of submandibular duct relocation (SMDR) in drooling children with neurological disorders.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Academic Outpatient Saliva Control Clinic.

Participants

Ninety‐one children suffering from moderate to severe drooling.

Main outcome measures

Direct observational drooling quotient (DQ; 0‐100) and caretaker Visual Analogue Scale (VAS; 0‐100). Secondary outcome measures were drooling severity (DS) and frequency rating scales.

Results

The DQ at baseline, 8 and 32 weeks postoperatively was 26.4, 12.3 and 10.8, respectively. VAS score decreased from 80.1 at baseline to 28.3 and 37.0 at 8 and 32 weeks after surgery. Median DS at baseline, 8 and 32 weeks was 5, 3 and 4, whereas the drooling frequency median scores were 4, 2 and 2, respectively. Five children required prolonged intubation due to transient floor of the mouth swelling, two of whom developed a ventilator‐associated pneumonia. Another child developed atelectasis with postoperative pneumonia. Two more children needed tube feeding because of postoperative eating difficulties for 3 days or suprapubic catheterisation for urinary retention. Children aged 12 years or older (OR = 3.41; P = 0.03) and those with adequate stability and position of the head (OR = 2.84; P = 0.09) appeared to benefit most from treatment.

Conclusions

Submandibular duct relocation combined with excision of the sublingual glands appears to be relatively safe and effective in diminishing visible drooling in children with neurological disorders, particularly in children aged 12 years and older and those without a forward head posture.
Systemic therapies for leg ulcers
Authors: Dissemond Joachim , Erfurt‐Berge Cornelia , Goerge Tobias , Kröger Knut , Funke‐Lorenz Carolin , Reich‐Schupke Stefanie
Published: July 2018

Successful management of patients with leg ulcers requires identification of the underlying etiology, with subsequent initiation of causal treatment, if feasible. Supplementary measures of first choice include stage‐adjusted wound treatment, usually combined with compression therapy. The significance of systemic drugs has been the subject of controversial debate, depending on the underlying cause of the condition. The present review article is therefore meant to highlight current aspects of systemic drug therapies for the treatment of leg ulcers associated with chronic venous insufficiency, peripheral arterial disease, livedoid vasculopathy, vasculitis, necrobiosis lipoidica, calciphylaxis and pyoderma gangrenosum.

In summary, the majority of therapeutic options presented herein are used off‐label. While systemic drugs are promising options for the more common types of wounds such as venous, mixed or arterial leg ulcers, they do not represent the current standard of treatment. By contrast, systemic agents play a key role in the management of many of the other disorders presented herein. These agents primarily include immunomodulatory and rheological drugs used to expedite wound healing.
Employer‐provided training, innovation and skills in post‐Soviet countries
Authors: Kupets Olga
Published: July 2018

This paper analyzes the extent of employer‐provided training in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine and investigates its relationship with innovation, having international business contacts, use of computers at work, reported skills shortages and other firm characteristics. It contributes to the literature by examining different types of training – initial on‐the‐job learning, more formal in‐house training and external training, which is provided by firms to two categories of workers – white‐ and blue‐collar workers. After controlling for a range of firm characteristics, we find a positive link between technological innovation and intensity of training of all types provided to white‐collar workers that points to the technology‐skills complementarity. Furthermore, the level of computer use at work is a significant determinant of the incidence and intensity of external training provided to white‐collar and blue‐collar workers.
Pentecostalism, Female Spirit‐Filled Politicians, and Populism in Zambia
Authors: Kaunda Mutale M. , Kaunda Chammah J.
Published: July 2018

This article postulates that the way African Pentecostal women politicians utilize the religious discourse of wifely submission in exercising religio‐political power reinforces populism and perpetuates patriarchy‐informed politics in Zambia. It will demonstrate that their religio‐political engagement is based on ideological allegiance to institutional political systems of power tailored to promote the patriarchal agenda.
Inquiry of Pentecostalism Regarding Pneumatology: A Theological Suggestion of a Feminist Perspective
Authors: Chung Meehyun
Published: July 2018

