bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybridoma Screening by Antigen Capture: Capture or Sandwich ELISA in 96-Well Plates
Authors: Greenfield Edward A.
Published: January 2022

In an antigen capture assay for hybridoma screening, the detection method identifies the presence of the antigen. Often this is achieved by labeling the antigen directly. In this assay, the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) wells of a high-binding-capacity ELISA plate are first coated with an affinity-purified rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin and then incubated with hybridoma tissue culture supernatant. Monoclonal antibodies in the supernatant are “captured” on the coated PVC surface and detected by screening with biotin- or histidine (His)–tagged antigen. The antigen can be labeled to a high specific activity and thus very little antigen is required for this procedure.
Hybridoma Screening by Antigen Capture: Reverse Dot Blot
Authors: Greenfield Edward A.
Published: January 2022

A dot blot is widely used to determine the productivity of a given hybridoma. This assay can also be used to screen a fusion or subclone plate for productive hybridoma clones. First, a nitrocellulose membrane is coated with an affinity-purified goat or rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin and then incubated with hybridoma tissue culture supernatant. Monoclonal antibodies in the supernatant are then “captured” on the coated nitrocellulose membrane surface and detected by screening with horseradish peroxidase (HRP).
Digital library services to support online learning amid COVID-19: a study of a private university library in Bangladesh
Authors: Begum Dilara , Elahi Md. Hasinul
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the East West University Library’s (EWUL’s) response to COVID-19 situation through their transformation to digital services. The paper tries to explain how these digital library services support the user community of East West University (EWU) in online teaching and access to information resources.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes the EWUL’s several digital services that are used to meet the needs of its user community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reflective practice approach has been undertaken for this study on the basis of the authors’ personal experiences working at an academic library. The authors used the reflective practice approach to assess the library’s practice during crisis situation, make the use of technological interventions in service providing and also to re-innovate the digital services for future.

Findings

During the pandemic, the library shifted all the possible physical or on-site services to digital services, i.e. online resource facilities and remote access to these, federated searching, Web online public access catalog, engaging users through social media, specialized knowledge space, online document delivery, article on request, information literacy training, virtual reference service, etc. The user engagement in all these services is also notable.

Research limitations/implications

The nature of this study is limited to the COVID-19 pandemic and within a particular geographic location.

Practical implications

This paper has implications and possible applications for other university libraries in developing countries, which intends to transform their services into digital for ensuring better service quality for their respective user community.

Originality/value

This paper makes a valuable contribution to the literature on how a private university library of a developing country is responding to pandemics such as COVID-19.
Digitalization and subjective wellbeing in Europe
Authors: Elmassah Suzanna , Hassanein Eslam A.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the effect of digitalization on 28 European countries’ subjective wellbeing by using macro (aggregate level) indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

The research investigates the impact of digitalization (Digital Economy and Society Index [DESI]) on life satisfaction through its components. The study uses several models based on the two-stage least squares method.

Findings

The findings show that internet connectivity, use of the internet and integrated digital technology are positively related to life satisfaction. Furthermore, the results revealed that human capital and digital public services are negatively associated with it. The study also suggested that digital skills, e-health, and e-government services do not necessarily increase an individual’s life satisfaction level. The internet’s use appeared to be the most effective digitalization component in affecting life satisfaction in Europe.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on the DESI index from 2014 to 2019. Although it does not influence the outcome, future research may consider additional indexes such as Digital Adoption Index and Digital Transformation Index and extend the study period.

Practical implications

The study helps the policymakers directing their attention to the importance of digitalization on life satisfaction.

Originality/value

This work extends the limited understanding of subjective wellbeing, digitalization and the digital economy and society index in terms of theoretical implications.
Evaluation of regional low-carbon circular economy development: a case study in Sichuan province, China
Authors: Ye Meng , Deng Fumin , Yang Li , Liang Xuedong
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to build a scientific evaluation index system for regional low-carbon circular economic development. Taking Sichuan Province as the empirical research object, the paper evaluates its low-carbon circular economy (LCCE) development level and proposes policy recommendations for climate change improvement based on the evaluation results.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper, first, built an evaluation index system with 30 indicators within six subsystems, namely, economic development, social progress, energy consumption, low-carbon emissions, carbon sink capacity and environmental carrying capacity. Second, develop an “entropy weight-grey correlation” evaluation method. Finally, from a practical point of view, measure the development level of LCCE in Sichuan Province, China, from 2008 to 2018.

