bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate governance and investment efficiency in Indonesia: the moderating role of industry competition
Authors: Bimo Irenius Dwinanto , Silalahi Engelbertha Evrantine , Kusumadewi Ni Luh Gde Lydia
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the effect of corporate governance on investment efficiency and the moderating impact of industry competition on the relationship between corporate governance and investment efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The research sample includes a total of 36 publicly listed companies assessed by the Indonesian Institute for Corporate Directorship from 2012 to 2018. Testing is performed on full sample and overinvestment and underinvestment subsamples. Additional testing is further carried out using the generalized method of moments to address endogeneity problems and a robustness test is performed to assess the estimated investment efficiency.

Findings

Corporate governance can increase investment efficiency and the effectiveness of corporate governance is found to drop when the level of industry competition is higher.

Practical implications

The results of the present study corroborate the suggestion that companies need to implement corporate governance mechanisms. Furthermore, designing a corporate governance mechanism requires the scrutiny of the external environment, including industry competition.

Originality/value

The present study adds the profitability factor in the calculation of investment efficiency levels. This study also considers external factors that can influence the effectiveness of corporate governance in determining investment efficiency.
Effect of an online psychological support group on patients with COVID-19 in a Thai field hospital: a real world study
Authors: Lerthattasilp Tiraya , Kosulwit Lampu , Phanasathit Muthita , Nuallaong Winitra , Tapanadechopone Pairath , Thanetnit Chommakorn , Charernboon Thammanard
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an online psychological support group on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Thai field hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

A prospective controlled trial was conducted at a Thai field hospital and included patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were over the age of 18 and able to use an online communication application. Patients were free to decide whether to participate in the online group. The group provided a space for participants to communicate with each other and a mental health service team. The everyday activities were designed to enable group support via texting or livestreaming through the LINE application. Psychoeducation via video clips or articles regarding stress management were provided. Outcomes were measured by an online self-reported questionnaire based on the twenty-one-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) on the first and fourteenth day of admission to the field hospital.

Findings

Forty-six patients participated in this study. Forty participants completed the secondary assessment, with 21 in the intervention group and 19 in the control group. From multilevel mixed-effects regression analysis, adjusted for gender, age and education, participation in the intervention group significantly decreased total DASS scores and anxiety subdomain scores compared to those in the control group (p = 0.038 and 0.008).

Originality/value

The online psychological support group offered benefits for patients with COVID-19 who were isolated in the field hospital. It could be an effective alternative measure to distribute psychological care during a pandemic situation. However, a small sample size was a limitation of this study.
Early marriage and spousal age difference: predictors of preconception health of young married women in Delhi, India
Authors: Sharma Shantanu , Akhtar Faiyaz , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Mehra Sunil
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to assess the associations of early marriage and spousal age difference (independent of early marriage) with reproductive and sexual health and autonomy in decision-making among married women before conception.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was a part of a three-year community intervention to improve the preconception health of young married women (20–35 years) in the West Delhi district of India. The six key outcomes assessed were: knowledge of reproductive health, discussions related to sexual health, history of anemia, use of contraceptives by women, frequency of consumption of meals per day and the autonomy in decision-making for household expenditures. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to explore the associations between the two key predictors (early marriage or spousal age difference), sociodemographic variables and six outcomes. The results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 2,324 women, enrolled from four wards in the district using cluster-based sampling, were interviewed.

Findings

Around 17% of women were married by the exact age of 18, and 20% were elder or just one year younger than their husbands. Women who were married early had low reproductive health knowledge (OR (95% CI): 0.48 (0.38–0.60)) and a lower probability of expressing autonomy (OR (95% CI): 0.78 (0.62–0.97)). However, women older than men or younger by just one year in the married relationship had higher reproductive health knowledge (OR (95% CI): 1.25 (1.01–1.54)) than women younger than men more than two years.

Originality/value

Under the umbrella of the preconception care domain, frontline workers should emphasize counseling girls and young women to marry late and delay the first pregnancy.
Knowledge and attitude among outpatient women visiting a healthcare center in northern Iran regarding breast self-examination: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ahmadzadeh Amiri Amir , Haghshenas Mohammadreza , Ahmadzadeh Amiri Ali , Daneshvar Fatemeh
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. This study aimed to compare the level of knowledge and attitude of females regarding Breast cancer and to determine the role of knowledge, attitude and barriers in performing regular self-examination.

