bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Luminosity–duration relations and luminosity functions of repeating and non-repeating fast radio bursts
Authors: Hashimoto Tetsuya , Goto Tomotsugu , Wang Ting-Wen , Kim Seong Jin , Ho Simon C-C , On Alvina Y L , Lu Ting-Yi , Santos Daryl Joe D
Published: March 2020

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are mysterious radio bursts with a time-scale of approximately milliseconds. Two populations of FRB, namely repeating and non-repeating FRBs, are observationally identified. However, the differences between these two and their origins are still cloaked in mystery. Here we show the time-integrated luminosity–duration (Lν–wint, rest) relations and luminosity functions (LFs) of repeating and non-repeating FRBs in the FRB Catalogue project. These two populations are obviously separated in the Lν-wint, rest plane with distinct LFs, i.e. repeating FRBs have relatively fainter Lν and longer wint, rest with a much lower LF. In contrast with non-repeating FRBs, repeating FRBs do not show any clear correlation between Lν and wint, rest. These results suggest essentially different physical origins of the two. The faint ends of the LFs of repeating and non-repeating FRBs are higher than volumetric occurrence rates of neutron star (NS) mergers and accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs (WDs), and are consistent with those of soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), magnetars, and WD mergers. This indicates two possibilities: either (i) faint non-repeating FRBs originate in NS mergers or AIC and are actually repeating during the lifetime of the progenitor, or (ii) faint non-repeating FRBs originate in any of SGRs, SNe Ia, magnetars, and WD mergers. The bright ends of LFs of repeating and non-repeating FRBs are lower than any candidates of progenitors, suggesting that bright FRBs are produced from a very small fraction of the progenitors regardless of the repetition. Otherwise, they might originate in unknown progenitors.
Fetal antisense oligonucleotide therapy for congenital deafness and vestibular dysfunction
Authors: Wang Lingyan , Kempton J Beth , Jiang Han , Jodelka Francine M , Brigande Alev M , Dumont Rachel A , Rigo Frank , Lentz Jennifer J , Hastings Michelle L , Brigande John V
Published: March 2020

Disabling hearing loss impacts ∼466 million individuals worldwide with 34 million children affected. Gene and pharmacotherapeutic strategies to rescue auditory function in mouse models of human deafness are most effective when administered before hearing onset, after which therapeutic efficacy is significantly diminished or lost. We hypothesize that preemptive correction of a mutation in the fetal inner ear prior to maturation of the sensory epithelium will optimally restore sensory function. We previously demonstrated that transuterine microinjection of a splice-switching antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) into the amniotic cavity immediately surrounding the embryo on embryonic day 13–13.5 (E13–13.5) corrected pre-mRNA splicing in the juvenile Usher syndrome type 1c (Ush1c) mouse mutant. Here, we show that this strategy only marginally rescues hearing and partially rescues vestibular function. To improve therapeutic outcomes, we microinjected ASO directly into the E12.5 inner ear. A single intra-otic dose of ASO corrects harmonin RNA splicing, restores harmonin protein expression in sensory hair cell bundles, prevents hair cell loss, improves hearing sensitivity, and ameliorates vestibular dysfunction. Improvements in auditory and vestibular function were sustained well into adulthood. Our results demonstrate that an ASO pharmacotherapeutic administered to a developing organ system in utero preemptively corrects pre-mRNA splicing to abrogate the disease phenotype.
Association of metabolic syndrome with glioblastoma: a retrospective cohort study and review
Authors: Rogers Lisa R , Ostrom Quinn T , Schroer Julia , Vengoechea Jaime , Li Li , Gerson Stanton , Nock Charles J , Machtay Mitchell , Selman Warren , Lo Simon , Sloan Andrew E , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S
Published: March 2020

Background

Metabolic syndrome is identified as a risk factor for the development of several systemic cancers, but its frequency among patients with glioblastoma and its association with clinical outcomes have yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for and affecting survival in glioblastoma patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study, consisting of patients with diagnoses at a single institution between 2007 and 2013, was conducted. Clinical records were reviewed, and clinical and laboratory data pertaining to 5 metabolic criteria were extrapolated. Overall survival was determined by time from initial surgical diagnosis to date of death or last follow-up.

Results

The frequency of metabolic syndrome among patients diagnosed with glioblastoma was slightly greater than the frequency of metabolic syndrome among the general population. Within a subset of patients (n = 91) receiving the full schedule of concurrent radiation and temozolomide and adjuvant temozolomide, median overall survival was significantly shorter for patients with metabolic syndrome compared with those without. In addition, the presence of all 5 elements of the metabolic syndrome resulted in significantly decreased median survival in these patients.

