bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Return to Comum
Authors: Gibson Roy K.
Published: June 2020

Pliny was a generous donor to Comum as an adult, building a library and baths and contributing funds. It is unlikely that he was able to travel to the distant Transpadana very often as a senator. Pliny’s donations took place in a context of the contemporary flourishing of the Transpadana. His marriage to Calpurnia in the late 90s C.E. went hand in hand with his investments in the town. The epigraphic record suggests he did not begin to donate to Comum until late in his marriage to ‘Venuleia’. Calpurnia brought with her the aura of the virtuous Transpadana: a connection with more symbolic advantages than ‘Venuleia’. Pliny’s promotion of his union with Calpurnia is marked by unusual emotion. But Calpurnia was expected to make a success of the relationship by focusing on Pliny’s interests. In Comum, Pliny’s eye is caught by the villas on the lake rather than the cityscape or sub-Alpine setting.
Pontus-Bithynia
Authors: Gibson Roy K.
Published: June 2020

Pliny was governor of Pontus-Bithynia c. 110–12 C.E. He had spent time as a young military tribune in the Greek east, and remained well disposed to connections from Syria. His attitude to Pontus-Bithynia was rather different. In Rome, he defended guilty former governors against prosecution by the province. He viewed the inhabitants of Pontus-Bithynia as different from the ‘free’ Greeks of Achaia. His subsequent arrival as governor was presumably greeted with apprehension. Government of the province was conducted by correspondence with Trajan: long delays in the return of replies from Rome posed severe challenges to effective government. Pliny’s term there provides evidence of how thinly Roman power was stretched, and of the endemic opportunism Rome fostered in the provinces. In Pontus, Pliny met the future in a form he could not have recognized: the Black Sea Christians, whose novel cult would one day usher in the decline (or transformation) of the classical world Pliny knew.
Glass Floors and Glass Ceilings: Sex Homophily and Heterophily in Job Interviews
Authors: Rivera Lauren A , Owens Jayanti
Published: June 2020

A widely assumed but little-tested theory of employment interviewing suggests that female job applicants will be evaluated more favorably when they are paired with female versus male interviewers. To capitalize on this hypothesized affinity, a number of organizations have begun explicitly pairing female job applicants with female interviewers, in hopes of increasing the representation of women among new hires. However, whether this practice actually results in more favorable outcomes for female job candidates remains an open empirical question. Using data on job interview evaluations from a large, professional service organization, we test the effect of matching female job candidates with female interviewers on interview scores. Highlighting the contextually dependent nature of sex homophily, we find that the effect of being matched with a female interviewer varies by the female candidate’s perceived skill level. Sex matches in job interviews work in favor of those female candidates perceived to be lowest in skill; have a small, statistically nonsignificant negative effect for female candidates of average perceived skill; and have a significant, negative effect for women at the highest level of perceived skill. We argue that matching female candidates with female evaluators in job interviews can operate both as a glass floor that can prevent female applicants from falling below a certain scoring threshold but also a glass ceiling that can prevent the most skilled female applicants from receiving the most favorable interview ratings.
High Breath-by-Breath Variability Is Associated With Extubation Failure in Children
Authors: Knox Kelby E. , Nava-Guerra Leonardo , Hotz Justin C. , Newth Christopher J. L. , Khoo Michael C. K. , Khemani Robinder G.
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

Extubation failure is multifactorial, and most tools to assess extubation readiness only evaluate snapshots of patient physiology. Understanding variability in respiratory variables may provide additional information to inform extubation readiness assessments.

Design:

Secondary analysis of prospectively collected physiologic data of children just prior to extubation during a spontaneous breathing trial. Physiologic data were cleaned to provide 40 consecutive breaths and calculate variability terms, coefficient of variation and autocorrelation, in commonly used respiratory variables (i.e., tidal volume, minute ventilation, and respiratory rate). Other clinical variables included diagnostic and demographic data, median values of respiratory variables during spontaneous breathing trials, and the change in airway pressure during an occlusion maneuver to measure respiratory muscle strength (maximal change in airway pressure generated during airway occlusion [PiMax]). Multivariable models evaluated independent associations with reintubation and prolonged use of noninvasive respiratory support after extubation.

Setting:

Acute care, children’s hospital.

Patients:

Children were included from the pediatric and cardiothoracic ICUs who were greater than 37 weeks gestational age up to and including 18 years who were intubated greater than or equal to 12 hours with planned extubation. We excluded children who had a contraindication to an esophageal catheter or respiratory inductance plethysmography bands.

Interventions:

Noninterventional study.

