bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interspecies variation in hominid gut microbiota controls host gene regulation
Authors: Muehlbauer Amanda L. , Richards Allison L. , Alazizi Adnan , Burns Michael , Gomez Andres , Clayton Jonathan B. , Petrzelkova Klara , Cascardo Camilla , Resztak Justyna , Wen Xiaoquan , Pique-Regi Roger , Luca Francesca , Blekhman Ran
Published: August 2020

The gut microbiome exhibits extreme compositional variation between hominid hosts. However, it is unclear how this variation impacts host physiology, and whether this effect can be mediated through microbial regulation of host gene expression in interacting epithelial cells. Here, we characterized the transcriptional response of colonic epithelial cellsin vitroto live microbial communities extracted from humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. We found most host genes exhibit a conserved response, whereby they respond similarly to the four hominid microbiomes, while some genes respond only to microbiomes from specific host species. Genes that exhibit such a divergent response are associated with relevant intestinal diseases in humans, such as inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease. Lastly, we found that inflammation-associated microbial species regulate the expression of host genes previously associated with inflammatory bowel disease, suggesting health-related consequences for species-specific host-microbiome interactions across hominids.
Divergent features of the coenzyme Q:cytochromecoxidoreductase complex inToxoplasma gondiiparasites
Authors: Hayward Jenni A. , Rajendran Esther , Zwahlen Soraya M. , Faou Pierre , van Dooren Giel G.
Published: August 2020

The mitochondrion is critical for the survival of apicomplexan parasites. Several major anti-parasitic drugs, such as atovaquone and endochin-like quinolones, act through inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain at the coenzyme Q:cytochromecoxidoreductase complex (Complex III). Despite being an important drug target, the protein composition of Complex III of apicomplexan parasites has not been elucidated. Here, we undertake a mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of Complex III in the apicomplexanToxoplasma gondii. Along with canonical subunits that are conserved across eukaryotic evolution, we identify several novel or highly divergent Complex III components that are conserved within the apicomplexan lineage. We demonstrate that one such subunit, which we termTgQCR11, is critical for parasite proliferation, mitochondrial oxygen consumption and Complex III activity, and establish that loss of this protein leads to defects in Complex III integrity. We conclude that the protein composition of Complex III in apicomplexans differs from that of the mammalian hosts that these parasites infect.

Author summary

Apicomplexan parasites cause numerous diseases in humans and animals, including malaria (Plasmodiumspecies) and toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii). The coenzyme Q:cytochromecoxidoreductase protein complex (Complex III) performs a central role in the mitochondrial electron transport chain of many eukaryotes. Despite being the target of several major anti-apicomplexan drugs, the protein composition of Complex III in apicomplexans was previously unknown. Our work identifies novel proteins in Complex III of apicomplexans, one of which is critical for complex function and integrity. Our study highlights divergent features of Complex III in apicomplexans, and provides a broader understanding of Complex III evolution in eukaryotes. Our study also provides important insights into what sets this major drug target apart from the equivalent complex in host species.
Ligation of random oligomers leads to emergence of autocatalytic sequence network
Authors: Kudella Patrick W. , Tkachenko Alexei V. , Maslov Sergei , Braun Dieter
Published: August 2020

The emergence of longer information-carrying and functional nucleotide polymers from random short strands was a major stepping stone at the dawn of life. But the formation of those polymers under temperature oscillation required some form of selection. A plausible mechanism is template-based ligation where theoretical work already suggested a reduction in information entropy.

Here, we show how nontrivial sequence patterns emerge in a system of random 12mer DNA sequences subject to enzyme-based templated ligation reaction and temperature cycling. The strands acted both as a template and substrates of the reaction and thereby formed longer oligomers. The selection for templating sequences leads to the development of a multiscale ligation landscape. A position-dependent sequence pattern emerged with a segregation into mutually complementary pools of A-rich and T-rich sequences. Even without selection for function, the base pairing of DNA with ligation showed a dynamics resembling Darwinian evolution.
Conformational Reorganisation of Apolipoprotein E Triggered by Phospholipid Assembly
Authors: Prakashchand Dube Dheeraj , Mondal Jagannath
Published: August 2020

