bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimisation strategies for the registration of Computed Tomography images of electropalatography
Authors: Sierhej Agnieszka , Verhoeven Jo , Miller Naomi Rachel , Reyes-Aldasoro Constantino Carlos
Published: April 2020

Electropalatography is a technique that employs a custom-made artificial palate to measure the contact established between the tongue and the hard palate. This technique is widely used in treatment of articulation disorders and studies of speech. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the electropalate, the device needs to be separated from the volume that usually contains electropalate worn on hard palate. This is done with the use of segmentation techniques. Prior to the segmentation, the registration of the two volumes, one containing the electroplate worn on hard palate, and one containing only hard palate, needs to be done. The registration is a technique of aligning multiple images by geometrical transform. Over the years, many methods for registration have been developed. The following paper describes the method of registration based on sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis is a technique that evaluates the change in the number of pixels with different intensity with a shift of the volumes in different dimensions. Then based on the found optimal shift value, the shift in different dimension of the matrix is made. The technique successfully improves the alignments between two data sets, reducing the number of non-matching pixels. The sensitivity analysis-based registration should be useful in the future improvement of image processing tools that are crucial for the medical imaging.
Development of a genome-scale metabolic model ofClostridium thermocellumand its applications for integration of multi-omics datasets and strain design
Authors: Garcia Sergio , Thompson R. Adam , Giannone Richard J. , Dash Satyakam , Maranas Costas D. , Trinh Cong T.
Published: April 2020

Solving environmental and social challenges such as climate change requires a shift from our current non-renewable manufacturing model to a sustainable bioeconomy. To lower carbon emissions in the production of fuels and chemicals, plant biomass feedstocks can replace petroleum using microorganisms as catalysts. The anaerobic thermophileClostridium thermocellumis a promising bacterium for bioconversion due to its capability to efficiently degrade untreated lignocellulosic biomass. However, the complex metabolism ofC. thermocellumis not fully understood, hindering metabolic engineering to achieve high titers, rates, and yields of targeted molecules. In this study, we developed an updated genome-scale metabolic model ofC. thermocellumthat accounts for recent metabolic findings, has improved prediction accuracy, and is standard-conformant to ensure easy reproducibility. We illustrated two applications of the developed model. We first formulated a multi-omics integration protocol and used it to understand redox metabolism and potential bottlenecks in biofuel (e.g., ethanol) production inC. thermocellum. Second, we used the metabolic model to design modular cells for efficient production of alcohols and esters with broad applications as flavors, fragrances, solvents, and fuels. The proposed designs not only feature intuitive push-and-pull metabolic engineering strategies, but also novel manipulations around important central metabolic branch-points. We anticipate the developed genome-scale metabolic model will provide a useful tool for system analysis ofC. thermocellummetabolism to fundamentally understand its physiology and guide metabolic engineering strategies to rapidly generate modular production strains for effective biosynthesis of biofuels and biochemicals from lignocellulosic biomass.
Structure of the Mycobacterium smegmatis α-maltose-1-phosphate synthase GlgM
Authors: Syson Karl , Stevenson Clare E. M. , Lawson David M. , Bornemann Stephen
Published: April 2020

Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces glycogen (also known as α-glucan) to help evade human immunity. This pathogen uses the GlgE pathway to generate glycogen rather than the more well known glycogen synthase GlgA pathway, which is absent in this bacterium. Thus, the building block for this glucose polymer is α-maltose-1-phosphate rather than an NDP-glucose donor. One of the routes to α-maltose-1-phosphate is now known to involve the GlgA homologue GlgM, which uses ADP-glucose as a donor and α-glucose-1-phosphate as an acceptor. To help compare GlgA (a GT5 family member) with GlgM enzymes (GT4 family members), the X-ray crystal structure of GlgM from Mycobacterium smegmatis was solved to 1.9 Å resolution. While the enzymes shared a GT-B fold and several residues responsible for binding the donor substrate, they differed in some secondary-structural details, particularly in the N-terminal domain, which would be expected to be largely responsible for their different acceptor-substrate specificities.
Synthesis and crystal structure of a 6-chloronicotinate salt of a one-dimensional cationic nickel(II) coordination polymer with 4,4′-bipyridine
Authors: Politeo Nives , Pisačić Mateja , Đaković Marijana , Sokol Vesna , Kukovec Boris-Marko
Published: April 2020

