bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opportunistic Fungal Infection Associated With COVID-19
Authors: Cafardi John , Haas Douglas , Lamarre Thomas , Feinberg Judith
Published: January 2021

We report 2 cases of severe coronavirus disease 2019 requiring prolonged hospitalization complicated by the late onset of opportunistic fungal infections, histoplasmosis, and cryptococcosis.
Dysregulated Host Response in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2-Induced Critical Illness
Authors: Tiwari-Heckler Shilpa , Rauber Conrad , Longhi Maria Serena , Zörnig Inka , Schnitzler Paul , Jäger Dirk , Giese Thomas , Merle Uta
Published: January 2021

Background

Impaired immune response has been reported to be the cause of the development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related respiratory failure. Further studies are needed to understand the immunopathogenesis and to enable an improved stratification of patients who are at risk for critical illness.

Methods

Thirty-two severely ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were recruited in our center at the University Hospital Heidelberg. We performed a comprehensive analysis of immune phenotype, cytokine, and chemokine profiling and leukocyte transcripts in patients with severe COVID-19 and compared critically ill patients who required mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy and noncritically ill patient who received low-flow oxygen therapy.

Results

Critically ill patients exhibited low levels of CD8 T cells and myeloid dendritic cells. We noted a pronounced CCR6+ TH17 phenotype in CD4 central memory cells and elevated circulating levels of interleukin-17 in the critical group. Gene expression of leukocytes derived from critically ill patients was characterized by an upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and reduction of interferon (IFN)-responsive genes upon stimulation with Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist. When correlating clinical improvement and immune kinetics, we found that CD8 T-cell subsets and myeloid dendritic cells significantly increased after disconnection from the ventilator.

Conclusion

Critical illness was characterized by a TH17-mediated response and dysfunctional IFN-associated response, indicating an impaired capacity to mount antiviral responses during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 severe infection.
The formation of the young massive cluster B1 in the Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/NGC 4039) triggered by cloud–cloud collision
Authors: Tsuge Kisetsu , Tachihara Kengo , Fukui Yasuo , Sano Hidetoshi , Tokuda Kazuki , Ueda Junko , Iono Daisuke
Published: January 2021

The Antennae Galaxies, one of major mergers, are a starburst. Tsuge et al. (2020, PASJ, 73, S35) showed that the five giant molecular complexes in the Antennae Galaxies have signatures of cloud–cloud collisions based on the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) archival data with 60 pc resolution. In the present work we analyzed the new CO data toward the super star cluster (SSC) B1 with 14 pc resolution obtained with ALMA, and confirm that two clouds show a complementary distribution with a displacement of ∼70 pc as well as connecting bridge features between them. The complementary distribution shows a good correspondence with the theoretical collision model (Takahira et al. 2014, ApJ, 792, 63), and the distribution indicates that the formation of SSC B1 with ∼106 M⊙ was consistent with the trigger of cloud–cloud collision on a time scale of ∼1 Myr, which is consistent with the cluster age. It is likely that SSC B1 was formed from molecular gas of ∼107 M⊙ with a star formation efficiency of $\sim\! 10\%$ in 1 Myr. We identify a few places where additional clusters are forming. Detailed gas motion indicates that the stellar feedback in the accelerating gas is not effective, while the ionization plays a role in evacuating the gas around the clusters at a ∼20 pc radius. The results have revealed the details of the parent gas where a cluster having a mass similar to a globular is being formed.
Study of the truncation strategy in the FPGA of a solar radio digital receiver
Authors: Yan Fabao , Liu Yang , Xu Ke , Shang Ziqian , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhang Lei , Su Yanrui , Lu Guang , Wu Zhao , Chen Yao
Published: January 2021

Computation resource is the limiting factor in higher operational accuracy of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in solar radio digital receivers. The data truncation strategy which determines the accuracy of data is then the essential technology in the design of a receiving system. Based on the solar radio spectrometer (dual channel, 14 bit, 1.25 gigasamples per second) at the Chashan Solar Radio Observatory (CSO), this paper presents a data truncation strategy which can realize real-time solar radio observation (35–40 GHz) with high time and frequency resolution as well as a large dynamic range, and at the same time saves the computation resource to a large extent. Simulations of truncations during signal processing are carried out in MATLAB, and the best truncation mechanisms are deduced for windowing and fast Fourier transform (FFT). Using the simulation results, the best truncation strategies have been implemented in the solar radio receiver at CSO with the result that the best truncation bits for the windowing operation are [27 : 14], with an error of 2.5 × 10−4, and the best truncation bits for the FFT output are [20 : 5] with an error of 1.5 × 10−3. Compared with the processing of full-precision data, occupation of the computation resources in the FPGA can be reduced significantly. For instance, the lookup table, lookup table RAM, flip flop, and digital signal processing slices are reduced by 7.36%, 14.65%, 8.38%, and 24.94%, respectively, which guarantees broad-band real-time solar radio observations (35–40 GHz).
Strategies for advanced personalized tuberculosis diagnosis: Current technologies and clinical approaches
Authors: Chen Xuerong , Hu Tony Y
Published: January 2021

Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be difficult as advances in molecular diagnosis approaches (especially nanoparticles combined with high-throughput mass spectrometry for detecting mycobacteria peptide) and personalized medicine result in many changes to the diagnostic framework. This review will address issues concerning novel technologies from bench to bed and new strategies for personalized tuberculosis diagnosis.
Computational molecular docking and virtual screening revealed promising SARS-CoV-2 drugs
Authors: Hosseini Maryam , Chen Wanqiu , Xiao Daliao , Wang Charles
Published: January 2021

The pandemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rampaged the world, with more than 58.4 million confirmed cases and over 1.38 million deaths across the world by 23 November 2020. There is an urgent need to identify effective drugs and vaccines to fight against the virus. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the family of coronaviruses consisting of four structural and 16 non-structural proteins (NSP). Three non-structural proteins, main protease (Mpro), papain-like protease (PLpro), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), are believed to have a crucial role in replication of the virus. We applied computational ligand-receptor binding modeling and performed comprehensive virtual screening on FDA-approved drugs against these three SARS-CoV-2 proteins using AutoDock Vina, Glide, and rDock. Our computational studies identified six novel ligands as potential inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, including antiemetics rolapitant and ondansetron for Mpro; labetalol and levomefolic acid for PLpro; and leucal and antifungal natamycin for RdRp. Molecular dynamics simulation confirmed the stability of the ligand-protein complexes. The results of our analysis with some other suggested drugs indicated that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine had high binding energy (low inhibitory effect) with all three proteins—Mpro, PLpro, and RdRp. In summary, our computational molecular docking approach and virtual screening identified some promising candidate SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors that may be considered for further clinical studies.
Meta-Analyses Support a Taxonomic Model for Representations of Different Categories of Audio-Visual Interaction Events in the Human Brain
Authors: Csonka Matt , Mardmomen Nadia , Webster Paula J , Brefczynski-Lewis Julie A , Frum Chris , Lewis James W
Published: January 2021

Our ability to perceive meaningful action events involving objects, people, and other animate agents is characterized in part by an interplay of visual and auditory sensory processing and their cross-modal interactions. However, this multisensory ability can be altered or dysfunctional in some hearing and sighted individuals, and in some clinical populations. The present meta-analysis sought to test current hypotheses regarding neurobiological architectures that may mediate audio-visual multisensory processing. Reported coordinates from 82 neuroimaging studies (137 experiments) that revealed some form of audio-visual interaction in discrete brain regions were compiled, converted to a common coordinate space, and then organized along specific categorical dimensions to generate activation likelihood estimate (ALE) brain maps and various contrasts of those derived maps. The results revealed brain regions (cortical “hubs”) preferentially involved in multisensory processing along different stimulus category dimensions, including 1) living versus nonliving audio-visual events, 2) audio-visual events involving vocalizations versus actions by living sources, 3) emotionally valent events, and 4) dynamic-visual versus static-visual audio-visual stimuli. These meta-analysis results are discussed in the context of neurocomputational theories of semantic knowledge representations and perception, and the brain volumes of interest are available for download to facilitate data interpretation for future neuroimaging studies.
Correlation of the epidemic spread of COVID-19 and urban population migration in the major cities of Hubei Province, China
Authors: Chen Qun , Yan Jiao , Huang Helai , Zhang Xi
Published: January 2021

This study analyses the relationship between the epidemic spread of COVID-19 and urban population migration in Hubei Province, China. Based on an improved gravity model, the population inflow numbers for each city from 10 January to 23 February are estimated. A correlation analysis is done to reveal the impact of population inflow on the number of infected people in the 14 days after 23 January, the day Wuhan was locked down. The results show that: (i) the population outflow from Wuhan was mostly distributed between Xiaogan, Huanggang, Ezhou and Huangshi in Hubei Province; (ii) the number of accumulated confirmed patients is closely associated with inflows from Wuhan, which displayed by correlation coefficient 1 with a mean of 0.88 and a maximum of 0.93. Meanwhile, there is a weak correlation between the number of people that came from cities except Wuhan and accumulated confirmed patients, which indicated by correlation coefficient 2 with a mean of 0.65 and a maximum of 0.75; and (iii) the total population inflow is a greater predictor of epidemic spread than the population inflow from Wuhan.
Vibrational resonances in driven oscillators with position-dependent mass
Authors: Roy-Layinde T. O. , Vincent U. E. , Abolade S. A. , Popoola O. O. , Laoye J. A. , McClintock P. V. E.
Published: January 2021

