bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Negotiating Forum
Authors: Hoekman Bernard M , Kostecki Michel M
Published: October 2023

Negotiation is the driving force of the multilateral trading system. Negotiations are used to agree on rules and procedures, to periodically reduce trade barriers, in instances when new countries want to join the club, and to resolve trade conflicts. The WTO is a negotiating forum in which disciplines on trade policies may be agreed upon, against the background of the provisions of the various agreements already concluded. Negotiations take place in permanent and ad hoc bodies, and are often informal. Although the WTO is a multilateral institution, it relies very strongly on bilateral and plurilateral interactions among members. Whatever agreement emerges is multilateralized through the MFN rule.
Trade In Goods
Authors: Hoekman Bernard M , Kostecki Michel M
Published: October 2023

Governments pursue trade policies for a variety of reasons, including as a means to raise revenue, to protect specific industries (whether infant, strategic, senile or other), to shift the terms of trade, to attain certain foreign policy or security goals, or simply to restrict the consumption of specific goods. Whatever the underlying objective, an active trade policy redistributes income by transferring resources to specific industries and the factors of production employed there, generally at the expense of domestic consumers and taxpayers. It usually does so in an inefficient and nontransparent manner, and for precisely that reason tends to be supported by interest groups that lobby for import restrictions.
Protection Of Intellectual Property
Authors: Hoekman Bernard M , Kostecki Michel M
Published: October 2023

Multilateral cooperation in the field of intellectual property rights (IPRs) dates back more than a century. Although certain IPR-related issues were a matter of long standing concern under the GATT—in particular trade in counterfeit goods—it was not until the creation of the WTO that enforceable rules regarding ownership rights to intellectual property were embedded in the trading system. The Agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is unique in the WTO-context in that it imposes obligations upon governments to adopt a set of substantive rules in an area that traditionally has been the purview of domestic regulation. It is an example of what Tinbergen (1954) has called positive integration. This contrasts with the ‘negative’ integration that is the basic principle underlying GATT disciplines, which involves agreement not to use certain policies that directly affect (distort) trade flows—such as export subsidies or quotas—or if used, imposes constraints on when and how they may be applied.
Introduction
Authors: Hoekman Bernard M , Kostecki Michel M
Published: October 2023

Established in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) administers the trade agreements negotiated by its members, in particular the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the Agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The value of total world trade in goods and services, including payments for intellectual property was some US$16 trillion (thousand billion) in 2007. The WTO’s rules and principles establish a legal framework for much of this exchange.
Introduction
Authors: Shepherd Lynn
Published: October 2023

This is Aaron Hill’s daughter, Urania Johnson, paying poetic tribute to her father’s friend, Samuel Richardson, the celebrated ‘author of Clarissa’. The most striking thing about this otherwise rather ordinary verse is Johnson’s insistence that Richardson’s texts operate upon the reader as ‘Paintive Art’—as ‘active Pictures’ that are ‘Turgid with speaking Life, and thinking Woe’. Since Mark Kinkead-Weekes’s influential 1973 study it has been a critical commonplace to view Richardson as a ‘dramatic novelist’, and Clarissa in particular has been praised for its ability to ‘achieve the equivalent in the novel to the experience of drama’.
Payments and monetary and financial stability
Authors: Manning Mark , Nier, Erlend , Schanz Jochen
Published: October 2023

To this day, central-bank liabilities are typically used to settle claims between payment-system participants, and central banks often strengthen their influence via a role in the ownership, operation or oversight of key components of the financial infrastructure. This chapter explores in more detail why central banks typically assume these roles. Section 2.1 begins with an explanation of the distinction between settlement in commercial and central-bank money, and describes how the ‘payments pyramid’ evolved. Sections 2.2 and 2.3 explore why a role in payments is core to the functions typically associated with central banking today: the maintenance of price stability and financial stability.
Liquidity risk in large-value payment systems
Authors: Manning Mark , Nier Erlend , Schanz Jochen
Published: October 2023

With RTGS having become the dominant settlement model for large-value payment systems around the world, the focus of attention has naturally shifted away from credit risk, to liquidity risk. A long-established finding in the monetary economics literature is that the presence of a ‘cash-in-advance’ constraint can inhibit trade (Svensson, 1985; Lucas and Stokey, 1987). However, it is only recently, with the widespread adoption of RTGS, that this fundamental insight has been applied to the analysis of payment-system design. A number of studies – including those by Freeman (1996a, 1996b), cited in Chapter 2, but also Green (1997), Lacker (1997) and Kahn and Roberds (2001a) – have adapted neoclassical monetary models to settings more closely resembling those seen in modern payment systems.
Simulation in Anesthesia for Perioperative Neuroscience: Present and Future
Authors: Nakatani Rodrigo , Patel Krisha , Chowdhury Tumul
Published: October 2023

