bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cyclic lipopeptides as membrane fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2: new tricks for old dogs
Authors: Shekunov Egor V. , Zlodeeva Polina D. , Efimova Svetlana S. , Muryleva Anna A. , Zarubaev Vladimir V. , Slita Alexander V. , Ostroumova Olga S.
Published: December 2022

With the resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic, the repositioning of FDA-approved drugs against coronovirus and finding alternative strategies for antiviral therapy are both important. We previously identified the viral lipid envelope as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection with plant alkaloids [1]. Here, we investigated the effects of eleven cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs), including well-known antifungal and antibacterial compounds, on the liposome fusion triggered by calcium, polyethylene glycol 8000, and a fragment of SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptide (816-827) by calcein release assays. Differential scanning microcalorimetry of the gel-to-liquid-crystalline and lamellar-to-inverted hexagonal phase transitions and confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrated the relation of the fusion inhibitory effects of CLPs to alterations in lipid packing, membrane curvature stress and domain organization. The effects of the compounds were evaluated in anin vitro Vero-based cell model, and aculeacin A, anidulafugin, iturin A, and mycosubtilin attenuated the cytopathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 without specific toxicity.
A multi-channel electrophysiology approach to non-invasively and precisely record human spinal cord activity
Authors: Nierula Birgit , Stephani Tilman , Bailey Emma , Kaptan Merve , Pohle Lisa-Marie , Horn Ulrike , Mouraux André , Maess Burkhard , Villringer Arno , Curio Gabriel , Nikulin Vadim V. , Eippert Falk
Published: December 2022

The spinal cord is of fundamental importance for integrative processing in brain-body communication, yet routine non-invasive recordings in humans are hindered by vast methodological challenges. Here we overcome these challenges by developing an easy-to-use electrophysiological approach based on high-density multi-channel spinal recordings combined with multivariate spatial-filtering analyses. These advances enable a spatiotemporal characterization of spinal cord responses and demonstrate a sensitivity that permits assessing even single-trial responses. To furthermore enable the study of integrative processing along the neural processing hierarchy in somatosensation, we expand this approach by simultaneous peripheral, spinal and cortical recordings and provide direct evidence that bottom-up integrative processing occurs already within the spinal cord and thus after the first synaptic relay in the central nervous system. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of this approach by providing non-invasive recordings of nociceptive spinal cord responses during heat-pain stimulation. Beyond establishing a new window on human spinal cord function at millisecond timescale, this work provides the foundation to study brain-body communication in its entirety in health and disease.
X-Chromosome Target Specificity Diverged Between Dosage Compensation Mechanisms of Two Closely RelatedCaenorhabditisSpecies
Authors: Yang Qiming , Lo Te-Wen , Brejc Katjuša , Schartner Caitlin , Ralston Edward J. , Lapidus Denise M. , Meyer Barbara J.
Published: December 2022

An evolutionary perspective enhances our understanding of biological mechanisms. Comparison of sex determination and X-chromosome dosage compensation mechanisms between the closely related nematode speciesC. briggsae(Cbr) andC. elegans(Cel) revealed that the genetic regulatory hierarchy controlling both processes is conserved, but the X-chromosome target specificity and mode of binding for the specialized condensin dosage compensation complex (DCC) controlling X expression have diverged. We identified two motifs withinCbrDCC recruitment sites that are highly enriched on X: 13-bp MEX and 30-bp MEX II. Mutating either MEX or MEX II in an endogenous recruitment site with multiple copies of one or both motifs reduced binding, but only removing all motifs eliminated bindingin vivo. Hence, DCC binding toCbrrecruitment sites appears additive. In contrast, DCC binding toCelrecruitment sites is synergistic: mutating even one motifin vivoeliminated binding. Although all X-chromosome motifs share the sequence CAGGG, they have otherwise diverged so that a motif from one species cannot function in the other. Functional divergence was demonstratedin vivoandin vitro. A single nucleotide position inCbrMEX can determine whetherCelDCC binds. This rapid divergence of DCC target specificity could have been an important factor in establishing reproductive isolation between nematode species and contrasts dramatically with conservation of target specificity for X-chromosome dosage compensation acrossDrosophilaspecies and for transcription factors controlling developmental processes such as body-plan specification from fruit flies to mice.
Pre-epidemic evolution of the USA300 clade and a molecular key for classification
Authors: Bianco Colleen , Moustafa Ahmed M. , O’Brien Kelsey , Martin Michael , Read Timothy D. , Kreiswirth Barry , Planet Paul J.
Published: December 2022