A 6-chloronicotinate (6-Clnic) salt of a one-dimensional cationic nickel(II) coordination polymer with 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bpy), namely,catena-poly[[[tetraaquanickel(II)]-μ-4,4′-bipyridine-κ2N:N′] bis(6-chloronicotinate) tetrahydrate], {[Ni(C10H8N2)(H2O)4](C6H3ClNO2)2·4H2O}nor {[Ni(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)4](6-Clnic)2·4H2O}n, (1), was prepared by the reaction of nickel(II) sulfate heptahydrate, 6-chloronicotinic acid and 4,4′-bipyridine in a mixture of water and ethanol. The molecular structure of1comprises a one-dimensional polymeric {[Ni(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)4]2+}ncation, two 6-chloronicotinate anions and four water molecules of crystallization per repeating polymeric unit. The nickel(II) ion in the polymeric cation is octahedrally coordinated by four water molecule O atoms and by two 4,4′-bipyridine N atoms in thetransposition. The 4,4′-bipyridine ligands act as bridges and, thus, connect the symmetry-related nickel(II) ions into an infinite one-dimensional polymeric chain extending along theb-axis direction. In the extended structure of1, the polymeric chains of {[Ni(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)4]2+}n, the 6-chloronicotinate anions and the water molecules of crystallization are assembled into an infinite three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded networkviastrong O—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds, leading to the formation of the representative hydrogen-bonded ring motifs: tetramericR24(8) andR44(10) loops, a dimericR22(8) loop and a pentamericR45(16) loop.
Crystal structures of (η4-cycloocta-1,5-diene)bis(1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene)iridium(I) iodide and (η4-cycloocta-1,5-diene)bis(1,3-diethylimidazol-2-ylidene)iridium(I) iodide
Authors: Bernier Chad M. , DuChane Christine M. , Merola Joseph S.
Published: April 2020

The title complexes, (η4-cycloocta-1,5-diene)bis(1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene)iridium(I) iodide, [Ir(C5H8N2)2(C8H12)]I, (1) and (η4-cycloocta-1,5-diene)bis(1,3-diethylimidazol-2-ylidene)iridium(I) iodide, [Ir(C7H12N2)2(C8H12)]I, (2), were prepared using a modified literature method. After carrying out the oxidative addition of the amino acid L-proline to [Ir(COD)(IMe)2]I in water and slowly cooling the reaction to room temperature, a suitable crystal of 1 was obtained and analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 100 K. Although this crystal structure has previously been reported in the Pbam space group, it was highly disordered and precise atomic coordinates were not calculated. A single crystal of 2 was also obtained by heating the complex in water and letting it slowly cool to room temperature. Complex 1 was found to crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/m, while 2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pccn, both with Z = 4.
Is performance evaluation gendered for behavioural dimension?
Authors: Chattopadhyay Rachana
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Researches have already pointed out the linkage between pro-male bias and performance evaluation system. The main aim of this study is to understand how far different dimensions of performance measures are susceptible to gender stereotype.

Design/methodology/approach

Two separate experimental researches were designed to understand whether the performance assessment is purely based on objective criteria or it is governed by the gender stereotype. Two different performance dimensions of assessment were considered in this study as follows: interactional (behavioural) and procedural. 129 customer care managers from four metro cities of India voluntarily participated in this experimental research and played the role of performance evaluator. These managers were placed in different experimental conditions related to different combinations of gender and justice variations (interactional or procedural).

Findings

This study reveals that in violation of behaviour-based performance norm (interactional justice norm), female employees were rated less favourably than male employee both in terms of performance rating and reward recommendation by the managers, but it is not in case of procedural justice violation.

Originality/value

This article has experimentally proved how gender stereotype can distort the performance evaluation of behavioural dimension.
HR signals in the context of HRM-firm performance relationship: development of a conceptual framework
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Chiradip , Srivastava Kailash B. L.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reframe human resources' (HR) systems and practices as HR signals drawing from conceptualizations of signals. The construct of the strength of signal is developed to quantify the attributional ability of HR signals. To examine the role of HR signals in influencing employee behaviours and firm performance, human resource management (HRM)-firm performance relationship is considered as a framework to develop a firm-level conceptual model which integrates factors affecting HR signals and its consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the existing literature on the relationship between HRM and firm performance. In the process, the paper considers the concept of HR signal and makes a case for the strength of HR signal. Finally, the paper offers a conceptual model in order to link the antecedents and consequents of HR signals.

Findings

The paper offers a conceptual model to address the gaps in the relationship between HRM and firm performance. It also brings into focus an understanding of HRM as signals and its importance in understanding firm performance.

Originality/value

The paper enriches the existing literature by examining HRM as HR signals. It adds to the literature by considering the attributional ability of HR, through the construct of the strength of HR signals.
Effect of roundness error on the performance of novel gas foil conical bearings
Authors: Hu Hongyang , Feng Ming , Ren Tianming
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect law of roundness error on the properties of gas foil conical bearing (GFCB), and the performance of bearings with different non-circular sleeve shapes are calculated.

Design/methodology/approach

For the bump-type GFCB, the nonlinear bump foil stiffness model and 1-D beam top foil stiffness model are built. On this basis, the finite element method and finite difference method are used to solve the Reynolds equation and the film thickness equation coupled, and the static and dynamic properties of GFCB are calculated. The effect law of sleeve roundness error on the static performance under different conditions is obtained. Moreover, the dynamic stiffness and damping characteristics under different errors are also studied.

Findings

The roundness error will decrease the load capacity and friction torque of GFCB, and increase the attitude angle. The error effect is more dramatic when there is larger eccentric, small nominal clearance, larger error value and more error lobes, and the static performance exhibits a periodic change in the circumferential direction. The roundness error can also decrease the direct stiffness and cross-coupled damping of GFCB, while the cross-coupled stiffness increases largely, which will reduce the bearing stability.

Originality/value

The roundness error adversely affects the static and dynamic characteristics of GFCB, which should be concerned by bearing designers, researchers and academicians.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at:https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-01-2020-0019/
Study on friction characteristics of sliding interface of feed system
Authors: Li Pan-Pan , Gao Feng , Li Yan , Yang Bo
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The serious friction caused by the fluctuation of friction occurs when start-up and will reduce the positioning accuracy of the servo axes of high precision machine tools, the purpose of this paper is to study the friction fluctuation characteristics of friction coefficients between interfaces under different working conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

HT200 and 45# materials were experimentally studied by friction and wear testing machine UMT-3, the variation of friction coefficient under different working conditions (different start-up conditions, the variation of lubrication state area and different roughness) were measured.

Findings

The results show that the larger start-up acceleration shortens the pre-sliding time of the interface friction, makes the friction coefficient decrease faster, reduces the mixed lubrication area of the contact surface and makes the contact surface reach the stable lubrication state quickly. It can be concluded that the larger roughness surface will lead to the larger mixed lubrication area, the larger static friction coefficient and the larger drop between static and dynamic friction coefficient and easy to cause friction vibration.

Originality/value

The results reveal the friction fluctuation rule of the metal interface during the different start-up process, which is of guiding significance to reveal the lubrication principle and mechanism of the mechanical interface.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2019-0482/
Proactive risk mitigation strategies and supply chain risk management performance: an empirical analysis for manufacturing firms in Turkey
Authors: Can Saglam Yesim , Yildiz Çankaya Sibel , Sezen Bulent
Published: April 2020

Purpose

In spite of its potential benefits in a wide range of situations, supply chain risk mitigation strategies have received scant attention on the subject of managing the supply chain risk in the business environment. Especially, there is still a limited understanding of the importance of firms’ supply chain flexibility, resilience and responsiveness in the supply chain risk management (SCRM) literature. This research focuses on exploring the relationship between significant proactive risk mitigation strategies, namely supply chain (SC) flexibility, resilience and responsiveness, as well as SCRM performance to facilitate bridging the gap between mitigation strategies and SCRM performance. The moderating role of risk management (RM) culture was also hypothesized and tested.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey-based methodology is adopted. The data are analyzed using the technique of partial least squares.

Findings

The results indicate that SC resilience and responsiveness are positively associated with SCRM performance; however, SC flexibility does not. In addition, interestingly, RM culture does not moderate these relationships in spite of the extant literature. We argue that this could be due to the fact that risk management culture is at the beginning stage for an enterprise in Turkey.

Originality/value

This study extends the existing literature by advancing the knowledge on the relationship between proactive risk management strategies, which applied to overcome uncertainties and SCRM performance.
Rediscovering people, places and traditions: a story of stories
Authors: Palladino Monica
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Focussing on the links among people, places and traditions, this study aims to present the reflections derived from five in-depth personal interviews on traditions regarding wine, fish, cheese making and rural hospitality, collected in a journey across the province of Reggio Calabria in southern Italy. It provides an original view of the “stories” behind the places and the products, useful to inform local development strategies centred on traditional food products.

Design/methodology/approach

The article presents a novel approach in conducting research that involves collecting information via empathetic interviews and presenting the findings in a reflexive, narrative storytelling style.

Findings

Empathetic personal interviewing is key to elicit information useful to frame the links among people, places and traditions. The economic motivation is not the main one for people to remain engaged in the production of traditional food products in the province of Reggio Calabria. Pride in linking their activities and the products they make to the territory, its traditions and the culture embedded therein, clearly contribute to define a sense of place that might be further drawn upon in participatory, rural development initiatives.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the way in which the interviewees have been selected, not all findings can be generalized as applicable to the entire Province or beyond.

Practical implications

Recognizing the people and the stories behind a product may offer insights on how to design effective, socially sustainable policies that would preserve important traditions. Personal food narratives might contribute, in a unique way, to an effective branding of the products and the territory.

Social implications

Doing more empathetically participatory research, rather than taking a “neutral” stance in data collection and data crunching, which has traditionally characterized the work of agricultural economists, may help in making the institutions being perceived as less distant by the ultimate beneficiary of development policies and make participatory planning much more effective.

