bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A descriptive study of the impact of diseases control and prevention on the epidemics dynamics and clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Shanghai, lessons learned for metropolis epidemics prevention
Authors: Lu Hongzhou , Ai Jingwen , Shen Yinzhong , Li Yang , Li Tao , Zhou Xian , Zhang Haocheng , Zhang Qiran , Ling Yun , Wang Sheng , Qu Hongping , Gao Yuan , Li Yingchuan , Yu Kanglong , Zhu Duming , Zhu Hecheng , Tian Rui , Zeng Mei , Li Qiang , Song Yuanlin , Li Xiangyang , Xu Jinfu , Xu Jie , Mao Enqiang , Hu Bijie , Li Xin , Zhu Lei , Zhang Wenhong
Published: February 2020

Objective

To describe and evaluate the impact of diseases control and prevention on epidemics dynamics and clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Shanghai.

Design

A retrospective descriptive study

Setting

China

Participants

Epidemiology information was collected from publicly accessible database. 265 patients admitted to Shanghai Public Health Center with confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled for clinical features analysis.

Main outcome measure

Prevention and control measures taken by Shanghai government, epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiology data were collected. Weibull distribution, Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, t test or Mann-Whitney U test were used in statistical analysis.

Results

COVID-19 transmission rate within Shanghai had reduced over 99% than previous speculated, and the exponential growth has been stopped so far. Epidemic was characterized by the first stage mainly composed of imported cases and the second stage where >50% of cases were local. The incubation period was 6.4 (95% CI 5.3 to 7.6) days and the mean onset-admission interval was 5.5 days (95% CI, 5.1 to 5.9). Median time for COVID-19 progressed to severe diseases were 8.5 days (IQR: 4.8-11.0 days). By February 11th, proportion of patients being mild, moderate, severe and critically ill were 1.9%(5/265), 89.8%(238/265), 3.8%(10/265), 4.5%(12/265), respectively; 47 people in our cohort were discharged, and 1 patient died.

Conclusion

Strict controlling of the transmission rate at the early stage of an epidemic in metropolis can quickly prohibit the spread of the diseases. Controlling local clusters is the key to prevent outbreaks from imported cases. Most COVID-19 severe cases progressed within 14 days of disease onset. Multiple systemic laboratory abnormalities had been observed before significant respiratory dysfunction.
Novel Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic scale estimation: topological network-based infection dynamics model
Authors: Tang Keke , Huang Yining , Chen Meilian
Published: February 2020

Backgrounds

An ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (Covid-19) hit Wuhan and hundreds of cities, 29 territories in global. We present a method for scale estimation in dynamic while most of the researchers used static parameters.

Methods

We use historical data and SEIR model for important parameters assumption. And according to the time line, we use dynamic parameters for infection topology network building. Also, the migration data is used for Non-Wuhan area estimation which can be cross validated for Wuhan model. All data are from public.

Results

The estimated number of infections is 61,596 (95%CI: 58,344.02-64,847.98) by 25 Jan in Wuhan. And the estimation number of the imported cases from Wuhan of Guangzhou was 170 (95%CI: 161.27-179.26), infections scale in Guangzhou is 315 (95%CI: 109.20-520.79), while the imported cases is 168 and the infections scale is 339 published by authority.

Conclusions

Using dynamic network model and dynamic parameters for different time periods is an effective way for infections scale modeling.
Emotional and behavioural pathways to adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviour: results from the UK Millennium Cohort Study_PREPRINT
Authors: Picoito João , Santos Constança , Nunes Carla
Published: February 2020

This study examines the emotional and behavioural pathways to adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviour. Using a sample of 17,223 participants from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, we applied parallel-process growth mixture modelling on emotional and behavioural symptoms in those aged 3 to 14 and employed latent class analysis to identify patterns of substance use and antisocial behaviours at age 14. We then performed a multinomial regression analysis to explore the association between emotional and behavioural trajectories and patterns of adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviours, controlling for sociodemographic, family and maternal factors. We found five trajectories of emotional and behavioural symptoms and four classes of adolescence substance use and antisocial behaviour. Children and adolescents in the ‘high externalising and internalising’and‘moderate externalising’trajectories were more likely to belong to any problematic behaviour class, especially the ‘poly-substance use and antisocial behaviours’class. Inclusion in the‘moderate externalising and internalising (childhood limited)’class was associated with higher odds of belonging to the‘alcohol and tobacco’class. These associations remained significant after controlling for important sociodemographic and contextual factors, such as maternal substance use, poverty, and parental status. Interventions on adolescent health promotion and risk behaviour prevention need to address the clustering of substance use and antisocial behaviour as well as the significant influence of early and chronic internalising and externalising symptoms on the aetiology of these behaviours.
COVID-19 in Wuhan: Immediate Psychological Impact on 5062 Health Workers
Authors: Zhu Zhou , Xu Shabei , Wang Hui , Liu Zheng , Wu Jianhong , Li Guo , Miao Jinfeng , Zhang Chenyan , Yang Yuan , Sun Wenzhe , Zhu Suiqiang , Fan Yebin , Hu Junbo , Liu Jihong , Wang Wei
Published: February 2020

