bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the success factors of BTS: a mixed-methods approach
Authors: Lee So-Hyun , Choi Soobin , Kim Hee-Woong
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the key success factors behind Bangtan Boys’ (BTS) popularity, and how they can contribute to sustaining it, along with detailed strategies for the success of global pop.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a mixed-methods approach that uses text mining and interviews and uses the success of BTS to find the key factors accounting for its sustained popularity. For use in text mining, we collected data related to BTS from social network sites (SNS) and analyzed this data using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling, term frequency analysis and keyword extraction. In addition, we conducted interviews to explore the key factors accounting for the sustained popularity of BTS.

Findings

We found ten key success factors—active global fandom, SNS communication, fans' loyalty, empathy through music, storytelling and world view, performance quality, music video quality, overseas expansion at an early stage, efforts for self-development and teamwork among members— for a global pop group's success and sustained popularity.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the literature by finding key factors for success and sustained popularity of a global group through using a mixed-methods approach.

Practical implications

Our results suggest strategies to sustain the popularity of global groups and its potential to benefit across the entertainment industry.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to comprehensively examine the key factors for Korean pop’s (K-pop) sustained popularity by using a mixed-methods approach of text mining and interviews.
Regulatory capital requirements: can the banks mitigate the risk through lending rates?
Authors: Swamy Vighneswara
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the new capital requirements under the Basel III framework on bank lending rates.

Design/methodology/approach

By constructing a stylized representative bank's financial statements, the authors show that the higher cost associated with a 1-percentage increase in the capital ratio can be recovered by increasing the bank lending rate.

Findings

The results indicate that in the case of scheduled commercial banks, a 1-percentage-point increase in the capital ratio can be recovered by a commensurate increase in the bank lending rate by 16 basis points and would go up to an extent of 94 basis points for a 6-percentage point increase assuming that the risk-weighted assets are unchanged.

Practical implications

The results assume significance as the estimations for the scenarios of changes in risk-weighted assets change in return on equity and the cost of debt. Given the enormous significance of the impact of Basel III on banks, this research outcome benefits the practitioners in the industry and researchers.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on bank regulation and risk management with a newer and topical approach for quantification of the impacts of new regulatory standards. Another contribution of this study is that it considers three different groupings of banks: (1) scheduled commercial banks; (2) public sector banks and (3) private banks in Indian banking. This is the first of its kind in the context of studying Indian banking.
Corporate governance and financial performance: evidence from Romania
Authors: Oana Pintea Mirela , Pop Andreea Mădălina , Dan Gavriletea Marius , Sechel Ioana Cristina
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact of adopting the principles of corporate governance on the financial performance of companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE). To assess the implementation of corporate governance principles, the authors built an index based on the principles specified in the BSE Corporate Governance Code (CGC).

Design/methodology/approach

An econometric analysis was conducted to estimate the impact that the authors’ corporate governance indicator had on financial performance, measured successively through Tobin's Q, return on equity (ROE), economic value added (EVA) and total shareholder return (TSR).

Findings

Following the regression model, the authors noticed the absence of a significant impact of corporate governance practices on performance measured by ROE, EVA and TSR but instead, a significant and positive relationship for Tobin's Q rate was found.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the lack of data before the implementation of the BSE Code of Corporate Governance, the research period is limited to 2010–2015, but the authors’ future studies will try to extend the research period.

Originality/value

Although numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the empirical relationship between corporate governance and financial performance, no conclusive results have been obtained. The diversity of these findings can refer to methods used in the construction of a corporate governance measure as well as to the accuracy of financial reporting.
Online communication of accessibility conditions in touristic spots: the design–communication gap in Porto destination
Authors: Casais Beatriz , Castro Celine
Published: December 2020

Purpose

It is important to design accessible destinations for disabled tourists. However, to attract this market segment, it is also important to efficiently communicate online the accessibility provided. This paper aims to analyse the online communication of physical accessibility conditions designed for disabled tourists, to discuss the existence or non-existence of a design–communication gap in tourist destinations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analysed the physical accessibility of a selection of touristic spots in Porto, Portugal. The online communication regarding the physical accessibility of these spots’ informative websites was also analysed. Subsequently, a content analysis of these same websites was conducted to ascertain whether accessibility conditions for disabled tourists are disclosed in line with the physical and online facilities observed.

Findings

The destination websites’ online contents targeting disabled tourists are generic and do not inform about all the accessible facilities provided by the touristic spots analysed.

Originality/value

The authors found a gap between the accessible destination design and its communication in destination websites. This situation creates a barrier for people with physical disabilities and it is particularly concerning, considering that this market segment seeks for information in online sources to plan trips and does not find on the internet all the information about the accessible facilities provided. This fact may hinder the positioning of destinations as inclusive places and impair accessible tourism competitiveness. A better online communication of the accessible destination design is recommended.
Adaptive learning in cross-sector collaboration during global emergency: conceptual insights in the context of COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Arslan Ahmad , Golgeci Ismail , Khan Zaheer , Al-Tabbaa Omar , Hurmelinna-Laukkanen Pia
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the important role of cross-sector partnerships and collaboration in global emergency management, relevant in situations such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and grand global challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilizes exploratory historical methods and examines cross-sector partnerships from three key emerging markets – Pakistan, Turkey and Nigeria. The context of the emerging markets is important given the institutional fragility such markets encountered.

Findings

The authors offer a conceptual discussion that explicates the vital role of such partnerships in global emergencies. The authors also highlight the instrumental role of adaptive learning in cross-sector partnerships, which can help multiple stakeholders create and deliver value in response to an emergency like a global health pandemic caused by the COVID-19. Along with the conceptual discussion, the authors further offer practical examples of cross-sector partnerships in emerging economies of Pakistan, Turkey, and Nigeria – undertaken in response to the recent pandemic – emphasizing that such partnerships are crucial to mitigate the emergencies and their consequences on society. Finally, this paper offers theoretical and practical implications for cross-sector collaboration and partnerships in response to the global crisis.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to emerging markets context and further research is needed on this important topic.

Originality/value

This paper is relevant given the current global pandemic caused by the COVID-19. There are relatively limited research studies on the cross-sector partnerships and their role in global emergencies, grand challenges and global crisis, thus this paper offers important insights on cross-sector partnerships and their value creation in global crisis situations.
CSR expenditure, mandatory CSR reporting and financial performance of listed firms in India: an institutional theory perspective
Authors: Oware Kofi Mintah , Mallikarjunappa Thathaiah
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting on CSR expenditure and financial performance of listed firms in India. It uses institutional theory to explain the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the Indian stock market as the testing grounds and applied descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression and panel regression with fixed effect assumptions for 800 firm-year observations for the period 2010 to 2019.

Findings

The study shows a positive and statistically significant association between CSR expenditure and financial performance [return on assets (ROA) and Tobin’s q]. Also, the study shows a positive association between financial performance (ROA and Tobin’s q) and CSR expenditure. Furthermore, the study shows that mandatory CSR reporting leads to an increase in CSR expenditure. Finally, the study shows that mandatory CSR reporting moderates the association between CSR expenditure and financial performance stock price returns). The study control for any form of heteroscedasticity, serial correlation and endogeneity effects.

Research limitations/implications

The study used one country data to represent the emerging economies. The use of one country data can limit the generalisation of the study.

Originality/value

Different studies have examined mandatory CSR reporting association with CSR disclosure or financial performance. However, this study takes the discussion further and contribute a novelty to sustainability development studies with the examined moderating effect of mandatory CSR reporting in the association between CSR expenditure and financial performance.
Profiling interdisciplinary accounting research: an analysis of publication descriptors in three leading journals
Authors: Xu Lina , Dellaportas Steven , Yang Zhiqiang , Ji Sophia
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study is to profile interdisciplinary accounting research and the facilitating role played by researchers by probing the characteristics of published articles in three leading interdisciplinary accounting research journals, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ); Accounting, Organizations and Society (AOS); and Critical Perspectives on Accounting (CPA).

Design/methodology/approach

Profiling analysis is undertaken with a broad scan of publication descriptors in AAAJ, AOS and CPA between 2005 and 2016. Profiling stems from identifying and quantifying the characteristics of interdisciplinary research, and with further analysis, infer generalisations about its content and the community of interdisciplinary researchers.

Findings

The published output of 1,462 articles is produced by 1,688 authors affiliated with 660 institutions in 52 countries. The two most high-ranking topics are social and environmental accounting and management accounting. The highest-ranked authors are Stephen Walker, Rob Bryer, Lee Parker and Yves Gendron. The most productive universities are the University of London, Cardiff University and the University of Manchester. The countries highly involved in interdisciplinary accounting research are the UK, USA, Australia and Canada.

Research limitations/implications

The data is restricted by the sample of manuscripts based on three interdisciplinary accounting research journals for the period 2005–2016 and does not consider manuscripts published in other accounting and non-accounting journals. Additionally, the process of analysing publication descriptors to generate categorised lists was a complex process that may not be replicated precisely by other researchers.

Practical implications

The results reported in this study can assist researchers interested in interdisciplinary research on what they may expect to read and understand.

Originality/value

The present study profiles interdisciplinary research in accounting to gain a picture of the elements that comprise interdisciplinarity, which, at present, is without empirical investigation.
Effect of the modified dispersing agent and milling time on the properties and particle size distribution of inkjet ink formulation for textile printing
Authors: Abd El-Wahab H. , Nasser A.M. , Abd ElBary H.M. , Abd Elrahman M. , Hassanein M.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to study the effect of the new modified dispersing agent, milling time of the properties and particle size distribution (PSD) of inkjet ink formulation for polyester fabric printing.