The vibrational resonance (VR) phenomenon has received a great deal of research attention over the two decades since its introduction. The wide range of theoretical and experimental results obtained has, however, been confined to VR in systems with constant mass. We now extend the VR formalism to encompass systems with position-dependent mass (PDM). We consider a generalized classical counterpart of the quantum mechanical nonlinear oscillator with PDM. By developing a theoretical framework for determining the response amplitude of PDM systems, we examine and analyse their VR phenomenona, obtain conditions for the occurrence of resonances, show that the role played by PDM can be both inductive and contributory, and suggest that PDM effects could usefully be explored to maximize the efficiency of devices being operated in VR modes. Our analysis suggests new directions for the investigation of VR in a general class of PDM systems.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vibrational and stochastic resonance in driven nonlinear systems (part 1)’.
Amplification of optical signals in a bistable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser by vibrational resonance
Authors: Chizhevsky V. N.
Published: January 2021

The paper presents the results of the experimental study of an application of the phenomenon of vibrational resonance (VR) for enhancement of the response of a bistable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) to the effect of optical modulating signals. Specifically, two different cases were investigated: (a) the control of all-optical switching caused by a modulated orthogonal optical injection from another VCSEL and (b) the amplification of autodyne signals from a vibrating diffusely reflecting surface in the self-mixing optical interferometry. It is experimentally demonstrated that an application of the phenomenon of VR in both cases studied leads to a strong amplification of the input optical signals by a factor from 10 to 200 depending on the experimental conditions with respect to the initial values. The effect of the asymmetry of a bistable potential on the amplification factor was also studied. The results obtained can be used to improve all-optical switchings for application in communication systems and enhancement of autodyne signals in self-mixing optical interferometry.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vibrational and stochastic resonance in driven nonlinear systems (part 1)’.
Kill and cure: genomic phylogeny and bioactivity of Burkholderia gladioli bacteria capable of pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles
Authors: Jones Cerith , Webster Gordon , Mullins Alex J. , Jenner Matthew , Bull Matthew J. , Dashti Yousef , Spilker Theodore , Parkhill Julian , Connor Thomas R. , LiPuma John J. , Challis Gregory L. , Mahenthiralingam Eshwar
Published: January 2021

Burkholderia gladioli

is a bacterium with a broad ecology spanning disease in humans, animals and plants, but also encompassing multiple beneficial interactions. It is a plant pathogen, a toxin-producing food-poisoning agent, and causes lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Contrasting beneficial traits include antifungal production exploited by insects to protect their eggs, plant protective abilities and antibiotic biosynthesis. We explored the genomic diversity and specialized metabolic potential of 206

B. gladioli

strains, phylogenomically defining 5 clades. Historical disease pathovars (pv.)

B. gladioli

pv. allicola and

B. gladioli

pv. cocovenenans were distinct, while

B. gladioli

pv. gladioli and

B. gladioli

pv. agaricicola were indistinguishable; soft-rot disease and CF infection were conserved across all pathovars. Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for toxoflavin, caryoynencin and enacyloxin were dispersed across

B. gladioli

, but bongkrekic acid and gladiolin production were clade-specific. Strikingly, 13 % of CF infection strains characterized were bongkrekic acid-positive, uniquely linking this food-poisoning toxin to this aspect of

B. gladioli

disease. Mapping the population biology and metabolite production of

B. gladioli

has shed light on its diverse ecology, and by demonstrating that the antibiotic trimethoprim suppresses bongkrekic acid production, a potential therapeutic strategy to minimize poisoning risk in CF has been identified.
Improved growth and morphological plasticity of Haloferax volcanii
Authors: de Silva Roshali T. , Abdul-Halim Mohd F. , Pittrich Dorothea A. , Brown Hannah J. , Pohlschroder Mechthild , Duggin Iain G.
Published: January 2021

Some microbes display pleomorphism, showing variable cell shapes in a single culture, whereas others differentiate to adapt to changed environmental conditions. The pleomorphic archaeon

Haloferax volcanii

commonly forms discoid-shaped (‘plate’) cells in culture, but may also be present as rods, and can develop into motile rods in soft agar, or longer filaments in certain biofilms. Here we report improvement of

