bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What determines the variation in relative performance evaluation usage across US industries?
Authors: J. Cordeiro James , Yang Rong , Donald Kent Jr D. , Callahan III Charles 
Published: April 2014

Purpose– Relative performance evaluation (RPE) involves board comparisons of firm performance to that of a peer group when evaluating CEO performance. To date, research on RPE in the USA has typically relied on models where RPE is implicitly assumed. In contrast, Bannister and Newman provide some direct evidence on the explicit RPE usage by US firms showing that it is limited and there is significant inter-industry variation in its use. The authors aim to focus on why boards in some industries employ RPE to a greater extent than those in other industries do using measures of industry discretion, industry homogeneity, industry competition.Design/methodology/approach– The authors utilize the sample use in the Bannister and Newman study of RPE usage in industries (160 firms from the 1992Fortune250 with proxy statements for 1992 and 1993). The authors compile measures of industry membership (using SIC codes), industry discretion, industry homogeneity, and industry competition from Compustat a well. Multiple regression is used to test the hypotheses.Findings– The authors find that the use of RPE at the industry level is significantly related to industry discretion (i.e. the degree of latitude that managers have over strategic and operational choices in the particular industry environment) and industry homogeneity, but not to industry competition.Research limitations/implications– The study is limited in terms of a dated sample (necessary to be consistent with the Bannister and Newman paper). It would bear updating. In addition, multi-year panel data could be used to generate more robust results. It would also be useful to replicate the study in other national (and hence governance) contexts.Practical implications– The findings should help boards when deciding how to reward or punish CEOs and top managers for their firm performance by filtering out relative performance in a more rational manner (e.g. by taking relevant industry context into account).Originality/value– In terms of originality, this is the first study, to the authors' knowledge, that investigates RPE at the industry level. It is valuable because industry discretion is an important contextual variable that a board of directors will find useful in evaluating managers since this type of discretion is beyond managerial control.
Customer preference for decision authority in credence services
Authors: Ngamvichaikit Anothai , Beise-Zee Rian 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of offering customer decision authority on customer satisfaction in credence services, and the moderating effects of customer persuasion knowledge and service provider credibility.

Design/methodology/approach
– A video-based experiment is conducted to achieve high similarity to real service encounters. The video comprises three levels of customer authority while service provider credibility is manipulated. In a subsequent questionnaire, customer response and customer persuasion knowledge are measured.

Findings
– Results suggest that greater decision authority increases customer satisfaction. However, customer persuasion knowledge and provider credibility together were found to moderate these effects. Offering decision autonomy is most important when source credibility is low and persuasion knowledge is high.

Research limitations/implications
– The study setting is an initial healthcare encounter. Other service settings and service provider communication behaviors, such as empathy, responding to customer queries, and length of encounter are not considered in this study but should be further studied.

Practical implications
– The study confirms that offering decision authority to customers increases satisfaction only under certain circumstances. Customers are willing to relinquish authority to credible service providers who then direct customer decisions in order to maintain service quality. Offering decision autonomy to customers is suggested when provider credibility is low and customer persuasion knowledge is high.

Originality/value
– Analysis of credence service encounters is based on agency theory. Specifically, this study highlights the role of customer (principal) persuasion knowledge, which acts as a qualifier for the principal-agent problem because it alerts the customer to possible persuasion attempts by the service provider, whereas agent credibility eases customer suspicion.
Is the quantity-quality trade-off in call centres a false dichotomy?
Authors: Piers William Ellway Benjamin 
Published: April 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing conceptualisation of quantity and quality in call centres as conflicting or contradictory, and through qualitative analysis, demonstrate that quantity and quality may not necessarily operate as a trade-off.

Design/methodology/approach
– Existing literature is reviewed to show how quantity-quality has been conceptualised to date, followed by an analysis of quantity-quality manifestations based upon an in-depth field study of work and service in a large and complex call centre operation. Advisors’ work practices were observed during their interactions with customers, which provided rich insights into the nature of live calls and service provision in 13 different teams, supplemented with informal semi-structured interviews with team managers, coaches, and centre managers.

Findings
– The paper demonstrates that quantity and quality operate as a trade-off when the unit of analysis is the individual advisor or individual call fragment. However, if the entire customer enquiry is examined, quantity and quality are manifest differently: emphasising quality may also simultaneously support efficiency; favouring quantity may not only undermine quality but also ultimately circumvent efficiency gains.

Research limitations/implications
– The paper is based upon a single case study so further research is required to investigate whether findings concerning quantity-quality are manifest in other call centres, particularly of differing size and complexity.

Practical implications
– Call centre management must recognise the negative consequences of focusing upon quantity, the potential benefits of instead emphasising quality, and also acknowledge the limitations of conventional quantitative and qualitative measures. Management should also consider attempting to foster and improve relations between teams and functions within call centres.

Originality/value
– The paper provides a qualitative study of quantity and quality in call centres. Quantity and quality are examined beyond the conventional unit of analysis of the individual advisor or call, to explicate interdependence between past, current, and future actions and events involved in customer enquiries. Thus, quantity and quality are analysed in terms of the immediate focus during call handling and the longer run consequences for the efficiency and effectiveness of service provided by the call centre operation.
The tangled causes of population decline in two harvested plant species: a comment on Ticktin et al. (2012)
Authors: Prasad Soumya , Krishnadas Meghna , McConkey Kim R. , Datta Aparajita 
Published: April 2014

Summary

Ticktin et al. (2012) attempted to disentangle multiple stressors impacting harvested populations of amla (Phyllanthus emblica and P. indofischeri) [Ticktin et al. (2012) Disentangling the effects of multiple anthropogenic drivers on the decline of two tropical dry forest trees. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49, 774–784.].

We propose that an unbalanced design and substitution of missing data for key parameters render their matrix models flawed. They conclude that the main threats to recruitment were lantana and mistletoe invasion and recommend revoking the ban on amla harvest.

Our re‐analyses of their data set, without substituting unavailable data, showed that cessation of harvests significantly increased stochastic growth rates of amla, despite high lantana and mistletoe cover.

Management recommendations by Ticktin et al. (2012) were based on the assumptions of invasiveness of a native mistletoe and grazing impacts of wild ungulates. However, interactions with amla are complex, and the recommendations made by them could have deleterious repercussions on native biota.

Synthesis and applications. Developing an objective understanding of harvest consequences by incorporating earlier findings and considering uncertainties in results is critical for maintaining livelihoods and ecological processes linked to amla populations.
Glycemic control after 6 days of insulin pump reservoir use in type 1 diabetes: Results of double‐blind and open‐label cross‐over trials of insulin lispro and insulin aspart 1型糖尿病患者连续使用胰岛素泵6天后的血糖控制情况：赖脯胰岛素与门冬胰岛素的双盲、开放标签、交叉试验
Authors: Tamborlane William V. , Renard Eric , Wadwa R. Paul , Blevins Thomas , Jacober Scott J. , Liu Rong , D'Souza Deborah N. , Rees Tina M. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundThe objective of the current study was to assess mean self‐monitored blood glucose (SMBG), on day 6 of 6 days of continuous reservoir wear (6D), with insulin lispro (Lis) or insulin aspart (Asp).MethodsTwo 24‐week, randomized trials were conducted in subjects with type 1 diabetes treated by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) for ≥6 months, with a mean total daily insulin dose capable of supporting 6 days of in‐reservoir use. Study 1 had an open‐label, six‐sequence, three‐treatment, three‐period, cross‐over design. Study 2 had a double‐blind, two‐sequence, two‐treatment, two‐period, cross‐over design. The primary efficacy measure was the mean of Day 6, seven‐point SMBG profiles for insulin lispro 6D (Lis6D) and insulin aspart 6D (Asp6D) treatment periods. Safety measures were also assessed.ResultsLis did not achieve noninferiority (SMBG; margin = 0.6 mmol/L [10.8 mg/dL]) to Asp on Day 6 of reservoir wear in either Study (least‐squares mean difference: Study 1 = 0.48 mmol/L [8.64 mg/dL]; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.20, 0.76], Study 2 = 0.36 mmol/L [6.49 mg/dL]; 95% CI [0.06, 0.66]). Noninferiority was demonstrated for overall daily mean of SMBG values over days 1 to 6 of reservoir use during each treatment period. In the Lis treatment period, subjects reported a lower documented and total hypoglycemia rate per 30 days and a higher rate of non‐explained hyperglycemia than in the Asp treatment period.ConclusionWhile the mean blood glucose on Day 6 of Lis6D did not meet non‐inferiority, the overall daily mean blood glucose was not different, with a decreased rate of hypoglycemia with Lis.
Environmental monitoring through protist next‐generation sequencing metabarcoding: assessing the impact of fish farming on benthic foraminifera communities
Authors: Pawlowski Jan , Esling Philippe , Lejzerowicz Franck , Cedhagen Tomas , Wilding Thomas A. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe measurement of species diversity represents a powerful tool for assessing the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems. Traditionally, the impact of fish farming on the coastal environment is evaluated by monitoring the dynamics of macrobenthic infaunal populations. However, taxonomic sorting and morphology‐based identification of the macrobenthos demand highly trained specialists and are extremely time‐consuming and costly, making it unsuitable for large‐scale biomonitoring efforts involving numerous samples. Here, we propose to alleviate this laborious task by developing protist metabarcoding tools based on next‐generation sequencing (NGS) of environmental DNA and RNA extracted from sediment samples. In this study, we analysed the response of benthic foraminiferal communities to the variation of environmental gradients associated with salmon farms in Scotland. We investigated the foraminiferal diversity based on ribosomal minibarcode sequences generated by the Illumina NGS technology. We compared the molecular data with morphospecies counts and with environmental gradients, including distance to cages and redox used as a proxy for sediment oxygenation. Our study revealed high variations between foraminiferal communities collected in the vicinity of fish farms and at distant locations. We found evidence for species richness decrease in impacted sites, especially visible in the RNA data. We also detected some candidate bioindicator foraminiferal species. Based on this proof‐of‐concept study, we conclude that NGS metabarcoding using foraminifera and other protists has potential to become a new tool for surveying the impact of aquaculture and other industrial activities in the marine environment.
Smart technologies to enhance social connectedness in older people who live at home
Authors: Morris Meg E , Adair Brooke , Ozanne Elizabeth , Kurowski William , Miller Kimberly J , Pearce Alan J , Santamaria Nick , Long Maureen , Ventura Cameron , Said Catherine M 
Published: April 2014

AimTo examine the effectiveness of smart technologies in improving or maintaining the social connectedness of older people living at home.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and critical evaluation of research articles published between 2000 and 2013. Article screening, data extraction and quality assessment (using the Downs and Black checklist) were conducted by two independent researchers.ResultsEighteen publications were identified that evaluated the effect of smart technologies on dimensions of social connectedness. Fourteen studies reported positive outcomes in aspects such as social support, isolation and loneliness. There was emerging evidence that some technologies augmented the beneficial effects of more traditional aged‐care services.ConclusionSmart technologies, such as tailored internet programs, may help older people better manage and understand various health conditions, resulting in subsequent improvements in aspects of social connectedness. Further research is required regarding how technological innovations could be promoted, marketed and implemented to benefit older people.
Perinatal mortality by birthweight centile
Authors: Francis Julia H. , Permezel Michael , Davey Mary Ann 
Published: April 2014

BackgroundDetection of abnormal fetal growth is vital to antenatal care, and traditionally birthweights that are <10th or >90th centile are classified as small or large for gestational age (LGA). Evidence regarding outcomes for birthweight centiles outside these extremes remains unclear.AimsTo evaluate the relationship between birthweight centile and perinatal death and determine the ‘optimum’ birthweight centile with the lowest rate of perinatal mortality.MethodData on all Victorian births from 1999 to 2008 were stratified into smaller subsets than the traditional small for gestational age (SGA) (<10th centile), appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (10–90th centile) and LGA (>90th centile) and analysed by all gestations, for term births alone, and using the ‘fetus at risk’ approach. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for age, parity and co‐morbidities.ResultsFor term births, the ‘optimum’ birthweight centile was the 50–90th range (1.1 perinatal deaths/1000 births). Lower birthweight centiles had significantly higher rates of perinatal death – even those that would be classified as AGA. Babies with a 10–25th birthweight centile had a two‐fold increased risk of perinatal death (AOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.6, 2.7). Even those with a 25–50th birthweight centile had higher perinatal mortality rates (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.3, 2.0). There was no strong evidence of higher perinatal mortality in larger birthweight centiles, except term births >99th centile. The ‘fetus at risk’ analysis showed a rise in perinatal mortality after 37 weeks' gestation for all birthweight centiles, particularly for SGA babies.ConclusionBabies with a birthweight below the 50th centile are at greater risk of perinatal mortality compared with the ‘optimum’ ≥50 to <90th centile group.
Impact and outcomes of a rural Personal Helpers and Mentors service
Authors: Dunstan Debra A. , Todd Anna K. , Kennedy Linda M. , Anderson Donnah L. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo describe impacts and outcomes associated with the Personal Helpers and Mentor's (PHaMs) service in a rural Australian town.DesignA descriptive analysis of longitudinal data, uncontrolled pre‐test and post‐test caseworker ratings, and retrospective pre‐test/post‐test self‐ratings and feedback comments were collected from convenience samples.SettingA community‐based mental health recovery service.Participantsn = 76 mental health consumers; mean age = 37.78 years; 45% male; 63% Aboriginal; primary diagnoses = 41% psychotic disorder and 61% mood disorder; co‐morbid diagnosis = 45% substance use disorder.InterventionsIndividual recovery plan (IRP), personal goal setting, caseworker mentoring and support.Main outcome measuresGains towards goals, the Role Functioning Scale (RFS), self‐ratings and feedback comments.ResultsThe most frequently addressed goals were: attend mental health treatment services, acquire suitable accommodation and be more involved in the community. IRP completers (n = 19) showed a significant improvement in caseworker‐rated adaptive functioning which was adequate at case closure (t(18) = −4.38, P < 0.001). Participant (n = 19) ratings of the service and its key performance indicators suggested global satisfaction and gains in the management of everyday tasks, use of medications and community engagement. Good rapport was reported with the locally trained and predominantly Aboriginal (56%) staff.ConclusionsPHaMs shows promise for assisting rural people with mental illness to improve their everyday functioning, medication management and community involvement. Recruitment and capacity‐building of Aboriginal staff appears to facilitate Aboriginal consumer participation.
Systematic review on cashew nut allergy
Authors: van der Valk J. P. M. , J. Dubois A. E. , Gerth van Wijk R. , Wichers H. J. , de Jong N. W. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractRecent studies on cashew nut allergy suggest that the prevalence of cashew nut allergy is increasing. Cashew nut consumption by allergic patients can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. This review summarizes current knowledge on cashew nut allergy to facilitate timely clinical recognition and to promote awareness of this emerging food allergy amongst clinicians. The goal of this study is to present a systematic review focused on the clinical aspects of allergy to cashew nut including the characteristics of cashew nut, the prevalence, allergenic components, cross‐reactivity, diagnosis and management of cashew nut allergy. The literature search yielded 255 articles of which 40 met our selection criteria and were considered to be relevant for this review. The 40 articles included one prospective study, six retrospective studies and seven case reports. The remaining 26 papers were not directly related to cashew nut allergy. The literature suggests that the prevalence of cashew nut allergy is increasing, although the level of evidence for this is low. A minimal amount of cashew nut allergen may cause a severe allergic reaction, suggesting high potency comparable with other tree nuts and peanuts. Cashew allergy is clearly an underestimated important healthcare problem, especially in children.
miRNA‐155 controls mast cell activation by regulating the PI3Kγ pathway and anaphylaxis in a mouse model
Authors: Biethahn K. , Orinska Z. , Vigorito E. , Goyeneche‐Patino D. A. , Mirghomizadeh F. , Föger N. , Bulfone‐Paus S. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundMast cells (MCs) play a central role in allergic and inflammatory disorders by rapid degranulation and release of inflammatory mediators upon antigen‐driven engagement of the FcεRI. Receptor‐mediated MC responses are controlled by the activation of different isoforms of phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase (PI3K) and the downstream signaling processes. Recent evidence suggests that miRNAs are important molecular players regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway.MethodsThe role of miR‐155 in the regulation of MC functions in vivo was studied in the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) MC‐dependent model. WT and miR‐155−/− mice were injected intradermally with anti‐DNP‐IgE and intravenously with the antigen DNP‐HSA. Ear swelling was assessed to evaluate the anaphylactic response. All investigations, to characterize miR‐155 specific activities in MCs, were conducted comparing WT and miR‐155−/− bone marrow‐derived MCs (BMMCs).ResultsWe report that miR‐155−/− mice display enhanced anaphylaxis reactions. Although miR‐155−/− BMMCs show normal development, proliferation, and survival, miR‐155 deficiency enhances FcεRI‐mediated degranulation and release of TNF‐α, IL‐13, and IL‐6. Interestingly, the level of Akt phosphorylation on both of its regulatory residues Thr308 and Ser473 was increased in miR‐155−/− compared to WT BMMCs. Gene expression profiling showed that miR‐155−/− BMMCs exhibited significantly increased expression of the adapter PI3Kγ subunits Pik3r5 (p101) and Pik3r6 (p84, p87PIKAP). Furthermore, selective blockade of the PI3Kγ pathway inhibited degranulation in miR‐155−/− BMMCs.ConclusionsThus, we suggest that miR‐155 plays a critical role in FcεRI‐mediated MC responses by modulating components of the PI3Kγ pathway. This newly identified mechanism of miRNA‐controlled MC activation may affect the initiation and maintenance of allergic disorders.
Robot‐assisted gastrectomy and oesophagectomy for cancer
Authors: Falkenback Dan , Lehane Christopher W. , Lord Reginald V. N. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundRobot‐assisted surgery is a technically feasible alternative to open and laparoscopic surgery, which is being more frequently used in general surgery. We undertook this review to investigate whether robotic assistance provides a significant benefit for oesophagogastric cancer surgery.MethodsElectronic databases were searched for original English‐language publications for robotic‐assisted gastrectomy and oesophagectomy between January 1990 and October 2013.ResultsSixty‐one publications were included. Thirty‐five included gastrectomy, 31 included oesophagectomy and five included both operations. Several publications suggest that robot‐assisted subtotal gastrectomy can be as safe and effective as an open or laparoscopic procedure, with equal outcomes with regard to the number of lymph nodes resected, overall morbidity and perioperative mortality, and length of hospital stay. Robotic assistance is associated with longer operation times but also with less blood loss in some reports. A significant benefit for robotic assistance has not been shown for the more extensive operations of oesophagectomy or total gastrectomy with D2‐lymphadenectomy. There are very few oncologic data regarding local recurrence or long‐term survival for any of the robotic operations.ConclusionsNo significant differences in morbidity, mortality or number of lymph node harvested have been shown between robot‐assisted and laparoscopic gastrectomy or oesophagectomy. Robotic surgery, with its relatively short learning curve, may facilitate reproducible minimally invasive surgery in this field but operation times are reportedly longer and cost differences remain unclear. Randomized trials with oncologic outcomes and cost comparisons are needed.