bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness and safety of ear acupuncture for trauma-related mental disorders after large-scale disasters
Authors: Kwon Chan-Young , Lee Boram , Kim Sang-Ho
Published: February 2020

Background:

Large-scale disasters such as earthquakes cause mental health problems in individuals and lead to serious economic burdens on their communities and societies. Effective, simple, and safe intervention is needed to manage survivors of large-scale disasters. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate clinical studies using ear acupuncture for psychological trauma-related disorders after large-scale disasters, to determine its effectiveness, safety, and feasibility.

Methods:

A comprehensive search of 15 electronic databases was conducted to collect relevant clinical studies up to November 2019. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using appropriate tools according to their study design.

Results:

In total, 10 studies including 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 3 before-after studies, 1 case report, 1 qualitative research, and 2 reports of public mental health services were analyzed. Ear acupuncture improved overall post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms in patients with PTSD after disasters. For insomnia in patients with PTSD, although ear acupuncture improved a few subscales of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index in an RCT, other outcomes including sleep diary, actigraph, and the insomnia severity index were not improved. The methodological quality of RCTs was generally low. Serious adverse events related to ear acupuncture were not reported.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we found limited evidence suggesting the benefits of ear acupuncture in trauma-related mental disorders after large-scale disasters. Because of the small number of studies included and their heterogeneity, we could not draw conclusions about its effectiveness and safety. As 1 of the medical resources available after large-scale disasters, ear acupuncture still needs to be studied further. Registry studies aimed at investigating the results of ear acupuncture at disaster sites may be considered.

PROSPERO registration number:

CRD42019134658.
Appendicitis in Neutropenic Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Case Series and Review of the Literature
Authors: Pudela Caileigh , Lancaster Scott , McGahren Eugene , Petersen William C.
Published: February 2020

Appendicitis is the most common reason for which pediatric patients require emergent surgery. Although surgical removal of the appendix is the standard of care for appendicitis, neutropenic patients require special consideration as optimal management for these patients remains controversial. We present a case series of 3 neutropenic patients with appendicitis, all of whom were managed differently according to the circumstances unique to each case. By reviewing key articles in the literature, we explore the safety and efficacy of both medical and surgical management of neutropenic appendicitis and propose an algorithm to help guide decision making.
Human Papillomavirus Seroprevalence and Seroconversion Among Men Living With HIV: Cohort Study in South Africa
Authors: Chikandiwa Admire , Faust Helena , Chersich Matthew F. , Mayaud Philippe , Dillner Joakim , Delany-Moretlwe Sinead
Published: February 2020

Background:

Men living with HIV (MLHIV) have a high burden of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancer. Understanding serological dynamics of HPV in men can guide decisions on introducing HPV vaccination and monitoring impact. We determined HPV seroprevalence and evaluated factors associated with HPV seroconversion among MLHIV in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Methods:

We enrolled 304 sexually active MLHIV 18 years and older and collected sociobehavioral data, blood samples (CD4+ counts, HIV-1 plasma viral load, and HPV serology), and genital and anal swabs [HPV DNA and HPV viral load (VL)] at enrollment and 6-monthly for up to 18 months. Antibodies to 15 HPV types were measured using HPV pseudovirions. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate correlates of HPV seroconversion.

Results:

Median age at enrollment was 38 years (IQR: 22–59), 25% reported >1 sexual partner in the past 3 months, and 5% reported ever having sex with other men. Most participants (65%) were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with median CD4+ count of 445 cells/µL (IQR: 328–567). Seroprevalence for any HPV type was 66% (199/303). Baseline seropositivity for any bivalent (16/18), quadrivalent (6/11/16/18), and nonavalent (6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) vaccine types was 19%, 37%, and 60%, respectively. At 18 months, type-specific seroconversion among 59 men whose genital samples were HPV DNA positive but seronegative for the same type at enrollment was 22% (13/59). Type-specific seroconversion was higher among men with detectable HIV plasma viral load (adjusted odds ratio = 2.78, 95% CI: 1.12 to 6.77) and high HPV VL (adjusted odds ratio = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.42 to 7.74).

Conclusions:

Seropositivity and exposure to nonavalent HPV types were high among MLHIV. HPV vaccination of boys before they become sexually active could reduce the burden of HPV infection among this at-risk population.
A Feasible Method for Quantifying Living Pancreatic Human Islets in Murine Livers Posttransplantation by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
Authors: Sui Feng , Tang Wei , Karunananthan Johann , Qi Cindy , Li Jing , He Nicholas , Kandeel Fouad , Li Junfeng
Published: February 2020

Background.

Current histological methods cannot accurately determine the survival rate of human pancreatic islets following portal vein infusion. This is due, in part, to the low number of infused islets relative to the whole liver. In this study, we assessed the ability of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to track human islets posttransplantation.

