bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The factors influencing Saudi Arabian women's persistence in nontraditional work careers
Authors: Dukhaykh Suad , Bilimoria Diana
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence Saudi Arabian women to persist in nontraditional work careers, which are primarily in gender-integrated work environments and male-dominated industries.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was conducted based on semistructured interviews with 30 Saudi women – 18 of whom were working in nontraditional careers and 12 of whom had worked in nontraditional careers but subsequently left to pursue more traditional, female-associated career opportunities. Interview data were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory methods.

Findings

Distinct similarities and differences between the two subsamples emerged from the data. Similarities between the two groups included men's underestimation of women's performance, lack of access to workplace sites and resources, male colleagues' cultural fears of violating gender norms and social rejection of women in the workplace. Women who persisted in nontraditional work careers articulated a high level of self-efficacy, an optimistic future vision, positive relationships with male colleagues and family support, which enabled them to persevere despite numerous difficulties associated with working in a male-dominated environment. A conceptual model is developed that integrates the findings explaining Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.

Research limitations/implications

Self-reported data and a small sample size are the main limitations of this study.

Practical implications

Male managers of women in nontraditional work settings are encouraged to engage positively with women professionals in their teams and to provide opportunities for growth and development for all members of the workforce. Saudi public policy decision-makers, families, educators and organizations interested in retaining and increasing female workforce participation should take into account the factors influencing Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.

Originality/value

Although some studies in Western contexts have addressed the factors that influence the persistence of women in nontraditional careers, less work has been done in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) sociocultural context. Specifically, in the present study, the authors investigate the factors that influence women's persistence in nontraditional careers in Saudi Arabia's high gender-role-oriented culture.
Knowledge sharing in the construction supply chain: collaborative innovation activities and BIM application on innovation performance
Authors: Shi Qiao , Wang Qiankun , Guo Zeng
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aimed to examine the role of knowledge sharing among member enterprises between collaborative innovation activities and innovation performance and between building information modeling (BIM) application and innovation performance in the construction supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation model was used in this study. First, the hypothesis of the relationship between collaborative innovation activities, BIM application, knowledge sharing and innovation performance in the construction supply chain was proposed based on experience; then, the research data were collected by investigation; finally, this hypothesis was tested through data analysis.

Findings

(1) Collaborative innovation activities in the construction supply chain had a positive impact on explicit knowledge sharing, tacit knowledge sharing and innovation performance. (2) BIM application had a positive impact on explicit knowledge sharing and innovation performance, while it had no significant impact on tacit knowledge sharing. (3) Explicit knowledge sharing had no positive effect on innovation performance, while tacit knowledge sharing had positive effect on organizational performance. (4) Tacit knowledge sharing produced partial mediating effect between collaborative innovation activities, BIM application and innovation performance, while explicit knowledge sharing produced complete mediating effect between BIM application and tacit knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

A relationship model among collaborative innovation activities, BIM application, explicit and tacit knowledge sharing and innovation performance in the construction supply chain was proposed, and the rationality of the model was verified by empirical analysis. Discovering the relationships between these factors can be not only conducive to mastering the effect of explicit and tacit knowledge sharing in the collaborative innovation process of construction supply chain, but also play a guiding role for the function development of BIM.
Modeling factors affecting online learning adoption: mediating role of attitude
Authors: Singh Ram , Tewari Alok
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The study aims to model the factors influencing online learning adoption by Indian students as well as examine the mediating effect of attitude on the proposed relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted online using a well-structured questionnaire. The target respondents of the study were students of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in India. Structural equation modeling was employed on a final sample of 402 respondents to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results reveal that there is a significant impact of the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, peer influence and self-esteem on attitude toward online learning. Further, attitude significantly mediates the impact of these factors on intention to adopt online learning.

Originality/value

The study is one of the initial attempts in the backdrop of the pandemic to examine the mediating role of attitude in affecting intention to adopt online learning by university students in India.
Research on clothing patterns generation based on multi-scales self-attention improved generative adversarial network
Authors: Yu Zi-yan , Luo Tian-jian
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Clothing patterns play a dominant role in costume design and have become an important link in the perception of costume art. Conventional clothing patterns design relies on experienced designers. Although the quality of clothing patterns is very high on conventional design, the input time and output amount ratio is relative low for conventional design. In order to break through the bottleneck of conventional clothing patterns design, this paper proposes a novel way based on generative adversarial network (GAN) model for automatic clothing patterns generation, which not only reduces the dependence of experienced designer, but also improve the input-output ratio.

