bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tissue-specific overexpression of the double-stranded RNA transporter SID-1 limits lifespan inC. elegans
Authors: Camara Henrique , Vergani-Junior Carlos A. , Pinto Silas , Knittel Thiago L. , Salgueiro Willian G. , Tonon-da-Silva Guilherme , Ramirez Juliana , De-Souza Evandro A. , Mori Marcelo A.
Published: November 2022

Intertissue RNA transport has emerged as a novel signaling mechanism. InC. elegans, this is conferred by the systemic RNAi pathway, in which the limiting step is the cellular import of extracellular RNAs via SID-1. To better understand the physiological role of systemic RNAiin vivo, we modified the function of SID-1 through loss-of-function mutation and tissue-specific overexpression ofsid-1inC. elegans. We observed thatsid-1loss-of-function mutants are as healthy as wild-type worms. Conversely, overexpression ofsid-1in intestine, muscle, or neurons rendered worms short-lived. The effects of intestinalsid-1overexpression were reversed by silencing the components of the systemic RNAi pathwaysid-1, sid-2andsid-5, thus implicating RNA transport. Moreover, silencing the miRNA biogenesis proteinspash-1anddcr-1rendered the lifespan of worms with intestinalsid-1overexpression similar to controls. Lastly, we observed that the lifespan decrease produced by tissue-specificsid-1overexpression was dependent on the bacterial food source. Collectively, our data support the notion that systemic RNA signaling is tightly regulated, and unbalancing that process provokes a reduction in lifespan.
ALMT-independent guard cell R-type anion currents
Authors: Jaślan Justyna , Marten Irene , Jakobson Liina , Arjus Triinu , Deeken Rosalia , Sarmiento Cecilia , De Angeli Alexis , Bosché Mikael , Kollist Hannes , Hedrich Rainer
Published: November 2022

Plant transpiration is controlled by stomata, with S- and R-type anion channels playing key roles in guard cell action. Arabidopsis mutants lacking the ALMT12/QUAC1 R-type anion channel function in guard cells show only a partial reduction in R-type channel currents. To identify the molecular nature of the remaining R-type anion channel population, patch clamp studies were performed. This R-type current fraction in thealmt12mutant exhibited the same voltage dependence, susceptibility to ATP block and lacked a chloride permeability as the wildtype. Therefore, we asked whether the R-type anion currents in the ALMT12/QUAC1-free mutant are caused by additional ALMT isoforms. In wildtype guard cellsALMT12, ALMT13andALMT14transcripts were detected, whereas only ALMT13 was found expressed in thealmt12mutant. Substantial R-type anion currents still remained active in thealmt12/13andalmt12/14double mutants as well as thealmt12/13/14triple mutant. This situation, supported by transpiration measurements, suggests that, with the exception of ALMT12, channel species other than ALMTs carry the guard cell R-type anion currents.
Performance comparison of TCR-pMHC prediction tools reveals a strong data dependency
Authors: Deng Lihua , Ly Cedric , Abdollahi Sina , Zhao Yu , Prinz Immo , Bonn Stefan
Published: November 2022

The interaction of T-cell receptors with peptide-major histocompatibility complex molecules plays a crucial role in adaptive immune responses. Currently there are various models aiming at predicting TCR-pMHC binding, while a standard dataset and procedure to compare the performance of these approaches is still missing. In this work we provide a general method for data collection, preprocessing, splitting and generation of negative examples, as well as comprehensive datasets to compare TCR-pMHC prediction models. We collected, harmonized, and merged all the major publicly available TCR-pMHC binding data and compared the performance of five state-of-the-art deep learning models (TITAN, NetTCR, ERGO, DLpTCR and ImRex) using this data. Our performance evaluation focuses on two scenarios: 1) different splitting methods for generating training and testing data to assess model generalization and 2) different data versions that vary in size and peptide imbalance to assess model robustness. Our results indicate that the five contemporary models do not generalize to peptides that have not been in the training set. We can also show that model performance is strongly dependent on the data balance and size, which indicates a relatively low model robustness. These results suggest that TCR-pMHC binding prediction remains highly challenging and requires further high quality data and novel algorithmic approaches.
Characterization of spatiotemporal dynamics in EEG data during picture naming with optical flow patterns
Authors: Volpert V. , Xu B. , Tchechmedjiev A. , Harispe S. , Aksenov A. , Mesnildrey Q. , Beuter A.
Published: November 2022

