bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Simulation for Breast Augmentation of Female Asymmetric Pectus Excavatum: A Case Report
Authors: Yasunaga Yoshichika , Tsuchiya Aya , Nakajima Yuta , Kondoh Shoji , Noguchi Masahiko , Yuzuriha Shunsuke
Published: April 2019

Breast augmentation for women with asymmetric pectus excavatum (PE) has a characteristic problem in that surgeons need to select implants while considering the left-right difference in breast volume, contour, and position. We herein report a 33-year-old woman with severe asymmetric PE who presented with residual breast asymmetry after chest wall correction using the Nuss procedure. Her right breast appeared hypoplastic and the right anterior chest wall remained depressed. Augmentation of the right breast with a silicone implant was performed, selecting the inserted implant preoperatively with the assistance of three-dimensional (3D) simulation. The breast asymmetry and anterior chest wall depression were improved to a natural appearance. Three-dimensional simulation represents an advantageous way to preoperatively select optimal implants for breast augmentation in asymmetric PE women with breast asymmetry.

Level of Evidence: 5
Stereotypes of Older Adults: Development and Evaluation of an Updated Stereotype Content and Strength Survey
Authors: Carlson Kristy J , Black David R , Holley Lyn M , Coster Daniel C
Published: April 2019

Background and Objectives

Stereotypes are beliefs about a particular group often adopted to bypass complex information processing. Like racism and other forms of discrimination, ageism affects individuals and society as a whole. The purpose of the study was to analyze the Stereotype Content and Strength Survey (SCSS) designed to update assessment tools commonly used to measure stereotypes of older adults.

Research Design and Methods

An updated survey was developed including aging-related descriptive items from previously published studies. Students enrolled at two Midwestern universities (n = 491) were directed to think about their perceptions of “older adults” and select the proportion they believed could be described by the items used in the tool. Response categories for each descriptive item were dichotomized and operationalized to be a strong stereotype if the collapsed response percentage was significantly ≥80%.

Results

A Principal Axis Factor analysis and Direct Oblim rotation was computed on 117 descriptive items representing positive, negative, and physical characteristics, resulting in a 3-factor model with acceptable psychometric properties. Cronbach alpha analyses revealed reliable scales for negative (α = .92), positive (α = .88), and physical (α = .81) stereotypes. Of 117 descriptive items, 33 emerged as strong stereotypes including 30 positive, 2 physical, and 1 negative item.

Discussion and Implications

This updated assessment has the potential to contribute to an understanding of the existence of age-related stereotypes as well as the strength, or the proportion of older adults who could be described by each of the items used in the SCSS.
Investigating the suitability of the Slope Sea for Atlantic bluefin tuna spawning using a high-resolution ocean circulation model
Authors: Rypina Irina I , Chen Ke , Hernández Christina M , Pratt Lawrence J , Llopiz Joel K
Published: April 2019

Motivated by recent evidence of Atlantic bluefin tuna spawning in the Slope Sea, we investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of oceanographic conditions that are conducive to successful spawning by bluefin in this region. Specifically, we considered advection patterns and water temperatures based on a new high-resolution ocean circulation model. After validating model velocities and temperatures using observations, three criteria were used to evaluate the success of simulated bluefin spawning during 2013: water temperature at spawning locations, mean water temperature along larval trajectories, and larval residence time within the Slope Sea. Analyses of satellite-based, decade-long (2008–2017) datasets suggest that conditions, specifically water temperatures and advection patterns, in the Slope Sea in 2013 were representative of typical years. The temperature criteria are more frequently satisfied in the southern and southwestern parts of the domain, whereas the residence time criterion favors more northern areas further from the Gulf Stream. The probability map of successful spawning locations shows a maximum near the northwestern bight of the Slope Sea. Spawning success is near-zero through most of June, increases in July, and peaks in early-to-mid August. Overall, water temperatures and retentive capabilities suggest that the Slope Sea provided suitable conditions for successful spawning of bluefin during 2013.
Bound Pronominal Objects in Biblical Hebrew: Clarification and Critique
Authors: Jones Ethan
Published: April 2019

This article builds on the ideas of W.R. Garr who argues persuasively that bound pronominal objects are highly topical, patientive and central to predication. Garr has made an important contribution to the study of bound forms, concurring with Jou.on and countering Muraoka. In his argument, Garr assumes that prepositional phrases are non-obligatory participants (adjuncts). My analysis refutes his assumption about prepositional phrases yet shows his argument for bound pronominal objects still holds. I attempt to further Garrfs contribution by clarifying the role of prepositional phrases and thus strengthening his claim on bound forms. I do so by analysing (Piel), a frequently occurring verb.
Assessing safety of Ontario’s publicly funded MMR and MMRV immunization programs, 2012 to 2016
Authors: Seo Chi Yon , Rashid Mohammed , Harris Tara , Stapleton Jody , Deeks Shelley L
Published: April 2019

Background

The combined measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccines are part of Ontario’s routine immunization schedule.

