bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empirical research on the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations: a practical plan for rural tourism industry post-COVID-19
Authors: Chin Chee Hua
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Following COVID-19, the emphasis on tourism development has shifted to rural tourism and eco-destinations for preventive practice of the three Cs – confined spaces, close contact and crowded spaces. Given the potential growth of rural tourism destinations, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is conceivably the first to provide empirical evidence for rural tourism development post-COVID-19, and this study aims to examine the relationship between the potential development of rural tourism destination competitiveness alongside the inherited, created and supporting resources as perceived by domestic tourists.

Design/methodology/approach

This study sampled 172 respondents who were all domestic tourists in Malaysia. A partial least square (PLS)-structural equation modeling approach was used to evaluate the developed model, with PLS estimation and hypothesis testing performed using WarpPLS software.

Findings

Interestingly, the findings indicate that rural tourism destinations in Sarawak derive competitive advantage from factors that are closely associated with urban destinations (i.e. created and supporting resources), whereas rural-related factors (i.e. inherited resources) are not perceived as a contributor to their competitive advantage.

Practical implications

The findings will assist tourism planners in constructing a deployable rural tourism destination competency index to develop policies and programmes that address specific tourism or rural development objectives in Malaysia and beyond.

Originality/value

The value of present study lies in its examination of the tourists’ perspectives on the factors that provides addition to rural competitive advantage, with an emphasis on a relatively new and contentious post-COVID-19 topic, namely, rural tourism destinations.
Analysis of methods and approaches of the electromagnetic calculation of induction machines regarding their use to solve multiphysical problems
Authors: Nell Martin Marco , Franck Marius , Hameyer Kay
Published: January 2022

Purpose

For the electromagnetic simulation of electrical machines, models with different ranges of values, levels of detail and accuracies are used. In this paper, numerical and two analytical models of an induction machine (IM) are analysed with respect to these aspects. The purpose of the paper is to use these analyses to discuss the suitability of the models for the simulation of various physical quantities of an IM.

Design/methodology/approach

An exemplary IM is simulated using the two-dimensional numerical finite element method, an analytical harmonic wave model (HWM) and an extended HWM. The simulation results are analyzed among themselves in terms of their level of detail and accuracy. Furthermore, the results of operating map simulations are compared with measured operating maps of the exemplary machine, and the accuracy of the simulation approaches is discussed in the context of measurement deviations and uncertainties.

Findings

The difference in the accuracy of the machine models depends on the physical quantity of interest. Therefore, the choice of the simulation method depends on the nature of the problem and the expected range of results. For modeling global machine quantities, such as mean torque or losses, analytical methods such as the HWM s are sufficient in many applications because the simulation results are within the range of measurement accuracy of current measurement systems. Analytical methods are also suitable for local flux density curves under certain conditions. However, for the simulation of the influence of local physical effects on the machine behavior and of temporally highly resolved quantities in saturated operating points, the accuracy of the analytical models decreases and the use of the finite element method becomes necessary.

Originality/value

In this paper, an extension of the HWM is used to calculate the IM, which, in contrast to the HWM, models the saturation. Furthermore, the simulation results of the different electromagnetic IM models are put into the context of the uncertainty of a measurement of several identical IMs.
Mathematical modeling of the electric field in the planar and coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor in water treatment application
Authors: Amirbande Masoume , Vahedi Abolfazl
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To design a pulse power water treatment system, it is necessary to design a reactor optimally. One of the most essential types of reactors used in water treatment is the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The purpose of this paper is to model the electric field in the two types of planar and coaxial reactors to have an accurate analytical formula for using in the optimal design according to the required electric field of the treatment.

Design/methodology/approach

The method proposed in this paper focuses on the voltage of different areas in the reactor and different boundary conditions to obtain the surface charge density. In this regard, parameters of the dielectric and treated material, as well as the reactor dimension, have been affected in the equations. To confirm the analytical results, the finite element method simulation has been performed, and it shows the accuracy of this method.

Findings

The exact analytical equation of the electric field is found within the discharge zone of the planar and coaxial DBD reactors. These equations can predict the values of different parameters of the reactor required to purify the material before each design and it does not even require simulation.

Originality/value

The electric field formula presented in this paper can allow the manufacturers of pulse power water treatment systems to optimize their design easily, cost-effectively and in less time. Also, the formulas provided are completely general and remain effective for all materials.
Employer approaches to recognizing and managing intermittent work capacity
Authors: Lysaght Rosemary , Krupa Terry , Gregory Allan W.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study explored how intermittent work capacity (IWC) presents in workplaces in order to advance conceptual understanding of this phenomenon and establish a set of initial principles to assist in its management.

Design/methodology/approach

The study followed a grounded theory approach in a multi-stage data collection process. In total, 25 employers representing diverse employment sectors were recruited with a goal of exploring their experiences with IWC. The first phase of the study comprised individual interviews with all employers. A subset of these employers later participated in two focus groups organized by company size. Finally, in-depth case studies were conducted with two information rich organizations to understand their approaches to managing IWC. Analysis methods consistent with grounded theory were used.

Findings

Although employers have a variety of positive motivations for supporting employees with IWC, they are challenged by the uncertainty arising from the unpredictable work patterns associated with IWC. Five distinct expressions of uncertainty were identified. Negotiation of this uncertainty involves attention to a range of factors, including intrapersonal factors, workplace relations and morale, specific job demands, communication processes, and structural and organizational factors.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study advance understanding of the expression of IWC, and factors that influence its impact. This paper presents a series of workplace strategies that both enable the well-being and capabilities of employees who experience IWC, and ensure productive and diverse workplaces.

Originality/value

The findings of this study advance understanding of the expression of IWC, and factors that influence its impact. This paper presents a series of workplace strategies that both enable the well-being and capabilities of employees who experience IWC, and ensure productive and diverse workplaces.
A conceptual model of students' reflective practice for the development of employability competences, supported by an online learning platform
Authors: Heymann Perry , Bastiaens Ellen , Jansen Anne , van Rosmalen Peter , Beausaert Simon
Published: January 2022

Purpose

In a fast evolving labour market, higher education graduates need to develop employability competences. Key in becoming employable is the ability to reflect on learning experiences, both within a curriculum as well as extra-curricular and work placements. This paper wants to conceptualise how an online learning platform might entail a reflective practice that systematically supports students in reflecting on their learning experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

When studying online learning platforms for developing students' employability competences, it became clear that the effectiveness of the platform depends on how the platform guides students' reflective practice. In turn, the authors studied which features (tools, services and resources) of the online learning platform are guiding the reflective practice.

Findings

This resulted in the introduction of an online learning platform, containing a comprehensive set of online learning tools and services, which supports students' reflective practice and, in turn, their employability competences. The online platform facilitates both feedback from curricular and work-related learning experiences and can be used as a start by students for showcasing their employability competences. The reflective practice consists of a recurrent, systematic process of reflection, containing various phases: become aware, analyse current state, draft and plan a solution, take action and, finally, reflect in and on action.

Research limitations/implications

Future research revolves around studying the features of online learning platforms and their role in fostering students' reflection and employability competences.

Practical implications

The conceptual model provides concrete indicators on how to implement online learning platforms for supporting students' reflection and employability competences.

Originality/value

This is the first article that analyses an online learning platform that guides students' reflective practice and fosters their employability competences. The authors provide concrete suggestions on how to model the online platform, building further on reflective practice theory.
An integrated approach for the evaluation of corporate foresight: the example of a Russian corporation
Authors: Sokolova Anna , Vishnevskiy Konstantin
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated approach to evaluating corporate foresight (CF) studies at all stages of its implementation and to test this approach using the example of a Russian state-owned corporation.

Design/methodology/approach

The use of foresight by companies as a part of their strategic activities is growing but still rather limited. To increase the effectiveness of foresight at the corporate level and ensure its justification, special approaches and criteria for its evaluation should be developed. To develop the approach to evaluation of CF which would be useful at all stages of foresight realization, at first, the authors focused the authors’ attention on identification of main challenges, problem and barriers, which arise during foresight process on the one hand, and exploring success factors and lessons learnt from different case studies on the other hand. On the basis of this literature analysis, the authors have formed a long list of evaluation criteria, which reflect accumulated experience in the field and all-important aspects to make foresight project successful and effective. On the next step, the authors related these criteria with stages of foresight realization and evaluation category. For pilot testing of this methodology, the authors used a case of Russian state-owned corporation.

Findings

This paper has presented an integrated approach to the evaluation of CF projects. The logic of the evaluation process of CF at all stages of its implementation is proposed; key evaluation topics (concept, objectives, project team, design of the project, project methodology, stakeholders, implementation, resources, results and its dissemination, effects and impact and barriers) are identified, and the corresponding sets of criteria are formed.

Originality/value

The originality of the work lies in using a wide experience of national foresight studies evaluation for corporations. The suggested approach could be used as a framework for CF evaluation. It was tested on the Russian state-owned company RussX.
Redefining luxury service with technology implementation: the impact of technology on guest satisfaction and loyalty in a luxury hotel
Authors: Shin Hyejo Hailey , Jeong Miyoung
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To explore the impact of luxury hotel brands’ technologies on guests’ perceived value enhancement and its consequences, this study aims to examine how task–technology fit (TTF) and luxury–technology fit (LTF) affect luxury hotel guests’ perceived value enhancement, satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

A scenario-based online survey was conducted with existing and potential luxury hotel guests. The relationships among TTF, LTF, value enhancement, satisfaction and loyalty were examined using partial least square structural equation modeling. Moreover, the respondents were asked their preferred service agent (human staff vs technology) in a luxury hotel to further understand luxury hotel guests’ perception toward technological services in a luxury hotel setting.

Findings

The results reveal that both TTF and LTF have significant impacts on the luxury hotel’s value enhancement, and the impacts of TTF and LTF on value enhancement are moderated by the guests’ technology optimism. The findings of this study suggest that the luxury hotel brands must consider the fit between the image of their brand and the technology to increase guests’ perceived value enhancement, satisfaction and loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

Applying categorization theory, this study extended the concept of brand extension to technology implementation. The findings advance the current understanding of how technology affects luxury hotel consumers’ perceived value enhancement, and how consumers’ optimism influences the impacts of TTF and LTF on value enhancement.

Practical implications

By examining the effects of TTF and LTF on luxury hotel guests’ perceived value enhancement, this study would shed light on luxury hotel brands’ technology implementation strategies. By understanding how TTF and LTF affect consumers’ perceived value enhancement, luxury hotel brands will be able to better design their technology implementation plans.

Originality/value

Even though luxury hotel brands are well known for offering high-level and personalized services through interpersonal interactions between employees and consumers, they have been actively implementing a variety of technologies to enhance guest experience and satisfaction. This study investigates the role of technological innovations in a luxury hotel setting. Particularly, this study examines how technologies improve guests’ perceived value of a luxury hotel and lead to satisfaction and loyalty.
Risk perception and cost of capital in emerging market projects using dynamic conditional correlation model
Authors: Afzal Farman , Shehzad Ayesha , Rehman Hafiz Muhammad , Afzal Fahim , Mukit Mohammad Mushfiqul Haque Mushfiqul Haque
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Cost estimation is a major concern while planning projects on public–private partnership (PPP) terms in developing countries. To bridge the gap of the right approximation of cost of capital, this study aims to sermon a significant role of investor’s risk perception as unsystematic risk in PPP-based energy projects.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the effective mechanism of determining cost of capital and valuing the capital budgeting, a pure-play method has been acquired to measure systematic risk. In addition, dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) models have been applied to calculate weighted average cost of capital.

Findings

Initially, a joint cost of capital of energy-related projects has been calculated using DCC-GARCH and pure-play method. Investors risk perception has been discussed through market point of view using country risk premium modeling. Latter yearly betas have been calculated using DCC signifying the final outcomes that applying a dynamic model can provide a better cost estimation in emerging economies.

Practical implications

The findings are implicating that due to the involvement of international investors, domestic risk is linked with country risk. In such situations, market-related information is a key factor to find out the market performance, helping in the estimation of cost of capital through capital asset pricing model (CAPM). High dynamic nature of emerging economies causes an impediment in the estimation of cost of capital. Consequently, to calculate risk in dynamic markets, this study has acquired DCC model that can predict the value of beta factor.

Originality/value

Study contributes to the body of knowledge by addressing an important issue of investor’s risk perception and effective implication of CAPM using pure-play and DCC-GARCH when data is not promptly available in dynamic situations.
Exploring the switching intention of patients to e-health consultations platforms: blending inertia with push–pull–mooring framework
Authors: Dogra Nikita , Bakshi Shuchita , Gupta Anil
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Technology has revolutionized the delivery of health-care services, with e-consultations becoming popular mode of service delivery, especially during the pandemic. Extant research has examined the adoption of e-health consultation services, with little attention paid to examine the switching behavior. This study aims to identify factors affecting patients’ intentions to switch from conventional mode i.e. visiting hospitals/clinics to e-health consultations.

Design/methodology/approach

To understand this we use the push–pull–mooring (PPM) framework and integrate variables from status quo bias framework to the model. A cross-section research design was used, which rendered 413 valid responses which were obtained from the patients visiting a traditional hospital setup. The data was analyzed using partial least square – structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.0.

Findings

Findings suggest that push effects (inconvenience and perceived risk), pull effects (opportunity for alternatives and ubiquitous care), mooring effects (trust) and inertia significantly influence patients’ switching intentions from visiting hospitals/clinics to e-health consultations. Further, habit and switching cost positively influence inertia.

Practical implications

This study shall enable online health-care service providers and practitioners to understand patients’ intentions to switch to online health platforms and accordingly develop related marketing strategies, services and policies to encourage them to switch to the new offerings.

Originality/value

The current study enriches the previous research on e-health services by applying and extending PPM framework as the base model and showing its efficiency in predicting individuals switching intentions in the context of emerging economies. This study bridges the gap by focusing on switching behavior in context of health services.
“Sometimes I feel at home” adolescents’ narratives of everyday life in residential care
Authors: Sommerfeldt Marianne Buen
Published: January 2022

Purpose

A residential care is home for children who live there and is simultaneously a workplace for employees aiming to safeguard the needs and development of children. Studies have shown that adolescents’ descriptions of life in residential care are connected to feelings of otherness and deviance. The purpose of this study is to explore how adolescents in residential care in Norway relate residential care as a home to their experiences of everyday life in this context and to their relationships with the employees.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on individual, qualitative interviews with 19 boys and girls (aged 15–18 years) living in residential care homes in Norway. The interviews explored their narratives of everyday life in residential care. The adolescents were encouraged to tell about yesterday and were asked follow-up questions regarding everything that had occurred during encounters with employees. The Norwegian Center for Research Data approved the study.

Findings

The analysis shows tensions in the adolescents’ accounts between the institution as an abnormal context and their own subject position as normal. By drawing upon the terms “stigma” and “recognition” in the analysis, the study shows how recognising relationships between the youth and staff decreases the potential to experience stigma.

Originality/value

This study contributes to existing knowledge on social work in residential care. The paper shows how the institutional framework and employees’ practices impact adolescents’ self-understanding and their experiences of residential care as a home.
Displaced, excluded, and making do: a study of refugee entrepreneurship in Kenya
Authors: Luseno Tracy , Kolade Oluwaseun
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to use the special context of the Kenyan encampment policy to interrogate the role of social capital as a driver of resourcing for entrepreneurial action in the resource-constrained environment of refugee entrepreneurship in Kenya.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes conceptual and case study approaches to investigate how refugees deploy social capital to aggregate and recombine resources for entrepreneurial action and livelihood outcomes. It draws on 21 selected secondary sources and semi-structured interviews of 24 respondents from Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement, as well as Nairobi city in Kenya.

Findings

This study proposes a new conceptual framework that illuminates the interaction between social capital, resource aggregation and resource recombination for entrepreneurial action and livelihood recovery. This framework was elucidated within the specific Kenyan context, where social capital was found to play a key role in enabling access to other resources such as financial and human capital to refugee entrepreneurs that would otherwise be inaccessible within the resource-constrained context. It also underlines the capacity of refugees to mobilise these resources in the creation of new ecosystems and institutions.

Research limitations/implications

While the conceptual contribution of the paper holds broad explanatory powers, the empirical aspect is limited in terms of its focus on the Kenyan contexts. Future studies can benefit from cross-country comparisons of empirical, including longitudinal, data.

Social implications

This paper argues for a new approach that can enable better integration of refugees through the provision of opportunities for full economic participation for refugees. This will be a win-win outcome for both refugees and host communities.

Originality/value

This paper makes original contribution by proposing a new conceptual framework that explains the bricoleur’s resource process through the lense of social capital in a resource-constrained and challenging institutional environment. This framework is elucidated with empirical qualitative data from Kenya. This study also signposts new operational and policy directions for humanitarian action among refugees.
A systematic review of AR/VR in operations and supply chain management: maturity, current trends and future directions
Authors: Akbari Mohammadreza , Ha Nghiep , Kok Seng
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This research aims to provide systematic insight into the current maturity of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in operations and supply chain management (OSCM), by analyzing the existing literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses information from existing literature regarding timeline trends, publishers, research design and method, industry engagement, geographic location, active authors and affiliated universities, concentrated topics, theories and maturity in its review. A collection of publishing databases from 1997 to 2021 were explored using the keywords “Augmented Reality,” “Virtual Reality” and “Operations” and/or “Supply Chain” in their title and abstract to examine which publications to be included. Based on the search, a total of 164 journal articles were selected, and information on a chain of variables was collected.

Findings

There has been a significant publication growth over the past 25 years regarding the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM. Key findings indicate that 52% of the publications were focused on manufacturing, with only 10% of the existing literature using background theories. AR/VR can be observed at the introduction and growth phase and have yet to reach their maturity. Furthermore, there is limited utilization of AR/VR as drivers in facilitating sustainable practices in OSCM by academics and practitioners, albeit a strong promise exists. Finally, the prospective applications of AR/VR toward post-COVID-19 supply chains recovery require special attention.

Research limitations/implications

This systematic review is limited to considering only academic articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the keyword parameters.

Originality/value

The study used a bibliometric review to identify the trends and maturity in the evolution of AR/VR in OSCM. This research provides a better understanding of current research practices and offers directions toward the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM.
Testing the impact of uncertainty reducing reviews in the prediction of cross domain social media pages ratings
Authors: Jagiripu Indira Priyadarsini , Mishra Pramod K. , Saini Anuj , Biswal Ankit
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To test if the factors “reviewer location” and “time frame” have any impact on the prediction results when predicting online product ratings from user reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

Reviews and ratings are scraped for the product “The Secret” book through Web pages of e-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart. Such data is used for training the model to predict ratings of similar products based on reviews data in various other social media platforms like Facebook, Quora and YouTube. After data preprocessing, sentiment analysis is used for opinion classification. A multi-class supervised support vector machine is used for feature classification and predictions. The four models produced in the study have a prediction accuracy of 79%. The data collection is done based on a specific geographical location and specific time frame. Post evaluating the predictions, inferential statistics are used to check for significance.

Findings

There will be an impact on the ratings predicted from the reviews that belong to a particular geographic location or time frame. The ratings predicted from such reviews help in taking accurate decisions as they are robust and informative.

Research limitations/implications

This study is confined to a single product and for cross domain social media pages, only Facebook, YouTube and Quora data are considered.

Practical implications

Provides credible ratings of a product/service on all cross domain social media pages making the initial screening process of purchase decisions better.

Originality/value

Many studies explored the usefulness of reviews for rating prediction based on review nature. This study aims to identify the usefulness of reviews based on factors that would reduce uncertainty in the purchase process.
Staging to join non‐kin groups in a classical cooperative breeder, the Florida scrub‐jay
Authors: Suh Young Ha , Bowman Reed , Fitzpatrick John W.
Published: January 2022

Why unrelated members form groups in animal societies remains a pertinent topic in evolutionary biology because benefits for group members often are not obvious. We studied subordinates that disperse to join unrelated social groups in the Florida scrub‐jay Aphelocoma coerulescens, a cooperative breeding species mainly composed of kin‐based groups.

We evaluated potential adaptive benefits of dispersing to become an unrelated helper (staging) versus remaining home and dispersing only to pair and breed (direct dispersal) to understand why non‐kin‐based groups form.

Using 35 years of demographic data, we quantified life‐history aspects of staging individuals and tested associations between social and ecological factors on the natal and staging territories. We compared fitness outcomes between dispersal strategies by analysing survival, breeding recruitment and direct reproductive output. We tested for sexual asymmetry potentially driven by differences in territory acquisition patterns and female‐biased dispersal for this species.

Of birds that reached 1 year, 28% staged at a non‐natal territory before breeding or disappearing. Staging dispersers departed at younger ages and moved greater distances than direct dispersers. When looking at proximate factors on the natal territory associated with staging, males left groups with many same‐sex helpers, while females often left when their father disappeared. For both sexes, staging individuals more likely came from high‐quality territories and joined groups with fewer same‐sex helpers than in their natal group. While staging and direct dispersers did not differ in survival or likelihood of becoming a breeder, staging males became breeders later and had lower lifetime reproductive success than direct dispersers.

In Florida scrub‐jays, staging appears to be an alternative strategy for female helpers, but a best‐of‐a‐bad‐situation for males. This sexual asymmetry is consistent with males having more options than females to achieve higher reproductive success by breeding near home. Trade‐offs in cost–benefits of departing the natal territory and joining unrelated groups as a helper seem to best explain alternative dispersal patterns, with optimal social queues primarily driving the benefits. This research highlights plasticity in dispersal behaviour in response to social and environmental conditions and offers a new perspective in our understanding of non‐kin‐based social groups.
circFIG 4 drives the carcinogenesis and metastasis of esophagus cancer via the miR‐493‐5p/E2F3 axis
Authors: Huang Zhen , Wang Chunyue , Zhao Xin
Published: January 2022

Background

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly malignant tumor of the digestive tract. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been verified to play a regulatory role in the occurrence and progression of different cancers, including EC. This research aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of circFIG 4 in EC progression.

Methods

The analyses of circFIG 4, miR‐493‐5p, and neuro‐oncological ventral antigen 2 levels were administrated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The characteristics of circFIG 4 were determined by Ribonuclease R assay and Actinomycin D assay. Cell proliferation was assessed via colony formation assay and 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine incorporation assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry. Western blot was performed to assess protein expression. The targeted interaction among circFIG 4, miR‐493‐5p, and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) were validated using dual‐luciferase reporter or RNA immunoprecipitation assays.

Results

circFIG 4 was overtly upregulated in EC and was relatively stable in EC cells. circFIG 4 knockdown impeded proliferation, migration, and invasion and expedited apoptosis in EC cells. circFIG 4 served as a miR‐493‐5p sponge to act in the development of EC. Furthermore, circFIG 4 modulated EC progression via targeting miR‐493‐5p and miR‐493‐5p suppressed EC progression via targeting E2F3. circFIG 4 modulated E2F3 expression through acting as a sponge of miR‐493‐5p. Moreover, circFIG 4 knockdown inhibited EC tumorigenesis by targeting miR‐493‐5p/E2F3 axis tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

circFIG 4 silence mitigated EC malignant progression at least partly by mediating the miR‐493‐5p/E2F3 pathway, highlighting new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for EC treatment.
Moderators of subjective response to alcohol in the human laboratory
Authors: Nieto Steven J. , Grodin Erica N. , Ho Diana , Baskerville Wave‐Ananda , Ray Lara A.
Published: January 2022

Background

Subjective response (SR) to alcohol represents a biobehavioral risk factor for heavy drinking and for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). Identifying moderators of SR have been hindered by small sample sizes that are often used in alcohol administration studies.

Methods

This study combined data from multiple alcohol administration trials to test whether sex, family history of alcohol problems, and impulsivity (via delay discounting) predict SR to alcohol, comprised of four domains: stimulation, sedation, negative affect, and craving. Non‐treatment‐seeking heavy drinkers (N = 250) completed a battery of self‐report scales and behavioral measures of alcohol use and problems, mood, and impulsivity. All participants completed an intravenous alcohol administration session wherein SR domains were measured at baseline, 20, 40, and 60 mg%.

Results

Analyses using multilevel modeling showed that male sex independently predicted higher alcohol‐induced stimulation and alcohol craving, after controlling for other moderators. A family history of alcohol problems also independently predicted alcohol craving after controlling for other moderators.

Conclusions

Using a large sample and advanced data analytic methods, this study extends the literature on alcohol administration by identifying important moderators of SR in heavy drinkers: namely, male sex and family history of alcohol problems. These findings consolidate and extend a growing body of research aimed at differentiating individuals most likely to report the SR features that confer risk for AUD.
Micromorphological study of the upper digestive tract of the Argentine tegu (Salvator merianae)
Authors: Betancourt SebastianVasquez , Irizarry Kristopher J.L. , Falk Bryan Glenn , Rutllant Josep , Khamas Wael
Published: January 2022

Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) are omnivorous lizards native to southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, eastern Paraguay and northern Argentina, and are invasive species in Florida and Georgia, USA. They are opportunistic feeders, which is what allow them to have such a diverse variety of foods. Tegus raised a particular concern due to their adaptive capability to different environments. Our goal was to provide a micromorphology baseline of oesophagus and stomach and correlate findings with their dietary and invasive capabilities. Four Argentine black and white tegus were used for this study. We collected and processed specimens from oesophagus and stomach using standard histological techniques and stained tissue sections using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS), Alcian Blue (AB) and Verhoef's elastic stains. The oesophagus was lined with ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium (PSCE) with goblet cells. Gut‐associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) were present occasionally in the oesophagus and more frequently in the stomach. Tunica muscularis (Tm) of the oesophageal‐gastric junction had distinct smooth muscle which could function as a sphincter. The mucosa of the stomach was lined with simple columnar epithelium (SC). The glands had neck and dark oxyntico‐peptic cells. The pyloric sphincter had more GALT and mucus cells than other regions. The Tm outer layer is thinner than the inner. Presence of large number of goblet cells would support faster transit of the bolus. The short digestive tract and the histological features observed are consistent with the ability of tegus consumption of large amount of food.
The Saudi Arabia–China relationship at a crossroad: A neoclassical realist analysis
Authors: Duan Xiaolin , Aldamer Shafi
Published: January 2022

