bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The use of performance-based contracting in managing the outsourcing of a reliability-centered maintenance program
Authors: Ahmed Mirghani N. 
Published: December 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a case study on the use of performance-based contracting in the outsourcing of a reliability-centered maintenance program of a Gulf oil refinery.Design/methodology/approachA case study method is used whereby data are collected through semi-structured interviews, informal discussions with executives from the participant companies, in addition to official documents and secondary materials.FindingsThe case analysis reveals the use of a risk–reward payment scheme and key performance indicators (KPIs) deployed to support the management of the outsourced maintenance function. The financial incentive scheme was clearly designed to motivate the outsourcing contractor to achieve more financial benefits when meeting a defined set of KPIs while also delivering operating cost savings and other qualitative benefits to the outsourcing company. Managing the outsourced function also involved the use of routine budgetary control systems, in addition to other informal control mechanisms such as trust, knowledge sharing, mutual understanding and co-operation between the two collaborative partners.Practical implicationsThe evidence presented in the case description and analysis may assist in increasing the understanding of how outsourcing relationships in maintenance business are managed and evaluated. The case findings may also provide the opportunity for further research investigating the use of performance measurement systems and incentive-based schemes in a variety of maintenance contracts.Originality/valueThe case study presents new empirical evidence on the use of performance risk–reward payment schemes in the management of an outsourcing relationship. Findings reported in the study will add to the existing literature on maintenance performance measurement and management practices in outsourcing relationships.
Self-evaluation of knowledge sharing through the lens of social comparison theory
Authors: Heo Misook , Toomey Natalie , Song Jung Sook 
Published: December 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate how different types of contribution awareness information influence knowledge sharing motivation and contribution persistence.Design/methodology/approachThe independent variable of this experimental study was contribution awareness information with four levels: self-contribution, absolute social-comparison, relative social-comparison and control. The dependent variables were self-rated knowledge sharing motivation measured on a six-point Likert scale and contribution persistence measured by number of contributions. A total of 182 knowledge workers voluntarily completed online participation. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four intervention groups.FindingsThe study found that the self-contribution group outperformed the other groups in both knowledge sharing motivation and contribution persistence; this observation was significant compared with the absolute social-comparison and control groups. The impact of self-contribution frequency information was stronger for contribution persistence than for self-evaluated knowledge sharing motivation, highlighting the gap between perception and behavior. It is also noteworthy that comparative information negatively influenced knowledge sharing motivation and contribution persistence, implying that social comparison played a role in priming individuals to focus on dissimilarities between the comparison target and themselves.Originality/valueThis study provides behavior-based evidence supporting social comparison theory and the selective accessibility model in the field of knowledge sharing outside of an organizational context. This study also offers the practical advice that participants’ knowledge sharing motivation and contribution persistence, especially newly joining members, can be increased by the inclusion of self-contribution information and conversely decreased by comparative information.
Debates around the nature of knowledge transfer: how well do we know about the construct?
Authors: Thomas Nobin 
Published: December 2019

PurposeStudies have shown that organizations that are capable of effectively transferring knowledge are often more productive than others. At the same time, there is increasing ambiguity regarding how the nature of knowledge transfer affects performance. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the nature of knowledge transfer and to understand why it remains a hindrance to most organizations, even now. This conceptual paper tries to identify the major debates surrounding the nature of knowledge transfer in an organization. The challenges and opportunities facing research on knowledge transfer are also elaborated.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper is structured to first provide a brief summary of the construct of knowledge transfer and then provide a detailed account of research that highlights the major findings regarding the nature of knowledge transfer and their relation to the current themes. A selective review of the literature was carried out in this paper instead of a meta-analysis. The papers were identified through popular databases. The authors also examined the references of selected papers to provide a comprehensive review of the construct.FindingsThe debate about codification of knowledge that has stimulated the academic community in organizational studies is still in its infancy. The other debates that have been discussed in this paper have either reached their peak or have given way to newer debates. A clear understanding of the significance of the nature of knowledge transfer is very important at this juncture. The model developed toward the end of the paper assumes a path in this direction. The authors also discuss how research on knowledge has both deepened and expanded the authors’ understanding of knowledge transfer since March and Simon (1958).Originality/valueThe debate in the field of organizational studies around the nature of knowledge transfer has been occurring for some time. However, there has not been any final consensus on the nature of knowledge transfer. While looking at these debates with a critical eye, the authors may appear to be cynical about the prospect of an end to these deliberations. The authors conclude the paper with a model that examines knowledge transfer from a broader perspective that encompasses the various theoretical perspectives.
