bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SARS-CoV-2 multi-variant graphene biosensor based on engineered dimeric ACE2 receptor
Authors: D’Agostino Mattia , Pavoni Eleonora , Romagnoli Alice , Ardiccioni Chiara , Motta Stefano , Crippa Paolo , Biagetti Giorgio , Notarstefano Valentina , Barocci Simone , Costabile Brianna K. , Colasurdo Gabriele , Caucci Sara , Mencarelli Davide , Turchetti Claudio , Farina Marco , Pierantoni Luca , Teana Anna La , Hadi Richard Al , Chinappi Mauro , Trucchi Emiliano , Mancia Filippo , Morozzo della Rocca Blasco , D’Annessa Ilda , Marino Daniele Di
Published: October 2021

Fast, reliable and point-of-care systems to detect the SARS-CoV-2 infection are crucial to contain viral spreading and to adopt timely clinical treatments. Many of the rapid detection tests currently in use are based on antibodies that bind viral proteins1. However, newly appearing virus variants accumulate mutations in their RNA sequence and produce proteins, such as Spike, that may show reduced binding affinity to these diagnostic antibodies, resulting in less reliable tests and in the need for continuous update of the sensing systems2. Here we propose a graphene field-effect transistor (gFET) biosensor which exploits the key interaction between the Spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor. This interaction is one of the determinants of host infections and indeed recently evolved Spike variants were shown to increase affinity for ACE2 receptor3. Through extensive computational analyses we show that a chimeric ACE2-Fc construct mimics the ACE2 dimer, normally present on host cells membranes, better than its soluble truncated form. We demonstrate that ACE2-Fc functionalized gFET is effective for in vitro detection of Spike and outperforms the same chip functionalized with either a diagnostic antibody or the soluble ACE2. Our sensor is implemented in a portable, wireless, point-of-care device and successfully detected both alpha and gamma virus variants in patient’s clinical samples. As incomplete immunization, due to vaccine roll-out, may offer new selective grounds for antibody-escaping virus variants4, our biosensor opens to a class of highly sensitive, rapid and variant-robust SARS-CoV-2 detection systems.
Impact of Salivary and Pancreatic Amylase Gene Copy Numbers on Diabetes, Obesity, and Functional Profiles of Microbiome in Northern Japanese Population
Authors: Hasegawa Takanori , Kakuta Masanori , Yamaguchi Rui , Sato Noriaki , Mikami Tatsuya , Murashita Koichi , Nakaji Shigeyuki , Itoh Ken , Imoto Seiya
Published: October 2021

Amylase genes reside in a structurally complex locus, and their copy numbers vary greatly, especially among agricultural races. Amylase genes seem to shape the metabolic response to dietary starch, and several studies have reported their association with obesity. Besides, the effect of amylase copy numbers seems to depend on lifestyle, and the mechanism of this effect was partially explained by changes in the oral and gut microbiome compositions; however, a detailed mechanism has been unclarified. In this study, we showed their association with diabetes in addition to obesity, and further discovered a plausible mechanism of this association based on the function of commensal bacterial in a northern Japanese population. First, we confirmed that the amylase copy number in the population tends to be larger than that reported in other studies and that there is a positive association between obesity and diabetes (p =1.95E-2 and 3.28E-2). Second, we identified that relative abundance of some genus level microbiome, Capnocytophaga, Dialister, and previously reported bacteria, were significantly associated with amylase copy numbers. Finally, through functional gene-set analysis using shotgun sequencing, we observed that the abundance of genes in the Acarbose pathway in the gut microbiome was significantly decreased with an increase in the amylase copy number (p-value = 5.80E-4), which can partly explain the mechanism underlying obesity and diabetes in populations with high amylase copy numbers.
Clinical evaluation of a RT-LAMP SARS-CoV-2 test for the Point-Of-Care, rapid, low-cost, integrating sample solid phase extraction and on which reagents are lyophilized
Authors: Coz E. , Garneret P. , Martin E. , do Nascimento D. F. , Vilquin A. , Hoinard D. , Feher M. , Grassin Q. , Vanhomwegen J. , Manuguerra J.C , Mukherjee S. , Olivo-Marin J.-C. , Brient-Litzler E. , Merzoug M. , Collin E. , Tabeling P. , Rossi B.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Determine the sensitivity and specificity of a Point-Of-Care test (‘COVIDISC’) for SARS-COV2. The novelty of the test is to integrate, on the same (low-cost) compact plastic/paper device, solid phase RNA extraction and RT-LAMP amplification, all reagents being freeze-dried on it.

Method

Retrospective study with a cohort of 99 patients characterized by real-time RT-PCR. The 37 positive naso-pharyngeal samples cover a broad range of viral loads (from 5 gc /µL to 2 106gc/ µL of sample).

Results

The COVIDISC found 36 positives (out of 37 by IP4 RT-PCR protocols) and 63 negatives (out of 62 by RT-PCR).

