bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fuels sales through retail chains and their store traffics and revenue
Authors: Jung Hojin , Kwon Kyoung-min , Yu Gun Jea 
Published: January 2019

PurposeUsing panel data on gasoline and grocery transactions in Korea, the purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the effect of a retail chain store’s establishment of on-site fuel sales. The empirical analyses present strong empirical evidence that the sale of fuel had statistically and economically significant effect on retail store traffic and revenue in the short run. However, the effect did not remain significant in the longer run. To explain the dramatic decrease in the effect of the fuel sale, the authors consider the enhanced competition in the local gasoline retail industry and examine cross-sectional price variations at the station level. The results suggest that the increased competition led to the reduction in the price dispersion across stations and thereby to an increase in consumer welfare.Design/methodology/approachUsing a linear specification that has traditionally been used to model retail chain data, the authors developed a series of difference-in-differences models. This technique is ideal for estimating the effect of a treatment in the presence of possible selection bias and has been widely employed in many social-science studies on policy intervention.FindingsIn a certain environment, introducing fuel sales did not increase retail chain store traffic or revenue in the long run, despite having statistically and economically significant effects in the short run. The results document empirical evidence of myopic management in a common marketing practice, which often leads to a negative impact on the firm value in the long run.Research limitations/implicationsThe span of data and sample size were limited to meet the company’s data protection policy.Practical implicationsConsidering that many of developed countries are characterized by a gasoline retail environment similar to that which is investigated in this paper, the authors believe that the implications of the results are particularly valid for practitioners and policy makers.Social implicationsThe findings document empirical evidence of myopic management in a common marketing practice, which often leads to a negative impact on the firm value in the long run. Marketing researchers should make efforts in establishing metrics to help identify myopic management decision.Originality/valueThis paper addresses an interesting and practical issue related to the effects of the introduction of gasoline sales by a supercenter store on its store traffic.
Corruption in Russia’s Primorsky Kray: is transparency the answer?
Authors: Levie Matthew Benjamin 
Published: January 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use open-source Russian government data to investigate the relationship between transparency and corruption. Russia is a developed country with a strong legal system and world-class transparency in government contracting, which according to many, should positively impact corruption. This study tests that hypothesis.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper statistically analyzes six months’ worth of Russian government contracts from a single Russian province and another month of data from a different province for comparison. The statistical analysis revealed individual instances of corruption, which were then analyzed qualitatively.

Findings
The paper found that competitiveness in Russian government contracting is extremely limited, and instances of corruption on a grand scale are easy to find in publicly available data.

Research limitations/implications
The paper only studied data from two Russian provinces, so readers should be careful about generalizing from the results. Further research should consider similar data, if obtainable, from other countries.

Practical implications
Countries seeking to limit corruption should consider cultural change, as well as modifications to government processes and legal systems.

Originality/value
The paper indicates that sound and transparent legal structures, by themselves, may be insufficient to prevent or discourage corruption.
Combatting public procurement criminality or simple rules for complex cases
Authors: Nowrousian Bijan 
Published: January 2019

Purpose
Crimes that take place in the context of procurements, such as corruption and subsidy fraud, are a major problem for both integrity and fiscal accountability of public administration. Therefore, combatting such crimes is of great importance. However, this course of action works only if the prosecutors have the instruments designed for what is precisely needed for their fight. One of the things needed is elements of crimes that can be handled easily; and to show this is the purpose of this study.

Design/methodology/approach
The author’s practical experience as a state prosecutor dealing with corruption cases and enriched with philosophical thinking about the principles of law indicates that one thing is especially important with regard to the elements of crimes: simplicity.

Findings
Corruption and financial crime cases are quite often very complex, involving many participants and considerable effort by the perpetrators to disguise their real actions as normal business procedures. As a result, finding evidence is a difficult task. If the elements of crimes are complex and if they demand detailed evidence, then proving procurement criminality will be even more difficult as it already is and will quite frequently end up in failure. Therefore, giving prosecutors a simple legal framework with elements of crimes, demanding only what realistically can be proven is a key factor for success.