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of COVID-19 has laid unprecedented psychological stress on health workers (HWs). We aimed to assess the immediate psychological impact on HWs at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center, cross-sectional survey of HWs via online questionnaires between February 8th and 10th, 2020. We evaluated stress, depression and anxiety by Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), respectively. We also designed a questionnaire to assess the effect of psychological protective measures taken by Tongji Hospital. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of acute stress, depression, and anxiety.

RESULTS

We received 5062 completed questionnaires (response rate, 77.1 percent). 1509 (29.8 percent), 681 (13.5 percent) and 1218 (24.1 percent) HWs reported stress, depression and anxiety symptoms. Women (hazard ratio[HR], 1.31; P=0.032), years of working> 10 years (HR, 2.02; P<0.001), concomitant chronic diseases (HR, 1.51; P<0.001), history of mental disorders (HR, 3.27; P<0.001), and family members or relatives confirmed or suspected (HR, 1.23; P=0.030) were risk factors for stress, whereas care provided by hospital and department administrators(odds ratio [OR], 0.76; P=0.024) and full coverage of all departments with protective measures (OR, 0.69; P=0.004) were protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Women and those who have more than 10 years of working, concomitant chronic diseases, history of mental disorders, and family members or relatives confirmed or suspected are susceptible to stress, depression and anxiety among HWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological protective measures implemented by the hospital could be helpful.
Clinical Characteristics of 24 Asymptomatic Infections with COVID-19 Screened among Close Contacts in Nanjing, China
Authors: Hu Zhiliang , Song Ci , Xu Chuanjun , Jin Guangfu , Chen Yaling , Xu Xin , Ma Hongxia , Chen Wei , Lin Yuan , Zheng Yishan , Wang Jianming , Hu Zhibin , Yi Yongxiang , Shen Hongbing
Published: February 2020

Background

Previous studies have showed clinical characteristics of patients with the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the evidence of person-to-person transmission. Limited data are available for asymptomatic infections. This study aims to present the clinical characteristics of 24 cases with asymptomatic infection screened from close contacts and to show the transmission potential of asymptomatic COVID-19 virus carriers.

Methods

Epidemiological investigations were conducted among all close contacts of COVID-19 patients (or suspected patients) in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, from Jan 28 to Feb 9, 2020, both in clinic and in community. Asymptomatic carriers were laboratory-confirmed positive for the COVID-19 virus by testing the nucleic acid of the pharyngeal swab samples. Their clinical records, laboratory assessments, and chest CT scans were reviewed.

Findings

None of the 24 asymptomatic cases presented any obvious symptoms before nucleic acid screening. Five cases (20.8%) developed symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, etc.) during hospitalization. Twelve (50.0%) cases showed typical CT images of ground-glass chest and 5 (20.8%) presented stripe shadowing in the lungs. The remaining 7 (29.2%) cases showed normal CT image and had no symptoms during hospitalization. These 7 cases were younger (median age: 14.0 years;P= 0.012) than the rest. None of the 24 cases developed severe COVID-19 pneumonia or died. The median communicable period, defined as the interval from the first day of positive nucleic acid tests to the first day of continuous negative tests, was 9.5 days (up to 21 days among the 24 asymptomatic cases). Through epidemiological investigation, we observed a typical asymptomatic transmission to the cohabiting family members, which even caused severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Interpretation

The asymptomatic carriers identified from close contacts were prone to be mildly ill during hospitalization. However, the communicable period could be up to three weeks and the communicated patients could develop severe illness. These results highlighted the importance of close contact tracing and longitudinally surveillance via virus nucleic acid tests. Further isolation recommendation and continuous nucleic acid tests may also be recommended to the patients discharged.
Evidence of unexplained discrepancies between planned and conducted statistical analyses: a review of randomized trials
Authors: Cro Suzie , Forbes Gordon , Johnson Nicholas A , Kahan Brennan C
Published: February 2020

Background

Choosing or altering the planned statistical analysis approach after examination of trial data (often referred to as ‘p-hacking’) can bias results of randomized trials. However, the extent of this issue in practice is currently unclear. We conducted a review of published randomized trials to evaluate how often a pre-specified analysis approach is publicly available, and how often the planned analysis is changed.

