bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expansion of the HSV-2-specific T cell repertoire in skin after immunotherapeutic HSV-2 vaccine
Authors: Ford Emily S. , Li Alvason , Laing Kerry J. , Dong Lichun , Diem Kurt , Jing Lichen , Basu Krithi , Ott Mariliis , Tartaglia Jim , Gurunathan Sanjay , Reid Jack L. , Ecsedi Matyas , Chapuis Aude G. , Huang Meei-Li , Magaret Amalia S. , Johnston Christine , Zhu Jia , Koelle David M. , Corey Lawrence
Published: February 2022

The skin at the site of HSV-2 reactivation is enriched for HSV-2-specific T cells. To evaluate whether an immunotherapeutic vaccine could elicit skin-based memory T cells, we studied skin biopsies and HSV-2-reactive CD4+T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by T cell receptor β (TRB) sequencing before and after vaccination with a replication-incompetent whole virus HSV-2 vaccine candidate (HSV529). The representation of HSV-2-reactive CD4+TRBsequences from PBMCs in the skinTRBrepertoire increased after the first vaccine dose. We found sustained expansion after vaccination of unique, skin-based T-cell clonotypes that were not detected in HSV-2-reactive CD4+T cells isolated from PBMCs. In one participant a switch in immunodominance occurred with the emergence of a T cell receptor (TCR) αβ pair after vaccination that was not detected in blood. This TCRαβ was shown to be HSV-2-reactive by expression of a synthetic TCR in a Jurkat-based NR4A1 reporter system. The skin in areas of HSV-2 reactivation possesses an oligoclonalTRBrepertoire that is distinct from the circulation. Defining the influence of therapeutic vaccination on the HSV-2-specificTRBrepertoire requires tissue-based evaluation.
SARS-CoV-2 Testing Strategies for Outbreak Mitigation in Vaccinated Populations
Authors: Kumar Chirag K. , Balasubramanian Ruchita , Ongarello Stefano , Carmona Sergio , Laxminarayan Ramanan
Published: February 2022

Although COVID-19 vaccines are globally available, waning immunity and emerging vaccine-evasive variants of concern have hindered the international response as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Mitigating COVID-19 requires testing to identify and isolate infectious individuals. We developed a stochastic compartmentalized model to simulate SARS-CoV-2 spread in the United States and India using Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assays, rapid antigen tests, and vaccinations. We detail the optimal testing frequency and coverage in the US and India to mitigate an emerging outbreak even in a vaccinated population: overall, maximizing frequency is more important, but high coverage remains necessary when there is sustained transmission. We show that a resource-limited vaccination strategy still requires high-frequency testing and is 16.50% more effective in India than the United States. Tailoring testing strategies to transmission settings can help effectively reduce cases more than if a uniform approach is employed without regard to differences in location.
Sensitisation of colonic nociceptors by TNFα is dependent on TNFR1 expression and p38 MAPK activity
Authors: Barker Katie H. , Higham James P. , Pattison Luke A. , Taylor Toni S. , Chessell Iain P. , Welsh Fraser , Smith Ewan St. J. , Bulmer David C.
Published: February 2022

Visceral pain is a leading cause of morbidity in gastrointestinal diseases, which is exacerbated by the gut related side-effects of many analgesics. New treatments are needed and further understanding of the mediators and mechanisms underpinning visceral nociception in disease states is required to facilitate this. The pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα is linked to pain in both patients with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, and has been shown to sensitise colonic sensory neurons. Somatic, TNFα- triggered thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity is mediated by TRPV1 signalling and p38 MAPK activity respectively, downstream of TNFR1 receptor activation. We therefore hypothesised that TNFR1-evoked p38 MAPK activity may also be responsible for TNFα sensitisation of colonic afferent responses to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin, and noxious distension of the bowel. Using Ca2+ imaging of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons, we observed TNFα-mediated increases in intracellular [Ca2+] and sensitisation of capsaicin responses. The sensitising effects of TNFα were dependent on TNFR1 expression and attenuated by p38 MAPK inhibition. Consistent with these findings, ex vivo colonic afferent fibre recordings demonstrated enhanced response to noxious ramp distention of the bowel and bath application of capsaicin following TNFα pre-treatment. Responses were reversed by p38 MAPK inhibition and absent in tissue from TNFR1 knockout mice. Our findings demonstrate a contribution of TNFR1, p38 MAPK and TRPV1 to TNFα-induced sensitisation of colonic afferents, highlighting the potential utility of these drug targets for the treatment of visceral pain in GI disease.

Abstract figure legend

TNFα sensitised Ca2+ responses to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin in dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons. Sensitisation was TNFR1-dependent and attenuated by inhibition of p38 MAPK. Direct Ca2+ responses to TNFα were TRPV1-and TRPA1-dependent. In ex vivo colonic afferent recordings, TNFα increased sensitivity to noxious ramp distension and capsaicin, both of which were absent in TNFR1-/- tissue or blocked by inhibition of p38 MAPK. These findings establish a role for TNFR1, p38 MAPK and TRPV1 in TNFα-mediated sensitisation of colonic afferents.

Key Points Summary

TNFα sensitises sensory neurons and colonic afferents to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin.

TNFα-mediated sensitisation of sensory neurons and colonic nociceptors is dependent on TNFR1 expression.

TNFα sensitisation of sensory neurons and colonic afferents to capsaicin and noxious ramp distension is abolished by inhibition of p38 MAPK.
A transcytotic actin shift polarizes vesicle trajectories and partitions apicobasal epithelial membrane domains
Authors: Jafari Gholamali , Khan Liakot A. , Zhang Hongjie , Membreno Edward , Yan Siyang , Gobel Verena
Published: February 2022

Abstract

In prevailing epithelial polarity models, membrane-based polarity cues such as the partitioning-defective PARs specify the positions and identities of apicobasal membrane domains. Recent findings suggest, however, that vesicle-associated polarity cues specify membrane polarity by positioning the apical domain, upstream of membrane-based polarity cues. These findings raised the question how vesicles acquire apicobasal directionality independent of polarized target membrane domains. Here, we show that the apical directionality of vesicle trajectories depends on intracellular actin dynamics during the establishment of membrane polarity in the C. elegans intestine. We find that actin, powered by branched-chain actin dynamics, determines the position of apical membrane components, PARs, and itself on expanding membranes. Using photomodulation, we demonstrate that F-actin travels through the cytoplasm and along the cortex towards the future apical domain. Our findings suggest an alternative polarity model where actin-dependent directional trafficking inserts the nascent apical domain into the growing membrane to partition its apicobasal domains.
Metabolic-scale gene activation screens identify SLCO2B1 as a heme transporter that enhances cellular iron availability
Authors: Unlu Gokhan , Prizer Benjamin , Erdal Ranya , Yeh Hsi-Wen , Bayraktar Erol C. , Birsoy Kıvanç
Published: February 2022

Iron is the most abundant transition metal in cells and essential for a wide range of biochemical processes. While most mammalian cells take up iron through receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin, molecular players involved in iron utilization under iron-limiting conditions are incompletely understood. To address this, we performed several parallel metabolism-focused CRISPRa gain of function screens, which revealed metabolic limitations under stress conditions. Screens for iron restriction identified expected members of iron utilization pathways, but also SLCO2B1, a poorly characterized membrane carrier. Expression of SLCO2B1 is sufficient to increase intracellular iron stores, bypass the essentiality of transferrin receptor-mediated iron uptake and enable cell proliferation under iron restriction. Mechanistically, SLCO2B1 mediates heme-analog import in cellular assays. Heme uptake by SLCO2B1 provides sufficient iron for cell proliferation through heme oxygenases. Notably, SLCO2B1 is predominantly expressed in microglia in the brain and primary microglia from Slco2b1−/− mice exhibit a strong defect in heme analog import. Altogether, our work identifies SLCO2B1 as a microglia-enriched plasma membrane heme importer and provides a genetic platform to identify metabolic limitations under stress conditions.
Rhythmic interactions between the mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex precede human visual perception
Authors: Griffiths Benjamin J. , Zaehle Tino , Repplinger Stefan , Schmitt Friedhelm C. , Voges Jürgen , Hanslmayr Simon , Staudigl Tobias
Published: February 2022

The thalamus is much more than a simple sensory relay. High-order thalamic nuclei, such as the mediodorsal thalamus, exert a profound influence over animal cognition. However, given the difficulty of directly recording from the thalamus in humans, next-to-nothing is known about thalamic and thalamocortical contributions to human cognition. To address this, we analysed simultaneously-recorded thalamic iEEG and whole-head MEG in six patients (four female, two male; plus MEG recordings from twelve healthy controls) as they completed a visual detection task. We observed that the phase of both ongoing mediodorsal thalamic and prefrontal low-frequency activity was predictive of perceptual performance. Critically however, mediodorsal thalamic activity mediated prefrontal contributions to perceptual performance. These results suggest that it is thalamocortical interactions, rather than cortical activity alone, that is predictive of upcoming perceptual performance and, more generally, highlights the importance of accounting for the thalamus when theorising about cortical contributions to human cognition.
Quantifying the predictability and preventability of conflicts between construction project parties
Authors: Charkhakan Mohammad Hadi , Heravi Gholamreza
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Although several studies have aimed to present models to predict conflict outcomes, fewer methods have been developed to analyze conflict manageability and provide management strategies based on prediction models. This research pitches into the manageability analysis of conflicts occur during the implementation of a proposed change in construction projects. In this way, a framework has been developed by defining two parameters: the predictability index and the preventability index.

Design/methodology/approach

Within this framework, the predictability index determines how many outcomes of the prediction model can be used for conflict management based on the degree of clarity. The preventability index demonstrates how preventive measures for conflict management can be identified. Eventually, three preventive measures can be determined: (1) identifying weaknesses of decision-making patterns and organizational culture, (2) identifying events that may be prevented using soft skills and (3) identifying differences among similar change-implementation scenarios and evaluating causes of the differences. To demonstrate the capabilities of proposed framework, a practical example has been analyzed.

Findings

The results show that the behavior of the project parties can be psychologically analyzed, and psychological conflicts can be distinguished from technical conflicts. Moreover, identifying the weaknesses of parties' decision-making patterns and their organizational culture is the most effective measure to prevent the conflicts.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the construction body of knowledge by quantifying the predictability and preventability of conflicts between the project parties in a construction project based on: (1) the certainty level of the conflict occurrence and (2) the level of alignment between predicted outcomes of the conflict occurrence and the issued change request and/or change order.
Thermophoresis particle deposition of CoFe2O4-TiO2hybrid nanoparticles on micropolar flow through a moving flat plate with viscous dissipation effects
Authors: Waini Iskandar , Khan Umair , Zaib Aurang , Ishak Anuar , Pop Ioan
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the micropolar fluid flow through a moving flat plate containing CoFe2O4-TiO2hybrid nanoparticles with the substantial influence of thermophoresis particle deposition and viscous dissipation.

Design/methodology/approach

The partial differential equations are converted to the similarity equations of a particular form through the similarity variables. Numerical outcomes are computed by applying the built-in program bvp4c in MATLAB. The process of flow, heat and mass transfers phenomena are examined for several physical aspects such as the hybrid nanoparticles, micropolar parameter, the thermophoresis particle deposition and the viscous dissipation.

Findings

The friction factor, heat and mass transfer rates are higher with an increment of 1.4%, 2.2% and 1.4%, respectively, in the presence of the hybrid nanoparticles (with 2% volume fraction). However, they are declined because of the rise of the micropolar parameter. The imposition of viscous dissipation reduces the heat transfer rate, significantly. Meanwhile, thermophoresis particle deposition boosts the mass transfer. Multiple solutions are developed for a certain range of physical parameters. Lastly, the first solution is shown to be stable and reliable physically.

Originality/value

As far as the authors have concerned, no work on thermophoresis particle deposition of hybrid nanoparticles on micropolar flow through a moving flat plate with viscous dissipation effect has been reported in the literature. Most importantly, this current study reported the stability analysis of the non-unique solutions and, therefore, fills the gap of the study and contributes to new outcomes in this particular problem.
Impact of perceived brand localness and globalness on brand trust to predict customer responses towards retail banks: the case of Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Rambocas Meena , Narsingh Sunita Sandy
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This paper compares the relative influence of perceived brand localness (PBL) and perceived brand globalness (PBG) on customer behavioral responses of brand loyalty (BL), willingness to pay price premiums (WTPP) and positive word of mouth (PWOM) towards retail banks. It further examines the mediating effects of brand trust (BT) on these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 320 retail banking customers in Trinidad and Tobago and analyzed with exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis (MRA).

Findings

The findings show that PBL has a more substantial impact on BL, willingness to pay a price premium and PWOM compared to PBG. The results also show that BT mediates the relationships between PBL and PBG on customer brand-related responses. The effect is more substantial for brands perceived as local.

Practical implications

The findings have important implications for banks in developing countries and suggest that localized positioning and branding strategies will trigger preferential brand-related responses in retail banking services. The paper ends with a discussion on the practical implications of these findings and present future research opportunities.

Originality/value

The paper responds to the rising skepticism and discomfort with globalization. It offers bank managers valuable insights on how global and local branding strategies affect brand-related outcomes. The study contributes to the literature by empirically comparing the effects of PBL and PBG in retail banking and demonstrating the unique contribution of BT in explaining why customers respond differently to global and local brands. It also simultaneously considers multiple customer responses.
Effectual control and small firms' international performance: the mediating role of partnership and gaining new knowledge
Authors: Karami Masoud , Chandra Yanto , Wooliscroft Ben , McNeill Lisa
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Extant research has studied how entrepreneurial cognition influences firm international performance but what mechanisms translates entrepreneurial cognition into international performance remains a puzzle in the field. In this paper, the authors utilize effectuation theory to theorize this association.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a survey of 164 internationalizing small firms from New Zealand, the authors examined a model of entrepreneurial cognition, action and gaining new knowledge as a framework to explain how effectual control, partnership for new opportunity creation and gaining new knowledge influence small firms' performance.

Findings

The authors found that partnership for new opportunity creation, and gaining new knowledge are two important mediation mechanisms in the focal association between effectual control and international performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study is a cross-sectional design. Considering the importance of time in cognition and action, future research should utilize longitudinal research design.

Practical implications

The authors’ findings provide implications for both small firms' managers and policymakers. These findings identify the critical importance of continuous knowledge development in internationalization process. Policymakers can help small firms gain more relevant and timely information about international markets and incorporate them in their decision-making to further develop international opportunities.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to international entrepreneurship research by delineating and verifying the important associations between entrepreneurial cognition, action and gaining new knowledge and their outcomes for firm's international performance. The authors also contribute to effectuation theory by elaborating on effectual control and how this logic leads to the development of new knowledge.
Load sharing repairable system with imperfect coverage in fuzzy environment
Authors: Gupta Ritu , Tasneem Zainab
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop Markovian model to obtain the transient probabilities to determine mean-time-to-failure and reliability function and further steady state availability of the repairable system. As the system parameters are uncontrollable factors; thus the life times, repair times and recovery/reboot time are assumed to be as uncertain or fuzzified distributions.

Design/methodology/approach

The fuzzy approach is introduced to investigate the reliability measures of load sharing repairable system which consists of two operating units and one standby unit. On the failure of an operating component, it is instantly spotted, located and sent for recovery procedures with coverage probability. In case of imperfect recovery, reboot takes place.

Findings

On the basis of extension principle and mathematical programming approach, the authors establish membership functions for system characteristics with the help of α-cuts. To demonstrate the practical validity of the proposed fuzzified model, numerical illustrations are performed.

Originality/value

The model proposed for reliability analysis may cheer up the continuance of the work towards more applications in repairable systems. Therefore, the reader is provided with useful intuition into the nature of fuzzy computations and practical amendments while measuring ambiguous data.
COVID-19 lockdown and prices of essential food items in India: examining law of one price
Authors: Akber Nusrat , Paltasingh Kirtti Ranjan
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study examines whether the law of one price (LOP) or price convergence holds during the COVID-19 pandemic for essential food items in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the daily retail price data of 22 essential food items from 103 Indian markets for two years (2019 as pre-COVID and 2020 as COVID period). Pesaran's (2007) second-generation panel unit-root test has been used to examine the price convergence of essential food commodities across various markets of different zones in the pre-COVID and COVID periods.

Findings

The authors find a tendency toward the convergence of prices across the spatially segregated markets for essential products. But, during the COVID period, there is a weak or no convergence of prices for essential food items. Hence, the LOP does not hold during the pandemic, indicating massive price deviations for food items across Indian markets. This has severe implications for food security as enormous price increases in some markets have been evidenced during the pandemic.

Research limitations/implications

The study calls for immediate policy adoption to restore the disrupted supply chain of essential food items. Along with that, the public authority should strictly prohibit black marketing and unlawful hoarding of essential food items. In addition, farmers should be provided direct cash benefits for restoring their farming activities.

Originality/value

This paper is first study to examine that hypothesis of LOP in the context of COVID crisis.
The red and green signals for industrial salesforce: testing an integrated framework
Authors: Ishaq Muhammad Ishtiaq , Sarwar Huma , Azeez Ansari Arif , Siddiqi Roheel Ahmed
Published: February 2022

Purpose

A highly competitive business environment needs a creative strategy for long-term survival and a competitive advantage in an uncertain market environment. This objective induces organizations to adopt innovative workplace behavior for better performance. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the impact of spirit at work (SAW), perceived identifiability and shared responsibility on innovative work behavior (IWB) and task performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected from 72 business-to-business (B2B) sales teams consisting of 561 employees working in Pakistan's B2B industries. The data was then analyzed using PROCESS macro to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results have shown a surprising and inconsistent finding where shared responsibility has a relatively more substantial and positive influence on IWB and task performance than perceived identifiability and SAW.

Research limitations/implications

The shared responsibility dimension of “social loafing theory” always negatively influences work-related outcomes, but this study refutes this claim. Therefore, researchers should explore social loafing theory in cultures with a higher collectivism score on the Hofstede cultural model.

Practical implications

This study motivates the sales manager to reassess the shared responsibility concept, as it may play a synergetic role in boosting innovation in selling approaches.

Originality/value

As per the researchers' best knowledge, research on social loafing theory has never been conducted in a selling context, specifically in a collectivistic society.
Does social media activity lead to more funds? – A study on Indian start-ups
Authors: Singhal Nidhi , Kapur Deepak
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of signaling through social media (SM) on funding achieved by start-ups.

Design/methodology/approach

This study follows a causal research design and is based on unique data set compiled from Crunchbase-Pro and Twitter. The sample size is 1,672 Indian start-ups. Heckman’s model and ordinary least squares regression is used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

Devising a thoughtful SM strategy, should be an integral part of the overall strategy of the start-ups looking out for funds. LinkedIn presence is in itself a positive signal. Active usage of Twitter and feedback from other Twitter users has a positive impact on funds raised by the start-up. Posting retweets and repetitive usage of URLs and media is not a predictor of funds raised by the start-up.

Practical implications

An early-stage strategy on SM adoption, especially Twitter can play an important role in attracting interest and attention of stakeholders. To capitalize SM, entrepreneurs should maintain an active SM account of the start-up.

Originality/value

India has emerged as one of the start-up hubs of the world. However, there is a dearth of literature on SM usage by start-ups in India. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is first of its kind and establishes the results empirically based on more than 100k tweets for a large pool of Indian start-ups.
The impact of cybersecurity on the financial sector in Jamaica
Authors: Smikle Lauri
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Jamaica continues to experience financial crimes particularly in cyberspace including e-fraud, identity theft, credit card forging, money laundering and terrorist activities. Spoofing, spamming, virus propagation, spear phishing, buffer overflow and denial of service continue to be weaknesses found in organization’s cybersecurity in Jamaica. With the emergence of cryptocurrency and digital currency it is important that Jamaica uses intelligence led policing and data analysis to reduce and prevent financial crimes such as money laundering and corruption proceeds.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review; review of domestic legislation; review of current matters in courts.

Findings

Cybersecurity is no longer a pure computer security issue but instead, cybersecurity is seen as a national policy matter because the illicit use of cyberspace could have a significant impact on the financial sector in Jamaica. Cyberattacks have been successfully targeting the financial sector worldwide. While much of the efforts and resources to address the risk imposed by these cyberattacks are directed at developed economies, far less attention has been devoted to developing nations. Because many of these nations such as Jamaica have modest cyber capabilities, their ability to respond to cyberattacks can be limited, yet they need to respond to these attacks to protect their critical financial infrastructure.

Originality/value

There are few scholarly articles that focus on cybersecurity issues and legislation in Jamaica.
Antecedents and outcomes of memorable halal food experiences of non-Muslim tourists
Authors: Sthapit Erose , Björk Peter , Piramanayagam Senthilkumaran , Coudounaris Dafnis N.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the underlying antecedents of memorable halal food experiences by considering how specific internal factors of non-Muslim tourists – novelty seeking, authenticity and sensory appeal – combine with external factors in a restaurant setting – togetherness, experience co-creation and substantive staging of the servicescape – to effect memorable halal food experiences. The study also examined the relationship between memorable halal food experiences and place attachment.

Design/methodology/approach

During the first week of August 2021, an online survey was used for data collection and shared on Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk) as well as sent to non-Muslim people known to the authors to have had halal food experiences in a tourism setting. A total of 293 valid responses were obtained.

Findings

The results revealed that novelty seeking, authenticity, experience co-creation, substantive staging of the servicescape, togetherness and sensory appeal influence memorable halal food experiences. Furthermore, these experiences positively impact place attachment.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to explore non-Muslim tourists’ memorable halal food experiences.
Managing digital knowledge for ensuring business efficiency and continuity
Authors: Gupta Shivam , Tuunanen Tuure , Kar Arpan Kumar , Modgil Sachin
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Today many firms are pushed towards digitalization to ensure business continuity and their survival due to COVID-19. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the emerging knowledge management models in the era of digitalization and disruption.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have adopted a semi-structured approach composed of qualitative data collection from 37 business executives from India representing different industry sectors. The authors adopted a three-layer coding process (axial, open and selective) to develop a framework grounded in organizational information processing theory.

Findings

Scanning the business environment leads to understand the status of current and potential business through intelligence of information, whereas better planning and execution can be achieved through employing and using the information intelligently that fits to the overall and strategic objective of the business. Overall, the business continuity can be obtained by information prosperity across the business by engaging diverse stakeholders. According to the findings, these aspects lead to the effective implementation of digital knowledge to ensure business continuity in uncertain business environment.

Practical implications

The study offers the insights for managing and executing the knowledge in digital platforms, where they can think of developing a system architecture on the basis of degree of uncertainty and information processing requirements for combining the knowledge.

Originality/value

The present study is unique, where it offers the meaningful visions to the designers and users of virtual knowledge management systems.
Stepping up, stepping out: the elderly customer long-term health-care experience
Authors: Lin Cheng-Yu , Chou En-Yi
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Demand for long-term care services increases with population aging. This study aims to develop a conceptual model of elderly customers’ health-care experiences to explore the antecedents, mechanisms and outcomes of social participation in long-term care service organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a two-phase data collection approach, this study collects data from 238 elderly customers in a long-term care service organization. The final data are analyzed through structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that care management efforts (i.e. customer education, perceived organization support, role modeling, perceived other customer support and diversity of activity) influence elderly customers’ psychological states (i.e. self-efficacy and sense of community), leading to increased social participation. In addition, high levels of social participation evoke positive service satisfaction and quality of life, both of which alleviate switching intention.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first conclusive service studies focused on the role of elderly customers’ social participation in their long-term care experience. The findings contribute to health-care service marketing and transformative service research, and expand understanding of elderly customers’ health-care experience, especially in long-term care service settings.
Performance of search engines in harvesting grey literature
Authors: Loan Fayaz Ahmad , Parray Umer Yousuf , Khan Aasif Mohammad
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine how far search engines have succeeded in retrieving electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) using different search techniques and approaches. This study also compared the search results of search engines to identify the most suitable search engine for searching and retrieving the ETDs.

Design/methodology/approach

Fifty ETDs have been selected using systematic random sampling techniques from Shodhganga (a reservoir of Indian theses). These ETDs have been searched through prominent search engines such as Google, Google Scholar, Yahoo and Open Access Theses and Dissertation (OATD) using different search approaches and techniques.

Findings

The overall performance of the search engines revealed that Google retrieved most of the ETDs (89%) followed by OATD (88.5%), Yahoo (78%) and Google Scholar (76%), respectively.

Originality/value

The results have brought into light interesting findings regarding search engines in retrieving grey literature.
A comparative study of the police officer views on policing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
Authors: Maskály Jon , Kutnjak Ivkovich Sanja , Neyroud Peter
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study adds to the developing literature on how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected policing. Unlike prior research, which focused on police agencies, the authors focus on the perceptions and experiences of police officers. Specifically, about changes in workload or activities during the peak of the pandemic compared to prior to the pandemic. Additionally, officers report on changes in potential second-order effects resulting in changes from the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The data come from the survey responses of 167 police officers from seven police agencies of various sizes from around the USA. The authors assessed mean level differences between organizations using a general linear model/ANOVA approach and report a standardized effect size.

Findings

There is a considerable heterogeneity in police officers' perceptions of organizational and operational changes made by their police agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that perceptions of some changes were more strongly by the agency than were others. The study’s results show there are substantive differences in how police officers from different police agencies viewed these operational and organizational changes (i.e. between agency differences). Most of the variance was primarily explained by differences between police officers within the same agency (i.e. within organization differences).

Originality/value

This study moves beyond the monolithic approach to studying how the pandemic affected the police agency and moves to asking officers about their experiences with these changes and the second-order effects of these changes.
Design of an electro-optical sensor with high sensitivity for AC electric field measurement
Authors: Peng Jun , Bian Jiaming , Jia Shuhai , Kang Xilong , Yu Hongqiang , Yang Yaowen
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to address the issue of high-precision measurement of AC electric field. An electro-optical sensor with high sensitivity is proposed for this purpose.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed sensor combines electromagnetic induction and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing techniques. It is composed of a sensing probe, a piece or stack of piezoelectric ceramics (PZT) and an FBG. A signal processing circuit is designed to rectify and amplify the induced voltage. The processed signal is applied to the PZT and the deformation of PZT is detected by FBG. Theoretical calculation and simulation are conducted to verify the working principle of the probe. The sensor prototype is fabricated and its performance is tested.

Findings

The results of this study show that the sensor has good linearity and repeatability. The sensor sensitivity is 0.061 pm/Vm−1 in the range from 250 to 17,500 V/m, enabling a measurement resolution of electric field strength of 16.3 V/m. The PZT stack is used to enhance the sensor sensitivity and the resolution can be improved up to 3.15 V/m.

Originality/value

A flexure hinge lever mechanism is used to amplify the deformation of PZT for further enhancement of sensitivity. The results show that the proposed sensor has high sensitivity and can be used for the accurate measurement of an electric field. The proposed sensor could have potential use for electric field measurement in the power industry.
Plant secondary metabolite and temperature determine the prevalence of Arsenophonus endosymbionts in aphid populations
Authors: Chang Chun‐Yan , Sun Xiao‐Wan , Tian Pan‐Pan , Miao Ning‐Hui , Zhang Yu‐Lin , Liu Xiang‐Dong
Published: February 2022

Transmission rate and role in hosts contribute to the prevalence of an endosymbiont. However, factors affecting transmission and role of facultative endosymbionts are still not well understood. Here, we illustrated that host plants and environmental temperatures affected the transmission, relative abundance and role of Arsenophonus in the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii. The transmission rate of this endosymbiont from mother aphids to offspring was relatively lower. High temperatures impeded the transmission, and infection rates declined as aphids were exposed to 30°C. Contents of amino acids and secondary metabolites were remarkably different among host plants. Aphids feeding on zucchini leaves containing a higher titre of amino acids and lower secondary metabolites harboured a relatively lower abundance of Arsenophonus. Concentrations of an amino acid and a plant secondary metabolite, cucurbitacin B, in aphid diet were not associated with Arsenophonus abundance. However, gossypol, another plant secondary metabolite, was strongly related with the abundance. Arsenophonus imparted a fitness benefit to aphids, and the benefit was dependent on host plants and gossypol concentration. In sum, plant secondary metabolite and environmental temperature affect transmission, relative abundance and role of Arsenophonus, which determine the endosymbiont prevalence in aphid populations.
Living the everyday of dementia friendliness: Navigating care in public spaces
Authors: Brittain Katie , Degnen Cathrine
Published: February 2022

Dementia friendly communities are a priority for international policymaking aimed at tackling the social exclusion of people living with dementia. However, what constitutes a dementia friendly community is not well defined nor understood. In this article, we explore what constitutes the enactment of care in a dementia friendly community, focusing on commercial, leisure public places. Through qualitative interviews with carers in the North East of England, we examine how elements of social and material environments shape meaningful everyday practices of care outside the home. Drawing from the literature on materialities of care, we examine three everyday activities: eating out, going to the cinema and shopping. Maintaining such activities in public is part of keeping on with normal family life, but they can also expose individuals to stigmatising judgements by outsiders. Despite this, a complex array of material things, people, places and immaterial qualities such as ambience can come together to make care possible. We suggest there is a need to promote a less rigid, more flexible ethos in these public places. Through a recognition of the relational materialities of care, public spaces could do more to become places where people living with dementia can continue to feel connected and included.
Out of the Ivory Tower, into the Digital World? Democratising Scholarly Exchange
Authors: Raeburn Fraser , Baer‐Tsarfati Lisa , Porter Viktoria
Published: February 2022

The year 2020 has witnessed an unprecedented expansion of scholarly events online. Yet, in the scramble to adapt to difficult circumstances, little reflection has been given to the ways in which these new digital landscapes can reshape our approach to public history more permanently. This article draws upon the authors’ experiences as organisers of the 2020 AskHistorians Digital Conference (AHDC). As one of the first pandemic‐era conferences to be ‘born digital’, The 2020 AHDC leveraged its online format to challenge the exclusionary nature of traditional academic conferences. By reducing barriers to both participation and access, the event blended scholarly exchange with public engagement on a remarkable scale, reaching a global audience of tens of thousands. In sharing the lessons learned from this undertaking, we argue that digital conferences are not a temporary expediency; rather, they present a revolutionary opportunity not only to reshape the ways in which scholarly conversations take place, but also to reduce artificial divides between academic and public histories.
Emotion, Place and Weaponisation of the Truth: The Bloody Sunday Trust and the Search for Justice
Authors: Petropoulos Naomi
Published: February 2022

On 30 January 1972 in Derry/Londonderry, a march protesting against the introduction of internment without trial ended with the deaths of thirteen demonstrators. The findings of the initial public inquiry, dubbed the ‘Widgery Whitewash’, resulted in decades‐long campaigning that still continues to this day. This article contextualises the events of Bloody Sunday and subsequent public inquiries while also exploring the evolution of the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign into the Bloody Sunday Trust. It explores the Trust's use of emotion in its presentation as well as its choice of location for its own Museum of Free Derry. Finally, it combines observations of the museum with public history principles such as public outreach and community narratives to analyse whether or not the Trust's campaign and aims constitute a weaponisation of the truth. The article argues that weaponisation of the truth, rather than implying violence or confrontation, is a carefully constructed truth that has been deployed in the pursuit of justice. It concludes that the combination of significant geographical placement, the emotion evoked within and the strong sense of place presented by the Museum of Free Derry has successfully contradicted the initial Widgery Inquiry's findings. Also, the carefully designed aims of the Bloody Justice Campaign, along with the curation and presentation within the museum, have instituted a successful weaponisation of the truth in the defence of the victims and their families’ reputations while providing the platform for the pursuit of the campaign's final aim, the prosecution of those soldiers who fired the fatal shots.
Bridging values: Finding a balance between privacy and control. The case of Corona apps in Belgium and the Netherlands
Authors: van Brakel Rosamunde , Kudina Olya , Fonio Chiara , Boersma Kees
Published: February 2022

This paper focuses on two examples of the introduction and use of COVID‐19 contact tracing apps in The Netherlands (CoronaMelder) and Belgium (Coronalert). It aims to offer a critical, sociotechnical perspective on tracing apps to understand how social, technical, and institutional dimensions form the ingredients for increasing surveillance. While it is still too early to gauge the implications of surveillance‐related initiatives in the fight against COVID‐19, the “technology theatre” put in place worldwide has already shown that very little can be done to prevent the deployment of technologies, even if their effectiveness is yet to be determined. The context‐specific perspective outlined here offers insights into the interests of many different actors involved in the technology theatre, for instance, the corporate interest in sociotechnical frameworks (both apps rely on the Google/Apple exposure notifications application programming interface). At the same time, our approach seeks to go beyond dystopian narratives that do not consider important sociocultural dimensions, such as choices made during app development and implementation to mitigate potential negative impacts on privacy.
Invasion determinants of honey locust in agroecosystems of the Rolling Pampa, Argentina
Authors: Guidobono Juan S. , Calfayan Laura M. , Faggi Ana , Busch María
Published: February 2022

The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is one of the most aggressive tree invaders of savannas and grasslands worldwide. The objective of the study was to determine whether landscape elements could act as potential determinants on honey locust invasion of woodlots of an agricultural matrix of the Pampean ecoregion. Specifically, we assessed the effect of distance to the previously established woodlots, to corridors such as riparian habitats, railway terraces and roads, and the presence of livestock and land use through generalized linear models. The study was carried out in a rural area of the Exaltación de la Cruz Department of the Buenos Aires Province (34°19’ S and 59°14’ W), located in the Pampean ecoregion, in the Rolling Pampa complex, Argentina. In each woodlot, the presence or absence of honey locust and the number of individuals intercepted along line transects were recorded. Furthermore, the presence of cattle and the land use around the woodlot were registered. All woodlots were geo‐positioned to calculate distances to landscape elements of interest. According to our results, the colonization capacity and the abundance of honey locust increases as distance to the nearest woodlot with the presence of the species decreases, suggesting that propagule pressure is a key factor for honey locust invasion. Also, cattle promote the increase in the abundance of the species in woodlots of the agricultural system studied. The probability of presence was also increased with the proximity to main roads and decreased with the proximity to the nearest human settlement. Our results highlight the importance of reducing the abundance of the species in invaded woodlots and cattle pathways and in case of moving animals from an invaded to a non‐invaded area. It is also recommended to maintain animals in quarantine before transporting them in order to allow animals to eliminate honey locust seeds.
Delayed cord clamping: Impact on fetal cord blood gas analysis
Authors: Wong Cynthia , Wilkinson Rachel , Odendahl Jens , Wilson Erin
Published: February 2022

Both delayed cord clamping (DCC) and cord blood gas (CBG) analysis are recommended practices for preterm births. However, the compliance rates remain lower than expected, with a DCC rate of only 48.9% and CBG sampling of 66.6% in the preterm cohort. DCC was associated with a significant reduction in success rate of paired CBG analysis in both the term and preterm cohort of 8.3% and 7.7% respectively. Our study highlights the difficulty in achieving both recommendations.
Sacubitril/valsartan, sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and vericiguat for congestive heart failure therapy
Authors: Norre Tobias , Grimm Daniela , Simonsen Ulf
Published: February 2022

Heart failure is associated with notable morbidity and mortality, and therefore, novel therapies are needed. This minireview focused on the effects and mechanisms of action of sacubitril/valsartan, sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and vericiguat in heart failure patients. A systematic review of the current literature was conducted. Seventeen randomised clinical trials regarding the effects of these drug classes were included. The mechanism of action of each treatment could improve pathophysiological imbalances present in heart failure. All three drug classes revealed a reduction in hospitalisations for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes in patients with reduced ejection fraction. Sacubitril/valsartan also reduced hospitalisations and death from cardiovascular causes in patients with mid‐range ejection fraction, but not in patients with preserved ejection fraction. The sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, sotagliflozin and empagliflozin, reduced hospitalisations and death from cardiovascular causes in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. None of the three drug classes was associated with a higher prevalence of treatment discontinuation due to increases in adverse effects in large‐scale randomised clinical trials compared with placebo. Further studies are required to clarify the extent of effects of these medications in different subpopulations—especially in patients with mid‐range and preserved ejection fraction.
Contesting Mestizaje: Black Politics and Oral Traditions in Venezuela
Authors: Mosquera Muriel Nadia
Published: February 2022

Afro‐descendant oral traditions are powerful modes of political expression that disrupt anti‐black logics within Latin America's mestizaje. Scholarship on Afro‐Latin American anti‐racist mobilisation centres on large‐scale, collective action. Instead, in this article, I examine songs and décimas, central forms of Afro‐descendant cultural subjectivity. Drawing on thirteen months of ethnographic fieldwork in La Guaira state, Venezuela, I show how oral traditions are place‐based forms of resistance against anti‐black racism. This research calls on scholars to attend to oral traditions and their geographies as a tool of anti‐racist political mobilisation.