bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrating service quality as a second-order factor in a customer satisfaction and loyalty model
Authors: Nunkoo Robin , Teeroovengadum Viraiyan , Thomas Peta , Leonard Llewellyn 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
The study conceptualizes service quality as a second-order factor and analyzes its influence on customer satisfaction, perceived value, image, consumption emotions and customer loyalty by testing a structural equation model.

Design/methodology/approach
The model is tested using data collected from 672 guests staying in accommodation establishments located in South Africa. The study follows a hierarchical approach using confirmatory factor analysis to test the second-order factor model and structural equation modeling to test the overall model.

Findings
The results indicate that the second-order factor model is acceptable both empirically as well as conceptually and performs better than other competing models of service quality. The findings provide support for all hypotheses and evidence of a structural model with a high explanatory power.

Research limitations/implications
The second-order factor model is less useful when fine-grained analyses are needed, such as when a detailed assessment of the level of quality of service offered by a hospitality organization is required.

Practical implications
The second-order factor model allows for an analysis of service quality at different levels of abstraction. Accommodation managers interested in customers’ evaluation of service on a cumulative basis can make use of the global measure to determine service quality evaluations. Practitioners can also use the findings to manage the different dimensions of service quality.

Originality/value
The study demonstrates that service quality is best represented as a second-order factor, and in doing so, it provides an improved measurement of the construct. More so, by integrating the variable in a nomological network, the research develops a more parsimonious model than the existing ones.
Building channel power: the role of IT resources and information management capability
Authors: Zhang Tao , Wang Xinchun , Zhuang Guijun 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of how information technology (IT) resources influence a firm’s channel power development. Specifically, this study hypothesizes that two types of IT resources (i.e. IT infrastructure resources and IT human resources) are key antecedents to channel power and that information management capability is a key mediator between IT resources and channel power.

Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses are tested using survey data gathered from a sample of Chinese companies. The analyses are performed using partial least squares technique.

Findings
The results suggest that both of the two IT resources play key roles in enhancing a firm’s channel power, but they do so in different ways. Specifically, while IT human resources can enhance a firm’s channel power by strengthening both information acquisition and dissemination capabilities, IT infrastructure resources can influence channel power only by enhancing a firm’s information acquisition capability.

Research limitations/implications
The measurement of IT resources might potentially be influenced by subjective divergence. In addition, information management contains many sub-processes, and this study only examines two of them: information acquisition and information dissemination.

Practical implications
The findings suggest that managers should develop/improve both IT infrastructure and human resources to enhance channel power by building stronger information management capability. More importantly, the findings reveal that IT human resource can provide more benefits as it strengthens both information acquisition and dissemination capabilities.

Originality/value
This study extends the existing literature by investigating how a firm’s IT resources affect its channel power. The results of this study provide insightful guidance for managers and researchers in how to better manage IT resources to improve channel governance performance.
Augmenting justice: Google glass, body cameras, and the politics of wearable technology
Authors: Healey Kevin , Stephens Niall 
Published: October 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to uncover the assumptions and concerns driving public debates about Google Glass and police body cameras. In doing so, it shows how debates about wearable cameras reflect broader cultural tensions surrounding race and privilege.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs a form of critical discourse analysis to discover patterns in journalistic coverage of these two technologies.

Findings
Public response to Glass has been overwhelmingly negative, while response to body cameras has been positive. Analysis indicates that this contrasting response reflects a consistent public concern about the dynamics of power and privilege in the digital economy. While this concern is well-founded, news coverage indicates that technologists, policy makers and citizens each hold assumptions about the inevitability and unvarnished beneficence of technology.

Research limitations/implications
Since this qualitative approach seeks to discern broad emergent patterns, it does not employ a quantifiable and reproducible coding schema.

Practical implications
The article concludes by arguing that grassroots action, appropriate regulatory policy and revitalized systems of professional journalism are indispensable as the struggle for social justice unfolds in the emerging digital economy.

Social implications
These debates represent a struggle over what and how people see. Yet public discourse often glosses over the disadvantages of technological change, which impacts who is able to amass social power.

