bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a high-throughput deorphanization strategy to identify cytochrome p450s important for odor degradation inDrosophila
Authors: Baldwin Shane R. , Mohapatra Pratyajit , Nagalla Monica , Sindvani Rhea , Amaya Desiree , Dickson Hope A. , Menuz Karen
Published: August 2021

Members of the cytochrome p450 (CYP) enzyme family are abundantly expressed in insect olfactory tissues, where they are thought to act as Odorant Degrading Enzymes (ODEs). However, their contribution to olfactory signalingin vivois poorly understood. This is due in part to the challenge of identifying which of the dozens of antennal-expressed CYPs might inactivate a given odorant. Here, we tested a high-throughput deorphanization strategy inDrosophilato identify CYPs that are transcriptionally induced by exposure to a plant volatile. We discovered three CYPs selectively upregulated by the odorant using transcriptional profiling. Although these CYPs are shown to be broadly expressed in the antenna in non-neuronal cells, electrophysiological recordings from CYP mutants did not reveal any changes in olfactory neuron responses to the odorant. Neurons were desensitized by pre-exposing flies to the odorant, but this effect was similar in CYP mutants. Together, our data suggest that this transcriptomic approach may not be useful for identifying CYPs that contribute to olfactory signaling. We go on to show that some CYPs have highly restricted expression patterns in the antenna, and suggest that such CYPs may be useful candidates for further studies on olfactory CYP function.
Immunohistochemical assays for bladder cancer molecular subtyping: Optimizing parsimony and performance using Lund taxonomy
Authors: Hardy Céline , Ghaedi Hamid , Slotman Ava , Sjödahl Gottfrid , Gooding Robert J. , Berman David M. , Jackson Chelsea L.
Published: August 2021

Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling reliably classifies bladder cancers into luminal and basal molecular subtypes. Based on their prognostic and predictive associations, these subtypes may improve clinical management of bladder cancers. However, the complexity of published subtyping algorithms has limited their translation into practice. Here we optimize and validate compact subtyping algorithms based on the Lund taxonomy. We reanalyzed immunohistochemistry (IHC) expression data of muscle-invasive bladder cancer samples from Lund 2017 (n=193) and 2012 (n=76) cohorts. We characterized and quantified IHC expression patterns, and determined the simplest, most accurate decision tree models to identify subtypes. We tested the utility of a previously published algorithm using routine antibody assays commonly available in surgical pathology laboratories (GATA3, KRT5 and p16) to identify basal/luminal subtypes and to distinguish between luminal subtypes, Urothelial-Like (Uro) and Genomically Unstable (GU). We determined the dominant decision tree classifiers using four-fold cross-validation with separate uniformly distributed train (75%) and validation (25%) sets. Using the three-antibody algorithm resulted in 86-95% accuracy across training and validation sets for identifying basal/luminal subtypes, and 67-86% accuracy for basal/Uro/GU subtypes. Although antibody assays for KRT14 and RB1 are not routinely used in pathology practice, these features achieved the simplest and most accurate models to identify basal/luminal and Uro/GU/basal subtypes, achieving 93-96% and 85-86% accuracies, respectively. When translated to a more complex model using eight antibody assays, accuracy was comparable to simplified models, with 86% (train) and 82% (validation). We conclude that a simple immunohistochemical classifier can accurately identify luminal (Uro, GU) and basal subtypes and pave the way for clinical implementation.
Quantification of live cell membrane compartmentalization with high-speed single lipid tracking through interferometric Scattering Microscopy
Authors: Reina Francesco , Eggeling Christian , Lagerholm B. Christoffer
Published: August 2021

The specific details of the lateral diffusion dynamics in cellular plasma membrane are an open topic in modern biophysics. Many studies have documented several different behaviours, including free (Brownian) motion, confined diffusion, transiently confined (hop) diffusion, anomalous diffusion, and combinations thereof. Here we have employed Interferometric Scattering Microscopy (ISCAT) to explore the lateral diffusion dynamics in the plasma membrane of living cells of a biotinylated lipid analogue that had been labelled with streptavidin-coated gold nanoparticles (20 and 40nm in diameter) at a sampling rate of 2kHz. The data was analysed with an unbiased statistics-driven mean squared displacement analysis pipeline that was designed to identify both the most likely diffusion mode for a specific data set, and the best fit parameters of the most likely model. We found that the prevalent diffusion mode of the tracked lipids, independent of the particle size, is compartmentalized diffusion, although the use of the larger tags resulted in tighter confinement and reduced diffusion rates. Through our analysis and comparison with simulated data, we quantify significant physical parameters, such as average compartment size, dynamic localization uncertainty, and the diffusion rates. We hereby further demonstrate the use of a confinement strength metric that makes it possible to compare diffusivity measurements across techniques and experimental conditions.

Statement of Significance

This work offers new details on the data analysis of lipid diffusion on cellular membranes in vitro, through Interferometric Scattering microscopy. With this technique, we performed single particle tracking (SPT) experiments at 2kHz sampling rate. We analyzed the data through an unbiased statistics-driven protocol. The data shows that the diffusion motion of the tracked lipids follows mainly the “hopping” diffusion behaviour, whereby transient confinement zones hinder the particle dynamics. Matching the experimental data with diffusion simulations, we have been able to verify the physical parameters inferred by the experimental data analysis. Finally, we showcase a framework to compare SPT data with other techniques, to offer a complete overview of plasma membrane dynamics.
The Global Virome in One Network (VIRION): an atlas of vertebrate-virus associations
Authors: Carlson Colin J. , Gibb Rory J. , Albery Gregory F. , Brierley Liam , Connor Ryan P. , Dallas Tad A. , Eskew Evan A. , Fagre Anna C. , Farrell Maxwell J. , Frank Hannah K. , Muylaert Renata L. , Poisot Timothée , Rasmussen Angela L. , Ryan Sadie J. , Seifert Stephanie N.
Published: August 2021

Data cataloguing viral diversity on Earth have been fragmented across sources, disciplines, formats, and various degrees of open collation, posing challenges for research on macroecology, evolution, and public health. Here, we solve this problem by establishing a dynamically-maintained database of vertebrate-virus associations, called The Global Virome in One Network (VIRION). The VIRION database has been assembled through both reconciliation of static datasets and integration of dynamically-updated databases. These data sources are all harmonized against one taxonomic backbone, including metadata on host and virus taxonomic validity and higher classification; additional metadata on sampling methodology and evidence strength are also available in a harmonized format. In total, the VIRION database is the largest open-source, open-access database of its kind, with roughly half a million unique records that include 9,521 resolved virus “species” (of which 1,661 are ICTV ratified), 3,692 resolved vertebrate host species, and 23,147 unique interactions between taxonomically-valid organisms. Together, these data cover roughly a quarter of mammal diversity, a tenth of bird diversity, and ~6% of the estimated total diversity of vertebrates, and a much larger proportion of their virome than any previous database. We show how these data can be used to test hypotheses about microbiology, ecology, and evolution, and make suggestions for best practices that address the unique mix of evidence that coexists in these data.
Minimalistic 3D Chromatin Models: Sparse Interactions in Single Cells Drive the Chromatin Fold and Form Many-Body Units
Authors: Liang Jie , Perez-Rathke Alan
Published: August 2021

Computational modeling of 3D chromatin plays an important role in understanding the principles of genome organization. We discuss methods for modeling 3D chromatin structures, with focus on a minimalistic polymer model which inverts population Hi-C into high-resolution, high-coverage single-cell chromatin conformations. Utilizing only basic physical properties such as nuclear volume and no adjustable parameters, this model uncovers a few specific Hi-C interactions (15-35 for enhancerrich loci in human cells) that can fold chromatin into individual conformations consistent with single-cell imaging, Dip-C, and FISH-measured genomic distance distributions. Aggregating an ensemble of conformations also reproduces population Hi-C interaction frequencies. Furthermore, this single-cell modeling approach allows quantification of structural heterogeneity and discovery of specific many-body units of chromatin interactions. This minimalistic 3D chromatin polymer model has revealed a number of insights: 1) chromatin scaling rules are a result of volume-confined polymers; 2) TADs form as a byproduct of 3D chromatin folding driven by specific interactions; 3) chromatin folding at many loci is driven by a small number of specific interactions; 4) cell subpopulations equipped with different chromatin structural scaffolds are developmental stage-dependent; and 5) characterization of the functional landscape and epigenetic marks of many-body units which are simultaneously spatially co-interacting within enhancer-rich, euchromatic regions. The implications of these findings in understanding the genome structure-function relationship are also discussed.
SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections among the Healthcare Workers Post-Vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine in the South Indian State of Kerala
Authors: Issac Aleena , Kochuparambil Jose J , Elizabeth Linu
Published: August 2021

Objective

The national COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in India, prioritized healthcare workers to be vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222). So, we aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine among the healthcare workers by characterizing the breakthrough infections which occurred 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine.

Methods

We prospectively evaluated the ‘Institutional Covid Vaccination Database’ to categorize the SARS-CoV-2 positive healthcare workers into 2 cohorts: infected vaccinated and infected unvaccinated cohort. Along with comparing the descriptive statistics of the cohorts, the relative risk (RR), relative risk reduction (RRR), and the vaccine effectiveness were calculated. The study population was compared for the significant difference by using the parametric model (binary logistic regression) for the Odds ratio and the non-parametric model (cox proportionality model) for the Hazard ratio.

Results

Out of the 324 healthcare workers employed in our institution 243 (75%) were vaccinated. When 6.58% (16) of the vaccinated healthcare workers were tested positive, 43.75% (35) were infected in the unvaccinated cohort and the median time of infection in the vaccinated cohort was 65 days (range 20 -91 days). While the cox proportionality model reveals that the age, sex, and the contact exposure status of the cohort are not significant factors for getting infected after being vaccinated, binary logistic regression proves that a significant relationship exists between the incidence of infection and the unvaccinated status (p = 0.001, OR = 4.278). Completing the two-dose of vaccination decreased the hazard of testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 by 84.96 % when compared with the unvaccinated individuals, which is the effectiveness of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine.

Conclusion

There is an increased risk of the third wave of COVID-19 infection in the upcoming months. So, primary infection control measures should be followed even if vaccinated, to prevent the risk of breakthrough infections.
Limited genomic reconstruction of SARS-CoV-2 transmission history within local epidemiological clusters
Authors: Gallego-García Pilar , Varela Nair , Estévez-Gómez Nuria , De Chiara Loretta , Fernández-Silva Iria , Valverde Diana , Sapoval Nicolae , Treangen Todd , Regueiro Benito , Cabrera-Alvargonzález Jorge Julio , del Campo Víctor , Pérez Sonia , Posada David
Published: August 2021

A detailed understanding of how and when SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs is crucial for designing effective prevention measures. Other than contact tracing, genome sequencing provides information to help infer who infected whom. However, the effectiveness of the genomic approach in this context depends on both (high enough) mutation and (low enough) transmission rates. Today, the level of resolution that we can obtain when describing SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks using just genomic information alone remains unclear. In order to answer this question, we sequenced 49 SARS-CoV-2 patient samples from ten local clusters for which partial epidemiological information was available, and inferred transmission history using genomic variants. Importantly, we obtained high-quality genomic data, sequencing each sample twice and using unique barcodes to exclude cross-sample contamination. Phylogenetic and cluster analyses showed that consensus genomes were generally sufficient to discriminate among independent transmission clusters. However, levels of intrahost variation were low, which prevented in most cases the unambiguous identification of direct transmission events. After filtering out recurrent variants across clusters, the genomic data were generally compatible with the epidemiological information but did not support specific transmission events over possible alternatives. We estimated the effective transmission bottleneck size to be 1-2 viral particles for sample pairs whose donor-recipient relationship was likely. Our analyses suggest that intrahost genomic variation in SARS-CoV-2 might be generally limited and that homoplasy and recurrent errors complicate identifying shared intrahost variants. Reliable reconstruction of direct SARS-CoV-2 transmission based solely on genomic data seems hindered by a slow mutation rate, potential convergent events, and technical artifacts. Detailed contact tracing seems essential in most cases to study SARS-CoV-2 transmission at high resolution.
Evaluating Semantic Similarity Methods for Comparison of Text-derived Phenotype Profiles
Authors: Slater Luke T , Russell Sophie , Makepeace Silver , Carberry Alexander , Karwath Andreas , Williams John A , Fanning Hilary , Ball Simon , Hoehndorf Robert , Gkoutos Georgios V
Published: August 2021

Semantic similarity is a valuable tool for analysis in biomedicine. When applied to phenotype profiles derived from clinical text, they have the capacity to enable and enhance ‘patient-like me’ analyses, automated coding, differential diagnosis, and outcome prediction, by leveraging the wealth of background knowledge provided by biomedical ontologies. While a large body of work exists exploring the use of semantic similarity for multiple tasks, including protein interaction prediction, and rare disease differential diagnosis, there is less work exploring comparison of patient phenotype profiles for clinical tasks. Moreover, there are no experimental explorations of optimal parameters or methods in the area. In this work, we develop a reproducible platform for benchmarking experimental conditions for patient phentoype similarity. Using the platform, we evaluate the task of ranking shared primary diagnosis from uncurated phenotype profiles derived from text narrative associated with admissions in MIMIC-III. In doing this, we identify and interpret the performance of a large number of semantic similarity measures for this task, and provide a basis for further research on related tasks in the area.
Recovery of the fullin vivofiring range in post-lesion surviving DA SN neurons associated with Kv4.3-mediated pacemaker plasticity
Authors: Kovacheva Lora , Shin Josef , Zaldivar-Diez Josefa , Mankel Johanna , Farassat Navid , Costa Kauê Machado , Thakur Poonam , Obeso José , Roeper Jochen
Published: August 2021

Dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) control several essential functions, including the voluntary movement, learning and motivated behavior. Healthy DA SN neurons show diverse firing patternsin vivo, ranging from slow pacemaker-like activity (1-10 Hz) to transient high frequency bursts (<100 Hz), interspersed with pauses that can last hundreds of milliseconds. Recentin vivopatch experiments have started to reveal the subthreshold mechanisms underlying this physiological diversity, but the impact of challenges like cell loss on thein vivoactivity of adult DA SN neurons, and how these may relate to behavioral disturbances, are still largely unknown. We investigated thein vivoelectrophysiological properties of surviving SN DA neurons after partial unilateral 6-OHDA lesions, a single-hit, non-progressive model of neuronal cell loss. We show that mice subjected to this model have an initial motor impairment, measured by asymmetrical rotations in the open field test, which recovered over time. At 3 weeks post-lesion, when open field locomotion was strongly impaired, surviving DA SN neurons showed a compressedin vivodynamic firing range, characterized by a 10-fold reduction ofin vivoburst firing compared to controls. Thisin vivophenotype was accompanied by pronouncedin vitropacemaker instability. In contrast, in the chronic post-lesion phase (>2 months), where turning symmetry in open field locomotion had recovered, surviving SN DA neurons displayed the full dynamic range ofin vivofiring, includingin vivobursting, similar to controls. The normalizedin vivofiring pattern was associated with a 2-fold acceleration of stablein vitropacemaking, mediated by Kv4.3 potassium channel downregulation. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a homeostatic pacemaker plasticity mechanism in surviving DA SN neurons after pronounced cell loss.
Pre-primary education and Chinese language acquisition of ethnic minority students in Hong Kong: a multidisciplinary critical evaluation
Authors: Lone Fozia Nazir , Chow Bonnie Wing-Yin
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This review study focuses on the framework for pre-primary education and language acquisition for non-Chinese-speaking students (NCS students) from ethnic minority families (EM families) in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a multidisciplinary perspective that involves both assessing the broader governing framework and researching their specific needs. In its overview of the significant changes made in recent years and an exploration of the gaps in the framework, with reference to other jurisdictions, along with input from developmental psychology as it relates to the issues faced by NCS students.

Findings

This study contributes to the literature on how to shape further policies and reforms to optimize learning of NCS children in Hong Kong from a young age. This helps NCS students and families achieve their right to education and equal opportunities and schools to cater the needs of these students and families, which is essential to providing an enriched learning environment for our children regardless of their ethnicity.

Originality/value

This study uses multidisciplinary approach to study pre-primary education and Chinese language acquisition of ethnic minority students in Hong Kong.
A level of service framework for service-centric asset management planning
Authors: Zeb Jehan
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose is to develop and implement a systematic approach to define the level of service (LoS) consistently and efficiently. The framework will assist professionals to make decisions based on service performance and transform to a service-centric decision-making paradigm in the domain of asset management.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-step approach is used to develop the framework. A comprehensive literature review is conducted (Step 1), which is followed by a discussion with experts (Step 2). Based on the desktop review and field discovery, the framework is developed and implemented (Step 3).

Findings

The framework represents key components in four phases. The first phase identifies the potential service customers. The second phase defines the customer values and LoS measures at three levels: organisation, customer and technical. Implementation is done in the third phase, whereas monitoring and evaluation as part of continuous improvement are accomplished in the fourth phase.

Research limitations/implications

The challenges of this research work are categorised as follows. Strategic challenges focus on the awareness and alignment of strategic goals. Informational and financial challenges discuss non-availability of related information and cost-effectiveness of data collection, respectively. Human challenges discuss the availability of adequate human resources with an adequate skill set. Others discuss the non-availability of defined processes and procedures.

Practical implications

Theoretically, the framework represents key performance management concepts to develop an integrated approach to define the acceptable LoS effectively. Practically, professionals can use the framework to define the LoS consistently and efficiently.

