bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transformative HR practices and employee task performance in high-tech firms
Authors: Bodla Ali Ahmad , Ningyu Tang 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of perceived transformative human resource (HR) practices and employee task performance. Drawing on evidence-based approach, the transformative HR practices intend to transform employees’ behavior to cope with organizational change. This study intends to answer how does the perceived transformative HR practices influence employees’ behavioral capability to enhance their task performance. This investigation proposes that the perceived transformative HR practices positively affect employees task performance, however, employee adaptivity mediates the relationship between them.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a random sample of 224 employees, from a large high-tech company in China, to test the hypotheses. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the perceived transformative HR practices in the context of a high-tech firm. The authors performed multiple linear regression analysis to examine the proposed model.FindingsThe results of this study indicate that the perceived transformative HR practices positively influence employee adaptivity and task performance. Furthermore, employee adaptivity mediates the relationship between the perceived transformative HR practices and employee task performance. Therefore, employee adaptivity illuminates and explains the underlying mechanism of how the perceived transformative HR practices lead to employee task performance.Research limitations/implicationsData collected from single firm may limit the generalizability of the findings and cross-sectional research design may raise the concern of common method bias. Future studies should test and validate the operationalization of the perceived transformative HR practices in different research contexts and with larger sample size. Organizations should design and implement transformative HR practices to cope with change. Furthermore, organizational managers should encourage and facilitate employee adaptivity to achieve better performance.Originality/valueThis study contributes to change management and the HR literature by identifying and operationalizing the perceived transformative HR practices as a predictor of employee adaptivity and task performance. Through the underlying mechanism of employee adaptivity between the perceived transformative HR practices and employee task performance, this study provides a new perspective to look at the HR-performance relationship in the change process.
How do firms tackle strategic change? A theoretical model of the choice between dynamic capability-based and ad hoc problem-solving approaches
Authors: Wang Yue , Wang Karen Yuan 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical account of how firms make choices between dynamic capability-based and ad hoc problem-solving approaches toward strategic change.Design/methodology/approachA model has been developed to answer the questions of how and under what conditions firms develop appropriate approaches to handle strategic change.FindingsDrawing upon structural inertia theory (SIT) and the resource-based view (RBV), the model predicts that firms, regardless of their age and size, are more likely to adopt an ad hoc problem-solving approach to handle change in both highly dynamic and low-dynamic environments. However, in moderately dynamic environments, a dynamic capability-based approach may be more appropriate, depending on which theoretical logic (SIT or RBV) the decision is made.Originality/valueThe paper builds on the useful distinction made by Winter (2003) in terms of the ways to handle organizational change and extends the recent research on temporary vs sustainable competitive advantages to investigate how firms tackle strategic change within the contexts of both environmental dynamism and organizational attributes.
One goal, two paths
Authors: Wang Donghan , Guo Hai , Liu Lu 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the following question: how managerial ties impact firm business model innovation (BMI) in the context of transition economies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a conceptual model that links managerial ties, organizational learning (explorative and exploitative learning), opportunity recognition and BMI together.FindingsThis study finds that managerial ties take effect through two paths: one direct path and one indirect path. First, managerial ties can impact BMI directly through exploitative and explorative learning. Second, managerial ties can impact BMI indirectly through explorative learning and opportunity recognition.Practical implicationsFirst, firm managers from transition economies should learn to reinvent their business models by taking full advantage of managerial ties. Second, firm managers should take appropriate actions to transfer managerial ties into BMI.Originality/valueThis study contributes to existing literature in two major ways. First, this study enriches literature on the antecedents to BMI from a social network perspective. Second, this study opens the “black box” between managerial ties and BMI in the context of transition economies.
A study of female Middle Eastern entrepreneurs: a resource-based view
Authors: Khizindar Tariq M. , Darley William K. 