Conclusions

We identified the metabolic syndrome at a slightly higher frequency in patients with diagnosed glioblastoma compared with the general population. In addition, metabolic syndrome with each of its individual components is associated with an overall worse prognosis in patients receiving the standard schedule of radiation and temozolomide after adjustment for age.
Concomitant Pulmonary Cystic Echinococcosis and Aspergillosis in a Male Child
Authors: Aboksari Maryam Safari , Safavi Moeinadin
Published: March 2020

Co-infection of cystic echinococcosis and aspergillosis is a rare finding. The patient was a 10-year-old boy complaining of chest pain and malaise with a cyst in the right lung who underwent surgical resection of the cyst. Medical therapy with albendazole was started for the patient with the initial clinical impression of cystic echinococcosis. Later, the microscopic evaluation revealed a laminated layer of cystic echinococcosis involved by acute angle branching hyaline hyphae with septate. Thus, the diagnosis of a cystic echinococcosis and aspergillosis co-infection was established. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment along with anthelminthic and anti-fungal therapy, especially in immunocompromised patients.
Reduction of Surgical Smoke in the Operating Room
Authors: Tagle Melissa
Published: March 2020

In the operating room, the surgical team faces a wide range of occupational hazards, one of which is the exposure to surgical smoke. The team is regularly exposed to surgical smoke that is generated by the thermal destruction of tissue from the use of electrocautery or heat-generating devices. There has been a growing interest in the potential health hazard that exposure to surgical smoke poses, subsequently generating the need for a more robust safety practice by the surgical team. The necessity to gather evidence to support the implementation of strategies that promote adoption of a smoke-free operating room is the aim of this research. Exposure to surgical fumes can potentially have a detrimental impact on an individual's personal and professional life; thus, it is important to take measures to reduce the risk.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Burnout in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellows
Authors: Feeks Caitlin , Chao Jennifer , Sinert Richard
Published: March 2020

Burnout among emergency medicine (EM) physicians (57%) is significantly greater than among pediatricians (39%). Pediatric EM (PEM) providers are a unique population in that the majority first complete a pediatric residency and then a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine. We sought to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for burnout in PEM fellows.

Methods

An e-mail survey that included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Health Services Survey was sent to fellows in PEM programs. Anonymous surveys were scored using the MBI subscales of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Fellows with scores of moderate to high in both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were considered to have burnout. The data were compared with demographic information, including fellowship year, sex, and relationship status. Participants were also asked to list items in their life they felt were burnout contributors. The burnout rate was reported as a percentage with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), based on the Agresti-Coull method. Associations between categorical variables and burnout were tested with Fisher exact test, alpha = 0.05 (2 tails).

Results

Of 463 PEM fellows, 146 responses were received (30% response rate), and 139 surveys were scored. Over half (65%) of the respondents were female. The burnout prevalence of PEM fellows was 30.9% (95% CI, 24%–39%). The burnout rate was significantly (P = 0.002) lower for men (13%) (95% CI, 6%–26%) than for women (39.8%) (95% CI, 30%–50%). Fellows who were single (50%) or divorced (66.7%) had significantly (P = 0.008) higher rates of burnout compared with married (27%) fellows. Current training year was not a significant burnout risk. Major contributors to burnout were work environment (52.5%), academic responsibilities of fellowship (36%), schedule (35.3%), work-life balance (33.8%), and career / occupational stress (33.1%).

Conclusions

Pediatric emergency medicine fellows had a 30.9% prevalence of burnout. Risk factors for burnout were similar for PEM fellows and EM physicians. Women were more likely to suffer from burnout, as well as fellows who were single or divorced.
Living Kidney Donor Evaluation
Authors: Claisse Guillaume , Gaillard François , Mariat Christophe
Published: March 2020

Long-term safety of living kidney donation (LKD), especially for young donors, has become a real matter of concern in the transplant community and may contribute to creating resistance to LKD. In this context, the criteria that govern living donor donations must live up to very demanding standards as well as adjust to this novel reality. In the first part, we review the existing guidelines published after 2010 and critically examine their recommendations to see how they do not necessarily lead to consistent and universal practices in the choice of specific thresholds for a parameter used to accept or reject a living donor candidate. In the second part, we present the emergence of a new paradigm for LKD developed in the 2017 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines with the introduction of an integrative risk-based approach. Finally, we focus on predonation renal function evaluation, a criteria that remain central in the selection process, and discuss several issues surrounding the donor candidate’s glomerular filtration rate assessment.
A review of research in primate sanctuaries
Authors: Ross Stephen R. , Leinwand Jesse G.
Published: March 2020