Design/methodology/approach

In view of the fact that clothing patterns have high requirements for global artistic perception and local texture details, this paper improves the conventional GAN model from two aspects: a multi-scales discriminators strategy is introduced to deal with the local texture details; and the self-attention mechanism is introduced to improve the global artistic perception. Therefore, the improved GAN called multi-scales self-attention improved generative adversarial network (MS-SA-GAN) model, which is used for high resolution clothing patterns generation.

Findings

To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed MS-SA-GAN model, a crawler is designed to acquire standard clothing patterns dataset from Baidu pictures, and a comparative experiment is conducted on our designed clothing patterns dataset. In experiments, we have adjusted different parameters of the proposed MS-SA-GAN model, and compared the global artistic perception and local texture details of the generated clothing patterns.

Originality/value

Experimental results have shown that the clothing patterns generated by the proposed MS-SA-GAN model are superior to the conventional algorithms in some local texture detail indexes. In addition, a group of clothing design professionals is invited to evaluate the global artistic perception through a valence-arousal scale. The scale results have shown that the proposed MS-SA-GAN model achieves a better global art perception.
The effect of presenteeism among Bangladeshi employees
Authors: Haque Amlan
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Presenteeism refers to attending work while ill and not being able to work to full capacity. Applying the social cognitive theory (SCT), this paper examines the relationships among presenteeism, job satisfaction (JS), and employee turnover intentions (ETIs), and the mediational influence of JS on the relationship between presenteeism and ETIs.

Design/methodology/approach

A web-based survey, including a pilot test, was administered to collect data targeting a sample of 200 full-time Bangladeshi employees. With a two-step method of the structural equation modelling technique, this paper examines four hypotheses among the variables of presenteeism, JS and ETIs.

Findings

Significant negative relationships were identified between presenteeism and JS, as well as between JS and ETIs. Further investigations showed a significant positive relationship between presenteeism and ETIs. Notably, presenteeism on ETIs was found to be fully mediated by JS.

Practical implications

The study results suggest that presenteeism can be detrimental to both JS and ETIs among Bangladeshi employees; however, a reduction in rates of presenteeism can be achieved if employees' JS is valued and increased. Both the theoretical and managerial implications, including future research opportunities, are discussed.

Originality/value

Following the SCT, this paper extends the knowledge of presenteeism in a non-Western context. It is also a first reported empirical study among Bangladeshi employees demonstrating the influence of presenteeism and its detrimental effects on employees' motivational behaviour. This study makes a unique contribution to the presenteeism literature by examining JS and ETIs from the perspective of SCT.
Search inside yourself: investigating the effects of a widely adopted mindfulness-at-work development program
Authors: Caporale-Berkowitz Norian A. , Boyer Brittany P. , Lyddy Christopher J. , Good Darren J. , Rochlen Aaron B. , Parent Michael C.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Workplace mindfulness training has many benefits, but designing programs to reach a wide audience effectively and efficiently remains a challenge. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of a widely adopted workplace mindfulness program on the mindfulness, active listening skill, emotional intelligence, and burnout of employees in a large, multinational internet company.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample included 123 employees across three company offices who completed the two‐day Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program. Data were collected using self‐report measures pre‐, post‐, and four‐weeks post‐intervention and were analyzed using paired samples t-tests.

Findings

Significant increases were detected in mindfulness and the “awareness of emotion” components of emotional intelligence four weeks post-course. No significant changes were found in participants' self-reported levels of burnout, active listening skill or the “management of emotion” components of emotional intelligence.

Practical implications

Teaching workplace mindfulness and emotional intelligence skills through a highly applied, condensed course format may be effective for increasing mindfulness and the “awareness” components of emotional intelligence. Longer courses with more applied practice may be necessary to help participants build emotional management and listening skills and to reduce burnout.

Originality/value

The present study is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first academic, peer-reviewed assessment of SIY, a workplace mindfulness training program that has been taught to over 50,000 people worldwide.
Long run apartment price dynamics in Swedish and German cities
Authors: Engerstam Sviatlana
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study examines the long term effects of macroeconomic fundamentals on apartment price dynamics in major metropolitan areas in Sweden and Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

The main approach is panel cointegration analysis that allows to overcome certain data restrictions such as spatial heterogeneity, cross-sectional dependence, and non-stationary, but cointegrated data. The Swedish dataset includes three cities over a period of 23 years, while the German dataset includes seven cities for 29 years. Analysis of apartment price dynamics include population, disposable income, mortgage interest rate, and apartment stock as underlying macroeconomic variables in the model.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that apartment prices react more strongly on changes in fundamental factors in major Swedish cities than in German ones despite quite similar development of these macroeconomic variables in the long run in both countries. On one hand, overreactions in apartment price dynamics might be considered as the evidence of the price bubble building in Sweden. On the other hand, these two countries differ in institutional arrangements of the housing markets, and these differences might contribute to the size of apartment price elasticities from changes in fundamentals. These arrangements include various banking sector policies, such as mortgage financing and valuation approaches, as well as different government regulations of the housing market as, for example, rent control.