The Saudi Arabia–China relationship is at a crossroad. Riyadh has been continuously building a strategic economic partnership with Beijing and enhancing its security alliance with Washington. However, the two great powers are increasingly involved in tense power competition. This article applies neoclassical realism in trying to understand how systemic changes and several unit‐level factors and their synergies and tensions characterize the Saudi–China relationship. It argues, in neoclassical realist terms, that the systemic factors shape the broad contours and general directions of states' foreign policies, but their real‐world effects are mediated by unit‐level factors. In this context, rapid foreign policy shifts on the Riyadh side, either those of balancing or bandwagoning, seem unlikely, despite rising systemic pressure; whereas economic pragmatism and hedging will continue to characterize the Saudi–China relations. A dualistic structure—namely, Saudi Arabia's security alliance and American and economic partnership with China—will endure.
The relationship between repetitive negative thinking, sleep disturbance, and subjective fatigue in women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Leung Phoebe , Li Sophie H. , Graham Bronwyn M.
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Fatigue is a prominent symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). However, the pathways contributing to elevated fatigue in GAD are poorly understood. Sleep disturbance, also prominent in GAD, only partially explains elevated fatigue in GAD. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a cognitive feature of both GAD and sleep disturbance, and RNT has recently also been associated with elevated fatigue. Therefore, this study assessed whether elevated fatigue in GAD is accounted for by a combination of sleep quality and RNT.

Design

Between‐group, correlational design in 64 primarily university‐educated women with and without a GAD diagnosis.

Methods

Women completed self‐report questionnaires assessing RNT experienced in the past few days, previous night’s sleep quality, and current physical and mental fatigue. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to assess whether the relationship between GAD status and fatigue is accounted for by RNT and sleep quality.

Results

Women with GAD reported lower sleep quality, and higher RNT and physical and mental fatigue, compared to women without GAD. Sleep quality partly accounted for group differences in both types of fatigue (β’s > −0.4), whereas RNT fully accounted for group differences in both types of fatigue (β’s > 0.29). The relationship between RNT and both types of fatigue was fully accounted for by sleep quality (β’s > −0.39).

Conclusions

These findings indicate that heightened RNT amongst women with GAD may be associated with elevated physical and mental fatigue via its detrimental effects on sleep quality. Interventions that reduce RNT may help to alleviate fatigue symptoms in women with GAD.

Practitioner points

Women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) have elevated fatigue and repetitive negative thinking (RNT), and poorer self‐reported sleep quality, relative to women without GAD.

Whereas sleep quality only partially accounts for elevated fatigue in GAD, RNT fully accounts for elevated fatigue, and the relationship between RNT and fatigue is fully accounted for by sleep quality.

These findings provide novel evidence that women with GAD may have elevated fatigue because of the detrimental effects of RNT on sleep.

These findings suggest that targeting RNT in treatment for GAD may help to reduce fatigue in GAD, by improving sleep quality.
WeChat‐based remote follow‐up management alleviates the home care burden and anxiety of parents of premature infants: Randomized controlled study
Authors: Yan Zheng , Liu Fan , Lin Xiao‐Ping , Chen Jun , Huang Qing‐Lan , Chen Shu‐Li , Chen Xiao‐Ting
Published: January 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of WeChat‐based remote follow‐up management on reducing the home care burden and anxiety of parents of premature infants.

Methods

A randomized controlled study was conducted in our hospital, with 150 premature infants enrolled in this study, each with 75 cases in the intervention group and the control group. WeChat‐based remote follow‐up management was performed in the intervention group after discharge, while traditional outpatient follow‐up management was performed in the control group. Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale as the primary outcome was used to compare the parental care burden between the two groups.

Results

At the 1‐month follow‐up, the ZBI (37.1 ± 8.3 vs. 54.2 ± 10.5 [mean ± SD], mean difference: 17.1, the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference: [14.07, 20.13], P = 0.016), Family Caregiver Task Inventory (FCTI) scale (23.1 ± 5.2 vs. 33.4 ± 6.7 [mean ± SD], mean difference: 10.3, the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference: [8.38, 12.22], P = 0.023), Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (49.6 ± 8.5 vs. 60.2 ± 10.8 [mean ± SD], mean difference: 10.6, the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference: [7.49,13.71], P = 0.021) and Self‐Rating Depression Scale (SDS) (48.2 ± 9.5 vs. 58.8 ± 11.2 [mean ± SD], mean difference: 10.6, the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference: [7.28, 13.92], P = 0.019) scores of the intervention group were lower than those of the control group, and the lower scores indicate better outcomes.