While non-human primate studies have long been conducted in laboratories, and more recently at zoological parks, sanctuaries are increasingly considered a viable setting for research. Accredited sanctuaries in non-range countries house thousands of primates formerly used as subjects of medical research, trained performers or personal pets. In range countries, however, sanctuaries typically house orphaned primates confiscated from illegal poaching and the bushmeat and pet trafficking trades. Although the primary mission of these sanctuaries is to rescue and rehabilitate residents, many of these organizations are increasingly willing to participate in non-invasive research. Notably, from a scientific standpoint, most sanctuaries provide potential advantages over traditional settings, such as large, naturalistic physical and social environments which may result in more relevant models of primates' free-ranging wild counterparts than other captive settings. As a result, an impressive scope of research in the fields of primate behaviour, cognition, veterinary science, genetics and physiology have been studied in sanctuaries. In this review, we examine the range and form of research that has been conducted at accredited sanctuaries around the world. We also describe the potential challenges of sanctuary-based work and the considerations that external researchers may face when deciding to collaborate with primate sanctuaries on their research projects.
Applying optimal control theory to a spatial simulation model of sudden oak death: ongoing surveillance protects tanoak while conserving biodiversity
Authors: Bussell E. H. , Cunniffe N. J.
Published: March 2020

Sudden oak death has devastated tree populations across California. However, management might still slow disease spread at local scales. We demonstrate how to unambiguously characterize effective, local management strategies using a detailed, spatially explicit simulation model of spread in a single forest stand. This pre-existing, parameterized simulation is approximated here by a carefully calibrated, non-spatial model, explicitly constructed to be sufficiently simple to allow optimal control theory (OCT) to be applied. By lifting management strategies from the approximate model to the detailed simulation, effective time-dependent controls can be identified. These protect tanoak—a culturally and ecologically important species—while conserving forest biodiversity within a limited budget. We also consider model predictive control, in which both the approximating model and optimal control are repeatedly updated as the epidemic progresses. This allows management which is robust to both parameter uncertainty and systematic differences between simulation and approximate models. Including the costs of disease surveillance then introduces an optimal intensity of surveillance. Our study demonstrates that successful control of sudden oak death is likely to rely on adaptive strategies updated via ongoing surveillance. More broadly, it illustrates how OCT can inform effective real-world management, even when underpinning disease spread models are highly complex.
Comprehensive weighted matter-element extension method for the safety evaluation of underground gas storage
Authors: Bi Aorui , Luo Zhengshan , Kong Yulei , Zhao Lexin
Published: March 2020

This study focuses on a safety evaluation method for underground gas storage. Gas storage is usually constructed underground in complex environments, and the service life of such facilities is limited. To ensure the secure and long-term operation of gas storage facilities, safety evaluation has become the focus of management. The present paper provides an effective method for safety evaluation. An index system was established as the foundation of the analysis for this evaluation, and the matter-element extension method was applied to obtain a quantitative evaluation result. For the weight values of each index in the matter-element extension method, this paper presents a comprehensive weight computation method based on vague sets and entropy. By application of this method, the safety level of a gas storage facility in the Jintan salt mines (in Jiangsu, China) was calculated, and the evaluation result was 4.6433, which meant the safety level was V and the underground gas storage was slightly at risk. It indicated that the influence on the overall safety and tightness of this gas storage could be ignored in the operation process, but the frequency of regular monitoring should be increased. The defective indexes were also obtained, such as salt rock cohesion, the roof thickness, the volume contraction ratio, the interlayer content, the height of the casing shoe and the adjacent cavity pressure difference, which need to be monitored and modified. This paper evaluated the safety of the underground gas storage from a unique perspective. It is expected that the results of this research will contribute to the maintenance and operational decisions, and provide a reference for management in the energy industry.
Earth's water reservoirs in a changing climate
Authors: Stephens Graeme L. , Slingo Julia M. , Rignot Eric , Reager John T. , Hakuba Maria Z. , Durack Paul J. , Worden John , Rocca Remy
Published: March 2020

Progress towards achieving a quantitative understanding of the exchanges of water between Earth's main water reservoirs is reviewed with emphasis on advances accrued from the latest advances in Earth Observation from space. These exchanges of water between the reservoirs are a result of processes that are at the core of important physical Earth-system feedbacks, which fundamentally control the response of Earth's climate to the greenhouse gas forcing it is now experiencing, and are therefore vital to understanding the future evolution of Earth's climate. The changing nature of global mean sea level (GMSL) is the context for discussion of these exchanges. Different sources of satellite observations that are used to quantify ice mass loss and water storage over continents, how water can be tracked to its source using water isotope information and how the waters in different reservoirs influence the fluxes of water between reservoirs are described. The profound influence of Earth's hydrological cycle, including human influences on it, on the rate of GMSL rise is emphasized. The many intricate ways water cycle processes influence water exchanges between reservoirs and thus sea-level rise, including disproportionate influences by the tiniest water reservoirs, are emphasized.
Carideicomes alvinocaridis gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from shrimp gill in a hydrothermal field of Okinawa Trough
Authors: Wang Yiting , Liu Lijun , Yu Min , Zhou Shun , Fu Tianyu , Sun Wen , Du Rui , Zhang Xiao-Hua
Published: March 2020

