bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implications of tax audit risk, consequences, aggressive behavior and ethics for compliance
Authors: Chan Siew H. , Song Qian
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This study investigates whether consideration of future consequences (CFC), Machiavellianism (MACH) and the perceived role of ethics and social responsibility (PRESOR) enhance understanding of the impact of tax audit risk on compliance.

Design/methodology/approach

A between-subjects experiment is conducted to test the hypotheses. A hypothetical tax audit case (or lack thereof) is used to create a high (low) perceived tax audit risk. The usable responses of 144 participants representing the general taxpayer population are analyzed.

Findings

The results suggest that taxpayers with lower CFC, MACH or PRESOR scores are more compliant when tax audit risk is high than low. In contrast, taxpayers with higher CFC, MACH or PRESOR scores are indifferent toward high or low tax audit risk.

Research limitations/implications

Research can elicit consideration of future consequences of being detected for taxpayers with lower CFC scores to increase compliance. Additionally, increased saliency of tax audit risk and detection of noncompliance in a tax audit can enhance the compliance of taxpayers with lower MACH scores. Dissemination of information via social media on the value of ethical and social responsibility of compliance can also increase the compliance of taxpayers with higher PRESOR scores.

Practical implications

This study helps researchers and the tax authority better understand the complexities of compliance and the ethical dilemmas that taxpayers face, especially when a considerable amount of cash income is involved. To deter underreporting of cash income, the tax authority can use social media to explain how data analytics tools can facilitate the analysis and integration of multiple sources of a taxpayer’s income and expenses.

Originality/value

Prior studies present participants with objective tax audit rates, such as 5, 25 and 30 (Culliset al., 2006; Maciejovskyet al., 2007; Trivediet al., 2003) or 50% (Maciejovskyet al., 2012) to investigate tax compliance. However, the actual tax audit rate is very low (about 1%) due to the limited resources of the tax authority (Alm and Torgler, 2011). To attenuate perceptions of unrealistic tax audit rates, this study operationalizes high (low) tax audit risk via a hypothetical tax audit case (or lack thereof) to examine the impact of tax audit risk on compliance.
Private tutoring in Bangladesh: evolution, expansion, and policy responses
Authors: Alam Md. Bayezid , Zhu Zhiyong
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This study explores the development trajectory of private tutoring in Bangladesh. Specifically, it illustrates how private tutoring has emerged and expanded in the country's education system and examines how governments have responded on this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted a case study methodology for this study. Data were gathered from different secondary sources such as books, official documents, scholarly articles, and newspaper reports. The data analysis process consists of three-phases of activities: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification.

Findings

Private tutoring historically existed in Bangladesh. It is rapidly expanded in the country's education system – from primary to higher secondary level. Currently, it has reached an industrialization stage, where commercial coaching has become a major type of tutoring. The expansion of private tutoring is the inevitable result of the continued privatization and marketization of education. To bring the private tutoring under a framework, the government has taken some regulatory measures that can be characterized as “laissez-faire.” The existing measures are largely ineffective, as the policy makers followed an “top-down” approach when framing the policies.

Originality/value

This study, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is the first to target the historical aspects of private tutoring in Bangladesh. It has potential to fill out the literature gap on private tutoring by analyzing its policy aspect.
Gastronomic trends and tourists’ food preferences: scale development and validation
Authors: Kılıçhan Reha , Karamustafa Kurtuluş , Birdir Kemal
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Food experience is gaining importance in the increase of sustainable competitiveness of tourism businesses, hence the importance of food consumption measurement in the context of recent gastronomic trends. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is not any appropriate scale to measure food consumption in the context of recent gastronomic trends. This study aims to fill this gap by developing and validating a scale that tends to measure tourists’ food preferences.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an explorative study with its unique construction and methodological approach. More specifically, scale development procedures were followed through reviewing the literature and gathering the opinions of 20 experts, and then the primary data were collected through the survey applied to 248 foreign visitors to Turkey. Finally, the subsequent survey was applied to 628 foreign visitors to Turkey for the sake of validity.

Findings

This study reveals a scale and validates it. The scale development and validation processes resulted in a three-factor model with 14 items to assess food consumption tendencies: modernist cuisine tendencies, fusion cuisine tendencies and local cuisine tendencies.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the relevant knowledge accumulation by developing and validating a scale measuring food consumption tendencies within the frame of recent gastronomic trends. The authors hope to broaden understanding and utilization of the tendencies and trends by both stakeholders in the tourism industry and academic circles.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first food consumption scale development and validation attempts within the frame of recent gastronomic trends. Considering this, it is hoped that the outcomes are unique and lead academia and practitioners in further research.
How the creative mindset affects entrepreneurial success in the tourism sector: the mediating role of innovation capability
Authors: Yodchai Natthawut , Ly Pham Thi Minh , Tran Lobel Trong Thuy
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This study aims to adopt implicit theory (IPT) to develop a creative mindset model and drive entrepreneurial success through innovation capability (IC).

Design/methodology/approach

Expert interviews were conducted using a questionnaire protocol. This study investigated the effect of the creative mindset on entrepreneurial success through IC, using a partial least squares analytical technique and by interviewing 176 Thai business owners.

Findings

The creative mindset drove entrepreneurial success through IC. Entrepreneurs possessing a growth mindset reflected and drove success directly or through IC. Although, those with a strong, fixed mindset did not significantly affect entrepreneurial success, they could drive success through IC.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides further insight into the probable causation of how the creative mindset and IC affect tourism entrepreneurs’ success. Accordingly, this study contributes a framework to help entrepreneurs’ creativity and performance in achieving their business goals.

Originality/value

Drawing from IPT, this study empirically tests and substantiates the mediating role of IC in the relationship between the creative mindset and entrepreneurial success in the tourism industry. This study can help entrepreneurs increase their managerial effectiveness.
Fly me to the moon: from corporate branding orientation to retailer preference and business performance
Authors: Foroudi Pantea , Foroudi Mohammad Mahdi , Palazzo Maria , Nguyen Bang
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The airline aviation industry is both capital-intensive and competitive. Hence, the evolution of the sector needs original marketing strategies. To study the relationships between corporate branding and corporate image, taking into account two views, namely, corporate strategy and corporate expression in airline identity, this paper aims to analyze the main indicators of the corporate branding that affect the outcomes of the corporate image.

Design/methodology/approach

To inspect the theories, the foundational configural model was assessed through the perceptions of 395 employees in Indian aviation companies. By using complexity theory, this study matched the concept of equifinality and it examined the data via a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis.

Findings

Findings show that corporate strategy positively influences the corporate image and corporate expression. Corporate expression offers the verbal and visual facets of a brand. Surprisingly, the paper shows that there is no link between corporate expression and corporate image. It also suggests that corporate expression, including corporate community, corporate promise and corporate personality, are all components of a corporate brand and do not influence the corporate image. Finally, the study highlights that corporate image positively affects superior business performance, which influences superior retailer preference.

Research limitations/implications

The study identifies the corporate identity’s indicators (corporate strategy and corporate expression) that affect the corporate image, which results in stronger, superior business performance and retailer preference. It suggests that managers in the airline industry should follow the recommendations of this research by adopting more objective and fairer procedures to attain superior business performance and retailer preference. In addition, the continued growth and the financial impact of the airline sector require the use of pioneering branding strategies. Future study is needed in various nations to advance the generalizability of the research findings.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper is the first to study corporate brand, its sub-dimensions (corporate strategy and corporate expression) and their individual links to brand image, which involves experience, relationships and visual identity.
Activating an artisanal saltpan: tourism crowding in or waterbirds crowding out?
Authors: Ramos Jorge , Pinto Patrícia , Pintassilgo Pedro , Resende Anabela , Cancela da Fonseca Luís
Published: November 2021

Purpose

There is an increasing interest in visiting protected areas in the Algarve (Portugal). Tourists are interested in contact with nature activities. However, protected areas are quite sensitive to human pressure and are limited in their carrying capacity. The purpose of this study is to fill a literature gap concerning which features attract tourists who visit saltpans via a pedestrian tour and what sort of pressure they inflict on waterbirds’ behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The tour consists of a predefined path with interpretive boards and guides who provide explanations to visitors. This study is threefold: to find out if waterbirds are disturbed by the presence of tourists, if tourists prefer to learn more about saltpans instead of finding waterbirds and if tourists have any preferred waterbird species. The methods used are direct observations with binoculars of the saltpan area and a short questionnaire. With the data collected, three hypotheses are tested.

Findings

The results show that the occurrence of waterbirds does not vary according to the presence or absence of tourist visits, tourists prefer visiting saltpans rather than watching waterbirds and there is some waterbird species preference.

Practical implications

Few people can visit the saltpan while keeping disturbance of both waterbirds and workers to a minimum. This study gives insights into sustainable ecotourism practices and how to articulate them with saltpan works.

Originality/value

The value of this study can be demonstrated by the interconnection between traditional salt production, waterbirds’ habitat, visitors’ interest and their interaction.
Will destination image drive the intention to revisit and recommend? Empirical evidence from golf tourism
Authors: Cham Tat-Huei , Cheah Jun-Hwa , Ting Hiram , Memon Mumtaz Ali
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Despite being a popular topic in sports tourism research, limited studies have focused on golf tourism in relation to destination image. The present study aimed to examine the impact of country-related factors on the destination image among golf tourists as well as the interrelationships between perceived service quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioural intention in this context in the Malaysian context. Excitement was also examined as a moderator of the relationship between satisfaction and behavioural intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from 360 golf tourists using a self-administered questionnaire at the two largest airports (KLIA and KLIA2) in Malaysia. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique.

Findings

The findings present the significance of country-related factors (i.e. accessibility, safety and security and golf course setting) in determining the image of Malaysia as a golf tourism destination. Destination image, in turn, is found to influence golf tourists' perceived service quality, perceived value and satisfaction; with both perceived service quality and perceived value acting as mediators between destination image and satisfaction. Moreover, the moderation assessment confirms that the level of excitement about golfing in Malaysia strengthens the relationship between their satisfaction and behavioural intention.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few that focuses on the consequential importance of destination image within the golf tourism setting. It highlights the mediating role of perceived service quality and perceived value as well as the moderating role of excitement in understanding the effect of destination image on satisfaction and behavioural intention of golf tourists.
The transformative impact of big data applications in sport marketing: current and future directions
Authors: Mamo Yoseph , Su Yiran , Andrew Damon P.S.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

As big data (BD) has increasingly become an important tool for managers and researchers to transform sport management practices, the purpose of this research is to highlight diverse data sources and modern analytical techniques that will leverage BD as a means to advance scholarship in sport management.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive review of existing BD literature in sport management outlines new perspectives on BD research method and the application of BD in sport management.

Findings

First, through a thorough review of the literature, a domain-specific conceptualization that incorporates the field's mission and priorities was developed. Second, potential data sources and different types of analytical opportunities was identified, highlighting strategies for developing methodological approaches that leads to novel research questions. BD analytics can allow for more flexibility in improving methodological capability to analyze data and, thus, provide more granular and predictive insights. Finally, this paper concludes with a discussion of BD's impact on three domains of sport management, whereby the organizations yield data-driven decisions.

Originality/value

BD has the potential to transform the sport management operations and bridges the research-practice gap. BD research in sport management is instrumental for accumulating new knowledge and/or testing existing theories, either in a deductive fashion or by taking an inductive approach, as the field embarks to advance scholarship.
Craft beer – a systematic literature review and research agenda
Authors: Nave Edgar , Duarte Paulo , Rodrigues Ricardo Gouveia , Paço Arminda , Alves Helena , Oliveira Tiago
Published: November 2021

Purpose

In recent years, the craft beer (CB) industry has gained impetus and has experienced significant growth in scientific publications. This study aims to present a systematic review of the literature on CB in areas related to economic and business sciences.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the data from Scopus, Web of Science and a set of articles not indexed to these databases until June 2021, a total of 132 articles were included for analysis, using bibliometric and content analysis techniques.

Findings

The study allowed us to identify that CB has four main clusters/themes of research, namely, CB industry and market, marketing and branding, consumer behavior and sustainability. Detailed information on the clusters is provided. In addition, the results showed that publications addressing CB have grown significantly from 2015 onwards and are dispersed across many journals, with none assuming a clear leadership. Quantitative approaches account for more than half of publications.

Research limitations/implications

This study is a useful guide for academics intending to develop studies with CB. It provides a framework to structure future research by identifying existing literature clusters and proposes several research propositions.

Practical implications

The findings from this study are useful for CB companies to get an overview of the main issues affecting the CB industry and market to be able to adapt their strategies and stay aligned with market tendencies in the four main clusters identified.

Originality/value

This is the first systematic review of CB. Therefore, it provides a significant contribution to frame and strengthening the literature on CB and serves as a reference for future research. Based on the content analysis and cluster identification, the findings portray the status of current research. Accordingly, a set of research opportunities are offered.
Impact of happiness-enhancing activities and positive practices on employee well-being
Authors: Jaiswal Akanksha , Arun C. Joe
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Psychology studies have gradually evolved in the past decades from examining negative to positive states of mind. This has led to an increasing interest in understanding the well-being of individuals. Further, organizational research has demonstrated a positive impact of employee well-being on key business indicators. Drawing from positive psychology, this study examines the impact of happiness-enhancing activities and positive practices (HAPP) on employee well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted in an emerging information technology firm in India. Using validated measures, this study designed an online survey that was completed by 54 employees of the firm.

Findings

Employees largely perceived the HAPP as important but reported low levels of engagement in most activities or practices. Using hierarchical linear regression, this study found that self-concordant work significantly impacted employee’s job satisfaction and job-related affective well-being.

Practical implications

Leaders must harness the synergy between individual and organizational growth by providing self-concordant work contexts in which employee’s key skills, competencies and strengths are leveraged.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing scant literature on HAPP. Further, in a first, this study uses these psychological interventions in the context of workplace and assesses their impact on employee well-being which itself is an area of growing interest among academicians and practitioners.
Eleven years of cyberattacks on Chinese supply chains in an era of cyber warfare, a review and future research agenda
Authors: Pérez-Morón James
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The contribution of this study aims to twofold: First, it provides an overview of the current state of research on cyberattacks on Chinese supply chains (SCs). Second, it offers a look at the Chinese Government’s approach to fighting cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and its calls for global governance.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review was conducted on Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, in Social Sciences Citation Index journals, Scopus and Google Scholar, published between 2010–2021. A systematic review of practitioner literature was also conducted.

Findings

Chinese SCs have become a matter of national security, especially in the era of cyber warfare. The risks to SC have been outlined. Cybersecurity regulations are increasing as China aims to build a robust environment for cyberspace development. Using the Technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, the results show that the top five factors influencing the adoption process in firms are as follows: relative advantage and technological readiness (Technology context); top management support and firm size (Organization context) and government policy and regulations (Environment context).

Research limitations/implications

This review focuses on cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and great care was taken when selecting search terms. However, the author acknowledges that the choice of databases/terms may have excluded a few articles on cyberattacks from this review.

Practical implications

This review provides managerial insights for SC practitioners into how cyberattacks have the potential to disrupt the global SC network.

Originality/value

Past researchers proposed a taxonomic approach to evaluate progress with SC integration into Industry 4.0; in contrast, this study is one of the first steps toward an enhanced understanding of cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and their contribution to the global SC network using the TOE framework.
Why money laundering is nurtured in Ethiopia?
Authors: Gobena Messay Asgedom
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the divers and facilitators of money laundering in Ethiopia. Specifically, it looks at the risk factors that existed in the country’s economic and political system, which provide an appealing environment for money laundering to grow.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study relies on primary data generated from interviewees drawn from the National Bank of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Financial Intelligence Center, Ethiopian Customs Commission, selected financial institutions and certain non-financial businesses and professions and law enforcement agencies, as well as secondary data from government reports, media press, statutes and other online and offline sources.

Findings

This study finds that the risk factors for the growth of money laundering in Ethiopia are highly reliant on the country’s economic and political system. Accordingly, the nature of Ethiopia’s economy, which is cash-intensive, loosely regulated economic growth and the raise associated criminality, the development of underground banking activities, scarcity of foreign currency reserves and the existence of societal demand for illicit goods and services are all risk factors for the growth of money laundering. The raise of an elite cartel model type of systematic corruption, limited institutional capacity to prevent and suppress money laundering and the absence of a national identity card system are also identified as risk factors for the rife of money laundering in Ethiopia. Moreover, the geopolitical location of the country, its porous borders, limited cross-border cooperation and information sharing add further fuel to the vulnerability of the country to money laundering and associated predicate offense.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper provides a first-of-its-kind analytical perspective on the risk factors for the raise of money laundering in Ethiopia.
Improving the electromagnetic compatibility of electronic products by using response surface methodology and artificial neural network
Authors: Chen Ching-Hsiang , Huang Chien-Yi , Huang Yan-Ci
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use the Taguchi Method for parametric design in the early stages of product development. electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues can be considered in the early stages of product design to reduce counter-measure components, product cost and labor consumption increases due to a number of design changes in the R&D cycle and to accelerate the R&D process.

Design/methodology/approach

The three EMC characteristics, including radiated emission, conducted emission and fast transient impulse immunity of power, are considered response values; control factors are determined with respect to the relevant parameters for printed circuit board and mechanical design of the product and peripheral devices used in conjunction with the product are considered as noise factors. The optimal parameter set is determined by using the principal component gray relational analysis in conjunction with both response surface methodology and artificial neural network.

Findings

Market specifications and cost of components are considered to propose an optimal parameter design set with the number of grounded screw holes being 14, the size of the shell heat dissipation holes being 3 mm and the arrangement angle of shell heat dissipation holes being 45 degrees, to dispose of 390 O filters on the noise source.

Originality/value

The optimal parameter set can improve EMC effectively to accommodate the design specifications required by customers and pass test regulations.
Will conjugal relationship affect the corporate innovation? Empirical evidence from a-share listed family business in China
Authors: Xu Yupeng , Cheng Bo , Pan Fei
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Few studies have focused on the impact of conjugal control and non-conjugal control on the innovation capability of family firms. In the context of the relative lack of research on the relationship between family firm heterogeneity and innovation ability, this study aims to focus on the differentiated impact of husband–wife-controlled family listed companies and non-husband–wife-controlled family listed companies on their innovation capabilities, which provides empirical evidence with more Chinese institutional and cultural characteristics for the development of corporate organizational management and innovation theories.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking all A-share listed family firms from 2007 to 2016 as the research sample, this paper examines the influence of spousal control on firm innovation level by empirical research method.

Findings

The empirical results show that compared with non-spousal-controlled family enterprises, spousal-controlled family enterprises have significant positive effects on the level of enterprise innovation. Further studies suggest that joint management of spousal-controlled family enterprises improves the level of innovation. Authority difference of the couple will weaken the innovation capacity. However, the wife’s professional skills can promote the innovation level.

Originality/value

Focusing on the characteristics of family internal structure and embedding marriage relationship in the enterprise organization, this paper investigates the influence of different characteristics of husband and wife and cooperation mode on enterprise innovation, and the conclusion enriches the theory of family business and family science, as well as provides important information reference for the stakeholder groups in the capital market.
Learning from the experience and effectiveness of retirement village and extra care housing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Dutton Rachael
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the RE-COV study and to summarise its findings. It focuses particularly on the implications of lessons learned for national, operational and building design policy and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Invitations to take part in a RE-COV study survey were emailed to the operators of 270 retirement villages and older people’s extra care housing schemes in England which were known to the Elderly Accommodation Counsel. Completed questionnaires were returned from 38 operators, online or electronically, between December 2020 and February 2021.

Findings

Survey findings evidenced the breadth and depth of the operators’ responses, the effects these had on residents’ lives and worthwhile changes which could be made. Outcomes demonstrated included higher levels of protection for residents from the COVID-19 virus compared to older people living in the general community, and high levels of residents feeling safe, supported and reassured.

Practical implications

The findings are used to offer evidence-based recommendations for housing operators, building designers and policymakers which could enhance resident, staff and operators’ health and well-being, both going forward and during possible future pandemics.

Social implications

There is evidence that retirement villages and extra care housing provided safe, resilient and supportive environments during the first year of the pandemic which were highly valued by residents.

Originality/value

This study addressed a knowledge gap regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted housing-with-care stakeholders, evidencing specifically how operators had responded, and what their response achieved.
Risk perception and tolerance shape variation in agricultural use for a transboundary elephant population
Authors: Hahn Nathan R. , Wall Jake , Denninger‐Snyder Kristen , Goss Marc , Sairowua Wilson , Mbise Noel , Estes Anna Bond , Ndambuki Stephen , Mjingo Eblate Ernest , Douglas‐Hamiliton Iain , Wittemyer George
Published: November 2021

To conserve wide‐ranging species in human‐modified landscapes, it is essential to understand how animals selectively use or avoid cultivated areas. Use of agriculture leads to human–wildlife conflict, but evidence suggests that individuals may differ in their tendency to be involved in conflict. This is particularly relevant to wild elephant populations.

We analysed GPS data of 66 free‐ranging elephants in the Serengeti‐Mara ecosystem to quantify their use of agriculture. We then examined factors influencing the level of agricultural use, individual change in use across years and differences in activity budgets associated with use. Using clustering methods, our data grouped into four agricultural use tactics: rare (<0.6% time in agriculture; 26% of population), sporadic (0.6%–3.8%; 34%), seasonal (3.9%–12.8%; 31%) and habitual (>12.8%; 9%).

Sporadic and seasonal individuals represented two‐thirds (67%) of recorded GPS fixes in agriculture, compared to 32% from habitual individuals. Increased agricultural use was associated with higher daily distance travelled and larger home range size, but not with age or sex. Individual tactic change was prevalent and the habitual tactic was maintained in consecutive years by only five elephants. Across tactics, individuals switched from diurnal to nocturnal activity during agricultural use, interpreted as representing similar risk perception of cultivated areas. Conversely, tactic choice appeared to be associated with differences in risk tolerance between individuals.

Together, our results suggest that elephants are balancing the costs and benefits of crop usage at both fine (e.g. crop raid events) and long (e.g. yearly tactic change) temporal scales. The high proportion of sporadic and seasonal tactics also highlights the importance of mitigation strategies that address conflict arising from many animals, rather than targeted management of habitual crop raiders.

Our approach can be applied to other species and systems to characterize individual variation in human resource use and inform mitigations for human–wildlife coexistence.
Minding the curve: The influence of social origin on earnings inequality by education in Mexico
Authors: Toro Harold J.
Published: November 2021

Relying on data from the Mexican Mobility Survey for 2006, I evaluate by how much earnings inequality improves upon reducing the influence of social origin on educational attainment. A semiparametric estimation of a counterfactual distribution is used to simulate a distribution of earnings that is not overdetermined by the effect of social origin on education. The contrast between the simulated and the observed distribution reveals that social origin worsens inequality by inducing an earnings bonus. In particular, the earnings bonus associated with social origin, benefits most those with a high school degree or more. Those who have attained at most middle school obtain a small earnings bonus or none at all. Social origin's boosting of returns to education is most salient above the median of the earnings distribution and increases disproportionately above the 80th percentile. The results emphasize the importance of universal educational opportunities for reducing the effect of social origin on labor market outcomes. The absence of any indirect effect of social origin on the earnings of those with less than a high school education is not consistent with sociological perspectives that emphasize social reproduction mechanisms in explaining inter‐generational persistence in the labor market.
Metric forensic anthropology decisions: Reliability and biasability of sectioning‐point‐based sex estimates
Authors: Hartley Stephanie , Winburn Allysha Powanda , Dror Itiel E.
Published: November 2021

Subjective decisions make human cognitive processes more susceptible to bias and error. Specifically, research indicates that additional context biases forensic anthropologists’ morphological analyses. To address whether metric analyses are also subject to bias, we conducted a pilot study in which 52 experienced osteologists measured a difficult‐to‐classify human femur, with or without additional contextual information. Using a metric sectioning‐point sex‐estimation method, participants provided a sex estimate for individual skeletal element(s) and, when given multiple elements, the combined skeletal assemblage. Control group participants (n = 24) measured only the femur. In addition to the femur, bias group participants (n = 28) either measured a female humerus and viewed a female‐biasing photograph (n = 14) or measured a male humerus and viewed a male‐biasing photograph (n = 14). We explored whether the experts in the different groups would differ in: (1) femoral measurements; (2) femoral sex‐estimation conclusions; and (3) final sex‐estimation conclusions for the skeletal assemblage. Although the femoral measurements and femoral sex estimates were comparable across groups, the overall sex estimates in the female‐biased group were impacted by contextual information—differing from both the control and male‐biased groups (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that cognitive bias can occur even in metric sex‐estimation conclusions. Specifically, this occurred when the metric data and single‐element sex estimates were synthesized into an overall estimate. Thus, our results suggest that metric methods are most vulnerable to bias when data are synthesized into an overall conclusion, highlighting the need for bias countermeasures and comprehensive statistical frameworks for synthesizing metric data to mitigate the effects of cognitive bias.
A Basin‐Scale Approach to Estimating Recharge in the Desert: Anza‐Cahuilla Groundwater Basin, CA
Authors: Stern Michelle A. , Flint Lorraine E. , Flint Alan L. , Christensen Allen H.
Published: November 2021

The Anza‐Cahuilla groundwater basin located mainly in the semi‐arid headwaters of the Santa Margarita River watershed in southern California is the principle source of groundwater for a rural disadvantaged community and two Native American Tribes, the Ramona Band of Cahuilla and the Cahuilla. Groundwater in the study area is derived entirely from precipitation and managing groundwater sustainably requires an accurate assessment of the water balance components, yet long‐term estimates do not exist. Demand for groundwater in the region has increased and groundwater quality has decreased due to population growth and increased irrigated cropland. To characterize monthly long‐term natural recharge and runoff estimates, a physically‐based water balance model (Basin Characterization Model) was locally calibrated and validated using nearby streamgages and published estimates of climatic and hydrologic variables. The average modeled annual recharge and runoff from 1981 to 2010 was 5.4 × 106 and 1.2 × 107 m3, respectively, for the study area. Recharge and runoff do not reliably occur in large amounts every year and recharge rarely occurs in the groundwater basin footprint. These long‐term estimates can be used by water managers, stakeholders, and Native American Tribes to develop plans for sustainable management of future water resources, and as inputs to a three‐dimensional groundwater model.
Relationships between type 2 diabetes, cell dysfunction, and redox signaling: A meta‐analysis of single‐cell gene expression of human pancreatic α‐ and β‐cells
Authors: Marques Emily Sara , Formato Emily , Liang Wenle , Leonard Emily , Timme‐Laragy Alicia R.
Published: November 2021

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease characterized by insulin resistance and failure of β‐cells to meet the metabolic demand for insulin. Recent advances in single‐cell RNA sequencing (sc‐RNA‐Seq) have allowed for in‐depth studies to further understand the underlying cellular mechanisms of T2DM. In β‐cells, redox signaling is critical for insulin production. A meta‐analysis of human pancreas islet sc‐RNA‐Seq data was conducted to evaluate how T2DM may modify the transcriptomes of α‐ and β‐cells.

Methods

Annotated sc‐RNA‐Seq data from six studies of human pancreatic islets from metabolically healthy and donors with T2DM were collected. α‐ and β‐cells, subpopulations of proliferating α‐cells, immature, and senescent β‐cells were identified based on expression levels of key marker genes. Each dataset was analyzed individually before combining, using weighted comparisons. Pathways of significant genes and individual redox‐related gene expression were then evaluated to further understand the role that redox signaling may play in T2DM‐induced β‐cell dysfunction.

Results

α‐ and β‐cells from T2DM donors modified genes involved in energy metabolism, immune response, autophagy, and cellular stress. α‐ and β‐cells also had an increased nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NFE2L2)‐mediated antioxidant response in T2DM donors. The proportion of immature and senescent β‐cells increased in T2DM donors, and in immature and senescent β‐cells, genes regulated by NFE2L2 were further upregulated.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that NFE2L2 plays a role in β‐cell maturation and dysfunction. Redox singling maybe a key pathway for β‐cell restoration and T2DM therapeutics.
Detection and clinical outcome of small‐for‐gestational‐age fetuses in the third trimester—A comparison between routine ultrasound examination and examination on indication
Authors: Bonnevier Anna , Maršál Karel , Källén Karin
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Fetal growth restriction is a major risk factor for adverse perinatal outcome. As most of the growth‐restricted fetuses are small for gestational age (SGA), an efficient antenatal screening method for SGA fetuses would have a major impact on perinatal health. The aim of this study was to compare the SGA prediction rate achieved with third‐trimester routine ultrasound estimation of fetal weight (EFW) with that obtained using ultrasound examination on indication. The secondary aim was to evaluate the clinical outcome in relation to the SGA screening method.

Material and Methods

During 1995–2009, two perinatal centers in southern Sweden offered routine ultrasound examination at 32–34 gestational weeks to 99 265 women with singleton pregnancies. Of these, 59 452 (60%) underwent the ultrasound examination. The other population, comprising 24 868 pregnancies, was cared for in another three centers that used a risk‐based method with ultrasound examinations on indication only. Of them, 5792 (23%) underwent ultrasound examination at 32–36 gestational weeks. The deviation in the EFW from the expected one was expressed as the EFW z‐score, SGA EFW being defined as the EFW z‐score less than −2. SGA prediction ability was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Crude and adjusted risk ratios were calculated for selected variables of perinatal outcome when comparing the populations.

Results

The SGA prediction ability for routine ultrasound was high, area under the ROC curve was 0.90 (95% CI 0.89–0.91). For an EFW z‐score of −1, the sensitivity was 67.3% and specificity was 90.5% among routinely screened pregnancies; corresponding numbers in the ultrasound on indication population were 34.3% and 96.6%. The screened population had a lower risk of preterm birth, birthweight z‐score less than −3, and Apgar score less than 7 at 5 min with adjusted risk ratios 0.87 (95% CI 0.82–0.92), 0.75 (95% CI 0.61–0.92), and 0.77 (95% CI 0.68–0.87), respectively. No difference in perinatal mortality was detected. There were no differences in perinatal outcome between the two subcohorts of infants born SGA.

Conclusions

Third‐trimester routine ultrasound improves the detection of SGA antenatally compared with ultrasound performed on indication, but no convincing improvement in perinatal outcome was identified.
The critical need for patient-reported outcome measures to assess the severity and impact of systemic sclerosis
Authors: Hughes M. , Denton C.P.
Published: November 2021

Linked Article:  Sibeoni et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:96–105.
Ten‐year survival outcomes after radical nephroureterectomy with a risk‐stratified approach using prior diagnostic ureteroscopy: a single‐institution observational retrospective cohort study
Authors: Veeratterapillay Rajan , Geraghty Robert , Pandian Rajadoss , Roy Chloe , Stenhouse Georgie , Bird Clare , Soomro Naeem , Paez Edgar , Rogers Alistair , Johnson Mark , Page Toby , Rix David , Thomas David , Rai Bhavan Prasad
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the long‐term oncological outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and the impact of diagnostic ureteroscopy (URS) on survival outcomes.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients undergoing RNU for suspected UTUC at a UK tertiary referral centre from a prospectively maintained database was conducted. The primary outcome measures were 5‐ and 10‐year cancer‐specific survival (CSS). The secondary outcomes were: overall survival (OS), recurrence‐free survival (RFS), impact of prior diagnostic URS on OS, CSS and intravesical RFS (intravesical‐RFS), and predictors of intravesical recurrence. Statistical analysis was performed in R using the ‘survminer’ and ‘survival’ packages. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate survival functions and these were expressed in graphical form. Uni‐/multivariate survival analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Statistical significance in this study was set at P < 0.05.

Results

A total of 422 patients underwent RNU with confirmed UTUC. The median (interquartile range) follow‐up of patients with confirmed UTUC was 9.2 (5.6–12.7) years. The 5‐ and 10‐year CSS rates were 70.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 65.9–74.9) and 67.1% (95% CI 62.4–71.6), respectively. OS (HR 1.04 [95% CI 0.78–1.38]; P = 0.46) and CSS (HR 0.96 [95% CI 0.68–1.34]; P = 0.81) were similar in the diagnostic URS and the direct RNU cohorts. intravesical RFS was superior for the direct RNU cohort (HR 1.94 [95% CI 1.19–3.17]; P = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, prior URS, T2 stage, proximal ureter tumour and bladder cancer history were predictors of metachronous bladder recurrence.

Conclusion

This single‐centre retrospective cohort study reports the long‐term oncological outcomes of RNU with a median follow‐up of 9.2 years, serving as a reference standard in counselling patients undergoing RNU. Stage and grade of the RNU specimen were the only two studied factors that appeared to adversely impact long‐term CSS and OS. Our results suggest that the risk of intravesical recurrence is increased nearly twofold in patients who have undergone diagnostic URS prior to RNU. Prior URS, however, does not appear to adversely impact long‐term CSS and OS. The authors suggest that a risk‐stratified approach be adopted, wherein diagnostic URS is offered only in equivocal cases.
Opening a black box: The moderating effect of managing dualities on the relation between explorative and exploitative activities and business performance in manufacturing firms
Authors: Wolf Patricia , Armellini Fabiano , Gisin Leila
Published: November 2021

Research on ambidexterity and continuous innovation predominantly assumes a positive relationship between ambidextrous behaviour and business performance in manufacturing firms. Scholars agree that this positive effect is moderated by the firm's capability in aligning explorative and exploitative activities through the management of dualities (MoD). Direct empirical evidence for this relationship is yet still missing, with the management of dualities (MoD) being treated as a black‐boxed construct. In this article, we open this black box by defining the elements of the MoD construct as connectedness, involvement, coordination and strategic alignment. We then test the assumption that MoD moderates the relationship between exploitative and explorative activities and business performance with data from a survey with 188 manufacturing firms. We find different direct and moderating effects for connectedness, involvement and coordination over business performance, but not for strategic alignment. Based on our analysis, we present a differentiated first explorative picture of the choices, benefits and trade‐offs associated with managing dualities in manufacturing firms.
Loss of GSTO2 contributes to cell growth and mitochondria function via the p38 signaling in lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Sumiya Ryusuke , Terayama Masayoshi , Hagiwara Teruki , Nakata Kazuaki , Sekihara Keigo , Nagasaka Satoshi , Miyazaki Hideki , Igari Toru , Yamada Kazuhiko , Kawamura Yuki I.
Published: November 2021

Glutathione S‐transferase omega 2 (GSTO2) lacks any appreciable GST activity, but it exhibits thioltransferase activity. The significance of GSTO2 in lung function has been reported; however, the precise expression and molecular function of GSTO2 in the lungs remain unclear. In the present study, we found that GSTO2 is expressed in airway basal cells, non–ciliated, columnar Clara cells, and type II alveolar cells, which have self‐renewal capacity in the lungs. Contrastingly, no GSTO2 expression was observed in 94 lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) samples. When human LSCC cell lines were treated with 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine, a DNA‐methyltransferase inhibitor, GSTO2 transcription was induced, suggesting that aberrant GSTO2 hypermethylation in LSCC is the cause of its downregulation. Forced GSTO2 expression in LSCC cell lines inhibited cell growth and colony formation in vitro. In a subcutaneous xenograft model, GSTO2‐transfected cells formed smaller tumors in nude mice than mock‐transfected cells. Upon intravenous injection into nude mice, the incidence of liver metastasis was lower in mice injected with GSTO2‐transfected cells than in those injected with mock‐transfected cells. In addition, GSTO2 induction suppressed the expression of β‐catenin and the oxygen consumption rate, but it did not affect the extracellular acidification rate. Furthermore, GSTO2‐transfected cells displayed lower mitochondrial membrane potential than mock‐transfected cells. When GSTO2‐transfected cells were treated with a p38 inhibitor, β‐catenin expression and mitochondrial membrane potential were recovered. Our study indicated that the loss of GSTO2 via DNA hypermethylation contributes to the growth and progression of LSCC, probably by modulating cancer metabolism via the p38/β‐catenin signaling pathway.