bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How perceived information transparency and psychological attitude impact on the financial well-being: mediating role of financial self-efficacy
Authors: Zia-ur-Rehman Muhammad , Latif Khalid , Mohsin Muhammad , Hussain Zahid , Baig Sajjad Ahmad , Imtiaz Izma
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The basic intention of this research is to investigate the role of information transparency of financial institutions and psychological attitude of the individuals toward their attention to saving and borrowing. This study also tries to know how an individual's psychological factor affects a person's attitude to motivate them to save or borrow and contribute to well-being by giving them confidence that they can face financial challenges. So, the main concern of this study is to explore different factors that ultimately contribute to the financial well-being (FWB) of individual.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted by using a well-structured questionnaire to collect data and test the developed hypotheses by using SmartPLS. Data were collected from 120 customers of seven different commercial banks in Pakistan.

Findings

The findings of this study show that perceived information transparency positively affects FWB. It is also because transparent shared information creates positive change in individuals' perceived self-efficacy and leads to FWB. Furthermore, an individual's psychological attitude toward borrowing and saving did not contribute to the FWB of people who belong to Pakistan.

Research limitations/implications

The research area is limited to one city of Pakistan and analysis is done with small numbers of sample, it can be increased and more areas can be explored.

Practical implications

This research provides significant implications for people and economists by providing awareness about the antecedents of FWB. The policymakers or managers who work in financial institutions should provide more transparent information and create less risky opportunities to improve the individual's well-being. If person, manager and financial institution can properly utilize the information of this study, then they are able to improve their FWB. By providing more transparent services and favorable experience with your dealings, it could help to obtain and retain more loyal internal (employees) and external customers. The loyal customers and sincere employees can increase the productivity level of organization. The more productive organizations in countries means better society and progress in the economy.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the body of knowledge that how perceived information transparency and psychological attitude of borrowing create improvement and upward changes in the FWB of a person.
Creative leadership, innovation climate and innovation behaviour: the moderating role of knowledge sharing in management
Authors: Ye Pinghao , Liu Liqiong , Tan Joseph
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Innovation, in most enterprises, originates from employees. In this study, how organizational climate, creative leadership ability and emotional reaction to imposed change impact on innovative behaviour of employees vis-à-vis knowledge sharing within the workplace is explored.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a social cognitive perspective, a model is constructed to explain factors influencing the innovation behaviour of employees along two key aspects, that is, organizational climate (innovation vs risk-taking climate) and creative leadership ability (leadership skills, vision incentive) vis-à-vis other moderating factors. A survey questionnaire, administered to a total of 311 manufacturing employees in China, was used to verify the proposed research model via Smart PLS.

Findings

Results unveil several key factors impacting positively on creative leadership in organizations. Specifically, creative leadership ability, emotional reaction to imposed change, innovation climate and knowledge sharing are found to impact positively on innovation behaviour while supportive versus risk-taking climate as well as emotional reaction are found to impact positively on innovation climate. Additionally, knowledge sharing is found to regulate the relationship between innovation climate and innovation behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

While offering insights into the antecedent factors of innovation behaviour, the study extends research on the intermediary role of innovation climate and employees' innovation behaviour. Additionally, it improves one's understanding on the moderating role between knowledge sharing and innovation behaviour.

Practical implications

The study findings will assist enterprises in diagnosing the implementation environment of innovation strategy, thereby providing a reference for training enterprise leadership while improving the employees' understanding of innovation and reform in the workplace.

Originality/value

The study contributes both theoretical and managerial thinking on the extent in which organizational climate and creative leadership ability may and/or should be evolved appropriately to support, encourage and nurture employees' innovation behaviour in the workplace.
Evaluating the efficacy of English proficiency on initial semestral results for higher education L1 English speakers in a multilingual context
Authors: Lim Lyndon , Bo Wenjin Vikki
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate an English Proficiency (EP) programme and its efficacy with respect to students' academic performance in a university within a multi-lingual context, as the programme had been in effect for some years.

Design/methodology/approach

A quasi-experimental approach was used to study the efficacy of an EP programme in a university within a multilingual context. Data across two academic years were used, along with regression discontinuity design.

Findings

Results suggest that the EP programme had a significant and positive intervention effect on students' initial semester grade point average. The programme effect size was found to be medium to large.

Research limitations/implications

It might be useful to extend the study for one more year for more concrete conclusions. As the study was anchored upon the structure of the 2016 EP programme, any major curricular/structural change to the programme warrants another study.

Practical implications

This study demonstrated that the implementation of EP programmes in higher education institutions is essential not only for international students who are foreign language speakers of English but also for domestic students in English-speaking countries, especially for bi/multilingual speakers.

Originality/value

Previous studies related to the efficacy of EP within higher education have focused on international students who speak English as an additional/foreign language. Further, most studies have focussed on students' self-reported experiences and have yielded disparate findings. This study contributes to scholarship as it addresses the under-researched area related to domestic students who speak English as the first language in a bi/multi-lingual context.
Systematic literature review on innovation capabilities in clusters
Authors: Tavares Maryana Scoralick De Almeida , Gohr Cláudia Fabiana , Morioka Sandra , da Cunha Thereza Rakel
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to map literature about innovation capabilities (IC) taking into consideration industrial clusters to propose a conceptual framework that synthetizes the main factors and subfactors responsible for ICs; in addition, the paper also proposes a research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed; academic papers were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively.

Findings

The authors provide a descriptive analysis followed by a thematic synthesis, in which we present 05 enablers and 20 critical factors (CF) of IC in clusters. The proposed framework emphasizes what needs to be done or improved to increase IC in cluster-based companies. Based on this systematic review and the framework proposed, the authors identified opportunities for future research.

Research limitations/implications

The enablers and CF identified through SLR were not validated empirically. Therefore, future studies on the current topic are required to validate the framework by investigating which factors are more relevant to cluster-based companies that intend to improve their innovative performance.

Practical implications

The present findings have important implications for the identification of the factors and subfactors that may contribute to the development of IC, which may help managers and decision-makers in recognizing which factors are the most responsible for business innovation.

Originality/value

The paper identifies enablers related to the development of IC in industrial cluster and presents a research agenda. The framework represents a guideline for companies to achieve better innovation performance.
Investigating corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) and its impact on social judgments in the weak institution: moderating the role of corporate ability
Authors: Khan Shamila Nabi , Kamal Ahmed
Published: March 2021

Purpose

In weaker institutions, lack of corporate social responsibility (CSR) constituencies causes organizations to naturally incline toward corporate socially irresponsible actions. Grounded in the institutional theory, this paper aims to explore the nature of corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) in the weaker institution and its effect on legitimacy and reputation. The presence of corporate ability moderates the impact of CSIR on legitimacy and reputation.

Design/methodology/approach

A list of manager’s contact information was generated from an online database. In total, 1,500 employees in 560 Pakistani organizations received the self-reported survey. In total, 203 managers working in 110 Pakistani organizations responded with the completed questionnaire that provided empirical support to the hypotheses.

Findings

Institutional drivers were positively significant to CSIR and negatively associated with the manager’s CSR attitudes. CSIR was negatively significant to legitimacy and reputation. Group differences between high and low corporate ability indicated that corporate ability played a vital role between CSIR and reputation.

Practical implications

These results have important implications for leaders, business-to-business and human resource (HR) managers in weaker institutions highlighting that organization’s supply chain partners consider adopting CSR practices. This can help the organization avoid undesirable and detrimental impact on its legitimacy and reputation, which are linked to irresponsible behaviors. HR managers should build CSR cognition in employees to bring effective change in the organization.

Originality/value

Lack of investigation into corporate ability and CSIR has raised questions about the organization’s efforts in the weaker institution that are sensitive to institutionalized corruption. This research adds to the literature by exploring how the organizations develop legitimacy and reputation while still acting irresponsibly in a weaker institution, presenting a paradox.
Auto makers and radical innovation: culture, capital and talent form road blocks
Authors: Hoeft Fabian
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate car manufacturers’ constraints to innovate radically.

Design/methodology/approach

Automotive case study.

Findings

First, cultural constraints hold them back, for example, reflected in legacy power structures and failure aversion. Second, car manufacturers face cash constraints as they have to exploit their core business while exploring potential future profit pools. Third, talent gaps in digital and some non-digital areas are a challenge for incumbents while competing with digital-native firms such as Tesla.

Originality/value

This paper elevates a fragmented literature strand on constraints to innovate.
How successful countries are in promoting digital transactions during COVID-19
Authors: Mansour Hoda
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to assess whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has encouraged governments to take actions towards fostering digital means of payments and financial transactions to stimulate economic activities and achieve higher financial inclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a logit model, this paper tests the impact of the level of income and GDP per capita, government effectiveness, digital adoption, number of commercial banks and the pandemic-related closure of business and stores due to full lockdowns on governments’ policy response regarding digital means of payments.

Findings

The author finds that low- and lower-middle-income countries had significantly responded to the surged need for digital means of payment during the pandemic compared to the upper-middle-income and high-income countries. The author also finds that government effectiveness and the number of commercial banks were predictors of government policy response, while the full lockdown of countries and the overall digital adoption were not.

Research limitations/implications

Data of the post-COVID-19 pandemic are limited, and the sample size is small.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to empirically model governments' response during the pandemic to promote digital means of payments. This paper gives insight into post-crisis potential changes in digital payment adoption in the upcoming years.
The influence of personality on individuals' expatriation willingness in the context of safe and dangerous environments
Authors: Ipek Ebru , Paulus Philipp
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which a destination's security level affects the relationship between personality traits and individuals' expatriation willingness.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply an experimental vignette methodology using a 2 × 1 between subjects-design with two destinations characterized by different security levels (dangerous vs. safe) among 278 participants (students and employees). Partial least squares multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA) was employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicate that different personality variables appear to impact individuals' expatriation willingness depending on the security level of a destination: emotionality and conscientiousness predicted expatriation willingness to dangerous environments, whereas openness to experience predicted expatriation willingness to safe environments. The personality traits of honesty–humility, extraversion and agreeableness were not found to influence expatriation willingness in either scenario.

Practical implications

The study discusses a set of practical recommendations for the selection and the management of eligible individuals who are willing to expatriate to dangerous locations.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to examine the influence of personality on expatriation willingness in safe and dangerous environments at the same time. It advances prior research by providing a more nuanced understanding of the context-specific effects of personality on expatriation willingness.
Bacteriological and antibiotic profile of infection among infants in the post-neonatal period at a tertiary care hospital in South India
Authors: Thattil Santhosh J. , Ajith T.A.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Severe bacterial infection is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Geographical-based demographic laboratory and clinical data are required to get a conclusion about the bacterial infection and their antibiotic susceptibility for the empiric antibiotic treatment in infants who presented with suspected infection. This study was aimed to find the most prevalent bacterial infection and antibiotic sensitivity among infants in the post-neonatal period presented at a tertiary care centre in South India.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was designed among infants (29 days to 1 year old) presented with suspected infection in the paediatric department. Infants with positive culture report were analysed for the bacteriological and antibiotic profile from the medical records. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined for the isolated bacteria according to standard procedure and data statically analysed.

Findings

Total of 218 samples (138 male and 80 female) were analysed. Most of the samples (171/218, 78.4%) were throat swab (p = 0.0247). Only one sample was cerebrospinal fluid from case of meningitis. Sample from upper RTI was major (162/218, 74.3%) with male dominance followed by stool samples from cases of diarrhoea (22/218, 10.0%). Staphylococcus aureus was the major organism identified in 46/171 (26.9 %) throat swabs. The most sensitive antibiotic against bacteria isolated from throat swab and CSF was gentamicin and cloxacillin. Netilmicin and piperacillin plus tazobactam were the sensitive antibiotics against bacteria isolated from stool, ear secretion and urine samples.

Originality/value

Upper RTI was the prevalent bacterial infection followed by diarrhoea in infants in the post-neonatal period. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the common organism identified in the overall report followed by E. coli and S. aureus. Community-based awareness should be provided to follow good hygiene regularly in child care. Furthermore, avoid delay in seeking treatment and provide the medicine prescribed at the right time and in the right dose to limit the morbidity and bacterial resistance.
Examining the role of transformational leadership and mission valence on burnout among hospital staff
Authors: Bosak Janine , Kilroy Steven , Chênevert Denis , C Flood Patrick
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The present study contributes to our understanding of how to curb burnout among hospital staff over time. The authors extend existing research by examining the mediating role of mission valence in the link between transformational leadership and burnout.

Design/methodology/approach

Self-administered questionnaire data from employees in a Canadian general hospital (N = 185) were analyzed using a time-lagged research design to examine whether transformational leaders can increase employees' attraction to the organization's mission (i.e. mission valence) and in turn alleviate long-term burnout.

Findings

Structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated that transformational leadership (time 1) was negatively related to the burnout components of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (time 2). Further, the results showed that mission valence mediated these relationships.

Practical implications

The study findings are important for managers and professionals as they identify transformational leadership as a potent strategy to alleviate employee burnout and clarify the process through which this is achieved, namely, by increasing mission valence.

Originality/value

To date, surprisingly little research has explored how transformational leadership influences followers' burnout. To address this issue, the present study examined the role of transformational leadership on staff burnout through the mechanism of increasing mission valence. Understanding how to mitigate burnout is particularly critical in health care organizations given that burnout not only negatively impacts employee wellbeing but also the wellbeing and quality of care provided to patients.
15 years of service-dominant logic: analyzing citation practices of Vargo and Lusch (2004)
Authors: Tregua Marco , Brozovic Danilo , D'Auria Anna
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this article was to provide an outline of the citation practices of “Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing” by Vargo and Lusch (2004) to identify and discuss the most prominent research topics in which citations were used and to suggest future research based on the results of the analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a comprehensive framework of citation practices based on iterations of previous literature to analyze the relevant literature, which they identified by accessing, systematically and rigorously, every available contribution matching a set of criteria. The authors then categorized these contributions and highlighted the main topics of research interest in each category.

Findings

The findings identify some of the factors in the continuous development of SDL, the way this new marketing logic permeated the scientific debate, the infusion of Vargo and Lusch (2004) into several contributions framed in the new logic or justified through it, and a general perception of a default reference. Additionally, the findings highlight the main topics of research interest in each category.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis enabled the detection of the original paper's influence through advances in service studies, pollination into other fields of research and continuous scientific debate. The authors have highlighted several avenues for research and proposed future research directions.

Originality/value

This research analyzed the effects of the spread of the SDL cornerstone article and emphasized the advantage of using an in-depth approach to the analysis of studies through a framework applied to more than 4,600 studies.
Let eyes tell: experimental research on university library signage system and users' wayfinding behavior
Authors: Su Wencheng , Lu Zhangping , Sun Yinglin , Liu Guifeng
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Wayfinding efficiency is an extremely influential factor to improve users' library interior experience. However, few research has studied the different functions of various wayfinding signages for university library users through mobile visual experiment. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between university library signage system design and patrons' wayfinding behavior features.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, an eye movement tracking method was introduced to record eye movement data during the wayfinding process of participants in the library interior, targeting the cognition and psychology of library users in the wayfinding signage system. The visual guiding usability of landmarks, informational signages and directional signages were quantitatively tested, and the fixation on the signage system between orientation strategy users and route strategy users was compared. This study also investigated the effects of library users' spatial anxiety and environmental familiarity on their fixation on the area of interest of the wayfinding signage system using the differential test and regression.

Findings

This paper observed that informational signage had the best visual navigating competence. The difference of fixation duration and searching duration between patrons used various wayfinding strategies was significant. The informational signage was most attended by the route strategy users, and the orientation strategy users rarely focused on the directional signage. And participants with high anxiety tended to ignore the visually auxiliary function of the landmarks but paid attention to the directional signage. The participants with low anxiety could capture the landmarks that could not be easily found by the route strategy users. And participants less familiar with the environment were more sensitive to the landmarks. Furthermore, this paper offers optimization measures for university library wayfinding signage system, from the perspectives of informational signage understandability improvement, directional signage physical specification design and wayfinding assistant system with automatic landmark technology.

Originality/value

This article adds to the relatively sparse literature on university library user wayfinding experimental study in China. The experimental findings of this paper also have important practical implications for academic libraries' wayfinding system evaluation. The whole process could be seen as a repeatable and standard framework and methodology to inspect university library's wayfinding signage system usability and user wayfinding behavior performance.
E-book data mining: real information behavior of university academic community
Authors: Rafique Azra , Ameen Kanwal , Arshad Alia
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the evidence-based use patterns of Higher Education Commission (HEC) subscribed e-books databases by the academic community at institutions of higher education in Pakistan. The study also investigates the differences in usage based on points of access, scholarly disciplines and gender of users.

Design/methodology/approach

A transaction log analysis (TLA) method was used to explore the use patterns of HEC e-books databases at the University of the Punjab, utilizing the SAWMILL analytical software and MS Excel.

Findings

The results of the study showed that the use of e-books was at a growing stage at the university. Male boarding students of the university were more active users of e-books as compared to their female counterparts. The Central Library of the University of the Punjab, the Department of Zoology and the Institute of Communication Studies were the most frequently used access points for the e-book users, and the Faculties of Sciences, Life Sciences, Economics and Management Sciences had the most active e-book readers. Furthermore, it was found that the HEC e-books databases were only being used during the four months of summer vacations at the university.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides only descriptive use frequencies rather than a deep log analysis of e-books usage.

Practical implications

This research provides important practical implications for examining the evidence-based use patterns of e-books databases' users at the higher educational level. The research suggests that HEC should maintain subscriptions of the most required e-books databases and that the information professionals should conduct orientations and information literacy programs to enhance the utilization of these subscribed databases among female boarder students and those faculties where they were being used less frequently.

Originality/value

The study is the second part of the first phase of a Ph.D. project. This is the first large scale study conducted in a developing country which reports the close to actual, approximate use patterns of e-books based on raw transaction logs of local cache servers at the higher academic level.
The ethics of people analytics: risks, opportunities and recommendations
Authors: Tursunbayeva Aizhan , Pagliari Claudia , Di Lauro Stefano , Antonelli Gilda
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This research analyzed the existing academic and grey literature concerning the technologies and practices of people analytics (PA), to understand how ethical considerations are being discussed by researchers, industry experts and practitioners, and to identify gaps, priorities and recommendations for ethical practice.

Design/methodology/approach

An iterative “scoping review” method was used to capture and synthesize relevant academic and grey literature. This is suited to emerging areas of innovation where formal research lags behind evidence from professional or technical sources.

Findings

Although the grey literature contains a growing stream of publications aimed at helping PA practitioners to “be ethical,” overall, research on ethical issues in PA is still at an early stage. Optimistic and technocentric perspectives dominate the PA discourse, although key themes seen in the wider literature on digital/data ethics are also evident. Risks and recommendations for PA projects concerned transparency and diverse stakeholder inclusion, respecting privacy rights, fair and proportionate use of data, fostering a systemic culture of ethical practice, delivering benefits for employees, including ethical outcomes in business models, ensuring legal compliance and using ethical charters.

Research limitations/implications

This research adds to current debates over the future of work and employment in a digitized, algorithm-driven society.

Practical implications

The research provides an accessible summary of the risks, opportunities, trade-offs and regulatory issues for PA, as well as a framework for integrating ethical strategies and practices.

Originality/value

By using a scoping methodology to surface and analyze diverse literatures, this study fills a gap in existing knowledge on ethical aspects of PA. The findings can inform future academic research, organizations using or considering PA products, professional associations developing relevant guidelines and policymakers adapting regulations. It is also timely, given the increase in digital monitoring of employees working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Does brand-relationships matter? The role of brand attachment in salesperson performance in retailing
Authors: Chinelato Flavia Braga , Filho Cid Gonçalves , Júnior Clodoaldo Lopes Nizza
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Salesperson performance is accepted as a relevant factor of retailing success. However, scarce studies reveal the relationship between sales performance and brand relationship. The purpose of this study is both, from one side, to empirically demonstrate the impact of salesperson brand attachment (SBA) on sales performance and, on the other side, to identify the mediators of this relationship in small retailing.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with a sample of 206 small retailers from different sectors of an emerging country. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS3.

Findings

The results demonstrated that SBA is relevant to driving sales performance through two relevant paths – one following SBA–satisfaction–performance and one path following the SBA–commitment–performance. The model was able to explain 63% of the outcome performance.

Practical implications

Regarding small retailers, where the owners, employees and managers have higher levels of interaction than the large national retail chains, the marketing executives must invest in improving the attachment to the brand and create emotional bonds and cognition between marketers and the brand. They must develop strategies to promote job satisfaction and organizational commitment because they determine performance.

Originality/value

Despite the relevance of small businesses for economies worldwide and the importance of salesperson brand relationships, no study has been developed to demonstrate the impacts of such relationships on salesperson performance in retailing. Furthermore, in addition to the central role of organizational commitment in the sales research, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore how to mediate the relationship between brand attachment and sales performance.
Numerical simulation of long-period grating sensors (LPGS) transmission spectrum behavior under strain and temperature effects
Authors: Eid Mahmoud M.A. , Rashed Ahmed Nabih Zaki
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study aims to simulate the long-period fiber grating sensor pulse peak position against the transmission range. The long-period fiber grating sensor pulse peak position against the transmission range is simulated clearly where the pulse peak value at zero position is 0.972655 with the ripple factor of unity. It is demonstrated that the long-period fiber grating sensor bandwidth can be estimated to be 50 µm. Wavelength shift of the long-period grating sensor (LPGS) is reported against grating wavelength, applied temperatures and applied micro strain.

Design/methodology/approach

This work has reported the numerical simulation of LPGS transmission spectrum behavior characteristics under the strain and temperature effects by using OptiGrating simulation software. The sensor fabrication material is silica-doped germanium. The transmittivity/reflectivity and input spectrum pulse intensity of long-period Bragg sensor variations are simulated against the grating wavelength variations. Input/output pulse intensity of LPGS variations is simulated against the timespan variations with the Gaussian input pulse from 100 to 500 km link length.

Findings

Temperature variation and strain variation of the LPGS are outlined against both applied temperatures and micro-strain variations at the central grating wavelength of 1,550 nm.

Originality/value

It is demonstrated that the long period fiber grating sensor bandwidth can be estimated to be 50 µm. Wavelength shift of the long period grating sensor is reported against both grating wavelength, applied temperatures and applied micro strain. Temperature variation and strain variation of the long period grating sensor are outlined against both applied temperatures and micro strain variations at the central grating wavelength of 1550 nm.
Sexual dimorphism driven by intersexual resource competition: Why is it rare, and where to look for it?
Authors: Li Xiang‐Yi , Kokko Hanna
Published: March 2021

Sexes often differ more obviously in secondary sexual characteristics than in traits that appear naturally selected, despite conceivable benefits to intersexual niche partitioning. Genetic constraints may play a role in limiting sex‐specific niche evolution; however, it is not clear why this limit should apply to naturally selected traits more than those under sexual selection; the latter routinely produces dimorphism. We ask whether ecological factors and/or features of the mating system limit dimorphism in resource use, or conversely, what conditions are the most permissible ones for sexual niche differences.

The scale of mating competition and spatial variation in resource availability can help predict sexually dimorphic niches or the lack thereof. We investigate why and when dimorphism might fail to evolve even if genetic covariation between the sexes posed no constraint.

Our analytical model incorporates the first aspect of spatial interactions (scale of mating competition). It is followed by simulations that explore broader conditions, including multiple resources with habitat heterogeneity, genetic correlations and non‐Gaussian resource‐use efficiency functions.

We recover earlier known conditions for favourable conditions for the evolution of niche partitioning between sexes, such as narrow individual niche and low degrees of genetic constraint. We also show spatial considerations to alter this picture. Sexual niche divergence occurs more readily when local mating groups are small and different resources occur reliably across habitats. Polygyny (medium‐sized or large mating groups) can diminish the prospects for dimorphism even if no genetic constraints are present. Habitat heterogeneity typically also disfavours niche dimorphism but can also lead to polymorphism within a sex, if it is beneficial to specialize to be very competitive in one habitat, even at a cost to performance in the other.

Sexual conflict is usually used to explain dimorphic traits or behaviours. Our models highlight that introducing conflict (achieved by switching from monogamy to polygamy) can also be responsible for sexual monomorphism. Under monogamy, males benefit from specializing to consume other resources than what feeds the female best. Polygyny makes males disregard this female benefit, and both sexes compete for the most profitable resource, leading to overlapping niches.
Subzero, saline incubations of Colwellia psychrerythraea reveal strategies and biomarkers for sustained life in extreme icy environments
Authors: Mudge Miranda C. , Nunn Brook L. , Firth Erin , Ewert Marcela , Hales Kianna , Fondrie William E. , Noble William S. , Toner Jonathan , Light Bonnie , Junge Karen A.
Published: March 2021

Colwellia psychrerythraea is a marine psychrophilic bacterium known for its remarkable ability to maintain activity during long‐term exposure to extreme subzero temperatures and correspondingly high salinities in sea ice. These microorganisms must have adaptations to both high salinity and low temperature to survive, be metabolically active, or grow in the ice. Here, we report on an experimental design that allowed us to monitor culturability, cell abundance, activity and proteomic signatures of C. psychrerythraea strain 34H (Cp34H) in subzero brines and supercooled sea water through long‐term incubations under eight conditions with varying subzero temperatures, salinities and nutrient additions. Shotgun proteomics found novel metabolic strategies used to maintain culturability in response to each independent experimental variable, particularly in pathways regulating carbon, nitrogen and fatty acid metabolism. Statistical analysis of abundances of proteins uniquely identified in isolated conditions provide metabolism‐specific protein biosignatures indicative of growth or survival in either increased salinity, decreased temperature, or nutrient limitation. Additionally, to aid in the search for extant life on other icy worlds, analysis of detected short peptides in −10°C incubations after 4 months identified over 500 potential biosignatures that could indicate the presence of terrestrial‐like cold‐active or halophilic metabolisms on other icy worlds.
Visualizing shed skin cells in fingerprint residue using dark‐field microscopy
Authors: Muramoto Shin , Osborn William , Gillen Greg
Published: March 2021

This proof‐of‐concept study shows that dark‐field microscopy provides sufficient contrast for cell visualization in fingerprints with high sebum content. Although the application is limited to smooth surfaces that do not scatter light, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), it was able to measure the number of cells deposited within a fingerprint residue and the reduction in cell transfer with repeated skin contact. On a PET surface, at roughly 5 N of contact force, a typical finger transfers several hundred cells onto the surface. Over subsequent finger contacts onto a clean PET surface, this number decreased exponentially until a steady state was reached, which is characterized by the transfer of (78 ± 36) cells or (0.46 ± 0.21) cells/mm2 when normalized for fingerprint area. High uncertainty in cell transfer was due to: the highly variable nature of a human finger (where the number of loose cells varies from person to person and from day to day depending on what they touch) and difficulties in controlling the contact force and finger movement such as twisting during deposition (where twisting of the finger can expose a new patch of skin to the substrate, increasing the number of cell transfer). Plasma etching was also explored as an effective way to validate dark‐field microscopy for cell counting. Although limited to inorganic substrates due to etching effects, exposing the fingerprint for less than 10 min can remove a majority of the sebum while keeping the cells intact for a before‐and‐after comparison using light microscopy.
The Major Controlling Factors and Different Oolitic Shoal Reservoir Characteristics of the Triassic Feixianguan Formation, Eastern Longgang Area, NE Sichuan Basin, SW China
Authors: GU Yifan , JIANG Yuqiang , LEI Xiaohua , CHEN Zhiyong , ZHOU Lu , FU Yonghong , JIANG Zengzheng
Published: March 2021

Based on comprehensive analyses of occurrence, petrological observation, pore structure and geochemistry, the different reservoir characteristics and reservoir evolutionary pathways between different oolitic shoal reservoir types of the Feixianguan Formation on the west side of the Kaijiang‐Liangping Trough have been studied. There exist three stages of high‐energy slope break belts in the Feixianguan period, the corresponding three stages of oolitic shoals gradually migrating in the direction of the trough. Three types of oolitic shoal reservoirs, namely, residual‐oolitic dolomite, mold‐oolitic dolomite and sparry oolitic limestone, were formed during sedimentary‐diagenetic evolution, the pore types being intergranular dissolved pore, mold pore (or intragranular dissolved pore) and residual intergranular pore, respectively. The petrology, physical properties and pore structure of the different types of oolitic shoal reservoirs are quite different. Residual‐oolitic dolomite reservoirs have the best quality, while sparry oolitic limestone reservoirs have the poorest. Combined with analyses of trace elements, rare earth elements and carbon‐oxygen isotopes, it is suggested that the formation of residual‐oolitic dolomite reservoirs is jointly controlled by penesaline seawater seepage‐reflux dolomitization and hydrothermal dolomitization. Mold‐pore oolitic dolomite reservoirs are controlled by penesaline seawater seepage‐reflux dolomitization and meteoric water solution. The burial dissolution of organic acid not only further improves the reservoir qualities of previously formed oolitic dolomite reservoirs, but also preserves residual intergranular pores in the sparry oolitic limestone reservoirs.
Shallow Structure of the Crust in the Sulu‐Dabie Region, China and its Seismotectonic Implication
Authors: XU Jiren , LI Haibing , QI Xuexiang , ZHAO Zhixin
Published: March 2021

The P‐wave velocity structure in the shallow crust is investigated in and around the Sulu‐Dabie region by using seismic reflection data for deep soundings in 48 survey profiles and from rock velocity determinations. The observed velocity distributions show obvious heterogeneities in this region. The low velocity anomalies are observed mainly in the west of the Dabie region and the East Sea regions. The high velocity anomalies emerge in the shallow crust of the Sulu and Dabie orogeny. These high‐velocity anomalies can be attributed to the ultra‐high pressure metamorphosed (UHPM) rock formed by exhumation motion of mantle materials during the orogeny. The high‐velocity anomalies in the different shallow layers beneath the Sulu region are located to the northeast of the Tan‐Lu fault. The high‐velocity anomalies beneath the Dabie region are located southwest of the Tan‐Lu fault. Such a distribution pattern of velocity anomaly zones may reveal historical motion of a left‐lateral strike‐slip for the Tan‐Lu fault, which differs from the result of a right‐lateral strike‐slip motion regime known from modern seismology, indicating a more complex tectonic motion along the Tan‐Lu fault.
Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Geochronology of the Xilin Group: Constraints for the Early Paleozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Songliao Massif
Authors: SANG Tianjiao , PEI Fuping , XU Wenliang , WANG Zhiwei , JIAO Ji , WEI Jingyang , WANG Yipeng
Published: March 2021

The Xilin Group, composed of the Chenming, Laodaomiaogou, Qianshan and Wuxingzhen formations, is one of the Early Paleozoic terranes in the eastern Songliao Massif, mainly consisting of thick layers of fine clastic and carbonate rocks. This study presents LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U‐Pb geochronological data for the Laodaomiaogou and Qianshan formations, further constraining their provenance and the Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Songliao Massif on the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Most zircons from the Laodaomiaogou and Qianshan formations show magmatic oscillatory zoning and high Th/U ratios (0.26–2.41). Zircon U‐Pb dating results indicate that the detrital zircons from the silty mudstone of the Laodaomiaogou Formation yield peak ages of 634 Ma, 775 Ma, 820 Ma, 880 Ma and 927 Ma, as well as multi‐episodic Archean to Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic ages (1405–643 Ma), implying its deposition time is younger than ∼634 Ma. Furthermore, the occurrence of Early Cambrian fossils indicates that the Laodaomiaogou Formation was deposited during the late stage of the Early Cambrian (∼514 Ma). The zircons from the K‐bentonite of the Qianshan Formation show four peak ages of 444 Ma, 471 Ma, 489 Ma and 518 Ma and the youngest age peak of 444 ± 4 Ma (n= 6) indicates that the Qianshan Formation was deposited during the Late Ordovician. In addition, the peak ages of the detrital zircons in the silty mudstone of the Qianshan Formation are 472 Ma and 498 Ma, as well as two other concordant points with207Pb/206Pb apparent ages of 1824 Ma and 1985 Ma. The dating results in this study, together with published data, indicate the absence of Pan‐African magmatic events in the Songliao Massif prior to the initial deposition of the Xilin Group, in contrast to those distributed widely in the Jiamusi Massif. Taken together, we conclude that the depositional provenance of the Laodaomiaogou and Qianshan formations was derived from the Songliao Massif. Furthermore, the characteristics of the detrital zircon age composition and rock associations indicate that the Laodaomiaogou Formation formed in a passive continental margin environment, in contrast to the Qianshan Formation, which formed in an active continental margin environment. The above results also imply that the Songliao and Jiamusi massifs might not have collided before the Late Ordovician.
Upwelling of Mantle‐derived Material in Southeast China: Evidence from Noble Gas Isotopes
Authors: WANG Shuai , KUANG Jian , HUANG Xuelian , ZHANG Hongyan , ZHANG Min , QI Shihua , HAN Yongjie , XIAO Zhicai , WANG Siqi , TANG Ling
Published: March 2021

Shallow groundwater collected in Chaozhou, Huizhou, and Guangzhou allowed testing of concentrations and the isotope ratios of noble gases. Based on the calculated noble gas temperature (NGT) and the ratio of noble gas isotopes, the recharge temperature, recharge source, and residence time of groundwater can be calculated. In addition, the contribution of noble gas components from different sources to the sample components can be assessed. In the Huizhou area, according to the 1/Xe vs. Ne/Xe and NGT data, the shallow sandstone‐confined water samples in the Shiba area and the unconfined water samples of the Huangshadong are in different temperature ranges, indicating that they have different recharge sources, both in time or space. The He components in the samples are calculated to obtain the content of radiogenic 4He in the crust and to simulate the groundwater ages. The noble gas isotope ratios show the addition of mantle components into the basalt aquifers and sandstone aquifers in Chaozhou and Huizhou. Except for atmospheric and crustal sources, there is a certain proportion of mantle‐derived components in the shallow underground cold water in Huizhou and Chaozhou. The noble gases in the Chaozhou groundwater have an obvious mantle signature, allowing speculation that there is a deep fluid carrying mantle characteristics. This upwelling of mantle‐derived material might be caused by the India‐Eurasia collision or that between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate.