bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 Vaccination acceptance in the canton of Geneva: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study
Authors: Wisniak Ania , Baysson Hélène , Pullen Nick , Nehme Mayssam , Pennacchio Francesco , Zaballa María-Eugenia , Guessous Idris , Stringhini Silvia
Published: July 2021

Objective

This study aimed to assess acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination as well as its sociodemographic and clinical determinants in a general population sample three months after the launch of the vaccination program in Switzerland.

Methods

In March 2021, an online questionnaire on vaccination acceptance was proposed to adults included in a longitudinal cohort study of previous population-based serosurveys carried out in the canton of Geneva. Questions were asked about COVID-19 vaccination acceptance, reasons of acceptance or refusal, and attitudes about vaccination in general. Data on demographic (age, sex, education, income, professional status, living conditions) and health-related characteristics (having a chronic disease, COVID-19 diagnosis, smoking status) were assessed at inclusion in the cohort (December 2020).

Results

Overall, 4’067 participants (completion rate of 77.4%) responded to the survey between March 17 and April 1, 2021. The mean age of respondents was 53.3 years and 56.0% were women. Most had completed tertiary education (64.7%) and over 60% were currently professionally active. At the time of the survey, 17.2% of respondents had already been vaccinated with at least one dose or had made an appointment to get vaccinated, and an additional 58.5% intended or rather intended to get vaccinated. The overall acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination was 75.7%, with a higher acceptance among men compared to women, older adults compared to younger adults, high-income individuals compared to those with a low income, participants living in urban and semi-urban areas compared to rural, and retirees and students compared to employed individuals. Acceptance was lower among individuals having completed apprenticeships and secondary education compared to those with tertiary education. The most common reasons reported by participants intending to get vaccinated were the desire to ‘get back to normal’, to protect themselves, their community and/or society, and their relatives or friends against the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2, as well as the desire to travel. Less than half (45.6%) of participants having children were willing or rather willing to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 if it were recommended by public health authorities.

Conclusion

Although our study found a 75.7% acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination, there were noticeable socio-demographic disparities in vaccination acceptance. These data will be useful for public health measures targeting hesitant populations when developing health communication strategies. These results will be updated over time with a new release of the survey in autumn 2021.
Genome sequences of the five Sitopsis species of Aegilops and the origin of polyploid wheat B-subgenome
Authors: Li Lin-Feng , Zhang Zhi-Bin , Wang Zhen-Hui , Li Ning , Sha Yan , Wang Xin-Feng , Ding Ning , Li Yang , Zhao Jing , Wu Ying , Gong Lei , Mafessoni Fabrizio , Levy Avraham A. , Liu Bao
Published: July 2021

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L., BBAADD) is a major staple food crop worldwide. The diploid progenitors of the A- and D-subgenomes have been unequivocally identified, that of B however remains ambiguous and controversial but is suspected to be related to species of Aegilops, section Sitopsis. Here, we report the assembly of chromosome-level genome sequences of all five Sitopsis species, namely Ae. bicornis, Ae. longissima, Ae. searsii, Ae. sharonensis, and Ae. speltoides, as well as partial assembly of Ae. mutica genome for phylogenetic analysis. Our results support that the donor of bread wheat B-subgenome is a distinct, probably extinct, diploid species that diverged from an ancestral progenitor of the B-lineage similar to Ae. mutica and Ae. speltoides. The five Sitopsis species have variable genome sizes (4.11-5.89 Gb) with high proportions of repetitive sequences (85.99-89.81%); nonetheless, they retain high collinearity with other wheat genomes. Differences in genome size are primarily due to independent post-speciation amplification of transposons rather than to inter-specific genetic introgression. We also identified a set of Sitopsis genes pertinent to important agronomic traits that can be harnessed for wheat breeding. These resources provide a new roadmap for evolutionary and genetic studies of the wheat group.

Significance

The origin of the B-subgenome of hexaploid bread wheat remains unknown. Here we report the assembly of chromosome-level genome sequences of all five Sitopsis species of the genus Aegilops, which are previously considered as possible direct progenitors or contributors to the B-subgenome. Our comparative genomic analyses reveal that the B-subgenome originated from an unknown, most likely extinct species phylogenetically distinct from Ae. speltoides, its extant closest relative. We also provide evidence that Ae. speltoides is neither the direct progenitor of the G-subgenome of tetraploid wheat Triticum timopheevii. The high-quality Sitopsis genomes provide novel avenues to identify new important genes for wheat breeding.
Mutation signatures inform the natural host of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Deng Shanjun , Xing Ke , He Xionglei
Published: July 2021

