bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transsaccadic integration operates independently in different feature dimensions
Authors: Kong Garry , Aagten-Murphy David , McMaster Jessica M. V. , Bays Paul M.
Published: June 2021

Our knowledge about objects in our environment reflects an integration of current visual input with information from preceding gaze fixations. Such a mechanism may reduce uncertainty, but requires the visual system to determine which information obtained in different fixations should be combined or kept separate. To investigate the basis of this decision, we conducted three experiments. Participants viewed a stimulus in their peripheral vision, then made a saccade that shifted the object into the opposite hemifield. During the saccade, the object underwent changes of varying magnitude in two feature dimensions (Experiment 1: color and location, Experiments 2 and 3: color and orientation). Participants reported whether they detected any change and estimated one of the post-saccadic features. Integration of pre-saccadic with post-saccadic input was observed as a bias in estimates towards the pre-saccadic feature value. In all experiments, pre-saccadic bias weakened as the magnitude of the transsaccadic change in the estimated feature increased. Changes in the other feature, despite having a similar probability of detection, had no effect on integration. Results were quantitatively captured by an observer model where the decision whether to integrate information from sequential fixations is made independently for each feature and coupled to awareness of a feature change.
Genome-wide approaches delineate the additive, epistatic, and pleiotropic nature of variants controlling fatty acid composition in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Otyama Paul I. , Chamberlin Kelly , Ozias-Akins Peggy , Graham Michelle A. , Cannon Ethalinda K. S. , Cannon Steven B. , MacDonald Gregory E. , Anglin Noelle L.
Published: June 2021

The fatty acid composition of seed oil is a major determinant of the flavor, shelf-life, and nutritional quality of peanuts. Major QTLs controlling high oil content, high oleic content, and low linoleic content have been characterized in several seed oil crop species. Here we employ genome-wide association approaches on a recently genotyped collection of 787 plant introduction accessions in the USDA peanut core collection, plus selected improved cultivars, to discover markers associated with the natural variation in fatty acid composition, and to explain the genetic control of fatty acid composition in seed oils.

Overall, 251 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had significant trait associations with the measured fatty acid components. Twelve SNPs were associated with two or three different traits. Of these loci with apparent pleiotropic effects, 10 were associated with both oleic (C18:1) and linoleic acid (C18:2) content at different positions in the genome. In all 10 cases, the favorable allele had an opposite effect - increasing and lowering the concentration, respectively, of oleic and linoleic acid. The other traits with pleiotropic variant control were palmitic (C16:0), behenic (C22:0), lignoceric (C24:0), gadoleic (C20:1), total saturated, and total unsaturated fatty acid content. One hundred (100) of the significantly associated SNPs were located within 1000 kbp of 55 genes with fatty acid biosynthesis functional annotations. These genes encoded, among others: ACCase carboxyl transferase subunits, and several fatty acid synthase II enzymes.

With the exception of gadoleic (C20:1) and lignoceric (C24:0) acid content, which occur at relatively low abundance in cultivated peanut, all traits had significant SNP interactions exceeding a stringent Bonferroni threshold (α= 1%). We detected 7,682 pairwise SNP interactions affecting the relative abundance of fatty acid components in the seed oil. Of these, 627 SNP pairs had at least one SNP within 1000 kbp of a gene with fatty acid biosynthesis functional annotation. We evaluated 168 candidate genes underlying these SNP interactions. Functional enrichment and protein-to-protein interactions supported significant interactions (p- value < 1.0E-16) among the genes evaluated. These results show the complex nature of the biology and genes underlying the variation in seed oil fatty acid composition and contribute to an improved genotype-to-phenotype map for fatty acid variation in peanut seed oil.

Key phrases

SNP Genotyping, Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS), GWAS of interacting SNPs (GWASi), Pleiotropy, Seed fatty acid composition, Oleic-Linoleic acid ratio.
Structural basis for sterol sensing by Scap and Insig
Authors: Yan Renhong , Cao Pingping , Song Wenqi , Li Yaning , Wang Tongtong , Qian Hongwu , Yan Chuangye , Yan Nieng
Published: June 2021

The sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) pathway senses the cellular cholesterol level through sterol regulated association between Scap and Insig. Despite the recent structural determination of the transmembrane domains of human Scap and Insig-2 bound to 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), the structure and regulatory mechanism of the luminal domains of Scap by cholesterol remains elusive. Here, combining cryo-EM analysis and artificial intelligence-facilitated structural prediction, we report the structure of the human Scap/Insig-2 complex in the presence of digitonin instead of 25HC. Despite the lack of sequence similarity, the structure of the luminal domain Loop 1 and a co-folded segment in Loop 7 of Scap resembles that of the luminal/extracellular domain in NPC1 and related proteins. Comparison of the sterol-loaded structures of these proteins provides clues of the regulation of Loop 1/7 interaction by cholesterol. We also show that the structure of Scap(D428A), which suppresses SREBP activation under sterol depletion, is identical to WT when complexed with Insig-2, although the gain of function may also involve a later step in protein trafficking.
Unique Features of Different Classes of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Revealed from Sequence Coevolutionary and Structural Analysis
Authors: Do Hung N , Haldane Allan , Levy Ronald M , Miao Yinglong
Published: June 2021

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of human membrane proteins and represent the primary targets of about one third of currently marketed drugs. Despite the critical importance, experimental structures have been determined for only a limited portion of GPCRs and functional mechanisms of GPCRs remain poorly understood. Here, we have constructed novel sequence coevolutionary models of the A and B classes of GPCRs and compared them with residue contact frequency maps generated with available experimental structures. Significant portions of structural residue contacts were successfully detected in the sequence-based covariational models. “Exception” residue contacts predicted from sequence coevolutionary models but not available structures added missing links that were important for GPCR activation and allosteric modulation. Moreover, we identified distinct residue contacts involving different sets of functional motifs for GPCR activation, such as the Na+ pocket, CWxP, DRY, PIF and NPxxY motifs in the class A and the HETx and PxxG motifs in the class B. Finally, we systematically uncovered critical residue contacts tuned by allosteric modulation in the two classes of GPCRs, including those from the activation motifs and particularly the extracellular and intracellular loops in class A GPCRs. These findings provide a promising framework for rational design of ligands to regulate GPCR activation and allosteric modulation.

Significance

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play key roles in cellular signaling and serve as the primary targets of ∼1/3 of currently marketed drugs. In this work, we have presented the first analysis of both residue sequence coevolution and structural contact maps in different classes of GPCRs. We have inferred pathways for GPCR signal transduction that could not be determined from structural analysis alone. Distinct residue contacts have been identified in the signaling pathways of class A and B GPCRs. Our combined sequence coevolutionary and structural contact analysis has thus revealed important insights into the mechanism of GPCR signal transduction, which is expected to facilitate rational drug design of the GPCRs.
Piezo1 ion channels inherently function as independent mechanotransducers
Authors: Lewis Amanda H. , Grandl Jörg
Published: June 2021

Piezo1 is a mechanically activated ion channel involved in sensing forces in various cell types and tissues. Cryo-electron microscopy has revealed that the Piezo1 structure is bowl-shaped and capable of inducing membrane curvature via its extended footprint, which indirectly suggest that Piezo1 ion channels may bias each other’s spatial distribution and interact functionally. Here, we use cell-attached patch-clamp electrophysiology and pressure-clamp stimulation to functionally examine large numbers of membrane patches from cells expressing Piezo1 endogenously at low levels and cells overexpressing Piezo1 at high levels. Our data, together with stochastic simulations of Piezo1 spatial distributions, show that both at endogenous densities (1-2 channels/μm2), and at non-physiological densities (10-20 channels/μm2) predicted to cause substantial footprint overlap, Piezo1 density has no substantial effect on its pressure sensitivity or open probability in the nominal absence of membrane tension. The results suggest that Piezo channels, at densities likely to be physiologically relevant, inherently behave as independent mechanotransducers. We propose this property is essential for cells to transduce forces homogeneously across the entire cell membrane.
A machine learning method for the discovery of minimum marker gene combinations for cell type identification from single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Aevermann Brian , Zhang Yun , Novotny Mark , Keshk Mohamed , Bakken Trygve , Miller Jeremy , Hodge Rebecca , Lelieveldt Boudewijn , Lein Ed , Scheuermann Richard H.
Published: June 2021

Single-cell genomics is rapidly advancing our knowledge of the diversity of cell phenotypes, including both cell types and cell states. Driven by single-cell/-nucleus RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), comprehensive cell atlas projects characterizing a wide range of organisms and tissues are currently underway. As a result, it is critical that the transcriptional phenotypes discovered are defined and disseminated in a consistent and concise manner. Molecular biomarkers have historically played an important role in biological research, from defining immune cell types by surface protein expression to defining diseases by their molecular drivers. Here, we describe a machine learning-based marker gene selection algorithm, NS-Forest version 2.0, which leverages the nonlinear attributes of random forest feature selection and a binary expression scoring approach to discover the minimal marker gene expression combinations that optimally capture the cell type identity represented in complete scRNA-seq transcriptional profiles. The marker genes selected provide an expression barcode that serves as both a useful tool for downstream biological investigation and the necessary and sufficient characteristics for semantic cell type definition. The use of NS-Forest to identify marker genes for human brain middle temporal gyrus cell types reveals the importance of cell signaling and noncoding RNAs in neuronal cell type identity.
The influence of organisational culture on corporate accountants' ethical judgement and ethical intention in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Lan Anh , Dellaportas Steven , Vesty Gillian Maree , Pham Van Anh Thi , Jandug Lilibeth , Tsahuridu Eva
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This research examines the impact of organisational culture on the ethical judgement and ethical intention of corporate accountants in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The study relies on survey data collected from 283 practising accountants in Vietnam. Organisational culture was measured using the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument, developed by Cameron and Quinn (2011). The Instrument is developed based on the competing values framework comprised of four distinct cultures: clan, hierarchy, market and adhocracy. Ethical judgement and ethical intention were measured based on respondent responses to five ethical scenarios, each linked to a principle of professional conduct in the code of ethics.

Findings

The findings indicate that the clan culture (family oriented) is dominant and has a significant positive influence on accountants' ethical judgement and ethical intention. Respondents in the clan culture evaluate scenarios more ethically compared with accountants in the adhocracy and market cultures but not the hierarchy culture. Accountants who emphasise the adhocracy and market cultures display a more relaxed attitude towards unethical scenarios whereas respondents in the hierarchy culture (rule oriented) display the highest ethical attitude.

Research limitations/implications

The code of ethics, its content and how it is interpreted and applied may differ between professions, organisations or cultures.

Originality/value

Organisational research on ethical decision-making is ample but few studies link organisational culture with ethical judgement and ethical intention from the perspective of individual accountants.
Dining at gas stations: an analysis of nonconventional fast-food outlets from a consumer behavior perspective
Authors: Lefrid Mohammed
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of the dining experience elements at gas stations foodservice outlets: (1) food quality, (2) service quality, (3) convenience and (4) atmospherics on customers' overall satisfaction and behavioral intention. This study also examines the mediating effect of overall satisfaction on dining experience elements and behavioral intention.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper applies a quantitative approach, using partial least square-structural equation modeling for analysis. Survey data were collected online from 231 participants in the United States.

Findings

Convenience and food quality are strong predictors of gas station food purchasing overall satisfaction and behavioral intention. Meanwhile, service quality and atmospherics were not statistically significant.

Research limitations/implications

This study's survey was conducted online. Participants reflected on their dining experience at gas station dining outlets in the prior week.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the existing foodservice literature by exploring dining at gas stations. It also provides a new insight into the importance of convenience in influencing overall satisfaction and behavior intention in a gas station foodservice setting.

Social implications

This study helps with the understanding of consumer behavior and expectations of a fast-food setting. This study helps with enhancing convenience in order to improve the customers' experience and reduce their daily stress relating to wait time for purchasing fast-food meals.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine consumer experience at a gas station food service setting.
A systematic review of human capital and employee well-being: putting human capital back on the track
Authors: Islam Md Shamirul , Amin Muslim
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The review aims to demonstrate a broader perspective of human capital and employee well-being concept. Moreover, the study attempts to analyse theoretical notions underlying human capital and well-being relationship and thus to guide the integration of two distinct concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

This review followed the systematic literature search protocols from the Academic Journal Guide 2018 generated by the Chartered Association of Business Schools. Sixty-nine quantitative research papers were selected for the review.

Findings

Human capital is not only about individual competence but includes acquisition, utilization and development of competence in a broader sense. Employee well-being has been discussed from subjective and objective viewpoints and categorized into happiness, health and financial aspects. The review results suggest that various organizational theories, workplace learning and learning organization perspectives underlie human capital and well-being relationship. The review guides that the high involvement working model encapsulates well-being as part of human capital development.

Research limitations/implications

This review discusses practical implications for human resource management practitioners.

Originality/value

This review is a unique attempt to assess the human capital and well-being literature systematically.
Frugal creativity: a new conceptualization as planned behavior
Authors: Ahmad Saleha , Nanda Agarwal Madhushree
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce, define and propose a model for the concept of “frugal creativity” (FC), as the front end of the frugal innovation (FI) process. Modeling FC as a planned behavior makes it useful to large organizations who may wish to strategically promote such behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Identifying common themes from the literature, the authors propose a comprehensive definition of FI. Using this definition, they define FC. Next, a model for FC is proposed based on the theory of planned behavior.

Findings

The conceptual model proposes that frugal creativity intention (FCI) can be predicted by the prosocial motivation, dissatisfaction with status-quo and the threat-opportunity perception of resource constraints of an individual. The authors further propose that FCI would translate into FC more frequently when work is perceived as meaningful.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model opens avenues for further conceptual and empirical research in the area, although it first requires empirical validation.

Practical implications

The model of FC as a planned behavior can help multinationals, established firms or governments, seeking to use FI as a deliberate strategic choice, to develop suitable human capital and context for FI.

Originality/value

First, the authors propose a comprehensive definition for FI by consolidating related constructs. Second, they introduce the concept of FC as the idea generation stage of FI. Third, they propose a model for FC as a planned behavior. To the authors’ knowledge, the last two have not been attempted earlier.
Blockholding and agency cost: evidence from Nigeria
Authors: Ibekwe Ibe
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The study examines how blockholding, blockholding nationality and multiple blockholder structures (MBS) are related to agency cost in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Data sourced from the annual reports of 84 non-financial services firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2015, were analyzed using the hybrid model in Stata 15.

Findings

Blockholding showed a significant negative relationship with the expense ratio (ER) measure of agency cost at the between-firm level but not significantly related to asset utilization ratio (AUR). This result was driven more by foreign blockholding and concentration of control, which were negatively and significantly related to the ER. Concentration of control is negatively related to the AUR. Domestic blockholding and the number of blockholders were not significantly related to agency cost. Foreign-blockholder-firms had a significantly greater concentration of control (lesser contest for control) than domestic-blockholder-firms.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that foreign blockholding would be more effective in controlling agency costs in Nigeria. While the concentration of control (lesser contest for control) appears to be an efficient governance mechanism for reducing agency costs associated with expenses in Nigeria, it seems to exacerbate agency costs associated with asset utilization.

Originality/value

Previous researchers have not studied how foreign and domestic blockholding are related to agency cost. They also have not studied how MBS and the contest for control are related to agency cost and explain differences in the foreign/domestic blockholding-agency cost relationships in the Nigerian context.
Corporate governance and financial performance of banks in Ghana: the moderating role of ownership structure
Authors: Boachie Christopher
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of ownership on the links between corporate governance and financial performance in the context of Ghanaian banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study used a sample of 23 banks and the multiple regression method to analyze a panel dataset of 414 from banks over an 18-year period.

Findings

The findings revealed that audit independence, chief executive officer (CEO) duality, non-executive directors and banks size have a positive impact on performance. The findings also revealed that foreign ownership has an interacting effect between corporate governance and profitability.

Practical implications

The practical implications of the current study demonstrated that good corporate governance creates value and must be invigorated for the interest of all stakeholders. Foreign ownership has an interacting effect between corporate governance and performance. Policymakers should formulate policies for attracting foreign investors.

Originality/value

Interestingly, this study is the first of its kind that exclusively chose ownership structure to interact between corporate governance and bank performance in Ghanaian perspective. Such new insights on this relationship provide useful information to the government, academics, policymakers and other stakeholders. The growing economies of African countries, and the inadequate governance–performance literature in African context, have created a demand to appreciate the governance parameters in these countries and its influence on firm's performance.
A model of adoption of AR-based self-service technologies: a two country comparison
Authors: Castillo S Maria Jose , Bigne Enrique
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper proposes a model that extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) by identifying factors that influence consumers' acceptance of augmented reality (AR) self-service technologies (AR-based SSTs) in the retail sector, resulting in the Augmented Reality in Retail Model (ARiR Model).

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an online questionnaire responded to by 284 makeup-using women from Nicaragua and the USA. It is based on an AR mobile app used to shop in retail stores. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to validate the ARiR model and test the hypotheses.

Findings

Aesthetics and navigation are significant predictors of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use (PEOU), and self-efficacy also explains perceived ease of use. Technology readiness and the need for personal interaction were not found to be influencing factors. A cross-cultural comparison indicated that both countries have similar overall attitudes towards AR-based SSTs.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides insights into the perceived value of, and motives for customer acceptance of, AR-based SSTs, which can serve as guidelines for their future implementation. Furthermore, it validates and confirms the application of the proposed ARiR model for technology acceptance in both developed and developing countries.

Practical implications

The paper provides new insights for retailers on the implementation of AR at the point of sale.

Originality/value

The model extends the original TAM to AR and introduces five new constructs: need for personal interaction, aesthetics, navigation, self-efficacy and technology readiness. It was tested in both a developing and a developed country.
Islamic banking efficiency literature (2000–2020): a bibliometric analysis and research front mapping
Authors: Ikra Saiyara Shabbir , Rahman Md. Azizur , Wanke Peter , Azad Md. Abul Kalam
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to present a citation-based bibliometric review of Islamic banking efficiency literature from 2000 until August 2020 for analyzing the content of the literature and mapping future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

Using bibliometric citation analysis, this study reviews and examines a total of 278 documents from Web of Science (WoS) indexed sources coupled with content analysis.

Findings

The results identified that the growth of Islamic banking efficiency literature has begun to rise since 2008 with an annual growth rate of 12.5% while identifying the most influential aspects of Islamic banking efficiency literature in terms of topics, papers, authors and keywords. The outcomes of science mapping (i.e. co-citation network, bibliometric coupling and co-authorship network) reveal that there are three underlying research streams in Islamic banking efficiency literature: growth of Islamic banking efficiency literature, stability and genuineness of Islamic banking operations and the methods in Islamic banking efficiency literature.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge, this is the first bibliometric review paper on Islamic banking efficiency literature. It successfully unveils the scientific mapping of published WoS documents with a future research agenda also proposed based on the review outcomes. These findings can be used in efficiency-related initiatives by managers or regulators for managing Islamic bank operations worldwide.
The simultaneous effect of firm capabilities and competitive strategies on export performance: the role of competitive advantages and competitive intensity
Authors: Keskin Halit , Ayar Şentürk Hayat , Tatoglu Ekrem , Gölgeci Ismail , Kalaycioglu Ozan , Etlioglu Hatice Tuba
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to determine the simultaneous effect of exporting firms' competitive strategies and capabilities on the achievement of competitive advantages and export performance under the boundary conditions of competitive intensity. In so doing, the study combines the alternative theoretical lenses of the resource-based view (RBV) and the structure–conduct–performance (SCP) paradigm.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were obtained from 281 Turkish manufacturer–exporter firms operating in different sectors and located in several regions of the country. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test our conceptual framework, which combined the effects of RBV-based and SCP-based factors on competitive advantages and export performance under the moderating influence of competitive intensity.

Findings

This study reveals that unique firm capabilities, specifically informational, relational, and marketing capabilities, and competitive strategies, including differentiation and cost leadership, provide export firms with a competitive advantage and improve their export performance in foreign markets. Furthermore, competitive advantages partially mediate the effects of competitive strategies and unique firm capabilities on export performance. Finally, unexpectedly, and contrary to most of the existing literature, we find that competitive intensity negatively moderates the link between service advantages and export performance.

Originality/value

This research offers a comprehensive view of manufacturer–exporter firms' export performance by accounting for the overlooked simultaneous effect of firm capabilities and competitive strategies through the mediation of competitive advantages and under the boundary conditions of competitive intensity.
FWMR-II: a modular link-type rope-climbing robot with the finger-wheeled mechanism
Authors: Yu Suyang , Ye Changlong , Tao Guanghong , Ding Jian , Wang Yinchao
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The rope-climbing robot that can cling to a rope for locomotion has been a popular piece of equipment for some overhead applications due to its high flexibility. In view of problems left by existing rope-climbing robots, this paper aims to propose a new-style rope-climbing robot named Finger-wheeled mechanism robot (FWMR)-II to improve their performance.

Design/methodology/approach

FWMR-II adopts a modular and link-type mechanical structure. With the finger-wheeled mechanism (FWM) module, the robot can achieve smooth and quick locomotion and good capability of obstacle-crossing on the rope and with the link module based on a spatial parallel mechanism, the robot adaptability for rope environments is improved further. The kinematic models that can present configurations of the FWM module and link module of the robot are established and for typical states of the obstacle-crossing process, the geometric definitions and constraints that can present the robot position relative to the rope are established. The simulation is performed with the optimization calculating method to obtain the robot adaptability for rope environments and the experiment is also conducted with the developed prototype to verify the robot performance.

Findings

From the simulation results, the adaptability for rope environments of FWMR-II are obtained and the advantage of FWMR-II compared with FWMR-I is also proved. The experiment results give a further verification for the robot design and analysis work.

Practical implications

The robot proposed in this study can be used for inspection of power transmission lines, inspection and delivery in mine and some other overhead applications.

