bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Theory of binary-valued data envelopment analysis: an application in assessing the sustainability of suppliers
Authors: Karimi Balal , Azadi Majid , Farzipoor Saen Reza , Fosso Wamba Samuel 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThe objective of this study is to present a binary-valued data envelopment analysis (DEA) theory. The authors’ proposed approach, for the first time, combines binary-valued and integer-valued theories concurrently in the DEA context. To do so, new production possibility sets (PPSs) with some distinguished features are developed.Design/methodology/approachThe authors address integer inputs and outputs in the proposed approach by introducing a new PPS.FindingsTo take into account the binary data, the authors develop axiomatic DEA principles. The binary production principles guarantee any combination of convexity and feasibility. Furthermore, the authors develop a new DEA model to consider integer and real data. A case study is presented to show the usefulness of the developed models. Using the proposed models, the authors obtained benchmarks to solve the sustainable supplier selection problems.Originality/value(1) For the first time, binary-valued and integer-valued theories are presented in an integrated DEA model. (2) To deal with the pure binary data, a new PPS is proposed. (3) To consider real, integer and binary data, a new PPS is introduced. (4) New technologies are developed to propose feasible solutions. (5) The proposed models can project inefficient decision-making units (DMUs) on efficiency frontier given binary, integer and real data. (6) A case study is given for the performance evaluation of sustainable suppliers.
Antecedents of capital structure and firm performance: evidence from G-7 countries
Authors: Riaz Muhammad , Jinghong Shu , Akhtar Muhammad Nadeem 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThe main goal of this study is to analyze how monetary debt effects firm behavior of 167 registered manufacturing companies in G-7 countries.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the present study is taken from the listed firms in G-7 countries. For the building companies, the yearly financial statements of 2007–2018 have been taken from world stock exchange and Thomson Reuters Data Stream. In this study, regression analysis are directed with panel data over the period of 2007–2018 using ordinary least square summary statistics, correlation matrix and generalized method moments. Data were analyzed by employing E Views and Stata 13 software.FindingsThe significant findings of the current study indicated that fixed assets, tangible assets, taxes, net cash and profitability have positive association with debt level.Research limitations/implicationsThe current work include only registered manufacturing firms in G-7 countries. Moreover, ownership types are not accounted for in this study.Practical implicationsThe current analysis is an empirical investigation of antecedents of debt regarding G-7 countries with up-to-date data. Various regression inquires have been made to design the models using different measures of debt and measure of firm performance indicators. These works will assist G-7 countries firms to know the effects of identified factors on time raising debt level.Originality/valueThe current work has been finalized using genuine data of yearly reports and database. This study incorporated antecedents of debt, which have limited discourse in prior literature. Furthermore, this study explores the connection between debt level and firm performance of G-7 countries.
Are product design researchers and practitioners on the same page? The way professional product designers view creative design
Authors: Sameti Ardalan , Koslow Scott , Mashhady Arash 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThis paper aims to explore professional product designers’ views on creative design and to compare their viewpoints with the related academic literature on product marketing.Design/methodology/approachTo find the designers’ views on creative design, face-to-face in-depth interviews based on repertory grid analysis and semi-structured questions were conducted with 32 professional and award-wining product designers who mostly design for international producers.FindingsAlthough marketing scholars often approach design as a noun – something that can be viewed and analysed as a bundle of attributes, dimensions or characteristics – professional designers view design differently. To them, design is a verb, a problem-solving process through which they meet the challenges consumers have with products. Comparing professional product designers’ views on design creativity with the main topics in the product marketing literature places scholars’ dispositionalism against designers’ situationalism; it also enables marketing scholars to improve their viewpoints on product design and to bring practical problem-solving and design thinking into their research. This also increases mutual understanding between marketers and designers.Research limitations/implicationsThis research enhances the knowledge of marketing scholars, marketers and designers about each other’s perspectives on product design creativity, which will improve their mutual understanding and the business-to-business relationship between marketers and designers.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first study that has attempted to discover product designers’ opinions on the main topics in the related academic literature.
Social network ties, proactive entrepreneurial behavior and successful retail business: a study on Indonesia small enterprises
Authors: Nasution Muhammad Dharma Tuah Putra , Rini Endang Sulistya , Absah Yeni , Sembiring Beby Karina Fawzeea 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationship between social network ties (SNT) and successful retail business (SRB), as well as the effect of the moderating variable of proactive entrepreneurial behavior (PEB).

Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative method with a cross-sectional design is used. A series of questionnaires are distributed and collected from a total of 101 retail business owners selected by a purposive sampling technique. Factor analysis and regression analysis are used to test the validity of the data and hypotheses.

