bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Dysvascular Injury of the Hand: Replantation versus Revision Amputation
Authors: Kwak Sang Ho , Lee Sang Hyun , Rhee Seung Joon , Jang Hyo Seok , Kim Dong Hee , Kim Yong Jin
Published: September 2020

Background:

Multilevel dysvascular injury of the hand can be treated with replantation or revision amputation. The authors compared both modalities regarding functional outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, and required resources, as relevant studies are scarce.

Methods:

In this retrospective review of consecutive case series (replantation, n = 8; revision amputation, n = 11), clinical results and functional outcomes (including grip strength, range of motion, sensory recovery, and grip or pinch ability) were assessed. Patient-reported outcomes, required hospital resources, and treatment cost until 1 year after surgery were compared between both groups.

Results:

Six patients used passive prostheses, two used body-powered prostheses, and three did not use a prosthesis in the revision amputation group. All patients in the replantation group could grip objects and had restored hands, with protective sensory recovery and substantial wrist motion, whereas six patients in the revision amputation group were unable to grip or pinch objects. Replantation was associated with superior patient-reported outcomes, but required more hospital resources and treatment costs.

Conclusions:

This study suggests that in the treatment of multilevel dysvascular injury of the hand, the surgical method should be chosen on a case-by-case basis. For better functional and patient-reported outcomes, replantation is preferred. Revision amputation can be performed in the absence of sufficient hospital resources and to reduce treatment cost. These findings can aid in the preoperative counseling of patients with multilevel dysvascular injury of the hand.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, III.
Thresholds for Safety of Cleft Lip Surgery in Premature Infants
Authors: Kalmar Christopher L. , Patel Vijay A. , Humphries Laura S. , Vu Giap H. , Zimmerman Carrie E. , Swanson Jordan W. , Taylor Jesse A.
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study was to delineate optimal age to perform unilateral or bilateral cleft lip repair in premature patients. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric data set was queried for unilateral and bilateral cleft lip repairs performed between 2012 and 2017. Complications, readmissions, and reoperations were analyzed in the context of prematurity with appropriate statistics. Degree of prematurity was significantly associated with adverse events (p = 0.001, r
s = 0.44). Premature patients with unilateral cleft lip had a significantly decreased risk of adverse events when performing cleft lip repair after 150 days of age [OR, 18.1; p = 0.004; before cutoff, n = 10 of 140 (7.1 percent); after cutoff, n = 0 of 112 (0.0 percent)] in the absence of other risk factors. Premature patients with bilateral cleft lip had a significantly decreased risk of adverse events when performing cleft lip repair after 175 days of age (OR, 16.1; p = 0.010; before cutoff, n = 7 of 33 (21.2 percent); after cutoff, n = 0 of 28 (0.0 percent)] in the absence of other risk factors.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Risk, II.
Facial Fat Augmentation Finesse
Authors: Xue Amy S. , Dayan Erez , Rohrich Rod J.
Published: September 2020

Volume restoration with autologous fat augmentation has become a key technique in facial rejuvenation. It is highly versatile and useful as an independent operation or as an adjunct to rhytidectomy and blepharoplasty. The goal of this article and the accompanying videos is to provide a detailed step-by-step guide to achieving predictable and optimized surgical results.
Maxwell tipping points: the hidden mechanics of an axially compressed cylindrical shell
Authors: Hunt G. W. , Groh R. M. J. , Dodwell T. J.
Published: September 2020

Numerical results for the axially compressed cylindrical shell demonstrate the post-buckling response snaking in both the applied load and corresponding end-shortening. Fluctuations in load, associated with progressive axial formation of circumferential rings of dimples, are well known. Snaking in end-shortening, describing the evolution from a single dimple into the first complete ring of dimples, is a recent discovery. To uncover the mechanics behind these different phenomena, simple finite degree-of-freedom cellular models are introduced, based on hierarchical arrangements of simple unit cells with snapback characteristics. The analyses indicate two fundamentally different variants to this new form of snaking. Each cell has its own Maxwell displacement, which are either separated or overlap. In the presence of energetic background disturbance, the differences between these two situations can be crucial. If the Maxwell displacements of individual cells are separated, then buckling is likely to occur sequentially, with the system able to settle into different localized states in turn. Yet if Maxwell displacements overlap, then a global buckling pattern triggers immediately as a dynamic domino effect. We use the term
Maxwell tipping point
to identify the point of switching between these two behaviours.
OpenABM-Covid19 - an agent-based model for non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 including contact tracing
Authors: Hinch Robert , Probert William J M , Nurtay Anel , Kendall Michelle , Wymant Chris , Hall Matthew , Lythgoe Katrina , Cruz Ana Bulas , Zhao Lele , Stewart Andrea , Ferretti Luca , Montero Daniel , Warren James , Mather Nicole , Abueg Matthew , Wu Neo , Finkelstein Anthony , Bonsall David G , Abeler-Dörner Lucie , Fraser Christophe
Published: September 2020

SARS-CoV-2 has spread across the world, causing high mortality and unprecedented restrictions on social and economic activity. Policymakers are assessing how best to navigate through the ongoing epidemic, with models being used to predict the spread of infection and assess the impact of public health measures. Here, we present OpenABM-Covid19: an agent-based simulation of the epidemic including detailed age-stratification and realistic social networks. By default the model is parameterised to UK demographics and calibrated to the UK epidemic, however, it can easily be re-parameterised for other countries. OpenABM-Covid19 can evaluate non-pharmaceutical interventions, including both manual and digital contact tracing. It can simulate a population of 1 million people in seconds per day allowing parameter sweeps and formal statistical model-based inference. The code is open-source and has been developed by teams both inside and outside academia, with an emphasis on formal testing, documentation, modularity and transparency. A key feature of OpenABM-Covid19 is its Python interface, which has allowed scientists and policymakers to simulate dynamic packages of interventions and help compare options to suppress the COVID-19 epidemic.
Ruling In and Ruling Out COVID-19: Computing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Risk From Symptoms, Imaging and Test Data
Authors: D’Ambrosia Christopher , Christensen Henrik I. , Aronoff-Spencer Eliah
Published: September 2020

Background

Assigning meaningful probabilities of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk presents a diagnostic challenge across the continuum of care.

Methods

We integrated patient symptom and test data using machine learning and Bayesian inference to quantify individual patient risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We trained models with 100,000 simulated patient profiles based on thirteen symptoms, estimated local prevalence, imaging, and molecular diagnostic performance from published reports. We tested these models with consecutive patients who presented with a COVID-19 compatible illness at the University of California San Diego Medical Center over 14 days starting in March 2020.

Results

We included 55 consecutive patients with fever (78%) or cough (77%) presenting for ambulatory (n=11) or hospital care (n=44). 51% (n=28) were female, 49% were age <60. Common comorbidities included diabetes (22%), hypertension (27%), cancer (16%) and cardiovascular disease (13%). 69% of these (n=38) were RT-PCR confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 11 had repeated negative nucleic acid testing and an alternate diagnosis. Bayesian inference network, distance metric-learning, and ensemble models discriminated between patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and alternate diagnoses with sensitivities of 81.6 – 84.2%, specificities of 58.8 – 70.6%, and accuracies of 61.4 – 71.8%. After integrating imaging and laboratory test statistics with the predictions of the Bayesian inference network, changes in diagnostic uncertainty at each step in the simulated clinical evaluation process were highly sensitive to location, symptom, and diagnostic test choices.

Conclusions

Decision support models that incorporate symptoms and available test results can help providers diagnose SARS-CoV-2 infection in real world settings.
The Gini Coefficient as a useful measure of malaria inequality among populations
Authors: Abeles Jonathan , Conway David J
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Understanding inequality in infectious disease burden requires clear and unbiased indicators. The Gini coefficient, conventionally used as a macroeconomic descriptor of inequality, is potentially useful to quantify epidemiological heterogeneity. With a potential range from 0 (all populations equal) to 1 (populations having maximal differences), this coefficient is used here to show the extent and persistence of inequality of malaria infection burden at a wide variety of population levels.

METHODS

We first applied the Gini coefficient to quantify variation among WHO world regions for malaria and other major global health problems. Malaria heterogeneity was then measured among countries within the geographical sub-region where burden is greatest, among the major administrative divisions in several of these countries, and among selected local communities. Data were analysed from previous research studies, national surveys, and global reports, and Gini coefficients were calculated together with confidence intervals using bootstrap resampling methods.

RESULTS

Malaria showed a very high level of inequality among the world regions (Gini coefficient, G = 0.77, 95% CI 0.66-0.81), more extreme than for any of the other major global health challenges compared at this level. Within the most highly endemic geographical sub-region, there was substantial inequality in estimated malaria incidence among countries of West Africa, which did not decrease between 2010 (G = 0.28, 95% CI 0.19-0.36) and 2018 (G = 0.31, 0.22-0.39). There was a high level of sub-national variation in prevalence among states within Nigeria (G = 0.30, 95% CI 0.26-0.35), but more moderate variation within Ghana (G = 0.18, 95% CI 0.12-0.25) and Sierra Leone (G = 0.17, 95% CI 0.12-0.22). There was also significant inequality in prevalence among local village communities, generally more marked during dry seasons when there was lower mean prevalence. The Gini coefficient correlated strongly with the Coefficient of Variation which has no finite range.

CONCLUSIONS

The Gini coefficient is a useful descriptor of epidemiological inequality at all population levels, with confidence intervals and interpretable bounds. Wider use of the coefficient would give broader understanding of malaria heterogeneity revealed by multiple types of studies, surveys and reports, providing more accessible insight from available data.
3D synthetic microscaffolds promote homogenous expression of NANOG in mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: Bakhtina Natalia A. , Müller Madlen , Wischnewski Harry , Arora Rajika , Ciaudo Constance
Published: September 2020

The development ofin vitromodels, which accurately recapitulate early embryonic development, is one of the fundamental challenges in stem cell research. Most of the currently employed approaches involve the culture of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) on two-dimensional (2D) surfaces. However, the monolayer nature of these cultures does not permit cells to grow and proliferate in realistic three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments, as in an early embryo. In this paper, novel 3D synthetic scaffold arrays, fabricated by two-photon polymerization photolithography, are utilized to mimic tissue-specific architecture, enabling cell-to-matrix interaction and cell-to-cell communicationin vitro. Mouse ESCs (mESCs) are able to grow and proliferate on these structures and maintain their pluripotent state. Furthermore, the 3D microscaffold arrays are integrated into a microscopy slide allowing the evaluation of the expression of key pluripotency factors at the single-cell level. Comparing 2D and 3D surfaces, mESCs grown in serum+LIF on 3D microscaffolds exhibit a stronger and more homogenous expression of NANOG and OCT4 pluripotency factors, than cells cultivated in 2i media, demonstrating that 3D microscaffolds capture naive pluripotencyin vitro. Thus, the slide affords a novel and unique tool to model and study mammalian early development with greater physiological relevance than conventional 2D cultures.
Two-target quantitative PCR to predict library composition for shallow shotgun sequencing
Authors: Cho Matthew Y. , Oliva Marc , Spreafico Anna , Chen Bo , Wei Xu , Choi Yoojin , Kaul Rupert , Siu Lillian L. , Coburn Bryan , Schneeberger Pierre H. H.
Published: September 2020

Shotgun sequencing enables retrieving high resolution information 40 from complex microbial communities. However, the technique is limited by missing information about host-to-microbe ratios observed in different sample types. This makes it challenging to plan sequencing experiments, especially in the context of high sample multiplexing and/or limited sequencing output. We evaluated a qPCR-based assay to predict host-to microbe ratio prior to sequencing. Using a two-target assay aimed at conserved human and bacterial genes, we predicted human-to-microbe ratios in two sample types and validated it on independently collected samples. The assay enabled accurate prediction for a broad range of sample compositions.
The firstAntechinusreference genome provides a resource for investigating the genetic basis of semelparity and age-related neuropathologies
Authors: Brandies Parice A. , Tang Simon , Johnson Robert S.P. , Hogg Carolyn J. , Belov Katherine
Published: September 2020

Antechinus are a genus of mouse-like marsupials that exhibit a rare reproductive strategy known as semelparity and also naturally develop age-related neuropathologies similar to those in humans. We provide the first annotated antechinus reference genome for the brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii). The reference genome is 3.3Gb in size with a scaffold N50 of 73Mb and 93.3% complete mammalian BUSCOs. Using bioinformatic methods we assign scaffolds to chromosomes and identify 0.78Mb of Y-chromosome scaffolds. Comparative genomics revealed interesting expansions in the NMRK2 gene and the protocadherin gamma family, which have previously been associated with aging and age-related dementias respectively. Transcriptome data displayed expression of common Alzheimer’s related genes in the antechinus brain and highlight the potential of utilising the antechinus as a future disease model. The valuable genomic resources provided herein will enable future research to explore the genetic basis of semelparity and age-related processes in the antechinus.
Starvation-induced regulation of carbohydrate transport at the blood-brain barrier is TGF-β-signaling dependent
Authors: Hertenstein Helen , McMullen Ellen , Weiler Astrid , Volkenhoff Anne , Becker Holger M. , Schirmeier Stefanie
Published: September 2020

During hunger or malnutrition animals prioritize alimentation of the brain over other organs to ensure its function and thus their survival. This so-called brain sparing is described from Drosophila to humans. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms adapting carbohydrate transport. Here, we used Drosophila genetics to unravel the mechanisms operating at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) under nutrient restriction. During starvation, expression of the carbohydrate transporter Tret1-1 is increased to provide more efficient carbohydrate uptake. Two mechanisms are responsible for this increase. Similarly to the regulation of mammalian GLUT4, Rab-dependent intracellular shuttling is needed for Tret1-1 integration into the plasma membrane, even though Tret1-1 regulation is independent of insulin signaling. In addition, starvation induces transcriptional upregulation controlled by TGF-β signaling. Considering TGF-β-dependent regulation of the glucose transporter GLUT1 in murine chondrocytes, our study reveals an evolutionarily conserved regulatory paradigm adapting the expression of sugar transporters at the BBB.
Tricarboxylic acid cycle and proton gradient inPandoravirus massiliensis: Is it still a virus?
Authors: Aherfi Sarah , Brahim Belhaouari Djamal , Pinault Lucile , Baudoin Jean-Pierre , Decloquement Philippe , Abrahao Jonatas , Colson Philippe , Levasseur Anthony , Lamb David C. , Chabriere Eric , Raoult Didier , La Scola Bernard
Published: September 2020

Since the discovery ofAcanthamoeba polyphagaMimivirus, the first giant virus of amoeba, the historical hallmarks defining a virus have been challenged. Giant virion sizes can reach up to 2.3 µm, making them visible by optical microscopy. They have large genomes of up to 2.5 Mb that encode proteins involved in the translation apparatus. Herein, we investigated possible energy production inPandoravirus massiliensis, the largest of our giant virus collection. MitoTracker and TMRM mitochondrial membrane markers allowed for the detection of a membrane potential in virions that could be abolished by the use of the depolarizing agent CCCP. An attempt to identify enzymes involved in energy metabolism revealed that 8 predicted proteins ofP. massiliensisexhibited low sequence identities with defined proteins involved in the universal tricarboxylic acid cycle (acetyl Co-A synthase; citrate synthase; aconitase; isocitrate dehydrogenase; α-ketoglutarate decarboxylase; succinate dehydrogenase; fumarase). All 8 viral predicted ORFs were transcribed together during viral replication, mainly at the end of the replication cycle. Two of these proteins were detected in mature viral particles by proteomics. The product of the ORF132, a predicted protein ofP. massiliensis, cloned and expressed inEscherichia coli, provided a functional isocitrate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which converts isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate. We observed that membrane potential was enhanced by low concentrations of Acetyl-CoA, a regulator of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Our findings show for the first time that energy production can occur in viruses, namely, pandoraviruses, and the involved enzymes are related to tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes. The presence of a proton gradient inP. massiliensiscoupled with the observation of genes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle make this virus a form a life for which it is legitimate to question ‘what is a virus?’.
Reclassification ofCatabacter hongkongensisasChristensenella hongkongensiscomb.nov. based on whole genome analysis
Authors: Liu Xiaoying , Sutter Jessica L. , de la Cuesta-Zuluaga Jacobo , Waters Jillian L. , Youngblut Nicholas D. , Ley Ruth E.
Published: September 2020

The generaCatabacter (family Catabacteraceae)andChristensenella(familyChristensenellaceae)are close relatives within the phylum Firmicutes. Members of these genera are strictly anaerobic, non-spore forming, short straight rods with diverse phenotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes suggest thatCatabactersplitsChristensenellainto a polyphyletic clade. In an effort to ensure that family/genus names represent monophyletic clades, we performed a whole-genome based analysis of the genomes available for the cultured representatives of these genera: four species ofChristensenellaand two strains ofCatabacter hongkongensis. A concatenated alignment of 135 shared protein sequences indicates thatC. hongkongensisis indeed nested within theChristensenellaclade. Based on their evolutionary relationship, we propose the transfer ofCatabacter hongkongensisto the new genus asChristensenella hongkongensiscomb.nov.
FHOD formin and SRF promote striated muscle development through separate pathways inC. elegans
Authors: Yingling Curtis V. , Pruyne David
Published: September 2020

Previous work with cultured cells has shown transcription of muscle genes by serum response factor (SRF) can be stimulated by actin polymerization driven by proteins of the formin family. However, it is not clear if endogenous formins similarly promote SRF-dependent transcription during muscle developmentin vivo. We tested whether formin activity promotes SRF-dependent transcription in striated muscle in the simple animal model,Caenorhabditis elegans. Our lab has shown FHOD-1 is the only formin that directly promotes sarcomere formation in the worm’s striated muscle. We show here FHOD-1 and SRF homolog UNC-120 both support muscle growth and also muscle myosin II heavy chain expression. However, while a hypomorphicunc-120allele blunts transcription of a set of striated muscle genes, these genes are upregulated or unchanged by absence of FHOD-1. Instead, pharmacological inhibition of the proteasome restores myosin protein levels in worms lacking FHOD-1, suggesting elevated proteolysis accounts for their myosin deficit. Interestingly, proteasome inhibition does not restore normal muscle growth tofhod-1(Δ)mutants, suggesting formin contributes to muscle growth by some alternative mechanism. Overall, we find SRF does not depend on formin to promote muscle gene transcription in a simplein vivosystem.
Evidence for current circulation of an ancient West Nile virus strain (NY99) in Brazil
Authors: Siconelli Márcio Junio Lima , de Melo Jorge Daniel Macedo , de Castro-Jorge Luiza Antunes , Fonseca-Júnior Antônio Augusto , Nascimento Mateus Laguardia , Floriano Vitor Gonçalves , de Souza Fransérgio Rocha , de Queiroz-Júnior Eudson Maia , Camargos Marcelo Fernandes , Lara Costa Eliana Dea , Bianco Carvalho Adolorata Aparecida , da Fonseca Benedito Antonio Lopes
Published: September 2020

Introduction

In Brazil, West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in 2018 from horses with neurological disease.

Aim

Here we present the first reported case in Ceará state and complete genome sequence from an isolated in Espírito Santo state from 2019.

Methods

The virus was isolated from a horse that died with neurological signs in Espírito Santo and was sequenced by MiSeq.

Results

Phylogenetic analysis reveals that this isolate belongs to lineage 1a, clustering with NY99 strain, that disappeared from the USA since 2005.

Conclusions

Our findings reinforce the hypothesis that WNV has been silently circulating in Brazil for many years.
Reconstructing double-stranded DNA fragments on a single-molecule level reveals patterns of degradation in ancient samples
Authors: Bokelmann Lukas , Glocke Isabelle , Meyer Matthias
Published: September 2020

Extensive manipulations involved in the preparation of DNA samples for sequencing have hitherto made it impossible to determine the precise structure of double-stranded DNA fragments being sequenced, such as the presence of blunt ends, single-stranded overhangs, or single-strand breaks. We here describe MatchSeq, a method that combines single-stranded DNA library preparation from diluted DNA samples with computational sequence matching, allowing the reconstruction of double-stranded DNA fragments on a single-molecule level. The application of MatchSeq to Neanderthal DNA, a particularly complex source of degraded DNA, reveals that 1- or 2-nt overhangs and blunt ends dominate the ends of ancient DNA molecules and that short gaps exist, which are predominantly caused by the loss of individual purines. We further show that deamination of cytosine to uracil occurs in both single- and double-stranded contexts close to the ends of molecules, and that single-stranded parts of DNA fragments are enriched in pyrimidines. MatchSeq provides unprecedented resolution for interrogating the structures of fragmented double-stranded DNA and can be applied to fragmented double-stranded DNA isolated from any biological source. The method relies on well-established laboratory techniques and can easily be integrated into routine data generation. This possibility is shown by the successful reconstruction of double-stranded DNA fragments from previously published single-stranded sequence data, allowing a more comprehensive characterization of the biochemical properties not only of ancient DNA but also of cell-free DNA from human blood plasma, a clinically relevant marker for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease.
Density modification of cryo-EM maps
Authors: Terwilliger Thomas C. , Sobolev Oleg V. , Afonine Pavel V. , Adams Paul D. , Read Randy J.
Published: September 2020

Density modification uses expectations about features of a map such as a flat solvent and expected distributions of density in the region of the macromolecule to improve individual Fourier terms representing the map. This process transfers information from one part of a map to another and can improve the accuracy of a map. Here, the assumptions behind density modification for maps from electron cryomicroscopy are examined and a procedure is presented that allows the incorporation of model-based information. Density modification works best in cases where unfiltered, unmasked maps with clear boundaries between the macromolecule and solvent are visible, and where there is substantial noise in the map, both in the region of the macromolecule and the solvent. It also is most effective if the characteristics of the map are relatively constant within regions of the macromolecule and the solvent. Model-based information can be used to improve density modification, but model bias can in principle occur. Here, model bias is reduced by using ensemble models that allow an estimation of model uncertainty. A test of model bias is presented that suggests that even if the expected density in a region of a map is specified incorrectly by using an incorrect model, the incorrect expectations do not strongly affect the final map.
Utilising social networking services as a collective medium to support design communication in team collaboration
Authors: Kim Mi Jeong , Hwang Yeon Sook , Hwang Ha Sung
Published: September 2020

Purpose

A variety of collaborative technologies have been developed to support design communication among members of design teams, and understanding the affordances of these technologies is critical to effective design collaboration. This research explores the potential of social networking as a collective medium that encourages design communication among student designers at the conceptual stage of design in a studio course.

Design/methodology/approach

For one semester, the student participants used different social networking services to communicate with their team members, and the authors analysed how they collaborated when solving a given problem using the collaborative tools.

Findings

The results show that various social networking platforms support students' communication of design and exploration of problems differently by affecting their clarification of ideas and information sharing. Collective discussion and online support are useful for framing problems and ideation in collaborative design.

Originality/value

This research proposes that social networking services appropriate to the activities needed to be chosen and provided to enable design communication to promote students' active learning through team collaboration.
Improving China's alfalfa industry development: an economic analysis
Authors: Wang Wenxin
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study analyzes the factors which affect the alfalfa cultivation acreage in China and estimates the development of alfalfa planting by the supply model.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the characteristics and actual conditions of alfalfa cultivation in China, a naïve empirical model was created to analyze the impact of various influencing factors on the cultivation acreage of alfalfa.

Findings

The analysis of influential factors shows that China's alfalfa planting conforms to naïve price behavior. The prices of alfalfa and per capita arable land occupancy have a positive effect on the cultivation acreage, while the price of competitive crops and transportation costs have a negative effect on the production of alfalfa. Lastly, the 2012 alfalfa subsidy policy has a significant negative impact on alfalfa cultivation acreage.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the limited research on alfalfa supply in China, there is a lack of available research data and statistical data. A large number of data in this study are mainly indirect data derived and calculated from other industrial data. The measurement results may not be fully accurate.

Originality/value

This study represents the first empirical analysis of the characteristics of the factors influencing alfalfa cultivation acreage in China. The secondary data were used to analyze the influence of various control variables on the cultivation acreage of alfalfa, which is different from existing research.
Firm and industry effects: the importance of sample design
Authors: López-López Vicente , Iglesias Antelo Susana , Sousa Carlos M.P.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how sample design affects the relative importance of firm and industry factors in explaining performance variations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 14,204 Spanish firms over a 10-year time frame, this study uses partial sensitivity analysis to examine the biases in results as a consequence of three methodological relevant concerns: outliers, industry classification and period.

Findings

Results indicate that the industry effect, supported by the industrial organization theory, has been underestimated in the empirical tests.

Originality/value

This study examines the biases in results as a consequence of three methodological relevant concerns (outliers, sector classification and period), which have not been sufficiently studied to date. Moreover, the study provides some new evidence favourable to the Industrial Organization (IO) perspective, which could have been biased and underestimated by the literature, as most of the analyses do not consider the methodological issues studied in this paper.
White generosity: black freedom faced with good intentions
Authors: Wall Natalie
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The author advances a theory of white generosity, a product of whiteness and of hierarchised relationships between races characterised by the giving to the racialised person that which has not been asked for and which has no practical immediate purpose, which can be used by anti-racist scholars as a framework for analysing racial oppression.

Design/methodology/approach

Using postcolonial and cultural studies and deconstructionist techniques in tandem with autoethnography, the author uses textual readings to examine instances of “giving” shaped by white generosity, drawing on Jacques Derrida's work on the gift in order to deconstruct the structure and rhetorical moves of white generosity.

Findings

White generosity demands gratitude in excess of the value of the thing given. If for Derrida the gift is given unconditionally, becoming devalued as soon as it demands acknowledgement or draws attention to itself as gift, white generosity is the gift's inverse: a “giving” that manifests itself only as a demand for its supposed recipient's gratitude. Emancipation is no gift at all; simply a deferral of debt. The “gifts” of diversity, decolonisation, widening participation or access are all objects of brokerage in a system that is inherently unequal and violent for black folx.

Originality/value

White generosity is related to theoretical constructs, such as white fragility, that have commanded significant scholarly engagement. However, it has not previously been named or analysed in a systematic way. This article offers a theoretical framework for use by anti-racist activists and scholars to name, interrogate and deconstruct a powerful narrative used in the continued marginalisation of non-white folx.
Construction, validation and generalization of SERVSTRESS: a measure for service induced customer stress
Authors: Roy Subhadip , Jain Varsha
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to construct and validate a generalizable scale to measure service induced perceived stress for customers of personal services with a high level of intangibles having both online and offline components.

Design/methodology/approach

Five studies were conducted to this end. The first was qualitative and the rest were quantitative (survey) with a total sample size of 1,300. The last study was conducted in a different country than the first four.

Findings

The studies resulted in a five-dimensional SERVSTRESS scale to measure service induced stress for customers with the following dimensions, namely, psychological stress; information stress; complexity stress; personnel stress and outcome stress. The scale was tested in a nomological network.

Research limitations/implications

The present study addresses a hitherto unaddressed gap in marketing literature with the construction and validation of a scale to measure service stress of a customer (named SERVSTRESS) using data from five studies spanning two countries.

Practical implications

The SERVSTRESS scale is relevant for the practitioners as it adds more value beyond the traditional service quality measures and allows the marketer to understand the nature of the stressors (with a specific focus on which is going right and which is going wrong) in the service delivery and allow him/her to take remedial actions.

Originality/value

The originality of the study is in the creation of a new scale to measure personal service stress and uncovering its underlying dimensions.
Caught in the crossfire: reactions to persistent mortality salience
Authors: Jiménez Fernando R. , Ramirez Edward , Diaz Art
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to draw on terror management theory (TMT) to explore the impact of pervasive mortality cues on consumer behaviour as a result of residing in a community ravaged by escalating violence.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative analysis of 27 in-depth interviews of consumers living in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico during the height of the Mexican drug war provides insight into their coping strategies and consumption.

Findings

Living under such conditions results in unrelenting mortality salience (MS), as well as the adoption of consumption-related coping strategies that can conflict with cultural worldviews and threaten self-esteem. The normalization of coping strategies severely strains worldviews. Consumers manage their ensuing intrapersonal evaluative tension by developing consumption safe havens and through identity fragmentation. Moreover, permanent proximal defences result from persistent MS.

Research limitations/implications

Although cross-sectional and idiosyncratic to the Mexican culture, the findings broaden TMT by suggesting that consumers facing relentless MS experience altered brand meanings and social interactions, as they were reluctant to acquire prestige brands, while indicating an increase in the value placed on relationships over possessions.

Practical implications

Marketers can help consumers alleviate their death-related anxiety by eliminating telemarketing campaigns, promoting online shopping, using unique customer identification numbers and investing in visible security measures such as gates, security cameras, and guards.

Originality/value

This exploratory study provides a preliminary theoretical framework for consumers’ reactions to persistent MS.
Country image and consumer evaluation of imported products: test of a hierarchical model in four countries
Authors: Thøgersen John , Aschemann-Witzel Jessica , Pedersen Susanne
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to test the general validity of a hierarchical model of country image conceptualizations across countries that differ in socio-economic development and distance to the exporting country.

Design/methodology/approach

Representative consumer samples in Germany, France, China and Thailand (N ∼ 1,000 per country) completed an online survey on three levels of country image regarding Denmark and attitudes towards buying an organic food product from Denmark. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

The hierarchical country image model fitted the data well in the two European countries, but not in the two Asian countries. It appears that the hierarchical relationships proposed by the model require a high level of familiarity with and knowledge of the origin country and the product type.

Research limitations/implications

The application scope of the model is considerably narrower than implied by earlier research. Further research should combine data from a number of sources to investigate the model’s application further.

Practical implications

Exporters must pay attention to both the general image of their country and the image of their country with regard to their specific product category, as this impacts consumer product evaluations.

Originality/value

International trade and the success of export strategies ultimately depend on consumer acceptance in importing countries. This study demonstrates how consumer perception of imported products is affected by the exporting country’s image, which may be more or less elaborate and differentiated. It gives exporters new insight into how they can make their marketing effective when entering markets.
Impacts of salespeople’s biased and unbiased performance attributions on job satisfaction: the concept of misattributed satisfaction
Authors: Lai-Bennejean Christine , Beitelspacher Lauren
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate an under-researched area, the impact of causal attributions (i.e. causal stability and company-related/-unrelated attributions) on salespeople’s job satisfaction following their performance appraisal.

Design/methodology/approach

A pre-test and a between-subjects experimental study test the effect of accurate or biased perceptions of causal attributions on salespeople’s job satisfaction. Data collected from 209 salespeople provide evidence that they make perceptual attribution errors in their appraisals of the performance outcome they achieve or do not achieve.

Findings

When salespeople correctly attribute their performance, causal stability affects their job satisfaction. However, company-related attributions affect their satisfaction only in the case of a poor performance outcome. As expected, salespeople who make biased attributions experience misattributed or “unwarranted” satisfaction or dissatisfaction, a higher or lower satisfaction level than they would have experienced had they made proper causal attributions.

Research limitations/implications

Using Weiner’s theory of emotion and motivation as a theoretical framework, this study confirms that cognitive appraisals of event outcomes (in this case performance reviews) impacts salespeople’s emotional experience. Furthermore, causal ascriptions following the salesperson’s performance appraisal affect job satisfaction.

Practical implications

This study discusses how managers can ensure the continued satisfaction of their salespeople, which constitutes a stable source of motivation, by understanding their performance attributions.

Originality/value

This study introduces a new concept of misattributed job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. While anecdotally some scholars have investigated when salespeople play “the blame game”, this study shows how salespeople correctly or incorrectly ascribe blame for the outcomes and the impact on job satisfaction.
Cost-based resilience assessment of bridges subjected to earthquakes
Authors: Argyroudis Sotirios A. , Nasiopoulos Giorgos , Mantadakis Nikolaos , Mitoulis Stergios Aristoteles
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Transport infrastructure resilience is of paramount importance for societies, therefore its quantification is urgently needed. A resilience assessment framework based on well-informed resilience indices is presented and applied for assessing the resilience of representative bridges exposed to earthquakes.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework quantifies the robustness of bridges against different seismic hazard scenarios, by using realistic fragility functions and the rapidity of the recovery and/or retrofitting after the occurrence of a certain degree of damage, based on realistic restoration functions.

Findings

Two different approaches for the modeling of the restoration tasks are examined. Both direct losses due to structural damage and indirect losses due to traffic disruption are estimated.

Originality/value

A new cost-based resilience index is introduced and alternate approaches for expressing the restoration strategies are examined and assessed. The results facilitate owners to enhance cost-based resilience management toward more resilient infrastructure.
Integrating the HACCP and SPC for hazard control and process improvement: a case of pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Kharub Manjeet
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to integrate two well-established frameworks with an aim to reduce the unwanted rejection rate recurring in the drug production process in pharmaceutical industries. The effectiveness of an integrated framework has been demonstrated by a real-time case study in a complex industrial environment, providing a platform for quality tools application in the pharmaceutical industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) provided a basic framework for hazard analysis and its blending with statistical process control (SPC) aided in data-driven decision-making. The extensive brainstorming and Pareto analysis helped to identify potential critical-to-quality characteristics followed by SPC, x¯ and R charts, histograms and Cp and Cpk analysis to spot the critical control point. The fishbone diagram led to the extraction of the leading cause behind the identified problem. Then, based on recommended corrective actions, control limits were adjusted and the process was brought into control. Finally, a product-based cost analysis is also performed to illustrate the financial impact resulting from the proposed method’s successful implementation.

Findings

The integrated framework is applied to a drug production process which has a higher rejection rate (3%) because of the non-conformities. Based on Pareto analysis, potential failure causes were classified and prioritised as inappropriate composition (2.54%), packaging (0.35%), out-of-specification (0.069%), equipment failure (0.022%), input materials (0.018%) and miscellaneous (0.002%). It is found that 84% of the total rejection rate is contributed by inappropriate composition. After taking corrective actions, it is observed that the proposed method has helped to reduce the process rejection rate significantly (2.54-0.82%). In the monetary terms, 2.50% decline per unit costs is noted in this case study work. The proposed integrated framework’s success is further motivating other pharmaceutical industries to implement and expand it to other processes.

Originality/value

The case study is an attempt to contribute to the existing literature of quality management in pharmaceutical industries. In particular, it is a novel example to introduce the simple and user-friendly SPC tool into well-established HACCP framework to enhance its effectiveness in hazard identification. The case study results motivate managers to adopt quality techniques for achieving a higher quality standard and operational excellence.
Financing university sustainability initiatives in China: actors and processes
Authors: Liu Liguang , Gao Lianhong
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to study the mechanism of how the public universities have funded the campus sustainability projects in China, by identifying key actors and examining the processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Besides a review of campus sustainability initiatives at higher education institutions in China, the case of Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) is selected to provide an empirical understanding of the campus sustainability management in a typical university.

Findings

The paper points to dominant roles played by the state ministries in financing university conservation programs and the absence of a national policy framework and low sustainability proactiveness in a majority of higher educational institutions. It argues that more discretionary power and more policy deliberations are needed for the transformation.

Research limitations/implications

Universities in China vary distinctively in status, operations and performance. In terms of campus sustainability management, the case of CUFE is highly representative as it shares more common features with universities that develop in a routine manner.

Practical implications

With the financial support from government agencies, the campus conservation-oriented projects have been conducted and financially supported in hundreds of pilot universities, but failed in diffusing to more universities. This study identifies the barriers and challenges.

Social implications

An in-depth understanding of the working mechanism in financing university sustainability initiatives will promote a discussion on China’s policymaking process and will provide useful insights regarding its future policy options.

Originality/value

China has conducted nationwide conservation-oriented campus constriction for almost a decade and many universities increase their investment in campus facilities and their operations; however, there is a lack of understanding of the rationale of the funding models and how they have been implemented.
The coronavirus' effects on consumer behavior and supermarket activities: insights from Greece and Sweden
Authors: Anastasiadou Elena , Chrissos Anestis Michael , Karantza Ioanna , Vlachakis Sotirios
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes that have taken place in consumer behavior due to the fear, caused by the spread of the coronavirus, in parallel to studying how supermarket activities have changed during the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative methods (email interviews and document analysis) and utilizing the few statistics available for the case, the authors performed a comparison between Greece, a country that imposed an early lockdown, and Sweden, which, for its own political reasons, did not lock down, but took other measures instead.

Findings

Differences in consumer behavior and supermarket activities in both countries based on different mentalities and different experiences were identified. Similarities in consumer behavior, but with different motives, were also discovered.

Research limitations/implications

Retailing practitioners and communication executives can apply the findings to manage sales in a time of sharp, unpredictable crisis. The paper aims at integrating existing literature for the academic community and contributes with implications for practitioners and policymakers to reduce crisis risks.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to explore changes in consumer behavior caused by the spread of the coronavirus. It provides a coherent and comprehensive understanding of how consumer behavior changes under fear-crisis conditions along with future research directions.