Design/methodology/approach

The study’s methods include preparation of different formulations of textile inkjet inks based on different types of dispersing agents, then applying and evaluating the prepared formulations on the polyester fabric. The properties of the prepared ink formulations were analyzed by measuring viscosity, surface tension and particle size. The current work is including the study of the effect of using different doses of different dispersing agents and the milling time on their characteristics. Also, the study was extended to evaluate the printed polyester by using the prepared inks according to light fastness, washing fastness, alkali perspiration fastness and crock fastness.

Findings

The results showed that the used dispersing agents and the different milling time enhanced the viscosity and dynamic surface tension in the accepted range, but it was largely cleared in the PSD which tends to perform the inks on the printhead and prevent clogging of nozzles. Light fastness, washing fastness, alkali perspiration fastness and crock fastness gave good results in agreement with this type of inkjet inks for textile printing.

Research limitations/implications

In this work, good results were obtained with this type of dispersing agent for inkjet ink formulations, but for other dispersing agents, other tests could be performed. The inkjet ink could also be formulated with other additives to prevent clogging of nozzles on the printhead.

Practical implications

These ink formulations could be used for printing on polyester fabric by the inkjet printing.

Originality/value

Recently, there was a considerable interest in the study of the effect of PSD on the inkjet inks to prevent clogging of nozzles on the printhead and to improve the print quality on the textile fiber.
Understanding change in circulating constructs: collective learning, translation and adaptation
Authors: Wæraas Arild
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper compares the research traditions of organizational translation studies and adaptation studies. The purpose of this paper is to identify differences and similarities in how these traditions approach the study of change in adopted constructs, and by doing so, provide a better understanding of each and how they can inform research into the connection between collective learning and the continuous transformation of circulating constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in that it discusses, critiques and compares other authors’ work and thinking. It also has similarities with a literature review in that it draws out the main tendencies of many scholarly contributions from translation and adaptation literatures, respectively.

Findings

Although the paper identifies differences between translation and adaptation literatures concerning their basic assumptions, it also calls for better integration of the insights provided by them. It argues that both are needed to better understand the learning aspects involved in the transformation of circulating constructs.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to compare translation studies with adaptation studies and to call for better integration of these literatures to better understand the change in circulating constructs.
Bank service quality: perception of customers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana in the post banking sector reforms era
Authors: Tetteh Joseph Emmanuel , Boachie Chrisopher
Published: December 2020

Purpose

In the wake of fierce competition that has ensued among banks to get a share of the depositors' funds after the banking sector reforms in 2017, this study attempts to investigate bank service quality and its influence on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 753 respondents (bank customers), the study employs the structural equation modelling (SEM) using Smart-PLS to test the nature of relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty using the SERVQUAL model.

Findings

The findings show that, with the exception of assurance, the remaining four antecedents of service quality, namely reliability, responsiveness, empathy and tangibility had significant positive influence on customer satisfaction. The results also show a significant positive influence of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty, implying that more satisfied customers in Ghana tend to become more loyal to their banks.

Practical implications

For policy purposes, the authors recommend that banks should invest in improving service quality to drive customer satisfaction, loyalty and ultimately firm performance. The satisfied customer is a reliable source of bank viability and survival.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge of the authors, this is the first time a study on bank service quality has been done involving the management of banks in Ghana. This ensures the reliability of results. The findings of this study enhance knowledge of the positive relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty using a modified SERVQUAL model.
Collapse and rescue of evolutionary food webs under global warming
Authors: Yacine Youssef , Allhoff Korinna T. , Weinbach Avril , Loeuille Nicolas
Published: December 2020

Global warming is severely impacting ecosystems and threatening ecosystem services as well as human well‐being. While some species face extinction risk, several studies suggest the possibility that fast evolution may allow species to adapt and survive in spite of environmental changes.

We assess how such evolutionary rescue extends to multitrophic communities and whether evolution systematically preserves biodiversity under global warming.

More precisely, we expose simulated trophic networks of co‐evolving consumers to warming under different evolutionary scenarios, which allows us to assess the effect of evolution on diversity maintenance. We also investigate how the evolution of body mass and feeding preference affects coexistence within a simplified consumer–resource module.

Our simulations predict that the long‐term diversity loss triggered by warming is considerably higher in scenarios where evolution is slowed down or switched off completely, indicating that eco‐evolutionary feedback indeed helps to preserve biodiversity. However, even with fast evolution, food webs still experience vast disruptions in their structure and functioning. Reversing warming may thus not be sufficient to restore previous structures.

Our findings highlight how the interaction between evolutionary rescue and changes in trophic structures constrains ecosystem responses to warming with important implications for conservation and management policies.
Early nebivolol treatment is beneficial in myocardial infarction in rats partly through β3‐adrenoceptor remodelling
Authors: Audigane Leslie , Persello Antoine , Piriou Nicolas , Ferron Marine , Trochu Jean‐Noël , Lauzier Benjamin , Gauthier Chantal , Rozec Bertrand
Published: December 2020

It remains unknown whether β‐blockers are useful and safe in acute myocardial infarction (MI). Owing to its pharmacological profile and vasodilating action, nebivolol (N) is useful in MI. The aim of the present study was to assess in rat whether early nebivolol treatment could be beneficial in MI. It remains unknown whether β‐blockers are useful and safe in acute MI. On day (D) 0, male Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent left coronary artery ligation (MI) or simple thoracotomy (SHAM). On D1 and D2, the rats were treated with either nebivolol (5 mg.kg−1.day−1, MI‐N and Sham‐N) or vehicle (V, MI‐V and Sham‐V). On D3, heart rate, left ventricle (LV) intrinsic contractility (PESmid) and arterial elastance were measured. Cardiac and aortic β‐Adrenoceptor (AR) subtype mRNA were quantified using real time quantitative RT‐qPCR. Catecholamine response was assessed on isolated heart and aortic rings with isoproterenol. PESmid was decreased in MI without worsening the decrease nebivolol. In LV, β1‐ and β3‐AR mRNA were respectively decreased and increased in all MI. β3‐AR mRNA increase was partly limited by nebivolol. Ex vivo, basal contractility was less decreased in MI‐N than in MI‐V. Isoproterenol response was only altered in MI‐V. In MI aorta, Nebi prevented β2‐ and β3‐AR mRNA increases. In addition, Acetylcholine‐induced relaxation was lowered in MI‐V but preserved with nebivolol. We demonstrated an early modulation of cardiovascular β3‐AR transcription early MI. Despite its putative negative inotropic properties, nebivolol did not worsen cardiac function in basal conditions and preserved LV catecholamine response.
How did a network of marine protected areas impact adjacent fisheries? Evidence from Australia
Authors: Nichols Rachel , Yamazaki Satoshi , Jennings Sarah
Published: December 2020

Marine‐protected areas (MPAs) are an effective means of improving habitat quality and biodiversity in the world’s oceans. While the advantages of MPAs as a mechanism for conservation and biodiversity are well established, the potential improvements to fishery performance resulting from a network of MPAs are still being established. Countries around the world have committed to establishing networks of MPAs within their waters by 2020, in response to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This, coupled with the increasing global demand for seafood and heavy reliance on fishery resources as a source of economic development for many coastal communities, means that an understanding of how these networks can be expected to impact fishery performance is extremely important. We use a difference‐in‐difference modelling approach to isolate the change in the fishery performance associated with the south‐east marine reserve network in Australia. We find no evidence that the economic performance of adjacent fisheries was negatively impacted by the network. This lack of impact is likely due to a network design explicitly intended to avoid effort displacement in key fisheries, along with fishery management changes intended to remove excess fishing capacity.
Capitalizing on a double crop: Recent advances in proso millet's transition to a food crop
Authors: Marti Alessandra , Tyl Catrin
Published: December 2020

Across the globe, strategies to adapt food production to a changing climate as well as to unforeseen events (such as a pandemic) are needed, for example, if farmers miss planting times due to abnormal weather patterns or harvests are lost. Such food security considerations represent reasons for why proso millet deserves a more prominent place at the table. It has one of the shortest growing seasons and water requirements among cereals and is already grown in rotation with other crops, for example, in the American Midwest. Yet, most consumers in the Western world are unfamiliar with it, which limits its market potential. Introducing proso millet to consumers requires development of products with acceptable textural and sensory attributes as well as convincing selling points. These can be found in its nutritional profile, as it is a gluten‐free “ancient” grain and millet‐based products frequently have low glycemic indices. This review presents a synthesis of recent studies that utilized processing strategies to advance proso millet functionality. Results are put into the context of the most frequently addressed compositional and functional attributes, organized in clusters. Diversity across varieties in amylose to amylopectin ratios presents an opportunity to utilize proso millet for foods with specific pasting requirements, as in bread versus pasta. Hydrothermal or pressure treatments may further adapt its functionality for baked goods. Bitterness remains an unsolved issue, even when decorticated material is used. In addition, heating dramatically lowers in vitro protein digestibility, whereas starch digestibility appears to be matrix dependent (more than raw material dependent).
Two polymorphic mutations in promoter region of DNA polymerase β in relatively higher percentage of thymic hyperplasia patients
Authors: Wu Qingjun , Zhou Shan , Liu Jian , Tong Hongfeng , Sun Yaoguang , Tian Wenxin , Yu Hanbo , Huang Chuan , Li Donghang , Jiao Peng , Ma Chao , Cai Jianping , Dai Dapeng
Published: December 2020

Background

DNA polymerase β is one of the key enzymes involved in the repair of DNA damage, and its high or low expression is closely related to tumorigenesis. In a previous study on lung cancer, we found three genetic mutations in the promoter region of the Polb gene could be detected in the Han Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between these mutations and thymic hyperplasia.