Originality/value
This comparative approach yields unique conceptual insight into debates about technologies that augment ways of seeing.
Complete excision of proliferating core in auricular keloids significantly reduces local recurrence: A prospective study
Authors: Chong Yosep , Kim Chan Woo , Kim Yong Sung , Chang Choong Hyun , Park Tae Hwan 
Published: October 2017

AbstractKeloids are mysterious soft‐tissue tumors that are characterized by excessive reparative processes composed of collagen‐forming fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. Generally, complete tumor excision regardless of sufficient margin is considered as a first‐line treatment because they are considered reactive rather than a neoplastic condition. Recently, a specific part of the keloids is being highlighted as an important microstructure for local recurrence, but there has been very little evidence. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the relationship of recurrence and several clinicopathological parameters with specific focus on surgical resection margin. A total 87 cases of auricular keloids from 71 patients were included. The resection margins were carefully evaluated by an exhaustive grossing method and thorough microstructural assessment. During up to 48.8 months of the follow‐up period, local recurrence has been monitored and documented. The clinicopathological data including symptoms, bilaterality, size, location, prior treatment and operation history, gross type and etiology were collected and analyzed. Positive margin status was significantly related to tumor recurrence (P < 0.0001). Complete excision warrants a lower recurrence of auricular keloids in an Asian population. The most reasonable explanation for this seems to be remnant “proliferating core”, which may serve a key role in local recurrence.
Pleiotropic effect of the Flowering Locus C on plant resistance and defence against insect herbivores
Authors: Rasmann Sergio , Sánchez Vilas Julia , Glauser Gaétan , Cartolano Maria , Lempe Janne , Tsiantis Miltos , Pannell John R. 
Published: October 2017

Abstract

Plants vary widely in the extent to which they defend themselves against herbivores. Because the resources available to plants are often site‐specific, variation among sites dictates investment into defence and may reveal a growth–defence trade‐off. Moreover, plants that have evolved different life‐history strategies in different environments may situate themselves on this trade‐off curve differently. For instance, plants that flower later have a longer vegetative life span and may accordingly defend themselves differently than those that flower earlier.

Here, we tested whether late‐flowering plants, with a longer vegetative life span, invest more in defence than early‐flowering plants, using recombinant genotypes of the annual herb Cardamine hirsuta that differ in flowering time as a result of differences in the activity of the major floral repressor Flowering Locus C (FLC).

We found that variation at FLC was mainly responsible for regulating flowering time and allocation to reproduction, but this partially depended on where the plants grew. We also found that variation at FLC mediated plant allocation to defence, with late‐flowering plants producing higher levels of total glucosinolates and stress‐related phytohormones. Nonetheless, plant growth and the qualitative values of plant defence and plant resistance against specialist herbivores were mainly independent from FLC.

Synthesis. Our results highlight pleiotropic effects associated with flowering‐time genes that might influence plant defence and plant–herbivore interactions.
Fast Parallels? Contesting Mobile Policy Technologies
Authors: Weller Sally 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThis article extends recent examinations of incomplete or disrupted policy mobility by examining the politically volatile case of policies to manage the regional impacts of decarbonization in Australia. The article's extended case study shows how political interests differently incorporated figments of circulating policy into longstanding debates and how more‐than‐local political networks defeated an antipolitical, technocratic exercise in ‘new regional’ governance. ‘Follow the policy’ methods could not have revealed the complexities of this case. The article concludes that mobilities approaches need to be more attentive to institutional arrangements, to the contested politics of policy formation and to the ambiguities of perceived policy likenesses. This case highlights the importance of considering how antipolitical institutional architectures facilitating policy mobility relate to established political power networks.
Search Benefit in Housing Markets: An Inverted U‐Shaped Price and TOM Relation
Authors: He Xin , Lin Zhenguo , Liu Yingchun , Seiler Michael J. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe nature of the relationship between a property's selling price and its marketing time in the housing market remains an open question to date, despite almost 40 years of inquiry and hundreds of regressions conducted on various data sources. This study attempts to settle the long‐standing open question by examining the issue from a new perspective. We demonstrate that the true price–TOM relationship should be nonlinear and characterized by an inverted U‐shaped curve wherein the selling price increases with TOM up to a certain threshold, reflective of a positive exposure effect and decreases thereafter to reflect a negative stigma effect. This relationship is borne out in an empirical analysis using a large sample of home sales from the Hampton Roads, Virginia metropolitan area during an extended period of time. We then formulate hypotheses about the benefit of search by home sellers, which are subsequently confirmed by the empirical findings.
Amino Acids Inhibitory Effects and Mechanism on 2‐Amino‐1‐Methyl‐6‐Phenylimidazo [4,5‐b]Pyridine (PhIP) Formation in the Maillard Reaction Model Systems
Authors: Linghu Ziyi , Karim Faris , Smith J. Scott 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThis study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of amino acids (AAs) on the formation of 2‐amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo [4,5‐b]pyridine (PhIP) and to evaluate the inhibition mechanism of PhIP in Maillard model systems. Different AAs were individually added into model systems heat‐treated at 180 °C/1 h. The PhIP, phenylacetaldehyde (PheAce), and pyrazines derivatives were determined using HPLC and GC‐MS. AAs significantly reduced (P < 0.05) PhIP levels in a dose‐dependent response, ranking as: Trp = Lys > Pro > Leu > Met > Val > Ile > Thr > Phe > Asp, at the highest molar ratio. The PheAce content was gradually reduced with increasing AAs levels, suggesting that AAs may inhibit PhIP formation through scavenging the available PheAce. A correlation between PhIP inhibition and PheAce‐scavenging activity of AAs was observed when PheAce and AAs were heated. The variety and quantity of pyrazines formed are highly depending on the type of AAs.
Accretion of Nutrients and Sediment by a Constructed Stormwater Treatment Wetland in the Lake Tahoe Basin
Authors: Qualls Robert G. , Heyvaert Alan C. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThis unique study evaluates the cumulative 16‐year lifetime performance of a wetland retention basin designed to treat stormwater runoff. Sediment cores were extracted prior to basin excavation and restoration to evaluate accretion rates and the origin of materials, retention characteristics of fine particulate matter, and overall pollutant removal efficiency. The sediment and organic layers together accreted 3.2 cm of depth per year, and 7.0 kg/m2/yr of inorganic material. Average annual accretion rates in g/m2/yr were as follows: C, 280; N, 17.7; P, 3.74; S, 3.80; Fe, 194; Mn, 2.68; Ca, 30.8; Mg, 30.7; K, 12.2; Na, 2.54; Zn, 0.858; Cu, 0.203; and B, 0.03. The accretion of C, N, P and sediment was comparable to nonwastewater treatment wetlands, overall, and relatively efficient for stormwater treatment wetlands. Comparison of particle size distribution between sediment cores and suspended solids in stormwater runoff indicated the wetland was effective at removing fine particles, with sediment cores containing 25% clay and 56% silt. A majority of the accretion of most metals and P could be attributed to efficient trapping of allochthonous material, while over half the accretion of C and N could be attributed to accumulation of autochthonous organic matter. Stormwater treatment was shown to be effective when physical properties of a retention basin are combined with the biological processes of a wetland, although sediment accretion can be relatively rapid.
Predicting animal behaviour using deep learning: GPS data alone accurately predict diving in seabirds
Authors: Browning Ella , Bolton Mark , Owen Ellie , Shoji Akiko , Guilford Tim , Freeman Robin 
Published: October 2017