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, oval-shaped, non-motile bacterium with no flagella, designated strain SCR17T, was isolated from a shrimp gill habitat in Tangyin hydrothermal field of Okinawa Trough. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SCR17T formed a lineage within the family ‘

Rhodobacteraceae

’, and shared 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 93.2–96.2 % to the related genera

Aquicoccus

and

Roseivivax

. Strain SCR17T was able to grow with 0–14 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 9–10 %). The sole respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. The major polar lipids of strain SCR17T comprised phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), an unidentified aminolipid (AL), an unidentified phospholipid (PL) and an unidentified lipid (L). The predominant fatty acids (more than 10 % of the total fatty acids) were C18 : 1ω7c or/and C18 : 1ω6c, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c . The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SCR17T was 67.7 mol%. Based on polyphasic taxonomic analyses, strain SCR17T is considered to represent a novel species in a new genus of the family ‘

Rhodobacteraceae

’, for which the name Carideicomes alvinocaridis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Carideicomes alvinocaridis is SCR17T (=JCM 33426T=MCCC 1K03732T). The discovery of a novel host-associated bacterium in hydrothermal fields provides an opportunity for the study of host–bacterial symbiosis in extreme environments.
Genome-based classification of three novel actinobacteria from the Karakum Desert: Jiangella asiatica sp. nov., Jiangella aurantiaca sp. nov. and Jiangella ureilytica sp. nov
Authors: Saygin Hayrettin , Ay Hilal , Guven Kiymet , Sahin Nevzat
Published: March 2020

Three isolates, 5K138T, 8K307T and KC603T, with typical morphological characteristics of members of the genus

Jiangella

were obtained during a study searching for novel actinobacteria with biosynthetic potential from the Karakum Desert. A polyphasic approach was adopted to determine taxonomic affiliations of the strains. The strains showed chemotaxonomic properties consistent with their classification as representing members of the genus

Jiangella

such as ll-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as major polar lipids as well as MK-9(H4) as a major menaquinone. Pairwise sequence comparisons of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the strains were closely related to

Jiangella alba

DSM 45237T,

Jiangella rhizosphaerae

NEAU-YY265T and

Jiangella mangrovi

3SM4-07T with higher than 99 % sequence identities. However, a combination of phenotypic and phylogenetic approaches as well as genome-based comparative analyses confirmed the taxonomic positions of these strains as representing distinct species within the genus

Jiangella

. Therefore, strains 5K138T, 8K307T and KC603T should each be classified as representing a novel species within the genus

Jiangella

, for which the names Jiangella asiatica sp. nov., Jiangella aurantiaca sp. nov. and Jiangella ureilytica sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The type strains of the proposed novel species are as follows: Jiangella asiatica 5K138T (=JCM 33518T=CGMCC 4.7672T), Jiangella aurantiaca 8K307T (=JCM 33519T=CGMCC 4.7621T) and Jiangella ureilytica KC603T (=JCM 33520T=CGMCC 4.7618T).
Beyond soil health: the trophic effects of cover crops shape predator communities
Authors: Bowers Carson , Toews Michael D. , Schmidt Jason M.
Published: March 2020

Maintaining habitat throughout the season in annual cropping systems provides resource stability for arthropod communities. Stabilizing resource availability should lead to diverse predatory communities and their associated ecosystem services such as biological control. There is a need for studies to test change in predator communities due to habitat provisioning and estimate associated food web responses. Here we quantified predator community structure and used molecular gut-content analysis to reconstruct predator food webs in response to winter cover crops (i.e. cereal and legume based) in a cotton agroecosystem. Predators were collected from experimental field plots during each major crop development stage in 2017 and 2018, and PCR was used to estimate predator roles and responses to cover crop treatments. Cotton planted into a rye cover crop residue promoted unique predator communities in the early and mid-season as compared to no-cover fields. Correspondingly, we observed dissimilar prey consumption among cover crop treatments. While predators consumed incidental pests at high frequencies (e.g. aphids), predation on key pests by natural enemies in this system was lacking. The use of winter cover crops and reduced tillage practices increased the consumption of alternative prey by natural enemies on seedling cotton, encouraging high predator diversity that aligns temporally with potential early season pest outbreaks. Therefore, cover crops should be further integrated into integrated pest management strategies.
Extinction Risk from Human Impacts on Small Populations of Marine Mammals
Authors: Wade Paul R. , Slooten Elisabeth
Published: March 2020