Methods

Genomic DNA was extracted from 59 thymic hyperplasia patients by the salting out method and used for amplification of the promoter region of the Polb gene. The Polb gene mutation and its frequency were analyzed systematically by comparing them with the deposited wild‐type gene sequence in the NCBI database. The three typical mutated sequences in the promoter region of Polb gene, ‐196G > T, ‐168C > A and ‐188_‐187insCGCCC, were then amplified and ligated to pGL4.10 vector, so as to get the vectors used for the infection of 293T cells to explore their transcription activities by dual‐luciferase reporter system.

Results

Two types of mutations, ‐168C>A and‐188_‐187insCGCCC, were found in a significantly higher percentage in patients with thymic hyperplasia than in normal healthy people after sequencing analysis of 59 patients and 60 healthy controls. These results suggest that the two mutations may be closely related to thymic hyperplasia. in vitro functional experiments showed that‐168C>A could significantly increase promoter activity, whereas ‐188_‐187insCGCCC could significantly reduce promoter activity, suggesting that these two mutations may affect the expression level of the Polb gene in cells.

Conclusions

Two types of mutations in the promoter region of the Polb gene, ‐168C>A and‐188_‐187insCGCCC, are associated with thymic hyperplasia and may become a new risk factor for this disease.

Key points

Significant findings of the study

Genetic mutations in the Polb gene are reported to be associated with different kinds of cancers. However, their relationship with thymic hyperplasia is still unclear.

What this study adds

For the first time, we report that two nucleotide mutations in the promoter region of the Polb gene are closely related with thymic hyperplasia after sequencing 59 patients and 60 healthy controls in the Han Chinese population.
sMap: Evolution of independent, dependent and conditioned discrete characters in a Bayesian framework
Authors: Bianchini Giorgio , Sánchez‐Baracaldo Patricia
Published: December 2020

Trait evolution analyses enable the comparison of characters amongst different species—a useful technique when inferring ancestral phenotypes based on a phylogeny of living taxa. The evolution of discrete characters can be mapped on the branches of a phylogenetic tree using stochastic mapping. Here we present sMap, a new program to perform stochastic mapping analyses.

Key features characterising sMap are: a wide variety of models and prior distributions; the ability to use a posterior distribution of trees and to compute marginal likelihoods to perform model selection analyses; and the implementation of three kinds of characters: ‘independent’ characters, which do not interact with each other; ‘dependent’ characters, which co‐evolve at the same time; and ‘conditioned’ characters, whose state is determined by the state of other characters.

Here we present two examples that show how sMap can be used to perform stochastic mapping analyses, produce robust results and answer new kinds of questions. sMap is freely available and distributed under a GPL licence, in a command‐line and Graphical User Interface version; a detailed user manual with examples and tutorials is also provided.

The wide variety of algorithms implemented in sMap enables accurate analyses of the evolution of discrete characters. Conditioned characters can be used to study the interaction of simple traits to produce complex phenotypes. As a multiplatform and open‐source project, sMap can be used on a variety of systems and situations, such as academic research and teaching.
Codon‐based analysis of selection pressure and genetic structure in the Psammobates tentorius (Bell, 1828) species complex, and phylogeny inferred from both codons and amino acid sequences
Authors: Zhao Zhongning , Heideman Neil , Hofmeyr Margaretha D.
Published: December 2020

This study used codon analysis (dN/dS and Tv/Ti) to investigate selection pressure and genetic structure in the highly polymorphic Psammobates tentorius species complex, and amino acid sequences to construct a phylogeny tree for it. Our results revealed a strong selection signal at node ‘C2 + C3’, possibly driven by aridity intensification resulting from the development of the Benguela Current. A similar signal was noticed at C3, possibly due to the same driving force. These findings suggest that environmental selection pressure favoured those groups and that further cladogenic events were possible. Selection pressure was also found to be high at C1, C4 and C7, which may indicate that they are also favoured by the current selection pressure. The codon‐based phylogeny did not retrieve any potentially undescribed species, but nonetheless provided support for the validity of the seven distinct clades retrieved with the DNA sequence data. The amino acid sequence‐based phylogeny generally supported the seven lineages as valid putative species. Investigation at the genomic scale could, however, help to solve the issue. In general, we found the codon, dN, dS, Tv, Ti and amino acid sequence‐based phylogenetic inferences useful in species delimitation and recommend their use in species delimitation studies.
Let them eat cake? Contextualizing support for religious right to discriminate laws
Authors: Farnum Katlyn S. , Koller Abigail , Taylor Madison , Harmon Olivia , Birthwright Karissa , Shamblee Jayda
Published: December 2020

Should businesses be allowed to deny services based on their strongly held religious beliefs? Despite the recent Supreme Court Case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado, this question of the right to discriminate remains unanswered. Given the currently ambiguous legal area, it is important to understand whether the public supports these laws. The current study examines both general support for the law and under what conditions people support it. The service provided and the religion of the service provider were both manipulated while religiosity and system justification were examined as potential moderators. Service type was the only significant experimental predictor of support, with participants less supportive of the law when reading about a marriage certificate being denied due to religious reasons than a wedding cake and a wedding ceremony being denied. Religiosity, but not system justification, moderated the relationship between service type and support for the law.
Tumor cell and immune cell profiles in primary human glioblastoma: Impact on patient outcome
Authors: González‐Tablas Pimenta María , Otero Álvaro , Arandia Guzman Daniel Angel , Pascual‐Argente Daniel , Ruíz Martín Laura , Sousa‐Casasnovas Pablo , García‐Martin Andoni , Roa Montes de Oca Juan Carlos , Villaseñor‐Ledezma Javier , Torres Carretero Luis , Almeida Maria , Ortiz Javie , Nieto Adelaida , Orfao Alberto , Tabernero María Dolores
Published: December 2020

The distribution and role of tumor‐infiltrating leucocytes in glioblastoma (GBM) remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the cellular composition of 55 primary (adult) GBM samples by flow cytometry and correlated the tumor immune profile with patient features at diagnosis and outcome. GBM single‐cell suspensions were stained at diagnosis (n = 44) and recurrence following radiotherapy and chemotherapy (n = 11) with a panel of 8‐color monoclonal antibody combinations for the identification and enumeration of (GFAP+CD45−) tumor and normal astrocytic cells, infiltrating myeloid cells —i.e. microglial and blood‐derived tumor‐associated macrophages (TAM), M1‐like, and M2‐like TAM, neutrophils. and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSC)— and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) —i.e. CD3+T‐cells and their TCD4+, TCD8+, TCD4−CD8−, and (CD25+CD127lo) regulatory (T‐regs) subsets, (CD19+CD20+) B‐cells, and (CD16+) NK‐cells—. Overall, GBM samples consisted of a major population (mean ± 1SD) of tumor and normal astrocytic cells (73% ± 16%) together with a significant but variable fraction of immune cells (24% ± 18%). Within myeloid cells, TAM predominated (13% ± 12%) including both microglial cells (10% ± 11%) and blood‐derived macrophages (3% ± 5%), in addition to a smaller proportion of neutrophils (5% ± 9%) and MDSC (4% ± 8%). Lymphocytes were less represented and mostly included TCD4+ (0.5% ± 0.7%) and TCD8+ cells (0.6% ± 0.7%), together with lower numbers of TCD4−CD8− T‐cells (0.2% ± 0.4%), T‐regs (0.1% ± 0.2%), B‐lymphocytes (0.1% ± 0.2%) and NK‐cells (0.05% ± 0.05%). Overall, three distinct immune profiles were identified: cases with a minor fraction of leucocytes, tumors with a predominance of TAM and neutrophils, and cases with mixed infiltration by TAM, neutrophils, and T‐lymphocytes. Untreated GBM patients with mixed myeloid and lymphoid immune infiltrates showed a significantly shorter patient overall survival versus the other two groups, in the absence of gains of the EGFR gene (p = 0.02). Here we show that immune cell infiltrates are systematically present in GBM, with highly variable levels and immune profiles. Patients with mixed myeloid and T‐lymphoid infiltrates showed a worse outcome.
circ_100984‐miR‐432‐3p axis regulated c‐Jun/YBX‐1/β‐catenin feedback loop promotes bladder cancer progression
Authors: Tong Liang , Yang Huihui , Xiong Wei , Tang Guyu , Zu Xiongbing , Qi Lin
Published: December 2020

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers globally. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been revealed to participate in BC progression with diverse mechanisms. However, mechanisms of circ_100984 in BC have not been determined. Here, we found that circ_100984 and YBX‐1 were high presented, while miR‐432‐3p was low presented in BC. Silencing of circ_100984 and YBX‐1 repressed BC tumor growth, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that circ_100984 served as a competing endogenous RNA that sponged miR‐432‐3p to indirectly regulate YBX‐1 and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related molecules. Moreover, we confirmed that YBX‐1 or c‐Jun acted as a transcription regulatory factor for β‐catenin or YBX‐1, respectively, in BC cells. Knockdown of YBX‐1 inhibited the expression of β‐catenin and c‐Jun, whereas downregulated c‐Jun inversely repressed the expression of YBX‐1 and β‐catenin. Our results suggested that circ_100984‐miR‐432‐3p axis regulated c‐Jun/YBX‐1/β‐catenin feedback loop promotes BC progression, providing a potential therapeutic axis for BC progression.
Comparing factors affecting dental‐implant loss between age groups: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Boboeva Obida , Kwon Tae‐Geon , Kim Jin‐Wook , Lee Sung‐Tak , Choi So‐Young
Published: December 2020

Background

There is a growing interest in factors leading to implant failure in older people as the population aged 65 years or older continues to expand.