Measurements and Main Results:

A total of 371 children were included, 32 of them were reintubated. Many variability terms were associated with reintubation, including coefficient of variation and autocorrelation of the respiratory rate. After controlling for confounding variables such as age and neurologic diagnosis, both coefficient of variation of respiratory rate(p < 0.001) and low PiMax (p = 0.002) retained an independent association with reintubation. Children with either low PiMax or high coefficient of variation of respiratory rate had a nearly three-fold higher risk of extubation failure, and when these children developed postextubation upper airway obstruction, reintubation rates were greater than 30%.

Conclusions:

High respiratory variability during spontaneous breathing trials is independently associated with extubation failure in children, with very high rates of extubation failure when these children develop postextubation upper airway obstruction.
Effects of Adjunctive Therapeutic Hypothermia Combined With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Acute Severe Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Authors: Kim Sun Ju , Thom Stephen R. , Kim Hyun , Hwang Sung Oh , Lee Yoonsuk , Park Eung Joo , Lee Seok Jeong , Cha Yong Sung
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To determine the effects of adjunctive therapeutic hypothermia, by comparing hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with therapeutic hypothermia in acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning.

Design:

Retrospective analysis of data from our prospectively collected carbon monoxide poisoning registry.

Setting:

A single academic medical center in Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Patients:

Patients with acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning older than 18 years. Acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning was defined as mental status showing response to painful stimulus or unresponsive at the emergency department, and a continuation of this depressed mental status even after the first hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients were classified into the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was performed up to twice within 24 hours after emergency department arrival, whereas therapeutic hypothermia was performed at a body temperature goal of 33°C for 24 hours using an endovascular cooling device after the first hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Interventions:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with therapeutic hypothermia.

Measurements and Main Results:

We investigated the difference in the Global Deterioration Scale score at 1 and 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure, between the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups. Global Deterioration Scale scores were classified as follows: 1–3 points (favorable neurocognitive outcome) and 4–7 points (poor neurocognitive outcome). During the study period, 37 patients were treated for acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning, with 16 and 21 patients in the no-therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic hypothermia groups, respectively. The therapeutic hypothermia group demonstrated significantly higher number of patients with favorable outcomes (p = 0.008) at 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure and better improvement of the 6-month Global Deterioration Scale score than the 1-month score (p = 0.006).

Conclusions:

Our data suggest that in acute severe carbon monoxide poisoning, patients who were treated using therapeutic hypothermia combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy had significantly more favorable neurocognitive outcomes at 6 months after carbon monoxide exposure than those treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone.
The effect of rs1076560 (DRD2) and rs4680 (COMT) on tardive dyskinesia and cognition in schizophrenia subjects
Authors: Punchaichira Toyanji Joseph , Kukshal Prachi , Bhatia Triptish , Deshpande Smita Neelkanth , Thelma B.K.
Published: June 2020

Objective

The aim of the study is to test the association of a functional variant each in DRD2 and COMT genes with schizophrenia and its endophenotypes.

Basic methods

Effect of two functional variants rs1076560 in DRD2 and rs4680 in COMT on (1) schizophrenia (502 cases, 448 controls) diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria and in subsets with (2) tardive dyskinesia (80 positive, 103 negative), assessed by Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), positive and negative symptoms assessed by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and (3) cognition (299 cases, 245 controls), estimated by Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery, were analysed either using analysis of variance (ANOVA) or regression analysis.

Main results

No association of two SNPs with schizophrenia, but association of rs4680 (P < 0.05) with tardive dyskinesia was observed. On ANOVA, main effect of smoking [F(2,148) = 16.3; P = 3.9 × 10−7]; rs4680 [F(2,148) = 3.3; P = 0.04] and interaction effect of tardive dyskinesia-status*Smoking [F(2,148) = 5.4, P = 0.006]; Smoking*rs1076560 [F(3,148) = 3.6; P = 0.01]; Smoking*rs4680 [F(4,148) = 5.3; P = 4.7 × 10−4] were significant with AIMS tardive dyskinesia score. The main effect of rs1076560 [F(2,148) = 4.5; P = 0.013] and rs4680 [F(2,148) = 4.0; P = 0.02] were significant with limb truncal tardive dyskinesia. Allelic/genotypic (P = 0.004/P = 0.01) association of rs1076560 with negative scale of PANSS in tardive dyskinesia-negative; diminished expression factor of PANSS in tardive dyskinesia-negative subcohort (allelic/genotypic P = 3.3 × 10−5/6.6 × 10−5) and tardive dyskinesia cohorts (P = 0.003/0.002); genotypic association (P = 0.05) with disorganised/concrete factor in tardive dyskinesia-positive subcohorts were observed by regression analysis using gPLINKv2.050. Further allelic/genotypic (P = 0.02) association of rs4680 with depressed factor of PANSS in tardive dyskinesia cohort was observed. Allelic/genotypic association of rs1076560 with abstraction and mental flexibilityaccuracy (P = 0.03/0.04), abstraction and mental flexibilityefficiency (P = 0.01/0.02); allelic association with spatial abilityprocessing speed (P = 0.03), emotionefficiency (P = 0.05); and with spatial abilityefficiency (genotypic, P = 0.05) in healthy controls and allelic association of rs4680 with emotionefficiency in cases with schizophrenia (P = 0.04) were notable.

Principal conclusion

Dopaminergic genes seem to contribute to tardive dyskinesia and cognition warranting replication.
Time-series analyses of directional sequence changes in SARS-CoV-2 genomes and an efficient search method for advantageous mutations for growth in human cells
Authors: Wada Kennosuke , Wada Yoshiko , Ikemura Toshimichi
Published: June 2020

We first conducted time-series analysis of mono- and dinucleotide composition for over 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, as well as over 1500 Zaire ebolavirus genomes, and found clear time-series changes in the compositions on a monthly basis, which should reflect viral adaptations for efficient growth in human cells. We next developed a sequence alignment free method that extensively searches for advantageous mutations and rank them in an increase level for their intrapopulation frequency. Time-series analysis of occurrences of oligonucleotides of diverse lengths for SARS-CoV-2 genomes revealed seven distinctive mutations that rapidly expanded their intrapopulation frequency and are thought to be candidates of advantageous mutations for the efficient growth in human cells.
Unsupervised Neural Network Models of the Ventral Visual Stream
Authors: Zhuang Chengxu , Yan Siming , Nayebi Aran , Schrimpf Martin , Frank Michael C. , DiCarlo James J. , Yamins Daniel L. K.
Published: June 2020

Deep neural networks currently provide the best quantitative models of the response patterns of neurons throughout the primate ventral visual stream. However, such networks have remained implausible as a model of the development of the ventral stream, in part because they are trained with supervised methods requiring many more labels than are accessible to infants during development. Here, we report that recent rapid progress in unsupervised learning has largely closed this gap. We find that neural network models learned with deep unsupervised contrastive embedding methods achieve neural prediction accuracy in multiple ventral visual cortical areas that equals or exceeds that of models derived using today’s best supervised methods, and that the mapping of these neural network models’ hidden layers is neuroanatomically consistent across the ventral stream. Moreover, we find that these methods produce brain-like representations even when trained on noisy and limited data measured from real children’s developmental experience. We also find that semi-supervised deep contrastive embeddings can leverage small numbers of labelled examples to produce representations with substantially improved error-pattern consistency to human behavior. Taken together, these results suggest that deep contrastive embedding objectives may be a biologically-plausible computational theory of primate visual development.
Evaluation of specimen types and saliva stabilization solutions for SARS-CoV-2 testing
Authors: Griesemer Sara B , Van Slyke Greta , Ehrbar Dylan , Strle Klemen , Yildirim Tugba , Centurioni Dominick A , Walsh Anne C , Chang Andrew K. , Waxman Michael J , George Kirsten St.
Published: June 2020

Identifying SARS-CoV-2 infections through aggressive diagnostic testing remains critical in tracking and curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Collection of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), the preferred sample type for SARS-CoV-2 detection, has become difficult due to the dramatic increase in testing and consequential supply strain. Therefore, alternative specimen types have been investigated, that provide similar detection sensitivity with reduced health care exposure and potential for self-collection. In this study, the detection sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal swabs (NS) and saliva was compared to that of NPS, using matched specimens from two outpatient cohorts in New York State (total n = 463). The first cohort showed only a 5.4% positivity but the second cohort (n=227) had a positivity rate of 41%, with sensitivity in NPS, NS and saliva of 97.9%, 87.1%, and 87.1%, respectively. Whether the reduced sensitivity of NS or saliva is acceptable must be assessed in the settings where they are used. However, we sought to improve on it by validating a method to mix the two sample types, as the combination of nasal swab and saliva resulted in 94.6% SARS-CoV-2 detection sensitivity. Spiking experiments showed that combining them did not adversely affect the detection sensitivity in either. Virus stability in saliva was also investigated, with and without the addition of commercially available stabilizing solutions. The virus was stable in saliva at both 4°C and room temperature for up to 7 days. The addition of stabilizing solutions did not enhance stability and in some situations reduced detectable virus levels.
High fat diet disrupts diurnal interactions between REG3γ and small intestinal gut microbes resulting in metabolic dysfunction
Authors: Frazier Katya , Kambal Amal , Zale Elizabeth A. , Pierre Joseph F. , Hubert Nathaniel , Miyoshi Sawako , Miyoshi Jun , Ringus Daina , Harris Dylan , Yang Karen , Cham Candace , Musch Mark W. , Chang Eugene B. , Leone Vanessa
Published: June 2020