Methods

A review of randomised trials published between January and April 2018 in six leading general medical journals. For each trial we established whether a pre-specified analysis approach was publicly available in a protocol or statistical analysis plan, and compared this to the trial publication.

Results

Overall, 89 of 101 eligible trials (88%) had a publicly available pre-specified analysis approach. Only 22/89 trials (25%) had no unexplained discrepancies between the pre-specified and conducted analysis. Fifty-four trials (61%) had one or more unexplained discrepancies, and in 13 trials (15%) it was impossible to ascertain whether any unexplained discrepancies occurred due to incomplete reporting of the statistical methods. Unexplained discrepancies were most common for the analysis model (n=31, 35%) and analysis population (n=28, 31%), followed by the use of covariates (n=23, 26%) and the approach for handling missing data (n=16, 18%). Many protocols or statistical analysis plans were dated after the trial had begun, so earlier discrepancies may have been missed.

Conclusions

Unexplained discrepancies in the statistical methods of randomized trials are common. Increased transparency is required for proper evaluation of results.
Electrocortical temporal complexity during wakefulness and sleep: an updated account
Authors: González Joaquín , Cavelli Matias , Mondino Alejandra , Pascovich Claudia , Castro-Zaballa Santiago , Rubido Nicolás , Torterolo Pablo
Published: February 2020

The states of sleep and wakefulness are critical physiological processes associated with different brain patterns of activity. The intracranial electroencephalogram allows us to measure these changes, thus, it is a critical tool for its study. Recently, we showed that the electrocortical temporal complexity decreased from wakefulness to sleep. Nevertheless, the origin of this complex activity remains a controversial topic due to the existence of possible artifacts contaminating the brain signals. In this work, we showed that complexity decreases during sleep, independently of the electrode configuration employed. This fact strongly suggests that the basis for the behavioral-state differences in complexity does not have an extracranial origin; i.e., generated from the brain.
Determining Personalized Community Health Needs by Feature Selection and Clustering
Authors: Agar-Johnson Matthew
Published: February 2020

The Center for Disease Control, through the Community Health Data Initiative (CHDI), has released a large dataset by county detailing the overall health indicators, demographics, and major risk factors and causes of morbidity and mortality in the US. In order to address the heterogeneity of community healthcare in the US, k-Means clustering was performed on the CHDI dataset to determine community subtypes in terms of health challenges and outcomes. The optimal number of eight clusters was determined by the Elbow Method, and clusters were analyzed to determine significant differences in demographic. In order to determine community-specific healthcare solutions and directions, feature selection and modeling of healthcare outcomes was performed for each of the eight subtypes using LASSO regression. It was determined that different features significantly impact health outcomes in the different clusters, providing information about the unique health challenges faced by these different types of communities. LASSO regression using the entire unclustered dataset yielded significantly poorer results on the sub-clusters in terms of model performance, further supporting the claim that modeling community-specific needs is a vital step for delivering accurate and adequate community healthcare. These results have the potential to inform policymaking at the local/municipal level, as well as inform the approaches taken by primary practitioners to address community needs.
MONET: Multi-omic patient module detection by omic selection
Authors: Rappoport Nimrod , Safra Roy , Shamir Ron
Published: February 2020

Recent advances in experimental biology allow creation of datasets where several genome-wide data types (called omics) are measured per sample. Integrative analysis of multi-omic datasets in general, and clustering of samples in such datasets specifically, can improve our understanding of biological processes and discover different disease subtypes. In this work we present Monet (Multi Omic clustering by Non-Exhaustive Types), which presents a unique approach to multi-omic clustering. Monet discovers modules of similar samples, such that each module is allowed to have a clustering structure for only a subset of the omics. This approach differs from most extant multi-omic clustering algorithms, which assume a common structure across all omics, and from several recent algorithms that model distinct cluster structures using Bayesian statistics. We tested Monet extensively on simulated data, on an image dataset, and on ten multi-omic cancer datasets from TCGA. Our analysis shows that Monet compares favorably with other multi-omic clustering methods. We demonstrate Monet’s biological and clinical relevance by analyzing its results for Ovarian Serous Cystadenocarcinoma. We also show that Monet is robust to missing data, can cluster genes in multi-omic dataset, and reveal modules of cell types in single-cell multi-omic data. Our work shows that Monet is a valuable tool that can provide complementary results to those provided by extant algorithms for multi-omic analysis.
Molecular basis for regulation of human potassium chloride cotransporters
Authors: Chi Ximin , Li Xiaorong , Chen Yun , Zhang Yuanyuan , Su Qiang , Zhou Qiang
Published: February 2020