Abstract

To prevent further global declines in biodiversity, identifying and understanding key habitats is crucial for successful conservation strategies. For example, globally, seabird populations are under threat and animal movement data can identify key at‐sea areas and provide valuable information on the state of marine ecosystems. To date, in order to locate these areas, studies have used global positioning system (GPS) to record position and are sometimes combined with time–depth recorder (TDR) devices to identify diving activity associated with foraging, a crucial aspect of at‐sea behaviour. However, the use of additional devices such as TDRs can be expensive, logistically difficult and may adversely affect the animal. Alternatively, behaviours may be resolved from measurements derived from the movement data alone. However, this behavioural analysis frequently lacks validation data for locations predicted as foraging (or other behaviours).

Here, we address these issues using a combined GPS and TDR dataset from 108 individuals by training deep learning models to predict diving in European shags, common guillemots and razorbills. We validate our predictions using withheld data, producing quantitative assessment of predictive accuracy. The variables used to train these models are those recorded solely by the GPS device: variation in longitude and latitude, altitude and coverage ratio (proportion of possible fixes acquired within a set window of time).

Different combinations of these variables were used to explore the qualities of different models, with the optimum models for all species predicting non‐diving and diving behaviour correctly over 94% and 80% of the time, respectively. We also demonstrate the superior predictive ability of these supervised deep learning models over other commonly used behavioural prediction methods such as hidden Markov models.

Mapping these predictions provides useful insights into the foraging activity of a range of seabird species, highlighting important at sea locations. These models have the potential to be used to analyse historic GPS datasets and further our understanding of how environmental changes have affected these seabirds over time.
Necrotizing soft tissue infections – a multicentre, prospective observational study (INFECT): protocol and statistical analysis plan
Authors: Madsen M. B. , Skrede S. , Bruun T. , Arnell P. , Rosén A. , Nekludov M. , Karlsson Y. , Bergey F. , Saccenti E. , Martins dos Santos V. A. P. , Perner A. , Norrby‐Teglund A. , Hyldegaard O. 
Published: October 2017

BackgroundThe INFECT project aims to advance our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms in necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs). The INFECT observational study is part of the INFECT project with the aim of studying the clinical profile of patients with NSTIs and correlating these to patient‐important outcomes. With this protocol and statistical analysis plan we describe the methods used to obtain data and the details of the planned analyses.MethodsThe INFECT study is a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients with NSTIs are enrolled in five Scandinavian hospitals, which are all referral centres for NSTIs. The primary outcomes are the descriptive variables of the patients. Secondary outcomes include identification of factors associated with 90‐day mortality and amputation; associations between affected body part, maximum skin defect and Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score and 90‐day mortality; 90‐day mortality in patients with and without acute kidney injury (AKI) and LRINEC score of six and above or below six; and association between affected body part at arrival and microbiological findings. Exploratory outcomes include univariate analyses of baseline characteristics associations with 90‐day mortality. The statistical analyses will be conducted in accordance with the predefined statistical analysis plan.ConclusionNecrotizing soft tissue infections result in severe morbidity and mortality. The INFECT study will be the largest prospective study in patients with NSTIs to date and will provide important data for clinicians, researchers and policy makers on the characteristics and outcomes of these patients.
Wood‐rotting basidiomycetes associated with declining native trees in timber‐harvesting compartments of the Garden Route National Park of South Africa
Authors: Tchotet Tchoumi James Michel , Coetzee Martin Petrus Albertus , Vivas Maria , Rajchenberg Mario , Roux Jolanda 
Published: October 2017

AbstractTrees in the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) indigenous forests in South Africa are selectively harvested for timber based on criteria that include signs and symptoms induced by wood‐rotting fungi. However, virtually nothing is known regarding the identity and host associations of these macro‐fungi in this natural ecosystem. Surveys were conducted in three harvesting compartments in the GRNP to investigate the taxonomic affiliation and species richness of these fungi on standing and recently harvested trees. Samples were collected from basidiomes on infected trees and tree stumps, and from diseased tissues on symptomatic trees. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS sequences characterized the isolates obtained into 26 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to 17 genera after clustering the sequences at a 97% identity threshold. Ganoderma (Ganodermataceae) and Inonotus (Hymenochaetaceae) were the most species‐rich genera and the Bloukrans compartment, with 22 OTUs, showed the highest species richness. A fungus (OTU1) affiliated with Ganoderma pfeifferi was the most abundant in the surveyed areas. Its predominance was also evidenced on host trees since it occurred on 15 of the 20 tree species sampled, with Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa (Oleaceae) being the most colonized host. Given the wide variety of wood‐rotting basidiomycetes revealed by this study and particularly the preponderance of species with pathogenic potential, more attention should be given to better understand their ecological role in this natural ecosystem as well as the effects of logging that may enhance their dissemination or negatively affect their diversity and the health of trees in the region.
Intranasal administration of allergen increases specific IgE whereas intranasal omalizumab does not increase serum IgE levels—A pilot study
Authors: Eckl‐Dorna J. , Fröschl R. , Lupinek C. , Kiss R. , Gattinger P. , Marth K. , Campana R. , Mittermann I. , Blatt K. , Valent P. , Selb R. , Mayer A. , Gangl K. , Steiner I. , Gamper J. , Perkmann T. , Zieglmayer P. , Gevaert P. , Valenta R. , Niederberger V. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractBackgroundAdministration of the therapeutic anti‐IgE antibody omalizumab to patients induces strong increases in IgE antibody levels.ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of intranasal administration of major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1, omalizumab or placebo on the levels of total and allergen‐specific IgE in patients with birch pollen allergy.MethodsBased on the fact that intranasal allergen application induces rises of systemic allergen‐specific IgE, we performed a double‐blind placebo‐controlled pilot trial in which birch pollen allergic subjects were challenged intranasally with omalizumab, placebo or birch pollen allergen Bet v 1. Total and allergen‐specific IgE, IgG and basophil sensitivity were measured before and 8 weeks after challenge. For control purposes, total, allergen‐specific IgE levels and omalizumab‐IgE complexes as well as specific IgG levels were studied in subjects treated subcutaneously with either omalizumab or placebo. Effects of omalizumab on IgE production by IL‐4/anti‐CD40‐treated PBMCs from allergic patients were studied in vitro.ResultsIntranasal challenge with Bet v 1 induced increases in Bet v 1‐specific IgE levels by a median of 59.2%, and this change differed significantly from the other treatment groups (P = .016). No relevant change in allergen‐specific and total IgE levels was observed in subjects challenged with omalizumab. Addition of omalizumab did not enhance IL‐4/anti‐CD40‐induced IgE production in vitro. Significant rises in total IgE (mean IgE before: 131.83 kU/L to mean IgE after: 505.23 kU/L) and the presence of IgE‐omalizumab complexes were observed after subcutaneous administration of omalizumab.ConclusionIntranasal administration of allergen induced rises of allergen‐specific IgE levels, whereas intranasal administration of omalizumab did not enhance systemic total or allergen‐specific IgE levels.