bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Targeted poverty reduction under new structure
Authors: Wang Yuxin , Wang Luxia , Wu Huaqing , Zhu Yangguang , Shi Xing 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of social capital on the mental health of older adults in rural China. The authors also examine potential heterogeneous effects and two possible pathways from social capital increase to mental health improvement.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on a panel data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this paper employs a fixed effect model to examine the impact of social capital on health. A two-stage instrumental variable approach is adopted to alleviate the issue of endogeneity.

Findings
Results demonstrate that social capital has improved the mental health of older adults in rural China significantly. The beneficial effect is stronger for female, people with lower income, aged people and mainly observed in the central and western regions. Social capital affects the mental health of rural older adults through raising the awareness of healthy behavior and lowering the searching cost of health-related information.

Practical implications
Social capital plays a vital role in improving the mental health of older adults in rural China and is necessary for the construction of beautiful countryside in China. The authority should increase the investment in both the hard and soft infrastructure to improve the mental health of rural residents and narrow the inequality in health status.

Originality/value
This study enriches the empirical literature on the relationship between social capital and mental health by providing new evidence from China. Also, we choose the social activities and communications of individuals to construct a standardized index for social capital, which can better capture the social capital at the individual level.
Customer-contact employees’ empowerment and customer performance
Authors: Berraies Sarra , Chtioui Rached , Chaher Mehrez 
Published: June 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the customer-contact employees’ (CCE) empowerment and customer performance indicators, namely, perceived service quality (PSQ), customer satisfaction (CS), customer loyalty (CL) and word-of-mouth (WOM). The authors deepen the analysis by highlighting the mediating role of the dimensions of the customer relationship management (CRM) effectiveness in this link. The authors also investigate links between customer performance indicators.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study was carried out on the basis of a questionnaire administrated to a sample of 215 Tunisian bank CCE and 516 customers. Data analysis was performed using the structural equation modeling method.FindingsFindings reveal that the CCE’ empowerment contributes to PSQ, CS and all the dimensions of CRM effectiveness which in turn are key factors of customer performance. This research also outlines the mediating role of two dimensions of the CRM effectiveness, namely, organizational commitment and customer experience between CCE’ empowerment and PSQ and CS, respectively. In addition, the study highlights that PSQ improves CS which is positively linked to CL. Finally, loyal customers tend to generate positive WOM.Originality/valueFew studies have investigated the effects of the CCE’ empowerment on PSQ, CS, CL and positive WOM, especially in the banking sector. This research fills this gap by highlighting the mediating role of the dimensions of the CRM effectiveness in these links. This paper offers interesting insights to bankers by providing them with tools to improve their customers’ relationship. In this sense, banks must bet on the proximity of the CCE as a key asset that allows creating a real sense of closeness with customers and offers lighting to banks on how to create customized marketing approaches to ensure customer performance.
Application of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology to reduce the defects in a telecommunication cabinet door manufacturing process
Authors: C.R. Abhilash , Thakkar Jitesh J. 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology in order to reduce the rejections experienced in the manufacturing of the doors belonging to a telecommunication cabinet.

Design/methodology/approach
The process involved joining of sheet metal and hinge using welding operations with the help of a fixture. The methodology used is the structured DMAIC method in order to identify the root cause for the rejections and solve it.

Findings
The paper provides insights about the identification of the root cause for the defects and the solution to overcome it, and also the benefits that were obtained as a result of the application of the solution.

Research limitations/implications
This methodology has been applied to the variation observed in the dimensions of a particular component to be welded with a main part. This approach can be used to find such dimensional variations.

Practical implications
This study has been successfully carried out in a medium-scale industry which has total quality management in practice.

Originality/value
Six Sigma DMAIC was necessary for the identification and reduction of the defects which arose in the sheet metal and welding operations, and had to be resolved in order to increase the bottom-line.
Generating gameworlds with computers: the case for procedural creativity
Authors: Wells Matthew Jason , Boyd Jason 
Published: June 2019

PurposeDespite the popularity of the Computational Thinking (CT) paradigm and the call for broad social diffusion of CS fundamentals, the authors argue that the concept is inherently limited and limiting and does not sufficiently convey an understanding of how to enable people to create with computational technologies. The authors suggest an alternate paradigm, procedural creativity, that calls for the development of conceptual creative spaces governed by procedurally generative principles. The authors also call for game development to be the focus of procedural creativity pedagogy.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first discuss the limitations of the CT paradigm, focusing, in particular, on the issue of abstraction and representation as opposed to execution and action. The authors then define procedural creativity in more detail. Following that, they discuss the use of game development as pedagogy, with a focus on Margaret Boden’s notion of conceptual creative spaces.FindingsCT is limited because it focuses overly on solutions to computational “problems”, because it is tied too closely with economic concerns and because it focuses on abstraction at the cost of action. Procedural creativity, on the other hand, focuses on the individual’s capacity for personal expression with the computer and on the generative capacity of code in action. Game development is in ideal platform for procedural creativity because it emphasizes the development of creative domains and conceptual spaces.Originality/valueThis paper offers a challenge to the CT status quo and presents a novel way forward for understanding computation as a creative practice.
New integrated approaches based on MC-HFLTS for healthcare waste treatment technology selection
Authors: Adar Tuba , Delice Elif Kılıç 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
Selecting the most appropriate healthcare waste treatment technology (HCWTT) is an uncertain and complex decision-making problem because there exist more than one alternative and many conflicting qualitative and quantitative criteria. However, the use of fuzzy and comparative values, instead of specific crisp values, provides more accurate results, so that the alternatives may be evaluated in accordance with hesitant human nature. The purpose of this paper is to select the best HCWTT using a hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (HFLTS).

Design/methodology/approach
Five main criteria were identified for HCWTT selection, such as economic, social, environmental, technical and ergonomic criteria. In total, 19 sub-criteria were examined, and the hierarchy of the criteria was formed. The criteria weights were determined using the multi-criteria hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (MC-HFLTS). The selection processes of incineration (A1), steam sterilization (A2), microwave (A3) and landfill (A4) alternatives were carried out using the multi-attributive ideal-real comparative analysis (MAIRCA) and multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC) methods. In the comparative analyses, Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods were used.

Findings
The comparison of the results of the MABAC and MAIRCA methods with the results of VIKOR and TOPSIS methods indicated that A2 (steam sterilization) alternative was the best one and produced the same ranking of the technology alternatives (A2 > A3 > A1 > A4). As a result, the study concluded that these methods can be successfully used for HCWTT selection problems.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, MC-HFLTS has not been used to select HCWTT in the existing literature. For the first time, MC-HFLTS&MAIRCA and MC-HFLTS&MABAC approaches were used in order to choose the best treatment method for healthcare waste under the effect of multiple conflicting hierarchical criteria. It has been provided that MABAC and MAIRCA select alternative choices by taking into consideration the hierarchical criteria. Unlike other studies, this study also considered ergonomic criteria that are important for people working during the process of using the treatment technology.
Information sources used by local police to estimate the scope and nature of sex trafficking
Authors: Cheon Hyunjung , Katz Charles M. , Webb Vincent J. 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
Although trafficking of persons for commercial sex has been increasingly recognized as a community level problem most estimates of the prevalence of sex trafficking in the USA are made by federal entities and vary depending on the data sources used. Little is known about how local police agencies assess and understand sex trafficking in their own communities. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach
To help fill this gap, the current study using survey data from a sample of local police agencies across the USA (n=72) examines law enforcement agencies’ knowledge of and experience with addressing local sex trafficking problems in their jurisdiction.

Findings
The majority of police agencies reported that sex trafficking is a problem in their jurisdictions and that they have a special unit that has a primary responsibility for addressing sex trafficking issues. Agencies with a special unit tend to use multiple sources of information including official record, intelligence data and personal experience to estimate the community’s trafficking problems when compared to agencies without a unit; however, most of agencies primarily depend on their professional experience.

Originality/value
This is the first study to examine the data sources used by local police agencies to estimate the scope and nature of their community’s sex trafficking problem, and the findings have important policy implications for understanding the reliability and validity of these estimates, and for their potential use to develop and implement data driven responses to sex trafficking problems.
Education of sustainable development goals through students’ active engagement
Authors: Cottafava Dario , Cavaglià Gabriela , Corazza Laura 
Published: June 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss and present new teaching techniques to advance the concept and the practice of education for sustainable development (SD). Due to the recently introduced 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and owing their interlinkages and targets, an evolution of the traditional teaching techniques is needed.Design/methodology/approachWith the use of a single revelatory case study, this paper presents an example of education for SD goals activity carried out at the University of Torino, focussed on merging SD with the active engagement of students.FindingsThe empowerment of students happens through a transformative learning experience grounded in the acquisition of managerial soft skills useful in co-creating and co-designing projects to contribute towards SDGs effectively.Practical implicationsThe ultimate goal is to support students to become active citizens in their communities (e.g. starting within the University).Social implicationsStudents learnt about SDGs and the complexities of sustainability, and, at the same time, they learnt valuable tools to contribute to their transformation to develop projects for the benefit of local territories and organizations.Originality/valueThe paper showcases how transformative learning could be applied to SDGs. Awarded as one of the best practices regarding SD by the Italian Network of Universities for Sustainable Development, the case involves students in a transdisciplinary, creative and open learning environment.
The financial and market consequences of environmental, social and governance ratings
Authors: Aboud Ahmed , Diab Ahmed 
Published: June 2019

PurposeThis study aims to examine the combined impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings on the market and financial performance of Egyptian companies during the period from 2007 to 2016 and, thereby, determines the influence of the recent political revolutions –that broke out in the MENA region in early 2011 – on the association between ESG practices and corporate performance.Design/methodology/approachThe present work uses data from the S&P/EGX ESG index, which is the first of its kind in the MENA region. The ESG index is designed to increase the profile of companies listed on the Egyptian Exchange and is expected to boost the level and quality of ESG practices in the Egyptian context. The sample includes the 100 most active Egyptian companies in the Egyptian Stock Exchange as measured by the EGX 100 index in the financial year that ended in 2016. The sample begins in 2007, concurrent with the start of the ESG index, and ends in 2016. The period from 2007 to 2010 represents the pre-revolution period, and the period from 2012 to 2016 is the post-revolution period.FindingsFirms with high ESG ratings are found to enjoy a better financial and market performance. The authors found some evidence that the influence of ESG ratings on financial performance is more obvious after the revolutions than before the revolutions.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights regarding the impact of political events on the market in the Middle East region. Despite its increasing economic and political importance, this region still suffers from inadequate attention in the literature. The present work investigates the variances that evolved out of the events that started in early 2011 and the implications of these events on the market. The results of this study have implications for regulators and investors in the Egyptian stock market. The authors believe that the relatively new S&P/EGX ESG index provides a way to enhance ESG ratings in Egypt.Social implicationsThe results of the present study provide insights for policymakers regarding the usefulness of the sustainability indices.Originality/valueThe present results contribute to the growing literature on the economic consequences of ESG ratings, especially in relation to a context characterized by intense political/revolutionary changes. In particular, this study contributes to the few works that have addressed the economic implications of ESG ratings in emerging markets.
Seeking legitimacy
Authors: Patten Dennis M. 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
In this essay, the author reflects on the legitimacy theory in corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure research.

Design/methodology/approach
This is a reflection/review essay based on a review of relevant literature.

Findings
Although almost constantly under attack from a variety of scholars, legitimacy theory seems to hold on in the social and environmental disclosure arena. However, the failure of the recent wave of CSR-themed work published in The Accounting Review to even acknowledge, let alone engage with, the theory is problematic.

Research limitations/implications
We, in the CSR disclosure arena, need to do all we can to help emerging scholars (particularly in the USA) find the rich body of research the mainstream journals fail to discuss.

Practical implications
Legitimacy-based research can help move CSR disclosure at least closer to being a tool of accountability, as opposed to a tool for legitimation.

Social implications
Perhaps the critique of the mainstream North American literature’s failure to consider legitimacy theory can lead to the recognition of the need to focus on the harm to sustainability that a narrow, shareholder-centric focus leads to.

Originality/value
This reflection takes a unique look at the contributions of legitimacy theory to CSR disclosure research.
Drug survival of apremilast in a real‐world setting
Authors: Kishimoto Megumi , Komine Mayumi , Kamiya Koji , Sugai Junichi , Ohtsuki Mamitaro 
Published: June 2019

AbstractApremilast is a novel oral phosphodiesterase‐4 inhibitor approved for treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in Japan in December 2016. We have treated a substantial number of patients with psoriasis with apremilast and investigated the length of the treatment period with apremilast (drug survival of apremilast) in 138 patients with psoriasis who were treated at the Department of Dermatology in Jichi Medical University Hospital from 1 March 2017 to 31 August 2018 using the Kaplan–Meier survival curve. The drug survival rate of apremilast at 1 year was 53.4%. The median length of the drug survival period was 453 days. There were no statistical differences in the drug survival rate in terms of the type of psoriasis, previous systemic treatment or presence of one or more adverse events. Drug efficacy was investigated in 115 patients who were followed for more than 16 weeks. There was no correlation between drug efficacy and sex, previous systemic treatment or presence of one or more adverse events; however, there was a correlation between drug efficacy and plaque size (P < 0.01, rs = −0.29). The result of our study indicates that apremilast is effective regardless of the history of prior systemic treatment, and it supports our previous finding that small plaque‐type psoriasis is more sensitive to treatment with apremilast.
Environmental filtering increases with elevation for the assembly of gut microbiota in wild pikas
Authors: Li Huan , Zhou Rui , Zhu Jianxiao , Huang Xiaodan , Qu Jiapeng 
Published: June 2019