The Solute Carrier Family 12 (SLC12) encodes electroneutral cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) that are fundamental in cell volume regulation and chloride homeostasis. Dysfunction of CCCs engenders abnormality in renal function and neuro-system development. Here we presented structure of the full length human potassium-chloride co-transporter 2 (KCC2) and 3 (KCC3), the KCC3 mutants in phosphorylation mimic (P-mimic) and dephosphorylation mimic (DP-mimic) status, and KCC3 in complex with [(DihydroIndenyl)Oxy] Alkanoic acid (DIOA), a specific inhibitor of KCCs, at resolution of 2.7 Å - 3.6 Å. A small N-terminal loop is bound at the intracellular vestibule of the transport path, arresting the transporter in an auto-inhibition state. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of KCCs is structure-solved for the first time, revealing two conserved phosphorylation harboring segments (PHSs), which exhibit different conformation between P-mimic and DP-mimic mutants, explaining the inhibitory effect of phosphorylation. DIOA is located in between the two transmembrane domains, tightly bound to the loop between TM10 and TM11, locking the transporter in inward-facing conformation. Together, our study makes important steps in understanding the sophisticated regulation mechanisms of KCCs, with prospect for the specific drug development.
Standardizing the free and independent professional
Authors: Löwstedt Martin , Sandberg Rikard
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Research concerned with standardization of the construction process has generally considered the challenges from only rational and instrumental perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to foreground a social perspective of this challenge. Specifically, the work of construction site managers is explored through a professional work lens in order to emphasize significant misalignments with the principles of standardized production in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are drawn from a longitudinal (2014–ongoing) case study of site managers’ work in a large Swedish construction company. The research design is characterized by an explorative approach, altogether consisting of 44 in-depth interviews at the site manager level (28) and at other managerial levels (16). All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed particularly to highlight two contrasting dominant discourses: “standardized construction production” and “site manager work.”

Findings

The findings show that site manager’s work is enmeshed with a particular type of professional expertise and identity that is ideologically crafted around a proclivity for free and independent work. It is outlined in detail how these social dimensions of work are enacted to form an ongoing (and successful) resistance to organizational initiatives that are based on principles of standardization.

Originality/value

This study improves our understanding of an unresolved social challenge that impedes the transformation toward more standardized construction production. It adds new perspectives and value to current research by reminding that (and how) significant changes in production processes also seriously implicate professional work.
Omnichannel strategy and customer loyalty in banking
Authors: Mainardes Emerson Wagner , Rosa Carlos Anderson de Moura , Nossa Silvania Neris
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Supported by the omnichannel strategy, the objective of this study is to identify the influence of integrated interaction quality and perceived fluency of service channels on attitudinal loyalty in the banking sector and to test the mediating effect of positive affect in these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a model that relates the constructs of integrated interaction quality, perceived fluency, positive affect, and attitudinal loyalty. A survey of 337 Brazilian bank clients was conducted and structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that the construct of integrated interaction quality exerts positive influence on the loyalty of bank clients. The direct effect of the construct perceived fluency on loyalty is not significant. The results also demonstrate that positive affect exerts a mediating effect on the proposed relationships between the constructs.

Research limitations/implications

This research assists banks in identifying relevant points regarding their service channels, so that they can determine how to generate positive experiences and customer loyalty through an omnichannel strategy. One can observe the behavior of banking consumers and develop business strategies based on the service channels, which aim to create a more profitable and loyal customer portfolio.

Originality/value

This study expands the literature regarding the omnichannel strategy by extending focus to include bank marketing, which is infrequently included in the body of such literature. This study also expands bank marketing research by including constructs that deal with consumer experience and loyalty.
Cruising back to the basic needs
Authors: Severt Denver E. , Tasci Asli D.A.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Tourism activities inherently include the liminoid state of mind that impels people to go out of ordinary behavior, some of which is inversionary. The purpose of this paper is to explore travelers’ cruise behavior as related to their needs while entering and experiencing a cruise trip.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 395 vacationers were sampled and surveyed about their selected top three factors for cruising, motivations for cruising and needs while cruising. The sample was grouped into inversioners and rejuvenators to see if there was any evidence of liminoid behavior in cruising needs and what they may be.

Findings

The results show that the important reasons to choose cruises for vacation are aligned with past literature showing that people choose cruises for vacation mostly for the good value of the food and beverage bundled with good climate, entertainment appropriate for quality time with family and for rest and relaxation. In addition, the results on motivations to go on a cruise show that lower-level needs on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs have more importance than the higher-level needs.