H. volcanii

growth in both semi-defined and complex media by supplementing with eight trace element micronutrients. With these supplemented media, transient development of plate cells into uniformly shaped rods was clearly observed during the early log phase of growth; cells then reverted to plates for the late log and stationary phases. In media prepared with high-purity water and reagents, without supplemental trace elements, rods and other complex elongated morphologies (‘pleomorphic rods’) were observed at all growth stages of the culture; the highly elongated cells sometimes displayed a substantial tubule at one or less frequently both poles, as well as unusual tapered and highly curved forms. Polar tubules were observed forming by initial mid-cell narrowing or tubulation, causing a dumbbell-like shape, followed by cell division towards one end. Formation of the uniform early log-phase rods, as well as the pleomorphic rods and tubules were dependent on the function of the tubulin-like cytoskeletal protein, CetZ1. Our results reveal the remarkable morphological plasticity of

H. volcanii

cells in response to multiple culture conditions, and should facilitate the use of this species in further studies of archaeal biology.
Luminance texture boundaries and luminance step boundaries are segmented using different mechanisms
Authors: DiMattina Christopher
Published: January 2021

In natural scenes, two adjacent surfaces may differ in mean luminance without any sharp change in luminance at their boundary, but rather due to different relative proportions of light and dark regions within each surface. We refer to such boundaries asluminance texture boundaries(LTBs), and in this study we investigate whether LTBs are segmented using different mechanisms thanluminance step boundaries(LSBs). We develop a novel method to generate luminance texture boundaries from natural uniform textures, and using these natural LTB stimuli in a boundary segmentation task, we find that observers are much more sensitive to identical luminance differences which are defined by textures (LTBs) than by uniform luminance steps (LSBs), consistent with the possibility of different mechanisms. In a second and third set of experiments, we characterize observer performance segmenting natural LTBs in the presence of masking LSBs which observers are instructed to ignore. We show that although there may be some masking of LTB segmentation by LSBs, it is far less than that observed in a control experiment where both the masker and target are LSBs, and far less than that predicted by a model assuming identical mechanisms. Finally, we perform a fourth set of boundary segmentation experiments using artificial LTB stimuli comprised of differing proportions of white and black dots on opposite sides of the boundary. We find that these stimuli are also highly robust to masking by supra-threshold LSBs, consistent with our results using natural stimuli, and with our earlier studies using similar stimuli. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that the visual system contains mechanisms well suited to detecting surface boundaries that are robust to interference from luminance differences arising from luminance steps like those formed by cast shadows.
Spontaneous thought and microstate activity modulation by social imitation
Authors: Tomescu Miralena I. , Papasteri Claudiu C. , Sofonea Alexandra , Boldasu Romina , Kebets Valeria , Poalelungi Catalina , Podina Ioana R. , Nedelcea Catalin I. , Berceanu Alexandru I. , Carcea Ioana
Published: January 2021

Social imitation increases well-being and closeness by mechanisms that remain poorly understood. We propose that imitation impacts behavioural states in part by modulating post-imitation mind-wandering. The human mind wanders spontaneously and frequently, revisiting the past and imagining the future of self and of others. External and internal factors can influence wandering spontaneous thoughts, whose content predicts subsequent emotional states. In 43 young subjects, we find that imitating the arm movements of an actor alters the dynamics and the content of subsequent resting-state spontaneous thoughts. Imitation-sensitive features of spontaneous thoughts correlate with both behavioural states and salivary oxytocin levels. EEG microstate analysis reveals that global patterns of correlated neuronal activity predict imitation-induced changes in spontaneous thoughts. Thus, imitation can modulate ongoing activity in specific neural networks to change spontaneous thought patterns as a function of oxytocin levels, and to ultimately orchestrate behavioural states.
Protective Effects of Matrine on Acute Myocardial Hypertrophy Induced by Isoproterenol via Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/eIF4E Signaling Pathway in Rats
Authors: Ma Hui , Dang Hongwan , Wei Shijie , Yang Xiaoying , Zhang Wenping
Published: January 2021

This study aimed to investigate whether matrine (Ma) attenuates isoproterenol (ISO)-induced acute myocardial hypertrophy via activating Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/eIF4E signaling pathway in rats. We collected 42 male Sprague–Dawley rats weighing 300±20g, randomly divided into seven groups (n=6). The myocardial hypertrophy (MH) model was well established by 85 mg/kg ISO. Changes in hemodynamic parameters were recorded using electrocardiogram after 24h with ISO injection. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the expression of Akt, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), p70S6K, and eIF4E. Tissue arrangement of the 200 and 100 mg/kg Ma+ISO groups was regularly smaller than that of the ISO group. For the protein expression, Akt values in the 200 and 100 mg/kg Ma+ISO groups were 1.57- and 1.81-fold higher than in the ISO group, respectively. Moreover, compared with the ISO group, the expression trends of mTOR in the 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg Ma+ISO groups significantly downregulated. The levels of p70S6K and eIF4E reduced in the 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg Ma+ISO groups according to the ISO group (P<0.05). MRNA expression of p70S6K and eIF4E in the ISO group were 1.90- and 6.38-fold higher compared with that in the 100 mg/kg Ma+ISO group. Ma exerted neuroprotective effects against pachyntic injury. Akt activity was accelerated, but activities of mTOR, p70S6K, and eIF4E were inhibited by Ma. Activation of the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/eIF4E signaling pathway might be the targets for the protective effects of Ma on acute myocardial hypertrophy in rats.
Characterization of developmental changes in spontaneous electrical activity of superior olivary neurons before hearing onset under injectable or volatile anesthesia
Authors: Di Guilmi Mariano Nicolás , Rodríguez-Contreras Adrián
Published: January 2021