Conclusion

WeChat‐based remote follow‐up management of premature infants after discharge can effectively improve parents' ability to care and their psychological state and reduce burden of care.
Love thy neighbour?—Spatial variation in density dependence of nest survival in relation to predator community
Authors: Frauendorf Magali , Allen Andrew M. , Jongejans Eelke , Ens Bruno J. , Teunissen Wolf , Kampichler Christian , van Turnhout Chris A. M. , Bailey Liam D. , de Kroon Hans , Cremer Jenny , Kleyheeg Erik , Nienhuis Jeroen , van de Pol Martijn
Published: January 2022

Aim

In many species, density‐dependent effects on reproduction are an important driver of population dynamics. However, it is rarely considered that the direction of density dependence is expected to vary over space and time depending on anti‐predator behaviour and predator community. Aggregation may allow for effective group mobbing against avian nest predators while aggregation may also attract mammalian predators, causing negative density dependence. We aim to quantify spatial variation in the effect of conspecific breeding density on nest survival in a mobbing bird species (Eurasian oystercatcher;Haematopus ostralegus) and identify whether this variation in density dependence can be explained by the predator community.

Location

Country‐wide (The Netherlands).

Methods

We integrated reproductive data with breeding territory maps of Eurasian oystercatchers and occupancy maps of avian and mammalian predator species across the Netherlands for a 10‐year period.

Results

Spatial variation in the composition of the predator community explained the effects of neighbour density, showing decreasing nest survival when both conspecific density and mammalian dominance increased. Also, heterospecific density (from breeding godwits and lapwing) has an additional effect on the oystercatcher nest survival. Strikingly, this pattern did not extend to mammal‐free island populations.

Main conclusions

Our study provides evidence that both the strength and sign of density dependence can vary spatially within species, implying that it is dangerous to generalize results from a single local population to large‐scale management implications and modelling exercises. The study also suggests that conservation actions that aim to attract breeding birds should be prioritized in areas with fewer mammalian predators, but this idea requires further testing on island populations.
Self‐prioritization is supported by interactions between large‐scale brain networks
Authors: Yankouskaya Alla , Sui Jie
Published: January 2022

Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided solid evidence that the default mode network (DMN) is implicated in self‐referential processing. The functional connectivity of the DMN has also been observed in tasks where self‐referential processing leads to self‐prioritization (SPE) in perception and decision‐making. However, we are less certain about whether (i) SPE solely depends on the interplay within parts of the DMN or is driven by multiple brain networks and (ii) whether SPE is associated with a unique component of interconnected networks or can be explained by related effects such as emotion prioritization. We addressed these questions by identifying and comparing topological clusters of networks involved in self‐and emotion prioritization effects generated in an associative‐matching task. Using network‐based statistics, we found that SPE controlled by emotion is supported by a unique component of interacting networks, including the medial prefrontal part of the DMN (MPFC), frontoparietal network (FPN) and insular salience network (SN). This component emerged as a result of a focal effect confined to few connections, indicating that interaction between DMN, FPC and SN is critical to cognitive operations for the SPE. This result was validated on a separate data set. In contrast, prioritization of happy emotion was associated with a component formed by interactions between the rostral prefrontal part of SN, posterior parietal part of FPN and the MPFC, whereas sad emotion reveals a cluster of the DMN, dorsal attention network (DAN) and visual medial network (VMN). We discussed theoretical and methodological aspects of these findings within the more general domain of social cognition.
The Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on American Board of Surgery's Oral Certifying Exams
Authors: Barry Carol L. , Jones Andrew T. , Ibáñez Beatriz , Grambau Marni , Buyske Jo
Published: January 2022

In response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the American Board of Surgery (ABS) shifted from in‐person to remote administrations of the oral certifying exam (CE). Although the overall exam architecture remains the same, there are a number of differences in administration and staffing costs, exam content, security concerns, and the tools used to give the exam. Overall, the remote oral CEs have been a success, being well‐received by candidates and examiners, having comparable psychometric performance to the in‐person exams, and allowing over 2,300 candidates to obtain board certification on time. Although the ABS will continue remote administrations in the near future, a permanent switch will require careful consideration of exam security, psychometrics, validity, examiner quality and engagement, and other issues related to comparability across administration modes.