Findings

It was found that Sichuan LCCE development had a general downward trend from 2008 to 2012 and a steady upward trend from 2012 to 2018; however, the overall level was low. The main factors affecting the LCCE development are lagging energy consumption and environmental carrying capacity subsystem developments.

Research limitations/implications

This paper puts forward relevant suggestions for improving the development of a low-carbon economy and climate change for the reference of policymakers.

Originality/value

This paper built an evaluation index system with 30 indicators for regional low carbon circular economic development. The evaluation method of “entropy weight-grey correlation” is used to measure the development level of regional LCCE in Sichuan Province, China.
The power of strategic knowledge management in the relationship between innovation and the performance of large manufacturing firms in Malaysia
Authors: AlQershi Nagwan Abdulwahab , Ali Gamal Abdualmajed , Al-Rejal Hussein Abu , Al-Ganad Amr , Farhan Busenan Ebrahim , Ahmed Abobakr
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the interaction of strategic knowledge management (SKM) and innovation on the performance of large manufacturing firms (LMFs) in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quantitative approach in investigating this interaction. Smart partial least-squares analysis was performed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

It was observed that administrative innovation, process innovation and product innovation were effective drivers of LMF performance. It was also ascertained that SKM has no moderating effect on the product innovation relationship with performance, although it does moderate the relationships between LMF performance and administrative innovation and process innovation, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this study is its focus on Malaysian LMFs. It nevertheless contributes to the literature by extending understanding of SKM and innovation dimensions from multi-faceted perspectives. As this is largely ignored in the literature, the study paves the way for additional research.

Practical implications

The findings may be used as guidelines for chief executive officers, particularly on the way SKM and innovation can be developed for enhanced LMF performance, in the context of South Asian countries.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical work to confirm the main drivers of SKM, including in the analysis the effect of administrative innovation, process innovation and product innovation and performance, in the context of the manufacturing sector. In support of an original conceptual model, the insights contribute to the literature on innovation, LMFs, SKM and emerging economies.
The emotional and social side of analytics professionals: an exploratory study of the behavioral profile of data scientists and data analysts
Authors: Bonesso Sara , Gerli Fabrizio , Bruni Elena
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Analytics technologies are profoundly changing the way in which organizations generate economic and social value from data. Consequently, the professional roles of data scientists and data analysts are in high demand in the labor market. Although the technical competencies expected for these roles are well known, their behavioral competencies have not been thoroughly investigated. Drawing on the competency-based theoretical framework, this study aims to address this gap, providing evidence of the emotional, social and cognitive competencies that data scientists and data analysts most frequently demonstrate when they effectively perform their jobs, and identifying those competencies that distinguish them.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is exploratory in nature and adopts the competency-based methodology through the analysis of in-depth behavioral event interviews collected from a sample of 24 Italian data scientists and data analysts.

Findings

The findings empirically enrich the extant literature on the intangible dimensions of human capital that are relevant in analytics roles. Specifically, the results show that, in comparison to data analysts, data scientists more frequently use certain competencies related to self-awareness, teamwork, networking, flexibility, system thinking and lateral thinking.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in a small sample and in a specific geographical area, and this may reduce the analytic generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

The skills shortages that characterize these roles need to be addressed in a way that also considers the intangible dimensions of human capital. Educational institutions can design better curricula for entry-level data scientists and analysts who encompass the development of behavioral competencies. Organizations can effectively orient the recruitment and the training processes toward the most relevant competencies for those analytics roles.

Originality/value

This exploratory study advances our understanding of the competencies required by professionals who mostly contribute to the performance of data science teams. This article proposes a competency framework that can be adopted to assess a broader portfolio of the behaviors of big data professionals.
Extending the research agenda on (ethical) coaching and mentoring in education: embracing mutuality and prioritising well-being
Authors: Hobson Andrew J. , van Nieuwerburgh Christian J.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the evidence base on coaching and mentoring in education, to provide a commentary on literature published in the first 10 volumes ofthe International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education(IJMCE) in particular and to offer some directions for future research in the field.

Design/methodology/approach

This review and position paper draws on the authors’ knowledge of the extant literature on coaching and mentoring in education, their own research in the field and their perspectives as editors of coaching and mentoring journals.