Apolipoprotein E ( ApoE), a major determinant protein for lipid-metabolism, actively participates in lipid transport in central nervous system via high-affinity interaction with lipoprotein receptor LDLR. Prior evidences indicate that the phospholipids first need to assemble around apoE, before the protein can recognise its receptor. However, despite multiple attempts via spectroscopic and biochemical investigations, it is unclear what are the impact of lipid assembly on globular structure of apoE. Here, using a combination of all-atom and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that, an otherwise compact tertiary fold of monomeric apoE3 spontaneously unwraps in an aqueous phospholipid solution in two distinct stages. Interestingly, these structural reorganizations are triggered by an initial localised binding of lipid molecules to the C-terminal domain of the protein, which induce a rapid separation of C-terminal domain of apoE3 from the rest of its tertiary fold. This is followed by a slow lipid-induced inter-helix separation event within the N-terminal domain of the protein, as seen in an extensively long coarse-grained simulation. Remarkably, the resultant complex takes the shape of an `open conformation' of lipid-stabilised unwrapped protein, which intriguingly coincides with an earlier proposal by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiment. The lipid-binding activity and the lipid-induced protein conformation are found to be robust across a monomeric mutant and wild-type sequence of apoE3. The `open' complex derived in coarse-grained simulation retains its structural morphology after reverse-mapping to all-atom representation. Collectively, the investigation puts forward a plausible structure of currently elusive conformationally activated state of apoE3, which is primed for recognition by lipoprotein receptor and can be exploited for eventual lipid transport.
PHF6 Interacts with LMO2 During Normal Haematopoiesis and in Leukaemia and Regulates Gene Expression and Genome Integrity
Authors: Stanulović Vesna S. , Binhassan Sarah , Dorrington Ian , Ward Douglas G. , Hoogenkamp Maarten
Published: August 2020

The transcriptional mediator LIM domain only 2 (LMO2) forms a large multi-protein complex together with TAL1/LYL1, HEB/E2A, LDB1 and GATA. This complex regulates transcription from the onset of haematopoietic development and during differentiation. Chromosomal re-arrangements involving LMO and other members of the complex are causative for T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). We have identified Plant Homeodomain (PHD)-like Finger 6 (PHF6) as a new LMO2 interacting factor. Somatic mutations inPHF6have been found to occur in several types of leukaemia. We show that PHF6 interacts with LMO2 during the initial stages of the haematopoietic development, myeloid differentiation and in T-ALL. The LMO2/PHF6 complex binds the DNA and regulates linage-specific gene expression. Additionally, a loss or reduction of LMO2 and PHF6 leads to chromosomal instability. PHF6 and LMO2 are required for maintaining levels of γH2AX and 53BP1, where PHF6 is important for γH2AX accumulation and LMO2 has a role in recruiting 53BP1 to γH2AX foci.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway control of CD8+T cell differentiation
Authors: Damasio Marcos P. , Marchingo Julia M. , Spinelli Laura , Cantrell Doreen A. , Howden Andrew J.M.
Published: August 2020

The integration of multiple signalling pathways that co-ordinate T cell metabolism and transcriptional reprogramming is required to drive T cell differentiation and proliferation. One key T cell signalling module is mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) which are activated in response to antigen receptor engagement. The activity of ERKs is often used to report antigen receptor occupancy but the full details of how ERKs control T cell activation is not understood. Accordingly, we have used mass spectrometry to explore how ERK signalling pathways control antigen receptor driven proteome restructuring in CD8+T cells to gain insights about the biological processes controlled by ERKs in primary lymphocytes. Quantitative analysis of >8000 proteins identified only 900 ERK regulated proteins in activated CD8+T cells. The data identify both positive and negative regulatory roles for ERKs during T cell activation and reveal that ERK signalling primarily controls the repertoire of transcription factors, cytokines and cytokine receptors expressed by activated T cells. The ERKs thus drive the transcriptional reprogramming of activated T cells and the ability of T cells to communicate with external immune cues.
RNA-Bloom enables reference-free and reference-guided sequence assembly for single-cell transcriptomes
Authors: Nip Ka Ming , Chiu Readman , Yang Chen , Chu Justin , Mohamadi Hamid , Warren René L. , Birol Inanc
Published: August 2020