The brain’s sensitivity to fluctuations in physiological parameters demands precise control of anesthesia during neurosurgery, which, combined with the complex nature of neurosurgical procedures and potential for adverse outcomes, makes neuroanesthesia challenging. Neuroanesthesiologists, as perioperative physicians, work closely with neurosurgeons, neurologists, neurointensivists, and neuroradiologists to provide care for patients with complex neurological diseases, often dealing with life-threatening conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, cerebral aneurysms, and spinal cord injuries. The use of simulation to practice emergency scenarios may have potential for enhancing competency and skill acquisition amongst neuroanesthesiologists. Simulation models, including high-fidelity manikins, virtual reality, and computer-based simulations, can replicate physiological responses, anatomical structures, and complications associated with neurosurgical procedures. The use of high-fidelity simulation can act as a valuable complement to real-life clinical exposure and training in neuroanesthesia.
Effect of Angiotensin Receptor-neprilysin Inhibitor on Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Li Gonghao , Zhao Yanli , Peng Zhongxing , Liu Kun , Yin Delu , Zhao Yunfeng
Published: October 2023

Objective:

The risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) is high in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The aim of this study is to analyze the role of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) in diagnosing AKI in patients with ADHF and evaluate the therapeutic effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) on AKI.

Method:

Sixty patients with ADHF were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to June 2021, and randomized into 2 groups (ARNI group: 30 patients treated with tablets of sacubitril valsartan sodium; and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) group: 30 patients treated with benazepril). The uNGAL level was measured immediately after as well as 1, 2, 3, and 7 d after hospital admission. The serum creatinine (sCr) level and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured immediately as well as 2 and 7 d after hospital admission. The urine volume, dose of loop diuretics, and duration of hospital stay (DoHS) were recorded.

Result:

The most valuable diagnostic metric for AKI in patients with ADHF was the uNGAL level 1 d after hospital admission, which had a sensitivity of 0.94, specificity of 0.84, and optimal cutoff of 125.62 μg/L. In the presence of AKI, during the first 2 d, patients in the ARNI-AKI and ACEI-AKI groups showed an increase in the sCr level and a reduction in the eGFR level, but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). After 7 d of treatment, the sCr level decreased and the eGFR level increased in both groups, with a significantly greater changes being observed in the ARNI-AKI group than in the ACEI-AKI group (P < 0.05, respectively). In the absence of AKI, the difference in the sCr level and eGFR between the 2 groups was not significant. The DoHS ((11.25 ± 2.38) d vs. (14.11 ± 2.89) d), urinary microalbumin level ((22.95 ± 6.04) mg/L vs. (31.91 ± 2.18) mg/L), and daily dose of loop diuretics ((19.03 ± 3.04) mg/d vs. (23.62 ± 4.46) mg/d) were significantly lower in patients with AKI in the ARNI group than in the ACEI group (P < 0.05, respectively).

Conclusion:

In patients with ADHF, uNGAL measurement enables the diagnosis of AKI earlier than that using the sCr level by 1 to 2 d. ARNI treatment reduced the sCr level, facilitated eGFR recovery, reduced the daily dose of loop diuretics, and decreased the DoHS compared with that in patients receive ACEI treatment.
Learning Experiences for Addressing Financial Management Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes in Entry-Level Physical Therapy Education: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lairson Alexia , Berg-Carramusa Cara , Murray Leigh , McCallum Christine
Published: October 2023

Background and Purpose.

Financial management (FM) knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) are essential components of contemporary physical therapist (PT) practice. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education requires that FM content is included in professional PT education program (PTEP) curriculums but provides freedom in how the content is delivered. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify learning experiences PTEPs used to educate students regarding FM KSAs that are necessary for entry-level PT practice in the United States.

Methods.

Articles were eligible for inclusion if they were 1) published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal, 2) written in English, and 3) described a learning experience used to deliver FM content. Articles describing didactic education, clinical education, or service-learning activities that were a required or voluntary component of professional PTEPs in the United States were included if they reported on objectives or outcomes related to FM. Electronic databases and relevant journals were searched. Search results were subjected to title, abstract, and full-text review. Selected articles were evaluated for methodological rigor. Pertinent data were extracted, analyzed, and synthesized.

Results.

Eighteen articles were included. Four categories were identified: 1) classroom learning 2) clinical education 3) pro bono clinics, and 4) service learning.

Discussion and Conclusion.

Student PTs were exposed to FM content in several ways. There was variability in whether participation was required or voluntary, the time commitment required by the student, and the concepts to which students were exposed. There are many opportunities for future research in this area from operationally defining FM, determining necessary FM KSAs for entry-level PTs, and to identifying the most effective learning experiences to ensure that new clinicians are prepared to effectively engage in this aspect of clinical practice.
Women 50 Years and Older With Negative Pap Test and Positive Human Papillomavirus Test for Genotypes Other Than 16 and 18—Follow-up Outcomes
Authors: Baban Farah S. , Henry Michael R. , Long Margaret E. , VandeHaar Meredith A. , Spears Grant M. , Jenkins Sarah M. , Salomao Diva R.
Published: October 2023

Objective

A follow-up of women 50 years or older with concomitant positive high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes other than 16 and 18 (hrHPVO) and negative Pap test (NILMPap) was conducted to better understand the implications of hrHPVO positivity on potential risk of developing significant high-grade lesions.