Findings

Among the outcomes of their review and commentary, the authors observe that coaching and mentoring research conducted to date largely occupies two separate fields, and studies published in one field frequently fail to draw on relevant literature from the other or recognise the overlap between them. The authors highlight a number of additional limitations of the evidence base on coaching and mentoring in education and offer some potential means of addressing these.

Originality/value

The paper offers an original reflection on current research into coaching and mentoring in education. It is intended that the paper will inform the design and publication of future studies in this area to strengthen the evidence base and, in turn, inform improvements to coaching and mentoring practice. In particular, the authors hope to encourage the ethical deployment of coaching and mentoring which enhances, rather than inhibits, the well-being of all participants, while realising other positive outcomes.
The impact of institutional factors on corporate mechanism of cash adjustment – New evidence from emerging Asia
Authors: Das Santanu , Kumar Ashish , Bhattacharyya Asit
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand how the business environment of a country has an impact on cash management policies of the firms and also to investigate if there is any asymmetry in cash adjustment dynamics when a firm deviates from its long-term target of cash holdings.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of seven emerging Asian countries in the period 2001–2019, the authors investigate the role of country specific variables in the corporate cash holdings and their cash adjustment mechanism. They use the panel data regression method to estimate the results.

Findings

The authors find that the overall financial development of a country has a significant impact on corporate cash holdings and cash adjustment dynamics. When a firm has excess cash, the speed of adjustment towards the target is faster as compared to when it has deficit cash holdings. Further, when a firm holds excess cash, it adjusts towards the target using cash from investments; in case of deficit cash holdings, the adjustment happens via cash from financing activities.

Practical implications

The results of the study are helpful to corporate managers as these are important references to them to understand and design cash management policies by considering factors that are measured at the country level. It also provides them a clearer understanding about the role of corporate board and information asymmetry in cash holdings.

Originality/value

This is the first study which examines the role of country-specific variables on corporate cash holdings and their adjustment mechanism of firms in emerging Asia. Further, the study extends the literature by providing new evidence that there is asymmetry in cash adjustment dynamics of firms after controlling for the overall financial development of a country.
The effect of power use on specific investments: the moderating role of interdependence structure
Authors: Tian Min , Huo Baofeng , Tian Yu
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Power use widely exists in buyer–supplier relationships (BSRs). Different directions of power use (i.e. buyer's power use and supplier's power use) intertwining with different types of power (i.e. coercive and noncoercive power) make it insufficient to regard power use as a single construct when examining its effect on a firm's following response. Besides, interdependence structure characterized by joint dependence and dependence asymmetry may influence the effect of a specific power use by shaping the firm's interpretation and cognition toward the relationship. Specifically, this study examines how four types of power use a buyer facing and an interdependence structure with its supplier affect its specific investments to the supplier.

Design/methodology/approach

This study tests the proposed relationships using regression analysis, based on data from 240 manufacturing firms in China on their perceived relationships with their major suppliers.

Findings

Results show that buyer's coercive power use (BCP) negatively affects buyer's specific investments while noncoercive power use (BNP) does not play a significant role. Both supplier's coercive power use (SCP) and noncoercive power use (SNP) are positively related to buyer's specific investments. Joint dependence positively moderates the effect of BNP and dependence asymmetry negatively moderates the effects of BCP and SNP on buyer's specific investments.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on power use by identifying different types of power use and their different roles in influencing buyer's specific investments. The study also contributes to the literature on interdependence structure by demonstrating the different roles of joint dependence and dependence asymmetry.
The myth of the universal millennial: comparing millennials’ perceptions of luxury across six countries
Authors: Kapferer Jean-Noël , Valette-Florence Pierre
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to challenge the popular belief among luxury practitioners and researchers that millennials are a homogeneous and disruptive generation of consumers which is redefining luxury according to its terms.

Design/methodology/approach

This study first presents comparisons of luxury perception among 1,450 actual luxury consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 years in six main luxury markets, eastern and western, mature and emerging (United States, China, Japan, Germany, France and Brazil). Within each country, millennials' perception of luxury is then compared to the perception held by previous generations (Gen X, baby boomers and seniors).

Findings

The results clearly demonstrate that millennials' definition of luxury is not internationally homogeneous; millennials do not hold a global vision that transcends frontiers. Furthermore, comparisons of luxury perceptions among nonmillennials from the same countries reveal that millennials match their national culture more than a cohesive age culture.