Despite the rapid advance in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies within the last decade, single-cell transcriptome analysis workflows have primarily used gene expression data while isoform sequence analysis at the single-cell level still remains fairly limited. Detection and discovery of isoforms in single cells is difficult because of the inherent technical shortcomings of scRNA-seq data, and existing transcriptome assembly methods are mainly designed for bulk RNA samples. To address this challenge, we developed RNA-Bloom, an assembly algorithm that leverages the rich information content aggregated from multiple single-cell transcriptomes to reconstruct cell-specific isoforms. Assembly with RNA-Bloom can be either reference-guided or reference-free, thus enabling unbiased discovery of novel isoforms or foreign transcripts. We compared both assembly strategies of RNA-Bloom against five state-of-the-art reference-free and reference-based transcriptome assembly methods. In our benchmarks on a simulated 384-cell data set, reference-free RNA-Bloom reconstructed 37.9%–38.3% more isoforms than the best reference-free assembler, whereas reference-guided RNA-Bloom reconstructed 4.1%–11.6% more isoforms than reference-based assemblers. When applied to a real 3840-cell data set consisting of more than 4 billion reads, RNA-Bloom reconstructed 9.7%–25.0% more isoforms than the best competing reference-based and reference-free approaches evaluated. We expect RNA-Bloom to boost the utility of scRNA-seq data beyond gene expression analysis, expanding what is informatically accessible now.
Economic growth or electricity, what came first in Spain after 1958?
Authors: Sanaú Villarroya Jaime Jesús , Sanz-Villarroya Isabel , Perez y Perez Luis
Published: August 2020

Purpose

With the opening up of the economy since the 1959 Economic Stabilization Plan, was it the production of electricity that drove the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) in Spain or, on the contrary, was it the growth of GDP that drove the production of electricity well into the 21st century? The purpose of this paper is to answer this question.

Design/methodology/approach

A cointegration approach based on the studies conducted by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaranet al.(2001) is applied, as it is suitable for short data series like those used in this paper.

Findings

The results of this paper allow us to conclude that electricity production boosted economic growth in Spain during the period under study, confirming the growth hypothesis.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this paper should be interpreted with caution, as electricity today amounts to less than a quarter of the total amount of energy used in Spain. It was not possible to incorporate other inputs to the production function (such as other energy inputs, technological or human capital), but the methodology used avoids the problems of omitted variables and of autocorrelation.

Practical implications

The results show that a small economy with limited resources, such as the Spanish one, is more vulnerable to energy shocks than other energy-sufficient economies. As Spain is a country with high energy dependence from abroad, the government must first ensure the electricity supply. Increased availability and access to different sources of electricity will improve the outlook for the Spanish economy. Conversely, a shortage in supply of electricity will constrain the regular pace of economic growth.

Social implications

Spain should investigate and explore more efficient and cost-effective sources of energy, in particular the renewable energies, as traditional energy sources will be scarce before long.

Originality/value

This paper differs from previous ones carried out for Spain in several aspects: it considers a broader period of time, from 1958 to 2015; the relationships between electricity production and GDP are analysed for the first time in a neo-classical production function where electricity, capital and employment are considered as separate factors; and a cointegration approach based on the studies conducted by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaranet al.(2001) is applied, as it is suitable for short data series like those used in this paper.
Nonconvex consumer preferences, compulsive eating, and food addiction
Authors: Miljkovic Dragan
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Episodes of compulsive eating may lead to addiction. Changing relative prices does not always work for many food addicts turned overweight or obese individuals. This paper points to when such situations may arise and how they can be remedied.

Design/methodology/approach

We modify the standard neoclassical economics model assumption of indifference curves being convex to the origin. It becomes violated in situations when compulsive eaters become food addicts. As a result of that, the assumption of the concave (quasi-concave) utility function is violated too. We also introduce the possibility that compulsive eaters may have stable but nonconstant preferences.

Findings

Most important finding of our model is that a smooth dynamic path to addiction, caused by habit, disappears. Hence, the ability for smooth adjustment to relative price changes due to policies targeting obesity may not be applicable for a compulsive addict. We postulate the existence of thresholds past in which irreversible harm to addicted overeaters may occur. Reaching such states implies that no economic tools at our disposal could reverse the harm, which, in turn, deem that many policies directed at altering relative prices are ineffective in correcting overeating addiction and its consequences.

Social implications

Even if we believe in consumer sovereignty, it is possible to shape consumer behavior via policy actions, including the behavior of extremum seekers turned addicts. The public policy of obesity should consider, in this case, its social cost.

Originality/value

No prior research has considered food addiction in light of compulsive eating caused by extremum-seeking behavior. Addiction correcting food policies always relied on either rational or myopic addiction models.
Professionalising family firm through internal HR marketing: a case of Ratnamani Metal and Tubes Ltd.
Authors: Sinha Anamika , Varkkey Biju , Saha Surajit , Kakkar Shiva
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The paper reports the practices and interventions adopted at a successful business transformation in an Indian family run organization. The firm deployed internal HR marketing and large-scale interface to deliver results in terms of improved financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Single case study method and grounded theory approach was used to conceptualise the practices deployed to implement desired change. Multiple interviews and on-site observations were conducted and validated through different primary and secondary data sources to build the case narrative.