We present an analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the oscillations in the electric potential that arises from neural activity. Depending on the frequency and phase of oscillations, these dynamics can be characterized as standing waves or as out-of-phase and modulated waves, which represent a combination of standing and moving waves. We characterize these dynamics as optical flow patterns, in terms of sources, sinks, spirals and saddles. Analytical and numerical solutions are compared with real EEG data acquired during a picture-naming task. Analytical approximation of standing waves allows us to establish some properties of pattern location and number. Namely, sources and sinks have mainly the same location, while saddles are located between them. The number of saddles correlates with the sum of all the other patterns. These properties are confirmed in both the simulated and real EEG data.
Brain criticality predicts individual synchronization levels in humans
Authors: Fuscà Marco , Siebenhühner Felix , Wang Sheng H. , Myrov Vladislav , Arnulfo Gabriele , Nobili Lino , Palva J. Matias , Palva Satu
Published: November 2022

Moderate levels of synchronization of neuronal oscillations are essential for healthy brain dynamics. Synchronization levels exhibit large inter-individual variability the origins of which are unknown. Neuronal systems have been postulated to operate near a critical transition point or in an extended regime between disorder (subcritical) and order (supercritical phase) characterized by moderate synchronization and emergent power-law long-range temporal correlations (LRTCs). We investigated whether inter-individual variability in synchronization levels is explained by the individual position along the critical regime by analyzing magnetoencephalography (MEG) and intra-cerebral stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) human resting-state data. Here we show that variability in synchronization levels exhibits a positive linear and quadratic relationships with LRTCs in healthy participants and brain areas. In the epileptogenic zone this correlation was negative. These results show that variability in synchronization levels is regulated by the individual position along an extended critical-like regime, with healthy brain areas tending to operate in its subcritical and epileptogenic areas in its supercritical side.
Expanding branding: effects of multiple brand types on organizational attractiveness
Authors: Wu Lusi , Dineen Brian R.
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relative effects of three organizational brand types (product, employment and corporate social responsibility brands) on organizational attractiveness. The potential differences in the impacts exerted by each brand on organizational attractiveness between the US and Chinese job seekers are also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A policy-capturing design was used among both US and Chinese participants to test the hypothesized relationships using multilevel modeling.

Findings

Results suggest that each brand type independently contributes to the prediction of attractiveness, with the employment brand a significantly stronger predictor than the other two. Besides, the strength of relationships between brands and organizational attractiveness varies among job seekers from different national contexts.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to the limited understanding of how different types of brands together influence organizational attractiveness among job seekers, and the role national context plays in it.
COVID and challenges in the context of family firms internationalisation: a review and emerging research pathways
Authors: Kampouri Katerina , Hajidimitriou Yannis
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to fulfil a twofold purpose: first, to discuss the changes and unique challenges that family firms (FFs) face during the COVID-19 pandemic and/or they will face in the post-COVID era, and second, to reflect on emerging research directions and contextual factors that should be taken into account in future explorations for the benefit of FF scholars who will study post-COVID FF internationalisation.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the twofold purpose of the study, we conduct an integrative review of 31 peer-reviewed journal articles in the international business (IB) and FF literature on COVID-19, FFs and internationalisation.

Findings

COVID-19 brought changes in IB strategies, IB relationships and human resource management. In responding and/or adapting to those changes, during and post-COVID, FFs face and are expected to face challenges that mainly refer to FFs’ transition to digitalisation and the simultaneous preservation of socio-emotional wealth dimensions while maintaining their international presence. The authors suggest that future research explores the role of digitalisation in achieving FFs’ internationalisation, IB relationship building activities and training and leading international employees. Further contextual factors (e.g. succession issues, family structures) should also be accounted for when exploring such post-COVID IB phenomena.

Originality/value

This study comprises an initial attempt to encompass the interface of FF internationalisation and COVID-19. It also proposes research directions that are likely to set the stage in FFs’ post-COVID internationalisation research.
Greenfluencers as agents of social change: the effectiveness of sponsored messages in driving sustainable consumption
Authors: Kapoor Payal S. , Balaji M.S. , Jiang Yangyang
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of message appeals (concrete vs abstract) posted by greenfluencers in determining their behavioral intention toward the sponsored sustainable product. This study examined the underlying mechanism of message authenticity and product sustainability image in this relationship. This study also investigated the boundary condition of product type (utilitarian vs hedonic) in the effect of sustainability message appeal on purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Four studies were carried out. One field experiment on Facebook and three scenario-based online experiments were conducted to test the proposed relationships.

Findings

This study found that a concrete message appeal results in a higher purchase intention of the promoted product than an abstract message appeal. This effect is a result of message authenticity and product sustainability image. Furthermore, product type moderates the impact of message appeal on behavioral intention via message authenticity and product sustainability image.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the literature on influencer marketing, sustainability communication and the persuasion process.

Practical implications

This study’s findings provide insights for greenfluencers and firms that leverage greenfluencers to promote their sustainable products on social media. Specifically, it lays out how the sustainability message should be framed to be persuasive.

Originality/value

This study findings offer novel insights for greenfluencers and firms in developing effective message strategies to promote sustainable products on social media.
Research progress and future agenda of COVID-19 in tourism and hospitality: a timely bibliometric review
Authors: Li Huiru , Liu Xinyi , Zhou Hengli , Li Zhiyong
Published: November 2022

Purpose

A proliferation of articles surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is calling for new insights through review. This paper aims to bibliometrically analyze the current progress of research around hospitality and tourism to define the research directions on herd immunity and the prevention of disease under the “new normal.”

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyzed 326 articles regarding COVID-19 published in SSCI hospitality, leisure and tourism journals in 2020 and 2021 by combining manual analysis and bibliometrics to reveal research topics and to gain insight into research structures.

Findings

The results of this paper summarized topics related to stakeholders’ mentality and behavior, responses of travel suppliers to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic impact and demand forecasting, social issues of human rights and racism and reflection on tourism and transformation of the industry. More research is called for in the future to focus on a better response to the crisis, including crisis management education and training and the improving the resilience of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Research limitations/implications

A three-dimensional consideration was proposed to promote the sustainable development of hospitality and tourism.

Originality/value

In the “new normal” phase of herd immunity and disease prevention, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that provides an up-to-date systematic overview of the evolution of COVID-19 research in tourism and hospitality and encourages more conceptual, practical and futuristic studies.
Self-harm risk screening on prison entry: assessing the predictive validity of self-harm history and recent ideation in men and women
Authors: Browne Christie , Chemjong Prabin , Korobanova Daria , Jang Seyoung , Yee Natalia , Marr Carey , Rae Natasha , Ma Trevor , Spencer Sarah-Jane , Dean Kimberlie
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Rates of self-harm are elevated in prison, and there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of brief risk screening at reception to predict and prevent self-harm. This study aims to examine the predictive validity of the self-harm/suicide screening items embedded in a prison mental health screening tool from two key domains strongly associated with risk: previous suicidal/self-harm behaviour, and recent ideation.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of men and women were screened on entry to prison, with eight screening items covering the two key domains of risk. Follow-up data on self-harm incidents were collected for 12 months post-screening. The predictive validity of individual screening items, item combinations and cumulative screening score was examined for the overall sample and for men and women separately.

Findings

Individual screening items across the two domains were all strongly associated with self-harm in the follow-up period, with odds ratios varying from 2.34 to 9.24. The predictive validity of both individual items, item scores and item combinations demonstrated high specificity but low to moderate sensitivity, and modest area under the curves (AUCs). Predictive validity was generally better for men than women; however, differences were not statistically significant.

Practical implications

Identifying those at risk of self-harm in prisons remains challenging and brief universal screening at prison entry should be only one component of a broader prison risk assessment and management strategy.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of very few to prospectively examine self-harm behaviour following risk screening. Predictive validity was examined in a representative sample of individuals in custody, and for men and women separately.
Possible futures of crowd logistics for manufacturers: results of a strategic foresight study
Authors: Michel Sophie , Bootz Jean-Philippe , Bessouat Jeanne
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Although crowd logistics (CL) is a promising digital solution, its future development remains uncertain. This paper aims to suggest multiple possible futures of CL in terms of business relationships and value co-creation between manufacturers and digital platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers a systemic and multistakeholder approach related to the field of strategic foresight, based on the scenario method. The scenarios construction involved 22 participants (practitioners, academic researchers and foresight experts).

Findings

Four scenarios emerged from the strategic foresight study. For each scenario, the configuration, diffusion and coordination of CL – as well as the balance of power between manufacturers, digital platforms and customers – are specified.

Research limitations/implications

The foresight analysis reveals not one certain future, but multiple potential business configurations and research avenues related to the development of CL.

Practical implications

The adopted multistakeholders perspective, including macro factors, regarding CL allows business-to-business (B2B) managers to rethink its potential. Managers can use the scenarios to consider multiple types of coordination with digital platforms and its implication for value co-creation.

Social implications

This paper provides insights into social changes that may constitute drivers and consequences of the development of CL and identifies two forms of coupling that may drive the development of CL: regulation–social transformation and technology–environment.

Originality/value

This research contributes to IMP research on B2B relationships in digital contexts, by showing that CL presents an opportunity for the co-creation of distribution value in a B2B environment.
Empowerment of women through participation in self-help groups: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review
Authors: Mahato Tanushree , Jha Manish Kumar , Nayak Akhaya Kumar , Kaushal Neelam
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and systematic review to examine the research landscape of women empowerment through participation in self-help groups (SHGs), identifying the eminent contributors, intellectual communities and future research agenda in the field of SHGs and women empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

The global works of literature related to the theme of SHGs and women empowerment between 1998 and May 6, 2022 were scanned for bibliometric analysis and systematic review. A total of 176 English language documents from the Scopus database were extracted. Bibliometric analysis is conducted using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer software.

Findings

This study finds that SHGs are paramount in achieving rural women’s empowerment multidimensionally. Found that India is the most contributing country with 136 documents, and Ranjula Bali Swain and Fan Yang Wallentin are the most cited authors in the research field of SHGs and women empowerment. In addition, the paper proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework to portray rudimentary antecedents of women’s empowerment achieved through participation in SHGs.

Practical implications

This bibliometric analysis, along with a systematic review demonstrating a framework encapsulating the principal dimensions of women empowerment and their indicators, will be helpful to practitioners, government, policymakers and researchers working in the area of SHGs and women empowerment.

Originality/value

This study recognizes numerous significant contributions by eminent scholars and presents a concise review of the literature for novice researchers working in the area of SHGs and women empowerment.
Understanding relationship marketing strategy in Ghana’s informal economy: a case of micro, small and medium enterprises
Authors: Adom Kwame , Tettey Louis Numelio , Acheampong George
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Relationship marketing (RM) has rarely been applied to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the informal economy (IE). Thus, this study aims to explore the RM strategy of service rendering micro-enterprises in the IE of a sub-Saharan African country like Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitative research approach using a multiple case study design, semi-structured interview and a random sampling technique to sample 15 micro-enterprises. Thereafter, the case was analysed thematically.

Findings

Results show that micro-enterprises in the IE engage in multiple dimensions of RM in their line of business. Also, micro-enterprises in the IE perceived RM as customer care and somewhat their standard of RM benefits measurement are different from those firms in the formal sector. Furthermore, micro-enterprises in the IE face challenges such as high resource commitment, harassment and the technological gap in practising their RM strategy.

Practical implications

MSMEs in the IE should develop a framework to minimise the shortfall of the challenges associated with RM implementation for business continuity and growth because customers are the lifeblood of the business.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first known study that looks at RM practices of MSMEs in the IE. It has thrown light on the understudied subject of RM in MSMEs. For micro-enterprises operating in the Ghanaian IE, the benefits to be derived from practising RM are rewarding. The adopted qualitative methodology has provided an in-depth insight into a vital area for both academics and practitioners.
Competitive rivalry in the digital market: an action-configuration perspective
Authors: Qi Hui , Yao Xiaotao , Fan Weiguo
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of a competitive action and its impact on the response of rivals in the digital market. Specifically, this paper introduces the concept of action complexity and action variation to delineate the configuration characteristics of each digital competitive action and empirically investigates how these action characteristics further affect rivals’ response speed.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses structural content analysis methods to code competitive actions based on the news of Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) from 2010 to 2015. The cox proportional hazards regression models are employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that action complexity of the focal firm is negatively associated with rivals’ response speed as it constrains their interpretation (awareness), motivation and capability to respond, while action variation of the focal firm is positively associated with rivals’ response speed as it enhances their attention (awareness) and motivation to respond. Furthermore, the negative relationship between action complexity and response speed is weaker when action variation is high.

Originality/value

Further to advancing competitive dynamics theory, this paper proposes an action-configuration perspective to explore the particular content and quality of each digital competitive action. The discussion of competitive rivalry between OTAs also enriches the application of competitive dynamics in the digital market. Meanwhile, this paper further clarifies the decision-making process of rivalry drawing on the awareness–motivation–capability (AMC) framework.
Was COVID-19 pandemic anxiety reflected on nutritional habits in adults?
Authors: Açar Yasemin , Yıldıran Hilal
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the reflection of COVID-19 pandemic anxiety experienced in adults on nutritional habits during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted with 600 adults aged between 19 and 64 years. The general characteristics of the individuals, nutritional habits, use of dietary supplements and COVID-19 pandemic anxiety before and during the pandemic period were questioned via a Web-based questionnaire. COVID-19-related anxiety was assessed using The COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 24.0.

Findings

In this study, 49.8% of the participants stated that their appetite and food consumption amount increased during the pandemic period. The rate of use of dietary supplements among individuals was found to be 40%. It was observed that the mean body weight and body mass index increased significantly in both genders during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been determined that anxiety about COVID-19 is higher in individuals and women who start using nutritional support during the pandemic period. The total C19P-S and STAI scores of those who started using a dietary supplement during the pandemic were significantly higher than those who did not use a dietary supplement. Similarly, those whose eating habits changed positively and those who bought more packaged products had higher C19P-S scale mean scores (p < 0.05).

Originality/value

During the COVID-19 period, it is important to reduce the anxiety levels of individuals, provide psychological support, raise awareness of adequate and balanced nutrition and the correct use of dietary supplements to adapt to the new lifestyle.
“We turn the lens … on ourselves:” assessing digital primary source library instruction through the lens of scholarship of teaching and learning
Authors: Keeran Peggy
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The tenets of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) allow librarians to assess their teaching effectiveness through an evaluation of student learning. For the author, the sudden reliance on digital primary source collections during the 2020 pandemic lockdown provided a catalyst to examine her digital primary source instruction as a research project. In this case study, the author aims to examine library instruction for a required course for third-year history majors.

Design/methodology/approach

The author collaborated with a history professor to identify “bottlenecks” related to digital primary source research, and to design two new library instruction sessions with in-class activities and assignments to address these bottlenecks. The professor and author then evaluated the assignments to determine if students had understood and incorporated the methods modeled during the research instruction classes.

Findings

Teaching undergraduate history majors digital primary source research skills that will lead to the habits of mind of historians cannot be done in one academic quarter, for it takes time to develop disciplinary ways of thinking. Providing select core concepts more systematically earlier in the history major curriculum could make the enculturation into the discipline less fraught and confusing later, so that students begin learning foundational skills in their third year to carry them forward into their senior year when they write their theses.

Originality/value

Little has been written on digital primary source library instruction, which intersects with a variety of other research literacies. Assessing library instruction through the lens of SoTL is relatively new for academic librarians and has not been used in evaluating student learning in the digital primary source environment.
Tourism and regional carbon emissions: city-level evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Jiekuan , Zhang Yan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Although extensive studies have examined the link between tourism and carbon emissions, the impact of tourism on carbon emissions remains controversial. In contrast to prior studies, this study aims to investigate the effects of tourism on carbon emissions at the city level and the underlying moderating mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study designs an econometric model drawing on panel data for 313 city-level regions in China from 2001 to 2019. This study also performs rigorous robustness tests to support the regression results. In addition, the temporal and spatial heterogeneity is analyzed based on which this study discusses the moderators of the effects of tourism on carbon emissions.

Findings

The results show that both tourist arrivals and tourism revenue significantly impact carbon emissions. Also, there exists a significant temporal and spatial heterogeneity of these effects. Economic development significantly enhances while green technology and tertiary industry development suppress the positive relationship between tourism and carbon emissions. Moreover, regarding the impact on carbon emissions, an explicit substitution exists between tourism and tertiary industry development.

Originality/value

For the first time, this study quantitatively estimates the moderators of tourism’s impact on carbon emissions and concludes the moderating effects of economic growth, technological progress and industrial structure, thus furthering the theoretical understanding of the heterogeneity of tourism’s association with carbon emissions. The study also fills a technical gap in previous studies by demonstrating the reliability of the findings through various robustness tests. This is also the first empirical study to systematically examine the relationship between tourism and carbon emissions in China.
Disentangling the causes of age‐assortative mating in bird populations with contrasting life‐history strategies
Authors: Woodman Joe P. , Cole Ella F. , Firth Josh A. , Perrins Christopher M. , Sheldon Ben C.
Published: November 2022

Age shapes fundamental processes related to behaviour, survival and reproduction, where age influences reproductive success, non‐random mating with respect to age can magnify or mitigate such effects. Consequently, the correlation in partners' age across a population may influence its productivity. Despite widespread evidence for age‐assortative mating, little is known about what drives this assortment and its variation. Specifically, the relative importance of active (same‐age mate preference) and passive processes (assortment as a consequence of other spatial or temporal effects) in driving age assortment is not well understood.

In this paper, we compare breeding data from a great tit and mute swan population (51‐ and 31‐year datasets, respectively) to tease apart the contributions of pair retention, cohort age structure and active age‐related mate selection to age assortment in species with contrasting life histories.

Both species show age‐assortative mating and variable assortment between years. However, we demonstrate that the drivers of age assortment differ between the species, as expected from their life histories and resultant demographic differences. In great tits, pair fidelity has a weak effect on age‐assortative mating through pair retention; variation in age assortment is primarily driven by fluctuations in age structure from variable juvenile recruitment. Age‐assortative mating is, therefore, largely passive, with no evidence consistent with active age‐related mate selection. In mute swans, age assortment is partly explained by pair retention, but not population age structure, and evidence exists for active age‐assortative pairing.

This difference is likely to result from shorter life‐spans in great tits compared with mute swans, leading to fundamental differences in their population age structure, whereby a larger proportion of great tit populations consist of a single age cohort. In mute swans, age‐assortative pairing through mate selection may also be driven by greater age‐dependent variation in fitness.

The study highlights the importance of considering how different life histories and demographic differences arising from these affect population processes that appear congruent across species. We suggest that future research should focus on uncovering the proximate mechanisms that lead to variation in active age‐assortative mate selection (as seen in mute swans); and the consequences of variation in age structure on the ecological and social functioning of wild populations.
Understanding the De‐internationalization of Entrepreneurial SMEs in a Volatile Context: A Reconnoitre on the Unique Compositions of Internal and External Factors
Authors: Jafari‐Sadeghi Vahid , Amoozad Mahdiraji Hannan , Budhwar Pawan , Vrontis Demetris
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the global business environment has witnessed a wave of de‐internationalization not only among multinationals but also among small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). This disengagement of cross‐border activities is deemed to be driven by various firm‐specific factors, as well as by external factors. Building on the premise of the non‐linear internationalization debate and focusing on the dynamic capabilities view and institutional theory, this paper aims to disentangle the extent to which internal factors (IFs) and external factors (EFs) drive SMEs towards de‐internationalization. To do this, we take advantage of a hybrid multilayer decision‐making mathematical modelling approach to explore SME de‐internationalization at two levels. Our findings at the exhaustive level contribute to the de‐internationalization literature by proposing distinct frameworks that highlight the interrelationship amongst IFs and EFs. And our results at the subordinate level constitute the identification of four unique compositions leading to different de‐internationalization modes. In this vein, we define two categories of factors, namely reducing and terminating factors, which drive SMEs into respectively partial and full de‐internationalization.
Anomalies in Tort Law: A Cause for Concern?
Authors: Murphy John
Published: November 2022

In case law, and in the associated academic literature, numerous judges and jurists have labelled parts of tort law ‘anomalies’. This description – with its pejorative overtones – seemingly highlights a cause for concern about the state of the law. Yet closer analysis suggests otherwise. First, commentators mean different things when they speak of anomalies; only some of which provide genuine reasons for unease. Secondly, all but two of the aspects of tort law considered in this article that have been described as anomalous turn out to be no such thing. Finally, even those two remaining parts of tort law that have been labelled anomalies can be defended because (1) they have a great deal going for them in practical terms, and (2) the internal coherence of tort law (which they are thought to undermine) is not the unqualified good it is widely supposed to be.
Political challengers and norm erosion in advanced democracies
Authors: HINTERLEITNER MARKUS , SAGER FRITZ
Published: November 2022

How do politicians in advanced democracies get away with violating political norms? Although norm violators confront a powerful establishment that can penalize them, norm violations currently occur in many advanced democracies. This article analyzes the conflicts between norm‐violating challengers and established politicians and parties as norm defenders in multiparty systems to contribute to the discipline's understanding of norm erosion processes. Based on diachronic and synchronic comparisons of conflicts over norm violations in Austria and Germany, the article reveals how political challengers can already damage democratic norms from a position of institutional weakness. Norm violators that make ambiguous provocations and can leverage their previously acquired democratic credentials, can more credibly dispel attempts to stigmatize them as undemocratic. In doing so, they turn the tables on the political establishment and portray its sanctions as a form of ‘excessive retaliation’ that constitutes a norm violation in itself. The article concludes with the unsettling finding that (verbal) norm protection can facilitate norm erosion.
Utilization of salt‐rich by‐products from the dairy industry as feedstock for recombinant protein production by Debaryomyces hansenii
Authors: Estrada Mònica , Navarrete Clara , Møller Sønke , Procentese Alessandra , Martínez José L.
Published: November 2022

The dairy industry processes vast amounts of milk and generates high amounts of secondary by‐products, which are still rich in nutrients (high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels) but contain high concentrations of salt. The current European legislation only allows disposing of these effluents directly into the waterways with previous treatment, which is laborious and expensive. Therefore, as much as possible, these by‐products are reutilized as animal feed material and, if not applicable, used as fertilizers adding phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, and other nutrients to the soil. Finding biological alternatives to revalue dairy by‐products is of crucial interest in order to improve the utilization of dry dairy matter and reduce the environmental impact of every litre of milk produced. Debaryomyces hansenii is a halotolerant non‐conventional yeast with high potential for this purpose. It presents some beneficial traits – capacity to metabolize a variety of sugars, tolerance to high osmotic environments, resistance to extreme temperatures and pHs – that make this yeast a well‐suited option to grow using complex feedstock, such as industrial waste, instead of the traditional commercial media. In this work, we study for the first time D. hansenii's ability to grow and produce a recombinant protein (YFP) from dairy saline whey by‐products. Cultivations at different scales (1.5, 100 and 500 ml) were performed without neither sterilizing the medium nor using pure water. Our results conclude that D. hansenii is able to perform well and produce YFP in the aforementioned salty substrate. Interestingly, it is able to outcompete other microorganisms present in the waste without altering its cell performance or protein production capacity.
Clinical characteristics of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients developing other autoimmune diseases after thymectomy from one single center cohort
Authors: Tian Wenxin , He Jing , Yu Hanbo , Sun Yaoguang , Wu Qingjun , Jiao Peng , Ma Chao , Huang Chuan , Li Donghang , Tong Hongfeng
Published: November 2022

Background

Myasthenia gravis (MG) patients are reported to have a high risk of other autoimmune diseases (ADs), and thymectomy may increase the risk further. A cohort of MG patients in which thymectomy was performed were investigated to analyze the prevalence, types and features of the new onset ADs.

Methods

Consecutive patients with MG who underwent thymectomy at Beijing Hospital between January 2012 and August 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients with a postoperative follow‐up period shorter than a year or incomplete clinical records were excluded. Clinical and follow‐up data were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0.

Results

A total of 445 patients were included in this study. The median follow‐up period was 72 months (range, 12–135 months). A total of 63 (14.2%) MG patients had concurrent ADs. The incidence rate was higher than the background prevalence of population (5%), and also higher than that of a former Chinese MG cohort (11.6%). A total of 47 patients (10.6%) were diagnosed with ADs before thymectomy, and 19 (4.3%) developed a new AD after thymectomy. The most common types of new onset ADs after thymectomy were Hashimoto's thyroiditis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which were different from those before thymectomy (hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis). The incidence rate of new onset RA (1.35%) was higher than the frequency of RA before thymectomy (0.45%), and also higher than the incidence rate in a Chinese MG cohort (0.5%). There was a higher proportion of female patients (p = 0.026) with postoperative ADs. A younger age at operation may increase the risk of nonthymoma MG patients (p = 0.040) developing ADs. The postoperative treatment effect of MG was similar between patients with and without new onset ADs (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

We observed a higher incidence rate of autoimmune diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis, in MG patients after thymectomy. The most common types of ADs after thymectomy were different from those before thymectomy. New onset ADs tended to occur in female and young nonthymoma MG patients. The postoperative effect of MG was not related with the new occurrence of ADs.
Indigenous Mexican Teachers and Decolonial Thinking: Enacting Pedagogies of Reclamation
Authors: Anthony‐Stevens Vanessa , Gallegos Buitron Eulalia
Published: November 2022

This paper examines the ways Indigenous Mexican educators navigate paradoxical institutional and community discourses around Indigenous language and cultural reclamation as negotiated forms of survivance and decolonial thinking in and around schools. Using ethnographic and Indigenous methodologies, we focus on the experiences of elementary education teachers from the states of Oaxaca and Puebla to highlight the sophisticated ways Indigenous educators figure ideological and implementational spaces of Indigenous persistence.
Extreme weather events and high Colombian food prices: A non‐stationary extreme value approach1
Authors: Melo‐Velandia Luis Fernando , Orozco‐Vanegas Camilo Andrés , Parra‐Amado Daniel
Published: November 2022

Given the importance of climate change and the increase of its severity under extreme weather events, we analyze the main drivers of high food prices in Colombia between 1985 and 2020 focusing on extreme weather shocks like a strong El Niño. We estimate a non‐stationary extreme value model for Colombian food prices. Our findings suggest that perishable foods are more exposed to extreme weather conditions in comparison to processed foods. In fact, an extremely low precipitation level explains only high prices in perishable foods. The risk of high perishable food prices is significantly larger for low rainfall levels (dry seasons) compared to high precipitation levels (rainy seasons). This risk gradually results in higher perishable food prices. It is nonlinear and is also significantly larger than the risk related to changes in the US dollar‐Colombian peso exchange rate and fuel prices. Those covariates also explain high prices for both perishable and processed foods. Finally, we find that the events associated with the strongest El Niño in 1988 and 2016 are expected to reoccur once every 50 years.
Recent developments in the immunopathology of COVID‐19
Authors: Zhang Huan‐ping , Sun Yuan‐li , Wang Yan‐fen , Yazici Duygu , Azkur Dilek , Ogulur Ismail , Azkur Ahmet Kursat , Yang Zhao‐wei , Chen Xiao‐xue , Zhang Ai‐Zhi , Hu Jia‐qian , Liu Guang‐Hui , Akdis Mübeccel , Akdis Cezmi A. , Gao Ya‐dong
Published: November 2022

There has been an important change in the clinical characteristics and immune profile of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients during the pandemic thanks to the extensive vaccination programs. Here, we highlight recent studies on COVID‐19, from the clinical and immunological characteristics to the protective and risk factors for severity and mortality of COVID‐19. The efficacy of the COVID‐19 vaccines and potential allergic reactions after administration are also discussed. The occurrence of new variants of concerns such as Omicron BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 and the global administration of COVID‐19 vaccines have changed the clinical scenario of COVID‐19. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐C) may cause severe and heterogeneous disease but with a lower mortality rate. Perturbations in immunity of T cells, B cells, and mast cells, as well as autoantibodies and metabolic reprogramming may contribute to the long‐term symptoms of COVID‐19. There is conflicting evidence about whether atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma and rhinitis, are associated with a lower susceptibility and better outcomes of COVID‐19. At the beginning of pandemic, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) developed guidelines that provided timely information for the management of allergic diseases and preventive measures to reduce transmission in the allergic clinics. The global distribution of COVID‐19 vaccines and emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants with reduced pathogenic potential dramatically decreased the morbidity, severity, and mortality of COVID‐19. Nevertheless, breakthrough infection remains a challenge for disease control. Hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) to COVID‐19 vaccines are low compared to other vaccines, and these were addressed in EAACI statements that provided indications for the management of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis to COVID‐19 vaccines. We have gained a depth knowledge and experience in the over 2 years since the start of the pandemic, and yet a full eradication of SARS‐CoV‐2 is not on the horizon. Novel strategies are warranted to prevent severe disease in high‐risk groups, the development of MIS‐C and long COVID‐19.
Erectile dysfunction, anxiety, perceived stress, and insomnia are more common among acquired premature ejaculation patients compared to other premature ejaculation syndromes
Authors: Demirci Aykut , Hızlı Fatih , Hamurcu Hayriye Dilek , Başar Halil
Published: November 2022

Background

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common ejaculatory function disorder. To date, four types of PE have been identified depending on the severity, onset, and course of the problem.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not there is a difference between these types in respect of anxiety, perceived stress, insomnia severity, and sleep chronotype.

Materials and methods

The study included 112 patients diagnosed with PE in our clinic between October 2021 and May 2022. The patients were separated into groups according to PE types of lifelong (LPE, n = 39), acquired (APE, n = 45), variable (VPE, n = 10), and subjective (SPE, n = 18). In addition to the demographic and clinical data, the scores were recorded of all participants in the International Index of Erectile Function‐5, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ).

Results

SPE was determined more in university graduate patients (42.1% vs. LPE, 21.1%; APE, 36.8%; VPE, 0%; p = 0.01). In patients with APE, erectile dysfunction was more severe (80.0% vs. LPE, 8.0%; SPE, 12.0%; VPE, 0%; p < 0.001). The median (IQR) PEDT score was determined to be higher in APE than in LPE and SPE (16(5), 13(7), 11(5), p = 0.001, respectively). Patients with APE were determined to have higher median (IQR) ISI (21(9) vs. LPE, 8(7); SPE, 5(8); VPE 8(4), p < 0.001) and PSS scores (35(12) vs. LPE, 22 (7); SPE,22(5); VPE 21(6), p < 0.001), the sleep chronotype was more eveningness according to the MEQ (80.8% vs. LPE, 19.2%; VPE, 0%; SPE, 0%; p < 0.001), and there were seen be more anxiety symptoms (75.5% vs. LPE,12.2%; VPE, 0%; SPE, 12.2%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Psychological status and sleep health were concluded to be important factors for PE patients, and the patients with acquired PE were the group most affected by these factors.