Conclusion

The sensitivity of the COVIDISC, found in this 99-patient retrospective study, is 97% and the specificity 100%.
In vivo CRISPRi screen reveals the differential requirement for mitochondrial respiratory chain function between in vivo and in vitro tumor growth
Authors: Nakaoka Hiroki , Bennett Neal , Okimoto Ross A. , Laurent Danny , Sei Yoshitaka , Bivona Trever , Hoeve Johanna ten , Graeber Thomas G. , Nakamura Ken , Nakamura Jean L.
Published: October 2021

The Warburg effect, aerobic glycolysis, is a hallmark feature of cancer cells grown in culture. However, the relative roles of glycolysis and respiratory metabolism in supporting in vivo tumor growth and significant processes such as tumor dissemination and metastases remain poorly understood, particularly on a systems level. Using a CRISPRi mini-library enriched for mitochondrial ribosomal protein and respiratory chain genes in multiple human lung cancer cell lines we analyzed in vivo metabolic requirements in xenograft tumors grown in distinct anatomic contexts. While knockdown of mitochondrial ribosomal protein and respiratory chain genes (mito-respiratory genes) has little impact on growth in vitro, tumor cells depend heavily on these genes when grown in vivo as either flank or primary orthotopic lung tumor xenografts. In contrast, respiratory function is comparatively dispensable for metastatic tumor growth. RNA-Seq and metabolomics analysis of tumor cells expressing individual sgRNAs against mito-respiratory genes indicate overexpression of glycolytic genes and increased sensitivity of glycolytic inhibition compared to control when grown in vitro, but when grown in vivo as primary tumors these cells downregulate glycolytic mechanisms. These studies demonstrate that discrete perturbations of mitochondrial metabolism impact in vivo tumor growth in a context-specific manner and provides systems-level evidence that respiratory function modulates tumor growth in vivo, suggesting that ATP limits growth and metastatic potential.
Inherited variants in CHD3 demonstrate variable expressivity in Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome
Authors: van der Spek Jet , den Hoed Joery , Snijders Blok Lot , Dingemans Alexander J. M. , Schijven Dick , Nellaker Christoffer , Venselaar Hanka , Barakat Tahsin Stefan , Bebin E. Martina , Beck-Wödl Stefanie , Beunders Gea , Brown Natasha J. , Brunet Theresa , Brunner Han G. , Campeau Philippe M. , Čuturilo Goran , Gilissen Christian , Haack Tobias B. , Husain Ralf A. , Kamien Benjamin , Lim Sze Chern , Lovrecic Luca , Magg Janine , Maver Ales , Miranda Valancy , Monteil Danielle C. , Ockeloen Charlotte W. , Pais Lynn S. , Plaiasu Vasilica , Raiti Laura , Richmond Christopher , Rieß Angelika , Schwaibold Eva M. C. , Simon Marleen E. H. , Spranger Stephanie , Tan Tiong Yang , Thompson Michelle L. , de Vries Bert B.A. , Wilkins Ella J. , Willemsen Marjolein H. , Francks Clyde , Vissers Lisenka E. L. M. , Fisher Simon E. , Kleefstra Tjitske
Published: October 2021

Interpretation of next-generation sequencing data of individuals with an apparent sporadic neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) often focusses on pathogenic variants in genes associated with NDD, assuming full clinical penetrance with limited variable expressivity. Consequently, inherited variants in genes associated with dominant disorders may be overlooked when the transmitting parent is clinically unaffected. While de novo variants explain a substantial proportion of cases with NDDs, a significant number remains undiagnosed possibly explained by coding variants associated with reduced penetrance and variable expressivity. We characterized twenty families with inherited heterozygous missense or protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in CHD3, a gene in which de novo variants cause Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome, characterized by intellectual disability, speech delay and recognizable facial features (SNIBCPS). Notably, the majority of the inherited CHD3 variants were maternally transmitted. Computational facial and human phenotype ontology-based comparisons demonstrated that the phenotypic features of probands with inherited CHD3 variants overlap with the phenotype previously associated with de novo variants in the gene, while carrier parents are mildly or not affected, suggesting variable expressivity. Additionally, similarly reduced expression levels of CHD3 protein in cells of an affected proband and of related healthy carriers with a CHD3 PTV, suggested that compensation of expression from the wildtype allele is unlikely to be an underlying mechanism. Our results point to a significant role of inherited variation in SNIBCPS, a finding that is critical for correct variant interpretation and genetic counseling and warrants further investigation towards understanding the broader contributions of such variation to the landscape of human disease.
Molecular Basis of Urostyle Development: Genes and Gene Regulation Underlying an Evolutionary Novelty
Authors: Senevirathne Gayani , Shubin Neil H.
Published: October 2021

