bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investor confidence and life insurance demand: can economic condition limit life insurance business?
Authors: Ahmed Danish , Xie Yuantao , Issam Khelfaoui
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Life insurance is bought with a prior belief that promise stipulated in policy will be honored when due. Discernibly, this belief is backed by the confidence that financial markets and economy will demonstrate satisfactory performance. However, individuals' confidence levels may get shaken through naïve reinforcement learning if they witness negative market or economic condition. Considering this the authors investigate the relationship between investor confidence and life insurance demand.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used bias corrected bootstrapped sample of OECD economies to examine the link between investor confidence and life insurance demand when two possible economic conditions were witnessed: 1) normal/economic expansion and 2) economic/debt impairment. The findings are robust to alternate estimation techniques and endogeneity.

Findings

The authors found that lower investor confidence, sovereign debt impairment and negative market condition will have negative repercussion on life insurance demand. On the other hand, investor confidence-life insurance demand nexus is merely influenced by market and economic condition.

Originality/value

This is a premier research explaining the nexus between investor confidence and life insurance demand in the context of life-cycle hypothesis, sovereign ratings channel and experience-confidence-belief framework. The finding will help economic policy-makers in developing pre-emptive measures to protect life insurance businesses from negative repercussions of lower confidence and negative market conditions.
Risk allocation, transfer and management in public–private partnership and private finance initiatives: a systematic literature review
Authors: Tallaki Mouhcine , Bracci Enrico
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper examines risk and risk management in public–private partnership and private finance initiatives (PPP/PFI). Despite growing interest in PPP/PFI, there are knowledge gaps in the literature. The authors’ aim is to analyse these knowledge gaps and define emerging themes to guide future research agendas.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a systematic literature review from 1990 to 2018 using the Scopus database.

Findings

The authors define six emerging themes: risk definition and types of risks; value for money (VFM) and risk; risk sharing, allocation and transfer; financial risk; contractualisation and renegotiation of risk; and risk management and governance. They proposed a conceptualisation of potential development of PPP/PFI research through the three phases of risk management cycle, i.e. prospective, real time and retrospective. This paper revealed some new aspects that could help to analyse better risk and risk management in PPP/PFI to reach value for money (VFM) and to exploit the potential of PPP/PFI.

Originality/value

Despite the increasing attention to PPP/PFI, further researches are required in relation to operational and post-operational risk studies, risk management and control, the role of trust. The authors’ analysis underlines the difficulties in how risk is perceived and how to ascertain VFM. In addition, the authors highlight how the increase of contract renegotiation is changing the provisions with reference to risk assignment creating market distortion. Risk should be managed as a cycle; PPP/PFI would benefit by engaging more with the risk management literature.
A critical review of international print advertisements: evolutionary analysis, assessment and elucidations, from 1965 to 2020
Authors: Vadalkar Suniti , Chavan Gitesh , Chaudhuri Ranjan , Vrontis Demetris
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Amidst the plethora of mass communication methods that technology bestowed business with, print advertisements still remain an effective and widely utilized advertising tool, and retain a diachronically venerable position in international marketing practice. Bar and transcending mere academic fascination or curiosity, this research provides insights into the past, an understanding of the present and an outlook into the future. In this vein, through a methodical and comprehensive critical review of extant literature on print advertisements since 1965, this research aims to identify gaps in extant knowledge, to map its trends and divergences, to trace its paradigm shifts and to ultimately develop agendas for truly significant future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This spatial-temporal study reviews 256 methodically selected articles, using VantagePoint software, and adopts a novel methodology through natural language processing (NLP), text mining, auto-correlation maps, and bubble maps to conduct and present a robust analysis and explicit findings.

Findings

Using also the VOSviewer for density and network visualization, the results identify the predominant literature themes and, conversely, the relatively under-researched areas, and provide a more insightful collective interpretation of extant works, while laying the foundation for future research of greater value and significance to academia and industry.

Originality/value

This study transcends the partial and/or limited analyses and perspectives of extant literature to present scholars with the first comprehensive and long term meta-analysis or systematic study of print advertising, with explicit findings of both scholarly and executive worth.
Cyclicity of real estate-related trends: topic modelling and sentiment analysis on German real estate news
Authors: Ploessl Franziska , Just Tobias , Wehrheim Lino
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the news coverage and sentiment of real estate-related trends in Germany. Trends are considered as being stable and long-term. If the news coverage and sentiment of trends underlie cyclicity, this could impact investors’ behaviour. For instance, in the case of increased reporting on sustainability issues, investors may be inclined to invest more in sustainable buildings, assuming that this is of growing importance to their clients. Hence, investors could expect higher returns when a trend topic goes viral.

Design/methodology/approach

With the help of topic modelling, incorporating seed words partially generated via word embeddings, almost 170,000 newspaper articles published between 1999 and 2019 by a major German real estate news provider are analysed and assigned to real estate-related trends. Through applying a dictionary-based approach, this dataset is then analysed based on whether the tone of the news coverage of a specific trend is subject to change.

Findings

The articles concerning urbanisation and globalisation account for the largest shares of reporting. However, the shares are subject to change over time, both in terms of news coverage and sentiment. In particular, the topic of sustainability illustrates a clearly increasing trend with cyclical movements throughout the examined period. Overall, the digitalisation trend has a highly positive connotation within the analysed articles, while regulation displays the most negative sentiment.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first application to explore German real estate newspaper articles regarding the methodologies of word representation and seeded topic modelling. The integration of topic modelling into real estate analysis provides a means through which to extract information in a standardised and replicable way. The methodology can be applied to several further fields like analysing market reports, company statements or social media comments on real estate topics. Finally, this is also the first study to measure the cyclicity of real estate-related trends by means of textual analysis.
Conscious capitalism and the organizational propensity to fight corruption
Authors: Dion Michel
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how much the basic tenets of conscious capitalism could favor organizational change and anticorruption strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper questions the vagueness of the tenets and principles of conscious capitalism. It unveils the idealized worldview of conscious capitalism, as it is based on a “pseudo-humanistic and pseudo-holistic” philosophy. The paper analyzes various kinds of rationale for justifying anticorruption measures and explains how the conscious capitalism movement should assume the challenge to develop one or the other rationale.

Findings

The conscious capitalism movement does not have basic rationale for any self-justified discourse about anticorruption measures. The principles of conscious capitalism organizations can be coherent with a rationale of individual and organizational compliance. They could be suitable with a rationale of legal, industry and international compliance. We could expect that the principles of conscious capitalism allow radical changes in the organizational culture. However, the main principles of conscious capitalism are not explicitly related to any rationale for a corporate self-justified discourse about anticorruption measures.

Research limitations/implications

The three kinds of rationale for corporate self-justified discourse about anticorruption measures are not exhaustive. There can be other kinds of corporate rationale. Moreover, the conscious capitalism movement appeared in 2000s and is still evolving. So, we should never take for granted that the present ideals and principles of conscious capitalism will never be improved and deepened.

Originality/value

The paper explains how the conscious capitalism movement remains unable to present its rationale for justifying anticorruption measures. In doing so, it provides three kinds of rationale that conscious capitalism organizations could use to develop their corporate self-justified discourse about anticorruption policies, measures and programs.
One size fits all? Segmenting consumers to predict sustainable fashion behavior
Authors: Haines Shelley , Lee Seung Hwan (Mark)
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study segmented consumers by combining emotional and shopping characteristics to develop typologies that classify their consumption patterns and disposal behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

To identify segments of fashion consumers, an online questionnaire was administered measuring emotional and shopping characteristics, including perspective taking, empathic concern, personal distress, hedonism, and frugality. An online questionnaire involving 168 US-based participants were used to accomplish the purpose of the study. A cluster analysis was conducted to identify segments of participants based on these variables. Consumption patterns and disposal behavior, including motivation to buy environmentally friendly items, consciousness for sustainable consumption, buying impulsiveness, likelihood to follow fashion trends, and tendencies to dispose of or repair damaged or unwanted items were also measured via the questionnaire as dependent variables to be predicted by identified segments.

Findings

Three clusters of consumers were identified as: Distressed and Self-Oriented, Warm and Thrifty, and Cold and Frivolous. Distressed and Self-Oriented individuals reported the highest levels of personal distress and hedonism. Warm and Thrifty individuals reported the highest levels of empathic concern, perspective taking and frugality, and the lowest levels of personal distress and hedonism. Cold and Frivolous individuals reported the lowest levels of perspective taking, empathic concern, and frugality.

Originality/value

The classification of consumers into segments brings a new dimension to the field of sustainable fashion. Clusters were created according to the variables of emotional characteristics (i.e. perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress) and shopping characteristics (i.e. hedonism and frugality). The analysis unveiled three distinct clusters that can be utilized to develop tailored strategies to successfully promote sustainable fashion consumption.
Examining the influences of perceived exclusivity and perceived rarity on consumers' perception of luxury
Authors: Wang Xujia , Sung Billy , Phau Ian
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how exclusivity and rarity (natural versus virtual) influence consumers' perceptions of luxury. Further, it examines whether exclusivity and rarity can function as distinct marketing strategies in today's luxury market environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Online questionnaires were administered by adapting developed scales from prior research. Research stimuli were chosen from three luxury categories including bags, wine and cruise. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results confirmed that exclusivity, natural rarity and virtual rarity were perceived as relatively distinct constructs among our sample. Findings also highlighted that perceived natural rarity (PNR) has consistently emerged as a positive and significant contributor to consumers' perceptions of luxury across all three luxury categories. The influence of perceived exclusivity (PE) on perceptions of luxury has also shown to be significant for two product categories (luxury bag and luxury wine), whereas perceived virtual rarity (PVR) did not show any significant effects across all three categories.

Practical implications

The results indicate that consumers perceive natural rarity, virtual rarity and exclusivity as relatively distinctive marketing strategies. This suggests that luxury businesses can adopt each strategy independently to achieve desired marketing outcomes.

Originality/value

This study offers theoretical support for the proposition that exclusivity and rarity may have different functions in luxury marketing implementations. It provides empirical evidence showing the distinctiveness of perceived exclusivity and perceived rarity, which have not be done in previous research.
Mediating role of place identity in the relationship between place quality and user satisfaction in waterfronts: a case study of Penang, Malaysia
Authors: Isa Mohd Ismail , Hedayati Marzbali Massoomeh , Saad Siti Nursyahira
Published: June 2021

Purpose

One major challenge for urban planners and policymakers is how to strengthen and establish connections between humans and the environment. Evidence suggests that the physical characteristics of the environment enhance both place identity and user satisfaction. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of place identity in the relationship between place quality and user satisfaction in two waterfronts in Penang, Malaysia. However, only few studies have examined the impact of place quality on user satisfaction in waterfronts as natural outdoor recreation spaces.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 300 users was analysed via structural equation modelling, and results show that place quality is a second-order construct with three main dimensions.

Findings

These results support the theoretical findings in the literature that associate high place quality and place identity with user satisfaction. These results also support the mediating role of place identity in the relationship between place quality and satisfaction and can help policymakers create inclusive and attractive waterfronts that catalyse place identity and user satisfaction.

Originality/value

Place quality is an essential need for urban life with significant and extensive effects on the lives of residents nowadays. Organising physical activities can help attract more users to waterfronts and consequently increase their level of satisfaction. Local authorities, non-governmental organisations and local communities should also help in monitoring and maintaining the waterfronts.
The emergence of entrepreneurial team as a research field – way forward
Authors: Das Willy , Das Satyasiba , Chattopadhyay Manojit
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique the existing literature on entrepreneurial teams (ET) by taking a multi-disciplinary viewpoint and provide a future research agenda based on the identified themes and trends.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken using “business source complete”. Further scrutiny and application of exclusion criteria led to a final sample consisting of 139 papers from 27 different journals belonging to not just entrepreneurship and strategic management but also other disciplines like OB, finance, sociology, psychology, etc. Using qualitative thematic analysis, the authors identified 11 major themes.

Findings

The paper reviews both the eleven themes and the linkages between the themes. Thereby identifying areas that have been understudied and those that have received comparatively more attention. The review revealed that the research stream possesses certain conceptual and methodological concerns apart from its cross-sectional and primarily bivariate nature. Five such main concerns have been identified and discussed in detail. Other elements of the resulting research agenda include calls for more clinical process-oriented research, further attention to context, shifting the level of analysis, and a need to integrate across disciplines.

Originality/value

This paper incorporates a broad insight of ET across academic disciplines to show how future contributions could benefit by incorporating research from other fields. In doing so, provides a starting point for more nuanced discussions around the interrelationships between the different conversations that are taking place in the ET literature.
Board structure changes after accounting fraud: the case of Schneider Electric
Authors: Millet-Reyes Benedicte , Uddin Nancy
Published: June 2021

Theoretical basis

The impact of corporate governance on internal controls and quality of financial disclosures.

Research methodology

Analysis of a real financial fraud event for a non-US multinational corporation. The case relies on accessing and analyzing annual reports for the firm, both before and after the fraud. Additional information on industry governance characteristics are provided in the case itself so that students can compare the firm to the industry.

Case overview/synopsis

This business case is centered on the analysis of Schneider Electric, a French multinational corporation, which had to restate their financial statements in 2011 because of accounting fraud. Following this event, Schneider undertook major changes in their board structure to improve internal control mechanisms. This pedagogical business case familiarizes students with international differences in ownership and board structure and emphasizes potential corporate governance changes after financial statement fraud.

Complexity academic level

Managerial finance, corporate finance, international finance, auditing. This case is more appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses.
Challenges of Moksh Organization: an epitome of humanity
Authors: Mehta Nikhil K. , Chourasia Shubham , Devadas Aswini
Published: June 2021

Theoretical basis

This case uses concepts from Korten’s strategies of development-oriented four generations of non-government organizations (NGOs) and social psychology such as stereotypes, prejudices and actions to explain the social phenomenon. In furtherance, the case presents Aristotle’s approach to creating a message for masses that include use of ethos, pathos and logos. Stood’s (2017) narrative, engagement and technology (NET) model of social leadership was used to analyse the characteristics of social leaders.

Research methodology

Prima facie the case was developed from primary sources i.e. interviewing with Ashish Thakur. Literature from secondary sources was obtained to make teaching notes. List of references is presented towards the end that depicts the use of textbooks, research papers, websites and blogs. This case was tested in the classroom with MBA students learning business communication.

Case overview/synopsis

The case dealt with the challenges of an NGO that included conducting respectful last rites of unclaimed dead bodies. As the NGO grew, Ashish Thakur, the initiator of Moksh started facing resource management challenges, namely, volunteer induction, fundraising and managing non-human resources. These issues are deeply embedded in several social stereotypes about dead bodies. Learning covers strategies of four generations of NGO development, a NET model of social leadership, breaking social stereotypes related to dead bodies and last rites (necrophobia), designing social communication and opportunity to assess faulty rationalizations and do critical thinking around the socio-religious practices.

