bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Across 70 Countries
Authors: Catalan Pablo , Reding Carlos , Blair Jessica , Gudelj Ivana , Iredell Jon , Beardmore Robert
Published: December 2020

We sought global patterns of antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria within the AMR Research Initiative database, Atlas. This consists of 6.5M clinical minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) observed in 70 countries in 633k patients between 2004 and 2017. Stratifying MICs according to pathogens (P), antibiotics (A) and countries (C), we found that the frequency of resistance was higher in Atlas than other publicly available databases. We determined global MIC distributions and, after showing they are coherent between years, we predicted MIC changes for 43 pathogens and 827 pathogen-antibiotic (PAs) pairings that exhibit significant resistance dynamics, including MIC increases and even decreases. However, many MIC distributions are multi-modal and some PA pairs exhibit sudden changes in MIC. We therefore analysed Atlas after replacing the clinical classification of pathogens into ‘susceptible’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘resistant’ with an information-optimal, cluster-based classifier to determine subpopulations with differential resistance that we denote S and R. Accordingly, S and R clusters for different PA pairs exhibit signatures of stabilising, directional and disruptive selection because their respective MICs can have different dynamics. Finally, we discuss clinical applications of a (R, dR/dt) ‘phase plane’ whereby the MIC of R is regressed against change in MIC (dR/dt), a methodology we use to detect PA pairs at risk of developing clinical resistance.
Quantifying the interplay between rapid bacterial evolution within the mouse intestine and transmission between hosts
Authors: Vasquez Kimberly S. , Willis Lisa , Cira Nate , Ng Katharine M. , Pedro Miguel F. , Aranda-Díaz Andrés , Ranjendram Manohary , Yu Feiqiao Brian , Higginbottom Steven K. , Neff Norma , Sherlock Gavin , Xavier Karina B. , Quake Stephen , Sonnenburg Justin , Good Benjamin H. , Huang Kerwyn Casey
Published: December 2020

Due to limitations on high-resolution strain tracking, selection dynamics during gut-microbiota colonization and transmission between hosts remain mostly mysterious. Here, we introduced hundreds of barcodedEscherichia colistrains into germ-free mice and quantified strain-level dynamics and metagenomic changes. Mutants involved in motility and utilization of abundant metabolites were reproducibly selected within days. Even with rapid selection, coprophagy enforced similar barcode distributions across co-housed mice. Whole-genome sequencing of hundreds of isolates quantified evolutionary dynamics and revealed linked alleles. A population-genetics model predicted substantial fitness advantages for certain mutants and that migration accounted for ~10% of the resident microbiota each day. Treatment with ciprofloxacin demonstrated the interplay between selection and transmission. While initial colonization was mostly uniform, in two mice a bottleneck reduced diversity and selected for ciprofloxacin resistance in the absence of drug. These findings highlight the interplay between environmental transmission and rapid, deterministic selection during evolution of the intestinal microbiota.
SOX7 deficiency causes ventricular septal defects through its effects on endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition and the expression ofWnt4andBmp2
Authors: Hernández-García Andrés , Kim Sangbae , Li Yumei , Kim Bum Jun , Zaveri Hitisha P. , Jordan Valerie K. , Ljungberg M. Cecilia , Chen Rui , Lanz Rainer B. , Scott Daryl A.
Published: December 2020

SOX7is located in a region on chromosome 8p23.1 that is recurrently deleted in individuals with septal defects.Sox7−/−embryos die of heart failure around E11.5 due to defects in vascular remodeling. These embryos have hypocellular endocardial cushions with severely reduced numbers of mesenchymal cells. We also observed a ventricular septal defect in a rareSox7flox/−;Tie2-Cre embryo that escaped early lethality. This led us to hypothesize that SOX7 plays a critical developmental role in the endocardium of the atrioventricular (AV) canal. We subsequently used AV explant studies to show that SOX7 deficiency leads to a severe reduction in endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). Since SOX7 is a transcription factor, we hypothesized that it functions in the endocardium by regulating the expression of EndMT-related genes. To identify these genes in an unbiased manner, we performed RNA-seq on pooled E9.5 hearts tubes harvested fromSox7−/−embryos and their wild-type littermates. We found thatWnt4transcript levels were severely reduced, which we confirmed by RNA in situ hybridization. Previous studies have shown that WNT4 is expressed in the endocardium and promotes EndMT by acting in a paracrine manner to increase the expression of BMP2 in the myocardium. Consistent with these findings, we found thatBmp2transcript levels were diminished inSox7−/−embryonic hearts. We conclude that SOX7 promotes EndMT in the developing AV canal by modulating the expression ofWnt4andBmp2. These data also provide additional evidence that haploinsufficiency ofSOX7contributes to the congenital heart defects seen in individuals with recurrent 8p23.1 microdeletions.

