bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What’s Left? Political orientation, economic conditions and incarceration in Greece under Syriza-led government
Authors: Cheliotis Leonidas K. , Xenakis Sappho
Published: November 2020

An important body of scholarly work has been produced over recent decades to explain variation in levels and patterns of state punishment across and within different countries around the world. Two variables that have curiously evaded systematic attention in this regard are, first, the orientation of incumbent governments along the political spectrum, and second, the experience and fiscal implications of national economic downturn. Although recent years have seen both variables receive somewhat greater consideration, there is still precious little research into the effects on state punishment that they have in interaction with one another. With a view to helping fill this gap in the literature, this article identifies the direction and assesses the extent of influence exerted by government political orientation, on the one hand, and by economic downturn alongside its fiscal repercussions, on the other hand, upon the evolution of incarceration in the context of contemporary Greece. In so doing, we offer a uniquely detailed account of carceral trends before and during the period that a coalition government led by the left-wing Syriza party was in power. With regard to carceral trends, the scope of our analysis extends beyond conventional imprisonment also to include immigration detention. As well as arguing that economic downturn can place crucial limits on a government’s ability to execute progressive plans in carceral matters, we additionally conclude that a government’s scope of action in this vein may be further restricted depending on the autonomy it can wield in defiance of foreign forces intervening in both economic and political realms.
An exploration of workplace learning of centre managers and educators in South African Adult Education and Training centres
Authors: Mukeredzi Tabitha G
Published: November 2020

Workplace learning is a critical aspect of both continuing professional education and human resource development. However, often providers, scholars and even the learners themselves pay little attention to the learning that actually happens in the workplace. The study sought to obtain insights into workplace learning of Adult Education and Training, centre managers and educators. Qualitative data generated through interviews and focus group discussions with 62 conveniently selected educators and centre managers in 18 Adult Education and Training centres were thematically analysed through a seven-step process. Educator workplace learning emerged around judgement, decision-making and problem solving, awareness and understanding, role and task performance and team work and passion. Data also indicated that the learning was tacit, surface, context-rooted and consequential to managing crises in the Adult Education and Training centres. The study recommends adequate resource provisioning to this sector by the Department of Higher Education and Training to promote deep learning-in-practice and to minimise the surface learning in crisis management that is prevalent in the centres. Adult Education and Training has to fulfil its mandate of contributing to economic development and transformation of broader society; however, without resource supports, this crucial role will remain a dream, which may force educators into paying lip-service to the work of educating adults.
El Sancocho, la Bandera y la Familia: The Social Life of Food and its Implications for Dominican Immigrant Health and Well-Being
Authors: Sprague Martinez Linda , Araujo Brinkerhoff Cristina , Conner Bailey , Troncoso Lama Magalis , Siqueira C. Eduardo , Negrón Rosalyn
Published: November 2020

In order to better understand factors that influence the health and well-being of Dominican immigrants, we explored the ways in which immigration influences cultural practices, health behavior, and health. Dominican immigrants (n = 42) took part in five reflective and unstructured group discussions and (n = 5) participated in an intergenerational photovoice group. The loss of the familial and social context in which Dominican dietary practices traditionally take place was a salient theme. For participants, eating became a rushed, perfunctory activity involving fewer people and less socializing. Dietary practices in the Dominican Republic are set in the context of familial norms and social processes, which provide support as well as opportunities for socializing and the transmission of cultural practices across generations. In the United States, broader sociopolitical forces are guided by individualism and do not support the development or maintenance of these factors for Dominicans. Policies that promote work–life balance may have important implications for dietary practices in new immigrant communities.
Polyspikes and Rhythmic Polyspikes During Volatile Induction of General Anesthesia With Sevoflurane Result in Bispectral Index Variations
Authors: Stasiowski Michał J. , Duława Anna , Król Seweryn , Marciniak Radosław , Kaspera Wojciech , Niewiadomska Ewa , Krawczyk Lech , Ładziński Piotr , Grabarek Beniamin O. , Jałowiecki Przemysław
Published: November 2020

Background

Although electroencephalography (EEG)-based indices may show artifactual values, raw EEG signal is seldom used to monitor the depth of volatile induction of general anesthesia (VIGA). The current analysis aimed to identify whether bispectral index (BIS) variations reliably reflect the actual depth of general anesthesia during presence of different types of epileptiform patterns (EPs) in EEGs during induction of general anesthesia.

Methods

Sixty patients receiving either VIGA with sevoflurane using increasing concentrations (group VIMA) or vital capacity (group VCRII) technique or intravenous single dose of propofol (group PROP) were included. Monitoring included facial electromyography (fEMG), fraction of inspired sevoflurane (FiAA), fraction of expired sevoflurane (FeAA), minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane, BIS, standard EEG, and hemodynamic parameters.

Results

In the PROP group no EPs were observed. During different stages of VIGA with sevoflurane in the VIMA and VCRII groups, presence of polyspikes and rhythmic polyspikes in patients’ EEGs resulted in artifactual BIS values indicating a false awareness/wakefulness from anesthesia, despite no concomitant change of FiAA, FeAA, and MAC of sevoflurane. Periodic epileptiform discharges did not result in aberrant BIS values.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that raw EEG correlate it with values of BIS, FiAA, FeAA, and MAC of sevoflurane during VIGA. It seems that because artifactual BIS values indicating false awareness/wakefulness as a result of presence of polyspikes and rhythmic polyspikes in patients’ EEGs may be misleading to an anesthesiologist, leading to unintentional administration of toxic concentration of sevoflurane in ventilation gas.
Combining Cognitive Task Analysis and Participatory Design Methods to Elicit and Represent Task Flows
Authors: Papautsky Elizabeth Lerner , Strouse Robert , Dominguez Cindy
Published: November 2020

Representations of step-by-step procedures, such as task flows, are developed and used to support technology design and evaluation as well as for training purposes in complex work domains. However, task flows may not represent how people carry out work under uncertainty, time pressure, or high-risk conditions. We combined methods of cognitive task analysis and participatory design, resulting in a new approach for developing task flows. This approach accounts for both cognitive and behavioral work and explicitly represents its dynamic nature. Additional advantages of this approach include flexibility and adaptiveness to help overcome challenges of conducting research in real-world domains, including time constraints and access to subject matter experts. We demonstrate this approach in the context of developing a task flow for a submarine watch team’s use of an updated imaging system to maintain the ship’s safety by forming and maintaining a picture of the external environment. We provide a detailed description of each phase as well as a domain-neutral ready-to-use job aid.
A Gendered Look at Latinx General Strain Theory
Authors: Isom Deena A. , Grosholz Jessica M. , Whiting Serita , Beck Tylor
Published: November 2020

This study investigates gendered differences within Latinx experiences using a GST framework. We address four hypotheses: (1) Latinos and Latinas will vary in their degrees of risk for and resilience against criminal behavior; (2) Latinos and Latinas will experience strains to various degrees; (3) Latinos are more likely to respond to strain with violent and serious crime than Latinas due to the types of strains they face and their varying degrees of risk and resilience; and (4) ethnic identity will provide different degrees of resilience against violent and serious offending between Latinos and Latinas. Implications are discussed.
General fractional financial models of awareness with Caputo–Fabrizio derivative
Authors: Mahdy Amr MS , Amer Yasser Abd Elaziz , Mohamed Mohamed S , Sobhy Eslam
Published: November 2020

A Caputo–Fabrizio (CF) form a fractional-system mathematical model for the fractional financial models of awareness is suggested. The fundamental attributes of the model are explored. The existence and uniqueness of the suggest fractional financial models of awareness solutions are given through the fixed point hypothesis. The non-number request subordinate gives progressively adaptable and more profound data about the multifaceted nature of the elements of the proposed partial budgetary models of mindfulness model than the whole number request models set up previously. In order to confirm the theoretical results and numerical simulations studies with Caputo derivative are offered.
Late hematogenous seeding and infection of a femoropopliteal Omniflow II bypass
Authors: Mufty Hozan , Houthoofd Sabrina , Daenens Kim , Fourneau Inge
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Omniflow II is promoted as an infection-resistant vascular graft. It is used to treat vascular graft infection; nevertheless, early graft infection has been reported. Report: A 71-year-old patient was treated with an Omniflow II bypass for a non-healing diabetic foot ulcer. Seven months postoperatively, late infection occurred secondary to hematogenous spread from a persistent foot infection.

Conclusion

We report on the first case of late infection of an Omniflow II vascular graft caused by hematogenous spread. Despite promising results of the Omniflow II graft in the treatment of vascular graft infection, late infection may not be avoided.
Age-related gene expression changes in lumbar spinal cord: Implications for neuropathic pain
Authors: Mayhew Jack A , Cummins Mitchell J , Cresswell Ethan T , Callister Robert J , Smith Doug W , Graham Brett A
Published: November 2020

Clinically, pain has an uneven incidence throughout lifespan and impacts more on the elderly. In contrast, preclinical models of pathological pain have typically used juvenile or young adult animals to highlight the involvement of glial populations, proinflammatory cytokines, and chemokines in the onset and maintenance of pathological signalling in the spinal dorsal horn. The potential impact of this mismatch is also complicated by the growing appreciation that the aged central nervous system exists in a state of chronic inflammation because of enhanced proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine signalling and glial activation. To address this issue, we investigated the impact of aging on the expression of genes that have been associated with neuropathic pain, glial signalling, neurotransmission and neuroinflammation. We used qRT-PCR to quantify gene expression and focussed on the dorsal horn of the spinal cord as this is an important perturbation site in neuropathic pain. To control for global vs region-specific age-related changes in gene expression, the ventral half of the spinal cord was examined. Our results show that expression of proinflammatory chemokines, pattern recognition receptors, and neurotransmitter system components was significantly altered in aged (24–32 months) versus young mice (2–4 months). Notably, the magnitude and direction of these changes were spinal-cord region dependent. For example, expression of the chemokine, Cxcl13, increased 119-fold in dorsal spinal cord, but only 2-fold in the ventral spinal cord of old versus young mice. Therefore, we propose the dorsal spinal cord of old animals is subject to region-specific alterations that prime circuits for the development of pathological pain, potentially in the absence of the peripheral triggers normally associated with these conditions.
The effects of metals and ligands on the oxidation of n-octane using iridium and rhodium “PNP” aminodiphosphine complexes
Authors: Naicker Dunesha , Alapour Saba , Friedrich Holger B
Published: November 2020

Ir and Rh “PNP” complexes with different ligands are utilized for the oxidation of n-octane. Based on the obtained conversion, selectivity, and the characterized recovered catalysts, it is found that the combination of Ir and the studied ligands does not promote the redox mechanism that is known to result in selective formation of oxo and peroxo compounds [desired species for C(1) activation]. Instead, they support a deeper oxidation mechanism, and thus higher selectivity for ketones and acids is obtained. In contrast, these ligands seem to tune the electron density around the Rh (in the Rh-PNP complexes), and thus result in a higher n-octane conversion and improved selectivity for the C(1) activated products, with minimized deeper oxidation, in comparison to Ir-PNP catalysts.
Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake of hurlers
Authors: Murphy John , O’Reilly James
Published: November 2020

The current study investigated the association between sports nutrition knowledge and dietary quality in a sample of adult Irish male hurling players. Nutrition knowledge was measured by the validated Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ). Diet quality was measured by the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) calculated from food frequency questionnaire data. Analysis of variance and linear modelling were used to assess associations between variables. A total of 265 (129 elite, 136 sub-elite) players were recruited. No significant difference in nutrition knowledge (SNKQ) was found between groups. Results showed a significant difference (p = 0.02; d = 0.39 ± 0.25; small) in food score (ARFS) between groups. A weak, positive association (r = 0.3, p = 0.007) was found between nutrition knowledge and food score. Elite level players, aged 28–32, with college degrees, that have previously received nutritional guidance displayed the highest levels of both nutrition knowledge and food score. Higher levels of nutrition knowledge and food score were expected in elite players, however were only found in food score. Nutrition knowledge does contribute to dietary quality although future interventions should focus on specific gaps in knowledge such as how to meet total energy/carbohydrate requirements.
Job stressors, strain, and psychological wellbeing among women sports coaches
Authors: Didymus Faye F , Norman Leanne , Hurst Megan , Clarke Nicola J
Published: November 2020

Despite a globally recognised need for inclusive diversity among sport workforces, women are underrepresented in the inherently stressful profession of sports coaching. This study aimed to work with women sports coaches to answer the following research questions: 1) What demographic and contract-related factors are associated with job stressors? 2) What associations exist between job stressors, strain, and psychological wellbeing (PWB) at work? Women coaches (n = 217) volunteered to complete the revised version of An Organizational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET). Path analyses identified several groups of coaches (head coaches, “other” coaches, disabled coaches) who experienced more job stressors related to their coaching work. They also highlighted the importance of workload stressors and their detrimental relationship with psychological and physical strain but positive relationship with sense of purpose (i.e., eudaimonic wellbeing). Collectively, these findings offer the first assessment of women coaches’ job stressors, strain, and PWB, and offer insight to factors that may influence coaches’ engagement with the profession. They also highlight intervention foci for national governing bodies that are seeking to protect the health and wellbeing of the women coaches within their workforce.
Small ubiquitin-related modifier 2 affects the intracellular survival of Brucella abortus 2308 by regulating activation of the NF-κB pathway
Authors: Wang Yueli , Xi Jing , Wu Peng , Zhang Huan , Deng Xiaoyu , Wang Yong , Ma Zhongchen , Yi Jihai , Chen Chuangfu
Published: November 2020