Published: June 2017

PurposeUsing the resource-focused view of the firm as a theoretical backdrop, this study aims to examine the relationships between entrepreneurial perceptions and two dependent measures (i.e. customer satisfaction outcomes and firm performance). Specifically, the study tests the boundary conditions of the resource-based view (RBV) performance relationship in a Middle Eastern context.Design/methodology/approachThe data from 171 female Saudi entrepreneurs are analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe research results revealed that marketing capability and financial capability (i.e. financial capital access) have a positive significant effect on both dependent measures. Labor shortage also has a negative significant effect on both dependent variables, whereas operations capability does not show a significant effect on the two dependent measures. To a large extent, the results show that the RBV holds true in the Saudi context.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the knowledge about the effects of specific human and financial capital, as well as illuminates how marketing capability, financial capital access and labor shortage impact these dependent variables in the unique context of Saudi Arabia among female entrepreneurs, thereby extending the knowledge of the RBV in different contexts. Furthermore, it extends knowledge of the entrepreneurship literature, especially in the area of gender-based entrepreneurship research in developing countries.
Changes in Hospital Inpatient Utilization Following Health Care Reform
Authors: Pickens Gary , Karaca Zeynal , Cutler Eli , Dworsky Michael , Eibner Christine , Moore Brian , Gibson Teresa , Iyer Sharat , Wong Herbert S. 
Published: June 2017

ObjectiveTo estimate the effects of 2014 Medicaid expansions on inpatient outcomes.Data SourcesHealth Care Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases, 2011–2014; population and unemployment estimates.Study DesignRetrospective study estimating effects of Medicaid expansions using difference‐in‐differences regression. Outcomes included total admissions, referral‐sensitive surgical and preventable admissions, length of stay, cost, and patient illness severity.FindingsIn 2014 quarter four, compared with nonexpansion states, Medicaid admissions increased (28.5 percent, p = .006), and uninsured and private admissions decreased (–55.1 percent, p = .001, and –6.6 percent, p = .052), whereas all‐payer admissions showed little change. Uninsured expansion effects were negative for preventable admissions (−24.4 percent, p = .068), length of stay (–9.3 percent, p = .039), total cost (−9.2 percent, p = .128), and illness severity (−4.5 percent, p = .397). Significant positive expansion effects were found for Medicaid referral‐sensitive surgeries (11.8 percent, p = .021) and patient illness severity (2.3 percent, p = .015). Private and all‐payer expansion effects for outcomes other than admission volume were small and mainly nonsignificant (p > .05).ConclusionMedicaid expansions did not change all‐payer admission volumes, but they were associated with increased Medicaid and decreased uninsured volumes. Results suggest those previously uninsured with greater needs for inpatient services were most likely to gain coverage. Compositional changes in uninsured and Medicaid admissions may be due to selection.
Linguistic Complexity in Firm Disclosures: Obfuscation or Information?
Authors: BUSHEE BRIAN J. , GOW IAN D. , TAYLOR DANIEL J. 
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACTPrior research generally interprets complex language in firms’ disclosures as indicative of managerial obfuscation. However, complex language can also reflect the provision of complex information; for example, informative technical disclosure. As a consequence, linguistic complexity commingles two latent components—obfuscation and information—that are related to information asymmetry in opposite directions. We develop a novel empirical approach to estimate these two latent components within the context of quarterly earnings conference calls. We validate our estimates of these two latent components by examining their relation to information asymmetry. Consistent with our predictions, we find that our estimate of the information component is negatively associated with information asymmetry while our estimate of the obfuscation component is positively associated with information asymmetry. Our findings suggest that future research on linguistic complexity can construct more powerful tests by separately examining these two latent components of linguistic complexity.
