bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain vasculature disturbance in schizophrenia
Authors: Puvogel Sofía , Palma Verónica , Sommer Iris E.C.
Published: March 2022

Purpose of review

The vascular hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) postulates that brain endothelial dysfunction contributes to brain pathophysiology. This review discusses recent evidence for and against this hypothesis, including data related to blood–brain barrier (BBB), brain endothelium, and brain blood supply, to provide a critical weighed update.

Recent findings

Different studies report a consistent proportion of SZ patients showing increased BBB permeability, reflected by higher levels of albumin in the cerebral spinal fluid. Of note, this was not a result of antipsychotic medication. The high inflammatory profile observed in some SZ patients is strongly associated with increased BBB permeability to circulating immune cells, and with more severe cognitive deficiencies. Also, sex was found to interact with BBB integrity and permeability in SZ. The strongest independent genetic association with SZ has been identified in FZD1, a hypoxia-response gene that is 600-fold higher expressed in early development endothelium as compared to adult brain endothelium. Regarding brain blood supply, there is evidence to suggest alterations in proper brain perfusion in SZ. Nonetheless, ex-vivo experiments suggested that widely used antipsychotics favor vasoconstriction; thus, alterations in cerebral perfusion might be related to the patients′ medication.

In some patients with SZ, a vulnerable brain endothelium may be interacting with environmental stressors, such as inflammation or hypoxia, converging into a more severe SZ symptomatology. Gene expression and performance of human brain endothelium could vary along with development and the establishment of the BBB; therefore, we encourage to investigate its possible contribution to SZ considering this dynamic context.
The association between major trauma centre care and outcomes of adult patients injured by low falls in England and Wales
Authors: Tonkins Michael , Bouamra Omar , Lecky Fiona
Published: March 2022

Background

Disability and death due to low falls is increasing worldwide and disproportionately affects older adults. Current trauma systems were not designed to suit the needs of these patients. This study assessed the effectiveness of major trauma centre care in adult patients injured by low falls.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Trauma Audit and Research Network on adult patients injured by falls from <2 metres between 2017-2019 in England and Wales. 30-day survival, length of hospital stay and discharge destination were compared between major trauma centres (MTCs) and trauma units or local emergency hospitals (TU/LEHs).

Results

127,334 patients were included of whom 27.6% attended an MTC. The median age was 79.4 years (IQR 64.5-87.2 years), and 74.2% of patients were aged >65 years. MTC care was not associated with improved 30-day survival (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.96). Transferred patients had a significant impact upon the results. After excluding transferred patients, the AOR for survival in MTCs was 1.056 (95% CI 1.001-1.113).

Conclusion

TU/LEH care is at least as effective as MTC care due to the facility for secondary transfer from TU/LEHs to MTCs. In patients who are not transferred, MTCs are associated with greater odds of 30-day survival in the whole cohort and in the most severely injured patients. Future research must determine the optimum means of identifying patients in need of higher-level care; the components of care which improve patient outcomes; and develop patient-focused outcomes which reflect the characteristics and priorities of contemporary trauma patients.

KEY MESSAGES

What is already known on this topic

Current trauma systems were not designed to manage rising numbers of elderly patients injured by low falls.

Previous evidence for the role of major trauma centre (MTC) care in such patients yielded conflicting results.

What this study adds

This study demonstrates that non-trauma centre care is no worse than MTC care, as long as the possibility of transfer exists.

Therefore MTCs do have a role in the management of elderly adults injured by low falls, particularly the severely injured.

How this study might affect research, policy or practice

Research must identify those patients who need transfer, the most effective components of care, and patient-centric outcomes.
QUALITY CONTROL OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN RIO GRANDE AND MENONITA CRIOLLO CHEESES FROM THE ALEJO CALATAYUD MARKET
Authors: Litze Abigayl Choque Rojas , Rosy Fuentes Condori , Janethe Vania López Vargas , Carlos Pardo Aranibar , Magali Dian Rojas Nogales
Published: March 2022

Introduction

The Staphylococcus aureus count is one of the indicators of the microbiological quality of cheeses according to the parameters of the Bolivian Standard 32004, since this bacterium can cause food poisoning.

Objective

To determine the presence and quantity of Staphylococcus aureus in Rio Grande and Menonita Creole cheeses in the Alejo Calatayud Market in the city of Cochabamba during the month of July 2019 according to parameters established by Bolivian Standard 32004.

Methods

Eight samples taken from different cheeses randomly selected from the market were analyzed and subjected to quantitative analysis of CFU/g of Staphylococcus aureus in three different dilutions for each sample, giving a total of 24, 13 were discarded due to impossibility of counting and the remaining samples were subjected to confirmatory tests. The parameters established in the NB32004 were used for the qualification of the results of analysis and tests.

Results

In 100% of the samples (8 of 8), the presence of S. aureus bacteria was found in quantities higher than the acceptable CFU/g, determining as deficient the hygienic-sanitary quality of the ripened Creole cheeses sold in the Alejo Calatayud Market.

Conclusion

Creole cheeses marketed in the Alejo Calatayud Market have a high degree of contamination by S. aureus and therefore do not comply with the parameters of NB32004 and the population is exposed to food poisoning.
“Pandemic of the unvaccinated”? At midlife, white people are less vaccinated but still at less risk of Covid-19 mortality in Minnesota
Authors: Wrigley-Field Elizabeth , Berry Kaitlyn M. , Stokes Andrew C. , Leider Jonathon P.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Recent research underscores the exceptionally young age distribution of Covid-19 deaths in the United States compared with international peers. This brief characterizes how high levels of Covid mortality at midlife ages (45-64) are deeply intertwined with continuing racial inequity in Covid-19 mortality.

Methods

Mortality data from Minnesota in 2020-2022 were analyzed in June 2022. Death certificate data and published vaccination rates in Minnesota allow vaccination and mortality rates to be observed with greater age and temporal precision than national data.

Results

Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults under age 65 were all more highly vaccinated than white populations of the same ages during most of Minnesota’s substantial and sustained Delta surge and all of the subsequent Omicron surge. However, white mortality rates were lower than those of all other groups. These disparities were extreme; at midlife ages (ages 45-64), during the Omicron period, more highly-vaccinated populations had COVID-19 mortality that was 164% (Asian-American), 115% (Hispanic), or 208% (Black) of white Covid-19 mortality at these ages. In Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations as a whole, Covid-19 mortality at ages 55-64 was greater than white mortality at 10 years older.

Conclusions

This discrepancy between vaccination and mortality patterning by race/ethnicity suggests that, if the current period is a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” it also remains a “pandemic of the disadvantaged” in ways that can decouple from vaccination rates. This result implies an urgent need to center health equity in the development of Covid-19 policy measures.
Automatic time in bed detection from hip-worn accelerometers for large epidemiological studies: The Tromsø Study
Authors: Weitz Marc , Syed Shaheen , Hopstock Laila A. , Morseth Bente , Henriksen André , Horsch Alexander
Published: March 2022

Accelerometers are frequently used to assess physical activity in large epidemiological studies. They can monitor movement patterns and cycles over several days under free-living conditions and are usually either worn on the wrist or the hip. While wrist-worn accelerometers have been frequently used to additionally assess sleep and time in bed behavior, hip-worn accelerometers have been widely neglected for this task due to their primary focus on physical activity. Here, we present a new method with the objective to identify the time in bed to enable further analysis options for large-scale studies using hip-placement like time in bed or sedentary time analyses. We introduced new and accelerometer specific data augmentation methods, such as mimicking a wrongly worn accelerometer, additional noise, and random croping, to improve training and generalization performance. Subsequently, we trained a neural network model on a sample from the population-based Tromsø Study and evaluated it on two additional datasets. Our algorithm achieved an accuracy of 94% on the training data, 92% on unseen data from the same population and comparable results to consumer-wearable data obtained from a demographically different population. Generalization performance was overall good, however, we found that on a few particular days or participants, the trained model fundamentally over- or underestimated time in bed (e.g., predicted all or nothing as time in bed). Despite these limitations, we anticipate our approach to be a starting point for more sophisticated methods to identify time in bed or at some point even sleep from hip-worn acceleration signals. This can enable the re-use of already collected data, for example, for longitudinal analyses where sleep-related research questions only recently got into focus or sedentary time needs to be estimated in 24h wear protocols.
Fed-GLMM: A Privacy-Preserving and Computation-Efficient Federated Algorithm for Generalized Linear Mixed Models to Analyze Correlated Electronic Health Records Data
Authors: Yan Zhiyu , Zachrison Kori S. , Schwamm Lee H. , Estrada Juan J. , Duan Rui
Published: March 2022

Large collaborative research networks provide opportunities to jointly analyze multicenter electronic health record (EHR) data, which can improve the sample size, diversity of the study population, and generalizability of the results. However, there are challenges to analyzing multicenter EHR data including privacy protection, large-scale computation, heterogeneity across sites, and correlated observations. In this paper, we propose a federated algorithm for generalized linear mixed models (Fed-GLMM), which can flexibly model multicenter longitudinal or correlated data while accounting for site-level heterogeneity. Fed-GLMM can be applied to both federated and centralized research networks to enable privacy-preserving data integration and improve computational efficiency. By communicating only a limited amount of summary statistics, Fed-GLMM can achieve nearly identical results as the gold-standard method where the GLMM is directly fitted on the pooled dataset. We demonstrate the performance of Fed-GLMM in both numerical experiments and an application to longitudinal EHR data from multiple healthcare facilities.
Phase Recognition in Contrast-Enhanced CT Scans based on Deep Learning and Random Sampling
Authors: Dao Binh T. , Nguyen Thang V. , Pham Hieu H. , Nguyen Ha Q.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

A fully automated system for interpreting abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans with multiple phases of contrast enhancement requires an accurate classification of the phases. Current approaches to classify the CT phases are commonly based on 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) approaches with high computational complexity and high latency. This work aims at developing and validating a precise, fast multi-phase classifier to recognize three main types of contrast phases in abdominal CT scans.

Methods

We propose in this study a novel method that uses a random sampling mechanism on top of deep CNNs for the phase recognition of abdominal CT scans of four different phases: non-contrast, arterial, venous, and others. The CNNs work as a slice-wise phase prediction, while the random sampling selects input slices for the CNN models. Afterward, majority voting synthesizes the slice-wise results of the CNNs, to provide the final prediction at scan level.

Results

Our classifier was trained on 271,426 slices from 830 phase-annotated CT scans, and when combined with majority voting on 30% of slices randomly chosen from each scan, achieved a mean F1-score of 92.09% on our internal test set of 358 scans. The proposed method was also evaluated on 2 external test sets: CTPAC-CCRCC (N = 242) and LiTS (N = 131), which were annotated by our experts. Although a drop in performance has been observed, the model performance remained at a high level of accuracy with a mean F1-score of 76.79% and 86.94% on CTPAC-CCRCC and LiTS datasets, respectively. Our experimental results also showed that the proposed method significantly outperformed the state-of-the-art 3D approaches while requiring less computation time for inference.

Conclusions

In comparison to state-of-the-art classification methods, the proposed approach shows better accuracy with significantly reduced latency. Our study demonstrates the potential of a precise, fast multi-phase classifier based on a 2D deep learning approach combined with a random sampling method for contrast phase recognition, providing a valuable tool for extracting multi-phase abdomen studies from low veracity, real-world data.
impaired bed mobility in prediagnostic and de novo Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Dijkstra Femke , de Volder Ilse , Viaene Mineke , Cras Patrick , Crosiers David
Published: March 2022

Background

Wearable technology research suggests that nocturnal movements are disturbed in early Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we investigate if patients also already experience impaired bed mobility before PD diagnosis. Furthermore, we explore its association with motor and nonmotor features and its value for phenoconversion and disease progression prediction.

Methods

PPMI data were downloaded for de novo PD subjects, subjects at-risk for developing a synucleinopathy (with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder, hyposmia or a pathogenic mutation) and controls. Impaired bed mobility was assessed with the MDS-UPDRS part 2 item 9. A frequency analysis was performed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association with other PD variables. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to test if difficulties with turning in bed could predict phenoconversion. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate if difficulties with turning in bed could predict disease progression.

Results

Of the at-risk subjects, 9.2-12.5% experienced difficulties with turning in bed vs. 25.0% of de novo PD subjects and 2.5% of controls. Impaired turning ability was associated with MDS-UPDRS motorscore (axial signs in the at-risk group, bradykinesia in the de novo PD group) and SCOPA-AUT score (gastrointestinal symptoms). In addition, difficulties with turning in bed were a significant predictor for phenoconversion in the at-risk group and for development of motor complications in the de novo PD group.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that difficulties with turning in bed can be helpful as clinical symptom for a prodromal PD screening and for motor complication prediction in early PD.

Highlights

Subjective difficulties with turning in bed are a prodromal PD symptom.

Impaired bed mobility predicts synucleinopathy phenoconversion in at-risk groups.

Impaired bed mobility predicts development of motor complications in de novo PD.
Community Engagement to support COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A living systematic review protocol
Authors: Gilmore Brynne , Gerlach Nina , Lopes Claudia Abreu , Diallo Alpha Ahmadou , Bhattacharyya Sanghita , de Claro Vergil , Ndejjo Rawlance , Nyamupachitu- Mago Elizabeth , Tchetchia Adalbert
Published: March 2022

Background

Widespread vaccination against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the most effective ways to control, and ideally, end the global COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy and vaccine rates vary widely across countries and populations and are influenced by complex socio-cultural, political, economic, and psychological factors. Community engagement is an integral strategy within immunisation campaigns and has been shown to improve vaccine acceptance. As evidence on community engagement to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake is emerging, this review aims to lessen the knowledge-to-practice gap by providing regular evidence on current best-practice.

Methodology

A living systematic review will be conducted which includes an initial systematic review and bi-monthly review updates. Searching and screening for the review and subsequent updates will be done in four streams: a systematic search of six databases, grey literature review, preprint review, and citizen sourcing. All articles will be collated into Covidence, where screening will be done by a minimum of two reviewers at title/abstract and full-text. Data will be extracted across pre-defined data extraction tables, and synthesis will occur using the convergent integrated approach. Updates to the review resulting from the subsequent bi-monthly searches will be shared in an open-access platform. The protocol has been registered with PROSPERO: CRD42022301996.

Discussion

Given the variation in vaccination rates across different contexts and the recognition that high vaccination coverage is required to reduce COVID-19 transmission and to stop the emergence of new variants, it is imperative the global community implements strategies that will improve uptake and that this work is widely shared and contextualised. Community engagement to promote vaccine uptake is highly encouraged, and recent studies highlight its potential to influence vaccine rates, particularly across populations that are marginalised. The high-priority research needed on this topic, and the rapidly changing evidence base, supports the conduct of a living systematic review.
More or less deadly? A mathematical model that predicts SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary direction
Authors: Xu Zhaobin , Zeng Qiangcheng
Published: March 2022

SARS-CoV-2 has caused tremendous deaths world wild. It is of great value to predict the evolutionary direction of SARS-CoV-2. In this paper, we proposed a novel mathematical model that could predict the evolutionary trend of SARS-CoV-2. We focus on the mutational effects on viral assembly capacity. A robust coarse-grained mathematical model is constructed to simulate the virus dynamics in the host body. Both virulence and transmissibility can be quantified in this model. The relationship between virulence and transmissibility can be simulated. A delicate equilibrium point that optimizing the transmissibility can be numerically obtained. Based on this model, we predict the virulence of SARS-CoV-2 might further decrease, accompanied by an enhancement of transmissibility. However, this trend is not continuous; its virulence will not disappear but remains at a relatively stable range. We can also explain the cross-species transmission phenomenon of certain RNA virus based on this model. A small-scale model which simulates the virus packing process is also proposed. It can be explained why a small number of mutations would lead to a significant divergence in clinical performance, both in the overall particle formation quantity and virulence. This research provides a mathematical attempt to elucidate the evolutionary driving force in RNA virus evolution.
Nucleolar-based Dux repression is essential for embryonic two-cell stage exit
Authors: Xie Sheila Q. , Leeke Bryony J. , Whilding Chad , Wagner Ryan T. , Garcia-Llagostera Ferran , Low YiXuan , Chammas Paul , Cheung Nathan T.-F. , Dormann Dirk , McManus Michael T. , Percharde Michelle
Published: March 2022

Upon fertilization, the mammalian embryo must switch from dependence on maternal transcripts to transcribing its own genome, and in mice this involves the transient up-regulation of MERVL transposons and MERVL-driven genes at the two-cell stage. The mechanisms and requirement for MERVL and two-cell (2C) gene up-regulation are poorly understood. Moreover, this MERVL-driven transcriptional program must be rapidly shut off to allow two-cell exit and developmental progression. Here, we report that robust ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis and nucleolar maturation are essential for exit from the 2C state. 2C-like cells and two-cell embryos show similar immature nucleoli with altered structure and reduced rRNA output. We reveal that nucleolar disruption via blocking RNA polymerase I activity or preventing nucleolar phase separation enhances conversion to a 2C-like state in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by detachment of the MERVL activator Dux from the nucleolar surface. In embryos, nucleolar disruption prevents proper nucleolar maturation and Dux silencing and leads to two- to four-cell arrest. Our findings reveal an intriguing link between rRNA synthesis, nucleolar maturation, and gene repression during early development.
Isoform-specific functions of PPARγ in gene regulation and metabolism
Authors: Hu Wenxiang , Jiang Chunjie , Kim Mindy , Xiao Yang , Richter Hannah J. , Guan Dongyin , Zhu Kun , Krusen Brianna M. , Roberts Arielle N. , Miller Jessica , Steger David J. , Lazar Mitchell A.
Published: March 2022

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor that is a vital regulator of adipogenesis, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism. Activation of PPARγ by antidiabetic thiazolidinediones (TZD) reverses insulin resistance but also leads to weight gain that limits the use of these drugs. There are two main PPARγ isoforms, but the specific functions of each are not established. Here we generated mouse lines in which endogenous PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 were epitope-tagged to interrogate isoform-specific genomic binding, and mice deficient in either PPARγ1 or PPARγ2 to assess isoform-specific gene regulation. Strikingly, although PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 contain identical DNA binding domains, we uncovered isoform-specific genomic binding sites in addition to shared sites. Moreover, PPARγ1 and PPARγ2 regulated a different set of genes in adipose tissue depots, suggesting distinct roles in adipocyte biology. Indeed, mice with selective deficiency of PPARγ1 maintained body temperature better than wild-type or PPARγ2-deficient mice. Most remarkably, although TZD treatment improved glucose tolerance in mice lacking either PPARγ1 or PPARγ2, the PPARγ1-deficient mice were protected from TZD-induced body weight gain compared with PPARγ2-deficient mice. Thus, PPARγ isoforms have specific and separable metabolic functions that may be targeted to improve therapy for insulin resistance and diabetes.
Determinants of CEO compensation: evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Khursheed Aisha , Sheikh Nadeem Ahmed
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of firm-specific (i.e. firm size, profitability, leverage, dividend, growth opportunities, management quality and firm age) and country-specific (i.e., gross domestic product [GDP] growth) variables on compensation/remuneration offered to chief executive officers (CEOs) working in different industries of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data techniques, namely, pooled ordinary least squares, fixed effects and random effects methods are used to estimate the results. Moreover, Hausman test is used to choose which estimation method, either fixed effects or random effects, is better to explain the results.

Findings

Firm size, profitability, leverage, growth opportunities and age are some important firm-specific factors that have mixed (i.e. positive/negative) impact on CEO compensation in different industries. Variations in results are due to industry dynamics. However, it is important to mention that three key variables, namely, dividend, management quality and GDP growth have shown consistent positive impact on CEO compensation in most of the industries. In sum, results show that firm-specific and country-specific variables have material effects on CEO compensation. Moreover, results are found consistent with the predictions of agency theory and human capital theory.

Practical implications

The authors are sure that findings of this study provide some support to the board of directors to determine the pay slice for CEOs. Moreover, findings provide support to the regulatory authorities in formulating mechanisms to determine the compensation package for CEOs working in different industries and to improve the Code of Corporate Governance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no empirical study in Pakistan has yet estimated the effects of firm-specific and country-specific variables on compensation offered to CEOs working in different industries. Thus, industry-wise analysis provides some new insights to the decision-makers and lays some foundation upon which a more detail analysis could be based.
The role of reaction to feedback in the relationship between performance management, job satisfaction and the leader–member exchange (LMX)
Authors: Cesário Francisco , Rodrigues Antero , Castanheira Filipa , Sabino Ana
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Due to the importance of performance management in any organizational structure, the present study aims to analyze the mediating role of an employee's reaction to the employee's supervisor' feedback on the impact of the performance management system on job satisfaction and supervisor–employee relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative study was conducted, with data collected by questionnaire, where 1815 workers from a customer service company in Portugal participated and with the data analyzed using structural equation model.

Findings

Three effects were observed in this study: first, the importance of performance management on the reaction to feedback and on the supervisor–employee relationship; second, reaction to feedback fully mediated the effect of performance management on job satisfaction and third, reaction to feedback partially mediated the effect of the performance management on the supervisor–employee relationship.

Originality/value

Despite the growing interest in research on performance management, this study suggests that there are still some areas in need of additional research attention, namely on the important role that adequate feedback to the employee on his/her performance can have. Implications for research on performance management are developed.
Gender differences in extractive activities: evidence from Ghana
Authors: Baah-Boateng William , Twum Eric Kofi , Akyeampong Emmanuel Kwaku
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The study seeks to examine women’s participation in Ghana’s extractive growth-driven economy and the quality of this participation in terms of employment status and earnings relative to their male counterparts and establish whether these differences constitute discrimination for policy attention.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to assess the extent of gender inequality in employment and earnings in the Ghanaian extractive sector and the sources of these differences. It computes three segregation indices to ascertain the degree of unequal gender distribution of employment based on nationally representative labour force and living standards surveys followed by quantitative analysis of gender earnings differences using Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition technique. This is complemented by the results of Focus Group Discussion to go behind the numbers and examine the sources of the employment and earnings differences between men and women in extractive activities.

Findings

The authors observe lower participation of women in the extractive sector, with a considerable degree of gender segregation and existence of gender earnings gap in favour of men due to differences in observable characteristics such as age, education and occupational skills. There is also evidence of existence of discrimination against women and indication of barriers that impede women’s involvement in high-earning extractive activities in Ghana. The study suggests measures to remove these barriers and improve women’s education particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to address the gender imbalance in extractive activities in Ghana.

Social implications

Women’s low involvement in the strong extractive growth-driven process has implication for undermining the effort of empowering women economically.

Originality/value

The study draws argument from the literature and adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques to establish gender in terms of employment distribution and earnings in favour of males in the Ghanaian extractive sector. This has the effect of undermining women’s economic empowerment and exacerbating gender inequality in the country.
Physician's online image and patient's choice in the online health community
Authors: Ouyang Peng , Wang Jian-Jun
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The impact of image is widely investigated in various research fields. However, its effect in online health communities is rarely studied. In this research, the authors develop a theoretical model to assess the impact of physicians' image on patients' choices in online health communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a web crawler based on R language program to collect more than 40,000 physicians' images and other related information from their homepages in Haodf.com–a leading online health community in China. The features of physicians' images are computed by Face++ Application Programming Interface (API) through the following variables: beauty, smile and skin status.

Findings

The empirical results derive the following findings: (1) physician's beauty or physical attractiveness has no significant effect on patients’ choice; (2) Smile has a positive effect on patients’ choices; (3) Physician's skin status also positively affects patients' choices; (4) Physician's professional capital strengthens the effect of beauty, smile and skin status on patients' choices; (5) Beauty and skin status are the substitutes for each other, and smile and skin status are the substitutes for each other too.

Research limitations/implications

Also, this study provides implications for both physicians and online health community platform managers.

Originality/value

This study provides new evidence in understanding the impact of physician's online image and contributes to the literature on signaling theory, impression management theory and patients' choices.
Understanding the cultural underpinnings of managerial performance reporting (MPR) in Ghana
Authors: Nsor-Ambala Randolph
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the main features of managerial performance reporting (MPR) in Ghana and applied a national social-cultural framework to understanding the MPR practices.

Design/methodology/approach

It is a qualitative study based on responses from mid-level managerial employees within the top companies in Ghana dubbed Ghana Club 100 (GC100). GC100 includes a balanced mix of companies across varied industry classifications and local and multinational companies (MNCs). This enriches the data and deviates from similar studies that have usually relied on data from multinational companies.

Findings

There is evidence that while MPR practices in Ghana do not significantly deviate from western approaches, the underlying reasons for such managerial practices and actions may defer on national socio-cultural lines. This study discusses how various cultural attributions explain the features and motivations for MPR practices in Ghana, including a difference in expectations about the purpose of an MPR.

Practical implications

MNCs must be guided by the findings of this study in their drive to inculcate standardised practices across organisations. It is also essential for MNCs to appreciate the more than usual reliance on verbal cues and symbols in interpreting the appropriate course of action. Regulators must consider systematic activities that reduce the tension and suspicion between them and business actors to improve information transparency. Whistleblowing schemes, while helpful, may not be effective because organisational agents within MPR practice consider themselves part of an “in-group” and manage their dissonance through categorisation, rationalisation and superficial attention to standards. Because of the excessive use of unwritten cues, auditors must consider visits to the client’s operational premises and other independent observation efforts vital to their evidence gathering process.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is among the first to evaluate MPR practices based on direct responses from “persons close to the MPR action” rather than the current overreliance on secondary data sources such as content analysis.
New perspectives for dynamic capabilities in meeting needs of startups’ survival
Authors: Pigola Angélica , da Costa Priscila Rezende , van der Poel Naiche , Yamaçake Franklin Thiago Ribeiro
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the systematic relationships among dynamic capabilities in startups’ survival.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a systematic literature review on dynamic capabilities related to startups’ survival, following the content analysis approach.

Findings

This study presents four different perspectives of analysis about dynamic capabilities from resources exchange and business factors that meet needs of startups' survival. It also points out new area for future research in this field. In doing so, this study differentiates itself by its approach not limiting dynamic capabilities research and enriching entrepreneurs' capability theory.

Practical implications

By indicating an evolution of dynamic capabilities theory among tangible and intangible resources exchange in a more favorable adaptation to startups growth, this study boosters and contributes to the society, economy in general and to the science of business management in various perspectives such as overcoming cognitive barriers, entrepreneur’s commitment, innovation capabilities and knowledge capacity of startups.

Originality/value

This study amplifies dynamic capabilities vision in startups’ survival as one of the main sources for growth in this type of organizations. It also develops a deeper understanding about new avenues for dynamic capabilities theory among tangible and intangible resources exchange.
Effectiveness of corporate social responsibility activities in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zhang Jueman (Mandy) , Wang Yi (Jasmine)
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provided new and various opportunities for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. This study intended to compare three types of CSR activities – product development, in-kind donation and CSR commercial – undertaken by two companies – Nike, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company in response to the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate how CSR activity type and their attributes affected effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an experiment using a 3 (CSR activity type) × 2 (company) mixed factorial design. CSR activity type was a between-subjects factor, and company was a within-subjects factor. The attributes of dynamism and innovativeness, corporate image, brand equity and social media sharing likelihood were dependent variables.

Findings

The findings underscored the importance of CSR activity type and their attributes of dynamism and innovativeness in the effects on corporate image and brand equity. Product development and in-kind donation, which were perceived as more dynamic than CSR commercial, resulted in more desirable corporate images. Product development, which was perceived as more innovative than in-kind donation and CSR commercial, did not result in greater brand equity than in-kind donation, but resulted in greater brand equity than CSR commercial. The CSR activity type and their attributes did not affect social media sharing likelihood. Differences in content modes could be considered.

Originality/value

This study advanced the knowledge on the effectiveness of CSR activities by comparing CSR activity types varying in dynamism and innovativeness in the context of a public health crisis that caused unprecedented societal changes and challenges.
The impact of eco-innovation on green buying behaviour: the moderating effect of emotional loyalty and generation
Authors: Sharma Nitika , Paço Arminda , Kautish Pradeep
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study intends to contribute to the literature of eco-innovation by examining the pro-environmental intentions and behaviour among consumers through their understanding of eco-innovation. Thus, the relationship among eco-innovation, general pro-social attitude, generativity, environmental concern, purchasing intentions and buying environmentally friendly products and the differences of the relationship between high and low emotional loyalty and Generation Y and Z were investigated via structural equation modelling (SEM).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through an online questionnaire directed to Indian consumers, and analysis was done through partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in two stages, i.e. measurement model and structural model.

Findings

Results confirm the relationships established in the proposed model, and some differences were found between the levels of emotional loyalty and the Generations Y and Z. The research shows that individualistic norms and perceived marketplace influence play a purposeful role in transforming environmental concerns into buying behaviour towards eco-innovation-driven products.

Practical implications

From a policy and management perspective, the results not only imply the importance of continuous performance and environmental improvement but also those policies hindering diffusion and adoption need to be addressed. Green buying is an elusive task but can be opportunely attained by marketers by adding elements of eco-innovations and understanding mindsets of consumers to create win–win situations for themselves and consumers.

Originality/value

The results reinforced that emotional loyalty and Generations Y and Z vitally impact consumers' green buying decision within the framework of eco-innovation and cognitive factors.
Transforming employee resistance into organizational learning at a higher education institution in Palestine
Authors: Akella Devi , Khoury Grace
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper reconceptualizes resistance as a stimulant of organizational learning from a change agent's perspective. Adopting a social constructivism lens, the paper argues that employee resistance has the capacity to trigger individual, group and organizational learning. It explores the “how” question—how can employee resistance be transformed into organizational learning?

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes the qualitative research method of auto-ethnography. Sensemaking auto-ethnographic narrative accounts of two change agents, internal and external is used to synchronize resistance and learning as well as reflect on the positive impact of organizational change.

Findings

Rather than, suppressing resistance as a dysfunctional aspect of the change process, becoming aware and making sense of this “misconstrued barrier” to learning and change can transform it into an appropriate feedback mechanism to initiate organizational learning.

Practical implications

This paper emphasizes the role of change agents in the change process and how their understanding of the culture, change recipients, organizational climate and work environment could increase the success of transforming resistance into learning. Collaboration through social interaction, communication, participation and awareness creation are utilized as effective mechanisms to develop a learning environment.

Originality/value

This research was carried out within an academic setting in a challenging context where not much is known about change initiatives and resistance at a university level.
Ageing in the unusual times and adapting to the new normal – an Indian perspective
Authors: Ghosh Munmun
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way of our living. Social and physical distancing has become an inevitable part of our life. Although the younger counterpart can adapt to the situation quickly, it is extremely difficult for the elderly (60 years and above) who are locked in their homes to manage this situation on their own, especially those who live alone. In this scenario, how can we help the elderly who are caught at home? How will they again fight with social and physical distancing and the pandemic? The purpose of the study is to acknowledge the fact that the elderly need urgent consideration and attention and suggested ways to adapt to the “new normal.”

Design/methodology/approach

The viewpoint discussed the diverse ways through which the elderly can be motivated to adapt in the current situation in a pandemic hit environment.

Findings

The viewpoint highlighted in detail the prospects, challenges and considerable steps that need to be taken by the important stakeholders (practitioners and policymakers) in our society to support the elderly.

Originality/value

The viewpoint emphasised on the need of creating separate policies and implementation of the same at various levels. Although the government does have acts and policies for the welfare and maintenance of the elderly, they should now also re-think of a more concrete and sustainable policy to take care of the elderly, especially during a crisis. Ageing is inevitable, the reflections of this study will also allow the families and the society to cushion the elderly in their families and around them. This work will also create an opportunity for the practitioners to work for this under-explored community and look forward to catering to their needs.
Evolution during seed production for ecological restoration? A molecular analysis of 19 species finds only minor genomic changes
Authors: Conrady Malte , Lampei Christian , Bossdorf Oliver , Durka Walter , Bucharova Anna
Published: March 2022

A growing number of restoration projects require large amounts of seeds. As harvesting natural populations cannot cover the demand, wild plants are often propagated in large‐scale monocultures. There are concerns that this cultivation process may cause genetic drift and unintended selection, altering the genetic properties of the cultivated populations and reducing their genetic diversity. Such changes could reduce the pre‐existing adaptation of restored populations and limit their adaptability to environmental change.

We used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and a pool‐sequencing approach to test for genetic differentiation and changes in gene diversity during cultivation in 19 wild grassland species, comparing source populations and up to four consecutive cultivation generations. We linked the magnitudes of genetic changes to the species' breeding systems and seed dormancy to understand the roles of these traits in genetic change.

Cultivation changed the genetic composition across cultivated generations only moderately. The genetic differentiation resulting from cultivation was much lower than the natural genetic differentiation between different source regions. The propagated generations harboured even higher gene diversity than wild‐collected seeds. Genetic change was stronger in self‐compatible than self‐incompatible species, probably due to increased outcrossing in monocultures.

Synthesis and applications. Our study suggests that large‐scale seed production maintains the genetic integrity of natural populations. Increased genetic diversity may even indicate increased adaptive potential of propagated seeds, which would make them especially suitable for ecological restoration. Yet, it remains to be tested whether these molecular patterns will be mirrored also by plant phenotypes. Further, we used seeds from Germany and Austria, where the seed production is regulated and certified, and we do not know yet whether other seed production systems perform equally well.
Risk of misinterpreting the Tea Bag Index: Field observations and a random simulation
Authors: Mori Taiki , Nakamura Ryosuke , Aoyagi Ryota
Published: March 2022

To understand the global impact of anthropogenic activities on litter decomposition, it is necessary to obtain large decomposition datasets using a standardized method. The Tea Bag Index (TBI) approach determines the decomposition constant (k) of an asymptote model of litter decomposition and a stabilized ratio of the hydrolyzable fraction (stabilization factor S) using a single measurement of the mass loss ratios of green and rooibos teas. This approach requires the assumption that S is equal for rooibos and green tea. Here, we performed a field experiment in four temperate forest stands that demonstrated that this assumption is not always true. In a forest on limestone soils, more than half of the mass loss ratios of rooibos tea exceeded the decomposable fraction predicted by the assumption and the green tea data, which implies that the S was higher for green tea than rooibos tea. This indicated that the main assumption is not always true. We also performed a random simulation study that demonstrated that the derivation of k based on this assumption leads to a biased positive relationship between k and S, regardless of whether the assumption is correct. Thus, we suggest that the use of k and S in an identical analysis causes biased results because these variables are not independent of each other under the assumption. These risks should be considered depending on the purpose of studies that use the TBI approach.