Gut microbial diurnal oscillations are important diet-dependent drivers of host circadian rhythms and metabolism that ensure optimal energy balance. Yet, the interplay between diet, microbes, and host factors that sustain intestinal oscillations is complex and poorly understood. Here, we report the host C-type lectin antimicrobial peptideReg3γworks with key ileal microbes to orchestrate these interactions in a bi-directional manner, independent from the intestinal core circadian clock. High fat diet diminishes physiologically relevant microbial oscillators essential for host metabolic homeostasis, resulting in arrhythmic hostReg3γexpression and increased abundance and oscillation ofReg3γ-independent gut microbes. This illustrates a transkingdom co-evolved biological rhythm involving reciprocating, sensor-effector signals between key host and microbial components that ultimately drive metabolism, but are also heavily influenced by diet. Restoring the gut microbiota’s capacity to sense and transduce dietary signals mediated by specific host factors such asReg3γcould be harnessed to improve metabolic dysfunction.
CROCCP2 acts as a human-specific modifier of cilia dynamics and mTOR signalling to promote expansion of cortical progenitors
Authors: Van Heurck Roxane , Wojno Marta , Suzuki Ikuo K. , Velez-Bravo Fausto D. , Bonnefont Jérôme , Erkol Emir , Nguyen Dan Truc , Herpoel Adèle , Bilheu Angéline , Ledent Catherine , Vanderhaeghen Pierre
Published: June 2020

The primary cilum is a central component of signalling during neural development, from regional patterning to neuronal differentiation. Here we focus on CROCCP2, a hominid-specific gene duplicate from CROCC (Ciliary Rootlet Coiled Coil), also known as rootletin, that encodes the major protein component of the ciliary rootlet. We find that CROCCP2 is highly expressed in the human fetal brain and not in other primate species. CROCCP2 gain of function in the mouse embryonic cortex results in decreased ciliogenesis, increased mTOR signalling, and increased cell size of radial glial cells, leading to increased generation of intermediate/basal progenitors and increased neuronal output. CROCCP2 impacts cilia dynamics and neurogenesis by inhibition of the IFT20 ciliary trafficking protein. Our data identify a human-specific protein that drives cortical basal progenitor expansion through modulation of ciliary dynamics.
Baseline and Innate Immune Response Characterization of aZfp30Knockout Mouse Strain
Authors: Laudermilk Lucas T. , Tovar Adelaide , Homstad Alison K. , Thomas Joseph M. , McFadden Kathryn M. , Tune Miriya K. , Cowley Dale O. , Mock Jason R. , Ideraabdullah Folami , Kelada Samir N. P.
Published: June 2020

Airway neutrophilia is correlated with disease severity in a number of chronic and acute pulmonary diseases, and dysregulation of neutrophil chemotaxis can lead to host tissue damage. The geneZfp30was previously identified as a candidate regulator of neutrophil recruitment to the lungs and secretion of CXCL1, a potent neutrophil chemokine, in a genome-wide mapping study using the Collaborative Cross. ZFP30 is a putative transcriptional repressor with a KRAB domain capable of inducing heterochromatin formation. Using a CRISPR-mediated knockout mouse model, we investigated the role thatZfp30plays in recruitment of neutrophils to the lung using models of allergic airway disease and acute lung injury. We found that theZfp30null allele did not affect CXCL1 secretion or neutrophil recruitment to the lungs in response to various innate immune stimuli. Intriguingly, despite the lack of neutrophil phenotype, we found there was a significant reduction in the proportion of liveZfp30homozygous mutant mice produced from heterozygous matings. This deviation from the expected mendelian inheritance (i.e. transmission ratio distortion) implicatesZfp30in fertility or embryonic development. Overall, our results indicate thatZfp30is an essential gene but does not influence neutrophilic inflammation in this particular knockout model.
Enhanced recovery of CD9-positive extracellular vesicles from human specimens by chelating reagent
Authors: Kurimoto Ayako , Kawasaki Yuki , Ueda Toshiki , Inuzuka Tatsutoshi
Published: June 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained attention as potential targets of early diagnostics and prognosis in the field of liquid biopsy. Despite clinical potentials, the best method to isolate EVs from specimens remains controversial due to low purity, low specificity, and lack of reproducibility with current isolation methods. Here we show that a chelating reagent enhances the recovery efficiency of EVs from crude biological samples by immunoprecipitation using an anti-CD9 antibody. Proteomic and western blotting analyses show that the EVs isolated using the chelating reagent contain a wider variety of proteins than those isolated with PBS.
Ultra-pure isolation of low density neutrophils casts doubt on their exceptionality in health and disease
Authors: Hardisty Gareth R , LLanwarne Frances , Minns Danielle , Gillan Jonathan L , Davidson Donald J , Findlay Emily Gwyer , Gray Robert D
Published: June 2020