Material and Methods

A retrospective review of 2014 cytology data of patients with co-testing (Pap test and HPV DNA) identified 85 women 50 years or older with NILMPap and hrHPVO+.

Results

Most patients (63) had repeat co-testing on next follow-up. Of these, 41 patients with persistent hrHPVO+ status, 3 developed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (CIN2), and 1 CIN3. Nineteen patients were followed with biopsies. Of these, 7 biopsies were abnormal, 5 of which showed low-grade (CIN1) and 2 high-grade (CIN3) histology; none progressed on further follow-up. Three patients were followed with Pap test only, all had NILMPap, and none progressed on further follow-up. In summary, of the 85 patients, 26 developed abnormal histology during follow-up, 6 of whom had high-grade histology (CIN2 and CIN3, 3 each).

The 5-year risk of CIN1+ in this cohort was 43.8% and for CIN2+ was 12.3%. The risk of abnormal histology did not differ significantly by prior history of Pap tests, histology, and/or HPV results.

Conclusions

A persistent positivity for hrHPVO indicated higher likelihood to develop a lesion, and this risk was not reduced for patients 50 and older compared with the published screening population risk.
POU2F3-Expressing Small Cell Lung Carcinoma and Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Show Morphologic and Phenotypic Overlap
Authors: Jimbo Naoe , Ohbayashi Chiho , Takeda Maiko , Fujii Tomomi , Mitsui Suguru , Tsukamoto Ryuko , Tanaka Yugo , Itoh Tomoo , Maniwa Yoshimasa
Published: October 2023

Considering the differences in protein expression in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) by molecular classification, it is likely that there are differences in morphology, but the relationship between molecular classification and morphology has not been examined. Furthermore, there are limited reports concerning this molecular classification for large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and SCLC simultaneously. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between immunohistochemistry-based molecular classification and morphology, protein expression, and clinical features of 146 consecutive resection specimens of pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), focusing mainly on POU2F3, the master transcription factor involved in tuft cell generation. POU2F3-dominant SCLC (n=24) and LCNEC (n=14) showed overlap in cytomorphology, while non-POU2F3-dominant SCLC (n=71) and LCNEC (n=37) showed distinct differences in cytomorphology. In addition, POU2F3-dominant NEC exhibited significantly more abundant tumor stroma, more prominent nest formation, more frequent bronchial intraepithelial involvement, and less frequent background fibrosis than non-POU2F3-dominant NEC. Immunohistochemically, POU2F3-dominant SCLC and LCNEC were characterized by lower expression of TTF-1, CEA, and neuroendocrine markers and higher expression of bcl-2, c-Myc, and c-kit. Clinically, POU2F3-dominant NEC had a significantly better prognosis than non-POU2F3-dominant NEC for recurrence-free survival. POU2F3-dominant NEC had a higher smoking index than non-POU2F3-dominant NEC. POU2F3-dominant NEC forms a unique population, exhibiting intermediate morphologic features between SCLC and LCNEC, with distinct protein expression as tuft cell-like carcinoma. Recognition of this unique subtype may provide clues for solving the long-standing issues of NEC and appropriate therapeutic stratification. It is important to accurately identify POU2F3-expressing carcinomas by immunohistochemistry and to analyze their clinicopathological features.
Exploring the Influence of Pre-Existing Conditions and Infection Factors on Pediatric Long COVID Symptoms and Quality of Life
Authors: Chen Erin Y. , Morrow Amanda K. , Malone Laura A.
Published: October 2023

Objective

Pediatric post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) or “long COVID” is a multisystemic disease with a wide range of symptoms more than 4 weeks after initial infection. This study explores the quality of life in children with long COVID and how pre-existing conditions affect symptoms and quality of life.

Design

A retrospective single-center study of 97 patients was completed to analyze PedsQLTM quality of life in pediatric patients with long COVID and associations between pre-existing conditions, long COVID symptoms, and PedsQLTM scores.