Originality/value

In distinction to the previous studies carried out on Swedish and German data for single-family houses, this study focuses on the apartment segment of the market and examines apartment price elasticities from a long term perspective. In addition, the results from this study highlight the differences between the two countries at the city level in an integrated long run equilibrium framework.
Trajectories of influential conceptual articles in service research
Authors: Li Loic Pengtao , Fehrer Julia A. , Brodie Roderick J. , Juric Biljana
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to diagnose the trajectory of influential conceptual articles in developing a research stream. The authors uncover the knowledge diffusion through influential conceptual articles and identify characteristics that make conceptual articles influential in their field.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on scientometrics, specifically an integrated approach combining quantitative citation counts with qualitative citation practices analysis that offers a comprehensive understanding of the nature and context of citations. The authors use the case of customer engagement – a prominent contemporary marketing and service research stream – to explore the trajectory of influential articles in shaping a new research stream.

Findings

This research shows that influential articles contribute to the reciprocal knowledge diffusion within and outside their home discipline. They provide anchor points for conceptual framing, conceptual refining and conceptual reconciliation – three application patterns of citations that are pivotal to navigate theory discovery and theory justification in a research field.

Research limitations/implications

The study analyzes the early impact period of two influential customer engagement articles to understand the developments leading to the establishment of a new research stream. Future research drawing on automated citation and bibliometric methods may consider extended time periods.

Originality/value

This study traces the trajectory of influential articles in marketing and service research. The authors identify characteristics of influential conceptual articles, and recommend practices to develop a conceptual paper with the potential for an influential trajectory. It shows that while marketing and service research has a tradition of “borrowing” theories from other fields, seminal articles “lend” theories to other fields.
The challenges facing the next Chief Executive of Hong Kong in 2022: managing growth, conflict, change and continuity
Authors: Ip Lau Regina Suk-yee
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This article outlines the challenges faced by the next Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2022 – the need to address economic problems resulting from Hong Kong’s slow growth; its inability to restructure its economy to broaden job opportunities and improve upward mobility for young people; and the government’s belated attempt to deploy innovation and technology.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on the author’s in-depth analysis of the current situation and insights on the challenges faced by the next Chief Executive.

Findings

Tensions are inherent in the concept of “One Country, Two Systems”. Back in November 2012, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Office Zhang Xiaoming already reminded Hong Kong of the need to manage well three sets of relationships: (1) maintaining the “One Country” principle while preserving the SARs’ “separate systems”; (2) upholding Central Authority while preserving the SARs’ “high degree of autonomy”; and (3) unleashing the economic potential of mainland China while raising the competitiveness of the SARs. These three sets of relationships represent three fundamental difficulties in implementing “One Country, Two Systems”. However, Hong Kong kept ignoring Beijing’s advice and failed to resolve the tension between the mainland and Hong Kong SAR, culminating in the riotous events of 2019, which morphed into a dangerous, anti-China insurgency.

Originality/value

The next Chief Executive needs to mediate between the constitutional requirements of the Central Authority while preserving Hong Kong SAR’s “high degree of autonomy”, its unique character and lifestyle. He or she also needs to deal with continuity and change. Hong Kong cannot stand still, and should not allow itself to be lulled by the “50 years no change” mantra into overlooking the need to move with the times. Much reform needs to be implemented by the next Chief Executive to give people hope, faith in “One Country, Two Systems” and true love of the country.
The role of shade in maintaining alternative stable states between open‐ and closed‐canopy vegetation
Authors: Power Simon C. , Verboom G. Anthony , Bond William J. , Packer Kirsten F. , Cramer Michael D.
Published: August 2021

Fire is commonly identified as strong driver of alternative stable states such as adjacent open‐ versus closed‐canopy vegetation types. The absence of open‐canopy species from closed‐canopy understoreys, where light availability is low and dynamic, however, suggests shade tolerance is an integral determinant of such vegetation boundaries. While the importance of light dynamics between alternative stable states has been acknowledged, the physiological mechanisms behind sun versus shade tolerance are unclear. Here we investigated the differences in light interception and carbon assimilation of open‐ and closed‐canopy species, and whether this contributes to the maintenance of alternative stable states.

Evergreen forest and fynbos species were grown under three light availability treatments (24%, 54% and 100%) in a glasshouse with their photosynthetic response to continuous and fluctuating light, dark respiration, root respiration, biomass and leaf traits quantified.

Fynbos species displayed smaller, thicker and tightly aggregated leaves compared to forest species. Under low light, fynbos species experienced some mortality, and showed lower light‐use efficiency with fluctuating light and lower in situ photosynthetic rates under the 54% light treatment compared to forest species (0.8 vs. 3.4 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1).