Low density neutrophils (LDNs) are described in a number of inflammatory conditions, cancers and infections and associated with immunopathology, and a mechanistic role in disease. The role of LDNs at homeostasis in healthy individuals has not been investigated. We have developed an isolation protocol that generates high purity LDNs from healthy donors. Healthy LDNs were identical to healthy NDNs, aside from reduced neutrophil extracellular trap formation. CD66b, CD16, CD15, CD10, CD54, CD62L, CXCR2, CD47 and CD11b were expressed at equivalent levels in LDNs and normal density neutrophils (NDNs) and underwent apoptosis and ROS production interchangeably. Healthy LDNs had no differential effect on CD4+or CD8+T cell proliferation or IFNγ production compared with NDNs. LDNs were generated from healthy NDNsin vitroby activation with TNF, LPS or fMLF, suggesting a mechanism of LDN generation in disease however, we show neutrophilia in people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) was not due to increased LDNs. LDNs are present in the neutrophil pool at homeostasis and have limited functional differences to NDNs. We conclude that increased LDN numbers in disease reflect the specific pathology or inflammatory environment and that neutrophil density alone is inadequate to classify discrete functional populations of neutrophils.

Graphical abstract
Cortical microinfarcts potentiate recurrent ischemic injury through NLRP3-dependent trained immunity
Authors: Feng Yiwei , Wu Tengteng , Feng Yukun , Liang Fengyin , Li Ge , Li Yongchao , Guan Yalun , Liu Shuhua , Zhang Yu , Xu Guangqing , Pei Zhong
Published: June 2020

Microinfarcts are common among the elderly, and patients with microinfarcts are more vulnerable to another stroke. However, the potential effect of microinfarct on recurrent stroke remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the detrimental effect of microinfarct on recurrent stroke in mice. Microinfarct was induced using two-photon laser and photothrombotic stroke was induced in the cortex contralateral to microinfarct four weeks later. We found that CMI could trigger the formation of innate immune memory, which exacerbated the pro-inflammatory response and ischemic injury in second photothrombotic stroke. Furthermore, we clarified the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in the nuclei of microglia, which interacts with the MLL1 complex and thereby increases H3K4 methylation, suggesting that NLRP3 is critical in microinfarct-induced innate immune memory. Additionally, NLRP3 knockout in microglia attenuated microinfarct-induced detrimental effects on recurrent stroke. Our study highlights the detrimental effect of trained immunity on the recurrent stroke and reveals the important role of NLRP3 in mediating the formation of this memory, which may be a therapeutic target to mitigate recurrent strokes.
A multidimensional approach to the outcomes of perceived value in business relationships
Authors: Zietsman Mariette Louise , Mostert Pierre , Svensson Göran
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relationships, direct and indirect, between business customers’ perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was set in the business banking industry, with data collected from 381 micro-enterprise business customers of a large South African bank by means of a self-administered, internet-based questionnaire.

Findings

The results reveal that business customers’ perception of value results in both economic and non-economic satisfaction. The results further indicate that non-economic satisfaction mediates the relationship between economic satisfaction and behavioural loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to business services marketing literature by taking a multidimensional approach to the traditional value-satisfaction-loyalty chain.

Practical implications

The study contributes to business services marketing literature by emphasising the importance of perceived value in driving both economic and social outcomes, which, in turn, drives behavioural outcomes. By providing evidence of the outcomes associated with higher perceived value, service providers gain insights into the importance of focussing on value creation and the building of personal connections with micro-sized businesses to ensure future repurchase behaviour.

Originality/value

This research expands on current value research by positioning economic and non-economic satisfaction and attitudinal and behavioural loyalty as outcomes of business customers’ perceived value. This is possibly the first study to investigate satisfaction and loyalty as outcomes of perceived value where both comprise two distinct dimensions.
The impact of macro-fiscal factors and private health insurance financing on public health expenditure: evidence from the OECD countries for the period 2000–2017
Authors: Sfakianakis Georgios , Grigorakis Nikolaos , Galyfianakis Georgios , Katharaki Maria
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Because of the 2008 global financial crisis aftermaths, economic downturn and prolonged recession, several OECD countries have adopted an austerity compound by significantly reducing public health expenditure (PHE) for dealing with their fiscal pressure and sovereign-debt challenges. Against this backdrop, this study aims to examine the responsiveness of PHE to macro-fiscal determinants, demography, as well to private health insurance (PHI) financing.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors gather annual panel data from four international organizations databases for the total of OECD countries from a period lasting from 2000 to 2017. The authors apply static and dynamic econometric methodology to deal with panel data and assess the impact of several parameters on PHE.

Findings

The authors’ findings indicate that gross domestic product, fiscal capacity, tax revenues and population aging have a positive effect on PHE. Further, the authors find that both unemployment rate and voluntary private health insurance financing present a negative statistically significant impact on our estimated outcome variable. Different specifications and sample periods applied in the regression models reveal how inseparably associated are PHE and OECD's economies compliance on macro-fiscal policies for offsetting public finances derailment.

