bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An assessment of the readiness of construction firms for international construction joint ventures (ICJVs) using the VERDICT model
Authors: Akunyumu Stephen , Fugar Frank D.K. , Adinyira Emmanuel
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the readiness of construction companies in Ghana to partner with foreign companies in international construction joint ventures (ICJVs).

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Verify End-User e-Readiness using a Diagnostic Tool (VERDICT) model, a survey with 31 construction companies was conducted to assess their readiness through four pre-defined elements of readiness.

Findings

The results indicated the readiness of construction companies to collaborate with potential foreign partners in ICJVs. Notwithstanding, certain areas such as management commitment to change, employee buy-in, process flexibility and technology infrastructure need improvement in some firms to achieve readiness. Government has a role in ensuring the readiness of domestic firms for the international market.

Originality/value

This study applies the VERDICT model, a tool originally designed to assess construction organizations’ readiness for e-commerce, to assess the readiness of Ghanaian construction companies for ICJVs.
Optimisation of government subsidies in infrastructure public-private partnerships
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Xueqing , Wang Lu , Liu Henry , Sing Michael , Liu Bingsheng
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study aims to develop a Stackelberg Game Model for seeking the optimal subsidy plans with varying levels of government financial capability (GFC). Furthermore, the scenario-based analysis is conducted and will enable governments to identify a comprehensive subsidy plan as follows: improve project performance and optimise social welfare.

Design/methodology/approach

A Stackelberg Game Model is developed to optimise the effectiveness of subsidies on the performance of public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Findings

According to the scenarios that are generated from the model, governments that are confronting with limited public budgets could reduce the intensity of performance incentives and increase the participation-oriented subsidy. Whilst a participation-oriented subsidy can stimulate private organisations’ willingness to participate in infrastructure PPPs, a performance-oriented subsidy is capable of facilitating the projects’ performances. Intuitively, the performance-oriented subsidy enables the private entities of PPPs to improve their efforts on the projects to realise higher profits. However, the participation-oriented subsidy is unable to affect the level of their effort spent on the projects. To satisfy both parties’ expectations in a PPP, the performance-oriented subsidy needs to be prioritised for a purpose of enabling higher quality outputs.

Practical implications

The game model developed in this study contributes to the literature by offering new insight into the underlying mechanism of governments and private entities, in terms of their decision-making for subsidy planning and contributions (i.e. resource allocation and spending) during the life-cycle of PPPs. This research enriches the government subsidy model by revealing the effects of the GFC and clarifies the impacts of two different schemes of subsidy on the performance of PPPs.

Originality/value

The government has been conventionally viewed as being omnipotent to provide PPPs with a wide range of subsidies. However, the subsidies are not unlimited, due to GFC. In addressing this void, this study has modelled the impacts of government subsidy plans with a consideration of GFC-related constraints. The combined effects of the participation- and performance-oriented subsidies on the project performance of PPPs have been examined.
The impact of ownership structure on corporate tax avoidance with corporate social responsibility as mediating variable
Authors: Dakhli Anissa
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct and indirect relationship between institutional ownership and corporate tax avoidance using corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a mediating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses panel data set of 200 French firms listed during the 2007–2018 period. The direct and indirect effects between managerial ownership and tax avoidance were tested by using structural equation model analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that institutional ownership negatively affects tax avoidance. The greater the proportion of the institutional ownership, the lower the likelihood of tax avoidance usage. From the result of the Sobel test, this study indicated thatCSRpartially mediates the effect of institutional ownership on corporate tax avoidance.

Practical implications

The findings have some policy and practical implications that may help regulators in improving the quality of transactions and in achieving more efficient market supervision. They recommend to the government to add regulations and restrictions to the structure of corporate ownership to control corporate tax avoidance in French companies.

Originality/value

This study extends the existing literature by examining both the direct and indirect effect of institutional ownership on corporate tax avoidance in French companies by includingCSRas a mediating variable.
An M/M/C/K queueing system in an inventory routing problem considering congestion and response time for post-disaster humanitarian relief: a case study
Authors: Masoumi Mahdieh , Aghsami Amir , Alipour-Vaezi Mohammad , Jolai Fariborz , Esmailifar Behdad
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Due to the randomness and unpredictability of many disasters, it is essential to be prepared to face difficult conditions after a disaster to reduce human casualties and meet the needs of the people. After the disaster, one of the most essential measures is to deliver relief supplies to those affected by the disaster. Therefore, this paper aims to assign demand points to the warehouses as well as routing their related relief vehicles after a disaster considering convergence in the border warehouses.

Design/methodology/approach

This research proposes a multi-objective, multi-commodity and multi-period queueing-inventory-routing problem in which a queuing system has been applied to reduce the congestion in the borders of the affected zones. To show the validity of the proposed model, a small-size problem has been solved using exact methods. Moreover, to deal with the complexity of the problem, a metaheuristic algorithm has been utilized to solve the large dimensions of the problem. Finally, various sensitivity analyses have been performed to determine the effects of different parameters on the optimal response.

Findings

According to the results, the proposed model can optimize the objective functions simultaneously, in which decision-makers can determine their priority according to the condition by using the sensitivity analysis results.

Originality/value

The focus of the research is on delivering relief items to the affected people on time and at the lowest cost, in addition to preventing long queues at the entrances to the affected areas.
Effects of personal innovativeness and perceived value of disclosure on privacy concerns in proximity marketing: self-control as a moderator
Authors: Lin Marta Yuan-Chen , Do Ben-Roy , Nguyen Tessa Tien , Cheng Julian Ming-Sung
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This research attempts to evaluate the effects of personal innovativeness and the perceived value of disclosure on the hierarchical nature of privacy concerns under the contingency of self-control when using proximity Bluetooth-beacon technology (PBBT) service in proximity marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

The field study takes place in areas where PBBT service is installed in Taipei, Taiwan. A quota sampling approach is used, with 401 qualified respondents participating. The data are analyzed using the partial least square method.

Findings

The results confirm the importance of personal innovativeness and perceived value of disclosure as an important determinant to influence privacy concerns about data collection. It is also found that self-control plays a negative moderating role in these two relationships. Moreover, data collection is found to be a fundamental concern leading to other privacy concern facets.

Originality/value

This research represents a pioneer work in proximity marketing regarding how privacy concerns are influenced and how privacy concerns facets are causal-related when using a PBBT platform. More detailed, conditional insight is given as the research is studied under the contingency of self-control. A set of applicable guidelines with empirical evidence is thus provided.
Political and financial background in board interlocking and earnings management in Brazil
Authors: Dal Magro Cristian Baú , Klann Roberto Carlos
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Although board interlocking underlying forces are largely hidden, the purpose of this paper is to provide managers, auditors, analysts, regulators and other stakeholders with sociological board interlocking information considering the different backgrounds of their members.

Design/methodology/approach

The research sample gathered 1,606 observations from 2010 to 2017. For data analysis, the direct and indirect board interlocking linkages, considering the different backgrounds of board members, established the centrality indicators. Subsequently, the authors used these indicators according to each measured background in the regression models.

Findings

The results indicate that the political background of board interlocking members is positively related to real earnings management practices, while the financial background has a mitigating effect on such practices.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that individual skills and interests conveyed across the corporate social network have shaped corporate governance, with distinct impacts on the quality of accounting information.

Practical implications

The authors conclude that both backgrounds could have implications on agency conflicts, increasing (policy) or reducing (financial) information asymmetry between the company and its various stakeholders, which indicates that the authors must consider sociological and not just economic aspects within corporate governance.

Social implications

The sociological background of individuals is necessary for the congruence of monitoring mechanisms, and consequently, the quality of accounting information.

Originality/value

This study examines the influence of the political and financial background of board interlocking members on real earnings management practices in Brazilian publicly traded companies in the International Financial Reporting Standards post-adoption period.
Fracture assessment of polycarbonate parts produced by fused deposition modeling in the out-of-plane printing direction – effect of raster angle
Authors: Sedighi Iman , Ayatollahi Majid R. , Bahrami Bahador , Pérez-Martínez Marco A. , Garcia-Granada Andrés A.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the Mode I fracture behavior of polycarbonate (PC) parts produced using fused deposition modeling (FDM). The focus of this study is on samples printed along the out-of-plane direction with different raster angles.

Design/methodology/approach

Tensile and Mode I fracture tests were conducted. Semi-circular bend specimens were used for the fracture tests, which were printed in four different raster patterns of (0/90), (15/−75) (30/−60) and (45/−45). Moreover, the finite element method (FEM) was used to determine the applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) for the printed PC parts. The fracture toughness results, as well as the fracture path and the fracture surfaces, were studied to describe the fracture behavior of the samples.

Findings

Finite element results confirm that the use of LEFM is allowed for the tested PC samples. The fracture toughness results show that changing the direction of the printed rasters can have an effect of up to 50% on the fracture toughness of the printed parts, with the (+45/−45) and (0/90) orientations having the highest and lowest resistance to crack propagation, respectively. Moreover, except for the (0/90) orientation, the other samples have higher crack resistance compared to the bulk material. The fracture toughness of the tested PC depends more on the toughness of the printed sample, rather than its tensile strength.

Originality/value

The toughness and the energy absorption capability of the printed samples (with different raster patterns) were identified as the main properties affecting the fracture toughness of the AM PC parts. Because the fracture resistance of almost all the samples was higher than that of the base material, it is evident that by choosing the right raster patterns for 3D-printed parts, very high resistance to crack growth may be obtained. Also, using FEM and comparing the size of the plastic zones, it was concluded that, although the tensile curves show nonlinearity, LEFM is still applicable for the printed parts.
How well does government microcredit serve the investment needs of small and medium enterprises? An impact analysis on handloom weavers in Bangladesh
Authors: Parvin Mst Tania , Birner Regina , Nahar Ashrafun
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically estimate the impact of a government microcredit program on the handloom weavers to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 311 handloom weavers from the Sirajganj District of Bangladesh from July to December 2015 using a multistage sampling technique. The analysis was conducted using a two-stage least squares regression model incorporating instrumental variables to control for the probable endogeneity problem associated with the study.

Findings

This study finds that government microcredit had no significant impact on borrowers' investment in their business, whereas credit received from multiple sources other than government credit had a significant negative impact. Additionally, literacy level, household assets and the number of operational handloom units positively affected investment, while the number of non-operational handloom units and distance negatively affected the investment.

Research limitations/implications

This study's findings are more specific for the selected case and may not be generalizable to all kinds of SMEs.

Practical implications

The policy implications are targeted at increasing loan size based on the number of operational handloom units to improve the performance of government and other microcredit programs to facilitate the growth of SMEs in Bangladesh.

Originality/value

This study specifically focuses on estimating the financial performance of government microcredit programs for SME development within the handloom industry, which has not been sufficiently explored in the literature.
Increased expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐3 in epidermotropic melanoma metastasis
Authors: Meling Maureen Tania , Kiniwa Yukiko , Ogawa Eisaku , Sato Yuki , Okuyama Ryuhei
Published: August 2021

Primary cutaneous melanoma generally arises in the epidermis, followed by invasion into the dermis. Although infrequent, invasive melanoma cells can, alternatively, migrate to the intraepidermal area and form epidermotropic melanoma metastasis (EMM). In this study, we focused on this unique manner of metastasis. To identify the key molecules which affect EMM, gene expression in EMM was compared with that in common skin metastasis (CSM). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed for genes affecting the extracellular matrix, cellular adhesion, and tumor metastasis on three EMM and three CSM samples as an initial screening. For molecules showing altered expression in the EMM, expression levels were further verified using real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. Five molecules showed an expression difference in the initial screening. Among these, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) was preferentially expressed in EMM (p = 0.01) by real‐time qPCR. Another candidate molecule, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐3 (TIMP3), was not statistically significant (p = 0.07), but showed the tendency of higher expression. These results correlated negatively to expression of N‐cadherin and β‐catenin. The upregulation of SPARC and TIMP3 may disrupt the continuity of the canonical Wnt pathway. This pathway regulates adhesion activity of melanoma cells to localize within the dermis, which consequently promotes EMM. Our study highlights the potential role of SPARC and TIMP3 as key molecules in EMM, and analysis of EMM may contribute for understanding melanoma invasion between the epidermis and the dermis.
Care for children with atopic dermatitis in the Netherlands during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Lessons from the first wave and implications for the future
Authors: Ragamin Aviël , de Wijs Linde E. M. , Hijnen Dirk‐Jan , Arends Nicolette J. T. , Schuttelaar Marie L. A. , Pasmans Suzanne G. M. A. , Bronner Madelon B.
Published: August 2021

The first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic had an enormous impact on health‐care services, including on care provision for children with atopic dermatitis (AD). We investigated the impact of COVID‐19 on the care for children with moderate to severe AD at our tertiary outpatient clinic and examined satisfaction with care. We reviewed outpatient records, comparing total number and types of consultations during the first COVID‐19 wave (March until July 2020) with the corresponding months of 2019 and 2018. In addition, we conducted a questionnaire‐based study investigating the impact of COVID‐19 on clinical and psychological symptoms, and satisfaction with care. A total number of 913 consultations (466 individual children) were conducted during the first COVID‐19 wave in 2020, while 698 (391 individual children) and 591 consultations (356 individual children) were conducted in 2019 and 2018. The proportion of remote consultations was higher (56.2%) compared to 14.0% in 2019 and 12.7% in 2018. Worsening of AD was reported by 9.7% of caretakers. Overall satisfaction with provided care was high (8.6; interquartile range [IQR] = 7.3–10.0). Caretakers receiving face‐to‐face consultation were significantly (p = 0.026) more satisfied (9.0; IQR = 8.0–10.0) than caretakers receiving remote consultation (7.9; IQR = 7.0–9.5). The COVID‐19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on care provision for children with AD, particularly on the number of remote consultations. Overall satisfaction with care was high. The impact of COVID‐19 on disease severity remained limited. Remote consultations seem to be a useful tool that can be put into practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Development and evaluation of a synthetic opioid targeted gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) method
Authors: Sisco Edward , Burns Amber , Moorthy Arun S.
Published: August 2021

As seized drug casework becomes increasingly complex due to the continued prevalence of emerging drugs, laboratories are often looking for new analytical approaches including developing methods for the analysis of specific compounds classes. Recent efforts have focused on the development of targeted gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) confirmation methods to compliment the information‐rich screening results produced by techniques like direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART‐MS). In this work, a method for the confirmation of synthetic opioids and related compounds was developed and evaluated. An 11‐component test solution was used to develop a method that focused on minimizing overlapping retention time acceptance windows and understanding the influence of instrument parameters on reproducibility and sensitivity. Investigated settings included column type, flow rate, temperature program, inlet temperature, source temperature, and tune type. Using a DB‐200 column, a 35‐min temperature ramped method was created. It was evaluated against a suite of 222 synthetic opioids and related compounds, and successfully differentiated all but four compound pairs based on nonoverlapping retention time acceptance windows or objectively different mass spectra. Compared to a general confirmatory method used in casework, the targeted method was up to 25 times more sensitive and provided at least a two‐fold increase in retention time differences. Analysis of extracts from actual case samples successfully demonstrated utility of the method and showed no instance of carryover, although the high polarity column required wider retention time windows than other columns.
Differential temperature responses between Plutella xylostella and its specialist endo‐larval parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum—Implications for biological control
Authors: Wang Leyun , Etebari Kayvan , Zhao Zihua , Walter Gimme H. , Furlong Michael J.
Published: August 2021

Understanding the thermal dynamics of host–parasitoid interactions is crucial to predicting how biological control of pest insects by parasitoids might be affected by geographic location and climate change. We compared performance traits of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and its solitary endo‐larval parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), over a wide range of constant rearing temperatures (10–30°C). Parasitoids reared at 30°C experienced reductions in pupation rate, pupal mass, egg load, and adult life span when compared with those reared at lower temperatures. Our analyses of the fate of parasitoids and their hosts and intergenerational population growth at different rearing temperatures show that D. semiclausum and P. xylostella respond differently to temperature, leading to divergent outcomes under different temperature conditions. Some parasitoid larvae could not complete development at 30°C, the temperature at which the host biomass was least and the metabolic demands of the parasitoid could be high, suggesting that parasitoid development might be constrained by lack of host resources at higher temperatures. We discuss the potential mechanisms of parasitoid susceptibility to elevated temperatures, which likely explain the pronounced seasonal dynamics of D. semiclausum in subtropical regions and its failure to establish in lowland tropical regions, where P. xylostella is a serious pest. Similar interactions in other host–parasitoid associations would constrain the efficacy of parasitoids as biological control agents as global temperatures increase.
The ubiquitous soil verrucomicrobial clade ‘Candidatus Udaeobacter’ shows preferences for acidic pH
Authors: Willms Inka M. , Bolz Simon H. , Yuan Jingyue , Krafft Lisa , Schneider Dominik , Schöning Ingo , Schrumpf Marion , Nacke Heiko
Published: August 2021

Members of the verrucomicrobial clade ‘Candidatus Udaeobacter’ rank among the most dominant bacterial phylotypes in soil. Nevertheless, despite this global prevalence, in‐depth analyses with respect to pH preferences of ‘Ca. Udaeobacter’ representatives are still lacking. Here, we utilized a recently designed primer pair, specifically targeting ‘Ca. Udaeobacter’, to investigate links between soil pH and the abundance as well as phylotype composition of this largely unexplored verrucomicrobial clade. Based on 150 forest and 150 grassland soils, comprising a broad pH range, we determined the highest total abundance of ‘Ca. Udaeobacter’ in strongly acidic soil (pH, ~5.1) and, noteworthy, in ultra‐acidic soil (pH < 3.5) and at a pH ≥ 7, its abundance drastically declined. When we analysed the six most dominant amplicon sequence variants affiliated with ‘Ca. Udaeobacter’ separately, their abundances peaked within a pH range of approximately 4.7–5.2, and only in one case at slightly acidic soil pH (pH, 6.1). Our study benefits from a combination of quantitative real‐time PCR and high‐throughput amplicon sequencing, enabling for the first time a highly specific abundance analysis of representatives affiliated with ‘Ca. Udaeobacter’, which revealed that this globally abundant verrucomicrobial clade shows preferences for acidic soil.
Thoracoscopic pulmonary metastasectomy in metastatic colorectal cancer: Surgical outcomes and prognostic factors
Authors: Yun Ju Sik , Kim Eunchong , Na Kook Joo , Song Sang Yun , Jeong In Seok , Oh Sang Gi
Published: August 2021

Background

This study aimed to confirm the effectiveness of thoracoscopic metastasectomy for colorectal cancer (CRC) and determine its prognostic factors.

Methods

Of the 181 patients who underwent video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for pulmonary metastases from CRC between 2011 and 2017, 173 were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical outcomes, long‐term survival, and the factors affecting the prognosis were analyzed.

Results

The patients in the study were predominantly male (n = 104, 60.1%), and the median age was 65 years (range, 25–83 years). The median follow‐up time was 46 months (range, 0–114 months). The surgical procedures were 156 wedge resections, five segmentectomies, and 12 lobectomies. Conversion to thoracotomy was required in nine patients. The postoperative complication rate was 2.9%, and the in‐hospital mortality rate was 1.2%. The overall 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year survival rates were 94.8%, 70.6%, and 51.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the prognostic factors for survival were age (p = 0.027), pathological stage of CRC (p = 0.019), prior extrathoracic metastasis (p = 0.005), preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level (p = 0.020), number of pulmonary metastases (p = 0.011), and disease‐free interval (p = 0.026). In the multivariate analysis, two factors were related to prognosis: age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.881; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.189–2.976; p = 0.007) and prior extrathoracic metastasis (HR, 2.170; 95% CI; 1.269–3.711; p = 0.005).

Conclusions

VATS for pulmonary metastasectomy for CRC can be performed relatively safely, and our results regarding long‐term survival are comparable with those of other studies. In this study, older age (≥70 years) and prior extrathoracic metastasis were independent prognostic factors of poor prognosis.
Scavenging patterns of generalist predators in forested areas: The potential implications of increase in carrion availability on a threatened capercaillie population
Authors: Tobajas Jorge , Oliva‐Vidal Pilar , Piqué Josep , Afonso‐Jordana Ivan , García‐Ferré Diego , Moreno‐Opo Rubén , Margalida Antoni
Published: August 2021

The increases in ungulate populations and hunting bags throughout Europe and North America have resulted in higher carcass numbers available for mesocarnivore species in temperate and boreal forests. The increase in food resources can sustain denser predator populations, potentially affecting prey species such as the threatened western capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. We investigated the ungulate population trends in recent decades and the carrion use by facultative scavengers in areas of the Pyrenees occupied by capercaillie to assess the potential effects on predation of nests and adult birds, and on its population trend. We found a significant increase in the number of ungulates harvested during the period of sharp capercaillie population decline. Carrion was provided experimentally in forested areas occupied by capercaillie showing that remains were mainly consumed by red fox Vulpes vulpes, followed by wild boar Sus scrofa and marten species (Martes sp.). Season (cold or warm) was the most important factor determining scavenging activity in most species. Main predators of capercaillie nests and adults were martens and red fox, with no predation by wild boar. Our data show that main predators of capercaillie are the same species that mainly consume carrion, especially in winter, and that plentiful carrion resources could maintain higher populations of these species, potentially increasing predation pressure on the capercaillie population. This study shows that managing carrion arising from hunting activity in areas of capercaillie distribution is a necessary management action to reduce the available carrion biomass and so reduce the impact of mesocarnivores on capercaillie conservation.
Clystopsenella australiana sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Scolebythidae): first species of the genus found outside the Neotropical region
Authors: Lepeco Anderson , Melo Gabriel A R
Published: August 2021

Clystopsenella Kieffer, 1911 is one of four extant genera included in the family Scolebythidae. This wasp family is the smallest within Chrysidoidea with six extant species described so far. To date, there are only two described species in the genus Clystopsenella—the extant Clystopsenella longiventris Kieffer, 1911 and the fossil C. mirabilis Engel, 2015, from Miocene Dominican amber. The extant species is found throughout the neotropics and has been recorded from Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Belize. Besides this, Clystopsenella had already been recorded in the Australian fauna, indicating that the genus is not strictly Neotropical. In the present work, Clystopsenella australiana sp. nov. is described based on the single specimen ever recorded, which was collected over 100 years ago in Bribie Island, Queensland. The presence of Clystopsenella in Australia adds to the intricate scenario of disjunct distributions within the family and agrees with the restriction of Scolebythidae to warm areas.
Anonychomyrma inclinata sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): description, biology and interaction with the endangered bulloak jewel butterfly, Hypochrysops piceatus Kerr, Macqueen & Sands, 1969 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Authors: Lewis Jon , Sands Don
Published: August 2021

The ant Anonychomyrma inclinata sp. nov. is described. It is an arboreal species, nesting in hollows of living mature trees including Allocasuarina luehmannii, Angophora leiocarpa and various Eucalyptus species. Anonychomyrma inclinata can form colonies which are among the most populous recorded for an ant species in Australia, with over 10 000 workers and a total population of 170 000, including all castes. The ant forms extensive trails, forages for insects, collects nectar from a range of flowering plants including many mistletoes and collects honeydew from Hemiptera. The ant's distribution extends from northern inland New South Wales and south central inland Queensland, as far north‐east as Home Hill, on the Burdekin River. The ant is an obligate attendant of the immature stages of the endangered bulloak jewel butterfly, Hypochrysops piceatus Kerr, Macqueen & Sands, 1969, and the southern population of the sapphire azure, Ogyris aenone Waterhouse, 1902. The distribution of A. inclinata is much wider than that currently known for H. piceatus, suggesting that suitable breeding sites may exist for this rare butterfly in areas not previously surveyed. While A. inclinata appears relatively widespread and is able to utilise a wide range of tree species, it is reliant, like H. piceatus, on mature live trees and so is subject to threats including vegetation clearance, timber‐getting, grazing, and increased drought and fire frequency. Due to its critical importance in the life cycle of H. piceatus, any action taken to conserve the butterfly must also consider the importance of preserving healthy populations of A. inclinata.
Social Accountability in Movies: Speculations on Legal Principle and Emotional Reasoning
Authors: Zhou Yang
Published: August 2021

The three films discussed here are all adapted works based on real‐life incidents that have happened in China pertaining to child trafficking, drug smuggling, and kidnapping. Although the films depict the roads traveled and lives lived by the particular characters, more importantly, they enable the audience to realize that characters cannot be viewed in terms of black and white. Rather, characters should be viewed as “gray.” Specifically, all characters are portrayed as both selfless and profit driven. They are forced to confront hidden pain caused by the trials and tribulations of life. That pain is coupled with a sense of helplessness and a need to face life’s changes brought about by the failure of the government’s social management system. Being under constant pressure, the dregs of society pursue their own selfish interests, thereby infringing on the interests of others. When criminals are at their worst, the audience is looking for their goodness amidst the opposing forces of legality and sentimentality, egoism and altruism. Audiences are hoping for some form of redemption in characters who are wrestling with responsibility and obligation. This not only gives the characters a sense of inclusiveness, but it also gives viewers comfort regarding our shared humanity. At the same time, the upsurge of public opinion triggered by these realistic films has accelerated government reform and enhancement of the social system. Thus, socially oriented movies in China have had large social value and practical significance.
In Hollywood, Representation of Marginalized People Has its Moment
Authors: Harrington Michael
Published: August 2021

For many decades, Hollywood movies contributed to the stereotyping of people of color. Although many of those stereotypes persist in contemporary works, the increasing number of works directed and produced by Black artists has generated some excellent movies, including 12 Years a Slave, Selma, Fruitvale Station, Time, Loving, and The Hate U Give, and TV series such as The Boondocks, Insecure, Queen Sugar, Atlanta, Black‐ish, The Chi, and Dear White People. No longer is Hollywood dependent on the voices of well‐intentioned white directors, who often relied on the tired myth of the white savior or hero who protects African Americans from injustice. Series such as Small Axe show how Black people have been working for justice on their own behalf for decades, whether recognized by whites or not. Representation in Hollywood is finally catching up with historical realities.
Land and Social Status in Movies
Authors: Wadsworth Mark
Published: August 2021

Social class is mostly inherited, but what is the source? From movies and TV, we can see how high social status often originates with efforts to gain control of strategic locations in an earlier generation. With that advantage and the economic leverage it offers, family fortunes are transformed into social standing. Westerns, such as Pale Rider and Once Upon a Time in the West, reveal how violence often lies at the root of today‘s social differences. Chinatown demonstrates how the same corrupt processes work in an urban setting. As long as private wealth gained through deceit or coercion can be sanitized in the next generation, rent seeking will remain the most popular means of gaining power. Filmmakers can help us see how these processes actually play out and possibly teach us how to prevent them.
What it Means to Be a Muslim Living in India: Insights from Experience and from Bollywood Movies
Authors: Niyaz Ahmad Mohammad
Published: August 2021

In India, there are a number of popular movies released every year in which Muslims are exemplified as negative characters such as dons, villains, or terrorists. This type of propaganda harms the image of an entire community. Only modern education has enabled Muslims to gain an accepted place with other communities living in India. Hence, Bollywood movies tend to present a peculiar image of Muslims, in their everyday struggles and aspirations, seeking to prove that they are patriotic nationalists.

This article draws on two famous movies—Mulk and Shahid—and on my own fieldwork with Muslim communities, which is exemplified by the narratives of a Muslim man named Saleem who hails from Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh and currently lives in Mumbai. Based on those sources, this article sheds light on the humiliations of being a Muslim in India today, the struggles they face, and their aspirations to prove themselves patriots so they might be allowed to live a dignified life. The experiences of Saleem and the characters in the movies reveal that education is an influential instrument in bringing positive change in the life of Muslims.
Skin tumour specimen shrinkage with excision and formalin fixation—how much and why: a prospective study and discussion of the literature
Authors: de Waal John
Published: August 2021

Background

Surgical skin specimens are known to undergo significant shrinkage when excised and processed. The degree of shrinkage is important for medical care, research and third‐party assessment. Studies to date have shown variable degrees of shrinkage. Most have included multiple and sometimes unspecified variables—different surgeons, varied sites, ill‐defined excision patterns and/or multiple pathologies. This study tries to exclude many of these variables to try to ascertain a more accurate predictor of shrinkage with a single surgeon, lower limb only site using a controlled excision pattern and restricted pathology cohort.

Method

100 previously untreated malignant BCC's and SCC's on the lower limb were excised and measurements made of the resulting wound and the specimen removed. Measurements were subsequently made after pathologic processing and statistically compared.

Results

With excision of lower limb skin tumours the surgical defect enlarges significantly (15%) and the specimen shrinks significantly (20%) in both length (12%) and width (9%). The specimen shrinks a further 11%—again shrinking in length (8%) and width (2.6%) with formalin processing. The pathology specimen is 28.6% smaller than the specimen marked for excision. Anatomical site contributes to the degree of shrinkage. The pathologic specimen is only 75% of the suture repaired wound length.

Conclusions

Skin specimens shrink significantly both with excision and processing. Most shrinkage (70%) takes place with excision while the remaining 30% with processing. The shrinkage takes place disproportionately in the normal tissue component of the specimen. Age, anatomical location, and pathology appear to play a part.
Ulnar‐sided wrist pain: a prospective analysis of diagnostic clinical tests
Authors: Ou Yang Owen , McCombe David B. , Keating Cameron , Maloney Peter P. , Berger Anthony C. , Tham Stephen K. Y.
Published: August 2021

Background

Identifying the cause of pain on the ulnar side of the wrist can be challenging. The outcome and recovery following surgery can be unpredictable. The aim of this study was to document and analyse the clinical tests used to evaluate the cause of ulnar‐sided wrist pain and determine their diagnostic relevance.

Methods

This is a prospective evaluation of 110 patients who presented with pain on the ulnar side of the wrist. The clinical evaluation and results from radiological investigations were documented and analysed.

Results

There were 17 different diagnoses. Eighty‐five percent of the diagnoses were triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries, ulnocarpal abutment syndrome (UCAS), pisotriquetral arthritis (PTA), triquetral fracture or non‐union, distal radioulnar joint arthritis (DRUJ OA) and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) pathology. The ulnocarpal stress test and ulnar foveal sign were positive in several diagnoses. The ulnar foveal sign had a sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 48% for TFCC injuries, and 85% and 37% for UCAS, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of pisotriquetral shear test for PTA was 100% and 92%, respectively. Patients with PTA or ECU pathology localised their pain better on the patient's pain localisation chart.

Conclusion

Diagnosis of TFCC injuries, UCAS, DRUJ OA and ECU injuries are challenging as the clinical symptoms and signs for the four diagnoses were similar and required either magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography for diagnostic confirmation after clinical examination. The ulnocarpal stress test and the ulnar foveal sign were not sufficiently specific.
The experiences of sepsis in people with a learning disability—a qualitative investigation
Authors: Grant Nerissa , Hewitt Olivia , Ash Katie , Knott Fiona
Published: August 2021

Accessible summary

Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with learning disabilities.

We wanted to understand what it is like for people with a learning disability to have sepsis.

We asked three people with a learning disability and five of their carers what it was like when they had sepsis. We asked about their health before sepsis, how their sepsis was treated and what health services could have done better.

Carers often felt that people's mental health was worse after sepsis. They thought that even when people were physically better, their mood and behaviour was still affected.

After sepsis, people were more worried about their physical health, and carers were careful to follow up on every health concern.

Background

Sepsis is a common cause of death within the general population and the third most common cause of death for people with a learning disability, suggesting an increased vulnerability or different trajectory within this population. Despite this, there is currently no research into the direct lived experiences of people with a learning disability who develop and recover from sepsis.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 3 people with a learning disability (average age of 44.7, range of age 33 to 68) who experienced sepsis and 5 carers (1 familial and 4 professional carers) (average age of 48.8, range of age 43 to 58) who had supported an individual with a learning disability while they had sepsis. Sepsis was caused by a range of physical health problems. Face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Six main themes were identified: chronic and acute pre‐existing health conditions, experiences within the hospital setting, physical recovery, mental recovery, returning to a normal life and the implications of sepsis.

The findings highlighted some of the ongoing difficulties for people with intellectual disabilities in accessing timely healthcare provision and the ongoing mental health problems, even after physically recovering from sepsis. People with a learning disability have more comorbid health conditions which may compound the longer‐term effects of sepsis.

Conclusion

Future research should be conducted with people with learning disabilities about their experiences shortly after recovery from sepsis, to mitigate the effects of memory difficulties in recalling experiences.
‘It will make more people feel included if they can talk to them in their first language’: The experience of university students with an intellectual disability engaging in a formal Irish Sign Language Course
Authors: Spassiani Natasha A. , Clince Maria , Ó Murchadha Noel
Published: August 2021

Accessible Summary

Learning a second language can provide people with more opportunities to be included in society. For example, they could have more opportunities for employment, social activities and travel.

However, people with intellectual disabilities are typically not given the opportunity to learn a second language because people think they do not have the ability to learn more than one language.

This study looked at the experiences of university students with intellectual disabilities who took part in an Irish Sign Language course.

The study used a focus group (a group interview) to speak to six university students with intellectual disabilities and found that students spoke about their experience with learning Irish Sign Language, the class design and the importance of learning Irish Sign Language.

This study showed that people with intellectual disabilities critically reflected on their experience of learning a second language. More research is needed to see if this finding is common amongst individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Background

Opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to become bi/multilingual tend not to be widely available despite demonstrated linguistic and extralinguistic advantages associated with an ability to use more than one language. This article focuses on the learning experiences of students with intellectual disabilities in learning Irish Sign Language (ISL) as part of a university course tailored for students with intellectual disabilities.

Methods

The sample consisted of six adults with intellectual disabilities who were enrolled in a full‐time university programme in Ireland. Students were required to take a 12‐week course entitled Language and Society, which included ISL lab sessions. A focus group was conducted asking questions that focused on the students’ experience of taking part in a formalided ISL class.

Findings

Three themes were generated in the analysis of the data: learning ISL, class design and implications of taking an ISL course. Findings showed that participants reflected critically on their learning experiences, their expectations of learning ISL, class content and social implications of learning ISL.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the potential of people with intellectual disabilities to be able to critically engage in second language learning.
Subtype‐selective positive modulation of KCa2 channels depends on the HA/HB helices
Authors: Nam Young‐Woo , Cui Meng , El‐Sayed Naglaa Salem , Orfali Razan , Nguyen Misa , Yang Grace , Rahman Mohammad Asikur , Lee Judy , Zhang Miao
Published: August 2021

Background and Purpose

In the activated state of small‐conductance Ca2+‐activated potassium (KCa2) channels, calmodulin interacts with the HA/HB helices and the S4‐S5 linker. CyPPA potentiates KCa2.2a and KCa2.3 channel activity but not the KCa2.1 and KCa3.1 subtypes.

Experimental Approach

Site‐directed mutagenesis, patch‐clamp recordings and in silico modelling were utilised to explore the structural determinants for the subtype‐selective modulation of KCa2 channels by CyPPA.

Key Results

Mutating residues in the HA (V420) and HB (K467) helices of KCa2.2a channels to their equivalent residues in KCa3.1 channels diminished the potency of CyPPA. CyPPA elicited prominent responses on mutant KCa3.1 channels with an arginine residue in the HB helix substituted for its equivalent lysine residue in the KCa2.2a channels (R355K). KCa2.1 channels harbouring a three‐amino‐acid insertion upstream of the cognate R438 residues in the HB helix showed no response to CyPPA, whereas the deletion mutant (KCa2.1_ΔA434/Q435/K436) became sensitive to CyPPA. In molecular dynamics simulations, CyPPA docked between calmodulin C‐lobe and the HA/HB helices widens the cytoplasmic gate of KCa2.2a channels.

Conclusion and Implications

Selectivity of CyPPA among KCa2 and KCa3.1 channel subtypes relies on the HA/HB helices.