SummaryDespite their important roles in host nutrition, metabolism and adaptability, the knowledge on how the mammalian gut microbial community assemble is relatively scanty, especially regarding the ecological mechanisms that govern microbiota along environmental gradients. To address this, we surveyed the diversity, function and ecological processes of gut microbiota in the wild plateau pika, Ochotona curzoniae, along the elevational gradient from 3106 to 4331 m on ‘the Roof of the World’—Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. The results indicated that the alpha, beta and functional diversity of gut microbiota significantly increased with elevation, and elevation significantly explained the variations in the gut microbial communities, even after controlling for geographical distance, host sex and body weight. Some gene functions (e.g. nitrogen metabolism and protein kinases) associated with metabolism were enriched in the high‐altitude pikas. Null model and phylogenetic analysis suggest that the relative contributions of environmental filtering responsible for local gut communities increased with elevation. In addition, deterministic processes dominated gut microbial communities in the high‐altitude (more than 3694 m) pikas, while the percentages of stochastic and deterministic processes were very close in the low‐altitude (3106 and 3580 m) pikas. The observed mechanisms that influence pika gut microbiota assembly and function seemed to be mainly mediated by the internal gut environment and by the external environmental pressure (i.e. lower temperature) in the harsh high‐altitude environment. These findings enhance our understanding of gut microbiota assembly patterns and function in wild mammals from extreme harsh environments.
Serum and urine interleukin‐17A levels as biomarkers of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Nordin Fariz , Shaharir Syahrul Sazliyana , Abdul Wahab Asrul , Mustafar Ruslinda , Abdul Gafor Abdul Halim , Mohamed Said Mohd Shahrir , Rajalingham Sakthiswary , Shah Shamsul Azhar 
Published: June 2019

AbstractObjectivesThis study examined the correlations of both serum and urine interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) levels with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study was also aimed at determining their sensitivity and specificity as biomarkers of disease activity in SLE.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was performed involving SLE patients (n = 120 patients) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Serum and urinary IL‐17A levels were determined by immunoassay while disease activity was assessed using Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index‐2000 (SLEDAI‐2K) and British Isles Lupus Assessment Group's 2004 index (BILAG 2004) scores. The correlations between serum and urinary IL‐17A levels with total SLEDAI‐2K and BILAG 2004 scores were determined using bivariate correlation analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to determine their sensitivity and specificity as disease activity biomarkers.ResultsBoth serum and urinary IL‐17A levels correlated with total scores of BILAG 2004, BILAG renal, BILAG mucocutaneous, and SLEDAI‐2K (P < 0.05). Urine IL‐17A levels correlated positively with urine protein : creatinine index while serum IL‐17 level correlated with the BILAG hematology score (all P < 0.05). The area under curve of serum IL‐17A and urine IL‐17A with BILAG and SLEDAI scores were low (<0.75).ConclusionDespite positive correlations between serum and urine IL‐17A with SLE disease activity, both were neither sensitive nor specific as biomarkers to predict active disease. Hence, IL‐17 measurement has no role in SLE disease activity assessments and future studies are needed to search for other reliable activity biomarkers.
Genome‐wide association study reveals candidate genes associated with body measurement traits in Chinese Wagyu beef cattle
Authors: An B. , Xia J. , Chang T. , Wang X. , Xu L. , Zhang L. , Gao X. , Chen Y. , Li J. , Gao H. 
Published: June 2019

SummaryWe performed a genome‐wide association study to identify candidate genes for body measurement traits in 463 Wagyu beef cattle typed with the Illumina Bovine HD 770K SNP array. At the genome‐wide level, we detected 18, five and one SNPs associated with hip height, body height and body length respectively. In total, these SNPs are within or near 11 genes, six of which (PENK, XKR4, IMPAD1, PLAG1, CCND2 and SNTG1) have been reported previously and five of which (CSMD3, LAP3, SYN3, FAM19A5 and TIMP3) are novel candidate genes that we found to be associated with body measurement traits. Further exploration of these candidate genes will facilitate genetic improvement in Chinese Wagyu beef cattle.