Practical implications

Providing more evidence on the responsiveness of PHE to several macro-fiscal drivers, it can be a helpful tool for governments to reconsider their persistence on fiscal adjustments measures and rank public health financing to the top of their political agenda. Health systems policies for meeting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objectives, they should also take into consideration the voluntary PHI institution, especially for economies with insufficient fiscal capacity to raise public health financing.

Originality/value

To the best of knowledge, the impact of unemployment and voluntary PHI funding on public health financing, apart from other macro-fiscal and demographical parameters effect, remains unnoticed in the existing published studies on the topic.
Designing a medical rule model system by using rough–grey modeling
Authors: Karimi Tooraj , Hojati Arvin
Published: June 2020

Purpose

In this study, a hybrid rough and grey set-based rule model is designed for diagnosis of one type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma (MM). The grey clustering method is used to combine the same condition attributes and to improve the validity of the final model.

Design/methodology/approach

Some tools of the rough set theory (RST) and grey incidence analysis (GIA) are used in this research to analyze the serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) test results. An RST-based rule model is extracted based on the laboratory SPE test results of patients. Also, one decision attribute and 15 condition attributes are used to extract the rules. About four rule models are constructed due to the different algorithms of data complement, discretization, reduction and rule generation. In the following phases, the condition attributes are clustered into seven clusters by using a grey clustering method, the value set of the decision attribute is decreased by using manual discretizing and the number of observations is increased in order to improve the accuracy of the model. Cross-validation is used for evaluation of the model results and finally, the best model is chosen with 5,216 rules and 98% accuracy.

Findings

In this paper, a new rule model with high accuracy is extracted based on the combination of the grey clustering method and RST modeling for diagnosis of the MM disease. Also, four primary rule models and four improved rule models have been extracted from different decision tables in order to define the result of SPE test of patients. The maximum average accuracy of improved models is equal to 95% and related to the gamma globulins percentage attribute/object-related reducts (GA/ORR) model.

Research limitations/implications

The total number of observations for rule extraction is 115 and the results can be improved by further samples. To make the designed expert system handy in the laboratory, new computer software is under construction to import data automatically from the electrophoresis machine into the resultant rule model system.

Originality/value

The main originality of this paper is to use the RST and GST together to design and create a hybrid rule model to diagnose MM. Although many studies have been carried out on designing expert systems in medicine and cancer diagnosis, no studies have been found in designing systems to diagnose MM. On the other hand, using the grey clustering method for combining the condition attributes is a novel solution for improving the accuracy of the rule model.
Role of perceived risk in online banking and its impact on behavioral intention: trust as a moderator
Authors: Kaur Simarpreet , Arora Sangeeta
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to revisit the role of perceived risk in online banking, using an alternative view on trust as a moderator on the relationship between perceived risk and behavioral intention (BI). With this aim, the conceptual model was proposed to examine the impact of perceived risk on BI directly and indirectly via unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 along with its interactionist relationship with trust.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling technique is used to analyze data collected from 677 bank customers via personal contact using a self-administered questionnaire.

Findings

The results indicate that perceived risk as a multi-dimensional construct has a direct and indirect impact on BI via performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation and price value. Moreover, it was found that trust moderates the relationship between perceived risk and BI.

Practical implications

This study suggests that banks should create a trust-building mechanism in the online banking environment and develop certain risk management strategies such as providing detailed and thorough information, money-back guarantee and reassurance services to enhance confidence among the customers to use such services. The banks should also devote valuable efforts in designing website interface with improved security features to facilitate usability and reliability of online banking services.

Originality/value

The present study makes an important contribution to the existing literature on e-commerce, especially in the field of online banking, by proposing an interactionist model between perceived risk and trust. The proposed model has never been examined in the relevant literature and could be used to provide a solid theoretical foundation in the context of online banking adoption.
Non-profits and the environment in China: struggling to expand their franchise
Authors: Xie Yi , Meng Yan , Xiong Jie , Xu Lu , Yan Jie
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), one of the major forces in environmental protection, have developed rapidly in the past few years, especially in developing countries such as China. This paper aims to reveal how the ENGOs select their focuses, specifically if they only concentrate on one focus or on contexts in which they obtain various focuses and the motivations behind their choosing strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The current research interviewed 103 leaders of ENGOs covering every province in mainland China and adopts existing theories of NGOs alongside diversification strategy from a management perspective.

Findings

The results showed that most Chinese ENGOs now tend to be diversified but face different challenges. This research highlights the importance of ENGOs’ resources and capacities in facing current challenges and suggests directions to improve their diversification strategy.