Population models used to set limits for whaling, fisheries bycatch and other human-caused mortality (HCM) usually focus on relatively large populations and do not include Allee effects (declines in population growth rate at small population sizes). These models are not suitable for managing small and endangered populations of marine mammals. We use a stochastic age-structured population model to investigate the effect of HCM on extinction risk. Compared to environmental variability and catastrophes, Allee effects had a strong influence on risk. Depending on the scenario, HCM (1) delayed the rate of population recovery (with no increased risk), (2) increased extinction risk because populations lingered at low levels, (3) increased extinction risk because the population was pushed below an Allee threshold, or (4) increased extinction risk over 100 years because the rate of extinction for a doomed population was accelerated. Population dynamics in small populations are poorly known for most marine mammals. Therefore, we recommend that managers consider the range of potential population dynamics for the species under consideration and make precautionary decisions on allowable levels of HCM. For critically depleted populations (e.g., small populations, well below historic levels) even low levels of HCM have the potential to substantially increase extinction risk.
Estimating the size of COVID-19 epidemic outbreak
Authors: Pongkitivanichkul Chakrit , Samart Daris , Tangphati Takol , Koomhin Phanit , Pimton Pimchanok , Dam-O Punsiri , Payaka Apirak , Channuie Phongpichit
Published: March 2020

In this work, we analyze the epidemic data of cumulative infected cases collected from many countries as reported by WHO starting from January 21st 2020 and up till March 21st 2020. Our inspection is motivated by the renormalization group (RG) framework. Here we propose the RG-inspired logistic function of the form as an epidemic strength function with n being asymmetry in the modified logistic function. We perform the non-linear least-squares analysis with data from various countries. The uncertainty for model parameters is computed using the squared root of the corresponding diagonal components of the covariance matrix. We carefully divide countries under consideration into 2 categories based on the estimation of the inflection point: the maturing phase and the growth-dominated phase. We observe that long-term estimations of cumulative infected cases of countries in the maturing phase for both n = 1 and n ≠ 1 are close to each other. We find from the value of root mean squared error (RMSE) that the RG-inspired logistic model with n ≠ 1 is slightly preferable in this category. We also argue that n determines the characteristic of the epidemic at an early stage. However, in the second category, the estimated asymptotic number of cumulative infected cases contain rather large uncertainty. Therefore, in the growth-dominated phase, we focus on using n = 1 for countries in this phase. Some of them are in an early stage of an epidemic with an insufficient amount of data leading to a large uncertainty on parameter fits. In terms of the accuracy of the size estimation, the results do strongly depend on limitations on data collection and the epidemic phase for each country.
Lipid Droplets in Brown Adipose Tissue Are Dispensable for Cold-Induced Thermogenesis
Authors: Chitraju Chandramohan , Fischer Alexander , Farese Robert V. , Walther Tobias C.
Published: March 2020

Brown adipocytes store metabolic energy as triglycerides (TG) in multilocular lipid droplets (LDs). Fatty acids released from brown adipocyte LDs by lipolysis are thought to activate and fuel UCP1-mediated thermogenesis. Here we test this hypothesis by preventing fatty acid storage in murine brown adipocytes through brown adipose tissue (BAT)-specific deletions of the TG synthesis enzymes, DGAT1 and DGAT2 (BA-DGAT KO). Despite the absence of LDs, BA-DGAT KO mice had functional BAT and maintained euthermia during acute or chronic cold exposure. As apparent adaptations to the lack of TG, brown adipocytes of BA-DGAT KO mice appear to utilize circulating glucose and fatty acids, as well as stored glycogen to fuel thermogenesis. Moreover, BA-DGAT KO mice were resistant to diet-induced glucose intolerance, likely due to increased glucose disposal by BAT. Thus, surprisingly, TGs in BAT are dispensable for its function, in part through adaptations to utilize other fuel sources.
Estimating signal and noise of time-resolved X-ray solution scattering data at synchrotrons and XFELs
Authors: Kim Jungmin , Kim Jong Goo , Ki Hosung , Ahn Chi Woo , Ihee Hyotcherl
Published: March 2020

Elucidating the structural dynamics of small molecules and proteins in the liquid solution phase is essential to ensure a fundamental understanding of their reaction mechanisms. In this regard, time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (TRXSS), also known as time-resolved X-ray liquidography (TRXL), has been established as a powerful technique for obtaining the structural information of reaction intermediates and products in the liquid solution phase and is expected to be applied to a wider range of molecules in the future. A TRXL experiment is generally performed at the beamline of a synchrotron or an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) to provide intense and short X-ray pulses. Considering the limited opportunities to use these facilities, it is necessary to verify the plausibility of a target experiment prior to the actual experiment. For this purpose, a program has been developed, referred to as S-cube, which is short for a Solution Scattering Simulator. This code allows the routine estimation of the shape and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of TRXL data from known experimental parameters. Specifically, S-cube calculates the difference scattering curve and the associated quantum noise on the basis of the molecular structure of the target reactant and product, the target solvent, the energy of the pump laser pulse and the specifications of the beamline to be used. Employing a simplified form for the pair-distribution function required to calculate the solute–solvent cross term greatly increases the calculation speed as compared with a typical TRXL data analysis. Demonstrative applications of S-cube are presented, including the estimation of the expected TRXL data and SNR level for the future LCLS-II HE beamlines.
Zeeman quantum beats of helium Rydberg states excited by synchrotron radiation
Authors: Hikosaka Yasumasa , Iwayama Hiroshi , Kaneyasu Tatsuo
Published: March 2020

Quantum beats in fluorescence decay from Zeeman-split magnetic sublevels have been measured for helium Rydberg states excited by synchrotron radiation. The Zeeman quantum beats observed in this prototypical case were fitted with an equation from a theoretical formulation. It is proposed that Zeeman quantum beat measurement can be a useful way to simply evaluate the polarization characteristics of extreme ultraviolet light.
Effect of the position of a methoxy substituent on the antimicrobial activity and crystal structures of 4-methyl-1,6-diphenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone derivatives
Authors: Żesławska Ewa , Korona-Głowniak Izabela , Nitek Wojciech , Tejchman Waldemar
Published: March 2020

Derivatives of pyrimidine-2(1H)-selenone are a group of compounds with very strong antimicrobial activity. In order to study the effect of the position of the methoxy substituent on biological activity, molecular geometry and intermolecular interactions in the crystal, three derivatives were prepared and evaluated with respect to their antimicrobial activities, and their crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The investigated compounds, namely, 1-(X-methoxyphenyl)-4-methyl-6-phenylpyrimidine-2(1H)-selenones (X= 2, 3 and 4 for1,2and3, respectively), C18H16N2OSe, showed very strong activity against selected strains of Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Two compounds,1and2, crystallize in the monoclinic space groupP21/c, while3crystallizes in the space groupP21/n;1has two molecules in the asymmetric unit and the other two (2and3) have one molecule. The geometries of the investigated compounds differ slightly in the mutual orientations of the aromatic and pyrimidineselenone rings. The O atom in1stabilizes the conformation of the moleculesviaintramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonding. The packing of molecules is determined by weak C—H...N and C—H...Se intermolecular interactions and additionally in1and2by C—H...O intermolecular interactions. The introduction of the methoxy substituent results in greater selectivity of the investigated compounds.
Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study of 2-chloro-N-[4-(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]acetamide
Authors: Mongkholkeaw Sitthichok , Songsasen Apisit , Duangthongyou Tanwawan , Chainok Kittipong , Suramitr Songwut , Wattanathana Worawat , Wannalerse Boontana
Published: March 2020

In the title compound, C9H10ClNOS, the amide functional group –C(=O)NH– adopts a trans conformation with the four atoms nearly coplanar. This conformation promotes the formation of a C(4) hydrogen-bonded chain propagating along the [010] direction. The central part of the molecule, including the six-membered ring, the S and N atoms, is fairly planar (r.m.s. deviation of 0.014). The terminal methyl group and the C(=O)CH2 group are slightly deviating out-of-plane while the terminal Cl atom is almost in-plane. Hirshfeld surface analysis of the title compound suggests that the most significant contacts in the crystal are H...H, H...Cl/Cl...H, H...C/C...H, H...O/O...H and H...S/S...H. π–π interactions between inversion-related molecules also contribute to the crystal packing. DFT calculations have been performed to optimize the structure of the title compound using the CAM-B3LYP functional and the 6–311 G(d,p) basis set. The theoretical absorption spectrum of the title compound was calculated using the TD–DFT method. The analysis of frontier orbitals revealed that the π–π* electronic transition was the major contributor to the absorption peak in the electronic spectrum.
Motivating reflection habits and raising employee awareness of learning
Authors: Rigolizzo Michele , Zhu Zhu
Published: March 2020

Purpose

While research has shown reflection is a valuable part of individual learning, developing reflection habits has remained notoriously difficult, particularly for working adults. We explore whether an intervention of being able to review previous reflections will affect employee engagement in future reflection activities and raise their awareness of learning opportunities at work.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted a large-scale field experiment, including 136 employees from an international bank in Europe, in which participants were asked to reflect twice a week for eight weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to either a group that was given access to their previous reflections, or a group that was not.

Findings

We found that individuals who were able to see their previous reflections wrote significantly more subsequent reflections than the other group. In addition, those who could see their previous reflections used more words related to learning and cognition.

Practical implications

Often employees may feel they are only learning when they attend formal trainings. However, this paper provides concrete guidance for how human resources management (HRM) managers can boost employees’ informal learning and awareness of the learning opportunities inherent in challenging work.

Originality/value

This study furthers research on using HRM interventions to facilitate informal learning activities, in particular, methods to motivate systematic reflections and raising awareness of learning opportunities. Our findings suggest that developing habits of reflection and improving awareness of learning opportunities encompasses more than simply writing reflections, but should include processing previous writings.
Blowing the whistle on workplace corruption: the role of ethical leadership
Authors: Hechanova Ma. Regina M. , Manaois Jason O.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide a structural model of the role of ethical leadership on intent to whistle blow workplace corruption using the theory of planned behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a mixed method, sequential design. Interviews were conducted in the first phase to identify corrupt practices and validate the salience of the variables in the study. The second phase administered surveys to test the hypotheses of the study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was done to analyze structural relationships among variables.

Findings

SEM results showed an adequately fit model, indicating ethical leadership predicting organizational norms and controls. It also found that ethical leadership has indirect effect toward employees’ attitude toward corruption through organizational norms and control. Furthermore, ethical leadership also has indirect effect on intent to whistle blow through organizational controls.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in the Philippines, a high-power distance culture. In such a culture, the influence of leadership is crucial, as it dictates standard behaviors of members and the organization as a whole. Future research may wish to explore whether the findings would also apply in low-power distance cultures.

Practical implications

The finding suggests that ethical leadership is crucial in shaping organizational norms and controls, which in turn, influences employees’ attitude toward corruption and their intention to whistle blow.

Originality/value

The study contributes to corruption literature by providing empirical evidence of the structure model how the role of ethical leadership shapes organizational norms and controls that, in turn, influences employee attitude toward corruption and intent to whistle blow.
Contingency framework for understanding quality in public and private hospitals of India
Authors: Marmat Geeta , Jain Pooja
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Health-care delivery organizations (hospitals) constitute a complex adaptive system; hence, a contingency perspective is imperative to guide the design of customized approaches to quality management in different health-care settings. Accordingly, this paper aims to propose a contingency framework to advance the understanding of the relationship between situational factors and effectiveness of quality approaches in health-care organizations (HCOs), such as hospitals in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Related literature was reviewed to identify existing research and theories related to quality and quality approaches, situational factors of the HCOs (hospitals) and some existing logical evidence on public and private hospitals in India. Then a contingencies framework for quality and quality approaches was conceptualized.

Findings

This paper proposes contingent determinants arise out of conceptualization of the HCOs (hospitals) from different system perspective such as rational system, natural system, open system and integrative system; uncertainty because of physicians’ behaviour, nurses’ approach and a dual line of authority; and the task environment such as patients, competition and economic pressure. These determinants represent situational constructs to the quality enhancement of any attempt at quality approaches. While these determinants have an influence on the quality and quality approaches of the HCOs (hospital), it is imperative to build any quality improvement strategy to work effectively, i.e., quality approach is dependent on determinants of the contingencies of the hospital’s environment, be it external or internal. Propositions for future research are also incorporated.

Research limitations/implications

This paper proposes a conceptual model as well as research propositions that need to be validated and confirmed empirically. It advances the research and theory related to quality and quality approaches in a health-care setting. It can enable policymakers, hospital managers to analyze and gauge the appropriateness of quality approaches in a given context before implementing them and could help to improve the introverted quality approaches and quality dimensions currently followed in HCOs (hospitals).

Originality/value

Contingency framework is a new approach for research on the effectiveness of quality approaches in hospitals. The fundamental idea behind this framework is that effectiveness of quality approaches can be understood best by examining its contingent determinants. Thus, it has the capacity to contribute to the efforts of government and policymakers to make the quality of care affordable to all in India. Essentially, we examine the contexts and variables that determine the effectiveness of quality approaches.
How does intellectual capital efficiency affect firm performance? The moderating role of family management
Authors: Ramírez Yolanda , Dieguez-Soto Julio , Manzaneque Montserrat
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to know whether those firms that achieve greater efficiency from their intangible resources (intellectual capital) also obtain greater performance; and to analyze the moderating role of family management on that relationship in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts an empirical study with different econometric models using a panel data sample of 6,132 paired firm-year observations from Spanish manufacturing SMEs in the period 2000–2013.

Findings

The findings suggest that intellectual capital efficiency is a key factor that allows the firm to achieve and maintain competitive advantages, obtaining greater performance. Additionally, this research also shows that the moderating role of family management can be a double-edged sword depending on the type of intangible resources.

Practical implications

This paper may give managers an insight in how to better utilize and manage intangible resources available in their firms to improve competitive advantage and ultimately firm performance. Additionally, on the basis of the Socioemotional Wealth perspective (SEW), this article argues that family-managed firms that focus on SEW preservation can enhance the impact of structural capital efficiency on performance.

Originality/value

This paper extends the prior literature by studying the joint effects of intellectual capital efficiency, distinguishing between human capital and structural capital efficiency, and family management on performance in the context of SMEs.
Why firms exploit the dual marketing strategy? A network-institutional perspective
Authors: Cheah Chee Wei
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Using a combined Industrial Marketing and Purchasing’s network approach and institutional theory, this paper aims to explore why firms exploit dual marketing strategy that targets both the consumer (business-to-consumer) and business markets (business-to-business). This study uses the regulated housing market as its research context in examining how housing developers cope with government intervention when implementing a dual marketing strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a qualitative case study research approach, using 19 in-depth interviews, from the purposefully selected industry actors within the housing market, observations and documents.

Findings

The findings uncover housing developers’ struggles in dealing with government intervention when they adopt a dual marketing strategy. When dealing with the regulated consumer market, developers formed an issue-based net with other competitors and used their association to bargain with the government for flexibility in public policy. When selling to the business market, in which the private investment club emerged as a powerful actor, they initiated strategic net and influenced property developers’ pricing and selling strategies. The findings also demonstrate that the restrictions imposed on the consumer market have a spillover effect on the business market, which reflects the contextual embeddedness of the two markets.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of how actors strategize and co-evolve when implementing a dual marketing strategy. It helps policymakers, business actors and other connected actors to understand the interactions of all actors within a network that affects each other’s decisions.
Information specificity, social topic awareness and message authenticity in CSR communication
Authors: Pérez Andrea , García de los Salmones María del Mar , Liu Matthew T.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper explores how companies can improve consumer attitudes towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) messages and companies by designing the content of the message, which should provide specific information and improve social topic awareness among consumers. The paper also explores the mediating role of message authenticity between the CSR message content and consumer attitudes towards the information and the company.

Design/methodology/approach

302 participants evaluated the website of a fictitious company that included information about its CSR activities. The authors collected data through a questionnaire of Likert-type and dichotomous scales and contrasted the hypotheses with a causal model, analysing the relationships among variables through structural equation modelling (SEM) with the software EQS 6.1.

Findings

The findings suggest that information specificity and social topic awareness improve consumer perceptions of message authenticity. The findings also show that message authenticity improves consumer trust and attitudes towards the information and the company. Attitude towards the information, message authenticity and social topic awareness show the largest impacts on trust and attitude towards the company, while information specificity also has a positive although smaller effect.

Originality/value

Integrating information specificity and social topic awareness within the conceptual model presented in this paper, based on the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) and attribution theory, allows researchers and practitioners to close the gap between companies' CSR activities and consumers' perceptions, attitudes and behaviours.
Does India do IT? The nexus of IT, skills, organizational factors and productivity
Authors: Singh Awadhesh Pratap , Sharma Chandan
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The goal of this study is to investigate the nexus among TFP (total factor productivity), IT (information technology) capital accumulation, skills and key plant variables of 34 Indian industries for the period of 2009–2015.

Design/methodology/approach

Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) data series are extracted and formulated using Microsoft SQL server. The authors employ Wooldridge (2009) technique to estimate productivity. To investigate the linkages among productivity, IT, skills and key plant variables, the authors estimate specifications using system generalized method of moments (sys-GMM). Advanced estimation techniques such as Heckman two-step process, probit equations, inverse Mills ratio and panel cointegration are applied to overcome problems of nonstationarity, omitted variables, endogeneity and reverse causality.

Findings

The results indicate that the level of IT capital influences the TFP of Indian industries, so does the level of skilled workers. The outcome suggests that intermediate capital goods, location and ownership type enable the strength of IT capital and that in turn boosts productivity. The authors fail to find any impact of regional factors and contractual labor on IT capital and productivity. While medium-level gender diversity is statistically significant to influence productivity, however, no complementarities exist between gender diversity and IT capital accumulation. The results also indicate that IT demand of Indian industries is sensitive to availability of skilled workforce, fuel and electricity and access to short-term funding.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the nexus among TFP, IT capital accumulation, skills and organizational factors using ASI unit level data. Besides this, the paper offers two more novelties. First, it uses Wooldridge (2009) technique to estimate productivity, which is used by a handful of studies in the context of India. Second, the study identifies factors that impact productivity growth, IT demand and its adoption in Indian industries and thus contributes to growth and development literature.