bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social network influences on integrated reporting adoption and implementation – a UK perspective
Authors: Robertson Fiona
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate social influences on the UK integrated reporting () adoption and implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with 36 senior executives actively involved in  within 17 organisations.

Findings

Main social influences on adoption externally were reported design consultants and to a lesser extent, external auditors, primarily to legitimise . Internal influences were board support for , with the main driver being the mind-set of the CFO/Chairman to drive sustainability throughout the organisation or to regain trust in society. Social influences aiding further diffusion at the implementation stage came from three external sources: business networks; report design consultants; and external auditors. Internal influences in driving  diffusion within organisations were identified in five functional areas, with finance, sustainability and communications functions exerting the greatest external influence on the diffusion of .

Research limitations/implications

This research study was limited by the small sample of organisations that participated, although significant efforts were made to ensure that the sample incorporated the majority of early adopter UK organisations who demonstrated best practice in . Therefore, the findings are specific to the research context and do not represent statistical generalisations.

Practical implications

Empirical evidence identifying social influences from a practitioner perspective provides recommendations as to how  may be further diffused in the future.

Social implications

 creates the potential to significantly improve the long-term health of corporations and the external environment they impact through consideration of the three indivisible and integrated dimensions of sustainable development, the economy, society and the environment and can contribute to a sustainable society by providing the opportunity for organisations to respond to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This highlights the significance of the research, which aims to gain insights into  social influences which can assist in the adoption and implementation of .

Originality/value

This is the first comprehensive study of social influences on the  adoption and implementation practices in the UK. It incorporates recommendations to improve the likelihood of subsequent adoption and diffusion of  based on the findings.
Do academic and professional institutions promote the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance in Nigeria?
Authors: Umar Umar Habibu , AbuBakar Mustapha , Baita Abubakar Jamilu , Kademi Tasiu Tijjani , Haron Md Harashid
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of academic and professional institutions in promoting the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were generated through a documentary research method by examining the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for Nigerian universities and Nigerian university curricula for the relevant undergraduate programs, as well as examination syllabi and training brochures for the relevant professional associations.

Findings

The study found that universities do not promote significantly the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance. Similarly, the relevant professional associations through their examinations and training programs contribute little or nothing to the promotion of awareness and knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

This study solely relied upon documentary evidence upon which the findings were based. In addition, for academic institutions, only undergraduate BMAS and curricula were examined.

Practical implications

There should be collaborations between the National University Commission of Nigeria, relevant Islamic and non-Islamic professional bodies and Nigerian Universities to ensure that courses (subjects) that could promote the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance are fully integrated into academic and professional curricula and training programs.

Social implications

The integration of an adequate number of relevant courses/topics into academic curricula and professional institution examination syllabi and their Mandatory Continuing Professional Development programs would greatly contribute to the production of competent and skillful employees to work for the growth and development of the Islamic banking and finance industry.

Originality/value

This study provides better ways of ensuring that knowledgeable and qualified employees are produced to work for the sustainability of the global Islamic banking and finance industry.
Overview of money laundering laws after 2020 amendments in Pakistan
Authors: Anwar Muhammad Fahad , Uz Zaman Qamar , Ashraf Rana Umair , Ul Hassan Syed Iftikhar , Abbas Khurram
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a review of Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) after the latest amendments, i.e. Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper performs a detailed review of AML and related laws and amendments to record notable changes and improvements in the recent amendments and drew a comparison among these legal amendments.

Findings

This paper finds that recent amendments are essential and judiciously crafted to cover the legal clinches, ensuring effective implementation of AML laws and positive expected outcomes for Pakistan.

Originality/value

This paper is unique in the context of the ongoing struggle against money laundering (ML) in Pakistan; covering the legal progress of Pakistan regarding ML, corruption and terrorism financing.
Can a professional learning community deliver career development learning?
Authors: Gander Michelle , McInnes Margot
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The professional development needs of university professional staff are an under-researched area. More data were needed to understand their needs to ensure that employers invest their resources appropriately. A conceptual framework is developed for the workplace learning of career development activities using concepts of professional learning communities, adult learning and non-formal learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of a professional development network in meeting the needs of university professional staff after a re-structure.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of the development of a staff career network at an Australian university after a restructure is presented. An online survey was sent to 75 staff who had attended at least one professional development event. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Findings

This study has shown that a university professional staff career network has been a positive influence for its participants after an organisational restructure. The value of this network was to increase confidence and provide opportunities for self-improvement, career planning and networking.

Originality/value

A conceptual model integrating the concepts of professional learning communities, adult learning and non-formal learning has resulted in a model of social non-formalised workplace learning that may be of use in other contexts to improve staff motivation, outside of more formal learning opportunities.
Protective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract ofachillea millefoliumon renal injury and biochemical factors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Karimi Arash , Niazkar Hamid Reza , Sefidmooye Azar Pouria , Tutunchi Helda , Karimi Mozhde , Asghariazar Vahid , Kooshki Fateme
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Herbal medicine has been used for the management of complications of diabetes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the anti-diabetic effects ofAchillea millefoliumextract on diabetic rats.

Design/methodology/approach

To this aim, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups in which each group comprised eight rats. The four experimental groups were as follows: control group, diabetic control (DC) group (STZ; 50 mg/kg), diabetic rats, receiving 250 mg/kg hydro-alcoholic extract of theA. millefolium(DAM) and diabetic rats, receiving 5 mg/kg glibenclamide (DG). After 21 days of the treatment course, tissues of the kidney and blood samples were collected for histopathological, biochemical and molecular analysis.

Findings

The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glucose serum were markedly reduced in the DC group while significantly increased in DG and DAM groups (1.11 ± 0.57 to 19.4 ± 3.5 and 17.8 ± 1.2p = 0.002 and 325 ± 0.18 to 223 ± 0.11 and 211 ± 0.32p = 0.02, respectively). Also, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were markedly reduced in the DC group while significantly increased in DAM and DG groups (9.1 ± 2.21 to 18.7 ± 3.81 and 14.9 ± 3.1p = 0.03 andp = 0.02, respectively). The concentrations of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urea were substantially decreased in DAM and DG groups as compared with the DC group (0.49 ± 0.02 to 0.27 ± 0.01 and 0.25 ± 0.01p = 0.01, 15.6 ± 2.1 to 7.2 ± 0.68 and 8.6 ± 1.2p = 0.02 and 114 ± 9.4 to 59.8 ± 5.2 and 64 ± 5.2p = 0.03, respectively). Also, Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) expression was significantly decreased in DAM and DG groups as compared with the DC group (1.3 ± 0.32 to 0.91 ± 0.03 and 0.93 ± 0.02p= <0.01) and Bcl-2 expression were significantly increased in DAM and DG groups as compared with the DC group (0.42 ± 0.05 to 0.88 ± 0.07 and 0.85 ± 0.06p = 0.01).

Originality/value

Diabetes led to degenerative damages in the kidney of rats and increased the mRNA level of Bax, while treatment withA. millefoliumcould protect the kidney tissue against diabetes complications and increased the mRNA expression of Bcl-2. This study indicated thatA. millefoliumextracts not only improves renal function as a result of anti-oxidant activity but also modulates some biochemical factors in diabetic rats.
Geopolitical risk, economic growth, economic uncertainty and international inbound tourism: an Indian Illustration
Authors: Ghosh Sudeshna
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to consider the role of geopolitical risk in explaining tourism demand in India, a major tourist destination of the Asian region. Furthermore, the study also considers how in addition to geopolitical risk, economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, exchange rate, inflation and trade openness impact tourism demand.

Design/methodology/approach

The Bayer and Hanck (2013) method of cointegration is applied to explore the relationship between geopolitical risk and tourism demand. Furthermore, the study has also used the auto distributed lag model to determine whether there is a long-run cointegrating association between tourism demand, geopolitical risk, economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, exchange rate and trade openness. Finally, the vector error correction model confirms the direction of causality across the set of the major variables.

Findings

This paper finds that geopolitical risk adversely impacts inbound international travel to India. This study also obtains the consistency of the results across different estimation techniques controlling for important macro variables. The Granger causality test confirms the unidirectional causality from geopolitical risk to tourism and further from economic uncertainty to tourism. The findings from the study confirm that geopolitical risks have long-term repercussions on the tourism sector in India. The results indicate that there is an urgent need to develop a pre-crisis management plan to protect the aura of Indian tourism. The tourism business houses should develop skilful marketing strategies in the post-crisis to boost the confidence of the tourists.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides valuable practical implications to tourism business houses. The tourism business houses can explore geopolitical risk measure and economic policy uncertainty measure to analyse the demand for international tourism in India. Further, the major stakeholders can establish platforms to help tourists to overcome the fear associated with geopolitical risk.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind to explore the geopolitical risks and their long-run consequences in the context of tourism in India. The study puts emphasis on the role of national policy to maintain peace otherwise it would be detrimental to tourism.
Corporate community relations and development: engagement with indigenous peoples
Authors: Blesia Jhon Urasti , Wild Susan , Dixon Keith , Lord Beverley Rae
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase knowledge about community relations and development (CRD) activities done in conjunction with mining activities of multinational companies affecting indigenous peoples and thus help improve relationships between them, despite continuing bad consequences the people continue to endure. It is through such better relationships that these consequences may be redressed and mitigated, and greater sharing of benefits of mining may occur, bearing in mind what constitutes benefits may differ from the perspectives of the indigenous peoples and the miners.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach is taken, including interviews with company officials responsible for CRD activities, elaborated with observations, company and public documents and previous literature about these mining operations and the peoples.

Findings

The CRD activities have gradually increased compared with their absence previously. They are officially labelled social investment in community development programmes, and are funded from profits and couched in terms of human development, human rights, preservation of culture and physical development of infrastructure. Dissatisfied with programme quality and relevance, company officials now relate with indigenous people, their leaders and representatives in ways called engagement and partnerships.

Practical implications

The findings can inform policies and practices of the parties to CRD, which in this West Papua case would be the miners and their company, CRD practitioners, the indigenous peoples and the civil authorities at the local and national level and aid industry participants.

Social implications

The study acknowledges and addresses social initiatives to develop the indigenous peoples affected by mining.

Originality/value

The study extends older studies in the same territory before CRD had matured, and corroborates and elaborates other studies of CRD in different territories.
Mixing tree species at different spatial scales: The effect of alpha, beta and gamma diversity on disturbance impacts under climate change
Authors: Sebald Julius , Thrippleton Timothy , Rammer Werner , Bugmann Harald , Seidl Rupert
Published: May 2021

Single species forest systems often suffer from low resistance and resilience to perturbations. Consequently, fostering tree species diversity is discussed as an important management approach to address the impacts of changing climate and disturbance regimes. Yet, the effect of the spatial grain of tree species mixtures remains unknown.

We asked whether increasing tree species diversity between stands (beta diversity) has the same effect as increasing tree species diversity within stands (alpha diversity) at similar overall levels of richness (gamma diversity). We conducted a multi‐model simulation experiment under climate change, applying two forest landscape models (iLand and LandClim) across two contrasting landscapes of Central Europe. We analysed the effect of different levels and configurations of diversity on the disturbance impact and the temporal stability of biomass stocks and forest structure.

In general, increasing levels of diversity decreased disturbance impacts. Positive diversity effects increased with increasing severity of climate change. Beta diversity buffered disturbance impacts on landscape‐level biomass stocks more strongly than alpha diversity. The effects of the spatial configuration on forest structure were more variable. Diversity effects on temporal stability were less pronounced compared to disturbance impacts, and mixture within and between stands had comparable effects on temporal stability.

Diversity effects were context‐dependent, with patterns varying between landscapes and indicators. Furthermore, we found a strong species identity effect, with increasing diversity being particularly beneficial in conifer‐dominated systems of the European Alps. The two models agreed on the effects of different levels and configurations of tree species diversity, underlining the robustness of our findings.

Synthesis and application. Enhancing tree species diversity can buffer forest ecosystems against increasing levels of perturbation. Mixing tree species between stands is at least as effective as mixing tree species within stands. Given the managerial advantages of between‐stand mixtures (e.g. reduced need to control competition to maintain diversity, higher timber quality, lower logistic effort), we conclude that forest management should consider enhancing diversity at multiple spatial scales.

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Individual‐based plant–pollinator networks are structured by phenotypic and microsite plant traits
Authors: Arroyo‐Correa Blanca , Bartomeus Ignasi , Jordano Pedro
Published: May 2021

The biotic and abiotic context of individual plants within animal‐pollinated plant populations can influence pollinator foraging behaviour. Pollinator movements regulate pollen flow among plant individuals, and ultimately determine individual plant reproductive success. Yet the underlying drivers of this context dependency of interactions at the population level and their functional consequences for individuals remain poorly known.

Here we used a well‐characterised population of Halimium halimifolium (Cistaceae), a Mediterranean shrub species, in combination with exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to evaluate how the intrapopulation variation in plant attributes configures individual‐based plant–pollinator networks and determines their reproductive outcomes. Specifically, we assessed (a) how the intrinsic (i.e. phenotype and phenology) and extrinsic (i.e. microsite) plant attributes influenced the emerging configuration of the bipartite plant–pollinator network and the unipartite plant–plant network derived from pollinator sharing, and (b) how these plant attributes combined with the network topological position of individual plants affect their female fitness, measured as the total seed weight per plant.

We found that both intrinsic and extrinsic plant attributes contributed substantially to explain the configuration of both the bipartite and the unipartite pollination network. Besides the effects of plant attributes, the functional group to which pollinator species belonged was also important to determine the variance in plant–pollinator interaction odds, while the probability of plants to share more pollinator species was additionally influenced by the spatial distance between those plants. Furthermore, our results showed that these influences of plant attributes on network structure can be translated into functional outcomes at the plant individual level, with direct consequences for intrapopulation fitness variation.

Synthesis. This study builds towards a better understanding of the multiple drivers underlying the context dependency of plant–pollinator interactions and how they mediate the reproductive outputs of individual plants within a population. The application of our analytical framework allows a conceptual shift from descriptive to predictive research on the evolutionary and ecological processes that give rise to complex ecological networks at the population level.
Terrestrial dissolved organic matter inflow drives temporal dynamics of the bacterial community of a subarctic estuary (northern Baltic Sea)
Authors: Figueroa Daniela , Capo Eric , Lindh Markus V. , Rowe Owen F. , Paczkowska Joanna , Pinhassi Jarone , Andersson Agneta
Published: May 2021

Climate change is projected to cause increased inflow of terrestrial dissolved organic matter to coastal areas in northerly regions. Estuarine bacterial community will thereby receive larger loads of organic matter and inorganic nutrients available for microbial metabolism. The composition of the bacterial community and its ecological functions may thus be affected. We studied the responses of bacterial community to inflow of terrestrial dissolved organic matter in a subarctic estuary in the northern Baltic Sea, using a 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach. Betaproteobacteria dominated during the spring river flush, constituting ~ 60% of the bacterial community. Bacterial diversity increased as the runoff decreased during summer, when Verrucomicrobia, Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gammaproteobacteria and Planctomycetes dominated the community. Network analysis revealed that a larger number of associations between bacterial populations occurred during the summer than in spring. Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes populations appeared to display similar correlations to environmental factors. In spring, freshly discharged organic matter favoured specialists, while in summer a mix of autochthonous and terrestrial organic matter promoted the development of generalists. Our study indicates that increased inflows of terrestrial organic matter‐loaded freshwater to coastal areas would promote specialist bacteria, which in turn might enhance the transformation of terrestrial organic matter in estuarine environments.
BICYCLE POLICY IN MEXICO CITY: Urban Experiments and Differentiated Citizenship
Authors: Sosa López Oscar
Published: May 2021

This article examines the effect of the development of bicycle policy in Mexico City on existing landscapes of urban citizenship. In Mexico City, NGOs, activists and progressive city officials used Ecobici, the city's bike share system, to promote the bicycle as an innovative, sustainable and socially inclusive mode of transportation in central areas of the city. At the same time, bicycle infrastructure has not yet reached peripheral, low‐income and underfunded districts, where residents rely on bicycles for transportation. I draw on the Cities and Low Carbon Transitions framework to examine bicycle policy as a project aimed at transforming Mexico City's socio‐technical systems for transportation, and I draw on notions of urban citizenship to examine how green urban infrastructures materialize and transform regimes of inequality. The article shows how the bicycle experiment was limited by a consensus that maintained existing power inequalities, favored expert‐driven design targeting middle‐class users, and opted for rapid project implementation over long‐term institutional re‐design and capacity‐building. These dynamics excluded citizens from the planning of bicycle policy and the urban poor from enjoying the benefits of the investments.
Use and access in the new ecology of public messaging
Authors: Robinson Scott E. , Wehde Wesley , Pudlo Jason M.
Published: May 2021

The use of social media and other communication technologies have created a new ecology of public messaging. As it is a core task of government to inform its residents about risks, public managers and emergency managers, specifically, must understand this new ecology if they are to effectively communicate with the public. A challenge of this new media environment is the differential access of members of the community to various technologies. Partial proportional odds regression (PPO) provides a strategy that is useful to separate effects of access from effects of use. This article illustrates the use of PPO regression to separate access and use effects based on a survey which followed a series of severe weather events in the spring of 2016. The survey includes an address‐based sample of residents in the state of Oklahoma to ask about the use of various communication technologies to share information about the weather system (among other subjects). We find that age and work status are related to access while income, gender, race and exposure to extreme weather are related to use of various communication media. This information provides emergency managers with a stronger foundation for developing a portfolio of information options for their communities.
Quality of a powdered grapefruit product formulated with biopolymers obtained by freeze‐drying and spray‐drying
Authors: Egas‐Astudillo Luis A. , Martínez‐Navarrete Nuria , Camacho María del Mar
Published: May 2021

Freeze‐drying and spray‐drying are two techniques used to produce dehydrated food products. Both techniques are easy to use and offer high sensory, nutritive value, and functional quality to foods. However, both processes become difficult for foods with high sugar and acid content, such as fruits. This is because these products, once dehydrated, moisten quickly, causing a change in their physical properties, mainly in the mechanical aspects related to the start of a caking phenomenon. Therefore, incorporating high molecular weight biopolymers that act as facilitators or processors, prevent the structural collapse of the product. The aim of this study was to select the best process, between freeze‐drying or spray‐drying, to obtain a powdered grapefruit product with the higher quality. The impact of the biopolymers used to stabilize the powdered product was also tested. The properties analyzed were the solubility, wettability, hygroscopicity, porosity, and color of the powder together with the flow behavior, both in air and water. The results of this study show that using the freeze‐drying technique, products have a better flow behavior, greater porosity, and a color more like fresh grapefruit. Biopolymers, especially when in combination, have a positive effect on the quality parameters studied.

Practical Application

The results of this study allow freeze‐drying to be proposed as a process to obtain a grapefruit product with better properties, both powdered and rehydrated, than that obtained by spray‐drying. On the other hand, although the incorporation of biopolymers is necessary to facilitate the process and stabilize the product, no significant differences have been found between the different formulations tested, although it seems that their combination favours some of the properties of the powder, such as solubility, hygroscopicity, wetting time and dispersibility.
Comparison of perioperative outcomes between standard laparoscopic and robot‐assisted approach in patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis
Authors: Raimondo Diego , Alboni Carlo , Orsini Benedetta , Aru Anna Chiara , Farulla Antonino , Maletta Manuela , Arena Alessandro , Del Forno Simona , Sampogna Veronica , Mastronardi Manuela , Petrillo Marco , Seracchioli Renato
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Robot‐assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) has gained widespread application in several surgical specialties. Previous studies on the feasibility and safety of RALS vs standard laparoscopy (S‐LPS) for rectosigmoid endometriosis are limited and reported conflicting data. This study aims to compare S‐LPS and RALS in patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis in terms of perioperative surgical and clinical data.

Material and methods

This is a multicentric, observational, prospective cohort study including 44 patients affected by rectosigmoid endometriosis referred to two tertiary referral centers for endometriosis from September 2018 to September 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: 22 patients underwent S‐LPS, and 22 underwent RALS. Our primary outcome was to compare operative time (from skin incision to suture) between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included: operative room time (patient entry into operative room and patient out), estimated blood loss, laparotomic conversion rate, length of hospital stay, perioperative complications, and evaluation of endometriosis‐related symptoms at 12‐month follow up.

Results

The two groups were comparable regarding preoperative and surgical data, except for higher rates of hysterectomies and bilateral uterosacral ligament removal procedures in the RALS group. Also after adjusting for these discrepancies, operative time was similar between S‐LPS and RALS. Operative room time was statistically longer in the RALS group compared with that of S‐LPS. No statistically significant difference was found concerning other study outcomes. Pain and bowel symptoms improved in both groups at 12‐month follow up.

Conclusions

If performed by expert teams, RALS provides similar perioperative outcomes compared with S‐LPS in rectosigmoid endometriosis surgical treatment, except for longer operative room time.
Ancient oral tradition in Central Java warns of volcano–earthquake interaction
Authors: Troll Valentin R. , Deegan Frances M. , Seraphine Nadhirah
Published: May 2021

Merapi volcano in Central Java, Indonesia, is one of the most hazardous volcanoes in Southeast Asia, yet humans have inhabited the area around Merapi since ancient times. As a consequence, a rich but complex volcano‐related folklore has developed. The local legends describe the interaction of the spirit kings that reside within Merapi volcano and the Queen of the South Sea, who resides in the Indian Ocean near Parangtritis, some 50 km SSE of the volcano. The royal palace in Yogyakarta is located half‐way between Merapi volcano and Parangtritis beach and is believed to balance these opposing forces. In 2006 and 2010, Merapi erupted explosively and on both occasions, earthquakes shook the region and caused the eruptions to grow more intense. Notably, the 2006 earthquakes clustered along the Opak River fault system to the south of the volcano that reaches the sea at Parangtritis beach, the fabled residence of the Queen of the South Sea. We argue that local legends were used to rationalize the dynamic interaction between the volcano and the frequent regional earthquakes through the rich oral traditions and ceremonies in the districts around Merapi. These legends can thus be thought of as comprising an ancient hazard catalogue with respect to local eruptive behaviour and seismic phenomena. This realization is now finding increasing use in communicating volcanic hazard knowledge to diverse local resident and interest groups, including local primary schools, with the aim to further reduce casualties in times of future volcanic crisis.
Manning the waves: Masculinity shift amongst Filipino seafarers in the age of precarity
Authors: Turgo Nelson
Published: May 2021

This article looks at the intersection between Filipino seafarers' performance of masculinity shift onboard and the precarity that attends their work at sea. Reflecting on data gathered from four cargo ship voyages, and interviews with Filipino seafarers in the Philippines, the article proposes that Filipino seafarers' rendition and cultivation of hegemonic masculinity ashore is set aside at sea as a way to mitigate both perceived and experienced employment precarity. By wilfully performing a multiplicity of situationally specific masculinities, Filipino seafarers perforce to hold on to their employment at sea to preserve their hegemonic masculinity ashore. The performance of masculinity shift at sea by Filipino seafarers manifests their shifting gender strategies in the context of economic and cultural structures and how the experiencing of one form of masculinity ashore is predicated on the execution of different manifestations of masculinity at sea. This masculinity shift takes place in the context of the fast changing crewing preferences of ship owners, robust implementation of local laws pertaining to seafarer rights and privileges, and the power of supranational bodies to shape domestic maritime labor policies.
The emotional toll of postfeminist fatherhood
Authors: Gruson‐Wood Julia , Rice Carla , Haines Jess , Chapman Gwen E.
Published: May 2021

Postfeminism shapes the political economy of the workforce and household, constituting a re‐entrenchment of traditional heterosexual gender regimes and the pressure to transgress them. Focusing on the understudied area of postfeminist masculinity, we analyze the emotional toll some fathers experience as a result of the fraught expectations to be the breadwinner, nurturing parent, and enlightened feminist spouse who completes equal domestic duties. Using empirical data of parents’ participation in a family‐based health intervention, we argue that the paradoxical expectation to enact traditional gender relations and to adopt gender egalitarianism is exhausting, upsetting, and confusing for fathers. By focusing on the affective dimensions of postfeminism, we demonstrate how working to achieve the impossible expectation of doing “it all,” a bind that women have been caught in for centuries, takes an emotional toll on fathers and couples, leading to discontent at work and home, and in regard to their self‐concept, parental role, and spousal relationship. We close by offering counter examples of fathers and couples who have disengaged from postfeminist parenting relations and have reached a state of contentment. Contrary to the alignment of postfeminism with positive affect, the experience of resisting postfeminist resulted in feelings of joy, pride, and satisfaction.
Effects of sintering temperature on microstructure and properties of low‐grade bauxite‐based ceramic proppant
Authors: Ding Donghai , Fang Yufei , Xiao Guoqing , Zhu Xianfeng , Fu Pengcheng , Chong Xiaochuan
Published: May 2021

Low density and high strength ceramic proppant was prepared by sintering high aluminium type low‐grade bauxite and high iron type low‐grade bauxite at the temperature range from 1300℃ to 1360℃. The phase composition and micromorphology of ceramic proppant were, respectively, characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The bulk density, apparent density, and breakage ratio of ceramic proppant were tested using standard methods. The results show that mullite crystal and corundum crystal are fully developed, the spatial network structure of rod‐shaped mullite is formed, and corundum crystal is evenly distributed in the sample when the sintering temperature is 1340℃. At this temperature, the bulk density of the sample is 1.42 g/cm3, the apparent density is 2.67 g/cm3, and the breakage ratio is 5.1% under the closure pressure of 52 MPa. Then, the growth mechanism of mullite crystal in ceramic proppant was explored. The results reveal that the mullite crystal in ceramic proppant conforms to the layer growth theory. The secondary crystal nucleus is formed in the growth process and shows a step growth mechanism. With the increase in sintering temperature, the preferred orientation growth of mullite crystal finally forms needle‐like morphology.
Fast seamless joining of SiCw/Ti3SiC2 composite using electric field‐assisted sintering technique
Authors: Zhou Xiaobing , Shi Lin‐Kun , Zou Shunrui , Xu Jie , Liu Yihe , Tatarko Peter
Published: May 2021

A pair of Ti3SiC2 reinforced with SiC whiskers (SiCw/Ti3SiC2) composites was successfully joined without any joining materials using electric field‐assisted sintering technology at a temperature as low as 1090°C (Ti) and a short time of 30 s. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the obtained SiCw/Ti3SiC2 joints were investigated. The solid‐state diffusion was the main joining mechanism, which was facilitated by a relatively high current density (~586 A/cm2) at the joining interface. The shear strength of the sample joined at 1090°C was 51.8 ± 2.9 MPa. The sample joined at 1090°C failed in the matrix rather than at the interface, which confirmed that a sound inter‐diffusion bonding was obtained. A rapid and high efficient self‐joining process may find application in the case of SiCw/Ti3SiC2 sealing cladding tube and end cap.
Correlation between instrumental stress and oral processing property of chicken broiler breast under wooden breast myopathy
Authors: Zhang Yulong , Gao Yunfan , Li Zhen , Zheng Zimeng , Xu Xinglian , Wang Peng , Zheng Bin , Qi Zexin
Published: May 2021

Wooden breast myopathy affects the quality of fresh and processed chicken breast muscle. The objective of this study was to construct a classification method by instrumental stress, and the effects of wooden breast myopathy on meat quality and oral processing property, and was to explore correlations between stress and oral processing parameters. The severity of wooden breast myopathy was highly correlated to fillet weight (R2 = 0.740), thickness (R2 = 0.826) and hardness (R2 = 0.803) (P < 0.01). The 3D scatter model based on stress is robust and reliable to classify the fillets into four categories (normal, mild, moderate and severe wooden breast fillets), avoiding manual grading. Moisture, fat, collagen, pH, drip loss, cooking loss, thawing loss, purge loss, hardness, gumminess and chewiness significantly increased with the severity of wooden breast myopathy, whereas fat, ash and water/salt‐soluble protein contents significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Shear force reached the maximum (36.32 N) when this myopathy was moderate. The myopathy led to an increase in masseter activity and the particle size of the bolus. Significantly higher correlations between stress, Dx(50) (R2 = 0.790), Dx(90) (R2 = 0.771) and D[4,3] (R2 = 0.797) were found (P < 0.01). This study also showed that jaw movement and muscle activity could be used to understand the links between physical property and orally sensory property.
Accounting for growth in the USSR and Russia, 1950–2012
Authors: Voskoboynikov Ilya B.
Published: May 2021

Why did the Soviet economy slowdown in last decades before its collapse? How did the proximate sources of economic growth of Russia change after the transition from a planned to a market economy? Previous research has suggested inputs‐driven growth before the transition and total factor productivity (TFP) as its main driver afterwards. This paper presents a new growth accounting exercise for Russia and Russian industry, using new historical statistics and Russia KLEMS data for capital, the historical series of Russian gross domestic product (GDP) from the Hitotsubashi Asian Historical Statistics Project, and alternative measures of capital inputs. In contrast with previous studies, this paper shows that in Russia TFP was the main determinant of labor productivity performance before and after the transition. The contribution of capital intensity was relatively stable in both periods. For Russian industry, the difference between the planned and market economy periods appears in the impact of capital quality. Before the transition, growth structures overbore machinery, deteriorating capital quality and labor productivity growth, while in 1999–2008, the dominating contribution of machinery fueled growth. Finally, the paper shows that the transformational recession of 1990s can be partially explained by the fall of capital services.
Comparison Between Uniform Tariff and Progressive Consumption Tax in the Chinese Automobile Industry*
Authors: Shen Caixia , Wang Yanfei , Xiao Junji , Zhou Xiaolan
Published: May 2021

This paper studies the protectionist effect of a non‐trade policy — a consumption tax — compared to that of a tariff on the Chinese automobile market. Our empirical findings suggest that both the consumption tax and the tariff can protect domestic automakers’ market shares, but they can only shift a small portion of demand from imported cars to domestic cars. This demand exclusion is caused by the weak substitution between imported cars and domestic cars, and it is the underlying reason for the welfare loss caused by both the tariff and the consumption tax. A change in the consumption tax favorable to domestic manufacturers is equivalent to an additional 28% tariff, beyond the explicit 25% tariff, in terms of its protective effect on domestic manufacturers’ market shares.
Outcome following surgery to treat septic peritonitis in 95 cats in the United Kingdom
Authors: Anderson T. , Beever L. , Hall J. , Moores A. , Llanos C. , Adams R. , Meakin L. , Coppola M. , Bowlt‐Blacklock K. , Holmes M. A. , Barnes D.
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To review the cause, management and outcome in cats with septic peritonitis within the United Kingdom (2008 to 2018) and to identify if previously identified prognostic factors were associated with survival in this population.

Materials and Methods

Clinical records from 10 referral hospitals in United Kingdom were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, clinicopathological data and management techniques. Serum albumin, glucose, lactate and ionised calcium concentration; presence of intraoperative hypotension and correct empirical antibiosis were analysed via logistic regression for association with survival.

Results

Ninety‐five cats were included. The overall survival rate was 66%. Lethargy (89%) and anorexia (75%) were the most common clinical signs, with abdominal pain and vomiting in 44% and 27% of cases, respectively. Gastro‐intestinal leakage was the most common source of contamination. The presence of an abdominal mass on clinical examination was not strongly predictive of the presence of neoplasia on histology and did not confer a worse prognosis. Cats presenting with dehiscence of a previous enterotomy/enterectomy did not have a worse prognosis than those presenting with other aetologies. Intraoperative hypotension (adjusted odds ratio 0.173, 95% confidence intervals 0.034 to 0.866, P=0.033) was associated with non‐survival. Cats that survived beyond 1 day postoperatively had an improved likelihood of survival (87.5%). All cats that survived beyond 6 days were successfully discharged.

Clinical Significance

This study describes the largest group of cats with septic peritonitis with an overall survival rate of 66%. The presence of an abdominal mass on clinical examination or having dehiscence of a previous gastrointestinal surgery did not confer a worse prognosis.
Effect of doxepin on quality of life in Labradors with laryngeal paralysis: A double‐blinded, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Rishniw Mark , Sammarco Jill , Glass Eric N. , Cerroni Brittany
Published: May 2021

Background

Laryngeal paralysis commonly affects older Labrador retrievers. Currently, dogs with severe disease require surgical intervention, most commonly arytenoid lateralization. Anecdotally, doxepin has been proposed to help dogs with laryngeal paralysis.

Hypothesis

Doxepin will improve quality of life measures assessed by owners of Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis not requiring emergency surgery.

Animals

Twenty‐two Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis.

Methods

Dogs were randomized to receive doxepin (3‐5 mg/kg q12h PO) or placebo for 28 days. Owners completed quality‐of‐life assessments before and after completing the study. Data were compared between groups using Rank‐Sum tests or Fisher's exact tests.

Results

The 2 groups of dogs did not differ at baseline except for owner‐perceived degree of ataxia (owners of dogs receiving doxepin considered them more ataxic than owners of dogs receiving placebo). After 28 days, owner‐assessed quality of life measures did not differ between dogs receiving doxepin or placebo (dogs worsening: doxepin = 2, placebo = 1; dogs unchanged: doxepin = 6, placebo = 7; dogs improved: doxepin = 4, placebo = 2; P = .84). Dogs receiving placebo had a greater improvement in client‐assessed overall health than dogs receiving doxepin (mean ranks: doxepin = 4.36, placebo = 6.64; P = .04). The study was terminated at this interim analysis.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Doxepin did not appear to improve any measures of owner‐assessed quality of life in Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis.
Identifying associations between dental arch relationship scores, relative deprivation and other cleft audit outcomes. Part 1
Authors: Sullivan Zak Christopher , Van Eeden Simon , McMahon Siobhan , Edwards Zoe , Flannigan Norah , Seshu Madhavi , Dominguez‐Gonzalez Susana
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To assess whether dental arch relationship scores are associated with speech, audiological and psychology outcomes in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP).

Setting and sample population

One hundred 5‐year‐old children with non‐syndromic complete UCLP and forty‐two 5‐year‐olds with non‐syndromic complete BCLP from the United Kingdom.

Material and methods

Data were collected from five‐year audit clinics for dental arch relationships, speech, hearing and psychology outcomes. Associations were assessed between ordinal prognostic covariates and the dental arch relationship outcome using a Cochrane‐Armitage test for trend and comparisons with binary prognostic covariates using chi‐square/Fisher's exact test. This was extended to assess associations between five‐year audit outcomes and a measure of deprivation.

Results

There was no evidence of associations between dental arch relationships and outcomes for audiology and speech. Individual domain analysis of the psychology outcomes within the UCLP cohort reported a poor outcome for Pro‐social score to be associated with a poor 5‐year‐old index score (P = .018). For the BCLP sample, a good outcome for the BCLP Deciduous Dentition Yardstick was associated with a good conduct score (P = .01).

Conclusion

There was no association with the 5‐year‐old index/BCLP Deciduous Dentition Yardstick score and outcomes reported for audiology and speech. For the UCLP and BCLP cohorts, a poor dental arch relationship outcome may be associated with issues with some aspects of psychological well‐being, associated with peer interactions and conduct. The deprivation index of samples had no association with the outcomes assessed.