Findings

The results demonstrate how repositioning and rebranding of HR as strategic partner helped in building promoter and line manager buy in of HRM initiatives, build capabilities, controlled employee attrition, increased engagement and productivity, and eventually resulted in improved the financial performance of the company.

Research limitations/implications

The article is based on single organization in India. Hence, generalizability of the study is limited. The description and analysis provide insights about internal HR marketing and navigating the professionalising journey of traditional firms.

Practical implications

Scholars and practitioners working in the domain of internal HR marketing, employer/HR branding will develop a nuanced understanding of using internal HR marketing as a strategic tool for business realignment. The study also makes readers aware about the dilemmas faced by decision-makers during such transitions.

Originality/value

The study illustrates how internal HR marketing can be successfully deployed in family business environments and adds to both “family business management” “Internal HR Marketing” and “Employer/HR branding” literature.
The impact of closing mechanism changes: evidence from the Shanghai stock market
Authors: Ma Dan , Wang Chunfeng , Fang Zhenming , Wang Ziwei
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of closing mechanism changes on market quality, investor trading behavior and market manipulation in the Shanghai stock market.

Design/methodology/approach

A dummy variable is constructed indicating whether the closing mechanism is call auction or continuous auction. Market quality is measured from aspects of liquidity, volatility and price continuity; investor trading behavior is scaled by order timing and order aggressiveness, and a price deviation indicator is the proxy of manipulation. Using panel regression, this study examines the impact of closing mechanism changes based on intraday transaction data from the Shanghai stock market.

Findings

The conclusions are as follows: First, market quality improves after the closing mechanism is reformed in terms of liquidity, volatility and price continuity. Second, order strategy changes significantly in the closing call market, and investors trade more aggressively in the continuous trading period before closing. Third, the closing call mechanism restrains the closing price manipulation and thus prompts an efficient closing price.

Originality/value

This paper examines the policy effects of closing mechanism changes from aspects of market quality, trading behavior and price manipulation, providing pieces of evidence for trading mechanism design and market supervision in emerging markets.
Change facilitation: what styles do Pakistani secondary school head teachers possess?
Authors: Jogezai Nazir Ahmed , Mohamed Ismail Shaik Abdul Malik , Baloch Fozia Ahmed
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This study aimed at exploring the change facilitator styles (CFS) that secondary school head teachers in Pakistan possess.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study using Hall and George CFS questionnaire to collect data from 276 secondary school head teachers. The CFSQ used in this study consists of 30 Likert-type questions relating to six scales. The six scales, with five items each in aggregate, form three possible CFS, including initiator, manager and responder.

Findings

The results indicate that most secondary school head teachers (75.7%) in Pakistan used responder CFS to facilitate change in their schools. 16.7% of the head teachers used manger, while only 7.6% possessed initiator change facilitation styles.

Research limitations/implications

The study has implications for research, in particular in the developing countries where head teachers' leadership practices are rooted in the past with maintaining authority and status quo.

Practical implications

The study has implications for policymakers and schools in developing countries, like Pakistan, in terms of considering the vital role of head teachers in change implementation. In particular, in the prevailing cluster-based educational management, the study's findings remain valuable for schools in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

Originality/value

The paper reports the results regarding secondary school head teachers' change facilitator styles in the context of power devolution in Pakistan. The authors believe that the manuscript is appropriate for publication by the international journal of educational management because it is in line with the aims and scope of the journal. The authors assure the originality of this work. It has not been published elsewhere, nor is it currently under consideration for publication in any other journal.
Economic growth in the Malaysian vegetarian market potential: internalized dimension of motivation
Authors: Darmalinggam Darshana , Kaliannan Maniam
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the internalized dimension of motivation under the Unified Model of Vegetarian Identity (UMVI) model, namely, personal and prosocial motivators, for vegetarianism that spurs economic growth in the Malaysian vegetarian market potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured online questionnaire was adopted as the primary methodology from which a total of 163 respondents were obtained.

Findings

Both, personal and prosocial motivators do positively relate to the economic growth of the Malaysian vegetarian market potential. However, prosocial motivators has a greater impact with a beta coefficient of 0.374 compared to 0.273 for personal motivators.

Research limitations/implications

Probable inaccurate representation of the entire vegetarian population in Malaysia. Time and resources available.

Practical implications

Practically, the Malaysian vegetarian society and Malaysian government bodies benefit from the study in ensuing promotion of environmental awareness in line with a vegetarian diet.

