bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phytosociological assessment and carbon stock estimation and valuation in the tropical dry deciduous forest of Bihar
Authors: Biswas Saroni , Biswas Anirban , Das Arabinda , Banerjee Saon 
Published: August 2020

Purpose
This study aims to assess the biodiversity of the study area and estimate the carbon stock of two dry deciduous forest ranges of Banka Forest Division, Bihar, India.

Design/methodology/approach
The phytosociological analysis was performed and C stock estimation based on volume determination through nondestructive methods was done.

Findings
Phytosociological analysis found total 18,888 [14,893 < 10 cm (diameter at breast height) dbh] and 2,855 (1,783 < 10 cm dbh) individuals at Banka and Bounsi range with basal area of 181,035.00 cm2 and 32,743.76 cm2, respectively. Importance value index was highest for Shorea robusta in both the ranges. Species diversity index and dominance index, 1.89 and 1.017 at Banka and 1.99 and 5.600 at Bounsi indicated the prevalence of biotic pressure. Decreased dbh and tree height resulted in a lowered growing stock volume as 59,140.40 cm3 ha−1 (Banka) and 71,306.37 cm3 ha−1 (Bounsi). Total C stock at Banka and Bounsi range was 51.8 t ha-1 and 12.56 t ha−1, respectively where the highest C stock is recorded for Shorea robusta in both the ranges (9.8 t ha−1 and 2.54 t ha-1, respectively). A positive correlation between volume, total biomass and basal area of tree species with C stock was observed. R2 value for Banka range was 0.9269 (volume-C stock), 1 (total biomass-C stock) and 0.647 (basal area-C stock). Strong positive correlation was also established at Bounsi range with R2 value of 1. Considering the total forest area enumerated, C sequestration potential was about 194.25 t CO2 (Banka) and 45.9 t CO2 (Bounsi). The valuation of C stock was therefore US$2,525.25 (Banka) and US$596.70 (Bounsi).

Practical implications
The research found the potentiality of the study area to sequester carbon. However, for future, the degraded areas would require intervention of management strategies for restoration of degraded lands and protection of planted trees to increase the carbon sequestration potential of the area.

Originality/value
Present study is the first attempt to assess the phytosociology and estimate the regulatory services of forest with respect to biomass and carbon stock estimation for the Banka forest division of Bihar.
Success beyond STEM: an analysis of educational background of the Fortune 50 CEOs
Authors: Welch James 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this article is examine some of the most successful contemporary global business leaders in relation to undergraduate institution and undergraduate major in order to examine the value and return of higher education programs for global business leadership. This is an important topic in the modern global context, as there continues to be an increasing global push toward deemphasizing and defunding liberal arts education in favor of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields for college and university students around the globe.Design/methodology/approachThe educational backgrounds of the 2019 Fortune 50 CEOs were researched in relation to undergraduate institutions attended and undergraduate majors. The study also included an examination of graduate education, if applicable. Using available biographical information regarding the CEOs educational backgrounds, these business leaders were compared relative to the educational data.FindingsAn examination of the undergraduate educational backgrounds of the 2019 Fortune 50 CEOs revealed an exact split between 18 STEM majors, 18 liberal arts majors and 18 business majors, with 1 CEO who began university studies but did not graduate. Upon examination, it is also apparent that some majors were more directly related to a CEO's industry, while other majors ended up having little relation to the CEO's chosen career path.Practical implicationsThe results of this study contribute to the very important discussion concerning the long-term value of a college education. At both micro and macro levels, stakeholders are constantly questioning the ultimate return on investment of a college education, and examination of the 2019 Fortune 50 CEOs indicates that the choice of college major is only one ingredient in the overall recipe for professional success. For these business leaders, there were a wide variety of educational paths, in terms of college academic preparations, that eventually led to the very pinnacle of professional and leadership attainment.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates that a particular undergraduate field of study is not going to make or break a career, and the examination of these Fortune 50 CEOs indicates that one's ultimate career achievement is not simply relegated to the specific field of undergraduate major.
The impact of communication technology vs human-related factors on classroom performance: a cross-cultural study
Authors: Šerić Maja 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThis paper examines the impact of communication technology and human-related factors on teacher, student and course performance, in particular on teacher's clarity, perceived value of the course and student learning.Design/methodology/approachCommunication technology factors are analyzed in terms of social media use, while human-related factors are considered through teacher expertise and communication skills, more specifically non-verbal communication (NVC). The research model is tested on a sample of 303 students from two European universities, one in Southwestern and another in Southeastern Europe.FindingsFindings reveal dominance of human factors over technology ones. Culture moderates some of the relationships examined.Research limitations/implicationsNotwithstanding the relatively limited sample of students according to their national culture, this work offers valuable insights into the impact of technology use in classroom and teacher communication skills.Practical implicationsTeacher NVC and expertise override their use of technology-mediated communication in classroom. Findings have raised important questions whether social media applications should actually have place in nowadays education systems. What seems clear from this research is that technology advancements cannot replace teachers, although further research is necessary to re-examine their impact on different student outcomes and in different cultural contexts.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in comparing the impact of technology vs human-related factors on classroom performance. An additional contribution is provided by considering the moderating role of national culture within the proposed research model.
Online doctoral mentoring in a pandemic: help or hindrance to academic progress on dissertations?
Authors: Mullen Carol A. 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe author's purpose is to identify and analyze the progress of proposals and dissertations after mentor–mentee relationships rapidly transitioned to intensive online doctoral mentoring as a result of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory pedagogic research design was implemented in 2020 to examine the COVID-19 Dyadic Online Mentoring Intervention, a four-month individualized approach to mentorship. A survey was completed by mentees in an educational leadership cohort that revealed the benefits and drawbacks of technology for learning within online doctoral mentoring contexts. Additional sources of data were published literature, mentor's notes, email exchanges, and scholarly enrichment products.FindingsData analysis yielded three themes: (1) mentoring strategies were utilized; (2) the pandemic unsettled reality and (3) personal professional development opportunities were evident. Although life challenges were exacerbated by the pandemic, the online doctoral mentoring intervention met dissertation-related needs and supported academic progress in a Doctorate in Education degree program.Practical implicationsTechnology-mediated mentoring during crises involves more than modality changes. Faculty mentors should not be solely responsible for mitigating program and dissertation disruption. Academic cultures must support the adoption of pedagogic innovations like high-quality online doctoral mentoring.Originality/valueOnline doctoral mentoring structures utilizing synchronous and asynchronous technologies can help mentees make academic progress in a crisis, not only in “normal” times.
The performance of export manufacturing firms: roles of international entrepreneurial capability and international opportunity recognition
Authors: Mostafiz Md Imtiaz , Sambasivan Murali , Goh See Kwong 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe international entrepreneurial capability has achieved its legitimacy in international business literature. Leveraging capabilities to recognise opportunities is considered a pivotal strategy to achieve success. Drawing on the entrepreneurship literature and opportunity perspective, this study aims to investigate the role of international entrepreneurial capability in enhancing the international opportunity recognition (IOR) process and the performance of export manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modelling has been used to test the hypothesised relationship on 388 export manufacturing entrepreneurial firms operating in the apparel industry of Bangladesh.FindingsThe results signify that three international entrepreneurial capabilities, namely, international networking, learning and marketing capability, positively enhance the IOR process of export manufacturing firms. The IOR process positively mediates the relationships between these international entrepreneurial capabilities and firm performance.Originality/valueMerely having the international entrepreneurial capability is not sufficient to escalate the firm performance. It must be amplified by various strategic actions such as the IOR process. Entrepreneurs need to capitalise on the international entrepreneurial capability to leverage the IOR process and generate non-financial performance success. Entrepreneurial firms that focus more on stimulating non-financial performance can secure better financial performance.
Does credit boost agricultural performance? Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Tuan Anh Nguyen , Gan Christopher , Anh Dao Le Trang 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThis study investigates the short-run and long-run impacts of agricultural credit on Vietnam's agricultural GDP over the period 2004:Q4–2016:Q4, with the incorporation of agricultural labor, public investment and rainfall as important determinants of agricultural GDP.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies the indicator saturation (IS) break tests and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test with structural breaks to examine the credit–agricultural performance nexus. The causal relationships among variables are explored through the Toda–Yamamoto Granger causality test.FindingsThe results indicate that agricultural credit positively influences agricultural GDP in both the short-run and long-run. A unidirectional causal relationship running from credit to agricultural GDP is confirmed. The results also discover the positive and significant effects of labor and rainfall on agricultural GDP in the long-run.Practical implicationsThe results imply that the government should focus on expanding agricultural credit as well as enhancing the efficiency of agricultural credit. Furthermore, formal credit institutions should be encouraged to work closely with farmers and agricultural enterprises to offer flexible lending periods and amounts to meet the real situation of agricultural production.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine the credit–agricultural performance relationship at the macro-level in Vietnam. Based on the empirical results, the study provides crucial implications for policymakers to optimize the effectiveness of agricultural credit and enhance nationwide agricultural performance.
The effect of articulated sports sponsorship on recall and visual attention to the brand
Authors: Alonso Dos Santos Manuel , Sánchez-Franco Manuel J. , Prado Gascó Vicente 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe objective is to examine the influence of articulation on the effectiveness of sports sponsorship.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses an experimental design with the following factors: articulation (articulated vs unarticulated), congruence (congruent and incongruent) and sporting discipline (tennis, F1 and sailing).FindingsEven though the academic literature argues that articulation improves the indicators of performance, the authors have been unable to demonstrate that articulated sports posters have an influence on visual attention, congruence or recall. The results show that articulation diverts visual attention from the brand to the text, diminishing recall.Originality/valueThis is the first manuscript to use neurophysiological measures of the articulation effect. This is also the first manuscript that examines the differences in attention between articulated sponsorships based on their congruence.
Freelancing on digital work platforms – roles of virtual community trust and work engagement on person–job fit
Authors: Toth Ilona , Heinänen Sanna , Blomqvist Kirsimarja 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of virtual community trust on work engagement and person–job fit in the context of digital work platforms. The emergence of the platform economy is changing the work environment fundamentally. It has enabled the appearance of alternative work arrangements, such as temporary organizing and the increase of independent contracting, also among highly specialized knowledge workers.Design/methodology/approachData were collected with an online survey and used to test the relationships between virtual community trust, work engagement and person–job fit. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the goodness of a theoretical model.FindingsBased on the data of 127 experts contracting on digital work platforms, virtual community trust positively affects both work engagement and person–job fit. In addition, the relationship between work engagement and person–job fit in the context of digital work platforms is significant and positive.Practical implicationsThis study shows that trust among independent contractors working on digital platforms is important for work engagement and that platform providers can improve work performance through person–job fit by assisting in the creation of trust among members of their platforms.Originality/valueThe research literature on knowledge work in the changing context of work is scarce, and the role of trust in the context of digital work platforms needs clarification. This paper tests a theoretical model on the effects of trust among highly skilled experts working in the digital platform context as independent contractors and provides evidence for the importance of building trust among members of a virtual work community.
Oral leukoplakia and the long‐term risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer deaths in the Linxian dysplasia population
Authors: Yang Huan , Zhang Su , Wang Jianbing , Fan Jinhu , Qiao Youlin , Taylor Philip R. 
Published: August 2020

BackgroundTo investigate oral leukoplakia (OL) and risk of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer deaths in the Linxian Dysplasia Nutrition Intervention Trial (NIT) cohort.MethodsA total of 3318 subjects with esophageal squamous dysplasia enrolled on 1 May 1985, and were followed up until 30 September 2015. Participants with OL at baseline were treated as an exposed group, while the remainder was selected as a control group. All subjects were followed monthly and reviewed quarterly by the Linxian Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).ResultsDuring the 30‐year follow‐up, a total of 902 UGI cancer deaths occurred, including 541 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) related, 284 gastric cardia carcinoma (GCC) related, and 77 gastric noncardia carcinoma (GNCC) related deaths. Relative to subjects without OL, the long‐term risk of ESCC mortality in participants with OL increased by 26.1% (HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05–1.52). In the subgroup analyses, adverse effects of OL on ESCC mortality were observed especially in younger subjects (HR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.11–1.97), females (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.11–1.89), non‐smokers (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.15–1.81), nondrinkers (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04–1.57), and individuals with a family history of cancer (HR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05–1.79). No associations were observed between OL and risk of GCC and GNCC mortality.ConclusionsOL may increase the long‐term risk of ESCC mortality, especially in younger subjects, females, nondrinkers, non‐smokers, and subjects with a family cancer history. Future studies are needed to explore the potentially etiological mechanism.
Cohort study of 1241 patients to identify predictors of negative appendicectomy
Authors: Mackay Thomas G. , Dissanayake Bhanuka , Yuide Peter J. , Burstow Matthew J. , Gundara Justin S. , Chua Terence C. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundAcute Appendicitis is the most common surgical presentation within Australia. Despite the increasing use of radiological investigations to aid clinical diagnosis, many appendectomies result in a histologically normal appendix. This study examines the histological negative appendicectomy rate (NAR) in a metropolitan hospital and determine factors associated with a negative appendicectomy (NA).MethodsPatients who underwent emergency appendicectomy for suspected acute appendicitis at Logan Hospital, Australia, between February 2016 and March 2019 inclusive were included. Clinicopathologic and imaging variables were analysed for associations with NA.ResultsA total of 1241 patients underwent emergency appendicectomy of which 121 patients (9.8%) had a NA. The NAR for clinical diagnosis alone (no imaging) was 9.9%, 14.5% for ultrasonography alone and computed tomography scan alone was 4.9%. Univariate analysis revealed age <27 years (P < 0.001), absence of hypertension (P = 0.008), symptoms >48 hours (P < 0.001), absence of leucocytosis (P < 0.001), undergoing ultrasonography only (P < 0.001), undergoing computed tomography scan only (P < 0.001), macroscopically normal appendix (P < 0.001) and time to operation >24 hours (P < 0.001) were associated with NA. Multivariate analysis identified symptoms >48 h at presentation (odds ratio (OR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–3.24; P = 0.007), absence of leucocytosis (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.52–3.81; P < 0.001) and macroscopically normal appendix (OR 5.70, 95% CI 3.49–9.33; P < 0.001) to be associated with a NA.ConclusionThe NAR reported is lowest in an Australian institution. The identified predictors of NA will be useful in identifying patients who would truly benefit from an appendicectomy versus those would have a higher rate of NA who may be suitable to be treated non‐operatively to be spared the unnecessary morbidity of surgery.
Short Message Service reminders reduce outpatient colonoscopy nonattendance rate: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Lam Thomas Y T , Hui Aric J , Sia Felix , Wong Mei Y , Lee Casper C P , Chung Ka W , Lau James Y W , Wu Peter I , Sung Joseph J Y 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackground and AimNonattendance of outpatient colonoscopy leads to inefficient use of health‐care resources. We aimed to study the effectiveness of using Short Message Service (SMS) reminder prior in patients scheduled for outpatient colonoscopy on their nonattendance rate.MethodsPatients who scheduled for an outpatient colonoscopy and had access of SMS were recruited from three clinics in Hong Kong. Patients were randomized to SMS group and standard care (SC) group. All patients were given a written appointment slip on the booking date. In addition, patients in the SMS group received an SMS reminder 7–10 days before their colonoscopy appointment. Patients' demographics, attendance, colonoscopy completion, and bowel preparation quality were recorded. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of nonattendance.ResultsFrom November 2013 to October 2019, a total of 2225 eligible patients were recruited. A total of 1079 patients were allocated to the SMS group and 1146 to the SC group. The nonattendance rate of patients in the SMS group was significantly lower than that in the SC group (8.9% vs 11.9%, P = 0.022). There were no significant differences in their baseline characteristics and colonoscopy completion rate and bowel preparation quality. A trend towards a higher rate of adequate bowel preparation was observed in the SMS group when compared with the SC group (69.9% vs 65.8%, P = 0.053). Independent predictors for nonattendance included younger age, underprivilege, and existing diabetes.ConclusionsAn SMS reminder for outpatient colonoscopy is effective in reducing the nonattendance rate and may potentially improve the bowel preparation quality.
New insights on brain‐derived neurotrophic factor epigenetics: from depression to memory extinction
Authors: Poon Chi Him , Heng Boon Chin , Lim Lee Wei 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAdvances in characterizing molecular profiles provide valuable insights and opportunities for deciphering the neuropathology of depression. Although abnormal brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in depression has gained much support from preclinical and clinical research, how it mediates behavioral alterations in the depressed state remains largely obscure. Environmental factors contribute significantly to the onset of depression and produce robust epigenetic changes. Epigenetic regulation of BDNF, as one of the most characterized gene loci in epigenetics, has recently emerged as a target in research on memory and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, epigenetic alterations of BDNF exons are heavily involved in mediating memory functions and antidepressant effects. In this review, we discuss key research on stress‐induced depression from both preclinical and clinical studies, which revealed that differential epigenetic regulation of specific BDNF exons is associated with depression pathophysiology. Considering that BDNF has a central role in depression, we argue that memory extinction, an adaptive response to fear exposure, is dependent on BDNF modulation and holds promise as a prospective target for alleviating or treating depression and anxiety disorders.
Extraesophageal syndrome of gastroesophageal reflux: relationships with lung disease and transplantation outcome
Authors: Chan Walter W. , Ahuja Nitin , Fisichella P. Marco , Gavini Sravanya , Rangan Vikram , Vela Marcelo F. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is prevalent and may be associated with both esophageal and extraesophageal syndromes, which include various pulmonary conditions. GERD may lead to pulmonary complications through the “reflux” (aspiration) or “reflex” (refluxate‐triggered, vagally mediated airway spasm) mechanisms. While GERD may cause or worsen pulmonary disorders, changes in respiratory mechanics due to lung disease may also increase reflux. Typical esophageal symptoms are frequently absent and objective assessment with reflux monitoring is often needed for diagnosis. Impedance monitoring should be considered in addition to traditional pH study due to the involvement of both acidic and weakly acidic/nonacidic reflux. Antireflux therapy may improve outcomes of some pulmonary complications of GERD, although careful selection of a candidate is paramount to successful outcomes. Further research is needed to identify the optimal testing strategy and patient phenotypes that would benefit from antireflux therapy to improve pulmonary outcomes.