Synthesis. Contrasting light availability in forest and fynbos selects for dissimilar traits, where fynbos species are unable to efficiently intercept light and maintain a positive carbon balance under low, dynamic light compared to forest species. This shade intolerance is exacerbated by divergent nutrient and fire regimes in forest and fynbos environments, requiring incompatible trait specialisations that promote the emergence and maintenance of alternative stable states.
On the diachronic origins of the accentual contrast in Terena (Arawakan)
Authors: Orphão de Carvalho Fernando
Published: August 2021

This paper presents internal and comparative evidence showing that the origin of the accentual contrast of modern Terena, an Arawakan language of southwestern Brazil, is related to a diachronic process of word‐initial vowel loss. Alternations internal to the language involve a relation between vowel‐initial trisyllabic allomorphs and consonant‐initial disyllabic allomorphs, the latter bearing a tonal accent. Comparative evidence from Mojeño, one of Terena’s closest relatives, provides crucial support for the correspondence between word‐initial vowels and an initial tonal accent. A coherent account is proposed, tracing both the loss of initial syllables and the emergence of an accentual contrast to sub‐phonemic patterns enforcing durational unevenness in iambic feet: syllables in foot‐internal, non‐head position were lost, while the previously allophonic lengthening of the head syllable was phonologized, yielding the tonally marked accent.
Punitive Damages and the Place of Punishment in Private Law
Authors: Goudkamp James , Katsampouka Eleni
Published: August 2021

It has long been orthodoxy that punitive damages, because they are awarded in order to punish, are an anomalous remedy. So entrenched is this understanding that it has never been seriously challenged. However, even apparent truisms about the law should be questioned and, accordingly, this article offers a rival account. It contends that the deeply ingrained view that punitive damages are an aberration is a half‐truth because several other remedial rules are also aimed, at least in certain circumstances, at punishment. We concentrate in this regard on the doctrine of remoteness and its attenuation where the defendant has intentionally injured the claimant, aggravated damages, the account of profits remedy and general damages. Overthrowing the orthodox understanding regarding punitive damages has important prescriptive implications. In particular, it follows that the belief that punitive damages are an alien presence in private law supplies no basis for confining the jurisdiction to award them.
Modification of oxytocin use through a coaching‐based intervention based on the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist in Uttar Pradesh, India: a secondary analysis of a cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Marx Delaney M , Kalita T , Hawrusik B , Neal BJ , Miller K , Ketchum R , Molina RL , Singh S , Kumar V , Semrau KEA
Published: August 2021

Objective

To understand the prevalence of intrapartum oxytocin use, assess associated perinatal and maternal outcomes, and evaluate the impact of a WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist intervention on oxytocin use at primary‐level facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Design

Secondary analysis of a cluster‐randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Thirty Primary and Community public health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India from 2014 to 2017.

Population

Women admitted to a study facility for childbirth at baseline, 2, 6 or 12 months after intervention initiation.

Methods

The BetterBirth intervention aimed to increase adherence to the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist. We used Rao‐Scott Chi‐square tests to compare (1) timing of oxytocin use between study arms and (2) perinatal mortality and resuscitation of infants whose mothers received intrapartum oxytocin versus who did not.

Main outcome measures

Intrapartum and postpartum oxytocin administration, perinatal mortality, use of neonatal bag and mask.

Results

We observed 5484 deliveries. At baseline, intrapartum oxytocin was administered to 78.2% of women. Two months after intervention initiation, intrapartum oxytocin (I) was administered to 32.1% of women compared with 70.6% in the control (C) (P < 0.01); this difference diminished after the end of the intervention (I = 48.2%, C = 74.7%, P = 0.03). Partograph use remained at <1% at all facilities. Resuscitation was performed on 7.5% of infants whose mother received intrapartum oxytocin versus 2.0% who did not (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In this setting, intrapartum oxytocin use was high despite limited maternal/fetal monitoring or caesarean capability, and was associated with increased neonatal resuscitation. The BetterBirth intervention was successful at decreasing intrapartum oxytocin use. Ongoing support is needed to sustain these practices.