The before-outbreak evolutionary history of SARS-CoV-2 is enigmatic because it shares only ∼96% genomic similarity with RaTG13, the closest relative so far found in wild animals (horseshoe bats). Since mutations on single-stranded viral RNA are heavily shaped by host factors, the viral mutation signatures can in turn inform the host. By comparing publically available viral genomes we here inferred the mutations SARS-CoV-2 accumulated before the outbreak and after the split from RaTG13. We found the mutation spectrum of SARS-CoV-2, which measures the relative rates of 12 mutation types, is 99.9% identical to that of RaTG13. It is also similar to that of two other bat coronaviruses but distinct from that evolved in non-bat hosts. The viral mutation spectrum informed the activities of a variety of mutation-associated host factors, which were found almost identical between SARS-CoV-2 and RaTG13, a pattern difficult to create in laboratory. All the findings are robust after replacing RaTG13 with RshSTT182, another coronavirus found in horseshoe bats with ∼93% similarity to SARS-CoV-2. Our analyses suggest SARS-CoV-2 shared almost the same host environment with RaTG13 and RshSTT182 before the outbreak.
A local insulin reservoir ensures developmental progression in condition of nutrient shortage in Drosophila
Authors: Ghosh Suhrid , Leng Weihua , Wilsch-Bräuninger Michaela , Léopold Pierre , Eaton Suzanne
Published: July 2021

Insulin/IGF signalling (IIS) controls many aspects of development and physiology. In Drosophila, a conserved family of insulin-like peptides (Ilp) is produced by brain neurosecretory cells and exerts systemic functions. Here, we describe the local uptake and storage of Ilps in the Corpora Cardiaca (CC), a group of alpha cell homolog that produces the glucagon-like hormone AKH. Dilp uptake relies on the expression of Impl2, an IGF-BP that accumulates in the CCs. During nutrient shortage, this specific reserve of Ilps is released and activates IIS in a paracrine manner in the prothoracic gland, securing accelerated entry into pupal development through the production of the steroid hormone ecdysone. We therefore uncover a sparing mechanism whereby local Ilp storage and release activates the production of steroids and ensures early developmental progression in adverse food conditions.

Highlights

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Dilps are uptaken by CC cells through the IGF-BP Imp-L2

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the CC-Dilp store is released upon nutrient shortage and activates IIS through CC projections on the PG

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upon nutrient shortage, IIS activation in the PG ensures an accelerated transition from larval feeding stage to metamorphosis.
Synaptic Encoding of Vestibular Sensation Regulates Movement Timing and Coordination
Authors: Hamling Kyla R. , Harmon Katherine , Greaney Marie , Dobler Zoë , Kimura Yukiko , Higashijima Shin-ichi , Schoppik David
Published: July 2021

Vertebrate vestibular circuits use sensory signals derived from the inner ear to guide both corrective and volitional movements. A major challenge in the neuroscience of balance is to link the synaptic and cellular substrates that encode body tilts to specific behaviors that stabilize posture and enable efficient locomotion. Here we address this problem by measuring the development, synaptic architecture, and behavioral contributions of vestibulospinal neurons in the larval zebrafish. First, we find that vestibulospinal neurons are born and are functionally mature before larvae swim freely, allowing them to act as a substrate for postural regulation. Next, we map the synaptic inputs to vestibulospinal neurons that allow them to encode posture. Further, we find that this synaptic architecture allows them to respond to linear acceleration in a directionally-tuned and utricle-dependent manner; they are thus poised to guide corrective movements. After loss of vestibulospinal neurons, larvae adopted eccentric postures with disrupted movement timing and weaker corrective kinematics. We used a generative model of swimming to demonstrate that together these disruptions can account for the increased postural variability. Finally, we observed that lesions disrupt vestibular-dependent coordination between the fins and trunk during vertical swimming, linking vestibulospinal neurons to navigation. We conclude that vestibulospinal neurons turn synaptic representations of body tilt into defined corrective behaviors and coordinated movements. As the need for stable locomotion is common and the vestibulospinal circuit is highly conserved our findings reveal general mechanisms for neuronal control of balance.
A Distributed Network for Multimodal Experiential Representation of Concepts
Authors: Tong Jia-Qing , Binder Jeffrey R. , Humphries Colin J. , Mazurchuk Stephen , Conant Lisa L. , Fernandino Leonardo
Published: July 2021

Neuroimaging, neuropsychological, and psychophysical evidence indicates that concept retrieval selectively engages specific sensory and motor brain systems involved in the acquisition of the retrieved concept. However, it remains unclear which supramodal cortical regions contribute to this process and what kind of information they represent. Here, we used representational similarity analysis of two large fMRI data sets, with a searchlight approach, to generate a detailed map of human brain regions where the semantic similarity structure across individual lexical concepts can be reliably detected. We hypothesized that heteromodal cortical areas typically associated with the “default mode network” encode multimodal experiential information about concepts, consistent with their proposed role as cortical integration hubs. In two studies involving different sets of concepts and different participants (both sexes), we found a distributed, bihemispheric network engaged in concept representation, composed of high-level association areas in the anterior, lateral, and ventral temporal lobe; inferior parietal lobule; posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus; and medial, dorsal, ventrolateral, and orbital prefrontal cortex. In both studies, a multimodal model combining sensory, motor, affective, and other types of experiential information explained significant variance in the neural similarity structure observed in these regions that was not explained by unimodal experiential models or by distributional semantics (i.e., word2vec similarity). These results indicate that, during concept retrieval, lexical concepts are represented across a vast expanse of high-level cortical regions, especially in the areas that make up the default mode network, and that these regions encode multimodal experiential information.

Significance Statement

Conceptual knowledge includes information acquired through various modalities of experience, such as visual, auditory, tactile, and emotional information. We investigated which brain regions encode mental representations that combine information from multiple modalities when participants think about the meaning of a word. We found that such representations are encoded across a widely distributed network of cortical areas in both hemispheres, including temporal, parietal, limbic, and prefrontal association areas. Several areas not traditionally associated with semantic cognition were also implicated. Our results indicate that the retrieval of conceptual knowledge during word comprehension relies on a much larger portion of the cerebral cortex than previously thought, and that multimodal experiential information is represented throughout the entire network.
A PKA Inhibitor Motif within Smoothened Controls Hedgehog Signal Transduction
Authors: Happ John T. , Arveseth Corvin D. , Bruystens Jessica , Bertinetti Daniela , Nelson Isaac B. , Olivieri Cristina , Hedeen Danielle S. , Zhu Ju-Fen , Capener Jacob L. , Bröckel Jan Wilfried , Vu Lily , King C.C. , Ruiz-Perez Victor L. , Veglia Gianluigi , Herberg Friedrich W. , Taylor Susan S. , Myers Benjamin R.
Published: July 2021

The Hedgehog (Hh) cascade is central to development, tissue homeostasis, and cancer. A pivotal step in Hh signal transduction is the activation of GLI transcription factors by the atypical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Smoothened (SMO). How SMO activates GLI has remained unclear for decades. Here we show that SMO employs a decoy substrate sequence to physically block the active site of the PKA catalytic subunit (PKA-C) and extinguish its enzymatic activity. As a result, GLI is released from phosphorylation-induced inhibition. Using a combination of in vitro, cellular, and organismal models, we demonstrate that interfering with SMO / PKA pseudosubstrate interactions prevents Hh signal transduction. The mechanism we uncovered echoes one utilized by the Wnt cascade, revealing an unexpected similarity in how these two essential developmental and cancer pathways signal intracellularly. More broadly, our findings define a new mode of GPCR-PKA communication that may be harnessed by a range of membrane receptors and kinases.
Daily oscillation of the excitation/inhibition ratio is disrupted in two mouse models of autism
Authors: Bridi Michelle C.D. , Luo Nancy , Kim Grace , O’Ferrall Caroline , Patel Ruchit , Bertrand Sarah , Kannan Sujatha , Kirkwood Alfredo
Published: July 2021

Alterations to the balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I ratio) are postulated to underlie behavioral phenotypes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients and mouse models. However, in wild type mice the E/I ratio is not constant, but instead oscillates across the 24h day. Therefore, we tested whether the E/I oscillation, rather than the overall E/I ratio, is disrupted in two ASD-related mouse lines:Fmr1KO and BTBR, models of syndromic and idiopathic ASD, respectively. The E/I ratio is dysregulated in both models, but in different ways: the oscillation is lost inFmr1KO and reversed in BTBR mice. In both models these phenotypes associate with differences the timing of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission and endocannabinoid signaling compared to wild type mice, but not with altered sleep. These findings raise the possibility that ASD-related phenotypes may be produced by a mismatch of E/I to the appropriate behavioral state, rather than alterations to overall E/I levelsper se.
The molecular mechanism of cytoadherence to placenta or tumor cells through VAR2CSA from Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Wang Weiwei , Wang Zhaoning , Yang Xiuna , Gao Yan , Zhang Xiang , Wang Weiwei , Zhao Lingyu , zhang Jun , Jing Qingqing , Xu Qian , Cao Long , Tian Yuan , Dai Aguang , Sun Jin , Sun Lei , Jiang Lubin , Chen Zhenguo , Wang Lanfeng
Published: July 2021

Pregnancy Associated Malaria (PAM) threatens more than one million pregnant women and their infants in endemic regions due to poor outcomes. VAR2CSA plays a vital role in the cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes (IEs) to placenta against immuno-clearance via binding to Chondroitin sulfate A (CSA), which is displayed mostly on the surface of placental or tumor cells. In this study, we determined the cryo-EM structures of VAR2CSA ectodomain and its complex with CSA at a resolution of 3.6 Å and 3.4 Å, respectively and revealed that CSA binding induces significant conformational change for ligand accommodation. Beyond structural studies, we generated VAR2CSA fragments and mutation and evaluated their binding activity to either isolated CSA or placental and tumor cell line using multi-disciplinary techniques. The results showed that 9-site mutation in DBL2X abolished the CSA binding activity and also disrupted its binding to both placental and tumor cells. Overall, our work clearly elucidated the molecular mechanism of cytoadherence to placental or tumor cells through VAR2CSA. Which may facilitate new PAM vaccine development and improve the drug delivery systems targeting both placenta and tumors.
Molecular mechanism of target site selection and remodeling by type V CRISPR-associated transposons
Authors: Querques Irma , Schmitz Michael , Oberli Seraina , Chanez Christelle , Jinek Martin
Published: July 2021

Although the canonical function of CRISPR-Cas systems is to provide adaptive immunity against mobile genetic elements1, type I-F, I-B and V-K systems have been adopted by Tn7-like transposons to direct RNA-guided transposon insertion2–7. Type V-K CRISPR-associated transposons rely on the activities of the pseudonuclease Cas12k, the transposase TnsB, the AAA+ ATPase TnsC and the zinc-finger protein TniQ7. However, the molecular and structural details of RNA-directed DNA transposition have remained elusive. Here we report cryo-electron microscopic structures of a Cas12k-guide RNA-target DNA complex and a DNA-bound, polymeric TnsC filament. The Cas12k complex structure reveals an intricate guide RNA architecture and critical interactions mediating RNA-guided target DNA recognition. The assembly of the TnsC helical filament is ATP-dependent and accompanied by structural remodeling of the bound DNA duplex. In vivo transposition assays corroborate key features of the structures, and biochemical experiments further show that TniQ restricts TnsC polymerization, while the TnsB transposase interacts directly with TnsC filaments to trigger their disassembly upon ATP hydrolysis. Together, these results suggest a mechanistic model whereby RNA-directed target selection by Cas12k primes TnsC polymerization and DNA remodeling, generating a recruitment platform for TnsB to catalyze site-specific transposon insertion. The present work advances our mechanistic understanding of the cross-talk between CRISPR effectors and the transposition machinery and will inform design efforts to harness CRISPR-associated transposons as programmable site-specific gene insertion tools for genome engineering applications.
Managing human mediated range shifts: understanding spatial, temporal and genetic variation in marine non-native species
Authors: Holman Luke E. , Parker-Nance Shirley , de Bruyn Mark , Creer Simon , Carvalho Gary , Rius Marc
Published: July 2021

The use of molecular methods to manage natural resources is increasingly common. However, DNA-based methods are seldom used to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of species’ range shifts. This is important when managing range-shifting species such as non-native species (NNS), which can have negative impacts on biotic communities. Here we investigated the range-shifting NNSCiona robusta, Clavelina lepadiformis, Microcosmus squamigerandStyela plicatausing a combined methodological approach. We first conducted non-molecular biodiversity surveys for these NSS along the South African coastline, and compared the results with historical surveys. We detected no consistent change in range size across species, with some displaying range stability and others showing range shifts. We then sequenced a section of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from tissue samples and found genetic differences along the coastline but no change over recent times. Finally, we found that environmental DNA metabarcoding data showed broad congruence with both the non-molecular biodiversity and the COI datasets, but failed to capture complete incidence of all NSS. Overall, we demonstrated how a combined methodological approach can effectively detect spatial and temporal variation in genetic composition and range size, which is key for managing biodiversity changes of both threatened and NSS.
A polygenic architecture with conditionally neutral effects underlies ecological differentiation in Silene
Authors: Gramlich Susanne , Liu Xiaodong , Favre Adrien , Alex Buerkle C. , Karrenberg Sophie
Published: July 2021

Ecological differentiation can drive speciation but it is unclear how the genetic architecture of habitat-dependent fitness contributes to lineage divergence. We investigated the genetic architecture of cumulative flowering, a fitness component, in second-generation hybrids between Silene dioica and S. latifolia transplanted into the natural habitat of each species.