Research limitations/implications

This research has two main limitations linked to the limited number of surveyed countries, along with a limited sample size of millennials per country. Nonetheless, the results give additional support to the glocalization hypothesis. Yet, as millennials represent 44% of personal luxury goods purchases, they catch attention from both luxury sellers and researchers. Evidence indicates the notion of a “millennial luxury consumer” could be still an empty label.

Practical implications

The extensive use of the “millennial” label across countries implies generational homogeneity across borders, whereas reality is more diverse. Also despite the fact that luxury brands are highly globalized, the perception of what defines luxury – the hierarchy of its most salient attributes – does vary per country, thus needs specific attention.

Originality/value

The current findings reveal that millennials from the six surveyed countries do not share the same perceptions of luxury traits. Moreover, millennials' definition of luxury mirrors the definition held by nonmillennials from their own country, suggesting a strong cultural influence in each country.
Online service failure: how consumers from emerging countries react and complain
Authors: Rohden Simoni F. , Matos Celso Augusto de
Published: January 2022

Purpose

E-commerce has experienced huge growth in emerging countries, but analysis of service failure/recovery for online retailers has been limited in this context. Hence, this study aims to investigate customers’ reactions to service failures in e-commerce and the influence of cultural dimensions on complaint intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with 553 customers from Brazil, India and China. A model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results indicate that satisfaction with service recovery (SSR) increases repurchase intentions and reduces third-party complaints and negative word-of-mouth. This study also shows that the reactions of consumers to service failures in online situations are influenced by their cultural orientation (i.e. individualism, uncertainty avoidance and power distance) and contingent factors (i.e. relationship level, switching costs and the severity of the failure).

Originality/value

This study shows that the extent to which consumers from emerging countries complain after a service failure in online purchases will depend on their cultural orientation, previous experiences with the retailer, switching costs and the severity of the failure.
Unfolding visual characteristics of social media communication: reflections of smart tourism destinations
Authors: Adamış Emel , Pınarbaşı Fatih
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the visual social media (SM) (Instagram) communication and the visual characteristics of smart tourism destination (STD) communication from destination marketing/management organizations (DMOs) and user-generated content (UGC) perspectives, which refer to projected image and perceived image, respectively.

Design/methodology/approach

Three DMO official accounts of STDs (Helsinki, Gothenburg and Lyon) and corresponding official hashtags were selected for the sample and total 6,000 post data (1,000 × 6) were retrieved from Instagram. Visual communication content was examined with a netnographic design over a proposed four-level visual content framework using corresponding methodological approaches (thematic analysis, visual analysis, object detection and text mining) for each level.

Findings

Among the eight emerging themes dominating the images, communication of smart elements conveys far less than expected textual and visual signals from DMOs despite their smart status, and in turn, from UGC as well. UGC revealed three extra image themes regardless of smartness perception. DMOs tend to project and give voice to their standard metropolitan areas and neighborhoods while UGCs focus on food-related and emotional elements. The findings show a partial overlap between DMOs and UGCs, revealing discrepancies in objects contained in visuals, hashtags and emojis. Additionally, as a rare attempt, the proposed framework for visual content analysis showed the importance of integrated methods to investigate visual content effectively.

Research limitations/implications

The number of attributes in visual analysis and focusing on the observed elements in text content (text, hashtags and emojis) are the limitations of the study in terms of methodology.

Originality/value

Apart from the multiple integrated methods used over a netnographic design, this study differs from existing SM and smart destinations intersection literature by attempting to fill a gap in focusing on and exploring visual SM communication, which is scarce in tourism context, for the contents generated by DMOs and users.
Mastering new technologies: does it relate to teleworkers’ (in)voluntariness and well-being?
Authors: Dias Paulo , Lopes Sílvia , Peixoto Ricardo
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the associations among mastering new technologies, teleworkers’ voluntariness and involuntariness and employee well-being (i.e. work engagement and exhaustion). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies have explored the relationships among these constructs in the same conceptual model.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 451 individuals performing telework in Portugal. AMOS was used to test all hypotheses of the study.

Findings

The findings showed a positive relationship between mastering new technologies and teleworkers’ voluntariness and a negative relationship between mastering new technologies and teleworkers’ involuntariness. However, contrary to expectations, voluntariness in teleworking was not significantly related to either work engagement or exhaustion. However, consistent with the theoretical background of self-determination theory, involuntariness in teleworking was negatively related to work engagement and positively related to exhaustion.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by addressing the analysis of telework-related variables that may impact workers’ well-being. Implications for human resource management policies and knowledge management are discussed.
Motivation in organisational online knowledge sharing
Authors: Nguyen Tuyet-Mai , Ngo Liem Viet , Gregory Gary
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of intrinsic motives (self-efficacy, reputation and reciprocity) on online knowledge sharing behaviour. Additionally, this research investigates the moderating role of individual innovation capability and top management support.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted was a questionnaire survey of employees working in Vietnamese telecommunications companies. A total of 501 employees completed a self-administered anonymous survey using a cross-sectional design. Confirmatory factor analysis and ordinary least squared – based hierarchical regression was used to test the conceptual framework.

Findings

Self-efficacy, reputation and reciprocity significantly impact online knowledge sharing behaviour. Specifically, self-efficacy has an inverted U-shape association while reputation and reciprocity have a positively, returns-to-scale association with online knowledge sharing behaviour. Individual innovation capability moderates the effect on these associations as does top management support, but to a lesser extent.

Research limitations/implications

Data were obtained at a single point in time and self-reported. Furthermore, this study was conducted in a specific industry in Vietnam, i.e. telecommunications, which limits the generalisability of the research.

Practical implications

Organisations need to create a favourable environment for online knowledge sharing to foster reciprocal relationships and interpersonal interactions of employees. Encouraging and rewarding employees to actively engage in knowledge exchange will help facilitate reciprocal online knowledge sharing behaviour.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge-sharing behaviour by uncovering an inverted U-shape association and positively, returns-to-scale associations between intrinsic antecedents and online knowledge sharing behaviour. Additionally, individual innovation capability was an important moderator which has been overlooked in past research.
Testing the EntreComp framework and its relation to start-up behaviour in seven European countries
Authors: Joensuu-Salo Sanna , Viljamaa Anmari , Varamäki Elina
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The European Commission has published a general framework of entrepreneurship competence (EC), EntreComp, to create a shared definition and support its development. This study proposes and tests a scale to measure EC based on the EntreComp framework and examines its relation to start-up behaviour using data from seven European countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were gathered from seven European countries and consist of 1,128 answers from both secondary and higher education level students. The authors use explorative factor analysis (EFA), analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis as data analysis methods.

Findings

The results show that EC is related to start-up behaviour and sensitive to role models and prior experience of entrepreneurship but is not sensitive to gender or level of education. The results also show that although the framework proposes three distinct areas, EC is unidimensional.

Originality/value

The study tests the EntreComp framework and introduces a scale for measuring EC based on the framework. The results show that EC can be addressed as unidimensional construct and that it explains start-up behaviour and develops through enterprising activities. The study also shows the impact of role models on EC. No difference in EC between genders is observed, suggesting the gender differences in entrepreneurship arise from factors other than competence.
Linking CIO–CMO Communication and Product Innovation via Virtual Customer Environment Engagement: A Moderated Mediation Study
Authors: Wang Li , Tong Chunyang , Yang Zhiyong
Published: January 2022

Intuitively, we would expect that CIO–CMO communication plays a minimal role in product innovation performance, because product innovation is primarily driven by firms’ market orientation, knowledge of customer needs and cross‐functional integration among marketing, R&D and operations management. In a sharp contrast to this perspective, we propose that CIO–CMO communication increases product innovation performance through enhancing virtual customer environment (VCE) engagement. Such proposed effects are supported by two studies with different samples (i.e. MBA alumni in Study 1 and a representative sample in Study 2) and different performance measures (i.e. subjective ratings in Study 1 and objective sales data in Study 2). Furthermore, the effect of CIO–CMO communication on product innovation performance via VCE engagement is contingent upon two situational factors, namely marketing–IT integration policy and market uncertainty. The effect of CIO–CMO communication on product innovation performance via VCE engagement is positive and significant when marketing–IT integration policy is strong or when market uncertainty is high, but not when marketing–IT integration policy is weak or when market uncertainty is low. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed, especially on how managers can capitalize on CIO–CMO communication and VCE engagement to enhance the success of new product innovation.
Recovery procedure for linear stapler mis‐insertion in the esophageal submucosal layer during intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy
Authors: Nakamura Kenichi , Shibasaki Susumu , Nakauchi Masaya , Tanaka Tsuyoshi , Inaba Kazuki , Uyama Ichiro , Suda Koichi
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy is a technically demanding procedure, with many challenges. This study presents the anastomotic and technical complications associated with the mis‐insertion of a linear stapler into the esophageal submucosal layer and the recovery procedure for this complication.