Research limitations/implications

The current study was conducted on an online platform. Future research with panels of cruise travelers across all the stages of liminoid behavior, before, during and after a cruise trip, may provide valuable findings in terms of changes in needs and motivations.

Practical implications

The inversionary tendency of cruise travelers implies for the cruise industry the need to create an alternative (or inversionary) routine restoring the basic needs, while still providing enough opportunities for self-actualization that may foster balanced travel experiences for human growth and development. Providing a more balanced product and service offering may be strategic for the cruise companies because the activities geared for higher-level needs may provide memorable experiences and hence induce consumer loyalty after the trip is completed.

Social implications

The focus on eating and drinking during cruises may be providing cruise travelers with instant gratification during the span of the cruise. However, the consequences for the individual travelers, the industry, destinations and the environment may not be as gratifying. For a more responsible tourism, cruise travel may need an image makeover highlighting different packages within a cruise to better align with the desired needs of different segments of cruisers.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the understanding of the second or “transition” stage in liminal theory in tourism and is one of the first to examine the liminoid state of mind using a basic-needs approach for studying cruise traveler needs. Further, it contributes by exploring liminoid behavior of a group of people in the context of the same type of travel, cruise, rather than investigating liminoid behavior across different types of travel, thus allowing segmentation possibilities for the cruise industry.
A new measure of private rental market regulation index and its effects on housing rents
Authors: Weber Jan Philip , Lee Gabriel
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, the authors construct a country-specific time-varying private rental regulation index for 18 developed economies starting from 1973 to 2014. Second, the authors analyze the effects of their index on the housing rental markets across 18 countries and states.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors’ index not only covers 18 developed economies over 42 years but also combines both tenure security and rent laws. The authors’ empirical framework is that of panel regressions with time and country fixed effects.

Findings

The authors’ index sheds further insights on the extent to which rent and tenure security laws have converged over the past 40 years for each economy. Moreover, the authors show three empirical results. First, stringent rent control regimes do lead to lower real rent growth rates than regimes with free rents. Second, soft rent control regimes with time-limited tenure security and minimum duration periods, however, may cause higher rent growth rates than free rent regimes. Third, rent-free regimes do not show significant high real rent appreciation rates.

Originality/value

The authors’ rental regulation index is the first time-varying index that covers more than 18 economies over 40 years.
Do green HRM practices influence employees' environmental performance?
Authors: Hameed Zahid , Khan Ikram Ullah , Islam Tahir , Sheikh Zaryab , Naeem Rana Muhammad
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Recent research has demonstrated an increasing awareness among business communities about the importance of environmental concerns. Green human resource management (GHRM) has become a crucial business strategy for organizations because the human resource department can play a key role in going “green.” This study tests an integrative model incorporating the indirect effects of GHRM practices on employee organizational citizenship behavior toward environment (OCBE), through green employee empowerment. Moreover, this study investigates the moderating effect of individual green values on OCBE.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a paper–pencil survey, we collected multisource data from 365 employees and their immediate supervisors from Pakistan.

Findings

The results of structural regression revealed that GHRM has a significant indirect effect on OCBE through green employee empowerment. The results also indicated that individual green values moderated the positive relationship between green employee empowerment and OCBE.

Practical implications

Organizations should appropriately appraise workers’ green behavior and align their behavior to pay and promotion. Organizations should also encourage and motivate employees to be engaged in green activities and contribute to environmental management.

Originality/value

This study suggests that green employee empowerment and individual green values are important factors that influence the relationship between GHRM and employees' OCBE, and it empirically analyzes these proposed relationships in a developing country context.
Young luxury fashion consumers' preferences in multi-channel environment
Authors: Lee Hanna , Rothenberg Lori , Xu Yingjiao
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and examine the relative impact of product and channel attributes on luxury product shopping in the multi-channel environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A D-optimal discrete choice conjoint design was used. The data were analysed using a multinomial logit model and desirability indices.

Findings

Findings indicate that low price was the most important factor that influenced young consumers' preferences. After price, young luxury consumers placed a greater importance on channel attributes such as human-assisted service and virtual fitting rooms.

Research limitations/implications

The sample consisted of young consumers in their 20s and 30s, who utilise both online and offline channels. Hence, the income level was relatively low. Also, the results cannot be generalised to all luxury consumers.

Practical implications

Providing preferable channel attributes is more crucial to young luxury fashion shoppers than focusing on improving product attributes, with the exception of price.

Originality/value

The paper proposes the optimal combination of key product and channel attributes that is most preferable to young luxury fashion consumers in the multi-channel environment.
The effect of using videos in teaching and learning English present progressive tense
Authors: Qadha Adil Mohammed Hamoud , Alward Mohammed Ahmed
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Using videos in language learning has been investigated in the literature to enhance second language learning. The previous studies have explored the effect of videos on learning a foreign language, especially vocabulary learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of videos on learning present progressive tense in the perspective of semiotics.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 30 Arab English foreign language (EFL) learners participated in the study and were assigned into two groups. The first group was taught present progressive tense with the help of videos (the semiotics group). The second group was taught the same content using a traditional way, i.e. without videos.

Findings

Results of the post-test indicated that participants in the semiotics group outscored the participants who did not learn through videos to learn present progressive tense. The study concluded that using videos is a useful tool to enhance learning present progressive tense.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, no study has been conducted to examine the effect of semiotics on learning L2 grammar, especially the present progressive tense. Therefore, this study explores the impact of using videos, as a form of semiotics, to help EFL learners learn present progressive tense.
Development of sustainable construction material from fly ash class C
Authors: Asa Eric , Shrestha Monisha , Baffoe-Twum Edmund , Awuku Bright
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Environmental issues caused by the production of Portland cement have led to it being replaced by waste materials such as fly ash, which is more economical and safer for the environment. Also, fly ash is a material with sustainable properties. Therefore, this paper aims to focus on the development of sustainable construction materials using 100% high-calcium fly ash and potassium hydroxide (KOH)-based alkaline solution and study the engineering properties of the resulting fly ash-based geopolymer concrete. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the geopolymer concrete such as compressive strength, flexural strength, curing time and slump. In phase I of the study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added to determine their effect on the strength of the geopolymer mortar. The results derived from the experiments indicate that mortar and concrete made with 100% fly ash C require an alkaline solution to produce similar (comparable) strength characteristics as Portland cement concrete. However, it was determined that increasing the amount of KOH generates a considerable amount of heat causing the concrete to cure too quickly; therefore, it is notable to forming a proper bond was unable to form a stronger bond. This study also determined that the addition of CNTs to the mix makes the geopolymer concrete tougher than the traditional concrete without CNT.

Design/methodology/approach

Tests were conducted to determine properties of the geopolymer concrete such as compressive strength, flexural strength, curing time and slump. In Phase I of the study, CNTs were studied to determine their effect on the strength of the geopolymer mortar.

Findings

The results derived from the experiments indicate that mortar and concrete made with 100% fly ash C require an alkaline solution to produce the same strength characteristics as Portland cement concrete. However, it was determined that increasing the amount of KOH generates too much heat causing the concrete to cure too quickly; therefore, it is notable to forming a proper bond. This study also determined that the addition of CNTs to the mix makes the concrete tougher than concrete without CNT.

Originality/value

This study was conducted at the construction engineering and management concrete laboratory at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. All the experiments were conducted and analyzed by the authors.
Supplier relationship management and organizational performance of hospitals in an emerging economy context
Authors: Oduro Stephen , Nyarku Kwamena Minta , Gbadeyan Rotimi A.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Integrating the social exchange and resource dependency theories, the study aims to comparatively examine the supplier relationship management (SRM) dimensions and organizational performance links of private and public hospitals in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative in nature; employing a quantitative approach; and using simple random and convenience sampling techniques, the study tested the proposed hypotheses using structural equation model-partial least square based on 205 usable questionnaires. Partial least square-multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA) was performed to test the significance of the difference in the parameters between the two samples: private and public hospitals in Ghana.

Findings

The dimensions of SRM (communication, cooperation, trust, atmosphere and adaptation) have a significant, positive impact on private hospitals’ performance in Ghana. Similarly, communication and trust were found to be positively and significantly correlated to public hospitals’ performance. In contrast, cooperation, atmosphere and adaptation dimensions showed no significant, positive effect on public hospitals’ performance. PLS-MGA disclosed that these observed differences in the findings between the private and public hospitals in Ghana are statistically significant.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study, while limited to hospitals in Ghana, are likely to be relevant in other emerging economies for effective and enhanced supply chain relationship management.

Practical implications

The findings provide pragmatic insights for marketing practitioners and organizational leaders of hospitals about the significance of SRM dimensions in today’s globalized marketplace, and how to nurture them to enhance organizational performance.