In this work we studied the impact of two widely used anesthetics on the electrical activity of auditory brainstem neurons during development. The spontaneous electrical activity in neonate rats of either sex was analyzed under the injectable mix of ketamine/xylazine (K/X mix) and the volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO). We used a ventral craniotomy in mechanically ventilated pups to carry out electrophysiology recordings in the superior olivary complex (SOC) between birth (postnatal day 0, P0) and P12. To characterize neuronal activity of single and ensembles of neurons, we performed patch clamp and multi-electrode experiments under different anesthetic conditions. Our results provide the first study that compares K/X mix and ISO in the same rodent species. We demonstrate that electrical activity of SOC neurons ramps up during development, and that the firing pattern of single units recorded in K/X mix was similar to that reported in ISO anesthetized rat pups. However, ISO displayed a large scatter on its suppressing effects on electrical activity when delivered at 1.5% in the presence or the absence of K/X mix. Taken together, our results shed light on the use of anesthetics for future studies to enable electrophysiology or optical imaging studiesin-vivoto obtain functional information on the activity of medial olivochoclear neurons and their role in auditory development.
Muscle contraction as a Markov Process - II: x-ray interference data (M3 & M6 reflections) imply myosin cross-bridge motions are controlled by structural transitions along actin filaments
Authors: Schutt Clarence E , Gelfand Vladimir , Paster Eli
Published: January 2021

The unit underlying the construction and functioning of muscle fibers is the sarcomere. Tension develops in fibers as thousands of sarcomeres arranged in series contract in unison. Shortening is due to the sliding of actin thin filaments along antiparallel arrays of myosin thick filaments. Remarkably, myosin catalytic heads situated across the center M-line of a sarcomere are separated by a distance that is a half integral of the 14.5 nm spacing between successive layers of myosin heads on the thick filaments. This results in the splitting of the 14.5 nm meridional reflection in X-ray diffraction patterns of muscle fibers. Following a quick drop in tension, changes in the relative intensities of the split meridional peaks provide a sensitive measure of myosin head movements. We use published data obtained with the x-ray interference method to validate a theory of muscle contraction in which cooperative structural transitions along force-generating actin filaments regulate the binding of myosin heads. The probability that an actin-bound myosin head will detach is represented here by a statistical function that yields a length-tension curve consistent with classical descriptions of the recovery of contracting muscle fibers subjected to millisecond drops in tension.
Inhibition of mitochondrial dynamics preferentially targets pancreatic cancer cells with enhanced tumorigenic and invasive potential
Authors: Courtois Sarah , de Luxán-Delgado Beatriz , Penin-Peyta Laure , Royo-García Alba , Parejo-Alonso Beatriz , Jagust Petra , Alcalá Sonia , Rubiolo Juan A. , Sánchez Laura , Sainz Bruno , Heeschen Christopher , Sancho Patricia
Published: January 2021

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest tumors, partly due to its intrinsic aggressiveness, metastatic potential, and chemoresistance of the contained cancer stem cells (CSCs). Pancreatic CSCs strongly rely on mitochondrial metabolism to maintain their stemness, therefore representing a putative target for their elimination. Since mitochondrial homeostasis depends on the tightly controlled balance between fusion and fission processes, namely mitochondrial dynamics, we aimed to study this mechanism in the context of stemness. In human PDAC tissues, the mitochondrial fission geneDNM1L(DRP1) was overexpressed and positively correlated with the stemness signature. Moreover, we observed that primary human CSCs display smaller mitochondria and a higher DRP1/MFN2 expression ratio, indicating activation of mitochondrial fission. Interestingly, treatment with the DRP1 inhibitor mDivi-1 induced dose-dependent apoptosis, especially in CD133+CSCs, due to accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria and subsequent energy crisis in this subpopulation. Mechanistically, mDivi-1 inhibited stemness-related features, such as self-renewal, tumorigenicity and invasiveness, and chemosensitized the cells to the cytotoxic effects of Gemcitabine. In summary, mitochondrial fission is an essential process for pancreatic CSCs and represents an attractive target for designing novel multimodal treatments that will more efficiently eliminate cells with high tumorigenic potential.