Originality/value

This research adds value to the research of environmental NGOs and gives suggestions to environmental NGO practitioners, in particular to those in emerging markets.
Ready for the unexpected: theoretical framework and empirical findings on communication consulting
Authors: Hoffjann Olaf , Hoffstedde Karina , Jaworek Franziska
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Although the market for communication consultancies has been booming worldwide for many years now, there are still only a handful of theoretical concepts and empirical findings pertaining to communication consulting. This is the fundamental starting point for this paper, which sets out to answer the following research questions: What is the function of communication consulting? What are the differences between consultants' expectations of consulting and those of clients? How do consultants and clients deal with the contradiction between proximity and distance? What are the potential threats to the autonomy of consulting?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines a theoretical framework of communication consulting with a survey of German communication consultants and clients.

Findings

First, a theoretical framework is developed in which communication consulting is defined as follows: First, it opens up decision-related contingency and thus produces additional options for managing communicative relationships with internal and external target groups, before helping to close decision-related contingency. The results of the survey show that the expectations of clients and consultants for communication consulting are largely similar. In the closing dimension especially, most clients share the active role of self-conception of most consultants. On the other hand, in some opening activities, clients wish for more critical, independent and courageous consulting.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the empirical material is limited to communication consultants and clients in Germany and may therefore not be valid in other cultural contexts.

Originality/value

The paper closes a gap in both theory building and empirical research in communication consulting. The theory presented conceives of communication consulting as a hybrid of management consulting and process consulting and, in addition to the opening dimension, also takes the closing dimension of consulting into consideration for the first time. The study reveals a certain schizophrenia in clients: on the one hand, clients demand more critical consultants and thus call for more distance; on the other hand, clients prefer to be close to their consultants, particularly if they wish to work with them for the long-term.
The relationship among knowledge-based dynamic process capabilities, innovation processes and innovation performance: an empirical study of knowledge-based high-tech companies in Iran
Authors: Nazari Farzad , Rahimipour Anaraki Amir , Taghavi Seyedeh Safiyeh , Ghasemi Behzad
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of knowledge-based dynamic process capabilities (KBDPCs) on innovation performance, considering the mediator role of innovation processes in the Iranian knowledge-based high-tech companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an in-depth review of previous studies, the indicators pertaining to the research constructs were extracted. Then, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to identify and confirm the research constructs. Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling was used to investigate the intended relationships.

Findings

The results of the direct effect showed that KBDPCs have a significant positive effect on innovation performance. Further, moderation analysis demonstrated that innovation processes are moderated by the relationship between KBDPCs and innovation performance. Accordingly, the findings revealed that KBDPCs affect product innovation performance and exploratory innovation and transitional innovation increase this effect. Also, the mediator role of exploitation innovation in the relationship between KBDPCs and process innovation performance was proved.

Research limitations/implications

As this research was performed in the Iranian context, caution should be taken regarding the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

This paper provides a roadmap based on existing scenarios to enhance innovation performance for the surveyed-companies, in particular, and other companies, in general.

Social implications

The social implication of this study is to respond to the challenge of the managers of Iranian knowledge-based high-tech companies to improve innovation performance through KBDPCs and innovation processes and to grow and develop a sustainable business.

Originality/value

Given rare studies that have so far been conducted on the research field, this study extends the theories of KBDPCs, innovation processes and innovation performance. The constructs of the research model and relationships intended among them are also significant.
The quest of tourism and overall well-being: the developing economy of Pakistan
Authors: Khan Asif , Bibi Sughra , Lyu Jiaying , Alam Mohammad , Khan Muhammad Mussa , Nurunnabi Mohammad
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the causal relationship between tourism and overall well-being. The main objective of this research is to inform the policymakers that tourism can play a vital role in shaping the overall well-being in the developing economies.

Design/methodology/approach

This investigation used several time series techniques and procedures that include bounds test and autoregressive distributed lag mechanism to analyze the relationship between tourism and overall well-being in Pakistan by using time series data for the period 1980-2016.

Findings

The findings suggest a significant positive relationship between tourism and overall well-being both in the short and long run. The authors find that tourism and overall well-being affect each other positively.

Practical implications

This research indicates that policymakers and government can improve the overall well-being through tourism development. However, tourism policies and long-term planning should be focused on sustainable developments for achieving long-term goals. Besides, special incentives should be provided to the private sector for tourism development.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first investigation that examines the causal relationships between tourism and overall well-being through objective indicators in a developing economy. This study fills the immense literature gap and provides new directions to scholars to investigate the mentioned relationship through objective indicators.
Corporate governance and dividend policy in Sri Lankan firms: a data triangulation approach
Authors: Baker H. Kent , Dewasiri Narayanage Jayantha , Premaratne Sandaram P. , Yatiwelle Koralalage Weerakoon
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relation between corporate governance and dividend policy in Sri Lankan firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The data set consists of market data using 1,608 firm-year observations from 201 firms listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange and survey-based data from 151 respondents from the same 201 firms. The authors use data triangulation to examine the two approaches.

Findings

The analysis of the market data reveals that a significantly positive relation between corporate governance on both the propensity to pay dividends and dividend payout. Survey analysis confirms these findings. Triangulated evidence supports the outcome model of dividends, free cash flow and agency cost theories.

Practical implications

The findings are useful not only for management in developing suitable corporate governance practices and dividend policies for their firms but also for shareholders in evaluating both existing and new investments. Future researchers should investigate the same phenomenon in other contexts using triangulation approaches to confirm their findings.

Originality/value

This study is the first to use governance indices both in terms of survey and market-based data to examine the relation between corporate governance and dividend policy.
Spoofing: effective market power building through perception alignment
Authors: Dalko Viktoria , Michael Bryane , Wang Michael
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to show that market power exists in financial markets and analyze how spoofing is used by a high-frequency trader to build market power by taking advantage of both behavioral weaknesses of individual investors and microstructural loopholes of trading venues.

Design/methodology/approach

After showing that market power exists in the financial market, this paper centers around the question of how market power is constructed in the financial market. To sharpen the answer to the question, the paper compares the conditions needed for market power construction in the financial market with those needed in the goods market. The paper selects spoofing, the frequently used order-based tactic in high-frequency trading strategies, to analyze in detail how spoof orders can ignite herding with market power building as the essence. The Flash Crash that occurred in the New York Stock Exchange on May 6, 2010 provides an excellent case of market power construction exhibited in spoofing.

Findings

The behavioral mechanism of market power construction in the case of spoofing is perception alignment. It becomes effective when two necessary conditions are met: the spoof trader takes advantage of the incomplete order display set up by the exchange; and the behavioral weaknesses exhibited by numerous individual investors. In addition to these key conditions, this paper finds other ones for market power to be created in the financial market. They are easier, quicker, more secret, more flexible and less risky relative to the conditions for market power building in the goods market.

Practical implications

The detailed analysis points to the behavioral mechanism, i.e. perception alignment, and microstructural mechanism, i.e. incomplete order display, that could be responsive to regulation.

Originality/value

The originality of the findings is to uncover the mechanism of spoofing in taking advantage of behavioral biases of individual investors. The value is to gain more complete understanding of the essence of herding caused by spoofing.
Trait‐based approaches reveal fungal adaptations to nutrient‐limiting conditions
Authors: Camenzind Tessa , Lehmann Anika , Ahland Janet , Rumpel Stephanie , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: June 2020

The dependency of microbial activity on nutrient availability in soil is only partly understood, but highly relevant for nutrient cycling dynamics. In order to achieve more insight on microbial adaptations to nutrient limiting conditions, precise physiological knowledge is needed. Therefore, we developed an experimental system assessing traits of 16 saprobic fungal isolates in nitrogen (N) limited conditions. We tested the hypotheses that (1) fungal traits are negatively affected by N deficiency to a similar extent and (2) fungal isolates respond in a phylogenetically conserved fashion. Indeed, mycelial density, spore production and fungal activity (respiration and enzymatic activity) responded similarly to limiting conditions by an overall linear decrease. By contrast, mycelial extension and hyphal elongation peaked at lowest N supply (C:N 200), causing maximal biomass production at intermediate N contents. Optimal N supply rates differed among isolates, but only the extent of growth reduction was phylogenetically conserved. In conclusion, growth responses appeared as a switch from explorative growth in low nutrient conditions to exploitative growth in nutrient‐rich patches, as also supported by responses to phosphorus and carbon limitations. This detailed trait‐based pattern will not only improve fungal growth models, but also may facilitate interpretations of microbial responses observed in field studies.
1603: Multiple Monarchy and Scottish Identity
Authors: MASON ROGER A.
Published: June 2020

Early modern geopolitics were largely driven by dynastic imperatives – births, marriages and deaths among Europe's royal families – and this article approaches the union of 1603 from the perspective of J. H. Elliott's A Europe of Composite Monarchies. Thus, it explores how Scots perceived their place within this new dynastic empire and the hopes and fears their new relationship with England engendered. It begins, however, by examining the baptism in 1594 of James VI's son and heir, Prince Henry, and the clear dynastic message that the Scottish king was sending to his future English subjects. It then turns to the ways in which the Scots sought to celebrate the king's accession to the English and Irish thrones in 1603, ways that deliberately legitimised their belief that the union should be perceived as one of equals. It then examines four tracts written at the time of the union by the Scottish lawyer and legal scholar Thomas Craig of Riccarton that reveal both the aspirations and anxieties that the union generated in Scotland. Overall, it argues that Scots were both deeply sceptical of the king's plans for ‘complete’ union and deeply hostile to prevailing English assumptions of superiority. Rather they saw it as a union of equals with profound implications for the future stability of the new Stewart imperium.