bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measuring the effects of quality certification on labour productivity
Authors: Sánchez-Ollero José Luis , García-Pozo Alejandro , Marchante-Lara Macarena 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of quality certifications on apparent labour productivity in a sample of hotels in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach
– In line with Mairesse and Kremp (1993), the theoretical model was based on a Cobb–Douglas production function readapted to the goals of the study.

Findings
– The descriptive results show that labour productivity increases only when certifications and quality standards specific to the hospitality industry are implemented and the tourist destination is committed to quality. The econometric analysis shows that the hotel category, belonging to a chain, and outsourcing services have a positive impact on labour productivity. In contrast, the location of the establishment in areas other than the coast or the capital city of a province has a negative effect on labour productivity. Of the quality models and certifications studied, only the Spanish Q-Mark certificate significantly improves hotel productivity (an average increase of 23.27 per cent).

Practical implications
– These results provide support for the Spanish Tourism Quality System implemented by the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, which has not only attempted to increase the quality of tourism hotels by increasing their competitiveness and performance but also by providing them with a quality certificate that can be used as a marketing strategy in international markets.

Originality/value
– The main contribution of this study is to show how the adoption of quality standards and certifications increases or decreases labour productivity in hotels. Given that most of the previous literature has only taken into account quantities, this study adds to the literature by incorporating the concept of quality into productivity issues.
The influence of online reviews to online hotel booking intentions
Authors: Zhao Xinyuan (Roy) , Wang Liang , Guo Xiao , Law Rob 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This study aims to investigate the impacts of online review and source features upon travelers’ online hotel booking intentions.

Design/methodology/approach
– This study developed a research model and empirically examined the model by collecting data from business travelers in the Mainland China. Factor analysis was adopted to identify features of online reviews content and source attribute. Regression analysis was used to examine impacts of these attributes upon travelers’ online booking intention.

Findings
– Six features of online reviews content and one source attribute were identified, namely, usefulness, reviewer expertise, timeliness, volume, valence (negative and positive) and comprehensiveness. Regression analysis results testified positive causal relationships between usefulness, reviewer expertise, timeliness, volume and comprehensiveness and respondents’ online booking intentions. A significantly negative relation between negative online reviews and online booking intentions was identified, whereas impacts from positive online reviews upon booking intentions were not statistically significant.

Research limitations/implications
– The major limitation of this study is that interrelationships among features of online reviews, which were discussed in other similar studies, were not considered. Still, this study benefited researchers from scrutinizing features of online reviews, rather than several of them. As such, it offered more comprehensive suggestions for practitioners in how to better utilize online reviews as a marketing tool.

Practical implications
– Hospitality practitioners could enhance consumer review management by applying the six underlying factors of online review in the present study to find out the ways of increasing consumers’ booking intentions in the specific hotel contexts.

Originality/value
– A major theoretical contribution of this paper is its comprehensiveness in examining features of review content as well as its source simultaneously. This study also offered areas worthy of more research efforts from perspectives of practitioners and researchers.
Regime shifts and volatility in BRIICKS stock markets: an asset allocation perspective
Authors: Ahmad Wasim , Sehgal Sanjay 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the regime shifts and stock market volatility in the stock market returns of seven emerging economies popularly called as “BRIICKS” which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China, South Korea and South Africa, over the period from February 1996 to January 2012 by applying Markov regime switching (MS) in mean-variance model.Design/methodology/approach– The authors apply MS model developed by Hamilton (1989) using its mean-variance switching framework on the monthly returns data of BRIICKS stock markets. Further, the estimated probabilities along with variances have been used to calculate the time-varying volatility. The authors also examine market synchronization and portfolio diversification possibilities in sample markets by calculating the Logit transformation based cross-market correlations and Sharpe ratios.Findings– The applied model finds two regimes in each of these markets. The estimated results also helped in formulating the asset allocation strategies based on market synchronization and Sharpe ratio. The results suggest that BRIICKS is not a homogeneous asset class and each market should be independently evaluated in terms of its regime-switching behavior, volatility persistence and level of synchronization with other emerging markets. The study finally concludes that Russia, India and China as the best assets to invest within this emerging market basket which can be pooled with a mature market portfolio to achieve further benefits of risk diversification.Research limitations/implications– The study does not provide macroeconomic and financial explanations of the observed differences in dynamics among sample emerging stock markets. The study does not examine these markets under multivariate framework.Practical implications– The results highlight the role of regime shifts and stock market volatility in the asset allocation and risk management. This study has important implications for international asset allocation and stock market regulation by way of identifying and recognizing the differences on regimes and on the dynamics of the swings which can be very useful in the field of portfolio and public financial management.Originality/value– The paper is novel in employing tests of MS under mean-variance framework to examine the regime shifts and volatility switching behavior in seven promising BRIICKS stock market. Further, using MS model, the authors analyze the duration (persistence) of each identified regime across sample markets. The empirical results of MS model have been used for making portfolio allocation strategies and also examine the synchronization across markets. All these aspects of stock market regime have been largely ignored by the existing studies in emerging market context particularly the BRIICKS markets.
Has research on the internationalization of firms from an IMP perspective resulted in a theory of internationalization?
Authors: Gebert Persson Sabine , Mattsson Lars-Gunnar , Öberg Christina 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– Recently, increased interest has been devoted to discuss theory development in relation to business-to-business (B2B) marketing. The purpose of this paper is to explore these thoughts through describing and analyzing research on the internationalization of firms from an Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) perspective. The authors ask: to what extent have these studies resulted in a theory of internationalization?

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper is conceptual and frames research on the internationalization of firms by means of definitions, domains, relations of variables and predictions. It looks into research on internationalization based on an IMP-inspired network perspective to see to what extent research has resulted in theories of internationalization.

Findings
– While there have been substantial efforts on theorizing related to IMP-based internationalization studies, the research has not yet resulted in theory.

Research limitations/implications
– In this paper one phenomenon was selected that has already been addressed in IMP research, namely, the internationalization of firms. Had the authors chosen another phenomenon previously studied in IMP the findings might had turned out differently.

Originality/value
– The paper makes a contribution to understanding how ideas are developed, used and referenced in long-term research development for the specific phenomenon of internationalization. The paper contributes to the debate on theories within B2B research.
Determinants of the quality of disclosed earnings and value relevance across transitional Europe
Authors: Ahmed Sheraz 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– Earlier studies have found that the country characteristics play important role in measuring the corporate transparency. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the firm-level determinants play an important role in corporate transparency measured as the quality of disclosed earnings across transitional Europe and what role an overall transparency measured by the Corruption Perception Index plays in it. This paper further tests if the market reacts similarly to discretionary and non-discretionary components of earnings across different groups of countries with respect to transparency.

Design/methodology/approach
– The financial and ownership data of listed companies in ten European countries is obtained from Amadeus. The transparency ratings are obtained from Transparency International. The sample consists of a panel of 2001 listed companies and modified Jones model of Dechow et al. (1995) is used to measure the quality of earnings.

Findings
– This paper shows that the firm-level determinants (except firm size) of the quality of earnings are different among different groups made on the basis of transparency ratings. However, the determinants of the quality of earnings are not different within each group. The ownership structure of companies plays important role in determining the quality of earnings in most transparent countries whereas financial factors play significant role in least transparent countries. The markets respond positively to earnings quality in most transparent group of countries.

Research limitations/implications
– The results of this study provide interesting basis for future research on economic and social integration of Europe. Although the policy makers are trying to integrate the countries through common Laws and decrees but examining the firm-level factors such as size, growth and ownership are still important. The regulators should address the issue of corporate transparency in Europe by looking at the importance of these factors with respect to overall transparency.

Originality/value
– This study extends the knowledge, not only for academicians and investors but for policy makers as well. This study re-emphasizes the role of country-level transparency and firm-level determinants of the corporate transparency within Europe.
UV‐B radiation interacts with temperature to determine animal performance
Authors: Ghanizadeh Kazerouni Ensiyeh , Franklin Craig E. , Seebacher Frank 
Published: July 2015

Summary

The interaction between UV‐B and temperature can modify the effects of climate variability on animal function because UV‐B and increasing temperatures may increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and thereby impair animal performance. However, antioxidant enzyme activities are also increased at higher temperatures, which could counteract negative effects of increased ROS. Conversely, UV‐B exposure at lower temperature can exacerbate the effects of ROS because of lower antioxidant enzyme activities.

Phenotypes can be plastic to compensate for potentially negative environmental effects. Plasticity may be induced by conditions experienced during pre‐ or early post‐zygotic development, and it may occur reversibly within adult organisms (acclimation). Developmental plasticity and acclimation may interact to determine phenotypes in variable environments.

Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased antioxidant enzyme activities are insufficient to alleviate the interactive effects of UV‐B and increased temperature on mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Additionally, we tested whether developmental conditions influenced the capacity for acclimation to UV‐B and temperature so that cohorts born in summer at high UV‐B and temperature conditions are better able to compensate for ROS damage compared to cohorts born in winter.

We exposed mosquitofish to UV‐B and control (no‐UV‐B) at different acclimation temperatures (18, 28 and 32 °C), and measured responses acutely at 18, 28 and 32 °C in a fully factorial design. In fish born in summer, UV‐B had significant negative effects on swimming performance and resting metabolic rate at both low (18 °C) and high (32 °C) acclimation temperatures, which were accompanied by higher ROS‐induced damage. At their average temperature experienced naturally (28 °C), fish born in summer were not affected by UV‐B and showed lower damage and higher antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the other acclimation temperatures. In contrast, swimming performance of winter‐caught fish was negatively affected by UV‐B at all acclimation temperatures, which was paralleled by higher ROS‐induced damage and antioxidant enzyme activities that did not acclimate. However, metabolic scope was not reduced by UV‐B or temperature in any of the cohorts.

Our results showed that developmental conditions modify the capacity for acclimation later in life, and that the interaction between developmental and acclimation conditions can increase the resilience of animals to environmental variability. These results have important implications for understanding the evolution of acclimation, and for predictions of how climate change affects animal performance.
Quantifying the effect of gape and morphology on bite force: biomechanical modelling and in vivo measurements in bats
Authors: Santana Sharlene E. 
Published: July 2015

Summary

Maximum bite force is an important metric of feeding performance that defines the dietary ecology of many vertebrates.

In mammals, theoretical analyses and empirical studies suggest a trade‐off between maximum bite force and gape at behavioural and evolutionary scales; in vivo bite force is expected to decrease at wide gapes, and cranial morphologies that enable high mechanical advantage are thought to have a lower ability to generate high bite forces at wide gapes, and vice versa. However, very few studies have confirmed these relationships in free‐ranging mammals.

This study uses an ecologically diverse sample of bats to document the variation in bite force with respect to gape angle, and applies three‐dimensional models of the feeding apparatus to identify the major morphological and biomechanical predictors of the gape‐bite force relationship.

In vivo and model data corroborated that bite force decreases significantly at wide gapes across species, but there is substantial intraspecific variation in the data obtained from live bats. Results from biomechanical models, analysed within a phylogenetic framework, revealed that species with larger temporalis muscles, higher temporalis stretch factors and high mechanical advantages experience a steeper reduction in bite force with increasing gape. These trends are illustrated by short‐faced durophagous frugivores.

The results from this study suggest that gape‐mediated changes in bite force can be explained both by behavioural effects and cranial morphology, and that these links are relevant for functional analyses of mammal dietary ecology.
Population growth and sequestration of plant toxins along a gradient of specialization in four aphid species on the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
Authors: Züst Tobias , Agrawal Anurag A. 
Published: July 2015

Summary

Dietary specialization in insect herbivores has long been hypothesized to predict tolerance of plant defences, with more specialized herbivores being highly tolerant of and sometimes sequestering plant secondary compounds. Plant variation in secondary compounds should thus play an important and predictable role in shaping the performance and distribution of insect communities.

We compared the performance of four naturally co‐occurring aphid species on twenty genotypes of the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca. Genotypes of milkweed consistently differed in functional traits, including concentrations of toxic cardenolides, while the diet breadths of the four aphids ranged from broadly generalized to monophagous.

The two more generalized species had the highest population growth rate overall, while growth rates decreased with increasing specialization. In contrast, honeydew exudation as a measure of phloem consumption increased with specialization; thus, resource‐use efficiency was lower in specialist aphids. The two more generalized aphids grew best on genotypes with the highest plant growth rate (as an approximation for resource availability), while specialist aphids were not affected by plant growth.

All four species contained apolar cardenolides in their bodies and excreted polar cardenolides, but only the most specialized aphid Myzocallis asclepiadis was negatively affected by increasing cardenolide concentrations of the host plant. Sequestration of cardenolides increased with diet specialization, with M. asclepiadis accumulating twice as much as any other species, perhaps explaining its susceptibility to plant cardenolides.

Heritable plant traits differentially impacted co‐occurring insect herbivores within the same guild. Generalist aphids were susceptible to variation in plant vigour but not defensive compounds. Increased host specialization resulted in lower resource‐use efficiency, increased phloem throughput and ultimately higher cardenolide sequestration. Variation in these traits is thus likely to determine the relative distribution of generalist and specialist herbivores on plants in natural communities.
Mental health consumer participation in education: a structured literature review
Authors: Arblaster Karen , Mackenzie Lynette , Willis Karen 
Published: July 2015

Background/aimConsumer participation in design, delivery and evaluation of occupational therapy educational programs is a recently introduced requirement for accreditation. It aligns with the principle of recovery, which underpins Australian mental health policy. Graduates' capabilities for recovery‐oriented practice are thought to be enhanced through learning from consumers' lived experience. This structured literature review evaluates the current evidence for mental health consumer participation in health professional education to inform occupational therapy educators.MethodSearches were completed in five online databases, one journal and published reading lists on the topic. Studies were included if they addressed mental health consumer participation in health professional education programs, were published in peer reviewed journals between 2000 and 2014 and were in English. Articles were critically reviewed, and analysed for key findings related to stages of the educational process and recovery‐oriented practice capabilities.ResultsAn emerging body of evidence for consumer participation in mental health education was identified. Studies are characterised by a lack of quality and a low to medium level of evidence. Findings relate to design, planning, delivery and evaluation of education as well as to most aspects of recovery‐oriented practice. Emphases on exploratory research and proximal outcomes, and a reliance on published outcome measurement instruments designed for other purposes are key limitations in this body of evidence.Conclusion and significance of the studyThis study identifies a weak evidence base for the requirement for consumer participation in occupational therapy programs, specifically related to mental health curricula. A research agenda is proposed in response.
Morphology and Physicochemical Properties of 3 Lilium Bulb Starches
Authors: Yu Xurun , Zhang Jing , Li Aimin , Wang Zhong , Xiong Fei 
Published: July 2015

AbstractLilium (Liliaceae) is an important wild plant and is used as food and traditional medicine worldwide. One Lilium cultivar (Lilium lancifolium) and 2 wild types (Lilium leucanthum and Lilium rosthornii) that are commonly distributed in Western China were investigated to completely utilize Lilium resources. The morphology of the flowers, bulbs, and scales and soluble sugar, total starch and amylose contents was remarkably different among the 3 Lilium species. Starches from the 3 Lilium species presented different granule size and shape. The starch of L. lancifolium exhibited higher swelling power and solubility than that of L. leucanthum and L. rosthornii. The starches from the 3 Lilium bulbs presented similar X‐ray diffraction patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Among the 3 Lilium species, L. lancifolium showed the lowest crystallinity and the largest proportion of ordered structures in granule external region. Gelatinization temperatures and retrogradation percentage were significantly lower, but gelatinization enthalpy was significantly higher in L. lancifolium than those in L. leucanthum and L. rosthornii. Pasting properties of starch were different among the 3 Lilium species. Starch from L. lancifolium showed the highest degree of amylopectin branching, followed by L. leucanthum and L. rosthornii. Starches from L. leucanthum and L. rosthornii showed higher resistance to porcine pancreatic α‐amylase hydrolysis compared to that of L. lancifolium. These results indicated that 3 Lilium bulbs exhibited remarkable differences in morphological, crystal, thermal, pasting, and hydrolysis properties of starches.
Sleep and delirium in unsedated patients in the intensive care unit
Authors: Boesen H. C. , Andersen J. H. , Bendtsen A. O. , Jennum P. J. 
Published: July 2015

BackgroundSleep deprivation and delirium are major problems in the ICU. We aimed to assess the sleep quality by polysomnography (PSG) in relation to delirium in mechanically ventilated non‐sedated ICU patients.MethodsInterpretation of 24‐h PSG and clinical sleep assessment in 14 patients. Delirium assessment was done using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM‐ICU).ResultsOf four patients who were delirium free, only one had identifiable sleep on PSG. Sleep was disrupted with loss of circadian rhythm, and diminished REM sleep. In the remaining three patients the PSGs were atypical, meaning that no sleep signs were found, and sleep could not be quantified from the PSGs. Clinical total sleep time (ClinTST) ranged from 2.0–13.1 h in patients without delirium.Six patients with delirium all had atypical PSGs, so sleep could not be quantified. Short periods of REM sleep were found. ClinTST was median 8.5 h (range 0.4–13.8 h). EEG reactivity and wakefulness was found in all but one PSG.Four patients were CAM‐ICU “unassessable” (unresponsive to voice). PSGs were atypical without reactivity or wakefulness, even though clinical wakefulness was documented. ClinTST was median 18.3 h (range 3.7–19.8 h). Paroxystic EEG activity was found in this subgroup.ConclusionsThe objective signs of sleep were absent in all but one PSG, so even though patients were not sedated, sleep could not be quantified. Even in patients without delirium, sleep could only be quantified in one of four patients. Paroxystic activity is frequent in unsedated patients, unresponsive to voice, but the implication is unknown.