bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transcending conventional assessment boundaries in conducting learning study
Authors: Ko Po Yuk 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
Assessment for learning (AfL) or formative assessment is an idea widely embraced by the education field; however, it is recognised as difficult to practice at classroom. This paper, with a case study, explores how an action research activity, learning study, helps a group of teachers in Hong Kong transcend some assessment boundaries and develop assessment tools that are more conducive for student’s learning. As guided by variation theory, a distinctive feature of learning study is its intensive use of formative assessment tools, including pre- and post-tests and interviews with students, to provide feedback to teaching and evidence of learning. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how teachers learn to use the formative assessment tools to overcome practical problems in teaching and improve their instruction.

Design/methodology/approach
A case study was conducted. Data collected included field notes on classroom observations, records of meetings, students’ interviews and students’ writings in both pre- and post-tests. The general framework for qualitative data analysis by Miles and Huberman (1994) guided the data analysis process with the foci on the change in teachers’ perceptions and improvement of their skills in adopting formative assessment tools.

Findings
Although the initial aim of conducting learning study was examination-driven, i.e., to improve the students’ performance in an external examination, it became evident over time that teachers participating in the inquiry process had gained a better understanding of making use of the assessment results as feedback to improve student learning and their instruction. This constituted an ideal case for studying the learning process of the teachers as they practiced AfL and transcend some conventional assessment boundaries in an authentic classroom situation.

Originality/value
This is one of the scarce studies, which demonstrates how the assessment elements of learning study, i.e. pre/post tests and student interviews, can be integrated into the working practice of teachers as a form of AfL and become an integral aspect of classroom practice.
Localization of computer-mediated communication and corporate impression on online communities
Authors: Hallier Willi Christine , Nguyen Bang , Melewar T.C. , Gupta Suraksha , Yu Xiaoyu 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of localizing online communities (OCs) and examines how OC members form impressions of organizations that use OCs in their communication activities. A conceptual framework and measurement scale are developed that consist of complex latent constructs.

Design/methodology/approach
A sequential multi-method approach is adopted with both qualitative and quantitative investigations. Using Structural equation modeling, the research refines and validates the measurement scales of impression formation in OCs.

Findings
Findings reveal that comprehensive messages have a direct effect on the impressions that an OC member forms. In particular, social context cues are an important predictor of online community corporate impression (OCCIP). Source credibility, affiliation, characteristics and interpersonal communication are all critical to OCCIP, which in turn, influence members’ attitudes toward the company and the intention to use it again. Surprisingly, relevance, timeliness, accuracy and perceived similarity did not have any significant effect on the corporate impression.

Originality/value
Three contributions are offered: First, the study provides reliable scales for measuring OCCIP. Second, support is given to the conceptual model that links OCCIP to a set of consequences, namely, attitudes toward the company, intention to use the company, and word-of-mouth. Finally, the study is conducted across two different and unique types of OC contexts, stipulating further insights into the localization of OCs.
Wheelchair robot navigation in different weather conditions using deep learning and evolved neural controller
Authors: Khalilullah K.M. Ibrahim , Ota Shunsuke , Yasuda Toshiyuki , Jindai Mitsuru 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
Wheelchair robot navigation in different weather conditions using single camera is still a challenging task. The purpose of this study is to develop an autonomous wheelchair robot navigation method in different weather conditions, with single camera vision to assist physically disabled people.

Design/methodology/approach
A road detection method, called dimensionality reduction deep belief neural network (DRDBNN), is proposed for drivable road detection. Due to the dimensionality reduction ability of the DRDBNN, it detects the drivable road area in a short time for controlling the robot in real-time. A feed-forward neural network is used to control the robot for the boundary following navigation using evolved neural controller (ENC). The robot detects road junction area and navigates throughout the road, except in road junction, using calibrated camera and ENC. In road junction, it takes turning decision using Google Maps data, thus reaching the final destination.

Findings
The developed method is tested on a wheelchair robot in real environments. Navigation in real environments indicates that the wheelchair robot moves safely from source to destination by following road boundary. The navigation performance in different weather conditions of the developed method has been demonstrated by the experiments.

Originality/value
The wheelchair robot can navigate in different weather conditions. The detection process is faster than that of the previous DBNN method. The proposed ENC uses only distance information from the detected road area and controls the robot for boundary following navigation. In addition, it uses Google Maps data for taking turning decision and navigation in road junctions.
Harnessing knowledge of building end-users: identifying knowledge brokers that matter
Authors: Waheed Zehra , Ogunlana Stephen O. 
Published: March 2019

PurposeThis study aims to investigate projects as social exchange networks, focussing on identifying knowledge brokers within the project network where they are key holders and disseminators of end-user needs. The purpose is to augment current theory through a practice lens so that building end-user requirements can be better incorporated in evolving project ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretive, an inductive case study is used to map knowledge brokers during a complex construction and co-location project. During the wider study, a variety of methods including archival data, interviews and questionnaires along with social network analysis (SNA) were used. The mixed methodology used has been pivotal in the triangulation of data from various sources. However, the output of SNA presented in this paper relies mostly on interviews and questionnaires administered to the project’s core network. Network relationships were mapped with knowledge of user requirements, being the key determinant of the binary relationships between actors.FindingsThe research found certain roles to be central knowledge brokers of knowledge related to end-user processes, including real estate and strategic planning, building operations and management, human and environmental factors, planning and project management and facility and service delivery. The knowledge of the above roles, albeit in a contextually situated case study, augments current understanding of which roles to tap on during project execution for better representation of end-user needs.Practical implicationsThe research site is representative of a complex network of construction project stakeholders, including several categories of end-users and their representatives. The study demonstrates the use of the project-as-practice approach, whereby project theory is seen to emerge directly from practice. This has impact on practice as emergent theory about knowledge transfer and knowledge brokerage is essentially practice-led and hence more useful and relate-able to practitioners.Originality/valueResearch presented here is novel in terms of its approach towards understanding end-user needs such as need for privacy, control, attachment and interaction during construction projects. This is done through the identification of relevant knowledge brokers. The study uses SNA as an analytical tool to map knowledge transfers through the project’s network. End-user requirements are usually captured in the front-end of projects as specifications and deliverables, as new challenges emerge during execution, changes are required to the project’s direction and outcomes. It is therefore imperative that end-user needs are re-identified through knowledge brokers holding key knowledge. This allows project managers to prepare appropriate responses to changing project ecosystems.
Investigating antecedents of transformational leadership in students
Authors: Crowne Kerri Anne 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
This study investigates the relationships among cultural intelligence (CQ), personality and transformational leadership in a student population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of CQ on transformational leadership to see if a relationship exists beyond personality.

Design/methodology/approach
Hypotheses are presented and tested on a sample of 465 undergraduate and graduate students who attended a large northeastern US university. Hierarchical regression was used to conduct the analysis, and multiple models were generated to test the relationships posited.

Findings
The data showed that CQ affected transformational leadership; however, when examining the subcomponents of CQ, only behavioral CQ had an impact on transformational leadership beyond personality.

Research limitations/implications
The surveys were self-reported and cross-sectional, so causality could not be determined. Furthermore, the sample, while diverse, was composed of students. However, scholars will find value in this research because it expands the understanding of CQ.

Practical implications
The findings of this research indicate that behavioral CQ impacts transformational-leadership skills. Thus, business educators should consider how to build skills associated with behavioral CQ in students because of the importance of global transformational-leadership skills in the workplace.

Originality/value
This research will impact the literature streams of CQ and transformational leadership because it is the first to examine the relationship between the two while controlling for personality.
Predator–prey role reversal may impair the recovery of declining pike populations
Authors: Nilsson Jonas , Flink Henrik , Tibblin Petter 
Published: March 2019

AbstractMany fish populations have experienced declines in recent decades due to anthropogenic disturbances, such as overfishing and habitat exploitation. Despite management actions, many populations show a limited capacity to recover. This may be attributed to reversal of predator–prey roles, yet empirical evidence to that effect remains scarce.Here, we combine field and laboratory studies to investigate the interaction between pike (Esox lucius), a large keystone top predatory fish, and the small‐bodied mesopredatory threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in the Baltic Sea where pike populations have declined.Our data suggest that stickleback predation on pike larvae depletes a large proportion of the recruitment and influences the size distribution through size‐selective predation, which is corroborated by a gape‐limitation experiment and diet analysis of wild‐captured sticklebacks.The effects of stickleback predation are present across several populations and years, and our data suggest that early arrival of sticklebacks has stronger effects on juvenile pike survival. Finally, we use data on pike gape‐limitation and the size distribution of sticklebacks to illustrate the process of role reversal.These findings suggest that mesopredator behaviour can reduce recruitment of a top predator species and impair the capacity of populations to recover. This emphasizes predator–prey role reversal as an important ecological and evolutionary driver that influences the outcome of restoration and management actions.
Contribution of predation to the biological control of a key herbivorous pest in citrus agroecosystems
Authors: Bouvet Juan Pedro R. , Urbaneja Alberto , Pérez‐Hedo Meritxell , Monzó César 
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Biological control has traditionally simplified the view of trophic relationships between herbivorous pests and their natural enemies in agriculture. The success or failure of this pest management strategy is still mainly attributed to the ability of a few key natural enemies to suppress the pest density. For example, successful regulation of the California red scale (Aonidiella aurantii), a key citrus pest, is generally credited to specific parasitoids of the Aphytis genus. Currently, research is revealing how herbivore regulation in agroecosystems can be alternatively achieved with a greater number of trophic associations within the system.

The goals of the present study were as follows: i) to unravel species‐specific trophic links between A. aurantii and its natural enemies in citrus agroecosystems, and ii) to assess their contribution to control of A. aurantii.

Predation and parasitism of this herbivorous pest were assessed through exclusion experiments. Species‐specific trophic links between this herbivorous pest and its natural enemies were studied using gut‐content analysis of field‐collected predators employing prey‐specific DNA molecular markers. Relative predation rates of the species involved in A. aurantii regulation were estimated.

Predation was found to be the main biotic component of A. aurantii mortality, causing reductions of more than 75% in recently settled cohorts. Aonidiella aurantii DNA was detected in the digestive system of 11 species of predators. Generalist and stenophagous predators, mainly associated with other citrus pests such as aphids, proved to be the most important biological control agents of this pest. Complex trophic relationships, such as apparent competition between two key citrus pests, were revealed.

The present study highlights the role of predation as biotic mortality factor of key pests in perennial agroecosystems, wherein it is a rich complex of indigenous or naturalized generalist predators that are primarily responsible for this mortality. The results herein presented may therefore offer another perspective on the biological control of one of the key world‐wide citrus pests, at least in those regions where specific parasitoids are not able to successfully regulate the scale populations.
Morphology and histology of the Anatolian bobcat (Lynx lynx) hard palate
Authors: Arı Hasan Hüseyin , Uslu Sema 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe aim of the research was to investigate the morphological and histological structure of the Anatolian bobcat (Lynx lynx) hard palate using light and scanning electron microscopy, in addition to gross examination. The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Work (Sivas Branch) provided three female Anatolian bobcat cadavers. The Anatolian bobcat hard palate consists of a narrow, rough part in the rostral region (including the incisive papilla, palatine ridges, and palatine raphe) and a wide, smooth part in the caudal part region. The gross examination revealed that the incisive papilla is small and shaped like a carboy icon, the primary and secondary palatine ridges have a serrated appearance, and the palatine raphe forms a single longitudinal row of conical papillae and a single transverse row of conical papillae (in the transverse groove that separates the two palatine ridges). In addition, the microscopy examination revealed microplicae in the epithelium, as well as abundant connective‐tissue bundles running in various directions in the lamina propria and submucosa layer. These adaptations of the hard palate structures may increase efficiency during ingestion and help direct food backwards. This is the first study to provide detailed morphological and histological descriptions of the Anatolian bobcat hard palate.
Switch between AAI and DDD mode pacing—What is the mechanism?
Authors: Ząbek Andrzej , Małecka Barbara , Nowosielska‐Ząbek Ewa , Dębski Maciej , Boczar Krzysztof , Lelakowski Jacek 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation in patients with implantable pacemaker is often a perplexing problem. The difficulty in the device evaluation increases in the presence of novel timing cycles and additional functions. Authors describe a special function frequently encountered in Medtronic dual‐chamber pacemakers and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator devices called managed ventricular pacing (MVP) and demonstrate its performance in the patient with undersensing episodes in ventricular channel. Intermittent ventricular undersensing in the device with MVP feature turned on caused repetitive mode switches between AAI and DDD mode. This report shows unexceptional occurrence of tricky ECG findings in patient with Medtronic dual‐chamber device.
Endocuff Vision‐assisted colonoscopy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jacob Abraham , Schafer Amy , Yong Johnathan , Tonkin Darren , Rodda David , Eteuati Jimmy , Ganesh Shanthan , Hewett Peter 
Published: March 2019