Findings
The results establish that the higher the SNT, the higher the chance of a retail business to be successful. Interestingly, subsequent findings indicate that the role of PEB can strengthen the relationship between SNT and SRBs.

Originality/value
Business owners or entrepreneurs are considering both SNT and PEB in making business decisions. A new insight on the importance of intangible resources is revealed where it is rooted in resource-based and social capital theories.
Eco-friendly polymer composite films based on waste polyvinyl chloride/sunflower seed cake for antimicrobial and antistatic applications
Authors: Saied Mona , Reffaee Abeer , Hamieda Shimaa , Abd- El- Messieh Salwa L. , Shafik Emad S. 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This study aims to get rid of non-degradable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste as well as sunflower seed cake (SSC) waste by preparing eco-friendly composites from both in different proportions to reach good mechanical and insulating properties for antimicrobial and antistatic applications.

Design/methodology/approach
Eco-friendly composite films based on waste polyvinylchloride (WPVC) and SSC of concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 Wt.%) were prepared using solution casting method. Further, the effect of sunflower seed oil (SSO) on the biophysical properties of the prepared composites is also investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope, mechanical, thermal, dielectric properties were assessed. Besides, the antimicrobial and biodegradation tests were also studied.

Findings
The crystallinity increases by rising SSC concentration as revealed by XRD results. Additionally, the permittivity (ε′) increases by increasing SSC filler and SSO as well. A remarkable increase in dc conductivity was attained after the addition of SSO. While raw WPVC has very low bacterial activity. The composite films are found to be very effective against staphylococcus epidermidis, staphylococcus aureus bacteria and against candida albicans as well. On the other hand, the weight loss of WPVC increases by adding of SSC and SSO, as disclosed by biodegradation studies.

Originality/value
The study aims to reach the optimum method for safe and beneficial disposal of PVC waste as well as SSC for antistatic and antimicrobial application.
Valuations, marketing and uncertainty: a field study of financial analysts and salespeople
Authors: Tarim Emre 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This paper aims to explore how sell-side analysts and salespeople make sense of uncertainty on their market knowledge, valuation and marketing outputs.

Design/methodology/approach
Data is collected by direct observations of and interviews with analysts and salespeople in the Turkish stock exchange, an emerging market with considerable global fund management activity.

Findings
Analysts face considerable uncertainty on their market value forecasts but dismiss it as local dynamics not incorporable to valuation practices in global sell-side business. Salespeople, despite paying more attention to such dynamics owing to their sales tasks, limit themselves to analyst output in marketing. Both actors recognise the importance of analyst work to be able to have “a right to speak” in global sell-side business.

Research limitations/implications
Changing market conditions and regulations since the time of study have been shaping analysts and salespeople work in global sell-side business, for example, the way sell-side is compensated by buy-side, buy-side’s move to receiving sell-side services from fewer brokers and hence shrinking sell-side teams. The paper does not address these. Nonetheless, it shows how valuation and marketing can be two distinct lines of work in sell-side business irrespective of market conditions and raises the question for future research as to how sell-side professionals manage this distinction, and how they make sense of and cope with broad market dynamics beyond sell-side and buy-side relations (e.g. automated trading machines, online retail trading).

Originality/value
The paper provides rare observation-based insights into analyst and salespeople work, including their sensemaking of uncertainty. It shows the importance of market identities and associated knowledge in valuation and marketing work in sell-side business.
New method for the calibration of a road condition sensor
Authors: Yang Sen 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This study aims to improve the calibration accquracy of the road condition sensor. A road condition sensor is widely used to detect water or ice deposits on the road to assess associated driving risks. Its quantitative calibration is central to the thickness measurement accuracy and conventionally performed using the single fitting method-based calibration method. One existing limitation is that the distribution characteristics of calibration data of different road conditions are diversified, which leads to the fitting error can not be minimized when using the conventional calibration method. Thus, the multiple fitting methods-based calibration method is developed to realize an optimal calibration for the road condition sensor.

Design/methodology/approach
A fitting method assignment for the calibration data of different road conditions was introduced to realize an optimal combination for fitting method and calibration data. In the experiments, the calibration methods were tested in the absence of measurement errors, then tested with calibration data, and finally, in the covering thickness measurement.

Findings
The comparison results indicate that compared with the conventional calibration method, the multiple fitting methods-based calibration method cuts the fitting error in the quantitative calibration by 13.3% and contributes to reducing the thickness measurement error by 8.11% for different road conditions.

Originality/value
The multiple fitting methods-based calibration method has been successfully applied for quantitative calibration and shown to reduce calibration errors. The comparison between different calibration methods demonstrates the superior performance of the new calibration method.
Environmental citizenship behavior and sustainability apps: an empirical investigation
Authors: D'Arco Mario , Marino Vittoria 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This study aims to investigate the moderating effect of sustainability app on environmental citizenship behavior on the basis of norm-activation model.

Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey, which comprises five variables (i.e. awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms, environmental citizenship behavior in a private sphere and environmental citizenship behavior in a public sphere) measured through 16 items, was conducted in the USA by using Amazon Mechanical Turk. With 549 valid respondents’ answers in hand, the collected data were analyzed applying a multi-group structural equation modelling technique with IBM SPSS AMOS 23 software program.

Findings
The results revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms and environmental citizenship behavior in both private and public sphere. Furthermore, this study attested that sustainability apps utilization has a moderating effect on the predictors of environmental citizenship behaviors.

Originality/value
Past studies have seldom examined the contribution of mobile apps to environmental sustainability. This paper enriches the extant academic literature in the field of technology for behavior change, and bears significant implications on how sustainability apps can be adopted by governments, policymakers, organizations and teacher educators to engage people and stimulate environmental citizenship behaviors.
Plant biodiversity declines with increasing coffee yield in Ethiopia's coffee agroforests
Authors: Zewdie Beyene , Tack Ayco J. M. , Ayalew Biruk , Wondafrash Melaku , Nemomissa Sileshi , Hylander Kristoffer 
Published: February 2022

Abstract

Tropical agroforestry systems provide farmers with resources for their livelihoods, but are also well‐recognized as refuges for biodiversity. However, the relationship between yield and biodiversity might be negative in these systems, reflecting a potential trade‐off between managing for increased yield or biodiversity. The potential for synergies will depend partly on the shape of the biodiversity–yield relationship, where a concave relationship suggests a faster decline in biodiversity with increasing yields than a linear or convex shape.

We studied the relationship between biodiversity (plant species richness and composition) and coffee yield along a gradient of management in south‐western Ethiopia, coffee's native range. We inventoried species richness and community composition of woody plants, herbaceous plants and bryophytes at 60 sites. We also measured coffee management‐related variables and assessed coffee yield for 3 consecutive years at each site.

Species richness of woody plants had a concave relationship with coffee yield, that is, tree richness declined fast initially before levelling out at higher yields, whereas there was no relationship between coffee yield and species richness of herbaceous plants or bryophytes. Species composition of woody plants, herbaceous plants and bryophytes all had a concave relationship with coffee yield.

From a methodological perspective, we found that multi‐year data on yield were necessary to reliably assess the relationship between biodiversity and yield, and that the number of coffee shrubs or coffee dominance were poor proxies for yield when trying to capture the biodiversity–yield relationship.

Synthesis and applications. The concave relationship between biodiversity components (species richness and composition) and yield suggests that there is a strong conflict between the goals of increasing production and conserving biodiversity. However, it is important to recognize that this pattern is largely driven by the very low‐yielding sites in natural forests. Here, even minor intensification of coffee management seems to rapidly erode biodiversity. Along the rest of the productivity gradient, there was generally no negative relationship between yield and biodiversity, implying opportunities for developing strategies for increasing yields without biodiversity loss.
The impact of COVID‐19 restrictions on occupational balance: A mixed method study of the experience of Australian occupational therapists
Authors: Tse Tamara , Roberts Ester , Garvie Jo , Sutton Emma , Munro Adrienne 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIntroductionCOVID‐19 has seen unprecedented changes to the daily occupational lives of citizens across the globe as a result social and physical restrictions. Frontline healthcare workers health and wellbeing have been impacted but what of occupational balance? The aim of this study was to investigate if there was a change in the occupational balance of occupational therapists working in a metropolitan hospital during a COVID‐19 lockdown.MethodsAll occupational therapists working in a metropolitan hospital were invited to participate in an online survey. Occupational Balance was measured using the Occupational Balance Questionnaire‐11 (OBQ11). Participants retrospectively rated their occupational balance before COVID‐19 restrictions were in place and again rated their current status during the restrictions. Participants were also asked to comment on strategies used to help them during the COVID‐19 restrictions.ResultsForty‐two occupational therapists completed the survey. The mean total score prior to the COVID‐19 restrictions was 19.4 and during restrictions was 19.0 (Z = −0.4, p = 0.68). There was a significant decrease in having sufficient to do during the COVID‐19 restrictions (Z = −3.6, p < 0.001). Satisfaction with how time was spent in rest, recovery and sleep significantly increased during the restrictions (Z = −3.3, p = 0.001). Strategies used included engaging in valued activities, finding alternate ways of doing and showing gratitude.ConclusionOccupational balance of occupational therapists remained high and satisfaction in how time was spent improved during COVID‐19 restrictions. Occupational therapists implemented their own theoretical approach of adaptation to cope with the COVID‐19 restrictions.
High expression of NPM1 via the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway might predict poor prognosis for patients with prostate adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ruan Yong , Xu Houqiang , Ji Xinqin 
Published: February 2022

