bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bipolar disorder and Susac syndrome: a case report
Authors: Gutiérrez-Arango Felipe , Anmella Gerard , Hidalgo-Mazzei Diego , Gomes-da-Costa Susana , Gil-Badenes Joaquín , Marco-Hernández Javier , Espinosa Gerard , Colomer Lluc , Baldaquí Nuria , Pujal Ester , Fico Giovanna , Giménez Anna , Verdolini Norma , Murru Andrea , Vieta Eduard , Pacchiarotti Isabella
Published: July 2021

Susac-syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that manifests with mood alterations in up to 15% of cases and is usually treated with corticosteroids. We present the case of a 41-year-old woman with a first manic episode and history of Susac-syndrome, secondary Cushing’s syndrome after receiving high doses of corticosteroids and a previous depressive episode. Differentiating between primary and secondary mania is difficult, as people with bipolar disorder are prone to multiple psychiatric and nonpsychiatric comorbidities, in this case, the differential diagnosis included secondary mania, corticoid-induced manic episode and primary bipolar disorder. Upon admission, corticosteroid treatment was suspended, and the patient was started on lithium and risperidone. Secondary causes of mania were discarded and, assessing temporal and dosage criteria, it was deemed unlikely that the present episode was corticosteroid-induced. One-year outpatient follow-up pointed towards a primary bipolar type I disorder, as a separate entity from her Susac-syndrome. Corticosteroid use or abrupt withdrawal pose an underestimated risk of inducing depressive or manic symptoms, which may unmask affective disorders in susceptible individuals. Many medical conditions share CNS involvement and/or high-dose/prolonged corticosteroid treatment. In such cases, psychiatric manifestations such as mania or depression should be regarded as secondary and studied to determine the existence of medical complications before considering primary psychiatric conditions.
Thermococcus henrietii sp. nov., a novel extreme thermophilic and piezophilic sulfur-reducing archaeon isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal chimney
Authors: Alain Karine , Vince Erwann , Courtine Damien , Maignien Lois , Zeng Xiang , Shao Zongze , Jebbar Mohamed
Published: July 2021

A novel extreme thermophilic and piezophilic chemoorganoheterotrophic archaeon, strain EXT12cT, was isolated from a hydrothermal chimney sample collected at a depth of 2496 m at the East Pacific Rise 9° N. Cells were strictly anaerobic, motile cocci. The strain grew at NaCl concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 % (w/v; optimum, 2.0%), from pH 6.0 to 7.5 (optimum, pH 6.5–7.0), at temperatures between 60 and 95 °C (optimum, 80–85 °C), and at pressures from 0.1 to at least 50 MPa (optimum, 30 MPa). Strain EXT12cT grew chemoorganoheterotrophically on complex proteinaceous substrates. Its growth was highly stimulated by the presence of elemental sulphur or l-cystine, which were reduced to hydrogen sulfide. The DNA G+C content was 54.58 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and concatenated ribosomal protein sequences showed that strain EXT12cT falls into the genus

Thermococcus

and is most closely related to

Thermococcus nautili

strain 30-1T. Overall genome relatedness index analyses (average nucleotide identity scores and in silico DNA–DNA hybridizations) showed a sufficient genomic distance between the new genome and the ones of the

Thermococcus

type strains for the delineation of a new species. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic data, strain EXT12cT is considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Thermococcus henrietii sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain EXT12cT (=UBOCC M-2417T=DSM 111004T).
Automated Detection Model in Classification B-Lymphoblast Cell from Normal B-Lymphoid Precursors in Blood Smear Microscopic Images Based on the Majority Voting Technique
Authors: Ghaderzadeh Mustafa , Hosseini Azamossadat , Asadi Farkhondeh , Abolghasemi Hassan , Roshanpour Arash
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a deadly white blood cell disease that affects the human bone marrow. Detection of ALL, the most common type of leukemia, has been always riddled with complexity and difficulty in its early stages. Peripheral blood examination as a common method at the beginning of the ALL diagnosis process is a time-consuming, tedious process and greatly depends on the experts’ experience, keeping up with the advances in artificial intelligence in the diagnosis process. Keeping up with the growth and development of artificial intelligence algorithms a model was developed to classify B-ALL lymphoblast cells from lymphocytes.

Materials and Methods

A Fast, efficient and comprehensive model based on Deep Learning (DL) was proposed by implementing eight well-known Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models for feature extraction on all images and evaluating in classifying B-ALL lymphoblast and Normal. After evaluating their performance, four best-performing CNN models were selected to compose an ensemble classifier, by combining the model performance of each classifier.

Results

Due to the close similarity of the nuclei of cancerous and normal blood B-ALL cells, the state-of-the-art CNN models alone did not achieve acceptable performance in diagnosing these two classes and their sensitivity was low. The proposed classification model Based on the majority voting technique was adopted to combine the CNN models. The sensitivity of 99.4, the specificity of 96.7, AUC of 98.3, and accuracy of 98.5 were obtained for the proposed model.

Conclusion

To classify blood cancerous cells from normal cells, the proposed method can achieve high accuracy without the intervention of the operator in cell feature determination. Thus, the DL-based model can be recommended as an extraordinary tool for the analysis of blood samples in digital laboratory equipment to assist laboratory specialists.
The required size of cluster randomized trials of non-pharmaceutical interventions in epidemic settings
Authors: Sheen Justin K. , Haushofer Johannes , Metcalf C. Jessica E. , Kennedy-Shaffer Lee
Published: July 2021

To control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and future pathogen outbreaks requires an understanding of which non-pharmaceutical interventions are effective at reducing transmission. Observational studies, however, are subject to biases, even when there is no true effect. Cluster randomized trials provide a means to conduct valid hypothesis tests of the effect of interventions on community transmission. While they may only require a short duration, they often require large sample sizes to achieve adequate power. However, the sample sizes required for such tests in an outbreak setting are largely undeveloped and the question of whether these designs are practical remains unanswered. We develop approximate sample size formulae and simulation-based sample size methods for cluster randomized trials in infectious disease outbreaks. We highlight key relationships between characteristics of transmission and the enrolled communities and the required sample sizes, describe settings where cluster randomized trials powered to detect a meaningful true effect size may be feasible, and provide recommendations for investigators in planning such trials. The approximate formulae and simulation banks may be used by investigators to quickly assess the feasibility of a trial, and then more detailed methods may be used to more precisely size the trial. For example, we show that community-scale trials requiring 220 clusters with 100 tested individuals per cluster are powered to identify interventions that reduce transmission by 40% in one generation interval, using parameters identified for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. For more modest treatment effects, or settings with extreme overdispersion of transmission, however, much larger sample sizes are required.
Lessons learned and lessons missed: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on all-cause mortality in 40 industrialised countries prior to mass vaccination
Authors: Kontis Vasilis , Bennett James E , Parks Robbie M , Rashid Theo , Pearson-Stuttard Jonathan , Asaria Perviz , Zhou Bin , Guillot Michel , Mathers Colin D , Khang Young-Ho , McKee Martin , Ezzati Majid
Published: July 2021

Industrialised countries have varied in their early response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and how they have adapted to new situations and knowledge since the pandemic began. These variations in preparedness and policy may lead to different death tolls from Covid-19 as well as from other diseases. We applied an ensemble of 16 Bayesian probabilistic models to vital statistics data to estimate the impacts of the pandemic on weekly all-cause mortality for 40 industrialised countries from mid-February 2020 through mid-February 2021, before a large segment of the population was vaccinated in any of these countries. Taken over the entire year, an estimated 1,401,900 (95% credible interval 1,259,700-1,572,500) more people died in these 40 countries than would have been expected had the pandemic not taken place. This is equivalent to 140 (126-157) additional deaths per 100,000 people and a 15% (13-17) increase in deaths over this period in all of these countries combined. In Iceland, Australia and New Zealand, mortality was lower over this period than what would be expected if the pandemic had not occurred, while South Korea and Norway experienced no detectable change in mortality. In contrast, the populations of the USA, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland experienced at least 20% higher mortality. There was substantial heterogeneity across countries in the dynamics of excess mortality. The first wave of the pandemic, from mid-February to the end of May 2020, accounted for over half of excess deaths in Scotland, Spain, England and Wales, Canada, Sweden, Belgium and Netherlands. At the other extreme, the period between mid-September 2020 and mid-February 2021 accounted for over 90% of excess deaths in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Until the great majority of national and global populations have vaccine-acquired immunity, minimising the death toll of the pandemic from Covid-19 and other diseases will remain dependent on actions to delay and contain infections and continue routine health and social care.
Global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health: results of an international survey
Authors: Etti Melanie , Alger Jackeline , Salas Sofía P. , Saggers Robin , Ramdin Tanusha , Endler Margit , Gemzell-Danielsson Kristina , Alfvén Tobias , Ahmed Yusuf , Callejas Allison , Eskenazi Deborah , Khalil Asma , Doare Kirsty Le
Published: July 2021

Background

The World Health Organization’s “Coordinated Global Research Roadmap: 2019 Novel Coronavirus” outlined the need for research that focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and children. More than one year after the first reported case, significant knowledge gaps remain, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach. To address this need, the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Working Group (MNCH WG) of the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition conducted an international survey to identify global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health.

Method

This project was undertaken using a modified Delphi method. An electronic questionnaire was disseminated to clinicians and researchers in three different languages (English, French and Spanish) via MNCH WG affiliated networks. Respondents were asked to select the five most urgent research priorities among a list of 17 identified by the MNCH WG. Analysis of questionnaire data was undertaken to identify key similarities and differences among respondents according to questionnaire language, location and specialty. Following elimination of the seven lowest ranking priorities, the questionnaire was recirculated to the original pool of respondents. Thematic analysis of final questionnaire data was undertaken by the MNCH WG from which four priority research themes emerged.

Results

Questionnaire 1 was completed by 225 respondents from 29 countries. Questionnaire 2 was returned by 49 respondents. The four priority research themes were 1) access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) the direct and 3) indirect effects of COVID-19 on pregnant and breastfeeding women and children and 4) the transmission of COVID-19 and protection from infection.

Conclusion

The results of these questionnaires indicated a high level of concordance among continents and specialties regarding priority research themes. This prioritized list of research uncertainties, developed to specifically highlight the most urgent clinical needs as perceived by healthcare professionals and researchers, could help funding organizations and researchers to answer the most pressing questions for clinicians and public health professionals during the pandemic. It is hoped that these identified priority research themes can help focus the discussion regarding the allocation of limited resources to enhance COVID-19 research in MNCH globally.
Detection and whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 and B.1.351 variants of concern from Pakistan during the COVID-19 third wave
Authors: Umair Massab , Ikram Aamer , Salman Muhammad , Badar Nazish , Haider Syed Adnan , Rehman Zaira , Ammar Muhammad , Rana Muhammad Suleman , Ali Qasim
Published: July 2021

The viral lineages reflecting variants of concern have emerged worldwide and among them B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1351 (Beta) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants are the most significant ones and merit close monitoring. In Pakistan, very limited information is available on the circulation of these variants and only the alpha variant has been reported as the main circulating lineage. The objective of this study was to detect and explore the genomic diversity of B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 during the third wave in the indigenous population. During the current study, a total of 2274 samples were tested on real-time PCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 from May 14 to May 31, 2021, and among these, 17% were spike positive, whereas 83% of samples had the spike gene target failure (SGTF). From these spike positive samples, 22 samples were processed for whole-genome sequencing. Among VOCs, 45.5% (n=10) belonged to B.1.351 followed by B.1.617.2, 36% (n=8). The delta variant cases were reported mostly from Islamabad (n = 5; 63%) followed by Peshawar and Azad Kashmir (n = 1; 13% each). Beta variant cases originated from Islamabad (n=5; 56%), Peshawar (n=2; 22%), Azad Kashmir and Rawalpindi (n=1; 11% each). The mutation profile of delta variant isolates reported significant mutations, L452R, T478K, P681R, and D950N. The beta variant isolates reported characteristic mutations, D215G, K417N, E484K, N501Y, and A701V. Notably, a characteristic mutation, E484Q was also found in delta variant, B.1.617.2. Our current findings suggest detection of these VOCs from the local population and warrants large-scale genomic surveillance in the country. In addition, it provides timely information to the health authorities to take appropriate actions.
The temporal correlation between positive testing and death in Italy: from the first phase to the later evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: d’Alessandro Vincenzo , Balasco Nicole , Ferrara Pietro , Vitagliano Luigi
Published: July 2021

After the global spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), research has concentrated its efforts on several aspects of the epidemiological burden of pandemic. In this frame, the presented study follows a previous analysis of the temporal link between cases and deaths during the first epidemic wave (Phase 1) in Italy (March-June 2020). We here analyze the COVID-19 epidemic in the time span from March 2020 to June 2021. The elaboration of the curves of cases and deaths allows identifying the temporal shift between the positive testing and the fatal event, which corresponds to one week from W2 to W33, two weeks from W34 to W41, and three weeks from W42 to W67. Based on this finding, we calculate the Weekly Lethality Rate (WLR). The WLR was grossly overestimated (~13.5%) in Phase 1, while a mean value of 2.6% was observed in most of Phase 2 (starting from October 2020), with a drop to 1.4% in the last investigated weeks. Overall, these findings offer an interesting insight into the magnitude and time evolution of the lethality burden attributable to COVID-19 during the entire pandemic period in Italy. In particular, the analysis highlighted the impact of the effectiveness of public health and social measures, of changes in disease management, and of preventive strategies over time.
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the state of Paraná, Southern Brazil, reveals the cocirculation of the VOC P.1, P.1-like-II lineage and a P.1 cluster harboring the S:E661D mutation
Authors: de Medeiros Oliveira Mauro , Schemberger Michelle Orane , Suzukawa Andreia Akemi , Riediger Irina Nastassja , Debur Maria do Carmo , Becker Guilherme , Resende Paola Cristina , Gräf Tiago , Balsanelli Eduardo , de Baura Valter Antônio , de Souza Emanuel Maltempi , de Oliveira Pedrosa Fábio , Alves Lysangela Ronalte , Blanes Lucas , Nardeli Sheila Cristina , De Melo Aguiar Alessandra , Albrecht Letusa , Zanette Dalila , Ávila Andréa Rodrigues , Morello Luis Gustavo , Marchini Fabricio Klerynton , dos Santos Hellen Geremias , Passetti Fabio , Dallagiovanna Bruno , Faoro Helisson
Published: July 2021

We report a genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in Paraná, Southern Brazil, from March 2020 to April 2021. Our analysis, based on 333 genomes, revealed that the first variants detected in the state of Paraná in March 2020 were the B.1.1.33 and B.1.1.28 variants. The variants B.1.1.28 and B.1.1.33 were predominant throughout 2020 until the introduction of the variant P.2 in August 2020 and a variant of concern (VOC), P.1, in January 2021. Phylogenetic analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes that were previously classified as the VOC P.1 lineage by PANGO showed that some genomes from February to April 2021 branched in a monophyletic clade and that these samples grouped together with genomes recently described with the lineage P.1-like-II. An extended phylogenetic analysis, including SARS-CoV-2 genomes from all over Brazil, showed that the P.1-like-II lineage appears at a high frequency in the southern region of the country. The P.1-like-II lineage genomes share some, but not all, defining mutations of the VOC P.1. For instance, it has the previously described ORF1a:D2980H and N:P383 L unique mutations and the newly detected ORF1a:P1213 L and ORF1b:K2340N mutations. Additionally, a new mutation (E661D) in the spike (S) protein has been identified in nearly 10% of the genomes classified as the VOC P.1 from Paraná in March and April 2021. We also report the identification of the S:W152C mutation in one genome from Paraná, classified as the N.10 variant. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between the lineage and the P.1 variant frequency, age group (patients younger or older than 60 years old) and the clinical data of 86 cases from the state of Paraná. This analysis does not support an association between the P.1 variant prevalence and COVID-19 severity or age strata. Our results provided a reliable picture of the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the state of Paraná characterized by the dominance of the P.1 strain, as well as a high frequencies of the P.1-like-II lineage and the S:E661D mutations. Epidemiological and genomic surveillance efforts should be continued to unveil the biological relevance of the novel mutations detected in the VOC P.1 in Paraná.
Identification of G Protein αi Signaling Partners by Proximity Labeling Reveals a Network of Interactions that Includes PDZ-RhoGEF
Authors: Chandan Naincy R. , Abraham Saji , SenGupta Shuvasree , Parent Carole A. , Smrcka Alan V.
Published: July 2021

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that couple to the Gi family of G proteins are key regulators of cell and tissue physiology. Our recent work has discovered novel roles for Gαi in migration of neutrophils and fibrosarcoma cells downstream of activated chemoattractant receptors, but the molecular target(s) of Gαi in these processes remain to be identified. We adopted an intact cell proximity-based labeling approach using BioID2 coupled to tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics to identify proteins that selectively interact with the GTP-bound form of Gαi1. Multiple targets were identified and validated for selective biotinylation by active BioID2-Gαi1(Q204L), suggesting a previously unappreciated network of interactions for activated Gαi proteins in intact cells. Extensive characterization of one candidate protein, PDZ-RhoGEF (PRG), revealed that active-Gαi1 strongly activates PRG. Strikingly, large differences in the ability of Gαi1, Gαi2, and Gαi3 isoforms to activate PRG were observed despite over 85% sequence identity. We also demonstrate the functional relevance of the interaction between active Gαi and PRG ex vivo in primary human neutrophils. Identification and characterization of new targets regulated by Gαi both individually and in networks provide insights that will aid not only in investigation of diverse functional roles of Gi-coupled GPCRs in biology but also in the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Proximity-based labeling approach was used to identify signaling networks and signaling mechanisms downstream of Gi-coupled receptors.
Quantitative powder diffraction using a (2 + 3) surface diffractometer and an area detector
Authors: Abbondanza Giuseppe , Larsson Alfred , Carlá Francesco , Lundgren Edvin , Harlow Gary S.
Published: July 2021

X-ray diffractometers primarily designed for surface X-ray diffraction are often used to measure the diffraction from powders, textured materials and fiber-texture samples in 2θ scans. Unlike in high-energy powder diffraction, only a fraction of the powder rings is typically measured, and the data consist of many detector images across the 2θ range. Such diffractometers typically scan in directions not possible on a conventional laboratory diffractometer, which gives enhanced control of the scattering vector relative to the sample orientation. There are, however, very few examples where the measured intensity is directly used, such as for profile/Rietveld refinement, as is common with other powder diffraction data. Although the underlying physics is known, converting the data is time consuming and the appropriate corrections are dispersed across several publications, often not with powder diffraction in mind. This paper presents the angle calculations and correction factors required to calculate meaningful intensities for 2θ scans with a (2 + 3)-type diffractometer and an area detector. Some of the limitations with respect to texture, refraction and instrumental resolution are also discussed, as is the kind of information that one can hope to obtain.
Innovation Strategy at Microsoft: Clouds on the Horizon
Authors: Chao Raul O. , Kavadias Stylianos
Published: July 2021

Microsoft employs 90,000 people and its products affect millions of users around the world every day. Developing the next version of Windows or Office is easy for Microsoft, but the company has struggled when it comes to more radical innovation. Intense competition from Google, Apple, and others threatens a business model that has delivered tremendous success over 25 years. This case highlights the strategic challenges facing Microsoft and provides insights into the organizational, leadership, and operational issues that must be addressed in order to define a successful innovation strategy at one of the world's most well-known companies.
Implementation of technologies in the construction industry: a systematic review
Authors: Chen Xichen , Chang-Richards Alice Yan , Pelosi Antony , Jia Yaodong , Shen Xuesong , Siddiqui Mohsin K. , Yang Nan
Published: July 2021

Purpose

With interest in modern construction methods and new technologies on the rise, construction companies globally are increasingly looking at how to embrace new ideas and engage with new approaches to do things better. A significant amount of work has been carried out investigating the use of individual technologies in the construction sector. However, there is no holistic understanding of the new and emerging technologies that have had proven benefits for construction projects. To fill this gap, this paper aims to provide a landscape of technologies that have been implemented in the construction industry and the benefits associated with their implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review approach and PRISMA guidelines were used. A total of 175 articles published between 2001 and 2020 were identified and thoroughly reviewed.

Findings

The results show that a total of 26 technologies were identified from the literature, and these can be categorised into five groups in terms of their functionality in construction process, namely: (1) data acquisition, (2) analytics, (3) visualisation, (4) communication and (5) design and construction automation. Digital technologies, especially for data acquisition and visualisation, generally appear to underpin and enable innovation in many aspects of construction. Improvements in work efficiency, health and safety, productivity, quality and sustainability have been cited as being the primary benefits of using these technologies. Of these, building information modelling (BIM) appears to be the single most commonly used technology thus far. With the development of computer technology, BIM has constantly been used in combination with other technologies/tools such as unmanned aerial vehicles/systems (unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/UAS), geographic information systems (GIS), light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and multidimensional modelling to realise a specifically defined benefit.

Practical implications

The findings from this review would help construction practitioners identify the types of technologies that can be implemented in different stages of construction projects to achieve desired outcomes, and thus, make appropriate decisions on technology investment and adoption. This review also suggests that to reap the full potential that these technologies offer, aside from construction companies changing their culture and business models, corresponding changes in the construction sector’s operating systems related to building regulation, education and training, as well as contracting and procurement are required.

Originality/value

This paper undertakes a comprehensive systematic review of studies on technology implementation in the construction sector published between 2001 and 2020. It is the first attempt internationally to provide a holistic picture of technologies that have been studied and implemented in construction projects.
Conceptualising event value co-destruction and developing a future agenda for events research
Authors: Hogg Johannes , Werner Kim , Griese Kai-Michael
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Value co-destruction has received little attention in an event-related context. This appears surprising, given that the interactions among actors at an event may also reduce the value for other participants, stakeholders and that of the entire event or the event's service ecosystem. This paper first aims to conceptualise value co-destruction and to provide an overview of related research in an event context. Second, a future research agenda for value co-destruction processes in an event context is developed.

Design/methodology/approach

Journals of the “Scimago Journal and Country Rank” were systematically reviewed for the keywords “value co-destruction”, “value destruction” and “negative value co-creation”. A second literature review specifically aimed at the events context extended the search scope to non-Scimago journals, Google Scholar and Google Web using the same keywords. All identified articles were qualitatively analysed concerning (1) the conceptualisation of value co-destruction and (2) reasons for value co-destruction.

Findings

The review of previous research highlights a limited scope of analysis, a focus on value co-destruction as an outcome and on interactions at the meso-level. Based on these findings, a holistic definition of value co-destruction is proposed. The paper identifies two major directions for future studies on value co-destruction at events and suggests specific examples.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to a more holistic understanding of value co-creation and co-destruction in an event setting. For example, a clearer understanding of the interactions that reduce the overall value of an event may assist to better design valuable events in the future.
Golf courses and home values in California’s Central valley
Authors: Michieka Nyakundi Momanyi , Lacombe Donald John , Ampatzidis Yiannis
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the net effect of golf courses’ proximity on home sale prices in Kern County, California.

Design/methodology/approach

A spatial Durbin error model is used with sales price data for 1,693 homes sold in Kern County in the third quarter of 2018. This paper compares 90 different spatial econometric models using Bayesian techniques to produce posterior model probabilities which guided model selection and the number of neighbors to use.

Findings

The results show that significant spatial dependence exists in home values in Kern County. Point estimates indicate that homes abutting golf courses are valued at less than those which are not. This study also finds that the farther away from golf courses the average home is, the higher its value.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature in three dimensions. First, this paper analyzes whether proximity to golf courses impacts home values in Kern County where a study of this nature has not been conducted. Second, the analysis uses transaction data for 2018 which was a period when the sport’s popularity was fading and golf courses closing. Third, Bayesian model comparison techniques are used to select the appropriate model.
COVID-19 and public policy and entrepreneurship: future research directions
Authors: Ratten Vanessa
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Public policy has been an integral part of the response mechanisms used to manage the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, greater attention has been placed on policy planners in terms of how they can enact entrepreneurial ideas that help to alleviate the turmoil surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, the crisis management literature is utilised as a way of understanding future research directions regarding entrepreneurial behaviour in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the existing research on crisis management is conducted with the aim of identifying future research trends. Thus, this article will enable a better understanding of potential future research tracks such as (1) the consequences of the crisis, (2) environmental context, (3) empirical advancement and methodological change, (4) entrepreneurial marketing and branding, (5) crisis management, (6) policy and governance and (7) stress and wellbeing.

Findings

There a numerous ways research on COVID-19 can make theoretical, empirical and policy advancement. Therefore, an interdisciplinary perspective is required in order to consider alternative points of view regarding the link between COVID-19, entrepreneurship and public policy.

Originality/value

The ways research on COVID-19, entrepreneurship and public policy can be advanced are discussed in relation to the identified research tracks but also potential theoretical implications for new research.
The speed of change and performance risk: examining the impacts of IT spending in the US hotel industry
Authors: Hua Nan , Zhang Tingting , Jahromi Melissa F. , DeFranco Agnes
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of the speed of change (trend) in information technology (IT) expenditures on performance risk indicated by revenue volatility in the US hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

To systematically investigate the impacts of IT expenditures on hotel performance risks, this study collects the same store proprietary data of 1,471 hotel properties from CBRE, a leading hotel consulting firm in the USA, from 2011 to 2017, with a total of 10,297 observations.

Findings

Econometric analyses are performed and results indicate a significant and positive impact of the speed of change of IT systems expenditures on the performance risk after comprehensively controlling for confounding factors following prior research.

Originality/value

With the increased importance of IT in day-to-day activities, hospitality business owners have started to quickly adjust their investment in IT infrastructure and superstructure to enhance their business performance. However, their fast-changing expenditures may introduce more risks to their businesses based on the speed–accuracy tradeoff, systems theory and the Schumpeterian Growth Model. This study is one of the pioneer projects that ever assessed the impact of IT expenditure and speed of change on performance risks of hotels.
Challenges and opportunities of facilitating access and use of open access resources to users by librarians in federal and state universities in Nigeria
Authors: Ukwoma Scholastica Chizoma , Onyebinama Colette Ogugua
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges and opportunities of librarians in federal and state universities in Nigeria in facilitating access to open access resources.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a positivist research paradigm, descriptive survey research approach was employed in the study. Five research questions guided the study. The population of the study was 79 librarians. There was no sampling. A questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection, and the data were presented in figures and tables.

Findings

The major findings of the study were that librarians are aware of open access resources. They make the resources available/visible to users by linking them to the library website and promote the use of Google and Google Scholar searches. The librarians were of the view that free online resources are important for the research process. The major challenges they face in giving users access to these resources are lack of metrics and evidence to demonstrate the value of free content.

Research limitations/implications

The study only assessed e-resources' librarians in the sampled universities at the time of this study. It may be necessary to assess the perception of users towards open access resources.

Practical implications

Adopting and implementing these opportunities to enhance users' access and use of the resources will improve service delivery without doubt. Though this study is not exhaustive, it has provided insight into the inherent opportunities of using open access resources.

Originality/value

For the library management and librarians, the creation of awareness on available open access resources and facilitating access to users through different strategies will not only increase access but also improve teaching, learning and research. It will also increase users' awareness on accessing other sources apart from through subscription.
Role of personal relationships in mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour in firms: a dyadic perspective
Authors: Butt Atif Saleem , Ahmad Ahmad Bayiz , Shah Syed Hamad Hassan
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the role of personal relationships (friendships) in mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour between managers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a phenomenological methodology by studying seven UAE-based firms. Furthermore, 30 semi-structured (15 dyadic) interviews with senior managers are undertaken. The senior managers were chosen from multiple industries including plastic, frozen food, logistics, etc.

Findings

Based on 30 semi-structured interviews and comprehensive data analysis, results reveal that the development of personal relationships between managers results in higher interpersonal trust, mutual loyalty, higher cooperation, strong mutual goals and cultivation of reciprocity. The result further states that these factors diminish knowledge hiding behaviour between them.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, this study explores behavioural patterns concerning the United Arab Emirates culture only. Second, the results presented in this study should be quantitatively tested to demonstrate their generalizability.

Practical implications

Firms can use this study’s findings to understand how and why personal relationships between managers within firms diminish knowledge hiding behaviour.

Originality/value

There is a dire need for research exploring how knowledge hiding can be mitigated in firms. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the role of personal relationships in the knowledge hiding literature.
Mucilage binding to ground protects seeds of many plants from harvester ants: A functional investigation
Authors: Pan Vincent S. , McMunn Marshall , Karban Richard , Goidell Jake , Weber Marjorie G. , LoPresti Eric F.
Published: July 2021

The seeds of many plant species produce mucilage on their surfaces that when wetted and dried, firmly adheres seeds to surfaces and substrates. Previous studies have demonstrated that seed anchorage to the ground can reduce seed predation, although only a few species have thus far been tested.

Here we investigated whether binding to the ground reduces seed removal by harvester ants Pogonomyrmex subdentatus, an important granivore, for 53 species with mucilaginous seeds. We also explored functional traits that associate with seed removal risk to understand the ecological and evolutionary context of this granivory resistance trait.

Using a field cafeteria choice experiment, we compared harvester ant seed removal of wetted ground‐bound seeds to dry unbound control seeds for these 53 species. We developed a simple assay to score dislodgement force. We examined whether this force, seed mass and seed mucilage production explained the interspecific variation in protection that we observed in field seed removal. We integrated these experiments with a broad scale test of correlates of seed attachment using a previously published dataset of attachment potential of mucilaginous seeds for 432 species, examining correlations of attachment potential with 13 plant traits and the climate characteristics of the species' range.

Binding to the ground reduced seed removal in 42 of 53 species tested. The benefit increased with seed dislodgement force, which itself increased with mucilage production, but not with seed mass. In the larger dataset, shorter plant life span, higher temperature, more solar radiation, higher humidity, fewer wet days per year and higher seed density correlated positively with the odds of seed attachment. We also found that attachment potential showed a concave down quadratic relationship with latitude, peaking at roughly 30°. No strong evidence that any of the other six predictors correlated with attachment potential was found.

We demonstrate that protection from granivores is a widespread convergent function of seed mucilage and is associated with mucilage production. We highlight the need for increased mechanistic investigations into this common but poorly studied trait, particularly in relation to functional drivers of the broad patterns we found.

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Influence of muscle type and microstructure on iridescence in cooked, cured pork meat products
Authors: Ruedt Chiara , Gibis Monika , Weiss Jochen
Published: July 2021

Microstructural factors associated with surface iridescence in cooked, cured pork products were investigated. Meat iridescence is a commonly observed physical phenomenon in raw meat and meat products that consist of intact muscle tissue. Since the purchase decision of consumers is mainly driven by the first impression of meat color and appearance, products showing colorful iridescence may be rejected. Four different muscles (RF: M. rectus femoris, BF: M. biceps femoris, ST: M. semitendinosus, and LD: M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) were brine‐injected, cooked, sliced, and iridescence was evaluated by digital image analysis and sensory analysis. Sarcomere lengths, fiber diameters, and surface microstructure were analyzed in iridescent and noniridescent sections. Highest iridescence extent by image analysis was found in LD (37.3 ± 16.4%), and highest overall iridescence score (extent and intensity, 6.11 ± 1.78) was observed in BF. Sarcomere lengths did not differ significantly between iridescent (1.05 ± 0.09 µm LD) and noniridescent areas (1.08 ± 0.94 µm LD) within muscles (p > 0.05). Iridescent sections showed smooth and ordered surface structures with cross‐sectioned myofibers, whereas in noniridescent sections, surfaces were more unstructured and myofibers obliquely cut. The results of the study indicate that the sarcomere length and fiber diameters may thus be only of minor importance for the explanation of meat iridescence in cooked meat products and are rather related to multiple scattering and absorption effects on smaller structural entities such as the myofilament lattice or larger entities such as fiber bundles.

Practical application

Iridescence can be a problem for the meat industry due to consumers concerns about green‐iridescent colors in meat. The underlying mechanisms and structures have not yet been fully clarified, and thus no practical solutions to eliminate iridescence have been found so far. This research presents new insights into the structural attributes that are interrelated with meat iridescence and shows that iridescence is rather influenced by cutting angle of muscle fibers and surface homogeneity than by muscle fiber diameters or sarcomere lengths. This should be considered by the industry when seeking for ways to reduce the potential problem of iridescence.
The value of coastal saltpans for migratory shorebirds: conservation insights from a stable isotope approach based on feeding guild and body size
Authors: Lei Weipan , Masero Jose A. , Dingle Caroline , Liu Yang , Chai Ziwen , Zhu Bingrun , Peng Hebo , Zhang Zhengwang , Piersma Theunis
Published: July 2021

Migratory shorebirds are among the most threatened groups of birds. They rely on natural intertidal habitats outside the breeding season, but, to some extent have adjusted to using man‐made habitats. Here, we assessed the importance of coastal saltpans – a type of anthropogenic wetland – for feeding in migratory shorebirds during their northward migration along the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway (EAAF). We combined low tide counts on intertidal flats and nearby saltpans at the Luannan coastal wetland complex (Bohai Bay, China) with Bayesian mixing model analyses (BMMs) based on stable isotopes to evaluate the relative importance of coastal saltpans versus natural intertidal habitats as foraging grounds for migrating species. We grouped shorebird species (n = 24) according to feeding guild and body size, and found that both predictors explained the broad‐scale patterns of foraging use of saltpans by shorebirds at low tide. The guild of water‐surface foraging species (e.g. stilts and avocets), independently of body size, mostly fed in saltpans, and the small‐medium visual (e.g. plovers) and tactile‐surface (e.g. sandpipers) foraging species consumed a significant portion of their diet in this habitat. In contrast, most large tactile‐surface foraging species barely foraged in saltpans at low tide. BMMs showed that shorebirds had a greater reliance on saltpans than did traditional counts of foraging birds in each habitat at low tide. Saltpan food is rich in essential fatty acids, so the contribution of saltpans to the diet of shorebirds should not be considered only in absolute values, but also in the quality of this contribution. Saltpans may therefore help conserve declining shorebirds if properly managed – for example by controlling water levels – to serve the specific feeding guilds that rely on them. While our focus is in the EAAF, the findings are relevant for other flyways and other non‐tidal anthropogenic wetlands.
Anti‐colonial friendship
Authors: BYLER DARREN
Published: July 2021

In Northwest China, young Uyghur men foster friendships with one another as they flee colonial dispossession in their villages and migrate to the city. These friendships, which ultimately offer forms of protection in these migrants’ lives, are enacted through storytelling about colonial violence. Their storytelling is best understood as a processual staging of social life, one that holds in tension the violence of ethnoracialization and the palliative care of homosocial friendships. The stories of police brutality and job discrimination that these young men tell are an everyday enactment of the trauma staged in Uyghur‐language fiction about colonial alienation—a narrative form that both inspires Uyghurs to tell their stories and, in turn, is inspired by that experience. In a similar way, storytelling and anti‐colonial friendship can also pull ethnographers into relations of intersubjective obligation that shape their anthropological practice of listening and writing. In some contexts, then, anthropology itself can be regarded as the work of anti‐colonial friendship. [dispossession,anti‐colonial friendship,masculinity,storytelling,police,colonial violence,anthropology,Uyghur,China]
Predicting dissatisfaction following total hip arthroplasty using a Bayesian model averaging approach: Results from the Australian Arthroplasty Clinical Outcomes Registry National (ACORN)
Authors: Van Meirhaeghe Jan P. , Alarkawi Dunia , Kowalik Tom , Du‐Moulin Will , Molnar Robert , Adie Sam
Published: July 2021

Background

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) provides excellent pain relief and improved function in patients with painful arthritis. The aim of this study was to identify rates and predictors of dissatisfaction following THA.

Methods

Data were collected prospectively from the Australian Arthroplasty Clinical Outcomes Registry National (ACORN) database between 2014 and 2016 from 2096 patients who underwent THA. Data included baseline demographics, patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) and postoperative clinical outcomes. Patients were dichotomized into two groups based on their 6‐month response to the satisfaction question answered on a Likert scale. Eighteen predefined variables were analyzed. PROMs included full Oxford Hip Score, EQ‐5D, and patient satisfaction. A Bayesian model averaging approach was used to build the best predictive model for dissatisfaction. Multiple logistic regression techniques were applied to quantify the effect size of the best model.

Results

At 6 months following THA, 95.4% of patients (n = 2000) were satisfied with surgical outcome and 4.6% (n = 96) were dissatisfied. The only variable that was significantly associated with dissatisfaction after THA was “complications after discharge.” This result was consistent for both the complete and imputed dataset (odds ratio 4.78, 95% confidence interval 2.60–8.80, P < 0.001 and odds ratio 3.8, 95% confidence interval 2.60–5.60, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Our study confirms the high rates of patient satisfaction following THA, with postoperative complications being the only determinant of dissatisfaction. Optimization of patients prior to surgery, reducing postoperative complications, may further improve satisfaction rates after THA.
ARubiaspp.‐based red pigment on bones from the megalithic passage grave ofEl Moreco(Huidobro, Burgos, Spain)
Authors: Santa Cruz del Barrio Angélica , Martín‐Gil Jesús , Delibes de Castro Germán , Martín‐Ramos Pablo
Published: July 2021

Throughout prehistoric times it was common to smear red pigment on the bodies of the dead. Iron oxide was the most common pigment, but other pigments were also used. In this work, two red‐stained bones from the megalithic tomb ofEl Morecowere characterized by SEM‐EDS, FTIR, and GC–MS. The results provide evidence for the usage of a pigment obtained fromRubiaspp. This finding constitutes one of the oldest evidences of the use of madder red in Western Europe (IV‐III millennium BC) and, without ruling out other functions, suggests that it could have been used as a textile dye.