Sharpening Occam’s razor: developing theory to explain the persistent abuse of older people living in care homes
Authors: Moore Steve 
Published: December 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the relevance and importance of developing and making use of robust theory to explain and counter the tenacious social anomaly of the abuse of older people who live in care homes.Design/methodology/approachThe activities of theorising and conducting research to gain revised theoretical comprehension of why abuse occurs in care homes, along with the enduring over reliance of those with an interest in safeguarding on existing theories borrowed from other fields to guide their activities are considered and discussed.FindingsThere is a pressing need for theory based understandings of the continuing abuse of older people and it is apparent that the development of such theory will be more productive if theorising and theory development are specific to certain types of abuse perpetrated in delineated settings.Practical implicationsThe paper offers the opportunity for the reader to consider the significance of theorising and developing new theory in order to improve of the protection of potentially vulnerable adults by virtue of the guidance it can provide to the activities of policy makers, managers and practitioners.Originality/valueThis is a conceptual paper from which future theorising and research may arise to better understand the most fundamental causes of the abuse of older people in care homes (and elsewhere) in order to develop feasible and effective measures to overcome it.
Novel AP3B1 compound heterozygous mutations in a Japanese patient with Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome type 2
Authors: Nishikawa Takuro , Okamura Ken , Moriyama Mizuki , Watanabe Kenji , Ibusuki Atsuko , Sameshima Seiji , Masamoto Izumi , Yamazaki Ieharu , Tanita Kay , Kanekura Takuro , Kanegane Hirokazu , Suzuki Tamio , Kawano Yoshifumi 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHermansky–Pudlak syndrome type 2 (HPS2) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive inherited disease characterized by partial oculocutaneous albinism (OCA), bleeding diathesis due to a storage pool deficiency and immunodeficiency. The disorder is caused by disruption of the adapter protein 3 complex, which is involved in impaired intracellular vesicle transport. Here, we report the first case of a 1‐year‐old girl with HPS2 in Asia. She had no specific symptoms other than OCA and neutropenia. We analyzed her platelet function using transmission electron microscopy and a platelet aggregation test, cytotoxic degranulation assay of her natural killer (NK) cells and bleeding time, the results of which led to the diagnosis of HPS2. Although her NK‐cell cytotoxic degranulation was impaired, she had not developed signs of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) or fibrosing lung disease. Molecular genetic analyses showed novel heterozygous mutations (c.188T>A [p.M63K] and c.2546>A [p.L849X]) in AP3B1. When examining patients with OCA, blood tests should be performed to confirm neutrophil count, bleeding time and platelet agglutination. When HPS2 is suspected, detailed immunological tests should be considered, and attention should be paid to HLH and pulmonary lesions immediately and over the long term.
Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry as a tool for the rapid determination of the five major minerals (Na, Mg, K, P and Ca) in skim milk powder
Authors: McCarthy William P , Daly Karen , Fenelon Anna , O'Connor Christine , McCarthy Noel A , Hogan Sean A , Tobin John T , O'Callaghan Tom F 
Published: December 2019

Milk and dairy products are comprised of a complex matrix of components that can interfere with analysis and, as a result, are often not suitable for direct introduction into analytical instruments. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) can bypass time‐consuming preparation steps, with potential for rapid, onsite analysis of minerals. In this study, five major milk minerals, sodium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium, were quantified in dairy powders, using EDXRF, and the systemic bias of the method was evaluated by Bland–Altman analysis. No significant systemic bias was observed for the quantification of sodium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, meaning that EDXRF has potential to be used as a rapid offline analytical technology suitable for the analysis of these minerals in skim milk powders.
Review article: End‐of‐life care for older people in the emergency department: A scoping review
Authors: Huang Ya‐Ling , Alsaba Nemat , Brookes Gemma , Crilly Julia 
Published: December 2019

AbstractOlder people are increasingly utilising emergency services, often at the end of their life. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of available research regarding end‐of‐life (EOL) care for older people in the ED. The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology guided this review. Databases of CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, SocINDEX and Google Scholar were searched using a combination of terms, including older/aged/geriatrics/elderly, palliative/terminal/end‐of‐life and emergency/emergency service. The search was limited to articles published in English from 2007 to 2018. The level of evidence of included articles was assessed using the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) criteria. Fourteen articles were included. Definitions pertaining to EOL care in the ED vary. Older people presenting to ED at EOL were mostly female, triaged in urgent or semi‐urgent category, presented with diagnoses of advanced cancer, cardiac and pulmonary disease, and dementia with symptoms including pain and breathlessness. Multiple tools pertaining to EOL exist and range from predicting mortality, and assessing functional status, co‐morbidities, symptom distress, palliative care needs, quality of life and caregiver's stress. Outcomes for older people enrolled in specific EOL intervention programmes included lower admission rates, shorter ED length of stay, increased palliative care referral and consultations, and decreased Medicare costs. The NHMRC evidence level of included articles ranged from II to IV. Limited evidence exists regarding the definition, clinical profile, care delivery and outcomes for older people requiring EOL care in the ED. Future research and clinical practice that uses current evidenced‐based policies and guidelines is required.
Raman–deuterium isotope probing to study metabolic activities of single bacterial cells in human intestinal microbiota
Authors: Wang Yi , Xu Jiabao , Kong Lingchao , Liu Tang , Yi Lingbo , Wang Hongjuan , Huang Wei E. , Zheng Chunmiao 
Published: December 2019

SummaryHuman intestinal microbiota is important to host health and is associated with various diseases. It is a challenge to identify the functions and metabolic activity of microorganisms at the single‐cell level in gut microbial community. In this study, we applied Raman microspectroscopy and deuterium isotope probing (Raman–DIP) to quantitatively measure the metabolic activities of intestinal bacteria from two individuals and analysed lipids and phenylalanine metabolic pathways of functional microorganismsin situ. After anaerobically incubating the human faeces with heavy water (D2O), D2O with specific substrates (glucose, tyrosine, tryptophan and oleic acid) and deuterated glucose, the C–D band in single‐cell Raman spectra appeared in some bacteria in faeces, due to the Raman shift from the C–H band. Such Raman shift was used to indicate the general metabolic activity and the activities in response to the specific substrates. In the two individuals' intestinal microbiota, the structures of the microbial communities were different and the general metabolic activities were 76 ± 1.0% and 30 ± 2.0%. We found that glucose, but not tyrosine, tryptophan and oleic acid, significantly stimulated metabolic activity of the intestinal bacteria. We also demonstrated that the bacteria within microbiota preferably used glucose to synthesize fatty acids in faeces environment, whilst they used glucose to synthesize phenylalanine in laboratory growth environment (e.g. LB medium). Our work provides a useful approach for investigating the metabolic activityin situand revealing different pathways of human intestinal microbiota at the single‐cell level.
Immune and nutritional responses of Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) nymphs sprayed with azadirachtin
Authors: Silva Cristiane T S , Wanderley‐Teixeira Valéria , Cruz Glaucilane S , Cunha Franklin M , Teixeira Álvaro A C 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAzadirachtin is an efficient biopesticide, and it is considered safe for natural enemies because its mode of action is mainly by ingestion. The predator, Podisus nigrispinus Dallas, is found in various agroecosystems as a potential tool for biological control. However, there is much debate on the safety of this stinkbug if azadirachtin is used. Thus, we evaluated the cellular and humoral responses as well as biochemical parameters of the fifth‐instar nymphs of P. nigrispinus treated with azadirachtin. The insects were divided into three treatment groups and sprayed with azadirachtin (Azamax®), deltamethrin (Decis®), and water (control). After 24 h, total and differential hemocyte counts were performed. The analysis of phenoloxidase activity and quantification of nitric oxide, lipids, sugar, glycogen, and protein were performed after an interval of 24 and 72 h. Azadirachtin was found to affect the immune system of this stinkbug and decrease the number of hemocytes, especially pro‐hemocytes and oenocytoids, and it may have caused a reduction in phenoloxidase activity and nitric oxide level. In addition, the decrease in protein levels indicated the interference of azadirachtin in protein synthesis. We conclude that damage caused by the botanical insecticide has been less harmful than that caused by the synthetic insecticide, but use of azadirachtin may still interfere with biological control due to undesirable immune system damage reducing predator efficiency.
Flexural deformation controls on Late Quaternary sediment dispersal in the Garo‐Rajmahal Gap, NW Bengal Basin
Authors: Grimaud Jean‐Louis , Grall Celine , Goodbred Steven , Steckler Michael S. , Sincavage Ryan , Pickering Jennifer L. , Paola Chris , Seeber Leonardo , Hossain Md. Saddam 
Published: December 2019

AbstractSubsurface deformation is a driver for river path selection when deformation rates become comparable to the autogenic mobility rate of rivers. Here we combine geomorphology, soil and sediment facies analyses, and geophysical data of the Late Quaternary sediments of the central Garo‐Rajmahal Gap in Northwest Bengal to link subsurface deformation with surface processes. We show variable sedimentation characteristics, from slow rates (<0.8 mm/year) in the Tista megafan at the foot of the Himalaya to nondeposition at the exposed surface of the Barind Tract to the south, enabling the development of mature soils. Combined subsidence in the Tista fan and uplift of the Barind Tract are consistent with a N‐S flexural response of the Indian plate to loading of the Himalaya Mountains given a low value of elastic thickness (15–25 km). Provenance analysis based on bulk strontium concentration suggests a dispersal of sediment consistent with this flexural deformation—in particular the abandonment of the Barind Tract by a Pleistocene Brahmaputra River and the current extents of the Tista megafan lobes. Overall, these results highlight the control by deeply rooted deformation patterns on the routing of sediment by large rivers in foreland settings.
Increasing normality–persisting barriers: Current socio‐demographic characteristics of 350 individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria
Authors: Meyer Gesine , Mayer Moritz , Mondorf Antonia , Herrmann Eva , Bojunga Jörg 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIntroductionThe number of individuals requesting medical treatment for gender dysphoria has increased significantly within the past years. Our purpose was to examine current biographic and socio‐demographic characteristics and aspects of legal gender reassignment.DesignMedical files from n = 350 individuals of a German Endocrine outpatient clinic were collected from 2009 to 2017 and analysed retrospectively.ResultsRatio of transwomen to transmen equates to 1:1.89 with a remarkable increase of transmen by the year 2013, showing a reversal of gender distribution compared with previous studies for the first time. Use of illegal substances or self‐initiated hormone therapy was rare (4.6 and 2.1%). Satisfaction with gender‐affirming hormone therapy was significantly higher in transmen than in transwomen (100% vs 96.2%, P = .005). Use of antidepressants declined significantly after onset of hormone treatment in transmen (13% vs 7%; P = .007). The number of individuals with a graduation diploma was only about half as high as in the general population (14.3% vs 27.3%), whereas unemployment rate was more than twice as high (14% vs 6.9%). Median latency between application for legal gender reassignment and definitive court decision was 9 months.ConclusionsOur data provide possible indications for a decline of psychosocial burden in individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria over the last years. However, affected individuals are still limited in their occupational and financial opportunities as well as by a complex and expensive procedure of legal gender reassignment in Germany.
The Effect of Prominence and Cue Association on Retrieval Processes: A Computational Account
Authors: Engelmann Felix , Jӓger Lena A. , Vasishth Shravan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWe present a comprehensive empirical evaluation of the ACT‐R–based model of sentence processing developed by Lewis and Vasishth (2005) (LV05). The predictions of the model are compared with the results of a recent meta‐analysis of published reading studies on retrieval interference in reflexive‐/reciprocal‐antecedent and subject–verb dependencies (Jäger, Engelmann, & Vasishth, 2017). The comparison shows that the model has only partial success in explaining the data; and we propose that its prediction space is restricted by oversimplifying assumptions. We then implement a revised model that takes into account differences between individual experimental designs in terms of the prominence of the target and the distractor in memory‐ and context‐dependent cue‐feature associations. The predictions of the original and the revised model are quantitatively compared with the results of the meta‐analysis. Our simulations show that, compared to the original LV05 model, the revised model accounts for the data better. The results suggest that effects of prominence and variable cue‐feature associations need to be considered in the interpretation of existing empirical results and in the design and planning of future experiments. With regard to retrieval interference in sentence processing and to the broader field of psycholinguistic studies, we conclude that well‐specified models in tandem with high‐powered experiments are needed in order to uncover the underlying cognitive processes.
What Determines Visual Statistical Learning Performance? Insights From Information Theory
Authors: Siegelman Noam , Bogaerts Louisa , Frost Ram 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn order to extract the regularities underlying a continuous sensory input, the individual elements constituting the stream have to be encoded and their transitional probabilities (TPs) should be learned. This suggests that variance in statistical learning (SL) performance reflects efficiency in encoding representations as well as efficiency in detecting their statistical properties. These processes have been taken to be independent and temporally modular, where first, elements in the stream are encoded into internal representations, and then the co‐occurrences between them are computed and registered. Here, we entertain a novel hypothesis that one unifying construct—the rate of information in the sensory input—explains learning performance. This theoretical approach merges processes related to encoding of events and those related to learning their regularities into a single computational principle. We present data from two large‐scale experiments with over 800 participants tested in support for this hypothesis, showing that rate of information in a visual stream clearly predicts SL performance, and that similar rate of information values leads to similar SL performance. We discuss the implications for SL theory and its relation to regularity learning.