bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acetylation of Adenine Nucleotide Translocase, Fuel Selection, and Metabolic Flexibility in Human Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Barakati Neusha , Bustos Rocio Zapata , Coletta Dawn K. , Langlais Paul R. , Kohler Lindsay N. , Luo Moulun , Funk Janet L. , Willis Wayne T. , Mandarino Lawrence J.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Healthy, resting skeletal muscle primarily oxidizes lipid, but insulin resistant muscle oxidizes carbohydrate and shows metabolic inflexibility during hyperinsulinemia. It is unclear whether fuel selection and metabolic flexibility are dependent on insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle performing mild exercise.

Research Design and Methods

Sedentary volunteers underwent a cycle exercise protocol using stepwise increments in power output (15, 30, and 45 watts) and indirect calorimetry to estimate fuel oxidation in working muscle. Euglycemic clamps, indirect calorimetry and muscle biopsies were used to measure insulin sensitivity and acetylation and content of Adenine Nucleotide Translocase 1 (ANT1), which might be involved in fuel selection via acetylation of lysine 23, which was quantified using mass spectrometry.

Results

Mild exercise produced predicted rates of oxygen consumption (11-12 ml O2/min), with low and stable blood lactate, allowing use of indirect calorimetry to calculate a respiratory exchange ratio in working muscle (RERm). ANT1 acetylation varied from 0.6 to 21% (10.3 ± 1.2%). Exercising muscle mainly oxidized carbohydrate (45 ± 9, 62 ± 6, and 70 ± 5% of total at 15, 30, and 45watts). Multiple linear regression showed that RERm rose with increasing power output (P < 0.001) and was lower with greater protein content of ANT1 (P < 0.001). Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal, ANT acetylation, and VO2peak were not predictors of RERm.

Conclusions

Mildly exercising muscle in sedentary people prefers to oxidize carbohydrate independent of insulin sensitivity but depending on ANT1 protein content. The ability to oxidize lipid may be regulated by higher ANT1 content due to either higher mitochondrial abundance or greater ANT content per mitochondrial mass.
Partial and Radical cystectomy Provides Equivalent Oncologic Outcomes in T2 Bladder Cancer: a Population-Based Study
Authors: Long Gongwei , Hu Zhiquan , Liu Zheng , Ye Zhangqun , Wang Shaogang , Wang Dongwen , Yang Chunguang
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To compare the oncologic outcomes of T2 bladder cancer (BCa) patients after partial cystectomy (PC) or radical cystectomy (RC).

Materials and Methods

Relevant data of T2 BCa patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. After propensity score matching, the oncologic outcomes after PC or RC were compared in patients who underwent lymph node dissection (LND) or not. Additionally, the benefits of different LND strategies were also explored.

Results

Eventually, 3834 T2 BCa cases were enrolled in the analysis, including 724 (18.9%) received PC cases and 3110 (81.1%) RC cases. The PC and RC groups presented entirely different profiles in clinical parameters such as age, number of lymph nodes (LNs) removed, and adjuvant therapy. Particularly, LNDs were performed in 92.0% of RC cases, while only in 45.4% of PC cases. After propensity score matching, PC and RC present similar oncologic outcomes regardless of the LND strategies. Further exploration found that LND could improve the prognosis of patients and the benefit is associated with the number of LNs removed.

Conclusion

PC and RC could provide equivalent oncologic outcomes in T2 BCa. LND is essential in curative surgery and could significantly affect the prognosis, but it was frequently neglected, especially in PC. The criteria for PC in T2 BCa need further exploration in future studies.
The Future is Green. Integrating Green and Blue Space Data from European Urban Atlas into UK Biobank
Authors: Geneshka Mariya , McClean Colin J , Gilbody Simon , Cruz Joana , Coventry Peter
Published: May 2022

Background

Green and blue spaces can promote good physical and mental health and prevent the development of long-term conditions. Evidence suggests that not all green spaces affect health equally, and that certain types and properties of green spaces are stronger predictors of health than others. However, research into the causal mechanisms is limited in large cohorts due to lack of objective and comparable data on green space type, accessibility, and usage.

Methods

We used data from Urban Atlas to compute measures of urban park accessibility, street trees availability, and total green and blue space availability for 300,000 UK Biobank participants. Exposure metrics were computed using circular buffers with radii of 100 m to 3000 m. Pearson correlation coefficients and other descriptive statistical parameters were used to test agreement between variables and explore the utility of indictors in capturing different types of green spaces.

Results

Strong positive correlations were observed between variables of the same indicator with different buffer sizes. The presence of park and proportion of street tree canopy variables were negatively correlated with amount of total green space variables. This signifies distinct differences in type of green spaces captured by these variables.