Results

Children with long COVID had significantly lower quality of life compared to previously published normative samples (PedsQLTM Core: p < 0.001; Fatigue: p < 0.001; Family Impact: p < 0.001). Number of long COVID symptoms, age, and pre-existing history of depression, allergies, and developmental delay affected the overall fatigue PedsQLTM scores. Pre-existing mood disorders were associated with a higher prevalence of worsening mental health symptoms (anxiety, p = 0.01; depression, p = 0.04), dizziness/lightheadedness/vertigo (p = 0.02) and change in appetite (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Long COVID has a significant impact on the quality of life of children and their families. Children with long COVID can benefit from multidisciplinary care addressing fatigue, mental health, and family coping.
Alterations in glutamate, arginine, and energy metabolism characterize cerebrospinal fluid and plasma metabolome of persons with HIV-associated dementia
Authors: Mastrangelo Andrea , Scotti Giulia Maria , Manteiga Jose Garcia , Gisslén Magnus , Price Richard W. , Bestetti Arabella , Turrini Filippo , Caccia Roberta , Gorelik Leonid , Morelli Marco J. , Castagna Antonella , Cinque Paola
Published: October 2023

Objectives:

HIV-associated dementia (HAD) is the most severe clinical expression of HIV-mediated neuropathology, and the processes underlying its development remain poorly understood. We aimed to exploit high-dimensional metabolic profiling to gain insights into the pathological mechanisms associated to HAD.

Design:

In this cross-sectional study, we utilized metabolomics to profile matched cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples of HAD individuals (n = 20) compared with neurologically asymptomatic people with HIV (ASYM, n = 20) and healthy controls (NEG, n = 20).

Methods:

Identification of plasma and CSF metabolites was performed by liquid-chromatography or gas-chromatography following a validated experimental pipeline. The resulting metabolic profiles were analyzed by machine-learning algorithms, and altered pathways were identified by comparison with KEGG pathway database.

Results:

In CSF, HAD patients displayed an imbalance in glutamine/glutamate ratio, decreased levels of isocitrate and arginine, and increased oxidative stress when compared with ASYM or NEG. These changes were confirmed in matched plasma samples, which in addition revealed an accumulation of eicosanoids and unsaturated fatty acids in HAD individuals. Pathway analysis in both biological fluids suggested that alterations in several metabolic processes, including protein biosynthesis, glutamate and arginine metabolism, and energy metabolism, in association to a perturbed eicosanoid metabolism in plasma, may represent the metabolic signature associated to HAD.

Conclusion:

These findings show that HAD may be associated with metabolic modifications in CSF and plasma. These preliminary data may be useful to identify novel metabolic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in HIV-associated neurological impairment.
Response to immune checkpoint inhibition is associated with the gut microbiome in advanced KRAS-mutated non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hiddinga Birgitta I. , Bolte Laura A. , van der Leest Paul , Hijmering-Kappelle Lucie B.M. , van der Wekken Anthonie J. , Schuuring Ed , Gacesa Ranko , Hospers Geke A.P. , Weersma Rinse K. , Björk Johannes R. , Hiltermann T Jeroen N
Published: October 2023

Background

KRAS-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with a poor prognosis to standard therapies. Despite advances of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), not all patients show durable responses. In this study, we aim to identify associations between ICI-response and the gut microbiome in patients with KRAS-mutated NSCLC.

Methods

We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples collected before ICI initiation from 33 patients with KRAS-mutated NSCLC. Microbiome composition within (α-diversity) and between samples (β-diversity) was calculated using Shannon diversity index and principal component analysis on Aitchison distances, respectively. A Bayesian logistic-normal regression model (Pibble) was implemented to identify associations between gut microbial features and disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival at 12 months (PFS12) and immune related adverse events (irAEs), adjusting for ICI-regimen, metastatic disease stage, age, sex and BMI.

Results

Responders were enriched with several saccharolytic species, includingAgathobaculum butyriciproducens, Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans, Bifidobacterium longumandEubacterium ramulus. Non-responders harbored higher abundances of several Bacteroides and Blautia species. Patients unaffected by irAEs demonstrated higher abundances of biotin and butyrate synthesis pathways. Development of irAEs was associated with higherAlistipes finegoldii, Bifidobacterium longumandBacteroides uniformisabundance. No differences were observed between responders and non-responders in Shannon diversity index (P=0.69) and overall microbial composition (P=0.82).

Conclusions

We show gut microbial species and pathways that are differentially abundant between responders and non-responders to ICI in the setting of KRAS-mutated NSCLC. We find overlap with microbial signatures of response to ICI in other tumor types, potentially reflecting tumor-independent microbial mechanisms.
Siderophore-Mediated Conveyance of Antibacterial-Antisense Oligomers
Authors: Pals Mathijs J. , Wijnberg Luuk , Yildiz Çağlar , Velema Willem A.
Published: October 2023

Antibacterial resistance is a major threat for human health. There is a need for new antibacterials to stay ahead of constantly-evolving resistant bacteria. Antibiotic antisense oligomers hold promise as powerful next-generation antibiotics, but issues with their delivery hamper their applicability. Here, we exploit the siderophore-mediated iron uptake pathway to efficiently transport antisense oligomers into bacteria. We appended a synthetic siderophore to antisense oligomers targeting the essentialacpPgene in Escherichia coli. Siderophore-conjugated morpholino and PNA antisense oligomers displayed potent antibacterial properties. Conjugates bearing a minimal siderophore consisting of a mono-catechol group showed equally effective. Targeting thelacZtranscript resulted in dose-dependent decreased β-galactosidase production, demonstrating selective protein downregulation. Whole-genome sequencing of resistant mutants and competition experiments with the endogenous siderophore verified selective uptake through the siderophore-mediated iron uptake pathway. Lastly, no toxicity towards mammalian cells was found. Collectively, our work provides a convenient approach for delivering antisense oligomers into bacteria.
6,7-Diphenyl-5-thia-7-azaspiro[2.6]nonan-8-one 5,5-dioxide
Authors: Yennawar Hemant P. , Russell Michael W. , Silverberg Lee J.
Published: October 2023

The racemic mixture of the title compound, C19H19NO3S, crystallizes in space group P\overline{1} with two homochiral molecules in each asymmetric unit. The seven-membered ring in both molecules is in a pucker-chair conformation. The extended structure exhibits C—H...O hydrogen bonds, of which two connect crystallographically independent molecules to generate a chain propagating along the b-axis direction. One C—H grouping of the cyclopropyl ring is in close contact with the phenyl ring of the neighboring independent molecule in C—H...π type interactions with carbon atom–ring-centroid distances of 3.544 (5) and 3.596 (4) Å. Other interactions are of the parallel–reciprocal type, with the chiral carbon atom of one molecule donating a proton to an oxygen atom of the sulfone group of a symmetry-related molecule and vice-versa. Symmetry-related molecular pairs also exhibit T-type interactions between aromatic rings with interplanar angles of 74.2 (2) and 69.2 (2)° and intercentroid distances of 4.965 (4) and 5.114 (4) Å.
Environmental knowledge level and consumer behavior regarding green fashion: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Zhang Gaopeng , Wang Linfan , Meng Hu
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Based on the knowledge-attitude-behavior model, this study is aimed at investigating the influential mechanism underlying the purchase of green clothing by dividing this clothing category into green home-in wear and home-out wear within the context of green consumption. The mediating effects of perceived greenwashing (PG), perceived value (PV) and expected moral benefit (EMB) and the moderating effect of green clothing type (GCT) were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were collected from 366 valid samples through a between-subject design survey administered in China. Moderation analysis and mediation analysis using SPSS/PROCESS macro were applied to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that consumers' level of environmental knowledge (EKL) not only has a direct effect on purchase intention (PI) but also has an indirect effect through perceived value and expected moral benefit. However, perceived greenwashing did not play a mediating role in this relationship.

Originality/value

The study's findings show a moderating effect of green clothing type (green home-in wear vs green home-out wear). That is, compared to green home-out wear, the relationship between expected moral benefit and perceived greenwashing for green home-in wear had a weaker negative effect on purchase intentions.
TEGA Industries Ltd: Journey of an Indian MNC (Part B)
Authors: Singla Chitra , Singh Bulbul
Published: October 2023

Madan Mohanka set up Tega Industries Ltd. in 1976 to manufacture abrasion-resistant rubber mill lining products used in the mining and mineral processing industries. In 2011, as part of its inorganic expansion strategy, Tega bought a company in Chile. However, post-acquisition, several managerial, legal and commercial problems crept up in its manufacturing facilities in Chile, leading to financial downturn in Tega's fortunes in 2016 and compelling it to planning a revival between 2016-19. However, political unrest and Covid 19 uncertainty has caused a dilemma related to further investments worth INR 1.25 billion. Management is contemplating the next steps.
Ameliorating emergency Web-enabled teaching in higher education institutions and implications for future emergencies
Authors: Looi Kim Hoe
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the contextual challenges of emergency Web-enabled teaching from instructors’ point of view and their future preference for online education.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 165 instructors from various public and private universities and university colleges in Malaysia participated in this online survey. Data were analyzed using multiple regression.

Findings

The significant challenges for future preference for online education in terms of their relative importance were supporting learners, effectiveness, disadvantages and advantages of emergency Web-enabled teaching.

Originality/value

This study discusses theoretical, practical and public policy implications for the future of teaching in higher education due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The appreciation of the collaboration agreements used to prevent intrafamilial homicides
Authors: Christine Drouin , Jean-Martin Deslauriers , John Hamel , Tamsin Higgs
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of how collaboration agreements function and their benefits for the environments where they are implemented. The goal of these initiatives is to bring together in partnerships the actors concerned by domestic violence and coordinate their actions to ensure the safety of persons at risk of intrafamilial homicides through an effective collaboration structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The synthesis data originates from four research projects research work with the partners of four studied agreements: A-GIR (Arrimage-Groupe d’Intervention Rapide [Rapid Intervention Unit]) in Laval, Alerte-Lanaudière [Lanaudière Alert] in the Lanaudière region, P.H.A.R.E. (Prévention des homicides intrafamiliaux par des Actions Rapides et Engagées [Domestic Homicide Prevention through Rapid and Committed Action]) in South Western Montérégie and the Rabaska Protocol in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

Findings

Overall, the interveners agree on the positive impacts resulting from the relationships between the partners, the development of a common expertise and the collective responsibility acting to prevent intrafamilial homicides, while highlighting the challenges met and the essential conditions for the success of these collaboration initiatives.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are drawn from participants in a particular locale – i.e. French–Canada, and may not entirely apply to other regions and cultures. Additional research should be conducted with similar methodology in other regions of Canada and elsewhere.

