bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the social impact of an online course on the clinical management of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A qualitative study
Authors: Carrion Carme , Aymerich Marta , Arroyo Liliana , Ruiz-Postigo José A 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundIn conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has implemented training in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) for health professionals in countries where the condition is highly endemic through an interactive on-line course. With three editions of the course successfully completed, we consider assessment of the course’s social impact through analysis of the outcomes beyond knowledge acquisition to be of paramount importance.Methodology/Principal findingsTo this end, we have conducted a study using the Theory of Change theoretical approach, combined with an exploration of students’ experiences through in-depth interviews before, during and after taking the course. These testimonies have been analyzed and classified according to their type of result – outputs, outcomes and longer-term impacts – and distributed along three different levels: individual, collective (meso), and systemic change. Insights about intercultural communication in qualitative research are discussed in relation to the characteristics of UOC researchers and the class composition of faculty and students in the Middle East and North Africa countries (MENA) region.Conclusions/SignificanceThis analysis fills a gap in the knowledge of social impact assessment through the establishment of a new methodological approach. The course has proven to be a valuable source of social capital and provided a space to build a network of professionals with a shared focus on how to treat CL in particular – a community of practice – and increase knowledge of other skin NTDs.Author summaryNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affecting the skin (Buruli ulcer, cutaneous leishmaniasis, post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, onchocerciasis, scabies and yaws) cause considerable disability, increase stigma and exacerbate poverty. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most neglected NTDs. It has an estimated incidence of between 900,000 and 1.3 million new cases worldwide each year. A co-venture between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has developed an on-line interactive course entitled “Clinical management of CL” to provide health personnel with thorough and up-to-date information on the various aspects of CL. Using a new methodological approach, we have conducted a social impact assessment of this training program in order to identify the different type and level of results. The most significant impact has been the mobilizing of students and professors from the different editions of the course in a community of practice, thereby enhancing learning, knowledge sharing and effectivity.
Determinants of FtsZ C-terminal linker-dependent regulation of cell wall metabolism in Caulobacter crescentus
Authors: Sundararajan Kousik , Barrows Jordan M. , Goley Erin D. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBacterial cell division requires assembly of a multi-protein machinery or “divisome” that remodels the cell envelope to cause constriction. The cytoskeletal protein FtsZ forms a ring-like scaffold for the divisome at the incipient division site. FtsZ has three major regions – a conserved, polymerizing GTPase domain; a C-terminal conserved (CTC) peptide required for binding membrane-anchoring proteins; and a C-terminal linker (CTL) of poor length and sequence conservation. We previously demonstrated that, in Caulobacter crescentus, the CTL regulates FtsZ polymerization in vitro and cell wall metabolism in vivo. To understand the mechanism of CTL-dependent regulation of cell wall metabolism, here we investigated the impact of the CTL on Z-ring structure in cells and employed genetics to identify molecular determinants of the dominant lethal effects of ΔCTL. Deleting the CTL specifically resulted in formation of dense, asymmetric, non-ring FtsZ assemblies in vivo. Moreover, we observed that production of an FtsZ variant with the GTPase domain of Escherichia coli FtsZ fused to the CTC of C. crescentus FtsZ phenocopied the effects of C. crescentus ΔCTL, suggesting the CTC mediates signaling to cell wall metabolism. Finally, whereas overproduction of ZapA, FzlC, or FtsEX had slight protective effects against ΔCTL, depletion of FtsA partially suppressed the effects of ΔCTL. From these results, we propose that the cell wall misregulation downstream of ΔCTL results from its aberrant assembly properties and is propagated through the interaction between the CTC of FtsZ and FtsA. Our study provides mechanistic insights into CTL-dependent regulation of cell wall enzymes downstream of FtsZ.ImportanceBacterial cell division is essential and requires the recruitment and regulation of a complex network of proteins needed to initiate and guide constriction and cytokinesis. FtsZ serves as a master regulator for this process, and its function is highly dependent on both its self-assembly into a canonical “Z-ring” and interaction with protein binding partners, which results in the activation of enzymes that remodel the cell wall to drive constriction. Using mutants of FtsZ and its binding partners, we have established the role of its C-terminal linker domain in regulating Z-ring organization, as well as the requirement for its C-terminal conserved peptide and interaction with the membrane-anchoring protein FtsA for regulating cell wall remodeling for constriction.
Differentiated Cournot duopoly game with fractional-order and its discretization
Authors: Al-khedhairi A. 
Published: May 2019

