bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of α 1 Antitrypsin Phenotype and Development of Advanced Liver Disease and Pulmonary Complications Before and After Liver Transplantation
Authors: Abu Rmilah Anan , Fencl Robert , Watt Kymberly , Krowka Michael , Wiesner Russell , Murray David , Nyberg Scott , Leise Michael
Published: July 2020

Background.

The role of MZ phenotype of α 1 antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency as a potential cofactor in advanced liver disease arising from other primary causes is not widely understood. In the general population, MZ phenotype accounts for 2%–4% in Europe and 2%–7.1% in North America. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the MZ phenotype among various causes of cirrhosis in the United States in the modern era and its impact on pulmonary function before and after liver transplantation.

Methods.

This retrospective study included adult patients with cirrhosis who underwent liver transplantation at Mayo Clinic. Participants’ data including pathogenesis of cirrhosis, model for end-stage liver disease-Na score, α1AT phenotype, liver decompensation events, and pulmonary outcomes was determined by retrospective review of the liver transplantation database.

Results.

One hundred thirty of 1341 adult patients with cirrhosis (9.7%) were α1AT MZ carriers. When comparing the distribution of protease inhibitor (PI) MZ among different pathogenesis, the prevalence of MZ was significantly increased in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and cryptogenic cirrhosis compared with other causes. Thirty-seven of 171 with NASH (22%), 37 of 187 with ALD (20%), and 9 of 39 with cryptogenic cirrhosis (23.1%) were identified as PI MZ, while in other subgroups; we detected 18 of 320 with viral hepatitis, and 11 of 339 with primary biliary cholangitis/primary sclerosing cholangitis. Also, MZ patients were more likely to develop preoperative chronic obstructive lung disease, and postoperative pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism than MM patients.

Conclusions.

The rates of preoperative and postoperative pulmonary complications were found to be higher in PI MZ patients than in PI MM patients. The MZ phenotype was significantly enriched in NASH, ALD, and cryptogenic cirrhosis.
Seizure Risk in Patients Undergoing 30-Day Readmission After Continuous EEG Monitoring
Authors: Punia Vineet , Burgess Richard , Newey Christopher R. , Hantus Stephen
Published: July 2020

Purpose:

The use of continuous electroencephalographic (cEEG) monitoring has improved the understanding of the seizure risk during acute hospitalization. However, the immediate posthospitalization seizure risk in these patients remains unknown. Patients undergoing 30-day readmission after initial cEEG monitoring were analyzed to fill this knowledge gap.

Methods:

A prospectively maintained cEEG database (January 1, 2015–December 31, 2015) was used to identify adults who underwent a repeat cEEG during their 30-day readmission after cEEG during their index hospitalization (index cEEG). Various demographical, clinical, and cEEG variables were extracted including indication for cEEG: altered mental status and clinical seizure-like events.

Results:

A total of 57 of the 2,485 (2.3%) adults undergoing index cEEG during the study period had concerns for seizures and underwent repeat cEEG during a 30-day readmission. These patients were almost three times more likely to have suffered electrographic seizure on the index admission (odds ratio, 2.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.54–5.15; P < 0.001) compared with non-readmitted patients. Seizure-like events led to the readmission of 40.4% patients. Close to one in five (19.3%) readmitted patients were found to have an electrographic seizure. Only variable predictive of seizure on readmission was seizure-like events (odds ratio, 6.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–33.0; P = 0.02).

Conclusions:

A small percentage of patients have clinical presentation concerning for seizures with in 30 days after index cEEG. The risk of electrographic seizures in this patient population is higher than patients who have cEEG monitoring but do not undergo a 30-day readmission requiring repeat cEEG. Future research on early identification of patients at risk of 30-day readmission because of concerns for seizure is needed.
Circulating tumour cells: a broad perspective
Authors: Akpe Victor , Kim Tak H. , Brown Christopher L. , Cock Ian E.
Published: July 2020

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) have recently been identified as valuable biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic evaluations, as well for monitoring therapeutic responses to treatments. CTCs are rare cells which may be present as one CTC surrounded by approximately 1 million white blood cells and 1 billion red blood cells per millilitre of peripheral blood. Despite the various challenges in CTC detection, considerable progress in detection methods have been documented in recent times, particularly for methodologies incorporating nanomaterial-based platforms and/or integrated microfluidics. Herein, we summarize the importance of CTCs as biological markers for tumour detection, highlight their mechanism of cellular invasion and discuss the various challenges associated with CTC research, including vulnerability, heterogeneity, phenotypicity and size differences. In addition, we describe nanomaterial agents used for electrochemistry and surface plasmon resonance applications, which have recently been used to selectively capture cancer cells and amplify signals for CTC detection. The intrinsic properties of nanomaterials have also recently been exploited to achieve photothermal destruction of cancer cells. This review describes recent advancements and future perspectives in the CTC field.
The effect of an exterior electric field on the instability of dielectric plates
Authors: Su Yipin , Chen Weiqiu , Dorfmann Luis , Destrade Michel
Published: July 2020

We investigate the theoretical nonlinear response, Hessian stability, and possible wrinkling behaviour of a voltage-activated dielectric plate immersed in a tank filled with silicone oil. Fixed rigid electrodes are placed on the top and bottom of the tank, and an electric field is generated by a potential difference between the electrodes. We solve the associated incremental boundary value problem of superimposed, inhomogeneous small-amplitude wrinkles, signalling the onset of instability. We decouple the resulting bifurcation equation into symmetric and antisymmetric modes. For a neo-Hookean dielectric plate, we show that a potential difference between the electrodes can induce a thinning of the plate and thus an increase of its planar area, similar to the scenarios encountered when there is no silicone oil. However, we also find that, depending on the material and geometric parameters, an increasing applied voltage can also lead to a
thickening
of the plate, and thus a shrinking of its area. In that scenario, Hessian instability and wrinkling bifurcation may then occur spontaneously once some critical voltages are reached.
Epidemiological dynamics of enterovirus D68 in the US: implications for acute flaccid myelitis
Authors: Park Sang Woo , Farrar Jeremy , Messacar Kevin , Meyers Lindsay , Pons-Salort Margarita , Grenfell Bryan T.
Published: July 2020

The lack of active surveillance for enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in the US has hampered the ability to assess the relationship with predominantly biennial epidemics of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare but serious neurological condition. Using novel surveillance data from the BioFire®Syndromic Trends (Trend) epidemiology network, we characterize the epidemiological dynamics of EV-D68 and demonstrate strong spatiotemporal association with AFM. Although the recent dominant biennial cycles of EV-D68 dynamics may not be stable, we show that a major EV-D68 epidemic, and hence an AFM outbreak, would still be possible in 2020 under normal epidemiological conditions. Significant social distancing due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could reduce the size of an EV-D68 epidemic in 2020, illustrating the potential broader epidemiological impact of the pandemic.

NOTE

This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice.
Severity detection for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients using a machine learning model based on the blood and urine tests
Authors: Yao Haochen , Zhang Nan , Zhang Ruochi , Duan Meiyu , Xie Tianqi , Pan Jiahui , Peng Ejun , Huang Juanjuan , Zhang Yingli , Xu Xiaoming , Xu Hong , Zhou Fengfeng , Wang Guoqing
Published: July 2020

The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused serious challenges to the human society in China and across the world. COVID-19 induced pneumonia in human hosts and carried a highly inter-person contagiousness. The COVID-19 patients may carry severe symptoms, and some of them may even die of major organ failures. This study utilized the machine learning algorithms to build the COVID-19 severeness detection model. Support vector machine (SVM) demonstrated a promising detection accuracy after 32 features were detected to be significantly associated with the COVID-19 severeness. These 32 features were further screened for inter-feature redundancies. The final SVM model was trained using 28 features and achieved the overall accuracy 0.8148. This work may facilitate the risk estimation of whether the COVID-19 patients would develop the severe symptoms. The 28 COVID-19 severeness associated biomarkers may also be investigated for their underlining mechanisms how they were involved in the COVID-19 infections.
Learning and Sleep Have Divergent Effects on Cytosolic and Membrane-Associated Ribosomal mRNA Profiles in Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Delorme James , Wang Lijing , Kodoth Varna , Wang Yifan , Ma Jingqun , Jiang Sha , Aton Sara J.
Published: July 2020

The hippocampus plays an essential role in consolidating transient experiences into long-lasting memories. Memory consolidation can be facilitated by post-learning sleep, although the underlying cellular mechanisms are undefined. Here, we addressed this question using a mouse model of hippocampally-mediated, sleep-dependent memory consolidation (contextual fear memory; CFM), which is known to be disrupted by post-learning sleep loss. We used translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) to quantify ribosome-associated RNAs in different subcellular compartments (cytosol and membrane) and in different hippocampal cell populations (either whole hippocampus, Camk2a+ excitatory neurons, or highly active neurons expressing phosphorylated ribosomal subunit S6 [pS6+]). Using RNA-seq, we examined how these transcript profiles change as a function of sleep vs. sleep deprivation (SD) and as a function of prior learning (contextual fear conditioning; CFC). Surprisingly, we found that while many mRNAs on cytosolic ribosomes were altered by sleep loss, almost none were altered by learning. Of the few changes in cytosolic ribosomal transcript abundance following CFC, almost all were occluded by subsequent SD. This effect was particularly pronounced in pS6+ neurons with the highest level of neuronal activity following CFC, suggesting SD-induced disruption of post-learning transcript changes in putative “engram” neurons. In striking contrast, far fewer transcripts on membranebound (MB) ribosomes were altered by SD, and many more mRNAs (and lncRNAs) were altered on MB ribosomes as a function of prior learning. For hippocampal neurons, cellular pathways most significantly affected by CFC were involved in structural remodeling. Comparisons of post-CFC transcript profiles between freely-sleeping and SD mice implicated changes in cellular metabolism in Camk2a+ neurons, and increased protein synthesis capacity in pS6+ neurons, as biological processes disrupted by post-learning sleep loss.
Short-Delay Neurofeedback Facilitates Training of the Parietal Alpha Rhythm
Authors: Belinskaia Anastasiia , Smetanin Nikolai , Lebedev Mikhail , Ossadtchi Alexei
Published: July 2020

The therapeutic effects of neurofeedback (NFB) remain controversial. Here we show that visual NFB of parietal electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha-activity is efficient only when delivered to human subjects at short latency, which guarantees that NFB arrives when an alpha spindle is still ongoing. NFB was displayed either as soon as EEG envelope was processed, or with an extra 250 or 500-ms delay. The time course of NFB-induced changes in the alpha rhythm clearly depended on NFB latency, as shown with the adaptive Neyman test. NFB had a strong effect on the alpha-spindle incidence rate, but not on their duration or amplitude. The sustained changes in alpha activity measured after the completion of NFB training were negatively correlated to latency, with the maximum change for the shortest tested latency and no change for the longest. Such a considerable effect of NFB latency on the alpha-activity temporal structure could explain some of the previous inconsistent results, where latency was neither controlled nor documented. Clinical practitioners and manufacturers of NFB equipment should add latency to their specifications while enabling latency monitoring and supporting short-latency operations.
Age-severity matched cytokine profiling reveals specific signatures in Covid-19 patients
Authors: Angioni Roberta , Sanchez-Rodriguez Ricardo , Munari Fabio , Bertoldi Nicole , Arcidiacono Diletta , Cavinato Silvia , Marturano Davide , Cattelan Annamaria , Viola Antonella , Molon Barbara
Published: July 2020

A global effort is currently undertaken to restrain the COVID-19 pandemic. Host immunity has come out as a determinant for COVID-19 clinical outcome, and several studies investigated the immune profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infected people to properly direct the clinical management of the disease. Thus, lymphopenia, T-cell exhaustion, and the increased levels of inflammatory mediators have been described in COVID-19 patients, in particular in severe cases1. Age represents a key factor in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality2. Understanding age-associated immune signatures of patients is therefore important to identify preventive and therapeutic strategies. In this study, we investigated the immune profile of COVID-19 hospitalized patients identifying a distinctive age-dependent immune signature associated with disease severity. Indeed, defined circulating factors - CXCL8, IL-10, IL-15, IL-27 and TNF-α - positively correlate with older age, longer hospitalization, and a more severe form of the disease and may thus represent the leading signature in critical COVID-19 patients.
Serial household serosurvey for COVID-19 in low and high transmission neighborhoods of urban Pakistan
Authors: Nisar Muhammad Imran , Ansari Nadia , Amin Mashal , Hotwani Aneeta , Khalid Farah , Rehman Najeeb , Rizvi Arjumand , Memon Arslan , Ahmed Zahoor , Ahmed Ashfaque , Iqbal Junaid , Saleem Ali Faisal , Aamir Uzma Bashir , Larremore Daniel B , Fosdick Bailey , Jehan Fyezah
Published: July 2020

Serial household antibody sero-surveys informs the pandemic where testing is nonuniform. Young populations with intergenerational co-residence may have different transmission dynamics. We conducted two serial cross-sectional surveys in April and June 2020 in low- and high-transmission neighborhoods of Karachi, Pakistan, using random sampling. Symptoms were assessed and blood tested for antibody using chemiluminescence. Seroprevalence was adjusted using Bayesian regression and post stratification. CRI with 95% confidence intervals was obtained. We enrolled 2004 participants from 406 households. In June 8.7% (95% CI 5.1-13.1) and 15.1% (95% CI 9.4 -21.7) were infected in low- and high-transmission-areas respectively compared with 0.2% (95% CI 0-0.7) and 0.4% (95% CI 0 - 1.3) in April. Conditional risk of infection was 0.31 (95% CI 0.16-0.47) and 0.41(95% CI 0.28-0.52) in District Malir & District East respectively with overall only 5.4% symptomatic. Rapid increase in seroprevalence from baseline is seen in Karachi, with a high probability of infection within household.
Rapid host response to an infection with Coronavirus. Study of transcriptional responses with Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Authors: Hou Wei , Liu Fei , van der Poel Wim H.M. , Hulst Marcel M.
Published: July 2020

The transcriptional response in Vero cells (ATCC®CCL-81) infected with the coronavirus Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) was measured by RNAseq analysis 4 and 6 hours after infection. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) in PEDV infected cells were compared to DEGs responding in Vero cells infected with Mammalian Orthoreovirus (MRV). Functional analysis of MRV and PEDV DEGs showed that MRV increased the expression level of several cytokines and chemokines (e.g. IL6, CXCL10, IL1A, CXCL8 [alias IL8]) and antiviral genes (e.g. IFI44, IFIT1, MX1, OASL), whereas for PEDV no enhanced expression was observed for these “hallmark” antiviral and immune effector genes. Pathway and Gene Ontology “enrichment analysis” revealed that PEDV infection did not stimulate expression of genes able to activate an acquired immune response, whereas MRV did so within 6h. Instead, PEDV down-regulated the expression of a set of zinc finger proteins with putative antiviral activity and enhanced the expression of the transmembrane serine protease gene TMPRSS13 (alias MSPL) to support its own infection by virus-cell membrane fusion (Shi et al, 2017, Viruses, 9(5):114). PEDV also down-regulated expression of Ectodysplasin A, a cytokine of the TNF-family able to activate the canonical NFKB-pathway responsible for transcription of inflammatory genes like IL1B, TNF, CXCL8 and PTGS2. The only 2 cytokine genes found up-regulated by PEDV were Cardiotrophin-1, an IL6-type cytokine with pleiotropic functions on different tissues and types of cells, and Endothelin 2, a neuroactive peptide with vasoconstrictive properties. Furthermore, by comprehensive datamining in biological and chemical databases and consulting related literature we identified sets of PEDV-response genes with potential to influence i) the metabolism of biogenic amines (e.g. histamine), ii) the formation of cilia and “synaptic clefts” between cells, iii) epithelial mucus production, iv) platelets activation, and v) physiological processes in the body regulated by androgenic hormones (like blood pressure, salt/water balance and energy homeostasis). The information in this study describing a “very early” response of epithelial cells to an infection with a coronavirus may provide pharmacologists, immunological and medical specialists additional insights in the underlying mechanisms of coronavirus associated severe clinical symptoms including those induced by SARS-CoV-2. This may help them to fine-tune therapeutic treatments and apply specific approved drugs to treat COVID-19 patients.
Pyronaridine and artesunate are potential antiviral drugs against COVID-19 and influenza
Authors: Bae Joon-Yong , Lee Gee Eun , Park Heedo , Cho Juyoung , Kim Yung-Eui , Lee Joo-Yeon , Ju Chung , Kim Won-Ki , Kim Jin Il , Park Man-Seong
Published: July 2020

Since the first human case was reported in Wuhan Province, China in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has caused millions of human infections in more than 200 countries worldwide with an approximately 4.01% case-fatality rate (as of 27 July, 2020; based on a WHO situation report), and COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed our global community. Even though a few candidate drugs, such as remdesivir (a broad antiviral prodrug) and hydroxychloroquine, have been investigated in human clinical trials, their therapeutic efficacy needs to be clarified further to be used to treat COVID-19 patients. Here we show that pyronaridine and artesunate, which are the chemical components of anti-malarial drug Pyramax®, exhibit antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses. In human lung epithelial (Calu-3) cells, pyronaridine and artesunate were highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 while hydroxychloroquine did not show any effect at concentrations of less than 100 μM. In viral growth kinetics, both pyronaridine and artesunate inhibited the growth of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza A virus in Calu-3 cells. Taken together, we suggest that artesunate and pyronaridine might be effective drug candidates for use in human patients with COVID-19 and/or influenza, which may co-circulate during this coming winter season.
A functional hierarchy for choice in medial prefrontal cortex
Authors: Maisson David J-N. , Cash-Padgett Tyler V. , Hayden Benjamin Y. , Heilbronner Sarah R. , Zimmermann Jan
Published: July 2020

Hierarchical approaches to functional neuroanatomy propose that choice-relevant brain regions have overlapping functions and can be organized into a series that progressively transforms information about options into choices. Here, we examined responses of neurons in four regions of the medial prefrontal cortex as macaques performed two-option risky choices. All four regions encoded economic variables in similar proportions and showed putative signatures of key choice-related computations. We found evidence for a hierarchical organization proceeding from areas 14→25→32→24. Specifically, we found that decodability of eight distinct task variables increased along that path, consistent with the idea that hierarchically later regions make these variables more separable. We also found longer intrinsic timescales in the same series, further supporting the idea of a hierarchy. Together these results highlight the importance of the medial wall in choice, endorse a specific hierarchical organization, and argue against a modular functional neuroanatomy of choice.
Subject structure of the research area on collaborative information behaviour
Authors: Sapa Remigiusz
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The principal aim of the present study was to identify and model the subject structure of the research area on collaborative information behaviour (CIB).

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative, inductive and exploratory approach was adopted, and the method of thematic analysis was used. This study was based on the analysis of 79 publications selected from the Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) database in April 2019.

Findings

Collaborative and collective information behaviours were differentiated, and the subject structure of the CIB research area was identified to contain collaborative activities oriented to both information access and content, their various conditions, means of conducting, experiences of selected communities and metascientific research on the area itself.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations result primarily from relying on the research material selected from the database (LISTA) focussed mainly on the issues of library and information science.

Originality/value

This study contributes by proposing an original model of the CIB research area representing its subject structure and providing a coherent list of subjects of interest to CIB researchers. Hopefully, it will also contribute to the harmonisation of terminology related to this research area and thus facilitate communication between CIB researchers and accelerate the cumulative development of scientific knowledge on CIB.
Managing public–private partnerships: a transmission pattern of underlying dynamics determining project performance
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Xueqing , Liu Mingshuai , Liu Henry , Liu Bingsheng
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The performance of public–private partnerships (PPPs) can be determined by a variety of factors, i.e. influencing factors (IFs). This study is undertaken for a purpose of identifying how such factors determine the project's performance (i.e. factor transmission patterns), particularly from the key stakeholders' perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid approach, which comprises a Social Network Analysis, ISM (i.e. Interpretive Structural Modeling) and an improved DEMATEL (i.e. Decision-Making Trail and Evaluation Laboratory), was developed to analyze the causal relationships between the identified IFs as well as the transmission patterns of their impacts on PPPs. Data were collected from interviews and questionnaire surveys.

Findings

The transmission patterns of the identified IFs cascade from project environment and features and stakeholders' relationship to the project company capabilities and project process. It is identified that the public authority has a higher level than that of the private entity in PPPs.

Research limitations/implications

It lacks longitudinal studies to investigate the dynamics of PPP stakeholder relationships and social networks. Future research needs to explore the transmission patterns of sub-factors affecting PPP performance and extend the applicability of the developed hybrid approach.

Practical implications

This research provides practitioners with a robust tool that is useful for and insights into enhancing the management of lifecycle performance. It ensures the public authorities and private entities embarking on PPPs will make an informed decision about the monitoring of the life cycle performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge of managerial mechanisms that can be adopted to manage factors determining the performance of PPPs. It enables an understanding of stakeholders' roles in driving the life cycle performance of PPPs.
Not all experiential consumers are created equals: the interplay of customer equity drivers on brand loyalty
Authors: Cuong Pham Hung , Nguyen Oanh Dinh Yen , Ngo Liem Viet , Nguyen Nguyen Phong
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This study aims to use social exchange theory and the principle of reciprocity in proposing a theoretical model to examine the essential but unexplored unique roles of individual customer equity drivers (CEDs) and their contribution to brand loyalty. This study identifies a reciprocity pathway in that brand equity, which mediates the linkage between relationship equity and brand loyalty. This study further posits that the linkage between relationship equity and brand equity is contingent on value equity. The authors then incorporate value equity as a moderator upon which the interrelationships among CEDs and brand loyalty may vary.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample consisted of 2,268 shoppers in a metropolitan city in Vietnam.

Findings

Relationship equity significantly determines brand loyalty through the moderating effect of value equity and the mediating effect of brand equity. Interestingly, these relationships are diverse across different experiential types of consumers.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to a better understanding of why and when value equity, brand equity and relationship equity trigger brand loyalty. Brand equity and value equity are the two underlying mechanisms that establish a moderated mediation model between CEDs and brand loyalty. The findings of this study show that experiential consumers are not created equals. The strength of the relationships between CEDs and brand loyalty differ among the five clusters of experiential consumers.

Practical implications

This study reveals the critical relationships between the three components of customer equity in the supermarket industry. The findings provide concrete direction for managers and marketers to be more effective in allocating resources, tailoring their marketing strategies and, accordingly, promoting brand loyalty of different types of consumers.

Originality/value

This study reveals the underlyingmodus operandithat explains the reciprocity effects of CEDs and the contingency role of brand experience on the CEDs–loyalty link. This study shows that brand equity fosters and sustains the reciprocity generated when consumers perceive a high level of relationship equity, serving as a mediator between relationship equity and brand loyalty. Importantly, value equity is an important moderator for strengthening this reciprocity effect. Furthermore, this study identifies a typology of experience-focussed consumers and shows that the CEDs–loyalty link significantly varies by these types of experiential appeal that characterise the consumers.
China's overcapacity industry evaluation based on TOPSIS grey relational projection method with mixed attributes
Authors: Hao Xiumei , Li Mingwei , Chen Yuting
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper takes the seven overcapacity industries such as the textile industry, electricity and heat, steel, coal, automobile manufacturing, nonferrous metals and petrochemical industry as research objects and proposes a TOPSIS grey relational projection group decision method with mixed multiattributes, which is used for the ranking of the seven industries with overcapacity and provided relevant departments with a basis for decision-making.

Design/methodology/approach

First, an evaluation index system from four aspects is established. Secondly, the attributes of linguistic information are converted into two-dimensional interval numbers and triangular fuzzy numbers, and an evaluation matrix is constructed and normalized. This paper uses the AHP method to determine the subjective weights and uses the coefficient of variation method to determine the objective weights. Moreover, this paper sets up the optimization model with the largest comprehensive evaluation value to determine the combined weights. Finally, the TOPSIS grey relational projection method is proposed to calculate the closeness of grey relational projections and to rank them.

Findings

This paper analyzes the problem of overcapacity in seven industries with the TOPSIS grey relational projection method. The results show that the four industries of automobile manufacturing, textile, coal and petrochemical are all in serious overcapacity levels, while the three industries of steel, nonferrous metals and electric power are relatively in weak overcapacity level in the three years of 2016–2018. TOPSIS grey relational projection method ranks the overcapacity degree of the seven major overcapacity industries, making the relative overcapacity degree of each industry more clear and providing a reference for the government to formulate targeted policies and measures for each industry.

Practical implications

By using TOPSIS grey relational projection method to evaluate the overcapacity of the seven major overcapacity industries, on the one hand, it makes the relative overcapacity degree of each industry more clear, on the other hand, it can provides the basis for the government and decision-making departments. This helps them promote better the healthy and orderly economic development of the seven major industries and avoid resource waste caused by overcapacity.

Originality/value

This article solves the single evaluation method caused by the limited indicators in the past, combines TOPSIS and the grey relational projection method and applies it to the overcapacity evaluation of the industry, not only applies it to the evaluation of overcapacity for the first time but also involves novel problems and methods, which expands the scope of application of the model.
Financial management, division of financial management power and financial literacy in the family context – evidence from relationship partner dyads
Authors: Bialowolski Piotr , Cwynar Andrzej , Weziak-Bialowolska Dorota
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The article aims to study the relationship between the assignments of financial management responsibilities and the level of financial literacy within married and cohabitating couples.

Design/methodology/approach

The link between household financial management and the financial literacy of union partners was examined using dyadic survey data. In the dyadic multilevel regression analysis, the financial management process was scrutinized, and two distinct measures of financial literacy (tested and self-assessed) were used as the outcomes in the analysis.

Findings

The extent to which married and cohabitating individuals engage in household financial management was found to positively correlate with their financial literacy. Self-reports about the division of financial management responsibilities were found to be biased with individuals typically overestimating their share in household financial management. Consequently, the status of household financial manager was not as crucial for financial literacy as was the self-perception of engagement in household financial management. Despite the benefits of intrahousehold labor specialization, delegation of sole responsibility for household financial matters may place the person who waives the responsibility at a serious risk of self-exclusion from lifelong financial learning.

Originality/value

The article uses dyadic data (from married and cohabiting couples), which ensures more rigorous and accurate evidence for the link between the household financial management and financial literacy. A novel approach to the analytical treatment of partners' contradictory reports on the role of couple's financial manager is also proposed. The breadth of household financial management is captured by analyzing three stages of the process: proposing, decision-making and implementation of financial solutions or actions.
Do green knowledge and attitude influence the youth's green purchasing? Theory of planned behavior
Authors: Amoako George Kofi , Dzogbenuku Robert Kwame , Abubakari Aidatu
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The paper examines the role of green knowledge and green attitude in purchasing behavior of the youth in Ghana. This study focuses on investigating how green value and green trust mediates the relationship between green knowledge and green attitude and purchase behavior of the youth in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was used. A total of 417 respondents were selected using convenient sampling method. Respondents were selected at leading shopping malls (grocery stores) in Accra the national capital of Ghana. Data was analyzed using the partial least square (PLS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the relationship among the variables.

Findings

The findings indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between green knowledge and purchasing behavior and also that there is a positive and significant relationship between green attitude and purchasing behavior. The findings revealed further that green trust do not mediate the relationship between green knowledge and purchasing behavior but green value does. The findings suggest that green value is more important in purchasing decision of the youth in Ghana than trust.

Research limitations/implications

Research is essentially cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and can validate findings in the long term. The researchers admit that this research work which is carried out only in Ghana cannot be used to generalize an assumption for the entire youth in Africa and beyond. The sample size could be improved and the study could be conducted in other African countries for the purposes of comparison.

Practical implications

Business managers who are interested in sustainability of their firms and society at large can be guided by this insight that green knowledge and attitude influence purchase decisions of the youth. The findings that green trust do not mediate the relationship between green knowledge and purchasing behavior but green value does will guide managers on marketing and communication strategies especially toward the youth.

Originality/value

The model argues that the youth purchasing behavior is influenced by green knowledge and attitude. The model suggests that that green value is more important in purchasing decision of the youth in Ghana than trust. The model further points out that green trust do not mediate the relationship between green knowledge and purchasing behavior.
Determinants of adoption of modern rice varieties in rural Vietnam: a double-hurdle approach
Authors: Tien Thanh Pham , Bao Duong Pham
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This article aims to examine the determinants of farmers' decisions on the adoption of modern rice varieties in two stages, including whether to adopt and, if so, how much to adopt.

Design/methodology/approach

The Double-Hurdle and Tobit models are applied to determine whether farmers make their two-stage decisions separately or simultaneously.

Findings

The findings reveal that farmers make their decisions on the probability of adoption and the intensity of adoption separately. Ethnicity, agricultural labor, land, rice production asset and non-farm self-employment are determinants of the farmers' decision on the adoption of modern rice varieties in both stages. Previous adoption, gender and an irrigation program only have a significant effect on the farmers' probability of adoption, while the market only significantly explains the farmers' decision on the intensity of adoption.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the unavailability of data, this article does not include the attributes of the rice varieties or farmers' perception about the varieties in the model.

Originality/value

The uniqueness of this research is that it attempts to examine the determinants of farmers' two-stage decisions on whether to adopt and how much to adopt the modern rice varieties by application of the Double-Hurdle method.
Resistance to change and turnover intention: a moderated mediation model of burnout and perceived organizational support
Authors: Srivastava Shalini , Agrawal Swati
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to study the turnover intention of employees during the phenomenon of resistance to change. The paper examines the mediating role of burnout in the relationship of resistance of change to turnover intention and the moderating role of perceived organizational support in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data of the study has been collected via cross-sectional data collection method and include responses from 410 employees. The moderation mediation analysis has been done using the SPSS macro process.

Findings

The paper finds that resistance to change is an antecedent to the turnover intention which often represents employees' voluntary turnover in the future. This relationship of resistance to change and turnover intention is explained by burnout. However, the study establishes perceived organizational support as moderator, and with high POS, strength of this relationship will be reduced.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by examining the burnout as an intervening variable in the relationship of resistance to change and turnover intention and perhaps establishes for the first time the moderating role of perceived organizational support in reducing the influence of resistance to change on turnover intention, since retaining employees is of value to the organization.
Review and assessment of factors affecting the workplace relocation process
Authors: Hassanain Mohammad A. , Ibrahim Ahmed M. , Al-Hammad Abdul-Mohsen
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to holistically identify and assess the factors affecting the workplace relocation process during its various phases, namely: pre-relocation, relocation and post-relocation. The factors assessment evaluates the perspectives and level of agreement between facilities and real estate management professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review was conducted to identify the factors affecting the workplace relocation process. In total, 34 factors were identified, which formed the basis of a questionnaire survey to assess their importance. Responses to the questionnaire survey were obtained through face-to-face interviews with two groups of professionals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, 32 facilities managers (FM) and 32 real estate managers (REM). The questionnaire utilized a 5-point Likert scale of importance.

Findings

The research delivers rankings of the identified factors for prioritization. Where a moderate (to high) level of agreement between FM and REM professionals was remarked. Significant factors include: “availability of workplace health and safety plan”, “analysis of business needs for relocation”, “cost control and management of the relocation process”, “availability of maintenance plans” and “selection of fit-out contractor”.

Originality/value

The study provides a significant contribution to research and professional practice, while no comprehensive studies have been conducted on the various phases of the relocation process. The findings of this study are genuine to keep professionals and practitioners on the ball managing their workplace relocations, overcoming their unforeseen struggles, resourcefully and efficiently.
The Spectre of Berkson's Paradox: Collider Bias in Covid-19 Research
Authors: Herbert Annie , Griffith Gareth , Hemani Gibran , Zuccolo Luisa
Published: July 2020

When non-random sampling collides with our understanding of Covid-19 risk, we must be careful not to draw incorrect conclusions about cause and effect. By Annie Herbert, Gareth Griffith, Gibran Hemani and Luisa Zuccolo
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 infections among diabetics: A retrospective and multicenter study in China
Authors: Yi Huahua , Lu Fangying , Jin Xiaoyan , Chen Rong , Liu Bing , Dong Xuan , Xiong Weining , Yang Dexiang , Guo Yi , Zhou Min
Published: July 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) emerged in December 2019 and has spread globally. Diabetics are at increased risk of infections caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses. The present research aims to describe clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID‐19 patients with diabetes.

Methods

A retrospective multicenter study of COVID‐19 patients with diabetes was conducted in four hospitals in Wuhan, Shanghai, and Anhui Province. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or next‐generation sequencing was carried out to confirm the existence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from respiratory specimens.

Results

A total of 54 diabetics (10.36%) were recruited from among 521 COVID‐19 patients, with a median age of 63 (interquartile range, 52‐70) years. Among them, 51 had been previously diagnosed with diabetes and 3 had been newly diagnosed based on glycosylated hemoglobin over 6.5%. For COVID‐19, 47 of the 54 patients had an exposure history. Fever (47/54, 87.04%), dry cough (36/54, 66.67%), and expectoration (21/53, 39.62%) were among the top three symptoms. Lung infiltration was bilateral (46/52, 88.46%) and multilobe (47/52, 90.38%), and ground‐glass opacity (36/37, 97.30%) was the most common pattern in radiological images. Moreover, COVID‐19 patients with diabetes were prone to be classified as severe or critical cases (46.30%, 25/54) and had complications such as acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and acute kidney injury. The proportions of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths among the COVID‐19 diabetics were 14.81% (8/54) and 12.96% (7/54), respectively.

Conclusions

With older age, diabetics diagnosed as having COVID‐19 were prone to develop into severe cases and exhibited a high rate of ICU admission and mortality.
Chromosome‐level genome assembly of the coastal horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas)
Authors: Shingate Prashant , Ravi Vydianathan , Prasad Aravind , Tay Boon‐Hui , Venkatesh Byrappa
Published: July 2020

Horseshoe crabs, represented by only four extant species, have existed for around 500 million years. However, their existence is now under threat because of anthropogenic activities. The availability of genomic resources for these species will be valuable in planning appropriate conservation measures. Whole‐genome sequences are currently available for three species. In this study, we have generated a chromosome‐level genome assembly of the fourth species, the Asian coastal horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas; genome size 2.0 Gb). The genome assembly has a scaffold N50 value of 140 Mb with ~97% of the assembly mapped to 14 scaffolds representing 14 chromosomes of T. gigas. In addition, we have generated the complete mitochondrial genome sequence and deep‐coverage transcriptome assemblies for four tissues. A total of 26,159 protein‐coding genes were predicted in the genome. The T. gigas genome contains five Hox clusters similar to the mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), suggesting that the common ancestor of horseshoe crabs already possessed five Hox clusters. Phylogenomic and divergence time analysis suggested that the American and Asian horseshoe crab lineages shared a common ancestor around the Silurian period (~436 Ma). Comparison of the T. gigas genome with those of other horseshoe crab species with chromosome‐level assemblies provided insights into the chromosomal rearrangement events that occurred during the emergence of these species. The genomic resources of T. gigas will be useful for understanding their genetic diversity and population structure and would help in designing strategies for managing and conserving their stocks across Asia.
Effectiveness of image‐guided radiotherapy for locally advanced lung cancer patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Liang Ji‐An , Tu Chih‐Yen , Hsia Te‐Chun , Fang Hsin‐Yuan , Li Chia‐Chin , Chien Chun‐Ru
Published: July 2020

Background

Image‐guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is an advanced radiotherapy technique to improve the precision and accuracy of treatment delivery. A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) for prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy via either IGRT or routine care reported statistically significantly worse overall survival (OS) for those patients treated with IGRT. This raised the concern regarding the effectiveness of IGRT in definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCCRT) for locally advanced lung cancer (LALC).

Methods

Eligible LALC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2016 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and other outcomes were compared between IGRT and non‐IGRT. We also evaluated OS in various subgroups.

Results

Our primary analysis consisted of 797 patients in whom covariates were well balanced after PS weighing. The HR for death when IGRT was compared with non‐IGRT was 0.96 (95% confidence interval 0.79–1.15, P = 0.65). There were also no significant differences for most of the other outcomes or subgroup analyses.

Conclusions

In this updated nonrandomized study, we found that OS of LALC patients treated with dCCRT was not statistically different between those treated with IGRT versus non‐IGRT. The results should be interpreted with caution given the nonrandomized design. Studies regarding toxicity, local control, or designed as RCT are needed to clarify the role of IGRT.

Key points

Significant findings of the study

The OS of LALC patients treated with dCCRT was not statistically different between those treated with IGRT versus those without IGRT, although the observed HR for death was less than unity (ie, in favor of IGRT).

What this study adds

In this updated nonrandomized study using real world data with additional potential confounders, our study provided a reasonable tentative evidence in the lack of RCT as suggested in the literature.
Gambling and marketing: a systematic literature review using HistCite
Authors: Buchanan June , Shen Yun
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a systematic literature review using HistCiteTM in the context of gambling. After several iterations of data cleaning, the final dataset comprised 265 articles. Four key themes are identified: profiling gamblers; gambling markets; gambling motivation and fallacies; and societal effects. Further, this study identifies four key emerging research themes and associated directions for future research: adolescent gambling, health conditions and problem gambling, dark nudging. Gambling is economically and socially significant, both in Australia and globally. Whilst gambling taxes are utilised by governments for the social good, the academic literature largely focuses on the issue of problem gambling.