This article revisits the legacy of the Pentecostal movement in Korea based on pneumatology and reflects on the issues of Pentecostalism from a feminist perspective. It elaborates on (1) the patriarchal top‐down hierarchy by personal cult, (2) gender injustice, and (3) the dualistic conflict of ideology. Pentecostalism is an important trend in World Christianity and in the Korean landscape of Christianity in particular. In terms of impact on society, Pentecostalism is more influential compared to Minjung theology, and these two streams have common interest regarding marginalized people. Given global challenges and growing economic disparity, it is also relevant to promote cooperation between the evangelical and ecumenical movements. To promote a new paradigm of mission and evangelism in the 21st century in the Korean context, we need to improve several aspects thereof in terms of justice, peace, and integration of creation. In this era of liberal market capitalism, when human individualization and economic inequality are accelerating, what we need is a purpose for common goodness that is based on the incarnation of God's love and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Our perception of pneumatology should be constructively oriented toward justice and life for conviviality instead of the divinization of human beings.
The Context and Shape of Theological Education in Mozambique with Special Reference to Women
Authors: Schafroth Verena
Published: July 2018

In Mozambique, a marked increase in evangelical churches was recorded in the 1980s. This brought the need for pastoral training into sharp focus, and many new Bible schools were founded in the 1980s and 1990s. Yet, the shape and context of theological education remains rather different from other African countries, as Bible schools are mostly not accredited by the government and most schools train part‐time in the evening. As of 2017, religious studies cannot be found at universities, leaving theological training firmly in the hands of the churches and mission organizations. The training of women has become increasingly important, but they also face many challenges. To shed light on these challenges, I present the results of 52 interviews with female students at various Bible schools in Mozambique, ranging from lack of family support to the fact that theological training is perceived to be only for men and full‐time/ordained ministry.
Rethinking the Great Commission: Incorporation of Akan Indigenous Symbols into Christian Worship
Authors: Ossom‐Batsa George , Apaah Felicity
Published: July 2018

Symbols are communicative tools with performative functions in all cultures. Apart from their decorative functions, non‐Christian symbols adopted into Christianity have had a tremendous impact on Christian life since the early times, especially in liturgical practices. Through Western missionary activities, Ghana inherited Christian biblical‐liturgical art as has been developed in the home countries of the missionaries. However, since the 1960s Adinkra symbols have been incorporated into Christian worship and theology, receiving attention within secular and religious circles because of their communicative potential. On the religious level, some churches have adopted them as logos or incorporated them into architectural designs and liturgical art. This paper seeks to investigate what motivates various missions to choose particular Adinkra symbol(s) and what they hope to achieve with them. Furthermore, it attempts a theological reflection on the communicative potential of artefacts in Ghanaian Christianity as a response to the “Great Commission. “We approach the subject from a historical, contextual, and theological perspective, using selected Roman Catholic and Methodist churches in Ghana as case studies. The study employed unstructured in‐depth interviews and photo elicitations to trace the relationship between visual arts and religion, with particular emphasis on Christian visual arts and how they have informed Christianity in Ghana.
Migration in Missiological Research
Authors: Storstein Haug Kari
Published: July 2018

The phenomenon of migration has received a considerable amount of scholarly attention in recent years. This article presents and elaborates on how contemporary missiological research addresses and discusses migration processes. It approached the theme of migration from various perspectives, including how migration phenomena influence individual and communal expressions of faith; how migration experiences are and can be reflected on theologically; and challenges and opportunities of migration to mission thinking and practice. Further, based on the presentation of themes and approaches in the field, the article discusses how migration might challenge and develop the research agenda within missiology. It is argued that migration and migration processes do not only challenge the idea of easily identifiable contexts, but that they also blur and destabilize the whole idea of fixed borders. This challenges missiology to rethink its basic theories related to contextualization and inter‐religious encounters, as well as the understanding of mission thinking and practice.
Deleveraging and decline in revenue‐expense matching over time
Authors: Hyun Jeong‐Hoon , Cho Hyungjin
Published: July 2018

Accounting rules mandate that the cost of debt should be recorded as an expense, while the cost of equity does not appear in the income statement. Therefore, the amount of financing expense, and thus net income, in the income statements depends on how firms finance their business. Based on a clear, substantial trend of declining leverage since the 1990s, we examine how changes in capital structure might influence earnings attributes—the matching between revenues and expenses. We find that the contemporaneous relation between revenues and interest expense in US firms has decreased from 1972 to 2013, a result of both changes in leverage and the declining explanatory power of interest expense with respect to revenues. When we construct the weighted average costs of capital based on the costs of both debt and equity, we find the contemporaneous relation between revenues and the costs of capital has not significantly changed. Our results indicate that differential accounting treatment of the costs of debt and equity can affect earnings attributes through change in capital structure.