Originality/value

Lack of literature resources on vegetarianism in Malaysia led to the study contributing to an expansion of literature on the matter. This pioneer study benchmarks global literatures on motivators of vegetarianism and their impact on economy against the scarce literatures available in the Malaysian context. It contributes to the Malaysian economy and potential vegetarian restaurant start-ups wishing to enter the Malaysian vegetarian market. Theoretically, the theory of planned behaviour, utilitarian function and the UMVI were jointly utilised in explaining the motivators capturing Malaysian vegetarians' intention towards demand for vegetarian food.
Direct observation in practice: co-developing an evidence-informed practice tool to assess social work communication
Authors: Westlake David , Stabler Lorna , McDonnell John
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This paper presents findings from a project that aimed to support social work managers to observe, evaluate and give feedback on social work practice skills.

Design/methodology/approach

An embedded team of researchers observed over 300 meetings between parents and social workers and gave feedback based on an established research instrument that facilitated quantitative coding of individual skills such as empathy and purposefulness. Then managers took on this task to sustain ongoing feedback on practice skills beyond the timescale of the project.

Findings

A practice tool was successfully developed to take the place of the research instrument and aid managers in these observations, and it was implemented across a range of social work settings. The tool was used in a variety of ways by different managers which highlighted a range of views on what constitutes good practice. This raises questions about how far authorities can (or should) expect to achieve a consensus about the type of practice they want to deliver.

Research limitations/implications

The value of this project is primarily pragmatic, in that it shows the potential for using research to develop practice tools collaboratively. However, in doing so, it brings into focus key questions around the nature of good practice.

Practical implications

This paper presents a practice tool, based on an established research instrument that was co-developed with senior managers. It is an aid for observation that practitioners and managers can use to support practice development.

Originality/value

Few research studies have worked so closely with practice managers to develop a tool that can be used to support practice. The paper also highlights the crucial and neglected role of observation in practice development.
Exploring strategies to reduce moral hazard and adverse selection of Ghanaian public–private partnership (PPP) construction projects
Authors: Owusu-Manu De-Graft , Kukah Augustine Senanu , Boateng Frank , Asumadu George , Edwards David John
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Conditions of inadequate and asymmetric information when an agent is hired by a principal have resulted in the problems of moral hazard and adverse selection (MHAS) in public–private partnership (PPP) construction projects. The purpose of this study is to explore strategies to reduce MHAS in PPP construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaires were used to elicit responses from respondents. Mean score ranking was used to rank these strategies while reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and level of agreement tested using Kendall’s concordance. Factor analysis grouped the strategies into eight components.

Findings

From the mean score ranking, monitoring; transfer of risks; screening; managing of construction risks; and increased incentives to control costs were the most significant strategies. The eight components were transparent process and contract, incentives and monitoring, screening and technical assistance, unbundling and benchmarking, funding and small liabilities, information clarification and signaling, risk and contract management and cooperation and finance factors.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have identified the most significant strategies to reduce MHAS on PPP construction projects to serve as a guide to PPP practitioners in reducing MHAS.

Originality/value

The output of this research contributes to the checklist of strategies that reduce PPP project failures arising from MHAS and contributes to the development of the agency theory.
Understanding the impact of intellectual capital on entrepreneurship: a literature review
Authors: Crupi Antonio , Cesaroni Fabrizio , Di Minin Alberto
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The present paper aims to explore and map the development of the intellectual capital (IC)-related studies by answering the following research questions: (1) what are the theoretical pillars on which prior literature focusing on the IC–entrepreneurship relationship has grown and expanded?; (2) what are the main research areas covered by past literature focused on the IC–entrepreneurship relationship?; (3) which areas of research should be explored in the future?

Design/methodology/approach

The study relied on the co-citation analysis and bibliographic coupling techniques to investigate a complete data set of IC–entrepreneurship publications.

Findings

Findings indicated that scholars' attention had increased, starting from the beginning of the 2000s due to the widespread recognition of the importance of knowledge for firms' competitive advantage. Results of the co-citation clustering analysis have identified five main theoretical building blocks of the IC–entrepreneurship literature, which addressed both the basics of IC foundations and more specific aspects related to IC (family firms and the measurement of IC). Results of the bibliographic coupling analysis indicated that future studies should consider the existence of interactions and synergies among the different components of IC. Furthermore, attention should be devoted to the management practices of IC.

