bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A proposed Bay-Salam with Takaful and value chain model for financing agriculture in Kano State, Nigeria
Authors: Atah Ummi Ibrahim , Mohammed Mustafa Omar , Adeyemi Abideen Adewale , Adawiah Engku Rabiah 
Published: January 2024

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a model that will demonstrate how the integration of Salam (exclusive agricultural commodity trade) with Takaful (micro-Takaful – a subdivision of Islamic insurance) and value chain can address major challenges facing the agricultural sector in Kano State, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducted a thorough and critical analysis of relevant literature and existing models of financing agriculture in Nigeria to come up with the proposed model.FindingsThe findings indicate that measures undertaken to address the major challenges fail. In view of this, this study proposed Bay-Salam with Takaful and value chain model to solve a number of challenges such as poor access to financing, poor marketing and pricing, delay, collateral requirement and risk issues in order to avail farmers with easy access to finance and provide effective security to financial institutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is limited to using secondary data. Therefore, empirical investigation can be carried out to strengthen the validation of the model.Practical implicationsThe study outcome seeks to improve the productivity of the farmers through enhancing their access to finance. This will increase their level of production and provide more employment opportunities. In addition, it will boost financial inclusion, income generation, poverty alleviation, standard of living, food security and overall economic growth and development.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study lies in the integration of classical Bay-Salam with Takaful and value chain and create a unique model structure which the researchers do not come across in any research that presented it in Nigeria.
Servitization and firm productivity premium across the product value chain: evidence from Russian manufacturing firms
Authors: Fedyunina Anna , Ruzhanskaya Liudmila , Gorodnyi Nikolay , Simachev Yuri 
Published: January 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to discuss the firm productivity premium for servitized firms. It discusses servitization across the product value chain and estimates the effects of the range and extent of servitization on productivity premium in manufacturing firms.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper develops a conceptual framework and tests the hypotheses on the effects of servitization on productivity premium using linear regression models with a sample of 20,837 Russian manufacturing firms gathered from the Ruslana Bureau van Dijk database and the Russian customs service.

Findings
Servitized firms exhibit higher total factor productivity and labor productivity. The labor productivity premium increases with the number of services offered. However, the impact of services on productivity varies along the product value chain: postmanufacturing and postsales services enhance productivity premium, while manufacturing and back-office services diminish them. The effect of establishment services remains ambiguous.

Practical implications
This paper offers an analytical framework for firms to assess their servitization strategies. These strategies should be gradual, focused on enhancing firm efficiency rather than being an end goal. Firms should initiate the process by introducing services at the postproduction and postsales stages of the product creation chain to achieve productivity premium.

Originality/value
The paper extends the evidence on firm-level productivity drivers and contributes to the servitization theory. A servitization strategy should be portfolio-based, considering both the potential gains and losses in productivity resulting from the implementation of specific services.
CSR in times of crisis: why CSR activities can be both a blessing and burden during an organizational crisis
Authors: Koch Thomas , Viererbl Benno , Beckert Johannes , Keilmann Juliane 
Published: January 2024

PurposeWhen a crisis occurs, do corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities protect organizational reputation by buffering negative effects or do CSR activities intensify negative effects, potentially leading to a worse reputation compared to if the organization had no prior CSR engagement? The authors hypothesize that if a crisis emerges in a domain aligned with an organization’s CSR initiatives (crisis-congruent CSR) backfire effects would arise, adversely affecting the organization’s reputation. Conversely, in cases of incongruence, where the crisis emerges in a domain not aligned with an organization’s previous CSR involvement, a buffering effect would manifest, protecting the organization’s reputation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an experiment with a 3 (crisis-congruent, crisis-incongruent, and no CSR activities) × 2 (repeated measures) mixed factorial design. In the first scenario, no information was provided concerning a company’s social commitment. Alternatively, participants were exposed to an article illustrating the company’s dedication either to healthcare (crisis-incongruent commitment) or to combating sexism (crisis-congruent commitment). Afterward, participants were presented with a newspaper article addressing allegations of sexism against the company’s CEO.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that prior CSR activities have the potential both to serve as a buffer and to cause backfire effects in times of crisis. Domain congruence is the decisive moderator of these effects: Crisis-incongruent CSR activities acted as a buffer, crisis-congruent CSR activities “backfired” and led to more negative perceptions of the company’s reputation.Originality/valueThe study directly contributes to the understanding of CSR effects in crisis communication, while also addressing the often paradoxical and contradictory findings of prior studies.
Research on motor rotation anomaly detection based on improved VMD algorithm
Authors: Chen Fuzhao , Chen Zhilei , Chen Qian , Gao Tianyang , Dai Mingyan , Zhang Xiang , Sun Lin 
Published: January 2024

