bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre-stimulus low-alpha frontal networks characterize pareidolias in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Revankar Gajanan S. , Kajiyama Yuta , Hattori Noriaki , Shimokawa Tetsuya , Nakano Tomohito , Mihara Masahito , Mori Etsuro , Mochizuki Hideki
Published: December 2020

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients susceptible to visual hallucinations experience perceptual deficits in the form of pareidolias. While pareidolias necessitate top-down modulation of visual processing, the cortical dynamics of internally generated perceptual priors on pareidolic misperceptions is unknown.

Objectives

To study pre-stimulus related EEG spectral and network abnormalities in PD patients experiencing pareidolias.

Methods

21 PD in-patients and 10 age-matched healthy controls were evaluated. Neuropsychological assessments included tests for cognition, attention and executive functions. To evoke and quantify pareidolias, participants performed the noise pareidolia test (NPT) with simultaneous EEG recording. PD patients were sub-divided into two groups - those with high pareidolia counts (N=10) and those without (N=11). EEG was analyzed 1000ms before stimulus presentation in the spectral domain (theta, low-alpha and high-alpha frequencies) with corresponding graph networks that evaluated small-world properties, efficiency and centrality measures. Statistical analysis included ANCOVA and multiple regression to evaluate the differences.

Results

PD group with high pareidolias were older with lower scores on neuropsychological tests. Their pre-stimulus EEG low-alpha band showed a tendency towards higher frontal activity (p=0.06). Graph networks showed increased normalized clustering coefficient (p=0.05), higher local parietal cortex efficiency (p=0.049) and lower frontal degree centrality (p=0.005). These network indices correlated positively to patients’ pareidolia scores.

Conclusion

Pareidolias in PD are a consequence of an abnormal top-down modulation of visual processing which are defined by their frontal low-alpha spectral and network alterations in the pre-stimulus phase due to a dissonance between patients’ internally generated mental-processing with external stimuli.
Moderately Inducing Autophagy Reduces Tertiary Brain Injury After Perinatal Hypoxia-Ischemia
Authors: Kim Brian H. , Jeziorek Maciej , Kanal Hur Dolunay , Dobrowolski Radek , Levison Steven W.
Published: December 2020

Recent studies of cerebral hypoxia-ischemia (HI) have highlighted slowly progressive neurodegeneration whose mechanisms remain elusive, but if blocked, could considerably improve long-term neurological function. We previously established that the cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 is highly elevated following HI and that delivering an antagonist for TGFβ receptor activin-like kinase 5 (ALK5) – SB505124 – 3 days after injury in a rat model of moderate pre-term HI significantly preserved the structural integrity of the thalamus and hippocampus as well as neurological functions associated with those brain structures. To elucidate the mechanism whereby ALK5 inhibition reduces cell death, we assessed levels of autophagy markers in neurons and found that SB505124 increased numbers of autophagosomes and levels of lipidated LC3 (light chain 3), a key protein known to mediate autophagy. However, those studies did not determine whether 1) SB was acting directly on the CNS and 2) whether directly inducing autophagy could decrease cell death and improve outcome. Here we show that administering an ALK5 antagonist 3 days after HI reduced actively apoptotic cells by ∼90% when assessed one week after injury. Ex vivo studies using the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine confirmed that SB505124 enhanced autophagy flux in the injured hemisphere, with a significant accumulation of the autophagic proteins LC3 and p62 in SB505124 + chloroquine treated brain slices. We independently activated autophagy using the stimulatory peptide Tat-Beclin1 to determine if enhanced autophagy is directly responsible for improved outcomes. Administering Tat-Beclin1 starting 3 days after injury preserved the structural integrity of the hippocampus and thalamus with improved sensorimotor function. These data support the conclusion that intervening at this phase of injury represents a window of opportunity where stimulating autophagy is beneficial.
Dietary and body mass reconstruction of the Miocene neotropical batNotonycteris magdalenensis(Phyllostomidae) from La Venta, Colombia
Authors: López-Aguirre Camilo , Czaplewski Nicholas J , Link Andrés , Takai Masanaru , Hand Suzanne J
Published: December 2020

The middle Miocene La Venta bat fauna is the most diverse bat palaeocommunity in South America, with at least 14 species recorded. They include the oldest plant-visiting bat in the New World, and some of the earliest representatives of the extant families Phyllostomidae, Thyropteridae and Noctilionidae. La Venta’sNotonycteris magdalenensisis an extinct member of the subfamily Phyllostominae, a group of modern Neotropical animalivorous and omnivorous bats, and is commonly included in studies of the evolution of Neotropical bats, but aspects of its biology remain unclear. In this study, we used a multivariate dental topography analysis (DTA) to reconstruct the likely diet ofN. magdalenensisby quantitatively comparing measures of molar complexity with that of 25 modern phyllostomid and noctilionid species representing all major dietary habits in bats. We found clear differences in molar complexity between dietary guilds, indicating that DTA is potentially an informative tool to study bat ecomorphology. Our results suggestN. magdalenensiswas probably an omnivore or insectivore, rather than a carnivore like its modern relativesChrotopterus auritusandVampryum spectrum. Also, we reconstructed the body mass ofN. magdalenensisto be ∼50 g, which is larger than most insectivorous bats, but smaller than most carnivorous bats. Our results confirm thatNotonycteris magdalenensiswas probably not a specialised carnivore. It remains to be demonstrated that the specialised carnivory ecological niche was occupied by the same lineage of phyllostomines from at least the middle Miocene. Combining our diet and body mass reconstructions, we suggest thatN. magdalenensisexhibits morphological pre-adaptations crucial for the evolution of specialised carnivory.
Segregating domain-general from emotional context-specific inhibitory control systems - ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex serve as emotion-cognition integration hubs
Authors: Zhuang Qian , Xu Lei , Zhou Feng , Yao Shuxia , Zheng Xiaoxiao , Zhou Xinqi , Li Jialin , Xu Xiaolei , Fu Meina , Li Keshuang , Vatansever Deniz , Kendrick Keith M. , Becker Benjamin
Published: December 2020

Inhibitory control hierarchically regulates cognitive and emotional systems in the service of adaptive goal-directed behavior across changing task demands and environments. While previous studies convergently determined the contribution of prefrontal-striatal systems to general inhibitory control, findings on the specific circuits that mediate the context-specific impact of inhibitory control remained inconclusive. Against this background we employed an evaluated emotional Go/No Go task with fMRI in a large cohort of subjects (N = 250) to segregate brain systems and circuits that mediate domain-general from emotion-specific inhibition control. Particularly during a positive emotional context, behavioral results showed a lower accuracy for No Go trials and a faster response time for Go trials. While the dorsal striatum and lateral frontal regions were involved in inhibitory control irrespective of emotional context, activity in the ventral striatum (VS) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) varied as a function of emotional context. On the voxel-wise network level, limbic and striatal systems generally exhibited highest changes in global brain connectivity during inhibitory control, while global brain connectivity of the left mOFC was less suppressed during emotional contexts. Functional connectivity analyses moreover revealed that negative coupling between the VS with inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)/insula and mOFC varied as a function of emotional context. Together these findings indicated separable domain general systems as well emotional context-specific inhibitory brain systems which specifically encompass the VS and its connections with frontal regions.
Intense and Mild Wave of COVID-19 in The Gambia: a Cohort Analysis
Authors: Roca Anna ,   MRCG/GG COVID-19 working group
Published: December 2020

Background

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is evolving differently in Africa compared to other regions, with lower transmission and milder clinical presentation. Reasons for this are not fully understood. Recent data from Eastern and Southern Africa suggest that transmission may be higher than measured. Detailed epidemiological data in different African settings is urgently needed.

Methods

We calculated cumulative rates of SAR-CoV-2 infections per 1,000 people at risk in The Gambia (2.42 million individuals) using publicly available data. We evaluated these rates in a cohort of 1,366 employees working at the MRC Unit The Gambia @LSHTM (MRCG) where systematic surveillance of symptomatic cases and contact tracing was implemented. Cumulative rates among the Gambian population were stratified by age groups and, among MRCG staff, by occupational exposure risk. SARS-CoV-2 testing was conducted on oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal samples with consistent sampling and laboratory procedures across cohorts.

Findings

By September 2020, 3,579 cases of SARS-CoV-2 and 115 deaths had been identified; with 67% of cases detected in August. Among them, 191 cases were MRCG staff; all of them were asymptomatic/mild, with no deaths. The cumulative incidence rate for SARS-CoV-2 infection among MRCG staff (excluding those with occupational exposure risk) was 129 per 1,000, at least 20-fold higher than the estimations based on diagnosed cases in the adult Gambian population.

Interpretation

Our findings are consistent with recent African sero-prevalence studies reporting high community transmission of SAR-CoV-2. Enhanced community surveillance is essential to further understand and predict the future trajectory of the pandemic in Africa.
SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 hospitalised patients in Switzerland: a prospective cohort profile
Authors: Thiabaud Amaury , Iten Anne , Balmelli Carlo , Senn Laurence , Troillet Nicolas , Widmer Andreas , Flury Domenica , Schreiber Peter W. , Vázquez Miriam , Damonti Lauro , Buettcher Michael , Vuichard-Gysin Danielle , Kuhm Christoph , Cusini Alexia , Riedel Thomas , Nussbaumer Yvonne , Gaudenz Roman , Heininger Ulrich , Berger Christoph , Zucol Franziska , Bernhard-Stirnemann Sara , Corti Natascia , Zimmermann Petra , Uka Anita , Niederer-Loher Anita , Gardiol Céline , Roelens Maroussia , Keiser Olivia
Published: December 2020

Background

SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, which emerged in China in late 2019, rapidly spread across the world causing several million victims in 213 countries. Switzerland was severely hit by the virus, with 43’000 confirmed cases as of September 1st, 2020.

Aim

In cooperation with the Federal Office of Public Health, we set up a surveillance database in February 2020 to monitor hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in addition to their mandatory reporting system.

Methods

Patients hospitalised for more than 24 hours with a positive PCR test, from 20 Swiss hospitals, are included. Data collection follows a custom Case Report Form based on WHO recommendations and adapted to local needs. Nosocomial infections were defined as infections for which the onset of symptoms started more than 5 days after the patient’s admission date.

Results

As of September 1st, 2020, 3645 patients were included. Most patients were male (2168 - 59.5%),and aged between 50 and 89 years (2778 - 76.2%), with a median age of 68 (IQR 54-79). Community infections dominated with 3249 (89.0%) reports. Comorbidities were frequently reported: hypertension (1481 - 61.7%), cardiovascular diseases (948 - 39.5%), and diabetes (660 - 27.5%) being the most frequent in adults; respiratory diseases and asthma (4 −21.1%), haematological and oncological diseases (3 – 15.8%) being the most frequent in children. Complications occurred in 2679 (73.4%) episodes, mostly for respiratory diseases (2470 - 93.2% in adults, 16 – 55.2% in children), renal (681 – 25.7%) and cardiac (631 – 23.8%) complication for adults. The second and third most frequent complications in children affected the digestive system and the liver (7 - 24.1%). A targeted treatment was given in 1299 (35.6%) episodes, mostly with hydroxychloroquine (989 - 76.1%). Intensive care units stays were reported in 578 (15.8%) episodes. 527 (14.5%) deaths were registered, all among adults.

Conclusion

The surveillance system has been successfully initiated and provides a very representative set of data for Switzerland. We therefore consider it to be a valuable addition to the existing mandatory reporting, providing more precise information on the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical course of these cases.
First and second waves of coronavirus disease-19: A comparative study in hospitalized patients in Reus, Spain
Authors: Iftimie Simona , López-Azcona Ana F. , Vallverdú Immaculada , Hernàndez-Flix Salvador , de Febrer Gabriel , Parra Sandra , Hernández-Aguilera Anna , Riu Francesc , Joven Jorge , Camps Jordi , Castro Antoni ,   REUSCOVID Study Group
Published: December 2020

Many countries have seen a two-wave pattern in reported cases of coronavirus disease-19 during the 2020 pandemic, with a first wave during spring followed by the current second wave in late summer and autumn. Empirical data show that the characteristics of the effects of the virus do vary between the two periods. Differences in age range and severity of the disease have been reported, although the comparative characteristics of the two waves still remain largely unknown. Those characteristics are compared in this study using data from two equal periods of 3 and a half months. The first period, between 15th March and 30th June, corresponding to the entire first wave, and the second, between 1st July and 15th October, corresponding to part of the second wave, still present at the time of writing this article. Two hundred and four patients were hospitalized during the first period, and 264 during the second period. Patients in the second wave were younger and the duration of hospitalization and case fatality rate were lower than those in the first wave. In the second wave, there were more children, and pregnant and post-partum women. The most frequent signs and symptoms in both waves were fever, dyspnea, pneumonia, and cough, and the most relevant comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and chronic neurological diseases. Patients from the second wave more frequently presented renal and gastrointestinal symptoms, were more often treated with non-invasive mechanical ventilation and corticoids, and less often with invasive mechanical ventilation, conventional oxygen therapy and anticoagulants. Several differences in mortality risk factors were also observed. These results might help to understand the characteristics of the second wave and the behaviour and danger of SARS-CoV-2 in the Mediterranean area and in Western Europe. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Overexpression of HPRT1 is associated with poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ahmadi Mohsen , Mousavi Pegah , Saffarzadeh Negin , Hajiesmaeili Fatemeh , Habibipour Leila
Published: December 2020

Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT1), as a salvage pathway enzyme, plays a crucial role in modulating the cell cycle and has been reported to be overexpressed in multiple cancers. Nevertheless, the relationship between theHPRT1and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCC) has not been investigated so far. We first evaluated the expression ofHPRT1at transcriptomic and proteomic levels in tumor and healthy control tissues and its clinical value using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Human Protein Atlas, Kaplan-Meier Plotter databases, GSE107591, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Then, we employed the COSMIC and cBioPortal databases to assess the mutations of theHPRT1gene and their association with survival outcomes of patients with HNSCC. Finally, we performed the functional enrichment analysis forHPRT1co-expressed genes in HNSCC utilizing the Enrichr database. The mRNA and protein expressions ofHPRT1were significantly elevated in HNSCC compared with normal tissues. Besides, the upregulation ofHPRT1expression was correlated with age, sex, pathological stage, and histological grades of HNSCC patients. Moreover, the increased expression ofHPRT1in cancer tissues exhibited a strong capacity for being a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with HNSCC. The co-expressed genes ofHPRT1were mainly enriched in several cancer-related processes such as DNA replication and cell cycle. The present study demonstrated that the overexpression ofHPRT1is significantly correlated with the progression of HNSCC and may serve as a useful biomarker for the early detection and risk stratification of patients with HNSCC.
COVID-19 PREDICTION IN SOUTH AFRICA: ESTIMATING THE UNASCERTAINED CASES- THE HIDDEN PART OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ICEBERG
Authors: Gu Xuelin , Mukherjee Bhramar , Das Sonali , Datta Jyotishka
Published: December 2020

Understanding the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions as well as acscounting for the unascertained cases remain critical challenges for epidemiological models for understanding the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 spread. In this paper, we propose a new epidemiological model (eSEIRD) that extends the widely used epidemiological models such as extended Susceptible-Infected-Removed model (eSIR) and SAPHIRE (initially developed and used for analyzing data from Wuhan). We fit these models to the daily ascertained infected (and removed) cases from March 15, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020 in South Africa that reported the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths from the WHO African region. Using the eSEIRD model, the COVID-19 transmission dynamics in South Africa was characterized by the estimated basic reproduction number (R0) starting at 3.22 (95%CrI: [3.19, 3.23]) then dropping below 2 following a mandatory lockdown implementation and subsequently increasing to 3.27 (95%CrI: [3.27, 3.27]) by the end of 2020. The initial decrease of effective reproduction number followed by an increase suggest the effectiveness of early interventions and the combined effect of relaxing strict interventions and emergence of a new coronavirus variant in South Africa. The low estimated ascertainment rate was found to vary from 1.65% to 9.17% across models and time periods. The overall infection fatality ratio (IFR) was estimated as 0.06% (95%CrI: [0.04%, 0.22%]) accounting for unascertained cases and deaths while the reported case fatality ratio was 2.88% (95% CrI: [2.45%, 6.01%]). The models predict that from December 31, 2020, to April 1, 2021, the predicted cumulative number of infected would reach roughly 70% of total population in South Africa. Besides providing insights on the COVID-19 dynamics in South Africa, we develop powerful forecasting tools that enable estimation of ascertainment rates and IFR while quantifying the effect of intervention measures on COVID-19 spread.

AMS Classification

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How accurate are citations of frequently cited papers in biomedical literature?
Authors: Pavlovic V , Weissgerber T , Stanisavljevic D , Pekmezovic T , Garovic V , Milic N ,   CITE Investigators
Published: December 2020

Citations are an important, but often overlooked, part of every scientific paper. They allow the reader to trace the flow of evidence, serving as a gateway to relevant literature. Most scientists are aware of citations errors, but few appreciate the prevalence or consequences of these problems. The purpose of this study was to examine how often frequently cited papers in biomedical scientific literature are cited inaccurately. The study included an active participation of first authors of frequently cited papers; to first-hand verify the citations accuracy. The approach was to determine most cited original articles and their parent authors, that could be able to access, and identify, collect and review all citations of their original work. Findings from feasibility study, where we collected and reviewed 1,540 articles containing 2,526 citations of 14 most cited articles in which the 1stauthors were affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade, were further evaluated for external confirmation in an independent verification set of articles. Verification set included 4,912 citations identified in 2,995 articles that cited 13 most cited articles published by authors affiliated with the Mayo Clinic Division of Nephrology and Hypertension (Rochester, Minnesota, USA), whose research focus is hypertension and peripheral vascular disease. Most cited articles and their citations were determined according to SCOPUS database search. A citation was defined as being accurate if the cited article supported or was in accordance with the statement by citing authors. A multilevel regression model for binary data was used to determine predictors of inaccurate citations. At least one inaccurate citation was found in 11% and 15% of articles in the feasibility study and verification set, respectively, suggesting that inaccurate citations are common in biomedical literature. The main findings were similar in both sets. The most common problem was the citation of nonexistent findings (38.4%), followed by an incorrect interpretation of findings (15.4%). One fifth of inaccurate citations were due to “chains of inaccurate citations,” in which inaccurate citations appeared to have been copied from previous papers. Reviews, longer time elapsed from publication to citation, and multiple citations were associated with higher chance of citation being inaccurate. Based on these findings, several actions that authors, mentors and journals can take to reduce citation inaccuracies and maintain the integrity of the scientific literature have been proposed.
Tensor description of X-ray magnetic dichroism at the Fe L
2,3-edges of Fe3O4
Authors: Elnaggar Hebatalla , Haverkort Maurits W. , Hamed Mai Hussein , Dhesi Sarnjeet S. , de Groot Frank M. F.
Published: December 2020