Materials and Surgical techniques

Of 100 intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy cases from 2017 to 2020, this complication occurred in three cases—one during functional end‐to‐end anastomosis and two during the overlap method. To recover, the residual esophageal mucosa was incised from the entry point to the top of the incomplete staple line, which was then reinforced by suturing in full thickness, including the incised mucosa. After reinforcement, the common stab incision was closed by the linear stapler or handsewn. As a result, none of the patients developed anastomotic leakage or stenosis.

Discussion

Mucosal dissection and suturing for recovery for the anastomotic site may be an option to address cases of mis‐insertion of a linear stapler into the submucosal layer.
Identification of selective mtbDHFR inhibitors by virtual screening and experimental approaches
Authors: He Juan , Li Cong , Hu Wei , Li Chungen , Liu Song , Sui Jing , Zhang Tianyu , Sun Qingxiang , Luo Youfu
Published: January 2022

mtbDHFR‐targeting inhibition has become a promising approach for tuberculosis treatment. In the current research, a multi‐step virtual screening effort toward ZINC and MCE databases was devoted to discover novel mtbDHFR inhibitors. Based on binding affinity of small molecules through molecular docking study in AutoDock Vina, the number of compounds was reduced to 952,688. Further, these compounds were employed by a step‐by‐step multiple docking programs of Schrödinger suite and filtered by pharmacokinetics and PAINS parameters. Finally, nine ZINC compounds and 400 MCE compounds were obtained. These compounds of binding ability were tested with mtbDHFR by FluoPol‐ABPP approach established in this work. Finally, AF‐353 compound was found to have strong binding effect to mtbDHFR. AF‐353 was further tested for mtb and hDHFR enzymatic activities, and it was proved to possess 50‐fold selectivity toward mtbDHFR over hDHFR. In silico MD simulation results supported this selectivity.
Asymmetric distribution of enlarged perivascular spaces in centrum semiovale may be associated with epilepsy after acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Yu Nian , Sinclair Benjamin , Posada Lina Maria Garcia , Chen Zhibin , Di Qing , Lin Xingjian , Kolbe Scott , Hlauschek Gernot , Kwan Patrick , Law Meng
Published: January 2022

Objective

To investigate the factors influencing enlarged perivascular space (EPVS) characteristics at the onset of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and whether the PVS characteristics can predict later post‐stroke epilepsy (PSE).

Methods

A total of 312 patients with AIS were identified, of whom 58/312 (18.6%) developed PSE. Twenty healthy participants were included as the control group. The number of PVS in the basal ganglia (BG), centrum semiovale (CS), and midbrain (MB) was manually calculated on T2‐weighted MRI. The scores and asymmetry index (AI) of EPVS in each region were compared among the enrolled participants. Other potential risk factors for PSE were also analyzed, including NIHSS at admission and stroke etiologies.

Results

The EPVS scores were significantly higher in the bilateral BG and CS of AIS patients compared to those of the control group (both p < 0.01). No statistical differences in EPVS scores in BG, CS, and MB were obtained between the PSE group and the nonepilepsy AIS group (all p > 0.01). However, markedly different AI scores in CS were found between the PSE group and the nonepilepsy AIS group (p = 0.004). Multivariable analysis showed that high asymmetry index of EPVS (AI≥0.2) in CS was an independent predictor for PSE (OR = 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5–9.1, p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Asymmetric distribution of EPVS in CS may be an independent risk factor and a novel imaging biomarker for the development of PSE. Further studies to understand the mechanisms of this association and confirmation with larger patient populations are warranted.
Electron paramagnetic resonance and spin trapping to detect free radicals from allergenic hydroperoxides in contact with the skin: From the molecule to the tissue
Authors: Vileno Bertrand , Port‐Lougarre Yannick , Giménez‐Arnau Elena
Published: January 2022

