bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Understanding and predicting the quality determinants of e-government services
Authors: Sharma Sujeet Kumar , Govindaluri Srikrishna Madhumohan , Gattoufi Said 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the quality determinants influencing the adoption of e-government services in Oman and compare the performance of multiple regression and neural network models in identifying the significant factors influencing adoption in Oman.Design/methodology/approach– Primary data concerning service quality determinants and demographic variables were collected using a structured questionnaire survey. The variables selected in the design of the questionnaire were based on an extensive literature review. Factor analysis, multiple linear regression and neural network models were employed to analyze data.Findings– The study found that quality determinants: responsiveness, security, efficiency and reliability are statistically significant predictors of adoption. The neural network model performed better than the regression model in the prediction of e-government services’ adoption and was able to characterize the non-linear relationship of the aforementioned predictors with the adoption of e-government services. Further, the neural network model was able to identify demographic variables as significant predictors.Practical implications– This study highlights the importance of service quality in the adoption of e-government services and suggests that an enhanced focus and investment on improving quality of the design and delivery of e-government services can have a positive impact on the usage of the services, thereby enabling the Oman Government in achieving the governance objectives for which these technologies were employed.Originality/value– Studies in the area of e-government typically focus either on technology adoption problems or service quality problems. The role of service quality in adoption is rarely addressed. The research presented in this paper is of great value to the institutions that are involved in the development of technology-based e-government services in Oman.
Intrapreneurial ambidexterity: a platform project,Swedish approach
Authors: Burström Thommie , Wilson Timothy L. 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper was to explore the relationship between projects and intrapreneurial self-renewal activities. In particular,the approach a specific firm has made to renew itself is examined through two lenses commonly used to analyze such efforts – as a platform project and as an intrapreneurship effort based on intrapreneurial ambidexterity.

Design/methodology/approach
– An in-depth case study was conducted in a manner that the contextually sensitive,empirical research for which Nordic studies are known. The common denominator in these studies is a fascination on the practitioners. In other words,what the project managers say and do are of particular interest. Initially,68 in-depth interviews were performed,which were complemented by observations and secondary information.

Findings
– The platform project approach recognized chief project managers and requirement managers as essential elements in development. Further,it suggested there was no obvious champion in the project,nor did slack resources appear as a prerequisite. On the other hand,an intrapreneurship insight provided appreciation for the processes that developed for implementation.

Practical implications
– It is argued that,flagship projects as studied here,in particular,infuse parallel and collective activities since such projects call for significant organizational self-renewal.

Originality/value
– Intrapreneurship tends to be neglected at the expense of entrepreneurship. This study focuses on the former in a Swedish environment in which a major firm bets its future. Observations are interpreted in terms of both platform project and intrapreneurship concepts. We present and define the concept of intrapreneurial ambidexterity.
Uncovering different forms of customer network changes in M & A
Authors: Degbey William Y. , Pelto Elina 
Published: November 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the forms of change that horizontal and vertical mergers and acquisitions (M & As) may evoke in acquired firms’ customer networks. M & As have increasingly become a dominant mechanistic growth path,pursued relentlessly by companies with varying attributes. However,acquiring a firm does not automatically imply that the market position of the acquired firm and its networks can be taken over,as conventionally held.Design/methodology/approach– The approach takes the form of two qualitative interview-based case illustrations.Findings– The illustrative empirical cases within the context of this study suggest that customer network changes may be rapid and/or radical,and gradual,depending on the specific acquisition type,context and managerial actions following the acquisition. Moreover,the visual simplicity of the network drawing in the post-acquisition network environment of a vertical acquisition type is not equivalent to lesser complexity of managing within the network. Rather,it shows a greater complexity as the M & A induces more direct customer relationships to manage and be managed. The study also shows that connected network changes may cause a revision of a specific industry’s business rules,and the management of these changes is critical for acquisition success.Research limitations/implications– While the two illustrative M & A cases are deemed practically significant in strategic and social terms within their industry and country settings,further research is required to establish the generalizability of the findings to wider industry and geographical contexts.Originality/value– This paper contributes to the discussion on the important role of the business network approach in elaborating the understanding of a strategic management event,particularly M & A.
Undercover employer: is it ever ok to put your staff under covert surveillance?
Authors: Whittaker Jonathan 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of the article is to investigate the issue of covert surveillance of employees in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach
– Opinion-based piece that draws on the UK legal environment to assess the legalities of filming and recording staff in the workplace.

Findings
– The paper sets out the circumstances in which surveillance can be used legally in the UK.

Originality/value
– This is the author’s own opinion based on his experience as both an employment lawyer and judge at employment tribunals. It offers original content and was written specifically for Strategic HR Review.
Tax avoidance: the 21st century employment conundrum
Authors: Moseley Barry 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of being aware of current tax regulations for both the public and private sector.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper uses some of the recent news around large corporations and their tax systems to support the argument for more awareness of tax avoidance. Whilst using the recent UK regulations into reporting of non PAYE workers as a case study.

Findings
– More needs to be done to ensure businesses are aware and comply to the regulations around non-PAYE employees.

Originality/value
– Entirely original content, citing examples from government regulation and private companies experience.
Changing behaviors at scale
Authors: Swanson David 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to share how SAP recently tackled the problem of changing behaviors at a large scale.

Design/methodology/approach
– The objectives were achieved through evaluating popular methodologies, i.e. Six Sigma, Quality Circles, Lean, etc., and identifying a new process that had greater potential for innovative thinking to become reality.

Findings
– SAP discovered that Design Thinking allowed the company to connect multidisciplinary teams using “radical collaboration” to tackle big projects using prototyping to discover new solutions.

Originality/value
– This new method of thinking is explored and transferable benefits for other corporations are shared for those interested in exploring new approaches to problem-solving.
Ageing Well in Wales: a national movement
Authors: Williams Iwan , Hattton-Yeo Alan 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to inform readers about the Ageing Well in Wales Programme, including its background, purpose and key aims and objectives.

Design/methodology/approach
– The Programme is in its first year and works at several levels, from high-level national bodies to community/volunteer groups on the ground. The Programme’s success is largely dependent on the commitment of individuals and organisations.

Findings
– The Programme is on-going with no findings as such to date, however, the Programme is a response to research and evidence that suggests that the health and wellbeing of older people in Wales needs to be urgently addressed, particularly in the context of demographic change and the impact of austerity on front-line public services and the development of more preventative approaches.

Practical implications
– One of the outcomes will be an increasing understanding of what makes effective national learning and participative networks.

Social implications
– People in Wales will be more active and engaged and as a consequence experience greater health and wellbeing.

Originality/value
– Provides a state of play on the Programme up to Summer 2015, outlining what has been achieved to date and next steps.
The Age of No Retirement
Authors: Collie Jonathan 
Published: November 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the value, often overlooked, inherent within a society where people are living longer, healthier and more productively than ever before.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper is a summary of the activities, achievements and objectives of “The Age of No Retirement” movement for social change since its inception on 1st October 2014.

Findings
– The spectacular demand for new thinking and design-led action across all sectors of society to break down the ageist stereotypes that are impeding age-neutral societal progress in the UK.

Practical implications
– Communities, employers, individuals – EVERYONE – can begin to harness the incredible power of the Xtra 10 (the extra ten years of healthy life expectancy that modern generations can now expect – in the middle of their lives!).

Social implications
– The social implications are almost limitless – for a new era of over-50 makers, designers, entrepreneurs, workers, leaders, learners, teachers, doers, intergenerational catalysts, etc., the list goes on.

Originality/value
– The Age of No Retirement is a design-led social enterprise that is driving new thinking in the Age space.
Analysis of dsDNA and RNA viromes in methanogenic digesters reveals novel viral genetic diversity
Authors: Calusinska Magdalena , Marynowska Martyna , Goux Xavier , Lentzen Esther , Delfosse Philippe 
Published: November 2015

SummaryAlthough viruses are not the key players of the anaerobic digestion process, they may affect the dynamics of bacterial and archaeal populations involved in biogas production. Until now viruses have received very little attention in this specific habitat; therefore, as a first step towards their characterization, we optimized a virus filtration protocol from anaerobic sludge. Afterwards, to assess dsDNA and RNA viral diversity in sludge samples from nine different reactors fed either with waste water, agricultural residues or solid municipal waste plus agro‐food residues, we performed metagenomic analyses. As a result we showed that, while the dsDNA viromes (21 assigned families in total) were dominated by dsDNA phages of the order Caudovirales, RNA viruses (14 assigned families in total) were less diverse and were for the main part plant‐infecting viruses. Interestingly, less than 2% of annotated contigs were assigned as putative human and animal pathogens. Our study greatly extends the existing view of viral genetic diversity in methanogenic reactors and shows that these viral assemblages are distinct not only among the reactor types but also from nearly 30 other environments already studied, including the human gut, fermented food, deep sea sediments and other aquatic habitats.
Metagenomic analysis of anammox communities in three different microbial aggregates
Authors: Guo Jianhua , Peng Yongzhen , Fan Lu , Zhang Liang , Ni Bing‐Jie , Kartal Boran , Feng Xin , Jetten Mike S. M. , Yuan Zhiguo 
Published: November 2015

SummaryThere is great potential to understand the functional diversity of microorganisms that are involved in waste water treatment through metagenomic analyses. This study presents the first metagenomic comparison of taxonomic and functional profiles of the microbial communities occurring in different aggregates from anaerobic ammonium‐oxidizing (anammox) bioreactors. The anammox bacterial communities in both biofilm and granule sludge samples showed relatively high abundance and diversity compared with floccular sludge. Four of the five known genera of anammox bacteria were detected in the three cultures except Candidatus Jettenia, which was absent in the granules. Candidatus Kuenenia comprised the major population of anammox bacteria in these three sludges, independent of their growth morphologies. The genome assembled for the Candidatus Kuenenia in the granule was very similar to the published reference genome of Candidatus K. stuttgartiensis. Genes involved in the metabolism of the anammox process were highly detected in the biofilm and granule sludges. In particular, the abundance of hydrazine synthase gene (hzs) in the biofilm was around 486 times more pronounced than that in the granules. The knowledge gained in this study highlights an important role of sludge aggregate in affecting community structure and metabolic potential of anammox systems.
Bidimensional Data Allow for Better Age Estimation on Immature Specimens than Unidimensional Data: A Preliminary Study on the Ilium
Authors: Daumas Mathilde , Chaumoître Kathia , Adalian Pascal , Marchal François 
Published: November 2015

AbstractMost biometric age estimation methods used in anthropological and forensic science for juveniles are based on unidimensional measurements (length or width). Here, a new method using bidimensional data was tested. A 3D morphometric analysis was performed on 108 CT scans of ilium bone of juveniles (from 20 gestational weeks to 12 years old). The sample was divided into training and validation groups. Best predictors were determined by comparing the efficiency of each variable (length, width, area, and module: a product of length and width). We established linear and polynomial regressions for each parameter for both sides. Applying the equations to the validation sample showed no significant difference between real and predicted ages. For age estimation, the area and module parameters yielded better results than unidimensional measurements. The results from this preliminary study were highly conclusive, and it would be interesting to extend the work, covering larger samples, and other bones.
The Stone Cold Truth: The Effect of Concrete Encasement on the Rate and Pattern of Soft Tissue Decomposition
Authors: Martin D.C. , Dabbs Gretchen R. , Roberts Lindsey G. , Cleary Megan K. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThis study provides a descriptive analysis of taphonomic changes observed in the soft tissue of ten pigs (Sus scrofa) after being encased in Quickrete ® concrete and excavated at monthly or bimonthly intervals over the course of 2 years. The best method of subject excavation was investigated. Rate and pattern of decomposition were compared to a nonencased control subject. Results demonstrate subjects interred in concrete decomposed significantly slower than the control subject (p < 0.01), the difference being observable after 1 month. After 1 year, the encased subject was in the early stage of decomposition with purging fluids and intact organs present, versus complete skeletonization of the control subject. Concrete subjects also display a unique decomposition pattern, exhibiting a chemically burned outer layer of skin and a common separation of the dermal and epidermal layers. Results suggest using traditional methods to estimate postmortem interval on concrete subjects may result in underestimation.
Magnetic resonance imaging for prostate bed radiotherapy planning: An inter‐ and intra‐observer variability study
Authors: Barkati Maroie , Simard Dany , Taussky Daniel , Delouya Guila 
Published: November 2015

AbstractIntroductionWe assessed the inter‐ and intra‐observer variability in contouring the prostate bed for radiation therapy planning using MRI compared with computed tomography (CT).MethodsWe selected 15 patients with prior radical prostatectomy. All had CT and MRI simulation for planning purposes. Image fusions were done between CT and MRI. Three radiation oncologists with several years of experience in treating prostate cancer contoured the prostate bed first on CT and then on MRI. Before contouring, each radiation oncologist had to review the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group guidelines for postoperative external beam radiotherapy. The agreement between volumes was calculated using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Analysis was done using the Matlab software. The DSC was compared using non‐parametric statistical tests.ResultsContouring on CT alone showed a statistically significant (P = 0.001) higher similarity between observers with a mean DSC of 0.76 (standard deviation ± 0.05) compared with contouring on MRI with a mean of 0.66 (standard deviation ± 0.05). Mean intra‐observer variability between CT and MRI was 0.68, 0.75 and 0.78 for the three observers. The clinical target volume was 19–74% larger on CT than on MRI. The intra‐observer difference in clinical target volume between CT and MRI was statistically significant in two observers and non‐significant in the third one (P = 0.09).ConclusionsWe found less inter‐observer variability when contouring on CT than on MRI. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group contouring guidelines are based on anatomical landmarks readily visible on CT. These landmarks are more inter‐observer dependent on MRI. Therefore, present contouring guidelines might not be applicable to MRI planning.
Variant in the RFWD3 gene associated with PATN1, a modifier of leopard complex spotting
Authors: Holl H. M. , Brooks S. A. , Archer S. , Brown K. , Malvick J. , Penedo M. C. T. , Bellone R. R. 
Published: November 2015

SummaryLeopard complex spotting (LP), the result of an incompletely dominant mutation in TRPM1, produces a collection of unique depigmentation patterns in the horse. Although the LP mutation allows for expression of the various patterns, other loci are responsible for modification of the extent of white. Pedigree analysis of families segregating for high levels of patterning indicated a single dominant gene, named Pattern‐1 (PATN1), as a major modifier of LP. Linkage analysis in two half‐sibling families segregating for PATN1 identified a 15‐Mb region on ECA3p that warranted further investigation. Whole transcriptome sequencing of skin samples from horses with and without the PATN1 allele was performed to identify genic SNPs for fine mapping. Two Sequenom assays were utilized to genotype 192 individuals from five LP‐carrying breeds. The initial panel highlighted a 1.6‐Mb region without a clear candidate gene. In the second round of fine mapping, SNP ECA3:23 658 447T>G in the 3′‐UTR of RING finger and WD repeat domain 3 (RFWD3) reached a significance level of P = 1.063 × 10−39. Sequencing of RFWD3 did not identify any coding polymorphisms specific to PATN1 horses. Genotyping of the RFWD3 3′‐UTR SNP in 54 additional LP animals and 327 horses from nine breeds not segregating for LP further supported the association (P = 4.17 × 10−115). This variant is a strong candidate for PATN1 and may be particularly useful for LP breeders to select for high levels of white patterning.
Comparison of hair thyroid hormones between first‐episode and recurrent patients with depression in female Chinese
Authors: Yang Xiao , Sun Guizhi , Wei Jinxue , Huang Bin , Zhao Liansheng , Wang Yingcheng , Zhou Bo , Tao Li , Ma Xiaohong 
Published: November 2015

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare hair thyroid hormone (TH) levels among first‐episode patients with major depressive disorder (F‐MDD), recurrent patients with major depressive disorder (R‐MDD) and healthy controls (HC).MethodsThe Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were used to evaluate the clinical symptoms of patients. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to measure the hair TH levels. We compared the differences in hair TH levels among F‐MDD patients, R‐MDD patients, and HC.ResultsBefore the disease episode, hair T3 levels differed significantly between F‐MDD patients and HC. In the disease episode, hair T3 levels differed significantly between F‐MDD or R‐MDD patients and HC; and hair T4 levels differed significantly between R‐MDD patients and HC. Hair T3 levels significantly negative correlated with HAMD scores in F‐MDD patients.ConclusionsOur findings suggested that disease duration of recurring episodes of depression may influence hair TH levels.
A validated web‐based tool to display individualised Crohn's disease predicted outcomes based on clinical, serologic and genetic variables
Authors: Siegel C. A. , Horton H. , Siegel L. S. , Thompson K. D. , Mackenzie T. , Stewart S. K. , Rice P. W. , Stempak J. M. , Dezfoli S. , Haritunians T. , Levy A. , Baek M. , Milgrom R. , Dulai P. S. , Targan S. R. , Silverberg M. S. , Dubinsky M. C. , McGovern D. P. 
Published: November 2015

SummaryBackgroundEarly treatment for Crohn's disease (CD) with immunomodulators and/or anti‐TNF agents improves outcomes in comparison to a slower ‘step up’ algorithm. However, there remains a limited ability to identify those who would benefit most from early intensive therapy.AimTo develop a validated, individualised, web‐based tool for patients and clinicians to visualise individualised risks for developing Crohn's disease complications.MethodsA well‐characterised cohort of adult patients with CD was analysed. Available data included: demographics; clinical characteristics; serologic immune responses; NOD2 status; time from diagnosis to complication; and medication exposure. Cox proportional analyses were performed to model the probability of developing a CD complication over time. The Cox model was validated externally in two independent CD cohorts. Using system dynamics analysis (SDA), these results were transformed into a simple graphical web‐based display to show patients their individualised probability of developing a complication over a 3‐year period.ResultsTwo hundered and forty three CD patients were included in the final model of which 142 experienced a complication. Significant variables in the multivariate Cox model included small bowel disease (HR 2.12, CI 1.05–4.29), left colonic disease (HR 0.73, CI 0.49–1.09), perianal disease (HR 4.12, CI 1.01–16.88), ASCA (HR 1.35, CI 1.16–1.58), Cbir (HR 1.29, CI 1.07–1.55), ANCA (HR 0.77, CI 0.62–0.95), and the NOD2 frameshift mutation/SNP13 (HR 2.13, CI 1.33–3.40). The Harrell's C (concordance index for predictive accuracy of the model) = 0.73. When applied to the two external validation cohorts (adult n = 109, pediatric n = 392), the concordance index was 0.73 and 0.75, respectively, for adult and pediatric patients.ConclusionsA validated, web‐based tool has been developed to display an individualised predicted outcome for adult patients with Crohn's disease based on clinical, serologic and genetic variables. This tool can be used to help providers and patients make personalised decisions about treatment options.