bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reality of short-term causality of Islamic and conventional banking term deposit rates in Pakistan
Authors: Mushafiq Muhammad , Sehar Tayyebah
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to find the empirical causal relationship between Islamic bank term deposit rates (IBTDR) and conventional bank term deposit rates (CBTDR) in the short-term.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes the short-term causal relationship between the term deposit rates (TDRs) for the time period of three years 2015 to 2018 on monthly data of IBTDR and CBTDR. Granger causality test, variance decomposition and impulse response function are applied to examine if there is any short-term causal relationship between the IBTDR and CBTDR.

Findings

This empirical study establishes that the IBTDR are dependent on the CBTDR in the short-term.

Practical implications

This research provides an insight for the customers of TDRs of the Islamic banking system. This study is not only a significant insight for the end-users but also for the regulators and researchers as it provides important empirical evidence. This could lead to further research on the reasons for causality.

Originality/value

There has not been any study of this nature in Pakistan to identify the causality of the two-TDRs. This research expands the dynamics of research in the context of the banking sector.
Managing hotel revenue amid the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Denizci Guillet Basak , Chu Angela Mai Chi
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The revenue management (RM) discipline is built on the principle of demand-based pricing. This study aims to examine how and to what extent RM can be implemented in the hotel industry during low-demand periods, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used semi-structured interviews to gather information from hotel RM executives, RM consultants and RM system providers. Participants were asked to think about the impact of COVID-19 on their RM practices. This paper interviewed 26 revenue executives between January and March 2020.

Findings

Core RM processes are still relevant during the COVID-19 crisis; however, not all components are equally important. Business analysis, pricing strategy and demand modeling and forecasting are the most critical RM processes. Inventory and price optimization and setting booking controls are not as important at this time; along with distribution channel management, these processes will become more relevant as demand picks up.

Research limitations/implications

Future research in this area should focus on each core RM process separately and in-depth to understand how implementation changes during the crisis and recovery periods. Future studies should also investigate how these processes operate during the recovery period. The full breadth of consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in hotel RM will likely manifest gradually. Therefore, the core RM processes should also be examined when the crisis is over.

Originality/value

Apart from a few studies that touched on RM-related strategies during economic downturns, to the knowledge, this is the first study to systematically examine the extent to which RM can be implemented during a crisis.
Textual analysis of online reviews as a lens for cross-cultural assessment
Authors: Nakayama Makoto , Wan Yun
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to call researchers’ attention to cross-cultural research using online consumer reviews and multilingual textual analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors discuss a selected literature review and the highlight of the four studies that show cross-cultural differences in online reviews on ethnic restaurants.

Findings

Applying multilingual textual analysis could prompt new venues to verify and expand future cross-cultural research in tourism and hospitality.

Originality/value

The paper introduces examples of multilingual textual analysis used for cross-cultural studies.
Moonlighting to survive in a pandemic: multiple motives and gender differences in Ghana
Authors: Asravor Richard K.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Moonlighting is on the ascendancy among the urban populace of Ghana, especially, during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) period. This paper aims to investigate the motives and determinants of moonlighting in Urban Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used data from a semi-structured questionnaire administered during the COVID-19 period in Ghana. Data on the motivation for moonlighting was analysed using descriptive statistics whilst the logit regression model was used to analyse the determinants for moonlighting.

Findings

The findings show that men moonlight more than women in Ghana. Despite this, there are no substantive differences in the motives and determining factors influencing men and women moonlighting in Ghana. The findings indicate that moonlighting is used by both sexes to deal with the financial difficulties faced because of lower earnings from their primary occupation due to the COVID-pandemic. Aside from financial difficulty which was viewed as the most important reason for moonlighting by both sexes, men view being secure in their primary job as the 2nd most important motivational factor contrary to women who view lowering the risk of primary job loss as the 2nd most important motivational factor. The impacts of the COVID-19, the log of primary income and marriage are push factors to moonlight whilst having household members who are working and higher levels of education are pulled factors to moonlight in Ghana in the COVID-19 period.

Originality/value

With the current harsh economic conditions that COVID-19 has placed on families in urban areas and the urgent need for multiple jobs as a risk coping mechanism, little empirical work has been done on the role moonlighting plays as a catalyst or otherwise. This paper fills this gap by examining how gender difference affects moonlighting in Ghana in this COVID-19 period.
Digital transformation in sales as an evolving process
Authors: Wengler Stefan , Hildmann Gabriele , Vossebein Ulrich
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The majority of business-to-business companies are working on their digital transformation in sales. Despite enormous transformation efforts, the expected productivity gains are often missing in most companies. Based on empirical research, this paper aims to develop a new market-oriented transformation model. Management implications as well as future research directions are derived for a more focused digital transformation process in sales.

Design/methodology/approach

Within the exploratory research study, 90 key informants were interviewed to provide better insights in the context of digital transformation in sales. The accuracy of the research results was safeguarded by triangulation.

Findings

As this research paper will show, the reasons for the missing productivity gains caused by a limited knowledge about the main success factors of digital transformation as well as a lack of understanding of digital transformation as an evolving process.

Originality/value

Based on the empirical research, a new market-oriented transformation model is developed and management implications as well as future research directions are derived for a more focused digital transformation process in sales.
Driving force of industrial technology innovation: coevolution of multistage overseas M&A integration and knowledge network reconfiguration
Authors: Chen Feiqiong , Zhu Jieru , Wang Wenjing
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the coevolutionary dynamics between multistage overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integration and knowledge network reconfiguration and the impact of this coevolution on industrial technology innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper builds a coevolution analysis framework in stages and constructs structural equation models for empirical tests using the Chinese technology-sourcing overseas M&A events that occurred from 2001 to 2012.

Findings

Overseas M&A integration and knowledge network reconfiguration are in a coevolutionary relationship, driving industrial technology innovation. The acquirer adopts initial integration degree that matches the resource relatedness between the acquiring and acquired parties, promoting initial industrial technology innovation through initial knowledge network reconfiguration. Initial knowledge network reconfiguration will feed back to the M&A integration decision in the mid-to-late stage through increasing knowledge similarity and narrowing network position difference. The higher the improvement of mid-to-late integration degree, the more it can drive mid-to-late industrial technology innovation through mid-to-late knowledge network reconfiguration.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can accurately classify overseas M&A integration stages through case tracking and explore other network attributes.

Practical implications

Practical guidelines are provided for managers on how to implement a multistage overseas M&A integration strategy, optimize knowledge network reconfiguration and promote industrial technology innovation. Significant practical implications are presented, especially in academia, society and quality of life.

Originality/value

Different from the previous research considering M&A integration as a single-stage decision, this paper emphasizes the dynamics of the M&A integration process and explores the coevolution mechanism of multistage overseas M&A integration and knowledge network reconfiguration.
Validation of information-seeking behaviour of nursing students confirms most profiles but also indicates desirable changes for information literacy support
Authors: Stokes Peter , Priharjo Robert , Urquhart Christine
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The study aims were: (1) to replicate a previous study by the first author to confirm previous findings (internal validity) and to check construct validity of previously proposed information-behaviour profiles, (2) to compare the information processes used by students in parallel with requirements of early professional practice.

Design/methodology/approach

A replication study used the same questionnaire, delivered online to all 175 students across three years of a BSc adult nursing degree programme on one UK university campus. The survey included questions on information seeking processes, personality, approaches to learning and self-efficacy with information literacy. The literature review examined evidence around the transition from nursing student to practitioner and the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) standards for nursing information literacy.

Findings

The response rate was 86/175 (49%). The result verified findings on the most frequent information processes and association between approach to learning and information literacy self-efficacy. The personality findings differed. Combining results for both studies helped confirm most of the information-behaviour profiles. Mapping the frequent information processes against requirements of practice indicated gaps, particularly around professional networking.

Research limitations/implications

As both studies were carried out at one higher education campus, further research to assess external validity is required.

Practical implications

Information-behaviour profiles, plus the mapping, help librarians and tutors develop tailored information literacy support that is clinically relevant and support transition to practice.

Originality/value

Validated a set of information behaviour profiles for nursing students and linked these to the requirements of professional practice.
Engaging consumers with sustainable fashion on Instagram
Authors: Testa Danielle Sponder , Bakhshian Sonia , Eike Rachel
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore drivers of consumer engagement with sustainable fashion brands on Instagram to specifically answer the research question: what drives popularity of sustainable fashion among digital consumers?

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-five global fashion retailers were identified and categorized as either (a) sustainable fashion brands (SFB), (b) sustainably aware mainstream brands (SAB) or (c) traditional fashion brands (TFB). Content analysis of the 25 retailer's Instagram posts over a three-week period was analyzed and categorized according to content theme. Data were analyzed for quantity of Likes and Comments (engagement) to identify engagement strategies with each of the brand groups.

Findings

It was found that different strategies may be taken regarding social media strategy for SFB, SAB or TFB. Consumers were engaged with unfamiliar content, for instance, sustainability to a consumer unfamiliar with the topic or how it applies to a specific brand. Digital consumers were looking for exciting and aesthetically pleasing posts. Specifically, all consumers were engaged with posts about Fashion and Lifestyle.

Practical implications

As the result of this study, sustainable fashion best practices and social media strategies were presented for the three brand categories of fashion retailers.

Originality/value

This study analyzed a cross-section of global fashion brands and identified “best practices” for digital consumer engagement with sustainable messages through Instagram. The findings provide original value, specifically in the area of fashion marketing via social media to communicate brand identify to digital consumers for brand growth.
Exploring the optimized social advertising strategy that can generate consumer engagement with green messages on social media
Authors: Kyu Kim Young , Yim Mark Yi-Cheon , Kim Eunjin (Anna) , Reeves William
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Given that many consumers are skeptical about environmentally based advertising campaigns, the purpose of this study is to propose an optimized message strategy to facilitate consumer engagement with green messages in social media contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Four empirical studies are conducted using self-report questionnaires to test proposed hypotheses with a focus on the interplay between claim specificity and benefit appeals in green advertising on social media.

Findings

The current study examines the interaction effects of claim specificity and benefit appeals on consumer engagement in social media. Specifically, the results reveal that when the message claim is abstract, using other-benefit appeals produces more positive consumer engagement than using self-benefit appeals. Moreover, the results illustrate that self-enhancement motivates consumers to engage with green product advertising messages when the advertising appeal is abstract and the advertising message is associated with benefits for others. Finally, it is found that consumers’ self-construal level moderates the interaction effect of claim specificity and benefit appeals type on consumer engagement on social media.

Practical implications

This paper has practical implications to both social media managers and advertisers in the green product industry: a match with advertising claim specificity and construal level (i.e. social distance: self-benefit vs other-benefit) should be ensured to increase consumer engagement on social media. In addition, self-enhancement and self-construal should be considered for a better message strategy in social media contexts.

Originality/value

The findings make important contributions to the literature in that we extend the applications of construal level theory to social media contexts as a valid theoretical tool to identify optimized green message strategies. As such, it provides future researchers and practitioners in the domain of green campaigns with useful guidelines to boost more consumption of green products.
Drivers of food price in China: A heterogeneous panel SVAR approach
Authors: Wu Xiangjun , Xu Juan
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we examine the effects of shocks in agricultural output, production material price and production price on China's food price using panel data of 26 provinces for the period 2004 Q1–2015 Q4. Employing a heterogeneous panel structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model, we identify the causal flows between the endogenous variables via directed acyclic graphs method. The empirical results from impulse response functions and variance decompositions suggest sizeable cross‐province variations. The main driving force of food price is the price inertia shock, rather than the agricultural output or the vertical chain of price transmission shocks. The findings support the view that price expectation is the key shifter of food price. Moreover, the shocks in the vertical chain of price transmission are only weakly linked to food price. Our findings are robust to an alternative panel SVAR model identified via Cholesky decomposition.
Climate Adaptation and Conservation Agriculture among Peruvian Farmers
Authors: Tambet Heleene , Stopnitzky Yaniv
Published: January 2021

Peruvian agriculture will likely experience serious economic impacts of climate change, with changing rainfall and temperature patterns forcing farmers to confront abnormal climate conditions. In this context we study the impact of climate shocks on the agricultural practices of farmers who grow two main staples: maize and potato. We focus on four types of agricultural techniques: (a) those that reduce soil degradation, (b) those that conserve water, (c) the application of inorganic fertilizer, and (d) the application of pesticides and herbicides. We combine three rounds of cross‐sectional data from the Peru National Agricultural Survey with long‐term climate data to construct georeferenced shocks of abnormal rainfall levels and variation. Our empirical strategy controls for time‐invariant characteristics of small localities, secular time trends, and farmer and farm characteristics to estimate how shocks affect farmers' choices in subsequent growing cycles. Our findings show that: (a) farmers reduce soil conservation practices after one year of high rainfall, but multiple years of low rainfall increase adoption significantly; (b) the rate of pesticide use increases by eight percentage points following a drought year but is insensitive to multiple shock years; (c) water conservation measures are used less after high precipitation or when volatility was unusually low, and multiple years of insufficient rain tend to enhance this response; and (d) fertilizer use is less sensitive than other outcomes to weather fluctuations. These findings suggest that understanding how responsive farmers' practices are to weather shocks can inform policy design and help mitigate risks from changing weather patterns.
Associations Between Repeating Patterning, Growing Patterning, and Numerical Ability: A Longitudinal Panel Study in 4‐ to 6‐Year Olds
Authors: Wijns Nore , Verschaffel Lieven , De Smedt Bert , Torbeyns Joke
Published: January 2021

The present study aimed to analyze the direction of the associations between repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability. Participants were 410 children who were annually assessed on their repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability, at ages 4, 5, and 6 years (i.e., spring 2017, 2018, and 2019). A cross‐lagged panel model identified bidirectional associations between all three abilities from ages 4 to 5 years while taking into account spatial skills. From ages 5 to 6 years, both patterning abilities predicted later numerical ability, but the reverse was no longer true. Associations between performances on both pattern types also disappeared. Results highlight the unique associations between repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability, above spatial skills.
Cognitive behavioural social skills training: Methods of a randomized controlled trial for youth at risk of psychosis
Authors: Addington Jean , Liu Lu , Santesteban‐Echarri Olga , Brummitt Kali , Braun Amy , Cadenhead Kristin S. , Cornblatt Barbara A. , Holden Jason L. , Granholm Eric
Published: January 2021

Aim

Poor functioning has become a hallmark of many youth at clinical high‐risk (CHR) of psychosis. Even for those who do not make the transition to psychosis remain troubled by functional deficits and a decline in functioning increases the odds of transitioning to psychosis. There are very few treatment studies that have attempted to improve social and role functioning. The aim of this paper is to describe the methods of a treatment study to address social and role functioning in CHR.

Methods

This was a randomized controlled trial of cognitive‐behavioural social skills training (CBSST) versus a supportive therapy. CBSST combines elements of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and social skills training (SST), two evidence‐based treatments for schizophrenia. By adding CBT to SST to target functioning outcomes, SST can be used to train new social skills, and thoughts that interfere with skilled performance in the real world can be addressed using CBT. We developed an adapted version of CBSST, more appropriate for the age range and illness severity of typical CHR individuals, to attempt to show improvements in social and role functioning for these young people.

Results

Two hundred and three participants were recruited for this study. Results include initial baseline data.

Conclusion

This article describes the baseline methodology of a CHR youth who have difficulties in social and/or role functioning. It is one of the first clinical trials to address this significant problem.
The effect of virtual reality on mothers' anxiety during children's circumcision: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Bozdogan Yesilot Saliha , Ciftci Hatice , Ozcelik Zerrin
Published: January 2021

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of use of virtual reality headsets on mothers' anxiety, by distracting their attention, during their child's circumcision procedure.

Design

This was a randomized controlled intervention study.

Methods

The study used a pretest and posttest design and was carried out between April 15, 2019, and June 30, 2019, with 60 participants (n = 30 intervention and n = 30 control group). The data were collected using a personal information form, the State Anxiety Inventory and Faces Anxiety Scales. In the study, the participants in the intervention group watched videos through a virtual reality headset.

Results

The socio‐demographic characteristics of the intervention group and control group were similar in the pretest, except for the educational level. After the intervention, the intervention group's mean scores on the Faces Anxiety Scale, heart rate and respiration rates were significantly lower than those of the control group, but the difference between the mean State Anxiety Inventory scores was insignificant.

Conclusion

Distraction using videos produced by virtual reality headsets is effective in reducing mothers' moderate level anxiety. It is recommended that further studies should be conducted in different ambulatory surgery procedures.
Birds of a Feather Fight Together: Forum Involvement in a Weakly Institutionalized Ecology of Policy Games
Authors: Olivier Tomás , Berardo Ramiro
Published: January 2021

Policymaking in modern democracies often occurs in polycentric governance systems where decisions are made in multiple, relatively interdependent policy forums. The role and performance of policy forums, however, is likely to be influenced by their broader institutional context. Institutional contexts impose transaction costs that stakeholders must consider when self‐organizing, particularly in weakly institutionalized settings where the transaction costs of collaboration are high. Using social network analysis, we analyze forum participation dynamics in the Lower Valley of the Chubut River in Argentina; a weakly institutionalized setting where water policy problems are increasing in the face of growing population and climate change. Our findings show that forum participants tend to perceive certain types of collective action problems as more salient, and forums tend to attract participants with similar perceptions about cooperation problems (a specific type of collective action problem). These situations may lend forums not only to facilitate the generation of trust among stakeholders with similar perceptions, but also to reproduce certain perceptions about which are the dominant collective action problems, which can deepen conflict in the long run. Our findings shed light on the conditions under which policy stakeholders in weakly institutionalized settings may self‐organize to foster collective action.
On the Use of Standards and Guidelines as a Tool to Fulfil Regulatory Requirements
Authors: Nyvik Christine L. Berner , Flage Roger , Guikema Seth
Published: January 2021

Over the years, industrial safety regulation has shifted from a “hard” command and control regime to a “soft” regime. A “hard” regime includes the use of strict prescriptive requirements which explain how industry should solve particular issues. A “soft” regime, uses more functional requirements, pointing out what goals are to be achieved. In a “soft” regime, prescriptive standards might still exist, but they are considered suggested solutions, with alternative solutions also being considered if they achieve the overall regulatory goals. The purpose of such a shift is to create regulations that are more flexible, meaning that they are more open for the use of novel technology and for the use of risk assessments as a basis for decision making. However, it is not clear that the shift from a hard to a soft regime has made it easier to use risk assessments for such a purpose in practice. In the present article, we discuss the limitations caused by strict adherence to prescriptive requirements presented in standards or regulations and present our perspective on why and how these can limit risk management in practice. The article aims to discuss the strengths and weaknesses, with regard to risk management, when regulations are strictly dependent on prescriptive or specification‐based standards and guidelines. Several examples are used to illustrate some of the main challenges related to the use of specification‐based technical standards and how the regulatory shift from “hard” to “soft” has not necessarily made it easier to implement technological solutions based on risk assessments.
A survey of nurses to assess transfusion practice at the bedside using an electronic identification system: Experience at a university hospital
Authors: Nakamura Yuki , Furuta Yoshiaki , Tokida Miho , Ichikawa Kayoko , Shirahata Mineko , Uzawa Kumiko , Takizawa Makiko , Okubo Mitsuo , Ohsaka Akimichi
Published: January 2021

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess the performance and recognition of transfusion practice at the bedside by nurses in our hospital, where a barcode‐based electronic identification system (EIS) has been used since 2002.

Background

More than half of the steps in the transfusion chain are dependent on nurses' awareness and skills.

Methods

Our transfusion policy at the bedside includes two‐person checking of the patient and two‐person signing of the label at the time of collecting blood samples for pre‐transfusion testing and two‐person blood administration, which generally involved a doctor–nurse pair but sometimes involved two nurses. Anonymous, paper‐based questionnaires were sent in January 2018 to 1051 nurses who were working in Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. The questionnaire consisted of three parts: (a) background of respondents, (b) performance of collection of blood samples for pre‐transfusion testing and (c) performance of pre‐transfusion check procedures at the bedside using an EIS based on a total of 20 questions.

Results

There was a good response rate of individual nurses (1006/1051, 96%). Most nurses (>90%) performed two‐person checking of the patient and two‐person signing of the label at the time of collecting blood samples. Most nurses (>90%) performed two‐person blood administration involving a doctor–nurse pair and electronic pre‐transfusion check using an EIS before blood administration.

Conclusions

The survey revealed that most nurses complied with our transfusion policy at the bedside, but some nurses did not. Further education/training and continuous support by the transfusion service may be needed for all nurses.
Exploring Potential of Public Land Based Revenues to Finance City Infrastructure: An assessment using linear programming for Guntur Municipal Corporation
Authors: Puttaparthi Prasanth Vardhan , Tarafdar Ayon Kumar , Mohamed Abdul Razak
Published: January 2021

Municipalities are in search of exploring alternative own revenues to finance urban infrastructure investments in India. As compared to others, monetization of public land is within the functional domain of local governments subject to certain constraints. This study employs a linear programming model incorporating the constraints enforced by state government to assess the potentials of public lands for urban infrastructure capital investments. This approach is largely different from the existing literature, which does not determine the capacity of municipal public lands based on realized revenues. This investigation finds that certain proposed leasing strategies for Guntur Municipality under different simulations as done in this research have potentials to realize 240% more revenues compared to ‘business as usual’ scenario and hence, provide new policy insights for leasing public lands in a revenue optimization perspective. The framework adopted by this helps local governments to estimate the potentials of public lands and establish revenue targets.
Safety Climate and Safety Behavior in the Laboratory among University Students / Iklim Keselamatan dan Gelagat Selamat di dalam Makmal dalam Kalangan Pelajar Universiti
Authors: Abdullah Khairul Hafezad , Abd Aziz Fadzli Shah , Abdullah Nor Azimah Chew , Mohd Isa Mohd Faizal , Othman Zubir
Published: January 2021

This study aims to examine the direct effect of safety climate and the mediation effect of safety knowledge on laboratory safety behavior among university students. The quantitative method using questionnaires was used in this study. A total of 278 chemical engineering students at three public universities were involved in this study. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via IBM SPSS Statistics and SEM SmartPLS 3.0. From the study, management commitment, supervisor commitment, student commitment, risk perception, and safety reward were able to shape the safety climate construct. Meanwhile, safety compliance and safety participation were able to develop the laboratory safety behavior construct. This study confirmed that safety climate had a direct effect on laboratory safety behavior. Besides, safety knowledge has mediated the relationship between safety climate and laboratory safety behavior among university students. In this study, the mediation effect of safety knowledge provided a superior result compared to the direct impact. Safety knowledge was an essential element in the management of laboratory safety. The management of the universities, therefore, should recognize the importance of offering subjects related to occupational safety to the program which operates laboratory facilities. For a reason, this study has confirmed that safety subjects could enhance safety knowledge and have a positive impact on laboratory safety behavior among students. Hence, the study of the relationship between safety climate and laboratory safety behavior should be discovered in other educational organizations such as private universities, teacher’s education institutes (IPG), polytechnics, and community colleges.
Mitochondrial DNA alterations underlie an irreversible shift to aerobic glycolysis in fumarate hydratase–deficient renal cancer
Authors: Crooks Daniel R. , Maio Nunziata , Lang Martin , Ricketts Christopher J. , Vocke Cathy D. , Gurram Sandeep , Turan Sevilay , Kim Yun-Young , Cawthon G. Mariah , Sohelian Ferri , De Val Natalia , Pfeiffer Ruth M. , Jailwala Parthav , Tandon Mayank , Tran Bao , Fan Teresa W.-M. , Lane Andrew N. , Ried Thomas , Wangsa Darawalee , Malayeri Ashkan A. , Merino Maria J. , Yang Youfeng , Meier Jordan L. , Ball Mark W. , Rouault Tracey A. , Srinivasan Ramaprasad , Linehan W. Marston
Published: January 2021

Kidney tumors lacking fumarate hydratase become aggressive due to a metabolic shift arising from altered mitochondrial DNA.
Essential Roles of Two FRQ Proteins (Frq1 and Frq2) in Beauveria bassiana’s Virulence, Infection Cycle, and Calcofluor-Specific Signaling
Authors: Tong Sen-Miao , Gao Ben-Jie , Peng Han , Feng Ming-Guang
Published: January 2021

Opposite nuclear rhythms of two distinct FRQ proteins (Frq1 and Frq2) coexisting in an asexual fungal insect pathogen have been shown to orchestrate the fungal nonrhythmic conidiation
in vitro
in a circadian day independent of photoperiod change. This paper reports essential roles of both Frq1 and Frq2, but a greater role for Frq2, in sustaining the fungal virulence and infection cycle since either
frq1
or
frq2
deletion led to marked delay of lethal action against a model insect and drastic reduction of conidial yield on insect cadavers.
Portable CRISPR-Cas9
N
System for Flexible Genome Engineering in Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactobacillus paracasei
Authors: Goh Yong Jun , Barrangou Rodolphe
Published: January 2021

This work describes the development of a lactobacillus CRISPR-based editing system for genome manipulations in three
Lactobacillus
species belonging to the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are commonly known for their long history of use in food fermentations and as indigenous members of healthy microbiotas and for their emerging roles in human and animal commercial health-promoting applications. We exploited the established CRISPR-SpyCas9 nickase for flexible and precise genome editing applications in
Lactobacillus acidophilus
and further demonstrated the efficacy of this universal system in two distantly related
Lactobacillus
species.
Additional Role of Nicotinic Acid Hydroxylase for the Transformation of 3-Succinoyl-Pyridine by
Pseudomonas
sp. Strain JY-Q
Authors: Li Jun , Li Shanshan , Xie Linlin , Chen Guoqing , Shen Mingjie , Pan Fanda , Shu Ming , Yang Yang , Jiao Yang , Zhang Fuming , Linhardt Robert J. , Zhong Weihong
Published: January 2021

3-Succinoyl-pyridine (SP) and 6-hydroxy-3-succinoyl-pyridine (HSP) are both valuable chemical precursors to produce insecticides and hypotensive agents. SP and HSP could be renewable through the nicotine microbial degradation pathway, in which 3-succinoylpyridine monooxygenases (Spm) account for transforming SP into HSP in
Pseudomonas
sp. strain JY-Q.
Coexpression of MmpS5 and MmpL5 Contributes to Both Efflux Transporter MmpL5 Trimerization and Drug Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Yamamoto Kentaro , Nakata Noboru , Mukai Tetsu , Kawagishi Ikuro , Ato Manabu
Published: January 2021

It has been reported that mycobacterial membrane protein large 5 (MmpL5), a resistance-nodulation-division (RND)-type inner membrane transporter in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(
Mtb
), is involved in the transport of antimycobacterial drugs. However, the functional roles of the membrane fusion protein mycobacterial membrane protein small 5 (MmpS5), organized as an operon with MmpL5, are unclear.
Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of the Within-Host Genetic Diversity of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Viruses in the Upper and Lower Respiratory Tracts of Patients with Severe Influenza
Authors: Takayama Ikuyo , Nguyen Binh Gia , Dao Co Xuan , Pham Thach The , Dang Tuan Quoc , Truong Phuong Thai , Do Thanh Van , Pham Thuy Thi Phuong , Fujisaki Seiichiro , Odagiri Takato , Hasegawa Hideki , Nakajima Noriko
Published: January 2021

The D222G/N substitution in the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus has been reported to be associated with disease severity and mortality in numerous previous studies. In the present study, 75% of lower respiratory samples contained heterogeneous influenza populations that carried different amino acids at position 222 of the HA protein, whereas all upper respiratory samples only contained the wild-type 222D.
Small RNAs Are Implicated in Regulation of Gene and Transposable Element Expression in the Protist Trichomonas vaginalis
Authors: Warring Sally D. , Blow Frances , Avecilla Grace , Orosco Jordan C. , Sullivan Steven A. , Carlton Jane M.
Published: January 2021

Trichomoniasis, caused by the protozoan
Trichomonas vaginalis
, is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection in humans. The millions of cases each year have sequelae that may include complications during pregnancy and increased risk of HIV infection.
Customary physical activity and odds of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 111 prospective cohort studies
Authors: Dishman Rodney K , McDowell Cillian P , Herring Matthew Payton
Published: January 2021

Objective

To explore whether physical activity is inversely associated with the onset of depression, we quantified the cumulative association of customary physical activity with incident depression and with an increase in subclinical depressive symptoms over time as reported from prospective observational studies.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES and CINAHL Complete databases, supplemented by Google Scholar.

Eligibility criteria

Prospective cohort studies in adults, published prior to January 2020, reporting associations between physical activity and depression.

Study appraisal and synthesis

Multilevel random-effects meta-analysis was performed adjusting for study and cohort or region. Mixed-model meta-regression of putative modifiers.

Results

Searches yielded 111 reports including over 3 million adults sampled from 11 nations in five continents. Odds of incident cases of depression or an increase in subclinical depressive symptoms were reduced after exposure to physical activity (OR, 95% CI) in crude (0.69, 0.63 to 0.75; I2=93.7) and adjusted (0.79, 0.75 to 0.82; I2=87.6) analyses. Results were materially the same for incident depression and subclinical symptoms. Odds were lower after moderate or vigorous physical activity that met public health guidelines than after light physical activity. These odds were also lower when exposure to physical activity increased over time during a study period compared with the odds when physical activity was captured as a single baseline measure of exposure.

Conclusion

Customary and increasing levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in observational studies are inversely associated with incident depression and the onset of subclinical depressive symptoms among adults regardless of global region, gender, age or follow-up period.
Development and validation of the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills Scale among college students
Authors: Sakata Masatsugu , Toyomoto Rie , Yoshida Kazufumi , Luo Yan , Nakagami Yukako , Aoki Shuntaro , Irie Tomonari , Sakano Yuji , Suga Hidemichi , Sumi Michihisa , Muto Takashi , Shiraishi Nao , Sahker Ethan , Uwatoko Teruhisa , Furukawa Toshi A
Published: January 2021

Background

There are many different skill components used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). However, there is currently no comprehensive way of measuring these skills in patients.

Objective

To develop a comprehensive and brief measure of five main CBT skills: self-monitoring, behavioural activation, cognitive restructuring, assertiveness training and problem-solving.

Methods

University students (N=847) who participated in a fully factorial randomised controlled trial of smartphone CBT were assessed with the CBT Skills Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the short form of the Japanese Big Five Scale. Structural validity was estimated with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency evaluated with Cronbach’s α coefficients. Construct validity was evaluated with the correlations between each factor of the CBT Skills Scale, the PHQ-9, the GAD-7 and the Big Five Scale.

Findings

The EFA supported a five-factor solution based on the original instruments assessing each CBT skill component. The CFA showed sufficient goodness-of-fit indices for the five-factor structure. The Cronbach’s α of each factor was 0.75–0.81. Each CBT skills factor was specifically correlated to the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and the Big Five Scale.

Conclusions

The CBT Skills Scale has a stable structural validity and internal consistency with a five-factor solution and appropriate content validity concerning the relationship with depression, anxiety and personality.

Clinical implications

The CBT Skills Scale will be potential predictor and effect modifier in studying the optimisation of CBT interventions.

Trial registration

CTR-000031307.
Social egg freezing and donation: waste not, want not
Authors: Polyakov Alex , Rozen Genia
Published: January 2021

The trend towards postponement of childbearing has seen increasing numbers of women turning towards oocyte banking for anticipated gamete exhaustion (AGE banking), which offers a realistic chance of achieving genetically connected offspring. However, there are concerns around the use of this technology, including social/ethical implications, low rate of utilisation and its cost-effectiveness. The same societal trends have also resulted in an increased demand and unmet need for donor oocytes, with many women choosing to travel overseas for treatment. This has its own inherent social, medical, financial and psychological sequelae. We propose a possible pathway to address these dual realities. The donation of oocytes originally stored in the context of AGE banking, with appropriate compensatory mechanisms, would ameliorate AGE banking concerns, while simultaneously improving the supply of donor oocytes. This proposed arrangement will result in tangible benefits for prospective donors, recipients and society at large.
Ethical conflicts during the process of deciding about ICU admission: an empirically driven ethical analysis
Authors: Svantesson Mia , Griffiths Frances , White Catherine , Bassford Chris , Slowther AnneMarie
Published: January 2021

Background

Besides balancing burdens and benefits of intensive care, ethical conflicts in the process of decision-making should also be recognised. This calls for an ethical analysis relevant to clinicians. The aim was to analyse ethically difficult situations in the process of deciding whether a patient is admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

Analysis using the ‘Dilemma method’ and ‘wide reflective equilibrium’, on ethnographic data of 45 patient cases and 96 stakeholder interviews in six UK hospitals.

Ethical analysis

Four moral questions and associated value conflicts were identified. (1) Who should have the right to decide whether a patient needs to be reviewed? Conflicting perspectives on safety/security. (2) Does the benefit to the patient of getting the decision right justify the cost to the patient of a delay in making the decision? Preventing longer-term suffering and understanding patient’s values conflicted with preventing short-term suffering and provision of security. (3) To what extent should the intensivist gain others’ input? Professional independence versus a holistic approach to decision-making. (4) Should the intensivist have an ongoing duty of care to patients not admitted to ICU? Short-term versus longer-term duty to protect patient safety. Safety and security (experienced in a holistic sense of physical and emotional security for patients) were key values at stake in the ethical conflicts identified. The life-threatening nature of the situation meant that the principle of autonomy was overshadowed by the duty to protect patients from harm. The need to fairly balance obligations to the referred patient and to other patients was also recognised.

Conclusion

Proactive decision-making including advance care planning and escalation of treatment decisions may support the inclusion of patient autonomy. However, our analysis invites binary choices, which may not sufficiently reflect reality. This calls for a complementary relational ethics analysis.
Mapping American lobster (Homarus americanus) habitat for use in marine spatial planning
Authors: McKee Anne , Grant Jon , Barrell Jeffrey
Published: January 2021

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a management tool that could help mitigate the conflict that exists between the American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery and the net-pen salmon aquaculture industry in the Canadian Maritime provinces. We developed adult American lobster species distribution models (SDMs) for use in MSP in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, through remote sensing data collection methods. A single-beam echo sounder was used to collect bathymetry and seafloor substrate data, and an aerial drone collected lobster presence data through the georeferenced photography of lobster trap buoys. The SDMs display trends in lobster presence likelihood that correspond with established patterns of habitat selection in adult lobsters. The areas where lobsters are predicted to have the highest likelihood of presence are sections of hard and rocky substrate, though that association is confounded by depth. The uncertainty of the SDMs was quantitatively assessed and the importance of explicitly analysing the effects of scale and resolution of spatial data are highlighted.
Chiral gauge leptoquark mass limits and branching ratios of KL0,B0,Bs → li+lj− decays with account of the general fermion mixing in leptoquark currents
Authors: Martynov M. V. , Smirnov A. D.
Published: January 2021

The contributions of the chiral gauge leptoquarks [Formula: see text] induced by the chiral four-color quark–lepton symmetry to the branching ratios of [Formula: see text] decays are calculated and analyzed using the general parametrizations of the fermion mixing matrices in the leptoquark currents. From the current experimental data on these decays under assumption [Formula: see text], the lower mass limit [Formula: see text] is found, which in particular case of equal gauge coupling constants gives [Formula: see text]. The branching ratios of the decays under consideration predicted by the chiral gauge leptoquarks are calculated and analyzed in dependence on the leptoquark masses and the mixing parameters. It has shown that in consistency with the current experimental data, these branching ratios for [Formula: see text] decays can be close to their experimental limits and those for [Formula: see text] decays can be of order of [Formula: see text]. The calculated branching ratios will be useful in the further experimental searches for these decays.
Tripartite quantum operation sharing with six-qubit highly entangled state
Authors: Zhang Zhanjun
Published: January 2021

A three-party scheme for sharing an arbitrary single-qubit operation on a distant target qubit is proposed by first utilizing a six-qubit genuinely entangled state presented by [Borras et al., J. Phys. A 40, 13407 (2007)]. The security of the scheme is simply analyzed and ensured. The essential role which the state in the given qubit distribution plays in the QOS task is revealed. The important features including the sharing determinacy and the sharer symmetry are identified. Moreover, the experimental implementation feasibility of the scheme is discussed and confirmed.
Quantization of double enhanced charge phase-slip qubits and quantum entanglement control
Authors: Liang Bao-Long , Wang Ji-Suo , Meng Xiang-Guo , Zhang Zhen-Tao
Published: January 2021

The quantization scheme between double enhanced charge phase-slip (ECPS) qubits is given. In this system, there exist quantum entanglement phenomenona. The entanglement characteristic is discussed by employing the concurrence. An interesting conclusion is obtained, i.e., if one desire to change the entanglement between two ECPS qubits, the mutual inductance should be considered first, but it is also a good choice to tune symmetric and asymmetric combination of two gate voltages.