Brucella is a genus of Gram-negative intracellular pathogens that cause animal and human diseases. Brucella survival and replication inside immune cells is critical for the establishment of chronic infections. Protein modifications by small ubiquitin-related modifier proteins and the NF-κB pathway are involved in many cellular activities, playing major roles in regulating protein function that is essential for pathogenic bacteria during infection. However, the relationship between them in the intracellular survival of Brucella is still largely unknown. We demonstrated that Brucella abortus 2308 infection can activate the expression of small ubiquitin-related modifier-2 proteins in a time-dependent manner. We found the production of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α) and the transcription of NF-κB/p65 were promoted by overexpression and inhibited by interference of small ubiquitin-related modifier-2. In addition, we showed that small ubiquitin-related modifier-2 can inhibit intracellular survival of Brucella abortus 2308 by regulating activation of the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, this work shows that small ubiquitin-related modifier-2 modification of NF-κB2/p65 is essential for the survival of Brucella abortus 2308 inside macrophages. This work may help to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms of Brucella infections.
cAMP levels regulate macrophage alternative activation marker expression
Authors: Polumuri Swamy , Perkins Darren J , Vogel Stefanie N
Published: November 2020

The capacity for macrophages to polarize into distinct functional activation states (e.g., M1, M2) is critical to tune an inflammatory response to the relevant infection or injury. Alternative or M2 polarization of macrophages is most often achieved in vitro in response to IL-4/IL-13 and results in the transcriptional up-regulation of a constellation of characteristic M2 marker genes. In vivo, additional signals from the inflammatory milieu can further increase or decrease M2 marker expression. Particularly, activation of cAMP-generating G protein-coupled receptors is reported to increase M2 markers, but whether this is strictly dependent upon cAMP production is unclear. We report herein that increased cAMP alone can increase IL-4-dependent M2 marker expression through a PKA/C/EBPβ/CREB dependent pathway in murine macrophages.
Sinusitis as a cause of insidious headache in a pregnant woman: A case report
Authors: Yang Sara , Han Jane J , Patadia Monica
Published: November 2020

Background

The incidence of headaches during pregnancy is 35%. Although ruling out pre-eclampsia as a possible cause for headache is important in the pregnant population, acute sinusitis should remain on the differential as it occurs six times more frequently in pregnant women. Untreated disease can lead to rare intracranial complications such as a subdural empyema. Case presentation: 21-year-old female with recurring headaches at 33 weeks of gestation was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia with severe features requiring emergent caesarean section. The woman continued to have altered mental status and focal neurologic deficits after delivery. Computerized tomography head imaging demonstrated a subdural collection discovered to be an empyema due to unilateral acute sinusitis of odontogenic origin.

Conclusion

Maintaining a clinical suspicion for acute sinusitis as a cause of headache in a pregnant woman is important for prompt diagnosis and treatment before it develops into a rare intracranial complication.
Trust in Colombia’s Justicia Especial Para La Paz: Experimental Evidence
Authors: Botero Sandra
Published: November 2020

Research on the determinants of institutional trust in courts that are part of transitional justice frameworks is scarce. This article relies on experimental evidence to explore whether features of the case and the ruling play a role in citizens’ attitudes towards the Justicia Especial para la Paz, Colombia’s transitional justice tribunal. I evaluate whether the profile of the accused and whether or not he is sentenced to the most lenient of restorative justice measures have an effect on trust. I find that support for the decision is lower for restorative sentences than for more punitive sentences, and that whether or not the acussed was a former guerrilla combatant or a member of the military does not influence evaluations. This research contributes to our understanding of how citizens in countries dealing with the aftermath of violence perceive the institutions devised to adjudicate on the atrocities of conflict.
Pitfall to Peace: FARC’s Political Participation and Mass Support for Peace Talks in Colombia
Authors: Carlin Ryan E. , Love Gregory J. , McCoy Jennifer L. , Subotić Jelena
Published: November 2020

Transforming armed groups into legitimate political actors is often considered an ideal way to settle armed internal conflicts. In democracies, the efficacy of such approaches depends on the public legitimacy that the citizenry grants them. How does the prospect of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia’s (FARC’s) political participation influence citizens’ support for the peace process? This study addresses this question by triangulating evidence from three separate studies: (1) regression analysis using face-to-face nationally representative survey data, as well as (2) a vignette experiment and (3) a conjoint analysis, both conducted online with national samples of Colombians. Though methodologically distinct, each analysis converges on a singular conclusion: mass support for the integration of ex-FARC guerrillas into democratic politics damaged support for negotiated peace, often to similar or greater degrees than mass support for transitional justice mechanisms. We suspect this reflects citizens’ fear of undermining democratic representation, the legitimacy of democratic institutions, and electoral integrity.
Multiple Irrelevant Duration Information Affects the Perception of Relevant Duration Information: Interference With Selective Processing of Duration
Authors: Kawahara Hitomi , Yotsumoto Yuko
Published: November 2020

In the human visual environment, the ability to perceive only relevant duration is important for various activities. However, a relatively small number of studies have investigated how humans process multiple durations, in comparison with the processing of one or two durations. We investigated the effects of multiple irrelevant durations on the perception of relevant duration. In four behavioral experiments, the participants were instructed to pay attention to a target stimulus while ignoring the distractors; then, they reproduced the target duration. We manipulated three aspects of the distractors: number, duration range, and cortical distance to the target. The results showed that the presence of multiple irrelevant durations interfered with the processing of relevant duration in terms of the mean perceived duration and the variability of the perceived duration. The interference was directional; that is, longer (shorter) irrelevant durations made the reproduced durations longer (shorter). Moreover, the interference was not likely to depend on the cortical distance between the target and the distractors, suggesting an involvement of relatively higher cortical areas. These results demonstrate that multiple irrelevant duration information affects the temporal processing of relevant duration information and suggest that multiple independent clocks assigned to each of the durations may not exist.
Risk stratification in heart failure with mild reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Magrì Damiano , Gallo Giovanna , Parati Gianfranco , Cicoira Mariantonietta , Senni Michele
Published: November 2020

Heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction represents a heterogeneous and relatively young heart failure category accounting for nearly 20–30% of the overall heart failure population. Due to its complex phenotype, a reliable clinical picture of heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction patients as well as a definite risk stratification are still relevant unsolved issues. In such a context, there is growing interest in a comprehensive functional assessment by means of a cardiopulmonary exercise test, yet considered a cornerstone in the clinical management of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Indeed, the cardiopulmonary exercise test has also been found to be particularly useful in the heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction category, several cardiopulmonary exercise test-derived parameters being associated with a poor outcome. In particular, a recent contribution by the metabolic exercise combined with cardiac and kidney indexes research group showed an independent association between the peak oxygen uptake and pure cardiovascular mortality in a large cohort of recovered heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction patients. Contextually, the same study supplied an easy approach to identify a high-risk heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction subset by using a combination of peak oxygen uptake and ventilatory efficiency cut-off values, namely 55% of the maximum predicted and 31, respectively. Thus, looking at the above-mentioned promising results and waiting for specific trials, it is reasonable to consider cardiopulmonary exercise test assessment as part of the heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction work-up in order to identify those patients with an unfavourable functional profile who probably deserve a close clinical follow-up and, probably, more aggressive therapeutic strategies.
A pediatric patient with hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome without persistent hypertension in acute phase: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Hinokuma Nodoka , Sakurai Shunsuke , Shiratori Atsutoshi , Nagahara Keiko , Abe Yoshifusa , Shimizu Takeshi , Fujii Takanari , Mizuno Katsumi , Tomita Hideshi
Published: November 2020

Hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome is characterized by hypertension, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia due to unilateral renal artery stenosis. We herein report a 1-year-old hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome infant without persistent hypertension in the acute phase. On the ninth hospital day, his systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased up to 154–160 and 70–84 mmHg, respectively. Acute gastroenteritis and dehydration might transiently mask his hypertension. By percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty for right renal artery, his blood pressure finally normalized without antihypertensive drugs. We reviewed 23 previously reported pediatric patients with hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome under the age of 15 years. Including our patient, there are only three reports on hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome without persistent hypertension in the acute phase. Hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome is curable with proper diagnosis and timely intervention. Therefore, pediatricians should pay attention to the signs and symptoms associated with hyponatremic hypertensive syndrome, even if persistent hypertension was absent in the acute phase.
Nickel allergy in lipid transfer protein sensitized patients: Prevalence and clinical features
Authors: Rizzi Angela , Chini Raffaella , Inchingolo Riccardo , Carusi Valentina , Pandolfi Franco , Gasbarrini Antonio , Nucera Eleonora
Published: November 2020

Nickel (Ni), the main responsible for allergic contact dermatitis worldwide, is also involved in systemic condition called “Systemic Nickel Sulfate Allergy Syndrome (SNAS).” Likewise, IgE-mediated reactivity to Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP) represents the main cause of primary food allergy in adults of Mediterranean countries. We evaluated the prevalence of SNAS in LTP allergic patients and investigated patients’ clinical features with double sensitization (LTP and Ni). A retrospective, single-center, observational study was conducted performing a complete allergological work-up including: (1) skin prick tests; (2) serum specific IgE for plant food allergens and rPru p3 (LTP); (3) patch test with 5% Ni sulfate in petrolatum. We enrolled 140 LTP allergic patients of which 36 patients (25.7% of sample) showed additional positivity to Ni patch test. Patients with double sensitization were more frequently females and reported fewer cutaneous symptoms. Higher values of sIgE for peach, apple, peanut, walnut, grain, corn, and garlic were found in LTP allergic patients, while higher values for hazelnut in the other subgroup. The prevalence of SNAS in the LTP allergic population is clinically relevant. Moreover, the clinical and immunological profiles of patients with double sensitization were different from patients monosensitized to LTP.
Building a High Customer Experience Management Organization: Toward Customer-Centricity
Authors: Ceesay Lamin B.
Published: November 2020

The dynamics involving market competition and the challenges of dealing with empowered customers, mean that creating and delivering relevant customer experience (CX) of service, is as important as creating product or services. Several studies have treated customer experience as though a front-desk, sales-point affair with the customer in the retailing environment, negating the critical role of organization-wide efforts in the overall customer experience management sequence. This review, however, adopts customer-centricity, as a theoretical lens to underscore the [re]configuration of organizational-level factors that are critical to adopting a high customer-experience centered organization. Based on the review, we highlight conditions for adopting high customer experience management organization: (a) developing an integrated CX strategy, (b) CX-based knowledge management, (c) organizational re-design that supports CX-management, (d) top management commitment, (e) integrated CX IT systems, and (f) CX-oriented HR policies. These practices are only necessary conditions, but not sufficient, for creating, delivering relevant and sustainable customer experience. However, more robust empirical studies are needed to advance the application of organization-wide customer experience management, which vary across industry, products/services, and sector.
Investigating the Impact of the Announcement of Loan Moratorium on Stock Prices: Evidence from Indian Public Sector Banks
Authors: Bhattacharjee Animesh , Kumari Madhu , Das Joy
Published: November 2020

The present article applies event study methodology in an attempt to investigate the impact of the announcement of 3-month moratorium by Reserve Bank of India on Indian public sector bank equity returns. For the present study, the estimation period is considered to be 120 trading days while the event window is considered to be 21 trading days. To compute the expected returns, the study uses a single-index model or the market model proposed by Fama [Fama, E., 1976. Foundations of finance. Basic Books]. The findings of the study suggest that the market responded to the news relating to the liquidity infusion by the Reserve Bank of India, falling global indices, development of potential coronavirus vaccine, and the announcement of 3 weeks period lockdown. The study further concluded that the market anticipated that the government may announce loan moratorium since industry bodies like The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry have recommended loan moratorium in order to safeguard the business enterprises especially the micro-, small- and medium-enterprise sector. Thus, the adjustment in the bank stock prices occurred before the announcement of the 3-month loan moratorium and as a consequence the average annual return on day ED-0 is found to be insignificant.
Developing Physical Exam Skills in Residency: Comparing the Perspectives of Residents and Faculty About Values, Barriers, and Teaching Methods
Authors: Ragsdale John W. , Habashy Catherine , Warrier Sarita
Published: November 2020

Background:

The physical examination (PE) skills of residents are often not improved since medical school. Unfortunately, how residents learn PE is not well understood. There is a paucity of research on the factors involved and the differences between resident and faculty perspectives. The authors sought to determine resident and faculty perceptions about the value of PE, the major barriers to learning PE, and the most effective teaching methods.

Methods:

Based on a rigorous process of literature review and semi-structured interviews, the authors developed an online survey which was sent to 406 internal medicine residents and 93 faculty at 3 institutions. Residents and faculty answered questions about both their own opinions and about their perception of the other group’s opinions.

Results:

About 283 residents (70%) and 61 faculty (66%) completed the survey. Both residents and faculty rated the importance of PE similarly. Residents rated being too busy, followed by a lack of feedback, as the most significant barriers to learning PE. Faculty rated a lack of feedback, followed by a lack of resident accountability, as the most significant barriers. Both groups rated the availability of abnormal findings as the least significant barrier. Both groups agreed that faculty demonstration at the bedside was the most effective teaching method.

Conclusion:

This survey can serve as a needs assessment for educational interventions to improve the PE skills of residents by focusing on areas of agreement between residents and faculty, specifically faculty demonstration at the bedside combined with feedback about residents’ skills.
Modeling the impacts of park access on health outcomes: A utility-based accessibility approach
Authors: Macfarlane Gregory S , Boyd Nico , Taylor John E , Watkins Kari
Published: November 2020

Recent research has underscored the potential for public green spaces to influence individual and societal health outcomes, but empirical measurements of such influences have yielded mixed results to date, with particular disagreement surrounding how access to parks ought to be defined while controlling for alternate explanations. In this paper, we apply a comprehensive measure of park accessibility drawn from random utility choice theory, which avoids arbitrary assertions of proximity while incorporating potentially numerous amenities and attributes of both the parks and the population. We apply this utility-based accessibility measure to correlate Census tract-level obesity and physical activity rate estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 500 Cities project with tract-level American Community Survey socioeconomic data in New York City, paired with geographic open space data from New York City. Controlling for the socioeconomic variables and spatially correlated error terms, we show a positive and significant relationship between park access and physical activity rates. The data also suggest a negative relationship between park access and obesity rates, beyond what is expected through physical activity and socioeconomics. In doing so, this research contributes a more comprehensive modeling approach for measuring the impact of park access on health, and may improve our understanding of the role parks and access to them can serve in furthering public health objectives.
A data-driven mobility–energy typology framework for New York State
Authors: Rames Clement , Wilson Alāna M , Zimny-Schmitt Daniel , Neri Carolina , Sperling Joshua , Romero-Lankao Patricia
Published: November 2020