Methods.

Immunodeficient mice were transplanted with human islets. Following engraftment, animals were euthanized, livers procured, and human islet β cells immunofluorescently labeled with an insulin-specific antibody and evaluated by CLSM. A calibration curve comparing the area of insulin + hepatic islet β cells to the number of human islets collected was developed. Levels of human C-peptide were measured in transplant recipients to determine islet function.

Results.

The short-term survival rate of islet transplants was defined as y = 0.0422x + 2.7008, in which x is human islet number and y is liver islet β cell area. Employing CLSM, human islets were detected in immunofluorescent labeled murine liver tissue sections posttransplantation. The β cell-relative area of human islets in 500 islet equivalent (IEQ) specimens was 20.21 ± 1.16 mm2 and in 1000 IEQ specimens 39.4 ± 2.23 mm2 posttransplantation. Human islet posttransplant survival rates were 82.9 ± 5.50% (500 IEQ group) and 86.9 ± 5.28% (1000 IEQ group).

Conclusions.

These data indicate that CLSM can be employed to quantify and characterize pancreatic human islets after transplantation to murine livers.
Structural genomics and interactomics of 2019 Wuhan novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, indicate evolutionary conserved functional regions of viral proteins
Authors: Cui Hongzhu , Gao Ziyang , Liu Ming , Lu Senbao , Mo Sun , Mkandawire Winnie , Narykov Oleksandr , Srinivasan Suhas , Korkin Dmitry
Published: February 2020

During its first month, the recently emerged 2019 Wuhan novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has already infected many thousands of people in mainland China and worldwide and took hundreds of lives. However, the swiftly spreading virus also caused an unprecedentedly rapid response from the research community facing the unknown health challenge of potentially enormous proportions. Unfortunately, the experimental research to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the viral infection and to design a vaccine or antivirals is costly and takes months to develop. To expedite the advancement of our knowledge we leverage the data about the related coronaviruses that is readily available in public databases, and integrate these data into a single computational pipeline. As a result, we provide a comprehensive structural genomics and interactomics road-maps of 2019-nCoV and use these information to infer the possible functional differences and similarities with the related SARS coronavirus. All data are made publicly available to the research community athttp://korkinlab.org/wuhan
Abstract neural representations of category membership beyond information coding stimulus or response
Authors: Mok Robert M. , Love Bradley C.
Published: February 2020

For decades, researchers have debated whether mental representations are symbolic or grounded in sensory inputs and motor programs. Certainly, aspects of mental representations are grounded. However, does the brain also contain abstract concept representations that mediate between perception and action in a flexible manner not tied to the details of sensory inputs and motor programs? Such conceptual pointers would be useful when concept remain constant despite changes in appearance and associated actions. We evaluated whether human participants acquire such representations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants completed a probabilistic concept learning task in which sensory, motor, and category variables were not perfectly coupled nor entirely independent, making it possible to observe evidence for abstract representations or purely grounded representations. To assess how the learned concept structure is represented in the brain, we examined brain regions implicated in flexible cognition (e.g., prefrontal and parietal cortex) that are most likely to encode an abstract representation removed from sensory-motor details. We also examined sensory-motor regions that might encode grounded sensory-motor based representations tuned for categorization. Using a cognitive model to estimate participants’ category rule and multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI data, we found left prefrontal cortex and MT coded for category in absence of information coding for stimulus or response. Because category was based on the stimulus, finding an abstract representation of category was not inevitable. Our results suggest that certain brain areas support categorization behaviour by constructing concept representations in a format akin to a symbol that differs from stimulus-motor codes.
Exposure to Mites Sensitizes Intestinal Stem Cell Maintenance, Splenic Marginal Zone B Cell Homeostasis, And Heart Development to Notch Dosage and Cooperativity
Authors: Kobia Francis M. , Preusse Kristina , Dai Quanhui , Weaver Nicholas , Chaturvedi Praneet , Stein Sarah J. , Pear Warren S. , Yuan Zhenyu , Kovall Rhett A. , Kuang Yi , Eafergen Natanel , Sprinzak David , Gebelein Brian , Brunskill Eric , Kopan Raphael
Published: February 2020

Cooperative DNA binding is a key feature of transcriptional regulation. Here we examined the role of cooperativity in Notch signaling by CRISPR-mediated engineering of mice in which neither Notch1 nor Notch2 can homo- or heterodimerize, essential for cooperative binding to sequence paired sites (SPS) located near many Notch-regulated genes. While most known Notch-dependent phenotypes were unaffected in Notch1/2 dimer-deficient mice, a subset of tissues proved highly sensitive to loss of cooperativity. These phenotypes include heart development, compromising viability in combination with low gene dose, and the gut, developing ulcerative colitis in response to 1% DSS. The most striking phenotypes – gender imbalance and splenic marginal zone B cell lymphoma – emerged in combination with dose reduction or when challenged by chronic fur mite infestation. This study highlights the role of the environment in malignancy and colitis, and is consistent with Notch-dependent anti-parasite immune responses being compromised in the dimer deficient animals.

Highlights

Notch dimerization has anin vivorole in contributing to intestinal homeostasis

Loss of cooperativity can manifest as Notch gain or loss of function phenotypes

Mite infestation exacerbates all phenotypes, triggers MZB hyperproliferation in mutant animals

Mite-infested mutant mice develop SMZL with age
CCR5 deficiency impairs CD4+T cell memory responses and antigenic sensitivity through increased ceramide synthesis
Authors: Martín-Leal Ana , Blanco Raquel , Casas Josefina , Sáez María E. , Rodríguez-Bovolenta Elena , de Rojas Itziar , Drechsler Carina , Real Luis Miguel , Fabrias Gemma , Ruíz Agustín , Castro Mario , Schamel Wolfgang W.A. , Alarcón Balbino , van Santen Hisse M. , Mañes Santos
Published: February 2020

In CD4+T cells, CCR5 is not only a coreceptor for HIV-1 infection, but also contributes to their functional fitness. Here we show that by limiting GATA-1-induced transcription of specific ceramide synthases, CCR5 signaling reduces ceramide levels and thereby increases T cell antigen receptor (TCR) nanoclustering in antigen-experienced mouse and human CD4+T cells. This activity is CCR5-specific and independent of CCR5 costimulatory activity. CCR5-deficient mice showed reduced production of high affinity class-switched antibodies, but only after antigen rechallenge, which implies an impaired memory CD4+T cell response. This study identifies a CCR5 function in the generation of CD4+T cell memory responses, and establishes an antigen-independent mechanism that regulates TCR nanoclustering by altering specific lipid species.
Inferring directional relationships in microbial communities using signed Bayesian networks
Authors: Sazal Musfiqur , Mathee Kalai , Ruiz-Perez Daniel , Cickovski Trevor , Narasimhan Giri
Published: February 2020

Background

Microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions in a microbiome play a vital role in both health and disease. However, the structure of the microbial community and the colonization patterns are highly complex to infer even under controlled wet laboratory conditions. In this study, we investigate what information, if any, can be provided by aBayesian Network(BN) about a microbial community. Unlike the previously proposedCo-occurrence Networks(CoNs), BNs are based on conditional dependencies and can help in revealing complex associations.

Results

In this paper, we propose a way of combining a BN and a CoN to construct asigned Bayesian Network(sBN). We report a surprising association between directed edges in signed BNs and knowncolonization orders.

Conclusions

BNs are powerful tools for community analysis and extracting influences and colonization patterns, even though the analysis only uses an abundance matrix with no temporal information. We conclude that directed edges in sBNs when combined with negative correlations are consistent with and strongly suggestive of colonization order.
Mutation bias interacts with composition bias to influence adaptive evolution
Authors: Cano Alejandro V. , Payne Joshua L.
Published: February 2020

Mutation is a biased stochastic process, with some types of mutations occurring more frequently than others. Previous work has used synthetic genotype-phenotype landscapes to study how such mutation bias affects adaptive evolution. Here, we consider 746 empirical genotype-phenotype landscapes, each of which describes the binding affinity of target DNA sequences to a transcription factor, to study the influence of mutation bias on adaptive evolution of increased binding affinity. By using empirical genotype-phenotype landscapes, we need to make only few assumptions about landscape topography and about the DNA sequences that each landscape contains. The latter is particularly important because the set of sequences that a landscape contains determines the types of mutations that can occur along a mutational path to an adaptive peak. That is, landscapes can exhibit a composition bias — a statistical enrichment of a particular type of mutation relative to a null expectation, throughout an entire landscape or along particular mutational paths — that is independent of any bias in the mutation process. Our results reveal the way in which composition bias interacts with biases in the mutation process under different population genetic conditions, and how such interaction impacts fundamental properties of adaptive evolution, such as its predictability, as well as the evolution of genetic diversity and mutational robustness.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Mutation is often depicted as a random process due its unpredictable nature. However, such randomness does not imply uniformly distributed outcomes, because some DNA sequence changes happen more frequently than others. Such mutation bias can be an orienting factor in adaptive evolution, influencing the mutational trajectories populations follow toward higher-fitness genotypes. Because these trajectories are typically just a small subset of all possible mutational trajectories, they can exhibit composition bias – an enrichment of a particular kind of DNA sequence change, such as transition or transversion mutations. Here, we use empirical data from eukaryotic transcriptional regulation to study how mutation bias and composition bias interact to influence adaptive evolution.
Deconvolving nuclesome binding energy from experimental errors
Authors: Heron Mark , Soeding Johannes
Published: February 2020

1

Eukaryotic genomes are compacted into nucleosomes, 147-bp of DNA wrapped around histone proteins. Nucleosomes can hinder transcription factors and other DNA-binding proteins from accessing the genome. This competition at promoters and enhancers regulates gene expression. Therefore, a quantitative understanding of gene regulation requires the quantitative prediction of nucleosome binding affinities. However, little is known for certain about the sequence preference of nucleosomes.

Here we develop an integrated model of nucleosome binding and genome-wide measurements thereof. Our model learns similar nucleosome sequence preferences from MNase-Seq and CC-Seq datasets.

We find that modelling the positional uncertainty of MNase-Seq deconvolves the commonly described smooth 10-bp-periodic sequence preference into a position-specific pattern more closely resembling the pattern obtained from high-resolution CC-Seq data. By analysing the CC-Seq data we reveal the strong preference of A/T at +/− 3 bp from the dyad as an experimental bias. Our integrated model can separate this bias of CC-Seq from the true nucleosome binding preference.

Our results show that nucleosomes have position-specific sequence preferences, which probably play an important role in their competition with transcription factors. Furthermore, our comparison of diverse datasets shows that the experimental biases have a similar strength as the signal of nucleosome-positioning measurements. Validating nucleosome models on experiments with similar biases overestimates their prediction quality of the true nucleosome binding.

There are still many open questions about the sequence preference of nucleosomes and our approach will need to be extended to answer them. Only integrated models that combine the thermodynamics of nucleosome binding with experimental errors can deconvolve the two and learn the true preferences of nucleosomes.
Does training adequately equip psychiatrists for intellectual disability?
Authors: Lines Geraldine , Allen Jodie , Marshall Caryl Jane
Published: February 2020

Purpose

People with intellectual disability (ID) experience significant health and social inequality compared to their non-disabled peers. Individuals with ID who access mental health services can have complex comorbidities and presentations. In the UK, a significant proportion of individuals with ID are supported within general adult mental health services not by specialist ID teams. The purpose of this study is to explore whether psychiatry trainees in the Maudsley Training Programme (MTP) feel adequately skilled to support individuals with ID.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of trainee psychiatrists in the MTP was completed to evaluate self-perceived skills and knowledge in the care of individuals with ID in mental health services. Statistical analysis of the results was completed.

Findings

Experience of working in specialist ID teams is positively associated with greater confidence and skills among trainees in the care of people with ID; this is beyond what would be expected based on seniority alone.

Research limitations/implications

The response rate was 16.7 per cent; a larger sample size would add strength to the study. Like all online surveys, there exists the risk of selection bias.

Practical implications

UK Policy states that people with ID should be supported to access mainstream services where possible, including psychiatric care. Practical experience for all psychiatry trainees involving specialist ID services and people with ID could improve the care given to that particularly disadvantaged group.

Originality/value

This is the only paper known to the authors that has focused specifically on the skills and knowledge of psychiatry trainees in the UK with regards to ID.
Europa: Managing Growth
Authors: Manikutty S.
Published: February 2020

The case deals with the issues in managing the growth of a family business engaged in retail and discount stores in Chennai. It highlights one of the strengths of family businesses, namely leveraging family resources into the business. The case also deals with issues of succession planning in family businesses.
Bharadwaj Aushadalay
Authors: Dixit Mukund R. , Verma Sanjay
Published: February 2020

This case provides an opportunity to identify and discuss issues in sustenance of an incumbent's strategy in the changing environment. The context is the practice of Nadi Nidan (pulse diagnosis) and treatment of disorders based on this according to Ayurveda, the ancient system of Indian medicine. It describes the functioning of Bharadwaj Aushadhalay, an Ayurveda clinic run by Vaidyaji since 1955 and presents the history of the clinic, the process by which Vaidyaji learnt the practice of Nadi Nidan, the profile of the patients, the mode of treatment, restrictions imposed by Vaidyaji on the patients, their response and competitive pressures on the system. The case also provides a brief sketch of Ayurveda, its principles, currents trends in the education and research in Ayurveda, and recent advances in diagnostic tools and techniques. The case can be used in courses of Strategic Management in the module on Strategies for Sustainable Competitive Advantage and Knowledge Management.
Learning Ayurveda: The Guru-Shishya Way A Dialogue with Rajvaidya Dhanshankerji G. Pandit
Authors: Dixit M.R. , Verma Sanjay
Published: February 2020

The case presents an insight into the Guru Shishya Parampara. It is presents the outcome of a dialogue the case writers had with Rajvaidya Dhanshankarji G Pandit (Vaidyaji), a practitioner of Ayurveda system of medicine using NadiNidan–pulse diagnosis. The case presents Vaidyaji's family background, initial learning, and the admission process and describes the various stages of his learning and improvisation. It also explores the attributes of Guru and Shishya, acceptance of the Shishya by the Guru, processes of learning and evaluation, graduation, and revisit and renewal of learning.
Regional Management Institute – An Informal Round Table
Authors: Dixit M.R.
Published: February 2020

This case provides an account of an informal round table organized by the dean of a Regional Management Institute to identify issues relating to the management of Regional Management Institutes. It raises questions relating to pedagogy, placement, roles of leaders, local innovations, programme portfolio and sustenance of these institutes. The participants are required to review the outcome of the first round table and take the discussion forward.
Tata Sons Limited - 2010
Authors: Dixit M. R. , Bhowmick Bhaskar
Published: February 2020

This case provides an opportunity to develop criteria for the selection of a leader who would lead a well established conglomerate. It provides details about the initiatives of the predecessors, the changing environment of businesses, internal concerns and the challenges before the new leader. A list of the contenders for the top position in Tata Sons Ltd is given to facilitate evaluation. The participants are required to review the strategy and functioning of Tata Sons Ltd and develop their criteria for selection.
Stahmann Farms
Authors: Sharma Meenakshi
Published: February 2020

Stahmann Farms Enterprises is an Australian company focused on farming, processing, and marketing of pecans and the high-end macadamia nuts. While the company owns pecan farms, it depends solely on farmers for the supply of macadamia, which poses a challenge with numerous competitors trying to attract the farmers. As an agro-processing business, it is dependent on the vagaries of nature and profits fluctuate wildly. Competition exists in the form of large processors as well as new entrants. Given the company's target of becoming one of the top five macadamia processing businesses in the world, volume and profitability need to be driven up. There are a number of paths open before the company and the MD and his team need to evaluate these and draw up a strategy to be presented to the board.
Advancing organizational corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda
Authors: Miller Katharine E. , Akdere Mesut
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Given the growth of demand for companies’ engagement in socially responsible and ethical practices through corporate social responsibility (CSR), this paper aims to expand the literature on such efforts as currently presented in organizational communication, management, Human Resource Development (HRD) literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors synthesize the topic of CSR across these various disciplines with a focus on identifying gaps in the literature related to the training and development (T&D) based CSR-related activities. Thus, the authors provide implications for the training of CSR as called for by current literature because today’ corporations appear to lack the proper strategies in the understanding and implementation of such efforts.

Findings

The authors conclude by discussing the pragmatic considerations for this type of T&D and call for further discussion among scholars and professionals in facilitating future work on CSR in a training context.

Originality/value

Exploring CSR within the context of T&D presents critical capacities in enabling organizational CSR agenda across all units.
Twenty years of accreditation in Russian higher education: lessons learnt
Authors: Motova Galina , Navodnov Vladimir
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to analyze main principles, forms and approaches to education quality evaluation in the process of establishment, development and crucial changes in the state accreditation of educational institutions and study programmes in Russian higher education in the last 20 years.

Design/methodology/approach

The major research method used in the paper is the qualitative analysis of legal and statistical documents, research papers and accreditation practices, which impacted the development and transformation of accreditation forms in Russia.

Findings

The transformation process of state accreditation during the last 20 years was conditioned by the changes in the state education policy and socio-economic situation. In a short period, under the influence of internal and external factors, Russian higher education has experienced significant changes in the structure of higher education and quality assurance. This resulted in different approaches to accreditation: state and independent, mandatory and voluntary, national and international.

Practical implications

The research outcomes may be applicable in the countries with developing accreditation systems and comparable scope of education.

Social implications

The study identifies the tendencies in the development of higher education and quality evaluation.

Originality/value

The paper systematizes the tendencies of development in quality assurance and distinguishes specific features and diversity of forms of the quality assurance in one of the largest systems of higher education.
Teams in new ventures: gender, human capital and motivation
Authors: Cerqueti Roy , Lucarelli Caterina , Marinelli Nicoletta , Micozzi Alessandra
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to dismantle the idea that sexper seexplains entrepreneurial outcomes and demonstrates the influence of a gendered motivation on forging and shaping new venture teams, which is a disruptive choice affecting the future of start-ups.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-level research model is validated on data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics II (PSED II), with a system of simultaneous equations. First, if team features affect the performance of new ventures is tested; then, the study investigates determinants of team features with a focus on sex and motivation of nascent entrepreneurs.

Findings

Human capital (HC) in terms of education and experience of team members consistently explains venture evolution only when considering the larger team of affiliates. The HC gathered by nascent entrepreneurs is not because of the simplistic sex condition, but rather to a gendered motivation related to the inferior need of achievement of women.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of discretionary scoring assigned to items of the PSED II survey are present, but unavoidable when processing qualitative data.

Practical implications

Women need to be (culturally) educated on how to re-balance their personal motivation towards entrepreneurship by fostering their incentives for achievement. Political and educational programmes could trigger success in the creation of new businesses led by women.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on nascent entrepreneurship, focusing on the entrepreneurial teams in the initial phase of business creation, and provides the basis for further studies aimed at eradicating the stereotypes of gender roles that lead women to self-exclusion and organizational errors.
Conceptualizing the influence of personality and cognitive traits on project managers’ risk-taking behaviour
Authors: Rashid Ahmad , Boussabiane Halim
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing project management literature by conceptualizing the influence of personality and cognitive traits on project managers’ risk-taking behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an in-depth analysis of the existing literature to develop framework for conceptualizing risk propensity in project management.

Findings

The results indicate that the Big Five personality traits cannot capture risk propensity in risk-taking behaviour on their own. Cognitive traits are indispensable components in risk propensity.

Research limitations/implications

The paper examines the association between risk propensity theories and personality traits. The paper framed project managers’ personality traits that can impact their tendency to take risky decisions, that is risk propensity.

Originality/value

This paper expands literature by increasing our understanding of personality and cognitive traits in risk propensity.
How psychological factors boost compulsive buying behavior in digital era
Authors: Mulyono Kemal Budi , Rusdarti Rusdarti
Published: February 2020

Purpose

To find the root of the problem for compulsive buying behavior of students in the digital era by exploring psychological factors such as materialism, self-esteem, self-control, narcissism, money attitude and mood as boosters of the effect of income on compulsive buying behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The unit of analysis in this research was a group of students having experience using e-commerce. The data collection method in this study was a closed questionnaire with a scale of 1–5 agree–disagree intervals distributed to 250 students who have shopping experience through e-commerce. WARP-PLS statistics was used.

Findings

The study shows that self-esteem and mood do not moderate the effect of income on compulsive buying behavior. Meanwhile, materialism, narcissism, self-control and money attitude can significantly moderate the effect of income on compulsive buying behavior.

Research limitations/implications

That the data used is only limited to students in Central Java Province; so for future research, it is necessary to expand data to different provinces or different countries. This research has implications that the synthesis between mainstream conventional economic thought and behavioral economics can be tested well in this model.

Originality/value

This study is proof of the synthesis between conventional and behavioral economic thought, which is a solution to the contradiction of the neoclassical paradigm of thought and behavioral economic thought in understanding consumer behavior, especially in compulsive buying behavior.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2019-0652
Constitutive relation and mechanical mechanism analysis in granular lubrication
Authors: Meng Fanjing , Pang Minghua , Liu Kun
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Granular lubrication can solve some lubrication problems under many extreme operating conditions. Meanwhile, the flow constitutive relation is one of its unsolved problems in fully understanding its rheological mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a plane shear cell under granular lubrication is established by the discrete element method to study the flow constitutive relation and its mechanical mechanism of the hard granular lubricants.

Findings

Research results show that the flow regimes in granular flow lubrication strongly rely on the dimensionless parameter I, in which it is called the inertial coefficient. When the inertial coefficient I increase, the flow regimes of the granular lubricants also evolve from a quasi-static state to a collisional state accordingly. Comparing to the influence of the restitution coefficient, the friction coefficient of the hard granular lubricants has a strong influence on its constitutive relation of the granular flow lubrication. Finally, it is shows that the dimensionless parameter I has strong influence on the contacts and flow states of this granular lubrication system than the influence of the dimensionless parameter R.

Originality/value

These findings reveal the constitutive relation and mechanical mechanism of granular lubrication and can also offer the helpful reference for the design of the new granular lubrication bearing.
Human–robot shared control for humanoid manipulator trajectory planning
Authors: Zhu Yuanchao , Yang Canjun , Wei Qianxiao , Wu Xin , Yang Wei
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to propose an intuitive shared control strategy to control a humanoid manipulator that can fully combine the advantages of humans and machines to produce a stronger intelligent form.

Design/methodology/approach

The working space of an operator’s arm and that of a manipulator are matched, and a genetic algorithm that limits the position of the manipulator’s elbow joint is used to find the optimal solution. Then, the mapping of the operator’s action to that of manipulators is realized. The controls of the human and robot are integrated. First, the current action of the operator is input. Second, the target object is predicted according to the maximum entropy hypothesis. Third, the joint angle of the manipulator is interpolated based on time. Finally, the confidence and weight of the current moment are calculated.

Findings

The modified weight adjustment method is the optimal way to adjust the weight during the task. In terms of time and accuracy, the experimental results of single target obstacle avoidance grabbing and multi-target predictive grabbing show that the shared control mode can provide full play to the advantages of humans and robots to accomplish the target task faster and more accurately than the control merely by a human or robot on its own.

Originality/value

A flexible and highly anthropomorphic human–robot action mapping method is proposed, which provides operator decisions in the shared control process. The shared control between human and the robot is realized, and it enhances the rapidity and intelligence, paving a new way for a novel human–robot collaboration.
Perceived service quality in Indonesian Islamic higher education context
Authors: Asnawi Nur , Setyaningsih Nina Dwi
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions of service quality in the context of Islamic higher education (IHE); explain the determinant dimensions of overall perceived service quality (PSQ) according to students; and explains the difference in the level of quality felt by students in each dimension based on gender, year of study and level of education of students in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method from 384 questionnaires collected from students in four major cities in Indonesia; 378 questionnaires were declared valid for explanatory analysis using SEM-PLS and t-test.

Findings

The new model called Islamic Higher Education Service Quality (i-HESQUAL) with seven dimensions of quality that are considered important by students i.e. teaching capability and competence of academic staff (TCC), reliability of service (ROS), reputation of university (REP), responsiveness of employees (RES), empathy of employees (EMP), internalization of Islamic values (IIV) and library service support (LSS). The dimensions that influence the overall PSQ are the IIV and LSS. In addition, students based on the year of study have differences in assessing the dimensions of quality, namely the dimensions of TCC, ROS, IIV, LSS, while the level of education also has differences, especially on the dimensions of ROS, REP and LSS.

Research limitations/implications

This research was only carried out at four public Islamic universities, for that there is a need for further research in the form of longitudinal studies with different geographical samples e.g. in the perspective of private universities to generalize research results.

Practical implications

The i-HESQUAL dimensions can be used by IHE managers to measure their performance according to students' perspectives. The two dimensions that determine the overall PSQ should be IHE's strategic advantages and the dimensions that do not affect the overall PSQ are feedback to identify weaknesses.

Originality/value

These findings contribute to PSQ research in the context of IHE, which operates on the values and culture that surrounds it (Islamic culture), while most of the previous research was conducted in the context of developed countries with a secular education system.
A comparison between farmed oysters using floating cages and oysters grown on‐bottom reveals more potentially human pathogenic Vibrio in the on‐bottom oysters
Authors: Canty Rachel , Blackwood Denene , Noble Rachel , Froelich Brett
Published: February 2020

Eating raw oysters can come with serious health risks, as oysters can potentially contain bacteria of the Vibrio genus that cause food‐borne infections. Vibrio bacteria are concentrated by oysters and, when consumed, infections can result with severe symptoms such as diarrhoea, lesions on the extremities, or even death. Vibrio spp. concentrations are strongly affected by season, location, and other factors such as temperature and salinity. Previous research in North Carolina oysters has been conducted on wild and farmed oysters but not at the same time. Farmed, or aquaculture raised, oysters are considerably different from wild oysters and could possibly pose different health risks. Farmed oysters are handled, raised from seed, and often grown using suspended grow‐out systems called ‘floating cages’. Therefore, farmed oysters can be grown at the surface of the estuary, while wild oysters typically grow at the bottom of the water column. This project compared the concentrations of Vibrio spp. in suspended, farm‐grown oysters and wild oysters at three sites, using a paired approach with farmed and wild oysters sampled in proximity. An important part of this comparison was identifying pathogenicity of the bacteria isolated from the samples. Distinction was made between off‐ and on‐bottom farming. Interestingly, on‐bottom oysters had more pathogenic V. vulnificus than off‐bottom oysters.
Unusual deprivation of compatible solutes in Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Zeidler Sabine , Müller Volker
Published: February 2020

The opportunistic human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. The high prevalence of multidrug‐resistant strains, a high adaptability to changing environments and an overall pronounced stress resistance contribute to persistence and spread of the bacteria in hospitals and thereby promote repeated outbreaks. Altogether, the success of A. baumannii is mainly built on adaptation and stress resistance mechanisms, rather than relying on ‘true’ virulence factors. One of the stress factors that pathogens must cope with is osmolarity, which can differ between the external environment and different body parts of the human host. A. baumannii ATCC 19606T accumulates the compatible solutes glutamate, mannitol and trehalose in response to high salinities. In this work, it was found that most of the solutes vanish immediately after reaching stationary phase, a very unusual phenomenon. While glutamate can be metabolized, mannitol produced by MtlD is excreted to the medium in high amounts. First results indicate that A. baumannii ATCC 19606T undergoes a rapid switch to a dormant state (viable but non‐culturable) after disappearance of the compatible solutes. Resuscitation from this state could easily be achieved in PBS or fresh medium.
Immunoreactivity of cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen 2 alpha in mouse pancreatic islet cells
Authors: Luziga Claudius
Published: February 2020

Cells of the pancreatic islets produce several molecules including insulin (beta cells), glucagon (alpha cells), somatostatin (delta cells), pancreatic polypeptide (PP cells), ghrelin (epsilon cells), serotonin (enterochromaffin cells), gastrin (G cells) and small granules of unknown content secreted by the P/D1 cells. Secretion mechanism of some of these molecules is still poorly understood. However, Cathepsin L is shown to regulate insulin exocytosis in beta cells and activate the trypsinogen produced by the pancreatic serous acini cells into trypsin. The structure of the propeptide region of Cathepsin L is homologous to Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐2 alpha (CTLA‐2 alpha) which is also shown to exhibit selective inhibitory activities against Cathepsin L. It was thought that if CTLA‐2 alpha was expressed in the pancreas; then, it would be an important regulator of protease activation and insulin secretion. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to examine by immunohistochemistry the cellular localization and distribution pattern of CTLA‐2 alpha in the pancreas. Results showed that strong immunoreactivity was specifically detected in the pancreatic islets (endocrine pancreas) but not in the exocrine pancreas and pancreatic stroma. Immunostaining was further performed to investigate more on localization of Cathepsin L in the pancreas. Strong immunoreactivity for Cathepsin L was detected in the pancreatic islets, serous cells and the pancreas duct system. These findings suggest that CTLA‐2 alpha may be involved in the proteolytic processing and secretion of insulin through regulation of Cathepsin L and that the regulated inhibition of Cathepsin L may have therapeutic potential for type 1 diabetes.
Cytopathological review of cervical pathology: Impact for women and follow‐up results
Authors: Scheck Simon M. , Lepine Sam J. , Yu Helen , Robb Olivia , Fitzgerald Peter , Clentworth Howard , Maharaj Dushyant , Tully Linda , Tristram Amanda
Published: February 2020

Background

Cervical screening programs have had an important effect on the reduction of cervical cancer rates. Comprehensive programs require access to pathological review to improve the sensitivity of screening cytology and the specificity of diagnostic histology.

Aims

To determine the number of cases where cervical cytology or histology was amended at cytopathological review; whether amendments were ‘upgrades’ or ‘downgrades’, and how amendments aligned with follow‐up results for these patients.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed of all patients reviewed from January 2016 to December 2017 (n = 287 cases, from 254 patients) at colposcopy multidisciplinary meetings at Wellington Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital. Where amendments to cytology or histology were made, follow‐up results were retrieved where available (85.7% and 84.2% respectively).

Results

Cytology or histology was amended in 24.7% of cases. Smear cytology was amended in 16.7%. Where cytology was upgraded (n = 9), 44% had subsequent results of equal or higher grade including one case of adenocarcinoma. Where cytology was downgraded (n = 19), 93.8% (81.9–100%) had follow‐up studies showing equal or lower results. Cervical biopsy histology was amended in 12.2% of cases (upgraded n = 19, downgraded n = 6). Large loop excision of the transformation zone or cone biopsy histology was amended in three cases (7.9%).

Conclusions

Cytopathological review appears to improve the specificity of the comprehensive cervical screening program, leading to a reduction in unnecessary treatment. Additionally, a small number of cases of malignant or premalignant disease were detected.
Back to the Future: Changing Repertoire in Contemporary Protests
Authors: Mendonca Ricardo Fabrino , Bustamante Márcio
Published: February 2020

This article opposes theoretical attempts to explain the Brazilian 2013 cycle of protests by fragmentation. It argues that the plurality of social actors engaged in those protests faced a field of contention deeply framed by autonomist practices, which allowed the aggregation of very different political views in an all‐embracing political phenomenon. In addition, it suggests a broader change in the repertoire of contention that involves elements from the two historical periods discussed by Charles Tilly. Contemporary political contention gathers together the parochial and direct elements of the pre‐social movements era with the broader and cosmopolitan elements of the social movements era.
Stated preferences over job characteristics: A panel study
Authors: Doiron Denise , Yoo Hong Il
Published: February 2020

When making choices over jobs with different characteristics, what trade‐offs are decision‐makers willing to make? Such a question is difficult to address using typical household surveys that provide a limited amount of information on the attributes of the jobs. To address this question, a small but growing number of studies have turned to the use of stated preference experiments; but the extent to which stated choices by respondents reflect systematic trade‐offs across job characteristics remains an open question. We use two popular types of experiments (profile case best–worst scaling and multi‐profile case best–worst scaling) to elicit job preferences of nursing students and junior nurses in Australia. Each person participated in both types of experiments twice, within a span of about 15 months. Using a novel joint likelihood approach that links a decision‐maker's preferences across the two types of experiments and over time, we find that the decision‐makers make similar trade‐offs across job characteristics in both types of experiments and in both time periods, except for the trade‐off between salary and other attributes. The valuation of salary falls significantly over time relative to other job attributes for both types of experiments. Also, within each period, salary is less valued in the profile case compared to the more traditional multi‐profile case.