Originality/value

The present study represents the contributions offered by IC to studies about entrepreneurship strategies. Building on findings emerging from a qualitative content analysis on clustered prior publications, the authors discuss a research agenda that is expected to inspire future studies to continue the exploration of the crucial characteristics of IC in contributing to entrepreneurial and managerial studies.
The effect of novel coronavirus pandemic on tourism share prices
Authors: Liew Venus Khim-Sen
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to provide swift feedback to readers and investors on the early effect of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak on tourism industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Three leading consolidators of hotel accommodations, airline tickets and travel services in the tourism industry around the globe, namely, Booking Holdings Inc., Expedia Group and Trip.com Group Ltd. are chosen in this study. First, numerical description is performed on their shares prices and a set of control variables to compare their performances before and during the lockdown because of COVID-19 outbreak. Next, this paper estimates ordinary least squares models with and without exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic specification to establish the nature, significance and magnitude of the pandemic’s early effect on the shares performance of these online travel companies (OTCs).

Findings

This paper discovers a rapid decline in the performance of tourism industry amid the pandemic outbreak, from the perspective of three leading OTCs, which derive their profits from tourists by providing them online hotel reservation, air-ticketing and packaged-tour business services around the globe. These significant adverse direct and indirect effects testify that tourism-related businesses are extensively locked down by the pandemic outbreak.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies are encouraged to examine each of the tourism sectors for individual effects.

Practical implications

This paper provides implications for investors to protect their wealth, and for policymakers to ensure sustainability of tourism industry in the pandemic outbreak and in the future.

Originality/value

From the perspective of corporate finance, this paper empirically quantifies the early effect of COVID-19 on tourism industry for a quick snapshot.
Free volume, thermal and morphological properties of photo-crosslinked thiol-Ene/ nanodiamond hybrid network
Authors: Beyler Cigil Aslı , Madakbaş Seyfullah , Tav Cumali , Yahşi Uğur , Kahraman Memet Vezir
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the changes in free volume by adding acrylate modified nanodiamond particles. In this study, a cross-linked thiol-ene (T) network was obtained under ultraviole light. The changes in free volume were analyzed when acrylate-modified nanodiamond (M-ND) particles were added to the nanocomposites obtained. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), a well-established method, was used for this analysis. In addition, the effect of nanocomposites containing different ratios of acrylate M-ND particles (1, 2, 3 and 5 Wt. %) on the surface and the thermal properties were also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The impact of different quantities of acrylate M-ND on the free volume and surface morphological properties of thiol-ene polymer networks were studied by using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, attenuated total reflection, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, PALS and thermogravimetric analysis measurements.

Findings

The thermal properties of T/M-ND were found to depend on the weight percentages of the M-ND content. For increasing weight percentages of M-ND added to thio-lene polymer networks, the glass transition temperature (Tg) increased from 103°C to 154°C. The ortho-positronium (o-Ps) lifetime (free volume) and free volume fraction characterization of T/M-ND nanocomposites were investigated using PALS. Increasing temperature caused both the o-Ps lifetime (free volume) to change with increasing saturation and to linearly increase the intensity; however, an increasing weight percentage of M-ND caused no change at all for the o-Ps lifetime (free volume) and the free volume fraction.

Originality/value

According to published literature, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time a study examining the free volume properties in a thiol-ene system has been carried out.
Stock loan lotteries and individual investor welfare
Authors: Moore Jordan
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This paper proposes and models stock loan lotteries, a financial innovation that improves individual investor welfare. Stock loan lotteries are prize-linked payoffs using securities lending fees.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper solves an existing theoretical model for an investor's utility-maximizing choices with and without stock loan lotteries and compares outcomes.

Findings

Stock loan lotteries motivate prospect theory investors to buy and hold risky assets with high expected returns. Stock loan lotteries improve welfare more for poor investors and improve welfare more in a model with market frictions such as trading costs.

Social implications

Stock loan lotteries increase household savings, leading to greater financial wealth and security in retirement.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new financial product that improves financial outcomes for individual investors.
Corporate social responsibility, facets of employee job satisfaction and commitment: the case in Ecuador
Authors: Loor-Zambrano Halder Yandry , Santos-Roldán Luna , Palacios-Florencio Beatriz
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to show the relationships between corporate social responsibility, job satisfaction (in its different facets or aspects) and employee commitment. In addition, the paper aims to identify the mediating role that facets of job satisfaction in the relationship between CSR and worker commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a model of relations between the variables indicated and the use of a variance-based structural equation modelling technique to identify the relations in a sample of 318 workers from Ecuadorian companies who answered a questionnaire. Specifically, the partial least squares (PLS) methodology was employed using the Smart PLS software.

Findings

The results and findings of this work confirm the theoretical hypotheses specific to the influence of CSR on the five facets of job satisfaction. On the other hand, it should be stressed that only job satisfaction in itself has positive effects on employee engagement. Furthermore, our study shows that satisfaction with co-workers has a negative effect on commitment. However, this study's most relevant contribution is the consideration of the mediating nature of some aspects of job satisfaction in the relationship between CSR and organisational commitment: positive for job satisfaction itself and negative in the case of satisfaction with co-workers. Therefore, implementing CSR practices can be useful for organisations that wish to foster positive attitudes among their employees.