Evolutionary novelties entail the origin of morphologies that enable new functions. These features can arise through changes to gene function and regulation. One important novelty is the fused rod at the end of the vertebral column in anurans, the urostyle. This feature is composed of a coccyx and an ossifying hypochord, and both structures ossify during metamorphosis. We used Laser Capture Micro-dissection of these identified tissues and subjected them to RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses at three developmental stages in tadpoles of Xenopus tropicalis. These experiments reveal that the coccyx and hypochord have two different molecular signatures. ATAC-seq data reveals potential regulatory regions that are observed in proximity to candidate genes identified from RNA-seq. Neuronal (TUBB3) and muscle markers (MYH3) are upregulated in coccygeal tissues, whereas T-box genes (TBXT, TBXT.2), corticosteroid stress hormones (CRCH.1), and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP1, MMP8, MMP13) are upregulated in the hypochord. Even though an ossifying hypochord is only present in anurans, this ossification between the vertebral column and the notochord appears to resemble a congenital vertebral anomaly seen prenatally in humans, caused by an ectopic expression of the TBXT/TBXT.2 gene. This work opens the way to functional studies that help us better elucidate anuran bauplan evolution.
Archerfish number discrimination
Authors: Potrich Davide , Zanon Mirko , Vallortigara Giorgio
Published: October 2021

Debates have arisen as to whether non-human animals actually can learn astract non-symbolic numerousness or whether they always rely on some continuous physical aspect of the stimuli covarying with number. Here we investigated archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) non-symbolic numerical discrimination with accurate control for co-varying continuous physical stimulus attributes. Archerfish were trained to select one of two groups of black dots (Exp. 1: 3 vs. 6 elements; Exp. 2: 2 vs. 3 elements); these were controlled for several combinations of physical variables (elements’ size, overall area, overall perimeter, density and sparsity), ensuring that only numerical information was available. Generalization tests with novel numerical comparisons (2 vs. 3, 5 vs. 8 and 6 vs. 9 in Exp. 1; 3 vs. 4, 3 vs. 6 in Exp. 2) revealed choice for the largest or smallest numerical group according to the relative number that was rewarded at training. None of the continuous physical variables, including spatial frequency, were affecting archerfish performance. Results provide evidence of the spontaneous use of abstract relative numerical information in archerfish for both small and large numbers.
Disruption of metapopulation structure effectively reduces Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease spread at the expense of abundance and genetic diversity
Authors: Durrant Rowan , Hamede Rodrigo , Wells Konstans , Lurgi Miguel
Published: October 2021

Metapopulation structure (i.e. the spatial arrangement of local populations and corridors between them) plays a fundamental role in the persistence of wildlife populations, but can also drive the spread of infectious diseases. While the disruption of metapopulation connectivity can reduce disease spread, it can also impair host resilience by disrupting gene flow and colonisation dynamics. Thus, a pressing challenge for many wildlife populations is to elucidate whether the benefits of disease management methods that reduce metapopulation connectivity outweigh the associated risks.

Directly transmissible cancers are clonal malignant cell lines capable to spread through host populations without immune recognition, when susceptible and infected hosts become in close contact. Using an individual-based metapopulation model we investigate the effects of the interplay between host dispersal, disease transmission rate and inter-individual contact distance for transmission (determining within-population mixing) on the spread and persistence of a transmissible cancer, Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), from local to regional scales. Further, we explore population isolation scenarios to devise management strategies to mitigate disease spread.

Disease spread, and the ensuing population declines, are synergistically determined by individuals’ dispersal, disease transmission rate and within-population mixing. Low to intermediate transmission rates can be magnified by high dispersal and inter-individual transmission distance. Once disease transmission rate is high, dispersal and inter-individual contact distance do not impact the outcome of the disease transmission dynamics.

Isolation of local populations effectively reduced metapopulation-level disease prevalence but caused severe declines in metapopulation size and genetic diversity. The relative position of managed (i.e. isolated) populations within the metapopulation had a significant effect on disease prevalence, highlighting the importance of considering metapopulation structure when implementing metapopulation-scale disease control measures. Our findings suggests that population isolation is not an ideal management method for preventing disease spread in species inhabiting already fragmented landscapes, where genetic diversity and extinction risk are already a concern, such as the Tasmanian devil.
A synthesis of senescence predictions for indeterminate growth, and support from multiple tests in wild lake trout
Authors: Purchase Craig F. , Rooke Anna C. , Gaudry Michael J. , Treberg Jason R. , Mittell Elizabeth A. , Morrissey Michael B. , Rennie Michael D.
Published: October 2021