PurposeFractional calculus provides powerful tool to build more realistic and accurate mathematical models in economic field. This paper aims to explore a proposed fractional-order differentiated Cournot duopoly game and its discretized game.Design/methodology/approachConditions for existence and uniqueness of the proposed game’s solution are derived. The existence of Nash equilibrium point and its local and global stability are obtained. Furthermore, local stability analysis of the discretized game is investigated. The effects of fractional-order on game’s dynamics are examined, along with other parameters of the game, via the 2D bifurcation diagrams in planes of system’s parameters are acquired.FindingsTheoretical and numerical simulation results demonstrate rich variety of interesting dynamical behaviors such as period-doubling and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations, attractors’ crises in addition to chaotic attractors. The results demonstrated that the stability Nash equilibrium point of the game can be lost by period doubling or Neimark–Sacker bifurcations.Practical implicationsOligopoly games are pivotal in the mathematical modeling of some substantial economic areas such as industrial organization, airline, banking, telecommunication companies, international trade and also macroeconomic analysis of business cycles, innovation and growth.Originality/valueAlthough the Cournot game and its variants have attracted great interest among mathematicians and economists since the time of its proposition till present, memory effects in continuous-time and discrete-time Cournot duopoly game have not been addressed yet. To the best of author’s knowledge, this can be considered as the first attempt to investigate this problem of fractional-order differentiated Cournot duopoly game. In addition, studying more realistic models of Cournot oligopoly games plays a pivotal role in the mathematical investigation and better understanding of some substantial economic areas such as industrial organization, airline, banking, telecommunication companies, international trade and also in macroeconomic analysis of business cycles, innovation and growth.
Crime and social media
Authors: Asongu Simplice , Nwachukwu Jacinta , Orim Stella-Maris , Pyke Chris 
Published: May 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to complement the scant macroeconomic literature on the development outcomes of social media by examining the relationship between Facebook penetration and violent crime levels in a cross-section of 148 countries for the year 2012.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical evidence is based on ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and quantile regressions. In order to respond to policy concerns on the limited evidence on the consequences of social media in developing countries, the data set is disaggregated into regions and income levels. The decomposition by income levels included: low income, lower middle income, upper middle income and high income. The corresponding regions include: Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.FindingsFrom OLS and Tobit regressions, there is a negative relationship between Facebook penetration and crime. However, quantile regressions reveal that the established negative relationship is noticeable exclusively in the 90th crime quantile. Further, when the data set is decomposed into regions and income levels, the negative relationship is evident in the MENA while a positive relationship is confirmed for Sub-Saharan Africa. Policy implications are discussed.Originality/valueStudies on the development outcomes of social media are sparse because of a lack of reliable macroeconomic data on social media. This study primarily complemented three existing studies that have leveraged on a newly available data set on Facebook.
How does business-IT strategic alignment dimension impact on organizational performance measures
Authors: Ilmudeen Aboobucker , Bao Yukun , Alharbi Ibraheem Mubarak 
Published: May 2019

Purpose
Despite the conceptual, empirical and theoretical advances in alignment–performance relationship, there is a limited research on the alignment dimensions and organizational performance measures. Though strategic alignment is believed to improve organizational performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop conjectures for understanding how different alignment dimensions influence organizational performance measures.

Design/methodology/approach
The data were acquired from 161 senior IT and business managers paired responses in China and were analyzed by using a structural equation modeling technique.

Findings
The hypothesized relationships are largely supported. Thus, quality-oriented strategic alignment dimension has a significant relationship with all performance measures. Contrary to expectations, both product and marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimensions do not show a significant impact on financial return. The marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimension also has an insignificant relationship with operational excellence.

Practical implications
This study suggests that the business–IT alignment can be dimensioned to better combine business strategy and IT strategy. Hence, managers can focus specific alignment dimension instead of entire strategies of a firm for a better decision making.