Objective

To assess adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) reported in Ontario following administration of MMR and MMRV vaccines between 2012 and 2016.

Methods

Reports of AEFIs were extracted from the provincial surveillance database on May 9, 2017. Events were grouped by provincial surveillance definitions. Reporting rates were calculated using provincial population estimates or net doses distributed as the denominator. A serious AEFI is defined as an AEFI that resulted in an in-patient hospitalization or death.

Results

Overall, 289 AEFIs were reported following administration of MMR (n=246) or MMRV (n=43) vaccines, for annualized reporting rates of 16.6 and 8.8 reports per 100,000 distributed doses, respectively. The highest age-specific reporting rate was in children aged 1 to 3 years for MMR (7.7 per 100,000 population) and children aged 4 to 9 years for MMRV (0.8 per 100,000 population). Systemic reactions were the most frequently reported event category, while rash was the most frequently reported event for both vaccines. There were 22 serious AEFIs, 19 following MMR and 3 following MMRV (1.3 and 0.6 per 100,000 doses distributed, respectively).

Conclusions

Our assessment found a low reporting rate of adverse events following MMR and MMRV vaccines in Ontario. No safety concerns were identified. Our findings are consistent with the safety profiles of these vaccines. Continued monitoring of vaccine safety is necessary to maintain timely detection of unusual postvaccine events and public confidence in vaccine safety.
Redirected Inbound Call Sampling (RICS)
Authors: Levine Burton , Krotki Karol , Lavrakas Paul J
Published: April 2019

Redirected Inbound Call Sampling (RICS) is an emerging, nonprobability sampling methodology in which calls to nonworking numbers from callers throughout the United States are redirected to a telephone survey recruitment protocol and data collection system. The use of automated, interactive voice response technologies to recruit, screen, and collect data achieves significant cost savings and greatly reduces the time of fielding a survey compared with traditional dual-frame random-digit dialing (DFRDD) surveys that use interviewers for recruitment and data collection. The implementation of RICS that we fielded resulted in respondents who match some demographics of the population about as well as DFRDD telephone surveys. However, we demonstrate some non-ignorable challenges with measurement error in certain types of questions that arise from primacy effects associated with using an interactive voice response system for data collection. We present the results of a RICS study that was designed to better understand the reliability and validity of the data these surveys generate. The investigation presented in this manuscript is a first step to evaluating if RICS can be a fit-for-purpose solution for some survey needs. Our data suggest there is sufficient promise in the RICS methodology to warrant continued development and refinement.
Timing of Gestational Weight Gain and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Women
Authors: Feghali Maisa N. , Catov Janet M. , Zantow Emily , Mission John , Caritis Steve N. , Scifres Christina M.
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate whether inadequate or excessive gestational weight gain before the third trimester is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to evaluate the association of weight gain in the third trimester with fetal growth.

METHODS:

This was a retrospective cohort study of all eligible overweight and obese women with singleton pregnancies delivered at an academic institution between 2012 and 2014. Our primary exposure was inadequate or excess gestational weight gain during the first and second trimesters. Outcomes included small- (SGA) or large- (LGA) for-gestational-age birth weight as well adverse maternal outcomes and composite neonatal morbidity. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between weight gain and perinatal outcomes, and stratified analyses evaluated the relationship between third trimester weight gain and birth weight category.

RESULTS:

Of the 5,814 women, 1,280 (22%) had adequate, 1,428 (24.6%) had inadequate, and 3,106 (53.4%) had excessive weight gain in the first and second trimesters. Women with inadequate early gestational weight gain were more likely to deliver an SGA neonate (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.59, 95% CI 1.23–2.06) and less likely to deliver an LGA neonate (aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54–0.98), whereas those with excessive early gestational weight gain were less likely to deliver an SGA neonate (aOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52–0.85) and more likely to deliver an LGA neonate (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.32–2.1). Higher weight gain in the third trimester was associated with increased risk for LGA birth weight, but third trimester weight gain was not related to SGA birth weight.

CONCLUSION:

Early gestational weight gain is associated with birth weight category. Modifying weight gain in the third trimester may limit the risk for LGA birth weight, but higher weight gain in late gestation does not alter the association between inadequate early weight gain and the risk for SGA.
Lower Eyelid Distraction Test: New Insights on the Reference Value
Authors: Milbratz-Moré Gherusa H. , Pauli Mayara P. , Lohn Caroline L. B. , Pereira Filipe J. , Grumann Astor J.
Published: April 2019

In this study, the authors performed the eyelid distraction test in 200 healthy individuals, bringing to the literature the new information that there is a variability of the normal test’s value regarding age and gender.

Purpose:

The evaluation of palpebral laxity can be performed by the distraction test (DT). Although widely used in ophthalmologic practice, there is no consensus about the results considered normal by the test. The objectives of this study are to obtain the value of DT in a group of individuals with healthy eyelids and to compare with the measurements in subjects with senile ectropion.

Methods:

Lower eyelid DT was performed in 200 individuals without any eyelid pathology and in 30 individuals with lower lid ectropion. The results were analyzed by age and sex in the control group and compared with the results of the ectropion group.

Results:

The mean value of DT in the control group was 6.96 mm, lower than in the ectropion group (9.48 mm) (p < 0.001). In the control group, the mean female DT was 6.70 mm, while the male was 7.22 mm. There were differences in the DT values in the subgroups of 20–39 and 40–59-year old according to gender, with men presenting higher measurements than women. In the other age subgroups, both genders presented similar DT values. Even when considering only individuals in the control group with the same range of age as in the ectropion group, the DT value was higher in individuals with ectropion (7.23 and 9.48 mm, respectively, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The mean DT value is 6.96 mm; however, the measurement varies according to age and sex in people without palpebral pathology. Individuals with senile eyelid ectropion present higher measurements than healthy ones.
The relationship between regional pain with or without neuropathic symptoms and chronic widespread pain
Authors: McBeth John , Mulvey Matthew R. , Rashid Amir , Anderson James , Druce Katie
Published: April 2019

This study was performed to test whether the risk of developing chronic widespread pain (CWP) in those with regional pain was augmented in those with symptoms of neuropathic pain (NP). Persons free of CWP completed the Douleur Neuropathique 4 (scores ≥3 indicating NP); demographics; Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; and pain medications. Participants were classified as having no pain, regional pain with no symptoms of NP (

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), or regional pain with symptoms of NP (NP). At the 12-month follow-up, participants with CWP were identified. Logistic regression estimated the odds ratio, with 95% confidence intervals, of CWP in the

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and NP groups compared with no pain, and NP compared with

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. Partial population attributable risks estimated the proportion of CWP attributable to baseline

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or NP exposure. One thousand one hundred sixty-two participants completed the baseline DN4 and provided pain data at follow-up: 523 (45.0%) had no baseline pain, 562 (48.4%)

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, and 77 (6.6%) NP. One hundred fifty-three (13.2%) had CWP at 12 months: 19 (3.6%) no pain, 108 (19.2%)

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, and 26 (33.8%) NP.

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(2.9 [1.9-4.3]) and NP (2.1 [1.1-4.0]) predicted CWP after adjusting for demographics, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and medications. The partial population attributable risk was 41.3% (25.2-54.0) for

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and 6.0% (0.1-11.6) for NP. The NP group were not more likely to develop CWP when compared directly with

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(1.5 [0.8-2.8]). Neuropathic pain was relatively rare and predicted a small number of new-onset CWP cases. Using these estimates, treatments targeting NP would at best prevent 6% of CWP cases.
Diagnosis and Successful Management of an Unusual Presentation of Chronic Foot Pain Using Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging and a Simple Surgical Procedure
Authors: Cipriano Peter William , Yoon Daehyun , Holley Dawn , Hargreaves Brian Andrew , Carroll Ian Richard , Curtin Catherine Mills , Biswal Sandip
Published: April 2019

A 61-year-old man presented with chronic dorsal foot pain of 9 years that worsened with ambulation. Conventional diagnostic imaging and medical workup were unrevealing, and ankle arthrodesis had been recommended by an orthopedic surgeon for pain relief. Instead, the patient participated in a clinical imaging trial designed for identifying pain generators using whole-body fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). The scan revealed not only high 18F-FDG uptake at the site of pain, but also a hematoma and an inflamed, fibrotic, ruptured plantaris muscle. The fibrotic plantaris likely altered biomechanics with walking, explaining why symptoms worsened with activity. A simple tenotomy of the plantaris tendon was performed to decouple ankle movement from the plantaris injury, resulting in pain relief. This case illustrates the potential of whole-body 18F-FDG PET/MRI to better localize pain generators.
Dyskeratosis Congenita and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Report of a Case and Literature Review
Authors: Trott Kiley E. , Briddell Jenna W. , Corao-Uribe Diana , Powell Jonathan , Seecof Olivia M. , Levy Carly , Miller Elissa G. , Shah Udayan K.
Published: April 2019

Dyskeratosis congenita is a rare genetic condition of telomerase dysfunction in which patients are at an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) of the oral cavity. We present here the youngest patient in the literature with a diagnosis of SCCa. We discuss the literature and management of this advanced presentation of SCCa in a child, stressing the importance of palliative care involvement in facilitating medical decision making.
Intratumoral Immune Response to Gastric Cancer Varies by Molecular and Histologic Subtype
Authors: Kim Teresa S. , da Silva Edaise , Coit Daniel G. , Tang Laura H.
Published: April 2019

Immune checkpoint inhibition is effective in a subset of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Genomic profiling has revealed the heterogeneity of gastric adenocarcinomas, but the immune microenvironment and predictors of immunotherapy response remain poorly understood. We aimed to better characterize the underlying immune response to gastric cancer. Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained institutional database was performed to identify patients who underwent curative intent resection of gastric adenocarcinoma from 2006 to 2016. Tumors were classified according to modified TCGA subtype: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated, microsatellite instability (MSI)-high, intestinal as a surrogate for chromosomal instability, diffuse as a surrogate for genomically stable. Tumor-infiltrating leukocytes were measured using immunohistochemistry. Forty-three patients were identified: 6 EBV, 11 MSI, 14 intestinal, 12 diffuse. The most prevalent tumor-infiltrating leukocytes were CD8+ T lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages, comprising 15% and 13% of all tumor cells. EBV and MSI tumors were the most infiltrated, harboring 30% to 50% T cells and 20% macrophages. Intestinal tumors contained fewer T cells but disproportionately more macrophages. Diffuse tumors were the least infiltrated. Programmed cell death protein 1 was most frequently expressed in intestinal tumors, whereas 70% of EBV and MSI tumors expressed programmed death-ligand 1. We herein demonstrate a heterogenous immune response to gastric cancer, which varies by tumor subtype and has implications for future immunotherapy trials. Checkpoint inhibition is unlikely to be effective as single-agent therapy against intestinal and diffuse tumors lacking prominent T-cell infiltration or substantial programmed death-ligand 1 expression.
The Public Health Response to a Large Poisoning Outbreak Involving an Illicit Substance: Synthetic Cannabinoids Contaminated With a Long-Acting Anticoagulant Rodenticide, Illinois, March-July, 2018
Authors: Navon Livia , Moritz Erin , Austin Connie , Wahl Michael , Aks Steven , Layden Jennifer
Published: April 2019

During March-July 2018, the Illinois Department of Public Health responded to an acute outbreak of severe coagulopathy among patients with recent synthetic cannabinoid use. Toxicological testing indicated that cases were exposed to brodifacoum, a long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide. A total of 174 confirmed and probable cases, including 5 deaths, were linked to this outbreak. On the basis of the experience of responding to this complex outbreak, we recommend several steps for consideration to improve health department preparation for acute outbreaks involving illicit substances including strengthening communication between public health and law enforcement agencies, reviewing legal authority to investigate noninfectious acute disease outbreaks, continuing strong partnerships with state poison control centers, partnering with substance abuse and mental health agencies to provide services to patients, and determining health department ability to rapidly enter into public-private partnership agreements.
Ventilatory Support via Mouthpiece to Facilitate Ambulation
Authors: Pinto Tiago C. , Winck João Carlos , Gonçalves Miguel R.
Published: April 2019

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support via mouthpiece to improve performance in 6-min walk tests for individuals with severe restrictive ventilatory disorders.

Design

Each subject performed the 6-min walk test breathing spontaneously and again while using mouthpiece noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support at full ventilatory support. Oxyhemoglobin saturation (O2 sat), heart rate, Borg scale, distance walked, and ambulation duration were recorded.

Results

Eighteen patients using nocturnal nasal noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support, median (interquartile range) age of 58.5 (20) yrs, were studied. Their median baseline forced vital capacity and Paco
2 were 940 (385) ml and 54.1 (6) mm Hg, respectively. All used noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support for at least overnight hours for 36 (111) mos. Because of the progression of ventilatory impairment and hypercapnia, daytime mouthpiece noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support was initiated. All the 6-min walk test parameters improved significantly by using noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support. Both initial and final values of O2 saturation significantly increased (92% [6] vs 96% [2], P < 0.001) and (80% [19] vs 85.50% [13], P = 0.001), respectively. The median distance walked increased by 43% with noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support (175 [218] m vs 250 [113] m, P = 0.017), and the total ambulation time also increased with noninvasive ventilatory assistance/support (5.45 [3] mins vs. 6 [0] mins, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

The exercise tolerance of patients with severe ventilatory impairment can improve by using noninvasive ventilatory support.
Adaptive parallel tempering for BEAST 2
Authors: Müller Nicola F. , Bouckaert Remco R.
Published: April 2019

With ever more complex models used to study evolutionary patterns, approaches that facilitate efficient inference under such models are needed. Parallel tempering has long been used to speed up phylogenetic analyses and to make use of multi-core CPUs. Parallel tempering essentially runs multiple MCMC chains in parallel. All chains are heated except for one cold chain that explores the posterior probability space like a regular MCMC chain. This heating allows chains to make bigger jumps in phylogenetic state space. The heated chains can then be used to propose new states for other chains, including the cold chain. One of the practical challenges using this approach, is to find optimal temperatures of the heated chains to efficiently explore state spaces. We here provide an adaptive parallel tempering scheme to Bayesian phylogenetics, where the temperature difference between heated chains is automatically tuned to achieve a target acceptance probability of states being exchanged between individual chains. We first show the validity of this approach by comparing inferences of adaptive parallel tempering to MCMC on several datasets. We then explore where parallel tempering provides benefits over MCMC. We implemented this adaptive parallel tempering approach as an open source package licensed under GPL 3.0 to the Bayesian phylogenetics software BEAST2, available fromhttps://github.com/nicfel/CoupledMCMC.
Paired design of ATP bioluminescence method and colony counting method: whether it is suitable for evaluating the disinfection effect of environmental surface?
Authors: Xu Huiqiong , Liang Jiansheng , Wang Yimei , Wang Bin , Zhang Tianbao , Liu Xiaoli , Gong Lin
Published: April 2019

ATP bioluminescence method has been used as a on-site rapid detection method in nosocomial infections control more and more. In this study, a paired design between four methods/detectors were performed to detect the environmental surface after disinfection. Two methods were ATP bioluminescence method and colony counting method (C), and ATP bioluminescence method included three kinds of detectors (B, P and N). Every surface was performed by two methods/detectors. ATP content per surface from ICU had no statistically significant difference with internal medicine wards of B and P, of which p was 0.435 and 0.260. By Spearman rank correlation coefficients, with the exception of better correlation between ATP content detected by B and P, the correlation between the remaining methods/detectors was poor or had no correlation. And the differences between detectors are statistically significant. Therefor, ATP bioluminescence method may not be suitable for the evaluation of disinfection effect, but be more appropriate for evaluating the cleanliness of environmental surface.
Improved ant colony optimization algorithm and its application to solve pipe routing design
Authors: Wu Lei , Tian Xue , Wang Hongyan , Liu Qi , Xiao Wensheng
Published: April 2019

Purpose

As a kind of NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, pipe routing design (PRD) is applied widely in modern industries. In the offshore oil and gas industry, a semi-submersible production platform is an important equipment for oil exploitation and production. PRD is one of the most key parts of the design of semi-submersible platform. This study aims to present an improved ant colony algorithm (IACO) to address PRD for the oil and gas treatment system when designing a semi-submersible production platform.

Design/methodology/approach

First, to simplify PRD problem, a novel mathematical model is built according to real constraints and rules. Then, IACO, which combines modified heuristic function, mutation mechanism and dynamical parameter mechanism, is introduced.

Findings

Based on a set of specific instances, experiments are carried out, and the experimental results show that the performance of IACO is better than that of two variants of ACO, especially in terms of the convergence speed and swarm diversity. Finally, IACO is used to solve PRD for the oil and gas treatment system of semi-submersible production platform. The simulation results, which include nine pipe paths, demonstrate the practicality and high-efficiency of IACO.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study is the development of method for solving PRD of a semi-submersible production platform based on the novel mathematical model and the proposed IACO.
User participation and valuation in digital art platforms: the case of Saatchi Art
Authors: Lee Jin Woo , Lee Soo Hee
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of digital platforms on the contemporary visual art market. Drawing on the theoretical insights of the technology acceptance model, the meaning transfer model and arts marketing literature, the authors conceptualise the role of user participation in creating the meaning and value of contemporary artworks in the online art market.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a qualitative study of Saatchi Art as an instrumental case for theorising. It is an online platform for trading visual artworks created by young and emerging artists. The data for this study were collected through direct observation and documentary reviews, as well as user comments and buyer reviews from Saatchi Art. The authors reviewed 319 buyer comments Art and 30 user comments. The collected data are supplemented with various secondary sources such as newspapers, magazines, social media texts and videos.

Findings

The growth of digital art platforms such as Saatchi Art provides efficiency and accessibility of information to users while helping them overcome the impediments of physical galleries such as geographical constraints and intimidating psychological environments, thereby attracting novice collectors. However, users’ involvement in the process of valuing artworks is limited and still guided by curatorial direction.

Research limitations/implications

The first limitation of this research is that the data in this research cannot capture interactions between users, though users’ intention to use Saatchi Art is affected by the social influence of other users. Second, this research has not examined artists as users of digital art platforms and their interactions with other types of users. Artists’ intention to use the online platform might be underlined by enhancing their status in the peer group or seeking legitimacy in the field by following other artists and getting recommendations from important referents.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this research suggest that newcomers in the online art market should acknowledge that users’ intention to use the online art platform is determined by not only technological usefulness of the website but also the symbolic capital of the information provider.

Originality/value

User participation in the online art market is guided by curatorial direction rather than social influence. This confirms re-intermediation of marketing relationships, highlighting the role of new intermediaries such as digital platforms in arts marketing.
Retrieval effectiveness of image search engines
Authors: Hussain Aabid , Gul Sumeer , Shah Tariq Ahmad , Shueb Sheikh
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the retrieval effectiveness of three image search engines (ISE) – Google Images, Yahoo Image Search and Picsearch in terms of their image retrieval capability. It is an effort to carry out a Cranfield experiment to know how efficient the commercial giants in the image search are and how efficient an image specific search engine is.

Design/methodology/approach

The keyword search feature of three ISEs – Google images, Yahoo Image Search and Picsearch – was exploited to make search with keyword captions of photos as query terms. Selected top ten images were used to act as a testbed for the study, as images were searched in accordance with features of the test bed. Features to be looked for included size (1200 × 800), format of images (JPEG/JPG) and the rank of the original image retrieved by ISEs under study. To gauge the overall retrieval effectiveness in terms of set standards, only first 50 result hits were checked. Retrieval efficiency of select ISEs were examined with respect to their precision and relative recall.

Findings

Yahoo Image Search outscores Google Images and Picsearch both in terms of precision and relative recall. Regarding other criteria – image size, image format and image rank in search results, Google Images is ahead of others.

Research limitations/implications

The study only takes into consideration basic image search feature, i.e. text-based search.

Practical implications

The study implies that image search engines should focus on relevant descriptions. The study evaluated text-based image retrieval facilities and thereby offers a choice to users to select best among the available ISEs for their use.

Originality/value

The study provides an insight into the effectiveness of the three ISEs. The study is one of the few studies to gauge retrieval effectiveness of ISEs. Study also produced key findings that are important for all ISE users and researchers and the Web image search industry. Findings of the study will also prove useful for search engine companies to improve their services.
Crop switching as an adaptation strategy to climate change: the case of Semien Shewa Zone of Ethiopia
Authors: Tessema Yibekal Abebe , Joerin Jonas , Patt Anthony
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The geographical range of agricultural crops is shifting because of climate change. Reducing the potential negative impact of this shift requires efficient crop switching at farm level. Yet there are scant studies that examine how crop switching is currently taking place and what factors facilitate the process. Even these few existing studies often based their analysis on inadequately established causal link between climate change and switching decisions. This study aims to identify the specific switching decisions that are primarily motivated by climate change, and their determinants.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a household survey on 190 households in Semien Shewa Zone in Ethiopia. Subjective rating of farmers was used to identify the relative importance of climate change in motivating the different types of switching decisions. A logit model is used to identify determinants of crop switching decisions primarily motivated by climate change.

Findings

Farmers in the study area are currently abandoning certain crops as a response to climate change. The adoption of new crops is, however, mainly attributed to price changes. Most farmers who abandoned at least one crop adopted mung bean mainly due to its price advantages. As expected, crop switching as an adaptation strategy is more prevalent particularly in drier and hotter agroecologies. The logit model showed that crop switching is strongly correlated with land size and agroecology.

Originality/value

This paper provides an in-depth examination of crop switching as an adaptation strategy to climate change. Crop switching is an adaptation strategy that is expected to substantially reduce the damage from climate change in agriculture. The findings are particularly relevant for adaptation planning in the context of smallholder agriculture.
Are consumers loyal to home-sharing services?
Authors: Xie Karen L. , Kwok Linchi , Wu Jiang
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of host attributes and travelers’ frequency of past stays and their interaction on the likelihood of repeat purchase of home-sharing services at both the host and listing levels.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of econometrics analyses using a large-scale, granular online observational data set collected from a home-sharing platform was performed.

Findings

Travelers exhibit salient loyalty to home-sharing services. At the host level, host attributes including acceptance rate and listing capacity positively affect travelers’ likelihood of repeat purchase; such effects diminish as travelers’ frequency of past stays with a host/listing increases. At the listing level, confirmation efficiency and acceptance rate are critical, and travelers’ frequency of past stays matters.

Research limitations/implications

Responding to the call for more research on customer loyalty of sharing economy, this study instantiated on a home-sharing website in China and adds a unique perspective to the research domain, but its findings may not be generalized in other settings.

Practical implications

This study identifies the factors affecting customers’ repeat purchase behaviors at both the host and listing levels, allowing the hosts, webmasters of home-sharing websites and even hoteliers to advance specific tactics to promote repeat purchase among travelers.

Originality/value

Loyalty was measured with real-time internet-enabled observational data about travelers’ actual repeat purchase behavior on a home-sharing website, rather than assessing consumers’ behavioral intentions through the conventional survey method. Two specific levels of customer loyalty were analyzed, including the ones towards a service provider (host) and a service product (listing).
Motivations and challenges of women entrepreneurs
Authors: Shastri Swati , Shastri Shruti , Pareek Abhishek
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the motivations and key challenges women entrepreneurs experience in running small businesses in the Jaipur city of Rajasthan.

Design/methodology/approach

A purposive sample of 13 women entrepreneurs from a cross-section of enterprises is selected. A qualitative methodology based upon semi-structured, in-depth, exploratory interviews with female entrepreneurs is used which enables the respondents to give voice to their individual experiences.

Findings

The study reveals that pull factors including the urge for creativity, innovation, self-identity and independence, and to serve the society are the main motivations for female entrepreneurs to start their venture. From the institutional theory perspective, the challenges of female entrepreneurs originate mainly from informal institutions. A significant challenge is that their ability as a professional entrepreneur is not recognized and acknowledged by the society. Furthermore, the cultural norms reflected in the gender-specific role distribution result in the problem of work–life balance. The challenges emerging from the formal institutions do not appear to be pervasive and gender specific.

Originality/value

The unique contribution of the study is to provide evidences on the motivations and challenges of women entrepreneurs in Rajasthan based on qualitative data derived from in-depth interviews. Furthermore, the study is the first attempt to view the motivations and challenges of female entrepreneurs from an institutional perspective for India in general and Rajasthan in particular.
Inspection of nickel-based boron carbide PTA coatings on AISI 4140 steel
Authors: AY Gökçe Mehmet , ÇELİK Osman Nuri
Published: April 2019

Purpose

Plasma transferred arc (PTA) coating is a novel method for surface-coating applications. In this method, the substrate is melted using a plasma arc, and surfacing agents such as carbides are introduced to the melt pool. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of boron carbide (B4C) in nickel-based coating on AISI 4140 steel.

Design/methodology/approach

Samples were tested on a ball-on-disc wear device, and the microstructure, as well as wear properties, were investigated using SEM and XRD.

Findings

The effect of B4C addition was shown to be linear, with a p-value of 0.0248, indicating strong evidence. The reason for this increase was found to be the increase in third-body generation resulting from hard phases that form couples with the soft base material, nickel. It was concluded that using 6 per cent B4C was the optimal solution.

Originality/value

In the literature, the effect of neither low temperature on a nickel coating with B4C nor B4C as a single surfacing agent in a nickel base has been investigated.
Optimization of hydrodynamic lubrication performance based on a heterogeneous slip/no-slip surface
Authors: Wu Zhenpeng , Ding Xianzhong , Zeng Liangcai , Chen Xiaolan , Chen Kuisheng
Published: April 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to use the method of curve splicing to combine the slip zone and the no-slip zone to further improve the lubrication performance of the liquid film. The combination of the slip zone and the no-slip zone of an existing heterogeneous surface is still a single line stitching method so that a very large residual space at the surface of the friction pairs remains present, necessitating further improvement of the joining scheme between the slip zone and the no-slip zone in heterogeneous surfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of discrete sinusoids is used as the splicing track for both the slip zone and the no-slip zone, the starting point and amplitude of the curve are introduced as the simulation variables and the effects of these variables on the bearing capacity and friction coefficient of the liquid film are comprehensively analyzed.

Findings

The results show that the method of selecting the sinusoidal curve as the slip zone and the no-slip zone trajectory, which is based on the existing method of linear stitching, can further enhance the bearing capacity and reduce the friction coefficient of the liquid film.

Originality/value

This method can further enhance the bearing capacity and reduce the friction coefficient of the liquid film.
University students’ intention to use e-learning systems
Authors: Samsudeen Sabraz Nawaz , Mohamed Rusith
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that might influence the intention and use behaviour of e-learning systems by students in state universities in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical model for this study was primarily drawn from unified theory of acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). Exogenous variables included performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, work life quality, hedonic motivation, internet experience and facilitating condition, and their influence on behavioural intention and use behaviour were studied. Instrument was developed using validated items from past literature. Data for this quantitative study were collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students from 15 Sri Lankan state universities by self-administering and Web-form during second quarter of 2018. Structural equation modelling was used to see the insights from the valid data using IBM’s SPSS 25 and AMOS 22.

Findings

Results of the confirmatory factor analysis and subsequent evaluation of the structural model confirmed the proposed hypotheses, and it was found that constructs of UTAUT2 have a significant impact on and play an important role in behavioural intention to use and use behaviour of e-learning system by state university students in Sri Lanka.

Originality/value

The adoption of an e-learning system in Sri Lankan state universities is fairly low. Hence, investigation of what determinants might be contributing for adoption is important to enhance the learning experience of students and help them improve their knowledge. This paper contributes by delineating the factors that influence the acceptance and use of e-learning systems by students of state universities in Sri Lanka.
An extended model of theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Kumar Sushil , Das Satyasiba
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide an extended model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and examine how institutional infrastructure and two social factors – peer effect and gender discrimination – determine entrepreneurial intention in emerging economies such as India.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach, the proposed model is tested on a sample of 265 post-graduate students from the Indian Institute of Management campuses in India. Perceived gender discrimination is used as a grouping variable to test its impact in the model.

Findings

The study found that peer effect has positive association with an individual attitude towards entrepreneurship. It also found positive moderating effect of institutional infrastructure on entrepreneurial intention in a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, but in case of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, the result is non-conclusive. Further, our results establish that gender discrimination has varying influence but remains a significant factor to choose entrepreneurial career in emerging countries such as India.

Research limitations/implications

The study adds to the understanding of drivers or antecedents to entrepreneurial intention, especially in emerging economy context and finds its usefulness in country such as India. It contributes to the existing model by empirically proving the role of peer effect and institutional infrastructure in emerging economies which are characterised by weak institutions and inadequate access to resources to start and sustain any entrepreneurial activity.

Practical implications

The results make several implications for academic institutions, entrepreneurial ecosystem stakeholders and policy makers in emerging economies. The academic institutions, universities and incubation hubs can consider promoting a peer-group culture that strengthens individual’s EI in emerging economies. Policy makers and stakeholders should build an encouraging entrepreneurial ecosystem with adequate institutional infrastructure to promote entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

The authors extend research on entrepreneurial intention beyond individual factors (personal-level variables) and examine the contingent role of institutional infrastructure and socio-cultural factors (peer effect and gender discrimination). Whilst TPB successfully predicted entrepreneurial intention in Western settings, this study provides strong empirical evidence to this research in emerging countries.
Fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making to identify the order of establishing temporary logistics hubs during disaster response
Authors: Maharjan Rajali , Hanaoka Shinya
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the importance of the order of establishment of temporary logistics hubs (TLHs) when resources (mobile storage units used as TLHs) are limited and to present the development and implementation of a methodology that determines the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

It employed a decision support system that considers multiple decision makers and subjective attributes, while also addressing the impreciseness inherent in post-disaster decision making for ordering the establishment of TLHs. To do so, an optimization model was combined with a fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making approach. A numerical illustration was performed using data from the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake.

Findings

The results showed the location and order of establishment of TLHs, and demonstrated the impact of decision makers’ opinions on the overall ordering.

Research limitations/implications

The study does not discuss the uncertain nature of the location problem and the potential need for relocation of TLHs.

Practical implications

This methodology offers managerial insights for post-disaster decision making when resources are limited and their effective utilization is vital. The results highlight the importance of considering the opinions of multiple actors/decision makers to enable coordination and avoid complication between the growing numbers of humanitarian responders during disaster response.

Originality/value

This study introduces the concept of the order of establishment of TLHs and demonstrates its importance when resources are limited. It develops and implements a methodology determining the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making.