bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Applicability of the HPO framework in non-profit organizations
Authors: Mroueh Meerna , de Waal André 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
Associations perform an important role in developing a profession, by organizing professionals into a community in which relevant information and knowledge are shared, ideas expanded, contacts with other like-minded professionals made, a code of ethics established and appropriate practices for members identified. For an association to be effective, it has to perform at the highest quality level. However, no studies can be found in the academic literature on how to create high-performing associations. This paper aims to apply the high-performance organization (HPO) Framework within the Emirates Insurance Association (EIA) to evaluate its current strength and identify possible improvements that need to be implemented for EIA to achieve high performance.

Design/methodology/approach
In this article, the HPO Framework – which has been used and validated in many contexts, including non-profit organizations (NPOs) – is applied within the EIA to evaluate its current strength and, thereby, identify possible improvements that need to be implemented for EIA to achieve high performance.

Findings
The research results showed that the HPO Framework – when adapted to the circumstances of an association – is able to accurately evaluate the situation within that association and yield targeted recommendations to improve its performance.

Originality/value
This research fills a lacuna in the current literature on how to improve the performance of associations; it can, therefore, function as a foundation for further academic research into high performance in associations and possibly other types of NPOs. Moreover, the research results help managers of associations and NPOs in their quest for high performance by offering tangible improvement suggestions.
Collaboration and crowdsourcing in emergency management
Authors: Ernst Christoph , Mladenow Andreas , Strauss Christine 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
Emergency managers face coordinative challenges that require a high degree of mobility, flexibility and the ability to interpret heterogeneous, location-dependent information of various sources and quality. Recent information and communication technology-driven developments like crowdsourcing or social networks have opened up new organizational possibilities for emergency managers. To make quick but solid decisions, and improve the coordination of activities performed by crowdsourcees during disaster response, the authors suggest the use of collaborative features from crowdsourcing and inherent availability of resources from social network effects. In this paper, the idea of considering collaboration and crowdsourcing as drivers for flexibility in the design of business processes in the context of emergency management is prepared, the meaning of location-dependent tasks for volunteers is investigated, and the added value of social network effects is substantiated.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper is part of an ongoing research project in the field of crowdsourcing. It represents conceptual work that builds on relevant literature.

Findings
In terms of emergency management, the paper sheds light on what emergency managers may consider when coordinating activities performed by volunteers and how they may benefit from social network effects. Furthermore, it is shown how they can exploit information using collaboration-based and tournament-like crowdsourcing, how they can benefit from invoking additional resources using weak ties from social networks, and how visualization of information may support decision-making.

Practical implications
Exemplary applications to exploit crowdsourcing and social network effects to support improvisation and to respond flexibly in disaster response are given.

Originality/value
This paper suggests novel collaborative approaches to support emergency managers in their decision-making. Based on social network analysis, the value of weak ties is elaborated, and based on a taxonomy from crowdsourcing, distinct collaborative alternatives are developed and proposed for application in emergency management.
Family firm identity and capital structure decisions
Authors: Thiele Felix K. , Wendt Martin 
Published: May 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to grasp the effect of familiness on capital structure decisions in family firms, as family firm identity may be an important source of competitive advantage due to its potential to moderate relationships with stakeholders such as banks.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses panel data from 2010 to 2014, which combine financial and structural data on 691 large private German companies. The econometric approach is a random-effect and tobit panel regression using different dependent variables relating to debt.FindingsThe study reveals that family firms have significantly higher overall and long-term debt levels compared to their non-family counterparts. Contrary to the extant literature, tangibility is not significantly related to debt in the context of family firms and the hypothesized higher usage of trade credits by family-owned businesses could not be supported.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research can improve the measurement of familiness by changing from a dichotomous to a continuous variable, acknowledging that family businesses are not homogenous. This would also enable a different econometric approach.Practical implicationsA practical implication for family firms is to actively capitalize on their identity and thus, improving the way they present themselves towards different groups of stakeholders to mitigate information asymmetries and enhance trust.Originality/valueThe paper investigates large private family-owned businesses, applies multiple dependent variables, and uses a family firm specific theoretical framework, namely familiness, to explain the family’s influence on the business.
Women’s management practices and performance in rural female-owned family businesses
Authors: Peake Whitney , Marshall Maria I. 
Published: May 2017

PurposePrior research indicates that family businesses have fewer management control practices in place and are more likely to have non-economic goals for their firm. Further, researchers in this domain contend that female-controlled businesses tend to underperform compared to male-controlled businesses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the performance effects of management controls and goals for the business across both male and female-controlled farm and rural family businesses.Design/methodology/approachThe data used in the analyses are from the 2012 Intergenerational Farm and Non-Farm Family Business Survey. The sample comprises 576 small- and medium-sized rural family businesses. The authors used probit analysis to model both family business objective and subjective success for women and men.FindingsThe results suggest that female-controlled farm and rural family businesses do not underperform their male counterparts in terms of objective or subjective assessments of performance. The results do indicate, however, that strategic management via management control practices within the firm influence objective and subjective performance differently across male and female-controlled farm and rural family businesses.Originality/valueThe results provide three primary contributions to the family business literature. First, the authors determined that strategic management practices via management control mechanisms, as well as the monitoring of managers, are of significance to the objective performance (i.e. gross income) of both men and women-controlled farm and rural family businesses. Second, the authors found that communicating economic vs non-economic goals do not influence satisfaction with the firm’s performance, but do influence the probability of success for female-controlled family businesses. Finally, the authors find that when we compare male and female-controlled businesses in the same industry, while controlling for family and business factors, men and women do not differ in a statistical sense in objective or subjective performance.
The information content of dividend initiation announcements
Authors: Yu Susana , Webb Gwendolyn 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the dividend initiation announcements made by firms in the information technology sector as defined in a modern system of industrial classification.

Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of a modern classification of the information technology industry, the authors examine a wide range of corporate performance and management measures to discriminate between the two theories of the information revealed by the announcement of dividend initiations, the signaling, and life cycle theories.

Findings
The empirical results are more consistent with the corporate life cycle theory of dividends than with the information signaling hypothesis. This finding helps clarify the nature of the information revealed by the announcement.

Originality/value
The paper has clear implications for investors who are interested in the growth prospects of technology firms, or for others interested in their prospective stability and degree of maturity.
Survival after resection of appendiceal carcinoma by hemicolectomy and less radical than hemicolectomy: a population‐based propensity score matched analysis
Authors: Elias H. , Galata C. , Warschkow R. , Schmied B. M. , Steffen T. , Post S. , Marti L. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractAimThe operative treatment for non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma is controversial despite the recommendation of right hemicolectomy (RH) by many researchers. The aim of this population‐based study was to compare outcomes after RH and less radical resection than right hemicolectomy (LRH).MethodA total of 1144 patients who underwent resection with additional lymphadenectomy of Stages I–III appendiceal carcinoma from 2004 to 2012 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. Overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) after RH and LRH were assessed by unadjusted and risk‐adjusted Cox regression analysis and by propensity score matched analysis.ResultsA total of 855 (74.7%) patients underwent RH and 289 (25.3%) underwent LRH. In an unadjusted analysis, survival after LRH and RH did not differ in OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.95, 95% CI 0.71–1.26, P = 0.707] and CSS (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.69–1.32, P = 0.762). The 5‐year OS and CSS in patients who underwent RH were 71.6% (95% CI 67.8–75.6%) and 76.4% (95% CI 72.8–80.3) compared with 73.8% (95% CI 67.9–80.2) and 78.7% (95% CI 73.2–84.7) in patients with LRH, respectively. No relevant difference in survival between LRH and RH could be observed in a multivariable analysis (OS, HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.65–1.25, P = 0.493; CSS, HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.60–1.26, P = 0.420) and after propensity score adjusted analysis (OS, HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.62–1.22, P = 0.442; CSS, HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.67–1.40, P = 0.883).ConclusionsIn this retrospective analysis, survival after RH for non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma was not statistically significantly superior to LRH. Hence, LRH with lymphadenectomy might be sufficient for treatment of non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma.
Dynamic Bayesian Network Inferencing for Non-Homogeneous Complex Systems
Authors: Wu Paul P.-Y. , Julian Caley M. , Kendrick Gary A. , McMahon Kathryn , Mengersen Kerrie 
Published: May 2017

SummaryDynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs) provide a versatile method for predictive, whole-of-systems modelling to support decision makers in managing natural systems subject to anthropogenic disturbances. However, DBNs typically assume a homogeneous Markov chain which we show can limit the dynamics that can be modelled especially for complex ecosystems that are susceptible to regime change (i.e. change in state transition probabilities). Such regime changes can occur as a result of exogenous inputs and/or because of past system states; the latter is known as path dependence. We develop a method for non-homogeneous DBN inference to capture the dynamics of potentially path-dependent ecosystems. The method enables dynamic updates of DBN parameters at each time slice in computing posterior marginal probabilities given evidence for forward inference. An approximate algorithm for forward–backward inference is also provided noting that convergence is not guaranteed in a path-dependent system. We demonstrate the methods on a seagrass dredging case-study and show that the incorporation of path dependence enables conditional absorption into and release from the zero state in line with ecological observations. The model helps managers to develop practical ways to manage the marked effects of dredging on high value seagrass ecosystems.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Saccharomonospora
sp. Strain LRS4.154, a Moderately Halophilic Actinobacterium with the Biotechnologically Relevant Polyketide Synthase and Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Systems
Authors: Alonso-Carmona Scarlett , Vera-Gargallo Blanca , de la Haba Rafael R. , Ventosa Antonio , Sandoval-Trujillo Horacio , Ramírez-Durán Ninfa 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACT

The draft genome sequence of
Saccharomonospora
sp. strain LRS4.154, a moderately halophilic actinobacterium, has been determined. The genome has 4,860,108 bp, a G+C content of 71.0%, and 4,525 open reading frames (ORFs). The clusters of
PKS
and
NRPS
genes, responsible for the biosynthesis of a large number of biomolecules, were identified in the genome.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Campylobacter helveticus Type Strain ATCC 51209
Authors: Miller William G. , Yee Emma , Bono James L. 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACT

Campylobacter helveticus
has been isolated from domestic dogs and cats. Although
C. helveticus
is closely related to the emerging human pathogen
C. upsaliensis
, no
C. helveticus
-associated cases of human illness have been reported. This study describes the whole-genome sequence of the
C. helveticus
type strain ATCC 51209 (=CCUG 30682
T
).
Increasing the uptake of electronic prescribing in primary care
Authors: Imambaccus Nazia , Glace Samuel , Heath Rory 
Published: May 2017

Electronic prescribing is a form of paperless prescribing that is reported to reduce prescription mistakes and increases the cost effectiveness of the process. In England, around 1.5 million prescriptions are generated in general practice daily. Thus by reducing costs and increasing efficiency of this system through electronic prescribing, costs can be driven down.In this Quality Improvement project, a GP practice in London with approximately 3000 patients on record was assessed for its electronic prescribing rates throughout 3 intervention cycles over a period of 2 months. A baseline value of how many patients were already assigned to electronic prescribing was obtained and a period of normal change over a fortnight without any intervention was also assessed (an increase in 15 patients). These values were then used to illustrate any benefits of the interventions completed during the intervention cycles. An introduction of a new electronic prescribing form saw fortnightly uptake rates increase by 20%. The addition of leaflets and posters in the practice produced a decrease of 26% in fortnightly uptake rate. The final intervention included a staff meeting, computer notes to remind staff of electronic prescribing and attaching the new forms to paper prescriptions. This saw an increase in rates of 80% over two weeks. Overall, this project has illustrated that information provision of electronic prescribing needs to be more than just forms or posters. Indeed, the most effective way of improving rates relies on having a driven and motivated staff who are themselves well informed on electronic prescribing alongside adequate information placement for patients to access.
A Multifaceted Quality Improvement Programme to Improve Acute Kidney Injury Care and Outcomes in a Large Teaching Hospital
Authors: Ebah Leonard , Hanumapura Prasanna , Waring Deryn , Challiner Rachael , Hayden Katharine , Alexander Jill , Henney Robert , Royston Rachel , Butterworth Cassian , Vincent Marc , Heatley Susan , Terriere Ged , Pearson Robert , Hutchison Alastair 
Published: May 2017

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is now widely recognised as a serious health care issue, occurring in up to 25% of hospital in-patients, often with worsening of outcomes. There have been several reports of substandard care in AKI. This quality improvement (QI) programme aimed to improve AKI care and outcomes in a large teaching hospital.Areas of documented poor AKI care were identified and specific improvement activities implemented through sequential Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. An electronic alert system (e-alert) for AKI was developed, a Priority Care Checklist (PCC) was tested with the aid of specialist nurses whilst targeted education activities were carried out and data on care processes and outcomes monitored.The e-alert had a sensitivity of 99% for the detection of new cases of AKI. Key aspects of the PCC saw significant improvements in their attainment: Detection of AKI within 24 hours from 53% to 100%, fluid assessment from 42% to 90%, drug review 48% to 95% and adherence to nine key aspects of care from 40% to 90%. There was a significant reduction in variability of delivered AKI care. AKI incidence reduced from 9% of all hospitalisations at baseline to 6.5% (28% reduction), AKI related length of stay reduced from 22.1 days to 17 days (23% reduction) and time to recovery (AKI days) 15.5 to 9.8 days (36% reduction). AKI related deaths also showed a trend towards reduction, from an average of 38 deaths to 34 (10.5%). The number of cases of hospital acquired AKI were reduced by 28% from 120 to 86 per month.This study demonstrates significant improvements related to a QI programme combining e-alerts, a checklist implemented by a nurse and education in improving key processes of care. This resulted in sustained improvement in key patient outcomes.
Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B using graphene and titanium dioxide composite catalyst
Authors: Zhao Yu , Du Wen-Han , Chen Lei , Xiao Jin , Xiong Chao , Yuan Hong-Chun 
Published: May 2017