PurposeThe electromechanical brake system is leading the latest development trend in railway braking technology. The tolerance stack-up generated during the assembly and production process catalyzes the slight geometric dimensioning and tolerancing between the motor stator and rotor inside the electromechanical cylinder. The tolerance leads to imprecise brake control, so it is necessary to diagnose the fault of the motor in the fully assembled electromechanical brake system. This paper aims to present improved variational mode decomposition (VMD) algorithm, which endeavors to elucidate and push the boundaries of mechanical synchronicity problems within the realm of the electromechanical brake system.Design/methodology/approachThe VMD algorithm plays a pivotal role in the preliminary phase, employing mode decomposition techniques to decompose the motor speed signals. Afterward, the error energy algorithm precision is utilized to extract abnormal features, leveraging the practical intrinsic mode functions, eliminating extraneous noise and enhancing the signal’s fidelity. This refined signal then becomes the basis for fault analysis. In the analytical step, the cepstrum is employed to calculate the formant and envelope of the reconstructed signal. By scrutinizing the formant and envelope, the fault point within the electromechanical brake system is precisely identified, contributing to a sophisticated and accurate fault diagnosis.FindingsThis paper innovatively uses the VMD algorithm for the modal decomposition of electromechanical brake (EMB) motor speed signals and combines it with the error energy algorithm to achieve abnormal feature extraction. The signal is reconstructed according to the effective intrinsic mode functions (IMFS) component of removing noise, and the formant and envelope are calculated by cepstrum to locate the fault point. Experiments show that the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm can effectively decompose the original speed signal. After feature extraction, signal enhancement and fault identification, the motor mechanical fault point can be accurately located. This fault diagnosis method is an effective fault diagnosis algorithm suitable for EMB systems.Originality/valueBy using this improved VMD algorithm, the electromechanical brake system can precisely identify the rotational anomaly of the motor. This method can offer an online diagnosis analysis function during operation and contribute to an automated factory inspection strategy while parts are assembled. Compared with the conventional motor diagnosis method, this improved VMD algorithm can eliminate the need for additional acceleration sensors and save hardware costs. Moreover, the accumulation of online detection functions helps improve the reliability of train electromechanical braking systems.
Time for a paradigm shift? Small carnivores' sensitivity highlights the importance of monitoring mid‐rank predators in future global change studies
Authors: Do Linh San Emmanuel 
Published: January 2024