A major research topic consists of revealing the contribution of radical‐mediated reactions in dermatological diseases related to xenobiotic‐induced stress to succeed risk‐assessment procedures protecting producers and consumers. Allergic contact dermatitis is the clinically relevant consequence of skin sensitization, one of the most critical occupational and environmental health issues related to xenobiotics exposure. The first key event identified for the skin sensitization process to a chemical is its aptitude to react with epidermal proteins and form antigenic structures that will further trigger the immune response. Many chemical sensitizers are suspected to react through mechanisms involving radical intermediates. This review focuses on the recent progress we have accomplished over the last few years studying radical intermediates derived from skin‐sensitizing chemicals by electron paramagnetic resonance in combination with the spin‐trapping technique. Our work is carried out “from the molecule”, performing studies in solution, “to the tissue”, by the development of a methodology on a reconstructed human epidermis model, very close in terms of histology and metabolic/enzymatic activity to real human epidermis, that can be used as suitable biological tissue model. The benefits are to test chemicals under conditions close to human use and real‐life sensitization exposures and benefit from the three‐dimensional (3D) microenvironment.
Language development as a mechanism linking socioeconomic status to executive functioning development in preschool
Authors: Romeo Rachel R. , Flournoy John C. , McLaughlin Katie A. , Lengua Liliana J.
Published: January 2022

Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is related to disparities in the development of both language and executive functioning (EF) skills. Emerging evidence suggests that language development may precede and provide necessary scaffolding for EF development in early childhood. The present preregistered study investigates how these skills co‐develop longitudinally in early childhood and whether language development explains the relationship between SES and EF development. A socioeconomically diverse sample of 305 children completed repeated assessments of language (sentence comprehension) and EF (cognitive flexibility, behavioral inhibition, and cognitive inhibition) at four waves spaced 9 months apart from ages 3 to 5 years. Bivariate latent curve models with structured residuals were estimated to disaggregate between‐person and within‐person components of stability and change. Results revealed bidirectional relationships between language and EF across all waves. However, at 3 years, language comprehension more strongly predicted EF than the reverse; yet by 5 years, the bidirectional effects across domains did not significantly differ. Children from higher‐SES backgrounds exhibited higher initial language and EF skills than children from lower‐SES families, though SES was not associated with either rate of growth. Finally, early language‐mediated the association between SES and early EF skills, and this model outperformed a reverse direction mediation. Together, results suggest that EF development is driven by early language development, and that SES disparities in EF are explained, at least in part, by early differences in language comprehension. These findings have implications for early interventions to support children's language skills as a potential pathway to improving early EF development.
Preschool education optimization based on mobile edge computing under COVID‐19
Authors: Wei Hongzhi , Yang Yuqian , Liu Zhijian
Published: January 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has brought profound changes in people's live and work. It has also accelerated the development of education from traditional model to online model, which is particularly important in preschool education. Preschoolers communicate with teachers through online video, so how to provide high quality and low latency online teaching has become a new challenge. In cloud computing, users offload computing tasks to the cloud to meet the high computing demands of their devices, but cloud‐based solutions have led to huge bandwidth usage and unpredictable latency. In order to solve this problem, mobile edge computing (MEC) deploys the server at the edge of the network to provide the service with close range and low latency. In task scheduling, edge computing (EC) devices have rational thinking, and they are unwilling to collaborate with MEC server to perform tasks due to their selfishness. Therefore, it is necessary to design an effective incentive mechanism to encourage the collaboration of EC devices. Through analysis of MEC server and EC devices, we propose a distributed task scheduling algorithm—Stackelberg game approach based on alternating direction method of multipliers, which selects the appropriate incentive mechanism to encourage the collaboration of EC devices. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can rapidly converge to a certain accuracy within 40 iterations, and in incentive mechanism comparison and quality of experience, the proposed approach also has a good performance in anti‐jitter and low latency.
Transformational leadership and management control systems in human service not‐for‐profit organizations
Authors: Chen Jinhua , Jiao Lu , Harrison Graeme
Published: January 2022

This study examines the effect of transformational leadership style on the use of management control systems, specifically Simons’ (1995) levers of control, in human service not‐for‐profit organizations. Unlike prior studies in which transformational leadership style has been treated as an aggregate construct, we decompose the construct and examine its effect at the dimensional level. Using matched survey and archival data for 271 organizations in Australia, we find two dimensions of transformational leadership, articulating a vision and facilitating acceptance of group goals, to be dominant in their influence on the use of the levers of control. This finding is consistent with the context of human service not‐for‐profit organizations that are heavily dependent on communication, cooperation, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams for effective service delivery.
A state‐of‐the‐art review on creep damage mechanics of rocks
Authors: Zhou Xiaoping , Pan Xiaokang , Berto Filippo
Published: January 2022