Graphene and titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite catalyst has been synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis method, and used for the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh.B) in water. The photoelectrocatalytic activity of this composite was evaluated by decomposing of Rh.B in water under visible or UV light irradiation. The degradation results indicated that the photoelectrocatalytic performance of this composite catalyst was greatly enhanced due to the improved adsorption performance and separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers possibly. The composite with graphene content of 10 wt.% exhibited superior activity under UV light irradiation. After 30 min of reaction, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation ratio of Rh.B was about 96% when pH [Formula: see text] 6–7. The results of this work provide a good method for the treatment of organic wastewater with high performance.
Increased Hepatic Expression of Endothelial Lipase Inhibits Cholesterol Diet–Induced Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis in Transgenic Rabbits
Authors: Wang Chuan , Nishijima Kazutoshi , Kitajima Shuji , Niimi Manabu , Yan Haizhao , Chen Yajie , Ning Bo , Matsuhisa Fumikazu , Liu Enqi , Zhang Jifeng , Chen Y. Eugene , Fan Jianglin 
Published: May 2017

Objective—
Endothelial lipase (EL) is a key determinant in plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. However, functional roles of EL on the development of atherosclerosis have not been clarified. We investigated whether hepatic expression of EL affects plasma lipoprotein metabolism and cholesterol diet–induced atherosclerosis.

Approach and Results—
We generated transgenic (Tg) rabbits expressing the human EL gene in the liver and then examined the effects of EL expression on plasma lipids and lipoproteins and compared the susceptibility of Tg rabbits with cholesterol diet–induced atherosclerosis with non-Tg littermates. On a chow diet, hepatic expression of human EL in Tg rabbits led to remarkable reductions in plasma levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol compared with non-Tg controls. On a cholesterol-rich diet for 16 weeks, Tg rabbits exhibited significantly lower hypercholesterolemia and less atherosclerosis than non-Tg littermates. In Tg rabbits, gross lesion area of aortic atherosclerosis was reduced by 52%, and the lesions were characterized by fewer macrophages and smooth muscle cells compared with non-Tg littermates.

Conclusions—
Increased hepatic expression of EL attenuates cholesterol diet–induced hypercholesterolemia and protects against atherosclerosis.
Just Managing?
Authors: O'Brien Mark , Kyprianou Paul 
Published: May 2017

The 'just about managing'. 'Hardworking families'. 'Alarm-clock Britain'. In recent years British political discourse has been filled with these slogans, as politicians claim to speak on behalf of families who are in work, but struggling to get by. This book allows us to hear from some of these families directly.
At a time when the impact of austerity is more relevant than ever, Just Managing? cuts through the debates and sloganeering to give some of the real people behind the headlines and statistics a chance to tell their stories. It tracks the lives of thirty working families in Liverpool over one year, as they struggle to manage on incomes at or around the National Minimum Wage. Their accounts are placed within the economic and political context that has shaped their experiences and that of millions of other working families across the country.
This book is required reading for anyone seeking to understand what life is like at the sharp end of 'austerity Britain’.
Atom Bond Connectivity Index of Molecular Graphs of Alkynes and Cycloalkynes
Authors: Mohammed Mohanad A , Atan K. A , Khalaf A. M , Hasni R , Said M. R. Md 
Published: May 2017

The atom-bond connectivity (ABC) index is one of the recently most investigated degree based molecular structure descriptors that have applications in chemistry. For a graph G, the ABC index is defined as ABC(G) = <inline-formula> <mml:math display="block">
<mml:msub> <mml:mo>∑</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>u</mml:mi><mml:mi>v</mml:mi><mml:mo>∈</mml:mo><mml:mi>E</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mi>G</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo>
</mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo stretchy="false">[</mml:mo><mml:msub> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>v</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:msub> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi>
<mml:mi>u</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo><mml:mn>2</mml:mn><mml:mo stretchy="false">]</mml:mo><mml:mo>/</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">[</mml:mo><mml:msub> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>v</mml:mi>
</mml:msub> <mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mo>·</mml:mo><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:msub> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>u</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo stretchy="false">]</mml:mo><mml:mo>,</mml:mo>
</mml:mrow> </mml:msqrt> </mml:math> </inline-formula> where du denotes the degree of a vertex u in G. In this paper, we establish the general formulas for the atom bond connectivity index of molecular graphs of alkynes and cycloalkynes.