AbstractResearch Highlight: Jachowski, D. S., Marneweck, C. J., Olfenbuttel, C., & Harris, S. N. (2024). Support for the size‐mediated sensitivity hypothesis within a diverse carnivore community. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.13916. A current paradigm in ecological research suggests that top predators are suitable sentinel species to identify ecosystem dysfunctions and monitor the effects of climate change. However, the adequacy of top predators to systematically take this function may be mistakenly inferred or unintentionally conflated from the fact that these species are regarded as biodiversity indicators or keystone, umbrella and flagship species in most ecosystems. Regarding terrestrial mammalian carnivores (order Carnivora), some researchers recently suggested that the smaller species likely possess a higher sensitivity to environmental changes than large carnivores because of their biological attributes and their intermediate position in food webs. To test this hypothesis, Jachowski et al. (2024) used camera trapping followed by occupancy and structural equation modelling to explore the dynamics of a diverse carnivore community and the factors that influence them. Their results confirmed that small carnivores are more sensitive to habitat changes and are interconnected by a greater number of significant pathways compared with larger carnivores. This support for the size‐mediated sensitivity hypothesis strengthens the proposition that small carnivores (and other mid‐rank predators) are ideal sentinel species for monitoring the effects of the wide range of contemporary and future environmental changes. Time will tell whether this new ‘middle‐out ecology’ paradigm will be considered in future global change studies.
Coupling pathway prediction and fluorescence spectroscopy to assess the impact of auxiliary substrates on micropollutant biodegradation
Authors: Schittich Anna‐Ricarda , Fenner Kathrin , Stedmon Colin A. , Xu Jianxin , McKnight Ursula S. , Smets Barth F. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSome bacteria can degrade organic micropollutants (OMPs) as primary carbon sources. Due to typically low OMP concentrations, these bacteria may benefit from supplemental assimilation of natural substrates present in the pool of dissolved organic matter (DOM). The biodegradability of such auxiliary substrates and the impacts on OMP removal are tightly linked to biotransformation pathways. Here, we aimed to elucidate the biodegradability and effect of different DOM constituents for the carbofuran degrader Novosphingobium sp. KN65.2, using a novel approach that combines pathway prediction, laboratory experiments, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Pathway prediction suggested that ring hydroxylation reactions catalysed by Rieske‐type dioxygenases and flavin‐dependent monooxygenases determine the transformability of the 11 aromatic compounds used as model DOM constituents. Our approach further identified two groups with distinct transformation mechanisms amongst the four growth‐supporting compounds selected for mixed substrate biodegradation experiments with the pesticide carbofuran (Group 1: 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid, 4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde; Group 2: p‐coumaric acid, ferulic acid). Carbofuran biodegradation kinetics were stable in the presence of both Group 1 and Group 2 auxiliary substrates. However, Group 2 substrates would be preferable for bioremediation processes, as they showed constant biodegradation kinetics under different experimental conditions (pre‐growing KN65.2 on carbofuran vs. DOM constituent). Furthermore, Group 2 substrates were utilisable by KN65.2 in the presence of a competitor (Pseudomonas fluorescens sp. P17). Our study thus presents a simple and cost‐efficient approach that reveals mechanistic insights into OMP‐DOM biodegradation.
Disparities in access to appointments for contraceptive services among Black, Hispanic, White, and recently incarcerated women in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
Authors: Wisniewski Janna M. , Walker Brigham , Patlola Isha , Sharma Rajiv , Tinkler Sarah 
Published: January 2024