Originality/value

An ingenious modular link-type robot is proposed to improve existing rope-climbing robots and the method established in this study is worthy of reference for obstacle-crossing analysis of other rope-climbing robots.
What was that all about? On internal crisis communication and communicative coworkership during a pandemic
Authors: Heide Mats , Simonsson Charlotte
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to contribute with increased knowledge of the complex role of internal communication during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, the authors want to address the following research questions. How can the overall approach to internal crisis communication during the pandemic be interpreted, and what view of internal crisis communication does this approach reflect? What has been characteristic of the leadership communication during the pandemic? What do coworkers think of their communication role and how well does the internal communication support that role?

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on a case study of an authority with 1,000 employees. The empirical material consists of both documents and interviews. The analyzed documents include steering documents, e-mails to managers from the support function and newsletters from the top manager. The 17 interviews comprise managers, coworkers and communication managers. All interviews were recorded and the authors have conducted verbatim transcriptions.

Findings

The pandemic is an example of a wicked problem that involves a lot of ambiguity. Often organizations try to handle wicked problems by trying to control it through traditional management skills and practices. A pandemic demands a leadership, culture and communicative approach that highlights the importance of coworkers. In the studied organization the authors found knowledge and rhetoric about the value of coworkers and communicative coworkership. However, top management does not encourage, support and award practices that are in line with the espoused culture. The key to success is top managers that walk the talk and act as role models.

Practical implications

Crisis managers and crisis communicators need to focus more on improvisation, flexibility, listening and how to approach and make sense of the uncertain. In general, there is a tendency to rely too much on simple tools and to oversimplify complexity. Complex crises such as the pandemic raise new demands on leadership. Effective crisis leadership in a complex crisis seems to be much more democratic and collaborative than often assumed. If coworkers are expected to act as ambassadors or organizational representatives, they also need to be given better support for that role.

Originality/value

This article highlights the importance of closing the gap between espoused and enacted culture in order to change from a managerialistic internal crisis communication to a process internal crisis communication approach.
Examining ethical leadership in health care organizations and its impacts on employee work attitudes: an empirical analysis from Austria
Authors: Franczukowska Arleta Anna , Krczal Eva , Knapp Christine , Baumgartner Martina
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of ethical leadership on job satisfaction, affective commitment and burnout of health care employees, considering frustration tolerance and emotional stability as moderating variables.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was used to survey health care professionals working in private and public Austrian health-care organizations (hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and sanatoriums). The questionnaire consisted of items from well-established scales. The collected data (n = 458) was analyzed using correlation and regression analyzes.

Findings

Findings indicated that ethical leadership is significantly positively related to job satisfaction (r = 0.485,p < 0.01) and affective commitment (r = 0.461,p < 0.01) and is significantly negatively related to burnout (r= −0.347,p < 0.01). The results also suggest that frustration tolerance (ß = 0.101,p < 0.1) and emotional stability (ß = 0.093,p < 0.1) moderate the relationship between ethical leadership and burnout. Furthermore, a moderation effect of emotional stability in the ethical leadership and affective commitment relation was indicated. No moderation effect was found for frustration tolerance or emotional stability for the relationship between ethical leadership and job satisfaction.

Practical implications

Ethical leadership emphasizes the socio-emotional dimension in a leader-employee relationship, which can easily be neglected in times of staff cuts and work overload. Leadership training should include the development of skills in how to visibly act as a moral person, as well as how to set clear ethical standards and communicate them to employees.

Originality/value

This study adds value to the limited evidence on the beneficial role of ethical leadership in health care settings. In addition, frustration tolerance and emotional stability have not before been investigated as moderators.
Implementation of improved Fourier's law and Fick's law for rotational flow of nanofluid over an exponentially stretching sheet
Authors: Gupta Sumit , Gupta Sandeep , Jangid Nawal Kishor , Singhal Vijay kumar , Mukherjee Rohit , Choudhary Sangeeta
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the current article is to explore the rotational behavior on nanofluid flow over an exponentially stretching surface. Heat and mass flux are formulated upon Cattaneo–Christov theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Effect of thermophoretic, Brownian motion and thermally convective conditions is further retained. Novel boundary layer approximations are applied to transform the governing equations of continuity, momentum, energy and nanoparticle volume fraction. Convergent series solutions are obtained to manage the rotating flow with the aid of homotopy analysis method (HAM).

Findings

Depending on the several dimensionless parameters including the local rotation parameter the Prandtl number Pr, the thermophoresis parameter, the Brownian motion parameter, the Lewis number Le, Biot number Bi, Deborah number in terms of heat flux relaxation parameter and Deborah number in terms of mass flux relaxation parameter with the dimensionless physical quantities are deliberated through graphs. Present results are also likened with the foregoing results in significance.

Originality/value

No such assumptions have been made for the development of analytical solution so far.
A machine learning analysis of misconduct in the New York Police Department
Authors: Cubitt Timothy I.C. , Birch Philip
Published: June 2021

Purpose

There is a paucity of data available relating to the misconduct of police officers in larger policing agencies, typically resulting in case study approaches and limited insight into the factors associated with serious misconduct. This paper seeks to contribute to the emerging knowledge base on police misconduct through analysis of 28,429 complaints among 3,830 officers in the New York Police Department, between 2000 and 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized a data set consisting of officer and complainant demographics, and officer complaint records. Machine learning analytics were employed, specifically random forest, to consider which variables were most associated with serious misconduct among officers that committed misconduct. Partial dependence plots were employed among variables identified as important to consider the points at which misconduct was most, and least likely to occur.

Findings

Prior instances of serious misconduct were particularly associated with further instances of serious misconduct, while remedial action did not appear to have an impact in preventing further misconduct. Inexperience, both in rank and age, was associated with misconduct. Specific prior complaints, such as minor use of force, did not appear to be particularly associated with instances of serious misconduct. The characteristics of the complainant held more importance than the characteristics of the officer.

Originality/value

The ability to analyze a data set of this size is unusual and important to progressing the knowledge area regarding police misconduct. This study contributes to the growing use of machine learning in understanding the police misconduct environment, and more accurately tailoring misconduct prevention policy and practice.
Social marketing for museums: an introduction to social marketing for the arts and culture sector
Authors: Gonsales Flavia I.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to introduce social marketing (SM) as a tool to overcome the low cultural participation, a problem of the arts and culture sector that has worsened in the post-pandemic scenario.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a multidisciplinary literature review (SM, museum marketing, museology and cultural policy) to address the problem of museums and other cultural heritage institutions, at both the macro-level (prevailing cultural policies and antecedents, barriers and consequences to cultural participation) and micro-level (challenges faced by museums in the 21st century and marketing as a management instrument).

Findings

The downstream, midstream and upstream approaches can be used to design and implement SM interventions intended to address the problem of low cultural participation in museums. The three approaches should be considered holistically, with their synergetic and recursive effects.

Research limitations/implications

Due to its introductory and conceptual nature, the study provides a comprehensive intervention framework to be used as a platform for future theoretical and empirical research. Further investigations may expand on the specificities of each approach (down, mid and upstream) and extend the framework to other nonprofit cultural institutions beyond museums, such as libraries and archives, cultural heritage sites and theater, music and dance companies.

Practical implications

The paper proposes a comprehensive SM intervention framework that integrates three interdependent approaches (downstream, midstream and upstream).

Originality/value

The paper provides a starting point for the holistic application of SM in the arts and culture sector. It also encourages researchers, cultural policymakers and cultural heritage professionals to investigate, design and implement SM programs that better understand, expand and diversify the audience and strengthen the legitimacy and relevance of cultural actors and activities to transform them into inclusive, accessible and sustainable institutions.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs): a tool for intercontinental collaboration in archives and records management education in Eswatini
Authors: Chisita Collence Takaingenhamo , Tsabedze Vusi Wonderboy
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The study aims to assess the views of archives and records management (ARM) professionals in Eswatini about massive open online courses (MOOCs). The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of MOOCs as open gateways for ongoing learning opportunities to scholars, institutions and academics across the globe. It explores the challenges of providing MOOCs in a developing country such as Eswatini.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was anchored on the interpretive research paradigm and adopted a qualitative research methodology. The study used maximum variation sampling to identify individuals that would constitute the research sample. The rationale behind this sampling is to obtain participants with a shared experience within a phenomenon but who have some demographic variance.

Findings

The findings revealed that there was lack of awareness of the potential of MOOCs in revolutionizing the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini. The findings support the need for higher education institutions in Eswatini to adopt MOOCs to deliver ARM courses. The study revealed that access to internet connectivity was among the key inhibitors undermining the adaptation of MOOCs for the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini.

Originality/value

The novelty of the study is that it brings into the limelight the factors that impede the adaptation of MOOCs for the delivery of ARM courses in Eswatini. It brings into focus the challenges encountered by ARM institutions in Eswatini in moving towards a MOOC-centric mode of course delivery.
The fate and transit time of carbon in a tropical forest
Authors: Sierra Carlos A. , Estupinan‐Suarez Lina M. , Chanca Ingrid
Published: June 2021

Tropical forests fix large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere every year; however, the fate of this carbon as it travels through ecosystem compartments is poorly understood. In particular, there is a large degree of uncertainty regarding the time carbon spends in an ecosystem before it is respired and returns to the atmosphere as .

We estimated the fate of carbon (trajectory of photosynthetically fixed carbon through a network of compartments) and its transit time (time it takes carbon to pass through the entire ecosystem, from fixation to respiration) for an old‐growth tropical forest located in the foothills of the Andes of Colombia.

We show that on average, 50% of the carbon fixed at any given time is respired in  years, and 95% is respired in  years. The transit time distribution shows that carbon in ecosystems is respired on a range of time‐scales that span decades, but fast metabolic processes in vegetation dominate the return of carbon to the atmosphere.

Synthesis. The transit time distribution integrates multiple ecosystem processes occurring at a wide range of time‐scales. It reconciles measurements of the age of respired with estimates of mean residence time in woody biomass, and provides a new approach to interpret other ecosystem level metrics such as the ratio of net primary production to gross primary production.
Reinvestigation of the tonic natriuretic action of intrarenal dopamine: comparison of two variants of salt‐dependent hypertension and spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Bądzyńska Bożena , Sadowski Janusz
Published: June 2021

The intrarenal dopamine system has been thoroughly investigated at all levels, especially its role in salt‐dependent and other forms of hypertension. However, the evidence regarding dopamine's tonic influence on renal tubular transport of sodium remains equivocal. We reinvestigated its tonic influence on sodium excretion and systemic and renal haemodynamics. Early effects of dopamine D1 receptor blockade using 90‐min Schering 23390 (SCH) infusion were examined in anaesthetized rats on 7 days’ high salt diet (HS), early uninephrectomized rats on 14 days’ HS diet, drinking 1% saline (HS/UNX), and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the HS group (baseline BP ~133 mm Hg) renal intracortical SCH promptly decreased sodium, water and total solute excretion (UNaV, V, UosmV), with significant difference from the solvent‐infused group. BP and renal artery blood flow (RBF, Transonic probe) did not change. In HS/UNX model (baseline BP ~150 mm Hg), characterized by hypertrophy of the remaining kidney, the excretion parameters only tended to decrease whereas SCH induced an ~20% fall in RBF. In SHR (BP ~180 mm Hg), UNaV and V tended to increase in solvent‐infused rats; this increasing tendency was abolished by SCH infusion. During experiments the renal vascular resistance increased significantly in SCH‐ and solvent‐infused SHR. Despite some contradictory findings regarding the genuine tonic control of renal excretion by intrarenal dopamine, our results clearly support such role in rats on HS diet and in SHR, the model resembling human essential hypertension. The observations strengthen the experimental basis and the rationale for targeting the intrarenal dopamine system in attempts to combat arterial hypertension.
Imaging the materiality of a diaspora: Recording the biographies of Greek Orthodox church buildings in London
Authors: Trimmis Konstantinos P. , Salapatas Dimitris , Marini Christina
Published: June 2021

The materiality of world diasporas – in every form, from landmark features to everyday objects – is a relatively modern approach towards studying the diasporas' relationship with both homeland and hostland. Photo narratives and various modes of imaging can be employed to better record, assess and disseminate the narratives of diasporic lifeways in terms of their material culture. This article examines how Greek Orthodox communities have altered Western denomination church buildings in London to serve their spiritual and community needs. The new, amalgamated characteristics are described, while the debate around the role these religious communities should play in the hostland is also discussed.
PAUL RABINOW (1944–2021): A MEMOIR
Authors: Scheper‐Hughes Nancy
Published: June 2021

In this narrative, the author reminisces over her collaboration on AIDS‐HIV initiatives with recently deceased Paul Rabinow.
Optimal sample size for calibrating DNA methylation age estimators
Authors: Mayne Benjamin , Berry Oliver , Jarman Simon
Published: June 2021

Age is a fundamental parameter in wildlife management as it is used to determine the risk of extinction, manage invasive species, and regulate sustainable harvest. In a broad variety of vertebrates species, age can be determined by measuring DNA methylation. Animals with known ages are initially required during development, calibration, and validation of these epigenetic clocks. However, wild animals with known ages are frequently difficult to obtain. Here, we perform Monte‐Carlo simulations to determine the optimal sample size required to create an accurate calibration model for age estimation by elastic net regression modelling of cytosine‐phosphate‐guanine methylation data. Our results suggest a minimum calibration population size of 70, but ideally 134 individuals or more for accurate and precise models. We also provide estimates to the extent a model can be extrapolated beyond a distribution of ages that was used during calibration. The findings can assist researchers to better design age estimation models and decide if their model is adequate for determining key population attributes.