Simple Summary

Due to their intrinsic aggressiveness, cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent an essential target for the design of effective treatments against pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest tumors. As pancreatic CSCs are particularly dependent on the activity of their mitochondria, we here focus on mitochondrial dynamics as a critical process in the homeostasis of these organelles. We found that pancreatic CSCs rely on mitochondrial fission, and its pharmacological inhibition by mDivi-1 resulted in the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, provoking energy crisis and cell death in this subpopulation. Consequently, mDivi-1 blocked cellular functions related to cancer aggressiveness such asin vivotumorigenicity, invasiveness and chemoresistance. Our data suggest that inhibition of mitochondrial fission represents a promising target for designing new multimodal therapies to fight pancreatic cancer.
Gender characteristics and labor market of Macao: insight from the gaming sector classification
Authors: Tang Chi Chong
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of gender characteristics in the labor market of Macao and in gaming companies' employee-selection process.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses logistic regression to test the statistical significance of gender characteristics in the labor market and the employee-selection process, while data are drawn from the Statistics and Census Service of Macao. The marginal effects of gender characteristics on the probability of working in the gaming sector and non-gaming sector are calculated for practical significance.

Findings

Gender characteristics are statistically significant in the labor market. For the age groups of 45–54 and 55–64 years, females with educational attainment (senior secondary or below) tend to have a higher probability of working in the gaming industry, while for the young age groups of 25–34 and 35–44 years, the impact of gender characteristics tends to be much smaller, suggesting that gender inequality is less severe in young age groups. This can be explained by the change in focus of the gaming industry from the traditional gaming component in the past to non-gaming components in recent years.

Originality/value

This paper is intended to give information about the impact of gender characteristics on the labor market of Macao, after controlling for age and educational attainment. Scholars may utilize the insights from this paper to make comparisons between different economies and Macao and investigate whether the findings related to gender characteristics are consistent.
Followership in athletics why follower-centric spaces perform better
Authors: Armstrong Toni
Published: January 2021

Purpose

“Athlete experience” is a huge focus in modern-day American collegiate athletics, and is beginning to hold as much, if not more, weight than an athlete’s or team’s performance. With new emphasis on athlete well-being, coaches are more motivated to use healthy leader/follower dynamics. This paper aims to examine the follower-centric space of American collegiate athletics to understand how coaches train and develop followership.

Design/methodology/approach

Contemporary organization psychology and leadership/followership theories are highlighted in partnership with modern collegiate athletic programming. Author experiences after years of athletic participation and consulting are included, as well as illustrative practical applications beyond athletics.

Findings

Although sports have unique leader/follower dynamics, three common cultures are identifiable: personal development, co-collaboration and cohesion. These cultures define followership development in athletics.

Practical implications

Understanding how coaches improve “athlete experience,” increase retention and improve team performance through a follower-centric structure sheds new light on the value of followership in athletics and highlights unique systems in place for corporate settings.

Social implications

Recognizing the value American collegiate athletics place on healthy followership changes the stigma of followership behavior in a perceived hierarchical structure, changes perceptions of how coaches motivate athlete performance and allows recognition that followership development (as opposed to leadership development) empowers teams to succeed long term.

Originality/value

American collegiate athletics are unknowingly ahead of their time regarding student athlete well-being through followership development. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to explore how coaches emphasize and develop followership through sport.
Abusive supervision and work-family conflict: an empirical investigation of Indian professionals
Authors: Pradhan Sajeet , Gupta Prashant
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effect of subordinate’s perceived abusive supervision (AS) on his/her work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC). Although prior studies have empirically explored the direct effect, but the role of mediators like compulsory citizenship behavior, burnout and stress transfer explaining the indirect effect has seldom been reported.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws cross-sectional dyadic data from multiple sources (both job incumbent and the spouse). A final sample of 188 was used to test the hypotheses using SmartPLS.

Findings

The result reports positive relationship between AS and inter-role conflict (WFC and FWC). The findings also reported compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB) partially mediating the positive relationship between AS and WFC and AS and FWC. Also, the positive relationship between AS and WFC is partially (serial) mediated by CCB and burnout, and similarly, the association between AS and FWC is partially (serial) mediated by CCB and stress transmission.

Originality/value

The study makes several valuable contributions to the extant literature; first, it is the only study to explore the direct and indirect effect of AS on inter-role conflict (WFC and FWC) in Indian organizations. Second, the mediational role of CCB (as explained by the conservation of resources theory) and burnout and stress transmission (as explained by the spillover and crossover theory) offers rare insight about the process that explains the relationship between the focal constructs.
Are female-led firms disadvantaged in accessing bank credit? Evidence from transition economies
Authors: Aristei David , Gallo Manuela
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the presence of gender-based discrimination in formal credit markets during the global financial crisis. Specifically, the study tests for gender differences in the probability of being credit-rationed, in the likelihood of being a discouraged borrower and in the price conditions of bank financing.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the fifth wave of the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS), which provides detailed micro data on firms from 26 transition economies in Europe and Central Asia. The empirical analysis employs linear and non-linear sample selection regression models and extended Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques to assess gender differences in access to credit.