A procedure to build the optical conductivity tensor that describes the full magneto-optical response of the system from experimental measurements is presented. Applied to the Fe L
2,3-edge of a 38.85 nm Fe3O4/SrTiO3 (001) thin-film, it is shown that the computed polarization dependence using the conductivity tensor is in excellent agreement with that experimentally measured. Furthermore, the magnetic field angular dependence is discussed using a set of fundamental spectra expanded on spherical harmonics. It is shown that the convergence of this expansion depends on the details of the ground state of the system in question and in particular on the valence-state spin–orbit coupling. While a cubic expansion up to the third order explains the angular-dependent X-ray magnetic linear dichroism of Fe3+ well, higher-order terms are required for Fe2+ when the orbital moment is not quenched.
Effects of service encounter barriers on situational abnormality and consumers' behavioral intentions at food and beverage restaurants
Authors: Akhtar Naeem , Siddiqi Umar Iqbal , Ahmad Wasim , Usman Muhammad , Chen Xianglan , Islam Tahir
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The present study unveils the service encounter barriers – interactional and instructional – faced by foreign consumers at food and beverage restaurants in China. It builds a conceptual framework and examines (1) how service encounter barriers create situational abnormality, (2) how situational abnormality engenders foreign consumers' felt discomfort that influences their revisit intentions and (3) how expectations disconfirmation moderates situational abnormality.

Design/methodology/approach

Convenience sampling using the survey method was employed to collect data from 517 foreign consumers – who stay in Beijing (China) – at food and beverage restaurants. The study used IBM SPSS 25.0 and Amos Graphics 24.0 to analyze the data and interpret results.

Findings

Findings reveal that interactional and instructional barriers positively create situational abnormality, which ultimately leads to foreign consumers' felt discomfort and their negative revisit intentions. Expectations disconfirmation significantly aggravates situational abnormality as a moderator.

Research limitations/implications

This study investigates foreign consumers' behavior at food and beverage restaurants in China and cautions its generalizability. It suggests corroborating the foreign consumers' behavioral intentions in the context of other countries to generalize the findings and unleash other factors additive to comprehend their behavior in the wake of restaurant industry.

Originality/value

The extant literature has not examined the service encounter barriers faced by foreign consumers at food and beverage restaurants in China. The present study, responding to the previous calls, incorporated the service encounter barriers and their downstream effects on foreign consumers' behavioral responses. By doing so, it adds value to the domestic food and beverage restaurants and service firms in China, in particular, and paves the way to understand the interactional and instructional barriers in the global context, in general, by engaging the foreign consumers.
A study of performance measures and quality management system in small and medium enterprises in India
Authors: Bagodi Virupaxi , Thimmappa Venkatesh Sreenath , Sinha Deepankar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The paper aims to identify causality amongst small and medium enterprises' (SMEs') performance indicators, propose an integrated index of business performance and quality practices and investigate the effect of quality management system (QMS) on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a two-stage approach. In the first stage, the authors gathered responses with a questionnaire on variables affecting business performance and identified dimensions using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Path analysis was carried out to identify causality between the dimensions. In the next stage, the validation of stage 1 findings was carried out to substantiate the proposition that QMS affects performance. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews were conducted during the second stage. The analysis was done following the case study protocol – within- and cross-case analysis and validated with supportive and conflicting literature.

Findings

The results show that the employee – dimension is crucial to process effectiveness, customer satisfaction and finances. Customer satisfaction results from employee satisfaction and processes. QMS impacts processes and employee performance, thus establishes the causality between business performance factors and QMS. QMS impacts finances in the short run but yields long-term benefits and is dependent on two factors – degree of knowledge of quality practices and its application in business.

Originality/value

This study reveals the performance dimensions of SMEs, their causality and the impact of QMS on performance. It suggests a shift from traditional approaches, correcting defects using statistical quality control approaches, to a sustainable growth path – a long-term approach. This study puts forward two associated indices – the business performance and the knowledge of quality practices and its application index.
Evaluating the economic and social benefits of multiutility tunnels with an agent-based simulation approach
Authors: Wu Chengke , Wu Peng , Jiang Rui , Wang Jun , Wang Xiangyu , Wan Ming
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Multiutility tunnel (MUT) has been recognised as a more sustainable method to place underground utilities than the traditional directly buried (DB) method. However, the implementation of MUT is hindered because of high initial construction costs and the difficulty to demonstrate its benefits, especially social benefits that are hard to be quantified. To address the limitation, this paper aims to quantify and compare both economic costs and traveller loss (i.e. an important part of social costs) of the MUT and DB method.

Design/methodology/approach

An agent-based model (ABM) is developed, which considers attributes and actions of vehicles, interactions between vehicles and interactions between vehicles and the road network. The ABM is used to estimate traveller loss by comparing traveller time when the MUT and DB method is adopted, respectively. The traveller loss is combined with economic costs to estimate and compare the LCC of the MUT and DB method. To verify the ABM-based approach, it is implemented in an MUT project in Shanghai, China.

Findings

Results of the study indicate: (1) When the DB method is adopted, periodic E&Rs cause severe traffic congestion and substantial traveller loss. (2) When traveller loss is not included in the LCC estimation, the DB method has a lower LCC in most scenarios. (3) When traveller loss is included, the relative LCC of MUT and the time it takes to cover the LCC of the MUT and DB method is largely reduced. Thus, when social costs are considered, MUT will bring more benefits than the DB method.

Originality/value

Previous studies on comparing the MUT and DB method focus on investigating economic costs, while other costs, e.g. social costs, are not well addressed quantitatively. Besides, current studies of traveller loss estimation lack consideration of factors such as unique attributes, actions and interactions of vehicles and the network. Hence, this paper applies an ABM-based approach to involve these factors and produce more reliable estimation of traveller loss than existing approaches. Moreover, by integrating traveller loss into LCC analysis, this paper helps to understand the benefits of MUT thus assisting decision-making in selecting utilities placement methods.
Tally Ho Boys' Training Farm, Aboriginal children and the intersection of school, welfare and justice systems, 1950s–1960s
Authors: Marsden Beth
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper draws on the archival records of the Victorian Education Department, literature produced by the governing authority of Tally Ho (the Central Mission), and newspaper reports produced in the mid-20th century about school and education at Tally Ho. This paper also draws on material from the Victorian Aborigines Welfare Board and the Northern Territory Department of Welfare, as well as two historical key government inquiries into the institutionalisation of children.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses Tally Ho Boys’ Training Farm as a case study to examine the intersection of welfare systems, justice systems and schooling and education for Aboriginal children in institutions like Tally Ho in the mid-20th century. Further, it provides perspectives on how institutions such as Tally Ho were utilised by governments in Victoria and the Northern Territory to pursue different agendas – sometimes educational – particular to Aboriginal children. This paper also explores how histories can be reconstructed when archives are missing or silent about histories of Aboriginal childhood.

Findings

This paper demonstrates how governments used Tally Ho to control and govern the lives of Aboriginal children. By drawing together archives from a range of bodies and authorities who controlled legislation and policies, this paper contributes new understandings about the role of institutions in Victoria to the assimilation policies of Victoria and the Northern Territory in the mid-20th century.

Originality/value

Scholarship on the institutionalisation of children in the post-war era in Victoria, including the ways that schooling and justice systems were experienced by children living in care, has failed to fully engage with the experiences of Aboriginal children. Historians have given limited attention to the experiences of Aboriginal children living in institutions off Aboriginal reserves in Victoria. There has been limited historical scholarship examining the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at Tally Ho. This paper broadens our understandings about how Aboriginal children encountered institutionalisation in Victoria.
Employability and skill gap among MBA graduates in India: a literature review
Authors: Bhatnagar Neha
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to review scholarly research on employability and skill gap in the context of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) education in India. This paper provides an overview of the critical themes and identifies research gaps for future investigations.

Design/methodology/approach

Published empirical studies were reviewed and thematically analysed using NVivo 11 Pro.

Findings

In addition to technical aptitudes and skills, organisations also seek other attributes that are associated with employability, such as communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills. Communication is an important skill frequently cited in the literature. Additionally, themes related to reasons for skill gaps are identified.

Practical implications

Soft skills and non-technical aptitudes should be emphasised in MBA education. Furthermore, significant reforms in MBA education programmes should be implemented in India to make graduates industry-ready.

Originality/value

Several studies have been carried out to verify the existence of and reasons for skill gaps amongst MBA graduates in India. Through integrative literature review, the issue of skill gap is discussed. Future research directions are also recommended in this paper.
The motivations of crowdlending investors in Spain
Authors: Martínez-Climent Carla , Guijarro-García María , Carrilero-Castillo Agustín
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The inability to secure funding is a common problem for entrepreneurs. Crowdlending can help overcome this problem. But what motivates crowdlenders? The aim of this paper is to provide empirical evidence of two forms of investor motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) in crowdlending in Spain by exploring the elements that affect the low percentage of equity invested.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 206 investors in projects posted on the crowdlending platform Colectual. FsQCA enables the identification of causal configurations that lead to a low percentage of equity invested in crowdlending. The extrinsic motivation conditions are economic return and perceived risk. For intrinsic motivation, the conditions are the corporate social responsibility (CSR) characteristics of the project and CSR reporting by the platform. The age of the investor is also considered to study whether behaviour differs across age groups.

Findings

When investors attach high importance to economic returns (extrinsic motivation), the percentage of wealth allocated to their investment is low. In relation to intrinsic motivation, investors who attach little importance to CSR invest a low percentage of their wealth. The same is true of those who feel that Colectual's risk management is weak and those aged approximately 26 years old.

Practical implications

Understanding the motivations of investors can give platforms insight into the expectations of one of its main stakeholders: the backers themselves. The study also sheds light on business models where CSR is the core element. This paper thus describes a new paradigm to which other platforms can relate. It can prove useful as an incentive to integrate stakeholder concerns in other business models to create not only economic but also social value.

Originality/value

Investors' motivation is shown to be both intrinsic and extrinsic. Until now, there has been little evidence of the motivation of crowdlending investors. Methodologically, this study is also valuable. The use of fsQCA reveals the combinations of conditions that lead to the outcome (i.e. the reasons for low investment in crowdlending). Moreover, the analysis provides insight into the situation in Spain and the reasons why crowdfunding is less developed in Spain than in other European countries.
Assessing teacher innovations: expert versus peer ratings
Authors: Chand Vijaya Sherry , Kuril Samvet , Deshmukh Ketan Satish , Avadhanam Rukmini Manasa
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The growing recognition of the role of teacher innovative behavior in educational improvement has led to more systematic assessment of teacher-driven innovations, usually through expert panels. Innovative peer-teachers may be more closely aligned with the correlates of teacher innovative behavior than experts, and hence their participation in such panels might make the process more robust. Hence, the authors ask, “Do expert and peer assessments relate to individual-related correlates of innovative teacher behavior differently?”

Design/methodology/approach

Innovations of 347 teachers in India were assessed by an expert panel and a peer-teacher panel using the consensual technique of rating innovations. Structural equation modeling was used to study the relationships of the ratings with the innovative teachers' self-reported creative self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, learning orientation and proactive personality.

Findings

Expert ratings were significantly related to creative self-efficacy beliefs (β = 0.53,p < 0.05), whereas peer ratings were not. Peer ratings were significantly related to learning orientation (β = 0.19,p < 0.05), whereas expert ratings were not. Also, expert ratings were found to be indirectly associated with teachers' proactive personality and intrinsic motivation via creative self-efficacy beliefs; peer ratings were not associated with proactive personality.

Originality/value

The paper, through a robust methodology that relates expert and peer assessments with individual-related correlates of innovative behavior, makes a case for educational innovation managers to consider mixed panels of experts and innovative teacher-peers to make the assessment process more robust.
A new front line? Workforce development issues from an evolving fire service
Authors: Simcock Tom
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Over the past twenty years, the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) workforce in England has experienced significant developments as part of New Labour's modernisation agenda with the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 and the increasing focus on prevention and community safety. Subsequent organisational changes and the introduction of new community safety services dynamically altered the role of fire fighters and introduced new roles into these organisations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues relating to an evolving fire service workforce and the tensions present in the development of new professional roles.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory qualitative critical realist case study approach was undertaken, employing semi-structured interviews and focus groups of employees across one FRS in England.

Findings

The findings of the present study identify several emerging issues from a changing fire service: in particular, the frictions between different aspects of the organisation and the tensions in the development of career “ladders” for non-operational roles.

Originality/value

To the author's knowledge, this is the first paper that examines the issues surrounding the development and evolution of professional roles in community safety aspects within the FRS in England.
Corporate social responsibility and corporate payout policy: the impact of product market competition
Authors: Sheikh Shahbaz
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate if and how firm performance in corporate social responsibility (CSR) is related to corporate payouts and how competition in product markets influences this relation.

Design/methodology/approach

Logit and Tobit regressions are used to estimate the relation between firm performance in CSR and corporate payouts.

Findings

The empirical results show that firm performance in CSR is positively related to the propensity and level of dividends, repurchases and total payouts (dividends plus repurchases). However, the positive relation between CSR performance and corporate payouts is significant only for firms that operate in low competition markets. In high competition markets, CSR performance does not seem to have any significant relation with corporate payouts.

Research limitations/implications

This study uses MSCI social ratings data to measure net scores on CSR. There is no systematic conceptual reason for measuring social performance using MSCI social ratings. Future research should use other measures of social performance (e.g. Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Accountability Ratings and Global Reporting Initiative to estimate the relation between CSR and corporate payouts).

Practical implications

CSR firms are more likely to choose higher payouts when they operate in low competition markets.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the stream of research that evaluates the payout choices of CSR firms and competition in product markets. To the author's knowledge, this is the first study that documents the impact of market competition on the relation between firm performance in CSR and corporate payouts.
Perceived work–life balance and organizational talent management: mediating role of employer branding
Authors: Maurya Kamlesh Kumar , Agarwal Manisha , Srivastava Dhirendra Kumar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of perceived work–life balance on the perceived level of employer branding attraction valueand organizational talent management. Accordingly, the structural model is developed that delineates the interactions among these and explores the mediating effect of employer branding attraction value between the relationship of work–life balance and organizational talent management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on survey results and review of literature in terms of their implications for the proposed framework. Data have been collected by convenience incidental sampling from middle-level executives working in different information and technology (IT) companies. The model and posited hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling analysis.

Findings

Perceived work–life balance was found to be positive and significantly predicted the employer branding attraction value and organizational talent management. The study also showed that there exists a significant and positive correlation between employer branding attraction value and perceived organizational talent management. Further, employer branding attraction value found to be a mediating construct between the relationship of work–life balance and organizational talent management.

Research limitations/implications

The present study will add insight into the human resource practitioners to design cost-effective and prolonged popular practices in order to meet the employees work and personal expectations under the organizational association. The research investigated issue within focused IT sector employees to understand and solve the issues generated with changing factors in an organizational environment such as increasing women participation, duel earning couple, and maintaining the difference between various categories of employees at the practice level.

Social implications

The study has value at both the scholarly and practice level. At a scholarly level, the research investigated an important contemporary issue at both level individual as well as organizational level. In practice if organization implements people friendly work-life balance policies, then this will be surely be helpful in organizational productivity in form of talent management and employer branding and further this will improve the personal and professional performance of most elementary component of developing society.

Originality/value

Work–life balance much more depends upon employees' perception, but so far the study has neglected the impact of this perception on other organizational attributes maintained under human resource management. Changes in demographic characteristics and interchangeable role of the youth population in organizations and society as well thrive for the newer approach to deal with the personal and professional aspects of the employees.
A blockchain-driven cyber-credit evaluation approach for establishing reliable cooperation among unauthentic MSMEs in social manufacturing
Authors: Liu Jiajun , Jiang Pingyu
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Social manufacturing has emerged. It aims to integrate the manufacturing resources of micro- and small-scale manufacturing enterprises (MSMEs) and help MSMEs cope with the dynamic, service-oriented and personalized market demands. In social manufacturing, MSMEs cooperate with each other through manufacturing resource sharing. However, because MSMEs are distributed and decentralized, the efficiency of establishing reliable cooperation between MSMEs is relatively low. Therefore, this paper presents a blockchain-driven cyber-credit evaluation system (BCCES) to implement distributed cyber-credit evaluation. BCCES can provide reliable cyber-credit for distributed MSMEs without the trusted third party. This can improve the efficiency of establishing reliable cooperation among unauthentic MSMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a BCCES to evaluate MSMEs' cyber-credit in decentralized environment. In BCCES, a cyber-credit evaluation model is proposed by improving set pair analysis (SPA) method, and cyber-credit smart contract and distributed consensus mechanism are designed according to the runtime logic of distributed cyber-credit evaluation.

Findings

The results confirmed that BCCES is feasible and effective to implement cyber-credit evaluation without the trusted third party. With the advantages of blockchain, BCCES can automatically realize cyber-credit evaluation through smart contract and distributed consensus. At the same time, BCCES can evaluate the real-time cyber-credit of MSMEs based on their latest service evaluation. In addition, we can design corresponding smart contracts according to actual requirements, which makes blockchain applicable to different distributed scenarios.

Originality/value

The paper combines blockchain and SPA to implement cyber-credit evaluation in social manufacturing and provides a new feasible idea for cyber-credit evaluation without the trusted third party. This can also provide MSMEs a reference of applying blockchain to other distributed scenarios through combining smart contract and different algorithms.