Originality/value

The article contributes to an emerging area of research at the intersection between agricultural economics and rural development policy. How to highlight and protect the people and their stories as fundamental aspects of the “places”, “products” and “traditions”, remains an area of research that has not yet been fully explored, at least in the rhetoric and discourse on integrated rural development in Italy.
The impact of air quality on tourism: a systematic literature review
Authors: Eusébio Celeste , Carneiro Maria João , Madaleno Mara , Robaina Margarita , Rodrigues Vítor , Russo Michael , Relvas Hélder , Gama Carla , Lopes Myriam , Seixas Vania , Borrego Carlos , Monteiro Alexandra
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Tourism may have important positive and negative economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts. However, cultural and natural resources are also the base to the development of competitive destinations and changes in these resources can have an important impact on tourism development. Despite the considerable literature regarding the impacts of tourism, a limited number of studies examine the impact of the environment on tourism, specifically the impact of air quality (AQ). Therefore, this paper aims to review what is known about the impact of AQ on tourism demand, analysing the different methods and approaches used, as well as the results obtained.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review method was used to examine the state of the art in this topic and identify research gaps and new research directions. Only 26 papers were identified that examine the impact of AQ on tourism demand.

Findings

The majority of the studies were carried out in China and investigate the impact of AQ on tourism from the perspective of tourism demand. Both global (tourism demand) and individual (tourist perceptions) approaches have been used to investigate the impact of AQ on tourism.

Originality/value

This is the first systematic literature review on the impact of outdoor AQ on tourism demand. Moreover, this paper analyses the methods and approaches that have been used in the literature to examine the impact of outdoor AQ on tourism demand. The paper ends with a discussion on the identified research gaps concerning the influence of AQ on tourism development.
The use of Twitter for innovation in business markets
Authors: Cripps Helen , Singh Abhay , Mejtoft Thomas , Salo Jari
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of Twitter in business as a medium for knowledge sharing and to crowdsource information to support innovation and enhance business relationships in the context of business-to-business (B2B) marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a combination of methodologies for gathering data in 52 face-to-face interviews across five countries and the downloaded posts from each of the interviewees' Twitter accounts. The tweets were analysed using structural topic modelling (STM), and then compared to the interview data. This method enabled triangulation between stated use of Twitter and respondent's actual tweets.

Findings

The research confirmed that individuals used Twitter as a source of information, ideas, promotion and innovation within their industry. Twitter facilitates building relevant business relationships through the exchange of new, expert and high-quality information within like-minded communities in real time, between companies and with their suppliers, customers and also their peers.

Research limitations/implications

As this study covered five countries, further comparative research on the use of Twitter in the B2B context is called for. Further investigation of the formalisation of social media strategies and return on investment for social media marketing efforts is also warranted.

Practical implications

This research highlights the business relationship building capacity of Twitter as it enables customer and peer conversations that eventually support the development of product and service innovations. Twitter has the capacity for marketers to inform and engage customers and peers in their networks on wider topics thereby building the brand of the individual users and their companies simultaneously.

Originality/value

This study focuses on interactions at the individual level illustrating that Twitter is used for both customer and peer interactions that can lead to the sourcing of ideas, knowledge and ultimately innovation. The study is novel in its methodological approach of combining structured interviews and text mining that found the topics of the interviewees' tweets aligned with their interview responses.
Consumer acceptance of social recommender systems in India
Authors: Virdi Preeti , Kalro Arti D. , Sharma Dinesh
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Collaborative filtering based recommender systems (CF–RS) are widely used to recommend products based on consumers' preference similarity. Recommendations by CF–RS merely provide suggestions as “people who bought this also bought this” while, consumers are unaware about the source of these recommendations. By amalgamating CF–RS with consumers' social network information, e-commerce sites can offer recommendation from social networks of consumers. These social network embedded systems are known as social recommender systems (SRS). The extant literature has researched on the algorithms and implementation of these systems; however, SRS have not been understood from consumers' psychological perspective. This study aims to qualitatively explore consumers' motives to accept SRS in e-commerce websites.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews of frequent online shoppers. SRS are currently not very widespread in the Indian e-commerce space; hence, a vignette was shown to respondents before they responded to the questions. Inductive qualitative content analysis method was used to analyse these interviews.

Findings

Three main themes (social-gratification, self-gratification and information-gratification) emerged from the analysis. Out of these, social-gratification acts as an enabler, while self-gratification along with some elements of information-gratification act as inhibitors towards acceptance of social recommendations. Based on these gratifications, we present a conceptual model on consumer's acceptance of social recommendations.