AbstractObjectiveTo measure differences in access to contraceptive services based on history of incarceration and its intersections with race/ethnicity and insurance status.Data Sources and Study SettingPrimary data were collected from telephone calls to physician offices in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi in 2021.Study DesignWe deployed a field experiment. The outcome variables were appointment offers, wait days, and questions asked of the caller. The independent variables were callers' incarceration history, race/ethnicity, and insurance.Data Collection MethodsUsing standardized scripts, Black, Hispanic, and White female research assistants called actively licensed primary care physicians and Obstetrician/Gynecologists asking for the next available appointment for a contraception prescription. Physicians were randomly selected and randomly assigned to callers. In half of calls, callers mentioned recent incarceration. We also varied insurance status.Principal FindingsAppointment offer rates were five percentage points lower (95% CI: −0.10 to 0.01) for patients with a history of incarceration and 11 percentage points lower (95% CI: −0.15 to −0.06) for those with Medicaid. We did not find significant differences in appointment offer rates or wait days when incarceration status was interacted with race or insurance. Schedulers asked questions about insurance significantly more often to recently incarcerated Black patients and recently incarcerated patients who had Medicaid.ConclusionsWomen with a history of incarceration have less access to medical appointments; this access did not vary by race or insurance status among women with a history of incarceration.
Deductible imputation in administrative medical claims datasets
Authors: Cliff Betsy Q. , Eddelbuettel Julia C. P. , Meiselbach Mark K. , Eisenberg Matthew D. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractObjectiveTo validate imputation methods used to infer plan‐level deductibles and determine which enrollees are in high‐deductible health plans (HDHPs) in administrative claims datasets.Data Sources and Study Setting2017 medical and pharmaceutical claims from OptumLabs Data Warehouse for US individuals <65 continuously enrolled in an employer‐sponsored plan. Data include enrollee and plan characteristics, deductible spending, plan spending, and actual plan‐level deductibles.Study DesignWe impute plan deductibles using four methods: (1) parametric prediction using individual‐level spending; (2) parametric prediction with imputation and plan characteristics; (3) highest plan‐specific mode of individual annual deductible spending; and (4) deductible spending at the 80th percentile among individuals meeting their deductible. We compare deductibles’ levels and categories for imputed versus actual deductibles.Data Collection/Extraction MethodsNot applicable.Principal FindingsAll methods had a positive predictive value (PPV) for determining high‐ versus low‐deductible plans of ≥87%; negative predictive values (NPV) were lower. The method imputing plan‐specific deductible spending modes was most accurate and least computationally intensive (PPV: 95%; NPV: 91%). This method also best correlated with actual deductible levels; 69% of imputed deductibles were within $250 of the true deductible.ConclusionsIn the absence of plan structure data, imputing plan‐specific modes of individual annual deductible spending best correlates with true deductibles and best predicts enrollees in HDHPs.
Strategic earnings management in family firms
Authors: Ma Liangbo , Ma Shiguang 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWe examine how family firms strategically manage earnings by using discretionary accruals (AEM) and real activities (REM). Using a sample of privately controlled but publicly listed firms in China between 2007 and 2018, we find that, under normal circumstances, family firms are less (more) likely than nonfamily firms to use REM (AEM) for earnings management, and they use REM and AEM as substitutes. However, when firms are under pressure to meet important earnings benchmarks that are critical to the survival of their businesses, family firms increase their use of REM more than do nonfamily firms. Finally, family firms strategically use REM to improve their future firm performance. This study challenges the unidirectional relationship between family firms and earnings management that is typically documented in existing studies.
Performance evaluation of academics: A social influence theory perspective
Authors: Ghauri Ehtasham , Adler Ralph 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study examines the associations between academics' perceptions of their institutions' performance management systems, and in particular their performance evaluation, and academics' attitudes and behaviours. Responses from over 1000 New Zealand academics reveal that those who perceive their performance evaluation as outcomes‐focused and process‐focused are more likely to exhibit compliance‐based behaviour. In contrast, when performance evaluation is perceived as being values‐driven and supportive of collegiality, the academics exhibit internalised behaviours. This study further shows that academics with internalised attitudes score higher in research assessment exercises than academics with compliance‐based attitudes.
Cultural tightness–looseness and inter‐regional mergers and acquisitions: Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Hui , Ling Leng , Wang Ying 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWe investigated the role of culture in inter‐regional mergers and acquisitions (M&As) within national borders, using a dataset that includes M&As conducted by Chinese listed firms from 2005 to 2019. Our research provides compelling evidence that the likelihood of an acquirer initiating a merger proposal – and the subsequent probability of reaching an agreement – decreases as the cultural tightness gap between the acquiring and target firms widens. Furthermore, we found that this negative impact of cultural tightness distance is more pronounced in non‐state‐owned firms and firms led by younger CEOs.
Agriculture and AfCFTA: NTM reductions increase intra‐Africa trade
Authors: Beckman Jayson , Johnson Michael E. , Ivanic Maros 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to provide trade gains for Africa, especially from reducing non‐tariff measures (NTM). Unfortunately, data on NTMs is scarce, both by country and sector. Using three underlying NTM data sets and other data sources, we provide a range of estimates to fill the missing gaps in the existing estimates. Focusing on agriculture, we then use a computable general equilibrium model to estimate the effects of the AfCFTA. Results from all three data sets indicate that NTM reduction leads to much greater intra‐Africa trade gains than tariff reduction alone.
Mitral valvuloplasty using real‐time three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography
Authors: Shi Ning‐Han , Zhang Nan , Zhang Shuo , Zhang Hai‐Zhou , Zou Cheng‐Wei , Zhu Mei 
Published: January 2024

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the structure of the mitral valve in patients undergoing mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) using real‐time three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT‐3D‐TEE). The main objective was to study the relationship between intraoperative annuloplasty ring size and mitral valve structure dimensions, with a focus on exploring the application value of RT‐3D‐TEE in MVP.MethodsA total of 28 patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR), who underwent MVP between February and September 2022, as well as 12 normal control cases, were enrolled in this study. The MV annulus and leaflets were quantitatively analyzed using MVN software.ResultsThe DMR group exhibited significantly greater dimensions in various parameters of the mitral valve, including the anterolateral‐to‐posteromedial diameter (DAlPm), anterior‐to‐posterior diameter (DAP), annulus height (HA), three‐dimensional annulus circumference (CA3D), two‐dimensional annulus area (AA2D), anterior leaflet area (Aant), posterior leaflet area (Apost), anterior leaflet length (Lant), posterior leaflet length (Lpost), and tenting volume (Vtent) compared to the control group.ConclusionReal‐time three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography provides valuable insights into the morphological structure of the mitral valve and lesion location. It can aid in surgical decision‐making, validate the success of MVP, and potentially reduce mortality and complications associated with mitral valve repair procedures.
Neuroprotection and axon regeneration in glaucoma models by gene therapy using modified tyrosine kinase receptors
Authors: Harada Takayuki , Namekata Kazuhiko , Sotozono Akiko , Shinozaki Youichi , Guo Xiaoli , Harada Chikako 
Published: January 2024

Aims/Purpose: To determine whether gene therapy using the modified tyrosine kinase receptors (insulin receptor or TrkB) can protect retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and stimulate axon regeneration in glaucoma model mice.Methods: To examine the effects on the signalling pathways, Cos7 cells were transfected with intracellular region of insulin receptor (iIR) or TrkB (iTrkB) for 24 h, and immunoblot analysis was performed using antibodies against total and phosphorylated ERK and AKT. To evaluate their neuroprotective effects in vivo, the modified IR or TrkB was overexpressed in RGCs in GLAST knockout mice, a mouse model of normal tension glaucoma, by an intraocular injection of AAV‐iIR or AAV‐iTrkB. For optic nerve crush (ONC) model, AAV‐iIR or AAV‐iTrkB was injected into the mouse eyes 2 weeks before ONC. The number of surviving RGCs was examined by whole‐mount immunostaining of the retina with an RBPMS antibody. RGC dendrites were visualized by GFP labeling and quantified using the microscopy image analysis software IMARIS. Optic nerve regeneration was examined by the intraocular injection of Cholera Toxin Subunit B at 2 days before sacrifice.Results: iIR and iTrkB transfection in vitro both strongly induced phosphorylation of ERK and AKT, and in vivo, AAV‐iIR and AAV‐iTrkB both significantly increased the number of surviving RGCs in GLAST knockout mice and ONC mice. Moreover, AAV‐iIR and AAV‐iTrkB promoted axon regeneration in ONC mice and preserved the structure of RGC dendrites.Conclusions: Our system overcomes the small size limitation of the genome packaging in AAV and may be useful for the treatment of retinal and optic nerve degeneration.References
Nishijima E, Honda S, Kitamura Y, Namekata K, Kimura A, Guo X, Azuchi Y, Harada C, Murakami A, Matsuda A, Nakano T, Parada LF, Harada T. Vision protection and robust axon regeneration in glaucoma models by membrane‐associated Trk receptors. Molecular Therapy 31(3), 810–824, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.11.018