bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased lipid peroxidation and lowered lipid-associated antioxidant defenses mediate the effects of the paraoxonase 1 (PON1) Q192R polymorphism on disabilities and final stroke core volume in mild and moderate stroke
Authors: Maes Michael , Brinholi Francis F. , Michelin Ana Paula , Matsumoto Andressa K. , Semeão Laura de O. , Almulla Abbas F. , Supasitthumrong Thitiporn , Tunvirachaisakul Chavit , Barbosa Decio S.
Published: September 2022

In acute ischemic stroke (AIS), there are no data on whether lipid and protein oxidation and antioxidant biomarkers are associated with the outcome of AIS above and beyond the effects of traditional risk factors, immune and metabolic biomarkers, and measurements of stroke volume. The present study was conducted in 135 mild to moderate AIS patients and 40 controls and assessed the modified raking scale (mRS) at baseline, and 3 and 6 month later. We measured lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activities and PON1 Q192R genotypes, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), sulfhydryl (-SH) groups), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) stroke volume and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) signal intensity. We found that a) AIS is characterized by lower chloromethyl acetate (CMPA)ase PON1 activity, HDL and -SH groups and increased LOOH and neurotoxicity (a composite of LOOH, inflammatory markers and glycated hemoglobin); b) oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers strongly and independently predict mRS scores 3 and 6 months later and DWI stroke volume and FLAIR signal intensity; c) the PON1 Q192R variant has multiple effects on stroke outcome that are mediated by its effects on antioxidant defenses and lipid peroxidation; and d) the PON1 RR variant has a protective effect against lipid peroxidation, neurotoxicity, infarct volume and stroke outcome. Increased lipid peroxidation and lowered activity of the PON1-HDL complex and -SH groups are drug targets to prevent AIS and consequent neurodegenerative processes with loss of function, and increased levels of oxidative reperfusion mediators due to ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The Lactate Gradient, an unrecognized biomarker of potential significance
Authors: Fabricius Thomas
Published: September 2022

Background

Human lactate formation is typically attributed to hypoxia, but it may actually be due to the influence of norepinephrine.

Methods

A lactate gradient was measured from the first few drops of blood obtained after application of a lancet to a finger pad. However, the blood needed to be carefully obtained according to this protocol.

Results

The measured lactate gradient was surprisingly large in some circumstances, and was not correlated with any of the other measured parameters such as oxygen or carbon dioxide blood levels. There were hints in the data that the lactate gradient seemed to be influenced by sympathetic noradrenergic nervous system activity.

Conclusions

The lactate gradient is relatively easily obtainable, and may reflect conditions causing enhanced sympathetic activity.
In situ single-cell analysis of canonical breast cancer biomarkers: phenotypic heterogeneity and implications on response to HER2 targeting agents
Authors: Serna Garazi , García Eloy , Fasani Roberta , Guardia Xavier , Pascual Tomas , Paré Laia , Ruiz-Pace Fiorella , Llombart-Cussac Antonio , Cortes Javier , Prat Aleix , Nuciforo Paolo
Published: September 2022

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Tumor cells and the surrounding microenvironment form an ecosystem that determine disease progression and response to therapy. To characterize the breast cancer ecosystem and the changes induced by targeted treatment selective pressure, we analyzed 136 HER2-positive tumor samples for the expression of canonical BC tumor diagnostic proteins at a single cell level without disrupting the spatial context. The combined expression of HER2, ER, PR, and Ki67 in more than a million cells was evaluated using a tumor-centric panel combining the four biomarkers in a single tissue section by sequential immunohistochemistry to derive 16 tumor cell phenotypes. Spatial interactions between individual tumor cells and cytotoxic T cells were studied to determine the immune characteristics of the ecosystem and the impact on response to treatment. HER2-positive tumors displayed individuality in tumor cells and immune cells composition, including intrinsic phenotype dominance which only partially overlapped with molecular intrinsic subtyping determined by PAM50 analysis. This single cell analysis of canonical BC biomarkers deepens our understanding of the complex biology of HER2-positive BC and suggests that individual cell-based patient classification may facilitate identification of optimal responders or resistant individual to HER2-targeted therapies.
FishSCT: a zebrafish-centric database for exploration and visualization of fish single-cell transcriptome
Authors: Guo Cheng , Ye Weidong , Duan You , Zhang Wanting , Cheng Yingyin , Shi Mijuan , Xia Xiao-Qin
Published: September 2022

With the advancement of single-cell sequencing technology in recent years, an increasing number of researchers have turned their attention to the study of cell heterogeneity. In this study, we created a fish single-cell transcriptome database centered on zebrafish (Danio rerio). FishSCT currently contains single-cell transcriptomic data on zebrafish and 8 other fish species. We used a unified pipeline to analyze 129 datasets from 44 projects from SRA and GEO, resulting in 964/26,965 marker/potential marker information for 245 cell types, as well as expression profiles at single-cell resolution. There are 117 zebrafish datasets in total, covering 25 different types of tissues/organs at 36 different time points during the growth and development stages. This is currently the largest and most comprehensive online resource for zebrafish single-cell transcriptome data, as well as the only database dedicated to the collection of marker gene information of specific cell type and expression profiles at single-cell resolution for a variety of fish. A user-friendly web interface for information browsing, cell type identification, and expression profile visualization has been developed to meet the basic demand in related studies on fish transcriptome at the single-cell resolution.
Wound healing and anti-inflammatory potential of Ajuga bracteosa-conjugated silver nanoparticles in Balb/c mice
Authors: Andleeb Saiqa , Nazer Sadia , Alomar Suliman Yousef , Ahmad Naushad , Khan Imran , Raza Abida , Awan Uzma Azeem , Raja Sadaf Azad
Published: September 2022

Background

Wound therapy is complicated, uncomfortable for the patient, and costly for the health-care system. Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) have antibacterial characteristics that can prevent bacterial infection in wounds and speed up wound healing

Objective

The aim of current research was to investigate the wound healing and anti-inflammatory potential of biogenic synthesized silver nanoparticles (ABAgNP) using Ajuga bracteosa (ABaqu) in Swiss albino mice.

Methods

In vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities were carried out using Bala/c mice. For in vivo screening of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of both ABAgNPs and ABaqu were used. Liver and kidney functional markers, hematology, and histopathological studies were carried out after 14 days of administration.

Results

The obtained biogenic nanoparticles were characterized, dermal toxicity, wound excision repairing, and formalin-induced paw edema assays were performed in Swiss albino mice. Dermal toxicity showed that tested concentrations of ABaqu and ABAgNPs were safe. No adverse effects, changes, and alteration in the skin of treatment groups as well as the control vehicle group (petroleum jelly) were recorded. Results revealed that the enhanced wound contraction was observed in ABaqu, ABAgNP, and the Nitrofuranose treated groups from 7th to 11thdays. The anti-inflammatory activity in formalin-induced paw edema model illustrated the potential use of silver nanoparticles ABAgNPs and ABaqu as a reducing or inflammation inhibiting agents due to the release of acute inflammatory mediators.

Conclusion

Therefore, it was concluded that both silver nanoparticles (ABAgNP) and Ajuga bracteosa (ABaqu) extracts could be used as a wound healing and anti-inflammatory agents.
Selective enrichment of plasma cell-free messenger RNA in cancer-associated extracellular vesicles
Authors: Kim Hyun Ji , Rames Matthew J. , Roskams-Hieter Breeshey , Briand Josephine , Doe Aaron , Estabrook Joseph , Wagner Josiah T. , Demir Emek , Mills Gordon , Ngo Thuy T. M.
Published: September 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown as key mediators of extracellular small RNA transport. However, carriers of cell-free messenger RNA (cf-mRNA) in human biofluid and their association with cancer remain poorly understood. Here, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of size-fractionated plasma from lung cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, and healthy donors. Morphology and size distribution analysis showed the successful separation of medium and small EVs and non-vesicular carriers. We developed a strategy to purify and sequence ultra-low amounts of cf-mRNA from vesicular and non-vesicular subpopulations with the implementation of RNA spike-ins to control for technical variability and to normalize for intrinsic drastic differences in the amount of cf-mRNA carried in each plasma fraction. We found that the majority of cf-mRNA was enriched and protected in EVs with remarkable stability in RNase-rich environments. We observed specific enrichment patterns of cancer-associated cf-mRNA in each vesicular and non-vesicular subpopulation. The EV-enriched differentiating genes were associated with specific biological pathways, such as immune systems, liver function, and toxic substance regulation in lung cancer, liver cancer, and multiple myeloma, respectively. Our results suggest that dissecting the complexity of EVs subpopulations illuminates their biological significance and offers a promising liquid biopsy approach.
Science, policy and resilience: reflections on the role of scientific advice to government during pandemic crisis response
Authors: Reddin Karen , Miles Lee
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The SARS epidemic in 2003 and the COVID-19 pandemic had a disruptive impact on countries around the world and highlight the importance of using scientific evidence to inform policy decisions and priorities during crises. The purpose of this article is to reflect upon the term “following the science” and examines the differences between SARS in 2003 and COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is exploratory, adopts a qualitative approach and reflects on the synthesis of scientific evidence into advice informing government decisions on health interventions. Random sampling of the literature was used to avoid bias and was guided by the keywords.

Findings

It considers preparedness activities and the need for these to be integral in the design of future planning. It argues that simulation exercises be intrinsically linked to all aspects of crisis management and provide the opportunity to use the scientific evidence base as part of preparedness planning. The article concludes that more transparency in the use of scientific advice in strategic decision-making would support building more resilience into health emergency preparedness through an integrated systems approach.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the literature on the evaluation of the “following the science” approach and its implementation. It also contributes to the limited literature on simulation exercising to deal with health crises, like pandemics and identifies potential areas for further research or work on developing an integrated systems approach to pandemic preparedness.
Investigating the factors affecting construction site productivity – a case of India
Authors: Vigneshwar R.V.K. , Shanmugapriya S.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Proper prediction of productivity can enable the enhanced estimation, realistic scheduling, and accurate cost forecasting of construction processes. Due to the existence of different labor sources (unionized and non-unionized), the prediction of productivity is still a significant problem in India. Moreover, the construction procurement processes and on-site performance are the predominant elements that can result in improved project outcomes. Thereby, the consideration of labor constraints and site conditions will play an important role in productivity improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigates the factors affecting construction site productivity. A total of 28 factors are grouped under 7 categories as follows: labor constraints, safety and quality procurements, material and equipment (ME), site management, project working condition, delay controls, construction methods and techniques, and external factors. Furthermore, by involving these factors, the questionnaire survey was conducted among Indian construction practitioners. As a result, 204 responses were received and the data were analyzed using a reliability test, relative importance index (RII), and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Findings

The result of this study highlighted the importance of strategic construction management activities in terms of effective planning of ME, planning and realistic scheduling of construction activities, proper communication, information sharing, etc. Thus, this study provides a clear insight to the Indian construction practitioners in determining the effect of these site factors on the successful execution of their projects.

Originality/value

In this paper, the problem of construction productivity in India and its causes are explained effectively. This study examines the preference of labor contract, labor source, and most importantly, the factors affecting site productivity. Moreover, the other lagging issues regarding the management of construction activities are also described in detail.
Theory of planned behavior and GEM framework – How can cognitive traits for entrepreneurship be used by incubators and accelerators?
Authors: Morales-Alonso Gustavo , Blanco-Serrano José Antonio , Núñez Guerrero Yilsy , Grijalvo Mercedes , Blanco Jimenez Francisco José
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This research aims at the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the global entrepreneurship monitor (GEM) framework – How can cognitive traits for entrepreneurship be used by incubators and accelerators?

Design/methodology/approach

In this research the authors analyze the factors that catalyze the founding of new technology-based firms. From a practitioner stand-point, the GEM posits that these factors can be classified as contextual, social and individual factors. The present study focuses on the latter, looking into how demographic characteristics, possession of human capital and cognitive traits interrelate. The authors rely on a sample of 141 technological new ventures being incubated in Madrid, Spain, which is analyzed with the multilayer perceptron technique.

Findings

The results show that cognitive traits, as defined in the TPB, act as the “last mile” in the entrepreneurial decision process, while demographic and human capital factors appear to antecede them. These results are relevant for incubators and accelerators, which now gain a better, more complete understanding of success factors of their incubatees.

Originality/value

This research deals both with practitioners' view of entrepreneurship and with scientific literature, intertwining both with the purpose of providing valuable information for incubators and accelerators.
Development of critical infrastructure resilience index for cities in Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Udara Sachinthana , Siriwardana Chandana , Pitigala Liyana Arachchi Ishani Shehara
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Infrastructures become critical with the emerging threats triggering through disasters. Sri Lanka is a country with a higher risk of disaster impacts, in which the eye-opening has widened towards mitigating the damages towards critical infrastructures. Based on this, the purpose of this paper is to develop an index that identifies the significance of critical infrastructure resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

From the initial literature survey, disaster resilience is defined as capacity of three stages, absorptive, adaptive and restorative along with ten indicators to measure capacities. Selected indicators were then checked for suitability for scope of the research based on opinions of seven experts. Subsequently, the critical infrastructure resilience index (CIRI) was introduced such that the numerical values for each indicator are aggregated using the Z score method. Statistical relations between the actual impact against disasters and CIRI calculated for administrative regions in Sri Lanka were used as the final step to validate the developed index.

Findings

Resilience index development is presented in this paper with a comprehensive methodology of developing and validation. Further, the case study results imply the weakness and strengths in each resilience capacities, which are important in decision-making.

Research limitations/implications

Unavailability of disaster impact data and centralized data repository were main constrains in the validation process of this research. Hence proxy data was used to validate resilience index in this research.

Originality/value

This research identified and validated a novel approach of defining disaster resilience index for regional decision-making.
Switchover to industrial additive manufacturing: dynamic decision-making for problematic spare parts
Authors: Akmal Jan Sher , Salmi Mika , Björkstrand Roy , Partanen Jouni , Holmström Jan
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Introducing additive manufacturing (AM) in a multinational corporation with a global spare parts operation requires tools for a dynamic supplier selection, considering both cost and delivery performance. In the switchover to AM from conventional manufacturing, the objective of this study is to find situations and ways to improve the spare parts service to end customers.

Design/methodology/approach

In this explorative study, the authors develop a procedure – in collaboration with the spare parts operations managers of a case company – for dynamic operational decision-making for the selection of spare parts supply from multiple suppliers. The authors' design proposition is based on a field experiment for the procurement and delivery of 36 problematic spare parts.

Findings

The practice intervention verified the intended outcomes of increased cost and delivery performance, yielding improved customer service through a switchover to AM according to situational context. The successful operational integration of dynamic additive and static conventional supply was triggered by the generative mechanisms of highly interactive model-based supplier relationships and insignificant transaction costs.

Originality/value

The dynamic decision-making proposal extends the product-specific make-to-order practice to the general-purpose build-to-model that selects the mode of supply and supplier for individual spare parts at an operational level through model-based interactions with AM suppliers. The successful outcome of the experiment prompted the case company to begin the introduction of AM into the company's spare parts supply chain.
Willingness-to-pay experimental model for Stackelberg dual channel pricing decision
Authors: Lin Shi-Woei , Januardi Januardi
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study proposes and demonstrates a novel approach to analyzing customer channel preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) in the dual sales channel (DSC) system involving direct online channels and conventional offline retailers, and to how the pricing decisions are made under specific game competition.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaire survey based on central composite experiment design was utilized to obtain primary data. The model for customer channel preferences and WTP was then built by using multinomial logistic regression. The propensity of a customer to make purchases in either channel estimated by using the logit model was inserted in the bilevel programming model to formulate and solve for the Stackelberg competition where the conventional retailer acted as a leader.

Findings

The study found that channel prices have nonlinear impacts on WTP and channel preference. The empirical results complement the mathematical formulation well where high-order own-price and cross-price effects on channel selection are generally not analytical tractable. Under the Stackelberg competition, the traditional retailer (as the leader) still achieves higher profits than the online facility.

Practical implications

The proposed framework provides an empirical approach that can easily address the competition model in the sales channel when complicated own-price or cross-price effects are present.

Originality/value

The present work provides a novel approach to analyze customer preference and WTP of the DSC systems. This alternative method simplifies the procedure for investigating and estimating price sensitivity, especially when the online and offline prices affect customer WTP and channel preferences nonlinearly. This model is also utilized in the game competition to facilitate data-driven price decision making to better formulate and understand real-world DSC problems.
The rationality of voluntary care work: light and shadow of volunteering in Germany's care sector
Authors: Haubner Tine
Published: September 2022

Purpose

In the context of a care crisis in Germany, care work done by volunteers is increasingly being semi-formalized by the state and used in professional care work contexts to relieve families and professionals. However, voluntary care has not yet been adequately studied from a care-specific perspective. This study examines in what way voluntary care can be considered decent care from a care-ethical and empirical perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering findings of a qualitative interview study, the study examines the special features of voluntary care, addresses its socio-political expansion, and asks about the decency of voluntary care in elder care and social work.

Findings

Care work done by volunteers is a special kind of care work, which has advantages but also disadvantages regarding care-ethical requirements of decent care. The study examines under which conditions voluntary care violates these requirements and how this can be countered in socio-political terms.

Originality/value

Voluntary care is an under-researched phenomenon despite its increasing socio-political importance. While its state-led expansion can informalize and deprofessionalize care work at the expense of users, professionals, and volunteers, its analysis can help to illuminate the preconditions for decent care.
Cross-border M&A, greenfield FDI and the onset of intrastate conflict, 1990–2015
Authors: Beuck Erik , Shuaibi Nourah , Hwang Wonjae
Published: September 2022

Purpose

By examining the link between the two types of FDI and intrastate conflict from 1990 to 2015 in 138 countries, this paper intends to test the peace-through-FDI thesis.

Design/methodology/approach

To empirically test the hypotheses, this study examines county-year observations from 1990 to 2015 for 138 countries. An instrumental variable method is utilized to this end.

Findings

This paper shows that, while greenfield FDI generates pacifying effects on intrastate conflict, M&A investment is likely to promote the onset of intrastate conflict.

Originality/value

Despite the extensive literature on FDI and the onset of intrastate conflict, many have approached FDI as a singular phenomenon, and have not broken it down into its constituent parts of greenfield and brownfield investment types. Theorizing that this practice had oversimplified and blurred the relationship of FDI on intrastate conflict onset, the authors pursued the collection of novel data in order to more completely distinguish between the two types of FDI. With this novel approach dividing FDI into its component parts, the authors break open the black box of FDI to empirically find out the extent of its diverse influence on the onset of intrastate conflict.
Developing together: the Finnish way of promoting sustainable public procurement
Authors: Berg Annukka , Alhola Katriina , Peltomaa Juha , Tietari Satu
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Public procurement is a major driving force that can be used to advance societal goals such as sustainability. The lack of strategic management and top-level commitment have been found to be major hindrances to the promotion of sustainable public procurement (SPP). This study aims to examine the functioning of a successful Finnish SPP development programme, the KEINO Academy (2019–2020), that tackled these challenges in a holistic way.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is mainly based on qualitative analysis of interviews with 24 municipal representatives.

Findings

The KEINO Academy advanced SPP management through the following functions: legitimising SPP development work, structuring SPP development work, offering expert support and facilitating peer support. The functions were mainly able to meet the key challenges experienced by the participating municipalities. However, some challenges cannot be directly solved by an intermediary such as the KEINO Academy. These challenges include, for example, a lack of resources.

Social implications

On the basis of the study, SPP development programmes should: build a holistic working model; respect the versatility of the participating organisations; involve all the key people in the organisations, including the directors; and sustain change.

Originality/value

The main theoretical contribution is the combination of two streams of literature, those of SPP management and intermediary functions. Further, the article makes an empirical contribution by studying the KEINO Academy as a pioneering SPP development case.
An empirical study on financing constraints of digital inclusive finance development on small and medium-sized technology-based enterprise
Authors: Wang Xiongying , Chen Xiang
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper mainly explores the relationship between digital inclusive finance and financing constraints of technological-based SMEs, and how digital inclusive finance affects the financing constraints of technology-based SMEs. This paper empirically analyzes the relationship between them through the OLS model, and then further verifies the relationship between them through robust regression and heterogeneity analysis. At the same time, it uses the mechanism test to explore how digital inclusive finance affects the financing constraints of technology-based SMEs. This paper aims to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper aims to explain the relationship between digital inclusive finance and financing constraints of technological-based SMEs. Technology-based SMEs always face the difficult problem of “financing difficulty” and “financing expensive” in the development process, which hinders the survival and development of enterprises to some extent. Digital inclusive finance development policy vigorously promoted by the state has alleviated the financing constraints of technology-based SMEs and brought opportunities for their development.

Findings

The results show that the role of digital inclusive finance in alleviating the financing constraints of technology-based SMEs, and incremental supplement and alleviating information asymmetry are the main reasons for digital inclusive finance to alleviate the financing constraints of technology-based SMEs. In view of the availability of digital inclusive financial data, this paper only uses the data from 2014 to 2019.

Originality/value

The authors’ research clearly found that the development of digital inclusive finance alleviates the financing of technology-based SMEs from the two aspects of “incremental supplement” and alleviating information asymmetry, so as to provide corresponding reference basis for the government to formulate a series of plans to support the development of technology-based SMEs.
Broadening the boundaries of accounting: a call for interdisciplinarity in the calculative era
Authors: Twyford Erin Jade , Abbas Roba
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to present a preliminary exploration of the intersections between the accounting and information systems (IS) disciplines. Using the illustrative example of the COVIDSafe app, released by the Australian federal government in response to the “wicked problem” of COVID-19, we demonstrate the value of interdisciplinarity to broaden the boundaries of accounting beyond a technical orientation to encompass social and moral considerations.

Design/methodology/approach

We apply a high-level view of socio-technical theory derived from the IS discipline by using a close-reading method of publicly available media and federal government sources related to the COVIDSafe app collected between April 2020 and April 2021. This theoretical lens allows for an enhanced understanding of the technical, environmental/regulatory, and social subsystems relating to accounting and accountability while supporting interdisciplinary reflection.

Findings

Addressing complex and wicked problems in accounting requires interdisciplinary approaches, whereby the accounting discipline must move beyond its technical origins. Dialogue between the accounting and IS disciplines is necessary to gain a deeper appreciation of the social, technical and moral implications of accounting in context.

Research limitations/implications

Viewing accounting beyond a technical practice through collaboration between accounting and IS offers a theorisation to consider the multi-dimensional nature of complex societal challenges. This theorisation can support the advancement of our practice and research meaningfully toward a view of accounting that centres on ideas of the public interest and the betterment of society. There remains much scope for progressing this dialogue, and we commend other scholars to engage in interdisciplinary work on the boundaries of accounting.

Originality/value

This study illustrates opportunities for accounting and IS approaches to solving “grand challenges”. Further, the study answers multiple calls for interdisciplinary discourse in accounting scholarship by contributing a socio-technical framing toward addressing complex challenges in our calculative era by initiating a dialogue that moves beyond accounting's traditional technical practice or the “accounting information systems” context.
Does product market competition moderate the impact of promoter ownership on firm value?
Authors: Anuja Sethiya , M. Thenmozhi
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study explores whether product market competition is a substitute for or complementary to good internal governance through promoter holdings. Specifically, it examines the impact of product market competition on the linkage between promoter ownership and firm value and investigates whether this impact varies with the type of blockholders and level of ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a fixed-effect panel regression method to analyze 1,136 National Stock Exchange-listed firms with 10,770 observations between the years 2005 and 2017. The authors computed product market competition using the Hirschman–Herfindahl Index and used the two-stage least squares regression model to address the issue of endogeneity.

Findings

Competition is a substitute for good corporate governance, especially in highly competitive industries, while promoters enhance firm value only in less competitive industries. This supports the theory that competition hinders a manager's “quiet life” hypothesis and creates disciplinary pressure to perform well. Additionally, the authors find that competition acts as a complement to promoters who are state-owned blockholders, while it acts as a substitute for promoters who are family-owned and private-owned blockholders.

Originality/value

This is possibly among the earliest attempts to integrate promoter ownership, product market competition, and firm value with the type of blockholder, especially in the context of the Indian market after 2005. The authors also provide evidence of situations in which both external and internal governance mechanisms either synergize or mitigate each other.
Mobile banking affordances and constraints by the elderly
Authors: Castillo-Villar Fernando Rey , Castillo-Villar Rosalia G.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The study explores the affordances and constraints perceived by older adults through their experiences using mobile banking apps.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-five interviews via Skype were carried out with older adults aged 65 years and over between April and May 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic).

Findings

Based on their usage experiences with mobile banking, older adults identified functional (saving time, avoiding physical risk and having control over their finances) and social affordances (supporting and bonding with family and friends), as well as non-technological (lack of useful information and patience from bank employees) and technological constraints (concerns about cybersecurity, data privacy and passwords).

Originality/value

The study offers a novel approach to customer experience research in mobile banking by adopting a customer-centered perspective and applying the theoretical framework of affordances and constraints to analyze the experiences of older adults as active mobile banking users.
Impact of zirconia slurry in steel powder on melt pool characteristics in laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Davis Taylor , Nelson Tracy W. , Crane Nathan B.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

dding dopants to a powder bed could be a cost-effective method for spatially varying the material properties in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) or for evaluating new materials and processing relationships. However, these additions may impact the selection of processing parameters. Furthermore, these impacts may be different when depositing nanoparticles into the powder bed than when the same composition is incorporated into the powder particles as by ball milling of powders or mixing similarly sized powders. This study aims to measure the changes in the single bead characteristics with laser power, laser scan speed, laser spot size and quantity of zirconia nanoparticle dopant added to SS 316 L powder.

Design/methodology/approach

A zirconia slurry was inkjet-printed into a single layer of 316 SS powder and dried. Single bead experiments were conducted on the composite powder. The line type (continuous vs balling) and the melt pool geometry were compared at various levels of zirconia doping.

Findings

The balling regime expands dramatically with the zirconia dopant to both higher and lower energy density values indicating the presence of multiple physical mechanisms that influence the resulting melt track morphology. However, the energy density required for continuous tracks was not impacted as significantly by zirconia addition. These results suggest that the addition of dopants may alter the process parameter ranges suitable for the fabrication of high-quality parts.

Originality/value

This work provides new insight into the potential impact of material doping on the ranges of energy density values that form continuous lines in single bead tests. It also illustrates a potential method for spatially varying material composition for process development or even part optimization in powder bed fusion without producing a mixed powder that cannot be recycled.
Lexical gap between old and new generations in a Jizani dialect: a sociolinguistic mixed method study
Authors: Hakami Fahad Ali
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to identify and measure the lexical gap between the old and young generations in the Jizani dialect and determine the causes of that gap.

Design/methodology/approach

A 20-item questionnaire was distributed randomly among 104 participants. Next, 12 participants were selected and interviewed. SPSS software was used to analyse the quantitative data from the questionnaire. The data elicited from the interviews was qualitatively analysed, considering age and gender factors.

Findings

The major findings revealed that a lexical gap between old and young language speakers in the Jizani dialect exists. The gap between young females and the older generation was greater than that between young and old males. Some old words are likely to disappear in the coming decades. Social media, which is a time-consuming and word-borrowing medium for young people, was one of the reasons, besides the tendency of females to use prestigious words.

Originality/value

This study attempted to find the differences between the vocabularies of old and young speakers. If it does exist, is it significant? What are the reasons for this lexical gap? This will help other researchers and dialectologists register the old words before they die out and try to bridge that lexical gap.
Experimental behavior and reliability of predamaged concrete columns externally repaired with FRP spiral strips under axial compression
Authors: Ali Ahmed Chafika , Si Salem Abdelmadjid , Ait Taleb Souad , Ait Tahar Kamal
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the experimental behavior and the reliability of concrete columns repaired using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) under axial compression loading. The expression of the ultimate axial resistance was assessed from the experimental data of damaged concrete cylinders repaired by externally bonded double-FRP spiral strips.

Design/methodology/approach

The tested columns bearing capacity mainly depends of the elasticity modulus of both damaged and undamaged concrete have been considered in addition to the applied load and the cylinder diameter as random variables in the expression of the failure criterion. The reliability indicators were assessed using first order second moment method.

Findings

The emphasized test results, statistically fitted show that the strength has been retrofitted for all repaired specimens whatever the degree of initial damage. However, the gain in axial strength is inversely proportional to the degree of damage.

Originality/value

The efficiency of a new FRP repair procedure using double-spiral strips was studied. This research provides a technical and economical solution for retrofitting existing concrete columns. Finally, the random character of the variables that govern the studied system shows the accuracy and safety of the proposed original design.
High‐resolution 3D forest structure explains ecomorphological trait variation in assemblages of saproxylic beetles
Authors: Drag Lukas , Burner Ryan C. , Stephan Jörg G. , Birkemoe Tone , Doerfler Inken , Gossner Martin M. , Magdon Paul , Ovaskainen Otso , Potterf Mária , Schall Peter , Snäll Tord , Sverdrup‐Thygeson Anne , Weisser Wolfgang , Müller Jörg
Published: September 2022

Climate, topography and the 3D structure of forests are major drivers affecting local species communities. However, little is known about how the specific functional traits of saproxylic (wood‐living) beetles, involved in the recycling of wood, might be affected by those environmental characteristics.

Here, we combine ecological and morphological traits available for saproxylic beetles and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data in Bayesian trait‐based joint species distribution models to study how traits drive the distributions of more than 230 species in temperate forests of Europe.

We found that elevation (as a proxy for temperature and precipitation) and the proportion of conifers played important roles in species occurrences while variables related to habitat heterogeneity and forest complexity were less relevant. Furthermore, we showed that local communities were shaped by environmental variation primarily through their ecological traits whereas morphological traits were involved only marginally. As predicted, ecological traits influenced species' responses to forest structure, and to other environmental variation, with canopy niche, wood decay niche and host preference as the most important ecological traits. Conversely, no links between morphological traits and environmental characteristics were observed. Both models, however, revealed strong phylogenetic signal in species' response to environmental characteristics.

These findings imply that alterations of climate and tree species composition have the potential to alter saproxylic beetle communities in temperate forests. Additionally, ecological traits help explain species' responses to environmental characteristics and thus should prove useful in predicting their responses to future change. It remains challenging, however, to link simple morphological traits to species' complex ecological niches.

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Examination of the possibility to use Siamese networks for the comparison of firing pin marks
Authors: Giverts Pavel , Sorokina Ksenia , Fedorenko Vladimir
Published: September 2022

One of the most discussed issues in forensic firearms identification is the subjectivity of conclusions. The main part of firearms examiners' work is to make a microscopic comparison of the marks on cartridge cases and bullets. In this process, examiners have to decide if the quantity and the quality of the observed characteristics are sufficient for identification. This decision is based on the personal experience of an examiner, so examiners with different backgrounds can come to different conclusions, and this fact presents a problem. Besides, the calculation of the error rate for this type of examination is a debatable issue. Different mathematical and statistical models were proposed, and computer‐based algorithms were developed in order to avoid subjectivity and to determine error rates. This article investigates the possibility to use methods of machine learning for the comparison of marks of the firing pin impressions on cartridge cases. In the research, the Siamese network model, which included two similar Convolutional Neural Networks, was prepared and trained. For the training and validation of the model, the database of firing pin impressions was prepared. This database included images of cartridge cases discharged from 300 firearms that came from regular casework and clone images used for data augmentation. The model was trained and examined using the validation part of the database. The metrics, such as accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. The results of the research show the possibility of using the Siamese network for building an objective forensic firearms examination system with a known error rate.
Clinical outcomes of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy for unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Ning , Yu Bing Ran , Wang Yi Xiu , Zhao Yi Ming , Zhou Jia Min , Wang Miao , Wang Long Rong , Lin Zhen Hai , Zhang Ti , Wang Lu
Published: September 2022

Objective

To compare the treatment efficacy and safety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and anti‐programmed cell death 1 (PD‐1) immunotherapy combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Methods

Patients with unresectable ICC received TKIs and anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy combined with HAIC (HTP group) or TACE (TTP group) were included. The clinicopathological characteristics, treatment efficacy, and adverse events (AEs) were compared between the two groups. The factors associated with response rate to the treatments were evaluated.

Results

A total of 58 patients were enrolled, with 39 in the HTP group and 19 in the TTP group. Patients in the HTP group exhibited a better objective response rate (ORR; Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST] 48.7% vs 15.8%, P = 0.02; modified RECIST [mRECIST] 61.5% vs 21.1%, P = 0.004) and disease control rate (DCR; 82.1% vs 36.8%, P = 0.001) compared to the TTP group. The median progression‐free survival (PFS) rate was not reached and the 1‐year PFS rate was 61.9% in the HTP group, whereas the median PFS was 11.0 months and the 1‐year PFS rate was 31.6% in the TTP group. The type of treatment and tumor size were significant factors for the response rate. More patients in the HTP group presented rash, abdominal pain and hand‐foot syndrome, but all AEs were relieved after symptomatic treatment, and no treatment‐related death occurred.

Conclusions

For unresectable ICC, treatment with a combination of HAIC with TKIs and anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy was effective and safe. Tumor size might serve as a significant factor for the response rate following treatment for unresectable ICC.
Temporal trends in patients with peripheral artery disease influenced by diabetes mellitus in Germany
Authors: Schmitt Volker H. , Hobohm Lukas , Vosseler Markus , Brochhausen Christoph , Münzel Thomas , Espinola‐Klein Christine , Keller Karsten
Published: September 2022

Introduction

In patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Because huge efforts are made to improve medical care of patients with DM including chronic disease programs, the aim of the present study was to investigate temporal trends regarding the clinical burden of DM on PAD patients within a 15‐year observational period.

Methods

We analyzed all patients hospitalized because of PAD between 2005 and 2019 in Germany stratified regarding DM.

Results

Overall, 2 654 871 hospitalizations of PAD patients (865 823 with DM) were included. Hospitalizations based on PAD inclined from 142 778 in 2005 to 190 135 in 2019 (β 3956 per year; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3034–4878, p < .001) with simultaneous increase of hospitalizations of PAD patients with DM (2005: 41609 (29.1%) versus 2019: 65 302 (34.3%); β 2019 per year [95% CI 1593–2446], p < .001). Amputation rates (β −0.42 [95% CI −0.44 to −0.40]; p < .001) as well as in‐hospital case‐fatality rate (2005: 4.7%, 2019: 2.8%; β −0.64 [95% CI −0.69 to −0.59]; p < .001) decreased in diabetic PAD patients during the observational time. In spite of improved morbidity and mortality in the last years of the observational period, patients with DM still suffered from an increased risk for morbidity and mortality during the observational period compared to nondiabetic PAD patients.

Conclusions

Despite the progress in DM treatments, DM still was associated with an unfavorable clinical patient profile and remained a substantial risk factor for morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients with PAD and DM in Germany between 2005 and 2019.
Which Combination of Impossible Trinity Choices Ensures Output and Price Stabilities in India? A Sign‐Restricted Vector Autoregressive Analysis
Authors: Arora Nitin , Malik Deepika , Arora Rahul
Published: September 2022

India has faced the impossible trinity challenge after it opened up its capital account post‐1990s reforms. Accordingly, simultaneous achievement of three macroeconomic objectives, namely exchange Rate Stability, capital openness and monetary independence, is an impossible task and any combination of two objectives can be achieved by losing the third one. This attempt, therefore, validates the existence of impossible trinity in India and investigates its impact on the stability of both, economic growth and prices. The sign‐restricted vector autoregressive (VAR) methodology has been used to confirm the existence of impossible trinity and to identify the best trilemma policy combination for the Indian economy in order to achieve stable output growth with steady prices. A trinity combination of “capital openness” and “exchange rate stability” is found to be the best in achieving stability of macroeconomic indicators under evaluation. Furthermore, the absence of trinity in India is inferred to ensure macroeconomic stability. However, maintaining its absence for a substantial period is noticed to be a near‐impossible task.