bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automation in New Zealand's offsite construction (OSC): a status update
Authors: Darlow Genevieve , Rotimi James O.B. , Shahzad Wajiha Mohsin
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Automation facilitates production activities within offsite construction (OSC) projects through computer-controlled and mechanised systems that can be programmed to deliver various products in a self-regulating sequence. Despite known benefits of automation to offsite production, the level of automation adoption in New Zealand is low. This study is an effort to understand the current status of automation within the New Zealand construction industry and to identify the barriers and enablers to its uptake.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilises the qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews (open-ended questions). Using a referral sampling strategy (snowballing), fifteen New Zealand industry experts were interviewed, and the data collected were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings

The study found that there is a weak business case for full automation. Four main categories of barriers to the uptake of automated OSC were identified, including requirement of high capital cost, lack of education about automation and OSC and non-existence of regulations to support OSC. It was noted that financial supports to the OSC sub-sector in form of subsidies, tax waivers, and enhanced leasing model could enhance the uptake of automation. Further to this more awareness about OSC's automation and regulations suitable for OSC could enhance the confidence of business owners to invest in this area.

Originality/value

Originality of this paper stems from the fact that, not much attention has been paid to investigating the uptake of automation for OSC sub-sector of construction industry in New Zealand context.
Window geometry impact on a room's wind comfort
Authors: Fallahtafti Reza , Mahdavinejad Mohammadjavad
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Natural ventilation is an environmentally friendly effective way of improving thermal comfort and the quality of indoor conditions if applied properly. This study aims to investigate the physical mechanism of the air movement and also the influence of building geometry in a cross-ventilated room through a parametric study of window geometrical characteristics using computational fluid dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

Momentum and continuity equations are solved by the control volume method using a commercially available software. Standardk−ɛturbulence model is employed to simulate the incompressible airflow and SIMPLE algorithm to solve the conservation equations. Mean air velocity magnitude is measured at three different surfaces of different heights, and the effect of incoming wind velocity inside the building is studied.

Findings

The research concluded that window hood and sill projections reduce indoor wind velocity magnitude, play a major role in incoming wind direction and thus have a crucial impact on wind circulation and indoor air quality.

Social implications

The paper has evaluated redesigning of a both practical and ornamental architectural element named Palekaneh, which is found in many historical buildings in several hot places in the world. Its optimal design could increase indoor natural ventilation quality and decrease a space's cooling load. Therefore, a new passive cooling architectural element could be re-introduced to the regions previously enjoying such ornaments. This is economically efficient because it eventually saves a considerable amount of energy in the long run and is socially important because of the revitalization of architectural identity.

Originality/value

The role of a building envelope's physical features, although being studied for solar absorption and daylight availability, has rarely been investigated for natural ventilation, especially in a small scale, thus making the paper novel in this regard. This provides a guideline for designers to assess the impact of their design on redirecting wind-induced natural ventilation the very early stages of design.
Challenging sustainability in school-based intervention in Nicaragua
Authors: Pettigrew Jonathan , Razzante Robert , Allsup Joshua , Lu Yu , Ray Colter D.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The current study identifies successes and limitations of sustaining Dale se Real (DsR) as a school-based educational intervention program related to drugs and violence for 7th and 8th grade students in Nicaragua, Central America. As evidence-based interventions are transported and imported across national borders, issues surrounding their adaptation and sustainability become important targets for investigation.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with nine key informants (e.g. school directors, implementers) from seven institutions, four of which sustained DsR and three of which did not. This study explores DsR's fit with the institutions' missions and routines, program adaptability, broader community support and sustainability planning.

Findings

Findings demonstrate two emerging views of sustainability within the Nicaraguan schools: a deficit approach and an empowerment approach. These two approaches imply different motivational structures for institutions and also led to the practical finding that developers and trainers need to provide structured or formal ways of empowering schools to continue implementing a program after staff no longer routinely contact them.

Originality/value

This study contributes a particular case on what facilitates and impedes sustainability of school-based interventions that can inform future intervention research in Latin American countries.
Do vacations and parental leave reduce voluntary turnover? A study of organizations in the ICT sector in Canada
Authors: Renaud Stéphane , St-Onge Sylvie , Morin Denis
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study examines the link between vacations, parental leave and voluntary turnover among Canadian organizations in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is carried out using firm-level data sourced from a survey that was completed by HR managers of 125 ICT firms operating in the province of Quebec (Canada).The organizational voluntary turnover rate was used and was obtained by dividing the number of employees who voluntarily quit an organization within the last year by the total number of its employees. Based on ordinary least squared estimates, results were generated by regressing voluntary turnover rate on vacation and parental leave.

Findings

Vacation, operationalized as the average number of annual vacation days, is negatively and significantly associated with the voluntary turnover rate of the ICT organizations surveyed. Parental leave, operationalized as the percentage of salary reimbursed during parental leave, does not significantly reduce voluntary turnover in the ICT organizations surveyed.

Practical implications

In light of the results of this study, if organizations in the ICT sector, in Canada or abroad, desire to reduce voluntary turnover, compensating employees through the use of additional vacation days appears to be a viable approach.

Originality/value

This research constitutes an empirical test of the link between turnover and two compensation practices adopted by firms. To our knowledge, there is no prior scientific evidence on that subject in the Canadian ICT sector.
Voluntary intellectual capital disclosure and earnings forecast in Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand growth triangle's pharmaceuticals sector
Authors: Hatane Saarce Elsye , Diandra Jefferson Clarenzo , Tarigan Josua , Jie Ferry
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study examines the role of intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) on earnings forecasting by analysts in the pharmaceutical industry in emerging countries, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. This study specifically examines the role of each component of the ICD on analysts' forecasts, which consists of errors of forecasted earnings, the standard deviation of forecasted earnings and analyst recommendations.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data analysis is conducted using a sample of 17 companies from pharmaceuticals industries in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand – Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), which are listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), Malaysia Stock Exchange (MYX) and Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) from 2010 to 2017. Secondary data is obtained from Bloomberg and Annual report, where they are being analyzed to measure the ICD and gather the control variables.

Findings

The results indicate that the three components of ICD, namely human capital disclosure (HCD), structural capital disclosure (SCD) and relational capital disclosure (RCD), insignificantly influence average analysts' consensus recommendation and analysts' earnings forecast dispersion. However, the findings show a significant negative influence of relational capital disclosure (RCD) on analysts' earnings forecast error. In contrast, HCD and SCD have an insignificant impact.

Practical implications

Transparency in disclosing activities related to external parties is essential for the pharmaceutical industry. It is found that relational capital disclosure is the only ICD indicator that can strengthen analysts' profit predictions. Transparency about company activities in maintaining customer satisfaction and activities related to strategic alliances with other organizations are two critical things that can accommodate the accuracy of earnings forecasting from analysts in pharmaceutical companies.

Originality/value

This study contributes to ICD-related research by discussing the financial analyst's response to this voluntary disclosure in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The selected observation period is seven years, starting one year after the global financial crisis. The results showed that the disclosure of IC is not an exciting thing for financial analysts. In forecasting current earnings, financial analysts are more interested in errors than the previous year's estimates.
Mergers and acquisitions in Morocco: reality and perspectives
Authors: Ibrahimi Mohammed , Liassini Jalal Eddine
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to address certain gaps and contribute to enriching the literature on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Africa; describe the phenomenon taking into account the particularity of the country; address recommendations to public policies and investors and make this article a ground-breaking article on research into the phenomenon of the M&A market in North Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

With description and an exploratory intention, the authors develop phenomenon driven research. As appropriate phenomenon driven research, the authors focus on characteristics of Moroccan M&A market. The authors use scientific investigation to provide descriptions and explanations of the phenomena in order to add a new perspective to the M&A literature in North African region. The authors work on the particularity of companies in Morocco, typology of M&A, geographic areas, socio-economic indicators, trade agreements, politics and culture.

Findings

Understand that the phenomenon of domestic M&A is a phenomenon of big cities and knows the participation of small and medium enterprises. The political variable, the trade agreements and the socio-economic weight of the countries influence the cross-border M&A in to out. Sharing a border and common culture has no impact on cross-border M&A but the history of colonization has an impact.

Research limitations/implications

The scientific contribution is first an extension of the neoclassical theory on the initiation of M&A operations. Throughout these 29 years of history, the existence of external shocks such as regulations has influenced the activity of M&A operations. Privatization, partial opening of sectors to foreign investment tax incentives have contributed to the realization of M&A operations.

Practical implications

This paper also has an economic and practical contribution, as it informs about the absence of M&A operation in the agriculture and agri-food sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. This region recognizes a food shortage that will increase by 70–100% between 2010 and 2050 with a strong population growth. The authors also note that regulations, royal directives, influence the activity and geographic choices of M&A. The political variable remains decisive for the cross-border M&A activity between Morocco and Algeria, but encourages acquisitions in countries in West and Central Africa.

Originality/value

M&A research in Africa is poor and suffers from several shortcomings; these barriers push researchers to produce fewer papers on this phenomenon. Through data collection, description and explanation, the authors tried to produce a paper focusing on the M&A phenomenon in a country in North Africa. To the authors’ knowledge, no article has dealt with this phenomenon in this country which is known for its strong M&A activity.
Conceptualizing change in organizational cognition
Authors: Gahrn-Andersen Rasmus
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Secchi and Cowley (2016, 2018) propose a Radical approach to Organizational Cognition (ROC) as a way of studying cognitive processes in organizations. What distinguishes ROC from the established research on Organizational Cognition is that it remains faithful to radical, anti-representationalist principles of contemporary cognitive science. However, it is imperative for proponents of ROC to legitimize their approach by considering how it differs from the established research approach of Distributed Cognition (DCog). DCog is a potential contender to ROC in that it not only counters classical approaches to cognition but also provides valuable insights into cognition in organizational settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a conceptual/theoretical approach that expands Secchi and Cowley's introduction of ROC.

Findings

The paper shows that DCog research presupposes a task-specification requirement, which entails that cognitive tasks are well-defined. Consequently, DCog research neglects cases of organizational becoming where tasks cannot be clearly demarcated for the or are well-known to the organization. This is the case with the introduction of novel tasks or technical devices. Moreover, the paper elaborates on ROC's 3M model by linking it with insights from the literature on organizational change. Thus, it explores how organizing can be explored as an emergent phenomenon that involves micro, meso and macro domain dynamics, which are shaped by synoptic and performative changes.

Originality/value

The present paper explores new grounds for ROC by not only expanding on its core model but also showing its potential for informing organizational theory and radical cognitive science research.
Brand identity and culture interaction in the Indian context: a grounded approach
Authors: Sharma Arbuda , Patro Sanjay , Chaudhry Harish
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore how elements of culture and cultural cues such as customs, values and norms interact with the brand identity. A qualitative research has been done to understand which cultural aspect is important for which aspect of brand identity. The results would be useful for designing the product.

Design/methodology/approach

This research focuses on exploring and validating the interaction between the factors of brand identity and various dimensions of culture. Multiple frameworks of brand identity and culture have been reviewed, factors have been identified and the interaction between the factors of brand identity and elements of culture has been established in the Indian context. Grounded theory approach has been exercised here as a holistic inductive research technique for identifying the interaction between factors of brand identity and elements of culture. This paper has explored inter-relationship between strategies adopted by managers in creation of brand identity and its consequential perception.

Findings

Following interaction has been found between the brand identity factors and cultural aspects – product shape, product size and packaging size – were found to interact with individualism vs collectivism, brand image, overall brand presentation, distribution, perception and quality were found to be strongly associated with power distance. Similarly associations were found between country of origin and belief, quality, product differentiation, frame of reference, points of parity and uncertainty avoidance, between Brand Ambassador – Person/ Icon and 9; Beliefs, between Fit with environment and self, Brand customer relationship and long term vs short term orientation, between Enhanced Self Perception and Masculinity vs Femininity, between Brand heritage, packaging colors and images and Customs and Symbols.

Research limitations/implications

The outcomes of our research show that customization is an indispensable principle to be followed in the global markets and elements of culture and cultural indications such as customs, values and collective norms are integral in driving the branding strategies.

Practical implications

The outcomes of the study lay emphasis on the parallel groundwork that the managers must make for their strategies, so that, the company centric variables of brand identity are well in sync with the socio cultural indicators of the region they are serving.

Originality/value

Unlike previous researches, this work records the consumers' perspective in understanding their purchase choices based on their cultural norms and influences.
Does economic risk affect corporate cash holdings?
Authors: Hunjra Ahmed Imran , Tayachi Tahar , Mehmood Rashid , Hussain Anwaar
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Economic risk plays a vital role in firm's cash holdings. We aim to determine the impact of economic risk on the firm's cash holdings.

Design/methodology/approach

The data is collected from the DataStream from 2002 to 2018, which covers 552 listed firms in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. We apply a two-step dynamic panel estimation to analyze the results.

Findings

We use the variance of inflation and variance of interest rate as proxies of economic risk. Our results show that variance of inflation has a significant and negative effect while the variance of interest rate has a significant and positive effect on firms' cash holdings in selected countries. Furthermore, we find economic risk negatively affects the firm's cash holdings in the country-wise analysis. Firms should maintain a reasonable amount of cash reserves to handle uncertain situations.

Originality/value

This study may provide insights to financial decision-makers of a firm for better cash management according the economic conditions of the country.
Frogs in boiling water: a moderated-mediation model of exploitative leadership, fear of negative evaluation and knowledge hiding behaviors
Authors: Syed Fauzia , Naseer Saima , Akhtar Muhammad Waheed , Husnain Mudassir , Kashif Muhammad
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study aims to utilize the cognitive appraisal theory of stress and coping by conducting a joint investigation of the mediating role of knowledge hiding behaviors in the relationship of exploitative leadership on employee’s work related attitudes (i.e. turnover intentions) and behaviors (e.g. job performance, creativity) and fear of negative evaluation in influencing this mediation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Preacher and Hayes’ (2004) moderated-mediation approach, the authors tested the model by collecting multi-wave and two-source data from employees and fellow peers (n = 281) working in the service sector of Pakistan.

Findings

Results of the study demonstrate that exploitative leadership adversely influences one’s performance and turnover intentions through knowledge hiding behaviors. The fear of negative evaluation moderates the indirect effects of exploitative leadership on employee’s outcomes through knowledge hiding behaviors such that these indirect effects are stronger for individuals possessing low levels of fear of negative evaluation.

Originality/value

The current study contributes to knowledge management and dark leadership literature by suggesting knowledge hiding behaviors as a process through which exploitative leaders unveil their negative effects on employee’s outcomes. This study is also unique in the sense, as it posits that employees might vary because of their dispositional traits (i.e. low fear of negative evaluation) in responding to exploitative leadership with greater knowledge hiding behaviors.
Capability mapping to improve manufacturing network performance: how a factory can target growth
Authors: Thakur-Weigold Bublu
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper explores growth opportunities for a contract manufacturer (CM), which operates a global virtual manufacturing network (GVMN). The Swiss factory should play a profitable role in the holding's competitive strategy, in spite of lower-cost alternatives within its network.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied a design science method over a period of two years of collaboration with the partner firm to complete three iterations of solution incubation and refinement.

Findings

The design artefact is a growth strategy for a CM with independently-managed, heterogeneous sites. A novel capability mapping tool reveals competitive advantage by deploying the GVMN as an order fulfilment system. Engineering and sales are integrated with production to project higher revenue streams in multiple locations including Switzerland.

Research limitations/implications

The research expands the operations management (OM) focus on optimization and continuous improvement. Results indicate that local and global manufacturing capabilities can be configured to target network performance, implying that the smile curve flattens in certain GVMN configurations. The exploratory case study is limited by a lack of statistical generalizability and is specific to the contract electronics manufacturing industry.

Practical implications

Managing manufacturing as a network can restore feed-forward and feedback loops, which are disrupted by de-verticalization and externalization. The visualization positions a Swiss plant in an inimitable role, serving growth accounts, which require co-development. The order fulfilment strategy and capability maps can be adapted to other GVMNs.

Social implications

The study presents an alternative to shuttering high-cost locations using performance improvements instead of protectionist interventions. This could have a material impact on de-industrialization in developed nations like Switzerland.

Originality/value

The strategy innovation originates in practice. Its synthesis drew on multiple disciplines to position OM as a strategic lever for competing in global value chains (GVCs). The author finds alternatives to the internationalization logic of cost arbitrage and adds to developed country studies. This is an OM contribution to the broader debate on globalization dominated by the social sciences.
Simultaneous scheduling of maintenance crew and maintenance tasks in bus operating companies: a case study
Authors: Martins Rodrigo , Fernandes Francisco , Infante Virginia , Andrade Antonio R.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an integer linear programming model to schedule the maintenance crew and the maintenance tasks in a bus operating company.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed methodology relies on an integer linear programming model that finds feasible maintenance schedules. It minimizes the costs associated with maintenance crew and the costs associated with unavailability. The model is applied in a real-world case study of a Portuguese bus operating company. A constructive heuristic approach is put forward, based on solving the maintenance scheduling problem for each bus separately.

Findings

The heuristic finds better solutions than the exact methods (based on branch-and-bound techniques) in a much lower computational time.

Practical implications

The results suggest the relevance of such heuristic approaches for maintenance scheduling in practice.

Originality/value

This proposed model is an effective decision-making support method that provides feasible maintenance schedules for the maintenance technicians and for the maintenance tasks in a fleet of buses. It also complies with several operational, technical and labour constraints.
Intellectual capital and bank performance in Vietnam
Authors: Vo Duc Hong , Tran Ngoc Phu
Published: March 2021

Purpose

For the past two decades, intellectual capital has played an increasingly important role in firm performance around the world. However, the importance of intellectual capital in Vietnam, and especially in the banking sector, has largely been ignored in the literature. This study is the first to examine the effect of intellectual capital on bank performance in Vietnam. In this paper, intellectual capital is decomposed into three components: (1) capital employed efficiency, (2) human capital efficiency and (3) structural capital efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses an unbalanced panel dataset on 14 listed banks in Vietnam for the period 2009–2018 for which required data are available, with the generalized method of moments.

Findings

The findings indicate that intellectual capital contributes significantly and positively to bank performance in Vietnam. In addition, bank performance is driven primarily by capital employed efficiency. Although human capital efficiency appears to contribute positively to bank performance, the effect on bank performance appears to be marginal.

Originality/value

The literature review indicates that the effect of intellectual capital on bank performance is mixed. This effect can be positive or negative or even show a U-shaped relationship. The effects of intellectual capital on firm performance are not consistent, depending on factors such as the quantitative technique and sample used. As such, this paper extends analysis of Vietnam to cover the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018. The literature review reveals that the contribution of intellectual capital to bank performance has largely been ignored in the context of Vietnam. Studies have been conducted on the Gulf countries, such as Buallay et al. (2020). However, because the context in Vietnam differs from that of the Gulf countries, their experience might not be relevant to Vietnam. Vietnam is an emerging market in Southeast Asia, whereas Gulf countries have high income levels. So, it is necessary to examine direct evidence on Vietnam.
The effects of supply chain finance on organizational performance: a moderated and mediated model
Authors: Beka Be Nguema Jean-Noël , Bi Gongbing , Akenroye Temidayo O. , El Baz Jamal
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to draw on the dynamic capabilities approach and aims to empirically investigate the impact of supply chain finance (SCF) on firm performance (e.g. operational risk and operational performance), the critical effect of environmental dynamism (ED) as moderator and supply chain risk (SCR) and a mediator in the relationship between SCF and organizational performance (OP).

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on empirical data collected from a survey of 210 companies and their supply chains in mainland China. Structural equation modeling is used to test the proposed relationships.

Findings

The findings show that SCF significantly mitigates the SCR, which subsequently has a significant positive effect on OP (e.g. operational risk and operational performance). The findings also show that when ED is high, the relationship between SCF and SCR is stronger and vice versa. Moreover, SCR mediates the relationship between SCF and OP. The hypothesis regarding the moderating effect of ED on the paths joining SCF and SCR was also supported. SCR has a significant negative effect on OP. However, the hypothesis regarding the effect of ED on SCR was not supported.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, this paper conducted the research with Chinese organizations. This may result in low generalizability in other contexts. In addition, this paper used the survey method and cross-sectional data design in this study, which may generate the potential issue of common method bias. However, the findings of this study will help organizations across China and other emerging economies to adopt SCF as a secure financing mechanism to enhance working capital and mitigate risk. In addition, the paper provides some new managerial insights for decision-makers in organizations, while exploring different factors such as SCF, SCR and ED and their effect on the organization.

Originality/value

This study has greatly developed a general SCF adoption model that helps to guide empirical research investigating the critical impact of SCF on firm performance.
COVID-19 pandemic and cryptocurrency markets: an empirical analysis from a linear and nonlinear causal relationship
Authors: Sahoo Pradipta Kumar
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically examine the effect of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cryptocurrency market returns with particular attention to top five cryptocurrencies and COVID-19 confirmed and death cases.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies the linear Toda and Yamamoto and nonlinear Diks and Panchenko Granger causality test to know the causal relationship of cryptocurrencies with COVID-19 pandemic. The study also uses the Narayan and Popp endogenous two structural break tests to capture the break period of the sample.

Findings

The findings of the study confirm the existence of unidirectional causal relation from COVID-19 confirmed and death cases to cryptocurrency price returns. While examining the break periods, the post-break period result indicates the presence of unidirectional linear causality from COVID-19 confirmed cases to Bitcoin and Ethereum price returns. This shows that prior knowledge of COVID-19 pandemic growth helps to predict the return of cryptocurrencies.

Originality/value

The study suggests the investors or crypto lovers to observe the growth of COVID-19 situations during their investment in cryptocurrency markets.
Twenty years of green innovation research: trends and way forward
Authors: Farrukh Muhammad , Javed Sarfaraz , Raza Ali , Lee Jason Wai Chow
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the publication structure of academic research on green innovation (GI) between 2000 and 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliographic data on GI are extracted from the Scopus database, and then they were analyzed through VOSviewer software.

Findings

This paper analyzes 653 publications on GI from 2000 to 2019. For so doing, the study identifies the most productive countries, universities, authors, journals and the most prolific publications in GI. Besides, the study uses VOSviewer software to visualize the mapping based on co-citation, bibliographic coupling (BC) and co-occurrence of keywords.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the study is that it provides an overview of the trends and trajectories of GI, which may help the researchers and the practitioners to comprehend the trends and future research directions.
Genomic diversity and CRISPR‐Cas systems in the cyanobacterium Nostoc in the High Arctic
Authors: Jungblut Anne D. , Raymond Frédéric , Dion Moïra B. , Moineau Sylvain , Mohit Vani , Nguyen Guillaume Quang , Déraspe Maxime , Francovic‐Fontaine Élina , Lovejoy Connie , Culley Alexander I. , Corbeil Jacques , Vincent Warwick F.
Published: March 2021

Nostoc (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria) has a global distribution in the Polar Regions. However, the genomic diversity of Nostoc is little known and there are no genomes available for polar Nostoc. Here we carried out the first genomic analysis of the Nostoc commune morphotype with a recent sample from the High Arctic and a herbarium specimen collected during the British Arctic Expedition (1875–76). Comparisons of the polar genomes with 26 present‐day non‐polar members of the Nostocales family highlighted that there are pronounced genetic variations among Nostoc strains and species. Osmoprotection and other stress genes were found in all Nostoc strains, but the two Arctic strains had markedly higher numbers of biosynthetic gene clusters for uncharacterised non‐ribosomal peptide synthetases, suggesting a high diversity of secondary metabolites. Since viral–host interactions contribute to microbial diversity, we analysed the CRISPR‐Cas systems in the Arctic and two temperate Nostoc species. There were a large number of unique repeat‐spacer arrays in each genome, indicating diverse histories of viral attack. All Nostoc strains had a subtype I‐D system, but the polar specimens also showed evidence of a subtype I‐B system that has not been previously reported in cyanobacteria, suggesting diverse cyanobacteria–virus interactions in the Arctic.
Migrant Intimacies and Ambiguities of Law: The Case of Wife Enticement Among Indians in Colonial Singapore, 1900–1940
Authors: Raghunathan Ranjana
Published: March 2021

This article traces the gendered entanglements of migration, intimate relations and law among itinerant Indians in colonial Singapore between 1900 and 1940, when Indians began consolidating their roots. Singapore did not legislate marriages for migrants, but the courts had to rule on the validity of migrant marriages in marital disputes and offences, resulting in legal ambiguities. Through a close reading of legal reports, newspaper archives and oral histories focusing on cases of wife enticement, this article formulates a gendered understanding of the migration process and intimate life for Indians. It builds on the scholarly literature on intimate life and legal governance in colonial societies, makes a set of analytical descriptions that reveal tensions of race, class and gender in legal negotiations and underscores how the processes of migration and law impacted on the social life of Indians. The cases discussed illuminate how intimate relationships, especially of Indian women, animated communal and patriarchal anxieties, and they establish the role of Indians in the legal history of marriage and family laws in Singapore. Moreover, the context of an urban free port with a predominantly itinerant population highlights mechanisms of colonial rule that were different from the exigencies in other colonies.
Use of intramuscular ketamine by paramedics in the management of severely agitated patients
Authors: Bernard Stephen , Roggenkamp Renee , Delorenzo Ashleigh , Stephenson Michael , Smith Karen ,   the Ketamine in Severely Agitated Patients Study Investigators
Published: March 2021

Objective

Administration of a sedative agent is required for safe transport of prehospital patients with severe agitation to EDs. Ambulance services in Australasia use ketamine, droperidol or midazolam as first line agent but the optimal agent is uncertain. In Victoria, intramuscular (IM) ketamine is used. The present study aimed to examine the prehospital characteristics and ED outcomes of patients with severe agitation after IM ketamine administration.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted for patients who received IM ketamine for severe agitation over a 2‐year period. Data were sourced from Ambulance Victoria and linked to hospital data. The primary outcome was time to sedation. Data collected included baseline characteristics, adverse events and ED outcomes.

Results

Three hundred and fifty‐eight prehospital cases transported to 32 hospitals were included. Outcome data were available for 305 patients (21 hospitals). Median age was 31 years (IQR 23–40). 71.2% were male. Adequate sedation was achieved in 96.9% of cases in a median time of 5.0 min (IQR 3.0–7.0; range 1–31 min). Adverse events were transient hypoxia (5.0%), hyper‐salivation (4.2%) and emergence reactions (0.8%). A total of 45 (14.8%) patients were intubated; two prehospital.

Conclusion

Intramuscular ketamine is effective with a low rate of prehospital complications in severely agitated patients in the prehospital setting. Given the variation in ambulance practice in Australasia, prospective, randomised trials in the prehospital setting comparing ketamine to other sedating agents such as droperidol in patients with severe agitation are required.
The effect of resin coating on the quality characteristics of chicken eggs during storage
Authors: Akarca Gökhan , Istek Ömer , Tomar Oktay
Published: March 2021

In this study, after washing, changes in the quality characteristics of chicken eggs coated with apricot, almond, and sour cherry tree resins were examined during two different temperatures (4 °C and 22 °C) storage for 60 days. While air cell height, weight loss, albumen and yolk pH and a* (redness) values increased in all samples during storage, Haugh unit, albumen and yolk index, shell fracture and vitelline membrane strength, albumen and yolk L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) values decreased (P < 0.05). The lowest weight loss (0.54 g) and air cell height (2.89 mm), highest Haugh unit (73.95 HU), albumen index (8.81%), and yolk index (40.37%) were found in the samples coated with sour cherry wood resin stored at 4 °C. The shell breakage and vitelline membrane strength of the coated samples were determined to be higher than the control samples and the samples stored after washing. Higher weight loss, air cell height, and pH values, while lower Haugh unit, Albumen and yolk index were found in samples stored at 22 °C (P < 0.05). At the end of storage, the maximum increase in the counts of total aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria was found in the albumin and egg yolk of washed samples stored at ambient temperature. As a result, the coating materials prepared with the resin of apricot, almond, and sour cherry trees were suitable for eggshell's shelf life extension.

Practical Application

The consumers demand the eggs be in their freshest condition, but the currently available storage conditions are not sufficient to maintain freshness in many regions of Turkey. The physical, chemical and, microbiological qualities of the eggs coated with wood resins were determined to be superior compared to other samples. Because resins have good barrier properties, it is recommended to conduct extensive studies on their applicability in different products.
Hydrothermal Zircon Geochronology in the Shangxu Gold Deposit and its Implication for the Early Cretaceous Orogenic Gold Mineralization in the Middle Bangonghu–Nujiang Suture Zone
Authors: HUANG Hanxiao , LUOSANG Jiancuo , DAI Zuowen , LIU Hong , FU Jiangang , LI Guangming , CAO Huawen , ZHOU Qing
Published: March 2021

As a typical orogenic gold deposit in Tibet, Shangxu gold deposit is located at the Bangong Lake–Nujiang River Metallogenic Belt in the south of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. In this paper, zircon U‐Pb dating, trace elements and Hf isotopic analysis were performed on Au‐bearing quartz veins in the Shangxu gold deposit. Zircons from Au‐bearing quartz veins can be divided into three types: detrital, magmatic, and hydrothermal zircons. There are two age peaks in detrital zircons: ca. 1700 Ma and ca. 2400 Ma. There are two groups of concordant ages including 157 ± 4 Ma (MSWD = 0.69) and 120 ± 1 Ma (MSWD = 0.19) in magmatic zircons, in which εHf(t) value of ca. 120 Ma from the magmatic zircons range from +8.24 to +12.9. An age of 119 ± 2 Ma (MSWD = 0.42) was yielded from hydrothermal zircons, and their εHf(t) values vary between +15.7 and +16.4. According to sericite Ar‐Ar age, this paper suggests that an age of 119 ± 2 Ma from hydrothermal zircons represent the formation age of the Shangxu gold Deposit, and its mineralization should be related to the collision between Lhasa Block and Qiangtang Block. The metallogenic age is basically the same as the diagenetic age of Mugagangri granite, and εHf(t) value of hydrothermal zircon is significantly higher than that of the contemporaneous magmatic zircon, which indicates that there is a genetic relationship between the gold mineralization and the deep crust‐mantle magmatism.
Evidence of Glacial Erratic Rollover Revealed by 10Be and 26Al Concentration Variations
Authors: ZHANG Zhigang , WANG Jian , XU Xiaobin , CHANG Zhiyang , CUI Haitao , LIANG Zhong , CHEN Xia , SHANG Zhiyuan
Published: March 2021

Cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating is one of the most intensively applied dating methods with which to study glacial geomorphology. Glacial erratics have been the major dating objective in many studies. Some research has proposed that glacial erratics may undergo rollover and re‐transportation during the late exposure stage, which can affect the dating results. However, there is no direct evidence to confirm this possibility. In this study, we collected seven samples from a vertical section inside a glacial erratic in the paleo‐Daocheng ice cap in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, measuring their contents of the cosmogenic nuclides 10Be and 26Al. The results show that from the top to the bottom, the concentrations of 10Be were (1.21 ± 0.05) × 106, (1.00 ± 0.02) × 106, (0.88 ± 0.03) × 106, (0.77 ± 0.02) × 106, (0.75 ± 0.03) × 106, (0.95 ± 0.03) × 106 and (1.46 ± 0.04) × 106 atoms/g. The 10Be concentrations decreased from (1.21 ± 0.05) × 106 atoms/g to (0.75 ± 0.03) × 106 atoms/g and then increased to (1.46 ± 0.04) × 106 atoms/g, which is not consistent with the theoretical prediction of a gradual decrease. This phenomenon indicates that the glacial erratic may have rolled over at least once. The lower surface of the erratic could have been on top at some time in the past. Therefore, its exposure age was greater than the exposure age that was expected, based on its current orientation. This study provides numerical evidence for an erratic rollover event.
Age of onset of adolescent binge drinking is differentially associated with cortical thickness in post‐9/11 adult Veterans
Authors: Bedi Amrita , McGlinchey Regina E. , Salat David H. , Currao Alyssa , Fonda Jennifer R. , Milberg William P. , Fortier Catherine Brawn
Published: March 2021

Background

Adolescence is a critical period for neural development and has been associated with high rates of alcohol abuse. This research examined potential long‐term brain and behavioral effects of early versus late‐onset adolescent binge drinking in an adult sample of post‐9/11 Veterans.

Methods

We compared cortical thickness measures in Veterans with a history of binge drinking that began before the age of 15 (n = 50; mean age = 32.1 years) to those with a history of binge drinking with onset after the age of 15 (n = 300; mean age = 32.1 years). Data processing was conducted with FreeSurfer. A targeted neuropsychological battery (Digit Span test, Delis‐Kaplan Executive Function System Color‐Word Interference Test, California Verbal Learning Test‐II) was used to examine the relationships between cortical thickness and attention, memory, and inhibition. A reference group of social drinkers with no history of early binge drinking (n = 31) was used to provide normative data.

Results

Early‐onset adolescent binge drinkers (EBD) had greater cortical thickness in several regions than late‐onset adolescent binge drinkers (LBD); both binge‐drinking groups had greater cortical thickness than the reference group. There was a stronger negative association between cortical thickness and age in EBDs than LBDs in the (i) lateral orbitofrontal cortex, (ii) supramarginal gyrus, (iii) paracentral lobule, and (iv) anterior caudal cingulate. Poorer performance on the attention and inhibition tasks in the EBDs was also associated with thicker cortices.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates greater cortical thickness across frontoparietal regions in adults who began binge drinking in early versus late adolescence. A stronger negative association between cortical thickness and age in the EBDs suggests that early‐onset adolescent binge drinking may be associated with accelerated cortical thinning. Thicker cortex in these regions, which are known to mediate inhibitory control, may increase impulsive behavior and contribute to the risk of alcohol addiction.
Characterization of the large‐scale Japanese patient‐derived xenograft (J‐PDX) library
Authors: Yagishita Shigehiro , Kato Ken , Takahashi Mami , Imai Toshio , Yatabe Yasushi , Kuwata Takeshi , Suzuki Mikiko , Ochiai Atsushi , Ohtsu Atsushi , Shimada Kazuaki , Nishida Toshirou , Hamada Akinobu , Mano Hiroyuki
Published: March 2021

The use of patient‐derived xenografts (PDXs) has recently attracted attention as a drug discovery platform with a high predictive clinical efficacy and a preserved tumor heterogeneity. Given the racial differences in genetic variations, it would be desirable to establish a PDX library from Japanese cancer patients on a large scale. We thus tried to construct the Japanese PDX (J‐PDX) library with a detailed clinical information for further clinical utilization. Between August 2018 and May 2020, a total of 1126 cancer specimens from 1079 patients were obtained at the National Cancer Center Hospital and National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan, and were immediately transplanted to immunodeficient mice at the National Cancer Center Research Institute. A total of 298 cross‐cancer PDXs were successfully established. The time to engraftment varied greatly by cancer subtypes, especially in the first passage. The engraftment rate was strongly affected by the clinical stage and survival time of the original patients. Approximately 1 year was needed from tumor collection to the time when coclinical trials were conducted to test the clinical utility. The 1‐year survival rates of the patients who were involved in establishing the PDX differed significantly, from 95.6% for colorectal cancer to 56.3% for lung cancer. The J‐PDX library consisting of a wide range of cancer subtypes has been successfully established as a platform for drug discovery and development in Japan. When conducting coclinical trials, it is necessary to consider the target cancer type, stage, and engraftment rate in light of this report.
Clinical evaluations of free gingival grafting before implant placement to increase keratinized tissue width in molar regions: A retrospective case series
Authors: Han Ziyao , Wei Yiping , Wang Cui , Yang Gang , Hu Wenjie , Chung Kwok‐Hung
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the dimensional changes of the keratinized tissue width (KTW) in molar regions after augmentation by free gingival grafts (FGG) before implant placement.

Material and Methods

In seventeen patients, twenty implant sites in molar regions with KTW ≤3 mm at the buccal aspect received FGG 2 months before implant placement. KTW at the buccal aspect was measured before FGG (T0), immediately before implant placement (T1), at the time of impression taking for final prosthesis fabrication (T2), and at the end of the follow‐up period after loading (T3, 12–48 months). Changes in KTW before and after FGG, as well as the alterations during the follow‐up period after loading, were analyzed. Shapiro–Wilk test, paired Student's t test, and Wilcoxon signed‐rank test were used for the data analysis at α = 0.05.

Results

KTW at the buccal aspect of the alveolar ridge was observed with a significant gain of 5.9 ± 1.3 mm at T1 (p < .001). The shrinkage of KTW from T2 to T3 was 8.5%, which was limited but statistically significant (p = .008). KTW at the buccal aspect of implant restorations was 5.0 ± 1.5 mm at T3.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of the present study, our data suggest that using FGG to increase KTW in molar regions before implant placement had a predictable result. The buccal KTW had a limited reduction and was ≥3 mm with more than 12 months of follow‐up after loading.