Practical implications

The findings should help in the further development of best practices for IPH prevention and therefore protect potential victims from lethal assaults of domestic violence.

Originality/value

Few studies have been conducted on how stakeholders involved in IPH prevention actually work together in collaborative efforts, and none, as far as we know, specifically on drawing up formal agreements.
Commitment, trust, relative dependence, and customer loyalty in the B2B setting: the role of customer satisfaction
Authors: Arthur Emmanuel , Agbemabiese George Cudjoe , Amoako George Kofi , Anim Patrick Amfo
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the role customer satisfaction play in mediating the nexus between commitment, trust, relative dependence and customer loyalty from an emerging market context under a business-to-business (B2B) setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was a descriptive survey, and using convenience sampling technique, questionnaires were used to gather data from 356 businesses that were distributors of Guinness Ghana Company Limited. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses for this study, and macro-PROCESS was performed to test the mediating effect of customer satisfaction.

Findings

The findings show that relative dependence had the most considerable significant and positive impact on B2B partners satisfaction, followed by commitment and trust, respectively. A positive and significant relationship was also found between B2B firms’ satisfaction and loyalty. The result also indicates that customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between commitment, trust, relative dependence and B2B loyalty.

Practical implications

Practitioners can manipulate specific relative dependence, commitment and trust features to increase customer satisfaction with their firm’s services, thus ensuring longer-term customer loyalty.

Originality/value

Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study provides a more profound perspective focusing on an emerging market context, by examining from a B2B setting the significance of commitment, trust, relative dependence and B2B partners satisfaction on loyalty.
Legal framework of sustainable construction procurement to prevent land degradation: comparison between Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand
Authors: Kurniawan Faizal , Nugraha Xavier , Hartono Julienna , Wibisono Angelica Milano Aryani
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze regulation regarding sustainable construction procurement in Southeast Asia and provide a reconstruction of regulation regarding the sustainable construction procurement to prevent land degradation.

Design/methodology/approach

This was done through legal research methods, mainly historical and systematical interpretation. The approaches used in this paper are the conceptual approach, statute approach and comparative approach.

Findings

By analyzing the related legal norms, it can be understood that many nations in Southeast Asia do not have regulation regarding sustainable construction procurement. Between Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, only Indonesia has a ministrial regulation that provides general norms regarding sustainable construction procurement. Regarding the reconstruction of regulation, the bare minimum standards consist of principle, indicators, pillar, the phases of the procurement, law enforcement, both preventive and repressive, and sustainable procurement committee.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to regulation in Southeast Asian region. By analyzing the regulation, this paper will provide a reconstruction of regulations regarding sustainable construction procurement that will act as an ground rules. Having the same ground rules will create synergies between countries in Southeast Asia to apply the principles of sustainable procurement and move together toward to prevent land degradation.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first systematic legal research that compares regulations from three nations in Southeast Asia regarding sustainable construction procurement and also the first paper to provide reconstruction of regulation regarding sustainable construction procurement to prevent land degradation.
Valuation, compensation and rehabilitation for expropriation and its impact on the expropriated households in Ethiopia: evidence from Debre Markos city
Authors: Aschale Embial Asmamaw , Asres Habtamu Bishaw
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation practices and their impacts on expropriated households.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a mixed research approach. The target populations of the study were expropriated households in Debre Markos City from 2019 to 2022. The study uses purposive and systematic random sampling techniques. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, narration and thematic clustering.

Findings

The findings of this study revealed that the expropriation process was not participatory and the right holders were not treated as what is expected. It is further found that economic losses, moral damage and social disturbance payments were not considered in the compensation package. The displacement compensation given was also inadequate and sometimes delayed and the time value of money was not taken into account for delayed payments. This creates social and economic problems. The rehabilitation and resettlement program was inadequate and ineffective. The expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation practice in general lack transparency and accountability.

Practical implications

To ensure efficient and effective expropriation, valuation and compensation, there should be a well-organized government system that provides an accurate valuation on the one hand and restores the livelihood of the displaced on the other.

Originality/value

This paper is the first on expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation within the framework of transparency, accountability, effective rehabilitation and resettlement and institutional arrangements to ensure the sustainable livelihoods of affected households.
A novel multi-layer feature fusion-based BERT-CNN for sentence representation learning and classification
Authors: Alyoubi Khaled Hamed , Alotaibi Fahd Saleh , Kumar Akhil , Gupta Vishal , Sharma Akashdeep
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a new approach to sentence representation learning leading to text classification using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) embeddings. This work proposes a novel BERT-convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model for sentence representation learning and text classification. The proposed model can be used by industries that work in the area of classification of similarity scores between the texts and sentiments and opinion analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach developed is based on the use of the BERT model to provide distinct features from its transformer encoder layers to the CNNs to achieve multi-layer feature fusion. To achieve multi-layer feature fusion, the distinct feature vectors of the last three layers of the BERT are passed to three separate CNN layers to generate a rich feature representation that can be used for extracting the keywords in the sentences. For sentence representation learning and text classification, the proposed model is trained and tested on the Stanford Sentiment Treebank-2 (SST-2) data set for sentiment analysis and the Quora Question Pair (QQP) data set for sentence classification. To obtain benchmark results, a selective training approach has been applied with the proposed model.

Findings

On the SST-2 data set, the proposed model achieved an accuracy of 92.90%, whereas, on the QQP data set, it achieved an accuracy of 91.51%. For other evaluation metrics such as precision, recall and F1 Score, the results obtained are overwhelming. The results with the proposed model are 1.17%–1.2% better as compared to the original BERT model on the SST-2 and QQP data sets.

Originality/value

The novelty of the proposed model lies in the multi-layer feature fusion between the last three layers of the BERT model with CNN layers and the selective training approach based on gated pruning to achieve benchmark results.
City walk in a gap day: potential and opportunities for tourism and leisure
Authors: Wu Dongdong
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To the best of the author's knowledge, this study, among the first of its kind, aims to offer a preliminary exploration of the “city walk” travel model in the context of China.

Design/methodology/approach

By conducting phenomenological research, it endeavors to comprehend the motivations driving individuals to engage in “city walk” activities through the lens of social psychology, specifically focusing on labeling theory.

Findings

The immersive “city walk” establishes a deeper connection with the urban environment. Participants attach greater significance to their travel experiences, seeking a profound understanding of the city and its way of life, thus pursuing the essence of tourism and leisure.

Originality/value

This study outlines potential opportunities and future prospects for the “city walk” concept within the cultural tourism industry.
Increased risk of sleep disturbances in patients with rosacea: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Chae Kyunghee , Cho Minah , Kim Sukil , Woo Yu Ri
Published: October 2023

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder linked to various mental disorders, but little is known about the impact of rosacea on sleep disorders. The aim of this study is to confirm the association of rosacea with sleep disorders using a large administrative data set. This nationwide population‐based retrospective cohort study enrolled 1129 individuals with rosacea and 11 017 age‐ and sex‐matched controls without rosacea from the Korean National Health Insurance System database from 2002 to 2015. The prevalence of sleep disorder (7.8%) was significantly higher in patients with rosacea than in controls (5.81%; p < 0.001). Rosacea was associated with an increased risk of sleep disorder (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.287 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.022–1.623]). Among a variety of sleep disorders, patients with rosacea were likely to have an increased risk of insomnia (aOR, 1.318 [95% CI, 1.002–1.743]). In subgroup analysis, female patients with rosacea (aOR, 1.297 [95% CI, 1.010–1.722]) and those with rosacea and dyslipidemia (aOR, 1.417 [95% CI, 1.062–1.891]) were at a higher risk of having a sleep disorder. Rosacea is associated with an increased risk of having sleep disorders. The management of modifiable risk factors is important for managing sleep disorders in patients with rosacea.
Environmental filtering of life‐history trait diversity in urban populations of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Schmitz Gregor , Linstädter Anja , Frank Anke S. K. , Dittberner Hannes , Thome Jessica , Schrader Andrea , Linne von Berg Karl‐Heinz , Fulgione Andrea , Coupland George , de Meaux Juliette
Published: October 2023

The challenges to which plants are exposed in urban environments represent, in miniature, the challenges plants face as a result of global environmental change. Hence, urban habitats provide a unique opportunity to assess whether processes of local adaptation are taking place despite the short temporal and geographical scales that characterize the Anthropocene.

We quantified the ecological diversity of urban habitats hosting Arabidopsis thaliana populations. Using plant community indicators, we show that these patches differ in their levels of soil nutrient content and disturbance. Accordingly, plants in each patch displayed a range of flowering time, size and fitness.

Using a deep sampling approach coupled with reduced genome sequencing, we demonstrate that most individuals can be assigned to a limited set of clonal lineages; the genetic diversity of these lineages is a sample of the diversity observed in western European populations of the species, indicating that established urban populations originate from a broad regional pool of lineages.

We assessed the genetic and phenotypic diversity of these lineages in a set of common garden experiments. We report marked genetic differences in life‐history traits, including time of primary and secondary dormancy as well as of flowering. These genetic differences in life‐history traits are not randomly distributed but sorted out by ecological differences among sites of origin.

Synthesis. Our study shows that the genetically diverse phenology of a regional Arabidopsis thaliana gene pool is not randomly distributed but filtered by heterogeneity in the urban environment. To our knowledge, this report is the first to show a pattern indicative of environmental filtering enhancing local genetic adaptation within urban environments. We conclude that environmental filtering helps maintain functional diversity within species.
Evaluation and modeling of acrylonitrile migration from polypropylene for food packaging
Authors: Forero Adriana C. , Garavito Johanna , Castellanos Diego A.
Published: October 2023

This study validated an analytical technique using headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection to quantify acrylonitrile monomer with a quantification limit of 0.10 ± 0.04 µg kg−1. Subsequently, the acrylonitrile migration from polypropylene granules was evaluated in food simulants water and ethanol (50% v/v) and at two temperatures (20 ± 1°C and 44 ± 2°C) for up to 6 weeks, representing the service time of a bottle. From the experimental data obtained, pseudo‐second‐order kinetics were adjusted to represent the acrylonitrile migration into the simulants. For water, equilibrium concentrations of 13.58 and 16.58 µg kg−1 at 20 and 44°C, respectively, were obtained, while for 50% ethanol, 15.07 and 16.40 µg kg−1 were obtained for the same temperatures. The experimental results and the values estimated from the migration kinetics indicate that the maximum acrylonitrile concentration will not exceed the tolerable specific limit established in regulations.

Practical Application

The migration of compounds such as acrylonitrile can be a drawback resulting in an undesirable reduction in the shelf life of liquid foods packaged in bottles made of materials such as polypropylene. In this paper, acrylonitrile migration kinetics and a methodology are proposed to determine whether the tolerable migration limits are ever reached, which can serve as a tool for producers of this type of packaging of food to predict shelf life.
Promoting proactive auditing behaviors
Authors: Peecher Mark E. , Ricci Michael A. , Zhou Yuepin (Daniel)
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we introduce the construct of proactive auditing behaviors to the accounting literature and report the first experimental investigation of their antecedents. Regulators and practitioners agree that proactive behaviors are needed to consistently achieve high‐quality audit outcomes, but also that these behaviors are scarce. Drawing on theory from management, accounting, and psychology, we predict that an environmental factor (autonomy) and a dispositional factor (tacit knowledge) interact to increase a range of distinct proactive auditing behaviors. These behaviors involve responding to evidence that has out‐of‐task implications, coordinating with clients to acquire task‐related evidence, and two forms of coaching junior auditors. As predicted, we find that auditors are more proactive when they have both higher autonomy and higher tacit knowledge than when they lack either or both factors. Our theory and findings inform academics, regulators, and practitioners about the types of work environments and policies that can promote auditor proactivity successfully.
Detection of Esca‐associated fungi in grapevine trunks using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays
Authors: Marek David , Eberl Daniel , Otba Khaled , Walter Ruth , Kortekamp Andreas , Schwab Wilfried , Niessen Ludwig
Published: October 2023

Esca is a grapevine trunk disease (GTD) that is caused by filamentous fungi. It is responsible for considerable economic losses in viniculture on a global scale. Despite many unknown factors contributing to the development of symptoms in affected plants, Phaeoacremonium minimum (PMI), Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (PCH) and Fomitiporia mediterranea (FMED) are generally considered as the main causative fungal species. Early detection and specific identification of these pathogens therefore play an important role in disease control and evaluation of suitable countermeasures. In this study, loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were developed for each of the three pathogens. A genome‐based approach was applied for detection and selection of unique target DNA sequences. The designed primer sets showed overall good specificities, with some observed cross‐reactions towards closely related Phaeoacremonium species for the PMI primer set. The developed assays had detection limits of 100 pg (FMED, PMI) and 1 pg (PCH) per reaction (corresponding to 1460 [FMED]; 1950 [PMI]; 342 [PCH] genome copies per reaction). The application of the assays to field samples was demonstrated by testing individual infected grapevine trunks from two European viticultural regions using crude DNA obtained in a rapid sample preparation step. LAMP assay results matched those of PCR following a conventional DNA extraction protocol. The study showed that LAMP‐based rapid molecular detection of major Esca agents can serve as a useful tool for further research and surveillance of a highly devastating grapevine disease. The application of computer‐based whole genome comparison between target and non‐target species for the identification of unique target sequences as the basis for LAMP (or PCR) primer design was demonstrated to be a useful approach in species for which scarce sequence information is available. Moreover, the developed method for rapid DNA preparation from grapevine trunks may potentially be adapted to the DNA‐based detection also of other fungal species that cause grapevine trunk diseases.