Originality/value

The value of the study lies in the examination of the relationship between SRM and organizational performance in the health sector by comparing private and public hospitals in an emerging economy context.
Barriers analysis for customer resource contribution in value co-creation for service industry using interpretive structural modeling
Authors: Roy Ghatak Ranjit
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Co-creating services with the customer has recently appeared as an alternative strategy to achieve competitive advantage. Developing and sustaining a gainful experience requires sharing of knowledge, skills and resources between the firm and its customers. Managing value co-creation throws substantial challenge and difficulties. This study aims to investigate the barriers to customer resource contribution in value co-creation in service industries and find their interrelationships for developing an effective management framework for removal of those barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review led to the identification of 26 barriers, which were further confirmed through expert opinion. The study used interpretative structural modeling (ISM) approach and Matrice d’Impacts croises-multipication applique (MICMAC), for analyzing the contextual relationships and develop a hierarchical model of the barriers.

Findings

ISM approach led to the development of a 13-level structural model. The barriers were further classified into autonomous, driver, linkage and dependent barriers using the MICMAC analysis. The framework offers a means to fulfill the expectations of the customers, thus leading to successful integration of the customer in the value creation process. Removal of the barriers has also been discussed.

Practical implications

The framework provides a direction and a tool to meet the expectations of the customers and lead to successful integration of the customer.

Originality/value

The study addresses a gap in the literature for the need of a structured framework for managing the value co-creation process in the service industry
Organizational learning, organizational resilience and the mediating role of multi-stakeholder networks
Authors: Mousa Mohamed , Abdelgaffar Hala A. , Chaouali Walid , Aboramadan Mohammed
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on academics in three private foreign universities located in Cairo (Egypt) to explore the influence of organizational learning (OL) on the level of organizational resilience of academics with and without the mediating effect of a multi-stakeholder network.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a comprehensive count sampling in which every academic was handed a questionnaire form to fill. This led to a decrease in the likelihood of research bias. In total, the authors distributed 960 questionnaire forms and collected 576 completed questionnaires, which is almost more than 60% of the total population. The authors used structural equation to determine the effect of OL on academics’ level of organizational resilience. The same equation was later used to assess the mediating role of the multi-stakeholder network on the aforementioned relationship.

Findings

The findings highlight a statistically significant influence of OL on academics’ level of organizational resilience. Moreover, the results revealed the significant role of the multi-stakeholder network in mediating the relationship between OL and organizational resilience.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by filling a gap in human resource management and organization literature in the higher education sector, in which empirical studies on the relationship between OL, multi-stakeholder networks and organizational resilience have been limited until now.
The knowledge and process dimensions
Authors: Szelągowski Marek
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The aim of this article is to present the relationship between the nature of business processes (BPs) and the nature of knowledge used in the course of their execution on the basis of an analysis of the relevance of different dimensions of BPs. The conclusion presented herein points to the inextricable relationship between business process management (BPM) and knowledge management (KM) in the knowledge economy (KE).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in nature and is grounded in the theories of BPM and KM.

Findings

The article analyses the significance of the changing nature of BPs for particular dimensions of BPs, as well as the relationships between the nature of BPs and the kinds of knowledge used in subsequent stages of the BPM Lifecycle. These relationships, which are primarily tied to the dimensions of BP Unpredictability and Knowledge-intensity, should be taken into account in each element of the BPM ecosystem to a larger degree, the larger the significance of processes which require dynamic management in an organization.

Research limitations/implications

The article is a contribution to the theoretical reflection on the holistic approach to BPM. It expressly points to the inevitable necessity of integration (dynamic) BPM with KM, with the exception of the specific case of traditional BPM, which encompasses structured BPs. This integration requires us to take into account the influence of KM in virtually all of the elements of the BPM ecosystem.

Practical implications

The article points to the necessity of researching the nature of executed and managed BPs as early as in the course of preparing the organization to implement BPM in the KE. The aim is to select and/or adapt implementation methodologies and systems, supporting BPM in the organization to the real BPs nature. The analysis presented in the article on the dimensions of BPs points to the particular significance of the method of adjusting elements of the BPM ecosystem in the execution and analysis and diagnosis stages of the BPM lifecycle.

