bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and awareness of Dengue and Chikungunya amidst recurrent outbreaks amongst urban slum community members of Pune, India
Authors: Godbharle Swapnil Rajendra , Giri Bibek Raj , Kudale Abhay Machindra
Published: May 2020

Context: World health organizations (WHO) new strategy on Global Vector Control Response (GVCR) considered engaging and mobilizing communities and emphasized on local adaptation of communication strategies for achieving sustainable impact in vector control. Public awareness studies amidst and post epidemic/ outbreak situations can fast-track useful information to local programmes to set risk communication agenda.

Aims: To assess knowledge and awareness regarding dengue and chikungunya among general community members during and post-epidemic/outbreak situations.

Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study in slums of Pune city wherein several recurrent outbreaks of Dengue and Chikungunya were reported.

Methods and Material: In total 309 general community members residing in urban slums of Pune in Maharashtra were randomly chosen using population proportionate sampling. Semi-structured interview schedule was administered.

Statistical analysis used: Knowledge and awareness scores for dengue and chikungunya were calculated and analytical statistical tests were performed.

Results: It was found that most of the respondents were in the 18-39 years age group, ever married, literate, and had regular income. The study showed relatively good knowledge among respondents about symptoms, causes, mode of transmission and prevention methods for dengue and chikungunya. Respondents scored well with regard to awareness indicators concerning availability of supportive and symptomatic treatments for dengue and chikungunya. Average knowledge and awareness score for dengue and chikungunya together were 5.4 (+1.96 to -1.96) (SD) and 1.68 (+ 0.63 to -0.63) (SD) respectively. Better knowledge and awareness levels were reported among literate respondents.

Conclusions: Findings indicate need for sustaining these better knowledge and awareness levels into efficacious and community-owned prevention practices to fast-track appropriate public health actions during and post-epidemic situations leading to sustained community mobilization and engagement to promote successful implementation of WHO recommended GVCR strategy.

Key-words: Dengue; Chikungunya; Knowledge; Public Awareness; WHO GVCR

Key Messages: Findings indicate capitalizing on better knowledge and awareness levels achieved due to public health campaigns amidst recurrent epidemic/outbreak situations to facilitate appropriate public health actions on continual basis for strengthening vector control response and suggests need for aggressive and sustained health education campaigning to promote implementation of WHO recommended GVCR strategy.
Metabolic syndrome among type 2 diabetic patients in Sub-Saharan African countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: shiferaw wondimeneh shibabaw , akalu tadesse yirga , gedefaw mihretie , Aynalem Yared Asmare , Anthony denis , mengesha Ayelign , misganaw worku , Mulugeta Henok , Dessie Getenet
Published: May 2020

Background: Metabolic syndrome is one of the serious public health problems among type 2 diabetic patients. Despite a number of studies have been conducted there is no overall estimation on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among type 2 diabetic patients in Sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore this study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sub Saharan African countries.
Methods: PubMed Web of Science African Journals Online Google Scholar Scopus, and Wiley Online Library databases from inception to April 27 2020 were searched to identify relevant studies. The I2 statistic was used to check heterogeneity across the included studies. DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was applied to estimate pooled effect size and 95% confidence interval across studies. A funnel plot and Egger regression test were used to determine the presence of publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was deployed to determine the effect of a single study on the overall estimation. All statistical analyses were done using STATA Version 14 software.
Result: In this meta-analysis a total of 23 studies with 6482 study participants were included. The estimated prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Sub-Saharan African countries was 59.62% (95% CI: 52.20 67.03). Based on the subgroup analysis, the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome (61.14%, 95% CI: 51.74 70.53) was reported in Ethiopia. . Additionally the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome was reported across studies using the diagnostic criteria of National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III 64.8% (95% CI: 54.74 74.86), followed by International Diabetic Federation (57.15%) and World health Organization (53.12%) definitions.
Conclusion: Almost two out of three type 2 diabetic patients in Sub-Saharan African countries have metabolic syndrome, which implies that its prevalence is high in patients with T2DM. Therefore Policymakers (FMoH) need to design efficient strategies and guideline to reduce and control the burden of metabolic syndrome and its impact among diabetic population.
Evolutionary Transcriptome Analysis Based on Differentially Expressed (DE) Genes
Authors: Gu Xun
Published: May 2020