Exploring multidimensional aspects of differences in technology adoption, travel, and vehicle ownership across settlement types can help inform energy-efficient and affordable mobility system goals. At the same time, mapping key enablers, barriers, and risks for successfully meeting ambitious goals and targets (e.g. by geography, age, income, education, population density) offer important explanatory power as to context-specific challenges and opportunities. This paper explores how a highly geographically resolved understanding of social, economic, techno-infrastructural, environmental, and governance (SET EG) factors shape variations in technology adoption and associated mobility and energy outcomes in diverse communities of New York State, in terms of electric vehicle adoption rates, alternative commute mode choices, vehicles per household, and vehicle fuel economy. Results indicate the range of two to three times higher adoption rates for electric vehicles by more highly educated, wealthier, “Core Urban” populations relative to the other identified typologies, given the labels “Rural”, “Suburban”, and “Urban” populations. Additionally, commute mode choice is closely linked with population and employment density—more than 89% of Core Urbanites use transit or active modes, compared with just 26% and 18% of Suburban and Rural residents, respectively. Household vehicle ownership varies from approximately 1.9 vehicles per household in Rural areas to only 0.6 in Core Urban settings. Findings on differences among the four settlement types, which go beyond simply rural to urban contexts, suggest an important need to explore how best to manage and anticipate very different types of services that may be supportive in achieving energy-efficient and affordable mobility systems statewide.
Engaging City Residents in Climate Action: Addressing the Personal and Group Value-Base Behind Residents’ Climate Actions
Authors: Bouman Thijs , Steg Linda
Published: November 2020

Cities can play a pivotal role in accelerating climate action, that is, climate mitigation and adaption. Yet, the success of cities’ climate strategies strongly depends on the cities’ residents, who often have to accept, adopt, undertake and participate in climate actions. This article discusses how a better understanding of city residents’ motives—particularly the personal and group values that underlie their climate actions—could foster climate action in cities. Importantly, it engages with the rich literature in the social sciences on personal values, which—though typically overlooked by policymakers—highlights the relevance of focusing on personal biospheric values (i.e., caring about nature and the environment) in explaining and promoting residents’ climate actions. Additionally, the article provides novel insights into how perceived biospheric group values (i.e., the extent to which relevant groups are perceived to endorse biospheric values) can strengthen the value-base for climate actions, particularly among those residents who weakly endorse biospheric values. Critically, it provides concrete examples of how cities can strengthen the group value-base for climate actions, thereby showing how cities can play a unique role in engaging residents in climate action.
Urbanisation Through Brick Kilns: The Interrelationship Between Appropriation of Nature and Labour Regimes
Authors: Mishra Pratik
Published: November 2020

This article follows the emergence and growth of a brick kiln cluster in Khanda village on the periphery of the Delhi’s National Capital Region agglomeration. Khanda’s landscape and ecology have been profoundly altered and shaped by brick kilns in what can be taken as a manifestation of extended urbanisation. This urbanisation is not only bound up with the urban demand for bricks but is also mediated by various situated processes that are not city-centred. The article draws attention to a number of these processes—Khanda’s history of agrarian decline as a condition of possibility for the kiln cluster, the upscaled metabolism of the soil with changing forms of commodification and the emergence of new labour processes that alter as well as reproduce historical relations of production particular to brick kilns. The article establishes dialogue between the fields of agrarian urbanism and urban political ecology to develop a situated critique of the metabolism of brick kilns. It also brings brick kilns into Marxist debates on the interrelationship between nature and labour within capitalist production through a discussion on the changing modes of appropriation of soil and its relation to everyday practices of working the soil.
Exploring Entrepreneurship Education Effectiveness at British Universities – An Application of the World Café Method
Authors: Decker-Lange Carolin , Lange Knut , Dhaliwal Spinder , Walmsley Andreas
Published: November 2020

Universities have made significant investments in entrepreneurship programs for decades, but the scope, relevance and usefulness of entrepreneurship education are still questioned. This study aims to explore the meaning of effectiveness as it relates to entrepreneurship education in a grounded and holistic sense, recognizing both the range of stakeholders involved in the design, delivery and experience of entrepreneurship education and the underlying complexity of the issue at hand. Two World Café events, a method designed to elicit grounded knowledge, were organized to seek insights from a diverse range of stakeholders. Results confirm and illustrate the complex nature of effectiveness in entrepreneurship education. The purpose of specific educational initiatives, diverse audiences’ expectations and contextual factors must be considered in any meaningful attempt at identifying effectiveness. Findings also revealed a consensus that effectiveness relates to creating a transformational process, which leads to a shift in attitudes towards entrepreneurship. This shift prepares students for careers that go beyond the launch of a new venture. The role of time lags in assessing effectiveness was also identified. We suggest an agenda for future research and practical implications.
Blame Game Theory: Scapegoating, Whistleblowing and Discursive Struggles following Accusations of Organizational Misconduct
Authors: Roulet Thomas J. , Pichler Rasmus
Published: November 2020

Research on organizational misconduct has examined how audiences generate discourses to make sense of behaviour that may transgress the line between right and wrong. However, when organizations are accused of misconduct, the resulting ambiguity also opens opportunities for organizations and their members to generate discourses aimed at deflecting blame. Little is known about how actors who are at risk of being held responsible actively respond to misconduct accusations by engaging in discursive strategies. To address this question, we build on crisis communication and discourse theory to integrate processes of scapegoating and whistleblowing into a holistic model. We develop a blame game theory – conceptualizing the sequence of discursive strategies employed by an organization and its members to strategically shift blame by attributing responsibility to others or denying misconduct. Our model identifies four blame game pathways as a function of two types of ambiguity: moral ambiguity and attributional ambiguity. We highlight accusations of misconduct as pivotal triggering events in the social construction of misconduct. By conceptualizing the discursive dynamics of strategic reactions to accusations of misconduct, our blame game theory contributes to the literature on organizational misconduct and has implications for research on social evaluations.
Effects of Tacrolimus and Other Immune Targeting Compounds on Binge-Like Ethanol Drinking in High Drinking in the Dark Mice
Authors: Grigsby Kolter B , Savarese Antonia M , Metten Pamela , Mason Barbara J , Blednov Yuri A , Crabbe John C , Ozburn Angela R
Published: November 2020

High Drinking in the Dark (HDID-1) mice represent a unique genetic risk model of binge-like drinking and a novel means of screening potential pharmacotherapies to treat alcohol use disorders (AUDs). We tested the effects of tacrolimus (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg), sirolimus (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA; 0, 75, 150, and 225 mg/kg), and secukinumab (0, 5, 20, and 60 mg/kg) on binge-like ethanol intake (2-day, “Drinking in the Dark” [DID]) and blood alcohol levels (BALs) in HDID-1 mice. Tacrolimus reduced ethanol intake and BALs. Tacrolimus had no effect on water intake, but reduced saccharin intake. There was no effect of sirolimus, PEA, or secukinumab on ethanol intake or BALs. These results compare and contrast with previous work addressing these compounds or their targeted mechanisms of action on ethanol drinking, highlighting the importance of screening a wide range of models and genotypes to inform the role of neuroimmune signaling in AUDs.
DNA methylation during human adipogenesis and the impact of fructose
Authors: Tini Giulia , Varma Vijayalakshmi , Lombardo Rosario , Nolen Greg T. , Lefebvre Gregory , Descombes Patrick , Métairon Sylviane , Priami Corrado , Kaput Jim , Scott-Boyer Marie-Pier
Published: November 2020

Background

Increased adipogenesis and altered adipocyte function contribute to the development of obesity and associated comorbidities. Fructose modified adipocyte metabolism compared to glucose, but the regulatory mechanisms and consequences for obesity are unknown. Genome-wide methylation and global transcriptomics in SGBS pre-adipocytes exposed to 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM fructose, added to a 5-mM glucose-containing medium, were analyzed at 0, 24, 48, 96, 192, and 384 h following the induction of adipogenesis.

Results

Time-dependent changes in DNA methylation compared to baseline (0 h) occurred during the final maturation of adipocytes, between 192 and 384 h. Larger percentages (0.1% at 192 h, 3.2% at 384 h) of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found in adipocytes differentiated in the glucose-containing control media compared to adipocytes differentiated in fructose-supplemented media (0.0006% for 10 mM, 0.001% for 5 mM, and 0.005% for 2.5 mM at 384 h). A total of 1437 DMRs were identified in 5237 differentially expressed genes at 384 h post-induction in glucose-containing (5 mM) control media. The majority of them inversely correlated with the gene expression, but 666 regions were positively correlated to the gene expression.

Conclusions

Our studies demonstrate that DNA methylation regulates or marks the transformation of morphologically differentiating adipocytes (seen at 192 h), to the more mature and metabolically robust adipocytes (as seen at 384 h) in a genome-wide manner. Lower (2.5 mM) concentrations of fructose have the most robust effects on methylation compared to higher concentrations (5 and 10 mM), suggesting that fructose may be playing a signaling/regulatory role at lower concentrations of fructose and as a substrate at higher concentrations.