Findings

Controlling for a large set of observable firm characteristics and for endogenous selectivity, we find that female-led firms are more likely to face financing constraints and to be discouraged from applying for credit than their male counterparts. Conditional on having obtained a loan, female-led firms also face significantly higher interest rates. Furthermore, the observed gender gaps are mainly due to unexplained factors, supporting the hypothesis that banks discriminate against women-led firms in their credit-granting decision.

Originality/value

This study provides new insights on gender discrimination in formal credit markets, highlighting that gender differentials in access to credit significantly vary across countries and strongly depend upon the definition of the firm's gender structure. From a policy perspective, the evidence obtained stresses the need for policies aimed at promoting the role of women in the economic environment in order to reduce discrimination and raise competition in credit markets. Moreover, public interventions should support lending to creditworthy female enterprises in order to improve their perceptions about banks' willingness to grant credit and reduce their propensity to be discouraged from applying.
Civic engagement through restaurant review page in Facebook: a structural equation modelling approach
Authors: Satter A.K.M. Zaidi , Mahmud Arif , Rahman Ashikur , Mahmud Imran , Akter Rozina
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Existing literature affirms that almost half of the young generation has remained unemployed worldwide. On the contrary civic engagement can be a powerful tool in combating this problem. However, the influencing factors that encourage the active participation of young adults yet to be identified. The purpose of this paper is to fill the research gap by creating and validating a research model by including three motives social presence commitment and online offline civic engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The study took a quantitative approach to conduct a cross-sectional study. In total, 214 data were collected from the member of a Facebook group of Bangladesh named Foodbank, a restaurant review page through the online questionnaire. After that structural equation modelling techniques have been used to analyse the data, test the model validity and hypothesis.

Findings

The result shows that both commitment and social presence influence offline and online civic engagement. Excitement motives have a higher effect than information and convenience motive. Besides, 8 out of 10 hypotheses have shown significant results, with only the convenience motive not having any positive influence and effect on social presence and commitment.

Practical implications

Almost 47.6 out of 158.5 million are young people who are incapable of contributing fully to national development due to a lack of civic engagement. The outcome of this study will be useful for the Government of Bangladesh, as well as for non-governmental organisations and decision-making authorities to form assessments and develop policy on how to engage the young generation in civic activities to achieve further socio-economic development in the country.

Originality/value

This study contributes to existing literature with newly developed relationships between social presence-civic engagement and commitment-civic engagement. These unique relationships have been empirically tested and resulted insignificant. The study also identifies that it is vital to engage young people more in social works and increase their participation in offline and online activities.
A seller perspective on economic and non-economic satisfaction as precursors to formalisation, specific investments and dependence in business relationships
Authors: Høgevold Nils M. , Svensson Gøran , Mpinganjira Mercy
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Seen from the seller's point of view, this study examines economic and non-economic satisfaction as distinct conceptual variables, and tests how the constructs relate to each other and to the business transactional cost variables of formalisation, specific investments and dependence.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from 213 key informants from Norwegian companies involved in business-to-business marketing. Structural equation modelling was used to test the posited hypotheses.

Findings

The findings show that sellers' economic satisfaction exerts a positive influence on non-economic satisfaction and on formalisation, while its posited influence on specific investments was not found to be significant. Formalisation was, however, not significantly influenced by seller non-economic satisfaction. Specific investment was positively influenced by seller non-economic satisfaction. The influence of formalisation on specific investments and dependence was significant. Specific investments were also found to be positively influenced by dependence.

Research limitations/implications

The study reveals the importance of assessing both economic and non-economic satisfaction in trying to understand sellers' behaviour in business-to-business markets.

Practical implications

The findings show the need for managers to ensure economic satisfaction, as its affects non-economic satisfaction.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a better understanding of satisfaction in business-to-business exchange relationships and its relationship with transactional cost constructs based on a seller's perspective.
The role of information systems and knowledge codification for service provision strategies
Authors: Walsh John N. , O'Brien Jamie
Published: January 2021

Purpose

While service scholars see modularisation as balancing the efficiency of standardisation with the value added through customisation the relationships between these concepts are under-theorised. In addition, although information and communication technologies can facilitate all three service strategies, the degree to which they codify service knowledge is not explicitly considered in the extant literature. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a model that examines service strategy trajectories by specifically considering the ICTs used and the degree of knowledge codification employed.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on three qualitative case studies of service departments of firms involved in cardiovascular applications, orthopaedic, spinal and neuroscience product development and information technology support. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, document analysis and non-participant observation.

Findings

Findings show that ICTs were increasingly used to codify both standardised and customised services, though in different ways. For standardised services ICTs codified the service process, making them even more rigid. Due to the dynamic nature of customised services, drawing on experts' tacit knowledge, ICTs codified the possessors of knowledge rather than the service process they undertook. This study also identified a duality between the tacit development of customised services and modular service codification.

Research limitations/implications

The model is validated using case studies from three companies in the medical and information technology sectors limiting its generalisability.

Practical implications

The importance of considering the degree of tacitness or explicitness of service knowledge is important for service codification. The paper provides managers with empirical examples of how ICTs are used to support all three strategies, allows them to identify their current position and indicates possible future trajectories.

Originality/value

The papers main contribution is the development of a model that integrates the literature on service strategies with knowledge management strategies to classify service standardisation, customisation and modularisation in terms of both service orientation and degree of ICT codification.
Helping coworkers only when I have more? Integrating social comparison, attribution and conservation of resources theories
Authors: Chou Shih Yung , Barron Katelin , Ramser Charles
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Drawing upon conservation of resources (COR) and attribution theories, prior research in helping behavior has mainly focused on an independent view of the helper’s personal resources. This perspective, however, falls short of capturing the comparative nature of personal resources and attributions in a helping context. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to develop a theoretical model that helps predict employees’ decisions to help or not to help.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model was developed by integrating social comparison, COR and attribution theories.

Findings

The theoretical model proposes the following. First, when employees perceive that they have fewer personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they are less likely to help. Second, when employees perceive that they have more personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they make causal attributions as to why the coworker failed to deploy personal resources. Finally, when employees have more personal resources than a coworker who needs help, they are more likely to help if they make situational, unstable and uncontrollable attributions to the coworker’s failure to deploy personal resources.

Originality/value

This paper extends the literature by offering a theoretical model that emphasizes comparisons and attributions of personal resources in a helping context. Additionally, this paper offers several managerial implications that help managers manage helping behavior effectively.
Floating down the river: Vietnamese community-led social innovation
Authors: Maher Michael , Hazenberg Richard
Published: January 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the barriers facing social enterprise-led community energy projects in Vietnam, to understand the barriers and enablers of social innovation in transitioning economies. In doing so, this paper seeks to identify whether the Vietnamese ecosystem is conducive to sustainable community energy projects and social innovation more broadly.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used a qualitative, case study-based methodology to explore institutional barriers to social innovation in the context of three community-led energy projects in Northern Vietnam. Interviews and focus groups were undertaken with 17 individual stakeholders within or engaged with the three case studies. The qualitative data used was analysed using constant comparative method, a method of analysis based in grounded theory that allows for iterative analysis of the data gathered.

Findings

Social enterprises and their beneficiaries are reliant on their ability to network, but with the Vietnamese government actively involved in the markets, there are significant barriers standing in the way of these networking opportunities. Communities with little political capital are alienated from state institutions, whereas enterprises that offer alternative solutions to governmental priorities are seen as competitors by political agents.

Originality/value

Applying Granovetter’s theory of “embeddedness” and Herold et al.’s (2019) and Popov et al.’s (2016) theories on institutional centrality and power distribution, this paper seeks to add to our understanding on the impact large, hegemonic institutions can have on the networking ability of social enterprises and their beneficiaries.
The questionnaire method in systems research: an overview of sample sizes, response rates and statistical approaches utilized in studies
Authors: Lund Brady
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify typical sample sizes and response rates in questionnaire research studies within the discipline of information systems, as well as the top statistical analyses utilized for questionnaire data in these studies.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 842 articles published between the years of 2000 and 2019 were identified that met the criteria of using a questionnaire as the research method. These articles were analyzed based on the sample size, response rate (if applicable) and statistical analysis methods used.

Findings

The typical questionnaire study received between 136 (first quartile) and 374 (third quartile) respondents, with a median number of 217. Typical response rate ranged between 16.5% and 50.0%, with a median of 27.8%. it was found that articles published in journals included in the Social Science Citation Index had significantly larger numbers of respondents than those not included in the index, though no difference was found for response rate. Studies that utilized more advanced statistical methods (regression analysis, structural equation modeling) were found to have significantly larger sample sizes than those that utilized only descriptive statistics or t-tests. Structural equation modeling, including the partial least squares approach, was used in the largest number of studies.

Originality/value

This study is the first to broadly examine the typical sample size, response rates and methods of statistical analysis used in information systems questionnaire studies. The findings of this study may be useful for systems researchers in developing appropriate procedures for questionnaire-based research.