SUMMARY STATEMENT

In the developing atrioventricular canal, SOX7 promotes endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) by positively regulatingWnt4andBmp2expression. SOX7 deficiency leads to the development of hypocellular endothelial cushions and ventricular septal defects.
Origin and evolution of the Zinc Finger Antiviral Protein
Authors: Gonçalves-Carneiro Daniel , Takata Matthew A. , Ong Heley , Shilton Amanda , Bieniasz Paul D.
Published: December 2020

The human zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) recognizes RNA by binding to CpG dinucleotides. Mammalian transcriptomes are CpG-poor, and ZAP may have evolved to exploit this feature to specifically target non-self viral RNA. Phylogenetic analyses reveal thatZAPand its paraloguePARP12share an ancestral gene that arose prior to extensive eukaryote divergence, and theZAPlineage diverged from thePARP12lineage in tetrapods. Notably, The CpG content of modern eukaryote genomes varies widely, andZAP-like genes arose subsequent to the emergence of CpG-suppression in vertebrates. Human PARP12 exhibited no antiviral activity against wild type and CpG-enriched HIV-1, but ZAP proteins from several tetrapods had antiviral activity when expressed human cells. In some cases, ZAP antiviral activity required a TRIM25 protein from the same or a related species, suggesting functional co-evolution of these genes. Indeed, a hypervariable sequence in the N-terminal domain of ZAP contributed to species-specific TRIM25 dependence in antiviral activity assays. Crosslinking immunoprecipitation coupled with RNA sequencing revealed that ZAP proteins from human, mouse, bat and alligator exhibit a high degree of CpG-specificity, while some avian ZAP proteins appear more promiscuous. Together, these data suggest that the CpG-rich RNA directed antiviral activity of ZAP-related proteins arose in tetrapods, subsequent to the onset of CpG suppression in certain eukaryote lineages, with subsequent species-specific adaptation of cofactor requirements and RNA target specificity.

Author Summary

To control viral infections, cells have evolved a variety of mechanisms that detect, modify and sometimes eliminate viral components. One of such mechanism is the Zinc Finger Antiviral Protein (ZAP) which binds RNA sequences that are rich in elements composed of a cytosine followed by a guanine. Selection of viral RNA can only be achieved because such elements are sparse in RNAs encoded by human genes. Here, we traced the molecular evolution of ZAP. We found that ZAP and a closely related gene, PARP12, originated from the same ancestral gene that existed in a predecessor of vertebrates and invertebrates. We found that ZAP proteins from mammals, birds and reptiles have antiviral activity but only in the presence of a co-factor, TRIM25, from the same species. ZAP proteins from birds were particularly interesting since they demonstrated a broader antiviral activity, primarily driven by relaxed requirement for cytosine-guanine. Our findings suggest that viruses that infect birds – which are important vectors for human diseases – are under differential selective pressures and this property may influence the outcome of interspecies transmission.
Loss of phosphatidylserine flippase β-subunitTmem30ain podocytes leads to albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Liu Wenjing , Peng Lei , Tian Wanli , Li Yi , Zhang Ping , Sun Kuanxiang , Yang Yeming , Li Xiao , Li Guisen , Zhu Xianjun
Published: December 2020

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is asymmetrically concentrated in the cytoplasmic leaflet of eukaryotic cell plasma membranes. This asymmetry is regulated by a group of P4 ATPases (named PS flippases) and its β-subunit TMEM30A. The disruption of PS flippase leads to severe human diseases.Tmem30ais essential in the mouse retina, cerebellum and liver. However, the role ofTmem30ain the kidney, where it is highly expressed, remains unclear. Podocytes in the glomerulus form a branched interdigitating filtration barrier that can prevent the traversing of large cellular elements and macromolecules from the blood into the urinary space. Damage to podocytes can disrupt the filtration barrier and lead to proteinuria and podocytopathy, including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, minimal change disease, membranous nephropathy, and diabetic nephropathy. To investigate the role ofTmem30ain the kidney, we generated a podocyte-specificTmem30aknockout (cKO) mouse model using the NPHS2-Cre line.Tmem30aKO mice displayed albuminuria, podocyte degeneration, mesangial cell proliferation with prominent extracellular matrix accumulation and eventual progression to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). ReducedTMEM30Aexpression was observed in patients with minimal change disease and membranous nephropathy, highlighting the clinical importance of TMEM30A in podocytopathy. Our data demonstrate a critical role ofTmem30ain maintaining podocyte survival and glomerular filtration barrier integrity. Understanding the dynamic regulation of the PS distribution in the glomerulus provides a unique perspective to pinpoint the mechanism of podocyte damage and potential therapeutic targets.
Effects of message framing and evidence type on health information behavior: the case of promoting HPV vaccination
Authors: Xu Xiaoting , Yang Mengqing , Zhao Yuxiang Chris , Zhu Qinghua
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Based on the examination of the roles of message framing and evidence type, this study made an analysis of the promotion methods of intention and information need towards HPV vaccination.