Purpose

We sought to identify differences of results in the implant survival rate and the influence of certain factors on implant failure in the older (≥65 years) and younger (<65 years) patients.

Materials and Methods

Patients who underwent their first dental‐implant surgery between July 2008 and June 2018 were included. Data on age, sex, smoking habits, medical conditions, implant location, implant size, and the presence and type of bone graft and membrane were collected and analyzed according to age group. Moreover, cumulative survival rates of implants (by Kaplan‐Meier analysis) and hazard ratios (HR) of each factor (using Cox regression analysis with shared frailty) in each group were assessed and results compared between groups.

Results

A total of 628 implants in 308 patients and 1904 implants in 987 patients in the older and younger groups, respectively, were assessed, with failure rates of 3.9% and 3.4%. Per Kaplan‐Meier analysis, the 11‐year patient‐level cumulative survival rate of implant treatment was 95.3% (95% CI: 0.91‐0.97) in the older and 93.9% (95% CI: 0.88‐0.97) in the younger group. The HR for implant failure of the variables, except diameter of dental implants, were not statistically significant in both groups.

Conclusion

The outcomes of implant treatment were not considerably different between the age groups.
Prospective randomized clinical trial evaluating the effects of two different implant collar designs on peri‐implant healing and functional osseointegration after 25 years
Authors: Camarda Aldo Joseph , Durand Robert , Benkarim Marwa , Rompré Pierre H. , Guertin Geneviève , Ciaburro Hugo
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Evaluate the effects of two different machined‐collar lengths and designs on peri‐implant healing.

Material and Methods

An implant with a microtextured surface and 3.6mm‐long internal‐connection machined collar was compared to two implants that had an identical 1.2mm‐long external‐connection machined collar, but one had the microtextured surface while the other's was machined. Participants received the three implants, with microgap at the crest, alternately at five sites between mental foramen, and a full‐arch prosthesis. Peri‐implant bone levels were measured after 23 to 26 years of function. Keratinized tissue height, plaque, probing depth, bleeding, and purulence were also evaluated. Descriptive and mixed models for repeated\measures analyses were used, with Bonferroni correction for pairwise comparisons.

Results

Twenty‐two participants (110 implants) were evaluated at the 25‐year examination. Microtextured implants with the longer machined collar had significantly greater mean marginal bone loss (−1.77mm ± 0.18, mean ± SE) than machined (−0.85mm ± 0.18, p < .001) and microtextured (−1.00 ± 0.18mm, p < .001) implants with the shorter machined collar. Keratinized tissue height was greater for internal‐connection (0.74mm ± 0.10) versus external‐connection (0.51 ± 0.08, p =  0.01) microtextured implants. No differences were observed for plaque (p = 0.78), probing depth (p = 0.42), bleeding (p  = 0.07), and purulence (p = 1.00). Implant survival rate was 99%.

Conclusions

Implants with the 1.2mm machined collar limited bone loss to 1mm, while those with the longer machined collar showed > 1.5mm loss after 25 years of function with microgap at the crest. Internal‐connection design and fixture surface microtexturing did not result in greater bone preservation.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03862482.
Cerebral palsy in Canadian Indigenous children
Authors: Chen Anjellica , Dyck Holzinger Sasha , Oskoui Maryam , Shevell Michael ,   the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry
Published: December 2020

Aim

To determine whether inequities in health outcomes for Indigenous Canadians are also present in cerebral palsy (CP) by comparing CP profiles between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children.

Method

Using the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry, we conducted a cross‐sectional study. CP motor subtype, gross motor severity, comorbidities, perinatal adversity, preterm birth, and parental education were compared between 94 Indigenous (53 males, 41 females) and 1555 non‐Indigenous (891 males, 664 females) children (all >5y). Multivariate analysis was done to analyze adverse CP factors, defined as CP gross motor severity and comorbidities. CP etiologies, either prenatal/perinatal or postnatal, were also compared.

Results

Indigenous children with CP have higher odds of having low parental education (odds ratio [OR] 6.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.36–11.3) and comorbidities (OR 4.46, 95% CI 1.62–12.3), especially cognitive (OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.27–9.05), communication (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.54–4.61), and feeding (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.33–3.83) impairment. Indigenous children also have higher CP gross motor severity (p=0.03). Indigenous children are also more likely to have non‐accidental head injury (n=4; OR 8.18, 95% CI 1.86–36.0) as the cause of their postnatal CP.

Interpretation

Indigenous populations have worse health outcomes as a result of intergenerational impacts of colonization. Our study shows that Indigenous children with CP have increased comorbidities and higher CP gross motor severity, reinforcing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to management. Furthermore, targeted prevention programs against preventable causes of CP, such as non‐accidental head injury, may be beneficial.

What this paper adds

Indigenous children with cerebral palsy (CP) have more severe motor impairment and more comorbidities.

Non‐accidental head injury is a significant cause of postnatal CP.
The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services: A pan‐European survey of diabetes specialist nurses undertaken by the Foundation of European Nurses in Diabetes survey consortium
Authors: Forde Rita , Arente Liga , Ausili Davide , De Backer Kristin , Due‐Christensen Mette , Epps Amanda , Fitzpatrick Anne , Grixti Moira , Groen Sijda , Halkoaho Arja , Huber Claudia , Iversen Marjolein M. , Johansson Unn‐Britt , Leippert Claudia , Ozcan Seyda , Parker Julie , Paiva Ana Christina , Sanpetreanu Adina , Savet Marie‐Alice , Rosana Svetic‐Cisic , Szewczyk Alicja , Valverde Maite , Vlachou Eugenia , Forbes Angus ,   the FEND COVID‐19 consortium
Published: December 2020

Aim

To describe diabetes nurses' perspectives on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on people with diabetes and diabetes services across Europe.

Methods

An online survey developed using a rapid Delphi method. The survey was translated into 17 different languages and disseminated electronically in 27 countries via national diabetes nurse networks.

Results

Survey responses from 1829 diabetes nurses were included in the analysis. The responses indicated that 28% (n = 504) and 48% (n = 873) of diabetes nurses felt the COVID‐19 pandemic had impacted ‘a lot’ on the physical and psychological risks of people with diabetes, respectively. The following clinical problems were identified as having increased ‘a lot’: anxiety 82% (n = 1486); diabetes distress 65% (n = 1189); depression 49% (n = 893); acute hyperglycaemia 39% (n = 710) and foot complications 18% (n = 323). Forty‐seven percent (n = 771) of respondents identified that the level of care provided to people with diabetes had declined either extremely or quite severely. Self‐management support, diabetes education and psychological support were rated by diabetes nurse respondents as having declined extremely or quite severely during the COVID‐19 pandemic by 31% (n = 499), 63% (n = 1,027) and 34% (n = 551), respectively.

Conclusion

The findings show that diabetes nurses across Europe have seen significant increases in both physical and psychological problems in their patient populations during COVID‐19. The data also show that clinical diabetes services have been significantly disrupted. As the COVID‐19 situation continues, we need to adapt care systems with some urgency to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the diabetes population.
The ghosts of propagation past: haplotype information clarifies the relative influence of stocking history and phylogeographic processes on contemporary population structure of walleye (Sander vitreus)
Authors: Bootsma Matthew L. , Miller Loren , Sass Greg G. , Euclide Peter T. , Larson Wesley A.
Published: December 2020

Stocking of fish is an important tool for maintaining fisheries but can also significantly alter population genetic structure and erode the portfolio of within‐species diversity that is important for promoting resilience and adaptability. Walleye (Sander vitreus) are a highly valued sportfish in the midwestern United States, a region characterized by postglacial recolonization from multiple lineages and an extensive history of stocking. We leveraged genomic data and recently developed analytical approaches to explore the population structure of walleye from two midwestern states, Minnesota and Wisconsin. We genotyped 954 walleye from 23 populations at ~20,000 loci using genotyping by sequencing and tested for patterns of population structure with single‐SNP and microhaplotype data. Populations from Minnesota and Wisconsin were highly differentiated from each other, with additional substructure found in each state. Population structure did not consistently adhere to drainage boundaries, as cases of high intra‐drainage and low inter‐drainage differentiation were observed. Low genetic structure was observed between populations from the upper Wisconsin and upper Chippewa river watersheds, which are found as few as 50 km apart and were likely homogenized through historical stocking. Nevertheless, we were able to differentiate these populations using microhaplotype‐based co‐ancestry analysis, providing increased resolution over previous microsatellite studies and our other single SNP‐based analyses. Although our results illustrate that walleye population structure has been influenced by past stocking practices, native ancestry still exists in most populations and walleye populations may be able to purge non‐native alleles and haplotypes in the absence of stocking. Our study is one of the first to use genomic tools to investigate the influence of stocking on population structure in a nonsalmonid fish and outlines a workflow leveraging recently developed analytical methods to improve resolution of complex population structure that will be highly applicable in many species and systems.