USA300 has remained the dominant community and healthcare associated methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) clone in the United States and in northern South America for at least the past 20 years. In this time, it has experienced epidemic spread in both of these locations. However, its pre-epidemic evolutionary history and origins are incompletely understood. Large sequencing databases, such as NCBI, PATRIC, and Staphopia, contain clues to the early evolution of USA300 in the form of sequenced genomes of USA300 isolates that are representative of lineages that diverged prior to the establishment of the South American (SAE) and North American (NAE) epidemics. In addition, historical isolates collected prior to the emergence of epidemics can help reconstruct early events in the history of this lineage. Here, we take advantage of the accrued, publicly available data, as well as two newly sequenced pre-epidemic historical isolates from 1996, and a very early diverging ACME-negative NAE genome to understand the pre-epidemic evolution of USA300. We use database mining techniques to emphasize genomes similar to pre-epidemic isolates, with the goal of reconstructing the early molecular evolution of the USA300 lineage. Phylogenetic analysis with these genomes confirms that the North American Epidemic and South American Epidemic USA300 lineages diverged from a most recent common ancestor around 1970 with high confidence, and it also pinpoints the independent acquisition events of the of the ACME and COMER loci with greater precision than in previous studies. We solidify evidence for a North American origin of the USA300 lineage and identify multiple introductions of USA300 into South America from North America. Notably, we describe a third major USA300 clade (the pre-epidemic branching clade; PEB1) consisting of both MSSA and MRSA isolates circulating around the world that diverged from the USA300 lineage prior to the establishment of the South American and North American epidemics. We present a detailed analysis of specific sequence characteristics of each of the major clades, and present diagnostic positions that can be used to classify new genomes.
Effects of continuous tactile stimulation on auditory-evoked cortical responses depend on the audio-tactile phase
Authors: Fu Xueying , Riecke Lars
Published: December 2022

Auditory perception can benefit from stimuli in non-auditory sensory modalities, as for example in lip-reading. Compared with such visual influences, tactile influences are still poorly understood. It has been shown that single tactile pulses can enhance the perception of auditory stimuli depending on their relative timing, but whether and how such brief auditory enhancements can be stretched in time with more sustained, phase-specific periodic tactile stimulation is still unclear. To address this question, we presented tactile stimulation that fluctuated coherently and continuously at 4Hz with an auditory noise (either in-phase or anti-phase) and assessed its effect on the cortical processing and perception of an auditory signal embedded in that noise. Scalp-electroencephalography recordings revealed an enhancing effect of in-phase tactile stimulation on cortical responses phase-locked to the noise and a suppressive effect of anti-phase tactile stimulation on responses evoked by the auditory signal. Although these effects appeared to follow well-known principles of multisensory integration of discrete audio-tactile events, they were not accompanied by corresponding effects on behavioral measures of auditory signal perception. Our results indicate that continuous periodic tactile stimulation can enhance cortical processing of acoustically-induced fluctuations and mask cortical responses to an ongoing auditory signal. They further suggest that such sustained cortical effects can be insufficient for inducing sustained bottom-up auditory benefits.
Crystal structure of 2-(morpholino)ethylammonium picrate monohydrate
Authors: Chidambaranathan Balasubramanian , Sivaraj Settu , Selvakumar Shanmugam
Published: December 2022

The title compound, C6H15N2O+·C6H2N3O7
−·H2O, was synthesized via slow evaporation of an aqueous solution of picric acid with the substituted morpholine base and crystallized with one cation (C6H15N2O)+, one anion (C6H2N3O7)− and a water molecule in the asymmetric unit. The morpholine ring in the cation adopts a chair conformation. The structure is stabilized by C—H...O, O—H...O, O—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions and π–π stacking. The intermolecular interactions of the synthesized compound were quantified by Hirshfeld surface analysis.
Tris(benzyldiphenylphosphane-κP)(nitrato-κO)silver(I)
Authors: Potgieter Kariska , Malan Frederick P. , Alimi Oyekunle Azeez , Meijboom Reinout
Published: December 2022

The molecular structure of the title complex, [Ag(NO3)(C19H17P)3], exhibits a severely distorted tetrahedral coordination environment around the central AgI atom, comprising one O and three P atoms. Apart from a primary Ag—O coordination of the nitrato ligand of 2.667 (3) Å, a second (weaker) secondary interaction of the nitrato ligand via the other O atom of 3.118 (4) Å is observed. The compound crystallizes with a complete molecule in the asymmetric unit. Weak C—H...O interactions consolidate the packing.
(Nitrito-κ2
O,O′)bis[tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphane-κP]silver(I)
Authors: Malan Frederick P. , Potgieter Kariska , Meijboom Reinout
Published: December 2022

