bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating temperature-induced structural changes of lead halide perovskites by in situ X-ray powder diffraction
Authors: Caliandro Rocco , Altamura Davide , Belviso Benny Danilo , Rizzo Aurora , Masi Sofia , Giannini Cinzia
Published: September 2019

In situ X-ray diffraction experiments offer a unique opportunity to investigate structural dynamics at atomic resolution, by collecting several patterns in an appropriate time sequence (data matrix) while varying the applied stimulus (e.g. temperature changes). Individual measurements can be processed independently by refinement procedures that are based on prior knowledge of the average structure of each crystal phase present in the sample. If the refinement converges, parameters of the average structural model can be assessed and studied as a function of the stimulus variations. An alternative approach consists in applying a multivariate analysis to the data matrix as a whole. Methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and phase-sensitive detection perform fast, blind and model-independent calculations that can be used for on-site analysis to identify trends in data actually related to the applied stimulus. Both classical and multivariate approaches are here applied to the in situ X-ray diffraction pair distribution function (PDF) setup on two samples of the hybrid perovskite methylammonium (MA) lead iodide obtained by different synthetic routes, subjected to temperature variations. The PDF refinement allows assessing the occurrence of temperature-induced rotations of the PbI6 octahedra and variations in the relative amount of MAPbI3 and intermediate PbI2–MAI–DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) crystal phases. A change in the orientation of the methylammonium molecule with temperature is also characterized. Results of the multivariate analysis tools, which include a newly introduced space-dependent variant of PCA, are described, interpreted and validated against simulated data, and their specificity and relation to refinement results are highlighted. The interaction between nearby octahedra is identified as the driving force for the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition, and three fundamental trends in data having different temperature behaviours are unveiled: (i) irreversible weight-fraction variations of the MAPbI3 and PbI2–MAI–DMSO phases; (ii) reversible structural changes related to the MAPbI3 crystalline phase and its lattice distortion in the ab plane, having the same frequency as the temperature variations; (iii) reversible lattice distortion along the c axis, occurring at twice the frequency of the temperature changes.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2,2′′′,6,6′′′-tetramethoxy-3,2′:5′,3′′:6′′,3′′′-quaterpyridine
Authors: Moon Suk-Hee , Kim Jinho , Park Ki-Min , Kang Youngjin
Published: September 2019

In the title compound, C24H22N4O4, the four pyridine rings are tilted slightly with respect to each other. The dihedral angles between the inner and outer pyridine rings are 12.51 (8) and 9.67 (9)°, while that between inner pyridine rings is 20.10 (7)°. Within the molecule, intramolecular C—H...O and C—H...N contacts are observed. In the crystal, adjacent molecules are linked by π–π stacking interactions between pyridine rings and weak C—H...π interactions between a methyl H atom and the centroid of a pyridine ring, forming a two-dimensional layer structure extending parallel to the ac plane. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots indicate that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H...H (52.9%) and H...C/C...H (17.3%) contacts.
Nutritional quality, cost and availability of gluten-free food in England
Authors: Hopkins Sarah , Soon Jan Mei
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Coeliac disease (CD) is a life-long condition requiring strict adherence to a gluten-free (GF) diet. Due to wide claims of availability and lower costs of gluten-free food (GFF) and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England needing to save costs, access to prescriptions for patients with CD is being limited in England. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the availability and cost of GFF in an area where patients with CD have restricted access to prescriptions and to assess the nutritional composition of GFFs available in comparison with foods containing gluten (FCG).

Design/methodology/approach

Eight food categories that were representative of a range of commonly purchased GFFs were selected. Availability and cost of the cheapest and most expensive branded and non-branded GFFs and gluten containing equivalents were surveyed at physical stores (n=19) and online stores (n=8). The nutritional composition of some of the widely available GFFs identified (n=190) and comparable FCGs (n=218) were calculated using MyFitnessPal.

Findings

None of the budget stores or corner shops surveyed stocked any of the surveyed cereal-based GFFs. Online stores had more availability than physical stores; however, there was no significant difference in cost. GFFs cost, on average, 2.18 times more than FCG. When making nutritional comparisons with gluten-containing food, protein content was lower across 55 per cent of GFF categories. There was significantly less sugar in GF brown bread, crackers, and wholegrain pasta compared with those containing gluten (CG). Another main finding was GF ready-meals contained significantly less salt than ready-meals CG.

Originality/value

Limited resources and perceived wide availability of GF products resulted in reduced GF prescriptions to patients in England. The findings in this study revealed that there is no availability of cereal-based GFFs in budget stores, high cost and limited access to prescriptions can influence adherence to a GF diet and is most likely to affect patients from deprived groups. This study recommends that the prescription of GFF to patients with CD should be continued.
The benefits and challenges of general data protection regulation for the information technology sector
Authors: Poritskiy Nazar , Oliveira Flávio , Almeida Fernando
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The implementation of European data protection is a challenge for businesses and has imposed legal, technical and organizational changes for companies. This study aims to explore the benefits and challenges that companies operating in the information technology (IT) sector have experienced in applying the European data protection. Additionally, this study aims to explore whether the benefits and challenges faced by these companies were different considering their dimension and the state of implementation of the regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a quantitative methodology, based on a survey conducted with Portuguese IT companies. The survey is composed of 30 questions divided into three sections, namely, control data; assessment; and benefits and challenges. The survey was created on Google Drive and distributed among Portuguese IT companies between March and April of 2019. The data were analyzed using the Stata software using descriptive and inferential analysis techniques using the ANOVA one-way test.

Findings

A total of 286 responses were received. The main benefits identified by the application of European data protection include increased confidence and legal clarification. On the other hand, the main challenges include the execution of audits to systems and processes and the application of the right to erasure. The findings allow us to conclude that the state of implementation of the general data protection regulation (GDPR), and the type of company are discriminating factors in the perception of benefits and challenges.

Research limitations/implications

This study has essentially practical implications. Based on the synthesis of the benefits and challenges posed by the adoption of European data protection, it is possible to assess the relative importance and impact of the benefits and challenges faced by companies in the IT sector. However, this study does not explore the type of challenges that are placed at each stage of the adoption of European data protection and does not take into account the specificities of the activities carried out by each of these companies.

Originality/value

The implementation of the GDPR is still in an initial phase. This study is pioneering in synthesizing the main benefits and challenges of its adoption considering the companies operating in the IT sector. Furthermore, this study explores the impact of the size of the company and the status of implementation of the GDPR on the perception of the established benefits and challenges.
How do ventures become more innovative? The effect of external search and ambidextrous knowledge integration
Authors: Rui Zhengyun , Lyytinen Kalle
Published: September 2019

Purpose

New ventures search for external knowledge to break through the prevailing knowledge and resource constraints. The influence of search mechanisms can be assessed against the backdrop of internal factors such as the venture’s knowledge integration (KI) capability. The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of knowledge search depth (KSD) and knowledge search breadth (KSB) on innovation outcomes and asks to what extent such effects are mediated by levels of KI.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors distinguish between the current depth and width of the firm’s knowledge base as to detect their possible moderating effects. The authors test the model using data collected from 167 Chinese start-ups.

Findings

The results show that KSB has a positive effect on KI and innovation performance, but KSD has an inverted U-shaped effect on KI and innovation performance. KI plays a mediating role between external knowledge search and innovation performance, while the breadth of the venture’s knowledge base positively moderates the relationship between explorative KI and innovation performance, and the depth of knowledge base positively moderates the relationship between exploitive KI and innovation performance.

Originality/value

These results differ from earlier research focusing on mature enterprises.
Exploring female entrepreneurs’ marketing decisions with a heuristics and biases approach
Authors: Nouri Pouria , Imanipour Narges , Ahmadikafeshani Abdollah
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This study furthers the body of knowledge on entrepreneurial decision-making, entrepreneurial marketing and female entrepreneurs by exploring practical implications of heuristics and biases in female entrepreneurs’ marketing decisions. Heuristics and biases influence many entrepreneurial decisions. Moreover, some of the most important entrepreneurial decisions are marketing-related. Given that the entrepreneurial marketing behavior emanates from entrepreneurial thinking and decision-making, one may conclude that female entrepreneurs’ marketing decisions are susceptible to heuristics and biases. This paper aims to explore the outcomes of heuristics and biases in entrepreneurial marketing decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 19 Iranian female biotech entrepreneurs and analyzed by thematic analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that introducing pioneering products to the market, overestimating product’s market appeal, unprepared entry, underestimating the competition, overcoming entry impediments, entry postponement, growth, success in incremental innovation and failure in radical innovation are the main outcomes of the identified heuristics and biases in the female entrepreneurs’ marketing decisions.

Practical implications

This paper has some precious practical implications for marketers as well as female entrepreneurs running small businesses. Generally speaking, reducing the negative impacts of the identified heuristics and biases of this study while enhancing their positive effects will increase the chances of female entrepreneurs to compete and succeed in tumultuous markets. Furthermore, our most important managerial implication is regarding overconfidence, which was very common in the female entrepreneurs’ marketing decisions by having various positive and negative outcomes. Thus, female entrepreneurs should be careful of this fateful bias in their decisions by knowing the most common signs of overconfidence.

Originality/value

This paper is unique because of not only identifying the main heuristics and biases but also their major outcomes in entrepreneurs’ major marketing decisions. Moreover, this paper is a pioneer in exploring heuristics and biases in female entrepreneurs’ decisions.
Political instability and its impact on economic growth: the case of Jordan
Authors: Abu Murad Malak Samih , Alshyab Nooh
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Political instability may have far-reaching implications for economic performance. This paper aims to analyze the impact of political instability on economic growth by focusing on the case of Jordan, a small country located in the Middle East, which represents a highly political instable region.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is performed by regressing different indicators for internal and external political instability on economic growth for the period from 1980 to 2015 using the fully modified ordinary least squares approach.

Findings

The results point at a significant impact of political instability on the economic growth of the country in all the specifications considered; in particular, the analysis reveals a positive impact of external political instability indexed by border countries’ political instability and a negative impact of internal political instability, as proxied by the number of crimes and cabinet changes. Further, regarding the effect of the level of freedom, the authors find evidence for the so-called conflict perspective.

Originality/value

This paper is original and relevant for two main reasons. First, it adds to the debate on the effects of political instability on economic growth, and hereby, disentangles the effects of internal and external political instability. Second, it makes an important contribution by focusing on the case of Jordan, which has received little attention in the literature on political instability so far, even though political instability is a constant threat to the country.
Bond liquidity, risk taking and corporate innovation
Authors: Nguyen Ha D. , Dang Huong T.H.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how market liquidity condition of corporate bonds can affect firm investment policy, specifically its risk taking, via the disciplinary function of trading.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses fixed-effects OLS and Poisson regression for the baseline specifications. It also employs the introduction of TRACE in 2002 as an exogenous shock to bond trading infrastructure in a difference-to-difference framework to address endogeneity concerns and establish causality.

Findings

The paper documents a positive relationship between bond illiquidity and firms’ risk taking, specifically a one standard deviation increase in Amihud illiquidity measure is associated with nearly 20 percent increase in exploratory investments compared to CAPEX. The shift in risk taking in turn increases firms’ innovation output to some extent.

Research limitations/implications

The findings have important implications on firm’s risk taking and growth. The paper identifies a new channel through which firm’s choice of risk can be influenced, namely, bondholder disciplining. The study also has implications about externalities of trading beyond liquidity cost for regulators in designing market microstructure.

Originality/value

This is the first to study the disciplinary role of bond trading. Conventional wisdom holds that bondholders are passive creditors who do not engage in costly monitoring such as banks. The findings in this paper imply that this may not be the case.
A case-based methodology for lean implementation in hospital operations
Authors: Régis Tatyana Karla Oliveira , Santos Luciano Costa , Gohr Cláudia Fabiana
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Although there are general methodologies for lean implementation in manufacturing companies, a specific methodology for the implementation of lean healthcare in hospitals has not been addressed by the literature. Addressing this gap, the purpose of this paper is to develop a practice-driven methodology for implementing lean in hospital operations.

Design/methodology/approach

Three case studies were conducted to collect evidence on the lean implementation process in Brazilian hospitals. From empirical evidence and literature, the implementation methodology was proposed and submitted to critical assessment by experts from the field.

Findings

The process of lean implementation was very similar in all cases, triggered by strategic planning and operationalized by continuous improvement projects. On the other hand, in all cases, the lean implementation teams had to deal with employees’ resistance. These findings were valuable inputs to the development of the implementation methodology. After refinement, it was proposed a feasible, useful and user-friendly methodology.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed methodology was raised from the practice through case study research. However, the proposed methodology was not fully applied, and the associated performance measures were not elaborated in this paper. Therefore, more case studies and applications will be necessary to generalize the findings.

Practical implications

The methodology provides practical guidelines that support lean implementation in hospital operations. Although it demands adaptations for each specific hospital setting, this initial step may encourage hospital managers to start the lean journey.

Originality/value

This study addressed the gap in the literature regarding the lack of methodologies for implementing lean healthcare in hospital operations. The methodology synthesizes the knowledge, principles and tools of lean thinking that can be applied in hospital operations.
Impact of informal learning in the accounting profession
Authors: Kusaila Michelle M.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of informal learning contextual factors in facilitation workplace learning in the auditing profession.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple linear regression analysis was used to look at the relationship between four aspects of informal learning and the impact on workplace learning using data from a cross-sectional survey of 95 audit professionals.

Findings

Correlation analysis identifies men perceive access to time and technology resources differently than women, but regression analysis identifies both genders are impacted by having time to participate in informal learning activities. Older, more experienced auditors’ were not as impacted by informal learning activities, but younger auditors were impacted by management support. Contrasting previous research the significance of a supportive organizational culture suggests the learning culture in public accounting firms’ support knowledge dispersion through the feedback and review process.

Research limitations/implications

This study was tested in one context; it could be expanded to other accounting professionals, to look for generalizability. The technology attribute can be further explored as technology adoption is pushed to new staff; future studies could explore whether the technology attribute becomes significant.

Originality/value

Few studies have looked at the quantitative impact of informal learning in the accounting profession. This study adds to the literature confirming the importance of the pyramid structure in encouraging the development of younger auditors and its perceived positive impact on them. In addition, it extends the importance of the time commitment to personal development, and the role it plays in informal learning.
Impacts of learning content focus and collaborative learning on university teachers’ lifelong learning
Authors: Zhou Hongyan , Tu Chia-Ching
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to reveal the current status of China university teachers’ learning content focus (LCF) and collaborative learning (CL) and empirically examine the influential effects LCF and CL play on individual pursuit of lifelong learning (LLL) by investigating the mediating role of individual psychological empowerment (PE).

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis, are conducted.

Findings

The results of this study indicate significant direct impacts of LCF, CL and PE on university teachers’ LLL. LCF shares significant positive relationship with PE, validating the mediating role of PE between LCF and LLL. University teachers show their consciousness of learning required in professionalism and willingness to keep learning. However, the four major discrepancies: Lifelong Learning Process (LLLP) vs Lifelong Learning Behavior (LLLB), focus of professional promotion system vs that in LCF, lower levels in Self-determination and Impact (in PE) and less external partnerships, indicate the gaps between learning supports provided by university and policy designing in promoting LLL.

Originality/value

This study emphasizes the LLL ideology in professional development. Emphasis on university teachers’ learning within specific professional development contexts would encourage researchers to pay more attention to context-relevant factors enhancing LLL. And the four major discrepancies identified in this study deserve further investigations.
Integration of green supply chain management practices in construction supply chain of CPEC
Authors: Ali Yousaf , Saad Talal Bin , Sabir Muhammad , Muhammad Noor , Salman Aneel , Zeb Khaqan
Published: September 2019

Purpose

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects are widely spread throughout Pakistan with the potential to have a massive impact on Pakistan’s economic future. CPEC projects have, therefore, made it imperative that green practices are adapted to provide sustainability to the CPEC projects. The adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) framework will significantly increase the value attained from CPEC projects through the increased benefits to the socio-cultural and economic conditions of Pakistan without causing harm to the environment. The purpose of this paper is to identify and rank the GSCM practices for implementation in the construction industry of Pakistan according to expert opinion.

Design/methodology/approach

This study targets the experts who are employed as supply chain managers in the different construction industries of Pakistan. The opinions of these experts have been extracted through an online questionnaire that was based on six alternatives along with four criteria. The tool of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) that is a Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) has been used to analyze the results.

Findings

Six alternatives that have been used for this study are green design, green procurement, green production, green warehousing, green transportation and green recycling. The top-ranked alternative as a practice for GSCM is green warehousing followed by green production. The lowest ranked alternative in this study is green recycling. The alternatives have been ranked on the basis of “cc” values derived through TOPSIS.

Practical implications

As the advancement in the construction industry will definitely going to impact the environmental sustainability of the country, the results derived through this research will assist the managers of the construction industry of Pakistan to adopt best practices among green supply chain in order to lower their impact.

Originality/value

Framework using TOPSIS in order to find the best GSCM practice in Pakistan has not been reported before this study.
E-conveyancing: a consideration of its risks and rewards
Authors: Cradduck Lucy
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine current Australian e-conveyancing processes to identify its rewards and the risks requiring specific attention in order to protect consumers and ensure ongoing trust in the system.

Design/methodology/approach

Doctrinal legal research engaging with statutory and precedential case law; related policy documents and governmental agreements; academic and other related writings; news materials and Property Exchange of Australia documentation.

Findings

E-conveyancing rewards have received greater understanding than the inherent risks, which needs to be corrected by educating users and consumers.

Originality/value

The research adds to the academic literature in this emerging area of legal risk.
Do professor’s age and gender matter or do students give higher value to professors’ experience?
Authors: Flegl Martin , Andrade Rosas Luis Antonio
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Many higher education institutions (HEIs) have constructed their internal evaluation systems to secure teaching quality. This paper aims to analyze teaching quality, HEIs use students to evaluate their professors as they have direct contact with the professors during the whole semester. The authorities hope to receive valuable information, which can be used for many administrative purposes. The bias in the evaluation toward professors’ gender and attractiveness has already been proven. However, there is only limited evidence whether students give higher value to teaching quality over the professors’ personality.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors go further in the gender-attractiveness evidence and put the evaluation in contrast with professors’ experience, age, etc.

Findings

The results indicate that the effect of experience predominates the effect of gender and in some areas also the effect of age. What is more, a semester in which a course is taken also influences the evaluation as different professors’ abilities are required in teaching in a different semester. On the other hand, the results do not fully confirm the effect of gender on the evaluation.

Originality/value

The results reveal that it is important to consider the course structure to assign professors to the right courses.
Uses and abuses of IMPLAN in economic impact studies of tourism events and facilities in the United States: a perspective article
Authors: Crompton John
Published: September 2019

Purpose

An overview of the IMPLAN input/output model which is the dominant economic impact model used in the USA, focused on the ways it is abused.

Design/methodology/approach

Review of the literature.

Findings

25 ways in which IMPLAN is abused.

Research limitations/implications

Continued refinement of IMPLAN in the USA; potential of its extension to other contexts.

Practical implications

Beware it is frequently used to confirm an advocacy position of those who commission studies, rather than a search for truth.

Social implications

Profound potential for creating falsified outcomes to support sponsor advocacy.

Originality/value

Synopsis of IMPLAN literature and identification of abuses.
Future tourism in a robot-based economy: a perspective article
Authors: Webster Craig , Ivanov Stanislav
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Future tourism will take place in a robonomic economy (aka robonomics). The massive introduction of robots, artificial intelligence and automation technologies which will lead to the advent of an economy that will be qualitatively different from the current economy. The robonomic economy will have profound implications on the nature of work, level and sources of incomes, leisure time, politics, international trade and relations, ownership rights, etc., hence leading to major social, economic and political challenges and tension. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on how tourism will be in a robonomic society.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a perspective paper that shows how tourism will be in a robonomic society. This is a conceptual perspective article that shows how tourism will be in a robonomic society.

Findings

This paper elaborates on the tourism/hospitality implications of robonomics, the positive and negative impacts of robonomics on tourism and vice versa.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers to discuss tourism implications of a future automated society.
Multi-criteria shape optimization of open-spandrel concrete arch bridges: Pareto front development and decision-making
Authors: Pouraminian Majid , Pourbakhshian Somayyeh
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to study the shape of the concrete arched bridge by particle swarm optimization algorithm.

Design/methodology/approach

Finite element model of open-spandrel concrete arch bridges was constructed using a number of parameters. Design variables of optimization problem include height of skewback abutment, height of arch crown, position of crown with respect to global axes and left and right radius of up and down arches. After parametric modeling of bridge geometry and application of multi-objective particle swarm optimization, the shape optimization of bridge arch was determined. The concrete volume used in bridge substructure construction and maximum principal tensile stress of concrete arch body was adopted as two objective functions in this study. The optimization problem aims to minimize the two objective functions. Geometric and stress constraints are also included in the problem.

Findings

Based on the results presented in the paper, the Pareto front is generated which helps the decision-maker or designer to pick the compromise solution from among 20 optimum designs according to their subjective preferences or engineering judgment, respectively. Moreover, to help the decision-maker, the two multiple objective decision-making methods were used for selection of the best solution from among nondominated solutions.

Originality/value

This research aims to solve an interesting optimization problem in structural engineering. Optimization of arch bridges structure was done for reducing construction costs and increasing safety for the first time.
Appearance before performance? Nutritional constraints on life‐history traits, but not warning signal expression in aposematic moths
Authors: Lindstedt Carita , Suisto Kaisa , Mappes Johanna
Published: September 2019

Trade‐offs have been shown to play an important role in the divergence of mating strategies and sexual ornamentation, but their importance in explaining warning signal diversity has received less attention. In aposematic organisms, allocation costs of producing the conspicuous warning signal pigmentation under nutritional stress could potentially trade‐off with life‐history traits and maintain variation in warning coloration.

We studied this with an aposematic herbivore Arctia plantaginis (Arctiidae), whose larvae and adults show extensive variation in aposematic coloration. In larvae, less melanic coloration (i.e. larger orange patterns) produces a more efficient warning signal against predators, whereas high amounts of melanism (smaller orange pattern) enhance thermoregulation, correlate with better immunity and make individuals harder to detect for naïve predators.

We conducted a factorial rearing experiment with larvae originating from lines selected for either small or large orange signal size, which were reared on an artificial diet that had either low or high protein content. Protein content of the diet is critical for melanin production. We measured the effects of diet on individual coloration, life‐history traits, immune defence and reproductive output. We also compared the responses to dietary conditions between the small and large larval signal genotypes.

Protein content of the diet did not affect warning coloration in the larval stage, but larval signal sizes differed significantly among selection lines, confirming that its variation is mainly genetically determined. In adults, signal line or diet did not affect coloration in hindwings, but males' forewings had more melanin on the high than on low protein diet. Contrary to coloration, diet quality had a stronger impact on life‐history traits: individuals developed for longer had smaller hindwing sizes in females and lower immune defence on the low protein content diet compared with the high. These costs were higher for more melanic larval signal genotypes in terms of development time and female hindwing size.

We conclude that low plasticity in warning signal characteristics makes signal expression robust under varying dietary conditions. Therefore, variation in diet quality is not likely to constrain signal expression, but can have a bigger impact on performance.
Exotic eucalypts: From demonized trees to allies of tropical forest restoration?
Authors: Brancalion Pedro H. S. , Amazonas Nino T. , Chazdon Robin L. , van Melis Juliano , Rodrigues Ricardo R. , Silva Carina C. , Sorrini Taísi B. , Holl Karen D.
Published: September 2019

International forest landscape restoration commitments have promoted the restoration of millions of hectares of degraded and deforested lands globally, but few forest restoration approaches provide both ecologically‐sound and financially‐viable solutions for achieving the spatial scale proposed. One potential revenue source for restoration is selective harvesting of timber, a product for which there is a clear global market and increasing demand. The use of commercially valuable exotic trees may attract farmers to restoration, but can be a major concern for ecologists.

Here, we present results collected over 7 years from experimental studies at three sites across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest to assess the impacts of incorporating exotic eucalypts as a transitional stage in tropical forest restoration on above‐ground biomass accumulation, native woody species regeneration and financial viability.

Biomass accumulation was nine times greater in mixed eucalypt‐native species plantations than native only plantings due to fast eucalypt growth. Nonetheless, the growth of native non‐pioneer trees was not affected or only slightly reduced by eucalypts prior to logging.

Eucalypts did not negatively affect the natural regeneration of native woody species before or after eucalypt logging. Canopy cover regrew quickly but was slightly lower a year following logging in mixed eucalypt‐native species plantations. Natural regeneration richness and planted non‐pioneer growth were similar across treatments in the post‐logging period. We found higher variation of biomass accumulation and native species regeneration among sites than between plantation types within sites.

The income from eucalypt wood production offset 44%–75% of restoration implementation costs.

Synthesis and applications. Many of the negative effects attributed to eucalypts on the growth and natural regeneration of native trees depend on features of the production system, landscape structure, soil, and climate in which they are grown, rather than the effects of eucalypts per se. In Brazil's Atlantic Forest region, exotic eucalypts can become important allies of tropical forest restoration, and their use and investment opportunities should be considered within the portfolio of options supported by public and private funding and policies.
High throughput sequencing combined with null model tests reveals specific plant‐fungi associations linked to seedling establishment and survival
Authors: Merges Dominik , Bálint Miklós , Schmitt Imke , Manning Peter , Neuschulz Eike Lena
Published: September 2019

Plant‐fungal interactions are important for plant community assembly, but quantifying these relationships remains challenging. High throughput sequencing of fungal communities allows us to identify plant‐fungal associations at a high level of resolution, but often fails to provide information on taxonomic and functional assignment of fungi.

We transplanted seeds of Pinus cembra across an elevational gradient (1850–2250 m a.s.l.) and identified environmental factors and known fungal associates important for seedling establishment and survival. We then applied null model tests to identify taxonomically unassigned fungi associated with pine recruitment.

Early seedling establishment was determined by abiotic environmental factors, while seedling survival was predominantly affected by biotic environmental factors (i.e., the abundance of a fungal pathogen known from literature and the distance to adult trees). Null model tests identified known mycorrhizal partners and a large number of unknown operational taxonomic units (OTUs) associated with seedling survival, including saprotrophic and pathogenic species. These results highlight that unknown fungal OTUs, which are usually discarded from analyses, could play a crucial role for plant survival.

Synthesis. We conclude that high throughput metabarcoding paired with null model tests, is a valuable approach for identifying hidden plant‐fungal associations within large and complex DNA metabarcoding datasets. Such an approach can be an important tool in illuminating the black box of plant‐microbe interactions, and thus understanding ecosystem dynamics.
Longitudinal analysis of communication repair skills across three neurodevelopmental disabilities
Authors: Martin Gary E. , Barstein Jamie , Patel Shivani , Lee Michelle , Henry Laura , Losh Molly
Published: September 2019

Background

This study is a longitudinal follow‐up to prior work examining the important pragmatic skill of communication repair (i.e., the ability to respond effectively to a request for clarification of an unclear message) across three neurodevelopmental disabilities in which language skills are impaired: fragile X syndrome with and without autism spectrum disorder (FXS‐ASD; FXS‐O), idiopathic ASD (ASD‐O), Down syndrome (DS) and controls with typical development (TD). Prior work examining communication repair skills at younger ages indicated impairments in boys with FXS‐ASD and ASD‐O, with females performing comparably with each other across groups.

Aims

To characterize communication repair skills in young individuals with FXS‐ASD, FXS‐O, ASD‐O, DS and TD, across groups and over development. A secondary aim included documenting sex differences in FXS (with and without ASD) and DS.

Methods & Procedures

Sixty young individuals with FXS‐ASD (49 males, 11 females), 38 with FXS‐O (13 males, 25 females), 38 with ASD‐O (males only), 42 with DS (21 males, 21 females) and 41 with TD (21 males, 20 females) participated in the study, with a subsample reported on here who were retested at a second time point 2.7 years later on average. Participants completed a structured, picture‐based task designed to assess the ability to repair breakdowns in communication. Participants’ responses were compared across groups and sexes at the second time point, and interpreted with respect to previously published (Time 1) findings.

Outcomes & Results

Key findings included that, with age, male groups (including those with FXS‐ASD and ASD‐O, who showed difficulty at Time 1) performed more comparably, decreasing their use of inappropriate responses, in spite of relatively little change observed in general cognitive or structural language abilities in the clinical groups. However, girls with FXS and DS became more non‐responsive with age, and differences between boys and girls with FXS‐ASD emerged over time as well.

Conclusions & Implications

Findings suggest that impairments in a critical pragmatic skill—the ability to repair communication breakdown—show significant change with age across three neurodevelopmental disabilities, with important sex‐specific patterns. These developments were often observed in spite of a relative plateau in cognitive and language growth, suggesting that repair skills may be more malleable and therefore an excellent target for intervention. Findings not only inform the nature of pragmatic impairment across groups but also can importantly inform clinical practice, suggesting that clinicians should monitor pragmatic skills such as repairs throughout development and also consider the role of sex in clinical efforts.
Effect of Germination Conditions and Mashing Temperature on the Amylolytic Enzyme Activity and Degree of Starch Saccharification of Brown Rice Cultivars During Syrup Production
Authors: Wunthunyarat Wipada , Wong Emily , Jinn Jia‐Rong , Wang Ya‐Jane , Mauromoustakos Andy
Published: September 2019

The germination process activates amylolytic enzymes that can produce rice syrup through mashing, however the factors affecting enzyme activities and soluble saccharides have not been investigated. This study characterized amylolytic enzymes activities, including α‐amylase, β‐amylase, and α‐glucosidase, and soluble saccharides from germinated rice cultivars of four rice cultivars, including waxy, short grain, medium grain, and long grain, under aerobic and anaerobic germination conditions over 4 days and then mashed at 55, 65, 75, and 85 °C. The results showed that the long‐grain rice had higher activities of all three enzymes, whereas the waxy rice exhibited lower activities. Glucose and maltose were the predominant saccharides at low mashing temperatures of 55 °C and 65 °C; saccharides of degree of polymerization 3 to 7 became significant at mashing temperatures of 75 °C and 85 °C. The amount and composition of saccharides were strongly influenced by rice cultivar, and germination and mashing conditions. The findings highlight the importance of rice components and starch structure on the amount and composition of soluble saccharides from germinated brown rice.

Practical Application

Rice syrup is commercially produced by the addition of external bacterial enzymes to brown or milled rice. Germinated brown rice is naturally rich in nutrients and amylases, both are produced during the germination process. Because of the presence of naturally activated amylases, germinated brown rice could be used to produce rice syrup without the addition of external enzymes while preserving the nutrients from germination of brown rice.
Differential Posttreatment Outcomes of Methylphenidate for Smoking Cessation for Individuals With ADHD
Authors: Luo Sean X. , Covey Lirio S. , Hu Mei‐Chen , Winhusen Theresa M. , Nunes Edward V.
Published: September 2019

Background and Objectives

In a multisite, randomized study (CTN‐0029), a 3‐month course of Osmotic‐Release Oral System Methylphenidate (OROS‐MPH) improved smoking cessation in a group of patients with higher baseline severity in Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This treatment, however, worsened smoking cessation outcome in the group with lower baseline ADHD severity. We want to examine whether this differential treatment effect persisted after OROS‐MPH was discontinued.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of the 1‐month follow‐up data from CTN‐0029 after the discontinuation of OROS‐MPH (N = 134). Nicotine patch was tapered during this month. We tested whether OROS‐MPH had an effect on self‐reported 7‐day abstinence by week, as well as possible treatment by baseline ADHD severity interactions.

Results

Abstinence diminished overall in time after the end of the treatment. In the high baseline severity group, patients who received OROS‐MPH had an advantage in 7‐day abstinence at week 15 (40% for OROS‐MPH vs 20% for placebo, odds ratio = 2.63, P = .028). In the lower severity group (n = 121), no difference was detected (29% for OROS‐MPH vs 32% for placebo, P = 1.00) between the two treatment groups. There was also a significant treatment by baseline ADHD severity interaction (P = .03).

Conclusions and Scientific Significance

OROS‐MPH promotes abstinence beyond the course of treatment for patients with more severe ADHD, while the paradoxical effects in the lower baseline severity group is not persistent after medication discontinuation. Targeting ADHD in smoking cessation as a comorbidity therefore can have broader impact with more precise patient selection. (Am J Addict)
A retrospective analysis of case‐load and supervision from a large anaesthetic logbook database
Authors: Perella P. , Palmer E. , Conway R. , Wong D. J. N.
Published: September 2019

The recent development of electronic logbooks with secure off‐device data storage provides a rich resource for research. We present the largest analysis of anaesthetic logbooks to date, with data from 494,235 cases logged by 964 anaesthetists over a 4‐year period. Our analysis describes and compares the annual case‐load and supervision levels of different grades of anaesthetists across the UK and Republic of Ireland. We calculated the number of cases undertaken per year by grade (median (IQR [range]) core trainees = 388 (252–512 [52–1204]); specialist trainees = 344 (228–480 [52–1144]); and consultants = 328 (204–500 [52–1316]). Overall, the proportion of cases undertaken with direct consultant supervision was 56.7% and 41.6% for core trainees and specialist trainees, respectively. The proportion of supervised cases reduced out‐of‐hours, for both core trainees (day 93.5%, evening 86.3%, night 78.6%) and specialist trainees (day 81.0%, evening 67.7%, night 56.4%).
Children’s Reading With Digital Books: Past Moving Quickly to the Future
Authors: Kucirkova Natalia
Published: September 2019

Digital books, such as e‐books, story apps, picture book apps, and interactive stories, are narratives presented on touchscreens with multimedia and interactive features. Evidence suggests that early reading of print versus digital books is associated with different patterns of parent–child engagement and children’s outcomes. Parents’ verbal scaffolding, children’s age, and the congruence between a book’s narrative and its interactive and multimedia features are three documented process variables that explain the difference between reading print and digital books. To maximize the added value of digital books for children, we need to study the interaction among the characteristics of parents, children, and books; we also need to target these interactions through interventions and through collaborations between designers and researchers.
An epidemiological study of paediatric adenotonsillectomy in Victoria, Australia, 2010‐2015: Changing indications and lack of effect of hospital volume on inter‐hospital transfers
Authors: Tran Aimy H.L. , Horne Rosemary S.C. , Liew Danny , Rimmer Joanne , Nixon Gillian M.
Published: September 2019

Objective

To describe the contemporary epidemiology of paediatric adenotonsillectomy in an Australian setting, examine the incidence rate over 2010‐2015 and investigate factors associated with inter‐hospital transfer.

Design

Retrospective population‐based study.

Setting

Multicentre study in the state of Victoria, Australia.

Participants

From the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset, which included all patients aged 0‐19 years who underwent adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy in Victoria, Australia between 2010 and 2015.

Main Outcome Measures

Annual incidence rate, hospital volume, inter‐hospital transfer.

Results

Between 2010 and 2015, 59 008 patients underwent 61 281 procedures, with highest number performed in males (52.7%), children aged under 10 years (73.5%) and in the higher socioeconomic groups (24.6% in quintile 4 and 23.2% in quintile 5). Seventy‐five cases (0.12%) resulted in inter‐hospital transfer, which was significantly associated with young age (under 5 years). More than a third of hospitals (35.7%) performed an average rate of <1 procedure per week. Hospital volume was not associated with risk of inter‐hospital transfer. The incidence rate of adenotonsillectomy procedures significantly increased over the study period (P < .001), driven by a significant increase in the rate of surgery performed for obstructive symptoms (P < .001).

Conclusions

The rate of adenoidectomy/tonsillectomy procedures is rising, with a higher proportion being performed in socioeconomically advantaged patients. This raises concerns regarding healthcare access, given the literature supporting higher rates of obstructive sleep‐disordered breathing and sore throat in lower socioeconomic groups. A third of hospitals performed small numbers of procedures, but we found no association between hospital volume and inter‐hospital transfers.