Design/methodology/approach

Non-physician females aged 18 years old or above were enrolled in this cross-sectional study in two groups of usual clients and healthcare staff from January 2018 to January 2019 from a healthcare center in Sari, a major city in the northern district of Iran. A questionnaire was used to score the participants’ knowledge and attitude levels using questions about the participants' knowledge and attitude towards Breast cancer along with their status on Breast self-examination and barriers. Mean scores were used for statistical analysis using SPSS V25. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Findings

A final dataset of 279 females were collected. A significant difference in the knowledge and attitude regarding breast cancer was found between the two study groups (p < 0.001). The practice of BSE was significantly lower in the usual clients compared to non-physician healthcare staff (p < 0.001). The most frequent barriers for not performing a regular BSE were fear of finding a mass in usual clients (17.8%) and lack of confidence in healthcare staff (3.8%).

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include single-centered sample selection.

Practical implications

Given the importance of early detection in breast cancer prevention and the general taboo regarding breast cancer screening methods in certain parts of the world, leading to poor results in early detection and prevention, the authors believe that it is of superior importance to address and promote positive attitudes in general population towards breast self-examination.

Originality/value

Given the importance of early detection in breast cancer prevention, and the general taboo regarding breast cancer screening methods in certain parts of the world, leading to poor results in early detection and prevention, the authors believe that it is of superior importance to address and promote positive attitudes in general population toward breast self-examination. The authors of this study believe that the manuscript represents honest and original work.
Halal transportation adoption among food manufacturers in Malaysia: the moderated model of technology, organization and environment (TOE) framework
Authors: Ngah Abdul Hafaz , Thurasamy Ramayah , Mohd Salleh Nurul Haqimin , Jeevan Jagan , Md Hanafiah Rudiah , Eneizan Bilal
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to identify the factors influencing the intention to adopt Halal transportation among Halal food manufacturers in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying a purposive sampling method, data were gathered from questionnaires distributed to Halal food manufacturers who participated in Halal showcase and festival in Malaysia. Out of 317 companies who were approached, 290 respondents agreed to answer the questionnaire and only 247 can be used for data analysis. SMART-partial least squares (PLS) 3.2.9. was used to analyze the data for this study using a structural equation modeling approach.

Findings

Cost, perceived benefits and customer pressure were found to have a positive relationship with the intention to adopt Halal transportation, meanwhile, organizational readiness was found as insignificant. Top management attitude moderates the relationship between perceived benefits and the intention to adopt Halal transportation. However, it fails to moderate the relationship between organizational readiness and intention to adopt.

Research limitations/implications

The study only focuses on the Halal food manufacturers who attended Malaysian International Halal showcase and Halal festival, which is still not applying Halal transportation in their business activities.

Practical implications

The findings unearth meaningful information for the many parties involve to enhance the adoption rate of Halal transportation not only for Malaysia but also for countries which has similar characteristics to Malaysia. Government bodies and Halal logistics providers could use the findings of the study to formula a new approach in their capacity to transform from intention to be a real user of Halal transportation services. Even the study only focuses on Halal transportation, it also may reflect other Halal services.

Originality/value

The study reveals the capability of the technology, organization and environment framework to identify the factors of intention to adopt Halal transportation among Halal food manufacturers in Malaysia. The findings also show the moderation effects of top management attitude on the perceived benefits. Besides that, the study enriches the literature on Halal studies especially related to the Halal supply chain.
Modelling organizational conflict processes: the organizational value of employee commitment and the moderating role of transformational leadership
Authors: Krajcsák Zoltán
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to model the nature of intra-group conflicts and to show how conflict process phases that are beneficial to the organization can be supported and how disadvantageous conflict process phases can be prevented or managed. Task (process) and relationship conflicts can appear alternately in the same conflict process, so the overperformance cannot be estimated by the number of intra-group conflicts alone. By exploring the intra-group conflict processes, the author can identify patterns of employee commitment that can increase, mitigate or prevent certain phases of conflict processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study presents three intra-group conflicts from the same multinational company using the narrative tool. Qualitative methods are particularly suitable for modeling feelings, thoughts, fears and workplace attitudes. The cases come from the immediate managers of the conflict-affected groups.

Findings

The process of intra-group conflicts can typically be divided into four phases: task (process) conflict; relationship conflict; task (process) conflict; end of conflict (end of teeming). Task conflict, which provides overperformance for the organization, is supported by the employees’ normative and professional commitment, while the prevention of relationship conflict, which is detrimental to performance, is supported by increasing the employees’ affective commitment. The relationship between affective commitment and relationship conflict is moderated by transformational leadership. Finally, the minimum of team performance is affected by both the degree of relationship conflict and the lack of affective commitment, while the maximum of team performance is positively affected by the degree of task (process) conflict and the employees’ normative and professional commitment.

