bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drivers of organizational performance in state owned enterprises
Authors: Mbo Mbako , Adjasi Charles 
Published: February 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine empirical evidence on factors that influence performance of state owned enterprises (SOEs). With a focus on power utilities, the paper investigates how such several factors interact with each other to influence ultimate performance.Design/methodology/approachData on the SOEs constituting the sample is predominantly obtained from the audited annual financial statements and other publicized reports of entities for a 20-year period spanning from 1994 to 2013. The audited annual financial statements provide quantitative data whilst the rest of qualitative information is available from narratives in the annual reports. The study takes liquidity, board strength, extent of stakeholder presentation on board and government’s involvement in pricing as proxy variables for resource-based agency, stakeholder and public choice theories, respectively. Using performance as the dependent variable, the study variables are modeled in a regression model.FindingsThe paper finds that good SOE performance could be explained in terms of the agency and resource-based theories, where the authors found strong boards and good liquidity profiles to be positively related to good performance. A wider stakeholder representation on SOE boards correlates negatively with performance. Similarly, the higher the level of government involvement in the tariff setting process the weaker the performance results. Based on the results, the paper concludes that SOEs performance is underpinned by a plethora of organizational issues: agency, public policy, stakeholder and resource-based issues. These issues must therefore inform the appointment of SOE management and also their performance contracts.Practical implicationsThe study suggests that SOE governance structures should be centered around four main unifying themes; agency, stakeholders, resources and shareholder engagement. From an agency perspective, board appointments should first be based on merit and stakeholder representation comes in as a subset. Resources availability should be paired with objective imperatives and engagement with political leadership should be limited to matters of policy through a regulatory and legal framework.Originality/valueThis study provides some practical insights from both an administration and policy perspective. First, it reveals the importance of and a linkage between both adequate resources and strong boards, but also the need to find the right balance in managing stakeholder interests SOEs face. The study does not necessarily support the popular view of completely eliminating government interference in SOE affairs, but rather advances optimal political influence through regulatory and legal frameworks without giving up ownership rights.
Evaluating the sustainable performance of corporate boards: the balanced scorecard approach
Authors: Aly Ahmed Hussein , Mansour Mohamed Elsayed 
Published: February 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for evaluating the sustainable performance of corporate boards using the balanced scorecard approach. Also, the paper aims to determine the need and relevance of the proposed method in the evaluation process by testing the differences in the relative importance of the proposed method measures on a sample of the Egyptian manufacturing companies.

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a questionnaire list and personal interviews with three different population samples: board members, managers of manufacturing companies and financial analysts in brokerage firms. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to test the degree of approval on the related questions, and the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to test the differences among the responses of the three samples.

Findings
The results of the statistical analysis indicate that there is a need for companies to have an effective tool to evaluate the board performance, and that the proposed method is a suitable tool for the evaluation. Also, the results indicate that there are differences in the relative importance of the performance measures among the three samples.

Research limitations/implications
The exploratory study focused on a sample of manufacturing companies only. Accordingly, service companies and financial institutions are outside the scope of this research. There was difficulty in accessing a sample of shareholders; instead, this sample was replaced by a group of financial analysts in brokerage firms.

Practical implications
The proposed method adds to the performance evaluation literature with regard to measuring and evaluating the performance of boards. The study provides an empirical evidence of the need to use the balanced scorecard in the board evaluation and its relevance for the evaluation process. It provides a short guide to the most important performance measures to be used in the evaluation process of the company’s board of directors.

Originality/value
Few studies have focused on evaluating the performance of the board of directors using the balanced scorecard. This study is an important attempt to evaluate the sustainable performance of the board of directors using the balanced scorecard by taking into consideration the corporate social responsibility perspective. The proposed board’s balanced scorecard provides a useful tool to evaluate the performance of boards using objective, specific and clear measures.
Sing Hosanna for the brands: the process of substituting religion with brand
Authors: Sarkar Abhigyan , Sarkar Juhi Gahlot 
Published: February 2017

Purpose
Extant research shows that individual’s relationship with brand can be structurally similar to both interpersonal love relationship and religious relationship. A stream of consumer research states that individual can love a brand like a person loves another person. Another stream of consumer research postulates that individual can perceive brand equivalent to religion, and even substitute religion with brand. Research is scarce connecting these two different paradigms of brand relationship, given that interpersonal relationship is not necessarily as devotional as religious relationship. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the psychological process through which an individual can substitute his/her religion with brand. The basic theoretical premise of this substitution behaviour is the proposition that brand meanings can be perceived as equivalent to religious meanings.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper has conducted an integrative review of selected extant research related to individual-brand relationships, interpersonal relationships and religiosity.

Findings
This paper develops a consumer response hierarchy model showing the inter-related psychological processes through which an individual can substitute his/her religion with brand. The model forms the basis for the discussion of theoretical contributions and managerial implications.

Originality/value
The value of this conceptual paper lies in developing a process model for the first time in the area of consumer-brand relationship domain explaining the stage-wise psychological processes through which individual can move from mere cognitive brand satisfaction towards perceiving brand as substitute of religion.
biomass: an r package for estimating above‐ground biomass and its uncertainty in tropical forests
Authors: Réjou‐Méchain Maxime , Tanguy Ariane , Piponiot Camille , Chave Jérôme , Hérault Bruno 
Published: February 2017

Summary

Estimating forest above‐ground biomass (AGB), or carbon (AGC), in tropical forests has become a major concern for scientists and stakeholders. However, AGB assessment procedures are not fully standardized and even more importantly, the uncertainty associated with AGB estimates is seldom assessed.

Here, we present an r package designed to compute both AGB/AGC estimate and its associated uncertainty from forest plot datasets, using a Bayesian inference procedure. The package builds upon previous work on pantropical and regional biomass allometric equations and published datasets by default, but it can also integrate unpublished or complementary datasets in many steps.

BIOMASS performs a number of standard tasks on input forest tree inventories: (i) tree species identification, if available, is automatically corrected; (ii) wood density is estimated from tree species identity; (iii) if height data are available, a local height–diameter allometry may be built; else height is inferred from pantropical or regional models; (iv) finally, AGB/AGC are estimated by propagating the errors associated with all the calculation steps up to the final estimate. R code is given in the paper and in the appendix for the purpose of illustration.

The BIOMASS package should contribute to improved standards for AGB calculation for tropical forest stands, and will encourage users to report the uncertainties associated with stand‐level AGB/AGC estimates in future studies.
The results of local excision with or without postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for early rectal cancer among patients choosing to avoid radical surgery
Authors: Balyasnikova S. , Read J. , Tait D. , Wotherspoon A. , Swift I. , Cunningham D. , Tekkis P. , Brown G. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractAimThe study aimed to establish the oncological outcome of patients who opted for close surveillance with or without adjuvant chemoradiotherapy rather than radical surgery after local excision (LE) of early rectal cancer.MethodThe Royal Marsden Hospital Rectal Cancer database was used to identify rectal cancer patients treated by primary LE from 2006 to 2015. All patients were entered in an intensive surveillance programme.ResultsTwenty‐eight of 34 analysed patients had a high or very high risk of residual disease predicted by adverse histopathological features for which the recommendation had been radical surgery. Eighteen (52%) of the 34 had received radiotherapy following LE. Three‐year disease‐free survival for the 34 patients was 85% (95% CI 78.8%–91.2%) and overall survival was 100%. Twenty‐two of 24 patients with a low tumour which would have required total rectal excision have so far avoided radical surgery and remain disease free at a median follow‐up of 3.2 years.ConclusionThe findings suggest that with modern MRI and clinical surveillance radical surgery can be avoided in patients following initial LE of a histopathologically defined high risk early rectal cancer. These findings are comparable with those obtained after major radical resection and warrant further prospective investigation as a treatment arm in larger prospective trials.
Diagnostic efficacy of liquid‐based cytology for solid pancreatic lesion samples obtained with endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration: Propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Hashimoto Shinichi , Taguchi Hiroki , Higashi Michiyo , Hatanaka Kazuhito , Fujita Toshihiro , Iwaya Hiromichi , Nakazawa Junichi , Arima Shiho , Iwashita Yuji , Sasaki Fumisato , Nasu Yuichiro , Kanmura Shuji , Ido Akio 
Published: February 2017

Background and AimThere is a paucity of data on the diagnostic efficacy of liquid‐based cytology (LBC) for pancreatic samples obtained by endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA). Using propensity score matching, we retrospectively analyzed the additional diagnostic value of LBC compared to a conventional Papanicolaou smear (CPS) for samples of solid pancreatic lesions obtained by EUS‐FNA.MethodsThis cohort study included 126 matched patients who underwent initial EUS‐FNA for solid pancreatic lesions between January 2009 and August 2014. CPS was used for cytology of EUS‐FNA samples obtained until May 2012 (63 patients). Subsequently, LBC was used for cytological analysis (63 patients). Diagnostic yields of CPS and LBC for malignancy were compared. Risk factors for cytological misdiagnosis with LBC were investigated.ResultsOverall rate of malignancy was 86% after matching. LBC had higher diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy than CPS (96.6% vs 84.0%, P = 0.03; and 96.8% vs 87.3%, P = 0.05). LBC was significantly more sensitive for diagnosing pancreatic head lesions (96.4% vs 78.1%, P = 0.04). The sensitivity for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with LBC was higher (98.1% vs 83.0%, P = 0.009). Multivariate analysis revealed that malignant tumors other than PDAC (P = 0.004) and lesion size ≤20 mm (P = 0.046) were risk factors for LBC misdiagnosis in all participants.ConclusionsFor solid pancreatic lesions, LBC of EUS‐FNA samples contributes to the diagnosis of malignancy. Malignant tumors other than PDAC and small tumors are difficult to diagnose using EUS‐FNA and LBC.
The Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale is the first quality of life tool developed for clinical use and validated in patients with follicular lymphoma
Authors: Davies Joanna M. , Osborne Thomas R. , Edmonds Polly M. , Schey Steve A. , Devereux Steve , Higginson Irene J. , Ramsenthaler Christina 
Published: February 2017