Senescence, or the deterioration of functionality with age, varies widely across taxa in pattern and rate. Insights into why and how this variation occurs are hindered by the predominance of lab-focused research on short-lived model species with determinate growth. We synthesize evolutionary theories of senescence, highlight key information gaps, and clarify predictions for species with low mortality and variable degrees of indeterminate growth. Lake trout are an ideal species to evaluate predictions in the wild. We monitored individual males from two populations (1976-2017) longitudinally for changes in adult mortality (actuarial senescence) and body condition (proxy for energy balance). A cross-sectional approach (2017) compared young (ages 4-10 years) and old (18-37 years) adults for (1) phenotypic performance in body condition, and semen quality - which is related to fertility under sperm competition (reproductive senescence), and (2) relative telomere length (potential proxy for cellular senescence). Adult growth in these particular populations is constrained by a simplified food web, and our data support predictions of negligible senescence when maximum size is only slightly larger than maturation size. Negative senescence (aka reverse senescence) may occur in other lake trout populations where diet shifts allow maximum sizes to be much larger than maturation size.
NanoMAX: the hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory
Authors: Johansson Ulf , Carbone Dina , Kalbfleisch Sebastian , Björling Alexander , Kahnt Maik , Sala Simone , Stankevic Tomas , Liebi Marianne , Rodriguez Fernandez Angel , Bring Björn , Paterson David , Thånell Karina , Bell Paul , Erb David , Weninger Clemens , Matej Zdenek , Roslund Linus , Åhnberg Karl , Norsk Jensen Brian , Tarawneh Hamed , Mikkelsen Anders , Vogt Ulrich
Published: October 2021

NanoMAX is the first hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline at the MAX IV laboratory. It utilizes the unique properties of the world's first operational multi-bend achromat storage ring to provide an intense and coherent focused beam for experiments with several methods. In this paper we present the beamline optics design in detail, show the performance figures, and give an overview of the surrounding infrastructure and the operational diffraction endstation.
Network-aware credit scoring system for telecom subscribers using machine learning and network analysis
Authors: Gao Hongming , Liu Hongwei , Ma Haiying , Ye Cunjun , Zhan Mingjun
Published: October 2021

Purpose

A good decision support system for credit scoring enables telecom operators to measure the subscribers' creditworthiness in a fine-grained manner. This paper aims to propose a robust credit scoring system by leveraging latent information embedded in the telecom subscriber relation network based on multi-source data sources, including telecom inner data, online app usage, and offline consumption footprint.

Design/methodology/approach

Rooting from network science, the relation network model and singular value decomposition are integrated to infer different subscriber subgroups. Employing the results of network inference, the paper proposed a network-aware credit scoring system to predict the continuous credit scores by implementing several state-of-art techniques, i.e. multivariate linear regression, random forest regression, support vector regression, multilayer perceptron, and a deep learning algorithm. The authors use a data set consisting of 926 users of a Chinese major telecom operator within one month of 2018 to verify the proposed approach.

Findings

The distribution of telecom subscriber relation network follows a power-law function instead of the Gaussian function previously thought. This network-aware inference divides the subscriber population into a connected subgroup and a discrete subgroup. Besides, the findings demonstrate that the network-aware decision support system achieves better and more accurate prediction performance. In particular, the results show that our approach considering stochastic equivalence reveals that the forecasting error of the connected-subgroup model is significantly reduced by 7.89–25.64% as compared to the benchmark. Deep learning performs the best which might indicate that a non-linear relationship exists between telecom subscribers' credit scores and their multi-channel behaviours.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the existing literature on business intelligence analytics and continuous credit scoring by incorporating latent information of the relation network and external information from multi-source data (e.g. online app usage and offline consumption footprint). Also, the authors have proposed a power-law distribution-based network-aware decision support system to reinforce the prediction performance of individual telecom subscribers' credit scoring for the telecom marketing domain.
Economic, organizational and psychological determinants of early turnover: evidence from a pharmaceutical company in China
Authors: Xie Di , Takahashi Kiyoshi
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Early turnover is a worldwide problem that occurs frequently during the first three years of employment. From a multidisciplinary perspective, this study attempts to find the economic, organizational and psychological factors that account for turnover at the early stage of employment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used turnover records provided by the human resources division of a US pharmaceutical company operating in China of 222 Medical Representatives (MR). The method of Firth's logistic regression for analyzing was employed.

Findings

As an economic factor, the favorable labor conditions (i.e. high ratio of job vacancies) at the time of recruitment were inversely associated with MR subsequent retention. For organizational factors, unsatisfactory supervision and disappointment of intra-organizational career were the major predictors, and job ranks showed a U-shaped relationship to early resignation. Moreover, working pressure was a psychological factor of early exit.

Originality/value

This study provides organizations with empirical implications to devise retention plans for newcomers at risk of attrition, which prevent them from early turnover in the industry facing a talent shortage. Studies based on the company exit records have little been done in turnover literature.
Media literacy and the credibility evaluation of social media information: students’ use of Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram
Authors: Shabani Ali , Keshavarz Hamid
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Due to their unique characteristics in terms of information type, quantity and exchange, social media are regarded as a challenging information resource that makes credibility evaluation a more complicated behavior. This study aims to investigate the role of media literacy in the credibility evaluation of social media information among students as a major community of user groups.