BackgroundAdenoma detection rate (ADR) has shown to be an independent predictor, to reduce the rate of interval colorectal cancer. Endocuff Vision is a relatively new device that has shown promise to improve the ADR. The primary objective was to conduct a randomized controlled trial to compare Endocuff Vision‐assisted colonoscopy (EVAC) with standard colonoscopy (SC). The primary outcome of the study is ADR and the secondary outcomes are caecal intubation rate, terminal ileum intubation rate, scope withdrawal time, quality of bowel preparation and adverse events.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was performed to compare EVAC versus SC. All patients who presented to the endoscopy suite at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital were assessed for eligibility. Patients were recruited from 15 June 2016 to 20 January 2017. A total of 360 patients were included; 40 were excluded. The patients were randomized using block randomization; 138 patients were recruited to SC and 182 to EVAC.ResultsA total of 231 polyps were retrieved during the study period. Polyp detection rate (PDR) was high in both groups: 53% in the EVAC group versus 41.1% in SC. This was statistically significant with a P‐value of 0.035. ADR was similarly high in both groups: 36.81% in EVAC group versus 28.99% in SC group. ADR did not reach statistical significance.ConclusionsEVAC does improve the PDR. Though the ADR did not reach statistical significance, there is a trend towards improved adenoma detection and there is statistical significance in the overall PDR.
Relationship Between Controlling Shareholders’ Participation in Share Pledging and Accounting Conservatism in China
Authors: Xu Jingjing 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThis study examines the relationship between controlling shareholders’ participation in share pledging and accounting conservatism in the Chinese stock market. Share pledging introduces risks to controlling shareholders and leads to severe information asymmetry between controlling shareholders and outside minority shareholders. This, in turn, results in competing incentives with regard to financial reporting. We find that controlling shareholders’ participation in share pledging negatively affects accounting conservatism, especially for firms located in regions with weak legal enforcement and poor investor protection. Our study shows that controlling shareholders’ share‐pledging behaviour negatively influences firms’ reporting quality, especially in areas with weak legal systems.
Performance assessment and standardization in higher education: A problematic conjunction?
Authors: Braun Henry 
Published: March 2019

BackgroundThere is unrealized potential in higher education for greater use of performance assessment, particularly in support of teaching and learning: Well‐designed performance tasks can elicit evidence regarding what students know and can do with respect to complex learning objectives. At the same time, there is some pressure, at least in the United States, to widen usage of standardized assessments in order to facilitate comparisons among institutions.Aims and methodsWe distinguish assessments requiring extended performances of some kind from those involving other response formats. Taking student‐produced essays as a paradigmatic example, we examine the processes of assessment design and scoring as they pertain to the validity of the inferences drawn from student work products. We also briefly review the history of standardized assessments and the roles they have played in education. Further, we describe how advances in assessment theory and practice have permitted substantial relaxation in the implementation of standardization.ResultsOur analysis of these issues in the higher education context draws on empirical evidence regarding both faculty usage of performance tasks (particularly as a means for enhancing the construct validity of an overall assessment) and faculty resistance to the imposition of externally developed, standardized assessments. We also describe efforts undertaken in the United States to strengthen faculty expertise in assessment design, scoring, and interpretation.ConclusionsWe conclude that performance tasks have an important role to play in higher education, especially in view of the complexity and depth of the learning goals set for the students. For many purposes, they cannot be replaced by simpler, cheaper forms of assessment. Efforts to facilitate comparability in evaluating institutional outcomes, however, have not borne much fruit despite the substantial investments made. We argue that resources would be better directed at improving the quality of assessments developed and employed by college faculty and suggest how that might be accomplished.
Sphincter‐sparing surgery for complex anal fistulas: radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the tract is of no help
Authors: Merlini l'Héritier A. , Siproudhis L. , Bessi G. , Le Balc'h E. , Wallenhorst T. , Bouguen G. , Brochard C. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractAimTo compare the rate of failure of radiofrequency thermocoagulation for anal fistula with that of rectal advancement flap in a case‐matched study.MethodPatients who underwent radiofrequency treatment were compared with age‐ and sex‐matched patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who underwent a rectal flap procedure. Fistula features, general characteristics and the main clinical events were recorded in a prospective database. Failure was defined by at least one of following: abscess, purulent discharge, visible external opening or further drainage procedure.ResultsA total of 62 patients [median age 45 (range 36.8–57.5) years; 22 women, 40 men; 22 with CD] were analysed. The failure rate of radiofrequency treatment was higher than that of rectal flap treatment (74.2% vs 32.2%; P = 0.004). The cumulative probabilities of failure of the radiofrequency treatment were 53.8% (38.8–68.3), 71.8% (55.3–84.0) and 87.4% (70.6–95.3) at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Three patients in the radiofrequency group required drainage for an abscess and one had severe thermal ulceration. The Cox proportional hazards regression model (surgical procedure, obesity, CD) showed rectal flap treatment [3.48 (1.60–8.07); P = 0.001] and CD [2.60 (1.16–6.41); P = 0.02] to be the main independent predictors of healing.ConclusionRadiofrequency thermocoagulation is a less satisfactory sphincter‐sparing treatment for the management of anal fistula than a rectal flap procedure.