Originality/value

This study is an initial attempt to qualitatively understand consumers' attitudes and acceptance of social recommendations on e-commerce websites, which in itself is a fairly new phenomenon.
Real estate as a new equity market sector: Market responses and return comovement
Authors: Tang Hongfei , Xie Kangzhen , Xu Xiaoqing Eleanor
Published: April 2020

This study examines the market responses and return comovement between real estate and financial stocks around the reclassification of real estate firms from the financial sector to a standalone new real estate sector. We find that real estate stocks experience positive abnormal returns at the announcement of new sector creation, and attract more investor attention after the announcement. In addition, the comovement between real estate and financial stocks decreases dramatically after the new sector creation. These findings demonstrate the market impact of new real estate sector creation and provide important implications for real estate investors, portfolio managers, and policy makers.
Relationship between nailfold capillary morphology and retinal thickness and retinal vessel density in primary open‐angle and angle‐closure glaucoma
Authors: Rong Xin , Cai Yu , Li Mei , Chen Xuling , Kang Lei , Yang Liu
Published: April 2020

Purpose

To compare the morphological characteristics of the nailfold capillaries in glaucoma patients with those in healthy subjects. To evaluate the relationship of nailfold capillary morphology with retinal thickness and retinal vessel density in patients with primary open‐angle (POAG) and primary angle‐closure glaucoma (PACG).

Methods

Fifty‐one patients with normal‐tension glaucoma, thirty‐two patients with hypertension glaucoma, thirty‐two PACG patients and sixty‐one healthy subjects were included in this cross‐sectional study. Patients with connective tissue diseases or taking anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents were excluded. Nailfold capillaroscopy, spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography were used to evaluate the nailfold capillary morphology, retinal thickness and retinal vessel density, respectively.

Results

Nailfold capillary morphological features, including lower capillary density, greater tortuosity, more dilated capillaries >50 μm and more avascular zones >100 μm, were more common in POAG and PACG patients than in control subjects (all p < 0.001). In the POAG group, nailfold vessel density was negatively correlated with ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.908, p = 0.010) and radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) density (OR = 0.787, p = 0.025). Tortuosity degree was negatively associated with RPC density (OR = 0.804, p = 0.016). In the PACG group, no evident relationship between nailfold capillary morphology and retinal thickness or retinal vessel density was detected (all p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Nailfold capillary bed abnormalities were observed in both POAG and PACG patients. The nailfold capillary features, especially microvascular density and tortuosity degree, had a significant association with GCC thickness and RPC density in subjects with POAG but not in those with PACG.
Governing partnerships for development in post‐conflict settings: Evidence from a longitudinal case study in Colombia
Authors: Pfisterer Stella , Van Tulder Rob
Published: April 2020

Drawing on a longitudinal case study of a 10‐year cross‐sector partnership for development in Colombia, this paper makes three contributions to current discussions on new collaborative governance approaches in which business, non‐governmental organizations and development agencies jointly address development challenges. First, our study explores how partnerships can be successful in achieving longer term development while being designed as short‐term governance arrangements. Second, we shed light on how power asymmetries can shape partnership governance. Many studies have highlighted the negative aspects of donor involvement in cross‐sector partnerships. We identify, however, that an interplay of formal and informal governance in partnerships can provide a positive enabling framework for partner relationships to grow and mature. Third, the case highlights that the studied partnership employed governance mechanisms that facilitate local ownership and empower small‐scale farmers, which effected (longer term) value chain relationships. In this regard, our case study helps to understand governance processes and conditions under which transformative local partnerships can emerge and sustain in post‐conflict settings. The paper adds observations on the collaborative governance content that is required for a more integrative research approach to corporate contributions to development.
Improving inference for nonlinear state‐space models of animal population dynamics given biased sequential life stage data
Authors: Polansky Leo , Newman Ken B. , Mitchell Lara
Published: April 2020

State‐space models (SSMs) are a popular tool for modeling animal abundances. Inference difficulties for simple linear SSMs are well known, particularly in relation to simultaneous estimation of process and observation variances. Several remedies to overcome estimation problems have been studied for relatively simple SSMs, but whether these challenges and proposed remedies apply for nonlinear stage‐structured SSMs, an important class of ecological models, is less well understood. Here we identify improvements for inference about nonlinear stage‐structured SSMs fit with biased sequential life stage data. Theoretical analyses indicate parameter identifiability requires covariates in the state processes. Simulation studies show that plugging in externally estimated observation variances, as opposed to jointly estimating them with other parameters, reduces bias and standard error of estimates. In contrast to previous results for simple linear SSMs, strong confounding between jointly estimated process and observation variance parameters was not found in the models explored here. However, when observation variance was also estimated in the motivating case study, the resulting process variance estimates were implausibly low (near‐zero). As SSMs are used in increasingly complex ways, understanding when inference can be expected to be successful, and what aids it, becomes more important. Our study illustrates (a) the need for relevant process covariates and (b) the benefits of using externally estimated observation variances for inference about nonlinear stage‐structured SSMs.
Mind perception and stereotype attribution of corporations and charities
Authors: Au Rachel Hoi Yan , Ng Gary Ting Tat
Published: April 2020

