bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accurate recognition of colorectal cancer with semi-supervised deep learning on pathological images
Authors: Yu Gang , Xie Ting , Xu Chao , Shi Xing-Hua , Wu Chong , Sun Kai , Meng Run-Qi , Meng Xiang-He , Wang Kuan-Song , Xiao Hong-Mei , Deng Hong-Wen
Published: July 2020

Background

Machine-assisted recognition of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been mainly focused on supervised deep learning that suffers from a significant bottleneck of requiring massive labeled data. We hypothesize that semi-supervised deep learning leveraging a small amount of labeled data with abundant available unlabeled data can provide a powerful alternative strategy.

Method

We proposed a semi-supervised model based on the mean teacher architecture that provides pathological predictions at both patch- and patient-levels. We demonstrated the general utility of the model utilizing 13,111 CRC whole slide images from 8,803 subjects gathered from 13 independent centers. We compared our proposed method with the prevailing supervised learning and six pathologists. Two extended evaluations on 15,000 lung and 294,912 lymph node images were also performed to confirm the generality of utility of semi-supervised learning for different cancers.

Results

With a small amount of labeled training patches (∼3,150 labeled, ∼40,950 unlabeled or ∼6,300 labeled, ∼37,800 unlabeled), the semi-supervised learning (SSL) performed significantly better than the supervised learning (SL, which only used the labeled data) (area under the curve, AUC: 0.90 ± 0.06 vs. 0.84 ± 0.07,Pvalue = 0.02 or AUC: 0.98 ± 0.01 vs. 0.92 ± 0.04,Pvalue = 0.0004). Moreover, we found no significant difference between SL using massive ∼44,100 labeled patches and SSL (∼6,300 labeled, ∼37,800 unlabeled) at patch-level diagnoses (AUC:0.98 ± 0.01 vs. 0.987 ± 0.01,Pvalue = 0.134) and patient-level diagnoses (average AUC: 0.974 vs. 0.980,Pvalue = 0.117). SSL was close to human pathologists in diagnosis performance (average AUC: 0.972 vs. 0.969). This extended evaluation on lung and lymph node also confirmed when a small amount of labeled data were used, SSL was better than SL, and achieved similar performance as that of SL with massive labeling.

Conclusions

We reported that SSL can achieve excellent performance through a multi-center study. Because SSL dramatically reduces the need and cost of pathological image annotation, it has great potential to effectively build pathological artificial intelligence (AI) platforms in practice.
Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirusorf13is Required for Efficient Nuclear Egress of Nucleocapsids
Authors: Chen Xingang , Yang Xiaoqin , Lei Chengfeng , Qin Fujun , Hu Jia , Sun Xiulian
Published: July 2020

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV)orf13(ac13) is a conserved gene in all sequenced alphabaculoviruses. However, its function in the viral life cycle remains unknown. In this study we found thatac13was a late gene and that the encoded protein, bearing a putative nuclear localization signal motif in the DUF3627 domain, colocalized with the nuclear membrane. Deletion ofac13did not affect viral DNA replication, gene transcription, nucleocapsid assembly or occlusion body (OB) formation, but reduced virion budding from infected cells by approximately 400-fold compared with the wild-type virus. Deletion ofac13substantially impaired the egress of nucleocapsids from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, while the number of occlusion-derived viruses embedded within OBs was unaffected. Taken together, our results indicated thatac13was required for efficient nuclear egress of nucleocapsids during virion budding, but was dispensable for OB formation.

IMPORTANCE

Egress of baculovirus nucleocapsids from the nucleus is an essential process for morphogenesis of mature budded viruses, which is required to spread infection within susceptible cells and tissues. Although many viral and host proteins are required for nucleocapsid egress, the specific mechanisms underlying this process in baculoviruses remain somewhat enigmatic. In the present study, we found that theac13gene, in addition toac11, ac51, ac66, ac75, ac78, gp41, ac93, p48, exon0andac142, was required for efficient nuclear egress of nucleocapsids. Our results contribute to a better understanding of nucleocapsid egress in baculoviruses.
Structural engraftment and topographic spacing of transplanted human stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Zhang Kevin Y , Tuffy Caitlyn , Mertz Joseph L , Quillen Sarah , Wechsler Laurence , Quigley Harry A , Zack Donald J , Johnson Thomas V
Published: July 2020

Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) replacement and optic nerve regeneration hold potential for restoring vision lost to optic neuropathy. Following transplantation, RGCs must integrate into the neuroretinal circuitry in order to receive afferent visual signals for processing and transmission to central targets. To date, the efficiency of RGC retinal integration following transplantation has been limited. We sought to characterize spontaneous interactions between transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived RGCs and the recipient mature mammalian retina, and to identify and overcome barriers to the structural integration of transplanted neurons. Using anin vitromodel system, following transplantation directly onto the inner surface of organotypic mouse retinal explants, human RGC somas form compact clusters and extend bundled neurites that remain superficial to the neural retinal tissue, hindering any potential for afferent synaptogenesis. To enhance integration, we explored methods to increase the cellular permeability of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Digestion of extracellular matrix components using proteolytic enzymes was titrated to achieve disruption of the ILM while minimizing retinal toxicity and preserving endogenous retinal glial reactivity. Such ILM disruption is associated with dispersion rather than clustering of transplanted RGC bodies and neurites, and with a marked increase in transplanted RGC neurite extension into retinal parenchyma. The ILM appears to be a barrier to afferent retinal connectivity by transplanted RGCs and its circumvention may be necessary for successful functional RGC replacement through transplantation.
Spatial Deconvolution of HER2-positive Breast Tumors Reveals Novel Intercellular Relationships
Authors: Andersson Alma , Larsson Ludvig , Stenbeck Linnea , Salmén Fredrik , Ehinger Anna , Wu Sunny , Al-Eryani Ghamdan , Roden Daniel , Swarbrick Alex , Borg Åke , Frisén Jonas , Engblom Camilla , Lundeberg Joakim
Published: July 2020

In the past decades, transcriptomic studies have revolutionized cancer treatment and diagnosis. However, tumor sequencing strategies typically result in loss of spatial information, critical to understand cell interactions and their functional relevance. To address this, we investigate spatial gene expression in HER2-positive breast tumors using Spatial Transcriptomics technology. We show that expression-based clustering enables data-driven tumor annotation and assessment of intra-and interpatient heterogeneity; from which we discover shared gene signatures for immune and tumor processes. We integrate and spatially map tumor-associated types from single cell data to find: segregated epithelial cells, interactions between B and T-cells and myeloid cells, co-localization of macrophage and T-cell subsets. A model is constructed to infer presence of tertiary lymphoid structures, applicable across tissue types and technical platforms. Taken together, we combine different data modalities to define novel interactions between tumor-infiltrating cells in breast cancer and provide tools generalizing across tissues and diseases.
Combinatorial deployment of F-actin regulators to build complex 3D actin structuresin vivo
Authors: Xie Yi , Blankenship J. Todd
Published: July 2020

Despite extensive studies on the actin regulators that direct microfilament dynamics, how these regulators are combinatorially utilized in organismal tissues to generate 3D structures is an unresolved question. Here, we present an in-depth characterization of cortical actin cap dynamics and their regulation in vivo. We identify rapid phases of initiation, expansion, duplication and disassembly and examine the functions of 7 different Actin and/or Nucleator Regulators (ANRPs) in guiding these behaviors. We find ANRPs provide distinct but cooperative activities in building actin cap morphologies – specifically, while DPod1 is a major regulator of actin intensities, Cortactin is required for continued cortical growth, while Coronin functions in both growth and intensity and is required for Cortactin localization to the cap periphery. Unexpectedly, cortical actin populations recovermore rapidlyafter regulator disruption, suggestive of a potential deep competition for limited G-actin pools, and we measurein vivoArp2/3 recruitment efficiencies through an ectopic relocalization strategy. Our results illustrate how the coordination of multiple actin regulators can orchestrate organized and dynamic actin structures in anin vivosystem.
miRNA activity inferred from single cell mRNA expression
Authors: Nielsen Morten Muhlig , Pedersen Jakob Skou
Published: July 2020

High throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) can provide mRNA expression profiles for thousands of cells. However, miRNAs cannot currently be studied at the same scale. By exploiting that miRNAs bind well-defined sequence motifs and typically down-regulate target genes, we show that motif enrichment analysis can be used to derive miRNA activity estimates from scRNAseq data.

Motif enrichment analyses have traditionally been used to derive binding motifs for regulatory factors, such as miRNAs or transcription factors, that have an effect on gene expression. Here we reverse its use. By starting from the miRNA seed site, we derive a measure of activity for miRNAs in single cells. We first establish the approach on a comprehensive set of bulk TCGA cancer samples (n=9,679), with paired mRNA and miRNA expression profiles, where many miRNAs show a strong correlation with measured expression. By downsampling we show that the method can be used to estimate miRNA activity in sparse data comparable to scRNAseq experiments. We then analyze a human and a mouse scRNAseq data set, and show that for several miRNA candidates, including liver specific miR-122 and muscle specific miR-1 and miR-133a, we obtain activity measures supported by the literature. The methods are implemented and made available in the miReact software. Our results demonstrate that miRNA activities can be estimated at the single cell level. This allows insights into the dynamics of miRNA activity across a range of fields where scRNAseq is applied.
Discriminative Bayesian Serology: Counting Without Cutoffs
Authors: Christian Murray , Murrell Ben
Published: July 2020

During the emergence of a pandemic, we need to estimate the prevalence of a disease using serological assays whose characterization is incomplete, relying on limited validation data. This introduces uncertainty for which we need to account.

In our treatment, the data take the form of continuous assay measurements of antibody response to antigens (eg. ELISA), and fall into two groups. Thetraining dataincludes the confirmed positive or negative infection status for each sample. Thepopulation dataincludes only the assay measurements, and is assumed to be a random sample from the population from which we estimate the seroprevalence.

We use the training data to model the relationship between assay values and infection status, capturing both individual-level uncertainty in infection status, as well as uncertainty due to limited training data. We then estimate the posterior distribution over population prevalence, additionally capturing uncertainty due to finite samples.

Finally, we introduce a means to pool information over successive time points, using a Gaussian process, which dramatically reduces the variance of our estimates.

The methodological approach we here describe was developed to support the longitudinal characterization of the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in Stockholm, Sweden.
A population of CD4+T cells with a naïve phenotype stably polarized to the TH1 lineage
Authors: Lo Jonathan W. , de Mucha Maria Vila , Roberts Luke B. , Garrido-Mesa Natividad , Hertweck Arnulf , Neves Joana F. , Stolarczyk Emilie , Henderson Stephen , Jackson Ian , Howard Jane K. , Jenner Richard G. , Lord Graham M.
Published: July 2020

T-bet is the lineage-specifying transcription factor for CD4+T helper type 1 (TH1) cells. T-bet has also been found in other CD4+T cell subsets, including TH17 cells and TREG, where it modulates their functional characteristics. However, we lack information on when and where T-bet is expressed during T cell differentiation and how this impacts T cell function. To address this, we traced the ontogeny of T-bet-expressing cells using a fluorescent fate-mapping mouse line. We demonstrate that T-bet is expressed in a subset of CD4+T cells with naïve cell surface markers and that this novel cell population is phenotypically and functionally distinct from conventional naïve CD4+T cells. These cells are also distinct from previously described populations of memory phenotype and stem cell-like T cells. Naïve-like T-bet-experienced cells are polarised to the TH1 lineage, predisposed to produce IFNγ upon cell activation, and resist repolarisation to other lineagesin vitroandin vivo. These results demonstrate that lineage-specifying factors can function to polarise T cells in the absence of canonical markers of T cell activation and that this has an impact on the subsequent T helper response.
Cortico-subcortical functional connectivity profiles of resting-state networks in marmosets and humans
Authors: Hori Yuki , Schaeffer David J. , Yoshida Atsushi , Cléry Justine C. , Hayrynen Lauren K. , Gati Joseph S. , Menon Ravi S. , Everling Stefan
Published: July 2020

Understanding the similarity of cortico-subcortical networks topologies between humans and nonhuman primate species is critical to study the origin of network alternations underlying human neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. The New World common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has become popular as a non-human primate model for human brain function. Most marmoset connectomic research, however, has exclusively focused on cortical areas, with connectivity to subcortical networks less extensively explored. In this study, we aimed to first isolate patterns of subcortical connectivity with cortical resting-state networks (RSNs) in awake marmosets using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI), then to compare these networks to those in humans using connectivity fingerprinting. While we could match several marmoset and human RSNs based on their functional fingerprints, we also found a few striking differences, for example strong functional connectivity of the default mode network with the superior colliculus in marmosets that was much weaker in humans. Together, these findings demonstrate that many of the core cortico-subcortical networks in humans are also present in marmosets, but that small, potentially functionally relevant differences exist.
Time-of-arrival detection for time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray microscopy imaging
Authors: Finizio Simone , Mayr Sina , Raabe Jörg
Published: July 2020

A setup for time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray microscopy imaging is presented, which allows for an increase in the temporal resolution without the requirement of operating the synchrotron light source with low-α optics through the measurement of the time-of-arrival of the X-ray photons. Measurements of two filling patterns in hybrid mode of the Swiss Light Source are presented as a first proof-of-principle and benchmark for the performances of this new setup. From these measurements, a temporal resolution on the order of 20–30 ps could be determined.
The use of self-reflection for enhanced enterprise education: a case study
Authors: Clarke Andrew Paul , Cornes Clare , Ferry Natalie
Published: July 2020

Purpose

A case study was undertaken to evaluate the use of self-reflection in enterprise education in a UK university, where the taught content was tailored to ensure relevance to the students who were from a variety of subject disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

Enterprise taught content was established in masters level 7 programmes across a range of subject disciplines. Taught content was designed using problem based learning, and evaluated using self-reflective methodologies. The paper reflects on the current position of enterprise education and asks the research question of whether the use of self-reflective teaching methodologies are valid for enterprise education.

Findings

Results suggest that the students appreciated the introduction of enterprise into their course and in the main did not view it as disjointed or irrelevant to their wider aims. More so, the students commented favourably towards the integration of enterprise into their primary discipline, and noted an enhanced learning experience because of this integration.

Research limitations/implications

For the University: A novel approach to enterprise teaching has been developed at a UK university, focusing on teaching non-business students how to be more valuable to a business within their degree subject context. This has empowered the students with an enhanced understanding of commercial issues and increased employability (Rae 2007; Huq and Gilbert 2017). This has also led to enhanced relationships with industry and given students a wider understanding of their degree area.

Practical implications

For the educator: The use of self-reflective teaching methodologies (Hayward 2000) are noted to be vital in order to deliver enterprise education in a way that is relevant to the student cohort body. By reflecting on one’s teaching style and delivery method, the authors were able to engage non-business students in enterprise education, and receive a high level of student satisfaction. It is noted that self-reflection was a valuable process for delivery to each degree discipline. By employing problem based learning and self-reflective teaching methodologies, an increased synergy between the business taught elements and the science subjects was created.

Originality/value

This approach is shown to empower the students with an enhanced understanding of commercial issues and an increased employability. This has led to enhanced relationships between academia and industry, and given students a wider understanding of their degree area; the enhanced relationships with industry offer students a wider commercial understanding of their degree area. A gap in the current knowledge base in enterprise education has been identified: enterprise education with the aim of educating the student to be more valuable to a business as opposed to starting a business. The use of self-reflective methodologies has offered a novel approach to enterprise teaching in a UK university.
Third-grade non-Newtonian fluid flow and heat transfer in two coaxial pipes with a variable radius ratio with magnetic field
Authors: Javanmard Mohsen , Taheri Mohammad Hasan , Askari Nematollah , Öztop Hakan F. , Abu-Hamdeh Nidal
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the hydromagnetic third-grade non-Newtonian fluid flow and heat transfer between two coaxial pipes with a variable radius ratio.

Design/methodology/approach

To solve the approximate nonlinear and linear problems with variable coefficients, a trial function was applied. Methods include collocation, least square and Galerkin that can be applied for obtaining these coefficients.

Findings

It is revealed that an increase of the non-Newtonian parameter, Hartmann number, and radius ratio leads to an augmentation of the absolute value of the dimensionless velocity, temperature, velocity gradient, and temperature gradient of about 10-60%. Further, the augmentation of Bi1 reduces the absolute value of the dimensionless temperature profile and dimensionless temperature gradient about three to four times; hence, the dimensionless heat transfer rate reduces. However, the growth of Bi2 has a contrary impact. Besides, the increase of Pr and Ec leads to an increase in the dimensionless temperature profile and dimensionless temperature gradient; therefore, the dimensionless heat transfer rate increases.

Originality/value

The convection heat transfer on the walls of the pipes is considered, and the nonlinear coupled momentum and energy equations are solved using the least squared method and collocation methods, respectively.
Free convection and thermal radiation of nanofluid inside nonagon inclined cavity containing a porous medium influenced by magnetic field with variable direction in the presence of uniform heat generation/absorption
Authors: Massoudi Mohamed Dhia , Ben Hamida Mohamed Bechir , Almeshaal Mohammed A.
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the natural convection and radiation heat transfer inside Nonagon inclined cavity with variable heated source length, which contains a porous medium saturated with nanofluid in the presence of uniform heat generation or absorption under the effect of uniform magnetic field with variable direction. The shape factor of nano particles is taking account for the model of nanofluid.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is established in two-dimensional space. The 2D numerical study is effectuated with Comsol Multiphysics based on the on the finite element method. The 2D equation system is exposed on dimensionless form taking into account the boundary conditions.

Findings

Results obtained show that the convection heat transfer is ameliorated with the augmentation of heated source length. The convection heat transfer is enhanced by increasing Rayleigh, Darcy numbers and the heated source length; however, it is reduced by rising Hartmann number. The presence of radiation parameter lead to improve the convection heat transfer in the presence of both uniform heat generation/absorption. The average Nusselt number reaches a maximum for an inclination of cavity γ = 45° and a minimum for γ = 60°. Both the increase of the shape factor of nano particles and the solid fraction of nano particles improve the convection heat transfer.

Originality/value

Different studies have been realized to study the heat transfer inside cavity contains porous medium saturated with nanofluid under magnetic field effect. In this work, the Nonagon geometric of cavity studied has never been studied. In addition, the effect of radiation parameter with relation of the shape factor of nanoparticles in the presence of uniform heat generation/absorption on the heat transfer performance have never been investigated. Also, the effect of magnetic field direction with relation of the inclination cavity on heat transfer performance.
Similarities and differences between virtual and actual pants
Authors: Zulkifli Siti Zulaikha Binti , Kim KyoungOk , Takatera Masayuki
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to clarify the criteria for subjective evaluation of the similarities and differences between virtual and actual pants and propose a quantitative evaluation method for those similarities and differences based on geometric features related to the evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using patterns, we made five pairs of actual pants for a dummy in five fabrics. We simulated virtual pants with a 3-D simulator. Sensory evaluation was conducted with images of the virtual and actual pants: 20 participants compared the images based on a questionnaire. For the structure of evaluation, the authors undertook analysis of variance and principal component analysis. The actual and virtual pants were geometrically compared using the 3-D scanned data. To investigate the relationship between quantitative and sensory evaluation, the authors calculated the correlation coefficients.

Findings

The authors found that subjects perceived the differences between actual and simulated pants. When comparing the virtual and actual pants, the criteria for the differences were the silhouette from the front view, hem width, waist and wrinkles. Using differences in the hem width, it would be possible to evaluate the differences between actual and simulated pants. Roughness and smoothness of the silhouette also affected evaluation.

Originality/value

The authors clarified the evaluation criteria for the similarities and differences between virtual and actual pants. The authors proposed a quantitative evaluation method for the similarities and differences between virtual and actual garment based on our criteria. This study will be of benefit to 3-D simulator users and developers.
Response surface optimization of cotton tufts opening degree using Box–Behnken designs
Authors: Alkhateeb Weaam Jameel
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effect of process parameters of blow room machines on openness degree and quality of cotton tufts in a blow room.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, an experimental Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used, and the process parameters were the angles of the grid bars underneath the opening rollers of CVT3 beaters and the distance between feed roller of the first opening roller of CVT3.

Findings

It was found that the cotton tuft openness increased by increasing the angles of grid bars and by decreasing the distance between the feed roller and first opening roller on CVT3 beater. Further, the optimization procedure showed that an optimum value of cotton tuft openness (in laser method) was determined for specific levels of the process parameters.

Originality/value

The originality of this investigation is that it showed the individual effects and interactions of the most important factors in two tufting machines instead of only one machine. This study is important because it helps cotton yarn spinners to improve the quality of the final yarns by optimizing the levels of tuft openness which in turn improves fiber cleaning.
Color fastness of fabrics after dyeing with fungal dyes
Authors: Hernández Vicente , Galleguillos Felipe , Sagredo Nicole , Machuca Ángela
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The study aims to test the color fastness of wool and linen fabrics dyed by simple immersion in ethanol dissolutions of fungal dyes.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethanol dissolutions ofTalaromyces australisandPenicillium murcianumdyes were prepared to a concentration of 0.3% and used to dye wool and linen samples by immersion. Color fastness to washing, dry cleaning, wet and dry rubbing, perspiration and light, were tested according to AATCC standards.

Findings

Color fastness reached acceptable results at dry cleaning and wet and dry rubbing by crocking but did not performed well at laundering, perspiration and light exposure. Results indicate that ethanol dissolutions of tested dyes had better affinity for wool fabrics than linen, but the dyeing method requires further improvements to be considered attractive for full scale applications.

Originality/value

In this work sustainability of fabrics dyeing is improved by using natural pigments produced by filamentous fungi and a method to dye that requires no increment of temperature and mordants.
Exploring the antecedents of organizational resilience practices – A transactive memory systems approach
Authors: Cotta Diogo , Salvador Fabrizio
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to explore individual- and firm-level antecedents of the ability of a manufacturing firm's personnel to collaborate and integrate knowledge for organizational resilience practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply hierarchical regression analysis to study a sample of 192 European industrial equipment manufacturers. Data for each firm are collected from surveys of two key informants in each firm, as well as from public sources.

Findings

Firms' personnel’s ability to integrate information and knowledge for organizational resilience practices was positively related with the extent of the head of manufacturing's network of personal contacts inside the firm. This effect was stronger in firms with more formalized job descriptions and clearly defined roles. The head of manufacturing's orientation to teamwork and cooperation impacted this ability only in firms that did not financially incentivize cooperation. The authors also found that cooperation incentives and role formalization directly relate to firms' personnel’s ability to integrate information and knowledge for organizational resilience practices.

Originality/value

The study proposes to study organizational resilience practices through a transactive memory systems lens. The study is also the first to link characteristics of individual managers to firm-level resilience practices by examining the antecedents of firms' ability to integrate information and knowledge to recover from operational disruptions. Furthermore, the study serves to enhance the knowledge of resilience practices by examining the role of firm-level antecedents and their interplay with characteristics of individual managers.
Performance measures of parallel tandem open queueing network
Authors: Priya Banu , P. Rajendran
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The authors consider parallel four-state tandem open queueing network. The queue capacity is infinite. Passenger arrival rate is Poisson distribution and service rate is exponential distribution. The queue is constructed in the form of tandem queue, and each and every queue of tandem queue is single server (M/M/1) queue. In tandem queue, passengers will leave the system once they receive service from both the states. The purpose of this paper is to provide performance analysis for four-state tandem open queue network, and a governing equation is formulated with the help of transition diagram. Using Burke theorem, the authors formulated equation for average number of passenger in the system, average waiting time of passenger in the system, average number of passenger in the queue and average waiting time of passenger in the queue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used Burke’s theorem.

Findings

In this paper, performance analysis is done for parallel four-state tandem open queueing network and performance measure solved using Burkes theorem formula. K. Sreekanth et al. has done performance analysis for single tandem queue with three states. In this paper, the authors have done performance analysis for two tandem queues parallel with four states. This four-state tandem open queueing network is suitable for real world applications. This paper can extend for more number of service states and multi-server states according to the application, and in such case, the authors have to prove and explain with numerical examples. This analysis is more useful for the applications such as airports, railway stations, bus-stands and banks.

Originality/value

In this paper, parallel four-state tandem open queueing network and performance measure has been solved using Burke’s theorem formula.
Teaching digital natives to acquire competences for sustainable development
Authors: Bagur-Femenías Llorenç , Buil-Fabrega Marian , Aznar Juan Pedro
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to analyse how to adapt teaching and learning methodologies to new generations of digital natives to promote their commitment to sustainable development. The research explores the existence of a relationship between digital natives’ characteristics, individual dynamic capabilities and their commitment to innovation and therefore to sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural equation model is used to test the proposed hypothesis by a survey conducted with 532 digital-native higher education students.

Findings

The results show the existence of a significant relationship between digital natives’ competences, individual dynamic capabilities and a better approach to managing situations with regard to relationships with key stakeholders and the fostering of innovation and commitment to the social and environmental issues demanded by society.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are that it is based on a sample from a specific Spanish university that cannot be representative of all digital natives from all universities and different cultural contexts. The variables measuring the characteristics of digital natives have only recently been used in the academic literature.

Practical implications

The research proposes including individual dynamic capabilities and innovation courses in sustainable development education to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goals. These research findings can be used as insights into the development of university programmes and courses.

Originality/value

This research is one of the first attempts at understanding how to promote education for sustainable development among digital natives and at identifying them as future change makers for sustainable development.
Coronavirus (covid-19) and social value co-creation
Authors: Ratten Vanessa
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Society has changed forever as a result of coronavirus (covid-19) with the new normal referring to lifestyle changes including social distancing and working from home. The purpose of this article is to understand how covid-19 has resulted in increased levels of social value co-creation aimed at producing innovative benefits to society.

Design/methodology/approach

A commentary is provided on crisis management from a social entrepreneurship perspective with the goal of understanding the social benefits of collective action resulting from the covid-19 pandemic. This approach offers a novel way to understand the social policy implications derived from the covid-19 crisis.

Findings

The article highlights how there has been an increased emphasis on social policy focussing on finding entrepreneurial ways to handle the covid-19 crisis that incorporates some degree of value co-creation. Examples from seed plant initiatives and reducing homelessness in times of crisis are discussed as a way to explain social value co-creation. Moreover, the different ways countries have responded to the covid-19 crisis are stated as a way to understand contextual differences in global society.

Originality/value

This article is amongst the first to focus on the link between covid-19 and social entrepreneurship from a value co-creation perspective thereby enabling a new way of thinking about the crisis from a social policy perspective. This will provide a theoretical basis from which to understand social policy differences regarding the covid-19 crisis.
Centralized selection of standardized modular containers: a multi-criteria method considering freight behavior and shipper segment
Authors: Ji Xiang , Guan Bingru , Liu Guowei
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Selection of standardized modular containers (SSMC) is counted as one of the most important driving factors that ensure the Physical Internet (PI) to realize the varieties of goals of sustainability simultaneously, thus overcoming the great challenge of modern logistics in nowadays global supply chain. However, previous research studies on SSMC seldom paid attention to freight behavior and shippers’ segment, which are described in several fundamental conceptual works as the most essential factors that should be taken into account when doing SSMC.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper defines two preference matrices to characterize the freight behavior and shippers’ segment, and then integrates these two matrices into a centralized multi-criteria method to determine the optimal SSMC.

Findings

The SSMC derived by the proposed methodology is found to be Pareto-optimal. A managerial implication for shippers to further improve efficiency is summarized as well.

Originality/value

First, the authors characterized the freight behavior and shippers’ segment by two preference matrices and then integrated them into a centralized multi-criteria method. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first SSMC-related paper that takes shippers' behaviors and preferences into consideration when making the selection. The authors’ attempt is expected to fill in the research gap that has existed until now. Second, the SSMC derived by the proposed methodology is found to be Pareto-optimal, ensuring the required sustainability. Finally, the authors summarized a managerial implication for shippers to further improve the efficiency from the aspects of production and design.
The impact of e-commerce capabilities on agricultural firms’ performance gains: the mediating role of organizational agility
Authors: Li Lei , Lin Jiabao , Turel Ofir , Liu Peng , Luo Xin (Robert)
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the impact of e-commerce capabilities on agricultural firms’ performance gains through organizational agility.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was used to collect data from 280 managers of agricultural firms. The proposed model was tested via structural equation modeling.

Findings

The empirical results indicated that organizational agility plays a mediating role in conveying the positive influences of e-commerce capabilities on agricultural firms’ performance gains. Specifically, managerial, talent and technical capabilities have different effects on market capitalization and operational adjustment agility, with talent capability performing the most important role. Market capitalization and operational adjustment agility have positive impacts on financial and nonfinancial performance gains, respectively.

Originality/value

This study provides a new framework to understand the relationships between e-commerce capabilities, organizational agility and agricultural firms’ performance gains.
Discussing natural resource extraction in cultural landscapes as a cultural value
Authors: O'Donnell Patricia , Rivet Christophe
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Natural resource extraction is perceived as a destructive aspect of human culture. This characterization is widespread, despite the activity having shaped relationships between communities and their environment to create entire sets of cultural values and expressions through settlement patterns, traditional skills and practices, innovation and technology, intangible cultural expressions, local economies and more. The cultural dimensions of natural resource extraction landscapes were discussed at the ICOMOS ADCOM Annual Symposium in La Plata, Argentina, in December 2018. The workshop included experts in cultural landscapes, sustainability, industrial archaeology and industrial heritage. This paper reports on these issues and deliberations focusing on World Heritage cultural landscapes of extraction.

Design/methodology/approach

The report considers a broad survey of the World Heritage List and sites on national Tentative Lists to identify those related to natural extraction sites and distinguishing between categories of relict vs. living, and between the types of natural resources being extracted.

Findings

The conclusion is that the World Heritage Committee has yet to address the living value of natural resource extraction. Furthermore, the workshop attendants concluded that there is a pressing need to do so in light of the type, nature and sustainability of these sites. As the source of materials for many outstanding sites on the World Heritage List and the decreasing availability of some resources, the question requires consideration to ensure the sustainable use and livelihood of communities.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations are set by the general terms of the survey and the limited engagement of knowledgeable individuals.

Practical implications

The practical implications are related to guidance to review and analyse potential living cultural landscapes related to natural resource extraction.

Originality/value

There is no general discussion on this topic yet amongst professionals. The initiative of the workshop identified that gap and its related necessity to provide guidance.
Selling culture: a buy local campaigns in the Ghanaian and South African textile and clothing industries
Authors: Darku Esther Naa Dodua , Akpan Wilson
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the paradoxes of buy local campaigns. These are popular strategies for marketing products in domestic markets aimed at supporting the local economy. Their scope can be national, regional, community or sectoral (such as agriculture, tourism, clothing or textiles).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the paradoxes associated with these campaigns, using two cases and a mixed methods study of buy local campaigns in the Ghanaian and South African textiles and clothing industries.

Findings

The study found that both economic and cultural streams of the two campaigns have different outcomes and that the dominance of one aspect does not directly influence the other.

Practical implications

The use of buy local campaigns by countries as an intervention for reclaiming domestic market spaces can produce contradictory outcomes concurrently in the same campaign.

Originality/value

The author concludes with a brief discussion, which spells out the anatomy of buy local campaigns and the usefulness of the different aspects of these campaigns.
How effective are the current global standards in combating money laundering and terrorist financing?
Authors: Jayasekara Sisira Dharmasri
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of global anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) standards on combating money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) efforts. This study will assess the impact of AML/CFT legal framework as well as the effective implementation of the framework on combating crimes.

Design/methodology/approach

The author develops an AML/CFT effectiveness index using the results of 11 immediate outcomes in mutual evaluation reports to measure the overall effectiveness of regimes in combating ML/TF. In addition to this index, the AML/CFT compliance index is used to measure the strength of the AML/CFT legal framework of countries. A model was developed and tested to measure the impact of the AML/CFT legal framework and its effective implementation on corruption, bribery, terrorism and crimes.

Findings

The results suggest that the effective implementation of the AML/CFT legal framework is important to combat ML/TF. The existence of a sound AML/CFT legal framework alone will not be sufficient to combat ML/TF. Therefore, countries are required to implement their legal framework effectively to achieve the AML/CFT goals of the country as well as the global policymaker. The empirical results show a significant relationship between the AML/CFT effectiveness index with the proxies the author used to capture corruption, bribes and crimes. Considering the wide range of implications of the crimes, which are related to ML/TF, this study suggests the global policymakers to further strengthen the monitoring mechanism of AML/CFT deficient countries to protect the global financial systems from criminals.

Practical implications

There is a dearth of studies on the impact of the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regime on combating ML/TF. Therefore, this study will lay the foundation for future studies on measuring the effectiveness of an AML/CFT regime. More appropriate measures will be developed in the future based on this foundation.

Originality/value

This paper is an original work done by the author, which discusses the impact of Financial Action Task Force standards on combating ML/TF. The AML/CFT effectiveness index is the original idea of the author, which can be used as a quantitative measure to capture the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regimes in future studies.
Improving the effectiveness of subject facets in library catalogs and beyond: a MARC-based semiautomated approach
Authors: Cuna Andrea , Angeli Gabriele
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper puts forward a MARC-based semiautomated approach to extracting semantically rich subject facets from general and/or specialized controlled vocabularies for display in topic-oriented faceted catalog interfaces in a way that would better support users' exploratory search tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

Hierarchical faceted subject metadata is extracted from general and/or specialized controlled vocabularies by using standard client/server communication protocols. Rigorous facet analysis, classification and linguistic principles are applied on top of that to ensure faceting accuracy and consistency.

Findings

A shallow application of facet analysis and classification, together with poorly organized displays, is one of the major barriers to effective faceted navigation in library, archive and museum catalogs.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not deal with Web-scale discovery services.

Practical implications

This paper offers suggestions that can be used by the technical services departments of libraries, archives and museums in designing and developing more powerful exploratory search interfaces.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the problem of deriving clearly delineated topical facets from existing metadata for display in a user-friendly, high-level topical overview that is meant to encourage a multidimensional exploration of local collections as well as “learning by browsing.”
Interrogating silent privileges across the work–life boundaries and careers of high-intensity knowledge professionals
Authors: Niemistö Charlotta , Hearn Jeff , Karjalainen Mira , Tuori Annamari
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Privilege is often silent, invisible and not made explicit, and silence is a key question for theorizing on organizations. This paper examines interrelations between privilege and silence for relatively privileged professionals in high-intensity knowledge businesses (KIBs).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on 112 interviews in two rounds of interviews using the collaborative interactive action research method. The analysis focuses on processes of recruitment, careers and negotiation of boundaries between work and nonwork in these KIBs. The authors study how relative privilege within social inequalities connects with silences in multiple ways, and how the invisibility of privilege operates at different levels: individual identities and interpersonal actions of privilege (micro), as organizational level phenomena (meso) or as societally constructed (macro).

Findings

At each level, privilege is reproduced in part through silence. The authors also examine how processes connecting silence, privilege and social inequalities operate differently in relation to both disadvantage and the disadvantaged, and privilege and the privileged.

Originality/value

This study is relevant for organization studies, especially in the kinds of “multi-privileged” contexts where inequalities, disadvantages and subordination may remain hidden and silenced, and, thus, are continuously reproduced.