bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of low load performance on a two-stroke direct injection spark ignition aero-piston engine fuelled with diesel
Authors: Liu Rui , Ji Haocheng , Wei Minxiang
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate power performance, economy and hydrocarbons (HC)/carbon monoxide (CO) emissions of diesel fuel on a two-stoke direct injection (DI) spark ignition (SI) engine.

Design/methodology/approach

Experimental study was carried out on a two-stroke SI diesel-fuelled engine with air-assisted direct injection, whose power performance and HC/CO emissions characteristics under low-load conditions were analysed according to the effects of ignition energy, ignition advance angle (IAA), injection timing angle and excess-air-ratio.

Findings

The results indicate that, for the throttle position of 10%, a large IAA with adequate ignition energy effectively increases the power and decrease the HC emission. The optimal injection timing angle for power and fuel consumption is 60° crank angle (CA) before top dead centre (BTDC). Lean mixture improves the power performance with the HC/CO emissions greatly reduced. At the throttle position of 20%, the optimal IAA is 30°CA BTDC. The adequate ignition energy slightly improves the power output and greatly decreases HC/CO emissions. Advancing the injection timing improves the power and fuel consumption but should not exceed the exhaust port closing timing in case of scavenging losses. Burning stoichiometric mixture achieves maximum power, whereas burning lean mixture obviously reduces the fuel consumption and the HC/CO emissions.

Practical implications

Gasoline has a low flash point, a high-saturated vapour pressure and relatively high volatility, and it is a potential hazard near a naked flame at room temperature, which can create significant security risks for its storage, transport and use. The authors adopt a low volatility diesel fuel for all vehicles and equipment to minimise the number of different devices using various fuels and improve the potential military application safety.

Originality/value

Under low-load conditions, the two stroke port-injected SI engine performance of burning heavy fuels including diesel or kerosene was shown to be worse than those of gasoline. The authors have tried to use the DI method to improve the performance of the diesel-fuelled engine in starting and low-load conditions.
Modeling joint parameters to make sense of helicopter induced emissions effects: greener rotorcraft
Authors: Ekici Selcuk
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to ascertain the greenest helicopters by modeling joint parameters to make sense of induced emissions effects of helicopters allocated to various categories.

Design/methodology/approach

Emission indexes of helicopters construct the pillars of the methodology under use. Three different parameters are derived from emission indices: the index showing grams of pollutants that an engine produces per kWh; the index comparing of pollutant mass depending on the energy content of the fuel; and the index expressing the presence of the unreacted hydrocarbon (unburned) released into the atmosphere as a result of the combustion reaction.

Findings

Various helicopters have been designated as sensitive and insensitive to the environment under various conditions and in different categories. Details are in the conclusions section.

Practical implications

This study includes methods that can be used to select environmentally sensitive helicopters of various categories according to specific pollutants and their combustion efficiency.

Originality/value

The originality of the work lies in the determination of the most sensitive and insensitive to the environment by using true flight data of helicopters operating in various categories during different flight phases. In addition, this paper with an approach to identifying green helicopters has the capability to support studies on regulations for helicopters in some countries by policymakers.
How does government discourse make people vulnerable?
Authors: Tagalo Romulo Delarmente
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper develops a model of social vulnerability. Specifically, it aims to (1) determine the factors of social vulnerability to flood risks and (2) interrogate the discursive structure and framing of vulnerability within the local domain of disaster governance.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a descriptive-survey research design mobilized through sequential exploratory mixed method.

Findings

For ordinary people, vulnerability is due to five factors: (1) government inaction, (2) age-based frailty, (3) disability-based social exclusion, (4) weak social capital and (5) material susceptibility. Moreover, there are two patterns of discursive structure surrounding the risk of flooding in Davao del Norte: (1) where Cavendish banana is a favored export commodity of those who are in power, the Pressure-and-Release Model fits within the narrative of land-use changes in the province, and (2) where the local domain of disaster governance frames the DRR as a “hero-villain” normative duality.

Practical implications

At the policy level, the findings should inform the current government practices in development planning to mitigate flood risks, specifically the proposed Philippine National Land-use Act and the pending Bill to create the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Department. Operationally, the “hero-villain” finding challenges the self-awareness of disaster managers and functionaries whose technical trainings inculcated a one-size-fits-all approach to disaster response.

Social implications

The findings support the theory that disaster and disaster risks are socially constructed realities.

Originality/value

This paper teased out the gap between the people's risks perceptions in Davao del Norte and the government's DRR episteme, and it points to power relations that impede its closing.
(In)visibility in the margins: COVID-19, women entrepreneurs and the need for inclusive recovery
Authors: Grandy Gina , Cukier Wendy , Gagnon Suzanne
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to extend Lewis and Simpson’s (2010) work on the complexity of (in)visibility and explores what it means to women’s entrepreneurship in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This piece contributes to the special issue on COVID-19 and the impact on women entrepreneurs. Specifically, it applies an (in)visibility lens to argue that responses to COVID-19 in Canada negatively affect women entrepreneurs disproportionately and that while initiatives such as the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) are threatened, they can also serve as an agitator during this time to advocate for an inclusive recovery approach.

Findings

Despite progress through such government funded initiatives as the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), which is targeting more than $2bn (Cdn) in investments towards women entrepreneurs, structural inequality and the (in)visibility of women’s entrepreneurship has been amplified during COVID-19. Through a particular understanding of the (in)visibility vortex notion (Lewis and Simpson, 2010), it is concluded the (in)visibility of women entrepreneurs as deeply embedded and that there is a continued need to advocate for a gender and diversity lens, to ensure inclusive recovery that benefits women and diverse entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

An (in)visibility lens brings an important addition to the literature on women’s entrepreneurship, as well as illuminates the important differences within this broad category, deepening the understanding of these trends and their impact during COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how the complexities of intersectionality are critical to understand, and their recognition can help to drive a clear evidence base, as well as advocacy. The piece call researchers and practitioners alike to consider the question under COVID-19, will these conditions create a new vortex in this domain, or can the work of organizations and researchers position gender and intersectionality in women entrepreneurship as a disrupter for the future?
Analysing and forecasting China containerized freight index with a hybrid decomposition–ensemble method based on EMD, grey wave and ARMA
Authors: Chen Yanhui , Liu Bin , Wang Tianzi
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper applied grey wave forecasting in a decomposition–ensemble forecasting method for modelling the complex and non-linear features in time series data. This application aims to test the advantages of grey wave forecasting method in predicting time series with periodic fluctuations.

Design/methodology/approach

The decomposition–ensemble method combines empirical mode decomposition (EMD), component reconstruction technology and grey wave forecasting. More specifically, EMD is used to decompose time series data into different intrinsic mode function (IMF) components in the first step. Permutation entropy and the average of each IMF are checked for component reconstruction. Then the grey wave forecasting model or ARMA is used to predict each IMF according to the characters of each IMF.

Findings

In the empirical analysis, the China container freight index (CCFI) is applied in checking prediction performance. Using two different time periods, the results show that the proposed method performs better than random walk and ARMA in multi-step-ahead prediction.

Originality/value

The decomposition–ensemble method based on EMD and grey wave forecasting model expands the application area of the grey system theory and graphic forecasting method. Grey wave forecasting performs better for data set with periodic fluctuations. Forecasting CCFI assists practitioners in the shipping industry in decision-making.
Antecedents of positive eWOM in hotels. Exploring the relative role of satisfaction, quality and positive emotional experiences
Authors: Serra-Cantallops Antoni , Ramón Cardona Jose , Salvi Fabiana
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to compare the relative importance of service quality (SQ), customer satisfaction (CS) and positive emotional experiences (PEE) to determine which is more influential in customers’ intention to spread positive eWOM.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire that had been translated previously into English, German and Spanish and contained scales from previous studies, as well as a new scale created for electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) (which was tested before fieldwork commenced), was sent through an online survey to all customers who had stayed in a hotel during the previous three months and were selected from the customers’ database of two international hotel chains that operate hotels worldwide, most of which are middle-upper class establishments that specialize in the holiday market. A total of 3,671 valid questionnaires were obtained, and the research model was tested using partial least squares.

Findings

The findings suggested that, in the context of mid-upscale hotels, SQ is of paramount importance for CS, but by itself, does not guarantee customers’ involvement in generating and spreading positive eWOM. CS, by itself, neither guarantees customer involvement in positive eWOM spreading. However, the provision of services that can generate PEE among hotel guests is a powerful determinant of positive eWOM spreading and also has a very positive effect on CS.

Research limitations/implications

The results are based on a sample selected from customers of mid-upper-class hotels that cater to the holiday segment, and therefore, apply only to customers who use this category of hotel services. Further research should be conducted on mid-lower-class hotels to determine whether the results obtained in this paper can be generalized throughout the hotel industry.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights for hotel marketing managers by identifying a key causal element that fosters consumer creativity and consumer content creation by spreading eWOM. Managerial practices should strive to provide guest experiences that have the ability to increase emotional outcomes. The results have practical implications for product/service development, communication and customer relationship activities, as well as price and revenue management. Specifically, SME hotels could benefit from an increased volume of positive eWOM to increase their competitiveness.

Originality/value

The antecedents of eWOM have received less attention in research than its effects. Drawing on a large sample of hotel customers, this paper sheds light on the important issue of identifying which factors motivate customers to engage in spreading positive eWOM specifically in the hotel industry. The results also suggested that WOM and eWOM should not be considered strictly equivalent either in their features and effects or in their antecedents.
Monetary policy, bank leverage and liquidity
Authors: Dang Van Dan , Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The study explores how banks design their financial structure and asset portfolio in response to monetary policy changes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct the research design for the Vietnamese banking market during 2007–2018. To ensure robust findings, the authors employ two econometric models of static and dynamic panels, multiple monetary policy indicators and alternative measures of bank leverage and liquidity.

Findings

Banks respond to monetary expansion by raising their financial leverage on the liability side and cutting their liquidity positions on the asset side. Further analysis suggests that larger banks' financial leverage is more responsive to monetary policy changes, while smaller banks strengthen the potency of monetary policy transmission toward bank liquidity. Additionally, the authors document that lower interest rates induce a beneficial effect on the net stable funding ratio (NSFR) under Basel III guidelines, implying that banks appear to modify the composition of liabilities to improve the stability of funding sources.

Originality/value

The study is the first attempt to simultaneously examine the impacts of monetary policy on both sides of bank balance sheets, across various banks of different sizes under a multiple-tool monetary regime. Besides, understanding how banks organize their stable funding sources and illiquid assets amid monetary shocks is an innovation of this study.
Intraday Volatility in the Korean Stock Ind and Korean Stock Index Futures Markets
Authors: Oh Se Kyung
Published: September 2020

This paper tries to find the information flow between KOSPI200 Index and KOSPI200 Futures more accurately by considering two models. First, three-stage least-squares regression is used to estimate lead and lag relationships based on the representation of a simultaneous-equations model because futures and cash returns may affect each other contemporaneously. Secondly, a bivariate GARCH model is used because the lead-lag relationships between the two markets should consider not only return itself but also return volatility. The results from the first regression suggest that KOSPI200 futures returns and the index are simultaneously related and that the lead from futures to cash returns extends for about 40 minutes and the lead from cash to futures returns extends for about 30 minutes, which means the lead-lag relationship between the two markets are not unidirectional. I find from the analysis of a bivariate GARCH model that the information flow between the two markets is rather symmetrical when the volatility relationships are also considered, although it seems non-symmetrical when the returns relationships alone are considered. I also find a much stronger dependence in both directions in the volatility of returns between the cash and futures markets than that observed in the returns alone. When I consider intraday volatility as well in the lead-lag relationship between the two markets, KOSPI200 futures markets strongly lead index markets but KOSPI index do not lead futures markets. Evidence also suggests strong intermarket dependences in the conditional volatilities and in the return shocks. So the results have implications for understanding the pattern of information flows between the two markets.
Articles : Estimating Term Structure Models for Korean Monetary Stabilization Bond: An Analysis of Trading Data
Authors: Chang Kook-Hyun , Lee Seung Gyeom
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we try to extend the work of Kim and Chang (2000) and to estimate exponential-affine term structure models for Korean monetary stabilization bond (MSB) using trading data as an alternative of traditional curve-fitting methodology. We estimate both one factor CIR model and two factor CIR model. Using the daily trading data instead of quoted data of Korean monetary stabitization bond from February 10 1992 to September 8 2000, this paper estimates one factor successfully, which is consistent result with quoted data. But it seems that the result of two factor model from the trading data is not the same as that from the quoted data.
A framework for the techno-economic and reliability analysis of grid connected microgrids
Authors: Amewornu Ernestina Mawushie , Nwulu Nnamdi I.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This research studies the impact of introducing distributed generators (DGs) into a distribution network. The aim of this paper is to optimally site DGs based on economic, environmental and reliability indices are presented.

Design/methodology/approach

The considered network was modelled by using the network’s line parameters and capacity of the load bus with the help of Power System Analysis Toolbox. The location of the DG is based on voltage stability index and power loss reduction index. The DG energy sources considered are the diesel generator, solar photo-voltaic (PV) and wind generator, and the objectives were to minimize cumulative cost while maximizing reliability of the network. The Advanced Interactive Multidimensional Modelling System was used for the mathematical modelling.

Findings

The obtained results in the cases of introducing renewable energy into a network improves network performance. The benefits of renewable energy on the distribution network measured in terms of electricity production cost, gas emission cost, fuel cost and value of energy not supplied were positive. The research also showed that the total benefit of renewable energy reduces as the price of the renewable generators increases.

Originality/value

This paper introduces a new approach to determining the optimal location of DG for reducing line losses and improved voltage profile. A new cost modelling function based on external grid power transfer cost, technical losses and cost because of the various energies source is also introduced.
Creating public value in the care at home sector: a mixed-method study about expectations of primary stakeholders using a social exchange perspective
Authors: Kraus-Hoogeveen Sascha , Peters Pascale , Van der Pool Els , Van der Heijden Beatrice
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This mixed-method study aims to contribute to the scholarly debate by outlining an individual-level theoretical framework for public value creation and evaluation that builds upon a social exchange perspective. It provides insights into the normative frames of primary stakeholders in the Dutch care at home sector, that is professionals, managers, clients and informal care providers.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method design comprising a customized survey among 349 stakeholders, preceded by 31 in-depth interviews was used.

Findings

This empirical work shows differences and similarities in the stakeholders' normative frames revealed via three dimensions of expectations regarding the process of care delivery: personal contact, impact of rules and procedures and communication.

Social implications

These differences in interpretation have implications for the measurement and evaluation of public value creation.

Originality/value

By statistically and methodologically exploring the different expectations' scales that are developed, we intend to work toward a measure for public value creation, which can be used in future empirical work.
Intercultural communication experiences among students and teachers: implication to in-service teacher professional development
Authors: Othman Azam , Ruslan Norbaiduri
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to present the qualitative findings on students’ and teachers’ experiences in communicating and interacting with students and teachers from different ethnic backgrounds in the Malaysian vision schools initiative.

Design/methodology/approach

Face-to-face interviews were conducted involving 15 informants comprising of three headteachers, three teachers and nine students. The interviews centred on the informants’ experiences and views living and experiencing the reality of the vision schools which is comprising three major races; Malays, Chinese and Indians; which is represented by the three school types which are a national school, Chinese vernacular and Indian vernacular schools.

Findings

The interview data revealed that the intercultural communication in the vision schools had triggered intercultural understanding and awareness of cultural diversity in the schools. However, the interview data with experienced teachers showed some drawbacks of the intercultural dynamics at the school complex. Among the weaknesses were the absence of structured and formal training on intercultural and multicultural education, lack of trust and poor social skills which may have hindered effective intercultural communication from taking place.

Originality/value

This study presents the informants’ experiences and views on the reality of intercultural interaction among students and teachers in the context of the Malaysian vision school initiative.
Application of design thinking to product-configuration projects
Authors: Shafiee Sara , Haug Anders , Shafiee Kristensen Saeedeh , Hvam Lars
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Product configurators are expert systems that support product customization by defining how predefined entities and their properties may be combined. Developers of configuration systems act as designers, although they do not often recognize that they are performing as such. Moreover, exploring solution spaces is typically not integral to configuration projects, as this task is typically perceived as mapping existing knowledge to the configurator. This article argues that developing configurators may be understood by distinguishing between the problem and solution spaces using design thinking (DT).

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple-case-study approach with four configuration projects is adopted to study two projects involving DT and compare them to two similar projects not involving DT. Data collection depended on multiple data sources via workshops and semi-structured interviews.

Findings

First, DT methods and concept–knowledge (C-K) theory are integrated into configuration projects. Second, the application of DT during configurator development is presented through workshops and interviews, which demonstrates the benefits of DT in overcoming existing challenges.

Research limitations/implications

The case studies demonstrate the successful implementation of DT in developing configurators. However, a limited number of cases in only one company limits the generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

The framework's individual steps create a structured approach to supporting industrial companies with a toolbox of DT techniques and methods for configuration projects.

Originality/value

The results show that the application of DT to configuration projects can improve user motivation, stakeholder satisfaction and knowledge acquisition.
Employee trust repair after organizational change
Authors: Kähkönen Tiina
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study examines the trust-repair practices after organizational change.

Design/methodology/approach

Previous research on this topic is limited, so an abductive qualitative research approach was adopted. The data were collected from key informants through focus group discussions and interviews.

Findings

Beyond previous research findings, this study identified that employee trust can be repaired after benevolence-based trust violations by enforcing ethical behavior and fostering managers' emotional intelligence and after competence-based violations by fostering the sense-making process and by involving third parties in trust recovery. In addition, transparent information sharing and strong management actions predict positive trust outcomes in a change context.

Research limitations/implications

This paper makes three key contributions to the literature on organizational trust by (1) identifying trust violations after organizational change, (2) proposing a process model on trust repair and (3) extending understanding of trust repair practices by revealing new elements.

Practical implications

This study provides practical information from a real work context and can improve managers' understanding of active trust-repair practices.

Originality/value

This paper outlines active trust-repair practices in an organizational change context and expands the current theory by presenting novel insights into organizational trust repair. In addition, this paper contributes to the trust-repair literature by proposing promising avenues for future trust repair research.
Who’s in charge, in whose interest? The experience of ownership and accountability in the charity sector
Authors: Nordberg Donald
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the puzzles of “ownership”, the legal and psychological commitment of directors, through the experience of the work of boards at non-profit organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploration of the literature on charity governance leads to a first-person reflection on the tensions in directing two common types of non-profit organisations.

Findings

In the UK as in other countries, charities are companies, bound by company law as well as regulatory constraints of the non-profit sector. This creates responsibilities of ownership without the material benefits. In contrast to corporate share ownership, a sense of psychological ownership may pre-date appointment as a director, facilitating stewardship behaviour, facilitating stewardship and accountability.

Research limitations/implications

This paper calls for expanded empirical work on boards of non-profit organisations, giving a focused agenda of aspects to highlight the differences between charities and the corporate sector.

Practical implications

The focus on psychological ownership can influence recruitment, induction and organisation of the work of charity boards, helping to ease resource deficits.

Social implications

With pressure mounting in deliver of public services, the charity sector needs to fill growing gaps in provision. The constitution of boards plays a valuable role.

Originality/value

By incorporating psychological ownership in a framework of accountability, this paper points towards both a research agenda and practical considerations for charity boards.
Barriers to green cities development in developing countries: evidence from Ghana
Authors: Debrah Caleb , Owusu-Manu De-Graft , Kissi Ernest , Oduro-Ofori Eric , Edwards David John
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Of late, cities across the globe are taking pragmatic steps towards addressing environmental, social and economic problems in the debate on sustainable development. Even so, little attention has been paid to studies focused on developing countries. The aim of this study is to examine the barriers to green cities development in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the barriers to green cities development. In terms of methodological choice, a quantitative research strategy was used to collect data from professionals who have lines of influence on the greening of our cities and sustainable urban development.

Findings

The barriers to green city development identified were lack of awareness of the benefits of a green city, environmental degradation, insufficient policy implementation efforts, excessive generation of solid waste and poor wastewater collection and treatment. It was indicative from the study findings that taking the right sustainable steps in urban development and a paradigm shift towards the pillars of sustainability, Ghanaian cities, especially Kumasi, have a great proclivity of regaining its longstanding status being “Garden City”.

Practical implications

The outcome of this study provides stakeholders in city development an insight into the barriers that inhibit the development of green cities. In practice, this study contributively proposes that the concept of green cities should be incorporated in the education and training of stakeholders to improve the level of awareness.

Originality/value

This paper presents the foremost comprehensive study appraising green city development in Ghana.
Abiotrophia defectiva adhere to saliva‐coated hydroxyapatite beads via interactions between salivary proline‐rich‐proteins and bacterial glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase
Authors: Sasaki Minoru , Kodama Yoshitoyo , Shimoyama Yu , Ishikawa Taichi , Tajika Shihoko , Kimura Shigenobu
Published: September 2020

Abiotrophia defectiva is a species of nutritionally variant streptococci that is found in human saliva and dental plaques and that has been associated with infective endocarditis. In our previous study, it was found that A. defectiva could bind specifically to saliva‐coated hydroxyapatite beads (SHA). This study identified a cell surface component of A. defectiva that promotes adherence to SHA beads. The binding of A. defectiva to SHA was reduced in the presence of antibodies against human proline‐rich protein (PRP); these results suggested that PRP may be a critical component mediating interactions between A. defectiva and the salivary pellicle. Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis of whole A. defectiva cells followed by Far‐Western blotting was conducted by probing with synthetic peptides analogous to the binding region of PRP known as PRP‐C. The results indicate that an A. defectiva protein of 37 kDa interacts with PRP‐C. The results of amino‐terminal sequencing of the adhesive A. defectiva protein revealed significant similarity to glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Recombinant GAPDH bound to immobilized PRP‐C in a dose‐dependent manner and binding of A. defectiva to SHA or to PRP was reduced in the presence of anti‐GAPDH antiserum. Western blotting or electron immunomicroscopic observations with anti‐GAPDH antiserum revealed that this protein was expressed in both cytosolic and cell wall fractions. These results suggest that A. defectiva could specifically bind to PRP via interactions with cell surface GAPDH; the findings suggest a mechanism underlying A. defectiva‐mediated adherence to saliva‐coated tooth surfaces.
TIMM29 interacts with hepatitis B virus preS1 to modulate the HBV life cycle
Authors: Muriungi Nelly Gakii , Ueda Keiji
Published: September 2020

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a major global health problem, can cause chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinomas in chronically infected patients. However, before HBV infection can be adequately controlled, many mysteries about the HBV life cycle must be solved. In this study, TIMM29, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein, was identified as an interaction partner of the preS1 region of the HBV large S protein. The interaction was verified by both an immunoprecipitation with preS1 peptides and a GST‐pulldown assay. Immunofluorescence studies also showed colocalization of preS1 and TIMM29. Moreover, it was determined that the preS1 bound with amino acids 92–189 of the TIMM29 protein. Infection of HBV in TIMM29‐overexpressing NTCP/G2 cells resulted in a significant decrease of HBeAg and both extracellular particle‐associated and core particle‐associated HBV DNA without affecting cccDNA formation. Comparable results were obtained with TIMM29‐overexpressing HB611 cells, which constitutively produce HBV. In contrast, knockout of TIMM29 in NTCP/G2 cells led to a higher production of HBV including HBeAg expression, as did knockout of TIMM29 in HB611. Collectively, these results suggested that TIMM29 interacts with the preS1 region of the HBV large S protein and modulates HBV amplification.
The response of the soil bacterial community and function to forest succession caused by forest disease
Authors: Qu Zhao‐Lei , Liu Bing , Ma Yang , Xu Jie , Sun Hui
Published: September 2020

Forest succession is a key driver of plant communities and understanding succession is central to forest restoration. Currently, the information on the response of the microbial community to the forest succession process, however, is limited. In the present study, we investigated the dynamics of the soil bacterial community in three forest types undergoing succession caused by pine wilt disease, representing the initial pine forest, gradual mixed pine and broadleaved forest, and eventual broadleaved forest, using Illumina MiSeq coupled with Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa (FAPROTAX) analysis.

The results showed that the soil pH, contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (TN) increased after the occurrence of initial succession and differed among the forest sites. The mixed pine forest had significantly higher bacteria biomass (p < 0.05), whereas, the total microbial biomass did not differ during the succession. The bacterial community diversity and richness increased significantly following the succession process (p < 0.05). Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla across the succession, in which the abundance of Bacteroidetes significantly increased (p < 0.05), whereas, Planctomycetes, WPS‐2 andBurkholderdecreased in abundance after succession occurred (p < 0.05).

The three forests formed distinct bacterial community structures during the succession (p < 0.05), whereas, only two functional structures were clustered, in which the mixed and pure broadleaved forest did not differ. The dominant functional groups involved in the C cycle in the initial pure pine forest were replaced gradually by the groups involved in N and S cycles following the subsequent succession. The soil pH, soil TN and SOC were the most important factors affecting the bacterial community and functional structures during the succession.

These results indicate that the bacterial community and function shift drastically in the early stages of succession, which reflects the changes in ecological environment caused by succession. The findings provide useful information to better understand the response of microbes to natural forest disturbance and highlight the importance of microbes during forest succession.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Soil fungi and fine root biomass mediate drought‐induced reductions in soil respiration
Authors: Zhou Guiyao , Zhou Xuhui , Liu Ruiqiang , Du Zhenggang , Zhou Lingyan , Li Songsong , Liu Huiying , Shao Junjiong , Wang Jiawei , Nie Yuanyuan , Gao Jie , Wang Minhuang , Zhang Mingyue , Wang Xihua , Bai Shahla Hosseini
Published: September 2020

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, with potential impacts on carbon (C) release from soil (i.e. soil respiration, Rs). Although numerous studies have investigated drought‐induced changes in Rs, how roots and the soil microbial community regulate responses of Rs to drought remains unclear.

We conducted a 4‐year field experiment (2014–2017) with three treatments (i.e. 70% rainfall reduction, control and ambient) in a subtropical forest to examine effects of drought on Rs and its components [i.e. autotrophic (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh)] and explore the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Drought significantly decreased Rs by 17% averaged over the 4 years, but it had no significant effect in the first experimental year. The decrease in Rs was mediated by soil fungi and fine root biomass. Fine root biomass was correlated negatively with Ra and Rs under drought, but positively in the control treatment. Furthermore, drought treatments increased physiological stress in the bacterial community. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis suggested that under drought conditions, microclimate affected Rs via its impact on fine root biomass and fungal biomass.

Our results highlight the complex interactions between microclimate, roots and soil microbes in regulating Rs under drought in subtropical forest ecosystems. Incorporating these interactions into land surface models may improve predictions of climate change impacts on forest ecosystems.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Habitat features and performance interact to determine the outcomes of terrestrial predator–prey pursuits
Authors: Wheatley Rebecca , Pavlic Theodore P. , Levy Ofir , Wilson Robbie S.
Published: September 2020

Animals are responsive to predation risk, often seeking safer habitats at the cost of foraging rewards. Although previous research has examined how habitat features affect detection by predators, little is known about how the interaction of habitat features, sensory cues and physical performance capabilities affect prey escape performance once detected.

To investigate how specific habitat features affect predation risk, we developed an individual‐based model of terrestrial predator–prey pursuits in habitats with programmable features.

We ran simulations varying the relative performance capabilities of predator and prey as well as the availability and abundance of refuges and obstacles in the habitat.

Prey were more likely to avoid detection in complex habitats containing a higher abundance of obstacles; however, if detected, prey escape probability was dependent on both the abundance of refuges and obstacles and the predator's relative performance capabilities. Our model accurately predicted the relative escape success for impala escaping from cheetah in open savanna versus acacia thicket habitat, though escape success was consistently underestimated.

Our model provides a mechanistic explanation for the differential effects of habitat on survival for different predator–prey pairs. Its flexible nature means that our model can be refined to simulate specific systems and could have applications towards management programmes for species threatened by habitat loss and predation.
In vivo synthesis of monolysocardiolipin and cardiolipin by Acinetobacter baumannii phospholipase D and effect on cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance
Authors: Pfefferle Katharina , Lopalco Patrizia , Breisch Jennifer , Siemund Anna , Corcelli Angela , Averhoff Beate
Published: September 2020

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen, which has become a rising threat in healthcare facilities worldwide due to increasing antibiotic resistances and optimal adaptation to clinical environments and the human host. We reported in a former publication on the identification of three phopholipases of the phospholipase D (PLD) superfamily in A. baumannii ATCC 19606T acting in concerted manner as virulence factors in Galleria mellonella infection and lung epithelial cell invasion. This study focussed on the function of the three PLDs. A Δpld1‐3 mutant was defect in biosynthesis of the phospholipids cardiolipin (CL) and monolysocardiolipin (MLCL), whereas the deletion of pld2 and pld3 abolished the production of MLCL. Complementation of the Δpld1‐3 mutant with pld1 restored CL biosynthesis demonstrating that the PLD1 is implicated in CL biosynthesis. Complementation of the Δpld1‐3 mutant with either pld2 or pld3 restored MLCL and CL production leading to the conclusion that PLD2 and PLD3 are implicated in CL and MLCL production. Mutant studies revealed that two catalytic motifs are essential for the PLD3‐mediated biosynthesis of CL and MLCL. The Δpld1‐3 mutant exhibited a decreased colistin and polymyxin B resistance indicating a role of CL in cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) resistance.
L'accès à l’électricité: une solution pour réduire la déforestation en Afrique?
Authors: Bakehe Novice Patrick
Published: September 2020

Dans la littérature économique, il a été largement démontré que l'accès à l’électricité a des externalités positives sur diverses dimensions du bien‐être, notamment la participation au marché du travail et l'amélioration du capital humain. Cependant, ces effets sur la déforestation sont moins connus malgré les liens existants entre l'utilisation de certains combustibles et la dégradation des forêts. Cet article s'intéresse à l'effet de l'accès à l’électricité sur la déforestation à partir des données de 47 pays africains. Sur la période 1990–2015, nous montrons que l'amélioration de l'accès à l’électricité réduit le taux de déforestation. Cependant, en excluant les pays du Maghreb et l'Afrique du Sud de notre échantillon, l'effet de l'accès à l’électricité devient non significatif. Les mesures telles que la baisse des prix de consommation de l’électricité et un service de qualité pourraient augmenter les chances de substitution des sources d’énergie plus perfectionnées comme l’électricité à la biomasse traditionnelle et par conséquent réduire la déforestation.
Health care expenditure and health outcomes in sub‐Saharan African countries
Authors: Chireshe Jaison , Ocran Matthew K.
Published: September 2020

This paper studies the effect of health care expenditure on health outcomes in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) using data from 1995 to 2018 for 45 countries. It uses fixed effects and generalized methods of moments estimation approaches for the analysis. The paper measures health care expenditure using three proxies: namely, total health care expenditure per capita, public health care expenditure to gross domestic product (GDP), and private health care expenditure to total health expenditure. Health outcomes are measured by child health outcomes (under‐5 mortality rate) and life expectancy. The results show that increase in health care expenditure as measured by total health care expenditure per capita and public health care expenditure to GDP leads to decline in under‐5 mortality rates. The results also show that total health care expenditure per capita leads to an increase in life expectancy. The study therefore recommends that governments in SSA increase budget allocations towards the health care sector to achieve better health outcomes.
Exchange rate volatility and pass‐through to inflation in South Africa
Authors: Miyajima Ken
Published: September 2020

Does the South African rand's relatively large volatility affect inflation? To shed some light on this question, a standard estimation technique of exchange rate pass‐through to inflation is extended to incorporate exchange rate volatility. Estimated results suggest that higher exchange rate volatility tends to increase core inflation but to a relatively limited extent in South Africa. The finding lends support to the policy of allowing the rand to float freely and work as a shock absorber, consistent with the nation's successful inflation targeting regime.
British Torture, Then and Now: The Role of the Judges
Authors: Gearty Conor
Published: September 2020

This article is concerned with the return of torture and other related abusive conduct to the British counter‐insurgency arsenal following the initiation of military engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s. It focuses primarily on how judges have engaged with the challenges that this torture and abusive conduct have posed, both in their capacity as judges proper and also as appointees to a range of inquiries that have been initiated in the wake of these actions. The article contrasts the post‐2001 work of judges with that during an earlier episode when such state abuse was also evident, Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Arguing that the judiciary has been drawn into the fray much more heavily than in the 1970s and across a great range of platforms, the article analyses this judicial involvement and posits explanations for it against the backdrop of a changing UK politico‐legal culture.
Characteristics of effective small group social skill interventions in mainstream primary education: a systematic literature review
Authors: Evans Vanessa , Bond Caroline
Published: September 2020

Mainstream primary and elementary schools are increasingly involved in delivering small group social skill interventions for pupils with special needs, particularly in the light of the evidence indicating the impact of social skill competency on later life outcomes. Despite significant investment by schools in training and resources to implement these interventions, very little is currently understood about the characteristics of effective small group social skill interventions for the five to eleven age phase. The purpose of the current review was to provide a preliminary overview of the characteristics of such interventions. Searches of four key databases were conducted between September 2017 and January 2018. Eleven studies met criteria for inclusion. The review found that the area is at an early stage of development with a lack of clarity in conceptualising, measuring and judging effectiveness of small group social skill interventions for the primary age phase. Implications for future evaluative research methods are discussed, including a need for collaboration between schools and researchers to develop iterative, implementation‐based evaluative studies of small group social skill interventions.
Survey of clinician opinions on the role of proton beam therapy in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: McNeil Nicholas , Gorayski Peter , Le Hien , Penniment Michael , Hanna Gerard G , Thwaites David , Roos Daniel , Kenny Lizbeth M , Ahern Verity
Published: September 2020

Introduction

We surveyed the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) radiation oncology community to assess their perceptions, understanding and experience of the current role of proton beam therapy (PBT) and the existing referral process to access PBT overseas, ahead of the development of the first PBT centre in Australia.

Methods

The survey was conducted between September and October 2019 using a 17‐question instrument, which was distributed by email to all 632 radiation oncology fellows and trainees listed in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists database.

Results

One hundred and one respondents completed the survey, with an overall response rate of 16%. Most respondents were based in Australia (93%), with the majority working in public centres only (59%); 51% were > 10 years post fellowship and 17% were trainees. Most respondents (76%) reported moderate or high levels of confidence in the role of PBT. Only 28% had previously referred a patient for PBT overseas, with the most common referral indication being chordoma. Of those who had not previously referred a patient, 48% were not convinced about the rationale of PBT over current therapies available locally, 33% were not aware of the referral process, and 24% had concerns about the timeliness of a decision for government‐funded PBT abroad.

Conclusion

This survey has demonstrated that, although there is reasonable confidence in the role of PBT among ANZ radiation oncologists, there are a number of important aspects of PBT awareness, education and access that need to be developed prior to commencement of PBT in Australia.