Pre‐Dialysis Neutrophil‐Lymphocyte Ratio, a Novel and Strong Short‐Term Predictor of All‐Cause Mortality in Patients With Diabetic Nephropathy: Results From a Single‐Center Study
Authors: Sato Hiroyuki , Takeuchi Yoichi , Matsuda Ken , Kagaya Saeko , Saito Ayako , Fukami Hirotaka , Ojima Yoshie , Nagasawa Tasuku 
Published: June 2017

AbstractNeutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an inflammatory marker affecting the prognosis of end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. This study aimed to evaluate NLR levels predicting all‐cause mortality in ESRD patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN), which have not been evaluated. We recruited 151 isolated DN patients who started hemodialysis between January 2009 and December 2014 at the Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital. The primary outcomes were 1‐ and 3‐year survival rates. The association between NLR and survival rate was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Patients with an NLR ≥ 3.5 had a significantly higher mortality rate than did those with an NLR < 3.5 (log rank P = 0.02). The area under the curve (AUC) of 1‐year survival for NLR was significantly larger than that for other commonly used nutritional and inflammatory variables. NLR was a more accurate predictor than other well‐known markers.
The roles of the diffusion‐weighted imaging in orbital masses
Authors: Phuttharak Warinthorn , Boonrod Arunnit , Patjanasoontorn Natnicha , Peansukwech Udomlack , Sawanyawisuth Kittisak 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIntroductionCauses of orbital masses can be either benign or malignant. An MRI with diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) may be helpful to differentiate causes of orbital masses. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic properties of an apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in orbital masses.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients with orbital masses who underwent DWI and had histopathological results. Orbital lesions were categorized as benign or malignant and compared with respect to the ADC and ADC ratio. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the ADC and ADC ratio threshold.ResultsThe mean age of all 42 patients in this study was 36.31 years (S.D. 22.12) and 26 of the patients were male (61.9%). The malignant orbital masses accounted for 43% (18 patients). The most common cell type was meningioma (10 patients; 23.8%). There was no statistical difference between the ADC values of benign and malignant tumours (1.18 vs 0.99 ×10−3 mm2/s; P‐value 0.200). The myxoid tumours had significantly higher ADC values than the non‐myxoid (1.58 vs 0.99; P‐value 0.008) tumours. Non‐metastatic non‐myxoid tumours also had significantly lower ADC values than metastatic non‐myxoid tumours (0.73 vs 1.32; P‐values 0.006). The ADC cut‐off point of greater than or equal to 0.95 × 10−3 mm2/s was given a sensitivity of 87.50% for myxoid orbital masses, while the cut‐off point of greater than or equal to 1.01 × 10−3 mm2/s was given a sensitivity of 80.00% for metastatic, non‐myxoid malignant orbital masses.ConclusionsBenign and malignant orbital masses cannot be distinguished by using the ADC values. However, the ADC values were useful in differentiating between myxoid vs non‐myxoid orbital masses and metastatic non‐myxoid vs non‐metastatic non‐myxoid orbital masses.
Comparative evaluation of torasemide and spironolactone on adverse cardiac remodeling in a rat model of dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Arumugam Somasundaram , Sreedhar Remya , Karuppagounder Vengadeshprabhu , Harima Meilei , Nakamura Masahiko , Suzuki Hiroshi , Sone Hirohito , Watanabe Kenichi 
Published: June 2017

SummaryBackgroundChronic heart failure (CHF) involves fluid retention and volume overload, leading to impaired cardiac function. In these conditions, diuretic agents are most commonly used to treat edema and thereby reducing the volume load on the failing heart. There are several other beneficial effects of diuretics apart from their action on urinary excretion.MethodsTo identify the effects of diuretic agents on adverse cardiac remodeling in CHF, this study was carried out, where we have compared the effects of torasemide and spironolactone in a rat model of dilated cardiomyopathy induced by porcine cardiac myosin‐mediated experimental autoimmune myocarditis.ResultsCardiac protein expression levels of inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and fibrosis markers were upregulated in the hearts of CHF rats, while treatment with either torasemide or spironolactone has downregulated their expression. The effect produced by spironolactone on cardiac fibrosis markers was comparably lesser than torasemide. Further, immunohistochemical analysis and histopathological studies have provided evidence to confirm the beneficial effects of these drugs on adverse cardiac remodeling in rats with CHF.ConclusionTorasemide treatment has benefits against adverse cardiac remodeling in CHF rats, which was better than the protection offered by spironolactone.