Design/methodology/approach

The study tried to explore whether or not the three popular platforms of WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram with their unique features, show a significant difference in the credibility evaluation among a sample of 150 students at the Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. By administrating two validated measures related to the two main variables, data gathered were analyzed through the partial least-squares (PLS) method using the software SmartPLS.

Findings

Convergent and discriminant validities, as well as model fit indices, showed the reliability of the conceptual model at the 99% confidence level. Moreover, path analysis demonstrated that media literacy could affect all components of the credibility evaluation, except for currency evaluation. Overall, media literacy had less impact on evaluating information sources and information credibility compared to information presentation. Further analysis showed no significant difference in credibility evaluation with respect to the application used.

Originality/value

There appears a crucial need for the students to be skilled more in evaluating content and source without which their decision-making might be negatively affected.
Engaging UK repair–maintain–improve practitioners in improved building performance
Authors: Murtagh Niamh , Owen Alice M. , Simpson Kate
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To improve building performance and meet statutory carbon reduction targets, a radical transformation of existing UK building stock is needed. Much previous research on building performance has focussed on large-scale construction. However, retrofit of existing housing stock – which will contribute the majority of the requisite efficiency improvement – is carried out by practitioners in the repair–maintain–improve (RMI) subsector. These practitioners are the sole traders and micro-firms who constitute two-fifths of employment in the construction sector. The study aims to examine the factors influencing these practitioners in RMI work to understand how better to engage them with improved building performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with RMI professionals from around the UK and analysed using template analysis.

Findings

The analysis identified capabilities of the practitioners who influence building performance, including knowledge and co-ordination of people and resources; opportunities including state action and customer demand; and motivations including pride in work, customer care and satisfaction, maintaining a viable business and working relationships.

Research limitations/implications

The participants were a small, mixed group in terms of firm size and specialisation. The qualitative approach adopted provided detailed insights but does not make claims for statistical generalisability or representativeness of the findings. Future work could look to extend the findings with a statistically representative survey.

Practical implications

For a successful transition to high standards of building performance, modelling is not enough. Initiatives are needed to address the multiple factors which determine engagement in energy-efficient retrofit: capacities, opportunities and motivations. The desire of RMI practitioners to meet customer expectations could be used to develop pragmatic building performance evaluation, guided by householder satisfaction criteria.

Originality/value

The study examined the attitudes and experiences of an under-researched sector who are essential to the delivery of improved building performance. This study makes a novel contribution by applying an established psychological model of behaviour change, the capability, opportunity, motivation – behaviour model, for the first time in this domain.
Impact of market-wide versus firm-specific information on financial analysts
Authors: Farooq Omar
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper documents the effect of different types of information on the value of financial analysts.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the pooled OLS regression and the data of nonfinancial firms from France to test our hypotheses. The data covers the period between 1997 and 2019.

Findings

The results show that analysts are more likely to cover those firms that incorporated greater proportion of market-wide information in their prices. Consistent with the economies of scale view, the authors argue that analysts specialize in the interpretation market-wide information. By doing so, they are able to cover relatively large number of firms simultaneously. The results also show that the value of analyst coverage (measured as the impact of analyst coverage on firm value, probability of stock price crash and probability of stock price jump) is a function of the extent to which different types of information are incorporated in prices. The authors’ results suggest that the impact of analyst coverage on firm value and on probability of crash is less pronounced in firms that incorporate greater proportion of market-wide information. In case of probability of jump, the results show that the impact of analyst coverage is more pronounced firms that incorporate greater proportion of market-wide information.

Originality/value

The major contribution of this paper is to document the impact of different types of information on the extent of analyst coverage. Furthermore, this paper also uses various measures (the impact of analyst coverage on firm value, probability of stock price crash and probability of stock price jump) to show how different types of information affects the value of analyst coverage.
The impact of human resource management practices on job satisfaction and affective commitment in Hurghada resort hotels
Authors: Hussien Faten Mohamed , Ibrahim Yasser , Naser Haitham Abdelrhman
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the positive influence of human resource management practices (HRMPs) on job satisfaction (JS) and affective commitment (AC).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a self-administrated questionnaire disseminated in 19 resort hotels in Egypt’s Red Sea region. The structural equation modeling results indicate that HRMPs significantly affect JS and AC through mediation effects.

Findings

This study highlights the importance of a hotel’s behavior in fulfilling its HRMPs obligations on employee attitudes and behaviors. Effective HRMPs (i.e. recruitment and selection, training and socialization and security) positively influence employee outcomes like JS and AC. JS has a significantly positive relationship with AC and a mediating effect on the link between HRMPs and AC.

Research limitations/implications

These results cannot be generalized to the overall Egyptian hospitality sector context. The survey data are self-reported, so future research should investigate hotel managers and guests through interviews or focus groups.

Practical implications

Effective HRMPs should increase JS and AC. human resource managers should emphasize the critical role of HRMPs in enhancing JS and AC and motivating hotel employees to remain with their hotels. They should also develop a robust framework to improve JS and AC with HRMPs effectively. This study provides a conceptual model for researchers in the HRM literature.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to empirically investigate the impact of HRMPs on JS and AC in the Red Sea region, with significant academic and practical implications. This research is unique in presenting a conceptual model exposing the AC of organizational commitment.
The absorptive capacity process: an exposition and update
Authors: Lukito-Budi Andy Susilo , Indarti Nurul , Setiawan Kusdhianto
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study investigates the development of absorptive capacity. Using an integrated cognitive learning perspective, this study provides empirical evidence about the conceptual absorptive capacity model through examining the full process step by step. Two groups of moderating variables were studied—namely, social integration and appropriability—to examine their impact on the process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a longitudinal study from a community service program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, by using surveys at the beginning and the end of the project. Of 492 teams from 2,444 students participated in the study. Each individual within a team had at least one project assigned to him/her during the project. The absorptive capacity process was examined through six consecutive models and analysed using hierarchical linear modelling. The moderating variables were tested using the Moderated Regression Analysis and Wald tests.

Findings

The study confirms the full cycle of absorptive capacity as an independent, dynamic and complex process; it involves acquiring, assimilating, transforming and exploiting sequencing variables from the individual level to the team level and vice versa using feed-forward and feedback mechanisms adopted from the 4I framework of organisational learning. However, the roles of the moderating variables are still inconclusive due to some possible factors, which were also reflected by the U-phenomenon.

Originality/value

This study provides vital support to the learning theory as well as to the organisation learning concept. This study also reveals empirical evidence about the unsupported moderating variables behave during a project cycle, such as what they function, how they evolve and what we should do about the moderating factors during a project. The findings of this study provide practical suggestions and highlight areas for future research.
A collaborative application of design thinking and Taguchi approach in restaurant service design for food wellbeing
Authors: Rejikumar G. , Aswathy Asokan-Ajitha , Jose Ajay , Sonia Mathew
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Innovative restaurant service designs impart food wellbeing to diners. This research comprehends customer aspirations and concerns in a restaurant-dining experience to develop a service design that enhances the dining experience using the design thinking approach and evaluates its efficiency using the Taguchi method of robust design.

Design/methodology/approach

The sequential incidence technique defines diners' needs, which, followed by brainstorming sessions, helped create multiple service designs with important attributes. Prototype narration, as a scenario, acted as the stimulus for evaluators to respond to the WHO-5 wellbeing index scale. Scenario-based Taguchi experiment with nine foodservice attributes in two levels and the wellbeing score as the response variable helped identify levels of critical factors that develop better FWB.

Findings

The study identified the best combination of factors and their preferred levels to maximize FWB in a restaurant. Food serving hygiene, followed by information about cuisine specification, and food movement in the restaurant, were important to FWB. The experiment revealed that hygiene perceptions are critical to FWB, and service designs have a significant role in it. Consumers prefer detailed information about the ingredients and recipe of the food they eat; being confident that there will be no unacceptable ingredients added to the food inspires their FWB.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on design thinking and transformative service research, especially in the food industry.

Practical implications

This paper details a simple method to identify and evaluate important factors that optimize FWB in a restaurant. The proposed methodology will help service designers and technology experts devise settings that consider customer priorities and contribute to their experience.

Originality/value

This study helps to understand the application of design thinking and the Taguchi approach for creating robust service designs that optimize FWB.
Volatility integration of gold and crude oil prices with the interest rates in India
Authors: Rastogi Shailesh , Doifode Adesh , Kanoujiya Jagjeevan , Singh Satyendra Pratap
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Crude oil, gold and interest rates are some of the key indicators of the health of domestic as well as global economy. The purpose of the study is to find the shock volatility and price volatility effects of gold and crude oil market on interest rates in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This study finds the mutual and directional association of the volatility of gold, crude oil and interest rates in India. The bi-variate GARCH models (Diagonal VEC GARCH and BEKK GARCH) are applied on the sample data of gold price, crude oil price and yield (interest rate) gathered from November 30, 2015 to November 16, 2020 (weekly basis) to investigate the volatility association including the volatility spillover effect in the three markets.

Findings

The main findings of the study focus on having a long-term conditional correlation between gold and interest rates, but there is no evidence of volatility spillover from gold and crude oil on the interest rates. The findings of the study are of great importance especially to the policymakers, as they state that the fluctuations in prices of gold and crude oil do not adversely impact the interest rates in India. Therefore, the fluctuations in prices of gold and crude may generally impact the economy, but it has nothing to do with interest rate in particular. This implies that domestic and foreign investments in the country will not be affected by gold and crude oil that are largely driven by interest rates in the country.

Practical implications

Gold and crude oil are two very important commodities that have their importance not only for domestic affairs but also for international business. They veritably influence the economy including forex exchange for any nation. In addition to this, the researchers believe the findings will provide insights to policymakers, stakeholders and investors.

Originality/value

Gold and crude oil undoubtedly influence the exchange rates but their impact on the interest rates in an economy is not definite and remains ambiguous owing to the mixed findings of the studies. The lack of studies related to the impact of gold and crude oil on the interest rates, despite them being essentials for the health of any economy is the main motivation of this study. This study is novel as it investigates the volatility impact of crude oil and gold on interest rates and contributes to the existing literature with its findings.
Effect of extended trading hours on alcohol sales in Norway: study protocol for a stepped wedge cluster‐randomized trial
Authors: Grøtting Maja Weemes , Bergsvik Daniel , Rossow Ingeborg
Published: October 2021

Background and aims

Norwegian alcohol policy measures include national restrictions on sales hours and a state monopoly on retail sales. A 1‐hour extension of sales hours on Saturdays in the monopoly outlets took effect from September 2020. We aim to evaluate whether increase in sales hours results in (1) an increase in alcohol sales in the monopoly outlets and (2) an increase in total alcohol sales, including substitution effects from beer sales in grocery stores.

Design

The extension of Saturday sales hours is implemented within a stepped wedge cluster‐randomized trial design. Block randomization of 62 of the 66 Norwegian trade districts allocated monopoly outlets to one of three sequences regarding date of implementation.

Setting and participants

A total of 228 of 335 in total Norwegian state monopoly outlets are eligible and included.

Intervention

The extension of sales hours is from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting on the first Saturday in (i) September 2020, (ii) December 2020 or (iii) March 2021.

Measurements

Growth rates in monthly alcohol sales, measured in litres of pure alcohol, in eligible monopoly outlets (primary outcome) are obtained together with beverage‐specific sales and alcohol sales in grocery stores (secondary outcomes). The observation period is set to 72 months prior to and 24 months after implementation.

Findings

Power analyses indicate that this stepped wedge cluster‐randomized controlled trial has a power above 90%, even at a high significance level (α = 0.01) and with other conservative model specifications. The planned trial offers a rare opportunity to study possible causal effects of a relatively small change in a widely used alcohol policy measure.
Cross‐national validation of the social media disorder scale: findings from adolescents from 44 countries
Authors: Boer Maartje , van den Eijnden Regina J. J. M. , Finkenauer Catrin , Boniel‐Nissim Meyran , Marino Claudia , Inchley Jo , Cosma Alina , Paakkari Leena , Stevens Gonneke W. J. M.
Published: October 2021

Background and aims

There is currently no cross‐national validation of a scale that measures problematic social media use (SMU). The present study investigated and compared the psychometric properties of the social media disorder (SMD) scale among young adolescents from different countries.

Design

Validation study.

Setting and participants

Data came from 222 532 adolescents from 44 countries participating in the health behaviour in school‐aged children (HBSC) survey (2017/2018). The HBSC survey was conducted in the European region and Canada. Participants were on average aged 13.54 years (standard deviation = 1.63) and 51.24% were girls.

Measurement

Problematic SMU was measured using the nine‐item SMD scale with dichotomous response options.

Findings

Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) showed good model fit for a one‐factor model across all countries (minimum comparative fit index (CFI) and Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = 0.963 and 0.951, maximum root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.057 and 0.060), confirming structural validity. The internal consistency of the items was adequate in all countries (minimum alpha = 0.840), indicating that the scale provides reliable scores. Multi‐group CFA showed that the factor structure was measurement invariant across countries (ΔCFI = −0.010, ΔRMSEA = 0.003), suggesting that adolescents’ level of problematic SMU can be reliably compared cross‐nationally. In all countries, gender and socio‐economic invariance was established, and age invariance was found in 43 of 44 countries. In line with prior research, in almost all countries, problematic SMU related to poorer mental wellbeing (range βSTDY = 0.193–0.924, P < 0.05) and higher intensity of online communication (range βSTDY = 0.163–0.635, P < 0.05), confirming appropriate criterion validity.

Conclusions

The social media disorder scale appears to be suitable for measuring and comparing problematic social media use among young adolescents across many national contexts.
Support for Aboriginal health services in reducing harms from alcohol: 2‐year service provision outcomes in a cluster randomized trial
Authors: Dzidowska Monika , Lee K. S. Kylie , Conigrave James H. , Dobbins Timothy A. , Hummerston Beth , Wilson Scott , Haber Paul S. , Gray Dennis , Conigrave Katherine M.
Published: October 2021

Background and aims

There is a higher prevalence of unhealthy alcohol use among Indigenous populations, but there have been few studies of the effectiveness of screening and treatment in primary health care. Over 24 months, we tested whether a model of service‐wide support could increase screening and any alcohol treatment.

Design

Cluster‐randomized trial with 24‐month implementation (12 months active, 12 months maintenance).

Setting

Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled primary care services.

Participants

Twenty‐two services (83 032 clients) that use Communicare practice software and see at least 1000 clients annually, randomized to the treatment arm or control arm.