Originality/value

The article presents an original view of the interrelations between BPM and KM in the knowledge intensive organizations (KIOs) in the KE.
Expression and regulation of the mer operon in Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Norambuena Javiera , Miller Maximilian , Boyd Jeffrey M. , Barkay Tamar
Published: February 2020

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic and widely distributed heavy metal, which some Bacteria and Archaea detoxify by the reduction of ionic Hg (Hg[II]) to the elemental volatile form, Hg(0). This activity is specified by the mer operon. The mer operon of the deeply branching thermophile Thermus thermophilus HB27 encodes for, an O‐acetyl‐l‐homoacetylserine sulfhydrylase (Oah2), a transcriptional regulator (MerR), a hypothetical protein (hp) and a mercuric reductase (MerA). Here, we show that this operon has two convergently expressed and differentially regulated promoters. An upstream promoter, P
oah, controls the constitutive transcription of the entire operon and a second promoter (P
mer), located within merR, is responsive to Hg(II). In the absence of Hg(II), the transcription of merA is basal and when Hg(II) is present, merA transcription is induced. This response to Hg(II) is controlled by MerR and genetic evidence suggests that MerR acts as a repressor and activator of P
mer. When the whole merR, including P
mer, is removed, merA is transcribed from P
oah independently of Hg(II). These results suggest that the transcriptional regulation of mer in T. thermophilus is both similar to, and different from, the well‐documented regulation of proteobacterial mer systems, possibly representing an early step in the evolution of mer‐operon regulation.
Sociodemographic profiles of high school students across multiple types of special needs and disabilities
Authors: Lloyd Jennifer E.V. , Zou Danjie , Baumbusch Jennifer L.
Published: February 2020

A paucity of population‐based research explores the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of high school students with varieties of special needs and disabilities. Utilising a population‐based sample of self‐reported data collected in British Columbia, Canada, we investigated the scope and sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents between and within multiple categories of physical, mental, emotional and behavioural needs – including those with two or more conditions and no conditions. First, we computed the most commonly occurring and least commonly occurring special needs categories. Second, we created profiles of the broad sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents in each special needs category. Finally, we determined whether the profiles indicated statistically significant between‐ and within‐category heterogeneity. We found that over one‐quarter of adolescents had one or more special needs, while nearly three‐quarters of the special needs subpopulation had only three of the nine special needs tracked. Also, whether adolescents with a given special need were compared to those from different categories or those within the same category, there was considerable diversity in their sociodemographic attributes. Our study is one of the first to describe adolescents with special needs in this population‐based fashion. We hope that our findings may guide programme and policy development in British Columbia and around the world.
Use of a Spray Device to Locate Touch DNA on Casework Samples
Authors: Young Jennifer M. , Linacre Adrian
Published: February 2020

The use of a fluorescent dye to visualize cellular material on surfaces offers a targeted sampling approach for locating touch DNA on casework items. However, the current application of such dye is not feasible for examination of relatively large items. As a result, development of an efficient dye application system is required to translate this approach into practice. Here, the spray pattern (area covered, intensity, and evenness) of 15 different commercial spray devices was examined visually using food coloring. From this, five devices were selected to apply Diamond Nucleic Acid Dye (DD) to three substrates (glass slide, plastic sheet, and brown packing tape) seeded with saliva and touch DNA. The cellular material was visualized using the Dino‐lite Microscope and Polilight. The inhibitory effects of DD afforded by each spray device were examined using Identifiler Plus® DNA profiling kit and a DNA input of 800 pg. The two most promising devices were further tested on a range of mock casework items seeded with touch DNA. The results presented demonstrate the feasibility of a spray system to apply DD to large surfaces and subsequently detect cellular material at both micro and macroscale. Specifically, the data suggest that a pressurized continuous‐spray system is favorable and that droplet size influences the intensity of fluorescence and surface coverage. Furthermore, this study indicates that full STR profiles can be obtained following spraying with DD solution, even with excessive application, which is essential for the widespread use of these devices in casework.
Three‐dimensional structure of the antennal lobe in the Southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Ye Zi , Liu Feng , Liu Nannan
Published: February 2020

The Southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus relies on its olfactory system to locate the human hosts for blood meals, by which several deadly diseases are transmitted. Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) housed in the sensilla on the olfactory appendages send their axons into the antennal lobes (ALs), the primary olfactory center in the brain, where the OSNs expressing the same olfactory receptors converge upon the same spherical structures known as glomeruli in the AL. The structure of the antennal lobe, that is, the spatial organization of the glomeruli, governs the insect's odor identification and discrimination. Drosophila studies have demonstrated the specific connections between receptors and glomeruli based on the 3D structure of the antennal lobe, deepening our understanding of the relationships between glomerular activities and behaviors, but as yet the structure of the Cx. quinquefasciatus antennal lobe remains unknown. We therefore constructed a 3D model of the Cx. quinquefasciatus antennal lobe using nc82 antibody staining, identifying 62 and 44 glomeruli in the female and male mosquito antennal lobe, respectively, with a significant sexual dimorphism in terms of the antennal lobe volume and glomerulus number. These results demonstrate the structural basis of mosquito odor coding and provide a platform for future studies of the mosquito olfactory signal processing mechanism.