Inhibition of mevalonate pathway prevents ischemia‐induced cardiac dysfunction in rats via RhoA‐independent signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Ying , Rong Xiqing , Lv Xue , Jiang Wenbing , Yang Yuan , Lai Dongwu , Xu Shiming , Fu Guosheng 
Published: June 2017

SummaryAimWe previously demonstrated that anoxia‐mediated Ca2+ handling dysfunction could be ameliorated through inhibition of mevalonate pathway via RhoA‐ and Ras‐related mechanisms in H9c2 cells. In this study, we further explored whether inhibition of mevalonate pathway is associated with cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in ischemic cardiomyopathy, and discussed the possible role of Ras, Rac and RhoA in cardiac dysfunction.MethodsWe investigated the role of mevalonate pathway in cardiac remodeling and cardiomyocyte Ca2+ handling proteins expression in a rat model of cardiac dysfunction due to myocardial infarction (MI). After MI, adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats were treated with drugs that antagonize key components in mevalonate pathway, including 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase, and Rho‐kinase for 10 weeks. The protein expression of ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2), sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) 2a, phospholamban (PLB), phospho‐PLB at serine‐16 (PSer16‐PLB), FKBP12.6, and RhoA as well as RyR2 and FKBP12.6 mRNA levels was evaluated.ResultsRosuvastatin and alendronate treatment prevented myocardial remodeling, improved cardiac function and reduced infarct size. Furthermore, rosuvastatin and alendronate promoted an increase in the protein expression of SERCA2a and PSer16‐PLB/PLB ratio as well as partially restored the RyR2 and FKBP12.6 gene and protein expression. Fasudil failed to exert these beneficial effects.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that mevalonate pathway inhibition by rosuvastatin and alendronate prevents cardiac remodeling and dysfunction possibly through RhoA‐independent mechanisms.
Left atrial strain predicts hemodynamic parameters in cardiovascular patients
Authors: Hewing Bernd , Theres Lena , Spethmann Sebastian , Stangl Karl , Dreger Henryk , Knebel Fabian 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate the predictive value of left atrial (LA) reservoir, conduit, and contractile function parameters as assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) for invasively measured hemodynamic parameters in a patient cohort with myocardial and valvular diseases.MethodsSixty‐nine patients undergoing invasive hemodynamic assessment were enrolled into the study. Invasive hemodynamic parameters were obtained by left and right heart catheterization. Transthoracic echocardiography assessment of LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile function was performed by STE.ResultsForty‐nine patients had sinus rhythm (SR) and 20 patients had permanent atrial fibrillation (AF). AF patients had significantly reduced LA reservoir function compared to SR patients. In patients with SR, LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile function inversely correlated with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure, and mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and showed a moderate association with cardiac index. In AF patients, there were no significant correlations between LA reservoir function and invasively obtained hemodynamic parameters. In SR patients, LA contractile function with a cutoff value of 16.0% had the highest diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve, AUC: 0.895) to predict PCWP ≥18 mm Hg compared to the weaker diagnostic accuracy of average E/Eʹ ratio with an AUC of 0.786 at a cutoff value of 14.3. In multivariate analysis, LA contractile function remained significantly associated with PCWP ≥18 mm Hg.ConclusionIn a cohort of patients with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases LA strain shows a valuable prediction of hemodynamic parameters, specifically LV filling pressures, in the presence of SR.
Exercise versus vasodilator stress limb perfusion imaging for the assessment of peripheral artery disease
Authors: Davidson Brian P. , Belcik J. Todd , Landry Gregory , Linden Joel , Lindner Jonathan R. 