Originality/value
Findings suggest guidance for formulating combined business and IT strategic alignment into dimensions and proposing insightful and practical implications.
Factors influencing consumers’ adoption of Islamic mobile banking services in Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Thas Thaker Mohamed Asmy Bin , Allah Pitchay Anwar Bin , Mohd Thas Thaker Hassanudin Bin , Amin Md Fouad Bin 
Published: May 2019

PurposeThis paper aims to test the factors that can influence the adoption of Islamic mobile banking services among the current users in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 250 current users of Islamic mobile banking services provided opinions about their intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services. Later, the data are analysed using partial least squares approach.FindingsPerceived usefulness and risk are the factors that influence the intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking services among the existing users.Research limitations/implicationsThere are some limitations of the current study. The sample size and area of study becomes the obvious limitations. Thus, there is a need for caution in the interpretation of the results and the conclusion cannot be as generalised. Besides, the use of current factors might limit the ability to explore other potentially important determinants of the users. Thus, future research can be conducted by incorporating new factors and provide new insights for Islamic mobile banking services. In addition, the sample is biased towards people who are currently using mobile banking services.Practical implicationsBy understanding these factors among the customers, it would help the industry player, particularly Islamic financial institutions to plan and strategise appropriate policies and support necessary programme on diversifying and promoting financial transaction using mobile banking services among their existing and potential customers.Originality/valueThis paper offers an additional literature on Islamic mobile banking, especially from the Malaysian context. There is a lack of study that focusses on Islamic mobile banking services. The paper is considered to be the first attempt to examine factors that influence Malaysian Islamic banking customers to adopt Islamic mobile banking services, which is not often considered in previous studies.
Contingent use of rational, intuitive and political decision-making in R&D
Authors: Kolbe Linn Marie , Bossink Bart , de Man Ard-Pieter 
Published: May 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the contingent use of rational, intuitive and political decision-making in R&D.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on a study in an R&D department of a multinational high-tech firm in the Netherlands. The study consists of a case study design, focusing on four embedded cases, longitudinally studying each case.FindingsThe literature distinguishes three dimensions of innovation decision-making processes: rational, intuitive and political. By studying these interwoven dimensions over time, this study finds that the dominant use of each of these dimensions differs across the innovation process. There is an emphasis on intuitive decision-making in an early phase, followed by more emphasis on political decision-making, and moving to more emphasis on rational decision-making in a later phase of the R&D process. Furthermore, the predominant choice in a specific innovation phase for one of the three decision-making dimensions is influenced by the decision-making dimension that is dominantly employed in the preceding phase.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the innovation decision-making literature by developing and applying a model that distinguishes rational, intuitive and political decision-making dimensions, the interactions among these dimensions in innovation decision-making in R&D, and the contingency of these dimensions upon the innovation phase. It calls for further research into the contingent nature of innovation decision-making processes.Practical implicationsFor practitioners this study has two relevant insights. First it highlights the importance and usefulness of intuitive and political decision-making in addition to the prevailing emphasis on rational decision-making. Second, practitioners may be more alert to consciously changing their dominant decision-making approach across the phases of the innovation process. Third, companies may adjust their human resource policies to this study’s findings.Originality/valueThe literature on rational, intuitive and political decision-making is quite extensive. However, research has hardly studied how these decision-making dimensions develop in conjunction, and over time. This paper reports on a first study to do so and finds that the dominant use of these dimensions is contingent upon the phase of the R&D process and on the decision-making dimensions used in earlier phases. The study suggests that using a contingency approach can help to further integrate the debate in research and practice.
Lean Six Sigma in healthcare
Authors: Improta Giovanni , Balato Giovanni , Ricciardi Carlo , Russo Mario Alessandro , Santalucia Ida , Triassi Maria , Cesarelli Mario 
Published: May 2019

PurposeSince healthcare spending accounts for approximately 6.6 per cent of the gross domestic product, reducing waste in health facilities is necessary to generate significant cost savings. After previous work concerning the application of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) to hip surgery, the purpose of this paper is to use LSS as the correct methodology to analyse a clinical pathway. Fast track surgery was introduced to the Complex Operative Unit of Orthopaedic and Traumatology of the University Hospital “Federico II” to improve quality and further reduce costs associated with prosthetic hip replacement surgery.Design/methodology/approachThe DMAIC (Define, measure, analyse, improve, control) roadmap was used as the typical problem-solving approach of the LSS methodology. A rigorous process of defining, measuring, analysing, improving and controlling business problems can be used to reach fixed goals. The paper was written following the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRES Guidelines).FindingsIn this work, the authors found that multiple variables could influence the length of hospital stay (LOS) for inpatient treatment, thereby increasing patient management costs due to longer periods of hospitalisation. Therefore, LSS analysis of the implemented corrective actions demonstrated the efficacy and efficiency of the novel protocol. The average LOS was reduced from 10.66 to 7.8 days (−26.8 per cent).Originality/valueThe introduction of fast track surgery was validated through a rigorous LSS analysis, which demonstrated that the new protocol benefitted both patients and the hospital.
Modeling Price Volatility Based on a Genetic Programming Approach
Authors: Ding Shusheng , Zhang Yongmin , Duygun Meryem 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBusiness profitability is highly dependent on risk management strategies to hedge future cash flow uncertainty. Commodity price shocks and fluctuations are key risks for companies with global supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to show how artificial intelligence (AI) techniques can be used to model the volatility of commodity prices. More specifically, the authors introduce a new model – LIQ‐GARCH – that uses genetic programming to forecast volatility. The newly generated model is then used to forecast the volatility of the following three indexes: the Commodity Research Bureau (CRB) index, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil futures prices and the Baltic Dry Index (BDI). The empirical model performance tests show that the newly generated model in this paper is considerably more accurate than the traditional GARCH model. As a result, this model can help businesses to design optimal risk management strategies and to hedge themselves against price uncertainty.
The effects of populism as a social identity frame on persuasion and mobilisation: Evidence from a 15‐country experiment
Authors: BOS LINDA , SCHEMER CHRISTIAN , CORBU NICOLETA , HAMELEERS MICHAEL , ANDREADIS IOANNIS , SCHULZ ANNE , SCHMUCK DESIRÉE , REINEMANN CARSTEN , FAWZI NAYLA 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis article investigates the impact of populist messages on issue agreement and readiness for action in 15 countries (N = 7,286). Specifically, populist communicators rely on persuasive strategies by which social group cues become more salient and affect people's judgment of and political engagement with political issues. This strategy is called ‘populist identity framing’ because the ordinary people as the in‐group is portrayed as being threatened by various out‐groups. By blaming political elites for societal or economic problems harming ordinary people, populist communicators engage in anti‐elitist identity framing. Another strategy is to blame immigrants for social problems – that is, exclusionist identity framing. Finally, right‐wing political actors combine both cues and depict an even more threatening situation of the ordinary people as the in‐group. Based on social identity theory, an experimental study in 15 European countries shows that most notably the anti‐elitist identity frame has the potential to persuade voters. Additionally, relative deprivation makes recipients more susceptible to the mobilising impact of the populist identity frames.
Complex Coacervation Between Gelatin and Chia Mucilage as an Alternative of Encapsulating Agents
Authors: Hernández‐Nava Ruth , López‐Malo Aurelio , Palou Enrique , Ramírez‐Corona Nelly , Jiménez‐Munguía María Teresa 
Published: May 2019

AbstractComplex coacervation between gelatin type B (GE) and chia mucilage (ChM) was studied. GE‐ChM were mixed at mass ratios of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and 1:2 in a pH range of 1.50 to 5.00, maintaining a total solid concentration of 0.2% (w/w), using turbidity and viscosity tests to obtain the highest yield of complex coacervates. To characterize the complex coacervates, morphology and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were determined. The optimum yield for complex coacervation was achieved with a GE‐ChM mass ratio of 2:1 and pH value of 3.6. The critical pH values associated with the formation of soluble (pHc) and insoluble (pHɸ1) complexes, and complete dissociation (pHɸ2) at the optimum GE‐ChM ratio were found to be 4.50, 4.10, and 2.00, respectively. It was observed that increasing the mass ratio of GE or ChM, the yield of complex coacervates decreased; the higher yields were obtained with the proportions of 2:1 and 1:1 with values of 68.25 ± 0.05% and 61.04 ± 0.05%, respectively. Capsules formed at mass ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1, had the characteristic grape agglomerate shape for complex coacervates. Further characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a spherical shape for capsules. FTIR spectrum of complex coacervates at optimum conditions had a combination of bands corresponding to GE and ChM, suggesting an interaction between GE‐ChM during the formation of complex coacervates. Therefore, complex coacervates between GE‐ChM can be formed, and could be used as an alternative as encapsulating agents to be applied in the food industry.Practical ApplicationComplex coacervation is a technique that is being studied in several applications in the food industry. However, studies are still being made to explore different possibilities of natural sources to be used in complex coacervation. This study showed that the combination of gelatin and chia mucilage may be an alternative as encapsulating agents for complex coacervation to be applied in the food industry.