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducted a 2 (gain-framed messages vs loss-framed messages) × 2 (statistical evidence vs narrative evidence) quasi-experimental design built upon theories of message framing and evidence type. This experiment recruited college students who were not vaccinated against HPV as participants. The analysis of variance (ANOVA), the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and the independent sampleT-test were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results (N = 300) indicate that (1) Loss-framed messages will lead to a more favorable intention towards HPV vaccination than gain-framed messages. (2) Statistical evidence will lead to a more explicit information need than narrative evidence. (3) Message framing and evidence type will interact and (a) for statistical evidence, loss-framed messages will lead to a more favorable intention towards HPV vaccination than gain-framed messages and (b) for narrative evidence, gain-framed messages will lead to a more favorable intention towards HPV vaccination than loss-framed messages. (4) Message framing and evidence type will interact and (a) for loss-framed messages, statistical evidence will stimulate more explicit information need of HPV vaccination than narrative evidence and (b) for gain-framed messages, narrative evidence will stimulate more explicit information need of HPV vaccination than statistical evidence.

Originality/value

This paper can help to further understand the important roles of message framing and evidence type in health behavior promotion. The study contributes to the literature on how health information can be well organized to serve the public health communication and further enhance the health information service.
Identifying health information needs of senior online communities users: a text mining approach
Authors: Qian Yuxing , Gui Wenxuan
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the health information needs of senior online communities (SOCs) users, which could provide a basis for improving senior health information services.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 14,933 health-related posts in the two most popular senior online communities (Yinling and Keai) in China are crawled as a corpus. Based on the results of word frequency analysis, text classification is performed based on two aspects: medical systems (Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine) and topics. The health information needs of SOCs users are revealed from the composition, growth trends and popularity of health information. Finally, some key points of senior health information services are discussed.

Findings

The health information needs of senior users can be divided into four types: coping with aging, dietary nutrition, physical exercise and mental health. These needs are comprehensive and involve a variety of health issues. Users are mainly concerned with physical health issues. In terms of medical systems, the number of Western medicine posts is relatively larger, whereas traditional Chinese medicine appears more in posts on coping with aging and physical exercise. The health information needs of SOCs users are in a stable status. Both the medical systems and topics could have an impact on the popularity of health information, but the number of posts is inconsistent with the level of popularity.

Originality/value

This study combines multiple perspectives to identify the health information needs of seniors in China with a comprehensive overview.
“This Will Blow Your Mind”: examining the urge to click clickbaits
Authors: Chua Alton Y.K. , Pal Anjan , Banerjee Snehasish
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Integrating the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, the notion of information richness and personal epistemology framework, the purpose of this research is to propose and empirically validate a framework which specifies Internet users' urge to click clickbaits.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses in the proposed framework were tested using a between-participants experimental design (N = 204) that manipulated information richness (text-only vs. thumbnail clickbaits).

Findings

Curiosity, perceived enjoyment and surveillance were significant predictors of the urge to click. In terms of information richness, the urge to click was higher for thumbnail vis-à-vis text-only clickbaits. IEB (IEB) moderated the relation between the gratification of passing time and the urge to click.

Originality/value

This paper represents one of the earliest attempts to investigate Internet users' urge to click clickbaits. Apart from extending the boundary conditions of the U&G theory, it integrates two other theoretical lenses, namely, the notion of information richness and personal epistemology framework, to develop and empirically validate a theoretical framework.
On the way of making alagrand.com a grand business!
Authors: Pathak Priyanka , Mehta Neha , Sunil Anitha , Pandya Kinjal
Published: December 2020

Learning outcomes

The case helps learn various aspects of entrepreneurship, startups and startup-ecosystem in India. It also talks about challenges that a startup entrepreneur faces that others or people potential to enter business can learn. It develops one to identify diverse and holistic solutions for overcoming these challenges. Apply and explain strategies suitable to business management.

Case overview/synopsis

After facing lot of difficulties in personal life, Mr Mitesh Shethwala started an e-commerce business named Alagrand.com. This Ahmedabad city-based startup for selling apparels and accessories for all age group is doing so well that the valuation of company has gone beyond Rs. 20 crores. In spite of the high valuation, company is facing problem of funds and investments. The protagonist of the company has lot of plans for growing business and taking it to next level that can happen only if he gets funds for the business. The case talks about issue of investment and funding of this startup company. The company also has issues in the area of setting standard operating procedures and marketing.

Complexity academic level

Teachers can discuss this case study for various subjects like Strategic Management, Retail Management, Digital Marketing and Product and Brand Management that are taught to the students of management courses at graduate and post-graduate levels. Academicians and students should read current information and data regarding setting up startups, investment and capital budgeting related to startups and funding methods.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Corporate boards and firm performance: a meta-analytic approach to examine the impact of contextual factors
Authors: Prashar Anupama , Gupta Parul
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Corporation's board (CB) is viewed as a vital internal corporate governance (CG) mechanism, playing a critical role in mitigating the agency problems and enhancing firm performance. Considering the mixed nature of extant CG literature on CB-firm performance link, this study aims to examine the impact of specific CB attributes on firm performance studied in varied contextual settings and investigates the moderating effects of three contextual factors, i.e. legal origin, industry type and firm type on CB-performance relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Meta-analysis technique suggested by Hedges and Olkin (1985) was used to analyse a sample of 330 effect sizes reported in 148 studies published between 2000 and 2020 in 85 peer-viewed journals, studying CB-performance associations across 31 countries. The analyses were conducted in two stages: first, the authors assessed the main effect of CB attributes on firm performance and tested the heterogeneity in effect size across the primary studies. In the next stage, the authors investigated the moderating variables accounting for this heterogeneity in the CB-firm performance relationship.

Findings

Board independence, board diversity, board size and role duality are the CB attributes, which significantly and positively impact firm performance. Further, the homogeneity tests revealed variability in effect size for all CB attributes except for board committees. Subgroup meta-analyses revealed that the contextual factors related to industry-type and firm-type are substantial explanatory source of heterogeneity in CB-performance association, though legal origin of firm also partially explains the heterogeneity in this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Only empirical research reporting Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients(r), as the effect size, were considered for this study. Some of the other CB attributes such as board composition, compensation structure of board members, performance evaluation and appointment process of board members were not included due to limited empirical research on these attributes.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for managers and policy makers for the development of effective corporate boards and CG mechanisms.

Originality/value

This paper integrates diverse empirical evidence on the associations of CB attributes with firm performance and systematically assesses the moderating factors that contributes to heterogeneity in these relationships.
Guide to giving during the COVID-19 pandemic: the moderating role of religious belief on donor attitude
Authors: Sarea Adel , Bin-Nashwan Saeed Awadh
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to empirically explore donors’ responses to fundraising appeals to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Some governments worldwide have launched fundraising campaigns to support the pandemic relief efforts, such as the Feena Khair* campaign in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Specifically, the study examines how the internal and external aspects can fuel beliefs in the inclination of donors to give money.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey instrument was developed, validated and disseminated. A total of 263 usable responses were obtained using the snowballing sampling technique. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to analyze the research model and obtain meaningful results.

Findings

The results show that external aspects, i.e. charity projects and trust in charities, have a significant relationship with donors’ attitudes toward fundraising appeal for the COVID-19 fight. Interestingly, the study demonstrates a significant moderating effect of internal values of religious beliefs on the positive relationship between external aspects and attitude to give money.

Practical implications

The results suggest that governments and non-profit organizations should consider the important role of religious beliefs in driving people’s attitudes to engage in fundraising appeals to fight the pandemic. These findings could generate better insights and policies that boost relief and donation efforts in many ways, such as embarking on sensitization programs to create sufficient awareness on the importance of giving and social solidarity during this challenging time, strengthening the religious faith of donors, setting up charity projects with inclusive information and nurturing a high level of public confidence in charities.

Originality/value

This study is likely the first study to focus on fundraising campaign attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain. It is a pioneer study scrutinizing the moderating effect of religious beliefs on the association between extrinsic perspectives of donors and their attitudes toward monetary donations.
PTSD, panic disorder and alcohol use disorder as a triple threat for violence among male jail detainees
Authors: Barrett Alexa J. , Taylor Stephanie L. , Kopak Albert M. , Hoffmann Norman G.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Despite ranking among the most prevalent mental health conditions and their likely contributions to violent offending, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) have not been examined closely among adult males detained in rural jails. The purpose of this paper is to assess the prevalence of co-occurring PTSD, PD and AUD within this population and identify their associations with violent offenses.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 349 males recently booked into local jails. The Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation – 5 was administered to assess mental health conditions. Bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations between PTSD, PD, AUD and violent offenses.

Findings

A disproportionate number of participants met criteria for PTSD, PD and AUD. Co-occurrence was prevalent among detainees booked for violent offenses with 25% reporting symptoms of all three disorders. PD emerged as the strongest single condition associated with violence, while the combination of PTSD, PD and AUD significantly increased the likelihood of violent offenses.