Published: June 2017

PurposeOur aim was to determine whether pharmacologic vasodilation is an alternative to exercise stress during limb perfusion imaging for peripheral artery disease (PAD).MethodsQuantitative contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEU) perfusion imaging of the bilateral anterior thigh and calf was performed in nine control subjects and nine patients with moderate to severe PAD at rest and during vasodilator stress with dipyridamole. For those who were able, CEU of the calf was then performed during modest plantar flexion exercise (20 watts). CEU time‐intensity data were analyzed to quantify microvascular blood flow (MBF) and its parametric components of microvascular blood volume and flux rate.ResultsThigh and calf skeletal muscle MBF at rest was similar between control and PAD patients. During dipyridamole, MBF increased minimally (<twofold) for all groups and there were only nonsignificant trends for a reduction in calf MBF in those with PAD (13.5±6.9, 10.0±4.7, and 8.2±6.1 IU/s, for controls, moderate, and severe PAD, respectively; P=.11). In contrast, MBF during modest planar flexion exercise increased markedly in controls but not PAD patients (87.9±79.9 vs 15.2±12.9 IU/s, P<.05). In three moderate PAD patients restudied after undergoing surgical revascularization, MBF during dipyridamole did not change, whereas exercise MBF increased by an average of sevenfold.ConclusionsResting limb skeletal muscle MBF in patients with moderate to severe PAD is similar to that in normal subjects. However, differences in hyperemic flow during contractile exercise but not during dipyridamole allow evaluation of the degree of flow impairment from PAD and the degree of improvement with revascularization.
Dose‐dependent selection drives lineage replacement during the experimental evolution of SDHI fungicide resistance in Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Alonso Omar , Hawkins Nichola J. , Cools Hans J. , Shaw Michael W. , Fraaije Bart A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractFungicide resistance is a constant threat to agricultural production worldwide. Molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance have been studied extensively in the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. However, less is known about the evolutionary processes driving resistance development. In vitro evolutionary studies give the opportunity to investigate this. Here, we examine the adaptation of Z. tritici to fluxapyroxad, a succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh) inhibitor. Replicate populations of Z. tritici derived from the sensitive isolate IPO323 were exposed to increasing concentrations of fluxapyroxad with or without UV mutagenesis. After ten increases in fungicide concentration, sensitivity had decreased dramatically, with replicate populations showing similar phenotypic trajectories. Sequencing the Sdh subunit B, C, and D encoding genes identified seven mutations associated with resistance to fluxapyroxad. Mutation frequency over time was measured with a pyrosequencing assay, revealing sequential lineage replacement in the UV‐mutagenized populations but not in the untreated populations. Repeating selection from set time‐points with different fungicide concentrations revealed that haplotype replacement of Sdh variants was driven by dose‐dependent selection as fungicide concentration changed, and was not mutation‐limited. These findings suggest that fungicide field applications may select for highly insensitive Sdh variants with higher resistance factors if the fungicide concentration is increased to achieve a better disease control. However, in the absence or presence of lower fungicide concentrations, the spread of these strains might be restricted if the underlying Sdh mutations carry fitness penalties.
Early Jurassic intra‐oceanic arc system of the Neotethys Ocean: Constraints from andesites in the Gangdese magmatic belt, south Tibet
Authors: Ma Xuxuan , Xu Zhiqin , Meert Joseph , Santosh M. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe Gangdese magmatic belt is located in the southern margin of the Lhasa terrane, south Tibet. Here zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotopic data, as well as whole‐rock geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopes on andesites from the Bima Formation with a view to evaluating the history of the Gangdese magmatism and the evolution of the Neotethys Ocean. Zircon U–Pb dating yields an age of ca 170 Ma from six samples, representing the eruptive time of these volcanic rocks. Zircon Hf isotopes show highly positive εHf(t) values of +13 to +16 with a mean of +15.2. Whole‐rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic results suggest that the magma source of these andesites was controlled by partial melting of a depleted mantle source with addition of continental‐derived sediments, similar to those in the southern arcs of the Lesser Antilles arc belt. In combination with published data, the volcanic rocks of the Bima Formation are proposed to have been generated in an intra‐oceanic arc system, closely associated with northward subduction of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere.