bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Issue of Concern: Unique Truncated ORF8 Protein Variants of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Hassan Sk. Sarif , Kodakandla Vaishnavi , Redwan Elrashdy M. , Lundstrom Kenneth , Choudhury Pabitra Pal , El-Aziz Tarek Mohamed Abd , Takayama Kazuo , Kandimalla Ramesh , Lal Amos , Serrano-Aroca Ángel , Azad Gajendra Kumar , Aljabali Alaa A. A. , Palu Giorgio , Chauhan Gaurav , Adadi Parise , Tambuwala Murtaza , Brufsky Adam M. , Baetas-da-Cruz Wagner , Barh Debmalya , Bazan Nicolas G , Uversky Vladimir N.
Published: May 2021

Open reading frame 8 (ORF8) protein is one of the most evolving accessory proteins in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It was previously reported that the ORF8 protein inhibits presentation of viral antigens by the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and interacts with host factors involved in pulmonary inflammation. The ORF8 protein assists SARS-CoV-2 to evade immunity and replication. Among many contributing mutations, Q27STOP, a mutation in the ORF8 protein defines the B.1.1.7 lineage of SARS-CoV-2, which is engendering the second wave of COVID-19. In the present study, 47 unique truncated ORF8 proteins (T-ORF8) due to the Q27STOP mutations were identified among 49055 available B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 sequences. The results show that only one of the 47 T-ORF8 variants spread to over 57 geo-locations in North America, and other continents which includes Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Based on various quantitative features such as amino acid homology, polar/non-polar sequence homology, Shannon entropy conservation, and other physicochemical properties of all specific 47 T-ORF8 protein variants, a collection of nine possible T-ORF8 unique variants were defined. The question of whether T-ORF8 variants work similarly to ORF8 has yet to be investigated. A positive response to the question could exacerbate future COVID-19 waves, necessitating severe containment measures.
Sexual selection in females across the animal tree of life
Authors: Fromonteil Salomé , Winkler Lennart , Marie-Orleach Lucas , Janicke Tim
Published: May 2021

The pioneers of sexual selection theory proposed that males are generally ‘eager’ whereas females are rather ‘coy’ with respect to mating. This male-centred perspective on sexual selection continues to permeate our perception of sex differences across disciplines. Despite an increased awareness that females also compete for mating partners, we still tend to consider sexual selection in females a rare peculiarity. Here we present meta-analytic evidence from 72 species across a broad range of animal taxa to show that sexual selection in females is widespread and should be considered the norm rather than the exception. Thereby, our results extend our general understanding of sexual reproduction and may contribute to a more balanced perspective of how sexual selection operates in both males and females.
Correcting differential gene expression analysis for cyto-architectural alterations in substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease patients reveals known and potential novel disease-associated genes and pathways
Authors: Federico Ferraro , Christina Fevga , Vincenzo Bonifati , Wim Mandemakers , Ahmed Mahfouz , Marcel Reinders
Published: May 2021

Several studies have analyzed gene expression profiles in the substantia nigra to better understand the pathological mechanisms causing Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the concordance between the identified gene signatures in these individual studies was generally low. This might be caused by a change in cell type composition as loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta is a hallmark of PD. Through an extensive meta-analysis of nine previously published microarray studies, we demonstrated that a big proportion of the detected differentially expressed genes was indeed caused by cyto-architectural alterations due to the heterogeneity in the neurodegenerative stage and/or technical artifacts. After correcting for cell composition, we identified a common signature that deregulated the previously unreported ammonium transport, as well as known biological processes including bioenergetic pathways, response to proteotoxic stress, and immune response. By integrating with protein-interaction data, we shortlisted a set of key genes, such as LRRK2, PINK1, and PRKN known to be related to PD; others with compelling evidence for their role in neurodegeneration, such as GSK3β, WWOX, and VPC; as well as novel potential players in the PD pathogenesis, including NTRK1, TRIM25, ELAVL1. Together, these data showed the importance of accounting for cyto-architecture in these analyses and highlight the contribution of multiple cell types and novel processes to PD pathology providing potential new targets for drug development.

Significance Statement

The exploration of the transcriptomic landscape in PD is pivotal for the understanding of the pathological mechanisms of this disease. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the influence of cell composition on the transcriptome even though it is known that cyto-architecture undergoes major alterations in neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. Our study signifies that changes in cellular architecture of human substantia nigra in PD have a strong effect on the set of detected differentially expressed genes. By reanalyzing the data and accounting for cell composition, we provide an updated description of deregulated biological processes in PD and nominate a shortlist of PD-associated genes for further investigations.
Long lasting anxiety following early life stress is dependent on glucocorticoid signaling in zebrafish
Authors: Chin Jacqueline S.R. , Phan Tram-Anh N. , Albert Lydia T. , Keene Alex C. , Duboué Erik R.
Published: May 2021

Chronic adversity in early childhood is associated with increased anxiety and a propensity for substance abuse later in adulthood, yet the effects of early life stress (ELS) on brain development remains poorly understood. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a powerful model for studying neurodevelopment and stress. Here, we describe a zebrafish model of ELS and identify a role for glucocorticoid signaling during a critical window in development that leads to long-term changes in brain function. Larval fish subjected to chronic stress in early development exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior and elevated glucocorticoid levels later in life. Increased stress-like behavior was only observed when fish were subjected to ELS within a precise time window in early development, revealing a temporal critical window of sensitivity. Moreover, enhanced anxiety-like behavior only emerges after two months post-ELS, revealing a developmentally specified delay in the effects of ELS. ELS leads to increased levels of baseline cortisol, and resulted in a dysregulation of cortisol receptors, suggesting long-term effects on cortisol signaling. Together, these findings reveal a ‘critical window’ for ELS to affect developmental reprogramming of the glucocorticoid receptor pathway, resulting in chronic elevated stress.
Temporal Progression: A case study in Porcine Survivability through Hemostatic Nanoparticles
Authors: Kulkarni Chhaya , Maisha Nuzhat , Schaub Leasha J , Glaser Jacob , Lavik Erin , Janeja Vandana P.
Published: May 2021

This paper focuses on the analysis of time series representation of blood loss and cytokines in animals experiencing trauma to understand the temporal progression of factors affecting survivability of the animal. Trauma related grave injuries cause exsanguination and lead to death. 50% of deaths especially in the armed forces are due to trauma injuries. Restricting blood loss usually requires the presence of first responders, which is not feasible in certain cases. Hemostatic nanoparticles have been developed to tackle these kinds of situations to help achieve efficient blood coagulation. Hemostatic nanoparticles were administered into trauma induced porcine animals (pigs) to observe impact on the cytokine and blood loss experienced by them. In this paper we present temporal models to study the impact of the hemostatic nanoparticles and provide snapshots about the trend in cytokines and blood loss in the porcine data to study their progression over time. We utilized Piecewise Aggregate Approximation, Similarity based Merging and clustering to evaluate the impact of the different hemostatic nanoparticles administered. In some cases the fluctuations in the cytokines may be too small. So in addition we highlight situations where temporal modelling that produces a smoothed time series may not be useful as it may remove out the noise and miss the overall fluctuations resulting from the nanoparticles. Our results indicate certain nanoparticles stand out and lead to novel hypothesis formation.
Smell what you hardly see: Odors assist categorization in the human visual cortex
Authors: Rekow Diane , Baudouin Jean-Yves , Durand Karine , Leleu Arnaud
Published: May 2021

Visual categorization is the brain ability to rapidly and automatically respond to widely variable visual inputs in a category-selective manner (i.e., distinct responses between categories and similar responses within categories). Whether category-selective neural responses are purely visual or can be influenced by other sensory modalities remains unclear. Here, we test whether odors modulate visual categorization, expecting that odors facilitate the neural categorization of congruent visual objects, especially when the visual category is ambiguous. Scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded while natural images depicting various objects were displayed in rapid 12-Hz streams (i.e., 12 images / second) and variable exemplars of a target category (either human faces, cars, or facelike objects in dedicated sequences) were interleaved every 9thstimulus to tag category-selective responses at 12/9 = 1.33 Hz in the EEG frequency spectrum. During visual stimulation, participants (N = 26) were implicitly exposed to odor contexts (either body, gasoline or baseline odors) and performed an orthogonal cross-detection task. We identify clear category-selective responses to every category over the occipito-temporal cortex, with the largest response for human faces and the lowest for facelike objects. Critically, body odor boosts the response to the ambiguous facelike objects (i.e., either perceived as nonface objects or faces) over the right hemisphere, especially for participants reporting their presence post-stimulation. By contrast, odors do not significantly modulate other category-selective responses, nor the general visual response recorded at 12 Hz, revealing a specific influence on the categorization of congruent ambiguous stimuli. Overall, these findings support the view that the brain actively uses cues from the different senses to readily categorize visual inputs, and that olfaction, which is generally considered as poorly functional in humans, is well placed to disambiguate visual information.
A metabolomics pipeline enables mechanistic interrogation of the gut microbiome
Authors: Han Shuo , Treuren Will Van , Fischer Curt R. , Merrill Bryan D. , DeFelice Brian C. , Sanchez Juan M. , Higginbottom Steven K. , Guthrie Leah , Fall Lalla A. , Dodd Dylan , Fischbach Michael A. , Sonnenburg Justin L.
Published: May 2021

Gut microbes modulate host phenotypes and are associated with numerous health effects in humans, ranging from cancer immunotherapy response to metabolic disease and obesity. However, difficulty in accurate and high-throughput functional analysis of human gut microbes has hindered defining mechanistic connections between individual microbial strains and host phenotypes. One key way the gut microbiome influences host physiology is through the production of small molecules1–3, yet progress in elucidating this chemical interplay has been hindered by limited tools calibrated to detect products of anaerobic biochemistry in the gut. Here we construct a microbiome-focused, integrated mass-spectrometry pipeline to accelerate the identification of microbiota-dependent metabolites (MDMs) in diverse sample types. We report the metabolic profiles of 178 gut microbe strains using our library of 833 metabolites. Leveraging this metabolomics resource we establish deviations in the relationships between phylogeny and metabolism, use machine learning to discover novel metabolism in Bacteroides, and employ comparative genomics-based discovery of candidate biochemical pathways. MDMs can be detected in diverse biofluids in gnotobiotic and conventional mice and traced back to corresponding metabolomic profiles of cultured bacteria. Collectively, our microbiome-focused metabolomics pipeline and interactive metabolomics profile explorer are a powerful tool for characterizing microbe and microbe-host interactions.
Salmonella Typhimurium uses anaerobic respiration to overcome propionate-mediated colonization resistance
Authors: Shelton Catherine D. , Yoo Woongjae , Shealy Nicolas G. , Torres Teresa P. , Zieba Jacob K. , Calcutt M. Wade , Foegeding Nora J. , Kim Dajeong , Kim Jinshil , Ryu Sangryeol , Byndloss Mariana X.
Published: May 2021

The gut microbiota benefits the host by limiting enteric pathogen expansion (colonization resistance) partially via the production of inhibitory metabolites. Propionate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by microbiota members, is proposed to mediate colonization resistance against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Tm). Here, we show that S. Tm overcomes the inhibitory effects of propionate by using it as a carbon source for anaerobic respiration. We determined that propionate metabolism provides an inflammation-dependent colonization advantage to S. Tm during infection. Such benefit was abolished in the intestinal lumen of Salmonella-infected germ-free mice. Interestingly, S. Tm propionate-mediated intestinal expansion was restored when germ-free mice were monocolonized with Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta), a prominent propionate producer in the gut, but not when mice were monocolonized with a propionate production-deficient B. theta strain. Taken together, our results reveal a novel strategy used by S. Tm to mitigate colonization resistance by metabolizing microbiota-derived propionate.
Secreted Proteases Control the Timing of Aggregative Community Formation in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Jemielita Matthew , Mashruwala Ameya A. , Valastyan Julie S. , Wingreen Ned S. , Bassler Bonnie L.
Published: May 2021

Bacteria orchestrate collective behaviors using the cell-cell communication process called quorum sensing (QS). QS relies on the synthesis, release, and group-wide detection of small molecules called autoinducers. In Vibrio cholerae, a multicellular community aggregation program occurs in liquid, during stationary phase, and in the high-cell-density QS state. Here, we demonstrate that this aggregation program consists of two subprograms. In one subprogram, which we call void formation, structures form that contain few cells but provide a scaffold within which cells can embed. The other subprogram relies on flagellar machinery and enables cells to enter voids. A genetic screen for factors contributing to void formation, coupled with companion molecular analyses, showed that four extracellular proteases, Vca0812, Vca0813, HapA, and PrtV control the onset timing of both void formation and aggregation, and moreover, proteolytic activity is required. These proteases, or their downstream products, can be shared between void-producing and non-void-forming cells and can elicit aggregation in a normally non-aggregating V. cholerae strain. Employing multiple proteases to control void formation and aggregation timing could provide a redundant and irreversible path to commitment to this community lifestyle.

Importance

Bacteria can work as collectives to form multicellular communities. Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes the disease cholera in humans, forms aggregated communities in liquid. Aggregate formation relies on a chemical communication process called quorum sensing. Here we show that, beyond overarching control by quorum sensing, there are two aggregation subprograms. One subprogram, which we call void formation, creates a scaffold within which cells can embed. The second subprogram, which allows bacteria to enter the scaffold, requires motility. We discovered that four extracellular proteases control the timing of both void formation and aggregation. We argue that, by using redundant proteases, V. cholerae ensures the reliable execution of this community formation process. These findings may provide insight into how V. cholerae successfully alternates between the marine environment and the human host: transitions that are central to the spread of the disease cholera.
Pulse-Width Modulation of Gene Expression in Budding Yeast
Authors: Machné Rainer , Murray Douglas B. , Bernhart Stephan H. , Axmann Ilka M. , Stadler Peter F.
Published: May 2021

Metabolic oscillations are characterized by alternating phases of high and low respiratory activity, associated with transcription of genes involved in biosynthetic pathways and growth, and in catabolism and stress response. However, the functional consequences of transcriptome oscillations remain unclear, since most proteins are too stable to be affected by oscillatory transcript abundances. In this work, we investigate a transcriptome time series during an unstable state of the oscillation. Our analyses confirm previous suggestions that the relative times spent in the alternative transcription states are coupled to growth rate. This pulse-width modulation of transcription provides a simple mechanism for the long-standing question of how cells adjust their ribosome content and growth rate to environmental conditions. A mathematical model of this idea reproduces both the almost linear relation of transcript and protein abundances and the non-linear relation of oscillation periods to growth rate.
Electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM), customer experience and customer satisfaction: evidence from the banking industry
Authors: Kumar Pushpender , Mokha Anupreet Kaur , Pattnaik Subash Chandra
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationship between electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) and customer satisfaction through the mediating role of customer experience in the banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from customers of 10 banks (5 public and 5 private sector banks) of Delhi, India. In total, 836 useable structured questionnaires were filled, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) through AMOS.

Findings

The results revealed that customer experience mediated the relationship between E-CRM and customer satisfaction confirming well with the hypothesized model.

Research limitations/implications

The model was tested in the domain of banking industry; future results may be conducted in different domains for improving generalizability. A comparative study between public and private sector banks in terms of E-CRM, customer experience and customer satisfaction could also be conducted.

Originality/value

The study was the first to unequivocally analyze the influence of the E-CRM on customer satisfaction through customer experience in the banking industry. The study also introduced stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model as a theoretical support to associate E-CRM to customer satisfaction through customer experience. Thus, this study will enhance the current knowledge base and will also aid E-CRM managers amid decision-making process.
Identification and assessment of the unionization factors of the US electrical construction trade
Authors: Said Hisham , Mali Aishwarya , Deshmukh Ajay
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Construction trade unions have been a vital force in improving the job standards and wellbeing of trade workers. However, the union membership in the construction industry has dropped by half between 1983 and 2017. The objective of this study is to identify and assess the controlling factors of construction electrical trade unionization in the United States.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved four main steps. Literature review and industry townhall meetings were conducted to identify the electrical trade unionization factors. A new unionization trend metric was developed using available union market share data to quantify the growth and decline of local unions. Mixed-mode surveying was used to collect questionnaire and interview data on the unionization factors in different local units of the electrical trade union. Finally, the survey data from the questionnaire and interviews were merged and their correlation with the unionization trend data was assessed.

Findings

The study found that the unionization of this specialty trade is dependent on increasing the crew ratio, expanding the non-apprenticeship union membership program, organizing larger contractors, and continuing the union focus on public and heavy industrial projects.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the construction management body of knowledge by providing a data-driven industry-wide assessment of the factors that affect electrical construction unionization. The study advances the understanding of construction trade unions by narrowing the theory-practice knowledge gap, illustrating the use of macro quantitative empirical research methods, and developing a new unionization trend metric.
Effects of corporate reputation and social identity on innovative job performance
Authors: Frare Anderson Betti , Beuren Ilse Maria
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study analyzes the indirect effects of corporate reputation and social identity on innovative job performance, through organization engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

A single entity survey was conducted with the employees of a unicorn startup, which is the largest financial services startup (fintech) in Brazil, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).

Findings

The results present empirical evidence that corporate reputation and social identity (employee-company identification) are able to stimulate innovative job performance, mediated by organization engagement. In addition to these symmetrical relationships, asymmetrically, combinations of these constructs with different education levels, age and tenure promote high innovative job performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study has theoretical implications to the extent that the precepts of the social identity theory are observed, by verifying the direct influence of corporate reputation and employee-company identification on organization engagement. It also has implications for presenting an indirect positive effect of corporate reputation and employee-company identity on innovative job performance.

Practical implications

It contributes by providing subsidies for the company to find to keep employees engaged and prone to innovation, which represents an important managerial parameter and competitive advantage.

Originality/value

The literature points to the need to identify antecedents of innovative job performance. It is postulated that corporate reputation and social identity can indirectly reflect on innovative job performance, mediated by organizational engagement.
Open letters about health dialogues reveal school staff and students' expectations of school health promotion leadership
Authors: Kostenius Catrine , Lundqvist Catarina
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study explores to what extent health promotion policy in practice and leadership engagement is reflected in school actors' experiences of health dialogues (HDs) and their ideas about promoting health and learning in schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The 93 participants consisted of 44 school nurses, 37 students in grades 4, 7 or the first year of high school and 12 teachers, who shared their experiences with HDs by writing open letters.

Findings

The qualitative content analysis resulted in four themes: Putting health on the agenda, Finding a common goal, Walking side by side and Pointing out a healthy direction. The participants' expectations of school health promotion leadership are revealed in suggestions on how the HDs can fulfill both the educational assignment and promote student health.

Practical implications

Based on the findings, we argue that for successful school health promotion leaders need to acknowledge the field of tension where leadership has to take place, anchor health promotion policy and administer “a Sandwich approach” – a top-down and bottom-up leadership simultaneously that facilitates school-based health promotion.

Originality/value

When different school actors (school nurses, teachers and students) are given a voice, a collective picture of HDs can emerge and help develop health promotion practices.
Examination of roles performed by public sector organizations in the procurement of public-private partnership projects
Authors: Olojede Betty Oluwafunso , Opawole Akintayo , Jagboro Godwin Onajite , Alao Oluwaseyi Olalekan
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The clarity of requisite roles of public sector organizations (PSOs) for successful procurement of public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure in Nigeria is not well-established as the country is portrayed with the rising statistics on the haphazard pattern of operation of PPP model for infrastructure procurement. This has greatly beset the expected performance of a number of PPP projects which were intended to bridge the infrastructural deficit in the country. This study therefore examined roles the performed by PSOs in PPP infrastructure procurement with a view to delineate PSOs obligations and consequently improve project success.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on structured questionnaire survey of professionals in PSOs who have been involved in PPP infrastructure procurement in Southwestern Nigeria. The sampled professionals were drawn from a build-up of network through a referral chain by the adoption of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method. The data collected were subjected to mean score analysis and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Findings

The study found that roles pertaining to management of variation, apportionment of penalties and abatements, select preferred bidders, establish management approaches for PPP risks are infrequently performed by PSOs in Nigeria. Whereas these roles are critical to successful procurement of PPP infrastructure as they are prerequisites for PPP infrastructural project success.

Originality/value

The study provides information that would be useful for developing countries with evolving PPP markets for enhanced project delivery.
Gender inequalities in perceived stress and the factors affecting it in infertile couples in Iranian society: a case in one of the provinces of Iran
Authors: Mirzaei Moghadam Sima , Mahmoodi Hassan , Zaheri Farzaneh , Shokri Azad
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was conducted on infertile couples who were referring to Kurdistan Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Medical Center in 2019. Demographic and clinical information questionnaire, Newton's Infertility perceived stress questionnaire, Rosenberg's standard self-confidence questionnaire and the multidimensional scale of social support were used. Multiple linear logistic models were also used.

Findings

A total of 560 couples (1,120 people) participated in the study. The average perceived infertility-related stress, self-esteem scores and social support and social-emotional loneliness were 173.95 ± 41.87, 13.99 ± 2.29 and 27.81 ± 7.33, respectively, which were significantly different scores across infertility cause and sex (P < 0.05). Males compared to females had lower perceived infertility-related stress (169.93 ± 42.51 vs 177.97 ± 40.86, P = 0.001) and self-esteem scores (14.33 ± 2.29 vs 13.66 ± 2.24, P < 0.001) and social support and social-emotional loneliness (32.92 ± 9.31 vs 30.94 ± 9.04, P < 0.001). The partners who reported themselves as infertile, compared significantly higher in perceived infertility-related stress than those who reported their spouse being infertile (194.24 ± 35.33 vs 141.90 ± 39.28), lower self-esteem scores (12.77 ± 2.21 vs 13.94 ± 1.56) and social support and social-emotional loneliness score (27.81 ± 7.33 vs 30.11 ± 7.70). Also, after taking potential confounders into account with increase in each score of self-esteem, 12.19 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 11.40–12.99) and with increase in each score of social support and social-emotional loneliness, 3.45 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.28–3.63).

Originality/value

There is perceived stress among infertile couples, and this rate is higher among infertile people and women. Therefore, it seems that specific intervention programs for infertile couples should be implemented based on the results of this study, and their stress levels in a way that self-esteem and support for both partners be increased and the perceived stress among women and infertile individuals be decreased.
In or out? A field observational study on the placement of entertaining robots in retailing
Authors: De Gauquier Laurens , Brengman Malaika , Willems Kim , Cao Hoang-Long , Vanderborght Bram
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the role of the placement (i.e. location) of humanoid service robots (HSRs) for entertainment applications in retailing by inspecting a multitude of performance metrics along the point-of-sale conversion funnel.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted using unobtrusive observations at a Belgian chocolate store. In total, 42 h of video observation material was collected and analyzed, with an even spread over three conditions: (1) an HSR placed outside, (2) an HSR inside the store and (3) a control condition (no robot stimuli). All passersby and their interactions with the robot and the store were systematically coded and compared.

Findings

The study found that the better placement of HSRs (inside or outside the store) is contingent on the goals the retailer prioritizes. When the goal is to create awareness and interest toward the store, the HSR should be placed outside, as it has double the stopping power. To induce consumers to enter the store, placement of the HSR inside the store is the better option. Ultimately, however, in terms of the number of transactions and total amount spent, outside placement of the HSR outperforms inside placement.

Research limitations/implications

This study was not able to verify the internal emotional/cognitive state of the passersby, as the method relied on unobtrusive camera observations. A longitudinal research design would be desirable to exclude potential bias due to the novelty effect.

Originality/value

While research on robots in retail services is emerging, this study is the first to provide insights on how retailers can decide on the placement of robots inside or outside the store, depending on the particular goals they are aiming to reach at the point of purchase.
Collaborative knowledge sharing in developing and evaluating a training programme for health professionals to implement a social intervention in dementia research
Authors: Leung Phuong , Csipke Emese , Yates Lauren , Birt Linda , Orrell Martin
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This study aims to explore the utility of collaborative knowledge sharing with stakeholders in developing and evaluating a training programme for health professionals to implement a social intervention in dementia research.

Design/methodology/approach

The programme consisted of two phases: 1) development phase guided by the Buckley and Caple’s training model and 2) evaluation phase drew on the Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Survey and interview data was collected from health professionals, people with dementia and their supporters who attended the training programme, delivered or participated in the intervention. Qualitative data was analysed using the framework analysis.

Findings

Seven health professionals participated in consultations in the development phase. In the evaluation phase, 20 intervention facilitators completed the post one-day training evaluations and three took part in the intervention interviews. Eight people with dementia and their supporters from the promoting independence in dementia feasibility study participated in focus groups interviews. The findings show that intervention facilitators were satisfied with the training programme. They learnt new knowledge and skills through an interactive learning environment and demonstrated competencies in motivating people with dementia to engage in the intervention. As a result, this training programme was feasible to train intervention facilitators.

Practical implications

The findings could be implemented in other research training contexts where those delivering research interventions have professional skills but do not have knowledge of the theories and protocols of a research intervention.

Originality/value

This study provided insights into the value of collaborative knowledge sharing between academic researchers and multiple non-academic stakeholders that generated knowledge and maximised power through building new capacities and alliances.
Social network analysis of mythology field
Authors: Akça Sümeyye , Akbulut Müge
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of the study is to detect, monitor the mythology field and make predictions of the development of it using social network analysis metrics. Mythology, which is the subject of many disciplines, is an area with extensive working potential. In addition to basic bibliometric indicators, the relationships of this field, which cannot be seen by other methods, were analyzed using measures such as centrality, between, eigenvector, modularity and silhouette coefficients.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, social network analysis of the field of mythology, which has an interdisciplinary structure, was made. Within the scope of the study, 28,370 publications were selected from the publications in the field of mythology in the Web of Science (WoS) citation database between 1900 and 2019 using the probability-based stratified sampling method (5%), and detailed analyzes were made on these publications. The aforementioned publications were analyzed in terms of publication and citation numbers, publication types, subject categories, keywords used, co-authorship, researchers with the highest number of publications, institutions and countries with the highest number of document co-citations.

Findings

The findings show that the field of mythology gathers around four main subjects (sociology, folklore, politics and anthropology). When interpreted in terms of centrality metrics in more detail, the symbiotic or complementary relationship between anthropology, folklore, politics, sociology and mythology can be easily observed.

Originality/value

The findings of this study are seen important for scientists, decision-makers and policymakers. In addition, the findings of the study can be used to create the curriculum of the field.
Internal audit functions, financial reporting quality and moderating effect of senior management support
Authors: Madawaki Abdulkadir , Ahmi Aidi , Ahmad Halimah @ Nasibah
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between internal audit functions (IAF) and financial reporting quality (FRQ) and whether such a relationship is moderated by senior management support (SMS) in listed companies in Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Design/methodology/approach

This research is a cross-sectional study, using primary data in the form of a survey sent to 175 listed companies in NSE. A total of 149 questionnaires have been collected and analysed out of which 97 were found to be useful and used in the final analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate a positive and significant relationship between internal audit qualities of work performed, internal control activities, coordination between internal and external auditors and FRQ and this finding was also supported by SMS as a moderator. However, the results show a negative and insignificant relationship between internal audit competency, organisational status and FRQ.

Research limitations/implications

The findings support the assumption with regard to agency theory. The board should support the IAF to serve as an effective monitoring mechanism in minimising opportunistic management actions. Regulators should also ensure adequate structures that will strengthen the organisational status of the internal auditors to perform towards improving FRQ.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature by assessing the effect of IAF on FRQ as moderated by SMS.
Message sharing and verification behaviour on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study in the context of India and the USA
Authors: Sharma Anumegha , Kapoor Payal S.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Technology has eased access to information. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ease of access and transmission of information via social media has led to ambiguity, misinformation and uncertainty. This research studies the aforementioned behaviours of information sharing and verification related to COVID-19, in the context of social media.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies have been carried out. Study 1, with Indian social media users, is a two-factor between-subjects experimental design that investigated the effect of message polarity (positive versus negative) and message type (news versus rumour) on the dissemination and verification behaviour of COVID-19-related messages. The study also investigated the mediation of perceived message importance and health anxiety. Study 2 is a replica study conducted with US users.

Findings

The study finding revealed significantly higher message sharing for news than rumour. Further, for the Indian users, message with positive polarity led to higher message sharing and message with negative polarity led to higher verification behaviour. On the contrary, for the US users, message with negative polarity led to higher message sharing and message with positive polarity led to higher verification behaviour. Finally, the study revealed message importance mediates the relationship of message type and message sharing behaviour for Indian and US users; however, health anxiety mediation was significant only for Indian users.

Practical implications

The findings offer important implications related to information regulation during a health crisis. Unverified information sharing is harmful during a pandemic. The study sheds light on this behaviour such that stakeholders get insights and better manage the information being disseminated.

Originality/value

The study investigates the behaviour of sharing and verification of social media messages between users containing health information (news and rumour) related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-07-2020-0282
Systematic review and practical guidance on the use of topical calcipotriol and topical calcipotriol with betamethasone dipropionate as long‐term therapy for mild‐to‐moderate plaque psoriasis
Authors: Zhao Yi , Asahina Akihiko , Asawanonda Pravit , Frez Ma. Lorna , Imafuku Shinichi , Hyun Kim Dong , Theng Colin , Wang Liangchun , Zhang Jiang An , Zimmo Sameer
Published: May 2021

While many patients with psoriasis are candidates for topical agents, long‐term treatment effects are unclear. This systematic review evaluated global findings from clinical trials and real‐world studies of topical calcipotriol and the two‐compound formulation of calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate for mild‐to‐moderate plaque psoriasis (including scalp psoriasis). PubMed, Embase and MEDLINE were searched for relevant English‐language publications along with Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Latin American publication databases. Identified articles were screened by title and abstract against predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of key efficacy and safety findings from the full papers of selected publications was developed. Thirty‐seven relevant papers were identified (25 English, 11 Chinese and one Japanese‐language study) including 28 randomized controlled trials. While there was significant heterogeneity in study length, treatment intensity and clinical measures, following a critical review of the published data combined with expert opinion, the following clinical practice recommendations were agreed in order to assist healthcare providers: in adults, long‐term treatment with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate is well tolerated and efficacious for up to 1 year on an ‘as needed’ basis, and for up to 16 weeks on a fixed‐treatment regimen. Calcipotriol is also well tolerated and efficacious when used long term (up to 52 weeks) ‘as needed’ and for up to 20 weeks on a fixed‐treatment regimen. Used on an ‘as needed’ basis for up to 1 year, the safety and efficacy profile of fixed‐dose combination calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate is more favorable than calcipotriol alone; regular consultation between patients and their dermatologist/primary care physician is required to review psoriasis symptoms and adjust treatment accordingly; a specific treatment goal should be agreed on initiation of topical agent(s) to determine when long‐term treatment can begin or if a regimen change is warranted; and application frequency during the continued treatment phase should consider the patients’ treatment expectations and goals.
Angiotensin involvement in kidney injury induced by rheumatoid arthritis in rat
Authors: Carlos Carla Patrícia , de Carvalho Enzo Prandi , Angeli Junior Euradir Vitório , Garcia Filho Glayber Falcão , Doná João Pedro Lot , Batanero Rodrigo Piloto de Oliveira , Guena Rafael de Oliveira , Agren Camila , Baptista Maria Alice Sperto Ferreira , Bizotto Thaís Santana Gastardelo , Cury Patricia Maluf , Chies Agnaldo Bruno
Published: May 2021

Renal injury induced by rheumatoid arthritis is not clear and may be related to the angiotensin II. We aim to investigate the adjuvant‐induced arthritis (AIA) injury in rat kidney, focusing the angiotensin II/AT1 pathway. Male Wistar rats were allocated in to three groups: Control, AIA and AIA plus losartan. The AIA was induced by injection of 100 µL of an emulsion of dissected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (50 mg/mL) on the paw. Treatment with losartan was initiated on the first day of immunization (daily subcutaneous injection, 1 mg/kg). After 60 days post immunization, we evaluated kidney function by plasma creatinine, urea and uric acid levels and creatinine depuration; kidney injury by apoptosis analysis and inflammation markers such as macrophages, transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression; oxidative stress by plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); renal expression of angiotensin receptors subtype 1 (AT1) and 2 (AT2) and plasma concentration of angiotensin II. AIA rats showed elevated plasma levels of creatinine, urea, uric acid, TBARS and Ang II and reduced creatinine depuration, and enhanced kidney macrophage number, TGF‐β, caspase‐3, iNOS and AT1/AT2 receptors expression. The losartan reduced plasma creatinine and its clearance, reduced macrophages and the expression of TGF‐β and iNOS in renal tissues, and reduced plasma TBARS. We conclude that AIA causes kidney injury by a physiopathological mechanism that involves AT1 stimulation in renal tissue, elevating the presence of macrophages, the expression of TGF‐β and iNOS, as well the local oxidative stress, which contribute to renal function deterioration.
SSA Members, Welcome!
Authors: Kasza Jessica
Published: May 2021

Jessica Kasza, president of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), introduces a new partnership between the SSA and Significance
Editorial
Authors: Tarran Brian
Published: May 2021

And a hello from me too.
Polysaccharide degradation by the Bacteroidetes: mechanisms and nomenclature
Authors: McKee Lauren S. , La Rosa Sabina Leanti , Westereng Bjørge , Eijsink Vincent G. , Pope Phillip B. , Larsbrink Johan
Published: May 2021

The Bacteroidetes phylum is renowned for its ability to degrade a wide range of complex carbohydrates, a trait that has enabled its dominance in many diverse environments. The best studied species inhabit the human gut microbiome and use polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs), discrete genetic structures that encode proteins involved in the sensing, binding, deconstruction, and import of target glycans. In many environmental species, polysaccharide degradation is tightly coupled to the phylum‐exclusive type IX secretion system (T9SS), which is used for the secretion of certain enzymes and is linked to gliding motility. In addition, within specific species these two adaptive systems (PULs and T9SS) are intertwined, with PUL‐encoded enzymes being secreted by the T9SS. Here, we discuss the most noteworthy PUL and non‐PUL mechanisms that confer specific and rapid polysaccharide degradation capabilities to the Bacteroidetes in a range of environments. We also acknowledge that the literature showcasing examples of PULs is rapidly expanding and developing a set of assumptions that can be hard to track back to original findings. Therefore, we present a simple universal description of conserved PUL functions and how they are determined, while proposing a common nomenclature describing PULs and their components, to simplify discussion and understanding of PUL systems.
Camelot Caves Incorporated: An Instructional Case*
Authors: Lapointe‐Antunes Pascale , Sainty Barbara , Skrubbeltrang Glenn
Published: May 2021

The case asks you to prepare a report and presentation to the shareholders of Camelot Caves Incorporated (CCI), a privately held winery located in Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake, Ontario, Canada. CCI has approached your firm to assist them in setting a new direction for the company. The shareholders need to make critical decisions about the company's operations, but they cannot seem to agree. You must obtain an understanding of CCI's current vision and mission, strategic position, and financial situation before analyzing the strategic fit and quantitative and qualitative implications of the alternatives under consideration—including the addition of a new distribution channel, the opening of a restaurant, and the production of ice wine—and considering the impact of your recommendations on the value of the business and its cash position. The case will allow you to integrate a number of issues faced by a small business seeking growth through evaluating strategic and operational issues and providing recommendations.