Complexity academic level

This case is intended to be used for the students of the social leadership or social entrepreneurship, social psychology, business communication or communication skills, organizational behaviour, advertising and social media.
Diagnosis of COVID-19 using 3D CT scans and vaccination for COVID-19
Authors: Ch Gangadhar , Jana S. , Majji Sankararao , Kuncha Prathyusha , E. Fantin Irudaya Raj , Tigadi Arun
Published: June 2021

Purpose

For the first time in a decade, a new form of pneumonia virus, coronavirus, COVID-19, appeared in Wuhan, China. To date, it has affected millions of people, killed thousands and resulted in thousands of deaths around the world. To stop the spread of this virus, isolate the infected people. Computed tomography (CT) imaging is very accurate in revealing the details of the lungs and allows oncologists to detect COVID. However, the analysis of CT scans, which can include hundreds of images, may cause delays in hospitals. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology could help to COVID-19-positive cancer in this manner is the main purpose of the work.

Design/methodology/approach

CT scans are a medical imaging procedure that gives a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the lungs for clinical purposes. The volumetric 3D data sets can be regarded as axial, coronal and transverse data sets. By using AI, we can diagnose the virus presence.

Findings

The paper discusses the use of an AI for COVID-19, and CT classification issue and vaccination details of COVID-19 have been detailed in this paper.

Originality/value

Originality of the work is, all the data can be collected genuinely and did research work doneown methodology.
Prenatal cannabis use disorders and offspring primary and secondary educational outcomes
Authors: Betts Kim S. , Kisely Steve , Alati Rosa
Published: June 2021

Background and Aims

Cannabis use is increasing among women of reproductive age, warranting a greater understanding of the impact of prenatal cannabis use on offspring developmental outcomes. We tested for a potential relationship between prenatal cannabis use disorders (CUD) and offspring educational outcomes across primary and secondary school.

Design

Data were drawn from the New South Wales (NSW) Perinatal Data Collection, which included all live births in the Australian state of NSW between January 2003 and December 2005. These were linked with the NSW Admitted Patient Data collection for mothers and offspring, and the NSW National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

Setting

New South Wales, Australia.

Participants

A total of 189 558 offspring who completed the NAPLAN in grades 3, 5 and 7 (resulting in 568 674 examination periods).

Measurements

The exposure variable was ICD‐10 cannabis use disorders (CUD = F13.0–F13.9). The study included five outcome variables measured at three time‐points as not meeting the minimum national standards for: (i) numeracy, (ii) reading, (iii) spelling, (iv) writing and (v) grammar and punctuation.

Findings

In unadjusted analyses, prenatal CUD was associated with an increased risk for not meeting the national minimum standard of all outcomes [odds ratios (OR) ranging from 3.42 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.94, 3.99) to 4.17 (95% CI = 3.55, 4.91)], with no evidence for an interaction across time. However, the associations attenuated greatly after exact matching by covariates, with reading and numeracy no longer associated with prenatal CUD, while the increased risk of the other outcomes ranged from OR = 1.31 (95% CI = 1.09, 1.57) to OR = 1.40 (95% CI = 1.17, 1.68).

Conclusion

Socio‐economic status appears to confound the association between prenatal cannabis use disorder and poor educational performance in offspring.
An intensive model of care for hepatitis C virus screening and treatment with direct‐acting antivirals in people who inject drugs in Nairobi, Kenya: a model‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Mafirakureva Nyashadzaishe , Stone Jack , Fraser Hannah , Nzomukunda Yvonne , Maina Aron , Thiong'o Angela W. , Kizito Kibango Walter , Mucara Esther W. K. , González Diaz C. Inés , Musyoki Helgar , Mundia Bernard , Cherutich Peter , Nyakowa Mercy , Lizcano John , Chhun Nok , Kurth Ann , Akiyama Matthew J. , Waruiru Wanjiru , Bhattacharjee Parinita , Cleland Charles , Donchuk Dmytro , Luhmann Niklas , Loarec Anne , Maman David , Walker Josephine , Vickerman Peter
Published: June 2021

Background and aims

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment is essential for eliminating HCV in people who inject drugs (PWID), but has limited coverage in resource‐limited settings. We measured the cost‐effectiveness of a pilot HCV screening and treatment intervention using directly observed therapy among PWID attending harm reduction services in Nairobi, Kenya.

Design

We utilized an existing model of HIV and HCV transmission among current and former PWID in Nairobi to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of screening and treatment for HCV, including prevention benefits versus no screening and treatment. The cure rate of treatment and costs for screening and treatment were estimated from intervention data, while other model parameters were derived from literature. Cost‐effectiveness was evaluated over a life‐time horizon from the health‐care provider's perspective. One‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

Setting

Nairobi, Kenya.

Population

PWID.

Measurements

Treatment costs, incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (cost per disability‐adjusted life year averted).

Findings

The cost per disability‐adjusted life‐year averted for the intervention was $975, with 92.1% of the probabilistic sensitivity analyses simulations falling below the per capita gross domestic product for Kenya ($1509; commonly used as a suitable threshold for determining whether an intervention is cost‐effective). However, the intervention was not cost‐effective at the opportunity cost‐based cost‐effectiveness threshold of $647 per disability‐adjusted life‐year averted. Sensitivity analyses showed that the intervention could provide more value for money by including modelled estimates for HCV disease care costs, assuming lower drug prices ($75 instead of $728 per course) and excluding directly‐observed therapy costs.

Conclusions

The current strategy of screening and treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs in Nairobi is likely to be highly cost‐effective with currently available cheaper drug prices, if directly‐observed therapy is not used and HCV disease care costs are accounted for.
A wastewater‐based assessment of the impact of a minimum unit price (MUP) on population alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory, Australia
Authors: O'Brien Jake W. , Tscharke Benjamin J. , Bade Richard , Chan Gary , Gerber Cobus , Mueller Jochen F. , Thomas Kevin V. , Hall Wayne D.
Published: June 2021

Aim

To test if there was a reduction in alcohol consumption in wastewater samples in the Northern Territory of Australia after the implementation of a minimum unit alcohol price policy (MUP) in October 2018.

Design, setting, cases

Between August 2016 and February 2020, wastewater samples were collected across 66 sites in the Northern Territory and all other states and territories in Australia. Samples were collected every 2 months in capital cities and every 4 months in regional places during this period. Overall, 4917 samples were taken (2816 before MUP and 2101 after).

Measurements

The number of standard drinks per 1000 people per day in the respective catchment areas was estimated based on the concentration of an alcohol‐specific metabolite, ethyl sulphate in the samples (using the excretion factor of ethyl sulphate, the flow of wastewater entering the wastewater treatment plants and the population of each wastewater catchment).

Findings

Results from a linear mixed model showed that there was a large drop in alcohol consumption immediately after the MUP in Northern Territory [estimated drop = 1231, 99% confidence interval (CI) = 830, 1633; 38.75%]. There was no significant drop in all other states/territories except for Queensland, which showed a significant but much smaller drop (estimated drop: 310; 99% CI = 114, 550). One year after the MUP, the drop narrowed to 520 (99% CI = 189, 851) and was no longer statistically significant in February 2020 (15 months after MUP; estimated drop = 283, 99% CI = −114, 681).

Conclusions

Per‐capita consumption of alcohol appears to have decreased substantially in the Northern Territory of Australia immediately after the implementation of a minimum unit price but consumption steadily recovered and almost returned to the pre‐MUP consumption level after 15 months.
An epigenome‐wide DNA methylation study of patients with COVID‐19
Authors: Zhou Shengyu , Zhang Jintao , Xu Jiawei , Zhang Fayan , Li Peng , He Yujie , Wu Julong , Wang Chunting , Wang Ximing , Zhang Wei , Ning Kang , Pan Yun , Liu Tian , Zhao Jiping , Yin Lixia , Zhang Rumin , Gao Feng , Zhao Jintong , Dong Liang
Published: June 2021

In the early 2000s, emerging SARS‐CoV‐2, which is highly pathogenic, posed a great threat to public health. During COVID‐19, epigenetic regulation is deemed to be an important part of the pathophysiology and illness severity. Using the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip (850 K), we investigated genome‐wide differences in DNA methylation between healthy subjects and COVID‐19 patients with different disease severities. We conducted a combined analysis and selected 35 “marker” genes that could indicate a SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, including 12 (ATHL1, CHN2, CHST15, CPLX2, CRHR2, DCAKD, GNAI2, HECW1, HYAL1, MIR510, PDE11A, and SMG6) situated in the promoter region. The functions and pathways of differentially methylated genes were enriched in biological processes, signal transduction, and the immune system. In the “Severe versus Mild” group, differentially methylated genes, after eliminating duplicates, were used for PPI analyses. The four hub genes (GNG7, GNAS, PRKCZ, and PRKAG2) that had the highest degree of nodes were identified and among them, GNG7 and GNAS genes expressions were also downregulated in the severe group in sequencing results. Above all, the results suggest that GNG7 and GNAS may play a non‐ignorable role in the progression of COVID‐19. In conclusion, the identified key genes and related pathways in the current study can be used to study the molecular mechanisms of COVID‐19 and may provide possibilities for specific treatments.
Trps1 targets Ccnd1 to regulate mouse Leydig cell proliferation
Authors: Sun Jiandong , Li Hua , Lv Chengyu , Draz Eman , Liu Yue , Lin Zihang , Hu Weitao , Mo Kaien , Lin Jianmin , Xu Weiwei , Wang Shie
Published: June 2021

Background

The tricho‐rhino‐phalangeal syndrome‐1 gene (Trps1) is an atypical GATA family member. Although current studies of Trps1 mainly focus on tumors, whether Trps1 plays a role in the male reproductive system remains unknown.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the function of Trps1 in Leydig cells, indicating its regulatory mechanism on the cell cycle.

Methods

Gene‐silencing technology, RNA‐seq, RT‐qPCR, and western blotting were used to evaluate the function of Trps1 in mouse primary Leydig cells and MLTC‐1 cells. In addition, ChIP‐base sets and ChIP‐qPCR were employed to further assess the regulatory mechanism of Trps1 in MLTC‐1 cells.

Results

Knockdown of Trps1 in Leydig cells significantly suppressed phosphorylation of Src and Akt and expression of Ccnd1, which was accompanied by impairment of cell proliferative ability. Trps1 may affect the cell cycle through the Src/Akt/Ccnd1 signaling pathway. In addition, Trps1 may bind to the promoter of Srcin1 to regulate its transcription, thus influencing Src phosphorylation levels and the proliferation of Leydig cells.

Discussion and conclusion

Src increases in Leydig cells during pubertal development, suggesting its functional involvement in differentiated adult Leydig cells. Inhibition of the Src/Akt pathway would reduce Ccnd1 expression. In the present study, we found that Trps1 may regulate the phosphorylation level of Src and Akt through Srcin1, targeting Ccnd1 to influence mouse Leydig cell proliferation. These findings shed light on the regulation of Trps1 on cell proliferation and differentiation of mouse Leydig cells.
The influence of experience and expertise on how surgeons prepare to perform a procedure
Authors: Crebbin Wendy , Guest Glenn , Beasley Spencer , Tobin Stephen , Duvivier Robbert , Watters David
Published: June 2021

Background

There is a paucity of literature describing how surgeons (either novice or expert) mentally prepare to carry out a surgical procedure. This paper focuses on these processes, and is part of a larger piece of research based on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Clinical Decision Making model.

Methods

Interviews were conducted over a 3‐year period with registrars, trainees, fellows and consultants in the Department of Surgery at one large regional hospital in Victoria. Analysis began from the first interview with no pre‐conceived codes. Emerging themes were drawn from participants' interpretation of their experiences. Further information was obtained during discussions in theatre while patients were being prepared for surgery.

Results

The findings show that the process of rehearsal changes as a surgeon gains more experience in a procedure. A ‘novice’ relies on external sources of information, for example textbooks and videos. After participating in a number of similar procedures their reliance gradually moves to their own sensory memories. Surgeons at all levels of experience discuss their preparations with peers, colleagues, senior clinicians, and where appropriate, with members of other disciplines.

Conclusion

These findings offer insight into how surgeons, at different levels of experience, prepare for a procedure. These understandings have the potential to improve the teaching and learning of this essential component of surgical practice.
New moderation methods of higher school certificate assessments: a case study of the New South Wales practice
Authors: Shi Yanlin
Published: June 2021

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the credential awarded to secondary school students in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This paper reviews the current moderation process of the HSC and introduces and compares a range of modern statistical methods. With a comprehensive analysis of the complete 2013–2016 HSC results, we show that the monotone spline regression with the Huber loss function consistently beats the existing moderation method. With its simple structure, fast execution and improved effectiveness, this new moderation model is an ideal replacement of the in‐force quadratic for the HSC practice in NSW.
Pulmonary impairment in type 2 diabetic rats and its improvement by exercise
Authors: Machado Liz Maria Queiroz , Serra Daniel Silveira , Neves Thayanne Gomes , Cavalcante Francisco Sales Ávila , Ceccatto Vânia Marilande , Leal‐Cardoso Jose Henrique , Zin Walter Araujo , Moreira‐Gomes Maria Diana
Published: June 2021

Aim

We aimed to evaluate whether the streptozotocin‐induced diabetic model can generate lung functional, histological and biochemical impairments and whether moderate exercise can prevent these changes.

Methods

Wistar rats were assigned to control (CTRL), exercise (EXE), diabetic (D) and diabetic with exercise (D+EXE) groups. We used the n5‐STZ model of diabetes mellitus triggered by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 120 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) in newborn rats on their 5th day of life. EXE and D+EXE rats were trained by running on a motorized treadmill, 5 days a week for 9 weeks. Blood glucose, body weight, food intake, exercise capacity, lung mechanics, morphology, and antioxidant enzymatic activity were analysed.

Results

On the 14th week of life, diabetic rats exhibited a significant impairment in post‐prandial glycaemia, glucose tolerance, body weight, food intake, lung function (tissue viscance, elastance, Newtonian resistance and hysteresis), morphological parameters, redox balance and exercise capacity. Physical training completely prevented the diabetes‐induced alterations, except for those on fasting blood glucose, which nevertheless remained stable.

Conclusions

Mild diabetes in n5‐STZ‐treated rats jeopardized pulmonary mechanics, morphology and redox balance, which confirms the occurrence of diabetes‐induced pneumopathy. Moreover, moderate exercise completely prevented all diabetes‐induced respiratory alterations.
Circulating tumour DNA reveals genetic traits of patients with intraductal carcinoma of the prostate
Authors: Zhao Jinge , Sun Guangxi , Zhu Sha , Dai Jindong , Chen Junru , Zhang Mengni , Ni Yuchao , Zhang Haoran , Shen Pengfei , Zhao Xiaochen , Zhang Bei , Pan Xiuyi , Nie Ling , Yin Xiaoxue , Liang Jiayu , Zhang Xingming , Wang Zhipeng , Zhu Xudong , Liao Banghua , Liu Zhenhua , Armstrong Cameron M. , Gao Allen C. , Huang Haojie , Chen Ni , Zeng Hao
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To investigate the genetic alterations of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) with and without intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC‐P).

Patients and Methods

We performed targeted sequencing of plasma cell‐free DNA on 161 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma (PAC) with IDC‐P and 84 without IDC‐P. Genomic alterations were compared between these two groups. The association between genetic alterations and patients’ survival outcomes was also explored.

Results

We identified that 29.8% (48/161) and 21.4% (18/84) of patients with and without IDC‐P harboured genomic alterations in DNA repair pathways, respectively (P = 0.210). Pathogenic germline DNA repair alterations were frequently detected in IDC‐P carriers compared to IDC‐P non‐carriers (11.8% [19/161] vs 2.4% [two of 84], P = 0.024). Germline BReast CAncer type 2 susceptibility protein (BRCA2) and somatic cyclin‐dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) defects were specifically identified in IDC‐P carriers relative to PAC (BRCA2: 8.7% [14/161] vs 0% and CDK12: 6.8% [11/161] vs 1.2% [one of 84]). Patients with IDC‐P had a distinct androgen receptor (AR) pathway alteration, characterised by an enrichment of nuclear receptor corepressor 2 (NCOR2) mutations compared with patients with pure PAC (21.1% [34/161] vs 6.0% [five of 84], P = 0.004). Increased AR alterations were detected in patients harbouring tumours with an IDC‐P proportion of ≥10% vs those with an IDC‐P proportion of <10% (6.4% [five of 78] vs 18.1% [15/83], P = 0.045). For IDC‐P carriers, tumour protein p53 (TP53) mutation was associated with shorter castration‐resistant‐free survival (median 10.9 vs 28.9 months, P = 0.026), and BRCA2 alteration was related to rapid prostate‐specific antigen progression for those receiving abiraterone treatment (median 9.1 vs 11.9 months, P = 0.036).

Conclusion

Our findings provide genomic evidence explaining the aggressive phenotype of tumours with IDC‐P, highlighting the potential therapeutic strategies for this patient population.
Quadruple‐editing of the MAPK and PI3K pathways effectively blocks the progression of KRAS‐mutated colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Wang Zaozao , Kang Bin , Gao Qianqian , Huang Lei , Di Jiabo , Fan Yingcong , Yu Jianhong , Jiang Beihai , Gao Feng , Wang Dan , Sun Haixi , Gu Ying , Li Jian , Su Xiangqian
Published: June 2021

Mutated KRAS promotes the activation of the MAPK pathway and the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Aberrant activation of the PI3K pathway strongly attenuates the efficacy of MAPK suppression in KRAS‐mutated CRC. The development of a novel strategy targeting a dual pathway is therefore highly essential for the therapy of KRAS‐mutated CRC. In this study, a quadruple‐depleting system for the KRAS, MEK1, PIK3CA, and MTOR genes based on CRISPR/SaCas9 was developed. Adenovirus serotype 5 (ADV5) was integrated with two engineered proteins, an adaptor and a protector, to form ADV‐protein complex (APC) for systemic delivery of the CRISPR system. Quadruple‐editing could significantly inhibit the MAPK and PI3K pathways in CRC cells with oncogenic mutations of KRAS and PIK3CA or with KRAS mutation and compensated PI3K activation. Compared with MEK and PI3K/MTOR inhibitors, quadruple‐editing induced more significant survival inhibition on primary CRC cells with oncogenic mutations of KRAS and PIK3CA. The adaptor specifically targeting EpCAM and the hexon‐shielding protector could dramatically enhance ADV5 infection efficiency to CRC cells and significantly reduce off‐targeting tropisms to many organs except the colon. Moreover, quadruple‐editing intravenously delivered by APC significantly blocked the dual pathway and tumor growth of KRAS‐mutated CRC cells, without influencing normal tissues in cell‐ and patient‐derived xenograft models. Therefore, APC‐delivered quadruple‐editing of the MAPK and PI3K pathways shows a promising therapeutic potential for KRAS‐mutated CRC.
Aqueous seeding in intraocular retinoblastoma: A review
Authors: Kaliki Swathi
Published: June 2021

The management of retinoblastoma is complex. With increasing treatment modalities and increasing experience with each treatment modality, the globe salvage rates have drastically improved with time. Aqueous seeding in an eye with retinoblastoma is classified as group E based on International Classification of Intraocular Retinoblastoma, and most group E eyes were enucleated a decade earlier. Newer modalities of treatment have improved the globe salvage rates in group E eyes including those with aqueous seeding. Various globe salvage treatment modalities attempted for the management of aqueous seeds include external beam radiotherapy, plaque radiotherapy, intra‐arterial chemotherapy, periocular chemotherapy, intravitreal chemotherapy and intracameral chemotherapy. Of all treatment modalities, intracameral chemotherapy holds promise for the management of aqueous seeds in selected patients, but it should be done with the utmost care by a trained ocular oncologist. Enucleation is still the preferred modality of treatment for eyes with advanced retinoblastoma and anterior segment invasion. This review focuses on the current evidence on aqueous seeding, highlighting the pathogenesis, classification, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes.
CommAID: Visual Analytics for Communication Analysis through Interactive Dynamics Modeling
Authors: Fischer M. T. , Seebacher D. , Sevastjanova R. , Keim D. A. , El‐Assady M.
Published: June 2021

Communication consists of both meta‐information as well as content. Currently, the automated analysis of such data often focuses either on the network aspects via social network analysis or on the content, utilizing methods from text‐mining. However, the first category of approaches does not leverage the rich content information, while the latter ignores the conversation environment and the temporal evolution, as evident in the meta‐information. In contradiction to communication research, which stresses the importance of a holistic approach, both aspects are rarely applied simultaneously, and consequently, their combination has not yet received enough attention in automated analysis systems. In this work, we aim to address this challenge by discussing the difficulties and design decisions of such a path as well as contribute CommAID, a blueprint for a holistic strategy to communication analysis. It features an integrated visual analytics design to analyze communication networks through dynamics modeling, semantic pattern retrieval, and a user‐adaptable and problem‐specific machine learning‐based retrieval system. An interactive multi‐level matrix‐based visualization facilitates a focused analysis of both network and content using inline visuals supporting cross‐checks and reducing context switches. We evaluate our approach in both a case study and through formative evaluation with eight law enforcement experts using a real‐world communication corpus. Results show that our solution surpasses existing techniques in terms of integration level and applicability. With this contribution, we aim to pave the path for a more holistic approach to communication analysis.
Exploring Multi‐dimensional Data via Subset Embedding
Authors: Xie Peng , Tao Wenyuan , Li Jie , Huang Wentao , Chen Siming
Published: June 2021

Multi‐dimensional data exploration is a classic research topic in visualization. Most existing approaches are designed for identifying record patterns in dimensional space or subspace. In this paper, we propose a visual analytics approach to exploring subset patterns. The core of the approach is a subset embedding network (SEN) that represents a group of subsets as uniformly‐formatted embeddings. We implement the SEN as multiple subnets with separate loss functions. The design enables to handle arbitrary subsets and capture the similarity of subsets on single features, thus achieving accurate pattern exploration, which in most cases is searching for subsets having similar values on few features. Moreover, each subnet is a fully‐connected neural network with one hidden layer. The simple structure brings high training efficiency. We integrate the SEN into a visualization system that achieves a 3‐step workflow. Specifically, analysts (1) partition the given dataset into subsets, (2) select portions in a projected latent space created using the SEN, and (3) determine the existence of patterns within selected subsets. Generally, the system combines visualizations, interactions, automatic methods, and quantitative measures to balance the exploration flexibility and operation efficiency, and improve the interpretability and faithfulness of the identified patterns. Case studies and quantitative experiments on multiple open datasets demonstrate the general applicability and effectiveness of our approach.
Parameterized Splitting of Summed Volume Tables
Authors: Reinbold Christian , Westermann Rüdiger
Published: June 2021

Summed Volume Tables (SVTs) allow one to compute integrals over the data values in any cubical area of a three‐dimensional orthogonal grid in constant time, and they are especially interesting for building spatial search structures for sparse volumes. However, SVTs become extremely memory consuming due to the large values they need to store; for a dataset of n values an SVT requires 𝒪(n log n) bits. The 3D Fenwick tree allows recovering the integral values in 𝒪(log3 n) time, at a memory consumption of 𝒪(n) bits. We propose an algorithm that generates SVT representations that can flexibly trade speed for memory: From similar characteristics as SVTs, over equal memory consumption as 3D Fenwick trees at significantly lower computational complexity, to even further reduced memory consumption at the cost of raising computational complexity. For a 641 × 9601 × 9601 binary dataset, the algorithm can generate an SVT representation that requires 27.0GB and 46 · 8 data fetch operations to retrieve an integral value, compared to 27.5GB and 1521·8 fetches by 3D Fenwick trees, a decrease in fetches of 97%. A full SVT requires 247.6GB and 8 fetches per integral value. We present a novel hierarchical approach to compute and store intermediate prefix sums of SVTs, so that any prescribed memory consumption between 𝒪(n) bits and 𝒪(n log n) bits is achieved. We evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm in a number of examples considering large volume data, and we perform comparisons to existing alternatives.