People generally attribute less mind to groups than to individuals. Previous research has also shown differences of mind perception between different types of groups, such that not‐for‐profit organizations were viewed as having more minds than for‐profit organizations. In this paper, we ascertained this mind perception differences and further examined its underlying mechanisms and concomitant consequences. Across three studies, we replicated that people attributed more mind to not‐for‐profit organizations than to for‐profit organizations. More critically, the current research linked mind perception to stereotype content model and added that this effect was mainly explained by perceived warmth of the groups rather than perceived competence. We found that although not‐for‐profit organizations were perceived as warmer but less competent than for‐profit ones, the former was perceived both as having more experiential and agentic mental capacities than the latter. In addition, for‐profit organizations received less compassionate responding than not‐for‐profit ones when they suffer, which was attributable to mind perception. This paper highlights the distinction between experience and warmth, and between agency and competence, thus extending our theoretical understanding of the fundamental dimensions of mind perception and those of the stereotype content of groups.
Co‐creation and co‐design in pop‐up stores: The intersection of marketing and design research?
Authors: Overdiek Anja , Warnaby Gary
Published: April 2020

Co‐creation as a concept and process has been prominent in both marketing and design research over the past ten years. Referring respectively to the active collaboration of firms with their stakeholders in value creation, or to the participation of design users in the design research process, there has arguably been little common discourse between these academic disciplines. This article seeks to redress this deficiency by connecting marketing and design research together—and particularly the concepts of co‐creation and co‐design—to advance theory and broaden the scope of applied research into the topic. It does this by elaborating the notion of the pop‐up store as temporary place of consumer/user engagement, to build common ground for theory and experimentation in terms of allowing marketers insight into what is meaningful to consumers and in terms of facilitating co‐design. The article describes two case studies, which outline how this can occur and concludes by proposing principles and an agenda for future marketing/design pop‐up research.
Predicting conversion to Alzheimer's disease among individual high‐risk patients using the Characterizing AD Risk Events index model
Authors: Lu Xiang , Chen Jiu , Shu Hao , Wang Zan , Shi Yong‐mei , Yuan Yong‐gui , Xie Chun‐ming , Liao Wen‐xiang , Su Fan , Shi Ya‐chen , Zhang Zhi‐jun
Published: April 2020

Aims

Both amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and remitted late‐onset depression (rLOD) confer a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to determine whether the Characterizing AD Risk Events (CARE) index model can effectively predict conversion in individuals at high risk for AD development either in an independent aMCI population or in an rLOD population.

Methods

The CARE index model was constructed based on the event‐based probabilistic framework fusion of AD biomarkers to differentiate individuals progressing to AD from cognitively stable individuals in the aMCI population (27 stable subjects, 6 progressive subjects) and rLOD population (29 stable subjects, 10 progressive subjects) during the follow‐up period.

Results

AD diagnoses were predicted in the aMCI population with a balanced accuracy of 80.6%, a sensitivity of 83.3%, and a specificity of 77.8%. They were also predicted in the rLOD population with a balanced accuracy of 74.5%, a sensitivity of 80.0%, and a specificity of 69.0%. In addition, the CARE index scores were observed to be negatively correlated with the composite Z scores for episodic memory (R2 = .17, P < .001) at baseline in the combined high‐risk population (N = 72).

Conclusions

The CARE index model can be used for the prediction of conversion to AD in both aMCI and rLOD populations effectively. Additionally, it can be used to monitor the disease severity of patients.
Management of heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Maximizing complementary drug therapy
Authors: Butler Javed , Januzzi James L. , Rosenstock Julio
Published: April 2020

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and occurs in ~25% of patients with heart failure (HF). Patients with co‐morbid HF and T2DM are at elevated risk of adverse outcomes, making optimization of complementary drug therapies essential. While research is ongoing, recent advances in drug therapy, including the introduction of sacubitril/valsartan for HF with reduced ejection fraction and the finding of positive cardiovascular effects of glucose‐lowering agents (particularly sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 [SGLT2] inhibitors) have the potential to transform pharmacologic management of co‐morbid HF and T2DM. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of cardiovascular clinical trials of therapies for HF and diabetes mellitus to date and identify areas requiring further investigation. We also discuss the pathophysiologic overlap of the two diseases and explore the complementary therapeutic effects of HF and T2DM drugs, with a particular focus on sacubitril/valsartan and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Metabolic surgery for the treatment of type 2 diabetes: A network meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Cresci Barbara , Cosentino Claudia , Monami Matteo , Mannucci Edoardo
Published: April 2020

Aim

To compare different types of metabolic surgery (MS) with medical therapy (MT) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Materials and methods

We conducted a network‐meta‐analysis (NMA) including randomized clinical trials comparing different MS techniques versus MT in people with T2D, with a duration of ≥24 weeks. Primary endpoints were glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and diabetes remission. Indirect comparisons of different types of surgery were performed by NMA. Mean and 95% confidence intervals for continuous variables, and Mantel−Haenzel odds ratios for categorial variables, were calculated using random effect models. Types of MS included: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy (SG), bilio‐pancreatic diversion (BPD); greater curvature plication (GCP); one‐anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB); and duodenojejunal bypass.

Results

The 24 retrieved trials included 1351 patients (1014 with MS and 337 with MT). The mean baseline BMI was 36.8 kg/m2. MS was associated with significantly greater reductions in HbA1c and FPG and greater diabetes remission when compared to MT. In the NMA, a significant reduction in HbA1c was observed with OAGB and SG. All surgical procedures were associated with a significant increase in diabetes remission, except GCP and LAGB. All procedures were associated with a reduction of body mass index (BMI).

Conclusions

Metabolic surgery is an interesting option for the treatment of T2D, although further data are needed to demonstrate its long‐term efficacy and safety. Present data are not sufficient to modify current recommendations, which consider MS a possible treatment for T2D in those with a BMI >35 kg/m2.
Uric acid predicts long‐term cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes but does not mediate the benefits of fenofibrate: The FIELD study
Authors: Cao Jacob Y. , Waldman Boris , O’Connell Rachel , Sullivan David R. , Scott Russell S. , Aryal Nanda , Gebski Val , Marschner Ian , Taskinen Marja‐Riitta , Simes John R. , McGill Neil , Jenkins Alicia J. , Keech Anthony C. ,   FIELD investigators
Published: April 2020

Aim

To explore the relationship between baseline uric acid (UA) levels and long‐term cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and to determine whether the cardioprotective effects of fenofibrate are partly mediated through its UA‐lowering effects.

Methods

Data from the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) trial were utilized, comprising 9795 adults with T2D randomly allocated to treatment with fenofibrate or matching placebo. Plasma UA was measured before and after a 6‐week, active fenofibrate run‐in phase in all participants. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the relationships between baseline UA, pre‐to‐post run‐in reductions in UA and long‐term cardiovascular outcomes.

Results

Mean baseline plasma UA was 0.33 mmol/L (SD 0.08). Baseline UA was a significant predictor of long‐term cardiovascular events, with every 0.1 mmol/L higher UA conferring a 21% increase in event rate (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13‐1.29, P < .001). This remained significant after adjustment for treatment allocation, cardiovascular risk factors and renal function. The extent of UA reduction during fenofibrate run‐in was also a significant predictor of long‐term cardiovascular events, with every 0.1 mmol/L greater reduction conferring a 14% lower long‐term risk (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76‐0.97, P = .015). This effect was not modified by treatment allocation (Pinteraction = .77).

Conclusions

UA is a strong independent predictor of long‐term cardiovascular risk in adults with T2D. Although greater reduction in UA on fenofibrate is predictive of lower cardiovascular risk, this does not appear to mediate the cardioprotective effects of fenofibrate.
DO CONSUMERS NEED MORE PROTECTION FROM SMALL‐DOLLAR LENDERS? HISTORICAL EVIDENCE AND A ROADMAP FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Authors: Bolen J. Brandon , Elliehausen Gregory , Miller Thomas W.
Published: April 2020

We summarize the current debate surrounding four small‐dollar credit products: pawn loans, vehicle title loans, payday loans, and cash installment loans from finance companies. We review the contributions of scholars that inform this debate. We underscore that users of these products fit the description of those whom consumer credit models predict benefit from these products. Many studies find that, on average, consumer use of small‐dollar credit products is, at worst, innocuous. There are, however, findings of heterogeneity in borrowers' experiences. The disagreements surrounding these credit products and the difficulty in crafting the proper policy response stems from this heterogeneity. (JEL D18, G23)
Uncertainty and the Great Slump†
Authors: Lennard Jason
Published: April 2020

This article investigates the impact of economic policy uncertainty on the British interwar economy. The first type of evidence examined is qualitative. The historical record shows that contemporaries regularly reported the incidence and consequences of major uncertainty shocks. The second type of evidence analysed is quantitative. Based on a new index of economic policy uncertainty constructed from newspapers and vector autoregressions, the results suggest that uncertainty was an important source of economic fluctuations in Britain between the wars.
Water retention and field soil water states in a vertisol under Long‐Term direct drill and conventional tillage
Authors: Vanderlinden Karl , Pachepsky Yakov , Pedrera‐Parrilla Aura , Martinez Gonzalo , Espejo‐Pérez Antonio , Perea Francisco , Giráldez Juan
Published: April 2020

Understanding differences in the agro‐hydrologic performance of Vertisols under conventional tillage (CT) and direct drill (DD) requires a thorough knowledge of the soil hydraulic properties. We measured water retention on 54 undisturbed topsoil (0–0.05 m) samples collected at the CT and DD plots from a long‐term experiment. Water retention was significantly larger in DD (p < .05) for absolute pressure heads (|h|) ranging from 63 to 3.2 × 103 cm, and at 1.8 × 104 and 3.3 × 104 cm. A comparison of the equivalent pore‐size distributions showed combined effects of tillage in the CT topsoil and compaction as a result of machinery traffic and natural consolidation in the DD topsoil, increasing and decreasing the amount of the largest pores in CT and DD, respectively, in favour of a larger abundance of smaller equivalent pore‐sizes in DD than in CT. Significant differences in water retention and abundance of equivalent pore sizes near the dry end of the soil water retention curve (|h| ≈ 4 × 104 cm) appear to be associated with the larger organic matter content in DD. These results were corroborated by field‐measured soil water content data (0–0.10 and 0.25–0.35 m), showing a persistently larger soil water content in DD than the spatial average of both tillage systems. Differences in the observed trimodal soil water content probability density functions between CT and DD were related to equivalent pore‐sizes for which significantly different water retentions were measured. This work elucidates direct and indirect effects of soil management on water retention and the equivalent pore‐size distribution, with important consequences for the soil´s agro‐hydrologic performance.

Highlights

Water retention, pore‐size distribution and field soil water states of a vertisol under conventional tillage and direct drill are compared

Direct drill yields larger water retention for 63 < |h| < 3.2 × 103 cm, and at |h| = 1.8 × 104 and 3.3 × 104 cm.

Larger water retention near |h| ≈ 4 × 104 cm in direct drill is associated with larger organic matter content

Field soil water states are controlled by specific SWRC and pore‐size distribution ranges in both management systems
Ictal onset sites and γ‐aminobutyric acidergic neuron loss in epileptic pilocarpine‐treated rats
Authors: Wyeth Megan , Nagendran Monica , Buckmaster Paul S.
Published: April 2020

Objective

The present study tested whether ictal onset sites are regions of more severe interneuron loss in epileptic pilocarpine‐treated rats, a model of human temporal lobe epilepsy.

Methods

Local field potential recordings were evaluated to identify ictal onset sites. Electrode sites were visualized in Nissl‐stained sections. Adjacent sections were processed with proximity ligation in situ hybridization for glutamic acid decarboxylase 2 (Gad2). Gad2 neuron profile numbers at ictal onset sites were compared to contralateral regions. Other sections were processed with immunocytochemistry for reelin or nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which labeled major subtypes of granule cell layer–associated interneurons. Stereology was used to estimate numbers of reelin and NOS granule cell layer–associated interneurons per hippocampus.

Results

Ictal onset sites varied between and within rats but were mostly in the ventral hippocampus and were frequently bilateral. There was no conclusive evidence of more severe Gad2 neuron profile loss at sites of earliest seizure activity compared to contralateral regions. Numbers of granule cell layer–associated NOS neurons were reduced in the ventral hippocampus.

Significance

In epileptic pilocarpine‐treated rats, ictal onset sites were mostly in the ventral hippocampus, where there was loss of granule cell layer–associated NOS interneurons. These findings suggest the hypothesis that loss of granule cell layer–associated NOS interneurons in the ventral hippocampus is a mechanism of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Melatonin ameliorates renal fibroblast‐myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis through miR‐21‐5p regulation
Authors: Li Ningning , Wang Zhan , Gao Fenglan , Lei Yanfei , Li Zhenzhen
Published: April 2020

Fibroblast‐myofibroblast transdifferentiation (FMT) is widely recognized as the major pathological feature of renal fibrosis. Although melatonin has exerted antifibrogenic activity in many diseases, its role in renal FMT remains unclear. In the present study, the aim was to explore the effect of melatonin on renal FMT and the underlying mechanisms. We established the transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 stimulated rat renal fibroblast cells (NRK‐49F) model in vitro and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice model in vivo. We assessed levels of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), col1a1 and fibronectin, STAT3 and AP‐1, as well as miR‐21‐5p and its target genes (Spry1, PTEN, Smurf2 and PDCD4). We found that melatonin reduced the expression of α‐SMA, col1a1 and fibronectin, as well as the formation of α‐SMA filament in TGF‐β1‐treated NRK‐49F cells. Meanwhile, melatonin inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, down‐regulated miR‐21‐5p expression, and up‐regulated Spry1 and PTEN expression. Moreover, miR‐21‐5p mimics partially antagonized the anti‐fibrotic effect of melatonin. For animal experiments, the results revealed that melatonin remarkably ameliorated UUO‐induced renal fibrosis, attenuated the expression of miR‐21‐5p and pro‐fibrotic proteins and elevated Spry1 and PTEN expression. Nevertheless, agomir of miR‐21‐5p blocked the renoprotective effect of melatonin in UUO mice. These results indicated that melatonin could alleviate TGF‐β1‐induced renal FMT and UUO‐induced renal fibrosis through down‐regulation of miR‐21‐5p. Regulation of miR‐21‐5p/PTEN and/or miR‐21‐5p/Spry1 signal might be involved in the anti‐fibrotic effect of melatonin in the kidneys of UUO mice.