Originality/value

Existing guides and frameworks represent a set of performance management concepts; however, these do not specify an integrated approach to define, align and integrate the LoS or performance goals. The proposed framework is developed to fill this gap.
The impact of green finance, economic growth and energy usage on CO2 emission in Vietnam – a multivariate time series analysis
Authors: Tran Quyen Ha
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between green finance, economic growth, renewable energy consumption (energy efficiency), energy import and CO2 emission in Vietnam using multivariate time series analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 1986 to 2018 since Vietnam initiated the economic reforms, namely “Doi Moi” in 1986. The concept and methods of cointegration, Granger causality and error correction model (ECM) were employed to establish the relationship between the variables of interest.

Findings

Our results confirmed the existence of cointegration among the variables. The Granger causality test revealed unidirectional causality running from renewable energy consumption to CO2 emission and green investment to CO2 emission.

Originality/value

This study results confirm the existence of cointegration among the variables. The results of the study imply that policies on economic development impose a significant impact on pollution in Vietnam. This study has described Vietnam, its economic development, green manufacturing practices, its environmental health and level of carbon dioxide emission which was enhanced due to COVID-19.
AI: new source of competitiveness in higher education
Authors: Hannan Erin , Liu Shuguang
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to survey the current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in higher education institutions (HEIs) and recommend future directions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews the recent trends, showcases the applications and provides future directions through a review of current uses of AI in HEIs.

Findings

The results of this study highlight successful applications of AI technologies in three main areas of college operation: student learning experience; student support; and enrollment management.

Research limitations/implications

This review has important implications for early adopters of AI by HEIs in providing a competitive advantage. The limitation lies in the scope of the review. It is not comprehensive and does not cover other areas of college operations.

Originality/value

This is the first review about AI in higher education. It is of value in building future research and serving as a framework for AI applications in HEI.
Exploring persuasive sales techniques to improve customer acceptance of sustainable but unfamiliar menu in restaurants
Authors: Cai Chris He , Ding Anni , Legendre Tiffany Shin
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Although restauranteurs hope to incorporate offal or variety meat, in the menu as an attempt to reduce food waste, adopting these ingredients is still challenging due to customer rejections. This study aims to propose potential persuasive sales strategies based on customers’ different information sources to increase organ meat-based menu sales for restaurateurs.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, a qualitative study was conducted to identify critical factors that show persuasive effects from external, interpersonal and experiential information sources. A total of 20 in-depth expert interviews with professional chefs and restauranteurs were conducted and key persuasive service tactics were analyzed.

Findings

From their experience of persuading customers to try unusual foods, insights about how to alleviate unfamiliar food aversion were obtained. The findings of this study showed that different persuasive sales tactics can be implemented to decrease customers’ aversion to offal and offcuts on menus.

Research limitations/implications

The context of offal is meaningful theoretically because it sheds light on the literature gaps related to persuasive sales strategies for food products with a negative social stigma. Practically, the findings of this study explicitly address that offal usage in restaurants can not only encourage the culinary uniqueness of a restaurant but also contribute to the reduction of food waste by foodservice operations.

Originality/value

This research answers the calls for more research on sustainable food sources in hospitality literature by proposing offal as a potential alternative protein source. The findings of this study can further be used to improve customer acceptance of other sustainable but unfamiliar food items.
Shifting patterns of emergency incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of Vaughan, Canada
Authors: Solis Adriano O. , Wimaladasa Janithra , Asgary Ali , Sabet Maryam Shafiei , Ing Michael
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many facets of urban life and operations, including emergency incidents. This study examines how COVID-19 has brought about changes in, and shifting patterns of, emergency incidents in the City of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. This study aims to derive insights that could potentially inform planning and decision-making of fire and rescue service operations as further stages of the pandemic unfold.

Design/methodology/approach

Standard temporal analysis methods are applied to investigate the changes in the number and nature of emergency incidents, as recorded sequentially in the city's fire and rescue service incident report database, through various phases or waves of the pandemic and the associated public health measures that have been introduced.

Findings

The study analyses show a decrease in the number of emergency calls compared to previous reference years. Vehicle-related incidents show the highest decline, and changes in daily and hourly pattens are consistent with public health measures in place during each stage of the pandemic. The study concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on demand for emergency services provided by the fire department.