The molecular structure of the title compound, [Ag(NO2)(C21H21P)2], exhibits a pseudo-tetrahedral coordination around the central AgI atom. The compound crystallizes with one molecule in the asymmetric unit in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a rather long b axis [33.8752 (2) Å]. Weak C—H...O and C—H...N interactions consolidate the crystal packing. The nitrite-O atoms each occupy a single position in the coordination geometry.
The pandemic readiness assessment of building design and engineering service-related legislation in Kazakhstan and the EU
Authors: Tokazhanov Galym , Tokbolat Serik , Tleuken Aidana , Karaca Ferhat
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The current COVID-19 pandemic is influencing our life in every aspect, including working and living environments. Millions of people were forced to isolate themselves in their homes, which has posed significant pressure on buildings and shown us that our dwellings are not designed for such purposes. This is partly due to the fact that homes are designed and built for occasional use rather than isolated and long-term occupation. The legislative system of a country plays an important role in defining and shaping the conditions of people living there. Hence, the aim of the study is to evaluate the readiness of Kazakhstani and the EU construction-related legislation for pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

Previously developed pandemic-resilient indicators were used for the evaluation of construction legislation. Both legislative systems were reviewed, and the quality of responses was evaluated by assigning response scores.

Findings

The results based on response scores indicate that the environmental resource consumption sub-category was better covered by EU legislation. At the same time, the buildings’ health, safety and comfort are better taken into account in Kazakhstani legislation. Seven pandemic-resilient indicators were not responded to by any legislative system indicating a gap between current legislation and requirements for new living conditions.

Originality/value

No study has analyzed how COVID-19 can transform construction legislation. The study reveals the limitation of current construction legislation in Kazakhstan (KZ) and the EU, indicating the need for transformation to meet the requirements of the pandemic era.
Falling short of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago: evidence from Equal Opportunity Commission case files
Authors: Parey Bephyer , Kutscher Elisabeth , Enightoola Hannah
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine if the existing legislative framework in Trinidad and Tobago supports equal opportunities and the achievement of fundamental human rights for persons with disabilities seeking to access education, employment, accommodations and goods and services.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 105 complaints filed with Trinidad and Tobago's Equal Opportunity Commission from 2010 to 2021 regarding disability discrimination. The steps of constant comparison were used to analyse characteristics of each case, complainants' desired outcomes and the actual outcomes of the cases (i.e. withdrawn, closed, forwarded to conciliation or the Equal Opportunity Tribunal).

Findings

Across all cases, persons with disabilities desired access to unavailable services, opportunities for employment or an apology for emotional distress. Cases that were withdrawn reflected missed opportunities to address systemic issues, closed cases reflected a bounded process for redress, and cases advancing to conciliation or the Tribunal required documentation or support.

Originality/value

This study provides insights into how the current policy and its implementation miss opportunities to address discrimination at organisational and systemic levels. Specifically, cases revealed dominant/subordinate dynamics in society and a lack of transparency throughout the system. Authors provide recommendations for policy and systemic change, including addressing gaps in national legislation and adopting strong equality of opportunity and equality of well-being approaches.
The influence of consumer religiosity on responses to rational and emotional ad appeals
Authors: Cabano Frank Gregory , Minton Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This research aims to examine how religiosity influences consumers’ responses to rational versus emotional ad appeals.

Design/methodology/approach

Four experiments were conducted that examined how religiosity affected consumers’ responses (attitude toward the product, purchase intentions and brand trust) to rational versus emotional ad appeals, and how perceived fit between the ad appeal type and consumers’ information processing style mediated the effects.

Findings

The results show that consumers low in religiosity respond more favorably to rational (vs emotional) appeals because of these types of appeals being more congruent with their rational information processing style. In addition, there is no difference in consumer responses toward rational and emotional appeals for individuals high in religiosity.

Research limitations/implications

In this research, the authors only used surveys and measured behavioral intentions rather than actual behaviors. Thus, future research should measure actual behaviors in the field to enhance the external validity of the observed effects. In addition, this research samples one primary culture that is more representative of Judeo-Christian religious beliefs. Therefore, future research should sample from other cultures and religious groups.

Practical implications

The results suggest that marketers should use rational rather than emotional appeals in their marketing communications to low religiosity consumers (identifiable through such means as demographic data for geographic regions or self-identified classifications on social media). Marketers can also prime low religiosity in their messages (e.g. using words such as “evolution”) and, when doing so, should couple that prime with a rational (vs emotional) appeal.

Originality/value

This research is novel in that it is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to examine how religiosity influences consumers’ responses to rational versus emotional ad appeals.
Relationship between new media literacy (NML) and web-based fake news epidemic control: a systematic literature review
Authors: Shahzad Khurram , Khan Shakeel Ahmad
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the current practices being implemented against the dissemination of fake online news, identify the relationship of new media literacy (NML) with fake news epidemic control and find out the challenges in identifying valid sources of information.