In many major rock projects, services have spanned decades or even hundreds of years. For engineering design, it is necessary not only to ensure the safety of personnel during construction but also to ensure the safety of long‐term use and operation in the future. Therefore, it is indispensable to study the creep damage mechanical properties of rocks before the construction of the project. For a long time, rock creep has been an important reason for large deformation and even instability in building foundations, underground tunnels, and slopes. Moreover, the surrounding rock generally exhibits obvious creep damage characteristics under an environment of high stress, high temperature, and high water‐pressure. Under certain geological conditions, this creep damage behavior is extremely prominent. Therefore, the study of rock creep damage mechanics is very important. This paper reviews the advancement of rock creep damage mechanics from the aspects of mechanisms, research methods, constitutive models, and so forth. Rock creep is a process of interaction between structural damage and the hardening effect. The structural damage and hardening effect are opposite to each other, but they exist in the same physical process. The creep research method introduces mainly the research objects, influencing factors, monitoring methods, and experimental methods. Creep constitutive models introduce mainly empirical models, linear element combination models, nonlinear combination models, and other nonlinear models based on new theory. Finally, based on the current research progress, several important research directions in rock creep damage mechanics are pointed out.
Desert dust deposition supplies essential bioelements to Red Sea corals
Authors: Blanckaert Alice C. A. , Omanović Dario , Fine Maoz , Grover Renaud , Ferrier‐Pagès Christine
Published: January 2022

Climate change‐related increase in seawater temperature has become a leading cause of coral bleaching and mortality. However, corals from the northern Red Sea show high thermal tolerance and no recorded massive bleaching event. This specific region is frequently subjected to intense dust storms, coming from the surrounding arid deserts, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. The aerial dust deposition supplies essential bioelements to the water column. Here, we investigated the effect of dust deposition on the physiology of a Red Sea coral, Stylophora pistillata. We measured the modifications in coral and Symbiodiniaceae metallome (cellular metal content), as well as the changes in photosynthesis and oxidative stress status of colonies exposed during few weeks to dust deposition. Our results show that 1 mg L−1 of dust supplied nanomolar amounts of nitrate and other essential bioelements, such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper, rapidly assimilated by the symbionts. At 25°C, metal bioaccumulation enhanced the chlorophyll concentration and photosynthesis of dust‐exposed corals compared to control corals. These results suggest that primary production was limited by metal availability in seawater. A 5°C increase in seawater temperature enhanced iron assimilation in both control and dust‐enriched corals. Temperature rise increased the photosynthesis of control corals only, dust‐exposed ones having already reached maximal photosynthesis rates at 25°C. Finally, we observed a combined effect of temperature and bioelement concentration on the assimilation of molybdenum, cadmium, manganese and copper, which were in higher concentrations in symbionts of dust‐exposed corals maintained at 30°C. All together these observations highlight the importance of dust deposition in the supply of essential bioelements, such as iron, to corals and its role in sustaining coral productivity in Red Sea reefs.
Effects of climate change on the distribution of threatened invertebrates in a Mediterranean hotspot
Authors: Martín‐Vélez Víctor , Abellán Pedro
Published: January 2022

The effects of climate change may constitute a major threat factor for endemic and threatened species of invertebrates. A particularly dramatic case can be found in the Iberian Peninsula, because of its high rate of species diversity and endemism. We aim to evaluate the effects of climate change on the distribution of 36 endangered and endemic species of invertebrates within the Iberian Peninsula using species distribution models.

We used an ensemble species distribution modelling framework to estimate the species potential distributions under current and future (2050 and 2070) climatic conditions for two different areas: the whole Iberian Peninsula and the current species ranges. We assessed species vulnerability to climate change by calculating three complementary indexes: change in suitable area, persistence in suitable area and turnover in suitable area.

Annual mean precipitation was the variable that contributed most to the climatic models. We categorised 25 species as ‘losers’ because they will experience a reduction in their total suitable area under future climatic conditions, six species were categorised as ‘winners’ and six showed contradictory results.

Climate change will have several effects on species by changing their suitable distributions and may affect their persistence. Species with narrow distributions associated with mountain ranges will experience the worst future projected conditions, while arid‐adapted species are expected to expand their distributions. Factors assessing the vulnerability of endemic and endangered species can be taken into account to develop strategies that mitigate the negative effects of climate change.