Practical implications

A better understanding of the relationship between mental health conditions and violent offenses is essential for efficacious assessment and treatment. Appropriately informed mental health care for jail detainees can increase public safety and guide practices for addressing these conditions within criminal justice populations.

Originality/value

There is limited research on mental health within the rural jail detainee population. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association between PTSD, PD, AUD and violent offenses drawn from local detention centers.
“Outside the industry, nobody knows what we do” SEO as seen by search engine optimizers and content providers
Authors: Schultheiß Sebastian , Lewandowski Dirk
Published: December 2020

Purpose

In commercial web search engine results rankings, four stakeholder groups are involved: search engine providers, users, content providers and search engine optimizers. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a multi-billion-dollar industry and responsible for making content visible through search engines. Despite this importance, little is known about its role in the interaction of the stakeholder groups.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted expert interviews with 15 German search engine optimizers and content providers, the latter represented by content managers and online journalists. The interviewees were asked about their perspectives on SEO and how they assess the views of users about SEO.

Findings

SEO was considered necessary for content providers to ensure visibility, which is why dependencies between both stakeholder groups have evolved. Despite its importance, SEO was seen as largely unknown to users. Therefore, it is assumed that users cannot realistically assess the impact SEO has and that user opinions about SEO depend heavily on their knowledge of the topic.

Originality/value

This study investigated search engine optimization from the perspective of those involved in the optimization business: content providers, online journalists and search engine optimization professionals. The study therefore contributes to a more nuanced view on and a deeper understanding of the SEO domain.
Environmental commitment and environmental sustainability practices of manufacturing small and medium enterprises in Uganda
Authors: Sendawula Kasimu , Bagire Vincent , Mbidde Cathy Ikiror , Turyakira Peter
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between environmental commitment and environmental sustainability practices of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a cross-sectional and correlational design using evidence from 106 manufacturing SMEs in Uganda. Data was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 23.

Findings

Results show that environmental commitment is a significant predictor of environmental sustainability practices and its dimensions which comprise of eco-friendly packaging, energy efficiency, waste management and water conservation of the manufacturing SMEs in Uganda.

Originality/value

This study offers initial evidence on the association between environmental commitment and environmental sustainability practices using evidence from a developing country’s perspective. The results also provide new insights on the relationship between environmental commitment and the dimensions of environmental sustainability practices which comprise of eco-friendly packaging, energy efficiency, waste management and water conservation.
An analysis of the global additive manufacturing response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Kunovjanek Maximilian , Wankmüller Christian
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic caused global supply disruptions and shortages that resulted in countries battling over desperately needed (medical) supplies. In this mayhem, additive manufacturing (AM) provided relief to the strained healthcare systems and manufacturing environments by offering an alternative way to rapidly produce desired products. This study sheds light on how AM was used globally in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study undertakes a systematic and content-centric review of 289 additively manufactured products made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, quantitative frequency-based text mining and various descriptive analyses were applied that support the investigation of the subject under regard.

Findings

Results show that AM was primarily used in the medical domain for the production of standard medical items, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) but also for non-obvious and new applications (e.g. swab simulator, rapid diagnostic kits, etc.). Also, certain paradigm shifts were observed, as the effective move to mass production and the mitigation of problems related to certification and standardization emerged as prominent management prospects. Nevertheless, various obstacles arose and remained in the path of lasting AM success, especially with respect to print quality, raw material supply and technological versatility.

Originality/value

Due to the actuality of the topic under investigation, no comparable study has so far been conducted. The systematic review provides a conclusive and precise foundation for further analysis and subsequent discussions. Additionally, no comparable study mapping such a wide array of different AM products exists today.
Web-based financial reporting disclosure by Islamic banks in Oman: level of compliance
Authors: Sarea Adel , Suharto Ugi , Thonse Hawaldar Iqbal , Ibrahim Abdulhadi , Shaikh Zakir Hossen
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of web-based Online Financial Reporting Disclosure (OFRD) in Islamic banking in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

A checklist was developed to measure the level of Web-based Online Financial Reporting Disclosure in Islamic banking consist of 70 items (Appendix). The sample of the study consists of Islamic banking in Oman.

Findings

The findings of the descriptive analysis indicated that the overall level of web-based online financial reporting disclosure was 69%.

Practical implications

The practical implication of the results are helping the authorities to put more efforts toward the quality of web-based online information to satisfy all parties.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, there is no similar research done to explore the level of web-based online financial reporting Disclosure (OFRD) in Islamic banking in Oman
Profit warning and its association with stock price informativeness: experimental analysis
Authors: Almasarwah Adel , Almaharmeh Mohammad , Omush Ahmed M. Al , Sarea Adel
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study investigates the nature of the association between profit warnings and stock price informativeness in the context of Jordan as an emerging country.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a large panel data set that related to stock price synchronicity and profit warnings percentages on the Amman Stock Exchange for the period spanning 2007–2018. Robust regression was used as a parametric test. This enabled us to obtain stronger results that fall in line with our prediction that a profit warning encourages firm investors to collect and process more firm-specific information than common market information.

Findings

Our findings show a significant positive effect of profit warnings on the amount of firm-specific information incorporated into stock price, which means that the greater the percentage of profit warnings the more likely that more firm-specific information will be incorporated in stock price synchronicity. In addition, corporate governance characteristics (moderating variables) significantly increase the level of the relationship between profit warnings and stock price synchronicity.

Practical implications

Our study results could be useful to investors, senior managers, and regulators in Jordanian firms, particularly in relation to decisions about enhancing the quality of financial statements. In addition, our results provide new evidence about the consequences of earnings announcements for information content and the informativeness of stock prices. Our methodology and evaluation of profit warnings may also demonstrate useful evidence for future researchers on profit warnings and stock price informativeness in developing economies, especially given that such evidence is scarce in developing economies.

Originality/value

This research is the first study of its kind on emerging markets, particularly in the Middle East. Moreover, entering the corporate governance variables as moderating variables to the robust regression was found to be more powerful than other regressions.
Strategies for addressing investor liquidity concerns and funding capital needs in real estate funds
Authors: Broderick James L. , Giles Matthew L.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

To discuss issues that real estate fund sponsors may encounter due to investor liquidity constraints amidst the COVID-19 pandemic (such as investors seeking redemptions or transfers) and to provide guidance on potential ways that fund sponsors can prepare for, and respond to, such inquiries while at the same time addressing their fund’s liquidity needs (such as by utilizing subscription-secured credit facilities).

Design/methodology/approach

The article identifies the types of requests that investors may make to address their internal liquidity constraints, discusses contractual, legal, regulatory and business issues that fund sponsors should consider in responding to such requests and provides some alternatives for fund sponsors to consider allowing them to be responsive to investor liquidity concerns while also addressing fund capital needs.

Findings

The article finds that there are specific actions which fund sponsors should take in anticipating, and responding to, investor liquidity requests, such as reviewing partnership documents and credit facility documents and considering consequences in respect of ERISA, tax and compliance with applicable securities laws. The article also finds that specific affirmative actions by fund sponsors, such as increased borrowings under credit facilities, making distributions that are recallable and favoring transfers over withdrawals or redemptions may assist fund sponsors in preserving capital while addressing investor liquidity requests.

Practical implications

Fund sponsors should carefully review their fund documentation and determine their options and requirements as they pertain to potential liquidity requests. Fund sponsors should be careful to avoid foot-faults under their fund documents and credit facility agreements.

Originality/value

Practical guidance from experienced fund formation, securities law, tax, ERISA and finance lawyers.
Sustainable organizational learning and corporate entrepreneurship: a conceptual model of sustainability practices in organizations
Authors: Brandi Ulrik , Thomassen Mette Lindahl
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to construct a conceptual model that addresses one of the most urgent matters for contemporary organizations, which is how organizations are to learn and integrate sustainability in its’ working processes. The guiding research question reverberates around how organizational learning (OL) and corporate entrepreneurship (CE) can promote and facilitate sustainability practices in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses knowledge from OL and CE theories representing tools to think with for an exploration of how to actualize sustainability practices in organizations.

Findings

This paper construes and presents a four-phase multilevel conceptual model for the analysis and creation of sustainability practices using insights from OL and CE. OL contributes with vital parts for creating sustainability practices in organizations delineated by continuous feedback and feedforward loops on individual, group, organizational and societal levels. CE prompts essential process and concrete working elements accentuating the importance of acquiring sustainability in all phases of the change process.

Research limitations/implications

The outlined conceptual model is general and need to address the deeper complexities and context dependencies of sustainable practice in organizations in a more elaborate form. Thus, the proposed model calls for empirical scrutiny and further theoretical development.

Originality/value

Derived from two interrelated fields of research, this paper contributes with a novel model addressing how sustainability practices can be conceptualized and facilitated in organizations. By using OL theory in combination with CE studies, the proposed model seeks to capture key elements to guide new understandings of and transitions to sustainable practices in organizations.
Improved estimation of gut passage time considerably affects trait‐based dispersal models
Authors: Abraham Andrew J. , Prys‐Jones Tomos O. , De Cuyper Annelies , Ridenour Chase , Hempson Gareth P. , Hocking Toby , Clauss Marcus , Doughty Christopher E.
Published: December 2020

Animals are important vectors for transporting seeds, nutrients and microbes across landscapes. However, models that quantify the magnitude of these ecosystem services across a broad range of taxa often rely on generalised mass‐based scaling parameters for gut passage time. This relationship is weak and fundamentally breaks down when considering individual species, indicating that current models may incorrectly attribute or estimate the magnitude of dispersal.

We collated a large dataset of gut passage time for endothermic animals measured using undigested markers (n = 391 species). For each species, we compiled trait data, including body mass, morphology, gut physiology, diet and phylogeny. We then compared the ability of five statistical models (constant, generalised least squares, phylogenetic generalised least squares, general linear model and random forest) to estimate the time of first marker appearance (transit time; TT) and mean marker retention time (MRT) for particle and solute markers in mammals and birds separately.

For mammals, we found that the inclusion of additional traits appreciably reduced the median root‐mean squared error across all markers in a leave‐one‐out cross validation. For birds, however, additional traits did not significantly improve our ability to predict gut passage time across markers. This may have occurred due to the smaller number of bird species included in our analysis or the absence of important explanatory factors such as differences in gastrointestinal morphology.

Using the MRTparticle random forest model from this study, we updated two trait‐based dispersal models for seed and nutrient movement by mammals. The magnitude of dispersal in our updated predictions ranged from 66% to 176% of the original model formulation for different scenarios, highlighting the importance of gut passage time for dispersal models. Furthermore, the contribution by individual or groups of species was found sizeably altered in our updated models.

Future modelling studies of dispersal by mammals, for which empirical estimates of gut passage time are absent, will benefit from predicting gut passage time using statistical models that incorporate traits including animal morphology, diet and gut physiology.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Are Countries’ Drink‐Driving Policies Associated With Harms Involving Another Driver’s Impairment?
Authors: Greenfield Thomas K. , Cook Won K. , Karriker‐Jaffe Katherine J. , Li Libo , Room Robin
Published: December 2020

Introduction

International drink‐driving policy research generally focuses on aggregate outcomes (e.g., rates of crashes, fatalities) without emphasizing secondhand alcohol‐related vehicular harms. In contrast, we investigate associations between drink‐driving policies and harms involving another driver’s impairment.

Methods

Alcohol’s harms to others (AHTO) survey data from 12 countries (analytic N = 29,616) were linked to national alcohol policy data from the World Health Organization. We examined separately associations of two 12‐month driving‐related AHTOs (passenger with an impaired driver; vehicular crash involving someone else’s drink driving) with 3 national drinking‐driving policies—legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits, use of random breath testing, use of sobriety checkpoints, and comprehensive penalties for drink‐driving (community service, detention, fines, ignition interlocks, license suspension/revocation, mandatory alcohol treatment, vehicle impoundment, and penalty point system), plus 2 alcohol tax variables (having excise taxes and value‐added tax [VAT] rate). Multilevel logistic regression addressed clustering of individuals within countries and subnational regions, while adjusting for individuals’ gender, age, marital status, risky drinking, and regional drinking culture (% male risky drinkers in sub‐national region).

Results

Controlling for national‐, regional‐, and individual‐level covariates, comprehensive penalties were significantly and negatively associated with both outcomes; other vehicular policy variables were not significantly associated with either outcome. A society’s VAT rate was negatively associated with riding with a drunk driver. Regional male drinking culture was positively associated with riding with an impaired driver, but was not significantly associated with being in a vehicular crash due to someone else’s drinking. In both models, being male, being younger, and engaging in risky drinking oneself each were positively associated with vehicular harms due to someone else’s drinking.

Conclusions

Although results are associational and not causal, comprehensive penalties may be promising policies for mitigating driving‐related harms due to another drinker. Higher VAT rate might reduce riding with a drunk driver.
AmoimyrmexCristiano, Cardoso & Sandoval, gen. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a new genus of leaf‐cutting ants revealed by multilocus molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses
Authors: Cristiano Maykon Passos , Cardoso Danon Clemes , Sandoval‐Gómez Vivian E , Simões‐Gomes Flávia Carolina
Published: December 2020

Leaf‐cutting ants (generaAcromyrmexandAtta) are the most important herbivores in the Neotropical region. Within the genusAcromyrmex, the species and subspeciesAcromyrmex striatus,Acromyrmex silvestriisubsp.silvestriiandAcromyrmex silvestriisubsp.bruchiare morphologically similar to one another but differ from the rest of their congeners. Recent studies have suggested thatAc. striatusbelongs to a currently undescribed leaf‐cutting ant genus. Herein, we propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis for leaf‐cutting ants based on five nuclear genes (wg, LW Rh, EF1αF1, EF1αF2 and Top1) and describe a new genus. We used colonies ofAc. striatus,Ac. silvestrii silvestriiandAc. silvestrii bruchicollected from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia, covering most of their known distribution. We constructed a molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for these three taxa using sequences from the mtDNA COI gene. The retrieved phylogenetic tree reveals thatAc. striatus,Ac. silvestrii silvestriiandAc. silvestrii bruchiform a well‐supported clade (P.P. = 1). Through analyses of molecular phylogenetic and morphological data, we propose a new genus of leaf‐cutting ant,AmoimyrmexCristiano, Cardoso & Sandoval,gen. nov., redescribe the speciesAmoimyrmex striatus(Roger, 1863)comb. nov.andAmoimyrmex silvestrii(Emery, 1905)comb. nov., and elevateAc. silvestrii bruchito the level of species asAmoimyrmex bruchi(Forel, 1912)comb. nov. et stat. rev.. We also provide information on the geographic distribution ofAmoimyrmex, an illustrated identification key for its taxa and descriptions of all the known castes of each species, including diagnostic characteristics, high‐quality images and distribution maps. We believe that the results of this study contribute substantially to taxonomic knowledge of leaf‐cutting ants and reaffirm the complex evolutionary history of the group.
Knowledge and attitudes of Australian dermatologists towards sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma: a mixed methods study
Authors: Smith Andrea L , Watts Caroline G , Robinson Samuel , Schmid Helen , Goumas Chris , Mar Victoria J , Thompson John F , Rapport Frances ,   Australian Melanoma Centre of Research Excellence Study Group, Cust Anne E
Published: December 2020

Background/Objectives

In melanoma management, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is used to stage patients and to indicate prognosis. More recently, it has been used to select patients for adjuvant therapy. This study aimed to report knowledge of and attitudes towards SLNB for patients with melanoma among Australian dermatologists.

Methods

Mixed methods study using cross‐sectional questionnaires (n = 88) and semi‐structured interviews (n = 13), May–September 2019.

Results

Of the dermatologists surveyed, 56% thought SLNB had an important role in melanoma management, 26% were unsure and 18% thought SLNB unimportant. Of the 92% who would discuss SLNB with their patients, the main stated value of SLNB was for assessing eligibility for adjuvant therapies (79%); only 60% indicated SLNB was of value for providing prognostic information, and just over half (53%) thought it could improve staging. Interview data indicated that attitudes towards SLNB are shifting among dermatologists, driven by data from landmark clinical trials and the influence of professional networks. Accordingly, interviewees adopted one of three positions in relation to SLNB: (a) believed in utility of SLNB and adhered to the guidelines; (b) were unconvinced about utility of SLNB but adhered to the guidelines; and (c) were unconvinced about utility of SLNB and did not adhere to the guidelines.

Conclusion

Although most of the dermatologists surveyed were familiar with and follow the SLNB recommendations, some disagreement with and distrust of the recommendations was evident. Greater acceptance of the SLNB recommendations appeared to be driven by the improved outcomes demonstrated in stage III patients receiving adjuvant systemic therapy.
Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in high‐risk acute pulmonary embolism: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Baldetti Luca , Beneduce Alessandro , Cianfanelli Lorenzo , Falasconi Giulio , Pannone Luigi , Moroni Francesco , Venuti Angela , Sacchi Stefania , Gramegna Mario , Pazzanese Vittorio , Calvo Francesco , Gallone Guglielmo , Pagnesi Matteo , Cappelletti Alberto Maria
Published: December 2020

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) represents a therapeutic option for cardiopulmonary support in patients with high‐risk pulmonary embolism (PE); however, no definite consensus exists on ECMO use in high‐risk PE. Hence, we aim to provide insights into its real‐world use pooling together all available published experiences. We performed a systematic review and pooled analysis of all published studies (up to April 17, 2020) investigating ECMO support in high‐risk PE. All studies including at least four patients were collectively analyzed. Study outcomes were early all‐cause death (primary endpoint) and relevant in‐hospital adverse events. A total of 21 studies were included in the pooled analysis (n = 635 patients). In this population (mean age 47.8 ± 17.3 years, 44.5% females), ECMO was indicated for cardiac arrest in 62.3% and immediate ECMO support was pursued in 61.9% of patients. Adjunctive reperfusion therapies were implemented in 57.0% of patients. Pooled estimate rate of early all‐cause mortality was 41.1% (95% CI 27.7%‐54.5%). The most common in‐hospital adverse event was major bleeding, with an estimated rate of 28.6% (95%CI 21.0%‐36.3%). At meta‐regression analyses, no significant impact of multiple covariates on the primary endpoint was found. In this systematic review of patients who received ECMO for high‐risk PE, pooled all‐cause mortality was 41.1%. Principal indication for ECMO was cardiac arrest, cannulation was chiefly performed at presentation, and major bleeding was the most common complication.