Originality/value

The work enriches specific knowledge about the relationships between CSR and some employee attitudes and behaviours: commitment and job satisfaction. Of particular relevance is the fact that CSR favourably conditions the commitment of employees through the satisfaction derived from the work itself. The presence of a negative impact of co-worker satisfaction on engagement highlights the need to examine CSR actions that generate adverse impacts on this facet of satisfaction.
Social network position experiences more variable selection than weaponry in wild subpopulations of forked fungus beetles
Authors: Formica Vincent , Donald Hannah , Marti Hannah , Irgebay Zhazira , Brodie Edmund
Published: August 2020

The phenotypic expression and fitness consequences of behaviours that are exhibited during social interactions are especially sensitive to their local social context. This context‐dependence is expected to generate more variation in the sign and magnitude of selection on social behaviour than that experienced by static characters like morphology. Relatively few studies, however, have examined selection on behavioural traits in multiple populations.

We estimated sexual selection in the wild to determine if the strength and form of selection on social phenotypes is more variable than that on morphology.

We compared selection gradients on social network position, body size, and weaponry of male forked fungus beetles Bolitotherus cornutus as they influenced mating success across nine natural subpopulations.

Male horn length consistently experienced positive sexual selection. However, the sign and magnitude of selection on individual measures of network centrality (strength and betweenness) differed significantly among subpopulations. Moreover, selection on social behaviours occurred at a local scale (‘soft selection’), whereas selection on horn length occurred at the metapopulation scale (‘hard selection’).

These results indicate that an individual with a given social phenotype could experience different fitness consequences depending on the network it occupies. While individuals seem to be unable to escape the fitness effects of their morphology, they may have the potential to mediate the pressures of selection on behavioural phenotypes by moving among subpopulations or altering social connections within a network.
Feasibility and acceptability of take‐home naloxone for people released from prison in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Moradmand‐Badie Banafsheh , Tran Lucy , Oikarainen Noora , Degenhardt Louisa , Nielsen Suzanne , Roberts Jillian , Ward Stephen , Bowman Julia , Larney Sarah
Published: August 2020

Introduction and Aims

To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a take‐home naloxone program for people with a history of opioid use released from prison in New South Wales, Australia.

Design and Methods

Cross‐sectional interviews with people with a history of opioid use who were recently released from prison (n = 105), and semi‐structured interviews with key clinical and operational staff of Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network and Corrective Services NSW (n = 9).

Results

Among people with a history of opioid use who had recently left prison, there was very high awareness of the elevated risk of overdose following release from prison (95%) and the potential for naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose (97%). Participants considered that their personal risk of overdose was low, despite ongoing opioid use being common. Participants were largely supportive of take‐home naloxone, but the majority (83%) stated that proactively obtaining naloxone would be a low priority for them following release. Key informants were supportive of introducing naloxone training and supply and identified barriers to implementation, including adequate resourcing, identifying the population for training, and developing an appropriate model of training and implementation.

Discussion and Conclusion

There was widespread support for naloxone training in custody and distribution at release among people recently released from prison and key stakeholders in health‐care provision and prisons administration. As proactively accessing naloxone is a low priority for patients, naloxone supply at release may be more effective than programs that refer releasees to local pharmacies, but developing a sustainable supply model requires consideration of several barriers.
Platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and prognosis in STEMI: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Dong Guoxia , Huang Aiqin , Liu Lei
Published: August 2020

Background

Platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a haematological index which reflects increased level of inflammation and thrombosis. We aimed to summarize the potential prognostic role of PLR for the in‐hospital and long‐term outcomes in ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in a meta‐analysis.

Materials and methods

Relevant cohort studies were identified by search the PubMed, Cochrane's Library and Embase databases. A random‐effect model was applied to pool the results. In‐hospital and long‐term outcomes were compared between patients with higher and lower preprocedural PLR.

Results

Eleven cohorts with 12 619 patients were included. Pooled results showed that higher preprocedural PLR was independently associated with increased risk of in‐hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, risk ratio [RR]: 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39 to 2.22, P < .001; I2 = 49%), cardiac mortality (RR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.09, P = .009; I2 = 0), all‐cause mortality (RR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.52 to 3.01, P < .001, I2 = 24%) and no reflow after pPCI (RR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.70 to 2.90, P < .001, I2 = 59%). Moreover, higher preprocedural PLR was associated with increased risk of MACE (RR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.25 to 2.03, I2 = 57%, P < .001) and all‐cause mortality (RR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.53 to 3.66, I2 = 78%, P < .001) during long‐term follow‐up of up to 82 months after discharge.

Conclusions

Higher PLR predicts poor in‐hospital and long‐term prognosis in STEMI patients after pPCI.
Independence of the ECB and the ECJ during the Sovereign Debt Crisis: From Active Leadership to Rubber‐Stamping?
Authors: Bernatavičius Marijus
Published: August 2020

During the sovereign debt crisis the ECB and ECJ were constrained by two main factors: pressures from the Crisis Management Mechanism and the sovereign debt markets. Contributions claiming that the European Economic Constitution was transformed did not recognize that European policy makers managed to preserve its main features by reinforcing the role of the market. Other contributions, which claim that the sovereign debt crisis was solved only because of the active role assumed by independent institutions like the ECB and the ECJ, are also devoid of analysis of the underlying causes, which implicitly incentivized or hindered the responses from independent institutions. A unified synthetic approach could provide a better explanation for the trade‐offs faced by independent institutions during four peak moments of the sovereign debt crisis: the ECJ's decisions on the ESM and the OMT, and the ECB's decisions to start the OMT and emergency liquidity provision for Greek banks.
A left visual advantage for quantity processing in neonates
Authors: McCrink Koleen , Veggiotti Ludovica , de Hevia Maria Dolores
Published: August 2020

Forty‐eight newborn infants were tested in one of three multimodal stimulus conditions, in which auditory quantities were presented alongside visual object arrays in two test trials. These tests varied with respect to which side (either left or right) numerically matched the auditory number. The infants looked longer to the test trials in which the left side of the visual display exhibited a quantity that matched the presented auditory quantity. This study provides the first evidence for an untrained, innate bias for humans to preferentially process quantity information presented in the left field of vision.
There is a distinctively epistemic kind of blame
Authors: Boult Cameron
Published: August 2020

Is there a distinctively epistemic kind of blame? It has become commonplace for epistemologists to talk about epistemic blame, and to rely on this notion for theoretical purposes. But not everyone is convinced. Some of the most compelling reasons for skepticism about epistemic blame focus on disanologies, or asymmetries, between the moral and epistemic domains. In this paper, I defend the idea that there is a distinctively epistemic kind of blame. I do so primarily by developing an account of the nature of epistemic blame. My account draws on a prominent line of theorizing in moral philosophy that ties blame to our relationships with one another. I argue that with my account of epistemic blame on hand, the most compelling worries about epistemic blame can be deflated. There is a distinctively epistemic kind of blame.
Investigation of Parameter Spaces for Topology Optimization With Three-Dimensional Orientation Fields for Multi-Axis Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Kubalak Joseph R. , Wicks Alfred L. , Williams Christopher B.
Published: August 2020

The layer-by-layer deposition process used in material extrusion (ME) additive manufacturing results in inter- and intra-layer bonds that reduce the mechanical performance of printed parts. Multi-axis (MA) ME techniques have shown potential for mitigating this issue by enabling tailored deposition directions based on loading conditions in three dimensions (3D). Planning deposition paths leveraging this capability remains a challenge, as an intelligent method for assigning these directions does not exist. Existing literature has introduced topology optimization (TO) methods that assign material orientations to discrete regions of a part by simultaneously optimizing material distribution and orientation. These methods are insufficient for MA–ME, as the process offers additional freedom in varying material orientation that is not accounted for in the orientation parameterizations used in those methods. Additionally, optimizing orientation design spaces is challenging due to their non-convexity, and this issue is amplified with increased flexibility; the chosen orientation parameterization heavily impacts the algorithm’s performance. Therefore, the authors (i) present a TO method to simultaneously optimize material distribution and orientation with considerations for 3D material orientation variation and (ii) establish a suitable parameterization of the orientation design space. Three parameterizations are explored in this work: Euler angles, explicit quaternions, and natural quaternions. The parameterizations are compared using two benchmark minimum compliance problems, a 2.5D Messerschmitt–Bölkow–Blohm beam and a 3D Wheel, and a multi-loaded structure undergoing (i) pure tension and (ii) three-point bending. For the Wheel, the presented algorithm demonstrated a 38% improvement in compliance over an algorithm that only allowed planar orientation variation. Additionally, natural quaternions maintain the well-shaped design space of explicit quaternions without the need for unit length constraints, which lowers computational costs. Finally, the authors present a path toward integrating optimized geometries and material orientation fields resulting from the presented algorithm with MA–ME processes.