bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of the critical replication targets of CDK reveals direct regulation of replication initiation factors by the embryo polarity machinery inC. elegans
Authors: Gaggioli Vincent , Kieninger Manuela R. , Klucnika Anna , Butler Richard , Zegerman Philip
Published: June 2020

During metazoan development, the cell cycle is remodelled to coordinate proliferation with differentiation. Developmental cues cause dramatic changes in the number and timing of replication initiation events, but the mechanisms and physiological importance of such changes are poorly understood. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) is important for regulating S-phase length in many metazoa, and here we show in the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansthat an essential function of CDK during early embryogenesis is to regulate the interactions between three replication initiation factors SLD-3, SLD-2 and MUS-101 (Dpb11/TopBP1). Mutations that bypass the requirement for CDK to generate interactions between these factors is sufficient for viability in the absence of CyclinE/Cdk2, demonstrating that this is a critical embryonic function of this cyclin/CDK complex. Both SLD-2 and SLD-3 are asymmetrically localised in the early embryo and the levels of these proteins inversely correlate with S-phase length. We also show that SLD-2 asymmetry is determined by direct interaction with the polarity protein PKC-3. This study explains the essential function of CDK for replication initiation in a metazoan and provides the first direct molecular mechanism through which polarization of the embryo is coordinated with DNA replication initiation.

Author Summary

How and when a cell divides changes as the cell assumes different fates. How these changes in cell division are brought about are poorly understood, but are critical to ensure that cells do not over-proliferate leading to cancer. The nematodeC. elegansis an excellent system to study the role of cell cycle changes during animal development. Here we show that two factors SLD-2 and SLD-3 are critical to control the decision to begin genome duplication. We show that these factors are differently distributed to different cell lineages in the early embryo, which may be a key event in determining the cell cycle rate in these cells. For the first time we show that, PKC-3, a key component of the machinery that determines the front (anterior) from the back (posterior) of the embryo directly controls SLD-2 distribution, which might explain how the polarisation of the embryo causes changes in the proliferation of different cell lineages. As PKC-3 is frequently mutated in human cancers, how this factor controls cell proliferation may be important to understand tumour progression.
AN ADMIXTURE SIGNAL IN ARMENIANS AROUND THE END OF THE BRONZE AGE REVEALS WIDESPREAD POPULATION MOVEMENT ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
Authors: Hovhannisyan Anahit , Jones Eppie , Delser Pierpaolo Maisano , Schraiber Joshua , Hakobyan Anna , Margaryan Ashot , Hrechdakian Peter , Sahakyan Hovhannes , Saag Lehti , Khachatryan Zaruhi , Yepiskoposyan Levon , Manica Andrea
Published: June 2020

The Armenians, a population inhabiting the region in West Asia known as the Armenian Highland, has been argued to show a remarkable degree of population continuity since the Early Neolithic. Here we test the degree of continuity of this population as well as its plausible origin, by collating modern and ancient genomic data, and adding a number of novel contemporary genomes. We show that Armenians have indeed remained unadmixed through the Neolithic and at least until the first part of the Bronze Age, and fail to find any support for historical suggestions by Herodotus of an input from the Balkans. However, we do detect a genetic input of Sardinian-like ancestry during or just after the Middle-Late Bronze Age. A similar input at approximately the same time was detected in East Africa, suggesting large-scale movement both North and South of the Middle East. Whether such large-scale population movement was a result of climatic or cultural changes is unclear, as well as the true source of gene flow remains an open question that needs to be addressed in future ancient DNA studies.
Virus-derived peptide inhibitors of the herpes simplex virus type 1 nuclear egress complex
Authors: Draganova Elizabeth B. , Heldwein Ekaterina E.
Published: June 2020

Herpesviruses infect a majority of the human population, establishing lifelong latent infections for which there is no cure. Periodic viral reactivation spreads infection to new hosts while causing various disease states particularly detrimental in the immunocompromised. Efficient viral replication, and ultimately the spread of infection, is dependent on the nuclear egress complex (NEC), a conserved viral heterodimer that helps translocate mature viral capsids from the nucleus to the cytoplasm where they mature into infectious virions. Here, we have identified peptides capable of inhibiting the membrane-budding activity of the NECin vitro. Biophysical characterization of these peptides using circular dichroism suggests that secondary structure, rather than amino acid sequence, influences the extent of inhibition. Current therapeutics that target viral DNA replication machinery are rendered ineffective by drug resistance due to viral mutations. Our results establish a basis for the development of an alternative class of inhibitors against nuclear egress, an essential step in herpesvirus replication, potentially expanding the current repertoire of available therapeutics.
Central oxytocin signaling inhibits food reward-motivated behaviors and VTA dopamine responses to food-predictive cues in male rats
Authors: Liu Clarissa M. , Hsu Ted M. , Suarez Andrea N. , Subramanian Keshav S. , Fatemi Ryan A. , Cortella Alyssa M. , Noble Emily E. , Roitman Mitchell F. , Kanoski Scott E.
Published: June 2020

Oxytocin potently reduces food intake and is a potential target system for obesity treatment. A better understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms mediating oxytocin’s anorexigenic effects may guide more effective obesity pharmacotherapy development. The present study examined the effects of central (lateral intracerebroventricular [ICV]) administration of oxytocin in rats on motivated responding for palatable food. Various conditioning procedures were employed to measure distinct appetitive behavioral domains, including food seeking in the absence of consumption (conditioned place preference expression), impulsive responding for food (differential reinforcement of low rates of responding), effort-based appetitive decision making (high-effort palatable vs. low-effort bland food), and postingestive reward value encoding (incentive learning). Results reveal that ICV oxytocin potently reduces food-seeking behavior, impulsivity, and effort-based palatable food choice, yet does not influence encoding of postingestive reward value in the incentive learning task. To investigate a potential neurobiological mechanism mediating these behavioral outcomes, we utilized in vivo fiber photometry in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons to examine oxytocin’s effect on phasic dopamine neuron responses to sucrose-predictive Pavlovian cues. Results reveal that ICV oxytocin significantly reduced food cue-evoked dopamine neuron activity. Collectively, these data reveal that central oxytocin signaling inhibits various obesity-relevant conditioned appetitive behaviors, potentially via reductions in food cue-driven phasic dopamine neural responses in the VTA.

Highlights

Central oxytocin inhibits motivated responding for palatable food reinforcement

Central oxytocin does not play a role in encoding postingestive reward value

Central oxytocin blunts VTA dopamine neuron activity in response to food cues
Thermodynamic analysis of point mutations inhibiting high-temperature reversible oligomer of PDZ3
Authors: Saotome T. , Mezaki T. , Subbaian B. , Unzai S. , Martinez J. C. , Kidokoro S-i. , Kuroda Y.
Published: June 2020

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated that PDZ3 undergoes a peculiar thermal denaturation exhibiting two endothermic peaks due to the formation of reversible oligomers at high temperature (N↔I6↔D). This contrasts sharply with the standard 2-state denaturation model observed for small, globular proteins. We performed an alanine scanning analysis by individually mutating three hydrophobic residues at the crystallographic oligomeric interface (Phe340, Leu342, Ile389) and one away from the interface (Leu349, as a control). DSC analysis indicated that PDZ3-F340A and PDZ3-L342A exhibited a single endothermic peak. Furthermore, PDZ3-L342A underwent a perfect 2-state denaturation, as evidenced by the single endothermic peak, and confirmed by detailed DSC analysis, including global fitting of data measured at different protein concentrations. Reversible oligomerization (RO) at high temperatures by small globular proteins is a rare event. While we designed the mutations based on our previous study showing that a point mutation Val380 to a nonhydrophobic amino acid inhibited RO in DEN4 ED3, the results are nevertheless surprising since high-temperature RO involves proteins in a denatured state, as assessed by circular dichroism. Future studies will determine how and why mutations designed using crystal structures determined at ambient temperatures influence the formation of RO at high temperatures, and whether high-temperature ROs are related to the propensity of proteins to aggregate or precipitate at lower temperatures, which would provide a novel and unique way of controlling protein solubility and aggregation.

Significance

Despite being a small globular protein, which normaly undergo a two-state unfolding, the thermal denaturation of PSD95-PDZ3, monitored by DSC, exhibited two endothermic peaks. The second peak resulted from a reversible oligomerization (RO) at high temperatures, which is, on its own, a rare phenomenon. In this study, we show that the substitution of a single hydrophobic residue to an alanine at the interface of the crystallographic tetramers inhibited high-temperature RO, resulting in a single endothermic peak. Future studies are required to determine why mutations designed using crystal structures determined at ambient temperatures can inhibit high-temperature RO, and whether the ROs are precursor of irreversible aggregation, If so, the present observations will provide an entirely new basis for creating aggregation-resistant proteins.
Striatal dopamine supports reward reactivity and learning: A simultaneous PET/fMRI study
Authors: Calabro Finnegan J , Montez David , Larsen Bart , Laymon Charles , Foran William , Hallquist Michael , Price Julie , Luna Beatriz
Published: June 2020

Converging evidence from both human neuroimaging and animal studies has supported a model of mesolimbic processing in computing prediction errors, which form the basis of reward learning behaviors. However, direct evidence demonstrating how human dopamine signaling in the basal ganglia contributes to learning has been hampered by limitations of individual imaging modalities. Here, we present data from a large (N=81, 18-30 year olds), multi-modal neuroimaging study using simultaneously acquired task fMRI, affording temporal resolution of reward system function, and PET imaging with [11C]Raclopride (RAC) assessing striatal D2/3 receptor binding. Results indicated that task-related dopamine release in the ventral striatum, measured as a change in RAC binding, was greater among those who demonstrated successful reward learning on a probabilistic map learning task. This learning response was specific to the ventral striatum and was not present in fMRI BOLD reward response activation. This provides support for considering task-related DA release in ventral striatum as a key signal for translating reward outcomes into a learning signal, rather the representing the reward outcome in isolation. These data provide novel, humanin vivoevidence that dopaminergic function may support reward reactivity as well as reward learning as distinct processes.
Recording of DNA binding events during gut commensalism reveals the action of a repurposedCandida albicansregulatory network
Authors: Witchley Jessica N. , Brimacombe Cedric A. , Abon Nina V. , Noble Suzanne M.
Published: June 2020

Candida albicansis a central fungal component of the human gut microbiota and an opportunistic pathogen. TwoC. albicanstranscription factors, Wor1 and Efg1, control its ability to colonize the mammalian gut. They are also master regulators of an epigenetic switch required for mating. Here, we show that six additional mating regulators influence gut commensalism. Using an adapted Calling Card-Seq protocol to recordCandidatranscription factor DNA binding events in the host, we validated these relationships during murine gut colonization. Finally, by comparing the in-host transcriptomes of regulatory mutants with enhanced vs. diminished commensal fitness, we identified a set of candidate commensalism effectors. These include Cht2, a GPI-linked chitinase whose gene is bound by Wor1, Czf1, and Efg1in vivoand that we show to promote commensalism. We conclude that the network required for aC. albicanssexual switch is biochemically active in the host digestive tract, where it is repurposed to direct commensalism.
How Many Lives Has Lockdown Saved in the UK?
Authors: Nyman Rickard , Ormerod Paul
Published: June 2020

We compare the trajectory of deaths (both in hospitals and care homes) on a daily basis in Sweden and England and Wales (which constitute 90 per cent of the UK population) from 11 March to 7 August 2020, the latest date at which the relevant data is available for England and Wales.

Deaths in both Sweden and England and Wales peaked on 8 April. The build up to the peak was very similar in both. Given the time lag between infection and death, the lockdown would have had little effect on the peak number of deaths.

By the first week of August, the deaths are very similar in both. However, from early May the decline in England and Wales has been much sharper.

We estimate that to 7 August, lockdown saved 17,700 lives in England and Wales, or just under 20,000 extrapolating to a UK level.
Circulating CD34+ Progenitor Cells are Predictive of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality and are Influenced by Physical Activity.
Authors: Muggeridge David , Dodd Jennifer , Ross Mark D.
Published: June 2020

Background

Circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) play an important role in vascular repair and may influence cardiovascular (CV) health and longevity. Exercise is known to modulate these cells via mobilization from the bone marrow. The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the association of CPCs with mortality and explore the association between physical activity (PA) and CPCs.

Design

We studied 1,751 individuals from the Framingham Offspring cohort (66 ± 9 years [40-92 years], 54% female). CPCs (CD34+, CD34+CD133+, CD34+CD133+KDR+) were measured in participants using flow cytometry. Multivariable cox regression analyses were performed to investigate relationship of CPCs with future CV event, CV mortality and all-cause mortality. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between self-reported PA and CPC counts.

Results

Following adjustment for standard risk factors, there was an inverse association between CD34+ CPCs and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) per unit increase in CD34+, 0.79; 95% CI 0.64 – 0.98, P=0.036). CD34+CD133+ CPCs were inversely associated with CV mortality (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44 – 0.91, P=0.013). Associations of CD34+ and CD34+CD133+ with mortality were strongest in participants with pre-existing CVD. PA was associated with CD34+ CPCs only in CVD participants. This relationship was maintained after adjustment for confounding variables.

Conclusions

Higher number of CD34+ and CD34+ CD133+ CPCs were inversely associated with all-cause and CV mortality. These associations were strongest in participants already diagnosed with CVD. PA is independently associated with CD34+ CPCs in individuals with CVD only, suggestive of greater benefit for this population group.
How sequence populations persist inside a genome
Authors: Park Hye Jin , Gokhale Chaitanya S. , Bertels Frederic
Published: June 2020

Compared to their eukaryotic counterparts, bacterial genomes are small and contain extremely tightly packed genes. Therefore, discovering a large number of short repetitive sequences in the genomes of Pseudomonads and Enterobacteria is unexpected. These sequences can independently replicate in the host genome and form populations that persist for millions of years. Here we model the interactions of intragenomic sequence populations with the bacterial host. In a simple model, sequence populations either expand until they drive the host to extinction or the sequence population gets purged from the genome. Including horizontal gene transfer does not change the qualitative outcome of the model and leads to the extinction of the sequence population. However, a sequence population can be stably maintained, if each sequence provides a benefit that decreases with increasing sequence population size. But concurrently, the replication of the sequence population needs to be costly to the host. Surprisingly, in regimes where horizontal gene transfer plays a role, the benefit conferred by the sequence population does not have to exceed the damage it causes. Together, our analyses provide a plausible scenario for the persistence of sequence populations in bacterial genomes. More importantly, we hypothesize a limited biologically relevant parameter range, which can be tested in future experiments.
Exploring farmers' adoption of VietGAP from systemic perspective: implication for developing agri-food systems
Authors: Hoang Hung Gia
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence farmers' adoption of Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study design was employed. A purposive and snowball sampling strategy was used to select 54 participants for semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data analysis techniques were applied to analyse the data.

Findings

This study found that the social, cultural and institutional dimensions that define the dominant traditional agri-food system determined farmers' adoption of VietGAP and this was expressed in: (1) there was a lack of concern about food safety amongst value chain (VC) actors, particularly consumers and this limited demand for VietGAP-certified vegetables; (2) subjective rather than objective measures were used to assess vegetable quality by actors throughout the domestic vegetable VC and (3) the coordination of this vegetable VC was dominated by informal, trust-based relationships between VC actors rather than through formal written contracts.

Research limitations/implications

This study employed a case study approach and focussed on a local VC for fresh vegetables. The findings of this research may therefore differ to those concerning other produce.

Practical implications

This study highlights that farmers' uptake of VietGAP requires changes to the socio-technical regime of the traditional agri-food system.

Originality/value

This research provides a systemic view of the determinants of GAP adoption by farmers and highlights areas that need to be considered when designing policies to enhance the uptake of public GAP programmes and introduce agri-food systems in developing countries.
The impact of COVID-19 on food prices in China: evidence of four major food products from Beijing, Shandong and Hubei Provinces
Authors: Yu Xiaohua , Liu Chang , Wang Hanjie , Feil Jan-Henning
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically study the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on food prices in China and provides policy implications for crisis management for other countries who are still under the crisis of COVID-19 and for the future in China and beyond as well.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first designed a theoretical model of market equilibrium, which shows that the impact of COVID-19 on food prices is linked to the impact difference on demand and supply in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Then we collected the representative prices data for four major food products (rice, wheat flour, pork and Chinese cabbages) from three provinces (Shandong as a producing base, Beijing as a consumption base and Hubei as the epicenter), and set up an iGARCH model.

Findings

(1) No significant impact on rice and wheat flour prices, (2) significantly positive impact on cabbages prices and (3) various impact on pork prices. Note that the outbreak and the severity of COVID-19 have different impacts. The outbreak itself may have a relatively large impact on pork and cabbage prices, which may result from social panic, while the magnitude of the impact of severity is relatively small, and some are negative, perhaps due to more reduced demand during the quarantine.

Practical implications

China always puts food security in its prior position of policy agenda and has been preparing for the worst scenario of the food security crisis. In the anti-COVID-19 campaign, China's local governments developed many measures to ensure food provision for each consumer. Hence, the impact of COVID-19 on food prices is minor. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 crisis could cause social panic in some scenarios where consumers may hoard food. Eventually, it may form a vicious cycle to push up food prices. This will be a challenging policy issue in crisis management for almost all governments.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on food prices in China. China has basically contained the COVID-19 in the whole country, and no major food crisis occurred during this process. The results will provide information on crisis management for other countries that are still under the COVID-19 crisis, and for future China and beyond.
COVID-19 and digital library services – a case study of a university library
Authors: Mehta Dipti , Wang Xiaocan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the experience of a university library in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since early March 2020. The paper describes the library’s position during the crisis and illustrates the uncharted challenges that the pandemic has posed to its digital services. Furthermore, it details how the library has adapted some existing services into a digital format and explored new initiatives/practices to support the university’s full online teaching and learning since March 23, 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes the library’s various digital services that are used to meet the needs of its end-users during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approaches used are the authors’ personal experiences working at an academic library, observations of the library’s responses with regards to its digital services, as well as their reflections on what can be considered for development now and in the future. It highlights the current initiatives and best practices for digital library services during a public health crisis.

Findings

This paper aims to make other university libraries aware of what the library has implemented with providing digital services to its teaching faculty and students during the pandemic. It also describes the challenges and implications for the library professionals working in-house and remotely.

Originality/value

This paper is of great value in providing insights and practical solutions responding to the global health crisis for other libraries that are coping with the similar challenges for digital library services.
Poor-inclusive workplace model: A Relational Perspective
Authors: Fujimoto Yuka , Uddin Mohammad Jasim
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The theory building of inclusive workplace is still in its early stages, particularly concerning the inclusion of the poor in the developing countries. Through the exploration of social entrepreneurial inclusion, this study extends the inclusive workplace theory by featuring the inclusive dynamism of organizations for the poor in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was selected, as the goal of this study is to build on the theory in an under-researched area. This qualitative study is described as theory elaboration as it expands upon theoretical links that have received little attention among workforce diversity scholars.

Findings

We have established a conceptual framework of social entrepreneurial inclusion, which encompasses the following normative themes: organizational perspective for promoting social equality, empowering relationships, a sense of inclusion, organizational access to valuable resources and empowered inclusion.

Research limitations/implications

Although we have taken an exploratory qualitative approach and made efforts to report our data neutrally, we acknowledge that the ethical and theoretical positions taken in analyzing the data may have influenced the outcome of this research and, therefore, our findings can never be truly objective. We also acknowledge that this study was conducted in developing countries, thus the poor inclusive workplace model is not generalizable for the poor in developed countries due to different institutional and ecological settings.

Practical implications

We have illustrated the importance of business leaders leveraging the opportunities in the space between interdependency of individuals and organizations through doing well by doing good. Poor-inclusive workplaces need business leaders who can demonstrate the effective interpersonal skills to develop constructive and personalized relationships with the workers, the family and community members to encourage the idea that the poor be included in the workplace.

Social implications

The findings from this study also infer how corporations may collaborate with SEs and humanitarian agencies for inclusive growth so they can simultaneously unleash economic value and social value to develop more effective poor-inclusive business models in both sectors. Social entrepreneurs (SEs) and humanistic agencies tend to have situated knowledge of the poor in terms of locally embedded needs and knowledge of the community that corporations do not have.

Originality/value

This paper promotes the integrative workplace models of inclusion where inclusion of poor is empowered through involvement of multiple parties inside and outside workplaces. The empowered inclusion outcomes are strengthened through organizational access to valuable resources at the institutional level.
Work–Life balance policies and organisational outcomes – a review of literature from the Indian context
Authors: Chaudhuri Sanghamitra , Arora Ridhi , Roy Paramita
Published: June 2020

Purpose

In the past decade, the rapid globalisation and modernisation has resulted in an increased focus of organisations on implementation of family friendly work–life balance (WLB) policies for enhancing employee retention. The purpose of this study is to review the importance of WLB policies and programmes and its impact on organisational outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Deery’s (2008) framework as the conceptual framework, the current study attempts to provide an integrated literature review of the empirical studies conducted in the area of WLB and employee retention in India for a decade from 2007 till 2017.

Findings

The analysis of the extant literature revealed that the research on WLB for Indian organisations really surged since 2013. Most of the empirical studies conducted in this area use a positivist paradigm. Numerous industry sectors including the information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing sectors have benefitted from WLB policies, but the banking and higher education sector have generously implemented employee-friendly WLB policies.

Practical implications

The study stresses upon the implementation of employee friendly WLB policies for achieving high organisational outcomes. Furthermore, the findings may be useful for human resource management and human resource development professionals to understand and appreciate the organisational components, settings that are necessary to facilitate better WLB in Indian organisations, thereby resulting in better organisational outcomes.

Originality/value

The study provides us with a comprehensive review of different WLB studies conducted in India till date and its possible impact on various organisational outcomes.
Can we have it all? Sustainability trade-offs and cross-insurance mechanisms in supply chains
Authors: Fracarolli Nunes Mauro , Lee Park Camila , Paiva Ely Laureano
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The study investigates the interaction of sustainability dimensions in supply chains. Along with the analysis of sustainability trade-offs (i.e. prioritizing one dimension to the sacrifice of others), we develop and test the concept of cross-insurance mechanism (i.e. meeting of one sustainability goal possibly attenuating the effects of poor performance in another).

Design/methodology/approach

Through the analysis of a 20-variation vignette-based experiment, we evaluate the effects of these issues on the corporate credibility (expertise and trustworthiness) of four tiers of a typical food supply chain: pesticide producers, farmers, companies from the food industry and retail chains.

Findings

Results suggest that both sustainability trade-offs and cross-insurance mechanisms have different impacts across the chain. While pesticide producers (first tier) and retail chains (fourth tier) seem to respond better to a social trade-off, the social cross-insurance mechanism has shown to be particularly beneficial to companies from the food industry (third tier). Farmers (second tier), in turn, seem to be more sensitive to the economic cross-insurance mechanism.

Originality/value

Along with adding to the study of sustainability trade-offs in supply chain contexts, results suggest that the efficiency of the insurance mechanism is not conditional on the alignment among sustainability dimensions (i.e. social responsibility attenuating social irresponsibility). In this sense, empirical evidences support the development of the cross-insurance mechanism as an original concept.
Consumers' influence on the greening of distribution – exploring the communication between logistics service providers, e-tailers and consumers
Authors: Sallnäs Uni , Björklund Maria
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper takes its starting point in the possibilities consumers have to influence the greening of distribution. It focuses on three key actors who can facilitate consumer influence, namely e-tailers, logistics service providers (LSPs) and the consumers themselves. The purpose is to illuminate consumers' possibilities to influence the greening of distribution by exploring the communication between LSPs, e-tailers and consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Website scans of the 40 largest Swedish e-tailers and ten LSPs were combined with interviews of three e-tailers and three LSPs.

Findings

The findings suggest that consumers at present have limited possibilities to influence the greening of distribution. One reason for this is the limited communication between LSPs, e-tailers and consumers. A gap in communication arises because e-tailers determine how to promote distribution alternatives on their websites, while it is the LSPs who develop and offer green distribution services.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a first step in our understanding of what is needed in order to facilitate green distribution decisions from e-consumers.

Practical implications

E-tailers can gain an increased understanding of their important role as facilitators of environmentally sound decisions for consumers through their design of websites. This study also highlights the need for LSPs to support e-tailers in this work.

Social implications

The study contributes to the societal striving towards zero greenhouse gas emission by focussing on decreasing environmental effects by using suitable logistics.

Originality/value

In contrast with previous research into the environmental impact of e-commerce distribution, this study investigates the possibilities consumers have to influence green logistics within e-commerce.
Designing for and facilitating knowledge-building discourse in online courses
Authors: Duvall Matthew , Matranga Anthony , Silverman Jason
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Founded in sociocultural theories of learning, the authors argue that engaging learners in collaborative knowledge building is critical. When responding to others’ ideas, research shows that learners in online settings more frequently focus on surface-level aspects of colleagues’ contributions – sharing, comparing and praising – rather than engaging in knowledge building. Collaborative, knowledge-building discourse includes generative interactional practices that feature disagreeing, negotiating meaning, testing and reflecting on co-constructed ideas, summarizing conversations and making metacognitive contributions to discussions. The purpose of this paper is to review studies that show evidence of key design features and pedagogical practices that support collaborative knowledge building by promoting generative interactional practices and particular patterns in interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper presents pragmatic design and instructional guidelines for online course discussions. The purpose is to synthesize existing research and share a detailed framework for supporting generative discussion in asynchronous online work.

Findings

The authors review studies that show evidence of key design features and pedagogical practices that support collaborative knowledge building. Design features to promote generative discourse include using the asynchronous nature of online settings to have students work privately, share their work, discuss their work with the class and then revise; providing instructions/discussion criteria that scaffold knowledge building; and using appropriate digital tools that mediate interaction around content. The pedagogical practices that affect patterns of interaction include modeling generative discourse, promoting increased interactions by and between participants and using opportunistic grouping strategies.

Originality/value

The authors include examples from one of their existing online courses that include these design features and pedagogical practices and discuss results from their ongoing work regarding the generativity of learner interactions in this course.
Loss of brick-and-mortar schooling: how elementary educators respond
Authors: Anderson Emma , Hira Avneet
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to understand how elementary school educators who teach subjects that traditionally require hands-on work in schools are rising to the challenge of losing brick-and-mortar facilities in the wake of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors interviewed six elementary school educators and developed iterative grounded codes from the interviews to understand how the teachers are rising to the challenge of teaching online, what supports they need, and how they are viewing their roles and student learning in the present landscape.

Findings

In response to losing brick-and-mortar schools, teachers are rising to the challenge by creating creative assignments and communicating with students and parents via multiple platforms. They are learning to use technology to create meaningful, socially distant learning experiences and, in the process, blurring their own boundaries between work and life. They exercise compassion for their students while providing the best education they can in these circumstances.

Practical implications

This work provides administrators, educators, policymakers and technology developers insight into the challenges teachers are facing.

Originality/value

In addition to the timeliness of this study in light of the COVID 19 crisis, the focus on elementary school students, who often need support from parents or guardians to use Web technologies, and subjects traditionally requiring face-to-face interactions and hands-on work contribute to the originality of the study.
Exploring the human factor in cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crime victimisation: a lifestyle routine activities approach
Authors: Akdemir Naci , Lawless Christopher James
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore human factors as the possible facilitator of cyber-dependent (hacking and malware infection) and cyber-enabled (phishing) crimes victimisation and to test the applicability of lifestyle routine activities theory (LRAT) to cybercrime victimisation.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods research paradigm was applied to address the research questions and aims. The data set of Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) 2014/2015 and 42 semi-structured interviews conducted with victims of cybercrime and non-victim control group participants were analysed via binary logistic regression and content analyses methods.

Findings

This research illustrated that Internet users facilitated their victimisation through their online activities. Additionally, using insecure Internet connections and public access computers emerged as risk factors for both cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crime victimisation. Voluntary and involuntary personal information disclosure through social networking sites and online advertisement websites increased the likelihood of being a target of phishing. Deviant online activities such as free streaming or peer-to-peer sharing emerged to increase the risk of cyber-dependent crime victimisation.

Research limitations/implications

The binary logistic regression analysis results suggested LRAT as a more suitable theoretical framework for cyber-dependent crime victimisation. Future research may test this result with models including more macro variables.

Practical implications

Policymakers may consider implementing regulations regarding limiting the type of information required to login to free Wi-Fi connections. Checking trust signs and green padlocks may be effective safeguarding measures to lessen the adverse impacts of impulsive buying.

Originality/value

This study empirically illustrated that, besides individual-level factors, macro-level factors such as electronic devices being utilised to access the Internet and data breaches of large companies also increased the likelihood of becoming the victim of cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crime.
Private supplementary tutoring at higher education in Kuwait: a socioeconomic study
Authors: Alazmi Meznah , Alazmi Ayeshah Ahmed
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The extent of Private Supplementary Tutoring (PST) upon higher education has received little attention in the academic literature. This study endeavours to discover the extent of the PST phenomenon and the socioeconomic determinants behind the demand for it amongst students in science-related disciplines at Kuwait University (KU).

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research paradigm was employed. By using a questionnaire survey method, data was collected from 475 participating students from twelve different colleges at KU. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS.

Findings

The findings showed that 50.1% of students employing PST in KU to some extent. The study also found that PST is more important in certain subjects than others. The students and/or their families also bear the cost of these extra educational expenses. The findings also indicated that a college student’s gender, the academic year of study, university allowance, alternative income sources, family financial status and monetary support all play a statistically significant role in whether they receive PST.

Practical implications

deeper analysis of these factors, which underly the demand for PST, may offer a better understanding of its role in higher education, the functionality of higher education as a whole, and the effects of current policy and the political landscape.

Originality/value

While significant attention has been given to PST in K-12 education over the last few decades, this study is extended significantly into the as-yet uncharted waters of higher education. This study focused on PST in higher education and the socioeconomic determinants behind its demand.
Trade and commodity taxes as environmental instruments in an open economy
Authors: Koska Onur A. , Stähler Frank , Yeni Onur
Published: June 2020

Purpose

In a simple reciprocal dumping model of trade, this study scrutinizes the strategic role of trade and commodity taxes as environmental instruments when consumption of an imported product generates pollution. The results suggest that for sufficiently small values of the marginal disutility from pollution, commodity taxes can be preferred over import tariffs, and compared to the case of trade policies, free trade can be welfare dominating even for higher values of the marginal disutility from pollution when commodity taxes are used strategically as environmental instruments.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ a reciprocal dumping model of trade.

Findings

A sufficiently high marginal disutility from pollution (or sufficient asymmetries between the countries in terms of their marginal disutility from pollution) may jeopardize bilateral trade, especially if countries are given the option to set tariffs freely for imported goods (consumption of which generate environmental pollution). For sufficiently weak transboundary pollution and sufficiently low marginal disutility from pollution, (1) both Nash trade and domestic policies may prove to be helpful in addressing consumption-based pollution, and (2) it is possible to show in such a case that Nash domestic policies may be preferred over Nash trade policies, especially when both transboundary pollution and the trading partner's marginal disutility from pollution are sufficiently low.

Originality/value

The novel contribution of this paper is (1) to capture asymmetries among trading partners in terms of how much they account for environmental pollution when deciding on their (domestic/trade) policy measures and (2) to focus on environmental degradation that is caused by final consumption of a product imported from a trading partner.
Tax evasion, firm’s value and governance: evidence from Tunisian Stock Exchange
Authors: Nafti Olfa , Kateb Ines , Masghouni Oumaima
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between tax evasion and firm’s value while determining the moderating role of family management and the ownership’s concentration in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study employs a Panel Data set of 34 firms listed on the Tunisian Stock Exchange (TSE) for the period 2007 to 2014. Regression analysis is used to estimate the relationships proposed in the hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that tax evasion has no direct effect on a firm’s value. This study highlighted the presence of a moderating effect of family management on the relationship between tax evasion and firm’s value. However, no moderating effect of the concentration of property on the mentioned relationship was detected.

Originality/value

This study represents a first empirical essay focusing on the relationship between tax evasion and firm’s value. Furthermore, it analyzes the moderating effect of some aspects of governance, such as family management and ownership’s structure, on this relationship in a Tunisian context.
Emerging technical risks from the application of building information modelling
Authors: Aljarman Moshabab , Boussabaine Halim , Almarri Khalid
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Building information modelling (BIM) is not without risk, as the greater reliance on information technology has associated technical risks. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to assess the perceptions of the users of BIM regarding the likelihood of emergence of technical risks which might influence the successful application of BIM, to facilitate the successful implementation of BIM in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data were collected via a questionnaire to document the BIM risks, where 105 responses were recorded from constructors, consultants, cost consultants and other professionals from the UK construction industry. Subsequently, the analysis of the results was driven by univariate and inferential statistics (ANOVA) to assess the perception of risk emergence.

Findings

The study found the most likely technical risks that might emerge from BIM application. These risks are complexity of transferring modelling data from one program to another, lack of understanding of the BIM for the different software platforms, interoperability shortcomings, failure to discover errors in the model and risks of different software platforms.

Practical implications

The results will certainly intensify the discussion about BIM risks, risk allocation and all other aspects that are related to BIM contractual processes. Also, the compiled list of risks will help stakeholders in assessing financial implications that may result from BIM application.

Originality/value

Important technical risks have been identified in the application of BIM. This renders a new understanding of the risks that might influence the successful application of BIM. The respondents generally agreed on the importance of the following risks: “complexity of transferring modelling data between programs from one program to another”, “lack of understanding of the BIM for the different software platforms”, “interoperability shortcomings”, “failure to discover errors in the model” and “risks of different software platforms”, which are in line with current literature.
Literature review of managerial levers in primary care
Authors: Garagiola Elisabetta , Creazza Alessandro , Porazzi Emanuele
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the managerial levers previously considered in literature in the setting of the provision of primary care and community services (in particular for patients with long-term conditions being treated also at home) as well as those scarcely explored that could potentially be adopted in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was a structured literature review. The authors retrieved papers, published from 2005–2020, from electronic databases (i.e. ABI/INFORM Complete, Jstor, PubMed and Scopus). Each selected paper was assigned to a framework category, and a thematic analysis was performed.

Findings

Topics scarcely explored in literature were related to logistics/supply chain, economic evaluations, performance management and customer satisfaction. Some papers embraced more than one management topic, confirming the multidisciplinary nature of territorial healthcare services. The majority of research, however, focused on only one aspect of primary care services, and a lack of an integrated view regarding the provision of those services emerged.

Originality/value

This study represents a first attempt to rationalize the fragmented body of knowledge on the topic of the provision of primary and community care services. This study enabled some light to be shed on the managerial levers already explored previously in literature and also identifies a number of trajectories for future research.