bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
On the relation between purchasing manager’s index and trade policy uncertainty: evidence from China, Japan and the USA
Authors: Shaikh Imlak 
Published: February 2021

Purpose
Trade uncertainty does influence the firm’s new investment, profitability and supply chain finance. Consequently, it results in decreased consumption and low consumer confidence and eventually disrupts global economic activity. This paper aims to propose a model to uncover the effects of trade policy uncertainty (TPU) on the real economic activity and economy’s health measured in terms of the purchasing manager’s index (PMI).

Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the PMI, trade policy uncertainty index, economic policy uncertainty index and short-term interest rate. The relation between economic activity and uncertainty was studied using nested regression and vector autoregressive model.

Findings
The empirical results show that PMI of China and Japan were more responsive to the TPU of the USA and remained more fluctuating during the year 2018–2019. Importantly, this paper notices that the US’s PMI reached a low historically subject to its own trade policy and tension with China. Overall, TPU has shown more pronounced effects on PMI across China, Japan and the USA, followed by important economic and political events and major trade tariff uncertainty deals.

Practical implications
The empirical outcome holds some practical implications trade uncertainty affects not only the economic health of the economy but also market participants, global investors and international political environment, recent trade barriers, tariff wars and ambiguity raise question about free and fair global trade and competitiveness of the member country of the world trade organization.

Originality/value
The work is a novel that attempts to explain economic activity and supply chain through PMI. Unlike conventional economic indicators, e.g. gross domestic product, producer price index, consumer price index, employment, etc. PMI measures manufacturing industries’ overall status concerning the number of orders, inventory levels, productions, supplier deliveries and employment.
CEO gender, power and bank performance: evidence from Chinese banks
Authors: Ting Hsiu-I 
Published: February 2021

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the relations between CEO gender, power and bank performance. First, this study examines the relation between CEO gender and power. Do female CEOs possess less power than male CEOs? As women reach the top, do they hold similar or even higher levels of power as men? Second, this study investigates the relation between the CEO gender and bank performance. How do female CEOs perform? Is the relation between gender and performance subject to CEO power?Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the following three performance measures: ROA, pre-tax ROA and pre-provision profit over assets. This study follows Finkelstein’s (1992) classifications and adopt five variables to measure the four dimensions of CEO power: duality and compensation share measure structural power; ownership captures ownership power; number of functional areas measures the power of expertise; and elite education captures prestige power. Logit model, ordinary least squares regression and quantile regression methods are used in the analysis.FindingsIn a sample of Chinese banks, female CEOs are found to have similar power and performance as male CEOs. As women reach the top, they hold higher ownership and greater prestige power than men. Female CEOs even outperform male CEOs in non-state dominated banks. Female CEOs show their impact through their power: those with higher compensation shares or greater power are positively related to bank performance.Originality/valueOverall, the results show that as women reach the top, they hold a higher level of power than men. As females break through the glass ceiling, they perform better than males. Moreover, female CEOs show their impact through their power. Female CEOs who overcome the barriers are less traditional and more self-directed than their peers.
Assessing the role of managerial feedback in changing routines in small and medium enterprises
Authors: Blakçori Feim , Aroles Jeremy 
Published: February 2021

PurposeIn an ever-complexifying business context, organizations need to continuously adapt, adjust and change their routines in order to remain competitive. Drawing upon a qualitative study focusing on three Southeastern European countries (Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia), this paper explores the role played by managerial feedback on routine change within small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw from an in-depth qualitative study of six manufacturing SMEs located in three Southeastern European countries: Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. The process of data collection, which spanned over a period of fifteen months, was centred around both interviews and observations.FindingsThe authors argue that feedback is a powerful and constructive managerial practice that sets to initiate changes in routines through three different means: (1) making sense of the changes required (by channelling information), (2) rationalizing the decision for changing the unproductive routines and (3) reviewing the process of change through the legitimization of situational routines. In addition to this, the authors found that managers perceive that routines need to change for four main reasons: inability to meet targets (e.g. performance); too cumbersome to deal with complex environments; inflexibility and failing to provide control; obsolete in terms of providing a sense of confidence.Practical implicationsThis research provides evidence that feedback is an important managerial means of changing routines in informal, less bureaucratic and less formalized workplaces such as SMEs. Managers might embrace deformalized approaches to feedback when dealing with routines in SMEs. Working within a very sensitive structure where the majority of changes on routines need to be operationalized through their hands, managers and practitioners should deploy feedback in order to highlight the importance of routines as sources of guiding actions, activities and operations occurring in SMEs that create better internal challenges and processes.Originality/valueThe authors’ research suggests that routines are subject of change in dynamic and turbulent situations. Perceiving routines as antithetical to change fails to capture the distinctive features of change such as its fluidity, open-endedness, and inseparability. Likewise, the authors claim that routines are socially constructed organizational phenomena that can be modulated in different ways in SMEs.
Impact of the liability of foreignness, domicile of incorporation and an institutional change on reverse merger firms’ capital-raising performance
Authors: Shin Ho Wook , Lee Seung-Hyun (Sean) , Lee Min-Jung 
Published: February 2021

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how the liability of foreignness (LOF), choice of incorporation and an institutional change independently and jointly affect a reverse merger (RM) firm’s capital-raising performance.

Design/methodology/approach
The study draws on the data of shell reverse merger transactions in the USA from 2007 to 2016.

Findings
This paper finds that LOF and the choice of incorporation as a signal have a significant effect on RM firms’ capital-raising performance. In addition, this study finds that the effectiveness of the signaling can be affected by LOF. Finally, this paper finds that an institutional change that lowers the entry barrier to the initial public offering (which is a superior alternate to an RM) affects the impacts of LOF and signaling on RM firms’ capital-raising performance.

Originality/value
The study contributes to the international business literature by examining the RM (which has been an under-researched topic in the literature) by drawing on the LOF framework. The study finds that LOF and the choice of state for incorporation affect RM firms’ capital-raising performance; moreover, these relationships are affected by an institutional change.
Delayed blockage of prostaglandin EP4 receptors can reduce dedifferentiation, epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and fibrosis following acute kidney injury
Authors: Abouelkheir Mohamed , Shabaan Dalia A. , Shahien Mohamed Awad 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDedifferentiation of tubular epithelial cells is involved in both regeneration and fibrosis following acute kidney injury (AKI). Prostaglandin E2 receptor 4 (EP4) antagonist can inhibit the dedifferentiation of renal tubular cells. The present study investigated whether the time of blockage of EP4 receptors, using grapiprant, could affect the tubular regeneration or interstitial fibrosis in AKI. Cisplatin was used to induce AKI in 72 C57BL/6 adult female mice. Animals were assigned to four groups; control, cisplatin‐treated, cisplatin‐treated with early grapiprant intervention and cisplatin‐treated with late grapiprant intervention. AKI was assessed by kidney function tests and histopathology. Fibrosis was evaluated by Masson’s trichrome and alpha smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression. Markers of dedifferentiation, CD133, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), vimentin were assessed. Early intervention with grapiprant significantly ameliorated AKI more efficiently than late intervention. However, even late intervention was useful in reducing the overall fibrosis as demonstrated by Masson’s trichrome and α‐SMA expression. In both grapiprant‐treated groups, a parallel reduction of dedifferentiation (CD133) and EMT (vimentin) was evident. It seems that the progressive fibrotic changes that follow AKI could still be reduced possibly by targeting dedifferentiation and/or EMT.
A social network analysis of the structure and evolution of intra‐African trade
Authors: Zhang Qiaowen , Batinge Benjamin 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe used social network analysis to examine the country attributes and patterns of intra‐African trade between 2002 and 2017. The results showed that, generally, trade networks in Africa have become denser, and have the characteristics of the core‐periphery structure and small world phenomenon. Trade imbalances are widely found among African countries with the evidence that structure holes exist in intra‐African trade networks highlighted by the motif detectors. Using Quadratic Assignment Procedure, we found that countries that possess closer economic, geographic and cultural distance, but longer institutional distance, are more likely to form trade networks. However, many countries and the regional economic communities on the continent, have not adequately manifested these favourable characteristics for enhancing intra‐African trade. The implications are proposed that countries should develop their strategies, expedite structural adjustment, and foster competitive industries to cope with the external competition and seize opportunities of regional integration brought by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. It is also critical to efficiently address the overlapping problems of regional economic communities and intensify their coordination with AfCFTA.
Why Firm's Reactive Eco‐innovation May Lead to Consumers’ Boycott
Authors: Liao Zhongju , Liu Yan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractFirms that have implemented eco‐innovation are facing negative responses in the form of consumer boycotts. The intrinsic mechanism behind this phenomenon is worth studying. Based on psychological contract violation theory and attribution theory, and using psychological contract violation as the mediator variable and environmental concern as the moderator variable, this study constructs a relational model to explain why and how reactive eco‐innovation leads to consumer boycotts. The results indicate that firms’ reactive eco‐innovation positively correlates with consumers’ propensity to boycott consumer goods; reactive eco‐innovation can trigger consumers’ boycott willingness through psychological contract violation, and consumer environmental concerns reduce the impact of psychological contract violation on consumer boycotts.
The influence of the inclusion of visually impaired pupils on teachers’ conceptualisations of inclusion and SEND
Authors: Martin Clare 
Published: February 2021

Despite progression in policy towards greater inclusion over the last four decades, teacher insecurities regarding a lack of expertise in special educational needs and disability (SEND) remain. This qualitative case study research investigated the influence of the inclusion of visually impaired pupils on teachers’ conceptualisations of inclusion and SEND. Baseline and end‐of‐study surveys were undertaken with teachers (n = 13) and support staff (n = 8) who would be working with a visually impaired pupil for the first time. Classroom observations and end‐of‐study interviews were undertaken with teachers in Key Stage 2 (n = 2) and Key Stage 3 (n = 5). Addressing VI inclusion did not require significant acquisition of specialist knowledge but could be managed successfully through ongoing, small‐scale changes. These changes were sufficient to trigger reflection on the choice of pedagogical approaches and challenge teachers’ conceptions of inclusion through changed knowledge and understandings of how some children learn. Findings support the view that what constitutes special in addressing SEND is less a need for specific pedagogical strategies but rather teacher capacity for reflection and reappraisal such that they deepen their understanding of inclusive practice.
It all starts at home: ‘Home reading environment and reading outcomes in rural China’
Authors: Gao Qiufeng , Zhang Yang , Nie Wei , Liu Han , Wang Huan , Shi Yaojiang 
Published: February 2021

BackgroundThe educational resources that parents provide at home are crucial to their children's development. In this study, we focused on home reading environment, a key contributor to success rates regarding the mastery of reading skills. We aimed to investigate students' home reading environments and examine its effect on the reading development of primary school students in rural China.MethodsWe draw on a dataset composed of 10,740 randomly selected primary school students and their households in rural areas of Jiangxi province in China. Surveys were administered by trained enumerators in May 2015.ResultsThe results show that students exhibited quite poor reading environments and reading outcomes. Specifically, we found the majority of the rural students lacked reading and learning resources in the context of their families and their parents did not enjoy reading or support their children's reading. Moreover, our regression analysis documented students with poorer home reading environments are more likely to have worse reading performance.ConclusionOur study supports the significance of the home reading environment in the reading development of students in the upper elementary grades in rural China. Furthermore, the results suggest that the home reading environments of rural Chinese students must be improved.
Evaluation of an augmented emergency department electronic medical record‐based sepsis alert
Authors: Shetty Amith , Murphy Margaret , Middleton‐Rennie Catriona , Lancuba Angelo , Green Malcolm , Lander Harvey , Fullick Mary , Li Ling , Iredell Jonathan , Gunja Naren 
Published: February 2021

AbstractObjectiveElectronic medical records‐based alerts have shown mixed results in identifying ED sepsis. Augmenting clinical patient‐flagging with automated alert systems may improve sepsis screening. We evaluate the performance of a hybrid alert to identify patients in ED with sepsis or in‐hospital secondary outcomes from infection.MethodsWe extracted a dataset of all patients with sepsis during the study period at five participating Western Sydney EDs. We evaluated the hybrid alert's performance for identifying patients with a discharge diagnosis related to infection and modified sequential sepsis‐related organ functional assessment (mSOFA) score ≥2 in ED and also compared the alert to rapid bedside screening tools to identify patients with infection for secondary outcomes of all‐cause in‐hospital death and/or intensive care unit admission.ResultsA total of 118 178 adult patients presented to participating EDs during study period with 1546 patients meeting ED sepsis criteria. The hybrid alert had a sensitivity – 71.2% (95% confidence interval 68.8–73.4), specificity – 96.4% (95% confidence interval 96.3–96.5) for identifying ED sepsis. Clinician flagging identified additional alert‐negative 232 ED sepsis and 63 patients with secondary outcomes and 112 alert‐positive patients with infection and ED mSOFA score <2 went on to die in hospital.ConclusionThe hybrid alert performed modestly in identifying ED sepsis and secondary outcomes from infection. Not all infected patients with a secondary outcome were identified by the alert or mSOFA score ≥2 threshold. Augmenting clinical practice with auto‐alerts rather than pure automation should be considered as a potential for sepsis alerting until more reliable algorithms are available for safe use in clinical practice.
Pathological complete response after neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma does not equal cure
Authors: Zhou Yanming , Liao Shan , You Jun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundThere is a scarcity of data about patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who received neoadjuvant therapy before radical resection and achieved a pathological complete response (pCR). The aim of this study was to describe the recurrence and survival in this subset of patients.MethodsThe Embase, Web of Science and PubMed databases were systematically searched for eligible studies published between January 2000 and August 2020. Clinicopathological data of individual patients with pCR after neoadjuvant therapy for PDAC were extracted, pooled and analysed.ResultsA total of 87 patients were subject to analysis. The majority of patients were female (61.5%) with a median age of 64 (range 43–75) years. Among reported, 41.9% of patients received gemcitabine‐based neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 33.7% received FOLFIRINOX (5‐fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, irinotecan and leucovorin)‐based regimen and 24.4% received fluoropyrimidine drugs‐based regimen. Preoperative radiation was administered to 78.8% of the patients. Twenty‐nine (33.3%) patients developed disease recurrence during a median follow‐up period of 22.4 (range 2–194) months. The median, 1‐, 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival rates were 105 months, 93.6%, 70.3% and 70.3%, respectively.ConclusionDespite the excellent long‐term outcomes, a pCR does not equal cure because this cohort of patients still has a significant risk of recurrence.
The health belief model predicts vaccination intentions against COVID‐19: A survey experiment approach
Authors: Zampetakis Leonidas A. , Melas Christos 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWith the COVID‐19 pandemic recognized as a major threat to human health is of paramount importance to improve the vaccination uptake of the future COVID‐19 vaccine. The study extended the health belief model (HBM) using insights from trait theory and events systems theory, to examine the role of beliefs in predicting intentions to be vaccinated against COVID‐19, when a vaccine becomes available. Employees from Greece (N = 1006) participated from October 1 to November 5, 2020, in an anonymous online factorial survey experiment. Measures of dispositional optimism, faith in intuition, risk‐taking propensity, and acquiring resources mindset were included as individual difference variables. Multilevel modeling techniques were used for data analyses. Components of HBM had significant effects on intentions to vaccinate. Two‐way interactions between severity and susceptibility beliefs and three‐way interaction among perceived severity, susceptibility, and perceived benefits were detected. In line with the events systems theory, a critical event moderated beliefs' effects on intention to vaccinate. Acquiring resources mindset emerged as important individual difference that positively related to intentions. The model explained 59 per cent of the variance in vaccination intentions. The study highlighted interaction effects among the HBM components and how critical events may moderate belief effects.
Subcutaneous adipose tissue composition and function are unaffected by liraglutide‐induced weight loss in adults with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Wegeberg Anne‐Marie , Meldgaard Theresa , Bæk Amanda , Drewes Asbjørn Mohr , Vyberg Mogens , Jessen Niels , Brock Birgitte , Brock Christina 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAdipose tissue is the primary energy reservoir of the human body, which also possesses endocrine functions. The glucagon‐like peptide agonist liraglutide produces weight loss, although the specific effects on adipose tissue are unknown. We aimed to characterize the white adipose tissue composition and pericellular fibrosis of subcutaneous adipose tissue in response to liraglutide treatment. Furthermore, we explored the level of circulating free fatty acids, cluster of differentiation 163 (CD163) macrophage marker, leptin and adiponectin. Thirty‐nine adults with type 1 diabetes and polyneuropathy were randomly assigned to 26 weeks of liraglutide or placebo treatment. Biopsies of subcutaneous tissue were formalin‐fixed stained with picrosirius red to visualize collagen or immunohistochemically stained for CD163. Serum concentrations of free fatty acids, CD163, leptin and adiponectin were assessed with immunoassays or multiplex panels. In comparison with placebo, liraglutide induced weight loss (3.38 kg, 95% CI −5.29; −1.48, P < 0.001), but did not cause any differences in cell size, distribution of CD163‐positive cells, pericellular fibrosis and serum levels of free fatty acids, CD163, leptin or adiponectin (all P < 0.1). Additionally, no associations between weight loss, cell size and serum markers were found (all P > 0.08). In conclusion, despite liraglutide's effect on weight loss, sustained alterations in subcutaneous adipose tissue did not seem to appear.
Bilateral transcranial magnetic stimulation of the supplementary motor area in children with Tourette syndrome
Authors: Kahl Cynthia K , Kirton Adam , Pringsheim Tamara , Croarkin Paul E , Zewdie Ephrem , Swansburg Rose , Wrightson James , Langevin Lisa Marie , Macmaster Frank P 
Published: February 2021

AimTo explore the feasibility and possible effects of low‐frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) delivered to the supplementary motor area (SMA) on tic severity and motor system neurophysiology in children with Tourette syndrome.MethodTen children with Tourette syndrome (eight males, two females; 9–15y) participated in this open‐label, phase 1 clinical trial. Treatment consisted of 1800 low‐frequency (1Hz) neuronavigated robotic rTMS (100% resting motor threshold) to the SMA, bilaterally for 15 sessions. The primary outcome was a change in Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) total score from baseline to posttreatment. Secondary outcome measures included changes in magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite concentrations, TMS neurophysiology measures, TMS motor maps, and clinical assessments (anxiety, depression) from baseline to the end of treatment.ResultsThe YGTSS score decreased from baseline after treatment (p<0.001; Cohen's d=2.9). All procedures were well‐tolerated.InterpretationRobot‐driven, neuronavigated bilateral rTMS of the SMA is feasible in children with Tourette syndrome and appears to reduce tic severity.
What this paper adds

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is feasible to use in children with Tourette syndrome.

rTMS is tolerated by children with Tourette syndrome.

Precise targeting of the supplementary motor area using functional magnetic resonance imaging is also feasible in these children.