AbstractProstate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) occurs only in males and has a higher incidence rate than other cancers. NPM1 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein that participates in the development of multiple tumours. The aim of this research was to explore the effect of the upregulation or downregulation of the NPM1 protein on the malignancy of prostate cancer and its possible signalling pathway. Prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines were used in this study, including RWPE‐1, PC3, LNCap, and 22RV1 cells. Our research revealed that NPM1 was widely expressed in the PRAD cell lines, as determined by western blotting, and that the levels of NPM1 protein were positively correlated with the degree of malignancy of the PRAD cell lines. Through interference and overexpression experiments, we found that PC3 cell growth was inhibited after NPM1 knockdown and that this inhibition was partly reversed by CTNNB1 overexpression; in contrast, PC3 cells growth was promoted after NPM1 overexpression, and this promotion was partly reversed by CTNNB1 knockdown, suggesting that NPM1 and CTNNB1 play important roles in the progression of prostate cancer cells via the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway. NPM1 may serve as an important biomarker and candidate therapeutic for patients with prostate cancer.
Fructose prevents the development of hyperglycaemia in WBN/Kob diabetic fatty rats via maintaining high insulin levels
Authors: Kaji Noriyuki , Namekawa Junichi , Takagi Yoshiichi , Watanabe Ayaka , Nemoto Sayaka , Minami Yukako , Katayanagi Atusko , Kobayashi Taiki , Asai Fumitoshi 
Published: February 2022

AbstractFructose is considered to negatively affect type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, there are contradictory reports. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects of fructose‐rich diet (FRD) on glucose metabolism of Wistar Bonn Kobori (WBN/Kob) fatty diabetic (WBKDF) rats, a spontaneous T2DM model, and Wistar rats. Wistar Bonn Kobori fatty diabetic and Wistar rats were fed either FRD or standard diet (STD) for 4 weeks. The food intake, body weight, plasma glucose and insulin were measured weekly. After the 4‐week challenge, rats were subjected to an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). The liver and pancreas were used for histological analysis. The 4‐week challenge of FRD in Wistar rats did not cause hyperglycaemia, but increased insulin resistance (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance [HOMA‐IR]). Feeding WBKDF rats with a FRD accelerated obesity, but prevented the onset of severe hyperglycaemia via maintaining high plasma insulin levels. Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance in WBKDF rats was not changed by FRD feeding. Intravenous glucose tolerance test revealed that FRD feeding in Wistar rats did not affect glucose tolerance, but slightly increased the plasma insulin level. In contrast, FRD feeding in WBKDF rats significantly reduced the glucose tolerance, but insulin response was not improved. Fructose‐rich diet feeding did not alter the β cell area in Wistar rats, but significantly increased it in WBKDF rats. In conclusion, FRD caused insulin resistance in Wistar rats, suggesting that fructose overconsumption is a risk factor for T2DM, whereas FRD inhibited severe hyperglycaemia by maintaining high insulin levels in WBKDF rats. Fructose may be a beneficial sugar for T2DM patients with severe obesity‐induced insulin resistance.
Adaptations of microbial communities and dissolved organics to seasonal pressures in a mesotrophic coastal Mediterranean lake
Authors: Selak Lorena , Osterholz Helena , Stanković Igor , Hanžek Nikola , Gligora Udovič Marija , Dittmar Thorsten , Orlić Sandi 
Published: February 2022

SummaryIn lake ecosystems, changes in eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes and the concentration and availability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) produced within or supplied to the system by allochthonous sources are components that characterize complex processes in the microbial loop. We address seasonal changes of microbial communities and DOM in the largest Croatian lake, Vrana. This shallow lake is connected to the Adriatic Sea and is impacted by agricultural activity. Microbial community and DOM structure were driven by several environmental stressors, including drought, seawater intrusion and heavy precipitation events. Bacterial composition of different lifestyles (free‐living and particle‐associated) differed and only a part of the particle‐associated bacteria correlated with microbial eukaryotes. Oscillations of cyanobacterial relative abundance along with chlorophyll a revealed a high primary production season characterized by increased levels of autochthonous DOM that promoted bacterial processes of organic matter degradation. From our results, we infer that in coastal freshwater lakes dependent on precipitation‐evaporation balance, prolonged dry season coupled with heavy irrigation impact microbial communities at different trophic levels even if salinity increases only slightly and allochthonous DOM inputs decrease. These pressures, if applied more frequently or at higher concentrations, could have the potential to overturn the trophic state of the lake.