Intervention and comparator

Multi‐faceted early support model versus a comparator of waiting‐list control (11 services).

Measurements

A record (presence = 1, absence = 0) of: (i) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—Consumption (AUDIT‐C) screening (primary outcome), (ii) any‐treatment and (iii) brief intervention. We received routinely collected practice data bimonthly over 3 years (1‐year baseline, 1‐year implementation, 1‐year maintenance). Multi‐level logistic modelling was used to compare the odds of each outcome before and after implementation.

Findings

The odds of being screened within any 2‐month reference period increased in both arms post‐implementation, but the increase was nearly eight times greater in early‐support services [odds ratio (OR) = 7.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.04–15.63, P < 0.001]. The change in odds of any treatment in early support was nearly double that of waiting‐list controls (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.19–2.98, P = 0.01) but was largely driven by decrease in controls. There was no clear evidence of difference between groups in the change in the odds of provision of brief intervention (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 0.53–7.17, P = 0.32).

Conclusions

An early support model designed to aid routine implementation of alcohol screening and treatment in Aboriginal health services resulted in improvement of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—Consumption screening rates over 24 months of implementation, but the effect on treatment was less clear.
Neonatal death is a major concern for Indigenous women with asthma during pregnancy and could be prevented with better models of care
Authors: Clifton Vicki L. , Das Jui , Flenady Vicki , Rae Kym
Published: October 2021

Asthma is the most common respiratory illness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. From the Mater Mothers routinely collected perinatal data in Brisbane we have identified that 24% of Indigenous and 17% of non‐Indigenous women have pregnancies complicated by asthma. Indigenous women with asthma are more likely to have poorer birth outcomes when compared to non‐Indigenous women with asthma, with neonatal death being doubled in asthmatic Indigenous women. These data indicate that asthma management during pregnancy is an unmet need for Indigenous women and essential if we are to avoid these devastating outcomes for Indigenous families.
Three‐dimensional membranes for artificial lungs: Comparison of flow‐induced hemolysis
Authors: Hesselmann Felix , Arnemann Daniel , Bongartz Patrick , Wessling Matthias , Cornelissen Christian , Schmitz‐Rode Thomas , Steinseifer Ulrich , Jansen Sebastian Victor , Arens Jutta
Published: October 2021

Background

Membranes based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) have proven a superior gas transfer compared to the contemporary hollow fiber membrane (HFM) design in artificial lungs. The improved oxygen transfer is attributed to disrupting the laminar boundary layer adjacent to the membrane surface known as main limiting factor to mass transport. However, it requires experimental proof that this improvement is not at the expense of greater damage to the blood. Hence, the aim of this work is a valid statement regarding the structure‐dependent hemolytic behavior of TPMS structures compared to the current HFM design.

Methods

Hemolysis tests were performed on structure samples of three different kind of TPMS‐based designs (Schwarz‐P, Schwarz‐D and Schoen’s Gyroid) in direct comparison to a hollow fiber structure as reference.

Results

The results of this study suggest that the difference in hemolysis between TPMS membranes compared to HFMs is small although slightly increased for the TPMS membranes. There is no significant difference between the TPMS structures and the hollow fiber design. Nevertheless, the ratio between the achieved additional oxygen transfer and the additional hemolysis favors the TPMS‐based membrane shapes.

Conclusion

TPMS‐shaped membranes offer a safe way to improve gas transfer in artificial lungs.
Synthesis, structural investigations, and in vitro biological activity of Co(II) and Fe(III) mixed ligand complexes of 1,10‐phenanthroline and 2,2′‐bipyridine
Authors: Tigineh Getinet Tamiru , Abiye Melese , Melese Aklilu , Abebe Atakilt
Published: October 2021

Herein, we report, four new mixed ligand complexes of Cobalt(II) and Iron(III), viz., [Co(L1)(L2)(H2O)2]Cl2 (1), [Co(L1)(L2)(L3)(H2O)]Cl2 (2), [Fe(L1)(L2)(H2O)2]Cl3 (3), and [Fe(L1)(L2)(L3)(H2O)]Cl3 (4), where L1 = 1,10‐phenanthroline (C12H8N2), L2 = 2,2′‐bipyridine (C10H8N2), and L3 = acetamide (C2H5NO)). They were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic analysis (ESI‐MS, ICP‐OES, FT‐IR, and UV–Vis), elemental analysis, melting point determination, and conductance measurement. The in vitro antibacterial activity was tested on two Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) and two Gram‐negative Escherichia coli (E. Coli)and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) bacteria using the disc diffusion method. Based on the analytical and spectroscopic data, octahedral geometries are assigned to the complexes. Co(II) complexes were found more active against K. pneumoniae than the corresponding Fe(III) complexes which indicated that antibacterial activities of metal complexes have tuned with the nature of the metal. The results provide an insight to design and readily prepare task‐specific metal‐based drugs for interaction with particular bacterial strains.