Tweetable abstract

Coaching + WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist reduces intrapartum oxytocin use and need for newborn resuscitation.
A comparison between visible wavelength hyperspectral imaging and digital photography for the detection and identification of bloodstained footwear marks
Authors: Crowther Matthew , Li Bo , Thompson Timothy , Islam Meez
Published: August 2021

One of the first challenges that crime scene examiners have is determining if a substance is blood before performing analysis. Conventional methods of detecting blood involve the use of chemicals and different wavelengths of light in tandem with digital photography. However, these methods are destructive or provide false positives. Visible wavelength hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a noncontact blood detection method that has been proven to provide accurate and reliable results. A novel application of this technique has been used for the detection and positive identification of bloodstained footwear marks, of different dilutions ranging from undiluted to 1:50 with distilled water, and on a range of substrates, and colors. Comparisons between HSI and conventional digital photography were made using a grading scale and analyzed using Mann‐Whitney U‐tests. The HSI technique was able to detect a statistically significant greater amount of tread detail on white tiles, laminate, carpet, and blue tiles compared with the digital photography technique, which was only superior on black tiles. Critically, the HSI technique was also able to determine that the footwear marks were made in blood. These results show that HSI will be useful in forensic investigations, where it is known that the perpetrator has walked through the victim's blood and left a trail of footwear marks at the crime scene. Even if the perpetrator had time to clean up afterward resulting in diluted stains, HSI would still be able to detect bloodstained footwear marks with a greater amount of detail compared with digital photography.
Occupational mortality in the New Mexico oil and gas industry
Authors: Faturos Andrew , Bodor Garon , Proe Lori , Lathrop Sarah
Published: August 2021

New Mexico's oil and natural gas industry has the second highest occupational fatality rate among oil and gas workers in the nation. There is currently limited data available regarding the top contributing factors to occupational mortality specific to the state's oil and gas industry. This study seeks to understand causes of mortality among oil and gas workers in New Mexico between 2008 and 2018. To facilitate this study, case reports were obtained from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, and population data was acquired from the US Department of Labor. In this 11‐year span, there were 73 cases, with an average annual mortality rate of 37 deaths per 100,000 oil and gas workers. Leading causes of death were vehicle accidents (36%), cardiovascular incidents (22%), and crush injuries (19%). The majority of vehicle accidents involved single vehicle accidents, and correct seat belt use was only documented 23% of the time. The majority of cardiovascular deaths were due to arteriosclerotic and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Alcohol was present in 18% of cases, and drugs were present in 19% of cases with methamphetamine present in 10% of investigated deaths. This is the first study to directly include cardiovascular incidents in the leading causes of death; otherwise, this study reflects national data reporting vehicle accidents and crush injuries as the leading causes of death. Going forward, prevention measures should effectively target safe driving practices focusing on seatbelt use, and mitigation of workplace drug and alcohol consumption.
Roads as ecological traps for giant anteaters
Authors: Noonan M. J. , Ascensão F. , Yogui D. R. , Desbiez A. L. J.
Published: August 2021

Wildlife‐vehicle collisions (WVCs) represent a serious source of mortality for many species, threatening local populations’ persistence while also carrying high economic and human safety costs. Animals may adapt their behaviour to road‐associated threats, but roadside resources can also attract individuals to dangerous roadside habitats, ultimately acting as an ecological trap. Yet, the extent to which individuals modify their behaviour and space use to roads is largely unknown for most taxonomic groups. Using fine‐scale movement data from 38 giant anteaters Myrmecophaga tridactyla tracked in the Brazilian Cerrado, we aimed to identify facets of movement behaviour that might exhibit plasticity to roads and traffic volume. Specifically, the analysis of daily and instantaneous movement speeds, home‐range characteristics and crossing rates/times allowed us to test for an effect of road proximity, traffic volume and natural linear features on movement behaviour. We found no effect of road proximity or traffic volume on space use or movement behaviour. While individuals tended to reduce their movement speed when approaching roads and crossed roads ~3 times less than would have been expected by random chance, none of the three highways we monitored were impervious. The majority of tracked anteaters living near roads (<2 km) crossed them, with higher crossing rates for males than females. Habitat near roads may function as an ecological trap where healthy individuals occupy the territories nearby or bisected by roads but eventually are road‐killed given their regular crossings, leaving the territory vacant for subsequent occupation. Crucially, we found no evidence that anteaters actively searched for passage structures to cross the roads. This suggests that crossing structures alone are unlikely to mitigate WVC‐induced mortality in giant anteaters. Our research reinforces the need to implement fencing, leading to existing passages, and minimizing the amount of night‐time driving to reduce the number of WVCs.
Disentangling craving‐ and valence‐related brain responses to smoking cues in individuals with nicotine use disorder
Authors: Haugg Amelie , Manoliu Andrei , Sladky Ronald , Hulka Lea M. , Kirschner Matthias , Brühl Annette B. , Seifritz Erich , Quednow Boris B. , Herdener Marcus , Scharnowski Frank
Published: August 2021

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease worldwide. Most smokers want to quit, but relapse rates are high. To improve current smoking cessation treatments, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of nicotine dependence and related craving behaviour is needed. Studies on cue‐driven cigarette craving have been a particularly useful tool for investigating the neural mechanisms of drug craving. Here, functional neuroimaging studies in humans have identified a core network of craving‐related brain responses to smoking cues that comprises of amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and ventral striatum. However, most functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) cue‐reactivity studies do not adjust their stimuli for emotional valence, a factor assumed to confound craving‐related brain responses to smoking cues. Here, we investigated the influence of emotional valence on key addiction brain areas by disentangling craving‐ and valence‐related brain responses with parametric modulators in 32 smokers. For one of the suggested key regions for addiction, the amygdala, we observed significantly stronger brain responses to the valence aspect of the presented images than to the craving aspect. Our results emphasize the need for carefully selecting stimulus material for cue‐reactivity paradigms, in particular with respect to emotional valence. Further, they can help designing future research on teasing apart the diverse psychological dimensions that comprise nicotine dependence and, therefore, can lead to a more precise mapping of craving‐associated brain areas, an important step towards more tailored smoking cessation treatments.
Posterior fronto‐medial atrophy reflects decreased loss aversion, but not executive impairment, in alcohol use disorder
Authors: Gianelli Claudia , Basso Gianpaolo , Manera Marina , Poggi Paolo , Canessa Nicola
Published: August 2021

Decreased punishment sensitivity in alcohol use disorder (AUD) might reflect a reduction in the typical human tendency to overweigh negative choice outcomes compared with equivalent positive ones, that is, ‘loss aversion.’ While this hypothesis is supported by previous reports of reduced loss aversion in AUD, it is still unknown whether such decreased sensitivity to prospective losses represents a specific facet of altered decision‐making or a secondary effect of executive/working‐memory impairments. We addressed this issue by assessing whether lower loss aversion in 22 AUD patients compared with 19 healthy controls is explained by their differential executive or working‐memory performance and by investigating its neural basis in terms of grey matter density and cortical thickness via voxel‐ and surface‐based morphometry, respectively. A significant decrease of loss aversion in patients, unrelated to their impaired executive/working‐memory performance, reflected the reduction of posterior fronto‐medial grey matter density and right frontopolar cortical thickness. Rather than their executive deficits, patients' reduced loss aversion reflects the structural damage of the posterior fronto‐medial cortex previously associated with solving conflicts at the response level, where earlier functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown a ‘neural loss aversion’ pattern of steeper deactivation for losses than activation for gains, and of the frontopolar cortex in charge of managing competing goals. These findings highlight possible directions for addressing AUD patients' high relapse rate, for example, cognitive‐behavioural rehabilitative interventions enhancing the awareness of the adverse outcomes of addiction or neurostimulation protocols targeting the regions processing their salience.
Cocaine hydrolase blocks cocaine‐induced dopamine transporter trafficking to the plasma membrane
Authors: Deng Jing , Kim Kyungbo , Zheng Xirong , Shang Linyue , Zhan Chang‐Guo , Zheng Fang
Published: August 2021

Cocaine blocks dopamine uptake via dopamine transporter (DAT) on plasma membrane of neuron cells and, as a result, produces the high and induces DAT trafficking to plasma membrane which contributes to the drug seeking or craving. In this study, we first examined the dose dependence of cocaine‐induced DAT trafficking and hyperactivity in rats, demonstrating that cocaine at an intraperitoneal dose of 10 mg/kg or higher led to redistribution of most DAT to the plasma membrane while inducing significant hyperactivity in rats. However, administration of 5‐mg/kg cocaine (ip) did not significantly induce DAT trafficking or hyperactivity in rats. So the threshold (intraperitoneal) dose of cocaine that can significantly induce DAT trafficking or hyperactivity should be between 5 and 10 mg/kg. These data suggest that when a cocaine dose is high enough to induce significant hyperactivity, it can also significantly induce DAT trafficking to the plasma membrane. Further, the threshold brain cocaine concentration required to induce significant hyperactivity and DAT trafficking was estimated to be ~2.0 ± 0.8 μg/g. Particularly, for treatment of cocaine abuse, previous studies demonstrated that an exogenous cocaine‐metabolizing enzyme, for example, CocH3‐Fc(M3), can effectively block cocaine‐induced hyperactivity. However, it was unknown whether an enzyme could also effectively block cocaine‐induced DAT trafficking to the plasma membrane. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that the enzyme is also capable of effectively blocking cocaine from reaching the brain even with a lethal dose of 60‐mg/kg cocaine (ip) and, thus, powerfully preventing cocaine‐induced physiological effects such as the hyperactivity and DAT trafficking.
The prevalence of oval‐shaped root canals: A morphometric study using cone‐beam computed tomography and image analysis software
Authors: Papic Mirjana , Papic Milos , Zivanovic Suzana , Vuletic Miona , Zdravkovic Dejan , Misic Aleksandra , Miletic Kovacevic Marina , Popovic Milica
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of oval‐shaped root canals at the apical, medial and coronal cross sections of all tooth groups using CBCT and image analysis software. Based on the diameter values, the long/short diameter ratio was calculated and each root canal was classified regarding its shape. Oval‐shaped canals were present in 45% at the apical, 50% at the medial and 56% at the coronal level of all teeth. The mandibular central incisors presented oval canals in 24%, long oval in 28% and flat in 2% at the apical level. Mandibular molars showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in the distribution of oval‐shaped canals between cross‐sectional levels. Analysis of CBCT scans with an image analysis software could be a reliable and reproducible method and a valuable tool for objective determination of root canal shape in further research.
Transformational leadership and team performance in sports teams: A conditional indirect model
Authors: Mach Merce , Ferreira Aristides I. , Abrantes António C. M.
Published: August 2021