Research limitations/implications

In the future, the results should be confirmed by researches using quantitative methods.

Practical implications

The results suggest to managers that enhancing employees’ affective commitment is primarily important for preventing the disadvantageous relationship conflicts, while enhancing their normative and professional commitment is important for fostering the performance-related task conflict. The results show that increasing commitment goes beyond the organizational value of employees’ loyalty alone, and also highlight the importance of training and development.

Originality/value

In the literature on intra-group conflicts, most studies treat task and relationship conflicts independently of each other in conflict processes. This paper shows that both conflicts can be part of the same process at the same time. In addition, little research had addressed how employee commitment reduces or increases the certain phase of a specific type of conflict process.
Factors influencing anti-money laundering regulatory approaches towards casinos and cryptocurrencies in Bangladesh
Authors: Haq Md. Zahurul , Ayub Zainal Amin , Yusoff Zuryati Mohamed , Khan Md Abdul Awal
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to critically explore the factors influencing the regulation of gambling and cryptocurrencies as part of anti-money laundering (AML) initiatives in Bangladesh. As a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on money laundering, Bangladesh must adopt a risk-based approach to regulate these entities.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied an exploratory design and investigated the real nature of the challenge Bangladesh facing in adopting a risk-based approach to regulate gambling and cryptocurrencies.

Findings

This study demonstrates that current regulatory responses towards gambling and cryptocurrencies in Bangladesh are largely influenced by passive wait-and-see policy instead of a proactive risk-based approach, a measure mandated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It demonstrates that these financial entities, which are poorly regulated because of their unclear legal status in Bangladesh and the regulator’s apparent lack of understanding of the type of threats they pose, may facilitate money laundering. Effective risk-based regulation is required to control potential risks.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on two specific areas –gambling and cryptocurrencies – which are linked to two specific FATF Recommendations: designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) and new technologies. Further research is required to investigate the concern from the perspective of other entities.

Practical implications

The results of this study will help inform policymakers about ways in which current regulatory approaches may need to be modified to better combat money laundering and financing of terrorism.

Originality/value

According to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study aiming to explore challenges Bangladesh confronts in implementing a risk-based approach for DNFBPs and new technologies. Therefore, it provides important insights into the dilemma regulators facing in implementing global AML standards within their traditional legislative and regulatory framework.
A difficult balancing act: the Samoan experience with money laundering regulation
Authors: Rowe Mark
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examines the trade-offs that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) must make in navigating an inappropriate elite-driven global anti-money laundering anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML-CFT) order. This paper examines the case of Samoa, an under-researched Pacific Island nation. It is hoped that this paper will have a wider resonance for policymakers from other developing nations facing similar challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

It draws on the latest Samoan domestic source material and Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering Mutual Evaluation Reports to highlight the difficult balancing act that SIDS face in complying with complex global norms within their limited regulatory capacity and competing development priorities of financial inclusion and affordable remittance flows.

Findings

Samoa and other SIDS in balancing the existential risks of “blacklisting” with the significant regulatory opportunity costs of compliance undertake an expensive form of AML-CFT window-dressing. Policymakers need to be more sensitive to the needs and regulatory opportunity costs of small jurisdictions, particularly when questions about the effectiveness of the AML-CFT remain open.

Research limitations/implications

The author notes Samoa’s offshore center’s role in raising its risk profile. However, owing to this paper's limited scope offshore center (OFCs) will not be explored in depth. Further research is needed in this area.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of contemporary academic research into AML-CFT regulation in the South Pacific and Samoa specifically. This paper presents through its Samoan case study insights into the cost-benefit calculations that small jurisdictions must make in seeking to comply with elite global AML-CFT norms vis-à-vis competing policy goals such as financial inclusion and ready access to remittance flows.
Transformational coaching and leadership: athletic administrators' novel application of social and emotional competencies in high school sports
Authors: Hebard Stephen P. , Oakes Lindsey R. , Davoren Ann Kearns , Milroy Jeffrey J. , Redman Jody , Ehrmann Joe , Wyrick David L.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The coach−athlete relationship mediates the relationship between sports participation and student-athlete character, health and well-being outcomes. High school athletic administrators (AAs) can provide critical leadership, mentorship and direction for coaches to optimize student-athlete performance and human development. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an evidence-based approach to developing adult and student competencies for holistic development across the lifespan that has been primarily performed and researched in the classroom. The purpose of this research is to capture the lived experiences of AAs applying a novel SEL-based curriculum (InSideOut Initiative, ISOI) with coaches and student-athletes in high school sports.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews of 10 AAs captured their lived experiences of applying SEL-based leadership and coaching and their perception of its impact on coaches and student-athletes in high school athletics.