Originality/value
Only with such a simple legal framework can the prosecutor’s fight against procurement criminality bring urgent, positive results.
Tax evasion in the media: a comparison of Southern vs Central and Northern Italy
Authors: Mangani Andrea 
Published: January 2019

Purpose
The representation of economic and financial crimes in the mass media can have a significant impact on readers’ and citizens’ perceptions of illegality and on a firm’s propensity to invest in different areas of the country in question. This paper aims to study the possible geographical media bias regarding tax evasion in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis considers 618 articles on tax evasion published between 2012 and 2016 in two top Italian newspapers, La Repubblica (based in Rome) and Il Corriere della Sera (based in Milan).

Findings
Excluding Insular Italy (Sicily and Sardinia), the articles on tax evasion in Southern Italy are systematically shorter. A further analysis shows that La Repubblica is largely responsible for this bias. This result holds after controlling for other events (bank robberies) and for the identity of journalists.

Originality/value
Previous studies considered the possible media bias regarding particularly dramatic criminal events, for example, terrorism acts or murders. This paper considers a less dramatic though more pervasive crime. In addition, an assessment of media attitude towards tax evasion is more complex, because the news reports both the crime and the successful actions that combat it.
Determinants of sales misconduct in Indian retail banking services
Authors: Mittal Suman , Garg Krishan K. 
Published: January 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate those factors which are responsible for the sales misconduct in Retail banking services across the world and try to find out the determinants which majorly affect the Indian Retail banking industry. The authors also try to find out whether the sales approach leads to malpractices in sales and how does it affect the different categories of the customers.

Design/methodology/approach
Primary data have been collected from the bank account holders having account in various private and public sector banks operating in India.

Findings
The authors have come out with finding that sales misconduct is majorly affected by misrepresentation of facts, complexity of products, lack of disclosure norms and more. They also found that push sales approach is adopted by banks, particularly by private banks to majorly tap the class customers to sell the financial products without their requirement and achieve the revenue targets.

Practical implications
Banking regulators can keep a close supervision on sales mal practices in banking sector and implement stringent norms to reduce these kinds of practices.

Originality/value
Very few studies have been conducted on the basis of the class of the customer, and how sales approach leads the malpractices in sales and how it affects the class of the customers.
The interaction effects of information cascades, system recommendations and recommendations on software downloads
Authors: Park JiHye , Park JaeHong , Yoon Ho-Jung 
Published: January 2019

Purpose
When purchasing digital content (DC), consumers are typically influenced by various information sources on the website. Prior research has mostly focused on the individual effect of the information sources on the DC choice. To fill the gap in the previous studies, this research includes three main effects: information cascades, recommendations and word of mouth. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the interaction effect of information cascades and recommendations on the number of software downloads.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the panel generalized least squares estimation to test the hypotheses by using a panel data set of 2,000 pieces of software at download.cnet.com over a month-long period. Product ranking and recommendation status are used as key independent variables to capture the effects of information cascades and recommendations, respectively.

Findings
One of this study’s findings is that information cascades positively interact with recommendations to influence the number of software downloads. The authors also show that the impact of information cascades on the number of software downloads is greater than one of the recommendations from a distributor does.

Originality/value
Information cascades and recommendations have been considered as the primary effects for online product choices. However, these two effects typically are not considered together in one research. As previous studies have mainly focused on each effect, respectively, the authors believe that this study may fill the gap by examining how these effects are interacted to one other to influence customers’ choices. The authors also show that the impact of information cascades on the number of software downloads is greater than one of the recommendations from a system does.
Cross‐sectional multicenter observational study of psoriatic arthritis in Japanese patients: Relationship between skin and joint symptoms and results of treatment with tumor necrosis factor‐α inhibitors
Authors: Tsuruta Noriko , Narisawa Yutaka , Imafuku Shinichi , Ito Kotaro , Yamaguchi Kazuki , Miyagi Takuya , Takahashi Kenzo , Fukamatsu Hiroko , Morizane Shin , Koketsu Hideki , Yamaguchi Michiya , Hino Ryosuke , Nakamura Motonobu , Ohyama Bungo , Ohata Chika , Kuwashiro Maki , Sato Toshihiro , Saito Kanami , Kaneko Sakae , Yonekura Kentaro , Hayashi Hiroaki , Yanase Tetsuji , Morimoto Kenichi , Sugita Kazunari , Yanagihara Shigeto , Kikuchi Satoko , Mitoma Chikage , Nakahara Takeshi , Furue Masutaka , Okazaki Fusako 
Published: January 2019

AbstractPsoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis with as yet unclear pathophysiology. This retrospective, multicenter, cross‐sectional study was conducted in 19 facilities in western Japan and aimed to identify patients’ characteristics and factors that affect the results of treatment with biologic agents. Of 2116 patients with psoriasis, 285 (13.5%) had PsA. Skin manifestations preceded joint manifestations in 69.8%, the onset was simultaneous in 17.2%, whereas PsA preceded skin manifestations in 2.5%. Peripheral arthritis was most common, occurring in 73.7%, compared with axial disease in 21.8%, enthesitis in 23.5% and dactylitis in 35.4%. Patients with severe skin manifestations were significantly younger at onset (P = 0.02) and more frequently had axial disease (P < 0.01). Biologic agents were used in 206 patients (72.3%), anti‐tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α antibodies being prescribed first to 157 of them. Anti‐TNF‐α antibodies were continued by 105 participants and discontinued by 47, the remaining five patients being lost to follow up. Patients who discontinued anti‐TNF‐α antibodies were significantly older than those who continued (55 vs 51 years, P = 0.04) and significantly older at onset of joint manifestations (50 vs 44 years, P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients over 50 years significantly more frequently terminated anti‐TNF‐α antibodies (P < 0.01). In conclusion, patients with PsA and severe skin manifestations have earlier onset and axial disease, which seriously impacts on quality of life. Anti‐TNF‐α antibodies were generally effective enough to continue but less so in patients aged over 50 years. Further detailed research is needed.
Hyperabundant herbivores limit habitat availability and influence nest site selection of Arctic‐breeding birds
Authors: Flemming Scott A. , Nol Erica , Kennedy Lisa V. , Smith Paul A. 
Published: January 2019

Abstract

Understanding an organism's habitat selection and behavioural flexibility in the face of environmental change can help managers plan for future conservation of that species. Hyperabundant tundra‐nesting geese are influencing Arctic environments through their foraging activities. Goose‐induced habitat change in Arctic wetlands may influence the availability of habitat for numerous shorebird species that breed sympatrically with geese.

We explore whether goose‐induced habitat alteration affects shorebird breeding density and nest site selection. Using habitat data collected at sites with High, Moderate and Low goose influence, and samples collected during two periods separated by 11 years, we document the habitat characteristics influenced by geese. We describe the habitat characteristics preferred by shorebirds and relate their availability to goose influence and shorebird density. Finally, we examine whether shorebird nest site selection has changed over time and whether shorebirds select nest sites differently in habitat influenced by geese.

We document spatial and temporal changes in sedge meadow habitat and lateral concealment relating to goose influence. The availability of sedge meadow habitat and the degree of lateral concealment declined with increasing goose influence, and also declined at two sites over the 11 years of the study.

Densities of both cover‐ and open‐nesting shorebirds were highest where goose influence was lowest. At sites with Low goose influence, cover‐nesting shorebirds selected nest sites with more sedge meadow and concealment than at sites with Moderate and High goose influence, presumably because these high‐quality sites were more available.

Synthesis and applications. Intensive foraging by a colony of hyperabundant geese is limiting the availability of preferred nesting habitat and densities of sympatric‐nesting shorebirds. Where goose‐induced habitat alteration is pronounced shorebird species that select concealed nest sites are nesting in areas with lower concealment and less sedge meadow. Studies examining the degree to which these effects scale up to impact the population sizes of declining shorebirds should be considered a future research priority. Moreover, management strategies for geese should incorporate the habitat needs of sympatric species and reinvigorate efforts for goose population reduction in order to achieve the population targets articulated by management agencies.
Supraphysiological estradiol level in ovarian stimulation cycles affects the birthweight of neonates conceived through subsequent frozen‐thawed cycles: a retrospective study
Authors: Cai J , Liu L , Xu Y , Liu Z , Jiang X , Li P , Sha A , Ren J 
Published: January 2019

ObjectiveTo investigate whether supraphysiological estradiol (E2) in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles affects the subsequent frozen‐thawed embryo transfer (FET) in terms of the neonatal birthweight.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingUniversity affiliated hospital.PopulationIn all, 2066 patients undergoing FET cycles that resulted in live singleton births between July 2011 and Dec 2016.InterventionsNone.MethodsMultivariable linear regression and logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between peak E2 and birthweight outcomes.Main outcome measuresBirthweight, z‐score adjusted for gender and gestational age, and incidence of small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) and low birthweight (LBW) in singleton neonates derived from FET cycles.ResultsAdjusted for confounding factors, both the absolute birthweight and the z‐score of singletons following FET were negatively associated with peak E2 levels in COS. In comparison with the referent category (E2 ≤1500 pg/ml), the categories with E2 >3000 pg/ml had a significantly lower z‐score. The difference (95% CI) in estimated marginal mean of birthweights between referent category and highest E2 (>8000 pg/ml) category was 104.57 g (18.13–181.06). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for SGA and LBW in term singletons comparing patients with E2 >3000 pg/ml with those with E2 ≤3000 pg/ml was 2.44 (1.37–4.34) and 2.32 (1.01–5.40), respectively.ConclusionsPeak E2 levels in COS cycles are negatively associated with the birthweight of singletons conceived through subsequent FET cycles.Tweetable abstractThe birthweight following FET is affected by previous COS cycle.
Hospital uncompensated care and patient experience: An instrumental variable approach
Authors: Camilleri Susan , Diebold Jeffrey 
Published: January 2019

ObjectiveExamine the endogenous relationship between uncompensated care and hospital patient experience scores.Data Sources/Study SettingThe Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey,CMSHealthcare Cost Report Information System, and theUSCensus Bureau.Study DesignThe exogenous change in uncompensated care caused by the 2014 Medicaid expansion was exploited to measure the effect of uncompensated care on patient experience scores using a 2SLSregression with instrumental variables approach.Data Collection/Extraction MethodsU.S. general, short‐term hospitals whoseDSHstatus remained constant and had nonmissing data for 2011‐2015, which totaled 969 unique hospitals per year.Principal FindingsThe effect of uncompensated care on patient experience was in the predicted direction, with three of the 10 measures being statistically significant. A one percentage point increase in uncompensated care costs resulted in a 0.25‐0.50 percentage point decrease in select patient experience scores.ConclusionsResults indicate a weak relationship between uncompensated care and patient experience scores, as a reduction in uncompensated care is related to quality improvement for some hospitals. These findings have implications for hospitals as they navigate changing reimbursement structures and policy makers considering changes to Obama‐era health care reforms.
The Forensic Pathology of Fatal Attacks by the Large Mammals Inhabiting the Nordic Wilderness—A Literature Review
Authors: Gudmannsson Petur , Berge Johan 
Published: January 2019

AbstractFatalities due to animal attacks are rare in forensic medical work but have been known to pose problems due to their potential to mimic homicide. This review summarizes reported cases of fatal attacks by large mammals that inhabit the Nordic wilderness, namely brown bear, moose, wild boar, and wolf, and attempts to elucidate injury patterns that can guide the forensic pathologist to identifying the species and modus operandi of the attacker. A tendency toward a species‐specific injury pattern was observed. Injuries by bear and especially wolf are dominated by biting whereas moose and wild boar do not seem to bite their victims. The bear uses its paws, both for hitting, resulting in crush injury and fractures, and clawing with resulting excoriations and possible penetrating injuries. Crush injuries and fractures appear, on the other hand, to be minimal or absent in attacks by wolf and wild boar.
Low prevalence of Merkel cell polyomavirus in human epithelial thymic tumors
Authors: Chteinberg Emil , Klufah Faisal , Rennspiess Dorit , Mannheims Mick F. , Abdul‐Hamid Myrurgia A. , Losen Mario , Keijzers Marlies , De Baets Marc H. , Kurz Anna Kordelia , zur Hausen Axel 
Published: January 2019

BackgroundThe etiology of thymic epithelial tumors is unknown. Murine polyomavirus strain PTA has been shown to induce thymomas in mice. Recently, using diverse molecular techniques, we reported the presence of human polyomavirus 7 (HPyV7) in thymic epithelial tumors. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in thymic epithelial tumors.MethodsThirty‐six thymomas were screened for MCPyV by PCR and subsequently tested by DNA and RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Twenty‐six thymomas were diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG).ResultsMCPyV DNA was detected by PCR in 7 (19.4%) of the 36 thymic epithelial tumors and in six of these, the presence of MCPyV was confirmed by fluorescence situ hybridization. Of these, 3 (28.6%) revealed weak MCPyV LT‐antigen protein expression. In addition, one of the MCPyV positive thymomas tested positive for MCPyV LT RNA with RNAscope. Of interest, two out of the three thymomas that previously tested positive for MCPyV by immunohistochemistry also tested positive for HPyV7. One of the 11 MG‐negative and 2 of the 25 MG‐positive were positive for MCPyV.ConclusionsMCPyV DNA and MCPyV protein expression can be detected in human epithelial thymoma; however, to a far lesser extent than HPyV7. Our data strongly indicate that because of its infrequent detection and weak expression, MCPyV is unlikely to play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of human thymomas.
Phase II trial of a non‐platinum triplet for patients with advanced non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) overexpressing ERCC1 messenger RNA
Authors: Takemoto Shinnosuke , Nakamura Yoichi , Gyoutoku Hiroshi , Senju Hiroaki , Ogawara Daiki , Ikeda Takaya , Yamaguchi Hiroyuki , Kitazaki Takeshi , Nakano Hirofumi , Nakatomi Katsumi , Tomari Shinya , Sato Shuntaro , Nagashima Seiji , Fukuda Minoru , Mukae Hiroshi 
Published: January 2019

BackgroundWe prospectively evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of a non‐platinum triplet regimen for patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) expected to be platinum‐resistant.MethodsPatients were diagnosed with NSCLC using endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath as a core biopsy. RNA was immediately isolated from unfixed biopsy specimens, and quantitative real‐time reverse transcription‐PCR assays were performed to determine ERCC1 messenger RNA expression. Patients with advanced, untreated NSCLC showing high ERCC1 levels (ΔCt ≧ 6.5) were assigned a non‐platinum triplet regimen of irinotecan and paclitaxel plus bevacizumab. The primary end point was the objective response rate (ORR).ResultsA total of 141 untreated patients were evaluated and 30 patients were entered into this phase II trial. The ORR was 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 47.2–82.7) and median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 215 days. Grade 4 thrombosis occurred in one patient, but other toxicities were mild and controllable. Fifty‐six patients were treated with platinum‐containing regimens and 24 patients responded (ORR 42.8%, 95% CI 29.7–56.7). Twenty‐nine of these patients had high ERCC1 levels, of which 6 patients responded; 27 patients had low ERCC1 levels, 18 patients responded (P = 0.0053 by Fisher’s exact test).ConclusionThe triplet combination might be effective for patients with advanced, untreated NSCLC overexpressing ERCC1. ERCC1 messenger RNA levels may be a predictive factor for response to platinum‐containing regimens.