This study tests how transformational leadership fosters team performance through team cohesion and how that relationship is moderated by previous team performance and leadership consensus. We computed a moderated‐mediation model based on a sample of 690 professional players in 59 top professional teams in interactive team sports leagues (basketball, handball, roller hockey, and indoor football/soccer) in Spain. Our findings suggest that transformational leadership indirectly influences objective team performance through the mediation role of team cohesion and that this indirect effect is more prominent when the level of previous performance is higher. We also found that the indirect effect of transformational leadership on team performance via cohesion is stronger in teams with higher consensus regarding their coaches' leadership. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of integrating dispersion and contextual variables into research models, in particular, previous performance and leadership consensus.
Does female human capital constrain earning management: The case of the United Kingdom
Authors: Ali Aribi Zakaria , Kostov Philip , Aghab Emhemmed
Published: August 2021

This paper examines how the presence of female directors on corporate boards influences the practice of real and accrual earning management in U.K. firms. We account for the endogeneity of a range of corporate governance measures, including female board representation, with regards to earning management and demonstrate that ignoring this problem may lead to perverse results. We find that female board representation constrains both forms of earning management. Our results provide evidence that female directors bring considerable and diverse human capital, enhance board monitoring and contribute to a qualitative shift in the decision‐making process in the boardroom. We suggest that boards’ gender diversity and earning management is an overlooked area in the United Kingdom and globally and may require the attention of regulators.
The role of parents’ autonomy support and psychological control in sibling relationship functioning through children’s need‐based experiences
Authors: van der Kaap‐Deeder Jolene
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to examine whether parents’ autonomy support and psychological control during sibling conflict would relate to children’s need‐based experiences and relationship functioning within the sibling relationship. Two siblings (Mage = 8.61 years, SD = 0.91 and Mage = 10.50 years, SD = 0.94) of 205 families filled out questionnaires. Results showed that parental autonomy support related positively to siblings’ relationship satisfaction via children’s need satisfaction. Additionally, fathers’ psychological control related negatively to provided autonomy support and positively to provided psychological control from one sibling to the other (as reported by the other sibling) and negatively to satisfaction with this relationship via need frustration. These findings highlight the importance of the quality of parents’ involvement during sibling conflict.
The association between testosterone and unethical behaviours, and the moderating role of intrasexual competition
Authors: Nepomuceno Marcelo Vinhal , Stenstrom Eric
Published: August 2021

Researchers have called for a greater use of neuroscientific methods to advance theories in ethical behaviour. Our research takes a neuroscientific approach to investigating unethical behaviour by examining the roles of testosterone and intrasexual competition. We propose that unethical behavioural intentions will be greater for high‐testosterone individuals in response to highly intrasexually competitive situations as a means of enhancing status. In an experiment, we measure baseline testosterone and assign participants to an intrasexually competitive or control condition. We demonstrate that in men, but not in women, testosterone is positively associated with unethical behavioural intentions in response to an intrasexual competition prime. Furthermore, using textual analysis, we find that testosterone is positively associated with the usage of anger‐related words in response to an intrasexual competition prime among men. In turn, anger‐related words are positively associated with unethical behaviour, suggesting that anger may play a role in motivating high‐testosterone men to behave unethically. Overall, our findings contribute to the literature by suggesting that testosterone and competition lead to greater unethical behaviour in men, and that anger plays a role in promoting unethical behaviour.
Holocene vegetation and hydroclimate changes in the Kansk forest steppe, Yenisei River Basin, East Siberia
Authors: Mikhailova Alexandra B. , Grenaderova Anna V. , Kurina Irina V. , Shumilovskikh Lyudmila S. , Stojko Tamara G.
Published: August 2021

Our study focuses on the Holocene hydroclimate long‐term trends in southern East Siberia and places them in the context of the adjacent areas of the Siberian taiga in the north and the arid central Asia in the south. We present a new record from the eutrophic mire, in the forest‐steppe region, covering the last 9000 years. Our multi‐proxy approach includes physiochemical (ash content, grain size, micro‐charcoal, peat decomposition) and biological indicators (pollen, non‐pollen palynomorphs, plant macrofossils, testate amoebae, molluscs). The record indicates increased humidity during the Holocene Thermal Maximum at 8150–7400 cal. a BP, and drier conditions with evidence for fires at 7400–5100 cal. a BP. Next, wetter conditions occurred at the coring site at 5100–1400 cal. a BP based on evidence of fluvial influence, which is consistent with other records in the wider region. A short‐term dry episode occurred at 1400–1300 cal. a BP, followed by a wet Medieval Warm Period (1300–650 cal. a BP) and Little Ice Age (450–300 cal. a BP) and a moderately wet environment from 300 cal. a BP to the present day. These results are consistent with the previously published palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from the steppe and forest‐steppe regions in the south of East and West Siberia and taken together reveal a common trend towards wetter conditions with a maximum wetness between 4500 and 3000 cal. a BP. This differs from the taiga region further north and from the Altai‐Sayan Mountains and Kazakhstan Hills further south, which show the trend from dry to wet and then to drier conditions in the Holocene, and from the Trans‐Baikal region where the Holocene trend is to drier conditions. This study supports the predominant influence of the North Atlantic on the regional palaeoclimate changes in the forest‐steppe region of East Siberia during the Holocene.
Sphingolipid metabolism during Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)‐mediated macrophage activation
Authors: Olona Antoni , Hateley Charlotte , Muralidharan Sneha , Wenk Markus R. , Torta Federico , Behmoaras Jacques
Published: August 2021

Macrophage activation in response to stimulation of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) provides a paradigm for investigating energy metabolism that regulates the inflammatory response. TLR4‐mediated pro‐inflammatory macrophage activation is characterized by increased glycolysis and altered mitochondrial metabolism, supported by selective amino acid uptake and/or usage. Fatty acid metabolism remains as a highly complex rewiring that accompanies classical macrophage activation. TLR4 activation leads tode novosynthesis of fatty acids, which flux into sphingolipids, complex lipids that form the building blocks of eukaryotic cell membranes and regulate cell function. Here, we review the importance of TLR4‐mediatedde novosynthesis of membrane sphingolipids in macrophages. We first highlight fatty acid metabolism during TLR4‐driven macrophage immunometabolism. We then focus on the temporal dynamics of sphingolipid biosynthesis and emphasize the modulatory role of some sphingolipid species (i.e. sphingomyelins, ceramides and glycosphingolipids) on the pro‐inflammatory and pro‐resolution phases of LPS/TLR4 activation in macrophages.
Transient Receptor Potential channels, TRPV1 and TRPA1 in melanocytes synergize UV‐dependent and UV‐independent melanogenesis
Authors: Jia Qi , Tian Weifeng , Li Binbin , Chen Wen , Zhang Wenjie , Xie Yang , Cheng Na , Chen Qi , Xiao Jianru , Zhang Yiwang , Yang Jian , Wang Shu
Published: August 2021

Background and Purpose

Melanogenesis is essential for pigmentation and deregulated melanogenesis causes pigmentary diseases. Psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy strongly stimulates pigmentation, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are elusive.

Experimental Approach

Melanin content of cultured human melanocytes was spectrophotometrically measured. Patch‐clamp recordings were made in human melanocytes or HEK 293 cells transiently expressing wild type or mutant human TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels. Endogenous expression of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in melanocytes was analysed by western blotting and was knocked down with siRNA. In vivo pigmentary responses were measured by a colorimeter in mouse ear skin. The expression of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in human pigmented lesions was examined by immunohistochemical staining.

Key Results

PUVA strongly stimulated melanogenesis and PUVA‐induced TRPV1 and TRPA1 channel activation in melanocytes and the resulting Ca2+ influx were required for the stimulated melanogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Agonists‐induced TRPV1 and TRPA1 activation alone did not stimulate melanogenesis, but it synergized UVA or intrinsic cAMP and NO signalling pathways to stimulate UV‐dependent or UV‐independent melanogenesis. Moreover, the expressions of TRPV1 and TRPA1 were increased in human melanocytic lesions and inhibition of both channels decreased melanin content in melanoma cells.

Conclusion and Implications

TRPV1 and TRPA1 are key molecular sensors and enhancers of extrinsic and intrinsic melanogenic signals in both physiological and pathological conditions, and activation of both channels in melanocytes contributes to PUVA therapy‐induced pigmentation. Our work provides a common mechanism of melanogenic regulation and highlights TRPV1 and TRPA1 as potential therapeutic targets for pigmentary disorders.