AbstractObjectivesThe development of novel agents and an ageing population has led to an increasing number of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) living longer with their disease. Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) is a priority for patients and should guide clinical decisions. The Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale (MyPOS), originally developed for myeloma, was validated in a cross‐sectional survey recruiting 124 FL patients.MethodsContent and construct validity, structural validity using confirmatory factor analyses, reliability and acceptability were evaluated.ResultsThree subscales were indicated: symptoms and function, emotional response, and healthcare support. MyPOS symptom and function scores were higher (worse) in participants with poorer ECOG performance status (F=26.2, P<.000) and discriminated between patients on and off treatment. Good convergent and discriminant validity in comparison to the EORTC‐QLQ‐C30 and FACT‐Lym were demonstrated. Internal consistency was good; α coefficient 0.70‐0.95 for the total MyPOS score and subscales.ConclusionThe MyPOS is valid, reliable and acceptable, and can be used to support clinical care of FL patients. This is the first measurement tool developed specially for use in clinical practice that has been validated for use in people with FL. Further longitudinal validation is now required to support its use in outcome measurement.
Interaction rewiring and the rapid turnover of plant–pollinator networks
Authors: CaraDonna Paul J. , Petry William K. , Brennan Ross M. , Cunningham James L. , Bronstein Judith L. , Waser Nickolas M. , Sanders Nathan J. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractWhether species interactions are static or change over time has wide‐reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, species interaction networks are typically constructed from temporally aggregated interaction data, thereby implicitly assuming that interactions are fixed. This approach has advanced our understanding of communities, but it obscures the timescale at which interactions form (or dissolve) and the drivers and consequences of such dynamics. We address this knowledge gap by quantifying the within‐season turnover of plant–pollinator interactions from weekly censuses across 3 years in a subalpine ecosystem. Week‐to‐week turnover of interactions (1) was high, (2) followed a consistent seasonal progression in all years of study and (3) was dominated by interaction rewiring (the reassembly of interactions among species). Simulation models revealed that species’ phenologies and relative abundances constrained both total interaction turnover and rewiring. Our findings reveal the diversity of species interactions that may be missed when the temporal dynamics of networks are ignored.
Dickkopf‐1 is involved in dexamethasone‐mediated hair follicle regression
Authors: Kwack Mi Hee , Lee Jun Ho , Seo Chang Hoon , Kim Jung Chul , Kim Moon Kyu , Sung Young Kwan 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThe stress‐related neurohormones including glucocorticoids (GCs) are secreted by hair follicles (HFs), and GCs suppress murine hair growth in vivo. In this study, we found that dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic GC, increased the expression of dickkopf‐1 (DKK1), a known catagen inducer, in dermal papilla (DP) cells, but not in follicular keratinocytes. The neutralizing DKK1 antibody significantly attenuated the Dex‐induced inhibition of human hair shaft elongation. In addition, the neutralizing Dkk1 antibody delayed Dex‐induced catagen in mice. Collectively, our data strongly suggest that stress‐related neurohormones cause DP cells to secrete DKK1, thereby leading to stress‐associated disturbances in hair growth.
Loss of cutaneous microbial diversity during first 3 weeks of life in very low birthweight infants
Authors: Salava Alexander , Aho Velma , Lybeck Emilia , Pereira Pedro , Paulin Lars , Nupponen Irmeli , Ranki Annamari , Auvinen Petri , Andersson Sture , Lauerma Antti 
Published: February 2017

AbstractNeonatal sepsis (NS) is a frequent problem in neonatal intensive care, especially in preterm and very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. The objective of the study was to characterize the cutaneous bacterial microbiome in VLBW infants treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Non‐invasive skin microbiome specimens were taken repeatedly from 12 VLBW infants during treatment in NICU starting on the first day of life. All infants received benzylpenicillin and netilmicin during the first 1‐5 postnatal days. Samples were also collected from incubators. High cutaneous microbial diversity was present at birth in 11 of 12 of the infants, but the diversity decreased substantially after the first weeks of life in all infants regardless of their infection status. After the loss of diversity, one Staphylococcus operational taxonomic unit dominated the skin microbiome. Recovery of microbial diversity was seen in six of 12 neonates. The microbiome of incubators showed typical environmental bacterial genera. Maternal antibiotic treatment, the aetiology of the preterm birth or being born by C‐section did not appear to affect the diversity of skin microbiota at birth, and no correlation was found between cutaneous microbiome and NS.
A phosphoinositide‐specific phospholipase C pathway elicits stress‐induced Ca2+ signals and confers salt tolerance to rice
Authors: Li Li , Wang Fawei , Yan Peiwen , Jing Wen , Zhang Chunxia , Kudla Jörg , Zhang Wenhua 
Published: February 2017

Summary

In animal cells, phospholipase C (PLC) isoforms predominantly hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐biphosphates [PtdIns(4,5)P2] into the second messengers diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] to regulate diverse biological processes. By contrast, the molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of PLC signaling in plants still awaits full elucidation. Here, we identified a rice (Oryza sativa cv) PI‐PLC, OsPLC1, which preferred to hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol‐4‐phosphate (PtdIns4P) and elicited stress‐induced Ca2+ signals regulating salt tolerance.

Analysis by ion chromatography revealed that the concentration of PtdIns4P was c. 28 times of that of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in shoots. OsPLC1 not only converted PtdIns(4,5)P2 but also – and even more efficiently – converted PtdIns4P into DAG and Ins(1,4,5)P3 in vitro and in vivo.

Salt stress induced the recruitment of OsPLC1 from cytoplasm to plasma membrane, where it hydrolyzed PtdIns4P. The stress‐induced Ca2+ signaling was dependent on OsPLC1, and the PLC‐mediated Ca2+ signaling was essential for controlling Na+ accumulation in leaf blades, thus establishing whole plant salt tolerance.

Our work identifies a conversion pathway and physiological function for PtdIns4P pools in rice and reveals the connection between phosphoinositides and Ca2+ signals mediated by PLC during salt stress responses.
Phospholipase Dα1‐mediated phosphatidic acid change is a key determinant of desiccation‐induced viability loss in seeds
Authors: Chen Hongying , Yu Xiaomei , Zhang Xudong , Yang Lan , Huang Xing , Zhang Jie , Pritchard Hugh W. , Li Weiqi 
Published: February 2017

AbstractHigh sensitivity of seeds to water loss is a widespread phenomenon in the world's plant species. The molecular basis of this trait is poorly understood but thought to be associated with critical changes in membrane function. We profiled membrane lipids of seeds in eight species with varying levels of desiccation tolerance and found a close association between reducing seed viability and increasing phosphatidic acid (PA). We applied hydration–dehydration cycles to Arabidopsis seeds, which are normally desiccation tolerant, to mimic the onset of desiccation sensitivity with progression towards germination and examined the role of phospholipase D (PLD) in desiccation stress‐induced production of PA. We found that PLDα1 became more abundant and migrated from the cytosol to the membrane during desiccation, whereas PLDδ did not change, and that all desiccation‐induced PA was derived from PLDα1 hydrolysis. When PLDα1 was suppressed, the germination level after each hydration–dehydration cycle improved significantly. We further demonstrated that PLDα1‐mediated PA formation modulates desiccation sensitivity as applying its inhibitor improved seed desiccation tolerance and its suppression in protoplasts enhanced survival under dehydration. The insights provided by comparative lipidomics enable us to propose a new membrane‐based model for seed desiccation stress and survival.
Globalization of pediatric transplantation: The risk of tuberculosis or not tuberculosis
Authors: McCulloch Mignon , Lin Philana Ling 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThe risk of TB among pediatric SOT recipients increases as the globalization of medical care continues to broaden. Unlike adults, children and especially infants are more susceptible to TB as a complication after transplantation. Little data exist regarding the true incidence of TB and the optimal risk‐based management of this very vulnerable population. Here, we highlight the theoretical and practical issues that complicate the management of these patients and pose some questions that should be addressed when managing these patients. More data are needed to provide optimal guidance of the best diagnostic and management practices to this unique population.
Draft Genome Sequence of Deep-Sea
Alteromonas
sp. Strain V450 Isolated from the Marine Sponge
Leiodermatium
sp
Authors: Wang Guojun , Barrett Nolan H. , McCarthy Peter J. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

The proteobacterium
Alteromonas
sp. strain V450 was isolated from the Atlantic deep-sea sponge
Leiodermatium
sp. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, with a genome size of approx. 4.39 Mb and a G+C content of 44.01%. The results will aid deep-sea microbial ecology, evolution, and sponge-microbe association studies.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Flavobacteriales
Bacterium Strain UJ101 Isolated from a Xanthid Crab
Authors: Yang Jhung-Ahn , Kwon Kae Kyoung , Oh Hyun-Myung 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

Flavobacteriales
bacterium strain UJ101 was isolated from a xanthid crab species collected from the East Sea of Korea. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain UJ101 for the study of major metabolic pathways related to microbial species from marine invertebrate species.