We used reduced-representation sequencing and Bayesian Sparse Linear Mixed Models (BSLMMs) to analyze the genetic control of cumulative flowering in each habitat.

Our results point to a polygenic architecture of cumulative flowering. Allelic effects were mostly beneficial or deleterious in one habitat and neutral in the other. The direction of allelic effects was associated with allele frequency differences between the species: positive-effect alleles were often derived from the native species, whereas negative-effect alleles, at other loci, tended to originate from the non-native species.

We conclude that ecological differentiation is governed and maintained by many loci with small, conditionally neutral effects. Conditional neutrality may result from differences in selection targets in the two habitats and provides hidden variation upon which selection can act. Polygenic architectures of adaptive differentiation are expected to be transient during lineage divergence and may therefore be unrelated to high genetic differentiation at the underlying loci.
Explaining the resistance of data providers to open government data
Authors: Li Si , Chen Yi
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper explains the formation of government resistance to open data based on the cognition of stakeholders in Chinese context.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting grounded theory, this study interviewed 22 stakeholders to collect data. Through continuous coding, this study identified the main categories and then constructed theoretical models.

Findings

This study identified and explained five main categories that relate to resistance: practice, perception, organizational culture, motivation and resistance strategies. Then, a framework was developed that conceptualizes the government' resistance to open data. Based on the division of the forms of motivation, there are three paths through which government departments resist open data, namely, avoiding disadvantages to the organization, being unwilling to increase the workload and being unwilling to take the initiative.

Originality/value

This paper reveals the internal logic of government departments' resistance to open data and provides a process explanation beyond causality. It also provides a reference for other countries in the same preliminary stage as China with respect to open data implementation.
The road less travelled: A Zimbabwean leadership dilemma
Authors: Cairns Patrick , Boyd Sarah , April Kurt
Published: July 2021

Subject area of the teaching case:

The values-based leadership (VBL) themes lend the case to use in courses focussed on individual leadership approaches, personal-professional development, personal mastery, or individual agency in social change and social justice movements. The emerging market context adds a layer of complexity to the protagonist's journey, which may make the case especially relevant for use among students who work in this context or in courses that deal with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA).

Student level:

The primary target audience for this case is postgraduate students in a management or professional development program.

Brief overview of the teaching case:

This case offers a leadership profile of lawyer Fadzayi Mahere as she pursues social change at the national level by running for political office in Zimbabwe in 2018. The case recounts Mahere's professional journey through human rights law and local activism, which eventually drives her to run as an independent for a position in the national election. She does this as a response to the dire state of the country: economic crisis, social instability, and political corruption that are making life increasingly untenable for most people. In spite of running a strong grassroots campaign, Mahere loses the election and is faced with the dilemma of whether or not to forego independence and join the dominant opposition party. The case therefore centres around the role of values in leadership, the role of narrative in shaping the decision to lead, and how these things impact a leader's strategy for affecting social change and achieving social justice.

Expected learning outcomes:

Appreciate the systemic nature of social problems in an emerging market context and how this creates different opportunities for a leader to act on a problem

Understand how a leader's identity, in terms of values and experiences, shapes their motivations and informs their strategy for leading a change effort

Understand the dimensions of values-based leadership (VBL) – transformational, authentic, accountability, and ethical leadership – and how the actions of a values-driven leader reflect these

Identify the mechanisms that aspiring leaders practicing VBL can use to build an authentic narrative for key stakeholders to accept and embrace them

Recognise the different strategies a leader can adopt to achieve values-driven outcomes, while maintaining alignment with the different dimensions of VBL
Technology capabilities for an automated and connected earthwork roadmap
Authors: Naghshbandi Seyedeh Neda , Varga Liz , Hu Yukun
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The development of communication and artificial intelligence technologies has raised interest in connectivity and increased autonomy of automated earthmoving equipment for earthwork. These changes are motivating work to reduce uncertainties, in terms of improving equipment object detection capability and reducing strikes and accidents on site. The purpose of this study is to illustrate industrial drivers for automated earthwork systems; identify the specific capabilities which make the transformation happen; and finally determine use cases that create value for the system. These three objectives act as components of a technology roadmap for automated and connected earthwork and can guide development of new products and services.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used a text mining approach in which the required data was captured through a structured literature review, and then expert knowledge was used for verification of the results.

Findings

Automated and connected earthwork can enhance construction site and its embraced infrastructure, resilience by avoiding human faults during operations. Automating the monitoring process can lead to reliable anticipation of problems and facilitate real-time responses to unexpected situation via connectedness capabilities. Research findings are presented in three sections: industrial perspectives, trends and drivers for automated and connected earthwork; capabilities which are met by technologies; and use cases to demonstrate different capabilities.

Originality/value

This study combines the results of disintegrated and fragmented research in the area of automated and connected earthwork and categorises them under new capability levels. The identified capabilities are classified in three main categories including reliable environmental perception, single equipment decision-making toward safe outcomes and fleet-level safety enhancement. Finally, four different levels of automation are proposed for earthwork technology roadmap.
The effects of location and layout of offices on perceptual evaluations of users
Authors: Yıldırım Kemal , Hidayetoglu Mehmet Lutfi , Unuvar Sinem Serap
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on determining the effects of location of closed offices on the front facade, rear facade and side facade plans and the indoor layout (left and right users’ cabinets) on perceptual evaluations of users of physical environmental factors.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, the responses of 54 academic users who use the Gazi University Technology Faculty Taskent Building offices were taken with the help of a survey.

Findings

As a result, it was determined that office users on the front and side facades generally perceived more positively the offices’ environmental factors than office users on the back facade. In addition, it was determined that offices with storage cabinets located to the right of users (Type A) were perceived more positively than storage cabinets located to the left of users (Type B). On the other hand, it was determined that users between the ages of 25–45 who used closed offices generally perceived the physical environmental factors of offices more positively than users between the ages of 46 and 65.

Originality/value

Especially the location of the building, the landscaping, the plan of the rooms and the landscape to which they are directed are major design decisions that cannot be controlled by employees. Therefore, it is necessary to know the positive/negative effects that may occur during use before making design decisions.
Theorising in the social care sector: conceptualising theory development by frontline workers as they mobilise knowledge to improve outcomes
Authors: Morris Heather , Blewitt Claire , O'Connor Amanda , Skouteris Helen
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to discuss how theories and practitioner-led theorising allow frontline workers to iteratively co-construct solutions that work in the real world.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper addresses the authors’ aim by proposing a social care theorising model

Findings

This study adopts a socio-ecological and epistemological lens when describing theorising and unpacks what this means when frontline workers adapt their practice and programs to work effectively with individuals and families. As frontline workers move towards a grand theory that determines their overarching theoretical perspectives through which they interpret their “social work” world, leadership, organisational culture and governance become crucial in supporting their use of discretion. This support is mostly manifested as supervision and coaching, and the authors argue here that a “researcher in residence” narrows the barriers to embedding research and evidence into practice. Discretion implies the choice of a practitioner to deliver program components in a way that fits the family, which may not align with rigid program protocols, and this calls in to question how to measure fidelity and compensate for adaptation. Furthermore, it highlights the limitations of some research methods and suggests that rapid data collection and analysis may be useful during this theorising process.

Originality/value

This paper conceptualises how frontline social care workers theorise in their practice, the ways these theories are shaped and suggests an option to narrow the research–practice gap.
Entrepreneurial alertness and social entrepreneurial venture creation: the mediating role of personal initiative
Authors: Nsereko Isa , Balunywa Juma Wasswa , Kyazze Lawrence Musiitwa , Nsereko Hamidah Babirye , Nakato Jamidah
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness, personal initiative and social entrepreneurial venture creation and to examine the mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and social entrepreneurial venture creation among social ventures in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a quantitative approach where hypotheses were statistically tested using structural equation modeling based on survey data (n= 243) from community-based organization owner-managers in Uganda.

Findings

Results show that both entrepreneurial alertness and social personal initiative are positively and significantly associated with social entrepreneurial venture creation. Results further indicate that personal initiative partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and social entrepreneurial venture creation.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this study provides a shred of initial empirical evidence on the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness, entrepreneurial personal initiative and social entrepreneurial venture creation using evidence from Uganda, a developing country. Mostly, this study provides initial evidence of the mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and social entrepreneurial venture creation in an under-researched developing country – Uganda.
How trade diversification and economic growth affect gender inequality in female labour market participation? The case of India
Authors: Ghosh Sudeshna
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper attempts to investigate through empirical exercise how the chances of female employment opportunities rise in a developing country like India, against the backdrop of changes in institutions that are associated with globalization.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a simultaneous equation model through a growth equation, gender equation and globalization equation to identify the factors impacting female labor market opportunities in India, based on annual time series data 1991–2019.

Findings

The major results of this study are as follows: (1) It is social globalization that positively impacts gender equality in employment opportunities apart from economic growth and trade diversification; (2) Evidence of “feminization of labor force” in the context of trade diversification is found; and (3) Equal gender opportunities reflect in equalizing outcomes in the labor market.

Practical implications

Growth strategies need to be constructed in such a way in India that it has redistributive implications and benefits women. The state agency needs to optimize the productive base of human resources and increase women's empowering capability through social and legal sanctions.

Originality/value

The uniqueness of the present paper lies in contributing to the existing literature on how gender inequality impacts trade diversification and how trade diversification impacts gender.
Sociodemographic and body image measures associated with overall and domain-specific physical activity among a group of Malaysian university undergraduates
Authors: Sutan Rosnah , Muhammad Amir Kamilah , Mohd Tamil Azmi
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to determine the prevalence of overall and work, transport and leisure domain physical activity (PA) and their associated factors among Malaysian university undergraduates.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an online cross-sectional study, which gathered data on sociodemographic parameters, PA and body image. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to collect data on PA while Multidimensional Body-Self Relation Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS) for body image constructs. Three faculties were chosen through stratified random sampling where all its undergraduates were invited. A total of 898 students responded, of which 718 were accepted for analysis.

Findings

Prevalence of overall work, transport and leisure domain PA among the students was 82.2%, 47.8%, 36.1% and 51.4% respectively. Overall PA was associated with male students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.840, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.182–2.865); work PA was associated with the Malay race (AOR: 1.728, 95% CI: 1.240–2.409) and having part-time jobs (AOR: 3.098, 95% CI: 1.680–5.714); transport PA was associated with medical faculty (AOR: 1.677, 95% CI: 1.214–2.317) and leisure PA was associated with male students (AOR: 3.836, 95% CI: 2.746–5.360) and high overweight preoccupation (AOR: 1.486, 95% CI: 1.089–2.028).

Research limitations/implications

Self-reported variables may be subjected to overestimation and bias.

Practical implications

Distributions of PA and its associated factors may be used as guidance for health promotions catering to university students.

Social implications

Factors affecting PA among the youth are correlated with social life events.

Originality/value

Focus on domain-specific PA in association with body image measures may add values to existing PA studies, which is lacking in Malaysia.
Reducing corruption and bribery in Africa as a target of the sustainable development goals: applying indicators for assessing performance
Authors: Hope, Sr. Kempe Ronald
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess African performance for substantially reducing all forms of corruption and bribery on the continent by 2030, through the indicators for achieving Target 16.5 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the available and accessible relevant data from credible sources, this work quantifies, outlines and analyses the relationship between corruption/bribery and sustainable development as it applies primarily to sub-Saharan Africa; assesses the trends in the region through the official indicators for achieving Target 16.5 of the SDGs; and recommends other indicators for assessing ethical behaviour in African political, administrative and business leadership and institutions for achieving sustainable development and improved ethical performance towards significant reductions in all manifestations of bribery and corruption on the continent by 2030.

Findings

Corruption and bribery are found to affect all SDG-related sectors, undermining development outcomes and severely compromising efforts to achieve the SDGs in Africa. Consequently, prioritising corruption reduction including from money laundering, bribery and other illegal activities is a necessary requirement for achieving sustainable development, good governance, building effective and inclusive institutions as required by SDG 16, and funding the achievement of the SDGs.

Originality/value

The main value of the paper is the insights it provides through the very comprehensive compilation of statistical information that quantifies, and with analysis, the corruption/bribery avenues and the resultant deleterious effects on sustainable development in Africa.
Exploring motivation to engage in intraorganizational knowledge sharing: a mixed-methods approach
Authors: Zenk Lukas , Hynek Nicole , Edelmann Noella , Virkar Shefali , Parycek Peter , Steiner Gerald
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Intraorganizational knowledge and information sharing are important steps toward more-accessible organizational knowledge. The aim of this study is to qualitatively explore factors that contribute to employees' motivations for sustaining intraorganizational knowledge-sharing behaviors and to examine the impact of these factors in a quantitative study with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense. This ministry faces a retirement wave in the next 5–10 years. Intraorganizational knowledge sharing before, during, and following this wave will play a decisive role for the organization in the near future.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted. The study design involved a qualitative study phase with expert interviews and stakeholder workshops (n = 9) and a quantitative study phase based on a cross-sectional online survey with an implicit association test on intraorganizational knowledge sharing (n = 59).

Findings

In the qualitative study phase, three main research topics regarding intraorganizational knowledge sharing were identified: employee attitude, organizational support, and specific relational aspects of knowledge transfer, such as reciprocal relationships among employees and opportunities for knowledge exchange. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that perceived organizational support was the only factor that was a significant predictor of motivation for engaging in knowledge sharing. We also analyzed the data for moderation effects and demonstrated that sociopsychological factors (e.g., the engagement or openness of colleagues to share their knowledge) further strengthened the positive relationship between employees' perceived support and personal willingness to share knowledge.

Practical implications

We conclude that an organizational culture that supports knowledge sharing within the organization is highly relevant for motivating employees to share their knowledge. Practitioners will also benefit from the insights of the various dimensions of employees' willingness to engage in knowledge-sharing behaviors to better design further interventions in organizations.

Originality/value

In accordance with an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, we followed a transdisciplinary process in which scientific and practical experiences and knowledge were integrated. For this purpose, interviews and workshops with experts and stakeholders in the organization were conducted. The qualitative findings were incorporated into a quantitative survey and an implicit association test for the employees of the organization. This approach demonstrates a different and more holistic approach to analyzing a real-world problem in the context of a governmental agency in order to investigate the multidimensional and complex topic of intraorganizational knowledge sharing.
The multi-faceted impact of host country risk on the success of private participation in infrastructure projects
Authors: Jiménez Alfredo , Bayraktar Secil , Lee Jeoung Yul , Choi Seong-Jin
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the multi-faceted impact of host country risks on the success of private participation in infrastructure projects. The authors make a distinction between exogenous and endogenous risks, differentiating those that are completely beyond the control of the firm from those in which firms might exert some degree of influence to reduce the negative repercussions.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on logistic regression analyses, the authors analyze a sample of 10,350 private participation in infrastructure projects in 126 countries from 1997 to 2014.

Findings

The authors find that higher levels of exogenous risk are associated with a lower probability of project success, whereas they find no significant effect for endogenous risk.

Originality/value

By pointing to this differential effect, this study makes a contribution to the current debate in the literature on private participation projects.
Emotional intelligence in policing: a state-of-the-art review
Authors: Magny Obed , Todak Natalie
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Emotional intelligence (EI) reflects an ability to acknowledge one's own emotional state and keep one's emotions in balance while recognizing emotions in others, managing interactions and relationships with them and resolving conflict. Considering that police work largely involves interactions with others, the purpose of this paper is to offer a state-of-the-art review of the research on EI in policing.

Design/methodology/approach

Using several online databases, a literature search was performed to collect all peer reviewed studies on EI in policing from around the globe. The authors review the nature of this research and its major findings. They also summarize how EI was conceptualized and measured across studies.

Findings

The authors' search generated a list of 20 studies carried out in 9 countries. Almost all used survey methods and most adopted an ability-based model of EI. The most common area of focus was on correlates of EI in police officers (N = 12), followed by descriptive studies of EI in police officers (N = 5), and finally assessments of the relevance of EI for police training (N = 3).

Originality/value

Policing research has not paid enough attention to EI. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first effort to assess the state of this literature. With law enforcement agencies looking for ways to improve citizen trust and legitimacy worldwide, the preliminary evidence suggests EI warrants considerably more empirical and practical consideration.
Exploring resilience in adult daughter and spousal carers of people living with dementia in North West England: an ecological approach
Authors: Donnellan Warren James , Bennett Kate Mary , Watson Natalie
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Research has shown that informal carers of people living with dementia (PLWD) can be resilient in the face of caregiving challenges. However, little is known about resilience across different kinship ties. This study aims to update and build on our previous work, using an ecological resilience framework to identify and explore the factors that facilitate or hinder resilience across spousal and adult daughter carers of PLWD.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of 13 carers from North West England and analysed the data using a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2003).

Findings

Adult daughters were motivated to care out of reciprocity, whereas spouses were motivated to care out of marital duty. Spouses had a more positive and accepting attitude towards caregiving and were better able to maintain continuity, which facilitated their resilience.

Research limitations/implications

Resilience emerged on multiple levels and depended on the type of kinship tie, which supports an ecological approach to resilience. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper makes a novel contribution to the literature as it uses an in-depth qualitative methodology to compare resilience across spousal and adult daughter carers of PLWD. This study adopts an ecological approach to identify not just individual-level resilience resources but also interactive community- and societal-level resources.