Originality/value

The authors believe this is the first study applying temporal analysis on a city's emergency incident response data spanning various phases/waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis may be replicated for other municipal fire services, which can generate further insights that may apply to specific local conditions and states of the pandemic.
Driving factors for adopting public-private partnership in Ethiopia and comparison with other countries
Authors: Debela Getachew Yilma
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The extensive public financing for infrastructure guided by the state-led development policy has crowded out private sector participation for infrastructure development in Ethiopia. Although public-private partnership (PPP) has been used by many countries, the Government of Ethiopia has started to adopt it for major infrastructure development recently. Thus, it is important to investigate the reasons that motivated the government to adopt the PPP model to provide insights to the sector players. This paper aims to explore the driving factors for adopting PPP for infrastructure development focusing on the energy sector of Ethiopia and compared it with other countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a comprehensive literature review of previous research outcomes and a purposively sampled questionnaire survey of professionals in Ethiopia.

Findings

The results of the study revealed that the five top driving factors perceived by the experts for adopting PPP in the energy sector of Ethiopia include the private sector has the ability to raise funds for project, facilitate creative and innovative approaches, save time in delivering the project, accelerate project development and private sector possess better mobility. The comparison of the driving factors with other countries also suggests that each county has its own reason and preference for adopting the PPP model.

Originality/value

The research result contributes to the development of PPP in Ethiopia and other developing countries at the early stage of PPP implementation. It also provides information to policymakers, sponsors, financiers and developers of PPP projects to understand the government's motivations to implement PPP in Ethiopia.
Research landscape of smart education: a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Li Kam Cheong , Wong Billy Tak-Ming
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the present state and trends of smart education research. It addresses the need to have a systematic review of smart education to depict its research landscape in view of the growing volume of related publications.

Design/methodology/approach

A bibliometric analysis of publications on smart education published in 2011 to 2020 was conducted, covering their patterns and trends in terms of collaboration, key publications, major topics and trends. A total of 1,317 publications with 29,317 cited references were collected from the Web of Science and Scopus for the bibliometric analysis.

Findings

Research on smart education has been widely published in various sources. The most frequently cited references are all theoretical or discussion articles. Researchers in the USA, China, South Korea, India and Russia have been most active in research collaborations. However, international collaborations have remained infrequent except for those involving the USA. The research on smart education broadly covered smart technologies as well as teaching and learning. The emerging topics have addressed areas such as the Internet of Things, big data, flipped learning and gamification.

Originality/value

This study depicts the intellectual landscape of smart education research, and illustrated the evolution and emerging trends in the field. The results highlight its latest developments and research needs, and suggest future work related to research collaborations on a larger scale and more studies on smart pedagogies.
Participation of older adults in the intra-household decision-making activities: evidence from the longitudinal ageing study in India
Authors: CV Irshad , Behera Deepak Kumar , Dash Umakant
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study aims to document the participation of intra-household decision-making activities by older adults in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has used a nationally representative sample of 21,662 older adults (aged 60 and above) from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India data of 2017–2018. Intra-household decision-making participation is measured based on decision-making activities that includes marriage of daughter/son, buying and selling of property, giving a gift to the family, education of family member and arrangement of social/religious events. This paper used bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression model to examine the factors associated with the participation of older adults in the intra-household decision-making activities.

Findings

The result has shown that older persons’ participation declined with increased age. This study has also found a difference in the participation of intra-households decision-making activities between male and female, rural and urban older adults, poor and rich older adults. Older adults with good health status who maintain social engagement and a good lifestyle are more likely to participate in the household’s decision-making activities.

Practical implications

Older adults with better economic and social status are more likely to participate in intra-household decision-making activities that make their life happier than the counterpart. Therefore, emphasis should be given to those vulnerable older adults who do not have any social and economic security in the society.

Originality/value

There are limited studies available on intra-household decision-making participation by older adults. This paper documents the intra-household decision-making participation by older adults in India with a nationally representative large sample.
Family−school conflict and self-regulation among diverse women in higher education
Authors: Koh Jinyoung , Farruggia Susan P. , Perez Nicole , Palbusa Julienne
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study investigated whether family−school conflict, directly and indirectly, predicts behavioral regulatory strategies (via emotion regulation) among women in higher education. The authors aim to hypothesize that the direct and indirect effects would vary by race/ethnicity.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were 1,872 incoming first-year female students from a large, racially/ethnically diverse urban public university. They were classified into four racial/ethnic groups: 22% Asian American (n = 403), 11% Black (n = 209), 46% Latina (n = 865), and 21% White (n = 395). Data were collected from institutional records and an online student pre-matriculation survey. Multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to explore the structural relations among key variables.

Findings

Family−school conflict was negatively associated with help-seeking in all racial/ethnic groups, whereas family−school conflict was negatively associated with time management only for Latina students. In addition, family−school conflict indirectly predicted time management and help-seeking through increased emotion regulation, particularly among Latina students.

Originality/value

In considering racial heterogeneity, the results showed the importance of analyzing racial/ethnic groups separately to obtain more accurate information on self-regulation mechanisms in family−school conflict contexts.
Nonlinearities and asymmetric adjustment to PPP in an exchange rate model with inflation expectations
Authors: Anderl Christina , Caporale Guglielmo Maria
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explain real exchange rate fluctuations by means of a model including both standard fundamentals and two alternative measures of inflation expectations for five inflation targeting countries (the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden) over the period January 1993–July 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

Both a benchmark linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) specification are considered.

Findings

The results suggest that the nonlinear framework is more appropriate to capture the behaviour of real exchange rates given the presence of asymmetries both in the long and short run. In particular, the speed of adjustment towards the purchasing power parity (PPP) implied long-run equilibrium is three times faster in a nonlinear framework, which provides much stronger evidence in support of PPP. Moreover, inflation expectations play an important role, with survey-based ones having a more sizable effect than market-based ones.

Originality/value

The focus on linearities and the estimation of a NARDL model, which is shown to outperform the linear ARDL model both within sample and out of sample, is an important contribution to the existing literature which has rarely applied this type of framework; the choice of an appropriate econometric method also makes the policy implications of the analysis more reliable; in particular, monetary authorities should aim to achieve a high degree of credibility to manage them and thus currency fluctuations effectively; the inflation targeting framework might be especially appropriate for this purpose.
Residents risk perception of P2P vacation accommodation
Authors: Camprubí Raquel , Garau-Vadell Joan B.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Peer-to-peer (P2P) vacation accommodation has recently emerged as a disruptive new form of tourism development. Its potential negative impacts (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) may make residents feel at risk. Therefore, this paper aims to explore residents’ risk perceptions related to the growth of P2P vacation accommodation.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study was conducted in Mallorca (Spain) among 529 residents and a cluster analysis was carried out.

Findings

Results indicate clearly differentiated sociodemographic and attitudinal profiles, which can be classified into four tourist types. The conclusions of the paper suggest implications for tourist managers.

Originality/value

In the field of tourism studies, risk perception has been explored from the perspective of both tourists and hosts. To date, however, residents’ perception of risk has received little attention. Given the importance of resident-tourist interaction in fostering successful destinations this paper focusing on this arena.
Enduring exploitative leaders at work: the buffering role of proactive personality on employee job strain
Authors: Bajaba Saleh , Bajaba Abdulah , Fuller Bryan
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to study followers' proactive personality (PP) as a personal resource in moderating the hindering impact of exploitative leadership (EL) on followers' job strain (JS).

Design/methodology/approach

Self-report data on EL, JS and PP were obtained from 113 working students in the USA, and a cross-sectional design was used. The data was analyzed using SPSS 27 through hierarchal multiple regression and the PROCESS macro.

Findings

The findings support the buffering role of PP on the hindering impact of EL on JS, such that followers with higher PP tend to buffer the positive relationship between EL and followers' JS.

Practical implications

This study recommends practitioners to hire proactive individuals and/or enable existing employees to engage in proactivity in the presence of exploitative leaders to better cope with their self-serving behaviors.

Originality/value

Using the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study is the first to use PP as a personal resource that protects against and mitigates the negative impact of EL.
How do high-performance work systems affect innovation performance? The organizational learning perspective
Authors: Mehralian Gholamhossein , Moradi Mohammad , Babapour Jafar
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Achieving organizational-level outcomes through human resource practices (HRP) as the basis of nearly all organizational improvements has remained relatively unexplored, which requires more investigations. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a framework to theorize how high-performance work systems (HPWS) can provide organizations with critical instruments for organizational learning (OL) creation that in turn leads to innovation performance (IP).

Design/methodology/approach

Survey-based, multisource research was designed to examine the proposed model, using the data collected from 154 pharmaceutical industry-related companies.

Findings

According to the study results, HPWS concentrating on enhancing practices of abilities, motivations and opportunities (AMO) were positively associated with OL, which could in turn improve IP. Moreover, innovation culture (IC) showed a significant moderating effect on the association between OL and IP.

Originality/value

The central originality of this research first is that HPWS acts as antecedents of OL capabilities contributing to firm-level IP; second, the relationship between OL and firm IP is contingent upon the level of IC in organizations.
Hemodynamic and respiratory effects of dexmedetomidine sedation in critically ill Covid‐19 patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Uusalo Panu , Valtonen Mika , Järvisalo Mikko J.
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Dexmedetomidine has been suggested to be a promising sedative for patients with Covid‐19 infection (CV19). However, use of dexmedetomidine is limited by its heart rate (HR) and arterial blood pressure lowering effects. Moreover, CV19 is associated with cardiac manifestations including bradyarrythmias. The hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine have not been previously studied in CV19 patients. We evaluated the effects of dexmedetomidine on hemodynamic and respiratory parameters of CV19 patients.

Methods

In this single center study, all CV19 patients receiving dexmedetomidine for sedation during a one year period were included. Our primary outcomes included changes in HR, mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory rate (RR), partial oxygen pressure of arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen‐ratio (PF‐ratio), and Richmond Agitation and Sedation Score (RASS) during dexmedetomidine administration.

Results

We identified 39 patients with a mean (SD) age of 58.3 (12.7) years. After initiation of dexmedetomidine, HR decreased by 16.9 (3.3) beats/min (95% CI 9.5–22.4; p < 0.001). During the 12‐hour follow‐up period, HR decrease was significant at 2 to 12 h. Incident bradycardia (<45/min) was reported in 12 (30.8%) patients and it was associated with lower plasma C‐reactive protein, Pro‐calcitonin, and troponin T levels. There was no change in MAP compared to baseline. Dexmedetomidine administration was associated with improvement of PF‐ratio (p < 0.001) and with decrease of RASS (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Dexmedetomidine is an effective sedative for CV19 patients and may improve their oxygenation. However, dexmedetomidine administration is associated with marked decline in HR and with a high incidence of bradycardia in patients with CV19.
Is There a Trade‐Off between COVID‐19 Control and Economic Activity? Implications from the Phillips Curve Debate
Authors: Fukao Mitsuhiro , Shioji Etsuro
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we argue that the roles of public policies concerning COVID‐19 can be better understood in light of the past discussions on the Great Inflation of the 1970s and the 1980s. Like the Phillips Curve in macroeconomics, the pandemic presents a trade‐off between economic activities and something undesirable, which is, in this case, infection. Like the Phillips Curve, this apparent output‐infection trade‐off is an elusive one and it is lost in the long run. Containing infections calls for decisive policy action. This paper shows that we could design a reaction function, which sets the level of economic activity as a function of the state of infection, in such a way that the possibility of an infection explosion would be eliminated. Our empirical analysis suggests that Tokyo, New York, and London since September 2020 do not satisfy this desirable property.
Genome‐wide association study and pathway analysis for carcass fatness in Nellore cattle measured by ultrasound
Authors: Martins R. , Brito L. F. , Machado P. C. , Pinto L. F. B. , Silva M. R. , Schenkel F. S. , Pedrosa V. B.
Published: August 2021

Identifying genes or genomic regions influencing carcass‐quality traits such as fatness (FTN) is essential to optimize the genetic selection processes in beef cattle. The aim of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with FTN in Nellore cattle as well as to elucidate the metabolic pathways related to the phenotypic expression. Ultrasound‐based measurements of FTN were collected in 11 750 animals, with 39 903 animals in the pedigree file. Additionally, 1440 animals were genotyped using the GGP‐indicus 35K SNP panel, which contained 33 623 SNPs after quality control. Twenty genes related to FTN were found on 11 chromosomes, explaining 12.96% of the total additive genetic variance. Gene ontology revealed seven genes: NR1L2, PKD2, GSK3β, EXT1, RAD51B, SORCS1 and DPH6, associated with important processes related to FTN. In addition, novel candidate genes (MAATS1, LYPD1, CDK5RAP2, RAD51B, c13H2Oorf96 and TRAPPC11) were detected and could provide further knowledge to uncover genetic regions associated to carcass fatness in beef cattle.
Effects of pre‐operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study
Authors:   COVIDSurg Collaborative,   GlobalSurg Collaborative
Published: August 2021

We aimed to determine the impact of pre‐operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre‐defined sub‐group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Patients who isolated pre‐operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS‐CoV‐2 incidence and high‐income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre‐operative testing; use of COVID‐19‐free pathways; or community SARS‐CoV‐2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care.