Design/methodology/approach

To accomplish constructed objectives of this study, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted. The authors carried out the “Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” guidelines as a research methodology. The data were retrieved from ten world’s leading digital databases and online tools. A total of 25 key studies published in impact factor (IF) journals were included for systematic review vis-à-vis standard approaches.

Findings

This study revealed trending practices to control fake news consisted of critical information literacy, civic education, new thinking patterns, fact-checkers, automatic fake news detection tools, employment of ethical norms and deep learning via neural networks. Results of the synthesized studies revealed that media literacy, web literacy, digital literation, social media literacy skills and NML assisted acted as frontline soldiers in combating the fake news war. The findings of this research also exhibited different challenges to control fake news perils.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides pertinent theoretical contributions in the body of existing knowledge through the addition of valuable literature by conducting in-depth systematic review of 25 IF articles on a need-based topic.

Practical implications

This scholarly contribution is fruitful and practically productive for the policymakers belonging to different spectrums to effectively control web-based fake news epidemic.

Social implications

This intellectual piece is a benchmark to address fake news calamities to save the social system and to educate citizens from harms of false online stories on social networking websites.

Originality/value

This study vivifies new vistas via a reinvigorated outlook to address fake news perils embedded in dynamic, rigorous and heuristic strategies for redefining a predetermined set of social values.
Role of curved walls on efficient thermal convection in porous beds confined within enclosures: heatline and entropy production maps
Authors: Priyanka Damodara , Biswal Pratibha , Basak Tanmay
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to elucidate the role of curved walls in the presence of identical mass of porous bed with identical heating at a wall for two heating objectives: enhancement of heat transfer to fluid saturated porous beds and reduction of entropy production for thermal and flow irreversibilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Two heating configurations have been proposed: Case 1: isothermal heating at bottom straight wall with cold side curved walls and Case 2: isothermal heating at left straight wall with cold horizontal curved walls. Galerkin finite element method is used to obtain the streamfunctions and heatfunctions associated with local entropy generation terms.

Findings

The flow and thermal maps show significant variation from Case 1 to Case 2 arrangements. Case 1 configuration may be the optimal strategy as it offers larger heat transfer rates at larger values of Darcy number, Dam. However, Case 2 may be the optimal strategy as it provides moderate heat transfer rates involving savings on entropy production at larger values of Dam. On the other hand, at lower values of Dam(Dam≤ 10−3), Case 1 or 2 exhibits almost similar heat transfer rates, while Case 1 is preferred for savings of entropy production.

Originality/value

The concave wall is found to be effective to enhance heat transfer rates to promote convection, while convex wall exhibits reduction of entropy production rate. Comparison between Case 1 and Case 2 heating strategies enlightens efficient heating strategies involving concave or convex walls for various values of Dam.
Conceptualizing sharing supply chains – lessons from an exemplary case
Authors: Roussat Christine , Carbone Valentina , Rouquet Aurélien
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Over the last decade, a “new” sharing economy has emerged. So far, the supply chain literature has focused on platforms delivering crowd-logistics services that connect businesses and consumers (B2C). The literature has paid little attention to platforms that facilitate products exchanges between consumers. This article aims to develop a first supply chain conceptualization for consumer-to-consumer (C2C) product exchanges stimulated by the sharing economy. How to conceptualize C2C product exchanges from an Supply Chain (SC) perspective? Do such C2C product exchanges form what might be called “sharing supply chains”? What are the characteristics of these sharing supply chains?

Design/methodology/approach

The authors rely on a single case study of Vestiaire Collective (VC), a C2C platform that links consumers buying and selling second-hand luxury goods. This case was not selected because it is a typical C2C product platform, but because it is an “extreme” case (Yin, 2014) meeting Siggelkow's “talking pig” criterion (2007).

Findings

The authors demonstrate that VC intermediates a “sharing supply chain”, whose features differ from forward and reverse supply chains. The authors stress that strong physical intermediation is crucial in this extreme case. The authors then contrast this extreme case with other forms of sharing supply chains to identify the variables leading to these alternative configurations. Finally, the authors develop theoretical propositions regarding the physical intermediation role that these platforms may play.

Originality/value

The authors' article extends the scope of the supply chain concept by identifying sharing supply chains alongside other types of chains. The article also points to the strategic role of SC dimensions in the sharing economy. The authors hope that this article will lead to further research on sharing supply chains.
Board characteristics and negative disclosure tone
Authors: Martikainen Minna , Miihkinen Antti , Watson Luke
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Negative disclosure tone in 10-K annual reports has economic consequences, yet relatively little is known about how it is generated. Boards of directors play an important governance role with respect to mandatory disclosures and personally sign off on Form 10-K, leading us to expect directors to influence financial reporting narratives. This study investigates whether the negative tone of firms' narrative annual report disclosures is associated with the human and social capital of its board of directors.

Design/methodology/approach

Multivariate regression analyses of negative disclosure tone (Loughran and McDonald, 2011) on board members' average age, gender, education, financial expertise and turnover is performed. A host of supplemental tests to corroborate our primary analysis, including using Sarbanes-Oxley's financial expert mandate as an exogenous shock to board composition, impact threshold for a confounding variable, placebo analysis, portfolio tests of more and less negative disclosing firms and portfolio tests of “loud” versus “quiet” boards are conducted.

Findings

Evidence that directors' gender, education, financial expertise and board turnover are associated with more negative disclosure tone, while directors' age is associated with less negative disclosure tone is found. The study also looked within the board to differentiate whether these findings are driven by characteristics of inside directors or outside directors serving on the audit committee, or both, as these are the specific groups of directors we would expect to play a role in disclosure. It was found that negative disclosure tone is associated with a lower bid-ask spread, so this study interpreted more negative tone as containing more descriptive information.

Originality/value

This study helps decode the “black box” of annual report disclosure tone, which Loughran and McDonald (2011) show has important economic implications. The results help inform stakeholders such as policymakers, executives and capital market participants as to how board member traits are associated with disclosure. The findings are particularly important as this study bears witness to the increasing prominence of gender/diversity mandates (e.g. Israel, Norway, California) and financial expertise mandates (e.g. Sarbanes-Oxley).
Becoming a competent weaver: information literacy practice of the weavers of the Bonwire Kente Centre in Ghana
Authors: Agyemang Franklin Gyamfi , Wessels Nicoline , Du Preez Madely
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study examines what constitutes competence and how a novice becoming a competent weaver is enabled by information literacy in the fabric-weavers’ workplace landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethnography as a research design was employed using participant observation and semi-structured interviews as the data collection techniques.

Findings

Competence constitutes the demonstration of Kente knowledge and mentorship capability enabled by information literacy through access to the on-the-loom and off-the-loom information in the Kente-weaving landscape.

Research limitations/implications

This study explains how the transition from a novice weaver to a competent weaver is underpinned by information literacy.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies that contribute to the understanding of information literacy in the craft workplace. The study proposes a framework for weavers' information literacy practice.
Assessing the competencies of construction supervisors in providing work-based training components for construction labour – Sri Lankan perspective
Authors: Manoharan Kesavan , Dissanayake Pujitha , Pathirana Chintha , Deegahawature M.M.D.R. , Silva Renuka
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Studies highlight that poor labour supervision and inadequate labour training facilities are the primary factors that result in labour skill shortages and productivity-related challenges among construction firms. This study aims to assess the construction supervisors’ abilities in providing work-based training elements and evaluating labour skills in construction.

Design/methodology/approach

A construction supervisory training programme was newly designed with a set of labour training exercises using comprehensive approaches. A total of 64 construction supervisors were trained to deliver the labour training components for more than 250 labourers working on 23 construction projects in Sri Lanka. The supervisors’ competencies were assessed using a detailed marking guide developed through expert discussions and literature reviews.

Findings

The results show the detailed cross-section of a wide range of competencies of the construction supervisors in providing labour training elements with the levels of standards/descriptions. The generalisability of the study applications and the reliability of the results were ensured using statistical tests and expert reviews. The findings further describe the impacts of the well-improved competencies of construction supervisors on labour working patterns and work outputs.

Research limitations/implications

Though the study findings were limited to the Sri Lankan construction sector, the study applications can have a considerable impact on the current/future practices of the construction sector in developing countries as well as other developing industries.

Social implications

The study outcomes may contribute to a rapid increase in the number of construction supervisors becoming certified assessors of National Vocational Qualifications up to certain levels. This paper describes the further extensive implications and future scopes of the study elaborately.

Originality/value

The study adds new characteristics and values to construction supervision practices that can be remarkable in achieving higher levels of performance and productivity in labour operations. Importantly, the study contributes to adorning the job role of construction supervisors with the title of “labour training expert”.
Risk resources management influence on public–private partnership risk management in construction industry. Confirmatory factor analysis approach
Authors: Adu Gyamfi Timothy , Aigbavboa Clinton Ohis , Thwala Wellington Didibhuku
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Construction organisations cannot underestimate the improvement in public–private partnership (PPP) projects’ implementation. At the same time, construction organisations cannot overlook the risk arising from engaging in PPP construction projects. Hence, this study aims to establish the influence of risk resource management (RRM) in managing PPP risk in the construction industry in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers adopted qualitative and quantitative research methods to achieve the aim of the study, in which Delphi questions and a close-ended questionnaire were developed. A total of 650 construction specialists, including procurement officers, consultants, project managers, quantity surveyors, site engineers and planning officers were chosen using random and purposive sampling techniques. Recovered data were analysed using descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA maximum likelihood estimation extractor compresses 19 variables into 3 pattern matrices.

Findings

The results of the study revealed three factors that measure RRM in Ghana’s PPP construction industry, including financial resource management which was influenced by communicating the budget to project team members and project partners understanding the budget, and material resource management which was influenced by the provision of materials transportation and provision of delivery programs and labour resource management which was impacted by a commitment to pay social security and taxes and provision of good salaries, to address RRM in PPP construction organisations.

Research limitations/implications

To incessantly improve the PPP risk management (RM) in construction through RRM, there should be a strong liaison between the universities, government agencies and the construction industry, and such collaboration will assist the industry to obtain first-hand information regarding the study findings and how they can be implemented to help the development of RM in the construction industry. This study is limited to Ghana and CFA and further study should explore structural equation model to determine the structure and measurement model of the risk resource variables.

Originality/value

The study may be valuable to industry stakeholders looking for new approaches to improve RM in their construction activities, particularly in PPP projects. Also, to assist reduce PPP risk, construction companies should use RRM in their organisations.
The impact of ESG on the bank valuation: evidence of moderation by ICT
Authors: Rastogi Shailesh , Singh Kuldeep
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The banking sector is undergoing a phase of transition worldwide. The degrees of flux may vary from country to country. Metamorphosis causes include financial distress, corporate governance issues, environmental and social issues and an avalanche of technological advancements. This study aims to explore how environmental, social and governance (ESG), one of the essential and contemporary change agents across the sectors, including in the banks, impacts the valuation of the banking sector. In addition, this study also aims at how another vital and inevitable change agent, information and communications technology (ICT) expenses, influence the ESG’s impact on bank valuation.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data regression is conducted using valuation (Tobin’s Q and market capitalization) as endogenous variables, and ESG and expenditure on ICT are used as the main exogenous variables. The interaction term of ESG and ICT is also used as an exogenous variable.

Findings

Surprisingly, the authors find unequivocal evidence of the positive influence of ESG and ICT on bank valuation without consideration of ICT. In addition, ICT is also found to moderate the ESG’s influence on bank valuation positively. In particular, when ICT is low, an increase in ESG impacts the valuation negatively. However, high values of ICT cause ESG to impact the valuation positively.

Research limitations/implications

Without consideration of ICT, ESG investments coincide with the value-creating hypothesis. However, modern world firms do not have a choice of ignoring ICT, which is essential to sustain. Adequate investments in ICT shift the value-eroding ESG effects (at low ICT) toward a value-creating hypothesis (at high ICT) when ESG investments start to impact the value positively.

Practical implications

In practice, modern-day firms have no choice but to align with ESG investments. In cases where ESG tends to erode value (at low ICT), the firms should, in parallel, choose to make some ICT investments. Such combined and balanced attention to ICT, along with ESG, will undoubtedly benefit the firms financially.

Originality/value

The study’s significant implications are on the stakeholders’ mindsets, who may not have clarity on the role of ESG and ICT in the bank’s performance and subsequent valuation. The policymakers may also restructure their long-term policy on ESG in the banking sector using the current study’s findings.
Linking corporate social irresponsibility with workplace deviant behaviour: mediated by moral outrage
Authors: Abbasi Munir A. , Amran Azlan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of external corporate social irresponsibility on organisational workplace deviant behaviours through the mediation of moral outrage (MO) among non-managerial employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary quantitative data was collected from a sample of 328 non-managerial employees working in banking, refinery, petroleum and power distribution companies in Pakistan. Partial least square-structural equation modelling was used to estimate the modelled relationships.

Findings

Results confirmed that external corporate social irresponsibility has a positive effect on organisational workplace deviant behaviours. MO mediated relationships between external corporate social irresponsibility and organisational workplace deviant behaviours positively.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, the findings indicate that moral values are also close to the hearts of non-managerial employees, as external corporate social irresponsibility has proved to be one of the significant predictors of organisational deviance.

Practical implications

This study provides a new, substantial pathway for the executive management of organisations and evidence that eliminating social irresponsibility is equally important as pursuing sustainability initiatives for addressing workplace deviant behaviour.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is twofold. Firstly, it has confirmed the impact of external corporate social irresponsibility on employees’ deviant behaviours targeted at the organisation. Secondly, it has extended the scope of expectancy violation theory into the field of human resource management.
Land side truck traffic modeling at container terminals by a stationary two-class queuing strategy with switching
Authors: Wang Jing , Huynh Nathan N. , Pena Edsel
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper evaluates an alternative queuing concept for marine container terminals that utilize a truck appointment system (TAS). Instead of having all lanes providing service to trucks with appointments, this study considers the case where walk-in lanes are provided to serve those trucks with no appointments or trucks with appointments but arrived late due to traffic congestion.

Design/methodology/approach

To enable the analysis of the proposed alternative queuing strategy, the queuing system is shown mathematically to be stationary. Due to the complexity of the model, a discrete event simulation (DES) model is used to obtain the average waiting number of trucks per lane for both types of service lanes: TAS-lanes and walk-in lanes.

Findings

The numerical experiment results indicated that the considered queuing strategy is most beneficial when the utilization of the TAS lanes is expected to be much higher than that of the walk-in lanes.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that it examines the scenario where trucks with appointments switch to the walk-in lanes upon arrival if the TAS-lane server is occupied and the walk-in lane server is not occupied. This queuing strategy/policy could reduce the average waiting time of trucks at marine container terminals. Approximation equations are provided to assist practitioners calculate the average truck queue length and the average truck queuing time for this type of queuing system.
The evaluation of health care leadership development programmes: a scoping review of reviews
Authors: Burn Emily , Waring Justin
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a scoping review of reviews which investigated HLDP evaluations to determine: how the conceptualisation of leadership development programmes (HLDPs), and despite growing calls for robust evaluations of their pedagogic design, delivery and effectiveness, there are concerns regarding the quality of data associated with their evaluation. This scoping review of reviews investigated the reporting of HLDP evaluations to determine: how the conceptualisation of leadership underpinning HLDPs influence their evaluation; how the pedagogical approaches within HLDPs influence their evaluation; and the evaluation designs and measures used to assess HLDPs.

Design/methodology/approach

The scoping review was conducted on reviews of HLDPs. Searches were performed on four databases and on the grey literature. Data were extracted and a narrative synthesis was developed.

Findings

Thirty-one papers were included in the scoping review of reviews. A great deal of heterogeneity in HLDPs was identified. Evaluations of HLDPs were affected by poor data quality, and there were limitations in the evidence about “what works”. Leadership was conceptualised in different ways across HLDPs, and consequently, there was a lack of consistency as to what is being evaluated and the methods used to assess HLDPs.

Originality/value

This review of reviews summarises the current evidence on the evaluation of HLDPs. Evaluations of HLDPs need to explicitly account for the complexity of health systems, how this complexity impacts on the development and articulation of leadership practice, and how the underlying conceptualisation of leadership and the associated theory of change articulate a set of assumptions about how HLDPs support leaders to affect change within complex systems.
Organizational innovation and the role of strategic planning: the case of the Dubai hotel industry
Authors: Elbanna Said , Abdel-Maksoud Ahmed
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In today's dynamic and competitive environment, innovation is a key requirement for hotels to survive, be profitable and sustain their competitive advantages. However, because the study of innovation in the hospitality industry has only developed recently, little is still known about its determining factors. Given this, this study aims to theorize and test with empirical data the effects of two key dimensions of strategic planning (i.e. participation and flexibility) on innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a fully standardized questionnaire, data were gathered from a sample of 150 hotels in Dubai, by a professional market research firm, through face-to-face interviews. The study hypotheses are tested with partial least squares structural equation models. The study has three limitations: first, its data are cross-sectional and the analyses are post hoc; second, it uses single informants; and third, the sample was primarily from a single setting, i.e. Dubai.

Findings

The study argues that participation and flexibility in strategic planning are positively related. It also argues that flexibility is positively related to innovation and that flexibility mediates the effects of participation in strategic planning on innovation. Empirical support is found for all the examined relationships.

Originality/value

The study takes place in a unique setting (i.e. Dubai, United Arab Emirates) where research on organizational innovation has been rather limited to date. The findings have important implications for the stream of literature in this field and for practitioners and sustaining competitive advantages of hotels.
Protecting skilled Afghan women: Brain save and the politics of vulnerability
Authors: Sandvik Kristin Bergtora , Bjørhaug Ingunn , Espegren Astrid , Garnier Adèle
Published: December 2022

Considering the Afghan evacuation of 2021 and its aftermath, this article suggests the term ‘brain save’ to characterise emerging protection discourses and practices concerning the resettlement of skilled women refugees. Resettlement has traditionally focused on women as vulnerable because of their gender. Drawing on examples of the evacuation and prospective resettlement of Afghan women professionals, the article develops the analytic concept of brain save to label these discourses and practices. Unlike ‘brain drain’, brain save challenges established politics of vulnerability and has progressive potential for resettlement as a durable solution. However, it also implies problematic prioritisation of particular resettlement candidates.
Classifying the activity states of small vertebrates using automated VHF telemetry
Authors: Gottwald Jannis , Royauté Raphaël , Becker Marcel , Geitz Tobias , Höchst Jonas , Lampe Patrick , Leister Lea , Lindner Kim , Maier Julia , Rösner Sascha , Schabo Dana G. , Freisleben Bernd , Brandl Roland , Müller Thomas , Farwig Nina , Nauss Thomas
Published: December 2022

The most basic behavioural states of animals can be described as active or passive. While high‐resolution observations of activity patterns can provide insights into the ecology of animal species, few methods are able to measure the activity of individuals of small taxa in their natural environment. We present a novel approach in which a combination of automatic radiotracking and machine learning is used to distinguish between active and passive behaviour in small vertebrates fitted with lightweight transmitters (<0.4 g).

We used a dataset containing >3 million signals from very‐high‐frequency (VHF) telemetry from two forest‐dwelling bat species (Myotis bechsteinii [n = 52] and Nyctalus leisleri [n = 20]) to train and test a random forest model in assigning either active or passive behaviour to VHF‐tagged individuals. The generalisability of the model was demonstrated by recording and classifying the behaviour of tagged birds and by simulating the effect of different activity levels with the help of humans carrying transmitters. The model successfully classified the activity states of bats as well as those of birds and humans, although the latter were not included in model training (F1 0.96–0.98).

We provide an ecological case‐study demonstrating the potential of this automated monitoring tool. We used the trained models to compare differences in the daily activity patterns of two bat species. The analysis showed a pronounced bimodal activity distribution of N. leisleri over the course of the night while the night‐time activity of M. bechsteinii was relatively constant. These results show that subtle differences in the timing of species' activity can be distinguished using our method.

Our approach can classify VHF‐signal patterns into fundamental behavioural states with high precision and is applicable to different terrestrial and flying vertebrates. To encourage the broader use of our radiotracking method, we provide the trained random forest models together with an R package that includes all necessary data processing functionalities. In combination with state‐of‐the‐art open‐source automated radiotracking, this toolset can be used by the scientific community to investigate the activity patterns of small vertebrates with high temporal resolution, even in dense vegetation.
Prognostic value of ASXL1 mutations in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Ao , Wang Shuxing , Ren Quanlei , Wang Yizhu , Jiang Zhiping
Published: December 2022

Additional sex combs‐like 1 (ASXL1) mutations, a hotspot in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), have been frequently reported for their potential prognostic value, but the results are controversial. Therefore, a meta‐analysis was performed. Databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, were searched for relevant studies published up to January 13, 2022. STATA v16.0 software was used to calculate the combined hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) and AML transformation. Subgroup analysis was used to explore the effects of the grouping factors on heterogeneity.Ten studies on ASXL1 mutations and the prognosis of MDS were selected. Our results indicate that ASXL1 mutations have an adverse prognostic impact on OS (HR = 1.68,95%CI:1.45–1.94, p < .0001) and AML transformation (HR = 2.20,95% CI:1.68–2.87, p < .0001). The results for different age groups were not significantly different (HR = 1.87,95% CI: 1.31–2.67; HR = 1.62,95% CI:1.35–2.07). Ten studies covering 5816 patients with AML were included. The pooled HR for OS was 1.37 (95% CI:1.20–1.56, p < .0001). ASXL1 mutations were especially associated with a poorer OS in the subgroup aged ≥60 years (HR = 2.86, 95% CI:1.34–6.08, p = .006); when considering cytogenetically normal AML (CN‐AML), the HR was 1.78(95% CI:1.27–2.49, p = .001). This meta‐analysis indicates an independent, adverse prognostic impact of ASXL1 mutations in patients with MDS and AML, which also applies to patients with CN‐AML. Age was a risk factor for patients with AML and ASXL1 mutations but not for patients with MDS.
Fomepizole should not be used more liberally in paracetamol overdose
Authors: Dear James W.
Published: December 2022

Fomepizole is a promising new treatment for preventing liver injury following paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose. However, we need robust clinical trials to be performed to demonstrate its effect on clinical outcomes that are important to our patients and important to healthcare providers. Until such trials are performed, the toxicology community should learn the lessons from the COVID pandemic—potential novel therapeutic options may be theoretically appealing, but their effectiveness needs to be assessed in robust clinical trials before they are used in clinical practice.