bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fetal cerebellar development: 3D morphometric analysis of fetal postmortem MRI among Chinese fetuses
Authors: Suluba Emmanuel , Shuwei Liu
Published: October 2021

The development of the cerebellum starts from early gestational period and extends postnatal. Because of its protracted development, the cerebellum is susceptible to developmental anomalies such as Dandy-Walker malformations, Blake’s pouch cysts and vermin hypoplasia. Measurements of fetal cerebellar parameters of a normal growing fetus in each week of gestation is important for setting up morphometric standards and hence used as clinical reference data. Any deviation from the normal cerebellar parameters alerts the clinicians for the possibility of presence of cerebellar malformations.

Study objective

The objective of this study was to assess the fetal cerebellar growth by quantifying the following parameters; fetal cerebellar volume, anterior-posterior diameter and superior-inferior diameter.

Methods

We used 3T and 7T MRI to scan the postmortem fetal brains at different stages of development and subsequently analyze the images using ITK-SNAP software.

Results

The mean superior-inferior cerebellar diameter was found to be 19.12±2. 70mm.The linear(y=bo+b1t) model was the best fit (r2=0.996, F=32022.961) to describe the relationship between the gestational age and the superior-inferior diameter(y=5.89+0.49t). There was significant correlation between the superior-inferior cerebellar diameter and the gestation age, Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.999, r=0.001. The median cerebellar volume was 8607.7mm, the mean rank high among males(78.12) as compared to female(68.25).There was no statistically significant difference of the cerebellar volume between males and females (u=2193.5,p=0.16).The quadratic(y=bo+b1t+b2t2) model was the best fit regression equation (r2=0.994,F=10791.157) describing the relationship between the cerebellar volume and the gestational age. The median anterior- posterior diameter was 12.45 mm. There was significant correlation between anterior-posterior diameter and the gestational age with Spearman’s rho of (0.997, p=0.01). The linear model was the best fit the best fit model (y=bo+b1t) describing the relationship between anterior-posterior diameter and the gestational age(y=3.31+0.5t) r2=0.998, F=70646.838

Conclusion

Significant correlation between the superior-inferior cerebellar diameters, the anterior-posterior cerebellar diameter and the gestational age was found. These two linear parameters follow the first-degree polynomial in relation to the gestational age. The cerebellar volume follows the second-degree polynomial as it increases with the gestational age and correlate significantly with the gestational age. This study has provided new insight to the development of the cerebellum, and setup a benchmark data of which the deviation from it will alert the clinicians for the possibility of presence of cerebellar malformations.
Mutating novel interaction sites in NRP1 reduces SARS-CoV-2 spike protein internalization
Authors: Pal Debjani , De Kuntal , Yates Timothy B. , Muchero Wellington
Published: October 2021

The global pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has become a severe global health problem because of its rapid spread(1). Both angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and neuropilin 1 provide initial viral binding sites for SARS-CoV-2 (2, 3). Here, we show that three cysteine residues located in a1/a2 and b1 domains of neuropilin 1 are necessary for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein internalization in human cells. Mutating cysteines C82, C104 and C147 altered neuropilin 1 stability and binding ability as well as cellular internalization and lysosomal translocation of the spike protein. This resulted in up to 4 times reduction in spike protein load in cells for the original, alpha and delta SARS-CoV-2 variants even in the presence of the endogenous angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. Transcriptome analysis of cells transfected with mutated NRP1 revealed significantly reduced expression of genes involved in viral infection and replication, including eight members of the ribosomal protein L, ten members of ribosomal protein S and five members of the proteasome β subunit family proteins. We also observed higher expression of genes involved in suppression of inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation. These observations suggest that these cysteines offer viable targets for therapies against COVID-19.
Secondary structure of subgenomic RNA M of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Soszynska-Jozwiak Marta , Kierzek Ryszard , Kierzek Elzbieta
Published: October 2021

SARS-CoV-2 belongs the Coronavirinae family. As other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 is enveloped and possesses positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome of ∼ 30 kb. Genome RNA is used as the template for replication and transcription. During these processes, positive-sense genomic RNA (gRNA) and subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) are created. Several studies showed importance of genomic RNA secondary structure in SARS-CoV-2 replication. However, the structure of sgRNAs have remained largely unsolved so far. In this study, we performed probing of sgRNA M of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. This is the first experimentally informed secondary structure model of sgRNA M, which presents features likely to be important in sgRNA M function. The knowledge about sgRNA M provides insights to better understand virus biology and could be used for designing new therapeutics.
Thalamic activity during scalp slow waves in humans
Authors: Ujma Péter P. , Szalárdy Orsolya , Fabó Dániel , Erőss Loránd , Bódizs Róbert
Published: October 2021

Slow waves are major pacemakers of NREM sleep oscillations. While slow waves themselves are mainly generated by cortical neurons, it is not clear what role thalamic activity plays in the generation of some oscillations grouped by slow waves, and to what extent thalamic activity during slow waves is itself driven by corticothalamic inputs. To address this question, we simultaneously recorded both scalp EEG and local field potentials from six thalamic nuclei (bilateral anterior, mediodorsal and ventral anterior) in fifteen epileptic patients (age-range: 17-64 years, 7 females) undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation Protocol and assessed the temporal evolution of thalamic activity relative to scalp slow waves using time-frequency analysis. We found that thalamic activity in all six nuclei during scalp slow waves is highly similar to what is observed on the scalp itself. Slow wave downstates are characterized by delta, theta and alpha activity and followed by beta, high sigma and low sigma activity during subsequent upstates. Gamma activity in the thalamus is not significantly grouped by slow waves. Theta and alpha activity appeared first on the scalp, but sigma activity appeared first in the thalamus. These effects were largely independent from the scalp region in which SWs were detected and the precise identity of thalamic nuclei. Our results indicate that while small thalamocortical neuron assemblies may initiate cortical oscillations, especially in the sleep spindle range, the large-scale neuronal activity in the thalamus which is detected by field potentials is principally driven by global cortical activity, and thus it is highly similar to what is observed on the scalp.
MicroPET evidence for a hypersensitive neuroinflammatory profile of gp120 mouse model of HIV
Authors: Young Jared W. , Barback Christopher V. , Stolz Louise A. , Groman Stephanie M. , Vera David R. , Hoh Carl , Kotta Kishore K. , Minassian Arpi , Powell Susan B. , Brody Arthur L.
Published: October 2021

Despite increased survivability for people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV-related cognitive and behavioral abnormalities persist. Determining the biological mechanism(s) underlying these abnormalities is critical to minimize the long-term impact of HIV. Human positron emission tomography (PET) studies reveal that PLWH exhibit higher neuroinflammation, which may contribute to cognitive and behavioral problems. PLWH are hypersensitive to environmental insults that drive elevated inflammatory profiles. Gp120 is an envelope glycoprotein exposed on the surface of the HIV envelope which enables HIV virus entry into a cell and contributes to HIV-related neurotoxicity. Gp120 overexpression in mice enables delineating its impact, including on neuroinflammation. In vivoevidence for gp120 transgenic (Tg) mice exhibiting neuroinflammation has yet to be determined.

Here, we conducted microPET imaging in male gp120 Tg and wildtype mice, using the radiotracer [(18)F]FEPPA which binds to the translocator protein expressed by activated microglial and serves as a marker of neuroinflammation. Imaging was performed at baseline and 24 hours after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg/kg), endotoxin that triggers an immune response.

Gp120 Tg mice exhibited elevated [(18F)]FEPPA in response to LPS vs. wildtype mice throughout the brain including dorsal and ventral striata, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, but not prefrontal cortex.

Gp120 Tg mice are hypersensitive to environmental inflammatory insults, consistent with PLWH, measurablein vivo. It remains to-be-determined whether this heightened sensitivity is connected to the behavioral abnormalities of these mice or is sensitive to antiretroviral or other treatments.
Forward simulations of walking on a variable surface-impedance treadmill: A comparison of two methods
Authors: Abdikadirova Banu , Price Mark , Hoogkamer Wouter , Huber Meghan E.
Published: October 2021

Recent experiments with a variable stiffness tread-mill (VST) suggest that modulating foot-ground contact dynamics during walking may offer an effective new paradigm for gait rehabilitation. How gait adapts to extended perturbations of asymmetrical surface stiffness is still an open question. In this study, we simulated human gait with prolonged asymmetrical changes in ground stiffness using two methods: (1) forward simulation of a muscle-reflex model and (2) optimal control via direct collocation. Simulation results showed that both models could competently describe the biomechanical trends observed in human experiments with a VST which altered the walking surface stiffness for one step. In addition, the simulations revealed important considerations for future experiments studying the effect of asymmetric ground stiffness on gait behavior. With the muscle-reflex model, we observed that although subtle, there was a difference between gait biomechanics before and after the prolonged asymmetric stiffness perturbation, showing the behavioral signature of an aftereffect despite the lack of supraspinal control in the model. In addition, the optimal control simulations showed that damping has a large effect on the overall lower-body muscle activity, with the muscle effort cost function used to optimize the biomechanics increasing 203% between 5 Ns/m and 2000 Ns/m at a stiffness of 10 kN/m. Overall, these findings point to new insights and considerations for advancing our understanding of human neuromotor control of locomotion and enhancing robot-aided gait rehabilitation.
A bacterial Argonaute with efficient DNA and RNA cleavage activity guided by small DNA and RNA
Authors: Wang Longyu , Xie Xiaochen , Liu Yang , Li Wenqiang , Lv Bin , Zhang Zhiwei , Yang Jun , Yan Guangbo , Chen Wanping , Zhang Cheng , Wang Fei , Ma Lixin
Published: October 2021

Argonaute proteins are widespread in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Most prokaryotic Argonaute proteins (pAgos) use 5’P-gDNA to target complementary DNA. However, more and more studies on the properties of pAgos make their functions more diversified. Previously reported pAgos only possess several forms of high activity in all eight cleavage patterns, which limits their practical applications. Here, we described a unique pAgo from Marinitoga hydrogenitolerans (MhAgo) with eight cleavage activities. MhAgo can utilize all four types of guides (5’OH-gDNA, 5’P-gDNA, 5’OH-gRNA, and 5’P-gRNA) for ssDNA and RNA cleavage. Further studies demonstrated that MhAgo had high activities with 16-21 nt guides and no obvious preferences for the 5’-end nucleotides of 5’OH-guides. Unexpectedly, MhAgo had different preferences for the 5’-end nucleotides of 5’P-guides depending on the types of targets. Although the specificity of MhAgo was related to the types of guides, single mismatches in the central and 3’-supplementary regions of guides greatly reduced the cleavage efficiency. Additionally, the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrated MhAgo had the weakest affinity for 5’P-gRNA:tRNA duplex, which was consistent with its cleavage efficiency. In conclusion, MhAgo is highly active under a wide range of conditions and can be used for programmable endonucleolytic cleavage of both ssDNA and RNA substrates. The abundant biochemical characteristics of MhAgo broaden our understanding of pAgos and expand the potential application in nucleic acids manipulations.
Accounting and gender equality in (times of) crisis: toward an accounting that accommodates for emotional work?
Authors: Perray-Redslob Ludivine , Younes Dima
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Empirically, this paper questions whether accounting can help cope with crisis and preserve some form of feminist ideals. Theoretically, this paper aims to explore how accounting affects the division of emotional work in times of crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper relies on a qualitative study that investigates “life under lockdown” during the COVID crisis and focuses on middle-class well-educated couples aspiring for some form of gender equality and who introduced accounting tools (schedules, charts, to-do-lists, etc.) in their daily life to achieve it.

Findings

The paper argues that accounting tools are not able to prevent couples from adopting traditional ways of carrying out emotional work. By favoring the masculine way of displaying emotions, they make invisible women's efforts for comforting. They even mask the unequal distribution of emotional work under some form of “neoliberal equality”. Also, in a context where middle-class standards are perceived as crucial to meet for both parents to keep their social position, accounting tools, by holding parents accountable for these standards, let no time to find alternative ways of living. Consequently, traditional roles become impossible to reverse.

Research limitations/implications

The paper investigates accounting, gender and emotions by showing the importance of making emotional work visible at a household but also at an organizational and societal level. It calls for an “integrative” emotional display that is crucial for resilience in times of crisis and invites to challenge neoliberal middle-class standards that make household life difficult for most women. Theoretically, it invites for further exploring how accounting tools are constructed and negotiated and how unpredictable elements of life other than emotions affect gender when accounting tools are introduced in times of crisis.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the literature on gender-in-accounting by introducing the concept of emotional work and showing how accounting tools affect the gendered division of emotional work in praxis.
Developing an extended model of self-congruity to predict Chinese tourists' revisit intentions to New Zealand: the moderating role of gender
Authors: Yang Shaohua , Isa Salmi Mohd , Ramayah T. , Wen Jun , Goh Edmund
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study developed an extended model of self-congruity by integrating destination image, destination personality, self-congruity, revisit intention and gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys were conducted with 645 Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was performed to estimate linkages between destination image, destination personality, self-congruity and revisit intention. To compare effects on revisit intention across male and female Chinese tourists, PLS-Henseler's multigroup analysis and PLS-permutation test were conducted to analyse gender as a moderator in the proposed framework.

Findings

Our results revealed positive direct effects among destination image, destination personality, self-congruity and revisit intention. Our findings indicated a highly significant difference in the effects of destination personality on ideal self-congruity across male and female Chinese tourists. The association between destination image and self-congruity identified through this model represents a crucial contribution to the tourism literature. This study also enriches tourism research by comparing male and female Chinese tourists' intentions to revisit New Zealand, having identified crucial heterogeneity within female tourists.

Practical implications

The practical implications from our research can improve destination marketing organization (DMO) officials' awareness of one-time and repeat Chinese tourists' experiences, which strongly trigger subsequent visits.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to examine the direct correlations among destination image, destination personality, self-congruity and revisit intention by considering whether gender might moderate these factors. Our study innovatively adopted PLS-SEM along with several advanced analytical approaches, such as multigroup analysis (MGA) of women and men, to examine our research model.
Lean six sigma through an Australasian lens: project definition, structure and practices
Authors: Perera Halnetti Achinthya Dharani , Jayamaha Nihal , Grigg Nigel Peter , Tunnicliffe Mark
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how successful lean six sigma (LSS) manifests in the Australasian (Australian and New Zealand) context relative to the context in the USA in terms of LSS project definition, structure and practices.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth investigation through case studies – 12 Australian/New Zealand cases and 4 US cases – on the implementation mechanisms of successful LSS initiatives.

Findings

A significant difference was found between Australasian and US definitions of an LSS project. However, firms in both regions followed similar project selection, initiating and execution practices. LSS reporting structures were found to be well-established in US organizations, but none of the Australasian organizations were found to be equipped with such a structure, although the effectiveness of LSS implementation success remained unaffected.

Research limitations/implications

Sufficient uniformity of LSS was found across two regions implying its usefulness/generalizability, but the findings are based only on 12 cases.

Originality/value

The paper provides the groundwork to develop a unique LSS model for Australasian organizations to improve processes in an effective and efficient manner.
Skills for transition: the perspectives of women seeking asylum in Ireland
Authors: O’Callaghan Dermot , O’Riordan Emma , Pennisi Yvonne
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Current domestic and international research predominantly examines the past experiences of people seeking asylum and the negative influences such experiences have on health and well-being. However, few studies address the future needs of people seeking asylum, as they transition from Direct Provision. This study aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring the perspectives of women seeking asylum in Ireland on the skills they think they will need, as they transition from Direct Provision to life in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative methodology using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used, to collect data collaboratively and sensitively with a vulnerable population group. Convenience sampling was used to recruit six women seeking asylum in Ireland, to participate in focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Women seeking asylum identified four themes of skills for doing, skills for being, skills for becoming and skills for belonging that are necessary for life in Ireland after Direct Provision. Barriers and opportunities to develop these skills were documented as sub-themes. The skills identified under these themes and sub-themes included work, education, driving, childcare, social integration, money management, home management, health management and leisure.

Originality/value

Using participatory methodologies, future research should further explore the skills required for transition from Direct Provision, to continue to raise awareness of the potential for occupational injustice and the role occupational therapists could play in this transitional period.
The usual discourse of sustainable development and its impact on students of economics: a case from Czech higher education context
Authors: Buchtele Roman , Lapka Miloslav
Published: October 2021

Purpose

In recent decades, the concepts of sustainable development (SD) and sustainability have become a part of the everyday information flow. Is there real impact on students who have potential to become stakeholders and decision-makers? To be able to answer this question, the authors focussed on the following problems: whether the discourse of SD has any impact on students of economics concerning their knowledge of the environmental pillar of SD; and whether it has an impact on their individual value orientation towards the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP).

Design/methodology/approach

A group of 120 university students of economics programs from the Czech Republic was chosen for the quantitative research of this study. About a half of them have already encountered environmental education. The questionnaire included topics of environmental pillar of SD and revised NEP scale.

Findings

Using correlation analysis, the results show that the discourse of SD does have an impact on the students’ knowledge of the environmental pillar of sustainability and it also has an impact on their individual value orientation towards the NEP in general. The knowledge of the environmental pillar of SD is not significantly influenced by the study of a subject which included the topic of SD and its principles. Value orientation towards NEP is not significantly influenced by the study of a subject which, among other things, included the topic of SD and its principles.

Research limitations/implications

Findings should be accepted with the knowledge of the limited sample from one country, on the other hand, information flow – usual discourse of SD is global.

Social implications

There is positive NEP orientation among the students of economics – young women and men have pro-environmental attitudes. This can be considered as great unused social potential in higher education.

Originality/value

This study deals with knowledge of SD, environmental education and value orientation. It is broader concept taking into account the real social environment in terms of usual SD discourse and individual value orientation, not only direct influence of education on knowledge. The study rejected direct impact of the environmental education on knowledge and value orientation in terms of SD discourse among the students of economics. The findings bring several important questions regarding the effective forms of environmental education.
Mobile instant messaging apps as an opportunity for a conversational approach to marketing: a segmentation study
Authors: Lo Presti Letizia , Maggiore Giulio , Marino Vittoria , Resciniti Riccardo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how firms may be segmented with respect to their attitudes towards the use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, etc). in their marketing practices to identify the main approaches to the use of MIM in business. Moreover, this paper identifies the key factors which can motivate or hinder the adoption of these digital platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

Firms are segmented on the basis of their attitudes (perceived usefulness and perceived effectiveness of performance) towards the use of MIM apps in the business. Categories for size, age of the firm and the organization’s predisposition towards MIMs are explored using data from 311 firms and latent class analysis. Threats, triggers and their real usage are also identified to describe the different approaches towards the application of MIM apps in marketing practices.

Findings

Four clusters are identified – lukewarm, cold, believer and unaffected – along with significant covariates such as the importance of conversation with the client, the use of MIMs in the business, the threats and triggers that can foresee adherence. The results help to understand how to approach the client using social messenger applications. MIM apps can be used for strategic marketing and not only for operative marketing.

Originality/value

This paper offers a more nuanced understanding of how firms engage through MIM apps by focusing on the firms’ attitudes towards MIM apps. It extends the knowledge on the firms’ reactions to these disruptive technologies and profiles the firms according to their social innovation attitudes, something that has not yet been investigated in the extant marketing literature.
A systematic review exploring the role of gender in staffs experience of working with sexual offenders
Authors: Woodhouse Abbie , Craven-Staines Sarah
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Although literature surrounding sexual criminality is growing; with recent research, this paper aims to focus more upon burnout and emotional impact in therapists who study with sex offenders, little is known about possible gender differences in their experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

The study presents a systematic review that aims to provide an impartial critical examination of relevant existing literature, with the main aim of exploring the role of gender (both the staff members and the clients) in staffs’ experience of working with sexual offenders.

Findings

Findings retrieved 10 eligible studies indicating evidence of the influential role in which gender plays in the experienced staff may have when working with sexual offenders. Studies within the review demonstrated variability in views towards sexual offenders across genders; with studies finding female staff to hold more positive perceptions of sexual offenders. Further evidence suggested a global impact of working with the client group; with professionals holding differential and largely more positive views of sexual offenders than the general public. However, an adverse impact of working with sexual offenders was highlighted, particularly for staff who have worked longest within their role or have increased frequency of contact.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations were highlighted in relation to the reviews ability to truly explore gender; given there are no current studies within this research area defining gender beyond male and female, losing the voices of those non-binary and transgendered individuals.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for staff working with sexual offenders; including adverse affects of the clinical contact and the impact of working with same/opposing gendered clients. Research also takes a gender informed stance in exploring how staff gender impacts the relationships with sexual offenders, and the effect this may have on client outcomes.

Originality/value

Research is the first of its kind in taking a systematic approach to exploring the current literature surrounding staffs experiences of working with sexual offenders, through a gender informed lens.
Sustainable circular supplier selection and evaluation in the manufacturing sector using Pythagorean fuzzy EDAS approach
Authors: Liu Chang , Rani Pratibha , Pachori Khushboo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Due to stern management policies and increased community attentiveness, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) performs a vast component in endeavor operation and production management. Sustainable circular supplier selection (SCSS) and evaluation presented the environmental and social concerns in the fields of circular economy and sustainable supplier selection. Choosing the optimal SCSS is vital for organizations to persuade SSCM, as specified in various researches. Based on the subjectivity of human behavior, the selection of ideal SCSS often involves uncertain information, and the Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFSs) have a huge capability to tackle strong vagueness, uncertainty and inaccuracy in the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) procedure. Here, a framework is developed to assess and establish suitable suppliers in the SSCM and the circular economy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduced an extended framework using the evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) with PFSs and implemented it to solve the SCSS in the manufacturing sector. Firstly, the PFSs to handle the uncertain information of decision experts (DEs) is employed. Secondly, a novel divergence measure and parametric score function for calculating the criteria weights are proposed. Thirdly, an extended decision-making approach, known as PF-EDAS, is introduced.

Findings

The outcomes and comparative discussion show that the developed method is efficient and capable of facilitating the DEs to choose desirable SCSS. Therefore, the proposed framework can be used by organizations to assess and establish suitable suppliers in the SCSS process in the circular economy.

Originality/value

Selecting the optimal sustainable circular supplier (SCS) in the manufacturing sector is important for organizations to persuade SSCM, as specified in various research. However, corresponding to the subjectivity of human behavior, the selection of the best SCS often involves uncertain information, and the PFSs have a huge capability to tackle strong vagueness, uncertainty and inaccuracy in the MCDM procedure. Hence, manufacturing companies' administrators can implement the developed method to assess and establish suitable suppliers in the SCSS process in the circular economy.
Australian paramedic students’ mental health literacy and attitudes towards mental health
Authors: King Shannon C. , Rebar Amanda L. , Oliveri Paul , Stanton Robert
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Australian paramedics regularly encounter patients experiencing mental illness. However, some paramedics hold negative attitudes towards the use of emergency services in providing care for these patients. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the mental health literacy (MHL) of Australian paramedic students, and the training and experiential factors associated with MHL.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional online survey was delivered to paramedic students across Australia. A total of 94 paramedic students completed the survey examining MHL, mental health first aid (MHFA) intentions, confidence in providing help, personal and perceived stigma and willingness to interact with a person experiencing mental illness.

Findings

Participants generally had poor MHFA intentions in spite of good recognition of mental health disorders and good knowledge about mental health. Participants also demonstrated low stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness; however, they expressed a lack of willingness to interact with a person experiencing mental illness.

Originality/value

Our findings propose a combination of work-based experience and specific MHFA training may be beneficial to paramedic students to improve care for patients experiencing mental illness.
Understanding the antecedents to luxury brand consumer behavior
Authors: Kowalczyk Christine M. , Mitchell Natalie A.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how consumers perceive the value of luxury brands and the antecedents to these perceptions, including consumer knowledge, reference group influence and accessibility. Prior studies focused less on the salience of consumer knowledge and sources of luxury information, in addition to their accessibility to luxury. Hence, a more nuanced luxury conceptualization is needed to reflect luxury’s conceptual fluidity, consumers’ different lived experiences, accessibility levels and persistent retail marketing changes.

Design/methodology/approach

In a survey involving 475 US respondents, five hypotheses were tested and analyzed with structural equations modeling, examining the relationships among knowledge and accessibility of luxury brands, as well as reference group influence and its impact on consumer value perceptions of luxury brands and consumer behaviors.

Findings

Significant relationships were found for all five hypotheses and demonstrated that knowledge, reference group influence and accessibility have strong relationships with consumers’ personal value perceptions of luxury brands and behavioral measures, including purchase intentions, willingness to recommend to a friend and willingness to pay a price premium.

Originality/value

This conceptualization recognizes that consumers must have luxury brand awareness prior to reference group influence, developing individual luxury value perceptions and entering the buying process. This research contributes to the literature by highlighting consumers’ views of the luxury category, which induce perceptions and potential outcomes. It also expands the understanding of consumer’s accessibility to luxury products, which impacts purchase intentions. While it was conducted in the USA, it yields broader consumer perspectives.
Corporate social responsibility and firm performance: a theory of dual responsibility
Authors: Al-Shammari Marwan A. , Banerjee Soumendra Nath , Rasheed Abdul A.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The authors aim to develop and test a theory of dual responsibility to explain the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance. The authors empirically examine whether firms that meet their economic and social responsibilities simultaneously perform better than firms that fail to do so. In doing so, the authors theoretically extend and empirically test Barney's (2018) call to incorporate the stakeholder perspective with resource-based view (RBV). The authors also examine the moderating effects of firm status on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a longitudinal panel sample of 137 S&P 500 firms and data for the years between 2004 and 2013 collected from multiple data sources. The authors use stochastic frontiers analysis to measure firm capabilities in the areas of R&D, operations and marketing. These capability measures are then used along with CSR measures and a measure of firm status to test the hypotheses of this study. The authors also conducted several robustness checks and various supplementary analyses using different econometrics techniques and different operationalizations of the key variables of interests.

Findings

The results show that firm CSR is positively related to firm performance and that the effect of CSR on performance is stronger for firms with higher levels of R&D capability and operational capability. The authors also find support for the three-way interaction between CSR, economic responsibility and firm status, suggesting that firms high in both social and economic responsibilities and status will enjoy the highest levels of performance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are based on large, publicly listed firms in North America. Therefore, their generalizability to other contexts and other types of firms require additional research. The reliance on KLD measures is also a limitation, especially because they have not reported CSR ratings after 2013.

Practical implications

For practicing managers, the main implication of this study is that an optimal balance between market and nonmarket strategies is key for superior performance.

Social implications

The continued debate regarding the firm's purpose can be understood by focusing equally on the two main responsibilities of firms: nonsocial responsibility and social responsibility toward all stakeholders.

Originality/value

The study answers the call to incorporate stakeholder theory into the RBV of the firm by highlighting the critical role of firm capabilities in the relationship between CSR and performance. The study also highlights the role that firm status plays in the relationship between market and nonmarket strategies and firm performance.
Quality assessment of web-based information on type 2 diabetes
Authors: Ölçer Didem , Taşkaya Temizel Tuğba
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper proposes a framework that automatically assesses content coverage and information quality of health websites for end-users.

Design/methodology/approach

The study investigates the impact of textual and content-based features in predicting the quality of health-related texts. Content-based features were acquired using an evidence-based practice guideline in diabetes. A set of textual features inspired by professional health literacy guidelines and the features commonly used for assessing information quality in other domains were also used. In this study, 60 websites about type 2 diabetes were methodically selected for inclusion. Two general practitioners used DISCERN to assess each website in terms of its content coverage and quality.

Findings

The proposed framework outputs were compared with the experts' evaluation scores. The best accuracy was obtained as 88 and 92% with textual features and content-based features for coverage assessment respectively. When both types of features were used, the proposed framework achieved 90% accuracy. For information quality assessment, the content-based features resulted in a higher accuracy of 92% against 88% obtained using the textual features.

Research limitations/implications

The experiments were conducted for websites about type 2 diabetes. As the whole process is costly and requires extensive expert human labelling, the study was carried out in a single domain. However, the methodology is generalizable to other health domains for which evidence-based practice guidelines are available.

Practical implications

Finding high-quality online health information is becoming increasingly difficult due to the high volume of information generated by non-experts in the area. The search engines fail to rank objective health websites higher within the search results. The proposed framework can aid search engine and information platform developers to implement better retrieval techniques, in turn, facilitating end-users' access to high-quality health information.

Social implications

Erroneous, biased or partial health information is a serious problem for end-users who need access to objective information on their health problems. Such information may cause patients to stop their treatments provided by professionals. It might also have adverse financial implications by causing unnecessary expenditures on ineffective treatments. The ability to access high-quality health information has a positive effect on the health of both individuals and the whole society.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that automatic assessment of health websites is a domain-specific problem, which cannot be addressed with the general information quality assessment methodologies in the literature. Content coverage of health websites has also been studied in the health domain for the first time in the literature.
Startups – Tom Eisenmann analyzes the most prevalent failure patterns and how to avoid them
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The Fail-Safe Startup: Your Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success, the new book by entrepreneurship researcher Tom Eisenmann, sets out to help improve the odds by looking more closely at the most prevalent causes of startup failure and how to avoid them.

Design/methodology/approach

Eisenmann research led him to identify six distinct patterns that explain a large proportion of startup failures, three relating to early stage failures and three to late stage.

Findings

Strong demand from early adopters may lead a founder to scale up prematurely.

Practical/implications

Entrepreneurs must research differences in the needs of likely early adopters and mainstream customers during the upfront customer discovery phase.

Originality/value

Entrepreneurs must research differences in the needs of likely early adopters and mainstream customers during the upfront customer discovery phase. 10; 10;The line between visionary entrepreneur and cult leader can become blurry, and a founder?s ?reality distortion field--useful for motivating others to help pursue the founder?s dream?can become a liability.
Business value of cognitive analytics technology: a dynamic capabilities perspective
Authors: Majhi Siddharth Gaurav , Mukherjee Arindam , Anand Ambuj
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Novel and emerging technologies such as cognitive analytics attract a lot of hype among academic researchers and practitioners. However, returns on investments in these technologies are often poor. So, identifying mechanisms through which cognitive analytics can add value to firms is a critical research gap. The purpose of this paper is to theorize how cognitive analytics technologies can enable the dynamic capabilities of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring for an organization.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper draws on the extant academic literature on cognitive analytics and related technologies, the business value of analytics and artificial intelligence and the dynamic capabilities perspective, to establish the role of cognitive analytics technologies in enabling the sensing, seizing and reconfiguring capabilities of an organization.

Findings

Through arguments grounded in existing conceptual and empirical academic literature, this paper develops propositions and a theoretical framework linking cognitive analytics technologies with organizations’ dynamic capabilities (sensing, seizing and reconfiguring).

Research limitations/implications

This paper has critical implications for both academic research and managerial practice. First, the authors develop a framework using the dynamic capabilities theoretical perspective to establish a novel pathway for the business value of cognitive analytics technology. Second, cognitive analytics is proposed as a novel antecedent of the dynamic organizational capabilities of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to theorize how cognitive analytics technologies can enable dynamic organizational capabilities, and thus add business value to an organization.
Medicine and the Body in Second‐Wave Feminist Histories of the Nineteenth Century
Authors: ARNOLD‐FORSTER AGNES
Published: October 2021

The 1970s was a crucial decade in the historiography of medicine, and it also witnessed a new political movement. This article will explore the relationship between medical history and second‐wave feminism and argue that 1970s feminists made the idea of the nineteenth century and its medical system work for their political cause. Not only did many of them find in that century the origin point of their own conflict with the medical profession, they also claimed that the medical care they received was founded on the form and methodologies of medical knowledge that arose in the 1800s. Moreover, I contend that the importance of the nineteenth century to many feminist scholars was related to second‐wave feminism's reassertion of the physical body in the construction of personal identity and its related privileging of embodied, experiential knowledge over objective or disembodied forms of expertise.
Influence function methods to assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccine with survey data
Authors: Tian Mingmei , Yu Jihnhee , Lillvis Denise F. , Vexler Albert
Published: October 2021

Objective

To examine a robust relative risk (RR) estimation for survey data analysis with ideal inferential properties under various model assumptions.

Data sources

We employed secondary data from the Household Component of the 2000–2016 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Study design

We investigate a broad range of data‐balancing techniques by implementing influence function (IF) methods, which allows us to easily estimate the variability for the RR estimates in the complex survey setting. We conduct a simulation study of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness to evaluate these approaches and discuss techniques that show robust inferential performance across model assumptions.

Data collection/Extraction methods

Demographic information, vaccine status, and self‐administered questionnaire surveys were obtained from the longitudinal data files. We linked this information with medical condition files and medical event to extract the disease type and associated expenditures for each medical visit. We excluded individuals who were 18 years or younger at the beginning of each panel.

Principal findings

Under various model assumptions, the IF methods show robust inferential performance when the data‐balancing procedures are incorporated. Once IF methods and data‐balancing techniques are implemented, contingency table‐based RR estimation yields a comparable result to the generalized linear model approach. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methods for complex survey data using 2000–2016 MEPS data. When employing these methods, we find a significant, negative association between vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates and influenza‐incurred expenditures.

Conclusions

We describe and demonstrate a robust method for RR estimation and relevant inferences for influenza vaccine effectiveness using MEPS data. The proposed method is flexible and can be extended to weighted data for survey data analysis. Hence, these methods have great potential for health services research, especially when data are nonexperimental and imbalanced.
Transitioning to renewable energy in Sydney: Relational and co‐evolving energy geographies
Authors: Vaughan Alexander , Webber Sophie
Published: October 2021

This article analyses the geographies and politico‐economic dynamics of Sydney’s multiscalar renewable energy transition. Sydney’s energy economy seems to be dominated by marketisation, privatisation, and fossil fuel‐generated electricity, yet simultaneously a decentralised renewable energy transformation is unfolding. In this context, we ask how do politico‐economic and technical changes co‐evolve within the renewable energy transition? What tensions exist among different actors, institutions, and markets across changing energy geographies? Drawing from field research, including key informant interviews with various renewable energy stakeholders, we characterise the renewable energy transition in Sydney as inherently relational and in tension rather than as simplistically binary. In particular, three dynamics of relationality considered here are foundational in the push and pull of energy geographies in Sydney: fossil fuels and renewable energy sources; neoliberalisation and democratisation; and system and local scales as sites of action. After mapping those out, we conclude by questioning the long‐term impact of neoliberalisation on emergent, more democratic approaches to energy.