Conclusions

Overall, five distinct indicators of park accessibility, street trees availability, and total green and blue space availability have been integrated into a large sample of the UK Biobank. Our method is replicable to settings across Europe and facilitates evidence-based research on the roles of different green and blue spaces in health promotion and ill-health prevention.

Key Messages

Different types of green spaces and their position in the neighbourhood can promote and protect health by mitigating pollution and increasing physical activity and socialisation.

We present the methods of constructing and linking data on urban green spaces, street trees and natural vegetation into a large health cohort, the UK Biobank.

The ability to distinguish between types of green spaces and their intended use can help inform public health interventions, influence urban policy, and aid urban planning in building sustainable and healthy cities.

Our methods are transferable and will allow others to explore the links between environment and health in UK Biobank and other health cohorts.
Bounding the average causal effect in Mendelian randomization studies with multiple proposed instruments: An application to prenatal alcohol exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Diemer Elizabeth W , Havdahl Alexandra , Andreassen Ole A , Munafò Marcus R , Njolstad Pal R , Tiemeier Henning , Zuccolo Luisa , Swanson Sonja A
Published: May 2022

Background

Point estimation in Mendelian randomization (MR), an instrumental variable model, usually requires strong homogeneity assumptions beyond the core instrumental conditions. Bounding, which does not require homogeneity assumptions, is infrequently applied in MR.

Objective

We aimed to demonstrate computing nonparametric bounds for the causal risk difference derived from multiple proposed instruments in an MR study where effect heterogeneity is expected,

Methods

Using data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study and Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n=4457, 6216) to study the average causal effect of maternal pregnancy alcohol use on offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, we proposed 11 maternal SNPs as instruments. We computed bounds assuming subsets of SNPs were jointly valid instruments, for all combinations of SNPs where the MR model was not falsified.

Results

The MR assumptions were violated for all sets with more than 4 SNPs in one cohort and for all sets with more than 2 SNPs in the other. Bounds assuming one SNP was an individually valid instrument barely improved on assumption-free bounds. Bounds tightened as more SNPs were assumed to be jointly valid instruments, and occasionally identified directions of effect, though bounds from different sets varied.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that, when proposing multiple instruments, bounds can contextualize plausible magnitudes and directions of effects. Computing bounds over multiple assumption sets underscores the importance of evaluating the assumptions of MR models.

Synopsis

Study question

Do nonparametric bounds provide useful information in the context of MR studies of prenatal exposures with multiple proposed genetic instruments?

What’s already known

Point estimation in MR typically requires strong, unverifiable homogeneity assumptions beyond the core MR assumptions. Bounds, which do not require homogeneity assumptions, are rarely applied in MR.

What this study adds

We computed bounds on the average causal effect of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on offspring ADHD symptoms in two European cohorts, proposing 11 genetic variants as instruments. Our results suggest that, when proposing multiple instruments, bounds can contextualize plausible magnitudes and directions of effects.
Measles Burden Estimation Using Local Gaussian Process Classifiers
Authors: Li Xiaoxiao , Lan Zhou , Ferrari Matthew , Haran Murali
Published: May 2022

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and remains a severe public health problem. Monitoring measles cases provides a powerful tool to identify outbreaks and epidemics. However, burden estimates of measles are challenging to obtain because of heterogeneous surveillance systems and a lack of resources for rapid laboratory tests means that many cases are reported based on symptoms alone, which has low specificity. We consider diagnostically confirmed measles case data in Ethiopia between 2009 and 2017 and propose a local Gaussian process binary classifier with spatial dependence to provide case predictions for untested individuals based on age, vaccination status, and location. By applying our modeling framework to untested suspected reported cases, we provide more accurate burden estimates at the district level. We validate our methods through simulation studies. We also find that our approach, which provides burden estimates at the district level, highlights temporal variation in the specificity of symptom-based diagnosis.
Oxidative Stress Induced Senescence Gives Rise to Transcriptionally Distinct Physiological States
Authors: Burnaevskiy Nikolay , Oshima Junko , Mendenhall Alexander R.
Published: May 2022

As people age, the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease increases, making age itself the greatest risk factor for many human diseases. Thus, understanding the aging process can have profound consequences for human health. One striking feature of the aging process is the accumulation of senescent cells with age. When cells become damaged, they can enter a state of senescence which is a permanent cell cycle exit associated with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. In mouse models of aging, the destruction of senescent cells with senolytic drugs delays age-associated decline and extends healthy lifespan. Yet, despite the wealth of accumulated knowledge, we do not entirely understand the biology of senescent cells. Prior work has shown that senescence is associated with increased variation in gene expression, suggesting that there may exist distinct transcriptional signatures of senescence. Understanding the different transcriptional physiological states of senescent cells would allow us to better treat them with cell-type-specific senolytic drugs. Here, we performed large-scale single-cell RNA-sequencing time series experiments to understand the development of transcriptional heterogeneity among senescent cell types. Our approach allowed us to observe and classify different transcriptional signatures of senescent cells as they emerged through time. We found that upon entering oxidative stress-induced senescence, separate subpopulations of cells were reproducibly adopting two distinct transcriptional states, one of which was associated with stress response and the second one with tissue remodeling. Our data suggest that a combination of senolytic drugs may be needed to more effectively eliminate senescent cells by targeting physiologically distinct sub-populations.
Oxylipins and the Surgical Classification of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Alotaibi Mona , Fernandes Timothy , Tang Amber , Kerr Kim , Morris Timothy , Malhotra Atul , Yuan Jason X-Y. , Pretorius Victor , Madani Michael , Watrous Jeramie D. , Long Tao , Pauciulo Michael W. , Nicholls William C. , Jain Mohit , Cheng Susan , Kim Nick
Published: May 2022

Surgically accessible lesions of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are classified as proximal or distal based on the distribution of thrombus burden in the pulmonary vasculature post operatively. Surgically accessible distal CTEPH lesions typically has a higher risk profile and worse clinical outcomes in less experienced centers, but the underlying molecular differences between proximal and distal CTEPH lesions remain unknown. Oxylipins, a diverse group of bioactive lipid mediators, have previously been implicated in a range of disorders including pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, we sought to characterize oxylipin profiles among patients with proximal and distal operable CTEPH lesions, as well as those with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). We studied 271 patients with proximal operable CTEPH (n=123), distal operable CTEPH (n=74), or IPAH (n=74). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze oxylipin profiles in each patient. We found that patients with distal operable CTEPH had elevated levels of proinflammatory oxylipins while those with proximal CTEPH had an increase in procoagulant oxylipins. Notably, the proinflammatory oxylipins elevated in distal operable CTEPH were similarly elevated in IPAH. These findings suggest that distal operable and proximal CTEPH represent heterogenous disease processes. Furthermore, oxylipin profiles may be useful for potential risk stratification and therapeutic targeting in CTEPH.
NMDA receptor misalignment in iPSC-derived neurons from a multi-generational family with inherited Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Authors: Le Nhat T.T. , Mercer Robert C.C. , Gojanovich Aldana D. , Anane Alice , Park Seonmi , Wu Bei , Bawa Pushpinder S. ,   Regeneron Genetics Center, Mostoslavsky Gustavo , Harris David A.
Published: May 2022

The most common subtype of genetic prion disease is caused by the E200K mutation of the prion protein. We have obtained samples from 22 members of a multi-generational Israeli family harboring this mutation, and generated a library of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) representing nine carriers and four non-carriers. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on all individuals. A comparison of neurons derived from E200K iPSCs to those from non-carriers revealed the presence of several disease-relevant phenotypes. Neurons from E200K carriers were found to contain thioflavin S-positive accumulations of PrP in their cell bodies. In addition, these neurons displayed disruptions of NMDA receptor/PSD95 co-localization at postsynaptic sites. Our study shows that iPSC-derived neurons, which express physiologically relevant levels of mutant PrP in a human neuronal context, can model certain aspects of human prion disease, offering a powerful platform for investigating pathological mechanisms and testing potential therapeutics.
Breathing dysfunction and alveolar damage in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome
Authors: Goh Min-Jee , Deering-Rice Cassandra E. , Nguyen Jacklyn , Duyvesteyn Evalien , Venosa Alessandro , Reilly Christopher A. , Metcalf Cameron S.
Published: May 2022

Objective

The incidence of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is especially high in those with Dravet syndrome (DS). Risk factors have been identified, but the mechanism(s) by which death occurs is not fully understood. Evidence supports ventilatory dysfunction in the pathophysiology of SUDEP. Understanding specific respiratory patterns present at baseline and after seizures at different ages, as well as the health of lung tissue, will allow us to better understand how sudden death occurs in this population.

Methods

Whole body plethysmography (WBP) was used to monitor respiration before and after electrically induced seizure in the Scn1aA1783V/WT mouse model of DS weekly for a period of four weeks. Following the four-week WBP study, lungs from surviving animals were collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Weigert’s elastin and the density of tissue and elastin were analyzed.

Results

Breathing was diminished in the DS mouse at baseline and following evoked seizures in younger aged mice (P18-P24), consistent with prolonged post-ictal inspiratory time and low respiratory drive compared to the response seen in older animals. In older DS mice, consisting of those that have survived a critical period for mortality, the response to seizure was more robust and included higher respiratory drive, peak inspiratory and expiratory flow rates, tidal and expiratory volumes, and breathing frequency compared to wild-type and relative to baseline. Alveolar damage was also observed in P46-P52 DS mice.

Significance

Differences in specific respiratory parameters in younger DS animals, during the time when mortality is greatest, compared to older DS animals (i.e. those that have survived the critical period) may allow us to better understand respiratory differences contributing to SUDEP. Lung tissue damage in DS may also contribute to respiratory dysfunction in SUDEP.

KEY POINTS

Baseline respiration is diminished in DS mice compared to wild type.

Electrically induced seizure produced a different respiratory response in younger DS mouse compared to older DS animals.

Alveolar septal damage is present in DS mice.

Baseline and post-ictal breathing dysfunction and inefficient oxygenation and CO2 clearance likely potentiated by lung damage may serve as a potential mechanism by which SUDEP occurs in DS.
Analysis of organelle content supports a membrane budding model of platelet biogenesis
Authors: Terreaux Antoine F. , Farley Alison M. , Biben Christine , Stonehouse Oliva , Taoudi Samir
Published: May 2022

Understanding how in vivo platelet biogenesis is undertaken is critical to making on-demand platelet production for clinical use feasible. We recently described the discovery of plasma membrane budding as a major in vivo platelet-producing pathway. In vitro recapitulation of this finding could pave the way towards efficient laboratory-based platelet production.

The plausibility of the plasma membrane budding model has been called into question. The foundation of this is the contention that the size and payload composition of plasma membrane buds are not consistent with bona fide platelets. Thus, membrane buds likely represent stages in megakaryocyte-derived microparticle formation.

Using 3D super-resolution imaging, we have performed a quantitative comparison of size and organelle content of plasma membrane buds, platelets, and microparticles in the adult mouse bone marrow. We unequivocally demonstrate that the structures we previously described as membrane buds exhibit the same size range as free platelets, that all buds contain organelles, and that membrane buds and free platelets contained an equivalent number of organelles. Crucially, membrane buds and microparticles are completely distinct from each other. To prevent future confusion between the processes of microparticle formation and platelet biogenesis, we propose using the more specific term “pre-platelet membrane buds”.
De novo missense variant in GRIA2 in a patient with global developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, and epileptic encephalopathy
Authors: Latsko Maeson S. , Koboldt Daniel C. , Franklin Samuel J. , Hickey Scott E. , Williamson Rachel K. , Garner Shannon , Ostendorf Adam P. , Lee Kristy , White Peter , Wilson Richard K.
Published: May 2022

De novo variants are increasingly recognized as a common cause of early infantile epileptic encephalopathies. We present a 4-yr-old male with epileptic encephalopathy characterized by seizures, autism spectrum disorder, and global developmental delay. Whole-genome sequencing of the proband and his unaffected parents revealed a novel de novo missense variant in GRIA2 (c.1589A > T; p.Lys530Met; ENST00000264426.14). Variants in the GRIA2 gene were recently reported to cause an autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder with language impairments and behavioral abnormalities (OMIM; MIM #618917), a condition characterized by intellectual disability and developmental delay in which seizures are a common feature. The de novo variant identified in our patient maps to the edge of a key ligand binding domain of the AMPA receptor and has not been previously reported in gnomAD or other public databases, making it novel. Our findings provided a long-sought diagnosis for this patient and support the link between GRIA2 and a dominant neurodevelopmental disorder.
Impact of managerial power on enterprise innovation performance: the mediating roles of financing constraints and strategic orientation
Authors: Huo Mengjun , Li Chao
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the specific relationship between managerial power and enterprise innovation performance. Combined with managerial power theory and stewardship theory, financing constraints and strategic orientation, including, strategic market orientation and strategic technology orientation are included in the analysis framework to test how managerial power influences enterprise innovation performance in detail from the perspective of enterprise internal influence mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen covering the period from 2001 to 2017, this paper uses the ordinary least square method (OLS) to explore how managerial power affects enterprise innovation performance.

Findings

The results show that managerial power has a positive impact on enterprise innovation performance. Furthermore, the authors find that financing constraints, strategic market orientation and strategic technology orientation all have partial mediating effects in the relationship between managerial power and enterprise innovation performance.

Originality/value

This paper verifies the application of managerial power theory and stewardship theory in the relationship between managerial power and enterprise innovation performance in Chinese A-share listed companies, contributing to the literature on enterprise innovation. Moreover, by introducing the mediating mechanisms of financing constraints, strategic market orientation and strategic technology orientation, this paper builds an effective path for in-depth study to analyze how managerial power influences enterprise innovation performance and finds ways to improve enterprise innovation performance from the inside view of the enterprise.
Effectiveness of academic institutional models in Europe: university instructor perception case research from Bosnia and Herzegovina and France
Authors: Goncharuk Anatoliy G. , Cirella Giuseppe T.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore the perception of existing academic institutional models through the lens of individual university teacher assessment scores and add knowledge base to the root causes of the effectiveness level of higher educational models between Eastern and Western European universities. The research utilizes higher education instructor performance by exploring positive and negative outcomes from both models.

Design/methodology/approach

This mixed methods study is based on 195 questionnaires in conjunction with 42 in-depth interviews of early-stage university teachers, associate professors, and senior university instructors (i.e. full professors) from the University of Banja Luka (UBL), Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Paris Diderot University (UP7), Paris, France. Key performance indicators are calculated in piecing together the existing institutional models to elucidate the opportunities and challenges university instructors face at these institutions. A scoping literature review that examined an East-West European divide was also conducted to add weight to the research.

Findings

Results indicate the UBL model is considered mostly ineffective while the UP7 model showed signs of ineffectiveness. An East-West divide that exists in European universities was deduced through additional literature, and cohesion-based practices may be needed to truncate model differences as a result of the East's lack of academic freedom.

Originality/value

The research demonstrated important recommendations for academic institutional models by immediately signaling a need to open up the level of creativity of their instructors (i.e. the idea that university teaching is a creative profession that requisites a certain level of academic freedom). The research examined university concern – morally and financially – and weighed in on university instructors' options of abandoning university instructors' workplace in search of working in a prosperous Western country.
Understanding policy framework for slum governance in a developing country
Authors: Nkrumah Agyabeng Anthony , Nyigmah Bawole Justice , Ahenkan Albert , Mensah James Kwame , Preko Alexander
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Slum discourse has attracted significant research interest among scholars. The study examined the policy framework for slum governance in Ghana with the goal of offering recommendations to structure slum management.

Design/methodology/approach

Anchored on exploratory qualitative methodology, the study utilized a purposive sampling technique to select 18 respondents from the major ministries for in-depth interviews.

Findings

The results showed an absence of a central national policy for slum governance because slums development has received less national priority. It also revealed a lack of coordination among the sector ministries in policy formulation, which tends to create a blame game among them. Further, it was found that slum programs are driven by media-political and non-governmental actors.

Research limitations/implications

The conclusion and the outcome of this study cannot be generalized as to represent the whole ministries in Ghana in the space of slums management due to the qualitative approach. A recommendation is offered for the creation of a separate authority to take charge of the slums in Ghana.

Practical implications

This study elucidates a context-specific understanding of the policy framework for slum governance, which tends to shape public knowledge and policy landscape.

Originality/value

As a novelty, the findings of the study advanced the sparse literature in the domain and, at the same time, helped politicians and policymakers understand the need for a dedicated policy for slums.
A typology of omnichannel retailer activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Cocco Helen , De-Juan-Vigaray María D.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper develops a typology of omnichannel retailer activities and corresponding customer responses during a rapidly changing external coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic environment, to contribute towards academic research on omnichannel strategies and to assist retailers when making future investment and resource decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Implementing a dual desk research process, the authors carry out a document review of 61 retailers operating globally and connected customer reviews and categorise them using a content analysis.

Findings

The findings show that retailers employ a multitude of new omnichannel strategies during a pandemic and implement new or upgraded cross-channel services. Customer data show that delivery and customer service issues largely persist. The authors divide retailer actions and microfoundations into five broad categories and present a typology of strategic retailer activities and customer responses.

Originality/value

This research presents insights into omnichannel strategies from both a retailer and customer perspective, and offers guidance on improving the implementation of future omnichannel strategies.
Understanding participation in non-farm activities in rural Sudan: across-sector study of irrigated and rainfed agricultural systems
Authors: Ebaidalla Ebaidalla M.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper examines the determinants of participation in non-farm activities in rural Sudan. It also investigates whether the factors that influence participation in non-farm activities vary across agriculture sub-sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the multinomial logit and probit methods on labour supply participation theory using the Sudanese National Baseline Household Survey (2009). The analysis was applied across job types and agriculture sub-sectors.

Findings

The results indicated that educational level, means of transportation, lack of land and access to formal agricultural credit are the most significant factors that push rural farmers to participate in non-farm activities. Surprisingly, the effect of household income was positive and significant, implying that individuals from rich households have higher opportunity to engage in non-farm activities compared to their poor counterparts. The results also revealed some variations in the factors that influence participation in non-farm activities according to the agricultural sub-sectors.

Originality/value

The originality of this article lies in investigating the factors that influence participation in non-farm activities across irrigated and rainfed systems. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study identifying the determinants of participation in non-farm activities across agriculture sub-sectors. Therefore, the paper fills an important gap in the literature and helps in designing appropriate pro-poor policies to allocate infrastructures across irrigated and rainfed areas in Sudan.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2022-0092.
The influence of remote work communication satisfaction and CSR association on employee alienation and job satisfaction: a moderated-mediation study
Authors: Kakkar Shiva , Kuril Samvet , Singh Swati , Saha Surajit , Dugar Anurag
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Scholars and practitioners have raised concerns that mandatory remote work can lead to feelings of isolation and alienation in employees. Therefore, this study aims to investigate this issue by examining the impact of work communication satisfaction in remote environments on employee alienation and job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Sensemaking and social information processing (SIP) theory are used for formulating the hypotheses. To test the hypotheses, primary data were collected from 418 employees working in various Indian organizations and analyzed using AMOS and Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Findings

The findings reveal that work communication satisfaction is negatively associated with alienation and positively associated with job satisfaction. Alienation mediated the relationship between work communication satisfaction and job satisfaction. Additionally, employees belonging to organizations with stronger CSR associations reported feeling less alienated than employees of organizations with weaker CSR associations.

Practical implications

Organizations can improve work communication satisfaction by devising remote communication plans that clarify employee expectations regarding the frequency, purpose and channel of communication. Additionally, organizations should communicate their CSR efforts to employees, particularly during times of crisis, as this can help improve employee impressions of the organization.

Originality/value

The study extends the work on alienation by approaching it from the perspective of sensemaking. The research demonstrates how work and non-work-related social information cues (work communication and CSR associations) can influence employee attitudes through their sensemaking. The context of the study adds to its uniqueness.
Effect of bond market development on economic growth of selected developing countries
Authors: Nneka Uguanyi Jacinta , Ngong Chi Aloysius , Ugoada Okeke Augustina , Onwumere Josaphat Uchechukwu Joe
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper examines the effect of bond market development on economic growth of selected developing countries from 1990 to 2020. Previous studies provide inconsistent results on the effect of bond market development on economic growth. Some results reveal positive effects while others show negative effects of bond market development on economic growth. These conflicting findings have motivated research.

Design/methodology/approach

The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and co-integration methods are used for analysis. The gross domestic product per capita proxies economic growth while government bond capitalisation and corporate bond capitalisation measure bond market development.

Findings

The findings unveil a long-term effect within the series. The results disclose that government bond capitalisation, trade openness and inflation positively affect economic growth while corporate bond capitalisation and domestic credit to the private sector presents negative effects on economic growth.

Research limitations/implications

The results propose that the governments should issue more bonds to raise funds for long-term economic growth initiatives. The governments should promote bond market development such that the corporate bonds issued boost economic growth by limiting lengthy documentations and bottlenecks in the bond market listing and issue procedures. The policymakers and regulatory authorities should implement policies which attract investors and encourage companies' listing in the countries' bond markets.

Originality/value

The study’s findings add value that government bond capitalisation positively impacts economic growth, while corporate bond capitalisation negatively affects economic growth in developing countries.
Analysing the alignment between the Green Lean and Circular strategies: towards a Circular Lean approach
Authors: Kalemkerian Florencia , Santos Javier , Tanco Martin , Garza-Reyes Jose Arturo , Viles Elisabeth
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Green Lean tools are aligned with the Circular Economy strategy as they aim at reducing waste, however, they miss the creation of value through waste. Therefore, this paper investigates whether the current implementation of the Green Lean strategy promotes the introduction of the Circular philosophy to achieve sustainable management production processes. It analyses how the resources were managed by implementing the different strategies and tools presented in Green Lean case studies under the lens of Circular Economy and highlights future research paths on the Circular Lean integration.

Design/methodology/approach

An analysis of the implementation of Green Lean case studies, selected through a Systematic Literature Review, from the manufacturing sector is conducted.

Findings

The majority of Green Lean implementations were aimed at minimizing waste, which is aligned with the narrowing strategy of Circular Economy and only a few cases studies aimed at closing the production cycles. Even though the main results indicate that being eco-efficient is a good starting point to move towards sustainability, from a Circular Economy point of view, this approach could remain limited. Therefore, the current contribution of Green Lean to the implementation of circular practices is limited. It can be concluded that introducing the circular philosophy in the Green Lean methodology can be achieved through redirecting Green Lean from waste reduction towards a value creation focus.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is that it provides a critical review of the literature on the topic of Green Lean integration and Circular Economy.
The Doughnut Destination: applying Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economy perspective to rethink tourism destination management
Authors: Hartman Stefan , Heslinga Jasper Hessel
Published: May 2022

Purpose

In this viewpoint paper, the authors explore and discuss how Kate Raworth's (2017) Doughnut Economy perspective and accompanying “Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist” can be applied to rethink the future of tourism destination management for the better.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors take a “transferability” approach, being a process performed by the authors as readers of existing work noting its specifics in order to compare them to the specifics of an environment with which they are familiar. In this viewpoint paper, the authors apply the work of Raworth to the environment of tourism destination development.

Findings

The Doughnut Economy perspective and the accompanying “seven ways” help forward tourism destination management in the future, even more when it is interpreted and tailored to a tourism context and reconceptualized as the Doughnut Destination as presented in this paper.

Originality/value

The work of Kate Raworth has been gaining interest and support throughout academia, society and in various (economic) policy domains. Surprisingly, it has not been applied to the tourism context to its full extent, even though it offers much potential in recent discussions on overtourism, carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change as well as offering a possible framework to structure monitoring effects in the pursuit of developing smart tourism destinations.
COVID-19, sustainability and Olympic Games: which lessons can we learn from Tokyo 2020?
Authors: Russo Eduardo , Figueira Ariane Roder , Mataruna-dos-Santos Leonardo José
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to understand how the sustainability theme has been incorporated into the new Olympic planning guidelines based on analysing the case of Tokyo (2020), which was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

For this, field research using the case study method was carried out that involved 21 in-depth interviews with experts from different entities affected by the event.

Findings

As a result, it was possible to identify that some characteristics already presented in the Tokyo project came to break away from the gigantism observed in the past Olympic editions in an attempt to demonstrate alignment with the new principles brought by the IOC (2020) and 2020 + 5 Agenda that had as one of its main objectives to simplify the Olympics, making the event more sustainable and accessible for future host societies.

Originality/value

At the end, some trends for the future of the Olympic Games are also presented in order to guide future studies in the area, as well as help the future host cities and their companies in planning their investments.
Structural equation modelling – artificial neural network based hybrid approach for assessing quality of university cafeteria services
Authors: Uluskan Meryem
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to show the effectiveness and applicability of artificial intelligence applications in the measurement and evaluation of university services. Universities can gain competitive advantage through providing their students with quality services in various aspects, such as bookstores, dormitories, recreation centers as well as cafeterias. Among these facilities, university cafeterias are places where students spend a significant amount of time. Therefore, this study aims to integrate artificial intelligence application in the evaluation of university cafeteria services based on students' perceptions with two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) approach.

Design/methodology/approach

An artificial intelligence based SEM-ANN hybrid approach was used to determine the factors that have significant influence on student satisfaction, sufficiency-of-services and likelihood-of-recommendation. Data were collected from 373 students through a face-to-face questionnaire. Initially, four service quality dimensions were attained through factor analysis. Then, hypotheses, which were determined via literature review, were tested through SEM-ANN hybrid approach.

Findings

Incorporating the results of SEM analysis into the ANN technique resulted in superior models with good prediction performance. Based on four ANN models created and ANN sensitivity analyses conducted, significant predictors of satisfaction, sufficiency, reliability and recommendation are determined and ranked.

Originality/value

Prior studies have assessed service quality using traditional techniques, whereas, this study integrates artificial intelligence in the assessment of higher-educational institutions' services quality. Also, as a distinction from previous studies, this study ranked importance levels of predictor variables through ANN sensitivity analysis.
Toxin tolerance across landscapes: Ecological exposure not a prerequisite
Authors: Dearing M. Denise , Orr Teri J. , Klure Dylan M. , Greenhalgh Robert , Weinstein Sara B. , Stapleton Tess E. , Yamada KayLene Y. H. , Nelson Madeleine D. , Doolin Margaret L. , Nielsen Danny P. , Matocq Marjorie D. , Shapiro Michael D.
Published: May 2022

Little is known about the tolerances of mammalian herbivores to plant specialized metabolites across landscapes.

We investigated the tolerances of two species of herbivorous woodrats, Neotoma lepida (desert woodrat) and Neotoma bryanti (Bryant's woodrat) to creosote bush Larrea tridentata, a widely distributed shrub with a highly toxic resin. Woodrats were sampled from 13 locations both with and without creosote bush across a 900 km transect in the US southwest. We tested whether these woodrat populations consume creosote bush using plant metabarcoding of faeces and quantified their tolerance to creosote bush through feeding trials using chow amended with creosote resin.

Toxin tolerance was analysed in the context of population structure across collection sites with microsatellite analyses. Genetic differentiation among woodrats collected from different locations was minimal within either species. Tolerance differed substantially between the two species, with N. lepida persisting 20% longer than N. bryanti in feeding trials with creosote resin. Furthermore, in both species, tolerance to creosote resin was similar among woodrats near or within creosote bush habitat. In both species, woodrats collected >25 km from creosote had markedly lower tolerances to creosote resin compared to animals from within the range of creosote bush.

The results imply that mammalian herbivores are adapted to the specialized metabolites of plants in their diet, and that this tolerance can extend several kilometres outside of the range of dietary items. That is, direct ecological exposure to the specialized chemistry of particular plant species is not a prerequisite for tolerance to these compounds. These findings lay the groundwork for additional studies to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying toxin tolerance and to identify how these mechanisms are maintained across landscape‐level scales in mammalian herbivores.

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The effects of climate and land use on British bumblebees: Findings from a decade of citizen‐science observations
Authors: Whitehorn Penelope R. , Seo Bumsuk , Comont Richard F. , Rounsevell Mark , Brown Calum
Published: May 2022

Bumblebees are important pollinators but are suffering from population declines due to land use intensification and climate change. In‐depth knowledge of species' relationships with different land use and climate variables is invaluable to guide conservation efforts, as well as enable predictions to be made about the impacts of future changes in these variables.

Here we use 10 years of bumblebee abundance data from the UK, collected by citizen scientists as part of the BeeWalk scheme, to investigate associations between 14 bumblebee species and various land use, habitat and climate variables. National‐scale land cover and climate data were complemented with observer‐collected habitat data.

Bumblebee presence and abundance showed strong relationships with environmental variables. However, interspecific variation was far stronger than commonalities, which suggests that targeted conservation work is required to effectively safeguard particular species. Within species, we found evidence of different habitat associations between reproductive and worker castes.

The results also showed that wetland and riparian habitats had consistently positive associations with a number of species, while semi‐natural, arable and urban areas had strongly species‐specific associations.

Synthesis and applications. This study reveals strong effects of specific habitats occurring within broad land cover types on the presence and abundance of bumblebees, with several distinct habitats having importance for different species and castes. Consequently, conservation efforts need to be carefully tailored to particular species. Nevertheless, reversing the loss of semi‐natural areas such as wetlands may be the single most generally effective action for bumblebee conservation while improving habitats in urban and arable areas could benefit particular (rare) species. Our results also suggest that the combination of long‐term, detailed monitoring data of both species and habitats, here collected by citizen scientists, with remotely sensed landcover and climate data is essential to extend knowledge of species' habitat requirements and to support future research and conservation.
Calcium for pre‐eclampsia prevention: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis to guide personalised antenatal care
Authors: Woo Kinshella Mai‐Lei , Sarr Catherine , Sandhu Akshdeep , Bone Jeffrey N. , Vidler Marianne , Moore Sophie E. , Elango Rajavel , Cormick Gabriela , Belizan José M. , Hofmeyr G. Justus , Magee Laura A. , von Dadelszen Peter ,   the PRECISE Network
Published: May 2022

Background

Calcium supplementation reduces the risk of pre‐eclampsia, but questions remain about the dosage to prescribe and who would benefit most.

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of high (≥1 g/day) and low (<1 g/day) calcium dosing for pre‐eclampsia prevention, according to baseline dietary calcium, pre‐eclampsia risk and co‐interventions, and intervention timing.

Search strategy

CENTRAL, PubMed, Global Index Medicus and CINAHL, from inception to 2 February 2021, clinical trial registries, reference lists and expert input (CRD42018111239).

Selection criteria

Randomised controlled trials of calcium supplementation for pre‐eclampsia prevention, for women before or during pregnancy. Network meta‐analysis (NMA) also included trials of different calcium doses.

Data collection and analysis

Two independent reviewers extracted published data. The meta‐analysis employed random‐effects models and the NMA, a Bayesian random‐effects model, to obtain direct and indirect effect estimates.

Main results

The meta‐analysis included 30 trials (N = 20 445 women), and the NMA to evaluate calcium dosage included 25 trials (N = 15 038). Calcium supplementation prevented pre‐eclampsia similarly with a high dose (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.36–0.66) or a low dose (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.36–0.65). By NMA, high‐dose (vs low‐dose) calcium did not differ in effect (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.43–1.40). Calcium was similarly effective regardless of baseline pre‐eclampsia risk, vitamin D co‐administration or timing of calcium initiation, but calcium was ineffective among women with adequate average baseline calcium intake.

Conclusions

Low‐ and high‐dose calcium supplementation are effective for pre‐eclampsia prevention in women with low calcium intake. This has implications for population‐level implementation where dietary calcium is low, and targeted implementation where average intake is adequate.

Tweetable abstract

A network meta‐analysis of 25 trials found that low‐dose calcium supplementation (<1 g/day) is as effective as high‐dose calcium supplementation (≥1 g/day) in halving the risk of pre‐eclampsia when baseline calcium intake is low.