Findings

AAs described leadership and coaching that are characterized by (1) safety, support and mentorship; (2) skill and support-based behavior modeling; (3) trusting, loving and supportive relationships; (4) self-reflection of values/beliefs and behaviors that impact self, student-athlete and culture; (5) the influence of emotions on the aforementioned; (6) the ability to have a long-term, sustainable impact on student-athletes and (7) alignment with their immediate environmental context.

Research limitations/implications

The data captured in this study suggest that ISOI-trained AAs practice SEL-competent leadership and coaching. Evaluation of the novel application of SEL-based interventions in athletics will be useful to understanding their effects on participant social and emotional competencies and outcomes traditionally associated with classroom-based SEL applications.

Practical implications

Athletic administrator interviews describe an approach to high school sports that requires a reconceptualization of the purpose of athletics. When the high school sport operates as a curriculum, integrated opportunity for its student-athletes and athletic administrator and coach leadership aligns with this overarching philosophy, there may be increased potential for positive youth development.

Originality/value

The results of this research are valuable in demonstrating preliminary evidence of how SEL-based leadership and coaching is applied and impacts adult and student-athletes in a unique sport context.
Using regime-switching models in Sharia-compliant stocks: performance assessment of investors with discriminated risk-appetite
Authors: Saleem Hassan Mujtaba Nawaz , Ahmad-Zaluki Nurwati A.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to assess the performance of investors that are discriminated based on their risk-appetite who intend to invest in listed Sharia-compliant (SC) stocks to maximize their portfolios’ wealth through two different models (i.e. regime-switching [RS] and non-RS).

Design/methodology/approach

Study period (i.e. November 18, 2015–May 31, 2019), well described in two distinct volatility-related bull-regime and bear-regime, is divided into in-sample and out-sample where Rs. 1.00 is invested on the out-sample start date. Each investor’s cumulated wealth forecasted through different models is checked daily throughout the out-sample period, and then, analyzed based on investors’ cumulated ending wealth, and Sharpe ratio (SR) is obtained through different models.

Findings

The ending wealth of risk-averse and risk-neutral investors obtained through RS-models increased 5.27 times while that of risk-taker investors increased 5.13 times. However, ending wealth obtained through non-RS models remained far low. The SR remained unchanged among investors. However, the SR of RS models (i.e. 1.0867) is higher than that of non-RS models (i.e. 0.8681). Overall, RS model-based investments outperformed in all categories of investors.

Practical implications

The study helps the investor during the process of portfolio diversification in their asset(s) selection and limited capital apportionment decisions. It also helps market regulators in formulating regulations and the policymakers in articulating/implementing policies that may protect the stakeholders form consequent disasters, particularly when market switches regimes.

Originality/value

The uniqueness stems from its focus on risk-appetite discriminated investors’ portfolio wealth maximization issue examined through technical analysis using two completely distinct models in the emerging market’s listed SC stocks.
Association of traditional complementary and alternate medicine usage with quality of life of diabetic patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital
Authors: Eleazu Chinedum Ogbonnaya , Aziz Aniza Abd , Suen Tay Chuu , Chun-Hau Lam , Elynn Chin , Hen Chia Yi , Khor Ee Ivan Ho , Ren Lau Li , Hashim Sabarisah , Mohamed Mahaneem
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to design to assess the traditional, complementary and alternate medicine (TCAM) usage and its association with the quality of life (QOL) of Type 2 diabetic patients in a tertiary hospital (Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia) in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 300 respondents included in this study were divided into the following two major categories: TCAM (34.33% of respondents) and non-TCAM users (65.67% of the respondents), respectively. The mean ages of the respondents were 59.3 ± 10.2 for the TCAM users and 57.7 ± 12.0 for the non-TCAM users.

Findings

A greater percentage of non-TCAM users reported poor control of diabetes (14.7%) and blood glucose (55.8%) compared with the TCAM users (9.7% and 48.5%, respectively). Further, the diabetic patients on TCAM reported lower rates of coma, stroke and kidney problems but higher rates of diabetic foot ulcers, heart diseases and retinopathy than the non-TCAM users. Additionally, the diabetic patients with TCAM usage had a significantly better physical (p = 0.02) and overall (p = 0.03) qualities of life compared to the non-TCAM users. However, psychological, social and environmental health did not show any significant difference.

Originality/value

The prevalence of TCAM usage among diabetic patients was lower than in other comparable studies. Diabetic patients on TCAM reported lower rates of coma, stroke and kidney problems but higher rates of diabetic foot ulcers, heart diseases and retinopathy than the non-TCAM users. Further, diabetes patients on TCAM reported better QOL compared to non-TCAM users especially in terms of physical health.
Work–family conflict and job satisfaction among construction professionals: the mediating role of emotional exhaustion
Authors: Dodanwala Tharindu C. , Shrestha Pooja
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Work–family conflict plays a vital role in employees’ work-related satisfaction and emotional exhaustion measures. Yet, the theoretical interrelationship between work–family conflict, emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction has not been fully explored in the construction literature. Hence, this study aims to assess emotional exhaustion’s mediating role in the relationship between work–family conflict and job satisfaction of the construction professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered from a cross-sectional survey of 308 project-level construction professionals in Sri Lanka. A confirmatory factor analysis followed by three structural equation models was used in analyzing the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results support the mediation model of emotional exhaustion, in which the emotional exhaustion fully mediated the relationship between work–family conflict and job satisfaction. Hence, the authors concluded that a higher level of work–family conflict would directly contribute to a greater degree of emotional exhaustion, which in turn lessens the job satisfaction of the project employees.

Originality/value

In identifying how work–family conflict, emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction are linked together, the present study added the mediating role of emotional exhaustion to the previous empirical research on the relationship between work–family conflict and job satisfaction in the context of the construction industry.
The impact of the cooperative structure on organizational social capital
Authors: Stoop Erwin , Brandsen Taco , Helderman Jan-Kees
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Most research into the relationship between social capital and cooperatives takes social capital as the independent variable and the cooperative as the dependent variable, but as yet the authors know little about causality in the other direction. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the cooperative structure helps to maintain organizational social capital.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 46 participants from local banks (chairpersons, directors, managers, team leaders and human resources managers).

Findings

Although the cooperative structure formally remained in place, integration into financial markets and digitalization effectively disembedded the organization from its original social context. The cooperative model can only remain distinctive, in terms of how it relates to its clients, under certain institutional conditions.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that scaling, in response to changes in the institutional environment, was an important factor in changing the nature of the organization.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the understanding of the social dynamics of cooperatives in the field of financial services.
Designed to evolve: digital transformation the Infosys way
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The interview explores the Live Enterprise model at Infosys. The idea is to enable mature companies to transform into a business with digital native agility, with many small teams innovating while leveraging shared digital infrastructure, in an environment of continuous evolution and learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Jeff Kavanaugh, Vice President and Global Head of Infosys Knowledge Institute, the research and thought leadership arm of Infosys, explains how the model promotes rapid experimentation through the digital runway, innovation at the edges by distributed micro-teams and extreme automation at scale for repeatable processes and functions. He and co-author Rafee Tarafdar describe the inner workings of this model in their new book “The Live Enterprise: Create a Continuously Evolving and Learning Organization”.

Findings

Outcomes are made possible by four capabilities: hybrid talent, a design-to-evolve mindset, a digital runway and a ‘micro is the new mega’ approach to transformational change.

Practical implications

Micro is the new mega because the Live Enterprise model uses frequent micro-change releases at scale in short sprints. The cumulative effect of these many small changes compounds quickly to transformational change

Originality/value

Essential reading for executives at mature companies who need to compete in the new digital environment. Offers such revolutionary ideas as: Employee experience (EX) is as important as customer experience (CX) in the live enterprise
Chest radiographs and machine learning – Past, present and future
Authors: Jones Catherine M , Buchlak Quinlan D , Oakden‐Rayner Luke , Milne Michael , Seah Jarrel , Esmaili Nazanin , Hachey Ben
Published: June 2021

Despite its simple acquisition technique, the chest X‐ray remains the most common first‐line imaging tool for chest assessment globally. Recent evidence for image analysis using modern machine learning points to possible improvements in both the efficiency and the accuracy of chest X‐ray interpretation. While promising, these machine learning algorithms have not provided comprehensive assessment of findings in an image and do not account for clinical history or other relevant clinical information. However, the rapid evolution in technology and evidence base for its use suggests that the next generation of comprehensive, well‐tested machine learning algorithms will be a revolution akin to early advances in X‐ray technology. Current use cases, strengths, limitations and applications of chest X‐ray machine learning systems are discussed.
Can Staggered Boards Improve Value? Causal Evidence from Massachusetts*
Authors: Daines Robert , Li Shelley Xin , Wang Charles C.Y.
Published: June 2021

Staggered boards (SBs) are one of the most potent common entrenchment devices, and their value effects are considerably debated. We study SBs' effects on firm value, managerial behavior, and investor composition using a quasi‐experimental setting: a 1990 law that imposed SBs on all Massachusetts‐incorporated firms. We find that relative to a matched control group of companies, for treated companies the law led to an increase in Tobin's Q, investment in capital expenditures and R&D, patents, and higher‐quality patented innovations, resulting in higher profitability. These effects are concentrated in innovating firms, especially those facing greater Wall Street scrutiny. An increase in institutional and dedicated investors also accompanied the imposition of SBs, facilitating a longer‐term orientation. The evidence suggests that SBs can benefit early‐life‐cycle firms facing high information asymmetries by allowing their managers to focus on long‐term investments and innovations.
The “Eloquence” of Robert J. Hawke: United States informer, 1973–79
Authors: Coventry C. J.
Published: June 2021

In the 1970s, the leader of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and future Prime Minister of Australia, Robert J. “Bob” Hawke, was an informer of the United States of America. Using diplomatic cables from official archives, this article shows that Hawke gifted information about the Australian government, the Australian Labor Party and the labour movement, assisting the intelligence gathering efforts of the foreign power. In turn, the relationship influenced the development of Australian policy, including the abandonment of Keynesian economics and embrace of neoliberalism. His discreet relationship — discussed in detail for the first time — was not unusual among elites in the post‐war period. However, Hawke was especially entrenched in the practise. This article will also show, through historiography and memoir, that the act of informing by elites began in the 1940s, as the United States was becoming Australia’s key strategic ally.
Nonsovereign Racecraft: How Colonialism, Debt, and Disaster are Transforming Puerto Rican Racial Subjectivities
Authors: Godreau Isar , Bonilla Yarimar
Published: June 2021

Using the concept of “racecraft” to describe the state production of racial subjectivities, we argue that this process has been increasingly compromised in Puerto Rico by a lack of sovereignty and by the current socioeconomic crisis. We argue that the state‐sponsored idea that Puerto Rican white and mixed‐race identities operate separately from the US racial framework is receding. Based on the unconventional use of an open‐ended question for racial identification in a survey administered to over one thousand Puerto Ricans, we found: a reluctance to identify racially, an awareness of a normative “whiteness” that excludes Puerto Ricans, and a tendency to embrace US federal categories such as “Hispanic” and “Latino.” We interpret these results as evidence of a Puerto Rican racial state in decline, arguing that the island's debt crisis and compounding disasters have not only eroded the political and economic realms of statecraft but the racial one as well. [census, colonialism, race, identity, statecraft, racial state, Puerto Rico]
Editorial: on the road towards treatment of gastroparesis—accelerating but do we get closer?
Authors: Wuestenberghs Fabien , Gourcerol Guillaume
Published: June 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Kuo et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16344 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16395
Editorial: tissue findings fail to predict disease activity or prognosis in microscopic colitis—an opportunity to look at the molecular level—authors' reply
Authors: Olsen Lærke Müller , Engel Peter Johan Heiberg , Goudkade Danny , Villanacci Vincenzo , Thagaard Jeppe , Walbech Julie Sparholt , Bohr Johan , Kupcinskas Juozas , Verhaegh Bas , Münch Andreas , Guagnozzi Danila , Fernández‐Bañares Fernando , Munck Lars Kristian , Fiehn Anne‐Marie Kanstrup
Published: June 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Olsen et al and Lucendo papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16381 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16403
Editorial: is there a ‘precursor’ HCC lesion and can it be detected by hepatobiliary contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging?
Authors: Vutien Philip , Ioannou George N.
Published: June 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Toyoda et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16382 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16466
Editorial: IBD medications during the COVID‐19 pandemic—are they safe to use?
Authors: Fan Dali , Gearry Richard B.
Published: June 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Meyer et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16410
Editorial: finding the ideal prokinetic for gastroparesis—we are not there yet
Authors: Mahadeva Sanjiv
Published: June 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Kuo et al and Camilleri & Kuo papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16451 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16475
Dysregulated metabolism and behaviors by disrupting gut microbiota in prenatal and neonatal mice
Authors: Han Guofeng , Nishigawa Takuma , Ikeda Hiromi , Hamada Mizuki , Yang Hui , Maesono Saori , Aso Kenta , Jing Ashley , Furuse Mitsuhiro , Zhang Rong
Published: June 2021

The live microbiota ecosystem in the intestine plays a critical role in maintaining the normal physiological and psychological functions in both animals and human beings. However, the chronic effect of microbiota disturbances during prenatal and neonatal developing periods on animal's health remains less studied. In the current study, pregnant ICR mice were fed with an antibiotic diet (7‐g nebacitin [bacitracin‐neomycin sulphate 2:1]/kg standard diet) from day 14 of conception, and their offspring were provided with the same diet till the termination of the experiments. Dams treated with antibiotics showed increased body weight along with enlarged gut. Antibiotic‐treated offspring revealed decreased bodyweight, increased food, water, and sucrose intake. Administration of antibiotics affected corticosterone responsivity to acute 20 min restraint challenge in male pups. In behavior tests, female pups showed decreased movement in open field while male pups revealed decreased latency to open arms in elevated plus maze test and immobility time in tail suspension test. Together, these results suggested that early antibiotic exposure may impact on the food intake, body weight gain, and emotional behavior regulation in mice.
Growth performance of Black Bengal, Saanen, and their crossbred F1 as affected by sex, litter size, and season of kidding
Authors: Nuntapaitoon Morakot , Buranakarl Chollada , Thammacharoen Sumpun , Katoh Kazuo
Published: June 2021

The objective of the present study was to determine the factors that influenced growth performance of the goat kids of Black Bengal (BB), Saanen (SA), and their crossbred F1 (male Bengal × female Saanen [BBSA] and male Saanen × female Black Bengal [SABB]). Data for 674 kids were analyzed from 316 litters and 134 does. All kids were weekly measured on their characteristics (body weight, length, height at the withers, and chest girth) from birth to 11 weeks old. The kid’s breed and sex, litter size, and season of kidding influenced birth weight and other characteristics through the experiment. The SA and BBSA kids showed similar performance, which were higher than BB and SABB kids. Male kids had higher performance than female kids, and kids from a single litter showed the highest performance. Kids born during rainy season showed lower performance than those born in hot and cool seasons. In conclusion, the crossbred BBSA is superior to SABB or BB to raise in tropical climate Moreover, sex, litter size, and kidding season also affected growth performance during the preweaning period up to 11 weeks old.
Implementation and profitability of sustainable investment strategies: An errors‐in‐variables perspective
Authors: Auer Benjamin R.
Published: June 2021

Firm‐level studies of sustainable investment performance are typically limited by an errors‐in‐variables bias (i.e., a distortion of estimated regression coefficients caused by measurement error in explanatory variables). Using recent advances in statistical methodology, we present the first cross‐sectional analysis of sustainable stock selection which adequately corrects for this bias and additionally answers the question of whether betas with respect to sustainable risk factors or sustainable characteristics (i.e., environmental, social, and governance ratings) are more relevant in portfolio selection. Within the universe of S&P 500 stocks, which is highly relevant from the investor attention and liquidity perspectives, we find that, after accounting for errors‐in‐variables bias, both types of variables become insignificant. Consequently, they do not add value to investment portfolios and are not vital in models explaining stock returns. Among classic predictors with a long history of use in the investment fund industry, only the market‐to‐book ratio provides independent investment and pricing information.
Systemic therapies for metastatic hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer: network meta‐analysis
Authors: Mori Keiichiro , Mostafaei Hadi , Sari Motlagh Reza , Pradere Benjamin , Quhal Fahad , Laukhtina Ekaterina , Schuettfort Victor M. , Kramer Gero , Abufaraj Mohammad , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Kimura Takahiro , Egawa Shin , Shariat Shahrokh F.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To perform a systematic review and network meta‐analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of currently available treatments for the management of metastatic hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), as there has been a paradigm shift with the use of next‐generation androgen receptor inhibitors (ARIs) and docetaxel.

Methods

Multiple databases were searched for articles published before May 2020 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis extension statement for network meta‐analysis. Studies comparing overall/progression‐free survival (OS/PFS) and/or adverse events (AEs) in patients with mHSPC were eligible.

Results

Nine studies (N = 9960) were selected, and formal network meta‐analyses were conducted. Abiraterone (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.76–0.90), docetaxel (HR 0.90, 95% CrI 0.82–0.98), and enzalutamide (HR 0.85, 95% CrI 0.73–0.99) were associated with significantly better OS than androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT), and abiraterone emerged as the best option. Abiraterone (HR 0.71, 95% CrI 0.67–0.76), apalutamide (HR 0.73, 95% CrI 0.65–0.81), docetaxel (HR 0.84, 95% CrI 0.78–0.90), and enzalutamide (HR 0.67, 95% CrI 0.63–0.71) were associated with significantly better PFS than ADT, and enzalutamide emerged as the best option. Abiraterone (HR 0.85, 95% CrI 0.78–0.93), apalutamide (HR 0.87, 95% CrI 0.77–0.98), and enzalutamide (HR 0.80, 95% CrI 0.73–0.88) were significantly more effective than docetaxel. Regarding AEs, apalutamide was the likely best option among the three ARIs. In patients with low‐volume mHSPC, enzalutamide was the best option in terms of OS and PFS.

Conclusions

All three ARIs are effective therapies for mHSPC; apalutamide was the best tolerated. All three seemed more effective than docetaxel. These findings may facilitate individualised treatment strategies and inform future comparative trials.
The Challenges of Large‐Scale, Web‐Based Language Datasets: Word Length and Predictability Revisited
Authors: Meylan Stephan C. , Griffiths Thomas L.
Published: June 2021

Language research has come to rely heavily on large‐scale, web‐based datasets. These datasets can present significant methodological challenges, requiring researchers to make a number of decisions about how they are collected, represented, and analyzed. These decisions often concern long‐standing challenges in corpus‐based language research, including determining what counts as a word, deciding which words should be analyzed, and matching sets of words across languages. We illustrate these challenges by revisiting “Word lengths are optimized for efficient communication” (Piantadosi, Tily, & Gibson, 2011), which found that word lengths in 11 languages are more strongly correlated with their average predictability (or average information content) than their frequency. Using what we argue to be best practices for large‐scale corpus analyses, we find significantly attenuated support for this result and demonstrate that a stronger relationship obtains between word frequency and length for a majority of the languages in the sample. We consider the implications of the results for language research more broadly and provide several recommendations to researchers regarding best practices.
“Internally Wicked”: Investigating How and Why Essentialism Influences Punitiveness and Moral Condemnation
Authors: Martin Justin W. , Heiphetz Larisa
Published: June 2021

Kant argued that individuals should be punished “proportional to their internal wickedness,” and recent work has demonstrated that essentialism—the notion that observable characteristics reflect internal, biological, unchanging “essences”—influences moral judgment. However, these efforts have yielded conflicting results: essentialism sometimes increases and sometimes decreases moral condemnation. To resolve these discrepancies, we investigated the mechanisms by which essentialism influences moral judgment, focusing on perceptions of actors’ control over their behavior, the target of essentialism (particular behaviors vs. actors’ character), and the component of essentialism (biology vs. immutability). Participants punished people described as having a criminal essence more than those with a non‐criminal essence or no essence. Probing potential mechanisms underlying this effect, we found a mediating role for perceptions of control and weak influences of essentialism focus (behavior vs. character) and component of essentialism (biology vs. immutability). These results extend prior work on essentialism and moral cognition, demonstrating a causal link between perceptions of “internal wickedness” and moral judgment. Our findings also resolve discrepancies in past work on the influence of essentialism on moral judgment, highlighting the role that perceptions of actors’ control over their behavior play in moral condemnation.
Recruitment, risks, rewards and regrets: Senior researcher reflections on working with alcohol industry social aspects organisations
Authors: Mitchell Gemma , McCambridge Jim
Published: June 2021

Introduction

A growing body of literature suggests alcohol industry corporate social responsibility activity, including the creation of ‘social aspects’ organisations (SAO), may harm rather than improve public health. We aimed to explore established researcher experiences of working with SAOs, and the factors informing their decisions to do so.

Methods

Qualitative interview study with senior alcohol researchers who had previous or ongoing connections to SAOs or their predecessors initiated when their careers were established (n = 16). Thematic analysis using NVivo software.

Results

Established researchers were recruited for their expertise by alcohol industry SAOs via employees who were previously academics or via academic colleagues with SAO connections. Motivated by the desire to improve public health and ‘reach out’ beyond academia, researchers were confident that they could maintain their independence when sharing their expertise with SAOs. Short‐term connections included attendance at SAO‐funded events and book chapter contributions. Sometimes, these led to long‐term relationships with SAOs, or researchers were invited to long‐term roles by a colleague. These included memberships of scientific advisory committees, board positions, or work as independent consultants. Most researchers reflected negatively on their experiences and had ended their associations, while some had positive experiences.

Discussion and Conclusion

Current and former researchers play key roles in initiating connections with SAOs, with industry‐funded events and invitations to long‐term roles by trusted colleagues, mechanisms used to facilitate the development of such relationships. Our study adds to existing evidence that SAO scientific activity does not contribute to public health goals, but does present industry with public relations opportunities.