To address how gene regulation plays a key role in phenotypic innovations through high throughput transcriptomes, it is desirable to develop statistically-sound methods that enable researchers to study the pattern of transcriptome evolution. Most methods currently available are based on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) model that considers the stabilizing selection as the baseline model of transcriptome evolution. In this paper, we developed a new evolutionary approach, based on the genome-widep-value profile arising from statistical testing of differentially expressed (DE) genes between species. Our current approach is focused on the estimation of transcriptome distance between species. We first establish the relationship between the evolutionary model (the Markov-chain or Poisson model) and the proportion of null hypothesis (u0), which can be used to estimate the transcriptome distance. Further, we calculate the posterior probability of a gene being DE when ap-value is given, denoted byQ=P(DE|p), and develop a simple algorithm to estimate the transcriptome distance for any number of genes in the genome. Our compute simulations showed the statistical performance of these new methods are generally satisfactory.
Alzheimer cells on their way to derailment show selective changes in protein quality control network
Authors: Koopman Margreet B. , Rüdiger Stefan G.D
Published: May 2020

Alzheimer’s Disease is driven by protein aggregation and is characterised by accumulation of Tau protein into neurofibrillary tangles. In healthy neurons the cellular protein quality control is successfully in charge of protein folding, which raises the question to which extent this control is disturbed in disease. Here we describe that brain cells in Alzheimer’s Disease show very specific derailment of the protein quality control network. We performed a meta-analysis on the Alzheimer’s Disease Proteasome database, which provides a quantitative assessment of disease-related proteome changes in six brain regions in comparison with age-matched controls. We noted that levels of all paralogues of the conserved Hsp90 chaperone family are reduced, while most other chaperones – or their regulatory co-chaperones – do not change in disease. The notable exception is a select group consisting of the stress inducible HSP70, its nucleotide exchange factor BAG3 – which links the Hsp70 system to autophagy – and neuronal small heat shock proteins, which are upregulated in disease. They are all members of a cascade controlled in the stress response, channelling proteins towards a pathway of chaperone assisted selective autophagy. Together, our analysis reveals that in an Alzheimer’s brain, with exception of Hsp90, the players of the protein quality control are still present in full strength, even in brain regions most severely affected in disease. The specific upregulation of small heat shock proteins and HSP70:BAG3, ubiquitous in all brain areas analysed, may represent a last, unsuccessful attempt to advert neuronal cell death.
Tractor: A framework allowing for improved inclusion of admixed individuals in large-scale association studies
Authors: Atkinson Elizabeth G. , Maihofer Adam X. , Kanai Masahiro , Martin Alicia R. , Karczewski Konrad J. , Santoro Marcos L. , Ulirsch Jacob C. , Kamatani Yoichiro , Okada Yukinori , Finucane Hilary K. , Koenen Karestan C. , Nievergelt Caroline M. , Daly Mark J. , Neale Benjamin M.
Published: May 2020

Admixed populations are routinely excluded from medical genomic studies due to concerns over population structure. Here, we present a statistical framework and software package,Tractor,to facilitate the inclusion of admixed individuals in association studies by leveraging local ancestry. We testTractorwith simulations and empirical data focused on admixed African-European individuals.Tractorgenerates ancestryspecific effect size estimates, can boost GWAS power, and improves the resolution of association signals. Using a local ancestry aware regression model, we replicate known hits for blood lipids in admixed populations, discover novel hits missed by standard GWAS procedures, and localize signals closer to putative causal variants.
SDE2 Integrates into the TIMELESS-TIPIN Complex to Protect Stalled Replication Forks
Authors: Rageul Julie , Park Jennifer J. , Zeng Ping Ping , Lee Eun-A , Yang Jihyeon , Hwang Sunyoung , Lo Natalie , Weinheimer Alexandra S. , Schärer Orlando D. , Yeo Jung-Eun , Kim Hyungjin
Published: May 2020

Protecting replication fork integrity during DNA replication is essential for maintaining genome stability. Here, we report that SDE2, a PCNA-associated protein, plays a key role in maintaining active replication and counteracting replication stress by regulating the replication fork protection complex (FPC). SDE2 directly interacts with the FPC component TIMELESS (TIM) and enhances TIM stability and its localization to replication forks, thereby aiding the coordination of replisome progression. Like TIM deficiency, knockdown of SDE2 leads to impaired fork progression and stalled fork recovery, along with a failure to activate CHK1 phosphorylation. Moreover, loss of SDE2 or TIM results in an excessive MRE11-dependent degradation of reversed forks. Together, our study uncovers an essential role for SDE2 in maintaining genomic integrity by stabilizing the FPC and describes a new role for TIM in protecting stalled replication forks. We propose that TIM-mediated fork protection may represent a way to cooperate with BRCA-dependent fork stabilization.
Plasmodium falciparumsexual parasites regulate infected erythrocyte permeability
Authors: Bouyer Guillaume , Barbieri Daniela , Dupuy Florian , Marteau Anthony , Sissoko Abdoulaye , N’Dri Marie-Esther , Neveu Gaelle , Bedault Laurianne , Khodabux Nabiha , Roman Diana , Houzé Sandrine , Siciliano Giulia , Alano Pietro , Martins Rafael M. , Lopez-Rubio Jose-Juan , Clain Jérome , Duval Romain , Egée Stéphane , Lavazec Catherine
Published: May 2020

To ensure the transport of nutrients necessary for their survival,Plasmodium falciparumparasites increase erythrocyte permeability to diverse solutes. These New Permeation Pathways (NPP) have been extensively characterized in the pathogenic asexual parasite stages, however the existence of NPP has never been investigated in gametocytes, the sexual stages responsible for transmission to mosquitoes. Here, we show that NPP are still active in erythrocytes infected with immature gametocytes and that this activity declines along gametocyte maturation. Our results indicate that NPP are regulated by cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling cascade during sexual parasite stages, and that the decrease in cAMP levels in mature stages results in a slowdown of NPP activity. We also show that NPP facilitate the uptake of artemisinin derivatives and that phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors can reactivate NPP and increase drug uptake in mature gametocyte-infected erythrocytes. These processes are predicted to play a key role inP. falciparumgametocyte biology and susceptibility to antimalarials.
Plant protein-based diets can replace a fish meal-based diet for sustainable growth and body composition of zebrafish
Authors: Aiyelari Toluwalase Anthony , Chaudhry Abdul Shakoor
Published: May 2020

This 3 × 2 factorial study involving three diets at two stocking densities tested the effect of replacing fish meal (FM) with either soybean meal (SBM) or rapeseed meal (RSM) in diets on growth and body composition of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish were fed three times daily for eight weeks. Morphometric and water quality parameters were also determined. The survival rate of the fish ranged from 95.2 - 97.8%. The water quality remained within the acceptable limits for tropical aquaculture. The stocking density did not show any significant difference (p>0.05) for the length and weight of the fish. The length, weight and condition factors were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the fish fed FM based diet. The fish length and weight related well (R2) across the diets but this was more significant for RSM than those fed the other two diets. The weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein intake (PI) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the fish fed the FM based diet than the other diets. No significant differences observed (p>0.05) in the specific growth rate (SGR), food intake (FI) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) among the fish fed the three diets. The crude protein CP, nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and ash contents of these fish did not differ significantly (p>0.05). However, the ether extract (EE) of the fish fed SBM diet was significantly lower (p<0.05 than the other two diets. It appears that both SBM and RSM as sustainable source to partially FM in the diets of zebrafish and similar fish species.
2,3-Dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride
Authors: Anderson Grace , Mirjafari Arsalan , Zeller Matthias , Hillesheim Patrick C.
Published: May 2020

The title salt, C5H9N2
+·Cl−, exhibits multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions between the cationic imidazole moiety and the chloride anion. The protonated aromatic nitrogen moiety displays the shortest hydrogen-bonding interactions while weaker hydrogen bonding is observed between the aromatic H atoms and the chloride anion. The crystal studied was refined as a two-component inversion twin with a twin ratio of 0.71 (5) to 0.29 (5).
Does opening high-speed railways affect the cost of debt financing? A quasi-natural experiment
Authors: Guo Hongling , Wu Keping
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how opening high-speed railways affects the cost of debt financing based on China's background.

Design/methodology/approach

Using panel data on Chinese listed firms from 2008 to 2017, this study constructs a quasi-natural experiment and adopts a difference-in-difference model with multiple time periods to empirically examine the relation between the high-speed railway openings and debt financing cost.

Findings

Our results show that opening high-speed railways reduces the cost of debt financing, and this negative correlation is more significant in non-state firms, firms with weaker internal control, and firms that hire non-Big Four auditors. Besides, we explore the impact mechanisms and find that opening high-speed railways improves analyst attention, institutional investor participation, and information disclosure quality, which in turn lowers the cost of debt financing.

Research limitations/implications

The results imply that the opening of high-speed railways helps to alleviate the information asymmetry and adverse selection between firms and creditors and ultimately reduces the cost of corporate debt financing.

Practical implications

This paper can inform firms and stakeholders about the impact of opening high-speed railways on debt financing cost: it improves the information environment, reduces the geographical location restrictions of debt financing, ensures the reasonable pricing of corporate debt, and thus promotes the healthy and sound development of the debt market.

Originality/value

This paper provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for the impact of infrastructure construction on the information environment of the debt market in China, which enriches the research on the “high-speed railway economy.” In addition, as an exogenous event, the opening of high-speed railways instantly shortens the time distance between firms and external stakeholders, which gives us a natural environment to conduct empirical research, thus providing a new perspective for financial research on firms' geographical location.
Investigating the extent and impact of director overboardedness using a comprehensive measure
Authors: Mans-Kemp Nadia , Viviers Suzette , Weir Jenna
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Directors can become overextended when they serve on multiple boards simultaneously. Previous scholars mostly considered directorships held at listed companies. This study aims to investigate the extent and impact of director overboardedness in an emerging market by using a comprehensive measure.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis covered 1,600 directors who served on the boards of the 100 largest companies listed in South Africa over the period 2011–2016. In addition to directorships held at listed companies, board positions at unlisted companies and other entities such as state-owned enterprises were considered. Board committee memberships at the sample companies were furthermore included. Random effects ANOVA was conducted to test for significant differences in board and committee meeting attendance.

Findings

Two-thirds of the considered directors were overboarded when accounting for all their positions. Board committee memberships increased notably over the research period. There was no significant difference in the percentage of board meetings attended between overboarded and non-overboarded directors. However, those directors who held three or more positions simultaneously attended significantly more board committee meetings than their counterparts who held fewer positions. Of the considered committees, the remuneration committee typically had the highest proportion of overboarded directors.

Originality/value

Eligible board candidates are in high demand given the limited talent pool in South Africa. The findings contradict the busyness hypothesis and suggest that director overboardedness should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Unstructured PEEC method with the use of surface impedance boundary condition
Authors: Meunier Gerard , Phan Quang-Anh , Chadebec Olivier , Guichon Jean-Michel , Bannwarth Bertrand , Torchio Riccardo
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to study unstructured-partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method for modelling electromagnetic regions with surface impedance condition (SIBC) is proposed. Two coupled circuits representations are used for solving both electric and/or magnetic effects in thin regions discretized by a finite element surface mesh. The formulation is applied in the context of low frequency problems with volumic magnetic media and coils. Non simply connected regions are treated with fundamental branch independent loop matrices coming from the circuit representation.

Design/methodology/approach

Because of the use of Whitney face elements, two coupled circuits representations are used for solving both electric and/or magnetic effects in thin regions discretized by a finite element surface mesh. The air is not meshed.

Findings

The new surface impedance formulation enables the modeling of volume conductive regions to efficiently simulate various devices with only a surface mesh.

Research limitations/implications

The propagation effects are not taken into account in the proposed formulation.

Originality/value

The formulation is original and is efficient for modeling non simply connected conductive regions with the use of SIBC. The unstructured PEEC SIBC formulation has been validated in presence of volume magnetic nonconductive region and compared with a SIBC FEM approach. The computational effort is considerably reduced in comparison with volume approaches.
Accelerating an end to smoking: a call to action on the eve of the FCTC’s COP9
Authors: Yach Derek
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO. This study aims to describe progress toward the framework’s goals, setbacks and strategies to update its articles to optimize outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of relevant literature, including papers in this special issue, forms the basis for identifying steps necessary to amplify the impact of the FCTC.

Findings

The WHO suggests that there are 1.3 billion users of tobacco globally. The expected deaths associated with tobacco use could be dramatically reduced by hundreds of millions between now and 2060 through measures that improve cessation and harm reduction support among adults. Additional steps needed to achieve the goals of the FCTC include developing new initiatives to address areas of profound neglect (for example, women); investing in global research and innovation; addressing the needs of vulnerable populations; and establishing a mechanism to fund priority actions required by low- and middle-income countries, including support for alternative livelihoods for smallholder farmers.

Practical implications

In November 2020, the WHO FCTC Parties will host their next Conference of the Parties (COP9) in the Netherlands. This paper aims to contribute to the needed policy decisions related to this meeting. Since acceptance of this article, the WHO FCTC team announced that doe to the COVID-19 pandemic COP9 has been rescheduled till November 2021.

Originality/value

There exists a need to prioritize the goals of tobacco control and offer clear strategies for its execution. This paper fills this niche via a thorough and up-to-date analysis of how to amend and enforce the FCTC.
Does tipping facilitate sexual objectification? The effect of tips on sexual harassment of bar and restaurant servers
Authors: Klein Olivier , Arnal Camila , Eagan Sarah , Bernard Philippe , Gervais Sarah J.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

In many countries, service workers' (e.g. restaurant staff, bartenders) income depends highly on tips. Such workers are often female and targeted by sexual harassment. The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether the mode of compensation (tips vs. no tips) could play a causal role in the perceived legitimacy of sexual harassment.

Design/methodology/approach

In an experimental study (N = 161), the authors manipulated the source of income of a fictional female bartender (fixed income vs. smaller fixed income + tips) as well as whether she or her boss chose her (sexualized) clothing. The authors then asked male participants in an online survey to imagine being her customer and to form an impression of her.

Findings

The bartender was viewed as more sexualized, more manipulative and sexual behaviors toward her were perceived as more legitimate when she received tips. Further, the effect of tipping on the legitimacy of sexual behaviors was mediated by perceptions that she was manipulative. The target was perceived as more manipulative when she chose her clothes than not.

Research limitations/implications

The study is an online scenario study and, as a consequence, assesses only judgments rather than actual behaviors.

Practical implications

Encouraging fixed salaries rather than tipping could reduce the occurrence of sexual harassment.

Social implications

The present work suggests that tipping may play a detrimental role in service workers' well-being by contributing to an environment in which sexual harassment is perceived as legitimate.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study showing that mode of compensation can increase the objectification of workers and legitimize sexually objectifying behaviors toward them.
A framework for analyzing how context influences lean leadership
Authors: Seidel André , Saurin Tarcisio Abreu
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Although leadership in lean systems is influenced by context, the mechanisms linking contextual factors (CFs) to leadership have not been explored. This study aims to present a framework for analyzing how context influences lean leadership competencies (LLCs).

Design/methodology/approach

The framework’s design was based on insights from literature and refined through an empirical study of a large manufacturing plant formally committed to lean. The evolution of CFs over time was monitored in this study, allowing for analyzing how these triggered the need for using LLCs.

Findings

The framework proved to be useful for as follows: the assessment of LLCs in different hierarchical levels; the analysis of how CFs and LLCs interact in specific “leadership events”; and the identification of improvement opportunities for supporting leadership. Four design propositions emerged from the empirical study, offering complimentary guidance for using the framework.

Research limitations/implications

The framework was tested in one company, and therefore generalizations about its effectiveness need further applications.

Practical implications

The framework may be used fully or partly by practitioners. For instance, the assessment of LLCs can be used as a standalone tool according to the specific needs of practitioners. Also, by producing rich descriptions of LLCs and CFs, the framework may inform lean leadership development programs.

Originality/value

The framework allows for a systematic analysis of how a broad range of CFs influence LLCs, thus operationalizing an idea that so far has been discussed mostly on a theoretical level.
Unusual venues for business events: key quality attributes of museums and art galleries
Authors: Antchak Vladimir , Adams Eleanor
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the key quality attributes a museum or art gallery should possess and enhance to become an attractive business event venue.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopted a two-stage case-study methodology. Firstly, three museums were selected in Manchester, UK, to explore the venues’ approaches to hosting business events. These were the Lowry Art Centre, Salford Museum and Manchester Art Gallery. Secondly, a business event at another museum in the city, Science and Industry Museum, was accessed to explore the audiences’ perceptions and industry requirements regarding the organisation of events in museums. In total, 21 qualitative semi-structured and structured interviews were conducted with the event delegates, event planners and museums’ management.

Findings

Thematic analysis was applied to identify three key attributes: venue character, memorability and functionality and feasibility. Venue character refers to the overall appeal of a venue, including its history, status and interior design. Memorability refers to the authenticity and uniqueness of the attendee experience at a corporate event organised in a museum. Finally, functionality and feasibility deals with the availability of functional facilities, space flexibility and diverse venue regulations.

Originality/value

The findings of the research provide valuable insights to both museums and event companies. The research reveals the main benefits and drawbacks of using a museum or an art gallery as a venue for business events and suggests key aspects to consider while staging a business event in a cultural institution. Museums could apply the findings in marketing to emphasise their uniqueness, authenticity and flexibility.
Conundrum of bureaucratic processes and healthcare service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria
Authors: Kuye Owolabi Lateef , Akinwale Olusegun Emmanuel
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Bureaucracy to a large extent entrenches orderliness and productive means of achieving goals in both public and private organisations across the world. However, bureaucracy is not suitable in the management of hospitals due to its peculiar nature of operations. This study investigates the conundrum of bureaucratic processes and health-care service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The study surveyed 600 outpatients and attendees visiting tertiary and government hospitals in Nigeria using descriptive design to obtained data from the respondents. A research instrument, questionnaire, was used to gather data. Out of the 600 outpatients visiting the 20 hospitals in government and tertiary hospitals, 494 responses were returned from the attendees. The study employed random sampling strategy to collect the information.

Findings

The findings of this study were that service delivery in government hospitals were in adverse position on all the four constructs of bureaucratic dimensions as against quality of service delivery in hospitals in Nigeria. It discovered that bureaucratic impersonality cannot impact on the quality of service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria. Separation and division of labour among health workers have no significant effect on quality service delivery in government hospitals. Formal rules and regulations (administrative procedure, rules, and policies) prevent quality service delivery in government hospitals in Nigeria. Also, patient’s waiting time was not significant to the quality of service delivery in government hospitals.

Research limitations/implications

The results are constrained with dimensions of bureaucratic processes. Thus, the implication of this study is that bureaucracy in the Nigerian public hospitals is an unnecessary marriage which should be carefully separated and de-emphasised for quality service delivery in the hospitals to thrive.

Practical implications

Largely, this study is practical essential as it unearths the irrelevant operations procedure that hinder progress in Nigerian hospitals.

Originality/value

The study accomplishes recognised importance to survey how bureaucracy impedes quality service delivery in government hospitals. This study has provided a vital clue to elements that will bring rapid attention to patients’outcome in Nigerian hospitals and health-care facilities which hitherto has not been emphasised. The study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge associated to healthcare service quality in developing country.
Anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing: a survey of the existing literature and a future research agenda
Authors: Al-Suwaidi Noura Ahmed , Nobanee Haitham
Published: May 2020

Purpose

There is a significant focus today on the deficiencies of the financial system as the sector continues to boom while facing the growing pains of financial scandals, money laundering and the financing of terrorism around the world. Here, this study aims to investigate past research and the development of knowledge and practice in the area of countering money laundering and terrorist financing. Additionally, we draw attention to the gaps in the preventive mechanisms adopted by countries to fight against anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorism financing (ATF) and to highlight areas for possible future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was carried out through a systematic literature review of the existing work on AML and ATF.

Findings

The general findings of the reviewed papers show the deficiencies in the laws, acts and preventive measures meant to fight money laundering and terrorism financing and support the need for more research in this area in terms of law, regulations and technological matters.

Originality/value

Providing a concrete understanding of the concept of AML and terrorist financing and contributing the theoretical development in the area.
Effect of rinse cycle softener treatment on the low-stress mechanical properties of cotton-woven fabric
Authors: Rathinamoorthy R. , Gayathri Shree K. , Vaijayanthi R. , Brindha M. , Narmatha A.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The application of rinse cycle softener after the household laundry process has become more common in recent times. This study aims to understand the effect of repeated rinse cycle softener treatment on the mechanical and frictional properties of the cotton fabric.

Design/methodology/approach

Cotton-woven fabric is treated with commercial rinse cycle softener repeatedly for 15 times. After treatment, the fabric was evaluated for the changes in mechanical properties using the Kawabata evaluation system.

Findings

The results of this study revealed that the softener treatment reduces the tensile properties (41.25%) and increases the overall extensibility of the fabric up to 20.89%. The shear (34.57%) and bending rigidity of the treated fabric are reduced considerably than the untreated fabric (58.02%). The increment in the fabric softness and fluffiness was confirmed with the increment in the compression and the difference between the initial and final thickness at maximum pressure. Statistical significance (p< 0.05) is noted only in the case of bending and surface friction properties (dynamic friction).

Originality/value

The usage of rinse cycle softeners in the household laundry has a significant influence on the comfort characteristics of the cotton-woven fabric. Repeated usage of rinse cycle softener increased the fabric softness and fluffiness of the fabric and also reduced the tensile properties significantly.
Does technology orientation predict firm performance through firm innovativeness?
Authors: Yousaf Seemab , Anser Muhammad Khalid , Tariq Muhammad , Sahibzada Jawad Sakhawat Ur Rehman , Naushad Sadaf , Yousaf Zahid
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of technology orientation (TO) on firm performance (FP). This study also aims to identify the mediating role of firm innovativeness (FI) in the relation between TO and FP.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative approach has been adopted for analyzing the impact of TO on FP in software houses located in two big cities of Pakistan. Mean, standard deviation, correlation and regression analysis were used.

Findings

Results proved that of TO predicts FP and FI mediate the relationship between TO and FP.

Practical implications

This study used cross-sectional further studies may be conducted using longitudinal research design for achieving in-depth insights.

Social implications

Software houses should focus on TO and innovativeness for improving their performance.

Originality/value

This research guides the way to improve performance TO and innovativeness of software houses based on the empirical results.
Mate‐finding Allee effects can be exacerbated or relieved by sexual cannibalism
Authors: Fisher Adam M. , Cornell Stephen J. , Holwell Gregory I. , Price Tom A. R.
Published: May 2020

Allee effects occur when individual or population survival decreases due to populations being small or sparse. A key mechanism underlying Allee effects is difficulty in finding mates at low densities. Species may be particularly vulnerable to mate‐finding Allee effects if females rely on an abundance of males to reproduce successfully. In sexually cannibalistic species, females may consume males before or after copulation, potentially reducing the supply of males to the point where a mate‐finding Allee effect occurs.

In this study, we investigate the extent to which sexual cannibalism can modulate mate‐finding Allee effects, and the conditions under which sexual cannibalism is likely to be particularly detrimental to population viability.

We created an individual‐based model that tracked specific females throughout the breeding season and used extinction risk and per capita growth rate to measure the strength of the Allee effects. We varied both founder population size and mate encounter rate independently of each other to expose the mechanism driving the Allee effects. We also analysed how cannibalism‐derived female fecundity benefits affected extinction risk.

We found that sexual cannibalism could lead to high extinction risk, particularly when cannibalism occurred before copulation, founder population size was small and mate encounter rates were low. However, post‐copulatory cannibalism reduced extinction risk, if cannibalism increased female fecundity enough. We found that there were strong threshold effects, in which small changes in encounter rate could strongly alter population extinction risk.

We find that sexual cannibalism is likely to negatively impact population survival as population size and mate encounter rate decrease. This may be exacerbated if male quality declines and female hunger increases in declining populations. As many top invertebrate predators, such as spiders and mantises, are sexually cannibalistic, this may have ecosystem‐wide impacts. We also suggest that other reproductive behaviours, such as rejecting all but high‐quality mates or requiring multiple mates to ensure fertility, are also likely to cause mate‐finding Allee effects when habitat quality degrades.
Measuring Community‐Engaged Research Contexts, Processes, and Outcomes: A Mapping Review
Authors: LUGER TANA M. , HAMILTON ALISON B. , TRUE GALA
Published: May 2020

Policy Points

Community‐engaged research (CEnR) engenders meaningful academic‐community partnerships to improve research quality and health outcomes. CEnR has increasingly been adopted by health care systems, funders, and communities looking for solutions to intractable problems.

It has been difficult to systematically measure CEnR's impact, as most evaluations focus on project‐specific outcomes. Similarly, partners have struggled with identifying appropriate measures to assess outcomes of interest.

To make a case for CEnR's value, we must demonstrate the impacts of CEnR over time. We compiled recent measures and developed an interactive data visualization to facilitate more consistent measurement of CEnR's theoretical domains.

Context

Community‐engaged research (CEnR) aims to engender meaningful academic‐community partnerships to increase research quality and impact, improve individual and community health, and build capacity for uptake of evidence‐based practices. Given the urgency to solve society's pressing public health problems and increasing competition for funding, it is important to demonstrate CEnR's value. Most evaluations focus on project‐specific outcomes, making it difficult to demonstrate CEnR's broader impact. Moreover, it is challenging for partnerships to identify assessments of interest beyond process measures. We conducted a mapping review to help partnerships find and select measures to evaluate CEnR projects and to characterize areas where further development of measures is needed.

Methods

We searched electronic bibliographic databases using relevant search terms from 2009 to 2018 and scanned CEnR projects to identify unpublished measures. Through review and reduction, we found 69 measures of CEnR's context, process, or outcomes that are potentially generalizable beyond a specific health condition or population. We abstracted data from descriptions of each measure to catalog purpose, aim (context, process, or outcome), and specific domains being measured.

Findings

We identified 28 measures of the conditions under which CEnR is conducted and factors to support effective academic‐community collaboration (context); 43 measures evaluating constructs such as group dynamics and trust (process); and 43 measures of impacts such as benefits and challenges of CEnR participation and system and capacity changes (outcomes).

Conclusions

We found substantial variation in how academic‐community partnerships conceptualize and define even similar domains. Achieving more consistency in how partnerships evaluate key constructs could reduce measurement confusion apparent in the literature. A hybrid approach whereby partnerships discuss common metrics and develop locally important measures can address CEnR's multiple goals. Our accessible data visualization serves as a convenient resource to support partnerships’ evaluation goals and may help to build the evidence base for CEnR through the use of common measures across studies.
Inhibition of trehalase affects the trehalose and chitin metabolism pathways in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)
Authors: Yu Hai‐Zhong , Huang Yu‐Ling , Lu Zhan‐Jun , Zhang Qin , Su Hua‐Nan , Du Yi‐Ming , Yi Long , Zhong Ba‐Lian , Chen Ci‐Xiang
Published: May 2020

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri is the principal vector of huanglongbing, which transmits Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. Trehalase is a key enzyme involved in trehalose hydrolysis and plays an important role in insect growth and development. The specific functions of this enzyme in D. citri have not been determined. In this study, three trehalase genes (DcTre1‐1, DcTre1‐2, and DcTre2) were identified based on the D. citri genome database. Bioinformatic analysis showed that DcTre1‐1 and DcTre1‐2 are related to soluble trehalase, whereas DcTre2 is associated with membrane‐bound trehalase. Spatiotemporal expression analysis indicated that DcTre1‐1 and DcTre1‐2 had the highest expression levels in the head and wing, respectively, and DcTre2 had high expression levels in the fat body. Furthermore, DcTre1‐1 and DcTre1‐2 expression levels were induced by 20‐hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone Ⅲ, but DcTre2 was unaffected. The expression levels of DcTre1‐1, DcTre1‐2, and DcTre2 were significantly upregulated, which resulted in high mortality after treatment with validamycin. Trehalase activities and glucose contents were downregulated, but the trehalose content increased after treatment with validamycin. In addition, the expression levels of chitin metabolism‐related genes significantly decreased at 24 and 48 h after treatment with validamycin. Furthermore, silencing of DcTre1‐1, DcTre1‐2, and DcTre2 reduced the expression levels of chitin metabolism‐related genes and led to a malformed phenotype of D. citri. These results indicate that D. citri trehalase plays an essential role in regulating chitin metabolism and provides a new target for control of D. citri.
Sentiment, Loss Firms, and Investor Expectations of Future Earnings*
Authors: Riedl Edward J. , Sun Estelle Y. , Wang Guannan
Published: May 2020

This study investigates the mispricing of market‐wide investor sentiment by exploring the relation between sentiment and investor expectations of future earnings. Prior research argues that sentiment‐driven mispricing should be most pronounced for hard‐to‐value firms, such as those reporting losses (Baker and Wurgler 2006). Using investor expectations of future earnings, we provide empirical results consistent with this behavioral finance theory. We predict and find that investors perceive losses to be more (less) persistent during periods of low (high) sentiment; that (in contrast) investors perceive profit persistence to be lower (higher) during periods of low (high) sentiment; and that the effects appear stronger for loss firms relative to profit firms. We also document predictable cross‐sectional variation within losses (with the mispricing mitigated for losses associated with activities expected to generate future benefits), R&D, growth, large negative special items, and severe financial distress. Overall, our results document a new and important channel—investor expectations of future earnings—to explain sentiment‐driven mispricing.
Evaluation of Very Integrated Program: Health Promotion for Patients With Alcohol and Drug Addiction—A Randomized Trial
Authors: Hovhannisyan Karen , Rasmussen Mette , Adami Johanna , Wikström Maria , Tønnesen Hanne
Published: May 2020

Background

Compared to the general population, patients with alcohol and drug addiction have an increased risk of additional hazardous lifestyles and suffer from more chronic diseases, adding to their already significantly higher morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of the Very Integrated Program (VIP) on treatment and health outcomes for patients diagnosed with alcohol and drug addiction.

Methods

Parallel randomized clinical trial with intervention as add‐on to addiction care as usual. A total of 322 patients aged 18 years or older were identified, and the study requirements were fulfilled by 219 patients, 7 of whom participated in a pilot. The intervention was a 6‐week intensive, tailored, educational program that included motivational interviewing, a smoking cessation program, dietary and physical activity counseling, and patient education. The main outcome measures were substance‐free days, time to relapse, and treatment adherence assessed after 6 weeks and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were lifestyle factors, symptoms of comorbidity, and quality of life. Missing data were imputed conservatively by using data closest to the follow‐up date and baseline values in patients with no follow‐up.

Results

The 212 patients (intervention, n = 113; control, n = 99) were randomized, and 202 had complete data for primary outcomes. After 6 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding primary or secondary outcomes. At the 12‐month follow‐up, the patients in the control group had significantly more total substance‐free days (139 days; ranging 0 to 365 vs. 265; 0 to 366, p = 0.021)—specifically among the patients with drug addiction—and higher physical and mental quality of life (45 vs. 58, p = 0.049 and 54 vs. 66, p = 0.037), but not in the per‐protocol analysis (60 vs. 46, p = 0.52 and 70 vs. 66, p = 0.74). The sensitivity analyses did not support significant differences between the groups.

Conclusion

Overall, adding VIP intervention did not improve outcome of the alcohol or drug addiction care or the lifestyle compared to the addiction care alone. This patient group is still in need of effective programs, and new intervention research is required to develop that.
Letter:Helicobacter pyloriinfection and its role in oesophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Papaefthymiou Apostolis , Doulberis Michael , Polyzos Stergios A. , Katsinelos Panagiotis , Kountouras Jannis
Published: May 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Kumar et al paper. To view this article, visithttps://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15677
COVID‐19 and myeloma: what are the implications for now and in the future?
Authors: Freeman Ciara L. , Mikhael Joseph
Published: May 2020

The pandemic has affected every aspect of myeloma care. Immediate focus is minimising risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and the sequelae of infection. However, what does the future hold for our patients? What lessons will be taken forward to tackle myeloma in the fiscally constrained future? If we embrace the challenges that will emerge in the post‐pandemic environment, the treatment delivered to patients could be more cost‐effective and better tailored than before. Healthcare delivery post‐COVID‐19 will not return to how it was, and now is the time to invest in novel strategies to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients.