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Purpose: Given the important role of knowledge resource for firms to pursuit innovation, this paper aims to investigate the influence of knowledge-based human resource management (HRM) practices on innovation performance through the mediating roles of tacit and explicit knowledge sharing (KS). This study also explores the potential moderating role of perceived organizational supports (POSs) in fostering the KS–innovation relationship of firms in the developing and emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach: The relationship among the latent variables is empirically examined through 289 employees from 118 manufacturing and service firms. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to validate the constructs and estimate the regression coefficients of relationships. Findings: The empirical findings of this study support the mediating role of KS behaviors in the relationship between knowledge-based HRM practices and innovation performance. It highlights the important role of POSs in stimulating the influence of KS behaviors on innovation performance. Research limitations/implications: Future research should investigate the impact of knowledge-based HRM practices on specific forms of innovation via the mediating effects of knowledge management processes to bring better understanding on the importance of knowledge resources in pursuing innovation competence. Originality/value: The paper significantly contributes to enhancing understanding of the antecedent role of knowledge-based HRM practices in fostering KS behaviors and innovation performance under the moderating effects of POSs. Generally, it advances the body of comprehension of knowledge-based resources and innovation theory.

Incidence data of childhood leukaemia (CL) in Hong Kong (1984-90) have been analysed for evidence of variation between small areas. All cases (n=261) were classified by morphological cell type, with the majority (n=205) being acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and haematological review has permitted immunophenotypic classification for 73% of these. The data have been examined for evidence of spatial clustering within small census areas (TPUs) and for association with population mixing, with attention focused on those subgroups (especially the childhood peak of ALL--taken here to be diagnoses in children from 24 months up to the seventh birthday--and common ALL) which, it has been hypothesized, may be caused by unusual patterns of exposure and response to common infections. For the whole of Hong Kong, there was evidence of spatial clustering of ALL at ages 0-4 years (P = 0.09) and in the childhood peak (P<0.05). When these analyses were restricted to TPUs where extreme population mixing may have occurred, overall incidence was elevated and significant evidence of clustering was found for ALL (P<0.007) at these ages and for the common ALL in the childhood peak (P = 0.032). Replication of the analyses for subsets of leukaemia that were not dominated by the childhood peak of ALL found no evidence of clustering. This is the first investigation of an association between population mixing and childhood leukaemia in Asia and the first to include clustering and to consider particular subsets. The results are supportive of the 'infectious' aetiology hypothesis for subsets of childhood leukaemia, specifically common ALL in the childhood peak.

Introduction: Patent foramen ovale (PFO)-stroke, a form of cryptogenic stroke, has certain identifying clinical and imaging features. However, data describing this stroke type remain inconsistent. This study examined the potential variations in PFO-stroke features, depending on age., Methods: From a hospital registry, cryptogenic stroke patients were retrospectively selected, and PFO-strokes were identified by the presence of &gt;10 microembolic signals on transcranial Doppler saline agitation test. Cryptogenic strokes were grouped according to age (&lt;70 as young, ≥70 as elderly). Clinical and imaging variables of PFO-strokes and non-PFO-strokes were compared, with and without age considered., Results: Of the 462 cryptogenic patients, 30.5% (141/462) were PFO-strokes, while majority (321/462) had no PFO. When cryptogenic strokes were analyzed by age, the significant difference was noted in the lesion number, pattern, and side. A single (72.8 vs. 57.9%, p = 0.020) and a small single lesion (51.1 vs. 35.5%, p = 0.039) were frequently seen in the younger PFO-strokes than the non-PFO counterpart, while mixed territory lesions identified the elderly PFO-strokes (30.6 vs. 8.9%, p = 0.001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis of PFO-strokes further showed that age was independently associated with lesion side (OR 1.12 [1.05-1.20], p &lt; 0.001) and lesion number (OR 1.06 [1.02-1.10], p = 0.005)., Conclusions: Incorporating age-specific imaging criteria in the identification of PFO-strokes may be of additional value. Further, PFO may remain contributory to the stroke risk in the elderly, in association with vascular risk factors., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)